US initiative to support climate resilience and clean energy in Caribbean
Caribbean nations have been offered improved access to funding to fight the effects of climate change and invest in clean energy projects, through an initiative by the United States to address energy security and climate crisis within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
The US-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030 (PACC 2030), announced by US Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday when she met with regional leaders on the sidelines of the ninth Summit of the Americas underway here, focuses on reducing island nations’ dependence on energy imports.
It will support Caribbean countries’ energy infrastructure and climate-resilient projects from beginning to end.
However, no details about the level of the US investment in the project were forthcoming.
In announcing the initiative, Harris said the climate issue remains an existential crisis for the entire planet, as she acknowledged that “the Caribbean is on the frontline of the crisis”.
She said the US will work with regional countries to identify new clean energy projects and will provide technical assistance to ensure the projects are viable and appealing to investors.
We will bring them [investors] on road shows to showcase and we will improve access to development financing which will make these projects a reality. We will engage with the private sector at every stage of this work because their involvement is essential to making this productive and meaningful,” Harris assured the Caribbean leaders.
The US Vice President said when the transition to clean energy is accelerated, economic opportunities for the entire region would be unlocked.
“When we work together to address this urgent threat, it benefits the people of the United States and the people of the Caribbean and all of us of course benefit by reducing emission,” she said.
CARICOM’s Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett said energy security in the Caribbean is a critical matter as countries seek to transition their energy systems to more modern, clean and reliable supplies of renewable energy.
She noted that member states are heavily dependent on fossil fuels for energy needs, and are predominantly net energy importers.
“Our position is to optimize our indigenous sources as we make that judicious transition to renewable resources. We are, therefore, pleased to have this conversation. We are aware that our own public sector’s fiscal constraints limit the extent to which our governments can finance a transition to renewable resource and therefore the undertaking to provide sources of financing that our private sector can access is very important,” she said.
Dr. Barnett said the devastating COVID-19 pandemic had also impacted the Caribbean’s energy and resilience and the climate crisis.
The US government said PACC 2030 will serve as its primary mechanism for regional climate adaptation and resilience and energy cooperation through 2030, as it works toward meeting the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
To achieve these objectives, PACC 2030 will organize its activities and programmes under four pillars: improving access to development financing, facilitating clean energy project development and investment, enhancing local capacity building, and deepening collaboration with Caribbean partners.
“Recognizing that access to financing is critical to achieving the region’s climate and clean energy objectives, PACC 2030 will work to expand existing access to project financing and unlock new financing mechanisms to support climate and clean energy infrastructure development in the region,” the US government said. “Key actions under this pillar will include increasing US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) financing for climate and clean energy projects in underserved Caribbean countries, as well as collaborating with multilateral development banks (MDBs) and multilateral climate and environmental trust funds to improve the policy environment and unlock access to additional infrastructure financing, for the Caribbean.”
To attract private investment in clean energy infrastructure and climate adaptation projects in the region, PACC 2030 will support the development of bankable infrastructure projects, promote sound regulatory policies, build project pipelines, and facilitate investment opportunities.
This will include the establishment of a new PACC 2030 Investment Facilitation Team and a new PACC 2030 Technical Assistance Programme that can help mobilize private investment and partner with electric utilities and regulators to integrate more clean energy into Caribbean power and transportation systems.
According to the government, PACC 2030 will increase access to and effective utilization of climate and weather information and decision-support tools to enhance local capacity to assess, plan for, predict, mitigate, and respond to extreme weather events and related risks.
Additionally, it will establish clean energy and climate-focused educational exchanges, internships, and trainings to support pathways to careers in climate adaptation and clean energy. Key actions under this pillar will include providing access to global climate data and new forecasting tools, as well as expanding the 100,000 Strong in the Americas public-private partnership to the Caribbean.
The US government has promised that under the initiative it collaborate with the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency and the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation; participate in the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Forum to elevate technical engagement on clean energy and transportation development in the region; and collaborate with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, the Regional Security System, and the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology on climate adaptation and resilience issues.
Source-CMC
Feds expected to announce an end to random arrival testing at Canada's airports
The federal government is expected to announce today it will soon end the mandatory randomized arrival testing for incoming travellers at Canada's airports, CBC News has learned — a move that comes as the U.S. signals it also will ease up on some testing requirements.
As a result, starting as soon as Saturday, June 11, only unvaccinated travellers will be required to take a test upon entry into Canada, said a source with knowledge of the policy who was not authorized to speak publicly.
Up to now, fully vaccinated travellers were being subjected to random COVID-19 testing upon arrival.
The policy change is being billed as a "pause" because random arrival testing will be suspended between Saturday and June 30 — and the government could still bring it back.
Canada is one of the few Western countries that has some form of arrival testing at this late stage of the pandemic.
Critics, including a number of public health experts, have said that this sort of testing regime is unnecessary now that there is widespread natural and vaccine-induced immunity to the virus.
They've called the policy a bureaucratic burden that has added to already lengthy delays at airports, which are grappling with clogged customs facilities.
The government has defended the arrival testing program as way to track how many COVID-19 cases are slipping into the country. They've also said the program could be used to detect new virus variants of concern.
The U.S., which has never had arrival testing, announced Friday it will drop its pre-entry testing requirement for air travel. As of Sunday, U.S.-bound passengers won't have to get a test before boarding a flight.
The government is also expected to announce that, in the coming weeks, arrival testing for unvaccinated travellers will be moved off-site — meaning those travellers will no longer be forced to give a sample for a test at the airport. This change will mean airports can dismantle dedicated testing sites that have taken up space in the customs halls.
Source-CBC
Scotiabank announces termination of sale in Guyana
Scotiabank Friday announced that the agreement for the sale of its banking operations in Guyana to the Trinidad-based First Citizens Bank Limited (First Citizens) has expired and as a result “the agreement has been terminated in accordance with its terms”.
In a brief statement, Scotiabank gave no details regarding the negotiations for the sale, noting in a brief statement that the bank “remains committed to providing the highest level of customer service and quality banking solutions to our customers in Guyana and across the Caribbean”.
In March last year, Scotiabank announced it had reached an agreement for the sale of its banking operations in Guyana to First Citizens adding that the agreement was subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.
“This transaction supports Scotiabank’s strategic decision to focus on operations across its footprint where it can achieve greater scale and deliver the highest value for customers. Scotiabank’s current operations in Guyana encompass four branches and approximately 180 employees. Following closing, all employees will continue to support the business,” the bank said then.
But the move to sell Scotiabank seemed to have caught the Guyana government off-guard with the country’s Senior Minister with the responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, describing the announcement as premature.
“It has just been brought to my notice that a press release was issued just a few minutes ago announcing the sale of the operations of Scotiabank Guyana to a Regional Bank, a Trinidadian Bank in particular. I wish to say that the government of Guyana considers it extremely unfortunate,” said Singh, who explained that under Section 12 of Guyana’s Financial
Institutions act such a sale would require the approval of the Bank of Guyana.
“We consider it premature to announce a transaction of this nature particularly given that the regulatory process to consider. The request for any such transaction is yet to be initiated much less to be concluded,” he said then.
First Citizens has been described as one of the leading financial services groups in the English-speaking Caribbean, offering a full range of retail, corporate and investment banking services as well as wealth management, trustee and brokerage services to clients through its operations in Barbados, Costa Rica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.
The bank said then that the move towards acquiring Scotibank supporters its strategic growth across the region and leverages its strengths in innovation and excellence to the benefit of all stakeholders
Scotiabank has over the last few years been reducing its footprint in the Caribbean. In 2019, it sold its Eastern Caribbean assets to the Trinidad-based Republic Financial Holdings Ltd.
Source-CMC
US to drop test requirement for air travellers
The US will no longer require air travellers to have proof of a negative Covid-19 test before entering the country from abroad.
Officials said they were dropping the requirement due to the "tremendous progress" the country had made in the fight against the virus.
The travel industry has been pushing for an end to the policy, which they say has deterred bookings, as families fear getting stranded abroad.
The change comes into effect on Sunday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will re-evaluate the policy in 90 days. The administration said it would "not hesitate to act" to reinstate the rule should new variants make officials believe it is necessary.
"We are able to take this step because of the tremendous progress we've made in our fight against the virus: We have made lifesaving vaccines and treatments widely available and these tools are working to prevent serious illness and death, and are effective against the prevalent variants circulating in the US and around the world," a senior official told reporters.
The US introduced rules requiring air travellers to test negative within three days of their flight - or provide proof of recent recovery from the virus - in January 2021.
US President Joe Biden tightened the policy to within one day of flying in December, as the Omicron variant pushed virus cases higher. The testing measure did not apply to land crossings.
Most non-US citizens must still be vaccinated to travel to the country.
The number of Covid cases in the US has dropped sharply since January, though the figures had started to rise again in recent weeks before plateauing. Deaths remain much lower than during the height of the pandemic because of the impact of the vaccination programme.
The travel sector, which has seen demand surge as concerns about the pandemic wane, has said the US has lagged behind other countries in re-evaluating testing policies.
US Travel Association president Roger Dow said the change in policy would "accelerate the recovery of the US travel industry".
Airline Virgin Atlantic also welcomed the move, saying it would "boost consumer confidence even further and support the rebound in transatlantic travel this summer".
Eliminating the requirement is likely to bring an additional 5.4 million visitors to the US this year, boosting travel spending by 12%, according to the group's research.
"Today marks another huge step forward for the recovery of inbound air travel and the return of international travel to the United States," he said.
Source-BBC
Marvin Sapp releases new gospel album Substance
With the release of his 15th studio album, Substance, on Friday, gospel great Marvin Sapp is showing no sign of slowing down.
The 50-minute project boasts 11 message-oriented tracks that, as Apple Music puts it, are "rooted in soulful pop-gospel R&B."
The Texas pastor and co-founder of Lighthouse Full Life Center Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, told Rolling Out of the new album, "Substance is what I believe that we need to stand on."
"I wanted to make sure that this particular record was something that people could stand on, something that they can listen to, and apply the principles of the song to their lives so that the rest of [their] days can be the best of their days," he said.
Sapp says the lead single, "All in Your Hands," which released in March, was born out of the pandemic.
"When we looked at where we were, all of us said the only way we’re going to be able to get through any of this is if we put it in God’s hands, because we’re supposed to cast our cares upon him," he told Rolling Out.
Also on the album is a special 25th anniversary remix version of his 1997 hit, "Grace and Mercy."
Check out Sapp's new album, Substance, available on major streaming platforms today.
Source-ABC
1st Jan. 6 hearing makes case Trump at 'center of this conspiracy' to overturn election
The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol held its first prime-time hearing on Thursday.
During the nearly two-hour hearing, the House select committee placed former president Donald Trump at the center of an "attempted coup" and "multistep conspiracy aimed at overturning the presidential election," with the panel's chairs emphasizing how Trump and his allies repeatedly tried to stop the peaceful transfer of power.
Never-before-seen footage and graphic testimony from a Capitol Police officer, who described the crowd as an "absolute war zone," brought some in the hearing room to tears, as the committee laid out how it will explain in subsequent hearings a "sophisticated seven-part plan" by Trump to steal the election.
Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., said the 11-month-long investigation with more than 1,000 interviews revealed that Trump was "well aware" of the violence at the Capitol and security risk to Vice President Mike Pence and lawmakers but chose to do nothing.
"Not only did President Trump refuse to tell the mob to leave the Capitol, he placed no call to any element to the United States government to instruct at the Capitol be defended," she said. "The vice president -- Pence -- did each of those things."
Capitol Police officer Caroline Edwards, who suffered a traumatic brain injury after rioters knocked her to the ground, described in detail what she called a "an absolute war zone" as officers struggled to hold the line.
"I couldn’t believe my eyes. There were officers on the ground. You know, they were bleeding. They were throwing...I saw friends with blood all over their faces. I was slipping in people's blood," she said.
"I was catching people as they fell...It was carnage. It was chaos. I can't even describe what I saw," she added. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think as as a police officer, as a law enforcement officer, I would find myself in the middle of a battle."
Source-ABC
Tiger Woods joins Michael Jordan, LeBron James as athlete billionaires, per Forbes
Tiger Woods is already in rare air for his accomplishments on the golf course, and he has reached another impressive feat. Forbes is now estimating that Woods' net worth is at least $1 billion, which would make him one of only three athlete billionaires in the world.
Woods joins Michael Jordan and LeBron James as the other two athletes; James was estimated to be worth over $1 billion just last week.
Forbes noted that James earned $121.1 million gross over the past 12 months while still an active NBA player and that Jordan didn't make the list until 2014, years after he had retired
Forbes reported that less than 10% of Woods' net worth comes from earnings on the golf course. His sponsorship and endorsement deals through Nike, TaylorMade, Gatorade and Monster Energy, which is featured prominently on his golf bag, have all largely contributed.
Woods, similar to James, doesn't consider himself as just an athlete and has gotten into ownership as well as course design. TGR Design, TGR Live (an event company) and TGR Ventures are all part of Woods' portfolio.
He recently invested in a new category of golf with a stake in PopStroke, a luxury minigolf organization that has multiple locations in Florida.
Woods has seen his net worth continue to grow despite a series of events in 2009 -- including a Thanksgiving car crash -- that resulted in multiple sponsors dropping him, including Buick. Even while recovering from another car crash over the past 12 months, Woods has made $68 million in off-course income, Forbes said.
Although he has played in only The Masters and PGA Championship over the past few months and did not participate in any tournaments during the 2021 calendar year, that figure alone would make him the 14th-highest-paid athlete in the world.
Source-ESPN
WEATHER FOR FRIDAY 10TH JUNE 2022
THE PUBLIC FORECAST FOR 12:00 PM THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT FRIDAY 10TH JUNE 2022, ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY.
GENERAL SITUATION:POCKETS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE BAHAMAS TODAY, AS HIGH PRESSURE PROGRESSIVELY BUILDS OVER THE BAHAMAS INTO THE WEEKEND.
SPECIAL WARNINGS: BOATERS SHOULD CONTINUE TO REMAIN VIGILANT FOR POSSIBLE WATERSPOUT AND TORNADIC ACTIVITY. BEACHGOERS SHOULD CONTINUE TO EXERCISE CAUTION IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS ALONG EAST COAST BEACHES DUE THE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. THERE IS A RISK OF FLOODING AND STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.
FOR THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS
WEATHER: VARIABLY CLOUDY AND HOT WITH WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: SOUTHERLY AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS OVER THE EXTREME NORTHWEST BAHAMAS THIS AFTERNOON BRIEFLY BECOMING WESTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS THIS EVENING. VARIABLE AT 10 KNOTS OR LESS ELSEWHERE.
SEAS: 3 FEET OR LESS OVER THE OCEAN BUT BRIEFLY BUILDING 4 TO 6 FEET THIS EVENING.
FOR THE TURKS & CAICOS AND CENTRAL- SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY AND A BIT BREEZY WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THE CHANCE OF ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM.
ADVISORY: A SMALL CRAFT CAUTION IS IN EFFECT IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
WINDS: SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS. EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND 4 TO 6 FEET IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
FRIDAY’S HIGH TEMPERATURE 90F 32C
HEAT INDEX 01F 38C
OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURE 75F 24C
SUN
SUNSET: 7:58 PM SUNRISE: 6:18 AM SAT
MOON
MOONRISE: 4:04 PM MOONSET: 3:45 AM SAT
TIDES
HIGH TIDE: 5:12 PM 5:25 AM SAT
LOW TIDE: 11:35 PM 11:38 AM SAT
WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SATURDAY: VARIABLY CLOUDY WITH ISOLATED TO WIDELY SHOWERS POSSIBLE AND THE CHANCE OF AN ISOLATED AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORM.
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED THROUGH THE NEXT FIVE DAYS.
SOURCE-BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY
High-Level Delegation arrives in Turks and Caicos for CDB Annual Meeting
It is anticipated that over 200 delegates, including country Leaders, Government Ministers from the Caribbean Development Bank's borrowing and non-borrowing member countries and a delegation from the African Development Bank, are arriving in the Turks and Caicos Islands for the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) which is scheduled to take place on June 13-16, 2022.
The Meeting, held under the chairmanship of the Honourable Charles Washington Misick, Premier of Turks and Caicos Islands and CDB Governor for the British Overseas Territories, will see discussions on key development challenges facing the region and innovative solutions.
Premier of Turks and Caicos Islands, the Honourable Charles Washington Misick said," We are happy to host this 52nd Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Caribbean Development Bank under the theme Measure Better to Target Better: Adaptation and Resilience. Working with the staff of the CDB, we have shaped an exciting series of activities to make this Annual Meeting memorable and impactful. The meetings, seminars, and other events promise to enrich and enlighten. In conclusion, our region will be better equipped with resources and strategies to more readily adapt and build increasingly resilient societies. Moreover, as each Borrowing Member Country implements their national vision to create their best future, this Meeting will provide some of the tools necessary for us to make more deliberate steps and close gaps to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals".
Following the theme "Measure Better to Target Better: Adaptation and Resilience," this year's Meeting will promote greater use of knowledge-based decision-making and address the region's economic and environmental challenges.
The schedule of events has been designed to span the gamut of sustainable development and will see invited private sector representatives, members of civil society and academia. The media will be engaged during the four-day Meeting.
A substantive agenda will cover a variety of topics with a specific focus on sustainable development:
- The William G. Demas Memorial Lecture, a signature event where distinguished speaker Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of The African Development Bank, will provide the Keynote address.
- Youth Outreach Programme: Turks and Caicos Islands youth on sustainable development issues.
- Seminar: Measuring Vulnerability and Resilience for Small States: The Recovery Duration Adjuster
The CDB's Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors is held annually in one of the Bank's 29-member countries. This official gathering is the organisation's flagship forum for discussion among the institution's governors and sector leaders.
Kremlin says meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy not possible
A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is not currently possible, the Kremlin said.
When asked about a recent comment from Zelenskyy that he's willing to meet with Putin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, "Our position is well-known here: good preparations need to be made for a top-level meeting.
We know that the Ukrainian side has withdrawn from the negotiation track, and therefore it is currently not possible to prepare for this sort of top-level meeting."
Source-ABC