Vibrations bring still photos to life
Interactive photographs in which still objects can be manipulated have been developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). MIT said its algorithm analysed video of a still object to detect "tiny, almost invisible vibrations" that determined how it moved. The technique, called interactive dynamic video (IDV), does not require any special cameras. It could be used to create special effects in video games or films.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them sequel confirmed
Warner Bros has announced a sequel to upcoming Harry Potter spin-off film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The news comes three months before the first film, starring Eddie Redmayne, is due in cinemas. JK Rowling, who made her screenwriting debut on Fantastic Beasts, will also script the sequel. Warner Bros said the second film "moves deeper into an increasingly dark time for the wizarding world". David Yates - who directed the final four Harry Potter films - will return at the helm, having also directed Fantastic Beasts. Rowling previously said the Fantastic Beasts films - based on her book of the same name - would be a trilogy, but this is the first time Warner Bros has confirmed the plan. The first instalment will be released in the UK and US on 18 November.
US election 2016: Republican divisions grow over Trump
Republican donor Meg Whitman has endorsed his rival Hillary Clinton, saying Mr Trump's "demagoguery" had undermined the national fabric. Senior party activist Jan Halper-Hayes told the BBC she thought Mr Trump was "psychologically unbalanced". In the latest controversy, Mr Trump has refused to support two senior figures in his own party. In an interview for the Washington Post, he said he was "just not quite there yet" when asked if he would endorse House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senator John McCain. Both men, among the most senior elected Republicans in the country, face primary votes after challenges from within their own party ahead of their re-election bids in November. The two had both criticised Mr Trump's attacks on the bereaved parents of a US Muslim soldier killed in Iraq, but have both endorsed him for the presidency. The Republican presidential nominee's ongoing war of words with the parents of Capt Humayun Khan has intensified rifts within the party. US media report that Mr Trump has ignored pleas from his own advisers and senior Republican figures to end the feud with the Khan family. President Barack Obama has questioned why the Republicans have not disowned Mr Trump, saying the billionaire does not have the judgement or temperament to occupy the White House.
Ralph Higgs Resigns as Turks And Caicos’ Director of Tourism
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands (August 3, 2016) – The Turks and Caicos Tourist Board today announced that after 20 years of employment, Ralph Higgs has tenured his resignation as Director of Tourism, effective September 30, 2016.
Under Higgs’ directorship, the Turks and Caicos Islands received numerous accolades from the likes of TripAdvisor, CNN, Condé Nast, Forbes, and the World Travel Awards. The destination also experienced a steady increase in tourist arrivals annually. In 2014, Higgs became the first winner of the Caribbean Travel Award’s Tourism Director of the Year for taking the Turks and Caicos Tourism brand to new heights, helping to lead the destination to the best year-over-year improvement in tourist arrivals of any destination in the Caribbean.
During his tenure at the Tourist Board, Ralph Higgs steered the organization through several metamorphoses, including over staffing to understaffing, and over funding to insufficient budgets. However, the Tourist Board and the destination reinvented itself through a new marketing approach which sought the greatest return on investment and greater cooperation and collaboration with private sector partners.
“The fundamentals of TCI Tourism are strong. Our natural sites and attractions, while some may need a little attention, are in pristine condition. Our room inventory is first class. Other offerings including culinary and our weekly cultural extravaganza (Fish Fry) are the envy of the region. We have never had more flights from international and regional gateways as we do now, and traveling between our Sister Islands has never been easier. Certainly our people have never been more embracing of our visitors and our tourism sector,” Higgs said.
“This is a good time for TCI Tourism and the future holds as much promise as we may wish to extract from it. I am pleased and honored immensely to have led our Tourist Board and our country's tourism through some of its lowest and highest periods to date. I would like to sincerely thank the hardworking and dedicated staff of the Tourist Board, successive governments, successive Boards of Directors and the people of the Turks and Caicos for the opportunity to serve. I shall be around God’s willing, accessible and remain ready to assist where needed,” added Higgs.
Chairman of the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board, Don Gardiner, commended Higgs’ tenure as Director of Tourism, “The blocks Ralph laid and the challenges overcame in developing, building, and marketing the Turks and Caicos Islands as a world class destination is now the envy of many in the region.” Gardiner continues, “Ralph’s contribution as an ambassador has no doubt left an indelible impression on us all. His leadership, experience and sound judgment will be an asset to whomever and wherever his next journey takes him.”
The Board of Directors and Staff of the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board express their heartfelt thanks and gratitude for the many years of dedication, hard work and professional service Higgs has given to the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board and the tourism industry at large.
20 Police recruits begins training
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force has welcomed 20 new faces to the Department. The men and women who started initial training on Monday 1st August 2016, beginning a three-month journey to become officers.
Over the training period, the new recruits will undergo both classroom and situational training which includes, basic police procedures and duties, engage in swimming and lifesaving, customer service, firearm, self-defense, drill and physical training.
The officers are all sworn constables with full Police powers but will be based in and patrol main tourist areas once their training is complete.
BAPTIST HEALTH SOUTH FLORIDA HOSPITALS AGAIN RANKED AMONG THE REGION’S BEST
Baptist Hospital Ranked Best Hospital in Miami-Dade County
MIAMI, FL – August 3, 2016 – Baptist Health South Florida is once again recognized by U.S. News and World Report for being among the best healthcare providers in the region with Baptist Hospital, Homestead Hospital, South Miami Hospital and West Kendall Baptist Hospital earning 25 high-performing honors in 12 types of care. Baptist Health hospitals won four of the top five slots in Miami-Dade County, with Baptist Hospital coming in at number one in the county.
“We are proud to be the most decorated healthcare organization in the region once again,” said Brian E. Keeley, president and chief executive officer of Baptist Health. “It’s an honor we share with the thousands of physicians, dedicated employees, nurses, board members, donors and volunteers who work tirelessly to provide compassionate quality care to our patients each and every day.”
In the Miami- Ft. Lauderdale region, Baptist Hospital is ranked #2, South Miami Hospital is ranked #4 and Homestead Hospital and West Kendall Baptist Hospital are tied at #6. Only 504 hospitals (out of approximately 5,000 hospitals nationwide), including Baptist Hospital, South Miami Hospital, Homestead Hospital and West Kendall Baptist Hospital were named to the list of Best Regional Hospitals, putting them among the top 10 percent of hospitals in the country. In addition, Baptist Health's Centers of Excellence - Miami Cancer Institute, Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute, Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute and Neuroscience Center – were all recognized as high-performing in their respective area of expertise.
The U.S. News Best Hospitals rankings, now in their 27th year, help guide patients to hospitals that deliver outstanding care across 25 specialties, procedures and conditions. The Best Hospitals methodologies include objective measures such as patient survival, the number of times a given procedure is performed, infection rates, adequacy of nurse staffing and more.
“U.S. News evaluates nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis at U.S. News. “A hospital that emerged from our analysis as one of the best has much to be proud of.”
For 2016-17, 153 hospitals were ranked in at least one specialty, while 1,628 received a high performing rating in one or more specialties, procedures or conditions. In rankings by state and metro area, U.S. News recognized hospitals that were high-performing across multiple areas of care.
Best Hospitals was produced by U.S. News with RTI International, a leading research organization based in Research Triangle Park, N.C.
Source: U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
EARL EXPECTED TO BE A HURRICANE
NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM EARL ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY, FORECAST OFFICE SECTION, ON WEDNESDAY 3RD AUGUST, 2016 AT 12PM.
EARL NOT A HURRICANE YET BUT EXPECTED TO BE ONE VERY SOON
AT 11AM EDT, TROPICAL STORM EARL WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.5° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 84.4° WEST OR ABOUT 120 MILES EAST OF ISLA ROATAN HONDURAS AND ABOUT 235 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF BELIZE CITY.
EARL IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 14 MPH AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE WITH SOME DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK, THE CORE OF EARL IS EXPECTED TO PASS NEAR THE HONDURAS BAY ISLANDS THIS AFTERNOON AND THEN MAKE LANDFALL IN BELIZE TONIGHT OR EARLY THURSDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 70 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 12 HOURS OR SO, AND EARL IS EXPECTED TO BE A LITTLE STRONGER BY THE TIME IT REACHES BELIZE. WEAKENING IS EXPECTED AFTER THE CENTER OF EARL MOVES INLAND.
THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT 6PM.
PREPARED BY DUTY FORECASTER: K. WARD-FORBES
NIB Providenciales Magistrate's court update - August 3rd 2016
On Wednesday August 8th 2016, defendant Alden Durham of Caicos Beach Club Resort Ltd. was scheduled to appear in the Providenciales Magistrate’s Court to answer to complaints filed by the NIB for failing to pay nis contributions and additional charges as an employer in the amount of $5,702.90.
The defendant did not appear and the matter was adjourned for mention on Thursday, September 22nd 2016.
EMANCIPATION DAY REMARKS: HONORABLE PORSHA STUBBS-SMITH, AUGUST 1ST 2016
Good morning all, I am grateful to be here with you as we proudly celebrate Emancipation Day 2016, a day where we recognize and honor the strength and invincible spirit bestowed to us by our ancestors. Every year as a nation we join forces with our regional neighbors and reflect on the injustice, humiliation and unthinkable suffering our ancestors bore during one of the most challenging times. When persons were viewed as property and treated under the harshest conditions.
Emancipation allows us to look into our past without fear, it allows us to show the utmost gratitude to our forefathers who fought through and arose victorious from the hands of the oppressors. That is what makes this day so significant. It is vital for us to continue to honor their memory, as it is because of the tough sacrifices they made that we are able to be here today; free, free to choose, free to make our own decisions and free to speak. It is their resilience and perseverance that we should all seek to uphold.
On August 1, 1834, marked a new beginning for our African slave ancestors and their offspring and where their vision of liberation became a reality. They were no longer just picturing the hopes of freedom; they were finally going to live it. The relentless fight and firm belief that freedom was, and should be; theirs empowered them to never give up.
Turks and Caicos on this Emancipation day celebration, there is much to be learnt from what this day stands for; we have inherited a spirit of strength, determination and courage. We must respect the tenacity of our ancestors and the foundations they have laid, by guarding the freedoms which we have gained as a result of their willpower.
As a nation and throughout our communities we must never lose hope, never surrender to unjust ideologies and as hardships present itself, let us not falter but remain resilient as our forefathers. We must be our brother’s keeper, at all times. As our ancestors, their strength in part came from one another; we ought to remain united as they did. Emancipation speaks volume on unity, it is not me alone or you alone to fight the battle of emancipation but it is us, together as one.
Today let us celebrate triumph over oppression, let us commit to the principles of peace, forgiveness, love and most importantly diversity to which our national strength as a people has allowed us to prosper. In closing I say happy Emancipation Day! God bless you all and may God bless our ‘Beautiful by Nature’ Turks and Caicos Islands.
PDM PARTY ISSUES STATEMENT REGARDING HON CLARENCE SELVER
After weeks of talks on the road that the Hon. Clarence Selver was left off the party ticket, the Leader of the PDM has issued a statement regarding the appointed member.
The statement from the Leader below.
The PDM wishes to clarify its position regarding Hon Clarence Selver. Hon Selver has served the PDM over 30 years in various positions. Within the past few weeks, he has informed the Party of his intention to run as an independent candidate in the upcoming elections and also that he will no longer be a part of the PDM Party. He has since announced his candidacy publicly.
Hon Selver is currently serving as the Opposition’s Appointed Member in the House of Assembly and as an appointed member to the Appropriations and Expenditure Committees. All appointments are by the hand of the Leader of the Opposition.
We understand the Constitution of this country and appreciate that all appointments are by way of consultation with the Leader of the Opposition. However the PDM believes that it is a matter for Hon Selver as to whether he chooses to continue to serve on a PDM issued Platform.
We wish to publicly thank him for his service over the years and we will be happy to welcome him back if he chooses to return.