Archives for Friday, July 2, 2004:

Pained Cuba takes aim at tighter US sanctions

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Cuba's National Assembly on Thursday struck back at tightened US sanctions aimed at toppling Fidel Castro's communist regime, saying they amounted to an "apartheid" that hurts Cubans living in the United States... read more...

Freed dissidents may leave Cuba

HAVANA, CUBA (UPI): The six dissidents who were released from Cuba's prisons for health reasons last week say they are considering seeking asylum in other countries... read more...

Small plane crashes into fence in St Vincent

KINGSTOWN, ST Vincent: Airport authorities in St Vincent and the Antigua-based Directorate of Civil Aviation are currently carrying out investigations into what caused a Trans-Island twin otter aircraft to run off the airport runway and crash into the perimeter wire fence, 2 feet from the main road, on Wednesday... read more...

Caribbean tax havens want crime rules set through WTO

GENEVA, Switzerland: Eight tax havens, including four from the Caribbean region, are calling for global money laundering and terrorist finance rules to be set at the World Trade Organization, where they are members, rather than imposed on them by rich nations, according to a report by Bloomberg News... read more...

Antigua and US attempt to settle gambling dispute

GENEVA, Switzerland: A dispute between the US and the Caribbean state of Antigua and Barbuda over alleged breaches of world trade agreements caused by America's hard line on internet gambling has entered into settlement negotiations, according to Reuters... read more...

St Kitts and Nevis ISPS compliant

BASSETERRE, St Kitts: St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas has congratulated the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority and the Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority for receiving their International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) compliance certificates... read more...

BUSINESS NEWS

Ansbacher Group sold to Qatar National Bank

LONDON, England: The Ansbacher Group’s shareholder, FirstRand, on Thursday concluded an agreement for the sale of Ansbacher to Qatar National Bank. The Ansbacher Group has a long-standing presence in the Caribbean, dating back to 1957 in the Bahamas and 1967 in the Cayman Islands... read more...

Globeleq completes sale of shares in St Lucia Electricity Services

HOUSTON, USA: Globeleq, the emerging markets power company, announced Thursday that it recently completed the sale of the approximately 45 percent of the issued ordinary shares in St. Lucia Electricity Services Ltd (Lucelec) that it had managed for its shareholder, CDC Group plc of the United Kingdom... read more...

HEALTH NEWS

Minister discusses health situation in Belize

WASHINGTON, USA (PAHO): With communicable diseases increasingly under control in Belize, chronic diseases along with problems linked to behavior and lifestyle remain significant, according to Dr. Vildo Marin, minister of health and communications of Belize... read more...

Caribbean meeting on HIV/AIDS underscores region’s political commitment

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: Urgent Action against HIV/AIDS must be taken now to turn back the epidemic, according to the members of the delegations attending the regional meeting entitled “Leadership as a vital tool against HIV/AIDS”... read more...

TRAVEL NEWS

Caribbean Star Airlines announces joint frequent flyer programme with Virgin Atlantic

ST JOHN’S, Antigua: Caribbean Star Airlines recently announced that an agreement has been signed which allows Star Miles passengers to earn and burn mileage in conjunction with travel on Virgin Atlantic Airways... read more...

SPORTS NEWS

England return to winning ways against Windies

LEEDS, England (AFP): England won their first match of the NatWest Series when they defeated West Indies by seven wickets in their day/night one-day international at Headingley here Thursday... read more...