Inside Tesla's gigantic Gigafactory
The chief executive of Tesla is, in a post-Steve-Jobs world, the stand-out visionary voice in Silicon Valley. There's no question about that.
But with each product launch - or, in this case, a building launch - it seems he needs both more time and more money to realise his own ambitions.
The more he achieves, the bigger the task, and budget, seems to get.During a typically scorching Tuesday afternoon in the Nevada desert, near Reno, Mr Musk told a group of journalists about his global manufacturing ambitions.
We had just had a tour of the new Gigafactory, Tesla's $5bn (£3.8bn) 3,200-acre battery-manufacturing plant that has already begun production but will not be in full swing until about 2020. At that point, it will have the largest physical footprint of any building in the world.
By making battery cells here, Mr Musk hopes he will be able to innovate faster and cut out about 30% of the cost.
The factory is a tie-up with the company that already makes Tesla's cells, Panasonic.
Apple sees iPhone sales drop again but beats forecasts
Apple has reported a second consecutive quarter of falling iPhone sales, but the 15% drop was not as bad as analysts had feared. The US tech giant sold 40.4 million iPhones in its third quarter, slightly above forecasts of 40.02 million.
Apple chief executive Tim Cook said the results reflected "stronger customer demand... than we anticipated". The firm said it expected sales to fall again in the fourth quarter to between $45.5bn (£34bn; €41.4bn) and $47.5bn. Demand for Apple's flagship product has been slowing since the second quarter when the firm reported the first drop in iPhone sales since their 2007 launch.
The iPhone makes up for around two-thirds of Apple's sales and accounts for even more of its profits. The slowdown in iPhone sales sent profit down 27% to $7.8bn in the three months to 25 June, while revenues fell 14.6% to $42.4bn.
Kendall Dean Sentenced to three years
On Tuesday 27th July 2016, 20-year-old Kendall Dean of Blue Hills Providenciales was sentenced to three (3) years imprisonment by the Supreme Court after he plead guilty to two (2) counts of Handling Stolen goods.
It was on the evening of Thursday 31st December 2015, a complainant reported to 911 that she was robbed at gunpoint by an unknown male in the area of Dako Yard in Blue Hills. Police were dispatched and investigation began. Taken from the victim was a handbag containing her cellular phone and other items.
On Saturday 2nd January 2016, during a stop and search on Mr. Dean, a cellular phone matching the exact description given by the victim was found in his possession. He told officers that he had just bought the phone from an unknown Haitian man. As a result, he was arrested and was formally charged and cautioned on Wednesday 18th January 2016 for Robbery and Handling Stolen Goods.
The charge of Robbery was withdrawn.
Man got stabbed by Jitney Driver
Investigators of the Royal Turks and Caicos Police are investigating the report of a stabbing that occurred on Tuesday 26 July 2016.
The complainant reported that around 6:13PM on that date, he caught a jitney from Gracebay to Down-Town, Providenciales. He offered to pay the driver $2 (two dollars) for his service but the driver refused it and requested to be paid $3 (three dollars) instead. After the complainant explained to the driver that is all he has an argument ensued which resulted in a fight. During the fight, the driver stabbed the complainant in the throat and fled the scene.
As a result, police officers visited the scene where the victim was met and taken to the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries and later discharged.
Investigations are ongoing into this matter.
US election: Trump 'encouraged foreign hack of Clinton emails'
The Wikileaks group last week released emails from the Democratic National Committee. Russia is accused of carrying out the hack. Some 30,000 of the stolen emails are yet to be released. On Wednesday, Mr Trump urged Russia to find them. "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing," he said. "I think you'll be rewarded mightily by our press." The emails would contain some "beauties", he said. "This has to be the first time that a major presidential candidate has actively encouraged a foreign power to conduct espionage against his political opponent," Jake Sullivan, Mrs Clinton's senior policy advisor, said. "This has gone from being a matter of curiosity, and a matter of politics, to being a national security issue." Mrs Clinton's campaign manager, Robby Mook, said Russia carried out the hack to weaken the Democrats and help Mr Trump. The FBI is continuing its investigation into the leak, which included emails that showed DNC officials, who are supposed to remain neutral, favoured Mrs Clinton, and derided her Democratic rival Bernie Sanders. In a statement released within an hour of Mr Trump's comments, his vice-presidential candidate Mike Pence said there would be "serious consequences" if the FBI could prove Russia was attempting to interfere with the election.
Double winner J M Coetzee on Man Booker longlist
The Australian author, who was born in South Africa, previously won in 1983 and 1999 and could become the first author to win the prize three times.
He faces competition from 12 authors, including 2012 nominee Deborah Levy and A L Kennedy, who was a judge in 2012.
Chair of judges Amanda Foreman said the listed books challenged "expectations of what a novel is and can be".
The Man Booker shortlist will be announced on 13 September, with the winner being declared at a ceremony at London's Guildhall on 25 October.
Alongside Coetzee, who previously won with Life & Times of Michael K and Disgrace, the longlist includes six UK-based authors, five from the US and one from Canada.
TCI Government Takes Action To Review The Service Charge Payment Practices In The Hospitality Industry
The TCIG has commissioned a Service Charge Review Committee comprising members from both the private and public sectors to examine and collate information received from owner, worker and employer groups operating within the hospitality industry on the management and distribution practices regarding service charges.
The call for information will initially focus on the hospitality sector, a very important part of the economy, as the existing Service Charge Ordinance prescribes operational parameters solely for that sector.
Currently there is a legal requirement for any entity that levies a service charge to hold a register of such payments collected during the month and to distribute the amounts collected in equal shares or using a formula approved by the Minister for Finance to all employees. Most importantly, the legislation obtains that not less than 60% of the total service charges paid by customers or guests is payable to the employees of the collecting establishment.
During the months of July and August 2016 a survey will be publicly distributed to obtain anonymous feedback on industry practices. The Service Charge Review Committee also intends to conduct interviews of a representative sample of stakeholders in the industry to gather a wide range of open-ended, qualitative data. Information gathered will be held in the strictest confidence. It will be analysed, providing the Government with empirical findings on industry norms, and any necessary intervention that may be required to improve the management and transparency of these payments.
"Service Charge" is defined in the Service Charges (Hotels and Restaurants) Ordinance as "any amount of money charged over and above the price of accommodation in a hotel, or the selling price of a meal or intoxicating liquor or beverage purchased by a customer, for service to a guest or customer in a hotel or restaurant, but does not include any tax required to be paid under any Ordinance."
While the Ordinance does not specify a rate, most establishments levy the Service Charge at 10%.
The Government is appealing to the public to participate in this fact finding exercise; moreover, to practitioners within the hospitality sector to whom the service charge directly relates.
Consultations close on August 31, 2016.
US election: Obama tells Democrats to be scared of Trump
Democrats should be "running scared" at the challenge posed by Donald Trump, President Obama has said. After launching his candidacy as an outsider last year, Mr Trump went on to overcome all rivals to clinch the Republican presidential nomination. Some polls have since indicated he is leading Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton in the presidential race. Asked by NBC News if Mr Trump could win, Mr Obama said: "I've seen all kinds of crazy stuff happen." "I think anybody who goes into campaigns not running scared can end up losing," he added.
India arrive for four-Test series against Windies
BASSETERRE, St Kitts — India touched down in St Kitts Wednesday evening to begin preparations for their four-Test series against West Indies starting later this month.
The 16-man squad was led by stroke-maker Virat Kohli and included newly appointed head coach, Anil Kumble, the legendary former Test spinner.
Kumble was appointed by the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) last week despite having never coached an international team.
India will have little time to settle in before they take on the WICB President’s XI in a two-day game at Warner Park here starting Saturday.
The fixture will be followed by another three-day game at the same venue, also against the President’s XI from July 14-16.
India and West Indies will then lock horns in the opening Test at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium from July 21-15.
Tests will also be played at Sabina Park in Kingston from July 30 to August 3, at the Darren Sammy National Stadium from August 9-13, with the final Test carded for Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain from August 18-22.
West Indies have not beaten India in a Test match in 14 years, losing the last five series home and away.
Their last triumph came in 2002 when Carl Hooper’s side beat the tourists 2-1 in a five-Test Home Series.
SQUAD – Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, K L Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhimaan Saha, R Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur, Stuart Binny.
Source: (CMC)
The Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing & Planning Host FIDIC Training
The Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing & Planning through the Human Resource Directorate & the Deputy Governor’s Office hosted an International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) Contracts Workshop for TCIG Staff, Statutory Bodies, as well as Contractors and Consultants.
The Training was held from July 14 – 21, 2016 at the LIFE Center in Grand Turk and facilitated by the Joint Consultative Council (JCC - a full member of FIDIC) from Trinidad and Tobago in collaboration with FIDIC and ECV an accredited by FIDIC Tutors, Winston Riley Fapett, Civil Engineer (with almost 50 years experience in T&T in the fields of hydraulic structures, highways and roads) and John Dowse, a Chartered Civil Engineer. The JCC is currently the only organization authorized by FIDIC to facilitate and present FIDIC Contract training in the Caribbean Region.
Participants of the Workshop were attendees from MIHP, Department of Planning, Department of Public Works, Department of Energy & Utilities, Estates Management, A. G. Chambers, Airports Authority, Internal Audit, SPPD, Procurement and Contracts, Olympic Construction and BCQS.
The interactive course covered the FIDIC Short Form of Contract (green book), the Conditions of Contract for Construction (red book) and Conditions of Contract for Design-Build (yellow book). The training included: risk analysis, selection of the appropriate contacts, responsibilities of the employer, engineer and contractor. Commencement of procedure, extension of time, suspension, taking over certificate, defects period & performance certificate, variations, evaluation, measurement, termination of employer and or contractor, risks and responsibilities, insurance, force majeure, contractor claims, workmanship contractor claims, disputes, amicable settlement, were also discussed in depth.
Trainees delved into an in-depth view of contract and administrative management of these FIDIC contracts and the management of claims, in particular, FIDIC risk allocation, project risk management, causes of claims, employer’s claims, contractor’s claims, engineer’s claims, engineer’s determination, employer’s entitlement, justification of time claims, prolongation and disruption of claims and the establishment of the dispute adjudication board (DAB) etc. and much more.
The Workshop Graduates learned much and were commended by the facilitators as being their most interactive group to date and were encouraged to put what they have learned into practice to improve, execute and promote TCIG’s sustainable development of The Turks and Caicos.
The TCIG determined that this training was necessary, not only to advance its’ development plans for the future but to ensure that our local professionals are enriched with international training, which inevitably translates into projects done to international standards.