U.S. warns Haiti council against government shake-up

January 22, 2026

Summary

The U.S. warned Haiti's transitional council not to alter its government amid disputes and delays in elections planned for later this year.

Why this matters

The warning underscores U.S. concern over political instability in Haiti, where gang violence and leadership disputes threaten plans for democratic elections.

The United States warned Haiti’s transitional council Wednesday against making changes to the government as international pressure grows for the body to organize elections, which the country has not held in nearly a decade.

In a statement posted on X, the U.S. Embassy in Haiti said, “The United States would consider that any person who supports such a destabilizing initiative, which favors the gangs, would be acting against the interests of the United States, the region, and the Haitian people, and will take appropriate measures accordingly.”

The embassy added that such changes would undermine efforts to establish basic security and stability in Haiti, where gang violence and poverty have sharply increased.

The warning followed reports of tension among members of the transitional council and Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé. The cause of the dispute was unclear. The council met in private on Wednesday, and a spokesperson for the prime minister’s office declined to comment. Council members did not respond to requests for comment.

The interim council has been a leading authority in Haiti since April 2024, established with support from Caribbean leaders after gangs took control of the country’s main airport and targeted state infrastructure. That unrest led to the resignation of former Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

The council was tasked with appointing a new prime minister to restore order. Fils-Aimé, a businessman and former head of Haiti’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was named to the post in November 2025 after the council removed Garry Conille from the role.

The council is expected to step down by February 7, 2026, but it remains unclear whether that deadline will be met. Critics claim some members seek to extend their tenure, raising concerns of renewed unrest.

Elections were initially scheduled under the assumption that conditions would allow a new president to take office by the February deadline, but widespread gang violence has delayed the process. Elections are now tentatively set for August, with a possible runoff in December.

A United Nations report released Wednesday noted ongoing divisions among Haitian political actors over the transitional leadership and governance framework.

The U.N. Security Council also met Wednesday to discuss the deteriorating situation. Carlos Ruiz-Massieu, special representative of the U.N. secretary-general in Haiti, said, “Haiti has entered a critical phase in its process of restoring democratic institutions,” and urged an end to political deadlock.

Panama’s Ambassador Eloy Alfaro de Alba described the situation as a “critical juncture,” noting the council’s mandate is set to expire in 18 days. Haitian Ambassador Ericq Pierre called for a responsible transition to avoid further disruptions to national institutions.

Armed groups now reportedly control about 90% of Port-au-Prince and have gained ground in central regions. From January to November 2023, more than 8,100 people were killed in Haiti, according to the U.N., which noted that many deaths may go unrecorded due to limited access to areas controlled by gangs.

Haiti’s National Police continue to combat gang violence with support from a United Nations-endorsed mission led by Kenyan police. The mission remains underfunded and understaffed and is being restructured as a gang suppression force with authority to arrest suspects.

Separately, the Haitian government has partnered with a private military contractor to carry out drone strikes targeting alleged gang members. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the strikes killed over 970 people from March to December 2023, including 39 civilians—16 of them children.

More top news

Tech & Artificial Intelligence

Disneyland faces suit over facial recognition use

Disney introduced the technology across Disneyland Resort in late April to verify tickets. Guests’ faces are scanned, converted into a numerical identifier, and matched with ticket data.

Full story +

A Riverside County visitor filed a $5 million lawsuit against Disneyland, alleging the resort failed to properly disclose its use of facial-recognition technology and collected biometric data without adequate consent.

Summer Christine Duffield filed the lawsuit on May 15 in U.S. District Court in New York after visiting Disneyland and Disney California Adventure on May 10. The suit alleged Disney violated privacy and consumer protection laws by collecting visitors’ biometric data.

“Disney does not adequately disclose the use of their biometric collection, so consumers — which almost always include children — have no idea that Disney is collecting this highly sensitive data,” the plaintiff said in the lawsuit. “Guests should be able to expressly opt in to this type of sensitive facial recognition technology with written consent — the onus of privacy rights should not be on the victim.”

Disney’s privacy policy said identifiers created for identification are deleted within 30 days unless they must be kept for legal or fraud-prevention purposes.

Guests who do not want to use the technology can enter through a separate entrance marked with a silhouette of a head and shoulders with a slash through it. During an April visit, however, only four of the dozens of entry lines at Disneyland and California Adventure did not use facial recognition.

A sign at security checkpoint entrances said, “Use of this technology is optional.” Disney said on its website, “This technology facilitates ease of reentry into our parks and helps prevent fraud.”
Latin America

U.S. charges Raúl Castro, 5 pilots in 1996 downings

González-Pardo Rodríguez, 65, is the only defendant in U.S. custody. He is scheduled to be sentenced later this month.

Full story +

U.S. authorities charged former Cuban President Raúl Castro and five fighter pilots in the 1996 shootdown of two civilian planes operated by the Miami-based exile group Brothers to the Rescue.

The indictment, announced Wednesday, accused Castro and the pilots of conspiring to kill U.S. nationals in the Feb. 24, 1996, attack, which prosecutors said occurred in international airspace and killed four Americans. Castro, now 94, was Cuba’s defense minister at the time.

According to the indictment, pilots in Cuba’s Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force carried out training missions around February 1996 “to find, track, pursue and intercept” aircraft off Cuba’s coast in anticipation of Brothers to the Rescue flights. Prosecutors said the training took place at Castro’s command and under the direction of an uncharged co-conspirator.

The five pilots were identified as Lt. Col. Lorenzo Alberto Pérez-Pérez, José Fidel Gual Barzaga, Lt. Col. Luis Raúl González-Pardo Rodríguez, Emilio José Palacio Blanco, and Raúl Simanca Cárdenas.

The indictment alleged that Pérez-Pérez and an uncharged pilot shot down the two planes. Days later, Pérez-Pérez told Cuban state television that he had intercepted the first aircraft and warned it on orders from controllers, but that it did not comply.

Prosecutors said Castro authorized deadly force after Brothers to the Rescue planes dropped pro-democracy leaflets over Cuba in January 1996, and that he and Fidel Castro, then Cuba’s president, made the final decision on orders to kill.

Pérez-Pérez was previously indicted in the United States in August 2003 on murder, aircraft destruction, and conspiracy charges.

The indictment also alleged that Gual Barzaga, Simanca Cárdenas, and González-Pardo Rodríguez pursued, but did not destroy, a third plane that day.
Europe

Paris school abuse probe widens, 16 detained

The suspects, all linked to a nursery school in Paris’ 7th arrondissement, were held on allegations including rape of minors, sexual assault of minors, and violence against minors.

Full story +

French police detained 16 people Wednesday in an investigation into suspected child abuse at nursery schools in central Paris, expanding a case that has raised scrutiny of the city’s after-school care system.

Several had already been suspended after abuse reports and a documentary that included hidden-camera footage of violence.

Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said Sunday that investigators were examining allegations involving non-teaching staff at 84 nursery schools and about 20 primary schools across all 20 districts of the capital.

The system, known as “périscolaire,” covers supervision outside classroom hours, including lunch breaks, naps, recess, and after-school care. Unlike teachers, who are hired by France’s education ministry, these workers are recruited by city officials, often on temporary contracts with low pay and limited training.

SOS Périscolaire said it had received more than 600 testimonies from families across France alleging physical, psychological, and sexual abuse. Co-founder Elisabeth Guthmann said delays in investigations make cases harder to prove, especially when children are very young.
Europe

Russia, Belarus conclude joint nuclear drills

Russia said the exercise focused on the “preparation and use of nuclear forces under the threat of aggression.”

Full story +

Russia and Belarus held the final stage of joint nuclear drills Thursday, with road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles moving through forested areas, nuclear-powered submarines leaving Arctic and Pacific ports, and military crews deploying to warplanes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the exercises in a video call with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

“The use of nuclear weapons is an extreme, exceptional measure for ensuring the national security of our states,” Putin said.

Lukashenko earlier inspected Russian short-range, nuclear-capable Iskander ballistic missiles at a unit involved in the drills and said: “I dreamed about this machine a long time ago.”

The three-day exercise began Tuesday as Ukrainian drone strikes increased, including attacks on Moscow’s suburbs that killed three people and damaged buildings and industrial facilities.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said the drills involved 64,000 troops, more than 200 missile launchers, more than 140 aircraft, 73 surface warships, and 13 submarines, including eight armed with nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The drills also practiced coordination with Belarus, which hosts Russian nuclear weapons, including the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system. Along with ground- and submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles, the exercise included short- and medium-range weapons.

The Defense Ministry said Russian forces test-fired Yars and Sineva intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as sea-launched Zircon and air-launched Kinzhal missiles, and that all struck their designated targets. Belarusian troops test-fired a short-range Iskander missile inside Russia.

Putin has repeatedly highlighted Russia’s nuclear arsenal since sending troops into Ukraine in February 2022. In 2024, the Kremlin adopted a revised nuclear doctrine saying a conventional attack on Russia backed by a nuclear power would be treated as a joint attack. The doctrine also extended Russia’s nuclear umbrella to Belarus.

The drills took place amid increased drone activity in the Baltic region. On Tuesday, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization jet shot down a Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia. Ukraine apologized for the “unintended incident.” On Wednesday, a drone alert over Belarus prompted people in Vilnius, Lithuania, including officials and lawmakers, to shelter, and briefly closed the city’s airport.

Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service said Tuesday, without providing evidence, that Ukraine was preparing drone attacks against Russia from Baltic territory. Latvian authorities denied the claim.
Finance & Markets

Stocks rise, oil pares gains on U.S.-Iran deal hopes

Oil prices edged lower after rising earlier in the day.

Full story +

U.S. stocks reversed earlier losses and turned higher Thursday after reports said a U.S.-Iran agreement had been reached with Pakistani mediation, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there were “some good signs” that a deal to end the war in Iran could be near.

The S&P 500 rose 0.2%, the Nasdaq Composite added 0.3%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.5%.

Brent crude fell back to $104 per barrel, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate dropped below $100. Expectations for an end to the war increased after Iranian media reported that a finalized deal, which would guarantee passage through the Strait of Hormuz and implement a ceasefire, would be announced imminently.

Rubio said there were “some good signs” of a deal, but added that he didn’t “want to be overly optimistic.”
Business

SpaceX IPO filing revealed $1.29B bitcoin holdings

The filing also disclosed that SpaceX held 18,712 bitcoin worth about $1.29 billion.

Full story +

SpaceX confirmed plans for an initial public offering scheduled for June 12 on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX. The company aimed to raise $75 billion, which would make it the largest IPO on record, above Saudi Aramco’s $29.4 billion.

The filing pointed to a target valuation of $1.5 trillion, with some market participants projecting $1.75 trillion. Polymarket as pricing a 70% chance that the valuation would exceed $2 trillion.

Based on 2025 revenue of $18.5 billion, the implied valuation was about 94 times sales. The average space company traded at about four times sales, while Nvidia reached about 30 times sales at the peak of the artificial intelligence boom.

SpaceX reported a first-quarter loss of $1.94 billion and 2025 capital expenditures of $20.7 billion. To support the current valuation by 2031, the company would need to generate about $80 billion a year in net earnings.

The filing also disclosed that SpaceX held 18,712 bitcoin worth about $1.29 billion.

At a $1.5 trillion valuation, the bitcoin holdings would amount to about 0.086% of SpaceX’s market capitalization.
Business

Meta settles Kentucky school district social media case

About 1,200 school districts are pursuing similar claims.

Full story +

Meta Platforms settled a lawsuit brought by a Kentucky school district in the first case scheduled for trial over whether social media companies should cover school costs tied to what districts say is a youth mental health crisis linked to their platforms.

The settlement fully resolved the case brought by Breathitt County School District, according to a court filing. Co-defendants Alphabet’s YouTube, Snap, and TikTok had reached earlier settlements. The case had been set for a June 15 trial in federal court in Oakland, California.

“We’ve resolved this case amicably and remain focused on our longstanding work to build protections like Teen Accounts that help teens stay safe online, while giving parents simple controls to support their families,” a Meta spokesperson said.

Breathitt County School District, a rural district in Appalachia, accused the companies of designing their platforms to keep young users engaged in ways that contributed to anxiety, depression, and self-harm among students, leaving schools to address the effects.

The lawsuit sought more than $60 million for costs the district said it incurred to address the effects of social media on students’ mental health, including a proposed 15-year mental health program. It also sought a court order requiring the companies to change platform features the district described as addictive.
Personal Finance

Gas prices top $4 in all 50 states before holiday

With transit through the strait near a standstill, global refineries have struggled to secure enough crude oil to process. JPMorgan described the situation as a “refining and end-user fuel crisis.”

Full story +

Gasoline prices in all 50 states, including along the Gulf Coast and in the Permian Basin region, were above $4 a gallon as drivers prepared for Memorial Day weekend.

The national average reached $4.56 a gallon on Thursday, up 43% from a year earlier and 13% from a month earlier, according to AAA.

California, which relies heavily on fuel imports and has high taxes and fees, topped $6 a gallon. Other Western states remained well above the national average, while Gulf Coast states also moved above $4.

Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma are typically among the last states to see sharp price increases because they sit at the center of the U.S. refining and oil production system.

Comments from President Trump that the U.S. and Iran were in the “final stages” of reaching a deal pushed oil prices lower on Wednesday, their sharpest one-day decline in more than a month. Prices rose back above $100 a barrel on Thursday.
Tech & Artificial Intelligence

Florida community installs AI beehives for crop pollination

Bee populations in the U.S. have faced threats from parasites, pesticides, disease, and extreme weather, concerns that agricultural experts say could affect food production.

Full story +

A master-planned community in Land O’ Lakes, Florida, installed an automated beehive system that uses robotics, sensors, and artificial intelligence to monitor hive health as bee populations face pressure across the United States.

The community uses bees to pollinate a 2.5-acre farm that helps supply produce used throughout the development.

“Bees pollinate roughly 75% of the crops we eat and about 80% of flowering plants around the word,” Beewise Managing Director Steve Peck said. “So, without those bees, our food supply is in jeopardy.”

Peck said the system uses internal cameras, sensors, and robotic components to inspect hives and identify problems that would otherwise require manual oversight.

“The robotics know where it is in the frame or where it is in the hive at any point,” Peck said. “It can pick it up just like a beekeeper would, inspect it, and report that back to technicians around the world.”

According to the company, the system tracks queen health, egg production, and infestations from varroa mites, a major factor in honeybee colony collapse. Peck said the technology can also respond when threats are detected.

Peck said the technology is operating across hundreds of thousands of acres of agricultural land nationwide. Project officials said the system is meant to support, not replace, traditional beekeeping.
Health

Ebola-infected U.S. doctor says he’s optimistic

Stafford received two IV treatments, including monoclonal antibodies.

Full story +

An American doctor infected with Ebola said he was “cautiously optimistic” as he received treatment in Germany, though colleagues said he remained critically ill.

Dr. Peter Stafford contracted the disease while treating patients in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was evacuated to Charite University Hospital in Berlin.

“Before I was evacuated I was feeling really concerned I wasn’t going to make it, and now I’m cautiously optimistic,” Stafford said in a press release from Serge, the Christian missionary organization that employs him.

Dr. Scott Myhre, Serge’s area director for East and Central Africa, said Stafford was feeling better than he did Wednesday and was able to eat small amounts of food. Stafford first had fever, aches, and fatigue, but later developed vomiting and diarrhea. Myhre said his laboratory results were “trending slightly in the right direction.”

Stafford’s wife, Dr. Rebekah Stafford, and their four children arrived in Berlin late Wednesday and were isolating in a separate space at the hospital, according to Serge. The family was asymptomatic and could see him through a window, the organization said.

Another Serge physician, Dr. Patrick LaRochelle, was quarantined at Bulovka Hospital in Prague and remained asymptomatic, Serge said.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday that flights carrying people recently in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan would be directed to Washington Dulles International Airport, where enhanced public health measures were being implemented.

The World Health Organization said the outbreak in eastern Congo had caused 139 suspected deaths and nearly 600 suspected cases as of Wednesday, with at least 51 confirmed cases. Cases have been reported in Goma and Bunia, and Uganda’s capital, Kampala, recorded at least two cases and one death, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.