 Agents with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Office at the U.S. Embassy assisted the Trinidad and Tobago Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) in an investigation which culminated in the arrest of Shurlan Guppy on 26th September 2023, who is charged with trafficking heroin and cocaine valued at US $1 million to the United States. He is charged in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and will be extradited to Pennsylvania to face charges. During the early morning execution of the arrest warrant, agents found a firearm and one (1) kilogram of cocaine in the suspect’s residence.
In a Media Release today (Wednesday 27th September 2023), the U.S. Embassy in Port-of-Spain notes that the U.S. Embassy’s DEA Office personnel and TOCU have been working side by side for almost twenty (20) years. U.S. Ambassador Candace Bond said of the arrest, “I am proud of the painstaking work the U.S. Embassy’s DEA agents do every single day to help end drug trafficking and to strengthen citizen security for the people of Trinidad and Tobago. DEA agents working closely with members of Trinidad and Tobago law enforcement act as a force multiplier. This arrest, following months of investigation and close collaboration between DEA, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and Trinidad and Tobago’s TOCU, is another sterling example of our close partnership, and yet more evidence that the United States is Trinidad and Tobago’s most reliable friend and partner in the world.” Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds said, “U.S. DEA agents in Philadelphia and at the U.S. Embassy started working on this case with us in 2020, culminating in this major arrest and extradition order. I am gratified that our excellent co-operation has led to this arrest. We count on our American partners in law enforcement to assist us in making Trinidad and Tobago safer for our communities.” [Source: U.S. Embassy Trinidad & Tobago]  The Minister of Energy and Energy Industries and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Stuart R. Young, M.P., is advising the public that Cabinet approved the award of three (3) deep water blocks to a consortium of bp and Shell.
In a Media Release on Thursday (21st September 2023), the Ministry said this decision of Cabinet was taken on 8th September 2023. The award ceremony will take place on Tuesday (26th September 2023) with the parties signing the material Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs). According to the Media Release, “The Ministry of Energy and the consortium have been engaged in complex negotiations over the terms and conditions of the PSCs having regard to, inter alia, the fact that the blocks to be awarded are located in deep water and required different and novel considerations due to the nature of the expected exploration and possible future production.” Minister Young expressed his pleasure at the fact that these blocks will be awarded and “what it means for Trinidad and Tobago as the deep water is a new frontier in our country's hydrocarbon development.”  Apple released several major software updates for its various devices this afternoon (Monday 18th September 2023), including iOS 17.0 (21A329) and iPadOS 17.0 (21A329). iOS 17 contains hundreds of new features and is compatible with the following iPhones:
Some of the new features in iOS 17.0 include the following:
Apple’s description of iOS 17 states: “iOS 17 brings big updates to Phone, Messages, and FaceTime that give you new ways to express yourself as you communicate. StandBy delivers a new full-screen experience with glanceable information designed to view from a distance when you turn iPhone on its side while charging. AirDrop makes it easier to share and connect with those around you and adds NameDrop for contact sharing. Enhancements to the keyboard make entering text faster and easier than ever before. iOS 17 also includes updates to Widgets, Safari, Music, AirPlay, and more.” Tech YouTuber Brandon Butch has an in-depth (over 2 hours long) video breakdown of the 400+ new features and changes in iOS 17, which you can watch in its entirety below, along with a separate video showing step-by-step instructions on how to update to iOS 17. In addition to iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, Apple also released the following software updates this afternoon:
Meanwhile, macOS 14 Sonoma is scheduled to be released to the public on 26th September 2023. Will you be updating your devices to the new software versions today? Let us know in the comments below. [Source: iSoftware Updates/X]  Prime Minister Keith Rowley will travel to New York today (Sunday 17th September 2023), where he is scheduled to participate at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
According to a Media Release from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), this year’s theme is “Accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and the sustainability for all.” His Excellency, Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago has been appointed the President of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. The OPM notes that Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Senator the Hon. Dr. Amery Browne, Minister of Planning and Development, the Hon. Pennelope Beckles and Minister of Health, the Hon. Terrence Deyalsingh, will also attend the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Minister of Finance, the Hon. Colm Imbert will act as Prime Minister until his return.  Pictured Above: Overturned cars lay among other debris caused by flash floods in Derna, Eastern Libya, on 11th September 2023. Photo Credit: AFP/Getty Images. More than 5,000 people are tragically presumed dead and 10,000 missing after heavy rains in Northeastern Libya caused two (2) dams to collapse, surging more water into already inundated areas. The rain, which has swept across several cities in Libya's Northeast, is the result of a very strong low-pressure system that brought catastrophic flooding to Greece last week and moved into the Mediterranean before developing into a tropical-like cyclone known as a Medicane. The deadly storm comes in an unprecedented year of climate disasters and record-breaking weather extremes, from devastating wildfires to oppressive heat. The collapse of two (2) dams, which sent water rushing towards Derna, has caused catastrophic damage, authorities said today (Tuesday 12th September 2023). Head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies delegation in Libya, Tamer Ramadan, gave the numbers of missing people during a briefing to reporters today in Geneva, Switzerland. “The death toll is huge,” she said. At least 5,300 people are believed to be dead, according to the Interior Ministry of Libya's Eastern Government, State media LANA reported. In the Eastern City of Derna, which has seen the worst of the devastation, as many as 6,000 people remain missing, Othman Abduljalil, Health Minister in Libya's Eastern Administration, told Libya's Almasar TV. He called the situation “catastrophic,” when he toured the City on Monday.
Whole neighborhoods are believed to have been washed away in the City, according to authorities. Hospitals in Derna are no longer operable and the morgues are full, said Osama Aly, an Emergency and Ambulance service spokesperson. Dead bodies have been left outside the morgues on the sidewalks, he told CNN. This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates. [Source: CNN]  Apple held its ’Wonderlust’ iPhone launch event today (Tuesday 12th September 2023) at Apple Park, the company's headquarters in Cupertino, California. The company announced the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, complete with USB-C charging, starting at US $799. It also unveiled the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, starting at US $999. Another key announcement at today’s event was the brand-new Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, as well as updated AirPods Pro 2 with a USB-C charging case. iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus features improved performance, the Dynamic Island (previously seen on iPhone 14 Pro), a range of new colors, and a USB-C port which replaces the Lightning connector. Like last year, iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus sport 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays. However, Apple said that maximum brightness can now go up to 2000 nits. Apple’s color finishes are now embedded throughout the glass, to form an impressive new colorful finish. The iPhone 15 is offered in pink, yellow green, blue, and black. iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max The new Pro models utilize a brushed titanium case in place of stainless steel. Apple says the new iPhone 15 Pro is the lightest Pro model ever. It also features the thinnest bezels yet. The overall dimension has been reduced without shrinking the display size. The new iPhone 15 Pro also features the rumored Action Button in place of the mute switch. It can launch the camera app, invoke Shortcuts or accessibility features, start a voice memo, and more. iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max also include the all-new A17 Pro chip — Apple’s first 3nm chip. USB-C I/O supports up to 10Gbps data transfer with the optional USB3 cable. 20% faster GPU includes mesh shading and hardware-accelerated ray tracing. Apple says the new camera system has the equivalent of seven (7) camera lenses (using three actual lenses). A new nano coating reduces lens flare. The 48MP sensor has improved low light performance. 48MP HEIF is now supported (no longer just ProRAW). 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm shots are supported by the main camera. iPhone 15 Pro gains next-gen Portrait with 2x low light performance and focus control. The telephoto lens on the iPhone 15 Pro Max features 5x optical zoom at 120mm focal length. The periscope lens is called a tetra prism design. Optical image stabilization is also enhanced with movement in three (3) directions — a smartphone first. The ultra wide sensor shoots macro and 13mm shots, rounding out the seven (7) focal lengths mentioned before. Photos and videos can now be directly saved to a Mac or external storage. ProRes also goes up to 4K60 now — Blackmagic camera level. For Vision Pro, iPhone 15 Pro also captures “spatial video” now. It uses the ultra wide and main camera to create 3D videos. The feature will be available sometime after launch. Other facts about the new Pro models:
Apple Watch Series 9
The new version of the Apple Watch comes in a design that’s identical to the previous generation, but now with a faster processor and improved sensors. Apple has not introduced a faster chip since the Series 6 in 2020. This year, however, the S9 SiP (System in a Package) in the Apple Watch Series 9 features a faster GPU and GPU. This means that users will notice reduced loading times when opening apps or rebooting the system. The S9 SiP also has a new version of Apple’s ultra-wideband chip. Similar to the U1 chip, the new chip provides “spatial awareness,” allowing the device to precisely detect the location of other devices nearby, equipped with the same technology. With ultra-wideband, Apple is making this technology even more precise, which enables new features when using Find My. Although Apple Watch Series 9 has not been equipped with any new health features, the heart rate sensor has been improved to be more accurate. Apple has also added a new gyroscope that enables a double-tap gesture with your fingers to control the Apple Watch without touching the screen. Another new feature is a brighter display that reaches up to 2,000 nits of brightness, or just 1 nit when the Apple Watch is not in use. Prices for the new Apple Watch Series 9 start at US $399, and it comes in 41mm and 45mm versions, available in aluminum and stainless steel. Pre-orders start today (Tuesday 12th September 2023) with the official launch in stores set for next Friday (22nd September 2023). Apple Watch Ultra 2 The new Apple Watch Ultra 2 replaces the top-end model first introduced a year ago. The new model gets improved internals, shared with the Apple Watch Series 9. As with the Series 9, this year’s Apple Watch Ultra gets the same S9 processor for “super-smooth animations”and U2 ultra-wideband location chip. Siri is now processed on-device thanks to a new neural engine in the S9 chip. Siri can now also provide access to your health data, a feature which will be available “later this year.” The new U2 chip can find your iPhone with ultra-precision, along with media suggestions when you get close to a HomePod — or Now Playing controls if the speaker is already playing audio. The Watch also introduces a double-tap gesture for things like answering and ending phone calls and snoozing alarms, again in common with the S9 model. Battery life in low-power mode is now up to seventy-two (72) hours. Apple says Apple Watch Ultra 2 production is 100% carbon neutral. AirPods Pro 2 with New USB-C Charging Case As the iPhone 15 is getting USB-C to replace the Lightning connector, Apple is also updating some of its accessories with USB-C — and that includes AirPods. During Tuesday’s special event, the company introduced a new USB-C charging case for AirPods Pro 2, which will be available by default for those buying new AirPods Pro. Apple announced AirPods Pro 2 last year alongside the iPhone 14. And while the AirPods Pro 2 themselves are not getting any hardware upgrades, they will now come with a new charging case that features a USB-C port instead of the Lightning connector. According to Apple, “The new AirPods Pro are updated with a USB‐C connector, so it’s easy to use a single cable to charge Mac, iPad, AirPods, and the iPhone 15 lineup. Users can even charge AirPods directly with iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max, which also come with a USB‐C connector.” Apple is still selling AirPods Pro 2 for US $249. Unfortunately, contrary to what was first rumored, Apple would not be selling the AirPods Pro USB-C charging case separately. Customers can now order the new version of AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C charging case. Apple says shipments will begin on Friday 22nd September 2023 for orders placed today. [Source: 9to5Mac]  Apple is expected to unveil its iPhone 15 lineup today (Tuesday 12th September 2023) at its highly-anticipated ‘Wonderlust’ event, where it could introduce the biggest change to the phone’s design in eleven (11) years. Industry experts are predicting Apple will introduce USB-C charging to its smartphones for the first time. The change could ultimately streamline the charging process across various devices and brands. Additional updates to the battery life, camera and displays are also likely. The event will take place at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, and will be live streamed starting at 1:00 PM ET. Watch it below and keep reading for what we can expect to be revealed today. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, and their switch from Lightning to USB-C, are expected to be the star of the show. The iPhone 15 Pro models are also rumored to feature a new titanium design with dramatically slimmer bezels around the display. The iPhone 15 Pro Max will reportedly get an all-new periscope camera system as well. Meanwhile, the regular iPhone 15 will get the Dynamic Island, which was exclusive to iPhone 14 Pros last year.
iPhone 15 Pro is widely rumored to ditch the mute switch on the side of the phone, in favor of an Action Button, that can be assigned to any of the following:
The Pro models, which may get a new blue color this year, are said to feature Apple’s new A17 Bionic chip, which is a staggering 3nm process. Regular iPhone 15 models will stick to last year’s A16 chip, however, which were exclusive to iPhone 14 Pros. In addition to shiny new iPhones, Apple is also expected to unveil a new Apple Watch Series 9 during today’s event, as well as an updated version of the Apple Watch Ultra, a new USB-C version of AirPods Pro, and more. Below is a last minute rumor-roundup of some other things we can expect today:
iPhone pre-orders could begin this Friday (15th September 2023) and arrive next Friday (22nd September 2023). iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, which were previously unveiled at WWDC on 5th June 2023, could be released on Monday (18th September 2023). More on this as it becomes available. This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates.  At least 2,862 people have been killed in the devastating earthquake which struck Morocco on Friday (8th September 2023) and 2,562 have been injured, according to State media on Monday (11th September 2023). Rescuers are searching through rubble and trying to reach isolated communities as many people are still unaccounted for. Nearly 1,500 people have died in the province of Al Haouz, where the quake was most devastating. The earthquake, which struck around 11:11 PM local time on Friday night, is the strongest to hit the nation's center in more than a century, and its epicenter was not far from popular tourist and economic hub, Marrakech. Its epicenter was located in the High Atlas mountain range, about 72 kilometers (44.7 miles) Southwest of Marrakech, a city of about 840,000 people. Its impact was felt far and wide, reaching as far North as Casablanca. The quake had a magnitude of 6.8, meaning it is classed as “strong.” It also struck at a relatively shallow depth, making it more destructive. Morocco has suffered earthquakes in the past, but few in its history have been so powerful. This quake is Morocco's deadliest since 1960, when an earthquake killed more than 12,000 people.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said earthquakes of this size in the region are uncommon, but not unexpected. It noted that nine (9) quakes with a magnitude of 5 or higher have hit the area since 1900, but none of them have had a magnitude higher than 6. More on this as it becomes available. This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates. [Source: CNN]  Pictured Above: Workers try to clear debris in Marrakesh, Morocco. Photo Credit: Abdelhak Balhaki/Reuters. A powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck Morocco on Friday night (8th September 2023), killing more than 1,000 people and injuring at least 1,200, including more than 700 in critical condition, according to the country’s Interior Ministry. A frantic scramble in ongoing to rescue trapped survivors in a North African country that is a popular tourist destination. The earthquake occurred at 11:11 PM local time, when most people were at home, and was said to have been centered in a mountainous region, South of the ancient city of Marrakesh. Buildings in remote villages were flattened and there is widespread electricity and telephone blackouts. The earthquake was felt in coastal cities such as Casablanca and as far away as Portugal, more than 400 miles away. Officials said rural areas that are difficult to access, suffered the most severe damage, with most of the casualties in the rugged provinces of al-Haouz and Chichaoua, where the epicenter was located. State television showed first responders removing rocks from a road in al-Haouz, where the highest peak is more than 13,000 feet. Some cliff-side homes made of bricks and mud crumbled. A State TV correspondent, reporting from al-Haouz, said an entire family was killed there when their home collapsed on them during the night. “The biggest challenge for Moroccan authorities responding to the earthquake will be in the rural mountain villages and hamlets,” said Geoff Porter, head of North Africa Risk Consulting, a New York-based security advisory firm. “While Morocco does have the resources and assets to help urban populations…getting into the mountains themselves will take time.” Naoufal Reda, a resident of Amizmiz, a town near Marrakesh that lies at the foot of the High Atlas Mountains, said several of his neighbors were still missing after the earthquake. “Two (2) of my neighbors are dead and we don’t know if those trapped are dead or not,” Reda said. “Everything happened so quickly with hardly any chance to escape.”
“We all slept in the open and are likely to stay here for days,” he said. “Those of us who are not badly shaken have already started digging graves as we are assuming those missing will be found dead.” The Director of a Local Hospital in Amizmiz said it had received dozens of victims and could no longer accommodate critical cases. “We are maxed out here and the queues are long. We have already sent sixty (60) critical cases to other Hospitals,” the Director said. The quake shook the old city of Marrakesh, an 11th-century warren of stone buildings packed with World Heritage sites and droves of foreign tourists. A Moroccan Official said some substandard buildings collapsed and a historic Mosque was damaged, but the City escaped widespread damage. Authorities said they were determined to minimize the casualty numbers, though they said they expected the death toll to rise. The World Health Organization’s regional office for the Eastern Mediterranean said in a statement that the earthquake had affected 300,000 people in Marrakesh and surrounding areas. More on this as it becomes available. This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates. [Source: The Wall Street Journal]  Pictured Above: Steve Harwell. Photo Credit: Getty. Lead Singer of popular rock band ‘Smash Mouth,’ Steve Harwell, has died at age fifty-six (56), according to TMZ. Steve, the longtime frontman of Smash Mouth and one of the original founding members dating back to 1994, died on Sunday morning (3rd September 2023) at his home in Boise, Idaho. His Manager said he died as a result of liver failure. He was said to have been surrounded by family and friends on Sunday, and passed away peacefully and comfortably.
Steve had been in hospice, and was receiving end-of-life care at home with his friends and family around him, after being given only days to live this past weekend, TMZ said. It is alleged he succumbed to his health battles due to alcohol abuse, among other ailments. Steve had announced his retirement from performing live a few years ago, following a show in which he was found to have been slurring his words and acting erratic onstage. Smash Mouth skyrocketed to fame in the late '90s and early 2000s, on account of their album ‘Astro Lounge,’ which featured some of their most famous songs, such as ‘All Star.’ The rock band was also involved in the ‘Shrek’ film, which placed them on another level of fame — as did their cover of The Monkees’ hit song ‘I'm a Believer.’ Other notable tracks Steve contributed to included: ‘Walkin' On the Sun,’ ‘Then the Morning Comes,’ ‘Can't Get Enough of You Baby,’ ‘Pacific Coast Party’ and ‘Why Can't We Be Friends.’ Steve faced many battles in his short life, including losing his 6-month-old son to Leukemia. RIP, Steve. More on this as it becomes available. [Source: TMZ] This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates. |
AboutYouthere1 is a website focused on providing useful information, breaking news, entertainment and online shopping in Trinidad and Tobago.
AlertsSupportYouTubeContactPrivacyCategories
All
Archives
September 2023
|
RSS Feed
