Staff Editor

(Barbados Nation)  The Ralph Gonsalves administration yesterday appealed for regional and international assistance to rebuild the country after Hurricane Tomas left damage which is expected to amount to several million dollars.

(BBC) St Lucia is appealing for international help, as the death toll from last week’s devastating hurricane mounted.

The Caribbean Media Corporation is reporting that Hurricane Tomas has killed 12 persons in St Lucia and the death toll could be higher.

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) continues to “aggressively” pursue the missing AK-47s that went missing almost four years ago, according to Chief of Staff, Commodore Gary Best who also stressed that the force will not stop until all the weapons are recovered.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, (Reuters) – Government officials and  aid partners in earthquake- and cholera-ravaged Haiti scrambled  today to prepare crowded quake survivor camps and coastal  towns for a possible hit by a hurricane later this week.

A 27-year-old man died late Sunday night after he lost control of the car he was driving and ended up in a trench.

(Trinidad Newsday) The recent murder of a two-year-old child of Guyanese parentage has left many Trinidadians in shock and expressing anger against the Guyanese community in this country.

(Barbados Nation) Barbadians spent another day hoping that it would be their turn to have access to water and light; two utilities that attract most attention and debate even in good times.

(Jamaica Observer) Kingston mayor, Senator Desmond McKenzie yesterday admitted that several communities were allowed to remain in flood-prone areas as pockets of votes by both major political parties.

BAGHDAD, (Reuters) – Fifty-two hostages and police  officers were killed when security forces raided a Baghdad  church to free more than 100 Iraqi Catholics held by al  Qaeda-linked gunmen, a deputy interior minister said today.

(CBC) After being held to one goal in its last game, Canada poured on the offence today, hammering Guyana 8-0 at the CONCACAF Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament in Cancun, Mexico.

SAO PAULO, (Reuters) – Former guerrilla leader Dilma  Rousseff won Brazil’s presidential election  today after  promising to stick to policies that have lifted millions from  poverty and made Brazil one of the world’s hottest economies.

The Alliance For Change’s conference this afternoon confirmed Khemraj Ramjattan as its presidential candidate and in something of a surprise fowarded Sheila Holder as its prime ministerial candidate for next year’s elections.

DUBAI,  (Reuters) – Pakistan players Salman Butt and  Mohammad Amir had their provisional suspensions over allegations  of spot-fixing upheld by the International Cricket Council (ICC)  today.

A motorcyclist died early this morning after apparently losing control while riding along the East Bank Demerara highway at Houston and slamming into a pole.

(Go Jamaica) Hurricane Tomas is moving over open water on a path that could take it near Jamaica later in the week.

(Barbados Nation) The worst storm in living memory. That’s how St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves yesterday described the passage of Hurricane Tomas.

BRIDGETOWN,  (Reuters) – Hurricane Tomas strengthened  today after ripping off roofs and knocking down trees and  power lines in the eastern Caribbean on a westward track that  will put earthquake-hit Haiti at risk next week.

(Jamaica Observer) Finance Minister Audley Shaw last night congratulated Jamaican economist Dr Warren Smith on his election as the fifth president of the Caribbean Development Bank.