WEATHER ALERT
More Kenyan police arrive in Haiti with UN-backed mission to fight violent gangs
Another 200 police officers from Kenya have arrived in Haiti for a U.N.-backed mission led by the East African country to battle violent gangs that have taken over parts of the troubled Caribbean country.
US asks Haiti to prioritize electoral council amid gang violence and a humanitarian crisis
U.S. officials have asked Haiti’s prime minister to prioritize the establishment of an electoral council as the country strives to rebuild its government amid rampant gang violence.
Haitians hold their breath as newly arrived Kenyan police force prepares to face gangs
Anticipation is mingling with fear across Haiti as the country welcomes the fourth major foreign intervention in its history to fight gang violence.
Transitional council in Haiti selects new prime minister for a country under siege by gangs
U.N. development specialist Garry Conille has been named Haiti’s new prime minister nearly a month after a coalition within a fractured transitional council had chosen someone else for the position.
The unexpected announcement of a prime minister divides Haiti's newly created transitional council
A surprise announcement that revealed Haiti’s new prime minister is dividing a recently installed transitional council tasked with choosing new leaders for the gang-riddled Caribbean country.
With fear and hope, Haiti warily welcomes new governing council as gang-ravaged country seeks peace
Haiti has opened a new political chapter with the installation of a transitional council tasked with picking a new prime minister and preparing for eventual presidential elections, in hopes of quelling spiraling gang violence that has killed thousands in the Caribbean country.
Haitians scramble to survive, seeking food, water and safety as gang violence chokes the capital
Life in Port-au-Prince has become a game of survival, pushing Haitians to new limits as they scramble to stay safe and alive while gangs overwhelm the police and the government remains largely absent.
A journalist. An army sergeant. An 80-year-old patient. Haitian human rights group details gang toll
A Haitian human rights group has released a new report that details the horrific violence unleashed this year by gangs who kill, rape and maim with impunity amid a political vacuum.
Creation of transitional council that will select Haiti's next prime minister is imminent, US says
The U.S. assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere affairs says the creation of a transitional council responsible for choosing Haiti’s next leaders is imminent.
Haiti police recover hijacked cargo ship in rare victory after 5-hour shootout with gangs
Haiti’s National Police says it has recovered a hijacked cargo ship laden with rice following a gunbattle with gangs that lasted more than five hours.
Haiti's surge in gang violence has led more than 53,000 to flee the capital in less than three weeks
More than 53,000 people have fled Haiti’s capital in less than three weeks as deadly gang violence continues.
Gunbattle between Haitian police and gangs paralyzes area near National Palace
Heavy gunfire erupted in the downtown area of Haiti’s capital as police battled gang members near the National Palace for several hours.
Haiti's transitional council issues its first statement, signaling its creation is nearly complete
Members of a transitional presidential council who will be responsible for selecting a new prime minister for Haiti have issued their first official statement.
As gangs rampage through Haiti's capital, more than 33,000 people have fled in 13 days, report finds
U.N. officials say more than 33,000 people have fled Haiti’s capital in a span of nearly two weeks as gangs continue to pillage homes and attack state institutions.
A team to choose Haiti's next leader takes shape as gang violence engulfs the Caribbean nation
Caribbean leaders say all groups and political parties except one have submitted nominees for a transitional presidential council charged with selecting an interim prime minister for Haiti.
Gangs unleash new attacks on upscale areas in Haiti's capital, with at least a dozen killed nearby
Gangs have attacked two upscale neighborhoods in Haiti’s capital in a rampage that left at least a dozen people dead in surrounding areas.
Looting is on the rise in Haiti. Among the victims: UNICEF and Guatemala's consul
A number of government and aid agencies in Haiti have reported their facilities and aid supplies have been looted as Haiti spirals into another wave of gang violence.
A plan to find new leadership for Haiti is moving forward, Caribbean officials say
Caribbean officials say a plan to create a transitional presidential council is moving forward after a majority of Haitian parties and coalitions submitted the names of those charged with finding new leaders for the country.
Plan to install new leaders in Haiti appears to crumble after political parties reject it
A proposal to install new leadership in Haiti appears to be crumbling as some political parties rejected the plan to create a presidential council that would manage the transition.
Haiti's future is being planned on two tracks: traditional political power and gang power
Haiti’s future is being planned on two tracks — one involving traditional political power, the other focused on the power of gangs.
Haiti is preparing itself for new leadership. Gangs want a seat at the table
Politicians across Haiti are scrambling for power after Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced that he would resign once a transitional presidential council is created.
US pledges an additional $100M for a multinational force awaiting deployment to violence-hit Haiti
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced an additional $100 million to finance the deployment of a multinational force mission to Haiti following a meeting with Caribbean leaders in Jamaica to halt the country’s violent crisis.
US forces fly in to beef up security at embassy in Haiti and evacuate nonessential personnel
The U.S. military has flown in forces to beef up security at the U.S. Embassy in Haiti and evacuate nonessential personnel.
Gangs attack police stations in Haiti as Caribbean leaders call an emergency meeting Monday
Police and palace guards are working to retake some streets in Haiti's capital after gangs launched massive attacks on at least three police stations.
Foreigners trapped in violence-torn Haiti wait desperately for a way out
Scores of foreigners are stranded in Haiti, unable to leave the country under siege by violent gangs that have shuttered its international airports, trapping citizens from the United States, Canada and beyond.
‘Nobody is coming to help’: Mitch Albom in Haiti amid explosion of violence
On Wednesday, Albom was on The Great Voice where he spoke about the state of the violence and the safety of the children at an orphanage he runs in Haiti.
Haiti extends a state of emergency and nighttime curfew to try and repel widespread gang attacks
Haiti’s government says it is extending a state of emergency and nighttime curfew to try and curb violent gang attacks that have paralyzed the capital of Port-au-Prince in a fierce political battle for power.
'They messed it up': Biden's backing for Haiti's unpopular leader digs US into deeper policy hole
When Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry filled the void left by the assassination of the country’s president in 2021, he did so over the protest of wide segments of the population but with the full-throated support of the Biden administration.
Haiti's prime minister is locked out of his country and faces pressure to resign
Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry is struggling to stay in power as he tries to return home, where gang attacks have shuttered his country's main international airport and freed more than 4,000 inmates in recent days.
Politicians seek new alliances to lead Haiti as gangs take over and premier tries to return home
Haitian politicians started pursuing new alliances Wednesday, seeking a coalition that could lead the country out of the gang violence that has closed the main airport and prevented embattled Prime Minister Ariel Henry from returning home.
Haitian PM arrives in Puerto Rico after long absence as he struggles to get home to quell violence
Haiti’s embattled prime minister has landed in Puerto Rico as he tries to return to Haiti to quell a surge in violent gang attacks.
There's chaos in Haiti. Powerful gangs are attacking key targets like prisons as alliances shift
Gangs in Haiti are increasingly powerful, and they've been attacking prisons and the main international airport.
Gangs in Haiti try to seize control of main airport in newest attack on key government sites
Heavily armed gangs have tried to seize control of Haiti’s main international airport as they exchanged gunfire with police and soldiers trying to repel them.
Haiti declares a curfew as it tries to restore order after weekend jailbreak, explosion of violence
Haiti’s government has declared a state of emergency and nighttime curfew in a bid to regain control of the streets after an explosion of violence over the weekend saw armed gang members storm the country’s two biggest prisons.
Police in Haiti struggle against gangs storming prison in latest surge of violence
Police in Haiti are urgently appealing for help as they struggle to hold back gangs trying to storm the country’s main prison in a major escalation of violence sweeping the troubled Caribbean nation.
Gunfire paralyzes Haiti as powerful gang leader says he will try to detain police chief, ministers
Heavy gunfire has paralyzed Haiti’s capital and at least four police officers have been killed as a powerful gang leader announced he will try to capture the country’s police chief and government ministers.
Caribbean leaders meet with Haiti's prime minister. Foreign force deployment is on the agenda
Caribbean leaders have met with embattled Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry to talk about his country’s unrelenting gang violence.
Attorney for widow of slain Haitian president rejects indictment and says it's politically motivated
An attorney for Haitian President Jovenel Moïse’s widow, who was indicted in his assassination, says he believes the accusations against her are politically motivated.
The widow and aides of assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moïse are indicted in his killing
A judge in Haiti responsible for investigating the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse has indicted his widow, Martine Moïse, ex-prime minister Claude Joseph and the former chief of Haiti’s National Police, Léon Charles.
Former rebel leader arrives in Haiti's capital as protests against prime minister gain momentum
A former rebel leader has made a surprise appearance in Haiti’s capital amid large protests across the country for the second consecutive day, demanding the ouster of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
UN Security Council approves sending a Kenya-led force to Haiti to fight violent gangs
The U.N. Security Council has voted to send a multinational force led by Kenya to Haiti to help combat violent gangs in the troubled country.
US pledges $100M to back proposed Kenyan-led multinational force to Haiti
The Biden administration is pledging $100 million to support a proposed Kenyan-led multinational force to restore security to conflict-ravaged Haiti and urged other nations to make similar contributions.
Kenya's president is committing his country to lead a multinational force to Haiti to combat gangs
Kenya’s president is committing his country to lead a multinational force in Haiti to combat gang warfare, even as residents of both countries question the plan being pushed by Washington.
At least 1 person is dead and 2 are missing as Tropical Storm Franklin batters Dominican Republic
Tropical Storm Franklin is unleashing heavy floods and landslides in the Dominican Republic after making landfall in the country’s southern region.
Haiti gang leader vows to fight any foreign armed force if it commits abuses
An ex-police officer considered by many to be Haiti’s most powerful gang leader warns he will fight any international armed force deployed to the Caribbean country if it commits any abuses.
Rights group urges rapid international intervention to end spiraling gang violence in Haiti
A human rights group has urged the international community to intervene quickly to end spiraling violence by gangs in Haiti.
Haitians express skepticism over Kenya's offer to UN to send police to confront gangs
Haitians are expressing skepticism over an offer by Kenya to lead an international police force aimed at combatting the gang violence that has wracked the Caribbean nation.
UN chief welcomes Kenya's offer to `positively consider' leading police force to combat Haiti gangs
The United Nations chief has welcomed Kenya’s offer to “positively consider” leading a multinational police force to help combat Haiti’s gangs and improve security in the violence-wracked Caribbean nation.
Mob kills 13 suspected Haiti gangsters with gas-soaked tires
Police and witnesses say a mob in the Haitian capital has beaten and burned 13 suspected gang members to death with gasoline-soaked tires after pulling the men from police custody at a traffic stop.
Ex-UN official: Haitians must be part of solution to chaos
Award-winning Haitian broadcaster Michèle Montas, who was exiled three times and served as spokesperson for the former United Nations secretary-general, follows the chaos in her country every day from her apartment in New York.
In Haiti, gangs take control as democracy withers
At a time when democracy has withered in Haiti and gang violence has spiraled out of control, armed men like Jimmy Cherizier – known by the nickname Barbecue - have filled the power vacuum left by a crumbling government.
UN deputy urges countries to consider armed force for Haiti
The U.N. deputy secretary-general is urging every country “with capacity” to urgently consider the Haitian government’s request for an international armed force to help restore security and alleviate a humanitarian crisis in the Caribbean nation.
Haiti calls for help at the UN as world mulls assistance
The United States and Mexico say they are preparing a U.N. resolution that would authorize “an international assistance mission” to help improve security in crisis-wracked Haiti so desperately needed humanitarian aid can be delivered to millions in need.
US, Canada send armored vehicles to bolster Haiti's police
The U.S. and Canada have sent armored vehicles and other supplies to Haiti to help police fight a powerful gang amid a pending request from the Haitian government for the immediate deployment of foreign troops.
Haiti gang makes demands in test of power with government
A standoff between a powerful gang federation and Haiti’s government is testing how much power both sides wield and threatens to further derail a paralyzed country where millions of people are struggling to find fuel and water.
Proposed UN resolution would sanction top Haitian gang chief
The U_N_ Security Council is negotiating a resolution that would impose an arms embargo, asset freeze and travel ban on influential Haitian gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, nicknamed “Barbeque.”.
UN mulls quick foreign troop deployment to ease Haiti crisis
The United Nations Security Council is evaluating options including the immediate activation of foreign troops to help free Haiti from the grip of gangs that has caused a scarcity of fuel, water and other basic supplies.
UN ponders rapid armed force to help end Haiti's crisis
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has submitted a letter to the Security Council proposing the immediate activation of a rapid action force after a plea for help from Haiti as gangs and protesters paralyze the country.
Haiti's leader requests foreign armed forces to quell chaos
Haiti’s government has agreed to request the help of international armed forces as gangs and protesters paralyze the country and basic supplies including fuel and water dwindle.
Calls for help, humanitarian corridor as gangs siege Haiti
The United Nations is proposing a “humanitarian corridor” in Haiti’s capital to help people get gasoline and aid amid a mounting crisis as gangs keep blockading roads and access to some areas, including to one key fuel terminal in Port-au-Prince.
Haiti at breaking point as economy tanks and violence soars
Haiti, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, is in the grips of an inflationary vise that is squeezing its citizenry and exacerbating protests that have brought society to the breaking point.
Thousands across Haiti demand ouster of PM in new protest
Thousands of people in Haiti’s capital and other major cities have organized new protests to demand safer streets, more affordable goods and the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
Haitians launch protests, demand ouster of prime minister
Thousands of protesters have marched through Haiti’s capital and other major cities, blocking roads and shutting down businesses to demand that Prime Minister Ariel Henry step down and call for a better quality of life.
Haitians protest rising insecurity; some attack a plane
Haitians take to the streets to protest over the increasing insecurity, turning violent in places like the southern city of Les Cayes, where people stormed the local airport and attacked a small plane owned by a U.S. missionary group.
Haiti PM flees under gunfire as Haiti rings in new year
Haiti has welcomed the new year with violence as Prime Minister Ariel Henry fled the northern city of Gonaïves following a shootout between his security forces and an armed group that had warned the leader not to set foot in the city.
Gang allows fuel to flow in Haiti -- but just for a week
A powerful Haitian gang leader says he is easing a chokehold on fuel deliveries that has caused a growing crisis for hospitals, gas stations and even water supplies across the nation’s capital.
Haiti PM condemns gangs, kidnappings in public address
Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry has condemned gangs and kidnappings in a prerecorded address in which he also assured that the country isn't running out of fuel despite severe shortages that sparked recent strikes.
Group clings to faith as US works on Haiti kidnapping case
A U.S. religious organization whose 17 members were kidnapped in Haiti is asking supporters to pray and share stories with the victims’ families of how their faith helped them through difficult times as efforts to recover them entered a sixth day.
Wife of Haiti's slain president meets with judge amid probe
Martine Moïse, the widow of Haiti’s assassinated president, has traveled to her homeland to answer questions behind closed doors from a judge overseeing the murder case.
US official in Haiti apologizes for treatment of migrants
A top U.S. official has apologized for how Haitian migrants were treated along the U.S.-Mexico border, saying it’s not how border officials or the Department of Homeland Security behave.
The AP Interview: Haiti PM plans to hold elections next year
Haiti’s prime minister says he plans to hold a referendum to modify the country’s constitution by February, and he hopes to organize presidential and legislative elections early next year.
Haiti's leader: Migration won't end unless inequality does
Amid an outcry over the U.S. treatment of Haitian asylum-seekers, the beleaguered island country’s embattled prime minister is pointedly saying that inequalities drive migration.
Haiti PM, under fire, addresses evidence in leader's slaying
The office of Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry has issued its first public statement about evidence authorities say they have of phone calls between him and a key suspect in the presidential assassination, saying he received countless calls from people concerned for his safety.
Prosecutor seeks to interview Haiti PM in president slaying
Haiti’s chief public prosecutor has invited Prime Minister Ariel Henry to meet with him next week as part of an ongoing investigation into the slaying of President Jovenel Moïse, noting that Henry spoke with one of the main suspects in the case just hours after the killing.
US pledges more aid to earthquake victims in Haiti
The United States has pledged another $32 million in aid to the victims of Haiti’s 7.2-magnitude earthquake, as the country’s interim prime minister defends his government’s response.
Gangs abduct 2 doctors in Haiti, including a needed surgeon
Officials say two doctors at hospitals treating earthquake victims in Haiti’s capital of Port-au-Prince have been kidnapped, forcing one of the institutions to declare a two-day shutdown in protest.
Desperation, pressure for aid increase in Haiti after quake
Pressure for a coordinated response to Haiti's deadly weekend earthquake is mounting as more injured trickle into hospitals already overwhelmed with thousands of patients.