Podcast Summary: Apple News Today — Trump Cut Off Cuba’s Oil. Now It’s Heading for Economic Collapse.

Date: February 10, 2026
Host: Cecilia Ley (in for Shumita Basu)
Key Topics: Cuba's oil crisis under new US sanctions, the struggling US job market, a figure skater’s moving Olympic story, and breakdowns in Winter Olympic medals.

Main Theme

This episode focuses on the severe economic crisis gripping Cuba after the Trump administration's enforcement of a strict oil blockade, explores worsening conditions in the US job market, touches on a heartfelt Olympic story, and ends with a quirky look at fragile Olympic medals. The episode provides analysis and reporting from Wall Street Journal correspondents and other journalists to break down the global and domestic news of the day.

1. Cuba’s Oil Crisis and Economic Collapse

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Severe Fuel Shortages:

  • Cuba is facing widespread shortages, not only of fuel but also of food and medicine. (00:44)
  • Air Canada suspended flights due to Cuba’s announcement about difficulties in refueling. (00:55)

• Cause of Crisis:

  • US oil blockade under President Trump plunged Cuba deeper into crisis.
  • Cuba previously relied on Venezuela and Mexico for oil. Venezuela's supply was undermined by US intervention, and Mexico recently withdrew its support. Both actions greatly reduced available energy for Cuba. (01:54)
  • Jose DeCordova, Wall Street Journal Latin America correspondent:

    “Cuba needs roughly 100,000 barrels of oil each day and only produces about 40,000 barrels.” (01:03)

• Economic & Political Fallout:

  • The Cuban government implementing drastic austerity, like a four-day work week for state workers and restrictions on hospital operations to only the most necessary procedures. (01:51)
  • The US has threatened tariffs on anyone doing business with Cuba, increasing pressure on potential trading partners. (01:54)

• Diplomatic Tensions & Stand-Off:

  • President Miguel Díaz-Canel of Cuba accuses the US of waging a “psychological war.” (01:54)
  • President Trump comments on the situation:

    “I think they probably would come to us and want to make a deal so Cuba would be free again. They’ll come to us, they’ll make a deal. But Cuba, really, they’ve got a problem.” (02:43)

  • Cuba’s deputy foreign minister on potential talks:

    "The US Government knows that Cuba is ready and has been ready for a long time to have a meaningful dialogue with the US Government to deal with our bilateral issues. ... We cannot say we have set a bilateral dialogue." (02:59)

  • DeCordova’s take:

    "They're increasing the pressure on Cuba and they're sort of hoping that somebody within the Cuban regime will negotiate... a change of regime. I see that as difficult." (03:37)

  • DeCordova, with a veteran’s cynicism, adds:

    "One thing I’ve learned after being a reporter for nearly 40 years is that things can always get worse. I have a feeling that things will get worse in Cuba before they get better." (04:20)

2. The Struggling US Job Market

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Slow Growth & Hiring Freezes:

  • "At least 2025 now the weakest year of jobs growth since the pandemic." (04:46)
  • Over 108,000 job cuts in January – the highest for the month since 2009. (04:49)
  • "Low fire, low hire" environment—few are quitting jobs, which limits new hiring. (05:12)
  • Justin Leihart, Wall Street Journal economics reporter, explains:

    “Most hiring every month is just replacing people who left. And if nobody's leaving... there's less hiring.” (05:33)

    • Spring 2022: ~4.5 million people left jobs, “nearly a third higher than last December.” (05:54)

• Contributing Factors:

  • High short-term interest rates particularly hurting small businesses. (06:02)
  • Uncertainty surrounding Trump administration's tariff policies:

    "If you're a tariff-affected business... it makes it very, very hard to plan... you need to know where you’re going, what kind of workers you’re going to hire, and it’s just hard when they're confused like that." (06:16)

  • Trump’s strict immigration crackdown suppresses workforce and consumer base:

    “Net immigration is down a lot... without immigration, our workforce just doesn’t grow very much at all... you just can't have that much job growth.” (06:40) “Immigrants are also consumers... and you're also taking that source of demand away. So businesses have less reason to hire, too.” (07:14)

  • Some Americans now pay recruiters to help them find jobs in this market. (07:39)

3. Olympic Story: Figure Skater Maxine Naumov

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Personal Tragedy & Legacy:

  • Naumov, a US figure skater, lost both his parents (themselves former Olympians) in a tragic accident in 2025. (08:10)
  • Naumov decided to compete to honor his parents:

    “The only way out is through. There's no other way. I don't have the strength or the passion or the drive or the dedication of one person anymore. It's three people.” —Maxine Naumov (08:33)

• Community Support:

  • His parents were part of a close community of Russian Olympic skaters who settled in Connecticut; that community supported Naumov after his parents’ deaths. (09:20)

• Reporter’s Perspective:

  • Robert Samuels, Washington Post reporter:

    “What we're seeing with Maxime Naumov is not a Cinderella story. It's a tale of hard work… overcoming adversity… all the years that had come before, gave him the training and technique to perform well enough to go to the Olympics.” (10:13)

  • Naumov's Olympic performance scheduled for 12:30pm Eastern. (10:45)

4. Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Cuba’s dire straights:

  “Cuba has been in an economic crisis for a while and it’s now…it’s on the border of an economic meltdown, basically.” —Jose DeCordova (01:03)

• On the logic of sanctions:

  “They’re playing a very complicated game because they are increasing the pressure on Cuba and they’re sort of hoping that somebody within the Cuban regime will negotiate with them. A change of regime. I see that as difficult.” —Jose DeCordova (03:37)

• On the US labor market:

  “Most hiring every month is just replacing people who left. And if nobody's leaving their job, then there's less hiring that's going on.” —Justin Leihart (05:33)

• On the role of immigration:

  “We're an aging country, and without immigration, our workforce just doesn't grow very much at all.” —Justin Leihart (06:40)

• On overcoming adversity:

  “The only way out is through. ... I don't have the strength or the passion or the drive or the dedication of one person anymore. It's three people.” —Maxine Naumov (08:33)

• On fragile Olympic medals:

  “Don’t jump in them. I was jumping in excitement and it broke. I’m sure somebody will fix it. It’s not like crazy broken, but it’s all a little broken.” —Breezy Johnson (12:57)

5. Secondary News Highlights

• Steve Bannon Update:

  • DOJ moved to dismiss Bannon’s 2022 conviction (11:11)

• VP JD Vance in Armenia:

  • First sitting VP in Armenia, announcing nuclear initiatives and pushing a peace deal with Azerbaijan. (11:44)

• Olympic Medals Defective:

  • Medals at the Winter Olympics are chipping, denting, and in some cases splitting in two due to a breakaway mechanism in the ribbons. (12:10)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:44 – Cuba oil crisis unfolds: shortages, airline withdrawals
• 01:03 – Jose DeCordova explains the scale of Cuba’s problem
• 01:54 – Overview of sanctions, Venezuela collapse, Mexico withdrawal, Trump administration pressures
• 02:43 – Trump’s remarks on Cuba
• 02:59 – Cuba’s deputy foreign minister on readiness to talk
• 03:37 – DeCordova on US pressure tactics and regime change
• 04:20 – DeCordova’s grim prediction: “things can always get worse”
• 04:46 – Sluggish job market, record job cuts in January
• 05:33 – Justin Leihart on why hiring is down
• 06:16 – Tariff and immigration policy uncertainty
• 07:39 – Jobseekers paying recruiters in desperate job market
• 08:10 – Naumov’s personal tragedy
• 08:33 – Naumov's resolve and memorable quote
• 10:13 – Robert Samuels on "the real" Naumov story
• 12:10 – Olympic medals breaking; athletes react

Tone & Style

The episode is factual, empathetic, and brisk, blending sober analysis of geopolitical and economic challenges with human-centered storytelling and lighter cultural moments. Quotes and anecdotes from reporters, officials, and those affected bring immediacy and authenticity to the headlines.

For more in-depth coverage, visit the Apple News app or listen to the full episode.