US indicts former Cuban president Raúl Castro amid escalating tensions

The United States on Wednesday issued a federal criminal indictment against Raúl Castro, Cuba’s former president, and five others, escalating the Trump administration’s campaign to oust the country’s communist regime.

The indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Havana. President Donald Trump has threatened military action against the Cuban government, and an energy crisis driven by a tight U.S. oil embargo has caused rolling blackouts and sparked protests in the capital.

Trump, asked by reporters whether an arrest similar to that of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January could occur, said: “I don’t want to say that.”

Details of the indictment include charges stemming from a 1996 incident.

Castro, 94, was charged with conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, four counts of murder, and two counts of destruction of aircraft related to the 1996 downing of two small planes by the Cuban military during a humanitarian mission in the Florida Straits, killing four men.

Cuba’s government condemned the move.

“It seeks only to justify the folly of a military aggression against Cuba,” said Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, condemning the indictment as a political stunt.

In a separate development, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir sparked a diplomatic crisis by publishing footage of Israeli security forces abusing international activists detained while trying to sail to Gaza with aid.

Lawyers for the group said three activists were taken to hospital due to Israeli violence and later discharged; dozens of others sustained suspected broken ribs causing breathing problems. The rights group Adalah reported “widespread physical and psychological abuse by Israeli authorities.”

The nature of the video has drawn international outrage.

The footage shows dozens of men and women kneeling in rows with their foreheads to the ground and hands zip-tied behind their backs. Ben-Gvir posted the video on his social media account, appearing to wave an Israeli flag and mock the detainees.

Global leaders have criticized the minister’s actions.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee described Ben-Gvir’s behavior as “despicable” and said the minister “betrayed the dignity of his nation.” Other critics include Italy, Spain, the European Council, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Spain’s foreign minister called the treatment “monstrous, disgraceful, and inhumane.”

U.S. employers spend more than $1.5 billion annually on labor union opposition efforts, according to a report published Wednesday by the Economic Policy Institute.

“This is millions or even billions of dollars that’s not going towards workers and investing into their workplace,” said Margaret Poydock, a co-author of the report and senior policy analyst at EPI.

Where does the money go?

Employers use company funds to hire consultants and law firms specializing in union avoidance, as well as legal counsel and litigation services during union elections and organizing campaigns.

What impact does this spending have?

Poydock said such union-avoidance efforts have contributed to a decades-long decline in union membership and density. Union density in the U.S. is now 10%, down from 20.3% in 1983. Despite this, Gallup polls show nearly 70% of Americans approve of labor unions.

An American doctor who contracted Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been flown to Germany for treatment, accompanied by his wife and four children, as the World Health Organization warned of the outbreak’s “scale and speed.”

Trump said Wednesday he would speak with Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, a break from diplomatic norms that could strain U.S. relations with China.

A Tennessee man who was jailed for 37 days over a Facebook post about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk won an $835,000 settlement.

The U.S. has ordered its Jerusalem embassy to press Palestinian leadership to drop a bid for a senior position at the U.N. General Assembly, fearing the role could allow Palestinians to chair high-profile debates on the Middle East.

SpaceX announced plans to list on the U.S. stock market, disclosing its investor prospectus and financials. Elon Musk’s rocket and satellite company will go public on the Nasdaq at an estimated valuation of $1.75 trillion, potentially pushing Musk closer to becoming a trillionaire from his current net worth of $807.7 billion, according to Forbes.

At Drexel University’s Food Lab, 13 of the top non-toxic pans were tested for cooking performance, including buzzy brands such as Our Place and Caraway. The top picks were featured in a Filter US article published in February.

Mako Nishimura fought her way into the Japanese underworld, but drug addiction and the decline of organized crime gangs nearly destroyed her. In a long read, Sean Williams writes about Nishimura, likely the only woman to have been a full-fledged yakuza.

Young Americans, including Eva Lighthiser in Montana, are suing the president for violating rights through executive orders that fuel the climate crisis. “If Lighthiser’s lawsuit is successful, it would force the government to acknowledge the fact that they are doing active harm to young people in this country,” she said.

Four auctions of items belonging to the late actor Diane Keaton, who died in October, reveal treasures she collected. Each sale focuses on a distinct aspect of Keaton’s identity, including her sartorial choices and photographic works.

First Thing is delivered to thousands of inboxes every weekday. If you’re not already signed up, subscribe now.

For questions or comments about any of our newsletters, email newsletters@theguardian.com.