View in browser Get the newsletter With the war in Ukraine in its seventh week and Russia pressing its campaign more forcefully in the east, the calculus on Moscow appears to be shifting. The U.S. and Europe would never say it officially, but the unprecedented sanctions on Russia haven’t had any discernible impact on the […]
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BY ANTHONY LEWIS Jamaica Observer writer BESSIE BAKER, Hanover — Prime Minister Andrew Holness has doubled to 1,000 the number of houses he wants built each year and provide free of cost to the society’s most needy. This year 315 units are to be built, a number which he said only scratches the […]
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By Marcela Ayres BRASILIA, April 8 (Reuters) – Brazil’s March inflation was the highest in 28 years for that month, official data showed on Friday, exceeding expectations and fue ling interest rate bets as the war in Ukraine drove fuel and food prices sharply higher. The IPCA consumer price index (BRCPI=ECI) rose 1.62% from February, […]
The post Brazil Inflation Tops Forecasts, Sharpest March Rise in 28 Years appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.
BY Jake Spring April 8 (Reuters) – Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest fell 15% in March from a year earlier, preliminary government data showed on Friday, but even with that dip it was enough to drive the most destruction during the first quarter in at least six years. From January to March, deforestation of the […]
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By Jose Luis Gonzalez CIUDAD JUAREZ, April 9 (Reuters) – Hundreds of commercial trucks waited in an hours-long line on Saturday to cross the border from the Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez into El Paso after Texas Governor Gregg Abbott ordered state troopers to step up inspections of north-bound vehicles. “I’ve been here since […]
The post Commercial Border Crossings in El Paso Slow to Snail’s Pace After Texas Steps Up Security appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.
LIMA, April 8 (Reuters) – The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) on Friday confirmed a ruling ordering Peru not to release jailed ex-President Alberto Fujimori, who was on the verge of leaving prison last month after a presidential pardon was reinstated. The decision overrules Peru’s top local court, which had ruled on March 17 […]
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By Dave Graham MEXICO CITY, April 10 (Reuters) – Nine out of ten Mexicans voting on Sunday in an unprecedented recall election engineered by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador backed him to stay in office, underlining his domination of a polarized political agenda. Both critics and supporters alike had viewed his victory as a foregone […]
The post Mexican President Wins 90% Backing in Leadership Vote He Sought appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.
A Victorian police officer could face up to 10 years in prison after he allegedly travelled high speeds to reach an injured colleague while on the job.
Police charged Leading Senior Constable Brad Beecroft with reckless conduct endangering life after he travelled up to 230km/h to help an injured colleague who was struck by a car on the side of a freeway last year.
Leading Senior Constable Beecroft activated lights and sirens and his in-car camera before engaging in "urgent duty driving".
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It's alleged he overtook dozens of vehicles across a nine-kilometre stretch, reaching a top speed of 230m/h.
He attended to his injured colleague, who spent a night in hospital.
The exemption that applies to police officers in relation to the road rules doesn't extend to offences such as recklessly endangering life, which the 47-year-old was charged with alongside speeding offences.
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Today, the court heard Leading Senior Constable Beecroft's passenger was a highway patrol officer with 45 years' experience.
He told investigators he considered the driving "reasonable and justified", considering Leading Senior Constable Beecroft holds a gold class licence, exempting him from speed restrictions.
Victoria Police said drivers must still travel in a safe manner that does not endanger themselves or the public.
But Leading Senior Constable Beecroft noted emergency services were often criticised for taking too long to attend jobs.
"I'm being criticised for getting there too fast," he said.
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has had his first stumble of the official 2022 election campaign, unable to name either the unemployment rate or the RBA cash rate.
He was asked if he knew both at a press conference today.
Mr Albanese didn't know the cash rate, and guessed unemployment was at 5.4 per cent, before apologising and admitting: "I'm not sure what it is".
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Labor's finance spokeswoman Katy Gallagher then correctly answered the question.
The RBA cash rate is at 0.1 per cent while unemployment sits at four per cent.
Mr Albanese later "fessed up", saying he was "only human" and that when he made a mistake he owned up to it.
https://twitter.com/Fi_Willan/status/1513346169073594373
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison later this morning was asked the same questions at his own press conference.
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"Well 0.1 per cent is the cash rate, has been for some time," Mr Morrison said.
"The unemployment rate, I'm happy to say is four per cent, falling to a 50-year low."
Hip-pocket questions have led to stumbles for both candidates, with Mr Morrison in February caught on the hop after being unable to name the price of a loaf of bread or a litre of petrol.
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Victorian research has revealed 9 out of 10 child car seats are installed or used incorrectly, putting kids at potential risk.
To help combat this and improve safety, the state government has committed $4million to deliver a state-wide program of free child car restraint checks.
With a two-year-old daughter and a baby on the way, Melbourne mum, Kally Alexandrou took advantage of the free professional child restraint inspections on offer.
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"We wanted the reassurance that someone was qualified (to install the car seat) and they knew what they were doing to do it," she said.
"We are local to area, we looked on the website and found the installation and booked it in.
"My little one is nearly two and I feel like I almost have forgotten what to do and I want to get that reassurance again."
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A new Kidsafe survey of nine thousand child car seats found 90 per cent were installed or used incorrectly.
And 37 per cent of those needed a complete re-install by the professional fitter.
That means if you're in a serious crash, you are six times more likely to have your child injured ah as a result of that.
"It's your kid's safety," Ms Alexandrou said.
"It's (important to know that) you brought the right the car seat, you have put it in properly and securely and that your child will be transported around without any issues or anything jeopardizing their wellbeing."
The "Safe Seats Safe Kids" inspection program is designed to help protect little passengers, with Kidsafe rolling out various child restrain inspection programs in each state.
Experienced fitters can then check all sorts of seats, from capsules to boosters and share advice.
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"I'm walking away feeling reassured, I know what to do. I can tell my hubby now what we need to do," Ms Alexandrou said.
Among the key safety tips:
Kidsafe Victoria general manager Jason Chambers said the program was really important to ensure car seats were correctly installed and used during each trip.
The free inspections do book out quickly so if you miss out just go to the Kidsafe website which lists a whole range of car seat professionals who can help you out.
"It's your kids wellbeing at the end of the day so you do whatever it takes," Ms Alexandrou said.
To find when the Kidsafe Free Free Child Car Restraint inspections are happening in your suburbs go to safeseatssafekids.com.au
Baby For Hire outlets and other infant equipment stores also offer various car seat checks.
