Caribbean countries continue to report deaths from COVID
Several Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries reported deaths and new positive cases linked to the coronavirus (COVID-19) over the past24 hours, with Trinidad and Tobago also indicating that there had been more cases of the Delta variant of the virus.
Authorities in the Dutch-speaking CARICOM country reported that 10 people have died from COVID-19 and that there had also been 153 new positive cases over the past 24 hours.
In total, Suriname has had a number of 855 deaths and 40,061 infections since March 2020, while 26,868 people have recovered after being infected with the virus.
There are 98 people in the various hospitals, 18 of whom are in the Intensive Care units. 47 people are in isolation.
In Guyana, eight more people have died from the virus taking the country’s death toll to 762. The authorities said that one of those who died was fully vaccinated; while the others were unvaccinated.
The latest fatalities also mean that for the month of September, 137 persons have died, the highest number of deaths recorded in a single month since March last year.
The Ministry of Health in a statement on Sunday night said that all of the patients died while receiving medical care at various facilities.
Meanwhile, a total of 241 new COVID cases were recorded from 1,724 tests, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 31, 148.
There are 31 patients in the COVID-19 ICU at the Infectious Diseases Hospital; 166 patients are in institutional isolation and 3,919 patients are in home isolation. To date, 26,270 people have recovered from the virus.
Trinidad and Tobago confirmed six more cases of the Delta variant of the virus, as the country reported 10 more deaths and 127 new infections over the past 24 hours.
The Ministry of Health said that so far, Trinidad and Tobago has detected 17 cases of the Delta variant and that one of the new cases is an unvaccinated minor who travelled to the country from New York. The other five cases have no recent history of travel.
It said all patients have been placed in isolation until the enhanced discharge criteria for people with
COVID-19 variants of concern is achieved and that contact tracing, testing and quarantining of contacts have also been initiated.
The World Health Organization confirmed that the Delta variant has been detected in 185 countries.
The ministry said that the 10 new deaths pushed the death toll since March last year to 1, 457 with 49, 947 positive cases. There are 4, 316 active cases with 44, 176 persons having recovered from the virus.
There are 292 patients in hospitals, 156 in state sanctioned facilities and 3, 827 in home isolation.
In St. Lucia, one person died and that there have been 87 new cases of COVID-19.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness in its Sunday bulletin said that the new positive cases were from 353 samples collected between September 24 and 25. It said the new cases bring the total number of cases diagnosed in- country to date to 11,231.
The ministry said the one death has increased the total to 140. It said that a 53 year old female from the Laborie district, south of here.
“Confirmation was also received of the recovery of 72 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19. This brings the number of active cases in-country to 2170. Currently, one active case is critical while 14 others are severely ill at the Respiratory Hospital,” the ministry added.
Barbados also recorded deaths in the past 24 hours due to the virus.
The authorities said 86 females and 89 males are the latest COVID-19 cases and the authorities said of the 175 new cases, 43 persons are under the age of 18, and 132 are 18 years and older.
There are 1,037 patients in isolation.
Three persons passed away on Saturday. They were all females, aged 50, 66, and 84, who had comorbidities and were unvaccinated.
Barbados has recorded 7,576 confirmed cases (3,736 males and 3,840 females) of the viral illness, and 67 deaths.
Source - CMC
Australia PM undecided on attending crucial climate summit
Australia's prime minister has signalled he may not attend the UN's landmark climate conference in November as his government faces continued criticism of its poor climate record.
In an interview, Scott Morrison said he had "not made any final decisions" on attending, suggesting it was a burden.
"It's another trip overseas... and I've spent a lot of time in quarantine," he told the West Australian newspaper.
The COP26 summit will be the biggest global climate crisis talks in years.
It is hoped that the 12-day meeting between world leaders in Glasgow, Scotland will produce the next emissions standards to slow global warming and keep temperature rise below 1.5C.
But Mr Morrison said he would consider other priorities, including the reopening of Australia's borders.
"I have to focus on things here and with Covid. Australia will be opening up around that time. There will be a lot of issues to manage and I have to manage those competing demands," he told the newspaper.
Australia - one of the world's top exporters of coal and gas - is one of 200 countries expected to present their updated 2030 emissions cuts at the meet.
Mr Morrison has said he wishes Australia to achieve net zero emissions "as soon as possible", but has not outlined any measures to do so.
His government has resisted committing to net zero by 2050 - a goal already pledged by the US, the UK and many other developed nations.
Australia has consistently been criticised for its slow climate progress and heavy reliance on coal-fired power - which makes it the most carbon polluting nation in the world per capita.
Canberra is also staunchly protective of its fossil fuel industry - and has pledged to continue mining and trading dirty fuels as long as there is demand in Asia.
In July, a UN report ranked it last out of 170 member nations for its response to climate change.
And despite Australia's claims to the contrary, the UN has previously said the nation is not on track to reach its modest Paris Agreement targets of a 26-28% cut on 2005 levels by 2030.
'Not a no-show'
Mr Morrison, who became leader in 2018, has consistently defended Australia's climate policies as adequate.
The nation experienced a catastrophic fire season in its 2019-2020 summer - during which Mr Morrison was criticised for downplaying the role of climate change and travelling to Hawaii for a family holiday during the peak of the crisis.
He has made several trips abroad this year, including to the G7 summit hosted by the UK in June, and in recent days to Washington for the Quad meeting with the leaders of the US, India and Japan.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne said on Monday that if Mr Morrison did not attend there would still be senior level representation at the meeting.
"It's not a no-show at the conference. Australia will be strongly represented at the conference no matter by which senior Australian representative and our commitment is very clear," she told the ABC.
Source - BBC
Suriname Football club booted from CONCACAF, owner suspended for three years
Suriname’s Inter Moengotapoe has been disqualified and removed from this year’s CONCACAF League, while the club’s owner and Suriname’s Vice President, Ronnie Brunswijk, has been banned for three years from participating in any capacity in CONCACAF competitions.
CONCACAF made the announcement following a probe into the circumstances surrounding a video that showed Brunswijk allegedly passing out money to Olimpia players and staff in the changing room, after his team’s 6-0 home loss to the Honduran side in a CONCACAF League match on September 21.
Olimpia has also been suspended from the CONCACAF League.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the regional governing body for football said its Disciplinary Committee had “fully investigated the circumstances surrounding the integrity concerns” raised by the video which had been circulating on social media.
“Having assessed the actions evidenced in the video and considered written statements provided by both clubs, the Committee has determined that serious breaches of integrity rules occurred after the match,” it stated.
“As a consequence of these rule breaches, both clubs have been disqualified and removed from this year’s CONCACAF League with immediate effect. Additionally, the Committee has ruled that Mr Ronnie Brunswijk is banned for three years from participating in any capacity in CONCACAF competitions.”
Brunswijk, 60, had played in the match against Olimpia at Franklin Essed Stadium, becoming the oldest player to play in an international club competition.
He was on the field for 54 minutes and started in attack alongside his son Damian Brunswijk, who played for 29 minutes before being replaced.
Source - CMC
Eminem launching Mom's Spaghetti restaurant in Detroit
Eminem is serving up more than just bars with his next venture. He's serving mom's spaghetti, literally.
The Detroit rapper has teamed up with Union Joints restaurant group to launch a brand-new restaurant in his hometown, called Mom's Spaghetti.
As fans know, the moniker comes from the famous line in Eminem's 2002 hit "Lose Yourself," where he raps, "His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy/ There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti."
A 30-second trailer promoting the new food joint starts off with a shot of the Detroit skyline, where Slim Shady appears and spits out a Chinese takeout container full of spaghetti. The rest of the clip reveals the menu, which includes, of course, spaghetti, with or without meatballs, and a s'ghetti sandwich.
This isn't the first time Eminem has brought his lyrics to life. He hosted a pop-up in 2017 and also donated the delicacy to front-line workers during the beginning of the pandemic in April 2020.
The Mom's Spaghetti grand opening will be held on Wednesday, September 29 at 5 p.m. at 2131 Woodward Ave. in Detroit. No word on whether Eminem will be in attendance.
Source - ABC
TCI REGIMENT TRAINS WITH ROYAL NAVY CARIBBEAN
The United Kingdom’s Caribbean based Royal Navy and the Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment have completed a four-day Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief Exercise (HADREx) in the Turks and Caicos Islands, practicing their rapid response to a hurricane or natural disaster in the region.
The HADREX took place 13 – 16 Sep 2021, in the Turks and Caicos Islands on the islands of Salt Cay and South Caicos. The Task Group consisted of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Wave Knight and its embarked Wildcat HMA2 helicopter, along with the Crisis Response Troop (CR Tp) drawn from 24 Commando Royal Engineers. The Patrol Ship HMS Medway supported the Task Group Staff who were controlling the Exercise. It simulated the tasks that would be required in the first 72 hours following a natural disaster.
The Task Group carries specialist equipment and emergency supplies for use in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. In addition to training and testing the Task Group, the HADREx also provided instruction and training for the recently formed Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Regiment. The TCI Regiment and Crisis Response Troop (CRT) focused on initial priorities following a real-life natural disaster. This included conducting road clearance drills and raising an emergency communications mast.
District Commissioner for Salt Cay, Mrs Almaida Wilson, said: “I appreciated the fact that they used Salt Cay for their training of the TCI Regiment. I am more confident that help will be on the way quickly if needed in the future however, I will still pray that we will not be in need of it due to a natural disaster.” DC Wilson was keen to acknowledge that the planning of the exercise took a number of weeks to prepare the South Shelter and work along with Mr Allan Dickenson to use his heavy-duty equipment in preparation of the exercise.
His Excellency the Governor; Nigel Dakin, Minister Hon. Arlington Musgrove and Colonel Ennis Grant flew into the island of Salt Cay on the Wildcat helicopter to monitor the Exercise. It was noted that the training in TCI, not only cemented plans for providing assistance in the event of a disaster, but also honed the skills and co-ordination of the Task Group team to the benefit of other islands across the Caribbean. Backing up the ships, there are personnel and additional equipment held at very high readiness in the UK, ready to fly into the region and support disaster relief efforts.
Captain Francis Glinton, of the TCI Regiment experienced a special training, as he embarked with the Royal Navy's HMBS Medway on the 31st of August, 2021 in Antigua and was welcomed by the Caribbean CTG (Crisis Task Group). Over a two week period he participated in numerous patrols, conducted many assessments as well as planning exercises. Captain Glinton made great advancement in the organization of HADR (Hurricane and Disaster Relief) for the Turks & Caicos Islands which took place in Salt Cay and South Caicos from the 13th-16th, of September. He commented that, this was an extremely rewarding opportunity and he looks forward to more experiences similar to this in the near future.
The Commanding Officer RFA Wave Knight, Captain Ali Clack, commented that the HADREx provided a fantastic opportunity for the task group to interact with Turks and Caicos Islands ground and maritime forces, multiplying their own organic response to a simulated natural disaster by close cooperation between regiments on board and ashore. He added: “RFA Wave Knight is highly capable and well suited to disaster relief operations, able to project aviation and surface craft support to remote areas at range. The ship’s communications suite enables command and control to commence before arriving in the area.” RFA Wave Knight’s role is to deliver food, fuel, water and other essential supplies to Royal Navy and coalition warships. Thanks to Wave Knight, these ships can remain operational for months or even years at a time.
Dr Dawn O’Sullivan, Marine and Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment Doctor, said: “We all considered that the training was excellent, relevant and also exciting. The team from the Task Group were extremely professional and led by example. The scenarios were realistic and the skills taught to us, will go a long way to preparing us for future HADR situations.”
These types of exercises are conducted regularly. The last one took place in Montserrat in July. They are designed to develop our skills and to work with our partners in the six UK Overseas Territories and other regional states to build resilience in response to national disasters, focusing on the core hurricane season and it is a valuable opportunity to develop interoperability and disaster relief capabilities.
UK Covid vaccine rules cause hesitancy - Africa health boss
The head of Africa's health agency has warned that the UK's policy of not accepting Covid-19 vaccine certificates from the continent could increase vaccine hesitancy.
Dr John Nkegasong said the UK's stance was confusing and had far-reaching implications for vaccination campaigns.
"We do not understand why the UK has taken this position," he told a virtual news briefing.
Many Africans are furious, and have called the policy discriminatory.
Last week the UK government removed several countries from its so-called "red list", from where travellers would need to quarantine if they visited England.
However, it said those who have had their vaccines in most countries outside the EU and the US would still need to quarantine because the UK would not accept the certificates. The other UK nations - Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - set their own health policies.
Dr Nkegasong, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), said some people in Africa would ask why they should take these vaccines if they were not recognised internationally.
He said it was "a message that creates confusion within our population... creating more reticence, reluctance for people to receive vaccines".
He also questioned why the UK was sending vaccines to Africa but would not recognize those who have had them as vaccinated.
"This message doesn't really speak to solidarity and co-operation that we all believe are the cornerstone and ingredients for us to emerge from this pandemic together," he said.
Dr Richard Mihigo from the World Health Organization's Africa region said countries should now find a way of coming up with a mutual system that will recognise vaccine certificates from different countries.
Less than 4% of people in Africa are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, compared to around 54% in the US and 65% in the UK.
A shortage of vaccines is a problem in most African countries but in some, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, vaccine hesitancy is a major issue and the government is trying to persuade more people to get jabs.
Source - BBC
R. Kelly won't take the witness stand as trial heads into closing arguments
R. Kelly declined on Wednesday to testify at his sex trafficking trial in Brooklyn, NY.
The New York Times reports that U.S. District Judge Ann Connelly obtained verbal confirmation from Kelly that he would not take the stand. With that decision, the defense rested its case and has ushered in closing arguments, which are expected to commence Thursday.
Kelly's attorneys spent their half of the trial trying to discredit the women and men who have accused him of sexual misconduct over the years, with some witnesses saying they have never witnessed the alleged abuse and describing the singer as a kind and caring gentleman.
The prosecution, however, painted a much different story and called upon those who either saw or endured the alleged mistreatment. The prosecution also called upon several of Kelly's former employees, who also accused the singer of retaliatory behavior, such as withholding pay and verbal abuse, over small errors.
The case has been argued in court since August 18.
Kelly, 54, whose birth name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, faces state and federal charges for sex trafficking, racketeering, coercion and other charges related to the alleged abuse and exploitation of six women -- three of whom were underage at the time -- over the course of 25 years. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.
Source - ABC
"No one is safe. Not one of you.": Johnny Depp decries 'cancel culture'
After the one-time box office champ claimed he was being boycotted by Hollywood following his messy legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard, Johnny Depp is speaking out again.
At a press conference at the San Sebastian Film Festival, where he was given the lifetime achievement honor known as the Donostia Award, Depp was asked about 'cancel culture.'
“Do I feel safe myself? Yeah, I do," Deadline quoted the Pirates of the Caribbean series star saying. "Because it's important when you’re faced with something as mind-bogglingly bewildering, that sort of things hits you from many angles."
The actor said the cancel culture situation is, "[s]o far out of hand now that I can promise you that no one is safe. Not one of you. No one out that door. No one is safe, as long as someone is willing to say one sentence."
Depp added all it takes is a single allegation against a person to ruin their lives, according to Deadline.
"It takes one sentence and there’s no more ground, the carpet has been pulled. It's not just me that this has happened to," Depp expressed. "This type of thing has happened to women, men. Sadly at a certain point they begin to think that it’s normal. Or that it’s them. When it's not.”
"But if you are armed with the truth, that’s all you need. It doesn’t matter if a judgement per se has taken some artistic license," Depp said, seeming to nod at his loss in court of a libel case about spousal abuse allegations made against him by The Sun.
Depp told the assembled press, "When there's an injustice, whether it’s against you or someone you love, or someone you believe in -- stand up, don't sit down. 'Cause they need you."
Source - ABC
US Haiti envoy quits over 'inhumane' deportations
The US special envoy for Haiti has resigned in protest over the deportation of Haitian migrants.
The decision to return migrants fleeing an earthquake and political instability was "inhumane", senior diplomat Daniel Foote said.
Last weekend, the US started flying out migrants from a Texas border town which has seen an influx, with some 13,000 having gathered under a bridge.
They have been waiting in a makeshift camp in temperatures of 37C (99F).
Local officials have struggled to provide them with food and adequate sanitation.
Most of those at the camp are Haitians, but there are also Cubans, Peruvians, Venezuelans and Nicaraguans present.
Since Sunday, the US has returned to Haiti 1,401 migrants from the Texas camp on the border with Mexico.
But in his resignation letter, Mr Foote said Haiti was a "collapsed state" that "simply cannot support the forced infusion of thousands of returned migrants lacking food, shelter, and money without additional, avoidable human tragedy".
Images of horse-mounted US officers corralling the migrants have evoked dark comparisons to US slavery and the country's historical mistreatment of black people.
The widely shared images, taken by an AFP photographer earlier this week, appear to show US Border Patrol agents on horseback using their reins against the migrants and pushing them back towards the Rio Grande river that divides Texas and Mexico.
That led to pressure on President Joe Biden's administration, and prompted calls from within his Democratic Party to give the Haitians asylum rather than fly them back to their home country.
Many Haitians left the country after a devastating earthquake in 2010, and a large number of those in the camp had been living in Brazil or other South American countries and travelled north after being unable to secure jobs or legal status.
This year has brought further hardship for the impoverished country. In July, Haiti's President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated - and in August it suffered another deadly earthquake.
Mr Foote said Haitians needed "immediate assistance", and criticised the US and other countries for interfering in the country's politics.
"What our Haitian friends really want, and need, is the opportunity to chart their own course, without international puppeteering and favoured candidates but with genuine support for that course," he said.
Mr Foote has served in the role since Moïse's assassination in July.
A state department spokesperson thanked the ambassador for his work, and insisted that the US remained "committed to supporting safe, orderly, and humane migration throughout our region".
Source - BBC
EU rules to force USB-C chargers for all phones
Manufacturers will be forced to create a universal charging solution for phones and small electronic devices, under a new rule proposed by the European Commission (EC).
The aim is to reduce waste by encouraging consumers to re-use existing chargers when buying a new device.
All smartphones sold in the EU must have USB-C chargers, the proposal said.
Apple has warned such a move would harm innovation.
The tech giant is the main manufacturer of smartphones using a custom charging port, as its iPhone series uses an Apple-made "Lightning" connector.
"We remain concerned that strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, which in turn will harm consumers in Europe and around the world," the firm told the BBC.
It added that it aims to make every Apple device and usage carbon neutral by 2030.
Most Android phones come with USB micro-B charging ports, or have already moved to the more modern USB-C standard.
New models of the iPad and MacBook use USB-C charging ports, as do high-end phone models from popular Android manufacturers such as Samsung and Huawei.
The changes would apply to the charging port on the device body, whereas the end of the cable connecting to a plug could be USB-C or USB-A.
Around half of chargers sold with mobile phones in the European Union in 2018 had a USB micro-B connector, while 29% had a USB C connector and 21% a Lightning connector, a Commission impact assessment study in 2019 found.
The proposed rules will apply to:
smartphones
tablets
cameras
headphones
portable speakers
handheld video game consoles
Other products including earbuds, smart-watches and fitness trackers were not considered for technical reasons linked to size and use conditions.
The proposal also standardizes fast charging speeds - meaning devices capable of fast charging will be charged at the same speeds.
Preventing waste
EU politicians have been campaigning for a common standard for over a decade, with the Commission's research estimating that disposed of and unused charging cables generate more than 11,000 tonnes of waste per year.
In the European Union, around 420 million mobile phones and other portable electronic devices were sold in the last year.
The average person owns around three mobile phone chargers, of which they use two regularly.
In 2009, there were more than 30 different chargers, whereas now most models stick to three - the USB-C, Lightning and USB micro-B.
"Having one common charging standard would be a victory for common sense in the eyes of consumers," Ben Wood, an analyst at CCS Insight said.
"Although Apple has made a strong argument for keeping its Lightning connector, given the one billion active iPhone users, some of its products including Mac and iPad now support USB-C.
"Hopefully it will eventually become a non-issue if Apple keeps adding USB-C to more devices."
It may be a number of years before the proposals come into effect.
The legislative proposal, known as a Directive, will be debated by the European Parliament and national governments.
MEPs and member states may suggest amendments to the proposal. Only once the EC has agreed these amendments, will the directive be enacted.
The EC hopes that will happen in 2022 - after which member states usually have two years to enact the rules into national law, and manufacturers will have 24 months to change their charging ports.
"We gave industry plenty of time to come up with their own solutions, now time is ripe for legislative action for a common charger. This is an important win for our consumers and environment and in line with our green and digital ambitions," Commission Vice President Margrethe Vestager said. "Hopefully it will eventually become a non-issue if Apple keeps adding USB-C to more devices."
It may be a number of years before the proposals come into effect.
The legislative proposal, known as a Directive, will be debated by the European Parliament and national governments.
MEPs and member states may suggest amendments to the proposal. Only once the EC has agreed these amendments, will the directive be enacted.
The EC hopes that will happen in 2022 - after which member states usually have two years to enact the rules into national law, and manufacturers will have 24 months to change their charging ports.
"We gave industry plenty of time to come up with their own solutions, now time is ripe for legislative action for a common charger. This is an important win for our consumers and environment and in line with our green and digital ambitions," Commission Vice President Margrethe Vestager said.
Source - BBC