International Sports, Sports

Knee injury sidelines Knicks’ Rose for remainder of season

Mar 27, 2017; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose (25) drives to the basket against the Detroit Pistons during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

(The Sports Xchange) – New York Knicks point guard Derrick Rose will miss the rest of the season after tearing the meniscus in his left knee, the team said on Sunday.

 

The 28-year-old Rose’s latest injury setback will require arthroscopic surgery and will be his fourth surgery to either knee — he tore his left ACL in 2012 and underwent two surgeries on his right meniscus.

Rose, who is set to enter free agency this offseason, averaged 18.0 points, 4.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds over 64 games in his first season with the Knicks.

The Knicks traded for Rose last June in a multi-player deal with the Chicago Bulls. He is in the final year of a five-year, $94 million deal.

Knee injuries have plagued the three-time All-Star and 2010-11 most valuable player. While he was with the Bulls, Rose tore the ACL in his left knee during the 2012 playoffs and missed the entire following season. He then tore the meniscus in his right knee in his first season back from surgery, costing him the final 72 games in 2013-14.

Rose, who has said he would like to return to New York, missed the Knicks’ previous two games with what the team described as soreness and swelling.

The Knicks are 29-48 and will miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season.

(Editing by Gene Cherry)

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International Sports, Sports

Federer beats Nadal in straight sets in Miami Open final

Apr 2, 2017; Key Biscayne, FL, USA; Rafael Nadal of Spain (L) and Roger Federer of Switzerland (R) hold the finalist and Butch Buchholz trophy, respectively, after their match in the men's singles championship of the 2017 Miami Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Apr 2, 2017; Key Biscayne, FL, USA; Roger Federer of Switzerland kisses the Butch Buchholz trophy after his match against Rafael Nadal of Spain (not pictured) in the men’s singles championship of the 2017 Miami Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

 

Roger Federer clinched his 91st career title when he beat rival Rafa Nadal 6-3 6-4 in the Miami Open final on Sunday.

Federer, peerless this year after returning from a six-month injury absence, broke once in each set for his fourth consecutive victory over Nadal, though the Spaniard still leads their career head-to-head record at 23-14, due entirely to his superiority on clay.

Federer, now a three-time Miami winner, leads 10-9 on hardcourt.

The 35-year-old Swiss, showing no sign of losing his edge, improved to 19-1 this year, winning the Australian Open in five sets over Nadal, and BNP Paribas Open in straight sets over fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka.

His only loss was at the hands of Russian Evgeny Donskoy in the second round in Dubai.

“What a start to the year. I can’t believe it. For me the dream continues,” said Federer, who still has a ways to go to match his career-best 35-1 start in 2005.

The result left Nadal a five-times Miami runner-up, after previous final defeats in 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2014.

“Every three years I am here in this position but always with the smaller trophy,” he observed. “Hopefully I will not have to wait three more years to be in that position fighting again for a title.

“I have to say congratulations to Roger. Amazing start of the season, one of the best comebacks on the tour ever after a long injury.”

Fourth seed Federer, in his 24th career final against Nadal, started slowly, struggling to hold serve in the very first game, but he staved off two break points and settled into a good serving rhythm.

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International Sports, News, Sports

Coe apologizes after IAAF suffers cyber attack

Published: 03 April 2017
By Brian Homewood | ZURICH

The governing body of global athletics (IAAF) said on Monday it had suffered a cyber attack which it believes has compromised information about athletes’ medical records.

An IAAF statement said the hacking group known as Fancy Bear was believed to be behind the attack in February and that it targeted information concerning applications by athletics for Therapeutic Use Exemptions.

The IAAF said it had contacted athletes who had applied for TUEs since 2012 and its president, Sebastian Coe, apologized.

“Our first priority is to the athletes who have provided the IAAF with information that they believed would be secure and confidential,” he said in the statement. “They have our sincerest apologies and our total commitment to continue to do everything in our power to remedy the situation.”

TUEs are issued by sports federations and national anti-doping organizations to allow athletes to take certain banned substances for verified medical needs.

The IAAF said that data on athlete TUEs was “collected from a file server and stored on a newly created file”.

“The attack by Fancy Bear, also known as APT28, was detected during a proactive investigation carried out by cyber incident response (CIR) firm Context Information Security,” the IAAF said

It was not known if the information was stolen from the network, the IAAF said, but the incident was “a strong indication of the attackers’ interest and intent, and shows they had access and means to obtain content from this file at will”.

The attack was uncovered after British company Context Information Security conducted a investigation of the IAAF’s systems at the request of the athletics body.

Context Information Security said in a separate statement that it was a “sophisticated intrusion” and that “the IAAF have understood the importance and impact of the attack and have provided us comprehensive assistance.”

Fancy Bear, widely believed to be from Russia, could not immediately be reached for comment.

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Health, Local news, News

PM Harris encouraged by large turnout at his monthly health walk

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, April 1, 2017 (PLP PR Media Inc.) — Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, who is well known for the advocacy role he plays in promoting healthy lifestyles was on Saturday April 1 impressed by the massive turnout by health enthusiasts who joined him for his monthly Constituency #7 Health Walk.

 

Dr Harris who is also CARICOM’s lead spokesman on human resource, health and HIV matters, and is also the Political Leader of the Peoples Labour Party (PLP) expressed his satisfaction at the awareness that the walk has raised, and the fact that a number of PLP members and supporters from the various constituencies branches joined him for the walk which takes participants from Belle Vue to Ottley’s.
“I thank all the family members of the Peoples Labour Party who came out this morning and made this walk the most interesting and one of the largest we have put,” said the Party Leader at the end of the walk.
“We walk in solidarity with each other, and we walk to improve on our wellness and on our health. So I would want to encourage all of us to continue doing as much physical exercise as we can; to eat healthy foods so that we could live longer and more successful lives.”
The walkers had been flagged off at 5:30 am, and the first group of walkers to get to Ottley’s arrived a few minutes to 7:00 am. Dr Harris promised the walkers that the next health walk will be held at the end of April and will be done again each month thereafter in succession. A healthy breakfast prepared and served by Ms Shirley Williams warmed up the exhausted walkers.
“I extend an invitation to all the groups to come and invite someone at your next occasion on which we will be having this health walk,” advised the Prime Minister. “I thank all of you for the tremendous support at our first convention. We feel we are strong, we feel we are positive about the future, and we will continue to build the PLP as the strongest political party there is, to serve all the people in Team Unity.
“The stronger we are together, the better we will be, and so I want to wish you well, stay strong, stay healthy. Your Party Leader, your Team Unity Leader will stand firm with you and I want you to stand firm with your Team Unity Movement.”
Prime Minister Harris, who was mobbed by persons who took part in the walk and others who were waiting for them at Ottley’s Village, took time to commend the oldest walker, 64-year old Mrs Sylvia Berridge of Phillips Village who arrived at the finish point at 6:56 am a few minutes before the Prime Minister and his entourage who arrived at 7:02 am.
“I also want to thank the Deputy Party Leader, Senator the Hon Akilah Byron-Nisbett for making her first walk and she did it in style,” added Dr Harris. “I want to thank all the branch leaders who came out from Number 1, Number 2, Number 3, Number 4, Number 5, Number 6, and Number 8.”
PLP’s Deputy Political Leader Senator the Hon Akilah Byron-Nisbett, and who represented Number 3 expressed that it was a pleasure walking with the Peoples Labour Party family.
“We had a lot of persons represented from all the constituencies and of course a lot of young people also representing all the constituencies here today,” said the Hon Byron-Nisbett. “We are looking forward to every one – come on out end of this month, next month and every month after and come exercise with us. Make sure you keep healthy, strong and you know, a stronger PLP is a stronger Team Unity.”
From Number 5 (Sandy Point), Ms Marsha Lewis said that she enjoyed the walk and was looking forward to the one that will be held at the end of April and certainly the one to be held in May. “Next month May is my birth month, I am looking forward next month to do this walk over and over again.”
Others who spoke on behalf of their Constituency Branches were, Mr Glenville Mills of Number 5; Ms Shazell Bergan of Number 4; Mr Cante Bowry Chairman Constituency Branch, Constituency Number 1 PLP; and Mr Damien Weekes of Number 3, all who said that they will return and bring more people when the next health walk is held.
A notable finisher was five-year old Miss Briannae Richardson a pupil at the Beach Allen Primary School, who arrived at 7:19 am in the company of her mother. Along the route she changed guidance from her father to her mother periodically and at one time she complained of being tired, but her parents encouraged her on.

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Crime/Justice, Local news, News

DPP Drops Attempted Murder Case Against Jamal Heath

Published: 30 March 2017

 

St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN); Jahmal Heath has been freed of charges of attempted murder and wounding with intent after the Director of Public Prosecutions withdrew the matter on Thursday (Mar 30).

Heath was charged with the offences in December 2011 when he allegedly shot at and wounded another young man in the Bird Rock area. He was represented by defense attorney Dr. Henry Browne QC and his team.

DPP Valston Graham told the magistrate that he was discontinuing the matter as three of the main witnesses who dealt with the identification evidence were police officers at the time but they are no longer with the Police Force and appear to be out of the jurisdiction as all efforts to locate them proved futile.

The DPP said the offence took place in 2011 and it is now 2017, therefore the unavailability of the witnesses meant he had no choice but to discontinue the prosecution. He asked that the accused be discharged, which the judge granted

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