Successive waves of brown algae are inundating Caribbean beaches in Guadeloupe and Martinique, with the island of Désirade particularly hard-hit as accumulated seaweed suffocates the local population and renders beaches unrecognizable.

Drought conditions are spreading from the Caribbean to the Pacific, threatening crops in Futuna and leading to water restrictions in La Réunion, Martinique, and Guadeloupe due to low groundwater levels.

In Martinique, a Caribbean island, the decomposition of sargassum algae is releasing toxic gases, making the air unbreathable and prompting the opening of a reception center for the most exposed residents in eleven critically affected municipalities.

BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CMC) – St Kitts Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew Thursday said he remains in good spirits and is continuing to “getting fully active, fully conscious and in stable condition” as members of his medical team in the United States (US) continue to evaluate him following a recent health scare. Drew, with tubes and plaster attached to his hands, in a five-minute broadcast did not disclose the nature of his illness, but said that he had been treated first in the French island of Martinique and is now in South Florida. Earlier media reports in Martinique had said that the prime minister had suffered a stroke, but that he is not expected to suffer lasting effects .

Fans from around the world gathered in Gary, Indiana for Michael Jackson's birthday celebration at his childhood home, while the city continues recovering from severe storms that knocked out power for thousands of residents for nearly two weeks.

Medical students in Martinique are worried after an announced reduction in intern positions in the French Antilles. The best students will choose their placement, while others may be relocated to mainland France, despite high healthcare needs in the region. A student and a local deputy have raised the alarm.

The international days of Corte, in Corsica, opened on Saturday, August 8, bringing together for two days separatists from around the world: from Catalonia, Kabylie and Martinique. This 44th edition celebrates 50 years of the Corsican National Liberation Front. During a clandestine press conference on Wednesday, August 5, the FLNC reiterated its opposition to the autonomy project currently being examined in Parliament.

FLORIDA, United States (CMC) – St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew confirmed Sunday that he had suffered a stroke late last month but that he is recovering well and has since been discharged from a United States hospital. Drew, 49, was flown to Florida for further medical evaluation on September 2, after initially being hospitalised in the neighbouring French island of Martinique. He was first treated for symptoms including nausea, dizziness, and balance issues, and was admitted to the Joseph N.