Archives for Monday, August 8, 2005:

2005 set to be historic year for hurricanes

PARIS, France (AFP): 2005 is set to be one of the worst years on record for hurricanes, scientists say, amid spectacular new evidence about the power of these storms and fears that global warming is intensifying them... read more...

Bahamasair security thwarts boarding breach

NASSAU, The Bahamas:  A former Bahamasair employee created a security scare when he walked through check points at Fort Lauderdale’s airport and boarded a Bahamasair Dash-8 airplane.  Fortunately, Bahamasair has a pre-boarding security sweep to catch people just like Vince.  The Bahamasair security detail saw Vince... read more...

Food poisoning outbreak in St Kitts prison

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: Health officials here are carrying out an investigation into reports of food poisoning at the prison in St Kitts... read more...

Antigua-Barbuda officials pleased with carnival, police praised

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua: Carnival officials in Antigua and Babruda are expressing satisfaction with the 2005 Carnival festivities and have praised the police for the job they did in ensuring that law and order prevailed... read more...

Dominican Republic president says no to Westmont Group offer

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic:  President Fernandez of the Dominican Republic has reportedly ordered his energy council to disregard an offer made by Westmont Group to set up two second-hand coal-fired power plants, and stressed that any contract for additional power generation must be carried out through an international public tender process... read more...

EU officials meet relatives of jailed Cuban dissidents

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP):  European Commission officials met Friday with relatives of Cuban dissidents jailed after Fidel Castro's regime cracked down on opposition last month, but the event was marred by protests outside the commission's mission in Havana.  Some 20 Cuban government loyalists showed up to demonstrate against dissidents... read more...

Japan contributes to Haiti elections

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (UPI): Japan has offered Haiti nearly $900,000 to help in its upcoming elections, Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura said Friday... read more...

St Lucia airport to close for runway repairs

CASTRIES, St Lucia: From September 27, airplanes will not be able to land or take off from St Lucia’s George FL Charles Airport, for eight days, while a section of the runway is repaired... read more...

Guyana Human Rights Association chides Barbados Immigration

GEORGETOWN, Guyana: The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has taken the Barbadian immigration department to task charging that there are “rogue elements with biases against Guyanese visiting the country.”... read more...

Prime Minister Arthur responds to CGID letter on Barbados deportations

NEW YORK, USA:  The Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) has announced that the Prime Minister of Barbados, Owen Arthur, has informed the Institute that he has referred the case regarding the mass deportation of Guyanese nationals from Barbados on July 19, 2005, to Barbados’ Deputy Prime Minister and Attorney General, Mia Mottley... read more...

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Cuban singer Ibrahim Ferrer dies at age 78

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Cuban singer Ibrahim Ferrer, known worldwide for his work on the "Buena Vista Social Club" project, died at a Havana hospital Saturday at the age of 78, his wife Caridad Diaz told AFP... read more...

WEEKEND SPORTS ROUNDUP

West Indies lose to India by 7 runs

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AFP): Yuvraj Singh smashed an explosive century under pressure to help India qualify for the final with a seven-run victory over a fighting West Indies in a triangular one-day series match here on Sunday.  The left-hander cracked 110 for his third hundred as India posted a challenging 262-4 in the crucial day-night game... read more...

Caribbean athletes take silver and bronze in men's 100m

HELSINKI, Finland (AFP):  America's Justin Gatlin earned his place among the greats of sprinting here on Sunday as he added the world 100 metres title to the Olympic crown he won last year.  The 23-year-old timed 9.88 seconds while Michael Frater of Jamaica took silver with 10.05sec and  Kim Collins of St Kitts-Nevis took bronze with a similar time... read more...

1-2 for the Caribbean in the triple jump

HELSINKI, Finland (AFP):  Jamaica's Trecia Smith won the world triple jump title here at the world athletics championships on Sunday for her first ever medal at a major championships.  The 29-year-old won with a best effort of 15.11 metres - the world's best this season - while Yargelis Savigne of Cuba took silver with 14.82m... read more...

Williams-Darling a real Tonique for the Bahamas

HELSINKI, Finland (AFP):  Olympic 400 metres champion Tonique Williams-Darling looked well on course to add the world title to her laurels here on Sunday after she impressed in her first round heat.  However, the Bahamian will still have some work to do to see off reigning champion Ana Guevara, who is out for revenge... read more...

Bahamian Chandra Sturrup starts gold medal quest with impressive run in Helsinki

HELSINKI, Finland:  Bahamian world leader Chandra Sturrup started her World Championships campaign impressively, after posting the fastest time with French sprinter Christine Arron in the women's 100m heats on Sunday... read more...

Sanchez stays in hunt to retain world title

HELSINKI, Finland (AFP):  Olympic 400 metres hurdles champion Felix Sanchez fought through the pain barrier to keep his hopes alive of retaining his world title here on Sunday.  The 27-year-old Dominican Republic star went through to the final as one of the two fastest qualifiers after finishing third in his semi-final... read more...

West Indies stun Sri Lanka to keep hopes alive

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AFP):  Seamer Dwayne Smith and spinner Omari Banks shared four crucial wickets to shape the West Indies' stunning 33-run victory over Sri Lanka in a triangular one-day series match here on Saturday.  Smith grabbed two wickets off successive balls and Banks took two scalps in three overs... read more...

Trinidad's Yorke struggling to adapt downunder

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP): Expensive former Manchester United recruit Dwight Yorke was struggling to adapt to new Australian club Sydney FC, coach Pierre Littbarski said Sunday.  Yorke, the most high-profile signing in the entire eight-team Australian A-League which kicks off on August 26, has scored once in three outings with Sydney... read more...

Powell says he does not want to rush come-back

HELSINKI, Finland:  World record holder Asafa Powell is set to miss the entire 10th IAAF World Track and Field Championships after revealing that he will not be ready for the sprint relay... read more...