Iraq bombs kill at least 10 in Baghdad
A series of apparently co-ordinated explosions in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, has killed at least 10 people and injured dozens more, say officials.
The interior ministry said 13 locations had been attacked, with two roadside bombs in Halawi district and a car bomb in Karrada district.
Such attacks remain common in Iraq despite an overall fall in violence.
The blasts come amid fears of rising sectarian tensions as the unity government faces internal divisions.
It was not immediately clear who was behind the attacks.
At least four people died in the Halawi bombs, said police.
Raghad Khalid, a teacher at a kindergarten in Karrada, said all their windows had been blown out.
"The children were scared and crying. Some parts of the car bomb are inside our building."
Smoke was seen rising over Karrada district, with ambulances rushing to the scene.
Another woman said her baby had been covered in glass.
"She is now scared in the next room. All countries are stable. Why don't we have security and stability?" said Um Hanin.
Iraq's year-old power-sharing government is in turmoil after an arrest warrant was issued for Sunni Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi on terror charges.
The entire al-Iraqiyya group, the main Sunni bloc in parliament, is boycotting the assembly in protest. It accuses Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, a Shia, of monopolising power.
Mr Hashemi denies the charges. He is currently in Irbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, under the protection of the regional government, but Mr Maliki has demanded that they give him up.
Blasts Kill 4 in Iraq as Political Crisis Continues
Iraqi officials say several explosions have hit the capital, Baghdad, killing at least seven people as a political crisis continues in the country following the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
Authorities said the deadly blasts Thursday hit across the city, including two roadside bombs that also wounded at least 13 other people. Television footage showed large plumes of smoke rising from a blast side in Baghdad's Karrada neighborhood.
On Wednesday, Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi said that allegations by the Shi'ite led government that he plotted to kill other government officials are politically motivated by the prime minister, whom Hashemi says wanted to consolidate power when U.S. troops left this month.
In an interview with VOA, Hashemi says Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki controls the security and intelligence forces and does not allow other elected officials to interfere. The vice president fled to the semiautonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq to escape a warrant for his arrest issued this week.
Hashemi, a Sunni, says the United States failed to leave behind a democratic model in Iraq, leaving the nation vulnerable to interference from its Iranian neighbors.
Earlier Wednesday, Prime Minister Maliki, at a Baghdad news conference, called on Kurdish authorities to hand over the vice president.
A spokesman for Iraq's Interior Ministry says three of Hashemi's bodyguards confessed they planted bombs targeting Iraqi government and security officials with Hashemi's backing.
The alleged plot and a call last week by Mr. Maliki for a no-confidence vote in parliament against another leading Sunni politician, Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq, have heightened political tension in Iraq.
On Tuesday, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden urged Iraqi leaders to settle their political differences.
The White House said Biden telephoned Mr. Maliki and the speaker of the Council of Representatives, Osama al-Nujaifi. It said Biden stressed the urgent need for the prime minister and the leaders of other political blocs to meet and work through their differences.
Both Hashemi and Mutlaq are leaders of Iraq's mostly Sunni Iraqiya political bloc, part of the coalition government. Iraqiya's members walked out of parliament on Saturday, accusing Mr. Maliki of seizing power.
French Parliament to Vote on Armenian Genocide Bill
The French parliament is expected to approve a controversial bill Thursday making it a crime to publicly deny the killing of Armenians by troops of Turkey's former Ottoman Empire nearly a century ago.
In response, Turkey says it may recall its ambassador to France and ask the French ambassador to leave Turkey. Turkish officials say the government may also exclude French companies from public contracts.
Turkey rejects the use of genocide to describe the deaths of up to 500,000 Armenians during the first World War. Armenia says up to 1.5 million of its citizens were killed.
Turkish officials say the bill represents French President Nicolas Sarkaozy's attempt at gaining support from France's 400,000 Armenians in his bid for reelection 2012.
Turkey's ruling and opposition parties have issued a joint declaration, denouncing the French legislation as a ” grave, unacceptable and historic mistake.”
On Wednesday, several dozen people opposing the proposed measure demonstrated outside the French embassy in Turkey's capital, Ankara.
Under the bill, anyone who publicly denies the 1915 genocide faces up in a year in jail and a $58,000 fine.
HRW: 24 Killed in DRC Since Kabila Election Victory
An international rights group says Congolese security forces have killed at least 24 people since President Joseph Kabila was announced the winner of an election that international observers have deemed seriously flawed.
Human Rights Watch Thursday said the victims include opposition activists as well as people simply gathered on the street or in their homes. The report said security forces have been firing on small crowds in an apparent attempt to prevent protests.
Human Rights Watch's Anneke Van Woudenberg says these “bloody tactics” further undermine the election. She says they give the impression that the government will do “whatever it takes” to retain power.
President Kabila was inaugurated Tuesday, pledging to unify his country. But opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi has rejected the results as fraudulent and has declared himself president, saying he will take office Friday.
The U.S. said Tuesday it is “deeply disappointed” by Congo's decision to uphold the election results without fully evaluating widespread reports of irregularities.
A statement by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the election was seriously flawed and lacked transparency.
Mr. Kabila has suggested that Mr. Tshisekedi use the appeals system to challenge the results.
The presidential and legislative polls were only the second free elections in Congo since it was torn apart by several years of warfare that ended in 2003.
Mr. Kabila first became president after his father's assassination in 2001, and later won office following a U.N.-sponsored vote in 2006.
US General Suggests Longer Term Military Presence in Afghanistan
The commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan has signaled that the United States could maintain a military presence in that country beyond the scheduled withdrawal of American troops in 2014.
In an interview published in Thursday’s edition of the New York Times, General John Allen said negotiations with the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai will almost certainly cover “what a post-2014 force would look like.” This, he said, probably would involve “some number of advisers, trainers and intelligence specialists” for a period of time beyond 2014.
The U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Ryan Crocker, recently was quoted as saying the United States would, after 2014, continue to provide assistance to the country’s economic and security sectors. But the general is the highest-ranking American military official to suggest the possibility of a longer term U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan.
A spokesperson for Afghanistan’s defense ministry told reporters Wednesday that the country is making progress in training its forces and that the number of Afghan National Army troops now stands at 180,000. He said the goal of the expansion is 240,000, a force he said would be able to take control of internal and external security across the country after 2014.
NATO forces already have begun handing over security responsibility to Afghan forces ahead of the 2014 withdrawal.
The Polish contingent of the NATO coalition force on Wednesday suffered the highest number of deaths in the decades-long war. Five Polish soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in eastern Ghazani province.
Poland, which has more than 2,500 troops stationed in Afghanistan, is said to have lost 36 soldiers.
Governor’s Christmas Message
H.E Governor Damian Ric Todd has released his Christmas Message, which reads:
I find it hard to believe that it is nearly a hundred days since I first came to the Turks and Caicos Islands. It is a pleasure to live here and an honour to be the Governor. As we approach Christmas, I can say that my first Christmas here is certainly different from the one I spent in Warsaw, Poland just last year. There the snow was white rather than the sand.
My arrival on 10th September was just after the completion of the new constitution and British Ministers announcement that elections will be held by the end of next year if the eight milestones were met. These milestones offer us a way forward and a vision of what a better governed TCI can be like. I also believe that we are able to achieve them and to move to elections by the end of next year. I know that many people across the islands very much want this.
Christmas is a time of joy. It also marks the end of advent; a period of waiting, and it offers hope for the future. It is a moment to look back as well as forward. As we look at 2011 we can say it has been a difficult year for many people on TCI. There have been over the last few months essential but painful change. I believe that as we look forward to 2012 there are genuine reasons for hope and optimism. These include rising government revenues, starting to reprioritise spending towards schools and primary health care, economic growth, new investment and increasing tourism. Who would have thought at this time last year that we would be able to welcome over a million visitors to TCI in 2011?
We face many challenges in 2012. I believe that the people of TCI can overcome these challenges. These islands have been blessed. They are rich in nature, and rich in people. I hope that we can all work together in 2012 for the greater good of the Turks and Caicos Islands. As the book of Psalms puts it: “Trust in the Lord and do good”.
Finally I would like to wish each of you and your families a merry and enjoyable Christmas and a happy and successful 2012.
TCI Department alerts the public on Chicken and Cilantro Recall
TCI Environmental Health Department hereby alerts the general public that the US Food and Drug Administration has issued two recalls of contaminated chicken and cilantro respectively.
Trade between the USA and Turks and Caicos Islands involving these products, and the potential risks to local consumers necessitate a corresponding recall in these islands by the Environmental Health Department.
Recall 1:
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a North Carolina-based Raeford Farm is recalling more than 4,100 pounds of cooked chicken breasts over possible Listeria Monocytogenes contamination. The recalled chicken breasts are marked "P-239A" inside the USDA mark of inspection, along with a product code of "94268" and a package date of "1270" (Sept. 27, 2011). The products were shipped to Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
The problem was discovered after a customer's sample tested positive, but no illnesses have been reported, the USDA said.
Listeria is a type of bacteria that can cause food poisoning and a disease called Listeriosis.
Healthy people rarely get the Listeria infection, known as listeriosis, but older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems face a great risk.
Symptoms can take up to two months to develop, and include diarrhea, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.
In the early months of 2011, a Listeria outbreak that was linked to cantaloupes sickened 146 persons and killed 30.
Recall 2:
The Environmental Health is also alerting the public of a recent recall of Cilantro in the USA.
The FDA said that Pacific Cilantro of Salinas, Calif, is voluntarily recalling more than 6,000 cartons of cilantro that were shipped to California, Arizona, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Indiana, South Carolina and Missouri. An FDA test found salmonella in a sample of the herbs, also known as Coriander. The cilantro was grown by Salt River Farming in the Phoenix-area.
No illnesses have been reported.
The recall is considered precautionary.
Each bunch has "Pacific" on the twist tie and the UPC code 33383 80104.
Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal illness in children, the elderly, or those with compromised immune systems. Healthy people infected with Salmonella may experience fever, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. In rare cases, Salmonella infection can get into the bloodstream, resulting in more severe illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditis, and arthritis.
Cilantro is an herb and is sometimes referred to as coriander. Cilantro specifically refers to the leaves and stems of the coriander plant. It is a bright, pungent herb used in Asian, Mexican and Indian cooking. Cilantro is a flavorful herb also known as Chinese parsley. Consumers of the aforementioned products are advised to discontinue use immediately and consult the government medical facility for further advice.
Importers of the aforementioned products are advised to discontinue the sale of all products bearing the batch dates mentioned above. Importers are also advised to
contact Pacific International Marketing at 831-755-1398 for additional information.
CFO notes a number of steps including a restructuring of the government Treasury, to ensure financial stability after the end of direct rule over the TCI by the British
It seems as if the state of the country's finances was not on as stable a footing as noted by the former Chief Finance Officer Caroline Gardner, who ended her one year assignment in the Turks and Caicos Islands sometime in August, satisfied she said, that the country's finances are on a more stable footing.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office appointed Gardner in September of 2010 to oversee the government's finances as a requirement of loan guarantees
for the country. The goal was to put the government on track to achieve a fiscal surplus by March 2013.
'The $260 million U.K.-guaranteed refinancing package has enabled us to restore stability to the government's finances by reducing the cost of borrowing, repaying our creditors, and funding the deficits that will continue until we can balance the budget,' Gardner said prior to the end of her contract in the TCI. 'This means raising revenues and cutting expenditure, while modernizing the tax system to provide a sound basis for the future.'
'We've made a good start, but there is still a long way to go. The next two years will be critical in bringing revenue and expenditure into line.
Once we've achieved a budget surplus, then we can start to build the reserves we need to repay the TCI's high levels of debt, and invest in building a prosperous and vibrant future for the people of these islands,' she had noted.
But members of the Consultative Forum were shocked at their meeting a week ago when they learnt that the TCI is still very much in debt.
The new CFO Hugh McGarrell Groves upon assuming office noted his intent to ensure as soon as possible that we do have the financial resources the ministry needs to manage its affairs effectively.
However, speaking to journalists during the final Advisory Council press briefing last week, he explained that more accurate forecasts are now being done as more bills are being presented.
Mr McGarrell Groves also indicated a number of steps, including a restructuring of the government Treasury, to ensure financial stability after the end of direct rule over the TCI by the British.
But radio and television talk shows and local newspapers throughout the islands have been bombarded with calls and articles, suggesting there are too many Advisors in the country, when in most cases, the purpose for which they are here, could have been better served by a local person.
Chair of the Consultative Forum Mrs. Lillian Missick made the observation in her opening statement at the final sitting of the Consultative Forum when she highlighted the fact that the national debt has almost tripled from $71 to $200 million, all under the British fiscal management.
It was also an issue put forward to the Minister responsible for the Overseas Territories Henry Bellingham by Mrs. Missick when she and Advisory Council member Theo Durham, joined His Excellency the Governor Ric Todd at the Overseas Territories Consultative Council meeting in the UK earlier this month, when she informed UK ministers of the spirit of distrust and alienation that is growing among the people of the TCI.
The Chief Financial Officer, Hugh McGarrell Groves was also asked during Wednesday's Advisory Council press briefing for his thoughts on the fact that there should be more local persons as Advisors, who know the landscape of the country and what assurance are there that persons coming from the UK that doesn't know enough about the TCI to make things better.
Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Delton Jones, weighing in on the financial stability of the country, noted that when all is said and done, the record will indicate that his staff did indeed make the necessary efforts to get the TCI finances under control and is confident his staff will have the correct system in place.
TCI National Blood Bank says thanks
As the year comes to an end, the TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS NATIONAL BLOOD BANK in the Ministry of Health is expressing its sincere thanks to all the
dedicated blood donors and volunteers in the Turks & Caicos Islands.
A statement from Latricia Ingham & Ricardo Missick of the Turks & Caicos National Blood Bank, said 'On behalf of Turks & Caicos Islands National Blood Bank and the patients we serve, we thank you for your generosity, selflessness and commitment, especially for the overflowing support during our Blood Drive held on Friday 16th, December 2011.'
Thanks to every Media house, as well as, persons who helped in spreading the word through various means. To the entire staff at Inter-Health Canada for their support and who worked feverishly with us into the night.
The need for blood doesn't take a break over the long weekends and there is a continuous need for all blood types. Many have already given that "PERFECT GIFT!" The gift of LIFE! Someone is alive today because of your gift!
Now that you, the community are aware of the need and the importance of being a donor we ask that you continue to donate, and if you have not as yet done so, now is the time to give "THAT PERFECT GIFT!"
The very life you save may be your own.
Best wishes for a quiet and peaceful Holiday Season.
Spokesman in the Governor's Office, Mr. Neil Smith says TCIG is not subsidizing WIV
Spokesman in the Governor's Office, Mr. Neil Smith, has dispelled as mischievous rumors the notion that WIV is being subsidized by the TCIG.
A press statement from Mr. Smith, noted that he has been approached twice by two separate media outlets about the notion of a Government subsidy for
WIV.
'I am please to confirm that there is no truth to these mischievous rumours. There is no financial support for WIV. There is no preference for WIV over PTV (or any other media outlet). And the Government's expectation is that the TCI media houses report the news without fear, favor or prejudice.
What may be influencing certain people's perceptions is that WIV, as part of a larger regional media business, has chosen to investment in their TCI business at this time. This is a private and commercial matter for WIV's owners and managers, said the Governor's spokesperson, Mr. Neil Smith.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.