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Haiti: UNICEF ensures thousands have safe drinking water

Port-au-Prince has been in the grip of armed groups for several years now, and roughly two months ago they launched coordinated attacks which paralyzed the metropolitan area.  Since then, UNICEF, alongside the National Directorate for Water and Sanitation (DINEPA) and…

Another climate record: Extreme heat, hurricanes, droughts ravage Latin America and Caribbean

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) attributed the temperatures to a “double whammy” of El Niño and long-term climate change, leading to droughts and wildfires combined with extreme rainfall and hurricanes.  “Unfortunately, 2023 was a year of record climatic hazards in…

‘Our voices need to be included’: Trinidadian youth make case for strong role in climate negotiations

Small island developing States are particularly vulnerable to climate change consequences, such as rising sea levels and heavy rains that cause flooding, increasing ocean temperatures that affect coral reefs and fishing and frequent hurricanes destroying homes and livelihoods. These countries…

What could a woman president in Mexico mean for abortion rights?

MEXICO CITY —  If a woman wins Mexico’s presidency on June 2, would she rule with gender in mind? The question has been raised by academics, humans rights organizations and activists ahead of the voting that will likely elect Mexico’s…

Gaza protests: UN rights chief flags ‘disproportionate’ police action on US campuses

In recent days, demonstrations unfolding through tented encampments on school grounds – sparked by students at New York’s prestigious Columbia University who are demanding authorities divest from Israel due to its occupation and military assault on Gaza – have spread…

Could the answer to 100% renewable energy in Dominica be under the ground?

It’s called geothermal energy, and it’s an exciting prospect for the country. Geothermal has none of the intermittency issues of wind and solar – in other words, it provides stable energy day and night – and doesn’t take up any…

Long lines, frustration grow as Cuba runs short of cash

HAVANA —  Alejandro Fonseca stood in line for several hours outside a bank in Havana hoping to withdraw Cuban pesos from an ATM, but when it was almost his turn, the cash ran out. He angrily hopped on his electric…

Senior UN aid official urges comprehensive response to Haiti crisis

Haitians have been facing a multitude of challenges over the years, encompassing political, security, social and economic issues. The protracted crisis has been further exacerbated by months of brutal gang violence that claimed more than 2,500 lives in the first…

Polluting rivers, beaches and the ocean: How can Trinidad solve its plastics problem?

The Maraval river winds its way through Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad & Tobago, reaching the sea at Invaders Bay, the evocative name of the site where British troops landed in the late 18th Century.  Today, the area…

As plastic treaty talks open, countries more divided than ever

Countries are under pressure to make progress on a first-ever global plastics treaty this week, but they face tense negotiations in the Canadian capital with parties deeply divided over what the treaty should include as talks begin on Tuesday. If…