Today's weather: Wednesday, October 31st
IN THE GENERAL WEATHER SITUATION, A STATIONARY FRONT IN THE VICINITY OF THE TCI AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS CONTINUES TO WEAKEN.
AS A RESULT, TODAY’S WEATHER WILL INCLUDE VARIABLE CLOUDINESS, BREEZY AND WARM WITH A FEW SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THE CHANCE OF ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY IN THE VICINITY OF THE WEAKENING FRONTAL BOUNDARY THROUGH TONIGHT.
WINDS ARE NORTHEASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS IN THE TCI AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS. SEAS ARE 4 TO 7 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
HERE AT HOME, WE’RE EXPECTING A DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE
86 °F OR 30 °C
OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURE WILL BE 73 °F, that’s 23 ° in C
SUNRISE is at 7:17AM this morning.
For those looking to catch the sunset, it’s around 6:29 PM this evening in our beautiful by nature Turks and Caicos Islands.
Happy Halloween, TCI!
CDB announces $106-Million programme of assistance for The Bahamas
The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has announced a USD106.5 million (mn) programme of assistance for The Bahamas, over the period 2018-2022. The programme is outlined in
a new Country Strategy Paper for the country, which was approved by CDB’s Board of
Directors on October 25.
“This Strategy has been designed in collaboration with the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, and aims to help the country achieve its medium-term development objectives. As such, we focus on areas that are considered critical to inclusive growth, such as the provision of quality climate resilient infrastructure, energy efficiency and renewable energy, as well as governance and human capital improvement,” said Dr. Justin Ram, Director, Economics,
CDB.
The Strategy is built around three key pillars.
- Environmental Protection
and Infrastructure Enhancement CDB-supported interventions will build economic
resilience to weather-related shocks, with the aim of minimising post-disaster
spending and maintaining macroeconomic stability in the event of a natural disaster.
In addition, the Bank will focus on projects that increase energy efficiency and
renewable energy, to improve public-sector efficiency.
- Inclusive Social
Development Under this pillar, CDB will support interventions that target the
creation of a certified, skilled and employable workforce. Projects will complement
existing activities, and provide solutions to create an inclusive and effective
education system, which responds to the learning needs of all citizens.
- Improved Governance and Productivity
CDB support will focus on reform in areas such as public policy capacity and project implementation capacity. Additional interventions will address skills shortages, and improved access to finance for MSMEs, in order to improve productivity and competitiveness. Gender equality, energy security and citizen security will also be mainstreamed across all CDB interventions during the strategy implementation period.
This Country Strategy follows the previous Strategy for the period 2013-2017, which had a resource envelope of $80.7 million USD.
Under this new programme of assistance, individual projects which align with the Strategy will be presented to the Bank’s Board of Directors for approval. Once approved, funds will be disbursed on completion of specific conditions. The proposed Strategy is aligned with CDB’s strategic objectives of supporting inclusive and sustainable growth and development, and promoting good governance.
Boston Red Sox win 2018 World Series
The Boston Red Sox clinched the 2018 World Series Sunday night after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-1 in the best-of-seven series. It's their fourth World Series title in 15 years and ninth overall.
The champions are bringing home more than the Commissioner's Trophy. They will also earn a sizable bonus.
All players who compete in the postseason receive a playoff bonus, but the amount depends on how far their team advances. The further they make it, the bigger the share they earn. In 2017, players earned a record $84.5 million from postseason bonuses, and the winning Houston Astros team split a record $30.4 million. The World Series runner-up, the Los Angeles Dodgers, split $20.3 million.
"The players' pool" — which is divided among the 10 postseason clubs — "is formed from 50 percent of the gate receipts from the Wild Card Games; 60 percent of the gate receipts from the first three games of the Division Series; 60 percent of the gate receipts from the first four games of the League Championship Series; and 60 percent of the gate receipts from the first four games of the World Series," according to the MLB.
It's too soon to tell how big the postseason pot will be this year, but both the Red Sox and Dodgers can expect a hefty bonus. Here's a breakdown of the percentage of the pool that goes to each team:
World Series Champion: 36 percent
World Series Runner-Up: 24 percent
League Championship Series Runners-Up (2): 24 percent (12 percent each)
Division Series Runners-Up (4): 13 percent (3.2 percent each)
Wild Card Game Runners-Up (2): 3 percent (1.5 percent each)
Once the money has been divvied out to each club, it's up to the players to decide who gets a share of their team's winnings.
"Each year, as stipulated in the basic agreement between the players union and Major League Baseball, teams headed to the postseason hold a meeting to distribute shares," The New York Times reports. "The money is designated in 25 full shares, but the players may divide the shares to include those who played during the year but were not on the playoff roster, as well as coaches, trainers and strength coaches."
Plus, "other nonuniformed personnel, like clubhouse attendants, chefs, public relations staff, security guards, bus drivers and grounds crew members — a precedent set in 1903 — can be awarded some of the cash."
In 2017, the Astros split their winnings into 60 full shares worth $438,901 each, 9.2 partial shares and four cash awards. The Dodgers chose to split their winnings into 65 full shares worth $259,722 each, 12.8 partial shares and 14 cash awards
D’Angelo is back with new music after 3-year hiatus
D’Angelo is back with his first new music in three years.
The four-time Grammy winner has dropped “Unshaken,” from the soundtrack of the Red Dead Redemption 2 video game. The action-adventure game follow two outlaws in the Wild West in 1899.
D’Angelo released his most recent album, Black Messiah, in 2014, and released one single that year: “Really Love.” A second single, “Betray My Heart,” was released in 2015.
Black Messiah was D'Angelo's third studio project; it arrived 14 years after his 2000 album Voodoo.
Black Messiah won a Grammy for Best R&B Album, and “Really Love” was named Best R&B Song.
Cardi B and Nicki Minaj squash beef
(NOTE LANGUAGE) Following an ugly back-and-forth verbal bashing on Monday, Cardi B and Nicki Minaj are calling for a truce.
Nicki posted Monday on her Twitter, “Ok you guys, let’s focus on positive things only from here on out. We’re all so blessed. I know this stuff is entertaining & funny to a lot of people but I won’t be discussing this nonsense anymore. Thank you for the support & encouragement year after year. Love you."
Cardi reposted Nicki’s message on her own Instagram, and commented, “@Nickiminaj alright then! Let’s keep it positive and keep it pushing!”
All of this comes after Cardi and Nicki's feud heated up again Monday when Cardi’s sister, Hennessy Carolina, claimed that Nicki leaked Cardi's cell number to her fans, leading to death threats against Cardi’s baby, Kulture.
Nicki denied the accusation on her Beats 1 “Queen Radio” show, and offered $100,000 for surveillance video of their altercation at a New York Fashion Week show in September, where Cardi repeatedly threw a shoe at her.
Cardi quickly responded with ten expletive-filled videos on Instagram, saying "You lie so much you can't keep up with your f**ing lies.”
Now that there's a truce in place, Cardi's celebrating being named the People En Espanol Star of the Year. Cardi commented on Instagram, "Thank you so much @peopleenespanol! I love it!"
In the cover story, Cardi says of three-month-old Kulture, “She’s gonna be raised in a big mansion. She’s most likely gonna get whatever she wants from me and her dad, but I also want her to be humble.”
Cardi adds, “I want her at least to speak four languages: Spanish, English, French and I’m really loving Italian. I love how those people talk!”
Notorious mob boss, James "Whitey" Bulger, dead at 89
James "Whitey" Bulger, the notorious former Boston mob boss, died Tuesday after being found unresponsive at a West Virginia federal prison, authorities said. Bulger was 89.
"On Tuesday, October 30, 2018, at approximately 8:20 a.m., inmate James Bulger was found unresponsive at the United States Penitentiary Hazelton, in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia," reads an official statement from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. "Life-saving measures were initiated immediately by responding staff. Mr. Bulger was subsequently pronounced dead by the Preston County Medical Examiner."
The statement continues: "The Federal Bureau of Investigation was notified and an investigation has been initiated. No staff or other inmates were injured, and at no time was the public in danger."
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of West Virginia and the FBI will conduct the investigation into Bulger's death.
Bulger was convicted in 2013 of murdering 11 people. He was also found guilty of extortion, money laundering and weapons charges. He was sentenced to life in prison for the crimes.
Bulger's trial came nearly 20 years after he went on the run after being tipped off to a pending federal indictment by a corrupt FBI agent. He spent 16 years evading capture before he was arrested in 2011 in Santa Monica, California.
Prior to his capture, Bulger was second only to former Taliban leader Osama Bin Laden on the FBI's Most Wanted List.
TCHTA and Tourist Board address tourist murder
The Turks and Caicos Tourist Board and Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association are paying close attention to the recent
developments involving the death of Marie Khulna whilst visiting our shores.
We join with the Minister and Ministry responsible for Tourism, in extending deepest sympathy to the Khulna family and assure
them of our prayers and support as they go through this time of bereavement. We would like to take this opportunity to assure the travelling public that the Turks and Caicos Islands remains one of the safest
destination in the region if not the world. This was confirmed by a recent release from the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police. The safety and security of residents and visitors remains our paramount interest and we are working closely with all of the relevant
authorities to ensure that the perpetrators of any crime against our guest and our people are brought to justice. In the interim we would like to confidently invite persons to continue to visit our islands. While visiting, be aware of your
environment. Please explore our sites and attractions and enjoy the warmth and friendly embrace of our embrace of our people;
be assured we are doing everything to ensure your safety.
Robert De Niro releases statement after mail bomb: "People MUST vote!”
(NOTE LANGUAGE) Robert De Niro has issued a statement a day after he became one of the targets of a mass mail-bomb campaign this week.
“I thank God no one's been hurt, and I thank the brave and resourceful security and law enforcement people for protecting us,” the actor said. “There's something more powerful than bombs, and that's your vote. People MUST vote!”
The device addressed to De Niro was discovered early Thursday morning in New York's Tribeca neighborhood, at a building where his production company is based. New York police removed the device in a bomb-containment vehicle.
De Niro is among at least 12 prominent figures targeted with suspicious devices resembling bombs over the past few days. The targets – who all happened to be outspoken critics of the Trump administration – included Hillary Clinton, former president Barack Obama, former CIA Director John Brennan at CNN, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and former vice president Joe Biden.
De Niro was presumably targeted for the comments he made at this year's Tony Awards. He told the audience, " "I’m going to say one thing, F*** Trump. It’s no longer ‘Down with Trump.’ It’s f*** Trump.”
A Department of Justice spokesperson has confirmed Friday that one person is in custody in relation to the suspected package bombs. They will hold a press conference at the Department of Justice at 2:30pm ET.
Arrest made in connection to mail bombs
Federal authorities have arrested a man in connection to the suspected explosive packages discovered this week, the Justice Department announced Friday.
Google fires dozens over sexual harassment
Google has fired 48 people including 13 senior managers over sexual harassment claims since 2016.
In a letter to employees, chief executive Sundar Pichai said the tech giant was taking a "hard line" on inappropriate conduct.
The letter was in response to a New York Times report that Android creator Andy Rubin received a $90m exit package despite facing misconduct allegations.
A spokesman for Mr Rubin denied the allegations, the newspaper said.
Sam Singer said Mr Rubin decided to leave Google in 2014 to launch a venture capital firm and technology incubator called Playground.
He was given what the paper described as a "hero's farewell" when he departed.
Mr Pichai's letter said the New York Times story was "difficult to read" and that Google was "dead serious" about providing a "safe and inclusive workplace".
"We want to assure you that we review every single complaint about sexual harassment or inappropriate conduct, we investigate and we take action," he continued.
None of the employees dismissed in the past two years had received an exit package, Mr Pichai added.
According to the New York Times report, two unnamed Google executives said then-chief executive Larry Page asked Mr Rubin to resign after the company confirmed a complaint by a female employee about a sexual encounter in a hotel room in 2013.
A Google investigation found the woman's complaint to be credible, the paper reported, but the company has not confirmed this.
Mr Rubin has said he did not engage in misconduct and left Google of his own accord.
The claims will add to the growing chorus denouncing sexist culture in male-dominated Silicon Valley.
Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at Creative Strategies in San Francisco, tweeted: "In a normal world this would mean Rubin is done, but tech has not just been forgiving, some tech sees little wrong with this.
"I'd like to think Google will clean up its act if anything to avoid having a retention problem with their female employees."
Shares in Alphabet, which owns Google, fell more than 3% in New York after it reported revenues of $33.7bn (£26.3bn) for the three months to September - slightly less than analysts had expected.
However, net profit soared $2.5bn to $9.2bn - far higher than expected.