Tag Archives: caribbean

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Spain to Extradite Venezuela’s Ex-Spy Chief to US

Spain’s high court has ruled that Venezuela’s former spy chief, Hugo Carvajal, should be extradited to the United States.

Carvajal faces charges of drug trafficking and collaborating with Colombia’s Farc terrorist group.

But he could also have incriminating evidence against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a major adversary of the United States.

Carvajal fell out with Mr Maduro and fled Venezuela for Spain in 2019.

Carvajal has repeatedly denied having any links to drug traffickers or the Marxist Farc rebels, and said the charges against him are politically motivated.

The Spanish high court ruling follows an interior ministry decision to refuse Mr Carvajal asylum. However, that process has yet to be completed as Mr Carvajal can appeal.

The extradition could also be delayed by another court case Carvajal may have to testify in.

It involves alleged illegal financing from Venezuela of Spain’s left-wing Podemos party.

 Carvajal, 61, nicknamed “El Pollo” (The Chicken), was arrested in Spain last month after he had been in hiding for nearly two years in the wake of an earlier Spanish court decision which backed his extradition.

The US and the government of President Maduro have been at loggerheads for years, with the US imposing tough sanctions on Venezuela.

Who is Hugo Carvajal?

Gen Carvajal was the head of Venezuela’s military counter-intelligence from July 2004 until December 2011, when Hugo Chávez was president of the country.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (R) embraces retired General Hugo Carvajal as they attend the Socialist party congress in Caracas, Venezuela July 27, 2014.
Carvajal was a supporter of President Maduro but later turned against him

In 2011, US prosecutors accused  Carvajal of personally coordinating a US-bound shipment of more than five tonnes of cocaine from Venezuela to Mexico.

The indictment also accused him of being on the payroll of a Colombian drug lord and having links to Farc.

He avoided an earlier US attempt at extradition and served again as military counter-intelligence chief under Mr Maduro.

But in 2019 Mr Carvajal chose to back opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s leader, and fled that year to Spain.

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UK: Drastic Action Needed as Covid Cases Soar, US Okay to Mixed Vaccines, More

Covid: Doctors call for Covid Plan B to start in England

By Hazel Shearing & Joseph Lee
BBC News

Woman in face mask at outside marketImage source, Getty Images

An “unacceptable” level of Covid cases means ministers should trigger their Plan B for the pandemic in England, doctors say.

The British Medical Association accused the government of being “wilfully negligent” for not reimposing Covid rules such as mandatory face masks.

Daily UK infections have been above 40,000 for eight days in a row.

Health Minister Edward Argar said the NHS is not under “unsustainable pressure” to justify restrictions.

He told BBC Breakfast there were about 95,000 beds in NHS hospitals, with 7,000 occupied by Covid patients and 6,000 currently empty.

“We know how those numbers can rise swiftly, which is why we’re looking at that day by day, hour by hour. But at the moment we do have the ability to manage,” he said.

The health secretary has warned daily cases could soon rise to 100,000 but is rejecting fresh restrictions right now.

Speaking at a Downing Street news conference on Wednesday, Sajid Javid said that “at this point” the government would not bring in its Plan B measures – which include compulsory face coverings and Covid passports for entry to nightclubs and large events, as well recommending working from home

But he warned insufficient vaccine uptake would make restrictions in England more likely.

Over the last seven days, the number of Covid patients admitted has risen by 11% and the number of deaths has increased by 21%, compared to the previous week, although they remain far below their peak in January.

Under the government’s plan for tackling Covid in England over the winter, the strategy currently in operation is Plan A.

It involves offering booster jabs to about 30 million people and offering a single vaccine dose to healthy 12 to 15-year-olds, as well as encouraging ventilation for indoor gatherings, hand-washing and face masks in crowded places.

Restrictions included in Plan B will only be reintroduced if the NHS comes under “unsustainable pressure”.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, the BMA’s chairman, said doctors “can categorically say that time is now”.

He stressed that case numbers were comparable to March, when England was in lockdown, and were “unheard of in similar European nations”.

“It is therefore incredibly concerning that [Mr Javid] is not willing to take immediate action to save lives and to protect the NHS,” he said.

Dr Nagpaul said the government had “taken its foot off the brake, giving the impression that the pandemic is behind us and that life has returned to normal”.

He said: “It is wilfully negligent of the Westminster government not to be taking any further action to reduce the spread of infection”, adding that compulsory face coverings, physical distancing and ventilation requirements in “high-risk settings” were “the norm in many other nations”.

His comments echoed the demands of health leaders from the NHS Confederation this week.

And they came as Prof Sir Mark Walport, the government’s former chief scientific adviser, said “the current measures are probably not holding things” when it came to the spread of the virus.

“Am I worried? Yes. It’s very, very delicately poised,” he told BBC Newsnight.

“Winter is coming, flu is probably coming. It’s not a good place to be.”

Chart showing that the number of daily cases are rising. Updated 20 October
Chart showing the number of daily Covid deaths is rising. Updated 20 October

In his Downing Street briefing, Mr Javid urged people to get booster vaccines and wear face coverings in crowded places with people they did not know.

Otherwise, he said, “it’s going to hit us all” – “and it would of course make it more likely we’re going to have more restrictions”.

However, No 10 said there were no plans for another lockdown in England.

Implementing Plan B would bring England effectively in line with restrictions still in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In Scotland, face coverings are still compulsory on public transport and in places such as shops; people are asked to continue working from home where possible; and people attending nightlife venues and large events must prove their vaccination status.

Similar rules apply in Wales’ current winter planning scenario, dubbed Covid Stable.

As well as an existing requirement for face masks indoors and a focus on working from home, Northern Ireland has plans to introduce Covid passports and mandatory social distancing if hospital pressures become unsustainable.

The UK reported another 49,139 cases on Wednesday, and a further 179 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

Around 14% of people in the UK aged 12 and over remain unvaccinated.

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth accused Mr Javid of complacency, telling the BBC: “The simple truth is that the so-called wall of defence we’ve built up with vaccination is now crumbling.”

He said it was disappointing the health secretary did not give details on “how he is going to grip this and drive up the vaccinations we need”.

Meanwhile, the government has agreed deals for two new Covid treatments.

The Antivirals Taskforce has secured 480,000 courses of molnupiravir, which trials found cuts the risk of hospital admission or death by about half, as well as 250,000 courses of PF-07321332/ritonavir, which is currently undergoing clinical trials.

If approved by the UK’s medicines regulator, the Department of Health said thousands of patients would be able to access the treatments this winter.

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FDA greenlights mix-and-match booster doses

By Nathaniel Weixel and Justine Coleman
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended its emergency use authorization for all COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday to allow for mix-and-match boosters for patients who initially received a different vaccine.

The federal agency also authorized booster shots for Americans who received the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson inoculations. The FDA had previously authorized boosters for the Pfizer vaccine.

The decision will allow recipients of all three vaccines to get booster doses from other companies, if and when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issues an official recommendation, which could come as early as Thursday.

“The available data suggest waning immunity in some populations who are fully vaccinated. The availability of these authorized boosters is important for continued protection against COVID-19 disease,” acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said in a statement.

“As the pandemic continues to impact the country, science has shown that vaccination continues to be the safest and most effective way to prevent COVID-19, including the most serious consequences of the disease, such as hospitalization and death,” she added.

The FDA’s move supporting mixed vaccine doses follows a preprint study from the National Institutes of Health that found that mixing and matching any of the three vaccines authorized in the U.S. was safe and effective.

Allowing mixed boosters is likely to smooth the messaging and logistics of the booster rollout by allowing pharmacists and doctors the flexibility to administer available shots to patients.

Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s vaccines division, in a statement said the agency included the use of mix-and-match boosters to address a “public health need.”

Moderna was granted authorization for a half dose of its vaccine as a booster, for people older than 65, adults with underlying conditions and those with jobs or living situations that put them at risk of contracting the virus at least six months after the initial series.

Johnson & Johnson’s extra dose would be available at least two months after vaccination for everyone 18 years and older.

The broader eligibility is a reflection that the vaccine offers a lower level of protection than the shots from Moderna and Pfizer.

During a media briefing late Wednesday, Marks and Woodcock acknowledged that the different eligibility criteria for boosters can be confusing for the general public, but the agency is developing charts other material to help providers better understand.

“We have tried to keep this as uniform as possible but it was not possible to have it totally uniform, because we’re dealing with different vaccines,” Woodcock said.

“Although it is not simple … it’s not utterly, hopelessly complex, and so hopefully with some clear illustrations, it will be somewhat more accessible what’s going on here,” Marks added.

The majority of fully vaccinated people, at almost 105 million, received the Pfizer-BioNTech doses, according to CDC data.

Almost 70 million Americans are fully vaccinated with the Moderna series, while slightly more than 15 million received a Johnson & Johnson shot. That number reflects a later arrival on the market and a troubled rollout that included manufacturing problems and a ten day pause to investigate rare but serious blood clots.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky signed off on booster doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine late last month, which gave nearly 60 million Americans eligibility.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is likely to provide more detailed guidance during its meeting Thursday, and experts hope the agency emphasizes that people who need a booster should try to receive the same vaccine as their primary dose.

Woodcock said during the briefing she anticipates people will not seek out different doses.

“We would expect many people will continue to get the same series that they had already received,” Woodcock said.

The FDA is also reportedly considering lowering the age of eligibility for booster shots to people aged 40 and older, without any underlying health conditions.

During the briefing, Marks indicated such a move was likely to happen but did not give a timeframe.

“There is evidence to suggest potentially that lowering the age of those eligible for boosters may make sense in the future, something we’re looking at closely,” Marks said.

“The nice thing about our [emergency use authorization] authority is that we are relatively nimble. It is something that can happen as soon as we see and feel that we need to take that action, and the exact age that we take will be based on what we see in terms of the emerging situation.”

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US: Plans to Vax kids 5 to 11

By Nathaniel Weixel –

The White House on Wednesday unveiled its plans to vaccinate children between the ages of 5 and 11 years old, pending authorization by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the coming weeks.

The Biden administration said it has purchased enough vaccines to give shots to all of the country’s 28 million children ages 5 to 11 years old, and have been working with state and local leaders to be ready to distribute the vaccines once they are authorized.

The distribution plan will rely on more than 25,000 pediatricians’ office, community health centers, schools and pharmacies to put parents and children at ease, rather than the mass vaccination sites used in the initial rollout for adults.

The administration said it is also launching a partnership with the Children’s Hospital Association to work with more than 100 children’s hospital systems across the country to set up vaccination sites in November and through the end of the calendar year.

“Parents know and trust children’s hospitals to be there for their children’s medical needs, and these vaccination efforts will be no different. Pediatricians, pediatric specialists, nurses and team members will administer the vaccine to kids in trusted, family-friendly settings that serve kids every day,” according to the fact sheet.

The details come ahead of an Oct. 26 meeting of an FDA advisory panel to discuss authorization for pediatric vaccines. If the panel recommends authorization, an FDA ruling could come in the days after, which would then clear a path for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to make recommendations on a pediatric dose in early November.

White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said the administration was not trying to get ahead of public health agencies by announcing a distribution plan before any vaccine has been authorized.

“I think the best practice here is to plan ahead so that we can hit the ground running at the time that CDC and FDA make their decision,” Zients said at a briefing Wednesday.

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy echoed the need for planning ahead, and said the preparation needs to be in advance of the authorization.

“All these conversations we’re having with community organizations, the logistics that have to be set up with doctors offices and pharmacies. It takes time, and that’s one of the reasons why this planning has to start so early, it can’t wait until a final decision is rendered,” Murthy said.

“Although that final decision is clearly up to the FDA and the CDC,” he added.

According to the White House, the vaccine will have packaging available in smaller configurations that will make it easier for physicians’ offices and other smaller, community-based providers to use.

The vaccine will be stored in 10-dose vials, and packed in cartons of 10 vials each. To keep it from spoiling, the vaccine can be stored for up to 10 weeks at standard refrigeration temperatures and up to six months at ultracold temperatures, according to an administration fact sheet.

The vaccine will also come with all the ancillary supplies that providers need to serve kids, including smaller needles.

The plan will rely heavily on states, tribes and territories to help implement a smooth rollout.

To that end, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is providing full funding to states to support vaccination operations and outreach — including setting up sites, procuring equipment and supplies to store and administer the vaccine.

FEMA will also provide transportation to and from vaccination sites and will help with public communication like public service announcements and translation services.

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NYC extends vaccine mandate to all public workers

 

© Getty Images

New York City on Wednesday announced that it is expanding its vaccine mandate to all public employees and it will also end the option of testing weekly instead of getting the vaccine.

The city says that the mandate will affect 160,500 city workers, as they will be required to have one dose of the vaccine by Oct. 29. The only workers excluded are some uniformed corrections officers that will have a deadline of Dec. 1.

City employees who provide proof of vaccination by the Oct. 29 deadline will get a $500 bonus in their paychecks, while those who don’t submit documentation will be placed on unpaid leave until they do.

“There is no greater privilege than serving the people of New York City and that privilege comes with a responsibility to keep yourself and your community safe,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) said.

“We have led the way against COVID-19 — from fighting for the right to vaccinate frontline workers, to providing nation-leading incentives, to creating the Key to NYC mandate. As we continue our recovery for all of us, city workers have been a daily inspiration. Now is the time for them to show their city the path out of this pandemic once and for all,” he added.

 

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Governor General Sandra Mason to Become Barbados’ First President

Governor-General Dame Sandra Mason has been elected as Barbados’ first President after she secured the support of all members of the House of Assembly and all but one Senator during a joint sitting of the legislature chambers on Wednesday.

Opposition Senator, Caswell Franklyn walked out of the joint sitting of Parliament after objecting to the nomination of Dame Sandra as Barbados’ first President on Independence Day, November 30.

Speaker of the House,  Arthur Holder, said following the secret balloting that the threshold of two-thirds support required by the Constitution had been met.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley had jointly nominated Dame Sandra, and the other 27 Members of Parliament in attendance voted in agreement.

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The deaths are preventable

As of the end of last Wednesday, there were 21 Covid-19-related deaths in St. Kitts and Nevis. Most if not all could have been avoided.

Some among the dead claimed to be anti-vaccination. Some were passive and were listening to others – others who are not doctors or scientists. Many refused to take the vaccine, saying that Covid would not affect them.

Covid deaths in the Federation cover all ages. Will the next death be you, a family member or a friend? It doesn’t have to be that way. Most Covid-19 deaths are now preventable.

At least 90,000 COVID-19 deaths in the US, among unvaccinated adults, since June, could have been prevented with vaccines that were widely available, a Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) analysis released Wednesday found.

Most of the preventable fatalities — about 49,000 — occurred last month, as the highly transmissible Delta variant took its toll on the U.S., and sparked a surge in cases.

To determine whether a death was preventable, researchers started with all unvaccinated deaths since June — about six weeks after all adults in the U.S. became eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine, or enough time for full immunity to set in after a two-dose vaccine.

Researchers then used results from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study, that the vaccine was 91 percent effective against deaths, to estimate how many unvaccinated fatalities were preventable.

According to a report from The Hill, September was a brutal month for COVID-19 deaths in the US, as an average of 1,899 people died due to the virus every day, making it the second-leading cause of death that month behind heart disease, which caused about 2,000 deaths per day.

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Mr. Brantley’s comments on CBI receipts are perplexing – Finance Ministry official

By Staff Reporter

“Mr. Brantley’s comments on CBI receipts are quite perplexing. Confusing may be the better expression. Let it not go unnoticed that so far under Team Unity, a record transfer of over 250 million dollars has been provided by the Federal Government to the Nevis Island Administration (NIA).”

This assertion was made by an official of the Ministry of Finance in St. Kitts, in response to Nevis Premier Mark Brantley’s repeated claim that Nevis is not satisfied with its fair share of Citizenship By Investment (CBI) proceeds.

“The curious thing about this situation is that the Premier and two others in Nevis’ cabinet are in the federal cabinet. They are at the table. What are they doing to address matters when there? Premier Brantley should say exactly how he has approached the issue with his federal cabinet colleagues,” the official said.

“Why doesn’t anyone in the media ask him whether he will apply the clause 110 formula in the constitution for revenue sharing? Can any formula for revenue sharing that goes against clause 110 stand?

“These are pertinent questions that need to be asked of the Premier and all those who continue to complain ad nauseam about Nevis not getting its fair share. This is not only grandstanding. It is counter-productive,” the official concluded.

When questioned by the media during his monthly press conference on October 6, Premier Brantley reiterated his claim that Nevis is dissatisfied with its CBI receipts.

“CBI programme…Is Nevis satisfied with its share? The answer is no…and the answer is going to be no, until we have a resolution of the issue between the Federal Government and the NIA about the issue of CBI receipts. That is the reality of the situation.

“I have said time and time again that there has to be a sit down – the two, Federal Government and NIA, have to sit and work out a formula for sharing what is a joint asset.”

Brantley claimed that CBI has funded a large number of opportunities on the sister island of St. Kitts, while Nevis has not been treated the same.

“CBI has been, by and large, the only game in town. Let’s be blunt about it. CBI has fuelled tremendous activity on the island of St. Kitts – Park Hyatt…you know, the big development that’s down in the St. Paul’s area, Kittitian Hill, there’s also the big development, Ramada, and you see a lot of developments that have been done there. There’s a huge development that Mr. Caines has done by the Airport.

“You see support for customers at SKELEC, you see support for the airlines coming in to RLB…all of that is coming from Citizenship By Investment. A lot of the stimulus that we were able to offer is coming from Citizenship By Investment. A lot of the surpluses that we talk about each year, Citizenship By Investment.”

“In Nevis, I am borrowing…to keep Nevis afloat. St. Kitts has surplus from Citizenship By Investment.

“I don’t say these things to create any animosity, these are the facts. And so there has to be a reckoning between the two islands as to how these resources are shared.”

Brantley admitted that Nevis gets a fixed monthly amount from the Federal government as part of the processing fees, but added that it would be interesting to have some perspective in relation to what St. Kitts receives. He also emphasized that it was time for the matter to be definitively dealt with.

“I’m saying that’s fine (receiving a fixed monthly amount) but let us look at the bigger picture. We have had, I believe, some misguided commentators who treat it as if Nevis is being given a gift, or help. I don’t see how when you get something that belongs to you its help.

“But there are some who have taken that particular line, which I think is unfortunate. And some…and the figure that I hear bandied about mostly is two hundred million…“Nevis get two hundred million”. Sounds like a lot of money. And a lot of people…that’s the headline, ‘Nevis gets two hundred million’. You know what headline I’ve never seen? ‘How much does St. Kitts get?’ That would be a very interesting headline to look at.”

“Nobody seems concerned about that question. But everybody is concerned about how much Nevis getting. How much does the island of St. Kitts get? And if that question could be answered, I believe that then we would have some perspective, as to why I say that the current arrangement in relation to CBI is still not satisfactory, and has to be worked out.

“I have said to the Honourable Prime Minister, whose department handles this programme, that Unity has been there now six years. It is time for this particular matter to be dealt with and put to rest. It is beyond time!” Brantley stated emphatically.

He pointed out that before the Unity government took power, Nevis received no monies from the CBI, only by way of loan.

He said that it is time for Nevisians to be treated as part of the country, and “as equal citizens who are entitled to the fruits of their citizenship”.

“I’ll end by saying that Nevis is doing much better; because if you move from zero to something you are doing much better. And we were at zero.

“So now we can say that we are getting something from the Citizenship By Investment Programme, but when you look at the overall analysis, we are not getting anywhere close to our fair share from that programme, and I want to make that very clear.”

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Guinness edge out former champion team Lodge in #7 Domino League Inbox

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, October 20, 2021 (MMS-SKN) — The new Lodge-Ottley’s Community Centre in Ottley’s Village was the sole venue as the seventh segment of play in the 26th edition of Constituency Number Seven Dr the Hon Timothy Harris Domino League played off on Tuesday evening October 19.

Excitement was in the air as the fourteen teams were supposed to have played under one roof, an aura that saw Guinness Domino Club which had started poorly when the league opened late last month edging out former champion team Lodge Domino Club 13-12.

Another close and hotly contested game saw Mansion Domino Club beat defending champion Tabernacle Domino Club in a dramatic fashion. The game was tight right from the word go and could have gone either way after the two teams tied up at 12-12.

Kevin Fahie of Guinness Domino Club makes a move in their game against former champion team Lodge Domino Club on their way to a 13-12 win.

 

In the decider, the pair of Cremoy Aggard and Clifford Richards of Mansion played the game of their life amassing 100 points before their opponents could score a single point, a feat that earned them a bonus point thus carrying the day with a 14-12 win.

Former champion team, Parsons Domino Club, beat Phillips Domino Club 13-9, while another former champion team and the current points standing leader Unity Domino Club picked up maximum points without having to move any dominos after their opponents Ottley’s Domino Club failed to turn up. It was ironic that Ottley’s Domino Club failed to turn up as the new venue is right in their home village.

In other games, Christ Church Domino Club beat Sylvers Domino Club 13-7, Saddlers Domino Club beat Small Corner Bar Domino Club 13-10, while Molineux Domino Club stopped Unstoppable Domino Club 13-9.

At the end of the seventh segment of play in the 26th edition of Constituency Number Seven Dr the Hon Timothy Harris Domino League, former champion team Unity widened its points standing lead and now leads with 35 points. Unity is followed by Christ Church 26 points; Saddlers 25 points; Parsons 24 points; and Sylvers 24 points.

Others, in order, are Lodge 21 points; Molineux 21 points; Tabernacle 19 points; Mansion 19 points; Phillips 18 points; Guinness 16 points; Small Corner Bar 12 points; Unstoppable 11 points; and Ottley’s 10 points.

Constituency Number Seven Dr the Hon Timothy Harris Domino League is sponsored by Prime Minister of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, and Area Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher Seven, Dr the Hon Timothy Harris.

Eighth segment of play in this only round of play in the 26th edition of Constituency Number Seven Dr the Hon Timothy Harris Domino League will play off on Thursday October 21 and all games will be at the new Lodge-Ottley’s Community Centre in Ottley’s, as was done on Tuesday, since the venue has the capacity to accommodate all the seven games under the strict Covid-19 protocols.

Order of play will see Parsons facing Molineux; Saddlers vs. Lodge; Mansion will come up against Sylvers; leader on the points standing table Unity will face Small Corner Bar; Guinness will challenge defending champion Tabernacle; Phillips vs. Christ Church; and Unstoppable vs. Ottley’s.

Clifford Richards of Mansion Domino takes no chance as his team went on to dramatically edge out defending champion team Tabernacle Domino Club 14-12.

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CARICOM Hashes Out Its Agenda for COP 26 Conference

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries have discussed key issues that the 15-member grouping will highlight at the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Scotland starting later this month.

A statement issued here on Tuesday noted that two weeks ahead of COP 26, which opens in Glasgow on October 31,  regional stakeholders participated in a three-hour virtual session “for presentations and to dialogue on the key issues that the region will spotlight” at the COPY 26 that ends on November 12.

CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr Carla Barnett described the last several months of preparation as a period “to crystallise the region’s priorities and positions” and thanked the Belize-based Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) for its work in leading the region’s preparation.

Barnett stressed the importance of “collective action to support adaptation and mitigation at the national, regional and international levels.

“We have overwhelming scientific evidence, from various IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) reports of the threat that uncontrolled temperature rise will have on SIDS.

“We remain concerned about the level of ambition in submitted Nationally Determined Contributions. There is the urgent need to close the emissions gap to maintain global warming to well below 1.5 °C”.

Professor Michael Taylor of the University of the West Indies (UWI), in his ‘Countdown to Zero’ presentation said COP26 is a politically significant moment for accelerating ambition, noting that 1.5° does not represent a safe climate for the world or for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

He quoted the IPCC Report which states that “global warming of 1.5° C and two degrees Celsius will be exceeded during the 21st Century unless deep reductions in CO2 and other greenhouse gases emissions occur in the coming decades”.

Professor Taylor cautioned that “heading to 2°C is too much for SIDS, noting that even at 1.5°C, “we are only guaranteed half a chance of a liveable future.”

The outcomes from the November 1-12 COP26 can have profound impacts on our earth as we know it, and many view it as “the last best chance for political leaders to avert a climate catastrophe, which would be unavoidable if global warming exceeds 1.5°C”. It means “there must be zero tolerance on the net-zero emissions if we want to realise the future we want”, Professor Taylor said.

Chairperson of the Alliance for the Small Island States (AOSIS), Aubrey Webson, said that “vulnerable countries like AOSIS Members gave up liability or compensation for the 1.5° target in Paris during COP 21 in 2015.”

The Antigua and Barbuda official said despite all efforts by small islands like those of the Caribbean to keep 1.5 as the rallying cry, global warming has continued.

“There should be no delay. We cannot do business as usual; we must move to net zero,” Webson said, noting that there is so much at stake for those who are bravely attending the Glasgow meeting in person.

“Addressing climate change has been a long journey, and this year we are at a critical point where COP 26 must deal with the tension between the time to close the Paris Rulebook and the point of implementation.”

The Glasgow Climate Change Conference (COP26) takes place during what the region describes as a historic time with multiple crises and a rapidly closing window of opportunity for an effective global response, according to the statement.

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Cuba Evokes Patriotic Sentiment on National Culture Day

Havana, Oct 20 (Prensa Latina) Cuba on Wednesday is celebrating the National Culture Day in frank evocation of the patriotic feeling that emerges throughout the island and recalls the intonation for the first time of the Hymn of Bayamo in 1868.
The celebration pays tribute to the 60th anniversary of Words to Intellectuals, the 120th anniversary of the Jose Marti National Library of Cuba, the 200th anniversary of the birth of Francisco Vicente Aguilera, and the 100th anniversary of the birth of poet and essayist Cintio Vitier.

From eastern Cuba, the Cubanness Festival and its theoretical event Cuban Nationality Melting Pot celebrate the creation of the song of independence written by Pedro Figueredo through 100 on-site and online activities.

This year, the event takes place amid the gradual reopening of the most representative spaces for the defense of art in the country, which is fighting the media war and the siege of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the US Government.

Without a cultural blackout, the nation managed to maintain the solid development of the policy outlined in that sphere by the Cuban Revolution, despite the Covid-19 health crisis, in which literary institutions, theatrical venues or recreational centers were temporarily closed and subsequently moved to digital scenarios.

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Florida Fines Leon County $3.5m for Mandating Vaccines

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida has issued its first fine to a county it says violated a new state law banning coronavirus vaccine mandates and for firing 14 workers who failed to get the shots.

The Florida Department of Health on Tuesday issued the $3.5 million fine for Leon County, home to the state capital, saying the municipality violated Florida’s “vaccine passport” law, which prohibits businesses and governments from requiring people to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

“These are people that, presumably, have been serving throughout this whole time and now all of a sudden they’re basically getting kicked to the curb,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference in St. Pete Beach.

Later, the governor tweeted, “No one should lose their jobs because of COVID shots.”The law took effect last month and can result in a $5,000 fine per violation. It is being challenged in court and conflicts with a Biden administration order that companies with more than 100 employees require their workers to be vaccinated or face weekly testing.

In a statement, Leon County Administrator Vincent Long said the county believes its vaccination requirement is legally justifiable and necessary to keep people safe.

“The governor’s position in this instance unfortunately appears to be less of a public health strategy and more about political strategy,” he said.

Democratic lawmakers from Tallahassee derided the decision to issue a fine, saying local governments should have the authority to protect their residents as they see fit.

“Unbelievable! We don’t need the state bullying our communities or private businesses who are simply trying to serve the people and get on the other side of this pandemic,” said Florida Sen. Loranne Ausley.

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order Monday barring any entity, including private business, from enforcing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate on workers and called on state lawmakers to pass a similar ban into law.

At the White House on Tuesday, Press Secretary Jen Psaki compared the actions of the Florida and Texas governors.

“Governor Abbott’s executive order banning mandates and I would also note announcement by Governor DeSantis this morning, essentially, banning the implementation of mandates, fit a familiar pattern that we’ve seen of putting politics ahead of public health,” Psaki said during a briefing.

The decision to fine Leon County comes a day after the Orlando Sentinel reported the state of Florida is investigating dozens of local governments, performing arts centers, the Miami Marlins, a law enforcement counter-terrorism unit and a concert by singer Harry Styles for suspected violations of the law.

Around 120 cases are being reviewed for violations, according to a public records request from the Orlando Sentinel.

In central Florida, the list includes Orange County government; the Orange County Convention Center; AdventHealth, one of the state’s largest health care systems; several performing arts venues; and the Amway Center, which is home to the Orlando Magic and recently hosted a concert by Styles whose tour mandated that attendees either be vaccinated or have a negative COVID-19 test.

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WORLD VIEW: Trump’s Man with Contempt Charge, Paris Attack Survivors, Syria Bus Bomb, Venice Floods, More

Oct 20, 2021

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The Associated Press

The Rundown

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection voted unanimously to hold former White House aide Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress after the longtime ally of former President Donald Trump defied a subpoena for…Read More

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PARIS (AP) — They were animals, many of them say. Prey that had lost all sense of time. Targets who were no longer human to either their hunters or themselves. For more than two weeks, dozens of survivors from the Bataclan concert hall in Paris ha…Read More

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CHICAGO (AP) — Royal Smart remembers every detail: the feeling of the handcuffs on his wrists. The panic as he was led outside into the cold March darkness, arms raised, to face a wall of police officers pointing their guns. He was 8 years old….Read More

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DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Two bombs attached to a bus carrying Syrian troops exploded in Damascus during the morning rush hour Wednesday, killing 14 people and wounding others, a military official said….Read More

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LONDON (AP) — Queen Elizabeth II is Britain’s longest-lived and longest-reigning monarch. But don’t call her an oldie. The 95-year-old queen has politely declined the honor of being named “Oldie of the Year” by a British magazine, saying she does …Read More

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VENICE, Italy (AP) — After Venice suffered the second-worst flood in its history in November 2019, it was inundated with four more exceptional tides within six weeks, shockin…Read More

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — An emergency call made by a 4-year-old New Zealand boy asking for police to come over and check out his toys prompted a real-life callout and c…Read More

BEIRUT (AP) — He was only a year old when his panicked father picked him up and they fled with his mother from the gunfire rattling their neighborhood. It was the day Lebanon…Read More

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazilians will turn their focus on Wednesday to the Senate, where a report six months in the making will recommend President Jair Bolsonaro be indict…Read More

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