Russia launches first moon mission in almost 50 years
Russia has launched its first moon mission in almost 50 years.
A rocket carrying a lunar landing craft blasted off from the Vostochny spaceport in the far eastern Amur region.
It's expected to reach its destination on 23 August, the same day as an Indian vessel that launched last month.
Russia's craft, Luna-25, will take about five and a half days to travel around the moon, and then spend up to a week orbiting before touching down on the surface of the moon's south pole.
Its mission is to collect samples of rock and dust to get an understanding of the environment for a potential base.
The south pole is of particular interest to scientists, who believe its permanently shadowed polar craters may contain frozen water that could one day be transformed into air and rocket fuel.
Friday's launch marks Russia's first lunar mission since 1976 when it was part of the Soviet Union (USSR).
The USSR is one of only three governments to manage a successful moon landing so far, along with the US and China.
Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, has been keen to prove itself as a "space superpower" since the invasion of Ukraine saw it lose access to Western technology.
It said it wanted to prove Russia "is a state capable of delivering a payload to the moon" and "ensure Russia's guaranteed access to the moon's surface".
Despite being widely ostracised from the West by sanctions which have impacted its space program, the country remains part of the International Space Station program for now.
It will leave next year, as work continues on its own orbital outpost.
Source- Sky News
NOAA increases Atlantic hurricane season prediction to ‘above normal'
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has increased its prediction for the ongoing 2023 Atlantic hurricane season from a near-normal level of activity to an above-normal level of activity.
An update was issued two days ago.
Forecasters believe that current ocean and atmospheric conditions, such as record-warm Atlantic Sea surface temperatures, are likely to counterbalance the usually limiting atmospheric conditions associated with the ongoing El Nino event.
NOAA forecasters have increased the likelihood of an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season to 60 percent (increased from the outlook issued in May, which predicted a 30 percent chance).
The likelihood of near-normal activity has decreased to 25 percent, down from the 40 percent chances outlined in May's outlook.
This new update gives the Atlantic a 15 percent chance of seeing a below-normal season.
NOAA’s update to the 2023 outlook — which covers the entire six-month hurricane season that ends on November 30 — calls for 14 to 21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or greater), of which 6 to 11 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or greater).
Of those, 2 to 5 could become major hurricanes (winds of 111 mph or greater). NOAA provides these ranges with 70 percent confidence. These updated ranges include storms that have already formed this season.
The Atlantic basin experienced an active start to the hurricane season with five storms that have reached at least tropical storm strength, including one hurricane already.
An average hurricane season produces 14 named storms, of which seven become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes.
Matthew Rosencrans, lead hurricane season forecaster with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Centre stated: “The main climate factors expected to influence the 2023 Atlantic hurricane activity are the ongoing El Nino and the warm phase of the Atlantic Multi-Decadal Oscillation, including record-warm Atlantic sea surface temperatures.”
He added: “Considering those factors, the updated outlook calls for more activity, so we urge everyone to prepare now for the continuing season.”
Source- Loop News
NATIONAL ACADEMIC AWARDS CEREMONY
The Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Social Services, in collaboration with the National Council of External Examinations, organized the National Academic Awards Ceremony. This event, aimed at recognizing students' achievements, was held on Friday, August 4, 2023, at 10:00 am in Providenciales at Brayton Hall. The ceremony's theme was "Investing in Human Capital: Securing a Brighter Future."
The ceremony was held to acknowledge the students' performance in external exams after their annual exit exams. The awardees had significant accomplishments, both individually and collectively, deserving of recognition.
The awardees were recognized across five presentations:
- Presentation 1 recognized graduates that passed 5 to 9 subjects and 10 or more subjects
- Presentation 2 recognized graduates that pass English Language and Mathematics with General 1's and 2's or A and B
- Presentation 3 recognized the Best Performing student from different disciplines (Business, Science, Hospitality, Humanities, Foreign Languages, Regional Merit List Awardees, etc.)
- Presentation 4 recognized graduates that Attained 5 or more General 1's or A's in one (1) examination sitting
- Presentation 5 recognized the Top Performing International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) students
This was a proud moment indeed for the Turks and Caicos Islands as three students received awards for their academic achievements at the Caribbean Examinations Council and General Certificate of Secondary Education.
Of the three students, one from CSEC and two from IGCSE were recognized as the Top performers from this cohort. Shania Forbes of the H J Robinson High School has earned a first position with twelve (12) grade one passes; Second Place was Anika Harry of the British West Indies Collegiate with ten (10) passes and third place was Evadne Gardiner of British West Indies Collegiate with ten (10) passes. For the first time, this year's ceremony included a place for the best British Overseas Territory Citizen (BOTC) student; Ephita Monestime of the British West Indies Collegiate captured this award. The best-performing students overall are awarded Government Scholarship, and therefore, currently, only TCI students are considered for these awards.
Other Awards presented during the ceremony were:
- Ryan Hurdle of Precious Treasures International School won the award for Best Performing Student in Humanities
- Best Performing Technical Vocational Student was awarded to Teandra Milord of Clement Howell High School
- Favour Mubenwafor of H J Robinson High School captured the award for Best Performing Business Student
- Best Performing Science Students were Yuan Sayao of Clement Howell High School, Shaina Forbes and Adrienne Parry of H J Robinson High School, Thais Burgess, Joel Degouth, Evadne Gardiner, Anika Harry, Ephita Monesime and Zakri Smith of British West Indies Collegiate
- Best Performing Student in Hospitality went to Roodemailine Brenord of Clement Howell High School
- Best Performing Prevocational Student was awarded to Joshua Swann of Clement Howell High School
"The entire Turks and Caicos Islands is proud of your scholastic achievement, which is a result of your diligence and the dedication of your teachers," Minister of Education, Honourable Rachel Taylor said in congratulating the awardees. She encouraged them to continue being beacons of inspiration, charging them to aim high in all their endeavours.
Listed below are the names of the students that met and exceeded the selection criteria for the National Academic Awards Ceremony:
2022 NATIONAL AWARDS CEREMONY AWARDEES
British West Indies Collegiate
Andrew Adams Giovanni Astwood
Samuel Connolly Joel Degouth
Brandon Dunlop Hayden A Gardiner
Jonathan Hatmin Detrina Higgs
J'tehya Laporte Sean Mcgurk
Abi-Gaye Miller Ephita Monestime
Shawn Nesbitt Harry Schofield
Sarah Stuart Hayden Williams
Caylen Castillo Kaidan Bobb
Thais Burgess Erline Dorastin
Demari Fulford Evadne Gardiner
Joshua Hall Anika Harry
Angelina Lindenhahn Jayda O’Neil
Hilson Robinson Zakri Smith
Jack Stephens Lillian Taylor
Clement Howell High School
Kerlins Ace Shelly Angrand
Ainscia Antenor Tania Boyce
Roodemailine Brenord Tariffe Byfield
Shar'shanay Cooper Nephthalie Dejean
Shirlonzo Gardiner Tanesia Gardiner
Mariely Garland Walkita Hanchell
Irenique Harvey Ken Janvier
Christian Jolly Teanndra Milord
Dieumima Rene Jonathan Robinson
Yuan Sayao Christophin Sidelus
Maleik Stubbs Jaden Thorpe
Abigail Valdez Yulenny Walkin
H.J. Robinson High School
Richauna Archer Delloyd Been
Brianna Brown Jamari Caley
Malik Carty Jajuan Harvey
Janai Higgs Kyra Selver
Talia Simms Khouri Swann
Trevez Taylor Lydia Toussaint
Omarii Lightbourne Megan Malcolm
Paola Martinez Merejo Favour Mubenwafor
Alejandro Rangel Rivero Shaina Forbes
Adrienne Parry
Maranatha Academy
Siobhan Bowens Garon Clayton
Christopher Parsons Dani Reynoso Reyes
Bruhana St Juste Kensly Tanis
Brentez Williams Ronique Brown
Trayvon Graham
Marjorie Basden High School
Travardo Bain Audresha Jacinthe
Roobentz Joseph Garet Lockhart
Jordinae Williams
Raymond Gardiner High School
Jaden Grice Cameron Handfield
Alidavenson Lagredelle Davar Lewis
Precious Treasures International School
Marc Charles Ryan Hurdle
Tayla Smith
Wesley Methodist School
Athalia Henry Chadev Malcolm
Jasmine Missick Zonovia Simmons
Deangelo Missick Ashonte Trumpet
Minnis wants parliament to debate sending Bahamian troops to Haiti
Former Prime Minister, Dr. Hubert Minnis, is calling for a parliamentary debate ahead of The Bahamas sending military personnel to Haiti as part of a multi-national force to bring peace and stability to the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
Last weekend, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping welcomed the announcement by The Bahamas and Jamaica that they are willing to join Kenya in sending a multi-national force to deal with the security situation in Haiti.
The Bahamas and Jamaica said they are willing to send up to 350 personnel to the French-speaking CARICOM nation after Kenya’s Foreign Minister, Alfred Mutua, said last weekend that his country’s commitment is to deploy a contingent of 1,000 police officers to help train and assist Haitian police to restore normalcy in the country and protect strategic installations.
But Minnis wants the issue debated in Parliament, adding also that if the United Nations is putting forth a resolution to discuss and make a determination as to individuals being deployed to Haiti, then Prime Minister Phillip Davis is showing total disrespect to the Bahamian Parliament and the Bahamian people.
“If the UN requires a resolution, then The Bahamas should insist that a resolution is brought to Parliament so it’s debated and discussed in Parliament with the involvement and input of the Bahamian people,” Minnis said.
But National Security Minister Wayne Munroe has brushed aside the call by Minnis, recalling that Nassau had sent 141 members of the Bahamas Defence Force (BDF) to Haiti in 1994 as part of a UN peacekeeping mission.
“He (Minnis) would do well to speak to HAI (Hubert Alexander Ingraham) about how it happens,” Munroe said, adding “he seems to be clueless about how deployments work”.
According to the Defence Act, an order from the Governor-General is the only requirement needed to deploy BDF personnel outside The Bahamas.
Minnis, a former prime minister, said although officers may engage in just technical assistance in Haiti, the volatile situation there should warrant local parliamentary debate before troops are committed to the cause.
“We don’t know what would be the extent of their involvement, and this is something totally different altogether,” he said, as reporters reminded him about the 1994 deployment of BDF officer in Haiti.
“You talking about gang warfare? There are possibilities that we can lose individuals... you don’t know who the gangs are, so we are sending individuals who can be exposed. It’s only fair that a resolution should be debated so that Bahamian people would know exactly whether their sons and daughters are going and what kind of danger they will be exposed to.”
“The government should bring forth a resolution so that it could be debated so that the Bahamian people could know for certain this will have no impact on our crime, no impact on migration, no impact on monitoring our waters with respect to fishing, poaching, etc. That has to be debated to ensure we ourselves are not compromised.”
Last Friday, the United States said it expects several countries within the Eastern Caribbean to send translators to Haiti as part of a Kenya-led United Nations-backed multinational force.
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Caribbean Affairs and Haiti, Barbara Feinstein, told a news conference that “there has been mentioned, for example, that in the Eastern Caribbean, there are certain countries that have the same or a very similar Creole to Haitian Creole, to the extent that they might be able to provide translators or interpreters is something that could also be of use”.
St Lucia and Dominica are two countries within the 15-member CARICOM grouping, capable of communicating in the French Creole or Patois language widely spoken in Haiti.
Feinstein said that the deployment of a multinational force to Haiti, with material support from the US as well as other countries, depended on an assessment that would be conducted by Kenya in another few weeks.
Last year, Haiti’s Prime Minister Dr Ariel Henry, sent an urgent appeal to the UN asking for “the immediate deployment of a specialized armed force, in sufficient quantity” to stop gang warfare.
Last month, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed to the UN Security Council and major potential contribution countries to act fast to create the conditions for the deployment of a multinational force to Haiti.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Monday said persistent violence in Haiti remains a significant concern for the safety and welfare of its most vulnerable citizens, especially women, and children, citing reports of an “alarming spike” in kidnapping and other crimes.
According to UNICEF, nearly 300 confirmed cases were reported in the first six months of 2023, almost matching the total number documented over 2022 and close to three times the number in 2021.
“The stories we are hearing from UNICEF staff and partners on the ground are shocking and unacceptable,” said Gary Conille, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Source- Loop Caribbean News
LORMEKA WILLIAMS APPOINTED AS DEPUTY PERMANENT SECRETARY
The Office of Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs Lormeka Williams to the post of Deputy Permanent Secretary within the Office of the Premier and Public Policy effective 7 August 2023.
Mrs Williams holds a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education with a concentration in Biology and General Studies from the College of the Bahamas (now University of the Bahamas) and began her career with the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG) in 2007 as a science teacher at Clement Howell High School. Mrs Williams used this avenue to display and pass on her passion for the wildlife and natural environment in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Using a variety of hands-on learning methods, her passion inspired students in the field of environmental studies, and this led to the development of a school-based Environmental Club and a special project with the Turks and Caicos Islands National Trust to create a plant nursery at the school.
In 2010, Mrs Williams joined the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) as National Environmental Centre Curator. In this role, she was instrumental in revitalizing the Junior Park Warden Programme and new activities to help participating youth better appreciate the Turks and Caicos Islands' natural environment. She also worked closely with international organizations such as Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Darwin Project and the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Conservation Forum on various conservation projects and initiatives.
Mrs Williams shares a love and passion for helping those most vulnerable in our communities. This love and passion led to a brief departure from public service in 2012 to take on a leadership role with the Turks and Caicos Islands Red Cross as its Director. She assisted in the implementation of the Disaster Risk Reduction Programme, was influential in the formation of the youth arm, and led various groups of young persons on both local and regional youth camps and skill-building excursions to introduce young Turks and Caicos Islanders to new cultures and build core leadership values.
In 2016 Mrs Williams was awarded the prestigious Chevening Scholarship and attained a Master of Science Degree in Conservation Biology at the University of Kent in Canterbury, United Kingdom. Upon completion and return in 2017, Mrs Williams re-joined TCIG as the Deputy Director of DECR and was later promoted to Director in 2019. Throughout her tenure with DECR, she spearheaded numerous efforts, including developing and implementing several successful internationally funded projects (including the Blue Belt Programme), revising the National Parks Ordinance, and implementing the new Beach and Coastal Vending Ordinance.
Mrs Williams, in commenting on her appointment, stated:
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" Matthew 6:33. I firmly believe I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me. I am humbled and thankful for this opportunity to serve my country in this new capacity.
I want to thank my husband, family, and friends for their unwavering support throughout my career. I also want to thank the Governor and Deputy Governor for their faith in my ability. I promise to contribute as best as I can to enhance our country's public services.
My career, achievements and success are nothing short of a prayer and a seed of faith. When I returned home as a teacher in 2007, all I wanted to do was teach, but as I taught, I realized how much more I could do to help protect and preserve our beautiful, by nature, Turks and Caicos Islands. I took a leap of faith, and after a few positions, a private sector opportunity, and a Chevening Scholarship, I now sit at the executive level of public service.
I'm just a little girl from Five Cays by way of Bottle Creek, North Caicos, who had a dream, and now, my goal, fueled by faith, is alive and well. I encourage all to do the same for themselves and know that nothing is impossible once God is at the helm."
Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, Her Excellency Anya Williams, in extending congratulatory remarks to Mrs Williams, stated:
"It is with great pleasure that I officially announce and congratulate Mrs Lormeka Williams on her appointment to the post of Deputy Permanent Secretary within the Office of the Premier and Public Policy.
Mrs Williams, a former Chevening Scholar with over 15 years of dedicated service to the Turks and Caicos Islands Government in the area of the environment, has proven herself to be a dedicated, consummate professional who I am confident will be an asset to the Office of the Premier and Public Policy and will do exceptionally well in this new executive role.
Mrs Williams' appointment, like the recent senior-level appointments, is continued proof of the diverse talent within the Turks and Caicos Islands Government. Mrs Williams' functions will include assisting the Premier with critical initiatives, including the ongoing work of the National Delivery Unit, developing key strategies across government, and establishing a fully functional communications framework.
We have complete faith in the ability of Mrs Williams, and my office stands ready to assist her in any way needed for her success.
Congratulations on your well-deserved promotion, Mrs Williams!
Tory Lanez sentenced to 10 years for shooting and injuring Megan Thee Stallion
Tory Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Tuesday for shooting and injuring Megan Thee Stallion in July 2020.
Lanez, 31, who was convicted on Dec. 23, 2022, for shooting and injuring the hip-hop star, whose legal name is Megan Pete, was initially set to be sentenced in January but the sentencing has been delayed several times after Lanez obtained new attorneys and filed a motion for a new trial. The request for a new trial was denied in May.
The defense called several witnesses, including members of his family, to testify on the rapper's behalf during the hearing, which began on Monday and was extended through Tuesday.
Meanwhile, prosecutors on Monday read an impact statement from Megan, who called for Lanez to "be forced to face the full consequences of his heinous actions and face justice.”
“He not only shot me, he made a mockery of my trauma. He tried to position himself as a victim and set out to destroy my character and my soul. He lied to anyone that would listen and paid bloggers to disseminate false information about the case on social media. He released music videos and songs to damage my character and continue his crusade," her statement said.
“Today, I beg this court to send a message to every victim of violence and fully hold the defendant accountable for his criminal conduct. This is a statement for all survivors that their lives matter and there is zero tolerance for the torture that accompanies violence," she added.
Lanez, legal name Daystar Peterson, was found guilty last December of three charges for shooting and injuring Megan in both of her feet in an incident in the Hollywood Hills on July 12, 2020. He faced up to 22 years and eight months in prison.
Source- ABC
Liverpool captain 'understands doubts' before new season
Virgil van Dijk says he can appreciate why there are "doubts" over Liverpool's prospects for the new season.
Six senior players departed Anfield this summer including Jordan Henderson, Van Dijk's predecessor as captain.
Pre-season results have been mixed, with a defensive midfielder yet to arrive after three failed bids for Southampton's Romeo Lavia.
"I can definitely understand it [fans' negativity] in some ways but I'm not a very negative person," Van Dijk said.
"But obviously when a lot of players are leaving, when your captain is leaving, your vice-captain is leaving, and at the moment there are only two incomings.
"And the way we have been playing, in possession really good but defensively when you concede goals it's not as good, I can understand some people having doubts."
Liverpool have signed midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, but they are the only two arrivals so far.
The departures of Henderson, Fabinho, Naby Keita, James Milner, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have not only left the Reds light on numbers but lacking in experience in the middle of the pitch.
The Netherlands defender Van Dijk, 32, said Liverpool's players would be determined to fight for trophies this season but acknowledged the size of the task.
He added: "It will be very tough if we look at the teams around us, but we want to be up there again, we want to be challenging again.
"We have to be confident, we should be confident and we should still be learning each and every day. There have been characters leaving, players who have played a big part in the success, but others have to step up.
"That's a nice challenge in my opinion. We should be excited. I'm very excited, so let's give it a go."
FSG has yet again let Liverpool down.
In a summer that was supposed to feature the biggest rebuild of their tenure, 17 Premier League clubs have bought more players than the Reds.
Jordan Henderson and Fabinho have left and no experienced defensive midfielders have arrived. The defense in pre-season has been shambolic, yet no defenders have signed either.
Jurgen Klopp has brilliant attackers, Alexis Mac Allister and Dom Szoboszlai are exciting buys, but it is nowhere near enough. Now, we're rushing to get overpriced players who will not get the benefit of the pre-season to acclimatize.
What's the plan? It increasingly feels like there is not one. We obviously took the £52m in total for Henderson and Fabinho without incomers lined up. That is poor, from a club who were once unbeatable in the transfer market.
Liverpool fans are angry, and rightly so.
Source- BBC
Facebook's spread not linked to psychological harm, study finds
There is no evidence the global spread of Facebook is linked to widespread psychological harm, an Oxford Internet Institute (OII) study suggests.
The research looked at how well-being changed in 72 countries as the use of the social media platform grew.
It counters the common belief that social media is psychologically harmful, the researchers argue.
Several countries, including the UK, are considering legislation to protect social media users from online harms.
Meta, which owns Facebook, has faced scrutiny following testimony from whistle-blowers and press reports based on leaks that suggested the company's own research pointed to negative impacts on some users.
This research only looked at Facebook and not Meta's other platforms, which include Instagram.
Prof Andrew Przybylski, of the OII, told the BBC the study tried to answer the question: "As countries become more saturated with social media, how does the wellbeing of their populations look?"
He said: "It's commonly thought that this is a bad thing for wellbeing. And the data that we put together, and the data that we analyzed didn't show that that was the case."
Previous OII work carried out by Prof Przybylski also found little association between teenagers' technology use and mental health problems.
But the report only looked at the overall impact of Facebook use at a national level. The broad-brush findings would not reveal the impact of Facebook use on groups of people with particular vulnerabilities.
It might, for example, miss negative impacts on small groups of users if they were offset by positive impacts on others, Prof Przybylski accepted.
It also did not drill down to examine the risks presented by certain types of content, such as material promoting self-harm.
For Prof Przybylski, the main policy lesson from the study was that researchers needed access to better data from tech firms to answer questions about the effect of social media:
"You know, we have a situation where a handful of people are crying wolf, about social media. But we don't actually have the data, we don't have the materials we need to build a wolf detector," he said.
The UK's Online Safety Bill (OSB) is in the final stages of its parliamentary journey towards becoming law. It is designed to protect people from online harms.
But Prof Sonia Livingstone, of the London School of Economics, cautioned that the study's relevance to the OSB was limited.
"The authors' broad critique - that screen-time anxieties are not much supported by robust evidence - is fair. However, the study reported here is so general as to be of little use to current regulatory or clinical debates," she told the BBC.
And while the OSB prioritizes protecting children - the research does not look at youngsters as a separate group and "by and large children are not using Facebook".
"This reminds me of a conference I went to that asked, 'What difference did half a century of television make?'. How can there be one answer?" she said.
But she supported the authors' call for more research based on access to data.
The peer-reviewed research by Prof Przybylski and co-author Matti Vuorre is based on a large amount of data provided by Facebook. Both researchers are independent of the company and the research was not funded by the tech giant.
Facebook gave the researchers data showing how the number of users in each country grew between 2008 and 2019 divided into two age brackets, 13-34 and over 35.
The OII team compared this data with some on well-being representing nearly a million people, recorded by the Gallup World Poll Survey.
Overall the researchers say they found no evidence that increasing social media adoption was linked to a negative effect on psychological well-being.
Prof Peter Etchells, professor of psychology and science communication at Bath Spa University, said the "broad strokes" study was fascinating.
But he said - as the authors make clear - it did not say anything about cause and effect. However, it showed the value of the technology companies opening their doors to researchers, he noted.
Source- BBC
WEATHER FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY
FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY
WEATHER: MOSTLY SUNNY, HOT, AND HUMID WITH THE CHANCE OF ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. BREEZY IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND TURKS AND CAICOS.
WINDS: SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS FALLING LIGHT AND VARIABLE AT TIMES IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS AND EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND TURKS AND CAICOS.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS AND 4 TO 6 FEET IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND TURKS AND CAICOS.
FORECAST FOR THURSDAY
WEATHER: MOSTLY SUNNY, HOT, AND HUMID WITH THE CHANCE OF ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. BREEZY IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS.
WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS FALLING LIGHT AND VARIABLE AT TIMES IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS, EASTERLY AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS, AND 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET IN THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND 4 TO 6 FEET IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS.
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS.
Amazon sellers complain site is withholding money
Hundreds of Amazon sellers have complained that the online marketplace is withholding their money.
Amazon said it emailed sellers about a 'delivery date based reserve' which holds some money in case of refunds.
But some sellers have written to their MPs saying they cannot get the cash needed to run their businesses.
Vinyl and CD seller Mario told the BBC Amazon is holding £5,000 leaving him "shaken and panicked" and fearing he can no longer continue trading.
He has been selling music on Amazon for seven years, but said he can no longer afford to renew his stock or pay for postage to fulfill his current orders.
Mario, whose money was frozen on 3 August, said he is unable to withdraw any for maintaining daily operations.
"I'm losing my company," he said. "I've never had a problem with my payments before. How can I feed my family, and pay my bills?"
He told the BBC when he emailed Amazon Sellers' customer services, he received a "generic, stock" message that did not inform him about the specifics of his case.
He showed the BBC posts on the Amazon Sellers forum, where there are complaints from hundreds of other sellers who have had their money withheld since 3 August.
Daniel Moore, 48, has a business called Ink Jungle that sells ink cartridges. He has £170,000 in reserve - and it is increasing by £40,000 a day, he said.
"The value they will hold from us is disproportionately high versus the potential refunds processed by customer returns or non-delivery," he said.
Daniel uses Fulfilled By Amazon to ship some of his orders, and says he has a 0% defect rate on deliveries and just 0.13% for returns - but that his money is still being withheld.
Fulfilled By Amazon is a system where sellers use Amazon's warehouse to stock their goods, and Amazon then ships orders to customers on behalf of the sellers from that warehouse.
Daniel said the withheld funds meant he will be unable to pay his £191,000 VAT bill, which is due this week.
His company turns over about £16m on Amazon and employs more than 20 staff.
Daniel says the reserve has left him unable to buy stock and unable to pay bills.
He has contacted his local MP and the Financial Conduct Authority.
Michelle, 32, from Cheltenham has been selling pet products for more than 10 years on Amazon. She told the BBC it is holding £16,000 of her takings.
She took out a loan from Amazon Lending to help keep her business running during the time her money was held, but the loan money of £18,000 is also locked and is inaccessible - even though Amazon said in the loan confirmation email that the funds would be available straight away.
She was told by Amazon that she will not be able to access any of that money for at least two weeks.
"Obviously when we were used to disbursing payments into our bank account daily, those two weeks are very challenging indeed for the cash flow of the business.
"We employ 13 members of staff and this is crippling our business", she said.
Michelle made several attempts to contact Amazon but says she keeps being told to "wait".
"This whole delivery-based reserve is meant to hold funds relating to orders being delivered, then an additional seven days, but they are holding everything including our approved loan," Michelle added.
The BBC has seen several letters sent from sellers to MPs complaining about Amazon's reserve system.
Conservative MP for Bracknell James Sunderland's office confirmed that it was looking into Amazon's reserve system and that the issue has been raised to Ministers, and that the Treasury was aware.
Amazon said the policy was introduced to non-EU and non-UK countries in 2016, and implemented in the EU and UK on 3rd August.
The Small Business Commissioner's office said many sellers reported that they were being offered loans by Amazon with interest of around 14% to help them manage cash flow while they wait for funds to come through.
"They say they are being lent their own money at high interest, but for some the alternative is insolvency. We need big firms to understand that delaying small payments to small firms can have a massive negative impact and everyone loses," Commissioner Liz Barclay said.
She added that with bank processing times, many sellers are having to wait for around 14 days for their money and have a 2-week window in which, "as a result of this change, they have no income".
The news comes after Etsy began withholding 75% of sellers' funds for around 45 days. The company reduced the amount after hundreds of sellers complained of it affecting their business.
Many Amazon sellers said that the email from Amazon was not clear - and in many cases was automatically sent to the junk folder in their email.
Many sellers said the email implied that their ability to withdraw daily amounts would not be restricted - when in practice, it is.
An Amazon spokesperson said: "The policy to pay sellers seven days after the delivery date was introduced in August 2016 for new selling partners.
"This process will standardize this policy for European sellers to ensure they have sufficient funds to cover any financial obligations, like product returns or customer claims.
"This change does not impact the vast majority of selling partners.
"We recognize it may lead to a one-time cash flow disruption which is why we notified affected selling partners three months in advance to help them prepare for this change."
Source- BBC