Sri Lanka

Minister Peters leads discussions at WTO as global tech industry pushes for data flows to be exempt from cross-border tariffs

admin — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 19:00:01 +0000

Minister Peters leads discussions at WTO as global tech industry pushes for data flows to be exempt from cross-border tariffs

/sites/default/files/imported_articles_images/node__12570.jpg

admin Sun, 06/19/2022 - 19:00

Friday, June 17, 2022

Original Publisher

Searchlight

Original Article

Minister Peters leads discussions at WTO as global tech industry pushes for dat…

The global technology industry is pressing the World Trade Organization to exempt data flows from cross-border tariffs, saying a failure to do so would undermine a global recovery already threatened by spiralling prices.

The WTO’s 164 members presented their views on the topic on Wednesday, [June 15] the final scheduled day of a four-day ministerial conference.

Keisal Peters, [minister of state in the Ministry of Foreign Trade] of St Vincent and the Grenadines, who is leading discussions, said at the conference that divergences remained. As time ran out, WTO members should consider meeting halfway, she added.

The WTO agreed in 1998 to a moratorium on e-commerce tariffs and repeatedly extended it at ministerial conferences, which the Geneva-based trade body normally holds every two years.

Now India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and South Africa were threatening to block an extension, trade sources close to talks at the WTO said. This raises the prospect that tariffs could be imposed on such data flows as music streaming and financial transactions.

That possibility has prompted 108 tech company associations, including groups from India and Indonesia, to write to the WTO urging members to renew the moratorium, saying failure to do so would be a historic setback for the WTO and would undermine the global recovery.

Small developing countries, they say, would lose the chance to increase their digital competitiveness without a moratorium.

John Neuffer, chief executive of the U.S.-based Semiconductor Industry Association, said tariff-free data flows were essential for countries wishing to attract foreign [trade]. They also offered clear benefits to consumers and small businesses, he said.

“We heard alarm bells that things were in trouble, with much more risk of the moratorium not being extended.”

Studies demonstrated that tariff revenue benefits would be outweighed by economic losses, he said.

An EU official said countries favouring a moratorium extension were still hoping for a multilateral deal. They were not yet at the point of seeking a plan B – forming a smaller alliance in which they would not impose tariffs on data flows between them (Reuters).

Caribbean

News

Minister Peters leads discussions at WTO as global tech industry pushes for data flows to be exempt from cross-border tariffs

admin — Sat, 18 Jun 2022 14:20:01 +0000

Minister Peters leads discussions at WTO as global tech industry pushes for data flows to be exempt from cross-border tariffs

/sites/default/files/imported_articles_images/node__12107.jpg

admin Sat, 06/18/2022 - 14:20

Friday, June 17, 2022

Original Publisher

Searchlight

Original Article

Minister Peters leads discussions at WTO as global tech industry pushes for dat…

The WTO’s 164 members presented their views on the topic on Wednesday, [June 15] the final scheduled day of a four-day ministerial conference.

The WTO agreed in 1998 to a moratorium on e-commerce tariffs and repeatedly extended it at ministerial conferences, which the Geneva-based trade body normally holds every two years.

Small developing countries, they say, would lose the chance to increase their digital competitiveness without a moratorium.

“We heard alarm bells that things were in trouble, with much more risk of the moratorium not being extended.”

Studies demonstrated that tariff revenue benefits would be outweighed by economic losses, he said.

Caribbean

News

Bwengu Solar Photovoltaic Project to add 50MW to national grid

admin — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 03:20:01 +0000

Bwengu Solar Photovoltaic Project to add 50MW to national grid

/sites/default/files/imported_articles_images/node__11834.jpg

admin Thu, 02/24/2022 - 03:20

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Original Publisher

Business | Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi

Original Article

Bwengu Solar Photovoltaic Project to add 50MW to national grid

QUANTEL Renewable Energy Limited and its partners – Frontier Energy of Denmark and Vidullanka PlC of Sri Lanka – have disclosed that their Bwengu Solar Photovoltaic Project in Mzimba will add 50 megawatts of solar power to the national grid. They say this will contribute towards ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy […]

The post Bwengu Solar Photovoltaic Project to add 50MW to national grid appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

Africa

Business

US-Based Zim Female Student Forms Black Girls, Women Rugby Team

admin — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 01:00:01 +0000

US-Based Zim Female Student Forms Black Girls, Women Rugby Team

/sites/default/files/imported_articles_images/node__10302.jpg

admin Sat, 12/11/2021 - 01:00

Saturday, October 16, 2021

Original Publisher

Diaspora | NewZimbabwe.com

Original Article

US-Based Zim Female Student Forms Black Girls, Women Rugby Team

The Washington Post

TAKUNDA Rusike has long been familiar with rugby. She learned about the sport through her cousins and uncles who played in Zimbabwe, including one uncle who represented the national team.

It wasn’t until she was a junior in high school, though, that Rusike began to play herself, joining a club team after her field hockey coach suggested her physicality would be less proscribed in rugby.

Three years later, Rusike, 19, has created a club team at Howard — just the second women’s squad at a historically Black university — that has ambitions of obtaining varsity status. Her efforts coincide with a broader push to make the sport more accessible to African Americans in the Washington region and more popular around the country.

“It’s growing, and there are definitely more Black women getting into the sport, but when I was playing in Maryland in high school, there was not many Black girls,” said Rusike, who attended Towson High. “I would really love to create a program where years down the line there are little Black girls who know, ‘I love rugby, and I can play it at Howard.’

The idea of starting a Howard rugby team would have been foreign to Carille Guthrie when she was in school two decades ago. Guthrie enrolled at Howard in 2000 after transferring from Tufts University, where she played for the school’s team. Without a program in place at Howard, Guthrie never considered starting one, so she joined a local club team called the Maryland Stingers instead.

Since she graduated, she has played at the club level and coached at the youth level, using the sport to connect with people as her career — she works as a contractor for the State Department — took her from Houston to Kyrgyzstan and now Sri Lanka.

When the coronavirus pandemic took hold last year, it led her to a Facebook group for rugby players who are Black, Indigenous or people of color in which some members began floating the idea of starting more rugby programs at HBCUs.

Those intentions materialized into the James G. Robertson and Clive Sullivan Rugby Foundation (RSRF), which aims to develop men’s and women’s teams in the D.C. area.

The group draws its name from two pioneering Black players: Robertson is believed to be the first Black rugby player and Sullivan was the first Black captain of a major British sports team.

The RSRF is focusing on Howard, Morgan State, Bowie State and the University of the District of Columbia and could expand to other regions.

“I travel a lot, internationally and domestically, and whenever I move to a new city I find the local rugby team, and that’s automatically my new group of friends, my new family,” said Guthrie, who is president of the foundation.

“I had a smidge of that experience in college, but because I was with the senior women [on her unaffiliated club team], we weren’t really as bonded as it would have been with a college team. I just want the college kids to get that experience from the jump. … They’ve got the athletes. The talent is there on campus. They just need to be provided with the opportunity to play.”

That opportunity could not have come at a better time for Rusike, who had been struggling with her mental health after the pandemic shuttered activities and in-person classes at Howard.

Rusike also played basketball and soccer in high school, but after she fouled out enough times and collected yellow cards often enough, she was persuaded to try rugby.
She joined her Baltimore-area club team and took an instant liking to it. She eventually attracted the attention of college coaches but chose to attend Howard, seeking to avoid the microaggressions she had experienced in high school.

Washington’s pro rugby team, Old Glory DC, invited Rusike to participate in its newly established academy, and she planned to join a D.C.-area club as Guthrie had done.

But her friends persuaded her to try to start a team at Howard, and after generating interest through group chats and social media, she started developing a plan as a freshman last year.

By April, Guthrie’s foundation was up and running. She reached out to Tim Brown, Old Glory DC’s director of player pathway and youth development, who connected her with Rusike and Daniel Davillier, a junior at Howard who had been organizing a men’s team around the same time.

“It just kind of exploded from there,” Guthrie said.

Brown readily contributed to both efforts, having previously reached out to the school to inquire about its rugby offerings to no avail.

As part of his role with Old Glory DC, he supports the grass-roots growth and development of rugby in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, and he saw local HBCUs as important contributors to that endeavor. He helped Howard’s teams procure coaches, and he has provided jerseys and balls.

Guthrie and her group began fundraising on behalf of both teams. She serves as a de facto adviser and helps lobby Howard’s administration on their behalf, most notably supporting the effort to classify the women’s team as an officially sanctioned NCAA program.

The widespread support energized Rusike and Davillier, who said the burgeoning programs gave them renewed passion and purpose during the pandemic. It also freed them to handle other issues, such as recruiting, scheduling and securing space to play and practice.

“There’s been so much community support for the rugby team. This honestly could not have happened without so much support,” Davillier said.

The NCAA classifies women’s rugby as an “emerging sport” and sanctions teams to play across three classifications: Division I, Division II and Division III. Club teams can compete against varsity programs, but being elevated to varsity status offers benefits that include greater access to facilities and equipment.

Diaspora

News

Clean sweep

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 15:40:01 +0000

Clean sweep admin Fri, 12/10/2021 - 15:40

Friday, December 3, 2021

Original Publisher

Headline News – cananewsonline.com

Original Article

Clean sweep

Sri Lankan cricketers celebrate clean sweep of the...

You are unauthorized to view this page.

Sri Lanka

Caribbean

News

Another Vincy Test Cricketer

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 08:10:01 +0000

Another Vincy Test Cricketer admin Fri, 12/10/2021 - 08:10

Friday, December 3, 2021

Original Publisher

Searchlight

Original Article

Another Vincy Test Cricketer

“Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan.” Last week when West Indies score was 19 for 6 in reply to Sri Lanka 204, ah swore to Doc Fraser dat ah not watching another Test Match wid West Indies; he told me he had given up watching West Indies cricket long time. But dis week ah begin to eat me words, when ah hear West Indies bowled out Sri Lanka foh 204, our spinners Parmaul and Warrican took five and four wickets respectively. In reply W.I made 263. De match is far from over, but if even W.I. mess up (nothing new). ah want to Big Up Vincentian Jomel Warrican, born in Murray Village within de Richmond Hill Cadastral Block.

Jomel is No 7 among ah list of proud Vin-sin-shun “Test Cricketers” that include: Alfie Roberts, Winston Davis, Mike Findlay, Ian Allen, Nixon Mc lean, Cameron Cuffy . Honestly ah never heard about de youngster, was his uncle “John Gotti” Trimmingham who told me dat Murray Village got ah horse in de W.I. cricket team. He explained further dat Jomel was his nephew, de son of his sister, Jane Trimmingham; using his exact words he said: “He father is de ‘fellar Warrican’ out by de College, he uses to be ah policeman!” Ah took time out to explain to Gotti dat de ‘fellar Warrican’ was in fact Dr Joel Warrican, de Director at de Community College, ah UWI Professor. (Ah hope all those policemen who on ah matter ah prince-apple, resigned rather dan teking de Jab, will be inspired by de fact dat Professor Joel Warrican was once ah Police Officer).

Jomel’s uncle and I climbed his family tree and concluded dat he got his cricketing genes from both sides ah de family. He is cousin to Irvin Warrican, former SVG and Windward Islands batsman; and on de Trimmingham side his great-uncle was none other than Fred Trimmingham, Nah-shun-all cricketer and footballer.

De near-bars recalled dat before Jomel’s dad took him to Bo-bail-us, he lived with his Mom, Aunts, Uncles, Grand-parents in ah lickle timber and block wall house between de public road and ah river, “Dat public road was way daddy (Jomel’s grand-father) uncle Fred and all ah we learned to bowl and bat.” John Gotti told me : “we could not keep dat lickle fellar off de street, he used to be playing ball in de road all day till it dark.”

We Murray Villagers are proud ah Jomel, we wish him every success and hope he develops into ah world class all-rounder. When dey get around to naming places and streets after outstanding Vin-sent-shuns, we want to name de very street way he learned his cricket : “Jomel Warrican Drive!”

IS DE VILLAGE DOG FIGHT ON

News coming out ah Grenada is dat de Go-venom-mint dey, will be rewarding all of its Frontline Workers wid an extra month’s salary in December, in other words, in spite of de COVID-19 Pandemic and it Vagrants oops, vary-ants, Grenadians are getting ah Bonus foh Christmas.

No conditions like Jab foh Job is men-shuned, in fact de village dog fighter, Prime Minister Mitchell has not introduced Man-doh-tarry Vax-ah-nation yet. Compare dat wid our village dog fighter in SVG, where dis end-ah-month it will be “Ah blue Christmas widout salary” foh ah number ah frontline workers, only because dey refuse to tek de Jab. Wake up Frontline Wukers, Wake-up! And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.

Caribbean

News

START NETWORK Selects ALIMA and GOAL in fight against Cholera outbreak in Niger

admin — Sat, 09 Oct 2021 09:10:01 +0000

START NETWORK Selects ALIMA and GOAL in fight against Cholera outbreak in Niger

/sites/default/files/imported_articles_images/node__691.png

admin Sat, 10/09/2021 - 09:10

Thursday, August 26, 2021

Original Publisher

Health – The New Dawn Liberia

Original Article

START NETWORK Selects ALIMA and GOAL in fight against Cholera outbreak in Niger

NIAMEY, Niger, 24 August 2021 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/- Start Network has raised £200,000 to help fight the cholera outbreak in Niger’s Maradi and Zinder regions.

Niger government through the Ministry of Public Health declared a cholera epidemic on August 7, 2021. Following this announcement, Start Network members, a global network of non-governmental organisations, made up of more than 50 national and international aid agencies from five continents, raised an alert for cholera in Niger to the Start Fund. The alert was activated on 13 August and the partners were selected on 14 August 2021.

Start Network has chosen ALIMA and GOAL and awarded them £200,000 to oversee the community intervention measures to help curb the spread of the disease. The Network’s aim is to transform humanitarian action through innovation, fast funding, early action and localisation.

The crisis response will include:

· Setting up Cholera Treatment Centers (CTC) that will function 24/7 with ongoing support in terms of human resources, logistical and medical equipment.

· Setting up oral rehydration points (ORPs) in peripheral areas experiencing outbreaks to provide treatment to simple cases directly to relieve congestion in treatment centres.

· Training of community health workers on the detection, notification, and management of cases and data reporting, as well as sensitisation/preventative measure practices.

· Community sensitization activities on topics such as signs of the disease, the contamination process and the hygiene procedures to adopt.

· Provision of food and non-food items to inpatients within the treatment centres.

· Distribution of soap, tabs for water purification and PPE to communities.

Start Network’s intervention is timely given that regions affected are resource strained. The Maradi region is endemic for cholera, with cases being detected every 3-5 years. However, it has very limited means to manage this as the conditions for case management are suboptimal and the health district lacks partners. The Zinder region, and the Mirriah district, also regularly faces epidemics cholera, as well as measles, pertussis, and meningitis. The current rainy season amplifies the risk factors.

“We want to ensure that people affected by the cholera outbreak in Niger get quick access to funding and resources so they can receive the best help, fast,” said Serena Suen, Start Fund Programme Manager at Start Network.

“In the face of sudden-onset crises and humanitarian emergencies, the added value of the Start Fund is clear, as it allows humanitarian actors to respond to the immediate needs of populations in a timely and efficient manner,” says Dr. Ahmad Ag Mohamed Aly, Medical Coordinator for ALIMA (The Alliance for International Medical Action) in Niger. “Thanks to emergency funding from the Start Fund, the ALIMA/BEFEN consortium was able to respond quickly to the ongoing cholera outbreak in the health districts of Maradi and Mirriah, providing quality medical care to cholera patients to limit mortality, while implementing WASH and community awareness activities to control the spread of the outbreak.”

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Start Network.

Notes to editors

Start Network – www.startnetwork.org @startnetwork
Start Network is a global network of non-governmental organisations, made up of more than 40 national and international aid agencies from five continents. The network’s aim is to transform humanitarian action through innovation, fast funding, early action and localisation.

Members of Start Network:

Action Against Hunger (ACF); ACTED; Action Aid; Adeso; Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA); ARDD-Legal Aid; Cadena; Cafod; Care International; Caritas Bangladesh; Caritas Sri Lanka; Catholic Relief Services (CRS);Christian Aid; Community World Service Asia; Concern Worldwide; Cordaid; Doctors of the World; Dorcas; Goal; Humanity and Inclusion; Help Age International; International Medical Corps; International Rescue Committee (IRC);Islamic Relief Worldwide; Mines Advisory Group; Mercy Corps; Muslim Aid; Oxfam; PARC; Plan International; PRO-VIDA; Qatar Charity; Relief International; Save the Children; Solidarites International; Tearfund; Trocaire; War Child; Welthungerhilfe; World Jewish Relief; World Vision

For further information contact:

Helen James
Head of Communications & Digital Start Network
+44 (0)7887853071
Helen.James@startnetwork.org

Africa

Living Standard

Twenty20 boost

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 04:10:01 +0000

Twenty20 boost

/sites/default/files/imported_articles_images/node__8610.jpg

admin Mon, 03/01/2021 - 04:10

Original Publisher

NationNews Barbados — nationnews.com

Original Article

Twenty20 boost

West Indies head coach Phil Simmons says the return of big-hitting opener Chris Gayle and fast bowler Fidel Edwards is a major boost for the regional side ahead of the three-match Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka which starts on Wednesday in Antigua.

Last week, Cricket West Indies announced the 13-man squad for the matches set to be played at the Coolidge Cricket Ground and Gayle who is 41 and 39-year-old Edwards have been included.

It will be the first time since 2019 that Gayle is representing the West Indies while Edwards has not featured in a maroon jersey for nearly nine years.

During a live Zoom press conference yesterday, Simmons said based on recent performances Gayle and Edwards have merited their recalls to the team.

Subscribe now to our eNATION edition for the full story.

For the latest stories and breaking news updates download the Nationnews apps for iOS and Android.

Caribbean

News

Brathwaite to debut as Test umpire

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2021 09:40:01 +0000

Brathwaite to debut as Test umpire

/sites/default/files/imported_articles_images/node__8473.jpg

admin Sun, 02/28/2021 - 09:40

Original Publisher

NationNews Barbados — nationnews.com

Original Article

Brathwaite to debut as Test umpire

A Barbadian umpire will stand in the middle in Test cricket for the first time in 24 years when the West Indies take on Sri Lanka in the upcoming two-match home series in Antigua.

Gregory Brathwaite is reportedly set to make his debut as an on-field official during the first Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, which starts on March 21.

The 51-year-old, who hails from St Philip, has been an international umpire since making his debut in the One-Day International format in the 2011-2013 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cricket League Championship.

He has since gone on to umpire in 44 ODIs and 28 Twenty20s. (AGB)

Subscribe now to our eNATION edition for the full story.

For the latest stories and breaking news updates download the Nationnews apps for iOS and Android.

Caribbean

News

Simmons and Rampaul propel Red Force to 13th Super50 title

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2021 03:30:01 +0000

Simmons and Rampaul propel Red Force to 13th Super50 title

/sites/default/files/imported_articles_images/node__8445.jpg

admin Sun, 02/28/2021 - 03:30

Original Publisher

NationNews Barbados — nationnews.com

Original Article

Simmons and Rampaul propel Red Force to 13th Super50 title

COOLIDGE – Trinidad & Tobago Red Force are the champions of the West Indies Super50 Cup.

Kieron Pollard’s side relied upon a record, seventh List A hundred from veteran opener Lendl Simmons and a destructive spell of seam bowling from experienced pacer Ravi Rampaul to romp to a commanding, 152-run win over Guyana Jaguars in the day/night final at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

The result meant Red Force played unbeaten throughout the tournament, handing them their 13th title and the Clive Lloyd Trophy, symbol of West Indies Super50 supremacy, for the first time in five years.

Simmons celebrated his return to the West Indies line-up for the forthcoming Twenty20 International series against Sri Lanka, starting this coming Wednesday at this same venue, with a masterly 146.

He belted 15 fours and seven sixes from 145 balls and propelled Red Force to their second highest Super50 total of 362 for five from their allocation of 50 overs, after they were put in to bat on another easy-paced pitch.

Rampaul followed up by leading the destruction of the Jaguars’ run chase with four for 52 from 10 overs, becoming only the fourth bowler and first pacer to take 100 wickets or more in the West Indies Super50.

The former Windies pacer now has 101 wickets and trails retired Guyanese leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo (107), retired Barbadian left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn (106) and Jaguars left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul (102) on the list of most successful West Indies Super50 bowlers.

Chasing such an imposing target in an effort to break their 16-year wait for a 10th Super50 title was always going to prove challenging for Jaguars.

Once Rampaul removed the cream of their batting in an opening burst that sent them stumbling to 55 for six in the 10th over, the match was well and truly over as a genuine contest for Jaguars.

The 36-year-old paceman had Shimron Hetmyer caught behind for 20 in the sixth over and Jaguars captain Leon Johnson caught at short third man for a five-ball duck in the eighth over before he bowled big-hitting all-rounder Romario Shepherd for four with the final ball of the Power Play.

Barbadian all-rounder Raymon Reifer eased the pain of defeat for Jaguars and brought some respectability to their batting with a career-best 97 not out from 112 balls that included seven fours and three sixes.

He added 39 with new West Indies white-ball selectee Kevin Sinclair for the seventh wicket, put on 38 with Permaul for the eighth wicket and shared the best partnership of the innings of 71 with Gudakesh Motie for the ninth wicket.

Former West Indies Under-19 pacer Jayden Seales formalised the result, when he bowled last man Niall Smith for a one-ball duck with 19 balls remaining in the match, leaving Reifer stranded within striking distance of a maiden List A hundred.

Seales ended with three for 40 from 7.5 overs and fellow pacer Anderson Phillip captured two for 40 from seven overs.

Earlier, Simmons reached his hundred from 118 balls, when he drove left-arm pacer Reifer through cover for two in the 37th over.

Simmons shared successive stands with the three international left-handers in the Red Force top order.

He put on 121 with fellow opener Evin Lewis, added 100 with Darren Bravo and shared 67 with Nicholas Pooran.

The 36-year-old opener led Red Force past 300 before he was caught at mid-off, slicing a drive off pacer Romario Shepherd in the 45th over to finish with the highest score by a Red Force batsman in the West Indies Super50.

The previous best was 134 by Denesh Ramdin against Barbados Pride eight years ago at Queen’s Park Oval in the T&T capital of Port of Spain.

No Jaguars bowlers distinguished himself and Shepherd was not only the most successful, but the most expensive, taking two for 105 from his allotted 10 overs.

Summarised scores:

Red Force 362 for five off 50 overs (Lendl Simmons 146, Evin Lewis 57, Darren Bravo 47, Nicholas Pooran 39, Denesh Ramdin 27 not out, Kieron Pollard 23; Romario Shepherd 2-105).

Jaguars 210 all out off 43.5 overs (Raymon Reifer 97 not out, Gudakesh Motie 28, Shimron Hetmyer 20, Kevin Sinclair 19, Chandrapaul Hemraj 14, Veerasammy Permaul 13; Ravi Rampaul 4-52, Jayden Seales 3-40, Anderson Phillip 3-40).

(AR)

Caribbean

News