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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Gang violence in Haiti has displaced more than 300,000 children since March, the United Nations children's agency said Tuesday as the Caribbean country struggles to curb killings and kidnappings.  Children are more than half of the nearly 580,000 people who have become homeless in the last four months. The spike in violence began in late February after a series of coordinated attacks on key government infrastructure eventually led Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign in April.  "The humanitarian catastrophe unfolding before our eyes is taking a devastating toll on children," Catherine Russell, UNICEF's executive director, said in a statement. "Displaced children are in desperate need of a safe and protective environment, and increased support and funding from the international community."  Gangs now control at least 80% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and the key roads leading in and out of it, with more than 2,500 people killed or injured across the country in the first three months of the year, according to the U.N.  Many children are living in makeshift shelters, including schools that are in poor hygienic conditions, placing them at risk of disease. School closures are also leading to a higher dropout rate.  The agency said children in Haiti are being forced to join violent gangs to survive as they often lack access to food, health care, clean water and sanitation. Displaced children and teenagers in Haiti also face a higher risk of sexual assault, exploitation, abuse and family separation, according to UNICEF.  The announcement comes days after hundreds of Kenyans arrived in Haiti to help rescue the country from the tight hold of armed gangs. The deployment received mixed reactions after a U.N. peacekeeping mission years ago introduced cholera in the country and was tainted with sexual allegations.  On Monday, U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer met with Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille to discuss the initial deployment of the U.N.-backed mission to Haiti. Finer reminded Conille of the United States' strong support for accountability and oversight mechanisms as part of mission.  Haiti is also bracing for a strong hurricane season, which started earlier than usual. A tropical storm watch was in effect for Haiti's southern coast as Hurricane Beryl moved into the Caribbean Sea. 

As the Caribbean sees its first Category 5 hurricane of the year, scientists warn that extreme weather is here to stay due to climate change. Aru Pande reports from Washington, where U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced new climate resilience measures. Kim Lewis contributed to this report.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks out against Monday’s Supreme Court decision giving former presidents immunity from prosecution for actions falling within their official job duties. The ruling doesn’t dismiss former President Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference case, but does delay it. Dora Mekouar reports.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

sacramento, california — Swaths of California sweltered Tuesday and things were only expected to get worse during the Fourth of July holiday week for parts of the United States with nearly 90 million people under heat alerts. The torrid conditions were being caused by a ridge of high pressure just off the West Coast and a separate ridge that spawned heat warnings and advisories from Kansas and Missouri to the Gulf Coast states, according to the National Weather Service. California's capital, Sacramento, was under an excessive heat warning expected to last until Sunday night, with temperatures forecasted to reach between 40.5-46 Celsius (105-115 Farenheit). John Mendoza, 35, called it a "firehose of heat" as he walked around the Capitol on Tuesday morning with an iced coffee in his hand. By 9 a.m., he had already been in a pool once — and planned to go back later in the day. "I felt like I needed to be submerged in water," he said. Darlene Crumedy of Fairfield, about an hour's drive from Sacramento, said she doesn't use air conditioning because it's too expensive. "I'm good, I have a hundred fans," she said, adding she tries to stay inside and drink cold water. An analysis by The Associated Press found that heat killed more than 2,300 people in the U.S. last year, setting a record. That figure is likely a major undercount, dozens of experts told AP reporters. Dr. Arthur Jey, an emergency services physician with Sutter Health in Sacramento, told reporters that getting out of the heat is important, along with wearing a hat and loose clothes, hydration and watching out for signs of heat stroke. "With heat stroke, it looks like a stroke," Jey said, describing symptoms that may include acting unusual, significant headaches, blurry vision, profuse sweating and then no sweating. "And that's a really big deal," Jey said. "So we want to prevent them getting even close to heat stroke." California's heat was expected to spread from north to south over the week, with the worst of it focused on interior areas including the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys and the southern deserts. But warnings extended out to just short of the coast. The heat arrived with gusty, dry winds in the northern part of the state, where the utility Pacific Gas & Electric implemented public safety power shutoffs in parts of 10 counties to prevent wildfires from being ignited by downed or damaged electrical wires. PG&E said about 12,000 customers were told their power could be cut and given information about centers where they could obtain ice, water, snacks, Wi-Fi and other necessities. California has had a spate of spring and early summer wildfires feeding on abundant grasses spawned by back-to-back wet winters. The largest current blaze, dubbed the Basin Fire, was 17% contained Tuesday after charring more than 54 square kilometers of the Sierra National Forest in eastern Fresno County.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

McAllen, Texas — A judge blasted efforts by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to shutter one of the oldest and largest migrant shelters on the U.S.-Mexico border in a scathing ruling Tuesday, accusing the Republican of "outrageous" conduct over his claims that the shelter encourages migrants to enter the country illegally. Judge Francisco X. Dominguez ruled that Paxton's attempts to enforce a subpoena for records of migrants who have been served at Annunciation House in the past few years violated the El Paso shelter's constitutional rights. The judge’s ruling prevents Paxton from seeking the records and protects the shelter from what Dominguez called "harassment and overreaching" by Paxton's office. Paxton's office did not respond to requests for comment, but the state is expected to appeal. Annunciation House is one of several nonprofit groups that help migrants from which Paxton's office has sought information in recent months. Team Brownsville, which assists migrants who are dropped off by federal agents in the border city of Brownsville, received a letter demanding documents in May. Paxton is also suing Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley seeking testimony. Dominguez wrote that he previously expressed concern that Paxton's office had not identified which laws Annunciation House was allegedly breaking. "The record before this Court makes clear that the Texas Attorney General's use of the request to examine documents from Annunciation House was a pretext to justify its harassment of Annunciation House employees and the persons seeking refuge," he wrote. "In fact, the record before the Court now establishes that the Attorney General was seeking evidence of alleged criminal activity all along," Dominguez continued. "This is outrageous and intolerable." Paxton alleged that by providing shelter to migrants regardless of their legal status, Annunciation House was facilitating illegal immigration and human smuggling, and operating a stash house. State officials visited the El Paso shelter in early February demanding immediate access to records — including medical and immigration documents — of migrants who had received services there since 2022. Officials from Annunciation House, a Catholic nonprofit that oversees a network of shelters, said they were willing to comply but needed time to determine what they could legally share without violating their clients' constitutional rights. Investigators who sought to access records the day after requesting entry were not allowed inside the shelter. Jerry Wesevich, the attorney representing Annunciation House, said that corporations under the Constitution's Fourth Amendment are protected from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. Wesevich expressed relief after the ruling and said it could affect other organizations. He also questioned why Paxton wanted to close the shelter. "All that's going to mean is more people in El Paso streets. Who does that help? All it does is provide a narrative of chaos on the border, which is a narrative that some people politically want to promote," Wesevich said.

washington — In the four years since Hong Kong enacted its national security law, the country's press freedom record is in free fall, according to media advocates.  More than 900 journalists have lost their jobs, several media outlets have closed or moved overseas, and some journalists, including pro-democracy Apple Daily publisher Jimmy Lai, are in prison.  "The Chinese and Hong Kong government's forced closure of Apple Daily and prosecutions of its owner and editors are very chilling, and they exemplify the city's sharp decline in press and other freedoms," said Maya Wang, the interim China director of Human Rights Watch, also known as HRW.  Once a mainstay of press freedom, Hong Kong's media community has faced numerous setbacks since passage of the 2020 Beijing-backed legislation that cracks down on independent media. The most egregious example is the trial against Lai, which has lasted more than 90 days with the court currently adjourned until July 24.  Lai, who denies charges against him filed under the national security law, has been in custody since December 2020. He and six former staff at Apple Daily — the media outlet he founded — were first arrested in the August of that year.  Apple Daily was shuttered that same year, after authorities froze its assets.  Prosecutors have used more than 150 videos, op-eds and other articles from Apple Daily in their case against Lai. The publisher faces life in prison if convicted.  But rights organizations and international lawyers say the claims against the elderly publisher and his media outlet are "baseless" and that charges should be dropped.  Hong Kong's security bureau did not respond to VOA's email requesting comment. Authorities have previously disputed accusations that the trial of Lai is unfair.  The trial of the other former Apple Daily executives has been postponed for more than two years, waiting for Lai's case to conclude, according to Reporters Without Borders, also known as RSF.  RSF and other rights organizations including HRW and Freedom House have called for the immediate release of those in custody.  Calling the prosecutions "baseless," Wang of HRW told VOA via email that the cases "should also remind the world what Hong Kong has become: a place where people can get life in prison for criticizing the government."  Wang added that Lai, who is 76, might be suffering from ill health, which adds to the urgency of his release.  Aleksandra Bielakowska, RSF's Pacific Asia Bureau advocacy officer, told VOA it is unclear what will happen in the coming months. But, she said, "I estimate that the sentencing will be prolonged until the start of fall."  Bielakowska described Lai's case as a "sham trial" to prove what Hong Kong can do to silence the press wanting to talk about the issues that are not aligned with China.  She noted that earlier in the year, the United Nations raised concerns about the treatment of a witness called to give testimony.  In a letter to Chinese authorities, the U.N. special rapporteur on torture said she was "deeply concerned that evidence that is expected to be presented against Jimmy Lai imminently may have been obtained as a result of torture or other unlawful treatment," and called for an investigation into the allegations of mistreatment and torture.  Bielakowska has been observing Lai's trial. But when she tried to travel to Hong Kong in April for a hearing, her entry was blocked. Bielakowska says she was detained for six hours at the airport, searched, and questioned before being deported.  Since the national security law's enactment, several media outlets have closed or moved some parts of their operations outside of Hong Kong, including VOA's sister network Radio Free Asia and The Wall Street Journal. RSF says that the environment for media has prompted many journalists to leave Hong Kong.   There is an atmosphere of fear for the journalists working on the ground, said Bielakowska, adding that Hong Kong officials have not given a lot of hope for press freedom, and that independent reporting is already deteriorating significantly in China.  Alongside the Apple Daily case, the law has been used to arrest hundreds of pro-democracy activists.  Beijing has dismissed concerns that the security law is affecting press freedom, saying the legislation is needed to maintain stability.  Yaqiu Wang, research director for China and Hong Kong at Freedom House, said her organization is advocating for the U.S. and other governments to impose sanctions against Hong Kong officials involved in the prosecution of Lai and others charged under the national security law.    In December, the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China in a statement also said the U.S. "should sanction the judges and prosecutors involved in this case." Hong Kong ranks 135 out of 180 on the RSF World Press Freedom Index, where 1 shows the best media environment. In 2019, the year before the national security came in, Hong Kong ranked 73. 

WASHINGTON — U.S. officials have approved another Alzheimer's drug that can modestly slow the disease, providing a new option for patients in the early stages of the incurable, memory-destroying ailment.  The Food and Drug Administration approved Eli Lilly's Kisunla on Tuesday for mild or early cases of dementia caused by Alzheimer's. It's only the second drug that's been convincingly shown to delay cognitive decline in patients, following last year's approval of a similar drug from Japanese drugmaker Eisai.  The delay seen with both drugs amounts to a matter of months — about seven months, in the case of Lilly's drug. Patients and their families will have to weigh that benefit against the downsides, including regular IV infusions and potentially dangerous side effects like brain swelling.  Physicians who treat Alzheimer's say the approval is an important step after decades of failed experimental treatments.  "I'm thrilled to have different options to help my patients," said Dr. Suzanne Schindler, a neurologist at Washington University in St. Louis. "It's been difficult as a dementia specialist — I diagnose my patients with Alzheimer's and then every year I see them get worse and they progress until they die."  Both Kisunla and the Japanese drug, Leqembi, are laboratory-made antibodies, administered by IV, that target one contributor to Alzheimer's: sticky amyloid plaque buildup in the brain. Questions remain about which patients should get the drugs and how long they might benefit.  The new drug's approval was expected after an outside panel of FDA advisers unanimously voted in favor of its benefits at a public meeting last month. That endorsement came despite several questions from FDA reviewers about how Lilly studied the drug, including allowing patients to discontinue treatment after their plaque reached very low levels.  Costs will vary by patient, based on how long they take the drug, Lilly said. The company also said a year's worth of therapy would cost $32,000 — more than the $26,500 price of a year's worth of Leqembi.  The FDA's prescribing information tells doctors they can consider stopping the drug after confirming via brain scans that patients have minimal plaque.  More than 6 million Americans have Alzheimer's. Only those with early or mild disease will be eligible for the new drug, and an even smaller subset are likely to undergo the multistep process needed to get a prescription.  The FDA approved Kisunla, known chemically as donanemab, based on results from an 18-month study in which patients given the treatment declined about 22% more slowly in terms of memory and cognitive ability than those who received a dummy infusion.  The main safety issue was brain swelling and bleeding, a problem common to all plaque-targeting drugs. The rates reported in Lilly's study, including 20% of patients with microbleeds, were slightly higher than those reported with competitor Leqembi. However, the two drugs were tested in slightly different types of patients, which experts say makes it difficult to compare the drugs' safety.  Kisunla is infused once a month compared to Leqembi's twice-a-month regimen, which could make things easier for caregivers who bring their loved ones to a hospital or clinic for treatment.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Almost one in every seven people in the United States is an immigrant, according to the American Immigration Council’s new analysis of the 2022 American Community Survey. The updated state-level data from the Council’s Map the Impact tool reveals how immigrants—including those who are undocumented—make crucial contributions through their work in vital industries, starting businesses, […]

The post Immigrants Are Key to Filling US Labor Shortages, New Data Finds appeared first on Immigration Impact.

Washington — New satellite images of Cuba show signs the country is installing improved intelligence capabilities at four military bases with suspected links to China, potentially providing Beijing with a network of facilities that could be used to spy on the United States. The imagery, presented in a report Tuesday by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, was taken in March and April. It indicated new or recent construction at three sites near the capital, Havana, as well as work on a previously unreported site not far from the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay. “Without access to classified materials, pinpointing the specific targets of these assets is nearly impossible,” the report said. “Nonetheless, the growth of space-monitoring equipment at sites like Bejucal and Calabazar is notable given that Cuba lacks its own satellites or space program.” Bejucal is the largest of the four sites, according to CSIS analysts and first came to prominence during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, when the base was used to store nuclear weapons for the Soviet Union. More recently, it has gained prominence as a major signals intelligence monitoring station, suspected to be tracking electronic communications for China. The new satellite pictures show evidence that Bejucal has seen expansive updates, including a new electronic antenna enclosure. Two other sites near Havana — Wajay and Calabazar — have seen growth as well, with CSIS analysts citing evidence of an expanding and evolving mission, including the installation of antennae, radar dishes and other equipment that could help those using it to monitor satellites. The final site, El Salao, appears to be still under construction. But its location, not far from the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay near the city of Santiago de Cuba, and the structures themselves, could be cause for concern for the U.S. The imagery collected by CSIS shows progress on what appears to be an antenna array with a diameter of 130 to 200 meters (425 to 655 feet). Similar arrays, according to the analysts, have shown the ability to track signals up to 15,000 kilometers (9,300 miles). The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment on the CSIS report. But it follows a report last year by The Wall Street Journal that China was paying Cuba several billion dollars to build a spy facility. U.S. officials later said that China had upgraded its intelligence facilities in Cuba in 2019 but that U.S. pushback had prevented Beijing from achieving its goals. “We're confident that we can continue to meet our security commitments,” said Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder while briefing reporters Tuesday. “We know that the PRC [People’s Republic of China] is going to continue to try to enhance its presence in Cuba, and we will continue to keep working to disrupt that,” he said in response to a question from VOA. “We're continuing to monitor this closely, taking steps to counter it.” China on Tuesday rejected the findings of the CSIS report, with the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Washington calling them “nothing but slander.” “The U.S. side has repeatedly hyped-up China's establishment of spy bases or conducting surveillance activities in Cuba,” Liu Pengyu told VOA in an email. “The U.S. should immediately stop its malicious smearing of China,” Liu said, adding, “The U.S. is no doubt the leading power in terms of eavesdropping and does not even spare its Allies [sic].” Cuba also pushed back against the CSIS report, singling out a write-up in The Wall Street Journal. “Without citing a verifiable source or showing evidence, it seeks to scare the public with legends about Chinese military bases that do not exist and no one has seen,” according to a post by Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio on the X social media platform. The CSIS report says monitoring stations in Cuba could help China to acquire needed capabilities and insights as it tries to militarily surpass the United States. “Collecting data on activities like military exercises, missile tests, rocket launches, and submarine maneuvers would allow China to develop a more sophisticated picture of U.S. military practices,” the report said. “Cuban facilities would also provide the ability to monitor radio traffic and potentially intercept data delivered by U.S. satellites as they pass over highly sensitive military sites across the southern United States,” the report said. Such monitoring stations could also help China gain access to what the report describes as a “treasure trove of data” from commercial communications transiting the southeastern U.S.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.