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Miami, FL
First charter flight carrying Americans fleeing violence-hit Haiti lands in Miami
The first charter flight carrying American citizens fleeing violence-hit Haiti landed in Miami on Sunday (Mar 17). In a statement, US State Department officials said that more than 30 Americans were on the flight which landed at the Miami International Airport. The officials added that government officials in Miami were helping the evacuees to determine their next steps.
The State Department announced on Saturday that it would offer limited charter flights for American citizens from the less chaotic northern city of Cap-Haïtien. People boarding these flights must sign a promissory bill agreeing to reimburse the government.
The main airport in Haiti’s capital city Port-au-Prince remains closed since gang attacks started in the country in February.
‘It’s just terrible…’
Speaking to the American daily Miami Herald, evacuee Avlot Quessa said, “It’s just terrible … The suffering, you can only imagine.” Quessa, who lives in Boston, was in Haiti’s Hinche last month for what was supposed to be a weeklong trip to visit his mother. However, he ended up staying for over 20 days.
“Haiti is my homeland and it’s very stressful to see the homeland going through this act of violence, destruction … and they are our neighbours,” Quessa added.
Sixty-nine-year-old Marie Lucie St. Fleur, another passenger on the flight, said she felt most at home in Haiti and was sad to see what her homeland was going through. “I don’t feel well at all. I would like to live in my country and I can’t,” she said.
Tensions rise in Haiti
The news of Ariel Henry resigning as Haitian prime minister brought relative calm in the country as this was the biggest demand of the gangs. However, an interim government has not been appointed yet and attacks are being reported in the country again.
Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, who is leading the gang rebellion, said last week that Henry’s resignation was just “the first step in the battle” for Haiti. Henry was supposed to step down on Monday.
His resignation is pending the appointment of an interim replacement chosen by a transition council. But, the members of the council are yet to be decided.
(With inputs from agencies)
Miami, FL
Injury Bug for Miami Basketball Gains Another Player Early in the Season
The Miami Hurricanes have won five of their last six games early in the 2025-26 regular season. Head coach Jai Lucas has done a great job recruiting and finding the right talent for the Hurricanes; however, that is when they get a chance to see the court.
Entering this season, the Hurricanes struggled to stay healthy. Four-star freshman Treyvon Maddox hasn’t even seen the floor yet, while the rest of the team is trying to find a good footing.
Against UL Monroe, star five-star freshman Shelton Henderson went down with a lower leg injury with 1:29 left in the first half. It seems he avoided a major injury, warming up in the second half, but Lucas decided not to put him back in the game.
“We’re still kind of evaluating and seeing what it is,” Lucas said after the victory over the Warhawks. “He tried to kind of go out there and start the second half, run around a little bit, so we’ll see.’
However this is the tip of the iceberg with the injuries for the Canes.
UM is playing playoff levels with this tight rotation. Starter are playing 30-plus minutes against quad-four teams because of the lack of bodies.
Marcus Allen and Donte Allen have missed every game since the Hurricanes defeated Ole Miss on the road. Ernest Udeh Jr. has been in and out of the line all season. Noam Dovrat has a nagging shoulder injury that will keep him out of the game; Tru Washington has missed time; Tre Donaldson is powering through some little nicks; and now the Henderson injury.
The Hurricanes have the talent to be a Sweet 16 team in the NCAA Tournament, but they have to be on the floor at all times. The Hurricanes are only playing seven players a game right now, and it will either help them or hurt them.
The Hurricanes are set to face the FIU Panthers, while they try to get healthy at the right time. The Hurricanes are dominating on both sides of the ball, but the challenges from opponents will continue to increase.
“I expect a war,” Lucas said. “They’re really good. [FIU head coach Jeremy] Ballard’s done a good job this year with his team construction,” Lucas said. “They play with confidence. They play free. They’re aggressive. They’re big. They got really good guards.”
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Miami, FL
Charging e-bike suspected in destructive Miami house fire
MIAMI — The smell of blackened, burned rubble still lingers inside the house where an early-morning fire left a family devastated. Outside, debris from the firefight remains scattered around the property.
The fire tore through a duplex near the 1800 block of Northwest 53rd Street Saturday morning around 10:30 a.m., forcing everyone inside to flee.
The blaze is believed to have been caused by an e-bike, though officials say the exact cause is still under investigation.
“With every step,” Josue Paz said as he walked through the damage, he faces heartbreak and devastation.
What was once his family’s living room is now reduced to piles of ash and rubble.
Paz said he was inside the home when an e-bike charging in the house suddenly caught fire.
“Yep, that’s part of the bike. Right there, right there,” he said, pointing to debris.
“I couldn’t really process anything and it just happened,” Paz said.
Paz rushed to get his family out before the flames spread.
“My first thought was getting everybody out of the house. I was trying to call everybody,” he said. “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s get out.”
Fire officials say lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes and e-scooters have been linked to a growing number of fast-moving fires nationwide. Miami Fire Rescue is still working to determine the exact cause of this fire.
Despite losing everything, Paz said surviving the fire is what matters most.
“I’m glad that I got my neighbors out, I got my family out,” he said.
Six people escaped the fire, along with a dog. They are staying with loved ones as the fire department continues to work to pinpoint how the fire started.
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Miami, FL
Woman found dead on roadway in SW Miami-Dade
A woman was found dead on the roadway in Southwest Miami on Friday morning, deputies said.
According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, just before 6 a.m., deputies arrived at the 9800 block of Southwest 170th Street after receiving reports of a person who was unresponsive and lying on the roadway.
Once at the scene, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue pronounced the woman dead.
Her identity has not been released.
A death investigation is underway, and the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the woman’s cause of death.
MDSO said there are no suspects at this time.
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