Catherine Healy, who helped decriminalise prostitution, honoured with an Order of Merit for services to the rights of sex workers. When New Zealand police arrested Catherine Healy after raiding the Wellington brothel she worked in during the 1980s, it was impossible to imagine that one day she would be recognised by the Queen for her services to the industry. “It could have never happened in our minds,” Healy told the Guardian. “It couldn’t have happened in my mind even a couple of weeks ago.”For years she and her fellow sex workers fought stigma while campaigning for greater rights and recognition.

On Monday, Healy was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the rights of sex workers. “I was very daunted and found it very hard to believe,” she said. “You look around and there are many people I admire and you kind of figure out where you fit in society. I did not ever think this was a possibility.”

In 1986, Healy helped found the New Zealand Prostitutes Collective, an organisation that supports sex workers’ rights. “Back then, I remember reading stories that spoke about us, but journalists never spoke to us. It was just so disrespectful.” Now the landscape has changed. She helped develop a bill alongside politicians that would decriminalise the work and safeguard sex workers’ rights. Healy was in the public gallery in 2003, when the bill passed in parliament by a single vote.(theguardian)…[+]

Donald Trump on Monday said that he has an “absolute right to pardon myself”, adding “but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong?” in his latest broadside against the Russia investigation. The US president’s remarks came in tweets in which he said his right to pardon had been “stated by numerous legal scholars”. Last year Trump had said that he has the “complete power to pardon”.

On Monday Trump was renewing his attacks on the special counsel investigation into Russia meddling in the 2016 election and allegations of collusion with the Trump campaign. Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, in television interviews on Sunday, suggested Trump might have that authority to pardon himself but would be unwise to use it.  Giuliani told NBC’s Meet the Press: “Pardoning himself would be unthinkable and probably lead to immediate impeachment.” He added: “He has no need to do it, he’s done nothing wrong.”

Giuliani said he would be “willing to sit down with Mueller and argue it out if he has an open mind to it”. The former New York Mayor and mob prosecutor has taken a leading role in defending Trump, sometimes with conflicting statements that get information out there but also making it appear accidental or disinformation.

On Thursday, Trump said that he is considering pardoning Martha Stewart, the home decorating mogul who served five months in prison for obstructing justice and similar charges as part of a 2004 insider trading investigation, and the former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich.(theguardian)…[+]

Grenada – The ocean plays a role in the livelihood of approximately 40 percent of the world’s population that lives in coastal areas, and makes a significant contribution to economic growth. However, most countries in the Caribbean Region are yet to fully leverage the blue economy as a driver or growth, shows a new study released yesterday by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). The blue economy is made of up of economic activities that either take place directly in the ocean, or use outputs from the sea for consumption or as a source of income.

The CDB-study, entitled “The Blue Economy: A Caribbean Development Opportunity”, explores the potential of the ocean-based economy for the Caribbean, and also presents financing options that can allow policymakers to explore blue economy strategies at a national and regional level.

Dr. W^m. Warren Smith, President, CDB noted that “New and high-value blue economy growth industries such as aquaculture, marine biotechnology, deep seabed mining, and ocean renewable energy remain under-developed in our Region.”

“Development of the blue economy should be accompanied by intelligent management and protection of coastal and marine resources,” he added.

Dr. Justin Ram, Director of Economics at CDB said, “While a number of blue economy initiatives can be highlighted within the Caribbean, the scope and scale remain below the potential, mainly because the blue economy has not been formally recognised as an important economic driver. Leveraging a blue economy strategy will allow Caribbean countries to more effectively drive the triple bottom line of sustainable development: Growing the economy, protecting the environment, and advancing social well-being.” The paper, produced in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), identifies four key industries which could be targeted for further growth under a blue economy strategy, namely, fisheries and aquaculture; coastal and marine tourism; marine renewable energy; and marine transport. It also suggests that a blue economy strategy cannot be applied uniformly across all countries in the Region, but can provide an opportunity to collaborate with regional peers to achieve greater efficiency and output.(CDB)…[+]