US to Probe Cuba Speedboat Shooting; Third Round of Iran Nuclear Talks Begin

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Feb 26, 2026

Jumana Bersetchi, Middle East correspondent covering Iran-U.S. nuclear talks. Laura Davison, Deputy Washington Bureau Chief reporting on the Cuba speedboat incident. They unpack a deadly speedboat clash off Cuba and a new round of tense nuclear negotiations in Geneva. Short, fast-paced updates on potential U.S. probes and regional diplomatic fallout.

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INSIGHT

Cuba Kills Armed Speedboat Near Its Coast

Cuba's coast guard shot a Florida-registered speedboat, killing four people who Cuba says were US-based Cubans intending to fight the government.
The vessel approached within one nautical mile of Villa Clara and the US, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will investigate the incident.

INSIGHT

Third Round Of US Iran Nuclear Talks In Geneva

U.S. and Iranian officials met in Geneva for a third round of mediated nuclear talks with low expectations of a breakthrough.
Talks happen amid heavy U.S. pressure including military buildup and a Trump deadline of March 1–6 tied to threats of military action.

INSIGHT

US Vows To Maintain High Tariffs On China

The U.S. plans to keep tariffs on China high, targeting a 35–50% range while moving some global tariffs to 15%.
U.S. Trade Representative Jameson Greer said Trump will seek to extend the tariff truce with Xi when he visits Beijing next month.

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Today's top stories, with context, in just 15 minutes.
On today's podcast:
1) Cuba says a boat with 10 people near its coast early Wednesday was carrying weapons, and its occupants — Cubans living in the US — were intent on entering the country to fight against the government. Cuban forces killed four people who had opened fire from a speedboat with Florida tags, an incident with the potential to escalate an already tense standoff with the US. The vessel approached within one nautical mile off the coast of Villa Clara early Wednesday, Cuba’s Interior Ministry said in a statement. Six others on the speedboat were wounded and are being provided with medical care. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Wednesday afternoon that the Department of Homeland Security and Coast Guard would be looking into the incident.
2) The US and Iran started a third round of nuclear talks on Thursday with days to go until President Trump’s deadline for a deal. The two parties have been locked in a tense, months-long standoff over the Islamic Republic’s atomic activities and are negotiating through mediator Oman at its embassy in Geneva, the semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency reported. Trump had given Iran a deadline of March 1-6 to strike a deal and has threatened military action if it fails to do so, sparking fears of a new Middle East war that could embroil Israel and Gulf Arab oil producers.
3) The US vowed to maintain high tariffs on China hours after Beijing warned against any future hikes, as President Trump’s sweeping levies return to the spotlight before his meeting with Xi Jinping. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Wednesday that Trump wants to keep tariffs on China steady at a range of 35% to 50%, while repeating earlier statements that the Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate broad emergency tariffs wouldn’t affect most levies. Earlier the same day, China threatened to take “all necessary measures” if the US imposed fresh tariffs, after Washington signaled a probe into their 2020 trade deal would continue. Beijing reiterated it wants to use the existing consultation mechanism to build consensus.

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