02262025 NEWS AND SPORT by tribune242

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‘Fire advisor’ in moorings row

Pintard demands the govt ‘come clean’ over Exuma anchorage deal

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Opposition’s leader last night demanded that the Prime Minister dismiss an unidentified “senior advisor” over alleged “conflicts of interest” stemming from the now-aborted Bahamas Moorings deal.

Michael Pintard, in a statement demanding the Government “come clean” over the controversy, and pledging that the Free National Movement (FNM) will not permit it to be “swept under the rug”, called on those involved in the Exuma-wide moorings scheme to be held to account.

El Ectronic Monitoring bid award criticisEd by E xpErt

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

A FORMER consultant in the Ministry of National Security has criticised the government’s decision to award Migrafill Security International the contract to electronically monitor people on bail without inviting other companies to bid.

Carlton Butler, president of Global Effective Tracking Solutions, said he had filed a formal complaint against the contract award with Carl Oliver, the acting procurement chief and Tax Appeal Commission president, but the government has failed to respond. Mr Butler once served

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

THE second-in-command of Central Police Station agreed during a court hearing yesterday

By JADE RUSSELL

that something went “wrong” the night 60-yearold Hartman Dawkins was in custody, complaining of feeling unwell, only to be found dead in his cell the following morning. He also admitted it was

“abnormal” that, at one point that night, only one officer was left alone in the station with prisoners.

His testimony was given during an inquest

Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

Strong winds rock Eleuthera settlement

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter

STRONG winds reminiscent of a tornado struck Current Settlement in North Eleuthera early yesterday morning, leaving behind damaged trees, capsized boats, and scattered debris. Residents say the weather system, though brief, tore through the settlement with alarming force before vanishing as quickly as it appeared.

Marty Bihn, a US national who spends much of the year in Current Settlement, described how the morning started with thunderstorms before things took an unexpected turn.

He said he went to close some windows that weren’t fully shut because the wind had picked up enough to potentially blow them in.

As he was doing so, he heard an unusual swooshing sound different from a typical thunderstorm. Looking outside, he saw a waterspout that spread. He said the winds were powerful enough to strip bark from 30 to 40 casuarina trees, snap a basketball hoop at the community park, and toss debris into the air.

“It actually picked up a golf cart about seven feet in the air and carried it 30 feet, set it back down. It didn’t hurt a thing on it. Craziest thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said.

Mr Bihn also described watching his garbage can shoot 40 feet straight into the air before dropping into a neighbour’s yard, sending trash flying.

He said no one was injured.

The storm damaged several boats, with at least four

having their canvas tops torn off.

The weather system lasted only a few minutes, but residents wasted no time coming together.

“Within ten minutes of this happening, neighbours started showing up. Our phones were ringing,” he said. “People were offering to help with the boat. People were down here offering, asking the community to help clean it up.”

The community park, which had been littered with fallen branches and debris, was already in the process of being cleared.

“The communities here are, they’re the most amazing people you’d ever want. Their hearts are always good, and even if they don’t like you, they’ll help out,” he said. “The saddest part of that reality for me is I have never met better people than I have here.”

A boAt seen overturned in the bay at Harbour Island after a strong wind event caused havoc in the North Eleuthera community.

Photos: Marty bihn

‘Greenslade example undermines claim rehires due to lack of succession planning’

from page one

Mr Greenslade’s appointment shows that political factors –– not expertise –– influence some decisions to rehire retirees.

He accused the administration of making excuses to justify rehiring retirees, arguing that qualified civil servants are being denied opportunities for advancement in favour of individuals who will serve the government’s agenda.

“These are political appointees, primarily,” he said, adding that many civil servants feel gutted, disappointed, and betrayed by continuously being overlooked.

The Davis administration has faced backlash after Public Service Minister Pia Glover-Rolle revealed in the House of Assembly that 491 retirees had been rehired, with 480 receiving both a pension and a salary.

In a statement on Friday, she clarified 213 of the re-employed workers were from the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

She has insisted that rehiring retirees happens because ministries lack succession planning. She said people with technical and administrative experience are often rehired to preserve institutional knowledge and temporarily fill gaps until suitable replacements are found.

However, Mr Greenslade, who previously served as Commissioner of Police, was appointed Permanent Secretary without having worked in the Ministry of Immigration or the National Insurance Board.

Dr Sands said he has no personal issue with Mr Greenslade and acknowledged his “exceptional” public service.

“When I raised the question, they had just ousted a career officer from immigration under great controversial circumstances,” he said.

“To now say that there was not a fit and proper person to be found anywhere in the public service who could be PS at Immigration, that is absolutely not true.”

He suggested that former Immigration Director Clarence Russell could have been a suitable candidate for the role, adding that many upand-coming civil servants are also qualified.

NM Chairman Dr Duane Sands speaks during an FNM Carmichael Constituency Association meeting at Gerald Cash Primary School yesterday.

Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

Second-in-command agrees ‘something went wrong’ over prisoner found dead

before Coroner Kara Turnquest-Deveaux, which is examining the circumstances surrounding Dawkins’s death on January 22, 2023. Officers reportedly discovered him unresponsive in his cell during routine morning checks.

An officer previously testified that there was a six-hour gap in Dawkins’s detention record between his last wellness check and the discovery of his body, describing such a lapse as “highly unusual”.

Surveillance footage from the Central Police Station cell block was presented as evidence on Friday, showing Dawkins repeatedly complaining of feeling unwell and urging officers to get him medical help.

Chief Superintendent Lynden Bradley Styles, second-in-command at Central Police Station at the time of the incident, said that during his tenure, he received updates from each section head. He said he was provided with these reports daily from every shift. He said that an inspector is assigned to check in on weekends, though there is no specific time for them to do so. While he said that the inspector is expected to check in at least once a day, he could not confirm whether this had been done on the weekend of Dawkins’s death.

When evidence marshal Angelo Whitfield asked which officers were on duty that weekend, CSP Styles said he could only recall that Inspector Kevin Sears and Sergeant Shepherd were supposed to be

present. After claiming he received reports on weekends, Mr Whitfield pointed out that this conflicted with his earlier statement that he only received administrative reports Monday to Friday. CSP Styles then said that he received hourly reports on weekends via WhatsApp.

He also said that a guard commander, usually a sergeant, is responsible for maintaining the station diary. However, he admitted that while he checked the diary, he did not do so at any specific time. He said the reports he received typically included staff attendance, prisoner updates, and patrol information.

When questioned about January 21 and 22, 2023 — the days Dawkins was taken into custody and later died — he said he could not recall those dates.

Although he initially claimed he was not secondin-command at the station then, he conceded that he was after being shown an official document listing him as such. He later added that he had been stationed there for one year at the time of the incident.

Reading from a late shift report that night, CSP Styles noted that six officers were listed as being on duty. However, Mr Whitfield informed him that half of those officers did not show up for work. CSP Styles responded that he could not speak to that. While he said he did not recall a staffing issue being raised on January 22, nor receiving a call about it, he claimed that reserves could have been brought in to assist in the event of

a staff shortage. However, he said he received no call indicating that the 12am to 8am shift was insufficiently staffed.

Despite initially saying that he could not recall when he learned of Dawkins’s death in custody, he later claimed that he found out that same day, saying he was “more than likely” informed by the guard commander.

CSP Styles admitted that he did not generate a report regarding his summons for this matter, saying that he “really doesn’t recall this matter”.

While reading a report detailing the events of that night, CSP Styles noted that Corporal Hepburn had written that he handed over the station to “blank”. Another report, written by Corporal Duncombe, did not mention who he took over from.

Officers previously testified that CPL Hepburn was in charge before CPL Duncombe relieved him an hour late. CSP Styles agreed that the lack of clear documentation regarding the transfer of station control was not normal.

He claimed he might have seen these station diary entries before.

When Mr Whitfield asked if it was his duty to investigate the station after Dawkins’s death, CSP Styles said no, asserting that it was the responsibility of the Complaints and Corrections Department. He further claimed that another division would have handled the investigation and that an inquiry should have taken place.

CSP Styles agreed with Mr Whitfield that something had gone “wrong” at

the station since a suspect had died in custody.

When the jury asked why he had not written a report, he responded that it was his subordinates’ duty. He added that no one had instructed him to write a report on Dawkins’s death.

CSP Styles told Coroner Deveaux that a suspect’s property would typically be documented and stored.

When asked what it meant if items were listed in the detention record but not in the station diary, CSP Styles responded that the detention record primarily covered these matters.

However, when shown that Dawkins had $20 in Mexican pesos, assorted mixed currency, and a wallet listed in the detention record, but no mention of his currency was found in the station diary, he said he did not wish to speculate.

He agreed with the coroner that issues within the station should be recorded in official police reports.

When asked what inference could be drawn from the fact that the name of the officer to whom the station was handed over was missing, CSP Styles said it meant “the officer fell down” and that the handing-over certificate was deficient. He added that CPL Hepburn had failed in his duty by not properly documenting the handover

in the diary. He also claimed he might have received the station diary after Dawkins’s death but could not recall.

Coroner Deveaux suggested that he was not regularly updated on that shift, given his lack of recollection of those events.

When asked what he would do if he did not receive an update, he claimed he could have called or checked the station himself.

CSP Styles said he did not recall receiving any calls from the station in the hours leading up to and culminating in Dawkins’s death.

He claimed that reports from the incident would have been submitted to the Central Intelligence Division.

Coroner Deveaux informed CSP Styles that two officers on duty that night had only been on the force for two and a half months, another officer had been on the force for ten months, and yet another arrived an hour late for his shift.

CSP Styles insisted that probationary officers would not be stationed there alone.

However, Coroner Deveaux stressed that at one point that night, several junior officers left the station simultaneously,

leaving one of the largest police station cell blocks in New Providence under the command of a single officer, with ten or more suspects in custody.

CSP Styles admitted that it was “abnormal” for just one officer to be left alone in the station and that he would be concerned for his own safety in those circumstances.

As she examined police conduct that night, Coroner Deveaux said:

“Maybe some things need to change.”

She also informed CSP Styles that three police constables testified that the sergeant on duty that night never personally checked the cell blocks.

CSP Styles maintained that he could not recall whether he was updated on what was happening at the station that night.

Inspector Kevin Sears of Central Police Station testified that a sergeant would typically man the station during weekend night shifts.

Although he admitted he was the duty inspector that weekend, he did not show up, nor was he called to the station.

He claimed that the duty inspector was not required to report to the station on weekends — contradicting CSP Styles’s testimony.

Pastor fires back at critics of PM’s visit to Haitian church conference

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRESIDENT of the Abaco Haitian Pastors Association Octervil Baptiste fired back at critics yesterday over Prime Minister Philip Davis’s visit to its annual church conference, stressing the event was about unity and not politics.

Videos of Mr Davis’s visit to the Abaco church over the weekend circulated online, with some suggesting the prime minister was meeting with the Haitian community to gain their votes.

However, Mr Baptiste, one of the event’s organisers, said Mr Davis attended at their request.

He said opposition members, including Michael Pintard, were also present, and both sides shared messages of unity.

Videos and photos showing politicians from both parties, seen by The Tribune, also proved his claim.

In his speech, Prime Minister Davis commended members of the Haitian community for their contributions to Abaco’s development, particularly in the island’s rebuilding after Hurricane Dorian.

He also said The Bahamas has a special relationship with Haiti and urged pastors to help

curb illegal migration and prevent the growth of unregulated communities.

Pastor Baptiste said Haitians are often used as scapegoats during election season.

He said he agrees with the Davis administration’s stance on illegal shanty towns, adding: “I myself don’t like shantytowns.”

He said there is a false perception that those from Haitian backgrounds live in shanty towns, noting that many, like himself, live in well-established communities and encourage others to follow the law.

“We are not proud about these things,” he added. “I preach about it before and in fact, we the pastors, we taking a stand to try to talk to the people because one of the things I believe is to be an abiding citizen and to follow the law and do it the right way.”

“I want Bahamian to know we not enemies, or we don’t have any, any anything on our mind to try to take over The Bahamas like Bahamian normally say. No.”

“We don’t have no agendas of political party, We do not and it’s never anything like that.”

Prime minister PhiliP ‘Brave’ Davis

Knowles: ‘Rebellious’ children key in runaways

Some runaways, she said, “don’t want to listen to their parents, and that is the message that we must get across to our children”.

Speaking on The Rundown, a ZNS talk show with Clint Watson on Monday night, she said technology is helping officials find children.

“When we find or locate these young people, especially those who run away, we realise that there are issues within the home, and it is at that point that we get social services involved or another agency that can offer counselling to the family members to see how best they can resolve their issues in their home before these, especially young girls go missing again,” she said.

The Royal Bahamas

Police Force investigated 277 cases of missing persons nationwide in 2024. Of these, 256 cases were solved, with the individuals found safe, while 21 remain under investigation. Among these cases, 28 percent were classified as runaways, 41 percent were due to miscommunication, 16 percent involved individuals with mental illness, six percent remain unknown, three percent involved persons who were arrested, four percent were lost at sea, and two percent were deceased.

There were 188 cases in New Providence, 48 in Grand Bahama, and 24 in the Family Islands. The missing persons included 78 percent Bahamians, eight percent Haitians, one percent Americans, one percent Jamaicans, and 11 percent with unknown nationalities.

Police working to dismantle stolen car rings as vehicle thefts rise in the capital

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commis-

sioner Shanta Knowles said vehicle thefts have increased this year, with officers working aggressively to dismantle stolen car rings operating in New Providence.

“That is one of the biggest challenges, but I want to say thanks to my officers, because they are working furiously to crack these stolen vehicle rings that are in New Providence,” she said.

“As soon as we capture one ring, we notice that there is an increase in another area, and so our resources are being stretched all across New Providence so that we can prevent these vehicles from being stolen.”

In 2024, vehicle thefts sharply increased by 53 percent, with 392 stolen vehicles reported compared to 257 in 2023. In total, 104 vehicles were stolen during armed robberies, with 50 percent recovered. The majority of stolen vehicles were Nissan models, followed

by Hondas and Toyotas. Commissioner Knowles, appearing on ZNS’s The Rundown with Clint Watson on Monday night, also spoke about the country’s overall crime trends.

“So far this year, we are pleased with our numbers,” she said. “We don’t want to talk and celebrate too much because we know that we could be kind of superstitious at times and say we’re celebrating a little bit too quick and things will happen. But we are pleased with what we’re seeing.”

She estimated that most of the homicides last year and in previous years stemmed from retaliation and conflict resolution issues.

The Bahamas recorded 120 homicides last year, a nine percent increase from 110 in 2023. New Providence accounted for 105 homicides, Grand Bahama had 12, and the Family Islands had three. The commissioner said police have a “very good” detection rate, saying last year’s homicide detection rate was roughly 68 percent.

Cabinet subCommittee formed to address shark attaCks

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AGRICULTURE and

Marine Resources Minister

Jomo Campbell said a cabinet subcommittee has been formed to develop policies addressing shark attacks. Three shark attacks were reported this month. In Exuma, a Caucasian man suffered serious injuries to his right leg. In Bimini Bay, two American women were attacked while swimming.

Mr Campbell said the subcommittee intends to meet this week. He urged beachgoers, locals and tourists, to use “common sense approaches” to minimize risks.

what is the meal from what is the tourist or what is the local person simply having fun.

“You know, you’re swimming in the waters –– these marine lives, that is their home. They live there. So just how we go home to eat, they come out to eat and it’s very hard sometimes for an animal to distinguish

“So sometimes, you know, we have to take a bit of responsibility on ourselves to ensure that when we step into an environment, it’s actually safe for us to step into.”

Commissioner of PoliCe shanta Knowles

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Picture of the day

And yet, when environmentalist Eric Carey visited the sites of those anchorages, the majority were sandy bottoms. Talk of protecting seagrass and coral reefs from the government did not match up to the reality of the sites themselves. And as for protection from anchor damage? Photos were given to The Tribune showing anchors being used for the buoys, while shipping records also talk of anchors. Interestingly, those anchors were being sent to an address here in Nassau also with a history connected to that certain senior advisor.

The government also talked of ecofriendly moorings with helical anchors. Again, that was not what was seen on site.

A cease and desist order was issued, given there were no permissions granted for work to start – but then, as further questions were asked, suddenly the government did a U-turn, and the deal was ripped up.

A new statement came out – itself full of remarkable details. For example, the statement said that OPM “has since become aware that an employee of our office acted as a witness to the lease”. Become aware? It’s right there on the lease, a lease signed and sealed by the Prime Minister. How did they become aware rather than having known all along that she signed on a deal that benefits her family personally? An internal review was promised – we are still waiting on a number of other reviews on other matters, so don’t hold your breath.

Mrs Kemp is still working at OPM without any suspension, it seems – she has been sending out news alerts via Bahamas Information Services without interruption.

The government said the placement of moorings prior to approvals – in addition to the involvement of that OPM employee – had “raised concerns” and so the government and Bahamas Moorings had agreed not to move forward, with the leases being relinquished.

What the public sees from this is a process that seems to have been strongly connected to OPM and which excluded everyone else – notably the people living in the area affected.

A group of individuals came up with a plan that would let them charge visiting boats significant sums, with an environmental justification that doesn’t match up to the locations chosen.

Now the FNM has called for the firing of a senior advisor to the Prime Minister. The government perhaps might have hoped that the ending of the lease might have ended the questions. Not so. The questions have only just begun.

Questions to govt over moorings lease

EDITOR, The Tribune ON February 23, 2025 the Bahamas Government released a 1-1/2-page statement entitled, “Statement from the Government of The Bahamas-on-Bahamas Moorings Ltd.” This occurred only after copies of a 48-paged Crown Lease No. 1178 between the government and Bahamas Moorings Limited appeared on social media.

Note: An Internet search revealed no stories in major Bahamian news outlets related to this lease prior to the release of the Government statement. Briefly, the Government’s statement informs the public that it has granted Bahamas Moorings Ltd (BML) a seabed lease to install 253 “eco-friendly moorings “in the Exuma Cays, aiming to protect marine ecosystems from unregulated anchoring while generating revenue through mooring fees and

taxes. Though the Cabinet approved the project in 2022, apparently a temporary cease-and-desist order was issued after BML began operations without full approvals, including public consultation. The statement claims the initiative aligns with the Bahamas Blue Carbon Project and supports climate goals (not elaborated on in the document). While the government defends the project as a private, conservation-focused venture, many questions remain. Several of them: Over the 21-year lease period, how much annual revenue will the Bahamian people—the Treasury— receive from this project? Was a financial assessment conducted to determine these benefits, and if so, by whom?

Once the government deemed the project economically and environmentally viable, was the lease opened for competitive bidding?

What percentage of the revenue will be allocated specifically to conservation efforts in the Exumas?

Was an independent Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) conducted, and was the full report made publicly available?

Was there a public consultation process, including government-led meetings attended by BML representatives? If not, why?

What precedent does this lease—and the process by which it was granted—set for future seabed leases?

In closing: Is it reasonable to suggest that Bahamians should be concerned about financial transparency, environmental impact, and public engagement when it comes to leasing or even selling public (Crown) lands?

CHRIS MINNS George Town, Exuma February 23, 2025.

EDITOR, The Tribune. THERE is a long-standing practice of political patronage that has been carried out by successive governments in The Bahamas over many years. This is where the government of the day, whether PLP or FNM would pack the public service with their political supporters to gain an advantage especially leading up to an election. The unwritten rule in Bahamian politics is “You help me, I help you”. We all know it. So let’s not pretend otherwise. The government recently announced that it had rehired almost 500 retirees back into the public service for the express purpose of continuity and succession planning, adding that there was a need for training across the public service. While this move might sound credible on paper it has attracted widespread criticism from some members of the general public who view it as political hiring or political patronage. It was wrong when the Minnis administration did it, and it wrong now under the Davis administration. The only difference is that under the previous

administration, retirees would receive either the pension or the salary, but not both at the same timesomeone could correct me.

But that is hardly anything to crow about.

I will concede that hiring a handful or even a couple dozen retirees might have been justified, but 491 just seems like a bridge too far.

Come now, at least credit some of us in the general public with an ounce of common sense and some degree of intelligence.

Bringing back retirees into the public service dampens enthusiasm, creates friction, and blocks upward mobility which has a direct bearing on productivity in the work place. The government announced that these are contractual hirings, but that in and of itself is of no great consolation. The principle still stands. Successive governments have found a loophole in the law with regard to rehiring, and they have used it to their political advantage. The time has come for

both the PLP and the FNM administrations to move past this idea of packing the civil service with their political supporters and with those who might be inclined to support them based on the promise of a job. This stiffles the country’s growth and development and quite frankly is an extra burden on the public purse. A person should be hired based on competence and ability. In short, meritocracy should rule the day. The process of political hiring is counterproductive and does not inspire confidence in the already bloated service in terms of getting things done in a timely manner. For many, it is nothing more than a sure pay day or political payback, but intelligent, everyday, hardworking Bahamian voters can see through it for what it is. Successive governments have come to normalise this practice, but it is simply wrong and it should stop. The unvarnished truth makes some of us uncomfortable.

ZEPHANIAH BURROWS

Nassau, February 22, 2025.

Time to end political patronage Migration can be

EDITOR, The Tribune

MIGRATION, there is a positive side! Totally agree the letter got me Googling right in the Caribbean many certain confirmations ‘migration can be very positive, economically’. The island countries of Antigua - Barbuda - Dominica - Grenada - St Kitts and Nevis - St Lucia collectively through Migration progammes raise have a revenue annual of over $579m. Grenada on its own

$186m. Contribution-revenues to GDP St Kitts-Nevis 9% to GDP - Dominica 25% of GDP - St Lucia $160m. Ourselves whatever taxes arrears have been collected since 2021 that is non-re-current so Treasury has to seek or increase - looking at the migration story of our neighbours in CARICOM certainly there seems a good cause to examine and see how migration could assist with

our current and ongoing fiscal problems…the announcement of current deficits was not good news. Borrowing even at low percentages, interest, still has to be re-paid. Further this migration it seems there is considerable interest of the wealthy this can cause substantial direct investment and new residencies of wealthy people. JH WILLIAMS Nassau, February 21, 2025.

Looking skyward through a group of Caribbean pine trees (Pinus caribaea) in the forests of South Abaco.

Photo: Timothy Roberts

Electronic monitoring bid award criticised by expert

as the programme administrator for Washington, DC’s Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency’s (CSOSA) GPS programme, responsible for tracking over 3000 high-risk offenders under a federal parole and probation system.

He also provided training on electronic monitoring to police officers across numerous law

enforcement agencies in the Washington metropolitan area.

Mr Butler, a 39-year veteran in law enforcement and electronic monitoring, was hired by former National Security Minister, the late Dr Bernard Nottage, during the last Christie administration to audit, reform, and improve the electronic monitoring programme (EMP) amid deficiencies at the time with tracking

offenders.

“We would have been able to provide what we believe to be the services required by an RFP: issue free electronic monitoring programme services,” he told The Tribune

He added that during his previous Ministry of National Security consultancy, he found that local electronic monitoring devices often failed to issue real-time alerts when offenders violated

Local GB businesses aim to help needy children with build-a-bed programme

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

TWO local businesses aim to combat bed poverty in Grand Bahama with a newly launched Build-a-Bed programme to benefit needy children.

Through collaboration with local businesses, civic organisations, and individuals, the foundation is raising funds to manufacture beds in Grand Bahama. Corporate Bahamas,

community groups, and generous individuals — especially those who have experienced similar hardships — are encouraged to contribute to the initiative.

The foundation said children are forced to sleep on couches, floors, or share overcrowded sleeping spaces, often on worn-out or unsanitary mattresses. Statistics from the Bahamas Department of Statistics reveal that 12.5 percent of the country’s population lives below the

poverty line, with children under 20 facing an even higher rate of deprivation at 18.8 percent.

The Build-a-Bed Foundation’s aim is to help combat these numbers by ensuring that children have access to a comfortable and secure place to sleep.

The foundation has partnered with local churches local in various regions of Grand Bahama to help facilitate registration and bed distribution.

The three churches that

curfew, removed their devices, or entered restricted areas.

“One of the things in the trade is, if you see regular charging habits, then you know the offender is up to something,” he said, adding that he found that some offenders were deliberately letting their device batteries die to evade tracking.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said last year that the

have come onboard are Mount Zion Baptist Church in West Grand Bahama, Calvary Bible Church in Freeport, and Emmanuel Baptist Disciple Center in East Grand Bahama.

The churches will assist in identifying families most in need and ensuring fair distribution of beds throughout the community.

Island Bedding and BuyBahamian.biz emphasise the power of community collaboration in addressing childhood poverty and are urging Bahamians to support this transformative effort.

“As Bahamians, we are called to be the change we wish to see,” said Omar A

government cancelled its electronic monitoring contract with Metro Security Solutions and selected Migrafill Electronic Security, the previous provider of the service after police officials lost confidence in Metro.

Mr Munroe defended the decision to award the contract to Magrifill, adding the ministry’s records did not disclose concerns over the company’s capabilities.

He said given issues with Metro Security Solutions, a newcomer that had bid well but was later said to perform poorly, the government opted against engaging an unfamiliar entity. He said ICS Security Concepts, the only other previous provider, had already declined to take on the contract again, leaving Magrifill as the only viable option.

Isaacs, Managing Director of BuyBahamian.biz.

“Through the ‘Build-a-Bed’ programme, we are creating pathways for future generations to thrive and succeed.”

Anyone interested in donating or participating in the initiative should contact Island Bedding at 351-4071 or BuyBahamas.biz at 602-0304.

Jamaican national faces three counts of armed robbery and overstaying

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A JAMAICAN national was remanded to prison yesterday after being accused of multiple armed robberies in New Providence over the past month.

The defendant was also charged with overstaying and attempting to escape custody while in the hospital.

Magistrate Lennox Coleby arraigned Cyril

Saltau, 28, on charges of attempted escape, overstaying, and three counts of armed robbery.

Prosecutors allege that on January 30, Saltau robbed a woman at Denique’s Fashion of $193 and a black Alcatel phone.

The following day, on January 31, he allegedly robbed another woman at knifepoint at Deedee’s Variety Store, stealing $450 in cash, along with beauty products and accessories.

On February 6, Saltau

e valuation ordered for man exposing himself at hotel

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was remanded to Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre after he was accused of exposing himself outside the British Colonial Hotel last week.

Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt Evans arraigned Torriano Johnson, 35, of indecent assault. Prosecutors allege that

is accused of robbing a woman at knifepoint, taking her handbag, identification cards, and $25 in cash. Additionally, on February 20, at around 10am, the defendant allegedly attempted to escape from PC 208 Knowles while at the hospital. He was apprehended in the critical care unit after a brief chase.

Saltau was also charged with overstaying in The Bahamas, having remained here for more than a month

beyond his permitted time.

Initially, he pleaded not guilty to the escape charge, claiming he ran from the police but did not intend to escape and was not thinking clearly at the time. However, he later changed his plea to guilty for both the escape and overstaying charges.

He was informed that he was not required to enter a plea for the armed robbery charges at this stage, as they would be forwarded to the Supreme Court

through a Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI).

During the arraignment, Saltau claimed that he had been beaten in the head by officers in his home and was experiencing blood in his urine. A hospital band was still visible on his arm.

Magistrate Coleby sentenced him to six months in prison for the escape and overstaying charges. He also advised Saltau to seek medical attention while in custody and instructed him to contact the court if a

doctor did not see him.

Before being taken into remand, Saltau was allowed a brief moment with his relatives. The defendant is scheduled to return to court on May 29 for the service of his VBI.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Lincoln McKenzie served as the prosecutor, while a representative from the Department of Immigration was also present for the arraignment.

PM meets with Bahamian students in Barbados during CARICOM Heads of Government meeting

the defendant exposed himself near the hotel on Marlborough Road on February 20. The defendant displayed erratic behaviour and was not required to enter a plea.

He will be remanded to Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre until a psychological report is brought to court on April 24. Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom served as the prosecutor.

t hree years Jail for man with unlicensed flare gun

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sentenced to three years in prison after admitting to having an unlicensed flare gun and shotgun shell last week.

Magistrate Lennox Coleby arraigned Lasean Strachan, 53, on possession of an unlicensed gun and possession of ammunition.

Strachan pleaded guilty to the charges.

The defendant was sentenced to three years at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Lincoln McKenzie served as the prosecutor.

The defendant was reportedly stopped by police while riding his bicycle near Montrose Avenue on February 19. While searching him, police found a white and orange flare launcher and a red 410 gauge shotgun shell, which was tucked near the groin of his pants.

Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, while in Barbados for the 48th Regular Meeting of the CARICOM Heads of Government, February 19-21, 2025 took time to meet and greet Bahamian students there. Students attending various institutions in Barbados were invited to attend a special CARICOM reception where they had the chance to meet the Prime Minister and other government officials, including Foreign Affairs Minister, the Hon. Fred Mitchell; Bahamas Ambassador to CARICOM, Her Excellency Leslia Miller-Brice; and Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Secretary Jamahl Strachan.

Photos: BiS

BuyBahamaS.bz founder Omar Isaacs, second from left, and Melinda Davis, manager of Island Bedding have partnered to combat bed poverty in Grand Bahama, launching the Build-a-Bed Foundation for provide proper bedding for children in need.

Non-violent communication

nAtIOnAl hand wringing over crime is a repetitive and predictable event. every few months, there is a pile up of murder cases, exposure of young people to crime, or one very upsetting event. All of a sudden, everyone wants to talk about crime. Solutions are rarely presented, but people are upset and talking and throwing whatever they can find at the wall to see what might stick. Often overlooked is the violence that is bred within households and families. this is not limited to domestic violence—which includes the abuse of children which many refer to as “corporal punishment” and “discipline”—and intimate partner violence. It extends to the way people speak to one another on a regular basis. there is a desperate need for people in the Bahamas to learn non-violent communication techniques and practice them regularly so that they become the default for responding to difficult situations.

Practice non-violent communication with these four steps:

1. tell the person what you observe. Avoid using labels or assigning value to observation. Simply state what you saw or heard. For example, you may say, “I saw that there was no response to the email I sent yesterday,” rather than complaining that someone “never” answers emails, or “I heard a negative comment about my cooking,” rather than saying someone hates the meal that was prepared. Resist the urge to give a diagnosis. Focus on what you observed of the incident.

2. Share the way you feel about what you observed. For example, “When I don’t receive a response to my emails, I feel anxious about what the person is thinking and whether or not I will get the approval I need to move forward with my work and meet the deadline,” or “When I heard negative comments about my cooking, I don’t feel confident about presenting what I’ve made and I feel reluctant to

By Alicia Wallace

try again. I feel embarrassed when other people talk about my what goes wrong when I’m trying something new.” When people talk about incidents they find disturbing, they often launch into assumptions about the other party or parties involved without and before articulating their own feelings. this can escalate the conversation rather than giving everyone involved a chance to confront the feelings being experienced which is critical to the next step. It is not a time or a way to guilt or manipulate the other party. It is a way to build connection.

3. State what you need. think about what a path forward looks like for you. For example, “I need timely responses to my emails that marked “urgent” so that I can the recommended direction to complete tasks before the deadline and without having to work overtime.”

Another example is, “I need positive feedback on my effort to cook to help build my confidence. I need to be supported in improving when something I make is not good.” In this step, the goal is to communicate your values and the kind of interaction that would lead to positive feelings and good outcomes.

4. Suggest a concrete action. For example, “I would like for you to respond to my urgent emails within the same work day, even if your reply is to let me know you are not able to share answer the question or respond to the question yet. I would like an estimated time that I will receive it.” For the cooking scenario, you may say, “I would like for you to tell me when you enjoy a meal. When something is not as enjoyable, please tell me

privately.” this is the time to make your request of the other party. you have stated your observance, shared your feelings about it, and said what you need. When you make a clear ask, the other party can see that you are willing to continue in the relationship and you can see, in their response, if they are willing to do their part. children are capable of clear, nonviolent communication, and it needs to be modeled for and practiced with them. It can be upsetting when children do not do what is asked of them. Sometimes, they simply choose not to do as they are told. they may know what is expected of them and still prioritize something else. they are children, and they are human beings. they can have preferences, they can have their priorities in the wrong order, they can make mistakes, and they can do things that do not make sense to anyone else or outside of the moment that they make the choice. We learn as we get older, have more experiences, and see the results of our actions. Adults often forget that children have not been on earth as long, do not have as much experience, and do not have fully developed brains. they will make mistakes and they will make the wrong choices. It is not because they are rude or spiteful, but because they are still learning, and they need adults to teach and guide them. Adults make mistakes too, and this is clear evidence that we should extend more grace to children. non-violent communication is a practice that adults need to learn. Most of us were never taught to communicate in this way and do not regularly experience

Misconceptions on China-US panda conservation collaboration

Recently, the new york times and other media outlets have shown an unusual level of “concern” over china’s giant panda breeding efforts and china-US panda conservation collaborations, seemingly intent on finding fault with the debut of Bao li and Qing Bao at the national Zoo in Washington, D.c this stands in stark contrast to its own commentary in 2017, which praised giant panda breeding as “a rare area of cooperation between the US and china,” when giant panda Bao Bao returned to china. now, the tone has abruptly shifted, as if aiming to eradicate this “rare” field of collaboration. However, these reports deviate significantly from the truth, with at least four major misconceptions.

Misconception 1: Artificial propagation aims to rapidly increase the panda population for economic gains, contributing little to species conservation.

Fact: According to china’s Fourth national Giant Panda Survey, there were only 1,864 wild giant pandas in china by the end of 2013, distributed in isolated small populations, which severely threatened its genetic diversity. captive breeding has played a vital role in replenishing wild populations, managing genetic diversity and preventing inbreeding. china has achieved technical breakthroughs in maintaining near-zero inbreeding

coefficients among captive populations, ensuring the health and genetic diversity of giant pandas. Since 2003, china has gradually established a technical system for rewilding and reintroducing pandas into nature, and has been conducting indepth scientific research in this area, continuously improving the techniques needed to replenish local wild populations, enhance their long-term viability, and reduce the risk of extinction of isolated small populations. the proceeds from international panda collaborations and panda-related tourism are primarily used to fund conservation research, habitat restoration, and the construction of research facilities. ensuring the long-term conservation of giant pandas requires substantial investment, most of which is directed toward improving captive conditions, protecting habitats, and advancing scientific research. It is one-sided and unfair to dismiss this complex and arduous work as “economic pursuit”, ignoring the tremendous efforts behind it. Misconception 2: electro-ejaculation is cruel, causing significant harm to pandas and leading to inbreeding and declining genetic quality.

Fact: electro-ejaculation is a standard reproductive technique first successfully used on waterfowl in 1934 and is

this form of communication. It takes intentional, consistent effort to make this a norm for ourselves and our relationships. Parents, in particular, need to spend time practicing this way of communicating with other people, including children. After being taught to react violently, whether physically or verbally, to anything we do not like, it is especially difficult to slow down and self-moderate. the difficulty, however, is not an excuse not to do it. We need to change the way we communicate, normalise non-violent communication, and give children tools to express their feelings and resolve conflict. take for example, a child who was told to complete their homework before the parent gets home, but they do not do it. After a long day at work, sitting in traffic two or three times for the day, having at least one encounter with a miserable, unhelpful person, and still

having items on the to do list, the parents is not in the mood for fun and games. the realisation that the child has not completed the homework is another negative incident on a pile of unpleasant experiences of the day. For some parents, it is even more upsetting when children demonstrate that they are, to some degree, autonomous and not completely under the parents’ control. Many parents may not even realise that they regard their children as object they can control, and when that is disproven, it injures the ego. All of this baggage can easily enter the interaction between the parents and the child, though none of it has anything to do with the matter at hand. A child has simply not completed their homework.

First, tell the child what you observe. “I see that you have not finished your homework.” Say it clearly, and without expletives. next, share your own

feelings about this observation. “I am disappointed that your homework is not finished. I feel disrespected that you did not do what we talked about earlier.” It is okay to tell your child how you feel. they know that you are a human being too. Be honest, and do not try to guilt them or make them cry. this is a moment for you to be vulnerable and make a connection with your child. tell the child what you need. “I need you to pay attention when we talk about what you need to do after school. I need you to follow instructions, and ask me questions if anything is not clear.” you have needs too. Sometimes children overlook this, seeing adults as all-powerful and lacking in nothing. It is okay to let them know that you have needs and that their participation in family life affects you, just as yours affects them.

Make your request of the child. “I would like for you to listen carefully when we talk about what we need to do and write it down. When you get home from school, please look at your notes and make sure you complete everything before 6pm. If you have questions, please call me and I can help you.” let your child know that you do not expect them to know it all or remember it all. Be as available to them as possible. Make sure it is not a scary experience for them to call you or to ask for help.

Raising children who communicate clearly and can navigate difficult conversations is a part of community building. It is critical to the development of a country in which people can recognise conflict and resolve it together through conversations. they are willing to and capable of listening to one another, being empathetic and understanding different perspectives, and invested in resolution. When we can move through the four steps together, we can avoid violent language and violent actions.

now widely applied to humans, livestock and wildlife. the technique employed for pandas uses non-invasive low-voltage stimulation (2–6 volts) — equivalent to the output of two to four AA batteries or a phone charger. this is far below the human safety voltage thresholds (36 volts for transient exposure, 24 volts for prolonged contact). For 45 years, particularly since the late 1990s when the technique matured, no panda has suffered health issues due to electro-ejaculation or artificial insemination. the new york times misrepresented early anecdotal accounts from the initial stages of panda conservation as evidence of unsafe or unethical practices. Such selective reporting lacks scientific basis and deliberately fuels controversy.

Misconception 3: International panda conservation cooperation has become china’s tool for financial gain.

Fact: the purpose of china’s international panda collaborations is to enhance endangered species conservation and promote biodiversity protection. collaborative agreements are negotiated with detailed plans specifying research topics such as breeding, disease prevention, and genetic conservation. Major procedures require chinese approval, and parties involved share research responsibilities

and outcomes.

Over the years, these collaborations have yielded breakthroughs in panda breeding, disease prevention, and reintroduction techniques, and have produced numerous highimpact research papers. From gifting pandas to leasing them and now engaging in cooperative breeding, china’s panda conservation strategy has evolved into a mature and science-based framework. Its core focus remains on scientific research, not financial interests. Funds from these collaborations are allocated to panda care, building high-standard facilities, and supporting research projects — all aimed at improving the living conditions of pandas and advancing conservation science.

Misconception 4: china uses pandas to seek influence and explore a cuddly way into US city Halls.

Fact: As an endangered species, the giant panda symbolizes global efforts toward ecological and biodiversity conservation.

china has conducted panda cooperation programs with 26 institutions across 20 countries, including the United States. china-US panda collaboration has resulted in the successful breeding of 17 panda cubs. thanks to the tireless efforts of conservationists in china and relevant countries, the International Union for conservation of nature has downgraded giant pandas from “endangered” to “Vulnerable” on its Red list.

Giant pandas have been cultural ambassadors of goodwill between china and the US Panda-related exchanges between the two sides began in 1972 with President nixon’s historic visit to china — years before the establishment of diplomatic ties. the first pair, ling-ling and HsingHsing, arrived in the US in 1972, finding a home at the national Zoo in Washington, D.c the china-US panda collaboration, which started in 2000, has strengthened the conservation efforts and deepened the people-to-people

friendship. Unfounded accusations and malicious distortions of this collaboration not only discredit the dedicated efforts of conservationists in both countries, but also undermine the atmosphere of international cooperation on biodiversity protection.

From ling-ling and Hsing-Hsing to yun chuan, Xin Bao, Bao li and Qing Bao, generations of pandas have embodied people’s love of nature and blessing for life. During the pandemic, pandas brought countless Americans comfort and hope. A panda a day keeps the sorrow away. As one American visitor noted, “My child learned so much about endangered species, and pandas make environmental conservation feel tangible.” Another ecology student remarked that “Panda conservation projects inspired me to pursue zoology — they symbolise hope for global collaboration in protecting nature.” let us set aside the political bias and advance the panda conservation collaboration based on scientific principles for the benefit of the pandas, thus fostering more positive energy for china-US friendship and global ecological protection.

The author is a commentator on international affairs, writing regularly for Xinhua News, Global Times, China Daily, CGTN etc. He can be reached at xinping604@ gmail.com. The views don’t necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

• Article provided courtesy of the Chinese Embassy

Giant panda Mei Huan is pictured at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, Southwest China’s Sichuan province, November 21, 2024. Photo: Xinhua

BTC holds launch event for new Samsung S25 phones

ThE wait is finally over for samsung lovers looking for an upgrade. The samsung s25 series is now available at all BTC retail stores in New Providence.

BTC held an official launch of the samsung s25 at its mall at marathon retail store on Friday attended by members of their commercial team, postpaid and prepaid customers, as well as samsung’s merchandiser mirlande sherman.

Keisha Edwards, BTC’s director of commercial operations said, “Knowing the love that Bahamians have for the samsung brand, we’re thrilled to bring the highly anticipated

samsung s25 series to our customers, giving them access to the latest cuttingedge technology on BTC’s superfast network. whether you’re a longtime samsung fan or looking to make the switch, now is the perfect time to upgrade.”

mirlande sherman, a samsung merchandiser for The Bahamas said, “I am very happy that BTC has launched the s25 series, and we had the opportunity to present this latest model to BTC customers. Persons buying this phone will not be disappointed. The s25 has a lot of key features, mainly the AI language translator

that is very popular, so I would truly encourage persons to upgrade and give samsung a try.”

The samsung Galaxy s25 and s25+ are sleek, premium smartphones featuring immersive screens, sophisticated cameras, and a slimmed-down design for a more comfortable grip. Both models are powered by samsung’s most advanced custom-made processor, delivering optimized battery life and enhanced AI-driven functionality. Designed for convenience and innovation, the samsung s25’s “AI Companion” anticipates users’ needs, enabling

natural conversation-based commands to streamline everyday tasks. The all-new ‘Now Brief’ feature delivers personalized updates throughout the day, such as weather reminders or important alerts. Additionally, the Audio Eraser function filters out background noise from videos, while Galaxy AI allows users to finetune audio elements such as voices, music, and wind for an enhanced listening experience.

For more details on the samsung s25 series, visit any BTC retail store in New Providence or www.samsung.com.

A swarm of small drones may help artificial reefs attract sea life

CYPRUS Associated Press

A swArm of submersibles will be used to monitor and provide data on offshore artificial reefs that are intended to attract marine life in otherwise barren sections of sea, officials said monday.

The autonomous underwater vehicles, or AUVs, will be equipped with sensors and high-definition cameras to give scientists at the Cyprus marine and maritime Institute a clear picture on the effectiveness of their artificial reefs designed and built using 3D printing.

made of an environmentally friendly cement mixture, the artificial reefs will be embedded with a docking station at which the AUVs can recharge and transmit collected data including video, said CmmI CEO Zakarias siokouros.

The advantage of the

AUVs lies in their ability to stay underwater for as long as a month at a time and provide continuous data while “protecting” the reefs by alerting scientists to any disturbance in protected waters from illegal fishing and encroaching boats. scientists would, in turn, notify local authorities.

A trial run of the project, dubbed EONIOs, is underway off Cyprus’ Ayia Napa marina. scientists plan to place the artificial reefs in waters off Cyprus’ southern coastal town of Limassol at a depth of around 20 meters (66 feet) where sunlight can still reach the seabed.

“The reefs attract everything from vegetation to large fish and for waters off Cyprus where there isn’t enough food for fish, we aim to create the appropriate environment to bring such fish there,” siokouros told The Associated Press following a demonstration of the AUVs’ capabilities at

the Ayia Napa marina.

EONIOs is a partnership between the CmmI, AUV makers Arkeocean of France, Cypriot tech company signalGeneriX and French consultancy company Lanego. siokouros said the partnership aims to market EONIOs to other countries who would want to build up their fish stocks using artificial reefs.

A key selling point for the AUVs is that they can provide surveillance, 3D data collection and area protection at a significant discount compared to tethered submersibles, said Arkeocean official Tamara Brizard.

“Our goal is to make a system under which six of our mini-drones can do the same work for the price of one conventional drone,” Brizard said.

Arkeocean AUVs can currently pack a maximum 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of sensors and other gear

and can operate to a depth of 300 meters (984 feet) although newer versions are being designed to reach 3,000 meters (9,842 feet).

The AUVs receive commands through an attached acoustic antenna and can pinpoint their location.

Battery-powered thrusters make the AUVs very stealthy and nearly undetectable, Brizard said, making them extremely useful for defense purposes such as surveillance in restricted waters. The AUVs can operate anywhere in the world thanks to an Iridium satellite antenna.

The AUVs can also use undersea currents to roam, extending battery life. Another application is in the energy field where the submersibles can be used to detect seismic activity for offshore oil and gas exploration as well as finding suitable areas on which to build offshore wind and solar farms, said Brizard.

TechTalk

OAKLAND Associated Press

LONGTImE Apple executive Phil schiller on monday conceded he initially opposed fees that the iPhone maker charges for in app-transactions processed outside its own payment system because he feared violating a court-ordered mandate designed to create more competition.

schiller, who oversees Apple’s lucrative App store for iPhones, made the admission during three hours of testimony in the same Oakland federal courtroom where he last appeared on the witness stand nearly nine months ago as part of a long-running legal battle with Epic Games, the maker of the popular Fortnite video game.

Epic began the showdown four and half years ago when it first filed an antitrust lawsuit alleging that Apple had built an illegal monopoly around its popular App store that makes billions of dollars annually from a then-exclusive payment system that collects commissions ranging from 15% to 30% on in-app commerce.

Although Us District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez rogers rejected the monopoly claims, she ordered Apple to lower the barriers protecting its previously exclusive payment system for in-app digital transactions and allow developers to display links to alternative options.

After spending more than two years trying to overturn rogers’ order paving the way for alternative payment links to appear in iPhone app, Apple exhausted all its appeals 13 months ago and finally opened the door for other options.

But Apple’s solution still demands a 12% to 27% commission from on in-app transactions executive through alternative systems and erected other hurdles that Epic contends were designed to discourage switching to different options.

Gonzalez rogers is now considering whether to hold Apple in contempt of court and order the Cupertino, California, company to make more drastic changes. since the judge began that process last may, she has expressed frustration with schiller and other Apple witnesses about their hazy recollection about how they came up with the rules for app store’s alternative payment system. Gonzalez rogers’ exasperation prompted her to delay the proceeding while another judge oversaw the wrangling over Apple’s production of internal documents to provide further evidence about its decision-making process

Those additional records helped Epic lawyer Gary Bornstein refresh schiller’s memory about his initial reluctance to impose fees on in-app transactions outside of Apple’s own payment systems.

“I had a question of whether we would be allowed to charge a commission,” schiller said when asked about the views he expressed during meetings held in April 2023. “It was a question about what was allowed under the injunction” issued by Gonzalez rogers.

Besides being worried the “compliance risk” posed by the fees on alternative payment options, schiller said he also worried about “collection risk” because Apple would need to depend on app developers to transfer the money that the company said it was owed. with its internal payment system, Apple can simply take its cut of the transaction before sending the rest of money to the app developers.

“what happens if a developer doesn’t pay and what is the process for that?” schiller recalled about his initial reservations about requiring fees on alternative payment options. he also said he was worried about Apple’s collection demands creating an antagonistic relationship with app developers that have traditionally been the company’s allies.

But schiller ultimately signed off on the commissions in January 2024 as part of a pricing committee that included Apple CEO Tim Cook and the company’s chief financial officer at that time, Luca maestri. During his testimony, schiller also confirmed that Cook pushed for a warning screen informing consumers the potential security threats posed by alternative payment options.

The latest round of hearings in the ongoing tussle are scheduled to continue Tuesday and wednesday. The other witnesses scheduled to testify include one of schiller’s top subordinates, Carson Oliver, who also testified last year.

A user is seen here using the stylus to navigate the Samsung S25Ultra, now available at BTC.

White House says it ‘will determine’ which news outlets cover Trump, rotating traditional ones

WASHINGTON Associated Press

The White house said Tuesday that its officials “will determine” which news outlets can regularly cover President Donald Trump up close — a sharp break from a century of tradition in which a pool of independently chosen news organizations go where the chief executive does and hold him accountable on behalf of regular Americans.

White house press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the changes would rotate traditional outlets from the group and include some streaming services. Leavitt cast the change as a modernization of the press pool, saying the move would be more inclusive and restore “access back to the American people” who elected Trump. But media experts said the move raised troubling First Amendment issues because the president is choosing who covers him.

“The White house press team, in this administration, will determine who gets to enjoy the very privileged and limited access in spaces such as Air Force One and the Oval Office,” Leavitt said at a daily briefing. She added at another point: “A select group of DC-based journalists should no longer have a monopoly of press access at the White house.” Leavitt said the White house will “double down” on its decision to bar The Associated Press from many presidential events, a departure from the timetested and sometimes contentious practice for more than a century of a pool of journalists from every platform sharing the presidents’ words and activities with news outlets and congressional offices that can’t attend the close-quarter events. Traditionally, the members of the pool decide who goes in small spaces such as the Oval Office and Air Force One.

“It’s beyond time that the White house press operation reflects the media habits of the American people in 2025, not 1925,” Leavitt said. There are First Amendment implications The change said one expert on presidents and the press, “is a dangerous move for democracy.”

Presidents and the Press in Times of Crisis,” said in a text.

“It means the president can pick and choose who covers the executive branch, ignoring the fact that it is the American people who through their taxes pay for the running of the White house, the president’s travels and the press secretary’s salary,” Jon Marshall, a media history professor at Northwestern University and author of “Clash:

eugene Daniels, president of the White house Correspondents’ Association, said the organization consistently expands its membership and pool rotations to facilitate the inclusion of new and emerging outlets.

“This move tears at the independence of a free press in the United States. It suggests the government will choose the journalists who cover the president,” Daniels said in a statement. “In a free country, leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps.” The Reporters

Asteroid 2024 YR4 is no longer a threat to Earth, scientists say

CAPE CANAVERAL Associated Press

S CI e NTISTS have finally given the all-clear to e arth from a newly discovered asteroid. After two months of observations, scientists have almost fully ruled out any threat from the asteroid 2024 YR4, NASA and the e uropean Space Agency said Tuesday. At one point, the odds of a strike in 2032 were as high as about 3% and topped the world’s asteroid-risk lists.

e SA has since lowered the odds to 0.001%. NASA has it down to 0.0017% — meaning the

asteroid will safely pass e arth in 2032 and there’s no threat of impact for the next century.

Paul Chodas, who heads NASA’s Center for Near e arth Objects Studies, said there is no chance the odds will rise at this point and that an impact in 2032 has been ruled out.

“That’s the outcome we expected all along, although we couldn’t be 100% sure that it would happen,” he said in an email.

But there’s still a 1.7% chance that asteroid could hit the moon on Dec. 22, 2032, according to NASA. Chodas expects the odds of a moon strike will also

fade. The world’s telescopes will continue to track the asteroid as it heads away from us, with the Webb Space Telescope zooming in next month to pinpoint its size. It’s expected to vanish from view in another month or two. Discovered in December, the asteroid is an estimated 130 feet to 300 feet (40 meters to 90 meters) across, and swings our way every four years.

“While this asteroid no longer poses a significant impact hazard to e arth, 2024 YR4 provided an invaluable opportunity” for study, NASA said in a statement.

Committee for Freedom of the Press called it “a drastic change in how the public obtains information about its government.”

“The White house press pool exists to serve the public, not the presidency,” Bruce D Brown, the group’s president, said in a statement. It comes in the context of a federal lawsuit

Leavitt spoke a day after a federal judge refused to immediately order the White house to restore the AP’s access to many presidential events. The news outlet, citing the First Amendment, sued Leavitt and two other White house officials for barring the

AP from some presidential events over its refusal to call the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America” as Trump ordered. AP has said its style would retain the “Gulf of Mexico” name but also would note Trump’s decision. US District Judge Trevor N McFadden said the AP had not demonstrated it had suffered irreparable harm. But he urged the Trump administration to reconsider its two-week-old ban, saying that case law in the circuit “is uniformly unhelpful to the White house.” McFadden’s decision was only for the moment, however. he told attorneys for the Trump

administration and the AP that the issue required more exploration before ruling. Another hearing was scheduled for late March.

The AP Stylebook is used by international audiences as well as those within the United States. The AP has said that its guidance was offered to promote clarity. Another Trump executive order to change the name of the United States’ largest mountain back to Mount McKinley from Denali is being recognized by the AP Stylebook. Trump has the authority to do so because the mountain is completely within the country he oversees, AP has said.

SouthweS t AirlineS flight A bruptly

Avoid A nother pl A ne

CHICAGO Associated Press

PILOTS on a Southwest Airlines flight attempting to land at Chicago’s Midway Airport were forced to climb back into the sky to avoid another aircraft crossing the runway on Tuesday morning.

Airport webcam video posted to X shows the Southwest plane approaching a runway just before 9 am Tuesday before its nose abruptly pulls up. A smaller jet is seen crossing the runway that the passenger plane was set to use.

Southwest Flight 2504 safely landed “after the crew performed a precautionary go-around to avoid a possible conflict with another aircraft that entered the runway,” an airline spokesperson said in an email. “The crew followed safety procedures and the flight landed without incident.”

Audio recording of communication between the crew and the tower includes the ground tower employee breaking off mid-message to the plane.

The pilot then said “Southwest 2504 going around” and followed directions to climb back to 3,000 feet.

Seconds later, the audio captures the pilot asking the tower: “Southwest 2504, how’d that happen?”

The second plane, described as a business jet, entered the runway without authorization, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Flexjet, the plane’s owner, said the company is

aware “of the occurrence in Chicago.”

“Flexjet adheres to the highest safety standards and we are conducting a thorough investigation,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “Any action to rectify and ensure the highest safety standards will be taken.”

Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board say they are investigating the incident.

The Southwest Flight was en route to Midway Airport from Omaha, Nebraska, according to FlightAware.

John Goglia, a former National Transportation Safety Board member, said the near-crash shows “the system worked exactly as it was designed to.”

That is because the Southwest pilot was aware that the other plane wasn’t going to stop in time, he said.

In probing the incident, investigators will likely look at factors including how well-staffed the tower was and whether instructions

coming out of the tower were clear, he said.

“Those things do happen,” he said, citing possible miscommunication, including a pilot mishearing instructions.

The past few weeks have seen four major aviation disasters in North America. They include the Feb. 6 crash of a commuter plane in Alaska that killed all 10 people on board and the Jan. 26 midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight at Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport that killed all 67 aboard the two aircraft.

A medical transport jet with a child patient, her mother and four others aboard crashed Jan. 31 into a Philadelphia neighbourhood. That crash killed seven people, including all those aboard, and injured 19 others.

Twenty-one people were injured Feb. 17 when a Delta flight flipped and landed on its

roof at Toronto’s Pearson Airport.

The air traffic control tower stands at Chicago’s Midway International Airport, March 12, 2013.

Photo: M Spencer Green/AP

ThiS May 18, 1969 photo provided by NASA shows Earth from 36,000 nautical miles away as photographed from the Apollo 10 spacecraft during its trans-lunar journey toward the moon. Photo: NaSa/AP

WhiTe House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, yesterday in Washington.

Photo: alex Brandon/AP

Cupid’s Cay, Eleuthera

Governor’s Harbour, looking onto Cupid’s Cay, in Eleuthera, captured with the DJI Mavic Air 2.

Photo: eric rose

Governor General Dame Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt welcomed delegates attending Hyatt Americas Owners Conference 2025 in a courtesy call, Monday. The Hyatt Americas Owners Conference recognizes owners, operators, and developers of Hyatt hotels, celebrating resort design, development and operational excellence. During the courtesy call, the delegates watched a special change of guard ceremony, and were thereafter hosted to a Government House luncheon.

Photos: Letisha Henderson/BIS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2025

Falcons fly high

Carry their 9th Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic title back to GB

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor

With their ninth Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic title in hand, the Tabernacle Baptist Academy Falcons returned to Grand Bahama yesterday to a grand celebration at the Grand Bahama International Airport.

“It was great. Grand Bahama came out and supported us,” said Falcons’ head coach Kevin Clarke on their return home after they nipped the CI Gibson Rattlers 89-87 in overtime at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium on Monday night.

“The whole school, the community and all the media houses in Grand Bahama came out to support us. It was just great to bring the trophy back to Grand Bahama.”

With Tabernacle Baptist’s cheerleaders and junkanoo group on hand, Clarke said they made his Falcons feel “so special.”

He called it a “crazy experience” because he knew if “Tabernacle wasn’t going to do it, they would not do it at all.”

By TENAJH SWEETING

THE Bahamas’ junior Billie Jean King Cup (BJKC) and Davis Cup teams experienced mixed results yesterday at the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup and Jr Davis Cup North/ Central America & Caribbean Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Guatemala City, Guatemala. The junior Davis Cup team which features Patrick Mactaggart, Alec Hooper and Aiden Ritchie nabbed a 3-0 victory over the US Virgin Islands in yesterday’s matchup. It was their first victory of the competition and they did not drop a single set against USVI.

Head coach Jamal Adderley was pleased with the team’s performance on day three of competition.

“The team’s performance today was a very good one. We pulled out a very tough match in singles with Alec Hooper today which got the ball rolling for us.

The boys are playing better and better as the tournament goes on and we hope to continue this streak of success in the upcoming days. I am very proud of my team and the way they conduct themselves on court,” he said.

Hooper won the number two singles matchup 6-7, 6-1

PAGE E3

Sensei Elrick McKinney inducted into Hall of Fame

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IT’S been a long time coming, but sensei Elrick McKinney said he’s grateful that he has finally gotten his first major recognition for his contribution of more than 40 years to martial arts in the country. It came on Sunday, February 9 at the Rosen Hotel Grand Ballroom into the Professor Pierre Martial Arts Award Hall of Fame, thanks to the nomination from his Krav Maga instructor Kancho Petr Hlavac from the Czech Republic. Sensei McKinney was inducted into the Professor Pierre Martial Arts Award Hall of Fame, for over 40 years in martial arts training. “It brought tears to my eyes when I stepped into the room,”

sensei McKinney said. “I am just glad to have been honoured because the Bible tells us that a man “no prophet is accepted in his own country.”

For the countless young men and women he has developed, sensei McKinney said the induction is a testament to the hard work, discipline and determination that every student in martial arts should aspire to have.

“When I walked into the ring,” said McKinney of martial artists from throughout the tournament.

“When I tell you this, it’s so good to be recognised especially since it’s never been done here at home. It’s true what the Bible says that a ‘prophet is not received in his own home.’ Somebody who came here and saw my résumé decided that they will nominate me for induction into the Hall of Fame.”

NPA TRACK CLASSIC THE Noble Preparatory Academy is all set to hold its 2025 Track and Field Classic on Saturday, March 15 at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium from 9am to 6pm. The registration deadline is March 11. Athletes can register at info@npabahamas.com

The

February

Sensei McKenzie, 64, believes in giving back and as such has given of his time to work with children in urban areas such as Bain Town, The Grove, Englerston, South Beach and Pinewood Gardens, teaching them karate, about having respect for others while keeping them out of trouble and off the streets. He also has afterschool programmes in many of the government schools and at the Elizabeth East Children’s Home and The Ranfurly Home for Children. Sensei McKinney has competed in many tournaments locally and abroad, losing some and winning many. He ensures that he keeps on the cutting edge of his craft by attending training at the Okinawan Goju Master Camp where all of the head instructors meet every year to train and keep up to date with the latest karate

training programmes and scientific technologies in martial arts.

Sensei McKinney has assisted with coaching three athletes that have won medals in Kumite at international tournaments such as the 1997 Junior Pan Am Games, 1998 CAC games and 2002 CAC Games.

Sensei McKinney has devoted his life to karate and is willing to pass on his knowledge to help those persons interested in the art. He is also experienced in boxing, kickboxing and judo, having been taught by some of the legends like Ray Minus Sr and L. Garth Wright, Master Herbie Thompson of the United States and sensei Khadijh El Shabazza. Thanking his family, friends, the Federation and the martial arts community for their support, sensei McKinney said he will definitely cherish the moment for the rest of his life.

this

equipment

are tennis/cleats and PE kit.For further information, persons are urged to call (242) 812-0417.

RUGBY GAMES AT WINTON AFTER making some minor repairs to the Winton rugby pitch, the Bahamas Rugby Union is scheduled to play matches on Saturday, March 8 and Saturday, March 22. All ages and all abilities are welcome, including men and women, ‘Golden Oldies’ teams and beginners and seasoned players. The BRU is also inviting persons to come and try

SEE

FOR the second consecutive year, the Exuma Sailing Club was a cut above the rest at the Sir Durward Knowles National Junior Sailing Championships which wrapped up on Saturday at the Montagu Bay foreshore.

The winning sailing club emerged as the overall champion for the second straight year and head coach Dallas Knowles could not be more proud of his junior sailors.

“I am relieved and impressed with their performance. They had a tall order because repeating

as champions is very difficult. They had a pretty big target and they had a lot of mental pressure on them and I think that kind of showed on the first day.

“It was a little bit of a slow start for the team as we made some errors in all of the classes and found ourselves having to dig out a bit of a hole, but I just tried to keep the team relaxed and focused and tried to have fun. I think once they started to enjoy themselves and not worry so much about the results and the pressure they actually performed much better,” he said.

The Exuma Sailing Club once again repeated as champions in the sunfish and E classes.

The victors had their best performance of the Sir Durward Knowles National Junior Sailing Championships in the sunfish class.

The Exuma Sailing Club completed a clean sweep with Tanaj Manos taking the top honours with seven points. Placing second was Emit Knowles at 11 points and his clubmate Dai Major was right on his heels with 12 points for third in the sunfish class.

The Lady Kayla, skippered by Joss Knowles and Kianno Hutchinson, defended the Exuma Sailing Club’s bragging rights in the E Class.

TABERNACLE Baptist Academy Falcons players with their Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic trophies in Grand Bahama yesterday as they held a grand celebration at Grand Bahama International Airport.

Photo: Vandyke Hepburn/BIS

SENSEI Elrick McKinney with his Hall of Fame plaque.

Tabernacle Baptist Academy Falcons celebrate title win...

TABERNACLE Baptist Academy Falcons celebrate on Monday night after beating the CI Gibson Rattlers 89-87 in the grand finale of the 41st Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 8

“They got everybody in the community to come out and support us and they surely did that.”

For those who couldn’t make the trip to New Providence, they watched as Dylan Morris scored 22 points with nine rebounds and four assists, Claudius Burrows scored 18 points with eight rebounds, Gianno Murray had 16 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals, Anthony Missick had 15 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and two steals, Jaquan Rolle had nine points and eight rebounds and Jarius Hall chipped in with seven points, nine assists, eight rebounds and three steals.

For CI Gibson, Tashon Butler scored 27 points with four steals and three rebounds, Condae Smith had 26 points, nine rebounds, four steals and two assists and Darius Hanna added 15 points with four rebounds and two assists.

Now that they are back home, Clarke said Tabernacle Baptist Academy is planning a week-long

celebrations for the Falcons in pushing their Hugh Campbell dynasty to nine in total, the most by any participating school in the history of the 41-year-old tournament.

Looking back at the performances from Monday night as he picked up his third title as head coach, Clarke said he was elated because its been a long season with a lot of “ups and downs” for his Falcons.

“It didn’t start off very well, but we ended up peaking at the right time,” said Clarke, whose Falcons had to rebound from a 17-point deficit in the first quarter to prevail over the Rattlers.

“In the first quarter, we knew that CI Gibson was going to come at us and punch us in the mouth and try to take our nerves and try to take our heart out. But I told the players we just have to withstand whatever they throw at us and if we do that, we will be alright.”

Despite the fact that they didn’t rebound the ball as well as they should in the first half, while giving up a lot of second-chance points, Clarke said they were able

to dig out of the hole that was created.

“At the half, I told the guys we will make some adjustments in the second half,” Clarke reflected. “We went man to man and that ended working for us as we cut the lead down to two at the end of the third.

“Then it was a back-andforth game throughout the fourth quarter. There were some controversial calls down the stretch but the game went into overtime and we were able to withstand everything that they threw at us and we came out with the victory.”

Clarke, a former player who took over from Norris Bain, the original coach of the Falcons in their first six victories, said they get all of the credit and the accolades, but none of their achievement would be possible without the players displaying their skills.

“I’m just super happy for my kids, I’m super happy for my school and the support that we have from the community,” Clarke said.

“But I’m also super happy for my family because a lot of people don’t know, but being a head coach of an

elite basketball programme takes away a lot of your time from your family.

“You better have a good support system and I definitely do have that so I’m just happy all round, especially with my support system, but I’m happy with my kids all around.”

On the all-time list of accomplishments for the tournament, Bain, now the assistant director of sports in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, was tied with CI Gibson’s coach Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson for the most wins.

But even after they relinquished their lead to the Falcons, Johnson knew that his Rattlers were going to be in for a dog fight right until the final whistle sounded on Monday night.

“At the end of the day, we didn’t take care of the basketball down the stretch. Tabernacle wanted it more. They fought. They got all of the loose balls They got all the 50-50 balls and we ended losing by two in overtime.

“So, hats off to them. Hats off to their programme. We’re are going to prepare because we’re

still a very young team with 14 and 15-year-old guys. So we have to get them back into the lab and working on their game for next season.”

After avenging their Government Secondary Schools Sports Association’s championship to the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves to get to the final of the tournament, Johnson said destiny just wasn’t on their side for the seventh heaven Hugh Campbell title.

“But getting the title don’t define Kevin Johnson, It’s about these young men, understanding the importance of putting God first in their lives and the importance of getting a good education so that they can play college basketball, trusting the system that we court them in to be successful,” Johnson stated.

“That’s what it’s all about. If we win the championship to God be the glory. If not, we still give God the glory. We will continue to work hard and do our best and try to continue to have the success that we have through the game of basketball with these young men.”

Like the end of every season, Johnson said “win, lose or draw,” the goal is to get ready for the next season.

“Our goal is to get back to the GSSSA championship and win the title we lost to Anatol,” Johnson stressed. “Our goal then is to get back to the Hugh Campbell Championship and see if we can win it.” There is some talk about the hosting of a national high school basketball championship and, if there is one, Johnson said they would look to taste some “thrill of victory,” but if they don’t, they will look ahead to 2026. In the meantime, let the celebrations continue for the Falcons, who added the Hugh Campbell crown to the Grand Bahama title they won over the Sunland Baptist Stingers, the same team they met in the tournament’s semifinals to get to the big dance. Clarke called it “cutting a movie” about their celebrations in Grand Bahama. Whatever it was, they deserve to be featured all over social media for a job well done.

Photos by Chappell Whyms Jr

Michael Major Jr ‘holding his own’ as a Bison

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor

OVER the past few weeks, Bahamian Davis

Cupper Michael Major Jr has been holding his own as the number one player for the Howard University Bison men’s tennis team.

Major Jr, now in his sophomore year at Howard University, lost a heartbreaker 6-3, 6-7 and 7-10 as the Bison lost to Temple University on February 7. He then won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 as they won over UDC University on February 15. And he won 6-3, 6-3 in their team loss to Mt St. Mary’s on February 21.

For the 18-year-old Major Jr, the mixed results were good to keep him focused on the task of playing at the collegiate level.

“I would say over the past few weeks I’ve been playing

some really solid tennis,” he said. “Focusing and really being meticulous with the areas of my game that I know need improvement.”

It has also forced him to work that much harder to be successful.

“Really putting in the extra whether that be with weights, running extra or mentally,” he pointed out.

“I definitely expected to be performing at this level because I know the work I put in.”

And that has kept him grounded playing at the No.1 seed on the Bison’s team.

“There’s definitely pressure playing number one because you are playing really high-level competition,” he stated.

“But I know the trust my teammates and coaches have in me, so I don’t necessarily see it as pressure but more so as motivation.”

Things are just starting to heat up for Major Jr, who admitted that he’s looking forward to the road ahead of him, both on and off the court, as he prepares for tennis and his studies as a human performance major at Howard University.

“Next for me are more matches against other schools, conference championships in April and Davis Cup during the summer as well as trying to play some futures tournaments,” he summed up. “School is going really good.”

The Bison are 2-4 overall and will be back in action on Sunday. They will play on the road at Eastern Forida State College in Melbourne, Florida. They will play 10 more games before they head to the MEAC Championships in Cary,

from

Junior tennis teams have mixed results in Guatemala

FROM PAGE E1

and 6-1. Mactaggart cruised to consecutive victories in his matchup 6-0, 6-0. Ritchie and Mactaggart teamed up to dominate the doubles in straight sets 6-3, 6-1. The junior Davis Cup team will take on Bermuda today to compete for positioning.

Coach Adderley said the team must continue to play with intensity and in the moment to keep the momentum going.

“In order to keep this momentum, we must stay in the moment and keep the intensity up and going. We will see who we have tomorrow but overall we are gaining more and more confidence as the tournament goes on,” he said.

The junior BJKC team represented by Tatyana Madu, Sarai Clarke and Briana Houlgrave came

up short 2-1 against the Dominican Republic. Madu knocked off Dominican Cabral Paz in number two singles competition 6-3, 6-2. The Dominican Republic’s Julianny de La Cruz knotted the tie at 1-1 with her victory against Clarke in their singles matchup. She prevailed 6-4, 6-3.

The deciding match came down to doubles with Paz and De La Cruz matching up against The Bahamas’ Clarke and Madu. The Dominican duo reigned supreme, winning 6-1, 6-1 in backto-back sets.

The junior BJKC head coach Larikah Russell offered an analysis of her team’s performance.

“Tatyana executed the game plan well, taking control of the match by keeping the ball deep, exposing Paz’s weaknesses and maintaining

consistency throughout. Sarai competed well, staying in rallies and creating opportunities but De La Cruz’s consistency and athleticism proved tough to break down in key moments.

“With a great singles win from Tatyana and Sarai’s competitive showing, we continue to see improvement and adjustments from the team. The experience in doubles highlights key areas to refine moving forward,” she said.

The junior BJKC team will face Aruba today.

Coach Russell said the goal remains the samecompete hard, execute the game plan and continue to improve.

The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) congratulated both teams and wished them continued success against their next opponents in the competition.

Ozzie ‘The Insider’

Simmons Top 10 FOLLOWING the competition of the 41st Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium on Monday night, Ozzie “The Insider” Simmons has released the rankings of the top 10 high school senior boys’ teams in the Bahamas. Here’s the list in order: 1 - Tabernacle Baptist Academy Falcons - champions.

2 - CI Gibson Rattlers - runners-up.

3 - Sunland Baptist Academy Stingers - semifinalist. 4 - Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves - semifinalist.

5 - CC Sweeting Cobras - quarter-finalist.

6 - St George’s - quarter-finalist.

7 - St John’s Giants - quarter-finalist.

8 - Agape - Abaco

9 - RM Bailey Pacers. 10 - Gateway - Bimini. UNCLE LOU FUN RUN/WALK THE St Augustine’s College and the Alumni Association is inviting the general public to come out and participate in the Uncle Lou Fun Run/Walk.

Under the theme: “Paint the streets red,” the event will take place on Saturday, March 15, starting 6am at SAC’s campus off Bernard Road. The route will leave SAC’s campus and head on Bernard Road, turn onto Soldier Road to Prince Charles Drive, turn east onto Prince Charles Drive and head back to SAC. The registration fee is $20 for adults and $10 for persons

North Carolina,

April 24-26.

The 6-foot, 2-inch son of Bernadette ‘Chips’ and Michael Major Sr, who came out of Windsor Academy, said the sky is the limit as far as his future in the sport goes.

MICHAEL Major Jr in action for the Howard University Bison men’s tennis team.

The two-point shot less and less utilised in NBA

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

THE NBA is on the cusp of accomplishing something that it hasn’t seen before.

The jury’s still out on whether it’s a good thing.

With about seven weeks left in the season, 2-point shots are accounting for 49% of scoring. And if that stat holds up — there’s no indication that it won’t — this will be the first season in which 2-pointers make up less than half of the league’s point production.

The current breakdown: a record-low 49% of scoring comes from 2-pointers, a record-high 36% comes from 3-pointers, and a nearrecord-low 15% comes from the foul line. Those numbers are just more proof of how the 3-point shot continues permeating the game, and that’s why plenty of people are wondering aloud if the league has a real problem on its hands. “I don’t have any problem with guys and teams shooting a lot of 3s,” said Golden State’s Stephen Curry, the league’s all-time leader in 3-pointers and someone closing in on 4,000 such makes for his regularseason career.

“Obviously, that’s the way that I play, and I love that factor in the game. But you’ve also got to put the work in behind the scenes to take full advantage of it.” This isn’t a new phenomenon.

Barring some sort of major shift in how the game is played over the next seven weeks, the league is on pace to break the record for 3-pointers in a season (it’ll be the 15th consecutive season in which the 3s-per-game record falls) and 3-pointers attempted in a season (a new mark will be set there for the 19th time in the last 22 seasons).

THE DEBATE ABOUT WHETHER THAT’S GOOD RAGES ON

Boston is leading the 3-point assault this year, though the Celtics are hardly the only 3-happy team. But the defending NBA champions are clearly more reliant on the shot than anyone else, with 46% of their points this season coming from beyond the arc. They’ll almost certainly become only the third team in NBA history to finish a season with more points from 3s than 2s, joining the 2018-19 Houston Rockets and 2020-21 Utah Jazz.

“Everybody can’t play the same way,” Celtics AllStar forward and two-time Olympic gold medallist Jayson Tatum said.

“You’ve got to have the right personnel. But, you know, the way we play works for us. So, we play to our strengths.”

The Celtics are the only franchise in NBA history to have eight different players make 100 3s in a season; they’ve done it in each of the last two seasons and are on pace to do it again this year. For them, the 3-pointer is the golden ticket; they’re 33-6 this season when they make at least 17 3s, and just 8-10 when they don’t make that many. They had five 3-point shooters on the floor together last season and the result was an NBA championship. It was, at times, impossible to guard. Golden State rode the brilliance of Curry and Klay Thompson to four NBA titles in their years as the Warriors’ “Splash Brothers,” a duo that helped usher in a new era of 3-point reliance. And

the math is simple: shooting 40% on 3s gets you more points per attempt than shooting 50% on 2s does.

“Right now, I think the defence has to catch up and maybe NBA teams will shoot less 3s,” San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama said at the All-Star break, before he was shut down for the year with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. “But analytics back it up, so it makes sense.”

Wembanyama was averaging 8.8 3-point tries per game this season, the most of any centre in the league, and his 403 attempts on the season from beyond the arc is still more entering this week than some of the game’s best shooters — a list of players that includes Phoenix’s Devin Booker,

the Los Angeles Lakers’ Austin Reaves and Miami’s Duncan Robinson.

But the numbers say it’s a good shot. So, Wembanyama took them. A lot of them. The Spurs, for years, were a team that didn’t prioritise the 3-pointer. And now, it’s a weapon for them and everyone else in the league.

“The game has evolved,” said Golden State coach Steve Kerr, an elite shooter in his playing days.

It keeps evolving. Commissioner Adam Silver said earlier this month that he listened to an off-the-record conversation between Kerr and broadcaster Bob Costas at the tech summit during All-Star weekend, the keynote address of sorts for those who were invited to that event. Silver later

shared that Kerr conceded there may be a bit too much 3-point shooting in today’s NBA, but that he liked the current state of the game and wouldn’t recommend any changes.

Silver thinks it’s all cyclical. He said when the All-Star weekend last came to the Bay Area in 2000,

“many people were saying it was too physical, we were too dependent on the dunk, that players weren’t sufficiently skilled as they were than in the old days.”

It’s all very different now.

“The fact now that you can’t play in this league unless you can shoot, that even 7-footers have to be able to shoot these days and have to be able to shoot at long range, I actually think that’s a beautiful thing,” Silver said.

PAUL GEORGE ON WOEFUL 76ERS AFTER 8TH STRAIGHT LOSS: ‘SHOWING NO SIGNS OF A TEAM THAT WILL COMPETE’

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer

PHILADELPHIA

(AP) — Yes, the Philadelphia 76ers played without two-time NBA scoring champion and the always-injured Joel Embiid. Yes, they haven’t been a playoff contender this season, even with two other All-Stars in the starting lineup. Yet, there it was, on the scoreboard, on all the social media derision, on the top of the implausibility-metre when the 76ers broke camp for the Bahamas.

That was no misprint on the ticker in the fourth quarter: Bulls 136, 76ers 86. Down 50! Did the Sixers quit? Do the Sixers realise — with or without whatever Embiid and his balky left knee can give them — their season is over?

“I don’t want to believe that,” nine-time All-Star Paul George said. “I don’t sense that in the locker room and I don’t believe that.” George has little choice publicly but to stand by the Sixers, even as they lost their eighth straight game and 10th of 11 overall — 142-110 on Monday night

to the 23-win Chicago Bulls — and see even the odds of a play-in tournament berth dip to the point where fans are already looking at next season.

Not that it promises anything better than the mess that’s unravelled in South Philly this year.

“I’m not quite sure what fell apart to give up 140 points, at home, against the Chicago Bulls,” George said.

The real bad news — you know, before six Bulls scored at least 15 points — came hours ahead of this debacle when the Sixers offered no real update on Embiid. Embiid missed his 38th game of the season for the sagging Sixers, and all options — from rest to potential surgery to playing through pain — remain on the table, depending on the results of continued testing and imaging.

Embiid has played in just 19 of 57 games for the Sixers, who fell to 20-37 and have only a faint shot at earning a berth in the NBA play-in tournament. Embiid has averaged 23.8 points — he averaged at least 30 and won two scoring titles the last three seasons — and scored only 29 points combined in his last two games.

“I don’t think anybody envisioned it going like this,” coach Nick Nurse said. “It’s disappointing on a lot of levels. He wants to play. We want him to play. Our best version is of with him playing. It hasn’t worked out like that. Yet.”

The 76ers are a franchise in turmoil and suffering through an internal tugof-war when it comes to Embiid. Can he play through the pain and should he, even with the

woeful record? Why not just shut him down and try again next year?

Even George — who left the Los Angeles Clippers to sign a four-year, $212 million free-agent contract — conceded the juice might not be worth the squeeze when it comes to a potential Embiid return. The 76ers are one of the worst teams in the league and are trending closer to Toronto, Charlotte, Washington and a lottery pick than

making a serious run in the postseason.

Maybe sitting Embiid is for the best — just as it was seemingly was early in the Process.

The 76ers’ first-round pick is top-six protected or else it goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder, perhaps one more reason the Sixers could shut down Embiid and cut their losses on the season.

“We’re showing no signs of a team that will compete,” George said. “We just don’t have the habits of a championship or a playoff-contending team would have. To be honest, right now, it’s a little farfetched. All we can do is work hard. Try to just keep going for one another. We’ve shown no signs of, forget championship, but a playoff contending-team here.”

Does Nurse survive and earn a third season on the bench?

What about team president Daryl Morey, who built this mishmashed roster full of patchwork free-agents and needlessly gave Embiid a three-year, $193 million contract extension ahead of training camp.

Just as former Eagles running back Ricky Watters

once said: For who? For what?

“We’ve got to be more dialed in. More effort. More energy,” George said. “More pride on the defensive end. Again, same conversations we’ve been having. Low communication. It baffles me just how easy we give up layups in this league. I don’t understand.” Join the club. So where is the next win on the schedule? Wednesday night against a Knicks team winning at a 65% clip at Madison Square Garden? Against Steph Curry and the Warriors?

“It’s hard to see a vision, but we have a lot of games left,” 2024 All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey said. Not really. Certainly not enough to make anyone who watched a 1-9 February — and has four of 20 wins against Charlotte — believe the season can be saved. The 76ers are only 7-8 this season when Embiid, George and Maxey start together.

“Everybody needs to look at themselves, at what they can do better, and then look at what they can do better for the team. And do our jobs, man. Be professional,” Nurse said.

WARRIORS guard Brandin Podziemski (2) shoots a 3-point basket next to Dallas Mavericks forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper (8) during the second half.

(AP Photos: Godofredo A. Vasquez)

GOLDEN State Warriors guard Stephen Curry reacts after making a 3-point basket against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday in San Francisco.

PHILADELPHIA 76ers’ Lonnie Walker IV, centre, cannot get a shot past Chicago Bulls’ Josh Giddey, left, and Coby White during the first half on Monday in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/ Matt Slocum)

Celtics beat Raptors, extend winning streak to six games

TORONTO (AP) —

Jaylen Brown scored 24 points, Derrick White had 22 and the Boston Celtics extended their winning streak to six games by beating the Toronto Raptors 111-101 last night.

Payton Pritchard scored 20 points and Jayson Tatum had 19 points and 11 assists as the Celtics improved to 24-6 on the road.

RJ Barrett scored 22 points and Scottie Barnes had 21 but the Raptors lost for the seventh time in their past nine. Gradey Dick scored 12 points and Immanuel Quickley added 10. White shot 6 for 11 from 3-point range, singlehandedly making more shots from distance than the entire Raptors team. Toronto finished 5 for 32 from 3-point range, its fewest made 3s of the season. The Raptors made six 3-pointers against Philadelphia on Oct. 25.

CAVALIERS 122, MAGIC 82

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)

— Ty Jerome scored 20 points in 21 minutes, and Cleveland routed Orlando for their eighth consecutive win.

Max Strus, Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter each scored 17 points. Strus made five 3-pointers, helping the Cavaliers go 19 for 32 from beyond the arc.

Cleveland shot 56.3% overall while improving to an NBA-best 48-10.

Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 26 points. Franz Wagner added 19 points for the Magic, who shot 5 for 28 on 3-pointers.

ROCKETS 100, BUCKS 97

HOUSTON (AP) — Jalen Green had 25 points and Alperen Sengun added 23 to lead Houston to a win over Milwaukee in a game where Amen

Thompson was ejected for a hard foul on Giannis Antetokounmpo. The game was tied at 95-all when Sengun made 1 of 2 free throws to put Houston on top. He made two more free throws with 30 seconds left to make it 98-95. Brook Lopez missed a 3-pointer, but a turnover by Sengun gave the Bucks the ball back and a dunk by Antetokounmpo cut the lead to one with 8.1 seconds to go. Green added two free throws to make it 100-97 and Damian Lillard was fouled and missed the first free throw before a double lane violation on the second one triggered a jump ball. The Bucks were down by two with about

4 1/2 minutes left when Thompson pulled Antetokounmpo down from behind by the head and neck as he went up for a shot in the lane. The play was reviewed and determined to be a flagrant foul 2 and Thompson was ejected.

Antetokounmpo had 27 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Bucks, who had a four-game winning streak snapped.

GRIZZLIES 151, SUNS 148, OT MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)

— Ja Morant had 29 points and eight assists, his final one a feed to Jaylen Wells for a dunk with 9.1 seconds left in overtime, and Memphis closed the extra period with a 7-0 run to beat Phoenix.

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 28 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Desmond Bane had 25 points and nine assists as Memphis moved into a tie for second place in the Western Conference with idle Denver.

Phoenix had five players score at least 20 points for the first time since Nov. 10, 1990. Devin Booker had 28 points and 10 assists, Kevin Durant scored 26, Bradley Beal had 24 points and a season-high 11 assists, Bol Bol had a season-high 23 points and Grayson Allen scored 21. The Suns have lost six of seven.

PELICANS 109, SPURS 103 NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Trey Murphy III scored 24 points, Zion Williamson

added 18 and New Orleans completed a two-game home game sweep of San Antonio.

The Pelicans overcame a 19-point hole in the first half despite shooting 7 of 31 from 3-point range for the game.

Yves Missi had 10 points and 11 rebounds, and newly acquired Kelly Olynyk had 12 rebounds, after pulling down 15 rebounds in a 114-96 victory over the Spurs on Sunday night.

Devin Vassell led San Antonio with 20 points, and De’Aaron Fox had 15 points and nine assists.

Fox struggled, however, with 6-of-21 shooting and six turnovers, including an up-and-down call with the Spurs trailing 107-103 with 23.4 seconds left.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Jizzle James scored 18 points, Dillon Mitchell added 13 and Cincinnati held off Baylor 69-67 last night to strengthen its case for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Josh Reed scored 11 points and Day Day Thomas had 10 for the Bearcats (17-11, 7-10 Big 12), who have won five of their last seven.

VJ Edgecombe scored 18 points and Norchad Omier had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Baylor (16-12, 8-9), which is seeing its atlarge hopes diminish after a third straight loss.

With six seconds left, Edgecombe missed a challenged shot near the rim in an attempt to tie it.

Omier and Thomas wrestled for the loose ball and the possession arrow favoured Cincinnati. On the inbound, Edgecombe fouled Mitchell sending him to the line with 1.2 seconds left. Mitchell missed the front end of a one-and-one, but his 7-foot teammate Aziz Bandaogo skied to swat the ball away as time expired. In the first half, Cincinnati turned a 22-17 deficit into a 35-24 lead with an 18-2 run that lasted close to seven minutes. Cincinnati led 39-26 at halftime before Baylor used the first 10 minutes of the second half to get back in it. Jalen Celestine’s 3-pointer with 11:34 left brought the Bears within 50-48. Edgecombe made three 3-pointers in succession and Baylor led 57-56 with 8:13 to go. Bandaogo followed with a tip-in and Cincinnati led the rest of the way.

Pistons get 7th straight win with

106-97 victory over Clippers

DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 32 points and nine rebounds, Jalen Duren added 12 points and 19 rebounds, and the Detroit Pistons won their seventh straight game with a 106-97 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.

Tobias Harris added 20 points for the Pistons, who broke a 10-game losing streak to the Clippers.

Detroit (32-26) hadn’t won seven straight since Dec. 26, 2014, to Jan. 7, 2015. The Pistons have their best 58-game record since they were 42-16 in 2007-08 — the last year they won a playoff game.

James Harden had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers. Ivica Zubac had 13 points and 16 boards.

NUGGETS 125, PACERS 116

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)

— Nikola Jokic had a career-best 19 assists, while adding 18 points and nine rebounds, Aaron Gordon scored 25 points and Denver defeated Indiana.

Michael Porter Jr. had 19 points and 11 rebounds, Christian Braun added 17 points and Jamal Murray scored 16 for Denver.

Myles Turner led Indiana with 23 points. Tyrese Haliburton had 19 points and 15 assists, Pascal Siakam scored 19 points and Aaron Nesmith 17.

The Nuggets shot 56% and held a 46-32 rebounding edge.

Denver made 8-of-21 3-pointers while the Pacers were 14 of 43 from 3-point range.

BULLS 142, 76ERS 110

PHILADELPHIA (AP)

— Josh Giddey had 25 points, 16 rebounds and six

assists as Chicago ended a six-game skid by routing Philadelphia. Kevin Huerter scored 23 points, Zach Collins added 19 and Matas Buzelis 17 as the Bulls led by as many as 50 points in the fourth quarter and sent Philadelphia to its eighth straight loss.

The Bulls entered having lost 11 of 15. They hold the 10th and final play-in tournament spot in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia is in 12th place, 2 1/2 games back.

Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr. each scored 19 points and Tyrese Maxey added 13 as Philadelphia lost for the 10th time in 11 games.

WIZARDS 107, NETS 99

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jordan Poole scored 26 points, including a couple of crucial jumpers late as Washington snapped their six-game losing streak with a victory over Brooklyn. Washington trailed 97-96 before going on a 7-0 run that included a 3-pointer and a long 2 by Poole. Bilal Coulibaly added 20 points for the Wizards, who won for just the 10th time this season.

Ziaire Williams led the Nets with 19 points, but after Trendon Watford’s layup with 4:45 remaining, Brooklyn didn’t score again until Cam Johnson’s two free throws with 13 seconds to play. It was the first time all season Washington held an opponent under 100 points. The Nets managed only 12 in the fourth quarter. Washington won despite scoring just 40 after halftime.

HAWKS 98, HEAT 86 ATLANTA (AP) — Trae Young had 11 points and 14

assists, and Atlanta snapped a three-game losing streak with a victory over Miami. Onyeka Okongwu had 17 points and eight rebounds, while Terrance Mann and Caris LaVert both added 15 points off the bench. NBA steals leader Dyson Daniel had seven steals, one off a season high.

The Hawks allowed their fewest points since a 100-82 victory over Cleveland on March 14, 2021, and moved past Miami into eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Andrew Wiggins had 23 points for Miami, which lost for the sixth time in seven games and missed 13 of its first 14 3-point attempts.

TIMBERWOLVES 131, THUNDER 128, OT OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Jaden McDaniels scored 27 points, Anthony Edwards blocked Shai

Gilgeous-Alexander’s go-ahead shot attempt and Minnesota overcame a 25-point deficit in the second half to beat Oklahoma City in overtime.

Naz Reid had 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 21 points for the Timberwolves. Edwards had 17 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists for Minnesota, which lost 130-123 to the Thunder on Sunday night.

Gilgeous-Alexander had 39 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, but Edwards blocked him at the rim with 13.2 seconds remaining in overtime. Gilgeous-Alexander also missed a 3-pointer with 2.9 seconds left in the extra period that would have tied the game.

Jalen Williams scored 27 points and Aaron Wiggins added 19 for the Thunder,

who still lead the Western Conference at 46-11.

TRAILBLAZERS 114, JAZZ 112

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Anfernee Simons had 28 points and out six assists to lead Portland to a victory over Utah. Jerami Grant scored 20 points, Avdija added 18 points and 14 rebounds, and Scoot Henderson finished with 17 points and six assists as Portland snapped a three-game road losing streak on the first game of a seven-game trip.

Brice Sensabaugh led Utah with 23 points.

Keyonte George added 21 points and Kyle Filipowski had 20 points and 11 rebounds as Utah lost for the sixth time in eight games. Henderson had a pair of baskets and assisted on two others on four straight

possessions to help Portland to a 99-92 lead with 7:19 left.

The Jazz closed within 113-112 with 3.6 seconds left after George hit back-to-back 3-pointers. Grant converted 1 of 2 free throws to extend the lead to two points before George missed a contested 3-pointer at the buzzer.

KINGS 130,

HORNETS 88 SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Zach LaVine scored a season-high 42 points in his finest game with Sacramento since being acquired in a multiteam trade near the deadline, leading the Kings to a win over Charlotte.

LaVine hit eight 3-pointers and shot 16 of 19 overall as the Kings earned their first home win over the Hornets since 2021. LaVine has scored in double figures in all eight games for Sacramento.

DeMar DeRozan had 18 points and seven rebounds for the Kings (29-28). Malik Monk scored 13, Keegan Murray added 10 and Domantas Sabonis finished with seven points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Miles Bridges scored 23 points for the Hornets. LaMelo Ball and Nick Smith Jr. each scored 13 points, and Jusuf Nurkic and Moussa Diabate scored 12 apiece for Charlotte.

TORONTO Raptors forward Chris Boucher (25) drives to the net as Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) defends during the first half of NBA basketball action in Toronto on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)

CHELSEA ROUTS SOUTHAMPTON 4-0

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer

CHELSEA wasn’t so reliant on Cole Palmer this time. On a frustrating evening for the England star, his Chelsea teammates stepped up — as demanded by their manager — to share the goals in a 4-0 thrashing of last-place Southampton in the Premier League yesterday.

Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella were the scorers as Chelsea ended a three-match losing run by beating a team destined to go down, perhaps as one of the worst-performing teams to ever play in the Premier League. Southampton has just nine points from 27 games.

As for Palmer, he will wonder how he didn’t get on the score sheet and add to his 14 league goals so

far this season. The best of his many opportunities at Stamford Bridge came midway through the first half when he was played clean through one-on-one with Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. He delayed and delayed and then shot too close to Ramsdale, who parried the effort away.

After wasting another chance in the second half, Palmer appeared to laugh at himself.

Palmer is on his driest run since joining Chelsea from Manchester City in September 2023. He hasn’t scored in seven games now. On the eve of the match against Southampton, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said Palmer’s dip in productivity has probably arisen because “we rely on him for everything.”

Maresca returned to that same theme after the game.

“He has to continue to work, continue to be happy, continue to laugh they way he does,” the coach said.

“We are completely happy with him. It is normal to go through a moment where you struggle to score but it doesn’t matter. Just continue and you are going to score many goals.”

Chelsea climbed to fourth place in the standings. The Premier League is likely to get five qualification berths for next season’s Champions League.

Palace wins in front of Thomas Tuchel

Crystal Palace beat Aston Villa 4-1 at home, with Ismaila Sarr scoring twice for the hosts in a match watched by England men’s coach Thomas Tuchel.

Jean-Philippe Mateta and Eddie Nketiah also netted for Palace, with Morgan Rogers replying for Villa. Fulham won 2-1

at Wolverhampton thanks to a goal in the first minute by Ryan Sessegnon and a winner by Rodrigo Muniz. Another loss for Bournemouth, another win for Brighton

Bournemouth is a more unlikely contender for Champions League qualification, its ambitions boosted by an 11-match unbeaten run in the league from late November to the end of January.

However, the unheralded south-coast club has now lost three of its last four league matches, the latest being a 2-1 reverse at Brighton after Danny Welbeck scored the 75thminute winner — three minutes after coming off the bench.

Justin Kluivert had equalised for Bournemouth in the 61st, cancelling out Joao Pedro’s 12th-minute opener

from the penalty spot after he was fouled by goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Bournemouth started the match in sixth place — one point behind fifth — but dropped to seventh and has now been joined

(Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)

on 43 points by Brighton, another improbable candidate for Champions League qualification. It was a fourth straight win in all competitions for Brighton since a 7-0 loss at Nottingham Forest.

PSG continues to dominate in France but Liverpool looming in Champions League

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN

AP Sports Writer

PARIS Saint-Germain has no serious rival in France this season and will soon find out if its crushing domestic dominance can translate into the team thriving on European soccer’s biggest stage. Still unbeaten in the French league after 23 matches, PSG extended its massive lead at the top of the standings to 13 points on Sunday with a 3-2 win at sixth-placed Lyon.

The match came to life after the interval and featured inspired attacking moves from both sides. PSG was the better side and led 2-0 with seven minutes left to play.

The only downside for Luis Enrique’s team was its players’ inability to keep their lead intact when Lyon really upped the tempo.

Inspired by the in-form Ousmane Dembélé — who scored his 17th league goal at Lyon — PSG has made tremendous progress in recent weeks. Achraf Hakimi scored PSG’s other goals. There appears little doubt that PSG will win a record-extending 13th league title this season. But a far tougher test looms in March against Premier League leader Liverpool

when the two teams face off in a mouthwatering last-16 Champions League tie. The first leg is in Paris on March 5.

It’s the next big hurdle on the road that separates PSG from their ultimate goal of winning the Champions League, a task that has proved too difficult so far despite the millions injected by Qatari investors since 2011.

The only French club to win the Champions League, second-placed Marseille, made headlines for the wrong reason this weekend. It lost 3-0 at Auxerre, and its president accused French league referees of corruption.

In Lyon, Hakimi put PSG ahead in the 53rd minute from Bradley Barcola’s cross and Dembélé doubled the lead six minutes later with a superb strike in the opposite corner.

Ryan Cherki ensured some suspense when he pulled one back at the end of a fine team move with seven minutes left to play.

Hakimi completed his brace soon after to restore PSG’s two-goal lead after Gonçalo Ramos delivered a scintillating backheel pass in the buildup, only for Corentin Tolisso to revive the suspense in stoppage time with a header. But that was too little, too late.

PSG’s Ousmane Dembele controls the ball during the French League One soccer match between Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain at the Groupama stadium, outside Lyon, France, on Sunday. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

Nantes bounces back

Struggling Nantes moved five points clear off the relegation playoff spot with a 3-1 win against Lens.

A week after getting hammered 7-1 at Monaco, Nantes bounced back to secure only its fifth win in 23 league games this season.

The hosts put on a spirited display against a visiting side that lacked an attacking spark and was

reduced to 10 men for the last 20 minutes.

French teenager Louis Leroux celebrated his first Ligue 1 start by opening the scoring in the 36th minute with a powerful shot. Moses Simon then made it 2-0 with a penalty kick on the hourmark following a handball.

Neil El Aynaoui pulled one back from the spot five minutes later but Lens never looked

capable of scrambling a comeback, especially after Mbala Nzola was sent off. Meschack Elia Lina secured a Nantes victory in stoppage time from former Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin’s assist.

Lens slumped to a third straight loss and remained in eighth place. Long wait

According to the league’s statistics, Coquelin played

his first Ligue 1 game since May 29, 2011, meaning he waited for 13 years and 270 days. The much-travelled Coquelin joined Nantes last month as a free agent.

It’s the second longest gap between two matches for a player in the French topflight since 1947-48 after Samuel Lobé — 14 years, 79 days between January 1986 and April 2000.

Aboukhlal’s scissor-kick goal

Toulouse winger Zakaria Aboukhlal scored a stunning scissor-kick goal in a 4-1 win at Le Havre. The 25-year-old Dutch player put Toulouse in front with his left foot when he connected with a lofted ball from Shavy Babicka in the Le Havre area. With his back to the goal, close to the penalty spot, Aboukhlal rose and unleashed an acrobatic shot that hit the right post and went into the back of the net. It was Aboukhlal’s seventh league goal this season. Le Havre remained in the relegation zone, two points above last-placed Montpellier, with Toulouse 10th. Other results Jonathan Claus and Hicham Boudaoui both scored as Nice moved back to third place with a 2-0 win over Montpellier. Strasbourg and Brest drew 0-0.

LIVERPOOL MARCHING TOWARD PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE AFTER STATEMENT WIN AT MANCHESTER CITY

By JAMES ROBSON AP Soccer Writer

MANCHESTER, Eng-

land (AP) — Can anyone stop Liverpool’s march toward the Premier League title?

Not Manchester City, that’s for sure. With a 2-0 win at the home of the four-time defending champion on Sunday, Liverpool produced a statement performance to move 11 points clear of Arsenal at the top of the standings.

“Special” was how Mohamed Salah described the latest victory that left the away fans chanting “We’re gonna win the league” after the final whistle.

City manager Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, accepted the title was now Liverpool’s to lose.

First-half goals from Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai put Arne Slot’s team on course for a win that leaves it in command of the title race after 27 games.

Liverpool is now 20 points above fourth-placed City after completing a league double over Guardiola’s once all-conquering team.

While Slot tried to dampen title talk with months still remaining of

the campaign, Liverpool’s advantage is undeniable.

“What we do know is that no one saw us as a title contender when we started in the beginning of the season. And I think no one in the world of football would have expected City not to be so close to the one that leads the league,” the Dutch coach said.

This was City’s eighth defeat in the league this season and 14th overall.

The most games City had lost under Guardiola in any of his previous eight seasons was 12 in the 2019-20 campaign, which was the last time it failed to win the title. Then, as now, it was Liverpool that led the way, and the Merseyside club looks likely to win a recordequaling 20th league title this year.

City, meanwhile, faces a fight to secure a topfour finish and a return to next season’s Champions League. It is above fifthplaced Newcastle on goal difference and just two points ahead of Aston Villa in eighth.

Title charge Arsenal’s surprise 1-0 loss to West Ham on Saturday had given Liverpool the opportunity to strengthen its grip on the title race.

And the visitors quickly took control at the Etihad through Salah’s deflected effort from a well-worked corner routine in the 14th minute. It was his 30th goal of an outstanding campaign.

He turned provider in the 37th to set up Szoboszlai, whose low shot wrongfooted City goalkeeper Ederson and rolled into the bottom corner.

City, without the injured Erling Haaland, rarely looked like getting back into the match, with Omar Marmoush’s disallowed

goal for offside the closest the home team came to scoring. “Now you’re gonna believe us,” chanted Liverpool’s fans.

“The fans can sing whatever they want. I think they sing it quite long (time) already, but we know as a team how hard we have to work for every single win,” Slot said.

City slump

Another humbling defeat in an ever-worsening season for City.

On Wednesday a 3-1 loss to Real Madrid sent Guardiola’s team crashing out

of the Champions League. Back to domestic matters on Sunday and City was powerless to slow down Liverpool’s title charge.

The FA Cup is now the only realistic trophy available to City this season, while Champions League qualification is the priority for a team that has dominated English soccer under Guardiola.

“If it doesn’t happen it’s because we were not good enough, not because a lack of hunger and desire,” Guardiola said. “It is so tight with four or five teams and Nottingham, Newcastle, Aston Villa are so good. It will not be easy but we will try.”

City went into this season having won an unprecedented four English league titles in a row. Under Guardiola it has won six of the last seven.

In total, he has won 15 major trophies at the club, including the Champions League as part of a treble in 2023.

Seven-goal thriller Newcastle scored four goals in 11 minutes against Nottingham Forest, but still had to withstand a late fightback to seal a 4-3 win.

A first-half goal spree — including two more for Alexander Isak -- gave

Newcastle a 4-1 lead at the break at St James’ Park.

But Forest, which had led after six minutes, mounted a comeback that provided a nervous finale.

The win moved Newcastle up to fifth and boosted its hopes of a top-four finish and Champions League qualification.

Third-placed Forest led through Callum HudsonOdoi’s opener in the sixth.

But Newcastle powered back with Lewis Miley’s goal in the 23rd sparking a remarkable spree.

Jacob Murphy put the home team ahead two minutes later and Isak struck from the penalty spot in the 33rd. A minute later Isak scored his second to take his total for the season to 21. The Sweden striker is level with Erling Haaland on 19 league goals and only Mohamed Salah, with 24, has scored more this season. Forest’s fightback began in the 63rd through Nikola Milenkovic and in the 90th, Ryan Yates pulled the score back to 4-3.

The defeat was Forest’s third in its last four games in the league and saw it miss out on the chance to move to within three points of second-placed Arsenal.

LIVERPOOL’s Mohamed Salah is congratulated after scoring his side’s opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match against Manchester City at Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, on Sunday. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

CRYSTAL Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta celebrates scoring their side’s second goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Aston Villa at Selhurst Park, London, yesterday.

NATIONAL

SAILING

Honouring Sir Durward Knowles

DALLAS KNOWLES ‘IMPRESSED’ WITH PERFORMANCE OF THE EXUMA SAILING CLUB

FROM PAGE E1

The tandem came first with eight points.

One Bahamas, skippered by Manos and Carmen Forbes, secured the second spot with 15 points.

Lady Annmarie, skippered by Cristo Cartwright and Delano Davis of the Mack Knowles Junior Sailing Club (MKJSC), clinched the third spot with 15 points as well.

Coach Knowles spoke about what sets the Exuma Sailing Club apart from others as it relates to junior sailing. “We just have a really good crop of senior sailors that are 15, 16 and 17-year-olds and have been doing it for a little while

and are really comfortable racing against big groups of people and in chaotic environments. We still have the advantage in the E Class just because we have been doing it for 11 years now.

The kids are very comfortable in any conditions in the E Class and I think you saw that in the last two days when the wind was very heavy, they were still comfortable and started winning a lot more races,” he said.

The Bahamas National Sailing School (BNSS) was well represented in the optis and laser classes.

James Hunnicutt, of the BNSS, claimed the victory in the opti green fleet with two points.

Yori Carroll, of the Harbour Island Sailing Club, trailed for second with seven points and his clubmate Kaelyn Mackay was third overall with nine points. It was the BNSS clinching the top spot in the opti championship.

Leon Zarchan led that class with six points.

Drake Knowles, representing MKJSC, wrapped up in second with 11 points.

Javien Rankine, of the Eleuthera Sailing Academy, was a distant third place finisher with 20 points.

It was a close finish in the ILCA class but Johannes Maritz sailed to a first place result with seven points.

J Knowles, of the Exuma Sailing Club, concluded in second with 10 points and his clubmate Hutchinson was one point behind at 11 for third.

Coach Knowles commended his older sailors for their efforts over the weekend. “I think it really was our senior guys that carried the team. They

were good leaders, helping a lot of the younger kids, good examples, had great sportsmanship the entire weekend and they never really let the pressure get

them down. They just kept on going and had confidence in themselves so that was a big formula for why they ended up doing so well,” he said.

Next on the schedule for the national sport will be the 69th National Family Island Regatta which is slated over five days - April 22-26.

THE Ministry of Works and Family Islands Affairs’ Sir Durward Knowles National Youth Sailing Championships was completed in Montagu Bay on Saturday. The winners were crowned during the awards closing ceremony by Minister Clay Sweeting, who also gave some remarks. The Exuma Sailing Club was awarded the top sailing team.

Photos by Patrick Hanna/BIS

Falcons bite up Rattlers 89-87 in overtime to win their 9th title

THE 41st Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic ended last night at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium with the Tabernacle Baptist Academy Falcons taking their ninth title back to Grand Bahama.

The Falcons, coached by Kevin Clarke, did it with an 89-87 overtime victory over the CI Gibson Rattlers after Dylan Morris hit a jumper with 9.7 seconds to put an exclamation mark on the final score in the game.

The Rattlers, coached by Kevin “KJ” Johnson, fell short in the final bid just before the final buzzer.

In the final analysis, Dylan Morris had 22 points with nine rebounds and four assists, Claudius Burrows came off the bench and scored 18 points with eight rebounds, and Gianno Murray had 16 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals. Anthony Missick had 15 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and two steals, Jaquan Rolle had nine points and eight rebounds and Jarius Hall chipped in with seven points, nine assists, eight rebounds and three steals.

ON THE REPLAY: Tabernacle Baptist Academy Falcons defeated CI Gibson Rattlers in the grand finale of the 41st Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic at Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium on Monday night.