Rio Olympics 2016: Usain Bolt calls for faith but questions if rivals are drug free
Usain Bolt has defended athletics at a news conference that featured a dance troupe and a rapping Norwegian. Amid the razzamatazz, the six-time Olympic champion, 29, made a serious point about the future of the sport.
The run-up to the Games was dominated by Russia's doping scandal, while American rivals Justin Gatlin and LaShawn Merritt have served drug bans.
"People should have faith," said Bolt. "We're weeding out the bad ones. We're going in the right direction." But the Jamaican added "nothing is guaranteed" when asked whether the sprint races at the Games, which start on Saturday, would be drug-free.
Bolt, who said in February he would retire from athletics after the 2017 World Championships, confirmed this would be his last Olympics. The sprinter, who holds the 100m and 200m world records, also said he was aiming to become the first man to run under 19 seconds in the 200m.
He could leave Rio with a third successive Olympic treble after winning the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay titles in 2008 and 2012. "The 100m is never stressful," Bolt said. "For some reason, when I get to the 200m, I'm always a little bit nervous."
PUBLIC FORECAST FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT
THIS IS A PUBLIC FORECAST FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT TUESDAY 09TH AUGUST 2016 ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY AT 6AM
GENERAL SITUATION: AN UPPER LOW NEAR THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS AND A LOW LEVEL TROUGH CONTINUE TO CREATE UNSETTLED WEATHER OVER THE BAHAMAS
NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS:
WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT SHOULD BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND HIGH SEAS IN THUNDERSTORMS
WINDS:SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET
SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS :
WEATHER: MOSTLY SUNNY AND WARM WITH FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WINDS:EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 15 KNOTS
SEAS: 3 TO 5 FEET WINDS AND SEAS HIGHER IN THUNDERSTORMS
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE 92°F 33°C
OVERNITE LOW TEMPERATURE 75°F 24 °C
SUNRISE: 6:41 AM MOONSET: 12:14 AM LOW TIDE: 7:03AM
SUNSET: 7:49PM MOONRISE: 12:33 PM HIGH TIDE: 1:19 PM
EXTENDED FORECAST: THE UPPER LOW WILL CONTINUE TO CREATE UNSETTLED WEATHER THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY BEFORE WEAKENING AND MOVING OUT OF THE AREA
FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY AND WARM WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WINDS: SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET
FORECAST FOR THUSRDAY
WEATHER: MOSTLY SUNNY WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WINDS: SOUTHEASTERLY AT 15KTS
SEAS : 3 T0 5 FEET
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: TROPICAL STORM FORMATION NOT EXPECTED THROUGH THE NEXT 5 DAYS.
FORECASTER: N. ARMSTRONG /C.G
The Peoples Democratic Movement is pleased to announce the introduction of its Grand Turk constituency candidates.
On Wednesday, August 10, 2016, Derek Rolle and Hon Edwin Astwood will be officially announced in the Nation’s Capital. The PDM wishes to invite the residents of Grand Turk to join us at 730pm at the Party’s Headquarters for this historic event.
Party Leader, Hon Sharlene Cartwright Robinson says, “I am pleased to have these great men offering themselves for service to the Island of Grand Turk and the Turks and Caicos Islands at large. We welcome them aboard this Movement yet again and are confident that the people of ED 1 and ED 2 will see their value and be a part of the change that is on the horizon. The residents of Grand Turk have been neglected for too long and they deserve more. We will present these men who possess a vision for their native Island on the Island of Grand Turk and we are excited about this.
PEACEFUL PROTESTORS ADVOCATED FOR JUSTICE OVER DISPUTE WITH MANAGEMENT OF PRICECLUB/JSMS LTD.
At approximately 9:30 am this morning, peaceful protestors picketed the grounds in front of the Employment Services Department (Labour Department), Downtown, Providenciales. The protestors held up signs advocating for justice in their dispute with the Management of PriceClub/JSMS.
There were an estimated 8-10 persons protesting and they stayed on the grounds for approximately 2 hours.
The Commissioner of Labour, after receiving all facts associated with the protest, tried to invite the leaders for a meeting, however, they had already dispersed.
The PriceClub/JSMS Ltd is a wholesale supermarket that recently fell into liquidation. As a result their workers were presented with letters of redundancy. After these letters were received, the employees filed disputes with the Employment Services Department and contracted two law firms to represent them.
The first set of meetings were to be held today, 8th August, 2016, but was re-scheduled by one of the attorneys, who had prior commitments. The said conciliation sessions will be held later this week. Each employee’s claim will be dealt with fairly, with the primary aim of securing any entitlements owed to them.
BIOMETRIC ENROLMENT FOR UK CITIZENSHIP NOW AVAILABLE IN TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS
The Governor’s Office in Grand Turk is pleased to announce that biometric enrolment services for those applying for British citizenship are now available in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Biometric enrolment, which consists of a facial photograph, fingerprint and electronic signature, is the final step for those seeking registration as a British Citizen.
Before now, local residents applying for registration as a British Citizen had to travel to Barbados or Jamaica to fulfil the biometric enrolment requirement needed to complete their application.
The difficulty and expense of travelling off-island for biometric enrolment was challenging for most citizenship applicants, and, following appeals from the Governor’s Office in Turks and Caicos Islands, as well as by other Overseas Territories, the UK Home Office agreed to set up a biometric enrolment facility in the Governor’s Office, Grand Turk.
Commenting on this development a spokesman for Governor’s Office said, “Our hope is that this new facility will make it easier and cheaper for residents of Turks and Caicos to secure registration as UK citizens, rather than having to arrange travel to Barbados or Jamaica. This brings TCI in line with the options available to potential British citizens in many other countries and is a welcome development.”
Applicants will be contacted by the Governor’s Office once they have been informed by the UK Home Office that biometric enrolment is required and a date for enrolment agreed. Biometrics will be enrolled fortnightly at the Governor’s Office in Grand Turk, by appointment.
For more information, please contact Carmelita Rolle at the Governor’s Office at 946-2308/9
HILTON MIAMI/DADELAND OPENS
HILTON WORLDWIDE TO OPEN HILTON MIAMI/DADELAND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BAPTIST HEALTH SOUTH FLORIDA
184-Room New Build Hotel to Feature Rooms for Longer Stays and Wellness Center
MIAMI, FL. – August 8, 2016 – Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) and Baptist Health South Florida today announced the signing of a franchise license agreement to open Hilton Miami/Dadeland, a full service, 184-room hotel, on the Baptist Hospital campus in Miami, Florida. Scheduled to open in late 2018, the hotel will feature 150 guest rooms, 34 rooms tailored to guests staying for longer periods, the largest meeting space in the area, a wellness center, farm-to-table restaurant and more. The hotel will be operated by Interstate Hotels and Resorts.
“We are proud that Hilton Hotels & Resorts will be a part of the Baptist Hospital campus, offering our world-class hospitality to all visitors in the greater Miami area, as well as patients and families who are in particular need of the comfort, convenience and amenities that we offer,” said Matt Wehling, senior vice president, development – North America, Hilton Worldwide. “We thank Baptist Health South Florida for their partnership and collaboration in bringing this property to life.”
Hilton Miami/Dadeland will complement the exceptional patient experience offered at Miami Cancer Institute, a new $430 million clinical and research center which will house South Florida’s first proton therapy center, and the Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute, a leader in cardiovascular care. CallisonRTKL Inc., the architect for the hotel, has fused best practices from healthcare and hospitality design by incorporating a welcoming, compassionate and uplifting environment for guests. Recognizing the community’s multicultural nature and the hospital campus’ Mediterranean feel, the property will feature special design details, including Cuban tile, pineapple-themed wall art and textiles with abstract lines representative of the fruit’s texture to add a touch of local style. The pineapple, Baptist Health’s iconic logo, symbolizes hospitality and reflects a place of warmth and welcome.
The 150,000-square-foot hotel will be located to the immediate west of the main entrance of Baptist Hospital and conveniently near Dadeland Mall and regional transportation hubs, including Miami International Airport, Miami MetroRail Dadeland North station and Tamiami Executive Airport.
“Hilton Worldwide is recognized globally as a leader in hospitality, and we felt its full-service Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand would be an ideal partner,” said Ana Lopez-Blazquez, executive vice president, Baptist Health South Florida. “In addition, this property will have the largest meeting space in the area to accommodate conferences, events and meetings.”
Hilton Miami/Dadeland will include a 6,200-square-foot ballroom, over 2,000 square feet of state-of-the-art flexible meeting space, a health and wellness center with a fitness room and heated outdoor pool, and a 24-hour business center. In addition to the hotel’s restaurant, Hilton Miami/Dadeland will offer a grab-n-go pantry, a water bar with bottled water from around the world and room service. During digital check-in, guests will be able to request a Digital Key from within the Hilton HHonors mobile app to unlock their rooms, and the hotel’s app will suggest nearby dining and entertainment venues.
“The Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand is beloved among travelers around the world, and Hilton Miami/Dadeland will bring the best of our brand to the local area,” said Shawn McAteer, vice president, global brand management, full service brands, Hilton Worldwide. “This property will offer the signature elements of Hilton Hotels & Resorts – unparalleled amenities, individualized service and beautifully designed rooms – to business and leisure travelers, as well as patients and their families.”
Hilton Miami/Dadeland participates in Hilton HHonors®, the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton Worldwide. Hilton HHonors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including an exclusive discount that can’t be found anywhere else, free standard Wi-Fi, digital check-in and Hilton HHonors Points.\
Hilton Miami/Dadeland will be located at 9100 N. Kendall Drive, Miami, FL 33176. For more information about Hilton Hotels & Resorts, visit www.hilton.com or news.hilton.com. For more information about Baptist Health South Florida, visit www.baptisthealth.net.
Barclays pays a further $100m in the US over Libor fraud
Barclays bank has paid a further $100m (£77m) to settle a claim by 44 US states that it rigged the Libor rate system between 2005 and 2009.
Libor - or London inter-bank offered rate - is used by banks to set the cost of lending money to each other. The New York attorney-general, Eric Schneiderman said government bodies and not-for-profit organisations had been defrauded of millions of dollars. The Libor scandal has already cost Barclays $453m.
That sum was paid to the US Justice Department, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the UK's Financial Services Authority in 2012. As part of the latest legal settlement, Barclays admitted what had already been firmly established; that some of its dealers rigged Libor rates in a system of mutual back-scratching between 2005 and 2009.
Mr Schneiderman said: "There has to be one set of rules for everyone, no matter how rich or how powerful, and that includes big banks and other financial institutions that engage in fraud or impair the fair functioning of financial markets." Other banks that have reached settlements with the US authorities in similar Libor cases include UBS, which paid $1.5bn (£940m), RBS, Deutsche Bank and ICAP.
But Mr Schneiderman said Barclays was the first bank to settle cases brought by individual US state authorities. For its part, Barclays said it was "pleased" to have settled this latest legal threat in the US. "We believe this settlement is in the best interests of our shareholders and clients," it said.
Walmart to buy Jet.com for $3.3bn
Walmart has announced plans to buy e-commerce site Jet.com for $3.3bn (£2.5bn) in a move that could help boost its online retail sales.
Walmart has been struggling to compete against online retailers like Amazon. Jet.com has soared in the e-commerce space since it launched in 2015, undercutting some of Amazon's prices.
Doug McMillon, Walmart's chief executive, said the deal would help accelerate the growth of Jet.com and Walmart's own website. "We're looking for ways to lower prices, broaden our assortment and offer the simplest, easiest shopping experience because that's what our customers want," said Mr McMillon. "We believe the acquisition of Jet accelerates our progress across these priorities."
Walmart will pay $3bn in cash and $300m in stock. Walmart and Jet.com will remain separate companies, but will co-operate over technology.
Jet.com launched in July 2015 by entrepreneur Marc Lore. Mr Lore sold his last company Quidsi, the parent company of a family of websites including Diapers.com and Soap.com, which was sold to Amazon in 2011 for $545m.
Jet.com started off using a pricing strategy that offered discounts for placing larger orders and charged a $50 subscription fee. The subscription model was dropped after three months. "The combination of Walmart's retail expertise, purchasing scale, sourcing capabilities, distribution footprint, and digital assets - together with the team, technology and business we have built here at Jet - will allow us to deliver more value to customers," said Mr Lore.
Android bug fear in 900 million phones
Serious security flaws that could give attackers complete access to a phone's data have been found in software used on tens of millions of Android devices.
The bugs were uncovered by Checkpoint researchers looking at software running on chipsets made by US firm Qualcomm. Qualcomm processors are found in about 900 million Android phones, the company said. However, there is no evidence of the vulnerabilities currently being used in attacks by cyberthieves.
"I'm pretty sure you will see these vulnerabilities being used in the next three to four months," said Michael Shaulov, head of mobility product management at Checkpoint. "It's always a race as to who finds the bug first, whether it's the good guys or the bad."
Affected devices included:
BlackBerry Priv
Blackphone 1 and Blackphone 2
Google Nexus 5X, Nexus 6 and Nexus 6P
HTC One, HTC M9 and HTC 10
LG G4, LG G5, and LG V10
New Moto X by Motorola
OnePlus One, OnePlus 2 and OnePlus 3
US versions of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Samsung S7 Edge
Sony Xperia Z Ultra
Mr Shaulov said six months of work to reverse engineer Qualcomm's code revealed the problems. The flaws were found in software that handles graphics and in code that controls communication between different processes running inside a phone. Exploiting the bugs would allow an attacker to gradually be able to take more control over a device and gain access to its data.
Prince's estate denies planning to sell his Paisley Park home
The administrator of Prince's estate has denied reports it is planning to sell Paisley Park, the star's former home and recording studio complex.
A court filing on Friday had included the property among a list of assets that could be sold. But the Bremer Trust issued a statement on Saturday saying it "has no plans" to offload Paisley Park. It added that the "Purple Rain house" - which featured in the career-making film of the same name - was also safe.
Prince was found dead in an elevator inside Paisley Park in April, after an accidental overdose of painkillers. Thousands of fans gathered outside the property in the following days to lay tributes and pay their respects.