Staff Writer

#USA, August 11, 2023 – The United States official clarified their stance following Kenya’s announcement to consider leading a multinational force to Haiti to help pacify the gang ridden nation, saying that while the US is prepared to introduce a resolution for a multinational force themselves, they are waiting on Kenya to specify and detail the help needed upon their planned visit to the Republic, to assess the situation.

This was revealed at a virtual press briefing on Friday August 4th, 2023, held by Barbara Feinstein, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Caribbean Affairs and Haiti Bureau of the Western Hemisphere.

Feinstein gave insight into the worsening atmosphere in Haiti, highlighting “additional atrocities committed by gangs,” and these include “indiscriminate attacks on women and children such as sexual and gender-based violence, widespread kidnappings and extortion,” alongside “other means of harassment.”

She added that these negatively affect food security, the delivery of humanitarian assistance and basic livelihoods.

Additionally, Feinstein pointed out, in response to a question from media, that amid Kenya’s and The Bahamas’ decision regarding the multinational force, other countries have publicly remarked on their willingness to help the struggling democracy back on its feet.

“We have seen similar statements from other countries in the region either formal statements or public comments, and that includes from Trinidad and Tobago, from Jamaica, from The Dominican Republic and the Organization of American States.”

“I think that is evidence that there is strong support for an urgent solution to Haiti’s crisis and offers of support to that end,” she added.

In continuation, the Deputy Assistant (Secretary of State) made sure to highlight that as these decisions are pending,  “the US continues to pursue a comprehensive approach in Haiti in support for security, specifically assistance to strengthen, train and equip the Haitian National Police, as well as humanitarian economic and health assistance to improve livelihoods and safeguard critical gains.”

In commending Kenya for taking the lead for the Multinational Force, Feinstein echoed Secretary Antony Blinken, who applauded the African nation for stepping in to consider steering the vehicle to Haiti’s comeback.

Present at the briefing were media representatives from The Bahamas, Guyana, South Africa , the Miami Herald and Reuters.

Photo Caption: On July 25, U.S GENERAL PAYS COURTESY CALL TO THE KDF CHIEF OF DEFENCE FORCES AT ULINZI HOUSE.  The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Francis Ogolla hosted the Commander U.S Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), General Bryan P. Fenton at the Defence Headquarters, Nairobi.

Credit: Kenya Defence Forces

#Ecuador, August 10, 2023 – The Secretary-General strongly condemns the assassination of presidential candidate of Ecuador

The Secretary-General recalls his 21 July meeting with President Guillermo Lasso, with whom he discussed the deterioration of security in Ecuador,  the impact of organized crime, and the need to enhance national and international efforts to fight it.  

The United Nations stands ready to continue to support the Ecuadorian authorities with a view to addressing the violence in keeping with international human rights norms and standards. 

Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General 

New York, 10 August 2023 

August 9, 2023 – The world’s small island developing States (SIDS) are among the most vulnerable countries on the planet.  And they are in trouble.  Some of them are literally sinking.  Or, to be more exact, the waters that surround them are inching higher, threatening to swallow them up.

Those same waters, which for millennia have been their source of food and their channel for transport, is also getting warmer and more acidic, killing fish and coral, and becoming more chaotic in its movements.

SIDS are, in fact, large ocean states: Only 3.5 per cent of the area they control is land, while 96.5 per cent is ocean. The deteriorating state of oceans represent an existential threat to the entire planet and SIDS are at the front-line of this war.  If we do not help them turn the tide, then the battle for our future on this planet will be lost.

Island nations face a unique set of challenges due to their small size, remoteness, exposure to natural disasters, and dependence on faraway markets and resources.  These challenges are compounded by climate change, volatile global markets and the ongoing repercussions of the pandemic further.  The cumulative impact of these challenges undermines SIDS’ capacity to cope with current challenges, future shocks and crises, and their efforts to build equitable societies.

Next year in Antigua and Barbuda, the United Nations will convene an international conference on the small island developing States.  The agenda gives a sense of the urgency of the problem.  It will tackle issues like climate change, sea-level rise, and biodiversity loss side-by-side with the global debt crisis and rising inequality.  The result will be a new 10-year plan of action for SIDS, one agreed between the small island nations and international partners.

We must use the opportunity of the fourth International Conference on SIDs to help these nations overcome the barriers that hinder their progress and potential.  It is our responsibility to help them survive this existential crisis thrust upon them by climate change and outdated global-level systems.

That is why this week in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we are gathering with the governments from 16 Caribbean States, to hear firsthand an assessment of regional progress and their priorities for the new plan.

These assessments will be the foundation for a more ambitious, coherent, and effective global response that recognizes the special needs and circumstances of these countries and provides them with adequate means of implementation, including access to finance, data, technology, capacity-building, and trade.

The United Nations is committed to supporting SIDS in their quest for a more resilient and sustainable future.  To most of us, these small islands may seem distant and set apart, small dots on an expansive globe, but we must remember that the problems that SIDS face today are the ones that the rest of the world must confront tomorrow.

Li Jinhua is the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.

Staff Writer

#China, August 5, 2023 – Cuba and China have made new ties to enhanced its cooperation in higher education. This comes as new cooperation agreements were signed with Chinese counterparts during a visit to China by Miriam Nicado García, rector of the University of Havana.

This development is in-line with Garcia’s aim, that is to expand collaboration between the Universities of the two countries as she expressed in an interview with Prensa Latina.

While in China, she took part in the Global Forum of University Presidents which focused on the debate on the work of universities after Covid-19 as well as the challenges to bring about innovation, science and technology in the development of countries.

Additionally, she had talks with Zhou Zuoyu, vice president of the Beijing Pedagogical University of humanities and social sciences, which has a high development in scientific and technological innovation.

As she continues her agenda, Nicado will take part in other meetings with the universities of Hebei and Liaocheng which can potentially lead more development.

“We have the projection of creating joint centers and colleges with the aim of teaching common careers in China with ours (…),” she said.

The Forum is a wide-reaching international academic conference held in recent years by China’s higher education circles.  It’s aim is to building a platform for exchange and dialogue for the presidents of the world’s top universities.

Staff Writer 

July 31, 2023 – As technology advances and continues to become more integrated in our society now more than ever, the United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is taking action, calling Caribbean countries to support a global ban of the use of mobile phones.

Concerns were raised in a new UN report about the excessive use of smartphones at the negative effects they have on learning.

The UNESCO report refers to technology’s relationship to education and urges countries to meticulously analyze how it is used in schools.

The report emphasizes the need for a “human-centered vision” where digital tech is more a tool than taking precedence, exercising dominance over the main goal that is educating children. It is crucial that digital technology be used to facilitate education rather than be a distraction.

UNESCO’s call to action is that all countries establish their own unique standards for the way technology is designed and utilized in the education context so that is supports the shared goal of education and not replace physical, in-person teacher led institutions.

Staff Writer

July 31, 2023 – Dengue is on the rise and the region of the Americas is most affected according to the World Health Organization (WHO) with nearly THREE million suspected and confirmed cases this year.

In an update on July 19th, the WHO described the outbreaks as of ‘significant magnitude’ have been recorded regionally. The numbers seen in the first seven months already eclipse the entire year of 2022 which saw 2.8 million cases. Of the cases this year, 45 percent were lab confirmed.

The number is dangerously close to the highest year on record (2019), which saw 3.1 million cases.

Thankfully, the number of severe cases are extremely low with only 0.13 percent classified as severe dengue. The death rate is also low, recorded at 0.04 percent or 1,302 deaths. The worst affected areas remain in South America, specifically Brazil, Peru and Bolivia.

The WHO is warning however, that the regional risk of outbreak is high because of the high prevalence of the mosquitos (especially Aedes Aegypti) which are carriers.

The Turks and Caicos has already completed one round of mosquito fogging exercises this summer in an attempt to control the vectors that spread dengue fever throughout the population.

Dengue, also called break-bone fever, spreads from mosquitoes to people. The WHO says most people who get dengue won’t have symptoms. But for those that do, the most common symptoms are high fever, headache, body aches, nausea and rash.

In order to lower your risk of dengue, you must avoid mosquito bites.

Effective ways include sleeping under mosquito nets, using mosquito repellents and preventing mosquito breeding by getting rid of garbage that can facilitate standing water collection and caring for drains properly so they don’t clog.

Staff Writer 

July 31, 2023 – As the world struggles with the warmest temperatures ever recorded, the United Nations has a grim outlook for the future.

“The era of global warming has ended.  The era of global boiling has arrived,” Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, said in a press conference on July 27^th, where he also acknowledged that the speed of the change is “terrifying.”

The UN leader was in receipt of a report from the World Meteorological Organization and Copernicus Climate Change Service, which officially confirmed the last three weeks were the hottest of all time.

“This anomaly is so large with respect to other record-breaking months in our record, that we are virtually certain that the month as a whole, will become the warmest July on record, the warmest month on record, in all likelihood,” Carlo Buentempo, Director of Copernicus Climate Change Service, told the UN via Zoom.

Ocean temperatures are pushing records as well.  Guterres described the consequences as clear and tragic.

“Children swept away by monsoon rains, families running from flames, workers collapsing in scorching heat, and for scientists it is unequivocal, humans are to blame,” he said.

Heat warnings, wildfires and vector-borne diseases have prompted alarm for various international agencies since the beginning of the month, all tied to the rising global temperatures.

Guterres is now calling on the people responsible for the change that is boiling everyone, especially Small Island Developing States, to do their part in combating the disaster.  He fingers the G20 nations, responsible for the vast majority of emissions, and says they must step up for climate justice.

Staff Writer 

Russia, July 31, 2023 – After nearly a year of collaboration with Ukraine to allow valuable grain to be shipped peacefully, Russia has pulled out of the Black Sea Grain Deal.

Struck on July 22, 2022 when the world supply of grain was dangerously low, the deal, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, made tons of grain available to desperate countries who were struggling with food insecurity, helping to level prices and provide more food.

The announcement came from the Kremlin via Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov.  Russian State Media TASS, reports that the Kremlin feels that the part of the deal to do with Russia has gone unfulfilled and as such they will allow the deal to expire.

“As soon as the Russian part [of the deal] is fulfilled, the Russian side will immediately return to the implementation of this deal,” Peskov is quoted as saying.

But now, there is pressure from nations whom Russia considers allies.  Media reports from an African Summit being hosted by Vladimir Putin, the Russian president reveal that he is being urged to renew the deal.

There is resistance though, as Putin has announced Russia can provide free grain to these countries over the next four months adding that the West is responsible for this rising cost of food.

The three month deal had been renewed multiple times over the last year, allowing a steady supply of the super crops from two of the world’s largest producers.  Together Russia and Ukraine are responsible for 27 percent of grain exports globally.

Now, that could come to a standstill for many, if not all countries dependent upon the Black Sea port in the Ukraine, which has since the deal was abandoned, been bombed by Russia.

In a Twitter post Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General who was essential in brokering the deal, maintained the effects of the termination would be dire.

“I deeply regret Russia’s decision to terminate the implementation of the Black Sea Initiative, which has been a lifeline for global food security in a troubled world.  Hundreds of millions facing hunger & consumers confronting a global cost-of-living crisis will pay the price,” he said.

The Turks and Caicos will be directly impacted by any price fluctuations on Grain in the US as the country is a major export partner for the Caribbean country.  The US produces its own grain rather than importing but when the global price goes up so do prices in the United States.

Within hours of the announcement of the deal, wheat prices shot up.

The Wall Street Journal says wheat by the bushel, at the time of the deal collapsing, had risen 3.4 percent to $6.84 in Chicago.

In addition, poor weather conditions have been impacting prices, which were initially offset by a surplus in product.

With no relenting on either side of this bitter battle, prices could rise significantly.

Staff Writer

July 27, 2023 – As the world struggles under a mass of issues, from humanitarian concerns, to war and climate change a message of hope and determination has been shared by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres as he reflects on the life of the late Nelson Mandela shared on international Nelson Mandela Day July 18:

He says “Nelson Mandela was a colossus of courage and conviction.  A leader of immense achievement and extraordinary humanity.”

Today, poverty, hunger and inequality are on the rise.  Countries are drowning in debt.  The climate crisis is destroying the lives of those who have done the least to cause it.  And our unfair and outdated international financial system is not fulfilling its function as a global safety net. We have it in our power to solve each of these problems.

Secretary General Guterres urged world citizens to honor the late Mandela with action to expel the poison of racism, discrimination and hate; extinguish the legacies of colonialism and promote equality, human rights and above all, justice.

Staff Writer 

#USA, July 17, 2023 – Major US Pharmacy chain Walgreens, is closing hundreds of stores in an attempt to save money. The company made the announcement in their earnings call for the period ending March 31, 2023, indicating that 150 US Stores would be on the chopping block and 300 would be shuttered in the UK.

The pharmacy had a massive drop in their profits for the period. They made 118 million, a 171 million decline over the same period last year. They had to pay out billions of dollars in lawsuits over Opioids and saw an 83 percent drop in COVID vaccinations which also hit their income.

James Kehoe, Chief Financial Officer of the company maintained that they were very committed to maintaining their investment grade rating and dividend, and expected to save at least $4.1 billion by 2024, aided by cost cutting measures including the closures.

He said $3.3 billion would be saved this year and another $800 million by next year with the massive closures.

In addition to the shutting stores, 500 roles were eliminated or made redundant from the company’s corporate offices.

With over 8,000 stores in the US alone, the company has given no indication which ones will be closed down.