A federal jury in the Southern District of Florida has ordered Expedia Group and four of its subsidiaries to pay $117.6 million in damages to Mario Echevarría, a Cuban American businessman, under the Helms-Burton Act. This is the first case under the Helms-Burton Act to reach a jury trial.

The lawsuit focused on Expedia's bookings at hotels built on land in Cayo Coco, Cuba, which was expropriated from Echevarría's family during the 1959 Cuban Revolution. Each Expedia defendant was ordered to pay $29.8 million, with the total amount reported as high as $120 million in some accounts. Echevarría, aged 89, pursued the case for five years.

Key evidence included notarial documents hidden in Cuba for 114 years and retrieved by a family member in 2019, confirming the family's ownership of the land. The jury was composed of Miami citizens. During the trial, an Expedia employee acknowledged the company did not investigate the ownership of the hotels or consider the Helms-Burton Act's implications. Cayo Coco is now a major tourist hub.

The Dominican Republic has intensified enforcement actions targeting undocumented Haitian migrants, specifically focusing on pregnant women and new mothers in hospitals. Since the implementation of new rules on April 21, authorities have arrested approximately 87 Haitian women who were either pregnant or had recently given birth. Reports indicate that some Haitian women have given birth on the streets, and at least one woman was deported along with her newborn twins. These actions are part of a broader crackdown on Haitian migrants, with over 180,000 deportations recorded earlier in April. The government under President Luis Abinader has closed consulates and embassy offices in Haiti, complicating support for affected mothers. The operations have been conducted in various cities and provinces, including municipal hospitals such as Jarabacoa. This campaign has drawn international attention as it involves detaining vulnerable populations in medical facilities and deporting them to Haiti.

Oxford University is confronting its colonial past following revelations that academics at one of its colleges used a polished human skull as a wine cup until 2015. The skull is believed to have belonged to an enslaved woman from the Caribbean and was donated to the college in 1946 by George Pitt-Rivers, a former student known for his eugenicist and fascist sympathies. The skull, which has a silver rim inscribed with Pitt-Rivers' name, was removed from the college collection about a decade ago. The use of the skull as a drinking vessel has sparked controversy and discussions about the university's historical connections to colonialism and slavery.

The longstanding U.S. immigration policies that provided preferential treatment to Cuban migrants are coming to an end. For decades, Cubans benefited from expedited pathways to naturalization, a privilege rooted in the unique historical relationship between the United States and Cuba. This era of special treatment, which contributed to the growth and development of Miami, is now over as these migration privileges are being phased out. The shift marks a significant change in U.S. immigration policy towards Cuban migrants, signaling the conclusion of a period characterized by preferential immigration status.

P&O Cruises has canceled a scheduled cruise due to delays in the ship's refit, with passengers receiving notice less than 24 hours before the planned departure. The cancellation has sparked frustration among vacationers, some of whom missed their cruise departure and expressed dissatisfaction with the short notice. The cruise was set to depart for a Caribbean itinerary, and the abrupt cancellation disrupted travel plans for many passengers.

Puerto Rico is facing severe challenges following a massive island-wide blackout that has prompted the government to demand answers from the energy company Luma. The blackout has resulted in estimated daily economic losses of approximately $215 million. In response, Puerto Rico's governor has urged residents to moderate their energy consumption, warning that the island currently lacks additional power generation capacity to compensate for further outages. Meanwhile, Cuba is also experiencing widespread power outages, with nearly 45% of the island affected by planned blackouts as announced by the state electricity company.

Descendants of British slave owners and enslaved Africans from the Caribbean convened at the United Nations to discuss reparations related to the transatlantic slave trade. This historic meeting brought together Caribbean diplomats, activists, academics, and state representatives to advance calls for reparatory justice. The discussions were part of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent's fourth session, which focused on the theme "Africa & People of African Descent: United for Reparatory Justice in the Age of AI." Caribbean leaders also linked the pursuit of reparations to broader issues such as climate accountability, highlighting the interconnected struggles faced by hurricane-affected Grenadians and others in the region.

Francisco Lindor, the New York Mets shortstop, has been named captain of Team Puerto Rico for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. This marks the second consecutive time Lindor will lead the team, having previously served as captain in the 2023 tournament. His career in the World Baseball Classic includes a .318 batting average with one double, one triple, two home runs, and nine RBIs over 12 games.

Lindor's appointment was announced by both Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association, highlighting his role in leading Puerto Rico in the upcoming international competition. He recently hit his 250th career home run, which ranks him 8th among shortstops in baseball history, and contributed to a Mets victory with a crafty play against the Cardinals.

At the 2025 CARIFTA Games, several young athletes delivered remarkable performances. Jady Emmanuel of Saint Lucia set a national U18 record by winning the U17 women's 200m final in 23.47 seconds with a slight headwind of -0.4 m/s, securing the gold medal. She also broke Julien Alfred's U18 record in the 100m final with a time of 11.50 seconds. Jamaican sprinter Shanoya Douglas achieved a sprint double in the U20 women's category, winning the 100m and 200m races, with the latter clocked at 23.02 seconds. D’Angelo Brown from Grenada earned a silver medal in the U20 800m final after overcoming a fall in the semifinals. Indian athlete Jyoti Yarraji won the 100m hurdles in 13.23 seconds despite competing with a strapped thigh, followed by Pragyan Prasanti Sahu (13.40s) and Nithya Ramraj (13.42s). Additionally, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a three-time Olympic champion, was highlighted for her continued athletic presence, notably triumphing at her son's school sports day, evoking memories of her Olympic debut gold in Beijing 2008. The events underscore the emerging talent in Caribbean and international athletics.

The roof of the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, collapsed on April 8, 2025, during a concert by merengue singer Rubby Pérez, resulting in 232 deaths and over 180 injuries. Among the deceased are Pérez and several community leaders. The event drew between 500 and 1,000 attendees, including French nationals.

Multiple involuntary manslaughter lawsuits have been filed against the owners of Jet Set by the families of victims, including those of Melissa Tejeda, Gustavo Suero, and Virgilio Cruz. The lawsuits also accuse authorities of failing in their duties. The manager of the company that owns Jet Set, Antonio Espaillat, has presented himself to the authorities.

Read more

The Cuban government continues to defend its international medical missions, which deploy Cuban doctors to Caribbean and other countries worldwide. However, U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have criticized these missions as a form of forced labor. Rubio stated that the Cuban regime does not pay these doctors, confiscates their passports, and effectively subjects them to forced labor. This practice also deprives Cuban patients of medical care at home. Cuban medical professionals have testified that these missions represent modern slavery. Meanwhile, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel expressed pride in the Cuban doctors working globally. The U.S. and other governments receiving Cuban medical personnel have been urged to recognize the coercive nature of these programs and to take action to end human trafficking associated with them.

Puerto Rico experienced a widespread blackout attributed to a combination of factors acknowledged by Luma Energy, the island's private electric utility operator. The company indicated that restoring power could take between 48 and 72 hours. The outage has left millions without electricity and tens of thousands without water, exacerbating an ongoing humanitarian crisis linked to the island's failing electric grid. Lawmakers including Representatives Ritchie Torres, Pablo Jose, Darren Soto, and Nydia Velazquez have called attention to the urgent need for emergency power generation and accountability in energy contracts. They warned of generation shortfalls expected to worsen during the summer months when electricity demand peaks. Local and New York officials emphasized the necessity of long-term investments to modernize and upgrade Puerto Rico's energy infrastructure, criticizing the privatization model for failing to deliver reliable service while consuming substantial taxpayer funds. Calls have been made to build a resilient, affordable, and publicly accountable energy system to ensure a sustainable energy future for Puerto Rico.

The government of the Bahamas has announced a suspension of all SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket landings within its territory. This decision will remain in effect until the completion of a full investigation into the consequences of recent launches. The announcement comes after concerns were raised regarding falling debris from a recent SpaceX starship launch, which has prompted the government to reassess the environmental impact of these operations. Previously, Falcon 9 landings had occurred in Bahamian waters without incident, but the recent events have led to heightened scrutiny and a call for a comprehensive environmental assessment before any further permissions are granted.

Dutch authorities have arrested a 39-year-old man on the Caribbean island of Curaçao on suspicion of playing a leading role in the 2021 murder of prominent crime reporter Peter R. de Vries. The suspect is believed to be a member of the Antillean criminal group No Limit Soldiers, which has a reputation for carrying out contract killings. Several men have already been convicted for the murder, but this arrest is seen as the detention of a possible mastermind behind the attack. The suspect was taken into custody in Willemstad, Curaçao, and has since been brought to the Netherlands. The investigation continues as authorities seek to uncover further details about the involvement of organized crime in the killing. Separately, Dutch police have arrested a man on the A4 highway near Rotterdam and Delft in connection with the discovery of a deceased 63-year-old woman in Hellevoetsluis, who was found decapitated. The suspect, her 31-year-old son, reportedly suffers from severe psychiatric issues and was found with the victim's head in his vehicle. The incident has shocked local officials and is under ongoing investigation.

The 23 power generation companies in Nigeria have issued a warning about an imminent nationwide blackout due to a worsening liquidity crisis in the electricity market. The companies reported that outstanding debts now exceed 4 trillion naira, which is severely impacting their ability to maintain steady electricity supply. The debt burden and operational constraints could force a shutdown of power plants if urgent interventions are not implemented. In response, the Nigerian Minister of Power has pledged to address the 4 trillion naira debt owed to the generation companies, which had prompted threats of shutdown by electricity distribution companies. Meanwhile, Puerto Rico is experiencing a massive power outage affecting more than 628,000 customers. The blackout is attributed to the unexpected shutdown of all power plants, including those operated by Genera and private generators. Prior warnings had been issued about potential generation shortfalls in Puerto Rico during the summer of 2025, highlighting the island's vulnerability to power supply disruptions.

The Fourth session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent convened at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to address issues including reparations for slavery and the challenges posed by artificial intelligence. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk highlighted that racism remains deeply embedded in societies and systems, violating the rights of people of African descent despite decades of promises to end it. The forum also saw condemnation of the French colonial system by the BIG Executive Director. Discussions emphasized the urgent need for reparatory justice, with specific calls for reparations for Haiti, referencing the 1825 ordinance that imposed a ransom on Haiti's independence. A Caribbean Community official described the current moment as defining for the push for slavery reparations, urging increased actions to hold former colonial powers accountable. The forum included participation from various representatives advocating for historical reparations and addressing systemic racial issues faced by people of African descent globally.

Norwegian Cruise Line's new ship, the Norwegian Aqua, was officially christened at PortMiami on April 13, 2025, during a ceremony attended by notable figures including a representative from the cruise line and local officials. The event marked the ship's debut and celebrated its arrival at the world's largest cruise terminal. Additionally, Norwegian Cruise Line announced plans to charter four ships starting in 2026, indicating an expansion of global partnerships. The company also revealed plans for significant upgrades to its private island, Great Stirrup Cay, in the Bahamas, which will include a new beach club, a multi-ship cruise pier, and a heated swimming pool, with the upgrades expected to be completed by 2025. Following the announcements, shares of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) rose, reflecting investor optimism regarding the company's growth strategies.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the importance of prioritizing regional partnerships, particularly with Caribbean nations, during a recent address. He invoked a rarely used statute to justify the deportation of an individual named Khalil, asserting that such actions are necessary to prevent potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States. Rubio's comments reflect a broader strategy under the current administration to focus on domestic security, including the deployment of military troops to secure U.S. borders rather than engaging in conflicts overseas. Support for Rubio's stance has been echoed by various political figures, who commend the administration's commitment to protecting U.S. sovereignty and prioritizing homeland defense. The administration has consistently maintained that the security of the United States is its top priority.

The death toll from a recent tragedy in the Dominican Republic has surpassed 221, with burials now underway for the victims. Authorities have announced the formation of a technical team to conduct a structural investigation into the collapse of the Jet Set, which has been linked to the fatalities. The country is in mourning as it begins to lay to rest those who lost their lives in this devastating incident.

Pedro Martinez, the former Red Sox pitcher and Hall of Famer, has reported that several of his family members are missing following a roof collapse at a nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The incident occurred early on April 9, 2025, and Martinez has stated that he had family present at the venue during the collapse. As of the latest updates, these family members remain unaccounted for, prompting concerns for their safety amid the ongoing search and rescue efforts at the site.

A federal jury in the Southern District of Florida has ordered Expedia Group and four of its subsidiaries to pay $117.6 million in damages to Mario Echevarría, a Cuban American businessman, under the Helms-Burton Act. This is the first case under the Helms-Burton Act to reach a jury trial.

The lawsuit focused on Expedia's bookings at hotels built on land in Cayo Coco, Cuba, which was expropriated from Echevarría's family during the 1959 Cuban Revolution. Each Expedia defendant was ordered to pay $29.8 million, with the total amount reported as high as $120 million in some accounts. Echevarría, aged 89, pursued the case for five years.

Key evidence included notarial documents hidden in Cuba for 114 years and retrieved by a family member in 2019, confirming the family's ownership of the land. The jury was composed of Miami citizens. During the trial, an Expedia employee acknowledged the company did not investigate the ownership of the hotels or consider the Helms-Burton Act's implications. Cayo Coco is now a major tourist hub.

The Dominican Republic has intensified enforcement actions targeting undocumented Haitian migrants, specifically focusing on pregnant women and new mothers in hospitals. Since the implementation of new rules on April 21, authorities have arrested approximately 87 Haitian women who were either pregnant or had recently given birth. Reports indicate that some Haitian women have given birth on the streets, and at least one woman was deported along with her newborn twins. These actions are part of a broader crackdown on Haitian migrants, with over 180,000 deportations recorded earlier in April. The government under President Luis Abinader has closed consulates and embassy offices in Haiti, complicating support for affected mothers. The operations have been conducted in various cities and provinces, including municipal hospitals such as Jarabacoa. This campaign has drawn international attention as it involves detaining vulnerable populations in medical facilities and deporting them to Haiti.

Oxford University is confronting its colonial past following revelations that academics at one of its colleges used a polished human skull as a wine cup until 2015. The skull is believed to have belonged to an enslaved woman from the Caribbean and was donated to the college in 1946 by George Pitt-Rivers, a former student known for his eugenicist and fascist sympathies. The skull, which has a silver rim inscribed with Pitt-Rivers' name, was removed from the college collection about a decade ago. The use of the skull as a drinking vessel has sparked controversy and discussions about the university's historical connections to colonialism and slavery.

The longstanding U.S. immigration policies that provided preferential treatment to Cuban migrants are coming to an end. For decades, Cubans benefited from expedited pathways to naturalization, a privilege rooted in the unique historical relationship between the United States and Cuba. This era of special treatment, which contributed to the growth and development of Miami, is now over as these migration privileges are being phased out. The shift marks a significant change in U.S. immigration policy towards Cuban migrants, signaling the conclusion of a period characterized by preferential immigration status.

P&O Cruises has canceled a scheduled cruise due to delays in the ship's refit, with passengers receiving notice less than 24 hours before the planned departure. The cancellation has sparked frustration among vacationers, some of whom missed their cruise departure and expressed dissatisfaction with the short notice. The cruise was set to depart for a Caribbean itinerary, and the abrupt cancellation disrupted travel plans for many passengers.

Puerto Rico is facing severe challenges following a massive island-wide blackout that has prompted the government to demand answers from the energy company Luma. The blackout has resulted in estimated daily economic losses of approximately $215 million. In response, Puerto Rico's governor has urged residents to moderate their energy consumption, warning that the island currently lacks additional power generation capacity to compensate for further outages. Meanwhile, Cuba is also experiencing widespread power outages, with nearly 45% of the island affected by planned blackouts as announced by the state electricity company.

Descendants of British slave owners and enslaved Africans from the Caribbean convened at the United Nations to discuss reparations related to the transatlantic slave trade. This historic meeting brought together Caribbean diplomats, activists, academics, and state representatives to advance calls for reparatory justice. The discussions were part of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent's fourth session, which focused on the theme "Africa & People of African Descent: United for Reparatory Justice in the Age of AI." Caribbean leaders also linked the pursuit of reparations to broader issues such as climate accountability, highlighting the interconnected struggles faced by hurricane-affected Grenadians and others in the region.

Francisco Lindor, the New York Mets shortstop, has been named captain of Team Puerto Rico for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. This marks the second consecutive time Lindor will lead the team, having previously served as captain in the 2023 tournament. His career in the World Baseball Classic includes a .318 batting average with one double, one triple, two home runs, and nine RBIs over 12 games.

Lindor's appointment was announced by both Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association, highlighting his role in leading Puerto Rico in the upcoming international competition. He recently hit his 250th career home run, which ranks him 8th among shortstops in baseball history, and contributed to a Mets victory with a crafty play against the Cardinals.

At the 2025 CARIFTA Games, several young athletes delivered remarkable performances. Jady Emmanuel of Saint Lucia set a national U18 record by winning the U17 women's 200m final in 23.47 seconds with a slight headwind of -0.4 m/s, securing the gold medal. She also broke Julien Alfred's U18 record in the 100m final with a time of 11.50 seconds. Jamaican sprinter Shanoya Douglas achieved a sprint double in the U20 women's category, winning the 100m and 200m races, with the latter clocked at 23.02 seconds. D’Angelo Brown from Grenada earned a silver medal in the U20 800m final after overcoming a fall in the semifinals. Indian athlete Jyoti Yarraji won the 100m hurdles in 13.23 seconds despite competing with a strapped thigh, followed by Pragyan Prasanti Sahu (13.40s) and Nithya Ramraj (13.42s). Additionally, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a three-time Olympic champion, was highlighted for her continued athletic presence, notably triumphing at her son's school sports day, evoking memories of her Olympic debut gold in Beijing 2008. The events underscore the emerging talent in Caribbean and international athletics.

The roof of the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, collapsed on April 8, 2025, during a concert by merengue singer Rubby Pérez, resulting in 232 deaths and over 180 injuries. Among the deceased are Pérez and several community leaders. The event drew between 500 and 1,000 attendees, including French nationals.

Multiple involuntary manslaughter lawsuits have been filed against the owners of Jet Set by the families of victims, including those of Melissa Tejeda, Gustavo Suero, and Virgilio Cruz. The lawsuits also accuse authorities of failing in their duties. The manager of the company that owns Jet Set, Antonio Espaillat, has presented himself to the authorities.

Read more

The Cuban government continues to defend its international medical missions, which deploy Cuban doctors to Caribbean and other countries worldwide. However, U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have criticized these missions as a form of forced labor. Rubio stated that the Cuban regime does not pay these doctors, confiscates their passports, and effectively subjects them to forced labor. This practice also deprives Cuban patients of medical care at home. Cuban medical professionals have testified that these missions represent modern slavery. Meanwhile, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel expressed pride in the Cuban doctors working globally. The U.S. and other governments receiving Cuban medical personnel have been urged to recognize the coercive nature of these programs and to take action to end human trafficking associated with them.

Puerto Rico experienced a widespread blackout attributed to a combination of factors acknowledged by Luma Energy, the island's private electric utility operator. The company indicated that restoring power could take between 48 and 72 hours. The outage has left millions without electricity and tens of thousands without water, exacerbating an ongoing humanitarian crisis linked to the island's failing electric grid. Lawmakers including Representatives Ritchie Torres, Pablo Jose, Darren Soto, and Nydia Velazquez have called attention to the urgent need for emergency power generation and accountability in energy contracts. They warned of generation shortfalls expected to worsen during the summer months when electricity demand peaks. Local and New York officials emphasized the necessity of long-term investments to modernize and upgrade Puerto Rico's energy infrastructure, criticizing the privatization model for failing to deliver reliable service while consuming substantial taxpayer funds. Calls have been made to build a resilient, affordable, and publicly accountable energy system to ensure a sustainable energy future for Puerto Rico.

The government of the Bahamas has announced a suspension of all SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket landings within its territory. This decision will remain in effect until the completion of a full investigation into the consequences of recent launches. The announcement comes after concerns were raised regarding falling debris from a recent SpaceX starship launch, which has prompted the government to reassess the environmental impact of these operations. Previously, Falcon 9 landings had occurred in Bahamian waters without incident, but the recent events have led to heightened scrutiny and a call for a comprehensive environmental assessment before any further permissions are granted.

Dutch authorities have arrested a 39-year-old man on the Caribbean island of Curaçao on suspicion of playing a leading role in the 2021 murder of prominent crime reporter Peter R. de Vries. The suspect is believed to be a member of the Antillean criminal group No Limit Soldiers, which has a reputation for carrying out contract killings. Several men have already been convicted for the murder, but this arrest is seen as the detention of a possible mastermind behind the attack. The suspect was taken into custody in Willemstad, Curaçao, and has since been brought to the Netherlands. The investigation continues as authorities seek to uncover further details about the involvement of organized crime in the killing. Separately, Dutch police have arrested a man on the A4 highway near Rotterdam and Delft in connection with the discovery of a deceased 63-year-old woman in Hellevoetsluis, who was found decapitated. The suspect, her 31-year-old son, reportedly suffers from severe psychiatric issues and was found with the victim's head in his vehicle. The incident has shocked local officials and is under ongoing investigation.

The 23 power generation companies in Nigeria have issued a warning about an imminent nationwide blackout due to a worsening liquidity crisis in the electricity market. The companies reported that outstanding debts now exceed 4 trillion naira, which is severely impacting their ability to maintain steady electricity supply. The debt burden and operational constraints could force a shutdown of power plants if urgent interventions are not implemented. In response, the Nigerian Minister of Power has pledged to address the 4 trillion naira debt owed to the generation companies, which had prompted threats of shutdown by electricity distribution companies. Meanwhile, Puerto Rico is experiencing a massive power outage affecting more than 628,000 customers. The blackout is attributed to the unexpected shutdown of all power plants, including those operated by Genera and private generators. Prior warnings had been issued about potential generation shortfalls in Puerto Rico during the summer of 2025, highlighting the island's vulnerability to power supply disruptions.

The Fourth session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent convened at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to address issues including reparations for slavery and the challenges posed by artificial intelligence. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk highlighted that racism remains deeply embedded in societies and systems, violating the rights of people of African descent despite decades of promises to end it. The forum also saw condemnation of the French colonial system by the BIG Executive Director. Discussions emphasized the urgent need for reparatory justice, with specific calls for reparations for Haiti, referencing the 1825 ordinance that imposed a ransom on Haiti's independence. A Caribbean Community official described the current moment as defining for the push for slavery reparations, urging increased actions to hold former colonial powers accountable. The forum included participation from various representatives advocating for historical reparations and addressing systemic racial issues faced by people of African descent globally.

Norwegian Cruise Line's new ship, the Norwegian Aqua, was officially christened at PortMiami on April 13, 2025, during a ceremony attended by notable figures including a representative from the cruise line and local officials. The event marked the ship's debut and celebrated its arrival at the world's largest cruise terminal. Additionally, Norwegian Cruise Line announced plans to charter four ships starting in 2026, indicating an expansion of global partnerships. The company also revealed plans for significant upgrades to its private island, Great Stirrup Cay, in the Bahamas, which will include a new beach club, a multi-ship cruise pier, and a heated swimming pool, with the upgrades expected to be completed by 2025. Following the announcements, shares of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) rose, reflecting investor optimism regarding the company's growth strategies.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the importance of prioritizing regional partnerships, particularly with Caribbean nations, during a recent address. He invoked a rarely used statute to justify the deportation of an individual named Khalil, asserting that such actions are necessary to prevent potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States. Rubio's comments reflect a broader strategy under the current administration to focus on domestic security, including the deployment of military troops to secure U.S. borders rather than engaging in conflicts overseas. Support for Rubio's stance has been echoed by various political figures, who commend the administration's commitment to protecting U.S. sovereignty and prioritizing homeland defense. The administration has consistently maintained that the security of the United States is its top priority.

The death toll from a recent tragedy in the Dominican Republic has surpassed 221, with burials now underway for the victims. Authorities have announced the formation of a technical team to conduct a structural investigation into the collapse of the Jet Set, which has been linked to the fatalities. The country is in mourning as it begins to lay to rest those who lost their lives in this devastating incident.

Pedro Martinez, the former Red Sox pitcher and Hall of Famer, has reported that several of his family members are missing following a roof collapse at a nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The incident occurred early on April 9, 2025, and Martinez has stated that he had family present at the venue during the collapse. As of the latest updates, these family members remain unaccounted for, prompting concerns for their safety amid the ongoing search and rescue efforts at the site.