International

17 suspected Haitian migrants die off Bahamas coast

AFP

Seventeen suspected migrants from Haiti died in a boat accident off the coast of the Bahamas, officials from the two countries said.

Human smugglers are known to use the Bahamas, a group of islands near the coast of the US state of Florida, as a jumping-off point for the potentially treacherous sea journey for Haitians seeking to reach the United States.

“Rescue teams recovered 17 bodies from the water” — 15 women, one man and one infant — a statement tweeted by Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis said.

Another 25 people were rescued and placed in the care of health officials, the statement said. At least one person is still missing, with search missions underway.

Preliminary investigations indicate that a speed boat left New Providence, the most populous island in the Bahamian archipelago, around 1:00 am (0500 GMT) on Sunday with about 60 people on board. Officials believe the boat was destined for Miami, Florida.

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The vessel is believed to have capsized in the rough water, seven miles (11 kilometers) off the coast of the island.

A multi-agency investigation involving the Royal Bahamas Police Force and Royal Bahamas Defense Force is underway “to determine the full circumstances surrounding a suspected human smuggling operation which has resulted in” the migrant deaths, the statement said.

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry later tweeted that 17 of his countrymen had died off the coast of the Bahamas, saying: “This new tragedy saddens the entire nation.”

“I call once again for national reconciliation to solve the problems that make our brothers, sisters and children flee from our land,” he added.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, is facing an acute political, economic and security crisis.

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In March, some 300 Haitian migrants reached the United States after their wooden boat ran aground near a Florida Keys private club.

Those arrivals came after the US Coast Guard intercepted 123 people on board a small vessel off Anguilla Cay, in the western Bahamas, and detained more than 140 people off the coast of Andros, the largest island in the Bahamas.

International

Brazil offers to mediate Colombia-Ecuador tensions, calls for restraint

The government of Brazil has offered to mediate in the ongoing tensions between Colombia and Ecuador, while calling on both nations to exercise restraint.

In a statement released Wednesday, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the parties involved to act with moderation and seek a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

“Brazil encourages all sides to act with moderation in order to find a peaceful solution to the controversy. It stands ready to support dialogue efforts aimed at preserving peace and security in the region,” the statement said.

Brazil also expressed “serious concern” over reports of deaths in the border area between Colombia and Ecuador, noting that the circumstances surrounding the incidents have not yet been clarified.

The diplomatic move comes amid rising tensions between the neighboring countries, increasing regional concern over stability and security along their shared border.

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International

U.S. lowers travel advisory for much of Venezuela but keeps high-risk zones under warning

The U.S. Department of State announced on Thursday that it has lowered its travel advisory for much of Venezuela to Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”), reflecting what it described as improved security conditions in parts of the country.

However, the agency will maintain the highest Level 4 warning (“Do Not Travel”) for several regions, including the states of Táchira, Amazonas, Apure, Aragua and Guárico, as well as rural areas of Bolívar, citing ongoing risks such as crime, kidnapping and terrorism.

The updated advisory marks a shift from December, when the United States raised the alert for Venezuela to Level 4 nationwide, warning of severe security threats.

Despite the partial downgrade, U.S. authorities continue to urge caution, emphasizing that conditions remain volatile in certain areas and that travelers should carefully assess risks before planning any trips to the country.

International

EU lawmakers move to ban AI tools that generate non-consensual nude images

Members of the European Parliament are pushing to ban across the bloc artificial intelligence services that allow users to digitally “undress” people without their consent.

The proposal, adopted on Wednesday at committee level, aims to prohibit applications that generate non-consensual explicit images. Irish lawmaker Michael McNamara, one of the sponsors, said the measure seeks to stop tools that “have caused significant harm for the benefit of a few.”

Dutch MEP Kim van Sparrentak welcomed the move, calling it “a major victory, especially for women and children in Europe.”

The amendment, part of broader EU legislation on artificial intelligence, was approved by the Parliament’s civil liberties and internal market committees. It specifically targets systems that use AI to create or manipulate sexually explicit or intimate images resembling identifiable individuals without their consent.

The proposal will be put to a full vote in the European Parliament on March 26. If adopted, lawmakers and European Union member states will need to agree on a final version before it can take effect.

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Separately, representatives of the 27 EU countries recently backed a Franco-Spanish amendment seeking to ban AI services used to generate non-consensual sexual images or child sexual abuse material.

The initiative follows controversy surrounding a feature introduced in Grok, developed by xAI, which allowed users to create simulated nude images from real photos. The tool sparked widespread criticism and prompted an EU investigation.

In response, xAI restricted image generation features in mid-January to paying subscribers and stated it blocks the creation of sexualized images in jurisdictions where such content is illegal.