PUBLIC FORECAST FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT TUESDAY 13TH OCTOBER 2015
PUBLIC FORECAST
THIS IS THE FORECAST FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT TUESDAY 13TH OCTOBER 2015
GENERAL SITUATION: A STATIONARY FRONT ACROSS THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS WILL SLOWLY SLIDE SOUTHEASTWARDS AND DISSIPATE WHILE A SURFACE TO UPPER LEVEL TROF ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS TRIGGERING SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA TODAY
FOR THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY AND WARM WITH THE CHANCE OF A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. TURNING MAINLY FAIR TONIGHT
ADVISORY: BOATERS CAN EXPECT GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WINDS: VARIABLE AT 10 KNOTS
SEAS RUNNING: LESS THAN 3 FEET OVER THE OCEAN
FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
WEATHER: A MIX OF SUN AND CLOUDS WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY. FAIR TONIGHT WITH A BRIEF SHOWER OR TWO POSSIBLE
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION
WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 15 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
SEAS RUNNING: 3 TO 5 FEET IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND 4 TO 6 FEET IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE IN NASSAU 90F 32C
OVERNITE LOW TEMPERATURE IN NASSAU 74F 23C
SUNSET AT 6.45 PM AND SUNRISE AT 7.08 AM WEDNESDAY
MOONSET AT 7.22 AM WEDNESDAY AND MOONRISE AT 8.24 AM WEDNESDAY
LOW TIDE AT 3.00 PM AND HIGH TIDE AT 8.56 PM AND LOW AGAIN AT 3.04 AM WEDNESDAY AND HIGH AGAIN AT 9.16 AM WEDNESDAY
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: THE TROPICS REMAIN QUIET AND TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 5 DAYS
CELEBRATE MIGRATORY BIRDS WITH THE NATIONAL TRUST AND DEMA
In a region that seems blessed with eternal summer, one of the most noticeable signs of autumn is the arrival of countless migratory birds. Leaving their summer breeding grounds in North America, they transform Caribbean wetlands and forests with their colours and songs. Events celebrating these birds and their miraculous migrations are also arriving this month with International Migratory Bird Month (IMBD) 19 October – 30 November, 2015.
The theme of IMBD this year is "Restore Habitat, Restore Birds." This theme is particularly relevant in the Caribbean, where natural habitats share limited island real estate with dense human populations and intensive development. The migratory pathways and overwintering grounds of the Caribbean are an indispensable part of the life cycle of about 350 bird species, from egrets and ducks to hawks and songbirds.
"In keeping with the theme, let us also be mindful of our rich biodiversity, our natural heritage as we celebrate National Heritage Month this October and Tourism Month in November. It is indeed the natural gems, our beaches, coral reefs, habitats of our endemic and migratory birds, the resident flamingos that feed and breed in the wetlands – these are what attract visitors to our shores" said Ethlyn Gibbs, Director of the Turks & Caicos National Trust.
The National Trust, DEMA Migratory Bird Festival will highlight habitat restoration through various activities, including the planting of mangroves as Wheeland Pond Wetland on Providenciales; a Primary School colouring competition and scheduled eco-walks to name but a few activities.
"Planting indigenous mangroves and mahogany trees is a fantastic way to beautify your neighbourhood and wetland areas, as well as serving an ecological function" notes DEMA's Environmental Outreach Coordinator, Amy Avenant.
Along with birds, native trees are the most iconic features of the Caribbean landscape, and their roots are deeply intertwined with both the wildlife and the cultures of the region.
Australia Prepares to Resettle 12,000 Syrian Refugees
Australia has begun the task of selecting for resettlement 12,000 refugees from the crisis in Syria, with the first group expected to arrive before late December.
Sydney’s Lakemba district is one of Australia’s most multicultural areas. It has become a haven for a family from the Syrian city Homs, which fled to Lebanon before arriving as refugees in Australia at the start of the year.
Youssef al-Kasseh lives with his wife, Hala, and their three children, along with his mother in a small rented house.
Speaking through a translator, he said the horrors of what they left behind are always in their thoughts.
“Life in Homs is very, very bad and no matter how hard I try to explain, it is very hard," said Youssef. "There is killing all the time, people getting taken away, while they have been taken away, they have been killed.”
Youssef said he was detained and tortured by government officials.
“I was taken away and suffered a lot, hit a lot, and suffered not only physically, but also the mental trauma. I have a lot of family and friends that have died,” he said.
His wife Hala is happy to be in Australia, but she also worries about those left behind.
“I have a lot of friends and family in Syria, and I am very, very afraid of how they are living. They have no food, no electricity. Life is very, very hard and I am constantly worried,” she said.
Rallies urging Australia to take in more of those fleeing the conflict in Syria have been held across the country.
More than half of the 12,000 refugees will be resettled in New South Wales, the nation’s most populous state. Displaced women, children and families living in camps in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey will be given priority.
Coordinating plans for their arrival is Professor Peter Shergold, an academic and businessman.
“It's possible that, compared to many refugee groups accepted in the past, these newcomers may have spent less time in refugee camps," said Shergold.
"They may be more likely, I think, to be educated, have trade and professional skills, have had experience in small business, be more likely to have at least rudimentary English," he said. "And of course, therefore, the challenge. And the vital challenge is how can we harness that education, those skills, so that they can contribute back to Australian society.”
Youssef and his family listen to a song that laments Syria’s descent into chaos and the killing of the innocent.
They hope that more of their countrymen and women will follow them to safety in Australia, which will give preference to refugees from persecuted minorities.
Samar Almajzoub, a Syrian community activist, believes Australia should do more and open its doors to members of the Sunni majority.
“We need more refugees here. I think this is [a] small number," said Almajzoub. "The people [who] are suffering there — very, very big number. The minority people, they [are] not suffering as much as the Sunni people and the larger group of people there.”
Australian resettlement officials are now in Jordan to begin assessing Syrian refugees who have been living in camps.
Source-VOA
FIFA INTERMEDIATE COACHING COURSE
The Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association (TCIFA) continues to educate, ameliorate and enhance their programme through imparting knowledge to potential coaches through a FIFA Intermediate Coaching Course - lead by Instructor Fredrick Roy Millar, the course commenced on October 4th & ended on the 5th October, 2015.
Mr. Millar is the former Director of Coaching for the Irish Football Association and former manager of the Northern Ireland national under-21 football team. Mr. Millar previously played in the Irish League for Clifton-ville F.C. and in with Dundela F.C in the old ’B’ Division. Since joining the Irish FA as a coach in 1982 Millar has at some point taken charge of all youth teams from Under-16 to Under-19 and also the Northern Ireland B team and the Northern Ireland Elite (Under-19) squad that takes part in the Milk Cup. Mr. Millar holds the UEFA Pro License and is a respected instructor of this course and has also been a lecturer at the NSCAA convention for the previous four years as well as participating on coaching education courses in both Fort Lauderdale and Stanford University. In addition to this Mr. Millar has lectured at Dallas FC as well as numerous lecturing roles in Europe for UEFA and the rest of the world for FIFA. Mr. Millar also has the experience of being a part of 8 technical study groups for both UEFA and FIFA concerning the youth game and he is a senior FIFA Coaching Instructor, which allows him to facilitate various coaching education programs for FIFA all over the world.
Justified by his qualifications, Mr. Millar facilitated 25 people throughout the successfully run course.
Technical Director, Craig Harrington commented that “the coaching education courses we hold here at the TCIFA are continuing to expand in reputation. Whether you want to coach the Under 7's, school teams or work with the senior players, coaching is important to the development of the game of football," commented TCIFA’s Technical Director, Craig Harrington.
The TCIFA continues to invest heavily in delivering Coaching Education Programs. In collaboration with FIFA the TCIFA offers a wide range of Courses. Coaches are required to develop the game at all levels and in so doing the TCIFA aspires to afford the various opportunities to increase and broaden coaches knowledge and to help foster the game of football in the Turks and Caicos Islands. In this regard, all interested persons are encouraged to get involved.
The UN says Haiti is taking resolute steps towards democracy and stability
With the holding its first round of elections in August this year, to renew the executive legislative and local leadership of the country, Haiti is taking “resolute” steps in renewing its democratic institutions, the top United Nations official for the country told the Security Council today.
Presenting the Secretary-General’s latest report on the work of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), which she heads, Sandra Honoré said the country is also moving resolutely towards the re-establishment of institutional balance.
After a prolonged period, the Electoral Council published the results on September 27, according to which there were 10 contenders who won an outright victory for Senate and lower chamber seats. However, 25 electoral districts will require re-elections due to electoral violence.
“Notwithstanding the efforts of the Electoral Council, the Government and the Haitian National Police (HNP), severe acts of violence and some technical irregularities invalidated the August 9 vote in 13 per cent of the country’s voting centres,” she added.
Honoré commended the actions taken by the Electoral Council to address the shortcomings, responding to recommendations from political parties and implement corrective measures.
“To recapitulate therefore, the October 25 polls will include the first round Presidential; second round legislative; as well as the municipal vote, together with the re-runs for the first round legislative vote in the constituencies affected on August 9,” she added.
Further, she pointed out that for the first time in Haitian electoral history, the Electoral Council took punitive action against instigators of electoral violence. Members belonging to 10 political parties were barred from further participation in the elections and 17 political parties were issued warnings for instigating criminal acts and voter intimidation.
Honoré also noted the commitment expressed by the Haitian National Police (HNP) to undertake measures to improve police performance in the upcoming round, to ensure a stable electoral climate.
On a related note, she added that work continues towards the implementation of the HNP 2012-2016 Development Plan, which is now in its final year.
The UN is working towards reshaping its assistance, to acknowledge progress and concentrate its action where criminality affects most the main security indicators, such as homicides and gang confrontations.
“I encourage member States to provide experts in administrative, technical and operational support in the form of Government Provided Personnel as well as specialized teams in key fields of policing, with a view to creating longer-term post-MINUSTAH partnerships among the Haitian National Police, donors and other international partners,” the UN envoy added.
Honoré went on to tell the Council that in order to sustainably transfer such activities and other responsibilities of MINUSTAH, and mindful of the transition process of the Haitian authorities, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has recommended the extension of the Mission for another, and possibly, final year.
“An Integrated Strategic Assessment Mission will be deployed after the completion of the electoral cycle and the installation of a new President and authorities to formulate recommendations for the future presence of the United Nations in Haiti,” she explained.
However, she stressed that for now, despite the near-success of the August 9 polls, the engagement of the UN system, including MINUSTAH and its uniformed components, continues to be required in support of operations, logistics and security in Haiti.
She also specified that despite the substantial budgetary allocations assigned by the Haitian Government, including as largest donor to the UN Development Programme (UNDP)-managed Basket Fund, the financial contributions of Haiti’s international partners continue to be critical for the completion of the electoral cycle.
Persons from the Turks & Caicos Islands Caribbean immigrants nabbed in raids across Florida
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released a report today, noting that it held what they refer to as a total of 314 aliens; among them persons from the Turks & Caicos Islands.
The announcement came as ICE announced that a Jamaican man, who was convicted of murder, is among several Caribbean immigrants who are now in custody after US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) made arrests across Florida over the past month, targeting individuals who they say “pose a threat to public safety.”
Also among the 314 criminals ICE said it held, are people from Antigua, Guyana, the Bahamas, Trinidad, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Others nabbed came from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and the Ukraine.
Highlighting some of the captured immigrants, ICE said officers from its Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) held a Jamaican in West Palm Beach who had been sentenced to 10 years deferred adjudication and placed on community supervision for a murder that he pleaded guilty to.
There was also a Cuban man convicted of lewd and or lascivious act on a minor and sentenced to eight years of probation.
Both men are lawful US permanent residents, but are awaiting deportation hearings before an immigration judge.
Overall, ICE said over a quarter of the immigrants arrested had criminal records that included felony convictions for serious or violent offences, such as murder, attempted murder, child sex crimes, sex offences, weapons charges and drug violations. Sixteen of them were previously deported but returned to the country.
“As this operation makes clear, ICE is committed to prioritizing convicted criminals and those who are public safety threats for apprehension and removal,” said Marc Moore, field office director for the Miami Field Office of ERO, which oversees all of Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“Our communities are safer today thanks to the hard work of our officers across the state,” Moore added.
The arrests were made in 13 Florida counties.
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) did not say in its report, how many persons from the Turks and Caicos or other individual countries are included among the 314 criminals that it arrested across Florida over the past month.
British MP calls for representation at Westminster for overseas territories
The Conservative MP for Romford in the UK parliament has suggested there should be representation in Westminster for Britain’s overseas territories. Andrew Rosindell, who chairs the Parliamentary British Overseas Territories Committee, said that the onset of devolution meant it could now be argued that home countries such as Scotland have as much autonomy as some territories and dependencies, but they have the advantage of representation in Westminster.
Speaking at a fringe meeting at the Conservative Party conference this week, Rosindell said that the French, Dutch, and Danish overseas territories all had elected representation in the respective national parliaments but British territories do not.
He said that not only should representation in the House of Commons be looked at but there was room to consider having members in the House of Lords, which could be easier to bring about. With over 830 members, Rosindell told a panel discussion at the meeting, it was only fair to allow some BOT and crown dependency members of the House of Lords.
The fringe meeting was hosted by the Friends of the British Overseas Territories (FOTBOT), which was created to bring together people from all 16 British overseas territories and to promote, support and increase awareness of them, according to Anthony Webber, a political analyst and independent commentator from the UK’s crown dependency of Guernsey who was at the meeting.
“Times have changed, the world has moved on, devolution has taken place, and it is only right that we should have our say in the British Parliament on matters such as foreign affairs and defence, and indeed any issues which affect us,” Rosindell told CNS. “I feel change is going to come and we need to be putting our own ideas forward about what sort of change suits us best.”
While the BOTs and crown dependencies have mixed opinions about full Westminster representation, Rosindell said he was pleased that at last discussion had started on the issue and that progress could now be achieved in that direction.
He also spoke about the impending referendum in the UK regarding European Union membership, which will have an impact on the UK’s territories, as many of them, including Cayman’s offshore sector, do business within the Union.
Rosindell steered through an amendment in the UK Parliament recently to ensure Gibraltar was included in the referendum process because, like the UK, it is technically in the EU. But the MP believes the other territories should also take part. The territories are all party to various agreements and laws which connect them to the EU via the UK and whatever the outcome of this referendum on Britain’s future in the European Union, the BOT’s will be bound by the result, so, the MP argued, it cannot be right for them to be excluded.
“There are people in all the BOTs and crown dependencies who have passionate views on both sides as to whether their jurisdictions should continue to have a relationship with the EU,” Webber said, as he pointed to the increasing benefit for territories and dependencies to become more involved in the political landscape and the debates in the UK to promote their interests and raise awareness among politicians.
He pointed out that some OT’s and dependencies had stands in the main conference exhibition area at this year’s Conservative conference and in future OT’s should consider a joint stand at these events to promote their cause.
Source-CNS
Caribbean reefs affected by mass bleaching
Reefs in the Caribbean are among the world’s reefs that have been hit by a major episode of bleaching.
Scientists have confirmed that corals in the Caribbean, Atlantic and Pacific are suffering from the worldwide bleaching episode that is said to be the worst on record as the warming Pacific current, El Nino, increases in strength.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned it may affect more than 38 per cent of the world’s reefs, and kill over 12,000 sq km of reefs. Bleaching happens when corals under stress drive out the algae known as zooxanthellae that give them colour.
If normal conditions return, the corals can recover. But the process can take decades, and if the stress continues, the corals can die.
Reefs are under multiple threats including pollution, over-fishing, sedimentation and damage from boats and tourism.
Man-made climate change also contributes, as the oceans are absorbing about 93 per cent of the increase in the earth’s heat.
Some scientists are warning that spectacular reefs – with branching corals and fan corals – are unlikely to survive changes in temperature and pH by the end of this century. That’s if they are not killed first by other damaging local activities.
The current bleaching episode was predicted by NOAA and confirmed by researchers and citizen scientists in the Caribbean.
Although reefs represent less than 0.1 per cent of the world’s ocean floor, they help support about a quarter of all marine species.
The NOAA says the livelihoods of 500 million people and income worth over US$30 billion.
Now we know that the Turks and Caicos has been voted among countries as having the best dive sites in the world. So how healthy are the reefs in TCI and how problematic would bleaching be to our corals and reefs. It’s a question I put to Mr. Craig Been; a boat captain and dive master of one of the islands dive operations – Oasis Divers.
RTC News wanted to find out with the extreme roughness of the seas last week with the passage of hurricane Joaquin over the Central Bahamas and the effects of the hurricane on the Turks and Caicos Islands, whether there were any adverse damage to the corals.
Meet Ferrari F12 TdF
For the modern automaker, building a fast car — even an absurdly fast car — is rarely the end of the story. Behold the Ferrari F12 TdF, a muscled-up, hunkered-down evolution of the Italian automaker's already monstrous twelve-cylinder F12 grand-tourer. This special edition takes its name from the long-defunct Tour de France endurance motor race, a contest that Ferrari dominated during the 1950s and '60s, and it arives to fill the gap left by the departed 599 GTO. And as its appearance makes abundantly clear, it merges track-readiness and street-legality into one decidedly angry machine.
Of course, power is up; the F12's 6.3-litre V12 hops from an ample 730 horsepower to a more-than-ample 769hp. The goose comes from some racecar-engine bits, including variable geometry intake trumpets, and the car's seven-speed dual-clutch transmission — already lightning-quick — has been upgraded to match; upshifts and downshifts happen 30% and 40% faster, respectively.
Weight is down, as well. Ferrari's engineers picked apart the none-to-portly F12 and managed to excise close to 250lbs, bringing curb weight down to a very svelte 3,351lbs.
Outside, an array of aerodynamic enhancements — including a huge front splitter, a longer and taller rear spoiler and 'Aerobridge' pieces behind the front wheels — nearly doubles downforce at 124mph. Steering is tightened with the fitment of 8% wider front tires and a clever rear-wheel-steering setup.
Ferrari claims the car will bolt from zero to 62mph in 2.9 seconds and will require just 1.3 seconds more to crack off a lap around the company's Fiorani test track than the 949-horsepower LaFerrari. Top speed is something beyond 211mph.
Naturally, exclusivity is part of the deal. Ferrari plans to build a scant 799 examples of the F12 TdF. Pricing is unannounced, but you can expect an easy 40% premium over the standard F12, which in the US starts at about $320,000. Provided you're on the list, that is.
By Matthew Phenix
Source-BBC Auto
Lexus builds a driveable paper car
The most experienced and revered members of the Lexus production lines — the black belts of of the car-building world — are known as takumi. These are the masters of their respective trades, be it paint or engine-assembly or wood veneer, and one of the tests of takumi's manual dexterity, says Lexus, is the making of a folded-paper cat using only the non-dominant hand. It's an impressive little party trick, to be sure, and that kind of fine motor skill, applied to the task of building a car, can yield impressive results.
To celebrate the takumi (and that origami kitty), Lexus engaged a team of five designers and modellers from UK-based LaserCut Works and Scales and Models, supported by the packaging-material maker DS Smith, to build the Origami Car, a full-size, almost-fully-functional replica of the IS sport sedan.
The car is comprised of a steel and aluminium frame and 1,700 laser-cut sheets of corrugated cardboard — fully recyclable, of course. It features a complete interior, working doors, functioning headlights and rolling wheels. There's even an electric motor in there. Yes, the cardboard IS is more than just the box it came in: It's a driveable electric car. (Just steer clear of rain clouds.)
Working from digital 3D model of the IS, the team divided the project into sections — main body, dashboard, seats, wheels and so on. Each section was then digitally rendered as 10mm-thick “slices” and that data was then fed into a laser cutter. Each of the car's 1,700 pieces got its own sequential reference number, which the team followed as they assembled the layers using a water-based wood glue — a process that took three months to complete.
The team admits there were some false starts. “The seats took a few attempts to get just right and the wheels required a lot of refining," said Ruben Marcos, Scales and Models Company founder and director. "Once we could see the physical pieces taking shape, we could identify where we needed to make improvements – as with anything, there were some elements of trial and error, but as we had all the resources we needed in-house, this made the changes easier to produce.”
Lexus officially unveiled the cardboard IS on 8 October at the Grand Designs Live home-improvement show at the NEC in Birmingham, UK.
A present, there are no plans for production.
Source-BBC