iNews Briefs & Community Events
Community Events
MAY 11
National Workforce Development Agency in North Side
The National Workforce Development Agency will be at the North Side Library to assist job seekers on Monday (11 May) from 10am until 1pm.
Five people shot dead in Swiss town Wuerenlingen
From BBC
Five people have been killed in a shooting in the Swiss town of Wuerenlingen, north-west of Zurich.
Police found the bodies lying inside and outside a residential building overnight.
The gunman was among the dead and some of the victims knew him, police spokesman Bernhard Graser told the BBC.
The motive appears to have been a family dispute and the case is not terror-related, he added. An investigation is under way.
Wuerenlingen, a German-speaking town of some 4,000 people, is located about 30km (20 miles) from Zurich.
For more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32680212
Two Cayman Islands leaders will fight in court
Cayman Islands Premier, Alden McLaughlin, kept his word and has filed a writ of summons against Opposition Leader, McKeeva Bush, last Thursday (7). To avoid the summons all Bush had to do was to apologise and retract his allegation he made about the premier being involved in a conspiracy to remove him from office.
Bush told media outlets he was confident and “if he [McLaughlin] wants a trial, that I intend to see, with God’s help, he gets”.
SEE MAIN FRONT PAGE STORY (Today’s iNews Cayman)
Spain hails passersby who helped military air crash survivors
AFP From Business Insider
Madrid (AFP) – Spanish authorities on Sunday hailed as heroes three people who helped rescue two survivors from an Airbus A400M military plane crash near Seville airport that killed four people the previous day.
“Talking with Manuel, the farmer who saved the injured of the A400M crash in Seville. A hero for all of us,” Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy wrote in a Twitter message alongside a photo of him meeting with one of the three rescuers.
Manuel and two other people who were near Seville airport when the military plane crashed Saturday during a test flight with six people on board rushed to the scene and helped pull the two survivors from the windows of the plane, according to Spanish media reports.
The pair was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
“What we have to do during times like this is acknowledge the… attitude of these three citizens, which must be recognised by society,” the head of the regional government of Andalusia, Susana Diaz, told reporters.
The plane was one of the new A400M troop and vehicle transporters manufactured by European aerospace group Airbus.
It is the first accident involving the plane, which is assembled at a factory in Seville, since it went into service.
The first A400M was delivered to France in 2013, with subsequent planes sold to Turkey, Britain, Germany and Malaysia.
The A400M programme has been beset by problems since it was launched in 2003.
Following the crash, Spanish political parties announced suspension of their campaigning for May 24 regional elections out of respect for the victims.
Rajoy, who received the news on a campaign visit to Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands, visited the crash scene on Saturday.
Crowdfund this: ‘Tomb’ – The Caribbean’s first science fiction thriller feature film
By Tambay A. Obenson From Shadow and Act
There’s some excitement for diaspora cinema outside of the USA, as I’ve said before on this blog, as young creatives emerge within continental Africa, South America and the Caribbean, notably, and, in some cases, working with very limited resources in countries without much of a film industry (as we have here in the USA), but that they make up for with ideas, creativity, hustle and just the sheer will to succeed by any means necessary.
Here’s one of those filmmakers whose previous work has been featured on this blog – Nicholas Attin, who hails from Trinidad & Tobago.
Attin has been hard at work on his next feature film – a science fiction thriller (a genre rarity when it comes to cinema of the Caribbean), titled “Tomb,” for which he’s writer, producer, and director.
Logline: An Astronaut responding to a distress beacon in deep space slips into a wormhole and finds himself in the afterlife.
Cayman Islands are proud of their youth
Next Thursday (14) the Minister of Youth, Osbourne Bodden, will be launching the “Proud of Them” 2015 Youth Recognition Campaign.
This will be the fourth round of inviting nominees for the “Proud of Them” Campaign.
This Campaign looks to the public to nominate and highlight outstanding youth from throughout the Cayman Islands.
Also present will be Chief Officer, Ms. Dorine Whittaker, Proud of Them Committee Members and National Youth Commission Chairman Rev. Donovan Myers.
Two police officers shot dead in Mississippi: reports
AFP From Business Insider
Washington (AFP) – Two police officers were shot and killed Saturday in Mississippi and police are looking for one of two suspects, according to local media.
Forrest County Coroner Butch Benedict said both officers were shot Saturday in Hattiesburg and taken to hospital where they were confirmed dead, according to The Clarion-Ledger newspaper.
The coroner named the officers as Benjamin Deen and Liquori Tate, according to the newspaper.
Officials did not say what the motive was for the attack but said the suspects, Curtis Banks, 26, and Marvin Banks, 29, are brothers.
Marvin was arrested early Sunday morning, while Curtis remained at large.
Both men have criminal records, which include drug- and weapons-related charges, the newspaper reported.
Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree urged residents to stay indoors while police searched for the second suspect.
“The men and women who go out every day to protect us, the men and women who go out every day to make sure that we’re safe, they were turned on tonight,” DuPree said, according to the newspaper.
“But the person or persons who did this are not safe in the City of Hattiesburg,” he added.
The newspaper reported that one of the officers pulled a car over Saturday evening, approached the vehicle, and was joined by a second officer before shots were fired.
One of the suspects allegedly fled in a police vehicle, which was later found abandoned.
ECLAC panel discussion explores innovative financing solutions for the Caribbean
The session took place during the Forum on the Future of the Caribbean, held in Trinidad and Tobago on May 5-7.
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) celebrated a panel discussion at the Forum on the Future of the Caribbean, in Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday 7 May 2015, to explore innovative financing solutions in the context of the upcoming United Nations Conference on Financing for Development that will be held in Addis Ababa in July.
At the opening of the session, which examined opportunities that exist for domestic and international development financing for Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS), ECLAC’s Deputy Executive Secretary Antonio Prado outlined important areas of focus for these countries, like the need to address the issue of debt relief in a sustainable manner and the possibility of mobilizing resources through diaspora bond issue and increased remittances.
The panel included Ms. Gail Hurley, Policy Specialist on Development Finance at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in New York, and Mr. Jwala Rambarran, Governor of the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, and two discussants, Mr. Ransford Smith, former Deputy Secretary General of the Commonwealth Secretariat and career diplomat in the Foreign Service of Jamaica, and Professor Compton Bourne, former president of the Caribbean Development Bank.
The session addressed the dilemma of the Caribbean’s middle income status and its impact on access to concessional financing. The panelists reiterated the need to look beyond income per capita to states’ ability to mobilize finances, debt ratios, vulnerability to shocks and social challenges in determining eligibility for concessional funding.
Ms. Hurley highlighted that the biggest challenge for the region is receiving financing for development, while Governor Rambarran underscored the opportunity presented by increased remittance flows to the region, noting that they had become a very important source of external financing. He estimated that remittances now represent about 6% of gross domestic product (GDP) for the region and as much as to 21% of GDP in Haiti.
Mr. Prado, in closing the session, pointed to ongoing initiatives by ECLAC in the subregion, including pursuit of advocacy for a broader set of criteria to take account of the vulnerability of SIDS.
He also mentioned the design of a strategy to achieve debt reduction and improve fiscal management in Caribbean states, and expansion of its capacity development efforts towards enhancing resilience building and risk reduction among member states to improve the response to losses from external events and advocate for more secure access to international finance to address this challenge.
The Forum on the Future of the Caribbean provided the opportunity for regional and international leaders to tackle challenges to Caribbean development, and identify strategies for securing a sustainable future. It was co-hosted by The University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago in collaboration with United Nations System, regional inter-governmental partners, and The Commonwealth Secretariat.
More information is available at www.cepal.org.
Lawson Conner launches offshore investment management platform for Cayman Islands
From Hedgeweek
Lawson Conner, a provider of investment management and compliance solutions to the alternative investment fund industry, has launched ‘Discovery’, the first AIFM integrated offshore Investment Management Platform.
‘Discovery’ will be structured as a Cayman Islands Segregated Portfolio Company (SPC), offering both EU and non-EU domiciled investment managers the opportunity to utilise a prompt and cost-effective ‘plug-and-play’ solution for multiple jurisdictions, while still offering fund managers the safety they would expect from operating their own dedicated fund structure. Funds can be launched within four-weeks under Cayman Islands law and in line with AIFMD regulations. Each ‘Discovery’ sub-fund has segregated liability and is therefore protected from the inherent risks of other managers’ portfolios.
“’Discovery’ is simply unparalleled in the market. There is nothing comparable out there in terms of launch speed, flexibility and protection. The Cayman Islands structure gives managers access to a global investors base in a cost efficient way,” says Gerhard Grueter, Managing Director at Lawson Conner.
Rescuers save 469 boat people off Indonesia’s Aceh
AFP From Business Insider
Jakarta (AFP) – Rescuers Sunday saved 469 boat people from Myanmar and Bangladesh who were stranded in waters off northern Indonesia, an official said.
“We received a report from fishermen this morning that there were boat people stranded in the waters off north Aceh,” Aceh provincial search and rescue chief Budiawan told AFP.
“We despatched teams there and evacuated 469 migrants who are Rohingya from Myanmar and Bangladeshis. There are women and children among them. So far, all of them are safe,” he added.
Rhoda Arrindell: “Resounding Themes” at future of the Caribbean Forum in Trinidad
From Forum on the Future of the Caribbean
GREAT BAY, St. Martin (May 8, 2015)—Linguist and author Dr. Rhoda Arrindell attended the international “Forum on the Future of the Caribbean” at the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the Hyatt Regency, Trinidad and Tobago, on May 5 – 7, 2015.
“Based on the conference banner of ‘Disruptive Thinking. Bold Action. Practical Outcomes,’ there were at least six resounding themes from the very beginning,” said Dr. Arrindell, who is also a St. Martin educator and former minister of Education, Culture, Sports, and Youth Affairs.
“Education, especially access to tertiary education, was put forward as critical to poverty reduction and alleviation. It was emphasized that entrepreneurship should be central to any education reform. Thirdly, citizens must be empowered, and, the State must play a central role for any economic model to be successful,” said Dr. Arrindell.
Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and The Grenadines, said at the conference that a number of the subject areas and solutions presented and discussed were already ‘known about ourselves,’ said Arrindell.
“Dr. Gonsalves said that part of the problem was a significant lack of ‘the will to do.’ He called on Caribbean people and their leaderships in all areas to ‘master ourselves.’ He noted that when we know what we have to do to advance the Caribbean, ‘laziness is an absence of virtue,’” said Dr. Arrindell.
The other “resounding themes” that Arrindell said were prioritized toward Caribbean solutions and progress were heritage, unity, and the Caribbean recognizing, respecting, and incorporating the resources of its own variedness within the one region.According to key speakers, “We must look to our own history and heritage to solutions to the challenges being faced today.Furthermore, Caribbean convergence is important to the growth of the individual states; and, the Caribbean must be seen as a multiplex world,” said Dr. Arrindell in an interview from Trinidad and Tobago.
For more: http://caribbeanfutureforum.com/?p=5252
Information to be shared by Cayman Islands government on early childhood care and education
The Cayman Islands Ministry of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs, Tara Rivers, JP will be holding a press conference next Wednesday (13th) on Early Childhood Care and Education, particularly the Cayman Islands Early Years Curriculum Framework (CIEYCF.
Participants will also include Winston Connolly, MLA, Councillor to the Minister of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs, Christen Suckoo, Acting Chief Officer, Ministry of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs, and Carol Bennett, Senior Policy Advisor and Manager (ECCE), Ministry of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs.
BACKGROUND: To share information on the progress in Early Childhood Care and Education including:
The publication and distribution of the Cayman Islands Early Years Curriculum Framework (CIEYCF) which is the approved National Curriculum for Early Years in the Cayman Islands.
- Information on the Education Council Guidelines, the registration and re-registration processes for Early Years Centres which helps ensure safety and well-being of the children and staff and increase quality of provision at the Centres.
- Special Needs emphasis.
- Business Manager Secondment.
- Early Childhood Assistance Programme amendments.
China central bank cuts interest rate by 25 basis points
AFP From Business Insider
China’s central bank will cut interest rates by 25 basis points
Beijing (AFP) – China’s central bank said Sunday it would cut interest rates by 25 basis points.
The benchmark one-year lending rate would be reduced to 5.1 percent and the deposit rate to 2.25 percent from Monday, the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) said on its website.
Royal Caribbean orders fourth Quantum-Class Vessel
MIAMI, May 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE, OSE: RCL) today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Meyer Werft in Germany to order a fourth Quantum-class ship for delivery in 2019.
“Today’s announcement is a reflection of the success of the first two Quantum-class ships,” said Richard D. Fain, Chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “We have received a remarkable response from travel agent partners and travelers, and are thrilled that we’ll be able to deliver another revolutionary ship with our partners at Meyer Werft.”
“The fourth Quantum class vessel will be a trailblazer in smart-ship design and vacation innovation,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Royal Caribbean International is synonymous with adventure, and the icons and amenities on this ship will continue to challenge and expand guests’ expectations of the cruise experience.”
Based upon current ship orders, projected capital expenditures for full year 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 are $1.6 billion, $2.3 billion, $0.4 billion, $2.4 billion and $1.3 billion, respectively.
Capacity increases for 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 are expected to be 5.5%, 6.3%, 3.1%, 3.9% and 6.5%, respectively. These figures do not include potential ship sales or additions that the company may elect to make in the future.
The order is contingent upon the completion of customary conditions, including financing.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE, OSE: RCL) is a global cruise vacation company that owns Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Club Cruises and CDF Croisieres de France, as well as TUI Cruises through a 50 percent joint venture. Together, these six brands operate a combined total of 43 ships with an additional six under construction contracts, and three under conditional agreement. They operate diverse itineraries around the world that call on approximately 480 destinations on all seven continents. Additional information can be found at www.RCLcorporate.com.
Cayman Islands NWDA visits Cayman Brac
National Workforce Development Agency (NWDA) representatives will be available to meet with employers and job seekers, and assist with online registrations, resume preparation and other job search activities Wednesday-Thursday, 13-14 May, 9.00am – 5.00pm, and Friday 15 May 9.00 am – 2.30pm at the Department of Labour and Pensions (DLP) Office, 256 Creek Road. Appointments can be made by calling 945-3114 and walk-ins are welcomed. On Thursday afternoon interested individuals can also attend a workshop entitled “Employer Expectations” 2.00pm to 5.00pm at the DLP Office, 256 Creek Road. To register call 945-3114 or email [email protected].
Caribbean authorities say Cape Fear Valley doctor died of heat stroke
By Paige Rentz, Staff writer From Fayobserver.com
IMAGE: Dr. Samyka Harris-Edwin Contributed photo
A Cape Fear Valley physician who died suddenly Sunday in the Caribbean succumbed to a heat stroke, according to an autopsy.
Dr. Samyka Harris-Edwin, 31, collapsed while climbing the St. Lucia mountain of Gros Piton with her husband, Micah Edwin, who is originally from the island.
The Royal St. Lucia Police Force said in an announcement posted to its Facebook page Thursday that a post-mortem examination on Wednesday revealed that she died as a result of overheating.
The island was in a heat wave last week with temperatures reaching as high as 102 degrees, according to local news reports.
The police said earlier in the week that they were called about 3:45 p.m. and found Harris-Edwin lifeless. Her husband, who also is a doctor, tried resuscitation, but Harris-Edwin never regained consciousness. She was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Harris-Edwin has roots in the Caribbean, with family on the island of Nevis and here in the U.S., said Dr. George Shalhoub, administrative program director of Cape Fear Valley’s hospitalist group.
Harris-Edwin joined the hospitalist team in fall 2013, specializing in caring for admitted patients or those in the Emergency Department likely to become admitted.
Shalhoub said Wednesday that Harris-Edwin was a rising star who led by example when it came to work ethic and bedside manner.
“She’s going to be tremendously missed,” he said, “because of what she brought to the table in terms of the medical community, but also just as a person as well.”
Famed actor Brian Cox is coming to Cayfilm Cayman Islands
Brian Cox is an Emmy Award-winning actor born in Dundee, Scotland who has performed over 200 roles in films and television over a career spanning 5 decades.
Cox first came to attention in the early 1970s with performances in numerous television films. His first big break was as Dr. Hannibal Lecter in “Manhunter”. Cox’s career prospects and popularity continued to rise. Cox has had roles in several major films including “Red” and “Red 2”, “Braveheart” , “X-Men 2”, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” and of course, his amazing performances in the Jason Bourne Films. He was awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2003 Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for his accomplishments in theater, film and television.
For more on Cayfilm: http://www.cayfilm.com/
Caribbean Football Union club finals to be played in Trinidad
From Boxscore
IMAGE: DirecTV W Connection (white jersey) is looking to qualify for a fourth Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League. (Photo: Allan V. Crane)
CONCACAF: KINGSTON, Jamaica – May 6, 2015 – The finals of the 2015 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship will be held at Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, Trinidad & Tobago, the CFU announced on Monday.
The CFU Club Championship is an annual competition that crowns the region’s best team and qualifies three sides to the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League (SCCL).
The semifinals – Don Bosco FC (Haiti) v Central FC (Trinidad & Tobago) and Montego Bay United (Jamaica) v DirecTV W Connection (Trinidad & Tobago) will be held on May 22. Two days later, the match for third place and the final will be held at the same venue.
Each of the four semifinalists won first-round groups in order to advance this stage. Only DirecTV W Connection has participated in a previous SCCL, appearing three times (2009-10, 2012-13, 2013-14).
2015 CARIBBEAN FOOTBALL UNION CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
Semifinals (at Ato Boldon Stadium – Couva, Trinidad & Tobago)
May 22, 2015
SF1: Don Bosco FC (Haiti) v Central FC (Trinidad & Tobago)
SF2: Montego Bay United (Jamaica) v DirecTV W Connection (Trinidad & Tobago)
Match for third place & final (at Ato Boldon Stadium – Couva, Trinidad & Tobago)
May 24, 2015
3rd place: Loser SF1 v Loser SF2
Final: Winner SF1 v Winner SF2
For more: http://boxscorenews.com/caribbean-football-union-club-finals-to-be-played-in-trinidad-p121948-68.htm
T&T riders edged by Bajans
From Trinidad Express Newspapers
After winning the first leg, the Trinidad and Tobago riders were edged out for the top prize when the Caribbean Equestrian Association’s (CEA) Junior Jumping competition continued recently in the Cayman Islands.
This country’s pair of Amber Thompson and Jordanne Brown ended up with 12 faults in the two-day competition for riders aged 16 and under, just two faults behind the Barbadian pair.
It was sweet revenge for the Bajans, who had finished second at home to T&T when the series served off in February.
After leading at the end of the first day, hosts Cayman Islands stumbled and ended up third, just one fault behind T&T. The Jamaicans were struggling from the start and finished a distant fourth and last – with 37 faults.
T&T were in third place at the end of the first day, but both Brown and Thompson produced two clear rounds to finish the tournament in style.
It was the third consecutive time that Brown had flown the red, white and black flag in this competition as the 14-year-old had also competed in Barbados after being part of the squad for the final leg of last year’s circuit in Jamaica last November.
The 16-year-old Thompson has been based at the world-famous Millar Brooke Farm in Canada since July.
The country’s top rider recently competed in the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, USA, and caught the eye with several top ten finishes.
The third leg of the CEA Junior Jumping Competition will take place in Saddle Valley, Trinidad, in September, and the series will conclude in Jamaica in December.
IMAGE: Jumping on Katerina: Jordanne Brown
For more: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/-TT-riders-edged-by-Bajans-303140461.html
Cayman Athletics: Nerves led to relay mishaps – Walter
From Digicel Sportsmax
Cayman Islands Athletics Association president Dalton Walter believes the country not finishing at the IAAF World Relays had to do with nerves.
A mix-up between the teams on one of the exchanges saw the team fail to finish the race, which could have served to earn the team an unlikely spot at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing this summer.
“When you go to a world championships, you are competing among the best,” Watler said.
“When you are competing and you see the athletes coming, you see Jamaica running and you see Germany running and you see some athletes getting ahead of you, and you are not with a lot of experience, you get a little bit nervous,” he added.
“When the exchange took place, Tyrell (Cuffy) was approaching the runner (but) he never reached in the (exchange zone).
“They were outside the box and when they reached outside the box… illegal.”
In addition to Tyrell the quartet consisted of Kemar Hyman, Jamal Walton and Gerome Bodden.
For more: http://www.sportsmax.tv/?q=articles/2015/05/08/cayman-athletics-nerves-led-relay-mishaps-walter
5 Jamaican policemen among 6 arrested for corruption
From Nationwide Radio JM
Detectives from the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency, MOCA, say they have arrested five Policemen and a civilian in Western Jamaica for reasonable suspicion of corruption and larceny.
Allegations are that on April 22 this year, the policemen seized a boat which had come into Jamaican waters from Costa Rica.
It’s believed that the vessel was being used to transport illegal drugs.
MOCA says the policemen corruptly solicited a large sum of money from the vessel’s owner to return the boat and not proffer any charges.
A report was made to MOCA and following an investigation, the Policemen and the civilian were arrested.
Their names are being withheld pending a series of interviews and identification parades.
For more: http://nationwideradiojm.com/5-police-men-among-6-arrested-for-corruption/
First named storm forms before Atlantic hurricane season begins
From KTRK
Tropical storm Ana
The first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season formed off the South Carolina coast on Thursday – nearly a month before the season officially begins.
Subtropical storm Ana is located 160 miles southeast of Myrtle Beach, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. The storm was drifting NNW-1 mph.
A tropical storm watch is in effect for Edisto Beach, South Carolina, to Cape Lookout, North Carolina. A watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible on this stretch of coast within 48 hours. The system is expected to deliver 2 to 4 inches of rain over eastern areas of both Carolinas over the weekend, and was already creating heavy surf and swells.
The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1 and ends Nov. 30. In the eastern Pacific, it begins May 15 and ends Nov. 30.
For more: http://abc13.com/weather/first-named-storm-forms-before-atlantic-hurricane-season-begins/704610/
UPDATED: The first Atlantic tropical storm of the year weakened as it made landfall in South Carolina early Sunday.
From CNN
Tropical Storm Ana came ashore just north of Myrtle Beach at 6 a.m. ET with 45-mph maximum sustained winds, the National Hurricane Center said.
Just hours before, Ana’s maximum sustained winds clocked in at 50 mph, already dropping from Saturday afternoon’s wind speed of 60 mph. The storm is weakening further as it moves over land, and is expected to be downgraded to a tropical depression later Sunday, the hurricane center said.
“On the forecast track, the center of Ana will move over eastern North Carolina later today and tonight,” the center said. The storm is expected to continue northward.
Along its path, Ana is bringing heavy rain and storm surges.
Ana is forecast to drop 2 to 4 inches of rain — up to 6 inches in isolated spots — over the eastern Carolinas, the service said.
During high tide, storm surges were forecast to send 1 to 2 feet of water onto coastal land. Combined with rain, that could cause flooding in low-lying spots, the weather service said.
Beachgoers should take Ana seriously — high rip currents could sweep swimmers out to sea, and waves are expected to be rough.
Tropical-storm-strength winds — at least 39 mph — extend 125 miles from the center of the storm. As of 11 a.m. ET, a tropical storm warning was in effect from Little River Inlet, South Carolina, to Surf City, North Carolina.
The winds could break tree limbs, cause scattered power outages and do minor damage to porches, awnings, carports and sheds, said the NWS in Wilmington, North Carolina.
“Interests elsewhere in eastern North Carolina and Virginia should monitor the progress of Ana,” the weather service said.
IMAGE: Lisa Argen Twitter
For more: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/10/us/tropical-storm-ana/
Taylor Swift to premiere star-studded ‘Bad Blood’ music video at Billboard Music Awards
By Yohana Desta From Mashable
Taylor Swift is shedding some bad blood at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards.
The singer will premiere her music video for “Bad Blood” at the awards show, which airs May 17. It’s directed by Joseph Kahn, who also helmed the “Blank Space” video, and will be the fourth single from her hit album, 1989.
The Quentin Tarantino-esque poster for the video features a glowering Swift (starring as a character called Catastrophe) and the tagline, “Band-aids don’t fix bullet holes,” which is a line from the song.
The video promises a star-studded cast, including “Golden Globe winners, Emmy winners, Grammy winners, an Oscar nominee, blockbuster movie stars, as well as both new and iconic supermodels,” according to a release. Hmm, who could that could be?
Swift is known for her viable roster of famous friends, including supermodel Karlie Kloss, multihyphenate Lena Dunham (who has won a Golden Globe), actress Emma Stone (a newly-minted Oscar nominee) and Lorde and Justin Timberlake (both Grammy winners), among others.
Check out the full poster attached – click to enlarge
For more on this story go to: http://mashable.com/2015/05/07/taylor-swift-bad-blood-music-video-billboard/?utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable+%28Mashable%29&utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial&utm_medium=feed&utm_source=feedburner&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher
U.S. approves licenses for ferry services between Florida and Cuba
By Mary Beth Quirk May 6, 2015 From Consumerist
It’s been 55 years since ferries were allowed to operate between the United States and Cuba, something that’s about to change now that the Treasury Department has granted licenses to four companies that want to offer services between the countries for the first time since a 1960 trade embargo.
Now that diplomatic ties with Cuba have been restored and the government has eased up on trade between the two countries, airlines and other travel companies like Airbnb have been working on providing services for travelers heading to Cuba.
According to the Orlando Sun Sentinel, at least four ferry companies said they were notified this week that the U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments had given approvals after more than five decades. Cuba still has to approve the operations as well.
The companies are planning to offer trips that are less expensive than charter flights, but haven’t established firm prices yet because there are still arrangements to be worked out on the Cuba side of things.
“I’m very excited, because this is a historical event in U.S.-Cuba relations,” one company’s managing parner told the Sentinel.
Since general tourist travel to Cuba is still not approved, the passenger ferries can only carry authorized U.S. travelers, including people in 12 categories that don’t need a license in advance to visit — categories like family visits, religious and educational activities.
At least five companies have applied for licenses to operate passenger ferry service between Florida and Cuba, with the fifth company telling the Sentinel it expects to get its license in the next month or so, after having applied later than the first four to be approved.
For more: http://consumerist.com/2015/05/06/u-s-approves-licenses-for-ferry-services-between-florida-and-cuba/
Chartbeat raises $15.5 million to save publishers from the “Viewpocalypse”
By Matthew Lynley From Techcrunch
ChartBeat today said it raised $15.5 million in its latest round of funding — and that money is going toward helping publishers improve their advertising businesses.
Recently the Interactive Advertising Bureau called for ads to be considered “viewable” if 50% of the ad is shown for at least one second — a new standard that has caused many sites to lose inventory, CEO Tony Haile said. As part of the new funding, the company is coming out with two new tools geared toward improving publishers’ ad revenue with more dynamic advertising placement.
The first tool is one that determines whether someone is engaging in a page — such as scrolling or moving around on the page. Those signals mean the person is paying to the page, which means they are also engaging with the ad. If the ad has been viewed on the page for a set period of time, it will automatically swap the ad out for another one, increasing the amount of inventory publishers can serve on pages.
“It helps advertisers because they know their ads are getting seen for a significant amount of time, and it helps us to move away from this click page load and gets us much more to an attention world,” Chartbeat CEO Tony Haile said. “The sites that do well are the engaging sites that can capture attention. The more attention we capture, the more ads we can serve, that’s a good thing for the world to get to.”
ChartBeat is also releasing a headline optimization tool that lets publishers test which headlines will perform best, without encouraging eye-catching headlines that don’t necessarily deliver on the promise of the headline (often referred to as “clickbait”). The tool automatically assigns more traffic to headlines to ones that are more likely to perform better, which would in theory drive better engagement and thus more engagement with ads — making publishers more money.
“Now there’s actually a financial incentive not just to send traffic to the most pages, but also send traffic to the pages where people engage the most,” Haile said. “By optimizing for greater than 15 seconds of engagement on a page, you can double the amount of viewability you’re able to get. That’s something within editorial’s control. It’s not enough to be thinking about clicks any more, you have to be thinking about engagement.”
The raise today doubles the amount of money Chartbeat has raised total, bringing it to $31 million.
