Brazil to face Columbia on Friday
Brazil will face Colombia today for a spot in the World Cup semi-final. Everybody expects a tough game for Brazil, which is hosting the tournament. In a country where soccer is king, every Brazilian has an opinion on the national team.
As was expected before the tournament, Brazil finished first in group A. However, the team's style received a lot of criticism. The last game against Chile in the round of 16 did not quiet the criticism. Brazil could not win during the 90-minute game or in overtime. Instead, Brazil qualified through penalty kicks. Neymar, the striker, is a star, but his teammates do not have his talent and the 22-year-old player often seems alone on the field.
Brazil has scored 8 goals in 4 games, but Colombia has scored 11 times. James Rodriguez, the World Cup’s top scorer and the new Colombian superstar, scored five of those goals.
Fans still hope the odds are in favor of Brazil, which has won 5 trophies, a record in World Cup history. Paul Camargo hopes Brazil will add a sixth cup.
Church Softball Games saw big plays in Providenciales
The exciting Church Softball league continued last night at the National Stadium.
In the first game of the evening, it was Paradise Baptist VS St. Monica’s Church that seemed like a walk in the park. St. Monica’s won that game in the third inning because of the Ten run rule, with the final score resulting in St. Monica’s 11 to Paradise 1.
In the second game between the Romans Catholic & Jericho Baptist,this game provided entertaining plays for the fans; the score was tied 2 all up to the 5th inning, in the top of the 5th, Jericho was able to score another 2 runs to put the score 4 to 2.
In the bottom of the 5th, the Romans set up to bat, they needed 2 to tie or 3 to win, with two out and bases loaded all they need now was 2 runs. The play was made, the batter hit his ball down to 3rd base line, which was missed by the third baseman, and they scored 2 runs allowing Romans to win 5 to 4.
Games will continue on Monday with Harvest VS Bethany and Abundant Life VS Prophecy.
KB Homes challenges Quality Super Kings in T20 cricket
The TCICA T20 Cricket competition will continue on Sunday 6 July 2014 at the Down Town Ball Park, in Providenciales.
This is a game not to be missed between KB Homes as they do battle with Quality Super Kings.
Match starts at 12 pm.
World Bank commits US$10.2 billion to boost Caribbean economic growth
The World Bank says it has committed US$10.2 billion this year to support Latin America and the Caribbean efforts to boost economic growth and maintain historic social gains.
The Washington-based financial institution said that the amount included resources from its International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).
The World Bank’s IBRD and IDA “maintained its strong support for the region” by approving more than US$5.1 billion in new loans in fiscal year 2014, US$4.6 billion from IBRD and US$455 million from IDA, the bank’s fund for the poorest countries, the statement said.
“Support was aimed at generating opportunities for all through public and private sector projects that expand public services, improve regional productivity, competitiveness and integration, create new quality jobs and assist those most in need,” said the bank, adding that Haiti received US$103 million in IDA grants.
US jury finds Jamaican national guilty of sex trafficking
A Jamaican national has been found guilty for his role in an international sex trafficking operation.
Damion St. Patrick Baston, 37, was convicted on three counts of sex trafficking – both in the United States and Australia – five counts of transporting multiple individuals for prostitution, one count of importation of an alien for prostitution and one count of using a passport secured by false statement.
Baston was also convicted on one count of aggravated identity theft and nine counts of money laundering.
In addition, he was found guilty of illegally re-entering the United States after being previously deported.
According to court documents, Baston victimized seven women in the Middle East, Australia and the United States.
Baston is scheduled to be sentenced on September 5 before US District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga, who presided over the trial. He faces between 15 years and life in prison.
Six victims “bravely testified” at trial that they had been trafficked for sex beginning in 2011 in various cities, including Miami, according to the documents.
Baston had been ordered removed from the United States in the late 1990s but stole the identity of an American citizen, which he used to obtain a Florida ID card and US passport.
He used this false identity for international travel as he continued to recruit and victimize women, court records reveal.
“This case brought us halfway around the world to ensure justice for the victims,” said Alysa D. Erichs, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) Miami.
“HSI, along with our federal and international law enforcement partners, will continue to work diligently to ensure international boundaries do not hinder the enforcement of justice,” she added.
US Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer said “the bravery of the victims in this case is commendable,” adding that their testimony demonstrated that, “despite the terrible abuse that they suffered from this defendant, they are truly survivors.
“We can never forget that human trafficking is a heinous crime that exploits people; it simply cannot be tolerated. This case was the result of the hard work and coordination of the South Florida Human Trafficking Task Force in Miami, including our federal prosecutors, as well as that of law enforcement officers and non-governmental organizations in Australia and the Dubai Police Department” he added.
Ferrer said it was also the first time that the US used the recently-enacted extraterritorial jurisdiction provision of the anti-trafficking laws to charge someone for sex trafficking that occurred in another country.
“Working with our dedicated law enforcement partners here and abroad we have ensured that Baston will be unable to continue to exploit more women,”he said.
Source-CMC
CARICOM establishes commission to debate decriminalisation of ganja
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders have agreed to the establishment of a Commission to further the debate on the decriminalisation of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
CARICOM Secretary General Irwin La Rocque told reporters that while the composition of the Commission are yet to be determined it will most likely be made up of experts “in their field.
“The objective of such a Commission on marijuana is to conduct an inquiry into the social, economic, health and legal issues surrounding marijuana use in the Caribbean.”
World Cup drunkenness worries Fifa
FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke has expressed concern about the level of drunkeness in Brazil's World Cup stadiums.
Brazil had banned alcohol in stadiums, but football's governing body insisted on an exemption for the World Cup. Beer multinational Anheuser-Busch InBev, is a major FIFA sponsor.
"I was struck and worried by the level of drunkeness of many supporters who do not behave well because of this" in stadiums, Valcke told the SportTV channel late Tuesday in comments broadcast in Portuguese.
"When people drink too much alcohol that can increase the level of violence," the FIFA number two added.
Despite FIFA's pressure to allow beer in the 12 World Cup stadiums, Valcke said controls could be imposed.
"FIFA will never decide anything that puts the organisation of matches at risk. We will always take safety into account and if we believe it should be controlled, it (beer sales) will be controlled," Valcke said.
He acknowledged that it could be a difficult move.
The Brazilian government had to pass a controversial special law authorising beer sales for the World Cup. The law banning alcohol was passed to prevent violence.
"FIFA made the request because we did the same thing for the other World Cups and we did not have a problem," said Valcke. "But it is something we will have to examine," he added.
Source-AFP
TI Summa Jam clears Queens Controversy
Organizers of the longest running festival, the annual T I Summajam wrapped up their festival on Friday night.
But apparently their was a bit of controversary at the festival with. Rita Gardiner joined the Meenie Man on the Block party to set the record straight after the show.
{mp3}Rita on TI Summa Jam{/mp3}
Rita Gardiner on RTC
J&T founders implicated in criminal proceedings
Former Premier of the TCI, Michael Missick is under further investigation by the Czech anti-corruption police, which have started investigating the case of bribery connected with the Turks and Caicos Islands.
In a news release issued on the wire by Lidové noviny or (LN), states Police suspect the Slovak financier Mario Hoffmann, J&T co-founders Ivan Jaka-bovič and Patrik Tkáč, partner Peter Kor-bačka and former Turks and Caicos Premier Michael Misick of bribery and money laundering.
The case is supervised by a Prague district state attorney's office, and the criminal proceedings are being prepared, its spokesman Šárka Pokorná said.
Investigators will decide whether the suspects will be accused.
The news agency states that Hoffmann allegedly planned an investment in a luxurious residential complex, including a golf resort on Salt Cay for some 600 million dollars and that Hoffmann allegedly gave a bribe to the Turks and Caicos government officials, which the J&T Bank arranged.
According to detectives, Hoffmann and J&T Bank representatives tried to cover up the fraud
The businessmen have denied any wrongdoing.
We’ll have more on this story as it develops.
10 Best Island Beaches Around the World” List
Long Bay Beach, the address for the Shore Club Turks and Caicos, has been named a favourite on the “Top International Islands for Beaches” by Condé Nast Traveler.
Condé Nast described Providenciales as, “Surrounded by the world’s third largest barrier reef, all of the beaches here are protected from ocean surges and most are completely waveless. Long Bay is one of the least developed.”
Hartling Group CEO Stan Hartling says that Long Bay Beach is that and more. “I used to live on Long Bay Beach, so I truly appreciate how genuinely idyllic and special this beautiful stretch of sand on Providenciales really is. When I decided to create the Shore Club – the first commercial development on Long Bay – I took the undertaking very seriously to ensure that our resort complements the magnificent landscape.”
Long Bay Beach is located on the southeast shore of Providenciales. It is 2.4 miles long and sparsely populated with luxury residences. The water is shallow and clear, making the beach ideal for various water sports. Constant tradewinds on this coast invite kite boarders and windsurfers to test their skills.
The Shore Club is now under construction. The $100 million condominium hotel is the third project by the award winning Hartling Group on Providenciales. The Shore Club features 38 condos and six luxury villas on a nine-acre parcel of land occupying 820 feet of beachfront on Long Bay. Cayman Islands’ DECCO, a Dart Enterprises company, is providing construction financing and management.