Putin confirms first nuclear weapons moved to Belarus
Vladimir Putin says that Russia has already stationed the first batch of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.
Russia's president told a forum they would only be used if Russia's territory or state was threatened.
The US government says there is no indication the Kremlin plans to use nuclear weapons to attack Ukraine.
"We don't see any indications that Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said after Mr Putin's comments.
Belarus is a key Russian ally and served as a launchpad for Mr. Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February last year.
Mr. Putin said transferring the tactical nuclear warheads would be completed by the end of the summer.
Answering questions after a speech at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Russia's president said the move was about "containment" and to remind anyone "thinking of inflicting a strategic defeat on us".
When asked by the forum's moderator about the possibility of using those weapons, he replied: "Why should we threaten the whole world? I have already said that using extreme measures is possible in case there is a danger to Russian statehood."
Tactical nuclear weapons are small atomic warheads and delivery systems intended for use on the battlefield, or for a limited strike. They are designed to destroy enemy targets in a specific area without causing widespread radioactive fallout.
The smallest tactical nuclear weapons can be one kiloton or less (producing the equivalent of a thousand tonnes of the explosive TNT). The largest ones can be as big as 100 kilotons. By comparison, the atomic bomb the US dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 was 15 kilotons.
The Russian leader is due to meet African leaders in St Petersburg after they visited Kyiv on Friday as part of a peace initiative they are presenting to both countries.
However, while they were in the city it came under Russian missile attack.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called for de-escalation on both sides and negotiations for peace.
"We came here to listen and recognize what the people of Ukraine have gone through," he said.
But Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said instead of making diplomatic overtures to Russia it should be frozen out diplomatically to send a message that the international community condemned its invasion.
Kyiv would not enter negotiations with Moscow while it still occupied Ukrainian territory, Mr Zelensky said.
Mr. Putin also repeated his claim that Ukraine stood no chance of succeeding in its ongoing counter-offensive.
The Ukrainian military was also running out of its own military equipment and would soon only be using Western-donated equipment, he said.
"You can't fight for long like that," he said, warning that any F16 US fighter jets given to Ukraine "will burn, no doubt about it".
Ukraine has previously dismissed similar remarks, asserting they are making progress in recapturing territory in both eastern and southern Ukraine.
On Friday, Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar said in the south of the country units had advanced 2km in all directions.
The BBC cannot independently verify battlefield claims.
The Russian leader also addressed economic themes, claiming that Western sanctions on Russia had failed to isolate it and instead led to an expansion in its trade with "the markets of the future".
He praised new deals with countries in Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America - calling them "reliable, responsible partners".
Source- BBC
‘Serious’ efforts to fight human trafficking
The government of The Bahamas fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking, according to the new US Trafficking in Persons (TIPS) Report. Still, some concerns were raised, including that the Bahamian courts easily granted bail even to defendants accused of violent crimes, and law enforcement did not have the resources to uphold the law fully.
The report said NGOs reported that although the country adopted appropriate laws and procedures, lower-level police, immigration officials, and labor inspectors did not implement them because of a failure to understand them, neglect, or complicity.
“Observers also noted some immigration officials may have solicited Haitian migrants for bribes to prevent detention,” it added.
The annual report – a requirement of the United States Trafficking Victims Protection Act – assesses governments’ efforts around the world to combat human trafficking.
It highlights strategies to address human trafficking and protect victims.
Again this year, The Bahamas received a Tier 1 ranking, meaning it fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of severe forms of trafficking in persons – through a Tier 1 ranking does not imply a country does not have any trafficking.
“The government continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, if any, on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore The Bahamas remained on Tier 1,” the report said.
“These efforts included convicting and sentencing a trafficker to imprisonment and making efforts to provide restitution to a repatriated foreign victim.
“The government also adopted legislation to allow victims to testify remotely, including from overseas; provided continued support for foreign victims repatriated abroad; and cooperated with a neighboring country to repatriate three victims.
“It also trained high-level officials, including five new members of the Trafficking in Persons Task Force and new labor inspectors; carried out more awareness raising; created new hotlines to report trafficking cases; and solicited feedback from underserved groups on anti-trafficking policies.
“Although the government meets the minimum standards, it did not initiate any prosecutions, continued to identify few victims, and did not provide investigative data.”
The report said the government did not report data on investigations, compared with initiating one sex trafficking investigation involving two suspects in 2021, 13 cases (11 for sex trafficking and two for labor trafficking) in 2020, and 16 investigations in 2019.
It added the government did not initiate any new prosecutions for the second year, compared with two prosecutions initiated in 2020 and 2019.
The government continued the prosecution of five alleged sex traffickers in three cases from previous reporting periods, compared with the continued prosecution of one alleged sex trafficker in 2021, the report said.
The government reported two cases were awaiting trial in the Supreme Court and one case was awaiting trial in the Magistrate Court, compared with seven suspected traffickers awaiting the start of their trials in 2021.
The government convicted one Bahamian male sex trafficker under the TIP Act and other laws in a 2021 case, the same number as the past two years, the report said.
The chief magistrate sentenced the trafficker to penalties consistent with a plea agreement, including 12 months imprisonment, three years probation, restitution in the amount of $10,000 each for two victims, and counseling, the report also informed.
Courts dismissed a case from 2020 against a Jamaican female defendant after the three Jamaican victims refused to testify, reportedly out of fear of the suspected trafficker.
The government did not report any investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government officials complicit in trafficking crimes.
Under “trafficking profile”, the report said traffickers recruit migrant workers, especially those from Haiti, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, the People’s Republic of China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela, the Philippines, and the United States through false offers of employment, through advertisements in foreign newspapers and social media.
“Upon arrival, traffickers exploit victims in sex trafficking and forced labor, including in domestic service and in sectors with low-skilled labor,” the report said.
“NGOs reported sex trafficking victims were more likely to come from Jamaica or Latin America, whereas labor trafficking victims were more likely to be Haitian in situations of debt bondage.”
It added, “Unaccompanied migrant children, individuals lured for employment, those involved in commercial sex and exotic dancing, undocumented migrants, stateless persons, LGBTQI+ individuals (particularly from outlying areas), and migrants displaced by Hurricane Dorian have been trafficking victims or are particularly vulnerable to trafficking.
“In particular, irregular migrants living in informal settlements on the Hurricane Dorian-ravaged islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama, as well as those who fled to New Providence after the storm, exist in what observers call “dark spaces,” which deter them from reporting abuse.”
The report also lists a number of “prioritized recommendations”.
They include: “Increase efforts to investigate, prosecute, and convict traffickers, including officials complicit in sex or labor trafficking, and seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers, which should involve significant prison terms; improve efforts to identify victims and refer them to services, particularly among vulnerable groups, including underserved stateless persons; migrants and asylum-seekers from Haiti, Jamaica, and Venezuela; LGBTQI+ individuals; and Cuban nationals working on government-sponsored programs.”
Among other recommendations, the Americans urge The Bahamas government to provide a dedicated shelter for trafficking victims; including representatives of LGBTQI+ groups, Haitian and stateless persons, and foreign diplomatic missions as appropriate in discussions with the National Trafficking in Persons Inter-Ministerial Committee (Anti-Trafficking Committee) and improve regular investigative data collection and record keeping.
Source- The Nassau Guardian
Operation Beach Clean-up, Call to Action!
The DECR in collaboration with the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association (TCHTA) Sustainable Tourism Committee, and its partners, is appealing to the community of Grand Turk to assist with 'Operation Beach Clean-up' on Saturday 17 June 2023.
Recent weather conditions have resulted in a large amount of ocean plastics and debris washing onto shore on the windward side of the island. The debris poses a serious threat to the health and well-being of our coastal and marine life as well as our tourism product.
We appeal to the Grand Turk community to assist us with a large-scale clean-up on East Beach, this Saturday. Meet us outside The Ridge Cafe at 7 am. Equipment will be provided, but please be sure to pack a hat and your reusable water bottle.
Branson to launch space tourism flights this month
Sir Richard Branson's space tourism company Virgin Galactic says it will launch its first commercial flight before the end of this month.
The firm is targeting a launch window for the flight, which is called Galactic 01, from 27 June to 30 June.
After the announcement to investors, Virgin Galactic shares jumped more than 40% in extended New York trading.
In May, Virgin Orbit - a separate space firm owned by the UK billionaire - shut down, months after a mission failed.
Virgin Galactic said the first flight will be a scientific research mission, carrying three crew members from the Italian Air Force and the National Research Council of Italy to conduct microgravity research.
The company said its second commercial spaceflight will follow in early August, and it expects to operate monthly spaceflights from then on.
It marks a key milestone for the 19-year-old Virgin Galactic, which has had to overcome a series of accidents and technical challenges.
Last month, Virgin Galactic's rocket plane, which is called Unity, was back in action after a gap of almost two years.
The vehicle, with two pilots and four passengers aboard, climbed high over the New Mexico desert in the US to the edge of space - before gliding back down.
It was billed as the vehicle's final test flight before the launch of the firm's long-awaited debut commercial service.
Virgin Galactic has sold more than 800 tickets to people who want to ride over 80km (260,000ft) above Earth.
The flights are designed to give passengers views from space at the top of its climb and allow them a few minutes to experience weightlessness. They cost $450,000 (£352,170) per person.
While Virgin Galactic focusses on space tourism, Sir Richard also had ambitions to launch satellites with his rocket company, Virgin Orbit.
However Virgin Orbit shut down in May after the failure of a mission which had been billed as a potential milestone for UK space exploration.
Earlier in the year, the firm, which was set up to launch satellites, paused operations to try to boost its finances.
Virgin Orbit has now sold off items, including its converted jet Cosmic Girl, and most of its headquarters in California.
It has been a tumultuous period for the Virgin boss.
Sir Richard told the BBC in May that he had personally lost around £1.5bn (£1.9bn) during the pandemic after lockdowns hit his airline and leisure businesses.
"There was a time when I thought we were going to lose everything", he said. However, he has managed to retain his billionaire status - he has a net worth of £2.4bn according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List.
Source- BBC
NBA suspends Memphis Grizzlies guard, Ja Morant, for 25 games over gun incidents
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has been suspended for 25 games without pay for "conduct detrimental to the NBA".
Morant, 23, was "suspended from all team activities" in May after appearing to hold a gun in a social media video for the second time in two months.
His return is subject to completing an NBA program that "directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this destructive behavior".
Morant was suspended for eight games after the initial incident in March.
On that occasion, a video showed the All-Star guard, who was the second overall draft pick in 2019, holding a gun in a Colorado nightclub, after which he apologized and said he would "get help".
"I take full responsibility for my actions last night," he added in a statement.
Morant said he is "committed to continuing to work on myself" after the latest incident, when during a live broadcast on Instagram he posed with a gun in a car with several other individuals as they left a social gathering in Memphis.
"I know I've disappointed a lot of people who have supported me," Morant said.
"This is a journey and I recognise there is more work to do. My words may not mean much right now, but I take full accountability for my actions."
The 2023-24 NBA season begins in October, with each team playing 82 regular-season games.
The NBA said that Morant's suspension begins immediately and will remain in effect for the first 25 games for which he is otherwise eligible and able to play.
"For Ja, basketball needs to take a back seat at this time," said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
"[His] decision to once again wield a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting.
"The potential for other young people to emulate Ja's conduct is particularly concerning. Under these circumstances, we believe a suspension of 25 games is appropriate and makes clear that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behavior with guns will not be tolerated."
The National Basketball Players Association, the league's players union, criticized the length of the ban.
"We believe it is excessive and inappropriate for a number of reasons," NBPA executive director Tamika Tremaglio said.
"It is not fair and consistent with past discipline in our league. We will explore with Ja all options and next steps."
Source- BBC
Toyota faces shareholder revolt and calls for board shakeup
Toyota is facing a revolt from shareholders at its annual general meeting this week from investors demanding that it go electric and that the company make board changes and disclose its lobbying against progressive climate policies.
Among those in the firing line is former CEO Akio Toyoda, who shareholders are trying to vote off the board because of his failure to transition the world’s largest automaker to electric vehicles.
The world’s largest automaker has been a global laggard in EVs. Last year just 0.2 percent of Toyota’s total production was fully electric vehicles and the company has been accused of lobbying governments around the world to water down pro-EV policies.
Toyota’s half-hearted BZ4X was essentially a retrofitted ICE vehicle body with a battery and electric motor that was a complete flop. In April Toyota updated its strategy and plans to introduce 10 new EV models
“We will expand our current lineup by releasing ten new models by 2026, which would amount to 1.5 million vehicles of annual sales,” said Toyota executive vice president Hiroki Nakajima during the new management policy and direction announcement.
While the announcement was welcome, many believe that Toyota will struggle to grow EV production that quickly over the next 3 years. It took Tesla 9 years to grow EV production from 20,000 units to 1.3 million which, according to Musk is the fastest automotive production growth in history.
Two weeks ago the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) put Toyota in the “Laggards” group of its report ranking the world’s top 20 car makers on EV market dominance, technology, and strategic vision.
Last month a group of three asset managers, who collectively hold $400 million of Toyota stock submitted a shareholder proposal urging Toyota Motor Corp to improve disclosure of its lobbying on climate change.
The shareholder group includes Danish pension fund AkademikerPension, Norway’s Storebrand Asset Management, and Dutch pension investment company APG Asset Management.
The group wants Toyota to disclose in detail its lobbying efforts, including through industry associations (like Australia’s FCAI) and wants it to align its goals with that of the Paris Agreement.
“We’re concerned that Toyota is missing out on profits from soaring EV sales, jeopardizing its valuable brand and cementing its global laggard status,” said Anders Schelde, AkademikerPension’s chief investment officer at the time.
“We need concrete policy changes and a better annual review drawing on independent data to calm international investors.
Last month Toyota’s board recommended shareholders vote against the resolution, which will be put to vote tomorrow, saying the company already reports on its climate-related public-relations activities.
According to Wall Street Journal, Toyota representatives have flown several times to meet with management at AkademikerPension in Denmark in the lead-up to tomorrow’s general meeting.
People involved in the meetings told WSJ that the Toyota reps tried to nudge the fund to pursue dialogue instead of the shareholder proposal.
-Some shareholders intend to vote the former CEO off the board
According to the Wall Street Journal, major shareholders including the New York City comptroller’s office, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, and a handful of European asset managers say they have voted or plan to vote to oust several Toyota directors from their board seats including former CEO and grandson of Toyota founder, Akio Toyoda.
Source- The Driven
US moves to block Microsoft's Activision takeover
Regulators in the US have asked a judge to block Microsoft from completing its $69bn (£56bn) purchase of Call of Duty publisher Activision Blizzard.
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said the deal, which would be the largest in the history of the video games industry, could "substantially lessen competition" in the sector.
The move comes after the UK blocked the deal over concerns it would hurt competition, but the EU approved it.
A trial in the US will begin in August.
The FTC said in a court filing that a "preliminary injunction is necessary to... prevent interim harm" while the regulator determines whether "the proposed acquisition violates US antitrust law".
Microsoft's proposed takeover of Activision has split global regulators, and in order for the deal to go through the parties need approval from regulatory bodies in the UK, the EU, and the US.
The European Commission has approved the acquisition, saying that Microsoft's offer of 10-year free licensing deals - which promise European consumers and cloud game streaming services access to Activision's PC and console games - means there would be fair competition in the market.
But the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) blocked the deal in April, saying it was concerned the takeover would offer reduced innovation and less choice for gamers.
Microsoft and Activision hit out at the decision and said they would appeal.
Microsoft president Brad Smith said it marked the company's "darkest day" in its four decades of working in the country.
In response to the announcement by the FTC, Mr. Smith said Microsoft welcomed the "opportunity to present our case in federal court" in its attempt to persuade US regulators to allow the deal to be completed.
"We believe accelerating the legal process in the US will ultimately bring more choice and competition to the market," he added.
William Kovacic, former FTC chair and non-executive director at the UK's CMA, said the FTC had expressed concerns that Microsoft and Activision might close their deal despite UK opposition, and so asked a judge to halt it.
"The EU's decision to take a settlement was a bit of a surprise," he told Wake Up to Money.
Mr. Kovacic said there was still a chance the takeover could be completed, but added: "The chance is diminished".
The purchase of Activision, which also makes Candy Crush, is seen to be important for Microsoft, which is trying to play catch-up with its main competitor Sony.
However, this attempted investment from Microsoft could be seen as a play for the future of games, with the firm betting big on its Xbox Game Pass service, which has been described as the "Netflix of games".
Microsoft believes the future lies in players having subscriptions to libraries and streaming games through "cloud gaming", rather than making one-off purchases - which is the main way of accessing games at the moment.
Source- BBC
2023 Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA) Results
The Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports, and Social Services extends sincere congratulations to all primary school students from both Government and Private primary schools who were successful in the 2023 Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA). The Ministry encourages all students to do their best to achieve academic and personal excellence as they transition to high school.
The Minister of Education, Honourable Rachel M. Taylor, congratulates the students for achieving success and commends the management and staff of the schools for the excellent work done preparing the students to meet the challenges they would face in their future and encourages them to strive for excellence continuously. Honourable Taylor also extends thanks to the parents of the students for their guidance and encouragement and states, "The sea of knowledge knows no boundaries, and I want to remind every student that perseverance and hard work leads to success in life."
The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) administered the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment to students completing Grade 6 throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands on May 4 and 5, 2023.
Four hundred thirty-five (435) candidates were scheduled for Language, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science assessments. However, ten candidates were absent during the administration of the evaluations, leaving a total of 425 candidates who were assessed.
The assessment scores represent a combination of the internal (School-Based Assessment) assessment and the external assessment which consisted of multiple-choice items assessing literacies in the four subject areas. Each paper had a maximum of 75 marks for an overall total of 300. The internal assessment carried a total of 200 marks.
Analysis by School
Jonathan Brisbane of the B.E.S.T. Institute demonstrated Advanced Competence scoring 471 marks out of the possible 500 marks.
Below is The CPEA Results – Order of Merit by School – Rank by Score
Eliza Simons Primary School Score Percent
Juvenson Pierre 426 85.2
Karvin Monegro 414 82.8
Georgina Forbes 404 80.8
Ona Glinton Primary School
Brandon Williams 467 93.4
Joneil Belzi 461 92.2
Shaylee Bacchus 433 86.6
Faith Preparatory
Tahjon Roberts 410 82.0
Sylvanus Been 398 79.6
Ishitha Parvani 386 77.2
Iris Stubbs Primary School
Nathanael Beckford 403 80.6
Kaeya Lam 375 75.0
Leroy Wilson 363 72.6
Adelaide Omeler Primary Schoool
Darius Bassett 418 83.6
Leah Goodley 418 83.6
Krisanno Charles 398 79.6
Charles Hubert James Primary School
Darwin Bazter 426 85.2
Thiana Laird 426 85.2
Myrberlie Obei 416 83.2
Enid Capron Primary School
Josh Martinez 395 79.0
Devonnique Adams 393 78.6
Able Rigby 379 75.8
Ianthe Pratt Primary School
Endrika Lerenard 4 02 80.4
Makayla Belizaire 401 80.2
Elizabeth Joseph 401 80.2
Oseta Jolly Primary School
Shecaniah Robertson 455 91.0
Jordan Pierre 450 90.0
Emily Charles 423 84.6
Alpha Christian Academy
Tianna Kerr 387 77.4
Tavinmax Mars 375 75.0
Gerlang Perceus 359 71.8
B.E.S.T. Institute
Jonathan Brisbane 471 94.2
Destiny Boswell 441 88.2
Sanai Moore 409 81.8
Community Christian Academy
Theodore Goldson 429 85.8
Dominion Handfield 414 82.8
Ruth Telismon 408 81.6
Elite High School
John Paul 303 60.6
Raily Silverio 276 55.2
Anisha Baptiste 256 51.2
Provo Christian School
Aleque Todd 443 88.6
Yeniel Santana 375 75.0
Khy’shawn Simmons 373 74.6
Richmond Hill Preparatory
Adriel Brown 462 92.4
Hulda Noel 436 87.2
Tiana Williams 425 85.0
Shining Stars Preparatory
Atarah Lewis 453 90.6
Carlecia Hanson 409 81.8
Pattaysha Candio 389 77.8
Thelma Lightbourne Primary School
Shanrica Gabriel 433 86.6
Deanna Lawrence 430 86.0
Daniel Lawrence 429 85.8
US inflation rate continues to fall
Prices for eggs used cars and furniture in the US dropped in May, helping to slash inflation to less than half of its peak a year ago.
Inflation, the rate at which prices rise, was 4% over the 12 months to the end of May, the Labor Department said. That was down from 4.9% in April.
The update comes as the US central bank meets to debate whether it should raise interest rates again.
Officials have already raised borrowing costs sharply to rein in prices.
Analysts expect the bank to keep interest rates unchanged this month, but it could signal a willingness to keep raising rates in the future.
Source- BBC
Denver Nuggets beat Miami Heat to claim first NBA title
The Denver Nuggets clinched their first NBA title as a 94-89 win over the Miami Heat sealed a 4-1 series triumph.
Nikola Jokic led his side to victory with 28 points to end the Nugget's 47-year wait for the championship trophy.
Serb Jokic, 28, was named the Finals most valuable player to add to the two overall MVPs he won in 2021 and 2022.
"We're not in it for ourselves, we're in it for the guy next to us and that's why this [means] even more," Jokic said following victory at Ball Arena.
Jokic also contributed 16 rebounds, while Michael Porter Jr added 16 points and 13 rebounds as the Nuggets ground out the decisive victory in game five.
The Nuggets never lost more than twice in any of their playoff series, ending their march towards a historic success with 10 victories in their last 11 post-season games.
Denver trailed 71-70 at the start of the fourth quarter, and 89-88 with just under two minutes remaining, but the hosts would not be denied after they hit the front with a Bruce Brown lay-up.
For Miami, Jimmy Butler scored 21 points and Bam Adebayo 20 but they were unable to keep their hopes of an unlikely comeback alive.
Only one of the 36 teams to have previously fallen 3-1 behind in an NBA Finals - the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 - had managed to come back to win the championship.
"It was an amazing effort by the team," Jokic said.
"That is why basketball is a fun sport, it is a live thing, you cannot say this going to happen, there are so many factors.
"I'm just happy we won the game."
Nuggets coach Michael Malone told the home supporters: "I've got news for everyone out there. We are not satisfied with one."
It is the fourth major North American sports title in the past two years for owner Stan Kroenke - who also owns Premier League club Arsenal - alongside NFL Super Bowl success for the Los Angeles Rams, Colorado Avalanche's NHL Stanley Cup win, and Colorado Mammoth's National Lacrosse League Cup victory.
Source- BBC