Mario caps Nintendo's triumphant comeback
The return of Super Mario is set to be the crowning achievement in what’s already been a remarkable year of recovery for Nintendo.
The loyal (and I mean loyal) fans weren’t worried, but rewind a year and many people - myself included - were questioning Nintendo’s ability to compete realistically with Sony and Microsoft in the console market.
The Wii U - a follow-on to the wildly successful Wii - had tanked, and the new console, Switch, seemed like it would be just too basic to make an impact.
Yet at E3 this year, the company is brimming with confidence. Its strategy has paid off.
"It seems to have brought back Nintendo’s mojo,” says Tom Phillips, news editor at Eurogamer.
"You look at where Nintendo are now compared to 12 months ago, it’s really night and day. They really turned things around.”
Eyeing the Wii
The Switch got off to a blistering start when it came out in March. It sold almost three million units in the first month, making it the company’s fastest-selling console. The first big release - Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - is now considered to be one of the best games created, with several million copies sold.
Source-BBC
Windies look to quell Afghan threat in series decider
Embattled West Indies face minnows Afghanistan in a crucial series decider here Wednesday night, needing a victory now only to avoid a devastating series defeat but the embarrassment associated with losing to the ICC Associate side.
What was supposed to be an easy assignment for the Windies to placate their absence from the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy in England, has gone horribly wrong, leaving the three-match series level at 1-1 with everything to play for in the final One-Day International at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground starting at 2:30 pm.
The Caribbean side's performances have not lived up to expectations, especially against an inexperienced Afghanistan who are a non-playing Test nation and who have spent most of their time scuffling with the likes of fellow minnows Zimbabwe and Ireland.
Perhaps the statement of the series came in the opening ODI last Friday when West Indies shockingly collapsed to a stunning 63-run defeat. Asked to chase a modest 213, they stumbled to 149 all out, undermined by the magic of 18-year-old leg-spinner Rashid Khan who took seven for 18 – the fourth best figures in one-day history.
West Indies hit back strongly through their bowling in the second ODI to win by four wickets last Sunday. They shot the Afghans out for 135 with aggressive, short-pitched bowling but then laboured to reach their target, getting home in the 40th over, as Khan once again caused consternation with three for 26.
Bowling coach Roddy Estwick on Tuesday urged his side to employ the same approach, pointing out that Afghanistan were susceptible to the short ball.
“Go at them hard again, stick to your game plan, hit your line hard, make sure you get your field placing right,” Estwick said.
“You've got to run in and bowl hard and stay aggressive all the way through because as you can see they are not very comfortable with the short ball but you've got to earn that right to bowl short as well.”
Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel has been forced out of the contest after picking up a side strain in the second game, and has been replaced by Twenty20 specialist Kesrick Williams who was the leading bowler in the recent T20 series with eight wickets.
However, it is the batting which West Indies will need to focus on heavily as not a single batsman has passed 50 in the series. Shai Hope, at number three, has been their most reliable player, top-scoring in both games with 35 and 48 not out.
Jason Mohammad, so prolific against England and Pakistan earlier this year, has failed to fire with scores of two and seven while Test star Roston Chase, drafted in to the one-day unit, has struggled with scores of zero and nine.
In contrast, Afghanistan have managed two half-centuries – one from opener Javed Ahmadi in the opening game and the other from Gulbadin Naib in the second.
There was more bad news for the Windies on Tuesday with the latest ODI rankings showing the Caribbean side had dropped two points to 77 as a result of their loss in the first ODI, seeing them slip further behind in the race to qualify automatically for the 2019 World Cup in England.
And even with a win on Wednesday, the Jason Holder-led side will earn just a single ratings point, meaning they would have ended the series worse off than when they started. SQUADS:
WEST INDIES – Jason Holder (captain), Devendra Bishoo, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Kesrick Williams, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Kieran Powell, Rovman Powell.
AFGHANISTAN – Asghar Stanikzai, Noor Ali Zadran, Javid Ahmadi, Usman Ghani, Rahmat Shah Zarmati, Nasir Jamal, Mohammad Nabi, Samiullah Shenwari, Gulbuddin Naib, Rashid Khan Arman, Shafiqullah Shafaq, Shapoor Zadran, Amira Hamza Hotak, Dawlat Zadran, Afsar Zazai, Farid Malik.
Deadly, Massive Fire Destroys Apartment in London
Firefighters on Wednesday battled one of London’s biggest fire disasters in recent memory as a rapid-moving fire raced through a 24-story apartment building in West London. Hours after the fire was first reported, crews worked to rescue people trapped inside and count the number of dead.
“I can confirm six fatalities at this time,” Metropolitan Police commander Stuart Cundy said. “But this figure is likely to rise during what is a complex recovery operation over a number of days."
Neighbors said they heard screams for help as the fire stormed through the floors, trapping residents who could be seen from windows flashing their cell phone lights in hopes of being rescued. Witnesses said some residents held small children from windows while other people jumped from the lower stories of the building.
Grenfell Tower, is in an ethnically diverse, densely populated West London’s North Kensington area. Officials said it contained about 140 apartments and was home to an estimated 500 people. Among those missing on Wednesday morning were a number of children.
As the building continued to burn into Wednesday morning, questions emerged on why the fire spread through the building so quickly in a city where a centuries-old history of disastrous fires has forced one of the world’s most stringent fire codes.
Fire investigators said it was too early to tell what started the fire or caused it to spread so rapidly.
Source-VOA
Macron says 'door always open' for UK to stay in EU
French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday the door was "always open" for Britain to remain in the EU despite Prime Minister Theresa May saying Brexit talks would begin next week.
The meeting in Paris followed the leaders' remarkably different political fortunes in the past week, which saw Macron's party headed for a massive parliamentary majority, while May lost her slim advantage in the House of Commons.
"Of course the door is always open as long as the negotiations on Brexit have not finished," Macron said in a press conference.
But he stressed that the British people had taken the sovereign decision to leave the 28-member bloc in their referendum a year ago, adding that the beginning of talks would be a milestone.
"Once it (the Brexit process) has started we need to be collectively clear that it's more difficult to reverse course," he said at the Elysee palace.
May stressed that she would stick to her timetable of starting Brexit discussions next week in Brussels, saying the talks were "on course", despite her domestic difficulties.
Her Conservative party lost its majority in a bungled snap election last week which some observers suggested might lead May to abandon her plans for a so-called "hard Brexit".
Simpson Miller, Davies to leave Parliament on June 29
Former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and south St Andrew Member of Parliament Dr Omar Davies have served notice to officially resign from the House on June 29. Leader of Opposition Business in the House of Parliament, Phillip Paulwell, today said that both members have indicated their decision through letters of intent.
In accordance with our laws, such resignations once handed to the Speaker become immediately effective, hence today's letters of intent and not resignations, a release from the People's National Party this afternoon said.
“Today we are witnessing the beginning of a historical changing of the guard when two sitting members of adjoining constituencies shall simultaneously take their bow on June 29, 2017, and so we wish them good health and strength in their retirement years,” Paulwell, Member of Parliament for Kingston East and Port Royal, said.
"At a future date, the Parliament will pay tribute to both members for their services to the people, the Parliament and Jamaica," he added.
Source-Jamaica Observer
Sessions says 'Nothing Improper About 2016 Meetings With Russian Ambassador'
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Tuesday he did nothing improper in meeting twice last year with Russia's ambassador to Washington, and that any suggestion he colluded with Moscow officials in last year's presidential election campaign is an "appalling and detestable lie."
Sessions, in opening remarks before the Senate Intelligence Committee investigating Russian interference in the election to help President Donald Trump win, said he decided to remove himself from oversight of the criminal investigation of the Russian interference because of rules at the Justice Department prohibiting his involvement because he was a key campaign adviser to Trump.
The attorney general said he now has "no knowledge" of the criminal investigation being headed by Robert Mueller, a former director of the FBI who was named as special counsel in the case by Sessions' Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who assumed oversight of the Russia probe after Sessions recused himself.
"I have confidence in Mr. Mueller," Sessions said, but added he had no idea whether Trump does, even as news accounts circulate that Trump is considering firing Mueller, who was appointed less than a month ago.
Sessions declined repeatedly to discuss his talks with the president, saying they were private.
Sessions said he met twice with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, once at last year's Republican National Convention and later in his Senate office, but neither time about Trump's campaign, but rather in his capacity as a U.S. senator at the time before Trump nominated him as the country's top law enforcement official.
Source-VOA
US Issues Rare Alert Against North Korean Cyberattacks
The U.S. government issued a rare alert Tuesday, blaming North Korea for a raft of cyberattacks stretching back to 2009, and warning that more are likely.
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security identified IP addresses associated with a malware known as DeltaCharlie that targeted media, aerospace, financial and critical infrastructure sectors in the United States and globally.
The alert called for institutions to come forward with any information they might have about the nation's cyberactivity, which the U.S. government refers to as "Hidden Cobra."
"If users or administrators detect the custom tools indicative of HIDDEN COBRA, these tools should be immediately flagged, reported to the DHS National Cybersecurity Communications and Integration Center or the FBI Cyber Watch, and given highest priority for enhanced mitigation," the alert says.
North Korea has routinely denied involvement in cyberattacks against other countries.
World Ocean Day LEARN TO SWIM Initiative
The Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR), together with a number of partners celebrated World Oceans Day with a Learn to Swim Initiative and a beach clean-up.
The third annual 'Learn to Swim' initiative was again hosted by the DECR, who were assisted by the Turks & Caicos Swimming Federation and the Edward C. Gartland Youth Centre on Thursday 8 June 2017.
"To be a part of this year's World Ocean's Day is real privilege. Members of the centre were able to take advantage of this great opportunity and had an amazing time whilst being educated on the importance of World Oceans Day. Huge thanks to Amy Avenant, DECR and TCI Swim Federation and all of the instructors for taking the time to do this program," said Roxann Wake-Forbes, Director at the Youth Centre.
14 students took the opportunity to learn basic swimming skills to ensure that they can enjoy swimming in both the pool and the sea.
Whilst, in the Nation's Capital celebrated World Oceans Day by joining the DECR in giving back to the ocean through a beach and in-water clean-up. The DECR provided garbage bags and gloves while participants took to the beach and waters to ensure that no trash was left behind.
40 participants from the public and private organizations took to Governor's beach area to assist the DECR staff in the clean-up, during which 109 garbage bags were filled and disposed of.
"It was really exciting to celebrate World Oceans Day and to see the overwhelming support from the public and local businesses. We look forward to continuing these partnerships, in order to keep the Ocean and shoreline free of waste," said Ethan Griesbach, Deputy Director, DECR.
The DECR would like to thank the volunteers from the TCI Swimming Federation, including SurfSide Ocean Academy and Beaches Resort, Blue Water Divers, Bohio Dive Resort, Oasis Divers, Chukka, Papa J Tours, the Department of Culture and all individuals that participated, for taking time out of their busy schedules to assist, and would also like to thank the swimmers for being brave and enthusiastic to learn a new skill!
If you, your school or organisation would like more information on how you can learn to swim, or why the ocean is in need of serious conservation, please contact Amy Avenant, at 338-4176 or environment@gov.tc.
Man accused of shooting his girlfriend walks free
LEIAL Missick is now a free man after his girlfriend and alleged victim refused to testify against him during his trial.
On Thursday (June 8), in the Grand Turk Supreme Court, Judge Robert Shuster directed the jury to return a verdict of not guilty after Missick's lawyer, Keith James made a no case submission application to the court.
The no case submission was upheld and the jury was directed to enter not guilty verdicts on all charges.
Missick was charged with causing grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm and discharging said firearm.
The 22-year-old man was arrested and charged last December with allegedly shooting his girlfriend in Blue Hills, Providenciales.
However, the young lady gave differing testimony when she appeared in the witness box, instead testifying on behalf of the defendant.
Man in bar fight appeals 10 year conviction
EMANJOE Forbes has had his day in court, again; this time appealing a conviction that he grievously harmed Andrew Parker aka 'Lumps' in 2014.
Forbes was convicted by a jury in Grand Turk Supreme Court and sentenced to 10 years in prison for the offence.
The incident occurred at Club 2005 on December 27, 2014, at the same time and place where young Kentley Walters was knifed to death.
Walters was one of many injured in a violent fight which broke out at the Downtown night club.
In the appellate court this past week, the three justices heard the submissions by Forbes' lawyer and the Crown.
While the justices were not too keen on the appeal against the conviction, they were quite interested in the sentence appeal.
Justice Elliot Mottley expressed that he did not approve of the sentencing judge saying he was sending a message out with the sentence.
The justices also accepted that the ten-year sentence for the offence is long for the TCI jurisdiction.
They are expected to hand down their decision on the matter next week.