GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands: Eight years after they were forced to make a detour to avoid the wrath of Caymanians, 3,200 gay tourists landed on Grand Cayman on Tuesday to a “rainbow” type welcome in the traditionally Christian Island. To greet the visitors in a variety of ways were hundreds of residents who lined the city of George Town streets. read more..

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AFP): The 15-nation Caribbean Community will send a team of observers to monitor the first round of Haiti's general election, the regional headquarters said Friday. read more..

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands: With several changes of clothing, bottled water, a folding bed and an umbrella, Dr Luis M Luarca, a Cuban refugee, is currently camped on the lawn of the Government Administration building in Grand Cayman on a hunger strike. He began his protest on Monday 30 January and he has a list of demands. read more..

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP): Haitian presidential favorite Rene Preval acknowledged there could be isolated incidents in Tuesday's elections, but said he was confident police and UN troops could deal with them. "There are risks of attempts to disrupt the elections by people linked to organized crime who do not want stability," Preval, 63, told AFP. read more..

CASTRIES, St Lucia: Saint Lucia says it will support Haiti’s request for re-entry into CARICOM, if the country’s upcoming elections are held in a “free and fair manner.” read more..

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP): Six blue-helmeted soldiers peer through the hatch of a UN armed personnel carrier, pointing their rifles as they scan the mean streets of Cite Soleil, a focus of concern ahead of Tuesday's elections in Haiti. They get nasty stares from residents of this Port-au-Prince slum notorious for its violent gangs. read more..

GEORGETOWN, Guyana: The High Commissioner for the United Kingdom, the Ambassador of the United States of America, the High Commissioner for Canada and the Ambassador representing the European Commission in Georgetown issued a joint statement Friday condemning all forms of violence in the strongest terms. read more..

ST JOHN’S, Antigua: The United States government has pledged to work closely with Antigua and Barbuda and Regional Security System (RSS) countries to develop their security capabilities for World Cup Cricket 2007. US Ambassador Mrs. Mary Kramer and Lt Gen Steven Blum outlined the areas in which the United States government will assist read more..

MIAMI, USA (AFP): Six would-be illegal Cuban immigrants may have drowned off the coast of Florida, according to eight others who were found on a deserted island and rescued by the US Coast Guard, a guard spokeswoman said Friday. read more..

CASTRIES, St Lucia: British musician Seal, noted songwriter and singer Babyface, jazz diva Nancy Wilson, percussionist Pancho Sanchez, and the soulful Reverend Al Green are the headliners for the 15th edition of the St. Lucia Jazz Festival to be held in the creole island nation from May 5-14, 2006. read more..

LONDON, England (AFP): British naval ships made one of the largest ever drug hauls in the Caribbean, netting cocaine from a cargo ship worth 350 million pounds (620 million dollars), the Ministry of Defence said on Friday. read more..

CHARLESTOWN, Nevis: The Nevis Island Administration (NIA) has engaged its top accounting officers in a sensitization programme, in preparation for new financial legislation to be implemented in St Kitts and Nevis in March 2006, which once enacted in the Federal Parliament, would affect all government’s financial transactions. read more..

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent: The government of St Vincent and the Grenadines has a packed legislative agenda this year with 17 pieces of legislation to be tabled in Parliament, including a law which will make the wearing of helmets for motor cycle riders mandatory. read more..

MIAMI, USA (JIS): As celebration activities for Black History Month (February) get underway, Jamaica’s Consul General to the Southeast United States, Ricardo Allicock, has reminded students of the significant contributions, which Caribbean nationals continue to play in the development of the US. read more..

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: US Federal authorities are set to extradite a Barbadian woman to face charges stemming from her alleged involvement in a pirate group's internet theft of movies, computer software and games. read more..

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada: Grenadian Police Corporal Joel Horsford has been arrested and charged in connection with the misappropriation of funds to the sum of $743,230. read more..

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada: The Ministry of Education in Grenada will officially launch the Caribbean Centres of Excellence for Teacher Training project (CETT) on Friday 10th February 2006 at the Grenada Grand Beach Resort. read more..

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada: Grenadians turned out in large numbers on Friday to pay homage to popular Grenadian playwright Michael Degale.
Degale was laid to rest February 3 following a mass at the Grand Anse Roman Catholic Church. read more..

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: Anti-crime talks between the Trinidad government and the opposition are expected to resume this week. Prime Minister Patrick Manning and a government team are expected to meet with opposition leader Basedo Panday and a UNC team. read more..

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: National Geographic, publishers of one of the world's best-known magazines, has presented a prestigious award to 34-year-old Trinidadian theoretical physicist, Dr Stephon Alexander. read more..

WASHINGTON, USA: The Caribbean People Collective, Inc. will hold its 3rd Annual Caribbean Days Conference from April 3-5, 2006 at the Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives in Washington, D.C. The theme of the three day event is, "The Challenge Continues, It's Global, It's Personal, It's Partnerships." read more..

‘Costa to sail from Dubai’ should send a wake-up call to every tourism planner throughout the Caribbean. ‘Costa Cruises is to become the first international cruise operator to offer cruises from Dubai’ quotes the news and resource centre for the travel industry.
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ST GEORGE'S, Grenada: The Carib Beer Series match between Guyana and the Windward Islands ended in a draw after overnight and early morning rain prevented any play before lunch on the final day at the Tanteen Recreation Ground in Grenada on Sunday. read more..

PARIS, France (AFP): The Jamaican bobsleigh team, the inspiration behind the Cool Runnings film of the 1990s after their 1988 debut at Calgary, have already got a feel for the Cesana track at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin. read more..

SAMARA, Russia: Trecia Smith of Jamaica, the world champion in Helsinki, Finland, last summer, set a new national record on her way to winning the women's triple jump event at the Governor's Cup meeting in Samara, Russia on Saturday. read more..

NEW YORK, USA: Olympic 200m champion Veronica Campbell of Jamaica brought the delighted Jamaican fans in the crowd of 14,851 to their feet in the women's 60 metres, shaking off her defeat at the Norwich Union International last weekend to edge US 100m champion Me'Lisa Barber at the 99th Millrose Games on Friday night. read more..