07312023 NEWS AND SPORT

GIRL KIDNAPPED BY SEX ATTACKER

Family says 9-year-old traumatised after man told her to get in his car

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE sister of a young girl sexually assaulted over the weekend says the incident has left the child traumatised and the family struggling to cope.

“She’s just traumatised,” her distraught sister told The Tribune yesterday. “She is eating, but she’s just like, you know, when you

are staring, and the tears just keep rolling down your eyes and you shaking, that’s how traumatised she is, and my mother is completely out of it.”

The young girl was reportedly playing with friends outside her home on Saturday evening when a man driving a white Nissan Skyline told her to get inside his vehicle.

AG HOPES LOWER COURTS FOLLOW COURT OF A PPE A L ON DENYING BA IL

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrrolle@tribunemedia.net

ATTORNEY General

Ryan Pinder said the Court of Appeal has established the framework for denying bail to some people accused of serious crimes, and he hopes the lower courts begin to follow suit.

He said judges should consider the need to protect the public’s safety and the person accused.

He noted that while the automatic refusal of bail is considered “unconstitutional”, there are circumstances in which bail can be refused.

“We have recently seen a trend of cases in our Court of Appeal that are instructive on circumstances where bail should be denied, and I encourage our lower courts to review the chain of cases and their reasoning and

COP: POSITION ON MP R A PE C A SE COMING THIS WEEK

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrrolle@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander said police would reveal its position on an MP accused of abusing his exgirlfriend this week, three weeks after the director of public prosecutions gave him her recommendation on whether to charge the man with a crime. By convention, the

PINTA RD: PM

‘shamefully wrong’ on WA RTSIL A

police always follow the recommendation of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

“We should be able to complete our lines of inquiries sometime this week, so you’ll be hearing from us sometime this week,” Commissioner Fernander said yesterday.

Acting DPP Cordell

EN ACT ANTICORRUPTION LEGISL ATION, FNM SAYS

a Public Officials Code of Conduct Act and an Integrity Commissions Act.

Goombay Summer Festival is back

ONE MAN DEAD AND ANOTHER IN STABLE CONDITION AFTER WEEKEND SHOOTING INCIDENT

A 33-YEAR-OLD man was murdered yesterday and a 23-year-old man is in hospital after a double shooting at about 10.30am on Sunday on Peter Street, west of East Street.

Police said that the 23-year-old was standing outside a residence when he was approached by a man in dark clothing who emerged from a nearby track road and opened fire, hitting him in his thigh.

As the assailant fled

through the same track road, he encountered two men on whom he opened fire. One was unharmed, but the second, the 33-yearold, was hit in the upper body. Both victims were taken to hospital by a private vehicle, but the 33-yearold died of his injuries. The 23-year-old remains in stable condition. The murder count for the year is 63, according to The Tribune’s records.

BAHAMAS Goombay Summer made its return to Bay Street Saturday, bringing Bahamian music, culture and food to be enjoyed by guests and residents alike.

Photos: Austin Fernander

AG hopes lower courts follow court of appeal on denying bail

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consider them in all matters involving violent crimes and repeated offenders where appropriate,” he said during debate on the Magistrate’s (Amendment) Bill in the Senate on Friday. “These cases have focused on denying bail in two specific instances that are provided in our law and constitution that I discussed prior. These two instances of focus by the Court of Appeal are the need to protect the safety of the public order and whether the defendant should be kept in custody for his own protection.”

Senator Pinder highlighted several recent Court of Appeal judgements that affirmed the denial of bail, including cases where an accused’s life was in danger, an alleged offender was connected to organised gang activity, and a repeat offender posed a risk to society.

“This demonstrates that our law does allow, as it’s written now, for denial of bail in certain circumstances, and these cases frame the circumstances which are appropriate for such denial,” he added. “These circumstances are areas where we see public criticism in granting bail by our courts –– in instances

COP: position on MP rape case coming this week

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Fraizer submitted her recommendations to Commissioner Fernander on July 11. The ODPP is constitutionally responsible for the country’s commencement, continuation and discontinuation of criminal prosecutions.

A woman filed a complaint with police about an MP, her ex-boyfriend, on April 7. In police documents seen by The

of repeat violent offenders, instances of gang activity, and instances of perceived retaliatory killings.”

“The Court of Appeal has ruled. They have laid out the framework in a series of well-reasoned cases. The Lord knows if a commercial attorney like myself could follow them, you know the Court of Appeal is doing a good job laying out the circumstances in which you should deny bail to an accused and again, they focus on two important areas –– protect the accused and to protect society, the public.”

“I encourage our lower courts to study these and other cases and make the appropriate decisions in the denial of bail in appropriate circumstances. I think it

Tribune, she accused the man of raping her and making death threats against her and her family. She has since hired a lawyer, Bjorn Ferguson, to represent her interests.

The acting DPP’s deliberations in the matter took about a month.

Some have criticised the length of the police’s deliberation, but National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said the facts of each case dictate the length of investigations.

important to make the point that the grant of bail is not a determination of innocence or guilt. It is simply an indication that parameters have been and are in place to assure an accused person’s attendance at trial.”

“It should not be for the public to use this as an indication of guilt.”

Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander has repeatedly pleaded with the court system to produce different outcomes related to bail.

On Friday, Mr Pinder warned against vigilante justice.

“Our people, by and large, should avoid the desire to retaliate against those that might have done them wrong,” he said.

Enact nnti-corruption legislation, FNM says

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“The Integrity Commission would be an independent body fully empowered to investigate, report on, and –– where deemed appropriate –– recommend individuals for criminal sanction on matters related to allegations of public corruption,” he said.

An Integrity Commission Bill was among the first the Minnis administration tabled in the House of Assembly in 2017. The bill would give the commission unprecedented and wideranging powers, allowing it to exercise powers similar to the Supreme Court during investigations and search and seizure powers typically reserved for the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF).

However, after running an anti-corruption election campaign, the Minnis administration failed to debate and pass the legislation.

In his press statement, Mr Pintard urged the Davis administration to update provisions related to the Office of the Auditor General to expand and entrench the powers of that office.

“The budgetary and

human resources of the auditor general’s department should fall under the remit of the Parliamentary Services Commission as the office is not accountable to the executive branch of government,” he said.

“The remit of the auditor general’s office must be expanded to expressly include Management audits and management process reviews.”

Mr Pintard said the government should give a “firm and imminent time” for the debate and passage of the ombudsman bill.

“There must be an ombudsman office fully staffed and established no later than March 2024,” he said.

He also called on the government to set an appointment date for the full enactment of the Freedom of Information Act, saying the country must have full implementation by January 2024.

“Failures in accountability and transparency,” he said, “are strangling economic growth and national development.”

“The PLP came to office with a documented electoral mandate to improve accountability and transparency,” he added. “But to

them, that simply has meant more public relations and staged press events. Yet, this is not what it means to be fully accountable and transparent. We believe it is well beyond time for the government to give full life to the principles of open government.”

Mr Pintard also urged the government to spur a “full and independent investigation” to immigration matters that have attracted headlines recently.

In addition, he urged the administration to establish select parliamentary committees on immigration, crime, education, the collapse of FTX and economic empowerment.

“Follow the Procurement Act and publish the details of all applicable public sector contracts,” he said. “The former Public Procurement Act (PPA) of 2021 and the current PPA of 2023 both require publication of the summary details of all government contracts awarded. It also requires an annual report on all contracts –– the first of which was due October 2022. It is a sign of utter contempt of the Bahamian people to openly break the law on an ongoing basis.”

PINTARD RALLIES GRAND BAHAMA FNMS PROMISING VICTORY IN THE NEXT ELECTIONS

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Staff Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Move-

ment leader Michael Pintard rallied Grand Bahama supporters during an eastern zone meeting on Friday.

“I do not doubt in my mind we will be the government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas,” he proclaimed during a meeting at the Christ the King Church Hall.

Supporters packed the hall to hear Mr Pintard, who spoke along with deputy leader Shanendon Cartwright, East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson, Central Grand Bahama Iram Lewis, Travis Robinson, Jasmine Dareus-Turner,

Welbourne Bootle, and deputy chair Heather Hunt.

Mr Pintard accused Prime Minister Philip Davis of ignoring the alleged wrongdoings of MPs in his Cabinet.

“Tonight, we are asking you to step up and be brave,” he said.

He said the Minister of Grand Bahama, Ginger Moxey, has failed to resolve issues affecting Grand Bahama residents.

“The residents of Pineridge gave the present MP and minister an opportunity to serve with distinction,” he said.

“Instead, it has somehow degenerated into a series of photo opportunities.”

“We have a problem when there are ten issues on the table with companies, and you cannot get

a minister to go in that meeting and on their own without some other minister coming from Nassau to hold their hand in the discussion and solve at least five or six of those problems,” he said.

Mr Pintard said Grand Bahama residents continue to be affected by delays in food and rental assistance.

He also said insufficient resources are allocated for shelters for vulnerable people, including displaced women and children. He contrasted this with the amount of money the government spends on trips and settlements.

“The FNM’s worst year of managing Hurricane Dorian relief is better than the best year under the PLP,” he said.

ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder said the Court of Appeal has established the framework for denying bail to some people accused of serious crimes, and he hopes the lower courts begin to follow suit.

FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard said the Davis administration should enact a suite of anti-corruption legislation, including a Public Anti-Corruption Act, a Public Officials Code of Conduct Act and an Integrity Commissions Act.

Pintard: PM ‘shamefully wrong’ on Wartsila

Mr Davis said on Wednesday that Wartsila’s engines “never worked properly” and described the situation as “rotten”.

Mr Pintard criticised both Mr Davis and Minister of Works and Utilities Alfred Sears.

“The prime minister seeks to run from the fact

that the increase of cost of electricity is directly related to his and Minister Sears’ bad decision making, which they sought to hide then and seek to hide now,” Mr Pintard said.

“The prime minister’s assertion that the Station A Wartsila plant never worked fully is not correct. The log files would show that all seven engines

were running simultaneously when load demands required.”

Mr Pintard challenged the prime minister to bring the log files for the Warstila plant to the House of Assembly.

He said Mr Davis has failed to provide a comprehensive plan for BPL.

“Our people are facing higher temperatures,

higher electricity costs with much lower chances of help from Davis and Sears,” he said. He criticized the administration for cancelling a contract that allowed Wartsila to maintain the engines.

“By cancelling the contract with Wartsila and replacing them with BWSC, a company that

FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard said Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis’ comments about BPL’s wartsila engines in the House of Assembly last week were “shamefully wrong” and conflict with the account of BPL’s CEO, Shevonn Cambridge.

is not a certified Wartsila third-party service provider, the Davis administration has put the integrity of those engines into question both in the short and the long-term,” he claimed.

BPL’s CEO Mr Cambridge told The Tribune last week that the problem with Wartsila’s engines exists because the

original plans for them were changed after two Clifton Pier units were destroyed in 2018. He said BPL’s officials, rushing to restore reliable power, installed the engines in a repurposed building rather than a new facility and reduced the layers of elements needed to run the machines optimally.

BPL CEO RAT ES COMPANY 8 OUT OF 10

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Power & Light CEO Shevonn Cambridge rates BPL’s performance an eight out of ten.

“I would rate BPL’s performance as an eight,” he told reporters during a press briefing last week. “I am a part of a chat group with other CEOs from throughout the region. And the problems that we’re having are not necessarily unique to us. As I said, the demand, everybody’s having the same thing, with the challenge of raising

rates in this economic environment. And so, I would say an eight. “

BPL has sometimes struggled to provide reliable energy this summer, which has already produced power consumption records.

BPL initially projected a power peak of 265MW this summer, but the peak in New Providence has already been 278MW.

BPL’s peak months are August and September, so officials anticipate surpassing 280MW.

Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard said yesterday that while

Bahamas Power and Light’s performance may be better than others in the region, BPL must not be content with its service inefficiencies.

“While the performance of our utility company may be better than some in the region, we should be very careful not to be contented with inefficiencies and poor decision-making that hinders us from not only providing cost-effective energy for residents and businesses but also prevents us from becoming a net supplier of clean energy to neighbouring countries,” he told The Tribune.

Te torrential rain, over the past two days has lef extensive fooding in several areas. We are aware of the areas efected and are working diligently on getting the drainage cleared expeditiously.

I thank you for your patience and understanding, and ask that we continue to work closely together for a better community.

Hon. Mario BOWLEG MP for Garden Hills

from page one

Andros man determined to find missing brother

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THE brother of a 47-year-old missing man is determined to find his mentally ill relative, who was last seen a month ago.

“I will continue searching for my brother even if I have to find his body, but I will not give up,” he said.

Kendrick Lafleur told The Tribune he and his brother, Samuel Lafleur, live on Andros.

“I have people telling me that they saw him about two weeks before I discovered that he was missing,” he said yesterday.

He said his brother had been hooked on marijuana over the years.

“He went to school in America in the early 2000s,” he said. “We did not see him for about seven years. We used to hear from him, but we never saw him personally. Our mom died, then he came back, and then I realised he looked like he had challenges going on.”

Mr Lafleur said his brother’s marijuana habits caused him to behave abnormally; the man was

admitted to Sandilands four times.

Describing his brother’s habits under the influence of marijuana, Mr Lafleur said he kept himself dirty, talked to himself and ate things he picked off the ground.

“Even if he sees a leftover beer bottle, he will drink it,” he said.

“But once he’s normal, he would never do those sorts of things.”

Although Mr Lafleur is the primary caretaker for Samuel, the brothers live in different settlements on Andros, with the younger brother living alone in Nicholls Town.

Since the disappearance of Samuel, family members and residents have united to look for him.

Mr Lafleur said he initially took matters into his own hands and didn’t report his brother missing to the police until last week.

“Every day I get up and I go out looking to ease my mind,” he said. “Because if I sit back and wait on them to do it, I feel that’s time wasted for my brother. I don’t want to comment too much on the police because I don’t know how their protocols operate. I don’t know in terms of the way they do searches for missing persons. I’m

Girl kidnapped by sex attacker

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After she entered the car, the man allegedly took her to an unknown location where he threatened and violated her.

Police said she was found shortly in the Spikenard Road area.

The girl’s sister said she and her mother were at work when the incident happened.

She claimed her other siblings were to monitor the girl, but the child went outside to play with her younger sister, age 7, who later alerted the family to the girl’s disappearance.

“The baby came,” said the older sister, “and she was like a man take (my sister) in the car and he gone speed off and we was like ‘what, you serious? And she was like ‘yes’.”

The older sister and her mother left work abruptly to find the girl.

“She was not found,” the sister said. “They was saying that he dropped her off to the graveyard and because she knew the area, she began to run home and someone in the area, they helped her to get back home.”

She said her sister was crying when they saw her for the first time after the incident.

“We don’t think he is known,” the sister said of the alleged assailant, “because what we hearing from the people who was around, they saying like he came as if he was looking for something or whatever the case is.

“But I’m sure the police is going to give us swift justice because they are on their p’s and q’s right behind everything.”

The family will help the girl get counselling.

After news of the case spread on social media, some users accused the family of carelessness.

“It isn’t,” the sister said. “Things happen in life that nobody can control.”

“Stop posting what did not happen. They’re posting negativity, saying it’s baby mother drama and the father kidnapped her, a family member kidnapped her. No, none of it is true.”

The incident was one of two sexual assaults that allegedly happened on Saturday.

Police said a 40-year-old woman from Golden Isles Road reported that she was at the home of a man known to her after 3am Saturday when he sexually assaulted her.

Police are still searching for the culprits responsible for both assaults.

a little disappointed, but I’m putting my focus on looking for my brother.”

47-year-old missing man Samuel Lafleur,

The Tribune Limited

Davis needs more than a dead cat to deflect

THE former British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson – whose fall from grace was swift, it must be noted –once penned an article in which he described a strategy to use when the argument is being lost.

In 2013, he wrote “let us suppose you are losing an argument” in a situation when “the facts are overwhelmingly against you”. In such circumstances, he described what he said was an Australian strategy of metaphorically throwing a dead cat on the table.

He said that the key point was that everyone would shout “Jeez, mate, there’s a dead cat on the table” and that everyone would be talking about the dead cat rather than the issue causing you so many problems.

If Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis was endeavouring to distract from some of the other issues of last week – be it the many questions over the situation at immigration or the shoddily handled consultation with women over the gender violence bill – when he decided to claim that the Wartsila engines at BPL never worked properly, then it appears not to have succeeded. But we shall gamely entertain him in this column for a moment.

The problem is that Mr Davis appears to have been undermined by both the opinions of others – the CEO of BPL suggesting some problems with the installation of the engines causing issues with their optimal running, some way short of never working properly – and possibly the facts too. FNM leader Michael Pintard says the log files show all seven engines have been running when the load demand requires, and challenged the Prime Minister to bring those logs to Parliament.

Now the tricky part of this is that Mr Davis made his claim in the House

of Assembly, and if it turns out not to have been accurate, then Mr Pintard wants him to come back to the House to clear up the record.

Rather than distract, however, this has just become another item on the list in what was a challenging week for the government.

As our columnist Malcolm Strachan notes in his Insight column today, the handling of the violence bill’s passage despite opposition from women’s groups was particularly poor.

When contrasted with what sometimes seems to be excessive consultation with church leaders over the marital rape bill – when there has been ample opportunity for people to express their views – it appears there was an almost dismissive approach and cursory consultation with women on the changes made to the violence bill, cutting the size of the final bill drastically.

There did not seem to be an adequate explanation from the government for the reasons for this – and almost an assumption that everyone would be on board with the bill without actually checking if that would be the case.

That’s the kind of treatment that people will remember when it comes to time for a trip to the ballot box once more.

Meanwhile, Immigration Minister Keith Bell has seemingly taken PLP chairman Fred Mitchell’s advice and no longer seems to be talking about the issues in his department.

How long it can be sustainable for a senior minister in a department at the centre of many allegations to remain invisible, we shall see.

But the government will need more than a dead cat to move the conversation along.

EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE Bahamas has become unsafe for women and girls. Recent appalling acts of rape, particularly against the elderly and children, have deeply shocked our community. I extend prayers, empathy and support to the victims and their families during this incredibly difficult time. There is no way that a child should be incapable of playing outdoors in our neighbourhoods or an elderly person unable to relax at home, without facing extreme danger.

As a country, we must condemn such acts and take collective action to prevent similar atrocities from happening in the future. I call on law enforcement and the justice system to investigate these cases thoroughly and ensure that the perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice and punished to the fullest extent of the law. Stop slapping these monsters on their wrists. They do not show mercy to their victims, do not show mercy to them. Repeat offenders and paedophiles are especially dangerous and place society at greater risk. Bail should not be an option for these reprobates.

In June, Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe reported that, according to official statistics released by the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF), rape reports on

New Providence were up by a concerning 64 percent in the first five months of 2023, compared to the same period in the previous year.

Yet the government appears to be ignoring local grassroots organisations and women’s rights groups who have united to call for immediate action, recently opposing the decision to advance the Protection Against Violence Bill, 2023, instead of the Gender-Based Violence Bill which advocates worked on for more than a decade, across party lines.

In a joint statement last week, representatives from various local women’s groups pointed out that the new bill lacks key provisions to help protect women and girls from violence, as were in the Gender-Based Violence Bill.

One of the duties of governance is to listen to its citizens. This administration has a distressing tendency to inadequately consult the experts, whether that is retailers, pharmacists, contractors, business persons, the Chamber, realtors, insurers, fishermen, or in this instance, champions of women’s rights.

Rape is an abhorrent

crime that inflicts severe physical, emotional, and psychological trauma on survivors. It is a grave violation of human rights and an attack on the dignity and autonomy of individuals.

We have to be our sister’s keeper. For those who have family members with criminal tendencies, do not ignore your observations or concerns. If you believe that a crime has been committed or is imminent, it is essential to report it to the appropriate authorities. Your responsibility to society and others’ safety outweighs any concerns about breaking family trust in such situations. Your vigilance can make a significant difference in safeguarding the vulnerable, like the elderly and children. We must all do our part to stand against sexual violence and work towards a society where every individual can live free from fear and harm, and where children can safely thrive to reach their full potential.

If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual violence and needs support, please call The Bahamas Crisis Centre’s 24-hour hotline at (242) 328-0922 for confidential assistance.

FLOATING over nurse sharks in the Bahamas on Great Exuma. Cameras do not do the blue luminescence of the water here justice.

Photo: Jared Rice

Demolition of derelict buildings on Bay Street set to resume soon

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE DEMOLITION of derelict buildings downtown will soon resume, Senator Randy Rolle announced in the Senate on Friday.

“We started the process a few months ago with some of the buildings and we will continue this until Bay Street is transformed,” he said, during debate on the Antiquities, Monuments and Museum (Amendment) Bill 2023.

“This is the first step.”

Senator Rolle, who is the Ministry of Tourism, Investment and Aviation’s global relations consultant, said the government is working with downtown businesses to remove abandoned buildings,

adding: “They have been very helpful and accommodating.”

He said the demolition process would be carried out fairly but gave this warning: “If any owners have zero intentions of working with the Bahamian people, then hard decisions must be made.

“We want the Bahamas to see, touch and feel the value of the work being done,” Senator Rolle continued. “The time is now to stop letting the world pass us by for the sake of preservation.

“Tourism numbers are only growing with guests begging for more authenticity. Other city centres around the world are having their own jollification. Every major country has a city centre that rivals

our own.”

“The only thing constant is change; therefore, we have to keep evolving,” he added. “One might say that we have to keep up with the world. I want to say to the naysayers that we’re playing checkers, not chess.

“It’s time to step up and be better than our best and it starts with my constituency and our city centre.”

In addition to beautifying downtown, Senator Rolle said the government is also in discussions with tourism stakeholders to facilitate “authentic Bahamian experiences”.

“As I said before, we are not just trying to preserve history, we are making history,” Mr Rolle added. “Therefore, I am also very proud to advise

POLICE INVESTIGATE AN ARMED MUGGING IN GRAND BAHAMA AND DRUGS IN A BACO

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama Police

are investigating an armed robbery incident in the Taino Beach area on Friday.

According to reports, sometime around 10pm a male victim was attending a function in the area when he was approached by a man who produced a knife, robbing him of his gold chain and coin charm.

The suspect escaped into nearby bushes. Police are following significant leads.

38 and 28 were arrested after they were allegedly found with a quantity of suspected marijuana in their possession

on Friday evening.

Preliminary reports indicate that sometime around 11pm officers attached to the Rapid Response Unit were on routine patrol in the area of Coral Road when they observed the occupants of a black Chevy Sonic vehicle acting suspiciously.

Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, however, the driver sped off.

The pursuing officers then observed occupants throw something from the vehicle.

The vehicle was intercepted and the occupants were taken back to the area where a quantity of suspected drugs were recovered.

The police report that the weight and value of the drugs

are unknown and investigations are continuing.

resident of Guana Cay was arrested after a quantity of suspected marijuana was allegedly found in his possession on Friday.

According to reports, shortly after 5pm, officers attached to the Marsh Harbour Police Station were in the area of a business establishment in Dundas Town where they observed a man acting suspiciously.

They searched the suspect and allegedly discovered 15 grams of suspected marijuana with an estimated street value of $250.

Investigations are continuing.

SENATOR Randy Rolle said the demolition process would be carried out fairly but gave this warning: “If any owners have zero intentions of working with the Bahamian people, then hard decisions must be made.”

this honoured Senate that the downtown revitalisation team has recently begun talks to create a historical attraction in the back of Rawson Square, just behind the Sir Milo

Butler bust. “This attraction will be an immersive experience that will give guests a glimpse into the milestones of our beautiful country. We are working

with an historian and local artisans who will be pulling this vision together. “We believe this has the potential to attract thousands of visitors downtown.”

Govt fails to listen to women’s voices

By MALCOLM STRACHAN GOVERNMENTS

– and the Prime Ministers who lead them – can have good weeks and bad weeks.

When Philip “Brave” Davis spoke in November 2021 at the international climate conference in Glasgow, for example, it was one of his best weeks in government. He announced himself on the world stage in that moment and became a figurehead for the fight against climate change.

I said as much in this column at the time, saluting him for speaking so plainly, and noting the plaudits Mr Davis received for his speech.

Last week, however, was a bad week. In fact, it could be one of the worst this government has experienced.

The least important issue he faced last week involved the possible need to fire his Minister of Immigration. It cannot be a good situation if that is not the top of the list.

Keith Bell promised to give a list of answers to questions over issues at his department in the House of Assembly, but he didn’t show. Instead there was a press statement from the ministry, which not only did not answer all the questions but raised contradictions.

For example, both the ministry and the hotel owners say that workers at the Colonial Hilton were in the country legally – but previously immigration officers and Mr Bell himself confirmed there were issues.

Mr Bell himself acknowledged that immigration officers encountered “a number of irregularities with the status of workers” that “required immediate action”. Add to that the fact that only three out of 65 people detained produced passports or identification – and all three of those had irregularities – and it certainly doesn’t look like business as usual. Where were the passports or IDs of the other 62 people? Did the workers have access to their own documents?

As Mr Bell failed to live up to his promise to

show up and give answers, his party chairman, Fred Mitchell, threw some oil on the fire by saying his advice to Mr Bell was not to give any answers at all. That certainly does not help the PLP to appear accountable. And there were more issues revealed in the statement, where it seems decisions were made on permits for people without knowing whether or not they were in custody.

Immigration does not seem to know who it has in the detention centre. Right hand and left hand are apparently strangers.

Like I say, though, this is not the biggest issue of the week for the government. Nor is the continued question of the ongoing police probe into an MP for an accusation of rape. Nor is it the news that the government is forking out $120m a year of taxpayer money in salary and payroll errors –with an error rate in payroll of about ten percent. Ten percent. Imagine that.

No, the worst thing from last week is the government’s abject handling of the Protection Against Violence Bill.

As the bill reached the House – to the surprise of some who had not been given significant notice – a statement was issued by a collection of women’s leaders and groups.

It read: “The House of Assembly is set to begin debate on the Protection Against Violence Bill, 2023 on Thursday, July 27, 2023. This bill is not the bill that women’s rights groups worked on for more than a decade. The bill we worked on and consented to was the Gender-Based Violence Bill.

“This bill was replaced at the last minute with the Protection Against Violence Bill. The new bill does not contain key provisions that would further help protect women and girls from violence. These provisions were in the Gender-Based Violence Bill.

“We call on the government to suspend debate on this bill and to present

Gender-

so many Bahamian women worked hard on over the many years.”

The signatories included Women United, BUYDC, Women of Strength Association, Everyone Counts Organisation, Marion Bethel-Sears and Therese Turner-Jones.

Mr Davis was apparently disturbed and disappointed by the opposition – but he really should not have been. In June, FNM Senator Michela Barnett-Ellis said that the Protection Against Violence Bill was less comprehensive that the previous Gender-Based Violence Bill – reduced to 24 pages from 68 pages and asked why the government had “walked away from the existing draft legislation” and to explain the new draft and “not to discard almost ten years of work”.

Hers was not the only voice to point out the changes between the two

bills and to express frustration over the differences, and over a lack of thorough consultation with all concerned. One activist on Twitter said that Minister of Social Services and Urban Development Obie Wilchcombe had been specifically told that the process was not a proper consultation and that there would be “national embarrassment” if they continued.

The government appears to have leaned on advice from the Bahamas Crisis Centre – an excellent organisation but not the only one and certainly not representing all views. Mr Davis himself acknowledged as much, saying: “I think that’s probably the problem. They are not all on the same page.”

Given how the marital rape legislation seems to be in a state of perpetual delay because the government is off consulting pastor after

pastor, it is to say the least a bad look that it would not take the same approach when consulting women.

So what did the government do in the face of this late surprise – for them – of opposition to the bill? Did it pull the bill to be able to give more time for consultation?

Of course not – it pushed through the bill anyway and never mind what women actually say. National Security Minister Wayne Munroe muttered something about how the bill would help with increasing reports of sexual assaults – well, so would a marital rape bill but I don’t see that being rushed into law.

There have been suggestions that amendments can be brought later to add to the bill – but given it has taken ten years to get here, how long do we think those amendments will take?

So, a bad week. A missing minister, no accountability,

millions gone astray, and a failure to listen to women on a piece of legislation specifically affecting them.

The last of these I feel is the biggest blow to the government’s reputation. We have just finished Independence celebrations, and a strong thread throughout those was highlighting moments in our history, prominent among them women’s suffrage, voting rights and the women who pioneered parts of our society. Would this government have risen to the challenge of lifting major barriers to women in the past? Or are we falling short of the standards set by those who went before us? As we honour the achievements of those who built this nation, what are the achievements we will make to match our predecessors? Last week’s evidence is no comfort that we will continue to raise the bar.

Given how the marital rape legislation seems to be in a state of perpetual delay because the government is of consulting pastor afer pastor, it is to say the least a bad look that it would not take the same approach when consulting women.

On solid ground, part 1

The following is the first in a two-part series. Part II will be published on August 14. DEATH is an ever-present shadow, looming and growing more ominous as we age. The older we get, the more the threat of death seems to close in on us.

In healthcare, our ultimate goal as physicians is to help our patients feel better physically, for as long as possible, stopping this shadow from eclipsing their lives. We work tirelessly whether patients fully understand it or not and their appreciation or lack thereof doesn’t diminish our intent. Our job is to preserve both form and function and, for the best amongst us, we do so with a deep sense of pride. But, once the patient leaves our side, they return to a life encapsulated by the same metaphoric walls that landed them in our office to begin with. Many of them, as I’ve learned over the years, are struggling to find their way or, in the very least, hoping to attain proper footing on solid ground.

The patient discussed in today’s report, hereafter referred to as Tyler, was raised by his grandparents on the island of Abaco. As is the case for so many young men today, Tyler never really knew his father so, when his mother travelled abroad to complete her education, she left him in the trusted care of her parents. For Tyler, life was simple and happy. His grandparents taught him manners and respect, especially for his elders. Living with them, he also learned the importance of hard work, the power of a warm hug and a gracious smile and how to live a life of faith and humility.

Their family lived near a creek and Tyler still recalls flying his kite against the salty breeze while his grandfather fished and the bull frogs croaked. And as the swallows of the summer shared their tunes, he filled his belly with fish and cassava, praying the next day would be just as memorable. Whenever the opportunity presented itself, he also performed chores for his neighbours and used the donations from this ‘charitable pursuit’ to purchase candies and frozen treats.

That idyllic life crashed without warning, devastated by Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Tyler was 12 when the Category 4 hurricane swept through, and its intense winds, some of the highest ever recorded, wiped out Tyler’s community. The blessing of living on a creek with all the happy memories it elicited had become their greatest affliction.

No home was left standing. They were all washed away. So, his family and their neighbours traversed the neighbourhood using fishing boats along roads that were no longer visible, in search of buildings that no longer existed.

To keep him safe, Tyler’s grandparents sent him to live with his mother on an adjacent family island. It was the first time in his life that he wouldn’t be with his grandparents and the

abrupt upheaval to his life saddened him immensely. Adjusting wasn’t easy, but Tyler’s life eventually felt normal. He made new friends, but the simple and peaceful existence he once enjoyed with neighbours who treated him like family was over. When Tyler was 19, a group of friends invited him out but he declined because he had a prior engagement. That evening, those same friends burglarised a commercial establishment and in a case of mistaken identity, Tyler was apprehended by the police. He was taken to a sporting complex and before he could say anything, in a senseless act that obliterates moral sensitivities, at least five police officers began beating him with such intensity he lost his balance and fell to the ground. The blows kept coming, several at one time, over and over again all along his body, each hit feeling like a mini explosion. Tyler can’t recall how long it lasted but by the time they were done, his body was covered in blood, his intestines literally exploding from the blunt force attacks.

Practically unresponsive, barely clinging to life, Tyler was taken to the hospital where he was rushed into surgery. The rupture to his small intestine was so significant that it couldn’t be repaired and had to be removed entirely. The pain was excruciating. He remained in hospital for nearly two months and he couldn’t work or perform lifting of any kind for the next six months. His recovery was slow but gradually progressed toward functional. The multiple scars that currently adorn his body are symbols of his indomitable spirit and a constant reminder of how close he came to dying. But mentally he will never be the same and to this day he remains much more guarded and reserved.

Tyler’s case never garnered the national attention it warranted and even after police apologized, there were never any ramifications for their actions. So, Tyler filed a lawsuit against the government. After 10 years of fighting, he ultimately won his case in 2018 and was awarded an appropriate financial settlement for his pain and suffering. He was most excited to share the news with his grandparents.

Prior to this, Tyler’s grandparents had rebuilt their home and he was excited to spend some time with them, reliving his fondest childhood memories. But following his 70th birthday, and still celebrating 50 years of marriage, Tyler’s grandfather went fishing to pull some traps just before Easter. Like often in the past, he was alone. By nightfall when he hadn’t returned, the family knew something was wrong. They frantically arranged a search party. One day after Tyler’s grandfather went out to sea, they found his boat and compressor and a cooler with his cell phone inside but his body was never recovered. The family to this day can’t imagine what may have

happened and the empty barrel of unanswered questions is haunting. The painful void left by his grandfather’s sudden death was paralyzing and Tyler felt like he’d been gut punched all over again, the ground beneath him opening up as he descended perilously into an abyss. To help him through this difficult time, Tyler leaned on his wife of nine years and their three children. They were now living on Andros where his wife was born so his in-laws provided another source of support. Tyler’s mom moved in with his grandmother to help

By DR KENNETH D KEMP

take care of her and that made him worry less. But grief, unfortunately, isn’t a straight line and Tyler has moments where he wishes he could see and talk to his grandfather once more, hating that the man he loved and who taught him so much, spent the last moments of his life afraid and all alone.

Five years later, Tyler’s wish came true in the most horrifying way imaginable. Earlier this year, at a bar following work, he had a seizure at the age of 36 for the first time in his life. He began sweating profusely and his lips trembled as his

entire body stiffened and shook uncontrollably. Tyler suffered several more seizures not long afterwards. In an ambulance, waiting for an emergency flight to transport him to a hospital in Nassau, Tyler saw his grandfather with his legs crossed, sitting on a beach under a sun-drenched coconut tree and smiling. And as he walked closer to his grandfather, Tyler’s life faded from his body. So, with the shadow of death now circling him decidedly, Tyler’s wife cried softly as she tightly squeezed his left hand, repeatedly pleading with him to come back to

her and their children.

This is The KDK Report. of Podiatry’, Dr Kenneth D Kemp is the founder and medical director of Bahamas Foot and Ankle located in Caves Village, Western New Providence. He served as the deputy chairman for the Health Council for five years and he currently sits on the board of directors for the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation in his role as co-vice-chairman.

‘Many of them, as I’ve learned over the years, are struggling to find their way or, in the very least, hoping to attain proper footing on solid ground.’

Guatemala faces crucial test to its democracy in upcoming elections

GUATEMALA, the largest country in Central America, is undergoing a critical test of its commitment to democracy and the rule of law in its presidential elections. The outcome will shape the nation’s political and social stability, economic development, and international standing, particularly within the Organization of American States (OAS).

The general elections on June 25 concluded successfully, but no candidate secured the required majority to replace the incumbent President Alejandro Giammattei, whose term ends in January 2024.

Surprising many, Bernardo Arévalo of the Movimiento Semilla party emerged as the second-leading candidate, campaigning against corruption and gaining strong grassroots support.

This development clearly caused consternation among persons in the executive and judicial branches of the government who may have felt threatened by the possibility of Arévalo winning run-off elections against Sandra Torres, the leader of Unidad Nacional de la Esperanza party, scheduled for August 20.

The President of InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Margaret Macaulay, described the sequence of disturbing events that followed in this way: “On July 12th, on the same day that the Supreme Electoral Tribunal ratified the validity of the first round of the presidential election, the Public Prosecutor’s Office by means of its Special Prosecutor‘s Office Against Corruption and Crime, announced a criminal investigation against the political party Movimiento Semilla [-] Also, at the request of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, a criminal judge had ordered the Supreme Electoral Tribunal to provisionally suspend the party’s legal status to prevent its members from “participating in any subsequent political events”.

The IACHR Chair also noted that “on July 21st, arrest warrants were issued for members of Movimiento Semilla whose headquarters were raided, and an arrest warrant was issued for an official of the Citizen Registry of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, and new raids

World View

By SIR RONALD SANDERS

on these facilities took place”.

The account of these events was substantiated by Dr. Irma Elizabeth Palencia Orellana, the Chief Magistrate of The Supreme Electoral Court of Guatemala, who told a meeting of the OAS Permanent Council on July 26 that “actions were brought against the Supreme Electoral Court’s Register of Citizens, which included arbitrary searches and requests”, including “retention of workers for more than ten hours straight, behind closed doors; the use of ski masks and firearms, when our staff are unarmed civilians and ours are administrative offices”.

Dr Orellana made the point that these actions unjustifiably violated constitutional provisions. She also drew specific attention to Article 92 of the electoral law which states that “a party may not be suspended after an election has been called and until after the election has taken place.”

All of this caused great alarm among member states of the OAS which, along with the European Union, had sent Electoral Observation Missions to Guatemala. Neither mission found any evidence of fraud or major irregularities that would call the election’s results into question. The OAS mission warned that “feeding a narrative of fraud without evidentiary support undermines the will of the people and democratic institutions.”

Against this background, on July 26, the OAS Permanent Council welcomed an invitation from the President of Guatemala to the Secretary-General, Luis Almagro, to “meet with government authorities and state institutions regarding the electoral process”. It was also particularly helpful that the letter also noted “that this visit does not interfere with the work that the Electoral Observation Mission of the Organization of American States

will carry out”.

This invitation is a positive step by the Guatemalan government, demonstrating a willingness to dialogue and, hopefully, to explore ways of ensuring that clear guarantees will be given, allowing the Supreme Electoral Tribunal to conduct the run-off presidential elections with the same impartiality that it employed in the conduct of the general elections on June 25.

Equally important will be a commitment that the current improper use of the legal system to alter or influence the election result, as described by Chief Magistrate, Dr. Orellana, will cease.

Antigua and Barbuda, Canada, Costa Rica, Colombia, and the United States played a leading role in advancing concerns about the threats to Guatemala’s electoral process, a cornerstone of democracy in the hemisphere.

Respecting the will of the people through free and fair elections is paramount to protect human and political rights from being overshadowed by dictatorship and chaos.

Secretary-General Almagro will go to Guatemala on August 1, just 19 days before the scheduled run-off presidential elections on August 20. The success of his discussions will be pivotal to the future of democracy in Guatemala.

In this critical moment, the Guatemalan authorities must demonstrate unwavering commitment to democracy, transparency, and the rule of law, not only for the nation’s sake but also for the trust of the international community.

(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States and the Organization of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own. Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com)

Career Opportunity MANAGER, INFORMATION SECURITY

Commonwealth Bank is the premier Bahamian Bank with branches located in New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco and Eleuthera. We are committed to delivering superior quality service, training and developing our employees, creating value for our shareholders and promoting economic growth and stability in the community.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Manager, Information Security is responsible for ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of an organization's information assets. The Manager designs, implements, and manages information security programs, policies, and procedures to protect the organization from internal and external threats. This role involves coordinating with various stakeholders to assess risks, develop security strategies, and enforce compliance with relevant regulations and standards.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES AND REQUIREMENTS

Develop and Implement Information Security Policies

Risk Assessment and Management Security Infrastructure Management

Security Incident Monitoring and Reporting

Security Awareness Training

Coordinate internal and external audits

Security Governance and Collaboration

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

At least five (5) years in an Information Security Officer, IT Risk Management or IT Audit role Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or a related field. Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, or CRISC are highly desirable. Proven experience in information security, risk management, and incident response, preferably in a leadership role.

In-depth knowledge of information security principles, technologies, standards, and best practices.

Strong understanding of regulatory requirements and compliance frameworks relevant to the organization's industry.

Proficiency in security tools, network protocols, vulnerability assessment, and penetration testing techniques.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively collaborate with stakeholders at all levels.

Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities to identify and address security risks and vulnerabilities.

Ability to adapt quickly to changing security threats and technologies.

High level of integrity, professionalism, and a commitment to maintaining confidentiality.

REMUNERATION PACKAGE:

Commonwealth Bank is a Great place to work! We offer an exciting work environment with the opportunity for growth and development. We also offer a competitive compensation package, reflecting the successful applicant’s experience and qualifications, including a performance based incentive plan, health, vision, dental and life insurances and a pension plan.

Qualified Individuals should submit their resumes on or before August 4, 2023 to: hr@combankltd.com

“ Commonwealth Bank sincerely thanks all applicants for their interest in becoming a part of our team, however, only those applications being considered will be contacted.”

PROTESTORS gather outside the Attorney General’s Office in Guatemala City, Monday, July 24, 2023. Demonstrators are demanding respect for democracy after prosecutorial and judicial actions against the Supreme Electoral Tribunal and against one of the two parties set to participate in the presidential run-off election.

Photo: Moises Castillo/AP

Extreme heat is particularly hard on older adults – an ageing population and climate change put ever more people at risk

SCORCHING temperatures have put millions in danger this summer, with heat extremes stretching from coast to coast in the Southern US and beyond.

Phoenix hit 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) or higher every day for over three weeks in July. Other major cities, from Las Vegas to Miami, experienced relentless high temperatures, which residents described as “hell on earth”. While The Bahamas set a record for heat index on July 22 of 105-115F.

While the evening news runs footage of miserable sunbathers on Miami Beach and joggers in Austin, Texas, dousing themselves with water, these images conceal a growing hidden crisis: the millions of older adults who are suffering behind closed doors.

As researchers who study older adults’ health and

climate change, we have found that two societal trends point to a potentially dire future: The population is getting older, and temperatures are rising.

Some of the country’s hottest states, including Arizona, are forecast to see dramatic growth in their older adult populations. But heat isn’t just a problem in the South: Northern populations also face rising risks from extreme heat that many people aren’t accustomed to.

Communities, families and older residents need to understand these risks and be prepared.

Why older adults face higher heat risks

Triple-digit temperatures are miserable for everyone, but for older adults they can be deadly.

Older adults don’t sweat or cool down as efficiently as younger people. Heat

stress can worsen underlying conditions like heart, lung and kidney disease, and extreme heat can trigger delirium.

Poor air quality makes it harder to breathe, especially among people who already have breathing difficulties. For older adults with physical health problems, temperatures as low as 80 degrees F (26.7 C) – to say nothing of 110 degrees –can pose a grave danger.

Prescription medications make older people more sensitive to heat. Anticholinergics, used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, or COPD, reduce our capacity to sweat. Dehydration is a side effect of beta blockers and diuretics, which are used to help control blood pressure. Medications also work best when stored at room temperatures of 68 to 77 degrees and may lose their

effectiveness if not kept in a cool place on a very hot day. And it’s not just physical health that suffers. Having to stay indoors all day to keep cool and enduring the stress of heat emergencies can make older adults depressed and isolated. Those with cognitive problems or dementia may not understand their health risks or may not take proper precautions. Seniors with physical disabilities, limited mobility or lack of access to transportation can’t easily travel to a public cooling centre – if there is one nearby.

Drawn to high-risk regions

Retirees are often drawn to the South’s sunny skies, low taxes and costs of living and amenities, like golf courses, beaches, health care facilities and age 55+ residential communities tailored to their needs.

In Phoenix, the share of residents over age 65 is projected to rise from 10% of its 1.6 million residents today to roughly 17 percent by 2050.

At the same time that these populations are rising, the number of days people will need air conditioning is rising, too.

We used scenarios of future county-level population and climate model output from NASA to assess the consequences of moderate and dramatic warming. Our projections show that ever-rising numbers of older people are at risk of the harmful physical and mental health consequences of heat extremes.

We found that populations in historically hot locations like Arizona and desert regions of California are aging at a rapid clip, placing demands on cities, counties and states to meet the pressing needs of older residents during heat waves.

These include providing cooling centers and ensuring that they are physically accessible to those with mobility challenges, and training first responders to be sensitive to the special needs of older adults who may be reluctant to leave their homes during a heat emergency.

Communities also need to find effective ways to warn “snowbirds,” vacationers or recent migrants who might hail from cooler climates and be less aware of, or adapted to, the risks of extreme heat.

Northern regions are at risk, too

Our research finds that historically cooler places like New England, the upper Midwest and the Pacific North-west also have rising heat risks.

These regions – historically home to high shares of older adults – are projected to experience the

steepest increases in heat exposure relative to temperatures historically experienced. Older adults who are accustomed to the New England chill may not fully understand the threats an extreme heat wave can pose, and they may underestimate the harm they might suffer from a day in the hot sun.

Older homes in the North-east also tend to have less efficient cooling systems. Nighttime heat can be particularly harmful for those without air conditioning, including people who live in densely populated Northeastern and Rust Belt cities where “heat islands” trap temperatures. For older adults with health conditions, a night of restless sleep may make one more depressed and confused during waking hours.

What you can do about it

Older adults and their caregivers can take some steps to adapt.

Stay indoors. Use air conditioning. Drink plenty of water. Don’t use the oven, especially in small homes. Help an older adult with transportation to a cooling center. Place medications in the coolest spot in one’s home. Be sensitive to symptoms like dizziness and call for medical attention as needed.

However, communityscale adaptations also are needed. Public investments in early warning systems for extreme weather, ride services to transport older adults to cooling centers and hospitals, geographic information systems to help first responders identify neighbourhoods with high concentrations of older adults, and installation of energy-efficient air conditioning in homes and public settings can help to fight back against sweltering days in the future. www.theconversation.com

AN ELDERLY couple seeks refuge for the heat of the sun at Monatgue Beach next to the fort last week.

TWO SUPERMOONS IN AUGUS T ME A N DOUBLE T HE S TA RGA ZING FUN

UFO congressional hearing ‘insulting’ to US employees, a top Pentagon official says

FLORIDA

Associated Press

THE cosmos is offering up a double feature in August: a pair of supermoons culminating in a rare blue moon. Catch the first show Tuesday evening as the full moon rises in the southeast, appearing slightly brighter and bigger than normal. That’s because it will be closer than usual, just 222,159 miles (357,530 kilometres) away, thus the supermoon label.

The moon will be even closer the night of Aug. 30 — a scant 222,043 miles (357,344 kilometres) distant. Because it’s the second full moon in the same month, it will be what’s called a blue moon.

“Warm summer nights are the ideal time to watch the full moon rise in the eastern sky within minutes of sunset. And it happens twice in August,” said retired NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak, dubbed Mr. Eclipse for his eclipsechasing expertise.

The last time two full supermoons graced the sky in the same month was in 2018. It won’t happen again until 2037, according to

Italian astronomer Gianluca Masi, founder of the Virtual Telescope Project.

Masi will provide a live webcast of Tuesday evening’s supermoon, as it rises over the Coliseum in Rome.

“My plans are to capture the beauty of this ... hopefully bringing the emotion of the show to our viewers,” Masi said in an email.

“The supermoon offers us a great opportunity to look up and discover the sky,” he added.

This year’s first supermoon was in July. The fourth and last will be in September. The two in August will be closer than either of those.

Provided clear skies, binoculars or backyard telescopes can enhance the experience, Espenak said, revealing such features as lunar maria — the dark plains formed by ancient volcanic lava flows — and rays emanating from lunar craters.

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the August full moon is traditionally known as the sturgeon moon. That’s because of the abundance of that fish in the Great Lakes in August, hundreds of years ago.

WASHINGTON Associated Press

A TOP Pentagon official has attacked this week’s widely watched congressional hearing on UFOs, calling the claims “insulting” to employees who are investigating sightings and accusing a key witness of not cooperating with the official US government investigation.

Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick’s letter, published on his personal LinkedIn page and circulated Friday across social media, criticizes much of the testimony from a retired Air Force intelligence officer that energized believers in extraterrestrial life and produced headlines around the world.

Retired Air Force Maj. David Grusch testified Wednesday that the US has concealed what he called a “multi-decade” program to collect and reverse-engineer “UAPs,” or unidentified aerial phenomena, the official government term for UFOs.

Part of what the US has

recovered, Grusch testified, were nonhuman “biologics,” which he said he had not seen but had learned about from “people with direct knowledge of the program.”

A career intelligence officer, Kirkpatrick was named a year ago to lead the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, or AARO, which was intended to centralize investigations into UAPs. The Pentagon and US intelligence agencies have been pushed by Congress in recent years to better investigate reports of devices flying at unusual speeds or trajectories as a national security concern.

Kirkpatrick wrote the letter Thursday and the Defence Department confirmed Friday that he posted it in a personal capacity. Kirkpatrick declined to comment on the letter Friday.

He writes in part, “I cannot let yesterday’s hearing pass without sharing how insulting it was to the officers of the Department of Defence and Intelligence Community who

chose to join AARO, many with not unreasonable anxieties about the career risks this would entail.”

“They are truth-seekers, as am I,” Kirkpatrick said. “But you certainly would not get that impression from yesterday’s hearing.”

In a separate statement, Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough denied other allegations made by Grusch before a House Oversight subcommittee.

The Pentagon “has no information that any individual has been harmed or killed as a result of providing information” about UFO objects, Gough said. Nor has the Pentagon discovered “any verifiable information to substantiate claims that any programs regarding the possession or reverse-engineering of extraterrestrial materials have existed in the past or exist currently.”

Kirkpatrick wrote, “AARO has yet to find any credible evidence to support the allegations of any reverse engineering program for nonhuman technology.” He had briefed reporters

in December that the Pentagon was investigating “several hundreds” of new reports following a push to have pilots and others come forward with any sightings.

Kirkpatrick wrote in his letter that allegations of “retaliation, to include physical assault and hints of murder, are extraordinarily serious, which is why law enforcement is a critical member of the AARO team, specifically to address and take swift action should anyone come forward with such claims.”

“Yet, contrary to assertions made in the hearing, the central source of those allegations has refused to speak with AARO,” Kirkpatrick said. He did not explicitly name Grusch, who alleged he faced retaliation and declined to answer when a congressman asked him if anyone had been murdered to hide information about UFOs.

Messages left at a phone number and email address for Grusch were not returned Friday.

RYAN GRAVES, Americans for Safe Aerospace Executive Director, from left, US Air Force (Ret.) Maj David Grusch, and US Navy (Ret.) Cmdr David Fravor, testify before a House Oversight and Accountability subcommittee hearing on UFOs, Wednesday, on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Photo: Nathan Howard/AP

AN airliner flies across Lake Michigan in front of the first of four supermoons in 2023, July 3, 2023. The cosmos is offering up a double feature in August: a pair of supermoons. Catch the first show Tuesday night, August 2.

Photo: Charles Rex Arbogast/AP

SPORTS

IZAAK BASTIAN HANGS UP HIS SWIM CAP AT 22

FIBA Pre-Olympic qualifier August 14-20

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

W

DeAndre Ayton and Eric Gordon all committed to joining Chavano “Buddy” Hield and Kai Jones, the Bahamas is expected to field its best team for the Pre-Olympic Qualifier in Santiago de Estero, Argentina.

The Bahamas Basketball Federation over the weekend named a 15-man squad that will be reduced to 12 for the FIBA Americas tournament, scheduled for August 14-20 against teams from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Panama,

Uruguay and the US Virgin Islands competing.

ith National Basketball Association’sTeam Bahamas, ranked at number 56 in the world, will be placed in Group A with Cuba, who they are scheduled to play on Monday, August 14, Argentina on Wednesday, August 16 and Panama on Thursday, August 17.

Group B will include Uruguay, Virgin Islands, Chile and Colombia.

The tournament will be one of the requirements for teams seeking to qualify for the next Olympic Games in Paris, France, July 26 to August 11, 2024.

The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 will produce seven directly qualified national teams for the Olympic Games,

BUDDY HIELD DEANDRE AYTON KAI JONES

with hosts France receiving automatic qualification to the event. The seven spots will include two teams from Americas, two teams from Europe, one team from Africa, one team

from Asia and one team from Oceania. The four remaining places in the 12-team Olympic field are reserved for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments

2024, with two rounds of Qualifying Tournaments for Paris 2024. The first round, the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying

SEE PAGE 17

BURNSIDE: WE WANT TO TAKE RELOADED TO ANOTHER LEVEL

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Reloaded baseball team came up short at their first international tournament this past weekend in Sanford, Florida.

The 30-member team competed in the 9-and under (9U) and 10-and under (10U) divisions at the Perfect Game Florida Summer Select Championship (Open).

Despite not winning any games at the Boombah Sports Complex, the coaches and president were happy with the team’s overall progress and development.

Peron Burnside, president of Reloaded Baseball, said there were a few bright spots in the losses.

“With this being our first time in the tournament, the kids were competitive, we can see our practices have been paying off, what we have implemented in our system and how we want to work on key fundamentals is actually working,” Burnside said.

With the Reloaded Baseball programme less than a few weeks away from celebrating a year in existence, Burnside is confident in the direction the programme is going.

“We are going to take what we have seen as deficiencies in each player and go home and strategically target them in each child and bring them right back for tournament play and get them the looks they

SEE PAGE 15

THE RELOADED Baseball 9-and under (9U) and 10-and under (10U) teams compete during the Boombah Sports Complex for the Perfect Game Florida Summer Select Championship (Open).

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

After much contemplation, Bastian, who is winding down his studies at Florida State, announced over the weekend in a letter to the media that he made the decision to step away from competitive swimming for the foreseeable future.

“I’m happy with what I have done and I’m hoping that other people in the sport would find the inspiration from it and take it further,” said Bastian, who is enjoying a well-deserved trip to Lisbon, Portugal.

“So I’m pleased with it and stepping out of the sport this way.”

The 22-year-old Bastian said the highlight of his career would have been growing up with so many people as they endured their struggles and trials and making so many friends, whom he went on to compete against.

“I don’t like to focus on the negative too much, so I don’t think I’ve had any disappointing moments,” he stated. “I think I had a lot of experiences and lessons learnt throughout my career. You learn from everything, whether it is good or bad, so I don’t think I had any disappointments.”

Bastian, the son of Rochelle and Darren Bastian, said there have been so many people who have impacted his life and he can’t leave without expressing his gratitude to all of them.

“I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to the entire media team for being a part of my journey,” he wrote.

“The influence of the media cannot be underestimated,

SEE PAGE 17

LADIES 5TH, MEN 4TH AT SENIOR CARIBBEAN VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

IT was not the final outcome expected over the weekend as the men’s national volleyball team fell short of the bronze medal, while the women’s team ended up fifth at the Senior Caribbean Volleyball Championships at the Anthony Nesty Sports Hall in Paramaribo, Suriname.

In their semifinal match on Saturday against Trinidad & Tobago, Team Bahamas lost 3-1 (25, 25-19, 20-25, 25-18) as outside hitter Prince Wilson scored 20 points.

Captain and middle blocker Byron Ferguson and middle blocker Hepburn Shanari scored 13 and 12 points respectively.

“We learn in this tournament that every game is different,” said Bahamas head coach Lloyd Davis, who was assisted by Tonny Simon. “We played a lot of games the past couple of days and I am thankful

that volleyball at this level has been restored after the COVID-19 pandemic. Our group shows a lot of poise and resilience.”

Team Bahamas lost 3-1 (25-23, 25-16, 23-25, 25-22) to Barbados on Friday to drop to the bronze medal game. In that match, Prince Wilson led the attack with 21 points, including five spikes and five blocks.

The Bahamas finished 2-1 for second place in Group B, the same record as Trinidad & Tobago, who came out on top by virtue of beating the Bahamas in their head-to-head match-up.

Barbados was undefeated at 2-0 in Group A with Suriname second at 1-1.

Members of Team Bahamas were Kyle Wilson, Prince Wilson, team captain Byron Ferguson, Shonari Hepburn, Donovan Wilmott, Jamaal Ferguson, Renaldo Knowles, Je’Vaughn Saunders, Eugene Stuart, Jesse Delancy and Gaege Smith, The women, on the other hand, experienced some

WOMEN’s national volleyball team placed 5th overall at Senior Caribbean Volleyball Championships in Paramaribo, Suriname.

injuries, according to head coach Jason Saunders, which prevented them from performing as expected, finishing in fifth place in the round robin at 1-3.

Team Bahamas lost its final match in a five set thriller 3-2 (17-25, 25-19, 25-17, 21-25, 15-12) to Trinidad and Tobago, who committed 30 unforced errors, compared to Team

Bahamas’ 48. Janelle Curtis led the team with 20 points, including five blocks and three spikes.

Outside hitter Brittany Bonamy contributed with 12 points.

“But still the ladies were able to give a very good showing,” said Saunders, who was assisted by Glenn Rolle. “While we did not make the medal round, we

were locked into a threeway tie for third only to be eliminated by a tiebreaker, we showed that we belonged with the best in this region.

“Looking back at the tournament, we had an excellent chance to beat Trinidad & Tobago and would have had it not been for a couple of unfortunate errors. I believe had we

won that game we would have placed ourselves in position to go to the gold medal round.”

Nevertheless, Saunders said they were able to see how close we are to winning in this region.

“We know those areas that must be worked on and hopefully, with the help of our federation, association, government, corporate Bahamas and all supporters, the facilities and monies will be made available for what will be a new era in volleyball, building of Bahamas Games and this tournament,” Saunders said.

“In the words of one of our male players, female volleyball in the Bahamas is about to skyrocket “

The women’s team consisted of Jannelle Curtis, Sari Albury, Melinda Bastian, Brittany Bonamy, La’Tavia Braynen, Raechel Knowles, Venessa Sawyer, Laval Sands, team captain Je’Nae Saunders, Ashley Webb, Franceska McBride and Chandra Mackey.

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IZAAK Bastian, one of the country’s top swimmers, has announced that he’s “reached a crossroad” in his life and will be stepping away from the sport to focus his attention on pursuing his doctorate of physical therapy degree upon his anticipated graduation in 2025.

Photo: Antonio Rahming/Reloaded Baseball

9TH-ROUND TKO OVER SPENCE

By MARK ANDERSON AP Sports Writer

LAS VEGAS (AP)

— The fight itself didn’t match the hype, but Terence Crawford’s performance exceeded it. He knocked down Errol Spence Jr three times Saturday night before finally ending the fight at 2:32 of the ninth round on a technical knockout to cement himself as one of the greatest welterweights in history.

Xavion Johnson the US Open champion again

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

XAVION ‘Warrior’ Johnson got to hoist the Cadet judo title at the US Open Championships for the second time in five years, ironically on the same day, July 28.

After first winning the title in 2018 and slipping to bronze in 2021, Johnson regained his top position on the podium on Saturday at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

“It felt really amazing winning the title, especially since this is my last year in the under-18 -60 kilogram class,” Johnson said. “I truly was flabbergasted when I won it again.”

The 17-year-old Johnson, who is graduating as the salutatorian at Capstone Academy, said what was so significant about his performance was the fact that when he first did it in 2018, he was not as polished as he is now.

“Everything has improved drastically in five years,” he pointed out.

In what he described as his best tournament for the year, Johnson said he couldn’t ask for anything more.

“The competition was amazing. I ippon everybody

RELOADED BASEBALL

FROM PAGE 14

need to see to get them to the next level,” the president said.

10U

In round one of the playoffs, the Reloaded team stepped onto the field against the second-seeded Indians. The Indians came into the match with a 2-0 win/loss record. Their win streak continued after shutting down The Bahamas’ team 12-6.

The game concluded in four innings for the two teams. The Indians put on a strong showing, starting in the second inning where they scored two runs.

However, the valiant Reloaded team returned the favour in the third inning, scoring 3 runs to the Indians’ 2.

The score was 5-3 at the bottom of the third inning but the tide shifted in the fourth inning. The Indians scored 7 runs to put away the game.

The Reloaded Baseball squad would score 3 runs in the final inning but ultimately came up short.

Stephen “Bishop”

Beneby, head coach of the Reloaded 10U team, talked about his team’s efforts in their first international

I fought in under-18,” he said. “I got fifth in under-21. This was the best I fought all year.”

Johnson, whose mother Ordain Moss made the sacrifice to send him abroad to further enhance his skills, attributed his performance to his preparation from his trainer Ewan Breaton and Russell Gallant of Judo Alberta in Lethbridge, Canada.

“My training for the event was really hard. I haven’t taken any breaks from judo for three weeks,” he reflected. “I was training day and night every single day to get ready for this event.”

Now that he’s done, Johnson said his focus will be on the Cadet World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, August 22-26 and Cadet and Junior Panamerican Championships in Calgary, Canada, September 7-17.

Johnson, who started judo in 2014 at the age of eight years old, won a silver medal at his first tournament and he has been hooked ever since.

Growing from attending classes three times a week, to travelling abroad for months at a time and training three times a day.

Over the last eight years, Xavion’s passion for judo has not wavered, earning him his black belt at the

XAVION Johnson, of The Bahamas, has won the Cadet judo title at the US Open Championships for the second time in five years.

impressive age of 15. His discipline, passion and consistent sacrifice has secured him world ranking, multiple international titles and has allowed him to represent the Bahamas with pride and spirit on many prestigious platforms.

His ultimate goal is to represent the Bahamas and win at the Olympics and World Championships.

His accomplishments so far include:

-

eration Tournament 2014 Silver

eration Tournament 2015 Bronze

mas Open 2015 Silver

tion Tournament 2016 Gold

tion Bahamas Open 2016

- 2019 Gold International Qualifications and Medals

Qualifications

2017 2018

2019

2019

International Medals (most prestigious)

Bronze National Championships

Bronze -

Gold

Gold, Gold, AOY

Championships 2018 Gold

Gold

Gold

Bronze

Bronze

Bronze, Bronze Gold

Goldmark 2023 Gold

The fight, the mostanticipated boxing match in several years, made Crawford the first undisputed champion in the 147-pound division in the four-belt era that began in 2004.

Crawford (40-0, 31 knockouts) already owned the WBO belt, and took the WBC, WBA and IBF titles from Spence (28-1). Crawford also ran his KO streak to 11 matches, the second-longest active stretch.

Crawford, 35, has won titles at super lightweight and lightweight in addition to welterweight, capturing the latter after moving up in 2018.

The Omaha, Nebraska, fighter became the first male boxer to become the undisputed champion in two divisions in the four-belt era.

“I only dreamed of being a world champion,” Crawford said. “I’m an over-achiever. Nobody believed in me when I was coming up, but I made everybody a believer.

“I want to thank Spence and his team because without him none of this would have been possible.”

A big fight night on the Strip still brings out the stars, with recording artist Andre 3000 of Out-boys owner Jerry Jones at T-Mobile Arena. They were among the celebrities that also included former boxing champions such as Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.

Eminem introduced Crawford and his song “Lose Yourself” played as he walked into the ring before a sellout crowd of 19,990 at T-Mobile Arena.

adjustments for their next international tourney.

9U Reloaded Baseball’s 9U team had a rough start to the tournament on Saturday. The team dropped to the TBT Ballers JSM Blue 17 runs to 0. Additionally, they fell to the East Coast Baseball team 15-1.

However, this past Sunday the team scored their most runs in the tournament in a 13-3 loss to Southern Squeeze Orlando (SQZ).

The third-seeded Orlando squad went 1-2 in the tournament before playing Reloaded. The home team reeled off 7 runs in the first inning. The 9U team was able to score 2 runs heading into the top of the second inning.

For the next two innings, Reloaded was unable to score but came alive once again in the final inning of the timed game. The teams both scored one run apiece in the final inning.

After the completion of the two-day international tournament, Burnside remains optimistic.

tourney. “I feel good about what I saw. The first game on Saturday was just jitters, and we had two

competitive games after so what we have to work on is helping kids with in-game situations, and working

on routine plays,” Beneby said. Overall, he felt the team played okay and there is

a lot of room for improvement on their return home. The coaching staff will look to make the necessary

“We have engaged I-Elite so we are going to revamp what we have seen here this weekend and put them in group play at Reloaded to work on in-game situations and mistakes made in games this weekend,” he said.

RELOADED Baseball programme players compete in the Perfect Game Florida Summer Select Championship (Open) at the Boombah Sports Complex.

Photo: Antonio Rahming/Reloaded Baseball

XAVION JOHNSON, of The Bahamas, on top of podium with other medallists at the US Open Championships at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Saturday.

Summer McIntosh, 16, gets second gold medal at swimming worlds in Japan

By STEPHEN WADE AP Sports Writer

FUKUOKA, Japan

(AP) — Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh should be a star at next year’s Paris Olympics, and she showed why Sunday on the closing day of the swimming world championships in Japan.

The 16-year-old McIntosh won her second gold of the event, taking the 400meter individual medley after winning the 200 butterfly gold on Friday.

That made up for a slow start for the young Canadian, who finished fourth in the 400 free, where she held the world record until Australia’s Ariarne Titmus took it back. She also took bronze in the 200 free, at least getting a medal.

“Going into tonight I just wanted to see how hard I could push myself,” McIntosh said. She did just that. Her time of 4 minutes, 27.11 seconds was the third fastest ever, not far off her

world record of 4:25.87. She was also the defending world champion. American Katie Grimes took the silver in 4:31.41, with Jenna Forrester of Australia picking up the bronze in 4:32.30.

“It was definitely motivating,” McIntosh said of her first few days. “I try to turn everything that goes wrong into motivation somehow.”

Asked about Paris, she replied: “Right now I’m just thinking about a little break.”

McIntosh should be joined by other young stars in Paris like 21-year-old Frenchman Leon Marchand and Australia’s 22-year-old Kaylee McKeown. Marchand and McKeown each won three individual golds. The Americans also closed fast.

After winning only four gold medals during the first seven days, they picked up three on the eighth and final day for a total of seven golds and 38 overall. The gold total is still their

GOLD medallist Summer McIntosh waves at the camera during the medal ceremony for the 400 metre medley at the World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, yesterday. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

lowest in a worlds going back for around 20 years. They won only eight in the 2015 worlds.

Australia finished with 13 gold and 20 overall, and China had five gold and 16 overall.

“This is the cherry on top,” said American Regan Smith, part of the winning 4x100 women’s medley relay. “I love racing with these girls and I love relays so much and brining home

a gold in the last event for Team USA means so much to me and all of us.”

The Americans finished in 3:52.08, followed by Australia (3:53.37) and Canada (3:54.12).

The United States also won the men’s 4x100 medley in 3:27.20, ahead of China (3:29.00) and Australia (3:29.62), and added another gold with Hunter Armstrong in the 50-meter backstroke (24.05).

Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden made history with her victory in the women’s 50-meter freestyle. The gold gave Sjostrom 21 medals in individual races in the world championships, surpassing Michael Phelps who had 20.

Sjostrom, who set the world record in the semifinals on Saturday, powered home in the final 25 meters for the win, clocking 23.62.

Shayna Jack of Australia picked up the silver in 24.10, while Zhang Yufei of China earned the bronze in 24.15.

Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania set a world record on the way to winning gold in the women’s 50-meter breaststroke in 29.16. She equaled the old world mark of 29.30 the night before in the semifinals.

Meilutyte grabbed the early lead and was never challenged.

American Lilly King claimed the silver in 29.94, while Benedetta Pilato of Italy picked up the bronze

in 30.04. She shared the old record of 29.30 with Meilutyte.

Ahmed Hafnaoui of Tunisia added the men’s 1,500-metre free gold to the 800 free he won earlier in the worlds, prevailing in an epic battle with American Bobby Finke that went down to the wire.

The 20-year-old Hafnaoui, the defending 400 free Olympic champion, captured the gold in 14:31.54, with Finke clocking 14:31.59 for silver. Sam Short of Australia rounded out the podium with the bronze in 14:37.28.

The mark was just off the world record by Sun Yang of China, 14:31.02, set in 2012. Sun has been suspended for a doping violation.

“Bobby (Finke) is so fast at the end of the race. he pushed us to do the 14.31,” Hafnaoui said. “It was so close to the world record. I mean I enjoyed the race and thanks Bobby for pushing me.”

Legendary coach Bowman keeps turning out winning swimmers, and not just Americans

By STEPHEN WADE AP Sports Writer

FUKUOKA, Japan (AP)

— The American swim team has had a so-so meet at the world championships in Japan. Meanwhile, Australia and China have been pouring it on.

The American goldmedal count at the worlds is the lowest in at least two decades, although the overall medal count of gold, silver and bronze, is similar to most years.

After winning only four gold medals during the first seven days, they picked up three on Sunday — the eighth and final day — for a total of seven golds and 38 overall. The gold total is still their lowest in a worlds going back as least 20 years. They won only eight in the 2015 worlds.

Australia finished with 13 gold and 20 overall, and China had five gold and 16 overall.

“Obviously, we’d like to win more gold medals and

I think we will,” American coach Bob Bowman said going into Sunday’s final day.

The slight predicament for Bowman is that two of the swimmers he coaches at Arizona State University, Leon Marchand of France and Hungary’s Hubert Kos, have won four gold medals. Marchand has three, and he’s sure to be a star at next year’s Paris Olympics, and Kos has one.

That’s the same goldmedal total for the entire American team through seven of eight days — four gold. The average for the Americans over the last nine championships has been about 15 golds.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, two of the first three questions Bowman fielded were about Marchand and Kos, from French and Hungarian news outlets.

“If you look at swimming, every coach on the U.S. team is coaching a foreign swimmer, an international

swimmer. There’s always that dynamic,” said Bowman, who has legendary status for helping Michael Phelps win 23 Olympic gold medals.”

Bowman was cautious about taking credit for Kos, who came to Arizona State late last year. He went from being a good individual medley swimmer to a world

champion a few days ago in the 200-meter backstroke.

“I think it’s just the Bob Bowman effect,” said Kos, son of an American father and Hungarian mother.

“That’s as simple as it is.”

He said Bowman had a “magic” touch.

Bowman played down his role.

“He (Kos) had an excellent coach at home for 10 years before me,” Bowman said. “He deserved the credit for this. I just helped a little bit at the end.”

Bowman compared Marchand to Phelps. But can he produce and endure the pressure, particularly with the Olympics in his home country?

“It remains to be seen what he can do next year. It’s going to be a lot of expectations,” Bowman said. “But I feel like he’s done a very good rehearsal this year and last year. They’ve been good preparations for what will happen next year and we’ll try to carry that over to Paris.”

Swimming is an individual sport, separate from team sports like soccer.

It would be unthinkable for the coach of Real Madrid to be also coaching Barcelona players on the side. But it’s normal in swimming, and Bowman said he was “ethically” comfortable with it.

“I mean, the bottom line is I get paid to coach these guys at ASU,” he said.

“I’m representing my country for the love of my country and happy to do that. I don’t think there’s an ethical question. It’s not a zero-sum. I’m not taking away from the U.S. guys.”

He said he was interested in coaching the Americans at next year’s Olympics, but suggested any decision was still pending. “I don’t think we know yet,” he said. “I have to go through this week, get home, think about what the scenarios look (like) and then we’ll decide. I always want to do. But we’ll see how it goes.”

Ledecky passes Michael Phelps for most individual golds at world championships

By STEPHEN WADE AP Sports Writer

FUKUOKA, Japan (AP)

— Here’s why Katie Ledecky is one of the greatest freestyle swimmers in the history of the sport: She is never quite satisfied.

The 26-year-old American won the 800-meter freestyle on Saturday at the world championships to become the first swimmer to win six golds in the same event at worlds. It was also her 16th individual world title, breaking a tie with Michael Phelps for the most golds at worlds.

She also is a seven-time Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder in both the 800 and 1,500. But that winning time — 8 minutes, 8.87 seconds, which is the seventh-quickest she’d ever swum — wasn’t quite good enough in her favorite event.

“I’m just always trying to think of new ways to improve. I mean I’ve already got everything turning in my head right now. I kind of wanted to be better than I was tonight,” she said, twirling her right hand beside her right ear, trying to stir up ideas.

“I’m pretty tough on myself,” she said. “But I think I have found the

balance of being tough on myself but also having that grace.”

The 800 was Ledecky’s second individual gold following her win in the 1,500 free on Tuesday.

She also took silver in the 400 free. Li Bingjie of China took silver in 8:13.31, and Ariarne Titmus of Australia got the bronze in 8:13.59.

“It’s fun to leave a meet with your favorite event, and I just wanted to leave it all in the pool,” Ledecky said.

It was only the fourth gold for the United States in the seventh of eight days in the pool.

Meanwhile, Australia has been piling it on with 13 golds, matching its best at the worlds.

Australia won three more golds on Saturday.

The Americans lead the overall table with 31 medals (16 silver), Australia has 20 and China 13.

Kaylee McKeown of Australia made history of her own with gold in the women’s 200 backstroke. McKeown’s victory gave her a sweep of all three backstroke events after earlier wins in the 50 and 100. She became the first swimmer to sweep all three backstrokes at the worlds.It all made up for

her disqualification earlier in the 200 IM. “You can’t change the rules,” she said.

“I got ruled out. It’s just the cards I was dealt with and I couldn’t do much more than that. So I just had to carry myself the best I could and channel all my anger and turn a huge negative into a positive.”

Regan Smith of the United States picked up the silver in 2:04.94, while Peng Xuwei of China got the bronze in 2:06.74.

Sarah Sjöström of Sweden continued her dominance with gold in the 50 butterfly.

The 29-year-old won in 24.77 seconds and has now won the event five consecutive times at the worlds. The win brought Sjöström’s individual medals at the worlds to 20, equaling Phelps’ mark.

Sjöström also broke her own record in the 50 free, going 23.61 in a semifinal heat. Her old mark was 23.67 set in 2017.

“There are not too many secrets,” Sjöström said about her longevity. “Just do the work every day, go to practice, and stay humble.”

Zhang Yufei of China, who took gold in the 100 fly,

claimed the silver in 25.05, while American Gretchen Walsh got the bronze in 25.46.

Japanese fan favorite Rikako Ikee finished seventh (25.78) in the 50 fly but was greeted warmly by the home crowd.

The 23-year-old Ikee won six gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games and was expected to be a favorite in the Tokyo Olympics. But she was diagnosed with leukemia in February 2019.

Her comeback continues to resonate with both the Japanese public and her fellow competitors.

Cameron McEvoy of Australia led all the way to capture the gold in the 50 free in 21.06. It was his first individual gold in the worlds or Olympics.

American Jack Alexy collected his second silver of the worlds in 21.57 to go with his silver in the 100 free.

Benjamin Proud of Britian, last year’s world champion, took the bronze in 21.58.

Caeleb Dressel won the event at the Olympics but did not qualify for the U.S. team. McEvoy’s time was quicker than Dressel’s winning time in Tokyo — 21.07.

Maxime Grousset of France won gold in the 100 fly in 50.14.

The 24-year-old took the early lead and held on. Josh Liendo of Canada earned the silver in 50.34, while American Dare Rose made the podium with the bronze (50.46).

Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania equaled the world record of 29.30 in her semifinal in the 50 breaststroke. Australia won the 4x100 mixed freestyle relay in a world record of 3:18.83.

The Americans took silver in 3:20.82, with Britain getting the bronze in 3:21.68. The relay is not an Olympic event.

UNITED States head coach Bob Bowman speaks during a news conference at the World Swimming Championships. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

KATIE LEDECKY, of the United States, celebrates after winning the women’s 800m freestyle final at the World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, on Saturday. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Bahamas’ mixed relay team breaks national record for the second straight time

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas’ fourmember team of Lamar Taylor, Davanta Carey, Rhanishka Gibbs and Zaylie-Elizabeth Thompson closed out competition at the FINA World Aquatics Championships in the mixed 4 x 100 metre relay with a 27th place overall in Fukuoka, Japan.

The quartet, who were a part of the contingent to the Commonwealth Games in Budapest, Hungary, last year, was fifth in the third of five heats in three minutes and 43.29 seconds on Saturday for their second consecutive national record-breaking performance.

The same team also lowered the national record in the mixed 4 x 100 medley relay where they placed 24th overall in 4:03.98 with Taylor leading the way with his own national record-breaking feat on his opening leg of the 100m backstroke in 55.03.

“Competing with my Bahamian teammates was fun,” Taylor said. “Just being able to beat one of the highest levels of competition and swimming against some of the best in the world is amazing.”

In his final individual event on Saturday, 20-yearold Taylor finished 17th overall in the men’s 50m backstroke in 52.12 for his highest placing.

He added the feat to his 28th in the 50m freestyle in 22.26 for another national record and 40th in the 50m butterfly in 23.91 earlier during the week.

“I would say that my performance was really good, a few upsets but overall I’m not mad about them,” said Taylor. “It just shows that I have a little more way until I surpass my goal. I would

HAS

Bahamas to field its best team ever for FIBA Pre-Olympic qualifier in two weeks

FROM PAGE 14

Tournaments, will be played at the continental level in August 2023 and provides 40 countries that did not make it to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 hope of still reaching the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.

The tournaments will produce five teams who will go through to the second round, the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2024. Twenty-four teams will be participating in four Olympic Qualifying Tournaments with the 3 highest placed teams from Africa, Americas, and Asia/Oceania will be selected before the 16 highest placed teams from the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, and five teams through the pre-qualifying tournaments.

The winner of each tournament will qualify for the Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament.

As Team Bahamas gear up for their best chance of qualifying for the Olympics, for the first time, Ayton, still with the Phoenix Suns, has agreed to play with his new NBA team-mate Gordon.

was also in attendance.

say that I enjoyed my 50 fly the most. The fly is a stroke I get to swim much lately so being able to swim and perform well and drop time made me happy.”

Taylor also got some inspiration as he watched his mother Gena CulmerTaylor making history as the first Bahamian female to officiate at a World Swimming Championships.

“I feel very proud and I know she is proud of her accomplishment,” Taylor said of his mother.

With the summer competition now over, Taylor said he will try to get some rest

SAYS

and recover and prepare for his senior season at Henderson State University where he is coached by Scotty Serio and is majoring in health and human performance.

The other three competitors also faced off in a pair of individual events as well.

In his final event in the men’s 100m butterfly on Friday, Carey, 21, was 52nd in 55.48. He also was 47th in the men’s 100m backstroke. Carey is now heading to McKendree University where he will be entering his senior year for the Bearcats swim team.

A CROSSROAD’, STEPS AWAY FROM COMPETITIVE SWIMMING

FROM PAGE 14

and I am deeply grateful for how you have responsibly reported on the sport, shedding light on the hard work, perseverance, and sacrifices required in the world of competitive swimming.

“I extend my gratitude to all the reporters, photographers, editors, producers, and everyone behind the scenes who worked tirelessly to bring more publicity to the sport and the hard work of many of the athletes that I have the pleasure of calling my friends.”

To the public, Bastian said their unwavering support has been a driving force behind his journey.

“Your cheers, encouragement, and support have lifted me through triumphs and challenges,” he wrote.

“Your belief in me has inspired my pursuit of excellence, and I can’t thank you enough. You all have made this journey extraordinary, and I am forever thankful.”

While he’s stepping back from competing, Bastian said he plans to give back to the sport that has given so much to him as he further

pursues his education. “I want to give back to the kids a little more and that is something that I can achieve a little more, now that I am no longer on the competitive side,” he said.

“If that is helping out with coaching or giving lessons or just being someone as a resource for them to use if they have any questions about my process or their own individual process, I just want to be a bank of knowledge if they need it.”

In his advice to the younger swimmers following in his footsteps, Bastian encouraged them to have “fun in the process,” which is the most important aspect of the sport.

“When you race, it’s only for a few seconds or minutes at a time and that’s such a small amount when compared to the time you put into training,” he said.

“So have fun with the grind and compare yourself with yourself. “Don’t look at other people and be hard on yourself. If you are better than yesterday, that’s a win.

So keep up the hard work and be happy and you will enjoy your longevity in the sport like I did.”

Gibbs, 17, had her final event on Saturday in the women’s 50m freestyle where she was 51st in 26.64 for a national recordbreaking performance.

Gibbs, heading into the 12th grade at Queen’s College, was also 39th in the 50m butterfly in 28.43.

And Thompson, 19, was 34th in the women’s 200m medley in 2:25.36 and 38th in the 100m freestyle in 58.86. She is attending Howard University.

“The team performed at a high standard,” said Bahamas Aquatics’ president Algernon Cargill, who

“Our athletes were excited to compete at a high standard and all performed at their best.

“Lamar Taylor had an exceptional performance in the 50 metres backstroke and missed the semifinals by one hundredth of a second, placing 17th overall.”

Cargill said overall, the championship was very competitive with multiple world records set. “This has inspired our athletes to train even harder in order to qualify for podium positions,” he stated.

They are expected to join Hield of the Indiana Pacers and Jones of the Charlotte Hornets, who played together last year for Team Bahamas.

The remainder of the squad, which will be coached by Golden State Warriors’ assistant coach Chris DeMarco, will include a number of players playing in Europe and in college. Jaraun ‘Kino’ Burrows is in Avignon, France; Domnick Bridgewater (Avigon, France); Rashad Davis (Challans, France); Willie Mackey (Lyon, France); Trtavis Munnings (Boulazac, France); David Nesbitt (UniFacisa, Brazil); Kentwan Smith (BC Lulea, Sweden); Garvin Clarke (IUP); Lourawls ‘Tum Tum’ Nairn (Michigan State); Franco Miller Jr (Flporida Gulf Coast) and AJ Scott (Wisconsin).

The general manager for the team is LJ Rose and the assistant coaches are Mikhail McClean, Moses Johnson, Charles Allen, MyKee Thompson and Addi Waiters, The head of Performance is Motoki, assisted by Alli Greene. Kellen Hutchinson and Crippie Wilson are a part of the team operations. John Marc Nutt will travel as the film/social media coordinator.

The Bahamas is coming off a 88-66 loss to Panama on February 26 and 115-70 to Venezuela on February 23 to finish the last qualifying window of the FIBA World Cup with a 2-4 winloss record.

During his career, Bsstian collected a pair of medals at the Commonwealth Youth Games, he participated in the Central American and Caribbean Games, two Commonwealth Games, the World Championships a few times and once at the Olympic Games in 2021.

A multiple CARIFTA medalist and record holder, Bastian also particip[anted in the CCCAN Championships and CISC Championships where he also also won a few medals.

As a college student/ athlete ast Florida State, Bastian left his mark with a pair of records and he made it to the NCAA Championships all four years he competed and was AllAmerican and their relay teams.

He also went to the ACC Championships where he medaled.

THE Bahamas’ swim team, from left to right, Lamar Taylor, Rhanishka Gibbs, Zaylie-Elizabeth Thompson and Davante Carey at the FINA World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

IZAAK

HE

‘REACHED

IZAAK BASTIAN

Morocco makes history in 1-0 defeat of South Korea

ADELAIDE, Australia

(AP) — Morocco made history in multiple ways during its 1-0 victory over South Korea in the Women’s World Cup yesterday.

Defender Nouhaila Benzina became the first player to wear a Hijab in a World Cup game at the senior level, and her teammate Ibtissam Jraïdi scored the Atlas Lionesses’ first World Cup goal.

The Moroccans scored in the 6th minute and were able to make it stand up for the remainder of the match.

After a lopsided 6-0 loss against Germany, the victory keeps No. 72-ranked Morocco in contention to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.

NEW ZEALAND ELIMINATED AFTER 0-0 DRAW WITH SWITZERLAND

By ELLEN MCINTYRE Associated Press

DUNEDIN, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand outshot Switzerland and even moved goalkeeper Victoria Esson into an attack position several times, but failed to break a 0-0 tie yesterday in the Women’s World Cup and became the first host nation to be eliminated in group play in tournament history.

The Football Ferns are co-hosting the World Cup with Australia, which must win Monday against Canada to avoid its own early elimination.

Switzerland advanced to the round of 16. The Swiss also played to a scoreless draw against Norway, but won the group with the draw against New Zealand, coupled with the Norwegians’ simultaneous 6-0 rout of the Philippines.

New Zealand controlled the pace for long stretches of the match and had its chances to score, outshooting Switzerland 12-3. Jacqui Hand knocked a shot off the right post in the 24th minute.

All 25,947 seats at Forsyth Barr Stadiums were filled — the only one of Dunedin’s six tournament matches to sell out. The raucous crowd stomped and cheered all night, to no avail.

The tournament began July 20 with New Zealand upsetting Norway 1-0, but the Ferns failed to score from the 48th minute of that match through two more games. They lost their previous match 1-0 against the Philippines.

KEY MOMENTS

Esson moved into an offensive position several times in the last minutes of the match as New Zealand pressed for a winner. She managed a header off a corner kick but was off target.

WHY IT MATTERS Switzerland becomes one of two teams from Group A to advance to the round of 16. It’s only the team’s second time in the knockout round — the first was in the Swiss’ only previous Women’s World Cup in 2015. The New Zealanders’ failure to score put an end to their Women’s World Cup run.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

“Just gutted, I think. Obviously we talked and we were proud of ourselves and what we’ve been able to accomplish, but at the end of the day we wanted to get out of this group stage and we just didn’t. It’s just black and white.

“So, obviously gutted,” said New Zealand midfielder Malia Steinmetz of the elimination.

“We expected it to be really tough. New Zealand really tried everything they could, and I think we knew how to respond, especially defensively. We did a lot right,” said Inka Grings, Switzerland’s coach.

KEY MOMENTS

Morocco scored its first ever World Cup goal in the sixth minute when Ibtissam Jraïdi met a cross from Hanane Aït El Haj with a glancing header toward the far post.

South Korea had the majority of the possession but was unable to translate the advantage into many scoring opportunities. Its best chance at equalising came in the 87th minute when 16-year-old New Jersey resident Casey Phair pushed a shot just wide of the post. Phair, the youngest player to appear at a World Cup, went on as a late substitute.

WHY IT MATTERS After dropping its opening match 6-0 to Germany,

Morocco’s victory temporarily moves it level with Germany and Colombia on three points ahead of the matchup later yesterday between those teams in Sydney. Morocco becomes the first Arab Nation ever to win a game at a Women’s World Cup and remains in contention to advance to the round of 16.

South Korea is all but eliminated from the tournament after its second loss of the tournament.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

“We are just so pleased our efforts have paid off. This victory is for Morocco and Arabs — it’s the fruit of our hard

work.” — Ibtissam Jraïdi, Morocco forward. “The reality is we were not good enough in both games. Why that was, we have to analyse. The players are much better than they’ve shown in both matches and it really is almost unbelievable that we’ve performed like we have.”

— Collin Bell, South Korea coach.

WHAT’S NEXT Morocco will take on Colombia on the final day of the group stage Thursday in Perth in a match that may decide which of the two teams advances to the round of 16.

South Korea will play Germany in Brisbane. The two matches will kick off simultaneously.

Caicedo shines before late Vanegas goal seals Colombia’s 2-1 win over Germany

By JAMES ROBSON AP Soccer Writer

SYDNEY (AP) —

Believe the hype. Linda Caicedo is for real, and so are Colombia’s chances of going far at the Women’s World Cup.

As for the country’s fans, who gave Sydney Football Stadium the feel of a Colombia home game on Sunday, their passionate support created a jubilant atmosphere that lingered long after a 2-1 win over two-time champion Germany provided one of the tournament’s great upsets.

“This is something historic for us. We’ve been feeling the whole time the backing from the fans from our country,” Colombia assistant coach Angelo Marsiglia said. “Today we were playing as a home team.”

Caicedo produced another moment of magic to put Colombia on course for back-to-back wins in Group H with her opening goal in the 52nd minute. She needed treatment late in regulation but stayed on the field and, five minutes later, Alexandra Popp equalized from the penalty spot.

That setback for Colombia in the 89th merely preceded an even later twist when defender Manuela Vanegas headed

in a winner in seventh minute of stoppage time.

Cue wild celebrations from Colombia, and looks of disbelief among the German players.

Caicedo and her teammates certainly have had a dramatic campaign. The 18-year-old Real Madrid star had a health scare earlier in the week when she dropped to the ground, holding her chest in a practice session. Team officials said it was fatigue, and she certainly appeared to be in full flight for her stunning second-half strike.

Cancer survivor Caicedo had already scored from distance in the 2-0 win against South Korea on Tuesday. But while that goal involved an error from

goalkeeper Yoon Younggeul, on this occasion it was all about individual brilliance.

Collecting the ball from just inside the area after a corner, she worked her way into space by bewildering two German defenders in a fast-stepping move before lashing a shot into the top corner.

Caicedo, followed by her teammates, charged toward the corner to get closer to share the moment with the elated crowd.

“Linda Caicedo is a fantastic player. We knew that before the World Cup,” Germany coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg said. “We needed to be very attentive.

“It was a good goal. I have to admit that. But we

definitely should be better. We should keep ball.”

Germany is unlikely to be the last team to get the Caicedo treatment in her debut World Cup, provided she remains healthy.

Just days after struggling with fatigue at practice, Caicedo needed medical treatment behind play in the 84th minute. She dropped to the ground and, as she lay face down on the pitch, was checked by trainers as the referee stood nearby. She got up and started walking to the bench but, after signaling she was okay, went back onto the field and continued the game.

Marsiglia later tried to allay concerns, explaining that the teenager had been exhausted but adding that there was a “bit of acceleration” in her heart.

While Caicedo has been her country’s inspiration at the tournament, Vanegas’ late strike embodied the wide spread of talent in the team. She rose to head in substitute Leicy Santos’ corner deep into time added on to move Colombia to the top of the group.

“This was a decisive match to qualify for the next round,” Marsiglia said. “This is a great win for the whole country but the game and tournament still continues.”

Germany now must regroup, having gone so close to salvaging a draw when Colombia goalkeeper Catalina Perez was penalized for bringing down Lena Oberdorf in the box.

Popp, who scored twice in her country’s opening 6-0 rout of Morocco, fired straight down the middle to level the game.

Germany has never failed to advance from the group stage of the World Cup and this was its first loss in a group game since 1995. It is still expected to beat South Korea in its last game of Group H, but will likely have to settle for second place, which could set up a round of 16 match with France.

The runners-up at last year’s Euros should have been ahead in the first half when Popp was guilty of missing the target with a with a volley from close range shortly before the break.

Earlier Lina Magull had the chance to test Perez from close range, but miskicked and the opportunity was wasted.

WHAT’S NEXT

In the last of the group games Thursday, Germany faces South Korea and Colombia plays Morocco, with three teams still able to advance to the knockout stage.

Norway moves into knockout round with 6-0 rout over the Philippines

By ZACH ALLEN Associated Press

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Sophie

Roman Haug’s hat trick kick-started Norway’s dormant offense and sparked a 6-0 blowout win over the Philippines on Sunday that moved the Norwegians into to the knockout stage of the Women’s World Cup.

The Philippines’ debut run in the tournament came to an end as Norway scored early and often, netting three goals in the first 31 minutes.

Norway’s spot in the round of 16 was secured when Switzerland and New Zealand simultaneously played to a 0-0 draw and the Norwegians. Norway and New Zealand were tied in Group A but Norway advanced on goal differential. New Zealand became the first host country to be eliminated in the group stage in tournament history.

Before the game, Norway had not scored in three consecutive Women’s World Cup matches dating to the quarterfinals of the 2019 tournament.

But Roman Haug onetimed a ball into the net in the sixth minute, and scored again 11 minutes later. Caroline Graham Hansen added a

long-distance shot in the 31st minute.

Roman Haug completed the hat trick in injury time.

In the second half, an Alicia Barker own goal in the 48th minute and Guro Reiten’s penalty kick in the 53rd minute extended Norway’s lead to 5-0. Filipina defender Sofia Harrison received a red card in the 67th minute for using excessive force, and the Philippines played the rest of the match a player down.

Eden Park was turned into a makeshift home match for the Philippines,

as the Filipina fans screamed in unison any time the Philippines touched the ball, even as the deficit grew.

The Philippines were fresh off of a historic 1-0 win over co-host New Zealand that marked the first Women’s World Cup win for the debutantes.

KEY MOMENTS

Roman Haug got the Norwegians off to a hot start. The first of her two goals was a left-footed volley from inside the six-yard box in the sixth minute. Eleven minutes later, Roman Haug scored

a header delivered by a Vilde Boe Risa cross.

Roman Haug’s header flew over the reach of Philippines goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel. Graham Hansen scored on a long-distance strike that curled into the bottom left corner in the 31st minute to give Norway its third goal of the half. From that point on, Norway was in control.

WHY IT MATTERS

The win advances Norway to the knockout stage after the Norwegians found themselves in last

place in Group A heading into the Philippines match. The Norwegians had yet to score in 2023 before their six-goal eruption.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

“They showed some of their class today with their skill. They picked us apart and won a couple of battles in the air in the box early. We really released the pressure early and allowed them to, sort of, be a little more creative as the game went on,” Philippines head coach Alen Stajcic said.

“We’ve been talking quite a bit about having the first goal, then it will give us energy. We know in our attack, we are strong and have good combination play both on the right side and left side. Today was the day that, when we had the first one, we knew there could be more,” Norway head coach Hege Riise said.

WHAT’S NEXT

Norway will play either Japan or Spain in the round of 16 next Saturday, depending on the results of a game between those Group C teams on Monday.

The inaugural tournament run ends for the Philippines, who needed at least a draw to have a chance of moving on.

NORWAY players celebrate after Philippines’ Alicia Barker, bottom, scored an own goal during the Women’s World Cup Group A soccer match against Philippines at Eden Park stadium yesterday.

(AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

COLOMBIA’s Linda Caicedo celebrates after scoring her side’s opening goal during the Women’s World Cup Group H soccer match between Germany and Colombia at the Sydney Football Stadium in Sydney, Australia, yesterday. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

MOROCCO’s Nouhaila Benzina gestures during the Women’s World Cup Group H soccer match between South Korea and Morocco in Adelaide, Australia, yesterday.

(AP Photo/James Elsby)

JONQUEL HAS 13 POINTS, 13 REBOUNDS TO HELP LIBERTY GET 87-79 WIN OVER SPARKS

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Breanna Stewart scored 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds, Jonquel Jones added 13 points and 13 boards and New York never trailed yesterday in the Liberty’s 87-79 win over the Los Angeles Sparks.

Marine Johannes made 5 of 7 from 3-point range and finished with 15 points for the Liberty (19-6). Sabrina Ionescu added 14 points, six rebounds and five assists and Courtney Vandersloot scored eight points with nine assists and six rebounds.

New York, which played its seventh game in 12 days, is off to the best 25-game start in franchise history. The Liberty have won five of their last six.

Ionescu and Johannes each hit two 3-pointers in a 19-0 run that made it 21-2 with 2:52 left in the first quarter.

Nneka Ogwumike scored for the Sparks to make it 2-2 but they went scoreless for the next

nearly-six minutes, missing 12 straight field-goal attempts. Los Angeles (9-16), which had won back-to-back games over the Indiana Fever, has lost nine of its last 11. Dearica Hamby scored 21 points, Jordin Canada added 17 and Azurá Stevens 13 for the Sparks. Ogwumike had 10 points.

The Liberty moved a game in front of third-place Connecticut in the WNBA standings, 3 1/2 games back of first-place Las Vegas.

New York hit 15 3-pointers and finished with 26 assists on 32 made field goals. The Liberty became just the second team in WNBA history to have at least 12 games with 25-plus assists in a single-season, joining the 2022 Chicago Sky (18).

On Friday night, Jones scored nine points in a 88-83 loss to the Minnesota Lynx.

ACES 104, WINGS 91

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Kelsey Plum scored 28 points, Chelsea

Gray added 27 points and eight assists, and the Las Vegas Aces beat the Dallas Wings 104-91 yesterday to improve to 23-2.

A’ja Wilson had 22 points and six blocks as the Aces avenged one of their two losses this season. They have won seven games in a row, dating to an 80-78 loss in Dallas on July 8, and 16 of their last 17.

LYNX 87, SUN 83

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Kayla McBride hit four 3-pointers and finished with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting, Lindsay Allen added 16 points and six assists, and Minnesota beat Connecticut. Aerial Powers scored 14 points, Jessica Shepard had 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Dorka Juhász added 11 points for the Lynx. Minnesota (13-13) has won three games in a row — including an 88-83 victory over the Eastern Conference-leading New York Liberty on Friday.

STORM 85, FEVER 62

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) —

Jewell Loyd scored 26 points with eight assists, and Jordan Horston made 7 of 11 from the field and finished with 15 points to help Seattle beat Indiana.

Seattle (6-19), which snapped a franchise-record 10-game losing streak with a 97-74 win Friday over the Chicago Sky, has won back-to-back games for the first time this season.

DREAM 80, MYSTICS 73 COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP)

— Allisha Gray tied her career high with 27 points, and Nia Coffey had a season-high 16 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two blocks to help Atlanta beat Washington.

Gray made 8 of 11 from the field, 3 of 6 from 3-point range and 8 of 8 from the free-throw line. Rhyne Howard added 11 points, five rebounds, five steals

Billie Jean King Cup: Team Bahamas relegated to Group III

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

AFTER competing against the Pool B teams at the Billie Jean King Cup (BJKC) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Team Bahamas was relegated to the Americas Group lll.

The team, featuring Sydney Clarke, Elana Mackey, Simone Pratt and Saphirre Ferguson, wrapped up their final games against Costa Rica, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic in a relegation play-off. The competition ended with Ecuador from Pool A and Venezuela from Pool B being promoted to Americas Group l.

Team Bahamas fell to the host country in two matches. Mackey went up against Ana Zamburek of the Dominican Republic in singles competition. The Bahamas dropped the first set of match one 6-3. The host team comfortably nabbed the win in the second set 6-0.

Match two got underway between The Bahamas’ Clarke and Kelly Williford of the Dominican Republic. The two ladies needed three sets to determine a winner in the competitive match. Williford was the first of the two to collect a win. She concluded the initial set 6-3. In the following set, Clarke bounced back for Team Bahamas, dropping the Dominican Republic 6-1. With match two now tied, both ladies were hungry for the win. Ultimately, Williford gained the upper hand in the third consecutive set, winning 6-2.

The Americas Group ll relegation play-off saw Clarke convert on 67% of her first serve ins.

Meanwhile, Williford went 36/72 in the same category at 50%.

However, the latter made 64% of first serve points won and Clarke went 32/51 for 63% in their match.

Perry Newton, president of the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA), was impressed with the way the team competed in the Dominican Republic. “I am firstly thankful that God kept all the teams safe. I am extremely proud of the players as it is a culmination of a year of hard work.” Newton said.

He added that despite the ladies being placed in Americas Group lll for 2024, they played an amazing tournament and just came up a bit short.

“The competition was intense and there were many positive takeaways. The team is in high spirits and is looking forward to next year’s competition,” he said.

Team Bahamas did not walk away from the BJKC empty-handed as the team took care of business against Costa Rica.

Mackey turned in a competitive performance in her singles match versus Lucia Gallegos en route to the team’s 2-1 win.

The match was evenly matched until the final set.

In set one, Mackey got the first win 6-4. Costa Rica stole set two with an identical score. The last set went to Team Bahamas after Mackey won 7-6(4).

Costa Rica won match two after Nicole Alfaro defeated Clarke in another

best of three tiebreaker.

The singles match saw Alfaro narrowly win set one 7-6(2). However, Clarke charged back in the consecutive set, winning 6-3.

In the final set, Costa Rica claimed the win 6-3.

The final match featured doubles action with the duo of Clarke and Pratt.

The dynamic duo brought it home for Team Bahamas following a drubbing in two sets. The ladies won set one 6-2 and followed behind with 6-3 in the last set of the match.

Additionally, Venezuela earned a 3-0 win against The Bahamas this past weekend. After playing in three matches, The Bahamas finished third in Pool B with a 1-2 won/lost record. Also, the team went 2-7 in the matches won and lost.

The BLTA president said there is a lot of talent in The Bahamas but now it is the time to continue to provide opportunities for athletes to train and compete at a high level.

ZVEREV BEATS DJERE TO WIN HAMBURG OPEN

HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — Alexander Zverev won the Hamburg European Open for the first time yesterday by beating Laslo Djere 7-5, 6-3.

It’s the 26-year-old Zverev’s first title since winning in Turin, Italy, in November 2021 and he achieved it without dropping a set at his hometown tournament.

The fourth-seeded Zverev began the week denying allegations of assault after the public prosecutor’s office in Berlin

applied for a penalty order to be made against him.

Zverev said the matter was being handled by his lawyers. He progressed to the final with wins over Alex Molcan, Maximilian Marterer, Luca van Assche, and Arthur Fils.

Zverev converted three of his four break points to beat the 57th-ranked Djere in 1 hour, 50 minutes. Dutch player Arantxa Rus won the women’s title on Saturday.

and two blocks and Cheyenne Parker also scored 11 for Atlanta.

SKY 104, MERCURY 85

CHICAGO (AP) — Kahleah Copper scored 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting, Marina Mabrey hit four 3-pointers and finished with 23 points and Chicago beat Phoenix.

Courtney Williams made 9 of 13 from the field, scored 19 points and had nine assists and Alanna Smith added 10 points for Chicago (10-15).

TOP-RANKED SWIATEK ROUTS SIEGEMUND 6-0, 6-1 IN WARSAW FINAL

WARSAW, Poland (AP)

— Top-ranked Iga Swiatek won her fourth title of the year and her first at home by routing Laura Siegemund 6-0, 6-1 in the final of the Poland Open on Sunday. The French Open champion didn’t lose a set over the course of the tournament. Swiatek has also won at Doha and Stuttgart this year.

“I want to thank my team and my family. It’s not easy to play in Warsaw, but I’m so happy that we could manage and do everything we could today, after a pretty tiring day yesterday,” the Polish player said.

“I wanted to put it all in and go for it. I’m pretty happy that I did.”

Swiatek only advanced to the final earlier yesterday after finishing off her semifinal match against Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer, 6-1, 7-6 (6). That match had been suspended on Saturday night due to darkness at 6-1, 5-5.

Swiatek had a much easier time in the 68-minute final, breaking her German opponent five times and never facing a break point.

TEAM Bahamas featuring Sydney Clarke, Elana Mackey, Simone Pratt, and Saphirre Ferguson competed at the 2023 Billy Jean King Cup in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic this past weekend.