By Carolyn Kissoon The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has confirmed that there is no truth to claims by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar that a businessman’s daughter had been kidnapped. And the Peoples National Movement (PNM) has condemned her action, saying it was calculated to cause unnecessary panic in the country. Police stated, however, that a false rumour had been circulating on social media that the daughter of a San Fernando businessman was taken against her will. Persad-Bissessar made the statement during her address at the United National Congress (UNC) Monday night forum in Couva. Persad-Bissessar told supporters that she was on her way to the meeting on Monday night when she received a text message on her mobile phone informing her of the kidnapping. She did not give details but went on to question why murders and kidnappings increased with a…

Women and girls have been sexually exploited in return for food in northern Kenya, where gender-based violence is on the rise, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) said on recently. “The IRC’s work with women and girls in northern Kenya has served as a critical lifeline for those who have experienced sexual gender-based violence and others forced to engage in sex work to survive,” Conor Philips, Kenya Country Director at the IRC, was quoted as saying by Efe news. Food and water in Kenya are in short supply due to drought, leaving the African country on the brink of famine. The IRC explained that the food crisis has led to an increase in early and forced marriages and involvement in “transactional sex”. Additionally, 12-year-old girls, who moved from rural to urban areas for prostitution, receive, according to the IRC, 50 shillings ($0.50) in exchange for sex.…

Labour’s female MPs are planning to operate as a parliamentary bloc to force Theresa May’s minority government to pass policies beneficial to women across Britain. The 119-strong group has been emboldened by the success of Stella Creasy’s Queen’s speech amendment, which paved the way for women in Northern Ireland to be given free access to NHS abortions. All the female MPs in Jeremy Corbyn’s party now plan to use the strength of their bloc in a variety of policy areas. These include: Heavy scrutiny of the domestic violence bill that the government promised to bring forward in the Queen’s speech. Pressing for social security reform to support female recipients. Ensuring that women are central to the government’s industrial strategy. Focusing on the experience of carers, older women needing care, and those working in the industry. Pushing for increased representation, particularly in local government. Jess Phillips, chair…

The 11th edition of the ICC Women’s World Cup has started in England. India has gotten off to a great start in the tournament, and are currently top of the table with three wins from three matches. Australia remains the other unbeaten team in the tournament, also recording three wins in three games. South Africa is also unbeaten in the tournament, but one of their games was abandoned due to no rain, and this leaves them with 5 points in three games. England occupies the final remaining semi-final spot in the table. Sri Lanka, Pakistan and West Indies are yet to open their account and occupy the final three spots in the table. The matches for the World Cup will be held are Bristol, Taunton, Derby, and Leicester, the final will be played at the home of cricket – Lord’s.

By: Sandhya D’Mello 2017 will end up on a very, very bright note and its effect will spill over in 2018 as women cohorts in the UAE join hands to incubate every startup holding potential to be a success in the UAE. Khaleej Times picked popular names to check the pulse of the market. Leading women angels like Elissa Freiha, angel investor and founder of Womena; Sonia Weymuller, founding partner, VentureSouq; Maria Pearson, CEO, grow.me; and a very ambitious Genny Ghanimeh, founder, and CEO of Pi Slice & Mind Cloud Academy believe in being the game changers. An Arabnet and Dubai SME research report indicates that at the end of 2016, women represented 14 per cent of all founders of investor-backed businesses in Mena. This figure will soar in coming years. Gender distribution among startup founders has been relatively stable over the years ranging from 10…

A Chinese woman fainted in a jewellery shop after accidentally breaking a jade bracelet priced at $44,000 (£35,000). The tourist from eastern Jiangxi province was trying on the bracelet in a shop in Ruili in Yunnan province near the border with Myanmar, where much of the jade in China is from. When she was told the bracelet’s price she quickly took it off but in her haste dropped it, state media reported. No agreement over compensation for the shop has yet been reached. Shop staff attempted to calm the woman after the breakage, but she turned pale, began sweating and eventually fainted, a report on news website 163.com quoted the shop owner’s son as saying. She came round after other customers who had rushed to help pinched her under her nose, the People’s Daily reported. Shop staff then told the woman she could pay $25,000 to resolve the matter,…

By Caroline Spiezio A Canadian captain made history Monday by becoming the first female infantry officer to lead the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London. Megan Couto led her unit —the Second Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry or “The Patricia’s” — in the ceremony, an event witnessed by thousands of tourists annually. “I’m just focusing on doing my job as best I can and staying humble,” said Couto, 24. “Any of my peers would be absolutely delighted to be captain of the queen’s guard and I’m equally honored.” The unit was invited to Britain to mark the 150th anniversary of Canada’s confederation. The role of Mounting the Queen’s Guard usually falls to the British Army’s Household Division, which is part of the male-dominated infantry division. “While Captain Megan Couto of Second Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry is the first female infantry officer to undertake…