Latest news with #StVincent
BBC News
6 days ago
- BBC News
Devon man drowns in strong currents while on holiday
A man from Devon drowned while snorkelling with sea turtles off a small, uninhabited Caribbean island, an inquest has newspaper editor Gareth Weekes, 77, was on a week-long yachting trip in St Vincent and the Grenadines when the incident happened in March 2023, Exeter Coroner's Court was wife, Alison Weekes, said she and her husband were not told about the currents ahead of being left in the told the hearing: "I fully accept his death was accidental, but we had no warnings about currents and no means of communication from the uninhabited island - the dinghy disappeared." The yacht's captain and the Dutch company that organised the holiday said that the swimming and snorkelling trips were free activities, but the risks and responsibilities lay with the guests Weekes told the coroner she believes the sailing company should improve their safety procedures. Mrs Weekes said her husband - a former editor of the Tavistock Times Gazette - was an "adequate swimmer" and had swum from the yacht on previous said Mr Weekes chose not to use flippers on the day in question, as they were difficult to walk with on the entered the sea together, but she left the water when her mask misted up, before realising her husband was appealed to other tourists for help, before one of the yacht's dinghies returned after 20 minutes, when a "frantic" Mrs Weekes told the crewman her husband was crew searched for Mr Weekes, finding him clinging to ropes at the edge of the snorkelling took Mr Weekes back to the yacht, where he was given CPR, but could not be saved.A post mortem concluded he died from drowning and he also had atrial fibrillation and Parkinson's senior Devon coroner, Philip Spinney, recorded a conclusion of accidental death.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
Widow of British holidaymaker who drowned snorkelling off Caribbean island accuses yacht cruise company of poor safety
The widow of a British holidaymaker who drowned while snorkelling off a Caribbean island has accused the yacht cruise company of poor safety. Gareth Weekes, 77, of Clayhidon, Devon was onboard a luxury yacht with his wife Alison Weekes, alongside 25 other guests and 10 members of crew, off the coast of St Vincent and the Grenadines when he tragically died on March 8, 2023. Now, his heartbroken widow has claimed that the couple received 'no warning' from members of staff regarding the risk of 'currents', adding that she believes the sailing company should improve their safety procedures as a result. Exeter Coroner's Court heard that both Alison and her husband, a retired journalist and former editor of the Bournemouth Daily Echo, had been taken by a dinghy to the beach off the island early that morning while away on holiday. Ms Weekes, who had been married to Mr Weekes for 17 years, previously described her beloved husband as having 'enormous integrity and empathy' and a keen sailor. She said that on the morning of that fateful day, Mr Weekes, a -father-of-four, did not use flippers as he said they were difficult to walk with on the beach. While the pair entered the sea together, Ms Weekes faced difficulties with her mask. When she emerged from the water, her husband was nowhere to be seen. Becoming 'frantic', Ms Weekes quickly enlisted the help of other members of the public in attempting to find Mr Weekes. After 20 minutes, one of the dinghies returned, with the crewmen immediately informed of his disappearance. A crewman eventually located Mr Weekes, found hanging onto ropes at the edge of the snorkelling zone. He was then taken to their 54 metre yacht and given CPR, but unfortunately did not survive. Both the captain of the yacht and the Dutch company that organised the trip said that both the swimming and snorkelling trips were free activities, but that the risks and responsibilities laid with the guests themselves. However, Ms Weekes refuted such claims, adding that while she 'fully accepts' that her husband's death was 'accidental', the pair 'had no warnings about currents and no means of communication from the uninhabited island. The dinghy disappeared'. She also added that her husband was an 'adequate swimmer' and had been able to swim from the yacht in the previous days. Previously described as a 'wonderful father' with 'kindness running through everything he did', Mr Weekes' daughter, Jenna Fansa, told The Echo: 'Dad took a very genuine interest in everyone he met - together with his wit and engaging writing style, this made him a very talented journalist. 'We are so very lucky to have had him.' Meanwhile, Mr Weekes' eldest daughter, Veryan Canston, spoke highly of her father's 'boundless enthusiasm and gung-ho zest for new experiences'. Reflecting on his incredible life, she told the publication: 'Dad died how he lived - taking risks, having adventures, exploring the world and approaching life with boundless enthusiasm and a gung-ho zest for new experiences. 'We are glad he was having those adventures right up till the end.' Mr Weekes also had two stepchildren - Poz Watson and Maddie Flint - as well as 11 grandchildren. He was survived by his two sisters, Carolyn Arthurs and Jane Revill. Born in Cardiff in October 1945 and growing up in south Wales, Mr Weekes worked at a firm of solicitors before becoming a journalist. He edited weekly newspapers in Tavistock and Salisbury before later becoming the editor of the Bournemouth Daily Echo. A post mortem investigation into his 'tragic and sudden death' concluded that the British holidaymaker died from drowning. He was also found to have had atrial fibrillation and Parkinson's disease. Senior Devon coroner Philip Spinney recorded a conclusion of accidental death.
Evening Standard
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Evening Standard
St Vincent live at Somerset House review: absurdity returns in full force
Annie Clark, has been touring her most recent record All Born Screaming since its release back in April last year, but skipped a run of London dates in favour of a one-off show at Royal Albert Hall. Though she brought intensity and some of her heaviest guitar lines to date to the prestigious concert venue, she largely eschewed the eccentricity and theatricality that has come to define her live shows in favour of something much more straightforward. For most artists, rattling through the hits would be nothing unexpected; but from St Vincent - an artist who once toured 2017's new wave record MASSEDUCTION as a lone absurdist figure playing guitar in front of a closed theatre curtain - sticking to convention isn't how she usually plays things.
New York Times
07-07-2025
- New York Times
How to Have a Relaxed, Festive Vacation With a Baby in Tow
In late May of last year, when Brandon Thomas Brown and Jade Akintola were sitting in the back seat of a rickety jeep driving up a windy road in the hills of the Caribbean island of Bequia — the largest in the Grenadines — with their baby son on Akintola's lap, they asked themselves, 'What have we done?' For the couple, who co-founded the outdoor goods company ITA Leisure, the journey was the last leg of a trip that had started with a flight from New York to St. Vincent, followed by a lengthy car and ferry ride — two legs too many, perhaps, with an infant. - A Danish jewelry designer's long midsummer lunch. - In the Caribbean, a couple's laid-back birthday party with their young son. - A group of trans artists and activists' Filipino feast on Fire Island. - In a Georgian vineyard, a meal inspired by a painting. - A guide to sharing a vacation rental (and remaining friends with your housemates). - Chefs' favorite recipes for large groups. - An easy, crowd-pleasing cocktail to make in big batches. But then they reached the top of the hill: 'The island kind of opens its mouth, and you see the sand, the town, more greenery,' says Brown, 37. The rest of their week was laid-back and restful. To celebrate Akintola's 35th birthday, the couple and two of their friends spent time cooking, exploring the town of Port Elizabeth and taking more drives through the hills. The property they rented, named Villa Helianthus, after the genus of the sunflower, had a courtyard full of lilies and fruit trees as well as a view of the ocean and neighboring islands. 'You feel so sun-kissed all the time,' says Akintola, now 36, of her time on Bequia. 'There are some places you go to that just feel like God's country.' It's not the sort of vacation the New York-based couple would have taken a few years ago. Typically, for Akintola's Jade Parades, as she calls her annual birthday celebrations, she's opted for adventure-packed trips; for her 30th, she and 15 friends went to Negril, Jamaica, to snorkel, bar hop and snack on spiked ice cream and extremely hot scotch bonnets. On a trip to the Philippines, Brown, a photographer, traveled to four different cities with a backpack full of cameras. But on Bequia, the pair saw the value in slowing down, to ensure that their then-8-month-old son, Taslim, could fully be a part of the experience. 'Our rah-rah days are over,' says Brown. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Associated Press
04-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Demo Copy now available on desktop — Start copying Lead Traders in a simulated trading environment
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WOO X, a leading global crypto trading platform, is thrilled to announce that Demo Copy, a cornerstone feature of our social trading product, is now live on desktop, expanding access beyond its initial launch on mobile. This exciting update makes it easier than ever for traders to experience zero-cost crypto paper trading on their preferred devices. Demo Copy is a zero-cost crypto paper trading tool designed to help users simulate copying trades from top lead traders using virtual funds in a fully simulated trading environment. Many traders hesitate to start copy trading due to fear of loss and uncertainty about strategy performance. By replicating real trading with virtual funds, Demo Copy allows users to learn, practice, and build confidence before committing real capital. Since its debut on the WOO X mobile app, Demo Copy has empowered countless users to explore copy trading safely and effectively. Now, with the desktop version available, even more traders can take advantage of this innovative tool. Key Features Follow Lead Traders' moves in real time: Track and replicate the trades of seasoned lead traders as they happen, gaining insight into their strategies without risking your own capital. Interactive dashboard with performance metrics: Monitor key indicators such as Return on Investment (ROI) and Profit and Loss (PnL) on an intuitive dashboard, helping you evaluate the effectiveness of different trading strategies. Compare Lead Traders: Explore and analyze multiple lead traders' performance and trading styles to select the ones that align with your risk tolerance and goals. CounterTrading feature: Take advantage of WOO X's innovative CounterTrading tool, which allows you to strategically hedge by taking opposite positions against lead traders when market conditions call for it. Learn, practice, and optimize: Demo Copy is designed to help users build confidence and sharpen their trading skills by practicing in a simulated environment before committing real funds. This hands-on experience helps avoid common pitfalls and better prepares traders for live copy trading. How to start copying Lead Traders on WOO X Ben Yorke, Vice President of Ecosystem at WOO X, said: 'We're excited to bring Demo Copy to desktop, making it even easier for traders to experience the power of social trading without risking real capital. Demo Copy is designed to break down barriers for new and experienced traders alike by providing a zero-cost, fully simulated environment where users can learn, practice, and build confidence by following top lead traders in real time. At WOO X, we believe that by democratizing access to advanced trading tools and education, we can foster a smarter, safer, and more inclusive crypto trading ecosystem. This launch is a significant step toward that mission, enabling more people to take their first confident steps into the world of copy trading.' Closing remarks Demo Copy lowers entry barriers and encourages wider crypto adoption by providing a safe simulated environment where users can practice and test trading strategies. This accessible approach helps traders build confidence and skills before moving to live trading, making crypto markets more inclusive and approachable. At WOO X, our mission is to make crypto trading smarter, safer, and more accessible for everyone. To welcome new users, don't miss our Welcome Bonus offer when you complete KYC verification: Ready to start? Download the WOO X App or log in now to try Demo Copy today and take your first step into Social Trading: Contact: [email protected] About WOO X WOO X is a global centralized crypto futures and spot trading platform offering the best-in-class liquidity and price execution. WOO X has achieved a daily volume exceeding $1.6 billion and is home to hundreds of thousands of traders worldwide. WOO X traders benefit from radical transparency through our industry-first live Proof of Reserves & liabilities dashboard and the company's mission to maintain the trust of its growing community of traders. Disclaimers The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, legal advice or professional advice of any kind. While we have made every effort to ensure that the information contained herein is accurate and up-to-date, we make no guarantees as to its completeness or accuracy. The content is based on information available at the time of writing and may be subject to change. Cryptocurrencies involve significant risk and may not be suitable for all investors. The value of digital currencies can be extremely volatile, and you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite before participating in any staking or investment activities.A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
