The Queen praises the 'courage and sacrifice' of D-Day
The Queen has paid tribute to the "heroism, courage and sacrifice" of those who died in the D-Day landings.
She was joined by 16 world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, in Portsmouth to commemorate the 75th anniversary of history's largest combined land, air and naval operation.
Mr Trump, who was on the last day of his UK state visit, said D-Day "may have been the greatest battle ever".
Veterans of the landings in Normandy to liberate western Europe also attended.
Quoting a broadcast by her father, King George VI, at the time of the operation in World War Two, the Queen said the veterans of D-Day demonstrated "more than courage and endurance", showing "unconquerable resolve".
"The fate of the world depended on their success," she said. "Many of them would never return, and the heroism, courage and sacrifice of those who lost their lives will never be forgotten."
She thanked them "with humility and pleasure, on behalf of the entire country, indeed the whole free world".
The countries represented at the event have agreed to make a joint statement pledging to ensure the "unimaginable horror" of the war is not repeated.
Called "the D-Day proclamation", the 16 signatories - including the UK and the US - will commit to working together to "resolve international tensions peacefully".
On Thursday, further memorial services are planned to mark the 75 years since the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944 - the start of the campaign to liberate Nazi-occupied north-west Europe.
The Queen told the crowd she was "delighted" to be able to thank veterans for their service.
She added: "When I attended the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings, some thought it might be the last such event.
"But the wartime generation, my generation, is resilient."
Members of the armed forces and more than 300 veterans, who are all over 90 years old, attended the event in Portsmouth - one of the key embarkation points on D-Day.
Source-BBC
Apple leaves iTunes behind as it harmonises software
Apple on Monday announced enhanced privacy features as it harmonised software across its line-up of devices, while dropping its ground-breaking iTunes store as it gears up for new kinds of digital content.
Apple chief Tim Cook and other executives focused on privacy features as they unveiled software improvements for iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Mac computers at the technology giant's annual gathering of developers in Silicon Valley.
The company also revealed the demise of the iTunes online shop that changed the music industry.
“The future of iTunes is not one app, it's three,” said Apple senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi.
“Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and Apple TV.”
Launched in 2001, iTunes was the online shop to buy and download digital songs for Apple iPod players.
Lifestyles have since shifted to streaming music, video, podcasts, and more from the internet cloud as online data centres and high-bandwidth connections have given rise to on-demand entertainment expectations.
Apple has made a priority of selling digital content and services to the vast, global audience of people who use its devices as it seeks wean itself off iPhone sales in a cooling smartphone market.
APPLE SIGN IN
The audience at the Worldwide Developers Conference cheered for executives and improvements that promised to make it easier to make apps for Apple devices.
Next-generation iOS software powering iPhones coming out later this year was reworked “top to bottom” to be faster, according to Federighi.
Privacy protections being added to iOS mobile operating software included providing the option of giving apps permission to access location just once, instead of all the time, and letting users know when apps are tracking their whereabouts.
A new “Sign In With Apple” feature will be launched as an alternative to logging in using Facebook or Google accounts.
“This can be convenient, but it can also come at the cost of your privacy,” Federighi said.
“These log-ins can be used to track you.”
The iOS log-in feature will let people sign into apps using AppleID information, but provides the option of masking user names or e-mail addresses with randomly generated information.
“The entire experience is meant to help you have control over your data,” Federighi said, to applause.
“A lot of love for random addresses here.”
Apple also announced changes that will make iPads easier to use as auxiliary screens for Mac computers, and even perform a bit more like laptops themselves with capabilities like multiple windows operating simultaneously.
Apple also unveiled a new Mac Pro high-performance desktop computer aimed at professions, with a starting price of $5,999.
“It has a truly gorgeous design and remarkable performance to match,” Cook said of Mac Pro.
Apple previewed its iOS 13 for its mobile devices, which includes a “dark mode,” an upgraded maps application and faster access through its facial recognition sign-on.
Source-AFP
James Bond UK movie set rocked by blast
An explosion at Britain's Pinewood Studios on Tuesday rocked the set of the next James Bond film, causing damage to the stage and one minor injury.
The Sun newspaper said a triple blast hit the set after a stunt went wrong, taking off part of the roof and several wall panels.
One member of staff was crushed by debris falling down on him as he stood outside the studios, west of London, the tabloid said.
The official James Bond account on Twitter said: "During the filming of a controlled explosion on the set of Bond 25 today at Pinewood Studios, damage was caused to the exterior of the 007 Stage.
"There were no injuries on set, however one crew member outside the stage has sustained a minor injury."
The Sun quoted a source as saying: "It was utter chaos.
"There were three huge explosions and its blown part of the Bond stage roof off. A fireball was supposed to go through the set. That was the stunt but something has gone horribly wrong.
The place is now on total lockdown."
The film has been besieged by problems.
Bond actor Daniel Craig had to undergo minor ankle surgery after an injury on set.
Craig — who will play the legendary British super spy for the fifth time in the as-yet untitled film — sustained the injury during filming in Jamaica.
Oscar winner Rami Malek will play the villain in the long-awaited movie that is set to see Craig bow out after eight years as 007.
The 25th edition of one of the world's most enduring franchises will also see the return of Ralph Fiennes as Bond's boss and French actress Lea Seydoux.
The production has been repeatedly delayed over script disputes.
The delays were prompted in part by Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle's replacement by Cary Fukunaga in September.
The film is now due to open in cinemas in the United States, Britain and France on April 8, 2020.
Shoe giants urge Trump to end tariffs
Some of the world's biggest footwear firms are urging Donald Trump to end the US trade war with China, warning of a "catastrophic" effect on consumers.
A letter signed by 173 companies, including Nike and Adidas, says the president's decision to raise import tariffs will affect the working class.
They also warn that higher levies threaten the future of some businesses.
Mr Trump says that the trade deficit with China hurts the US economy.
The US president increased levies on $200bn (£157.3bn) worth of Chinese imports into the US from 10% to 25% more than a week ago after Washington and Beijing failed to reach a deal on trade.
China retaliated by announcing plans to raise levies on $60bn of US imports from 1 June.The footwear companies that signed the letter, including Clarks, Dr Martens and Converse, say that while the average US tariff on footwear is 11.3%, in some cases it can reach as high as 67.5%
"Adding a 25% tax increase on top of these tariffs would mean some working American families could pay a nearly 100% duty on their shoes," the companies wrote.
"This is unfathomable."
"It is time to bring this trade war to an end," the firms urged.
When he raised tariffs earlier this month, Mr Trump told companies that they could reduce costs by shifting production to the US.
However, the shoemakers and retailers say that while they have been moving their sourcing away from China: "Footwear is a very capital-intensive industry, with years of planning required to make sourcing decisions, and companies cannot simply move factories to adjust to these changes."
On Tuesday, a top business lobby in China released a survey of its members that found just over 40% had relocated, or were considering moving production facilities, outside of China because of tariffs.
The survey by the American Chambers of Commerce in China and Shanghai found one-third of respondents had delayed or cancelled investment decisions to cope with tariffs.
A recent escalation in the trade conflict - including tighter restrictions on Chinese telecoms giant Huawei - was creating fresh concerns for businesses in China, the group said.
Last week, the Trump administration added Huawei to its "entity list", which bans the company from acquiring technology from US firms without government approval.
Speaking to the BBC, the chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in China, Tim Stratford, said its members had "real concerns" about the fallout from the US action against Huawei.
"Particularly in the wake of the decision to put Huawei on the... entity list, there are concerns that the government of China may decide to retaliate against American companies," Mr Stratford said.
A survey by AmCham found that slightly more than 40% of its members had relocated, or were considering moving, outside of China because of tariffs.
The group represents more than 900 US companies working in China.
Plane manufacturer Boeing, pharmaceuticals firm Pfizer and soft drink giant Coca-Cola are among the US companies AmCham represents in China.
Last year, Boeing opened its first completion plant for its 737 passenger plane in eastern China, near the city of Shanghai.
Boeing's president of China, John Bruns, said he was "nervous" about the "challenging environment" caused by the tit-for-tat tariff war.
China and the US have been engaged in a fractious dispute over trade since the early days of Mr Trump's presidency.
Source-BBC & US Dept.of Commerce
Rihanna declared world's richest female musician
Singer, makeup entrepreneur, lingerie designer and now the first black woman to head a top luxury fashion house — Rihanna has racked up a US$600 million fortune to become the world's richest female musician, Forbes said Tuesday.
The 31-year-old — born Robyn Rihanna Fenty in Barbados — has amassed wealth exceeding that of Madonna (US$570 million), Celine Dion (US$450 million) and Beyonce (US$400 million), whose husband Jay-Z was just named the world's first billionaire rap star.
Rihanna's ranking puts into fresh perspective one of her signature lyrics — "work, work, work, work, work," which opened her 2016 dancehall smash "Work."
Since bursting onto the scene in 2003, she has spun her triumphs in music into entrepreneurial gold, launching her makeup brand Fenty Beauty — co-owned by French luxury giant LVMH — in September 2017 online and with Sephora.
The line found success not least thanks to Rihanna's fame both on and offline, with some US$570 million in revenue last year after just 15 months of business.
She makes the majority of her money from touring and musical releases, according to Forbes, but also co-owns her Savage X Fenty lingerie line.
In May, Rihanna launched a groundbreaking partnership with LVMH to launch a luxury fashion brand based in Paris that will make ready-to-wear clothes, shoes and accessories.
A new large-scale luxury label — especially one led by a black woman — is a huge development in the fashion world, with Rihanna's line Fenty sitting alongside legacy brands like Dior, Louis Vuitton, Fendi and Givenchy at the conglomerate headed by Bernard Arnault.
"I just want to see things from my perspective. I'm a young black woman who loves and embraces all of the young people's ideas and energies — I'm so about that," she told AFP in Paris recently.
"It is about turning all of that into something luxurious for this fashion house."
The singer's explosive rise to music mega-star and global fashion icon did not come without tribulations, including her father's bids to profit off her name and a highly publicised domestic violence case that saw her then-boyfriend Chris Brown charged in 2009 with assaulting her.
In addition to her venture into luxury fashion, Rihanna has hinted at dropping a new reggae album this year.
"I never thought I'd make this much money, so a number is not going to stop me from working," she told The New York Times' T Magazine in May.
"Money is happening along the way, but I'm working out of what I love to do, what I'm passionate about."
Source- AFP
Jaguar-Land Rover and BMW join forces on electric cars
BMW and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) are to join forces on developing electric car technologies.
The car giants said they would work together to develop electric motors, transmissions and power electronics.
Both firms have struggled to maintain profit margins amid falling car sales and higher costs as well as the need to invest in future technologies.
Car firms are being forced to make low emission vehicles to meet more stringent anti-pollution rules.
There have been a number of similar tie-ups aimed at sharing the costs of developing electric cars.
Volkswagen and Ford, for example, are working together on new vehicles. Meanwhile, rivals FiatChrysler and Renault are exploring a $35bn tie-up.
BMW board member Klaus Froehlich said: "Together, we have the opportunity to cater more effectively for customer needs by shortening development time and bringing vehicles and state-of-the-art technologies more rapidly to market."
BMW and Jaguar Land Rover said they will save costs through shared research, shared production planning, and by jointly buying electric car components.
Jaguar Land Rover is still run by former BMW managers, including Ralf Speth the company's chief executive who spent 20 years at BMW prior to joining JLR.
BMW has been developing an electric motor, transmission and power electronics in one housing that it calls "Gen 5" of its "eDrive" technology.
A joint team of BMW and JLR engineers in Munich will further develop this Gen 5 technology, then both companies will produce their own electric drivetrains, BMW said.
JLR will produce these drivetrains at its Wolverhampton plant, which employs 1,600 people.
Nick Rogers, Jaguar Land Rover's engineering director, said: "We've proven we can build world-beating electric cars but now we need to scale the technology to support the next generation of Jaguar and Land Rover products."
Car manufacturers are increasingly open to sharing electric car parts because the technology is expensive.
"Carmakers are much less precious about sharing electric car technology because it is much harder to create product differentiation with electric car tech. They all accelerate fast, and everybody can do quality and ride and handling," according to Carl-Peter Forster, a former chief executive of Tata Motors and a former BMW executive.
JLR is owned by Indian car giant Tata Motors.
Source-BBC
Salt Cay gets Little Free Library
Ministry of Education National High School Spelling Bee 2019
The Ministry of Education cordially invites the general public to the National High School Spelling Bee on Tuesday, 4th June commencing at 10:00am at the Gustarvus Lightbourne Sports Complex, Providenciales.
The National High School Spelling Bee is an annual feature on the academic calendar which attracts participants from the public and private high schools throughout the country. The objectives of the Bee are to:
encourage students to explore and study words particularly its meaning, diacritical markings and origin;
help students to learn and spell words quickly and accurately;
help students to learn and use proper pronunciation and word usage; and
provide an environment to promote students’ self-esteem, character development and sportsmanship.
Participants are awarded trophies and prizes for their placement in the Bee. The competition was last held in 2017 when Zobreann Brown [BWIC] was the winner. This year eleven (11) high schools will be participating. They are as follows:
British West Indies Collegiate
H J Robinson High School
International School of the TCI
Long Bay High School
Marjorie Basden High School
Maranatha Academy
Provo Middle School
Precious Treasures International School
Raymond Gardiner High School
TCIPS Comprehensive High School
The Bee will be broadcast live on Radio Turks & Caicos. Sponsors for this year’s competition are: Platinum Sponsor, Lew 1 Shipping,
Gold & Silver Sponsors:
Island Vibes Tours
Caicos Dream Tours
Hemingway’s Restaurant
Baci Restaurant
IGA Supermarket
TURKS AND CAICOS POST CABINET MEETING
His Excellency the Governor, Dr John Freeman, chaired the 14th meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday, 29 May 2019, at the Office of the Premier and Ministry of Finance, Trade and Investment, Durham’s Building, Lighthouse Road, Grand Turk.
All ministers were present with the exception of the Hon. Goldray M. Ewing.
At this meeting Cabinet:
• Approved DECR management responsibility over Parcel 10503/1 to administer the operations of the beach park in accordance with S. 28(6) of the Crown Land Ordinance, subject to various conditions to develop licences for Cabinet approval.
• Approved an application by Core Resources Ltd for long-term lease over Parcels 60605/73 and 78: and easement over a portion of parcel 60605/179 – Norway and Five cays, Providenciales.
• Approved a renewal policy for the Caribbean Catastrophic Risk Insurance Facility, Segregated Portfolio Company (CCRIF SPC) – 2019/20 Policy Year.
• Approved a Grace Bay Club request for duty concessions for purposes of refurbishment.
• Approved a ban on the importation of EPS (Styrofoam / polystyrene products) and plastic straws from 1 November 2019, and the use of same by retailers from 1 April 2020.
• Approved a proposal for rental of the former Scotia Bank space at Waterloo Plaza office complex, Grand Turk for a period of two years for the purpose of carrying out government Treasury business while major renovations are being carried out in their current premises.
• Approved the announcement by the Ministry of Education, Youth, Culture, Library and Social Services proposal of a Safe School Declaration with associated provisioning funded by UNICEF.
• Noted the waivers granted for the quarter January to March 2019 according to the provisions of Section 21 of the Public Procurement Ordinance and the change in status of the waiver granted for the quarter April to June 2018.
• Noted the Report on the Contract Awards for Non-Recurrent Projects for the Financial Year 2018 – 2019, in line with the process as required by the Public procurement Ordinance.
• Approved the Fixed Asset Policies and Procedures to be enforced early within the FY 19/20.
• Approved the establishment of a Cruise Steering Committee as an advisory body to the Minister of Tourism, Environment, Heritage and Culture.
• Approved the appointments of Floyd Seymour and Alvin Garland to the NIB Board as per CAP 17.09 Schedule 3, 1(b) and (c) respectively.
Any Other Business
• The Premier updated the Cabinet on the Amnesty under the HRTT Ordinance and committed to presenting a full report on same once closed on May 31st, 2019.
• The Premier updated the Cabinet on urgent matters relating to the aviation industry.
Further information on these matters will be provided by Ministers in due course.
Guyana Livestock Development Authority says Trinidad's ban on poultry products 'ill-advised'
A recent ban on poultry from Guyana by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has been described as “ill-advised and premature”.
The Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) says it considers the advisory to be ill-advised as neither the sale nor consumption of poultry meat poses any health risks.
The GLDA has sought to assure the general public that the issue with duck disease,” which has been suspected to be but has not been confirmed as, Duck Hepatitis Virus, has been contained and restricted to six duck farms on the coast of Guyana”.
“Measures implemented, including the closure of our hatchery, the only one in Guyana that hatches duck eggs commercially, have assisted in containing the disease. The disease has not manifested itself in the other poultry sectors chicken, turkey and Guinea bird, and has only been observed in ducklings between the ages of 3 to 15 days old”, the statement said.
The GLDA said it continues to perform and uphold its responsibility and mandate to provide wholesome meat and meat products to the consuming public.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture has sought to assure the general public that it is safe to consume all poultry products.
According to the Ministry, while a disease incidence report to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) may elicit a country response, the Ministry is disappointed at the “premature and excessive response of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries of Trinidad and Tobago which has placed a ban on all poultry products, raw and cooked, coming from Guyana”.
Last week, the Ministry of Agriculture in Trinidad and Tobago, imposed a ban on all poultry products from Guyana “until further notice”.
A two paragraph statement from the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries, said that “with immediate effect, all and any raw and cooked poultry meat from Guyana is banned from entry into Trinidad and Tobago until further notice”.
Source- CMC