Principal says he is bracing for academic loss
At least one school principal says he is bracing for academic loss amid a strike by public school teachers. The strike, which started in seven parishes Thursday, is expected to last six days.
Principal Paul Grant, of Bellefield High, a shift school in Manchester, told the Jamaica Observer on Thursday said if the strike continues as planned "the school system will be crippled".
He added: "We are bracing for some academic loss that we can't escape. Teachers were required to submit their exam scripts to the heads of departments and to be vetted by their vice-principals for printing for [internal] exams starting in the middle of June," said Grant.
"If this continues into next week then there will be significant academic loss in terms of the final preparations. I suspect that between now and the middle of June some teachers may not complete their unit and curriculum, so the impact Thursday, Friday, and possibly into next week, will have rippling effects in terms of the students and their preparations for their end-of-year results," added Grant.
The Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA), led by President La Sonja Harrison, called the strike and urged educators to register their displeasure with the handling of anomalies and discrepancies arising from the Government's compensation review.
Teachers in Westmoreland, St Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon, Kingston, St Andrew, and St Thomas are set to continue industrial action today, Friday, May 26.
Teachers in Hanover, St James, Trelawny, St Ann, St Mary, and Portland are set to take industrial action on May 29 and 30, and an all-island industrial strike is set for May 31 and June 1.
The teachers, however, could be ordered back to work today when a team from the JTA meets with the Ministry of Labour.
"We had to make a decision to send the students home at 9:30 am. There are some students here doing CXC and others are in different areas studying. The teachers supported and then we had to send the students home just to make sure that they are safe," he said.
"It is slated for tomorrow [Friday] but I don't know in terms of Government intervention what will take place. We are listening and awaiting information, but if we don't hear anything by a certain time we would have to get in touch with parents so that they know how to make their decisions," added Graham.
A senior teacher at BB Coke High School in Junction who requested anonymity told the Observer why she supported the industrial action.
"There are teachers who have not gotten their retroactive payments. There are people who are still not sure about their monthly salary. Monies were taken from our salaries in March, and we don't know what it was for. There is no explanation," she said.
Principal of St Elizabeth Technical High School in Santa Cruz Keith Wellington said only half of the 98 teachers there turned up for work on Thursday and just over 600 students showed up for classes.
"Only 50 percent of our teachers are here today and 50 percent of the student population as well. I have excluded the grade 11 and sixth-formers who are only here for exams. Across grades seven to 10, we would have expected regular classes, [but] only 50 percent of the students are here," he said.
Principal of Cross Keys High School Paul Morgan said 33 of 58 teachers turned up for work on Thursday and only 83 students for classes.
"I am impacted. I don't have my full complement of staff and my student population is at a low. I have had to be merging classes," he said.
When asked if he was prepared for the planned continued industrial action, Morgan was reluctant to say.
"I can't speak on that, because as a principal I have nothing to do with strike, that is a matter for teachers and their union," he said.
Source- JamaicaObserver
Congress inches closer to deal before holiday weekend
US President Joe Biden says progress has been made in talks with top Republican Kevin McCarthy over the US debt ceiling - even as Congress breaks up for a holiday weekend.
The pair aim to reach a deal on raising the government borrowing limit for two years so it can keep paying its bills.
A US debt default - with a 1 June deadline looming - would upend the economy and have a global impact.
Mr. Biden spoke of "several productive conversations" with Mr. McCarthy.
The deal being reached could mean both sides can point to wins - Republicans on curbs to spending and Democrats on protecting key domestic programs.
During a White House event on Thursday, the president said his staff remained in conversation with the team of Mr. McCarthy, the House speaker - and that the two sides were "making progress".
He added: "I made clear time and again that defaulting on our nation's debt is not an option." He said Americans deserved certainty over issues such as social security payments.
The debt ceiling is a spending limit set by Congress that determines how much money the government can borrow - an issue on which Democrats and Republicans disagree.
With no deal yet struck, the Treasury has warned that the US will not have enough money to pay all of its bills as soon as 1 June.
Analysts say there could be severe economic consequences if the US fails to honor its obligations.
A US official told Reuters that the White House was considering scaling back an increase of the Internal Revenue Service to hire more auditors, which was intended to target wealthy Americans.
The Times reported negotiators were closing in on a deal that would raise the debt limit for two years while imposing strict caps on spending, with the military and veterans' budgets protected from caps.
Republicans are seeking spending cuts in exchange for raising the $31.4tn (£25tn) cap on government borrowing.
Mr. McCarthy - who leads Republicans in the House and has been the most high-profile public face of the talks for his party - earlier said Democrats and Republicans had worked past midnight on Wednesday and would continue to negotiate.
"There's a couple of issues still hanging out there that we've got to get done," he said. "We're gonna work 24/7 to try to make that happen."
Another key Republican said he believed a deal to raise the nation's debt-ceiling deal was "likely" by Friday afternoon.
"We are inching closer to a deal. I think it's some of the finer points they are working on right now," Rep Kevin Hern told Reuters news agency. "You are likely to see a deal by tomorrow afternoon."
"Neither side is going to get exactly what they want," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq were trading higher at midday on Thursday, lifted by positive updates on earnings from some companies, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down about 0.6%.
That followed several days of declines.
Any agreement formed between the two sides will need to be turned into a legislative text to be approved by Congress.
Mr McCarthy has promised to give lawmakers 72 hours to review the bill, and at least 24 hours' notice if they have to return to Washington early. If a deal is reached this week, a vote could happen early next week.
There is little wiggle room for objections to be raised, as the Senate would also have to vote on the bill, which would then go to the White House for signing.
Lawmakers could also temporarily lift the debt cap to give the talks more time.
Source- BBC
Energy bills set to stay high despite price cap cut
Energy bills are set to remain high despite a cut in prices from July, experts have warned.
A typical household will pay £2,074 a year for gas and electricity from July, £426 a year less than currently, after the regulator cut the energy price cap for England, Scotland, and Wales.
Government help in recent months has limited bills to £2,500.
However, prices are not expected to fall much further over the rest of the year and could edge up in winter.
MoneySavingExpert's Martin Lewis said that later on in 2023 bills would be similar to last winter because, although prices are cheaper, households will not get the same £400 discount from the government they previously received.
"People will still be paying double what they used to pay before the energy crisis hit," he added.
Kate Mulvany, from energy analysis firm Cornwall Insight, also said further substantial falls in bills would be unlikely particularly if there was a cold winter across Europe with the UK competing to buy energy with other countries.
"Our forecasts suggest until the end of this decade, higher and more volatile prices are going to be seen, and that includes the impact they're going to have on domestic bills unfortunately," she told the BBC's Today program.
Earlier this week, Qatar's energy minister warned the "worst is yet to come" for gas shortages in Europe, suggesting prices could rise again.
There are hopes that the fall of the price cap below the government's guaranteed level could lead to the return of competition in the market, with people able to shop around for the best deal.
But Mr. Lewis said that he did not expect to see firms publicizing new offers immediately, with energy firms instead offering existing customers bespoke offers, with no new deals across the market.
The boss of energy regulator Ofgem Jonathan Brearley urged people to contact their supplier if they were struggling to pay their bills.
"In the medium term, we're unlikely to see prices return to the levels we saw before the energy crisis," he added.
Michael Houghton says the Emmaus charity in Ipswich helped him apply for grants to pay his soaring energy bill last winter.
He says his gas bill rose to almost £30 per week, forcing him to cut down on food shopping and entertainment.
But Mr. Houghton says that prices remaining high is a concern in the long term. Without more support, he worries he will not be able to afford to pay his energy bills if they remain at a similar price this coming winter.
Since 2019, Ofgem has set a price cap on energy bills. This is the maximum price that suppliers can charge customers per unit of gas and electricity. It applies to households on variable or default tariffs in England, Wales, and Scotland.
After the price cap soared, the government stepped in with the Energy Price Guarantee.
From October, a typical household's annual gas and electricity bill has been £2,500, but this will expire at the end of June. A £400 discount on everyone's energy bills, provided by the government during the winter, came to an end in April.
Under the new cap, the electricity unit rate is 30p per kWh, with a standing charge of 53p a day. The gas unit rate is 8p per kWh and the standing charge is 29p a day.
Most households do not use a typical amount of gas and electricity. Bills are based on how much energy a household actually uses, which depends on the number of people, the type of property, and its energy efficiency.
The calculations for a typical household are based on a direct debit customer using 12,000 kWh (kilowatt hours) of gas and 2,900 kWh of electricity a year. A kilowatt-hour is a unit of energy used to calculate your bill.
About 29 million households will be affected by the change in the cap, but there will be some differences in typical payments from July
- Those who pay via a prepayment meter will pay a similar level to those on direct debits at £2,077 a year.
- Those who pay by cash, cheque, or bank transfer, usually every three months, will have to pay more, with a price cap of £2,211 a year.
- In Northern Ireland, which is regulated separately, bills will be held at £1,950 per year.
Despite the cut to the price cap, the charity National Energy Action said that 6.5 million people would still be in fuel poverty. The typical bill from July will still be much higher than in the winter of 2021 when it stood at £1,277 a year. Charity Citizens Advice described that as "unaffordable for millions of people".
And Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said customers would still be paying roughly the same for their energy as last winter.
"And after months of inflation and the wider cost of living crisis, people are even less able to afford these high energy bills," he said.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the cut to the price cap was a "major milestone" in the government's goal to halve inflation.
Inflation - the rate at which prices rise - has been running above 10% for several months, although it fell to 8.7% in April. One of the main factors pushing up the rate was the surge in energy prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
However, Labour's shadow climate change secretary Ed Miliband said energy bills "remain eye-wateringly high, almost double what they were 18 months ago, and families and businesses across the country will continue to struggle to make ends meet".
Source- BBC
ChatGPT-maker warns it might leave EU over planned AI law
The boss of the company behind ChatGPT has said it might consider leaving the EU if it fails to comply with a planned law on artificial intelligence (AI).
The EU's planned legislation could be the first to specifically regulate AI.
And it could require generative AI companies to reveal which copyrighted material had been used to train their systems to create text and images.
"The current draft of the EU AI Act would be over-regulating," OpenAI's Sam Altman said, Reuters reported.
"But we have heard it's going to get pulled back."
Many in the creative industries accuse AI companies of using the work of artists, musicians, and actors to train systems to imitate their work.
But Mr. Altman is worried it would be technically impossible for OpenAI to comply with some of the AI Act's safety and transparency requirements, according to Time magazine.
At an event at University College London, Mr. Altman added he was optimistic AI could create more jobs and reduce inequality.
He also met Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the heads of AI companies DeepMind and Anthropic to discuss the technology's risks - from disinformation to national security and even "existential threats" - and the voluntary actions and regulations required to manage them.
Some experts fear super-intelligent AI systems could threaten humanity's existence.
But Mr. Sunak said AI could "positively transform humanity" and "deliver better outcomes for the British public, with emerging opportunities in a range of areas to improve public services".
At the G7 summit in Hiroshima, the leaders of the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, and Canada agreed to create "trustworthy" AI must be "an international endeavor".
And before any EU legislation comes into effect, the European Commission aims to develop an AI pact with Google's parent company, Alphabet.
International cooperation is vital to regulating AI, according to EU industry chief Thierry Breton, who met with Google chief executive Sundar Pichai in Brussels.
"Sundar and I agreed that we cannot afford to wait until AI regulation actually becomes applicable - and to work together with all AI developers to already develop an AI pact on a voluntary basis ahead of the legal deadline," Mr. Breton said.
Silicon Valley veteran, author, and O'Reilly Media founder Tim O'Reilly said the best start would be mandating transparency and building regulatory institutions to enforce accountability.
"AI fearmongering, when combined with its regulatory complexity, could lead to analysis paralysis," he said.
"Companies creating advanced AI must work together to formulate a comprehensive set of metrics that can be reported regularly and consistently to regulators and the public, as well as a process for updating those metrics as new best practices emerge."
Source- BBC
BMW electrifies 5 Series with powerful i5 electric sedan
BMW will roll out at least four variants of the all-electric i5 midsize sedan as it expands drivetrains as part of a redesign of the eighth-generation 5 Series family.
The i5, which will compete against luxury battery-electric cars including the Mercedes EQE, was unveiled Wednesday along with a combustion engine sibling, the 2024 5 Series sedan.
The retooled sedan is 3.4 inches longer, 1.3 inches wider, and 1.4 inches taller than the outgoing model, with a wheelbase increased by 0.8 inches to 117.9 inches, helping to improve seating comfort, notably in the rear, BMW said.
The battery-electric i5 variants will be:
- The i5 M60 xDrive sedan will become the flagship 5 Series model with 590 hp and a 0-to-60 mph acceleration time of 3.7 seconds and 256 miles of range.
- The Entry i5 eDrive40 rear-wheel-drive sedan, with 335 hp and 295 miles of range.
- An i5 station wagon to be sold in Europe.
- An all-wheel-drive i5 sedan model that will launch in 2024.
The retooled 5 Series and new i5 sedan, assembled in Dingolfing, Germany, will go on sale globally in October, BMW said.
The 5 series, dating to 1972, is a core model in BMW's U.S. car lineup. It was the No. 2 seller, after the Lexus ES, among luxury midsize cars in 2022, with sales of 20,859, down 15 percent.
The 2024 i5 has an 84.3-kilowatt-hour battery pack and a driving range of 296 to 361 miles under Europe’s WLTP testing regime.
The charging unit in the i5 enables Level 2 AC charging up to 11 kW. When connected to a DC fast charger, the charging rate of 205 kW allows the i5 battery to be topped off to 80 percent from 10 percent in about 30 minutes. BMW said first-time owners of the i5 will receive two years of complimentary 30-minute charging sessions at Electrify America DC fast-charging locations.
The i5’s range can be also moderated by activating a new drive system function, what BMW is calling Max Range, to help alleviate range anxiety. When the car is in Max Range mode, drive power and top speed are restricted and comfort functions are adjusted to conserve battery power.
The i5 is part of BMW’s broader technology push with the latest 5 Series, which features new infotainment, advanced driving systems and connected services aimed to position the car as a high-tech rival to the latest Mercedes E-Class.
The 5 Series and i5 have a curved display across the top of the dashboard that incorporates a 12.3-inch screen in front of the driver and a 14.9-inch touchscreen in the center of the dashboard.
BMW said that occupants can now watch YouTube videos on the screen when the car is stationary, providing they have optioned the right connectivity package. They can also play games thanks to a tie-up with gaming platform AirConsole.
Running below and to the side of the display is an Interaction Bar combining touch-sensitive controls and lights that can be animated to give messages, for example to indicate an incoming phone call or show when it’s safe to open the door.
BMW said it reduced interior buttons on the car, but retained those needed “for fast and intuitive operation,” according to a statement.
Source- Automotive News
Beyonce and Jagger lead tributes to Tina Turner
Celebrities and fans have paid tribute to Tina Turner, the soul star behind hits like The Best and What's Love Got to Do With It, who has died aged 83.
Beyoncé said she was the "epitome of passion and power", while Sir Mick Jagger called her a "wonderful friend" and "enormously talented" performer.
Turner was also praised by Mariah Carey and Oprah Winfrey as a "survivor" who overcame years of domestic abuse.
The Obamas praised her for "singing her truth through joy and pain".
They were joined by current US President Joe Biden, who noted that Turner had started life as a farmer's daughter and hailed her "once-in-a-generation talent".
Beyoncé performs with Tina Turner at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S. February 10, 2008.
The singer's death was announced on Wednesday by her publicist. No cause was given, but she had suffered a number of health issues in recent years, including a stroke and kidney disease.
Known as the Queen of Rock and Roll, she was a firebrand on the stage and one of the most unforgettable vocalists of her generation.
She embarked on her singing career in the 1950s and found fame with the Ike Turner Revue, before re-emerging as a solo star in the 1980s.
US singer Gloria Gaynor said Turner "paved the way for so many women in rock music, black and white".
"She did with great dignity and success what very few would even have dared to do in her time and in that genre of music. "
Another contemporary, Diana Ross, said she was "shocked" and "saddened" by Turner's death; while Dionne Warwick remembered her as an "eternal ball of energy".
Mick Jagger, who often collaborated with Turner, wrote on Twitter: "I'm so saddened by the passing of my wonderful friend Tina Turner.
"She was truly an enormously talented performer and singer. She was inspiring, warm, funny, and generous. She helped me so much when I was young and I will never forget her."
Tina Turner and Mick Jagger rehearse their duet for the upcoming Live Aid concert at JFK Stadium on July 12, 1985, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Sir Elton John called Turner a "total legend on record and on stage".
He said: "We have lost one of the world's most exciting and electric performers... She was untouchable."
Welsh star Dame Shirley Bassey recalled how Turner "really gave it her everything and was a fantastic performer", and US Government space agency Nasa added: Simply the best. Music legend Tina Turner sparkled across the stage and into millions of hearts as the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll. Her legacy will forever live among the stars."
Born in Tennessee and raised in the church, Turner basically elbowed her way into rock 'n' roll and rose to fame in the 1960s.
When Ike Turner refused to give her an audition, she waited for the intermission in his show, grabbed a drummer's microphone, and let rip.
She sang with the band for the rest of the night, and soon got equal billing with Ike - later marrying her co-star.
"When Ike heard me, he said, 'My God!'" she told People magazine in 1981. "He couldn't believe that voice coming out of this frail little body."
They became one of the most watchable, combustible bands on the soul circuit; and many of their hits were covers of other people's material.
From Proud Mary to Get Back, via Whole Lotta Love, Turner made the songs her own, bringing an unforgettable rasp and a powerful female perspective to those rock and roll standards.
John Fogerty, the former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman who wrote Proud Mary, tweeted: "So deeply sad to hear about Tina Turner's passing… I loved her version of Proud Mary! It was different and fantastic. I was also so happy because she chose my song and it was her breakthrough record."
The star was left penniless after divorcing Ike Turner in the 1970s, but she went on to achieve even greater success as a solo artist, with hits including What's Love Got To Do With It, Let's Stay Together, The Best Steamy Windows, Private Dancer, and James Bond theme GoldenEye.
A number of Wednesday Night's tributes referred to her escape from her husband's abuse.
The charity Women's Aid was among those to quote one of Turner's songs, saying: "She will always be simply the best."
TV presenter Oprah Winfrey cited Turner's "courage", adding: "Her life became a clarion call for triumph."
In an effusive message, singer Mariah Carey called Turner not only an "incredible performer" but also a "survivor and an inspiration to women everywhere".
A photograph of Tina Turner adorned with flowers
Beyoncé, another younger star who was influenced by Turner, wrote on her website: "My beloved queen. I love you endlessly.
"I am so grateful for your inspiration, and all the ways you have paved the way. You are strong and resilient. You are the epitome of passion and power.
"We are all so fortunate to have witnessed your kindness and beautiful spirit that will forever remain. Thank you for all you have done."
Singer PP Arnold - who performed alongside Turner - told the BBC that the two women's relationship had "changed my life" and saved her from an abusive teen marriage.
Numerous other musicians including Janelle Monáe, Dolly Parton, Blondie's Debbie Harry, and Sir Tom Jones were quick to hail the late performer's achievements.
She won eight Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 as a solo artist, having earlier been inducted alongside Ike.
Source- BBC
Three world titles in one night a disaster for boxing
Having three good world title fights in three different venues on one night is an absolute disaster for boxing.
It's about the worst thing that can happen in this sport, and I really mean that.
In Manchester, Nottingham's Leigh Wood challenges Mauricio Lara for the WBA featherweight title. In Bournemouth, Lawrence Okolie defends his WBO cruiserweight title against Chris Billam-Smith. And in Belfast, local hero Michael Conlan takes on reigning IBF featherweight champion Alberto Lopez.
You'd be happy to have three fights like this in the entire year.
You'd be delighted if you had these three fights in a couple of months.
To have them on one Saturday is quite ridiculous.
What's really amazing, is if you have a look at the boxing diary in the UK, the following weekends: 3 June, empty; 17 June, empty; 24 June, empty.
All six of the men in the three world fights have all been on 5 Live in the past 12 months. These are all big fights.
We use words like unique in boxing and overused. We talk about rare and overused. We talk about incredible nights, overused. But surely this night ticks all these boxes. It's never happened before and I hope it never happens again.
We've had clashes in the past in the UK.
We had a terrible situation in 2018 when Carl Frampton fought Josh Warrington in Manchester and Derek Chisora took on Dillian Whyte in London. Both pay-per-view fights, both on the Saturday before Christmas, 22 December. That was a disaster.
Both were sold out and both were guaranteed to be great fights, and they were great fights.
This is not even the first time this year we've had clashes and they seem to be happening more on a regular basis in recent times. But this is the first time in my lifetime we've had three world titles in three different locations in England and Northern Ireland in one night.
Who doesn't want to be in Bournemouth in the sunshine to watch Billam-Smith take on world champion Okolie at the Vitality Stadium?
Who doesn't want to be in Manchester to see if Wood can pull it off against Lara after coming so close the first time? And who in their right mind doesn't want to be in Belfast for Conlan to win a world title?
These are sell-your-granny fights, they really are. I can make a case for each of these events being monster events and they've been lumped together during a two-hour period in one night. It's madness.
How does this happen? It's a mixture of facts. All of the promoters are claiming they bagged the date first, like a kid in a playground. I don't really care who officially announced it first because behind the scenes we all knew they were bubbling. I dreaded having two of them on the same night, but three?
I work closely with every promoter and they will all mount a strong case as to why it's not their fault. They might all be innocent because that's the way in boxing. It's always someone else's fault. I just wish there had been some dialogue.
We don't need promoters to be friends, but we need at least some communication.
The British Boxing Board of Control of course can't do a thing. There is no official or unofficial way to have a word with the different promoters.
But this is not good, you need something in place to stop this and I hope something can be done to avoid it happening again.
For fans, it's terrible. There are hardcore fans that would have gone to each of those fights if they were on separate nights. I'm sure all these events can be sold out, but you're losing fans at the door no doubt.
Then you've got the fans watching at home. We've all seen the stuff on Twitter when there's a clash.
Fans will be watching one fight on their laptop and another on the TV. On Saturday night you'll need to get your phone out too. That's just not realistic, is it?
The last thing I want is for this to be lauded as a great night for fans watching on laptops and phones and TV.
These are great fights but this is a night of mayhem and anarchy and even if every show sells out, that is not a justification for this mess.
I do hear there is a plan for the Lopez-Conlan ring walk to start at 21:00 before Lara-Wood at 22:30. Which would be great news if there were only two fights on. It's just so frustrating for the fans, the media, and the fighters.
This is an injustice to the fighters too. All three of the cards have good undercards, none more than Terri Harper's hastily rearranged world title defense against Ivana Habazin in Manchester.
Usually, in fights like these, a star emerges. A proper star. None of the fighters involved on Saturday can claim to have the profile of Anthony Joshua or Katie Taylor.
But imagine if Billam-Smith survives an incredible war and stops Okolie late, but it gets lost because Conlan has been too smart for Lopez, or once again Wood has fallen short?
On a normal weekend, a big world title win elevates the fighter and dominates the headlines.
But now, no matter who wins, they will not get the full credit they deserve because of the mad cluster schedule.
Source- BBC
PM seeks to dispel 'misinformation' on his decision to forego salary increase
Prime Minister Andrew Holness is seeking to dispel what he describes as “misinformation” on his decision to relinquish his salary increase.
According to a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), there have been assertions to the effect that while Holness will not take the new salary as prime minister, the higher salaries for Cabinet ministers or a combination of members of parliament and ministers salaries would be applied.
But, the OPM noted that for “an abundance of clarity” Holness does not receive separate compensation as a member of parliament or as a Cabinet minister.
“The Prime Minister of Jamaica, who constitutionally must be an elected Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Cabinet, is also Minister responsible for the Office of the Prime Minister, Minister responsible for the Cabinet Office, and Minister responsible for the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation. For these discrete functions the prime minister receives only one salary,” the statement read.
It added that this is in keeping with the long-established principle of the Government of Jamaica, that individuals paid from the Consolidated Fund, shall only receive one salary, regardless of the number of discrete jobs or functions they perform.
Additionally, in cases where people hold multiple jobs or have discrete functions, the office holder would be compensated at the highest salary of the jobs or functions they hold.
Following public outcry, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has given up his massive salary increase that would have seen his pay balloon to $28.6 million in April 2024.
“I remain firm in my belief that adjustments are necessary to attract, retain and motivate the personnel with the caliber and skills required to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Government. However, considerations of the public sentiment towards politicians and concerns over equity cannot be overlooked,” Holness said.
He further stated that despite disquiet, Jamaica is better today for having a coherent, transparent, fair, and robust system of determining compensation. This has been talked about for decades, and my administration has gotten it done.”
Another question that has been raised is for how long the compensation of the prime minister would be removed from the new salary scale.
In response to this, the prime minister stated “This has broader implications for not only the current holder of the Office of Prime Minister, but previous holders of the office, and possibly future holders. A prime minister with a new mandate could always review the position.”
Source- JamaicaObserver
Twitter tech glitch hits campaign launch
Ron DeSantis's long-awaited entry into the 2024 race for the White House was hit by technical glitches after a Twitter livestream malfunctioned. It meant the Florida governor's bid for the Republican presidential nomination got underway 20 minutes late. He went on to use the event to champion his conservative credentials, his anti-lockdown stance, and education reforms. "I am running for president of the United States to lead our great American comeback," he said.
The Florida governor is viewed as former President Donald Trump's chief rival to be their party's candidate in the 2024 general election. Mr. DeSantis is a relative newcomer in US politics, having first been elected to the House of Representatives in 2012. Just six years later in 2018 - after a failed bid to become a senator - he was elected governor of Florida. He has overseen the enactment of high-profile laws that make it easier to own a gun, restrict sex and gender identity education in schools, and curtail abortion access. He has claimed that this "Florida Blueprint" can act as a guide for federal policies, one that would move the US in a sharply conservative direction. He joins a growing list of contenders seeking to unseat Mr. Trump, who leads the Republican field by more than 30 points in national opinion polls.
By the time Wednesday evening's Twitter talk had begun in earnest, hundreds of thousands of Twitter users had left the platform. Since Mr. Musk took the reins at Twitter in October, he has laid off thousands of employees, including engineers responsible for the site's operations and technical troubleshooting. Mr DeSantis's team worked quickly to spin the technical stumbles, writing on Twitter that the announcement had broken "the internet with so much excitement", and posting a link to the campaign website.
His press secretary Bryan Griffin claimed the online event had raised $1m (£808,000) in an hour. At one point, the Twitter event drew more than 600,000 listeners, according to Reuters news agency figures, but by its conclusion, there were fewer than 300,000. The BBC's interview with Elon Musk last month drew more than three million listeners on Twitter Spaces.
Once underway, Mr. DeSantis turned the conversation to his conservative credentials, touting his handling of the Covid-19 crisis in his state - an anti-lockdown approach applauded by many Republicans. He defended his reforms of Florida's education system, saying his state "chose facts over fear, education over indoctrination, law and order over rioting and disorder".
Later, speaking on Fox News, Mr DeSantis outlined more specific pledges including declaring an emergency at the country's southern border on day one in the White House. He also pledged to fire FBI Director Christopher Wray, a Trump appointee, and slash President Joe Biden's "anti-American energy policies".
Earlier on Wednesday, Mr. DeSantis confirmed he would seek the Republican presidential nomination, registering with the Federal Election Commission before releasing a stylized announcement video. "Our border is a disaster, crime infests our cities... and the president flounders," he says in the video. "But decline is a choice, success is attainable, and freedom is worth fighting for." Mr. Trump and his campaign greeted Mr. DeSantis's much-anticipated arrival into the 2024 field with a barrage of emails and posts to Truth Social, the former president's social media platform.
Soon after the governor told Mr. Musk he would study the US Constitution to "see what buttons can I push" to invoke executive authority, Mr. Trump released a statement addressing Mr. DeSantis directly. "'Rob,' My Red Button is bigger, better, stronger, and is working (TRUTH!), yours does not! (per my conversation with Kim Jung Un, of North Korea, soon to become my friend!)," Mr Trump wrote.
The latest survey from Morning Consult - published last week, before Mr. DeSantis's announcement - has him a distant second behind Mr. Trump, with a 38-point margin.
Through a lengthy primary process beginning early next year, Republican voters will decide which candidate will face President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in the November 2024 general election.
And Florida's last legislative session cleared a potential "resign-to-run" hurdle for Mr. DeSantis's candidacy after it passed a bill that ensures he does not have to leave the governor's mansion to run for the presidency.
Mr. DeSantis will also have the benefit of a formidable war chest. At the end of last month, he had $88m (£71m) in a fund left over from his Florida re-election campaign that can be transferred to his White House bid.
He also reportedly has about $30m controlled by an independent committee that his allies can use to support his campaign. Mr. Trump, by contrast, reported a combined $18.8m in fundraising over the first three months of 2023.
Mr. DeSantis is expected to tap Generra Peck to serve as his campaign manager. Ms. Peck, Mr. DeSantis's top political adviser, led the daily operations of the governor's 2022 re-election campaign, guiding him to a nearly 20-point victory.
And hiring is already underway for DeSantis campaign bases in at least 18 states, according to reporting from the Associated Press and the New York Times.
Source- BBC
Netflix expands password sharing crackdown to UK
Netflix has started its long-promised crackdown on password sharing in major markets including the UK and the US.
A Netflix subscription in the UK can cost anything between £4.99 to £15.99 per month.
The streaming giant said it was notifying customers that they must pay an additional £4.99 per month, or $7.99 in the US if they want to share their account outside their homes.
The move is intended to boost subscribers.
But in some countries where it has already been trialled, some are baulking at the expense.
In Spain, when it started charging 5.99 euros (£5.27) for an additional account, it lost more than a million subscribers in the first three months of the year, according to Kantar.
On Tuesday Netflix sent an email about sharing accounts to customers in 103 countries and territories including Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Mexico and Singapore.
The company previously warned investors there would be cancellations as it expands its programme, but said: "Longer term, paid sharing will ensure a bigger revenue base from which we can grow as we improve our service".
In Canada, where the changes were introduced in February, its paid membership base is now larger than it was before the changes, and revenue growth picked up, it said previously.
Netflix had previously estimated that more than 100 million households share passwords despite this being against its official rules.
The company wants to tap into this audience to make more money, as its subscriber growth slows and increased competition challenges its dominance of the streaming market.
Heavyweights such as Disney and Amazon have weighed in with their own services, and Netflix has a host of other rivals.
These entertainment giants are vying for customers, many of whom have been under pressure from the soaring pace of general price rises.
Netflix has been trying to tempt users with a less expensive streaming option with ads and cut prices in 116 countries in the three months to March.
It has also been expanding its paid sharing programme, which it started trialling in some countries last year.
The move to notify customers brings the scheme to some of the company's most important markets.
Netflix has 233 million subscribers globally.
Source- BBC