PHOTOS: Weir Wins 200m In New Personal Best......Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce powers to victory in the women's 200m in 22.13

Olympic 200m bronze medallist Warren Weir decimated the field to take the men's 200m in a new personal best 19.79 in a thrilling end to the four-day National Senior Trials at the National Stadiumin Kingston this evening. 


Weir, in a clear battle with Nickel Ashmeade came off the curve in contention and powered into the lead, knocking his chest as he crossed the finish line. 

Ashmeade was second in 20.06 and Jason Livermore third in a personal best 20.13. 

Weir later said his 19.79 run was to prove that his Olympic bronze medal run was no fluke. READ MORE...

Nelson Mandela In Critical Condition, Statement From President Jacob Zuma Says

JOHANNESBURG — Nelson Mandela's health has deteriorated and he is now in critical condition, the South African government said Sunday.

The office of President Jacob Zuma said in a statement that he had visited the 94-year-old anti-apartheid leader at a hospital Sunday evening and was informed by the medical team that Mandela's condition had become critical in the past 24 hours.

"The doctors are doing everything possible to get his condition to improve and are ensuring that Madiba is well-looked after and is comfortable. He is in good hands," Zuma said in the statement, using Mandela's clan name.

Zuma also met Graca Machel, Mandela's wife, at the hospital in Pretoria and discussed the former leader's condition, according to the statement. Zuma was accompanied on the visit by Cyril Ramaphosa, the deputy president of the country's ruling party, the African National Congress. READ MORE...

Where Is 'Dudus' Money? State fails to find millions in assets and cash allegedly amassed through drugs empire

Dudus

The government-owned Assets Recovery Agency (ARC) is yet to find any of the millions of dollars in assets which former Tivoli Gardens gangster Christopher 'Dudus' Coke was supposed to have amassed over the years.

It is believed that Coke built up a multimillion-dollar empire through illegal means. This prompted the ARC to go after his assets, and in January, the Supreme Court gave the ARC the green light to seize Coke's assets, including those held by his company Presidential Click Promotions.

A Supreme Court judge had granted a request from the ARC for a default judgment to be entered against Coke after he did not respond to the suit to seize his assets.

But last week, Michael Hylton, QC, who is representing the ARC, disclosed that "no significant assets have been identified in his (Coke's) name". READ MORE...

TONY REBEL & TOMMY COWAN sworn in as Justice of the Peace.

Tommy Cowan (left) and Tony Rebel
entertain the audience at a Justices
 of the Peace swearing-in ceremony at
 the Sts Peter & Paul Church in St Andrew, recently.

 

IMPRESARIO Tommy Cowan and entertainer Tony Rebel were among 52 people sworn in as Justices of the peace at the Sts Peter & Paul Church in St Andrew recently.

The group was sworn in by the Custos of St Andrew Marigold Harding. The guest speaker was Jamaica's Contractor General Dirk Harrison. At the end of the ceremony, which was attended by family, friends and well-wishers, both men entertained the audience. "Basically, I looked at the chance to make a contribution to Jamaica, which has been so good to me, and decided I wanted to give something back," Cowan told the Jamaica Observer.

Cowan, a former member of the 1967 festival-winning group, The Jamaicans, is an ordained minister of the gospel. He is also the promoter of Denbigh Gospel Extravaganza scheduled for Denbigh show ground in May Pen, on Sunday, August 4. READ MORE...

 

IN JAMAICA : CMI students die in Palisadoes crash... Read more at www.RulaBrownNetwork.com

TWO male students of the Caribbean Maritime Institute died yesterday in a motor vehicle crash along the Palisadoes main road in Kingston.

Undertakers prepare to remove
 Obrian Tapper’s body after it was
 cut from the mangled Honda Civic
 following a crash on the
 Palisadoes road, Kingston, yesterday.
(PHOTOS: JOSEPH WELLINGTON)

 

According to the police, Obrian Tapper and Luke Dillon — both in their early twenties — were travelling in a blue Honda Civic motor car towards the Habour View round-a-bout when their vehicle crashed into a Mitsubishi Pajero that was heading in the opposite direction towards the Norman Manley International Airport. The incident occurred at approximately 12:30 pm and caused a major traffic pile-up on the busy strip. READ MORE...

 

JAMAICA NOW: VCB penalty... Anchovy murder video pulled... IAAF officials indicate that Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown could get a light sentence... Controversy reins as Lisa Hanna calls for a review of the abortion laws. (VIDEO)

SNOWDEN DEPARTS HONG KONG and is in route to MOSCOW: U.S.: Hand him over Hong Kong is asked to extradite admitted leaker

Edward Snowden, the former CIA technician who blew the whistle on global surveillance operations, has opened a new front against the US authorities, claiming they hacked into Chinese mobile phone companies to access millions of private text messages.

His latest claims came as US officials, who have filed criminal charges against him, warned Hong Kong to comply with an extradition request or risk complicating diplomatic relations after some of the territory's politicians called for Snowden to be protected. The latest developments will raise fears that the US's action may have pushed Snowden into the hands of the Chinese, triggering what could be a tense and prolonged diplomatic and legal wrangle between the world's two leading superpowers. Snowden, whose whereabouts have not been publicly known since he checked out of a Hong Kong hotel on 10 June, was reported by the Chinese media on Saturday to be in a "safe place" in the former British colony. READ MORE...

JAMAICA CHAMPIONSHIPS IN TRACK n FILED: Bolt, Stewart Win 100m Titles....ASAFA POWELL FINISHED 7th

A solid start and glances to his left and right with some 30 metres still left to run, Usain Bolt waltzed to a comfortable 9.94 seconds to win the men's 100m at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships inside the National Stadium last evening.

His stablemate, Kemar Bailey-Cole, the next big thing from the Racers production line, was second in an impressive 9.98 with Nickel Ashmeade finishing third in 9.99.

"For me, it's all about qualifying. The trials is always to make the team, when it comes to championships is when it really matters," were Bolt's first words after his win.

The biggest shock was perhaps Asafa Powell's seventh-place finish in 10.22; not even good enough for a spot in the relay pool as it stands. READ MORE

Assailants Rape Marine’s Wife in Front of Him, Shoot Both in the Head

Two ex-Marines have received the death penalty for doing something horrible to an Iraq war veteran and his new wife.  The men r@ped and beat the man’s wife right in front of him, tied the couple up and then shot them both in the head.

Sgt. Jan Pietrzak, a 24-year old man, had to watch while his wife, Quiana Jenkins-Pietrzak, was being assaulted by the two men.  The 26-year old woman died on the spot, right alongside her new husband.

Emrys John and Tyrone Miller, 23 and 25 years old respectively, were given the death penalty for their roles in the horrible crime.  Another man, 25-year old Kevin c*x, was given life in prison with no chance for parole, so his sentence will be nearly as severe as his co-defendants. Read more...

IN JAMAICA: GSAT Results Bring Despair And Jubilation

A mother desperately tries to console her daughter after receiving her Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) results.

The little girl's eyes are red from crying and her sobbing becomes louder as other classmates at St Richard's Primary School jump in jubilation, clearly overjoyed with their results.

The mother becomes angry, clutches her daughter to her bosom and starts shouting that the results are unfair because her daughter had scored excellent grades but was not placed in a school of her choice.

It seems this little girl is not one of the 28,562 of the 42,268 GSATstudents who Education Minister Ronald Thwaites said were placed in their preferred schools.

The mother-and-daughter pair was just one of the many families converging on the St Richard's Primary School playing field yesterday, reacting to the 2013 GSAT results. READ More....

Easy For Bolt - Powell, Bailey-Cole Impress....Usain Bolt cruise to victory in 10.00 seconds in his 100 metres heat on the opening day of the JAAA/ Supreme Ventures Limited National Senior Championships at the National Stadium yesterday.

Olympic champion and world record holder Usain Bolt made light work of qualifying yesterday, while former fastest man in the world Asafa Powell said he felt good after returning to the track, as all the big names secured safe passage on the opening day of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association/ Supreme Ventures Limited National SeniorChampionships at the National Stadium.

Bolt, running from lane three in the men's 100m heats, was quite comfortable on his way to winning in 10.00 seconds ahead of Jason Livermore and Jacques Harvey, who both posted 10.07 for second and third.

Having already suffered serious injuries twice this season, there was much interest in the condition of Powell coming into these trials, which will help to select Jamaica's team to the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Moscow, August 10-18. READ More...

Dow Jones Industrial Average ended down 353.87 points, or 2.3%.......Stock Futures Up; Selloff May be Overdone for Now

U.S. stock market futures pushed higher on Friday, indicating Wall Street may be ready to take a breather from recent heavy selling, and buyers may step in before the weekend. There is no data on the calendar.

About three hours before the start of trading, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 78 points, or 0.5% higher at 14,779. S&P 500 futures rose 10.3 points, or 0.7%, to 1,594.40, and Nasdaq-100 futures rose 14.5 points, or 0.5%, to 2,894.50. Changes in futures don't always accurately predict early market moves after the opening bell.

"Traders are clearly considering the selloff to be overdone at least for now—but on the basis that there is still no clarity over the timing or speed of the tapering, there is arguably still scope for at least some short rallies on the way down," said Fawad Razaqzada, market strategist at GFT Markets, in a note. On Thursday, the S&P 500 index dropped 40.74 points, or 2.5%, to 1,588.19, its biggest decline since November 2011, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended down 353.87 points, or 2.3%, to 14,758.32. The Dow's loss was the biggest one-day percentage decline since Nov. 2012. READ More...

13 Reasons to Drink Green Tea

13 Reasons to Drink Green Tea Green tea really is a superfood extraordinaire.  Thanks to a potent plant nutrient called epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, green tea is proving that... read more

Heat Win NBA Championship With 95-88 Win Over Spurs In 2013 Finals Game 7 (VIDEO/PHOTOS)

LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat reacts during Game Seven of the 2013 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on June 20, 2013 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.

The Miami Heat have done it again.

For the second season in a row, LeBron James and Heat are NBA champions. James poured in 37 points in the winner-take all 2013 NBA Finals finale as the Heat outlasted the San Antonio Spurs 95-88 in a thrilling Game 7.

"It took everything we had as a team, credit to the San Antonio Spurs," Dwyane Wade told Doris Burke of ESPN on the floor after the final buzzer. "They are an unbelievable team, unbelievable franchise. This was the hardest series we ever had to play but we're a resilient team and we did whatever it took." READ More...

SHOCK REPORT: 1 IN 3 WOMEN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM,,,,,Violence Against Women Is A 'Global Health Problem Of Epidemic Proportions,' Says WHO

About one in three women worldwide experience sexual or physical violence at least once in their lives, according to a World Health Organization report released Thursday.

Put together by the WHO in partnership with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the South African Medical Research Council, the report says 35 percent of women around the world are victims of sexual or physical violence, and that assault at the hands of an intimate partner is by far the most common form of such violence. In fact, a whopping 30 percent of women globally were found to be domestic violence victims.

“These findings send a powerful message that violence against women is a global health problem of epidemic proportions,” said Dr. Margaret Chan, director-general of WHO, in a statement. “We also see that the world’s health systems can and must do more for women who experience violence.”

The study found that 38 percent of all women who were murdered were killed by their intimate partners, and more than 40 percent of domestic violence victims were found to have suffered injuries from those incidents. READ More...

Defining Moment For GSAT Students - Experts Urge Parents, Teachers To Support Children Regardless Of Performance

Students at Jessie Ripoll Primary School
 react after receiving news of their
 Grade Six Achievement Test results last year

Shock, glee, disappointment and denial are but a few of the many emotions parents, teachers and, particularly, students across the country will be feeling today, as all primary schools are expected to get the results for this year's Grade Six Achievement Test(GSAT).

However, parents and teachers are being encouraged to take today's GSAT results in stride and try their best to control their emotions for thechildren's sake.

The professionals say the adults are also to refrain from bashing the nearly 40 per cent of the 42,000 cohort who reportedly underperformed in this year's sitting of the exams.

Counsellors say parents and teachers are to support their children regardless of the results, as GSAT is not the be all and end all of the children's lives.

However, they do agree that the results can have a detrimental impact on students if not handled properly. READ More....

VERONICA CAMPBELL-BROWN : It's 'Not So Bad' - IAAF Spokesman Says VCB's Doping Case Appears To Be A Minor Offence

VCB

An OFFICIAL of track and field's world governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) yesterday noted that the doping case involving Jamaican star Veronica Campbell-Brown was "minor" and suggested that the reaction has been heightened due to the athlete's international status.

Campbell-Brown tested positive for a banned substance believed to be a diuretic at the Jamaica International Invitational on May 4, triggering widescale international reaction, much of which, according to IAAFspokesman Nick Davies, was disproportionate to the offence.

"We can acknowledge that there is a case, but also take the opportunity to urge a sense of perspective," Davies said in a report published by the Associated Press yesterday. "This seems from evidence to be a minor doping offence according to our rules, so we want to remain realistic in our reaction, pending the conclusion of the case."

Davies also stated: "Although we would not normally comment on active cases, … all evidence seems to point to this offence being a lesser one. READ More...

Jamaica issues deadline to Caribbean Airlines (CAL) on use of Air Jamaica brand as they recorded losses estimated at US$70 million last year.

Last month, Trinidad and Tobago’s Finance Minister Larry Howai said CAL had recorded losses estimated at US$70 million last year.

Kathy Barrett

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Wednesday June 19, 2013 – Jamaica has given the new board of the Trinidad-based Caribbean Airlines (CAL) a month to indicate how it intends to use the Air Jamaica brand in the future.

Transport Minister Dr. Omar Davies Tuesday met with a high level delegation from Trinidad and Tobago that included Trade Minister Vasant Bharath and CAL board members to discuss the airline’s Jamaican operations and its arrears to local entities including the Customs Department and the Airports Authority of Jamaica.

The meeting also discussed the status of the Air Jamaica brand amid reports that the Portia Simpson Miller administration had threatened to withdraw the Air Jamaica brand from CAL in the wake of a recent decision to cut back on the number of flights to Jamaica. Read more: 

James Gandolfini Dead: 'Sopranos' Star Dies In Italy At 51 (REPORTS)

James Gandolfini has died at age 51.

James Gandolfini has reportedly died while in Italy, according to Deadline.com.

According to the website, the "Sopranos" star was in the country for a film festival. Variety also initially reported that he suffered a fatal stroke, but both the trade site and Deadline.com updated the cause of death to a heart attack.

Gandolfini was 51 years old and is survived by a wife and two children. He became a household star for his portrayal of mob boss Tony Soprano on "The Sopranos," a role which earned him three Emmys on six total nominations. “Absolutely stunned," Chris Albrecht, the former chairman and CEO of HBO who greenlit "The Sopranos" told Deadline. "I got the word from ['Sopranos' star] Lorraine Bracco and just got off with [producer] Brad Grey who had just heard from [show creator] David Chase. We had all become a family. This is a tremendous loss.” READ More...

'I'm No Cheat' - Campbell-Brown Apologises For Embarrassment After Devastating News

Jamaican sprint star Veronica Campbell-Brown has finally broken her silence on her positive drug test from the JamaicaInternational Invitational on May 4, stating that she did not knowingly take a banned substance while apologising for any embarrassment caused.

The 31-year-old, who will now take her case before a disciplinary panel, which is being put together by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), also vowed to do all she can to repair her reputation.

Campbell-Brown's 'A' sample returned an adverse analytical finding believed to be triggered by a diuretic, which, under the World Anti-Doping Agency's code, is categorised as a masking agent, with properties that hide the presence of performance-enhancing drugs in the system.

The athlete, Jamaica's most decorated with seven Olympic medals and 43 in total, spanning the youth, junior and senior international levels, said through a release issued by her manager, Claude Bryan, that she was no cheat and that she would fight to clear her name. READ More...

JAMAICA'S OLYMPIC SUPER STAR USAIN BOLT IS ON THE DECLINE... Read more at www.RulaBrownNetwork.com

Noted track and field coach Stephen Francis ranks Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt as the best sprinter in history but believes that the double Olympic champion and world record holder has seen his best days.

Bolt

Asked to name the top three sprinters in track and field history, Francis named Bolt and Bobby Hayes, the 1964 100m Olympic champion-turned-NFL wide receiver as the joint best, with the 1936 sprint double champion Jesse Owens making it in third spot on his list.

However, guided by Bolt's inability to test his 9.58 (100m) and 19.19 (200m) world records since they were established in 2009 and, perhaps to a lesser extent, his so-so start to the 2013 season, Francis said:

"It's obvious (that Bolt is declining), that's what the figures say, so I am going with the figures. The figures appear to say that he peaked in 2009. He has not been able to go back to 9.58 yet, and until he does that, I have to assume that he is in decline, but that does not mean that he is not the best but I guess there is only so long that you can stay at that level." READ More...

HEATWAVE: Heat Force Game 7: LeBron James, Ray Allen Lead Miami To 103-100 NBA Finals Game 6 Win

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LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat dunks against Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs during Game Six of the 2013 NBA Finals on June 18, 2013 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.

LeBron James isn't done yet.

The four-time NBA MVP scored 14 points in the fourth quarter as the Miami Heat rallied to force overtime in Game 6 and then a Game 7 in the 2013 NBA Finals. The San Antonio Spurs took a 75-65 lead into the final quarter of Game 6 but could not close out the defending champions. Ray Allen drained a key three-point shot to force overtime and the Heat went on to win 103-100.

Game 7 is scheduled for Thursday in Miami. READ More...