New Delhi: Haiti is engulfed in a profound crisis, with rampant gang violence rendering significant portions of the Caribbean country inaccessible to state control.
The United Nations has reported that since the start of the year, over 34,000 Haitians have been displaced — fallout of the escalating turmoil.
The country’s infrastructure is under siege, with airports closed, movement curtailed, and the once-familiar sound of school bells silenced. The disruption of national supplies has led to exorbitant prices for essentials like food, water, and gas, further straining the lives of the citizens.
The fabric of daily life in Haiti has been torn apart by gang violence, which has also seeped into the political arena. Acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry has said he would resign pending the installation of a transitional authority, intensifying the sense of uncertainty that hangs over the nation. The US has responded by evacuating non-essential personnel from its embassy.
The crisis, which started with mass protests in 2019 against then President Jovenel Moise’s decision to postpone a parliamentary vote, and aggravated by his assassination in 2021, has now garnered international attention.
According to a Reuters report, in Haiti, approximately 200 gangs of diverse scales have assumed control over extensive areas of the capital, Port-au-Prince, engaging in illicit activities that include extortion and drug trafficking.
“Gangs in Haiti have created ‘no-go’ zones where travel is prohibitively dangerous, led to de facto curfews due to residents’ fear of being out after dark, and forced many businesses to close their doors due to violence or extortion,” the Reuters report added.
Jimmy Cherizier or ‘Barbeque’ is one of the most powerful gang leaders in Haiti. His gang, G9, was responsible for blocking the fuel terminal and seeked the PM’s resignation. And Guy Philippe, who is a police officer-turned-politician, has asked for a rebellion against the government and wants to be the next President.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with leaders of the Caribbean to discuss Haiti’s current situation just two days before Henry announced his plan to resign once a transition council is set up.
Amid these events, the world has witnessed other significant developments. ThePrint brings you a weekly update on news from around the world that you might have missed.
Ukraine and Russia are fighting another war — it’s in Sudan
The conflict in Sudan has escalated to a global dimension — becoming a battleground for Ukraine and Russia’s ongoing disputes.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, Sudan’s military leader, Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, sought assistance from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he faced challenges from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by his ex-deputy, Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo. President Zelenskyy has reportedly responded to this call for aid.
Media reports suggest that there are small Ukrainian army units that are fighting on behalf of al-Burhani’s army. While the clear reason for this seems to be to repay the help al-Burhani provided Ukraine in 2022 by supplying it with weapons in the war against Russia, another reason is the backing of the rebel group in Sudan by Russia.
The Sudanese conflict has destroyed life, livelihood, property and infrastructure. According to the World Food Programme, it may lead to the ‘world’s largest hunger crisis’.
South Korea plans to suspend doctors on strike
For nearly a month, starting from 20 February, junior doctors in South Korea have been on strike, opposing the government’s proposal to increase medical school admissions. The strike has led to shortages in hospitals leading to delayed medical care.
A Reuters report highlights the government’s stance that the proposed increase in medical school admissions by 2,000 students per year from 2025 is essential to address the doctor shortage in South Korea, which is experiencing one of the most rapid aging rates globally.
On the other hand, the doctors on strike contend that merely increasing the number of medical students is insufficient to resolve issues related to remuneration and working conditions and may even worsen existing challenges.
In response to the crisis, the South Korean government has proposed a two-pronged strategy to address the issue.
First, coerce striking doctors to come back to work by threatening to cancel their licences. Notices with warning of imminent suspension have been sent to 5,000 trainee doctors and criminal cases have been brought out against five of the alleged leaders of these strikes, according to media reports.
The second move is to deploy military doctors to public hospitals. According to Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong, 20 military surgeons along with 138 public health doctors will be assigned to 20 hospitals for next four weeks.
The government has the power to order doctors back to work if it deems there is a serious risk to lives and public health.
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Air pollution levels in Europe have improved, but is it enough?
New findings from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) indicate a positive trend in Europe’s air quality over the past two decades.
The study, which assessed pollution data from 1,400 regions across 25 European nations from 2003 to 2019, observed a reduction in airborne particulate matter — the tiny pollutants that can adversely affect health.
Despite these improvements, Europe’s air pollution problem persists, with levels still surpassing the World Health Organization’s recommended thresholds.
The research, which was published Wednesday, points out that, while some pollutants have shown a decline, others have not followed suit.
Additionally, certain areas continue to be pollution hotspots. Notably, ozone (O3) concentrations have risen in Southern Europe, including northern Italy, and Eastern Europe has experienced the highest particulate pollution levels.
The consequence of these pollution levels is significant — approximately 98 percent of Europeans are living in zones where the fine particle pollution exceeds healthy standards, contributing to an estimated 250,000 premature deaths annually within the European Union.
Netherlands’ Holocaust museum ignites protests
Marking 80 years since the Holocaust, which saw the killings of 75 percent of the Dutch Jewish population, the Netherlands inaugurated its first Holocaust museum Sunday. The museum’s mission is to convey the narratives of the victims in their own words.
While the Dutch King and Israeli President Isaac Herzog geared up to open this museum, more than 1,000 protesters stood outside the site, voicing their opposition to Herzog’s presence.
The protests were a response to Israel’s military activities in Gaza, with chants of “Never again is now” and “Ceasefire now” echoing through Waterloo Square, near the museum, the Associated Press reported.
According to media reports, Amnesty International put up detour signs around the museum, directing Herzog’s convoy to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.
This gesture references the ICJ’s hearings on a case brought by South Africa against Israel’s military actions in Gaza and the occupation of Palestinian territories, where the court mandated Israel to adhere to international conventions to prevent harm and destruction. Herzog was mentioned in the ICJ’s ruling.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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