Biden arrives,Trump supporters gather
Biden has officially landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he will shortly join former president Barack Obama at a rally in support for gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro. He will be speaking at 17:00 ET (21:00 GMT).
Meanwhile, supporters of Donald Trump await his arrival at a rally scheduled later in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Trump will be there in support of Republican senatorial candidate Mehmet Oz, and is expected to speak at 19:00 ET.
The 2022 midterms will be the first federal elections since the 6 January attack on the US Capitol, when Trump supporters tried to stop Joe Biden's election victory from being certified.
Far from being chastened by the riot, Trump has continued to question the results of that election and has actively supported Republican candidates who say a Trump win was stolen from them.
Many of these candidates, like secretary of state nominees Mark Finchem in Arizona and Jim Marchant in Nevada and governor candidate Doug Mastriano in Pennsylvania, are running for offices where they will have at least some control over their state's electoral systems heading into the 2024 presidential contest.
These politicians, if elected, could refuse to certify their state's election results in a close election.
They could also join lawsuits against localities based on allegations of electoral corruption, or enact new rules and regulations curtailing certain methods of voting, such as by mail or through ballot drop boxes.
In 2020, under pressure from Trump to reverse some of the results, Republican officeholders in multiple states refused to bow to his demands.
Two years from now, if a similarly contested election takes place, the outcome of these kinds of challenges could be quite different.
Source-BBC
TACC conference dubbed a success in the TCI
The Turks and Caicos Tourist Board from October 26th through 28th held their 18th annual Turks and Caicos Islands Conference inviting the destination’s leading wholesalers and online travel agents to the country for site inspections, meetings, and networking events.
The three-day conference began with an opening ceremony at Beaches Key West Village… then on day 2 site inspections of Beach Enclave Long Bay, the Ritz-Carlton, Wymara Resorts, Rock House, Sailrock, The Meridian Club on Pine Cay, Th Shore Club, and the Sands, and later attending the Island Fish Fry to experience TCI Culture and Cuisine.
The final day would see wholesalers present to hoteliers, followed by industry overviews from the Minister of Tourism Hon. Josephine Connolly and Acting Director of Tourism Mary Lightbourne.
This was the first TACC conference hosted fully in person since 2019, designed at strengthening our tourism industry on an international scale.
MALIKA LIGHTBOURNE APPOINTED AS DEPUTY CLERK TO THE CABINET
The Office of the Deputy Governor is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs. Malika Lightbourne to the post of Deputy Clerk to the Cabinet within the Cabinet Secretariat. Mrs. Lightbourne brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this role, as the first and only court stenographer within the TCI, she holds an Associate’s Degree in Court Reporting and served as an official court reporter within the Grand Turk Supreme Court for 7 years.
The cabinet which is chaired by His Excellency the Governor and attended by: The Deputy Governor, the Premier, the Deputy Premier, ministerial colleagues, along with the Attorney General is one of the highest decision-making bodies in the country. Meeting in excess of 30 times per year to review and decide on important matters.
We would also see the appointment of Mrs. Barbara Butterfield-Jervis to the post of Court Administrator within the Turks and Caicos Islands Judiciary.
With a Ph.D. in Theology and Philosophy, a master's degree in Human Resource Management, a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Human Resource Management, and a General Secretarial Diploma in Secretarial Studies. Originally joining the public service in 1982 as a clerical officer in the chief secretary’s office, Mrs. Butterfield-Jervis has served in a number of roles until 2009 when she transferred to the judiciary and later upgraded to the post of Court Services Manager before this new appointment. The court Administrator post is responsible for providing support to the Chief Justice in regard to strategic planning, organization, and direction of the non-judicial and administrative functions of the Judiciary.
Nets suspends Kyrie Irving for five games without pay
The Brooklyn Nets suspended Kyrie Irving for at least five games without pay Thursday, dismayed by his repeated failure to "unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs."
Hours after Irving refused to issue the apology NBA commissioner Adam Silver sought for posting a link last week to an antisemitic work on his Twitter feed, the Nets said Irving is "currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets."
"We were dismayed today, when given an opportunity in a media session, that Kyrie refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs, nor acknowledge specific hateful material in the film. This was not the first time he had the opportunity -- but failed -- to clarify," the Nets said in a statement.
"Such failure to disavow antisemitism when given a clear opportunity to do so is deeply disturbing, is against the values of our organization, and constitutes conduct detrimental to the team. Accordingly, we are of the view that he is currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets."
The Nets said they made multiple attempts in recent days to help Irving understand the harm and danger of his words and actions, but it was clear during the point guard's interview after practice earlier Thursday that little had changed.
Irving again refused to apologize, saying only that he meant no harm. He said some things in "Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America" were untrue, but he didn't say he shouldn't have posted a link to it.
"I'm not the one who made the documentary," Irving said.
He was later asked whether he had antisemitic beliefs, and he didn't say no.
"I cannot be antisemitic if I know where I come from," Irving said.
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt reacted to a video of Irving's response to that question on Twitter by writing: "The answer to the question 'Do you have any antisemitic beliefs' is always "NO" without equivocation.
"We took @KyrieIrving at his word when he said he took responsibility, but today he did not make good on that promise," Greenblatt added. "Kyrie clearly has a lot of work to do."
A day earlier, Irving and the Nets had announced, in conjunction with the ADL, that each would be donating $500,000 to anti-hate causes.
After the Nets announced Irving's suspension, Greenblatt tweeted: "We were optimistic but after watching the debacle of a press conference, it's clear that Kyrie feels no accountability for his actions. @ADL cannot in good conscience accept his donation."
Silver also called for accountability from Irving earlier Thursday.
Source-ESPN
CPDC to campaign for debt relief for Caribbean countries
The Barbados-based Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC) is planning to build a case for debt relief and restructuring for countries in the region.
Richard Jones, Officer in Charge of CPDC, made the disclosure on Wednesday as he maintained that wealthy, heavily industrialized countries owe Small Island Developing States (SIDS) who are on the frontlines of the accelerating climate and debt crisis.
“CPDC aims to coordinate a Caribbean civil society, solutions-oriented regional policy and advocacy campaign to highlight and address the adverse effects of high debt levels, exacerbated by public health crises, climate change effects, and the historical development deficits caused by small and vulnerable developing states like Barbados and those in the Caribbean,” he said.
“CPDC, through this advocacy campaign, is aiming to build a case for Caribbean debt relief as a priority, and also restructuring of existing debt based on the region’s inherent climate and economic vulnerabilities.”
Speaking at the opening ceremony for the Barbados Association of Non-Governmental Organisations’ Caribbean Debt Workshop at United Nations House, he said the level of debt that currently hampers economic growth in SIDS is largely due to the colonial financial frameworks still found in smaller economies, particularly in the Caribbean.
“To delve into the debt and climate crisis facing the region and proper solutions on the way forward, we must understand the role history has played in influencing and promoting the systemic, historical, economic, oppression, which in part can account for the underdevelopment of the Caribbean region.
Source-Barbados Today
Twitter to make job cuts after Musks takeover
Twitter says it will inform its staff on Friday about whether they will be laid off following the firm's takeover by Elon Musk.
In an internal email, the social media company said the cuts are "an effort to place Twitter on a healthy path".
The firm added that its offices would be temporarily closed and badge access would be suspended.
The multi-billionaire will be Twitter's chief executive after buying the firm last week in a $44bn (£39.3bn) deal.
"We will go through the difficult process of reducing our global workforce on Friday," Twitter said in the email.
"We recognize this will impact a number of individuals who have made valuable contributions to Twitter, but this action is, unfortunately, necessary to ensure the company's success moving forward," it added.
The company said office access would be immediately limited "to help ensure the safety of each employee as well as Twitter systems and customer data".
All staff are set to receive an email with the subject "Your Role at Twitter" by 09:00 Pacific time (16:00 GMT) on Friday.
Workers who are not affected will be notified through their company email, according to Twitter.
Meanwhile, those who are affected will be told of the news and "next steps" through their personal accounts.
"Given the nature of our distributed workforce and our desire to inform impacted individuals as quickly as possible, communications for this process will take place via email," Twitter said.
Reports in US media had previously suggested that Mr. Musk was looking to cut 3,700 jobs, about half of Twitter's workforce.
Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources, suggested some senior staff were asked to make lists of employees to be cut on their teams.
Cryptocurrency platform Binance invested in Twitter as part of Mr. Musk's takeover. Earlier, Changpeng Zhao, its chief executive, said that "a slimmer workforce would make more sense".
Source-BBC
Bank of England expects UK to fall into longest ever recession
The Bank of England has warned the UK is facing its longest recession since records began, as it raised interest rates by the most in 33 years.
It warned the UK would face a "very challenging" two-year slump with unemployment nearly doubling by 2025.
Bank boss Andrew Bailey warned of a "tough road ahead" for UK households, but said it had to act forcefully now or things "will be worse later on".
It lifted interest rates to 3% from 2.25%, the biggest jump since 1989.
By raising rates, the Bank is trying to bring down soaring prices as the cost of living rises at its fastest rate in 40 years.
Food and energy prices have jumped, in part because of the Ukraine war, which has left many households facing hardship and started to drag on the economy.
A recession is defined as when a country's economy shrinks for two three-month periods - or quarters - in a row.
Typically, companies make less money, pay falls and unemployment rises. This means the government receives less money in tax to use on public services such as health and education.
The Bank had previously expected the UK to fall into recession at the end of this year and said it would last for all of next year.
But it now believes the economy already entered a "challenging" downturn this summer, which will continue next year and into the first half of 2024 - a possible general election year.
While it will not be the UK's deepest downturn, it will be the longest since records began in the 1920s, the Bank said.
The unemployment rate is currently at its lowest for 50 years, but it is expected to rise to nearly 6.5%.
The interest rate announcement is the first since former Prime Minister Liz Truss and former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng unveiled their controversial mini-Budget in September.
Their plans for £45bn worth of unfunded tax cuts - much of which have been reversed - sent the value of the pound tumbling and sparked market turmoil, forcing the Bank of England to step in to restore calm.
Source-BBC
Ukraine accuses Russia of 'energy terrorism'
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the Kremlin of resorting to "energy terrorism" as Russian troops make few gains on the battlefield.
Mr. Zelensky said 4.5 million people were without power following Russian attacks on its energy network.
In recent weeks, Russia has carried out large-scale missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian power facilities.
The strikes come as officials say Russian troops are likely to withdraw from the key southern city of Kherson.
After suffering a series of painful defeats on the battlefield, Russia has stepped up attacks in recent weeks on electricity infrastructure in cities away from the front lines.
In just the last month, a third of the country's power stations have reportedly been destroyed, according to President Zelensky.
The Ukrainian government has been forced to urge the population to try and use energy sparingly as a result.
"Tonight, about 4.5 million consumers have been temporarily disconnected from energy consumption," President Zelensky said in his nightly address on Thursday.
He said Russia's targeting of energy infrastructure was a sign of "weakness" as Russian forces fail to make much ground on the frontline.
"The very fact that Russia is resorting to energy terrorism shows the weakness of our enemy," he said.
"They cannot beat Ukraine on the battlefield, so they try to break our people this way."
Russia's ministry of defence has confirmed it is targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Mr. Zelensky's accusation comes as reports emerge stating that Russian troops are leaving the occupied city of Kherson, signalling a major retreat for Russia.
A Russian-installed official in the Kherson region, Kirill Stremousov, told Russian media that Moscow was "likely" to pull its troops from the area.
And according to a Western official, speaking on condition of anonymity, most Russian commanding officers have already withdrawn from the city.
Instead of trying to keep control of the city, they said Russian troops were building up their defensive positions on the other side of the Dnipro River, as part of a wider Russian move to establish better defensive lines throughout southern and eastern Ukraine before the arrival of winter.
It is difficult to know what exactly is happening inside the city, but the official said mobilized Russian reservists had been sent into the city to cover the final retreat when it happens.
Source-BBC
Drake posts fake interview to promote joint album with 21 Savage
Drake had fans fooled Wednesday night after posting a fake Howard Stern interview, where he dished on his X-rated video preferences and the possibility of marriage.
Taking to Instagram, the "Sticky" rapper shared a clip of the supposed interview, which started off with a question about the type of X-rated videos he enjoys watching.
"Top. The highest tier of top givers. That's really what I'm consistently on a daily basis tuned into," Drake said. "Those are the real superstars of the world to me."
The conversation then turned to Drake's current dating life and whether or not he could see himself committing to one woman and getting married, to which he answered, "I'm sure I could."
"Right now I feel like I get into this habit of dating four or five women to make one woman," he shared. "I like two things about this girl and then I like what this girl does for a living."
"I think that, eventually, once all this is said and done for us and that addiction of work and success and forward movement is over, I feel like we're all going to need something real," he went on. "Hopefully, it's not too late...I honestly don't know. Hopefully, I find somebody."
"The biggest thing is I need to be inspired," the Certified Loverboy continued. "I don't know how to find that with the porn question in there. I just need all those things."
Drake captioned the clip, which also featured 21 Savage, "Absolutely NO filter with the incomparable @sternshow thanks for having us."
The interview was apparently a promo gimmick for Drake and 21 Savage's collaboration album, Her Loss, which is scheduled to be released Friday, November 4. He also posted a fake Vogue cover and a fake clip of an NPR Tiny Desk Concert.
Source-ABC
Murder in Blue Hills
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force officers are investigating a shooting incident that resulted in one man being killed.
Initial reports state at around 4.32 pm today (November 03rd), the Police Control Room received a call that gunshots were heard in the yard of a resident in Blue Hills.
When the RTCIPF officers arrived at the given location, a male victim was slumped over a chair, bleeding from what appeared to be a gunshot wound.
The victim was later pronounced dead by a medical official.
The RTCIPF is again appealing to the public for information relating to the capture of Brandon Leonardo Rahming who is WANTED in relation to MURDER, DRUGS, and FIREARM offenses.
Additionally, the public is being advised to notify the closest police station or to contact Crime Stoppers and give any information on this incident or any other illegal activity anonymously.
RTC is tracking this story and will have more.