Panama Proposes Flying Haitian Migrants Home After Clash
By The Associated Press
Aug. 3, 2020
PANAMA CITY — The government of Panama said Monday it has proposed giving some Haitian migrants flights back to their homeland after frustrations boiled over at the remote camps where they are stuck.
The camps in Panama’s southern Darien province also house some Cuban and African migrants, but about 80% of the 2,000 migrants there are from Haiti.
Public Safety Minister Juan Pino said Monday he offered improved medical services or repatriation flights to the migrants, who want to travel overland to the U.S. border but cannot do so because of coronavirus restrictions. Over the weekend the migrants protested conditions at the camp, setting afire tents and tossing rocks at Panamanian officials.
Pino said “some (migrant) representatives said yes, but it is one thing for them to say it and another for them to want to do it voluntarily,” adding “nobody can force someone to get on an airplane.”
Many migrants hike up through the jungles of Darien from South America, hoping to travel through Central American and Mexico. Many Haitians were already in South America after taking refuge there following Haiti's 2010 earthquake. Economic downturns have motivated them to try to reach the United States.
But some Central American countries have imposed border restrictions to halt the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
U.S. Embassy Statement on Increase in Gang Violence in Haiti
The United States is deeply concerned by the loss of life in marginalized communities as a result of gang-related violence. We note that armed gangs systematically violate the human rights of residents of communities such as Cité Soleil, La Saline, Bel Air, Martissant, and Village de Dieu. The United States urges the Haitian government to protect its most vulnerable citizens by countering the proliferation of gangs and by holding the perpetrators of violence and their accomplices accountable. Violence, corruption, and impunity have impeded Haiti’s development goals and the Haitian people’s aspirations for a better life for far too long. The United States continues to call for accountability for human rights abuses and corruption, and we reiterate the need for the Government of Haiti to investigate and prosecute those responsible for these acts of gang-related violence. The Haitian National Police (HNP) continues to face increasing operational pressures and budget constraints; the United States remains committed to working with the HNP to strengthen its capacity to respond to growing security challenges. Without timely and sufficient funding, the HNP cannot fulfill its public safety mandate to protect citizens. The United States also continues to provide assistance to promote the development of an independent, credible, and effective judicial sector and to advocate for the strengthening of the rule of law in Haiti.
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FANM
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HAITIAN-AMERICAN SOCCER PLAYER KONRAD DE LA FUENTE TO PLAY WITH MESSI, SUAREZ ...
The American striker will remain at FC Barcelona for a further two seasons, with an option for two more and a buyout clause of 50 million euros - rising to 100 million if he joins the first team
Konrad signed his new contract at the Estadi Johan Cruyff, alongside Barça B director Xavier Vilajoana and technical secretary Eric Abidal.
Blaugrana since 2013
Konrad de la Fuente, born in Miami to Haitian parents 18 years ago, arrived in Barcelona at the age of 10 when his father was transferred to the Haitian consulate in Barcelona. He first played for Tecnofutbol and Damm, before joining Barça’s U13B team in the 2013/14 season and playing alongside the likes of Nils Mortimer, Arnau Tenas, Takefusa Kubo, Nico González and Sergi Rosanas. He has played in 11 football teams for the club, and has won league titles with the U15B (2015/16), U15A (2016/17), U19B ( 2017/18) and U19A teams (2019/20). Konrad is a strong, fast and explosive winger, good at one-on-ones, and can play on both wings. Konrad debuted for Barça B under García Pimienta on December 1, 2018, against Valencia Mestalla at the Miniestadi (2-2). In addition, he has played three more games with the second team, in which he scored his first goal in the Segunda B. This season he has played 852 minutes in the league with the U19A team and has scored 4 goals. In the UEFA Youth League, he featured in nine games in the 2018/19 season, scoring a goal on route to an elimination in the semifinals to Chelsea on penalties. Under Víctor Valdés and Franc Artiga he played 5 matches in the group stage, in which he scored three goals against Slavia Prague.
Konrad has been international with the United States at all youth levels since the age of 14. With the U20 team he played in the 2019 World Cup in Poland, where the United States lost in the quarterfinals against Ecuador.
Statements from Konrad de la Fuente
"I am very happy to stay at the best club in the world"
"It has always been my dream to play for the first team, and that is why I want to stay here - to try to achieve it"
"The main objective now is to move up to the Segunda División with Barça B"
“Having Garcia Pimienta as coach at Barça B is very good. I have already played under him for the U19B team.”
Broward Health Offers Free Immunizations for Uninsured Children
Fort Lauderdale, Florida – Two Broward Health community health centers are helping children prepare for the school year by offering free immunizations and low-cost physical exams.
Mobilize to Immunize summer immunizations return, creating even greater access to care for children between the ages of 4 and 18 who are uninsured, have Medicaid, or identify as American Indian or Alaska Native.
“It’s vital that all children are properly immunized against infectious diseases to safeguard their health and well-being,” said Margaret Lott, M.D., pediatrics, Broward Health Physician Group. “Through Mobilize to Immunize we’re able to provide, in many cases, lifesaving care to some of our most vulnerable children.”
Broward Health Community Health Services caregivers will provide immunizations against infectious and life-threatening diseases such as whooping cough, measles, mumps, rubella, influenza, Hepatitis B and polio. Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccinations will also be provided in partnership with the American Cancer Society.
Immunizations and physicals are available from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., July 27 to August 21 at Cora E. Braynon Family Health Center, 200 NW Seventh Ave. in Fort Lauderdale, and Broward Health Pompano Pediatric Primary Care Center, 601 W. Atlantic Blvd. in Pompano Beach. To better meet the needs of the South Florida community, Spanish and Creole communications are available, with additional translation services accessible.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 954-759-7500.
Trump ready to sign executive orders on evictions, unemployment if Democrats don’t bend
President Trump is prepared to sign executive orders on Friday to revive a moratorium on evictions and the lapsed federal boost in unemployment insurance pay, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said Wednesday.
“By Friday if we haven’t made significant progress and we’re just too far apart, the president is prepared to take an executive action on those two items,” Meadows said in a CNN interview. “The good news for your viewers is if Congress can’t get it done, the president of the United States will.”
Trump repeated the threat — but not the specific date — at a White House press briefing Wednesday night. The president said he was also considering reducing payroll taxes by executive order.
“The Democrats are primarily interested in a $1 trillion bailout of the poorly run states,” Trump said. “And we can’t go along with the bailout money. We’re not going to go along with it, especially since it’s not COVID-related.”
The federal eviction moratorium and a generous $600-a-week boost in unemployment pay expired last month. An estimated 23 million people could face eviction by October, and more than 30 million people are receiving unemployment benefits from states.
Talks on Capitol Hill are moving slowly.
Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin are leading the Republican side of talks with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
Schumer vowed Wednesday to “keep slogging through step by step, inch by inch.” Pelosi has urged Republicans to cave and pass a $3.4 trillion Democratic plan.
Republicans unveiled a $1 trillion coronavirus relief package last week that would give $1,200 stimulus checks to most people, shield companies from virus liability except in cases of gross negligence and misconduct, reduce a federal unemployment supplement to 70 percent of pre-pandemic pay and give schools $105 billion to reopen.
Democrats also support more stimulus checks, and the sides agree they want to continue the recently lapsed moratorium on evictions.
The Democrats, who hold the House of Representatives, largely oppose the GOP liability protection plan and want to continue at the same rate the expired $600 weekly supplement for unemployed people.
The Democratic plan, which passed the House in May, included almost $1 trillion for state and local governments. The Democratic package also would lower federal taxes for wealthy people in areas with higher state and local taxes, such as New York City.