PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Haitian electoral officials dropped the government-backed candidate from the upcoming presidential runoff on Thursday, ending a standoff with the U.S. and other international powers over the results of a first-round of voting that was marred by fraud and disorganization. The electoral commission said the March 20 runoff will match former first lady Mirlande Manigat against Michel Martelly, a carnival singer known as "Sweet Micky." The announcement, which came after dawn following more than 13 hours of deliberations, means government-backed candidate Jude Celestin is out of the race. Read more

Gov. Patrick to deploy National Guard unit to Haiti: The governor, left, made the announcement at a Jan. 30 ceremony. Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry is shown at right. Photo courtesy Governor's Office. (Update 6:20 p.m.) — Governor Deval Patrick has ordered elements of the Massachusetts National Guard to prepare for an April deployment to Haiti. The 125th Quartermaster battalion out of Worcester, along with the 220th Quartermaster detachment from Bridgewater, will assist in humanitarian efforts, mainly water filtration. More than 100 service people from the Massachusetts National Guard will take part in the deployment. More details on the deployment are expected soon. Patrick's surprise announcement came during a noontime event in the State House, where he issued a proclamation to establish a statewide Haiti remembrance month to commemorate the one year anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti. The governor was joined by State Representative Linda Dorcena Forry and other leaders from the Haitian community. Read more

Former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide: Hopes to return to Haiti in "coming days" (AP photo)A former lawyer for ex-Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide says the ousted leader has applied for a Haitian passport but has never heard back from his homeland's government. The head of the Boston-based Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti says Aristide has repeatedly requested a Haitian passport. Brian Concannon said that President Rene Preval's government ``simply refuses to respond'' to Aristide's requests. Aristide's current Miami attorney Ira Kurzban says Aristide wants to come back to Haiti. In a statement issued through Kurzban on Thursday, Aristide said, "As far as I am concerned, I am ready. Once again I express my readiness to leave today, tomorrow, at any time. The purpose is very clear: To contribute to serving my Haitian sisters and brothers as a simple citizen in the field of education." Aristide added that he hoped to "make that happen in the next coming days." Read more

PORT-AU-PRINCE — A judge will decide whether former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier will be tried on charges that include corruption and embezzlement for allegedly pilfering the treasury before his 1986 ouster, a lawyer for the ex-strongman said Tues Read more

In a Port au Prince warehouse loaded with tarps, plywood, corrugated roofing, nails and other building supplies, company owner Patrick Brun says he had hoped to get contracts from the billions of dollars in international aid promised to Haiti. His 40-year-old company, Chabuma S.A., sells cement blocks, doors, sand bags and other materials for international companies. But what he wants is a more significant role in his country's recovery, which is why he says he keeps bidding — without success — for U.S. government contracts. Read more

The Reporter talks to Richard Chacon, Executive Director of Office of Immigrants and Refugees (ORI). Chacon was appointed to oversee the state’s response to last year’s catastrophic earthquake in Haiti. He also covered Haiti and took several trips there as the Boston Globe Latin America correspondent from 1997-2001. BHR: Walk me through the year in services [provided by the state] to the Haitian community, especially displaced Haitians. Richard Chacon: There have been a variety of services provided for folks here and in rebuilding efforts in Haiti. Immediately following the earthquake, Governor Patrick made it a priority to have a swift plan to address needs for Massachusetts’ residents. He appointed our agency, Office of Refugee and Immigrants to oversee these efforts, which was unprecedented for an agency like ours. Our primary responsibility was to deal with special refugee cases and work with other agencies to provide emergency resources. It was a new role for us. We worked with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) because of their experience [in these circumstances]. We were able to develop an inventory of personnel and equipment to help out with immediate needs - if we were asked to send any. We communicated to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) what we had available here in the state. Read more

Our January edition: Now on newsstands across Greater Boston“Art is Haiti’s own ambassador – it can make its own path,” says Edwidge Danticat, who recently talked to the Reporter about her most recent works, Create Dangerously: The Immigrant Artist at Work and Haiti Noir. The former is a collection of essays compiled over the years and completed as part of Toni Morrison’s Society Lecture Series. Haiti Noir is an anthology of stories Danticat edited for the acclaimed Akashic Noir Series. This compilation of dark tales illuminates the complexities and nuances of Haiti and her people. The literary adventure opens with the eerily ominous Odette, a harrowing tale set during the earthquake, written by Boston-based poet Patrick Sylvain. BHR: When did you first start working on Create Dangerously? Edwidge Danticat: About two years ago I was invited to do the Toni Morrison Society lecture series. I was only the second invitee, Cornel West was the first – no pressure there. When you’re doing these types of things, it’s good to find something you’re passionate about. If you share your passion, then you can share something meaningful. So I picked “the immigrant artist” as my subject. And part of the series is to publish a book. I’ve been writing these essays for years, although some of them were new. BHR: In the middle of telling each story you stop to share your thoughts and insights. Is this part of your responsibility as an immigrant artist? ED: I was trying to interpret my own sense of it – the way I interpret my own path. It’s nearly impossible for me to come from the place I come from - to pretend that I’m just writing. It’s a lot. When you’re writing an essay you hope to interpret your own journey. Happily taking the responsibility and duty to share and tell personal, intimate stories. The artist’s responsibility is to try to represent as truthfully and as carefully what that individual knows (to be true). Read more

“Art is Haiti’s own ambassador – it can make its own path,” says Edwidge Danticat, who recently talked to the Reporter about her most recent works, Create Dangerously: The Immigrant Artist at Work and Haiti Noir. Read more

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – International observers are waiting on Haiti's president to accept a report suggesting his party's candidate be eliminated from a contentious election to choose the quake-ravaged country's next leader. Haitian electoral officials must make the final decision on what to do, and the recommendations by observers from the Organization of American States could weigh heavily. But first they have to officially receive the report. That step was thwarted Monday when President Rene Preval's office declined to grant an appointment to the observation team, OAS assistant secretary-general Albert Ramdin said. Read more