PAHO issues warning for the Caribbean as COVID-19 cases soar
The director of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Dr. Carissa Etienne, Wednesday urged countries in the Americas, including the Caribbean, to take action to increase surveillance, public health measures and vaccination, and to make sure that health systems are prepared to cope with a potential influx of coronavirus (COVID-19) patients.
PAHO said that COVID-19 cases are rising sharply throughout the region, estimated at 27.2 per cent over the past week.
“Last week, our region reported more than 918,000 cases,” the Dominica-born Dr. Etienne told reporters, adding that “COVID-19 hospitalizations increased in 18 countries, and admissions to Intensive Care Units rose in 13 countries and territories.”
She said following a period of lower transmission, many countries have abandoned public health measures such as mask-wearing and social distancing.
But with only 14 of the 51 countries and territories in the Americas reaching the World Health Organization (WHO) goal of 70 per cent vaccination coverage, far too many people remain unprotected.
Dr. Etienne said in some countries, vaccination coverage is particularly low among those at risk of severe disease, including the elderly, pregnant women, and people with pre-existing conditions.
“Each country is only as protected as the most vulnerable in their population. It is time to take stock of these numbers and act. COVID-19 is again on the rise in the Americas.”
She said despite having built “incredible networks for COVID testing and genomic surveillance” over the past two years, testing rates have steadily declined since January.
“We must keep our eyes on the virus,” she said, calling on countries to maintain and strengthen testing infrastructure and to ensure that in places where self-tests are available, results are reported to health authorities.
Countries must also maintain investments in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and hospital capacity so that services can be quickly scaled-up to meet a potential surge in new infections, she added.
The PAHO director called on countries to be ready to reinstate public health measures in areas where cases spike, and to ensure that the most vulnerable groups are protected, particularly now that vaccine supplies are no longer a barrier.
“We have sufficient doses to cover those most at risk, and we have an obligation to do so,” she said.
Regarding the COVID-19 situation in the region, Dr. Etienne noted that more than half of the new infections were reported in North America, where cases have been climbing for seven weeks, driven by a surge in the United States.
In Central America, COVID-19 cases have increased by 80 per cent, and cases have also spiked in countries across South America.
In the Caribbean, new infections have been on the rise for five consecutive weeks, with a 9.3 per cent increase in cases and a 49 per cent increase in deaths.
She said as the world’s highest health authorities meet next week for the World Health Assembly in Geneva to determine the global priorities for public health, health emergencies will remain top of the agenda.
“We must take what we learned from past emergencies to shape a future where our health systems and leadership are better prepared to face the next challenge,” she said, adding “the better prepared our health systems are, the less lives we lose and the stronger and more resilient our societies become”.
Source-CMC
Diana Ross and Queen to perform for the Queen Platinum Jubilee concert
Diana Ross, Queen and Adam Lambert, Duran Duran and Sir Rod Stewart will perform at a star-studded concert to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
Alicia Keys, Hans Zimmer, Mabel and Eurovision singer Sam Ryder will also appear in front of Buckingham Palace.
The Platinum Party at the Palace will be watched by 22,000 people live and will be broadcast on BBC One on 4 June.
Queen guitarist Brian May will return, 20 years after he famously performed on the palace roof for the Golden Jubilee.
The legendary pop group and their frontman Lambert will open the concert to mark the monarch's 70 years on the throne.
May hinted that he may pop up in an unexpected location this time, saying in a statement: "There was a moment when I wondered, after Buckingham Palace roof where can you go? Well… you will see!"
The show will be closed by veteran soul singer Ross, who said she was "absolutely delighted to receive an invitation to perform on such a momentous and historic occasion".
Other musicians on the bill include Craig David, Ella Eyre, Elbow, Jax Jones, Celeste, Andrea Bocelli, Sigala and Nile Rogers.
Sir Elton John will take part too, although his performance will be pre-recorded because he is currently on a European tour.
In addition to the musical performances, there will be appearances from film, TV and sports stars such as Sir David Attenborough, Emma Raducanu, David Beckham, Stephen Fry and Dame Julie Andrews. Some will be there in person, with others seen on screen.
The BBC said the evening would "pivot around global themes that have been born, or evolved, during the breadth of Her Majesty's reign". Those themes include fashion, sport, the environment and pop music and musicals from the last 70 years.
Composers Andrew Lloyd Webber and Lin-Manuel Miranda will help celebrate musicals, as will the casts of The Phantom of the Opera, Hamilton, Six, The Lion King and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.
The concert will be one of the centrepieces of the Jubilee celebrations, which will take place over a festive four-day bank holiday weekend in June.
Other events will include a carnival pageant on the streets of London, featuring performances by Ed Sheeran and Sir Cliff Richard; while the weekend will also see Jubilee lunches and the lighting of beacons across the world.
The two-and-a-half-hour Platinum concert will feature three stages and 3D projections across the face of the palace.
Ross's performance at the event will kick off a series of live UK gigs, including a slot at the Glastonbury Festival on 26 June.
In a statement, the singer said: "I have had the honour of meeting The Queen many times throughout my life, including when I was with my family. Her Majesty has and continues to be such an incredible inspiration to so many across the world."
Kirsty Young and Roman Kemp will host live coverage of the concert, which will be broadcast on BBC One, iPlayer and Radio 2.
Of the 22,000 attendees, 10,000 received tickets in a public ballot, while more than 7,500 tickets have been given to key workers, members of the Armed Forces, volunteers and charities.
Source-BBC
Stock markets fall amid concern over rising prices
Stock markets in Asia and the US have fallen over concerns that rising prices could send the global economy into a slowdown.
US shares saw their biggest one-day drop since 2020 after downbeat earnings reports from some of America's biggest retailers.
Target said unexpectedly high fuel and freight costs had cut into profits, which halved compared with a year ago.
That followed a similarly downbeat update from rival Walmart earlier.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei index was 1.8% lower in Asia afternoon trade, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 2.3%.
That came after the S&P 500 index, which tracks shares of a wide swathe of America's biggest companies, plunged more than 4% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 3.5%.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 4.7%. The falls added to weeks of declines on US financial markets.
"What people are worried about after seeing Target is, will more earnings [estimates] have to be taken down?" said Thomas Hayes, chairman of Great Hill Capital in New York.
"Consumer sentiment is at multi-year lows and tied at the hip with inflation. So people are looking for signs of inflation moderating, and Target did not give them any today."
Target's update sent its shares plunging 25% - the biggest decline in more than three decades.
The announcements from Target and Walmart were closely watched for signs of how consumer spending is holding up in the world's largest economy, as inflation reaches 40-year highs.
Official US government data recently showed retail sales rose a healthy 0.9% in April, but some analysts have warned the figures may be understating signs of slowdown - especially for lower-income families - since they are not adjusted for inflation.
Earlier this year, Amazon reported a surprise drop in online sales in the first three months of the year.
Target said sales at stores open for at least a year were up more than 3% in the three months to May compared to 2021. But executives said as prices rise, shoppers are spending more on essentials and cutting back on discretionary items, such as television sets and apparel.
It warned investors that costs would be $1bn higher than expected this year, driven by fuel and freight. The firm said it did not see supply chain pressures clearing until at least 2023.
Source-BBC
President Rodrigo Chaves says Costa Rica is at war with Conti hackers
The president of Costa Rica says his country is "at war", as cyber-criminals cause major disruption to IT systems of numerous government ministries.
Rodrigo Chaves said hackers infiltrated 27 government institutions, including municipalities and state-run utilities.
The Conti ransomware cartel, which is thought to be run from Russia, has upped its ransom demand to $20m (£16m).
The criminals posted an appeal online to Costa Ricans to "go out on the street and demand payment".
Mr Chaves held a press conference on Monday to outline his "Plan for Implementation of Cyber-security Measures".
He gave no indication that he was planning on paying the ransom, in spite of growing disruption to government departments.
On Wednesday, the Costa Rican Treasury told civil servants that the hack had affected automatic payment services. It warned that they would not be paid on time, and would need to apply for their salaries by email, or on paper by hand.
The ministry said: "Due to the temporary downturn of the institutional systems, the service of issuing certificates regarding the amounts of salaries owed to the civil servants of the Central Administration is suspended.
"All applications received via email or in the windows of the National Accountancy will be attended to once systems are restored."
According to the government, the attacks also affected the country's foreign trade by hitting its tax and customs systems.
The president, who was elected fewer than two weeks ago, declared the incident a "national emergency" and has repeatedly blamed his predecessor for not taking the cyber-attack seriously enough.
The hackers were demanding $10m when the attack started last month.
A government website says that a declaration of a state of emergency allows it, in exceptional cases, to undertake on its own some procedures that would normally require legislative approval.
For example, it allows the government to allocate public funds to deal with an emergency, without previous legislative consent.
"The attack being experienced by Costa Rica at the hands of cyber-criminals, cyber-terrorists, is declared a national emergency," Mr Chavez said, according to local media.
"We are signing this decree, precisely, to declare a state of national emergency across the entire public sector of the Costa Rican state, and allow our society to respond to those attacks as criminal actions."
The Conti hacking group has posted more than 600 gigabytes of government data online, and is threatening to publish more.
It has also posted on its darknet website that it will delete the decryption keys needed to restore the government's computer systems to normality, unless it is paid within a week.
"There is less than a week left when we destroy your keys, we are also working on gaining access to your other systems, you have no other options but to pay us," it threatened.
On its darknet website, Conti writes to the Costa Rican government: "You're forcing us to use terrible methods..."
And "terrible" is the word many cyber-security researchers are using to describe these new tactics the hackers are using to put pressure on the Costa Rican government to pay.
In the past, ransomware crews have attacked public bodies and local governments, but it is rare to see such a disruptive attack on a state.
It's also unprecedented to see such aggressive threats and direct appeals to Costa Ricans to "take to the streets".
The hackers also claim to have operatives on the inside of government - which may be unlikely but further piles the pressure on the president.
In some ways it all reads like desperation.
Conti has probably put a lot of work into its attack and it looks like it may come away empty-handed.
But it is also another terrible reminder of the power criminal hackers can wield, even against governments.
Conti is a prolific Russian speaking ransomware group responsible for many high-profile hacks.
In May 2021, the group carried out a "catastrophic hack" of the Irish Health Service.
On 6 May, the US offered a $10m reward for information about the group's leadership.
It blamed Conti for the cyber-attacks which hit Costa Rica.
Source-BBC
Ukraine invasion could cause global food crisis
Russia's invasion of Ukraine could cause global food shortages in the coming months, the UN has warned.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the war had worsened food insecurity in poorer nations due to rising prices.
The world could face famines that last for years if Ukrainian exports are not restored to pre-war levels, he added.
The conflict has cut-off supplies from Ukraine's ports, which once exported vast amounts of sunflower oil as well as cereals such as maize and wheat.
This has reduced the global supply and caused the price of alternatives to soar. Global food prices are almost 30% higher than the same time last year, according to the UN.
Speaking in New York on Wednesday, Mr Guterres said the conflict "threatens to tip tens of millions of people over the edge into food insecurity followed by malnutrition, mass hunger and famine".
"There is enough food in our world now if we act together. But unless we solve this problem today, we face the spectre of global food shortage in the coming months," he added.
He warned that there was no effective solution to the food crisis without reintegrating Ukraine's food production, as well as the fertiliser produced by Russia and Belarus, into the global market.
Mr Guterres also said he was in "intense contact" with Russia and Ukraine, as well as the US and the EU, in an effort to restore food exports to normal levels.
"The complex security, economic and financial implications require goodwill on all sides," he said.
His comments came on the same day the World Bank announced extra funding worth $12bn (£9.7bn) for projects addressing food insecurity.
The move will bring the total amount available for such projects to more than £30bn over the next 15 months.
Russia and Ukraine produce 30% of the world's wheat supply and - prior to the war - Ukraine was seen as the world's bread basket, exporting 4.5 million tonnes of agricultural produce per month through its ports.
But since Russia launched its invasion in February, exports have collapsed and prices have skyrocketed. They climbed even further after India banned wheat exports on Saturday.
The UN says around 20 million tonnes of grain are currently stuck in Ukraine from the previous harvest which, if released, could ease pressure on global
While the number of people facing food insecurity had been growing even before the invasion, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, accused Moscow of making a difficult situation even worse on Wednesday.
"Russia has launched a grain war, stoking a global food crisis," Berlin's top diplomat said. "It is doing so at a time when millions are already being threatened by hunger, particularly in the Middle East and Africa."
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the world faced the "greatest global food security crisis of our time" which had been exacerbated by what he called Russian President Vladimir Putin's "war of choice".
TCI LOSES POLITICAL GIANT, HON. LEWIS ASTWOOD
On Friday, 13th May, the Honourable Lewis Astwood, former government minister in the JAGS McCartney administration passed away after a long battle with illness. His family has announced his passing and are asking for your consideration and kindness at this time as they grieve the loss of their dear loved one.
Honourable Astwood has left loved ones such as former Deputy Premier, Honourable Sean Astwood; former Labour Commissioner, Joan Astwood, former Member of Parliament, Cheryl Astwood-Tull; and former RTC on-air personality and manager Audley "Dre" Astwood.
RTC Robert Hall dedicated a social media post reminiscing on the good times with and kindness of the beloved Hon. Lewis Astwood. He said that on Friday when he hosted Expressions, viewers and listeners would have heard him speak of Honorable Lewis Astwood and his generosity.
He said if your mind tells you to say or do something, it's best for you do it and he is happy that he did speak of Hon. Astwood as he was informed later that day of his passing.
Hon. Hall also mentioned in his post that he met the late Hon. Astwood in the mid-'70s and particularly as he and J.A.G.S tried their best to recruit Hon. Hall to join the PDM but that was not meant to be.
He continued to say that Hon. Astwood was a person who gave more than he received from his party and his country. Reminiscing on his generosity, Hon. Hall remembered how Hon. Astwood would even take a television out of his house and give it to those whom he thought needed it.
Hon. Hall also said that the later Minister’s time in the Bahamas exposed him to party politics and the growing pains of a country on its way to nationhood. He came back home and utilized his skills and energy for the betterment of his people and got elected in 1976 under the new constitution and became minister of works and utilities.
Although he was not there for a mighty long time, it was said that despite his personal limitations, his ministry was one of the best-run ministries.
Hon. Hall mentioned that he will always remember Hon. Astwood as a fighter and a man who fought for the betterment of his country. Hon. Astwood then extended his deepest sympathy to the grieving family saying may his soul rest in peace.
DISCHARGING FIREARM REPORT LEADS TO TWO PERSONS ARRESTED AND ONE FIREARM AND AMMUNITION RECOVERED
RTC News is learning that on Tuesday May 17th 2022,the Police Control Room received a report of a firearm being discharged from a red vehicle on the Leeward Highway at around 12:30pm. Responding Police Units subsequently stopped a Red Suzuki Swift a short while later and its two male occupants were detained in connection to that report of firearm discharge.
Later in the afternoon, Officers received information connected to the incident. Detectives, acting on the received, recovered a handgun and ammunition from a location near to the Leeward Highway.
Investigations are continuing into the original incident and the recovery of the firearm and ammunition. The two males remain in Police custody.
Commissioner of Police Trevor Botting said, “The reported incident on the Leeward Highway where it is believed that a firearm was discharged recklessly, was responded to by a number of Police Units, including members of the Tactical Unit and Investigations Teams. A short time later, a vehicle was stopped and two persons arrested. A firearm and ammunition were subsequently recovered. I commend the work of the attending officers and those supporting in the Police Control Room for a coordinated and focused response. The officers and the staff of the RTCIPF remain committed and focused on protecting our communities and removing guns from the streets of the TCI.”
DERRICK MILLER, SENTENCED FOR RAPE AND ATTEMPTED RAPE
Alarming, Shocking & Disgruntled is how many are describing the horrific account of what was revealed, where on Thursday 12th May 2022, Derrick Miller, a 48-year-old native of Guyana, was sentenced to 9 years’ imprisonment for two counts of Attempted Rape and 11 years’ imprisonment for six counts of Rape. The sentences are to run concurrently and time spent on remand is to be taken into account.
He had pleaded guilty to all charges before the Supreme court on May 3rd 2022. His guilty plea follows a Police Investigation after an initial report was made to the RTCIPF Safeguarding and Public Protection Unit on May 3rd 2021. The investigation identified further victims and further offending reflected in the number of charges he faced in court.
In addition to the Custodial Sentence, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order was granted by the court until the 12th of May 2032 which places restrictions upon him following his release from Prison.
Commissioner of Police Trevor Botting said, “The guilty plea in this case reflects the professional and detailed investigation into this very sensitive matter by the RTCIPF Safeguarding and Public Protection Team and I thank them for their diligence and tenacity. I also want to acknowledge the courage of those victims who came forward and played a significant part in this case.”
Supt Mitcheson, Head of Crime and Public Protection said, “Derick Miller was placed in a position of trust and he abused that trust by preying on those most vulnerable, subjecting them to harm that will have long lasting effects. I wish to praise those victims and witnesses for having the courage to report this matter and see that justice was done. The RTCIPF is committed to dealing with such horrific crimes and have specially trained officers, who work in partnership with Health and Social Care, to support victims throughout the judicial process and beyond. If you are affected by this crime, or any similar crimes, contact the police where you will be treated with dignity, respect and confidentiality.”
Sri Lanka down to last day of petrol adds new Prime Minister
Sri Lanka's new prime minister says the country is down to its last day of petrol as it faces its worst economic crisis in more than 70 years.
In a televised address, Ranil Wickremesinghe said the nation urgently needs $75m (£60.8m) of foreign currency in the next few days to pay for essential imports.
He said the central bank will have to print money to pay government wages.
Mr Wickremesinghe also said state-owned Sri Lankan Airlines may be privatised.
The island nation's economy has been has been hit hard by the pandemic, rising energy prices and populist tax cuts. A chronic shortage of foreign currency and soaring inflation had led to a severe shortage of medicines, fuel and other essentials.
In the capital Colombo, auto rickshaws, the most popular means of transport in the city, and other vehicles have been queuing at petrol stations.
"At the moment, we only have petrol stocks for a single day. The next couple of months will be the most difficult ones of our lives," Mr Wickremesinghe, who was appointed prime minister on Thursday, said.
However, shipments of petrol and diesel using a credit line with India could provide fuel supplies in the next few days, he added.
Mr Wickremesinghe said the country's central bank would have to print money to help meet the government's wage bill and other commitments.
"Against my own wishes, I am compelled to permit printing money in order to pay state-sector employees and to pay for essential goods and services. However, we must remember that printing money leads to the depreciation of the rupee" he said.
He also proposed selling off Sri Lankan Airlines as part of efforts to stabilise the nation's finances. The carrier lost 45 billion Sri Lankan rupees ($129.5m; £105m) in the year ending March 2021.
In recent weeks, there have been large, sometimes violent, protests against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his family.
Last week, the president's elder brother Mahinda resigned as prime minister after government supporters clashed with protesters. Nine people died and more than 300 were wounded in the violence.
Source-BBC
COLLABORATIVE TRAINING SESSIONS WITH ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FACILITATED BY THE DPP AND POLICE
During the months of April and May, the training Unit from the Office of the Director of Public prosecutions, headed by Deputy Director, Dr. Angela Brooks and her team members, Senior Public Prosecutor Mrs. Shatelia Hall-Greene and Public Prosecutor Tamika Grant, partnered
with the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force in providing essential training to the Enforcement Officers of the Physical Planning Department, both on Grand Turk and Providenciales.
The training exercises were focused on the offences that are captured in the Physical Planning Ordinance, providing the Enforcement officers with the tools necessary, thereby enabling and equipping them to execute their duties competently and effectively.
At the conclusion of the training sessions, the Enforcement Officers participated in an in person mock trial which replicated real life scenarios in the Magistrate Court. This exercise gave the Officers the opportunity to utilize all that they had learned during the training. The Deputy Director of the Physical Planning Department, Mr. Toriano Williams said that he was grateful for the training afforded to his Officers and has already witnessed an improvement in the number of tickets issued by his department.