President Biden marks 100 days since Hamas attack on Israel
President Joe Biden on Sunday marked 100 days since Hamas launched its deadly attacks on Israel on October 7, vowing to get more of the American hostages freed.
"For 100 days, they have existed in fear for their lives, not knowing what tomorrow will bring," Biden said of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
On the 100th day, the Israel Defense Forces says its goals "will take a long time" to achieve.
Meanwhile, The U.S. launched another retaliatory strike against Houthi militants in Yemen on Friday following Thursday’s large-scale airstrikes, according to U.S. Central Command.
The airstrike targeted a Houthi radar site and was a direct response to the launch earlier in the day of an anti-ship fired at a ship in the Gulf of Aden that fell harmlessly into the water. Friday’s missed missile attack is now considered the 28th Houthi attack on commercial shipping using drones and missiles since mid-November.
Source-ABC
RTC Weekend Scoreboard Locally & Internationally
PPL
Cheshire Hall FC 2, Flamingo 0
Academy Eagles FC 3, Teachers FC 1
WPL
Teachers WFC 4, Cheshire Hall WFC 0
SWA Sharks WFC2, Academy Eagles 0
TCISS SOFTBALL
BWIC won that game due to a forfeit
TCISS BASKETBALL
Maranatha Academy 70, Elite High 68
Marjorie Basden 61, Alapha Academy 47
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Denver 117, Indiana 109
Miami 104, Charlotte 87
Minnesota 109, LA Clippers 105
Milwaukee 143, Sacramento 142 (OT)
Phoenix 127, Portland 116
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
NY Rangers 2, Washington 1
Detroit 4, Toronto 2
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Green Bay 48, Dallas 32
Detroit 24, LA Rams 23
AI to hit 40% of jobs and worsen inequality, IMF says
Artificial intelligence is set to affect nearly 40% of all jobs, according to a new analysis by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
IMF's managing director Kristalina Georgieva says "in most scenarios, AI will likely worsen overall inequality".
Ms Georgieva adds that policymakers should address the "troubling trend" to "prevent the technology from further stoking social tensions".
The proliferation of AI has put its benefits and risks under the spotlight.
The IMF said AI is likely to affect a greater proportion of jobs - put at around 60% - in advanced economies. In half of these instances, workers can expect to benefit from the integration of AI, which will enhance their productivity.
In other instances, AI will have the ability to perform key tasks that are currently executed by humans. This could lower demand for labour, affecting wages and even eradicating jobs.
Meanwhile, the IMF projects that the technology will affect just 26% of jobs in low-income countries.
It echoes a report from Goldman Sachs in 2023, which estimated AI could replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs - but said there may also be new jobs alongside a boom in productivity.
Ms Georgieva said "many of these countries don't have the infrastructure or skilled workforces to harness the benefits of AI, raising the risk that over time the technology could worsen inequality among nations"
More generally, higher-income and younger workers may see a disproportionate increase in their wages after adopting AI.
Lower-income and older workers could fall behind, the IMF believes.
"It is crucial for countries to establish comprehensive social safety nets and offer retraining programmes for vulnerable workers," Ms Georgieva said. "In doing so, we can make the AI transition more inclusive, protecting livelihoods and curbing inequality."
The IMF analysis comes as global business and political leaders gather at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
AI is a topic of discussion, following the surge in popularity of applications like ChatGPT.
The technology is facing increased regulation around the world. Last month, European Union officials reached a provisional deal on the world's first comprehensive laws to regulate the use of AI.
China has introduced some of the world's first national regulations on AI, which include rules concerning how algorithms can be developed and deployed.
In October, President Biden signed an executive order compelling developers to share safety results relating to AI with the US government.
The following month the UK hosted an AI Safety Summit, at which at a declaration on the safe development of the technology was signed by multiple countries.
Source-BBC
Paula Abdul approves of Ariana Grande's "Cold Hearted" homage
Ariana Grande's video for "Yes, and?" isn't just a clever way for Ari to hit back against her critics: It's an all-out homage to a 1989 video from a different artist, who wholeheartedly approves of the tribute.
The "Yes, and?" video takes its inspiration from Paula Abdul's video for her song "Cold Hearted," her third #1 hit. Paula has posted both videos next to each other on Instagram so you can see all the similarities: the set, the dance moves, the critics watching the performance, the shades that come down and darken the room, and more. Ari even wears a hat just like Paula's.
"WOW! Waking up to see @arianagrande pay homage to 'Cold Hearted' in her new music video 'Yes, and? was EVERYTHING!!!" Paula wrote. "What an honor! What was your favorite part of the video? I love you, Ari!!!"
"Love you too, sweetest queen !" Ari responded in the comments. "thank you for your brilliance and for inspiring me (and so many people) endlessly! " Ari's brother, Frankie Grande, added, "Mamma G raised us correctly. Love you legend. I was so excited for you to see this!"
"Cold Hearted" is from Paula's debut album, Forever Your Girl, which spun off four #1 hits and at the time was the most successful first album in history. It went on to sell 7 million copies in the U.S. alone.
Source-ABC
Hike in stamp duty, electric cars announced in 2024/25 Cayman budget
The government in this British Overseas territory has announced plans to increase some taxes or fees over the 2024-25 budget period, this would lead to an increase in duty on electric cars, stamp duty in high-end locations, work permit applications and some General Registry fees.
This was revealed by Premier and Finance Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly as she delivered the Budget Address during which she stated that an increase in fees over two years of would be non-inflationary and would not impact “the little man”, but the revenue would play a vital role in funding public services.
With around CI$128 million of unused but proposed borrowing carried over from this year, if the government does spend all of these proposed borrowings, it will add about $278 million to its existing debt over this next two-year budget cycle, leaving it with a debt balance at the end of 2025 of about CI$500 million. The premier said that this would deliver a surplus by core (or central) government of around CI$43 million in 2024 and CI$53.2 million in 2025.
Cayman’s biggest budget to date forecasts that core government will collect CI$1.09 billion in revenue in 2024 with expenditures of CI$1.05 billion. In 2025, it is predicting revenue of CI$1.3 billion, with spending expected to reach CI$1.08 billion.
While the government will be spending hundreds of millions on various capital projects, from parks to prisons, in her new role as finance minister, O’Connor-Connolly revealed that personnel costs for government will exceed half a billion dollars next year and a whopping CI$522 million in 2025, as it recruits more mental health staff, border control personnel and regulators for the offshore sector, as well as funding increases in teachers’ pay.
O’Connor-Connolly outlined some of the capital expenditure, but more details of how the government will be spending its record revenue and borrowing are expected to be explained during the course of the budget debate.
She said that in addition to filling the holes in the debts of operating revenue for government-owned companies such as Cayman Airways and the turtle farm, two new high schools, roads, airport redevelopment, a new prison, the Scranton Park, land acquisition as well as money for affordable housing would be funded.
Despite the size of the budget and the new debt, the premier said that the government would still comply easily in both years with all of the requirements of the public management and finance law.
Source-CMC
TCI Police Records Milestone
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police expressed its appreciation to members of the public who applied for their Police Records under the new system.
On Friday, 5 January 2024, the acting Commissioner of Police, Rodney Adams, acknowledged the following milestone applicants.
i) First Applicant - Straudy Jackson
ii) One Thousand - Guillermina Riveras Gomez
iii) Five Thousand – Desak Made Sandra Rustanti
iv) Ten Thousand – Monica Chassary Forbes
v) Twelve Thousand - Celia Patricia Aguilar Valdez
Commissioner Adams said there has been a significant reduction in the time records are processed under the new system. Persons can now collect their records within five working days from the date of application.
The new application system came online on June 27, 2023, and 27,949 applications have been processed.
Fourteen Thousand three hundred and Eighty-One (14,381) were cleared under the old system, while under the new system, Thirteen Thousand Nine Hundred (13,900) records have been generated to January 8, 2024.
Beware a Fraudulent Facebook page has been created for Governor of Turks and Caicos.
The Governor's office has revealed that fraudulent Facebook accounts impersonating Her Excellency the Governor, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, have surfaced.
More alarmingly, the Governor's office indicated that unsuspecting individuals have been targeted with messages through these fake accounts, soliciting money.
The Governor's Office has identified two fraudulent Facebook accounts.
If you happen to receive any form of communication from accounts using the Governor's name, it is strongly advised to ignore them, especially if the correspondence involves requests for financial payments.
The matter has been officially reported to both the police and Facebook for further investigation.
The Governor’s Office has emphasized that no official business is conducted through social media private messaging platforms, further advising that correspondence from Her Excellency the Governor and the Governor's Office will be conducted exclusively through official government email addresses.
The only recognized Facebook account of Her Excellency the Governor and the Governor's Office is titled 'Turks and Caicos Islands, Governor’s Office,' and the sole official Instagram account is '@governorturksandcaicos.' The public is advised to rely on these verified accounts for official information and updates.
Honda 0 Series launches with two new concepts at the CES 2024
The Honda 0 Series has launched with the debut of two all-electric concept cars that are on show at CES 2024 in Las Vegas.
The Saloon and Space-Hub concepts give the first look at the new 0, or zero, Series and they have been developed using a new approach that Honda is summing up with the tagline ‘Thin, Light and Wise.
Honda is taking a fresh approach to its electric vehicle range, saying that it is heading back to the starting point of the brand – hence heading back to zero. It will have efficiency, lightness, space, safety, and driver enjoyment at its core as the brand continues towards its stated goal of being fully electric by 2040.
Source-CAR
Amazon slashes jobs at Twitch, MGM and Prime
Amazon is to axe hundreds of staff across its subsidiaries Twitch, Prime Video and MGM studios.
More than 500 Twitch employees - a third of the streamer's workforce - will be laid off, according to a note from chief executive Dan Clancy.
Amazon said several hundred employees at Prime Video and film studio MGM will also lose their jobs this week.
The tech giant laid off more than 27,000 staff members in 2023 despite bumper profits.
Twitch was initially set up for gamers to watch and share video gameplay online. It was bought by Amazon in 2014 for $970m (£585m at the time).
In an email to employees, Mr Clancy said he was taking the "painful step to reduce our headcount" to "build a more sustainable business".
He added that the company paid out $1bn to streamers in 2023, but had "conservative predictions of how we expect to grow in the future."
Amazon made $9.9bn profit in July to September, according to its most recent earnings report. That was up from $2.9bn in the same period in 2022.
In an email sent to staff at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, senior vice president of the department Mike Hopkins wrote: "We've identified opportunities to reduce or discontinue investments in certain areas while increasing our investments and focus on content and product initiatives that deliver the most impact."
Mr Hopkins added that it was a "difficult decision to make".
The email indicated that job losses affect staff in the US and around the world.
Amazon bought the hundred-year-old MGM Studios for $8.45bn in 2021.
In December, it announced it would start putting adverts on Prime Video from 5 February 2024.
The reductions at Amazon are the latest in a long series of job cuts in the tech sector, which had expanded rapidly as people increasingly turned to digital services during the pandemic, before contracting as that enthusiasm waned.
According to US career consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, the tech sector cut 168,032 jobs in 2023 - up 73% compared to 2022.
Source-BBC
Barbie and Oppenheimer tie with four noms for SAG Awards
It looks like the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday, February 24, will be another Barbenheimer double date.
Nominations for the awards were announced Wednesday morning by Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani, and Barbie and Oppenheimer tied with four nominations apiece, while on the TV side, HBO's trophy magnet Succession led the pack with five.
Winners will be announced at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in a telecast streamed live for the first time by Netflix.
Here are the nominees:
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
American Fiction
Barbie
The Color Purple
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Bradley Cooper – Maestro
Colman Domingo – Rustin
Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Annette Bening – Nyad
Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon
Carey Mulligan – Maestro
Margot Robbie – Barbie
Emma Stone – Poor Things
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Sterling K. Brown – American Fiction
Willem Dafoe – Poor Things
Robert De Niro – Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling – Barbie
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Emily Blunt – Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple
Penelope Cruz – Ferrari
Jodie Foster – Nyad
Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
The Crown
The Gilded Age
The Last of Us
The Morning Show
Succession
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Abbot Elementary
Barry
The Bear
Only Murders in the Building
Ted Lasso
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Brian Cox – Succession
Billy Crudup – The Morning Show
Kieran Culkin – Succession
Matthew Macfadyen – Succession
Pedro Pascal – The Last of Us
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Jennifer Aniston – The Morning Show
Elizabeth Debicki – The Crown
Bella Ramsey – The Last of Us
Keri Russell – The Diplomat
Sarah Snook – Succession
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Alex Borstein – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Rachel Brosnahan – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary
Ayo Edebiri – The Bear
Hannah Waddingham – Ted Lasso
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Brett Goldstein – Ted Lasso
Bill Hader – Barry
Ebon Moss-Bachrach – The Bear
Jason Sudeikis – Ted Lasso
Jeremy Allen White – The Bear
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
Uzo Aduba – Painkiller
Kathryn Hahn – Tiny Beautiful Things
Brie Larson – Lessons in Chemistry
Be Powley – A Small Light
Ali Wong – Beef
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
Matt Bomer – Fellow Travelers
Jon Hamm – Fargo
David Oyelowo – Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Tony Shalhoub – Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie
Steven Yeun – Beef
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series
Ahsoka
Barry
Beef
The Last of Us
The Mandalorian
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
Barbie
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
John Wick: Chapter 4
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Source-ABC