PNP launch membership drive with family fun day
On Saturday (June 10) the Progressive National Party (PNP) held its first family fun day and membership drive, since becoming the opposition.
And on Thursday, leader of the opposition, Washington Misick expressed his party's thanks to those who showed up for what he deemed "a most successful" event.
Misick noted that the purpose of the event was to promote camaraderie and citizens engagement, a direct consequence of which was the launch of the party membership drive.
He stated that the membership drive is an appeal to all who support the ideas of the party.
"It seeks to broaden the range and participation of those who align themselves with the party, and offer an opportunity to affirm that relationship by becoming a card carrying member of the party qualifying one to hold office in the party."
The June 10 event was the first in a series of events planned by the social committee for the rest of the calendar year across the various communities within the Turks and Caicos Islands.
And the party leader has extended a special invitation to the electorate to become engaged in the decision-making and operation of the PNP through formal membership and active participation.
Misick further stated that the PNP is aware of the contrasting complex socio-economic challenges of race, culture, education, status and economic opportunities that in some instances have resulted in the marginalisation of Turks and Caicos Islanders.
Adding: "The PNP has always been and will continue to be committed to empowerment and social inclusiveness by working to improve the opportunity, and dignity of those disadvantaged for whatever the reason.
"To that end we invite all who share our dreams of a more just society (one in which the welfare of the masses trump that of the individual, one in which change is more than a cliché) to join us."
He also stated that "a promise without commitment is nothing more than a falsehood" and that his party commits, promises and delivers.
"Ask the others what has changed in the last six months," he added.
Further information can be obtained from the the party office at Progress House on airport road, Providenciales.
Mapping the Turks & Caicos from Space
June 19 through 21, 2017 will see yet another important training initiative for the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR).
The training-workshop is part of the project "Natural Capital Valuation" spearheaded by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), of which 10 Territories in the Caribbean and South Atlantic are involved.
The JNCC, with funding by the UK Government, will be hosting a training workshop which aims to introduce ecological remote sensing and show how it can benefit the Turks & Caicos for their spatial planning and environmental management needs.
"The primary aim of the collaboration between the Government of the Turks and Caicos, through the DECR, and the JNCC, is to assess the value of the natural environment such as beaches, reefs and mangrove forests and the services and goods derived from them, such as the benefits from the local fisheries. This training will not only provide the technical skills to map - through satellite imagery and computer programs - the natural environment and the benefits derived from it; but also how this knowledge can be employed to benefit environmental management and spatial planning in the Turks and Caicos Islands", said Mr. Ethan Griesbach, Deputy Director for the DECR.
The TCI and the British Virgin Islands (BVI) who will be represented at the workshop have tourism dependent economies, which include beach and dive tourism, boating services and yacht charters, all of which directly benefit from services provided by local ecosystems such as beaches, coral reefs, sea grass beds and mangroves.
The DECR – JNCC collaboration, which will run through to 2019, will provide significant data, training and information to inform economic development, terrestrial, coastal and marine spatial planning within the islands, and support environmental management and resilience building measures.
In addition to supporting the important tourism sector, Caribbean ecosystems provide recreational opportunities for the local population, protect coastal and inland infrastructure, prevent soil degradation and coastal/beach erosion, provide valuable scientific research opportunities, and support commercial fishing industries that provide economic and social benefits.
John Legend postpones tour dates
John Legend is feeling a little under the weather and needs some time to recuperate. That means that the Oscar, Grammy and Tony winner is canceling two tour dates this week.
John recently tweeted to fans, "I want to personally apologize. I've gotten sick and need a few days to recover and rest my voice. We are postponing the shows in MD & NJ."
He continues, "I'm so sorry for the inconvenience. I will get healthy and look forward to spending the evening with you as soon as possible."
The artist planned to perform at the Merriweather Post Pavilion venue in Columbia, MD tonight and BB&T Pavilion in Camden, NJ this Thursday.
According to John's Twitter account, his Camden, Columbia and Mashantucket, CT concerts have all been rescheduled for separate dates this July.
Mobb Deep's Prodigy dead at 42
Prodigy, best known one-half of iconic hip hop duo Mobb Deep, has died, possibly due to complications from sickle cell anemia. He was 42.
A statement from the late artist's publicist to XXL magazine reads, "It is with extreme sadness and disbelief that we confirm the death of our dear friend Albert Johnson, better known to millions of fans as Prodigy of legendary NY rap duo Mobb Deep. Prodigy was hospitalized a few days ago in Vegas after a Mobb Deep performance for complications caused by sickle cell anemia crisis."
The statement continues, " As most fans know, Prodigy battled the disease since birth. The exact causes of death have yet to be determined. We would like to thank everyone for respecting the family's privacy at this time."
Both Nas, who collaborated with Mobb Deep in the past, and DJ Green Lantern sent their condolences via social media upon hearing the sad news.
On Instagram, Nas wrote, "QB RIP KING P. Prodigy 4 Ever," while Green Lantern wrote on Twitter, "RIP @PRODIGYMOBBDEEP.. from God we come and to HIM we all shall return .. tomoro [sic] no[t] promised, today not promised. Pray."
Mobb Deep member Havoc has yet to issue a statement. The duo released eight albums during their career, including their 1995 collection The Infamous, which was their breakthrough.
Their song, "Shook Ones," the lead single from that album, was dubbed one of the 50 greatest hip-hop songs of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.
Source-ABC
Films to watch this summer
If you like giant robots, costumed crime-fighters or computer-generated simians, this summer's cinematic offerings are unlikely to disappoint.
Blockbusters, though, aren't for everybody. So what is out there if you don't want to watch Transformers: The Last Knight, Spider-Man: Homecoming or War for the Planet of the Apes?
Well, we have animated sequel Cars 3, animated threequel Despicable Me 3 and Christopher Nolan's war epic Dunkirk. But whichever way you slice it, they're really just blockbusters of a different cloth.
So what's left? More than you might think. Here are a few films you might want to check out if you're after something a little bit different.
Baby Driver (28 June)
Director Edgar Wright is known for Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz - films that combined gross-out comedy with sly spins on familiar genre conventions.
His latest film is a relatively straight crime thriller about a baby-faced getaway driver whose skills behind the wheel ensure he's always in demand.
Equipped with a great cast, a cool soundtrack and plenty of tyre-squealing mayhem, it's a slick piece of Tarantino-esque car-nage with a little bit more substance that your average Fast and the Furious.
With the exception of Downton Abbey's Lily James, it is something of an all-male affair though.
All Eyez On Me (30 June)
The first in a number of upcoming films about Tupac Shakur is a straightforward chronicle of the rapper's short life and career.
Yet that hasn't stopped it irking some of his friends and associates, among them fellow rapper 50 Cent and actress Jada Pinkett Smith.
However, there has been praise for Demetrius Shipp Jr's performance as Shakur, the Harlem-born performer who was shot and killed in September 1996.
The film, by the way, shares its title with the last Tupac album to be released during his lifetime.
It Comes At Night (7 July)
A psychological thriller steeped in suspense and dread, this tale of two families sharing a cabin in the woods looks like it might be better released at Halloween.
Given the recent success of Get Out, though, it's perhaps not surprising It Comes At Night - another film to blend genre scares with social commentary - has been given a prominent summer berth.
Joel Edgerton stars as a father who has constructed a refuge from a deadly epidemic that is believed to have wiped out much of the human population.
Said refuge, alas, is not safe from fear and paranoia in a film that currently has an 87% rating on reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
The Beguiled (14 July)
Sofia Coppola's latest, her first theatrical feature since 2013's The Bling Ring, is a starry affair that won her a best director prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
Set in Virginia during the American Civil War, it tells of a girls' school that is thrown out of whack when it takes in a wounded Union soldier.
The soldier, played by Colin Farrell, upsets the equilibrium of this all-female enclave, drawing out tensions and resentments that had lain out of view.
Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning swell the cast of drama whose source material previously spawned a Clint Eastwood movie in 1971.
The Big Sick (28 July)
The winner of the year's least appealing title is actually a charming romantic comedy about a Muslim comedian from Pakistan who begins a relationship with a white American woman.
It's the ultimate culture clash, made even more complicated when Emily (Zoe Kazan) falls ill and her beau (Kumail Nanjiani) is called upon to offer comfort to her parents.
Inspired by Nanjiani's own romantic life, The Big Sick was a big hit at this year's Sundance Film Festival and was snapped up by Amazon for $12m (£9.5m).
Witty, heartfelt and unexpectedly sophisticated, it also comes with some highly amusing insights into Pakistan's fascination with cricket.
Source-BBC
Children call TV shots on Netflex
Netflix is launching two interactive children's TV shows that let audiences determine the on-screen action.
The animated programmes ask youngsters to choose between two options at several points in their plots.
The firm says the nature of its online streaming platform has allowed it to experiment with "branching narrative" tech in a way that would not be possible for traditional broadcasters.
But it acknowledges that such shows are more costly to make than normal.
"It was actually a little bit more than twice as much animation as a typical episode," explained Doug Langdale, executive producer of the Puss in Book series, which was made in conjunction with Dreamworks Studios.
"It was about 50 minutes [of footage] where it would normally be 22. Especially with computer animation, that's tremendously more expensive.
"It's not easy or cheap. But it's the next thing, and we've got to try it."
Netflix reported that it had about 100 million subscribers in April.
The programmes can be watched and controlled via smart TVs, games consoles and iOS devices - but cannot be downloaded and viewed offline.
Barclays charged with fraud in Qatar
Barclays and four former executives have been charged with fraud over their actions in the 2008 financial crisis.
The Serious Fraud Office case relates to the way the bank raised billions of pounds from Qatari investors enabling it to avoid a government bailout.
Former chief executive John Varley is one of the four ex-staff who will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 3 July.
Barclays says it is considering its position and awaiting further details.
"The charges arise in the context of Barclays' capital raisings in June and November 2008. Barclays awaits further details of the charges from the SFO," the bank said in a statement.
It is the first time criminal charges related to the financial crisis have been brought against a bank in the UK.
Mr Varley, former senior investment banker Roger Jenkins, Thomas Kalaris, a former chief executive of Barclays' wealth division, and Richard Boath, the ex-European head of financial institutions, have all been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud in the June 2008 capital raising.
In addition, Mr Varley and Mr Jenkins have also been charged with the same offence in relation to the October 2008 capital raising and with providing unlawful financial assistance.
Mr Jenkins will "vigorously defend" himself against the charges, his lawyer has told Reuters.
"As one might expect in the challenging circumstances of 2008, Mr Jenkins sought and received both internal and external legal advice on each and every topic covered by the SFO's accusations," said Brad Kaufman from American firm Greenberg Traurig.
Mr Boath, who last year took Barclays to an employment tribunal on the grounds of wrongful dismissal, also pledged to defend himself.
He said in a statement: "The SFO's decision to charge me is based on a false understanding of my role and the facts. I was not a decision-maker and had no control over what the bank did in 2008."
Source-BBC
Andy Murray stunned by Jordan Thompson in tennis
Defending champion Andy Murray was knocked out of the Aegon Championships in the first round by world number 90 Jordan Thompson on a day of shocks.
The world number one lost 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 to Thompson, a late replacement for the injured Aljaz Bedene.
It is the first time since 2012 that Britain's Murray has lost his opening match at Queen's Club.
Second seed Stan Wawrinka and third seed Milos Raonic also lost their first-round matches.
However, it was Murray's straight-set defeat that left the crowd packed into the new 10,000-capacity Centre Court stunned.
"It's a big blow, for sure," said Murray.
"It has happened in the past where guys haven't done well here and gone on to do well at Wimbledon.
"There is no guarantee that I won't do well at Wimbledon, but it certainly would have helped to have had more matches.
"He played better than me. I didn't create loads of chances. I didn't return particularly well. He served big. He served well."
Source-BBC
Explosion rocks Brussels train station
An explosion rocked the central train station in Brussels on Tuesday and a man was shot by security as scenes of terror returned to the European capital.
A suspect shouted out "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest) before causing the blast, a witness said. Belgium's national crisis centre said the suspect had been "neutralised" and the situation was under control.
The confrontation in Belgium comes a day after a man mowed down Muslims near a mosque in London, and a radical Islamist on a terror watch-list rammed a car laden with weapons into a police vehicle in Paris.
The incident happened just before 1900 GMT, causing Brussel's Gare Centrale to be evacuated. The nearby Grand Place, a major tourist destination, was also evacuated.
"There was man and a small explosion took place near him. Soldiers neutralised him with gunfire. No one (else) was injured," federal police spokesman Peter De Waele said by phone to AFP. Social media images showed an intense yet contained ball of fire in the station's underground arrival hall.
"I went down to the mezzanine level, someone was shouting. Then he cried 'Allahu Akbar', and he blew up a trolley," Nicolas Van Herrewegen, a railway sorting agent, told reporters.
"I was behind a wall when it exploded. I went down and alerted my colleagues to evacuate everyone. He (the suspect) was still around but after that we didn't see him."
Van Herrewegen added: "It wasn't exactly a big explosion but the impact was pretty big. People were running away."
He described the suspect as well-built and tanned with short hair, wearing a white shirt and jeans.
"I saw that he had something on him because I could see wires emerging, so it may have been a suicide vest," Van Herrewegen said.
About an hour after the events, the situation was "under control", the federal crisis centre said in a tweet.
Gare Centrale is largely underground, located in the heart of Brussels, a few blocks from the Grand Place and the Manneken Pis statue.
It appeared that the suspect was neutralised by soldiers who have been deployed at railway stations and government buildings in Brussels since the aftermath of the Paris terror attacks when a link to Belgium was first established.
Firefighters were called to the scene after the report of the small explosion, RTBF broadcaster reported.
Source-AFP
Tropical Storm Cindy threatens Gulf Coast; Bret in Caribbean
Tropical Storm Cindy formed Tuesday in the Gulf of Mexico, hovering south of Louisiana as it churned tides and spun bands of heavy, potentially flooding rain onto the central and eastern Gulf Coast.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey issued a state of emergency because of the threat of torrential rains and other severe weather, including dangerous high tides and rip currents. Double red flags snapped in the wind on the public beach at Gulf Shores in her state, warning visitors to stay out of the pounding surf.
Workers on Grand Isle, a barrier island community south of New Orleans, worked to reinforce a rock levee protecting the island's vulnerable west side. Officials there decided against calling an evacuation but said in a statement that anyone who wanted to head for the mainland should do so as early as possible because water might eventually cover low-lying parts of the only route off the island.
The Louisiana National Guard dispatched high water vehicles and helicopters into flood-prone areas. The state said the Federal Emergency Management Agency was moving 125,000 meals and 200,000 litres of water into Louisiana.
Governor John Bel Edwards said the advance notice of the storm gave officials time to put emergency plans in place. Louisiana was slammed with major flooding last summer from an unnamed storm that heavily damaged the Baton Rouge and Lafayette regions.
The third tropical storm of 2017, Cindy was stationary Tuesday afternoon but to resume moving and reach the northern Gulf Coast late Wednesday and rumble inland Thursday over western Louisiana and eastern Texas. Forecasters warned 6 to 9 inches (15-22 cm) of rain and up to 12 inches (30 cm) in spots was the biggest threat in parts of Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle.
Already some flooding was reported on Alabama's Dauphin Island and flood control locks and gates were being closed along Louisiana's bayou-marbled coast. Authorities in various coastal Louisiana and Mississippi communities handed out sandbags for areas along rivers and bayous.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Cindy was, on Tuesday afternoon, about 280 miles (450 kilometres) south of Morgan City, Louisiana — or about 360 miles (575 kilometres) southeast of Galveston, Texas. It had top sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph).
A tropical storm warning was in effect from San Luis Pass, Texas, to the Pearl River's mouth along the Louisiana-Mississippi line.
At a news conference in New Orleans, Mayor Mitch Landrieu urged vigilance as bands of rain from the system swept over the city. Forecasts said the system could dump from a few inches to more than 12 inches (a few centimetres to more than 25 cm), depending on Cindy's development and path.
At worst, the storm could flood neighbourhoods outside the city's levee system and cause flash flooding even in protected areas.
"This is going to be a very serious event," Landrieu said.
In coastal Louisiana's Terrebonne Parish, Kim Chauvin said the shrimp processing businesses she and her husband run helped put out the word Monday that shrimpers should return to port and unload their catch before flood control structures closed.
"We call them, we text them, we Facebook them, we Twitter, them. Any way we can get to them," she said.
Earl Eues, an emergency official in Terrebonne, said the closing of locks and floodgates began Monday and would be completed Tuesday evening.
Parishes along the coast made sandbags — or sand and bags — available to people who wanted to protect homes and businesses.
At the Escatawpa Hollow Campground in Alabama, near the Mississippi State line, owner Larry Godfrey was prepared for flooding that would add to the woes of a rainy spring.
"We've had so much rain, we haven't done any business in about eight weeks because of the rain," said Godfrey, whose campground typically hosts swimmers and boaters. He said the Escatawpa River, at 15 feet (4.5 metres), would typically be lower than 3 feet (1 metre) at this time of year.
While the northern Gulf Coast braced for Cindy, the southern Caribbean region was dealing with the aftermath of Tropical Storm Bret, which unleashed heavy flooding, knocked out power and ripped off several roofs in some areas of Trinidad &Tobago. Bret had degenerated into a tropical wave by Tuesday afternoon.
All airports in Trinidad & Tobago reopened later Tuesday, though public schools and many businesses remain closed.
Source-AP