Tag Archives: caribbean

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Honduran Police Surround House of Ex-President after U.S. Extradition Request

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TEGUCIGALPA, Feb 14 (Reuters) – Scores of Honduran police officers on Monday surrounded the house of former president Juan Orlando Hernandez after the United States asked the government to arrest and extradite Washington’s key erstwhile ally in the region.

Speculation has been swirling for months that the United States was planning to extradite Hernandez when he left office amid accusations that he colluded with drug traffickers. Leftist leader Xiomara Castro replaced him as president last month.

Washington’s request for extradition represents a major about-face by the U.S. government, which saw Hernandez as a vital ally in the volatile Central America region during his eight years in power.

The United States had already placed Hernandez on a blacklist, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken this month said there were credible reports Hernandez “has engaged in significant corruption by committing or facilitating acts of corruption and narco-trafficking”.

Hernandez could not be immediately reached for comment but he has always denied any links to drug traffickers.

A Reuters witness outside Hernandez’s house said about 100 police officers were waiting outside.

Hernandez’s lawyer, Hermes Ramírez, told Canal 5 television that the former president was holed up inside his home and that the arrest warrant for Hernandez is illegal because he has immunity as a member of the regional Central American parliament.

“They are trying to trample on the rights of President Hernandez,” Ramirez said.

Hernandez formally joined the Guatemala-based regional body, called Parlacen, just a few hours after Castro’s inauguration as president.

Parlacen affords members immunity from prosecution in Central America, though that immunity can be removed or suspended if a member’s home country requests it.

Luis Javier Santos, Honduras’ best known anti-corruption prosecutor, said on Twitter that “there is no impediment to his extradition”.

The Honduran Foreign Ministry earlier in the day said the U.S. Embassy had requested the arrest of a Honduran politician who is the subject of an extradition request to the United States, without naming him.

A senior Honduran official, speaking anonymously because they were not allowed to speak to media on the subject, told Reuters the United States “requested the provisional arrest of former president Juan Orlando Hernández for extradition purposes”.

Melvin Duarte, a spokesman for the Honduran judiciary, said the Supreme Court is due to meet at 9.30am on Tuesday to name a judge to oversee Hernandez’ extradition case.

Throughout his time in power Hernandez, cultivated close ties to Washington and most notably won the support of former U.S. President Donald Trump, using Honduran security forces to help the Republican leader cut down on U.S.-bound land migration routes from Central America and further afield.

But allegations of links with drug traffickers dogged his time in power, which was also marred by corruption scandals.

Last year, a U.S. judge sentenced Hernandez’s brother to life in prison plus 30 years for drug trafficking.

Reporting by Gustavo Palencia and Marvin Valladares. Writing by Drazen Jorgic Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Kim Coghill and Gerry Doyle

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WORLD VIEW: Russian Troops, Trump Finances, Olympic Skater, Djokovic May Skip Tournys,More

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February 15, 2022

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MOSCOW (AP) — Russia said Tuesday that some units participating in military exercises would begin returning to their bases, adding to glimmers of hope that the Kremlin may not…Read More

NEW YORK (AP) — The accounting firm that prepared former President Donald Trump’s annual financial…Read More

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OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked emergency powers Monday to quell the…Read More

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MOSCOW (AP) — While the U.S. warns that Russia could invade Ukraine any day, the drumbeat of war is…Read More

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KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan has undergone a dramatic transformation in half a year of…Read More

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LONDON (AP) — Novak Djokovic said in an interview broadcast Tuesday that he is prepared to skip the…Read More

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The frenzy to “explain” Eileen Gu’s choice reflects biases and misunderstandings in the United…Read More

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Jamaica Gang Trial Tests New Anti-Crime Laws Amid Wave of Violence

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A police truck carrying alleged gang members arrives at court, in Kingston, Jamaica January 28, 2022. REUTERS/StringerA woman watches as alleged gang members step out of a police truck after arriving at court, in Kingston, Jamaica January 28, 2022. REUTERS/Stringer

KINGSTON, Feb 14 (Reuters) – A trial of dozens of alleged gang members in Jamaica is testing recent judicial reforms designed to fight the island’s powerful criminal groups, widely blamed for the Caribbean nation having one of the world’s highest murder rates.

Jamaica’s Supreme Court is trying the 33 defendants on charges including arson, murder and being part of a criminal organization. The offenses were allegedly committed between 2015 and 2019 on the western outskirts of the capital Kingston.

The trial has shocked the nation with graphic testimony from ex-associates describing how the accused bragged to each other about murdering rivals, or became angry to learn they were lagging other gangs in killings.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ government is hoping for convictions that could help slow gang violence in Jamaica.

Authorities say gangs are responsible for 70% of the country’s homicides, which rose 10% last year to reach 47.7 per 100,000 inhabitants, giving it the world’s highest murder rate, according to Reuters calculations.

The U.S. State Department says the island nation, home to nearly 3 million people, is a major source of illicit marijuana and a transit point for cocaine smuggled to the United States.

Prosecutors say the 32 men and one woman operated extortion rackets and gun-running schemes in Spanish Town, a city of 150,000 and the former site of a 16th-century Spanish colonial settlement later renamed when Britain captured the island.

On court days, screaming sirens mark the arrival of the convoy carrying the accused to downtown Kingston. Donning pressed dress shirts and jeans, they exit the vehicles handcuffed in pairs.

The accused, who have all pleaded not guilty, are alleged to have been members of the “One Don” gang, a breakaway faction of the “Klansman” gang – which has existed since the early 1990s.

Prosecutors have identified Andre “Blackman” Bryan as the One Don gang leader.

It was not immediately evident what the maximum sentence could be. National Security Minister Horace Chang did not respond to a request for comment.

Protections provided by last year’s reform of the Criminal Justice Act mean that, unlike previous trials, witnesses are not identified by name. The reform also allows judges to convict based on a wider range of offenses, which could increase the length of prison sentences.

“The trial is crucial in sending a message to the Jamaican criminal underworld that the state is serious about restoring peace in violence-prone communities,” said Damion Blake, an associate professor at Elon University who has served as security consultant to the government.

“It also helps in rebuilding the bonds of trust between citizens and the Jamaican state.”

EXTORTION RACKETS, LOTTERY SCAMS

Violent crime has jumped in recent years as Jamaica’s economy has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The economy contracted by 10% in 2020, according to official figures, as travel restrictions and border closures pummeled the vital tourism industry.

The high profile trial has also included allegations of political involvement in some gang activity.

One gang member turned witness described gun-carrying gangsters attending meetings of the opposition People’s National Party (PNP).

PNP leader Mark Golding, asked by Reuters about the witness testimony, said: “I am not aware of this, and I’ve never seen anything at any PNP meeting to suggest that there is any truth to this allegation.”

Gang bosses or “dons” curry favor with some residents by paying children’s school fees and providing odd jobs. Extortion rackets typically target buses and taxi drivers. Authorities say the gangs are estimated to extort some $4 million a year in payments collected from a single Spanish Town transportation hub.

The gangs raise revenue, however, from a wide range of sources, some of them far more lucrative. The State Department says Jamaican lottery scammers defraud U.S. citizens of an estimated $300 million annually.

Investigators say the victims, mainly vulnerable seniors, are targeted by criminals in Jamaica who use phone numbers stolen from call centers in Montego Bay, where foreign companies have customer service operations.

The scammers befriend the victims and convince them they have won a lottery but need to make an initial payment to collect their winnings.

Chang, the security minister, told Reuters that lottery scamming fuels gang violence as criminals vie for profits.

Gang clashes often result in gun battles, leaving Spanish Town residents in danger of being caught in the crossfire.

“You might not go in the community at a certain time. We know when and when not to go in,” said one Spanish Town resident, a 38-year-old musician who asked not be named. “If the shots start fire now, people run, but they are not scared: they are used to it.”

Reporting by Kate Chappell in Kingston and Brian Ellsworth in Miami; Editing by Daniel Wallis

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Canada’s Trudeau Uses Emergency Powers to End Vax Demonstrations

By Monique Beals
The Hill

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told his caucus he plans to use the Emergencies Act to handle ongoing protests in the country, according to reports.

Sources told Canada’s CBC News that Trudeau intends to tell the premiers on Monday about his decision to invoke the act, which has never been used before.

During the meeting with the Liberal caucus on Monday, Trudeau added that there were no plans to deploy the military at this time, CBC reported.

The Emergencies Act gives the prime minister the authority to deal with public welfare, public order, international and war-related emergencies. Specifically, it allows the prime minister to “take special temporary measures that may not be appropriate in normal times,” the outlet added.

It is intended for a time of national emergency, which is defined as an “urgent and critical situation” that “seriously endangers the lives, health or safety of Canadians and is of such proportions or nature as to exceed the capacity or authority of a province to deal with it.”

The “Freedom Convoy” protests began as a show of opposition to COVID-19 vaccine mandates for truckers in Canada but have since grown into a larger protest that includes other anti-vaccine and anti-government groups.

The protests first blocked Canada’s Ambassador Bridge, which connects Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, on Feb. 7. It reopened on Sunday after authorities arrested more than two dozen protesters.

U.S. officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, have pressed their Canadian counterparts to use federal powers to bring an end to the blockades, which have disrupted cross-border trade and the auto industry in particular.

Trudeau has previously said that his government would be willing to “respond with whatever it takes” to address the problems.

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Mexico violence: 9 Killed as Gunmen Attack Wake, then Target Funeral

 

BBC- Gunmen in Mexico have killed nine people mourning the death of a man who died in jail last week, officials say.

The nine were killed in two attacks in the northern city of Ciudad Juárez.

Assailants first burst into a private home where friends and family had gathered for the wake of the inmate and shot dead two women and a man.

Hours later, the premises where the funeral service for the same man was being held, were targeted by attackers who killed six more people.

Witnesses said the gunmen stormed into the home, which doubles up as an evangelical church, as a pastor was holding the funeral service. They described scenes of panic as the gunmen opened fire.

Among those killed were a 12-year-old boy and his father.

Investigators told local media there were strong indications that the same criminal group was behind both attacks.

Officials have not released the name of the inmate whose funeral was attacked – but the prosecutor’s office said he had been killed on Wednesday while imprisoned in a jail in the city of Chihuahua.

His body had been returned for burial to Ciudad Juárez.

Ciudad Juárez, on Mexico’s border with the US, is one of the Mexican cities with the highest murder rate nationwide.

In 2021, an average of four people was murdered every day in the city, according to data from the regional prosecutor’s office.

Most of the murders are linked to rivalries between local drugs gangs, the region’s attorney general says.

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STEP Offices in St. Kitts and in Nevis to Work More Closely

CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS, February 14, 2022 (S.T.E.P.) — Director of the Skills Training Empowerment Programme (STEP) Mr Emile Greene, was in Nevis on Friday February 11 meeting with senior STEP staff where they discussed among other things, the closer working relations between the two offices – in St. Kitts and in Nevis.

Accompanying Mr Greene from St. Kitts was STEP Office Manager Mrs Agatha Caines, and while in Nevis they held discussions with Manager of STEP operations in Nevis Mr Bernel Hanley, STEP Nevis Chief Field Officer, Mr Oscar Browne, and STEP Nevis office Manager, Ms Isis Morton.

“Something we discussed was that we wanted for them to understand that of these two islands that we are just one – we are not two separate entities,” observed Mrs Caines. “It is just one entity under the broad umbrella of Skills Training Empowerment Programme (STEP), and that information moves around freely.”

While there have been visits by St. Kitts staff to the Nevis office, Mrs Caines noted that they want the visitations to be a little more frequent than it is now, and not just St. Kitts staff going over, but to have the Nevis staff to visit the head office in St. Kitts for them to see exactly the dynamics of STEP operations and how they do things at the head office, especially how the payroll system functions.

“Mr Greene mentioned that at some point in time we would allow the payroll staff to go over to Nevis to work the payroll from that end as well,” noted Mrs Caines. “So, it is a give and take – they will come down to see how it works and then we will send our staff over there to work it from that end.”

STEP has set up a new department that will be handling staff training and in apprising the Nevis staff, they were informed that training sessions will start shortly. The St. Kitts team wanted to establish which staff at the Nevis office would be a part of the training sessions as they wanted them to feel more comfortable in the scheme of things.

“The Training Officer that we have in St. Kitts will be visiting Nevis shortly to meet with them and discuss areas of training and see what ideas Nevis would come up with, what are their strengths and weaknesses over there so that we can incorporate all those into the whole training sessions,” she observed.

While at the Nevis office, Manager of STEP operations in Nevis Mr Bernel Hanley introduced them to Mr Vernell Powell who was recommended by the Nevis Island Administration to be hired as the STEP Field Operations Verification Officer in Nevis. The verification exercise, which has been taking place in St. Kitts, will allow STEP to keep track and be in a position to do an audit of all STEP workers attached to private businesses.

“Mr Powell is the one who will be doing the verification on the Nevis end for us,” said Mrs Caines. “We would have met with him, and had a talk with him and apprised him of what we want him to do but as time go by, we would meet with him again, and we would finalise everything. But as of now he has an idea as to exactly where we want to go, what he is supposed to be doing and how he should be carrying out those duties.”

 

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Belgium: Anti-Vax Convoy Stopped, D.C. Mandate Ends, S.Korea, Hong Kong Cases Surge, More

Belgian police prevent French ‘freedom convoy’ from entering Brussels

Barriers and checkpoints set up around European quarter, and drivers directed to park and rest area

 

A demonstrator waves a Canadian flag in a parking lot outside Brussels on 14 February.
A demonstrator waves a Canadian flag in a parking lot outside Brussels on 14 February. Photograph: Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images

Belgian police have stopped drivers taking part in France’s so-called freedom convoy from entering Brussels, where they planned to hold a demonstration on Monday.

Hundreds of protesters had headed north from Paris region on Sunday but Brussels authorities said the convoy would not be allowed to enter the city.

Police set up barriers and enforced checks around the European quarter, home to the EU headquarters and other buildings including the European parliament.

The protest against Covid restrictions and high energy prices shifted its focus to the symbolic heart of the EU after police prevented most of the estimated 3,000 vehicles from entering Paris at the weekend.

About 100 managed to get past the police and converged on the Champs Élysées, where they were eventually dispersed with teargas on Saturday evening.

Belgian police said they had deployed forces along several motorways and stopped vehicles with French registration plates heading for the capital.

The mayor of Brussels, Philippe Close, said police were directing vehicles to a parking and rest area just outside the city, capable of accepting up to 10,000 vehicles, and warned demonstrators this was the only place they would be allowed to converge.

He said protesters could be allowed to enter Brussels on foot, but they would not be allowed to “take the capital hostage”. Officials banned any demonstrations in the city on Monday.

On Sunday night French police said there were about 1,300 vehicles converging on the northern city of Lille, not far from the Belgian border.

French ‘freedom convoys’ head towards Paris to protest against Covid rules – video
French ‘freedom convoys’ head towards Paris to protest against Covid rules – video

The French convoy, inspired by the movement that has paralysed Ottawa in Canada, has brought together people opposed to the vaccine pass, gilets jaunes (yellow vests), and anti-government protesters angered at energy price rises.

Jean-Pierre Schmit, 58, an unemployed man from Toulouse, told Agence France-Presse: “We’re going to Brussels to try to block it to fight against this policy of permanent control.”

Sandrine, 45, from Lyon, said: “We’re aiming to get to all the European institutions one by one. We don’t know where this is leading, but we’re on our way and we will make ourselves heard.”

The convoy was reported to be aiming for Strasbourg, where the European parliament also sits, after Brussels.

Jean-Christophe Couvy, the secretary general of the SGP police union, said the convoy appeared to have a number of targets. “There’s Brussels and the European parliament in Strasbourg. We have officers on standby and for the moment we’re being vigilant. We’re closely following the journey of this freedom convoy,” he told FranceInfo.

Officials said only about 10% of the convoy that had converged on Paris at the weekend had left for Brussels.

It is not clear what protesters are now planning, but one told Belgian television: “There’s no hurry. We’ll get there in the end.”

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COVID-19 rules to ease starting Tuesday

© Getty

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced Monday that the city will end its requirement for people entering businesses to show proof of vaccination starting this week and will lift its mask mandate for businesses starting on March 1.

Bowser cited a sharp decline in cases in the omicron wave as justification for the loosening of restrictions. The mayor pointed to the protection of vaccines in saying the situation had changed.

“COVID is not as deadly as it was,” she said, noting people can now get vaccinated. “Getting vaccinated and boosted, we can’t emphasize enough.”

The vaccination requirement for people entering businesses like restaurants will end on Tuesday, less than a month after taking effect. That requirement had drawn resistance from some congressional Republicans who rallied behind a neighborhood bar, The Big Board, that defied the mandate.

Masks will still be required in schools, an area of strong controversy, and some situations like public transit, Bowser said, while the broader mandate will be lifted next month.

National debate: The move comes amid a national debate over lifting restrictions as the omicron wave descends. Several Democratic governors, in states like New York and New Jersey, have also announced the lifting of mask mandates in recent days.

The Biden administration, despite the moves by local Democratic leaders, has maintained that it is following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, which recommends that people mask indoors in areas with high amounts of transmission, which is still almost all of the country.

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Walmart ends mask rule for vaxxed workers

coronavirus COVID-19 community spread walmart raise pandemic employees $13-$19 per hour dollars wage salary bonuses frontline quarter 4 four financial furner CEO

© Paul Ratje / AFP

Fully vaccinated Walmart employees will no longer be required to wear masks at work in any Walmart or Sam’s Club facilities, unless face coverings are mandated in their states or localities.

Walmart announced the new guidance in a memo to staff on Friday, according to a copy of the update provided to The Hill.

Employees who have not yet received the jab, however, will still be required to wear masks while in stores and offices. Additionally, associates who work in clinical care environments — such as health clinics and pharmacies — and come into direct contact with patients and customers will have to continue wearing a mask, regardless of their vaccination status.

The retail giant said it decided to nix the mask mandate for vaccinated employees as it continues to examine the state of the pandemic in the country.

The company is also lifting a sick pay policy enacted during the pandemic that provided associates with extra paid time off. The memo to employees said it will end on March 31, except for in areas where such a policy is required by state or local mandates or ordinances.

Additionally, Walmart will phase out its daily health screenings for employees — except those who work in California, New York and Virginia, where they are mandated by the states, according to the memo.

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by Elias Visontay

Novak Djokovic says he would rather miss out on grand slams than be vaccinated against Covid, in his first major interview since being deported from Australia earlier this year due to his vaccination status.

Djokovic told the BBC on Tuesday he was not anti-vaccination in general but believed people had the right to choose whether they were jabbed or not.

Asked if he would miss Wimbledon and the French Open over his vaccine stance, he replied: “That is the price that I’m willing to pay.”

“The principles of decision making on my body are more important than any title or anything else,” Djokovic said. “I’m trying to be in tune with my body as much as I possibly can.”

Djokovic said he had “always been a great student of wellness, wellbeing, health, nutrition”.

“I was never against vaccination. I understand that, globally, everyone is trying to put a big effort into handling this virus and seeing, hopefully, an end soon to this virus,” he said.

The 34-year-old did not rule being vaccinated for Covid in the future – telling the BBC he was keeping his “mind open”  

Cook Islands records first case of Covid

Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson

One of the last remaining countries without Covid – the small Pacific nation of Cook Islands – has reported its first case of the virus.

The prime minister, Mark Brown, said the first case arrived on an international flight from New Zealand on 10 February.

“While she was asymptomatic, she returned a positive result in just a few hours later. The case been issued an isolation order. The case is travelling with two others, and they will all remain in isolation until they no longer test positive for Covid-19,” Brown said on Monday.

The prime minister said at the weekend there could be “silent transmission” in the country after another traveller tested positive for Covid upon their return to New Zealand, having travelled through the Cook Islands from 31 January to 8 February.

“It is likely that the person who tested positive was infectious while here and further likely that the virus is in our community,” the prime minister said of that case on social media on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s leader said a surge of coronavirus cases is overwhelming the city’s emergency resources but defended strict measures that have been imposed.

Chief executive Carrie Lam said the Chinese central government was extending help to the city, which remains a nominally autonomous enclave, the Associated Press reported.

Despite its varying success, Hong Kong has stuck with China’s zero-tolerance strategy requiring lockdowns, quarantines and mass testing for Covid.

The city reported a record 2,071 new cases on Monday, with that number expected to double on Tuesday with more than 4,500 preliminary positives identified.

Lam added that authorities will designate as quarantine stations new public housing units that have yet to be occupied, along with around 10,000 hotel rooms. Hong Kong requires confirmed coronavirus cases to isolate.

The city’s restrictions extend to limiting in-person gatherings to no more than two households, allowing only vaccinated people in shopping malls and supermarkets, and closing places of worship, hair salons and other businesses.

South Korea reports highest number of Covid deaths in a month

Hello. I’m Tom Ambrose and will be bringing you the latest Covid news from around the world over the next few hours.

We begin with the news that South Korea reported its highest number of Covid deaths in a month today as US health authorities advised Americans to avoid travelling to the country grappling with a fast-developing omicron surge.

The 61 deaths reported by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Tuesday was the highest daily tally since the 74 reported on 19 January, when the country was emerging from an outbreak driven by the Delta variant.

While Omicron so far seems less likely to cause serious illness or death, the greater scale of the outbreak is fuelling concerns that hospitalisations and fatalities could spike in coming weeks, the Associated Press reported.

The 57,177 new cases reported by the KDCA was another one-day record and more than a 12-fold increase from the levels seen in mid-January, when omicron became the dominant strain.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its travel notice for South Korea to level 4, the highest risk, advising Americans to avoid travel to the country or to make sure they are fully vaccinated if travelling is necessary.

Park Hyang, a senior South Korean Health Ministry official, said the country’s hospital resources remain stable, with less than 27% of intensive care units designated for Covid currently being occupied.

People wait for their coronavirus test at a makeshift testing site in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Feb. 14, 2022.

People wait for their coronavirus test at a makeshift testing site in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Feb. 14, 2022. Photograph: Ahn Young-joon/AP

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Nevis Min. of Tourism Postpones COVID-19 Industry Certificate Training

NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (February 14, 2022) —   Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Ministry of Tourism wishes to advise the general public that regrettably, we must POSTPONE the planned COVID-19 Industry Certificate Training scheduled for this week. The training was originally scheduled for Wednesday, February 16, 2022.

A new date and time will be communicated once available. We sincerely regret any inconvenience this postponement may cause.

All persons already registered will be automatically waitlisted for the future session.

Kindly call the Ministry of Tourism at 469–0051 for more information.

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Nevis Being Promoted in Major News Outlets

NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (February 14, 2022) – The Nevis Tourism Authority (NTA) says its 2022 promotional efforts in the United States kicked off the year in a big way, as the island was prominently featured in four leading news outlets – Forbes, Hombre, Travel Pulse, and Wine & Whiskey Globe – in their February publications.

The outlets were specifically selected as media relations targets by the NTA along with their US-based public relations agency, CIIC PR, due to the sizeable audiences they reach and the diverse travel interests they serve.

Reacting to the news, Mr. Devon Liburd the authority’s interim Chief Executive Officer expressed his satisfaction.

“We are delighted whenever Nevis gets the attention of the US press. We’re especially proud of this round of coverage because of its capacity to reach those potential travel audiences most important to us,” he said.

In Forbes, with a readership of 48million high net-worth consumers, contributor Wendy Altschuler reports on “3 Sunny Spring Break Destinations Families Will Love” and highlights St. Kitts and Nevis as “Best for Adventurers,” noting the islands’ lush landscapes are ripe for exploration as a complement to days spent on our beautiful beaches.

Hombre correspondent, Simon Mayorga names Nevis as the perfect choice for a “Valentine’s Day Caribbean Romantic Escape” and profiles special travel offers from Oualie Beach Resort, The Hermitage, and Four Seasons Resort Nevis. 

Hombre is the world’s leading publication for Latino men and speaks directly to the Hispanic market’s purchasing power in the United States, which is currently anticipated to be $1trillion and growing.

Travel news outlet TravelPulse also featured some of the romantic deals available on the island. One of the world’s most respected travel brands with a readership of 4.8million, Travel and Leisure, features a four-page spread by Paul Winner in which he claims there’s “No Place Like Nevis.” 

In the magazine’s February 2022 issue, Winner shines a spotlight on the island’s best homegrown cuisine, whetting the appetite of foodies with delectable descriptions of his recent visits to Bananas, Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill, Lime Beach Bar, Sip on the Square, On the Dune at Four Seasons Resort Nevis, the newly opened Drift, Golden Rock Inn, and Cades Bay Food Orchard.

TravelPulse, who has the capacity to reach an audience of 900,000 readers, also featured an interview with Mr. Liburd on episode 19 of its Complete Caribbean podcast. Topics discussed included updates on COVID-19 precautions being taken throughout the island as well as his personal favourite spots to visit including the new Malcolm Guishard Recreational Park at Pinney’s and Nevis Heritage Village.

Wine & Whiskey Globe covers the world of wine and spirits, as its name implies, and showcases the artisans behind the most distinctive beverages across the globe. In this issue, author of “Getting Schooled on Rum in the Caribbean” Fran Endicott Miller, learns all about rum from Kendie Williams, master mixologist at Four Seasons Resort Nevis, who shares her recipe for the resort’s most popular cocktail, “Kendie’s Kick.”

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Winter Olympics: American Erin Jackson, 1st Black Woman to Win Speed Skating Gold

Gold medalist Erin Jackson celebrates on the podium during the flower ceremony on Feb. 13, 2022.Fabrizio Bensch / Reuters
By Doha Madani
NBC

 

A 29-year-old Florida native and lifelong rollerblader became the first Black woman to win Team USA a gold medal in speed skating Sunday.

Erin Jackson earned her first Olympic medal in the women’s 500- meter speed skating race at the Beijing Games, an event Team USA has not won since 1994. Jackson finished her lap in a mere 37.04 seconds.

It may seem unlikely that a skater who spent her life on rollerblades would be an Olympian on the ice, but Jackson quickly became a gold medal favorite. She made her Olympic debut four years ago in Pyeongchang, having switched to ice skating roughly a year earlier.

She was the first Black woman to make it on to Team USA as a speed skater.

Despite being ranked No. 1 in the world, Jackson’s return to the Olympics was not guaranteed. She stumbled during the Olympic trials, putting a hiccup in her chase for gold.

Brittany Bowe, a fellow skater and good friend, offered Jackson her spot in Beijing, calling it “the right thing to do.”

“There’s not a doubt in my mind that she wouldn’t do the same thing for me,” Bowe told NBC Sports last month.

Jackson said she lost sleep over her mistake at the Olympic trials and said it was devastating to have potentially lost out on a chance to bring home a medal.

“Just for her to do something like this for me, it’s amazing,” Jackson said at the time. “I’m just incredibly grateful. I’m really humbled, and she’s just an amazing person.”

Doha Madani

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