Category Archives: headline

headline

'We think there's probably over 150 planets in our solar system'

Astronomers are calling for Pluto to be re-classified as a planet, and for more celestial bodies to be recognised as so, following the conclusion of a five-year study.

The push comes more than 10 years after Pluto was controversially demoted to a "dwarf planet" in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

But now in a paper to be published in the journal Icarus, a team of astronomers from around the world argue the IAU conflated science with the pseudoscience of astrology.

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Instead they said a planet should be classified according to scientists' 16th century definition; a planet is any geologically active body in space.

By doing so it would expand the number of planets in the solar system

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Milky Way.

"We think there's probably over 150 planets in our solar system," said lead-author, and planetary physicist at the University of Central Florida, Philip Metzger.

"We are continuing to call Pluto a planet in our papers, we are continuing to call Titan and Triton and some other moons by the term 'planet'.

"Basically, we are ignoring the IAU."

Pluto — the solar's system's ninth planet since 1930 — was re-classifed as the IAU changed the definition of what makes a planet.

The organisation deemed a planet needs to be spherical, orbit the sun and needs to have cleared its orbit of other objects.

This last point is what nixed Pluto from the list.

headline

‘Pat’ Walters indelible footprints in the sands of time

Submission by Rawle Nelson

 

PATRICIA WALTERS CREATED HISTORY when she took over the reins of Cable and Wireless (C&W) in St Kitts and Nevis several years ago.

‘Pat’ as she is affectionately called, was the first female Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in the Federation, and the first woman at the helm of the traditionally male-dominated telecommunications sector. Including the private sector.

‘Pat’ is gifted with foresight and insight. And she maximised those in tandem with her considerable marketing, communication and management skills to put her company, C&W, on firm footing for future jostling with later new entrants to the Caribbean, Digicel.   

Now, don’t be fooled by her easy-going manner supported with that perpetual, infectious smile and winsome personality. Behind those is a fierce competitor who relishes adversity. 

She had already begun creating head waves following her history-making appointment when C&W rival Digicel, officially began competing for a stake in the country’s lucrative communications’ pie.

With her brand there was an ‘open door’ policy: she embraced regular interviews and ensured that the press and media were kept up-to-date with issues about the firm she headed. There were also community outreach programmes. C&W sponsored a number of projects and programmes which enhanced build human capacity; burnished participants’ personalities; strengthened community relationships and forged holistic development while simultaneously enhancing the pool of skills and talents available in participating communities.

“Patricia Walters was one who you can easily stop and engage with. She ensured she visited several of their offices to observe the chemistry between her staff and customers. Those who didn’t know her would assume that she was a regular employee who just enjoyed her job as she operated very simple, immediately drawing love, admiration and attention from those looking on,” a Cable and Wireless (now Lime) customer recalled. 

Another remembered: “What impressed me and continued to impress me over the years is that she was always reaching out to everyone and ventured into supporting organisations and institutions While they (C&W) were making profits, she never shied away from giving back, and that is why many organisations and institutions should credit their success for the way this woman operated the company.” 

The rivalry from Digicel helped ‘Pat’ come up with some novel ideas. Many still recall the ‘Double Bubble Top Up’ a major hit with C&W customers and the rest of the nation. Under the scheme, customers received twice the amount of credit they put in their mobile phones. 

Massive crowds snaked areas where the ‘Top Up’ was available. 

“I was one of the many who enjoyed ‘Double Bubble’ so much that I topped up my phone with a certain amount so that I can wait patiently until it returned. At the time I was studying and couldn’t really afford to top up my phone regularly so the Double Bubble created opportunities for me to prudently spend my money, while maximising the benefits I got from the phone top up,” Michael remembered. 

‘Double Bubble’ and other innovative intiatives helped wiped away the ill-will many had against C&W at the time, and their plans to flee en mass from the telecommunications firm, Michael recalled. He said it was a masterstroke by C&W decision-makers to employ a woman as CEO, and one with such substantial business acumen in combination with considerable managerial shrewdness. 

That, Michael like many argued, saved C&W as a company.

Pat’s subordinates unanimously baptised her a trend-setter: one who leads from the front and single handedly revolutionised workers worldviews. Some of then told this publication, “Her impeccable track record of being service-driven has aided her accomplishing many firsts and even embracing unchartered territories”.  

Her gilded footprints are left indelibly in London, Jamaica, Cayman Islands and Trinidad and Tobago, earning her the fond soubriquet, ‘The Golden Woman’. 

Ask Donovan While, whose aggressive marketing ploy as the Marketing Manager of Anguilla, Antigua and St. Kitts and as the St. Kitts Nevis Country Manager to upend The Golden Woman’s influence fizzled into debased metal in the presence of her glistening, unalloyed campaign. 

Digicel was lucky to snap up a 41 percent market share in the Federation after the departure of White in 2007, and its new Country Manager Richard Staunton’s, despite Staunton making waves for his company in Dominica as their Country Manager. However, the 41 percent market shares were credited due to Pat’s promotion in C&W in 2008 to another Caribbean territory and the presence of Digicel’s new Country Manager, Sean Latty efforts to replicate her feat. Digicel gained market shares under the leadership of Sean Latty who also served as Country Manager in St Vincent and the Grenadines and was responsible for St Kitts and Nevis operations from 2008 to 2012.

Dubbed a highly transformational leader with over a quarter of a century international experience, the qualified account started her career in finance in the Retail and Shipping industry before moving into the telecommunications business at C&W in the United Kingdom (UK). There she held positions as Financial Controller; Director.

She was also Company Secretary at  C&W (Cayman Islands); Financial Controller, C&W (St Kitts and Nevis) Ltd; Chief Financial Officer at the Telecommunications Services  of Trinidad and Tobago  (TSTT); Chief Executive Officer of C&W (St. Kitts and Nevis) Ltd. 

Pat was also Regional Executive Vice President, C&W, West Indies Ltd; Senior Vice President of Bahamas Telecommunications Company Ltd. 

Walters now holds the post of CEO of St Kitts Nevis Cable Communications Ltd, ‘Thee Cable’, St. Kitts which is a privately owned company. 

The post ‘Pat’ Walters indelible footprints in the sands of time appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.

headline

Settlement between Prince Andrew accuser and Epstein made public

A woman who says she was sex trafficked to UK royal Prince Andrew by Jeffrey Epstein accepted $694,637 in 2009 to settle her lawsuit against the American millionaire and anyone else "who could have been included as a potential defendant".

The US$500,000 deal between Epstein and Virginia Roberts, now known as Virginia Giuffre, was unsealed today.

The prince's lawyers say that language should bar Ms Giuffre from suing the prince now, even though he wasn't a party to the original settlement.

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The private 2009 legal deal resolved Giuffre's allegations that Epstein had hired her as a teenager to be a sexual servant at his estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

Andrew was not named in that lawsuit, but Ms Giuffre had alleged in it that Epstein had flown her around the world for sexual encounters with numerous men "including royalty, politicians, academicians, businessmen and/or professional and personal acquaintances".

The settlement also doesn't mention Andrew, but contains a single paragraph saying it protects anyone "who could have been included as a potential defendant" from being sued by Giuffre.

Attorney Andrew Brettler, representing the prince, has told a Manhattan federal court judge that the agreement "releases Prince Andrew and others from any purported liability arising from the claims Ms Giuffre asserted against Prince Andrew here".

In August, Ms Giuffre sued the prince, alleging he had sexually assaulted her multiple times in 2001 when she was 17.

The prince's lawyers have challenged the lawsuit on multiple grounds, saying: "Andrew never sexually abused or assaulted Giuffre. He unequivocally denies Giuffre's false allegations against him."

They also wrote that Ms Giuffre sued Andrew "to achieve another payday at his expense and at the expense of those closest to him".

"Epstein's abuse of Giuffre does not justify her public campaign against Prince Andrew."

Oral arguments over the request to dismiss the lawsuit without a trial are scheduled for this week.

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Recently, the lawyers have said Ms Giuffre should be disallowed from suing because she has lived most of the past two decades in Australia and can't accurately claim to be a resident of Colorado, where her mother lives.

Judge Lewis Kaplan has rejected an attempt by the lawyers to halt progression of the lawsuit and to subject Ms Giuffre to a deposition over the issue of where she is a resident.

In late 2019, Prince Andrew told BBC Newsnight that he never had sex with Ms Giuffre, saying: "It didn't happen."

He said he has "no recollection" of ever meeting her.

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The interview was widely panned by critics who said Andrew seemed insensitive to Epstein's victims. Afterward, the prince was made to step back from royal duties.

A message was left with a spokesperson for Ms Giuffre's lawyers and with Mr Brettler.

Epstein, 66, killed himself in August 2019 as he awaited a sex trafficking trial in a federal Manhattan lockup.

His former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, 60, was convicted last week in Manhattan on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges after a month-long trial.

Judge Alison Nathan, who presided over the trial, asked lawyers on both sides to suggest when a sentencing date should be set and when a trial should be scheduled on perjury charges that were severed from the other charges Maxwell faced.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.

headline

Air Canada to Suspend Flights to Caribbean, Mexico from Jan. 31

by Dillon De Shong

Air Canada has announced it will be suspending its service to the Caribbean and Mexico for a 90-day period from January 31.

“The decision, designed to achieve an orderly reduction in service and minimise customer impact, was taken in collaboration with the Government of Canada,” the airline said in a brief statement.

The move comes weeks after the Canadian government advised residents and nationals to refrain from travelling internationally due to the presence of the highly infectious omicron variant of coronavirus in many countries.

“We see the situation abroad, and we’re afraid and concerned with what could happen to Canadians who would choose to go abroad in the next few weeks,” said Jean-Yves Duclos, Canada’s health minister, during a news briefing on December 15.

“The situation abroad is already dire in many places, and it’s going to get worse very quickly. So we are afraid of what could happen to them if they chose to travel. And once they have left Canada, there is very little we can do to help them.”

Canada itself is currently dealing with a surge in new COVID-19 infections. In late December 2021, the country crossed 2 million total infections.

Passengers, who are affected by the cancellation, will receive an Air Canada Travel Voucher or Aeroplan points, with a 65 per cent bonus, in accordance with the company’s Refund and Cancellation Policy.

Air Canada currently offers flights to islands including Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Aruba and Antigua and Barbuda.

It recently halted its service to Bermuda due to a COVID-19 surge caused by the omicron variant.

The post Air Canada to Suspend Flights to Caribbean, Mexico from Jan. 31 appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.