US religious group says 17 missionaries kidnapped in Haiti
San Juan (US), Oct 17: A group of 17 US missionaries, including children, were kidnapped by a gang in Haiti on Saturday, according to a voice message sent to various religious missions by an organization with direct knowledge of the incident.
The missionaries were on their way home from building an orphanage, according to a message from Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries.
This is a special prayer alert, the one-minute message said. Pray that the gang members would come to repentance.
The message states that the mission's field director is working with the US Embassy, and that the field director's family and one other unidentified man stayed at the ministry's base while everyone else visiting the orphanage was abducted.
No other details were immediately available.
A US government spokesperson said they were aware of the reports on the kidnapping.
The welfare and safety of US citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the Department of State, the spokesperson said, declining further comment.
Haiti is once again struggling with a spike in gang-related kidnappings that had diminished after President Jovenel Moise was fatally shot at his private residence on July 7, and following a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck southwest Haiti in August and killed more than 2,200 people.
Gangs have demanded ransoms ranging from a couple hundred dollars to more than 1 million, according to authorities.
Last month, a deacon was killed in front of a church in the capital of Port-au-Prince and his wife kidnapped, one of dozens of people who have been abducted in recent months.
At least 328 kidnapping victims were reported to Haiti's National Police in the first eight months of 2021, compared with a total of 234 for all of 2020, according to a report issued last month the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti known as BINUH.
Gangs have been accused of kidnapping schoolchildren, doctors, police officers, busloads of passengers and others as they grow more powerful. In April, one gang kidnapped five priests and two nuns, a move that prompted a protest similar to the one organised for this Monday to decry the lack of security in the impoverished country.
Political turmoil, the surge in gang violence, deteriorating socioeconomic conditions including food insecurity and malnutrition all contribute to the worsening of the humanitarian situation, BINUH said in its report. An overstretched and under-resourced police force alone cannot address the security ills of Haiti.
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CSK's Ayush Mhatre ruled out of remainder of IPL 2026 due to hamstring injury
New Delhi (PTI): Chennai Super Kings batter Ayush Mhatre has been ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing IPL season due to a hamstring injury, dealing a major blow to the five-time champions.
The franchise said Mhatre, who sustained the injury during CSK’s previous game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 18, will require a rehabilitation period of six to 12 weeks.
"Ayush Mhatre has been ruled out of the remainder of IPL 2026 due to a left hamstring injury sustained while batting during the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 18.
"Ayush's injury will require a rehabilitation period of 6-12 weeks," CSK announced on its social media on Tuesday.
The 18-year-old, who came in as an impact substitute, was seen in visible discomfort and clutched his hamstring while attempting a run during CSK’s 10-run loss to SRH in Hyderabad.
He required on-field treatment and, although he continued briefly, was dismissed soon after.
"It looks pretty bad, unfortunately. And he's going to be a big, big loss because he's been in really nice touch for us," CSK's batting coach Mike Hussey had said at the post-match press conference.
Mhatre has been CSK's standout batter this season. He lea collecting 201 runs from six matches at a strike-rate of 177.87.
Chennai Super Kings have endured a poor start to the 2026 season, losing four of their six matches to languish in eighth place.
