U.S.-Cuba Humanitarian Aid: The U.S. sent its first humanitarian flight to Cuba under a new $100 million package, delivering food and hygiene kits for up to 700 families via Catholic Relief Services, after earlier church-linked support. Foreign Pressure on Tourism: Spanish hotel giant Meliá says it will end its hotel operations in Cuba this Friday, citing “operational, legal, and economic-financial difficulties” tied to U.S. pressure. State Department Clash: Cuba’s foreign minister rejected a new U.S. State Department report alleging decades of Cuban espionage and influence, calling it a “slanderous pamphlet” meant to scare Americans. Energy and Solidarity: Cuba thanked Spain’s Open Arms for aid reaching a pediatric hospital, including solar panels and batteries aimed at keeping ventilators running during outages. Military Service Deaths: A Cuban citizen observatory report says at least 97 recruits died or disappeared in mandatory service since 2001, with suicide the leading documented cause. Local Life Under Strain: Cubans continue to report daily hardship from cash and power problems, including long bank queues and blackouts affecting ordinary routines.