Staff Editor

(Trinidad Guardian) The award of a TT$.5 billion contract to the China Jiangsu International firm is a “worrying sign” for Government senator David Abdulah.

(Trinidad Guardian) Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh says he intends to take the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) to court concerning the 1,700 unfilled teaching vacancies in schools.

ROSEAU, Dominica,  (Reuters) – Spinner Nathan Lyon bagged three wickets as West Indies slumped to 165 for eight to leave Australia with a lead of 163 at the close of the second day of the third test today.

The Alliance For Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) are reporting that coming out of talks today held with the President at the Office of the President, Government is unwilling to budge on almost all of the issues that have been proposed and this will likely lead to the prosecution of cuts in the budget tomorrow.

The police say they are investigating an incident that occurred at about 1100h today at Coomacka Mines, Linden, where Linden Johnson of Wisroc Housing Scheme, Wismar, was shot and injured to his left thigh during a confrontation with an armed Bosai Mining Company Security Guard.

Police say that at about 1115h today, ranks responded to a report of a man armed with a cutlass behaving disorderly and using indecent language at No.

Police say that a post-mortem examination was today performed on the body of Merle Jordan by Pathologist Dr.

CARACAS,  (Reuters) – The Venezuelan government today broadcast a video of President Hugo Chavez playing the European bowling game of bocce in Cuba in a new effort to quash rumors that he was dying of cancer while out of the country.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., (Reuters) – President Barack Obama today described a U.S.

KOLKATA, India – Left-handed West Indies stroke-maker Darren Bravo may take no part in the lucrative Indian Premier League when the current Australia series ends in the Caribbean.

Signalling a further closing of ranks, APNU and the AFC today said that they will resist the passage of the 2012 budget unless significant changes are made and they called for the lowering of VAT, the Berbice bridge toll, a hike in salaries for public servants and the revamping of government’s holding company, NICIL, among a range of other demands.

(Trinidad Guardian) Chinese construction firm, China Jiangsu International, has secured a half-a-billion dollar contract for the construction of the University of the West Indies (UWI) South Campus in Penal/Debe.

(Jamaica Observer) Dancehall recording artiste Mavado is to have a major role in Shottas 2 which began filming last Friday.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Describing delays in the country’s court system as chronic, the leaders of the Jamaican Bar Association say abolishing preliminary enquiries could be one cure to the malady.

The PPP/C yesterday called on all “patriotic Guyanese” to reject “purveyors of division” and to support attempts being made to attain political consensus along political lines.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Brian Pengelley, the president of the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA), is warning that walking away from membership in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) would not solve the vexing issue of trade imbalance.

(De Ware Tijd) THE HAGUE – Legislators Thijs Berman of the European Parliament (EP) and Kathleen Ferrier of the Dutch Lower House are disappointed over the European Union’s (EU) decision not to impose sanctions on Suriname for adopting the Amnesty Act.

(Trinidad Express) Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley yesterday charged that he was in danger of bankruptcy as Attorney General Anand Ramlogan was making select lawyers millionaires to wage legal battle against him (Rowley) as he conducts his public duty.

(Trinidad Express) A clear motive has not yet been established for the shooting deaths of a couple who were asleep at their Thomasine Street, Laventille home, early yesterday.

(Trinidad Express) Following are the nine charges brought against Caribbean Communications Network (CCN) Ltd by ASP Ajith Persad of the Port of Spain Criminal Investigations Department (CID) over the airing of a rape video on the Crime Watch programme for which host Ian Alleyne has also been charged.