iNews Briefs, More & Community Events
Community Events
Grand Court Jurors Report Date Changed
The Grand Court jury report date has been changed.
For Grand Court Jurors who are in the 1 July–6 October 2015 session, the report date of Monday, 31 August, 2015 has been changed to Wednesday, 2 September 2015.
Therefore jurors are now to report on Wednesday, 2 September 2015 at 9:45 a.m.
Please call the Jury Information line at 945-5072 for the most up-to-date information.
Dr. Moody September 2015
Gordon Solomon Art
You are invited you to attend the opening evening of
Doctor Moody: Frames of Mind
A new series of work by Gordon Solomon
Cayman islands national Gallery DART Auditorium
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oknWyXVUGc&feature=youtu.be
Please join the Cayman Jewish Community for the following programmes:
Sunday September 27th
6:30 pm Sukkot Under the Stars
Tuesday, September 29th
4:00pm Sukkot Children’s Party
Monday, October 26th
Mark Halawa: From Kuwait to Jerusalem
Wednesday, December 9th
4:00 pm Pardes Rock Chanukah Concert
Wednesday, January 6th 2016
Jerusalem Uncovered: Rabbi Avraham Stolik
8th Annual CISPA Gala “Back to the Future-Celebrating 45 years of excellence”
Date: 10/10/2015
Time: 6:30 PM
Ritz Carlton Seven Mile Beach
Phone: 749 3360
Register
Event Description: The 8th Annual CISPA Gala “Back to the Future-Celebrating 45 years of excellence” is a time to celebrate Caymanians who recently attained their professional accounting designations as well as a chance to celebrate the past and look to the future
Directions: The Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman
Annual Meals on Wheels Dress Down Day
SAVE THE DATE
Dress Down Day Friday, 20th November, 2015
Help feed our Seniors we believe no-one in Cayman should go hungry.
Individuals can help by purchasing an orange ribbon for $5.00 or a tee shirt for $15.00 and wearing them on Dress Down Day, we are encouraging companies to match employee donations.
For more information or to sign up to participate please feel free to contact us via email at [email protected] or via telephone at 949-3905.
CARE announces Cayman Islands 5th Annual Paws for wine
Sat Sept 26th Ristorante Pappagallo
Lions Club of Tropical Gardens Brenda Tibbetts-Lund Memorial 5K Walk/Run5K
Sunday October 3, 2015 in North Side at 6am
WED AUG 2
Cineclub
National Gallery’s Cineclub is Wednesday (2 Sept) at 630. The feature film is Stagecoach.
IS has executed 90 people in a month: monitoring group
IMAGE: The toll included IS members, rebel fighters and forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.—AP/File
BEIRUT: The self-styled Islamic State (IS) group has executed more than 90 people, a third of them civilians, over the past month in areas of war-torn Syria it controls, a monitoring group said on Sunday.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 32 civilians were among the 91 people executed for “crimes” in the terrorist group’s self-proclaimed ‘caliphate’ between July 29 and August 29.
The toll included IS members, rebel fighters and forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.
Witchcraft, homosexual acts and working with the US-led coalition fighting IS in Iraq and Syria are among the “crimes” the group punishes with death.
Since it announced its ‘caliphate’ in June last year, IS has swept across Syria, seizing swathes of land in central Hama and Homs provinces, Deir Ezzor and Hasakeh in the east, and the north’s Raqa and Aleppo areas.
According to the Britain-based Observatory, the latest monthly toll has brought to 3,156 people the number of IS executions in Syria since the ‘caliphate’ was announced. The number includes 1,841 civilians.
IS has become notorious for its gruesome displays of violence, often shown in videos posted on the internet, including beheadings, stoning and pushing victims off rooftops.
The US-led coalition has been bombarding IS in Syria since September 2014.
On Saturday, eight IS fighters were killed in a coalition air raid on Raqa, the de facto capital of their ‘caliphate’.
Further west, in Aleppo province, IS has been fiercely attacking rebel groups and its militant rivals, Al Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front.
Late on Saturday, an IS car bomb on Tal Rifaat in Aleppo province killed 11 fighters and eight civilians.
Tal Rifaat is on a key rebel supply route from the Turkish border to the north. It is near Marea, the main rebel stronghold in Aleppo that has been under fierce IS attack for months and is now completely encircled by the jihadists.
On Sunday, 15 civilians — among them six children — were killed in government bombardment of the major rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said.
The toll included five civilians in the town of Saqba and three in Hamuriyeh, killed in air raids.
It also included five civilians killed by shelling in Douma, a rebel-held town devastated by regime attacks.
In Damascus itself, shelling of the Maysat district killed three people and wounded seven, the Observatory said.
More than 240,000 people have been killed in Syria’s conflict, which evolved from a popular anti-government movement to a brutal multi-front civil war.
For more: http://www.dawn.com/news/1203921/is-has-executed-90-people-in-a-month-monitoring-group
Meet A&B’s Mr Caribbean contestant
From Antigua Observer
IMAGE; Ercil Charles Jr will be representing Antigua & Barbuda in the upcoming Mr Caribbean competition in Dominica on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Mr Caribbean Facebook page).
Beauty pageants are typically considered women’s fare. From the extravagant gowns to the high-heeled shoes to the expertly-coiffed hairstyles it’s a woman’s world.
Except in the case of the Mr Caribbean pageant, of course.
The show features men between the ages of 18 and 35 competing in five segments, namely talent, swimwear, a costume segment, known as magnificent wear, formal wear and interview segments.
The first-ever Mr Caribbean competition was held in Dominica in 2014, and was an expansion on the Mr Dominica pageant, which was extremely popular there for several years.
Antigua & Barbuda’s delegate to the 2015 pageant is Ercil Charles Jr. In a video posted to the Mr Caribbean Facebook page, Charles said his biggest reason for entering the pageant is of self- development.
“I’ve learned so much more about myself and my competitive nature and about what it takes to prepare for each of the segments in the Mr Caribbean pageant,” he said.
“The second is for platform advancement and because I’ve been so involved in youth development and I’m pleased that by entering the pageant I will be advancing those platforms with which I’ve become associated. The act of networking is also important and I’m extremely pleased to be able to explore relationships once I get to Dominica.”
Charles, who has acted as the director of Academic Affairs at the Antigua & Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute, has no doubts about his ability to bring the title home to Antigua & Barbuda.
“I’m entering to win. The crown is extremely important to me.
The show takes place on Saturday, August 29 at the Arawak House of Culture in Dominica. Last year’s winner was Kaydeen Tyson of Nevis.
For more: http://antiguaobserver.com/meet-abs-mr-caribbean-contestant/
Caribbean Airlines sensibly axes London as it works toward sustainability and survivability
From CAPA
Beleaguered Caribbean Airlines is exiting highly unprofitable trans-Atlantic operations in early 2016 when it ends service from its Port of Spain hub in Trinidad to London Gatwick. The airline resumed London flights in 2012 but struggled to compete against European carriers.
The route should arguably have ceased at least two years ago as Caribbean Airlines has been loss making for years amidst pilot unrest, numerous executive changes and increased competitive pressure on key North American routes. Part of the reasoning for cutting the long-haul flights is to compete more strongly with LCCs on strategic North American routes including Fort Lauderdale, New York and Toronto.
Caribbean Airlines finally appears to be taking some rational steps toward achieving profitability as subtle shifts are occurring in the aviation landscape within the region. As Caribbean Airlines shrinks in the hopes of turning a profit, the already profitable InselAir Group is becoming a powerful force in the Caribbean with its latest push from hubs in Curacao and Aruba.
Pure Hospitality adds Samasati resort to Oveedia Database
LAS VEGAS, Aug. 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc., (OTC: PNOW) announced today, that the Samasati Retreat & Rainforest Sanctuary, Costa Rica’s first Eco Retreat Bio Reserve and Yoga Center, has been added to the Oveedia database. The addition of Samasati to the Oveedia database marks yet another major property listing exclusively on Pure’s dual database software.
“The timing of this new relationship perfectly coincides with the beta testing of our platform, providing greater viability to Oveedia’s dual hospitality database,” stated Melvin Pereira, President and CEO of Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. “Not only is the Samasati Retreat unlike many hotels throughout Costa Rica, it is actually located on the Caribbean side of the country. This means that in a very short period of time, Oveedia has already established a presence within the country that spans from the Pacific Coast to the Caribbean Coast.”
Pure Hospitality adds Samasati Resort to Oveedia database, after Samasati’s management contacted Pure about increasing traffic and online bookings. The Samasati, a destination resort built for travelers who ‘live life off the beaten path’, prides itself on being a true LOHAS resort (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability). A $290 Billion U.S. market – and growing – LOHAS, which are located throughout Central America and the Caribbean, in most cases have little to no online visibility. However, global visibility and increased bookings is what Oveedia offers to all LOHAS operating within a virtually untapped region of the Americas, giving the Company a ‘first movers’ advantage to become the Airbnb and Priceline of Central America and the Caribbean.
“We are very pleased to be working with Oveedia and truly commend Mr. Pereira for the platform that he is building,” stated Anthony Finno, Owner of the Samasati Retreat and Rainforest Sanctuary. “The Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica is a place you discover and either want to rave to the world about, or keep as your best secret. A confluence of Costa Rican and Caribbean lifestyles offer an experience you can only find here. There is a vibe akin to indigenous Central America meets Miami meets bright-colored calypso Rastafarian. We are surrounded by unique boutique properties and a plethora of amazing ‘mom and pop’ restaurants, making a visit to Samasati a truly amazing experience.”
Pereira concluded, “While Pure Hospitality adds Samasati Resort to Oveedia database, we are very proud to expand our reach to the Caribbean side of the country. As properties continue to sign up directly with Oveedia, we anticipate a sudden and rapid acceptance of our platform upon the release of Oveedia beta version 1.0.”
About Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc.
PURE provides proprietary technology, marketing solutions and branding services to hotel operators and condominium owners. The Company’s vision is to build competitive operations in the areas of (i) online marketing and hotel internet booking engine services, (ii) hotel branding and, (iii) own, operate and in some instances develop, boutique hotels under the new, “by PURE” brand.
Guernsey QROPS Transfer Delay Complaint rejected
By Jim Atkins From iExpats
The Pensions Ombudsman has rejected a complaint from a retirement saver concerning administration delays that stopped him transferring a UK pension fund to a Guernsey Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS).
David Brackley took his gripe to the ombudsman arguing that delays by pension manager Bluefin – now Capita Employee Benefits – unnecessarily delayed the transfer of his pension with the Travel Automation Systems Retirement Benefits Scheme.
The delay stopped the transfer because HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) delisted the Guernsey QROPS he planned to receive his pension cash.
Brackley claimed the transfer value of his pension decreased by just over £30,000 due to the delay and because he could not switch his fund to the QROPS, he now faces paying income tax on any payments from the fund.
Maladministration finding
Capita argued that the delays in producing a transfer value for his pension fund were not unreasonable, with which the ombudsman agreed
However, the company was criticised for failing to keep him updated about the progress of the transfer.
The ombudsman ruled that although this maladministration was unfortunate, it did not contribute to the loss and was not unjust.
Brackley started his QROPS transfer in June 2011, but in April 2012, HMRC delisted more than 300 Guernsey QROPS and from that date only residents on the Channel Island could set up a new QROPS pension.
This unannounced move by HMRC dashed Brackley’s hopes of a QROPS transfer to Guernsey.
AVC issues
Brackley should have received a transfer value for his pension by October 2011, but the period could be extended by six months to January 2012 under special circumstances.
Administrative problems delayed the calculation of the transfer value, the ombudsman ruled.
The ombudsman also pointed out that Brackley may have a second complaint relating to the transfer of Additional Voluntary Contributions alongside his main pension.
“I have not investigated this as it is a separate issue and the decision regarding these contributions does not alter the findings in this case,” said the ombudsman.
QROPS complaints rarely go before the Pension Ombudsman – this case is the only QROPS related matter listed on the ombudsman’s web site
For more on this story go to: http://www.iexpats.com/guernsey-qrops-transfer-delay-complaint-rejected/#sthash.1acZwKkF.dpuf
Financial services firm appoints new managing director
From Tales of Malta
Calamatta Cuschieri has appointed Michael Galea as managing director of its investment management and fund services divisions. The move is in line with developments in the company aimed at continuing to grow its presence locally and internationally, and ensuring the group remains at the forefront of Malta’s financial services sector.
Galea has 14 years’ experience in the finance industry and a successful track record involving banking and treasury operations, portfolio management, fund servicing and corporate finance.
In his new role, he will be responsible for the daily operations of the groups’ institutional business with a particular emphasis on all funds-related matters, including the Calamatta Cuschieri Funds Sicav plc, CC’s proprietary UCITS fund platform.
For more information, visit www.cc.com.mt or call 2568 8688.
Obama to rename Mount McKinley
By Seth Fiegerman From Mashable
IMAGE: Mount McKinley, the tallest mountain in the U.S.IMAGE: FLICKR, DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE
UPDATE: 11:03 p.m. ET: President Obama’s decision to change the name of Mount McKinley raised a few eyebrows on Twitter, including a few high profile Ohio politicians (McKinley’s home state), such as Senator Rob Portman and Congressman Bob Gibbs.
Portman responded to the name change with multiple tweets denouncing the decision.
Gibbs weighed in with a longer, more aggressive post, indicating that he would seek to prevent the name change.
President Obama is about to leave his mark on maps everywhere, but don’t worry, he’s not pulling a Trump.
Obama is set to announce on Monday that Mount McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America, will officially revert back to its original name of Denali after more than a century of Americans calling it by the surname of the country’s 25th president. The change will be effective immediately.
The name change, lobbied for on and off again over the years, is intended as a show of respect to native Alaskans just as Obama makes a rare visit to the state to use its fast-changing landscape to highlight the impacts of climate change — a message that members of this Republican-leaning state may not fully support.
“This designation recognizes the sacred status of Denali to generations of Alaska Natives,” the White House Press Office said in a release ahead of Obama’s name change announcement.
‘Supergiant’ gas field discovered off coast of Egypt
From ALJAZEERA
“Largest ever” offshore natural gas field in Mediterranean discovered in Egypt’s territorial waters, Italy’s Eni says.
30 Aug 2015 20:31 GMT | Energy, Middle East, Egypt
Eni said Descalzi had discussed the find with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab [AP]
The “largest ever” offshore natural gas field in the Mediterranean has been discovered inside Egypt’s territorial waters, according to the Italian energy giant Eni.
The discovery, announced by the company on Sunday and confirmed by Egypt’s oil ministry, could hold a potential 850 billion cubic metres of lean gas in an area of about 100 square kilometres.
The so-called Zohr project is “the largest gas discovery ever made in Egypt and in the Mediterranean Sea,” Eni said, adding the find would meet Egypt’s own natural gas demands for decades.
The “supergiant” field – potentially one of the world’s largest natural gas finds – is located at a depth of 1,450 metres in the Shorouk Block, the company said.
Eni said Claudio Descalzi, the company’s chief executive, had visited Cairo to discuss the discovery with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab.
“This historic discovery will be able to transform the energy scenario of Egypt,” Descalzi said in the statement.
Eni said it will “immediately appraise the field with the aim of accelerating a fast-track development of the discovery,” giving a timeframe of four years.
Israel ‘sleep walking’
Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said on Sunday that the discovery could have implications for Israel, which has been looking to export its own deposits.
Partners Noble Energy and Delek Group, who in recent years discovered two sizeable fields in Israeli waters, have been negotiating long-term contracts to sell gas to customers in Egypt, but the deals have been held up by regulatory uncertainty in Israel.
Steinitz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been struggling to get approval of an agreement they reached with Noble and Delek that would help speed up development of most of the country’s offshore reserves.
“The giant gas field discovery in Egypt is a painful reminder that while Israel has been ‘sleep walking’ and delaying the final approval of the gas outline and holding up further exploration, the world is changing in front of our eyes, including the implications on export possibilities,” Steinitz said in a statement.
For more: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/08/gas-field-discovered-coast-egypt-150830172919161.html
Egypt sentences 3 Al-Jazeera reporters to 3 years in prison in long-running trial
From Mashable
CAIRO — An Egyptian court on Saturday sentenced three Al-Jazeera English journalists to three years in prison, the latest twist in a long-running trial criticized worldwide by press freedom advocates and human rights activists.
The case against Canadian national Mohammed Fahmy, Australian journalist Peter Greste and Egyptian producer Baher Mohammed embroiled their journalism into the wider conflict between Egypt and Qatar following the 2013 military ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.
It wasn’t immediately clear how the sentence would affect the three men. Greste, deported in February, spoke to Al-Jazeera from Sydney and criticized the verdict.
Mostefa Souag, Al-Jazeera English acting director-general, also criticized the verdict, saying it “‘defies logic and common sense.”
“The whole case has been heavily politicized and has not been conducted in a free and fair manner,” Souag said in a statement. “There is no evidence proving that our colleagues in any way fabricated news or aided and abetted terrorist organizations and at no point during the long drawn out retrial did any of the unfounded allegations stand up to scrutiny.”
The case began in December 2013, when Egyptian security forces raided the upscale hotel suite used by Al-Jazeera at the time to report from Egypt. Authorities arrested Fahmy, Greste and Mohammed, later charging them with allegedly being part of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood, which authorities have declared a terrorist organization, and airing falsified footage intended to damage national security.
Since Morsi’s ouster, Egypt has cracked down heavily on his supporters, and the journalists were accused of being mouthpieces for the Brotherhood. Al-Jazeera and the journalists have denied the allegations, saying they were simply reporting the news. However, Doha has been a strong supporter of the Brotherhood and other Islamist groups in the greater Mideast.
At trial, prosecutors used news clips about an animal hospital with donkeys and horses, and another about Christian life in Egypt, as evidence they broke the law. Defense lawyers — and even the judge — dismissed the videos as irrelevant. Nonetheless, the three men were convicted on June 23, 2014, with Greste and Fahmy sentenced to seven years in prison and Mohammed to 10 years.
The verdict brought a landslide of international condemnation and calls for newly elected President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, who as military chief led the overthrow of Morsi, to intervene. Egypt’s Court of Cassation, the country’s highest appeals court, later ordered their retrial, saying the initial proceedings were marred by violations of the defendants’ rights.
Egypt deported Greste in February, though he remained charged in the case. Fahmy and Mohammed were later released on bail.
