Staff Editor

QUITO,  (Reuters) – Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa claimed a re-election victory today that would allow him to strengthen state control over the OPEC nation’s economy and gives a timely boost to Latin America’s alliance of socialist leaders.

St. John’s, Antigua – The West Indies Selection Panel today announced the West Indies squad for the first two of three One Day Internationals against Zimbabwe in Grenada.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Pop singer Rihanna launched her first clothing line with British high-street retailer River Island on Saturday, adding A-list glitz to the British leg of the international fashion circuit.

JOHANNESBURG,  (Reuters) – It was billed as a fitting tribute to “an intelligent, beautiful and amazing woman” but the airing of a Caribbean reality TV show featuring the girlfriend of Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius two days after she was shot dead has upset some South Africans.

HAVANA,  (Reuters) – Cuba’s best-known dissident, blogger Yoani Sanchez, checked in without incident at Havana’s international airport today on her way to Brazil, the first stop on an 80-day-tour of a dozen countries.

CAPE TOWN,  (Reuters) – South Africa showed why they are the number one test team in the world with a clinical performance on day four of the second test against Pakistan to clinch the series with a four-wicket victory today.

(Reuters) – The fifth movie in the Bruce Willis “Die Hard” franchise scored the biggest box-office action over the U.S.

A US-based company says it is actively pursuing the development of a bauxite mining project at Linden and has applied for exploration licences from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).

(Trinidad Guardian) Caribbean fisherfolk are expected to benefit from a €1,032,099 grant from the European Union, via its Europe Aid programme.

MUMBAI, India,  CMC – West Indies failed in their bid to win the ICC Women’s World Cup for the first time when they went down to five-time champions Australia by 114 runs in today’s final at Brabourne Stadium.

(Jamaica Observer) After months of planning, the operators of the country’s newest airline are breathing a sigh of relief and are looking forward to prosperous days for Fly Jamaica, which went on its inaugural flight from Kingston to the John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in the United States on Thursday.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn is standing by her decision to continue the prosecution of the two men charged with the rape of five women in St James despite DNA samples not matching the two accused.

(Jamaica Gleaner) The lotto scam will be high on the agenda when Minister of National Security Peter Bunting and Justice Minister Mark Golding travel to the United States (US) this week.

(Barbados Nation) At least 130 doctors may not be allowed to practise medicine here if they don’t get their accreditation in order within the next six weeks.

(Trinidad Express) Soca star Machel Montano has apologised to the assault victims involved in the fracas outside a nightclub in Port of Spain in April 2007.

Dr Naresh Singh, the Guyanese man at the centre of concerns over a conflict of interest in a Canada-funded Caribbean project tonight disclosed that he had been appointed the new Deputy Caricom Secretary General and he denied being involved in any impropriety.

QUETTA, Pakistan, (Reuters) – Pakistan’s Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, which intelligence officials say has become a major security threat, claimed responsibility for a sectarian attack on Shi’ites which killed 47 people in the city of Quetta today.

COLOMBO,  (Reuters) – Unidentified gunmen shot and seriously wounded a Sri Lankan investigative journalist, colleagues and officials said today, prompting condemnation from the United Nations’ top human rights official.

VATICAN CITY,  (Reuters) – The conclave to choose Pope Benedict’s successor could start earlier than expected, giving the Roman Catholic Church a new leader by mid March, the Vatican said today.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Former Chief Justice Lensley Wolfe has been hospitalised after collapsing on Friday.