标签： Jamaica

PARIS – French financial prosecutors have initiated a preliminary investigation into prominent former government minister Jack Lang and his daughter Caroline following disclosures in the recently unsealed Epstein documents. The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed the probe focuses on allegations of “laundering of aggravated tax-fraud proceeds” connected to their financial dealings with the late American financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The development intensifies pressure on Lang, an 86-year-old political veteran who has held multiple ministerial portfolios, to resign from his current position as president of the Arab World Institute (IMA), a prestigious cultural organization in Paris. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot has summoned Lang for an emergency meeting on Sunday to address the “extremely serious” new information emerging from the documents.

Lang represents the most significant French political figure implicated in the latest document release related to Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while incarcerated on sex trafficking charges. While mere mention in the files does not indicate wrongdoing, French media reports detail that Lang repeatedly solicited financial support and favors from Epstein. Additionally, his daughter Caroline’s name appears in the corporate records of an offshore entity jointly owned with the disgraced billionaire.

In response to the growing scandal, Caroline Lang, a film producer, resigned earlier this week from her leadership role at the Independent Production Union. Her father, however, has thus far refused to step down from his cultural institute position despite mounting political pressure, including from within his own Socialist party.

The IMA, which receives approximately half of its annual €12.3 million budget from the French foreign ministry, finds itself at the center of the controversy. Lang’s attorney, Laurent Merlet, characterized the upcoming meeting with Minister Barrot as routine consultation with supervisory authorities rather than a disciplinary proceeding, while simultaneously disputing claims of any “close bonds of friendship” between Lang and Epstein.

The financial crimes investigation marks a significant escalation in the case, potentially carrying substantial legal and political consequences for the veteran statesman who has served nearly two decades in various government roles including Culture and Education Minister.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Haiti’s Presidential Transitional Council (CPT) is concluding its two-year mandate this Saturday without having achieved its primary objective of restoring stability to the violence-plagued Caribbean nation. The council’s departure leaves the country facing what many describe as a worsening institutional crisis with no clear resolution in sight.

The transitional body, established with international backing to guide Haiti toward democratic governance, has been plagued by internal divisions, corruption allegations, and political infighting. Multiple council members attempted to oust U.S.-backed Prime Minister Alix Fils-Aime, further complicating the already challenging political landscape.

Former Prime Minister Jean-Michel Lapin expressed profound disappointment, stating the nation appears to be ‘back to square one.’ Civil society representatives have labeled the CPT a ‘complete failure,’ accusing members of prioritizing personal interests over national recovery.

The security situation remains catastrophic, with criminal gangs controlling approximately 90% of the capital city. United Nations data reveals nearly 6,000 fatalities and over 2,700 injuries attributed to gang violence in 2025 alone. The violence has displaced approximately 1.4 million Haitians, representing 10% of the population.

Compounding the crisis, nearly half of Haiti’s population—approximately 6 million people—faces acute food insecurity, including 1.2 million children under five years old.

International actors, particularly the United States, have reinforced support for Prime Minister Fils-Aime. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized ‘the importance of his continued tenure as Haiti’s Prime Minister to combat terrorist gangs and stabilise the island.’ The U.S. has sanctioned two CPT members and a minister accused of supporting gangs, while deploying three warships to Haitian waters.

Despite the challenges, Haitian security forces have recently intensified anti-gang operations in central Port-au-Prince, destroying the residence of notorious gang leader Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Cherizier. These operations receive support from UN forces and private security contractors.

In a rare positive development, Haiti’s national football team has qualified for the 2026 World Cup, marking their first appearance in the tournament since 1974.

HAVANA, Cuba—Confronting a severe energy shortage exacerbated by intensified US sanctions, the Cuban government has unveiled a sweeping package of emergency measures designed to conserve dwindling fuel reserves. The drastic steps include mandating a four-day work week for all state-owned enterprises, imposing stringent restrictions on fuel sales, and scaling back inter-provincial transportation services.

Deputy Prime Minister Oscar Perez-Oliva Fraga, addressing the nation via state television, attributed the crisis directly to Washington’s policies. He outlined the government’s strategy to prioritize essential services and critical economic operations while maintaining national development objectives. ‘Our primary focus is to safeguard the vitality of our nation and ensure the continuity of fundamental services for our population,’ Fraga stated, emphasizing that available fuel would be allocated to protect indispensable activities.

The comprehensive contingency plan extends beyond the public sector. Educational institutions will operate on reduced schedules, with universities decreasing mandatory in-person attendance. The tourism industry, a vital source of foreign currency, will see selective closures of establishments. These conservation efforts aim to redirect scarce resources toward sustaining food production, maintaining electricity generation, and preserving foreign exchange-earning sectors.

This energy emergency unfolds against the backdrop of a six-year economic crisis in the Caribbean nation of 9.6 million people, which has labored under a comprehensive US economic embargo since 1962. Recent weeks have witnessed escalating pressure from Washington, including the cessation of oil deliveries from Venezuela—Havana’s key regional ally—following the US rejection of President Nicolas Maduro’s administration.

Further compounding the crisis, President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order authorizing tariffs against nations supplying oil to Cuba. This move effectively terminated Mexico’s oil exports to the island, which had commenced in 2023, under threat of US trade penalties. The resulting petroleum deficits have brought Cuba’s power generation infrastructure to the brink of collapse, with electrical plants struggling to maintain basic service.

The historical tensions between the two nations have reached new heights, with Cuban officials accusing the Trump administration of attempting to ‘strangle’ the island’s economy. While power outages and fuel shortages have been recurrent challenges in recent years, current conditions have deteriorated dramatically. Despite the escalating crisis, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has expressed willingness to engage in diplomatic dialogue with the United States, but only under conditions of mutual respect and without external pressure on Cuba’s sovereign governance.

WASHINGTON — A social media post by former President Donald Trump featuring manipulated imagery of Barack and Michelle Obama portrayed as monkeys has ignited widespread condemnation from Democratic leaders and civil rights advocates. The controversial video, shared on Trump’s Truth Social platform late Thursday, incorporates a one-second clip of the Obamas with their faces superimposed on primate bodies within a longer segment promoting debunked election conspiracy theories.

The White House press team defended the post as an innocuous internet meme depicting Trump as the ‘King of the Jungle’ with Democratic figures as characters from The Lion King, dismissing criticism as ‘fake outrage.’ This characterization was immediately rejected by prominent Democrats including California Governor Gavin Newsom, whose office demanded universal Republican condemnation of what they termed ‘disgusting behavior.’

The incident revives scrutiny of Trump’s historical engagement with racially charged rhetoric, notably his promotion of the ‘birther’ conspiracy theory questioning Obama’s citizenship during the previous administration. Since returning to office, Trump has intensified his use of AI-generated visual content to mock political opponents, including previous fabricated videos showing Obama in prison attire and racially stereotypical depictions of Black congressional leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Analysts note this episode aligns with the administration’s systematic dismantling of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives across federal agencies and military institutions. The current administration has terminated numerous civil rights-era programs designed to address historical discrimination, while military academies have removed educational materials examining America’s legacy of racial inequality.

The video quickly garnered thousands of engagements on Trump’s platform, demonstrating the continued potency of provocative content within his political base despite widespread condemnation from historians and former administration officials who predict this incident will further cement Trump’s legacy as a divisive figure in American racial politics.