Syria's Assad Sworn In for New 7-Year Term
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been sworn in for a new seven-year term following an election; the opposition and its Western allies have dismissed the election as a sham.
He took the oath of office today Wednesday during a ceremony at the presidential palace in Damascus attended by members of the country's parliament.
Last month Assad won a landslide election held only in government-controlled areas.
Speaking at the ceremony, the president warned that Western and Arab nations that supported what he called "terrorists" would pay a high price. He congratulated the Syrian people for their "victory," telling the crowd that others "wanted it to be a revolution, but you were the real revolutionaries."
The Syrian government routinely refers to rebels opposed to Assad as terrorists.
Western and Arab nations have given money and equipment to help opposition fighters during Syria's nearly three and a half year civil war, but recently Assad's troops have advanced on several fronts against poor-equipped rebels distracted by infighting.
The government says Assad won 89 percent of the June vote with 10 million people casting ballots.
An estimated 170,000 people have been killed and 2.9 million Syrians have fled to neighboring countries since the Syrian conflict began in March 2011. The fighting has forced another 6.5 million people from their homes within Syria.
Aruba Prime Minister on Hunger Strike
Aruba Prime Minister Mike Eman is currently on a hunger strike, protesting alleged interference from the Dutch government in Aruba’s affairs.
Tuesday was the fourth day of Eman’s hunger strike, following a decision by the Dutch government to have Aruba Governor Fredis Rufen-jol carry out an independent investigation of Aruba’s budget and the tenability of the island’s finances.
The Dutch government has maintained that it is concerned about the “sustainability of public finances in Aruba,” including a national debt it says has “doubled in a few years.”
“The budget is a country affair, but the Governor can hold a national ordinance if it goes against Kingdom interests,” Dutch Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk told Parliament yesterday.
Plasterk alleged that Eman had made arrangements with the Dutch government about conducting the independent investigation on July 3rd, but last week expressed that his government did not desire to fulfill the arrangements.
Alleged interference from the Dutch government has long been a sensitive issue for the countries of the Dutch Caribbean.
Citigroup pays $7bn in settlement
Banking giant Citigroup will pay $7bn (£4bn) to US authorities to settle an investigation into risky sub-prime mortgages.
Citigroup will pay $4bn (£bn) to the Department of Justice and $2.5bn for “consumer relief”.
Consumer relief includes investment in affordable homes and mortgage relief.
Following the decision, the bank reported a stronger than predicted quarterly profit, and saw its share price rise by 3.62% to $48.70 (£28.50).
Government investigations
Second-quarter earnings fell by 96% to $181m, but that was after a $3.8bn (£2.2bn) charge related to the settlement.
The settlement stems from the sale of securities made up of sub-prime mortgages, which were at the centre of the 2008 financial crisis.
Citigroup is the second major bank to pay a settlement since President Obama launched an investigation into housing loans.
JPMorgan Chase paid $13bn last year to settle government investigations.
The Citigroup fines are said to have surprised stock analysts and people inside the bank, who had hoped to settle for less.
According to the US Attorney General, Eric Holder, “under the terms of this settlement, the bank has admitted to its misdeeds in great detail”.
He said the settlement “does not absolve Citigroup or its employees from facing any possible criminal charges in the future”.
Citigroup’s chief executive, Michael L Corbat, said that the decision was the right one for shareholders.
“We believe that this settlement is in the best interests of our shareholders, and allows us to move forward and to focus on the future, not the past,” he said.
Investors welcomed the decision, as the company’s share price rose in New York trading.
Source-BBC News
Tough love for Tessanne
Count On My Love, the major label album from Tessanne Chin, debuted on the Billboard charts last week but with paltry sales.
The set, released July 1 by Republic Records (a division of Universal Music) as part of Chin’s prize package for winning season five of NBC's The Voice, sold 6,623 copies in its first week.
Approximately 4,986 copies of Count on My Love were sold digitally which was enough for it to enter Billboard’s Top Digital Album chart at number 20. The difference of 1,637 copies were CDs sold at Walmart stores in the United States.
Its first single, Tumbling Down, failed to chart. The second single, Everything Reminds Me of You, co-produced by Grammy-winning Supa Dups, Mitchum Chin and Willy Chin, was released in May. It has also not made the Billboard charts.
Count On My Love has songs produced by high-profile names such Jerry ‘Wonda’ Duplessis, Norwegian songwriting/production team Stargate, Shama ‘Sak Pase’ Joseph, Mark ‘Exit’ Goodchild and Shauna ‘Sting International’ Pizzonia.
Among the writers who contributed songs are Grammy winner Diane Warren, Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic, Johnny Black and Chuck Harmony.
Count on my Love was released almost seven months after Chin won The Voice, earning her national acclaim in Jamaica. Her husky vocals endeared her to judges on the show, especially Adam Levine, Chin's coach.
Count On My Love's low returns are a stark contrast to previous winners of The Voice. In fact, Chin’s set is the lowest in terms of first-week sales.
Season one winner Javier Colon’s self-titled debut for Universal Republic which was released in 2011, began with 9,974 copies. To date the album has sold just under 50,000 copies.
Season three winner Cassadee Pope who is signed to Republic Nashville, got 43,000 copies of her Frame by Frame album last year. Up to April this year, that album has sold 170,000 copies.
Danielle Bradbery, the Season four winner is signed to Big Machine Records. Her self-titled debut opened with 41,000 copies in November last year. To date the album has sold 136,000 copies.
Season two winner Jermaine Paul and Season six winner Josh Kaufman are yet to release albums.
Chin is on The Voice Summer Tour which began June 21. It wraps up August 2.
Observer Writer-Kevin Jackson
Source-Jamaica Observer
Actor Tracey Morgan suing Walmart
US actor Tracy Morgan is suing Walmart for negligence, after being badly injured last month when one of the retail giant's trucks rear-ended his stretch limousine, CNN reported Saturday.
The crash on a New Jersey highway killed Morgan's friend and fellow comic James McNair and injured other passengers in the vehicle.
"The defendants' negligence was a substantial contributing factor in causing plaintiffs' injuries," CNN said, quoting from the complaint filed in court on Thursday.
Morgan, 45, was critically injured in the crash, suffering broken ribs, a broken nose and a broken leg.
The accident occurred when the Emmy-nominated former star of "30 Rock" and "Saturday Night Live" alumnus was heading home from a stand-up performance in the East Coast state of Delaware.
CNN and other US news media quoted a Walmart statement calling the accident "a terrible tragedy."
"We are deeply sorry that one of our trucks was involved. As we've said, we're cooperating fully in the ongoing investigation. We know it will take some time to resolve all of the remaining issues as a result of the accident, but we're committed to doing the right thing for all involved," the statement read.
Source-AP
Jason Derulo for Sumfest International Night I
American singer-songwriter Jason Derulo will make his Jamaican debut at Reggae Sumfest’s International Night I on Friday, July 18.
The annual week-long festival is scheduled for Catherine Hall Entertainment Centre in Montego Bay, St James, from Sunday, July 13 to Saturday, July 19.
Derulo, whose parents are from Haiti, has been in the music business since age 16. He started his career as a producer and writer for acts such as Danity Kane, Sean Kingston, Lil Wayne, Cassidy, Iyaz and Lady Gaga.
As a singer, he is known for hits such as Talk Dirty, Ridin Solo, In My Head, and Whatcha Say.
Neil Young gig in Israel pulled amid security fears
The veteran rock singer, Neil Young, has cancelled a concert in Israel amid fears it could be targeted by Palestinian militants.
Hundreds of rockets have been fired into Israel from neighbouring Gaza in the last week with Israel carrying out a number of air strikes.
Tel Aviv police said the cancellation was because of the security risks.
A spokesman for the Canadian singer said the show was pulled "with heavy hearts and deep sadness".
In a statement on music website Pitchfork, Young's spokesman said the concert could not go ahead "due to tensions which have rendered the event unsafe at this time".
It added that Young would miss the opportunity to play for his fans and looked forward "to playing in Israel and Palestine in peace."
About 30,000 tickets had been sold for the concert, which was scheduled to go ahead on 17 July in a Tel Aviv park.
It would have been the first time Neil Young, and his band, Crazy Horse, have performed in Israel since the 1990s.
Palestinian officials say 172 people in Gaza have been killed since Israel launched Operation Protective Edge against Palestinian militants last Tuesday.
Israel says nearly 1,000 rockets have been fired from Gaza in that time.
Young himself issued a statement saying he would "be making donations to both the Louise & Tillie Alpert Youth Music Centre of Israel, and Heartbeat, two organizations that teach music to Palestinian and Israeli youth simultaneously by enabling them to play music together".
Source-BBC
Quality Kings advance to the final
In cricket, Quality Super Kings advanced to the finals as they demoralize Jam Turks when the TCIC T20 Cricket Competition continued on Sunday 13th of July 2014 at Downtown Ball Park in Providenciales.
Batting first, after being inserted by Jam Turk, Quality Super Kings scored 142 runs for 6 wickets from 20 overs.
The top score came from Captain Ebbon Caesar with 38 runs, which consisted of 7x4 while Naga Khuthlingham chipped in 22 runs, consisting of 4x4’s.
Bowling for Jam Turk Ian Heath took 2 wickets for 22 runs from 4 overs and Robert Johnson had 2 wickets from 29 runs from 4 overs.
When Jam Turk batted they were skittle out for a paltry 38 runs, being the lowest score of the competition. Bowling for Quality Super Kings Winck Caleb snatched 4 wickets for 9 runs from 2.5 overs and Sheldon Henry captured 3 wickets for 4 runs from 2 overs. Walter Henry took 2 wickets from 18 runs from 2 overs.
Man of the match was Winck Caleb
TCI Hotel Executive Elected to CHTA Board
Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) elected a new slate of officers at its Annual General Meeting held in Miami early this month and for the first time one of TCI's top hotel executives was elected to serve the membership of CHTA for the 2014-16 biennium.
Regent Palms' General Manger Karen Whitt and TCHTA's Board Member was appointed 3rd Vice President and will work closely with the regional body in order to take a much stronger and more visible position on matters of regional concern such as the need for affordable airlift, the impact of climate change and sustainability.
Commenting on the recent appointment, TCHTA's Executive Director Stacy Cox noted, Karen's commitment and dedication as a TCHTA Director and TCI hotel executive will no doubt be mirrored in her new role as CHTA's 3rd Vice President. “Her election to this Board will give us a greater voice as we address challenges faced, challenges which many of our regional counterparts also face and her presence no doubt will provide TCI greater visibility and input in the development of tourism in the Caribbean region," said Ms. Cox.
CHTA's new officers include:
- President - Emil Lee, General Manager, Princes Heights Hotel, St. Maarten
- 1st Vice President -Karolin Troubetzkoy, President, St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association and owner and executive director of Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain Resort, St. Lucia
- 2nd Vice President - Stuart Bowe , president, Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association and senior vice president and general manager of Coral Towers at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas
- 3rd Vice President - Karen Whitt, director, Turks & Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association and general manager, Regent Palms Turks & Caicos
- 4th Vice President - Patricia Affonso Dass, immediate past president, Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association and general manager of Ocean Two Resort & Residences, Barbados
- 5th Vice President - William "Bill" Clegg, regional vice president, Franchise Service and Programs for Choice Hotels International
Treasurer - James Hepple, president and CEO, Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association
Court Rulings on NIB Matters Held July 9th & 10th 2014, Providenciales
The NIB had several matters dealt with in the Magistrate’s Court, Providenciales this week – the majority of them have been postponed.
On Wednesday July 9th 2014 Secretary for Caicos Beach Club Resort Ltd. Mr. A.C. Durham and Caicos Beach Club Resort Ltd. appeared in the South Caicos Magistrates Court to answer to complaints filed by the National Insurance Board for failing to pay NIB contributions and additional charges as an employer in the amount of $39,824.71. Legal Assistant John Ewing appeared and represented NIB in the matter. An agreement was reached to pay NIB the amount of $5000.00 by Monday July 14th 2014 and thereafter, $5000.00 at the end of each month until the full amount is extinguished.
Legal Assistant John Ewing appeared on behalf of the National Insurance Board.
On Tuesday July 8th 2014, McAllister Hanchell of Al’s Services appeared in the Providenciales Magistrate’s Court to answer to complaints file by the National Insurance Board for failing to pay NIB contributions and additional charges as an employer in the amount of $15,264.67. The matter was adjourned for September 4th 2014 pending settlement.
On Tuesday July 8th 2014, Wayne Jackson of TCIPS Foundation was scheduled to appear in the Providenciales Magistrate’s Court to answer to complaints filed by the National Insurance Board for failing to pay NIB contributions and additional charges as an employer in the amount of $14,538.98. Legal Assistant John Ewing appeared and represented NIB in the matter the defendant failed to appear resulting in a warrant being issued for his arrest. The matter was adjourned for Tuesday July 15th 2014.
On Wednesday July 9th 2014 Secretary for Caicos Beach Club Resort Ltd. Mr. A.C. Durham and Caicos Beach Club Resort Ltd. appeared in the South Caicos Magistrates Court to answer to complaints filed by the National Insurance Board for failing to pay NIB contributions and additional charges as an employer in the amount of $39,824.71. Legal Assistant John Ewing appeared and represented NIB in the matter. An agreement was reached to pay NIB the amount of $5000.00 by Monday July 14th 2014 and thereafter, $5000.00 at the end of each month until the full amount is extinguished.
Legal Assistant John Ewing appeared on behalf of the National Insurance Board.
Wednesday July 9, 2014
NIB v Caribbean Security Services Ltd, Marc Bernier and Kerlin Smith for failing to pay national insurance contributions and additional charges in the amount of US $201, 789.68 for the period June 2012 to May 2013. Mr. Smith was the only defendant present. After submissions by the attorneys for both parties Mr. Smith accepted responsibility for payment of the debt and asked that he be given time to work out a settlement agreement with the NIB. The matter was then adjourned to August 7, 2014 to give Mr. Smith an opportunity to work out a settlement agreement with the NIB. Legal Counsel Mr. Leroy Tull represented the NIB in this matter.
NIB v Norma Goodridge on an application for judgment summons in the amount of US $23,200.00. Mrs. Goodridge was not present and the matter was adjourned to August 7, 2014 at 10:00am for a means hearing.
NIB v Romeo Rondell Higgs for failing to pay national insurance contributions and additional charges in the amount of US $12, 519.63 for the period July 2012 to June 2013. Mr. Higgs did not appear and is re-summoned for court on August 7, 2014 at 10:00am.
Thursday July 10, 2014
The part-heard trial of the matter NIB v Security Centre Ltd, Rhynie Campbell and Marc Bernier for failing to pay contributions and additional charges in the amount of US $320,028.63 continued in Magistrate’s Court # 2. Mr. Campbell was cross-examined by in-house attorney at law, Mr. Leroy Tull for the NIB and re-examined by his attorney Mr. Melbourne Wilson. The matter has been adjourned to September 24, 2014 at 9:00am for closing submissions by the attorneys representing both parties.
Legal Officer Leroy Tull appeared on behalf of the NIB.