IN JAMAICA: Five UTech Students Get Scholarships From Chinese Embassy

Sheldon Williams, Staff Reporter

Nadeisha Greene, a future dentist, was one of five students at the University of Technology (UTech) who had difficulty meeting thetuition and other financial requirements of her degree programme. 

But like four of her cohorts, her excellent academic performance earned her a Chinese Ambassador Scholarship, an inaugural scholarship funded by the Chinese Embassy in Kingston.

Greene, who is in her third year of study in the doctor of medical dentistry programme, was thrilled at the assistance received from the Chinese government, valued at US$ 8,000. "I applied for the scholarship because my course is very expensive and I do not have adequate funding because student loan alone cannot cover the fee. It's almost $2 million a year for the school fee. This year, it is $1.93 million," she said.

INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

She emphasised that her time isn't restricted to academia as she is also involved in community activities. "I am part of the Top Range community development committee, a community-based organisation," she said. more

No Ebola in Jamaica — The Ministry of Health says there is no truth to information circulating about a case of Ebola in Jamaica..

Saturday, September 27, 2014 Jamaica Observer

THE Ministry of Health says there is no truth to information circulating about a case of Ebola in Jamaica..

"We are not investigating a suspected case, and we have no reason to consider that anyone in the country at this time is suspected of having Ebola," acting permanent secretary in the ministry, Dr Kevin Harvey, told journalists at an impromptu press briefing in New Kingston yesterday.

A Nigerian port health official uses a thermometer
 to screen Muslim pilgrims for Ebola at the Hajj camp
 before boarding a plane for Saudi Arabia at
the Murtala Muhammed International Airport
in Lagos. (PHOTO: AP)

According to Harvey, the rumours started when a doctor, who had recently returned to the island from Trinidad and Tobago, was admitted to the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) on Thursday with a reported case of bleeding.

He said the 65-year old senior physician has fully recovered and "there is no consideration of a diagnosis of Ebola."

"He has been comprehensively investigated by our medical team, has recovered, has had investigations including a computerised tomography (CT) scan, which shows that the person had a fracture to the skull due to a fall, which resulted in the bleeding," Dr Harvey disclosed.

He noted further that the doctor had not travelled to any Ebola-affected country and there was no possibility of contact with any infected person.

At the time that the doctor was admitted to UHWI, an Ebola planning meeting and training for medical officers was underway at the facility, and this, Dr Harvey surmised, may have led to the rumours.

"So, maybe that is what heightened the suspicion yesterday (Friday)," he said.

A 55-year-old British woman dies after car falls over Flat Bridge

Saturday, September 27, 2014

    

A  55-year-old British resident died Thursday night as a result of injuries she received when the vehicle in which she was travelling fell into the Rio Cobre in St Catherine.

A police report said Mary Gwendolyn and two friends were in a Toyota Sprinter motor car about 9:30 pm when the driver reportedly misjudged the turn to enter the Flat Bridge and the car plunged into the river.

The occupants of the vehicle were assisted by people at the scene and rushed to hospital where Gwendolyn was pronounced dead.

BREAKING STORY: Woman beheaded in Oklahoma

Woman beheaded
in Oklahoma

'This guy was not going to stop'

A just-fired employee returned to work with a knife and attacked two women before he was shot by the company's chief operating officer -- an off-duty deputy -- authorities say.FULL STORY

• Police: Deputy stopped attack  

Fitzroy Francis of MIGHTYFUL 13 interview with RULA BROWN on RulaBrownNetwork

UTech extends fee payment deadline after protest by students Friday, September 26, 2014

SCORES of University of Technology (UTech) students yesterday staged a demonstration at the institution's campus in Papine to protest against the current payment policy for tuition fees as well as 'poor' facilities.

UTECH students demonstrating outside gate 

The placard-bearing students, several of whom were dressed in black, gathered at the front of the school from as early as 9:00 am to raise their concerns.

"What is happening is a peaceful student demonstration in light of some injustice that we have been facing as students since the start of academic year," said Delta Wright, president of the UTech Students' Union.

Wright said the Student Council, which is the governing body for the union, has been in dialogue with the university administration about the issues but they were yet to be addressed.

The university's fee payment option, she said, required that 80 per cent of tuition fees be paid by September 30, after which a

late- payment fee would be applied.

"... The changes were communicated [to us] late... which has seriously hampered the students' plans," said Wright.

The university's acting president, Burchell Whiteman, who met with representatives of the union after the protest, said steps would be taken to deal with all the concerns.

The acting president said that arising from the meeting a decision was taken to maintain the 80:20 ratio arrangement of a minimum of 80 per cent of the total tuition cost for modules selected. more

GOOD NEWS In JAMAICA: Murders down 18% for the period January 1 to September 24, according to police statistics shared by the Government yesterday.....A total of 714 murders were reported,

THE country has recorded an 18 per cent reduction in murders for the period January 1 to September 24, according to police statistics shared by the Government yesterday.

A total of 714 murders were reported, compared to 871 for the same period last year.

Two Sundays ago, the Jamaica Observer reported that up to Friday, September 12, the murder toll since the start of the year stood at 698 -- 15 per cent less than the 819 recorded for the same period last year.

Yesterday, National Security Minister Peter Bunting, while encouraged by the reduction, said the numbers were still too high.

Bunting spoke about the murder figures during an address to the Realtors Association of Jamaica Annual General Meeting in New Kingston.

The Jamaica Information Service (JIS) reported Bunting as saying that if the trend remains at the current pace, although not desirable, there is a high possibility of the murder figure for the calendar year remaining under 1,000.

This, he said, would be the first time in "many, many" years, and would represent a "psychological benchmark", the JIS reported.

Last night, Deputy Commissioner of Police in Charge of Crime Glenmore Hinds said he was pleased with the reduction and the general downward trend in all other major crimes.

"However, the fight is far from over, as the criminals are still out there; they are still brazen, as evidenced by the callous murder of young Constable James Grant on Tuesday in August Town," Hinds said. more

Serial Rapist Patrick Green, caught in JAMAICA? DNA Links Alleged Culprit To Irwin Point in St. James Rape, Several Others....Four women and a child were sexually assaulted in a two-hour ordeal, which resulted in the hospitalisation of the child.

Adrian Frater, News Editor Published September 26, 2014 by The Gleaner

Western Bureau: Just under two years after DNA evidence exonerated brothers Kerron and Sheldon Brissett as perpetrators in the brutal 2012 rape of five females, including an eight-year-old girl, at Irwin Point in St James, the 'exact science' has now positively identified another man as the culprit.

Warren Clarke, Assistant Commissioner of Police

Patrick Green, who was arrested and charged after the Brissett brothers were freed, was positively identified yesterday, as his DNA matched samples investigators had found at the scene of the brutal rape, which drew widespread condemnation.

"The laboratory where the testing was done has just informed us that the DNA taken from Patrick Green matched the DNA that was found at the Irwin Point rape scene," Assistant Commissioner of Police Warren Clarke, the commanding officer for Area One, which spans Trelawny, St James, Hanover and Westmoreland, told The Gleaner late yesterday afternoon.

IMPLICATED IN OTHER CASES

The DNA result has also implicated Green, who was already in custody, in other unsolved rapes cases in western Jamaica, also in cases in Clarendon and other parts of the island, said ACP Clarke.

"Based on what we are seeing, he definitely appears to be a serial rapist," he said.

The collective consciousness of the nation was shaken shortly after 10:30 p.m. on the night of September 24, 2012, when armed thugs invaded a home in Irwin Point and forced four adult female and a child into a nearby open lot. All five were sexually assaulted in a two-hour ordeal, which resulted in the hospitalisation of the child. more

Derek Jeter final at bat wins it for the New York Yankees......hits walk-off single in final Yankee Stadium at-bat to beat Baltimore 6-5

In his final game in the Bronx, Derek Jeter gave New York Yankees fans one final moment they'll always remember.

Derek Jeter

With one out and a baserunner on second in the bottom of the ninth, Jeter took the first pitch he saw and lined a walk-off single to right field to give the Yankees a 6-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. The 14-time All-Star was mobbed by teammates after he rounded first base as a sellout crowd of 48,613 fans went into a frenzy.

"I want to thank everyone here. I've said it time and time again. Everybody is chanting 'Thank you, Derek.' And I'm thinking to myself, 'For what?' I'm just trying to do my job. Thank you guys," an uncharacteristically emotional Jeter said. "If I'm going to be honest with you, these last few weeks have gotten tougher and tougher. I've told you members of the media I didn't want to talk about it because I try not to think about it. But it was very, very difficult. But it was all worth while." more

IN JAMAICA: Judge Calls For Fumigation Of Supreme Court Building in Downtown Kingston, Fears Chikungunya Spread

Supreme Court in Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Published: Thursday September 25, 2014
A high court judge today requested that the Supreme Court building in downtown Kingston, be given urgent attention over fears the chikungunya virus could seriously cripple the court's operations. 

Justice Gloria Smith says alot of mosquitoes are on the Supreme Court building. The judge says she has requested that the building be fumigated. The virus is spread by the mainly day-biting Aedes aegypti mosquito. 

Earlier today, one of the four criminal courts at the Home Circuit Court, adjourned following reports that two of the jurors in a murder matter are experiencing chikungunya-like symptoms. 
The case, which has been ongoing in the affected courtroom for the past week, was put off until Monday. 

Meanwhile, a number of cases had to be adjourned in the Gun Court this week. 

The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre understands that witnesses, including police officers could not attend court this week because of chikungunya-like symptoms. In several of the cases, the accused were reportedly present but the cases had to be adjourned because of the absence of witnesses. 

It is also understood that court staff are also being affected by the mosquito-spread virus. more

23-year-old Jamaican, Rayon Bartley wanted for murder at Alabama resort arrested in Florida

HOOVER, Alabama (AP) —Thursday, September 25, 2014 | 7:02 PM 

Authorities say a Jamaican man, who worked for a janitorial service on a temporary visa, is suspected of killing his former boss after being fired from a resort near Birmingham, Alabama.

Hoover police say 23-year-old Rayon Bartley was arrested late Wednesday at a Greyhound bus station in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Police say Bartley was fired from his janitorial job at Marriott Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa on Monday.

Authorities believe he returned early Tuesday and shot his former boss, 36-year-old Jose Raul Cardenas-Ramirez of Vestavia Hills. He was found dead in a service corridor.

Police later received a tip that Bartley was on a bus for West Palm Beach, where he has family. He's now charged with murder.‏ more

ROOTS singer Luciano is set to become the first Jamaican reggae artiste to perform in the south-east African country of Malawi.

ROOTS singer Luciano is set to become the first Jamaican reggae artiste to perform in the south-east African country of Malawi.

An article in the Malawi Nyasa Times newspaper reports that he will play at the Lilongwe Golf Club on October 19 in the capital city Lilongwe.

Luciano

He was invited to Malawi by Nelson Shaba, a Malawian musician/promoter who lives in South Africa where he operates Born Afrikan Productions.

The newspaper also reported that Luciano has other African gigs in October but did not state where.

Luciano is said to be popular in Malawi through songs such as Lord Give Me Strength, Sweep Over My Soul, It's Me Again Jah and New Day.

The Malawi Nyasa Times noted that dub poet Mutabaruka has visited Malawi twice for the Blantyre Arts Festival but did not perform.

Tune in to www.RulaBrownNetwork.com broadcast 24/7 with the best mix of music, news, views, interviews and information to please you.

Tune in to www.RulaBrownNetwork.com broadcast 24/7 with the best mix of music, news, views, interviews and information to please you. The Peace and Love Vibration show with RULA BROWN every Mon, Tues, Thur, Fri 9am-12 Noon ET and Sundays 3-7pm ET. See you in the chat room. "Making A Real Difference Together"

PORTLAND, JAMAICA: 102-y-o Henry Percival Cameron says men's hearts have grown desperately wicked....recalled that crime was once non-existent, people did not depend on politicians for food and politics was clean.

AT 102-years-old, Henry Percival Cameron recalled that crime was once non-existent, people did not depend on politicians for food and politics was clean.

CAMERON... sin has reached a standard that men
 do anything as they like now (PHOTOS: KENYON HEMANS)

But that was true decades ago. Today he cringes at how things have changed for the worse.

"You could go up and down and carry out you business as you like and no one don't interrupt you like how they do it now," Cameron told the Jamaica Observer during an interview at his Black Hill home in Portland recently.

"Sin has reached a standard that men do anything as they like now. Things have changed. But I give God thanks for the changes of life. Men's hearts weren't so desperately wicked like now. men's hearts change up. The Bible tells you that men's hearts grow desperately wicked," he continued.

Cameron was born on April 23, 1912 in Port Antonio, Portland. He attended Buff Bay and then Tranquility Elementary schools.

He worked with the Ministry of Agriculture from 1931 to 1985 as a banana pollinator, producing seeds from bananas that included taking the pollen from one variety of the fruit and implanting it into another.

Cameron said that back then, Jamaica was better off politically, and that standard continued when Sir Alexander Bustamante took over the reins of the country in the 1940s.

"Politicians used to treat you good. Whatever you need and you asked them if they could make it possible they would do it," the centenarian recalled. "But things were so cheap in those days that you didn't have to worry them because you get things to buy easily." more 

Top 10 Global Health Issues in 2014..... 1) Youth 2) The lasting damage of war 3) Universal health coverage

3. Universal health coverage
Universal health coverage: for so long, it has seemed an unreachable Shangri-La of global health. But it is possible, and we’ll get a little bit closer in 2014. Basic health services for all will take cooperation across governments, donors, civil society, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector. It’ll also take health workers. Until we eliminate the shortage and recognize the health workforce as the key to making care available to all 7 billion of us, the door to this ideal will remain closed.

• Check out: Can We Put Aside Our Differences for Universal Health Coverage?

2. The lasting damage of war
Rebellion in South Sudan. Civil war in Syria. Devastating coups and rebel attacks in Mali and the Central African Republic. Countries around the world—many of whose health sectors were already shaky—suffered ruinous conflicts during 2013. The violence and destruction of war crumble not only buildings, but governments and infrastructures as well. It will take years for those countries to rebuild; 2014 will be just the start. Meanwhile, entire populations will go without consistent health care as diseases spread and health workers’ numbers dwindle, especially in the most dangerous zones.

• Check out: As Occupation Ends in Mali, Health Sector to Begin Slow Recovery

1. Youths
Today we have the largest population of youth in human history. Of the seven billion people on the planet, more than three billion are under the age of 25. More than 80% percent of 15- to 25-year-olds live in developing countries. And every year more than 14 million births occur among adolescent girls in these countries. Not only do young people represent a huge population in need of health care and education, but they also need to have a voice in the world conversation about global health—including family (or future) planning. Health workers in 2014 will work harder than ever to address this population’s needs. And the face of the health workforce will grow a little more youthful as more young people choose careers in health. more

NYPD Caught on Tape Slamming Pregnant Woman to the Ground Belly First

The New York Police Department has once again been caught on videotape committing another outrage — this time tackling a five-months pregnant woman and slamming her to the ground belly first as she tried to intervene when cops in Sunset Park were beating her 17-year-old son.Throughout the summer, NYPD officers have been caught on tape on numerous occasions exhibiting brutality against Black and brown New York City residents. The most outrageous was the July death of 43-year-old father Eric Garner, who died after being placed in a chokehold by a Staten Island officer.Sandra Amezquita, 43, who immigrated to the U.S. from Colombia, according to the New York Daily News, suffered vaginal bleeding after the Saturday morning incident. The News said her belly and arm still have visible bruises.“You would think the police would respect a woman that is pregnant,” Amezquita said through an interpreter in an exclusive interview with The News. “I was afraid something happened to my baby. I am still afraid that something is wrong.”She said she still has abdominal pain from the incident. more

38 Black Celebrities You May Not Have Known Were of Jamaican Descent .....Actress Kerry Washington’s mother is Jamaican.....Artist and Black Eyed Peas member Will.i.am has Jamaican parents.....R&B singer Alicia Keys’ father is Jamaican... See more at www.RulaBrownNetwork.com

R&B singer Alicia Keys’ father
is Jamaican.

   

Artist and Black Eyed Peas
 member
 Will.i.am has Jamaican parents.

September 23, 2014 | Posted by G. Thorpe 

Actress Kerry Washington’s mother is Jamaican. 

See more

35 Not Out! - Chris Gayle Hits Big With Birthday Celebration... In da house Beenieman, Demarco, Yohan Blake, Wavell Hinds and much more

Published: Wednesday | September 24, 2014

Entertainers, athletes and, of course, West Indies cricketers. Chris Gayle's 35th birthday celebration packed serious star power and provided a great mix of good company and even better entertainment.

Chris Gayle and fans at birthday party

Held at Triple Century Sports Bar on Saturday night, the celebration may have marked another year for Gayle, but, to patrons, it provided an epic party experience they won't forget any time soon.

Beenieman

At 11:30 p.m., a few persons were enjoying the early vibe. DJ Log On provided early entertainment and did not disappoint the small crowd. With a host of '90s dancehall hits, the DJ sent the audience into nostalgia, as they 'bogled' their way into the next segment.

Gayle getting down

It, however, did not take long for the venue to fill to capacity, the 2-for-1deal for females accounting for the large number of female patrons.

The party was now in full swing, and DJ Log On continued his good showing by delivering recent dancehall hits from the likes of Beenie Man, Mr Vegas, Bounty Killer, Vybz Kartel and Mavado, among others. He managed to get the crowd hyped and ready for Chromatic, who took control of the turntables at 1 a.m.

Demarco

ENERGETIC CROWD

With the crowd in party mode, Chromatic seemed to feed off their energy and, with every song played, the crowd erupted. The deejay seemed to hit a huge six when he selected Vybz Kartel's Virginity and Mavado and Stacious' Come Into My Room. Without him having to give instructions, men and women automatically coupled up, gyrating on each other, heating up the already hot dancefloor. more

10 Foods That Are Slowly Killing You

ActiveBeat connects health-conscious individuals with important news and information in the fast-paced world of health. From recalls and outbreaks to diet, nutrition and fitness we cover everything you need to know about health, every day.

Dismembered Japanese girl, 6, found in plastic bags....DNA tests confirmed the body parts were those of Mirei Ikuta

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) -Wednesday, September 24, 2014 | 2:20 AM    

The dismembered body of a six-year-old Japanese girl has been found in several plastic bags near her home, police said Wednesday.

DNA tests confirmed the body parts were those of Mirei Ikuta, who went missing in the western Japan city of Kobe on September 11, local police said.

Media reports said officers were questioning a 47-year-old man who lives in the neighbourhood.

Japan has one of the world's lowest crime rates and violent crime is relatively rare. It is not uncommon for children as young as six to walk home alone from school, even in big cities.

An intensive search was launched after Mirei failed to return home two weeks ago, but there were no leads until a number of foul-smelling plastic bags were uncovered in a bush just 100 metres (yards) from the girl's house on Tuesday.

They contained the head, the upper torso with arms, and the legs, a police spokesman told AFP by telephone, adding that some body parts had yet to be found.

Clothes and sandals believed to belong to the girl were also found at the site, he added.

Police, soldiers flood August Town a day after Police Constable James Grant was shot dead by criminals in the St Andrew community.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014 

Police and soldiers yesterday flooded August Town, a day after Police Constable James Grant was shot dead by criminals in the St Andrew community.

The police also vowed to bring Constable Grant's killers to justice.

Police patrolling in August Town

"We will continue to increase our presence in the area and will not ease up the pressure until criminals responsible for the attack are brought to justice," a senior policeman told the Jamaica Observer.

Constable Grant, 35, was shot in the head while on duty in a section of the hotbed community called African Gardens. The constable, who joined the force in 2001, was assigned to Half-Way-Tree Police Station.

Yesterday, the presence of the lawmen was welcomed by some residents.

"We really happy to see that the police are in the area, and we want to encourage them to continue to do their job as some things are happening in the area and it really needs to be addressed," said one resident, who did not wished to be identified.

A number of residents complained that criminals carrying high-powered weapons were taking over the community and using hilly areas as hideouts.

"We want to see the police 24/7 in the area," one man declared.

But there were others who blasted the cops, accusing them of intimidating residents. more

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IN JAMAICA: Who Poisoned Senior Superintendent of Police Henry? - Family Demands New Probe As Jury Fails To Finger Culprit

Livern Barrett, Gleaner Writer

A coroner's jury has found that former Senior Superintendent of Police Dathan Henry was "systematically poisoned" in 2012 but said there was not enough evidence to point the finger at those responsible.

Dathan Henry

According to presiding coroner Patrick Murphy, the seven-member jury, in their unanimous verdict, concluded that "rat insecticide" was the agent used to poison the former commanding officer for the troubled Clarendon division that has been linked to the death squad investigation.

"They [jurors] agreed that he was poisoned, but they don't have the information to say how he was poisoned or who poisoned him," Murphy explained.

The verdict, which came after 35 minutes of deliberation, means that if new information is uncovered, the police can reopen the probe into Henry's death.

The family of the late senior cop said they were somewhat disappointed with the outcome because they were "looking for somebody to be prosecuted".

family pushing for probe

Roxan Henry, SSP Henry's brother and the family spokesman, made it clear that they will continue their push to have the police conduct a more detailed probe and are contemplating hiring an attorney to ensure that this happens.

"He did not poison himself ... he did not commit suicide. Someone poisoned him," Roxan Henry insisted. more

Lukie D lusts for more airtime.....His self-produced single -- "Crying Over You" -- has found its way on the playlist of several radio stations.

IN between his busy touring schedule, singer Lukie D still finds time to record. His self-produced single -- Crying Over You -- has found its way on the playlist of several radio stations.

However, he feels it deserves more airtime.

"It is being played, I've heard it. The rotation is not at the level where I would want it. Good music is good music. Once you record a great track, your fans will eventually hear it," he told the Jamaica Observer.

The 42-year-old singer says he intends to release an album next year. His last solo album, Deliver Me, was released in 2006.

                     Lukie D lusts for more airtime

"The album will be mostly originals, perhaps one cover track. But new stuff will be coming out by year-end going into the new year," he said.

With the decline in record sales globally, Lukie D says touring is a viable option for artistes.

"In addition to a drop in record sales, there is also drastic reduction in the number of local stage shows. So, you have to look outwards in order to survive. You have to tour," he said.

Since the start of the year, the singer has racked up shows in the United States, Canada, Germany, and Grenada. However, he holds a particular location close to his heart.

"Hawaii is like my next yard. They really appreciate good reggae music. I've performed in O'ahu, Kaho'olawe, and Waikiki," he said.

The Polynesian archipelago is home to a number of reggae bands including Malino, The Green, Rebel Souljahz, Rootikal Riddim and Sashamon.

Lukie D, whose given name is Michael Kennedy, is also part of the vocal quartet LUST. They are scheduled to perform at Soul in the Sun slated for The Aqueduct in Rose Hall, just outside Montego Bay, on October 10 - 12.

Lukie D's solo hit songs include Center of Attraction. With LUST, his chart hits include Sweetness of Your Love and a cover of Air Supply's Just As I Am.