Category Archives: Caribbean

ORLANDO, Fla. Tropical Depression 9 formed Friday morning and could impact Florida by next week. Read live updates below:

TropIcal Storm Ian has officially formed.

The 11 p.m. updated forecast track hasnt changed much since 5 p.m., and its too soon to know location of impacts, Channel 9 meteorologist George Waldenberger said.

READ: Timeline for Tropical Depression 9: Heres what to expect

The forecast cone indicates the potential of a major hurricane nearing the Florida Peninsula, or just west, by Tuesday night or Wednesday.

Waldenberger advises residents to go over their hurricane plan this weekend.

See our in-depth coverage in the video below:

IN-DEPTH: Tropical Storm Ian forms Tropical Storm Ian forms

Tropical Depression Nine is still churning across the Caribbean but is expected to become a tropical storm soon, and then a hurricane by the weekend.

The 5 p.m. track shifted slightly west with new model data.

Read: Timeline for Tropical Depression 9: Heres what to expect

Expect the potential for tropical storm/hurricane impacts in Central Florida on Wednesday.

The threat of flooding, rain and strong winds will all depend on storms track, which is still very uncertain at this time.

Read: Hurricane supply checklist: What should you include in your kit?

Tropical Storm Hermine formed far west of Africas coastline. Active systems include Hurricane Fiona, tropical storms Gaston and Hermine, Tropical Depression Nine and a disorganized low.

Stream Tom Terry live on Channel 9 Eyewitness News.

Tropical Storm Hermine just formed in the eastern Atlantic, so the Caribbean system will instead likely get the name Ian.

Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order on Friday declaring a State of Emergency for 24 counties in the potential path of Tropical Depression 9.

DeSantis also requested a federal pre-landfall Emergency Declaration in anticipation of impacts from the storm. His office said that declaration will make resources and support available as well as free up funding sources for emergency protective measures. Under the emergency order, members of the Florida National Guard will be activated and on standby awaiting orders.

The state of emergency applies to: Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and St. Lucie.

Channel 9 meteorologist Rusty McCranie said there is still a lot of variability in where the tropical depression will head. You can see the latest models in his tweet below.

Tropical Depression 9: 2 p.m. Friday update

Tropical Depression 9 is forecast to continue to strengthen as it moves across the Caribbean over the weekend with a turn towards South Florida early next week.

The National Hurricane Center said this is forecast to become a major Category 3 hurricane around southwest Florida on Wednesday morning.

The latest computer models on the track of Tropical Depression 9 shows it clustered over western Cuba and then heading toward southwest Florida.

11 a.m. Tuesday update Tropical Depression 9 (WFTV)

Remember, these are models, and the track can and will change, meteorologist Rusty McCranie said.

Residents should start their initial preparation Friday and refresh their hurricane supply kits.

By Saturday, we should know if there will be impacts to Florida. If that is the case, more hurricane preparation will be needed.

Sunday is when we will know exactly what kind of impacts we will see.

Watch live updates on Channel 9 Eyewitness News at Noon.

Download the WFTV news and weather apps here for regular updates.

TD9 is currently in the central Caribbean moving west-northwest at 13 mph.

Video: Tropical Depression 9 forms in Caribbean, could impact Florida Tropical Depression 9 formed Friday morning and could impact Florida by next week. (James Tutten, WFTV.com/WFTV)

The tropical disturbance is forecast to develop into a hurricane by this weekend.

Read: Eye on the Tropics: Peak of hurricane season update and safety tips

The storm could be near western Cuba by early next week.

The forecast models for TD9 currently have the system moving toward the west coast of Florida or South Florida.

Florida residents are encouraged to have their hurricane plans in place, but full-throttle preparations are not needed at this point.

The path of tropical systems can be unpredictable over time, so there is still a chance that Central Florida will not see a direct impact from TD9.

Channel 9 meteorologists will continue to monitor TD9 and will provide updates on Eyewitness News.

Watch: Hurricane Fiona to bring rough surf, strong rip currents to Volusia County beaches

Follow our Severe Weather team on Twitter for live updates:

Visit our hurricane section: EYE ON THE TROPICS

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

2022 Cox Media Group

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Tropical Storm Ian forms in the Caribbean - WFTV Orlando

Fiona transitioned into a post-tropical cyclone Friday evening as it slammed into the Canadian Maritimes with hurricane-force winds, torrential rainfall and significant storm surge.

Fiona transitioned into a powerful post-tropical cyclone Friday evening as it slammed into the Canadian Maritimes with hurricane-force winds and a pressure that the Canadian Hurricane Centre said was lowest of any landfalling system in the country's history.

Thousands of miles of coastline from New Brunswick to Newfoundland were under tropical cyclones alerts as winds gusted to over 100 mph and an unofficial pressure was reported of 931.6 millibars.

The winds damaged trees and powerlines and sent a tremendous storm surge into the Canadian Maritimes which damaged boats and flooded homes.

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER ON TV

The former hurricane was the strongest land falling storm on record in eastern Canada knocking down trees, damaging homes and leaving thousands without power.

Fiona's trek of terror lasted for more than 10 days from near the Caribbean islands, where the cyclone first became a tropical depression, to the waters of the North Atlantic where the system became a powerful post-tropical cyclone.

During its journey Fiona was the strongest cyclone of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season and at one point was a Category 4 with sustained winds around 130 mph.

Its destructive winds and torrential rainfall were blamed for causing the deaths of at least a dozen people and plunged the entire island of Puerto Rico into darkness.

Despite the large storm system moving over cold water, the cyclone was able to take advantage of the clash of air masses and produce destruction similar to hurricanes.

Wind gusts were reported higher than 100 mph which led to widespread damage from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland.

Fiona made landfall Saturday in eastern Canada

So far, the country has not reported deaths associated with the storm, but damage assessments of Saturday were in their early stages.

"Fiona is the most significant rain and wind event Nova Scotia has seen in close to 20 years. Thousands of people are on the ground working hard to assess damage and restore power, but they need some help," John Lohr, minister responsible for the Emergency Management Office, said in a statement. "Through past experiences with storms like Dorian, we know the military makes a real difference in how quickly we can get trees cut and removed, debris cleared and power restored."

At the height of the storm, more than 500,000 people were reported to be without power in Canada's eastern provinces.

The region is no stranger to hurricanes or their remnants.

Since 1951, the Canadian Hurricane Centre said the country has seen around two-dozen hurricanes or post-tropical cyclones that have made landfall along its Atlantic coast.

The names of recent tropical cyclones to impact the expansive coastline include Larry in 2021 and both Teddy and Isaias in 2020.

Hurricane Juan of 2003 is considered to be the most destructive in recent history. The Category 2 hurricane made landfall with winds of around 100 mph on Sept. 29.

HURRICANE FIONA'S PATH TO CANADA IS NOT COUNTRY'S FIRST HURRICANE IMPACT

Hurricane Fiona's closest approach to Bermuda was over 100 miles away, but that did not prevent the entire British territory from seeing significant impacts from the major storm.

FOX Weather's Robert Ray experienced the worst of what the storm brought to the island.

Wind gusts to 93 mph caused the majority of the island to temporarily lose power.

The island was spared from the core of the storm with many weather stations reporting sustained winds below the threshold of a Category 1 hurricane.

DRONE VIDEO SHOWS 50-FOOT WAVES AND DESTRUCTIVE WINDS IN THE HEART OF HURRICANE FIONA

Even though Fiona stayed several hundreds miles off the U.S. East Coast, indirect effects in the form of high seas and rough surf impacted beaches from Florida through Maine,

The rough seas caused life-threatening rip currents along beaches, and lifeguards cautioned less-skilled swimmers to stay out of the waters.

The increased surf was enough to send overwash onto North Carolina Highway 12, the main thoroughfare that links the mainland to the Outer Banks.

NCDOT reports overwash just north of Hatteras Village and on the north side of Ocracoke.

(NCDOT)

The North Carolina Department of Transportation said they reinforced dunes before the arrival of the storm's waves to minimize travel interruptions.

Despite a wide area impacted by rough seas and rip currents, there were no reported deaths along the East Coast.

WATER FROM HURRICANES, TROPICAL STORMS KILLS MORE IN U.S. THAN WIND

Fiona made two landfalls as a Category 1 hurricane, the first one Sunday afternoon along the extreme southwestern coast of Puerto Rico and the second one early Monday morning in the eastern Dominican Republic.

In Puerto Rico, the city of Ponce clocked a 103-mph wind gust, while in the Dominican Republic, a gust of 98 mph was recorded in Samana at El Catey International Airport. The high winds plunged all of Puerto Rico into a blackout on Sunday as catastrophic flooding unfolded across the U.S. territory.

DEATH TOLL RISES TO AT LEAST 8 AFTER POWERFUL HURRICANE FIONA LASHES CARIBBEAN

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden declared Puerto Rico a major disaster area to help with recovery efforts.

Hurricane Fiona made its first landfall in southwestern Puerto Rico on Sunday, Sept. 18, followed by a second landfall in the eastern Dominican Republic on Monday, Sept. 19.

(FOX Weather)

FEROCIOUS HURRICANE FIONA BATTERS TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS WITH STRONG WINDS, TORRENTIAL RAIN

Hurricane Fiona battered the Turks and Caicos on Tuesday as high winds and heavy rain spread across the islands after the hurricane had already turned deadly in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

Read the original here:

Ferocious Fiona leaves behind trail of destruction from Caribbean to Canadian Maritimes - Fox Weather

By NAN Staff Writer

NEWS AMERICAS, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. Sept. 26, 2022: A Caribbean man will spend the next 17 years of his life in jail after he was found guilty today of murdering a woman he wrongly thought had infected him with the HIV virus.

A High Court judge in St. Vincent and the Grenadines sentenced Desron Roberts, 26, to 17 years, five months and 11 days in prison. His sentencing came after Roberts pleaded not guilty to the charge in June, that in October 2018, he murdered Rhodesia Rochelle Bailey.

The court heard that Roberts, who was then 22, had a sexual relationship with Bailey, 30, whose house he frequented. On July 16, 2018, Bailey told Roberts that she was HIV positive and two days later, he went to see a doctor, who advised him to take a post-exposure treatment for HIV and to get tested.

Roberts began the course of medication, but did not adhere to the prescription fully as he felt that some of the side effects of the medication were too harsh. He had bouts of depression and contemplated suicide but was afraid to speak to anyone about his problem for fear of the reaction that he would face.

Nonetheless, he continued the sexual relationship with Bailey and in October 2018, decided that he would kill her, wrongly thinking that she had infected him with HIV. On October 25, 2018, he took a knife with him to Baileys house. As she was lying wearing only her underwear, Roberts told her that he had come to kill her.

Bailey told Roberts that she was not afraid to die, and he put the knife down and began to strangle her. Bailey attempted to reach for the knife but was unsuccessful and Robert continued to try to strangle her.

Unsatisfied with his attempts to end Baileys life that way, Robert took up the knife and began to stab Bailey, who held on to him begging for her life. Roberts stabbed her multiple times before releasing her. Bailey ran from the house but collapsed nearby.

Robert went to his home and a passing villager found Baileys body early the following morning. A postmortem found that she died of multiple stab wounds.

Following his arrest, Roberts confessed to murdering Bailey and took them to the house.

In sentencing Roberts, Justice Cottle said there was a significant degree of premeditation involved in the killing, noting that Roberts took the knife with him to the scene and told the victim that he had come to kill her.

See more here:

Caribbean Man Jailed For Killing Woman He Thought infected Him With HIV - Caribbean and Latin America Daily News - News Americas

By Nathan Kamal| Published 5 days ago

The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is being revived as an animated series on Disney+. According to our trusted and proven sources, a Pirates of the Caribbean cartoon series is currently in development, which could potentially make it the first new entry in the franchise since 2017s Dead Men Tell No Tales. The future of the popular Walt Disney series has been up in the air for quite some time, so this seems promising for a new start for one of the biggest film franchises of all time.

It also makes a lot of sense that the Walt Disney Company would be looking to turn Pirates of the Caribbean into an animated series on their proprietary streaming platform, for a number of reasons. For one, various branches of the mega-company have been increasingly leaning on Disney+ for their new content over much riskier (and more expensive) feature film releases, so Pirates of the Caribbean going that direction fits in with the overall strategy. For another, going the animated route could potentially allow Disney to avoid the huge, heavily eyeliner-d elephant in the room: Johnny Depp.

While the Pirates of the Caribbean was initially presented as a vehicle for Orlando Bloom (then white-hot from the success of the contemporaneous Lord of the Rings franchise) and Keira Knightley (who was breaking out after the surprise hit Bend It Like Beckham), it became quickly apparent that Johnny Depps Captain Jack Sparrow was the star of the series. Over the course of the next four sequels, Johnny Depp would become the deadlocked, drunken face of the series, which would inadvertently paint both the franchise and Depp himself into a corner. Once it became clear that Captain Jack Sparrow was the center of Pirates of the Caribbean, it became increasingly difficult to imagine the series without Depp.

However, Johnny Depps plummeting public image in the 2010s and his ongoing, widely publicized, highly contentious legal battle with his estranged former spouse Amber Heard made him a risky proposition for the famously risk-averse, family-friendly Disney. Combined with Johnny Depps comments that he would never work for Disney again, the future of the Pirates of the Caribbean has seemed to bounce from word of Margot Robbie starring in a spin-off or Dwayne Johnson being courted for a leading role. In contrasted, a Disney+ animated series would be an easy, relatively safe way for Disney to test the waters for the Pirates of the Caribean, so to speak.

An animated Pirates of the Caribbean series could allow Disney to recast Captain Jack Sparrow without necessarily drawing the fan anger, much in the same way that Marvels What If? series cast Mick Wingert to voice Tony Stark rather than the presumably much more expensive Robert Downey Jr. An animated series could also potentially act as a ramp-up to a new feature film or a reboot by introducing characters or explaining what happened to old ones without the enormous cost of a theatrical release. As with both Star Wars and the MCU, it is clear that Disney+ is the way of the future.

Excerpt from:

Exclusive: Pirates Of The Caribbean Series In The Works For Disney+ - Giant Freakin Robot

Jacksonville, Fl. The Buresh Bottom Line: Always be prepared!.....First Alert Hurricane Survival Guide... City of Jacksonville Preparedness Guide... Georgia Hurricane Guide.

STAY INFORMED: Get the * FREE * First Alert Weather app

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WATCH Preparing for the Storm

WATCH The Ins & Outs of Hurricane Season

READ the First Alert Hurricane Center Survival Guide

LISTEN & WATCH Surviving the Storm - WOKV Radio & Action News Jax

***** ALWAYS CHECK & RE-CHECK THE LATEST FORECAST & UPDATES! *****

REMEMBER WHEN A TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE IS APPROACHING: Taping windows is *NOT* helpful & will not keep glass from breaking.

Realize the forecast cone (cone of uncertainty) is the average forecast error over a given time - out to 5 days - & *does not* indicate the width of the storm &/or damage that might occur.

** No *inland* impacts expected from Fiona for Jacksonville/NE Fl./SE Ga.... beaches to be affected by easterly swells, rough seas/surf & a high rip current risk mid through late week.... **

Atlantic Basin:

Tropical wave - 96-L was upgraded to tropical depression #7 Wed. morning then to tropical storm Fiona Wed. evening & to a hurricane Sun. morning with a Cat. 1 (85 mph winds) landfall Sunday afternoon about 3:20pm EDT along the southwest coast of Puerto Rico near Punta Tocon followed by another landfall (Cat. 1/90 mph winds) early Mon. at 3:30am EDT along the coast of the Dominican Republic near Boca de Yuma. The hurricane strengthened into a Cat. 2 late Mon. with the eye becoming more clear.

Fiona has been battling a narrow - but significant - 30-40 mph - band of westerly shear to its immediate west & northwest but has still managed to organize. The strongest shear is now oriented north & east of the eye & Fiona will remain on the western edge of the westerly shear thereby allowing for further strengthening. Upper level outflow has improved dramatically & all signs point to a powerful Cat. 3+ hurricane for much of the rest of this week. Of note - the center moving a little south of due west into the face of the shear - as was the case Wed./Thu. & parts of Fri. - has led to eventually powerful hurricanes that had a similar trend. And indeed Fiona will become become the first major (Cat. 3+) hurricane of the season for the Atlantic Basin. As Fiona moves away from the Caribbean, a sharper turn north will occur to near & just east of the SE Bahamian Islands Tue... then northeast to near Bermuda by Thu. night then a turn back north over the N. Atlantic.

FIONA SUMMARY/IMPACTS:

* Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands/nearby Caribbean islands: Improving weather & sea conditions through Tue.

* Most intense impacts for Hispaniola through Mon. night. Strongest winds will impact Dominican Republic along with flooding rains/mudslides... Haiti will escape most of the wind & rain.

* Impacts to the Southeast Bahamas through Tue. night, especially the Turks & Caicos Islands - strong winds, heavy rain & rough seas/surf though the most severe part of the hurricane will stay a little east.

* Impacts for Bermuda Thu. night/Fri. - wind/rain/rough seas/surf.

* Possible impacts for Nova Scotia this weekend (becoming large/strong post-tropical ocean storm)

* Increasing swells/seas/surf + dangerous rip currents for virtually all of the U.S. east coast during the upcoming week (but Fiona well offshore)

Forecast models briefly trended more west Thu. but have trended back east recently which is why one should not become too obsessed with individual model runs. Some of the real time aircraft dropsonde data was used Thu. in the 18Z (2pm) GFS model run *but not* in the 00Z (8pm) model run which is probably why the GFS had a hiccup in the 18Z Thu. run showing a track much more west. I bemoan when real time data is not consistently used within the models as it usually causes inconsistency within the models. Either use it with reach run as long as its available or dont use it at all. The good news is that Gulfstream G-IV research aircraft started consistently flying Sat. & will continue the next several days with the data gathered from the atmospheric environment in & around Fiona then can be used to initialize the GFS for each run. This has helped with better initial analysis for models at the beginning of the forecast cycle which would then - in theory - give more accurate output (forecast). Clustering & consistency of the models has improved dramatically keeping Fiona well east of the U.S. mainland. The GFS remains a little faster & bit more east than the European model... the UKMET appears remains out to lunch.

The steering influences for Fiona are distinct & pretty much locked in place in the form of an upper level trough moving to New England then the NW Atlantic while the Bermuda high is well to the east providing the distinct alleyway across the W. Atlantic for Fiona. The upper level trough should then capture Fiona by next weekend bending the transitioning to a post-tropical low to the north & northwest late in the week/next weekend which has implications for Nova Scotia as the low will remain a powerful ocean storm even after losing tropical characteristics.

Overall - once over the Southwest Atlantic - it looks like conditions (water temps., shear & moisture) will favor strengthening through midweek. There will still be some westerly shear, but Fiona will be moving with the shear + may aid from some mid & upper level ventilation courtesy the upper level trough to the NW Atlantic.

Another interesting forecasting tidbit... a typhoon over the W. Pacific is turning sharply to the north & northeast across Japan (track map at the bottom). This typhoon teleconnection might correlate rather well with Fiona over the W. Atlantic this week & the rather sharp turn north & - in time - northeast. This correlation is possible because of the upper level pattern - troughs (dips) & ridges (upside down Us) in the jet stream - that often (not always) mirror each basin (Pacific & Atlantic). See maps 6 & 7 below.

So to recap: Fiona is leaving the Caribbean ... there will be at least some impacts on some of the Bahamas Tue./Wed. - especially the Turks and Caicos Islands - followed by a move more north & - finally - north/northeast with a close pass to Bermuda late Thu. into Fri. morning. Then there will be the bend back to the north or even a little northwest over the N & NW Atlantic late in the week.

Elsewhere... a couple of active tropical waves are over the Central/Eastern Atlantic with at least some potential for development.

(1) A weak low/tropical wave over the Central Atlantic far to the east of Bermuda will move more north so no chance to move across the Atlantic.

(2) A more southern latitude wave that moved off of Africa late last week is now roughly half way between Africa & the Caribbean at a much lower latitude than it predecessors. Both the GFS & European global models have latched onto this wave now with potential development over the Caribbean by the weekend. Its possible the wave will enter the Gulf of Mexico thereafter. Models had been mostly ignoring this wave over the last several days, but this is a wave to keep a close eye on over the next week to 10 days.

Spaghetti plots including the ensemble (faint lines showing all the model runs which gives an indication of uncertainty):

The alleyway for Fiona is well established as the Bermuda high shifts east & a series of upper level troughs move to the U.S. east coast & NW Atlantic:

Mountainous terrain over especially the Central & Western portions of Hispaniola with some peaks 10,000+ feet. Fiona missed the highest mountains:

The upper level (about 30,000 feet) teleconnection with troughs & ridges between the Atlantic (steering Fiona) & the Pacific (steering W. Pacific typhoons):

Despite the eye of Fiona moving away, very heavy rain bands well to the east of the center are still streaming northward across Puerto Rico where rainfall totals will exceed 2 feet on some parts of the islands!:

Water vapor loop shows some dry air near wave 96-L, but its more moist than past days:

A zone of shear - on the order of 20-30+ mph - remains east/west just north of Fiona. Forecast models gradually take Fiona to the edge then west of the strongest shear.

Sunday morning:

Friday night recon mission:

Thursday recon mission:

September origins:

Averages below based on climatology for the Atlantic Basin through September. This season so far is well below avg.:

Wind shear:

Saharan dust spreads west each year from Africa by the prevailing winds (from east to west over the Atlantic). Dry air - yellow/orange/red/pink. Widespread dust is indicative of dry air that can impede the development of tropical cyclones. However, sometimes wanna be waves will just wait until they get to the other side of - or away from - the plume then try to develop if other conditions are favorable. In my personal opinion, way too much is made about the presence of Saharan dust & how it relates to tropical cyclones. In any case, weve had several large dust plumes spread west to the Caribbean & Gulf with the peak of Saharan dust typically in June & July.

2022 names..... Gaston is the next name on the Atlantic list (names are picked at random by the World Meteorological Organization... repeat every 6 years). Historic storms are retired [Florence & Michael in 18... Dorian in 19 & Laura, Eta & Iota in 20 & Ida in 21]). In fact, this years list of names is rather infamous with Charley, Frances, Jeanne & Ivan retired from the 04 list (all hit Fl.) & Matthew was retired in 2016. The WMO decided - beginning last year - that the Greek alphabet will be no longer used & instead there will be a supplemental list of names if the first list is exhausted (has only happened three times - 2005, 2020 & 2021). The naming of tropical cyclones began on a consistent basis in 1953. More on the history of naming tropical cyclones * here *.

East Atlantic:

Mid & upper level wind shear (enemy of tropical cyclones) analysis (CIMMS). The red lines indicate strong shear:

Water vapor imagery (dark blue indicates dry air):

Deep oceanic heat content over the Gulf, Caribbean & deep tropical Atlantic:

Sea surface temp. anomalies:

SE U.S. surface map:

Surface analysis centered on the tropical Atlantic:

Surface analysis of the Gulf:

See the article here:

Talking the Tropics With Mike: Strengthening Fiona moving away from the Caribbean - ActionNewsJax.com

While summer comes with a lot of fun, fall is our favorite season. And its not just some hype or a tale rooted in American culture and tradition. According to a survey whose findings were published in 2020, the percentage of respondents who identified fall as their favorite season was 30% more than those who picked any of the remaining three seasons. Heres a corollary. If fall is Americans favorite season, where would they prefer to go to catch a glimpse of natures best colors?

Americans have many options. However, the Turks and Caicos have registered a blip in the travel radar. It turns out Americans have picked up significant interest in these groups of Caribbean Islands and cant seem to get enough of their unimaginable beauty.

According to data analyzed by TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel guidance platform, the Turks and Caicos is the fastest-growing travel destination in the world.

Thats according to data drawn from an online survey of over 2,700 consumers. TripAdvisor did the survey in partnership with Qualtrics, a Customer Experience Management platform that provides tools to conduct web-based surveys and generate relevant reports.

TripAdvisor surveyed travel consumers from Japan, Italy, Singapore, the UK, Australiaand of course, the United States.

There are other destinations described as fastest-growing by TripAdvisor.

Coming hot on the heels of the Turks and Caicos is Ho Chi Minh City, the dazzling southern Vietnamese city, formerly known as Saigon, thats also its economic hub.

Ho Chi Minh has long been among the top travel destinations in Vietnam and its impressive spot may not come as a big surprise.

Singapore, London (surprisingly), and Bangkok round off the top five in that order. The survey results relate to searches made on the TripAdvisor platform for travel between September 1, 2022to November 30, 2022.

Related: A Travel Guide To Turks And Caicos: 11 Things To Know While Planning Your Trip.

Singapore, famous for its amazing food scene mostly from the wildly popular hawker centers (and of course, its inconceivable safety), and Bangkok, which is insanely tolerant of tourists behavior as long as the monarchy remains untouched, are travel destinations that have topped the charts for a while.

But the Turks & Caicos seem to be on another level.

Its not just the beautiful fall colors, the sheer number of fun-filled activities on offer, or even the warm, sunny weather that travelers scour the planet for.

Turks & Caicos offers what arenot arguablybut certainly, the best beaches in the world.

Take Grace Bay Beach for example. This beach is just the stuff that dreams are made of. If its about the sand, Grace Bay Beach has sand whose texture is powdery-soft and whose color is so white that it looks very much ethereal.

In 2022, it emerged top in TripAdvisorsTravelers Choice Awards for the planets best beach, a rank thats replicated on several other travel platforms.

The beauty with Turks & Caicos is that its not just one beach; or two, or three.

Instead, every main island is gorgeously fringed by miles of sandy, secluded beachesthe kind that will leave visitors in complete awe and admiration.

Then theres another side to these beaches that makes them a hot cake globally. They are almost never crowded.

Even Grace Bay, the worlds finest, whose fame would lead many soles on its sandy shores seldom sees crowds the kinds seen in Myrtle Beach for instance or any popular American Beach.

Related: 10 Sights To See In Turks & Caicos For The History Buff.

And to add to the beach experience, the ocean waters that lap the shoreline are so clear that they are almost transparent.

The beaches of Turks & Caicos are the main element of the countrys travel fame. And as weve seen, its all merited.

Yet there are other travel-related factors that have continued to influence the countrys popularity as a travel hot spot. One of these is language.

With English as the official language of these Caribbean Islands, tourists from the United States and Britainquickly feel at ease. Its also worth noting that in Turks & Caicos, the US dollar is the accepted currency.

This means therell be no frustrations that revolve around changing currenciesas often takes place in many other destinationsas well as related currency exchange scams. But thats not all.

There are several direct flights from the United States that make traveling deliberately convenient. Lastly, theres more to the Turks & Caicos than their heavenly beaches.

All over the country, nature stands out in regal splendor. Its for these reasons that travelers all over the globe increasingly want to experience this slice of heaven.

Continued here:

According To TripAdvisor, These Caribbean Islands Is A Favorite American Fall Destination - TheTravel

As follow-up to President Biden and Vice President Harriss commitments in their meeting with Caribbean leaders at the Summit of the Americas in June 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration is partnering with Caribbean nations to promote energy security, access to finance, and food security in the Caribbeanthree areas that Caribbean leaders identified as their top priorities. President Biden and Vice President Harris agreed at the Summit to establish three High-Level Action Committees, each co-chaired by Caribbean and U.S. representatives to develop concrete, near-term solutions to these three pressing challenges in the region.Co-chaired by the United States, CARICOM member states, and the Dominican Republic, the Action Committees have held nearly a dozen technical and high-level meetings since June to formulate action plans.Vice President Harris will meet with Caribbean leaders on September 15, 2022President Chan Santokhi of Suriname, chair of CARICOM; Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, co-chair of the finance committee; President Dr. Irfaan Ali of Guyana, co-chair of the food security committee; Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago, co-chair of the energy security committee; and President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republicto review the progress they have made. Taken together, integrated efforts under the Joint Action Plans will leverage high-level engagement, U.S. technical assistance and support, U.S. capacity building and training programs, collaborative working groups, regional conferences, and public-private partnerships to strengthen energy security, improve access to finance, and enhance food security in the Caribbean.Many of these actions build on and will accelerate implementation of the U.S.-Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis (PACC 2030), an initiative that Vice President Harris launched at the Summit of the Americas to strengthen energy security and climate adaptation in the region.A summary of key actions follows.Actions to Promote Energy Security:

Actions to Promote Access to Finance:

Actions to Promote Food Security:

The following near-term actions will be carried out under the new Zero Hunger Caribbean Plan. Conversations will continue regarding additional work in the medium- to long-term under the Zero Hunger Caribbean Plan.

See the article here:

FACT SHEET: U.S. Actions to Promote Caribbean Energy Security, Access to Finance, and Food Security - The White House

Its the largest community of Caribbean travel experts on the planet: Caribbean Journal readers.

And once again, you get the chance to tell the world your favorites in the Caribbean, from luxury hotels and all-inclusive resorts to beach bars, culinary destinations and honeymoon hotspots.

Caribbean Journals unrivaled editorial team selected the nominees, and now you get to vote. Even better? Theres a write-in option for every single category, all 25 of them.

This has been a record-setting year for travel in the Caribbean, with much of the region nearing or eclipsing what had been all-time highs before the pandemic, said Alexander Britell, editor and publisher of Caribbean Journal. This years Travelers Choice nominees represent the very best of the worlds most amazing travel destination.

Voting is now live, and you can make your selections between now and Oct. 19, 2022.

Congratulations to all of the nominees!

Vote for your choices below:

Continued here:

Vote for the Best of the Caribbean in the CJ Travelers' Choice Awards 2022 - Caribbean Journal

Photographer Jennifer Hardeen was born in the New York City borough of Queens, to parents Dennis and Sue Hardeen.

As one of two children in her family, she has a younger brother who is in his late 20s. As siblings, they are very close with each other. Both of her parents were born in the South American country of Guyana, and they immigrated to the United States in their late teens. Hardeens dad was a fire safety director and manager for a hotel, while her mom was a home health care aid for 10 years. Her mom passed away two years ago due to COVID-19.

Terri Ann Peters was born and raised in Guyana. Her dad is of African-American descent, while her mom is of Indian descent, and they are also Guyanese. She has a younger brother, whom she is very close with. She came to the United States when she was ready to start high school.

Crystal Millington was born to parents Cyril (deceased) and Noreen Millington. Both were born in Guyana. She has an older sister, Monique. She grew up in Queens as well.

Growing up, some of Hardeens favorite memories involved going to the film stores and waiting for her photos to be developed. Her mother loved photography and prior to his fire safety job, her dad was a professional videographer. Photography was always something Hardeen just did for fun. She loved photographing landscapes, the city, and food.

As a child, my mom would buy me a disposable camera, and she wanted me to take it everywhere. She always told me to photograph anything. So having a camera on me was like someone carrying their wallet, Hardeen said.

Additionally, Peters said that growing up in Guyana was blissful. I had great memories with friends and family and definitely culture, though I do go back and visit. I still miss it every day, its home for me. Its a huge part of my identity and what I stand for, she said.

Peters got into acting in 2009. She was always into entertainment and entertaining friends and family growing up. She did talent shows and even joined the theater program in high school. She added that her upbringing created the space for her to share who she is with an audience through my performances and vulnerability as an actor.

Millington has always been interested in acting, but she didnt fully commit to it until last year.

I met Jen back in high school sophomore or Junior year. We all went to the same high school but had different interests. But we were somehow connected and just werent aware of it at that time, said Peters.

Peters added that one of the first things that all three women bonded over was having Guyanese roots. Millington added that they connected over wanting to see the same stories told.

Hardeen has been working at the office job that she started in her late 20s, where she said she has met wonderful people. It wasnt an easy start, and it took lots of hard work to get to where she is now.

She said that she feels that shes grown since she got her first photos published. She said that working with Millington and Peters has helped contribute to her growth as a female photographer.

Peters shared what the experience has been like working with Hardeen and Millington, and what it means to her.

In September of 2020 I met up with Jen to do a photoshoot and we caught up on a lot, and spoke about integrating our creativity to produce content that will help myself, her and Crystal grow as actors, she said.

Millington said that although they havent met in person, she felt like her calls with Hardeen and Peters helped her understand the acting industry, making her feel like she belonged.

The experience since then has really helped me find my courage. Whenever I have a question, I can easily reach out to both of them. Its still scary because the industry doesnt often see Caribbean women, but it feels possible to write our own stories, she added.

Peters agreed saying, The experience through all this has been an honor and privilege. Im grateful to have these ladies as a part of my community and circle. They are for sure a part of my purpose.

Hardeen added that she is always learning and growing as a photographer. Ive learned that its okay to not like every aspect of your passion, that it just adds to who you are as an individual, she said.

For young females who want to get involved in photography, Hardeens advice is to go for it, and silence the negative voices.

As a woman, we are rare in the photography industry and you will have people who try to break your spirit, dont let them. Keep researching, learn different techniques, learn the history, and practice. Keep going, youll get there, she said.

Continued here:

How three young Caribbean women are changing the entertainment industry Caribbean Life - Caribbean Life

In the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, a region of some 22 countries, the compounded effect of more than two-years-worth of global crises has caused surges in the cost of living, driving a 46% increase in moderate to severe food insecurity between February and August 2022 the highest rate since 2020 leaving 57% of the population struggling to put food on the table.

Centrale Markt covered central market in Paramaribo, Suriname where food inflation was 68.3% in ... [+] March 2022 (Photo by: Marica van der Meer/Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

These are the findings of the fifth installment of a regional survey conducted by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).

In 2020, CARICOM and WFP began tracking the impact of COVID-19 on food security and livelihoods across the region through the CARICOM Caribbean COVID-19 Food Security and Livelihoods Impact Survey which was administered in April 2020, June 2020, February 2021 and February 2022, with the socio economic impact of the current cost of living crisis being added to the most recent August 2022 analysis.

As with prior installments, experiences with food insecurity were assessed using WFPs Consolidated Approach for Reporting Indicators of Food Security (CARI), methodology which placed respondents into categories on a food insecurity scale, that takes into account the interplay of a number of variables associated with food consumption, livelihood coping strategies and economic vulnerability with the most extreme category being labeled severe.

Regis Chapman, WFP Representative and Country Director for the WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office, explains that coping strategies employed by individuals are key in assessing their degree of food insecurity.

Severely food insecure households struggle to put food on the table every day or have to employ coping strategies that undermine their ability to do so in the mid-term just to meet the needs of that day, he says, outlining that some these coping strategies when employed by significant numbers in a population also have the potential to negatively impact socio-economic development on a macro-level.

According to the findings of the survey, 54% of respondents reported reallocating funds from essential needs such as health and education to food as a coping strategy, while 83% reported having to dig into savings to put food on the table.

These negative coping strategies are unsustainable, and we fear that these short-term measures will lead to a further increase in the number of people who are unable to meet their daily food requirements, says Chapman.

The latest survey results estimate that 4.1 million people out of 7.1 million (57%) in the English- ... [+] and Dutch-speaking Caribbean are either moderately or severely food insecure. This is a dramatic increase from 2.7 million in February 2022.

In short, for a region that imports close to 100% of its energy, and up to 90% of its food, more external shocks could equate to disaster

Meanwhile, the availability of fresh food has been declining for more than a year and a half and prices have been going up.

We in the Caribbean have to reclaim our own narrative around food systems, says Dr. Renatta Clarke, FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for the Caribbean.

Data from the Food and Agriculture Organization reveals that, in March 2022 food inflation in the region increased by 10.2% across 20 countries, as compared to March 2021, with Barbados and Jamaica recording 20% and 15% food price inflation respectively, and Suriname recording a whopping 68.3% food inflation rate.

Contextually, global food prices have been declining for five consecutive months, reaching their lowest level in seven months in August 2022, despite still being 7.9% higher than a year ago. (FAO Food Price Index)

And the proof is in the proverbial pudding, with 97% of survey respondents reporting higher prices for food items compared to 59% in April 2020, with almost all respondents noting significant increases in the price of gas (95%) and other fuels (94%).

On top of the tsunami of price increases, there have been equally dramatic livelihood impacts. Seventy-two percent of respondents indicated experiencing job loss or income reduction in their households, or having to resort to secondary income sources, up from 68% in February, while 72% reported an expectation that their livelihoods would be further impacted by COVID-related disruptions.

Not surprisingly, a lack of financial resources was cited as the primary reason (91%) for why more than half of respondents found it difficult to access markets.

But even those who indicated an ability to access markets have reported changes in behavior, such as consuming cheaper foods and smaller quantities, with 22% of survey respondents reporting going an entire day without eating in the 30-days prior to the survey, and 67% reducing the diversity of their diets as a coping strategy (up from 56% in February).

Tragically, the most widespread negative food consumption behaviors were primarily employed by the most vulnerable lowest income households, younger respondents, mixed and single-parent households and Spanish-speaking migrants.

And regional anxiety around meeting expenses has been increasing across the board.

Joseph Cox, Assistant Secretary-General, Economic Integration, Innovation and Development at the ... [+] CARICOM Secretariat

For the first time in five surveys over more than two years, the inability to meet food needs, along with meeting essential needs, were top concerns for people (48%) followed by unemployment (36%), says Joseph Cox, Assistant Secretary-General, Economic Integration, Innovation and Development at the CARICOM Secretariat.

As households continue to reel from the impacts of the pandemic, they are facing the interconnected challenge of meeting their food, energy, and financial needs.

CARICOM, WFP, FAO, CDEMA and other partners have been collaborating to increase resilience to shocks through stronger disaster management, social protection and food systems that are more effective, sustainable and responsive in meeting the needs of those most affected by crises.

And with more than two thirds of respondents expressing negative or very negative sentiments regarding their current financial situation, broad and aggressive approaches are critical in addressing the region-wide crisis.

CARICOM recognizes that further interventions are necessary to reduce the level of need in the region and establish systems which facilitate sustainable access to nutritious food for all, says Cox.

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali of Guyana with Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley of Barbados

Guyana has seized a leadership role under its President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, in boosting food security at a regional strategic level, and ambitious plans are underway to reduce the regions $4-billion food imports by a targeted 25% or $1.2 billion by 2025.

The plans have focused on the expansion of regional food production, while also addressing logistical issues that have been singled out by many as the primary reason for high import rates.

Leaders in the region are actively engaging with decision makers across all relevant sectors to identify solutions for increasing food production and reducing import dependency within the region in order to reduce the cost of food, says Cox.

Regional governments and NGOs have also been addressing issues surrounding sub-optimal participation in the agriculture sector, nutritional improvement and redirection of regional consumption patterns while adapting to and mitigating climate change impacts, among a myriad of other food systems priorities.

Its not enough that we produce more food, says Clarke. We have to produce more smartly, based on a better analysis of where the market opportunities lie and making sure that we are sufficiently well organized to capitalize on these opportunities.

Organizations such as WFP have been helping to directly address livelihood impacts by supporting and helping to improve and innovate national social protection systems, making them smarter, more responsive, and resilient in the face of crisis.

At a national level, from a social protection standpoint, more than one in five survey respondents reported receiving some form of assistance from their government in response to the impacts of the pandemic. However, investments in data are critical for the development of better social protection programs that include everyone, and particularly the most vulnerable. This has been one of the objectives of WFP support to regional institutions and national governments.

And there has been no better time to drive aggressive change.

The economic outlook for the food security of net importing nations such as those in the Caribbean has been influenced by shock-after-shock that has hit the most vulnerable the hardest; rather than following with response-after-response, the message is clear resilience building is more important now than ever before.

Information is crucial, because it helps us plan better to take better action, says Clarke. The information from this series of surveys has helped us to galvanize political action across the Caribbean and within the donor community to address vulnerability and food insecurity during this painful, protracted and increasingly complex crisis.

Read more:

In The Caribbean, 57% Are Struggling To Put Food On The Table - Forbes