Thai soccer team rescued from cave to become novice Buddhist monks
The young Thai soccer team whose evacuation from a cave took their first steps in becoming novice Buddhist monks on Tuesday, in a ceremony intended to honor their rescuers.
Eleven of the 12 team members who were trapped in the cave system for more than three weeks attended an pre-ordination ceremony on Tuesday morning, before their initiation was completed at a second event in the afternoon.
The gesture was meant to honor Lt. Cmdr. Saman Kunan, a former Thai Navy SEAL who died during the cave rescue operation on July 6.
One of their teammates, Adul Sam-on, is a Christian and instead attended a local church to perform a separate ceremony.
The others will begin their week-long stint as Buddhist novices from Wednesday morning, when they will have their heads shaved. The practice is considered a high honor in Thailand.
They will leave the monastery and return to civilian life on August 3.
Tour de France temporarily halted by protesters; riders inadvertently tear-gassed
The Tour de France -- cycling's most prestigious race -- was temporarily halted today after tear gas, used to disperse protesters by police, inadvertently got into the eyes of some riders.
Protesting farmers had blocked the road with hay bales, leading police to spray them with CS gas. Unhappy farmers had organized the protest because they "wanted to be seen" by France's Minister of Agriculture, Stéphane Travert, according to a police source.
"Looks like the tear gas used by the police on the farmers ended up getting to the eyes of some riders," tweeted the Quick-Step Cycling team. The police source confirmed the race was stopped because the organizers wanted the gas to disperse to avoid any other riders being affected.
Medical treatment received by the riders was described as "light," while there were "no injuries" and cyclists were just washing off any molecules of tear gas.
"After a 15 minute-long interruption caused by protesters, the race is back on," tweeted the Tour's Twitter feed.
The Tour feed also posted a tweet warning spectators to "respect the riders," as endangering them can lead to up to three years in prison.
Formula One shelves plans to launch Miami Grand Prix in 2019
Formula One has hit the brakes on a proposed 2019 race in Miami, shelving plans until at least 2020.
After Miami city authorities delayed a crucial vote -- initially set for July 26 -- until September, F1 has decided to put the race on hold rather than sign off "on a sub-optimal race track."
"Whilst our preference would have been to race in Miami in 2019, there was always a point by which delivering the best possible wheel-to-wheel racing experience for our fans, drivers and teams wouldn't be possible in the time available," F1's managing director of commercial operations Sean Bratches said in a statement.
F1's US-based owner Liberty Media is keen to add a second US race to the calendar alongside the Unite States Grand Prix, which has been held in Austin, Texas since 2012.
Florida man could avoid charges in fatal shooting because of 'stand your ground' law
Florida's "stand your ground" law could save a man from prosecution after he fatally shot another man following a heated argument over a parking space at a convenience store.
The shooting took place Thursday after Britany Jacobs, 24, parked in a handicapped-accessible spot at the Circle A Food Store in Clearwater, according to a news release from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff's detectives said Michael Drejka, 47, approached Jacobs while her boyfriend Markeis McGlockton, and the couple's 5-year-old son, Markeis Jr., went into the store. Drejka and Jacobs began arguing about her parking in the handicapped parking space. Witnesses told police that McGlockton came outside, walked over to Drejka while he was arguing and "forcibly pushed" Drejka, causing him to fall."This is a violent push, this wasn't a shove, this wasn't just a tap," Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said during a Friday Press Conference. In response, the news release stated, Drejka pulled out a handgun while he was on the ground and shot McGlockton in the chest. "Witnesses say McGlockton walked back into the convenient store where he collapsed," the release stated. He was taken to a hospital where he died.
Drejka was cooperative with deputies, the release said. He had a valid Florida concealed weapons license, it added. "He felt, after being slammed to the ground, that the next thing was that he was going to be further attacked by McGlockton," Gualtieri said, adding that the time between Drejka hitting the ground and shooting was about four to five seconds.
Supreme Court judges urged to strike down Holyrood Brexit bill
The court is hearing arguments about whether the Brexit legislation passed by MSPs should be allowed to stand. UK law officer Lord Keen said the Scottish legislation would "undermine" Westminster's EU Withdrawal Bill.
But Scotland's Lord Advocate insists that the bill is within Holyrood's remit and should become law.The Welsh and Northern Irish assemblies will also be represented in the two-day hearing, having made submissions backing the Scottish government's stance.
The UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Legal Continuity) (Scotland) Bill - known as the "continuity bill" - was passed under emergency procedures with only the Conservatives and a single Lib Dem MSP voting against it.
It was drafted as an alternative to Westminster's EU Withdrawal Bill, which MSPs refused to give their consent to following a row over how powers currently exercised from Brussels will be used after Brexit.
But before it could become law, it was referred to the Supreme Court by UK law officers to settle whether it lies within Holyrood's competence.
The UK government's senior law officers said they wanted the Supreme Court to look at the bill to ensure there was "legal certainty" about whether it is valid.
Arguments are being heard at the Supreme Court by Lady Hale, Lord Reed, Lord Sumption, Lord Carnwarth, Lord Hodge, Lord Kerr and Lord Lloyd-Jones.
Lord Keen said it was "perfectly clear" that the Scottish bill was "directly inconsistent with the UK Act at the most basic of levels", saying "the two simply cannot stand together".
He told the court that this would create "dual and inconsistent regimes" within the UK, which would "directly frustrate the purpose" of the Withdrawal Bill, which was to create a "single cohesive body" of EU laws retained after Brexit.
He also argued that the continuity bill could have a bearing on international relations, a field reserved to the UK parliament. he said that "withdrawal from the EU is a matter for the UK parliament, and the devolved administrations do not have a parallel legislative competence" in this area.
SOURCE- BBC
Laos dam collapse: Hundreds missing after flash floods hit villages
Hundreds of people are missing and an unknown number dead after a dam under construction collapsed in south-east Laos, state media reported.
The collapse at the hydroelectric dam in Attapeu province late on Monday sent flash floods through six villages, Lao News Agency said.
More than 6,600 people have been made homeless, it added.
Pictures showed villagers stranded on the roofs of submerged house and boats carrying people to safety.
"The disaster has claimed several human lives [and] left hundreds of people missing," the agency reported.
The main Thai stakeholder in the project, Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding, said it had received a report from the dam's operator that a "saddle dam" had collapsed. It said continuous rainstorms had led "a high volume of water" to flow into the reservoir.
A spokesman for SK Engineering & Construction said "We still don't know the exact cause, but we believe parts of the upper part of the dam were lost... and water overflowed from the supply dam," he said.
Environmental groups have previously expressed fears over Laos's hydroelectric programme and its potential impact on communities and ecosystems downstream of dams.
Bahamian Government will address death penalty issue
Attorney General Carl Bethel revealed yesterday that the government is considering enacting constitutional changes to preserve capital punishment as an effective penalty under the law, a move that might require a referendum.
Bethel’s revelation came one day after Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis reiterated his support for resumption of hangings.
On Sunday, Minnis said “I am bound by the laws; but I am a strong advocate of hanging,” he said.
The prime minister noted that Cabinet will discuss whether a referendum would be necessary.
The last hanging in The Bahamas was carried out in January 2000.
Bethel said the issue will be dealt with via constitutional reform.
“Several decisions of the Privy Council have of late rendered the penalty to be essentially ineffective in The Bahamas, impractical and ineffective,” he said.
The Privy Council, the country’s final court of appeal, ruled that the death penalty should be reserved for the worst of the worst.
This was established in the 2011 case of Maxi Tido, who had been sentenced to death for the 2002 murder of 16-year-old Donnell Conover, whose skull was crushed and whose body was burnt.
But Bethel said the resumption of hangings would not be automatic, even if the law is changed.“There is nothing that will guarantee that because it still depends upon judicial process and determinations made by the appropriate judge of those determinations,” he said.
Antigua-Barbuda PM wants all ministers to disclose their assets
Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said he plans to discuss with his ministers the possibility of disclosing details of their assets for public scrutiny.
Browne told listeners on local radio that he wants members of his government to do as he has done and tell the public what they own on an annual basis.
Currently, only certain categories of public officials must file reports of their assets with the Integrity in Public Office Commission.
“The question is whether we should not go further to have full public disclosure, so that we publish publicly all our assets and income on an annual basis,” Browne said.
“I have gone as far as declaring my income and the amount paid in taxes,” the prime minister said, while acknowledging that “there is no legal requirement for anyone to fully disclose their assets in public.”
“The reason for that is to ensure that we can monitor the assets of politicians in particular,” Browne said.
The Antigua and Barbuda leader also called for whistleblower legislation to protect people who reveal wrongdoing in government.
The TCIFA 2018 Congress held at the Regent Village
The TCIFA 2018 Congress was held at the Regent Village Conference Center, yesterday. The annual event consisted of the review and approval of past and upcoming football activities in the Turks & Caicos Islands, the revised TCIFA constitution, financial matters, and other matters arising.
In addition to these were the election of TCIFA President, 2nd Director, and three Executive Committee Members for a term-period of 4 years. President Sonia Fulford and 2nd Director Paula Garland remained uncontested throughout the nomination process. Indrani Saunders, Tamara Hall and Benneth Williams retained their seats as TCIFA members casted their votes of confidence.
The 2018 TCIFA Executive Committee:
President - Sonia Fulford
1st Vice President - Paul Slattery
2nd Vice President- Candace Hanchell
Director of Finance - Ryan Blain
Director 1- Steve Kendrew
Director 2- Paula Garland
Director 3- Patrice Senior
Exec. Member- Indrani Saunders
Exec. Member- Tamara Hall
Exec. Member - Benneth Williams
Ritz crackers recalled over potential salmonella risk
The manufacturers of Ritz crackers - first introduced in 1934 - has announced it is recalling some of its products over a potential risk of salmonella.
Mondelez Global said it was voluntarily calling back 16 versions of its Ritz Cracker Sandwiches and Ritz Bits products in the US.
The Hanover, New Jersey-based company said the products contained whey powder, which its supplier had recalled due to the potential presence of salmonella.
The Associated Press said Mondelez said no illnesses had been reported yet. Symptoms of salmonella include fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. It can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in the young, elderly or those with weakened immune systems, it said.
The company said that consumers who have these products should not eat them, and should discard them.
The recall affects Ritz Bits Cheese, Ritz Cheese Cracker Sandwiches, Ritz Bacon Cracker Sandwiches with Cheese, Ritz Whole Wheat Cracker Sandwiches with White Cheddar Cheese, Ritz Everything Cracker Sandwiches with Cream Cheese, and Mixed Cookie variety.
The products have expiration dates of January 14 2019 to April 13 2019.