Egypt's Morsi Faces New Trial
Ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, already on trial for allegedly inciting violence, also will be tried on charges of insulting the judiciary.
Egypt's state-run news agency reported Sunday that just before the military threw him out of power, Mr. Morsi accused a judge of election fraud during a speech.
The former president already is being tried for inciting violence that led to the deaths of protesters. He also is facing two other trials -- one for alleged spying and another on charges of organizing a prison break.
Leaders of Mr. Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood movement also face similar charges.
Egypt's military overthrew Mr. Morsi in July when the opposition accused him of grabbing too much power.
Source-Voice Of America
Eight Candidates Listed for CAR Interim Presidency
Lawmakers in the Central African Republic have shortlisted eight candidates, including two sons of former presidents, to become interim leader and pull the country out of months of turmoil and factional killings.
The members of a transitional assembly are to select one as president on Monday after former leader Michel Djotodia resigned under international pressure over his failure to end the bloodshed.
Among eight candidates selected from an initial field of 24 are Sylvain Patasse, whose father was the country's only democratically elected leader and governed from 1993 to 2003.
Also chosen was Desire Zanga-Kolingba, whose father took power in a coup and ruled from 1981 to 1993. The current mayor of Bangui, Catherine Samba-Panza, is also in the running as is a second female candidate, Regina Konzi-Mongo.
Excluded from standing for president are any political officials who worked for Djotodia, party leaders, active soldiers and anyone who has belonged to a militia or rebel group in the last 20 years.
Source-Voice Of America
Iraq Forces Assault Militants in Ramadi
Iraqi tribal militias backed by police special forces and helicopter gunships have launched an offensive to push al-Qaida-linked militants from Ramadi, the capital of western Anbar province.
Iraqi officials said ground forces retook a police station Sunday as they moved into key neighborhoods of the largely Sunni Arab city. They said the fighting was continuing late Sunday, but gave no further details.
A group called The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant - an al-Qaida offshoot also fighting in Syria - and its local allies overran parts of Ramadi and the nearby city of Fallujah earlier this month.
Iraqi army units have deployed around Fallujah, but Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has ruled out an assault for now, saying the city's tribes must evict al-Qaida militants themselves.
Hours after the offensive on Ramadi was announced, Mr. Maliki blamed "diabolical" and "treacherous" Arab countries for supporting the unrest, and insisted he was "confident that the Iraqi people will defeat terrorism."
He did not single out specific countries, but Iraqi officials have alleged Saudi Arabia and Qatar in particular have supported disaffected Sunni Arabs in western Iraq as they have staged anti-government protests in the past year.
The militant takeovers in Ramadi and Fallujah came after security forces of Iraq's Shi'ite-led government broke up a Sunni protest camp and arrested an outspoken Sunni lawmaker.
Elsewhere Sunday, gunmen opened fire on a checkpoint run by a pro-government Sunni tribal militia outside the city of Baquba, killing the local leader and four assistants. The former al-Qaida stronghold is about 60 kilometers northeast of the capital, Baghdad.
Such Sunni "Awakening" militias were formed by U.S. forces during the height of Iraq's sectarian warfare. Al-Qaida-linked groups view them as traitors.
Sunday's fighting in Ramadi came as Jordan said it would host a U.S. training program for Iraqi forces following a request from Washington.
Two years after U.S. troops left Iraq, violence has soared to its highest levels since the Sunni-Shi'ite bloodletting of 2006-2007, when tens of thousands of people were killed.
The United Nations says nearly 9,000 people died violently in Iraq last year, all but 1,050 of them civilians.
Twenty Pakistani Soldiers Killed in Bomb Blast
A bombing claimed by the Pakistani Taliban has killed at least 20 Pakistani soldiers and wounded 30 others.
The explosion on Sunday ripped through a military convoy as it prepared to leave the town of Bannu to go to the North Waziristan tribal region, a stronghold for al-Qaida-linked militants.
Officials of Pakistan's army said the bomb was planted in a civilian vehicle that had been rented locally to transport the troops. The army says it frequently hires vehicles from the local population.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. A spokesman said the group will "carry out more such attacks in the future."
Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the bombing and canceled his trip to this week's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The Taliban has conducted a bloody insurgency against the Pakistani state since 2007. The bombing Sunday was the biggest against Pakistani security forces in months.
Michael Misick bailed: Turks and Caicos SIPT Update
Former Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), Michael Misick, was released on conditional bail by the TCI Supreme Court today, Monday, 13 January 2014.
Mr Misick faces charges of conspiracy to receive bribes, conspiracy to defraud government, and money laundering related to his time in office. He will appear next at the TCI Supreme Court for a sufficiency hearing on Friday, 7 March 2014.
The Supreme Court has ordered that the terms of Misick’s bail are not to be made public.
Misick’s bail application was initially rejected by a Magistrate on Tuesday, 7 January 2014, before being accepted on appeal by the Turks and Caicos Supreme Court later in the day. While his bail was agreed, the conditions were not met, and he was remanded in custody at Her Majesty’s Prison Grand Turk, from where he was released today.
Michael Misick was arrested December by 2012 by Brazilian Federal Police acting on a provisional arrest warrant.
Arrest was sought by the TCI Special Investigation and Prosecution Team, who then submitted formal extradition papers in January 2013. He arrived back in TCI on Tuesday, 7 January 2014.
There are 11 defendants on related charges who are scheduled to face trial on 7 July 2014. These are: Floyd Basil Hall; McAllister Eugene Hanchell, Lillian Elaine Boyce, Jeffrey Cristoval Hall, Clayton Stanfield Greene, Thomas Chalmers Misick, Lisa Michelle Hall, Melbourne Arthur Wilson, Quinton Albert Hall, Earlson McDonald Robinson, Norman Saunders Jnr.
Co-charged developer Richard Michael Padgett has already pled guilty to bribery and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and will be sentenced on 31st March 2014.
STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF BORDER CONTROL AND LABOR ON MDDLE CAICOS
Following reports this morning of unrest in the neighboring island of Middle Caicos, over perceived irregularities in the hiring of labourers in a Government-award contract for the cleaning of the roads in that island, Hon. Donhue Gardiner, Minister of Border Control and Labour released this statement.
“I am aware of the demonstration that took place in Middle Caicos today. I have today instructed my Ministry to dispatch a Senior Labor Inspector and an Assistant Director of Immigration to Middle Caicos to investigate this matter. I will also be calling on the Cabinet to review the manner in which these contracts are awarded at the next meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday. I will further ask for a full review of the contracts that pertain to this incident, and where the hiring practices are in breach of the contract, the necessary actions will be undertaken. It is my view that contracts should only be awarded to individuals, who are prepared to exercise hiring practices, wherever possible, that would benefit the communities in which these works are to be done.”
“I am dismayed that contractors would, by their hiring practices, sideline and bypasses Turks and Caicos Islanders, and bring disrepute to a Government Program that was meant keep our Turks and Caicos roads clean and beautiful and in addition, assist the unemployed to find temporary work.”
RTC news will continue to follow this story and may have further updates later.
January 12-17 is Earthquake and Tsunami Awareness Week in the TCI
On January 12, 2014, Haiti and the world will mark the anniversary of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake which hit the island of Haiti on January 12, 2010. The devastating earthquake was followed by at least 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5. About three million people were affected by the quake, 316,000 of them lost their lives. 300,000 were left wounded and over a million people were made homeless. According to the Haitian government, it is estimated that 250,000 residence buildings and 30,000 commercial buildings collapsed or were severely damaged.
Today the Turks and Caicos Islands will join the world to commemorate the event by declaring January 12-17 as Earthquake and Tsunami Awareness Week.
The Turks and Caicos Islands lie on the North American plate, approximately 150 kilometres to the north of the Puerto Rico Trench. The Puerto Rico Trench is an active plate boundary that marks the plate boundary between the North American and Caribbean Plates. This region has experienced major earthquakes and is the source of several Caribbean tsunamis the most notable being Haiti in 2010.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the Haiti Earthquake was felt in Cockburn Town and Cockburn Harbour. During this period, the DDME seizes the opportunity to recall that initially after the Haiti earthquake many persons in the TCI felt a few of the aftershocks and the TCI was placed on a tsunami watch. Chaos ensued as many persons were not sure how to respond, some took to the streets, the DDME office phones were constantly ringing with persons seeking pertinent information etc. In this regard, we would like to increase our public awareness for these specific hazards in order to ensure that in the event that there is another earthquake that as a country our people will be better prepared to respond.
Based on 2013 seismic analysis undertaken as part of the of the TCI Building Code under the Hurricane Ike Recovery and Rehabilitation Project, the USGS’ Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Programme (GSHAP) states that there is a low to moderate level of susceptibility in the Turks and Caicos Islands to seismic activity. This is contrary to the view shared by the populace that the Turks and Caicos Islands’ susceptibility to earthquakes is low.
Based on this finding, the seismic coefficients which have been incorporated into the new Building Code reflect the higher levels of susceptibility. In summary, based on the information available the assumption is that the whole of the TCI islands fall into Site Class D. Following the International Building Code standards this means that buildings in the TCI fall into Seismic Design Category D, which prohibits unreinforced masonry and concrete walls without “special” ductile detailing. This design category also gives height limits on other forms of construction e.g. light weight timber frames.
The updated Building Code will be released by the Planning Department in early February and design professionals and contractors are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the new building code and the improved seismic safety criteria and requirements it contains.
In order to mark the anniversary of the Haiti earthquake DDME will be undertaking the following activities:
a. Promotion of Earthquake and Tsunami Education in schools
b. Distribution of Earthquake and Tsunami pamphlets, posters and brochures in the community
c. Special prayer in church for the people of Haiti who are still recovering following the event in 2010
d. Carry out an earthquake drill in a community
e. Secondment of the Public and Information Officer to Jamaica to observe and participate in their yearly earthquake and tsunami campaign as a means of skills transfer.
The DDME is also encouraging the residents to visit our Facebook Page to garner tips on earthquakes and tsunamis and ways in which you may protect you and your family.
CONTESTANTS IN PREPARATION TO COMPETE FOR THE NATION’S MOST COVETED TITLE
A beautiful bevy of ladies are in preparation to compete in the nation’s leading and most anticipated national competition of all time, the Miss Universe Turks and Caicos Pageant. Ranging from age 18 to 24, the contestants label themselves as beautiful, clever, affable and having the willpower to become a beauty ambassador.
Commencing Sunday, January 12th at Rock It Hot Fitness Studios, the soon to be unveiled contestants enrolled in a sixteen weeks coaching programme facilitated by the Miss Universe Turks and Caicos Beauty Org. (MTCUBO) with former Miss Universe Turks and Caicos Titleholders Wenieka Ewing and Shaveena Been as instructors. Ewing and Been are also officials of the MTCUBO.
“Training and coaching are key elements. It is our goal to not only produce a Miss Turks and Caicos Beauty Queen, but a Miss Universe title winner. We want the finest beauty ambassador to represent us on the international scene. There is an abundance of benefits to be gained from the pageant’s overall experience other than winning prizes and making fabulous appearances”, said Wenieka Ewing.
“We are not only grooming young ladies for a pageant but developing and empowering respectable young ladies of our society. There are six beautiful young caterpillars that will blossom into six beautiful butterflies. This is a journey that will change their lives forever” Ewing added.
The unveiling of the ‘Sassy Six’ will take place at 10:00am, January 27th, at a Meet the Press event at Beaches TCI Resort Villages and Spa.
March 26th – 29th, the pageant calendar will see the addition of Turks and Caicos Islands Fashion Week; a stage for cultural expression already dubbed the premiere fashion, design and style event of the country. TCIFW celebrates the work of fashion artists, craftspeople and other creators with an effervescence all of its own. All contestants are required to walk the runway for designers’ presentations at TCIFW’s Grand Runway Fashion Show “the grand finale” on March 29th hosted by America’s Next Top Model star Bianca Golden at Brayton Hall, Providenciales. www.TCIFW.com.
Miss Turks and Caicos Beauty Pageant National Events of 2014 will take place April 24th – 26th with a grand contestants’ and partners’ motorcade on the Thursday the 24th, and an exciting two nights of competitions on Friday the 25th and Saturday the 26th at Brayton Hall, Providenciales. In lead up to the coronation of the new Miss Universe Turks and Caicos Titleholder, there will be a number of promotional and community happenings, cocktail parties and appearances to showcase the contestants.
A ‘Denim and Diamonds’ fundraising party is schedule for January 31st at Zanzi Bar and Restaurant where attendees will enjoy all the evening has to offer whilst giving support to the production of the MTCUBO calendar of events. Tickets are only $25.00. To view the Miss Turks and Caicos Universe Beauty Organization full calendar of events and for ticket information visit www.MissTCI.org.
To date, the Miss Turks and Caicos 2014 Pageant partners are the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board, Saint George Fashion House, Digicel TCI, Beaches Resort Villages and Spa., interCaribbean Airways, Rock It Hot Fitness Center, Power 92.5FM, Kiss 102.5FM, SUN TCI Newspaper, TCI Weekly Newspaper, Everything TCI, Gilley’s Enterprises Ltd., Zanzi Bar and Restaurant, Villa Del Mar and The Regent Palms Resort.
Woman robbed by two men on Bible Street in Provo
Detectives of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) are appealing for witnesses after a 26-year-old woman was robbed at knifepoint in Blue Hills.
About 6:25PM yesterday (Thursday 09th January 2014), a 26-year-old woman was robbed on Bible Street, Blue Hills.
Two men, armed with knives, approached her. They threatened the woman and demanded her bag. The 26-year-old woman gave them her bag and they fled. The bag, which was brown in color, contained a sum of cash, various ID cards and a Samsung cellphone.
Police responded to the location of the incident and established a crime scene, which was examined by specialist forensic officers.
The two Black males were wearing a navy blue shirt, black pants with a red shirt covering his face and the other was dressed in a red shirt and black pants with a black shirt covering his face.
Detectives from the RTCIPF are investigating this incident and urge anyone with information about those responsible for the robbery to contact police.
Police are urging anyone with information about this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1-800-8477 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: www.crimestoppers.tc. Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.
2013 ends with weakest job growth in years
The job market suddenly looks a lot weaker than economists' had thought.
Hiring slumped sharply in December, as the economy added only 74,000 jobs, according to the government. This was the weakest month for job growth since January 2011 and came as a huge surprise to economists, who were expecting an addition of 193,000 jobs.
For all of 2013, the economy added 2.2 million jobs -- on par with 2012's gains.
Some economists believe December's weak job gains could be a fluke, given other solid data recently. They expect the government to revise the numbers higher in the months ahead.
"Just about every other measure of job growth suggests that employers are either hiring or intending to hire, extending hours and laying off fewer people," said Tim Hopper, chief economist for TIAA-CREF.
"Let's not panic," said Heidi Hartmann, president of the Institute for Women's Policy Research, adding that "it's not a horrible year, all things considered."
The government also noted that "unusually cold weather in parts of the country" could have had some impact on construction jobs for example. That sector lost 16,000 jobs in December.
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate fell to 6.7% in December, but the drop came mainly from workers leaving the labor force.
Job market dropouts could be doing other things, like retiring, enrolling in educational programs or taking care of relatives. But many have simply given up hope of finding work.
Only 62.8% of the adult population is participating in the labor market now -- meaning they either have a job or are looking for one. That matches the lowest level since 1978.
In the job market's 2007 heyday, unemployment was under 5%, but in the two years that followed, the recession wiped out 8.7 million jobs. To this day, not all those jobs have returned.
Source-CNNMoney