By: Nexstar Media Wire and Associated Press
Dust is on the way to the United States this week making the more than 6,000-mile journey from the Sahara Desert.
This might seem to work against typical weather patterns, but dust in the United States from the Sahara happens every year. While it may not be abnormal to see the Saharan dust make its annual journey to the United States, we are expected to see more of it than usual.
Tiny individual dust particles combine to make a large plume so big that it can be picked up on satellite images and even be seen from the International Space Station.
The massive plume darkened the sky over parts of the Caribbean this past weekend and is projected to reach the southeast United States on Wednesday. It’s expected to impact parts of Illinois Friday and Saturday.
Air quality across most of the Caribbean fell to record “hazardous” levels and experts who nicknamed the event the “Godzilla dust cloud” warned people to stay indoors and use air filters if they have one.

• 
  A woman rides her bike in front of El Morro Fort as a vast cloud of Sahara dust is blanketing the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 22, 2020. – An expansive plume of dust from the Sahara is traveling westward across the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to reach the Caribbean and parts of the United States later this week. 
• 
  A vast cloud of Sahara dust is blanketing the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 22, 2020. – An expansive plume of dust from the Sahara is traveling westward across the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to reach the Caribbean and parts of the United States later this week. 
• 
  A plane lands as Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport as a vast cloud of Sahara dust is blanketing the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 22, 2020. – An expansive plume of dust from the Sahara is traveling westward across the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to reach the Caribbean and parts of the United States later this week. 
• 
  A woman meditates as a vast cloud of Sahara dust is blanketing the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 22, 2020. – An expansive plume of dust from the Sahara is traveling westward across the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to reach the Caribbean and parts of the United States later this week.
  People exercise in front of El Morro Fort a vast cloud of Sahara dust is blanketing the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 22, 2020. – An expansive plume of dust from the Sahara is traveling westward across the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to reach the Caribbean and parts of the United States later this week.
• A boat is anchored in the San Juan Bay as a vast cloud of Sahara dust is blanketing the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 22, 2020. – An expansive plume of dust from the Sahara is traveling westward across the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to reach the Caribbean and parts of the United States later this week.
• 
  A woman walks a dog in front of El Morro Fort as a vast cloud of Sahara dust is blanketing the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 22, 2020. – An expansive plume of dust from the Sahara is traveling westward across the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to reach the Caribbean and parts of the United States later this week.
• 
  A woman rides her bike in front of El Morro Fort as a vast cloud of Sahara dust is blanketing the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 22, 2020. – An expansive plume of dust from the Sahara is traveling westward across the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to reach the Caribbean and parts of the United States later this week. 
• 
  A vast cloud of Sahara dust is blanketing the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 22, 2020. – An expansive plume of dust from the Sahara is traveling westward across the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to reach the Caribbean and parts of the United States later this week. 

A vast cloud of Sahara dust is blanketing the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 22, 2020. – An expansive plume of dust from the Sahara is traveling westward across the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to reach the Caribbean and parts of the United States later this week. “This is the most significant event in the past 50 years,” said Pablo Méndez Lázaro, an environmental health specialist with the University of Puerto Rico. “Conditions are dangerous in many Caribbean islands.”
Many health specialists were concerned about those battling respiratory symptoms tied to COVID-19. Lázaro, who is working with NASA to develop an alert system for the arrival of Sahara dust, said the concentration was so high in recent days that it could even have adverse effects on healthy people.
Dust & sunsets:The massive dust storm will make for some eye-popping sunsets.
The colors that we see at sunrise and sunset are created by light scattering. The scattered sunlight is enhanced by water particles or pollutants, like dust, in the atmosphere.
When more dust is present, there are more particles in the atmosphere for light to refract off of, and in return we’ll see more bright shades of red, orange, yellow and pink.
Dust & air quality:While we are expecting to see some extra vivid sunrises & sunsets, it might be healthier for some people to admire them from inside.
Since dust is moving in, naturally it will lower our air quality, and can irritate your eyes, nose and throat. Children, older adults can be especially susceptible to negative side effects along with anyone with preexisting conditions linked to heart disease, lung disease, allergies or asthma.
So, make sure that you are taking precautions like staying inside if you have a condition that would be worsened from the extra pollutants in the air.
Saharan dust, storms & tropical weather:Dust does not kill the development of storms like hurricanes, but it does suppress it.
The big reason for this is this is that it’s bringing in dry, desert air which is the opposite of the moisture needed to fuel a storm. This will not only impact local storms, but as the dust and dry moves over the Atlantic, it will make it hard for tropical storms to grow and develop into hurricanes.
While it could slow down thunderstorms and tropical storm development for now, it does not mean that it will have a lasting impact. The dustiest time of year from this phenomenon can last through June & July.
Hurricane season sees its spike in the fall, after the dust has cleared. So, our already busy 2020 hurricane season is still expected to be very active after this break from the Saharan dust.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

“Famed actor Arnold Schwarzenegger posted a photo of himself sleeping on the street under his famous bronze statue, and sadly wrote "How times have changed". The reason he wrote the phrase was not only because he was old, but because when he was governor of California he inaugurated a hotel with his statue. Hotel staff told Arnold, "at any moment you can come and have a room reserved for you." when Arnold stepped down as governor and went to the hotel, the administration refused to give him a room arguing that he should pay for it, since they were in great demand.
He brought a sleeping bag and stood underneath the statue and explained what he wanted to convey: "When I was in an important position, they always complimented me, and when I lost this position, they forgot about me and did not keep their promise. Do not trust your position or the amount of money you have, nor your power, nor your intelligence, it will not last."
“Trying to teach everyone that when you're "Important" in the people's eyes, everyone is your "Friend". But once you don't benefit their interests, you won't matter. " You are not always who you think you will always be... nothing in this world lasts forever."

​




​

By Brandon Miller, Matt Rivers, Natalie Gallon, Tatiana Arias and Emma Reynolds, CNN


A 7.4 magnitude earthquake that hit Mexico's southern coastline on Tuesday, collapsing buildings and prompting evacuations, has left at least five people dead, officials said.

The earthquake occurred at 10:29 a.m. local time (11:29 a.m. ET), with an epicenter 6.8 miles southwest of Santa María Zapotitlán in Oaxaca state, near El Coyul.
At least five people were killed, according to the coordinator for Mexico's National Civil Protection Service.Oaxaca state Gov. Alejandro Murat said a 22-year-old woman and a man were among the dead.
The Oaxacan Health Services also reported damages from the quake to general hospitals in Pochutla, Puerto Escondido and Pinotepa Nacional and a few community hospitals in other areas. According to Murat, two of the hospitals with damages have been dealing with coronavirus patients.
"We are verifying [damages] because this hospital is also tending Covid cases on the Oaxacan coast," he said on a radio interview with Radio Fórmula. The severity of the damages are not specified.
The National Civil Protection Service reported the first death after a structure collapsed after the earthquake, which occurred just east of the popular tourist destination Huatulco.
Authorities also reported a power outage throughout the state's capital and damages to the exterior of a hospital in Oaxaca.
The earthquake could be felt as far as Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. In capital Mexico City, approximately 190 miles north of the epicenter, tremors were felt and sirens were heard wailing.


Rubble from a building damaged by an earthquake in Oaxaca, Mexico, on Tuesday, June 23.
Estimates modeled by the USGS suggest that localized casualties and damage are possible but there are likely to be fewer than 100 fatalities and less than $100 million in damage. However, the model only includes earthquake shaking,and not any impacts from potential tsunamis on the coastline.
The USGS said that recent earthquakes in the area have caused secondary hazards such as tsunamis and landslides.

Earlier estimates put the magnitude of the earthquake at 7.7, but that has been revised down to 7.4 (and additional revisions are possible).
Mexico is one of the world's most seismically active regions and has a long history of devastating earthquakes. The country is located on top of three large tectonic plates and their movement causes regular quakes and occasional volcanic eruptions.
In 2017, two powerful earthquakes hit the country in two weeks, toppling buildings, cracking highways and killing hundreds of people. One had a magnitude of 7.1 and the other a magnitude of 8.1.

Mexico City is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes because its very soft and wet ground amplifies shaking and is prone to liquefaction, in which dirt transforms into a dense liquid when sufficiently churned.
This breaking story has been updated with additional reporting.

Trinidad and Tobago State-owned carrier Caribbean Airlines (CAL) has recorded a loss of more than US$14 million in just over one month, as a result of the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the minister in the Ministry of Finance, Allyson West, has said.

She told the Senate that the airline, for the period March 23 to April 30, has estimated its losses at US$14.2 million.

“The financial impact to Caribbean Airlines Limited from losses arising from the COVID-19 pandemic took effect from the beginning of March 2020, prior to the closure of our national borders,” she said, adding that demand for air travel had “already been reduced significantly.

“The impact was further exacerbated following the closure of our borders at midnight on March 22. As a wholly owned State enterprise, Caribbean Airlines Limited has complied with government policy during the COVID-19 pandemic and maintained all of its staff on payroll,” West revealed.
She said in addition to that measure, notwithstanding the fact that air travel is severely restricted at present“It has truly been a breakout year for Caribbean Airlines. Another strong financial performance means we can continue our investments into new planes and services for our customers, building a better place to work for our employees, and supporting communities across the Caribbean through sponsorship, economic activity, and global connectivity.” Garvin Medera, the airline’s chief executive officer, said then.

Last November, the airline reported its unaudited summary financial results for January to September 2019, showing it continues to achieve an operating profit and is net income positive.
The unaudited results for the nine months ending September 2019 show earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of TT$121 million. Revenue for the period was TT$2.3 billion, up 3.8 per cent.

“It has truly been a breakout year for Caribbean Airlines. Another strong financial performance means we can continue our investments into new planes and services for our customers, building a better place to work for our employees, and supporting communities across the Caribbean through sponsorship, economic activity, and global connectivity.” Garvin Medera, the airline’s chief executive officer, said then.
— CMC


​

LO​NDON, England — Following Virgin Atlantic announcement that services from London Heathrow are expected to resume from July 20, 2020, onwards, the airline has unveiled more detailed plans that will see passenger flying restart too many destinations across the airline’s network. Flights from Barbados to London Heathrow start on August 2.
Juha Jarvinen, chief commercial officer, Virgin Atlantic said: “As countries around the world begin to relax travel restrictions, we look forward to welcoming our customers back onboard and flying them safely to many destinations across our network. From July 20 we are planning to resume some services and then from August 1, onwards, we will resume passenger flying to 17 additional destinations around the world including Barbados, Tel Aviv, Miami, Lagos and San Francisco,”
“However, we are monitoring external conditions extremely closely, in particular the travel restrictions many countries have in place including the 14-day quarantine policy for travellers entering the UK. We know that as the COVID-19 crisis subsides, air travel will be a vital enabler of the UK’s economic recovery. Therefore, we are calling for UK government to continually review its quarantine measures and instead look at a multi-layered approach of carefully targeted public health and screening measures, including air bridges, which will support a successful and safe restart of international air travel for passengers and businesses.”
Virgin Atlantic will operate temporarily from Terminal 2 at Heathrow, due to HAL’s terminal consolidation. Virgin Atlantic will return to its much-loved home at London Heathrow Terminal 3 when demand at Heathrow grows, enabling Terminal 3 to reopen
“Virgin Atlantic has taken the difficult decision to delay the restart of its London Heathrow to Orlando service and it will now resume on August 24, 2020. Seasonal services from Glasgow and Belfast to Orlando will resume for selected dates in summer 2021. We will continue to monitor our network on an ongoing basis and expect more flights from London Heathrow and Manchester to resume in September and October 2020. We expect flights from Barbados to Manchester to resume in October 2020.”
​The Caribbean ticket office in Barbados will re-open on August 4, to support bookings and enquiries, until then customers can contact our UK Call Centre on the Toll-Free number +1 246 228 4886 or visit www.virginatlantic.com





​

WASHINGTON, USA – The World Bank Board of executive directors approved the regional Caribbean Digital Transformation Project for a total of US$94 million for four Eastern Caribbean countries: Dominica (US$28 million), Grenada (US$8 million), Saint Lucia (US$20 million), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (US$30 million), and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission (US$8 million) to build an inclusive digital economy.
This is the first World Bank-financed project to support the development of the digital economy in the Caribbean. It aims to increase access to digital services, technologies, and skills by governments, businesses, and individuals.
“The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the essential role of digital technology in keeping people, businesses, governments, and countries connected. It enabled virtual continuity of services and facilitated contactless transactions,” said Tahseen Sayed, World Bank Country Director for the Caribbean. “The digital economy offers a unique opportunity for the Eastern Caribbean countries to become digital leaders. Wider and more rapid adoption of digital technologies can support countries during the COVID-19 recovery phase and help build resilience, create jobs and boost future growth.”
The project aims to increase internet penetration and access to digital financial services and public services. It will support reforms and regional harmonization of the legal and regulatory environment to promote investment in digital infrastructure. It will support activities to make telecommunications and financial services more affordable, while addressing risks related to cybersecurity and data protection. The project will also support public sector modernization and delivery of citizen-centric, digital public services. Support will be provided to individuals and businesses for skills and entrepreneurship development.
Financing for the project comes from the International Development Association (IDA). The OECS Commission will receive a grant, and the four Eastern Caribbean islands will receive interest-free financing with a maturity of 40 years, including a grace period of ten years.








​

​




By Sir Ronald Sanders

Three US Senators, who have done little to advance the interests of the Caribbean and with whom requests for meetings by many Caribbean ambassadors are usually shunted to their staff, are now proposing US government punishment for Caribbean countries that request assistance from Cuba for medical personnel.
The three Senators are all members of the Republican Party. Two of them represent Florida – Marco Rubio and Rick Scott – and the other, Ted Cruz, is a Senator from Texas. Senators Rubio and Cruz have strong Cuban heritage and are known to be virulently opposed to the Cuban government. Senator Scott is a former governor of Florida and has been a senatorial representative of the State since 2019, having run a campaign wooing the significant Cuban-American population.
On June 17, the three Senators introduced in the US Senate, the “Cut Profits to the Cuban Regime Act”, which, if it is adopted, will penalise any government, worldwide, that contracts with the Cuban government for the provision of medical personnel. Since many Caribbean governments have such contracts with Cuba, they all stand to be targeted.
Among the measures that the Bill, sponsored by the three Senators, seeks to impose are “a requirement that the Department of State publishes the list of countries that contract with the government of Cuba for their medical missions program”, and that the contracts be considered “as a factor in considering that country’s ranking for Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report”.
In other words, these three US Senators are seeking to disregard the sovereign right of other countries to enter arrangements with Cuba. In any event, a principle of international law and norms is being casually disdained, as if the rights of States do not matter.
The Senators also show a remarkable indifference to the critical public health emergency confronted by all Caribbean countries, particularly now in the seemingly endless era of the COVID-19 pandemic and its disastrous effects.
Had the three Senators considered a discussion with Caribbean representatives before they introduced their Bill, they would have learned that, for many countries of the Caribbean, the presence of Cuban medical personnel has made a huge and beneficial difference to their capacity to manage COVID-19 and its spread. It is no exaggeration to say that, without the Cuban medical personnel, the medical system of several Caribbean countries would have collapsed.
The Senators would also have been reminded that the United States, despite all its great resources, found it difficult – and are still finding it difficult – to respond to the demands that the pandemic has placed on its public health system. If the US cannot cope, how would any objective person believe that the Caribbean can do so without help?
Further, the Senators might have considered what assistance the US provided to the region in terms of the medical personnel that they urgently needed and continue to need.
Senator Scott is reported to have said that “Any country that requests medical assistance from Cuba is aiding their human trafficking efforts”, because, in his view, Cuban medical personnel sent abroad are “forced labour”. Caribbean countries have had no experience that substantiates this opinion. Indeed, Cuban medical personnel have conducted themselves with professionalism, integrating well with local medical teams, and passing on their knowledge and experience.
Caribbean countries have no basis for believing that the medical personnel are “forced labour”.  But, if the government of any country believes this claim to be true, there are international bodies to which it can be taken, and evidence proffered in support of a decision to uphold the allegation. Caribbean representatives would have encouraged the Senators to pursue such a definitive course of action, which all governments would have respected. One attempt to internationalise this claim by a private European-funded group came to nothing.
Had they had the chance to do so, Caribbean representatives would have reminded the three Senators that COVID-19, in addition to being a public health emergency, is wrecking the economies of Caribbean countries, some more severely than others but all without exception. They are now confronted with their greatest economic challenge. Government revenues have dropped drastically, expenditures have increased extraordinarily, and employment and poverty are expanding rapidly. In all this, there has been a poor response from richer countries that could have helped.
The Caribbean needed to get COVID-19 under control not only to save lives in their communities but also to salvage their economic prospects, now and in the future.
Cuba has provided Caribbean countries with medical assistance for over 30 years; the present contingent of Cuban personnel is not a new development. These arrangements have been formally negotiated and set out in contracts. Further, Caribbean governments have knowledge of the circumstances of Cuban medical personnel because, for three decades, Caribbean doctors have trained in Cuba on scholarships that richer neighbouring states have not offered.
Until and unless other governments step up to help, Caribbean governments will be constrained to get assistance from where they can, including Cuba.
The Senators would also have been advised that most Caribbean countries have worked closely and well with the US government to curb human trafficking. An attempt to mar this cooperative work by introducing a political dimension to it – particularly a very narrow one – would be tragic. A conversation with the Senators would be welcome.
The hemisphere – like the rest of the world – needs cooperation in improving the human condition; what it does not need is coercion for political purposes.
A Caribbean conversation with the Senators would be welcome.

Barbados has been thanked by the management of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. for the critical role played in facilitating the successful repatriation of 11,800 of its international crew from the island, and the compassion shown during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a recent letter to Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, President & Chief Executive Officer of Royal Caribbean International, Michael Bayley, said: “With your collaboration, we have repatriated crew on 45 flights and seven ship voyages from Barbados, to over 40 countries around the world. This unprecedented and formidable effort would not have been possible without your support and leadership.” Mr. Bayley also stated: “A special thank you to the people of Barbados, for without their compassion and understanding, so many of our crew would not have been able to return to their families and loved ones. It is this compassion that will forever resonate in a very special place in the hearts and minds of all of our crew and their families.” Additionally, he expressed gratitude to the professionals in the Ministry of Tourism and International Transport, who “worked tirelessly” to facilitate the repatriation flights.
He also thanked the officials of the Barbados Port Inc. for their “outstanding work” with Royal Caribbean’s marine, port and operations teams. 

#barbados #caribbean #royalcaribbeancruise #royalcaribbean #royalcaribbeaninternational #Covid19 #coronavirus #covid_19 #pandemic #virus #kncnews #kncradionews #kncradio

Dense layers of Saharan dust are still present over the #LesserAntilles.
Concentrations should start gradually reducing by this evening over #Barbados, then further west from #Trinidad northward to #Martinique by early Tuesday and the #ABCislands by Tuesday evening.
Further north from #Dominica to #StKitts and #Barbuda should see an improvement by Wednesday AM and from #Statia northward to #Anguilla and westward to the #VirginIslands sometime on Thursday.
Please NOTE: there will be fluctuations in concentrations over time and residents within the CAI should also expect another moderate layer of dust to be over the islands by next week.
Please continue taking necessary precautions to protect yourself and others in your care from this change in #airquality.#kncradionews #kncnews #kncradio