Archive for July 17th, 2009
Google profits rocket despite recession
(Guardian): Internet giant Google continued to shrug off the worst effects of the recession, announcing today that it had seen an 18% increase in profits for its last financial quarter. In its latest financial results, the Californian technology giant posted net profits of $1.48bn (£901m) for the three months to the end of June, on the back of revenues of $5.52bn (£3.36bn). While that marks just a 3% increase in revenues on the same period of 2008, net profit rocketed by 18% – up from $1.25bn for the second quarter of last year.
Lesbian Jamaican drug dealer fights deportation
(Telegraph): A Jamaican drug dealer is appealing a deportation border on the basis that it infringes her human rights – because she is a lesbian. The woman, named only as ‘A’ for legal reasons, was convicted in 2005 of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and sent to prison, where she had a string of lesbian relationships with fellow inmates. But immigration officials say that despite the woman, from the Clapton area of east London, having previous homosexual affairs, her current claim that she is in love with another woman is no more than a ruse to remain in the UK.
50,000 criminals deported to Caribbean over 10 years
(CaribWorldNews.com): Over 50,000 convicted Caribbean-born criminals, who have called the U.S. home for many years, have been shipped back to the Caribbean in the past decade under tough U.S. immigration laws, a CaribWorldNews analysis of new Department of Homeland Security data reveals. The number of criminal deportees sent back to the Caribbean between the decade of 1999 and 2008 totaled 50,589, DHS statistics released this month and analyzed by CWNN reveal. Last year, the number was at 4,343, a slight increase from 2007, when the total was 4,315. However, it was an improvement from 2005, when the total rose to 5,149, the highest for the decade.
Cayman champs at Primary Island Games
(County Press): The second annual Primary School Island Games was not blessed with ideal weather but that did not stop more than 500 pupils from taking part in a wide range of sports and having plenty of fun. Last year’s winners, St Helena — comprising schools from the Ryde area — were this year pushed into second place by a cluster of Sandown schools representing the Cayman Islands. Other Islands taking part included Rhodes, Greenland, Menorca,Gibraltar and Bermuda. (Photo by Jennifer Burton)
Swimming pigs in Bahamas
(The Telegraph): Swimming pigs have been photographed taking a dip in the tropical waters of the Bahamas. The family of brown and pink boars and piglets live freely on the sandy white beaches and even swim in the surf on Big Major Spot Island. They are such a familiar sight at the spot that locals have named the area "Pig Beach." And they were snapped by underwater photographer Eric Cheng who stumbled across the unusual residents during a diving expedition. "We were in the southern Bahamas to photograph oceanic white-tip sharks," said the 33-year-old.
University makes plans for aviation speciality
(CNS): With the support of the local industry the University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI) is exploring the possibility of creating a centre of excellence at the institution for learning in the area of Air Transport. Following several months of planning the college has invited key industry experts to a workshop next week to begin discussions on the newly developed programme in Air Transport Management and Planning.
“This workshop is a critical first step in developing capacity in the aviation industry within the Cayman Islands,” said UCCI Acting President Dr. Brian Chapell. “The support and participation of many key individuals and organizations will ensure that the workshop is successful and will set the stage for future capacity building in the industry.”
Earlier this year, UCCI said it had met with Cayman Islands aviation industry stakeholders to discuss the needs of the local industry and those discussions resulted in the acknowledgment of the need for air transport studies in the Cayman Islands and the support of the industry for UCCI to become a centre of excellence for such studies. The meetings also led to the signing of an informal MOU by UCCI and industry stakeholders to highlight the industry’s support of the initiative.
This month’s workshop will be attended by leading members of organisations in the aviation industry and the Cayman Islands government. Set to lead the workshop are UCCI Faculty, senior representatives from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands (CAACI), representatives from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and senior representatives of the Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ).
In addition to distinguished experts from regional and international aviation organisations serving as instructors on the programme, UCCI has commenced discussions with both IATA and the Airports Council International (ACI) to explore the possibility of working closely with these organisations for further programme development. Feedback will be sought throughout the workshop to assist with the development of future programmes.
The workshop is scheduled for 21 & 22 July and will be held on the UCCI campus in the Executive Training Centre, which is located on the second floor of the campus library. Although will be geared toward those who currently work in the aviation industry, UCCIhas a limited number of spaces available for members of the public who may be interested in attending the workshop. To get more information on how to register, please call 623-0566 or e-mail stobutt@ucci.edu.ky