Archives for Wednesday, June 29, 2005:

CARICOM meeting heading for controversial start

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua: Heads of Government and Leaders of the Opposition from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will meet in Castries, St. Lucia for a special meeting this weekend. However, this Saturday's meeting appears to be heading for a controversial start... read more...

St Lucia protests involvement of Venezuelans in drug trafficking

CASTRIES, St. Lucia:  Prime Minister of St Lucia, Dr. Kenny Anthony, and Minister for External Affairs, Senator Petrus Compton, have summoned Venezuelan Ambassador to St Lucia, Mrs. Carmen Aponte, to discuss the involvement of Venezuelan citizens in the trafficking of drugs to St Lucia... read more...

Health officials move to combat city rat problem in Antigua

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua: Health officials in Antigua are moving positively to do something about the unhealthy conditions caused by rat infestation in the city of St. John's.  As reported by Caribbean Net News in March, Senator Lenworth Johnson revealed that health officials were facing a serious problem with rats... read more...

Five Britons held on kidnapping charges in Barbados

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: The five Britons held for kidnapping another British man and his Spanish companion last Saturday are now in jail.  The five were denied bail and remanded to the prison... read more...

Castro makes surprise visit to Venezuela for Petrocaribe launch

PUERTO LA CRUZ, Venezuela (AFP): Cuban President Fidel Castro made a surprise arrival here Tuesday to attend the launch of Petrocaribe, his Venezuelan ally President Hugo Chavez's new regional oil diplomacy vehicle... read more...

Taiwan unites St Vincent and the Grenadines

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent:  While the political situation across the Taiwan Strait continues to drive a wedge between the peoples of China and Taiwan, St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ continued diplomatic relations with the Taiwan is uniting Vincentians politically, according to the Acting Prime Minister Louis Straker... read more...

Grenada government rallies for scholarships for young people

ST. GEORGE’S Grenada:  Since the passage of Hurricane Ivan, the government of Grenada has intensified its efforts to secure more scholarship opportunities in response to the heightened need for financial assistance for students both at home and abroad... read more...

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Paris reggae festival cancelled over Jamaican singer's homophobic lyrics

PARIS, France (AFP): A Paris reggae festival has been cancelled after gay rights groups complained that the lyrics of one of the Jamaican singers incited violence against homosexuals, festival organisers said Tuesday... read more...

TRAVEL NEWS

Britain's Virgin Atlantic inaugurates flights to Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Britain's Virgin Atlantic Airways inaugurated direct flights to Cuba on Monday with a Boeing 747 carrying the airline's gregarious owner Richard Branson.  The airline tycoon posed on the jet's wing with two Cuban dancers after the plane touched down at Havana's Jose Marti airport... read more...

SPORTS NEWS

Campbell takes over IAAF women’s 100m ranking

MONACO, France Veronica Campbell joined fellow Jamaica Asafa Powell at the top of the IAAF 100m Ranking, according to the sports governing body's latest release... read more...

Armstrong sizzled at 19.93 as Baptise doubled up at Trinidad & Tobago Championships

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad:  Kelly Ann Baptise and Aaron Armstrong clinched 200-metre titles on day two of the Sagicor National Open Track and Field Championships, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Trinidad on Sunday... read more...

Powell vs. Gatlin at London Grand Prix

LONDON, England:  Olympic champion Justin Gatlin has confirmed that he will race in Britain next month at the Norwich Union London Grand Prix. This means that the American will come face-to-face with world record holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica... read more...

Caribbean-born Clement and Richards impressive at USA championships

CARSON, USA:  Two Caribbean-born athletes established themselves as world beaters at the just concluded USA Visa outdoor championships in Carson, California at the weekend.  Trinidad-born Kerron Clement and Jamaican-born Sanya Richards topped their rivals in the men's 400-metres hurdles and women's open 400-metres respectively... read more...

Expect lightning from Bolt and a double from Campbell

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP): Usain Bolt declared he will be ready for a sparkling effort at the World Athletics Championships in August at Helsinki after an easy 200m triumph at the Jamaican Championships here... read more...

Powell donates world record spike to the IAAF

NAPLES, USA:  Caribbean sprint king Asafa Powell has donated his 100-metre World record spike to the IAAF for auction.  According the IAAF, Powell immediately volunteered to donate his right spike to the ''Athletics for a Better World – The IAAF Stars’ Donation Fund'' and his left spike to the International Museum of Athletics in Athens... read more...