TCI Social Development observes Child Abuse Prevention Month
The Department of Social Development and Welfare in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Transportation, and Telecommunications joins the rest of the world in recognizing the month of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.
During this time, a commitment is made to re-examine strategies to support children and families' well-being in raising awareness for preventing child abuse and neglect. This year, as we seek to raise awareness and consciousness in protecting and securing the welfare of all children in the TCI and around the world, we join in promoting the theme, “Building A Hopeful Future, Together”.
What does this look like? Reaffirming our commitment to collaborating with our partners, stakeholders, and community members to make sure all children and families have the tools and assistance they need to reach their full potential. Acknowledging the vital connection that exists between every child's safety and reaching a happy and bright future.
The Honorable Minister with responsibility for Social Development and Welfare, Honorable Otis Morris remarked, that the theme “Building A Hopeful Future, Together” emphasizes the crucial need of our TCI communities, stakeholders, partners, and well-wishers to collaborate in support of our children and families to promote nurturing, stable environments that will ignite the catalyst in preventing child abuse and neglect and build bridges to a prosperous, sustainable future.
The month of April is dedicated to raising awareness about child abuse prevention and providing a platform for people to unite in support of the goal that all children have safe and healthy homes to thrive. As the Minister, I am leading the charge in taking a stand against child abuse and neglect and also providing the resources, manpower, and sustenance to continue community awareness against child abuse and neglect.
I applaud the Department of Social Development and Welfare for the progress they have made in child abuse prevention and for the undying passion they have displayed in the fight against child abuse and neglect. As a community, we all have a part to play in preventing child abuse and neglect. Child Abuse is everybody’s business, let us do our part in preventing child abuse and neglect.
TCI Labour Tribunal visits the Employment and Labour Relations Tribunal, Bermuda
A three-member delegation from the Turks & Caicos Islands Labour Tribunal made a six-day visit to the Employment and Labour Relations Tribunal, Bermuda.
The delegation included the Labour Tribunal Secretary, Lucille Campbell, Tribunal Administrative Officer, Winifred Stubbs and Tribunal Officer, Alice Williams.
This visit was organized by President of the Turks and Caicos Islands Labour Tribunal, Doreen Quelch Missick-Stubbs.
The objective of the week-long visit was for staff of the Turks and Caicos Labour Tribunal to collaborate with their counterparts in Bermuda and observe the operations of the Employment and Labour Relations Tribunal.
They were privileged to meet the Cabinet Minister responsible for Economy and Labour, the Hon. Jason Hayward; the Chairman of Employment and Labour Relations Tribunal, Mr. Edward Ball; the Acting Director of Labour Relations, Mrs. Gabrielle Cann; the Human Rights Commission Chairman, Mrs. Lisa Reed along with two of the HR Commission members, Ms. Elaine Butterfield and Legal Adviser, Mr. Mapp; Labour Relations Officers and Investigators of the Labour Relations Department; other Chairpersons and the Director and members of the Workforce Development Department.
The delegation not only engaged in discussions on the Bermuda Employment Act 2000 and the Employment Amendment Act 2021 but were able to share comparisons to the Turks & Caicos Islands Employment Ordinance 2004, amended 2018. These pieces of legislation govern the operations and procedures of the Labour Tribunals.
It was very enlightening and educational for the TCI Labour Tribunal staff to observe various hearings – a Non-compliance Hearing; Directions Hearing and a Substantive Hearing which were presided over by different Chairman and Arbitrators; after which a debriefing of each Hearing was held to include the Chairman, the Tribunal panel and the three-member delegation.
There were some shared similarities of the processes and operations between the two Islands Tribunals.
The overall visit was not only beneficial but also very rewarding for the delegation as the experiences and information shared could help both Tribunals.
Tesla Model 2 scrapped in favour of robotaxis
Tesla has scrapped plans for a new ‘Model 2’ entry-level electric car, Reuters reports.
The long-promised new model line, which boss Elon Musk recently suggested could enter production late next year, was tipped to come to market at less than £25,000 as a rival to the likes of the Volkswagen ID 2, Renault 5 and MG 4 EV.
Citing three sources familiar with the matter and internal company messages, Reuters says the project has been scrapped and the platform that was to underpin the EV will now be used for a line of autonomous robotaxis, produced at much lower volumes.
esla refused to comment when approached by Autocar and Musk responded to the report with a post on his social media platform, X, that read simply: “Reuters is dying”.
Tesla has long hinted at plans for a cut-price new car to sit beneath the Model 3 saloon and Model Y crossover but has only given limited indications of its positioning over the past few years.
Most recently, the firm released a shadowy teaser image of its silhouette, suggesting it would effectively be a downsized take on the Model 3.
The American firm spoke of ambitious plans to sell an astonishing 700 million examples of the car, codenamed Project Redwood, over its lifetime.
Tesla's move away from the cheaper end of the EV market comes at a time when affordable Chinese cars, such as the BYD Dolphin, are arriving in the UK.
Crucial to the Model 2’s viability was a new production process called Unboxed, which essentially revolves around reducing the amount of work done at each stage of the production line, avoiding any unnecessary movement or disassembly of the car or its components during its journey down the production line.
For example, the seats would be mounted directly to the underfloor battery pack, with the entire unit then raised into a bodyshell that has been painted in sections to avoid the need for door removal and reinstallation.
Initial production for the Model 2 was tipped for Germany. The car's platform was thought to be unrelated to other Teslas.
Reuters suggests this production process and the platform to which it applies will instead be deployed for Tesla's long-mooted autonomous ride-hailing vehicle - which won't be produced in the same colossal volumes.
t quotes a source as saying "Elon's directive is to go all in on Robotaxi".
Source-Auto Car
RBC Bank says new measures are aimed at protecting customers from fraud
The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) has confirmed the imposition of a US$500 daily automated teller machine (ATM) withdrawal limit saying it is intended to protect customers from fraud.
In a statement, the financial institution aid also that it was imposing a maximum four “free” monthly ATM withdrawals per client and that this would only impact clinets of the Finance Corporation of The Bahamas (FINCO).
“At RBC, our priority is safeguarding the security and financial wellbeing of all our clients. In line with keeping this commitment, we implemented an adjustment to the daily ATM limit for our RBC FINCO clients.
“It is important to highlight that this adjustment only affects our FINCO clients and does not apply to all our RBC clientele. RBC FINCO is the mortgage subsidiary of RBC. We have proactively made efforts to notify our FINCO clients about these changes,” the bank said.
RBC had in a letter dated April 2, 2024, informed FINCO customers of the limits noting that the changes were intended “to ensure your banking experience is not only convenient but also secure”.
It said if clients need to access more than the US$500 ATM daily limit, they will now have to physically visit a branch and conduct an over-the-counter withdrawal.
“At RBC FINCO, we are continually evolving to ensure your banking experience is not only convenient but also secure. As part of these ongoing efforts, we have decided to adjust our daily ATM withdrawal limits,” said FINCO’s managing director, Deverson Warner,.
“Effective Tuesday, April 2, 2024, the new daily withdrawal limit will be set at US$500. This adjustment is a proactive step towards enhancing the security measures that safeguard your accounts and personal information.
“While we understand this may mean a change to your banking routine, we want to assure you that this decision was made with careful consideration to ensure that your funds remain safe and protected.
“If you require a daily withdrawal amount exceeding the $500 limit, we encourage you to come visit any of our branches to conduct an over-the-counter withdrawal transaction. Please note that RBC FINCO savings account holders will now enjoy four free ATM withdrawals per month,” the RBS said in its letter.
It also advised clients to “actively monitor accounts for any suspicious activity” and to be wary of sharing PIN (personal identification number) or password information with third parties.
“As part of taking care of your financial well-being, we encourage all clients to actively monitor their accounts for any suspicious activity. Please remember that you should never share your PIN with a third party”.
RBC FINCO said it would never reach out to customers asking them to provide the bank with their PIN or password.
“If you notice any transactions that seem unfamiliar, or if you suspect any fraudulent activity please contact us immediately,” the RBC said.
Source-CMC
Source-CMC
4-minute Total Solar Eclipse
Eclipse fever is building. Millions in North America are hoping to spend around four minutes of total darkness as the Moon blocks the Sun's light on Monday.
For some, those precious minutes will be an opportunity for often impossible science experiments - a chance to unravel the secrets of our universe.
Researchers will fly rockets into the path of the eclipse, stand in zoos watching animals, send radio signals across the globe, and peer into space with massive cameras.
And you don't need to be a scientist to take part.
But it could still go wrong. A solar flare or even some humble clouds could throw those plans into turmoil.
When darkness falls on parts of North America, one part of the Sun will peek out that people have been trying to study for centuries - its atmosphere, or corona.
This mysterious part of the Sun is made up of magnetized plasma and measures more than a million degrees Celsius.
Normally the Sun's incredible brightness makes the corona impossible to see, but on Monday scientists in Dallas, Texas, will be able to point instruments at it and take images.
Scientists with Aberystwyth University in Wales and from Nasa hope for an insight into solar wind, which is the plasma thrown from the Sun's surface. Another puzzle is why the corona seems to be much hotter than the Sun's surface, despite being on its edge.
They might even see what is called a coronal mass ejection when huge plasma clouds are thrown from the atmosphere into Space. Ejections can cause problems for satellites we use on Earth.
A lot of money, time, and logistics have gone into that four-minute window, says Huw Morgan, professor of Physics at Aberystwyth University.
The Sun's activity can disrupt almost all our communications, including the humble long-wave radio.
Energy from the Sun charges a region in the upper atmosphere called the ionosphere, which helps radio transmissions whizz around the planet. But when the Moon blocks the Sun, the ionosphere is affected.
To test what that does to radio, hundreds of amateur radio operators will join a listening party and send signals to each other across the world, competing for the most connections. They might communicate in Morse code or even speak.
The results could help scientists better understand radio communications used by emergency workers, airplanes, and ships, as well as GPS, according to Nathaniel Frissell at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, who is running the party.
Thomas Pisano, an electric engineering student with Dr Frissell, plans to compete. Sitting at desks with radio equipment, he'll send out signals and try to connect with as many operators as possible worldwide.
"There's a strong sense of community," he says. "We're all excited to get this data."
Most of the communications are formal - station name and location - but each one signs off with "73", a code for best wishes.
"It's our radio way of saying farewell and take care," he says.
While the eclipse will barely be visible in the UK, radio operators across the country will still tune into messages sent from the other side of the Atlantic. Radio operator Gwyn Griffiths plans to both send and receive long-wave signals across the ocean to gauge how far they travel.
US space agency Nasa will fly WB-57 jets along the eclipse path to take pictures from 50,000 feet (15,240m) above Earth.
Flying above the clouds means there is no chance they will miss the eclipse. And the jets' cameras should take clearer pictures because they will capture wavelengths that don't normally make it all the way to Earth.
Source-BBC
Tens of thousands rally in Tel Aviv demanding Gaza hostage deal
Opponents of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu say 100,000 people have rallied against the government and to demand a Gaza hostage deal.
The rallies in Tel Aviv and other cities came after the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) recovered the body of hostage Elad Katzir.
Protesters chanted "Elections now", and "Elad, we're sorry", local media said. Both Israelis and Palestinians are preparing to mark six months of war on Sunday.
Anti-government protesters were joined by families of hostages held in Gaza. Demonstrators expressed their frustration with the government's inability to free the around 130 hostages who remain in Gaza, held by Hamas and its allies.
Earlier on Saturday the IDF recovered the body of Elad Katzir, who was seized and taken to Gaza during the Hamas attacks on southern Israel on 7 October. He appeared alive in a hostage video released in January.
"Elad Katzir managed to survive three months in captivity. He should have been with us today. He could have been with us today," protester Noam Peri told a BBC reporter.
Organizers said the protesters had rallied in around 50 locations across Israel. These were the latest of a series of huge anti-government protests demanding that Prime Minister Netanyahu step down, amid fury that he has failed to free the remaining hostages.
A car ploughed into crowds at the protest in Tel Aviv, injuring five. The cause of the incident was unclear.
On Sunday - exactly six months since the Hamas attacks triggered the war in Gaza - negotiators plan to meet in Cairo to attempt to reach a ceasefire in the brutal war.
According to some media reports, CIA Director Bill Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani will join negotiators from Egypt, Israel and Hamas.
Mr Katzir's sister, Carmit Palty Katzir, blamed Israeli authorities for her brother's death in a post on social media, saying he would have returned alive had they agreed a new truce deal.
"Our leadership is cowardly and driven by political consideration, which is why this deal has not happened yet," she wrote on Facebook.
"Prime Minister, war cabinet, and coalition members: Look at yourself in the mirror and say if your hands didn't spill blood."
The 7 October Hamas attacks killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians.
Over 33,000 people have been killed during Israel's offensive in Gaza since then, the Hamas-run health ministry says - many of them women and children.
According to Israeli counts, 253 Israelis and foreigners were taken during the Hamas attacks.
About 129 hostages remain unaccounted for after being kidnapped - at least 34 of them are presumed dead. The IDF has recovered 12 bodies.
Source-BBC
New Jersey, New York City rocked by 4.8 magnitude earthquake
A 4.8 magnitude earthquake rocked the Northeast Friday morning, shaking buildings from Philadelphia to New Jersey to New York City to Connecticut to Westchester, New York.
The earthquake was centered near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Reports of injuries were not immediately clear.
Con Edison said there are no reports of outages or damage.
There is no damage or service disruption to New York City's subway system, according to the MTA.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the quake was felt throughout New York.
"My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day," she wrote on social media.
The New York City mayor's office said there's no immediate reports of damage in the city, but crews are still assessing the impacts.
New York City schools are staying open as normal, according to the city's Department of Education press secretary, Nathaniel Styer.
"At this time, there is no indication that our buildings were compromised, and our facilities staff are quickly and thoroughly inspecting buildings to ensure safety. The safest place for our kids right now is in our schools," Styer said.
President Joe Biden was briefed on the earthquake, and his team is monitoring potential impacts, according to White House officials.
John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport were all placed on ground stops so runways could be inspected for damage. JFK and Baltimore have since resumed operations.
Cars at the Holland Tunnel between New Jersey and Manhattan are being temporarily held so the tunnel can be inspected, according to the Port Authority.
Source-ABC
Sean “Diddy” Combs' son Christian Combs sued for sexual assault
The younger son of entertainment mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs sexually assaulted Grace O’Marcaigh as she worked aboard a yacht his father had leased during the holiday season in December 2022, a new lawsuit O’Marcaigh filed Friday in Los Angeles alleges.
The lawsuit included as defendants Christian Combs, Sean Combs and 10 unnamed individuals who are said to have aided or abetted the alleged assault, which occurred when O’Marcaigh was 25.
The lawsuit described in sometimes graphic detail the alleged sexual assault in the yacht’s cinema room after Christian purportedly forced O’Marcaigh to take a tequila shot that she suspected was spiked with drugs.
According to the lawsuit, music producer Rodney Jones, who has filed a separate lawsuit against Sean Combs, was on the yacht at the time and reportedly took audio recordings of Christian drugging and sexually assaulting O’Marcaigh.
The assault led her mental health to severely decline, including a "deep depression," "anxiety and panic attacks," developing an eating disorder and some "severe suicidal ideations," the suit said.
The lawsuit accused Christian of assault, sexual assault, battery and infliction of emotional distress. The suit accused Diddy of aiding and abetting and premises liability since he had rented the yacht.
Tyrone Blackburn, the attorney who filed O’Marcaigh's lawsuit against Christian and previous suits against Sean Combs, has been referred to the grievance committee of the Southern District of New York for potential discipline in an unrelated matter.
“This is just another lewd and meritless claim from Tyrone Blackburn — just like what he filed in the Rodney Jones lawsuit, which he still has not served,” read a statement from Aaron Dyer, attorney for Combs and his son. "This complaint is filled with the same kind of manufactured lies and irrelevant facts we’ve come to expect from Blackburn.”
He adds, “This is exactly why the federal judge in New York slapped him two days ago for a ‘pattern of behavior’ in ‘improperly [filing] cases in federal court to garner media attention, embarrass defendants with salacious allegations, and pressure defendants to settle quickly,’ and why he was referred to the disciplinary committee in the Southern District of New York. We will be filing a motion to dismiss this outrageous claim.”
Source-ABC
SZA announced as headliner for 2024 Summerfest
SZA has joined the lineup for Summerfest alongside special guest Aminé. She'll take the festival's largest stage, the American Family Insurance Amphitheater, on Saturday, June 22, performing as a headliner at the event. Though she was the last Summerfest headliner to be announced this year, it will be her first time performing there.
Summerfest takes place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 20-22, June 27-29 and July 4-6. The festival will feature over 140 headliners across 12 stages, with performances from Lil Uzi Vert with Lil Yachty, JID, Rico Nasty, Bryson Tiller, En Vogue, Mariah the Scientist and more.
Source-ABC
Haiti Specialist William O'Neill Provides his Evaluation
In a dire assessment of Haiti’s current state, the United Nations rights expert, William O’Neill, emphasized the urgent need for international support to address the escalating gang violence plaguing the Caribbean nation.
O’Neill underscored the severity of the situation, indicating that Haiti now requires between 4,000 and 5,000 international police personnel to combat the catastrophic levels of violence targeting crucial institutions and individuals.
O’Neill’s remarks, delivered during a news conference unveiling a UN Human Rights Office report, highlighted the alarming deterioration of security in Haiti. He pointed out that the situation has significantly deteriorated since his previous assessment, which called for a much smaller international police presence.
The report paints a grim picture of corruption, impunity, and poor governance exacerbating the impact of increasing gang violence, pushing state institutions to the brink of collapse.
According to the report, gang-related violence has claimed the lives of thousands and injured many more, with a sharp uptick in casualties observed in recent years.
The statistics reveal a staggering toll on Haitian society, with 4,451 fatalities and 1,668 injuries recorded in 2023 alone.
Reports are that up to March 22, have already surpassed previous records, indicating a worsening crisis.
An alarming trend documented in the report is the increasing involvement of children in gang activities.
Not only are they exploited as messengers and slaves, but young teenagers are now actively participating in frontline attacks—an unsettling development that underscores the gravity of the situation.
The spiraling violence has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Haiti, with widespread displacement and food insecurity affecting millions.
The closure of essential infrastructure, including airports and roads, has compounded the plight of vulnerable communities, pushing them to the brink of famine.
In light of the escalating crisis, O’Neill reiterated the urgent need for international intervention to restore security and uphold the rule of law in Haiti.