Regional News

GENEVA (Reuters) – Fresh efforts and funding to tackle malaria in recent years have brought the goal of eradicating the deadly disease within sight, health experts said yesterday.

(Jamaica Observer) – Members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) flooded the streets of the Corporate Area on Thursday, and in addition to their riot gear, brought along garbage trucks and tractors to clear blocked roads amid rumours of planned protests against tax increases.

Caribbean category for US census A Bill calling for Caribbean nationals to have their own origins category on the US Census form has been introduced to the House of Representatives.

(Trinidad Express) – Police on Wednesday arrested 17 people after raiding several homes in the Factory Road, Covigne Road and Dillon Street, Diego Martin, areas between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning.

Jamaicans have been bracing for what local media’s been describing as a big tax package in the budget being presented by Finance Minister Audley Shaw.

MONTEGO BAY, St James (Jamaica Observer) – Contrary to reports that 21-year-old hijacker Stephen Fray slipped undetected through the Sangster International Airport’s security system, security cameras recorded a rather different train of events.

(Trinidad Express) – As police hunt for the man linked to four murders in Agostini Village, Rio Claro, Mayaro MP Winston “Gypsy” Peters is calling for a meeting with Minister of National Security Martin Joseph.

(Trinidad Express) – A 51-year-old woman was attacked by a caiman on Wednesday, as she made her way to work in the early hours of the morning.

(Jamaica Gleaner) – As accolades continued to pour in for the security forces, the men who carried out the mission in which 21-year-old hijacker Stephen Fray was apprehended and his hostages rescued without injury said on Tuesday the merit of their training in a situation which had the potential of going awfully wrong was tested.

HAVANA (Reuters) – Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro put a damper on rising hopes for better US-Cuba relations by saying US President Barack Obama had misinterpreted his brother’s apparently conciliatory words.

SVG ready to join ALBA St Vincent and the Grenadines says it is now ready to sign on to the Bolivarian Alternative of the Americas, ALBA.

(Trinidad Express) – Three young men who opted to do a “day’s work” at a plastics factory near their homes in Diego Martin “crossed a gangland border”, for which they were hunted down on Tuesday and killed by two gunmen reportedly dressed in tactical police wear.

(Jamaica Gleaner) – Prime Minister Bruce Golding said the region should be ashamed of the poor socio-economic situation with which Haiti is faced.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Prime Minister Bruce Golding says a repeat of Sunday night’s hijacking of a Canadian charter flight at the Sangster International Airport is not likely as the Government takes on a more integral role in airport security.

Passengers relate frightening encounter on CanJet 918 (Jamaica Observer) MONTEGO BAY, St James – Passengers freed from CanJet flight 918 on Monday said hijacker Stephen Fray had a glazed look in his eyes as he held a gun to the head of at least two people, demanded money and to be taken first to the USA, then to another destination.

Only one paragraph on financial crisis (Trinidad Express) The Port of Spain Declaration has one paragraph (out of 97) on the global economic crisis.

KINGSTON (Reuters) – A would-be hijacker surrendered to the authorities yesterday after releasing the last of more than 180 hostages he seized hours earlier aboard a Canadian charter jet in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

HAVANA (Reuters) – Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro said on Sunday the US trade embargo against Cuba must go, but he was mum on his brother Raul Castro’s recent offer to talk with Washington about “everything,” including political prisoners and human rights.

CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s top opposition leader is seeking asylum abroad and will not appear in court to face corruption charges brought by President Hugo Chavez’s government, opposition officials said yesterday.

Tourism ministers meet Tourism Ministers of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) are meeting in St Vincent this week to discuss initiatives to improve the industry’s performance.