Hurricane Maria slammed into the Caribbean island of Dominica as a Category 5 storm with "merciless" 160 mph winds Monday night, and the storm, deemed "potentially catastrophic" by the National Hurricane Center, is now headed for the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Maria is expected to move over the northeastern Caribbean Sea today and is forecast to "remain an extremely dangerous category 4 or 5 hurricane" as it approaches the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico tonight and Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center said.

THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM is deploying staff and assistance to meet the needs of vulnerable Caribbean citizens in the path of record-breaking Hurricane Irma. Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have unique economic, environmental and social vulnerabilities that are exacerbated in severe natural crises.

[CariVecNet] Mosquito borne diseases continue to impact the Caribbean’s social, economic and health sectors. Recent outbreaks of Zika (2016), and Chikungunya (2014) and the continued circulation of Dengue, highlight the need for an integrated approach to the prevention and control of these vector borne diseases (VBDs), especially since many countries depend on tourism as a major source of revenue.

The curtains came down on the thirteenth edition of the Caribbean Festival of Arts CARIFESTA XIII last evening. The ten-day mega cultural event ended with a closing ceremony at Kensington Oval Ground, President Kennedy Drive, Bridgetown, Barbados.

The night’s activities included a culmination of performances from various Caribbean countries that have performed throughout the festival and the passing of the baton to next host country of CARIFESTA XIIII, Trinidad and Tobago.