Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said there was “simply no chance that a fair or serious trial” could conclude given “the rules, procedures, and Senate precedents” that govern trials involving presidents.

A two-thirds majority will be needed to convict Mr Trump, meaning at least 17 Republicans would have to vote with Democrats in the evenly split, 100-seat chamber.

As many as 20 Republicans are open to convicting the president, the New York Times reported on Tuesday. In a note to colleagues, Mr McConnell said he had not made a final decision on how he would vote.

If Mr Trump is convicted, senators could then hold another vote to block him from running for elected office again, which he has indicated he planned to do in 2024.

Mr Trump was impeached by the House in 2019 over his dealings with Ukraine, but acquitted by the Senate.

Impeachment: The basics

• What is impeachment? Impeachment is when a sitting president is charged with crimes. In this case, President Trump was charged with inciting insurrection by encouraging his supporters to storm the Capitol
• Could Trump be removed from office? The House of Representatives has impeached him, moving the case to the Senate for a trial. But a trial will not be carried out before Mr Trump leaves office on 20 January
• So what does it mean? A trial can happen after his term ends, and senators can vote to bar him from holding public office again

What was Trump charged with?

Impeachment charges are political, not criminal. The president was accused by the House of inciting the storming of the Capitol – the seat of the US Congress – with a speech on 6 January to supporters outside the White House.

He urged them to “peacefully and patriotically” make their voices heard, but also to “fight like hell” against an election that he falsely told them had been stolen.

Following Mr Trump’s remarks, his supporters broke into the Capitol, forcing lawmakers to suspend certification of election results and take shelter while the building was placed on lockdown.

• Did Trump’s words at rally incite the riot?
• A visual guide to the Congress riots
• Troops keep watch at Capitol, one week after riots

The article of impeachment stated that Mr Trump “repeatedly issued false statements asserting that the presidential election results were fraudulent and should not be accepted”.

It says he then repeated these claims and “wilfully made statements to the crowd that encouraged and foreseeably resulted in lawless action at the Capitol”, leading to violence and loss of life.

“President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of government, threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperilled a coequal branch of government.”

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — Ambassador His Excellency Ian Patches Liburd will serve as the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris addressed the nation at his January 14 press conference held at the National Emergency Management Agency Conference Room.

In making the announcement, Prime Minister Harris said that Ambassador Liburd has an outstanding record of service in both the private and public sectors.

“The United Nations is the premier global organization with over 193 member states and a large number of entities accredited to it. Ambassador Liburd has served the country well as its Minister of Public Infrastructure, et al. He is well versed in a range of public and private sector matters and will be an asset to our country,” Dr. Harris said.

The Honourable Eugene Hamilton, Minister responsible for Human Settlement, National Health Insurance et al., offered words of congratulations to His Excellency Ian Patches Liburd on his appointment, noting, “I know that he will do a fantastic job in that position and the country would be proud of his representation.”

A number of Foreign Service Officers are being transferred to postings at the Federation’s embassies and missions abroad. Among them are Sheldon Henry, who will join Ambassador Liburd at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations as the Second Secretary; Ms. Shanelle Simmonds, who has been approved for assignment to the Permanent Mission to the Organisation of American States in Washington D.C. as First Secretary; while Ms. Denaula Laplace will be posted to the country’s High Commission in Ottawa as Second Secretary.

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Researchers say Phase 1-2 of the vaccine showed either one or two doses of the vaccine generated both antibody and T-cell responses against the coronavirus. The vaccine’s efficacy, how well it protects against a COVID-19 infection or symptoms, is being tested in Phase 3 trials happening now.

The initial phases included about 800 volunteers in two age groups – 18-to-55 and 65+. Results were published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The vaccine helped the body create antibodies, which are expected to stop the virus from infecting cells, in 90% of all participants by the 29th day after the first dose was given. All participants had created antibodies two months after vaccination, whether or not they had been given a second dose.

The company says they are investigating the long-term efficacy of the vaccine with one dose versus two doses.

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs celebrates three more nationals, this time in their capacity as the proud recipients of the 2021 Romanian Scholarships, to each pursue undergraduate studies in Romania.

The three recipients are: Miss Nikovah Diamond will pursue Kinesiotherapy at Transylvania University of Brasov; Miss Kianna Lawrence will pursue Graphics Design at West University of Timisoara; and Joshua Salters Horticulture at the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest. All three recipients will first be required to complete one year of immersion into the Romanian language and culture before commencing their respective degree programmes.

The students, who recently arrived in Romania all expressed delight in being the Federation’s first recipients of this award. They explained that individually, their research led them to identify the need for professionals in areas regarding their choices of study, to greater contribute to the broader plan for national development. Not only are these students looking forward to all that their degree programmes entail, but also to what the country has in store for them through its rich language and culture.

The Ministry thanks the Government of Romania for extending this opportunity to Saint Kitts and Nevis nationals and looks forward to great success from this scholarship programme. The 2021 Romanian Scholarships will cover tuition fees, accommodation in university dormitories, and monthly living allowances for a full five years of study.

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — In keeping with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #5, which is to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, St. Kitts and Nevis is currently developing a National Gender Policy, according to Celia Christopher, Director of the Department of Gender Affairs.

Mrs. Christopher said that since 1999, the Federation has attempted to address the integration of gender into its policies and programmes.

“The need therefore for a comprehensive gender policy to assist with the mainstreaming of gender in all sectors of government and civil society is evident,” said Mrs. Christopher.

The recommendation from the 2014 Gender Equality Study funded by the Caribbean Development Bank further highlighted the need for a National Gender Policy.

“The country needs as a matter of priority to develop a National Gender Policy,” said Mrs. Christopher.

Mrs. Christopher said that the objective of the National Gender Policy is to provide an institutional framework that will assist the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis in facilitating gender equality and empowerment in keeping with Sustainable Development Goals and other international instruments, which the state is a signatory.

She said the policy will ensure that men and women have equal access to resources.

“This is key because in society we have all sorts of groups out there, men and women,” she said. “They must be able to have equal access to all of the resources in the country, participate equally in every area of national endeavour, and that cultural barriers to the realization of equality are addressed.”

Mrs. Christopher noted that although St. Kitts and Nevis has enshrined in its Constitution non-discrimination on the grounds of sex, and is a signatory to several international conventions such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979) and the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality (1995), there is still a significant disparity between the de facto and de jure Equality.

Since 1999, St. Kitts and Nevis has attempted to introduce the full definition of gender while also addressing the integration of gender into its policies and programmes.

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts –- The government has approved the formation of the board that will have responsibility for the policy, strategic direction, and governance of the Medicinal Cannabis Authority, according to Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris.

The Medicinal Cannabis Authority, established under the Cannabis Bill, 2020, will provide for the lawful access to medicinal cannabis as an alternative treatment for persons who are suffering from a qualifying medical condition and to provide for a comprehensive licensing scheme to regulate the cultivation, supply, possession, production and use of medicinal cannabis.

Speaking at his press conference on January 14, Prime Minister Harris noted that the composition of the Board is actively being pursued.

“In performing its functions, the Board shall monitor the administrative operations of the Authority,” explained Dr. Harris. “It will submit recommendations to the Cabinet in relation to the issuing of licenses and other authorizations; advise the minister on matters of general policy relating to the management and development of an efficient and regulated medicinal cannabis industry; ensure that the Cannabis Authority receives and manages its funds in a prudent manner; and do all such things as the Board reasonably considers necessary or expedient for the purpose of carrying out its functions under this Act.”

The Cannabis Board is expected to consist of representatives from various Government ministries as well as members of civil society.

Thursday’s announcement by Prime Minister Harris represents yet another major step by the Team Unity administration towards the creation of a viable and well-managed cannabis industry in St. Kitts and Nevis.

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – In many cases men’s supportive role within the family must be revisited, according to Director of the Department of Gender Affairs, Mrs. Celia Christopher.

According to the United Nations’ (UN) Economic and Social Affairs ‘Men in Families’ document, it explains that a lack of men’s involvement in domestic work and childcare is what perpetuates income inequalities between men and women.

“Financial support of children is only one aspect of support within the family and that it takes more than that to raise a child,” explained Mrs. Christopher. “Men have to prepare themselves to take on the role that women normally take on because women are now in the workplace with them.”

According to the UN’s Economic and Social Affairs ‘Men in Families’ document, there is a move toward smaller families and increased participation by some men in the lives of children.

“Men need to get more involved with their respective families, but she is optimistic that change will occur,” said Mrs. Christopher.

Data from the UN suggests that men’s role in families has dropped due to increases in marital dissolution leading to increased separation.

It says that because mothers are more likely to obtain full custody of their children, in cases of separation or divorce, these trends mean that a larger proportion of children spend time away or live apart from their biological fathers than in the past.

“As a means to bridge the gender equality gap, men’s involvement within the family needs to change, taking over some of the workloads from the women,” concludes Mrs. Christopher.

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BELIZE CITY, Belize — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on January 12 that it will require a negative COVID-19 test from all passengers arriving in the United States, as of January 26, 2021. This will have severe impacts on Belize tourism sector.

In response to this new requirement, the Belize Tourism Board (BTB), after consultation with the Belize Ministry of Health and Wellness. has confirmed that testing will be expanded and made available to all passengers departing Belize for the U.S.

Further details, including cost and testing locations across the country, are being determined. All individuals who plan to visit Belize can therefore proceed with their travel plans.

The BTB recognizes that US travellers account for approximately 70 percent of visitors to Belize. We will continue to be guided by health protocols to welcome all visitors and ensure a safe experience from arrival to departure.

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