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☆ UN approves Haiti security mission to fight gangs
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 3 (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council on Monday authorized a foreign security mission to Haiti, a year after the Caribbean country asked for help to fight violent gangs that have largely overrun its capital Port-au-Prince. The Security Council also expanded a U.N. arms embargo to include all gangs - a measure China wanted. The response to Haiti's request for help was delayed due to a struggle to find a country willing to lead a security assistance mission. The Security Council stressed an "urgent need" for Haiti to make progress toward "transparent, inclusive, and credible electoral processes and free and fair elections." The security assistance mission, while approved by the U.N. Security Council, is not a United Nations operation.

Persons: Jean Victor Geneus, Jeffrey DeLaurentis, Zhang Jun, Alfred Mutua, William Ruto, Ruto, Ariel Henry, Linda Thomas, Greenfield, Jean, Bertrand Aristide, Michelle Nichols, Sarah Morland, George Obulutsa, Cynthia Osterman, Andrew Heavens, Alison Williams Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, United Nations Security, Security, Foreign Affairs, Kenyan, U.S, Security Council, . Security, United, Peacekeeping, Monday, Thomson Locations: Haiti, Caribbean, Port, United States, Ecuador, China, Russia, U.S, Kenya, Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua, Barbuda, East, United Nations, Caracas, Nairobi

☆ UN vote on foreign police mission to Haiti set for Monday
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 1 (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council is set to vote on Monday to approve the deployment of foreign police to Haiti and authorize the use of force to help the Caribbean country fight violent gangs that have largely overrun the capital Port-au-Prince. China wanted the resolution to state that Haiti had to notify the Security Council of the countries taking part in the mission before U.N. authorization would take effect. A Security Council resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes to be adopted. The response to Haiti's request for help was delayed due to a struggle to find a country willing to lead a security assistance mission. The security assistance mission, while approved by the U.N. Security Council, would not be a United Nations operation.

Persons: Antonio Guterres, Guterres, Ariel Henry, Jean, Bertrand Aristide, Michelle Nichols, Sarah Morland, Richard Chang Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, United Nations Security, Reuters, Diplomats, . Security, United, Peacekeeping, Thomson Locations: Haiti, Caribbean, U.S, China, United States, Russia, France, Britain, Kenya, Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua, Barbuda, Americas, United Nations

☆ This Caribbean island was once plagued with rats that destroyed the ecosystem. Now, plant biomass has increased 2,000% thanks to environmental group efforts.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

When miners stepped foot on the island, they introduced invasive species that destroyed the habitat. The tiny island of Redonda, about a mile long, was formerly a haven for several species of seabirds. AdvertisementAdvertisementHumans deserted the island around the 1930s, but the mining operations left behind invasive species, mainly domestic goats and stowaway black rats, that wreaked havoc on the island's ecosystem. In 2016, environmental groups such as EAG launched restoration efforts to bring back the local plant life and animal species native to the island. We just removed the rats and the goats, and the island transformed right in front of our eyes," Bradshaw told CNN.

Persons: —, Brown Boobies, Johnella Bradshaw, haven't, Bradshaw Organizations: Service, British, BBC, Environmental, CNN Locations: Redonda, Caribbean, Antigua, Barbuda, EAG's Redonda

☆ Redonda: A Caribbean island once ruled by rats is now a wildlife haven
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Nell Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But with the humans came invasive species, such as black rats and feral goats. In 2016, they launched an effort to restore the island and eliminate the invasive species. We just removed the rats and the goats, and the island transformed right in front of our eyes,” she says. Jenny Daltry/Fauna & Flora/Re:wild Jenny Daltry/Fauna & Flora/Re:wild Redonda island, before and after the eradication of invasive species. Redonda, which is about a mile long, was estimated to have around 6,000 rats and 60 goats pre-eradication, explains Bradshaw.

Persons: Christopher Columbus, Redonda, Ed Marshall, ”, Johnella Bradshaw, Jenny Daltry, they’re, Bradshaw, “, ” Bradshaw, Lawson Lewis, Nneka Nicholas, Helena Jeffery Brown, Nature Organizations: CNN, Environmental, Barbuda Defence Force, Department of, Department for Environment, “ Locations: Redonda, Antigua, Barbuda, Caribbean, Fauna

☆ A $120 million megayacht linked to a Russian billionaire was seized by authorities, and now residents of a small Caribbean nation are paying $28,000-a-week to maintain it, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A $120 million megayacht linked to a Russian billionaire has been docked in Antigua and Barbuda for 19 months. Now taxpayers in the small country are paying $28,000-a-week to maintain the idle vessel, per the WSJ. The Alfa Nero is a $120 million vessel that was raided by armed police and the FBI in August 2022, having been left in Antigua's Falmouth Harbor since Russia invaded Ukraine six months earlier. The US Treasury Department has linked the Alfa Nero to Andrey Guryev , a Russian oligarch who the department says is a "close associate" of Vladimir Putin. The Journal reports that the country's residents are paying $28,000-a-week in taxes to maintain the Alfa Nero, including the salary of an Italian captain and $2,000-a-day in diesel to keep its air conditioning running.

Persons: Nero, Alfa Nero, Andrey Guryev, Vladimir Putin, Eric Schmidt, Guryev's, it's, Joan Miró, Tom Paterson Organizations: Service, Street Journal, FBI, US Treasury Department, Bloomberg, Alfa, Guardian, Google Locations: Russian, Antigua, Barbuda, Caribbean, Wall, Silicon, Antigua's Falmouth Harbor, Russia, Ukraine, Falmouth Harbor, Italian

☆ At UN, Kenya's President Asks World Not to Leave Haiti Behind
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Michelle NicholsUNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Kenyan President William Ruto urged the United Nations Security Council on Thursday to formally back a security support mission to Haiti, which Kenya has shown a willingness to lead, saying the Caribbean country "deserves better from the world." The council could vote as soon as next week, diplomats said, on a U.S.-drafted resolution supporting a multinational police deployment. Haiti last year asked for help to combat violent gangs that have largely overrun the capital Port-au-Prince. "As we mobilize to show up for Ukraine, and countries that have experienced the devastating impact of climate shocks including Libya, Morocco and Hawaii, we must not leave Haiti behind," Ruto said. U.N. peacekeepers were deployed to Haiti in 2004 after a rebellion led to the ouster and exile of then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Persons: Michelle Nichols UNITED, William Ruto, Ruto, U.N, Antonio Guterres, Guterres, Ariel Henry, Jean, Bertrand Aristide, Michelle Nichols, Grant McCool Organizations: Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS, Reuters, Kenyan, United Nations Security, General, Peacekeeping Locations: Haiti, Kenya, Caribbean, U.S, Ukraine, Libya, Morocco, Hawaii, Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua, Barbuda, Americas

☆ At UN, Kenya's president asks world not to leave Haiti behind
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Kenya's President William Samoei Ruto addresses the 78th Session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York City, U.S., September 21, 2023. The council could vote as soon as next week, diplomats said, on a U.S.-drafted resolution supporting a multinational police deployment. Haiti last year asked for help to combat violent gangs that have largely overrun the capital Port-au-Prince. "As we mobilize to show up for Ukraine, and countries that have experienced the devastating impact of climate shocks including Libya, Morocco and Hawaii, we must not leave Haiti behind," Ruto said. U.N. peacekeepers were deployed to Haiti in 2004 after a rebellion led to the ouster and exile of then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Persons: William Samoei Ruto, Brendan McDermid, William Ruto, Ruto, U.N, Antonio Guterres, Guterres, Ariel Henry, Jean, Bertrand Aristide, Michelle Nichols, Grant McCool Organizations: General Assembly, REUTERS, UNITED NATIONS, Kenyan, United Nations Security, General, Peacekeeping, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Haiti, Kenya, Caribbean, Ukraine, Libya, Morocco, Hawaii, Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua, Barbuda, Americas

The tribunal will issue an advisory opinion, which is not legally binding, but offers an authoritative statement on legal matters that could guide countries as they craft climate protection law. The prime ministers, representing the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law (COSIS), will argue that countries have an obligation to protect the marine environment under the UN convention on the Law of the Sea, including from greenhouse gas emissions. Low-lying island states like Tuvalu and Vanuatu are also at risk of becoming submerged by water by the end of the century due to slow-onset climate impacts. Small island nations have also sought legal clarity on nations' climate obligations in other courts. Vanuatu led a campaign to ask the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to issue an advisory opinion on countries' obligations to address climate change.

Persons: Kausea Natano, Gaston Browne of, Tuvalu's Natano, Valerie Volcovici, Diane Craft Organizations: International Tribunal, International, UN, Court of Justice, Assembly, Thomson Locations: Hamburg, Germany, Tuvalu, Gaston Browne of Antigua, Barbuda, Small, States, Vanuatu

☆ Island States Seek Climate Protection From Law of the Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Persons: Valerie Volcovici, Kausea Natano, Gaston Browne of, Tuvalu's Natano, Diane Craft Organizations: International Tribunal, International, UN, Court of Justice, Assembly Locations: Hamburg, Germany, Tuvalu, Gaston Browne of Antigua, Barbuda, Small, States, Vanuatu

☆ UN chief says 'robust use of force' needed against Haiti's gangs
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Haiti last year asked for international help to combat violent gangs that have largely overrun the capital Port-au-Prince. Guterres suggested in October that countries send a "rapid action force" to support Haiti's police. The United States has already said it is prepared to put forward a draft Security Council resolution to back a deployment. Kenya said last month it was ready to consider leading an international force and pledged to send 1,000 police officers. In his report, Guterres said any targeted operations against gangs must also protect people and respect human rights and due process.

Persons: Antonio Guterres, Guterres, Jean, Bertrand Aristide, Ariel Henry, Michelle Nichols, Ismail Shakil, Grant McCool Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, Security, Reuters, Peacekeeping, ACT, UN, Security Council, United, United Nations, Human Rights Watch, Thomson Locations: Haiti, U.N, Caribbean, United States, Kenya, Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua, Barbuda, Americas

☆ The daughter of a sanctioned Russian billionaire says she's the true owner of a $68 million superyacht bought by ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Eric Schmidt bought a superyacht linked to a sanctioned Russian billionaire at auction in June. The Russian mogul has denied owning the vessel – but his daughter now says she's its true owner. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt recently paid $67.6 million for a stranded superyacht that has been linked to a sanctioned Russian billionaire. The Russian chemical mogul's daughter now says she's its true owner and wants it back, according to a report by Bloomberg. But on Wednesday, lawyers for Guryev's daughter Yulia Gurieva-Motlokhov filed an appeal saying that she was the vessel's true owner, Bloomberg reported.

Persons: Eric Schmidt, Schmidt, Nero, Andrey Guryev, Guryev, Alfa Nero, Vladimir Putin, Guryev's, Yulia Gurieva, Motlokhov Organizations: Bloomberg, Morning, US Treasury, Alfa, EU, FBI, Trust, Flagstaff Trust Locations: Russian, Antigua, Barbuda, Ukraine, Caribbean, Flagstaff

☆ Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt paid $67 million for a superyacht abandoned by a sanctioned Russian oligarch
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Max Adams | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt paid $67.6 million at auction for a 267-foot superyacht. The boat was left moored in Antigua Bay by Andrey Guryev, a sanctioned Russian oligarch. Billionaire and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt won an auction Friday for the 267-foot Alfa Nero, paying $67.6 million for the superyacht that had been "abandoned" in Antigua Bay by a sanctioned Russian oligarch. Schmidt was the CEO of Google from 2001 to 2011, and stepped down as chairman of Google parent Alphabet in 2018. Representatives for Schmidt didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider, made outside normal working hours.

Persons: Eric Schmidt, Andrey Guryev, Nero, Sir Ronald Sanders, Schmidt, Guryev, Vladimir Putin, Guryev's, Mr Guryev, Alfa Nero, Beck Diefenbach, Schmidt didn't Organizations: Google, Russian oligarch, Bloomberg, Morning, Barbuda Port Authority, Boat, US Treasury Department, Guryev, Alfa, Reuters Officials, International . Locations: Antigua Bay, Russian, Antigua, Barbuda, Ukraine, Falmouth Harbor

☆ The crew of a sanctioned super yacht have been playing 'Call of Duty' in the master suite and swimming in the infinity pool
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A sanctioned superyacht is racking up about $112,000 per month in crew costs, Bloomberg reported. The crew have been on the vessel for over a year and have reportedly taken to playing "Call of Duty." Over the past year, Alfa Nero's crew have tried to find ways to pass time while the ship remains stuck. Bloomberg reported that the crew have taken to playing "Call of Duty" and other PlayStation games in the ship's master suite. The crew — which has dwindled from 44 to 6 people — will also sometimes swim in the yacht's infinity pool, Bloomberg said.

☆ Jamaica cool on Charles' coronation as it eyes break with monarchy
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Kate Chappell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The process to sever ties with the British monarchy is underway, following in the footsteps of another former Caribbean possession, Barbados. Maziki Thame, a political scientist at the University of the West Indies, agreed the coronation was of little significance. It gained independence in 1962 but retained the British monarch as head of state and stayed in the Commonwealth. Breaking ties with the monarchy is essential for Jamaica, said Steven Golding, president of the UNIIA-ACL, a Black nationalist organization founded in Jamaica by activist Marcus Garvey. "I'd like to hear what Charles has to say about the subjects in the Isle of Jamaica," she said.

☆ Where Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon takes the corporate jet
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Dakin Campbell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

"The Board fully supports the use of the Goldman Sachs planes for travel, just as it supported the use of private aircraft by previous Goldman Sachs executives," said Tony Fratto, a company spokesman. "Executives at Goldman Sachs have been flying on private aircrafts for decades as it is proven to be the most secure, effective, and cost-efficient solution to meet the extensive travel obligations for CEOs of firms like Goldman Sachs — which is why all of our peer institutions also extensively use private aircraft." John Waldron, president of Goldman Sachs Reuters/Brendan McDermidOccasionally, Solomon and Waldron switch planes, particularly when Waldron flies overseas. Goldman Sachs has a sponsorship deal with pro golfer Patrick Cantlay. "These estimates wildly overstate the cost of such flights to Goldman Sachs and are not an accurate representation," he said.

☆ Billionaire founder of Paul Mitchell and Patron invests in man-made coral reefs
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Coral reefs, often called the "rainforests of the sea," support roughly 25% of all known marine species. And the planet has lost half its coral reefs since the 1950s due in large part to climate change. The annual value of U.S. commercial and recreational fisheries dependent on coral reefs is $200 million. Brosnan has been studying coral reefs for more than 25 years, with a specific focus on the Caribbean. So right now today, we lose more coral reefs in a day than we can restore in a decade."

☆ Antigua wants to quickly auction off an 'abandoned' superyacht linked to a Russian oligarch after it ran up a $500,000 bill for fuel and food
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Antigua and Barbuda government has declared the Alfa Nero super yacht abandoned. Authorities intend to use the money to pay down a $500,000 fuel bill owed to the Antigua Yacht Club Marina. The authorities intend to use the yacht's sale proceeds to pay down a $500,000 debt it owes to the Antigua Yacht Club Marina for fuel, per Daily Observer. He added the Alfa Nero could also be uninsured and this could cause issues for the harbor. The US Department of the Treasury has linked the Alfa Nero super to Guryev, who the department said is a "close associate" of President Vladimir Putin.

☆ Antigua and Barbuda is preparing to auction off an 'abandoned' $81 million superyacht linked to a Russian oligarch, reports say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

An $81 million superyacht linked to a Russian oligarch is reportedly set to be auctioned off. The 81.2-meter Alfa Nero has been linked to Russian chemicals magnate Andrey Guryev. An Antigua and Barbuda government minister reportedly said the "abandoned" yacht risks becoming a "hazard." The 81.2-meter Alfa Nero was built by Oceanco and can accommodate 12 guests in six staterooms and 28 crew, according to Boat International. The Treasury department said in August that the Alfa Nero was a "blocked property" of Guryev's, and that he reportedly bought the yacht for $120 million in 2014.

☆ She's visited 63 countries by herself — and now coaches others on how to travel solo
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Lucy Handley | Chris Dwyer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

She's visited 63 countries alone, she said, and now coaches others on how to go solo. She said people enjoy solo travel because they don't need to take anyone else's interests into account. Group toursGroup tours are another popular option for solo travelers. It has added more single-occupancy cabins with no single supplement, which are extra fees that solo travelers are sometimes charged to stay in a room by themselves. Solo travel tipsHoffman offered advice for people who are traveling alone.

☆ From Portugal to Bali, these 28 countries and territories offer 'digital nomad visas' for remote workers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

28 countries offer residence visas for remote workers, also known as "digital nomad visas." Spain and Italy are still in the process of establishing a legal framework for the programs. The so-called "digital nomad visas" allow remote workers to live and work in countries like Malta, Portugal, and Costa Rica — as long as your income comes from outside the country. Here are 28 countries that currently offer visas specifically for remote workers and the minimum income required in order to apply:Europe digital nomad visasLisbon, Portugal. Flavio Vallenari/Getty ImagesGrenada: Minimum salary required of EC$100,000.00 a year (around $37,000) St. Lucia: Currently no salary requirements Curaçao: Currently no salary requirements Montserrat: Minimum salary required of $70,000 a year Dominica: Minimum salary required of $50,000 a year Cayman Islands: Minimum salary required of $100,000 a year Anguilla: Currently no salary requirements Antigua and Barbuda: Minimum salary required of $50,000 a year Barbados: Minimum salary required of $50,000 a yearNorth, Central, and South America digital nomad visasLaguna del Hule in Costa Rica.

☆ Another momentous year beckons for Britain's royal family
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Michael Holden | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

LONDON, Dec 7 (Reuters) - The last year will go down as one of the most seismic in the history of the British royal family with the death of Queen Elizabeth months after she celebrated her record seventh decade as monarch, but 2023 could prove almost as momentous. Elizabeth's success had been to guide the monarchy into the modern world, riding out the many crises that befell her family. Most damaging of all is the rift with Charles's younger son Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, who now live in California, and their criticism of the royal household. Harry and Meghan's interview with U.S. talk show host Oprah Winfrey in March 2021 rocked the institution and the royal family will be anxiously waiting to see if there are further damning revelations in the book. The major set piece event for the year will be King Charles's coronation - a solemn and religious event conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual head of the Anglican Communion.

☆ Historic compensation fund approved at U.N. climate talks
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

The decision establishes a fund for what negotiators call loss and damage. Early Sunday morning, delegates approved the compensation fund but had not dealt with the contentious issues of an overall temperature goal, emissions cutting and the desire to target all fossil fuels for phase down. This year’s talks “were very focused on the fund and less on the mitigation (cutting emissions) part,” Eide added. However, that fight was overshadowed by the historic compensation fund. But like all climate financials, it is one thing to create a fund, it’s another to get money flowing in and out, she said.

☆ Analysis: COP27 loss and damage fund heralds 'new dawn for climate justice'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Megan Rowling | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Yeb Saño, head of Greenpeace Southeast Asia, said the fund's approval "marks a new dawn for climate justice." While the loss and damage fund would not be enough to deal with growing climate losses, "it is a much-needed political signal to rebuild broken trust" between rich and poor nations, he said in a video statement. Their opposition was rooted in fears of being held financially liable for the impacts of their historically high greenhouse gas emissions. FOSSIL FUELS MISSINGPolitical figures had urged countries at COP27 to set aside geopolitical fights in order to keep climate action on track. Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, global climate and energy lead for environmental group WWF, who presided over COP20 in Peru, said leaders had missed the chance in Egypt to speed up the rapid and deep emissions cuts essential to limit climate damage.

☆ Time running out for climate deals on final day of COP27
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Global climate talks approached crunch time on Friday, the final scheduled day of negotiations that are expected to go past their deadline as chances of a deal still looked unclear. The document contained few new proposed solutions for curbing oil and gas emissions and repairing damage caused by climate change. The proposal would tie compensation for climate disasters to tougher emissions cuts, two of the thorniest issues at the meeting. In climate negotiations, loss and damage refers to the idea that rich nations, which have historically done the most to contribute to climate change, should compensate developing countries most impacted. Antigua and Barbuda’s environment minister says they have concerns about the EU proposal, while the environmental advocacy group Action Aid called it a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” because it doesn’t go far enough.

REUTERS/Nacho Doce/File PhotoSHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, Nov 17 (Reuters) - The COP27 climate summit in Egypt must establish a fund to help countries cope with the irreparable damage caused by climate disasters, ministers representing developing nations said on Thursday, warning that anything less would thwart the U.N. summit's chances of success. Talks about creating - or at least committing to create - a "loss and damage" fund were put on the agenda for the first time in nearly three decades of COP climate summits where poorer nations have urged richer countries to act. "Anything less than establishing a loss and damage fund at this COP is a betrayal of the people who are working so hard to clean up this environment," said Molwyn Joseph, Antigua and Barbuda's environment minister. He was speaking at a news conference of ministers representing groups of developing countries in the U.N. climate talks. The first draft of a possible deal document for COP27 published earlier on Thursday mentions loss and damage, but it does not include details for actually launching a fund.

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