Barbados joins other C'bean islands in signing ILO initiative
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) says Barbados has become the ninth Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country to join the regional initiative, Latin America and the Caribbean Free of Child Labour.
It said that the island's Labour Minister Esther Byer-Suckoo handed over the signed agreement to José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, ILO Regional Director of the Americas and Caribbean in the margins of the Organisation of American States (OAS) XX Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labour held here earlier this month.
It said as a result of Barbados signing the agreement, it now brings the total number of participating countries in the region to 28, all aligned in pursuit of a common objective: to accelerate the rate of reduction of child labour in the region and by 2025, to eliminate all forms of child labour.
“The adhesion of Barbados reflects the commitment and importance attributed by the Caribbean countries to the tripartite collaboration and partnership among governments, and employers and workers organisations, as the region works towards achieving Target 8.7 of the 2030 Agenda,” the ILO added.
According to the ILO, Barbados has ratified the commitments set forth in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and has also ratified ILO Conventions 138 on the minimum age for admission to employment and 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour.
It noted that in Barbados, the minimum age established for employment is 16 years; however, according to estimates done in 2014, the incidence of child labour in the country was 3.5 per cent between 5-14 years of age.
“As part of the country's efforts to combat the issue, Barbados has established the National Committee for Monitoring the Rights of the Child, which seeks to generate recommendations on policies that favour the rights of children and sensitizes communities on the matter. Among the challenges faced by Barbados is the creation of lists of light work and dangerous work for minors,” the ILO added.
Source-CMC
Maranatha Academy dominates in Basketball
MARANATHA blizzards remain unbeaten in the Paba high school basketball league and improved to a 3-0 record after defeating the CHHS B team 26-17.
Barandon handfield and Javanio Rigby scored 7 pts apiece for the blizzards. Caleb Moore led the way for the CHHS B team with. 6 pts.
In game 2 the CHHS EAGLES A team edged out the BWIC SPARTANS 22-18 in a hard fought battle.
Braden Higgs and Damani Gordon led the way for Spartans with 6 pts each. Fray Merrete was the high point man for the Eagles with 9 pts 6 rebs 3 steals.
Today’s line up will feature the Edward Gartland Jumior vs the BWIC Junior Spartans in game 1 and the CHHS B team vs the Turks and Caicos Community College.
PUBLIC FORECAST TODAY AND TONIGHT
GENERAL SITUATION: A QUASI-STATIONARY FRONT ALONG WITH A SURFACE TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO CREATE POCKETS OF UNSETTLED WEATHER ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS BEFORE DISSIPATING TODAY. ELSEWHERE, HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT.
NORTHWEST BAHAMAS
WEATHER: VARIABLE CLOUDINESS, BREEZY AND WARM WITH THE SLIGHT CHANCE OF ISOLATED SHOWERS TODAY. MOSTLY FAIR AND BREEZY WITH THE CHANCE OF A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS TONIGHT.
ADVISORY: A SMALL CRAFT CAUTION COMES INTO EFFECT BY THIS EVENING.
WINDS: NORTHEAST TO EAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS BUT BECOMING NORTHEASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS BY THIS EVENING.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET OVER THE OCEAN TODAY BUT BUILDING UP TO 4 TO 6 FEET OVER THE OCEAN BY THIS EVENING.
TURKS AND CAICOS:
WEATHER: MOSTLY CLOUDY AND WARM WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THE CHANCE OF ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT.
ADVISORY: A SMALL CRAFT CAUTION COMES INTO EFFECT BY TONIGHT FOR THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS. SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR HEAVY SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: EAST-NORTHEAST TO EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS TODAY BUT BECOMING NORTHEASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS BY TONIGHT IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET OVER THE OCEAN TODAY BUT BUILDING UP TO 4 TO 6 FEET OVER THE OCEAN BY TONIGHT IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE: 84°F 29°C
OVERNITE LOW TEMPERATURE: 72°F 22°C
SUNRISE: 06:35AM MOONRISE: 01:16PM LOW TIDE: 07:48AM
SUNSET: 05:20PM MOONSET: 01:15AM TUE. HIGH TIDE: 01:56PM
LOW TIDE: 08:25PM
HIGH TIDE: 02:38AM TUE.
EXTENDED FORECAST: A WEAK HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL REMAIN CENTERED NORTH OF THE BAHAMAS. HOWEVER, AN INCREASE IN LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL ELEVATE RAIN CHANCES ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH MID-WEEK.
TCIG congratulates students
The Ministry of Education, Youth, Sport and Library Services wishes to highlight the excellent performance of four (4) students who have placed in the top ten in the Caribbean Examinations Council Exam (CSEC) at its May/June 2017 sitting.
Our students are continuing to earn placement in the top ten regionally and they must be recognized and celebrated for their excellent accomplishments.
Aaron Garland, student of the Helena J. Robinson High School, placed 1st in Electronic Document Preparation and Management (EDPM) at General Proficiency out of 16,033 entries.
Stevenna Parker, student of the Helena J. Robinson High School, placed 9th and Monae Gooden, student of the Wesley Methodist School, placed 10th in Textiles, Clothing and Fashion at General Proficiency competing with some 2,629 candidates.
Rashaunda Cooke, student of the Majorie Basden High School, tied for 9th position in Family and Resource Management at General Proficiency, competing with some 5,875 candidates.
The Minister, Hon. Karen Malcolm stated; "It is with a sense of great pride for our education system and the Turks and Caicos Islands that I greet and congratulate all the students on their excellent performance. This is indeed a historic moment for the Turks and Caicos Islands. One that all Turks and Caicos islanders should celebrate and be proud of.
"I am extremely proud of Aaron Jamal Garland, a student of Helena Jones Robinson High School on his outstanding achievement- first place in the Caribbean Examination Council Exam in the entire Caribbean in the Electronic Document Preparation and Management (EDPM) subject at General Proficiency. Well done! we are extremely proud of you and wish you continued success in all your future endeavors.
"I must commend all those persons who participated in the holistic development of these students. Well done parents, teachers, supporters and community at large. We are indeed PROUD."
Bitcoin currency hits new record high
Virtual currency Bitcoin hit a record high of $9,700 after jumping 4.5% so far on Monday.
The move takes it to 20% above the level it stood at on Friday, according to the Luxembourg-based Bitcoin exchange, Bitstamp.
It started the year at around $1,000.
Virtual currencies are largely unregulated and bypass traditional banking systems. Their growth is of increasing concern to international regulators.
China and South Korea have banned any new virtual currency launches and have been shutting down exchanges on which they are traded.
JP Morgan Chase's chief executive, Jamie Dimon, described Bitcoin at a recent conference as "a fraud".
"It's just not a real thing, eventually it will be closed," he said.
Currencies such as Bitcoin use blockchain, which is an online ledger of transactions maintained by a network of anonymous computers on the internet.
They are not backed by any government, nor central bank and therefore there is no-one responsible for backing their value.
European Central Bank policymaker Ewald Nowotny told Reuters news agency that Bitcoin "could easily blow up, and central banks could then be accused of not doing anything.
"So we're trying to understand whether bank activity in relation to crypto-currency trading needs to be better regulated."
Jameel Ahmad, from Cyprus-based online foreign exchange broker, FXTM, said: "This rise appears to have been triggered by hopes the CME move will bring in investment from hedge funds and other major investors and move Bitcoin into the mainstream."
Bitcoin is particularly susceptible to rumour. Mr Ahmad said there is also talk that Amazon is considering accepting Bitcoin as payment.
There is also concern that Bitcoin could be vulnerable to hackers.
Source-BBC
Bitcoin currency hits new record high
Two more Russian Sochi Winter Olympians stripped of gold
Two more Russian bobsleighers from the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics have been stripped of their gold medals for doping, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Monday.
Aleksei Negodailo and Dmitrii Trunenkov were members of the same four-man bobsleigh team as Russia's flag carrier for the Games Alexander Zubkov, who had his medal stripped on Friday. The IOC has also taken away the team's title.
The announcement comes following hearings by an IOC commission into allegations of state-sponsored doping in Russia at the 2014 Games, hosted by Russia.
The IOC also disqualified Yana Romanova and Olga Vilukhina from all events they took part in at the Sochi Games for doping violations, taking away the silver medals they won.
Vilukhina won silver in the women's 7.5km biathlon event, while both were in the Russian 4x6km biathlon relay team that came second to Ukraine.
In addition, Sergei Chudinov, who came fifth in the men's individual skeleton, was also disqualified for doping breaches.
The five athletes punished were also banned from competing at any future Winter Olympics.
Source-AFP
Millions followed the dazzling Davina to Miss Universe
Davina Bennett swelled the hearts of Jamaicans worldwide with pride last night when she placed third in the prestigious Miss Universe 2017 pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Twenty-one-year-old Bennett — who works with deaf students and is working on a new sign language app — had Jamaicans screaming and cheering her on from the minute she stepped onto the stage through to her selection to the top 16, 10, then the top five, and ultimately the top three.
Miss South Africa, 22-year-old Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, was crowned Miss Universe, while first runner-up was Miss Colombia, actress Laura Gonzalez.
Bennett emerged from a field of 92 contestants to become only the second Jamaican beauty to crack the top three at Miss Universe joining Yendi Phillipps, who finished one spot higher, second place, in 2010.
Sporting her signature afro, Bennett dazzled in a buttercup yellow evening gown designed by the team from Uzuri International, whose principals, Karl Williams and Mark McDermoth are franchise holders for the local competition.
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange has congratulated Miss Jamaica Universe Davina Bennett on her third place finish in the Miss Universe Pageant last evening in Las Vegas.
“We'll take second runner up but in our hearts you are number one and our queen,” Grange said in a release from her ministry.
The minister said also that Bennett displayed poise, confidence and the true Jamaican spirit during the show.
“Our Davina left her mark on the world and is an inspiration to other Jamaican young women,” she said.
Among the other Jamaican queens who have made it to the top 10 at Miss Universe are Kaci Fennell, Christine Straw, Nicole Haughton, Sandra Foster, and Kimberly Mais.
Source-Jamaica Observer
Non-evacuees may be forced to leave area Bali as volcano erupts
People who have not left their homes around a rumbling volcano in Bali may be forcibly evicted, Indonesian authorities have said.
Tens of thousands of people stayed put near Mount Agung after an alert was raised to its highest level.
Some still felt safe while others did not want to leave livestock.
A spokesman for the country's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said people were checking the exclusion zone for non-evacuees.
"There are personnel doing the sweeping, if they [residents] need to be forcibly evacuated," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.
The closure of the island's airport was extended for a second day, leaving thousands stranded in the tourist hotspot.
Up to 100,000 people live in the area that could potentially be affected by streams of burning rock have been spotted flowing down from the mountain. But by Monday only 40,000 had left.
Mount Agung's volcanic tremors first began in September.
Since last week dark gas and ash have been billowing up to 3,400m (11,150ft) above the mountain's summit.
Source-BBC
US Indicts 3 Chinese Nationals on Hacking Charges
Three Chinese nationals were accused of hacking computers in three corporations, the U.S. Department of Justice said Monday.
Wu Yingzhuo, Dong Hao and Xia Lei were indicted Monday by a grand jury "for computer hacking, theft of trade secrets, conspiracy and identity theft" and intentionally causing damage to those computer systems.
The charges were brought by Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente, Acting U.S. Attorney Soo C. Song for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and Special Agent in Charge Robert Johnson of the FBI's Pittsburgh Division.
Three corporations, Moody's Analytics, Siemens AG, and Trimble, Inc. were the victims of the alleged attacks, which took place between 2011 and May 2017.
Source-VOA
Prince Harry to wed in 2018: Stars were aligned when I met Meghan
Prince Harry says he and US actress girlfriend Meghan Markle fell in love "so incredibly quickly" and it seemed proof that the "stars were aligned".
The fifth in line to the throne was speaking after the couple announced their engagement and plans to marry in spring 2018.
The couple told the BBC's Mishal Husain they met on a blind date and neither had known much about each other.
Prince Harry said "beautiful" Ms Markle "just tripped and fell into my life".
He believed Ms Markle and his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, would have been "thick as thieves... best friends".
Prince Harry revealed he proposed earlier this month during a "standard, typical night for us" at his home in Kensington Palace as the couple were making roast chicken.
"It was just an amazing surprise. It was so sweet, and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee," Ms Markle said.
Prince Harry said: "She didn't even let me finish. She said 'Can I say yes'.
"Then there were hugs and I had the ring in my finger.
"I said 'Can I give you the ring?'. She said: 'Oh, yes, the ring'. It was a really nice moment. Just the two of us."
Turning to Ms Markle, Prince Harry said: "And I think I managed to catch you by surprise as well."
The 36-year-old star of US legal drama Suits confirmed she would be giving up acting and with her new role focus even more energy on the causes that are important to her.
She is already involved with humanitarian work and is a women's advocate with the UN.
Ms Markle said: "I don't see it as giving anything up. I see it as a change. It's a new chapter."
Turning to Prince Harry, she said: "Now it's time to work as a team with you."
The prince, 33, added: "I know that she will be unbelievably good at the job part of it as well."
The couple described how they were set up on their blind date by a mutual friend, and then met once more before going camping together in Botswana.
Source-BBC