Staff Editor

(Jamaica Observer) ROSE HALL, St James — Three people, including a Bahamian, were yesterday held in an operation by members of the Area One Transnational Crime and Narcotic Division in connection with the seizure of almost 2,700 pounds of compressed ganja, valued at approximately J$27 million.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – GlaxoSmithKline Plc has agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor criminal charges and pay $3 billion to settle what government officials said on Monday is the largest case of healthcare fraud in U.S.

Guyana Water Incorporated today said that due to operational difficulties at the Shelter-Belt Water Treatment Facility, customers in sections of Georgetown are experiencing reduced water quality.

(Jamaica Gleaner) No longer captain, and just back from international cricket wilderness, Jamaica’s explosive opening batsman Chris Gayle is not about to tone down his role as a senior team leader following his return to the West Indies.

(Trinidad Express) Opposition Senator Fitzgerald Hinds on Sunday said National Security Minister Jack Warner used his customary “FIFA ethic” to deal with the illegal occupation of the State lands by the Highway Re-Route Movement.

(Reuters) – Injury-prone paceman Mark Gillespie has been ruled out of New Zealand’s two-test series in West Indies after failing to recover from an ankle injury, the country’s cricket board (NZC) said today.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – Barclays Plc Chief Executive Bob Diamond quit today under a barrage of fire from politicians, the highest-profile casualty of an interest rate-rigging scandal that spans more than a dozen major banks across the world.

(Trinidad Express) Emmanuel Gonsalves, president of the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT), has been sent on six months immediate “administrative leave” by the COSTAATT board of trustees, the Express has learnt.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Dancehall entertainer Ninja Man, whose real name is Desmond Ballentine, is now free to hit the stage to perform to raise critical funds to fight his murder rap.

The police say they are continuing the search aimed at recapturing two prisoners who fled from the Mazaruni Prisons yesterday.

The Public Utilities Commission is to meet with top officials of the phone company GT&T tomorrow.

NEW YORK,  (Reuters) – CNN’s Anderson Cooper said in a public statement today that he is gay, adding that while privacy is important for journalists, he did not want to give the impression he was hiding something and wanted to stand up against bullying.

KINGSTON, Jamaica,  (Reuters) – Yohan Blake and not Usain Bolt may now be the man to beat in London Games but the mission remains the same with the ‘The Beast’ set to lead an all out assault by Jamaican sprinters on the Olympic medal podium.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – Maria Sharapova has had better days, Roger Federer more mobile ones and local sun-hat sellers more profitable ones as Wimbledon’s manic today turned into a bit of a damp squib after several days of nerve-shredding drama.

(ICC) West Indies’ Chris Gayle has rocketed into fourth position in the Reliance ICC T20I Player Rankings after whirlwinds knocks against New Zealand in the two T20Is played earlier this week in Lauderhill, Florida.

The police say they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Ryan Ramkarran called ‘Budhram’, 23 years of Fourth Avenue, Bartica, which occurred at about 2320h last night at Second Avenue, Bartica.

The PPP today said it intends to engage longstanding party executive Ralph Ramkarran on his resignation with a view to reconciling.

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – The BET Awards yesterday split top honors among several artists, including Beyonce and Chris Brown, in a telecast filled with lively performances and an emotional tribute to late singer Whitney Houston.

KIEV,  (Reuters) – Andres Iniesta, who helped Spain to a second successive European Championship triumph in Poland and Ukraine, was named the best player at the tournament by UEFA today.

(Jamaica Observer) NEW YORK — Jamaica is to see significant benefits in its health-care programme with assistance from Cuba, following three days of talks between health minister Dr Fenton Ferguson and Cuban officials which ended last Friday.