LYFORD Cay Hospital is applying for permission to renovate and expand its existing medical facility.
Cardiologist Dr Dean Tseretopoulos, of Lyford Cay Hospital, said the facility will facilitate patients throughout The Bahamas and will include an urgent care centre, a catheterisation lab, as well as an electrophysiology lab which will be “unique” to the Caribbean and The Bahamas.
Speaking to Tribune Business, he said there are few catheterisation labs available in the country and the additional unit will be helpful in treating patients that are suffering heart attacks and strokes.
“Currently there is a limited catheterisation laboratory being offered at Bahamas Health Centre, Doctors Hospital’s catheterisation is down, but they’ll be up and running soon. In essence, that would be a third catheterisation lab for treating heart attacks and strokes,” he said.
Dr Tseretopoulos said Lyford Cay Hospital plans
BYRON MILLER
to introduce a Wellness and Longevity Centre onsite, taking advantage of the new legislation to provide innovative treatments to patients.
The Longevity and Regenerative Therapies Act was recently passed in Parliament which repealed and replaced the Stem Cell
Partnership to help teachers buy homes
By ANNELIA NIXON anixon@tribunemedia.net
THE Teachers & Salaried Workers Co-Operative Credit Union Limited and The Bahamas Union of Teachers have partnered to generate $20m to provide financial opportunities to BUT members.
Byron Miller, general manager of the TSWCCU, said during a press conference with BUT and TSWCCU yesterday that these opportunities will aid those seeking financial arrangements related to mortgages and home renovations.
“The credit union will offer a range of financial solutions to the members of the BUT,” he said. “This initiative
Consumers complain of long lines after bank centralises card
By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter
jsimmons@tribunemedia.net
A BISX- listed bank has “centralised” card collections but consumers are complaining about the long lines and wait times.
CIBC last month announced plans to consolidate card collection in New Providence and all cards must be now be collected from the JFK Branch.
Consumers, however, have complained that the decision has led to inconvenient consequences with them having to wait in line for up to two hours.
Speaking to Tribune Business, a consumer that visited the branch to collect a card last week said she had to stand in line for 1.5 to 2 hours only to be told that the card was not ready for collection.
She said the line extended outside of the building and the issue was compounded as it was revealed there were only two members of staff disbursing the cards when she finally got inside.
“I mean, should we really be standing outside in the hot sun on this long line waiting for a card? Its ridiculous!” she vented.
“I toed that line for 1.5 to 2 hours and then you get inside and its only two people giving out cards. I’ve never had to wait at my branch for this long.
Another client said after standing in line for almost an hour his frustrations
pick-up
were compounded by his credit card not being ready for collections.
He suggested the bank should send out notification prompts when cards are ready for collection so clients would not “waste time” and clog the lines if their cards aren’t ready.
“They really should look into sending an email or a text or some kind of notification so clients could know when to come.” he said.
“They told me my card will be ready to collect in ten days so I came in ten days. I have a business to run. If I had known it wasn’t ready, I wouldn’t waste time standing around on this line.”
He added the service he has been receiving from CIBC and other commercial banks has been “subpar and getting worse every year”.
“Fees going up next month, right, so why service isn’t going up?” he questioned.
“All these banks doing it, charging us more and giving us less, something
includes financing options for mortgages, for home and investment property ownership, switch mortgages, home renovations, debt consolidations and personal education loans, for those members that are seeking to pursue higher degree studies.” He noted that the initiative will benefit teachers, teachers aides, guidance counsellors and librarians. Leroy Sumner,
chairman of the board of the TSWCCU, added that contractors, plumbers and electricians may also benefit.
“One of the things that will come out of this for us, and I was speaking with the general manager just a little while ago, is that we’re not only providing for the homes but we have in the system many persons who are contractors who are members of the teachers
credit union, many who are plumbers, many who are, electricians, they also stand to benefit because,” Mr Sumner said. “We will take a register of all those contractors who are members, all those who are electricians, all those who are plumbers, , all those who are in the building trade. They can sign up with the credit union so that whenever these houses are being constructed we know we’ve got a ready source of persons available who could be engaged in these turn key operations.”
Mr Miller said that he knows that there are competing financial institutions that members can go to. However, he said SEE PAGE A20
'Election silence' rethink in proposals from URCA
By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@
tribunemedia.net
THE Utilities Regulation & Competition Authority (URCA) has proposed changes to the regulation of "election silence" as part of a series of proposals to update content regulation.
URCA announced yesterday that it released a public consultation document concerning proposed revisions to the Code of Practice for Content Regulation.
The amendments aim to modernise broadcasting standards and ensure they align with technological advancements and societal expectations.
One of the proposed revisions targets "election silence" rules to permit the broadcast of political discussions on election polling days.
According to the consultation document, URCA said the media plays a "crucial role" in providing the public with critical information and with the rise of social media, that is not exempt
from providing coverage on election polling days, licensed media outlets should be allowed to provide coverage.
“The practice of election silence originated when traditional broadcasting was the dominant medium. Broadcast media was considered the most influential, and the moratorium was meant to ensure fair and unbiased reporting,” said URCA.
“However, with the rise of social media, the tradition of election silence may no longer be suitable, particularly in smaller, developing states like The Bahamas, without the resources to regulate third-party digital content-sharing platforms effectively.
“The inability of licensed media to report on political issues in the 24 hours leading up to an election while anyone else with an internet connection can continue to spread disinformation can seem absurd when viewed from this perspective.”
URCA said there are "legitimate concerns about disinformation" and moratorium periods are a "vulnerability" as
they prevent licensed media outlets from reporting or rebutting disinformation spread on social media prior to poles closing.
The regulator said "supports and recommends" the removal of polling day restrictions placed on the media and excluding licensed platforms from sharing information on poling days is a "disservice to the public".
“Excluding the voices of credible broadcasters from the most critical moments where every citizen has a say in national
self-determination is a disservice to the public. It is crucial to consider lifting the broadcast restrictions on discussing and analysing election and referendum issues on polling days, recognising that it may be difficult to break with long-standing election restrictions that made sense pre-internet,” said URCA.
“However, given the significant changes in the media landscape and the role of social media platforms in shaping public
RENDERING FOR THE NEW EXPANSION TO THE LYFORD CAY HOSPITAL.
DPM attends CAAB staff appreciation luncheon
DEPUTY Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation Chester Cooper spoke at an appreciation luncheon for Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas (CAAB) staff on August 19 at the British Colonial, for successful completion of the Federal Aviation Administration's most recent IASA audit.
Photos:Kemuel Stubbs/BIS
CONSUMERS COMPLAIN OF LONG LINES AFTER BANK CENTRALISES CARD PICK-UP
really has to be done about this because it isn’t fair. I can’t slack off on my part, if I don’t pay my loan or my mortgage on time they coming after me so how is it fair they could just make decisions that affect me and my money because my time is my money.”
CIBC revealed that personal, business and corporate banking clients will all experience fee increases as of September 1. The greatest increases
are in the monthly service fees, which will rise by 40 percent for personal banking clients, and 25 percent and 20 percent for business and corporate clients, respectively.
This prompted a debate about the regulation of commercial banks by Central Bank with Opposition members and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fred Mitchell calling for the regulator to be proactive in regulating fees. Kwasi Thompson, the east Grand Bahama MP,
called for “real financial consumer protection in The Bahamas”.
He accused the commercial banks of continuing to “pile on” fee increases at the same time as they are cutting back services to consumers via branch closures and such like.
Mr Mitchell said legislators may need to intervene if the Central Bank fails to take more aggressive action on commercial bank fees.
Gowon Bowe, chairman of the Clearing Banks Association, expressed concern
Lyford Cay hospital in expansion plan
FROM PAGE A22
Research and Therapy Act.
Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said the legislation would approve and regulate longevity and regeneration therapies in the country.
The legislation would empower the minister to present a longevity and regenerative therapy policy, which would be reviewed and updated every two years.
The bill also established a board and ethics committee with responsibilities to foster innovation in the field, obtain and maintain resources required to ensure that best practices are upheld in all vivo and ex vivo therapy and research
operations and developing policies to monitor compliance with all aspects of the law, among other things.
Dr Tseretopoulos said the centre will be used to improve the general wellbeing of patients as well as aid in obtaining early diagnosis and the treatment of advanced diseases.
“We have a large plan for a Wellness and Longevity Centre, which is in these planning stages, which will take advantage of some of the new legislation that’s been passed in terms of those kinds of innovative treatments, as well as just general wellness and proactive treatments for patients,” said Dr Tseretopoulos.
Partnership to help teachers buy homes
FROM PAGE A22
the process of acquiring a mortgage loan, or any other benefit that is being offered through the union is going to be “easier” and less “complex” than it would be with a bank.
“Our turnaround time, our level of responsiveness, our connectivity with our members, remains at a very high level,” he said. “As a matter of fact, we’re bragging of a member retention rate of 98 percent.
Other financial institutions cannot brag of that. So that tells you, are members are in this for the long haul and we want to deliver the solutions to our members that they need without the hassle, without the interrogation, and maintaining the level of respect for the member.
BUT president Belinda Wilson also commented on retention and noted that teachers are not getting paid, “as high as we expect or would want it to be”.
“We’re trying to get patients diagnosed before illness, as well as treating people with advanced diseases through the Wellness Centre.”
Documents obtained from the Department of Physical Planning reveal a proposal to develop 3.249 acres for a two–storey medical facility with provisions for multiple examination rooms, physical therapy rooms, urgent care, X-ray and MRI imaging and a pharmacy.
The proposal also includes 143 parking spaces and green and outdoor spaces to be located around the site.
A public hearing is scheduled for next month.
She said the benefits being offered will, “ensure” BUT members are able to own a home.
Mrs Wilson said a mortgage fair will be held on October 5 to assist members who are interested in purchasing a home.
“My heart is really full because from 2009 we’ve been trying to get our members into houses and all of you know that a house would be the single most largest investment that an individual can make and for us to have our teachers in their own homes, thats goes well with our vision to ensure that were able to assist our members, for our members to benefit for their lives to be better.”
that regulating bank fees and services could lead the country towards a “communist state”, describing it as a “very slippery slope”.
In response, Mr Mitchell argued that the real slippery slope would result in improved service in his opinion.
“Hyperbole is sometimes useful, but in my view, not in this instance. Business people reading that stuff about slippery slope and communist state would think twice about coming to a communist state to do
business, if that’s what’s in The Bahamas. So the comment was not helpful, apart from being inaccurate,” he said. He emphasised that banks are currently regulated; they cannot charge any interest rate they choose and must obtain a licence to operate.
“They have to get a licence to operate. There’s a cap on the interest rate now, right now, but the response from the clearing house bank’s chair portrays a larger issue and problem,
‘Election silence’ rethink in proposals from URCA
FROM PAGE A22
opinion, it may be time to re-evaluate these restrictions. By doing so, we can ensure that the Bahamian public can access diverse voices and information sources during critical moments in our national decision-making processes.”
URCA said allowing the free flow of information is “essential for a democratic society” and political content on polling days can help voters make informed decisions.
The regulator said allowing discussions on election issues ensures all candidates have an opportunity to reach voters and ensure the election process is “fair and transparent’.
“Moreover, it acknowledges the changing media landscape and upholds the right to freedom of expression, ensuring access to a wide range of information and opinions.
Allowing discussions on election and referendum issues on polling days contributes to a more informed electorate and promotes a fair and transparent electoral process, aligning with democratic principles,” said URCA.
“With technological advancements, restricting discussions on election and referendum issues on polling day may no longer be necessary or practical.
“Finally, allowing the broadcast of discussions on election and referendum issues on polling days demonstrates trust in the electorate and fosters transparency and accountability in the electoral process.”
URCA said all licensed media outlet must ensure their information is accurate, objective and impartial insuring they do not discriminate against candidates or political parties.
“During election periods, broadcasters in The
which is service to the Bahamian public will not improve if the banks just don’t get it.”
“They keep trying to force us to swallow digitalisation when the internet doesn’t work here. The service are second-rate at the banks, and they charge fees for keeping our money. If the Central Bank does not intervene more aggressively, as they have in Barbados, then perhaps the legislature will have to intervene”.
Bahamas must adhere to a set of principles aimed at ensuring fairness, balance, and impartiality when broadcasting discussions on election and referendum issues on polling days,” said URCA.
“These principles include not discriminating against candidates, political parties, and others and ensuring a clear distinction between information and opinion in political advertisements and broadcasts. Broadcasters must also provide balanced reporting by offering reasonable opportunities for discussing competing views and treating all political parties equitably in news or current affairs programming.
“Furthermore, they are expected to uphold accuracy, objectivity, and impartiality in news, current affairs, and factual programs and avoid unjust or unfair treatment of individuals or organisations. Lastly, broadcasters must respect individuals’ dignity, privacy, and well-being and present content with sensitivity when dealing with discussions on election and referendum issues on polling days.”
The consultation period is open until September 20.
Anwar meets with Modi as India and Malaysia work to expand ties and defense cooperation
NEW DELHI Associated Press
INDIA and Malaysia will seek to expand economic ties and strengthen cooperation on defense and security, the leaders of the two countries said on Tuesday.
This came during Malaysian Prime Minster Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to India, his first since he took office in 2022, where he met with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.
Recently, Anwar has sought to move closer to China, with whom New Delhi has been locked in a long-running border dispute. A key part of Modi’s foreign policy has been to deepen trade and ties with other Asian countries, including Malaysia, to push
back against growing Chinese influence in the region. Both heads of state addressed reporters after signing a slew of new agreements, including digital technologies, tourism and traditional medicine.
Anwar said the two countries have enjoyed good relations for years, adding that”we realized this must be strengthened in a multitude of areas,” including construction, agriculture and military collaborations to safeguard both nations’ borders.
Modi said the two had discussed cooperation in the defense sector, and that trade and investment between the two countries should grow while they collaborate on new industries
like the production of semiconductors. He also stressed how the partnership between the two countries had grown, taking on “new momentum and energy” over the years.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Malaysian prime minister received a ceremonial welcome at India’s presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhavan before paying his respects to Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi at the Rajghat memorial site in New Delhi.
Bilateral trade between the two countries is strong at $20 billion. Malaysia is India’s 16th largest trading partner, while India is among the top ten largest trading partners for Malaysia.
THE INTERNET’S LOVE FOR ‘VERY DEMURE’ CONTENT SPOTLIGHTS WHAT A VIRAL TREND CAN MEAN FOR CREATORS
By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS
AP Business Writer
IT'S not just you. The word "demure" is being used to describe just about everything online these days.
It all started earlier this month, when TikTok creator Jools Lebron posted a video that would soon take social media by storm. The hair and makeup she's wearing to work? Very demure. And paired with a vanilla perfume fragrance? How mindful.
In just weeks, Lebron's words have become the latest vocabulary defining the internet this summer.
In addition to her own viral content that continues to describe various dayto-day, arguably reserved or modest activities with adjectives like "demure," "mindful" and "cutesy," several big names have also hopped on the trend across social media platforms. Celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Penn Badgley have shared their own playful takes, and even the White House used the words to boast the BidenHarris administration's recent student debt relief efforts.
The skyrocketing fame of Lebron's "very mindful,
very demure" influence also holds significance for the TikToker herself. Lebron, who identifies as a transgender woman, said in a post last week that she's now able to finance the rest of her transition.
"One day, I was playing cashier and making videos on my break. And now, I'm flying across country to host events," Lebron said in the video, noting that her experience on the platform has changed her life.
She's not alone. Over recent years, a handful of online creators have found meaningful income after gaining social media fame — but it's still incredibly rare, and no easy feat.
Here's what some experts say.
How can TikTok fame lead to meaningful sources of income?
There is no one recipe.
Finding resources to work as a creator full-time "is not as rare as it would have been years ago," notes Erin Kristyniak, VP of global partnerships at marketing collaboration company Partnerize. But you still have to make content that meets the moment — and there's a lot to juggle if you want to monetize.
On TikTok, most users who are making money pursue a combination of
hustles. Brooke Erin Duffy, an associate professor of communication at Cornell University, explains that those granted admission into TikTok's Creator Marketplace — the platform's space for brand and creator collaborations — can "earn a kickback from views from TikTok expressly," although that doesn't typically pay very well.
Other avenues for monetization include more direct brand sponsorships, creating merchandise to sell, fundraising during livestreams and collecting "tips" or "gifts" through features available to users who reach a certain following threshold. A lot of it also boils down to work outside of the platform. And creators are increasingly working to build their social media presence across multiple platforms — particularly amid a potential ban of the ByteDance-owned app in the U.S., which is currently in a legal battle. Duffy notes adding that many are working on developing this wider online presence so they can "still have a financial lifeline" in case any revenue stream goes away. Is it difficult to sustain?
Gaining traction in the macrocosm that is the internet is difficult as is
Canadian freight trains could stop moving Thursday. If they do, many businesses will be hurt
By ROB GILLIES and JOSH FUNK Associated Press
BUSINESSES across a variety of industries are bracing for freight trains to stop moving Thursday at both major Canadian freight railroads if they can't resolve a contract dispute with the union that represents engineers, conductors and dispatchers.
The impact will be widespread because so many companies rely on Canadian National and CPKC railroads to deliver their raw materials and finished products. Railroads carry more than $1 billion Cana
in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver because they rely on CPKC dispatchers to direct those trains over that freight railroad's tracks.
Government officials are playing a more active role in trying to resolve the dispute, with the labor minister meeting with the parties at the CN negotiations in Montreal on Tuesday and with CPKC contract negotiators on Wednesday in Calgary. But so far, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been reluctant to force the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference union to accept a deal. Many business groups have urged the gov
the industry. The negotiations are primarily hung up on issues related to the way rail workers are scheduled and concerns about rules designed to prevent fatigue. At CN, there are some additional concerns about provisions that would help the railroad temporarily relocate workers when it is short in other regions.
Nearly 10,000 workers are covered by these contracts. CN said its engineers make about $150,000 a year while conductors earn about $120,000, and CPKC says its pay is comparable.
Two years ago, qualityof-life concerns about demanding schedules and the lack of paid sick time drove U.S. railroads to the brink of a strike before Congress and President Joe Biden intervened and forced the unions to accept
— and while some have both tapped into trends that resonate and found sources of compensation that allow them to quit their nine-tofive, it still takes a lot of work to keep it going.
"These viral bursts of fame don't necessarily translate into a stable, longterm career," Duffy said. "On the surface, it's kind of widely hyped as a dream job ... But I see this as a very superficial understanding of how the career works."
Duffy, who has been studying social media content creation for a decade, says that she's heard from creators who have months where they're reaping tremendous sums of money from various sources of income — but then also months with nothing. "It's akin to a gig economy job, because of the lack of stability," she explained.
"The majority of creators aren't full-time," Eric Dahan, the CEO and founder of influencer marketing agency Mighty Joy, added.
Burnout is also very common. It can take a lot of emotional labor to pull content from your life, Duffy said, and the pressure of maintaining brand relationships or the potential of losing viewers if you take a break can be a lot. Ongoing
risks of potential exposure to hate or online harassment also persist. Is the landscape changing?
Like all things online, the landscape for creators is constantly evolving.
Demand is also growing. More and more platforms are not only aiming to court users but specifically bring aspiring creators on their sites. And that coincides with an increased focus on marketing goods and brands in these spaces.
Companies are doubling down "to meet consumers where they are," Raji Srinivasan, a marketing professor at The University of Texas at Austin's McCombs School of Business. YouTube and other social media platforms, such as Instagram, have also built out offerings to attract this kind of content in recent years, but — for now — it's "TikTok's day in the sun," she added, pointing to the platform's persisting dominance in the market.
And for aspiring creators hoping to strike it big, Dahan's advice is just to start somewhere. As Lebron's success shows, he added, "You don't know what's going to happen."
A NEW SETBACK HITS A BOEING
OF
WASHINGTON Associated Press
FEDERAL safety officials are requiring inspections of cockpit seats on Boeing 787 Dreamliners after one of the jets went into a dive when the captain's seat lurched forward without warning and disconnected the plane's autopilot system.
Boeing also has stopped test flights of a new version of its 777 jetliner after discovering a damaged structural part between the engine and the rest of the plane. The new model has not yet been approved by regulators.
The Federal Aviation Administration said in an order scheduled to be published Wednesday that it will require operators of 787s to inspect both pilot seats for missing or cracked caps that cover a switch used to move the seats.
During a March flight by Chile-based Latam Airlines, the captain's seat moved forward and hit a switch that disconnected the autopilot system. The plane, flying from Australia to New Zealand, rapidly dropped about 400 feet (120 meters) before the co-pilot regained control, according to a preliminary report by Chilean authorities. Several dozen passengers were injured, according to news reports.
Within days of the incident, Boeing recommended that airlines look at the cockpit seats on 787s for loose caps on the switches and told them how to turn off power to the motorized seats.
The FAA said it has received four other reports from Boeing of cockpit seats moving when not intended to, including one in June.
The FAA said its safety order will affect 158 planes registered in the United States.
NOTICE
BD Participações Internacional Ltd. Incorporated under the International Business Companies Act, 2000 of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Registration number 210504 B (In Voluntary Liquidation)
Notice is hereby given that the above-named Company is in dissolution, commencing on the 19th day of August A.D. 2024.
Articles of Dissolution have been duly registered by the Registrar. The Liquidator is MR. JORGE LUIZ NICCHIO FILHO, whose address is Rua Dom Pedro II 30, AP 706 ED Ayrton Senna 29055, 600 Praia Do Canto, Vitora, ES, Brazil. Any Persons having a Claim against the above-named Company are required on or before the 18th day of September A.D. 2024 to send their names, addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to the Liquidator of the Company, or in default thereof they may be excluded from the beneft of any distribution made before such claim is proved. Dated this 19th day of August A.D. 2024.
JORGE LUIZ NICCHIO FILHO LIQUIDATOR
Legal Notice NOTICE
Pursuant to the provisions of The International Business Companies Act 2000, as amended, notice is hereby given that Kalispera Limited has been placed in voluntary liquidation and the date of commencement of the liquidation is 8 August 2024.
Lorna Kemp and Magdaline Carey LIQUIDATORS c/o Clairmont Trust Company Limited Pineapple House #4 Lyford Cay P.O. Box SP-64284 Nassau, Bahamas
NOTICE
Malu Ltd.
Incorporated under the International Business Companies Act, 2000 of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Registration number 208470 B (In Voluntary Liquidation)
Notice is hereby given that the above-named Company is in dissolution, commencing on the 20th day of August A.D. 2024.
Articles of Dissolution have been duly registered by the Registrar. The Liquidator is MR. BRUNO ANDRIETTA DE LIMA, whose address is R. Simao Alvares 479, AP 144, Sao Paulo, SP, CEP: 05417-030, Brazil. Any Persons having a Claim against the above-named Company are required on or before the 19th day of September A.D. 2024 to send their names, addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to the Liquidator of the Company, or in default thereof they may be excluded from the beneft of any distribution made before such claim is proved.
Dated this 20th day of August A.D. 2024.
BRUNO ANDRIETTA DE LIMA LIQUIDATOR
"Nobody can go very long without a constant source of supply, and a lot of commodities are shipped by rail," said Dan Kelly, president of The Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
Businesses in Canada are especially concerned because CN and CPKC are slated to shut down simultaneously Thursday at 12:01 a.m. EDT. Past labor disputes have sometimes stopped the trains at just one of the railroads for a brief period — most recently in March 2022 at CPKC — but not both at the same time.
Separately, the FAA published a final rule requiring airlines to inspect inlets around ducts in engine antiice systems on 787s for signs of heat damage. The agency proposed the rule in February after a report of damage to "multiple" engine inlets caused by missing or "degraded" seals around the ducts.
NOTICE
Elaine Giovannetti Incorporações Ltd. Incorporated under the International Business Companies Act, 2000 of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Registration number 210459 B (In Voluntary Liquidation)
Notice is hereby given that the above-named Company is in dissolution, commencing on the19th day of August A.D. 2024. Articles of Dissolution have been duly registered by the Registrar. The Liquidator is MRS. ELAINE DA ROCHA GIOVANNETTI, whose address is R Joaquim Nabuco, 89 –AP 0104, Qd56 Lt01 – Zona 01, Cep: 87013-277, Maringa, PR, Brazil. Any Persons having a Claim against the above-named Company are required on or before the 18th day of September A.D. 2024 to send their names, addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to the Liquidator of the Company, or in default thereof they may be excluded from the beneft of any distribution made before such claim is proved.
Dated this 19th day of August A.D. 2024.
ELAINE DA ROCHA GIOVANNETTI LIQUIDATOR
AGORA CAPITAL HOLDINGS LIMITED Reg. No. 169106 B
NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION
Notice is hereby given, in accordance with Section 138(4) of the International Business Companies Act of 2000, that the above-named Company commenced dissolution procedures on the 19th day of August 2024 and that Sterling (Bahamas) Limited of 202 Marina Lane, Sandyport, P.O. Box N-9934, Nassau, Bahamas has been appointed voluntary Liquidator of the Company.
Notice is also hereby given that any person having a claim against the Company is required, within 14 days of the date of this Notice, to send their names, addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to Sterling (Bahamas) Limited, the Liquidator of the Company, or in default thereof they ill be excluded from the beneft of any distribution made before such debts or claims are proved.
Dated this 19th day of August 2024.
Sterling (Bahamas) Limited Liquidator
EMPLOYEES are seen on a locomotive being moved at the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) rail yard in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. A phased shutdown of the networks at Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. is already underway as the clock ticks down on negotiations with the union representing engineers, conductors and yard workers.
Photo:Darryl Dyck/AP
Weeks after floods, Vermont businesses struggling to get visitors to return
By LISA RATHKE Associated Press
TWO bouts of flood-
ing from storms in July has hampered businesses and destinations in an economically depressed section of northern Vermont, with some still closed as they continue to repair damage and others urging visitors, who were deterred by the weather, to make the trip.
Kingdom Trails, a popular destination for mountain bikers, draws tens of thousands of visitors a year. But the storms that hit the region on July 10 and July 30 washed away some roads and bridges, damaged
homes and trails, and discouraged visitors at the height of the season.
Businesses and destinations are picking up the pieces, with some still closed in nearby Lyndonville, while others want to get the word out that they are very much open.
"I can't stress enough that we are open and our community is welcoming people," said Abby Long, executive director of Kingdom Trails. "We're encouraging folks to not only come visit Kingdom Trails and have an awesome time but sign up to volunteer mucking and gutting
houses for the morning and then relax on the trails in the afternoon."
The storms caused $300,000 in damages to the trails — and that doesn't account for the loss of membership revenue, she said. The trails were closed for about a day and a half as crews worked furiously to get them back open. The cost of repairs comes on top of the $150,000 in damages suffered in last summer's flooding.
"That is not sustainable," Long said.
So far, 341 businesses in Vermont have reported flood damage to the state this year, according to Economic Development Commissioner Joan Goldstein. Last summer, about 1,100 businesses were affected, she said.
In Lyndonville, a popular diner that had been in business since 1978 will not be reopening after getting damaged in the July 10 storms. The owner of the Miss Lyndonville Diner is having repairs done and plans to sell the restaurant. She told the Caledonian
Record that the flooding convinced her it was time to retire.
The nearby Village Sport Shop, which also has been in business for nearly 50 years, has decided to close its flooded Lyndonville shop and exit the ski industry, according to a social media post by the business.
"With the multiple flooding events we have endured and the evolution we have needed to take as a business, we have come to the decision it is time to turn our focus towards the summer side of the business and relieve ourselves from the flood risks the lowest lying real estate on the strip endures," the post said. The business has a trailside bicycle shop in East Burke.
A bagel shop and a Walgreens drugstore were still temporarily closed as they recover from the flood damage.
On Tuesday, President Biden approved a major disaster declaration making federal funding available to help individuals and communities recover from the July 9-10 flooding from
the remnants of Hurricane Beryl. Gov. Phil Scott has requested a separate disaster declaration for the July 30 storms and flooding.
In May, Vermont became the first state to enact a law requiring fossil fuel companies to pay a share of the damage caused by extreme weather fanned by climate change. But officials have acknowledged that collecting any money will depend on litigation against a much-better-resourced oil industry.
In Burke, a town of about 1,650 that is home to the Burke Mountain ski area, Kingdom Trails is a huge economic driver, said Town Administrator Jim Sullivan.
"It's traumatic, it's unbelievable the extent that it ripples out," he said. "If Kingdom Trails can't open, people cancel their reservations at the Airbnbs and at the inns. We have restaurants that are counting on all of those people coming here. And it's just a chain event that eventually dwindles where you have these absolutely beautiful days and you just don't have the people here that we normally would have if we didn't have this devastation."
Each of the storms caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in road and property damage, Sullivan said. The town lost a bridge in the July 10 flooding and the whole mountain road in the storm weeks later, he said.
"We're still waiting for some direction from the federal government. In the meantime, everybody has really come together and done a great job of helping each other. True community," he said.
About 60 student-athletes who race in cross-country mountain biking with the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League, and 40 coaches, were in Burke to train at Kingdom Trails when the latest flooding hit on July 30.
The group had to pivot to ride on gravel for a few days but then some trails reopened quickly, said Michael Morrell, with the National Interscholastic Cycling Association, who was with them.
"The trail system up here and the trail crew are just so efficient, and the trails, many of the trails, they drain very well," he said on Aug. 1.
The East Burke Market was having a really good summer but when the trails closed down, business "came to a bit of a screeching halt," said co-owner Burton Hinton.
By RIO YAMAT Associated Press
THOUSANDS of hospitality union workers on the Las Vegas Strip have reached a tentative deal with the Venetian and Palazzo resorts, a first for employees at the sprawling Italian-inspired complex that opened 25 years ago and quickly became a Sin City landmark. The Culinary Workers Union announced Tuesday on the social platform X that the deal came together around 6:30 a.m. after a year of negotiations. It covers over 4,000 hotel and casino workers, from housekeepers and cocktail servers to bartenders and porters.
In a short video shared by the union, a housekeeper at the Venetian said the pending contract is proof that "things change if we actually voice our concern and have a group of people that back us up."
"First-time contract for Venetian," she said, smiling. "It's a very historical event. It's something we can be proud of."
The deal needs to be approved by the union's rank and file. Bethany Khan, a union spokesperson, said it mirrors the major wins secured in recent contracts awarded to 40,000 hospitality workers at 18 Strip properties owned or operated by casino giants MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Resorts.
Those wins included a 32% pay increase over five years, housekeeping workload reductions and improved job security
amid advancements in technology and artificial intelligence.
The bump in pay under those contracts will amount to an average $35 hourly wage by the end of the contracts, according to the union. Workers at these properties were making about $26 hourly with benefits before winning their latest contracts in November.
Described by the Culinary Union as their "best contracts ever," the deals ended lengthy labor disputes that had brought the threat of a historic strike to the Strip as the city prepared to debut its new Formula One racetrack.
Patrick Nichols, Venetian's president and CEO, said in a statement that the company looks forward to its workers ratifying the contract.
"The Venetian Resort Las Vegas has a long history of respecting our Team Members and putting their needs and interests at the center of our decision-making process," Nichols said. The Venetian opened in 1999 and the adjoining Palazzo in 2007. Gondolas gliding through canals both outside near Las Vegas Boulevard sidewalks and indoors through a plaza with stores and restaurants have made it a Sin City landmark.
The union says it is now turning its attention to winning five-year contracts for workers at the massive Sphere venue and at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, the
A GONDOLIER steers his boat beneath a quiet pedestrian walkway at the
Photo:John Locher/AP
Wall Street slips and breaks an 8-day winning streak
By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer
U.S. stocks ticked lower Tuesday and snapped an eight-day winning streak, the longest of the year.
The S&P 500 slipped 0.2%, but it's still just 1.2% below its all-time high set last month. It has roared back from its scary summer drop, where the index briefly dropped nearly 10% below its record.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 61 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.3%.
Nvidia was the heaviest weight on the market after falling 2.1%. The chip company is one of Wall Street's most influential stocks because a frenzy around artificial-intelligence technology has made it one of the U.S. stock market's most valuable companies at roughly $3 trillion.
Nvidia has recovered most of its summertime swoon, where its stock dropped more than 20% on worries investors went overboard and took its price too high, but it has remained shaky ahead of its earnings report scheduled for next week.
Boeing also weighed on the market after sinking 4.2%.
Federal safety officials are requiring inspections of cockpit seats on Boeing
787 Dreamliners. Boeing also has stopped test flights of a new version of its 777 jetliner after discovering a damaged structural part between the engine and the rest of the plane. The new model has not yet been approved by regulators. Helping to limit the market's losses was Palo Alto Networks. The cybersecurity company jumped 7.2% after becoming the latest big business to report stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Companies in the S&P 500 are on track to report their
best growth in earnings per share since the end of 2021, according to FactSet.
Lowe's likewise topped analysts' forecasts for profit in the spring, but its stock was more restrained. The home improvement retailer said it's facing a challenging economic backdrop, "especially for the homeowner," and cut its forecasts for revenue and profit this fiscal year. Its stock fell 1.2%.
High interest rates have been weighing on the economy after the Federal Reserve hiked them sharply in order to get inflation under control. On Tuesday,
Treasury yields eased ahead of a speech on Friday by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, one that's likely to be the week's highlight for financial markets.
The economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where Powell will be speaking has been home to big policy announcements in the past. Expectations aren't that high this time around, with nearly everyone already in agreement the Fed will begin cutting interest rates next month.
The biggest question is whether the economy needs
Disney drops bid to have allergy-death lawsuit tossed because plaintiff signed up for Disney+
By PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press
DISNEY is no longer asking a Florida court to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit on the grounds that the victim's family had signed up for its streaming service Disney+.
The company filed a notice in Orange County court on Tuesday to withdraw the motion, which had drawn swift backlash when it became public.
Josh D'Amaro, chairperson of Disney's theme park division, said in a statement emailed earlier to The Associated Press that the entertainment giant will waive its arbitration rights and allow the suit, brought by the husband of a New York doctor who suffered a fatal allergic reaction after eating at a restaurant in Disney Springs, to proceed in court.
"At Disney, we strive to put humanity above all other considerations," he said in the Monday night statement. "With such unique circumstances as the ones in this case, we believe this situation warrants a sensitive approach to expedite a resolution for the family who have experienced such a painful loss."
Disney had previously argued that Jeffrey Piccolo could not sue the company because he agreed to settle any lawsuits against the company out of court when he signed up for a onemonth trial subscription to Disney+ back in 2019.
Brian Denney, Piccolo's Florida-based lawyer, said Tuesday that his client will continue to "pursue justice on behalf of his beloved wife" and hopes that their ordeal has helped raised awareness of the challenges
people with food allergies face.
He also noted that others seeking to take Disney to court risk facing a similar legal challenge as the arbitration provision remains in many of the company's terms and conditions.
"The right to a jury trial as set forth in the Seventh Amendment is a bedrock of our judicial system and should be protected and preserved," Denney wrote in an email. "Attempts by corporations like Disney to avoid jury trials should be looked at with skepticism."
In a response filed earlier this month, Denney had argued that it was "absurd" to believe that the more than 150 million subscribers to Disney+ have waived all rights to sue the company and its affiliates in perpetuity because of language "buried" in the fine print.
The company, in its bid to have the lawsuit dismissed, argued Piccolo had not agreed just to the arbitration terms in his Disney+ trial, but also again when he signed up for an account on Disney's website and app in order to purchase the couple's tickets for their illfated theme park visit.
Both sides had been slated to make their case before a judge in Orlando on Oct. 2. That hearing was cancelled Tuesday.
Arbitration allows people to settle disputes without going to court and generally involves a neutral arbitrator who reviews arguments and evidence before making a binding decision, or award.
Disney, in a followup statement to The Associated Press last week, said that it was merely defending itself against Piccolo's attempt to include the company in his lawsuit against Raglan Road, the
Irish pub in Disney Springs where the family dined. Spokespersons for the restaurant didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday. Disney Springs is owned by
Disney, which leases some of the spaces in the outdoor dining, shopping and entertainment complex to other companies.
Piccolo's lawsuit claims the family had decided to
the Federal Reserve merely to remove the brakes or if it needs an extra boost requiring deeper and faster cuts.
A surprisingly weak report on hiring by U.S. employers last month raised worries the Fed has already kept interest rates too high for too long, but ensuing data on everything from inflation to sales at U.S. retailers helped bolster optimism.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 3.81% from 3.87% late Monday.
On Wall Street, the company behind Hawaiian Airlines soared 11.3% after it said its proposed merger with the company behind Alaska Airlines has cleared a major regulatory hurdle.
A review period by U.S. antitrust regulators for the deal has passed.
Alaska Air Group's stock was basically flat. All told, the S&P 500 slipped 11.13 points to 5,597.12. The Dow dipped 61.56 to 40,834.97, and the Nasdaq fell 59.83 to 17,816.94. In stock markets abroad, Japan's Nikkei 225 jumped 1.8% to claw back all of its sharp loss from the day before. Tokyo has been home to some of the world's most vicious
eat at Raglan Road in October because it was billed on Disney's website as having "allergen free food."
Piccolo's wife, Dr. Kanokporn Tangsuan, a physician with NYU Langone's office in Carle Place, New York, had a severe allergy to nuts and dairy products, and the waiter had assured them her food was prepared without allergens, the lawsuit states.
moves for financial markets recently after the Bank of Japan raised interest rates there last month.
That hike triggered losses for markets around the world because it forced many hedge funds to abandon a popular trade all at once, where they had borrowed Japanese yen cheaply and invested it elsewhere. That included the worst day for Japan's stock market since the Black Monday crash of 1987.
But an ensuing assurance from the Bank of Japan on interest rates has helped calm the market, along with the better-than-expected data on the U.S. economy. The rebound for U.S. stocks following their scary couple of weeks is another reminder about the danger of trying to time the market. Anyone who sold their stock investments earlier this month when panic was high would have missed the recent eight-day winning streak for the S&P 500. Historically, the market's best and worst days tend to be bunched together, "often back-to-back" during recessions or down markets, according to Veronica Willis, global investment strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.
But less than an hour after finishing their dinner, Tangsuan had difficulty breathing, collapsed and died at a hospital, despite self-administering an EpiPen, according to the lawsuit.
The medical examiner determined she died as a result of "anaphylaxis due to elevated levels of dairy and nut in her system," the lawsuit states.
PEDESTRIANS pass the New York Stock Exchange, on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in New York. Photo:Peter Morgan/AP
