12142022 NEWS AND SPORT

FROM FTX TO PRISON AS BAIL DENIED

Sam Bankman-Fried is remanded in custody until February court date

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

It

In his court appearance before Chief

billionaire

the

Roberts assisted by Crystal Rolle-Casey and Kendria Dorsett. Franklyn Williams was the lead prosecutor, assisted by Cordell Frazer.

NEW CEO: BAHAMAS IS NOT TRANSPARENT

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

FTX CEO John Ray III said the Chapter 11 process in Delaware is the only clear option that gives visibility to customers about what happened to the fallen crypto giant and a chance to recoup their money, as he lambasted the process in The Bahamas as not transparent.

Mr Ray made the revelation yesterday during the US House Committee on Financial Services hearing into FTX’s collapse.

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

He

that he has repeatedly asked for

from Bahamian regulators about what they have been doing but has been “shut down”.

One-by-one several members of the committee questioned the new CEO for nearly four hours about the once crypto giant’s downfall and his handling of it in the aftermath.

THE Bahamas’ national debt enjoyed its first quarterly contraction for years, the Central Bank revealed yesterday, although the decline was a modest $20.7m,

The shrinkage may yet provide optimism The Bahamas is starting to arrest the rate of ‘red ink’ growth.

alleged

clarity

DISGRACED former FTX CEO

Samuel Bankman-Fried was denied bail by Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) until his next court appearance in February.

His arraignment came after the embattled cryptocurrency businessman was issued several fraud related charges in the United States including wire fraud, money laundering and conspiracy to commit fraud. He also faces a warrant from the Southern District of New York, a federal warrant as well as a diplomatic note requesting arrest provisionally.

Bankman-Fried was arrested on Monday night following joint investigations by Bahamian and US authorities following allegations of the former FTX CEO misappropriating large sums of customer assets in crypto exchanges.

marks a swift and dizzying fall from grace for the 30-year-old who until last month headed what was once one of the most powerful crypto firms in the world.

Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt,

former

was represented by attorney Jerome

FORMER FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried outside court yesterday. He was denied bail and remanded to prison.

Photo: Austin Fernander

CEO John Ray testifying yesterday. Photo: AP

From FTX to prison as bail denied

Before proceedings got underway, BankmanFried’s counsel asked that his client be allowed to take his antidepressant medication, Ensam, which he wasn’t able to during his arrest. The court acceded to the request.

After lengthy discussions between attorneys Williams and Roberts as to whether the chief magistrate had the jurisdiction to grant bail in compliance with the Extradition Act she ruled that she was within her rights to do so.

Bankman-Fried said he would not waive his right to an extradition hearing.

During his bail application Mr Roberts submitted that his young client is a businessman and called him a “leading” player in the cryptocurrency industry. He went on to say that Bankman-Fried has no priors or pending matters in other jurisdictions.

In acknowledging what he called the “explosion” of FTX in November, Mr Roberts told the court that Bankman-Fried was urged to return to America by his US attorneys when the matter of extradition arose. However he claimed that his client elected to remain in The Bahamas to try and fix things for local customers and said that his information to liquidators here has proved helpful to them.

In addition to expanding on the list of medications his client is to take to include Zyrtec and Adderall for allergies and attention deficit disorder respectively, the attorney said that prisoners in BDCS are not routinely giving their medication as prescribed or at all.

Mr Roberts ended its bail application by saying that his client is not likely to abscond due to his actions

CONGRESSWOMAN HOPES ARREST WILL SEE BANKMAN-FRIED HELD ACCOUNTABLE

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

“We will not stop until we uncover

full truth behind the collapse of FTX,” the official vowed yesterday in opening remarks at a hearing before the US House Committee on Financial Services.

In her five-minute address to the committee, Congresswoman Waters said it was the committee’s intention to dig deeper into the wrongdoing that led to FTX’s implosion, adding it was also their aim to uncover how SBF’s family and friends were allegedly intertwined in the matter.

Meanwhile, John Ray III, FTX’s new CEO, said the firm’s collapse stemmed from “absolute concentration of control in the hands of a small group of grossly inexperienced nonsophisticated individuals who failed to implement virtually any of the system or controls that are necessary for a company” handling other people’s money.

Both the congresswoman and the CEO had anticipated the testimony of Mr Bankman-Fried himself. However, his arrest on Monday night and arraignment in a Bahamian Magistrate’s Court yesterday prevented his testimony under oath before the committee.

Ultimately, he was denied bail and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. His next court appearance is scheduled for February 8, 2023.

“I am hopeful that the arrest of Mr Bankman-Fried, the founder and former CEO of FTX means he will be held accountable for the (alleged) fraud he has committed and the harm he has caused,” Congresswoman Waters said.

“He was scheduled to testify under oath before this committee today, unfortunately the timing of his arrest denies the public the opportunity to get the answers they deserve. Rest assured that this committee will not stop until we uncover the full truth behind the collapse of FTX.

“Just a few months ago FTX was one of the largest crypto currency exchanges in the world with a valuation of $32bn in just three years since its founding. Today FTX is bankrupt and possibly looted. FTX misused an

approximate $10bn in customer funds and owes creditors at least $3bn.

“Today as many as one million people, many of whom are here in the United States, are locked out of their FTX accounts and may recover only a fraction of their hard-earned investments, if any at all.”

She said the failure was not just noteworthy for its size, but for the company’s total disregard for standard business practices, governance, risk management, and alleged criminal conduct.

She told those gathered that the committee hoped to piece together the events that led to the collapse of FTX and the subsequent harm to millions of customers who put their trust in the platform.

“We will also look at FTX’s deep ties with Alameda, a crypto hedge fund predominantly owned by Bankman-Fried, that gambled away billions of dollars in customer assets that were inappropriately transferred from FTX and importantly we will hear how Mr Ray and his team are trying to recover funds for customers by piecing together Bankman-Fried’s broken record keeping by identifying potentially unlawful transfers to himself as well as his friends and family.”

Mr Ray, who oversaw one of the largest corporate bankruptcies in the United States’ history — Eron, in 2001 — said there were several unacceptable management practices that contributed to the FTX fall.

He said: “The FTX group’s collapse appears to have stemmed from absolute concentration of control in the hands of a small group of grossly inexperienced non-sophisticated individuals who failed to implement virtually any of the systems or controls that are necessary for a company and with other people’s money or assets.

“Some of the unacceptable management practices were identified so far include the use of computer infrastructure that gave individuals and senior management access to systems that stored customer assets without security controls to prevent them from redirecting those assets, storing of certain private keys to access hundreds of millions of dollars in crypto assets without effective security controls or encryption.

While Bankman-Fried’s detainment prevented his testimony before the US Congress committee, the full testimony he planned to make was leaked and pictures of it ultimately published by Forbes.com.

In it, the former billionaire begins by saying: “I f-ed up,” adding he was aware that it didn’t mean much to say sorry, but that he was dedicating

himself to doing right by customers.

“I know that it doesn’t mean much to say that I’m sorry. And so I’m dedicating as much of myself as I can to doing right by customers. When all is said and done, I’lI judge myself primarily by one metric: whether I have eventually been able to make customers whole. If I fail our customers in this regard, I have failed myself,” the remarks read.

He said since the collapse of FTX, his net worth valuation went from $20bn last year to what he believed was now about $100,000 in his bank account.

However, he could not say for sure because he was denied access to many of his own personal passwords, data, documents and accounts.

“As of today, I and many other members of FTX International’s former management team are missing access to key data – data that could help inform customers, inform the Chapter 11 team’s decisions and inform foreign regulators looking after FTX International. Nearly all of this data is held by the Chapter 11 team.”

Mr Bankman-Fried also intended to accept culpability, saying in the leaked transcript: “I as CEO of FTX had to make a number of significant mistakes.

“I believe that the thread that most ties them together is that for much of 2022 I was less grounded in operational details than I had been before. I had prided myself on staying grounded, sitting in the weeds, day to day, of the company.

“But by mid-2022, I believe I was spending approximately 25 percent of my time talking with regulators and policymakers in DC and beyond, 25 percent of my time on branding and new pathways for FTX, including remittances, financial settlement and sports partnerships (and) 25 percent of my time managing FTX’s growing workforce.

“Together those were maybe 25 percent of my time in 2020, but by 2022 they were closer to 75 percent. That’s time that wasn’t spent focusing on the actual core product, including risk management.

“I also prided myself on having a strong work ethic; I began FTX by routinely working 18 hour days but for much of 2022, I believe I was working about 30 percent less than I was used to and even when I was working, I was less focused and disciplined than I used to be.

“I thought that I could hold FTX together despite the expansion. I was wrong. I bit off more than I could chew and ended up failing to focus on risk management.”

would be subject to forfeiture. He further stated that the accused has declined to return to the US since FTXs implosion and says that the defendant has evaded questions on if he plans to return to the US by the media.

After suggesting that Bankman-Fried had illicitly transferred $300m from FTX to his own private holdings just prior to its bankruptcy, Mr Williams stated that Bankman-Fried has sufficient means to be a flight risk.

He told the magistrate that since Bankman-Fried has access to private planes it is possible for him to travel to a country which does not have an extradition treaty.

In response, the accused’s counsel denied these misconduct allegations.

Following a brief recess late yesterday

afternoon, during which Bankman-Fried’s remaining medication was retrieved from his Albany residence, the chief magistrate formally denied his bail application.

This was on the grounds that due to his substantial resources the chief magistrate was not satisfied that there were any conditions she could impose that would mitigate the defendant’s flight risk.

As such, the former CEO was remanded to BDCS with the court noting that the defendant is to be issued his medication and to be seen by a prison physician.

Before being taken into remand, Bankman-Fried was allowed a brief moment with his family members including his parents.

He is to return to court for his extradition hearing on February 8, 2023, before Magistrate Shaka Serville.

and investments in the country. When the chief magistrate pointed out that the lawyer did not expand on his client’s actions here, he responded that despite high media and public scrutiny, Bankman-Fried remained in the country. Mr Roberts further submitted

that his client would have no objection to conditions including the fitting of a monitoring device, curfew, police sign in or cash bail up to $250,000. He closed by stating his belief that his client was a fit candidate for bail and saying that his legal team is “prepared to fight”.

Meanwhile Mr Williams countered that a portion of Bankman-Fried’s medications are over the counter items stating that is not sound grounds for bail. Mr Williams further argued that if fraud charges are proven, Bankman-Fried’s property in the country

UNITED States Congresswoman Maxine Waters expressed hope that former FTX CEO Sam BankmanFried’s arrest and arraignment will signal him being held accountable for the alleged “fraud” he committed leading to the giant crypto exchange firm’s disgraceful fall, affecting as many as one million people.

the

SAM Bankman-Fried at court yesterday, above, and, below, a heavy police presence for the hearing.

Photos: Austin Fernander

New CEO : Bahamas is not transparent

Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced former CEO, was set to testify remotely, however, the 30-year-old was arrested on Monday and arraigned yesterday, thus unable to appear before the committee to answer their questions.

During the hearing, Mr Ray was pressed about the assets moved after the filing of bankruptcy.

In November FTX, its hedge fund Alameda Research, and “dozens other affiliated companies” filed a bankruptcy petition in Delaware.

Congressman Bryan Steil mentioned that a day after the bankruptcy filing multiple outlets reported that there was a hacker or potential theft.

He also noted Mr Ray stating unauthorised access to certain assets occurred and that the company was in touch with law enforcement officials and regulators.

As for whether it was determined assets were moved after the filing, the CEO confirmed that was indeed so. He elaborated that the action was done by both hacking and Bahamian authorities.

But Mr Ray told the committee “it wasn’t a request. they just took it” when asked why the Bahamian authorities made that request.

He said local authorities were aided by former employees, namely Mr Bankman-Fried and a “Mr Wang”.

Congressman Steil wondered about any insight into the motivation behind this action.

The CEO testified: “Unlike the Chapter 11 process, there’s no transparency in the process and the Bahamians and we’ve repeatedly asked them for clarity about what they’ve been doing and we’ve been shut down on them.”

He said statements from local regulators stated the action was done “in the interest of Bahamian creditors” but Mr Ray said in his view, it violated the automatic stay in the bankruptcy.

The Securities Commission of The Bahamas has previously said it had transferred digital assets of FTX

Digital Markets to a digital wallet under its control for “safekeeping”.

Mr Ray admitted he had questions that still remain unanswered by Bahamian authorities that would shed additional light into his investigation if that information was provided.

Asked if he still believed that the Chapter 15 case launched by Bahamian regulators should be

consolidated in the Delaware bankruptcy court, Mr Ray said: “No, I do not think so.”

Congressman Steil quizzed the CEO on what he thinks would be the best course of action.

Mr Ray said: “They have a liquidation proceeding relative to FTS Digital Markets. They filed that proceeding there - that is their proceeding. We think

the Chapter 11 process is the only open transparent process that gives visibility to customers of what happened and when they’re going to get their money and how they’re gonna get their money.

“The process in the Bahamian islands is not a transparent process. We have opened up the ability to share everything that we have with the Bahamian government similar to how we share with other liquidators around the world and not only in this case in other cases it’s meant to be a very cooperative situation.

“The pushback that we’ve gotten is sort of extraordinary in the context of bankruptcy. It raises questions, it seems irregular to me. There’s lots of questions on our part and obviously we’re investigating it.”

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, meanwhile, had a line questioning that honed in on potential benefits Mr Bankman-Fried stands to gain

with Bahamian authorities’ involvement.

She highlighted an email exchange between Attorney General Ryan Pinder and Mr Bankman-Fried, which revealed the latter sought his go-ahead to “open up withdrawals for all Bahamian customers”.

Mr Pinder denied he or any government official gave permission for the founder to violate a freeze order by returning $100m in assets to 1,500 purported “Bahamian” clients.

The committee member pointed out that the Bahamian appointed joint provisional liquidators did something “very interesting” and came to the United States bankruptcy court and sought an entry to recognise the Bahamian liquidation as the main proceeding.

She went on to ask Mr Ray if that additional control was of any potential value to Mr Bankman-Fried.

Mr Ray replied: “Well,

clearly there seems to be an effort by the Bahamian commission to get control of the bankruptcy process and I think that was evident by their filing.”

Ms Ocasio-Cortez asked: “Did you uncover any evidence that demonstrates that this window, that 25.5 hour window opened in exchange for any consideration offered to Mr Bankman-Fried by the Bahamian attorney general or any state official, including a promise to initiate liquidation proceedings, which might offer a path towards Mr Bankman-Fried retaining some control or influence over ftx.com?”

Mr Ray said: “We intend to investigate that very same thing.”

Mr Ray also said they will investigate “every potential cause of action” when Congressman William Timmons asked about going after the $100m in FTX assets that was allegedly withdrawn by 1,500 Bahamian accounts in violation of a freeze order.

OOPER E I DE END NATION’S REP TATION

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

gave an assurance yesterday that the government will continue to protect the country’s reputation, while expressing confidence in the nation’s judicial system.

Mr Bankman-Fried, a resident of gated community Albany, was charged in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, a day after his arrest by the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

The arrest was made at the request of the US government that filed charges against the former billionaire. It was also the first concrete step taken by authorities in holding someone accountable for the crypto giant’s implosion.

Yesterday, Mr Cooper was asked to comment on what Mr Bankman-Fried’s arrest means for the future of the nation’s digital assets industry.

He replied: “Let me just say that I’m confident that the matter is in court, it’s going to run its course. I have confidence in the judicial system. Our main focus as a government will be to protect the ongoing reputation of The Bahamas but I don’t have any further comments (on) SBF (Sam BankmanFried) or FTX.”

FTX Digital Markets, which is headquartered in The Bahamas, is the Bahamian subsidiary of

FTX Trading Ltd, the owner and operator of FTX.

It was incorporated in The Bahamas in July 2021.

The company came under heavy scrutiny last month following reports that it mismanaged customer assets.

FTX and its affiliated companies later filed a bankruptcy petition in Delaware on November 11 after facing a liquidity crisis.

The crypto currency exchange’s collapse is now the focus of investigations by local and international law enforcement authorities.

Yesterday, Mr Cooper addressed criticisms that local authorities have been too quiet on their investigations.

This comes after East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson of the Free National Movement attacked the issue in Parliament on Monday, saying the attorney general’s speech last month on the crypto giant’s collapse was not enough.

“I don’t follow up on political nonsense, really,” Mr Cooper responded.

“The reality is that we focus as a government on business development and the brand of our country is very strong internationally. We see it as we make

missions in tourism and investments.

“We expect that this is going to continue. Our focus isn’t to study Kwasi and the FNM and we’re going to continue on the path to build a strong country and that’s where we expect that our continued focus is going to be to continue to protect and enhance the reputation and we’re going to do it the best way we know how to.”

Local officials have already said that Mr Bankman-Fried is likely to face extradition to the United States.

However, this will not affect local investigations that officials have said will continue.

“The Bahamas and the United States have a shared interest in holding accountable all individuals associated with FTX who may have betrayed the public trust and broken the law,” said Prime Minister Phillip Davis in a statement.

“While the United States is pursuing criminal charges against SBF individually, The Bahamas will continue its own regulatory and criminal investigations into the collapse of FTX, with the continued cooperation of its law enforcement and regulatory partners in the United States and elsewhere.”

WITH the arrest of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried

dominating international headlines, Acting Prime Minister Chester Cooper

THE SCENE outside court yesterday.

SAM Bankman-Fried at court yesterday.

Photos: Austin Fernander

Govt to offer proposal to BPSU members today

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration plans to present its final proposal to the Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU) today, State Minister of Public Service Pia Glover-Rolle said yesterday. She is hopeful a new industrial agreement can be signed before the end of the year.

The BPSU had earlier called the government’s proposal on salary increases unacceptable and a “slap in the face,” saying it was made without consulting the union.

However, Mrs GloverRolle claimed yesterday that officials have had several conversations with

MINISTER QUIET ON CHRISTMAS DECOR COST

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AMID some criticism over the national Christmas tree decorations, Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg shied away from revealing the cost of the project, adding that he found no issue with the aesthetics.

In the past, the annual Christmas decorations have sometimes been subjected to negative remarks from the public, who have mocked the decor on various social media platforms.

This year has been no different.

“People are entitled to their views. We are all different in our own way, so if I like something and another doesn’t, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t look good. My personal opinion, I don’t see anything wrong with the tree,” said Mr Bowleg when asked to comment on the uproar.

These comments come after images of the Christmas tree at Rawson Square surfaced online, evoking complaints from the Bahamian public. Some observers took issue with the fact that the tree seemed incomplete and uncoordinated in its designs, and others called for the removal of the Christmas tree.

One Facebook user wrote: “I’m confused, I don’t know whether to hate it or love it.”

“I look at this picture from every angle. Looks gaudy and uncoordinated,” said another Facebook user.

Another person wrote: “This another one what needs to come down and redo (sic).”

When asked to disclose the cost of the decorations, Mr Bowleg told this newspaper, “That’s not important.”

This newspaper understands that the company responsible for decorating the Christmas tree is The Decorator’s Den that also did last year’s tree.

Linda Christina Stubbs, chief executive officer of The Decorator’s Den, defended the tree’s current appearance by a post on her Facebook page.

In the post, she explained that the 30-foot tree arrived into the country “late” last week Friday in preparation for the tree lighting ceremony scheduled for last Sunday.

Ms Stubbs said the design team worked “around the clock”, however she noted that due to inclement weather, the decoration process was unable to be completed in a timely manner.

In explaining the tree’s theme, she said: “The tree has two themes in one. It’s designed to speak to

BPSU president Kimsley Ferguson on the proposed agreement and have even considered his concerns.

She also said she was surprised by the union’s demonstration outside Parliament on Wednesday because days earlier, the ministry had received a letter from the union stating they were ready to sign the agreement on December 9.

However, she said the “protest happened prior to the expiration of the date that they would’ve given in their letter.”

She also insisted that negotiations between the two parties have been ongoing, contrary to what the union has said.

“It is not my understanding that he hasn’t sat and

had meetings with our labour relations unit,” she told reporters yesterday.

“In order for him to also say that certain things are included in the agreement, you had to have seen it. We have taken into consideration his comments received in a missive and in conversations with the labour relations unit in regard to the lower scale and that is what has been prepared.

“I will say that in terms of having negotiations, to my recollection to my understanding from our chief negotiator, Mr Bernard Evans, meetings have been held (and) conversations have been held. I have seen Mr Ferguson here in meetings with the Prime Minister. So, I can’t speak to that comment.”

She added that additional conversations were had with union executives and the government’s negotiating team after Wednesday’s protest.

Asked yesterday if she thought the BPSU was being unreasonable in their demands, the state minister replied that union executives were just doing their job which is “to negotiate in the best interests of their workers.”

Mrs Glover-Rolle also said she could not fault BPSU for wanting more money for members, but explained that based on the country’s current financial state, the package proposed was the best offer the government could make at this time.

“It’s our goal that we get

this package to them before the holidays,” she said, “and in a matter of proactivity, because the BPSU has stated that they are willing to come to the table to sign.

“We have an abbreviated pay period in the month of December, which means that the pay cycle closes earlier. Other unions had to wait for six weeks to realise the benefits of their agreement.”

Mrs Glover-Rolle continued: “We feel that we’re on a trajectory with BPSU to sign, and hopeful that we’ll sign before the end of the year. So as a result, we would have engaged the Ministry of Public Service’s technical team and the Ministry of Finance’s technical team

to begin the process that mirrors the agreement in terms of ensuring that the payroll cycle, if this agreement is signed, is met in time for the holidays, so that our workers aren’t disenfranchised.

“If the BPSU would have signed last week this week or next week and we didn’t engage the process, if we weren’t proactive workers would not be paid for the holidays. Our goal, again, is to ensure that the members of the BPSU who are the Bahamian workers (and) who are the government’s employees receive their benefits before the holidays.”

Should the union reject the proposal, Mrs GloverRolle said negotiations will continue.

PUBLIC SERVANT ON ERNS TO BE RESOLVED BY FIRST ARTER NE T YEAR’

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

STATE Public Service Minister Pia Glover-Rolle said yesterday that by the first quarter of next year the government is aiming to resolve the long-standing concerns of public servants from the Ministry of Social Services.

Last month, public servants from the ministry protested for two days to voice their concerns about career advancements, promotions, salary increases and medical benefits.

Yesterday, Mrs GloverRolle assured public servants that the matter will be rectified in “short order”, adding that the human resources department’s “capacity” and years of backlog issues contributed to the delay.

She confirmed that the Public Service Commission is processing a “number of batches” of promotions and confirmations for public servants from the Department of Social Services.

“We have a number of files that we’re still processing, we have to bear in mind that we are talking about decades and years of backlog issues with our Social Service workers and we’re working diligently to fix those issues,” she told

reporters yesterday outside the Office of the Prime Minister.

“However, based on our human resources, capacity, we’re working as best we can. We did run into minor issues with the Social Services files in terms of a lot of missing documentation.”

According to Mrs GloverRolle, the Public Service Commission is scheduled to have a “special” meeting this week, noting that all processing will conclude by the end of this week.

When asked by a reporter how many files have been processed thus far Mrs Glover-Rolle was unable to give an exact estimate of the number.

She said: “I don’t have an estimation. This isn’t relative to numbers. I know we have about four trolleys that went down to the commission, so I don’t want to give numbers because I’m not sure, but a good batch has gone down.”

Last month, The Tribune reported that Social Services and Urban Development Minister Obie Wilchcombe acknowledged that the complaints of the public servants are “legitimate”.

Mr Wilchcombe had said he was working to ensure the staff of his ministry have a “great Christmas”.

the season of Christmas; however, designer Linda Stubbs’s vision is to also pay tribute to our upcoming 50th anniversary of independence.”

She urged the public to “bear” with her as she believes it will be beautiful upon completion.

When contacted by this newspaper for comment

yesterday, Ms Stubbs said she is attempting to complete the tree and surrounding areas by today. She declined to comment further.

THE CHRISTMAS tree in Rawson Square this year.

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-

Published daily Monday to Friday Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207 TELEPHONES

(242) 322-1986 Advertising Manager (242) 502-2394

Circulation Department (242) 502-2386 Nassau fax (242) 328-2398 Freeport, Grand Bahama (242)-352-6608 Freeport fax (242) 352-9348

The fall of Sam Bankman-Fried

IT is a remarkable fall from grace.

In a matter of weeks, Sam BankmanFried has gone from living in a luxury penthouse to finding himself in a Fox Hill prison cell.

The difference could hardly be more stark. The current acting commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services may have been quoted internationally as saying that conditions at the prison have greatly improved – but that still didn’t stop officials warning reporters to “hold their breaths” as they toured the prison just last month alongside National Security Minister Wayne Munroe.

Mr Bankman-Fried, who was the CEO of FTX until the crypto company’s spectacular implosion last month, will reportedly be kept in sick bay at the prison for “orientation purposes” until he is placed in the prison population.

Of course, he must be treated the same as any other prisoner, with no favour or additional hardship based on his former status as a billionaire investor in The Bahamas. He should be treated appropriately, just as any prisoner should.

When Mr Bankman-Fried’s bail was denied yesterday, it set the stage for his detention in prison until he returns to court in February for an extradition hearing. That could see him returned to the United States, where yesterday charges were detailed to await him.

As our reporters toured the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services last month, they reported smelling a strong scent emanating from the cell blocks, while as many as five or more men could be seen cramped in old, overcrowded cells.

Whether such conditions encourage Mr Bankman-Fried to acquiesce to the possibility of extradition to the US or not, we must wait and see.

Further, there still remain issues over which jurisdiction – The Bahamas or the US – will see different matters play out. Mr Bankman-Fried may well have court issues to deal with here.

Then there is the ongoing fallout over the FTX collapse – which yesterday saw the new CEO criticise The Bahamas for a lack of transparency, and lambast Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis and Attorney General Ryan Pinder for “a complete stonewall” over his push for The Bahamas to embrace the US legal system as the best venue to resolve the many outstanding issues.

There appears to have been a stiffness in relations between the new CEO, John Ray, and officials in The Bahamas, with Mr Ray saying he “respectfully disagrees” with Mr Pinder over comments made on legal issues.

This will be a long process – and will be likely to see some turbulence for The Bahamas along the way.

For Mr Bankman-Fried, however, whether he sits in a prison sick bay or a prison cell, it is long way from the largesse that FTX enjoyed until recently.

From high spending on real estate to a life of private jets and lavish surroundings, Mr Bankman-Fried has fallen far to be left waiting in the Bahamian prison system for an extradition date that promises only a move to another prison elsewhere.

He faces a long legal fight – even as his letter he was to read out to Congress was leaked, revealing he planned again to take the blame for FTX’s downfall.

The scale of the funds involved in the collapse will ensure the spotlight will stay firmly on The Bahamas for a long while to come.

As for Mr Bankman-Fried, he must await his day in court. Right now, that must seem a long way away indeed.

Media have an agenda over Sears

EDITOR, The Tribune, IT IS now patently clear that the main media organisations may have an agenda to force the resignation of the Hon Alfred Sears as they have anointed itself prosecutor, judge and jury in this developing political saga. We have yet to hear and digest all of the facts herein.

Minnis was supposed to, by law, disclose every

six weeks how he and his Competent Authority were spending untold millions of dollars yet not a single media outlet, editors included, ever called for his apparent violation of the law... not constitutional conventions. Now, some of

them are rabid having smelt blood in the water for Sears to go?

The press is usually “free” in our wonderful nation, but when it is determined to be self righteous watch out.

Stay safe and where possible impartial. SELAH.

ORTLAND H. BODIE, Jr.

Nassau, December 14, 2022

Readers speak up

AFTER former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said the country is on track to set another murder record, readers had their own comments on the issue.

An unimpressed Bahamianson said: “And your point is?”

This prompted Cobalt to respond: “I agree! Minnis’s statement here is pointless. We don’t care about your fruitless observations, Dr Minnis! The real question is… “where are these illegal firearms coming from and how are they entering our country”??? Who in our country is involved in this gun-trafficking ring??? The murder rate has been at a crisis stage for the past 20+ years yet consecutive governments have failed to exercise an effective solution! Any sensible government should be very concerned about the flow of illegal firearms entering the country seeing that the Bahamian populace far out numbers that of the RBPF and RBDF combined. This means that armed civilians can attempt to overthrow the government by force if they become organized and willing! Murder by firearms is the #1 cause of death for young black men here in the Bahamas yet the government

has not established a ballistics lab or established scientific or international resources to help stop the problem!”

John added: “Whilst the murder count this year is alarming and must be checked, STATISTICS DO NOT SUPPORT what FORMER PM MINNIS is saying. The current murder count stands at 130. The record murder count is 143 or 147 depending on whose figures you use. So far this year, The Bahamas is recording .35 murders a day or a murder every 3.5 days. Average. So with about 18 days left in the year, it is

likely that this country will record another 5-6 murders this year, (could be more, but may be less because there is a downward trend). So unless something really catostropic or highly unusual happens. Like a mass murder. The record will NOT be broken! BUT this will put the count at least TEN below the record. Nothing to be proud about, and hopefully this is the record within the record and murders will decrease next year and continue a downward trend.”

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letters@tribunemedia.net

HEAD bowed, Sam Bankman-Fried is pictured outside court yesterday as he was denied bail and remanded into custody.

Photo: Austin Fernander

Tourism next year ‘the best ever’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

TOURISM, Aviation and Investments Minister Chester Cooper says he anticipates that tourism arrivals for next year will “be the best” the country has ever seen, with forward bookings for the first half of 2023 already showing promising signs.

Mr Cooper also revealed that visitor arrivals this year were already on pace to meet 2019 numbers, which was a “record breaking” year for tourism.

In 2019, the country hit the highest recorded number of stopover visitors in its history.

However, tourism officials believe that 2023 numbers will surpass that.

“Tourism numbers are exceptionally strong and I’m very, very optimistic about the next few months,” Mr Cooper told reporters before going to a Cabinet meeting yesterday.

“This optimism comes from what we see from our major stakeholders (and) the hotels in particularBaha Mar, Atlantis and all of the properties even in the Family Islands are reporting very, very strong bookings over the next six months.

“Our airline partners are very happy and when we look at forwardkeys.com, who track forward bookings, we anticipate that 2023 is going to be the best year we’ve ever seen in tourism.

This year, we’re going to meet the 2019 numbers and 2019 was a record setting year so once we beat this year next year, I think we’re going to be in a good place.”

Mr Cooper said officials have seen an increase in tourism arrivals across the board, including stopover visitors, cruise passengers and hotel occupancy.

He also said it was important that Bahamians benefit from this “surge” in tourism, adding that “team tourism is working very hard to ensure that we

bring the tourists here.”

“The merchants, the vendors, Bahamians who are in business, must ensure that their product is sufficiently enticing to cause them to spend or to cause them to get off the ship, get out of the hotels to experience the tours, the sights, and shops, restaurants and clubs, whatever there are,” the acting prime minister continued.

“So, we’re doing a great job at bringing the tourists. We want to increase the spend. If we can increase the level of spend, that would be even

more important to us than increasing the numbers. So, we want to say that 2023 is a record year in terms of arrivals and there’s a record level of spending. That would warm my heart.”

Mr Cooper said the government is also committed to revamping the downtown area.

Downtown owners and tourists have lamented the state of dilapidated buildings among other issues, calling the area an “eyesore”.

Yesterday, Mr Cooper said his ministry continues to receive complaints about

downtown and is trying to address it.

He said some five properties have already been demolished over the last several months, adding that this process is expected to continue “where there is noncompliance” from property owners.

“So short term, we’re doing some things,” he added, “and medium to long term, there has to be some sustained investment in downtown. The property owners are committed, certainly to enhance their property values.

“Some of the property

owners are responding in kind in terms of the development and cleanup of the properties. Others are not. And where there is not compliance, we will deal with it to the fullest extent of the law.

“There is a great opportunity for the revitalisation of downtown and we see with the development and the opening of the Nassau Cruise Port coming within the next few months. We’re confident that this is going to drive some industry and I hope it can be the catalyst to cause property owners to follow the path of what happens with the Nassau Cruise Port.”

He also revealed plans to launch a marketplace for locally owned businesses that will sell authentic Bahamian craft.

The marketplace is expected to be situated in the new Nassau Cruise Port when it opens next year.

Asked about concerns that the port’s vendors will be selling the same products that Nassau Straw Market vendors peddle, Mr Cooper replied: “I don’t think it will clash. I think the market will cause there to be balance if you will. “

“If you want what the Straw Market is selling, you will go there. If you want authentically Bahamian souvenirs and goods and services made by Bahamians, you will go to the incubation centre for authentic Bahamians goods and services.”

Mr Cooper said the goal is not to cause competition, but to enhance the nation’s tourism product.

WINNING BIDDER FOR GB AIRPORT PICKED

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

AFTER several months of deliberation, the government has selected the winning bidder for the redevelopment of the Grand Bahama International Airport.

MAN, 73, JAILED FOR TEN YEARS OVER UNLAWFUL SEX WITH EIGHT-YEAR-OLD GIRL

A 73-YEAR-OLD

Grand Bahama man convicted of having unlawful sexual intercourse with an eight-year-old girl was sentenced to ten years behind bars yesterday.

Norman Ferguson was sentenced by Justice Andrew Forbes after he was found guilty on September

28 at his trial.

He was also convicted in 2001 of attempting to commit a similar crime and had served five years in prison for that offence.

During his trial, the court heard that on March 10, 2019, sometime after 9pm the eight-year-old virtual complainant went to

bed. Sometime after 11pm, the child awoke to find Ferguson on top of her. The court heard he penetrated her vagina with his penis.

At his sentencing hearing in November, Ferguson was labeled a repeated child sex offender who had violated his position of trust.

SUSPECT CHARGED WITH FATAL STABBING

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 20-YEAR-OLD man appeared in Magistrate’s Court yesterday in connection with last week’s fatal stabbing in Pinewood Gardens.

Shamar Hepburn faced Magistrate Kendra Kelly on a charge of murder.

It is alleged that around 8pm on December 7 on Thatch Palm Avenue, the accused stabbed and killed 28-year-old Eric Pyfrom while the victim was at home.

Because of the severity of the offence, Hepburn was not required to enter a plea in court. He was informed that his matter would be fast tracked to the Supreme Court by a voluntary bill of

indictment (VBI).

The accused was also told that as the magistrate lacked the jurisdiction to grant him bail, he had the right to apply for it in the higher court. Until bail is granted, Hepburn will be sent to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Service of Hepburn’s VBI is due on February 27, 2023.

MAN ACCUSED OF USING CAR IN ASSAULT

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was remanded to prison yesterday after denying assaulting a woman with his car last week.

Nelson Bevans, 30, stood before Magistrate Kendra Kelly on a charge of assault with a dangerous

instrument. He is alleged to have assaulted a woman with his black 2001 Nissan March on December 8 on Bernard Road in Fox Hill.

In court, Bevans pleaded not guilty to the offence. Prosecutor Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom then objected to the defendant’s bail on the basis that he has a pending firearm charge

before Magistrate Samuel McKinney.

In view of this, Magistrate Kelly sent Bevans to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until December 19. Then he will return to court for a bail decision before Magistrate Kelly and continuation of the firearm matter.

14-YEAR-OLD GUILTY OF INJURING MAN

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A TEENAGER was sent to Simpson Penn Centre for Boys after admitting to injuring a man yesterday.

The 14-year-old, whose

name is being withheld as he is a minor, in the presence of his guardians appeared before Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux. There he faced a charge of causing harm.

On December 7 in New Providence, the accused caused injury to

In court, the juvenile pleaded guilty to the offence. He was ordered to be remanded to Simpson Penn until his return to court for a report on January 24, 2023.

Tourism, Aviation and Investments Minister Chester Cooper made the announcement to reporters before yesterday’s Cabinet meeting. However, he declined to say who was selected for the job.

“I’m not in a position to make a statement at the moment,” he said. “We are doing some final housekeeping on the process. It’s being finalised. We know who the winning bidder is, but I can’t tell you yet.”

Plans for the redevelopment of the airport were announced after the facility suffered extensive damage caused by Hurricane Dorian in September 2019. Before Dorian, the

airport was privately owned and operated by the Freeport Harbour Company, which is part of Hutchison Port Holdings of the Hutchison Whampoa Group.

However, under the Minnis administration, the government purchased it in April 2021 with plans to redevelop the airport under a PPP.

Since assuming office last year, the Davis administration has looked at several potential investors for the redevelopment of the airport, while also completing several repairs in the interim to improve the site’s conditions.

Asked when the government hopes to announce the name of the selected bidder, Mr Cooper replied “soon.”

“If I had it my way it would be next week,” he added. “But, like I said, we were waiting for some final responses. It’s got to be strong, and you’re going to be pleased.”

As it relates to the Grand Lucayan resort, Mr Cooper said he had no additional

information in that regard. However, he was able to give an update on the British Colonial Hilton, explaining that renovations were still ongoing to the property.

The hotel closed its doors earlier this year because of low occupancy and poor financial performance, mainly due to the pandemic.

“The property has not been sold,” Mr Cooper said. “The developers, the owners who we all know, is the China construction company, (they) continue the improvement of the resort and no doubt they will have something directly to say about what their ongoing plan is.

“Suffice to say, we hope that the inventory comes back to the market real soon, because we certainly do need that inventory for the increased demand that we’re seeing.”

Asked about the hotel’s sale process, Mr Cooper told reporters that only the owners could speak to the matter.

• Monitor operations to ensure compliance with safety or security policies or regulations. Observe individuals’ activities to gather information or compile evidence.

• Operate surveillance equipment to detect suspicious or illegal activities. Discuss performance, complaints, or violations with supervisors. Monitor establishment activities to ensure adherence to all gaming regulations and company policies and procedures.

•

•

• Act as oversight or security agents for management or customers.

• Be prepared to work within a shift system

• Retain

Darian St George Seifert after getting into a physical argument with him.

TOURISM, Aviation and Investments Minister Chester Cooper.

NORMAN Ferguson at court yesterday.

Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

Dinner with the patriarchy

By Alicia Wallace

IN celebration of a special occasion, I was one of four people having dinner at a fairly popular restaurant, known for its focus on meat, at a major resort in New Providence. The restaurant was selected to give the guest of honour as many options as possible, allowing her to be as indulgent as she wished. Since I choose not to eat meat, I looked at the menu online and identified the items that I could order and hoped to enjoy.

The service was far from exceptional, but we generally got what we needed. As I have done many times before at many different restaurants, I ordered an appetizer with a side dish to be served as my main course. No server has ever objected or shown disapproval. This time, however, the server cocked his head to the side, raised his eyebrows, sighed, and shrugged as he seemed to go from, “What in the world…” to “Oh, well, whatever you say” in a matter of seconds.

I ordered a rather popular beverage that is quite easy to make, but it left much to be desired. After one sip, it sat on the table as we had appetizers and the main course. It was not until we had finished the main course that someone on staff — not our server — finally noticed the glass was full and inquired about it. A replacement was offered, but at this point, it was not needed. The servers were simply not as attentive as they ought to have been, though they seemed to pass by often and stopped a few times to ask the oldest man at the table if he wanted more wine and if everything was fine. The rest of us did not seem to be of any concern to them.

When I go out for dinner, I look forward to having

dessert. In fact, other people in my party always look to me at a certain point and ask me what I plan to order for dessert. It is expected, and it is no secret that I will leave my main course unfinished to ensure that I can enjoy dessert. A server came to the table and asked if anyone would be having dessert. This question, again, was posed to the oldest man. He looked to me, and I confirmed that I wanted to see the menu. The server returned with one dessert menu, held it out to me, and I reached for it, only for it to be swiftly retracted. The server closed the menu, walked around me, and offered it to the man. While I have experienced and witnessed patriarchy, misogyny, and sexism with regularity all my life, I was stunned. I looked at the other people at the table who were equally shocked by what had happened. There was uncomfortable laughter, but I could not participate. I was disgusted.

The man to my right asked, “Do you want to see it?” and held the menu out to me. I said, “No, apparently it’s for men.” At this, everyone at the table laughed. Someone else said, “Why would he do that?”

Another commented that it was “wild.”

“It’s not like you’re children and you need your daddy to order for you,” the guest of honour remarked. No one could make sense of what had happened. None of us ordered dessert. At the table, I was the only person who usually gets dessert. Sometimes another person is encouraged to get something sweet when I make a selection, but none of them ever order it unless I do first. When I shared this story

with friends a few days later, they commented on the absurdity as well as the stupidity of the act. “Actually, it’s usually the women who order dessert,” one of them said. The rest of us nodded in agreement.

There are so many questions that arise from this experience. Why was only one menu brought to the table? Why was it offered to me in the first place, and then taken back? Why did the server think the menu should go to one particular person — a man? Was this a part of the staff training?

As I carry out my work as a women’s rights advocate and a gender consultant, people sometimes try to argue with me about the facts I present which have ever-present evidence.

Patriarchy exists, and it leads to men — whether fathers, partners, or brothers — being regarded as decision-makers and custodians of women. Misogyny is ingrained, leading to women being disregarded, ignored, and intentionally excluded in favor of men.

Sexism features prominently in our daily lives as the preference for men is demonstrated over and

over again. I had dinner with three people, and these three ugly realities — patriarchy, misogyny, and sexism — were brought to the table. They are not just words or ideas. They are behaviour-shaping systems and beliefs. They impact our daily lives. On this particular occasion, they were a nuisance and a barrier to my favourite part of dinner, but they regularly bring much worse effects in the form of gender-based violence.

Women can give example after example of being patronised, infantilised, and disrespected by men, all because they are women. How many times have you heard a woman talk about the ridiculous behaviour of men when they are parallel parking or reversing? It is not because they lack the ability to do it, but that men are convinced that they are someone superior to women and that women need their assistance when driving. With rear and sideview mirrors and, these days, cameras affixed to vehicles, men still have a sense of self-importance and try to impose themselves upon women who are doing fine without them.

Over the next week, pay attention to the way men engage with women. Take note of the instances when you recognise patriarchy, misogyny, and sexism in action. Share your list on social media. Talk to your family members, colleagues, and friends about the incidents.

For the next week and beyond, when you have the opportunity and

can do so safely, intervene. Call it by its name so everyone involved and observing can learn from it. It is not enough to say you love and support women. Address the people who are failing, help others to see the relatively small ways women are discriminated against, and promote gender equality through action.

Recommendations

1. Develop and commit to a savings plan. Whether you have your Christmas bonus in hand or it is on the way, this is a good time to make a commitment. Starting a savings practice can be difficult, from thinking $10 is not enough to make a difference to competing options for the use of $1000. It feels good to treat yourself to tangible goods and may be less immediately gratifying to, instead, put money in a high-interest savings account, but it is worth the exercise in discipline. Once your bills are paid and necessities are taken care of, make as generous a deposit as

you can to start your new saving practice. Decide how much you will be able to add to the account on a weekly or monthly basis and make sticking to it easy for yourself. This could mean setting a calendar reminder for the first Tuesday in every month or being specific about where that money will come from. Maybe you will reduce your weekly purchased lunches by one or dedicate your overtime payments to the account. Do what works for you. Push yourself, but make sure you can keep the commitment.

2. Go to therapy. There is no substitute for it. No self-help books, religious books, long phone calls with friends, spa day, vacation, passion project, or workout can take the place of a trained professional listening to you and providing guidance to help you to improve your mental health and, by extension, your life. Addiction, anxiety, stress, depression, grief, relationship issues, swift and frequent mood changes, and big transitions are all good reasons to go to therapy. They do not, however, need to be the reason you start. It is helpful to have a strong relationship with a mental health professional before you are in crisis or need a specific type of support so you have the opportunity to get to know each other, and they can learn more about you, your background, and what you are working toward. Nothing has to be wrong for you to benefit from therapy. It is important to be able to unpack, pose questions, and have unfiltered conversations without judgment or biased responses. Sometimes it takes a few tries to find the right therapist for you, and the trial and error process is far less stressful when you are not in a rush or desperate for immediate help.

EXPLAINER: WHY FUSION COULD BE A CLEAN-ENERGY BREAKTHROUGH

By DOUG GLASS and MICHAEL PHILLIS Associated Press

THE major advance in fusion research announced in Washington on Tuesday was decades in coming, with scientists for the first time able to engineer a reaction that produced more power than was used to ignite it.

Using powerful lasers to focus enormous energy on a miniature capsule half the size of a BB, scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California started a reaction that produced about 1.5 times more energy than was contained in the light used to produce it.

There are decades more to wait before fusion could one day — maybe — be used to produce electricity in the real world. But the promise of fusion is enticing. If harnessed, it could produce nearly limitless, carbon-free energy to supply humanity’s electricity needs without raising global temperatures and worsening climate change.

At the press conference in Washington, the scientists celebrated.

“So, this is pretty cool,” said Marvin “Marv” Adams, the National Nuclear Security Administration deputy administrator for defense programs.

“Fusion fuel in the capsule got squeezed, fusion reactions started. This had all happened before – 100 times before – but last week for the first time they designed this experiment so that the fusion fuel stayed hot enough, dense enough and round enough for long enough that it ignited,” said Adams. “And it produced more energy than the lasers had deposited.”

Here’s a look at exactly what nuclear fusion is, and some of the difficulties in

turning it into the cheap and carbon-free energy source that scientists hope it can be.

WHAT IS NUCLEAR FUSION?

Look up, and it’s happening right above you — nuclear fusion reactions power the sun and other stars.

The reaction happens when two light nuclei merge to form a single heavier nucleus. Because the total mass of that single nucleus is less than the mass of the two original nuclei, the leftover mass is energy that is released in the process, according to the Department of Energy.

In the case of the sun, its intense heat — millions of degrees Celsius — and the pressure exerted by its gravity allow atoms that would otherwise repel each other to fuse.

Scientists have long understood how nuclear fusion has worked and have been trying to duplicate the process on Earth as far back as the 1930s. Current efforts focus on fusing a pair of hydrogen isotopes — deuterium and tritium — according to the Department of Energy, which says that particular combination releases “much more energy than most fusion reactions” and requires less heat to do so.

HOW VALUABLE COULD THIS BE?

Daniel Kammen, a professor of energy and society at the University of California at Berkeley, said nuclear fusion offers the possibility of “basically unlimited” fuel if the technology can be made commercially viable. The elements needed are available in seawater.

It’s also a process that

doesn’t produce the radioactive waste of nuclear fission, Kammen said.

Crossing the line of net energy gain marks a major achievement, said Carolyn Kuranz, a University of Michigan professor and experimental plasma physicist.

“Of course, now people are thinking, well, how do we go to 10 times more or 100 times more? There’s always some next step,” Kuranz said. “But I think that’s a clear line of, yes, we have achieved ignition in the laboratory.”

HOW ARE SCIENTISTS TRYING TO DO THIS?

One way scientists have tried to recreate nuclear fusion involves what’s called a tokamak — a doughnutshaped vacuum chamber that uses powerful magnets to turn fuel into a superheated

plasma (between 150 million and 300 million degrees Celsius) where fusion may occur.

The Livermore lab uses a different technique, with researchers firing a 192beam laser at a small capsule filled with deuterium-tritium fuel. The lab reported that an August 2021 test produced 1.35 megajoules of fusion energy — about 70% of the energy fired at the target. The lab said several subsequent experiments showed declining results, but researchers believed they had identified ways to improve the quality of the fuel capsule and the lasers’ symmetry.

WHY IS FUSION SO HARD?

It takes more than extreme heat and pressure. It also takes precision. The energy from the lasers must be applied precisely to counteract the outward force of the fusion fuel, according to Stephanie Diem, an engineering physics professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

And that’s just to prove net energy gain is possible. It’s even harder to produce electricity in a power plant.

For example, the lab’s lasers can only fire a few times a day. To viably produce energy, they would need to fire rapidly and capsules would need to be inserted multiple times a minute, or even faster, Kuranz said.

Another challenge is to increase efficiency, said Jeremy Chittenden, a professor at Imperial College in London specialising in plasma physics.

The lasers used at Livermore require a lot of electrical energy, and researchers need to figure out a way to reproduce their results in a much more costeffective way, he said.

NASA ORION CAPSULE SAFELY BLAZES BACK FROM MOON, ACES TEST

By MARCIA DUNN AP Aerospace Writer

CANAVERAL,

The incoming capsule hit the atmosphere at Mach 32, or 32 times the speed of sound, and endured reentry temperatures of 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius) before splashing down west of Baja California near Guadalupe Island. A Navy ship quickly moved in to recover the spacecraft and its silent occupants — three test dummies rigged with vibration sensors and radiation monitors.

NASA hailed the descent and splashdown as close to perfect, as congratulations poured in from Washington..

“I’m overwhelmed,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said from Mission Control in Houston. “This is an extraordinary day ...

It’s historic because we are now going back into space — deep space — with a new generation.”

The space agency needed a successful splashdown to stay on track for the next Orion flight around the moon, targeted for 2024 with four astronauts who will be revealed early next year. That would be followed by a two-person lunar landing as early as 2025 and, ultimately, a sustainable moon base. The long-term plan would be to

launch a Mars expedition by the late 2030s.

Astronauts last landed on the moon 50 years ago. After touching down on Dec. 11, 1972, Apollo 17’s Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent three days exploring the valley of Taurus-Littrow, the longest stay of the Apollo era. They were the last of the 12 moonwalkers.

Orion was the first capsule to visit the moon since then, launching on NASA’s new mega moon rocket from

Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 16. It was the first flight of NASA’s new Artemis moon programme, named after Apollo’s mythological twin sister.

“From Tranquility Base to Taurus-Littrow to the tranquil waters of the Pacific, the latest chapter of NASA’s journey to the moon comes to a close. Orion back on Earth,” announced Mission Control commentator Rob Navias.

While no one was on the $4 billion test flight, NASA managers were thrilled to pull off the dress rehearsal, especially after so many years of flight delays and busted budgets. Fuel leaks and hurricanes conspired for additional postponements in late summer and fall.

In an Apollo throwback, NASA held a splashdown party at Houston’s Johnson Space Center on Sunday, with employees and their families gathering to watch the broadcast of Orion’s homecoming. Next door, the visitor centre threw a bash for the public.

Getting Orion back intact

after the 25-day flight was NASA’s top objective. With a return speed of 25,000 mph (40,000 kph) — considerably faster than coming in from low-Earth orbit — the capsule used a new, advanced heat shield never tested before in spaceflight.

To reduce the gravity or G loads, it dipped into the atmosphere and briefly skipped out, also helping to pinpoint the splashdown area.

All that unfolded in spectacular fashion, officials noted, allowing for Orion’s safe return.

“I don’t think any one of us could have imagined a mission this successful,” said mission manager Mike Sarafin.

Further inspections will be conducted once Orion is back at Kennedy by month’s end.

If the capsule checks find nothing amiss, NASA will announce the first lunar crew amid considerable hoopla in early 2023, picking from among the 42 active U.S. astronauts stationed at Houston’s Johnson Space Center.

GM JOINT VENTURE GETS $2.5B LOAN TO BUILD BATTERY PLANTS

NEW YORK (AP) — A joint venture between General Motors and South Korean battery company LG Energy Solution has closed on a $2.5 billion federal loan to help finance three lithium-ion battery cell plants in Ohio, Tennessee, and Michigan.

The Department of Energy awarded the loan to the venture, called Ultium Cells, for the plants, which are expected to create about 11,000 jobs. The loan is part of a government programme designed to address the growing need for batteries for electric vehicles.

The loan was first announced in July.

The Biden administration has been working to strengthen U.S. energy independence and reduce dependence on China for critical components. Ultium Cells will supply GM as it works to convert its light-duty fleet to allelectric by 2035.

The plants are planned for Lansing, Michigan and Spring Hill, Tennessee. A plant near Warren, Ohio, began battery cell production in August.

MERCEDES PLANS 1.3 BILLION-EURO ELECTRIC VAN PLANT IN POLAND

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — German automaker Mercedes-Benz is investing 1.3 billion euros ($1.4 billion) in a electric van plant in Poland, officials said Monday.

The plant in the southwestern Poland town of Jawor will be MercedesBenz Group A.G.’s first in Europe devoted to making electric delivery vehicles, Mathias Geisen, the company’s head for van operations, said.

Geisen said the electric delivery vans will be the “vehicles of the future” and provide a big step toward emissions-free transportation.

Mercedes already has a car engine and battery factory in Jawor.

The van plant is expected to create 2,500 new jobs, Poland’s Ministry of Economic Development and Technology said.

The launch date has yet to be announced.

IN this 2012 image provided by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a technician reviews an optic inside the preamplifier support structure at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, Calif. The major advance in fusion research announced in Washington on Tuesday was decades in coming, with scientists for the first time able to engineer a reaction that produced more power than was used to ignite it.

(Damien Jemison/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory via AP)

CAPE

Fla. (AP) — NASA’s Orion capsule made a blisteringly fast return from the moon Sunday, parachuting into the Pacific off Mexico to conclude a test flight that should clear the way for astronauts on the next lunar flyby.

U.S. Navy divers secure NASA’s Orion capsule during recovery operations after it splashed down in the Pacific off Mexico, Sunday, concluding a 25-day test flight. (Mario Tama/Pool Photo via AP)

US Navy hospital suspends care in Haiti after 19 go overboard

JEREMIE, Haiti Associated Press

A US NAVY hospital ship docked in southwest Haiti has temporarily suspended medical services after 19 people with the mission fell overboard amid a heavy swell hitting the Caribbean region, officials said yesterday.

It happened on Monday night and involved 12 military personnel and seven civilians with the USNS Comfort who were returning to the ship after caring for patients on land, said Lewis Preddy, a US Navy spokesman.

All 19 were pulled back onto the small boat, which was then lifted by a crane onto the ship. He said the usual process is for personnel to use a water taxi and step onto a ladder to

board the ship, but that the heavy surf made that impossible.

He said two people were injured but are expected to recover.

Preddy said officials are figuring out how to continue the mission while ensuring people’s safety. The heavy swell is expected to last until at least the weekend, according to meteorologists.

Rear Adm James Aiken, commander of the US Naval Forces Southern Command-US 4th Fleet, told The Associated Press that officials are working hard to bring the mission in Haiti back online after it began on Monday.

“The need is extremely great, and we’re so excited to be able to provide some care,” he said in a phone interview.

Officials said they did not immediately have the number of patients that have been treated so far.

Yesterday, several hundred Haitians protested the ship’s presence in the coastal town of Jeremie, yelling, “Down with the American people! We don’t want them here!”

Some demanded that the US government instead visit certain areas in the capital of Port-au-Prince to free neighbourhoods from the control of powerful gangs.

In early October, Haiti’s government requested the deployment of foreign troops to fight gangs and help end a fuel blockade that has since lifted after one of the country’s most powerful gangs allowed trucks to access a fuel terminal. No international

troops have been deployed, but the US and Canada have announced a flurry of sanctions.

Aiken brushed off the small protest in Jeremie yesterday, saying he is focused on the positive.

“There are hundreds of thousands if not millions of people who want us there,” he said.

The USNS Comfort has visited Haiti several times in the past decade as the country struggles with a broken health system hit by severe power outages and fuel shortages. The floating hospital has tended to people with ailments ranging from diabetes to cholera, with an ongoing outbreak killing more than 280 people and infecting more than 14,100 others.

On Monday, Haiti received more than 1.17

million of oral cholera vaccines with help from the Pan American Health Organization.

• The US Coast Guard said yesterday that it rescued 34 Haitian migrants abandoned by smugglers on an uninhabited island near Puerto Rico, the second such incident in less than a month.

The migrants were found after employees with Puerto Rico’s Department of Natural Resources reported seeing multiple campfires on Monito Island, located in the treacherous waters that separate the US territory from the Dominican Republic.

The rescue occurred on Monday during swells of up to 15 feet as the migrants took turns jumping into the water where a small Coast Guard boat awaited. The

rescue took five hours, officials said.

The 26 men, seven women and one boy were then transferred to US Border Patrol agents in Puerto Rico.

In November, the Coast Guard rescued 12 Haitian migrants who had spent five days on Monito Island. In late June, another 27 Haitian migrants were rescued from the same tiny island.

The Coast Guard said that it has detained more than 320 migrants from October 1 to November 30, the vast majority Dominicans.

All are transferred to US Border Patrol agents and returned to their home countries unless they request asylum or they have prior criminal records in the US.

BIDEN SIGNS GAY MARRIAGE LAW, A S IT A B O A AINST ATE’

WASHINGTON Associated Press

A CELEBRATORY crowd of thousands bundled up on a chilly Tuesday afternoon to watch President Joe Biden sign gay marriage legislation into law, a joyful ceremony that was tempered by the backdrop of an ongoing conservative backlash over gender issues.

“This law and the love it defends strike a blow against hate in all its forms,” Biden said on the South Lawn of the White House. “And that’s why this law matters to every single American.”

Singers Sam Smith and Cyndi Lauper performed. Vice President Kamala Harris recalled officiating at a lesbian wedding in San Francisco. And the White House played a recording of Biden’s television interview from a decade ago, when he caused a political furor by unexpectedly disclosing his support for gay marriage. Biden was vice president at the time, and President Barack Obama had not yet endorsed the idea.

“I got in trouble,” Biden joked of that moment. Three days later, Obama himself publicly endorsed gay marriage.

Lawmakers from both parties attended yesterday’s ceremony, reflecting the growing acceptance of same-sex unions, once among the country’s most contentious issues.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, wore the same purple tie to the ceremony that he wore to his daughter Alison’s wedding. She and her wife are expecting their first child in the spring.

“Thanks to the millions out there who spent years pushing for change, and thanks to the dogged work of my colleagues, my grandchild will get to live in a world that respects and honors their mothers’ marriage,” he said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told the crowd that “inside maneuvering only takes us so far,” and she thanked activists adding impetus with “your impatience, your persistence and your patriotism”.

Despite yesterday’s excitement, there was concern about the nationwide proliferation of conservative policies on gender issues at the state level.

Biden criticised the “callous, cynical laws introduced in the states targeting transgender children, terrifying families and criminalising doctors who give children the care they need”.

“Racism, antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia, they’re all connected,” Biden said. “But the antidote to hate is love.”

Among the attendees were the owner of Club Q, a gay nightclub in Colorado where five people were killed in a shooting last month, and two survivors of the attack. The suspect

has been charged with hate crimes.

“It’s not lost on me that our struggle for freedom hasn’t been achieved,” said Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign. “But this is a huge step forward, and we have to celebrate the victories we achieve and use that to fuel the future of the fight.” Robinson attended the ceremony with her wife and one-year-old child.

“Our kids are watching this moment,” she said. “It’s very special to have them here and show them that we’re on the right side of history.”

The new law is intended to safeguard gay marriages if the US Supreme Court ever reverses Obergefell v. Hodges, its 2015 decision legalising same-sex unions nationwide. The new law also protects interracial marriages. In 1967, the Supreme Court in Loving v Virginia struck down laws in 16 states barring interracial marriage.

The signing marks the culmination of a monthslong bipartisan effort sparked by the Supreme Court’s decision in June to overturn Roe v Wade, the 1973 ruling that made abortion available across the country.

In a concurring opinion in the case that overturned Roe, Justice Clarence Thomas suggested revisiting other decisions, including the legalisation of gay marriage.

POLICE officers block a group of persons as they protest against the arrival of the USNS Comfort hospital ship in Jeremie, Haiti, yesterday. The USNS Comfort is on a humanitarian mission to provide dental and medical services.

Photo: Odelyn Joseph/AP

College football teams are ready for Bahamas Bowl

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

It was a day of fun and relaxation for the college football teams yesterday after they arrived in town on Monday for the HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl.

Both the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Blazers and the Miami RedHawks took advantage of yesterday’s free day by participating in a beach bash that was held at the Atlantis resort ahead of their big NCAA football match-up at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium on Friday.

The two teams come in evenly matched at 6-6 but are confident that they will hoist the trophy as the new champions in the match-up

HIELD AND INDIANA IN MIDDLE OF THE PACK IN EAST

By NOAH TRISTER AP Sports Writer

WHEN the season began, it wasn’t clear how much longer Myles Turner would be with the Indiana Pacers.

That’s still a reasonable question — but now there’s another one alongside it: How much longer can those Pacers stay in the playoff race?

After losing 57 games a season ago, the Pacers are a .500 team at the moment — and that’s despite dropping seven of their last 10. Coach Rick Carlisle’s group can push the tempo, and the Pacers have a 22-yearold standout in point guard Tyrese Haliburton. Indiana is not a team that should be taken lightly.

“They beat us the last time and they’re ahead of us in the standings,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said Monday when asked about

not overlooking opponents. “There is more parity, I think, overall in the league and I think it’s good for the league.”

The Heat did beat Indiana 87-82 on Monday night in what was easily the Pacers’ lowest-scoring game of the season. They’ve been held under 100 points only one other time.

Indiana is fifth in the NBA in pace after ranking 18th last season.

“I’m not that surprised, seeing Ty ... for two months last year and knowing we’d get (T.J.) McConnell back and he plays pretty fast,” Carlisle said. “But it does tell a story of who we are as a team and it tells a story that if we don’t come up with rebounds, we’re not going to be able to play fast. We love playing fast. It’s fun (and) its gotten

The Jordan Trophy: NBA rebrands, redesigns MVP award

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

MICHAEL Jordan was moments away from hoisting his third of what would become five NBA Most Valuable Player awards, and then-Commissioner David Stern greeted him at the midcourt ceremony with words that were both simple and profound.

“You are simply the standard,” Stern said that night in 1992, “by which basketball excellence is measured.”

That’s never been more true.

The NBA MVP award has been renamed The Michael Jordan Trophy, the league announced yesterday. Jordan is a five-time MVP so he has five trophies named for Maurice Podoloff — the league’s first

commissioner. But after six decades of the award bearing Podoloff’s name, the NBA decided the time was right to rebrand.

The Jordan trophy will stand 23.6 inches tall and weigh 23.6 pounds -- nods to his jersey number and six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls -- but is not a depiction of him.

The chairman of the Charlotte Hornets approved the design, one that symbolises someone reaching for excellence, but did not want the statue to be of himself.

He also declined a request for comment through the NBA.

“Anybody should be able to see this and see themselves in it,” said Mark Smith, a longtime designer

DEATH OF RODNEY JOHNSON

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE basketball community is mourning the loss of former long-time and smartly dressed coach and referee Rodney E.C. Johnson, who made his contribution to the game at every level.

The former softball player with the Third Street Boys, Doc’s Pharmacy and the BDP Rattlers and an executive in the New Providence Oldtimers Softball Association passed away on Monday at the age of 76.

He leaves behind his life long partner Belkis Moore, his children Rhodnia and Rodney Johnson Jr, grandson Garrett Johnson, former wife Jennifer M Johnson, sisters Francis Smith and Ruth Brown and a host of relatives, friends and basketball players whose lives he touched as a coach.

Through his involvement in basketball, Johnson’s daughter Rhodnia followed in his footsteps by becoming a statistician. But she

MONACO (AP) — United States sprinter Randolph Ross has been banned for three years for whereabouts failures and faking an email to anti-doping authorities.

The Athletics Integrity Unit announced yesterday that the back-to-back NCAA champion from North Carolina A&T will be suspended until June 30, 2025, meaning he’ll be ineligible for the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Ross had been provisionally suspended on the eve of his 400-metre preliminary race at the world track and field championships in Eugene, Oregon, on July 16, about a month after officials could not locate him to take a doping test — his

Cindy Hook appointed CEO of 2032 Olympic organising committee

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — American executive Cindy Hook has been appointed as the inaugural CEO of the organising committee for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane.

The organising committee announced the appointment yesterday after engaging with 50 candidates over six months.

Hook was based in Singapore as CEO of Deloitte Asia Pacific until June and had previously worked for the international professional services network in the US and in Australia, moving to Sydney in 2009 to lead the auditing practice for six years and later

becoming CEO of the Australian operation in 2015.

“The opportunity to lead the Olympics and Paralympics is once in a lifetime,” Hook said.

“The idea of setting up the organisation, building the team, creating a vision and driving to a smooth delivery of Brisbane 2032 is very exciting and I expect it will be both challenging and rewarding.”

Hook said she’d made regular visits to Brisbane during her prior time in Australia and would be moving to the Queensland state capital and starting the new role in February.

FUN TIME: Players from UAB and Miami get ready to participate in a dance off on the beach at the Atlantis resort.

THE MICHAEL Jordan Trophy. (AP)

INDIANA Pacers guard Buddy Hield (24) shoots while defended by Brooklyn Nets guard Edmond Sumner (4) during the second half in Indianapolis on Saturday. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)

Roadrunners Track Club hosts 22nd annual awards banquet

ON Saturday, the Roadrunners Track Club, led by president and head coach Dexter Bodie, hosted their 22nd annual presentations and awards banquet for their athletes.

This event has been a staple for the club for several decades and each year they are happy to provide a space for the recognition and celebration of their athletes.

The banquet occurred in Atlantis’ Imperial Ballroom and was presented under the esteemed patronage of three of the club’s young female coaches Edvania Missick, Stephanie Stubbs and Krysten Black.

These ladies have been dedicated to the development and growth of the athletes and have been an integral part of the track club from the time they were young athletes themselves.

They have continuously given their time and talents for the betterment of the club and its athletes. The club was enthused to

honour them and their hard work and dedication during the ceremony.

The night began with a thoughtful prayer and blessing of the food by one of the club’s parents.

The room was then filled with the melodic sounds of the national anthem sung by the talented Danielle Dorsette.

She graced the audience with several selections throughout the night and received a standing ovation on each occasion.

The keynote speaker, and long-time supporter, Timothy Ingraham, general manager of Summit Insurance, shared a captivating message filled with encouragement and wisdom.

He motivated the athletes to stay focused, not only on their athletic endeavours, but also on their academic pursuits.

He shared relatable stories about his own son when he was in a similar position to the young athletes navigating school, athletics, and future goals and dreams.

Ingraham shared that while it is important to be confident in your abilities, it is also important to focus on your craft and continuous improvement.

Demonstrating your capabilities rather than talking about them or talking less and working harder is the better route to success.

He used the example of a certain American sprinter who was extremely boastful off the track but could never quite translate that to on-the-track performance.

Following Ingraham’s uplifting message, the Mistress of Ceremonies, Mrs Vargas began the portion of the night that the athletes were all waiting for, the awards.

There was an award for academic performance named after former Roadrunner, Jenero Knowles.

The Timothy Ingraham Honour Roll Award recognised those student-athletes who achieved a GPA of 3.0 and higher. There were several awards such as most

improved athlete, best male and female athlete and athlete of the year.

As the student-athletes came up one by one to accept the awards they floated throughout the room wearing their Sunday best looking like ‘cool kids’ and showing off from head to toe.

After the presentation of awards the attendees were happy to welcome Harrison Petty to give his remarks and encouraging words.

Petty serves as the president of the Bahamas Parents Association of Track & Field Athletes.

Another long-time supporter of the Roadrunners Track Club, Petty’s remarks were met with keen interest.

One of the highlights of the night was the moment Roadrunners athlete Tellica Seymour presented a donation to the club on behalf of her father’s company One on One construction.

She highlighted that her father, Tellis Seymour, and the company really

appreciate all the work that the club puts into their athletes and how they give them a space to grow and develop.

She also spotlighted the work that coaches Stephanie Stubbs, Edvania Missick and Krysten Black were doing and presented them with tokens of appreciation.

Before the evening’s proceedings ended, pastor Diana Francis of the First Baptist Church shared remarks and prayed for the track club.

Along with this year’s honorees, guests of honour included Mrs Patrice Adderley and guest, Mr Phil Smith, Mr & Mrs Timothy Ingraham, Mr Travee and Dr Shantel Missick, Pastor Diana Francis, Mr Terrance Arnette, Mr & Mrs Harrison Petty, Mr & Mrs David Higgins, Ms Madia Butler, Dr & Mrs Graham Cates, Mr & Mrs William Delancy, Dr Clive Gaskins and Mr & Mrs Tellis Seymour.

awards are as follows:

Dominique Higgins Award

Shaneka Sands, 4.00 GPA; Chanelle Hepburn, 4.00 GPA; Gabrielle McLean, 3.24.

Most outstanding athletes

Melody Thompson (u-7 girls); Logan Thompson (U-7 boys); Ariel Thompson (U-11 girls); Avery Johnson (U-11 boys); Azalia Henderson (U-13 girls); Ashley Demeritte (U-13 boys); J’Kaiyah Rolle and Teran Davis (U-15 girls); Trent Ford (U-17 boys); Raeyah Taylor (U-20 girls) and Desmond Harris (U-20 boys).

Athletes of the year

Chanelle Hepburn (U-7 girls); Christovia Moss (U-9 girls); Ronald Simon (U-11 boys); Cassidy Edwards (U-13 girls); Shawne Ferguson (U-13 boys); Jasmine (U-15 girls); Tamia Taylor (U-17 girls); Dana Rolle (U-17 boys); Sabriya Farquharson (U-20 girls); Malcolm Williams (U-20 boys).

between the MidAmerican Conference and Conference USA in the longest running international bowl game in college football history.

This is the seventh edition of the bowl, which got started in 2014, but was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While UAB, coached by Bryant Vincent and representing Conference USA, is back for its second appearance after finishing as the runners-up in 2017, it’s the first trip here by Miami, coached by Chuck Martin and competing for the MidAmerican Conference.

The majority of the players are making their maiden voyage here and have been pleasantly surprised by what they saw so far from the time they arrived at the Lynden Pindling International Airport to their home destination at Atlantis.

“It’s been a wonderful experience so far, coming out here and kicking it with the guys,” said UAB quarterback Mac McWilliams. “It’s a lifetime experience, so we’re happy to be able to enjoy the breeze and the sea.”

The 5-foot, 10-inch, 185pound McWilliams, who hails from Pensacola, Florida, said he’s been eating and going to the casino,

having some fun. But he’s eager to get on the field and help the Blazers pull off the win.

“We had our ups and downs all season, but we just came here to win,” he said.

“We know they (Miami) are a good team, but we’re not concerned about them. We just came here to win.”

Tight end Bryce Damous, who stands at 6-2 and is 230lbs, said he’s loving everything about the Bahamas.

“Honestly, when you see the pictures, it doesn’t really do justice,” he said.

“Compared to when you are here, it’s so much different than what I saw in the photos. I’m really loving it. It’s beautiful. I’m enjoying myself.”

Like McWilliams, Damous, who hails from Huntington, West Virginia, the goal is to win the game.

“That’s our main objective. We want to have fun and enjoy the trip, but it’s a business, at the end of the day,” he stated. “We’re trying to win this game for sure.”

Once they can come out and play “hard” and display their traditional “aggressiveness,” he doesn’t see why they can’t win the game.

Of course, he admits that Miami will be tough because they made it to the bowl game, but they just want to take care of the reason why they came here and that is to win.

Miami’s linebacker Matt Salopek begs to differ.

“You can expect a very good, exciting team that will come out here and play,” said the 6-1, 220lbs Salopek. “We have a very good team with a lot of gritty guys, who just love to

come out and play football and want to win.”

Salopek, however, did admit that UAB has a solid team and are well coached, so he’s anticipating a very good, hard-fought game.

For Salopek, this is his second trip here.

He was here when he was about 11 or 12 on a cruise ship, but never envisioned the island was as “beautiful” as it is.

“The people are awesome, the hospitality is awesome, and the scenic view is just beautiful,” as he described his experience here so far. “Overall, this is just a great place.”

Ja’Von Kimpson, a defensive back, said while this is his first time here, it’s the “best trip” that he’s ever been on in the Caribbean.

“Atlantis is really nice. It’s a lot better than I really expected it to be,”

he quipped. “We’ve been walking around taking pictures of everything because everything looks so beautiful.

“We’ve been looking at all of the fish and doing the water rides. It’s just been good. It’s a lot of fun.” Come Friday, Kimpson said they hope to take care of the job at hand.

“It’s going to be a good game. UAB is not a bad team. They’re pretty good with a nice offence and a nice defence,” said the RedHawks’ 5-11, 192-pounder.

“So, we will have to be on top of our game. It’s going to be a great game. It should be high intensity, but we should win at the end.”

The game is scheduled to start at 11:30am on Friday and will be carried live on ESPN. There will be free admission for the general public.

COACHES and sponsors with their plaques on Saturday at the Roadrunners Track Club’s 22nd annual presentations and awards banquet for their athletes.

Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 to reach World Cup final

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer

LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lionel Messi bent over, clutched his left hamstring and appeared to grimace, immediately spreading panic through the soccer world but especially among all Argentines. Was their superstar — their idol — injured? Was he going to have to come off early in the World Cup semifinals?

No such luck for Croatia.

Before long, Messi was producing perhaps the best performance of his recordtying 25 appearances at the World Cup, leading Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Croatia yesterday that set up a meeting with either France or Morocco in Sunday’s final.

Messi is back in soccer’s biggest match on his mission to win the game’s greatest prize for the first time. At 35, he could hardly be playing any better.

Messi converted a penalty and played a part in the other two goals by Julián Álvarez — one with an outrageous piece of skill that brought roars of approval from Argentina’s huge following — to turn an initially tense occasion into a procession.

“A lot is going through my head — it’s very emotional seeing all of this,” Messi said in a post-match interview on the field as he looked up at Argentina’s celebrating, scarf-waving supporters. “To see the fans — ‘the family’ — during the whole tournament was so incredible. We’re going to the final, which is what we wanted.”

It will be Messi’s second World Cup final — Argentina lost the other one to Germany in 2014 — in what might be his last appearance at the tournament.

The stage is set for a player widely regarded as one of the game’s best, if not the absolute best, to go out on the ultimate high.

He is thrilling his legion of fans along the way.

His swivel and driving run to set up the third goal for Álvarez in the 69th

minute left Josko Gvardiol — one of the best defenders at the World Cup — grasping at thin air and epitomised Messi’s confidence and swagger.

He is embracing the responsibility of leading Argentina to its third World Cup title, scoring in five of his six games in Qatar.

He even had a penalty saved in the one game in which he didn’t score.

“I am honoured to train him and see him play,” said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, who was in tears in the post-match celebrations.

“Every time you see him play, it’s a huge source of motivation for his teammates, fans and the whole world.”

Croatia failed in its bid to reach a second straight World Cup final after conceding two goals in a five-minute span from the

34th, just when the team was looking comfortable at Lusail Stadium and Messi was raising concerns by rubbing his hamstring. Maybe it was a ruse. Messi was soon toying with his opponents in a way only he can and put Argentina ahead by lifting his penalty into the top corner after Álvarez was taken out by Dominik Livakovic after clipping the ball past the CroatiaÁlvarezgoalkeeper. scored himself in the 39th after a surging run from halfway, which started after he collected Messi’s short pass. Then came the crowning moment, Álvarez’s second goal, after Messi took Gvardiol for a ride in the right corner.

It was one game too far for Croatia, which had beaten Japan and Brazil on penalties in the knockout stage, and star midfielder Luka Modric, who — at

37 — has likely played his final World Cup match.

Summing up a frustrating game for the little midfield magician, he was substituted in the 81st minute and had a bright red nose after the ball slammed into his face moments earlier.

“The first goal took the match in a different direction,” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said. “It’s the true Messi we all expected to see.”

Argentina maintained its record of never having lost in the World Cup semifinals and has reached the final for the sixth time.

Those dark days after losing to Saudi Arabia in its opening group match seem so long ago now for Argentina, which will be hard to stop in the final with Messi playing this well.

“Even though we lost our first match, we were confident that this group was going to push forward,”

Messi said. “We know what we are, and we called on the fans to believe in us.”

MESSI RECORDS

Messi became Argentina’s record scorer at World Cups with his third penalty of the tournament taking him to 11 goals in total — one more than Gabriel Batistuta.

He also tied the record for most appearances at the World Cup by playing for the 25th time, the same number as Lothar Matthäus of Germany.

ALVAREZ

The 22-year-old Álvarez didn’t start the tournament as Argentina’s striker. He only took the place of Lautaro Martinez in the third group game and now has four goals, one behind Messi and Mbappé.

He is the youngest player to score twice in a World Cup semifinal match since a 17-year-old Pele scored a hat trick in 1958.

MODRIC SHARES BIG STAGE WITH MESSI IN LOSS

By JAMES ROBSON AP Soccer Writer

LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Luka Modric pulled his shirt up over his face as he trudged over to the sideline. Croatia’s red-and-whiteclad fans recognised the sorrowful significance of the moment and rose up to applaud the diminutive midfielder who is probably their nation’s greatest ever player.

Argentina’s boisterous supporters soon followed suit at Lusail Stadium, honouring an opponent who is likely appearing at his last World Cup.

Substituted in the 81st minute yesterday, with his team trailing by three goals, it effectively marked the end of Modric’s World Cup era. Croatia ended up losing to Argentina 3-0 in the semifinals, four years after the team lost to France in the final.

Modric was somber as he was replaced by Lovro Majer before calmly taking his seat in the dugout. There was no grand gesture to the crowd or outpouring of emotion for a man whose understated brilliance can still be overlooked despite everything he has achieved.

“We just wanted to be again in the final,” Modric said, “but unfortunately we are not.”

The second most famous 37-year-old at the World Cup is going home, a few days after the other one.

Modric is the same age as former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, but as both men approach the twilight of their trophyladen careers, the contrast is stark. That was particularly evident leading up to and during the World Cup.

While Ronaldo hogged the limelight with his explosive eve-of-the-tournament interview with Piers Morgan, Modric expressed himself on the field.

After leading Croatia to the final in Russia, he was again the inspiration as a nation with a population of about 4 million made it to semifinals for the second straight World Cup.

Moroccan World Cup ‘dream’ faces biggest test against France today

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer

Africa’s first World Cup semifinalist is playing

champion France

striker Kylian Mbappé, the leader of a new wave of soccer superstars coming out of an era dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Today’s match has cultural and political connotations — Morocco was under French rule from 1912-56 — and the outcome is far from the foregone conclusion many would presume by looking at the names of the players and the rankings of the teams.

Morocco has exceeded all expectations in Qatar by beating second-ranked Belgium in the group stage and then eliminating European powerhouses Spain and Portugal in the knockout phase to reach the semifinals.

No African or Arab nation has ever gotten this far.

It is one of the biggest stories in the World Cup’s 92-year history and Morocco is not done yet.

“I was asked if we can win the World Cup and I said, ‘Why not? We can dream, it doesn’t cost you anything to have dreams,’” said

“European countries are used to winning the World

and we have played

sides, we have not had an easy run. Anyone playing us is going to be afraid of us now.”

Even France?

The defending champions have just passed their own big test by coming through a tough quarterfinal match against England, on a rare occasion when Mbappé was kept quiet.

No player has scored more than his five goals in Qatar and it won’t be easy for Mbappé to add to that tally against Morocco, which has yet to concede a goal to an opposition player at this World Cup — or indeed in its nine games since Regragui was hired in August.

The only goal allowed was an own-goal by defender Nayef Aguerd against Canada in the group stage.

Morocco might have some injuries now — Aguerd and fellow centre back Romain Saiss could be missing today — but Regragui’s game plan relies on team shape and discipline more than any specific individual.

“We recovered well. We have good doctors and every day we get good news. No one is ruled out and no one is for certain,” Regragui said yesterday.

“We’ll use the best team possible.”

The Morocco coach said his team is ready to “change the mentality” of Africa, and he’s told his players not to settle for anything less than the top prize.

“We’re going to fight to move on, for the African nations, for the Arab world,” he said.

Regragui said defender Achraf Hakimi is looking forward to a “nice duel” with Mbappé, his teammate at Paris Saint-Germain, but added that France doesn’t just depend on its star player.

“We’ll have to block Kylian, but not just him,” Regragui said.

“Hakimi is super motivated to beat his friend.”

The key to winning the game, the coach said, will be Morocco’s “team spirit” and the support of the crowd at Al Bayt Stadium, where French President Emmanuel Macron is set to be in attendance along with tens of thousands of greenand-red-clad Morocco fans.

It will feel like a home game for Morocco’s players, which might level things up even more.

“We have the best fans in the world along with Argentines and Brazilians. They’re people who come from anywhere in the world to support their country,” Regragui said.

“We’re going to play like being at home and that’s the most important thing in the world.”

France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris said the team expects “a hostile environment in the stadium.”

“It’s going to make a lot of noise, a raucous atmosphere. It’s going to be a tough time to concentrate in that sense, but during the match and at halftime, we’re going to have to remain focused,” Lloris said.

France coach Didier Deschamps said his team is ready for the “loud support” that Morocco will get from its fans, but added his players have prepared for

the atmosphere and know what to expect.

“Yes, it’s true, (Morocco) have been very strong in defence. And none of their opponents has managed to find a solution. But they’re not just good in defence. They wouldn’t have reached the semifinals if they were just a defensive team,” Deschamps said. “They’ve shown other qualities.”

France starts as the big favourite, though, because of its star quality and experience.

In Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann, a forward who has reinvented himself as a midfield playmaker at the World Cup, the team has two of the World Cup’s leading players while Olivier Giroud’s winner against England took him to four goals — the same as Messi.

They have attacking threats from everywhere and that intangible quality of just knowing how to get the job done. France centre back Raphael Varane said there will be no danger of complacency among his teammates in a game against the world’s 22ndranked team.

“We have enough experience in the team to not fall into that trap,” Varane said. “We know Morocco isn’t here by chance. It is up to us, as experienced players, to make sure we are all prepared for another battle.”

ARGENTINA’S LIONEL MESSI, left, and Argentina’s Julian Alvarez celebrate yesterday after scoring during the World Cup semifinal soccer match against Croatia at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Morocco’s improbable, history-making run at the World Cup is about to get its ultimate test.

defending

and

Walid Regragui, Morocco’s French-born coach.

Cup

top

MOROCCO’s head coach Walid Regragui is thrown in the air by players after the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match against Portugal, at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday.

(AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Rockets beat slumping Suns, Deandre Ayton injures ankle

By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON (AP) — Jalen Green had 26 points and Kevin Porter Jr added 18 as the Houston Rockets never trailed in a 111-97 win over the slumping Phoenix Suns last night.

The Rockets led by as many as 23 and held a comfortable lead for most of the night in the return of coach Stephen Silas, who was back after missing the previous game following the death of his father, longtime NBA player and coach Paul Silas.

It was the second straight victory for the Rockets, who beat Milwaukee on Sunday night.

Already playing without Devin Booker, the Suns, who dropped their fifth straight, didn’t have Deandre Ayton and Cameron Payne in the second half after both were injured before halftime. Ayton injured his left ankle and Payne sustained a right foot injury.

Mikal Bridges led the Suns with 18 points but shot a horrific 4 of 24 from the field and 2 of 10 from 3-point range. He made all eight free-throw attempts. Chris Paul had 17 points on 5-of-17 shooting, including 2 of 10 on 3s.

The Rockets scored the game’s first seven points and led 54-35 after a first half where the Suns made just 11 of 50 shots, including 4 of 24 3-pointers.

A 7-2 run by the Suns got them within 11 with about 7 1/2 minutes left in the game. Houston scored the

BUDDY

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interest from the fans in this team.”

The Pacers are showing the type of improvement that can easily stay under the radar. They aren’t leading their conference like New Orleans, another sub.500 team from last season. Instead, they’re in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference. Joining them there are the New York Knicks, who have won four straight to pull a game above .500 — after going 37-45 in 2021-22.

next five points, capped by an off-balance tip-in for a 3-point play by Garrison Mathews, to stretch the lead to 98-82.

Phoenix entered the game ranked fifth in the league in 3-point shooting at 38.3% but made just 13 of 51 (25.5%) on Tuesday night.

TIP-INS Suns: Booker missed a second straight game with tightness in his left hamstring. ... Torrey Craig had 12 rebounds. ... Paul had seven assists.

Rockets: Alperen Sengun had 10 points and 16 rebounds. ... Jabari Smith Jr. received a flagrant-1 foul after a collision with Bridges in the third quarter. He had 14 points and eight rebounds. ... Tari Eason had 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

REMEMBERING

DAD Silas was emotional when speaking about his father before the game. He said he’s been moved by the outpouring of support he’s received since Paul Silas’ death Sunday at 79.

“I’m very proud to be my dad’s son,” Silas said. “I’m very proud that people see him in me. And I want that to continue. Whenever it is my time comes, I want people to say the same things that they said about him over the last couple of days about (me). And hopefully they’ll do that.”

UP NEXT Suns: Visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night.

Rockets: Host Miami on Thursday night.

forward with even if they end up dealing the 26-yearold Turner and 29-year-old Buddy Hield. Although for now, those two are still with Indiana and making their own contributions, averaging about 17 points apiece.

Turner is in the final year of his contract and could bring back a good haul in a trade. Indiana is still less than a year removed from a major makeover. The Pacers traded star forward Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento in February and received Haliburton in return. Hield also went to Indiana in that deal.

Giannis, Bucks extend Warriors’ road woes, 128-111 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 30 points while Bobby Portis finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Milwaukee Bucks over the Golden State Warriors 128-111 Tuesday night in a matchup of the NBA’s last two

champions. Stephen Curry scored 20 points despite missing seven of 10 3-point attempts. Jordan Poole added 18 points and Klay Thompson 14 for Golden State.

The Warriors dropped their third straight road game and fell to 2-12 away from home this season. The defending NBA champions have allowed at least 114

points in every road game. The Warriors trailed 64-52 at the break and the Bucks created some separation with an 8-2 run to open the second half. Golden State coach Steve Kerr cleared his bench early in the fourth quarter.

76ERS 123, KINGS 103

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 31

points, James Harden had 21 points and 15 assists, and Philadelphia scored 80 points in the first half and cruised past Sacramento.

Tobias Harris also scored 21 points for the Sixers, who have won three straight to start a sevengame homestand.

Domantas Sabonis led the Kings with 22 points. Sacramento has lost three of the first four games of its six-game East Coast swing. Philadelphia led 80-55 at halftime.

JAZZ 121, PELICANS 100

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Malik Beasley made five 3-pointers and scored 21 points, and Utah cooled off Zion Williamson and New Orleans.

Williamson scored 26 points in 26 minutes and Jonas Valanciunas scored 15, but the Pelicans’ sevengame winning streak was snapped.

Only one of those wins came on the road.

After missing three games with an illness, Utah’s Lauri Markkanen showed little rust in scoring 19 points, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker also scored 19 and had a season-high six assists for the Jazz. Walker Kessler had 11 points, a career-high 16 rebounds and three blocked shots.

Jarred Vanderbilt had season bests of 18 points and 14 rebounds.

Williamson played just 11 minutes in the first half because of foul trouble. The Pelicans never recovered the lead they lost when he left the game.

AMERICAN SPRINTER BANNED FOR THREE YEARS

third whereabouts failure in a 12-month period.

No matter how the rest of this season unfolds for the Pacers, they have some young talent they can get excited about. Haliburton is averaging a career-best 19.4 points per game in his third season. Bennedict Mathurin is averaging 17.6, and fellow rookie Andrew Nembhard had 31 points and 13 assists in a win over Golden State last week. Nembhard also made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat the Los Angeles Lakers last month.

That talented trio is one the Pacers can move

The Kings have certainly reaped the benefits. After losing 52 games last season, they’re above .500 and positioned in the top six in the West. While it’s not clear how long Hield will be with the Pacers, they’re off to a decent start, too.

Indiana does have a couple of obvious weaknesses it needs to shore up. The Pacers are allowing opponents to shoot 25.8 free throws a game, the second-most in the NBA. Rebounding is also an issue. The 6-foot-11 Turner is one of the game’s

top shot blockers, but on the boards, the Pacers are vulnerable.

Indiana ranks 27th in the league in defensive rebounding percentage. The Pacers gave up 29 offensive boards to the Brooklyn Nets in Saturday’s loss. “It’s effort really and that’s something we

basketball minds in the country. “He had a way of motivating the most average player and the ability to get that average player to do things he could not see in himself. He was my coach from I was in SJC (St John’s College), playing small forward at six-feet, twoinches and when I told him that I got a basketball scholarship to go to Alabama he said ok well at your height you will need to play guard so he had me working on my ball-handling skills right away.

talked about in practice,” Carlisle said.

“That’s something we’ve got to concentrate on. We need it to be a real wakeup call.”

Indiana lost that game to a depleted Brooklyn team 136-133 despite 35 points from Haliburton. Then the Pacers dropped

a low-scoring game to Miami. In the next couple of weeks, Indiana has a rematch with Golden State, plus games against Cleveland, Boston and New Orleans. That stretch might indicate whether the Pacers will remain an intriguing playoff contender.

Methuselah Vikings, but in my senior year in grade 12, I was recruited by the late Randolph Swaby to play for his CIBA Warriors.”

With his unique style of dressing, McSweeney said he got to emulate his coach, who was also a very stern disciplinarian.

FROM PAGE 11 didn’t venture into softball which he ended up playing during his pastime. “I remember his commanding voice and love of sports and music. He loved basketball and softball,” she said. “I got my love of basketball from him. That’s why I am a statistician today. His last few years he was a part of a softball club.”

Some of the top players in the country, either at high school with the CC Sweeting Cobras or in night league in the New Providence Basketball Association, benefitted from Johnson’s coaching including Carvey Ferguson, Frank Rolle, George Henderson, Warfield ‘Bugga’ Bain, Pat Moss.

Jeff ‘Batchie’ Carey, ‘Joe Black’ Brice, Paul Brice, Freddy ‘Falcon’ McPhee, Patrick ‘Big Hands’ Henderson, Edrick ‘Dricks’ Poitier, Kenny Laing, ‘Nukka da Buck’ Nottage, Gary ‘Pindling’ Bethel, Oral Hudson, Kevin ‘Chick’ Rolle and Raymond ‘Rhymes’ Wilson and Terrance ‘Red-Eye’ McSweeney.

Hudson, who along with ‘Chick’ and ‘Rhymes’ went on to excel in volleyball as well, recalled Johnson as being one of the best

“He would always motivate me to be more offensive-minded. He would say, ‘you are my best player and shooter. Shoot the ball.’”

When he left for Lomax Hannon Jr College in Alabama before he ended up playing at St John’s University in Minnesota, Hudson said he always remembered the dribbling skills that he was taught by Johnson.

“He said it should only take four dribbles to get from baseline to baseline and he showed us how it was done,” Hudson said. “In university I would grab a rebound and before the defence could react I was making a layup on the other end of the court.

“Coach was very vocal and he was never afraid to get his point across to anyone including the referee. He wil be missed.”

Johnson is also being remembered by McSweeney, who followed his mentor and coach in the coaching ranks and in his dressing style.

“My years at CC Sweeting, which began in 1973 when I first got to know Rodney Johnson as a basketball coach in grade 10,” McSweeney said. “In my latter years in grade 11 and 12, he became my math teacher and was my homeroom teacher.

“Mr Johnson also allowed a few of us from grade 10 to 12 to play on a division II team, the

“People would always see me outside coaching with my shirt tucked in my pants with a necktie on,” McSweeney said. “Mr Johnson, my coach, passed that style of coaching on to me. I remember when I was coaching the Sunshine Park Gators, Mr Johnson and refereeing the game and he came over to me and said ‘You look sharp today.’

“I said to him I got this style from you. He had this thing where he used his two elbows where he demonstrated to his players, this is how I keep myself neat. I returned the favour and reminded him what he told us. We both had a good laugh because he didn’t know that I remembered what he did.”

McSweeney said Johnson made sure that they took care of their academics in school or they were not allowed to play on the team, especially when they were preparing to enter the 12th and final year.

Ross had provided a copy of an automatic email “allegedly confirming an update made to his whereabouts information for the relevant period,” the AIU said.

The sprinter “immediately admitted” that he had altered the email when he was questioned by the AIU representatives, the unit said.

Ross won his second straight title in the 400 metres at NCAA championships in June.

Ross won an Olympic gold medal as part of the 4x400m squad at the Tokyo Games in 2021, though he didn’t compete in the final. In the 400, he was eliminated in the heats in Tokyo.

“Mr Johnson had his way, as all coaches, especially dealing with males, but he locked into what he wanted and he stuck to that in practice and you had to make it happen in the game or he would sit you down,” McSweeney reflected. “Then he would come to you and ask you if you are ‘ready to play do what I need you to do,’

“I just saw Mr Johnson on Saturday. I was heading to make a run to pick my boys up on Paradise Island. He was on his front porch and we hailed each other. One mind said I should have stopped and hailed, but because I was in rush to get my kids, I said I will do it another time.”

Through their interaction as player-coach, McSweeney said he was taught a lot from Johnson, who officiated during the era of the late Vincent Ferguson, who was known for his stern manner in which he conducted himself on and off the court.

McSweeney expressed his condolences to Johnson’s family for the tremendous impact that he made on him at CC Sweeting and eventually into the coaching ranks. He said he will continue to wear his long sleeve shirt and necktie as he coaches in honour of his late coach and mentor.

RODNEY JOHNSON

HOUSTON Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) drives to the basket past Phoenix Suns centre Deandre Ayton (22) during the first half last night in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

INDIANA Pacers’ Buddy Hield (24) is defended by Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Monday in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Albury Jr following in his brother’s footsteps

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER watching his big brother Deyton Albury leave Temple Christian to pursue his basketball career in high school in the United States, Michael Albury Jr has made the transition to Florida from Teleos Baptist Academy where he was a star player for the Cherubims basketball team.

The 17-year-old Albury Jr is now enrolled at Florida Coastal Prep Sports Academy where he is playing as a six-foot guard.

“It’s been good. I fit well with the school and the system that they run,” Albury Jr said. “I know I can score, but I’m just being athletic and trying to learn how to play defence to really help the team.”

On Saturday, Albury Jr came through with a game high 17 points, including the go-ahead basket to help lift the team to victory over Life Christian High School. “I feel very good. They didn’t know that I would perform the way I

JORDAN

FROM PAGE 11

at Jordan Brand and the person who oversaw the trophy’s design. “They should feel the excellence of Michael Jordan and his pursuit. It’s got his name on it, but it isn’t him. It’s everybody. It could be a shipbuilder or it could be a teacher or a lawyer or a writer who looks at it and says, ‘That’s what I’m trying to do.’”

The league has rebranded almost all its trophies in the last two seasons, even adding some new ones. As part of Tuesday’s announcement, the league revealed that The Jerry West Award is being introduced and will be given to the NBA Clutch Player of the Year — which, like almost all other league awards, will be voted on by a media panel. NBA coaches will nominate players for the clutch award.

Also, the Defensive Player of the Year will now receive The Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy; the Rookie of the Year will receive The Wilt Chamberlain Trophy; the Sixth Man of the Year will now receive The John Havlicek Trophy; and the NBA’s Most Improved Player will receive The George Mikan Trophy.

“Our new collection of trophies celebrates some of the greatest and most impactful players in the history of the NBA,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “As we recognize the league’s top performers each season, we also pay tribute to the legends who embody these prestigious awards.”

It became evident last week that something was changing about the MVP trophy when the NBA said Podoloff’s name was going onto a new prize -- a trophy that will go to the team with the best regular season record.

The MVP trophy has many levels of numerical significance related to Jordan, besides its height and weight. It has a fivesided base, a tribute to his five MVP awards. The name badge is six-sided, one for each of his championships. The base is shaped at a 15-degree angle; he played 15 NBA seasons.

did, but I went out there and I did my best,” Albury Jr said. “Our coach had a good game plan for us and my team really rallied behind me once they saw what I could do.”

His father Michael Albury Sr said after watching the successful path that Deyton Albury took, he was delighted to set the stage for Albury Jr to follow suit. Deyton left Temple Christian where he shined with the Suns in 2019 to enroll at Sunrise Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas.

Upon completion of high school, Deyton Albury went on to play one year for Prep. He’s now holding court at Chipola College in Marianna, Florida. The number four ranked Indians are riding a perfect 15-0 win-loss season going into their next game on Saturday against Enterprise State Community College.

“I feel good about him leaving the nest. He always wanted to follow in his big brother’s footsteps,” Albury Sr said.

“Now that he has the opportunity, he is going

to shine. I know Mike is always ready to play when his name is called.

“He was never afraid to play against the big boys. It all started on BFM (Bahamas Faith United) basketball park and from what I saw as he continued

to develop, I think Mike is going to be an excellent basketball player.”

Albury Jr said it was something that he waited so long to accomplish.

“I would like to play basketball and see how far I can go with it,” Albury Jr said. “If I don’t go to the NBA, I would like to be able to go overseas and play so that I can help my family out. I just want to make a name for myself.”

Albury Jr will be returning home for the Christmas break on Sunday before he returns to Florida on January 3 to continue his season. “School wise, its been good. They really enjoy me coming over,” Albury Jr said. “The principal loves me, the coaching staff loves me. That’s something I was hoping that I would get into because my education comes first before basketball.

“I wanted to make sure that wherever I go, I would be able to concentrate a lot on my education and not just basketball. The basketball will come, but I want to be able to accomplish my education so that I can

go on to play college basketball as well.”

Albury Jr said he certainly misses home and is looking forward to interacting with his family and friends, especially those at Teleos.

He remembers how Teleos hosted a day for him before he left and he cried like a baby because it was a heartfelt departure.

“I am coming on Sunday and they are closing on Friday, so I won’t be able to return to school,” Albury Jr said. “I will just spend some time with my family and some of my friends from my old school at Teleos.

“But I hope to get in some basketball as well because I need to stay physically fit because the season is just going to get started when I return to school in January.”

Albury Jr thanked God for giving him the ability to achieve this transition with the support of his parents.

He also thanked all of the players he played with and the coaches who worked with him in the past.

Cindy Hook appointed CEO of 2032 Olympic organising committee

FROM PAGE 11

Brisbane 2032 President Andrew Liveris described Hook as a person who knows what it takes to run a multi-billion dollar business on time and on budget.

“I’m so pleased that we’ve found someone with a deep affinity for Australia while also understanding what is required to turn Brisbane 2032 into a household name across the world,” Liveris said.

The International Olympic Committee awarded the 2032 Games to Brisbane in July of last year, under a revamped procedure for choosing host cities that saw a small group of IOC members identify and propose host cities to the board. Australia has twice previously hosted the Summer Olympics, at Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000.

The 2032 organising committee held its first board meeting in April and, on July 23, started the decadelong countdown.

“I’m always going to numbers and symbiology as key root DNA to make something specific and authentic for that person,” Smith said. “When you start putting all these things together, there’s only one person and it becomes very unique. Not different, but very unique.”

Jordan was involved at every step of the design process, Smith said. The final product was a bronze trophy depicting a player “breaking out of a rock to reach for the ultimate rock — a crystal basketball,” the league said.

The trophy becomes more refined closer to the top, meant to show how hard work leads to something more polished and finally something great.

Smith said he fully expects to be emotional when he sees the new trophy awarded for the first time this spring.

“This is actually the highest achievement for a single player ... and it’s

mind-blowing,” Smith said. “It’ll be a mind-blower.”

Other trophies renamed or reimagined in the last year or so include ones named for Joe Dumars (sportsmanship), Red Auerbach (coach of the year), the Kobe Bryant AllStar MVP award — along with the Larry O’Brien Trophy for the NBA champions and the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP trophy.

New Eastern Conference and Western Conference championship trophies named for Bob Cousy and Oscar Robertson respectively were added, along with the Larry Bird Trophy for East finals MVP and the Magic Johnson Trophy for West finals MVP. The league also began issuing divisional championship trophies, naming them for Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton (Atlantic Division), Wayne Embry (Central), Earl Lloyd (Southeast), Willis Reed (Southwest), Sam Jones (Northwest) and Chuck Cooper (Pacific).

IN this photo provided by Andrew Kenney/NBA, The Michael Jordan Trophy is displayed in Los Angeles, Dec. 7, 2022. The NBA unveiled the new trophy on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, which will be given to the basketball league’s Most Valuable Player starting with this season.

(Andrew Kenney/NBA via AP)

MICHAEL Albury Jr