At the White House: "We understand your frustration" as new poll shows increased pessimism over COVID-19
A new poll from Monmouth University out Wednesday finds Americans are seriously pessimistic about when the United States will get the COVID-19 outbreak under control, and that a majority of Americans support vaccination requirements for different categories of workers.
In this poll, 45% of Americans say they are very concerned about themselves or someone in their family becoming seriously ill from coronavirus, which is a 15-point jump from Monmouth's July poll.
Only about one in 10, or 11% of Americans think the country will get the outbreak under control and be able to return to normal within the next month or two, 3% by the end of this year.
A plurality -- 34% -- think this will happen sometime next year, while about three in 10, or 28%, think this will happen later than that. Around two in 10, or 22%, don't think this will ever happen.
When asked by ABC News what the White House message is to Americans who are so pessimistic, Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that the White House understands the frustration and that “[President Joe Biden] made clear last week he's going to use every lever possible from the federal government to reduce the spread of COVID to save -- to protect more people to save more lives. That is what we will hope lead to us going to back to a version of normal.”
Also on Wednesday, President Biden met with EOs and business leaders to discuss COVID-19 mandates. Following Biden's announcement last week that the Labor Department is working to require that businesses with 100 or more employees order their workers to be fully vaccinated or submit a negative COVID-19 test at least weekly.
Numerous corporations, including Amtrak, Microsoft, United Airlines and ABC News' parent company, Walt Disney, issued vaccine mandates for their workforces before Biden's announcement last week. Some Republicans accused Biden of overstepping his authority and have threatened to sue the administration over the vaccine mandate.
Source-ABC
Windies facing whitewash after 35-run loss
West Indies Women were left to confront their worst fears of a whitewash when they lost their fourth straight One-Day International to South Africa Women, with a 35-run defeat here Thursday.
Though the visitors could only muster 185 for six off their 50 overs at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium, the target proved to be out of the hosts’ reach, and they stumbled to 150 for nine to be well short in the end.
Opener Rashada Williams once again showed enterprise with 42 while experienced all-rounder Deandra Dottin chipped in with 22 but for the umpteenth time, the batting collapsed without so much as a whimper, to leave West Indies Women with a 4-0 deficit in the five-match series.
Sent in, South Africa Women stumbled initially but recovered to reach their eventual target thanks to an unbeaten 65 from Mignon du Preez, 30 from Tazmin Brits and Sinalo Jafta’s 28.
They lost the in-form Laura Wolvaardt for one with as many on the board in the second over but rebuilt through Brits who put on 35 for the second wicket with Lara Goodall (8) and a further 21 for the third wicket with captain Dane van Niekerk (20).
Brits, who struck four fours, perished in the 20th over with South Africa Women on 57 for three but du Preez anchored three key stands to frustrate the home side.
Firstly, she posted 31 for the fourth wicket with van Niekerk, then added 30 for the fifth with Chloe Tryon (12) before putting on 63 for the seventh with Jafta.
Du Preez struck five fours in her 91-ball knock.
In reply, West Indies Women slumped to 19 for two in the third over but made a slight recovery through Williams who added 29 for the third wicket with Dottin, 22 for the fourth with Hayley Matthews (14) and 41 for the fifth with Kycia Knight (15).
But Williams batted slowly, hitting four fours off 90 balls and when she was run out in the 39th over, West Indies Women were 115 for five and facing a required run rate of nearly seven runs per over, which proved insurmountable.
Leg-spinner Dane van Niekerk finished with three for 23.
Source-CMC
Regional tourism partners seek inclusive and collaborative rebuilding
The future of the Caribbean tourism industry will be discussed on September 27 when leading public and private sector stakeholders participate in a high-level virtual conference on the regional tourism sector.
The Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) said that the day-long event will coincide with the observance of Word Tourism Day 2021 under the theme “Tourism for Inclusive Growth”.
It said that the virtual conference will emphasise collaboration as an important element in the growth and development of the region’s primary revenue earner.
The one-day event will be held under the theme “The Future of Caribbean Tourism – Redefining the three S’s” and will explore the challenges, opportunities and best practices for tourism resilience and recovery.
“The three S’s have been identified as social inclusion, sustainability, and smart destinations and businesses, and will inform the thematic sessions to guide the discussions.
“This unprecedented collaborative effort brings together 11 agencies and institutions related to tourism and key ancillary sectors, working to address unique challenges posed by COVID-19 and other threats to the future of Caribbean tourism,” the CTO said.
It noted that tourism is by far the leading economic driver in the Caribbean, the world’s most tourism-dependent region, with impacts far beyond the direct spending by travellers as it fuels economies, spawns new businesses, provides linkages with other economic sectors, and generates the tax revenues essential to the building of infrastructure and provision of government services.
“Given this pivotal role, the partner agencies want to ensure the three priority areas identified are central in the region’s recovery strategies. This event is expected build momentum for an action-oriented new dawn of smart partnership and advocacy for the successful, safe, and sustainable restoration of Caribbean tourism.”
The September 27 event is being organised by the University of the West Indies, Association of Caribbean States, Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, Caribbean Public Health Agency, Compete Caribbean Partnership Facility, Global Tourism Resilience & Crisis Management Centre, Inter-American Development Bank, Organisation of American States, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, and the United Nations Development Programme for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.
Source-CMC
Bahamas may elect a new Government
An estimated 194,524 Bahamians are registered to vote in Thursday’s general election to elect a new government in this archipelago with the two main political parties confident of gaining control of the 39 seat-Parliament.
In the last election, the ruling Free National Movement (FNM) headed by Prime Minister won 35 seats while the main opposition Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) now headed by attorney Phillip “Brave” Davis won the remaining four seats.
Bahamas is the ninth Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country to be staging a general election since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic was declared in March last year. All but two of the ruling parties have been successful in regaining office.
Polling stations will close at 6.00 pm (local time). The polls are being monitored by observer teams from the CARICOM and the Organisation of American States (OAS).
Source-CMC
Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart are reuniting to celebrate Halloween.
The 49-year-old rap icon and the 80-year-old lifestyle guru are judging a new food competition inspired by Halloween.
Snoop and Martha's Very Tasty Halloween is being produced by Buzzfeed, and will stream on Peacock. Teams of three bakers, called “Scare Squads,” must build an edible Halloween world "inspired by the concept of fear." After the judges select the winner, they will enjoy a "fantastical Halloween party."
The unlikely duo previously hosted Martha and Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party from 2016-2019 on VH1, and have appeared in several commercials together, as well a 2016 episode of $100,000 Pyramid. Last year, the "Gin & Juice" rapper was a guest star on her Martha show.
They first appeared together on her show in 2008, and again at the 2015 Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber.
Snoop and Martha serve as executive producers of their Very Tasty Halloween show which will begin streaming October 14 on Peacock.
Source-ABC
Prime Minister Minnis of the Bahamas concedes defeat in General Election
Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis has conceded defeat in Thursday’s general election saying that he had already telephoned the leader of the main opposition Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), Phillip “Brave” Davis to congratulate him on his party’s electoral victory.
Davis confirmed that he had received the congratulatory call from Minnis and while the official results of the polls have not yet been released, Minnis in a statement issued by the Free National Movement (FNM), said “I will lead the Free National Movement into the House as the leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. The Bahamas has a proud democratic tradition. The people decide who serves as government.”
The FNM had gone into the election controlling 35 of the 39 seats in the Parliament ad unofficial preliminary results indicated that the party had been trounced 32-7 by the PLP.
“I would like to thank the tens of thousands of Bahamians from across the Bahamas who voted for the Free National Movement candidates. I also congratulate the FNM candidates who won seats in the House of Assembly.
I am in that number and again my gratitude goes out to the people of Killarney for making me their representative for the fourth consecutive term,” said Minnis, who was seeking a second consecutive term as head of the government..
“We did not win this time. But I say to the next generation of FNMs that you should stand firm to this party’s founding ideals. Always put the people first and be honest in government.
“The people have asked us to be the opposition. We will ensure the people’s resources are spent properly. We will ensure there is accountability. We will oppose when necessary. We will agree the government’s plans are in the best interests of the people,” Minnis said.
After he had cast his ballot earlier during the day, Prime Minister Minnis defended his decision to call an early general election even as the country continues to battle the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Critics, including some of the country’s foremost physicians, had expressed grave concerns that the public healthcare system will continue to teeter on the verge of collapse as they predict increased virus cases.
But in his concession statement, Minnis said his administration had provided millions of dollars a month in food and unemployment benefits to citizens, as well as tax credits to businesses during the pandemic.
“We fought hard to secure more than half a million doses of three of the best vaccine sin the world,” he said.
Source-CMC
FBI turned ‘blind eye’ to reports of gymnasts’ abuse: Simone Biles
U.S. elite gymnasts Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney, Maggie Nichols and Aly Raisman testified before Congress Wednesday about what they say were failures in FBI's handling of the sexual abuse case against Larry Nassar, a former USA Gymnastics team doctor.
Biles testified that the FBI and gymnastics officials turned a "blind eye" to USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar's sexual abuse of her and hundreds of other women.
Before that, Maroney testified that the FBI interviewed herself and other witnesses with utter indifference -- after an horrific description of abuse that took 3 hours to complete, one FBI agent allegedly told Maroney matter-of-factly, "Is that all?” Maroney said the FBI agent then misrepresented her allegations and falsified his reports.
The hearing is part of a congressional effort to hold the FBI accountable after multiple missteps in investigating the case, including the delays that allowed the now-imprisoned Nassar to abuse other young gymnasts.
An internal investigation by the Justice Department released in July said that the FBI made fundamental errors in the probe and did not treat the case with the "utmost seriousness" after USA Gymnastics first reported the allegations to the FBI's field office in Indianapolis in 2015.
The FBI has acknowledged its own conduct was inexcusable. At least 40 girls and women said they were molested AFTER the FBI had been made aware of the problem. FBI Director Christopher Wray testified "I don’t have a good answer for you" when asked to explain why the gymnasts' complaints were ignored.
Source- ABC
R. Kelly abused Aaliyah when she was 13 or 14, court hears
R. Kelly sexually abused the late R&B singer Aaliyah when she was 13 or 14 years old, one of his former backing dancers has told a court.
The woman, who testified under the name Angela, told Mr Kelly's trial she had seen the chart-topping star perform a sex act on Aaliyah on a tour bus.
The alleged incident took place a year before Mr Kelly illegally married the singer, when she was 15.
Mr Kelly, 54, denies all the charges against him.
They include a single count of racketeering - which paints him as the kingpin of a criminal enterprise whose explicit purpose was "to prey upon young women and teenagers" for sexual purposes. He has also been charged with eight counts of violating an interstate anti-sex trafficking law.
The singer, whose full name is Robert Kelly, is not charged with rape or assault, but prosecutors are allowed to present evidence of potential crimes related to the racketeering charge, regardless of when they occurred.
Angela's testimony came on the 15th day of the trial, in Brooklyn, New York.
She was the 10th accuser to take the stand, and told a story of under-age sexual abuse that echoed many of the previous witnesses.
She said she began having sex with Mr Kelly in 1991, when she was still at school.
They met at a party at his house when she was about 15. At one point, she said, he invited her to a bedroom and "asked me to climb on top of him". She hesitated, but told the court she ultimately acquiesced to his demands and they had intercourse.
Mr Kelly later invited her to become part of her touring entourage. She alleged that the star often pressured those around him into having sex, and would punish those who didn't follow his instructions.
The incident with Aaliyah occurred in 1992 or 1993, when Angela and another young woman decided to play a prank on Mr Kelly, she told the court.
After pushing open the door to his bedroom, she said: "I saw Robert and Aaliyah in a sexual situation." She added: "I closed the door abruptly and pushed the girl behind me away from the door."
The former dancer said she never mentioned the incident to Mr Kelly again.
Mr Kelly's relationship with Aaliyah - his former protégé - has become a focus of the trial.
Earlier witnesses testified that they had falsified documents so the pair could be married when Aaliyah was under age. Angela, however, is the first person to tell jurors that she had seen the pair engaged in sexual acts.
Her testimony also makes Aaliyah the youngest woman Mr Kelly is accused of abusing.
The star, who later emerged from Mr Kelly's shadow to become a successful recording artist in her own right, died in a plane crash in 2001.
Source- BBC
Apple rushes to block 'zero-click' iPhone spyware
Apple has issued a software patch to block so-called "zero-click" spyware that could infect iPhones and iPads.
Independent researchers identified the flaw, which lets hackers access devices through the iMessage service even if users do not click on a link or file.
The problem affects all of the technology giant's operating systems, the researchers said.
Apple said it issued the security update in response to a "maliciously crafted" PDF file.
University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, which first highlighted the issue, had previously found evidence of zero-click spyware, but "this is the first one where the exploit has been captured so we can find out how it works," said researcher Bill Marczak.
The researchers said that the previously unknown vulnerability affected all major Apple devices, including iPhones, Macs and Apple Watches.
Citizen Lab also said the security issue was exploited to plant spyware on a Saudi activist's iPhone, adding that it had high confidence that the Israeli hacker-for-hire firm, NSO Group, was behind that attack.
In a statement to the Reuters news agency, NSO did not confirm or deny that it was behind the spyware, saying only that it would "continue to provide intelligence and law enforcement agencies around the world with life-saving technologies to fight terror and crime".
Security experts have said that although the discovery is significant, most users of Apple devices should not be overly concerned as such attacks are usually highly targeted.
Apple said in a blog post that it had issued the iOS 14.8 and iPadOS 14.8 software patches after it became aware of a report that the flaw "may have been actively exploited".
The announcement came as the technology giant prepared to unveil new devices at its annual launch event on Tuesday.
The company is expected to reveal new iPhones and updates to its AirPods and Apple Watch.
Source-BBC
World Suicide Prevention Day was observed on Sept 10
September 10th, 2021 marks the second World Suicide Prevention Day observance since the Covid19 pandemic began. This year’s theme ‘Creating Hope through Action’ is befitting as the uncertainty of this outbreak has indeed exasperated many of our mental wellbeing and emotional reserves.
Mental wellbeing is the term used to define the way our thoughts and ability to cope align with the world around us. While it is inevitable that we all will experience challenging times, extended periods of low mental wellbeing can lead to the development of clinical mental health symptoms such as:
Increased levels of anxiety
Suicidal thoughts
Hopelessness
Suicidal and/or homicidal attempts
Increased irritability and displaced anger
It is for this reason, the Turks & Caicos Islands, Department of Mental Health & Substance Dependence as well as the World Health Organization (WHO), have urged the public to reach out for help if they are suffering from mental health difficulties or merely feeling overwhelmed.
The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) reiterates this approach as speaking to someone that is trained in mental health techniques has been proven to reduce and alleviate anxiety, stress, and depressive symptoms, all of which are linked to instances of self harm. As a comprehensive approach family, friends and community members are encouraged to help others that may be struggling by listening, educating themselves on the warning signs associated with suicide and creating an action plan to prevent escalation of emotions . It is okay to not feel okay, but we need you to feel and be safe.
If you need help but are unsure of how to start please visit one of the below locations for a free Self-Care gift courtesy of your local Department of Mental health on Friday , September 10th, 2021.
Grand Turk: IGA & Grace Bay Pharmacy
Providenciales: Flamingo Pharmacy (Leeward Highway), Grace Bay Pharmacy (Gracebay) & Carolina Medical (Down-Town, Butterfield Square)