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VOLUME:118 No.04, NOVEMBER 26TH, 2020

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Turnquest goes quietly for now ‘I will have more to say about the allegations made against me and the actors that have perpetuated it’

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis accepted Peter Turnquest’s resignation as deputy prime minister and minister of finance yesterday evening, ending nearly a week of political intrigue after the East Grand Bahama MP was named in a Supreme Court lawsuit relating to an alleged $27m fraud.

Dr Minnis said in a brief statement that he will serve as interim finance minister before a substantive appointment is made to that post. Mr Turnquest said he will continue to serve out his term as MP. SEE PAGE THREE

SENATOR’S FAMILY PAID ‘ENORMOUS’ OFFICE RENT FRONT PORCH

By NEIL HARTNELL the ten-year lease of their Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Auditor General says a Senator’s relatives stand to earn “an enormous sum” from leasing their Gladstone Road property to a government agency that typically loses over $1m per year.

Terrance Bastian and his staff, in their audit examination of the National Training Agency (NTA) that was tabled in the House of Assembly, said

DR MICHAEL DARVILLE the $7.9m in rental income that Dr Michael Darville’s family stands to gain over

Gladstone Road property represented a significant commitment on the Government’s behalf.

“Annually, $790,000 is expended for the agency’s rental office space, New Providence head office,” the Auditor General’s report added.

“At the end of the ten year lease agreement, the expenditure will amount to $7.9m. This outlay is considered an enormous sum.”

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

MAGICAL THINKING WON’T SEE US THROUGH THIS CRISIS

PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Thursday, November 26, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Gibson helps out schools LONG Island MP Adrian Gibson visited all schools in his constituency last week and presented the principals/administrators with a combined total of 300 tablets.

These tablets will heighten the educational experience and provide students with greater access to technology. The tablets will also assist with learning during this period of COVID-19.

Mr Gibson also donated 600 fully loaded backpacks to the schools. The backpacks featured a variety of items – school books, hand sanitizers, folders, pencil cases, pens, pencils, rulers, erasers, sharpeners, crayons, school glue sticks, etc.

Given the COVID-19 pandemic, and the importance of maintaining good hygiene, the MP also donated a few cases of hand sanitizer to each school.

ADRIAN Gibson MP pictured during his visits to schools in his constituency in Long Island.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, November 26, 2020, PAGE 3

Turnquest goes quietly - for now from page one Mr Turnquest’s resignation came as a surprise even to his Cabinet colleagues, with one minister telling The Tribune last night that he was “devastated and shocked” by the outcome.

The Tribune understands that Mr Turnquest’s Cabinet colleagues largely wanted him to remain the steward of the country’s fiscal affairs as the nation battles the economic fallout from the COVID-19 crisis.

Mr Turnquest and Dr Minnis sat side by side for what will likely be the last time in the House of Assembly earlier yesterday. As parliamentarians debated a bill to amend the Penal Code, questions about Mr Turnquest’s future hovered over proceedings and were much discussed on the sidelines of the House. His departure from Cabinet comes several months after Elizabeth MP Dr Duane Sands resigned as health minister under controversial circumstances.

He is the third Cabinet minister to resign from the Minnis administration, after Brent Symonette quit his post as minister of immigration and trade last year.

Elected deputy leader of the Free National Movement in 2014 during the party’s tumultuous time in opposition, Mr Turnquest stood by Dr Minnis’ side when Loretta Butler-Turner led a revolt against the Killarney MP in 2016. Despite this, the pair did not enjoy a strong relationship and Mr Turnquest was not in the prime minister’s circle of most trusted colleagues, sources said.

Nonetheless, some in the FNM last night said that by accepting the resignation, Dr Minnis was being true to his long-held promise to take a zero tolerance approach to allegations of corruption and to hold his Cabinet colleagues to a high standard.

Mr Turnquest said it had been his honour and privilege to serve in public office.

“I have done so with total fidelity and adherence to the tenets of our democracy and the Westminster conventions by which we are guided,” he said in a statement.

“As a consequence of all the unfounded and untrue claims that have been circulating in the mainstream press as well as in social media, to protect my family, and in the best interest of my constituency and my party, I have offered my resignation as deputy prime minister and minister of finance to the prime minister with immediate effect.”

Mr Turnquest said, as

PETER Turnquest speaking to the media yesterday and, right, the Prime Minister’s statement accepting his resignation.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff finance minister, he tried to deepen the country’s democracy through legislation modernising and reforming the management of the economy and the public’s finances.

“When I met with the prime minister today, I informed him that while I am confident that once the allegations against me have been fully ventilated through the courts my reputation of transparency and accountability will be vindicated. I did not want a private business dispute, which occurred prior to my taking public office, to become a distraction to the government, or to the important national work that lies ahead,” he said.

“Our nation is undergoing an unprecedented time in its history. We are fighting a global pandemic, resulting in unprecedented economic

challenges and a difficult road ahead to maintain stability and recovery. We must all continue to commit to doing our part.

“I look forward to putting this matter behind me and continuing to encourage modernisation and reform in our country to which, I remain so grateful for allowing me to serve.”

Mr Turnquest said he will discuss the circumstances of the allegations against him and those who perpetuated the claims at a later date.

In a statement of claim filed last week, Alpha Aviation Limited and Advanced Aviation Limited alleged that Randy Butler and Mr Turnquest conspired “wrongfully and with intent to injure” their companies and/or “to cause loss to them by unlawful means and/or to enrich themselves.”

Plaintiffs

alleged that

State ment by Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hube Mr Turnrt Minnis on the resignation of the Minister of Finance quest and Captain I have accepted the resignation of the Minister of Finance the Hon. K. Peter Turnquest, Butler used effective immediately. “some 39 fraudulent I thank Mr. Turnquest for his service to The Baham as, especially during the COVID-19 invoices pandemic. and/or book I will serve as interim Minister of Finance and will entries, make a substantive appointment in due course. and for no adequate ____________ consideration”drained 25 November 2020 away some Office of the Prime Minister $3.8m paid Commonwealth of The Bahamas

by Alpha Contact: opmcommunications@bahamas.gov.bs Aviation to Website: www.opm.gov.bs Aviation Oversight ber 31, named Group via 39 separate 2017”, to AOG Mainteas a defendant in the lawcheque payments between February 2008 and July nance Ltd, a company that suit and maintains his owned Sky Bahamas’ main- innocence. His former Sky 2016.

They alleged that a fur- tenance hangar at Lynden Bahamas partner, Captain International Butler, has also said he is ther $3.026m was also Pindling innocent of the accusations alleged to have been Airport. siphoned off “as at DecemMr Turnquest was not in the suit.

HEALTH EXPERTS SAY PUT SAFETY FIRST THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net

LOCAL and regional health officials are calling on travellers to be responsible this holiday season to prevent a spike in COVID19 given that a vaccine will not be available for months.

Dr Nikkiah Forbes, director of the national HIV/AIDS and infectious diseases programme, said there is a possibility of a spike, but it can be prevented.

“It’s fully possible,” Dr Forbes said. “When persons travel, they should keep in mind that they take the risk of contracting COVID19 during their travels and they can spread it to other persons when they return home after the travel.

“What we usually see is that after an event then,

if there is a spread or an uptick in spread it is going to be two to three weeks after that event happens.

A spike can be preventable if we follow the public health measures and try to minimise travel to essential and emergency. We can reduce the chance of having a surge if we follow the public health measures and the emergency orders.”

Local COVID-19 figures have declined in recent weeks, with only nine cases recorded nationally on Tuesday. Eight of those were in New Providence and one was in Grand Bahama.

Dr Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO assistant director, said people can enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas with their loved ones, but they must bear in mind the risk they take of contracting and transmitting

the virus.

“Definitely this spike can happen, but the idea that we, the authorities, are encouraging is to try to prevent it,” said the PAHO official during the agency’s weekly regional press conference. “We can enjoy Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year with our families and our communities, but we need to keep in mind that it can be very risky, including travel. So it is important to prevent the spikes and the spread of the virus, generally.”

Dr Barbosa said people should continue to wear masks, practice social distancing and ask themselves if travelling is really necessary.

“We cannot predict that there will be an outbreak after the holidays, but we know it can happen because more people are traveling and gathering together

and more people going to enclosed spaces,” he said.

“So we need to be very vigilant about preventing this kind of situation.”

Many Bahamians have traveled this week to the United States, Canada and other regional countries for Thanksgiving and plan to do the same for Christmas. Dr Barbosa gave an idea of what is happening with COVID-19 in those countries.

“Since the start of the pandemic, there have been more than 25 million cases and more than 700,000 deaths due to COVID-19 in our region,” he continued. “Since our press conference last week, more than 1.5 million cases were reported in the Americas – the highest weekly numbers since the start of the pandemic.

“And while a rapid surge of infections in the United

States has been a major driver, cases are continuing to accelerate in some countries of North, Central and South America as part of a mosaic of different epidemiological patterns we’re seeing. In Canada, infections are rising, particularly among the elderly. The virus is also reaching high numbers among indigenous communities, which are especially vulnerable due to their remote locations and challenging access to health infrastructure.”

Two weeks ago, it was announced that Pfizer pharmaceutical company had achieved success with a COVID-19 vaccine, however it is awaiting the approval of the US Federal Drug Administration. Dr. Barbosa said, although this is good news, there will still be some time before this is ready for use.

“Many people are understandably encouraged by recent developments in the search for an effective COVID-19 vaccine, but we must continue to be patient and cautious because it will be months before a vaccine is widely available,” he said.

“After months of staying at home, many of us are weighing difficult decisions about whether to see friends, gather with family or travel to see loved ones during the holidays. So today, I’d like to provide some advice on how to celebrate responsibly this holiday season.”

Dr Barbosa urges everyone to weigh their options carefully, and follow the guidance of national health authorities.

Up to press time, The Bahamas had 7,469 recorded cases of COVID-19.

PAGE 4, Thursday, November 26, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Munroe: 8,000 police cannot subjugate 400,000 people

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net ATTORNEY Wayne Munroe, QC, has accused the competent authority of “playing games” with Bahamians’ liberty, as he suggested the country could be on the brink of upheaval over the issuance of a new emergency proclamation.

Speaking to The Tribune yesterday, Mr Munroe questioned the grounds for which a new proclamation has been issued, adding attorneys are exploring a lawsuit against the government over the continuous restriction of people’s movement.

His comments came the day after Governor General CA Smith issued the new proclamation, his third since the COVID-19 pandemic began earlier this year.

The new proclamation was issued a week after Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis told the House of Assembly he intended to seek Parliament’s approval to extend the country’s state of emergency, which was set to expire on November 30 under a previous proclamation, to December 28.

However, the newest emergency proclamation means a state of emergency can be in place for up to six more months, unless revoked earlier.

“What happens is the Constitution says that the Governor General can make a proclamation of

a state of emergency and it has a life of 14 days and then it says Parliament may extend up to six months but nothing requires the Governor General to put that in his proclamation,” Mr Munroe said.

“But stop and think about this, the current regime that they are in means that the state of emergency that we’re currently on could

ATTORNEY WAYNE MUNROE, QC. have been extended to the middle of January. We are now coming to the end of November. How do they know what will be the state of affairs by January?

“The competent authority is playing games with people’s liberty. The Bahamian people’s patience is going to run out with them and they will soon learn that 8,000 policemen and

soldiers cannot control 400,000 people. They need to stop doing stupidness.

“The bottom line is this: you have a state of affairs that can remain until the middle of January, why oh why are you at the middle of January purporting to say you will need more time than that?

“What is the need for the precipitous declaration

now? Haven’t they told us that the rate of infections and hospitalisations are falling? Aren’t the fatalities falling? So what is the emergency?

“He’s going to bring it to a point that people like me are going to tell the public that 8,000 police cannot subjugate 400,000 people.”

Mr Munroe said with the continuance of emergency orders, Bahamians will have no choice but to fight for their rights. “At some point the Bahamian people will have to do what has always been done when tyrants and despots try to take their rights. You sometimes have to resist them.”

Attorney General Carl Bethel told The Tribune on Tuesday night that a new proclamation was issued because the government “wished to avoid debate on a new proclamation in the middle of the Christmas holidays”.

“It would take MPs out of their constituencies for about a week having regards to the need to table in both Houses (of Parliament) and debate the next day.

“The Governor General in his own deliberate judgment decided to make the proclamation. He could have always said no. It was ultimately his decision,” Mr Bethel explained.

Tuesday night, Progressive Liberal Party leader Philip “Brave” Davis said the opposition party “does not and will not support the new proclamation

of emergency issued this evening by the Governor General.”

Mr Davis said in a statement: “We will refuse to allow the matter to be debated... in the House and will not waive the notice requirement.

“The issue of the proclamation is an abuse of power.

Civil liberties have been suspended long enough and we say the suspension must end and go no farther.”

The Bahamas has been under a state of emergency since the Governor General first issued a proclamation on March 18, shortly after the country recorded its first COVID-19 case.

That initial proclamation expired on June 29 after the government failed to bring a resolution in time to have it extended.

However, the Governor General swiftly issued a second proclamation.

Last week, former Minister of State for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez, QC, told The Nassau Guardian the government may face litigation if a new proclamation of emergency was issued.

“I think they’ll start to see litigation at that point,” Mr Gomez said.

“My view of it is, firstly, you should only use states of emergency sparingly. Doing it repeatedly undermines the perception of the country as a country governed by laws and freedoms.”

The proclamation is set to be debated in the House of Assembly today.

RETAILERS: LOOK AFTER ECONOMY AND WE HAVE NO ISSUES WITH PROCLAMATION

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

RETAILERS say they have no issues with the new proclamation of emergency as long as Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis looks out for the best interests of business owners.

According to Rupert Roberts, treasurer of the Retail Grocers Association, the group preparing to ask Dr Hubert Minnis for holiday operating

hours they believe the government would have no issues with extending.

Mr Roberts said it was hard to meet the needs of customers with the shopping hours currently reduced.

He said: “As long as the powers in our elected officials, and that’s Cabinet, they are there to protect the economy and the health of the nation and run the country for us, we can’t run it individually, we have elected them to do it and we expect them to do it to

our liking and satisfaction.

We expect them to protect the retailers.”

About possible holiday hours, he said: “It’s early, but it will give them time to plan. The earlier we give them our ideas it will give them time to plan. We’re still requesting for the Saturday to extend the hours until 7 or 7.30 until dark.

We expect them to grant our requests to have a normal Christmas.

“We had contact with him through his secretary about extending the hours and

they said they would consider. It’s early, but I think it’s early to give them more time to plan.

“At 4.30 the customers rush in and we can’t get them served and out by curfew so we are requesting that that be extended on Saturday for the public who wants to shop during daylight hours.

“If we can have that until Christmas week and then Christmas week, we want normal hours that we had before the pandemic and I hope that they can. We are

hoping that as the cases have gone down, they can grant our requests.”

Last week Mr Roberts voiced his support for the government’s previously announced intention to extend the country’s state of emergency to December 28.

Since then, Governor General C A Smith has issued a new emergency proclamation, which means a state of emergency can be in place for up to six more months.

“There’s things (the government) may have to do.

This is the most serious thing that’s ever happened to this country and the world and our leaders have to do whatever they do to protect us,” said Mr Roberts.

“I really don’t have a problem with that if it’s a selection for the country’s representatives making the decision,” he told The Tribune, when asked about the new proclamation.

However, he said, he will not support another full lockdown should the government take that course of action again.

HANNA MARTIN WILL ‘FIGHT TO THE DEATH’ AGAINST CITIZENSHIP BY INVESTMENT ENGLERSTON MP Glenys Hanna Martin says she will “fight to the death” any attempt by the government to implement a citizenship by investment policy.

Her comment came a day after Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson told reporters that the government was considering offering citizenship by investment to foreigners.

He said no decision on the matter had been made, however. “Some countries, when we do our comparative analysis, have had a bad experience from it,” Mr Johnson said Tuesday.

“It is something that we are looking at. No decisions have been made and so right now I’m not able to speak directly to it.”

He also said: “But I’ll tell you there are any number of conglomerates or companies in The Bahamas who have been making the approaches to the ministry saying, ‘listen, can we have a discussion on this?’”

The statement elicited a strong reaction from Ms Hanna Martin. “I heard the minister of immigration say on a local news station that the Cabinet has under consideration ‘citizenship by investment’ aka selling

Bahamian citizenship,” she posted on Facebook.

“Facilitating the purchase of Bahamian passport. This (government) has to be stopped.

“They are ruining our nation and if left to their devices will drag us to a place of no return. I will fight them to the death on this. Citizenship is precious. It is who we are. It is ‘untouchable’.

“They must be voted out of office,” she said. Citizenship-by investment initiatives are aimed at attracting high net worth individuals in developing nations, by giving them a second passport in exchange for investments.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, November 26, 2020, PAGE 5

MINISTER SAYS BAHAMIANS WON’T BE FORCED TO TAKE VACCINE

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH Minister Renward Wells stressed yesterday that Bahamians will not be forced to take a vaccine for COVID19 while at the same time revealing his ministry has already drafted a “fully functional, laid out vaccination plan” developed over the past two months.

“It is our intent to be able to vaccinate every Bahamian that wants the vaccine,” he told reporters outside of the House of Assembly.

“No one is being forced to take this, not even healthcare workers, no one in the country. As you rightfully know we have put down a down payment on getting at least 80,000 doses which equates to about 20 percent of our population which is the agreed standard globally for all the countries around the globe.

“Everyone through the WHO (World Health Organisation) is going to get enough to vaccinate in the first instance about 20 percent of its population. The Bahamas has put forward $250,000 on that facility, the COVAX facility through the WHO, but we as a country also reserve the right to go directly to manufacturers such as Moderna (and) Pfizer. As you know Moderna and Pfizer have put out their results, that their vaccines (are) some 95 percent effective. That is

just phenomenal in medical terms.

“We do know what the immediate and shortterm effect of taking those vaccines are and now I understand that Oxford has a vaccine now that is about 70 percent effective so the government of The Bahamas is actively engaged into looking how we can source vaccines, deployed very quickly throughout the country so that we could open up our economy and put our people back to work in a very meaningful way.”

With the country seeing a significant decline in COVID-19 cases over the last month, Mr Wells said the epidemic curve of the virus is flattening, though he said time will tell if the second wave has ended.

“I can certainly say that the curve is flattening in the second wave based on all the indications,” he said.

“Are we at the end? That remains to be seen. Over the next week or two we will have an opportunity to more fully delve into the data and be able to give a more concrete answer as to that. But you know, hope springs eternal and it is my hope that we are at the end of the second wave of COVID-19 and I’m praying that we don’t go into a third wave of COVID-19 but as the prime minister said, that is fully dependent on the Bahamian people, us adhering to the health protocols, us doing the kind of

MINISTER OF HEALTH RENWARD WELLS disciplined things that we have been doing as the displaced people that we are.”

Mr Wells also defended the declining rate of COVID-19 testing in the country. COVID-19 tests dropped more than 50 percent between November 1 and November 23.

“All of the indicators for the spread of COVID-19 in the country are way down and obviously that is evidence that we are flattening the curve and all of the healthcare protocols and plans that the government has instituted in regards to how we can control COVID-19 is bearing much fruit,” he said.

“So even though the testing is down, it’s a part of our testing protocol. We test those who present, who are symptomatic and we do the RT-PCR test on them which is the gold standard and the mere fact that persons aren’t presenting with symptoms shows that in fact the numbers are down as a result and the testing is down because the spread is down. You could look at our hospitalisation.

As of yesterday, we had 19 persons in hospital, down from a high of 122 persons, I think ... October 24 is the date.”

‘PAY DRUGS FINE OR RISK JAIL’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A 33-YEAR-OLD man was ordered to pay $1,500 or risk spending six months in prison yesterday after he was found last week with marijuana.

Bosfield Butler Jr was one of several men who appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis yesterday charged with drug possession.

He pleaded guilty to possession of dangerous drugs after officers found him with 1 and 5/8 ounces of Indian hemp on Saturday, November 21.

The court was told that around 3pm that day officers on mobile patrol on Market Street, observed a tinted yellow Nissan March travelling south.

Officers stopped the driver and searched the vehicle where they discovered a pillowcase in the hood of the vehicle, containing a clear plastic bag of suspected marijuana.

Butler was arrested and taken to a local police station, where he admitted to the offence in an interview with police.

Butler told the magistrate that he smokes marijuana from “time to time”, adding that he’s trying to get help for his problem. The accused also noted that he found being the sole provider for his family a “stressful” situation. He was ordered to pay $1,500 or spend six months in prison.

Nick Simon, 27, also appeared before Magistrate Rolle Davis charged with possession of dangerous drugs after he was found with four grams of Indian hemp on Saturday, November 21. During the hearing, the prosecution said that around 6.30pm that day, police were in the Carmichael Road area when they saw a group of men who started to act suspiciously on seeing the officers.

The men were searched.

Officers found a plastic bag in Simon’s pocket, which was suspected of being marijuana. Simon was subsequently arrested and taken to the police station, where he later admitted to the offence.

When given the chance to speak, Simon told the magistrate that he was a single father who occasionally smoked marijuana.

Asked to explain his reasons for smoking,

the accused told the court that he does it to “clear his mind.”

Magistrate Rolle Davis subsequently fined him $150 or 14 days at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Edward Wilkinson, 29, also appeared before Magistrate Rolle Davis after officers found seven grams of Indian hemp in his underwear on Monday, November 23.

The court was told that that day, officers, while in the area of Dunmore Street, observed a man walking and acting in a suspicious manner.

As a result, the accused was searched by officers who found in his underwear a clear plastic bag containing four silver foil wraps suspected of being marijuana.

He was subsequently arrested and taken to a local police station where he admitted to the offence and also told officers that he had purchased the drugs for personal use.

During yesterday’s hearing, Wilkinson pleaded guilty and was fined $250 or one month in prison. The fines were paid the same day.

TOTAL CASES

TOTAL DEATHS

7,469 163

NEWLY CONFIRMED CASES TUESDAY 9 CASES NEW PROVIDENCE GRAND BAHAMA

TOTAL TESTS

42,254

8 1

HOSPITALISED

19

CASES IN ICU

1

RECOVERED

5,733

PAGE 6, Thursday, November 26, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

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Turnquest right to resign AT the start of this week, we said in this column that Deputy Prime Minister Peter Turnquest faced a battle to keep that title. Yesterday, he waved the flag of surrender – for now – and resigned.

He also vacates the post of Finance Minister at a time of course when the country is caught up in the biggest economic crisis of a generation, perhaps of a lifetime. Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis will put his hand on the tiller for now, with a replacement appointment to come in due course.

The calls for Mr Turnquest’s resignation began to swirl after Mr Turnquest was named in a Supreme Court lawsuit relating to an alleged $27m fraud.

Though Mr Turnquest was not a defendant in that case, it put a spotlight on him.

That spotlight revealed another case that was dismissed but in which Mr Turnquest had unwisely said he was “praying to God” that unproven allegations of tax fraud and wrongful dismissal would never emerge in The Bahamas.

Emerge they did, reported in Monday’s Tribune.

In his resignation statement, Mr Turnquest maintains his innocence, and said that he will discuss the circumstances of the allegations against him at a later date – as well as those who perpetuated the claims.

Mr Turnquest is right, however, to offer his resignation. The business of government should not be derailed – at this time more than ever – by having to deal with the swirl of allegations against him. If he can take one step back and deal with those claims, that means they are not fouling up the engines of our economy in the meantime. Once the allegations are dealt with, if he has done so effectively, he ought to be able to return to Cabinet.

He says as much himself, saying: “I did not want a private business dispute, which occurred prior to my taking public office, to become a distraction to the government, or to the important national work that lies ahead.”

We have seen the wrong way to deal with accusations too often in our country’s past, with ministers hiding from questions and clinging on to their posts in the face of substantial allegations against them.

There are certainly unsavoury elements in the accusations in the lawsuit – and we hope that answers are given. For those who have done wrong, that should be made clear. If allegations are unproven, then names

should be cleared.

We look forward to hearing Mr Turnquest address the allegations, and the outcome of the lawsuit itself.

In the meantime, Dr Minnis has a challenge to choose a safe pair of hands to be Mr Turnquest’s successor.

Dangerous words Wayne Munroe, QC, is playing a dangerous game.

In the middle of a pandemic and with our country wrestling with both a health crisis and an economic one, it is important to remain level-headed. Not so Mr Munroe.

In declaring that the country could be on the brink of upheaval, he said of the government: “The Bahamian people’s patience is going to run out with them and they will soon learn that 8,000 policemen and soldiers cannot control 400,000 people.”

His inciteful rhetoric went on, with him adding: “At some point, the Bahamian people will have to do what has always been done when tyrants and despots try to take their rights. You sometimes have to resist them.”

He stops short of the actual words to call people to take to the streets, but he’s not far off.

It’s not the first time Mr Munroe has used such populist rhetoric. At the time of the last election campaign, he earned public scorn for his gutter politics, including at one rally slapping his own backside and telling his opponents to “kiss his a…”. He also suggested immigrants should be flogged before being deported.

As a man well versed in the law, Mr Munroe knows better than to actually use such tactics. No, he is merely using populism as a way of trying to garner support. Our neighbours to the north have seen what happens when you elect a leader based on whipping up hatred, and they’ve chosen to change course after one term of President Trump.

If Mr Munroe wishes to challenge the emergency orders, he should not be hinting at people outnumbering officers of the law – he should be taking his own legal briefs to court instead.

Don’t push others to do your work for you, Mr Munroe. If you’ve got a case, make it. And if you truly think our current leader is a tyrant, why then it’s your duty. Don’t hide behind others if that’s what you really believe.

Citizenship by investment?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I WRITE in response to the article in your daily (Wednesday, November 25) featuring an interview with the Hon Mr Elsworth Johnson, Minister of Financial Services, Trade and Industry, and Immigration, in which Mr Johnson indicated that the Government is “looking at” citizenship by investment as an option for economic stimulus. I find this unacceptable.

Twenty-eight years ago I was invited to speak at the 1992 FNM Convention to bring to light an injustice – the denial of the right of citizenship to children born outside The Bahamas to Bahamian mothers in certain circumstances.

I had thought my case unique, but my story brought to light the sad experiences of many families who had been separated, or displaced, because of the same issue.

Now years later another layer has been added to the conversation - the plight of generations of people born in The Bahamas whose

citizenship status remains uncertain. Despite the years of debate, and several referenda on the subject, the issue has yet to be resolved.

Yet now I read that the government is “looking at” citizenship by investment, as opposed to the traditional route of granting permanent residency status through investment.

There is a deep and wide gulf between ‘citizenship’ and ‘permanent residency’, both in concept and in construct.

If granting citizenship is so easy to do, why have the thornier issues of birthright regarding those of Bahamian parentage, or those born in The Bahamas, not yet been resolved?

Perhaps Mr Johnson and other members of the Cabinet do not feel the sense of pride I feel when they hold that little navy blue book, so regally embossed with our Coat of Arms, in their hands.

Perhaps they did not have to subject themselves to public scrutiny and opprobrium to obtain that statement of birthright, as I

did when I took the stage to plead for mine. So perhaps they do not feel the swell of indignation that I felt this morning, at this idea of someone paying for the privilege to become a Bahamian citizen.

Let us not mince words: ‘citizenship by investment’ is a fancy way of saying ‘selling passports’. I don’t care if Malta, or Germany, or Dominica, or any other country is doing this. We have fought for years to come out of the shadow of the label “A Nation For Sale”. Yet here we are again, apparently considering prostituting ourselves and our sovereignty to the highest bidder. Please, Mr Johnson. I implore you and your fellow members of Cabinet to consider the implications of such a decision. Bahamian citizenship cannot be for sale. What is the message that we are sending to our youth...those to whom we look to build our nation’s future?

CATHY RAMSINGH-PIERRE Nassau, November 25, 2020.

FNM is bigger than Turnquest EDITOR, The Tribune.

REGARDING the troubling allegations of fraud concerning Alpha Aviation Limited, Advanced Aviation Limited and Deputy Prime Minister K Peter Turnquest, the East Grand Bahama MP should be given the full benefit of the doubt by the Bahamian people.

Since assuming the posts as MP for East Grand Bahama in 2012 and DPM and Finance Minister in 2017, Turnquest has acted in his parliamentary and Cabinet positions with integrity and professionalism.

Unlike a certain internet news source, Bahamians should not act as judge, jury and executioner due to partisan politics. That is for the courts to decide, not social media and its plethora of armchair legal experts.

Turnquest will have ample opportunity to clear his name.

However, as a political observer, I think it would be in the best interests of the Free National Movement (FNM) administration of Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and the Turnquest family for the East Grand Bahama MP to resign from his Cabinet post, at least until this matter is all cleared up.

By shedding the awesome responsibility of overseeing The Bahamas’ finances, Turnquest can focus his undivided attention at dealing with his legal matters.

By staying put, Turnquest has unwittingly derailed the FNM’s anti-corruption agenda, while simultaneously breathing new life into the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), which

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net has already experienced a strong surge of popularity among tens of thousands of Bahamians who are wary of Minnis’ handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pundits have claimed that the Turnquest legal matter will weaken the FNM’s chances of being reelected.

With the recent election loss in the United States by President Donald Trump, owing to the fallout from COVID-19, Turnquest, I believe, won’t figure prominently in the minds of Bahamian voters in 2022, COVID19 will.

Bear in mind that prior to COVID-19, Trump’s economy was performing at record levels with the jobless rate being in the low single digits. Trump seemed poised to win re-election.

That all changed when COVID-19 became a health factor in North America in early 2020. The Minnis administration will be judged on the basis of bread-and-butter issues stemming from COVID-19, I think.

For what it’s worth, the FNM cannot look at the Bahamian people with a straight face and declare that it is serious about stomping out corruption while the Fred Kaiser allegations are hanging over the head of a prominent Cabinet minister.

Again, this is not to suggest that I believe Turnquest is guilty of the allegations. Based on my layman’s opinion, this matter seems to be politically motivated.

Undoubtedly, Minnis

views Turnquest as a key ally who stuck with him through thick and thin while the Loretta ButlerTurner faction wreaked havoc within the FNM. With his inner circle of individuals who he can trust dwindling, this can help explain why Minnis has given the appearance of being reluctant to terminate Turnquest, even at the risk of damaging the FNM’s brand.

Personally, I don’t even consider Turnquest as being a vintage FNM like a Brent Symonette or a Tommy Turnquest – both of whom are second generation FNMs. The East Grand Bahama MP was allegedly courted by the FNM and PLP in the lead-up to the 2012 election, due to his rising stock in the Freeport business community as former Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce president and an accomplished accountant.

As FNM leader, Minnis is tasked with protecting the torch at all costs, even if it means hurting the feelings of a loyal ally.

To Minnis, what is more important: Turnquest or the FNM party?

Herein lies the awkwardness of the Turnquest legal situation that Minnis finds himself saddled with.

Minnis and the FNM should circle the wagon around their beleaguered colleague.

But at the end of the day, Minnis will have to come to terms with the fact that the Free National Movement is bigger than Peter Turnquest.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama.

November 25, 2020.

Oil drilling concerns EDITOR, The Tribune.

I AM a concerned Bahamian citizen who is very concerned with the potential for grave and permanent damage to our country inherent in your drilling for oil. After reading the comments by James Smith, I was very concerned about a conflict of interest, as he is a director of the company and is listed on the company’s website as a major shareholder (11,475,630 shares and

1,500,000 options, the currency is not listed).

In addition, there is a deafening silence by both our Government and the Official Opposition with regard to the concerns of the Bahamian people. Do I smell a rat? If the concerns of the Bahamian people are being so blatantly disregarded, the only logical conclusion in my opinion is that members of both the Government and Official Opposition have

significant financial interests in your company.

In the spirit of cooperation and full disclosure expected in a company of the Bahamas Petroleum’s stature, it would go a long way if you published a list of all Bahamian shareholders – whether individual or through a financial asset management firm.

SY COOLIDGE PIERRE, M.D. Consultant Physician & Anaesthetist

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, November 26, 2020, PAGE 7

MAN KILLED AND WOMAN HURT IN SHOOTING

THE SCENE of Tuesday’s shooting and, inset, Renaldo Nixon, who is reported to be the man who was killed. Photo: Donovan McIntosh

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net A SHOOTING incident on Tuesday left a man dead and a woman in hospital with gunshot wounds in her leg.

The woman was walking in the area when she was hit by a stray bullet. She was listed in stable condition

at last report. According to police, shortly after 6pm officers received reports of gunshots being fired in Hepburn Alley.

“Officers responded; on their arrival they were informed that three males exited a grey Nissan Note armed with firearms,” police said.

“The suspects discharged

their weapons in the direction of a male, injuring him.

The victim was transported to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. During the incident, a female who was walking in the area received gunshot wounds in the leg. She was transported to hospital and is in stable condition.”

Multiple sources have

identified the deceased as 35-year-old Renaldo Nixon. A police spokesperson did not state whether he was known to the police.

Police are appealing to anyone with information on these incidents to contact the Criminal Investigation Department at 502-9991/2, Crime Stoppers at 328-8477, or the nearest police station.

Bound to keep peace after girlfriend attack

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A 32-YEAR-OLD man who assaulted his girlfriend during a domestic dispute earlier this week was bound over to keep the peace for one year.

Caradaro Ramdas appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis yesterday accused of assaulting his girlfriend with a hand saw on November 22.

The court was told that Ramdas’ girlfriend reported to police on Sunday that she was

involved in an argument with her boyfriend around 8.30 pm that evening when he attempted to stab her with the saw.

As a result of her complaint, the accused was arrested and taken to a local police station, where he denied the offence.

However, during yesterday’s hearing Ramdas pleaded guilty to the charge. He told the magistrate the incident occurred after he and his girlfriend argued about her moving out of their apartment.

Ramdas claimed to be the sole person contributing to the rent payments.

He said his girlfriend had told him she would leave the apartment and move in with her mother, but didn’t do so – causing him to approach her about the matter.

However, the accused said that in doing so, they became involved in a heated argument when out of anger, he picked up a hand saw.

Ramdas further claimed that he did so “to scare her,” noting that he didn’t harm her.

He also apologised to the magistrate for his actions, saying it was not intentional.

After listening to the accused’s case, Magistrate Rolle Davis ordered him to keep the peace with his girlfriend for 12 months.

Ramdas was told that failure to comply with the order would result in him paying a $1,000 fine or spending 14 days in prison.

SUSPECT DENIED BAIL OVER MAIMING CHARGE

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A 24-YEAR-OLD man was remanded to prison yesterday charged with maiming another man last week.

Kevin Estelhomme appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis accused of causing dangerous harm to Roger Miller on Thursday, November 19.

He was not required to enter a plea to the charge and the case was adjourned to February 10 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

Bail was also denied and the accused was

MAN ACCUSED OF UNLAWFUL SEX WITH GIRL

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMIAN man was arraigned in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday charged with procuring a minor for the purpose of unlawful sexual intercourse.

Steven Sands, 50, stood before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis accused of procuring a 15-year-old girl on Thursday, November 19, for the purpose of having unlawful sex, contrary to Section 7(A)(1) of the Sexual Offences Act, Chapter 99.

He was not required to enter a plea to the charge and the case was adjourned to February 15 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

He was granted $6,000 bail with one surety.

remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS).

He has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.

STOREWIDE EXCEPT SCHOOL UNIFORMS

PAGE 8, Thursday, November 26, 2020

MAGICAL THINKING WON’T SEE US THROUGH THIS CRISIS, FOLLOWING A CLEAR STRATEGY WILL

‘It is the true believer’s ability to ‘shut his eyes and stop his ears’ to facts that do not deserve to be either seen or heard which is the source of his unequalled fortitude and constancy.

He cannot be frightened by danger nor disheartened by obstacles nor baffled by contradictions because he denies their existence.

Strength of faith, as Bergson pointed out, manifests itself not in moving mountains but in not seeing mountains to move.’

- Eric Hoffer JODI Doering is an ER nurse in South Dakota who has nursed Covid-19 patients, some of whom have died. In a series of tweets and somber recollections, Doering described the deaths of some patients who “don’t want to believe that Covid is real”, aggressively denying the existence of the virus and the pandemic.

Doering noted: “Their last dying words are, ‘This can’t be happening. It’s not real.’ And when they should be... FaceTiming their families, they’re filled with anger and hatred.”

Quite a number of people have digested the conspiratorial and magical thinking from crackpots online and political leaders like Donald Trump, who from the outset publicly downplayed the deadly and infectious nature of the disease.

Trump’s Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Dr Ben Carson recently admitted that he became “desperately ill” with the virus.

After he was infected and became quite ill, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie apologised for not

wearing a mask at a superspreader event at the White House.

These men and Trump, who was also infected, had access to some of the best

medical treatment in the United States. But many of those Trump lured into magical thinking, have gotten desperately ill and quite a number have died, still believing the presidential deceits. Some magical thinking is incurable.

Doering tweeted that her ER experience was like “a “horror movie that never ends”. In an interview with CNN, she lamented: “I think the hardest thing to watch is that people are still looking for something else and a magic answer and they do not want to believe Covid is real.” But the magic answers have not materialised.

She added that despite positive results, some patients believed they were suffering from some other disease or pneumonia.

Many in North and South Dakota have denied the existence or seriousness

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of the virus. Recently, the soon return to what it was Dakotas led the United before, and that restricStates in deaths and new tions necessary for people’s cases per capita. protections amount to In about mid-November, an unjust demand of an South Dakota “reported interfering state. There an 18.2 percent increase are politicians who peddle in daily deaths and a 26.5 these narratives for their percent jump in hospitaliza- own gain.” tions. … The South Dakota Here at home, there have Department of Health also been some who have reported 2,020 new corona- used the pandemic to provirus infections … a record mote their narrow agendas, for positive results in a to peddle certain “narra24-hour period.” tives for their own gain” The Washington Post and to give full-throated reported on November 16: voice to their grievances.

“In North Dakota, where Then there are those who cases have rocketed in the have spouted all manner past month, Republican of nonsense about the govGov Doug Burgum has also ernment and the prime acknowledged the phenom- minister acting in a dictaenon of disbelief among torial manner, though both the population. Burgum have utilised constitutional pleaded with fellow resi- and legal provisions simidents late last week to take lar to other democratic precautions, as the state’s countries. hospitals are overwhelmed The political pandering with patients. and games from Leader of “South Dakota Gov. the Opposition Philip Davis Kristi L Noem (R) has is unsurprising. But those opposed mask mandates in the legal fraternity who and other measures despite have stated that the governthe rapid spread in her ment is acting outside of the state. law, is disappointing and “Noem has become a star unhelpful. in Trump’s circle by joining The Pope noted: “With in his antagonism toward some exceptions, governmainstream scientific opin- ments have made great ion: She is one of the few efforts to put the wellbeing governors who refused to of their people first, acting issue a stay-at-home order decisively to protect health in the spring, has repeatedly and to save lives.” questioned the validity of Pope Francis criticised using masks those who to reduce refused to viral spread ‘Some media have wear masks and hosted used this crisis to and abide by the president persuade people mask manfor a massive, dates: “Some that foreigners tightly packed of the protests Fourth of are to blame, that during the July celebra- coronavirus is little coronavirus tion at Mount more than a little have brought Rushmore.” to the fore an Some types bout of flu, that angry spirit of magical everything will of victimthinking may soon return to what hood, but this be amusing time among it was before, and in less seripeople who ous times that restrictions are victims but is deadly necessary for only in their in perilous people’s protections own imaginatimes such as tion: those a pandemic. amount to an who claim, for Millions of unjust demand of example, that people are an interfering state. being forced getting sick to wear a and many are There are politicians mask is an dying because who peddle these unwarranted of the magical narratives for imposition by thinking per- their own gain.’ the state, yet petuated by who forget or some leaders. do not care It is the same sort of about those who cannot denialism, anti-scientific rely, for example, on social mindset and magical think- security or who have lost ing about the global climate their jobs.” emergency that is thwartHe critiqued the narcising action by some leaders sism of “people who live who continue to sell their off grievance, thinking only citizens the falsehood that of themselves” but lauded climate change is a hoax those who protested “the despite compelling data and horrendous police killing of evidence, including: more George Floyd”. dangerous wildfires, more In critiquing those who storms, droughts, rising sea claimed “that being forced levels and the other ravages to wear a mask is an unwarof a heating climate. ranted imposition by the The COVID-19 pan- state,” he observed: “You’ll demic has exposed quite a never find such people pronumber of disturbing socio- testing the death of George logical and socio-political Floyd, or joining a demonfeatures of societies. In his stration because there are most recent book, “Let Us shantytowns where children Dream: The Path to a Better lack water or education, or Future”, co-authored with because there are whole his friend and papal biogra- families who have lost their pher Austen Ivereigh, Pope income.

Francis reflected: “Some “On such matters they media have used this crisis would never protest; they to persuade people that are incapable of moving foreigners are to blame, outside of their own little that coronavirus is little world of interests.” more than a little bout of At the beginning of flu, that everything will the pandemic in Belize,

THE TRIBUNE

Opposition Leader John Briceño co-chaired a COVID-19 National Oversight Committee along with now former Prime Minister Dean Barrow.

Mr Briceño eventually stepped down from the Committee because of an impending general election. But beforehand, the government and opposition were lauded for their cooperation in fighting the pandemic.

Mr Briceño and his People’s United Party (PUP) made a strategic decision to cooperate with the government to stem the pandemic.

It was smart from a policy and political perspective.

In his letter stepping down from the Committee, Mr Briceño, wrote: “As the country faced the global pandemic of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), it was imperative that both Government and Opposition work together for the benefit of all Belizeans.

“Fully satisfied that we have contributed to the best of our ability and with Cabinet and the CEO caucus making final determinations on all issues, I believe it is now time for me to return to my full-time duties as Leader of the Opposition.”

After three terms of Barrow’s United Democratic Party (UDP) and the desire for change, especially among young voters, the UDP, from which Barrow stepped aside as leader before the election, the Briceño-led PUP was likely to win.

Briceño’s cooperation with the government in a time of crisis and the perception that he acted responsibly and could be trusted to take the reins of office, may have boosted his electoral prospects.

In the event, his PUP won a landslide victory with 26 of the 31 seats in the Belizean House of Representatives.

The incumbent UDP was reduced to five seats.

At home, Mr Davis may have made a strategic error by careening from one flip-flop to the next, endlessly pandering to certain public grievances, offering simplistic policy ideas and engaging in relentless nonsensical criticism, including opposing the extension of an emergency proclamation.

Mr Davis does not appear to have the political acuity and instincts to even feign greater cooperation, which could redound to him and his party politically. Instead he seems stuck in the attack mode, incapable of demonstrating a higher and better impulse.

The long view is best in human affairs and in politics, the ability to transcend the exigencies and vicissitudes of the moment and to envision what the future may look like based on the decisions one makes in a given moment.

With both chess and the Chinese game Go, good tactics and long-term strategy usually are a winning combination.

Those who mostly act tactically in response to the events of the day, usually fail, because they never enjoy a compelling strategic vision.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, November 26, 2020, PAGE 9

WE’LL STILL BE PICKING OVER THE BONES OF THIS ELECTION THE NEXT TIME WE GO TO THE POLLS

STATESIDE

with Charlie Harper

“WE wuz robbed!”

It’s an old, time-tested lament from a losing team as its members complain about an officiating error that provided just that extra oomph to get their opponent across the finish line.

There is a clear implication that under normal circumstances, the complainant’s team would have prevailed.

If you like to watch Fox News or One America News Network - the upstart wannabe successor as Trump’s favoured network - it certainly seems plausible that Donald Trump wuz indeed robbed in his reelection effort.

Many of these networks’ shows are full of tales of sinister Venezuelan connections to voting machine manufacturers; hundreds or even thousands of mysteriously missing ballots, and allegations of malfeasance by local Democratic or even RINO (Republican in Name Only) GOP officials.

The liberal punditocracy, meanwhile, wrings its hands in anguish that 73 million American voters could have voted for Trump.

What fools or innocents they must be!

The harrumphing,

posturing, blathering and scorn for those who disagree continues in the media.

But the election is actually over and Joe Biden is the President-elect. Even the Trump-appointed head of the General Services Administration in Washington has finally signed off on making funds, office space and other privileges available to Biden and his massive transition team.

Ever the iconoclastic norm-defying renegade, Trump still declares he will never concede. And sure enough, there is nothing in the American constitution that covers such a circumstance. Jeffrey Engel, the director of the Centre for Presidential History in Dallas told the Washington Post why this is so.

“The founding fathers couldn’t fathom two things: a person who was so utterly lacking in classical virtue that they would put their own interests above those of the country,” Engel said.

“And second, I think they couldn’t imagine how any President who would so vividly display disdain for the unity of the country, and mock and undermine the legitimacy of American

POLLS GET IT WRONG AGAIN BUT WHAT ARE THE REASONS? FOR the second straight general election, polls misled planners and Democratic strategists. Veteran pollster David Hill offered some reasons why in the aftermath of this month’s elections.

He wrote in the Washington Post that 35 years ago, he could expect one in five voters to permit an interview to offer opinions.

As he and associates gauged voter views earlier this year in Florida, Hill found that it took 90 or more phone calls, emails or other contacts to generate one person from a representative voter sample willing to be interviewed.

The introduction of caller ID in the mid-1980s was a factor, Hill reports.

Voicemail and answering machines were others.

Voters screen their calls

now, and their willingness to participate in opinion sampling has reportedly dwindled every year.

Hill also said many “likely Trump voters” such as older men were especially reluctant to respond to his calls.

To ensure their own survival, pollsters need to find better ways to sample public opinion. Polls have significantly influenced how political parties allot the many, many millions of dollars they raise to support their candidates.

Alternatively, what if those dollars were spent on reducing poverty, elevating education, buttressing infrastructure or leading the way against climate change?

One can always dream.

Meantime, Happy Thanksgiving!

democracy. And if a President did that, why wouldn’t that person have already been impeached and removed from office?”

Well, Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats did try.

Welcome to the first (and only?) term of Donald J Trump, widely reviled to be sure but also the recipient of the second largest total vote in American political history. In fact, Trump won ten million more votes than he captured four years ago - and yet he lost the general election by six million votes!

Trump’s Republican Party also defied pollsters’ predictions in probably retaining control of the US Senate pending two Georgia run-off votes set for January 5, gaining at least ten seats in the Democratic controlled House of Representatives, and achieving control of an additional two state legislative chambers to build on an already impressive majority there.

Normally in an election when an incumbent President is defeated, there are major down-ballot consequences.

Not this time. Researchers have found the turnover in control of state legislative chambers was less than at any time since 1944.

There was certainly no blue wave.

It was actually a pretty good election for Republicans, despite the fact their sitting President got beaten decisively.

Why? There seem to be four major reasons.

Perhaps the most important is many of the 79 million Biden voters were singularly focused on dismissing Trump from the White House. Everything else paled in comparison.

The American President has dominated the headlines, the “breaking news” and the political discussion since he declared his presidential candidacy five years ago.

He has managed to remain at the centre of

PRESIDENT Donald Trump drives a golf cart as he golfs at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, on Sunday.

Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP American political dis- this sort of racist venom diverse and disparate course. But his opponents’ would turn off Latinos and nation with a third of a focus on him to the rela- ensure their support for billion people, some state tive exclusion of other whomever opposed Trump. control and distribution of candidates was not the only This proved to be incor- benefits such as national reason for down-ballot rect, for two reasons. First, insurance and health care Republican success. as most people including are necessary for the main“It’s all about the econ- even Democratic leaders tenance of the public good. omy, stupid!” became a have now realised, Latinos But to clever Republican rallying cry in 1992, the last are not a monolithic bloc demagogues like Trump, time a sitting US President of American voters. While this affinity for socialist was denied a second term Hispanic voters largely policies provides a duraby voters. stayed loyal to Democrats ble, credible applause and It’s still all about the in California and elsewhere attack line. They have economy and according in the American south- exploited it brilliantly, not to exit polls, 35 percent of west, particularly in cities, just in the election just past US voters said this was the Trump garnered 200,000 but for over half a century. biggest issue this year for more votes in Miami-Dade And as has sometimes them. (More about the polls County than he had won in been the case in the US and later.)

2016. democracies in both hemiOf those voters, five Also, Trump’s stump spheres, those who would out of six chose Trump. It speeches this year no longer most directly benefit from seems Americans may have featured hyperbolic rants socialistic benefits prolonger recall than many about Latin immigrants. He grammes become the most pundits believe, because the focused more on the social- virulent critics of those roaring US economy of just ist menace and law and programmes and their one year ago is still fresh order issues that were likely sponsors. in many minds. Winning to attract actual or spiritual While a clear majority nearly 85 percent of any refugees from left-wing of Americans appears to identifiable bloc of voters is dictatorships in Cuba and believe pernicious racism a phenomenal achievement Venezuela. continues to be a real threat by any measure.

Speaking of which, the to American society, the Another pivotal issue fourth and last major reason ascent of the Black Lives in 2020 was immigration. for GOP down ballot suc- Matter movement and the It appears this issue, more cess was messaging. For occasionally violent reacthan any other, really this, we turn to Alexan- tion across the country to caught the Democrats dria Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie the death in May of George asleep.

Sanders and the Black Floyd while under police Remember 2016? Trump Lives Matter movement. control has spawned a negwas trumpeting the immiNew York City con- ative backlash reaction. nent danger of brown gresswoman AOC, her Trump was probably too hordes of Mexican and progressive colleagues in late in picking up the law Central Americans pouring the House of Representa- and order banner from across the southern Ameri- tives and Vermont Senator Richard Nixon, Ronald can border, among them Sanders have all described Reagan and others, but it rapists, murderers, drug themselves or many of clearly won him some suptraffickers and most any- their signature policies as porters who were alarmed thing else you can imagine. socialist. at televised images of Many observers and They’re proud of that. looting and clashes with many Democrats assumed They realize that in a police.

PAGE 10, Thursday, November 26, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

HOW BIDEN AND KERRY COULD REBUILD AMERICA’S GLOBAL CLIMATE LEADERSHIP

By DOLF GIELEN AND MORGAN BAZILIAN, Colorado School of Mines JOHN Kerry helped bring the world into the Paris climate agreement and expanded America’s reputation as a climate leader. That reputation is now in tatters, and President-elect Joe Biden is asking Kerry to rebuild it again – this time as US climate envoy.

It won’t be easy, but Kerry’s decades of experience and the international relationships he developed as a Senator and Secretary of State may give him a chance of making real progress, especially if that work is conducted in the spirit of mending relationships rather than “naming and shaming” other countries.

Over the past four years, the Trump administration pulled the US out of the international Paris Agreement on climate change, rolled back policies that were designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions, and tried to prevent

any discussion of climate change at international gatherings like the G-7 and G-20 summits.

The international community, meanwhile, largely moved forward. Many countries and regions have pledged to move their economies toward “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions by the middle of the century, including China, the European Union, South Korea and Japan. An increasing number of cities and states have set similar goals. Trump’s hard-line stance may have actually emboldened some, notably China, to make such announcements.

Getting those pledges implemented is what matters now, and that will require leadership, detailed planning and careful diplomacy.

The UN climate conference in November 2021 will be special. It will be the first time countries will evaluate their progress on the Paris Agreement, and they will be expected to strengthen their commitments. Biden has already signalled that he will bring the US back into

PRESIDENT-elect Joe Biden’s climate envoy nominee former Secretary of State John Kerry speaks at The Queen theatre on Tuesday in Wilmington, Delaware.

Photo: Carolyn Kaster/AP

the agreement as soon as he takes office.

As energy policy experts who have been involved in international climate policy for over two decades, we have watched how countries responded to US involvement, and how their views of America’s ability to lead the world dimmed over the past four years.

The US is the second largest greenhouse gas emitter worldwide after China.

It is also the largest emitter historically. Concrete domestic action to reduce those emission will be critical to regaining trust and standing on the global stage.

Energy is at the centre of the climate challenge The effects of climate change are already evident across the globe, from extreme heat waves to sea level rise. But while the challenge is daunting, there is hope. Solar and wind power have become the cheapest forms of power generation globally, and technology progress and innovation continue apace to support a transition to clean energy.

In the US under a Biden administration, long-term national climate legislation will depend on who controls the Senate, and that won’t be clear until after two runoff elections in Georgia in January.

But there is no shortage of ideas for ways Biden could still take action even if his proposals are blocked in Congress. For example, he could use executive orders and direct government agencies to tighten regulations on greenhouse gas emissions; increase research and development in clean energy technologies; and empower states to exceed national standards, as California did in the past with auto emission standards. A focus on a just and equitable transition for communities and people affected by the decline of fossil fuels will also be key to creating a sustainable transition.

The US position as the world’s largest oil and gas producer and consumer creates political challenges for any administration.

US forays into European energy security are often treated with suspicion.

Recently, France blocked a multi-billion dollar contract to buy US liquefied natural gas because of concerns about limited emissions

regulations in Texas.

Strengthening cooperation and partnerships with like-minded countries will be critical to bring about a transition to cleaner energy as well as sustainability in agriculture, forestry, water and other sectors of the global economy.

Creating a global sustainable transition How the world recovers from COVID-19’s economic damage could help drive a lasting shift in the global energy mix.

Nearly one-third of Europe’s $2 trillion economic relief package involves investments that are also good for the climate. The European Union is also strengthening its 2030 climate targets, though each country’s energy and climate plans will be critical for successfully implementing them. The Biden plan – including a $2 trillion commitment to developing sustainable energy and infrastructure – is aligned with a global energy transition, but its implementation is also uncertain.

Once Biden takes office, Kerry will be joining ongoing high-level discussions on the energy transition at the UN General Assembly and other gatherings of

international leaders. With the US no longer obstructing work on climate issues, the G-7 and G-20 have more potential for progress on energy and climate.

Lots of technical details still need to be worked out, including international trade frameworks and standards that can help countries lower greenhouse gas emissions enough to keep global warming in check. Carbon pricing and carbon border adjustment taxes, which create incentive for companies to reduce emissions, may be part of it. A consistent and comprehensive set of national energy transition plans will also be needed.

The global shift to clean energy will also have geopolitical implications for countries and regions, and this will have a profound impact on wider international relations. Kerry, with his experience as secretary of state in the Obama administration, and Biden’s plan to make the climate envoy position part of the National Security Council, may help mend these relations. In doing so, the US may again join the wider community of countries willing to lead.

• Originally published on theconversation.com

THE TRIBUNE

AMERICANS RISK TRAVELLING OVER THANKSGIVING DESPITE WARNINGS

By LISA MARIE PANE AND SOPHIA TULP ASSOCIATED PRESS

MILLIONS of Americans took to the skies and the highways ahead of Thanksgiving at the risk of pouring gasoline on the coronavirus fire, disregarding increasingly dire warnings that they stay home and limit their holiday gatherings to members of their own household.

Those who are flying witnessed a distinctly 2020 landscape at the nation’s airports: plexiglass barriers in front of the ID stations, rapid virus testing sites inside terminals, masks in check-in areas and on board planes, and paperwork asking passengers to quarantine on arrival at their destination.

While the number of Americans traveling by air over the past several days was down dramatically from the same time last year, many pressed ahead with their holiday plans amid skyrocketing deaths, hospitalisations and confirmed infections across the U.S. Some were tired of more than eight months of social distancing and determined to spend time with loved ones.

“I think with the holidays and everything, it’s so important right now, especially because people are so bummed out because of the whole pandemic,” said 25-year-old Cassidy Zerkle of Phoenix, who flew to Kansas City, Missouri, to visit family during what is traditionally one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

She brought snacks and her own hand sanitiser and said the flight was half full.

She had a row of seats to herself.

“As long as you’re maintaining your distance, you’re not touching stuff and you’re sanitising your hands, people should see their families right now,” she said.

The U.S. has recorded more than 12.7 million coronavirus infections and over 262,000 deaths. The country is still missing about eight infections for every one counted, according to a new government report Wednesday.

Many people don’t get tests, especially if they don’t have symptoms.

More than 88,000 people in the U.S. — an all-time high — were in the hospital with COVID-19 as of Tuesday, pushing the health care system in many places to the breaking point, and new cases of the virus have been setting records, soaring to an average of over 174,000 per day.

Deaths have surged to more than 1,600 per day, a mark last seen in May, when the crisis in the New York area was easing.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local authorities have begged people not to travel and urged them to keep their Thanksgiving celebrations small.

Thursday, November 26, 2020, PAGE 11

TRUMP PARDONS FLYNN DESPITE GUILTY PLEA IN RUSSIA PROBE

By ERIC TUCKER ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump pardoned his former national security adviser Michael Flynn on Wednesday, ending a yearslong prosecution in the Russia investigation that saw Flynn twice plead guilty to lying to the FBI and then reverse himself before the Justice Department stepped in to dismiss his case.

“It is my Great Honor to announce that General Michael T. Flynn has been granted a Full Pardon,” Trump tweeted. “Congratulations to @GenFlynn and his wonderful family, I know you will now have a truly fantastic Thanksgiving!”

The pardon, coming in the waning weeks of Trump’s single term, is part of a broader effort by the president to undo the results of a Russia investigation that shadowed his administration and yielded criminal charges against a half dozen associates. It comes just months after the president commuted the sentence of another associate, Roger Stone, days before he was to report to prison.

A Justice Department official said the department was not consulted on the pardon and learned Wednesday of the plan. But the official, who spoke on condition on anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, noted that the president has the legal power to pardon Flynn.

The move is likely to energise supporters who have taken up Flynn as a cause celebre and rallied around the retired Army lieutenant general as the victim of what they assert is an unfair prosecution, even though Flynn twice admitted guilt.

Trump has repeatedly spoken warmly about Flynn and, in an indication of his personal interest in his fate, asked then-FBI Director James Comey in February 2017 to end a criminal investigation into the national security adviser.

In a statement, Flynn’s family thanked Trump “for answering our prayers and the prayers of a nation” by issuing the pardon.

Democrats lambasted the pardon as undeserved and unprincipled. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it “an act of grave corruption and a brazen abuse of power,” while Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democratic chair of the House Intelligence Committee, said a “pardon

by Trump does not erase” the truth of Flynn’s guilty plea, “no matter how Trump and his allies try to suggest otherwise.”

“The President’s enablers have constructed an elaborate narrative in which Trump and Flynn are victims and the Constitution is subject to the whims of the

PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn pictured in 2018.

(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) president,” House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerry Nadler said in a statement.

“Americans soundly rejected this nonsense when they voted out President Trump. “ The pardon is the final step in a case defined by twists and turns. The most dramatic came in May when the Justice Department abruptly moved to dismiss the case, insisting that Flynn should not have been interviewed by the FBI in the first place, only to have U.S. District Justice Emmet Sullivan resist the request and appoint a former judge to argue against the federal government’s posi-

PRESIDENT Donald Trump. tion and to evaluate whether Flynn should be held in criminal contempt for perjury.

That former judge, John Gleeson, called the Justice Department’s dismissal request an abuse of power and said its grounds for dropping the case were ever-evolving and “patently pretextual.”

As Sullivan declined to immediately dismiss the prosecution, Flynn lawyer Sidney Powell sought to bypass the judge by asking a federal

appeals court to direct him to drop the matter. A threejudge panel did exactly that, but the full court overturned that decision and sent case back to Sullivan.

At a hearing in September, Powell told Sullivan that she had discussed Flynn’s case with Trump but also said she did not want a pardon — presumably because she wanted him to be vindicated in the courts.

Powell emerged separately in recent weeks as a public face of the Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of his election loss to Presidentelect Joe Biden, but the Trump legal team distanced itself from her after she advanced a series of uncorroborated conspiracy claims.

The pardon spares Flynn the possibility of any prison sentence, which Sullivan could potentially have imposed had he ultimately rejected the Justice Department’s dismissal request.

That request was made after a review of the case by a federal prosecutor from St. Louis who had been specially appointed by Attorney General William Barr.

At issue in the prosecution was an FBI interview of Flynn, days after Trump’s inauguration, about a conversation he had during the presidential transition period with the then-Russian ambassador.

Flynn acknowledged lying during that interview by saying he had not discussed with the diplomat, Sergey Kislyak, sanctions that had just been imposed on Russia for election interference by the outgoing Obama administration. During that conversation, Flynn urged Kislyak for Russia to be “even-keeled” in response to the punitive measures, and assured him “we can have a

EU SAYS FIRST VIRUS VACCINATIONS POSSIBLE BY CHRISTMAS

By LORNE COOK AND VIRGINIA MAYO Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — Vaccinations against the coronavirus could start in the 27 European Union nations by Christmas and member countries must urgently prepare their logistical chains to cope with the rollout of hundreds of millions of doses of the vaccines, according to a top EU official.

Hailing the likelihood that “there’s finally light at the end of the tunnel,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers Wednesday that “the first European citizens might already be vaccinated before the end of December.”

The commission, the EU’s executive arm, has agreements with six potential vaccine suppliers and is working on a seventh contract. The deals allow it to purchase over 1.2 billion doses, more than double the population of the bloc, which stands at around 460 million people. Some vaccines would require two doses to be effective.

On Tuesday, Brussels said it would sign a contract for up to 160 million

doses of the experimental coronavirus vaccine developed by Moderna, which the company says appears to be 94.5% effective, according to its preliminary data.

But von der Leyen said that while vaccines are important, “what counts are vaccinations. “ “Member states must get ready now.

We’re talking about millions of syringes, we’re talking about cold chains, we’re talking about organising vaccination centres, we’re talking about trained personnel that is there. You name it. All this has to be prepared,” she warned.

At Brussels Airport, Koen Gouweloose, the CEO of Swissport Cargo Services, told The Associated Press during a tour of his company’s facilities that “what we expect is that there will be a huge volume coming through.”

Vaccine doses, from companies within Europe and from outside, will be temporarily stored in a refrigerated warehouse, and if necessary packed in dry ice, before they’re shipped out by road, rail or air.

“We are in the middle of Europe and we have connections to many parts of the world,” said Gouweloose, whose facility routinely handles vaccines

and was set up three years ago to help manage an Ebola virus outbreak. “We are prepared, everything is done, tested.”

Brussels Airport is also a major transport hub for Africa, and while von der Leyen has said the commission’s aim is to secure vaccines for European citizens, she said it has helped to raise almost 16 billion euros ($19 billion) for tests, treatment and vaccines worldwide.

Despite the cautious optimism as outbreaks in a number of European countries start to plateau, Von der Leyen urged citizens to continue respecting restrictions, even as the measures harm businesses, further damage coronavirus-ravaged economies and put people through social and mental hardship.

“With nearly 3,000 deaths a day, COVID-19 was the number one cause of death in the EU last week. Hospitals remain under stress, and in some regions some intensive care units are overwhelmed,” she said.

“We must learn from the summer and not repeat the same mistakes. Relaxing too much is a risk for a third wave after Christmas,” von der Leyen said, adding that “this Christmas will be different, and yes, it will be quieter.”

better conversation” about relations between the countries after Trump became president.

The conversation alarmed the FBI, which at the time was investigating whether the Trump campaign and Russia had coordinated to sway the election. In addition, White House officials were stating publicly that Flynn and Kislyak had not discussed sanctions, which the FBI knew was untrue.

Flynn was ousted from his position in February 2017

after news broke that Obama administration officials had warned the White House that Flynn had indeed discussed sanctions with Kislyak and was vulnerable to being blackmailed. He pleaded guilty months later to a false statement charge.

But last May, after years of defending the prosecution, the Justice Department abruptly reversed its position.

It asserted the FBI had no basis to interview Flynn about Kislyak and that any statements he made during the interview were not material to the FBI’s broader counterintelligence probe.

The department also pointed to internal FBI notes showing agents had planned to close out the investigation weeks before interviewing Kislyak.

Flynn, of Middletown, Rhode Island, was among the first people charged in Mueller’s investigation and provided such extensive cooperation that prosecutors did not recommend any prison time, leaving open the possibility of probation.

But the morning he was to have been sentenced, after a stern rebuke about his behavior from Sullivan, Flynn asked for the hearing to be cut short so that he could continue cooperating and earn credit toward a more lenient sentence.

After that, he hired new attorneys — including Powell, a conservative commentator and outspoken critic of Mueller’s investigation — who took a far more confrontational stance to the government and had tried to withdraw his guilty plea.

E PAGE 10, Thursday, November 19, 12, Thursday, November 26,2020 2020

THE TRIBUNE

THE TRIBUNE

RELIGION SECTION C

RELIGIOUS NEWS, STORIES AND CHURCH EVENTS

National Friendship Jehovah Witness magazine goes digital

nspired by Only You, God’

protocols. It depicts the virtue of a mother’s prayer in the face of a dying son,” he said.

As 2020 comes to an end, Mr J said he is looking

BY REV ANGELA PALACIOUS forward to next year and creating more opportuniWHAT kind of friend are are just some of those that ties to share his music on a FFARAH GIBSON | TRIBUNE FEATURES WRITER you?

Who are the persons should be found in every global scale.

ON@TRIBUNEMEDIA.NET in your closest circles and home among family mem“I’ve been gearing up for what do they mean to you? bers and friends, at work 2021 and the opportunities VEN in the These are some of the ques- and church: that exists musically and midst of the Here is a list using business wise. Musically tions that we can ponder chaos of this speaking, I have a few sin- between now and Novem- each letter of the word year, reggae FRIENDSHIP: gles that will be released ber 25, 2020. l artist Gesner Mr J I have been invited to aithful - willing to be in the new year. One in ond has been singular serve on the National tried and true particular is a collaborafocus to provide hope

By JEFFARAH GIBSON government officials. Day committee prophecies. It has espectful - caring for Friendship tion Features titled Me and Jesus, nspiration through his Tribune Writer Becausethis of year.

COVID-19, comfortedis people the other’s feelings The following which features Reuben jgibson@tribunemedia.net the Witnesses’ campaign with the good news al projects. a quote from the Director, nspiring - bringing out in this willbeproceed using meth- of God’s Kingdom Heights, for which will latest endeavor Let Barrington Brennen: GIVEN that we are cur- ods in Dr with and promotes faith the best in each other an animated music video accordance s in the form of a we be rently living in a socially local health “National Day - enerprotocols. Friendship This in Jesus Christ. It hasnthusiastic also the release.

The the video al video for his “Only distanced world, reli-is being becaus Bible to unequivocally may include distributing shown us how to cope getically with promoting is designed to rekindle, culproduced byJehovah my internagious sect of the God” single. the kingdom, of orglo the magazine and contacttoday’s problems and buildsandidentify harmony fun tivate and inspire long-term tionalhad teamtoin Canada Witness change spear government, that Jesus nly You God” was ing people via electronic confidence in the Creator’s Letwasus egotiating - to,” diplofriendship relationships their normal way of minisreferring a statement headed by my executive means. promise of a peaceful and GESNER ed in May - but the to be matically settling among tering from knocking by the group said.

The local branchcitizens of the and secure resinew world.

“MR J” producer Reza door Ally aka of the single was themilpli differences dents of The to door, making themselves There are over 8.6 that thisBahamas. is “Untold billions have Dj Evangelist.

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(Matthew Jesus n and the COVID-19 loving the message. They God’ on international out- goal ness, elpful assisting is to develop in each around the world will and- cultural backgrounds, free of charge in over 300 taught his disciples that lets and the Caribbean. mic. are connecting with it andlaunch an unprecedented languages.individual the responsibil1.3 millionfriends Jehomodel prayer nearly wherever two including possible Histonew single a coming e vicious storm appreciate the song titlecampaign distribute vah’s Witnesses in Than the For decades, The thousand years ago.

The maginative finding ity to restore and keepThe “Meissue and Jesus” andWatchtower the n of 2019, COVID- in itself,” he told Tribunespecial those of The WatchUnited States.

For more has shown special issue the Witnesses new ways to enjoy life Bahamas as a friendly accompanying animated tower magazine to local log and ontolo the significance of world will distribute in November information e loss of so many lives, - a joy to be Religion. nation. residents, and events in the light of Bible will generously quoteleasant from jw.org. music businesses video is particularly rties, businesses and those w around “This year, due to the He received the same exciting to him because s all brought about a We know from the words the wo COVID19 pandemic, it is meditation and con- feedback from this music he is launching out into of greater importance to of Our Lord that friends Eldon n that’s it’s only God video that was released uncharted waters where the remind everyone about give their lives for one the mo an save us. Therefore, on his YouTube channel, video is concerned.

Cursill “It’s going to be awe- the importance of have another if we follow his friend, must allow ourselves Mrjreggae1.

It features Veola Sophia some. It’s something new friendship even while we example. There is no friend bring a opened to the Spirit like the Lord Jesus Christ, d so that we may be a local gospel artist who for me as I’ve never been in follow of rules of physical • Re who gave up everything distancing.” ed because God work recently released her tes- an animated video before. a moti This is a section of a letter that he had in heaven to author “My fans and followers gh people to save timonial single “He Can that is being distributed to come to earth and die on tional Work It Out”. can look out for collaborae,” he said. invite children, youth and the cross.

“The video depicts tions with various entities ce the song’s release priest.

During COVID-19, we tacted adults to participate more BEIJING extremism on a voluntary have told of how it persons of different nation- such as Messagein DamuPress this year. It is a call all have the opportunity to e-mail sicministry (Freeport)basis.

DJ fullybook their spirits some- ality under one umbrellaAssociated In his new “Let Us to action especially in this understand sacrifice in a gmail.c Righteous (UK) Mr J said is of utmost acknowledging God while CHINA criticised PopeStrange Dream”, due Dec 1, Francis new way. We wear masks season of COVID-19. distancing andFrancis Records (Nassau) and the “poor Uighurs” tant to him as a social on Tuesday over listed for our own protection We have all had lots of in his new book among examples of groups others,” he said. l artist. This is what he adhering to the COVIDa passage time to faith. reflect on priori- and to protect others, in which he mentions suf- persecuted for their fering by China’s Uighur Francistieswrote and toabout vow to be more we socially distance for in minority from group.danger. theWe need appreciative to see the world of blessings we the same reason. We protection His name for evil persons.Muslim Foreign ministry spokes- from the peripheries and often take for“to granted. give generously if we are discover Such individuals do not fallperson Zhao this Lijianwith saidtime the as margins of society, The following qualities, we travel along life’s path. within the ambit of this pas-Francis’ able to those who are in remarks had “no places of sin and misery, of Webasis areat all”. truly blessed to which I will share with you, need. We are indeed all sage and are excluded fromfactual exclusion and suffering, of “People of providence. all ethnic illness and solitude”. have such its scope. enjoy the full rights In such places of sufhold on to this We can turn to our stronggroupsBelievers of survival, development, fering, “I think often of their tower when we face life’sandproverb freedom by of virtue religiousof persecuted peoples: the Y CARLOS SPENCER faith.

It could actually save challenges, which can bebelief,” Zhao said at a daily Rohingya, the poor Uigone’s life. The reference overwhelming and arebriefing. hurs, the Yazidi — what made no as menhere is to God He isISIS gen-did to them was truly often unexpected. Psalm Zhao of theknown camps in cruel bywhich name to all — or Christians 18:2 (KJV) reminds thetionerally more than one million Uig- in Egypt and Pakistan A God in allkilled His by bombs that went believer that “The Lord ishurspersons. and members of other majesty and regal appeal. my rock, and my fortress,Chinese Muslim minority off while they prayed in Thehave genuine and The livingchurch,” God Francis wrote. and my deliever; my God,groups been held. and other governments, Francis has declined created all life and my strength, in whom I willUS who with human rights father to call out China for its heaven and earth, trust; my buckler, and thealong the prison-like crackdown on religious to say orphans, and umpire horn of my salvation, andgroups, facilities are intended to minorities, including CathLOMON wrote in my high tower.” to widows...a wonderful, divide Muslims from their olics, much to the dismay of rbs 18:10 (KJV) glorious and perfect These are very potentreligious and cultural herit- God.. the Trump administration name of the Lord is a words by David. age,our forcing them tower to declare andAhuman rights groups. strong in life.

China’s g tower: the righteous The Vatican last month Godtowho seesruling all things, It is important to rein-loyalty Party and its renewed its controversial th into it and is safe.” force that the name of theCommunist knows all things and is Xi Jinping. agreement with Beijing is very comforting Lord is strong and power-leader, all-powerful.

China, which initially on nominating Catholic ure for believers. We ful. In fact, a Divine Person.deniedThere is noofother God and Francis has the existence the bishops, est when we are tired, We can turn to Him as afacilities, are whose been careful to not say or but now Him;saysathey God intended to provide anything to offend the ek shelter when we strong tower when we arecentres name is a strong tower.doWe job training and prevent Chinese government on the POPE Francis incenses the altar as he celebrates Mass on Sunn danger, but we are fearful, and in need, and are blessed as we travel day in St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. and religious subject. ed that God is with feel safe. For believers thisterrorism along life’s path to be able ecause of our faith. is sacrosanct and nothing to rely on such providence. passage highlights the can infringe upon it. Hence What a blessing! (see Isaiah r and commitment of the significance of Prov- 26:3-4, Exodus 6:3 and Gento those who believe erbs 18:10 in our study of esis 16:13) Amen. Thanks im. There is noth- God’s word. There is no be to God for the sharing of pecial or mythical in other competing place of His word.

E

CHINA CRITICISES POPE OVER COMMENT ON UIGHUR MUSLIMS

Strong ower

t our favourite ptures mean to us

ESHA CADET NE FEATURES WRITER ET@TRIBUNEMEDIA.NET

ERE are many rable Bible scripture gs that people hold nd apply to their daily

bune Religion asked mber of locals to share of their favourite ures - and express how the verses mean to

heart and soul so deeply.

“I feel as though it is the most powerful bible verse because it humanises Jesus. The same way we go through troubles, pain and hurt and we cry and mourn - he did the same. It is comforting to know that our Saviour shared the same emotions we shared and overcame them. It gives me hope whenever my world is in a disarray,” said Theresa.

Anthia Wright said although it may sound cliché to some, her all time favourite scripture is the Phi-

mantra. It is popular for a reason, and that is because of the empowerment and uplifting it brings as you repeat it to yourself on a daily. There is power in the tongue, so imagine repeating something so motivating to yourself when you are in a dark place. My strength comes from the Lord and I owe my life to Him and Him alone. I am thankful for the dark days this scripture has brought me through because if it wasn’t for overcoming those days - I wouldn’t know how to express to you today

F R I E N D S H I P

THE TRIBUNE

THANKSGIVING...

WITHOUT FAMILY?

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net AS the COVID-19 pandemic is still very present in the country - there are many people finding it hard to possibly celebrate the holidays without the usual group of friends and family.

There is no doubt that today’s Thanksgiving gatherings and Christmas holiday - will look a bit different this year. “ I got a taste of how hard it was being a part from my family in April of this year during Easter. That is when the entire country was in the thick of the global crisis and we were all locked in. I had no choice but to spend it at home with my cousin and my significant other, but it was hard. I am a mommy’s girl and I have never spent a holiday without her and my family. To make the most out of the hard situation, we all FaceTimed each other, tuned into our church service online and enjoyed each other’s company that way.

Today is Thanksgiving and we are still apart unfortunately, so we plan to all cook in our respective homes while on video calls - and share fun recipes and create memories in this way. I am looking forward to spending Christmas with her and my immediate family. We are preparing ahead of time, just the 6 of us, to take the proper precautions to quarantine ahead of time, take the tests we need and enjoy each other in person,” said Angelika Forbes.

Camille Clarke believes the safest way to celebrate this year’s holidays is with members of her household. Camille said while she misses celebrating the way she use to with family members - her comfort level just won’t allow her to congregate during this time and season.

“My daughter is homeschooling, I am working from home and my husband

is working. At this point, we have created an in and out pattern in our home that we have become accustomed to. We know of each other’s whereabouts and we are being responsible in the best way we can, and it is working for us.

To keep mentally sane, I have seen and kept in touch with family members - but as safe as we possibly can. If we were all to meet up and celebrate right now, I think it’s impossible to keep a mask on at an eating and drinking event amongst ourselves. So we all would rather be safe than sorry. Making sound choices is important right now. We all pray that this will all be over soon. It is tiring but I will never lose my faith. God is always in the midst of the struggle and I know in my heart, the best is yet to come,” said Camille.

Kay Dorsett is sending prayers and encouragement to all persons that are faced with spending holidays alone or without family members.

“We all know how hard this year has been on persons mentally. It is very easy to fall into a depressed state because of it. But whatever you have been doing to make it this far, I encourage you to keep pushing. Whether it is exercising or communicating on a limited basis in person and mostly by phone, do what makes you happy. If you are feeling sad, pick up the phone and call someone to talk. I know we all have probably watched our favourite shows and movies ten times over for the year, but find something to make you laugh, laughter is so important. I am constantly praying for better days because people are locked in their homes, but not everyone’s home situations are the same.

What may be a comfortable living space for you, can be a nightmare for someone else. Stay prayed up as much as you can, I truly believe it’s all be over soon in Jesus name,” said Ms Dorsett.

A DOORKEEPER FOR GOD

BY CARLOS SPENCER

DAVID wrote in Palm 84:10 (KJV) “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” Here David is comparing one day as God’s doorkeeper to a thousand days of luxury spent elsewhere.

The doorkeeper could be considered the lowest position in relation to God’s house. However, for believers the post is preferable to the most senior position among the ungodly.

The simple ability to wait at the door and glance inside the house of God is considered a privilege.

Psalm 119:105 (KJV) comforts us “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”

For believers, to open doors and endure affliction and misfortune for

God is more honourable than enjoying comforts among the wicked.

The choice lies with each of us. God’s least attractive option or offer is superior to the best that Satan can provide. As believers our focus should always be based on doing what is right, and on meeting Christ face to face.

James 4:8 (KJV) reminds us “Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you.

Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

Believers revel in the thought that the doorway or doorstep of God is a more serene and joyous place than the soft, soothing luxury offered in the tents of wrongdoers. This is believed to be so, even if one has enjoyed a lifetime of luxury. We are told in

Matthew 6:10 (KJV) “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” We are pilgrims and our concentration lies on eternity.

We delight in being in the presence of God, and one day in a menial position is more desirable than one thousand days in luxury elsewhere without God. There is no comparison as we look away from sin to a life of service to God in perfornance of holy duties.

We do not know when the curtain will come down on life, (Mark 13:32) so serving as a doorkeeper in the house of God is worthy to believers. Amen. Thanks be to God for the sharing of His word.

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Thursday, November 26, 2020, PAGE 13

SPORTS Jones perfect PAGE 17

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2020

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

ai Jones had a perfect season debut while Franco Miller Jr and Radshad Davis shined in their new surroundings in wins for their respective programmes on the opening night of NCAA Division I basketball.

Jones was 6-6 from the field, 2-2 from the free throw line and scored 14 points for his No.19 ranked Texas Longhorns in their 91-55 win over the Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros last night at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas.

He also grabbed eight rebounds to equal his career high from his freshman season.

The Longhorns have been projected to finish No.4 in the Big 12, according to the league’s coaches’ poll.

Texas concluded last season 19-12 - 9-9 in the Big 12.

Along with Jones, they return virtually every rotation player from a season ago and welcomed five star prospect Greg Brown to a loaded frontcourt.

Miller scored nine points in his debut with the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles, a 65-56 win over the Florida A & M Rattlers at the Alico Arena in Fort Myers, Florida.

The sophomore guard shot 4-7 from the field and added three rebounds with one assist in just 19 minutes. Miller was granted an NCAA waiver for immediate eligibility following his transfer from Ole Miss to FGCU in June.

K

TEXAS forward Kai Jones, right, blocks Texas-Rio Grande Valley’s Uche Dibiamaka last night during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas.

(Ricardo B Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP) Davis also had an immediate impact in his first game with the FIU Panthers. He finished with 15 points and 7 rebounds in the Panthers’ 85-81 win over the Flagler Saints at the Ocean Bank COnvocation Center in Miami, Florida.

In the final season of his collegiate basketball career, Davis

opted to transfer to FIU from the Texas-Arlington Mavericks following a two-year stint in the Sun Belt Conference.

In addition, for head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, senior guard Valerie Nesbitt and the Ole Miss Rebels women’s team - their season was cancelled

due to positive COVID-19 tests among the Northwestern State programme.

Ole Miss is now scheduled to open its season against McNeese State at 7pm local time next Monday - November 30 - at home in the Pavilion in Oxford, Mississippi.

Canada’s Atlantic University Sport season cancelled

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net SEVERAL Bahamian basketball student athletes that compete in Canada’s Atlantic University Sport learned yesterday that their 2020-21 season has been cancelled.

The AUS announced yesterday that it will not host conferencesanctioned regular seasons or postseasons for the remainder of the 2020-21 winter sports season

and will not host any conference championships.

The organisation cited the resurgence of a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout Atlantic Canada.

Shamar Burrows of the Dalhousie Tigers, Azaro Roker of the St Francis Xavier X-Men, along with Qyemah Gibson and assistant coach Ollen Smith of the St Mary’s Huskies all compete in the AUS for their respective universities.

The conference also announced

World Athletics’ return for 2021 season all set

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net WORLD Athletics has scheduled its return for the 2021 season in an amended Olympic year.

The Wanda Diamond League released a provisional yesterday, which features 14 meets ranging from the May 23 opener in Rabat, Morocco to the September 8-9 finale in Zurich, Switzerland.

The 12th edition of the Diamond League will host two meets in May with the meet in Doha, Qatar on May 28 following the season opener.

June will also feature two meets, in Rome, Italy on June 4 and Oslo, Norway on June 10.

The schedule continues on July 4 in Stockholm, Sweden, in Monaco on July 9 and July 13 in London, England before a month long break for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Following the Olympics, the

Diamond League resumes with five meets scheduled in August, including Shanghai, China on August 14, in Eugene, Oregon on August 21, a new meet added to the schedule in China on August 22, in Lausanne, Switzerland on August 26 and Paris, France August 28.

The schedule closes out in Brussels, Belgium on September 3 before the season finale in Zürich. Athletes earn points throughout the course of the first 13 meets to earn a spot in the finale.

According to the organisation “the calendar is strictly provisional at this stage and remains subject to changes depending on the global health situation in 2021. The Wanda Diamond League, World Athletics and meeting organisers continue to monitor the situation and remain committed to delivering high-quality competitions while prioritising the health and safety of athletes and fans.”

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that it will allow “member-driven competition,” which means schools may decide their own level of competition based on their comfort level and with other programmes in close geographical vicinity.

“We had hoped to be able to get to a place where we could see some semblance of a regular season and postseason take place for our winter sport student-athletes. Unfortunately given the current realities in many of our regions, and evolving public health

directives, this won’t be possible,” said AUS executive director Phil Currie.

“What we are encouraged by is the decision of our board of directors to continue to allow member-driven competition in the new year if public health guidelines allow. The safety of our student-athletes, campuses and surrounding communities is the top priority. But we are also in the

SEE PAGE 20

NFL PICKS

PAGE 22

FIBA: TEAM BAHAMAS DOWN TO 8 PLAYERS

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net TEAM Bahamas will have to contend with a shortened rotation next week in the latest window of the FIBA Americup 2022 Qualifiers.

The Bahamas Basketball Federation’s Baha Mar senior men’s national team will have just eight players available on their roster when they face the US (November 29) and Puerto Rico (November 30) at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana.

David Nesbitt (Mina Belo Horizonte - Brazil), Willis Mackey (JSA Bordeaux - France), Tavario Miller (Boca Juniors - Argentina), and Kentwan Smith (Garonne ASPTT - France) were unavailable for a myriad of reasons ranging from COVID-19 travel restrictions in their respective countries, unable to clear COVID-19 protocol or not acquiring a release from their club team.

Team Bahamas is now limited to Mychel Thompson (Big 3), D’Shon Taylor (NPBA), Jaron Cornish (Zornotza Saskibaloi Taldea - Spain), Nashad Mackey (Embry Riddle University), Eugene Bain (NPBA), Robert Nortmann (Romerstrom Gladiators Trier - Germany), Godfrey Rolle III (Southwest Baptist University) and Ahmad Pratt (Southwestern College).

Chris Demarco of the Golden State Warriors will serve as head coach assisted

by Moses Johnson and Perry Thompson. The team conducted its first practice yesterday in Indianapolis ahead of its matchup with the United States.

Games will be streamed on ESPN+, but no fans or outsiders will be allowed inside the bubble for the games.

The BBF faced several challenges in the selection process and team preparation with funding, COVID-19 restrictions and limited access to local facilities.

PAGE 18, Thursday, November 26, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

ARGENTINE SOCCER GREAT DIEGO MARADONA DIES AT 60

By DEBORA REY Associated Press BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Diego Maradona, the Argentine soccer great who scored the “Hand of God” goal in 1986 and led his country to that year’s World Cup title before later struggling with cocaine use and obesity, has died. He was 60.

A person close to Maradona said he died yesterday of a heart attack.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly.

Maradona died two weeks after being released from a Buenos Aires hospital following brain surgery.

The office of Argentina’s president said it will decree three days of national mourning, and the Argentine soccer association expressed its sorrow on

ARGENTINA’S DIEGO MARADONA, front, is attacked by Belgium’s Guy Vandermissen during the opening game of the Soccer World Cup in Barcelona, Spain, June 13, 1982.

(AP) Twitter. One of the most famous moments in the history of the sport, the “Hand of God” goal, came when Maradona punched the ball into England’s net during the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals. He also captivated

fans around the world over a two-decade career with a bewitching style of play that was all his own.

Although his reputation was tarnished by his addictions and an ill-fated spell in charge of the national team, he remained idolised in soccer-mad Argentina as the “Pibe de Oro” or “Golden Boy.” “You took us to the top of the world,” Argentine President Alfredo Fernández said on social media.

“You made us incredibly happy. You were the greatest of all.”

The No. 10 he wore on his jersey became synonymous with him, as it also had with Pele, the Brazilian great with whom Maradona was regularly paired as the best of all time.

The Brazilian said in a statement he had lost “a dear friend.”

“There is much more to say, but for now may God

FORMER soccer player Diego Maradona smokes a cigar as he watches Argentina’s first division soccer match between Boca Juniors and River Plate in Buenos Aires, Argentina,March 26, PELE, left, and Maradona hold “Sports Oscar” 2006.

(AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) trophies in Milan, Rome, in March 1987. (AP) give his family strength,” Pelé said. “One day, I hope, we will play soccer together in the sky.”

Bold, fast and utterly unpredictable, Maradona was a master of attack, juggling the ball easily from one foot to the other as he raced upfield. Dodging and weaving with his low centre of gravity, he shrugged off countless rivals and often scored with a devastating left foot, his most powerful weapon. “Everything he was thinking in his head, he made it happen with his feet,” said Salvatore Bagni, who played with Maradona at Italian club Napoli.

A ballooning waistline slowed Maradona’s explosive speed later in his career and by 1991 he was snared in his first doping scandal when he admitted to a cocaine habit that haunted him until he retired in 1997, at 37. Hospitalised near death in 2000 and again in ‘04 for heart problems blamed on cocaine, he later said he overcame the drug problem. Cocaine, he once said famously, had proven to be his “toughest rival.”

But more health problems followed, despite a 2005 gastric bypass that greatly trimmed his weight.

Maradona was hospitalised in early 2007 for acute hepatitis that his doctor blamed on excessive drinking and eating. He made an unlikely return to the national team in 2008 when he was appointed Argentina coach, but after a quarterfinal exit at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, he was ousted — ultimately picking up another coaching job with the United Arab Emirates club Al Wasl.

Maradona was the fifth of eight children who grew up in a poor, gritty barrio on the Buenos Aires outskirts where he played a kind of dirt-patch soccer that launched many Argentines to international stardom.

None of them approached Maradona’s fame. In 2001, FIFA named Maradona one of the two greatest in the sport’s history, alongside Pele.

“Maradona inspires us,” said then-Argentina striker Carlos Tevez, explaining his country’s everyman fascination with Maradona at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. “He’s our idol, and an idol for the people.”

Maradona reaped titles at home and abroad, playing in the early 1980s for Argentinos Juniors and Boca Juniors before moving on to Spanish and Italian clubs. His crowning achievement came at the 1986 World Cup, captaining Argentina in its 3-2 win over West Germany in the final and decisive in a 2-1 victory against England in a feisty quarterfinal match.

Over the protests of England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, the referee let stand a goal by Maradona in which, as he admitted years later, he intentionally hit the ball with his hand in “a bit of mischief.”

But Maradona’s impact wouldn’t be confined to cheating. Four minutes later, he spectacularly weaved past four opponents from midfield to beat Shilton for what FIFA later declared the greatest goal in World Cup history.

Many Argentines saw the match as revenge for their country’s loss to Britain in the 1982 war over the Falkland Islands, which Argentines still claim as “Las Malvinas.” “It was our way of recovering ‘Las Malvinas,’” Maradona wrote in his 2000 autobiography “I am Diego.”

“It was more than trying to win a game. We said the game had nothing to do with the war. But we knew that Argentines had died there, that they had killed them like birds. And this was our revenge. It was something bigger than us: We were defending our flag.”

It also was vindication for Maradona, who in what he later called “the greatest tragedy” of his career was cut from the squad of the 1978 World Cup — which Argentina won at home — because he was only 17.

Maradona said he was given a soccer ball soon after he could run. “I was 3 years old and I slept hugging that ball all night,” he said.

At 10, Maradona gained fame by performing at halftime of professional matches, wowing crowds by keeping the ball airborne for minutes with his

feet, chest and head. He also made his playing debut with the Argentinos Juniors youth team, leading a squad of mostly 14-yearolds through 136 unbeaten matches. “To see him play was pure bliss, true stardom,” teammate Carlos Beltran said.

Maradona played from 1976-81 for first division club Argentinos Juniors, then went to Boca Juniors for a year before heading to Barcelona for a worldrecord $8 million.

In 1984, Barcelona sold him to Napoli, in Italy. He remade its fortunes almost single-handedly, taking it to the 1987 Italian league championship for its first title in 60 years.

A year after losing the 1990 World Cup final to West Germany, Maradona moved to Spanish club Sevilla, but his career was on the decline. He played five matches at Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys in 1994 before returning to Boca from 1995-97 — his final club and closest to his heart.

Drug problems overshadowed his final playing years.

Maradona failed a doping test in 1991 and was banned for 15 months, acknowledging his longtime cocaine addiction. He failed another doping test for stimulants and was thrown out of the 1994 World Cup in the United States.

In retirement, Maradona frequented Boca matches as a raucous one-man cheering section and took part in worldwide charity, sporting and exhibition events.

But the already stocky forward quickly gained weight and was clearly short of breath as he huffed through friendly matches.

In 2000, in what doctors said was a brush with death, he was hospitalised in the Uruguayan resort of Punta del Este with a heart that doctors said was pumping at less than half its capacity.

Blood and urine samples turned up traces of cocaine.

After another emergency hospitalisation in 2004, Maradona was counselled for drug abuse and in September of that year travelled to Cuba for treatment at Havana’s Center for Mental Health. There he was visited by his friend, Cuban President Fidel Castro. In Cuba, Maradona took to playing golf and smoking cigars. He frequently praised Castro and Argentine-born revolutionary “Che” Guevara, who fought with Castro in the Cuban revolution — even sporting a tattoo of Guevara on his right arm.

Maradona said he got clean from drugs there and started a new chapter.

In 2005, he underwent gastric bypass in Colombia, shedding nearly 50 kilograms (more than 100 pounds) before appearing as host of a wildly popular Argentine television talk show. On “10’s Night,” Maradona headed around a ball with Pele, interviewed boxer Mike Tyson and Hollywood celebrities, and taped a lengthy conversation with Castro in Cuba.

In retirement, Maradona also became more outspoken. He sniped frequently at former coaches, players — including Pele — and the pope. He joined a left-wing protest train outside the Summit of the Americas in 2005, standing alongside Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to denounce the presence of then-President George W Bush.

His outsider status made it all the more surprising when he was chosen as Argentina coach following Alfio Basile’s resignation.

He won his first three matches but his tactics, selection and attention to detail were all questioned after a 6-1 loss to Bolivia in World Cup qualifying equalled Argentina’s worstever margin of defeat.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, November 26, 2020, PAGE 19

Bayern, Manchester City win, advance to Champions last-16

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer AFTER the Champions League paused to pay tribute to Diego Maradona, defending champion Bayern Munich and Manchester City won yesterday to advance to the knockout rounds.

The Argentina great’s death was announced two hours before the first games kicked off. A minute’s silence was observed by players before each of the eight games, which were all played in empty stadiums because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Bayern’s 3-1 win over Salzburg included Robert Lewandowski’s 71st Champions League goal, tied for third all-time with Real Madrid great Raul.

City’s 1-0 win at Olympiakos means six elite teams are already into the last 16 with two rounds of the group stage still to play.

Barcelona, Juventus, Chelsea and Sevilla advanced on Tuesday.

Liverpool wasted the chance to join them, as the 2019 champion conceded its first goals in this season’s competition to lose 2-0 at home against Atalanta.

Eden Hazard’s seventhminute penalty in a 2-0 win at Inter Milan helped ensure Real Madrid is back on track after a shaky start to the campaign. Inter is last in group B and facing elimination. Marseille, the 1993 European champion,

and debutant Midtjylland cannot advance after losing their fourth straight games, against Porto and Ajax, respectively.

BAYERN EXTENDS STREAK Bayern’s victory was its 15th straight in the Champions League dating to the start of last season.

Lewandowski opened the scoring in the 43rd, picking up the rebound when Thomas Müller’s shot was saved. The Poland captain now trails only Cristiano Ronaldo’s 131 Champions League goals and Lionel Messi on 118.

After winning 6-2 at Salzburg three weeks ago, Bayern gave a Champions League debut to 20-yearold American defender Chris Richards and a first European start to Spanish midfielder Marc Roca.

Roca was sent off with the score at 2-0 though Leroy Sané soon extended the lead with a soaring header.

Bayern’s maximum 12 points in Group A is seven clear of Atlético Madrid, which was held 0-0 at home to Lokomotiv Moscow.

LIVERPOOL Liverpool cruised to a 5-0 win at Atalanta three weeks ago, and had never lost a Champions League groupstage game at home under coach Jurgen Klopp.

With first-choice defenders injured and rested, Liverpool was deservedly beaten by Atalanta which has now won both its away

TWO WEIGHTLIFTERS LOSE LONDON OLYMPIC MEDALS OVER DOPING LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Two Romanian weightlifters were stripped of their 2012 Olympic medals yesterday after positive doping tests, extending the record of doping cases at any Summer or Winter Games to 77.

The International Olympic Committee said silver medallist Roxana Cocos and bronze medallist Razvan Martin tested positive for multiple steroids in a reanalysis of their samples.

A third Romanian, Gabriel Sincraian, also tested positive for steroids. He now faces a life ban from the International Weightlifting Federation for a third doping sanction.

All four members of Romania’s weightlifting team at the 2012 London Olympics have now been disqualified by the IOC for doping.

The latest sanctions bring the total of London doping cases to 77, five more than at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, according to IOC statistics. Of those 77 cases, 68 were revealed in a

reanalysis programme that relied on an improved test for anabolic steroids, which detected infractions by an athlete for a longer period after use.

The IOC had until August 2020, eight years after the London Olympics closed, to find positive samples, and longer to finish processing disciplinary cases.

Martin, who won a bronze medal in the men’s 69-kilogram class, tested positive for Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, Metenolone and Stanozolol, the IOC said.

The 28-year-old athlete faces a longer ban by the IWF because he previously served a two-year doping ban.

With Martin’s disqualification, North Korean lifter Kim Myong-hyok could be upgraded from fourth to get the bronze medal.

Cocos finished second in the women’s 69-kilogram class.

Anna Nurmukhambetova of Kazakhstan and Ubaldina Valoyes of Colombia are next in line to be upgraded in the medals.

PLAYERS observe a minute of silence for the recently deceased Argentinian soccer legend Diego Maradona prior the start of the Champions League Group A soccer match between Bayern Munich and RB Salzburg at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Czech Republic, yesterday.

(AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) matches while failing to win either home game.

Josip Ilicic and Robin Gosens scored the goals early in the second half, to earn three points that help Atalanta keep pace with Ajax behind Group D leader Liverpool.

Ajax’s first goal in a 3-1 win over Midtjylland came from 18-year-old midfielder Ryan Gravenberch’s curling shot that went in off the underside of the bar.

Ajax visits Anfield next Tuesday for the first time since the 1966-67 European Cup.

MADRID WINS IN MILAN Real Madrid’s back-toback wins over Inter Milan have repaired the damage of a surprise opening loss at home to Shakhtar Donetsk last month.

A 2-0 win at San Siro was also the first time Madrid had beaten either Inter or AC Milan at the iconic stadium, though coach Zinedine Zidane’s team did win the 2016 final there against city rival Atlético.

Hazard’s early penalty was his first goal in the Champions League for

three years, and Rodrygo’s second-half header secured the points.

Inter played most of the game with 10 men after Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal was sent off. Vidal was shown two yellow cards within seconds when berating referee Anthony Taylor for a penalty kick not being awarded.

Madrid still trails Group B leader Borussia Mönchengladbach by one point, after the German side cruised to a 4-0 win over Shakhtar.

Inter, though, is six points behind Gladbach with two games to go.

Borussia’s standout goal was its third, an overhead kick by Switzerland forward Breel Embolo.

FODEN STARS Denied regular playing time in the Premier League, 20-year-old Phil Foden made use of a start from coach Pep Guardiola to score in the 36th and seal Manchester City’s 1-0 win at Olympiakos.

City has a perfect fourwin record to advance to the knockout rounds for an eighth straight season, and will likely be joined by Porto.

The two-time European champion won 2-0 at Marseille which slumped to a 13th straight loss in the competition dating back to the 2011-12 season.

Porto is six points clear of third-place Olympiakos with two rounds left.

NBA MOVES INDY ALL-STAR WEEKEND TO 2024 INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis will host the NBA All-Star weekend in 2024, the league said yesterday, formally rescheduling the plans for that city to be the site of the league’s midseason showcase this season.

Cleveland will play host in 2022 and Salt Lake City will do so in 2023, both of those sites and years previously announced. The next open spot on the league’s All-Star calendar was 2024, which now belongs to Indianapolis.

The league said “public health conditions prevented the Pacers, the NBA All-Star Host Committee and the NBA from appropriately planning and executing fan-focused All-Star activities in Indianapolis that were envisioned for this February.”

The new dates for Indianapolis’ All-Star weekend: February 16-18, 2024. “While we are disappointed that the NBA All-Star Game will not take place in Indianapolis in 2021, we are looking forward to the Pacers and the city hosting the game and surrounding events in 2024,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.

The league released hotel blocks for what would have been the 2021 All-Star weekend back in August and is in the process of finalising a schedule for this season — which begins December 22.

PAGE 20, Thursday, November 26, 2020

ALEXIS Neymour -5th place - Children’s 2’6 Medal.

THE TRIBUNE

SARA Gottberg -5th place - Children’s 3’ Medal.

STORM D’Arville and Valentine (Owner - Erika Adderley) 6th place 2’ Jumpers.

KATHRYN Goulandris - 7th place - Children’s 3’ Medal.

HANNAH D’Aguilar - 5th place - Modified Rider 2’3.

YOUNG RIDERS WIN THE PRINCETON EQUESTRIAN LEAGUE AWARDS DESPITE SHORTENED SEASON WHEN the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March brought the equestrian competition season to an abrupt end, Alexis Neymour was disappointed.

For Neymour, like many other Bahamian athletes at home and around the world, the pandemic had interrupted a promising season. “I understand why it had to happen,” said Neymour, a 12th-grader at Windsor School.

“Up until the cancellation I was having a really good season…I finally got into the flow of showing and everything was going really well.”

Despite the frustration of an interrupted competition season, Neymour was excited to learn last week that because of her strong early performances, she had been named a finalist in the Princeton Equestrian League Awards.

“I was really excited and proud of myself for that, because before I used to doubt myself, but now seeing that I won a Princeton Equestrian League Award I see how far I’ve come as a rider and how I can also improve,” she said.

Neymour was one of seven Equestrian Bahamas riders to be awarded Finalist honours. Hannah D’Aguilar, Storm D’Arville, Sara Gottberg, Kathryn Goulandris, Alexis Osazuwa and Mila Sands also won awards due to points gained from performances in horse shows early in the competition season.

The Princeton Equestrian League provides an opportunity for Hunter, Jumper and Equitation riders to compete in high quality competitions throughout the year and qualify for the prestigious Princeton Equestrian League National Finals at Princeton Show Jumping in Skillman, New Jersey.

“Equestrian Bahamas is proud to partner with the Princeton Equestrian League,” said Federation President Cathy RamsinghPierre. “Our partnership affords EB members the opportunity to rank their performance at our shows head to head with riders in shows from all over the United States.”

She offered special congratulations to the trainers of the local riding schools

ALEXIS Osazuwa and Trade Secret (Owner - Camperdown Equestrian Centre) 8th place 2’ Jumpers.

– Erika Adderley of Mariposa Stables, and Kimberly Johnson of Camperdown Equestrian Centre. “For the second year in a row, both trainers have had riders win PEL awards.

Their success is proof of the

quality of riding here in the country.”

• Full list of Finalists is as follows: Hannah D’Aguilar– 5th place (Modified Rider 2’3” Equitation) Storm

MILA Sands -3rd place Children’s 2’6 Medal and 5th place 2’6 Children’s Equitation.

D’Arville and Erika Adderley’s Valentine – 6th place (Leapfrog Jumper 2’0”) Sara Gottberg- 5th place (Children’s/Adult Medal 3’) Kathryn Goulandris – 7th place (Children’s/Adult Medal 3’) Alexis Neymour – 5th place (Children’s/

Adult Medal 2’6”) Alexis Osazuwa and Camperdown Equestrian Centre’s Trade Secret – 8th place (Leapfrog Jumper 2’0”) Mila Sands – 3rd place (Children’s/Adult Medal 2’6”) and 5th place (Low Children’s Equitation 2’6”)

Canada’s Atlantic University Sport season cancelled

FROM PAGE 17

business of delivering sport opportunities to young people. And our member universities intend to provide those opportunities so long as the experts deem it safe to do so at that time.”

UNB director of athletics and AUS president John

Richard, who served as chair of the AUS Returnto-Play Committee, said the interest of the student athletes were paramount in the process.

“With guidance and input from public health and building on a lot of the groundwork already laid regarding safe practices on

our respective campuses, we were able to create a very thorough plan in a short window of time,” he said.

“As a group that is extremely passionate about sport, we are disappointed for our student-athletes and stakeholders that regular seasons and

championships won’t be possible this winter. But we acknowledge and respect the current realities and the steps being taken by those in leadership positions to keep everyone safe.

“We’re still hopeful there will be a pathway for meaningful competition for many of our student-athletes this

winter and we’re grateful the board has afforded us that opportunity.”

Roker returns to the X-Men for his final year of eligibility as one of the top players in the AUS last season.

He earned a series of postseason accolades, including a U Sports

All-Canadian Second Team selection, an AUS conference tournament All-Star nod and AUS First Team selection.

He was one of only three players in the league to average a double double.

He led the conference in rebounding at 13.2 per game and was second in scoring at 17.2 points per game.

The X-Men were eliminated in the AUS conference title game, one game shy of a national tournament berth.

Burrows is one of several players returning to a Dalhousie team that made programme history last season.

The Tigers ended just short of their ultimate goal, but finished as the second ranked team in all of Canadian collegiate basketball.

They finished with the silver medal at the 2020 U SPORTS Final 8 Basketball Championships, the best finish in programme history.

Burrows finished with nine points, five rebounds and four assists in the final.

In his second season with the Tigers, he appeared in 20 games with six starts.

He averaged 8.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 54 percent from the field and 77 percent from the free throw line.

Dalhousie finished the season at 23-2.

Former junior national team standout and Empower Sports Network founder Ollen Smith serves as an assistant coach on the St Mary’s Huskies staff while Qyemah Gibson emerged as a leader in his second year with the programme.

Gibson was named an AUS Second Team AllStar after he increased his numbers across the board throughout all statistical categories from year one.

He led the team in scoring and was seventh in the league in scoring at 15.4 points per game and eighth in rebounding at 6.5 rebounds per game.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, November 26, 2020, PAGE 21

Jump ball: College basketball begins strange season in empty arenas

By JOHN MARSHALL AP Basketball Writer THE strangest anticipated season in college basketball history kicked off Wednesday with dozens of games at arenas across the country.

Like everything else in this pandemic world, it was odd and disjointed.

Cancellations, protests, quarantined players, piped-in crowd noise, masked cheerleaders, socially distanced bench seating — the start of the season matched the chaotic build up to it.

One day down, who knows how many more left.

“I’d like normalcy, I’d like a routine, but that’s not what we have right now,” North Carolina coach Roy Williams said. “You can do everything you can possibly do and still have a slipup. But the process, you need to do everything you can possibly do and be prepared to handle everything as well.”

College basketball, like the rest of the sports world, was thrown into disarray last March when the surging coronavirus pandemic shut down everything.

Cancelation of the NCAA Tournament cost the NCAA $375 million in revenue, so the organization that runs college sports was determined to get through the 2020-21 season.

The prelude to Wednesday’s start followed the lead of a college football season filled with cancelations, shutdowns and last-minute replacement games.

Dozens of college basketball programs shut down for positive COVID-19 tests, bigname coaches like Tom Izzo, Scott Drew, Jim Boeheim among them.

Games canceled almost hourly.

Programs moved in and out of multi-team events like a game of whack-a-mole.

The first big event in Connecticut dubbed Bubbleville became more like Juggleville as teams dropped out, replacements moved in and crafting a schedule became like sorting through AAU brackets.

While gamblers socially distanced inside the Mohegan Sun casino, no fans were allowed in the 10,000-seat arena for the opening game between Virginia and Towson, a late replacement for coronavirus-affected Maine.

HOUSTON guard Tramon Mark shoots a 3-point basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Lamar yesterday in Houston.

(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Yelling coaches and squeaking sneakers echoed off the empty seats, and seats on the benches were spread out for social distancing — as they were in arenas across the country.

Cardboard cutouts filled most arenas and recorded crowd noise was piped in to replace the fullthroated roars of real fans.

“It’s weird implemented crowd noise, just a bunch of cardboard cutouts staring at you and it’s just ‘this is different,’” Rutgers guard Ron Harper Jr. said.

North Carolina played its hype video before announcing the starting lineups and played House of Pain’s “Jump Around” before playing College of Charleston — despite playing in front a handful of player families and staff at the 21,750-seat Smith Center.

Kentucky’s Rupp Arena, typically one of the toughest road venues in college basketball, was limited to 15% capacity and felt like the doors had just opened instead of the usual buzz at tipoff.

“We have to create our own energy,” said Iowa preseason AllAmerican Luka Garza, who had 26 points and 10 rebounds in a win over North Carolina Central.

“As a basketball player, I have no problem doing that.

“I play the same whether I’m at LA Fitness or in front of 15,000 fans.”

Ten members of the top-ranked South Carolina women’s team followed the social justice lead of the NBA and WNBA by remaining seated for the national anthem before their 119-38 win over Charleston.

“We just wanted everyone to know we haven’t forgotten about what’s going on,” guard Zia Cooke said. “Of course, this is a basketball game, but we wanted to use our platform.”

Numerous other teams sat or knelt during the anthem, including North Carolina State’s women.

The Virginia men’s team had “UNITY” on their warm-up shirts and Towson’s players had a raised fist on their backs.

Georgetown coach Patrick Ewing made a different kind of statement during the Hoyas’ season-opening game against Maryland-Baltimore County, draping a white towel over his shoulder in memory John Thompson. Several other coaches followed suit to honor the Hall of Fame coach who died in August at 78.

Some teams never made it to the floor. Georgia’s opener against Columbus State was canceled just hours before tipoff due to positive COVID-19 tests within the Division II team. Lipscomb’s game against Campbellsville Harrodsburg also was canceled due to coronavirus issues.

On the women’s side, No. 9 UCLA had its game called off after an 80-minute wait for Cal State Fullerton to get COVID-19 test results and Rutgers’ opener was called off due to a positive test in Monmouth’s program.

“This is obviously a situation unlike any other I’ve had to deal with in my 31 seasons of coaching college basketball,” Georgia coach Tom Crean said. “This season already was a surreal experience all around. This is truly that.”

Oklahoma and Monmouth became the latest teams to pause all activities due to positive COVID-19 tests.

The game went on mostly as usual on the court.

Drake pulled off the first upset of the season, winning 80-70 at Kansas State. Illinois senior Ayo Dosunmu showed off why he was a preseason All-American, finishing with 28 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a 122-60 win over North Carolina A&T. Heralded Oklahoma State freshman Cade Cunningham, another preseason All-American, had a stellar debut, finishing with 21 points and 10 rebounds in a 75-68 win over Texas-Arlington.

The day before Thanksgiving, players, coaches and fans were thankful to have college basketball back. Where it goes from here, nobody knows.

NO. 14 TEXAS TECH OPENS WITH WIN OVER NORTHWESTERN ST LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Mac McClung and Marcus Santos-Silva fit right in with No. 14 Texas Tech when the transfers finally got to play a game for the Red Raiders.

McClung scored 20 points while Santos-Silva had 10 points and 12 rebounds despite playing only 18 minutes as Texas Tech opened the season with a 101-58 win over Northwestern State last night.

“It was great to finally play in the Texas Tech uniform and play with my brothers,” said SantosSilva, a graduate transfer and the only Red Raiders senior after starting all 64 games for VCU the past two seasons.

“We’ve been working so hard and going through so much with the whole COVID and all the other stuff that’s going on. It just felt great to be out there and just competing with each other.”

Jamaure Gregg was the only starter in double figures for Northwestern State with 11 points.

The Red Raiders never trailed, and all five starters scored in double digits.

True freshman Micah Peavy made the first basket of the game and finished with 14 points. Terrence Shannon Jr. had 16 points and Kyler Edwards 10.

Tech shot 54.3% (38 of 70) and committed only 10 turnovers. The Red Raiders went on runs of 17-5 and 15-4 in the first half.

“The balance is what we’re looking for. A lot of unselfish plays out there tonight on offense, a lot of aggressive plays on defense,” said coach Chris Beard, who opened his fifth

TEXAS Tech forward Marcus Santos-Silva (14) and guard Mac McClung vie with Northwestern State forward Jamaure Gregg for a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game yesterday in Lubbock, Texas.

(AP Photo/Mark Rogers)

NO. 4 BAYLOR WOMEN FIVE IN DOUBLE FIGURES IN 82-37 VICTORY WACO, Texas (AP) — NaLyssa Smith had 25 points and 15 rebounds and was one of five players scoring in double figures for No. 4 Baylor as the Lady Bears opened the season with an 82-37 win over Central Arkansas last night.

Caitlin Bickle also had a double-double for Baylor with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

DiJonai Carrington, the former AllPac-12 guard from Stanford and preseason Big 12 newcomer of the year, had 11 points in her Baylor debut, while 6-foot-5 freshman center Hannah Gusters had 13 points.

Moon Ursin finished with 10 points a month after being involved in a vicious mid-air collision with teammate DiDi Richards in practice.

Ursin completed concussion protocol while Richards, the versatile senior who had been expected to be the starting point guard, is still recovering from a spinal nerve injury.

It is still unclear when Richards will be able to play, but she was on the bench energetically supporting her teammates.

Jalisa Outlaw was the leader scorer for Central Arkansas with nine points, though she was 1-of-7 shooting, making a 3-pointer and going 6-of-6 at the free throw line. UCA shot only 19.7% (13 of 66).

BIG PICTURE Central Arkansas: After scoring the game’s first basket only 44 seconds into the game, UCA kept that 2-0 lead until Smith’s two free throws with 6:36 left.

That was part of a 13-0 run for Baylor, which never trailed again. UCA got out-rebounded 60-37 and outscored in the paint 50-16.

Baylor: The Lady Bears were 28-2 last season, but lost their regular-season finale before they played their Big 12 tournament opener and before the NCAA Tournament was canceled by the COVID19 pandemic. They won their 10th Big 12 regularseason title in a row and are favored again this season even after losing AP AllAmerica post Lauren Cox and fellow double figurescoring seniors Te’a Cooper and Juicy Landrum.

Central Arkansas goes about 100 miles north to play TCU on Saturday.

Baylor was supposed to play Northwestern State on Friday, but that game was rescheduled until Dec. 18 because of COVID-19 concerns after Northwestern’s scheduled opener Wednesday was postponed. The Lady Bears play at South Florida next Tuesday.

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season. “Obviously a lot to clean up, but a good start.”

McClung was Georgetown’s leading scorer last season, when the 6-foot-2 guard missed 11 games because of a right foot injury. Santos-Silva, a 6-foot-7 forward, was tabbed the Big 12 preseason newcomer of the year.

“He’s somebody I trust.

And that’s a strong statement, you know, when you coached a guy one game,” Beard said. “There probably hasn’t been too many Texas Tech debuts where a guy gets 12 rebounds in 18 minutes. So if he plays his normal minutes tonight, he probably breaks a Texas Tech rebounding record.

But I’m glad I’m Marcus’ coach.”

Mike McConathy began his 22nd season as coach of the Demons in what was the first sporting event of the 2020-21 academic year for Northwestern State. The

last event 8 1/2 months ago was its 79-62 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the first round of the Southland Conference tournament.

INJURED RED RAIDERS Texas Tech opened the season without sophomore guard Kevin McCuller, who would have been a starter if not for a rolled ankle.

Vladislav Goldin, a 7-foot-1 post player from Russia, has a wrist injury.

“Kevin had as well or as good of an offseason as I’ve seen in my years of college basketball,” Beard said.

“Kevin was going to start this game, the first game of his sophomore season. He’d earned the right to do that.”

BIG PICTURE Northwestern State: Even with a starting lineup of three seniors and two juniors, the Demons committed 19 turnovers that

Tech converted into 31 points. That included 13 steals by the Red Raiders.

Northwestern State shot only 34.4% (21 of 61).

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders were 18-13 last season and likely would have played in their third consecutive NCAA Tournament even after losing their last four regular-season games.

The COVID-19 pandemic ended the season before Texas Tech played its Big 12 Tournament opener. The Red Raiders lost in the championship game of the last NCAA Tournament played in 2019.

UP NEXT Northwestern State plays UT-Arlington in the Louisiana Tech Classic in Ruston, Louisiana, on Saturday night.

Texas Tech is home Friday against Sam Houston State.

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PAGE 22, Thursday, November 26, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

RAVENS VS STEELERS MOVED FROM THURSDAY NIGHT TO SUNDAY (AP) — THE Thanksgiving night game between the Ravens and Steelers has been switched to Sunday because of coronavirus issues with Baltimore.

The NFL announced the move yesterday, but did not specify a time of game nor which network would televise it. Previously, it was scheduled for NBC’s primetime telecast.

Baltimore placed outside linebacker Pernell McPhee on the reserve/COVID-19 list, joining running backs Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins and defensive tackle Brandon Williams. The Ravens also have been doing team work virtually.

Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was one of several Steelers to express his unhappiness with the move.

“First the NFL takes away our bye week because another team can’t get their Covid situation together, now they take away our Thanksgiving primetime game for the same reason.

Smh,” he posted on social media.

Also, the Cleveland Browns were practicing in shifts and holding players out as a precaution while dealing with a new round of COVID-19 issues.

The team temporarily closed its headquarters in Berea, Ohio, after another yet-to-be identified player tested positive. The Browns are conducting contact tracing to see if others players were exposed to the infected player.

In the meantime, coach Kevin Stefanksi said practice ahead of Sunday’s game at Jacksonville will be spaced out to reduce the risk of possible spread.

Rain has forced the workout to be held in the team’s indoor field house, which is also being used as a weight room due to COVID protocols.

“We’ll space this out a little bit,” Stefanski said.

“We’ll bring in the offence, let them get a lift, get them out on the field in the field house to work out, get an individual period and move them around. And then we’ll bring the defence in and have a similar schedule. So we’ll space the two groups out.”

The Browns (7-3) already have four players, including star defensive end Myles Garrett on the reserve/ COVID list. Garrett missed Sunday’s win over Philadelphia and he’ll also sit out this week’s game against the Jaguars (1-9).

COWBOYS wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) catches a second-quarter touchdown pass over Vikings cornerback Jeff Gladney (20) Sunday in Minneapolis.

(Jerry Holt/Star Tribune via AP)

A Thanksgiving Feast tonight?

By BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writer WHAT are we to make of the Thanksgiving Day schedule?

First off, we get a rare meeting of the Texans and Lions, which wouldn’t draw any headlines had it been played on another day. Sorry, but 3-7 Houston facing 4-6 Detroit just doesn’t whet the appetite.

Next up is Washington at Dallas, a true epic matchup — decades ago. But wait, this is a battle for first place in the NFC East. Sure, we know both teams are 3-7, probably are headed for 10 losses. But it’s for first place.

Sorry, better off heading to the dinner table.

As for the nightcap, well, that’s special — and it has been moved to Sunday.

Baltimore at Pittsburgh presents Pro Picks’ favourite NFL rivalry.

These games are always intense, slam-bang affairs in the trenches, with plenty of skill to boot.

But the Ravens have had COVID-19 issues on a short week, so the holiday dessert will be served on the weekend.

Of course, we’d watch this game whenever it is played, unlike the other two holiday contests.

KNOCKOUT POOL: Following a dismal week in which we missed on Best Bet, Upset Special and here with the Vikings, for what it’s worth, Pro Picks tries CLEVELAND. ___ No. 24 New York Giants (minus 6) at No. 30 Cincinnati Losing Joe Burrow for the season hurts the

Bengals in so many ways.

The Giants prosper ...

BEST BET: GIANTS, 23-10 No. 13 Arizona (minus 2) at No. 18 New England A tough week to find a confidence-building upset.

We’ll go with the pedestrian Patriots.

UPSET SPECIAL: PATRIOTS, 21-20 No. 19 San Francisco (plus 7) at No. 5 Los Angeles Rams We thought about this as our Best Bet, but this rivalry is bitter and usually means close games. Or not.

RAMS, 26-15 No. 16 Chicago (plus 7 1-2) at No. 6 (tie) Green Bay We thought about this as our Best Bet, too, but this rivalry is bitter and usually means close games. Or not.

PACKERS, 25-10 No. 23 Houston (minus 2 1-2) at No. 29 Detroit, Thursday Pass the indigestion, please.

TEXANS, 24-20 No. 28 Washington (plus 3) at No. 25 Dallas, Thursday At least this is not the worst NFL presentation on Thanksgiving.

COWBOYS, 26-16 No. 11 Baltimore (plus 4 1-2) at No. 1 Pittsburgh Many have pointed to this as the unbeaten Steelers’ strongest chance to lose. Not with what the Ravens are going through right now.

STEELERS, 27-16 No. 15 Miami (minus 7) at No. 32 New York Jets Tua, Fitz or Ace Ventura at quarterback, we’ll go with the Dolphins against the winless Jets.

DOLPHINS, 27-13

No. 22 Los Angeles Chargers (plus 5 1-2) at No. 5 Buffalo This line seems particularly low, even if the Chargers are coming off a victory.

The Bills aren’t the Jets, of course.

BILLS, 30-20 No. 6 (tie) Seattle (minus 5) at No. 25 (tie) Philadelphia (Monday night) Never mind what we said about the Eagles having control of the NFC Least.

SEAHAWKS, 27-23 No. 11 (tie) Las Vegas (minus 3) at No. 27 Atlanta

Could this be a letdown game for the Raiders?

Guessing not.

RAIDERS, 30-21 No. 2 Kansas City (minus 3½) at No. 10 Tampa Bay The week’s feature game, and one of the most intriguing all year with Mahomes taking on Brady.

CHIEFS, 30-27 No. 9 Tennessee (plus 4 1-2) at No. 6 (tie) Indianapolis The winner of this AFC South matchup can pave its path to the playoffs.

COLTS, 23-21 No. 3 New Orleans (minus 6) at No. 21 Denver

The Saints have won seven in a row, while the Broncos have been up and down for the past seven — and beyond.

SAINTS, 27-24 No. 14 Cleveland (minus 6½) at No. 31 Jacksonville Cleveland handles the bad teams, even if it often looks ugly (see Houston, Philadelphia and Dallas wins).

BROWNS, 33-16 No. 20 Carolina (plus 4 1-2) at No. 17 Minnesota Minnesota really stuck itself with those Vikings horns last week.

VIKINGS, 28-20

NAUGHTY’S NFL PICKS - WEEK 12 THE STANDINGS Naughty

LAST WEEK 6-7 SEASON 111-48-1 Wilner (AP) LAST WEEK - 7-6 SEASON - 105-54-1 WELL it finally hit “the week from hell” where none of the logical picks play out.

So as I limp out of last week 6-7, I still maintain a healthy lead over Wilner, and I’m refocused on the prize.

• Here’s who I like fast and furious this week, it’s Thanksgiving, I’ve got turkey and football in abundance to prepare for.

THURSDAY TEXANS vs LIONS: Texans spoil the Lions Thanksgiving with a road win!! TEXANS 31-30 WFT vs COWBOYS: First place is on the line in the NFC (L) East in this one. Cowboys have two straight wins to be thankful for.

COWBOYS 27-24 SUNDAY CHARGERS vs BILLS: Bills at home in the cold!

BILLS 27-20 CARDS vs PATRIOTS

The Cards are iffy in east coast games while the Patriots are iffy period.

The Cards are the better team on paper so I’m taking them.

CARDS 23-16 DOLPHINS vs JETS: Dolphins get right against the grounded Jets on the road.

DOLPHINS 30-17 BENGALS vs GIANTS: No Joe Burrow for the Bengals so it’s a win for the ‘G Men’ GIANTS 24-13 TITANS vs COLTS: Big AFC South matchup here and I like the Colts at home behind a solid defensive effort to win in a close one.

COLTS 23 - 20 in OT BROWNS vs JAGS: The improbable Browns keep rolling.

BROWNS 27-17 PANTHERS vs VIKINGS: QB Teddy Bridgewater returns for the Panthers and leads them to a road win.

Vikings drop two straight at home.

PANTHERS 27-20 RAIDERS vs FALCONS: Gruden’s gang bounces back in this road affair.

RAIDERS 34 - 24

RAVENS vs STEELERS The Ravens are having internal locker room issues, so the Steelers take advantage of the Ravens infighting with a big win at home.

STEELERS 31 - 23 SAINTS vs BRONCOS The Taysom Hill show continues again this week on the road against the Broncos.

Hill doesn’t disappoint playing QB again, leading the Saints to the big road win in a tight one.

SAINTS 20-17 49ers vs RAMS : Rams at home in this one.

RAMS 27-13 CHIEFS vs BUCS: The passing of the torch in this one perhaps?

I like the Chiefs on the road in a shootout!

CHIEFS 38-31 BEARS vs PACKERS: Big NFC North slugfest here, Packers bounce back at home in a close one.

PACKERS 27-23 SEAHAWKS vs EAGLES: Seahawks QB Russell Wilson continues his usual late season string of success against a free falling Eagles squad.

SEAHAWKS 34-24

HOUSTON Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) passes during the second half against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday in Cleveland.

(AP Photo/David Richard)

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, November 26, 2020, PAGE 23

DOLPHINS’ TAGOVAILOA WILL TRY TO BOUNCE BACK FROM BENCHING

By STEVEN WINE AP Sports Writer MIAMI (AP) — The masked man standing idly on the sideline in the final minutes of the Miami Dolphins’ first loss since early October no longer looked so much like a surefire franchise quarterback.

Tua Tagovailoa’s benching was temporary, but coach Brian Flores took him down a peg by replacing him with veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick in the fourth quarter of Miami’s 20-13 loss at Denver.

The defeat ended the Dolphins’ five-game winning streak, and came after victories in Tagovailoa’s first three career starts.

“We all have to play better. He is not in this alone,” Flores said.

“He’s the starting quarterback; he knows that. He’s a resilient kid. I expect him to bounce back. I expect our entire team to bounce back.”

Tagovailoa will rejoin the lineup Sunday against the New York Jets, his hold on the job no longer quite so firm. The playoff prospects for the Dolphins (6-4) are also shakier. They missed a chance to pull even with AFC East leader Buffalo (7-3), and eight other AFC teams have at least six wins.

WHAT’S WORKING Flores again showed a willingness to make bold moves. His timing in awarding Tagovailoa the starting job was widely questioned but then lauded, and his decision to yank the rookie with 11 minutes left Sunday also invited second guessing.

“I’m always going to try to do what I feel is best for the team in a particular game,” Flores said.

“That’s kind of how we felt Sunday. and that’s really it. We couldn’t get into a rhythm. It became a twoscore game. We felt like we needed a spark. We stuck Fitz in there.”

With Tagovailoa, the Dolphins netted exactly 100 yards. He was less accurate than in earlier games, looked uneasy in the pocket and conceded he sometimes held the ball too long, which is partly why he was sacked six times.

“I couldn’t get the ball in the hands of our playmakers and our guys consistently to get a rhythm going,” said Tagovailoa, who voiced no complaint about being benched.

Fitzpatrick tried to rally the Dolphins from a 20-10

MIAMI Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. (AP) deficit but threw an interception in the end zone on their final play. The veteran has been a willing mentor to Tagovailoa ever since draft in April, and said the Dolphins remain Tua’s team.

“We’ve got a great chance here, and Tua has done a nice job,” Fitzpatrick said, “so it’s about putting it behind you and moving onto the next one.

And I know that he’ll do a good job of that.”

WHAT NEED HELP The Dolphins’ formula during the winning streak was to take an early lead and then dial up the pressure with blitzes to force turnovers. At Denver, they fell behind and couldn’t stop the run, allowing 189 yards on the ground.

For the season the Dolphins’ run defence is giving up 134 yards per game and

4.8 per carry, both among the worst in the NFL. “We’re definitely not doing a good enough job,” linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel said, “and we got to work on it to fix it.”

STOCK UP Cornerback Xavien Howard set up the Dolphins’ lone touchdown with his sixth interception, tied for most in the NFL. He also ranks among the league leaders with 12 passes defended. After missing 17 games because of injuries in 2018-19, Howard might be Miami’s MVP. STOCK DOWN The website FiveThirtyEight now gives Miami only a 33 percent chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and a 13 percent chance to win the division for the first time since 2008.

INJURED Offensive lineman Jesse Davis, who has started every game this season, went on the reserveCOVID-19 list Monday.

The Dolphins already had defensive tackle Christian Wilkins on the list, and he has missed the past two games.

Rookie guard Solomon Kindley left Sunday’s game when he aggravated a foot injury. ... Running back Salvon Ahmed was sidelined with a shoulder injury but later returned.

KEY NUMBER 720 — That’s how badly Miami has been outgained in yards this year, including 459-223 on Sunday.

However, thanks largely to takeaways and special teams, it has outscored opponents by 62 points, seventh best in the league.

NEXT STEPS Miami’s next two opponents, the Jets and Cincinnati, are a combined 2-17-1. The Dolphins are a touchdown favourite at the winless Jets, but since 2017 Miami has lost 10 consecutive road games against teams with losing records.