BBC- A Brazilian woman has been sentenced to 31 years in prison for planning the murder of her husband, the former Greek ambassador to Brazil.
In 2016, Kyriakos Amiridis’ charred remains were found in the boot of a burnt-out car in Rio de Janeiro.
His wife Françoise de Souza Oliveira had been having an affair with a military police officer, Sergio Gomes.
Mr Gomes later confessed to killing the ambassador at the behest of his lover, and he has been jailed for 22 years.
At the end of their three-day trial, a judge described their crime as “bestial”.
Another man, Eduardo Moreira Tedeschi di Melo – a relative of Gomes – was acquitted of murder but has already served one year in prison for helping to hide Mr Amiridis’ body.
Mr Amiridis, 59, served as consul in Rio de Janeiro from 2001-04, and returned to Brazil as ambassador the year he was killed.
He married Françoise in 2004 and the couple have a daughter.
Before his death, Mr Amiridis had travelled from the capital, Brasilia, to the city of Nova Iguacu, north of Rio, to spend the Christmas holidays with his wife and her parents.
Mrs Amiridis first reported him missing, telling police that he’d left their flat without explanation and driven off in a rental car.
The burnt-out car was found the next day under a flyover, with the ambassador’s body inside.
Investigators found blood stains on a sofa in the flat where the couple had been staying, and it’s believed he was killed there before his body was taken away.
BBC- Tributes have been paid to the legendary Jamaican singer and music producer Lee “Scratch” Perry, who has died at the age of 85.
He died in hospital in Lucea, north-west Jamaica, local media reported.
Perry is known for his pioneering experiments in dub, which revolutionised not only reggae, but also hip hop, dance and other genres.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness called him “unforgettable” and praised his “sterling contribution” to music.
The Beastie Boys, who first worked with Perry when he opened for them in Japan in 1996 before they joined forces on the track Dr Lee PhD as party of 1998’s Hello Nasty album, hailed the musician’s “pioneering spirit”.
“We are truly grateful to have been inspired by and collaborated with this true legend,” the group said in a tweet.
Flying Lotus, whose real name is Steven Ellison, wrote on Twitter: “Blessed journey into the infinite. RIP Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry.”
Rapper Lupe Fiasco also remembered Perry, tweeting: “African blood is flowing through I veins so I and I shall never fade away.”
Music legends
Perry was born in rural Jamaica in 1936 and moved to the capital Kingston in the early 1960s.
In a 1984 interview with NME magazine, he said: “My father worked on the road, my mother in the fields. We were very poor. I went to school… I learned nothing at all. Everything I have learned has come from nature.”
He started his music career in the 1950s as an assistant at a reggae music label, before moving up to become a recording artist with the same label.
Over the next seven decades Perry went on to work with a number of fellow music legends, including Bob Marley and the Beastie Boys.
Pictured in 1984, said everything he learned had “come from nature”
He also won a Grammy in 2002, was nominated four other times – in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2014 – and received a Jamaican national honour, the Order of Distinction.
In a 2010 interview with Rolling Stone, Keith Richards described Perry as “the Salvador Dali of music”.
“He’s a mystery. The world is his instrument. You just have to listen,” Richards said. “More than a producer, he knows how to inspire the artist’s soul.”
Electronic group The Prodigy shared a photo of Perry on Twitter showing him at a mixing desk.
“RIP to the King”, wrote British rapper Ghostpoet,
If Bob Marley was the face and voice of reggae, Lee “Scratch” Perry was its soul.
He was a towering figure despite his diminutive stature and eccentric appearance, but his influence was much deeper than most reggae fans realise. Much like Nile Rodgers, he was the producer and brains behind many songs more famously sung by other people.
And it was his spirit that converted Marley’s band – The Wailers – from a rocksteady and ska trio to a much more bass-fuelled, political and spiritual group, a process later accelerated by Chris Blackwell.
Shamanistic and reliably stoned, “Scratch” nevertheless had a remarkable work ethic. He fell out with many of his collaborators, including the great Studio One boss Coxsone Dodd, and indeed The Wailers, though he and Marley would later reconcile.
But by coming to the height of his powers in late 1960s and 1970s Jamaica, he was a charismatic engineer and catalyst for the group of artists who produced much of the best music of the 20th century.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has said he sees three alternatives for his future: prison, death or victory in next year’s presidential election.
The right-wing populist leader is trailing left-wing former President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva in the polls.
“I have three alternatives for my future: being arrested, killed or victory,” he told evangelical leaders.
But the former military officer said there was no chance of prison because “no man on Earth will threaten me”.
Mr Bolsonaro was nearly stabbed to death on the campaign trail in 2018. His remarks come amid fierce tensions between him and the country’s judiciary and election authorities.
CNW- Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness has reported that several hospitals across the island are facing a shortage of oxygen as the country sees a shape increase in its COVID-19 cases.
On Sunday, Jamaica set a new record for the highest total of daily COVID-19 cases, with 929 new COVID-19 infections and confirmed 21 deaths. The new cases moved the total number of infections to 66,663. Active cases are over 16,000.
Jamaica has an Oxygen shortage
In a statement on Sunday, the ministry said that “all hospitals were low in supply and some were out and had to be supplemented. At the same time, hospitalisations for COVID-19 stood at some 723, with 67 persons critically ill.”The Ministry said it was working with the country’s only supplier of medical oxygen, IGL Limited, who are seeking to have stores increased in the coming days.
All hospitals – through the regional technical directors at the regional health authorities (RHAs) and senior medical officers – have, in the interim, been instructed on oxygen conservation while the island awaits the restoration of supplies.
The ministry said that of particular concern are critically ill COVID-19 patients as well as non-COVID-19 patients in need of high amounts of oxygen. Surgeries will also not be performed as patients will not be able to be ventilated without oxygen.
The Ministry and the RHAs are doing everything possible to provide the best possible care for all persons, until oxygen stores can be restored.
The out patient department at the Mandeville Regional Hospital. Photo via Twitter.
In a release on August 26, the Ministry said that effective immediately, public hospitals islandwide “will be restricted to conducting emergency care services only. This comes as the public health facilities register continued increases in confirmed and suspected cases of COVID-19 infections that required hospitalisation. This has caused the facilities to exceed their COVID-19 isolation capacity.”
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie said that most hospitals are over the capacity of beds designated for COVID-19 management. As such, general hospital beds are being used for COVID-19 care.
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Covid Infections in England 26 Times Higher Than Last Year
Coronavirus infections in England are now 26 times the levels that were experienced this time last year, according to the Office for National Statistics. Scientists described the figures as “sobering”.
They warned that the reopening of schools in England this week was likely to trigger further rises in Covid cases – with more to follow when students return to universities and colleges. A fresh wave of infections could, in turn, lead to new social restrictions being imposed as winter approaches.
As a result, pressure is mounting on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to approve the deployment of booster jabs for vulnerable people and the extension of vaccinations to most 12- to 15-year-olds. The latter move would bring the UK into line with the US and most large European nations and is backed by most ministers.
Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at Reading University, said that in the week ending 20 August, the ONS estimated that 756,900 people in England were infected with Covid-19, which equated to one person in 70.
“This time last year, the ONS estimated that 28,200 people in England were infected. That is the equivalent of one person in 1,900 being infected with Covid-19. That means that community infections are 26 times more common now than they were a year ago, when the population was unvaccinated and the country was three months into its reopening.”
The fact that deaths and hospital admissions from Covid-19 are a fraction of their levels at the height of the outbreak in Britain demonstrates the protective power of the vaccines – more than 60% of the UK population has had two jabs.
“The last time infections were at their current level in England was late January,” said Kevin McConway, emeritus professor of applied statistics at the Open University. “There were around 2,300 daily hospital admissions and 1,100 deaths a day then. By contrast, the most recent daily figures for England are about 770 hospital admissions and about 80 deaths.”
However, the high case level across the country still worries scientists. “Increasing numbers of community infections still translate into growing numbers of very sick patients, and an unnecessarily high burden on the NHS,” said Clarke. He added that cooler autumn weather, leading to increased indoor social mixing, was likely to drive further increases in coming weeks.
“The end of summer holidays and return of people to work and education, without clear guidance on physical measures to avoid transmission such as mask wearing or social distancing, is also likely to push up infection rates.”
This point was backed on Saturday by Mike Tildesley, a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (Spi-M) which advises the government. Speaking to Times Radio, he said September would be a key month for monitoring Covid-19 and argued that vaccinating younger age groups could provide protection beyond classrooms.
“Schools are no more risky than any other environment where people mix in close proximity to one another. But it’s what happens around schools – when schools go back, parents tend to return to work and people mix in other environments. If we have high levels of vaccination across younger age groups, it should provide both direct and indirect protection.”
Care was also going to be crucial later in the month when universities return, added Professor Linda Bauld, a behavioural scientist at Edinburgh University. “Universities will have to do three things: provide access to good regular testing; help to provide vaccines for students who have not hang similar measures might help to make university life more manageable this year.”
Havana, Aug 28 (Prensa Latina) Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Saturday urged to remain vigilant about the consequences of Hurricane Ida in the country after heavy rains and strong winds.
On his Twitter account, the president called to ‘show the effectiveness of the Civil Defense of a State that protects its people.’
According to official sources, Hurricane Ida, a category one cyclone in the Saffir-Simpson scale, caused preliminary damage to crops in western Cuba, as well as loss of roofs on facilities, falling trees, power lines and telephone lines.
After directly affecting the Isla de la Juventud Special Municipality and Pinar del Rio province, the National Meteorology Institute reported that the hurricane left Cuba for the Gulf of Mexico.
‘Ida is moving away, a strong challenge, but the greatest of all remains and grows: #COVID19. Let us put our efforts at the height of the innovation of our science and sacrifice of health personnel,’ the head of State tweeted.
BBC- More than one million people have lost power in the US state of Louisiana, as Hurricane Ida arrived on Sunday.
The city of New Orleans has lost power completely, with emergency generators are the only way people have been able to get any kind of electricity.
US President Joe Biden declared a “major disaster” and said it could take weeks to restore supplies.
He has released extra funds for rescue and recovery efforts.
It was originally declared a category four storm which means people should expect it to cause severe damage to buildings, trees and power lines.
It has now been downgraded to a category one, with its winds dropping to 95mph as it moved inland.
ESA/NASA
European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet took this photo of Hurricane Ida on Sunday from the International Space Station
People who had not left the area in advance were advised to take shelter.
In a tweet, the US National Weather Service (NWS) told New Orleans residents: “Go to an interior room or a small room with no windows. Stay put during this time.”
So far one person has died. More than 90% of oil production in the Gulf of Mexico has been shut down.
High winds tore part of the roof off a hospital in the town of Cut Off, Louisiana, just inland from the Gulf of Mexico.
Reuters
Residents make preparations for the storm in New Orleans on Saturday
Normally, hospitals in the predicted path of the hurricane would be evacuated, but this time due to the impact of covid-19 there are few beds available at other hospitals.
The hospital said it had suffered “significant damage” but that its patients were safe.
Hurricane Ida has hit the state on the same date as Hurricane Katrina did 16 years earlier.
In 2005 Hurricane Katrina killed 1,800 people across Louisiana and Mississippi.
Reuters
Waves on Lake Pontchartrain, in south-eastern Louisiana
Since then, billions of dollars have been spent on flood defences, and it’s thought they could now be put to the test by Hurricane Ida.
So far they seem to be working although there is a flash flood warning in place for New Orleans.
In some areas the storm surge could be as high as 16ft (4.8m), potentially submerging parts of the low-lying coastline.
President Joe Biden said Ida would be “life-threatening”, with immense devastation likely beyond the coasts.
State Governor John Bel Edwards said that “the coming days and weeks are going to be extremely difficult” but that as a state Louisiana has never been more prepare
St Kitts & Nevis Patriots player Mikyle Louis has been forced to leave the 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) following a breach of the tournament operating protocols, and will take no further part in this year’s tournament.
The Hero CPL protocols for 2021 state, inter alia, the following:
“The tournament bubble will be maintained for the entire duration of the tournament and no one from outside the bubble will be allowed in at any of the bubble locations. Conversely, no one from inside the bubble will be allowed out of the main bubble areas. Persons who break these rules will be expelled from the tournament – no exceptions.”
Speaking on the incident, Hero CPL’s Tournament Operations Director, Michael Hall said: “Following the receipt of some tragic news about a close friend, the player took the unfortunate and ill-advised decision to leave the hotel bubble without permission. While the league is sympathetic about the circumstances which led to the player’s decision, it cannot allow the integrity of its Covid-secure bubble to be compromised.”
The Hill- The United States is projected to record an additional 100,000 COVID-19 deaths between August and December, as the highly transmissible Delta variant sweeps the country, a forecast from the University of Texas (UT) COVID-19 Modeling Consortium found.
Its director Lauren Ancel Meyers said: “Behavior is really going to determine if, when and how sustainably the current wave subsides… We cannot stop Delta in its tracks, but we can change our behavior overnight.”
The type of behavioral changes Meyers is referring to include mask-wearing in public spaces, maintaining a social distance of 6-feet and getting vaccinated. Experts have said that 50,000 people of the 100,000 projected dead could be saved by wearing a mask. School mask mandates are already instituted in states like New York, California and others. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker announced that his state would be reinstating its statewide indoor mask mandate, regardless of vaccination status, to take effect August 30.
What happens now? More mask mandates will likely be reinstated across the country as America contends with the Delta variant
This year’s Notting Hill Carnival will not take place on the streets, with organisers putting “safety first”.
They said that with time short for participants to prepare, along with the risk of cancellation, they had decided to represent the fiesta in other ways.
The three-day street party, held in west London since 1966, usually attracts about two million people.
Last year, the first digital version of the event was hosted by radio presenters DJ Ace and Remel London.
It was streamed on four channels over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
Executive director Matthew Phillip said the decision was not easy but was the responsible choice.
“We’ve been planning and weighing up the situation all year but we’ve come to the point where we want definites – and we are not definitely sure it would be safe to be on the streets at the end of August,” he said.
Matthew Phillip is confident the street carnival will return when safe to do so
Mr Phillip was certain that the event would return though: “It’s not like carnival is the only thing cancelled [since the pandemic], we’re part of a wider community. It will return to the streets because it means too much not to.
“As with last year we will make sure carnival will be celebrated – it’s not actually carnival because carnival is a street event and if it’s not on the street it’s not carnival – but it will be celebrated.”
There will be some smaller events in the run-up to the bank holiday where the number of spectators can be limited and controlled, and there will also be online offerings.
image sourceAFP
Notting Hill Carnival
The event takes place on the August Bank Holiday in Notting Hill, Westbourne Park and parts of Kensington
The spectacle of music, dancing, food and drink is rooted in Caribbean culture, and has been influenced by the Windrush generation
Over the past 55 years it has grown to become the second-biggest carnival in the world, after the one held in Rio de Janeiro
The event aims to “promote unity and bring people of all ages together”
The first festival was put on by Rhaune Laslett, who lived in Notting Hill and wanted to highlight and celebrate the diversity in her area
Emma Will from Kensington and Chelsea Council said that although the news was disappointing, the council “completely supports” the move.
“It is important that we look after the wellbeing of our residents and visitors.
“We are committed to supporting this celebration and making it as fun, magical and as safe as possible. We will be working with relevant partners such as the Met, TfL and more to ensure that this bank holiday weekend passes safely and the virtual carnival alternative is enjoyed.”
The carnival would be impossible to hold while maintaining social distancing
The decision to take the event off the street follows the government’s extension of Covid restrictions in England.
It had hoped to remove all legal limits on social contact from 21 June. That has been put back until 19 July.
Full details of the carnival’s alternative arrangements will be released nearer the time and the latest developments will be announced on social media and via its website.
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