SmallShop Caribbean News

Image via Wikipedia The Washington Post : "CARACAS, Venezuela — Diplomats from Venezuela and Guyana will hold talks on a move by Guyana to claim a larger area of continental shelf in the Caribbean Sea. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro will travel to Trinidad on Friday for talks with Guyana’s top diplomat, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett." Related articles Venezuela's Chavez denies rumors of health setback (msnbc.msn.com) Venezuela, Guyana to talk in territorial dispute (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

nationnews.com : "Bad behaviour among schoolchildren has prompted calls by commuters for a stepped up police presence in the Princess Alice Bus Terminal. Last night police responded saying they were already working with education authorities to combat the growing problem."

 CBS News : "(AP)  TORTOLA , British Virgin Islands — A Rhode Island man convicted of killing his wife during a 1999 scuba diving trip was freed Thursday after the verdict was overturned. A panel of three judges with the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court of Appeal found problems with the jury instructions read by a judge during the 2009 trial."

Jamaica Labour Party General Secretary, Aundre Franklin, announces details of the upcoming election for leadership of the JLP...

 Kaieteur News : "The Guyana Police Force will be engaging the services of a psychiatrist to determine the mental capacity of a woman who is being held for Saturday’s night’s murder of Clonbrook, East Coast Demerara resident Sheriff Balmacoon. The woman who has been in custody since Sunday has not yet been charged, and according to a senior police official, the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) will be sought on the matter."

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday : "TWO students, one male and the other female, are warded at hospital nursing very serious injuries after they were savagely attacked on Monday morning at the San Fernando West Government Secondary School, by another student, who is now in police custody." Related articles Woman's hand chopped off in cutlass attack (news.smallshop.com)

nationnews.com : "PORT-OF-SPAIN – Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar was rushed to hospital today after complaining of feeling unwell. A brief statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister said that she had been taken to the private St Clair Medical Hospital, on the outskirts of the capital. The statement said that the 60-year-old head of government “is presently undergoing medical assessment, examinations and evaluation” at the hospital “following complaints of feeling unwell”." Related articles Kamla has dengue..... (news.smallshop.com)

TheJamaicaObserver       Police allegedly shot and injured three men in Waterford, Portmore on Monday night, an incident which INDECOM are now investigating...

Image via Wikipedia Vanguard : " United Nations – The Caribbean Island state of Antigua and Barbuda has demanded reparations for injustices suffered by African slaves and their descendants. Mr Baldwin Spencer , the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, told the UN General Assembly annual debate on Saturday that segregation and violence against people of African descent had impaired their capacity for advancement as nations, communities and individuals. “None should disagree that racism and other legacies of slavery continue to shape the lives of people of African descent, thus   reparations must be directed toward repairing the damage inflicted by slavery and racism.”" 'via Blog this' Related articles Antigua, Barbuda demands reparation for African slave trade (repeatingislands.com) Antigua, Barbuda demands reparation for African slave trade (vanguardngr.com)

JamaicaObserver.com : "CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) — Housing Minister Richard Frederick Sunday night announced that he had resigned from the Cabinet of Prime Minister Stephenson King less than a week after the United States Embassy revoked his diplomatic and ordinary visa. In a 20- minute television broadcast, Frederick said that his resignation would take effect from yesterday, but indicated that he intends contesting the upcoming general election on behalf of the ruling United Workers Party (UWP)." Housing Minister Richard Frederick's statements on his radio talk show on Friday morning did not impress the chairman of the Organization of National Empowerment. The opposition party is again calling on the Prime Minister to intervene- and have Minister Frederick resign his post until investigations are done. The party's chairman is saying the minister purposely evaded two important questions on the show and should instead seek to broadcast the truth. Frederick s...

WPEC  "WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The tropical depression named Ophelia has regenerated in the Atlantic east of the Leeward Islands and is expected to strengthen. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Tuesday the depression with top sustained winds of 30 miles per hour (45 kph) was about 175 miles (285 km) east-southeast of the Leewards. It could become a tropical storm Wednesday on a forecast track that could steer it toward the north Atlantic."

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "A POLICEMAN, an ex-soldier, a jogger and a Morvant man were among four persons killed in three separate road fatalities between Sunday morning and Sunday night. These killings have pushed the road fatality figure to 119 so far this year."

Jamaica Gleaner - "Fear, regret, and guilt are the major emotional themes pervading Christopher Coke's letter (dated September 7, 2011) to US judge Justice Robert Patterson, as he ponders the breadth and depth of a life in a maximum security United States prison. But not from the perspective of sorrow for his crimes as one might assume. Coke ostensibly fears the traumatic effect imprisonment has had and continues to have on his family, in particular his eight-year-old son and his recently deceased mother. The regret is tangible as he weaves his account of his son's anguish at losing his father's presence and his mother's grief in her dying moments as well as his own sadness at the prospect of missing his mother's funeral." Related articles 'Dudus didn't squeal' - Speculation 'disturbs' Coke's lawyer (news.smallshop.com) Murderous Drug Lord Requests Leniency Due to Community Jamboree Work [War On Drugs] (gawker.com) Jamaica P...

JamaicaObserver.com : "BRUCE Golding yesterday stunned the country and his ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) when he made public his decision to give up his positions as party leader and, following that, prime minister after the JLP's annual conference in November. The finality of Golding's announcement was reinforced by Information Minister Daryl Vaz who, in response to the unanimous rejection of the JLP leader's decision by the party's Central Executive, said that Golding was not about to change his mind." Daryl Vaz discusses Bruce Golding's decision not to run for re-election as Jamaica Labour Party leader and prime minister...

msnbc.com : "MIAMI — Weather forecasters say Tropical Storm Philippe is posing no threat to land after forming over the far eastern Atlantic. At 5 p.m. EST, the National Weather Service said Philippe was about 595 miles southwest of the Cape Verde Islands."

nationnews.com : "REGGAE artiste Buju Banton will serve his ten year prison sentence at the Limestone County Correctional Institution in Groesbeck, Texas. Banton was moved from a holding facility in the state of Oklahama by air to the facility on Friday. He spent more than a month at the Federal Transfer Center (FTC) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma after being moved from the Pinellas County Jail in Tampa, Florida."

Reuters : "(Reuters) - Tropical Storm Ophelia swirled across the open Atlantic toward the Caribbean on Saturday on a path likely to take it well off the northeastern coast of Puerto Rico, U.S. forecasters said. Ophelia, the 15th named storm of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, is expected to weaken slightly over the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said."

ESPN Soccernet : "A football official reported by a witness to have "giggled" when leaving a room where cash gifts were being handed over has been banned for 26 months by FIFA's ethics committee. FIFA said in a statement Klass had breached "various articles of the FIFA code of ethics " following an investigation related to a meeting of the CFU in Trinidad on May 10. The meeting led to Mohamed Bin Hammam being given a life ban for bribery." Related articles Fifa ban Colin Klass amid bribery claims (independent.co.uk) Fifa hands out fourth ban (skysports.com)

Nothing travels faster than light, that is one of Physics' most basic laws. Now scientists say they have seen something that can and that can prove that Einstein could actually have been wrong.

Bermuda News : "Murderer Antonio Myers has today been jailed for 38 years for slaying gang rival Kumi Harford in a hail of bullets. Myers, 25, and an unknown accomplice, opened fire on the 30-year-old victim as he sat in his car on St Monica’s Road, Pembroke, early on December 5, 2009."

CNN.com : "Miami (CNN) -- Tropical Storm Ophelia weakened late Thursday as it continued its trek across the central Atlantic, forecasters said. The system could degenerate further during the next 48 hours, according to the National Hurricane Center. Ophelia had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph late Thursday night, with gusts of up to 65 mph, the center said. The storm was about 820 miles east-southeast of the Leeward Islands and was moving west at 12 mph, forecasters said. The five-day forecast map shows the system staying north of the Caribbean."

IBTimes "Tropical Storm Ophelia intensified overnight as it churned away in the tropical Atlantic. On its constantly changing path, the storm is expected to curve north of the Leeward Islands and be located halfway between Puerto Rico and Bermuda by Tuesday morning. The 15th named storm of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season , meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami have tracked Ophelia since Friday afternoon when it emerged as a low pressure system in association with a tropical wave several hundred miles to the southeast of the Cape Verde Islands. The storm gained momentum early on in the week. "The low over the Tropical Atlantic has finally coalesced about a single circulation center and has enough organized deep convection to be considered a tropical cyclone," Michael Brennan, NHC senior hurricane specialist, said on Tuesday evening." Related articles Barbados monitoring storm Ophelia (news.smallshop.com) Tropical Storm Ophelia ...

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "FORMER CL Financial (CLF) executive chairman Lawrence Duprey was in the habit of bagging a $60 million annual salary, in addition to millions worth of bonuses, fees, commissions, personal loan write-offs and other perks, the group’s former chief financial officer Michael Carballo confirmed yesterday. “Clico was the money,” was how Carballo summed things up as hearings of the Commission of Inquiry continued at the Winsure Building, Richmond Street, Port-of-Spain. And in the case of Duprey, this was particularly true. " Related articles $206m Fee (news.smallshop.com) Former CL director tells of huge bonuses, real estate deals (news.smallshop.com)

JamaicaObserver.com : "WHEN reputed Jamaican drug lord Christopher 'Dudus' coke pleaded guilty last month to reduced charges in a New York court, speculation was rife that he would call names. Yesterday, Coke's legal team insisted that he had not, and did not intend to co-operate with US prosecutors."

nationnews.com : "The Barbados Meteorological Department is monitoring the progress of Tropical Storm Ophelia which formed over the central tropical Atlantic during the night. A special bulletin issued this evening by Clairmonte Williams stated that at 11 a.m today, the centre of Tropical Storm Ophelia was centered near 13.0°N 43.6°W or about 1245 miles…2005 km to the east of the Lesser Antilles. It added that maximum sustained winds were 60 mph."

ABC News : "A " cross-dressing " Jamaican drug lord extradited to New York after a month-long gun battle with police that killed at least 70 people has asked for leniency in a letter that begins, "Good day to you, Sir," and cites his support of community jamborees and holiday treats for the elderly. Christopher "Dudus" Coke , leader of the Jamaica-based international criminal organization called the " Shower Posse ," pleaded guilty in a Manhattan courtroom on August 31, 2011 to one count of racketeering conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering. When Coke was arrested in Jamaica in June 2010, Jamaican police claimed he and his gunmen had used women's disguises to evade capture." Related articles Jamaican drug kingpin asks NYC judge for leniency (seattletimes.nwsource.com) Murderous Drug Lord Requests Leniency Due to Community Jamboree Work [War On Drugs] (gawker.com...

Stabroek News - Guyana : "Trinidad Express) Strange commissions, exorbitant bonuses and significant weaknesses in internal controls were the order of the day at CL Financial, former group financial director, Michael Carballo, said yesterday. Carballo made the statement as he gave evidence for the second day at the Commission of Enquiry into the collapse of CL Financial and the Hindu Credit Union (HCU) at the Winsure Building, Richmond Street, Port of Spain, yesterday. "

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "While many had thought Monteil, Lawrence Duprey’s right-hand man, had fallen out with Duprey and did not exert the same influence on the group that he once did, the reality was, perhaps, almost the opposite. Monteil would meet regularly with his successor, Michael Carballo, for morning coffees at the offices of Monteil’s private family firm, Stone Street Capital, to discuss the several issues relating to the group. " Related articles Clico bills passed (news.smallshop.com)

Bloomberg : "Tropical Storm Ophelia, the 15th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, is moving west toward the Caribbean and is expected to strengthen in the coming days, the National Hurricane Center said. Ophelia was about 1,370 miles (2,200 kilometers) east of the Leeward Islands moving at 13 miles per hour, the center said today in a website advisory. It has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. Tropical storm-force winds extend as much as 175 miles from its center, the NHC said."

nationnews.com : "Customs and Immigration at the Grantley Adams International Airport have come in for criticism from executive chairman of the Four Seasons project, Avinash Persaud. He described a recent arrival experience as a “struggle” and “getting a sense of people who don’t really want me to be there somehow, and trying to find reasons for me not to be there”."

SFGate "SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) -- Authorities in the Dominican Republic say an aide to the Caribbean country's top anti-drug official has been shot to death. National Drug Control Agency Chief Rolando Rosado says the killing of army Col. Cesar Ubri was meant as a warning from drug traffickers, but he vows to catch the assailants."

Mail Online : "It is supposed to be the greatest holiday of your life - the happy week or fortnight in the sun where everything goes perfectly. But for one pair of honeymooners, their break to the Dominican Republic brought only sadness, frustration and - they claim - discrimination. Gemma Sharman and Tamsin Harper and tied the knot in a civil partnership ceremony in front of hundreds of friends and relatives - and were looking forward to a Caribbean honeymoon."

Reuters : "PORT OF SPAIN, Sept 20 (Reuters) - The cost of a government bailout of the Caribbean's biggest private business conglomerate after its collapse during the global economic crisis is likely to rise to more than $3 billion, an official said on Tuesday. Two years ago, the government of Trinidad and Tobago took over the management of CL Financial (CLF), whose financial troubles sent economic shock waves across the Caribbean. The company, founded in 1993 by Trinidad-born entrepreneur Lawrence Duprey, once held billions of dollars in assets in a portfolio of more than 60 companies in the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and Asia." Related articles Creditors go after Clico $M (news.smallshop.com)

Forbes.com : "MIAMI -- A Haitian man who suffered cholera-like symptoms and died in his Caribbean homeland after the U.S. deported him had no pre-existing health problems that might have contributed to his death, medical records from his time in immigration custody show. Wildrick Guerrier, 34, was sent back to Haiti on Jan. 20. He became severely ill while being held at a police station as is customary for deportees to Haiti. He died Jan. 29 and was buried in Haiti without an autopsy. Other deportees reported that Guerrier began suffering from diarrhea and vomiting after he tried to help other sick detainees." Related articles Report argues science key to rebuilding Haiti (ctv.ca)

Image via Wikipedia The Washington Post : "For the most part, the skies over the Caribbean and Atlantic Basins are remarkably clear. This is not typical, given that we are still near the most active part of the hurricane season historically (which was just over a week ago). There is, however, one notable exception to the current –almost thunderstorm free- quiescence over this sector of the tropical atmosphere. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is keeping an eye on a collection of clouds, identified as AL98, way out in the Atlantic. If it becomes a named storm, it will be called Ophelia." Related articles Hurricane Irene - Olivia :The first actively tracked tropical cyclone (lyconpedia.wordpress.com) Tropical Storm Jose forms near Bermuda (news.smallshop.com) Tropical Storm "Emily" brewing; may enter Caribbean by Monday (news.smallshop.com)

Kaieteur News : "Pandemonium hit the village of Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD) yesterday afternoon after a swarm of Africanised (killer) Bees launched an attack on residents in the area, resulting in the death of one. Sheikh Imran Hassan, 48, succumbed at the Balwant Singh Hospital, East Street, Georgetown, late yesterday afternoon. He had been stung numerous times about his body while at his residence." ' Related articles Bee attack kills 1,000-pound hog in Arizona (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

CBC News : "A former Alberta police officer who is now the police commissioner in Trinidad and Tobago has overseen the arrest of hundreds as the island nation declared a state of emergency to crack down on gang violence that has killed dozens in recent months. Dwayne Gibbs, a former Edmonton Police Services superintendent who took the commissioner job a year ago in the southern Caribbean nation, has had to deal with imposing sweeping curfews in certain areas of the country (11 p.m. to 4 a.m.) as it takes on drug gangs and other criminals." ' Read on CBC News Related articles Trinidad extends state of emergency by 3 months (news.smallshop.com) Trinidad girl makes Internet threat against PM (news.smallshop.com) 100 held in Trinidad and Tobago's state of emergency (news.smallshop.com)

Image via Wikipedia Forbes.com : "KINGSTON, Jamaica -- A Chinese vice premier and a 60-member delegation arrived in Jamaica's capital Monday to sign two grants to boost the island's development as the Asian economic giant steps up its investments across the Caribbean. Vice Premier Hui Liangyu said Beijing is committed to assisting Jamaica, a heavily indebted middle-income country that gets most of its foreign exchange from tourism, remittances from Jamaicans working abroad and exports of bauxite."

WPEC 12 West Palm Beach : "WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Forecasters are tracking two areas of clouds and showers in the Atlantic, both heading west and generally toward the U.S. and Gulf of Mexico . One in the middle of the Atlantic is more likely to develop into a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours with a 60 percent chance. Another that will reach the Caribbean in a couple of days had a zero percent chance Monday morning, but forecasters were still keeping an eye on it."

Evansville Courier & Press : "WASHINGTON — There's nothing wrong with America's infrastructure that trillions of dollars can't cure. Any number of recent studies has cited the nation's crumbling roads, deteriorating bridges, inefficient airports and leaky dams as a reason for public concern and a deterioration of America's standing on the international stage. The World Economic Forum, which as recently as 1995 listed U.S. infrastructure as tops in the world, now maintains the country has slipped to 23rd place behind, among others, Barbados. The American Society of Civil Engineers, in its most recent infrastructure report card, gave the country a "D'' and asserted it would require an investment of $2.2 trillion over five years to get it in shape."

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "A CLAXTON Bay woman is now warded at the San Fernando General Hospital after her left hand was severed when a male relative attacked her with a cutlass during a dispute shortly after midnight on Saturday. The mother of three, Charmine Ramdan, 39, of Hilltop Drive, Springvale, Claxton Bay, was up to late yesterday undergoing surgery on her hand. Two of Ramdan’s children were home at the time of the chopping attack. "

Barbados Free Press : "Hoyos is right on one count: it’s going to be a long time before journalists or anyone else talk freely with any government representative ever again. Journalists and others have always talked to diplomats for a variety of reasons: status, to further a personal or group agenda, to exchange information in the hopes of inside tips or simply for the scotch and steak."

The Washington Post : "ZURICH — Caribbean official Colin Klass has been summoned by FIFA to answer charges this week relating to $40,000 in bribes allegedly offered by former presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam. FIFA says its ethics committee will hear Klass’ case on Friday." ' Related articles FIFA dismisses Bin Hammam’s bribery appeal (theglobeandmail.com) FIFA urged to launch new bribery investigations (news.smallshop.com) Fifa to probe Caribbean officials (news.bbc.co.uk)

Image via Wikipedia Mail Online : " British Airways has announced it is set to cut the capacity of its flights to the Caribbean because of the UK’s sky-high Air Passenger Duty tax . The airline has called on the Government to scrap its ‘destructive tax juggernaut’ and says the UK tourism industry suffers from the ‘heaviest tax burden in global aviation’. As a result, BA has decided to reduce its flights to the Caribbean, and increase its service to Florida, a holiday destination that currently has a 20 per cent lower tax rate than the Caribbean islands ."

Kaieteur News : "Eyewitnesses to last Thursday morning’s fatal shooting outside the Stabroek Market have positively identified a police Corporal as the gunman. The rank, whose name was given as Corporal Sherwin Smith, was picked out from an identification parade by no less than four persons yesterday. This is the first step towards prosecution in the matter."

nationnews.com : "A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR solution to the CLICO (Barbados) International Life debacle has been carved out, but full details are expected later this week when the final report of the company’s judicial managers goes before the court. "

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday : "LEGISLATION giving effect to the State’s $20 billion Clico plan, involving the issuing of State bonds in exchange for legal rights, was approved in the Senate early yesterday morning, after eight Independent Senators joined the Government in a vote taken at the end of a 15-hour debate."

nationnews.com : "A MOTHER is threatening legal action because of a bullying incident which left her 11-year old son injured and traumatised. The boy received a cut to the chin and is afraid of returning to the school in the north of the island where two boys attacked him. The incident occurred last Thursday during school hours, the mother told the SATURDAY SUN yesterday."

nationnews.com : "WAS THE SHOOTING death of Bernadene Spooner a follow-up to a foiled break-in two weeks ago? That is the question residents of Syndicate Road, Bush Hall, St Michael, were asking yesterday, as they tried to come to grips with the murder of the “lil’ neat woman”."

Stabroek News "Jamaica’s Yohan Blake threatened countryman Usain Bolt’s world record yesterday when he ran 19.26 seconds to win the 200 metres at the Memorial Van Damme Diamond League meeting in Brussels. Blake took Bolt’s advice and ran a contained curve before blasting for the line in 19.26 seconds, just 0.07 seconds off Bolt’s world record." '

A Saint Lucian Minister has had his US Visa revoked from the US government . So says a Member of Parliament and the US Embassy based in Barbados . The Minister in question -- who is said to have recently visited the US - had no knowledge of this when we contacted him for comment. The MP who informed our Newsdesk of this says this raises some serious questions about how effective this Minister could be in a job that oftentimes requires him to travel to the US on the country's business.

CARIBARENA ANTIGUA : "Online media sources are claiming that former Texan tycoon R Allen Stanford is complaining of amnesia. This has reportedly left him unable to remember things before his June 2009 arrest. The Wall Street Journal gave credence to its recent report by citing an unnamed person familiar with the case."

Jamaica Star : "Prime Minister Bruce Golding is mourning the passing of his 91-year-old mother who died yesterday morning at the St Joseph's Hospital in Kingston. THE STAR understands that Enid Golding had been ailing for a long period of time, and reportedly suffered a seizure on Saturday. The late educator teaching career began at the Ginger Ridge Elementary School in St Catherine. She also taught at the Watermount Elementary School, Alpha Academy and St Andrew High School."

Bermuda News : "Several flights to and from the Island were cancelled yesterday as Bermuda braced itself for Tropical Storm Maria. The storm, the third in as many weeks to affect the Island, is expected to pass 126nm to the west-northwest of the Island. Its closest point of approach is expected to be around 1pm. The Bermuda Weather Service has issued a tropical storm warning for today. Meteorologists have predicted the Island will experience showers and possibly thunder, with south-easterly gusts from gale force to hurricane force this morning." '

JamaicaObserver.com : "OCHO RIOS, St Ann — Approximately 300 individuals whose businesses depend on cruise ship tourists have petitioned the St Ann Chamber of Commerce to call an emergency stakeholders meeting amidst a dramatic decline in cruise ship arrivals in this resort town. The group wants the chamber to use its office to lobby Government and other relevant agencies to immediately devise ways to resuscitate what the business community has described as a fast-fading industry"

Bermuda Sun "THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 (6am update): Bermuda is under a hurricane watch as Tropical Storm Maria is expected to strengthen today as she zips by the island this afternoon. TS Maria's closest point of approach is predicted to be 114 nautical miles WNW around 1pm today. " '

News One "Port-of-Spain, Sep 14 (IANS) China opened its purse-strings wide to fork out a $1 billion loan for governments in the Caribbean that has a strong Indian presence since the past 150 years. ‘The world needs China for its development,’ said a top Chinese official who led a jumbo-sized delegation. China chose to unveil a slew of measures in the oil-rich Trinidad and Tobago where Indians account for 44 percent of the country’s 1.3 million people. The Chinese delegation included 13 ministers and 80 high-level Chinese business officials."

Stabroek News - Guyana : "( Jamaica Gleaner ) As anger boils in Jamaica over reports of colour prejudice in the job market, a livid labour and social security minister, Pearnel Charles , has likened the skin-tone discrimination to apartheid South Africa and has vowed to drag bigoted employers before the courts. At the same time, Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller has chimed in, suggesting Jamaicans boycott businesses that appear to hire only light-skinned personnel. " '

Amandala Online : "A taxi operator was abducted, robbed, stabbed, and left bleeding in his taxi trunk on Thursday, September 9, 2011. After spending three nights at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for a punctured lung, he was discharged this afternoon. Amandala spoke to this very fortunate man on his way out from the hospital."

nationnews.com : "Principal of Hill Top Preparatory School, Alicia Forde, is making it clear that there is no discrimination against Rastafarianism at the school, but maintains that she has rules which must be followed. Speaking with the DAILY NATION yesterday, Forde said that while girls were attending the school with dreadlocks, she had always pointed out to parents of boys during their formal interviews that boys’ hair was to be worn low, with “no fancy haircuts”."

JamaicaObserver.com : "MORE than a dozen lawmen charged with murder and other crimes are believed to be living abroad, far from the long arm of Jamaican law. When ex-police constable Walter Spike, accused of killing a nine-year-old in 2003, was finally arrested after being deported to Jamaica last month, human rights lobbyists Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) reacted with delight."

Bermuda Sun "Yesterday at Supreme Court Eversley was handed a conditional discharge on condition he completed a year of probation. The sentence will also require him to complete 300 hours unpaid work for the community. The court heard Mr Vonhassell and Eversley lived in adjoining properties in Margarita Lane, Devonshire at the time of the fight. Mr Vonhassell confronted Eversley on September 10, last year, at his home over a dispute about his property’s Internet connection. He punched Eversley during the argument, who then picked up the baseball bat that was lying on the floor."

UPI.com : "MIAMI, Sept. 11 (UPI) -- Tropical storms Maria and Nate were menacing opposite sides of the Caribbean Sea Saturday night, U.S. forecasters said."

guardian.co.uk : " Jack Warner has accused Fifa of "devastating lives" and damaging football in the Caribbean in an attempt to clean up its image. Fifa, which last month charged 16 Caribbean officials over the bribery scandal, has also terminated a multimillion-pound TV rights deal with the Caribbean Football Union . Warner, who resigned as Fifa's vice-president and CFU president in June after being charged with bribery, said he had been prepared to be the " sacrificial lamb " and had been led to believe Fifa would not pursue the matter."

Kaieteur News : "Police have been called in to investigate the fact that hackers have used the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) of Republic Bank to access the accounts of some customers. Republic Bank is not saying exactly which of its ATM locations was affected or how many customers have had their accounts compromised. The Bank would only say that it has become aware of suspicious activity at one of its ATM locations, “prompting us to move immediately to initiate measures to safeguard our customers’ affairs.”"

JamaicaObserver.com : "PRIME Minister Bruce Golding says Jamaica's economic situation has not reached a crisis level that could jeorpardise the country's Stand-by Agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Golding's comments late Thursday night at the closing of the debate on the Supplementary Estimates came just two days after Financial Secretary Dr Wesley Hughes told a parliamentary committee that the country's ability to meet the medium-term targets of the IMF, with which it resumed a borrowing relationship last year, could be in jeopardy."

nationnews.com : "A UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES (UWI) lecturer says he has become the victim of several personal attacks since he gave a “thumbs down” to this year’s Budget presented by Government. Dr Brian Francis, a lecturer in economics at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus, in a post-Budget discussion last month criticized Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler’s financial proposals, calling the presentation “a huge mistake that is going to hurt the economy very badly in the long run”."

SKNVibes "BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – WITH Tropical Storm Maria heading towards the central and northern Lesser Antilles, tropical storm watches and warnings have been put in effect for specific Caribbean territories including St. Kitts and Nevis. According to an advisory issued by the St. Kitts Meteorological Office at 8:00 a.m. today (Sept. 9), the system is located approximately 450 miles east-north-east of St. Kitts Nevis and has maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour (mph). It is travelling in a west-north-westerly direction at a speed of 18 mph."

SKNVibes "BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - Since the release by Wikileaks of hundreds of classified documents about the Caribbean, in which they named Pollster and Head of CADRES Peter Wickham as an informer, many are left wondering whether Wickham was a spy, double agent or whistle blower while he moved among OECS governments, including St. Kitts and Nevis, over the last five years. The documents contain many crucial revelations and are part of leaked confidential cables allegedly taken from the US embassy in Barbados. They quote Peter Wickham on a variety of topics. In one entry of Feb. 3 2006, the then US Ambassador Mary Kramer states: “Wickham has met periodically with Emboffs (Embassy Officials) over the past several years to offer his views on a variety of issues”. In an entry dated Sept 22, 2006, she refers to Wickham as “a credible source”."

Amandala Online : "After two consecutive nights of thunderstorms the Banana Growers Association, BGA, has suffered an estimated 40% in crop loss which they estimate will amount to US$15-20 million in financial losses. Between Monday, September 5, and Tuesday, September 6, there were two storms with winds of just about 40 mph in the Stann Creek District, as recorded by BGA’s weather equipment."

Bermuda Sun "THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8: A Tropical Storm Watch for Hurricane Katia was lifted this evening as the storm continues to move north and away from the island. Katia is no longer considered a threat to Bermuda, although forecasters said strong winds associated with the massive weather front will not ease off until the weekend. At 6pm Katia was 286 nautical miles west-northwest of Bermuda and moving north at around 14 knots. Tropical Storm Maria is expected to be 742 nautical miles to the south of Bermuda on Sunday evening, but is not listed as threat at the moment."

CARIBARENA ANTIGUA : "Antigua St John's - Contrary to prior forecasts, Tropical Storm Maria may not pass directly over Antigua & Barbuda. Nonetheless, heavy rain and winds are possible over the weekend. The storm's course has been leaning more to the south than earlier forecasted, and it is expected to all but miss Antigua & Barbuda. "

nationnews.com : "Although the system has undergone some weakening during the past 12 hours there is still the likelihood that it could develop into a much stronger system as it slows down over the north-eastern Caribbean. Regardless of development, some showers, thunderstorms and occasional gusty winds will spread across Barbados tomorrow. Some flash flooding is also likely."

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "The packages of cocaine, worth $22 million, that were found in two suitcases at the Piarco International Airport on August 16 have been traced to a man, in New York, who is now being sought by the United States (US) Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) working alongside officers of this country’s Organised Crime Narcotics and Firearms Bureau (OCNFB). A manhunt is now on for the man who fled his apartment on hearing that the $22 million cocaine had been seized in Trinidad and Tobago. His nationality is unknown. " 'via Blog this'

eTurboNews.com : "After months of intense voting featuring more than 2,000 organizations, the nominees have been whittled down to the elite few. Categories to watch include “Caribbean’s Leading Destination” with Aruba, Barbados, Bahamas, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and Turks & Caicos among those competing for top honors. Meanwhile “Caribbean’s Leading Hotel” sees stiff competition between such iconic properties as Half Moon (Jamaica), Jumby Bay (Antigua), Parrot Cay (Turks & Caicos), and Sandy Lane (Barbados)." 'via Blog this'

nationnews.com : "Sulieman Benn has no problem standing for the Trinidad and Tobago national anthem. Just not when it’s being played at the National Stadium in Barbados, and the two countries are minutes away from another football encounter. The lanky former West Indies spinner, always in the news, was again yesterday when Trinidadian sports journalist Ian Prescott called him out for not standing for the playing of the Trinidadian anthem before Tuesday evening’s World Cup qualifier in Barbados."

MiamiHerald.com : "Tropical Storm Maria weakened on Thursday and could even dissolve into a tropical wave as it approaches the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico this weekend. But a shift in track and the possibility that the storm could regain strength in a few days raises the risk of potential impacts on Hispaniola, the Bahamas and – potentially – Florida or the elsewhere up the Atlantic coast." 'via Blog this'

The Dominican "Roseau, Dominica(TDN) — Judge Gertel Thom has ruled that Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and education minister Peter St Jean will not take the stand in their own defense when the dual citizenship case against then continues in the High Court in Roseau, Dominica. " 'via Blog this'

Stabroek News "(Jamaica Observer) The Victoria Jubilee Hospital implemented a procedural security change on Tuesday in response to last Saturday’s frightening incident in which a mentally ill patient infected with HIV/AIDS went into the maternity hospital’s nursery and breastfed another woman’s week-old baby. The change, as explained by Lyttleton ‘Tanny’ Shirley who chairs the board of the South East Regional Health Authority, is intended to provide a more secure environment for the newborn on the nursery ward and prevent any such future occurrence." 'via Blog this'

JamaicaObserver.com : "THE paraplegic beggar from May Pen, Clarendon whose 13-year-old daughter was taken from her and put in a place of safety last month had allegedly been encouraging the child into prostitution. This is according to the Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles, who made the disclosure while speaking at yesterday's stakeholders' consultation of the Tackling Child Labour Through Education (TACKLE) programme at the Wyndham Hotel. " 'via Blog this'

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "Government stopped a bloody cocaine war between Colombian and Mexican drug leaders in this country which threatened numerous lives by calling the sudden state of emergency on August 21. According to well-placed intelligence sources, Colombian and Mexican drug dealers who have been fighting for drug turf locally were set to go on a bloodbath, following the seizure of cocaine worth $22 million at Piarco International Airport on August 16, five days before the declaration of the state of emergency."

nationnews.com : "Johan Bjerkhamn no longer has to answer a manslaughter charge in connection with the shooting death of his 11-year-old son Luke last year. Instead, the 41-year-old businessman of Leslie Gardens, Maynards, St Peter, faces a lesser charge that he “willfully exposed” a child in his custody “in a manner likely to cause injury to his health”."

Irish Weather Online : "As Hurricane Katia performs a slingshot manoeuvre around Bermuda and away from the US East coast toward Ireland and Britain, a new tropical threat has emerged in the East Atlantic. Tropical Depression Fourteen (14) is expected to track over the Leeward Islands late on Friday and over Puerto Rico and the Domincan Republic through Monday. TD14, previously called System 95L, was located 800 miles west of Cape Verde Islands early on Wednesday having strengthened during Tuesday. Strong convection and thunderstorms were reported around the centre."

Jamaica Star "Ten persons had to be taken to the hospital last week after members from two halls of residence at the University of the West Indies (UWI) reportedly clashed over a volleyball match. The 10 persons, who are said to be students, were reportedly taken to the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) Accident and Emergency ward for treatment, after the massive fight between two halls which involved bottles and chairs being thrown at "

Houston Chronicle : "MIAMI (AP) — Hurricane Katia is continuing to weaken over the Atlantic Ocean and is now a Category 2 storm. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Katia's maximum sustained winds Tuesday had dropped to 105 mph (169 kph). Forecast maps show Katia veering to the northeast away from the U.S. mainland in the coming week. But the hurricane center says large swells could affect the East Coast, Bermuda, the Greater Antilles and parts of the Bahamas over the next few days." 'via Blog this'

Bermuda Sun "TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6: A Tropical Storm Watch is set to be issued for Hurricane Katia, meteorologists said today. The warning came as Katia was predicted to pass as close as 239 nautical miles from Bermuda on Thursday morning. Ken Smith, a meteorologist with the Bermuda Weather Service, said: “A Tropical Storm Watch means these conditions are possible. “People should be keeping an eye on our website – the track forecast for Katia is pretty good, but the intensity keeps fluctuating."

The Associated Press "PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — Authorities in Trinidad and Tobago have extended a state of emergency by three months, citing continued security concerns since the measure was first imposed last month to dismantle gangs and decrease crime. During a rare Sunday sitting of Parliament to debate the extension, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar (KAM-la per-SAD BIH-sess-ur) said the state of emergency has prevented "a criminal uprising of untold proportions" in the southern Caribbean country off Venezuela's coast."

Stabroek News - Guyana : "Business is down in Trinidad and Tobago “across the board” by at least 30 per cent, and some in the restaurant and hospitality sector have suffered a 75 per cent reduction in income since the declaration of the State of Emergency. Even banks are affected. So said Diego Martin North/East MP Colm Imbert as he contributed to the debate on the motion to extend the State of Emergency in the House of Representatives on Saturday. He added that a number of businesses in Port of Spain had seen a 50 and 75 per cent reduction in revenue."

nationnews.com : "Barbados has not escaped the growing international scrutiny surrounding the release last Friday of over 251 000 confidential documents by the global whistle-blower organization WikiLeaks."

The Government of Belize is pleased to announce that a meeting of Belize City gangs held yesterday with the Prime Minister, resulted in an agreement for the implementation of an immediate truce among the rival groups. : "Press Release – Government of Belize – Belmopan, 5th September, 2011 – The Government of Belize is pleased to announce that a meeting of Belize City gangs held yesterday with the Prime Minister, resulted in an agreement for the implementation of an immediate truce among the rival groups. A Coordinating Committee has been formed to monitor the truce and to propose to Government community improvement projects that will also provide jobs in the various Belize City neighborhoods."

Barbados Free Press : "Sacked CBC Journalist Peter Wickham issued a CADRES Press Statement in response to our September 3, 2001 Exclusive story: BREAKING HERE FIRST: CBC sacks Peter Wickham over secret corruption briefings to US Ambassador. In that CADRES Press Statement, Mr. Wickham issued a Clintonesque slippery denial – saying he never met privately with US Ambassador Mary Kramer." '

Amandala Online : "Last night’s murder of Guy Fuller, Jr., 34, at his apartment home on Banak Street, where his wife and children also live, proves that not even our homes are safe havens anymore. Fuller, a mechanic and tattoo artist, was entertaining two friends at his burglar-barred apartment at around 7 p.m. in the living room. Police say that two other men entered Fuller’s burglar-barred dwelling (bottom, right, of a 2-storey apartment split in four), which was open while he was entertaining his first two guests, when a third man entered behind the two. That third man then pulled out a firearm and chased Fuller into the kitchen."

JamaicaObserver.com : "DAEGU, South Korea — In one whirlwind week, Usain Bolt turned the biggest disappointment of his career into another golden show capped with a world record that even he long believed was not within him this year. After opening with a false start in the 100m final last Sunday, Usain Bolt again produced the amazing performance in his closing race of the World Championships — anchoring Jamaica to a world record in the 4x100-metre relay."

nationnews.com : "The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus is being accused of major copyright infringement that could land the country’s highest institution of learning in court. The legal action being considered by the Barbados Copyright Agency (B-Copy), and backed by an international organization, will have serious consequences for students who begin classes today, as they could be blocked from the photocopying of course texts."

nationnews.com : "Head of the Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES), Peter Wickham, says he has sought legal advice regarding allegations in a WikiLeaks cable. In a statement, the political analyst and public opinion pollster complained that the cable in question identified him as the source of information that formed the basis of several improper allegations that were made regarding two current and one former Caribbean prime ministers."

The Dominican "Bridgetown, Barbados(TDN) — Peter Wickham close friend, confidant and advisor to Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has revealed to the United States embassy in Barbados that Barbadian CLICO executive, former CBC Chairman and DLP supporter Leroy Parris “provided large sums of under the table money to the Dominica DLP in exchange for business and a diplomatic passport.” "

CARIBARENA ANTIGUA : "The street lights erected from the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium to the VC Bird International Airport, a gift from the Chinese government, have been vandalized by copper thieves. Ambassador David Shoul said several of the lights are not working due to traffic accidents, but others have been stripped by vandals, and he is concerned because this does not reflect well on Antigua & Barbuda and its people."

Stabroek News - Guyana : "(CXC) The Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) wishes to emphatically refute a report which was circulating in the regional media on Friday 2 September, claiming that there was a leak of CXC examination papers at a school in St Lucia and that the Council is investigating this matter." 'via Blog this'

JamaicaObserver.com : "DAEGU, South Korea — Jamaica's two-time Olympic champion Veronica Campbell Brown stormed to victory in the women's 200m yesterday, denying American Allyson Felix a historic fourth consecutive world title. Campbell Brown flew out of the blocks and although Carmelita Jeter pushed her hard down the home straight, the Jamaican found the extra pace she needed to cross the line first in a season's best of 22.22sec." 'via Blog this'

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "The 14-year-old girl who called herself “Granny Quila” in a YouTube video and made obscene and abusive threats against the Prime Minister should not be allowed back in school when the new term opens on Monday, advises counselling pyschologist Anna Maria Mora. “(The girl) should not be allowed back in school when school reopens, but sent to a programme for one term, where she will receive psychological counselling and private tuition, away from her school mates,” said Mora, who is also a deputy political leader of the Congress of the People. " 'via Blog this'

Barbados Free Press : "The Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) sacked journalist and political analyst Peter Wickham on September 1st over the contents of a US Embassy cable released by WikiLeaks on August 30th, 2011. A CBC insider tells only Barbados Free Press that the Barbados DLP government and CBC senior executives remain “outraged” after learning that Peter Wickham provided a series of secret briefings to US diplomats “over several years” where Mr. Wickham discussed and provided details about political corruption in the Caribbean. The briefings included information about the activities of clients and former clients." '

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday "A WIDE, spacious warehouse near to Wallerfield is being converted into a jail to accommodate the growing number of state of emergency detainees, namely gang leaders and gang members. Up until yesterday, 366 gangsters were in custody in the nation’s prisons. Once the conversion process is completed, these detainees will be transferred to the new detention centre which can accommodate up to 1,500 prisoners. "

The Dominican "Coming more than 20 months after the last general elections in Dominica the court will determine whether Prime Minister Skerrit and his education minister illegally contested the December 2009 elections. At issue is whether Skerrit and St Jean were dual citizens at the time of the elections. Dominica election laws clearly forbid anyone taking part in general elections to have allegiance to any other country."

Jamaica Star "With former Tivoli Gardens strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke facing a lengthy prison term in the United States, there is concern that there could be a full-scale turf war to determine his successor. "A now the turf war start," one resident whispered yesterday, minutes after news broke that Coke had pleaded guilty to cocaine and firearm-related charges in a federal courtroom in New York. Residents, many of whom were tight-lipped, told THE STAR that many of the 'top men' in the area were holding things together believing Dudus would have "buss di case" and returned. They said now that he faces a long time behind bars, several 'individuals' will want to step to the fore and claim the donmanship."

BusinessWeek : "Police in Trinidad and Tobago are investigating a 14-year-old girl for making threatening comments about the Caribbean country's prime minister in an Internet video. Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs says the girl's remarks on YouTube are being looked into. In the video, the girl makes racial slurs against Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar (KAM-la per-SAD BIH-sess-ur). And she says a sniper should "leave no evidence" in shooting the leader during the government's offensive to dismantle gangs."

South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com : " Hurricane Katia weakened to tropical storm strength Thursday afternoon and still appears on a path that likely will spare the islands of the eastern Caribbean, including Puerto Rico and Hispaniola. At 5 p.m. on Thursday, Tropical Storm Katia was about 930 miles east of the Leeward Islands, moving west at 18 mph with sustained winds of 70 mph."