Patriarch of Jackson family dies at age 89
Joe Jackson, patriarch of the Jackson family, including Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson, has died, ABC News has confirmed. He was 89. He had been been hospitalized with cancer earlier this month. Over the last few years, he'd also suffered a stroke and a number of heart attacks.
Joe Jackson was one of the most prolific talent managers in the entertainment business. At one time or another, he managed the careers of all of his 10 children and took the reins in launching others too, most notably R&B vocalist Miki Howard.
On of Joe's many grandchildren, Randy Jackson Jr., tweeted, "RIP to the king that made everything possible!!! I love you grandpa."
Joseph Jackson groomed his sons, The Jackson 5, to become one of Motown Records’ biggest hit acts, followed by the later success of The Jacksons and Jermaine Jackson's solo career.. And of course, he played a major hand Michael Jackson’s solo career at Motown Records and, later, at Epic Records.
Jackson was also instrumental in molding his daughters -- Rebbie, LaToya and Janet - into household names. But the title track of Janet’s breakthrough album Control -- the first her father didn’t oversee as her manager -- referenced the heavy hand her father played in her early career.
Born in Fountain Hill, Arkansas on July 26, 1928, Jackson was the eldest of five children of a schoolteacher father. After his parents divorced when he was twelve, he lived with his father in Oakland, California for a few years before settling in East Chicago, Illinois with his mother and other siblings.
He pursued a boxing career and was already married when he meet 17-year Katherine Scruse, whom he married in 1949. Within the next year, the young couple settled into a two-bedroom home in Gary, Indiana where they started their family.
Joe Jackson gained the reputation of being tough on his kids, which is believed to be what brought out the best of them. There have been allegations from some from his children -- especially LaToya -- that he was abusive. He was notoriously known for making his children call him “Joseph.”
Jackson also reportedly had a rocky marriage to Katherine Jackson, to whom he was still married at the time of his death. While Joe allegedly had extramarital affairs and other offspring, it's thought that Katherine remained married to him because of their Jehovah’s Witness faith.
In his later years, the couple lived separate lives; Joseph Jackson settled in Las Vegas and served at times as an official Jackson family spokesperson.
Source-ABC
Fox-Disney merger cleared
US regulators have cleared Walt Disney Co's plan to buy most of 21st Century Fox, removing a final barrier to the $71.3bn (£54.2bn) deal.
The approval requires the sale of Fox's regional sports networks in the US, due to competition concerns, the Justice Department's antitrust division said.
Disney, which had signalled willingness to sell the sports networks, said it was "pleased" with the decision.
The deal still needs approval in other countries to go forward.
Disney is planning to buy Fox's entertainment assets in the hope of beefing up the range of content it can offer, as it plans services to compete with streaming companies such as Netflix.
Fox, which is led by Rupert Murdoch and his family, plans to retain its news and sports divisions, creating a new company for those holdings, which include the flagship Fox News Channel.
The Justice Department said without the sale of the 22 regional sports networks, the deal may have led to higher prices for cable sports watchers in local markets, where Fox and Disney currently compete.
Currently, Fox's regional sports networks have more than 60 million subscribers and local rights to a majority of baseball and basketball teams.
Disney is the owner of ESPN and other local channels.
However, shareholders must still sign off on the plan, which has been complicated by a rival interest from Comcast in buying the Fox assets. Earlier this month, Comcast outbid Disney's original $52.4bn bid, offering $65bn.
But Fox said it planned to proceed with Disney, after the firm raised its own offer to $71bn.
Defending Champions knocked out of the World Cup
Defending champions Germany have been eliminated from the World Cup at the group stage following defeat by South Korea, in one of the biggest shocks in the competition's history.
The four-time winners crashed out in ignominious fashion - conceding twice in injury time as they pressed for the goal which would have sent them through.
In an astonishing and enthralling end to the match, Kim Young-gwon's 92nd-minute goal - which was initially ruled out for offside before being awarded after a video assistant referee decision - left Germany on the brink of elimination.
Worse was to come for the world's number one ranked side, however, when deep into stoppage time and appearing increasingly desperate, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer lost possession in the opponents' half.
Ju Se-jong launched it forward where Son Heung-min tapped into an empty net to score the second.
That prompted jubilant celebrations from the South Koreans, while some Germany fans inside the shocked stadium were left in tears four years after watching their national team lift the trophy in Rio; a competition in which they beat the hosts Brazil 7-1 in the semi-finals.
It is the first time since 1938 that West Germany or the unified Germany team has not advanced beyond the first stage of the tournament - Joachim Low's side finishing bottom of Group F in this edition.
Wednesday's defeat followed their opening loss against Mexico, while it took a dramatic late winner from Toni Kroos to earn them their only points of the group stage against eventual group winners Sweden.
Manager Low, who led Germany to World Cup glory four years ago, will face strong questions over his selections both before and during this tournament.
Source-BBC
MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS HOST BLOCK-LAYING CEREMONY FOR THE NEW POST OFFICE IN PROVIDENCIALES
Hon. Vaden Delroy Williams participated in the block laying for construction of the new $1.5 million post office here in Downtown Providenciales.
The ceremony which was attended by Her Excellency, Acting Governor Anya Williams; Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson; Hon. Goldray Ewing Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Planning, Hon. Edwin Astwood Minister of Health, Agriculture, Sports and Human Services and the Postmaster General Mrs. Elizabeth James.
As a culturally historical site, this block laying marks a new and exciting chapter in this very important institution. This new facility will represent a significant investment in the Downtown area, continuing the commitment of the Government to develop the Downtown area, as an important and central hub for business and government activity.
Hon. Williams outlined the importance of Government updating and enhancing the Post office facilities by stating; "We should be in a position to capitalize on the lucrative and rapidly growing e-commerce industry. If other large developed countries have not abandoned post offices, why should we?
"It is also very important to know that although many private delivery services are operating in the Turks and Caicos, there is still a very strong demand for post office boxes and the postal services in this country. We have seen this from the activity at the temporary location in the Town Centre Mall and the boxes in Grace Bay. We cannot run away from technology. We must embrace it."
The construction of this new post office, will integrate the latest technology and new features that are available in postal services around the world.
The Post Office will be full computerization, a sorting room with mail sorting facilities, credit card machine service, a stamp shop, and up to 3,000 more mail boxes. There are also plans for a stamp machine which will make postal services accessible after working hours.
Hon. Williams also took the time to thank the staff of the post office for the work that they have been doing, especially under the present conditions and reminded them that better days are ahead.
He assured the public that in addition to the excellent facilities, they are committed to offering quality customer service and ensuring that the post office remains relevant, reliable and competitive.
This project launches one of the many new capital projects which this government will be embarking on during the next few months and years. These plans embodies an ambitious development plan for the entire Turks and Caicos Islands as we continue to modernize this beautiful by nature country.
CDB and PAHO sign agreement to support mental health in aftermath of natural disasters
The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) have signed an agreement to enhance capacity for mental health and psychosocial support in disaster management in the Caribbean.
“Despite the high vulnerability of the Region to these types of events, too often we have approached recovery and rehabilitation efforts by focusing on infrastructure and physical mitigation plans only. While ‘building back better’ is indeed necessary and critical, there is also a need to prepare populations to better cope with natural hazards by focusing on mental and psychosocial well-being. Strengthening social and individual resilience is—and always should be—a key component of any response to disasters,” said Monica La Bennett, Vice-President (Operations), CDB.
“As we begin the 2018 hurricane season, we are pleased to launch this project and partnership with CDB,” said Jessie Schutt-Aine, PAHO’s Subregional Program Coordinator for the Caribbean. “It is imperative that we support our Member States’ preparedness and response efforts. Mental health and psychosocial support needs to be a key part of this process.” Experiences and lessons learnt by the PAHO Health Emergencies team and key stakeholders from last year’s hurricanes Irma and Maria will be incorporated in project implementation to ensure better preparedness.
The project aims to build capacity for mental health and psychosocial support within the health sector through regional and in-country training within the sector, as well as with agencies outside the sector, and the broader community. In addition, the project is expected to lead to the establishment of a roster of mental health professionals in the Caribbean, who can be mobilised to affected countries in the event of an emergency.
Other project components include strengthening countries’ competencies to conduct mental health and psychosocial support needs assessments and create action plans for mental health care and psychosocial support in disaster management. A communications campaign will also be developed for rollout during the Atlantic Hurricane Season, to increase awareness and acceptance of the need for mental health services in the aftermath of a disaster.
Special attention will be paid to emphasizing the different needs of various groups that are often at greater risk during a disaster situation, such as children and adolescents; women; the elderly; indigenous people; those with pre-existing mental disorders; migrants; the disabled; homeless persons; and those living in shelters.
PAHO’s sub-regional programme coordination office in Barbados will be responsible for the overall management and coordination of the project. It will be implemented over an 18-month period on a regional scale and also in five of CDB’s Borrowing Member Countries, some of which were affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.
CDB and PAHO will contribute a combined total of approximately USD470,000 towards the project.
PUBLIC FORECAST FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
GENERAL SITUATION: AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IN THE GULF OF MEXICO COMBINED WITH A LOW LEVEL TROUGH NEAR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS CONTINUES TO PRODUCE POCKETS OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE ENTIRE BAHAMAS THROUGH TONIGHT.
SPECIAL WARNINGS: MARINERS IN THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS ARE URGED TO BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE WATERSPOUT ACTIVITY AND TAKE ALL NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID HEAVY SHOWERS AND STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.
SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS/TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS
WEATHER: VARIABLY CLOUDY, BREEZY AND WARM WITH FEW PASSING SHOWERS OR A POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORM.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION.
WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS.
SEAS: 4 TO 6 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE: 90F 32C
OVERNITE LOW TEMPERATURE: 76F 25C
SUNSET: 7:59PM SUNRISE: 6:20AM FRI.
MOONSET: 9:04PM MOONRISE: 8:12AM FRI.
LOW TIDE: 1:52PM HIGH TIDE: 8:17PM
LOW TIDE: 2:47AM FRI. HIGH TIDE: 8:39AM FRI.
OUTLOOK FOR FRIDAY: AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE NORTHEAST GULF OF MEXICO WILL WEAKEN AS IT GRADUALLY SHIFTS NORTH-EASTWARD WHILE TROPICAL MOISTURE FROM THE CARIBBEAN SEA IS EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE TO LINGER OVER THE AREA GENERATING SOME CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE AT THE SURFACE.
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: A SURFACE TROUGH OVERR THE YUCATAN PENINSULA IS PRODUCING DISORGANIZED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THIS ACTIVITY IS LIKELY TO MOVE WEST-NORTHWESTWARD ACROSS THE
YUCATAN PENINSULA AND OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO TODAY AND SATURDAY. DEVELOPMENT, IF ANY, OF THIS DISTURBANCE SHOULD BE SLOW TO OCCUR DUE TO STRONG UPPER-LEVEL WINDS. FORMATION
CHANCE OF THIS SYSTEM THROUGH 5 DAYS IS LOW, ABOUT 10 PERCENT.
C'bean HIV/AIDS stakeholders meet in DomRep
The Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) says national AIDS programme managers, civil society organisation, HIV clinicians and social workers, have participated in a face to face knowledge exchange in the Dominican Republic.
It said that the five-day event, which was undertaken in collaboration with the Integral Orientation and Research Centre (COIN), was to provide participants with first-hand experience of COIN's operations. “This included a detailed explanation of how the entity has coordinated and collaborated with the Ministry of Health, other civil society organizations and stakeholders in delivering comprehensive HIV services in communities and to key populations.”
COIN is a social interest institution based in the Dominican Republic that implements HIV prevention, care, treatment and support programmes for key populations. The entity has been a key partner of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (Dominican Republic) and grassroots, community-based organizations in service delivery.
PANCAP said that the learning exchange was spearheaded by Dr Shanti Singh-Anthony, its Knowledge Management Coordinator, who said “there was a wealth of knowledge to be shared with our participants on the Dominican Republic's national HIV response and COIN's experience of service delivery, prioritization of key populations and their collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance and other in-country partners”.
She further explained that the goal of the knowledge exchange was to share successful models of care delivery in reaching key populations with prevention, Antiretrovirals (ARTs) and support services at the national level and for participants to understand the intersection with community-based models.
“Our objective was for participants to experience successful interventions by COIN aimed at reducing stigma and discrimination among key populations and to expose them to the components of COIN's Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) programme as a new prevention modality,” she added.
The participants from Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago were also challenged to develop country-specific action plans to enhance in-country collaboration among members of the multidisciplinary team.
Source-CMC
MINISTER'S MESSAGE TO GRADE SIX STUDENTS
The Ministry of Education, Youth, Culture and Library Service would like to wish all students taking the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) on June 13 and 14, 2018 much success.
During the past two weeks personnel from the Department of Youth Affairs along with specially invited motivational speakers; Norean Williams-McCoy, Pastor Courtney Missick and Dr. Cutella Talbot met with the Grade six students in public and private schools across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Students were encouraged to do their best and we expect nothing less. We also gave each student some valuable resources that would aid them during the test.
The Minister stated that she would like to express her sincere gratitude to all the teachers who worked extremely hard preparing our students for GSAT. We know that after the passage of two hurricanes it was not easy.
"We appreciate you for your selfless dedication and for everything you have done for our children. Students, the day has finally arrived. Go into the examination room and know that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring everything you have learned to remembrance. I believe in you. Your teachers, parents and extended family believe in you too. So, do well; make yourselves and your families proud."
COMMISSIONER JAMES SMITH ON FIREARM INCIDENT
Commissioner of Police informed RTC News that at about 11 p.m. on Sunday, June 10th, 2018 his Police arrested a male who was in possession of a firearm in the Long Bay area of Providenciales.
During the arrest, an armed Police Officer fired one shot. There were no injuries as a result of the Armed officer discharging his weapon and the circumstances of the incident is subject to an internal review.
The male arrested remains in Police Custody and investigations continue into the firearms-related offences.
A firearm an ammunition was seized from the man in custody.
The RT&CIPF is also aware of speculation suggesting a senior Police Officer was involved in a separate incident whilst off duty where shots were alleged to have been fired.
There is no evidence or basis for this speculation and members of the community are asked to cease comment on this rumour.
Tesla to slash thousands of jobs in profitability drive
Tesla said it plans to cut 9% of its workforce as part of a restructuring intended to reduce costs and boost profitability.
The job cuts at Elon Musk's electric car maker come as it tries to increase production of its Model 3 sedan and turn a quarterly profit this year.
Tesla said the more than 3,000 cuts would affect mostly salaried employees and not those making its cars.
Mr Musk said the move had been a "difficult decision".
Tesla employed more than 37,000 people at the end of last year.
"Given that Tesla has never made an annual profit in the almost 15 years since we have existed, profit is obviously not what motivates us," he wrote in an email to employees and posted on Twitter.
"What drives us is our mission to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable, clean energy, but we will never achieve that mission unless we can eventually demonstrate that we can be sustainably profitable."
Last month Mr Musk said the company was planning a wide-ranging reorganisation that would flatten its management structure.
In the email, he said the cuts are aimed at eliminating duplicate roles and he does not expect them to affect the firm's production ability.
Tesla employees based at US DIY chain Home Depot and involved with the home solar business Tesla acquired when it bought SolarCity are among those affected, he said.
The "majority" of those workers will be offered positions in Tesla's retail business, Mr Musk added.
Michelle Krebs, an Autotrader analyst, said the job cuts were not a surprise.
"It is clear that Tesla is under tremendous pressure to finally turn a profit and is attempting to address it by cutting overhead," she said.
"Also notable is Tesla is not cutting production jobs at a time when pushing Model 3s out the door is a top priority."
Source-BBC