International News

Scientists Focus On Bats For Clues To Prevent Next Pandemic
RIO DE JANEIRO — Night began to fall in Rio de Janeiro’s Pedra Branca state park as four Brazilian scientists switched on their flashlights to traipse along a narrow trail of mud through dense rainforest. The researchers were on a mission: capture bats and help prevent the next global pandemic.

Webinar Tuesday To Discuss Active Role Of Caribbean In Halting Spread of COVID-19
ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago — With the active policy shift from COVID-19-driven responses to post-COVID-19 recovery, the debate now is over what comes next for the Caribbean and the role of partnerships. For the Caribbean region, the United Nations (UN) remains a vital channel of support for the region.

American Basketball Association Expands With ‘ABA Caribbean Initiative’
SAN JUAN — The American Basketball Association (ABA) announced that it has launched an initiative to expand the ABA into the Caribbean. “Over the past few years, we have had so much interest from Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, British Virgin Islands and other Caribbean countries to bring the ABA

Outgoing Lame Duck President Donald Trump Kowtows To China, COVID-19, On Tibet Issue
Ever wonder why you see those “Free Tibet” bumper stickers on peoples’ cars? We have a few of them here — in St. Croix, the U.S. Virgin Islands — where I live. For Liberals it used to be “End Apartheid” — a bumper sticker that you can still see on

83-Year-Old Royal Caribbean Cruise Passenger Was A ‘False Positive’ Singapore Health Minister Now Says
SINGAPORE — A passenger who tested positive for COVID-19 aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise from Singapore, forcing the ship to return to dock and hundreds of guests to isolate, has been found not to have the virus, Singapore’s health ministry said on Thursday. “A final confirmatory test … has confirmed

Barbados Removes Admiral Nelson Statue In Break With Its British Colonial Past
BRIDGETOWN — Barbados removed the statue of British Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson from the capital Bridgetown’s main square recently, two months after announcing plans to replace Britain’s Queen Elizabeth as its head of state and move on from its colonial past. The bronze statue was unveiled in 1813 to commemorate

COVID-19’s Shadow Pandemic: A Surge In Violence Against Women And Girls
A survey of five Caribbean countries showed that nearly half of women have faced at least one form of physical, economic, emotional or sexual violence. Unequal power relations between women and men lead to controlling behaviors within intimate relationships, research shows. The problem has become worse since the outbreak of

‘American-Led’ Group Building ‘Hong Kong of the Caribbean’ In Honduras
TEGUCIGALPA — An American-led group of foreign investors is developing an experimental city on an island off the coast of Honduras, with ambitions to become the Hong Kong of the Caribbean. But the project has sparked fears of a land grab among locals. The quiet fishing village of Crawfish Rock,

State Department Asks Americans Not To Travel To Antigua and Barbuda Because Of COVID-19
ST. JOHN’S — The U.S. Department of State is recommending U.S. travelers reconsider travel to Antigua and Barbuda due to “health and safety measures and COVID-related conditions.” Issued Monday, the State Department travel advisory noted “some areas” of the Caribbean nation have “increased risk,” and directs potential travelers to visit

Princess Juliana Airport Got ‘Maximum’ Insurance Payout Of $71 Million After Hurricane Irma In 2017
PHILIPSBURG — Standard International Group, a leading New York City-based boutique financial advisory firm with a focus on revitalizing critical infrastructure projects across the U.S. Municipal, Caribbean, and West Africa, announced the completion of $193 million in financing for Sint Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIAE) Terminal Reconstruction. On behalf of