Trump tweets explosive threat to Iran
President Donald Trump issued a furious, all-caps challenge to the Iranian regime late Sunday night, warning that any threats to the US would be met with unspecified dire consequences.
The tirade signaled an immediate escalation of tensions between Washington and Tehran, and capped a weekend of angry tweets by the President on the Russia investigation and the legal problems facing his former personal attorney, Michael Cohen.
"To Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE," Trump tweeted after returning to the White House from a weekend at his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey. "WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!"
Trump's comments were apparently a response to earlier remarks by Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, who warned the US that war with Tehran would be the "mother of all wars."
Rouhani warned Trump not to "play with the lion's tail, because you will regret it eternally." He also held out the possibility of a peaceful relationship with the US, in remarks reported by Iranian state media.
On Monday, a senior officer in Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Commander General Gholam Hossein Gheibparvar, described Trump's remarks as "psychological warfare," the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.
Coral reef disease on the rise in the region, experts warn!
A report by the Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) earlier this month warned divers and other marine researchers in the Caribbean area to be on the lookout for sites with an unusually high percentage of diseased and recently dead corals.
The report, produced by AGRRA, working in continuing conjunction with The University of the West Indies (UWI) Discovery Bay Marine Lab, stated that sick and decaying corals was first noted offshore of the Miami-Dade County area in September, 2014.
The outbreak area has since progressed 175 km (108 miles) to the northern limit of the Florida reef tract and southwest to Looe Key in the Lower Florida Keys and that numerous coral species have been afflicted, disease prevalence has reached 80 percent of all colonies present at a site, and a number of coral diseases have been observed.
In addition, the prevalence of sick and dying corals on north Jamaican reefs has increased dramatically since this area experienced a severe bleaching event in the autumn of 2017. The species of affected corals and their signs of disease show considerable overlap with the reports from Florida.AGRRA also stated that, on July 3, researchers in Mexico discovered a reef near Puerto Morelos, Mexico to have a severe outbreak of coral disease affecting similar species and exhibiting similar patters as those in Florida.
The Florida Disease Advisory Committee (FDAC) is now referring to all affected Floridian corals as having “tissue-loss disease” and is advising divers and all persons that come into contact with coral or marine life to take the necessary sanitary precautions to ensure that the disease does not spread.
The diseases observed include what appear to be “White Plague”, the unknown white disease “White Blotch”, and other indistinguishable white diseases. In light of this, the FDAC is advising people to rinse their diving gear in chlorine anti-septic and continue to be as distant to the coral reefs as possible and avoid touching the reefs that have become infected.
CIBC First Caribbean Wins Most Innovative Bank Award
Less than two months after releasing enhancements to its Mobile App and Online Banking, CIBC First Caribbean has been named the Most Innovative Bank in the region at the prestigious World Finance Banking Awards presented by UK-based World Finance Magazine.
The bank is the only Caribbean-based bank to have been recognized at this year’s event.
Earlier this year, CIBC First Caribbean revamped its mobile banking app to include services that are built on Visa technology – namely, mobile location confirmation and “Freeze My card” service. These features were the first of their kind to be introduced within the Caribbean by a bank. Through the app, clients can also easily check their account balances, transfer funds between accounts or to other CIBC First Caribbean clients and pay bills, all from their mobile device.
“Our success could not have been possible without our investment in technology. Technology remains one of our top priorities as a bank and it has allowed us to deliver on our promise of “banking that fits your life” by responding to client feedback and creating solutions that allow them to bank when and how they want.
CDB and Partners Kick off Project to Support Micro and Small Enterprises in Haiti
A project has been launched to give female and male entrepreneurs in Haiti better opportunities to grow their businesses.
The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Inter-American Development Bank, Global Affairs Canada and Desjardins International (DID) of Canada have partnered to increase access to business loans, saving products, and services for micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in Haiti.
The project, launched this week, will support Le Levier Fédération—a network of savings and credit cooperatives—in establishing a specialized MSE Finance Unit.
The Project titled, ‘Support for the Establishment of a Specialised Micro and Small Business Financing Assessment Unit, within the Le Levier Fédération’ has an investment of US$3.04 million, which includes a loan component of US$500,000 for onlending to first-tier savings and credit cooperatives within the Le Levier network that utilise the CFE model for the financing of MSEs.
ScotiaBank Grace Bay closed Friday 20th July, 2018
Friday evening signaled the complete closure of the Scotia Bank Grace Bay branch in a controversial downsizing exercise with its Grand Turk Branch next.
On June 7, 2018, ScotiaBank confirmed that a format that’s being implemented region wide by the financial institution will dramatically alter operations in the TCI. Three branches will merge to become one.
Masses of customers have already flocked to alternative banks for the fear of a complete closure with customers’ deposits as previous banks have done in the past.
Weather Forecast, July 23rd, 2018
FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS & SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
WEATHER: VARIABLY CLOUDY WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT
ADVISORY: BOATERS CAN EXPECT GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...
WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 15 KNOTS
SEAS: 3 TO 5 FEET OVER THE OCEAN
HIGH TEMPERATURE TODAY 91F 32C
LOW TEMPERATURE TONIGHT 77F 25C
SUN
SUNRISE: 6:33AM SUNSET: 7:57PM
MOON
MOONRISE: 4:48PM MOONSET: 3:53AM TUE
TIDES
LOW TIDE: 10:29AM 11:24PM
HIGH TIDE: 4:57PM 5:09AM TUE
EXTENDED FORECAST: (FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS)...DEEP UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT UNSETTLED WEATHER ACROSS THE BAHAMAS AS IT SLIDES NEARER TO THE ISLANDS THROUGH EARLY IN THE WEEK...
TCI makes Debut in Central American and Caribbean Games!!!
The Turks and Caicos Islands makes debut in the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games in Barranquilla Colombia.
The Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC or CACGs) are a multi-sport regional championship event, held quadrennial (once every four years), typically in the middle (even) year between Summer Olympics. The Games are for countries in Central America, the Caribbean, as well as for Bermuda, Mexico, and the South American countries of Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.
The CACGs are the oldest continuing regional games in the world, and only the Olympics have run longer. The Games are overseen by the Central American and Caribbean Sports Organization (CACSO) They are designed to provide a step between sub-CACG-region Games held the first year following a Summer Olympics and the Continental Championships, the Pan American Games, held the year before the Summer Olympics.
Ms. Judith Robinson, then Acting Director for Sports, worked diligently for three years to secure CACSO approval for the Turks and Caicos Islands. This process included high level discussions with the British Olympic Associations as well as with senior CACSO officials. A small steering committee was established in 2013 to advance the agenda of Turks and Caicos Island’s eligibility in Olympic affiliated events. The TCI was able to qualify with Athletics, Football, Basketball, sailing, Rugby, Swimming, Cycling, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball. However only Athletics will be representing in the 2018 games in Barranquilla under the umbrella of the Local Commonwealth Games Association led by President Vanessa Moyce - Gardiner.
The Minister for Sports, Hon Edwin Astwood, Deputy Permanent Secretary Ms. Tamera Robinson and Director of Sports Mr. Jarrett Forbes is among the delegation to commemorate this grand achievement for the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Godfrey Been and Kivano Handfield represented the Turks and Caicos Islands at the Opening Ceremony yesterday, July 19, 2018. Kivano carried the flag for TEAM TCI during the parade of countries. The games will be held from July 19th to August 03rd, with more than 5,000 athletes from 37 countries taking part. The rest of Team TCI will join Godfrey and Kivano during the course of next week.
Let us wish TEAM TCI all the best in these games.
Go Team TCI!
Rapper XXXTentacion had $50,000. Four men have been indicted for killing him to get it.
Before Pompano Beach rapper XXXTentacion swung by Deerfield Beach’s Riva Motorsports to look at motorcycles on June 18, he stopped at a Bank of America branch to take out $50,000 in stacks of $100 bills.
That $50,000 was in the Louis Vuitton bag that gunmen stole when they fatally shot XXXTentacion as he and a friend tried to drive out of Riva’s parking lot, according to an arrest warrant.
Now, four men have been indicted for the crime. A Broward County grand jury indicted Michael Boatwright, Dedrick Williams, Robert Allen and Trayvon Newsome Thursday on charges of first degree murder and armed robbery with a firearm of the 20-year-old whose given name is Jahseh Onfroy.
Boatwright and Dedrick Williams, both 22, already are in Broward County jail on charges related to this incident and others. BSO has been trying to find Robert Allen, nicknamed “Big Rob” and “Fat Boy,” but the 5-foot-9, 300-pound Allen remains at large as does Newsome. Newsome is the only one of the four without prior criminal convictions.
Weather Forecast July 20th, 2018
BAHAMAS AND TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS PUBLIC FORECAST
GENERAL SITUATION: MID TO UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN USA AND TYPICAL DIURNAL PATTERN CONTINUE TO CREATE UNSTABLE CONDITION ACROSS THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS WHILE THE REMAINDER OF THE ISLANDS IS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE.
SPECIAL WARNINGS: BOATERS SHOULD BE ON ALERT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WATERSPOUTS. BEACHGOERS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS INCLUDING THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS SHOULD REMAIN ON ALERT FOR THE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE EASTERN COASTS.
CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS INCLUDING THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS.
WEATHER: FAIR AND WARM TONIGHT. MOSTLY SUNNY, HOT AND HUMID WITH A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TOMORROW.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT CAUTION REMAINS IN EFFECT.
WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS.
SEAS: 4 TO 6 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
NORTHWEST BAHAMAS
WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY WITH WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT. PARTLY SUNNY, HOT ND HUMID WITH A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TOMORROW.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT SHOULD BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
OVERNITE LOW TEMP 79 °F 26 °C
DAYTIME HIGH TEMP 93°F 34 °C
HEAT INDEX 105 °F 41 °C
SUNSET: 7:59PM
SUNRISE: 6:32AM FRI
MOONSET: 1:11AM FRI
MOONRISE: 2:08PM FRI
LOW TIDE: 7:28PM 7:49AM FRI
HIGH TIDE: 1:27AM FRI 2:12PM FRI
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT FIVE DAYS.
SOURCE DDME
Jamaica to Invite Thai boys and coach on free vacation
The Government will be inviting the 12 boys from a youth football team in Thailand and their coach who were recently rescued from a flooded cave to vacation in the island with all expenses paid.
Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett said he “couldn’t think of a more appropriate gesture for these brave and extraordinary young men than to have them come and enjoy our beautiful island home”.
“We will be using all our diplomatic channels through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, also the Jamaican Honorary Consulate in Bangkok, Thailand, to try and make this a reality,” he said.
“This will be an all-expense paid vacation and something that we are happy to do as part of the international community and to show appreciation for the special friendship we have had with the people of Thailand over the years,” Minister Bartlett added.