Syria Activists: Car Bomb Toll at Least 42
Syrian rights activists say the death toll from a suicide car bombing in the central province of Hama late Monday has risen to at least 42 people.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack targeted a building used by pro-government militiamen in the town of Salamiyah. It said civilians were among the dead.
Syrian state news agency SANA gave a death toll of 32 people and blamed the bombing on terrorists whom it says are behind a 22-month rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad.
The Observatory also reported deadly battles between mostly Sunni anti-government rebels and minority Kurdish fighters in the northeastern town of Ras al-Ain, on the border with Turkey.
It said at least 56 fighters have been killed in a week of fighting in the area. Syria's minority Kurds have largely remained on the sidelines of the majority-Sunni led rebellion, but have long sought greater autonomy from Damascus.
The Observatory said pro-Assad troops and rebels engaged in more battles in Damascus province on Tuesday.
Dozens of Russians boarded buses from Syria to neighboring Lebanon in the first evacuation organized by Moscow since the start of the Syrian uprising in 2011.
The Russian government had sent two planes to the Lebanese capital Beirut to fly the Russians back home. Syria's main international airport outside Damascus has been largely devoid of traffic in recent weeks due to fighting along the road to the capital.
Russia is one of the few remaining international allies of Mr. Assad's government. But, it has been distancing itself from the Syrian leader, acknowledging that he may be ousted by the uprising.
Separately, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on U.N. members to send senior delegations to an international donor conference for Syria, to be held in Kuwait on January 30. He said the international community must do everything it can to help Syrians in need.
The UNHCR reported Tuesday that it is dramatically scaling up its operations for Syrian refugees. The agency says it is hard to keep pace with the increasing numbers of people fleeing Syria into neighboring countries.
Japan Moves to Stimulate Its Stalled Economy
Japan's central bank is embarking on an American-like plan to stimulate the country's stalled economy by pumping more money into it.
The Bank of Japan, under pressure from the new government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, agreed Tuesday to double its inflation target to 2 percent and stimulate the world's third largest economy for an indefinite period through asset purchases. The economic boost is similar to that undertaken in recent years by the U.S. central bank, the Federal Reserve.
Japan's economy has been long stalled, restrained by deflation, with falling prices. Mr. Abe said the new policy marked a significant change.
“In terms of making a bold review of monetary policy, I believe (the agreement with the bank) is a ground-breaking statement. A macroeconomic regime change clearly is under way.”
A governor for the Bank of Japan, Masaaki Shirakawa, is optimistic that the stimulus will boost the country's economy.
“They (the government) have again pledged to take concrete steps towards a sustainable fiscal structure. We have high expectations for the government's measures.”
Car Bombs Kill 16 in Iraq
A wave of car bombings in and around the Iraqi capital has killed at least 16 people.
The blasts Tuesday included an attack near an army base in Taji, 25 kilometers north of Baghdad, which killed six people and wounded at least 20 others.
Another car bomb killed five people, including two soldiers, near a security checkpoint in Mahmudiyah, south of the capital.
A third attack hit Baghdad's Shula neighborhood, killing five others.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombings.
Last week, a string of attacks across the country killed at least 59 people.
Bunji Garlin & Fayon out of Soca Monarch 2013
Bunji Garlin and Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez have both bowed out of the International Groovy and Power Soca Monarch competitions, respectively.
The couple announced this last night, saying they decided to withdraw because they believe that fundamental clauses in the competitors' contracts were objectionable and demanded too much of the winners.
They were therefore advised by their management and legal representatives that it was best they pull out of the competition before the semi-final round on Sunday at the Arima Velodrome.
Bunji had pulled position number 15 and Lyons-Alvarez number 20.
Among the elements in the contract with which Bunji and Lyons-Alvarez took exception to was the rule that winners must give back to the Caribbean Prestige Foundation (CPF) five per cent of the winnings.
Also, the winners must defend the respective titles the following year, or they will have to pay back 90 per cent of the prize money.
Another clause the artistes are objecting to in the contract is that the winners must attend the prize distribution ceremony wherever it may be, here at home or abroad.
Chairman of CPF William Munro, said last night he was saddened and very hurt over Lyons-Alvarez and Bunji pulling out only two days before the semi-finals, and he was hoping they would reconsider.
Lyons-Alvarez and Bunji did not compete in the Soca Monarch competition last year and at that time announced they were considering not returning because they wanted to focus on taking their music directly to an international audience.
Machel to be sentenced today!
Soca superstar Machel Montano will this morning re-appear before a Port-of Spain magistrate who is expected to pass sentence, having found him guilty last month, on five charges.
On December 10 last year, Magistrate Maureen Baboolal-Gafoor found Montano, the reigning International Power Soca and Groovy Monarch and Road March king, guilty of the offences.
Four of the charges were for assaulting patrons Gerard Bowrin, Brandis Browne, Janelle Lee Chee, and Russell Pollonais. The fifth charge is for using obscene language.
Kernel Roberts, the son of legendary Calypso icon Lord Kitchener, Joel “Zan” Feveck, a member of Montano’s HD Family, and Rodney “Benjai” Le Blancwere also charged with offences, arising out of the same incident which stemmed from a fracas outside the Zen nightclub, in Port-of-Spain, in April, 2007.
The charges against Montano carry a jail term of up to five years in prison.
NBA announces Maloofs’ deal to sell Kings to Seattle
The NBA announced Monday that the Maloof family has reached a “purchase and sale agreement” to sell the Sacramento Kings to a Seattle-based investment group led by Valiant Capital’s Chris Hansen.
“The NBA received an executed Purchase and Sale Agreement for the transfer of a controlling interest in the Sacramento Kings from the Maloof family to an investor group led by Christopher Hansen,” the statement read. “The proposed transaction is subject to the approval of the NBA Board of Governors and has been referred to the Board’s committee process for review.”
Reports of the agreement broke Sunday night. It was first reported that the two sides were finalizing negotiations for the Kings on Jan. 9.
ESPN.com reported that the Seattle group will purchase 65 percent of the Kings, a controlling interest, from the Maloofs and a minority owner, and that NBA teams were “formally notified” of the purchase agreement’s terms on Sunday. Those terms included a $525 million “valuation” of the franchise.
Hansen issued a statement on Monday confirming the agreement.
“We are happy to announce that we have entered into a binding agreement with the Maloofs to purchase a controlling interest in the Sacramento Kings NBA franchise,” his statement read. “The sale is obviously subject to approval by the NBA Board of Governors, and we look forward to working with the League in the coming months to consummate the transaction.
“While we are not at liberty to discuss the terms of the transaction or our plans for the franchise given the confidential nature of the agreement and NBA regulations regarding public comments during a pending transaction, we would just like to extend our sincerest compliments and gratitude toward the Maloof family. Our negotiations with the family were handled with the utmost honor and professionalism and we hope to continue their legacy and be great stewards of this NBA franchise in the coming years and decades.”
The Maloof family also issued a statement on Monday.
“We have always appreciated and treasured our ownership of the Kings and have had a great admiration for the fans and our team members,” said Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof. “We would also like to thank Chris Hansen for his professionalism during our negotiation. Chris will be a great steward for the franchise.”
Any prospective sale of an NBA franchise is subject to ratification by the league’s Board of Governors. The franchise also faces a March 1 deadline to apply for relocation to Seattle for the 2013-14 season. Yahoo! Sports reported Sunday that the NBA’s relocation committee would “overwhelmingly ratify” the franchise’s planned move to Seattle. The Kings are expected to take on the name of the SuperSonics, who played in Seattle from 1967-68 until 2008, when they were relocated to Oklahoma City and renamed the Thunder. Plans for constructing a new arena in Seattle are underway; the franchise would play in KeyArena until the new arena is complete.
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson has pledged to fight to keep the Kings in his city and NBA commissioner David Stern has said that Johnson will be given the opportunity to make his case in front of the Board of Governors.
Johnson issued a statement on Sunday.
“Sacramento has proven that it is a strong NBA market with a fan base that year in and year out has demonstrated a commitment to the Kings by selling out 19 of 27 seasons in a Top 20 market and owning two of the longest sellout streaks in NBA history,” the statement read. “When it comes to keeping the team in our community, Sacramento is playing to win. In particular, we have been focused like a laser on identifying an ownership group that will both have the financial resources desired by the NBA and the vision to make the Kings the NBA equivalent of what the Green Bay Packers have been in the NFL.”
Forbes valued the Kings franchise at $300 million in January 2012. The Kings franchise moved to Sacramento from Kansas City in 1985 and the Maloof family took majority control of the franchise in 1999.
Reigning NBA MVP LeBron James expressed astonishment on Twitter at the franchise’s reported sale price: “So the Kings getting sold for [$525 million]!! And the owners ain’t making no money huh? What the hell we have a [lockout] for. Get the hell out of here.”
SI
Li Na beats Agnieszka Radwanska in Australian Open quarters
China's Li Na knocked out fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska in straight sets to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open.
Maria Sharapova faces her fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova in the second women's quarter-final of the day, after David Ferrer takes on his Spanish compatriot Nicolas Almagro.
Defending men's champion Novak Djokovic meets Tomas Berdych in the night session at Melbourne Park. The Serb will be hoping to have recovered all his powers after a five-hour epic against Stanislas Wawrinka in the previous round.
T&T crush Guyana to take third CT20 title
St Lucia (CMC) – Mighty Trinidad and Tobago reduced the Caribbean Twenty20 final to a no-contest as they crushed out-of-sorts Guyana in a authoritative performance to march to their third consecutive title on Sunday night.
The defending champions hardly put a foot wrong, limiting Guyana to an inadequate 116 for six off their 20 overs and then cruising to their target with over seven overs left at the Beausejour Cricket Stadium
T&T’s triumph was set up by fast bowlers Shannon Gabriel (2-16) and Rayad Emrit (2-18) who claimed two wickets apiece in superb four-over spells to keep a lid on the scoring.
Happy to chase a target that required less than a run a ball, T&T got off to a flier courtesy of a rollicking 52-run stand off 32 balls between dashing West Indies right-hander Lendl Simmons and rookie Evin Lewis.
Simmons slammed an unbeaten 52 off 37 balls with four fours and three sixes while the left-handed Lewis stroked a cavalier 32 from 18 balls with four fours and two sixes.
When they were parted in the sixth over, Kieron Pollard welcomed a promotion to number three by blasting three sixes and a four in a cameo unbeaten 25 from 21 balls, as he starred in an unbroken 68-run, second wicket partnership off 43 balls with Simmons.
In fact, it was Pollard’s massive blow over long-on off off-spinner Narsingh Deonarine that sealed victory and sparked a fireworks display and partying among the Trinidadian players and fans.
Barbados Private Sector calls on government to settle arrears owed
The Barbados Private Sector Association Inc. (BPSA) is expressing concern with respect to the high amounts of government arrears owed to companies in Barbados.
According to Mrs. Anne Reid, CEO of the BPSA, “The BPSA is calling on government to give urgent attention to settling its existing arrears to the business community”.
This call from the BPSA comes on the heels of a survey conducted by the organization among a total of 25 companies across several segments of the private sector.
Of those surveyed; government owed a total of approximately $49.6 million Barbados Dollars.
The sums owed by government were in the form of Value Added Tax (VAT) refunds, Corporation Tax refunds, Diesel Rebates or sums owed for the supply of works, goods and services to the government.
The BPSA survey produced the following results:
§ Government owed a total of $1,066,336 or 2.1% of total arrears in diesel rebates to those surveyed.
§ A total of $13,876,213 or 27.9% of total arrears was owed in VAT refunds to those surveyed.
§ $12,033,147 or 24.2% of total arrears was owed to suppliers of goods to the government.
§ $14,273,928 or 28.7% of total arrears was owed to suppliers of services to the government.
§ $4,502,360 or 9.1% of total arrears was owed to providers of works to the government.
§ 3,983,108 or 8% of total arrears was owed in Corporate Tax refunds to those surveyed.
The survey confirms that these outstanding arrears are impacting negatively on the business operations of a high percentage of the firms surveyed.
Approximately 68% of those surveyed indicated that the arrears had a significant impact on their operations. It is also important to note that of this 68%, the impact on firms across all categories, i.e. micro, small, medium and large was significant. In other words, the size of the firm did not appear to have any major bearing on the impact that the outstanding arrears had on their operations.
In short:
i. The arrears limited marketing efforts and the pursuit of new business initiatives/investments;
ii. The arrears created cash flow problems which curtailed the ability of some firms to meet their obligations to suppliers, receive credit or meet their obligations to government. In some instances, payments to both local and overseas suppliers are compromised. This situation has a domino effect in that when local suppliers in particular are not paid, they in turn are not able to pay their own suppliers or staff. As a result, the image and reputation of some firms are being jeopardised;
iii. Without the repayments, some firms are facing difficulties in meeting their daily operational expenses;
iv.The outstanding payments, especially the length of time it usually takes for firms to receive payment has created general uncertainty and negatively impacted decision making in areas such as budgeting; and
v. Some firms have hinted that their ability to maintain staffing levels may be compromised if the practice of substantial arrears and lengthy delays in repayments continues.
The BPSA has already communicated the results of its survey to the Government of Barbados through the Ministry of Finance.
New Grenada party elects leader, will contest 3 seats
The newly formed National United Front (NUF) says it will contest three of the 15 seats in the February 19 general elections and dismissed suggestions that it should be regarded as a breakaway faction of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The party, which held its first convention on Sunday and elected Glynnis Roberts as its leader, said that while it is not yet in a position to govern the country, the intention is to be represented in the parliament.
“We want to see members of NUF in the parliament come February, we want to ensure the membership of NUF is represented in the parliament, let us work towards that objective,” NUF chairman Siddiqui Sylvester said.
Roberts, who was among 10 people, including government ministers and trade unionists expelled, from the NDC last September, said that party comprises people who saw the need to present a real alternative to the present administration.
“There comes a time in a country’s history when the old must be done away with,” she said, insisting that the NUF is not a breakaway faction of the NDC that came to power in 2008 winning 11 of the 15 seats and ending the 13-year rule of the New National Party (NNP).
Roberts said that the NUF plans for the development of the country would be based on its nine-point agenda that places emphasis on increased high yielding jobs, developing the agricultural sector, improved health services, education, tourism and implement social oriented programmes that would support strong family bonds and establishing close family ties.
In addition, she told the convention that was also addressed by embattled Guyana’s Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, that the plan also calls for supporting a labour policy that is inclusive and removing political victimisation from the workplace.
“With this as our agenda we can have economic transformation to the benefit of all,” she said of the nine-point agenda that also looks at developing the cultural sector and the environment.
Patrick Foster