ST. VINCENT–December 30th, 2020–Residents of St Vincent and the Grenadines were warned to stay away from La Soufriere volcano after increased seismic activity was detected in the dome over the weekend.

Volcanologists Dr Erouscille Pat Joseph and Professor Richard Robertson of the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (SRC), joined Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves in a live address to the nation on Tuesday evening to provide an update on the activity.

“This is what we call an effusive eruption going on at Soufriere, which essentially means magma is coming slowly out of the earth and building a dome,” Robertson said.

It is similar to what occurred in 1971/72, after which the volcano went dormant. La Soufriere last had an explosive eruption in March 1979, and the ash rained on parts of Barbados.

Robertson said there was minor seismic activity in November and again on December 16 and 23, but on December 27 a NASA satellite detected a hot spot in the crater.

They contacted the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) and arranged for the Soufriere Monitoring Unit to visit the site on Tuesday. The magma is slowly building on the existing dome.

Robertson said sulphur-rich gases will be released into the atmosphere and warned residents to stay away from the area at this time.

He said there is not enough data to determine whether it will continue to slowly build or activity will increase to the point where there is an explosive eruption. In the meantime, they will continue to monitor the situation, and working in conjunction with NEMO, will put more equipment to collect data.

During the briefing, Gonsalves received correspondence from Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of National Security Stuart Young, giving clearance for Robertson and two others to leave the twin-island republic, where the SRC is located, to go to St Vincent. Gonsalves said once they had the COVID tests, an aircraft from the Barbados based Regional Security System would collect the team and equipment.

Robertson said he hoped there would be enough time to alert citizens in the danger zone so they can be evacuated ahead of a major event.  (SAT)

Soufrière Saint Vincent is an active volcano on the island of Saint Vincent in the Windward Islands of the Caribbean. Many volcanoes in the Caribbean are named Soufrière (French: “sulfur outlet”). These include Soufrière Hills on Montserrat and La Grande Soufrière on Guadeloupe, the subject of Werner Herzog’s 1977 film La Soufrière.

La Soufrière violently erupted in 1718, 1812, 1902, 1971, and 1979. The Saint Vincent eruption of 6 May 1902, just hours before the eruption of Mount Pelée on Martinique, killed 1,680 people. The death zone, where almost all persons were killed, was close to entirely Carib.

This last large remnant of Carib culture was destroyed, the island of Dominica’s Carib Territory being much smaller in comparison at that time.

The last recorded eruption was in April 1979; thanks to advance warning there were no casualties

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December 30th, 2020–Boston-born yoga instructor and wife of Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin, Hilaria, has been having a difficult time for of late, warding off accusations of faking a Spanish accent and heritage for years.

As the truth about her American childhood has come to light, her family rushed to her defense.

American actor Alec Baldwin has continued to fend off criticism targeting his 36-year-old wife Hilaria Baldwin, who has been accused of previously lying about her Spanish roots and place of birth.

Hilaria, whose stated American name turned out to be Hillary, is remembered by many for her “Today Show” and “Good Morning America” appearances, during which she spoke with a heavy Spanish accent.

No one doubted her roots and her “came to America at 19” story, until it was recently uncovered by social media users that not only were neither of her parents Spanish, but that the yoga instructor and podcast creator was born in Boston and not Mallorca as was earlier claimed on her CAA and IMDb pages.

The Boston-nativeposted a lengthy video on her Instagram page addressing the controversy, explaining that she had been balancing her life between Massachusetts and Spain before choosing to reside in the United States.

Both her husband and stepdaughter Ireland Baldwin rushed to Hilaria’s defense with social media blitzes, but some critics seemed to get on Alec Baldwin’s nerves.

The “Marrying Man” actor posted Mark Twain’s quote on his Instagram account on Tuesday, saying “a lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes”.

His post was accompanied by revelations that neither of her parents were actually Spanish and neither was she. Baldwin, however, insisted that Hilaria loved the foreign country to the point that she had “reinvented herself as a Spanish woman”.

“She wanted to reinvent herself – so what? Isn’t America all about that?”, the actor asked his nearly two million followers, adding that there were many “ways to defend this – saying that facts are not facts is not one”.

And one social media user, who described himself as a “national champion powerlifter” in his bio, was ready to respond to the Hollywood star:

“Like your wife being Spanish when she lived in Massachusetts her entire life. I take it her accent is fake as well? FRAUDS”, the man said commented on the post.

Baldwin immediately attacked the critic with a “Go f**k yourself” message. He then added another jab, saying “You got a big mouth Roid Boy”.

But according to the actor’s Instagram feed, it looks like very few people were actually on his side.

“You guys keep giving the story life by being defensive. Admit the mistakes and move on”, one user commented.

“Fine to embrace Spanish culture just not ok to pretend you’re Spanish when you’re not. It’s really not that complicated. People are tired of lies”, another person added.

Alec Baldwin later shared another post on his Instagram, featuring a clip of soaring flock of birds.

“Flying away for a bit…”, the actor cryptically announced.

Users genuinely wondered if this meant he was heading to Spain.
While the “fake Spanish heritage” scandal continues to circulate in the news, the actor’s 23-year-old daughter Ireland Baldwin also had her time with critics.

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This action was taken after several verified complaints of breaches of the COVID-19 protocols taking place at the resort with respect to visitors in quarantine.

Additionally, police have held for questioning at least three tourists in relation to alleged breaches of COVID-19 protocols related to quarantine.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness takes the issue of breaches of the COVID-19 protocols very seriously and will take similar action if other designated quarantine hotels and villas refuse to uphold the rules and regulations that have been put in place to protect workers in the hotel sector, and by extension the rest of the country.

Designated quarantine hotels are advised to take this opportunity to immediately review the standard operating procedures with respect to the prevention and control of COVID-19 in Barbados.

On Monday evening Minister of Health and Wellness Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic warned that authorities would take firm action against any businesses or individuals who breached protocols.

It is not clear whether this means effectively closing the resort to foreign tourists.

On its Web site Sandals Royal Barbados puffs itself as “the all-new, all-suite resort from the geniuses at Sandals Resorts set in the St. Lawrence Gap area” where “every suite features a private Tranquility Soaking Tub”.

However, in a lengthy, scathing review of the resort dated December 26th in TripAdvisor a reviewer called A.M.W says:

“Upon arriving at Sandals, we were assured our room would have been rigorously cleaned for COVID and sealed – the seal on the room was broken, multiple aspects of the room clearly were not dealt with (e.g., the liquor bar had not been cleaned or restocked). In addition, housekeeping is frequently poor quality – they have forgotten to come to our room, forgot to provide towels and toilet paper, don’t restock waters, etc.”

“Another frustrating aspect has been the second COVID test. This test is mandatory, and you either pay a $60 fee for a cab ride into town to get the test at a local facility, or a $300 fee to do a test on the resort property.”

“We are assured that results will arrive within 24 hours so people can participate in offsite tours, use the gym, and other amenities, yet we find most people don’t receive their tests until 72 hours. In addition, if you arrive on a Friday or weekend (like we did), you have to wait until Monday to even schedule your test, meaning you won’t get your results until it’s time to leave the resort and can’t participate in many of the activities/amenities.”

But Sandals Resort has hit back and in a strongly worded, exclusive statement to Barbados TODAY, Sandals Resorts International vehemently refuted the allegations of repeated breaches and is accusing public health officials of heavy-handed action in the middle of dialogue between the hotel and the Ministry of Health, saying that they were given no warning of any violations or any chance to respond to the allegations or correct deficiencies.

The five-star property is also contesting an “implication” from authorities that three tourists currently in police custody regarding protocol breaches are even guests of the property.

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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (BBC)–December 29th, 2020–Argentina’s Congress has legalized abortions up to the 14th week of pregnancy, a ground-breaking move for a region that has some of the world’s most restrictive pregnancy termination laws.

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SHREVEPORT, Louisiana–December 29th, 2020–In a shocking event, even by the standards of 2020, it has been announced that Luke Letlow, Louisiana’s incoming Republican member of the U.S. House, died Tuesday night from complications related to COVID-19 only days before he was due to be sworn into office.

He was just 41 years old and had no known prior medical issues, it was said.

The 41-year-old died just 11 days after announcing he had tested positive for COVID-19. At the time, he said he was at home, ‘resting, following all CDC guidelines, quarantine protocols, and the recommendations of my doctors’.

Ahead of being diagnosed with coronavirus, Letlow held multiple campaign events, including meet-and-greets where people did not wear masks although they appeared to be standing six feet apart.

On December 19, Letlow said he was undergoing treatment at St Francis Hospital in Monroe. Three days after being admitted, his office said he had been transferred to Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport Academic Medical Center.

At the time, the married father-of-two was in stable condition and was being treated Remdesivir and steroids – the same treatment President Trump was given.

Letlow, who was due to be sworn into office on Sunday, died on Tuesday night.

His death comes on the day the number of single day fatalities related to the virus reached a record 3,725, and the total number of deaths during the pandemic surpassed 338,000. Hospitalizations have also reached a pandemic high of more than 124,000.

LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor G.E. Ghali said Letlow died from a heart attack following a procedure related to the infection.

‘It’s devastating to our entire team,’ Ghali said. ‘He had no underlying conditions. It was just COVID.’

Letlow is one of more than 7,000 people in Louisiana who have died from COVID-19 since March, according to data from the state health department.

Letlow, from the small town of Start in Richland Parish, was elected in a December runoff election for Louisiana’s sprawling 5th District U.S. House seat representing central and northeastern regions of the state, including the cities of Monroe and Alexandria.

He was to fill the seat being vacated by his boss, Republican Ralph Abraham. Letlow had been Abraham’s chief of staff and ran with Abraham’s backing for the job.

The following statement was issued by his campaign manager Andrew Bautsch on Tuesday night: ‘Congressman-elect Luke Letlow, 41, passed away this evening at Ochsner-LSU Health Shreveport due to complications from COVID-19.

‘Letlow was admitted into a Monroe Hospital on December 19 after testing positive for the coronavirus and was transferred to Ochsner-LSU Health on Tuesday, December 22, and placed in intensive care.

‘Letlow is survived by his wife, Julia Barnhill Letlow, Phd., and two young children.

‘The family appreciates the numerous prayers and support over the past days but asks for privacy during this difficult and unexpected time.

‘A statement from the family along with funeral arrangements will be announced at a later time.’

When he announced his positive test for COVID-19, Letlow joined a list of Louisiana officials who have contracted the coronavirus since the pandemic began, including U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, Attorney General Jeff Landry, Treasurer John Schroder, U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson and U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond.

Letlow, a Republican, won a runoff election on December 5 for the 5th District seat, which represents Northeast and Central Louisiana, and was due to be sworn in on Sunday.

He secured the seat with 62 percent of the vote and would have been Rep. Ralph Abraham’s successor who didn’t seek reelection after honoring a pledge to serve a limit of three terms.

He is the first member or member-elect of Congress to die from the coronavirus.

In the run-up to the election, Letlow held multiple campaign events including meet-and-greets where people did not wear masks but appeared to be standing six feet apart.

On other occasions while campaigning, he was seen to be wearing a mask.

On December 18, he tweeted his diagnosis, saying: ‘Thank you to everyone for your kind words and prayers. I have tested positive for COVID-19.

‘I’m at home resting, following all CDC guidelines, quarantine protocols, and the recommendations of my doctors.’

It’s unclear if any of his family has the virus. Letlow was married with two young children.

Louisiana State Fire Marshal Butch Browning shared a statement following the news of Letlow’s death:

‘This is a stunning loss that is hard to swallow. Luke was a longtime personal friend and avid supporter of the fire service and law enforcement, even serving as a volunteer firefighter in north Louisiana. The state has truly lost the opportunity to have a world-class ambassador on its side.’

Letlow has spent his career in politics.

He arrived in Abraham’s office in 2014 after a stint working for a Denver energy company in governmental relations but he seemed as though he had been preparing for Congress all of his life ever since he was president of the College Republicans at Louisiana Tech University.

He interned for former Louisiana Republican 5th District Congressman John Cooksey of Monroe and was so keen to be involved after returning home he became Cooksey’s driver in 2001 while still in college.

Letlow then managed to become involved with Bobby Jindal working on his failed 2003 governor’s campaign.

When Jindal finally became Louisiana’s Republican Governor from 2008 to 2016, Letlow was there once again, working as a senior staffer for the young governor during his first term.

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London (CNN)–December 30th,2020–UK regulators have approved the use of the Oxford University/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, which is cheaper and easier to distribute than some alternatives and could in time offer a route out of the pandemic for large parts of the world including the Caribbean.

The UK approval comes as particularly good news for the UK Overseas Territories in the region.

The UK government said it would follow a new immunization strategy for the vaccine, which will prioritize giving the first in a series of two vaccine doses to as many people as possible, before administering a second dose up to 12 weeks later.

This will apply to both the newly approved Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine which is already being rolled out.

“This is important because it means that we can get the first dose into more people more quickly and they can get the protection the first dose gives you,” UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News on Wednesday.

“The scientists and the regulators have looked at the data and found that you get what they call ‘very effective protection’ from the first dose. The second dose is still important — especially for the long-term protection — but it does mean that we will be able to vaccinate more people more quickly than we previously could.”

The UK is the first country to approve the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine. The news represents a glimmer of hope for the country at a time when its health services are struggling to cope with soaring infection rates linked to a new, more contagious variant of the virus.

The approval comes weeks after the country became the first in the world to start inoculating its citizens with the rival Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine.

UK government scientific adviser Professor Calum Semple welcomed what he called a new, “sophisticated approach,” telling Sky News that a “one-dose approach to start with will protect a great many people. According to Semple, evidence from vaccine trials has shown that a single dose has not only prevented people from getting severe disease, but also has prompted a “very good immune response” in frail and elderly people.

In a statement early Wednesday, the UK government said the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) had authorized Oxford University/AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine following “rigorous clinical trials and a thorough analysis of the data by experts at the MHRA.”

AstraZeneca said the first doses were being released Wednesday, so that UK vaccinations could begin early in the New Year.

The Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine has the potential swiftly to protect millions more people around the world as and when other nations’ regulators grant approval.
AstraZeneca has promised to supply hundreds of millions of doses to low and middle-income countries, and to deliver the vaccine on a not-for-profit basis to those nations in perpetuity.

The vaccine is significantly cheaper than others which have been approved and, crucially, it would be far easier to transport and distribute in developing countries than its rivals since it does not need to be stored at freezing temperatures.

“I think it’s the only vaccine that can be used in those settings at the current time,” Azra Ghani, chair in infectious disease epidemiology at Imperial College London, told CNN. “Pfizer and Moderna require freezer storage, and that just isn’t in place in many settings.”
The UK government said the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine met “strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness” as it announced its approval.

“The NHS has a clear vaccine delivery plan and decades of experience in delivering large scale vaccination programs,” the statement said. “It has already vaccinated hundreds of thousands of patients with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and its roll out will continue. Now the NHS will begin putting their extensive preparations into action to roll out the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine.”

“The scientists and the regulators have looked at the data and found that you get what they call ‘very effective protection’ from the first dose. The second dose is still important — especially for the long-term protection — but it does mean that we will be able to vaccinate more people more quickly than we previously could.”

The UK is the first country to approve the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine. The news represents a glimmer of hope for the country at a time when its health services are struggling to cope with soaring infection rates linked to a new, more contagious variant of the virus.

The approval comes weeks after the country became the first in the world to start inoculating its citizens with the rival Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine.

UK government scientific adviser Professor Calum Semple welcomed what he called a new, “sophisticated approach,” telling Sky News that a “one-dose approach to start with will protect a great many people.”

According to Semple, evidence from vaccine trials has shown that a single dose has not only prevented people from getting severe disease, but also has prompted a “very good immune response” in frail and elderly people.

In a statement early Wednesday, the UK government said the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) had authorized Oxford University/AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine following “rigorous clinical trials and a thorough analysis of the data by experts at the MHRA.”

AstraZeneca said the first doses were being released Wednesday, so that UK vaccinations could begin early in the New Year.

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — The Police are investigating a non-fatal shooting incident that occurred in the Lime Kiln area on December 28.

As a result of information received, Officers visited the Joseph N. France General Hospital to conduct enquiries. Preliminary investigations revealed that sometime after 10 p.m. on Monday, 26-year-old Kia Jareth Liburd of Lime Kiln Project was making his way to his vehicle from his residence when a lone gunman fired gunshots at him. He received a gunshot wound to his arm. Liburd was transported to the hospital in a private vehicle, where he is warded in a stable condition.

Personnel from the Forensic Services Unit visited and processed the scene.

Persons with information regarding this matter are urged to contact the Violent Crime Unit by dialing 467-1887, 467-1888, 662-3468, their nearest Police Station or the Crime Hotline at 707 where information can be given anonymously.

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts –= Acting in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet, H.E. Sir S. W. Tapley Seaton CGMG, CVO, QC, JP, LL.D. Governor-General of St. Kitts and Nevis has proclaimed Saturday, January 2, 2021 as a public holiday.

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris extends his heartfelt condolences, and those of the Government and people of St. Kitts and Nevis, to the family and loved ones of Mr. Valentine Thomas, a prominent journalist and radio personality who owned and operated Sugar City (90.3) FM.

Val T, as he was affectionately called, died on Sunday, December 27, after an ongoing battle with kidney disease. He was 64-years-old.

“Val T’s strong personality and passion for politics – and for life – imbued his outstanding journalism career with authenticity, intensity, originality and a quest for justice,” said Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Timothy Harris, while reflecting on the life and legacy of Valentine Thomas.

“He was truly inimitable, not only in his witty style of questioning at press conferences, but also in the substance of his work, which covered subjects of national interest, notably health care and law and order, with dogged persistence and determination that redounded to the benefit of his listening audience and the nation at large,” said the Prime Minister.

“On a personal note, Val T was a valued friend and advisor, who was cherished for his unvarnished opinions that provided keen insight and analysis with an eye toward facilitating the building of a stronger and safer future for his fellow citizens and residents of his beloved country,” said Hon. Harris.

The Prime Minister extended deepest condolences to Valentine Thomas’ mother, Dora; his children, extended family and friends; the media community who has lost an inspirational leader and mentor, as well as to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis who join them in mourning his passing.

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ATLANTA –- Updated information about COVID-19 vaccination has been released by the Centers for Disease Control.

“We understand that some people may be concerned about getting vaccinated now that COVID-19 vaccines are available in the United States,” said a CDC spokesperson. “While more COVID-19 vaccines are being developed as quickly as possible, routine processes and procedures remain in place to ensure the safety of any vaccine that is authorized or approved for use. Safety is a top priority, and there are many reasons to get vaccinated.”

COVID-19 vaccines will not give you the virus

None of the COVID-19 vaccines developed or in use in the United States contain the live virus that causes COVID-19. There are several different types of vaccines in development. However, the goal for each of them is to teach our immune systems how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. Sometimes this process can cause symptoms, such as fever. These symptoms are normal and are a sign that the body is building immunity.

It typically takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after vaccination. That means it’s possible a person could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and get sick. This is because the vaccine has not had enough time to provide protection.
• All COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States have been shown to be highly effective at preventing COVID-19.
• All COVID-19 vaccines that are in development are being carefully evaluated in clinical trials and will be authorized or approved only if they make it substantially less likely you’ll get COVID-19.
• Based on what we know about vaccines for other diseases and early data from clinical trials, experts believe that getting a COVID-19 vaccine may also help keep you from getting seriously ill even if you do get COVID-19.
• Getting vaccinated yourself may also protect people around you, particularly people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
• Experts continue to conduct more studies about the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on severity of illness from COVID-19, as well as its ability to keep people from spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.

COVID-19 vaccination is a safer way to help build protection

• COVID-19 can have serious, life-threatening complications and there is no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you. If you get sick, you could spread the disease to friends, family, and others around you.
• Clinical trials of all vaccines must first show they are safe and effective before any vaccine can be authorized or approved for use, including COVID-19 vaccines. The known and potential benefits of a COVID-19 vaccine must outweigh the known and potential risks of the vaccine for use under what is known as an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).
• Getting COVID-19 may offer some natural protection, known as immunity. But experts don’t know how long this protection lasts, and the risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 far outweighs any benefits of natural immunity. COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you by creating an antibody (immune system) response without having to experience sickness.
• Both natural immunity and immunity produced by a vaccine are important parts of COVID-19 disease that experts are trying to learn more about, and CDC will keep the public informed as new evidence becomes available.
COVID-19 vaccination will be an important tool to help stop the pandemic
• Wearing masks and social distancing help reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others, but these measures are not enough. Vaccines will work with your immune system so it will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed.
• The combination of getting vaccinated and following CDC’s recommendations to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from COVID-19.
• Stopping a pandemic requires using all the tools we have available. As experts learn more about how COVID-19 vaccination may help reduce spread of the disease in communities, CDC will continue to update the recommendations to protect communities using the latest science.

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