Regional News

(Jamaica Gleaner) The police have charged two sixteen year old boys in relation to the New Year’s Eve murder of 79-year-old Hyacinth Hayden at her Green Park home in Trelawny.

MEXICO CITY, (Reuters) – A vicious Mexican drug gang forced some members to eat the hearts of murder victims as part of a gruesome initiation rite to root out infiltrators, a government security official said on Tuesday, citing witness testimony.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuelan fast-food lovers are mourning the disappearance of McDonald’s golden staple: the french fry.

(Trinidad Express) President of the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA) Gregory Aboud said yesterday while the National Security Minister seems to have the right intentions, he must admit that the crime situation is getting out of control.

(Trinidad Guardian) – The National Security Ministry is investigating the cause of death of former National Security Minister Martin Joseph, whose body was recovered yesterday from a beach in Tobago.

(Trinidad Express) – Two Special Reserve Police officers appeared in the San Fernando Magis-trates’ Court yesterday charged with crimes related to the incident at High Street, San Fernando two Saturdays ago involving wheelchair bound hospital patient Robbie Ramcharitar.

BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s government must make difficult budget cuts to improve investor confidence and restore economic growth, the country’s new Finance Minister Joaquim Levy said yesterday.

(Trinidad Express) Former National Security Minister Martin Joseph, drowned in the waters off Tobago today.

(Trinidad Express) WITH ten murders being recorded in the first four days of the new year, the Ministry of National Security yesterday escalated the alert state of all law enforcement agencies with immediate effect.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said yesterday he will visit China and several unspecified OPEC countries during a week-long tour meant to improve the South American nation’s finances, which have been weakened by tumbling crude prices.

(Trinidad Express) While many may believe that 2014 was a record year in terms of the number of people killed following altercations with members of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS)—with 46 dead following confrontations with officers—it actually was not.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said yesterday he would only seek the release of jailed opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez if the United States agreed to release a Puerto Rican nationalist currently held in a U.S.

(Trinidad Express) While many may believe that 2014 was a record year in terms of the number of people killed following altercations with members of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS)—with 46 dead following confrontations with officers—it actually was not.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Only two-and-a-half weeks after US President Barack Obama announced a historic prisoner exchange and re-establishment of long-broken ties with Cuba, his new policy is encountering obstacles that threaten to flare up when Congress returns next week.

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s promise to cut spending during a second term that began Thursday got off to a rocky start, as her new planning minister recanted a pledge to change how the country’s minimum wage is calculated.

HAVANA (Reuters) – Priests offering New Year’s prophecies from Cuba’s Afro-Cuban religion urged old Cold War foes Havana and Washington to continue rebuilding relations, and forecast that detente would bring economic benefits in 2015.

(Trinidad Express) DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard last night gave the green light to offi­cers of the Professional Stan­dards Bureau to lay two criminal charges against the female Special Reserve Police (SRP) officer who was involved in an incident last Saturday that was captured on video, which showed the offi­cer vigorously pushing Robbie Ramcharitar in a wheelchair down High Street, San Fernando, in oncoming traffic.

(Trinidad Express) A Caribbean Airlines pilot is the country’s first road fatality.

(Jamaica Observer) GREEN PARK, Trelawny — The Trelawny police were on Thursday trying to locate the whereabouts of a suspect in connection with the murder of retired nurse Hyacinth Hayden, who was butchered at her home in this usually peaceful community on New Year’s Eve.

HAVANA, (Reuters) – Cuban performance artist Tania Bruguera was freed yesterday after three back-to-back detentions in three days, and after more than a thousand artists worldwide signed an open letter to Cuban President Raul Castro calling for her release.