Caribbean
Haiti: kidnapped missionary is freed
Irish lay missionary Gena Heraty, who has served in Haiti for three decades, has been freed after nearly a month of captivity. She and several others, including a three-year-old child with a disability,…
Cuba: minister resigns after saying there are no beggars in the country
Labour and social security minister Marta Feito Cabrera has resigned following widespread backlash over her comments denying the existence of poverty and homelessness in Cuba. Speaking in the National Assembly, Feito claimed that…
Dominican Republic: tighter controls on illegal immigration from Haiti
President Luis Abinader has introduced measures to address illegal immigration from neighbouring Haiti, where the continuing violence is forcing many to flee. The new policies, described as ‘painful but necessary’, include charging migrants…
Cuba: prisoners released despite Trump’s reversing Biden’s decision
Cuba has released 553 prisoners, according to an agreement made in January with Joe Biden’s administration. The deal, mediated by the Vatican, was in return for being removed from the US terrorism blacklist.…
Cuba: USA set to remove ‘terrorism’ designation
As Joe Biden nears the end of his term, he is set to remove Cuba’s designation as a ‘state sponsor of terrorism’. This decision comes after an assessment found no evidence supporting Cuba’s…
Trinidad and Tobago: gang violence surges
A nationwide state of emergency has been declared in Trinidad and Tobago following a surge in gang violence which left over sixty dead in December, pushing the year’s murder toll to 623 -…
Haiti: airport closed, new prime minister, gang violence
Haiti’s international airport has closed for the second time this year after suspected gang gunfire struck two US passenger planes. The UN has also paused helicopter landings, while the US embassy has warned…
Cuba: misery caused by prolonged blackouts
Cuba has had one of its toughest weeks in years, with a nationwide blackout leaving its ten million citizens powerless for days, alongside devastation from Hurricane Oscar. For many, energy shortages have become…
Cuba: president leads march to support Gaza
Cuba’s president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, has led thousands of protesters in Havana to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The march included around 250 Palestinian medical students and featured a large banner declaring, ‘Long…
Haiti: nearly half the population face acute food shortages
According to the IPC, a world hunger watchdog, nearly 48% of Haiti's population faces acute food shortages. Over five million people are enduring ‘high levels of acute food insecurity’ from August 2024 to…
