US ready to 'hand over' the internet's naming system
The US has confirmed it is finally ready to cede power of the internet’s naming system, ending the almost 20-year process to hand over a crucial part of the internet's governance.
The Domain Naming System, DNS, is one of the internet’s most important components.
It pairs the easy-to-remember web addresses - like bbc.com - with their relevant servers. Without DNS, you’d only be able to access websites by typing in its IP address, a series of numbers such as "194.66.82.10".
More by circumstance than intention, the US has always had ultimate say over how the DNS is controlled - but not for much longer.
It will give up its power fully to Icann - the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers - a non-profit organisation.
The terms of the change were agreed upon in 2014, but it wasn’t until now that the US said it was finally satisfied that Icann was ready to make the change.
Icann will get the “keys to the kingdom”, as one expert put it, on 1st October 2016. From that date, the US will lose its dominant voice - although Icann will remain in Los Angeles.
If anyone can, Icann?
Users of the web will not notice any difference - that’s because Icann has essentially being doing the job for years anyway.
But it’s a move that has been fiercely criticised by some US politicians as opening the door to the likes of China and Russia to meddle with a system that has always been “protected” by the US.
"The proposal will significantly increase the power of foreign governments over the Internet,” warned a letter signed by several Republican senators, including former Presidential hopeful, Ted Cruz.
Whether you think those fears are justified depends on your confidence in the ability of Icann to do its job.
Ford will be releasing self driving cars within 5 year
Today is a milestone moment in Ford's history.
We're announcing our intent to have fully autonomous vehicles in commercial operation for a ride-hailing or ride-sharing service beginning in 2021. This is significant. Ford will be mass producing vehicles capable of driving fully autonomously within five years. No steering wheel. No gas pedals. No brake pedals. A driver will not be required.
If someone had told you 10 years ago -- even five years ago -- that a major American car company would announce the mass production of a vehicle with no steering wheel, you would have said they were crazy.
As little as four years ago, our approach was aligned with the thinking of most automakers today, which is taking incremental steps to achieve full autonomy by advancing driver assist technology. This is not how we look at it today. We learned that to achieve full autonomy, we'd have to take a completely different pathway.
So, we abandoned a stepping-stone approach and created a dedicated "top down" engineering program to deliver fully autonomous vehicles and the new mobility solutions and business opportunities that a fully autonomous vehicle could deliver.
The world is changing, and it's changing quickly. We're not sitting on the sidelines. Ford will be actively driving that change.
It's now clear that the next decade will be defined by automation of the automobile. In fact, we see autonomous vehicles as having as big an impact on society as Ford's moving assembly line did a hundred years ago.
It's important to understand that this is not just about building an autonomous vehicle. There's something deeper, something that motivates us every day, something that's in the DNA of our company.
More than a hundred years ago, we were founded with a clear mission: to make people's lives better. Our founder Henry Ford believed making transportation accessible would advance human progress. Cars used to just be for rich people, but the innovations at Ford brought the automobile to millions of people.
At the time, it was a radical idea. Most people in the U.S. didn't travel very far from their homes. When car ownership became a reality for millions, people became more connected; they explored more and found greater opportunity because they could live, work and play where they wanted. In a way, it was a revolution in the connectivity of average people the likes of which we haven't seen again until recently.
This principle of bringing life-changing technologies to millions of people is at the core of what we do. When we step back and look at how we can make the most difference in people's lives during the next 100 years, we see the autonomous car changing the way the world moves once again. That's because autonomous cars address a host of safety, social, and environmental challenges.
BAHAMAS PUBLIC FORECAST
BAHAMAS PUBLIC FORECAST FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT THURSDAY 18TH AUGUST 2016
GENERAL SITUATION: A WEAK SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE REMAINS ACROSS THE AREA WHILE AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH NEAR THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS WIL SUPPORT ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE DAY.
NORTHWEST BAHAMAS
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY AND HOT TODAY WITH SOME CLOUDY PERIODS AND ISOLATED MORNING SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS TURNING FAIR AND WARM TONIGHT.
ADVISORY: BOATERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST 10-15 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS, FALLING LIGHT AND VARIABLE AT TIMES
SEAS: 2-3 FEET OVER THE OCEAN
CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY AND HOT WITH AN ISOLATED AFTERNOON SHOWER TURNING FAIR AND WARM TONIGHT
WINDS: EASTERLY AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET OVER THE OCEAN
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE 91 °F 33 °C
OVERNITE LOW TEMPERATURE 79 °F 26 °C
SUNRISE: 6:45 AM MOONRISE: 8:01 PM LOW TIDE: 2:28 PM
SUNSET: 7:41 PM MOONSET:7:54 AM FRI HIGH TIDE:8:18AM HIGH TIDE: 8:43PM
EXTENDED FORECAST: (FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS) THE WEAK SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA HOWEVER THE UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS WILL MOVE WESTWARD AND OUT OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON.
FORECAST FOR FRIDAY
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY AND HOT.
WINDS: LIGHT AND VARIABLE
SEAS: 3 FEET OR LESS OVER THE OCEAN.
FORECAST FOR SATURDAY
WEATHER: CONTINUING PARTLY SUNNY AND HOT.
WINDS: LIGHT AND VARIABLE.
SEAS: 3 FEET OR LESS OVER THE OCEAN.
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: SEE NEW ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM FIONA
BASIL A. DEAN/vm
TROPICAL STORM FIONA
NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM FIONA ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION, AT 6:00AM THURSDAY 18TH AUGUST, 2016
AT 5AM EDT, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM FIONA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.2°NORTH AND LONGITUDE 40.3° WEST OR ABOUT 1080 MILES WEST OF THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS.
TROPICAL STORM FIONA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST AT 16 MPH AND THIS GENERAL MOTION WITH SOME DECREAS IN FORWARD SPPED IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 45 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS AND SOME ADDITIONALLY STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE TODAY FOLLOWED BY SLOW WEAKENIN BY THE WEEKEND.
THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT NOON
PREPARED BY FORECASTER: BASIL A. DEAN
6AM THURSDAY 18TH AUGUST, 2016
Stable Credit Rating
FortisTCI Maintains 'BBB' Outlook: Stable Credit Rating
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (Wednesday, August 17, 2016) – The international independent credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P), recently commenced an annual review of the FortisTCI (the “Company”) ‘BBB’ corporate rating. This rating was initially achieved by the Company in 2014 and reconfirmed in 2015. The S&P 2016 review results were announced on Thursday, August 11, 2016, concluding that FortisTCI has maintained it’s ‘BBB’ (Outlook: Stable) global corporate credit rating.
According to S&P standards, “an obligor rated 'BBB' has adequate capacity to meet its financial commitments. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitments.”
The report highlighted as it has in previous years, that “simple contract, cost-of-service style regulation, and the expectation that there will be no material changes to the licensing agreement and tariff structure” were positives in the rationale. The FortisTCI strategic relationship with parent company Fortis Inc. was also highlighted as a positive. S&P also stated in their report that, “Although we do not expect a downgrade during the outlook horizon, any material adverse regulatory decision, unfavourable changes to the regulatory structure or operating license or weakening in the Turks and Caicos Islands’ economy could all lead to a downgrade.”
President and CEO Eddinton Powell commented saying, “There is great value in having an investment-grade corporate credit rating, particularly in the electric utility industry which is one of the most capital-intensive industries there is. Since achieving the S&P credit rating, FortisTCI has gained access to competitive capital markets in New York, as well as the domestic market through the National Insurance Board (NIB), helping to fund much-needed investment in energy infrastructure projects benefiting the Turks and Caicos Islands. Therefore, we are pleased to have achieved a successful outcome from the annual review by S&P.” Mr. Powell added, “On behalf of FortisTCI, I wish to thank our parent company, Fortis Inc. for their support, and extend congratulations to the Turks and Caicos Islands Government for their effort in maintaining the Sovereign rating of BBB+ announced in July. Without an investment-grade Sovereign rating, an investment-grade corporate debt rating, and the benefits it offers to all stakeholders, would not be possible.”
DECR records a bountiful start to Lobster Season 2016
MINISTRY OF TOURISM, ENVIRONEMNT, HERITAGE AND GAMING
Lobster season 2016/2017 kicked off on Monday, 15 August, with opening catch landed at processing plants in South Caicos and Providenciales totalling 43,206 pounds (lb), approximately 80% of the landings recorded for the first day of the open season in 2015.
“While the opening day was lower than last year, a number of boats brought back over 1000 lbs of lobster each which was good. However, it is too early to tell how the season will turn out this year, and there are mixed reports from fishermen about the quantity of lobsters out there and if the weather just before the start of the season has made it harder to catch them. This is something that will become clearer over the coming weeks” said Dr. John Claydon, Director of the Department of Environment & Coastal Resources (DECR)
DECR Officers have been inspecting catch as fishermen come into the plant and while at sea, and boat patrols have been conducted to deter illegal activities. However, the DECR fleet has been on stand-by to assist rescuing fishermen when needed.
Restrictions relating to crawfish, as per the Fisheries Protection Ordinance, are listed below:
Crawfish size restrictions are as follows:
When whole, a length of 3.25 inches measured from the front of the groove between the horns directly above the eyes, along the middle of the back to the rear edge of the back shell; or
When the tail has been separated, a tail weight of 5 ounces whether processed or not;
Fishers are not to be in the possession of any egg-bearing crawfish;
Fishers are not to remove eggs from egg-bearing crawfish;
Fishers are not to take or be in possession of moulting / soft-shelled crawfish or crawfish in early stages of spawning (described as appearing ‘tar-spotted’); and
Fishers are to ensure that the crawfish are landed unharmed and whole after being taken and landed at processing plants or at home, unless processed at sea as per the terms of the processing license.
The DECR appeals to citizens, residents and visitors in the Turks & Caicos Islands, to familiarise themselves with and to uphold the Fisheries Regulations, and urges all responsible citizens to call DECR at 338 4170 or email environment@gov.tc to report any violations.
NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL DEPRESSION SIX
NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL DEPRESSION SIX ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION, AT 12 NOON WEDNESDAY 17TH AUGUST 2016.
DEPRESSION EXPECTED TO BECOME A TROPICAL STORM LATER TODAY
AT 11:00AM EDT, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION SIX WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 14.0°NORTH AND LONGITUDE 36.4° WEST OR ABOUT 840 MILES WEST OF THE CABO VERDE ISLANDS.
TROPICAL DEPRESSION SIX IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST AT 15 MPH, AND THIS MOTION WITH SOME DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 35 MILES PER HOUR (MPH) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SLOW STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS, AND THE DEPRESSION IS LIKELY TO BECOME A TROPICAL STORM TODAY.
THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT 6PM.
PREPARED BY FORECASTER: SHEZELLE MATHER
08/17/2016 1140 AM
BAHAMAS PUBLIC FORECAST
THIS IS THE BAHAMAS PUBLIC FORECAST FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WEDNESDAY 17TH AUGUST 2016
GENERAL SITUATION: UPPER LEVEL TROUGHING ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST BAHAMAS, IS GENERATING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL ISLANDS WHILE A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AT THE SURFACE REMAINS OVER THE ISLANDS.
SPECIAL WARNINGS: BEACHERGOERS AND MARINERS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AND ROUGH SURF CONDITIONS.
AREA: NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS
WEATHER: VARIABLY CLOUDY AND HOT WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT SHOULD BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: EASTERLY AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
AREA: SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
WEATHER: MOSTLY SUNNY AND HOT WITH THE CHANCE OF ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON TURNING FAIR AND WARM WITH THE SLIGHT CHANCE OF ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT CAUTION REMAINS IN EFFECT.
WINDS: EASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS.
SEAS: 4 TO 6 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE: 92 °F 33 °C
OVERNITE LOW TEMPERATURE: 79 °F 26 °C
SUNSET: 7:42PM MOONRISE: 7:15PM LOW TIDE: 1:41PM 2:22AM THU
SUNRISE: 6:45AM THU MOONSET: 6:53AM THU HIGH TIDE: 7:59PM 8:18AM THU
WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR TOMORROW: THE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY WHILE THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGHING WILL SLOWLY MOVE NORTHWESTWARD AWAY FROM THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THIS WILL ALLOW WEATHER CONDITIONS TO BECOME MORE DRY AND STABLE.
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: SEE LATEST NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL DEPRESSION SIX. ELSEWHERE TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 5 DAYS.
FORECASTER: SHEZELLE MATHER / A.T.
MARINE FORECAST
BAHAMAS MARINE FORECAST FOR THE BAHAMAS FOR 24 HOURS FROM 06AM WEDNESDAY 17TH AUGUST 2016 ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY AT 1000UTC.
WARNINGS: BEACHERGOERS AND MARINERS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AND ROUGH SURF CONDITIONS.
GENERAL SITUATION: AN UPPER LEVEL LOW CENTERED BETWEEN NORTHERN CUBA AND ANDROS GENERATING WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS WHILE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE WEATHER PATTERN ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE ISLANDS.
NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT SHOULD BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: EASTERLY AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
WEATHER: WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT ACROSS THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS. A FEW SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT ACROSS THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS.
SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT CAUTION REMAINS IN EFFECT.
WINDS: EASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS.
SEAS: 4 TO 6 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
WEATHER: THE CHANCE OF ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT.
MOONRISE: 7:15PM
MOONSET: 6:53AM THUR
HIGH TIDE: 7:33AM 7:59PM
LOW TIDE: 1:41PM 2:22AM THUR
EXTENDED FORECAST: THE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY THROUGH THURSDAY BEFORE SHIFTING SOUTHWARD ON FRIDAY AND REMAINING THROUGH MONDAY WHILE THE UPPER LEVEL LOW AND TROUGH WILL SLIDE ACROSS THE FLORIDA STRAITS TODAY AND WEAKEN BY THURSDAY, BUT WILL REMAIN IN THE VICINITY THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK.
FORECAST FOR THURSDAY
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT CAUTION REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND EASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS OVER OPEN WATERS.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET IN THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND 4 TO 6 FEET IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS OVER THE OCEAN.
WEATHER: WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY ACROSS THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS.
FORECAST FOR FRIDAY
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT CAUTION REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND EASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS OVER OPEN WATERS.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET IN THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND 4 TO 6 FEET IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS OVER THE OCEAN.
WEATHER: WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: SEE LATEST NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL DEPRESSION SIX. ELSEWHERE TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 5 DAYS.
FORECASTER: ORSON NIXON/vs/sc
TROPICAL DEPRESSION SIX
NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL DEPRESSION SIX ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION, AT 6AM WEDNESDAY 17TH AUGUST 2016.
… TROPICAL DEPRESSION MOVING NORTHWESTWARD OVER THE CENTRAL TROPICAL ATLANTIC …
AT 5:00AM EDT, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION SIX WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 13.2°NORTH AND LONGITUDE 35.2° WEST OR ABOUT 775 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF THE CABO VERDE ISLANDS.
TROPICAL DEPRESSION SIX IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST AT 15 MPH, AND THIS MOTION WITH SOME DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 35 MILES PER HOUR (MPH) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SLOW STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO, AND THE DEPRESSION IS LIKELY TO BECOME A TROPICAL STORM TODAY.
THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT NOON.
PREPARED BY FORECASTER: ORSON NIXON
08/17/2016 1000UTC.