Photos

Though Haiti and the Dominican Republic share one island Hispaniola, they remain worlds apart with troubled history. When the Dominican Court through a controversial ruling banned the nationality of thousands of Haitian origins living on Dominican soil since 1929, it had a disastrous effect. Thousands of people of Haitian origin became homeless, stateless with no access to basic amenities. It prompted protest from every corner of the world. Haitians along with some international human rights communities demanded isolation of Dominican Republic. On 20th February 2014, amidst the disappointment of Haitian-Americans, "Enterprise Florida" organized a tour of delegation team comprising business leaders, exporters and representatives of the Florida's economic sectors to Dominican Republic for an international export sales mission. Dominican Republic is 9th important trading partner of the Florida State in terms of foreign trade (US$5.34 billion).

Rick Scott, the State Governor of Florida who usually leads "Enterprise Florida's" trade missions, at the last moment, has dropped himself from this insensitive, immoral and inhumane tour without any explanation.

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The visit of Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli on Tuesday, February 18, 2014 was the very first visit of a Panamanian leader to Haiti and it came almost two years after Martelly visited Panama twice that year. He met Haiti President Michel Martelly on this tour. His tour was intended to increase cooperation between both countries through participation on several new project agreements on many crucial areas including trade, health, sports and environment. The Panamanian President expressed his nation's awareness of the present economic and social situation in Haiti and promised solidarity in joint effort of recovery for the development of the Haitian people. The President was accompanied by Panamanian Foreign Minister Francisco Alvarez De Soto and other officials.

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Haiti is a country very vulnerable to earthquakes. The Island has been hit with many quakes in its history. Here is a list of some of the most devastating earthquakes that struck Haiti:

1564 Concepción de la Vega and Santiago de los Caballeros

1701 Tiburon Peninsula from Leogane to Petit Goave

1751 Port-au-Prince earthquake (18 October):

1770 Port-au-Prince earthquake (3 June):

1783 Santiago de los Caballeros quake

1842 Cap-Haitien earthquake

1946 Dominican Republic earthquake

2010 Haiti earthquake (12 January)

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The conditions for the Haitian laborers, busy building the stadiums for the World Cup in Brazil, have been described as 'slave-like'. Almost as alarming is the news that many of these workers are educated people who, oftentimes, have degrees. They then seek this type of labor because their new countries don't recognize their college degrees. As reported, 15 Haitians complain about bad conditions, the safety risk and low pay they face each week as they help to build the more than 12 stadiums sanctioned for the games.

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Under the leadership of the Episcopal Conference (Roman Catholic) in Haiti (Ceh), presided by Cardinal Chibly Haitians have reached an accord

Result of the "Haitian political and inter-institutional dialogue" from January 24 to March 142014

The accord contains 14 items. Among them, allowing the sharing of power, offering vote of law whose one on land, addressing the withdrawal of the Mission of UN peacekeepers and election plans for 2014.

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Here is a picture of the spokesman for the prime minister, Mr. Kedler Augustine. The presentation by the spokesman for the prime minister was to reassure the media and everyone that the government of Martell-Lamothe will respect the different points in the El Rancho agreement

According to Mr. Kedler Augustine, the electoral law authorizes the head of state to do so.

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Haitian barber, William Florville, became friends with Lincoln when Florville opened his barbershop in Illinois. His shop became Lincoln's retreat, where they swapped fish stories and told jokes.

The two grew dependent on each other, Lincoln in health matters and Florville in money. Florville cared for Lincoln during an illness, and Lincoln temporarily paid Florville's property taxes. Through Lincoln's patronage, Florville became a prosperous land owner, and Lincoln the author of The Emancipation Proclamation, setting free the slaves of the South.

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Souvenance and its holy temple is where voodooists come each Easter to give tribute to loa deities. The temple is sacred to Voodoo believers, whose progenitors came from West Africa.

A five-day ceremony occurs, with drumming, dancing, chanting, and animal sacrifice. Livestock animals' throats are slit. White-robed participants then douse themselves with the blood to honor the deity, Ogoun.

Voodoo, officially sanctioned in Haiti, has 66% of island inhabitants practicing its doctrines, one of three major religions in Haiti.

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Frank Byrne, Vice President of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, toured projects in Cap-Haitien, Milot, and Acul du Nord Bay with North Tourism Minister Dieudonne Etienne.

They viewed Cap-Haitien's new Craft Market; another one in Milot with tourist amenities being constructed there; and Sans-Souci Palace and Citadelle la Ferriere.

Final stop was in Acul-du-Nord to assess progress of a pier underway to off-load tourists from the cruise ship to visit the tourist attractions.

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Kosovo's National Football Team, whom many countries refuse to play because they don't recognize the nation's statehood, will play Haiti at an exhibition game after Jamaica pulled out due to political tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Kosovo declared its sovereignty in 2008, but Serbia refuses to accept it, considering it governed by the UN military. Yugoslavia created a unified Province of Kosovo and Serbia after World War II, but Kosovo rebelled and finally won a provisional independence in 2008.

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