Syrian forces trapped civilians, UN says
The United Nations says it has received reports that Syrian forces in Palmyra prevented civilians from leaving, ahead of its fall to Islamic State militants.
The UN, though not present in Palmyra, cited "credible sources".
It said it was "deeply concerned" about the plight of civilians remaining in Palmyra, amid reports of summary executions.
IS has also overrun the World Heritage site adjacent to the modern city, raising concerns about its future.
The militants have previously demolished ancient sites that pre-date Islam.
UN cultural organisation Unesco says its destruction would be "an enormous loss to humanity", but no damage has been reported there yet.
IS has also taken control of a military airbase and a notorious prison near to Palmyra.
The fall of Palmyra comes just days after IS captured the major Iraqi city of Ramadi.
Source-BBC
US Congress Reviews Lessons Learned From Nepal Earthquake
U.S. Congressmen are looking at Nepal's recovery needs after the earthquake that claimed some 8,600 lives last month. Members of a foreign affairs subcommittee had high praise Wednesday for the U.S. government’s rapid response, but also looked at the challenges ahead for the people of Nepal and the international community.
Republican and Democratic members of the committee agreed the U.S. government response to the deadly earthquake April 25 made a significant difference, saving the lives of many in Nepal.
Despite those efforts and the efforts of others, though, panel chairman Matt Salmon, a Republican, said the crisis for Nepal is far from over.
“’Monsoon season is fast approaching. Large numbers of homeless people exposed to the elements during this time would be a dire enough problem in and of itself,” he said.
Salmon said the earthquake and after-quakes also hurt Nepal’s water supply and sanitation system, and will threaten the food supply if people are unable to plant crops.
State Department Assistant Secretary Nisha Biswal was on the scene to assess how the United States can help.
“Last week I traveled to Nepal and witnessed first-hand the devastating losses suffered by the Nepalese people, but also the triumph of the human spirit, the resiliency of the affected communities and the courage and the commitment of the relief workers as they all came together to help Nepal to recover from this devastating earthquake,” said Biswal.
Biswal said the U.S. is currently providing large quantities of strong plastic sheeting to build temporary housing, as well as temporary schools and play areas.
Jonathan Stivers of the U.S. Agency for International Development said the U.S. is aware women and children are the most vulnerable.
“Prior to the earthquake, human trafficking was a prevalent problem. And the current disaster puts women and girls at great risk," said Stivers. "USAID is leveraging its anti-human trafficking program to respond to these heightened protection needs.”
The United States is the longest-standing development partner with Nepal, since 1951, and has provided $47 million to date in the wake of the April earthquake.
Source-VOANews
Trey Songz Joins 2015 St. Kitts Music Festival
Award-winning R&B artist and Hollywood film actor Trey Songz will be performing at the 19th Annual St. Kitts Music Festival, which will take place from Thursday, June 25 to Saturday, June 27, 2015. He joins Bounty Killer, Christopher Martin, Aswad, Roy Cape, T-Vice, Tono Rosario, Ricardo Drue, Kerwin DuBois, Patrice Roberts, Blaxx and Benjai, who will all be performers for the event.
This announcement was made by Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Mr. Lindsay F.P. Grant, who noted that he was thrilled to welcome Trey Songz to St. Kitts for the first time. “Trey Songz is a renowned R&B artist, with international appeal. Having him perform at the St. Kitts Music Festival will certainly reinforce the event’s reputation as a dynamic Caribbean music festival with exhilarating performances and an experience like no other.”
Born Tremaine Aldon Neverson, Trey Songz is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. Having been consistently nominated for awards since making his debut on the musical scene, he won a BET Award for Best Male R&B artist 2010 and a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Artist, Male, 2010. That same year, he was nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 52nd Grammy Awards and won a MuchMusic Video Award for MuchVibe Hip-Hop Video of the Year. He won a second Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Artist, Male, in 2014. In 2013, he appeared in feature roles in the films Texas Chainsaw 3D and Baggage Claim.
Trey Songz is best known for his hits Bottoms Up featuring Nicki Minaj, Say Aah featuring Fabolous, I Need a Girl, Gotta Go, I Invented Sex featuring Drake, Girl Tonite, Can’t Help but Wait, Gotta Make It and Heart Attack. His seventh studio album, Slow Motion, debuted earlier this year.
Now entering its 19th year, the St. Kitts Music Festival attracts both locals and visitors alike. It features a wide range of musical styles on the popular market, including R&B, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Soca, Calypso, Gospel and Contemporary music. Past artists have included such prominent acts as John Legend, Lionel Richie, T-Pain, Michael Bolton, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, UB40’s Ali Campbell, Wyclef Jean, Ne-Yo, Air Supply, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Shaggy, Kelly Rowland, Tessanne Chin, Toni Braxton, Beenie Man, The Commodores, Dionne Warwick, Billy Ocean, Sean Paul, Boyz II Men, King Konris, Stephen Marley, Regina Belle, Maxi Priest, Beres Hammond, Roberta Flack, Biggie Irie, Bunny Wailer and Lord Nelson.
Jamaican are on alert following the outbreak of mosquito-borne Zika virus
Jamaicans are being put on alert following an outbreak of another mosquito-borne illness, the Zika virus.
Following meetings at the World Health Assembly now taking place in Geneva, Switzerland and a warning issued by the Pan American Health Organization regarding an outbreak of the Zika virus in Brazil and its potential to spread to other countries, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr. Kevin Harvey has urged citizens to take the necessary precautions to rid their surroundings of any place mosquitoes could breed.
The Zika virus, also known as ZIKV, is transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito, the same mosquito that transmits chikungunya and dengue.
Brazil confirmed its first cases of the Zika virus earlier this month.
“The Ministry of Health is taking this potential threat very seriously. I urge Jamaicans to do their part to prevent mosquito breeding and so help to reduce any possibility of the introduction of the Zika virus into the island. There is no specific vaccine or treatment for the virus and so personal responsibility is key,” Harvey said.
“The Aedes aegypti mosquito which spreads the Zika virus is generally found in and around places where people inhabit. Persons are urged to search for and destroy mosquito breeding sites by getting rid of old tyres and containers in which water can settle, punching holes in tins before disposing, and covering large drums, barrels and tanks holding water.”
Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Marion Bullock-DuCasse told The Gleaner newspaper that all the necessary precautions were being taken.
“This is a virus that has never been detected in Jamaica before, and so we are taking all the necessary precautions. As with all new viruses, we will have a large number of the population that are susceptible or will become ill. The challenge is to ensure that if a case is detected, we do very rapid control measures, including urgent vector control, to ensure that we reduce the population of the mosquitoes that can spread the disease,” she said.
Police defends use of tear gas on ‘riotous mob’
The Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force has defended its decision to use tear gas to disperse protesters in Salisbury last week.
Farmers and residents of Salisbury blocked the public road in Salisbury on 11 May 2015 over deplorable farm access and village roads.
Some police officers, who attempted to clear the blockage, were attacked by protestors with stones and bottles. One police vehicle was damaged as a result of the stones that were pelted at the police.
After several warning by senior police Matthew Cuffy, the protesters refused to clear the streets and as such, tear gas was used in order to restore vehicular access.
This decision to use tear gas has been widely criticized by members of the public. It was reported in the media on Tuesday 19 May that some residents of Salisbury are planning to take action against the police for using the tear gas.
But police public relations officer, Claude Weekes said on Wednesday 20 May, the police is mandated by law to maintain law and order.
He said the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force has, by law, an arsenal of weapons and ammunition in compliance with United Nations Conventions and international law and that it does not look to having any confrontation with the citizenry as it is “a civilian force not a military”.
“However, the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force must deal with acts of lawlessness whenever they arise. By law we are mandated to do so,” Mr Weekes noted.
He said the police force had to deal with a “riotous mob at Salisbury” and in dealing with the riotous mob, it “used force that was necessary, reasonable, lawful and justifiable in the circumstances”.
“The Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force did not use weapons of mass destruction, chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons or white burning phosphorus. The ammunition used fall under the United Nations conventions and international law,” Mr Weekes added.
Source-Dominica Vibes
Lung cancer vaccine developed by Cuba heads to US
Cuba has attracted worldwide medical attention for developing and manufacturing a breakthrough lung cancer vaccine, and that treatment will reach the United States very soon.
With improved relations between the two countries, Cuba has allowed American scientists to study and explore the Caribbean communist states’ medical achievements, particularly the lung cancer vaccine Cimavax.
Lung cancer is the fourth leading cause of death in Cuba, and Cimavax was developed by the island’s Centre for Molecular Immunology to help treat the often fatal disease.
The treatment works by stimulating the immune system to attack the tumour, making the immune system more efficient in fighting the cancer.
The vaccine creates a protein that causes the immune system to attack the epidermal growth factor (EGF) hormone, which helps tumours grow. This “starves” the tumour and prevents it from growing.
“The Cimavax vaccine induces [an] immune response,” Dr Kelvin Lee, of the Department of Immunology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, told ABC News. “The tumour is being starved.”
Source-Caribbean360
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS GOVERNMENT - POST CABINET MEETING STATEMENT
His Excellency the Governor, Peter Beckingham, chaired the 14th meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday 20th May 2015 at the House of Assembly Building on Grand Turk.
All Ministers were present except; Hon. Premier, Hon. Minister of Finance and Hon. Minister of Tourism, Environment, Culture and Heritage who participated by telephone conference for specific items;
At this meeting Cabinet:
• Received an update from the Minister of Border Control and Labour on the transfer of passport printing to the United Kingdom and the contingencies being put in place for the issue of passports in emergency situations. Further information will be published by the Ministry in due course;
• Noted the recommendations of the Procurement Board on the award of a contract for the development of a Grand Turk Master Plan. The focus of the plan is to create a design concept that would capture future development opportunities along the major corridors of Grand Turk, the revitalisation of the historical downtown area and the preservation of historical architecture;
• Advised HE. the Governor to approve the issue of a license to the Thompson Cove Property Owners Association to dredge the shoal in the Thompson Cove inlet canal, of which the dredge materials (sand) will be used to re-nourish the beach in Thompson Cove. The license is granted subject to conditions including planning approval and a satisfactory Environmental Impact Assessment;
• Advised HE. the Governor to approve the issue of a license to Sun Rise Ltd and Emerald Point Ltd for the expansion of the existing canal to allow for construction of the boat dock located in Leeward Providenciales. The license is granted subject to conditions including planning approval and a satisfactory Environmental Impact Assessment;
• Advised HE. the Governor to approve an order to commence the 2014 Revised Edition of the Laws. The Revised Edition of the Laws Ordinance provides for the revision and consolidation of the laws of the Turks and Caicos Islands as at the 31st December 2014;
• Received a report from the Minister of Finance and noted the substantial progress being made to implement the Government’s strategy for debt refinancing. The Government remains on target to refinance its debt by February 2016;
• Advised HE. the Governor to approve amendments to the National Insurance (Benefit) Regulations 2015 and take the necessary actions to bring the amended regulations into operation as soon as possible. The Regulations are being amended to correct the weekly minimum payment in respect of retirement, invalidity, survivors and old age pensions.
RTC News will have more on Cabinet at the Premiers next press conference.
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES RECEIVE NEW PAY ARRANGEMENTS ON MAY 21st,2015
Turks and Caicos Island (TCI) civil servants are set to benefit from their new increased salaries which are paid today, Thursday, 21 May 2015.
This follows the TCI government previously announcing its Pay and Grading review, which will see $9m being invested in attracting, retaining and rewarding front line public workers.
The increases are targeted at those with the required technical and professional competencies, especially those working in the fields of education, health, immigration and firefighters.
“90% of our civil service is set to benefit from significantly increase remuneration,” said Head of the TCI civil service and Deputy Governor Anya Williams. “And everyone will benefit from the improved structures and the reintroduction of future pay increments.
“Not one person will see their earnings reduced, although the most senior levels of management, such as the Permanent Secretaries, are not receiving any increases. This implementation will benefit our efforts to attract and keep the right calibre of people in our public sector by rewarding their competencies and roles.”
The new system will also benefit government by absorbing a complicated and inconsistently applied set of allowances into one simpler, fairer and more appropriate pay and grading structure. It has been designed to be transparent, fair, equitable and reflect the major differences in responsibility and skill levels. It will allow the TCI public service to have a structure for the proper and transparent management of remuneration.
The benefits of implementing the new pay and grading system are:
A simplified structure for fair and equitable remuneration of public officers and waged staff
Systems and structures that ensure accountability in allocating remuneration and rewards fairly and justly and according to procedure
Line of sight between resources available to government with contribution made by effective people in well-designed jobs
Linking performance and incremental progression
Meeting equality of opportunity objectives
Enhanced transparency and integrity.
The cornerstone of the new pay and grading system is job evaluation which involved establishing grade level standards for each grade which are essentially a set of criteria that distinguish the compensable factors at the differing levels by describing features at each level.
The new system was developed through extensive consultation via a working group, including the Civil Servants Association, and the senior executive.
TCI Hospital receives Diamond Level Accreditation
In a follow-up to a media release in late April, The Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital is pleased to announce that it has again achieved Diamond accreditation, the highest level awarded by Accreditation Canada International (ACI) within its Qmentum International Program.
The Qmentum International Accreditation Program is internationally recognised for promoting excellence in healthcare. Accreditation awards are graded with facilities receiving Gold, Platinum or Diamond according to the quality of care delivered to patients.
Dr. Eric Parsons, Interim CEO said, “Receiving diamond level accreditation by Accreditation Canada International clearly demonstrates the commitment of the hospital and its staff to ensure patient safety and to deliver high quality and patient centered care”.
He added, “I would like to congratulate the Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital team on this significant achievement. All credit goes to the dedicated staff for their hard work and commitment to the delivery of healthcare to all residents and visitors of the Turks and Caicos Islands”.
Accreditation occurs on a three-year cycle, with a full, on-site survey every three years. The process includes extensive measurement of performance against more than two thousand criteria across 15 standards of organizational performance, including patient safety and quality of care, infection prevention and control, medication management, to name a few.
The survey team from ACI spent five days at the Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital. It was an intensive process of assessing performance against international standards on both the Cheshire Hall and the Cockburn Town Medical. The surveyors observed activities, interviewed patients and staff all of which provided them with the required data to award the Diamond level.
This is another proud moment for TCI Hospital and InterHealth Canada TCI Ltd.
Bambarra Rum sponsors TCI Rally Team
Stan Hartling and Paul Horton are heading to Barbados this week in preparation for the Rally Barbados international racing event, which is being held from Friday, May 29th until Sunday, May 31st.
The event is one of the largest motor sport events in the Caribbean with approximately 100 race teams competing from over 17 countries, including some from as far away as New Zealand.
Over 20,000 spectators normally line the roads at this annual Barbados event in a carnival type atmosphere, with music, food and drinks everywhere. This is the 25th year that Rally Barbados has been hosted so the festivities and attendance are expected to be at an all time high.
Bambarra Rum is helping to raise the profile of TCI in the event and is sponsoring the highly modified BMW M3 that will be driven by Stan Hartling. The BMW will be fully wrapped in Bambarra Rum livery as will be the team’s race suits and spectator shirts.
More than 25 people, including members of the Bambarra Rum organization, are scheduled to fly to Barbados to cheer on the Turks and Caicos team and enjoy the racing action.
Stan Hartling expressed his sincere gratitude and excitement to Hon. Galmo Williams and Althea Ewing Williams for their support in helping to bring more awareness to motorsport and to TCI’s involvement at such events. “Bambarra Rum is now the “Racing” Spirit of the Turks and Caicos Islands” he stated.
Hartling will be working hard to gain back some of his position against Horton after a shattered rim and shock tower left him out early in last month’s Shake Down event in Barbados.
Horton will be running his Mark I Vintage Escort that is boasting a new Duratec engine in the Super Modified 7 group, while Hartling’s BMW will be running in the Super Modified 12 class. Horton presently is going into the up coming event holding an impressive 1st place in SM7 with Hartling at 3rd in SM 12.