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Guterres: UN Values And Principles Needed ‘Now More Than Ever’ – St. Lucia Times News

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: St. Lucia Times News

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Secretary-General António Guterres has called for renewed hope and conviction in global solidarity in his message for United Nations Day, being celebrated on Monday.

The UN was born from the ashes of the Second World War and the day marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter, its founding document.

Mr. Guterres described the UN as “the product of hope” because it embodies the hope and resolve to move beyond global conflict, to a new era of global cooperation.

‘Tested like never before’

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“Today, our organization is being tested like never before. But the United Nations was made for moments like this,” he said.

“Now, more than ever, we need to bring to life the values and principles of the UN Charter in every corner of the world.”

The Secretary-General emphasized why the UN is so essential today, as it is “giving peace a chance and ending conflicts that jeopardize lives, futures and global progress.”

Making the difference

The UN is also working to end extreme poverty, reduce inequalities, and rescue the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), agreed by all 193 UN Member States in 2015.

Mr. Guterres pointed to the UN’s role in safeguarding the planet, including by breaking global addiction to fossil fuels and kickstarting the renewable energy revolution.

He also highlighted how the UN is “balancing the scales of opportunity and freedom” for women and girls, while also ensuring human rights for all.

“As we mark UN Day, let us renew our hope and conviction in what humanity can achieve when we work as one, in global solidarity,” his message concluded.

Restore trust among nations

Multiplying and interconnected global crises, including increasingly serious natural disasters, make it clear “that we have no time to lose” and must achieve sustainable development, said the President of the UN General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi.

His message for UN Day focused on how the global body has two urgent parallel tasks: managing crises and promoting transformation.

“The UN can do this in its own house, but the most important thing is what the Member States themselves do at home on the basis of common knowledge,” said Mr. Kőrösi.

“The Organization works on practical solutions, based on the results of science and the principle of solidarity. However, in order to achieve a breakthrough, mutual trust must also be restored between the Member States,” he added.

Education cannot wait

The head of a UN educational fund is urging donors to step up support so that the 222 million children and adolescents worldwide caught in emergencies and protracted crises can continue to learn.

Education is “the very foundation” of the global vision for sustainable development, respect for human rights, and maintenance of peace and security, said Yasmine Sherif, Director of Education Cannot Wait.

“Without education – especially for those suffering in wars, climate disasters and as forcibly displaced – how can we ever achieve the vision of the United Nations? It is logically and humanely impossible,” she said in her message for UN Day.

High price to pay

Ms. Sherif noted that 77 years after the proclamation of the UN Charter, the world is facing unprecedented insecurity, and new and ongoing armed conflicts, as well as record displacement.

Boys and girls surviving in these brutal contexts, who cannot access continued and quality education, are the ones paying the price.

“In the senseless war in Ukraine, we see first-hand deliberate attacks on schools and other civilian targets,” she said. “All attacks on schools and schoolchildren contravene the UN Charter, international humanitarian law and the Safe Schools Declaration.”

Ms. Sherif said that by delivering education to every child and adolescent in emergencies and protracted crises, “we can close the gap between the powerful vision of the United Nations and the cruel realities on the ground.”

SOURCE: UN News/SLT

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Rishi Sunak to become Britain’s next prime minister Loop Barbados

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Barbados News

Former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak won the race to be leader of the Conservative Party on Monday and will become Britain’s next prime minister — the third this year.

The former Treasury chief will be Britain’s first leader of colour, and faces the task of stabilising the party and country at a time of economic and political turbulence.

His only rival, Penny Mordaunt, conceded and withdrew.

As leader of the governing party, he will take over as prime minister from Liz Truss, who quit last week after 45 tumultuous days in office.

Sunak had been the strong favourite as the governing Conservative Party sought stability at a time of immense economic challenges and after months of chaos that consumed the past two leaders.

Sunak’s position strengthened after former leader Boris Johnson dropped out of the Conservative Party leadership contest. The party is choosing Britain’s third prime minister this year following Liz Truss’ resignation after a turbulent 45-day term.

Sunak lost out to Truss in the last Conservative election, but his party and the country now appear eager for a safe pair of hands to tackle soaring energy and food prices and a looming recession. The politician steered the economy through the coronavirus pandemic, winning praise for his financial support for laid-off workers and shuttered businesses.

He has promised “integrity, professionalism and accountability” if he forms a government — a nod to the growing to desire for a leader who can tackle the country’s problems.

Earlier in the day, the 42-year-old was the only candidate with confirmed support from more than 100 lawmakers, the number needed to run in the election, with his backers claiming he has been endorsed by more than half the 357 Conservative lawmakers in Parliament. Mordaunt had hoped to reach the threshold by the time nominations closed — but she backed out.

That means Sunak is now the Conservative Party leader and will be asked by King Charles III to form a government. He will become the prime minister in a handover of power from Truss later Monday or on Tuesday.

Sunak, who was Treasury chief from 2020 until this summer, quit in July in protest at Johnson’s leadership.

Johnson dramatically quit the race on Sunday night, ending a short-lived, high-profile attempt to return to the prime minister’s job he was ousted from little more than three months ago amid ethics scandals.

Johnson spent the weekend trying to gain support from fellow Conservative lawmakers after flying back from a Caribbean vacation. Late Sunday he said he had amassed the backing of 102 colleagues. But he was far behind Sunak in support, and said he had concluded that “you can’t govern effectively unless you have a united party in Parliament.”

The prospect of a return by Johnson had thrown the already divided Conservative Party into further turmoil. He led the party to a thumping election victory in 2019, but his premiership was clouded by scandals over money and ethics that eventually became too much for the party to bear.

In his Sunday statement, Johnson insisted he was “well placed to deliver a Conservative victory” in the next national election, due by 2024. And he said that he likely would have won a ballot of Conservative Party members against either of his rivals.

“But in the course of the last days I have sadly come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do,” he said.

He hinted he might be back, however, saying: “I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time.”

Truss quit Thursday after a turbulent 45 days in office, conceding that she could not deliver on her botched tax-cutting economic package, which she was forced to abandon after it sparked fury within her party and weeks of turmoil in financial markets.

The Conservative Party turmoil is fueling demands for a national election. Under Britain’s parliamentary system, there does not need to be one until the end of 2024, though the government has the power to call one sooner.

Currently, that looks unlikely. Opinion polls say an election would spell disaster for the Conservatives, with the left-of-centre Labour Party winning a large majority.

___

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press

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Casas zal onderzoeksbureau vliegongevallen instellen

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: De Ware Tijd Online

PARAMARIBO — Als uitvloeisel van het memorandum of understanding (MOU) dat het Openbaar Ministerie (OM) heeft getekend met Civil Aviation

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Quatre petits jours pour pêcher les oursins

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Martinique FranceAntilles

Jean-Michel Hauteville jm.hauteville@agmedias.fr

À la fin de cette campagne, les pêcheurs se réuniront pour un débriefing. • PHOTO ARCHIVES FRANCE-ANTILLES

La saison de la pêche aux oursins s’ouvre ce lundi 24 octobre, mais pour seulement quatre jours et uniquement sur les côtes du sud de l’île. Quelque 150 marins pêcheurs participeront à cette campagne 2022. Pour le comité régional des pêches, l’impératif est de préserver cette espèce tout en permettant aux Martiniquais de continuer à déguster un mets dont ils sont friands.

Bonne nouvelle pour les amateurs de fruits de mer
: il y aura de l’oursin au menu cette semaine. Mais seulement cette
semaine. En effet, la saison de la pêche de cet invertébré marin
s’est ouverte pour seulement quatre jours : aujourd’hui et demain,
puis jeudi et vendredi. Ainsi en a décidé le Comité régional des
pêches. « La campagne a lieu du 24 au 28, sachant que le
mercredi, on ne pêche pas », indique Jean-Michel Cotrebil,
le

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Trois magistrats supplémentaires affectés en Martinique

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Martinique FranceAntilles

Serge Letchimy, accompagné de son Directeur Général des Services (DGS), André Pierre-Louis, et de son directeur de cabinet, Jordan Eustache, a été reçu ce lundi 24 octobre par le garde des Sceaux, Eric Dupont-Moretti. 

À l’issue d’une rencontre avec le ministre de la Justice, Eric Dupont-Moretti, Serge Letchimy, le président du conseil exécutif de la CTM est ressorti satisfait de son entretien avec le Garde des Sceaux qui a annoncé le recrutement de trois nouveaux magistrats, un renfort ponctuel de greffiers et sa prochaine venue à la Martinique. 

« On a déjà 24 personnes décédées par homicide dont 19 par balle, ça résume tout. On est vraiment dans une très mauvaise spirale et tout est croissant, à la fois les tentatives d’homicide, les homicides, les trafics de stupéfiants, les saisies… On sait aussi que la précarité s’ajoute à un trafic entre le Venezuela, Les États-Unis avec Sainte Lucie pour plateforme, du trafic d’armes en pleine mer ».

Le président du conseil exécutif s’est, par ailleurs, déjà félicité des annonces de Gérald Darmanin, le ministre de l’intérieur, lors de son déplacement à la Martinique. 

 

Un magistrat de coopération

« On connaît nos faiblesses en matière de surveillance côtière. Gérald Darmanin a pris des décisions qui me semblent très juste comme les radars, les drones, le renforcement de la police et de la douane, ça va dans le bon sens… », a indiqué Serge Letchimy, à la sortie de l’entretien.

« Nous devrions avoir trois magistrats supplémentaires dont un qui va être installé dès janvier », a-t-il ainsi ajouté. « Les deux autres les postes sont ouverts, il ne reste plus qu’à les pourvoir. Et nous avons aussi obtenu un magistrat de coopération qui assurera la coordination avec le Venezuela, Les États-Unis et Sainte Lucie. Il sera d’ailleurs probablement installé à Sainte-Lucie, Mais ce n’est pas encore définitivement arrêté ».

√ Retrouvez plus de précisions dans une prochaine édition.

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Helper applies for PR twice, made to wait many years, then wins case Loop Cayman Islands

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Cayman Compass

A Cayman Islands Court of Appeal judgment dated September 16, 2022 stated that the Immigration Appeals Tribunal (“IAT”) acted illegally, irrationally and unreasonably by summarily dismissing the appeal of Mrs Jack-Chowtee, a lady who applied for permanent residency on two occasions.

Bearing much in common with many other cases, Mrs Jack-Chowtee’s story started in February, 1997 when she came to Cayman from Jamaica on a work permit. During this time, she worked as a domestic helper for various employers, and then as a kitchen helper/dish-washer in a restaurant.

By February 2005 she was married and had a son, born in Grand Cayman.

In February 2005, she also applied for permanent residence for the first time, with her husband and their son as her dependents.

However, her application was refused by the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board (the “Board”) by letter dated August 10, 2007 because, at that time, as she was only awarded 90 points and not the 100 points required under the applicable point system.

Mrs Jack-Chowtee then appealed the Board’s decision on August 29, 2007, and the IAT awarded her further points for community service, taking her to 95 points.

Not having met the 100 points required, she was advised to apply for a final one-year work permit, and she worked under that condition until May 2013.

Mrs Jack-Chowtee then applied for permanent residency for a second time on May 7, 2013.

In her 2013 application, Mrs Jack-Chowtee relied on evidence of the impending purchase of a parcel of land on which a home was to be built, which could have earned her up to a maximum of 20 points if she could demonstrate that this was an “investment” in the Cayman Islands.

Unfortunately, Mrs Jack-Chowtee received no points for this investment, leaving her with a total of 84 points.

The Board’s reasoning for not awarding any points for “investment” was as follows:

The Appellant did not provide evidence of any investment in property in the Islands nor in a local business, therefore no points were awarded under this category…

It was also noted that an analysis had been made that “In view of the previous purchase history and the developers being unable to confirm ownership by the Appellant, the Board was not minded to award points for Financial Investment on the basis of the minimal deposit of CI$2,500 on a transaction which has no guarantee of being completed and in which the Appellant has no proof of ownership.”

In response to this, Mrs Jack-Chowtee filed a notice of appeal to the IAT on July 15, 2013, which the Court of Appeal said that the IAT dismissed summarily.

As to its reasons for summary dismissal, the IAT’s letter dated October 14 2013 stated as follows:

The Tribunal having carefully considered the Notice of Appeal dated 15th July 2013, including the grounds of appeal dated 26th September 2013 and all other submissions made by or on behalf of the above named appellant for this appeal, determined that insufficient grounds of appeal had been made out pursuant to Section 15(2) and 16(4) of the Immigration Law (2012 Revision).

Accordingly, the appeal was dismissed.

Mrs Jack-Chowtee then appealed the decision of the IAT, which was ultimately dismissed in the Grand Court by the Honourable Mr. Justice Richard Williams, according to a judgment published on March 6, 2015.

Following this, Mrs Jack-Chowtee was made to wait several years to have her further appeal heard by the Court of Appeal in 2022.

As to the period of time which elapsed between 2015 and now, the Court of Appeal had this to say:

This is an appeal which time has unfortunately forgot, as may be seen from the title of this action. After many years in which the Appellant, Mrs Carmen Jack-Chowtee, has sought to persuade the Attorney-General to concede her appeal, without substantive reply from the Attorney-General, new counsel in the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Mr Michael Steven Smith, has taken action to bring the matter to a hearing in this Court, for which all concerned must be grateful.

After analysing the actions of the IAT and reviewing the 2015 judgment of the Grand Court, the Court of Appeal said that “In the circumstances, the Court allowed the appeal and granted the declaration prayed that Mrs Jack-Chowtee qualifies for Permanent Residence and Employment Rights and that her dependents be included.”

In giving its reasons for the judgement, the Court of Appeal said:

The question before the IAT was not whether she could prove her ownership conclusively, but whether she had presented a prima facie case of investment which arguably could have raised her points to the necessary number of 100. The IAT did not ask itself that question before summarily dismissing her appeal.

The Court of Appeal’s note of the incorrect conclusions reached by the IAT and the wait time experienced by Mrs Jack-Chowtee (“without substantive reply from the Attorney-General,” as the Court of Appeal put it) now raises concerns about the proper processing of permanent residency applications.

In fact, the knowledge of the judgment of the Court of Appeal in her case is likely to lead to the commencement of court actions, challenging recent PR dismissals and decisions of the IAT and relevant board.

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Database launched to connect certified tourism workers with employers Loop Jamaica

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Jamaica News Loop News

The Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation (JCTI) database, which allows certified tourism workers to better connect with potential employers in the sector, was officially launched by Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, on Friday, October 21.

The Database of Certified Individuals, which can be accessed via an online portal, enables persons to upload their credentials, thus creating a repository that hoteliers and other stakeholders can draw on for workers.

In his remarks at the launch ceremony held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall, Minister Bartlett said that the platform aligns with the Government’s goal to further develop and promote Jamaica’s human capital.

“This is critical because you know that from time to time, we hear complaints that Jamaicans are not being considered enough for senior positions within the tourism sector. Now, there can be no arguments if the stackable credentials are there, skillsets and personnel,” he noted.

“When we qualify and certify you, you should have access…(and) you would be employed on the basis of your merits, qualifications and experience,” he added.

The Tourism Minister said that the database will also help to guide policy relating to work permits and more.

He commended the JCTI for establishing the platform and encouraged certified Jamaican job seekers and employers to utilise the facility to ensure greater equity, access, and merit in terms of employment in the sector.

“You may be trained overseas or coming back from [overseas institutions]; come and let us register you in the database so that it can be easy for you to have your skills utilized in the tourism industry,” he urged.

JCTI Director, Carol Rose Brown, also invited Jamaicans to register on the platform.

“If you have any kind of certification that is transferable, we are prepared to accommodate you. There is a link as well as a QR code. You can scan it and you will be taken directly to the signup page,” she said.

The link to the JCTI database of certified individuals is https://tef.gov.jm/jcti/directory/.

Ms. Rose Brown lauded the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), Jamaica Information Service (JIS), HEART/NSTA Trust, Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) and other partners that helped to bring the platform to fruition.

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L’heure de la revanche pour Rishi Sunak

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Guadeloupe FranceAntilles

Il était apparu trop technocrate, trop timoré, voire, pour certains, trop lisse. Battu l’été dernier par Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak tient sa revanche : il a écrasé lundi toute concurrence et s’apprête à devenir le chef du gouvernement britannique…

Il était apparu trop technocrate, trop timoré, voire, pour certains, trop lisse. Battu l’été dernier par Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak tient sa revanche : il a écrasé lundi toute concurrence et s’apprête à devenir le chef du gouvernement britannique, le premier non-blanc à accéder à ce poste.

Même la tentative de retour de son ancien patron Boris Johnson, un bulldozer politique, n’a pas pu l’arrêter. Cet ancien cadre de la banque Goldman Sachs et ex-ministre des Finances de 42 ans a rassemblé derrière lui une immense majorité de députés du Parti conservateur -au pouvoir- à l’issue d’une campagne éclair pendant laquelle il n’aura pas prononcé un mot en public, se contentant d’une annonce de candidature par un simple tweet.

En pleine crise économique et sociale, aggravée par la tempête financière provoquée par la politique économique de l’éphémère Liz Truss, il se retrouve propulsé à Downing Street avec une crédibilité au plus haut. 

Rishi Sunak avait bien prévenu les conservateurs cet été que le programme de Mme Truss relevait du “conte de fées” et que ses réductions massives d’impôts entraîneraient une hausse des taux d’intérêt. Ce petit-fils d’immigrés indiens au parcours typique de l’élite britannique avait semblé alors donneur de leçons et trop centriste pour les membres du Parti conservateur.

Ces derniers n’ont cette fois pas eu leur mot à dire et l’histoire lui a donné raison. Désormais, sa prudence budgétaire rassure.

Signe de son retour en force, à l’issue de près de deux mois de silence médiatique, il a rallié la plupart des soutiens de Boris Johnson. Un comble pour celui qui souffre d’une réputation de traître : il avait claqué la porte du gouvernement début juillet, suivi ensuite par une soixantaine de collègues, acculant “BoJo” à la démission après une série de scandales.

Parcours de l’élite

Le succès de Rishi Sunak couronne une ascension météorique au sein du Parti conservateur. Elu député du Yorkshire (nord de l’Angleterre) en 2015, il accède à peine cinq ans plus tard, à 39 ans, au poste très convoité de ministre des Finances, peu avant l’arrivée du Covid-19.

Ce partisan de la première heure du Brexit gagne alors en popularité en distribuant des milliards de livres d’aides publiques pendant la pandémie.

Mais sa fortune, amassée au cours de sa carrière dans la finance et via son mariage avec Akshata Murty, fille d’un multimilliardaire indien, indispose parfois, quand les Britanniques se serrent la ceinture. Comme cette vidéo, qui ressort régulièrement, où, jeune, il admet en riant ne pas avoir d’amis issus de la classe ouvrière.

Ces dernières années, ses coûteux costumes -toujours impeccables- et gadgets ou son train de vie dans une opulente villa de sa circonscription, ont fait régulièrement grincer des dents.

Face à ces critiques, ce fan de la saga Star Wars raconte volontiers son histoire familiale, une success story comme les conservateurs les aiment.

Né le 12 mai 1980 à Southampton, sur la côte sud de l’Angleterre, Rishi Sunak est l’aîné de trois enfants et le fils d’un médecin généraliste du système de santé public et d’une pharmacienne. Nés en Inde ou d’origine indienne, ses grands-parents ont émigré d’Afrique orientale vers le Royaume-Uni dans les années 1960.

“Ma famille a émigré ici il y 60 ans. (Ma mère) tenait la pharmacie locale de Southampton. C’est là que j’ai grandi, dans la boutique, livrant les médicaments. J’ai travaillé en tant que serveur au restaurant indien au bout de la rue”, a-t-il raconté pendant la dernière campagne. “Je suis ici grâce au dur labeur, au sacrifice et à l’amour de mes parents”.

Rishi Sunak a toutefois très vite accédé à l’élite en fréquentant le Winchester College, un très chic pensionnat pour garçons. Il a ensuite étudié la politique, la philosophie et l’économie dans les prestigieuses universités d’Oxford, en Angleterre, et de Stanford, aux Etats-Unis.

Avant d’entrer en politique, il a travaillé dans la finance, en particulier chez Goldman Sachs, et fondé sa propre société d’investissement.

Ce père de deux filles a prêté serment sur la Bhagavad Gita, un texte sanskrit considéré comme l’un des écrits fondamentaux de l’hindouisme, quand il a été élu député. Il accède à Downing Street en plein Diwali, la fête hindoue des lumières célébrant l’arrivée de l’automne.

bur-gmo/bd/bds

Rishi Sunak et Liz Truss, le 5 septembre 2022 à Londres
• Stefan Rousseau

Rishi Sunak et ses supporters le 31 août 2022 à Wembley, à Londres
• Susannah Ireland

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Rishi Sunak to become Britain’s next prime minister Loop Jamaica

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Jamaica News Loop News

Former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak won the race to be leader of the Conservative Party on Monday and will become Britain’s next prime minister — the third this year.

The former Treasury chief will be Britain’s first leader of colour, and faces the task of stabilising the party and country at a time of economic and political turbulence.

His only rival, Penny Mordaunt, conceded and withdrew.

As leader of the governing party, he will take over as prime minister from Liz Truss, who quit last week after 45 tumultuous days in office.

Sunak had been the strong favourite as the governing Conservative Party sought stability at a time of immense economic challenges and after months of chaos that consumed the past two leaders.

Sunak’s position strengthened after former leader Boris Johnson dropped out of the Conservative Party leadership contest. The party is choosing Britain’s third prime minister this year following Liz Truss’ resignation after a turbulent 45-day term.

Sunak lost out to Truss in the last Conservative election, but his party and the country now appear eager for a safe pair of hands to tackle soaring energy and food prices and a looming recession. The politician steered the economy through the coronavirus pandemic, winning praise for his financial support for laid-off workers and shuttered businesses.

He has promised “integrity, professionalism and accountability” if he forms a government — a nod to the growing to desire for a leader who can tackle the country’s problems.

Earlier in the day, the 42-year-old was the only candidate with confirmed support from more than 100 lawmakers, the number needed to run in the election, with his backers claiming he has been endorsed by more than half the 357 Conservative lawmakers in Parliament. Mordaunt had hoped to reach the threshold by the time nominations closed — but she backed out.

That means Sunak is now the Conservative Party leader and will be asked by King Charles III to form a government. He will become the prime minister in a handover of power from Truss later Monday or on Tuesday.

Sunak, who was Treasury chief from 2020 until this summer, quit in July in protest at Johnson’s leadership.

Johnson dramatically quit the race on Sunday night, ending a short-lived, high-profile attempt to return to the prime minister’s job he was ousted from little more than three months ago amid ethics scandals.

Johnson spent the weekend trying to gain support from fellow Conservative lawmakers after flying back from a Caribbean vacation. Late Sunday he said he had amassed the backing of 102 colleagues. But he was far behind Sunak in support, and said he had concluded that “you can’t govern effectively unless you have a united party in Parliament.”

The prospect of a return by Johnson had thrown the already divided Conservative Party into further turmoil. He led the party to a thumping election victory in 2019, but his premiership was clouded by scandals over money and ethics that eventually became too much for the party to bear.

In his Sunday statement, Johnson insisted he was “well placed to deliver a Conservative victory” in the next national election, due by 2024. And he said that he likely would have won a ballot of Conservative Party members against either of his rivals.

“But in the course of the last days I have sadly come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do,” he said.

He hinted he might be back, however, saying: “I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time.”

Truss quit Thursday after a turbulent 45 days in office, conceding that she could not deliver on her botched tax-cutting economic package, which she was forced to abandon after it sparked fury within her party and weeks of turmoil in financial markets.

The Conservative Party turmoil is fueling demands for a national election. Under Britain’s parliamentary system, there does not need to be one until the end of 2024, though the government has the power to call one sooner.

Currently, that looks unlikely. Opinion polls say an election would spell disaster for the Conservatives, with the left-of-centre Labour Party winning a large majority.

___

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press

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The UWI, Five Islands students participate in a global SacHacks IV hackathon

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Antigua News Room

Introduction (About SoSCAI and SacHacks) 

This past weekend Saturday 15th to the 16th of October, Students from the University of the West Indies, Five Islands Campus participated in a 24-hour global hackathon known as SacHacks IV. This is an intercollege hackathon founded at UC Davis in the Sacramento area, CA – USA.  

The university of the West Indies is a global university ranked among top 1.5% of universities in the world. These successes are due to the research and quality education through carefully constructed degree programmes which produce global leaders in various specializations. The School of Science Computing and Artificial Intelligence (SoSCAI) of the UWI, Five Islands Campus trains local, regional, and international students in computer science, data science, and information technology. To attest the global competitiveness and the quality of our students and programmes, the school since its establishment has maintained a culture of participating in local, regional, and global competitions and challenges. Last year two teams of students from SoSCAI participated in another global hackathon known as HackUMBC. This year 4 teams involving 23 students participated in the SacHacks IV.  

Final Day Group Picture 

Sponsors: Digicel Group of Companies, AllMart. 

The students’ participation to this hackathon was sponsored by Digicel Group of companies through its Antigua and Barbuda office and ACT’s AllMart a convenient online marketplace for Antigua and Barbuda. 

Digicel supplied the swag and catering for the two days. AllMart supplied a voucher to shop for anything the hackers needed for the two days and the items were delivered fresh and on time at the hacking venue. 

Pictured is the Director of Academic affairs Dr. Curtis Charles with SoSCAI students. 

Student Projects 

The four teams engaged in hacking relevant problems in local and global context. At the end of the event our students presented their solutions to relevant problems. The projects completed and presented are as follows: 

Proposed MIMOTO CARD  

PROJECT # 1: MIMOTO 

It’s a hassle to walk around with many different important documents when needed for application which could be lost in the process. Therefore, the team at sporadic created MIMOTO. It is a national identification card that will hold a persons’ data. Along with having your social security, medical benefit and police record, it will also have a medical database of a personal in case of emergency for example, if you get sick and an EMT would need to know what medication you are allergic to and what to administer. 

MIMOTO creates a database specific to an individual who holds information from their medical records, insurance and much more. 

MIMOTO prototype was implemented using Html, css, Django, Figma and react. 

MIMOTO Features include layers of security on a cloud platform. We faced challenges in linking out Microsoft azure to our database website. Blockchain technology provide the underlying infrastructure of MIMOTO and it was a interesting in learning how blockchain technology is applied in building secure systems. 

In future, we plan to implement a permission blockchain for even more security. We would also like to create a MIMOTO bracelet that would be enabled for everyone but mainly for kids so that their medical records could be easily accessed by authority. 

PROJECT #2: Cheat Sheet 

Details of Cheat Sheet 

PROJECT #3: TraBorg 

Traborg is a trash collecting agent designed to collect small pieces of trash off the side of the road. 

The agents reduce the amount of human contact with trash thus lessening the spread of infectious diseases to humans. 

A lost and found stations for non-trash items picked up by TraBorg’s hardware components would be positioned in strategic locations.  

Using the street view function from Google Maps’ API and open-source code for self-driving cars such as Vista 2.0, TraBorg will be able to seamlessly navigate around sidewalks, roads, vehicles, and pedestrians. 

Using Google’s smart image search API, TraBorg can differentiate between diverse types of trash such as recyclables, compost, and non-trash items 

Using traborg result in proper management of waste. This then has cumulative benefits such as cleaner environment, Reduces the size of landfills, less greenhouses gases are produced (from combustion), Better Climate and Increased civilian morale 

PROJECT # 4: ADS (Ambulance Data Systems) 

A simple to use interface that conveys relevant medical information immediately between an ambulance via the EMT’s to the hospital and its database so necessary preparations can be made beforehand and relevant medical history can be accessed.  

The block diagram below shows the operations of the proposed system. Data is recorded at the accident and transferred to the hospital. This data is then cross-referenced and then the necessary preparations are made to treat the patient accordingly on arrival. This system includes useful information to facilitate real-time decision making such as notifying emergency medical personnel of the medicines that they can use for the patient. 

A prototype was implemented using python and SQL. 

Block Diagram 

Student Experience Comments 

The 24-hour event which started on Saturday midday local time came to close at 12:30 on Sunday. Both staff, faculty and students had a reflection on the experience, successes, challenges and lessons learned. Overall students were amazed by what can be accomplished in just less than 24 hours of working. From ideation to prototyping a project which included learning a number of things to complete the demonstrations of their relevant projects.  

Students were thrilled by the experience and what they learned about themselves and each other. 

For example, one student explained that through this experience she got to speak to her classmates some for the first time.  

Another expounded that this hackathon helped him to see the great things he can create and help him overcome the fears he had. 

A student who recently enrolled in the school explained the fear of joining and thanked the senior students who helped in overcoming those fears. Another one explained on suffering from imposter syndrome and the role his team mates and FIC hacking community played to help him gain confidence and understand his value to the team. 

The senior students who have participated in hackathon from last year were pleased by the improvements in this year’s event. They highlighted how this event has been instrumental to their growth as young professionals in the field.  

These were some of the highlights on this event and its transformative effect to our students. The students learned skills necessary to function in the workplace such as team work, collaboration, communication, problem-solving, innovation and creativity.  

In just 24 hours the students were energized to create new and relevant technologies for our society, creolizing the technology to solve relevant challenges facing Antigua and Barbuda and the OECS region at large.  

Message from Director of Academic Affairs, Digicel and Organizing Team 

The closing ceremony was blessed by the presence of Mr Marlon George, the Head of PDD Department at Digicel Antigua, Dr Curtis Charles, the director of academic affairs at the Five Islands Campus. The event was chaired by Dr Ilenius Ildephonce, Lecturer and Interim Head of SoSCAI who recognized the contribution of Dr Emilie Ramsahai a lecturer in data Science and Statistics and Ms Jessica Brown, SoSCAI secretary. These were instrumental in coordinating the event locally including coordinating with the sponsors and planning the event. They also ensured the event preceded smoothly without any challenges. He thanked them for their hard work which can easily be shadowed by the successes of the event. Both Dr Ramsahai and Ms Brown expressed how impressed they were with the students and are thrilled to be part of the organising team. 

Dr Charles expressed the support from the University leadership. He applauded the students for their arduous work, innovative ideas and urged them to continue innovating transforming the region. Dr Charles expressed the strategic partnerships formulated by the University with other reputable institutions for the advancement of the UWI, FIC. He urged the students to take advantages of the resources available and promised them more opportunities created through these partnerships. He further elaborated on the benefits accrued from supporting a team of students to physically attend these events and represent Five Islands Campus and Antigua and Barbuda. He presented a case where students can be facilitated to attend and compete at HackUMBC in the future. 

Dr Charles was followed by Mr George who applauded the work being done by the school and was pleased by the projects presented. Mr George was pleased by the problem-solving abilities demonstrated by the students through their solutions. He advised that the presented projects have the potential to transform our society and some could be commercialized. He expressed his support and the support of Digicel in advancing the local society. He was elated that Digicel was involved in supporting this event and further expressed their continued support in the future. 

The ceremony was closed by presentation of local prizes for the winning teams and individuals while they wait for the official closing of the hackathon from the Organizers at UC Davies. 

The winner for top prize was MIMOTO who were awarded a Gift card/ cash worth 300.  

Runner-up team was Cheat Sheet and received a gift card worth 150 

Mr. JR Celestie receiving a power bank from Dr Ramsahai for funniest hacker 

The hackers voted for the funniest hacker and the prize was won by Mr JR Celestie, a first-year student pursuing BSc Computer Science. 

The overall engagement hacker prize went to Mr Dominic Olukoga a second year BSc Computer Science student. 

All four female hackers received a gift card each worth 100 from Mrs Tracy Benn-Roberts and was presented by Ms Kerrie-Faun Nathan, both are firm believers and an advocates for the role of women transforming our society. 

In his closing remarks, Dr Ildephonce applauded the students for their hard and tireless work, the sponsors for making this event enjoyable, the university leadership specifically Dr Charles for his continued support, and Mr George for making himself available for both days. He also expressed the schools’ ambition to engage with partners locally and internationally in the establishment of an Innovation Hub at the Five Islands campus where these projects and many others could be developed into products. He welcomed partners such as Digicel to support this project.  He also expressed that SoSCAI is interested in starting a locally organized hackathon focused on addressing local issues in healthcare, education, entertainment, hospitality and tourism etc. He welcomed partners and sponsors to bring their problems and tap into the creativity of the students, staff, and faculty in addressing local and regional issues for the sustainability of our societies. 

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