CARIBBEAN NEWS ROUNDUP – Sept. 4, 2019

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 4, 2019: Here are the top news making headlines from the Caribbean, Latin America and their Diaspora this Wednesday, September 4, 2019:

Caribbean roots US Senator and Democratic Presidential Hopeful Kamala Harris has urged US “support as the hurricane passes and recovery efforts begin” in the Bahamas following the passage of Hurricane Dorian.

Caribbean born star Rihanna says her Clara Lionel Foundation is already figuring out how best to help the Bahamas in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian.

Help has begun going to the Bahamas. Samaritan’s Purse yesterday airlifted emergency shelter material, household water filters and two community water filtration units specially designed to turn saltwater into drinking water to help the people impacted by Hurricane Dorian.

Several GoFundMe fundraisers for the Bahamas have been launched on the fundraising platform. So far, the highest raise has been done by Skipper Gentry who has raised over USD 31,000 of his $30,000 goal.

13,000+ houses were damaged or destroyed including 45 percent of all dwellings on Abaco and Grand Bahama while 62,000 people on the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama do not have fresh water, the Red Cross said Tuesday.

The Grand Bahama International Airport in Freeport has been knocked out of commission as Hurricane Dorian brought significant flooding to the island.

The US has increased its advisory level to three for Freeport, Grand Bahama, urging nationals to reconsider travelling there.

Canadians are being advised to ‘avoid all travel’ to the Bahamas by the Canadian government because of Hurricane Dorian.

The U.S. Coast Guard is supporting The National Emergency Management Agency of The Bahamas and The the Royal Bahamas Defence Force in leading search and rescue operations in the Bahamas. If you need urgent assistance, call NEMA at 322 6731 and WhatsApp your location to +1 (242) 557 5202.

Members of USAID’s disaster team are on the ground in The Bahamas to lead the U.S. response to Hurricane Dorian, the strongest storm to ever hit the country. Additional members will be arriving in the coming days to work with the Bahamas Red Cross.

JetBlue, Spirit and South West airlines have all cancelled flights to Montego Bay Jamaica Tuesday from both Orlando and Fort Lauderdale Airports.

Brazil’s tourism ambassador and former Mixed Martial Arts fighter, Renzo Gracie, has posted a video on Twitter which threatens to “choke” French President Emmanuel Macron while insulting his wife Brigitte.

Barbados says foreign cannabis companies hoping to set up operations in Barbados in the near future will be required to ensure locals own at least 30% of the business.

And a Trinidad-born woman will represent Germany at the next Miss Universe pageant. Miriam Rautert won the 2019 Miss Universe Germany title last month.