BAHAMAS PUBLIC FORECAST
THIS IS THE BAHAMAS PUBLIC FORECAST FOR TODAY WEDNESDAY 10TH AUGUST 2016
GENERAL SITUATION: A WEAK SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE REMAINS ACROSS THE AREA WHILE AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH NEAR THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS ALONG WITH SOME LOW LEVEL TROUGHING WILL SUPPORT INCREASED CLOUDINESS AND SHOWER ACTIVITY ACROSS THE ISLAND CHAIN
SPECIAL WARNINGS: BEACHGOERS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION DUE TO THE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS MAINLY ALONG THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN SHORELINES.
AREA: NORTHWEST BAHAMAS
WEATHER: VARIABLY CLOUDY, HOT AND HUMID WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
ADVISORY: BOATERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST 10 KNOTS OR LESS OVER OPEN WATERS, FALLING LIGHT AND VARIABLE AT TIMES.
SEAS: 3 FEET OR LESS OVER THE OCEAN.
AREA: CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY, HOT AND A BIT BREEZY TOMORROW WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
ADVISORY: BOATERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. A SMALL CRAFT CAUTION IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
WINDS: EASTERLY AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET OVER THE OCEAN IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND 4 TO 6 FEET IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
HIGH TEMPERATURE: 92 °F 33 °C
LOW TEMPERATURE: 77 °F 25 °C
SUNRISE: 6:42AM MOONSET: 12:14AM HIGH TIDE: 1:30AM 2:10PM
SUNSET: 7:49PM MOONRISE: 1:24PM LOW TIDE: 7:48AM 8:30PM
FORECASTER: SHEZELLE MATHER / A.T.
PDM Town Hall Meeting
The PDM is anticipating a vibrant discussion this upcoming Friday evening at the Conch Bar Community Center at a Town Hall Meeting being held at 7pm.
Party Leader Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson said,"We continue to hear from the people across our country and with our campaign being focused on "people centered development" we are eagerly waiting to hear the concerns and views of the residents of Middle Caicos.
Party standard bearer Ralph Higgs and other PDM party officials will also be in attendance to hear your views which will help shape the mandate for the upcoming General Election.
Pokemon Go in Google Play Store
‘FLOWRIO2016EXTRA’ APP AMONG TOP DOWNLOADS IN THE REGION
Second Only to Pokemon Go in Google Play Store
MIAMI, Fla. (August 9, 2016) – The ‘FlowRio2016Extra’ App peaked at the #2 spot alongside the worldwide phenomenon Pokemon Go, as Olympic fans in the Caribbean downloaded the latest feature from Flow, the Official Broadcast Partner of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. ‘FlowRio2016Extra’ App, which is free to all users, is trending on both IOS and Android and is part of Flow’s commitment to transform the Olympic Games viewing experience across the Caribbean.
Customers are raving about the service; GregFF from Jamaica declared, “Flow has done something exceptional here. I have never been able to follow or experience the Olympic Games like this. Bravo @FLOWJamaica” - GregFF (Jamaica), Aug 06 2016 09:39 AM
Trinifido of Trinidad was elated and added, “Okay @FlowTT I have to rate you with this #FlowRioapp. It's awesome. #RioOlympics2016.” Fellow Trinidadian, Lizimberlis reported being “…happy I have @Flowtt...Olympic coverage of basketball, cycling and even equestrian.” Lizimberlis of Trinidad, Aug 06 2016 12:13 PM.
As news of the impressive ranking broke, Michele English, Acting President of Flow stated, “This is a proud moment for us at Flow, considering this has come literally on the first day of the 2016 Olympic Games. To actually be in the trending category alone counts as a major accomplishment, to be second place to Pokemon Go which is also the #1 trending search for IOS is beyond impressive. Our goal is to continue to delight our customers with innovations such as the ‘FlowRio2016Extra’ App and we are thrilled that they are responding to the investments to serve them better.” According to English, “the downloads have so far exceeded our initial expectations, and as the Olympic Games progress and more of our Caribbean athletes spring into action, we anticipate even more activity, more searches and in effect more downloads.” Downloads are free to everyone, however, Flow customers have the added benefit of watching the live streams.
For English, the rating has taken on additional significance for the brand in light of the mammoth task the company has undertaken to prioritize and transform the customer experience. “As we place the customer at the heart of everything we do, we aim to complement, empower and enhance the consumers’ ever-evolving lifestyle,” English also said.
Olympic fans have been gravitating to the ‘FlowRio2016Extra’ App because of its ease, convenience and complete access to all things Olympics, wherever and whenever the consumer wants. The ‘FlowRio2016Extra’ App allows the user complete freedom to carry on with life as usual even while enjoying the Games and not be restricted to the confines of the living room sofa. The ‘FlowRio2016Extra’ App has amazing features including multiple camera angles, giving viewers a sense of actually being up front and center at all events across all 32 Olympic venues in Rio de Janeiro.
Download the Free app today! http://hyperurl.co/FlowRio2016Extra
THE RUN OF A LIFETIME
As the World celebrates the Olympics on going in Rio, the Turks & Caicos will be watching closely the track and field meets, as one of our own gets ready for the first time in history to grace the world as an Olympian.
Commenting on Delano Williams’ selection for the Great Britain Olympic team in Rio, the Governor, Peter Beckingham, said, “I'm sure everyone in the Turks and Caicos Islands, or with a connection to them, will be willing Delano Williams on in the Olympic Games in Rio this month. Delano, born in Grand Turk with a population of 5,000 people, will be running in the 4 x 400 metres relay for Team GB in front of some 100,000 bellowing spectators and a global TV audience.
“It is difficult to imagine, and harder still to describe, the atmosphere Delano will walk out to. I was lucky enough to be involved with the British participation in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, where I was UK Consul-General. Because of my work with the team Jill and I were privileged to attend some events in Sydney's main stadium. We saw the Australian runner, Cathy Freeman, storm through to win a Gold in the 400 metres. I'll never forget the atmosphere in the stadium that night.
“Delano will experience the same excitement, multiplied by millions, as he prepares for the run of his life. It is hard to think of anyone better able to handle the tension and the pressure. He is a well balanced man, modest but rightly ambitious, charming and great company. I can think of no better role model for the youth of Turks and Caicos Islands.
Let's all hope that Delano and his team mates rise to the Rio occasion this month.
It will be truly wonderful for Turks and Caicos if he returns with a medal, which will also be a reward for the trust shown in him by his family, and friends and colleagues like Rita Gardiner, the former head of TCI's Commonwealth Games group. But whatever the outcome everyone in Turks and Caicos should take pride in his participation in the world's greatest sporting event - an extraordinary achievement for someone from Grand Turk, which everybody there and in TCI should jointly celebrate.”
THE LANDS DIVISON STAGES ROADSHOWS
The Lands Division of the Attorney General’s Chambers will be hosting weekly Road Shows in six (6) islands from September 9, 2016 to October 7, 2016 under the theme “Empowering Our People, Building Our Nation.”
The schedule of the Road Show is provided below:
|
Island |
Location |
Place |
Date |
|
South Caicos |
Cockburn Harbour |
Regatta Village |
Friday- September 9, 2016 |
|
Providenciales |
Downtown Providenciales |
Outside the Lands Division Building, Butterfield Square |
Friday- September 16, 2016 |
|
North Caicos |
Bottle Creek |
By the Silver Palms (Near the new Police Station) |
Friday- September 23, 2016 |
|
Middle Caicos |
Conch Bar |
Community Centre |
|
|
Salt Cay |
Balfour Town |
Salt Shed |
Friday- September 29, 2016 |
|
Grand Turk |
Cockburn Town |
The Gazebo |
Friday- October 7, 2016 |
The aim of the Road Shows is to sensitize and offer guidance to members of the public who have the desire to obtain information about land and the procedures to be followed in relation to a series of land related transactions including:
•Services and products of the Lands Division
•Acquiring Crown Land by lease or sale
•Recent land policy changes
•Laws affecting property owners or person with interests in property
•Government duties and fees payable on land transactions
•Buying or transferring of property
•Valuation of properties by Government Valuation Officers
The Lands Divisions will also showcase its achievements and indicate some of its future plans
Tatum Clerveaux, Commissioner of Lands indicated that: "the Lands Division was formally established in 2012 as a result of the Turks and Caicos Islands Government Public Sector Reform Programme. Its main objective is to ensure that the land resource of the Turks and Caicos Islands, which is the country’s most important and critical asset, is used in an efficient and responsible way in order to achieve the sustainable development of the Islands. The Lands Division, which falls under the aegis of the Attorney General’s Chambers, is comprised of four main departments; namely, the Crown Land Unit, Survey and Mapping Department, Valuation Department and the Land Registry. By merging the various land functions under a single umbrella, it is envisioned that the delivery of the services of the various departments will be more efficient."
The Commissioner further stated that: "the vision of the Lands Division is to be a modern land management agency that puts customers and quality at the heart of the services offered. Its overarching mission is to facilitate improvement in the quality of life of all Turks and Caicos Islanders through professional, transparent and efficient administration, equitable access, secure tenure and sustainable management of our land resources."
With this is mind the Lands Division wishes to enlighten its customers by embarking on a public education campaign to sensitize Turks and Caicos Islanders about the products and services of the Lands Division in order to provide equitable access to information and guidance to all.
All are encouraged to come out and participate in the Lands Division’s Road Shows
The Simpsons to air first hour-long episode
Long-running US sitcom The Simpsons is to broadcast its first hour-long episode next year. Although there has been a Simpsons movie, this will be the first time a regular episode has run to an hour.
Executive producer Al Jean joked in a statement: "I just pray it won't be the last thing people see before a Trump inauguration." Taraji P Henson, who plays Cookie on Fox's Empire, and actor and comedian Keegan-Michael Key will guest star. Henson will voice the role of Praline, the former wife of a music mogul who has conned Mr Burns into bankruptcy.
Hillary vote
Key will play Jazzy James, who joins Praline, Homer and Bart to help Mr Burns get his revenge. The episode, which will go out in January in the US, will be titled The Great Phatsby, a play on The Great Gatsby.
The Simpsons begins its 28th season on 25 September. Earlier this month, Marge and Homer Simpson were seen agreeing to vote for Hillary Clinton in the forthcoming US election in a video clip.
Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with a copy of a book called Great Speeches by A Hitler in the video. When Homer signals that he might vote for Trump, Marge says: "If that's your vote, I question whether I can ever be with you again." Homer replies: "And that's how I became a Democrat."
EU waives budget deficit fines for Spain and Portugal
The European Union has formally agreed to waive fines for Spain and Portugal over their excessive budget deficits.
Under EU rules, member states are not supposed to run annual deficits greater than 3% of their total economic output. Last year, Spain's deficit was 5.1% of its gross domestic product (GDP) and Portugal's stood at 4.4%.
But citing "exceptional circumstances", the EU Council has given each country more time to conform to the rules and bring their deficits down. Against a background of uncertainty caused by the UK's Brexit vote and rising anti-EU sentiment in the rest of Europe, the Council confirmed a plan suggested in July by the European Commission.
Losing credibility?
Both countries have now been set new deadlines. Spain has been given until 2018 to reduce its deficit below 3% and Portugal has until the end of 2016 to bring its deficit down to 2.5%.
The Council said that Madrid and Lisbon must submit a report to Brussels by 15 October showing how they will achieve their revised targets. Last year, France was given a similar waiver of a potential fine when it missed its own target.
BBC reporter Naomi Grimley in Brussels says European leaders are reluctant to impose fines, fearing it could simply stoke anti-EU opinion in Spain and Portugal. However, critics are likely to argue that the EU loses credibility if it agrees rules and then fails to enforce them. Although all EU countries are required to run budget deficits below 3% of GDP, only the 19 countries that use the euro as a currency can be fined.
Weapons-drone student fights expulsion
A teenager who posted videos of drones firing a gun and a flamethrower is suing his university after he was expelled, the AP news agency reports.
Austin Haughwout claims he was kicked out of Central Connecticut state university over the footage.
The institution says he was expelled over threats to shoot people there. Mr Haughwout argued he was only joking.
Last month, Mr Haughwout and his father were ordered to give information about the drones videos to the authorities.
Burning turkey
Two separate videos showed drones rigged up to carry to the weapons hovering low in woodland in Connecticut, in the north-east United States.
The first, posted in July 2015, showed a handgun firing rounds of ammunition.
The second, which appeared in December that year, featured a flamethrower attached to a drone burning a turkey on a spit.
The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) opened an investigation into whether or not Mr Haughwout had broken any laws, though local police said they did not believe he had.
Ruling last month, a judge said that he and his father, Bret, must hand documents over to the FAA, relating to the purchase of the gun, the drone and any money made from having posted the videos on YouTube, among other information.
Mr Haughwout, 19, blamed his expulsion on the notoriety that followed the posting of the drone videos and is taking legal action in the New Britain superior court in a bid to be allowed to return, AP reports.
It says Central Connecticut state officials denied that claim and instead pointed to the alleged threats.
But a lawyer for Mr Haughwout said that what some may have interpreted as threats, were actually jokes, which are protected by the right to free speech.
Beach
Mr Haughwout has also been in the news over two other incidents.
In June this year, local police said they had charged him with enticing a minor with a computer, attempted sexual assault and possession of images of child abuse after officers said they had found images of child abuse on his mobile phone, AP reports.
It says Mr Haughwout's lawyer reportedly called that arrest warrant "overly broad" and suggested that Clinton police had it in for his client because of the drone videos.
Last year, Mr Haughwout was also charged with assaulting police officers. That case continues.
And, in 2014, before the posting of the weaponised drone videos, a woman was charged with assaulting Mr Haughwout because she was upset that he had been using a drone to record video above a beach. Mr Haughwout posted footage of that confrontation on YouTube.
2017 Infiniti QX30 to start at $30,945
Infiniti has released pricing for its latest vehicle, the 2017 QX30, as compact crossover sales stay hot in the U.S.
The crossover, which is available in six trims, starts at $30,945, including shipping, for the base model. It is set to arrive at dealerships in September, Infiniti said.
“The all-new QX30 is a tremendous addition to the Infiniti lineup -- a powerful statement of our design and technology leadership and a vehicle that we predict will bring a new generation of premium buyers into our showrooms,” Infiniti Americas Vice President Randy Parker said in a statement.
The Luxury trim starts at $33,595, Premium starts at $36,295, Sport starts at $39,495, Luxury AWD starts at $35,395 and Premium AWD starts at $38,695. All prices including shipping.
Infiniti also noted that a reservation program is now available on its website. Buyers who sign up for the program will receive a gift of their choice: a GoPro camera, Bose headphones, a hotel stay, an online shopping experience or a culinary experience.
The QX30 figures to compete with the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA class, with which it shares DNA. The QX30 will cost slightly less than its competition.
The 2017 Audi Q3 starts at $32,750, the 2017 BMW X1 starts at $33,795, and the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLA class starts at $33,425. All prices include shipping.
The QX30 arrives at a time when Infiniti’s U.S. sales could use a boost, and it will fill a void in the compact premium crossover segment.
Infiniti sales fell 4.7 percent in the U.S. in July to 9,945 vehicles, according to the Automotive News Data Center. Through the first seven months of 2016, Infiniti sales were essentially flat, up 0.3 percent to 74,923 vehicles, compared to the same time frame last year.
Compact premium crossover sales in the U.S. have totaled 192,335 vehicles through the first seven months of 2016, a 28 percent increase from 2015.
The QX30 is built in England and shares its chassis and powertrain with the Mercedes-Benz GLA as part of the global Renault-Nissan-Daimler product-sharing campaign.
While Infiniti designed the QX30’s exterior and much of the interior, the crossover is powered by Mercedes’ 2.0-liter, turbocharged, four-cylinder engine. Mercedes also provides the transmission, the all-wheel drive for the QX30 AWD models and the vehicle’s suspension, including a rear multilink setup.
Initially, Infiniti planned to offer two compacts, the Q30 hatchback and QX30 crossover. However, because of their similar looks, Infiniti renamed both as crossovers. The Q30 is now the QX30, and the previously named QX30 is now the QX30 AWD.
Ford starts shipping Super Duty pickups from Kentucky factory
DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. has begun shipping its new aluminum-bodied Super Duty pickup, one of its most profitable models, from a Kentucky factory, the automaker’s top North American executive said.
“This is one of the strongest products in our portfolio,” Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of the Americas, said in a presentation Tuesday at a JPMorgan Chase & Co. conference in New York. “This is the first all-new Super Duty in 18 years.”
The second-largest U.S. automaker said last month that its profit goals for the year are at risk because it no longer sees the U.S. vehicle market growing. The cost of introducing the new Super Duty pickups, such as the F-250, was already going to pressure margins in the year’s second half, Ford had said. But rising incentives and slowing sales are also taking a toll, as Ford’s North American pretax profit slid 4.8 percent in the second quarter to $2.7 billion.
The Super Duty, which began shipping this past weekend, will eventually provide some relief, once Ford gets through the costly launch phase when it’s spending to overhaul the factory in Louisville, Ky., and market the new truck. The automaker rolled out an aluminum-bodied version of its smaller F-150 pickup over the last two years, which can be seen as a guide to how Super Duty will eventually improve profit, Hinrichs said.
“There certainly are costs associated with the launch period,” he said. “Once we got past the F-150 launch, we set a record for every quarterly profit.”