Virgin Islands

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This Billionaire Isn't Moving for Irma

Richard Branson has weathered 3 hurricanes on his private island

(Newser) - With the most powerful Atlantic hurricane ever recorded battering the Caribbean, Business Insider reports that at least one billionaire is staying put. As Irma was closing in on Tuesday, Virgin Group CEO Richard Branson declared he would hunker down on his private island, the Telegraph reports. "I will be...

Irma Slams Into Caribbean Islands
Monstrous Irma Batters
Caribbean Islands
THE RUNDOWN

Monstrous Irma Batters Caribbean Islands

Devastating storm made landfall early Wednesday

(Newser) - Hurricane Irma slammed into islands in the northeast Caribbean with devastating force early Wednesday, damaging buildings and sending debris flying with winds estimated at 185mph. The National Weather Service says the eye of Irma, a Category 5 storm and the strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded, passed over the island of...

Cyberstalking in Congress: 2 Former Staffers Charged

Private photos and videos surfaced last year

(Newser) - Almost exactly a year ago, in July 2016, a "playful" family video and a handful of private nude images shared between husband and wife were posted online by an anonymous user who encouraged people to distribute them widely, per Politico . But the content wasn't about just anybody, it...

Delaware Family Poisoned on Vacation to Get $87M

Esmond family severely injured by Terminix's use of banned methyl bromide while on vacation

(Newser) - A Delaware family poisoned by a toxic pesticide during their 2015 Virgin Islands vacation will receive an $87 million settlement from the parent company of Terminix, which admitted using the banned chemical at the resort where they stayed, CBS News reports. Per the New York Daily News , a ServiceMaster Global...

Delegate Accuses Rivals of Leaking Racy Home Video

Democratic Rep. Stacey Plaskett calls computer hack 'shockingly disgusting'

(Newser) - The Virgin Islands' non-voting delegate to Congress says she was the victim of a "shockingly disgusting" computer hack at the hands of her political rivals: Personal files were posted online Wednesday, including a topless selfie and a video of her husband naked, reports Politico . They were later removed. Democratic...

Clinton Wins All Virgin Islands Delegates

7 were at stake

(Newser) - Hillary Clinton scored a sweeping win in the US Virgin Islands on Saturday, picking up all seven pledged delegates at stake as she inched tantalizingly close to the Democratic nomination, the AP reports. She is now just 60 delegates short of the 2,383 needed to advance to the November...

Pesticide Firm Fined $10M for Almost Killing Family

Terminix used banned chemical at US Virgin Islands resort

(Newser) - A pest control company that turned a Delaware family's Caribbean vacation into a living nightmare without end has been ordered to cough up $10 million—not including medical expenses. Steve Esmond, Theresa Devine, and their two teenage sons almost died a year ago after staying in a US Virgin...

Teens Poisoned by Pesticides at Resort Still Critical

Esmond family fell ill after banned methyl bromide used at Virgin Islands resort

(Newser) - Six weeks ago, the Esmond family's Virgin Islands vacation went horribly wrong when they were exposed to a potentially lethal pesticide at their St. John resort—and they're still recuperating, per a family statement, ABC News reports. The statement notes that teen boys Sean and Ryan Esmond are...

Pesticide That Almost Killed Family Was Used Indoors

Methyl bromide blamed for Virgin Islands poisoning

(Newser) - A Delaware family that became seriously ill in the US Virgin Islands was poisoned by an odorless and highly toxic pesticide that should never have been used indoors, according to Environmental Protection Agency investigators. Methyl bromide was used to fumigate a unit at the Sirenusa resort on St. John days...

Mystery Illness in Paradise Blamed on Toxic Pesticide

American family of 4 seriously sickened on St. John

(Newser) - A Delaware family of four looking to unwind in the US Virgin Islands was instead felled by a mysterious sickness that the EPA thinks was caused by a heavily regulated pesticide, reports CNN . Two weeks after Steve Esmond was found unconscious at the villa his family had rented on St....

Tourist Dies Trying to Save Drowning Mayor

Michigan mayor survives, is rescued by 2nd man

(Newser) - A crazy story equal parts tragic and heroic out of St. Croix in the Virgin Islands: A Danish tourist died trying to save a Michigan mayor who was being swept away by a riptide, but the mayor then got saved by a second Good Samaritan. The rescued man is South...

Virgin Islands Is Now Safe Haven for Sharks

Territorial waters declared a sanctuary

(Newser) - The British Virgin Islands declared its territorial waters a sanctuary for all shark species today to help protect the marine predators whose global numbers have been dramatically dwindling. Specifically, the archipelago of roughly 60 small islands, cays, and islets banned commercial fishing of all shark species in the 30,933...

Romney Adds 9 Delegates From Guam

Today's bigger battle comes in Kansas

(Newser) - Mitt Romney picked up nine more delegates today on his march toward the magic 1,144 he needs for his party's nomination, reports the AP . The latest ones come from Guam, where 215 representatives voted with a show of hands, giving Romney a unanimous win. Romney also is expected...

Hurricane Earl Hits Category 4
 Hurricane Earl Hits Category 4 




Hurricane Earl Hits Category 4

Path could brush East Coast later this week

(Newser) - Hurricane Earl battered tiny islands across the northeastern Caribbean with heavy rain and roof-ripping winds today, rapidly intensifying into a major Category 4 storm on a path projected to menace the United States. Already dangerous with sustained winds of 135mph, Earl is expected to gain strength before potentially brushing the...

Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands in Battle Over Captain Morgan

Caribbean rum war heads to Washington

(Newser) - A battle over rum has two US territories up in arms, with Puerto Rico accusing the Virgin Islands of a raid worthy of Captain Morgan himself. Diageo, the maker of Captain Morgan rum, is moving production from Puerto Rico to the US Virgin Islands, which offered the company $2.7...

Island Rum Fight Fattens Rangel's Coffers

Campaign cash pours in from Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands

(Newser) - Charles Rangel’s campaign coffers are bulging with campaign cash from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, but he insists that’s in no way influencing his decision on the competing rum tax bills each territory is pushing. “Besides Puerto Rico, you are the only one who has asked...

Madoff Investor Slapped With 1st Suit to Recover Gains

Trustee plans lawsuits all over the world

(Newser) - The first of what may be many lawsuits aimed at clawing back money from investors who gained from the Bernie Madoff ponzi scheme has been filed, the Wall Street Journal reports. The trustee for defrauded investors, Irving Picard, yesterday filed suit against a Virgin Islands-based investor, Vizcaya Partners, which withdrew...

Stanford Spent Millions to Lobby Congress

$8B scammer's island junkets helped push anti-tax agenda

(Newser) - Billionaire R. Allen Stanford has spent millions of dollars in attempting to enlist high-powered Washington officials in his anti-tax efforts, reports the Wall Street Journal. Stanford’s investment companies spent over $5 million on lobbying, $2 million on campaign contributions, and thousands more on flying members of Congress to the...

Refineries Shut as Omar Nears Virgin Islands

Hurricane could threaten Puerto Rico as Category 2

(Newser) - Caribbean oil refineries are under threat from Hurricane Omar, whose 85-mph winds roared through St. Croix today, Bloomberg reports. It could hit the Virgin Islands, home to one of the hemisphere's largest refineries, as a Category 2 storm tomorrow. Puerto Rico may be in line for 20 inches of rain...

Obama Takes a Break in the Virgin Islands

Family fun in the sun at St. Thomas beach resort

(Newser) - Barack Obama is taking a breather from the grueling campaign trail in the US Virgin Islands, AP reports. The candidate and his family flew Sunday to St. Thomas, where tourists spotted them at a beach resort. Obama has been spending his downtime golfing rather than politicking, although he was greeted...

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