Bolivia

CAF reinstates Sao Tome in AFCON qualifiers

admin — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 15:00:01 +0000

CAF reinstates Sao Tome in AFCON qualifiers admin Sun, 06/19/2022 - 15:00

Thursday, June 2, 2022

Original Publisher

Original Article

CAF reinstates Sao Tome in AFCON qualifiers

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reinstated Sao Tome and Principe in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers following an appeal against Mauritius.

This was announced in a statement on the federation’s website on Wednesday.

The Falcons and True Parrots Team will now join Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Guinea-Bissau in Group A of the Cote d’Ivoire 2023 AFCON qualifiers.

Sao Tome had won the preliminary tie 4-3 on aggregate over Mauritius, but the losing side took the case before CAF.

Mauritius complained that Sao Tome’s Luis Leal had not followed the CAF’s COVID-19 protocol.

They added that the Bolivia-based striker, who scored the only goal in the first leg of the tie, was not eligible to play against them because his PCR test dated more than 72 hours before the match, infringing on CAF protocol that tests must be from 48 hours.

During an initial ruling last month, CAF disciplinary board upheld Mauritius’ appeal, awarding the country a work-over for the first game of the encounter.

However, in the latest decision, the CAF appeal board said, “the result of the match between Mauritius and São Tomé and Príncipe is ratified and validated.”

It added that “the appeal of the São Tomé and Príncipe Football Association is upheld, and the decision of the CAF Disciplinary Board is set aside in its entirety.”

“São Tomé and Príncipe Football Association took the decision of the CAF Disciplinary Board (May 8 2022) to overturn the results of their match against Mauritius in the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations preliminary qualifiers played on March 24 2022, on review with the CAF Appeals Board,” read the statement.

“After hearing both parties’ presentations, the CAF Appeals Board ruled that: The Appeal of São Tomé and Príncipe Football Association is considered admissible in form. The Appeal of the São Tomé and Príncipe Football Association is upheld, and the decision of the CAF Disciplinary Board is set aside in its entirety.

Africa

News

10 most drunken surnames in Latin America, according to research

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 01:20:01 +0000

10 most drunken surnames in Latin America, according to research

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admin Fri, 12/10/2021 - 01:20

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Original Publisher

People – Dominican Today

Original Article

10 most drunken surnames in Latin America, according to research

According to research conducted by the University of Miami, the ten surnames that were likely to consume the most alcohol in Latin America were revealed.

The test was done in 2015 with volunteers who were asked how many times they drank a week and in what amount, hence the result of the 10 most drunken surnames in Latin America.

The participants of the questionnaire came from countries such as Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Honduras, and Panama, among others.

Below is the list of surnames that like to “steepen the elbow…”

1. Gonzalez

2. Herrera

3. Fernandez

4. Rodriguez

5. Garcia

6. Gomez

7. Perez

8. Lopez

9. Martinez

10. Rosemary

Caribbean

Living Standard

PM uncompromisingly defends Venezuela’s independence and sovereignty

admin — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 18:00:01 +0000

PM uncompromisingly defends Venezuela’s independence and sovereignty

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admin Sat, 07/24/2021 - 18:00

Friday, July 16, 2021

Original Publisher

Searchlight

Original Article

PM uncompromisingly defends Venezuela’s independence and sovereignty

ON FRIDAY, July 9, 2021 the government of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) celebrated with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela the occasion of its 210th anniversary of independence.

The celebratory event, held at the Embassy of Venezuela at Ratho Mill, also saw the inaugural display of the photographic exhibition ‘Caribbean, Independence and Emancipation’ in the spaces of the Venezuelan diplomatic headquarters.

SVG’s Prime Minister, Ralph Gonsalves during his speech, reiterated that he is “an uncompromising defender of the independence and sovereignty of Venezuela as well as Cuba, Nicaragua and Bolivia, and all the countries of our America”…denouncing once again the sanctions imposed by the US government against the Venezuelan government and people since the signing of the so-called Obama Decree in which Venezuela is declared a threat to the security of the United States.

The head of the Venezuela diplomatic mission in SVG, Francisco Pérez Santana, who led the act of raising the Venezuelan tricolour, made reference to some important aspects of Caribbean history, focusing on Haiti in light of the latest events in that country, and stressing that Haiti is one of the “transcendental and important references for the revolutions that have existed in our America”.

The head of the Venezuela mission gave a historical overview during his address, from 1804 until the Congress of Panama, planned by Bolívar in 1824.

“The independence processes in our America mark the route to achieve the emancipation of historically oppressed peoples. Venezuela, for more than 200 years, has been the protagonist of the most important battles in the history of humanity. Some events in history preceded that important moment that led to the signing of the Act of Independence on July 5, 1811,” the Venezuela diplomat said.

“These events were: the conspiracy of Manuel Gual and José María España in 1797, the liberating expedition of Francisco de Miranda in 1806, and the conspiracy of the Mantuanos in 1808”, Pérez Santana outlined.

He reiterated: “Today, at a time when most of the governments of the peoples of our America are undergoing a social transformation, nobly assuming the banner of the emancipation of the peoples, while the North American empire is experiencing its worst financial crisis, the time has come for our America, for the mistreated and excluded peoples”.

Renwick Rose, president of the Cuban-Vincentian Friendship Association expressed the support of this movement to the Venezuelan people and

government: “It is ironic that after having fought against the yoke of the Spanish empire more than two centuries ago, still today the Venezuelan people have to fight against the designs of a modern empire that is trying to control the resources of our brother country… we reiterate our rejection of the sanctions imposed unilaterally by the United States on the people of Cuba and Venezuela,” Rose said.

As part of this celebration, a photographic exhibition, ‘The Caribbean, Independence and Emancipation’, was officially inaugurated at the headquarters of the Venezuela Embassy.

Its purpose is: “to make visible Afro-Caribbean faces and experiences present in some peoples of the Anglophone Caribbean, as a way to break through the epistemic silences that hide the different voices of the African diaspora”.

On this occasion, the photographs of the Trinidadian artist, Nadia Huggins, with the series “Black and Blue”, and the series “Pulling the net” were exhibited.

During this cultural gala, the talent of the Royal SVG Police Band was on display in the playing of the National Anthem of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, as well as that of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; the Vincentian saxophonist Oswald Williams, who received recognition from the Embassy for his permanent support to culture and the Venezuelan people; and the young persons of the La Gracia Dance Company, who made everyone dance to the recently released Venezuelan song “Llegó el Bicentenario” (The Bicentenary has arrived).

At the end, the guests paid tribute to the Liberator Simón Bolívar by laying a wreath in his honour.

On July 5, 1811, Venezuela became the first nation to gain independence from Spanish rule, when representatives from seven provinces of the country united to end the Spanish monarchy, and subsequently signed the Act of the Declaration of Independence of Venezuela. Through the text of the Act of Independence, Venezuela established the principles of equality of its inhabitants, the abolition of censorship and freedom of expression.

Caribbean

News

210 years of Venezuelan Independence celebrated in SVG

admin — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 00:40:01 +0000

210 years of Venezuelan Independence celebrated in SVG

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admin Sat, 07/24/2021 - 00:40

Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Original Publisher

Searchlight

Original Article

210 years of Venezuelan Independence celebrated in SVG

“The independence of Venezuela 210 years ago led the way for the liberation of South America, and the right of the peoples of this hemisphere to govern themselves,” stated Renwick Rose – president of the Vincentian/ Cuban Friendship Association.

He was delivering remarks at the Independence Anniversary celebrations of Venezuela, held on Friday July 9, 2021 at the Embassy of Venezuela, at Ratho Mill.

210 years ago, on July 5, 1811, Venezuela became the first nation to gain its independence from Spanish rule, when representatives from the country’s seven provinces united to end the Spanish monarchy, and subsequently signed the Act of the Declaration of Independence of Venezuela.

According to Rose, “in today’s world, one cannot be a friend of Cuba and the Cuban Revolution, without being a friend of Venezuela, the Venezuela people, and the Bolivarian Revolution.”

Rose spoke of the similarities between the Venezuelan Revolution and the Haitian Revolution, as “the fight to end slavery, the quest for independence in our Caribbean island.”

He added that “the Republic of Venezuela was one of the earliest friends of newly independent St. Vincent and the Grenadines and that friendship has grown and developed, solidified by the common aim of exercising our sovereignty to benefit our peoples, and not be subservient to any foreign power, interests or dictates. Venezuela has proven to be a genuine friend of our country and its people.”

He called for a rejection of all attempts by certain interests to drive a wedge between the two peoples. Rose added that it is ironic that having fought off the yoke of the Spanish Empire over two centuries ago, “today the people of Venezuela are still having to fight against the designs of a modern empire which is determined to try and control the resources of our sister country in the interest of a privileged few, and I cannot help but repeat our continued rejection of the sanctions unilaterally imposed by the United States on the peoples of Cuba and Venezuela which are creating a lot of difficulties not only for them but for the people in this hemisphere.”

Delivering the feature address at Friday’s ceremony, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves said: “By now it is well established that the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines which I have the honour to lead, is an uncompromising defendant of the independence and the sovereignty of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela as we are Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia, and Venezuela and for every country in our Americas and elsewhere.

“ I singled out Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Bolivia, because in recent years, these four countries have been subjected to immense challenge to their sovereignty and independence and their right to pursue their own path as the peoples of those countries see fit in all the circumstances.”

Dr. Gonsalves pointed out that the history is a very important one for the peoples of the region to study, “for even when you gain your independence as we said here …in 1979, independence is the beginning and not the end.

“But the epoch of all these struggles from the standpoint of our own country and other forces on the world, we see how the circumstances arose for [Simon] Bolivar to lead the struggle for the restoration of independence in Venezuela, because before Spanish colonialism, the people were independent. Independence was restored, was reclaimed.”

Gonsalves called on persons to ensure that they know the history of the region, “so that we do not desecrate tomorrow.”

He also was critical of the United States of America for its double standards, pointing out that in February 2015; the US president [Barack] Obama signed an executive order that Venezuela is a security threat to the United States of America.

He queried whether Venezuela could be a security threat to America, if Venezuela has nuclear weapons, and if Venezuela has the military capacity to go to Miami. The posture of the USA towards Venezuela was labelled as “absurd” by Dr. Gonsalves who added that when the banking system was turned into a criminal enterprise by the USA saying ‘you cannot do normal banking’
because of the sanctions, PetroCaribe is closed down.”

Depending on the price of world oil prices, St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) use to save between 20 to 40 million dollars a year out of PetroCaribe. This Dr. Gonsalves said went to deal with poverty and housing, and infrastructural development in SVG, and reminded persons that “without Venezuela and Cuba, we could not have built the Argyle International Airport.”

Caribbean

News

Central bank, monetary policy independence

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 13:00:01 +0000

Central bank, monetary policy independence

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admin Sat, 02/27/2021 - 13:00

Saturday, February 27, 2021

Original Publisher

The Zimbabwe Independent

Original Article

Central bank, monetary policy independence

THE government of Zimbabwe recently dissolved the inaugural Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) that had been appointed in September 2019 and swiftly appointed a new team to fill up the void. The committee draws its existence from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Act Chapter 22:15 sub-section 29B.

Victor Bhoroma
analyst

The law states that there shall be a monetary policy committee independent of the RBZ board, comprising the governor as chairperson and the deputy governors, and five to seven other persons appointed by the president after consultation with the minister.

The law further states the functions of the committee are to determine the monetary policy of Zimbabwe, including the setting limits on open market operations of the Bank; to ensure price stability as defined by the government’s inflation target set out in the national budget; to determine interest rates for the economy in line with the government’s economic policies and targets for growth and employment.

However, the law restricts the authority of the committee in highlighting that the committee shall submit its findings to the central bank board for information purposes only.

The central bank is wholly owned by the state as its sole banker and its leadership is appointed by the President for a maximum of 10 years, consisting of five years each.

Due to the harm caused by unabated money printing and quasi-fiscal operations of the bank in the past 20 years, there have been calls to abolish the bank or to give it independence from the state.

Section 8 of the RBZ Act points that nothing shall prevent the state from carrying on transactions in such manner as the State may require and, if so requested by the State through the minister in writing, the Bank shall make the necessary arrangements to this end.

In 2019, the International Monetary Fund warned that the government needed to give autonomy to its central bank if it is to avert the risk of plunging the economy into hyperinflation after every 10 years.

The Bretton Woods institution pointed out that high levels of inflation are a result of failure to detach monetary policy from government policies and failure to effect institutional reforms that separate monetary policy and politics. The government has over the years relied on the central bank’s function of money printing (physically or through electronic means) to plug consumption-induced budget deficits and this has increased the government appetite to spend beyond tax revenues.

The Treasury recently tabled a US$1,4 billion debt (part of the foreign debt) incurred by the central bank, which will now be assumed by the taxpayer. Despite declaring successive budget surpluses, the treasury highlighted that the debt had been incurred to fund government expenditure and stabilise the local currency.

This clearly means that the central bank now directly funds government expenditure and is acting as an extension of the Treasury.

Reforms after hyperinflation

World over, most central banks are owned by the State partially or wholly. A number of Latin American countries such as Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Guatemala instituted reforms that gave their central banks independence after periods of hyperinflation (above 500%) had ravaged their economies.

Part of these reforms restricted central bank financing of public expenditure as the facility had been previously abused for short term political gain by successive governments. Central banks also migrated from exchange rate pegs that caused foreign currency shortages in the formal economy and moved towards exchange rate flexibility (managed float). The reforms successfully managed to tame inflation and restore public confidence in the financial sector.

Role modelling

The Bank of England (where most central banks in the world borrow their model from) is owned by the government of the United Kingdom since its nationalization in 1946. In May 1997, the Bank of England was given operational independence over monetary policy so as to curtail political influence from government.

The low levels of inflation in the UK, which averages 2% in the past 10 years, has been attributed to the bank’s quest for transparency and the reforms instituted in 1997. The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) is privately-owned even though the government has announced plans to nationalise it in future in line with most countries.

The SARB governor and deputy governors are appointed by the president of South Africa in consultation with the Finance minister as is the case in Zimbabwe. The SARB interest rate is 6,5%, in line with the inflation target of 3-6%.

However, it is the independence of the monetary policy that has brought prolonged low inflation levels and economic stability in South Africa. Even though the South African rand has been volatile in the past due to depressed economic performance, unstable commodity prices and political unrest, the SARB has maintained its independence from politics and is run transparently.

The exchange rate is market determined, even though the central bank may intervene when there is high volatility.

State ownership, economic instability

Most central banks in Africa are wholly owned by the State, including current flagbearers in economic transparency such as Mauritius, Tunisia, Morocco, Botswana, Rwanda, Tanzania and Ghana. However, the level of inflation and economic stability in those countries is directly correlated to central bank transparency and monetary policy independence.

Africa

Australia, Qatar out of Copa America

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 19:10:01 +0000

Australia, Qatar out of Copa America

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admin Wed, 02/24/2021 - 19:10

Original Publisher

NationNews Barbados — nationnews.com

Original Article

Australia, Qatar out of Copa America

Australia and Qatar, the two non-South American sides due to take part in this year’s Copa America, pulled out of the tournament, the secretary general of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) said on Tuesday.

The two teams were set to join 10 others from South America in the tournament, which will be hosted by Argentina and Colombia in June and July.

“Qatar and Australia will not come to play in the Copa America,” Gonzalo Belloso told Argentine radio station Radio Red.

The Qatari FA apologised for the withdrawal which it said followed the Asian Football Confederation’s “decision to postpone the joint qualifying round for the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup to be held in June 2021, which conflicts with the schedule of matches… in the Copa America”.

As members of the Asian confederation, Australia are also affected by the changes, connected to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced confederations to reschedule games.

“The Socceroos’ players and staff were greatly looking forward to the unique opportunity of playing in the Copa America and it is unfortunate that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be unable to attend in 2021,” Australia’s head coach Graham Arnold said.

“On behalf of the team I thank CONMEBOL for the invitation, which would have presented our team with a fantastic opportunity to test itself against some of the world’s best.”

The Copa America, the oldest tournament in international football, was held over from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is due to be hosted in two nations for the first time.

The 12 sides were to be split into northern and southern groups, with Qatar playing in the northern section against Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru and hosts Colombia.

Australia were in the southern group with Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and hosts Argentina.

A CONMEBOL source told Reuters they will look at the possibility of inviting two other teams to replace Australia and Qatar but the tournament will go ahead regardless, with 10 or 12 sides.

“Nothing will change, we will play with 10 if we have to,” the source said on condition of anonymity.

“No matter what happens, it’s the same format, same prize money, everything stays the same.”

The tournament is scheduled to kick off in Buenos Aires on June 11 and end with the final in Barranquilla, Colombia on July 10. (Reuters)

Caribbean

News

Other countries, besides Nigeria, where authorities won’t let you use cryptocurrencies

admin — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 22:20:01 +0000

Other countries, besides Nigeria, where authorities won’t let you use cryptocurrencies admin Sat, 02/06/2021 - 22:20

Saturday, February 6, 2021

Original Publisher

Business – Premium Times Nigeria

Original Article

Other countries, besides Nigeria, where authorities won’t let you use cryptocur…

Since it was introduced over a decade ago, only about 30 of the world’s 196 countries have embraced and expressed a positive stance towards cryptocurrency usage in their economies.

While the United States of America, Australia, Canada, and the European Union (27 countries) have accepted its usage by working to prevent or reduce the use of digital currencies for illegal transactions, cryptocurrencies remain banned in China, Russia, Vietnam, Bolivia, Columbia, and Ecuador.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has repeatedly warned banks about cryptocurrency transactions.

The apex bank on Friday directed banks in the country to close all cryptocurrency-related accounts.

“Further to earlier regulatory directives on the subject, the Bank hereby wishes to remind regulated institutions that dealing in cryptocurrencies or facilitating payments for the cryptocurrency is prohibited,” the CBN said.

The directive has since generated concerns especially on social media, with many young people expressing their fears about the clampdown and what it means for the future of the digital currency.

Aside from being the biggest crypto market on the African continent, in terms of trade volume, Nigeria is the second biggest bitcoin market in the world, after the United States. Nigerians are said to have traded about 60,200 bitcoins since 2015.

Before now, against the backdrop of the Nigerian government’s position against its adoption and growing popularity, big businesses have been quite reluctant to tap into the rapidly growing digital currency ecosystem, as many have refused to accept it as a means of exchange.

Yet outside Nigeria, big businesses like Dish Network (DISH), the Microsoft Store, Sandwich Retailer Subway, and Overstock.com (OSTK) welcome payment in Bitcoin.

A report by Investopedia says the digital currency has also made its way to the U.S. derivatives markets.

“Bitcoin”

The Bitcoin – the most popular cryptocurrency, alongside Ethereum (Ether) – is a digital currency that debuted in 2009.

Like other cryptocurrencies, Bitcoins are not issued, endorsed, or regulated by any central bank, but are rather created through a computer-generated process known as mining.

As such, it offers a convenient way to conduct cross-border transactions with no exchange rate fees and allows users to remain anonymous.

The currency is being traded on exchanges, and virtual currency-related ventures and Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) draw interest from across the investment spectrum.

Bitcoins and other crypto-currencies are almost always designed to be free from government manipulation and control.

Is crypto legal or Illegal?

Due to its extreme volatility, the status of the digital currency is being debated across the world among tax authorities, enforcement agencies, and regulators. Of course, there are no uniform international laws that regulate its use.

Yet, as its popularity grows around the world, emerging and frontier economies are designing modules to accommodate its use—-or reject it outright.

For instance, reports said the U.S. Departments of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) began issuing guidance on Bitcoin since 2013.

The Treasury defined Bitcoin not as currency, but as a money services business (MSB), which places it under the Bank Secrecy Act, and requires exchanges and payment processors to adhere to certain responsibilities like reporting, registration, and record keeping. It is also categorised as property for taxation purposes by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the country.

In Australia and Canada, Bitcoin is viewed as a commodity by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), and is seen as barter transactions.

The income generated through such trading is considered as business income, and the taxation is a function of whether the individual has a buying-selling business or is only concerned with investing.

On October 22, 2015, the European Union Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the buying and selling of digital currencies are considered a supply of services and that it is exempted from value-added tax (VAT) in all European Union (EU) member states, while some individual EU countries have also developed their own digital currencies.

In China, Bitcoin is essentially banned. All banks and other financial institutions like payment processors are prohibited from transacting or dealing in Bitcoin, just as the government has cracked down on miners.

In Russia, Bitcoin is not regulated, and its use as payment for goods or services is illegal.

For Vietnam, Vietnam’s government and its state bank maintain that Bitcoin is not a legitimate payment method, and it is not regulated as an investment.

In Bolivia, Columbia, and Ecuador, Bitcoin use or investment and other cryptocurrencies are totally prohibited.

Aside from Bitcoin, there have been numerous cryptocurrencies introduced from different parts of the world. While many are struggling to break into the fast growing market, others have failed.

While cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and others have remained in existence for about a decade now, many countries are yet to have efficient and effective systems that restrict, regulate, or ban them.

Africa

Business

Virgin Islands gets $362k grant for Covid response

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 09:30:02 +0000

Virgin Islands gets $362k grant for Covid response admin Tue, 02/02/2021 - 09:30

Sunday, January 24, 2021

Original Publisher

Local News – The BVI Beacon

Original Article

Virgin Islands gets $362k grant for Covid response

The Virgin Islands will receive about $362,000 in funding from the United Nations Covid-19 Response and Recovery Multi-Partner Trust Fund, government announced Tuesday.

The funds will contribute to the income support programme established by the government to assist vulnerable residents affected by the pandemic, according to Government Information Services.

It will be accompanied by technical assistance provided by the International Labour Organisation, the World Food Programme, and UNICEF to enhance residents’ employability and boost social protection.

“The UN has been an indispensable partner of the British Virgin Islands since the onset of the global pandemic,” Premier Andrew Fahie said. “This new round of funding support and ongoing technical assistance from multiple UN agencies is a reflection of the maturing relationship between the British Virgin Islands and United Nations.”

The Covid-19 MPTF Fund was launched by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in 2020 to provide support to governments after the outbreak of the pandemic.

The VI will receive the funding through a joint programme that falls under the UN (Covid-19) Multi-Sectoral Response Plan for the Eastern Caribbean, and that includes the VI and Antigua and Barbuda.

UN forum

The VI also participated last week in the United Nations 13th Ministerial Forum for Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, Mr. Fahie announced on his Facebook page.

At the session, the territory’s “work plan for inclusive social development for the year” was considered, according to the premier.

The VI currently serves as one of the vice presidencies of the Directive Board of the Regional Conference on Social Development along with countries including Barbados, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Uruguay.

During the forum, which was held virtually throughout last week, Health and Social Development Minister Carvin Malone also advocated for greater participation by associate members like the VI and expressed appreciation for the UN grant.

Last Thursday, Mr. Fahie also participated in the fourth roundtable discussion along with colleagues and government ministers from Bolivia, Mexico, Panama and Ecuador on “effective governance beyond recovery,” and shared the territory’s successes and challenges of managing the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the statement.

Meanwhile, Junior Minister for Tourism Sharie de Castro represented the premier at the 13th special emergency meeting of CARICOM heads of government, where the longer-term economic survival of the region was discussed, according to the premier.

The post Virgin Islands gets $362k grant for Covid response appeared first on The BVI Beacon.

Caribbean

News

WORLD – Covid Brazilian variant sparks South America travel ban

admin — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 23:00:17 +0000

WORLD – Covid Brazilian variant sparks South America travel ban admin Thu, 01/14/2021 - 23:00

Thursday, January 14, 2021

Original Publisher

Barbados Today

Original Article

WORLD – Covid Brazilian variant sparks South America travel ban

SOURCE: BBC News – UK-bound arrivals from South America and Portugal will be banned from Friday over concerns about the Brazilian coronavirus variant.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the change would come into force from 04:00 GMT.

British and Irish citizens and foreign nationals with residence rights will still be able to travel but must isolate for 10 days, he said.

The decision was announced following a meeting of ministers on Thursday.

The ban applies to people who have travelled from, or through, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela in the last 10 days.

Mr Shapps said Portugal had been included “given its strong travel links with Brazil” – but there would be an exemption for hauliers travelling from the country to allow the transportation of essential goods.

He said suspending travel from that European country would act “as another way to reduce the risk of importing infections”.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was “very concerned” about the Brazilian variant of the virus.

New variants of Covid-19 have previously been identified in the UK and South Africa, with many countries imposing restrictions on arrivals from both nations.

Several Central and South American nations had already restricted travel from the UK, including Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala and Panama, while others such as Argentina and Uruguay have closed their borders to non-resident foreign nationals.

The Department for Transport said under the ban any exemptions would not apply, including those for employment, and people who live with someone who has travelled from one of the banned countries will have to self-isolate for 10 days.

BBC News online health editor Michelle Roberts said there was no sign that any of the new variants were more dangerous, with scientists confident that vaccines would work against them.

Felipe Naveca, deputy director of research at the Brazilian state-run Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, said the new variant was “of concern” and its origin was “undoubtedly” from the Amazon region.

He told the BBC’s South America correspondent Katy Watson the new variant had evolved separately from those in the UK and South Africa, but that it showed some of the same mutations.

“Some of these mutations have been linked to increased transmission and that is of concern,” he said, adding: “We have to stop the virus from circulating, because we’re giving it the opportunity to evolve.”

The travel ban comes after it was announced a requirement for arrivals into England to test negative for coronavirus 72 hours before their journey will now come into force at 04:00 GMT on Monday.

Scotland is taking the same approach to international travellers but will implement the policy on Friday, while Wales and Northern Ireland are expected to announce their own plans in the coming days.

Mr Shapps said the new rules had been delayed from Friday “to give international arrivals time to prepare” but Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said people would be “bewildered” by the delay and would “feel that we’re exposed”.

Meanwhile, Covid-19 case rates have fallen in most regions of England, according to the latest data from Public Health England’s weekly surveillance report.

London continues to have the highest rate of any region but its rate of new cases stood at 864.9 per 100,000 people in the seven days to 10 January, down from 1,043.9 in the previous week.

The North East, East Midlands, East, South East and Yorkshire & the Humber also recorded a week-on-week fall.

However, the rate increased in the North West, South West and the West Midlands.

Caribbean

News

Forest loss ‘hotspots’ bigger than Germany: WWF

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 20:00:01 +0000

Forest loss ‘hotspots’ bigger than Germany: WWF admin Wed, 01/13/2021 - 20:00

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Original Publisher

Africa – Capital News

Original Article

Forest loss ‘hotspots’ bigger than Germany: WWF

Paris, France, Jan 13 – More than 43 million hectares of forest — an area bigger than Germany — have been lost in a little over a decade in just a handful of deforestation hotspots, conservation organisation WWF said Wednesday.

Swathes of forest continue to be flattened each year — mainly due to industrial-scale agriculture — as biodiversity-rich areas are cleared to create space for livestock and crops.

Analysis by WWF found that just 29 sites across South America, Africa and South East Asia were responsible for more than half of the global forest loss.

The Brazilian Amazon and Cerrado, the Bolivian Amazon, Paraguay, Argentina, Madagascar, along with Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia and Malaysia were among the worst affected, it said.

In Brazil’s Cerrado region, home to five percent of the planet’s animals and plants, land has been cleared rapidly for soy and cattle production, leading to a 32.8-percent loss of forest area between 2004-2017.

The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a groundbreaking report on land use in 2019, in which it outlined a string of looming trade-offs in using land.

In that same year, the UN’s biodiversity panel said that 75 percent of all land on earth had been “severely degraded” by human activity.

Forests are an enormous carbon sink, together with other vegetation and soil sucking up roughly a third of all the carbon pollution humans produce annually.

Yet they continue to disappear rapidly, threatening irreparable losses to Earth’s crucial biodiversity.

– ‘Humanity’s best interest’ –

And, as wild species find their living space shrinking further each year, the risk of a repeat of zoonotic diseases — such as the Covid-19 pandemic — jumping to humans is ever higher.

“We must address over-consumption and put greater value on health and nature rather than the current overwhelming emphasis on economic growth and financial profits at all cost,” said Fran Raymond Price, Forest Practice lead at WWF International.

“This is in humanity’s best interests: the risk of new diseases emerging is higher in tropical forest regions that are experiencing land-use change.”

Price warned that if deforestation was not rapidly curbed, “we could miss out on our chance to help prevent the next pandemic”.

There is also a huge threat to indigenous communities that have lived off what forests provide for centuries or longer.

Ana Mota da Silva, a member of the Mumbuca community in the Cerrado — where deforestation rose 13 percent in 2020 — said she feared for the future.

“Knowing that our rivers are drying up, that so many trees are dying… the certainty that my sons, cousins, my descendants will not see what I have seen,” she said.

“We now face the Cerrado being devastated and us with it.”

Recent research has shown that, beyond a certain threshold, deforestation in the Amazon basin could tip the region into a new climate regime, turning tropical forests into savannah.

The WWF report urged citizens to do their bit by avoiding products linked to deforestation such as some meat, soy and palm oil products.

It also urged governments to work to secure the rights of indigenous peoples and conserve biodiversity-rich areas.

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