Monthly Archives: February 2022

Contact details Ambassador Marten van den Berg Address 6/50 F ShantipathChanakyapuriNew Delhi - 110021 Phone +911124197600 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Fax +9101124197710 Email nde@minbuza.nl Opening hours

Monday - Friday: 9:00 - 17:00 hours.

Check the days on which the embassy is closed.

Coronavirus/COVID-19: please keep in mind that you cannot apply for everything yet. Or that there are fewer appointment slots available.

Monday to Thursday: 9.00 - 17.00 hours.Friday: 9.00 - 14.30 hours.

By appointment only.

Make an appointment via our online appointment system.

Check the status of your passport- or ID card application.

Read the page Applying for consular declarations for more information.

Please check the VFS website and make an appointment.

Please visit the VFS Global website for Nepal.

We are still closed for this category.

Please send an e-mail to make an appointment.

It is possible to send Dutch passports, Dutch ID cards or passports with MVV or long-stay Caribbean visa stickers to your home adress. Check the passport and ID card page, the MVV page or the long-stay Caribbean visa page for more information.

You can ask your question:

Daylight saving time: + 3,5 hours / Standard time: + 4,5 hours

Link:

Netherlands embassy in New Delhi - netherlandsworldwide.nl

KEY FIGURES

86M PEOPLE LIVE IN EXTREME POVERTY IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

Source:

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)

REGIONAL: EXTREME POVERTY

In the recently-published Social Panorama of Latin America, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) estimates that the number of people living in extreme poverty in the region increased by around 5 million between 2020 and 2021, bringing the total number of people facing extreme poverty to a staggering 86 million.Extreme poverty rose from 13.1 to 13.8 per cent in the past year, representing a 27-year setback in the fight for its eradication.

Despite a slight decline in overall poverty, more than 200 million people are still poor in the region today. The health and socio-economic repercussions of the pandemic continue to disproportionately affect those already most vulnerable in the region, including women and children, rural communities and indigenous peoples.

ECLAC says that the modest economic recovery of 2020 is not enough to mitigate the deep economic and social scars left by the pandemic, calling on governments to maintain cash-based support which was slashed by more than 50 per cent in the first 10 months of 2021 compared to the corresponding period in 2020 strengthen social protection systems and facilitate a safe return to in-person classes in 2022.

KEY FIGURES

2.2M PEOPLE FACE CRISIS LEVEL (IPC PHASE 3 OR ABOVE) FOOD INSECURITY

Source:

Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)

HONDURAS: FOOD INSECURITY

According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report for December 2021-August 2022, more than 2.2 million Hondurans 24 per cent of the population analyzed will continue to face crisis levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) through February 2022, including 241,000 in Emergency (IPC Phase 4). In the coming months, the already dire food security situation in the country is expected to worsen, driven largely by a chronic lack of employment, depletion of food reserves, increasing prices and international supply chain crises. Crisis levels of food insecurity are expected to rise between June and August2022, when 2.6 million people up 18 per cent from February 2022 are projected to be classified in IPC Phase 3 or above, with both the lean season and the peak of cyclonic activity in the Atlantic (AugustSeptember) just around the corner.

Seventeen of Honduras 18 departments are classified in IPC Phase 3, with Gracias a Dios (43 per cent in IPC Phase 3 or above), Lempira (32 per cent) and La Paz (30 per cent) exhibiting the highest levels of severity. These departments, among the hardest hit by twin storms Eta and Iota in 2020, have large numbers of extremely vulnerable indigenous populations, who face unique food and nutrition challenges.

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Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update (24-30 January 2022) As of 31 January 2022 - Honduras - ReliefWeb

February may be the shortest month of the year, but there are lots of cruises to sail on in these mere 28 days.

This article is an effort to share what you need to knowabout going on a Royal Caribbean cruise in the month of February, with important news, tips, and helpful information along the way.

With the exception of President's Day holidays in the middle of the month, February is generally a slower month in terms of demand for cruises since school is in session.

Deal hunters will find good prices in the first two weeks, and the last week.

President's Week can see more families hopping on a cruise since there is either a long weekend or the entire week off for many schools.

Jewel of the Seas should return to service on February 20 from Miami, Florida. Jewel was one of four ships to have cancelled cruises due to the Omicron variant.

Vision of the Seas was originally scheduled to restart operations as well, but she won't sail again until at least early March.

Spectrum of the Seas is also out of action until she can restart in Singapore in April.

Royal Caribbean's stricter Omicron variant health protocols remain in place until at least mid-February.

This means in addition to the usual array of Covid-19 protocols onboard its ships, Royal Caribbean requires masks to be worn indoors at all times, unless actively eating or drinking while seated. This includes vaccinated areas and venues.

In addition, smoking is not permitted in the casino for all cruises departing on or before February 14, 2022.

These stricter protocols could very well be extended again. In fact, I would expect it to be extended again just to set proper expectations.

Beyond the face mask protocols,Royal Caribbean requires all passengers 12 years old and older to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of vaccination at check-in.

Guests under 12 canstill cruise as long as they continue to provide a negative test result at boarding and follow certain health and safety protocols.

Vaccinated guests must show a negative COVID-19 test result for a PCR or antigen test taken no more than 2 days before boarding day.

Unvaccinated kids age 2 to 11 must show a negative test result for a PCR test (not antigen) taken no more than 3 days before boarding day. This test cannot be taken on boarding day for unvaccinated kids.

Guests under 2 years of age do not need to complete a pre-cruise test.

Keep in mind there are different health protocols for Grandeur of the Seas sailings from Barbados, so you should review those if sailing from there.

February should be a little bit warmer than January, but it's still typically more comfortable outdoors than other months of the year,

High temperatures in the Caribbean in February are in the 70s, although it can drop as low as the 60s in The Bahamas. The Southern Caribbean is going to be the warmest, with high temperatures in the low 80s.

There is a good argument for February having some of the best weather of the year in the Caribbean because of the lower humidity levels, low rainfall, and generally comfortable weather outdoors. It's great for doing outdoor shore excursions without feeling excessively sweaty after.

While the weather may be lovely in the tropics, winter storms are still very prevalent back at home, which is why you want to be sure toarrive at least one day before your cruiseso that if your travel plans are interrupted, you don't miss your cruise.

Read more:Packing for a Royal Caribbean cruise in the Winter

Is it warm enough to swim? Yes, albeit it won't be the most ideal pool or beach swimming conditions.

Average water temperatures throughout the Caribbean hover around 80 degrees (27 C), which is on the cooler side for the year, but not drastically cooler than the summer months.

Yes, you can watch the Super Bowl on a cruise ship. In fact, it becomes a kind of big party around the ship to watch the big game.

Since a lot of passengers will want to watch the game, Royal Caribbean typically shows the game all around the ship at many venues.Depending on your ship, the game can be shown in bars, the pool deck movie screen and even in the Royal Theater. Exact locations will be posted in theCruise Compassfor that day.

In addition to showing the game in various spots, there will be typical football watching snacks as part of a "tailgate party" offering. These have included hot dogs, nachos, chips and more.

Read more:Guide to watching the Super Bowl on a Royal Caribbean cruise

See the original post here:

Royal Caribbean cruises in February 2022: What to expect - Royal Caribbean Blog

Imagine a fish species ranked among over fishing, bottom trawling, pollution, and climate change as one of the greatest threats to underwater ecosystems.

The expansion of the lionfish in Caribbean waters is one of the greatest threats of this century to warm temperate and tropical Atlantic reefs and associated habitats, says National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientist James A. Morris, Jr. But in the region, fishermen, divers, and chefs have teamed up to rid the reefs of the invasive predator, one delicious bite at a time.

It all began on the three-island archipelago of the Cayman Islands.

Master diver, dive shop owner, underwater photographer, ocean enthusiast and avid conservationist, Jason Washington clearly remembers the day in 2008 when the first lion fish was spotted in Cayman waters.

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Jason Washington photographs Cayman Islands freediver, Coral Tomascik removing an invasive Indo ... [+] Pacific Red Lionfish

We had been looking out for them since 2007, when NOAA scientists informed the Cayman Islands Department of the Environment that the invasive fish were headed towards the islands in a current from the Northeast, he recalls.

Jason immediately got to work, researching ways to control the venomous underwater carnivore with no known predators and time was of the essence.

Lionfish, originally from the Indian and Pacific oceans, pose a major threat to the Caribbeans underwater ecosystems, voraciously devouring more than 60 species of fish, small fish, eggs, crustaceans, and mollusks up to half their body size that are unfortunate enough to be in their path.

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With the potential of just one fish to reduce young reef populations by up to 90% in just over a month, and with a maximum density of over 200 adults per acre, lionfish can consume more than 460,000 prey fish per acre per year. This is bad news for reefs, as lionfish prey eat algae that keep corals clean. Its also bad news from a financial perspective according to journal, Nature, lionfish have cost the global economy nearly $3 trillion over the past 50-years.

Lionfish (Pterois) near coral, Cayo Largo, Cuba

Through his own research, Jason would learn that the invasive lionfish, while venomous, was not poisonous, and had been a part of Pacific diets for many years. It would simply take skilled removal of the spines that contain the venomous toxin. As a skilled diver, this was not a major concern.

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Most fish have some kind of toxin in their fins, he explains.

The next step would be to establish a team of cullers, and to find an adventurous chef who would be willing to turn a venomous predator into a mouth-watering delicacy.

Check. Check and Check.

Jason would soon learn that locally based Chef Thomas Tennant, who was the Executive Chef at Michaels Genuine Food & Drink in Grand Cayman at the time, was known to use invasive species such as the Cayman green iguana as a source of fuel for his pizza oven. He was sure he had found his chef, and Chef Thomas enthusiastically agreed to the challenge.

No one on this side of the world ate lionfish before we started serving it in Cayman, says Jason. It was the beginning of a culinary adventure for good.

In 2010, Jason would spearhead a program that would reward cullers for getting lionfish off the reefs, and in September of that year, he would launch what he initially referred to as a Lionfish Rodeo at the La Mesa Dive Site in Grand Cayman.

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The tournament would result in the cull of more than 500 lionfish, but what was even more impressive was the fact that at the end of the day, Chef Thomas was able to cook all of the fish for famished divers and it received rave reviews.

The event generated a great deal of press and would lead to the launch of C.U.L.L., the Cayman United Lionfish League, that would hold culling-ary events four times a year.

That was it a market had been created for the tiger-striped delicacy.

West Indian Chowder with Lionfish, lionfish sandwich, lionfish tea, lionfish escabeche (or escovitch), lionfish ceviche, lionfish tacos, roasted, grilled, fried Chef Thomas went wild the possibilities were endless.

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On a 2012 trip to the Cayman Islands, to host Caymans signature culinary event, Cayman Cookout with Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert, Michelin-starred chef, Jos Andrs would connect with Washington and Tennant who would tell him about the lionfish problem and show him how to catch and cook the venomous delicacy.

Not only was Andrs impressed, but he would quickly become an activist and began to serve the dish at his restaurants.

In an article that he penned in National Geographic in 2014, in which he depicted his Cayman lionfish experience, Andrs referred to the efforts of the C.U.L.L. team as A whole effort to eat em to beat em.

These guys are serious, he said. They are doing more than just trapping lionfish, they are turning them into lunch.

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This was all the PR that the lionfish renegades needed a Caribbean movement had effectively begun.

Fast forward eight years, and C.U.L.L. continues to hold four annual events and has removed tens of thousands of lionfish from Caymans waters. Washingtons dive shop, Ambassador Divers, offers a PADI certification for culling lionfish and in 2017, the Master Diver was inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame in recognition of his work in controlling the lionfish population in Cayman.

Regionally, lionfish derbies or tournaments are helping to reduce populations. Events, such as Barbados Divefest offer culls that culminate with a lionfish hunt and cookout.

Lionfish culling has become a major tourist attraction.

In Jamaica, PADI Scuba Dive Center and Charter Sport Fishing outfit, Lady GDiver offers culling trips that conclude with a hearty lionfish feast and in 2021, Lady GDiver hosted Jamaicas first Lionfish Grand Prix.

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In Dominica, government has given divers permission to hunt lionfish in the Soufriere Scotts Head Marine Reserve, where hunting other marine life is forbidden. Dive operator, Salt Dive offers a Lionfish Hunt which features pole spearing instruction, a lesson on gutting and cleaning after which divers participate in prepping fish to be cooked on the beach over an open flame and served with local sides.

Restaurants and eateries throughout the region have also joined the eat em to beat em trend, otherwise known as invasivorism.

In the kitchen, skilled chefs have become adept at removing spines, and neutralizing any remaining venom with the heat from cooking. The species has higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids than other commonly consumed Caribbean fishes and its succulent white flesh has been commonly compared in flavor to snapper or grouper.

Jason Washington and Chef Thomas Tennant talk to Anthony Bourdain about how to prepare and cook ... [+] lionfish at the Cayman Cookout in Grand Cayman in 2016

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Barbadian Chef, Damian Leach describes the fish as a super clean fish taste My favorite way to use it is in raw applications; its beautiful as a lionfish poke or ceviche.

In Trinidad, Chef and owner of Sails Restaurant & Bar, Attala Maharaj describes the delicacy as a spectacular tasting fish, as beautiful and as regal looking as it is on the outside, the flesh is the same.Its sort of a cross between snapper and grouper, with a firm texture and a buttery taste.

Lionfish ceviche

In the Cayman Islands, Agua restaurant and lounge has featured Coconut Poached Lionfish with local pumpkin, callaloo, okra and plantain chips, and Chef Thomas Tennant, who opened Tomfoodery Kitchen in 2020, and continues to be a member of the Cayman United Lionfish League, uses the predator as the key ingredient in his Lionfish fritters.

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At Jos Andrs Atlantis, Paradise Island Bahamas restaurant, The Cove, a portion of all proceeds from lionfish dishes go toward The Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, an organization committed to marine conservation.

In 2019, Allen Susser, James Beard Award Winner and Consulting Chef at Jade Mountain Resort in St. Lucia, published Green Fig and Lionfish: Sustainable Caribbean Cooking, which features recipes such as Spicy Lionfish Tacos and Grilled Lionfish with Papaya, Pineapple and Kale. Susser refers to lionfish as a responsible, sustainable option and, of course, a great dinner table conversation starter.

Crafts people have also joined the crusade to rid the oceans of the carnivorous fish. In the Cayman Islands, artist Kelly Reineking of Mermaids Touch makes jewelry and accessories from the predatory species, using fins, tails, or dorsal spines in her unique locally made creations.

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Kelly Reineking of Mermaids Touch makes earrings from lionfish fins, tails, or dorsal spines

As the lionfish trend begins to take hold in the United States and other overseas markets, Caribbean divers and conservationists have begun to explore the potential for additional commercial opportunities.

Blue Ventures in Belize believes that there is a largely untapped commercial opportunity for the countrys 3000 small fishers, and they could be right. After all, Whole Foods stores in Florida sell lionfish for $11.99 per pound, which rounds up to $25 for a whole fish on average.

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But, despite their explosion in Caribbean waters just over a decade ago, lionfish populations appear to be on the decline.

Some chefs have noticed an inconsistency in supply, causing many to take the marine predator off their menus.

Unfortunately, I could not consistently source lionfish and had to take off the menu, says Chef, Damian Leach. It makes me wonder; is our lionfish problem not as bad in Barbados as it is in the rest of the Caribbean? Do fisherman think its not worth the time involved in cleaning and removing the spines?

A study reported in journal, Endangered Species Research found that local removal efforts using volunteers are successful at significantly reducing the local density and biomass of invasive lionfish on small Caribbean islands, while findings of a study in Trinidad and Tobago, as reported in journal Marine Pollution Bulletin, revealed that monthly culling efforts resulted in a 30% decline in lionfish biomass and a 27% decline in abundance of the fish.

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Jason Washington has also observed that Cayman waters are not as populated with the invasive fish as they once were.

Whether the population decline is due to regional culling efforts, or other factors such as a flesh disease that was identified in lionfish in the Gulf of Mexico some years ago, there is no guarantee of whether these effects will be long-term or temporary. But given its reproductive capacity, complete elimination of the lionfish species is highly unlikely.

In the meantime, divers, consumers, and chefs continue to put their money where their mouth is, helping to save the reefs one bite at a time.

The lionfish invasion poses a real threat to our already struggling reefs and the more attention we can shine on eating them as a solution the better, says Jason. I couldnt be more proud of how my team successfully launched this destructive predator onto plates all over the world.

(L-R): Jason Washington, Chef Thomas Tennant and Chef Jose Andres go diving for lionfish

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The Caribbean Is Taking A Bite Out Of Its Invasive Lionfish Problem - Forbes

A Coast Guard investigation is underway after the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Harmony of the Seas was responsible for Sunday evening's scrub of a SpaceX launch fromCape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The ship veered into the exclusion zone along a Falcon 9 rocket's flightpath just before the 6:11 p.m. EST launch, forcing SpaceX to stand down from the mission and prepare for a 24-hour turnaround.Harmony of the Seas is the world's third-largest cruise ship at 226,963 gross tons. It has 2,747 staterooms, a passenger capacity of 6,687 and a crew of 2,200.

In a statement issued Monday, U.S. Coast Guard spokespersonDavid Micallef said: "We can confirm the cruise ship was Harmony of the Seas.The Coast Guard is actively investigating Sundays cruise ship incursion and postponement of the SpaceX launch."

"Our primary concern is the safety of mariners at sea, and we will continue to work with our federal, state and local port partners to ensure safe and navigable waterways," Micallef added.

A Royal Caribbean spokesperson did not respond as of Monday afternoon to a request from FLORIDA TODAY for comment.

Port Canaveral Chief Executive Officer John Murray said: "Port Canaveral fully supports the space industry in our region. This, unfortunately, was an isolated incident that happened outside of our control. The Coast Guard is conducting a full investigation, and we look forward to continuing to work with them and our space partners to ensure the continued success of this important enterprise.

Launch engineers waited as long as possible for the Coast Guard to resolve the situation, but ultimately ran out of time to meet the instantaneous window's deadline. It marked the fourth delay for the mission that was previously scrubbed due to inclement weather around Launch Complex 40.

Second mission scrub: SpaceX scrubs Cape Canaveral launch and landing a second time, citing weather

Fourth mission scrub: Cruise ship enters launch hazard area, forcing SpaceX to scrub mission a fourth time

Teams then targeted 6:11 p.m.Monday for the fifth attempt at launching an Italian Space Agency Earth observation satellite, and it launched at that time Monday.

Sunday's launch was slated to fly toward the southeast, a corridor that went unused from 1960 to 2020. New technologies have enabled SpaceX to resume north-to-south polar launches from Florida, which fly almost parallel to the coast, but also mean pilots and mariners need to be on the lookout for different exclusion zones.

Hazard areas, designed to mitigate risks to people in the event of a rocket failure, are issued before every mission.

Earlier in January,Space Launch Delta 45issued a statement and warned pilots and mariners that there would be upwards of five polar launches in January alone. Sunday's scheduled launch marked the fourth.

"The 2022 launch pace is going to be exceptionally busy, with up to five polar, and seven total launches, projected for the month of January alone," Space Force Maj.Jonathan Szul said in a statement. "Due to the unique southerly trajectories, there will be a larger potential impact to air and sea traffic along the southeast coast of Florida."

"We ask that all pilots and mariners double-check their Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) and Notices to Mariners (NOTMAR) to ensure they are fully aware of all pending launch activities in this historic month on the Space Coast," Szul said.

Sunday's scrub also pushed a SpaceX mission originally slated for Monday: Yet another Falcon 9 rocket at Kennedy Space Center's pad 39A will have to wait a little longer for its task of launching the company's 37th batch of Starlink internet satellites.

The Harmony of the Seas sailed out ofPort Canaveral on Sunday for a seven-night cruise, with stops at St. Maarten, St. Thomas andPerfect Day at CocoCay, which is Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas.

Contact Emre Kelly at aekelly@floridatoday.com or 321-242-3715. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @EmreKelly.

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY.Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @bydaveberman.

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Coast Guard starts investigation of Royal Caribbean ship that caused SpaceX scrub - Florida Today

The Jerk Shacks original San Antonio location on the West Side closed up shop in September2021 to the dismay of customers who had fallen in love with the eateries delicious Caribbean dishes. However, the franchise brings lively news as it announces a re-openingbut on an entirely new spot.

Announcing the resumption of the business is chef and owner, Nicola Blaque, stated the The Jerk Shacks newest location within San Antonio is near SeaWorld and opened January 14 in the Far West side with much needed improvements.

Having a humble beginning as a food stall that serves delicious Caribbean and Jamaican grubs on a first-come, first-serve basis, The Jerk Shack easily rose to prominence among the food-loving locals. Alongside Nicola Blaque, her husband Cornelius Massey also helped her run the business since its very establishment back in 2018.

Although beloved by locals, owners and fans alike agreed that there were some much needed improvements such as air conditioning, a larger space for indoor seating, and capacity to add a drive-through. The new location is open Tuesday Saturday 11AM 4:30PM and closed Sunday Monday!

We had lines like true Jerk Shack fashion, with people wrapping the building. They love the food, and theyre here for us. Blaque to Austin Eater

Good news for The Jerk Shack fans! Blaque also announced a second location is in the works in downtown SA that is aimed to open winter 2023 at the Schultze House.

Have you tried The Jerk Shack yet? Let us know your thoughts and favorite food item below!

Featued image credit: The Jerk Shack

Excerpt from:

Popular Caribbean Eatery Reopened in a New Location in San Antonio's West Side - Texas is Life

Sometimes you just want to splash out and have a lovely weekend and, while you wont find many fancy resorts in Guadeloupe, there is a beautiful hotel called La Toubana. I have a habit of taking in stray dogs and I rescued a puppy I called Suzy she was basically living in a bin, all skin and bones, and 10 days later, there she was sunbathing in a five-star resort.

Guadeloupe really isnt about those places, though. The cast and crew, which includes a lot of Guadeloupeans, drink at Buddys Beach Bar, a local legend who knows everything and everyone and helps us with locations for Death in Paradise. You have to pace yourself when it comes to the rum there, and everywhere else. The local drink is ti punch, named after the creole word for small because it isnt mixed with anything. Youre given lime juice, sugar and a big bottle of rum and you make it yourself. Its supposed to be a sipper, but you get in trouble with it and learn your lesson very quickly.

Death in Paradise fans really do make a beeline for the locations on the show and I always wonder what they make of it. Its unspoilt, authentic Caribbean, not five-star luxury, and you have to understand that before you go there. Commit to the culture and, if you do that, travelling in Guadeloupe is the most rewarding experience.

As told to Lara Kilner

Death in Paradise series 11 is currently airing on BBC One, Fridays at 9pm

Arrivals in Guadeloupe over the age of 11 must undertake a Covid test 72 hours or less before departure and declare themselves symptom-free. For details, see gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

Air France (airfrance.com) flies from London to Guadeloupe via Paris from 438 return. Langley Resort Fort Royal (00 590 5906 87670; langleyhotels.eu) offers doubles from 161 per night.

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The secret Caribbean island you may have seen on screen without realising - Telegraph.co.uk