TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE PREPARES FOR A EUROPEAN TOUR
Hospitality and Tourism Management students studying at the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC) will get an opportunity to explore future career options, enhance their CV’s, and build a portfolio and professional network during their upcoming educational tour to Switzerland, Spain, and Italy.
During a recent press conference held on Fri February 4 at The Grace Bay Club, the President of the TCICC, Dr. Candice Williams, expressed her delight and gratitude for the invaluable partnerships and collaborative efforts shared with The Wine Cellar and the Grace Bay Resorts. Dr. Williams said, “These partnerships have allowed the college to put its vision within reach and to realize its goal of providing quality education and training.” Dr. Williams went on to say, “This 12-day European tour will provide students with first-hand experiences, professional opportunities, personal growth, and a holistic understanding of tourism beyond the shores of the TCI.” While in these European countries, the hospitality and tourism management students will garner an in-depth knowledge of tourism and travel, tourism sights and attractions, historical and cultural tourism, food and beverage
and architectural design while fully immersed in the rich culture of these renowned cities.”
An excited Michelle Hosten, Chair of the faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management, described the itinerary as one which will take the students to some of the most romantic, scenic, culturally enriched, and cuisine-diverse societies across Europe combining the elements of what is taught in the classroom with real-life experiences. The Hospitality and Tourism Faculty Chair pointed out that internships link classroom knowledge with workplace realities and provide an experimental experience to students equipping them to take their places in the dynamic job market of this modern era.
Minister of Education, Youth, Sports, and Social Welfare, the Honourable Rachel Taylor in her remarks, expressed great appreciation for the corporate entities present and their commitment to the growth and advancement of education and our youth. Hon. Taylor said, “It is paramount for us to build human capital. Partnerships such as these prove that together we can and together we will.”
Offering ministerial support on this occasion was the Hon. Josephine Connolly, Minister of Tourism, Environment, Fisheries, Maritime Affairs, Culture and Heritage, Agriculture and Religious Affairs.
With a goal of sixty thousand dollars, the TCICC has been gifted over fifty percent of its total. This amount was made possible through food and beverage fundraising events hosted by Grace Bay Resorts. The Wine Cellar, a long-time corporate partner of TCICC, presented the college with a cheque for ten thousand dollars (US$10,000.00), which Grace Bay Resorts matched which allowed the group to reach closer to their goals or these two sizable contributions, along with the first 2
fundraisers have brought them closer to their goals.
TCICC thanks its corporate sponsors and patrons for supporting the fundraising events and looks forward to the continued assistance of individuals and corporate TCI. Four fundraisers had been planned initially. Two remaining events will be held: Sunday Feb 26th - Brunch @ Point Grace Resorts @11am and Friday March 10 - Italian Dinner @ Grace Bay Club @7pm
Patrick Mahomes named Super Bowl MVP following the Chiefs win over Eagles
The Chiefs took down the high flying Eagles and Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was named MVP after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 for the franchise's second Super Bowl victory in four years.
"He's the MVP. The MVP," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said in his postgame, on-field interview. "That's all that needs to be said."
Mahomes, hobbled with what appeared to be the same high ankle sprain suffered earlier in the postseason, keyed a second-half rally, and finished the night 21-of-27 passing, for 182 yards and three touchdowns. He was masterful in the game-winning drive, a 12-play, 66-yard series that churned out 5:07 of the fourth-quarter clock and resulted in a field goal.
The Chiefs trailed 24-14 at the break, but Mahomes guided the comeback by throwing two of his scoring passes after halftime. Mahomes also rushed for 44 yards in the win.
Mahomes suffered the sprain in the Chiefs' divisional-round win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He aggravated the injury late in the first half but remained in the game. His 14-yard scramble was the key play on a touchdown drive to begin the second half.
Mahomes was also named MVP of the Super Bowl in 2020 when the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 31-20. And he is now the 13th quarterback to win multiple Super Bowl championships.
Source-ESPN
US military shoots down another flying object over Lake Huron
The US has shot down another unidentified flying object in the fourth military operation of its kind this month.
President Joe Biden ordered it to be downed near Lake Huron, close to the Canadian border, on Sunday afternoon.
The object could have interfered with commercial air traffic as it was traveling at 20,000ft (6,100m), a Pentagon statement said.
It was first detected above military sites in Montana on Saturday, it added.
The object, which was not deemed a military threat, has been described by defense officials as unmanned and octagonal in shape. It was downed by a missile fired from an F-16 fighter jet at 14:42 local time (19:42 GMT).
The incident raised further questions about the spate of high-altitude objects that have been shot down over North America this month.
A suspected Chinese spy balloon was downed off the coast of South Carolina on 4 February after hovering for days over the continental US. Officials said it originated in China and had been used to monitor sensitive sites.
China denied the object was used for spying and said it was a weather monitoring device that had been blown astray. The incident - and the angry exchanges in its aftermath - ratcheted up tensions between Washington and Beijing.
On Sunday, a defense official said the US had communicated with Beijing about the first object after receiving no response for several days. It was not immediately clear what was discussed.
Since that first incident, American fighter jets have shot down three further high-altitude objects in as many days.
President Biden ordered an object to be shot down over Alaska on Friday, and on Saturday a similar object was shot down over the Yukon in north-western Canada.
Officials have not publicly identified the origin or purpose of these objects. Both the US and Canada are still working to recover the remnants, but the search in Alaska has been hampered by Arctic conditions.
Source-ABC
Rihanna reveals second pregnancy during Super Bowl halftime performance
During her performance, Rihanna, 34, displayed what appeared to be a baby bump, leaving the zipper of her red jumpsuit down to unveil her belly beneath her red bodysuit. Her rep later confirmed that the singer is indeed expecting her second child.
Rihanna and her boyfriend A$AP Rocky welcomed their first child together, a boy, in May of 2022. She later said one reason why she wanted to do the halftime show was that "when you become a mom, there’s something that just happens where you feel like you could take on the world — you can do anything.”
She added, "And the Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in the world, so as scary as that was … there’s something exhilarating about the challenge of it all. It’s important for my son to see that.”
Source-ABC
TURKS AND CAICOS EXHIBIT AT UK’S BIGGEST & LONGEST RUNNING TRAVEL TRADE SHOW.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board exhibited at the UK’s biggest and longest-running travel trade event last week.
The show, Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show in association with The Times & The Sunday Times, took place at Olympia London, 2 - 5 February 2023.
Packed with hundreds of leading and independent tour operators, over 70 tourist boards from across the globe, cultural entertainment, world flavours and travel celebrities, the Turks and Caicos Islands were represented by Courtney Robinson, UK & EU Representative for the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board.
"Destinations London is a great opportunity for the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board to not only exhibit, but also to further educate and inform travel professionals, media houses and travellers on the destination; that, along with creating new connections and business opportunities", said Robinson. "The Turks and Caicos is the envy of the Caribbean and one of the World's leading destinations. Therefore, it is imperative that we attend the best trade events, whereby positioning ourselves to better promote Brand Turks and Caicos and our niche product offerings."
Over the four-day show, the Tourist Board stand saw tremendous footfall, whereby many travellers new and former Holidaymakers to the destination, were informed and updated on all things Turks and Caicos.
Robinson noted that during the course of the show he met with various tour operators, travel agents, concierge representatives, media producers and content creators. He stated that the demand for Turks and Caicos is overwhelming and the announcement of Virgin Airlines' additional airlift, it gives travellers more ways to get to the Islands.
What is more, each day at the stand, eventgoers were able to take part in a Turks and Caicos-based five-question quiz, with someone winning a luxury gift bag courtesy of the Tourist Board. The contents of the luxury goody bag were a hat and T-shirts combo (T’s Tees N Things), a mug or water bottle (The Wellington Williams Collection), Bambarra Rum Cake and Caicos Roasters Coffee (FOTTAC), a TCI Doll, boy or girl (TCI Dolls), along with a copy of Times of the Island Magazine, the Turks & Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association Destinations Magazine 2023 along with Tourist Board branded marketing collateral and promotional items.
The UK & EU Marketing Representative went on to say: "The world over, the Turks and Caicos Islands is known as a high-end luxury destination. With eight destination islands and niche product offerings, the islands are a premier dive and water sports destination, one that is excellent for eco and adventure travel, and gastronomy, perfect for weddings and honeymoons, along with a vibrant cruise sector on the Nation's Capital.
The destination is so fantastic, we welcome all travellers to our shores, year-round, affording all, a bespoke holiday, catering to their needs, in a serene and safe environment."
Chinese surveillance balloon may trigger US 'action' against Beijing
The Chinese surveillance balloon shot down by the U.S. was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals as part of a huge, military-linked aerial surveillance program that targeted more than 40 countries, the Biden administration declared Thursday, citing imagery from American U-2 spy planes.
A State Department official went on to say that the administration is looking into "taking action" against China for the balloons. It's also weighing actions to reprimand Beijing for the incursion into American airspace as well as "broader efforts to expose and address" its surveillance activities that threaten national security.
The official added that the department was specifically considering measures against Chinese entities linked to its military that supported the balloon's operations.
Following the fresh wave of scrutiny from the Hill Thursday over why the balloon wasn't shot down before it traversed the country, State Dept. spokesperson Ned Price repeated the administration's talking points, saying the aircraft was monitored closely and the information gleaned was of value.
"There was value to us in tracking and assessing the activities of the balloon so that we could, in a sense, flip the script, so that we could learn more about this capability even as the PRC had deployed it in our airspace in an effort to learn more about us," he said.
Source-ABC
Kidd believes Kyrie Irving can make Dallas Mavericks title contenders
Kyrie Irving's signing can make the Dallas Mavericks NBA Championship challengers, says coach Jason Kidd.
The 30-year-old point guard's move from the Brooklyn Nets was confirmed on Monday after he failed to agree to a new contract.
Irving and Markieff Morris were traded for Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith.
"We feel that the talent and his abilities to make us better are something that we needed," said Kidd.
"Getting him is going to help put us in a position to win a championship.
"You look at his journey at other stops - he's won where he's gone."
Irving won the NBA title with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and is an eight-time NBA All-Star, but he has endured off-court issues during three and a half years at the Nets.
His decision not to be vaccinated against Covid-19 meant he could not play any home games until March of the 2021-22 season because of New York's ban on unvaccinated people in indoor venues.
In November he was suspended for eight games and apologized after posting a social media link to a film with anti-Semitic material.
"It's easy to look at all the talk of the negative, but let's look at the positive of what he's done on and off the court. That's the way we're approaching it," said Kidd.
"He's all about basketball. He wants to win and he wants to be coached, and this is a great opportunity for me to have someone like this to help."
Kidd said the pairing of Irving with fellow All-Star Luka Doncic, who is currently sidelined with a heel injury, can make a difference to a side who are fifth in the Western Conference with a 29-26 record.
The Mavericks beat the Utah Jazz 124-111 hours after the trade, for which the Nets will reportedly receive a future first-round Draft pick and two second-round selections.
Irving, who was linked with the LA Clippers, LA Lakers and Phoenix Suns, is expected to join his Mavericks teammates for practice.
Source-BBC
Pakistan Crucial IMF bailout deal eludes negotiators
Eleventh-hour negotiations between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have failed to unlock $1.1bn in crucial funds aimed at preventing the country from going bankrupt.
A deepening economic crisis has all but emptied Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves, leaving it barely enough dollars to cover a month of imports and it is struggling to service sky-high levels of foreign debt.
The IMF team, which leaves Islamabad on Friday, said "considerable progress" had been made after 10 days of talks.
"Virtual discussions will continue in the coming days," the head of the IMF mission Nathan Porter said in a statement.
In January annual inflation soared to over 27%, the highest it's been in Pakistan since 1975, and there are mounting fears for the economy in a pivotal election year.
This week the rupee sank to a historic low of 275 to the dollar, down from 175 a year ago, making it more expensive for Pakistan to buy and pay for things.
The lack of foreign currency is one of the most pressing of Pakistan's problems.
Factories like Jubilee Textiles in Faisalabad, the industrial heartland of Pakistan, were shut recently - not by the frequent power cuts that have dogged Pakistan for years, but because they couldn't get hold of dollars to pay for the goods they need.
Businesses and industries across Pakistan said they have had to slow or stop work while they also wait for goods they have imported that are currently stacking up in ports.
In late January, a government minister told the BBC that there were more than 8,000 containers piled up in Karachi's two ports, containing goods from medicine to food. Some of that has started to clear, according to local media reports, but much is still stuck.
Pakistan, like many countries, is suffering as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, following which global fuel prices have soared. Pakistan relies heavily on imported fossil fuels and importing food has also become more expensive.
If the rupee depreciates, fuel costs more, with knock-on effects for goods that are transported or manufactured. The government recently increased fuel prices by over 13% but says it's not planning anymore.
Add to this the cost of last year's floods, which the UN says caused damage of more than $16bn. Huge areas of Pakistan were submerged, destroying farmland and disrupting its ability to produce food. Basics like wheat and onions have skyrocketed in price.
All this comes in an uncertain and febrile political climate - an election is due by the end of the year.
As for bailouts, Pakistan is no stranger to them. The country - which has a massive military budget and years of debt-driven infrastructure spending - has long failed to wean itself off populist subsidies and stabilize its economy.
"If you see the history of Pakistan, we have a cycle of the balance of payments problems," says Dr. Sajid Amin Javed, deputy executive director at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute in Islamabad.
"We go to the IMF. We implement very strict reforms, for two or three years, then it's an election year and unfortunately, we reverse them all."
Subsidies have long been used to woo voters in Pakistan, he says.
Source-BBC
Google's Bard AI bot mistake wipes $100bn off shares
Google is searching for ways to reassure people that it is still out in front in the race for the best artificial intelligence technology. So far, the internet giant seems to be coming up with the wrong answer.
An advert designed to show off its new AI bot, showed it answering a query incorrectly.
Shares in parent company Alphabet sank more than 7% on Wednesday, knocking $100bn (£82bn) off the firm's market value.
In the promotion for the bot, known as Bard, which was released on Twitter on Monday, the bot was asked about what to tell a nine-year-old about discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope.
It offered the response that the telescope was the first to take pictures of a planet outside the earth's solar system, when in fact that milestone was claimed by the European Very Large Telescope in 2004 - a mistake quickly noted by astronomers on Twitter.
"Why didn't you fact-check this example before sharing it?" Chris Harrison, a fellow at Newcastle University, replied to the tweet.
Investors were also underwhelmed by a presentation the company gave about its plans to deploy artificial intelligence in its products.
Google has been under pressure since late last year when Microsoft-backed OpenAI unveiled new ChatGPT software. It quickly became a viral hit for its facility in passing business school exams, composing song lyrics, and answering other questions.
Microsoft this week said a new version of its Bing search engine, which has lagged Google for years, would use the ChatGPT technology in an even more advanced form.
Though investors have embraced the push for artificial intelligence, skeptics have warned rushing out the technology raises risks of errors or otherwise skewed results, as well as issues of plagiarism.
A Google spokesperson said the error highlighted "the importance of a rigorous testing process, something that we're kicking off this week with our Trusted Tester program".
"We'll combine external feedback with our own internal testing to make sure Bard's responses meet a high bar for quality, safety, and roundedness in real-world information," they said.
Last month, Google's parent company Alphabet cut 12,000 jobs - about 6% of its workforce worldwide - amid layoffs at a number of leading tech giants.
Source-BBC
Jamaica has a health crisis added Minister Tufton
The state of the health profile of the Jamaican population has led Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton to conclude that the country is in a crisis, as some citizens are now forced to adjust their lifestyles due to health challenges.
Tufton was speaking at Thursday's launch of the Heart Foundation of Jamaica's (HFJ's) 'Out of Our Schools' mass media campaign, which is designed to promote healthy eating habits and physical activities among the nation's children.
The campaign message targets 23 percent of Jamaican children who are said to be overweight and obese, as well as pushes for the removal of unhealthy foods and beverages from schools.
The health minister explained that with the implementation of the school nutrition policy and health campaigns such as the one developed by HFJ, there is still hope for children to make better food and beverage choices for longer life.
"If you examine the health profile of our population, we are in a crisis which, if we were to be blunt, there is actually a lost generation around that crisis — a cohort of citizens who unfortunately will have to spend the rest of their lives trying to make themselves as comfortable as they can but will never be the same in terms of being healthy, in terms of productivity, in terms of the time they can spend with their family and friends," said Tufton.
"There is almost a lost generation where the horse has bolted, gone through the gate. The most we can do is build out hospital beds to give them a sense of comfort. It is a tragic way to look at it, but it is the reality. Our children still have hope of a better life, a fulsome life, a productive life, a life that has a better probability of existing up until age 70, 75 or beyond," he added.
Source-Jamaica Observer