Trump's Orlando Comments Deepen Republican Split
Just over a month ago, Democrats were fretting about their party's unity challenges facing their presumptive nominee, Hillary Clinton. Now Republicans are wringing their heads over their expected standard-bearer, Donald Trump after certain comments he has been making.
Trump complicated his own unity efforts this week with divisive comments in the wake of the mass shooting in Orlando, doubling down on his proposed Muslim ban and suggesting that President Barack Obama's priorities were more with the terrorists than the American people.
Jim Malone shares more on the latest debatable.
Orlando Shooting
Obama condemns LGBT discrimination Discrimination against LGBT people must be tackled at home and abroad, President Obama has said after meeting relatives of Orlando attack victims.
A gunman killed 49 people on Sunday morning at a gay nightclub in the city.
Mr Obama challenged the Republican-controlled Congress to pass gun control legislation.
But Republican Senator John McCain said the president was "directly responsible" because he had failed to tackle the Islamic State group.
Gunman Omar Mateen claimed allegiance to the militant group as he carried out the massacre.
The senator said: "When he pulled everybody out of Iraq, al-Qaeda went to Syria, became Isis [Islamic State], and Isis is what it is today thanks to Barack Obama's failures, utter failures, by pulling everybody out of Iraq."
He later clarified that he did not mean the president was personally responsible.
On Thursday, hundreds of people gathered outside the Amway Center in Orlando as the president and Vice-President Joe Biden consoled relatives inside.
Microsoft to help track legalised marijuana sales
Microsoft has teamed up with California-based technology start-up Kind Financial, which helps businesses and government agencies track sales of legalised marijuana "from seed to sale".
It is the first-ever partnership of its kind for Microsoft.
Kind has been selling its marijuana tracking software to businesses and governments for some three years.
The start-up will now be able work on Microsoft's government cloud.
Kind's software, which is called Agrisoft Seed to Sale, "closes the loop between marijuana-related businesses, regulatory agencies, and financial institutions," a press release said.
Third internet peering forum to be held in the Caribbean next year
WILLEMSTAD, Curacao — The third Caribbean Peering and Interconnection Forum will be held on June 7, 2017, and the Internet community is already looking forward to it.
Referred to as CarPIF, the annual forum is two days of meetings and deal-making specifically to promote regional Internet development. The first CarPIF meeting was held in May 2015, Barbados, the second in June 2016 in Curacao.
Major global players look forward to these peering forums, or PIFs, because they provide a perfect setting for brokering new business deals in the various regional markets around the world. And the significance of the opportunity is hardly lost on Caribbean internet stakeholders.
This year, more than 100 key decision makers from across the region — including officials from internet organisations, telecommunications regulators and governments — gathered in Willemstad for the opportunity to meet with exchange point operators, Internet service providers and well-known international content providers, including Facebook, Google and Akamai.
Two shark sanctuaries established in the C'bean
Two new shark sanctuaries have now been established in the Cayman Islands and St Maarten to protect endangered marine predators.
During a three day shark conservation meeting in St Maarten, the Cayman Islands and St Marteen declared their territorial waters covering some 119,631 square kilometres closed to all commercial shark fishing.
According to St Maarten's Minister of Tourism Irania Arrindell, the newly declared shark sanctuary will help to ensure that local shark populations "exist for future generations and continue to benefit St Maarten's marine ecosystem and ecotourism."
With these two new protected areas, in place, there are now 14 shark sanctuaries worldwide.
Elsewhere in the Caribbean regional shark and sting ray sanctuaries have been created in The Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Honduras, Saba and Bonaire.
PDM LEADER ANNOUNCES CONVENTION AND NAMING OF ALL ISLAND CANDIDATES
The PDM will be holding its Annual Convention June 24th and June 25th, 2016 under the theme "VICTORY IS A MUST".
The Convention which is the highest decision making body of the PDM Party will meet to conduct Party business which will include a review of its platform and the general work and administration of the Party.
The PDM Party has been meeting in Convention since 1975 and the Party last year celebrated its 40th Year in its place of birth, the nation's capital. This year the Convention convene in Providenciales.
As the Party gets in gear for its Convention, it is currently completing its selection process for its candidate. Party Leader, Hon Sharlene Cartwright Robinson has stated that, "We are proud to have been a part of such a transparent process which involved people throughout.
Whilst many would have ideas for how we can improve the process going forward, we have introduced many firsts. We have for the first time met with all applicants individually in a Meet The Applicants series of meetings. We then met with each applicant collectively to inform them of the process agreed by the NGC. In the approved process, we have also for the first time conducted an official "Meet the Branch" Tour for all All Island applicants which will conclude this week. The Party, has already stated on many occasions publicly, that it will conduct surveys within the various constituencies.
As Leader I am pleased with the process which we feel is transparent and people centered. The Candidates Committee will meet to agree recommendations to be presented to the NGC.
The Party has agreed that all five All Island Candidates will be presented at this year's Convention and this announcement will take place during the Opening Night of Convention. The second day will see Party business conducted. We look forward to this important time together."
GSAT SEES HIGHER PASSES IN 2016
The Deputy Premier, and Minister of Education, Youth, Sport and Library Service, the Hon. Akierra Missick, yesterday announce that a total of 417 students representing the ten (10) public primary schools and eleven (11) private primary schools in the Turks and Caicos Islands, wrote the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) on May 25 and 26, 2016.
The test consists of five papers: English Language Paper 1, English Language Paper 2, Mathematics, Science and the General Paper.
Students must obtain an overall average of 50% fifty percent from a total of five hundred and twenty five (525) marks:
English Language Paper 1 - 140 marks
English Language Paper 2 - 60 marks
Mathematics - 125 marks
Science - 100 marks
General Paper - 100 marks.
The 2016 results indicate that a total of three hundred and thirteen (313) or 75.1% of the students obtained fifty percent or higher. This is a rise in the pass rate from 2015 which was 72.1.
Hon Akierra Missick stated; "It is a clear indication that our primary school age students are continuously raising the bar in their academic achievements; but with a near 3% percent increase in a 12 month period, also indicates we have the best educators in the region, if not the world. I am very pleased with these results, and note that more work will be done by the Department of Education and our school administrators, to ensure each year we have such stellar increases in passes at GSAT."
The Minister gave the nation the top 10 students in the HOA.
TCI Weather Forecast
TCI: PARTLY SUNNY AND HOT WITH A FEW SHOWERS OR ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE BECOMING FAIR AND WARM AT NIGHT WITH THE SLIGHT CHANCE OF ISOLATED SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS
WINDS: SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS BUT FALLING LIGHT AND VARIABLE AT TIMES.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
HIGH TEMPERATURE: 90°F 32°C LOW TEMPERATURE: 74°F 24°C
Flow Counts Down – 50 Days to Rio 2016 Olympic Games
The magic will begin 50 days from now, and Flow Sports – the Home of Sports in the Caribbean – is all set to deliver the most comprehensive coverage of the Olympic Games the people of the region have ever seen.
As the ‘official Broadcast Partner of Rio 2016 Olympic Games,’ Flow PRO told RTC Sports that they are the only provider to offer a high definition, multi-channel, multi-platform Olympic experience to the more than 7 million people across the 15 Caribbean markets.
Beginning on August 5th, sports fans can catch the live Olympic programming on Flow that, on average, will run from 8:00am to 8:00pm ET until the Games wrap up on August 21st.
“We are excited that today marks just 50 days until the magic of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games begins,” said John Reid, CEO of Cable and Wireless. “As the official telecom partner to the Caribbean Association of National Olympics Committees (CANOC), we will deliver the highest-quality HD broadcast of the Games across multiple platforms, enabling our customers to view the games not only on TV but on their mobile devices, so they can catch the magic of the games whenever and wherever they want.”
As the countdown continues and the excitement builds, Flow will roll out a series of Olympics consumer promotions. In fact, Flow has already launched a regional “text-to-win” competition, giving customers from across the region the chance to win the “Ultimate Rio 2016 Olympic Games Tour.” Six lucky winners will be recipients of the Gold Tour Package, which includes tickets for two to the men’s and women's 100 metre finals among other Olympic events plus guided tours of Rio de Janeiro.
KNIGHTS LEADS THE POLICE IN THE PABA
An undermanned Police badgers fell on the edge of the sword of the Knights last Saturday in Game 2 of the PABA finals.
The Knights trounced the police badgers 101-77 in a blowout game. Peterson SYLVAIN scored 24 points took 2 Rebounds while Saundro Germain contributed 16 points & 5 Rebounds.
Also contributing was Kijana Doughty added 11 points, 12 Rebounds and had 3 steals while Dwaine Simmons chipped in 19 points and 6 Rebounds for the Police.
On the other side of the floor Melvin Elsie led the way for the Knights with 35 points, 4 assists & 5 steals. Mike Cumberland added 6 points, 12 Rebs plus 5 assists, Harry Cooper dished out 21 points and 7 Rebounds, Andujar Gardiner netted 16 points with 4 Rebounds and Mark Handfield added the icing on the cake with 10 points & 9 Rebounds for the Knights.
It's a win or go home situation for the Police badgers or the knights can call checkmate as they have removed the Police’s pawns off the board and could win the PABA l 2016 trophy.
Games will continue this Friday night at the Gus Lightbourne center.