International
Cholera cases soaring in Haiti: government
| By AFP |
A cholera outbreak in Haiti is spreading fast, with the number of cases doubling to nearly 2,000 in a matter of days and at least 41 deaths, its health ministry said Tuesday.
The new outbreak, which began in early October, comes three years after the impoverished Caribbean nation — which is also grappling with spiralling insecurity — finally stamped out an outbreak that began in 2010 and killed more than 10,000 people.
“Up until a few days ago, the increase of cholera cases had been gradual but now we are seeing a worryingly sharp increase, so the situation has become more challenging,” wrote the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Haiti, Ulrika Richardson, in a blog post published Tuesday.
“Although cholera can be deadly, it is preventable and treatable,” she said, adding that “speed is of the essence” to contain the outbreak.
Richardson lauded the “immediate and decisive” UN-supported work by Haitian authorities and NGOs, who continue to face critical shortages of clean water and fuel due to gang blockades.
Between October 19 and 23, the number of suspected cases in Haiti shot up from 964 to 1,972 while fatalities have risen from 33 to 41, the Haitian health ministry said.
The vast majority of cases are found in Ouest department and the capital Port-au-Prince in particular, and the slum known as Cite Soleil.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that according to UNICEF, children under the age of 14 made up about half of the cases.
He said that fuel shortages caused by gang blockage of Haiti’s main fuel import terminal are complicating the work of NGOs, interrupting deliveries of clean water which is essential for fighting cholera.
Richardson said she had visited several cholera treatment centers in the most affected neighborhoods of Haiti’s capital, where she saw heartbreaking scenes, including “children who were so malnourished, it was difficult to insert a drip into their arms or legs.”
Haiti’s government has called on the international community for help with its worsening health and security crises.
The UN Security Council, at the request of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, is considering sending an international force to restore order.
It was a UN stabilization mission which brought cholera to the country in 2010.
International
Washington declares State of Emergency as atmospheric river brings severe flooding
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency on Wednesday in response to severe flooding affecting several counties, where more than 75,000 people remain under evacuation alerts following heavy rainfall that has caused significant water accumulation.
An atmospheric river has battered the state since Monday, dropping several centimeters of rain and threatening serious flooding in communities near major rivers. More precipitation is expected in the coming days, and the National Weather Service (NWS) has forecast between 15 and 20 centimeters of rain from Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon in communities along the far western region, worsening the emergency.
Rainfall totals in higher elevations near the Canadian border could exceed 20 centimeters, further increasing the risk.
“Lives will be at stake in the coming days,” Ferguson warned during a press conference.
The governor underscored the severity of the situation and said he will request an expedited federal disaster declaration from President Donald Trump’s administration to access additional resources for the emergency response.
“I want to urge all Washington residents to pay close attention to alerts from their counties and emergency management departments. If you receive an evacuation order, please follow it,” he added.
Most rivers from the Canadian border down to southwestern Washington are in flood stage. Several are expected to reach record levels, including the Skagit River, which could exceed its 1990 flood peak when water levels rose 1.2 meters.
Around 75,000 people are at risk of flooding in Skagit County, where authorities continue to maintain an evacuation watch.
The Washington National Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have been activated to assist with evacuations and response efforts in rural areas affected by flooding.
International
U.S. to require five-year social media history from tourists under Visa Waiver Program
Tourists from 42 countries covered by the U.S. Visa Waiver Program would be required to provide their social media history from the past five years in order to enter the United States, according to a new proposal released Wednesday by the administration of President Donald Trump.
The initiative, led by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), aims to more thoroughly review the activity of travelers entering the country through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). When asked about the plan’s potential impact on tourism, Trump insisted that the United States is “doing very well.”
“We just want people to come here and be safe… We want to make sure we’re not letting the wrong people into our country,” the president said during a press conference at the White House.
The proposal, published in the Federal Register, seeks to expand the information collected from visitors entering the U.S. for up to three months under the visa waiver program.
ESTA applies to travelers from 42 countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, France, Japan, Israel and Qatar.
In addition to requiring a five-year social media history, the plan would increase the amount of personal data requested, such as phone numbers and email addresses used over the past ten years. It also calls for family details, including names, dates of birth and places of birth of the traveler’s relatives.
The proposal further includes a new mobile tool that would allow any foreign visitor to record their departure from the United States.
International
Six ecuadorian soldiers jailed pending trial for alleged extrajudicial execution
Six Ecuadorian soldiers were placed in pre-trial detention on Wednesday by a civilian court over an alleged extrajudicial execution, the Attorney General’s Office reported.
As part of his war on drug trafficking, President Daniel Noboa declared an internal armed conflict in 2024 and deployed the Armed Forces to the streets. Human rights organizations have since denounced military abuses and a rise in disappearances attributed to state agents.
A judge in the coastal province of Santa Elena ordered pre-trial detention for six soldiers for alleged extrajudicial execution, the prosecution stated on X. It added that the troops, now under investigation for the suspected crime, were in charge of an operation in the resort town of Salinas, during which one of the detainees died.
In a separate case involving alleged abuse of authority, a group of 17 soldiers is currently on trial for the forced disappearance of four minors whose bodies were found burned near an Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE) base.
In December 2024, Saúl Arboleda, Steven Medina, and brothers Josué and Ismael Arroyo — aged 11 to 15 — were detained by a military patrol in southern Guayaquil.
According to Amnesty International, Ecuador’s Prosecutor’s Office has received reports of at least 43 possible cases of forced disappearance since 2023, the year Noboa took office pledging a tough stance against organized crime.
Washington declares State of Emergency as atmospheric river brings severe flooding
U.S. to require five-year social media history from tourists under Visa Waiver Program
OAS and EU urge honduran political actors to respect vote results and avoid unrest
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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