US officer charged in death of black man in Tulsa
The district attorney in the southern US city of Tulsa on Thursday charged the police officer who fatally shot an unarmed black man with first-degree manslaughter.
The shooting of Terence Crutcher on Friday, recorded by dashboard cameras and a police helicopter, lead to heightened tensions between yet another US police department and African-Americans.
In the video, the 40-year-old man is seen with his hands up and leaning against his car. He is then shot once by officer Betty Shelby and falls to the ground.
In a court filing, the Tulsa district attorney's chief investigator Doug Campbell said Crutcher was shot when reaching into his car's driver's side front window. Another responding officer used a Taser at the same time.
Campbell also said Crutcher had been mumbling to himself and that Shelby had made statements after the shooting that she had been "in fear of her life" during the confrontation.
"Officer Shelby reacted unreasonably by escalating the situation from a confrontation with Mr Crutcher, who was not responding to verbal commands and was walking away from her with his hands held up, becoming emotionally involved to the point that she overreacted," Campbell said.
Crutcher, who had no gun, died at a hospital from a single gunshot wound to the chest.
Shelby was charged with a felony count of first-degree manslaughter -- heat of passion, which carries a minimum sentence of four years in prison if convicted. In the charging document, Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweller called her actions "unreasonable."
The Department of Justice has opened a federal civil rights probe into the incident, parallel to the investigation being carried out by the local authorities.
Demonstrators in Tulsa, in the state of Oklahoma, had demanded that the officer be punished. But protests have remained peaceful so far, unlike in Charlotte, North Carolina where the shooting death of a black man at the hands of police on Tuesday set off two nights of clashes between law enforcement and demonstrators.
PDM RESPONSE TO PREMIER'S INTERVIEW
It is obvious to everyone except The Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands that he has all but given up. His approach of blaming the Leader of the Opposition Honourable Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson for every short fall of his government demonstrates that what is required to lead our country is over and beyond his political and diplomatic capabilities.
The unassuming listener of the show on Tropical Vibes hosted by Shaun Malcolm may have been perplexed when Hon. Ewing suggested that Hon. Cartwright-Robinson's presence on the Consultative Forum during the period of interim administration was the PDM in corroboration with TCIG's budgetary cuts.
Yet at the same time, he dissolves himself of reckless behavior as Civil Service president when he led them for purely political purposes causing the blocking of the airport road, acts of vandalism causing electricity outages, the cancellation of flights and the turning away of arriving passengers to the Turks and Caicos Islands in 2011 when the country could hardly afford it due to the global financial crisis and the suspension of the constitution. But, now that his time is running out after he has had political power and could have offered more help to those dedicated civil servants on whose backs he rose to the Premiership his explanation to the service is that now he has a duty to the entire country and he is wearing a different hat. He abandoned them after his bid for elected office!
Dr. Rufus Ewing did well to camouflage his way through the institutions of the Turks and Caicos Islands Government appearing as though he cared when all along the goal was a political end, these institutions are meant to protect the people and he has gotten away scot-free from his heavy-handed influence during the Misick-PNP and the British-interim government.
Go figure why his government has not been able to attract any meaningful investment to the Islands? Still he blames the British and the PDM government for his ineptitude when it is really his inability to properly set government policy that attracts investment.
He speaks the talk of a warrior standing up to the British, albeit unconvincingly. The tough talk about the many hurdles he claims only his government could overcome in the history of the Turks and Caicos Islands is undone and seems weak when he blames the Leader of the Opposition for not helping him negotiate better terms for his party's headquarters.
His government's financial accomplishments were at the expense of the hardworking Turks and Caicos Islander families who have had to suffer the burden of paying for his tough talk but his pockets are full from high salaries, higher than Michael Misick's with his desire to even make it higher God forbids if he were to be re-elected. As far as the Premier's claim about the Leader of the Opposition's position on the CFO we remind him that he and his Minister of Finance have taken credit for all the financial decisions up to this point!
His interview highlights how poorly he has represented the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands and revealed his Machiavellian mind trip, his duplicity and double-dealing nature, which will live in the hearts and the minds of the people until election day.
And for the record the PDM will not be used by the PNP in their election campaign of blame, gimmickry and misguidance in an attempt to pollute the airwaves with half-truths. The Premier's attempt at tough talk came across as tacky and desperate.
GRAND TURK NAMED AMONG THE WORLD’S TOP CRUISE DESTINATIONS
Cruise Critic®, the world’s leading cruise reviews site and online cruise community, has announced the winners of its first-ever Cruisers’ Choice Destination Awards, naming the top cruise destinations in the world, based on consumer ratings submitted with reviews on the Cruise Critic website. The awards name award-winning destinations across 15 regions, worldwide.
Grand Turk was named the second best cruise destination in the Eastern Caribbean, Bahamas & Bermuda cruise port region, with cruisers particularly enamored with the island’s beautiful beaches, great shopping, and friendly locals.
JamieInWyoming, a Cruise Critic reviewer, gave a glowing review on her stop at Grand Turk stating, “We did not want to leave... The water at Grand Turk is warm and crystal clear. We might have been the last people back on the ship, because I was too busy asking the locals about living expenses and taxes. I want to retire there.”
According to a recent survey by Cruise Critic, selecting a cruise destination is the most important part of the planning process for both first-time cruisers (28%) and experienced cruisers (29%).
“Cruising offers the unique opportunity to sample a number of destinations at once,” explains Colleen McDaniel, Senior Executive Editor of Cruise Critic. “Because of that, it’s important to carefully select your itinerary so that you’re able to make the most of your time in port. With so many available options, this list of destinations personally recommended by cruisers themselves provides invaluable insight into the cruise destinations across the world to help cruisers choose the best options.”
St. Maarten was the top-rated Eastern Caribbean Island, with St. Thomas, St. Kitts and King’s Wharf in Bermuda ranking third, fourth, and fifth behind Grand Turk, respectively. Bonaire was named the highest-rated Southern Caribbean Island, and Cozumel the top destination in the Western Caribbean & Riviera Maya.
Castaway Cay – owned by Disney Cruise Line – ranked highest among cruise line private islands, and topped all Caribbean categories combined. Cruisers praised the island’s clean, beautiful beaches and multitude of options for both kids and adults.
River cruise port cities were the top-rated category as a whole, with all of the top five destinations receiving the highest marks across the board. Paris was rated the best river cruise destination, with reviewers naming the city’s beauty, museums and gardens as particularly impressive.
As for the best cruise destination in North America, San Francisco was named to the top of the list in the U.S. & Canada category.
First-place winners in each category include:
Top-Rated Alaska Port: Glacier Bay
Top-Rated Asia & South Pacific Port: Mystery Island
Top-Rated Australia & New Zealand Port: Sydney
Top-Rated Baltic & Scandinavia Port: St. Petersburg
Top-Rated Eastern Caribbean, Bahamas & Bermuda Port: St. Maarten
Top-Rated Southern Caribbean Port: Bonaire
Top-Rated Western Caribbean & Riviera Maya Port: Cozumel
Top-Rated British Isles & Western Europe Port: Amsterdam
Top-Rated Eastern Mediterranean Port: Venice
Top-Rated European River Port: Paris
Top-Rated Western Mediterranean Port: Barcelona
Top-Rated Hawaii Port: Kauai
Top-Rated Mexican Riviera & South America Port: Puerto Vallarta
Top-Rated U.S. & Canada Port: San Francisco
Top-Rated Cruise Line Private Island: Castaway Cay
For the full list of winners, visit the 2016 Cruise Critic Cruisers’ Choice Destination Awards.
Cruise Critic boasts the world’s largest online cruise community, with more than 160,000 cruise reviews, covering approximately 500 cruise ships and over 300 worldwide ports. Awards are based on reviews submitted for cruises taken over the past year.
TCI Observes Caribbean Wellness Day 2016
To observe Caribbean Wellness Day, last Saturday, 10th of September, under the theme "Healthy Children, Healthy Environments", the communities of West Road, Overback and North Backsalina participated in a cleanup campaign. Residence in the West Road area cleaned their yards and left the bags of garbage at the road side to be collected while the Overback community engaged its residents in a general cleanup. The North Backsalina area also engaged in a general cleanup mainly in the Garden area.
"The cleanup was a huge success, with communities taking ownership for their areas including the churches within the 3 communities. This is the beginning of many cleanup campaigns to come as we engage each community within the Turks and Caicos Islands", said Director of the Health Promotion and Advocacy Unit, Mrs. Aldora Robinson.
"Zika is a major threat and we must ensure a clean community to remove all breeding mosquito breeding sites. No mosquitos, no Zika. Major collaboration between stakeholders like the Environmental Health Department, TCI Red Cross who provided materials and other support, Fortis TCI, Clyde Holiday, community Churches and residence within the various communities."
On the Island of Providenciales, at 5 am the Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence held a Suicide Prevention Walk to raise awareness about the issue of suicide. This was the second year of the observance, which helps to raise awareness about suicide prevention and mental illnesses.
According to local statistics, there were 7 suicide related deaths since 2009. As part of the observance, depression screening day was also held on September 12th at the general hospitals and government operated clinics. This event provided an opportunity for interested persons to be screened and given advice on how to manage depression symptoms.
In the evening, another successful event was held, Torch for Health, where the Hon. Premier, Dr. Rufus Ewing, Minister of Health, Agriculture and Human Services, ran the Torch for Health onto the field of the Downtown Ballpark at the Gustavus Lightbourne Sport Center and passed the Torch to our very own Olympian, Mr. Delano Williams, who then completed a run around the track in front of the attendees and the softball federation. There were booths for information on various diseases and screening. Also participating, were the Diabetic Association and Cancer Society.
MARINE FORECAST MONDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 2016
THIS IS THE MARINE FORECAST FOR 24 HOURS FROM 1.00 PM MONDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 2016
GENERAL SITUATION: A WEAK TROUGH NEAR THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS ALONG WITH A SURFACE TROUGH EXTENDING FROM NEAR BERMUDA TO THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS WILL ENHANCE THE POSSIBILITY OF SHOWERS OR A POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORM. MEANWHILE A WEAK RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL PRODUCE LIGHT WINDS AND FAIR WEATHER OVER MOST OF THE BAHAMAS
FOR ALL AREAS
ADVISORY: BOATERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR HEAVY SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS
WINDS: VARIABLE AT 10 KNOTS OR LESS IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS AND EASTERLY AT 5 TO 10 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
SEAS RUNNING: 1 TO3 FEET OVER THE OCEAN FOR ALL AREAS
WEATHER: ISOLATED SHOWERS OR POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS NEAR TROUGHS
SUNSET AT 7.09 PM AND SUNRISE AT 6.58 AM TUESDAY
MOON RISE AT 9.39 PM AND MOON SET AT 9.50 AM TUESDAY
LOW TIDE AT 4.41 PM AND HIGH TIDE AT 10.41 PM AND LOW AGAIN AT 4.55 AM TUESDAY AND HIGH AGAIN AT 11.12 AM TUESDAY
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: SEE LATEST NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM KARL..SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH A LARGE BUT WELL DEFINED LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM LOCATED SOUTHWEST OF CAPO VERDE ISLANDS IS BEGINNING TO SHOW SIGNS OF DEVELOPMENT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AND A TROPICAL DEPRESSION IS LIKELY TO FORM LATER TODAY OR ON TUESDAY. FORMATION CHANCE THROUGH THE NEXT 48 HOURS IS HIGH, ABOUT 70 PERCENT AND FORMATION CHANCE THROUGH 5 DAYS IS HIGH, ABOUT 80 PERCENT.
Former Head Coach to meet with lawyers over sacking
Axed West Indies Head Coach Phil Simmons could be contemplating legal action against the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) over his abrupt firing last week.
Reports in international media said the 53-year-old Trinidadian was expected to meet with his legal team in coming days to discuss the matter and would then decide on a course of action.
“Phil is currently in the UK and is supposed to meet his lawyers within the next 72 hours,” a confidante of Simmons, who requested anonymity, was quoted as saying.
“His next course of action would be influenced by the advice they give.”
Simmons’ sacking was announced by the WICB last Tuesday as the West Indies team prepared to leave Barbados for Dubai to begin their Twenty20 and One-Day series against Pakistan.
The move followed weeks of speculation about Simmons’ future, and WICB President Dave Cameron had sidestepped the controversial issue following the board of directors’ meeting in Dominica last week.
“At the appropriate time [we will speak on the Simmons matter],” Cameron said when asked if Simmons would be fired.
“We have to continue the discussions internally, and at the appropriate time we will make any announcements that are deemed necessary.”
In a cryptic release three days later, however, the WICB said it had taken the decision to relieve Simmons of his duties at the Dominica meeting.
“In recent times, based on the public pronouncements of the coach and the approach internally, we have identified differences in culture and strategic approach,” the WICB release said.
Simmons took up the position in March last year after taking Ireland to the Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
He was suspended seven months later over controversial comments regarding team selection for the tour of Sri Lanka, but was reinstated following the series after issuing a public apology.
Simmons oversaw West Indies’ capture of their second Twenty20 World Cup title in India last April and then helped guide them into the final of the Tri-Nation Series in the Caribbean last June.
Source-CMC
St Lucia encourages open skies policy
The St Lucia government said it is undertaking initiatives to encourage an open sky policy and introduce competition.
“Our government is in discussion with Seaborne Airlines with the hope of attracting a Puerto Rico flight here. We are also having discussions with Caribbean Airlines,” said Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, a critic of the cash-strapped regional airline, LIAT.
Chastanet, a former tourism and aviation minister here, pointed to the need to address what he described as the Civil Aviation Authority problem in the sub-regional Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to ensure that investors are treated fairly.
“The authority needs to do what it is supposed to do and act as a regulatory agency as it pertains to the safety of the traveling public and not be involved in the commercial aspect of civil aviation,” he said.
In July, Chastanet announced that St Lucia would not provide any financial support to the regional airline until it is restructured.
LIAT is owned by the shareholder governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Last week, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said Kingstown would not give financial support to the regional carrier until it improves its service to the island.
Similar threats had been made earlier by the Dominica government, while the St Kitts-Nevis and Grenada governments have complained also at the shoddy service being offered to their territories by the Antigua-based carrier.
At the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) which ended in Barbados over the weekend, regional tourism ministers were urged to resolve the problems related to inter-regional travel.
Aviation experts addressing the conference said opening the market to other carriers would benefit the entire region and help reduce the cost and increase travel across the region.
Source- CMC
Bahamas cracking down on foreigners working without permit
Bahamas immigration authorities have warned employers against hiring people who are not Bahamians or a permanent resident without a work permit.
“This is regardless of whether that person has a visitor’s visa or a seaman’s visa for the duration of their stay in The Bahamas pursuant to entry on such a visa,” the Department of Immigration said in a statement.
It said that that while a visitor or seaman “may walk about the environs of the town and use public facilities, they cannot be hired for work in the Bahamas without a work permit.
“Work includes selling goods or buying or collecting goods for the purposes of export and gain,” the Department said, noting that officers of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Customs Department have the powers of immigration officers.
“Where there is a reasonable suspicion that an individual in the Bahamas has violated Immigration laws, those officials can exercise the lawful authority to question or detain that individual and can do so …where the circumstances warrant it.”
The department said there will be greater scrutiny to avoid the violation of immigration laws.
Source-CMC
THE PUBLIC FORECAST FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT MONDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 2016
GENERAL SITUATION: A SURFACE TROUGH NEAR THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS WILL ENHANCE SHOWER CHANCES TODAY WHILE A WEAK PRESSURE PATTERN REMAINS ACROSS THE AREA MAINTAINING LIGHT BREEZES.
AREA: ALL AREAS
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY AND HOT TODAY WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS...BECOMING FAIR TONIGHT WITH THE CHANCE OF A FEW SHOWERS.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT SHOULD BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND HIGH SEAS IN OR NEAR HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: VARIABLE, LESS THAN 10 KNOTS IN THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS...EAST-NORTHEAST TO EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 10 KNOTS OR LESS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
SEAS: 1 TO 3 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE 92 °F 34 °C
OVERNITE LOW TEMPERATURE 77 °F 25 °C
SUNRISE: 6:58AM MOONSET: 9:50AM HIGH TIDE: 10:20AM 10:41PM
SUNSET: 7:09PM MOONRISE: 9:39PM LOW TIDE: 4:41PM 4:55AM TUE
EXTENDED FORECAST: (FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS): A WEAK PRESSURE PATTERN WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA SUPPORTING LIGHT BREEZES.
FORECAST FOR TUESDAY
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY AND HOT WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: LIGHT AND VARIABLE IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS...EASTERLY AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL & SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
SEAS: 1 TO 3 FEET IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS...2 TO 4 FEET IN THE CENTRAL & SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY AND HOT WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: LIGHT AND VARIABLE IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS...NORTHEAST TO EAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL & SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
SEAS: 1 TO 3 FEET IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS...2 TO 4 FEET IN THE CENTRAL & SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: SEE THE LATEST NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM KARL...ELSEWHERE, A BROAD AREA OF LOW BROAD PRESSURE LOCATED NEAR THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS IS PRODUCING DISORGANIZED CLOUDINESS AND THUNDERSTORMS. GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SYSTEM IS LIKELY, AND A TROPICAL DEPRESSION COULD FORM WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THIS SYSTEM HAS A 50% CHANCE OF TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION THROUGH THE NEXT 48 HOURS.
Samsung's Note 7 Battery Problem Expands to China
Samsung's smartphone problems expanded Monday to China's populous market, where the South Korean tech giant was looking into reports two Galaxy Note 7 handsets exploded in a country where it earlier said its units were safe and didn't need to be included in a global recall.
The reports in the biggest mobile phone market were a new setback for Samsung Electronics, which is struggling to restore consumer trust after dozens of reports of batteries that overheated or caught fire in other nations.
In the latest incidents, two people posted accounts on Chinese social media saying their Galaxy Note 7 handsets exploded over the weekend.
Samsung has faced criticism it has failed to coordinate with American and other safety regulators and failed to give clear information to consumers.
U.S. regulators ordered a recall on Thursday. Aviation authorities in the United States, Australia and Europe have urged passengers not to use or charge Note 7s while flying and not to put them in checked baggage.
The Note 7 debuted to rave reviews in August thanks to its speed, new software features and longer time between charges, which requires a more powerful battery. Users report phones have caught fire or exploded, in one case causing a blaze that destroyed an SUV.
Samsung had earlier excluded China from its global Note 7 recall. It said handsets sold in China were safe because they used different batteries from those linked to problems elsewhere.
The Chinese battery supplier for Note 7 phones sold in China said Monday fires there appeared to be different from cases in other countries, where Samsung has blamed a manufacturing error in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. In the United States, there have been 92 reports of Galaxy Note 7 battery fires.
Amperex Technology Ltd., which supplies lithium polymer batteries, said the fires in China appeared to be caused by unspecified factors "outside the battery."
"We believe the heat problem comes from outside the battery. A very large likelihood exists that other factors gave rise to the heat problem," it said in a statement.
ATL gave no indication of what may have caused the problems. Samsung did not respond to questions.
In the first incident reported in China, a social media user posted messages Sunday saying a friend's Galaxy Note 7 caught fire over the weekend. It included photos of the damaged phone.
The user, contacted by phone, told The Associated Press the Note 7 was bought Sept. 1 through the JD.com e-commerce site. The man, who asked not to be identified by name, said the phone started to heat up and vibrate late Saturday night, then exploded and emitted black smoke.
A second report on a separate social media account said an owner's phone exploded Sunday while the person was playing a game on it. That account gave no contact information for the user or details of where the person lives but showed photos of the damaged phone and its serial number.
The incidents, widely reported in Chinese media, are a "big blow" to Samsung in China, where consumers expect global brands to be better quality, said Nicole Peng of research firm Canalys.
"This is a very big incident that Samsung will find hard to defend," said Peng.
"Previously, they promised the China unit was fine and was using a different battery," she said. "So it seems like this is causing more trust issues and hurting consumer confidence in their brand."
The incidents could set back Samsung's effort to stage a comeback in China, where it has slipped to No. 6 in a crowded market behind ambitious local brands, Peng said.
Samsung accounted for 8 percent of smartphone sales in China in the three months ending June 30, down slightly from the previous quarter's 9 percent, according to Canalys. Huawei was in first place in both quarters with 16 percent, followed by Vivo and Xiaomi at 13 percent.
"This will make it difficult to make it back to the top," Peng said.
Samsung Electronics launched the Note 7 phone in China on Sept. 1 amid a growing number of reports of the phones catching fire in other nations.
The following day, Samsung announced it would stop sales and recall 2.5 million Note 7 phones in 10 countries, but not in China.
Samsung's mobile president, Koh Dong-jin, said at the time sales in China would continue because Note 7 phones sold there used a different battery.
Analysts believe Samsung SDI supplied most of the faulty batteries while Note 7 phones in China use batteries made by Amperex, which reportedly also is a main supplier of batteries for Apple's iPhone.
Last week, Samsung recalled 1,858 Note 7 phones in China from a different batch that had been distributed before general sales began. The company said the two units involved in the reports of fires were not from that batch.
In its global recall on Sept. 2, Samsung did not say whether consumers could continue to use the Note 7 phones without danger. A few days later, it urged them to immediately turn off the phones. And last week, Samsung said it is rolling out a software update to the Note 7 phones that will limit the battery charge to 60 percent but didn't say whether all phones would automatically receive it.
This week, the company began shipping new Note 7 phones to replace the defective ones.
In South Korea, mobile carriers said Note 7 owners can begin exchanging their phones starting Monday, but there were few people doing so at a Samsung service center.
South Korea's government has not issued an official recall like its counterparts in the U.S. and Canada. Monday is the deadline for consumers in South Korea to get a full refund.