This morning I met with Minister Ruel Reid regarding certain allegations in the public domain.In keeping with the principles of good governance, I requested and received Minister Reid’s resignation.Minister Reid has also resigned from the Senate.The Minister’s resignation will ensure that any investigation into matters of concern will not be in any way impeded by his presence or oversight of the Ministry.The Ministry of Education Youth and Information will now fall under the temporary supervision of the Office of the Prime Minister which will start its own review of the ministry and its agencies.Prime Minister Andrew Holness
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Dubai World to Refinance USD 14.6 Bln Debt
zoom Dubai government-owned conglomerate Dubai World has struck a new deal with creditors to extend and amend its outstanding USD 14.6 billion debt, Reuters reports citing company announcement.The deal envisages full early repayment of 2015 maturities of USD 2.92 billion in addition to extension of the conglomerate’s remaining 2018 maturities to 2022.Dubai World has been at the negotiating table with creditors since last year and managed to secure support from “substantial majority of its creditor banks” at a meeting held in London in early December last year, Reuters said.The deal on extension is subject to review by the Dubai World Tribunal, a body formed to process Decree 57 cases.Decree 57 is a special law issued to help government-related companies restructure their outstanding debts.The tribunal will hold a hearing on Dubai World’s filing on Tuesday.Dubai World’s business portfolio includes DP World, Drydocks World, Dubai Maritime City, Economic Zones World and Istithmar World.World Maritime News Staff
Readers Picks of the Week
Global Ship Lease Fixes Loan to Finance Boxship Buy
zoomIllustration. Source: Pixabay under CC0 Creative Commons license Containership charter owner Global Ship Lease has secured a term loan of up to USD 37 million from Hellenic Bank Public Company Limited.The facility agreement was signed on Many 23, 2019, and would be used to partially finance the acquisition of three 7,849 TEU containerships, according to the company.The Hellenic Bank Facility is available in three tranches, that have a final maturity date of the earlier of November 30, 2024 and the fifth anniversary of the utilization date of such tranche. The loan is repayable in equal quarterly installments with a bullet payment of USD 4 million at its maturity.Once fully drawn, the Hellenic Bank Facility will be secured by first priority ship mortgages on the three acquired vessels, assignments of earnings, insurances and charters exceeding 11 months, as well as pledges of certain bank accounts and membership interests of each subsidiary acquiring a secured vessel.To remind, Global Ship Lease agreed to expand its fleet with the three 2004-built Post-Panamax containerships earlier this month. The company would pay USD 48.5 million for the trio, being acquired from Bremen-based ship owner Zeaborn GmbH, according to VesselsValue data. The vessels in question are the MSC Ningbo, E.R. Montecito and E.R. Santa Barbara.Upon delivery at the end of May, the first vessel commence a five-year charter with Danish shipping major Maersk Line. The two other vessels are expected to join their new owner during the third quarter and will commence three-year charters with Maersk Line, with two consecutive one-year extensions at the charterer’s option.
Gabby Awards Weekend To Raise Funds For Greece
The Greek America Foundation hosts its 3rd biennial “Gabby Awards Weekend” culminating in a star-studded celebration of excellence at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on May 25th, with a host of happenings throughout the weekend.Bravo TV’s Jenni Pulos (“Flipping Out”) will host the show.The Gabby Awards will raise funds for the people of Greece, with proceeds benefiting “Project Hope for Greece,” a program of the Greek America Foundation which supports sustainable and transparent charities that help people impacted by the country’s financial crisis.In addition to the Gabby Awards, three special awards will be given: Sid Ganis will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for his professional accomplishments as former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and as a producer. His award will be presented by Fox Films Chairman and CEO Jim Gianopulos. Kary Antholis, president of HBO Miniseries, will receive a special “Ever to Excel” award for his extraordinary career with HBO and the excellent programming he has overseen while at the network. His award will be presented by Emmy Award winning TV director Greg Yaitanes. Patricia Field will receive the Visionary Award for her work in realizing talent and sharing vision through style and fashion. Her award will be presented by Nasty Gal founder and CEO Sophia Amoruso and Bravo TV’s “Dukes of Melrose” star Christos Garkinos.A host of Foundation supporters will be on hand for the weekend, including Olympia Dukakis, Melina Kanakaredes, John Varvatos, Katherine & Sophie from TLC’s DC Cupcakes and dozens of others.Following the awards ceremony, guests will attend the official After Party at Paramount Picture Studios, where one of Greece’s top pop singers, Elena Paparizou, will perform.The weekend also includes a Friday welcome reception at Madam Tussaud’s Wax Museum where guests will sample wines from the weekend’s official wine sponsor, Boutari. Prior to the reception, guests are invited to “Greek Night at the Movies,” a showcase of short films in which the Foundation has been instrumental in producing, including the world premiere of “Irene and Marie,” a short film starring Olympia Dukakis and Rose Gregorio.For additional information or to purchase tickets, click here.
Elizabeth Arden And Reese Witherspoon March On For Women
Today, Elizabeth Arden announces the launch of the March On campaign, featuring a limited edition lipstick, in the brand’s signature Red Door Red shade and signed by Reese Witherspoon, which will be sold globally with 100% of the proceeds donated to UN Women.Elizabeth Arden March On Campaign Print Advertisement featuring Reese WitherspoonAn early advocate of women’s rights, Elizabeth Arden famously provided red lipsticks to the suffragettes marching on Fifth Avenue in 1912. Wearing red lipstick, which wasn’t a socially acceptable practice at the time, became a symbol of the women’s movement and has remained an icon of female power to this day. As the women’s movement remains in force over 100 years later, Elizabeth Arden continues its fearless female founder’s legacy of advocating for women and honoring their ability to be forces of change in the world with the introduction of the March On campaign.The program, in partnership with the brand’s Storyteller-in-Chief and female advocate Reese Witherspoon, is designed to celebrate women’s achievements, encourage women to support other women and includes a pledge to donate $1 million to UN Women in support of their work to advance women’s issues worldwide. The limited edition March On red lipstick serves as a powerful symbol of unity and advocacy and invites women around the world to signal their support for one another.“Founded by a woman dedicated to helping women, we are inspired by our history to help change the future. March On honors this legacy not only with a philanthropic donation, but also with a campaign that asks women to unite to help each other achieve their full potential,” explains Kara Langan, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing, Elizabeth Arden. “Whether by creating female-centric support systems or propelling each other in their professional lives, when women stand together they can enact great change in the world.”“There is real strength and camaraderie in March On and the feeling that we are in this together. By bringing UN Women, Elizabeth Arden and women everywhere together we can help change women’s lives around the world for the better,” explains Reese Witherspoon. “I have the unique privilege to not only tell these women’s stories through my production company as well as my relationship with Elizabeth Arden, but I also get to encourage them to share their own stories through March On.”“A prominent entrepreneur and supporter of women’s rights, Elizabeth Arden herself is an inspirational example of the impact women can make on the world. We are pleased to embark upon a multi-year, worldwide partnership with the iconic brand to help advocate for women and girls and make their equal participation a reality,” says Tunay Firat, OIC Head of Strategic Private Sector Partnerships, UN Women. “The funds raised by Elizabeth Arden through the March On program will help strengthen UN Women’s global programming, which will lead directly to the increased responsiveness and sustainability of field-level activities.”The ongoing integrated marketing campaign will include social content, public relations, in-store activations and advertising featuring Reese Witherspoon, in addition to the limited edition lipstick. The March On Beautiful Color Lipstick in Red Door Red will be available beginning March 2018 for $26.50 on ElizabethArden.com and in department stores globally.
At meeting with ICC SLC agrees to hold polls by 9th February
At a meeting with the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board has agreed to hold board elections by 9th February 2019.The Minister of Sports Faiszer Musthapha, Competent Authority of Sri Lanka Cricket Kamal Pathmasiri, Senior Deputy Solicitor General of the Attorney General Department Sumathi Dharmawardena and the CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket Ashley De Silva met with the ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar and its CEO David Richardson. On appointment of the election committee nominations will be called for within a period, not less than one month from the said date of appointment of the election committee.It was agreed that any party dissatisfied with any decision of the election committee can appeal within a period of one week to the appellate body consisting of three retired judges of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. The proposed election committee will have the authority to vet the voters list and to finalize the same in order to conduct the election process and to announce results. SLC said in a statement today that at the meeting it was agreed to amend regulations to appoint an election committee by the general body of the SLC consisting of two retired judicial officials of the high court and above and a retired senior member of the Election Commission of Sri Lanka or any retired public official with experience in conducting elections. Any appeal will be finalized within one week of submission to the appellate body.It was also agreed at the meeting that a Management committee consisting of four independent members with the Competent Authority will be appointed by the Sports Minister to manage the affairs of SLC until the elections are conducted. (Colombo Gazette)
Camps for displaced persons now Liberias new battlefields UN
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the plea for help from some 50,000 exhausted and hungry IDPs camped in and around Salala also underscored the importance of the deployment of the proposed UN peacekeeping operation in Liberia.”Ensuring the safety of civilians receiving assistance is particularly challenging. In some cases, where a permanent security presence is absent, IDPs have discouraged the distribution of food, out of fear of being attacked and looted by combatants, despite their acute food needs,” said Ross Mountain, UN Special Humanitarian Coordinator.Word of a major outbreak in fighting between government and rebel forces intensified over the weekend and is believed to have now emptied out several nearby towns, including Totota and Kakata, creating a mass exodus of IDPs towards the capital, Monrovia, some 120 kilometres away.The rumours of new fighting and the sound of distant shelling set nearly 60,000 people on the march last week, and though many have stopped briefly in Salala, UN agencies fear battle-scarred, overcrowded Monrovia cannot absorb a new influx of IDPs.”The deployment of ECOMIL up-country will be a major factor in providing a secure environment and boosting the ability and confidence of humanitarian agencies to deliver vital assistance that does not place vulnerable populations, and humanitarian workers, in jeopardy,” Mr. Mountain added, referring to the West African forces deployed to maintain a ceasefire.An inter-agency assessment mission including OCHA, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) visited Salala and nearby Falala on Saturday. Members of the mission team, in consultation with non-governmental organization (NGO) partners, were able to reaffirm that after the vital need for security, the urgent humanitarian needs of the IDPs included the provision of basic shelter, access to potable water and food aid.Despite the serious difficulties in the camps, “We are making inroads,” Mr Mountain said. Now humanitarian operations have resumed in Monrovia and outside the three axes, namely in rebel-controlled Tubmanburg in Bomi County, along the Kakata-Salala-Totota corridor in Margibi, and towards Buchanan in Grand Bassa County, also controlled by rebels. In these areas, relief agencies have begun to deliver much-needed assistance. Cross border missions are also scheduled from Côte d’Ivoire and Sierra Leone.
Syria UNmediated peace talks to resume on 9 March
The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, today announced that intra-Syrian peace talks he has been mediating in Geneva will resume next Wednesday, 9 March. According to a press statement from Mr. de Mistura’s Office, while 7 March had initially been set as the target date, the Special Envoy will now resume the talks two days later, allowing “adequate time to address logistical and practical matters.” Mr. de Mistura had been mediating the Geneva-based talks, which officially kicked off last month, but on 3 February called for a pause following differences between Government and opposition delegations on the priority of humanitarian issues. The announcement of the resumption of the intra-Syrian talks comes just days after the UN Security Council unanimously endorsed the joint statement announced last week by United States Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) Ceasefire Taskforce, on the terms of a nationwide cessation of hostilities, which has been in effect since Saturday, 27 February. Adopting a resolution, the Council also demanded that all parties involved in the cessation of hostilities fulfil their commitments, and urged all Member States, especially ISSG members – the Arab League, the European Union, the United Nations, and 17 countries, including the United States and Russia, who have been seeking a path forward for several months – to use their influence with the parties to ensure fulfilment of those commitments and support efforts “to create conditions for a durable and lasting ceasefire.” The Council also demanded the “full and immediate” implementation of its resolution 2254 (2015) to facilitate a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition in order to end the conflict, stressing once again that the nation’s people “will decide the future of Syria.” That text, unanimously adopted in December, gave the UN an enhanced role in shepherding the opposing sides to talks for a political transition, endorsing a timetable for a ceasefire, a new constitution and elections. Today, the statement from Mr. de Mistura’s Office said that he is looking forward to Syrian participants’ engagement in serious discussions with a view to implementing resolution 2254 (2015). Earlier today, as part of his official visit to Geneva, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon inaugurated the newly renovated Russian Salon at the Palais des Nations, at an event attended by Foreign Minister Lavrov. After the event, Mr. Ban held a meeting and the two agreed on the importance of urgently moving forward simultaneously on implementing the cessation of hostilities agreement, providing vital humanitarian assistance to civilians, and returning to political negotiations.
Indianapolis to host Big Ten football championship game
The Big Ten conference announced Sunday that the inaugural Big Ten football championship game will be held in Indianapolis. After considering proposals from Indianapolis and Chicago, the conference’s Council of Presidents and Chancellors unanimously decided to play the first four editions of the Big Ten championship game, including the inaugural title game in December, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Lucas Oil Stadium, an indoor facility that can accommodate 63,000 spectators for football games, features an artificial playing surface. Chicago’s Soldier Field, the Windy City venue vying to host the title game, is an open-air stadium that holds 63,000 fans and features a natural grass field. Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said the Big Ten considered weather and the comfort of the venues when choosing Lucas Oil Stadium. “We know the weather changes (in the Midwest) in November,” Delany said. “The idea was that, you know, we could get consistency for planning for both teams if you knew the weather was gonna be pretty consistent. I would say it’s a fan aspect as well as a player’s aspect.” Five Buckeyes, including quarterback Terrelle Pryor, offensive lineman Mike Adams, running back Dan Herron, wide receiver DeVier Posey and defensive lineman Solomon Thomas are suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season for selling memorabilia and receiving improper benefits. Former coach Jim Tressel resigned as OSU’s coach May 30. Delany would not comment on whether he thought Ohio State would be eligible for December’s title game, but he did say OSU’s situation was difficult. “It’s disappointing for (OSU) to be where it is,” Delany said. “Nobody can feel good about it. It’s not easy for Ohio State. It’s not easy for the Big Ten, but I have tremendous confidence in that program to be resilient, and to do the right thing and to re-establish themselves. For now, all we can do is wait for the facts to develop.” The conference also announced that men’s and women’s Big Ten basketball tournaments will be held jointly at Chicago’s United Center, Indianapolis’ Conseco Fieldhouse and the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill., for the next four years. Chicago will host the men’s tournament in 2012–13 and 2014–15, and Indianapolis will host the men’s event in 2013–14 and 2015–16. “Conseco (Fieldhouse) is not as big a stadium as the United Center, but it is one of the best stadiums in the country,” Delany said. “They do a heck of a job in Chicago, but, you know, Indianapolis, starting around 1980, has made this great commitment to not only amateur sports, but collegiate sports. They do a great job of hosting our fans.” The Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament will be held at the Sears Centre Arena in 2013 and 2015.
Ohio State mens lacrosse getting back to basics against Jacksonville
Junior midfielder Turner Evans (5) works around a defender during a game against Notre Dame March 25 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. OSU lost, 13-7.Credit: Shelby Lum / Photo editorSenior defenseman Joe Meurer is looking for a spark.Looking to finish its three-game home stand on a high note, the Ohio State men’s lacrosse team (2-6, 1-0) is set to take on the Jacksonville Dolphins (1-6, 0-1) Saturday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.After starting the home stand with a conference win against Bellarmine, located in Louisville, Ky., OSU fell Tuesday to No. 7 Notre Dame, 13-7.Despite keeping Notre Dame close for the majority of the game, the Fighting Irish used a five-goal run to finish the fourth quarter and preserve the victory.However, Meurer said the Buckeyes are putting the Notre Dame game behind them and focusing on getting a much-needed win against Jacksonville this weekend.“We need anything right now to give us some kind of a spark, some kind of momentum,” Meurer said. “We got two out-of-conference games and then we are hitting the ground running with the rest of our conference games. So we definitely need this win and just a confidence boost at this point.”Junior midfielder David Planning said the Buckeyes offense simply needs to generate some chances in order to be effective against Jacksonville.“It’s just getting back to the basics: catching, throwing, moving the ball fast and taking good shots,” Planning said. “We want to get over 35 shots, and the more shots we put up the better chance we have of scoring.”OSU has only hit the 35-shot plateau once this season, in the first game of the season Feb. 9 against then-No. 11 Johns Hopkins in a 10-9 triple overtime loss.Jacksonville and OSU played against each other for the first time ever last season, with the Buckeyes walking away with a 9-6 win Feb. 17, 2013, in Jacksonville, Fla., as part of the Moe’s Southwest Grill Classic.OSU coach Nick Myers said with both teams trying to get back in the win column — Jacksonville has dropped two-straight — but it is important for the Buckeyes to play smart lacrosse and not make anything easy for the Dolphins.“They have a great goaltender, a senior, big kid who is capable of getting hot,” Myers said. “Defensively they are athletic. If you look at their ground ball stats, they are averaging close to 30 ground balls per game. And then on the offensive end, they are very athletic in the midfield and they have a couple big-time scorers down in the attack. They are a team that is certainly looking to break out as well and it’s going to be important that we are sound in all facets of the game in order to keep that from happening.”Offensively, junior midfielder Turner Evans has been on a tear lately. The Peterborough, Ontario, native has seven points in the first two games of the current home stand and is currently second on the team with 23 points.Defensively, the Buckeyes are only allowing 9.5 goals per game and have only given up more than nine goals once in their last four games, a stat Meurer is hoping can continue Saturday.“Our motto is ‘next,’” Meurer said. “That’s what the entire defense is going off of right now. We are definitely going to put the Notre Dame game past us, but we are also going to learn from the mistakes we made. Hopefully we can find some success against their (Jacksonville) offense.”Game time is set for 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
Getman enlists RCT for bespoke water cannon project
Global mining supplier Getman recently enlisted RCT to provide a mobile, Teleremote control solution for an A64HD Water Cannon, bound for its client in Indonesia.RCT Custom was enlisted for a bespoke solution that would allow the client to control the Water Cannon from a safe distance with all the same functionality as if they were driving it from the cab of the machine. The solution had to be flexible enough to allow the operator to control the machine from various locations on site.The end result was the ControlMaster® Portable Teleremote solution, which allows the operator to conveniently set up operations at a safe distance, where required on site.“The flexibility this solution provides ensures that the machine can access all areas of the mine site it is needed to carry out the job safely and in a productive manner,” said RCT’s North America’s Regional Manager, Andrew Sells.RCT Custom designed and manufactured the solution to allow operators to tram the mobile machine and use the Water Cannon boom control via remote control. Operators can see the working area clearly by utilising the cameras on board the machine which relay vision of the machine’s movements to the operator via the Portable Teleremote solution. “RCT’s US branch completed the install at Getman’s HQ and our permanent technician based at the end client’s mine will provide ongoing maintenance and support for the solution.”
Its no iOS 7 Intel Obsidian UI for Tizen shown off in
Wondering what Intel is contributing to the Tizen project? A user interface codenamed Obsidian, for one thing, and it’s been captured on video. It may also be headed to Intel-powered Android devices in the future.Like pretty much every mobile OS redesign (including iOS7, by all accounts), Intel’s Tizen skin is flat and square. Obsidian is a bit like a blend of Windows Phone and Android’s Holo theme. There are no skeumorphic bits to be found, at least not in the video or screenshots that were leaked to Ars Technica.For the most part, the interface is simply a different aesthetic. There are, however, a pair of interesting functionality tweaks.The first is the peek panel. It’s an area at the bottom of the screen that apps can use to display minimal controls or data. The settings app displays checkboxes that toggle airplane mode or WiFi, data, and bluetooth connections individually. Other apps could use the peek panel to perform tasks like sharing content on social networks.Second is the way that Obsidian lets you know an app needs your attention. The square icons rotate 45 degrees (like the phone app on the left). A diamond in a field of squares is pretty easy to spot, though things may get more confusing when the screen is full of apps that update regularly.Tizen and Obsidian also look like they’ll be able to display interconnected events — like calls and text messages from the same contact — visually.Obsidian is clearly still a work in progress, and you need only look as far as the contacts icon for proof. While all the other apps have square icons, contacts is clearly just the circular Tizen 2.0 icon slapped onto a gray background.Why would Intel bother building a mobile UI? It could be an added incentive for OEMs to use an Intel SoC in their devices. If Intel can deliver an attractive UI that’s highly optimized for its processors it could save OEMs a lot of time and effort — which could be shifted to other areas of the smartphone and tablet development process.
Time to act HIQA report finds PrEP programme to reduce HIV rates
Listen on iPhone/iPad Tuesday 23 Apr 2019, 11:39 AM 10,181 Views Apr 23rd 2019, 11:39 AM 21 Comments Source: The Explainer/SoundCloud Image: Shutterstock/Franco Volpato Image: Shutterstock/Franco Volpato Share Tweet Email1 
https://jrnl.ie/4602835 Tweet thisShare on FacebookEmail this article THE HEALTH INFORMATION and Quality Authority (HIQA) has revealed that the introduction of a ‘PrEP’ programme to reduce HIV rates in Ireland would be cheaper than current care.A draft report published by the authority today confirmed that a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programme would be safe and effective at preventing HIV in those most at risk to the virus.The treatment is the most recent development in the field of HIV prevention, and sees patients pre-emptively take a fixed dose of oral medication.As part of a PrEP programme, service-users are also monitored for side effects, tested for HIV and other STIs, and given counselling and advice on safer sex practices.There were 492 diagnoses of HIV notified in Ireland in 2017, just over half of which were in men who have sex with men.Dr Máirín Ryan, HIQA’s deputy chief executive said the virus remained a significant public health concern in Ireland, but suggested the introduction of a PrEP programme could reduce this.“From reviewing the evidence, HIQA has found that PrEP is safe and highly effective at preventing HIV in people at substantial risk,” she said.“Additionally, implementing a PrEP programme would be considered cost saving compared with standard care.”Following the publication of the draft report, HIQA will now begin a five-week public consultation on the introduction of the programme before issuing a final report to the Minister for Health, Simon Harris.Speaking today, Harris said the publication of the draft report was a significant step in the introduction of a PrEP programme.“Reducing the number of new HIV diagnoses in Ireland is a priority focus for me as Minister for Health,” he said.“The introduction of a PrEP programme will make a significant contribution to that aim.”The public consultation will be open until 28 May, after which HIQA will submit its final report to the Minister.Commenting on the report, HIV Ireland welcomed its findings and urged the Government to proceed quickly with the programme following the public consultation.“A fully funded PrEP Programme is a crucial intervention to adopt in order to reverse the current upward trend in new HIV diagnoses,” the group’s executive director Niall Mulligan said.“With ten people being newly diagnosed with HIV in Ireland every week, any delay in introducing this programme will have a devastating impact on many people’s lives. Now is the time to act, and act fast.”In 2015, the government promised to open the first supervised drug injecting centre in Ireland within two years. In the latest episode of The Explainer podcast, Sinead O’Carroll, Cormac Fitzgerald and Christine Bohan delve into why this hasn’t happened yet – and whether it ever will. Listen on Android ‘Time to act’: HIQA report finds PrEP programme to reduce HIV rates would be cheaper and more effective A draft report on the introduction of the programme was published today. Short URL By Stephen McDermott
New Game Features Adorable Skatebird Following in Tony Hawks Footsteps
Sorry, You Can’t Date Keanu Reeves in ‘Cyberpunk 2077”Star Wars Pinball’ Has Your Favorite Brand in Ball Form Stay on target Like birds? Love skateboard games? Then maybe you’ll be down for some skateBIRDING? Skatebird, a new game from indie developer Glass Bottom Games, takes everything you like about skateboarding titles like Tony Hawk Pro Skater and infuses it with a hefty dose of adorableness. And a teeny tiny bird to top things off.It’s exactly what it sounds like: You play as a tiny bird who likes to grind rails, pull off ollies, and kick flip its way to victory. The game will be rife with adorable skating objectives that you can complete by using button presses instead of analog stick gestures or other more complicated combos. There may be an influx of cute games coming in over the next few months, but this one may very well take the cake.“You may be tiny, and alone, but the more you skate, the more following you get on Tweeter (the premier bird social network) — the more the cozy world of bird skating will open up,” reads the official Skatebird description. “You’ll make friends, birds will come check out your park, and maybe you’ll even host events! Above all else, skate birds just try really hard.”It’s true – Skatebird is clearly trying its best, against all odds, as you can see in the announcement trailer. Just look at that logo! It just screams Thrasher, right? It’s just like Skate 3, if all the skate parks were made of office accessories and cute desk decorations.Looking forward to getting your hands on Skatebird? You can get your tiny little feathered wings on it when it flutters to PC, Mac, and Linux in 2019. Unfortunately, there’s no concrete release date for it just yet, as Glass Bottom Games has cited a “coming soon-ish” debut for the skateboarding birb.We’ll have to brush up our skills with Tony in the meantime.More on Geek.com:These Are the Games You Should Check Out This Month11 Games to Play When You’re Finished With ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’The History of ‘Super Smash Bros 64’
Hurricane Jose Advisory 22
Facebook Twitter Google+LinkedInPinterestWhatsAppUnited States, September 10, 2017 – Miami, FL – JOSE BEGINNING TO WEAKEN AS IT CONTINUES NORTHWEST….At 500 PM AST (2100 UTC), the center of Hurricane Jose was located near latitude 22.8 North, longitude 66.9 West. Jose is moving toward the northwest near 16 mph (26 km/h). This motion is expected to continue tonight with a slowing of forward speed on Monday.Jose will begin turning toward the northeast Monday night, followed by a more eastward motion on Tuesday. On the forecast track, Jose will remain well to the east of the Bahamas for the next couple of days. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 120 mph (195 km/h) with higher gusts.Jose is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Additional weakening is forecast, but Jose is forecast to remain a hurricane during the next couple of days.Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles (65 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 160 miles (260 km). The estimated minimum central pressure is 956 mb (28.23 inches).HAZARDS AFFECTING LANDSURF: Swells generated by Jose are affecting portions of the northern coast of Puerto Rico, and will begin to affect Hispaniola, portions of the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands over the next couple of days. These swells are likely to produce high surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office. Related Items: Facebook Twitter Google+LinkedInPinterestWhatsApp
Washougal council quiet on mayors woes during productive meeting
WASHOUGAL — The Washougal City Council approved a new ethics policy for elected officials and agreed to temporarily consolidate the city’s fire department with Camas’ during Monday night’s meeting.The 90-minute meeting came and went without the council addressing Mayor Sean Guard’s recent legal woes.Cowlitz County prosecutors charged Guard last week in connection with a December incident where he allegedly used emergency lights on a city-owned vehicle to pass slower-moving traffic on Interstate 5 near Kelso. Guard has a July 6 court date for criminal impersonation in the second-degree of a law enforcement officer. The gross misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $5,000 fine.Washougal Planning Commissioner Mike Briggs emailed council members last Wednesday warning them against criticizing Guard at Monday night’s meeting. Council members said they elected not to speak about Guard’s charge because the matter was addressed in December when Guard rescinded his privileges to the city’s retired police car.Briggs left midway through Monday’s meeting. Guard later announced that the planning commissioner had resigned earlier in the day. Briggs submitted a resignation letter to city officials stating his voluntary position interfered with his ability to speak freely in a new journalistic endeavor he planned to launch.
BPA Redesigns Shifts Exclusively to Brand Report Format
In the meantime, BPA is debuting a new design for its Brand Reports—business members will have a green-hued report while consumer members will have a pink one.About 300 members are now using the Brand Report, says BPA, and as it transitions the rest exclusively to the format it also adopted a new rule on total audience reporting.BPA says there has been an ongoing debate over whether a brand’s total, cross-channel audience footprint is a valuable metric. Some members argued a total audience figure offers no additional value to advertisers if there’s no distinction between unique individuals.”Today, recognizing significant input and anecdotal results from both media owners and buyers, the Board concluded that the sum of all media channels does not add value to the media buy as originally believed, and, in fact, has caused some general confusion in the marketplace over what the grand total number actually represents,” says a report from BPA.Accordingly, the total audience number will be removed from future Brand Reports. Specific media channel audience totals, however, will still be reported.iCompli Services Expanded to AgenciesEarly in 2012 BPA Worldwide launched its iCompli division, which was set up to greatly expand its auditing and tracking services to non-print related activities, especially digital, that involve monitoring standards set by other industry entities. This week, BPA expanded its iCompli services, launching Ad iCompli, which will track digital ad campaign performance across multiple sites, networks and exchanges.See Also: BPA Worldwide Launches New Auditing BodyThe marketer-facing program aims to consolidate data sets that are collected by separate measurement firms. Also, Ad iCompli will automate the comparison of campaign performance metrics.According to BPA, online media buyers will receive near-realtime results on metrics such as viewability, positioning and engagement. The metrics are collected into a single dashboard where buyers can be alerted to problem areas in a specific campaign. The dashboard will also show whether the campaign is compliant with the original media plan.When the campaign is over, BPA will provide an analyst to review the performance and provide an objective evaluation.Ad iCompli has been in development for two years and was beta tested with several agencies for a year before launch. BPA Worldwide is planning to transition all of its business and consumer members to its Brand Report format, which allows audience developers to report audience metrics for all of a brand’s media channels. The auditing firm will phase out its traditional circulation statement with the December 2013 reporting period.
Encounter breaks out in JKs Sopore mobile Internet service suspended
Representational ImageIANSA gunfight started on Wednesday between the security forces and hiding militants in Jammu and Kashmir’s Sopore area, police said.The gunbattle started after security forces comprising special operations group of state police (SOG) and Rashtriya Rifles (RR) surrounded the Gund Brath area on the town outskirts following information about militant presence.”As the security forces closed in, the hiding militants fired triggering the encounter,” an officer said.Authorities have suspended mobile Internet service in Sopore and also ordered the closure of the Sopore Degree College as a precautionary measure.
6 killed in Indian Kashmir poll violence
Six civilians were killed in Indian-administered Kashmir Sunday when police opened fire at protesters who stormed polling stations during a by-election for a parliamentary seat, a top officer said.State and paramilitary police fired bullets and shotgun pellets as thousands of protesters shouting slogans against Indian rule charged into voting booths in Budgam district near the main city of Srinagar.“Violent protests happened at many places in Budgam. Protesters damaged and snatched EVMs (electronic voting machines) at some places,” Shantmanu, the state’s chief electoral officer, told AFP.“It was not a good day for all of us. Six civilians were killed and 70 were wounded,” Shantmanu, who uses only one name, told reporters.Many were grievously injured with bullets fired by police and paramilitary troops, hospital sources in Srinagar said.The electoral officer said more than 100 government personnel, including police and paramilitary officers were also injured in the clashes.In the Charare-e-Sharif area of Budgam two people were killed when the paramilitary Border Security Force fired at protesters, he said.Another person was killed in the Beerwah area of the same district when paramilitary police opened fire at a stone-throwing crowd.Three more were killed in the day-long clashes, with two of them succumbing to multiple pellet injuries from the shotguns which Indian paramilitary forces use in Kashmir for crowd control.Polling had to be halted in more than dozen places amid a call by top Kashmiri separatist leaders opposed to Indian rule to boycott the by-election.Only 6.5 percent of voters turned out to cast their ballot, Shantmanu said, 26 percent less than in the last elections held in 2014 and the lowest ever participation recorded in any election in the disputed territory.Internet suspended -Former state chief minister Farooq Abdullah, who is contesting the Srinagar seat, slammed the government for its failure to maintain law and order.“Elections should have been peaceful. This government has failed in giving a peaceful atmosphere for people to come and vote,” he told reporters.Ahead of the polling, authorities suspended internet services across the Kashmir Valley for fear of widespread protests.Police had also detained hundreds of young people and separatist activists in the run-up to the poll, sources told AFP.Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British rule in 1947. Both claim the disputed territory in its entirety.Rebel groups in Indian Kashmir have for decades battled troops and police, demanding independence or a merger of the territory with Pakistan.Around 500,000 Indian soldiers are deployed in the region.Ahead of Sunday’s polling, the Indian government had sent in 20,000 additional paramilitaries.Armed encounters between rebels and government forces have become more frequent since the killing of a popular rebel leader by security forces last July sparked widespread unrest.Police and army officials say dozens of local youths have joined the rebel ranks since then.At least 29 armed militants, mostly locals, have died fighting government forces this year.