Lakers' Howard out indefinitely
The Lakers announced Monday that an MRI revealed that center Dwight Howard has suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder. His recovery timeline is not yet known, although he will miss at least a week before being re-evaluated.
Howard first injured his shoulder during Friday’s loss to the Clippers. After initially stating that he might miss some time because his shoulder was causing him “a lot of pain,” Howard opted to play through the pain, but promptly re-aggravated the injury during the Lakers’ next game, a Sunday night loss to the Nuggets.
A one-week absence would sideline Howard for four games: the Lakers face the Rockets on Tuesday, the Spurs on Wednesday, the Thunder on Friday and the Cavaliers on Sunday. The Lakers announced in a release that Howard would travel with the team on its upcoming road trip, which is a generally positive sign. Hornets forward Jason Smith was recently diagnosed with a torn labrum in his shoulder, according to theNew Orleans Times-Picayune, and he was able to return to action after missing just two weeks.
Howard told reporters on Monday that he would not undergo surgery for the injury.
“I don’t need surgery,” he said, according to the Los Angeles Times.
It’s possible, however, that such an injury, depending on the severity of the tear, could carry an extended rehabilitation timeline. For what it’s worth, the Lakers initially announced guard Steve Nash would miss at least a week with a non-displaced fibula fracture back in October; Nash did not return for more than seven weeks.
Rotation-wise, Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni will be up a creek, at least in the short term, as forward/center Pau Gasol suffered a concussion on Sunday and will also miss at least the next two games. Reserve forward Jordan Hill’s status is also unknown, as he suffered a hip injury. That leaves D’Antoni with a big man rotation of Antawn Jamison, Earl Clark and Robert Sacre. Small forward Metta World Peace could also swing up to play some power forward. Sacre, a rookie center, was recently assigned to the Lakers’ D-League affiliate but will be called up .
ESPN
Windies women lose first ODI to South Africa
A fighting knock of 40 from skipper Merissa Aguilleira was the only sparkle as West Indies suffered a batting collapse and lost to South Africa by 80 runs in the first of their five match one-day International series at Warner Park here Monday.
Aguilleira cracked seven fours in her gutsy innings, facing 43 balls, to lead a Windies fight back as the home side spluttered to 126 all out in 35 overs chasing the visitors 206 for eight off 50 overs.
The collapse began without a run on the board after losing the prized scalp of Stafanie Taylor for a duck to Marizanne Kapp, the slow medium bowler.
Kapp, who finished with two wickets for 17 runs made early inroads by also removing frontline batter Juliana Nero for seven.
At one stage, Aguilleira’s side was precariously placed at 24 for the loss three wickets and her dogged efforts to spark a middle order recovery were futile.
Apart from Deandra Dottin who scored 26, Kycia knight 19 and Shanel Daley 14 no other West Indian batter got into double figures.
19 year old leg break bowler Van Niekerk was a thorn in the side of the middle order snapping up wickets and cleaning -up the tail enders as well.
Niekerk bagged five for 28 runs including the important wickets of Dottin and Shemaine Campbell.
Earlier, powerful top order batting, including a half century from opener Trisha Chetty, helped setup a challenging South African total of 206.
Chetty top scored with 57, which included five boundaries while Mignon du Preez scored 48, and Shandré Fritz 24.
The leading West Indian bowlers were Shaquana Quintyne 2-30, Shanel Daley 2-33.
West Indies and South Africa women meet in the second one-day international on Wednesday at Warner Park.
--JO
Selectors defend Gayle’s omission from Jamaica T20 squad
Cricket officials here have defended their decision to omit Chris Gayle from the Jamaica squad for the Caribbean T20 tournament, currently under way in Trinidad and Tobago. Gayle, currently participating in the Australian Big Bash League, would have been available for the lucrative two-week tournament due to the early exit of his team, Sydney Thunder, from the Big Bash T20.
However, Chairman of selectors, and former spinner Courtney Daley, says the panel made its decision taking into consideration the possibility of injury to players.
"It is a case where we have to bite the bullet and move on," said Daley, who leads a three-man selection panel that also includes former West Indies left-handed batsman Robert Samuels and former national opener Delroy Morgan.
"It's Gayle yes, but injuries can happen (to the players selected) and if that was to happen, what would we do?”
Gayle, one of the leading Twenty20 cricketers in the world, but who has had a poor run of form in Australia, is due to play his final match for the winless Thunder today.
According to Daley, Gayle had given a commitment to play for Jamaica once the Thunder exited the Big Bash League.
"It's a risk we were not prepared to take even if other teams are willing to do so,” Daley told the Gleaner.
“.. And from here it is just a matter of we will have to play with who we have”.
Two-time winners and joint hosts, Trinidad and Tobago, worked out an arrangement with top players Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine, and their Big Bash clubs Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Sixers, to facilitate their participation in the Caribbean T20.
Shane Warne banned and fined after Marlon Samuels clash
Shane Warne has accepted a one-match ban and fine after a clash with Marlon Samuels in Australia's Big Bash Twenty20 competition.
Warne, captaining Melbourne Stars against city rivals the Renegades, hit Samuels with the ball as he attempted to return it to the wicketkeeper.
In return Samuels, 31, threw his bat in the 43-year-old spinner's direction before an angry exchange at the MCG.
"I went too far in trying to stand up for the team," said Warne on Twitter.
Warne had been angered by West Indian Samuels pulling back David Hussey when the batsman was turning for a second run during the Stars' innings.
Former Australia spinner Warne was fined £2,900 (AU $4,500) by Cricket Australia, with part of that for using obscene language in a match the Renegades eventually won by nine wickets.
Warne will now miss the match against Sydney Thunder on Tuesday as his side aim for a place in the semi-finals.
"I have decided to accept my penalty of a one-match ban," said Warne. "Let's hope the boys can win tomorrow and we can make the semi-finals.
"Thanks for support guys, sport can be an emotional and at times very passionate too."
He added: "I'm disappointed at some of my actions last night as captain and as a player, but I'm also very disappointed at the severe penalty I received."
Samuels was also charged following the incident although his case has not been dealt with yet as the player was injured during the match. His innings came to an end when he top-edged a delivery from Lasith Malinga into his face and suffered an injury to his eye.
The problem could end Samuels's participation in this year's Big Bash.
"Marlon is recovering in the team hotel and will be taking time off to care for his injury," said Renegades coach Simon Helmot.
He added: "We're now waiting for the swelling around his eye to subside before determining the full extent of the blow.
"We are also assessing what, if anything, this means in terms of squad composition for the remainder of the tournament and will take action to source an international replacement if necessary."
--BBC
Iranian oil revenues 'drop 45%' because of sanctions
Iranian oil revenues have fallen around 45% in the last nine months because of Western sanctions, a leading Iranian politician says.
Gholam Reza Kateb, an MP on the national planning and budget committee, said the country's economy as a whole was in trouble.
In a further sign of the crisis, the oil ministry has stopped selling fuel to some airlines over unpaid bills.
Oil exports account for a majority of the Islamic republic's revenue.
Mr Kateb said the steep export drop was revealed in a parliament report by Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi.
"On the basis of the report, oil sales are down 40% and income has dropped 45% in the last nine months," Mr Kateb told the semi-official Isna news agency.
In recent weeks, the oil minister has insisted that Iran has successfully bypassed oil sanctions.
Meanwhile, a number of airlines have been forced to cancel their flights, the BBC's James Reynolds reports.
The national carrier, Iran Air, continues to operate, he adds.
While the dispute is expected to be resolved in the coming days, the flight cancellations are a clear sign of the problems facing Iran's economy, our correspondent says.
The exports are vital and have kept the religious government in money and power, he says.
The rial has reportedly lost more than 80% of its value since 2011 because of US-led trade sanctions over Iran's nuclear programme.
The US and EU accuse the country of aiming to build nuclear weapons. Iran, meanwhile, insists that it simply wishes to develop nuclear power stations.
International sanctions on Iran include a UN embargo on arms exports and nuclear technology as well as EU bans on most financial transactions as well as the purchase of crude oil. The US prohibits almost all trade with Iran.
Last month, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sacked the sole woman in his cabinet, Health Minister Marziyeh Vahid Dastjerdi, after she blamed the sanctions for causing medicine shortages.
--BBC
Banks to pay $8.5b for foreclosure abuse
Dominican Republic poor region upbeat on major gold find
San Juan de la Maguana province (west) took the biggest step in the country’s mining development after gold and copper was discovered in its depressed territory, which will create new jobs in the corridor called Las Tres Palmas, that links the communities La Escandalosa, El Romero and Loma Los Comíos.
In fact, the people of La Higuera, a neighboring village, are already reaping the benefits of full employment, said mining director Alexander Medina, quoted by newspaper Listin Diario.
Canadian miner GoldQuest/Inex, which holds the exploration concession in the ??San Juan area, reported finding the gold and copper deposits which have been listed as the country's biggest mineral discovery in the last 20 years, and the world’s largest in 2012.
GoldQuest/Inex has spent US$ 3.5 million in 33 drillings in an area north of the city of San Juan totaling 13,720 meters, with expectations of favorable results, with US$21 million already raised from investors.
It estimated around 315,000 ounces of gold just at La Escandalosa Sur in May last year, but analysts have noted that the resources could exceed 1.0 million ounces.
There’s still no official report on the resources at El Romero because the miner awaits a study of the reserves and the concessionaire’s compliance with regulations of Canada’s Securities Exchange Commission.
Medina revealed that studies conducted by the Mining Agency in 1967, and a geochemical study which cost US$5.0 million by Gold Fields from 2000 to 2004, found prospects and "anomalies" which led to the first discovery at La Escandaloa. " GoldQuest continued working in El Romero, which is the site of the major discovery. We're talking around 200 meters of copper-gold mineralization and the area still continues toward Los Comíos."
HTC profits slump 90% on strong competition
Taiwanese mobile phone maker HTC has reported a slump in profits as it continues to suffer at the hands of rivals Apple and Samsung.
Unaudited net profit in the fourth quarter was T$1bn ($34m; £21m), down more than 90% on the T$11bn the firm made a year ago and below analysts' expectations. Revenue was T$60bn.
The firm suffered from launching no big products in the period, analysts said
This is the fourth quarter in a row that HTC profits have fallen sharply.
'Hard to beat'
This is in contrast to rivals Apple and Samsung, which have profited from the release of the iPhone 5 and Galaxy models.
Despite expectations for a flagship new model, codenamed M7, this year, analysts said HTC could struggle to catch its rivals.
"The first three months of this year will be better than the fourth quarter [of 2012], which was really bad, but HTC's earnings might not have bottomed [out] in 2012 if its flagship M7 sales disappoint this year," said Birdy Lu at Daiwa Capital Markets.
"The new phone could have a first-mover advantage for one or two months before Samsung launches its Galaxy S4 in April, but in the long run, it's difficult to beat Samsung's phones."
Crime & Incident Report for 1st week in January
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The Royal Turks & Caicos Police are investigating a Burglary, which was reported on Monday January 07th, 2013 at 1:08AM.
A male of Five Cays told officers that he secured his home on Sunday January 06th, 2013 at 10PM and returned on Monday January 7th, 2013 at 1AM to discover that his home was broken into. Missing was jewellery and a Play Station game. Investigations are ongoing into this matter.
***
The Royal Turks & Caicos Police are also investigating a Burglary, which was reported on Saturday January 07th, 2013 at 11:28AM.
A male of Juba Sound told officers that he secured his home on Saturday January 05th, 2013 at 8:30AM and returned at 6PM to discover that his home was broken into. Missing was a quantity of colognes and clothing. Investigations are ongoing into this matter.
***
The Royal Turks & Caicos Police are also investigating an Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm incident which occurred in Five Cays. This incident was reported on Saturday January 05th, 2013 at 10:40PM.
A male told officers that he was at his home when he was assaulted by a male known to him after an exchange of words. The complainant was struck with a metallic object and is now recovering from a non-life threathening injury. Investigations are ongoing into this matter.
***
The Royal Turks & Caicos Police are also investigating a Burglary, which was reported on Friday January 04th, 2013 at 11:30AM.
A male of Five Cays told officers that he secured his home on Thursday January 03rd, 2013 at 11PM and returned on Friday December 04th, 2013 at 8AM to discover that his home was broken into. Missing was a Louis Vuitton laptop bag containing a Dell laptop and a British Passport. Investigations are ongoing into this matter.
***
The Royal Turks & Caicos Police are also investigating an Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm incident which occurred in Five Cays. This incident was reported on Friday January 04th, 2013 at 11:46PM.
A male told officers that while driving along a road in Five Cays, a vehicle had blocked his passage. He exited his vechicle to speak to the driver when he was assaulted by several males unknown to him. The complainant was struck about his body and is now recovering from a non-life threathening injury.Investigations are ongoing into this matter.
***
In Grand Turk’s Magistrate’s Court, On Friday 4th January 2013 a 36year old male, Timothy Pierre, of Grand Turk was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment after pleading guilty for Burglary and 6 weeks imprisonment for malicious damage to property.
On Friday 26th December 2012 as a result of information received, officers visited a home located in Cork Tree, Grand Turk. While making checks around the building officers noticed a male figure trying to escape from inside the home. The male who was captured and later identified to be Timothy Pierre. He was found with properties belonging to the homeowner in his pockets.
According to Police Public Relations Officer, Audley Astwood: “The Police Department is grateful to the good citizen who saw this offence being committed and contacted the police immediately.” He continued,“I wish to encourage other people to report any crime that they witness occurring within their community. If you wish to remain anonymous, utilize the Crimestoppers’ website which offers rewards for information that leads to an arrest.” Both sentences for Timothy Pierre will run concurrently.
***
Also on Thursday January 03rd, 2013 in the Magistrate’s Court, Drexwell Wilson of Grand Turk, pled guilty to the offence of Burglary and was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.
This was in connection with a report made on December 7th, 2012. On Tuesday November 20th, 2012, a home located on Pillory Beach Grand Turk was secured by its owners. Upon checking the home on Friday December 07th, 2012 it was found to be burglarized and a quantity of items stolen.
***
Also in the Magistrate’s court on Thursday 3rd January 2013 a female, Vanessa Carter of Grand Turk pled guilty to the offences of Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm.
On Saturday December 01st, 2012 it was reported that Vanessa Carter entered the home of another female as a trespasser and began to cause a disturbance and as a result she assaulted the owner of the home. Carter was sentenced to 8 weeks imprisonment.
***
In Grand Turk Magistrate’s Court, on Thursday January 03rd, 2013, Dave Morris of Grand Turk received a 12 month suspended sentence for the offence of Abstracting Electricity.
It was reported by TCU on Monday 18th, July 2012 that between February 2nd, 2010 and Monday 18th, July 2012 Mr. Morris abstracted electricity from a disconnected meter box near his home on Hospital Road.
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association & House of Assembly of the Turks and Caicos Islands to host a two-day joint seminar
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The enduring commitment to ensuring the good governance of the Turks and Caicos Islands will be bolstered by a two-day joint seminar, run by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association & the House of Assembly next week, starting 7th January.
The purpose of this Post-Election Seminar is to help familiarize locally elected politicians with parliamentary practices and to better understand the Practices and Procedures of the House of Assembly. It will do so by bringing in experienced parliamentarians from similar sized Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. They will discuss and advise on various issues with their TCI counterparts.
The Delegation will be led by the Speaker of one of the world’s oldest parliaments, the 1,000 year old Isle of Man’s Tynwald, The Honourable Stephen Rodan and its Clerk Roger Philips.
The pair, from this self-governing UK Crown Dependency, will be joined by Minister Joe Bossano from Gibraltar, which, like the TCI, is another of the UK’s 14 Overseas Territories. Mr. Bossano previously visited the TCI in Nov 2012 as Head of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Election Observer Mission. Here’s Chris Jarrett with more on this story.
REPORTER:- The CPA delegation will meet the Speaker of the TCI House of Assembly, the Premier, the Leader of the opposition, other Ministers and politicians. In addition, members of the Cabinet, Permanent Secretaries and Constitutional bodies, notably the Integrity Commission, will also be participating.
Five specific elements have been arranged as the focus for the visit: the 2012 Public Finance Management Ordinance and Regulations; Women in Parliament; Ministerial Responsibility: “The Role and functions of Ministers, Giving direction to their Ministries”; Plenary Sitting - How to use Questions/motions/plenary procedures/scrutiny of legislation; Committee Matters - What expectations to have of a Public Accounts Committee; what other scrutiny Committees might produce; committee resources.
Acting Governor Anya Williams says the seminar will be an excellent way for the new Government to reacquaint itself with goodwill, experience and support of the UK’s other Overseas territories, Crown Dependencies and the wider Commonwealth. The Acting Governor added that it was a practical example of how the UK was continuing to support the ongoing development of the TCI. She said there was genuine international warmth and affection towards the TCI and a real desire to put the previous maladministration truly behind it - and to become one of the most accountable and transparent democracies in the Caribbean.
This is Chris Jarrett for RTC News.