news

The United Nations has issued a stark warning regarding the deteriorating security situation in Haiti, as rampant gang violence spreads to new areas and further destabilizes the nation. María Isabel Salvador Crespo, the UN Special Representative in Haiti, voiced deep concerns during a Security Council meeting, cautioning that the country is nearing “a point of no return.”

“With gang violence expanding into previously unaffected regions, Haitians face growing vulnerability and increasing skepticism about the state’s ability to meet their needs,” Salvador Crespo declared, underscoring the urgent need for decisive international assistance.

The UN official outlined how coordinated attacks by armed groups have strengthened their grip over the capital, Port-au-Prince, and other areas. In response, Salvador Crespo urged the Security Council to act swiftly to address Haiti’s immediate humanitarian and security needs, warning that failure to do so could cement the country’s worsening crisis.

A pressing concern remains the lack of financial resources to support intervention efforts. The Ecuadorian diplomat expressed unease over recent cuts in U.S. international aid, further complicating efforts to stabilize Haiti’s security situation. Additionally, due to the intensifying violence, the UN has significantly reduced its presence in the capital, where gangs now control approximately 85 percent of the territory.

“Without adequate and predictable funding, even a minimal UN presence may become unsustainable—precisely when Haiti needs us most,” Salvador Crespo lamented.

Haiti has long endured the brutality of criminal groups responsible for murders, assaults, thefts, and kidnappings, compounded by ongoing political instability. Since mid-February, a new wave of violence has surged, with gangs extending their operations to sectors that had previously been spared from the unrest.

April 23 (Reuters) - Ukraine is ready to negotiate but not to surrender, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Wednesday as details emerged in media reports of a U.S. proposal for a deal which would see Ukraine give up almost all territory currently occupied by Russia. "There will be no agreement that hands Russia the stronger foundations it needs to regroup and return with greater violence," Svyrydenko wrote on X.

"Our people will not accept a frozen conflict disguised as peace," she added.

Media outlets have this week reported details of a broad proposal by Washington for a deal between Kyiv and Moscow which proposes the formal recognition of the occupied Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea as Russian as well as Moscow keeping de facto control of most captured Ukrainian territory.

On the other hand, Ukraine has pushed for a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire with negotiations proceeding after it is established. "A full ceasefire - on land, in the air, and at sea - is the necessary first step," Svyrydenko said, adding that if Moscow instead opted for a limited pause, Kyiv would respond in kind.

SAO PAULO, April 24 (Reuters) - Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes rejected former Brazilian President Fernando Collor de Mello's challenges against a previous conviction and ordered his immediate arrest, a court decision showed on Thursday.

The order comes after the Supreme Court in 2023 sentenced Collor, the first president to win the popular vote after the end of Brazil's last military dictatorship in 1985, to eight years and 10 months in prison on corruption and money laundering charges.

Collor's legal defense showed "surprise and concern" by Moraes decision, his lawyer said in a statement, adding the former president will however comply with the order.

Moraes requested a session with the full Supreme Court to decide whether to uphold or reject his decision.

The 2023 conviction followed Brazilian prosecutor's office accusation that Collor received around 30 million reais ($5.28 million) in bribes from a then subsidiary of state-run oil company Petrobras (PETR4.SA), opens new tab.

Collor took office as president in 1990, but did not finish his term as Congress decided to impeach him two years later amid a separate corruption scandal, from which Supreme Court acquitted him in 1994. He later was elected senator.

($1 = 5.6805 reais)