Connect with us

World

Meet the members of a transitional council tasked with choosing new leaders for beleaguered Haiti

Published

2 years ago

on

Meet the members of a transitional council tasked with choosing new leaders for beleaguered Haiti

A transitional council tasked with bringing political stability to Haiti was installed Thursday in the capital of this Caribbean country, which is marred by gang violence and soaring hunger and poverty.

The freshly sworn-in council will appoint a new prime minister and Cabinet, and create a road map to eventually hold long-awaited general elections. Its mandate expires Feb. 7, 2026, when a new president would be sworn in.

ARIEL HENRY RESIGNS AS PRIME MINISTER OF HAITI AS COUNTRY CONTINUES TO FACE DEADLY GANG VIOLENCE

The council is made up of eight men and one woman. Seven members have voting powers.

A transitional council tasked with bringing political stability to Haiti has been installed in the capital of Haiti, a nation marred by gang violence and soaring hunger and poverty. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Advertisement

Here’s a glimpse at who they are:

VOTING MEMBERS

Smith Agustin — Former ambassador to the Dominican Republic, legal expert and sociologist. He is tied to the EDE/RED political party. He recently replaced former nominee Dominique Dupuy, a UNESCO ambassador, who resigned following political attacks and death threats.

Dr. Louis Gérald Gilles — The former senator will be the representative of the signatories of the Dec. 21 agreement within the council. That group is associated with outgoing prime minister Ariel Henry. Gilles is linked to the New Orientation United to Free Haiti party.

Fritz Alphonse Jean — Economist and president of INHOPP (Haitian Institute of Public Policies.) He is a former central bank governor and ex-interim prime minister. He has frequently travelled abroad seeking support from Haitian communities. He is affiliated with a civil-society group known as the Montana Accord.

Advertisement

Edgard Leblanc Fils — Former president of Haiti’s Senate from 1995 to 2000. Fils finished second to Jocelerme Privert in the parliamentary indirect presidential election of February 2016. He is general coordinator of the Organization of the Struggling People. He represents the January 30 political group.

Laurent Saint-Cyr — President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Haiti and executive director at Haiti’s Alternative Insurance Company.

Emmanuel Vertilaire — The judge of the Cap-Haïtien court is a specialist in criminology and anti-corruption efforts. He is linked to the Pitit Desalin political party and the National Peasants’ Network.

Leslie Voltaire — Veteran politician who was a member of the administrations of Jean-Bertrand Aristide and René Preval. His influence dates back more than 30 years. He is a former minister of education and of Haitians living abroad. He ran for the presidency himself in 2010, but claimed later the vote was rigged against him. He is linked to the Fanmi Lavalas party.

Advertisement

OBSERVERS

Régine Abraham — Agronomist and Cabinet director at the Ministry of the Environment. She rose to the position after the resignation of René Jean-Jumeau due to his alleged involvement in the squandering of PetroCaribe funds. She has worked for the World Bank and the European Union.

Frinel Joseph — The evangelical pastor became prominent as treasurer of Haiti’s electoral council, representing the country’s religions. Four years later, in 2020, the Conference of Haitian Pastors accused him of being too focused on his personal political objectives at the council. He and another seven members of the council resigned due to local pressure. The pastor is also famous at home for his lectures on spirituality.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

World

Two-train crash leaves at least 1 dead, 89 injured as emergency crews rush to chaotic scene

Published

10 minutes ago

on

June 20, 2026

By

Two-train crash leaves at least 1 dead, 89 injured as emergency crews rush to chaotic scene

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Authorities are responding after two passenger trains crashed into each other Friday near Bedford, England, killing at least one person and injuring nearly 90 others.

The East of England Ambulance Service said it was called to a collision involving two trains at Elstow, near Bedford, at about 5:15 p.m. local time and quickly declared a “major incident.”

One person died at the scene, 11 people suffered very serious injuries, 22 were seriously injured and 56 people had minor injuries, officials said.

Bedford is roughly 60 miles north of London.

Advertisement

2 TRAINS COLLIDE IN DENMARK, LEAVING 5 PEOPLE CRITICALLY INJURED

Two passenger trains collided Friday in the United Kingdom. (Fox News)

All the patients with the most serious injuries have been taken from the scene to hospital.

The ambulance service said it sent numerous resources to the scene, including more than 20 ambulances, specialist hazardous area response teams and six air ambulances.

MULTIPLE STABBED IN UK TRAIN ATTACK NEAR CAMBRIDGE AS POLICE ARREST 2 SUSPECTS

Advertisement

Emergency crews were pictured working near the scene. (Fox News)

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected, and we thank all emergency service colleagues for their swift response,” the ambulance service wrote in a statement.

The Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed its crews were also responding.

“Please avoid the area,” fire officials wrote in a statement on X.

Sources told The Telegraph the train driver was on the phone with maintenance staff discussing a safety issue at the time of the crash.

Advertisement

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Alexandra Koch is a Fox News Digital journalist who covers breaking news, with a focus on high-impact events that shape national conversation.

She has covered major national crises, including the L.A. wildfires, Potomac and Hudson River aviation disasters, Boulder terror attack, and Texas Hill Country floods.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

World

Lebanese influencer organises World Cup event amid Israel’s attack on Leban

Published

1 hour ago

on

June 19, 2026

By

Lebanese influencer organises World Cup event amid Israel’s attack on Leban
NewsFeed

As Israel’s war on Lebanon rages, hundreds gather in Rmeileh by Sidon Gate to watch the 2026 World Cup. Organised by influencer Bilal Haddad, the fan zone offers food trucks, shisha and family activities, giving people a rare chance to relax. Al Jazeera’s Justin Salhani went to check it out.

Published On 20 Jun 2026

Advertisement
Continue Reading

World

On the South Lawn, a UFC fighter’s victory frames an unusual White House scene

Published

9 hours ago

on

June 19, 2026

By

On the South Lawn, a UFC fighter’s victory frames an unusual White House scene

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mark Schiefelbein has been based in Washington, D.C., with AP for about three years, and before that spent a decade in Beijing at AP’s China bureau.

Here’s what he had to say about this extraordinary photo.

Why this photo?

This was an event that had never happened before in the 250-year history of the United States and may never happen again: a night of mixed martial-arts cage match brawls on the South Lawn of the White House, with bloodied competitors battling it out in front of the president, vice president, and other leaders of the country. AP had other photographers ringside at the event focusing more on the fights themselves. So I felt my role was to capture the context of the evening — the location, the people in attendance, the environment.

How I made this photo

A small group of other photographers and I, the White House press pool, had been allowed to photograph part of the evening from a position in the stands directly opposite the White House. I was carrying four cameras with a variety of lenses from 12 mm to 300 mm. This let me capture everything from ultra-wide views of the “claw” structure built for the fights, to close-ups of leaders and celebrities in attendance. I had been following Diego Lopes with my longest lens as he moved around the ring celebrating his win over Steve Garcia. When I saw him start to climb onto the cage, I immediately realized there might be a possibility of a picture like this and zoomed out to capture more of the scene.

Advertisement

An octagon on the White House lawn for Trump’s 80th birthday and the nation’s 250th, in photos

1 of 30 | 

President Donald Trump and Dana White, UFC president and CEO, arrive for UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)


2 of 30 | 
Advertisement

Diego Lopes fights Steve Garcia in a featherweight bout during UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington.(Evan Vucci/Pool Photo via AP)


3 of 30 | 

President Donald Trump attends UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)


Advertisement
4 of 30 | 

Josh Hokit lands a punch as he fights Derrick Lewis during their heavyweight bout at UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)


5 of 30 | 

Diego Lopes, stands on the ring fence during the featherweight bout against Steve Garcia during UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Advertisement


6 of 30 | 

President Donald Trump, center, gestures as he attends UFC Freedom 250 alongside UFC President and CEO Dana White, left, and first lady Melania Trump on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, June 15, 2026. (Evan Vucci/Pool Photo via AP)


7 of 30 | 
Advertisement

Nic Becker, of Houston, shows off a Freedom 250 tattoo he got earlier in the day during UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of the fights on the South Lawn, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)


8 of 30 | 

Lightweight Justin Gaethje is filmed by a crew on the White House Collannade, as he walks to UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, June 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)


Advertisement
9 of 30 | 

First lady Melania Trump walks out to the UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)


10 of 30 | 

Fans wear America-themed clothing during the UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

Advertisement


11 of 30 | 

President Donald Trump and UFC President and CEO Dana White watch the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform a fly over the White House during the UFC Freedom 250 fights on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)


12 of 30 | 
Advertisement

U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform a flyover during the National Anthem at UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (Win McNamee/Pool Photo via AP)


13 of 30 | 

MMA fighter Sean Strickland is escorted out of the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest on The Ellipse by U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement ahead of UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington. (Kevin Dietsch/Pool Photo via AP)


Advertisement
14 of 30 | 

UFC fans take video before the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)


15 of 30 | 

Eric Albarracin at the UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

Advertisement


16 of 30 | 

Kai Trump arrives before the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)


17 of 30 | 
Advertisement

Diego Lopes participates in the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)


18 of 30 | 

UFC commentator Joe Rogan during the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)


Advertisement
19 of 30 | 

Ilia Topuria, center, during the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)


20 of 30 | 

People arrive before the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Advertisement


21 of 30 | 

Motorsports athletes and stunt performers do a motorcycle jump ahead of the UFC Freedom 250 fights on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)


22 of 30 | 
Advertisement

Isaiah Francisco and Eric Albarracin at the UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)


23 of 30 | 

UFC bantamweight fighters Sean O’Malley and Aiemann Zahabi face off during a UFC news conference at the Lincoln Memorial, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)


Advertisement
24 of 30 | 

A UFC fan participates in the UFC striking challenge before the ceremonial UFC Freedom 250 weigh-ins on the Ellipse, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)


25 of 30 | 

The UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

Advertisement


26 of 30 | 

The UFC holds a news conference at the Lincoln Memorial, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)


27 of 30 | 
Advertisement

UFC fighter Alex Pereira holds his UFC belts at a UFC news conference at the Lincoln Memorial, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)


28 of 30 | 

UFC bantamweight fighter Sean O’Malley enters a UFC news conference at the Lincoln Memorial, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)


Advertisement
29 of 30 | 

The UFC Fan Fest on the White House Ellipse ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)


30 of 30 | 

Audience members cheer and boo during a UFC news conference at the Lincoln Memorial, ahead of Sunday’s fight on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

Advertisement



Advertisement

Why this photo works

The White House is surely one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. The columns of the South Portico, the fighter standing with arms and legs spread wide in celebration, and the octagon padding of the UFC ring tell an entire story as your eyes move from top to bottom of the frame. With Lopes standing with his back to the camera, facing the White House, it becomes less a photo of him and more about the evening, the event, and the spectacle. It was fortunate that it was after nightfall, so things that might have been distracting, like the Marine Band and spectators seated behind the ring, are mostly in the dark. Only the key elements – the White House, Lopes, and the ring are lit up.

—

For more extraordinary AP photography, click here.

Advertisement

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending