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World News
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
South Africa marks Mandela’s 93rd birthday with call to help others NELSON Mandela turned 93 on Monday surrounded by family, as South Africans paid tribute to his legacy by performing at least 67 minutes of public service. Sixty-seven is the number of years the former South African president devoted to public service. Mandela -- affectionately known by his clan name Madiba -- was spending the day in Qunu, where he grew up. South Africans held various activities to honour a man credited with helping bring together a nation separated by apartheid. Early Monday about 12 million students sang a special “Happy Birthday” song in unison nationwide before they started their lessons. A group called “Bikers for Mandela” rode around the country for eight days doing volunteer service, including painting playgrounds and planting trees. Their trip was scheduled to end in Pretoria on Mandela Day. Mandela rarely makes public appearances, with his last sighting at the closing ceremonies of the World Cup in South Africa last year. He was briefly hospitalised in January for an acute respiratory infection, and continues to receive medical care at home. Under South Africa’s apartheid regime, Mandela spent 27 years in prison after being convicted of sabotage and attempts to overthrow the government. He was released in 1990 and became president in 1994. The United Nations joined his
Former South African President Nelson Mandela, center, poses with family members in his hometown of Qunu, South Africa, July 17, 2011. Mandela celebrated his 93rd birthday July 18, 2011. In 2009, Mandela’s birthday was declared an international day devoted to public service. (Peter Morey Photographic/AP Photo)
foundation in urging the world to perform 67 minutes of public service. “Together, the best way we can thank Nelson Mandela for his work is by taking action for others and inspiring change,” U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said last week. “Tutor a child. Feed someone less fortunate. Care for your environment. Volunteer at a hospital or community centre. Be a part of a global movement to make the world a better place,” Ban said. U.S. President Barack Obama,
whose wife, Michelle, met Mandela last month, said the icon is “a beacon for the global community” and for those who fight for justice. “Madiba sets the standard for service worldwide, whether we are students, shopkeepers or farmers, Cabinet ministers or presidents,” the president said in a statement. “He calls on us to serve our fellow human beings, and better our communities.” The United Nations designated July 18 as Mandela Day in 2009. (CNN)
IMF says that huge Greek debt ‘on knife edge’ GREECE’S enormous debts are sustainable but on a “knife’s edge,” according to the International Monetary Fund. A 110bn-euro (£96bn) rescue package for Greece is being implemented but investors still fear a default. Given the situation, Greece must stick to its reform programme, IMF Athens mission chief Poul Thomsen said. His comments came as UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said he was “incredibly worried” about the Greek debt crisis. Greece under Prime Minister George Papandreou has passed several rounds of austerity measures, including tax increases, pay cuts, privatisations and public sector redundancies, to get aid from the IMF and the European Union. Poul Thomsen, the IMF’s mission chief to Athens, said that Greece must now implement these reforms. “Policies must be applied as planned, or the sustainability of the debt will be placed in doubt,” he told
Greek newspaper Ethnos. “The Greek debt is sustainable but it is, as we say, on a knife’s edge.” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Sunday on a visit to Athens that “the US strongly support the Papandreou government’s determination to make the necessary reforms to put Greece on a sound financial footing”. Greece has more than 350bn euros of debt, and the IMF warned last week than it needs an additional 100bn euros in aid on top of last year’s bail-out to avoid a default. The eurozone members will hold a special summit on 21 July to discuss the debt crisis and provide fresh aid for Greece. ‘Direct impact’ Mr Clegg told the BBC on Sunday that the crisis is “immensely serious”. “This has a direct impact on British jobs and the livelihood of people in this country,” he said. “I believe we should play an active role behind the scenes, because we
are not a member of the euro, to help eurozone members make the reforms necessary to make a strong, prosperous eurozone in the future.” The Irish Republic and Portugal have had bail-outs since Greece received its aid package, and markets last week suggested they were worried that Italy will be the next. On Friday, the European Banking Authority (EBA) said eight out of 90 European banks have failed stress tests designed to ensure they can withstand another financial crisis. None of the tests included what would happen to the banks if Greece defaulted on its debt. Five Spanish banks failed, as well as one in Austria and two in Greece. The news came just as Italy’s parliament approved a 70bn-euro austerity package. According to the Bank for International Settlements, UK banks hold a relatively small $3.4bn (£2.1bn) worth of Greek sovereign debt, compared with banks in Germany, which hold $22.6bn. (BBC)
July 23 - 29, 2011
Phone-hacking scandal leads to corruption probe of UK police A POLICE review board will investigate allegations of corruption and other issues involving British police in the wake of allegations that journalists paid police officers for information, Home Secretary Theresa May said Monday. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary will examine “instances of undue influence, inappropriate contractual relationships and other abuses of power” between police officials, reporters and other parties, May said. The inspectorate is a division of the Home Office that inspects and reviews police forces in Britain to ensure they operate according to standards. It is to offer May recommendations for preventing such issues in the future. May told Parliament that she also will consider additional resources and powers for the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which is providing independent oversight of the investigation. She also has asked Elizabeth Filkin, former parliamentary commissioner for standards, to evaluate ethical considerations that should guide police relationships with the media. The management board of the Metropolitan Police has also agreed to new standards regarding to its officers’ relations with media, including recording meetings between police and reporters and publishing information on the Internet. “Mr. Speaker, there is nothing more important than the public’s trust in the police to do their work without fear or favour,” she said. May’s statement came shortly
after the British police officer who ruled two years ago that there was no reason to pursue an investigation into phone hacking by journalists resigned Monday, the second top Metropolitan Police officer to quit in less than 24 hours. Assistant Commissioner John Yates -- who has since called his decision “crap” -- was due to be suspended when he quit, the Metropolitan Police Authority said. The resignation came the day after Britain’s top police officer, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Paul Stephenson, resigned in light of close links between the police and journalists they were supposed to be investigating. Murdoch closed News of the World last week, less than a week after it came out that reporters working for him had illegally eavesdropped on the phone of a missing girl, Milly Dowler, and deleted some of her messages to make room for more. She was later found dead. Closing the paper has not put an end to the scandal, which has exposed the close links the British press has with both politicians and the police. Media baron Murdoch apologized to the British public with fullpage advertisements in national newspapers Saturday and Sunday. Police in the United Kingdom have identified almost 4,000 potential targets of phone hacking in documents recovered from a private investigator working for the paper. The FBI is also investigating News Corp. after a report that employees or associates may have tried to hack into phone conversations and voice mail of September 11 survivors, victims and their families.
Casey Anthony’s attorney: we need to start respecting the verdict IN AN exclusive interview Sunday with Geraldo Rivera on Fox News’ “Geraldo at Large,” Casey Anthony’s attorney, Jose Baez discussed his reaction to the public outrage surrounding the verdict. “We need to start respecting the jury verdict and decisions that the juries make,” Baez told Rivera. The comment comes a day after Casey Anthony was released from an Orange County, Fla., jail 12 days after she was acquitted of murder in the death of her 2-year-old daughter Caylee. Anthony, 25, who had spent years in the spotlight’s glare including two months of nationally televised trial proceedings was escorted outside by two sheriff’s deputies early Sunday armed with semi-automatic rifles.
She swiftly boarded an SUV and rode out of public view -- with $537.68 in cash from her jail account. Anthony’s whereabouts remained a closely guarded secret Monday, known only to a select few as she tries to start a new life. One of her lawyers says an elaborate plan was made to protect her from people with “the lynch-mob mentality.” Her options for starting a new life could be limited by lawsuits pending against her, the scorn of multitudes who think she was guilty of the killing and a criminal record from her convictions for lying to police. Her attorney Cheney Mason told NBC’s Today Show on Monday that he’s confident in Anthony’s safety, but declined to answer questions about where she was.