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National domino competition: PM Harris congratulates sponsors, organisers

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — Sponsor of the longest running domino league in the country, Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, on January 24 congratulated sponsors and organisers of a national domino competition, which has brought together seasoned domino players from across the country.

Prime Minister Harris, sponsor of the highly successful Constituency Number Seven Domino League recently relaunched St. Kitts National Domino Association (SKNDA) national domino competition involving 12 teams. SKNDA celebrated its 25th anniversary last year.

Prime Minister Harris, fifth from right in blue, congratulates Terminal Boyz, the first team to win after they beat Latecomers 26-6. Captain Brian Brookes is fourth from the right, while SKNDA Chairman Romeo Parris is on the far right.

“I want to first congratulate the sponsors and the organisers for coming together and putting together what today has been a very exciting game of domino, which involves players from all across the country,” said Hon. Dr. Harris.

The competition will help select the St. Kitts team that will take part at future World Council of Domino Federation (WCDF) championships after an eighteen-year hiatus. The championships are sponsored by the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis, a Platinum Sponsor; First Federal Credit Union; Best For Less Trading Ltd; The Craft House; and NAGICO Insurances.

In an exhibition game, Prime Minister Dr. the Hon Timothy Harris is paired with Keithly Blanchette play against tournament sponsors Ms. Haley Cassius and Anand Samtani.

“The games started after five o’clock and we are going late and there is still high energy, and high excitement,” remarked Dr. Harris. After the first results in which Terminal Boyz Domino Club beat Latecomers Domino Club 26-6, were announced at 8:20 p.m.

“It shows there is a strong passion, and what is good is we have a mix,” Dr Harris observed. “We have those from the Spanish community, we have our own local players, we have the most youthful players, and we have some who are advanced in age. There are many opportunities for each one to learn. In my view, this evening up to tonight so far has been the very best in terms of domino I have seen played in many years.”

Prime Minister Harris, fifth from right in blue, congratulates Terminal Boyz, the first team to win after they beat Latecomers 26-6. Captain Brian Brookes is fourth from the right, while SKNDA Chairman Romeo Parris is on the far right.

As he commended all the teams taking part in the competition the Prime Minister noted: “Of course I am impressed that we have quite a number of the teams that have been playing in my own constituency league over many years. So all in all, this is a fantastic show of solidarity and support.”

In games played on Sunday, Terminal Boyz beat Latecomers 26-6; Eagle Claws beat Newcomers II 26-22; Spartans Fig Tree beat King Balang 26-17; Los Fuertes del Domino beat Lodge 26-6; Poor Man Pocket beat Masters 26-16; and Newcomers I beat Til Ah Morning 28-18.

Points standing after three rounds of play: Terminal Boyz and Poor Man Pocket are jointly holding the first position each having amassed 16 points. The second position is also jointly held as Til Ah Morning and Newcomers I have 11 points each. Others are Latecomers, 10 points; Masters, 10 points; Lodge, 5 points; Eagle Claws, 5 points; Los Fuertes del Domino, 5 points; Spartans Fig Tree, 5 points; Newcomers II, 0 points; and King Balang, 0 points.

Fourth round of play will be on Thursday January 28 at the same venue, starting at 5:00 pm.

“I just want to say kudos to the Honourable Prime Minister for showing the sort of interest he has been showing over the last twenty-five-plus years to keep domino alive,” said President of the St. Kitts National Domino Association, Romeo Parris. “There has been no national domino in any organised way that has been taking place, so domino would have been dead basically at a certain level had it not been for his involvement.”

The official opening ceremony of the tournament on January 24 at the New Town Community Centre was chaired by Vice Chairman of the St. Kitts National Domino Association Keithly Blanchette, main sponsor Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis was represented by Public Relations Officer Peter Ngunjiri, while Best For Less Trading Ltd was represent by Manager Anand Samtani, and The Craft House by General Manager Ms. Haley Cassius.

“This game would not have been possible had it not been for the large contribution from the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis, and the cooperation of the institution’s CEO Lenworth Harris, so that must be underlined,” commented Parris. “We also thank our other sponsors, First Federal Credit Union, Best For Less Trading Ltd, The Craft House, and NAGICO Insurances for supporting the tournament.”

Dr. Harris with sponsors and organisers: Top steps from left, Keithly Blanchette, Anand Samtani, Ms. Brenda Hazel, Prime Minister Harris, Cremoy Agard, and Ms. Hazel Cassius. Others are Julian Morton and Delroy Liburd, front.

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Teen charged as pregnant woman hit and killed by allegedly stolen car

A teenage driver will face court today in Brisbane, charged with murder following the death of two pedestrians hit and killed while out walking their dog.

The boy was arrested a short time later after being held to the ground by a local resident when the teen allegedly tried to run from the scene.

Police allege the 17-year-old was driving a stolen Landcruiser 4WD when he went through a red light and ploughed into a truck at Alexandra Hills.

It's alleged the 4WD was stolen between 4pm and 5pm yesterday from a Cleveland house, prior to the deadly rampage.

Moments earlier, the 4WD was filmed appearing to engage in a road rage attack, deliberately colliding with a silver Hyundai at the intersection of Vienna and Finucane Roads before speeding away.

About 15 minutes later, he allegedly lost control of the 4WD after speeding through the red light at Finucane Road and Vienna Road and collided with the truck.

The Landcruiser rolled and struck two pedestrians crossing the road, they died at the scene.

They have been identified by police as a 31-year-old woman and 37-year-old man, both from Alexandra Hills.

It's understood the woman who was killed was pregnant at the time.

Their dog is believed to be uninjured and remains missing.

The teenage boy allegedly fled the scene of the crash just after 5.30pm and stole a set of keys from a Kingston Avenue house and tried to start a car in the garage.

The home's resident crash tackled the boy in nearby Chelsea Crescent and held him down before police arrived.

"I saw him walking across the lawn, acted like I was going to run him over, stopped, jumped out," the resident said.

"Got him on to the ground. He went to get up so I give him a kick or two, put him on his face and held him until the police arrived."

Double fatal crash, Alexander Hills Brisbane

He arrested and taken to hospital for minor injuries.

The 17-year-old Waterford West teen has been charged with two counts of murder, one count of dangerous operation of a vehicle (adversely affected by an intoxicating substance), two counts of burglary and one count each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and attempted unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

He'll face Brisbane Children's Court later today.

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‘Tour Around the Caribbean’ menu introduced by Nevis Department of Education

Mrs. Renell Daniel, School Meals Coordinator in the Department of Education of the Nevis Island Administration, and Ms. Wendy Tsai, a nutritionist from Taiwan working with the School Meals Programme.

CHARLESTOWN, Nevis — The Department of Education’s School Meals Programme on Nevis continues to find creative ways to broaden the culinary taste of young children while keeping meals healthy and tasty.

Mrs. Renell Daniel, School Meals Coordinator in the Department of Education of the Nevis Island Administration revealed a new initiative included in the programme dubbed “Tour Around the Caribbean.”

“Each Thursday, school cooks prepare dishes from other Caribbean countries,” explained Mrs. Daniel. “This is one way the programme is keeping pre-school and primary school children engaged and interested in different foods.

“We’re excited to showcase our Tour Around the Caribbean menu,” she said. “Wendy Tsai and I have worked on this, and the cooks, Education Officers and many other people have contributed to this term’s menu.

“We want to introduce our children to different cultures and different parts of our Caribbean,” said Mrs. Daniel. “The programme also endeavours to introduce the children to locally-grown fruits and vegetables by incorporating them into meals as much as possible.

“This is a great programme where our children can appreciate our culture and our local foods,” she said. “We also have different fruit that will be donated by the Department of Agriculture to serve with the meals if they are in season. Our cooks will cut up fruit donated by local farmers and serve it for the children to enjoy.

Students of the Joycelyn Liburd Primary School in Gingerland enjoying the national dish of Belize as part of the “Tour around the Caribbean” initiative introduced in the Department of Education’s School Meals Programme.

“We found that many of the children have not tried these fruits or vegetables at home, but when they see all of their classmates eating the fruit and vegetables, they will be much more willing to try them,” said Mrs. Daniel.

While the School Meals Programme sources fresh produce from local farmers and vendors, schools also grow some of their own food.

“We also depend on our gardens,” said Mrs. Daniel. “All schools have gardens that will supplement what we serve each day, but we hope to do more this term in terms of our school gardens.”

Weekly menus for the schools are posted on the Ministry’s Facebook page on Mondays so parents can have an idea of what the children will be eating. Menus are reviewed each term and tweaked as necessary during the course of the semester.

Ms. Wendy Tsai, a nutritionist from Taiwan working with the School Meals Programme, spoke said the School Meals Programme’s initiative is also to get young students to drink more water.

“Wednesdays are designated ‘Water Wednesdays,’ when children know to only bring water to school and are served water with their lunches,” said Ms. Tsai. “All pre-schools and primary schools, whether public or private, participate in the initiative.

“On Fridays, recipes are posted on the Ministry of Education’s Facebook page for parents and others to make healthy meals at home,” concluded Tsai.

The post ‘Tour Around the Caribbean’ menu introduced by Nevis Department of Education appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.

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Senators to be sworn in for Trump impeachment trial

Senators will be formally sworn in as jurors on Tuesday for the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, though the trial won't get into full swing until the week of February 8.

But the first test of Republicans' attitudes toward the trial could come quickly. Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, may try to force a procedural vote as soon as Tuesday afternoon on whether the Senate trial of the former President is constitutional, according to a GOP source.

The test vote, which jumps onto an argument that a faction of Senate Republicans have adopted going into trial, is likely to be defeated, but it could give more clues about how many Republicans are open to voting to convict Trump.

Senators Mitch McConnell (left) and Chuck Schumer (right) are among those being sworn in for the second Trump impeachment trial.

On Monday, the House impeachment managers, a group of Democratic lawmakers who will act as prosecutors presenting the case against Trump during the trial, delivered the single article of impeachment to the Senate. The article, approved by the Democrat-led House, charges Trump with incitement of insurrection for provoking the attack on the US Capitol that left multiple people dead.

The two-week break until the trial begins will give both sides more time to prepare for the trial. Trump is still hiring lawyers for his impeachment legal defence team, which is being led by South Carolina lawyer Butch Bowers.

As the House impeachment managers put together their plans for the trial, they are considering using a variety of video evidence to show how the rioters were responding to former President Donald Trump's own words when they breached the Capitol, according to sources familiar with the deliberations.

The impeachment managers are still wading through the huge amount of video that exists from January 6 to determine what they should use at the trial, the sources said, including video posted to the conservative social media site Parler.

The House's impeachment team has taken an interest in a 10-minute video compilation from the national security forum Just Security, which uses social media posts from rioters on Facebook and Parler to illustrate how they were reacting in real-time to Trump's comments at the January 6 rally as well as Trump's social media posts when they attacked the Capitol.

Clerk of the House Cheryl Johnson along with acting House Sergeant-at-Arms Tim Blodgett, lead the Democratic House impeachment managers as they walk through the Capitol Rotunda in the Capitol, to deliver to the Senate the article of impeachment alleging incitement of insurrection against former President Donald Trump, Monday, Jan. 25, 2021 in Washington

No decisions have been finalised about how to use the video. The Washington Post first reported on the impeachment managers' interest in the Just Security clip.

At the first Trump impeachment trial, House impeachment managers also used video to bolster their case that Trump had pushed for Ukraine's help to investigate his political opponent, Joe Biden. The use of video for the upcoming trial is even more compelling given the disturbing images and video that have emerged of rioters ransacking the Capitol and attacking police officers.

The transmission of the article typically triggers a quick start to an impeachment trial, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell reached a deal last week to push back the start date for the substance of the proceedings. That move will give Democrats more time to confirm Biden's Cabinet and potentially take up a new COVID-19 relief bill while Trump's defense team will have more time to prepare for trial.

It remains to be seen how long the trial will last, whether the House impeachment managers will seek witnesses and what the exact contours of the President's legal defense will be.

When the trial gets underway, one visible difference between the proceedings and Trump's first impeachment trial will be that instead of Chief Justice John Roberts, the Senate's longest-serving Democrat is expected to preside.

Clerk of the House Cheryl Johnson along with acting House Sergeant-at-Arms Tim Blodgett, lead the Democratic House impeachment managers as they walk through the Capitol Rotunda in the Capitol, to deliver to the Senate the article of impeachment alleging incitement of insurrection against former President Donald Trump, Monday, Jan. 25, 2021 in Washington

Roberts will not be presiding like he did for the first trial, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN Monday.

Instead, Sen. Patrick Leahy, the president pro tempore of the Senate, is expected to preside, the sources said. The Constitution says the chief justice presides when the person facing trial is the current president of the United States, but senators preside in other cases, one source said, and Trump's second trial will take place with him no longer in office.

The likelihood that Leahy will oversee the trial has raised questions about whether he will also be eligible to vote, but constitutional experts say that nothing would stop him from doing so.

It would take a two-thirds vote in the Senate to convict Trump, a high bar to clear that looks increasingly unlikely to happen as a number of Senate Republicans are already arguing that it's illogical and may be unconstitutional to impeach a former president.

Senate Republicans are hosting conservative legal scholar Jonathan Turley at their party lunch on Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the matter. Turley is one of the lead scholars arguing that impeaching Trump when he is out of office is unconstitutional.

Turley has written extensively in recent days about his belief that while reasonable people can disagree about whether or not it is constitutional to hold an impeachment trial for a former President, he wrote recently on his blog, "even if the Senate does not view this as extra-constitutional, it should view this trial as Constitutionally unsound."

Given the limited language in the Constitution on impeachment, legal experts disagree about whether the Senate can convict a former president. But Democrats have pointed to legal scholars on both ends of the political spectrum who say a trial is constitutional.

Under the agreement reached by Schumer and McConnell, several ceremonial functions of the trial will take place this week. On Tuesday, the Senate is also expected to issue a summons to Trump, another step in the process of organising for the trial to kick into high gear.

Then the trial will effectively be put on hold as the impeachment managers and Trump's legal team exchange pre-trial briefs for two weeks. The final briefs would be due on February 9, allowing the trial to begin in earnest.