33 dead in Peru bus crash
A packed passenger bus tumbled into a river near the Peruvian city of Trujillo early Saturday, killing at least 33 people, state media reported, citing regional authorities.
The bus was carrying 43 seated passengers, but there were many others standing in the aisle, leading authorities to believe the death toll might rise, according to ANDINA, the state-run news agency.
Among the dead were many doctors and nurses, the agency reported.
Photos from the scene showed the mangled wreckage of the red bus in the middle of small rapids on the rocky Moche River, flanked on either side by steep green slopes.
The bus was heading from Huamacho to Trujillo when it went off the road and into the river, local police told ANDINA. Authorities believe the accident happened around 4:10 a.m. (5:10 a.m. ET), the agency reported.
9 Dead in Pakistan Blast
Pakistani police say a bomb blast on a bus killed nine people Saturday near the northwestern city of Peshawar.
Police say at least 15 people were injured in the blast in the suburban town of Matani.
No one has claimed responsibility for the bombing. Peshawar is frequently targeted by Pakistani Taliban as security forces have carried out several offensives against them and other militant groups in that area.
Kerry hails Chinese North Korea pledge
US Secretary of State John Kerry says China is "very serious" about a pledge to help resolve tensions over North Korea's nuclear programme.
The US and China earlier said they were committed to the "denuclearisation" of the Korean peninsula.
Mr Kerry said the two sides would hold further meetings "to bear down very quickly" on how to achieve that goal.
North Korea has recently threatened attacks against South Korea and the US, amid a flurry of bellicose statements.
Speculation has also built that the North was preparing a missile launch, following reports that it had moved at least two Musudan ballistic missiles to its east coast.
Mr Kerry has said any such launch would be a "huge mistake".
After a day of meetings in Beijing with President Xi Jinping and other top Chinese officials on Saturday, he said both governments called on North Korea "to refrain from any provocative steps and that obviously refers to any future missile shoot".
Mr Kerry, who is on a four-day tour of Asia, continues to Japan on Sunday.
Pope picks cardinals to advise on Vatican reform
The Catholic Church's new leader has appointed a group of top churchmen to advise him on how to reform the Vatican's often arcane bureaucracy.
Pope Francis chose eight cardinals and a bishop who between them represent nearly every continent, and only one of whom is currently a Vatican official.
The bureaucracy, or Curia, has been blamed for the Church's hesitant response to sex abuse and other crises.
It is nearly 50 years since the Vatican's last major reforms.
The cardinals who elected Pope Francis last month were strongly critical about basic failings of the Curia under Pope Emeritus Benedict, the BBC's David Willey reports from Rome.
The cardinals include two Europeans (from Italy and Germany), two from Latin America (Chile and Honduras), one from the US, one from Asia (India), one African and one Australian. An Italian bishop will act as secretary.
Announcing the appointments, the Vatican said the pontiff had got the idea of forming the advisory body from meetings ahead of his election by cardinals last month.
Pope Paul VI undertook the last major reform of the Vatican bureaucracy in 1967.
The new group is to have its first meeting on 1-3 October.
Earlier this week Pope Francis met personally all 300 staff members of the Vatican's secretariat of state, the body responsible for carrying out Church policies.
Some radical reforms are expected soon, although the Pope is moving cautiously given the complexity and sensitivity of Church government, our correspondent says.
Scandals have included clerical sexual abuse, financial problems at the Vatican bank and the theft of documents from Benedict's desk.
Source-BBC
Plane Misses Runway in Indonesia
An airplane carrying more than 100 people overshot a runway on the Indonesian resort island of Bali and landed in the sea, but no one died in the accident.
Officials say all of the passengers and crew members were rescued after the aircraft went into the water Saturday and broke in two.
Dozens of people were treated for injuries.
TV footage showed police and rescuers using rubber boats to evacuate those on the Boeing 737 plane, operated by budget carried Lion Air.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
Renenue Control Unit wants business persons to "Regularize their businesses or face penalties
Business persons could face stiff penalties for not regulating their businesses. That’s the word coming from the Revenue Control Unit on Thursday 11th April).
The Revenue Control Unit, Ministry of Finance, Trade and Tourism is reminding owners, managers and operators of businesses registered within the Turks and Caicos Islands, that those who fail to regularise their operations by month end, will face penalties.
The Unit has issued an appeal to all business operators and their agents noting that that as of April 10, 2013; they have 15 days in which to ensure that they are in good standing in relation to the payment of all fees, charges and arrears.
Following the expiration of the notice, TCIG will publish the names of those businesses that are not in good standing. In addition, individuals who fail to comply will have their Business Licenses suspended and revoked under Section 10 & 11 of the Business Licensing Ordinance.
Operators of businesses that have ceased operations are required under section 8 & 9 of the Business Licensing Ordinance, to give notice of changes in the particulars of the business, including the date the business ceased to operate. There are penalties for failing to adhere to these requirements which have been expressly provided in writing to all Licensee Holders.
The Unit advises that that this is their final appeal: Ensure that your Business License is current; otherwise TCIG will commence legal proceedings against all defaulters.
Employment Registration Drive to be held on Tuesday, April 16th
The Providenciales branch of the Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the Employment Services Department of The Turks & Caicos Islands in conjunction with the TCI Hotel and Tourism Association to host an Employment Registration Drive in on Tuesday, April 16th at the Gustavus Lightbourne Sports Center in Providenciales, beginning from 10am to 6pm.
The Chamber says this Employment Registration is part of a program that they are launching to encourage those persons who are unemployed, to register and utilize the services of the Employment Services Department.
They have also invited representatives from NHIP and NIB to be present to facilitate with questions and entitlements that those who are unemployed may have.
During this initial drive, the team will have representatives from the various hotels/resorts bringing presentations to familiarize individuals of the opportunities that exist in the industry, the expectations of an employer, what the employer looks for when hiring and opportunities for upward mobility in the industry. There will also be employees from hotels and resorts present to relay their success stories.
Also during this Employment Registration Drive the Chamber of Commerce has extended an invitation to the Graduating Class of 2013 from the high schools on island to pre-register them. The pre-registration is to better assist them with summer employment and for those remaining in the Turks & Caicos who will be seeking full time employment.
The various principals of each institution have been asked to confirm attendance of those students so that a presentation or two can be catered directly to them.
TCIG Procurement Board Meeting
Interested members of the public will have an opportunity to witness the opening of TCIG’s latest tender bids next week.
The TCIG Procurement Board is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, April 17, and in accordance with Section 41 (2) of the Public Procurement Ordinance 2012, the public is invited to attend the upcoming Procurement Board meetings to witness the opening of tender bids received.
The public is further advised that in accordance with Section 15 of the Procurement Ordinance, information relating to contracts must remain confidential until the award of a contract and will therefore be asked to leave the meeting, once all the bids have been opened.
The meeting of the Procurement Board will commence at 9:00am in the West Committee Room of the Hon. N.J.S. Francis Building, in Grand Turk.
TCI RED CROSS HIGH TEA AND FASHION SHOW A SUCCESS
The Turks & Caicos Islands Red Cross is dubbing its recent High Tea and Fashion Show a whopping success.
The TCI Red Cross hosted its annual High Tea and Fashion Show at the Atrium (Courtyard) Restaurant of the Osprey Beach Hotel, Front Street Grand Turk last Saturday, April 6th, 2013 and according to a representative of the Red Cross, the Fashion Show was the highlight of the evening and which featured clothing from the TCI Red Cross Thrift Shop. The models dazzled with glamour and elegance in their outfits as they wowed the guests, who were themselves, flawlessly attired for the occasion. Attendees applauded as the models paraded by their tables.
The combination of Mr. Calvert Robinson on saxophone and Mr. Dudley Been on bass guitar and vocals filled the air with sweet sounds. It was truly a musical treat.
There were special moments of hilarity that added bliss to the exquisite ambiance of the evening when Miss Ann Williams performed a dance and Mrs. Villamay Daniels a dramatic piece.
There was a delectable assortment of pastries, sandwiches, scones, turnovers, cakes and other delightful baked treats. Various teas and beverages were also served.
Door prizes were won by three lucky patrons; Ms. Kereitta Simpson, Mrs. Norma Seymour and Mrs. Ann Dempsey.
Chair of the Governing Board of the TCI Red Cross Mr. Arthur Forbes, was on hand to bring special remarks and thanked everyone who came out to support this fundraising initiative. He also thanked the team of dedicated volunteers who worked tirelessly to make the event a success.
TCI Red Cross offers its profound thanks to HE the Governor Ric Todd, The Osprey Beach Hotel, Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort & Spa, HJ Robinson High School Home Economics teachers and students, Radio Turks and Caicos, Dudley Been, Calvert Robinson, Creative Hands, Refresh Café, Sunshine Restaurant, Shernika’s Tasty Foods, RJ’s Shop and Save, Grand Turk Events, Ms. Desire Lewis, Ms. Anna Mae Williams, Mrs. Wealthy Hall, Mrs. Susan Malcolm, Ms. Shemeka Simmons, Mr. Brandon Williams, Mrs. Villamay Daniels, the Red Cross models, volunteers and the entire community for their continued support.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Red Cross prides itself in being able to help people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. It is part of a global voluntary network, responding to conflicts, natural disasters and individual emergencies. Through their work the Turks and Caicos Islands TCI Red Cross enables vulnerable people in the TCI to prepare for and withstand emergencies in their own communities and once the crisis is over, help them to recover and move on with their lives.
Almost 19 and a half million dollars recovered with the latest acquisition of 50 acres
Another 50 acres of land recovered by the Civil recovery team, takes the total amount recovered so far to 2,500 acres; with cash recovered or ordered recovered, to nearly $19.5 million.
Attorney General, Huw Shepheard announced today (Thursday 11th April), that the Turks & Caicos Islands Government has recovered 50 acres of land falling within the Chalk Sound National Park and Pigeon Pond and Frenchman's Creek Nature Reserve, following legal proceedings brought by the Civil Recovery Team against Holiday Resort Dev., Ltd.
In a judgment recently handed down after a trial in February 2013, Justice Margaret Ramsey Hale ordered parcel 60300/35 to be returned to the TCIG. She also ordered the Defendant, Holiday, to pay TCIG's costs of the claim.
Here’s Damen Boviewith more.
Holiday had entered into a Land Freeze Agreement with the Government in July 2002, which provided it with a right to purchase Crown land if it satisfied certain obligations, including the construction of a road linking the site to the Millennium Highway. It was a term of that agreement that the company would be entitled to set off from the purchase price the costs it incurred in constructing the road.
Parcel 60300/35 was transferred to Holiday Resort Dev., Ltd on 10 January 2008. No payment was made by the company and the transfer indicated that it was in consideration for the work that had been undertaken in constructing the road.
The Court found that the land had been transferred to Holiday Resort Dev., Ltd. under the mistaken belief that Holiday had satisfied its obligations under the Land Freeze Agreement, when it had not. The Court also found that the parties had been mistaken as to the costs incurred in constructing the road, which had been very modest.
Accordingly, the Government was entitled to recover the land and parcel 60300/35 will revert to the Crown.
Attorney General Huw Shepheard expressed his pleasure at the success of this case, noting this is an important site, which will now revert to being Crown Land.
“It is another success for the Civil Recovery programme being run by Edwards Wildman and Chambers together. This takes the total amount of land recovered under the programme to over 2,500 acres - a very substantial amount of land across the Islands of enormous long term value to the country; and the cash recovered or ordered to be recovered to nearly $19.5m," AG Huw Shepheard added.
This is Damen Boviefor RTC News.