St James police apprehend alleged serial rapist, Patrick Green of Retirement......being charged with 11 counts of rape & 9 counts of robbery in various parishes plus many kidnapping charges

Friday, February 14, 2014 | 6:20 PM

ST JAMES, Jamaica -- The police in St James have apprehended an alleged serial rapist who the lawmen say has been wanted in several parishes. 

He is Patrick Green of Retirement, St James.

The Mount Salem Police in St James reported that Green and another man were handed over to them on January 8 by residents who were suspicious of their activities.

Investigations have since led to Green being charged with six counts of rape, six counts of robbery, six counts of abduction and six counts of illegal possession of firearm in Clarendon; one count of rape in Manchester; and four counts of rape and three counts of robbery in St James. 

He is also being charged with kidnapping in the three parishes.

The police are now appealing to anyone who believe that they may be a victim of Green, or anyone with information to contact the following Police Stations: May Pen at 902-9925, Mandeville at 962-2832 or Mount Salem at 952-4997. more

Kartel Trial: Handwriting expert scolds attorney

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- Defence handwriting expert witness Carl Major elicited much laughter in the Vybz Kartel murder trial Friday when he scolded the prosecutor for breaking his concentration.

Senior Prosecutor Jeremy Taylor had asked Major, a retired superintendent of police, to look at a document and to refresh his memory about his analysis of the key witness’ handwriting.

The expert, an elderly man who wears glasses, was holding up the document when Taylor told him to put it down as it was not in evidence. At that point the expert paused, removed his glasses, apparently perturbed, and stared at Taylor.

Justice Lennox Campbell explained to Major that he had to keep the document out of the view of the jurors. Taylor then asked him to continue.

But instead, he looked at Taylor, pointed and exclaimed, “You broke my concentration”, as laughter erupted in the court.

Meanwhile Major has maintained under cross-examination that key prosecution witness was the one who wrote a letter to the Public Defender complaining about his own statement to the police in the murder trial.

With that the trial was adjourned until Monday, February 17. more

Striking Photos Challenge The Way We See Blackness.......The one-drop rule, this rule had become law in most Southern states "to protect and preserve White racial purity," ....Who is Black? What is Blackness?

Who is Black? What is Blackness?

Sembene McFarland,
 "Black/African-American"

In a country where the face of the future is becoming ever more ethnically ambiguous, Blackness must be recognized as something other than just skin color and specific physical attributes. (1)ne Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race, a book published last year by Dr. Yaba Blay, explores the complexities of racial classifications, and the different ways that people live and experience Blackness.

Blay's book, recently highlighted in a PolicyMic article by Amirah Mercer, features Noelle Théard's photographs of individuals who fit the so-called one-drop rule, but who self-identify in various ways.

Biany Pérez, Afro-Dominican

In antebellum America, the one-drop rule was used to define a person with any Black ancestry, no matter how remote, as Black. By 1910, this rule had become law in most Southern states "to protect and preserve White racial purity," Blay writes in her book. "One hundred years later, however, the social and political landscape has changed. Or has it? more

Jamaica on target to pass IMF third quarterly review......will pave the way for a fourth drawdown of funds totalling US$71 million under the programme.

KINGSTON, Jamaica  (JIS) — Jamaica is on target to pass the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) third quarterly economic review, under the four-year Extended Fund Facility (EFF).

The approval, which is expected by the end of March, will pave the way for a fourth drawdown of funds totalling US$71 million under the programme.

Head of the IMF Staff Mission Team to Jamaica, Dr Jan Kees Martijn, made the disclosure during a press briefing at the Ministry of Finance and Planning’s National Heroes Circle offices in Kingston Thursday morning (February 13).

According to Dr Martijn, the impending approval by the IMF’s Management and Executive Board is based on the country’s positive performance under the Government’s economic reform programme for the third quarter of the fiscal year, between October and December, which recorded growth of about 1.4 per cent.

An IMF Mission, led by Dr Martijn, has been in Jamaica from February 5 to 13 to undertake the third review of Jamaica’s performance under the EFF, which was approved last May. Jamaica has, so far, had two positive reviews for the June and September quarters. more

Handwriting expert gives evidence in Kartel trial....."All the sheets exhibit the same characteristics. In my opinion they were written by one and the same person,"

A handwriting expert testified in the Vybz Kartel murder trial in the High Court downtown Kingston yesterday that a letter which is about to be introduced into evidence by the defence was in fact written by the prosecution's star witness.

Retired Senior Superintendent Carl Major, who was in charge of the Questioned Document section of the Government Forensic Laboratory, had been asked by defence attorney Tom Tavares-Finson to examine a photocopy of a statement given to the police by the prosecution's star witness and compare the handwriting to a letter the defence claims was written by the witness and sent to the Office of the Public Defender.

In the early days of the trial, Tavares-Finson had suggested to the witness that he had written the letter claiming he was forced by the police to give evidence and that he had in fact seen Clive 'Lizard' Williams after the night of August 16, 2011 when police accuse the five men of beating him to death.

The witness had vehemently denied writing any such letter.

Tavares-Finson and lead prosecutor Jeremy Taylor locked horns when Tavares-Finson attempted to enter the letter into evidence but Taylor objected on the grounds that the attorney was using the wrong method to introduce the exhibit. more

GUT, HEART WRENCHING STORY..... I COULD HAVE DIED TODAY....RulaBrownNetwork.com (RBN).

Post by Lauralee Patrika.

William Skinner Report on RulaBrownNetwork (RBN) - Marijuana, Coptic Church, Bob Marley, Marcus Garvey recorded Feb 7, 2014. Fridays @ 10:30am ET.

Jamaica, the 8th most stressful place on earth? What is your opinion on this latest finding?.......the things that are making Jamaica so stressful are unemployment, lack of morals and values within the home, lack of proper educational facilities and opportunities

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica has been listed as the eighth most stressful place in the world, according to website SiliconIndia.

The list, posted to siliconindia.com, placed Jamaica between Pakistan and Masodonia.

"Jamaica is certainly famous for many things; it is known for its beautiful beaches, rivers, waterfalls and landscapes. It is also renowned for its music — namely reggae and ska — and its rich nightlife. 

“However, the things that are making Jamaica so stressful are unemployment, lack of morals and values within the home, lack of proper educational facilities and opportunities. Crime and violence are other serious issues. With the current debt burden at about 130 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), unemployment at its highest level in 20 years, a sliding Jamaican dollar, a depleting Net International Reserve (NIR) and huge balance of payment are the major problems economic problems faced in Jamaica.

And all this problems did not occur overnight, but was caused by irregularities and weak functioning of the government," the report read. Also on the stressful list were: Colombia, Guatemala, Mongolia, El Salvador, South Africa, and Nigeria - cited as the most stressful country in the world. more

SPORT: Merlene Ottey's 200m indoor record still stands, 21 years after....... Ottey has won more Olympic medals in track & field history than any other woman, with nine

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Today (Thursday, February 13) marks 21 years since Merlene Ottey set a 200m Indoor World Record of 21.87 that still stands.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) website confirms that Ottey clocked 21.87 on February 13, 1993 in Liévin, France.

Ottey, Jamaica's most successful female athlete to date, became known as the 'Bronze Queen' because of the number of her third place finishes at major competitions. Ottey's career spans more than 30 years having her first Olympics in 1980 in Moscow, Russia, at 20 years old. She last competed for Jamaica at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 at 40 years old.

IAAF records show that Ottey has won more Olympic medals in track & field history than any other woman, with nine — one behind American Carl Lewis for the most by any gender. Named Jamaican Sportswoman of the year 13 times, between 1979 and 1995, Ottey became a citizen of Slovenia in 2002 and vowed never to run for Jamaica again following her controversial selection to represent the island at the Sydney Olympics. more

IN JAMAICA: Cop shot in Gregory Park......Police swoop down on Waterford

ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — A policeman is now in hospital nursing gunshot wounds after criminals opened fire on a police team in Gregory Park Thursday.

"Members from the police team were in the area carrying out several operations when they came under attack," Noel Christie, head of St Catherine South Police Division told OBSERVER ONLINE a short while ago.

Christie is part of a police team carrying out a search in the area to locate the gunmen.

Meanwhile, the police have increased their presence in and around the Waterford area in close by Portmore after a man was shot and injured by criminals on Wednesday.

The police have swooped down on the Waterford community in Portmore, St Catherine, after the shooting of a man in the area Wednesday night.

Head of the St Catherine South Police Division Noel Christie said that police are carrying out a number of investigations in relation to the shooting. The man was shot and injured by unknown assailants, Christie said.  more

Kimmo Matthews

Tessanne Chin signs with international agency....Among some of the agency’s clients are Al Pacino, Samuel Jackson, Eminem, Beyonce, and The Beach Boys.

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- Tessanne Chin, who won season five of NBC’s The Voice last December, will now be represented by one of the world’s largest talent and literary agents, ICM Partners, according to a report on Hollywood.com.

ICM Partners, which has offices in Los Angeles, New York and London, is a full service agency representing creative and technical talent in the fields of motion pictures, television, music, publishing, and live entertainment. Among some of the agency’s clients are Al Pacino, Samuel Jackson, Eminem, Beyonce, and The Beach Boys.

Chin is now working on her album with Universal Republic Records; it is slated to be released later this year. more

ENTER CHAT, LISTEN & WATCH BROADCAST LIVE 24/7

               FOR AUDIO ONLY (No Commercials) - CLICK PLAYER ABOVE on RIGHT

                                                                              OR

                  FOR USTREAM VIEWING & RBN CHATROOM CLICK ON PLAYER BELOW    

To listen, click PLAY icon above then unmute speaker icon at bottom left on player after a brief commercial. Enjoy the sweet music.To chat below, please sign in with your RBN account. Scheduled shows are PALVS & SSSJamz w/ RULA BROWN, Sir ROCKWELL w/ Golden Sundays, Foundation Radio Networkw/ CLINTON LINDSAY is broadcast daily. WINSOME BENJAMIN w/ Winsome Benjamin Showcase every Mon-Fri. Pleasesupport the scholarship program by considering to donate at least $10.00 at www.PALAS1.org. Thank you very much.

LATEST NEWS : Vybz Kartel close to tears.....told the 11-member panel of jurors in the High Court yesterday that his skin bleaching and tattoos were tools of his trade and asked not to be judged by his appearance...... DeeJay and co-accused all plead innocence in murder trial

ENTERTAINER Vybz Kartel, in a plea for his freedom, told the 11-member panel of jurors in the High Court yesterday that his skin bleaching and tattoos were tools of his trade and asked not to be judged by his appearance.

In one of five unsworn statements from the dock by the accused men, Vybz Kartel, asked Justice Lennox Campbell and the jurors to separate Vybz Kartel from Adidja Palmer.

“My Lord, I bleach my skin and I am heavily tattooed also.

My Lord, that is merely superficial, that is the persona of Vybz Kartel, not Adidja Palmer. My Lord, I think you will agree...,” he said.

“Who me?” asked Justice Campbell. “Yes, My Lord, that sometimes a person can be judged by the way they look. My Lord, I am not an alien who came from space and landed on Earth.

I am a normal man. I even have a family, some of which are here today, including my grandmother, cousin and mother-in-law,” Kartel pleaded.

He also contended that the actions of Security Minister Peter Bunting, whom he claimed had taken his music and image to Washington, DC, and declared that the music was glorifying scamming, and had pointed to him during a Unite For Change symposium at Police Officers’ Club last year, while he was awaiting trial on remand, were part of a grand conspiracy against him and his friends. more

MOTIVATIONAL: These Incredible Abs Belong To An Inspiring 70-Year-Old Man.

Do you see those abs? No, seriously -- do you see those abs? They belong to one Sam "Sonny" Bryant, Jr., and should put to shame most men in their 40s, 30s and even 20s. Why you ask? Because "Sonny" is -- wait for it, wait for it -- 70-years-old!

The bodybuilder who refuses to slow down was recently profiled by The Augusta Chronicle, and his story of beginning weightlifting later in life -- at the age of 44 -- is absolutely inspiring. Click play on the video below and prepare to be amazed. more

IN FLORIDA: Jurors To Decide The Fate Of Michael Dunn, The Man Who Fatally Shot And Killed Jordan Davis.......Could this be another TRAYVON MARTIN type decsion......STAND YOUR GROUND LAW.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A 47-year-old Florida man reacted viciously to an argument over loud music with teenagers in a store parking lot and fired multiple shots into their vehicle, killing one of them, and then drove away as if nothing happened, a prosecutor said Wednesday during closing arguments at the man's trial. However, defense attorneys argued that the state failed to prove its case or show that Michael Dunn hadn't acted in self-defense.

Michael Dunn

Jurors began deliberating in the late afternoon on whether Dunn committed first-degree murder when he fatally shot 17-year-old Jordan Davis outside a Jacksonville convenience store in 2012. Dunn, who is pleading not guilty, faces life in prison if convicted of that charge. Besides first-degree murder, jurors could also consider the lesser crimes of second-degree murder or manslaughter, according to the jury instructions. Dunn also is charged with attempted murder for shots fired at Davis' three friends..

In order to conclude that the killing was justifiable, jurors must believe it occurred while resisting an attempt to murder or commit a felony against Dunn, Circuit Judge Russell Healey told jurors. more

Ray Nagin Found GUILTY! on 20 of 21 Charges.......allegedly he accepted bribes totaling over $500,000 while in office

Ray Nagin,faced 21-count indictment 

A jury found former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin guilty on corruption charges Wednesday, the Associated Press and NBC News report.

Nagin, who left office in 2010, served two terms as mayor. He faced a 21-count indictment, with the prosecution alleging he accepted bribes totaling over $500,000 while in office. The jury found Nagin guilty on 20 of those counts.

Below, more from the Associated Press:

Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin was convicted Wednesday on charges that he accepted bribes, free trips and other gratuities from contractors in exchange for helping them secure millions of dollars in city work while he was in office, including right after Hurricane Katrina. The federal jury found Nagin guilty of 20 of 21 counts against him. He sat quietly at the defense table after the verdict was read and his wife, Seletha, was being consoled in the front row.

Before the verdict, the 57-year-old Ray Nagin said outside the New Orleans courtroom: "I've been at peace with this for a long time. I'm good." more 

Reapplying for a US visa after deportation.....Q: I met and fell in love with this Christian man. We eventually got married. He told me that ......

ASK THE US EMBASSY:

Q: I met and fell in love with this Christian man. We eventually got married. He told me that he once lived in the United States, got into some problems and was imprisoned for about two years. He was deported in 1991. However, he refused to tell me the reason he was imprisoned. He said that immigration told him when he was departing the USA that he can reapply in five years time. I travel to the US regularly and would want him to accompany me. Is it possible for him to be granted a visa to re-enter the United States?"

According to the US Embassy,
some visa ineligibilities are related
to past criminal activity.

A: More than five years have elapsed since your husband's deportation in 1991, so he would no longer be ineligible on those grounds, assuming that was his only problem with immigration in the US. However, this does not remove the reasons that led to his deportation in the first place.

Some visa ineligibilities are related to past criminal activity. The type and length of the ineligibility will depend on the type and severity of the crime. If your husband decides to reapply for a visa, he will need to bring to the interview all documents he has regarding any arrest. The consular officer will then be able to determine whether or not your husband qualifies for a visitor's visa. You can find more information about how to apply for a visitor's visa on our website: http://kingston.usembassy.gov/nonimmigrant_visas.html. more

Reminder for US Citizens

Drama At the Funeral Home

Post by Jamaica IS Nice.

Uproar in the House as PM reveals JA$117m (approx. US$1.2m) spent on overseas trips Holness:A nasty episode of name-calling, jeers and shouts of abuse characterised most of the approximately hour-long interlude during which Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller.... Ministers must travel with frugality

A nasty episode of name-calling, jeers and shouts of abuse characterised most of the approximately hour-long interlude during which Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller answered questions about her frequent overseas trips in the House of Representatives yesterday.

(L-R) SIMSON MILLER... seven-day trip to
 Ethiopia cost $6.5 million. HOLNESS...
said he would not be deterred by noise
 and distraction

House Speaker Michael Peart fought to keep order during most of the period as Opposition Leader Andrew Holness posed some follow-up questions emanating from the 61-page document tabled by Simpson Miller with her answers to his original questions. There were only a few copies of the document available. The Opposition had to make do with two copies, and the Government members with probably two more. No copies were available for the press.

The prime minister's answers said that full cost of overseas visits by members of her Government, including junior ministers, was $117.8 million. The cost of trips paid for by the Office of the Prime Minister was $25 million for staff, and $15 million for the prime minister alone on her 25 trips. Holness was greeted with laughter and derision when he rose to ask additional questions. more

Twin Girls: Michael Jordan Twins: Athlete's Wife Gives Birth To Daughters Victoria And Ysabel

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Michael Jordan has more to be happy about than just the improved play of his NBA franchise.

His wife, Yvette, has given birth to the couple's identical twin daughters, Jordan's spokeswoman Estee Portnoy told The Associated Press.

Portnoy said Tuesday night Yvette Jordan, 35, gave birth to Victoria and Ysabel on Sunday in West Palm Beach, Fla. "Yvette Jordan and the babies are doing well and the family is overjoyed at their arrival," Portnoy said.

Michael Jordan

Jordan is the owner of the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats, who are currently the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and have a chance to make the postseason for the first time since he took over as majority owner in 2010. Jordan, who turns 51 next Monday, married former model Yvette Prieto on April 27 of last year in Palm Beach, Fla. The reception took place at a private golf club in Jupiter, Fla., designed by Jack Nicklaus. Jordan owns a home near the course.The couple met six years ago. more

Frederick McKinley Jones Inventor Frederick McKinley Jones was an African American inventor, entrepreneur, winner of the National Medal of Technology, and inductee of the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

more

Tom Brokaw Reveals Cancer Diagnosis, Says 'I Remain The Luckiest Guy I Know'

NBC News legend Tom Brokaw revealedTuesday that he has been diagnosed with cancer.

The 74-year-old former "NBC Nightly News" anchor said that he has multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow. NBC News said that he was given the diagnosis last August.

In a note to NBC staffers obtained by HuffPost, NBC News president Deborah Turness and NBCUniversal News Group chairman Pat Fili-Krushel said that Brokaw, who has worked at the network since 1966, had been given an optimistic prognosis by his doctors. "We all love Tom dearly and so we are pleased to let you know that he and his physicians are very encouraged with the progress he is making," they wrote. more

STUDY: Marijuana May Stop The Spread Of HIV, Study Finds

Marijuana has long been used to effectively treat symptoms associated with HIV, such as chronic pain and weight loss. But a growing body of research suggests the plant may be able to stop the spread of the disease itself.

Adding to these findings is a Louisiana State University study published last week in the journal AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses. For 17 months, scientists administered a daily dose of THC, an active ingredient in cannabis, to monkeys infected with an animal form of the virus. Over the course of that period, scientists found that damage to immune tissue in the primates' stomachs, one of the most common areas in the body for HIV infection to spread, decreased.

"These findings reveal novel mechanisms that may potentially contribute to cannabinoid-mediated disease modulation," Dr. Patricia Molina, the study's lead author, wrote. The report goes on to explain that while HIV spreads by infecting and killing off immune cells, the monkeys that received the daily THC treatments maintained higher levels of healthy cells.

Similar research spearheaded by Molina in 2011 found that infected monkeys treated with THC had a better chance of surviving. And a report published in 2012 pointed to evidence that marijuana-like compounds can fight HIV in late-stage AIDS patients. more

IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE: PALAS 2013 SUPPORTERS AWARDED 60 SCHOLARSHIPS TO JAMAICIAN STUDENTS AND RESCUED HOMELESS MEDICAL STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WEST INDIES .... 421% increase in contribution over last year supported 43% increase in Scholarships

Atlanta, GA (February, 2014) The Founder and Executive Board members of the Peace and Love Academic Scholarship Program, Inc. (PALAS, Inc.) would like to thank all of this year’s (2013-14) sponsoring partners, donors and contributors for making the year a great success in helping us to increase our scholarship awardees by 43%. The Scholarship Award Ceremony which was held on Saturday, August 24, 2013 at the University of West Indies (UWI) in Kingston, Jamaica resulted in a huge success with 60 new scholarships awarded and an increase of 421% contributions over last year. The Hon. Damion Crawford and Washington D.C. Attorney, Patrick Campbell delivered the keynote addresses to the 16 high school, 44 university scholarship recipients, with 300 guests/family members attending. 

Since PALAS’s launch in December 2010 in honor and memory of murdered Jamaican student Vanessa Campbell, 115 scholarships, 12 computers valued at US$50,300.00 were awarded. Fifteen of the recipients were medical students. The selection committee received several hundred files to evaluate this year from students in age range 12-32 yrs, 87 females, and 41 males from 39 High Schools/89 University applicants. PALAS selection committee recognizes the growing request for assistance that will continue to support this worthy cause of “Preserving Young Minds for Posterity”. more

EDITORIAL by Ruel E. Lowe: A word of warning...... Protect your possessions and treasures, or others will steal them.

Ruel E. Lowe

A word of warning Protect your possessions and treasures, or others will steal them. One of my pet peeves is: we have adopted many negative qualities of the USA, we have become too absorbed with ‘the here and now’, and only accept what is projected by the media. Our music is slowly being taken from us and we are contributing to it willingly. We don’t care about or show any interest in our musical history, as a result we have no foundation, hence we can easily be deceived and lead astray. Marley made it big on the world scene, and is one of Jamaica’s greatest musician/balladeer/music messengers, but he is not the only great entertainer Jamaica produced, but if one listens to the media, that, is the impression one would get Many great artists/entertainers/song writers/performers/producers of the past have been forgotten/ignored or not known about. Great foundation artist as Owen Gray, Wilfred Edwards, Bob Andy, Theophilus Beckford, Alton Ellis, Monty Morris, Ken Boothe, and many, many others are placed on the trash heap of the unappreciated. more

Vybz Kartel attorney takes issue with another police press release......The court has also issued a subpoena for Public Defender Earl Witter to appear in court tomorrow at the request of Tavares-Finson.

HEAD of the Jamaica Constabulary Force's Corporate Communications Unit, Deputy Superintendent Steve Brown, was hauled before the High Court yesterday during the Vybz Kartel murder trial after defence attorney Tom Tavares-Finson complained that Brown had not heeded a warning to be careful with the wording of press releases issued by the unit.

BROWN... summoned to the court
yesterday to explain the wording
of a press release issued
on the weekend

Tavares-Finson requested that Justice Lennox Campbell summon Brown to court to explain the wording of a release sent out on Friday, which stated that hoodlums had attempted to firebomb the house of a police sergeant who is a main witness for the prosecution in the case. Tavares-Finson fumed that Justice Campbell had asked a senior policeman last month to inform Brown that the wording of a previous release inferred that the vandals behind the cutting of fibre-optic cables belonging to two telecommunications firms were acting on behalf of individuals involved in a high-profile case.

However, he said the same words were used on the weekend when describing the police sergeant as being "a witness in a high-profile case that is now before the courts". This, the attorney said, was prejudicial against his client and the other accused men. more

VIDEO: Two bodies found in Half Way Tree-Kingston, Portmore (NEW).

HOMICIDE detectives were yesterday kept busy as the bodies of two men were found in Kingston and St Catherine within two hours of each other.

In the first incident, the body of 29-year-old Negus Whyte, also called 'Kemo', of a Kingston 11 address was found with gunshot wounds at the Constant Spring Road entrance to Pavilion Mall in Half-Way-Tree.

Police say that about 5:00 am they received reports of people hearing gunshots. "A search was carried out and Whyte's body was found with gunshot wounds," a detective from St Andrew Central Police Division told the Jamaica Observer.

Police say they are still trying to determine a motive for the murder, but sources alleged that Whyte was killed in a dispute over a phone. Police have, however, not confirmed that report. The murder created a traffic pile-up in the commercial hub during early morning drive time.

Meanwhile, as detectives carried out their probe in Half-Way-Tree their colleagues in Portmore, St Catherine were trying to identify a man whose bullet-riddled body was found on the Dyke Road, close to Jam World Entertainment Complex. Police report that about 7:00 am a motorist travelling along the road stumbled upon the body. The police were called and the scene processed. more

Shirley Temple dies at 85

Former child star became U.S. ambassador

Shirley Temple, who rose to fame as one of the most famous child actresses in Hollywood history, has died, according to her publicist.FULL STORY

• Fast facts: Who was she?
• Photos: People we lost in 2014  

IN JAMAICA: SHARE IF YOU CARE, Police seek 'Ruga' in kidnapping of 9-y-o St Ann girl

ST ANN, Jamaica – The police have released the name of a suspect in the kidnapping of a 9-year-old girl who was taken from her home in Ocho Rios, St Ann on Thursday, February 6.

Donald Kington is wanted for burglary as well as the kidnapping of the child, the police say.

This is a composite sketch developed
 by the police, not a photograph.

Kington, otherwise called ‘Parson’ and ‘Ruga’, a higgler of Cecelia Street, Exchange district, Ocho Rios is of slim build, brown complexion, has plaited hair, appears to be in his early 30’s and is about five-feet-seven-inches tall.

He is urged to turn himself in at the Ocho Rios Police Station by 6:00 pm, Tuesday, February 11. Anyone knowing his whereabouts is being asked to contact the Ocho Rios Police at 974-2533, Police 119 emergency number or the nearest police station. more

Two charged for double killing in Westmoreland......death of a common-law couple in the presence of their eight children at their home

SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland the Westmoreland police have charged two men for the shooting death of a common-law couple in the presence of their eight children at their home at Dalling Street Savanna-la-Mar nearly two weeks ago.

Rosemarie Wilson, also called ‘Wendy’.

The accused, 20-year-old mechanic Nicholas Reuben of 135 Dalling Street and 22-year-old unemployed Shane Delliser of Barracks Road, were charged over the weekend for the murders of 33-year-old Rosemarie Wilson, also called 'Wendy', and Junior Pilliner, otherwise called 'Tyan', a 44-year-old farmer. The accused are scheduled to appear in the Savanna-la-Mar RM Court later this week.

The common-law couple have left behind eight children, whose ages range from four to 19 years.

Jamaica Observer sources said Rueben had been before the court on an earlier charge for the alleged murder of 16-year-old St Peter Maxwell who was a friend of the slain couple's 18-year-old son. It was alleged that the two friends broke Reuben's foot during a fight in 2012. more

Obama Takes Surprising Immigration Action.....Obama Administration Easing Immigration Rule For Would-Be Asylum Seekers

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration has eased the rules for would-be asylum-seekers, refugees and others who hope to come to the United States or stay here and who gave "limited" support to terrorists or terrorist groups. The change is one of President Barack Obama's first actions on immigration since he pledged during his State of the Union address last month to use more executive directives.

Pres. Barack Obama

The Department of Homeland Security and the State Department now say that people considered to have provided "limited material support" to terrorists or terrorist groups are no longer automatically barred from the United States.

A post-Sept. 11 provision in immigrant law, known as terrorism related inadmissibility grounds, had affected anyone considered to have given support. With little exception, the provision has been applied rigidly to those trying to enter the U.S. and those already here but wanting to change their immigration status. For Morteza Assadi, a 49-year-old real estate agent in northern Virginia, the law has left him in a sort of immigration purgatory while his green card application has been on hold for more than a decade. more

'The Hillary Papers' Uncovered.....Archive of 'closest friend' paints portrait of ruthless First Lady

On May 12, 1992, Stan Greenberg and Celinda Lake, top pollsters for Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign, issued a confidential memo. The memo’s subject was “Research on Hillary Clinton.”

Hillary Clinton

Voters admired the strength of the Arkansas first couple, the pollsters wrote. However, “they also fear that only someone too politically ambitious, too strong, and too ruthless could survive such controversy so well.” Their conclusion: “What voters find slick in Bill Clinton, they find ruthless in Hillary.”

The full memo is one of many previously unpublished documents contained in the archive of one of Hillary Clinton’s best friends and advisers, documents that portray the former first lady, secretary of State, and potential 2016 presidential candidate as a strong, ambitious, and ruthless Democratic operative. more

IN JAMAICA: No ganja growing until it is legal to do so...... Marijuana lobby wants Gov't to regulate industry

Marijuana

Jamaica's first ganja growers association has begun to take shape, but potential members are being advised not to start cultivation of the weed, until the legal green light has been given.

The backers of the Ganja Future Growers and Producers Association have proposed that, as a condition of membership, interested parties sign a declaration that "they will not take any part, directly or indirectly, in the growing/cultivation of ganja until there is a legal and regulated framework for the growing of ganja".

Barack Obama, Juan Manuel Santos and Paul Chang

The association, which was launched on January 18, is an initiative of the Cannabis Commercial and Medicinal Task Force, the Ganja Law Reform Coalition and the National Alliance for the Legalisation of Ganja, spearheaded by Paul Burke, Delano Seiveright and Paul Chang, with the recent addition of University of the West Indies Principal Professor Archibald McDonald.

The reason for the no-grow proposal formulated by the National Alliance for the Legalisation of Ganja was not immediately clear, but there were suggestions yesterday that several parliamentarians on both sides of the House who support decriminalisation or legalisation of ganja, could be in conflict with the law while it remains on the books. more

IN JAMAICA: Preps On Top - Survey Says Private Schools Best At GSAT; Primaries Lagging Behind

IF A child was born in rural Jamaica and attends a public school, he or she is more likely to be performing below average on the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) than a child living in urban centres and attending private school.

Students from schools across the island
 react after receiving GSAT results
 in previous years. - File Photos

This is the harsh reality a Gleaner-commissioned study compiled by Johnson Survey Research has revealed.

The analysis of the 2013 GSAT results further exposes the disparity in the quality of education that students at the primary level are receiving in public schools compared to private institutions across the island.

The majority of the primary, all-age, and junior-high schools are lagging behind preparatory schools, which are generally populated by students from higher-income households.

Students from schools across the
 island react after receiving GSAT
results in previous years. - File Photos

Of the top 1,022 institutions that prepared students for the high school entrance exam last school year, only four government-operated schools managed to make it to the top 100, with Retirement Primary in St Ann placing the highest at 49. more