Regional News

(Trinidad Guardian) In less than 12 months another Chinese businessman has been killed outside his businessplace in what police and CCTV footage show was clearly a `hit’.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Food conglomerate Grace- Kennedy has entered the retail sugar market, while Seprod is two weeks away from introducing its product – the latest developments in the rapid evolution of how the sweetener is traded within the span of just one year.

(Trinidad Guardian) Angered by the revised foreign used car policy announced by Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon on Friday, president of the T&T Automotive Dealers Association (TTADA), Visham Babwah, says she shed tears for the wrong audience.

(Jamaica Observer) Aluminum Holding Corporation (NAHC) announced on Wednesday several cost-cutting actions, including laying off of 25 per cent of its work force at its refinery in the United States.

St Lucia’s Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony has rejected criticisms by the US that his government has failed to prosecute police for extrajudicial killings and laid the blame on the island’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

PORT-AU-PRINCE, (Reuters) – Haiti’s opposition presidential candidate Jude Celestin has announced he will not take part in a runoff election because he does not have faith in the process, in a move that could mean a shoe-in for the ruling party on Jan.

(Trinidad Guardian) Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says T&T has to cut costs to be able to live on the limited resources in the country.

(Trinidad Guardian) Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says T&T has to cut costs to be able to live on the limited resources in the country.

RIO DE JANEIRO, (Reuters) – A Brazilian court suspended the operating licence for the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam, one of the world’s largest, just weeks before owner Norte Energia SA planned to start electricity generation, prosecutors said yesterday.

BRASILIA, (Reuters) – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff yesterday signed a bill that gives amnesty to holders of undeclared offshore assets in exchange for a fine, part of efforts to cut a swelling budget gap and revive investment in the recession-hit economy.

MIAMI, (Reuters) – A judge in Miami on Thursday ordered the transfer to Texas of a Venezuelan businessman accused by U.S.

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – An American operator of an Antigua-based online sport betting enterprise, who spent over 13 years as a fugitive from U.S.

GUATEMALA CITY, (Reuters) – Guatemala’s new president pledged “drastic” measures against corrupt officials as he was sworn into office yesterday, following an election campaign last fall dominated by anti-graft fervor.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Three Venezuelan opposition lawmakers gave up their seats yesterday to try to defuse an acrimonious power dispute between President Nicolas Maduro’s government and the newly opposition-led National Assembly.

CASTRIES, ST. LUCIA, (Reuters) – The United States criticized the government of the Caribbean island nation St Lucia on Tuesday for failing to prosecute police accused of keeping death-lists and killing suspected criminals during a misguided campaign to attract tourists.

(Trinidad Express) The cost of borrowing continues to climb. The country’s largest bank, Republic Bank Ltd (RBL) advised by newspaper advertisement yesterday that its TT dollar Prime lending rate has been increased to 9.5 per cent up from 9.25 per cent per annum, effective January 11, 2016.

(Trinidad Guardian) While an estimated 1,300 businesses will no longer have to pay Value Added Tax (VAT) from next month, thousands of citizens will have to dig deeper in their pockets to buy several items, such as rice (except parboiled and boiled), flour (except all purpose and wheat), coffee, orange and grapefruit juices, mauby, tea and tomato ketchup.

(Trinidad Guardian) While an estimated 1,300 businesses will no longer have to pay Value Added Tax (VAT) from next month, thousands of citizens will have to dig deeper in their pockets to buy several items, such as rice (except parboiled and boiled), flour (except all purpose and wheat), coffee, orange and grapefruit juices, mauby, tea and tomato ketchup.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuela’s Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the new National Assembly’s decisions are void unless three banned opposition lawmakers are removed from office, deepening a power struggle over the opposition’s new legislative majority.

BRASILIA, (Reuters) – Brazil’s federal tax authority and prosecutors are investigating 13 foreign and local banks for possible financial crimes intermediating loans to Brazilian engineering conglomerate Grupo Schahin, newspaper O Estado de S.