British Airways plans app-based travel pass
British Airways is planning to make it easier for passengers to prove they are safe to travel once they have been vaccinated against Covid.
Under the plans, people who have had both jabs will be able to register their status on BA's smartphone app.
The airline's chief executive, Sean Doyle, hailed the UK's "great progress" in tackling the pandemic.
Last month, BA owner IAG called for digital health passes "to reopen our skies safely".
IAG's boss, Luis Gallego, said at the time that the airline group wanted international common testing standards for travel.
The UK government has said it will give the go-ahead for a return to international travel on 17 May at the earliest.
The announcement prompted a flood of bookings, but it remains unclear which routes will be available.
BA's move comes amid heated debate about the possibility that "vaccine passports" could become a feature of foreign travel and even be used within the UK to allow entry to places such as pubs or sports stadiums.
In his latest comments to journalists, BA's Mr Doyle said the UK should be a global leader in reopening international travel.
He urged the government to "set an example" and "be ambitious" in developing systems, including the use of digital technology to verify the vaccination and test status of passengers.
"We're making great progress in Britain in dealing with the pandemic," he said, pointing to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and the success of the UK's vaccination programme.
"It's fair to say that Britain has developed a really strong leadership position in coming out the other end of the pandemic," he said.
"What we want to make sure is that we also take that leadership position into restoring travel and restoring the economy."
Source-BBC
Department Of Social Development prepares for Social Work Month 2021
Globally, Social Workers have served on the frontline, side-by-side responding to the negative impact of the covid19 pandemic and other social ills. Social Workers are often faced with mind-boggling human adversities that shatter lives that have to be nurture, mended and renewed.
As the world continues to experience calamities, the social needs of its people only heightened. Social Workers are challenged to the frontline to provide their unending support in connecting people to services.
Unfortunately, the role and significance of Social Workers as 'Essential' are often disregarded, unappreciated, and misunderstood by the community at large. Given the current dilemma the world and specifically the Turks and Caicos Islands are in, it appears to be no better time to highlight how essential Social Workers are to the communities they serve. SOCIAL WORKERS ARE ESSENTIAL! It takes passion, dedication, empathy and heart to place service and others before self to work a thankless and sobering job while risking their own health and wellbeing.
Going forward, it is my hope that our colleagues, stakeholders and clients recognize, embrace and celebrate Social Workers as essential workers for the contributions they have made and will continue to make for generations to come.
As we celebrate Social Work Month March 2021 under the theme 'Social Workers Are Essential', let's remember Social Workers always have been, and always will be, on the front lines, building a restorative bridge to support families and communities.
Happy Social Work Month to my fellow unsung pandemic heroes! Social Workers, Probation Officers and Psychiatric Social Workers, YOU MAKE THINGS HAPPEN!
Social Month Activities:
-Pay It Forward March
DSD staff to treat an elderly person/family during the month of March 2021.
-Purple Friday/ Pantry Love Day
Staff dress in purple and encourage the community at large to wear the colour to symbolize Social Work month.Staff are also encouraged to donate a CAN during the day. Staff will also encourage the entire Civil Servant body and community to participate.
The culminate the month, the Social Worker/ Probation Officers & Psychiatric Social Workers Are Essential will make an appearance on March 29, 2021 on RTC89fm.
Chinese economy continues its pandemic bounce back
Key economic data in China surged dramatically in the first two months of 2021, pointing to a continued recovery for the world's second largest economy.
China's industrial output grew 35.1% in January and February compared to the same months last year.
The strong numbers are distorted because they are compared to 2020, when most of China's factories were in pandemic lockdown.
But Monday's slew of economic data still beat analysts' expectations.
Looking back to 2019 before the pandemic hit may give a more accurate picture of what is happening to economic activity in China.
Industrial output was up 16.9% compared with the first two months of 2019, highlighting the stronger output.
A rebound in foreign demand has helped push export growth higher for China, often called the world's factory.
The Chinese government has set a modest annual economic growth target for 2021, at above 6%, even though analysts are tipping growth of around 8%.
China was the only major economy last year to report positive growth, with an expansion of 2.3%.
A spokeswoman for China's statistics bureau Liu Aihua told reporters the economy should continue its recovery.
However, she said there are still imbalances in the economic recovery and that China needs to step up support for consumption.
Retail sales, another key economic indicator, climbed 33.8% in the period, although the jobless rate was 5.5% at the end of February, up from 5.2% in December.
Economists have pointed to a two-speed track for China, with strong industrial output and export demand but a lagging consumer recovery.
The government imposed travel restrictions before the Chinese New Year holidays, which fell in February this year. This suppressed spending on travel, restaurants and leisure activities.
However, retail sales data showed the top growth items were jewellery (up 99%) and cars (up 78%).
"These items tell us that Chinese consumers spent lavishly during the Chinese New Year holiday," said Iris Pang, Chief Economist for Greater China, at ING bank.
Barbados to open new diplomatic missions in Ghana, Kenya and the UAE
Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Jerome Walcott says that in an effort to expand Barbados' diplomatic footprint, as part of the national effort toward economic reconstruction and business generation, three new missions will be established in the upcoming financial year.
He was speaking during a recent press conference where he highlighted the recent and proposed activities of the ministry.
“New diplomatic offices will be opened in Ghana, Kenya and the United Arab Emirates with the intention of expanding Barbados' South-South cooperation, strengthening our global people-to-people contact, and also contributing to the national effort toward economic reconstruction, business and revenue generation, increased investment, and expanded trade in Barbados' goods and services, including tourism,” he said.
He further explained the rationale for establishing diplomatic offices in Ghana, Kenya and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“These new missions will be at the forefront of efforts to identify new and emerging sectors that can propel and expand the Barbadian economy, and also to strengthen, advance and diversify bilateral and multilateral action to promote Barbados' interests globally. Since Independence, our mantra has been “friends of all, satellites of none”; it is now time for us to widen our network of friends, especially in the face of COVID-19,” Walcott said.
The Mission Office in Ghana, which is said to be the ancestral homeland of a large population of Barbados' population, will be established in Accra.
In Kenya, the office will serve as Barbados' permanent mission to the United Nations Office in Nairobi, which is the third largest United Nations Office in the world.
Source-CMC
West Indies beat Sri Lanka by five wickets in ODI
West Indies defeated Sri Lanka by five wickets in the third One-Day International at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium here Sunday.
Scores:
SRI LANKA 274 for six off 50 overs (Wanindu Hasaranga 80 not out, Ashen Bandara 55 not out, Danushka Gunathilaka 36, Dimuth Karunaratne 31; Akeal Hosein 3-33)
WEST INDIES 276 for five off 48.3 overs (Darren Bravo 102, Shai Hope 64, Kieron Pollard 53 not out; Suranga Lakmal 2-56)
Source-CMC
Putin keeps his grip over Russia, even with support waning
When the Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny returned to Russia in January, he threw down a gauntlet to president Vladimir Putin’s authority.
It was challenge watched by the world as Navalny—having survived a nerve agent poisoning months earlier—flew into Moscow.
The Kremlin’s response has been blunt. Navalny was swiftly sentenced to over two and a half years in prison in a trial condemned internationally as being politically motivated.
The unusually large protests in Russia that followed Navalny’s imprisonment were swiftly and robustly suppressed, as authorities deployed police on an unprecedented scale. Thousands were detained and hundreds then fined or given short prison sentences. Police targeted Navalny’s allies with a barrage of raids and new criminal prosecutions, putting most of them in detention.
After two weekends of protests, which saw so many detained that Moscow’s jails and courts briefly backed-up, Navalny’s team called off any further streets protests until the summer.
That outcome has affirmed Putin’s capacity to retain control, but it also points to an unappealing future for the Kremlin, one where it has to rely more and more on crude authoritarianism. In many ways the protests reaffirmed the strength of Putin’s control.
Independent polls have shown that despite the drama, there has been little impact on Russians’ attitudes towards Navalny and Putin. According to the independent pollster the Levada Center, around 19 percent % of Russians approve of Navalny’s actions, while 56 percent disapprove.
That is 6% more who disapprove than before Navalny returned. The same Levada polls show trust for Navalny among Russians overall has crept up slightly, from three to 4 percent.
The polling suggests that the government has succeeded in controlling the narrative around Navalny, the center’s deputy director, Denis Volkov said.
The majority of Russians remain apathetic and deeply cynical about political change, attitudes also cultivated by Kremlin propaganda, experts said, which poses a huge challenge to Navalny’s efforts to mobilize them.
In recent years, approval of Putin and the authorities more generally has been eroding. Putin’s approval last year dipped to its lower level in a decade, reaching 59 percent last April.
Source-ABC
Grammys 2021: The complete winners list
The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards aired Sunday night on CBS, hosted by Trevor Noah.
Beyoncé has set a new record at the Grammy Awards with her 28th win.
The star is now the most-awarded woman in Grammys history, overtaking bluegrass singer Alison Krauss.
"I am so honoured, I'm so excited," she said while accepting her record-breaking trophy, for best R&B performance.
Taylor Swift also made history at Sunday's ceremony, by becoming the first female artist ever to win album of the year three times.
The star was rewarded for her lockdown album Folklore - after previously winning with Fearless in 2010 and the pop opus 1989 in 2016.
Only three other artists have ever won the album of the year prize three times: Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder.
Here is the complete list of winners in the major categories:
Record of the Year
"Everything I Wanted" by Billie Eilish
Album of the Year
Folklore by Taylor Swift
Song of the Year
"I Can't Breathe" by Dernst Emile II, H.E.R. & Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)
Best New Artist
Megan Thee Stallion
POP
Best Pop Solo Performance
"Watermelon Sugar" by Harry Styles
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
"Rain On Me" by Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
American Standard by James Taylor
Best Pop Vocal Album
Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa
ROCK/ALTERNATIVE
Best Rock Performance
"Shameika" by Fiona Apple
Best Metal Performance
"Bum-Rush" by Body Count
Best Rock Song
"Stay High" by Brittany Howard
Best Rock Performance
"Shameika" by Fiona Apple
Best Rock Song
"Stay High" by Brittany Howard
Best Rock Album
The New Abnormal by The Strokes Alternative
Best Alternative Music Album
Fetch the Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple
R&B/RAP
BEST R&B PERFORMANCE
"Black Parade" by Beyoncé
Best Traditional R&B Performance
"Anything For You" by Ledisi
Best R&B Song
"Better Than I Imagined" by Robert Glasper, Meshell Ndegeocello & Gabriella Wilson, songwriters (Robert Glasper feat. H.E.R. & Meshell Ndegeocello)
Best Progressive R&B Album
It Is What It Is by Thundercat
Best R&B Album
Bigger Love by John Legend
Best Rap Performance
"Savage" by Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé
Best Melodic Rap Performance
"Lockdown" by Anderson .Paak
Best Rap Song
"Savage" by Beyoncé, Shawn Carter, Brittany Hazzard, Derrick Milano, Terius Nash, Megan Pete, Bobby Session Jr., Jordan Kyle Lanier Thorpe & Anthony White, songwriters (Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé)
Best Rap Album
King's Disease by Nas
COUNTRY
Best Country Solo Performance
"When My Amy Prays" by Vince Gill
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
"10,000 Hours" by Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber
Best Country Song
"Crowded Table" by Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby & Lori McKenna, songwriters (The Highwomen)
Best Country Album
Wildcard by Miranda Lambert
DANCE/ELECTRONIC MUSIC
Best Dance Recording
"10%" by Kaytranada feat. Kali Uchis
Best Dance/Electronic Album
BUBBA by Kaytranada
GOSPEL/CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
"There Was Jesus" by Zach Williams & Dolly Parton; Casey Beathard, Jonathan Smith & Zach Williams, songwriters
Best Gospel Album
Gospel According to PJ by PJ Morton
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
Jesus Is King by Kanye West
Best Roots Gospel Album
Celebrating Fisk! (The 150th Anniversary Album) by Fisk Jubilee Singers
LATIN
Best Latin Pop or Urban Album
YHLQMDLG by Bad Bunny
Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album
La Conquista del Espacio by Fito Paez
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)
Un Canto Por Mexico, Vol. 1 by Natalia Lafourcade
Best Tropical Latin Album
40 by Grupo Niche
COMEDY
Best Comedy Album
Black Mitzvah by Tiffany Haddish
MUSICAL THEATER
Best Musical Theater Album
Jagged Little Pill (Glen Ballard, composer; Alanis Morissette, composer & lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast)
MUSIC FOR VISUAL MEDIA
Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media
Jojo Rabbit (Various Artists) Taika Waititi, compilation producer
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media
Joker by Hildur Guðnadóttir, composer
Best Song Written For Visual Media
"No Time to Die" by Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas Baird O'Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish) Track from: No Time to Die
MUSIC VIDEO/FILM
Best Music Video
"Brown Skin Girl" Beyoncé, Blue Ivy & WizKid
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter & Jenn Nkiru, video directors; Astrid Edwards, Aya Kaida, Jean Mougin, Nathan Scherrer & Erinn Williams, video producers
Best Music Film
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice
Linda Ronstadt Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman, video directors; Michele Farinola & James Keach, video producers
Cayman quarantine shortened to 10 days
The mandatory quarantine period will be reduced to 10 days from 22 March, so added Cayman's Premier Alden McLaughlin who made the announcement Wednesday, as Cayman reached its target of vaccinating 90% of the over-60 population.
There are approximately 5,000 people living in the Cayman Islands who are aged 60 or over. Speaking at a press briefing Wednesday morning, the premier said Cayman had reached the “much-anticipated milestone” and more than 91% of that population had been vaccinated.
“This gives us confidence that the most vulnerable have been protected for the worst of COVID-19 disease,” he said.
From 22 March, people arriving on island who have been vaccinated at least two weeks beforehand will only need to be in isolation for 10 days, rather than the current 14 days. Travellers will continue to be required to provide a negative PCR result from a test taken within 72 hours of travel, as well as a negative result from a test taken at the airport upon arrival.
The premier confirmed at the briefing that children will still need to undergo a 14-day quarantine, as currently anyone under the age of 16 cannot get vaccinated. Family members quarantining with the children would also need to remain in isolation for 14 days.
Cayman’s borders remain closed to general tourism. McLaughlin said between 70% and 80% of the entire population would need to be vaccinated before the borders could be fully opened, while keeping other protection protocols in place. He stated Cayman had “a ways to go still, but we’re certainly well on the way”.
Source-Cayman Compass
Netflix considers crackdown on password sharing
Some users have reported seeing a screen saying, "If you don't live with the owner of this account, you need your own account to keep watching."
A spokesperson told the BBC: "This test is designed to help ensure that people using Netflix accounts are authorised to do so."
A decision has yet to be made as to whether the company will roll this out across its network.
In the trial, users can verify they are allowed to access the account by a code, sent via text or email.
Netflix is trying to crack down on ineligible users, though it is unclear how many people use the platform against their terms of service.
Streaming platforms, including Netflix, HBO Go, Amazon Prime and Disney+, allow users to create multiple profiles within the account, but the terms and conditions specify they are meant to be used by people in the household.
During a 2016 webcast, Netflix co-founder and chief executive Reed Hastings said: "Password sharing is something you have to learn to live with, because there's so much legitimate password sharing, like you sharing with your spouse, with your kids, so there's no bright line, and we're doing fine as is."
In October 2019, chief product officer Greg Peters said the company was looking at the issue of password sharing, but said it had no "big plans to announce at this time in terms of doing something differently there".
Netflix gained almost 37 million new subscribers in 2020 and now has more than 200 million subscribers around the world.
An increase of prices, a global lockdown and shows such as Tiger King and The Queen's Gambit saw Netflix report nearly $25bn (£18bn) in revenue and almost $2.8bn (£2bn) in profit.
Source-BBC's Cody Godwin
CARIFTA Games pushed back to August 2021
The 2021 Carifta Games has been pushed back to August 13-15 in Bermuda. The announcement was made by North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association President Mike Sands during a virtual press conference on Thursday.
The region's leading age-group track and field event for national teams, was initially rescheduled for July 2-4 from its usually April date because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Sands said that given the recent announcement of the Caribbean Examination Council exam schedule, which runs from June 13 to July 16, they could not avoid a further delay in the competition.
"We had no choice. Looking at all of the dates and recognising the calendar that was already in place, we had looked at all of the scenarios and I do mean all of the scenarios," Sands said. "And as a result, recognising what is available to us, we took a decision that the Games would now be held on August 13, 14 and 15."
Bermuda National Athletic Association President Donna Raynor said that the decision for the new date was based on avoiding an abandonment of the competition altogether.
"We all agreed, that if this date doesn't work, then we would have to look at cancelling the Games and no one wanted to cancel," Raynor said. Raynor added that the change received the blessing of World Athletics president Sebastian Coe.
The announcement presents potential challenges for local junior athletes who will see their seasons extended into the summer. Additionally, the World Under 20 Championships are scheduled for August 17 to 22 the week after the conclusion of the Games.