Cuba is struggling to cover a fuel deficit as imports from Venezuela and other countries remain below historical levels and global prices boosted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine make purchases almost unaffordable, according to analysts and data, Reuters reported. The Caribbean country, which is dependent on fuel imports mostly from political ally Venezuela to cover more than half of its demand, is since last month dealing with diesel and gasoline shortages leading to long lines in front of stations.

A U.S. jury began deliberations on Tuesday in the trial of a former Goldman Sachs banker accused of helping loot billions of dollars from Malaysia's 1MDB sovereign wealth fund, Reuters reported. Prosecutors say Roger Ng, Goldman's former top investment banker for Malaysia, helped his former boss Tim Leissner embezzle money from 1MDB, launder the proceeds and bribe officials to win business for Goldman. The Malaysian fund had been founded to pursue development projects in the Southeast Asian country. Ng has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to launder money and violating an anti-corruption law.

A former Goldman Sachs banker should be convicted of helping loot billions of dollars from Malaysia's 1MDB sovereign wealth fund and causing "immeasurable" harm, a U.S. prosecutor told jurors in her closing argument on Monday, Reuters reported. Roger Ng, Goldman's former top investment banker for Malaysia, faces charges he helped his former boss Tim Leissner embezzle hundreds of millions of dollars from the fund, launder the proceeds and bribe officials to win business for Goldman. Assistant U.S.

Mexico's financial stability council said on Wednesday that there is risk of credit rating action on the ratings for the sovereign and state oil firm Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex). The council, which includes Mexico's finance minister, central bank governor and head of the banking commission, said a credit rating action on Pemex has been mitigated by measures to improve the tax take and higher oil prices. Read more.

An Ontario court cleared the way for a receiver to wind up bankrupt lender Bridging Finance Inc., rejecting an attempt by investors to stall the liquidation, Bloomberg News reported. A group of Bridging unitholders had asked the Ontario Superior Court to allow more time to consider proposals to sell or reorganize the funds. But Justice Geoffrey Morawetz turned down their request and said PriceWaterhouseCoopers can cease its attempts to find a buyer, according to court documents posted Tuesday.

The United States and its allies plan new sanctions on more sectors of Russia's economy that are critical to sustaining its invasion of Ukraine, including military supply chains, Deputy U.S. Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said yesterday, Reuters reported.

Justin Trudeau, the prime minister of Canada, and Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, will host an online fund-raising event for Ukrainian refugees on April 9, the New York Times reported.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Thursday the Bank of Mexico had voted to raise its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points to 6.5%, speaking before the latest decision has been made public by the central bank, Reuters reported. "The Bank of Mexico took the decision yesterday unanimously, and we respect the Bank of Mexico's autonomy," Lopez Obrador said, speaking at a regular government news conference. Economists surveyed by Reuters forecast that the bank would vote to raise its benchmark rate by 50 basis points to 6.5% at its latest monetary policy decision.

El Salvador is seeking support from cryptocurrency exchange Binance for its implementation of bitcoin as legal tender and the issuance of bitcoin bonds, the Central American country's ambassador to the United States said on Wednesday, Reuters reported. Binance Chief Executive Officer Changpeng Zhao is visiting El Salvador and plans to meet President Nayib Bukele on Thursday, ambassador Milena Mayorga told reporters. Mayorga said Zhao's visit was a vote of confidence in Bukele's decision to adopt bitcoin as legal tender last September, as well as its plan to issue bitcoin-backed bonds.