Staff Editor

MELBOURNE, Australia,  CMC- Chris Gayle emerged from a run drought to hit a record half century but the Sydney Thunder squandered his heroics and succumbed to a 13 run loss against the Melbourne Stars in the Australian Big Bash League Tuesday.

(Jamaica Observer) NEGRIL, Westmoreland — A UK national who reportedly stabbed his spouse’s son was set upon and hacked to death by an angry mob yesterday in a section of Negril known as Hermitage.

(Trinidad Express) Two murders occurred about an hour apart on Sunday night in the east Port of Spain and Laventille areas, leaving two families in anguish and bringing the year’s murder toll to three, according to an Express tally.

(Trinidad Express) The trial of gynaecologist Dr David Ali, who is charged with grievous sexual assault and rape, is expected to begin on Thursday.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Jan 8, CMC – A sloppy final over from beanpole seamer Jason Holder gifted Guyana a dramatic last-ball win over Combined Campuses and Colleges in the Caribbean Twenty20 here last night.

A former nursing student accused of killing seven people – including a Guyanese woman – at a Christian college in Oakland last April was ruled mentally incompetent to stand trial, Reuters reported today.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad,  CMC – Barbados made light work of Leeward Islands, romping to an emphatic nine-wicket win to send an early warning in the 2013 edition of the Caribbean Twenty20 here today.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – President Barack Obama today nominated former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel as his next defense secretary and counterterrorism adviser John Brennan to head the CIA, potentially setting up at least one Senate confirmation battle and establishing a tough tone to start his second term.

MELBOURNE, Australia (CMC) — West Indies all-rounder Marlon Samuels has been charged with two offences following his ugly clash with Shane Warne during a match between Melbourne Renegades and Melbourne Stars in the Australian Big Bash league on Sunday.

The police today said that a total of 137 murders were recorded for last year in comparison to 130 murders during the year 2011; a 5% hike.

The Police today said that 750 Guyanese were deported from various countries last year.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – A group of 10 mortgage servicers agreed today to pay a total of $8.5 billion to end a government-mandated case-by-case review of foreclosures in an acknowledgement the reviews had proven too cumbersome and expensive.

The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry today called on all parties to honour the pact reached on August 21 last year to end the Linden crisis.

(Jamaica Observer) The Government could step up efforts to create a single anti-corruption commission this year, following its latest confrontation with the Office of the Contractor General (OCG).

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad,  CMC – Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica played to a no result in the opening match of the Caribbean Twenty20 at Queen’s Park Oval here yesterday.

VATICAN CITY,  (Reuters) – Pope Benedict today urged the international community to end what he called the endless slaughter in Syria before the entire country became a “a field of ruins.”

NEW DELHI,  (Reuters) – Five men accused of the gang rape and murder of an Indian student appeared in court today to hear charges against them, after two of them offered evidence possibly in return for a lighter sentence in a case that has provoked widespread anger.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica played to a no result in the opening match of the Caribbean Twenty20 at Queen’s Park Oval here Sunday.

MELBOURNE,  (Reuters) – Shane Warne has been fined A$4,500 ($4,700) and banned for one game after a heated row with Marlon Samuels in a match in Australia’s domestic Twenty20 competition on Sunday night ended up with bats and balls being thrown.

Following an outcry over the monument site for the 1823 slave rebellion, the Coalition of the 1823 Parade Ground Monument will raise funds to construct their own memorial.