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Rolling back Trump-era sanctions, U.S. officials issued general licenses for Venezuela's oil, gas and mining sectors in response to a deal between Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and the county's opposition on the 2024 presidential election. SLOW RECOVERYThe sanctions relief authorizes the production, sale and export of Venezuela's crude and gas, while keeping a ban on business with Russia. Since the U.S. imposed secondary oil sanctions on Venezuela in 2020, PDVSA had been unable to fulfill its supply contracts to clients in regions from Europe to Asia. An individual authorization to Chevron Corp (CVX.N) allowed the return of Venezuela's crude to the United States this year. Area chart shows data from U.S. EIA showing Venezuela crude oil production.

Persons: Leonardo Fernandez Viloria, Francisco Monaldi, Rice University's, Nicolas Maduro, Joe Biden, Monaldi, PDVSA, Baker Hughes, Maduro, Marianna Parraga, Julia Symmes Cobb, David Gregorio, William Mallard Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, South, Rice University's Baker Institute ., Trump, Venezuelan, OPEC, U.S, Chevron Corp, U.S Chevron, Eni, EIA, Thomson Locations: Jusepin, Venezuela, South American, U.S, American, Russia, Iran, Europe, Asia, United States, Trinidad and Tobago, China, Caribbean

☆ The next United Nations Secretary General? This Caribbean climate leader makes diplomats 'jump' with excitement
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Stephanie Fillion | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

United Nations CNN —Asked last week if she will run to become the United Nations’ next Secretary General, Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados gave a thumbs up, smiled, and walked away. Fighting for a woman at the helmThe UN’s next Secretary General would take office in January 2027. “There’s always lots of men that want to run,” said Ben Donaldson, head of campaigns at the United Nations Association of the United Kingdom. “It’s not so much about talking about a Julie or Anne, or Mary, it is more about talking about a Madame Secretary General as a general proposition, and then making sure that we pave the way to get there,” she said. “I believe that men should run next time around as I believe women should run in their numbers,” he said.

Persons: United Nations CNN —, Mia Mottley, Mottley, Juan Manuel Santos –, –, Santos, Rafael Grossi, António Guterres, Alicia Bárcena, Rebeca, Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, “, Ralph Gonsalves, Saint Vincent, ”, Guterres, Obama, Richard Gowan, ” Elina Valtonen, ” Valtonen, it’s, Ben Donaldson, “ I’m, Susana Malcorra, It’s, Julie, Anne, Mary, Dennis Francis, doesn’t, ” Julia Maciel Organizations: United Nations CNN, United Nations ’, UN, United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency, Assembly, CNN, International Monetary Fund, General, Chevron, European Union, Bridgetown Initiative, IMF, World Bank, Crisis, UN Security Council, Security Council, Security, United Nations Association of, Global, Madame Locations: Barbados, America, Caribbean, New York, Colombian, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Grenadines, Venezuela, Bridgetown, COP28, New York City, UN, Portuguese, United Kingdom, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, Paraguay

Ever pack workout clothes for a vacation — only to unpack them, unworn, upon returning home? Data from exercise apps, which track users' physical locations and search history, show travelers tend to be more active in some locations more than others. Fitness app Strava shows travelers tend to exercise when they visit smaller cities in Europe. Conversely, the company's data shows travelers are less active, compared to locals, in parts of the Caribbean and Central America, namely:Trinidad and TobagoDominican RepublicPhilippinesVenezuelaCosta RicaThose who struggle to exercise on vacation can take heart in knowing that even active travelers tend to ease up from their usual routines on holiday. Nearly four in 10 runners cut their running times by at least 30% during their summer vacations in 2022, according to Strava's data.

Organizations: Portugal Las Palmas, Spain Nord, Trinidad and Tobago Locations: Europe, Split, Croatia Dodecanese, Greece Lagos, Portugal, Spain, Aurdal, Norway, Nord, Norway's, Lillehammer, Caribbean, Central America, Trinidad and, Trinidad and Tobago Dominican Republic Philippines Venezuela Costa

The U.S. in January granted Venezuela's PDVSA, Shell and NGC a two-year authorization to revive the project, which could boost Trinidad and Tobago's gas processing and exports. Negotiations between the trio initially had progressed little over a U.S. demand that the proposed Dragon gas project exclude cash payments to Venezuela or its state companies. "Discussions on the Dragon project involving the governments of Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago and Shell are ongoing and commercially confidential," Shell told Reuters. PDVSA, Venezuela's oil ministry and Trinidad's energy ministry did not reply to requests for comment. A second could connect to Shell's Hibiscus field on Trinidad's side, allowing gas to flow to Trinidad, the people said.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Venezuela's PDVSA, Biden, PDVSA, Shell, Stuart Young, Nicolas Maduro, Keith Rowley, Trinidad's, Curtis Williams, Marianna Parraga, Timothy Gardner, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Shell, REUTERS, Rights, Tobago's National Gas Company, NGC, Reuters, Trinidad's Energy, U.S . Treasury, U.S . State Department, Trinidad's, U.S, Washington, Thomson Locations: Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada, Trinidad, U.S, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Maduro, Guiria, Point Fortin, Houston, Washington

☆ Lavreysen reigns supreme in sprints, Britain top medals table
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

GLASGOW, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Dutchman Harrie Lavreysen maintained his stranglehold on track cycling's sprint discipline as he made it five world titles in succession in the individual event on Monday. Having powered the Dutch to team sprint gold earlier in the meet and, with the keirin to come on Tuesday, he could leave Glasgow having matched the record 14 world titles of French sprint king Arnaud Tournant. Host nation Britain also enjoyed another impressive day at the Chris Hoy Velodrome to top the medals table. He has won five sprint titles in a row, five of the last six in team sprint and three of the last three in keirin. "My legs are still screaming," Barker said after adding the madison to the team pursuit gold she won last week.

Persons: Harrie Lavreysen, Tobago's Paul Nicholas, Arnaud Tournant, Chris Hoy, Elinor Barker, Neah Evans, Ethan Vernon, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Lavreysen, Nicholas, Jason Kenny, I'm, Britain's, Barker, Evans, Martyn Herman, Ken Ferris Organizations: GLASGOW, Trinidad, UCI, Glasgow, Chris Hoy Velodrome, France, Paris Games, Reuters, MAN, Tokyo, Thomson Locations: Britain, Australia, keirin, British, France, madison

☆ Shaka Hislop: ESPN soccer analyst 'OK' after collapsing on-air, co-host says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Homero De La Fuente | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —ESPN soccer analyst Shaka Hislop is “OK” and conscious after collapsing on air about six minutes before the kickoff of AC Milan’s friendly match with Real Madrid at the Rose Bowl in California on Sunday, according to his co-host. Hislop was on camera alongside his co-host Dan Thomas, who was speaking during pre-match coverage when Hislop stumbled forward, bumped into Thomas and fell to the ground, video shows. Thomas could be seen immediately calling for the medical staff before the broadcast cut to commercials. We’ve been told in definitive terms that he is OK.”Shortly after the incident, Thomas tweeted that, “Shaka is conscious. The temperature in Pasadena, where the Rose Bowl is located, was around 86 degrees Sunday evening.

Persons: Shaka Hislop, Hislop, Dan Thomas, Thomas, Adrian Healey, We’ve, Shaka, ” Thomas, Shaka –, “, ” Organizations: CNN, ESPN, Milan’s, Real Madrid, Rose, Newcastle United, Trinidad and Tobago men’s, MLS, FC Dallas Locations: California, West Ham, Trinidad and Tobago, Pasadena

CARACAS, July 21 (Reuters) - Venezuelan expects to sign licenses by year-end for developing the nation's vast natural gas reserves, oil minister Pedro Tellechea said on Friday, even amid U.S. sanctions. Most of the South American country's gas reserves remain undeveloped after decades of insufficient investment, contract changes and - in recent years - U.S. sanctions to oust President Nicolas Maduro. But new officials running the oil ministry and PDVSA want to encourage new investment and unfreeze projects. Oil major Shell Plc (SHEL.L), which produces in Trinidad, could operate the Dragon gas field in Venezuela if Maduro's government extends it a license, Trinidad officials have said. Venezuela is producing 831,000 barrels of crude per day (bpd) this month and expects to increase to 1 million bpd by year-end.

Persons: Pedro Tellechea, Nicolas Maduro, Tellechea, Spain's, Maurel, Deisy Buitrago, Mayela Armas, Vivian Sequera, Marianna Parraga, Alison Williams Organizations: Eni, Shell, Thomson Locations: CARACAS, Caracas, United States, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Trinidad, China

The country recorded massive increases in generation from hydro (+64 billion kWh), solar (+13 billion kWh) and wind farms (+9 billion kWh). As a result, there was a sharp decline in thermal generation (-66 billion kWh) including gas (-45 billion kWh), oil (-10 billion kWh), coal (-8 billion kWh) and biomass (-3 million kWh). Hydro power was +43 billion kWh (+11%) above the prior ten-year average in 2022 and the highest for any year since 2011. In consequence, gas-fired generation was -24 billion kWh (-37%) below the prior ten-year average and the lowest since 2011. LNG IMPORTS DOWNBrazil relies on imports to cover more than a quarter of its gas consumption – rising to almost half in years when gas generation is high.

Persons: John Kemp, Barbara Lewis Organizations: U.K . Energy Institute, Hydro, HYDRO, National Electric, ., Ministry of Mines and Energy, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Brazil, Europe, Chartbook, Bolivia, United States, Qatar, Trinidad and Tobago, Asia, Midwest

CARACAS, July 17 (Reuters) - The families of Venezuelan migrants lost in the Caribbean sea are demanding their government investigate the disappearance of their loved ones after years of stasis. In Aruba, migrants must scale rocky outcrops of up to four meters high and many fail, drowning as a result they said, though bodies have not been found. There are no investigations in Aruba or Curacao into the whereabouts of Venezuelan migrants missing during sea crossings, an official with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. "We went to Caracas to look for answers," said Ana Arias, a 43-year-old housewife whose daughter Luisannys Betancourt went missing on a boat journey in April 2019. Reporting by Vivian Sequera in Caracas, Tibisay Romero in Valencia and Mircely Guanipa in Maracay Writing by Oliver GriffinOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jhonny Romero, Romero, Jhonny de Jesus, Shalick Clement, Ana Arias, Luisannys Betancourt, Luisannys, Carolina Bastardo, Ana Maria, We've, Vivian Sequera, Tibisay Romero, Mircely, Oliver Griffin Organizations: United Nations, International Organization for Migration, UN, Reuters, Boat, Caribbean Coast Guard, Thomson Locations: CARACAS, Venezuela's, Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curacao, Caracas, Africa, Europe, Colombia, Panama, Venezuelan, Grenada, Valencia

☆ Trinidad and Tobago nears awards for onshore oil and gas exploration
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Curtis Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 29 (Reuters) - The Trinidad and Tobago government accepted bid recommendations for six of eight onshore oil and gas exploration blocks, people close to the matter said on Sunday, setting the stage for awards to be disclosed as soon as this week. The Caribbean nation has pushed to expand exploration to counter declines in its oil and gas production. A decision to award licenses was taken by the country's cabinet on Thursday on the recommendation of Trinidad and Tobago Energy Minister Stuart Young, the people said. Trinidad and Tobago's A&V Oil and Gas Ltd was recommended for the St. Mary’s block. The Aripero Block will go to Nabi Construction (Trinidad and Tobago) Ltd, while the Buenos Aires block is to be awarded to Trinity Exploration & Production Plc, the people said.

☆ Exclusive: Trinidad and Tobago nears awards for onshore oil and gas exploration
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Curtis Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 29 (Reuters) - The Trinidad and Tobago government accepted bid recommendations for six of eight onshore oil and gas exploration blocks, people close to the matter said on Sunday, setting the stage for awards to be disclosed as soon as this week. The Caribbean nation has pushed to expand exploration to counter declines in its oil and gas production. Trinidad and Tobago's A&V Oil and Gas Ltd was recommended for the St. Mary’s block, which had received four bids, the most of any offer. A&V bested Canadian energy firm, Touchstone Exploration Inc (TXP.TO), which bid as Primera Oil and Gas Limited, the people said. The Aripero Block will go to Nabi Construction (Trinidad and Tobago) Ltd, while the Buenos Aires block is to be awarded to Trinity Exploration & Production Plc.

☆ Climate Change Brings Warmer, Wetter Weather to Trinidad
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Clifford Krauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Imtiaz Khan remembers the rains of his childhood as being light and providing welcome relief from the summer heat. A heavy shower, he said, would arrive only about once a month during the rainy season. Now 48, and president of the Carli Bay Fishing Association, Mr. Khan said the rains were something to dread. The heavy downpours carry sediment into the bay, turning the sea cloudy and brown. “The fish go where there is more food and where they can reproduce,” Mr. Khan said.

☆ Best rice dishes: 20 delicious specialties from around the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Terry Ward | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

And while famous rice dishes such as sushi, fried rice and paella are among the most prominent in the global spotlight, there are so many more rice recipes out there to put on your radar – and seek out on your travels. Wali wa kukaanga, KenyaWali wa kukaanga is Kenya’s answer to fried rice, and translates to just that in Swahili. So it’s no surprise that the Polynesian island country’s most popular rice dish, alaisa fa’apopo, has ties to the coconut, too. Thai fried rice (Khao Pad), ThailandThai fried rice uses the layering of flavors that's characteristic of the country's cuisine. ArenaCreative/Adobe StockWhen it comes to fried rice, the Chinese version tends to steal the spotlight.

☆ 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.

☆ Harry Belafonte, calypso star and civil rights champion, dies at 96
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Alex Johnson | Diana Dasrath | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Singer Harry Belafonte speaks during a press junket at The Bing Decision Maker Series with the Sing Your Song Cast and Filmmakers on January 22, 2011 in Park City, Utah. American singer Harry Belafonte performing in a recording studio, circa 1957. By the early 1960s, Belafonte had become a force in the civil rights movement. A crowd of over 10,000 civil rights marchers gathers in the Manhattan Garment Center as Harry Belafonte sings at spiritual at a civil rights rally. A capacity audience of civil rights advocates turned out to watch a glittering array of theater personalities perform.

☆ Russia using ship-to-ship diesel transfers for transatlantic exports
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A full EU embargo on Russian oil products on Feb. 5 has boosted Russian diesel exports to Asia, Africa and the Middle East, with STS loadings in the Mediterranean helping to shorten eastern routes. Last month, Russia sent about 1.0 million tonnes of diesel to African countries, some of which could be re-exported, traders said. Russian supply of diesel to Lomé almost doubled in March to about 200,000 tonnes, Refinitiv data showed. About 30,000 tonnes of Russian diesel has also been transhipping on to the tanker Savanna near the Nigerian port of Lagos, according to Refinitiv. STS transfers near Lomé and Lagos are commonly used for delivering diesel and gasoline, transferring such cargoes from large Aframax and Panamax tankers to vessels able to enter smaller harbours.

☆ Tour the Caribbean's $200 million trophy estate: The Terraces, Mustique
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Ray Parisi | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

A palatial estate in the Caribbean was listed for a whopping $200 million today, making it the most expensive home to ever hit the market in the region and one of the priciest homes for sale in the entire world. The Terraces, as the estate is called, spans over 17 acres and nine structures. It's located on the small private island of Mustique which lies in the southern Caribbean nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines north of Trinidad and Tobagos and about 45 minutes west of Barbados by private plane. "The Terraces in Mustique is the most expensive single residential home to publicly come to the open market in the Caribbean region," said Edward de Mallet Morgan, head of international super-prime sales at Knight Frank, who represents the mega-listing. See even more pictures of the trophy property and an in-depth article on The Terraces, Mustique at CNBC.com.

☆ The most expensive home in the Caribbean just listed for $200 million – take a look inside
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Ray Parisi | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

It's located on the small private island of Mustique, which lies in the southern Caribbean nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Last year, Mustique's largest transaction was recorded at about $35 million, according to de Mallet Morgan. Here's a closer look at the most expensive home to ever hit the market in the Caribbean. The Bali Cottages house four more guest bedrooms and surround the estate's third swimming pool. De Mallet Morgan said the estate is currently operated by 18 staff.

☆ Fact Check-Video compiles CCTV footage that predates Turkey-Syria earthquake
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Footage from 2015 and 2018 has been miscaptioned online to say it shows the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on Feb. 6, 2023. The first miscaptioned clip showing CCTV imagery of a white van in the middle of a street as an earthquake hits has already been addressed by Reuters (here). According to the description, the footage depicts an earthquake in Trinidad and Tobago. See the latest Reuters coverage on the 7.8 earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria (here). This video compiles two clips that date to at least 2015 and 2018 respectively.

☆ Caribbean Seeks Venezuela’s Oil and Gas as U.S. Relaxes Sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Patricia Garip | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Production has plummeted at Venezuelan state oil company PdVSA, which operates these facilities on Lake Maracaibo. Caribbean countries battered by high energy costs are turning to Venezuela for oil and gas as the U.S. eases sanctions that have kept its supplies off limits for years. Trinidad and Tobago received a U.S. Treasury Department license in January to develop a Venezuelan gas field. A prospective refinery operator in Curaçao is seeking to buy Venezuelan crude oil. And officials on other islands have said they hope to restore Venezuelan fuel imports.

☆ Trinidad offers to pay for Venezuelan gas with humanitarian supplies
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Curtis Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday issued a license allowing Trinidad to co-develop the Dragon gas field, which holds 4.2 trillion cubic feet of reserves on the Venezuelan side of the maritime border with Trinidad. The project would have Trinidad import the gas and turn it into exportable liquefied natural gas (LNG). So we buy the gas and we pay for it in a variety of ways," Rowley told journalists late on Tuesday. Venezuela has resorted to swaps to make its economy work amid stiff U.S. sanctions prohibiting financial transactions or the use of dollars to pay Venezuela or the country's state companies. Shell (SHEL.L), which operates the neighboring Hibiscus field in Trinidad, ideally could become the operator, said Trinidad's Rowley.

PDVSA has found reserves of 4.2 trillion cubic feet (TCF) in the Dragon field, on the Venezuelan side of its maritime border with Trinidad. Even with Washington's granting of Trinidad's request, it could take years of investment and development to bring Venezuelan gas to Trinidad and boost LNG to Europe, experts say. In addition, with no payments authorized to Venezuela, it could be difficult for Trinidad to craft a deal with Caracas. "At the request of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, the United States Department of the Treasury issued a specific license to enable Trinidad and Tobago to develop the Dragon gas field," the senior administration official said. The Chevron license is meant to reopen some oil flows that were shut by U.S. sanctions nearly four years ago.

☆ The world's oceans are key to slowing the climate crisis, and this year is critical to guaranteeing their longevity
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Freya Graham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

But oceans are an important carbon sink — some more effective than rainforests. Leaders at Davos said the role of the ocean in combating climate change has been underestimated. Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest on the culture & business of sustainability — delivered weekly to your inbox. Understanding 'blue carbon'Plants and trees that grow in coastal waters, such as mangroves, kelp, and seagrass, are all forms of "blue carbon," which means they absorb and store carbon. The Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed at COP15 in Montreal in December 2022, was a big step forward for oceans.

☆ Trinidad plans new offshore gas auction under revamped terms -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Curtis Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PORT OF SPAIN, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Trinidad and Tobago plans an auction this quarter of up to 20 offshore natural gas exploration blocks under new fiscal terms designed to increase the pool of potential bidders, people familiar with the matter said. The Caribbean nation has been working to stem a decline in its natural gas output and to spur exploration in its shallow waters, where almost all of its natural gas is produced. The new fiscal terms and a plan to provide seismic data aim to lure new bidders, the people said. Trinidad and Tobago has a natural gas deficit of 25% of its installed processing capacity, with daily production of just under 3 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) leading to a shortfall in LNG and petrochemical production. Reporting by Curtis Williams in Port of Spain; editing by Gary McWilliams and Grant McCoolOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Rapper Theophilus London found and in 'good condition' after family reported him missing
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Tim Stelloh | Tim Stelloh Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Rapper Theophilus London, whose family reported him missing to authorities in Los Angeles last week, has been found, authorities said Thursday. "Mr. London was located in good condition and re-united with his family," Los Angeles police said in a statement. Noel did not provide additional details about the disappearance and said London's family had asked for privacy. Los Angeles police said relatives had lost “complete contact” with him. “Theo, your Dad loves you, son,” his father said in the Secretly statement.

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