WNBA will start its 28th season on May 14
The WNBA will start its 28th season on May 14 with last season's champions, the Las Vegas Aces, and the runner-up New York Liberty both in action.
The league on Monday released its 40-game schedule for 2024, which includes a more compact format for the Commissioner's Cup as well as a monthlong break for the Summer Olympics from July 18 to Aug. 14.
The 20th WNBA All-Star Game is scheduled for July 20 at Footprint Center in Phoenix.
In some past seasons, the league opted not to have an All-Star Game in Olympic years.
The Aces, who won the WNBA title in 2022 and 2023, begin next season at home against the Phoenix Mercury, who missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2012. The Liberty, who won the 2023 Commissioner's Cup trophy, open 2024 on the road at Washington.
After returning from the Olympic break, the final regular-season games will be played Sept. 19.
This is the last season the WNBA expects to play with 12 teams. The San Francisco Bay Area has been awarded an expansion team that begins play in 2025. If no other expansion team is finalized soon, the WNBA is prepared to play with an uneven number of teams, which it has done in the past.
The television schedule for the WNBA will be announced at a later date. Free agency signings begin in February, and the WNBA draft is April 15.
1000 food packages delivered to families across the Turks and Caicos Islands.
On December 21st, Graceway communities came together with the TCI Christian Council, Bible Study Ministries, and Outreach Turks and Caicos to provide 1000 food packages to families across the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The food hampers were distributed at two locations in Providenciales – at the Faith Tabernacle Ministries and the Flower Girl, both along Leeward Highway.
The food packages included essential items such as sugar, flour, chicken, oil, and rice, as well as fruits like apples and oranges, along with non-perishable items. They were put together and distributed to alleviate the burden faced by many families during the holiday season.
The distribution event saw an overwhelming response, with over 700 families receiving much-needed food packages with an additional three hundred distributed throughout the week.
During the distribution, special care was taken to ensure that senior citizens received their food boxes from Outreach TCI, ensuring that the most vulnerable members of the community were not overlooked during the exercise.
Elevation Worship & Maverick City's "Jireh" scores 145th week on charts, 71st week at #1
It's been nearly three years since Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music released "Jireh," and the hit song is still #1 on the charts.
It notched its 145th week on Billboard's Hot Gospel Songs chart this week, after debuting in the top spot back in April 2021. The song has maintained the #1 spot for 71 weeks straight.
According to Billboard, "Jireh" marked the first #1 for the Atlanta-based Maverick City Music, among its eight appearances on the charts. It's the first Hot Gospel Songs entry for the Charlotte, N.C.-based Elevation Worship, as well as Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine under their names.
Old Basement Music, the home of "Jireh," earned both groups their first Grammy win at the 2022 awards. While the song was nominated for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song, the album won for Best Contemporary Christian Music.
Elsewhere on the Hot Gospel Songs, Maverick City places with "In the Room," "God Problems, "For My Good" and more.
Source-ABC
JN.1 Covid variant: WHO charts its rapid global spread
A sub-variant of the Omicron strain of coronavirus has been classified as a "variant of interest" by the World Health Organization, because of "its rapidly increasing spread".
JN.1 has been found in many countries around the world, including India, China, UK, and the United States.
The risk to the public is currently low and current vaccines continue to offer protection, the WHO says.
But it warns Covid and other infections could rise this winter.
Respiratory viruses such as flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and childhood pneumonia are also on the rise in the Northern Hemisphere.
The virus that causes COVID-19 is constantly changing over time and sometimes this leads to new variants developing.
Omicron has been the globally dominant variant for some time.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is currently tracking some variants of interest linked to Omicron - including JN.1 - although none of them are deemed to be concerning. But JN.1 is spreading quickly in many corners of the world.
It is currently the fastest-growing variant in the United States, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, accounting for 15-29% of infections.
The UK Health Security Agency says JN.1 currently makes up around 7% of positive Covid tests analyzed in a lab. It said it would continue to monitor all available data on this and other variants.
JN.1 is spreading fast in all regions, probably because it has an additional mutation in the spike protein compared to the BA.2.86 variant from which it's descended.
"It is anticipated that this variant may cause an increase in Sars-Cov-2 [coronavirus] cases amid a surge of infections of other viral and bacterial infections, especially in countries entering the winter season," the WHO's risk assessment says.
There is still limited evidence on how capable JN.1 is of getting around the immunity offered by vaccines, the WHO says.
There are no reports of people becoming more ill with this variant than previous ones.
But more studies are needed to work out the health impact, the WHO says, as the number of countries reporting data on people admitted to hospital with Covid has dramatically reduced.
To prevent infections and severe disease, the WHO advises: wearing a mask in crowded, enclosed areas to cover up coughs and sneezes clean your hands regularly stay up to date with COVID and flu vaccinations, especially if vulnerable stay home if you get tested if you have symptoms.
Source-BBC
PUBLIC FORECAST FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS
GENERAL SITUATION: A COLD FRONT IS LOCATED EAST OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS WHILE A REINFORCING COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE ISLAND CHAIN TONIGHT MAINTAINING BREEZY CONDITIONS AND COOLER TEMPERATURES.
SPECIAL WARNINGS: HAZARDOUS BOATING AND BEACHING CONDITIONS WLL PERSIST ACROSS THE CHAIN OF ISLANDS THEREFORE BOATERS ARE URGED TO REMAIN IN OR NEAR PORT DUE TO VERY ROUGH SEAS AND SWELLS. BEACHGOERS SHOULD REFRAIN FROM ENTERING THE WATERS DUE TO ROUGH SURF AND DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS ALONG NORTH AND EAST COAST BEACHES.
ALL AREAS
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY AND BREEZY TO WINDY WITH FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS POSSIBLE…MOSTLY FAIR, BREEZY AND COOL TONIGHT.
ADVISORY: A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT. SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS ARE URGED TO REMAIN IN OR NEAR PORT.
WINDS: NORTH TO NORTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS, INCREASING TO 20 TO 25 KNOTS TONIGHT
SEAS: 5 TO 8 FEET NEARSHORE, BUILDING UP TO 12 FEET IN NORTHEASTERLY SWELL
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE 81°F 27°C
OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURE 73°F 23°C
SUNSET: 5:10 PM
NEXT HIGH TIDE: 02:26 PM (2.3 FT)
NEXT LOW TIDE: 08:45 PM (0.7 FT)
EXTENDED FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS: STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD BEHIND THE FRONT THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY AND MAINTAIN FRESH TO STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS ACROSS THE ISLANDS. THE WINDS WILL GRADUALLY SUBSIDE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. EXPECT MOSTLY DRY CONDITIONS FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS.
FORECAST FOR THURSDAY
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY AND BREEZY TO WINDY WITH FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS POSSIBLE…WITH MOSTLY FAIR, COOL AND BREEZY CONDITIONS EXPECTED AT NIGHT.
ADVISORY: A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL BE IN EFFECT…BOATERS ARE ADVISED TO REMAIN IN OR NEAR PORT.
WINDS: NORTHEASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS
SEAS: 4 TO 7 FEET BUILDING UP TO 11 FEET IN NORTHEASTERLY TO EASTERLY SWELL
SUNRISE: 6:22 AM
SUNSET: 5:10 PM
HIGH TIDE: 03:08 AM (2.6 FT) 03:29 PM (2.3 FT)
LOW TIDE: 09:34 AM (0.7 FT) 09:42 PM (0.7 FT)
FORECAST FOR FRIDAY
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY AND BREEZY WITH A BRIEF PASSING SHOWER OR TWO POSSIBLE…BECOMING FAIR AND COOL AT NIGHT.
ADVISORY: A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL BE IN EFFECT…BOATERS ARE ADVISED TO REMAIN IN OR NEAR PORT.
WINDS: NORTHEAST TO EAST AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS
SEAS: 4 TO 7 FEET BUILDING UP TO 10 FEET IN NORTHEASTERLY TO EASTERLY SWELL
SUNRISE: 6:23 AM
SUNSET: 5:11 PM
HIGH TIDE: 04:13 AM (2.6 FT) 04:30 PM (2.3 FT)
LOW TIDE: 10:45 AM (0.7 FT) 10:38 PM (0.7 FT)
FORECASTER: H. HAMILTON
NSC SHARES POST NSC MEETING STATEMENT
Her Excellency the Governor, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, and the Hon. Premier Charles Washington Misick, co-chaired a special meeting of the Turks and Caicos Islands National Security Council (NSC) on Monday 18 December 2023 at the Premier’s Office on Providenciales in response to recent crimes and serious incidents.
Members of the NSC extend their condolences to the families and friends who have lost loved ones.
- - The Acting Commissioner briefed the Council on the crime and serious incidents in the Turks and Caicos Islands over the past week. Operation Reclaim III remains live and each of the fatal incidents in Providenciales are under active investigation.
- - Strategic policing operations are in place. Operational resources are being redirected to support the response including intensified patrols in high-risk areas.
- - The NSC discussed further requirements for the multi-agency operational response including enhanced security plans over the festive period.
- - A subsequent NSC meeting will be held this Wednesday, December 20, 2023, following which there will be a press conference.
The NSC condemns all acts that threaten the safety of our communities. To assist police investigations, the public is asked to contact 911, the RTCIPF Serious Crime Unit at 232-8752, or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477 to provide any information anonymously on these incidents or any other information in respect of activity that may be of concern.
Follow-up questions are welcomed and can be directed to nationalsecurity@gov.tc
Bahamian PM responds to UN human rights report
Prime Minister Phillip Davis says while he is concerned at the report of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WAGD) at the same time, “I don’t need a UN report to tell me some issues we have and we are addressing these issues as best as we can”.
In its preliminary report released here earlier this month, the WAGD called on the authorities to do more to ensure people under arrest are given access to legal representation.
“The Working Group interviewed numerous detainees who were deprived of any legal representation at the initial stages of the proceedings because they did not have the financial means,” the WAGD said in its preliminary report.
The WGAD visited the country from November 27 to December 9 and visited 10 facilities and interviewed over 130 people in detention.
In its report, the WGAD said also that people are too often arrested without a warrant, and arrests are sometimes based on outdated or expired warrants. It also found that detainees are often detained for significantly longer than 48 hours without court-granted extensions.
“The Working Group received information that some detainees suffered vision loss due to their detention in darkness,” the report said, noting also recurrent complaints about detainees’ inability to access medical care and the absence of treatment for drug-dependent people.”
Speaking with reporters, Prime Minister Davis said his administration has been working towards rectifying some issues contained in the report.
“Well, I am always concerned about these issues, particularly as it relates to human rights, because we have for quite a long time, this is a legacy issue that has been plaguing our administration of justice, to the criminal side of it, for quite a long time and we need to address it.
“I’m concerned about it and I don’t need a UN report to tell me some issues we have and we are addressing these issues as best as we can,” he told reporters, adding “The UN have to appreciate that we are a country of limited resources and we have a lot of competing interest to attract our attention for resources.
“So, we are doing what we can within the limits of our resources and so we hear them and we understand what they’re saying, but we also have other responsibilities to discharge and that requires resources and we have to be able to share those resources effortlessly across the spectrum where the needs are most crucial and urgent.”
Soon after the release of the report, National Security Minister, Wayne Munroe, in criticising the document WGAD report, said the experts did not provide proof of many of their accusations about the country’s criminal justice system.
Munroe said he found the report alarming, adding that it had inconsistencies.
“This report says that the evidential threshold to prove that a confession was a result of ill-treatment is high. The group reports that an accused has to prove that he was beaten. That is not the law in this country as you all know. The law in this country is that we must prove beyond reasonable doubt that the confession was taken without oppression,” Munroe said, urging citizens to trust law enforcement and not the “adverse” report findings.
Source-CMC
Opposition legislators boycott budget debate
Opposition legislators Tuesday boycotted the first day of the debate on the EC$1.3 billion (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) budget Prime Minister Gaston Browne delivered to Parliament last Friday, insisting that there was not enough time to adequately prepare to debate the fiscal package.
When Browne had finished delivering the budget after more than three hours, Attorney-General Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin moved a motion for the debate to begin at 9:30 am (local time) on Monday.
However, the opposition said they were in not in favour and instead moved a counter motion that the debate begin on Thursday, December 21. They refused to budge from their position.
But the government said that the debate had to begin early because of the unavailability of some ministers who would be travelling overseas on official business.
Following the intervention of the Speaker, Sir Gerald Watt, the government’s compromise motion was put to the floor, calling on the debate to start on Tuesday.
All the government legislators present voted in favour, with the opposition maintaining its stance that the debate should begin on Thursday, even as Opposition Leader, Jamale Pringle said the time is “unfair.”
Government legislator, including Sports Minister Daryl Matthew, Housing Minister Maria Browne, Tourism Minister Max Fernandez and Foreign Affairs Minister EP Chet Greene, have all made their contributions to the debate, criticising the decision of the opposition.
The government controls nine of the 17 seats in Parliament.
Source-CMC
Here is your Scoreboard
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Memphis 115, New Orleans 113
Milwaukee 132, San Antonio 119
Portland 109, Phoenix 104
Golden State 132, Boston 126 (OT)
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Los Angeles 4, San Jose 1
Tampa Bay 6, St. Louis 1
Columbus 9, Buffalo 4
Philadelphia 3 New Jersey 2 (OT)
NY Rangers 5, Toronto 2
Carolina 6, Vegas 3
Minnesota 4, Boston 3 (OT)
NY Islanders 3, Edmonton 1
Vancouver 5, Nashville 2
Chicago 3, Colorado 2
Arizona 4, Ottawa 3
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Providence 72, Marquette 57
James Madison 87, Coppin St. 48
Memphis 77, Virginia 54
Mississippi 74, Troy 53
Colorado court rules Trump ineligible to run for president
Former President Donald Trump is ineligible under the 14th Amendment to run for president in 2024 because of the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday — a historic decision that sets up a battle before the nation's highest court.
"We conclude that ... President Trump engaged in insurrection," the justices wrote in the 4-3 ruling. The justices stayed their ruling until January 4, pending a likely appeal.
source-ABC