Trevor Mallard asked for the sprinklers to stay on all night.The protesters are still there on the lawns of Parliament. The convoy of angry and presumably damp people, with their tents and their muddled messages.I walked by the…
Category Archives: headline
School, sleepovers and a new independence
It's 1am and four-year-old Cleo Smith is bouncing around a room in the wards of Carnarvon Hospital, delighting nurses and eating an icy pole.
Breathless, her parents – Ellie Smith and Jake Gliddon – rush in for one of the most emotional reunions ever to take place inside those hospital walls.
Eighteen wretched and harrowing days have passed since Cleo was snatched by a stranger, Terence Darrell Kelly, from the family's tent at the Quobba Blowholes campsite in Western Australia's north on October 16.
READ MORE: Tara Brown reflects on Cleo Smith's story
Ms Smith, 24, is not sure what to expect of Cleo's condition, all she knows is that she wants to wrap her daughter up in one ginormous hug and never let go.
"I don't think there are words to describe the happiness I had in my heart to (see) her there," Ms Smith told 9news.com.au.
"It's one of those moments you will never forget.
"You don't want to let her go but we kind of had to because … the doctors had to do check-ups.
"Every hug since that day we've had that same feeling – we still don't want to let her go."
A few hours later, a photo of Cleo – beaming from a hospital bed – was released. In it she looks incredibly happy and healthy.
It was a miracle few had dared to hope for and the nation rejoiced.
However, as first revealed by Ms Smith and Mr Gliddon in an exclusive interview with 60 Minutes on Sunday, the road ahead is long.
"Every day is a new day, every day and night is different, but she's OK," Ms Smith told reporter Tara Brown.
"She's happy, she's bubbly, she's sad, she's angry, but she's getting there."
Cleo is having nightmares and, on some days, there are meltdowns, her mum says.
Detectives found Cleo locked inside Kelly's Carnarvon property, just 7km from the four-year-old's family home, on November 3 after a tireless investigation and one of the biggest missing person searches in history.
Kelly was arrested and has since pleaded guilty to child stealing, but he is still facing other charges which are before the courts.
No questions allowed
Meanwhile, detectives had given them what any parent would imagine to be an enormously difficult request.
They were not to speak to Cleo about what had happened to her, until she could be interviewed formally. This would ensure nothing influenced her recall of the events that had passed.
"We did have to refrain from asking her questions," Ms Smith told 9news.com.au.
Knowing she had the most important thing, her daughter back, made it easier to comply with the police request, Ms Smith said.
"She was back and she was with us. There wasn't anything that we needed more than her home and we had her home."
Ms Smith said the family's focus right now was keeping Cleo wrapped up in a "positive bubble", adding she was proud of how resilient and strong Cleo was.
"She is such a survivor, I think that is the best way I can describe her, and she has been like that from day one," Ms Smith said.
"I know she is capable of so much. She has gone through so much and (yet) she is so bubbly, so happy."
'She has definitely changed'
While the abduction had left its mark on Cleo in many ways, one surprising difference she saw in her daughter after her rescue was a burst of independence, Ms Smith said.
"She has definitely changed .. she has grown up a lot. She has experienced something no kid should ever experience," Ms Smith said.
"I guess she is finding herself in a new world that she has entered. Now she is a lot more adventurous. She can go searching for things. She is out and about and exploring everything."
Ms Smith said while she was still struggling with not wanting to let Cleo out of her sight, her daughter had demanded, and been given, a sleepover at her Nanna's house.
"She has had one night away from us now, when she was with my mum," Ms Smith revealed.
"I didn't have a choice, Cleo wanted it. If you knew the relationship Cleo has with my mum, Cleo just loves her.
"I still FaceTimed her as soon as I got home."
In another big move, Cleo started kindergarten this year and was loving school, Ms Smith said.
"We sat down with her school teachers who have been amazing. She is being treated as just another child starting kindy and she feels the normality at school," she said.
"She loves it. I had to tell her that she couldn't go on Friday because she only goes three days a week. She said, 'Is it school holidays?'"
'We got so much hate that we didn't cry enough'
Ms Smith said she and her family were so grateful for the overwhelming support they received from police, the small Carnarvon community and the rest of Australia.
But there is a lot of lingering hurt too, for the way the couple were treated by trolls, armchair detectives and keyboard warriors who decided they were behind their daughter's disappearance.
Ms Smith said she wasn't surprised at the suspicion cast upon them initially, but was taken aback by the level of vitriol directed at them.
WA Police were vocal in their defence of the couple, emphasising they were co-operating fully during the investigation and not considered suspects.
However, Ms Smith said they copped a huge backlash after doing two TV appeals during the nightmarish days Cleo was missing.
"We got so much hate that we didn't cry enough. We weren't upset enough. That was 15 minutes of one day, they don't know about the 23 hours and 45 minutes of the rest of that day," Ms Smith said.
"Just sitting in front of the camera you are going to try not to cry, or be upset. You are trying to hold yourself together to go through everything to get your daughter back."
Astonishingly, Ms Smith and Mr Gliddon are still getting hateful messages from trolls even now.
"I have deleted my Facebook because people are so harsh and yet they have no idea what we are going through," Ms Smith said.
A fresh start
Ms Smith said their stressful experience on social media was one of the reasons they had decided to take back control and tell their story directly.
"Telling (Cleo's) story and telling our story is really important to us, especially because of all the harsh feedback that we had … we want to make sure that people know her story and from ourselves, not someone that has posted … about in on Facebook."
The young family is now planning a fresh start, and will leave Carnarvon to go on a road trip before settling down somewhere new.
"We are going to look into buying a caravan," Ms Smith said.
"We are going to … experience life after having our life taken away.
"And find a new place to call home."
Dunedin rapist remains in jail as bail denied over abusive conduct
A gang member who raped a teenager in a library carpark will remain behind bars after abusive conduct towards staff and other prisoners.David Michael Witchall, 32, was jailed for more than nine years in 2015 for a variety of sex…
Newspaper Cover for 11th February, 2022
The post Newspaper Cover for 11th February, 2022 appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.
Nevis Water Department Issues Disconnection Schedule for 2022
NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (February 11, 2022) — The following is an announcement from the Nevis Water Department (NWD) regarding its disconnection schedule for 2022.
The Nevis Water Department (NWD) will be commencing its island-wide disconnection programme for 2022. Disconnections will take place in March, June, September and December.
Customers in arrears over three (3) months are kindly asked to visit the NWD to make payments on accounts.
NWD is aware that some customers are experiencing financial hardship. Should you fall into this criteria, kindly apply for our Payment Arrangement Plan at our Customer Service Department.
We look forward to your kind co-operation and understanding during this time.
The post Nevis Water Department Issues Disconnection Schedule for 2022 appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.
Battle Lines Being Drawn on Who Leads Haiti Into the Future
Prime Minister Dr. Ariel Henry says no one will be allowed to meet in a hotel or abroad to decide in small committees who will be the next President or Prime Minister of Haiti.
But, Senate chief Joseph Lambert claims Henry is not legally in office now and elections should be held.
In a nationwide radio and television broadcast on Monday night that coincided with the seven-month anniversary of the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, Henry said, “the situation of the country is too serious to play musical chairs at the head of the State.”
“I will say that anyone who is tempted to use gangs, terrorists, and gunslingers to gain power will be treated as terrorists and gunslingers,” Henry said.
The address also highlighted the political uncertainty in the country, with opposition parties saying that Moïse’s mandate as head of state officially ended on Monday and renewed calls for the election of a new head of state.
President of the Upper House, Senator Joseph Lambert, in a broadcast to the nation also on Monday, accused Prime Minister Henry of seeking to seize power in the country.
“On the fringes of all legality, the reality of power is seized by the prime minister who has not managed to exercise it. It’s been seven months since Dr. Ariel Henry is unable to say what his mandate consists of,” Lambert said.
He said faced with the accelerated deterioration of political life in Haiti, the de facto government no longer has much to say about the country’s problems as the socio-economic and political situation worsens.
“Consultation and consensus are essential for the actors who, in a burst of lucidity, must understand that any sectarian initiative is doomed to failure, which will lead to the collapse of the country,” Lambert said.
He told Haitians that the congress would bring together various stakeholders, including representatives of the judiciary, those engaged in arriving at multiple agreements with a view to a consensual solution to the crisis. He says he will officially invite Prime Minister Henry to attend.
Meanwhile, in his broadcast, Prime Minister Henry, flanked by several government ministers, said regarding the elections, “we are moving forward with those who want to solve the problem of insecurity, set up a credible CEP, organize a popular consultation to validate the new Constitution.”
Prime Minister Henry said the Montana agreement, which called for a Haitian solution to the crisis and was signed on August 30, 2021, recognizes the positive side of Haitians in wanting to regroup in search of a solution to the crisis.
The post Battle Lines Being Drawn on Who Leads Haiti Into the Future appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.
WORLD VIEW: Skater’s Olympic Doping, Putin’s Ukraine Strategy, US & Canada Truckers, Europe Energy Inflation, More
February 11, 2022
|
|
Today’s Headlines
BEIJING (AP) — Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva’s right to compete in the women’s event at the Beijing Olympics will be decided at an urgent hearing at the Court of…Read More
MOSCOW (AP) — With Russia carrying out a massive military buildup near Ukraine and the West roundly…Read More
TORONTO (AP) — The Biden administration urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government Thursday to…Read More
For more of today’s news, go to APNews.com >>
|
|
|
|
|
|
Editor Selections
ISTANBUL (AP) — Mehmet Bogday says his jaw dropped when he saw his electricity bill — it was higher…Read More
CAIRO (AP) — Amira Osman, a Sudanese women’s rights activist, was getting ready for bed a few…Read More
MOSCOW (AP) — Britain’s defense secretary visited Moscow Friday for talks on easing tensions amid…Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cross Section
ZHANGJIAKOU, China (AP) — Shaun White bent down to one knee, set his snowboard on its edge and…Read More
CANAJOHARIE, N.Y. (AP) — Ellie the potbellied pig snuggles up to Wyverne Flatt when he watches TV…Read More
BEIJING (AP) — Whether it’s on the ice, in the air or on the slopes at the Winter Olympics, The…Read More
|
|
The post WORLD VIEW: Skater’s Olympic Doping, Putin’s Ukraine Strategy, US & Canada Truckers, Europe Energy Inflation, More appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.
Caribbean cannot ignore escalating tensions over Ukraine
By Sir Ronald Sanders
(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States and the OAS. He is a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are his own)
Global tension is rising concerning Ukraine, the second largest country in Europe after Russia which it borders. Ukraine was a part of the defunct Soviet union, declaring its independence in 1991 when the Union dissolved.
Should regions, as geographically distant from Ukraine as the Caribbean, care about the hostility that is escalating over it between Russia and the countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) which includes the United States (US) and Canada?
The short answer must be yes. Every region in the world would be impacted by a conflict over Ukraine. The Caribbean would be affected by higher prices for oil and gas that would result from Russia cutting off oil supplies to Europe and the consequent competitive bidding in the markets from which Caribbean countries now purchase these commodities. This would have been bad news for Caribbean economies at any time but, coming in a period when these countries are still struggling to recover from the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, higher oil and gas prices would plunge many economies into further decline.
There would also be a knock-on effect on the cost of imported goods and services, including food and the provision of vital utilities such as electricity and water.
Beyond the economic and financial impact on the region if oil and gas prices rise, small Caribbean countries which came to independence by exercising the right to self-determination and which treasure their sovereignty and territorial integrity, would have to be very concerned should Russia invade Ukraine to bring it back under Russian control.
Any diminution in the sanctity of these norms of international law would pose a threat to Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states, such as Belize and Guyana, which are faced with territorial claims.
The root of the problem in the Ukraine rests in two things: the belief by the Russian government and especially President Vladimir Putin that Ukraine is, historically, part of Russia; and President Putin’s further conviction that NATO countries wish to use Ukrainian territory as a staging post against Russia. Putin had repeatedly said that “we (Russia) are categorically against any further NATO expansion eastwards because it poses a threat to us”. He adds, “It’s not us who’s advancing to NATO, it is NATO coming to us and its illogical to talk about Russia’s aggressive behaviour”.
In 1991, when Ukraine became independent from the dissolved Soviet Union, it declared itself ‘neutral’. No doubt, it did so, because even then it was wary of Russian ambitions to control its neighbouring states. Ukrainian concern turned out to be justified when, in 2014, Russia encouraged forces in Crimea to declare it an independent Republic effectively annexing it to Russia.
The Crimea is physically a peninsula of Ukraine where Russia has, traditionally, stationed its Black Sea Fleet at the Port of Sevastopol. Russia’s annexation of the area appears to have been a response to the Ukrainian government’s attempt to join the European Union (EU) – a move that was seen as a further step to link Ukraine to European countries that are also part of NATO.
In recent years, Russian unease over Ukraine increased over the Ukrainian government’s expressed desire to join NATO, and the latter’s pledge in 2008 to allow it to do so, although no date was set and still does not exist.
Russia has now amassed over 100,000 troops near Ukraine and sent a detachment of warships into the Black Sea. All this has been interpreted by the Ukrainian government, NATO and the Western media as intent by Russia to invade.
Putin appears to have two objectives: the first is to stop Ukraine from joining NATO and the second is to limit the expansion of NATO to include any countries other than its present membership. For their part, leading NATO nations, including the US have made it clear that they will not negotiate NATO’s membership with Russia.
Thus, the standoff continues, and tensions heighten amid recent efforts from NATO leaders to engage Russia in a dialogue. An encounter between the Russian and British Foreign Ministers was summed-up by the Russian as “a mute talking to a deaf perso”. And a visit to Moscow by French President Emmanuel Macron for talks with Putin showed no sign of a solution. Russian-US talks also proved unproductive.
The danger of the Caribbean region being thrust into this row became evident when Sergei Ryabakov, who led the Russian delegation in a meeting with US officials on January 12, said he would not confirm or exclude Russia sending “military assets” to Venezuela and Cuba. US National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, described the Russian statement as “bluster”.
Bluster or not, the Caribbean cannot ignore events surrounding Ukraine – a country with which all CARICOM countries have diplomatic relations as they do with Russia and the NATO member states.
Considering contingency arrangements for oil and gas supplies – and their prices – is one thing that Caribbean governments should be collectively considering. They should also be jointly indicating their concern to Russia, that however tempted it may be to do so, military intervention in Ukraine should not be contemplated and would not have the support of governments that uphold and respect international law.
In every international forum, Russia and the NATO nations should hear Caribbean governments, in a unified voice, calling for diplomatic engagement and not conflict to reach a solution to this problem that would leave Ukraine’s territorial integrity intact.
Responses and previous commentaries: www.sirronaldsanders.com
The post Caribbean cannot ignore escalating tensions over Ukraine appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.
US: Black Businesswomen Surge Ahead Amid Near Record Inflation
Americans do not need a government report to tell them they’re paying a lot more for groceries, gasoline, rent and utilities, thanks to inflationary pressures that on Thursday set a record — a 7.5 percent rise in consumer prices not seen for 40 years (The Hill).
An overall strong economy, but one with a scarcity of workers during a pandemic, may have pushed wages higher, but not enough for the middle class, Latinos and millennials to stay ahead of what analysts say shakes out to about $276 more a month in costs for the average U.S. household (CNBC). Most Americans did not receive 8 percent raises as 2022 began, which means they are falling behind, and they know it.
But recent studies point to Black women as the fastest-growing demographic of entrepreneurs in the country, with nearly 2.7 million nationwide (The Hill’s Changing America).
The New York Times: High inflation was anticipated in January’s consumer price index, but it was worse than expected.
The Wall Street Journal: From breakfast cereal to light bills, prices are up.
Whom do Americans blame for the price squeeze? The White House and Democrats who are preparing to face voters in November think President Biden and the party in power will be held to account (The Hill). Perhaps they already are: 58 percent of Americans say they disapprove of the job Biden is doing, according to a CNN poll released on Thursday. A large majority of those surveyed could not come up with a single idea when asked to name something they favored during Biden’s tenure (The Hill).
As the finger-pointing continues, Republicans and some Democrats insist part of the fault lies with what they believe was excessive federal stimulus approved by Congress in 2020 and 2021 to address the economic impact of COVID-19.
“I’ve been ringing the alarm bell forever… nobody’s been listening,” complained West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D), who holds great sway in the 50-50 chamber. “It’s a 7.5 percent tax on everything you buy. It’s unbelievable!”
Manchin (pictured below) almost single-handedly put the brakes on Biden’s nearly $2 trillion proposed Build Back Better social spending and climate agenda last year. The centrist senator is convinced he was correct. “We’re not in a financial position to do it,” he told reporters. “We’ve got to get our financial house in order. … Now’s not the time to be throwing caution to the wind and putting more trillions of dollars out” (The Hill).
© AP/Jose Luis Magana
Nonetheless, the president on Thursday continued to champion his proposals, bypassing the misgivings of Manchin and others. During a stop in Culpeper, Va., Biden said the spending proposals already approved by the House would lower drug prices. “In my Build Back Better legislation…we can do that. … Now we just have to get it through the United States Senate, and we’re close,” he said (The Hill).
Reacting to the inflation report on Thursday with a written statement, the president basically changed the subject. He touted what he sees as favorable wage growth as well as some economists’ projections that inflation will be tamer by the end of the year. “While today’s report is elevated, forecasters continue to project inflation easing substantially by the end of 2022,” Biden said (CNBC).
© AP/Alex Brandon
Also facing considerable blame is the nation’s central bank, which has been accused of being too slow to recognize the inflation warnings and is expected to begin raising interest rates in March. The January inflation data and expectations for higher interest rates sent stocks tumbling.
Analysts and Wall Street soothsayers warned Americans on Thursday that they may be tired of inflation, but they need to buckle up. The actions of the Federal Reserve will not and cannot provide relief for months (CNBC).
The post US: Black Businesswomen Surge Ahead Amid Near Record Inflation appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.
WA family heartbroken in wake of fatal crash
The family of a father killed in a horror truck collision has spoken out, as the community pushes for better road safety support in regional Western Australia.
Welder, Philip Parker, 38, was driving to work yesterday morning on the Brand Highway through Bambun, 68 kilometres north of Perth, when ten minutes into his drive, he was killed.
Two on-coming semi trailers had clipped each other, slamming into Mr Parker and crushing his vehicle.
READ MORE: Booster now required to be fully vaccinated
His wife, Sheena Parker said she felt something was wrong when calling her husband's workplace.
"She called me back and said I'm so sorry…he never arrived today," Ms Parker said.
"I felt my heart physically break.
Mrs Parker said telling the couple's three children their father had been killed was another devastating blow.
"It's just soul crushing, just soul crushing to tell them he wasn't coming home, that he was in an accident and he wasn't coming home," she said.
"To know that he was just going about his business… driving to work… wrong place, wrong time."
READ MORE: UK PM cites 'most dangerous moment' in Ukraine crisis
Clean ups on the Brand Highway at the site of the crash lasted over 12 hours, closing several lanes of traffic.
The local council says it's a timely call for more safety spending on regional roads.
READ MORE: Enslaved by ISIS at 11 years old, Roza feels she can't go home
"When large scale vehicles and even pedestrian vehicles hit those undulations, it can create an unsafe environment," Shire of Gin Gin CEO Aaron Cook said.
Mrs Parker said her husband would be remembered as a loving father who enjoyed the outdoors.
"He lived for this family, he lived for the kids — everything he did was for this family."