IN JAMAICA: Steady decline in police-related killings, INDECOM says....at the end of October 2014, the Commission recorded 103 fatalities, 117 less than last year for the same period when 220 such incidents were recorded.

Monday, November 10, 2014 | 5:08 PM    
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) says it has recorded a steady decline in the number of security-force related fatalities for the past 10 months of 2014.
According to INDECOM at the end of October 2014, the Commission recorded 103 fatalities, 117 less than last year for the same period when 220 such incidents were recorded.
The months reflecting the highest numbers of fatalities for 2014 were January with 22 and February and May with 14 each, INDECOM said.
In the previous year the months with the highest number of incidents were January with 30, June with 35, October with 40 and February with 27. Of the 10 months reviewed this year, five recorded single-digit figures. In the previous year only one month recorded single digit number of fatalities, INDECOM reported.
Of note INDECOM said, is the sharp decline in fatalities recorded this October. Last year 40 fatalities were recorded in the month, while in 2014 five were recorded, representing an 87.5 per cent decline.
According to INDECOM, if incidents of fatalities continue on the current trajectory, Jamaica may see its lowest number of security force-related fatalities since INDECOM began operations in August 2010.

Chikungunya (CHIKV) outbreak in region not slowing down...The outbreak, which began last December, has caused an estimated 795,000 chikungunya cases in 37 countries and territories in the Western Hemisphere

Monday, November 10, 2014    
ATLANTA, United Stated (CMC) — The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that the  outbreak in Caribbean and Central and South American countries continues to spread with no sign of slowing down.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito that transmits the chikungunya
virus. The Caribbean Public Health Agency says that as of
 October 27, 23 of its 24 member states had reported cases
of the virus. The West African country is among the hardest
hit by the deadly Ebola virus, which the Caribbean Community
is intent on keeping at bay.
According to the CDC, "the painful mosquito-borne disease will likely continue to infect travellers to the region during the rest of this year and beyond".
The outbreak, which began last December, has caused an estimated 795,000 chikungunya cases in 37 countries and territories in the Western Hemisphere as of the end of October, said CDC in its latest update.
It said more than 1,600 travellers returning to the United States with chikungunya have been reported, as of November 4.
Before this outbreak, the CDC said an average of 28 travellers with chikungunya fever returned to the United States each year. It estimates that about nine million people travel between the United States and Caribbean each year.
"During fall and winter, people in the United States might not be thinking about mosquitoes as a risk for diseases. So those who will be visiting the Caribbean or Central or South America should be aware of the risk of chikungunya in these areas this fall and winter and remember their insect repellent and other tips for staying safe," it said in a statement. more

JAMAICA OBSERVER: 'The devil is in the church'. When the sermon was about me....what happens when you've confessed your misdeeds to the pastor, then hear reference to your sins in the next Sunday's service? Are the Pastors Hypocrites?

By KIMBERLEY HIBBERT  Monday, November 10, 2014    
MANY of us would have experienced even one of those hellfire sermons at some point in our lives, where the preaching is to repent, or face eternal damnation. They've been used as fodder to draw souls to the altar for ages, and charismatic preachers in particular will make sinners feel that it's a 'come now or face damnation' matter.
But what happens when you've confessed your misdeeds to the pastor, then hear reference to your sins in the next Sunday's service? What happens when the preacher resorts to leaving the pulpit for the pews, where he urges you to repent, listing every sin from fornication to jealousy?
Below readers share some of the moments in church when their sins, or perceived sins, were laid bare by the pastor for everyone to hear.


Michelle, 46:
I'm a Christian now but back then, in my 20s, I was a hard party girl. But I would go to church anyway, because I grew up in the church. It was also a time when I didn't realise what appropriate attire was. Well, there was a Mennonite church near to my house and one Sunday I decided to visit. Sure, the dress was a little too short and the make-up too heavy, but that didn't give the preacher authority to criticise. As soon as I walked in, he stopped what he was doing and lamented, 'The devil is in the church!' Everyone turned around to look at me, walking up the aisle.
Rochelle, 24:
I had just started working, but I didn't give tithes for about two months. The third month into my job, the pastor said, 'When some of us never had the job, we used to fast and pray. Now we're feasting and not giving God his share'. The lady beside me kept glancing at me and nodding, with her lips set in a duck-face position. more

IN JAMAICA, Samantha inspires : After being diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2013, 25-year-old Samantha David is determined to kick the cancer to the kerb....." I use my energy to motivate others and encourage them when they're down."

By KIMBERLEY HIBBERT  Monday, November 10, 2014    
AFTER being diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2013, 25-year-old Samantha David is determined to kick the cancer to the kerb.
Ready for the battlefield, she's offering support to those who need it, who may be facing or fighting similar challenges, even as she fights for her own life.
Samantha David
"I know what it's like to need encouragement and not have it. My mom was strong even though she felt the strain. I want people like me or people going through their own problems to remain positive, because being negative only defeats your healing process," she said.
As such, David devoted herself to ministering to others while a patient in hospital, and hopes to begin advocacy for cancer patients when she recovers.
"While on the ward, I used my time to encourage persons with the word of God and my experiences. There was this lady who didn't have cancer but was always crying and her boyfriend said to her, 'Every day I come here you're crying, and Samantha has cancer and I've never seen her cry yet'. I use my energy to motivate others and encourage them when they're down. Anyone can have it and it is not easy being by yourself or not having someone to encourage you," she told All Woman.
David explained that before the diagnosis she had symptoms for three years but could not get a confirmation.
"After doing the first set of biopsies I gave up, because I was going to the doctor every month and going to the clinic every other week. I was being treated for autoimmune disease, overactive eczema, among other things. I experienced excess itching, swelling of the chest and neck, but the tests were inconclusive. It's very tough, especially having it for so long and not knowing," she said.
However, on recommendation from her then human resources manager in 2012 to see a doctor at Medical Associates, she learned of the condition that has significantly changed her life.
"At the time I had a fever that would not break and it basically became a part of me. When I saw the doctor, he took one look at me and said, 'Get ready, I'm going to admit you'. I did additional biopsies in December 2012 and by January 2013 I had a confirmation." more

Only Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) can stop JLP from victory, says Andrew Holness...."I see a bright future ahead and the only factor that can stop us from achieving that bright future is us,"


Andrew Holness and team
KINGSTON, Jamaica -- Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader Andrew Holness Sunday night signalled the readiness of his party for the upcoming election claiming that the only thing that could stop a victory at the polls, were party supporters. "I see a bright future ahead and the only factor that can stop us from achieving that bright future is us," said Holness as he called on party supporters to come out in their numbers to vote. Local Government elections are constitutionally due next year ...More

St. Thomas, JAMAICA: Georgian Walker helping her students create items from everyday materials.... "The creative side comes out in the children because I get them to do a lot of things," Walker said.

BY INGRID BROWN Associate Editor -- Special Assignment browni@jamaicaobserver.com  Monday, November 10, 2014    
STUDENTS at Logwood Basic, a small early childhood school tucked away in St Thomas, have been finding their creative sides, thanks to the exceptional talent of their teacher and principal Georgian Walker.
01
These students use fudge sticks to create letters
"The creative side comes out in the children because I get them to do a lot of things," Walker said. "I think it is very important that you start them doing things like this at an early age because I see where it helps them with their learning."
Walker, who has been head of the school since 2012, is known for assisting the four- and five-year-olds to create items from everyday materials found around the home.
"I utilise a lot of the everyday things such as rice, peas, macaroni and so on," she said, while displaying a wide variety of items created from these products.
Walker's talent is evident from the minute one enters the classroom, as the charts and other art work decorating the walls all around make it a most inviting place.
The students pose with Principal Georgian Walker (left),
 teacher Lavern Daley (centre) and volunteer
Sasha-Gaye Bailey.
Also of note are the many beautiful teaching aids which Walker has personally made to assist the children with things such as telling the time to learning Spanish words.
"I really don't like the ready-made charts, so I tend to make a lot of the learning aids, that way I can put whatever I want on it," she told the Jamaica Observer North East.
Walker, who has been working with children for the last 14 years, said her most creative moments are before dawn as she is up by 3:00 every morning to prepare new teaching materials.
"I know this is a gift," she said of her varied talents. more

PALAS Students making huge strides in JAMAICA: 5 of Jamaica's promising UWI graduates under 25...Nicole Nation, medical student and author of this article & Steven Jackson, Lawyer, whose roots are from Jarrett Lane (Mtn View Ave) are both PALAS recipients.

BY NICOLE NATION Career and Education writer  for the Jamaica Observer Sunday, November 09, 2014    
THEY'RE five of Jamaica's influential youngsters, representative of what the country's youth are capable of. These young Jamaicans and University of the West Indies (UWI) graduates are smart and full of ideas, proving that the future of Jamaica is bright.
Steven Jackson
Steven Jackson Tariq Parker
At just 22, Kingstonian Steven Jackson is the proud holder of a UWI honours degree in law. It is said that Sagittarian men are wise intellectuals and this can be said of Jackson, who even as a Kingston College student, demonstrated great promise as evidenced by his insatiable thirst for knowledge. His friends say he would never miss an opportunity to win an argument, even if his views weren't popular.
Jackson has interned with prestigious law firms including Bailey, Terrelonge and Allen, and Swaby-Samuels and Associates, where he assisted some of the Caribbean's best legal minds in the preparation of cases for the Supreme Court of Jamaica, the Family Court and the Resident Magistrate's courts. His diverse skill set proved to be valuable in that he also prepared legal material for media presentations as well as accounting documents for clients.
He works with Professor Verene Shepherd on the Nationwide News Network programme Talking History.
This go-getter is also the treasurer of the Mona Law Society and a mentor in the society's 'Save the Males' initiative. Jackson also has vocal prowess as he is the head chorister of the esteemed Kingston College Chapel Choir.
Tariq Parker
Malysha Kelly Yanique DaCosta
Nicole Nation, PALAS recipient
& Medical student at UWI
received a BSc degree in Science
 with honors in Oct 2014.
She will receive her Medical degree
in 2 years from UWI.
Twenty-three-year-old Tariq Parker vividly recalls that as a young boy, he wanted to be an astronaut, inventor, then a physicist or even a lawyer like his father. However, his aptitude for science was the driving force behind his decision to become a doctor. As a student at Wolmer's Boys', he demonstrated his prowess in the sciences, as he gained 19 distinctions in his CXC, CSEC, and CAPE examinations. This progressive thinker is a graduate of the UWI's medical programme with an honours degree. He also recently received honours in general medicine, general surgery and obstetrics and gynaecology. Additionally, he received the subject prizes for the best top Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) student in internal medicine and general surgery across the UWI's four campuses. His friends will tell you that he is always laughing and that his smile is infectious.
His very laid-back personality will see him on the weekends liming with friends. more

JAMAICA HEARTBREAK : Search for missing seven-year-old Kalisha Cousins ends in tragedy...Kalisha's body was found in the Rio Cobre near Dyke Road in St Catherine...some persons claimed that they saw the body and it had multiple. "How can someone be that evil to just kill a child in cold blood and throw her in a swamp?"

Andrew Harris, Sunday Gleaner Writer
A grandmother's heart-wrenching wail signalled to everyone in the area that the three-day search for seven-year-old Kalisha Cousins had ended in the worst possible way.
Tears meander down the face of Kolien Taffe as she mourns her daughter, Kalisha Cousins.-Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
Tears meander down the face of Kolien Taffe as she mourns her
daughter, Kalisha Cousins.-Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
Kalisha's body was found in the Rio Cobre near Dyke Road in St Catherine last Friday, after she was reported missing on Wednesday when she failed to return from school at the usual time.
According to the police, a fisherman saw a body in the river about 3:30 last Friday and raised an alarm. The scene was processed by police investigators and the badly decomposed body, which was identified as Kalisha, removed to the morgue for post-mortem.
"We cannot yet say if there was foul play," said one senior investigator who asked not to be named. "The body was waterlogged and decomposed so we could not identify if there were any wounds or the cause of death. That will await the post-mortem," added the cop.
However, some persons claimed that they saw the body and it had multiple stab wounds.
Nice and loving
But inside the West Avenue section of Central Village, St Catherine, where Kalisha and her family call home, there was no discussion on the cause of death, just the almost unbearable pain of losing one so young.
A grieving grandmother, Maureen Alexander, and mother Kolien Taffe try to console each other as they react to news of the death of the 'little angel', Kalisha Cousins.-Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
Mother and grandmother of 7 y-o child
"She was nice and loving. You see every morning when she wake up she would come in the house and say 'Good morning Grandma and Grandpa' and give us kisses," declared her grandmother, Maureen Alexander.
"When I carried her to the bus stop Wednesday morning, she waved and kissed after me and then said "later", and I smiled and told her 'later', and I never saw her back until last night, when she came over the news as a missing person," added Alexander before placing her hands on her chest and crying mournfully.
Alexander, who is grandmother to six, told our news team that Kalisha was her closest grandchild.
"When they found her she was in her uniform. Oh Jesus, and she was so loving. She always say 'I love you'," added Alexander as she continued to weep. more

Dr. Martin Luther King, A Genius....Preaches Peace, Love and Unity


New Date Set For John Holt's Funeral....he will be buried on Saturday, November 15. The singer is survived by his widow, Merl, three sisters, three brothers, and 23 children

Published: Sunday | November 9, 2014 
There have been some changes regarding the funeral date for the late reggae singer John Holt. Holt, who died of cancer late last month, will be buried on Saturday, November 15.
John Holt
John Holt
The funeral service is scheduled to take place at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston and interment will be at the Dovecot Memorial Park. Accompanied by family members, Holt's body arrived in the island last Wednesday, following his death in England on October 20.
The singer is survived by his widow, Merl, three sisters, three brothers, and 23 children. Passing at the age of 69, the Stick By Me singer has left an immense catalogue of hit songs, including Stealing StealingAli BabaThe Tide Is High, and If I Were A Carpenter, some of which were done as part of the reggae group The Paragons.
More information regarding the service is to be released to the media in the days leading up to the funeral.

JAMAICA CENTENARIAN: Imogene Johnson still very active at 100 not out....she has, over many years, served devotedly as deaconess, choir member, and missionary at Church. In fact, Johnson is so dedicated to her place of worship that she has planted crops specifically to earn funds for the church.

BY ALICIA SUTHERLAND Sunday Observer staff reporter sutherlanda@jamaicaobserver.com  Sunday, November 09, 2014    MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Having celebrated her 100th birthday on September 6, Imogene Johnson is, according to members of her family, now the most senior member at Cedar Grove Seventh-day Adventist Church in Manchester.
Imogene Johnson occasionally exercises with a run.
Her seniority, though, is not the only distinguishing feature of her life at the church, for she has, over many years, served devotedly as deaconess, choir member, and missionary.
In fact, Johnson is so dedicated to her place of worship that she has planted crops specifically to earn funds for the church.
"She always did her investment for the church. She plant some root of cho-cho and say this cho-cho vine is just for the church. She would pick it and sell it and carry the proceeds to the church," said her daughter Dalsie Johnson-Buchanan, with whom the centenarian has been living off Brumalia Road in Mandeville since 1998.
The yield was often good, Johnson-Buchanan said, adding that her mother would also plant pumpkin to raise money for the church.
Though respiratory problems may keep her away from church, particularly when it rains, Johnson does not foresee her faith waning.
"I am always on the Lord side," she told the Jamaica Observer. "Ah live at Cedar Grove and mi and no one never quarrel. Ah soon gone home to my Jesus, and I want to live right just the same..." more

An I-Octane crime plan after the brutal killing of a mother and her two sons in Bucknor district of Clarendon...."Me see Jamaicans from uptown and downtown block road and protest 'bout gas prices until we get change. We need to take that same mentality to the crime. We can't wait until it reach our door," said I-Octane.

Saturday, November 08, 2014    
MONDAY'S brutal killing of a mother and her two sons in Bucknor district of Clarendon has dancehall singjay I-Octane calling for Jamaicans to come together to stamp out the scourge of crime and violence.
The victims were Kareen Brown, 44, and her sons Shavian Mitchell, 17, and Shawn Mitchell, 21.
I-Octane
I-Octane -- who was born and raised in the parish -- insists that over the years Jamaicans have joined forces for a number of other causes, so it is now time to act and eliminate, or, at least, reduce the killings and instances of criminality.
"Me see Jamaicans from uptown and downtown block road and protest 'bout gas prices until we get change. We need to take that same mentality to the crime. We can't wait until it reach our door," said I-Octane.
"Just like when we hear storm a come, and everybody put down gun and knife, and join supermarket line and everybody a prepare for storm, that's how we all need to tackle the crime situation. It is a national issue and we have to take it on as one people," he continued.
For I-Octane, for too long persons have chosen to highlight the problem without providing solutions. He, therefore, notes that efforts have to be made to create employment opportunities to prevent those at risk from venturing into a life of crime. more 

JAMAICA-BORN contestant in The Voice, Anita Antoinette has soared to the top of the iTunes reggae 100 chart with Rude (The Voice Performance).

Anita Antoinette
Saturday, November 08, 2014    
JAMAICA-BORN contestant in The Voice, Anita Antoinette has soared to the top of the iTunes reggae 100 chart with Rude (The Voice Performance).
The singer's rendition of Magic!'s Rude surpassed the sales of UB40's Red Red Wine, who holds the number two spot. In the number three spot is One Day by Matisyahu. Occupying positions four and five are Three Little Birds and Is This Love by Bob Marley and the Wailers.
Antoinette also holds the number 11 spot on the reggae chart, with her cover of Bob Marley's Turn Your Lights Down Low....

Turmeric: Doctors Say This Spice Is a Brain Health Miracle: 8 Incredible Health Benefits of Turcumin ; Protection for your brain and cognitive function bottle2man ✔ Improved mental clarity and memory retention ✔ Better mood balance and more energy ✔ A healthier heart and more balanced cholesterol ✔ Fewer aches and pains and less stiffness ✔ Smoother, more youthful-looking skin ✔ Support for liver health and detoxification ✔ Antioxidant protection against free radicals ✔ An overall increased sense of vitality

Turmeric: Doctors Say This Spice Is a Brain Health Miracle

Discover the Simple Natural Solution to Lifelong Cognitive Health

powder header image
By Joshua Corn, Editor-in-Chief of the Live in the Now Natural Health Newsletter
Are you concerned about maintaining the health of your brain as you age?You're not alone. Losing one's memory and mental abilities to cognitive decline is something we all fear, and the current statistics on the prevalence of cognitive decline in this country are not pretty. By age 65, sadly 1 in 8 Americans will suffer from severe cognitive decline, and by age 80, an astonishing 1 in 2 will.[1]

Researchers have been working for years to develop an effective treatment. But one "miracle" drug after another has failed to live up to its promises, and it's becoming more and more apparent that pharmaceuticals are not the solution. Unfortunately, the medical establishment is so narrowly focused on finding an elusive "cure" that scientifically proven prevention strategies are often ignored.

I'm Joshua Corn, Editor-in-Chief of Live in the Now, one of the fastest growing natural health publications in the nation. My passion for natural health drives me to seek the truth about the causes of health problems and to educate people on alternative solutions that are both safe and effective.

Please keep reading, because I'll tell you about an amazingly effective way to protect your brain from the ravages of cognitive decline and boost your thinking and memory abilities quickly, naturally and safely.

Nature's Brain-Protecting Miracle

brain image

There are a number of natural brain protectors out there, but did you know that one herb has shown more promise when it comes to supporting your neurological system than any other medical finding to date? It's a scientific fact that curcumin, an antioxidant compound found in the root of the turmeric plant, is one of the most powerful natural brain protecting substances on the planet! It continues to amaze scientists with its remarkable cognitive health benefits. more

Hon. LISA HANNA...Youth, Health ministries collaborate to provide assistance for wards-of- the-state

Friday, November 07, 2014 | 7:36 AM    
KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Ministry of Youth and Culture has joined with the Ministry of Health to provide medical assistance for wards of the state with disabilities.
Lisa Hanna
Minister of Youth and Culture, Lisa Hanna says that children in state care particularly those with severe disabilities, are abandoned by their parents, because they cannot afford the cost of adequate care and treatment.
Doctors now visit the children’s homes, write prescriptions, and compile files. Medication is sourced through the Ministry of Health for severe cases.
 “Many of these children remain in the homes from birth until they die because they have no one to come back for them…oftentimes the parents leave them, because the medication for a child with epilepsy or cerebral palsy or extreme autism is so expensive that they are not able to give it to them to put them in a state where you can work with them,” Hanna said.
She argued that children with disabilities should be seen as a gift, rather than a curse, and is encouraging Jamaicans to volunteer at children’s homes to assist in their care, as well as that of other wards.
“Work with the caregivers because it is not easy, especially in an environment where the rest of society still has a disdain when you bring a child forward, who is very different,” the minister noted. more

GraceKennedy reports $57.4-billion 3Q profit.... Amazing Grace!

Friday, November 07, 2014    
GraceKennedy (GK) yesterday reported a third-quarter profit of $57.4 billion, an increase of 15.5 per cent or $7.7 billion over the corresponding period last year.
Stating that the figures represented unaudited results for the group for the nine months ending September 30, 2014, the local conglomerate said net profit attributable to owners of the company increased by $406.3 million or 20.5 per cent, compared to the same period last year.
"It has been a challenging period, but we are really proud of what we have achieved," GraceKennedy Group CEO Don Wehby was quoted in a company news release.
He pointed to the company's acquisition of the business and assets of La Fe Foods Inc -- which has its operations in New Jersey, Florida, and North Carolina -- in July, as well as the acquisition of an additional 50 per cent of the shares in EC Global Insurance Company Limited, a St Lucian firm (making GK majority shareholders) in September, as two outstanding highlights.
"The La Fe acquisition has the potential to significantly expand our North American business with our own distribution, manufacturing and brand-building capabilities in that market," Wehby said. "As majority shareholder of EC Global, we are excited about the prospects that this business provides for our continued expansion in the region."
Wehby, the news release said, was quick to emphasise that even with those significant developments, the company remains extremely focused on the 'fortress' of GK -- its domestic business.
The company also reported that GraceKennedy Foods (GK Foods) recorded 21 per cent growth in revenue over the corresponding period last year, saying that the performance was boosted by the La Fe acquisition as well as the continued strong performance of business in Europe and the United Kingdom. more

Cable & Wireless To Acquire Flow Parent For US$3 Billion. Digicel Knocks Deal As Bad For Competition....

Published November 7, 2014 by Jamaica Gleaner
Digicel's Group slow creep into the cable market has been trumped by chief rival Cable & Wireless Commu-nications (CWC) with a massive deal announced on Tuesday that is expected to eventually merge the operations of phone company LIME with triple-play operator Flow.
Phil Bentley, CEO of Cable & Wireless Commmunications Inc. File photos
Phil Bentley, CEO of Cable & Wireless
Commmunications Inc. File photos
CWC is buying Columbus International Inc, which owns Flow networks in seven markets and Karib Cable in one, for about US$3 billion, inclusive of debt.
The parties have a conditional agreement on the cash and shares transaction for 100 per cent of Columbus' equity, but Digicel is already signalling that it will be seeking the intervention of regulators, saying the deal raises issues about competition.
Under the agreement between the parties, CWC will pay cash of US$707.5 million and issue 1,557,529,605 new ordinary shares in CWC to three Columbus shareholders, giving them 36 per cent ownership in Cable & Wireless.
The cash and share issue are valued at US$1.85 billion. Columbus' debt of about US$1.2 billion will also be assumed by CWC.
It also plans to invest US$145 million of capital in the operation to be spent over three years, dating from the closing of the acquisition.
Columbus offers broadband, fixed-line telephony and cable or subscriber television services to a customer base of about 700,000 - operating as Flow in Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Grenada, St Vincent & the Grenadines, St Lucia and Curaçao and as Karib in Antigua.
Its business-to-business dealings are executed through subsidiary Columbus Business Solutions, and it offers fibre connectivity to some 42 markets through Columbus Networks. more

'It Is Farcical' ISSA Launches Probe After Lopsided JC, Excelsior Wins. JFF Demands Report By Monday Morning....Jamaica College mauled Denham Town 16-0 - scoring six times in six minutes and Excelsior swamped Holy Trinity 12-0

Published: Friday | November 7, 2014 3 Comments
President of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Captain Horace Burrell, says there could be serious implications if investigations reveal any case of match-fixing in two Inter-Secondary School Sports Association (ISSA)/LIME Manning Cup football games on Tuesday.
JFF boss captain Horace Burrell
Horace Burrell
In one game at Constant Spring, Jamaica College mauled Denham Town 16-0 - scoring six times in six minutes added for stoppages.
In the other match, Excelsior swamped Holy Trinity 12-0. Jamaica College and Excelsior ended on seven points apiece. However, defending champions JC advanced to the semi-finals on a superior goal difference. JC scored 18 goals and conceded one, while Excelsior scored 15 times and had one goal against.
"The JFF is concerned and we have formally requested a response from the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) on what took place and circumstances surrounding the games. It is very unusual," Burrell told The Gleaner yesterday afternoon.
"We are not implying anything, but we await a report from ISSA that should be on the desk of the JFF's general secretary (Raymond Grant) early Monday morning," a serious-sounding Burrell disclosed.
The JFF president, a long-serving and influential member of FIFA'sdisciplinary committee, pointed out that only days ago a seminar looking at match fixing was held here involving law enforcement and otherstakeholders, as he stressed the serious nature of match-fixing, which has led to the imprisonment of persons who have been found to violate fair play. more

(THIS IS AN OUTRAGE) 90-y-o Arnold Abbott charged for feeding homeless in Fort Lauderdale ....Despite the brush with the law, Abbott, and the ministers, Dwayne Black and Mark Sims, went back out for a feeding at a public park Wednesday night as police filmed from a distance and a crowd of nearly 100 mostly homeless and volunteers cheered their arrival.

Thursday, November 06, 2014 | 8:28 AM    
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (AP) — Despite being charged with violating a new ordinance by feeding the homeless in South Florida, 90-year-old advocate Arnold Abbott said he's not deterred and even went back out for another feeding at a public park.
90 y-o Arnold Abbott arrested by cops
The face-off in Fort Lauderdale over the new ordinance restricting public feeding of the homeless has pitted those with compassionate aims against residents and businesses trying to protect their neighborhoods.
Abbott and two South Florida ministers were charged last weekend as they handed out food. They were accused of breaking the ordinance and each faces up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.
"One of the police officers said, 'Drop that plate right now,' as if I were carrying a weapon," Abbott said.
Despite the brush with the law, Abbott, and the ministers, Dwayne Black and Mark Sims, went back out for a feeding at a public park Wednesday night as police filmed from a distance and a crowd of nearly 100 mostly homeless and volunteers cheered their arrival.
"God bless you, Arnold!" some shouted. And one man who broke out of the crowd, Eddie Hidalgo, 56, said the man he called 'Chef Arnold' was doing a great work.
"Thank God for Chef Arnold. I haven't eaten all day. He feeds a lot of people from the heart," said Hidalog, who added he's being living on the streets after losing his job and house. more

Peace and Love Academic Scholarship (PALAS) Board set goal to award 125 scholarships and 125 computers to students in the Caribbean in 2015. Estimated value is US$90,000 (J$9.9 million)

At the 2nd meeting for the 2015 fiscal year, PALAS board members voted unanimously to set goal to award 125 scholarships and 125 computers to students in the Caribbean in 2015. Estimated value is US$90,000 (J$9.9 million).

This would bring the total value in 5 years to J$19.2 million and 187 scholarships. Thus far PALAS scholarship has grown 1,485%.
Please donate at www.PALAS1.org as we work assiduosly for 'Preserving Young Minds for Posterity'.

Papaya May Cut Cervical Cancer Risk by 81% in Women With HPV

Papaya

Papaya May Cut Cervical Cancer Risk by 81% in Women With HPV: Just one serving per week of papaya was all it took to reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer by a stunning 81% in women with HPV, according to this study out of Brazil. In fact, this super-fruit was the most powerful single dietary item of any fruit or vegetable analyzed in this study. Why is papaya so powerful? It’s a great source of cancer fighting antioxidants like beta-carotene, 

lycopene and beta-cryptoxanthin—each of which may reduce cervical cancer risk by as much as 60%. But there’s something special about papaya, because researchers recently discovered that our bodies absorb these crucial nutrients far better from papaya than from other sources like carrots or tomatoes—in fact, up to 300% better. How? The answer is fascinating: this super fruit stores these antioxidants in unique micro-crystalline structures which greatly enhance their availability upon digestion. 

Papaya is also very rich in potassium, and is therefore one of the most alkalizing fruits available, with nearly double the alkalizing power of pure lemon juice! It’s great plain, mixed with yogurt, or as part of your favorite smoothie recipes. This low-calorie super fruit deserves special consideration as part of any healthy, fruit and vegetable centered diet meant to improve health and reduce cancer risk.

'100-YEAR MAJORITY' : House GOP On Track For Largest Delegation Since Truman Administration... Even A Disgraced Incumbent Rep. Comes Out A Winner... 87% White Men... New Crop Of Right-Leaning Firebrands... Rough Road Ahead For Obama... White House Aide: GOP 'Crazies' Will Prevent Any Collaboration...

Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, proclaimed Wednesday that Republicans may have built a “hundred-year majority” in the House.
"We're back to a majority as big as any of us have seen in our lifetimes. It may be a hundred-year majority," he said.House Republicans have swelled their majority to at least 243 and are on track for more pickups that would give them the biggest House majority since the Truman administration more than sixty years ago. 
They could end up with as many as 249 seats, which would be the largest House Republican majority since 1930. That's well past their early goal of netting 11 seats for a 245 seat majority in the next Congress. 
Walden’s language seemed to echo GOP strategist Karl Rove’s dream from ten years ago of building a “permanent” Republican majority in Washington.
But Daniel Scarpinato, a spokesman for the NRCC, said Walden was merely putting Tuesday’s resounding victory into historical context, not predicting decades of House GOP rule.
 “His reference to a ‘hundred-year majority’ was that it’s been nearly 100 years since we’ve seen a majority this size," he said, noting a NRCC memo that pointed to those likely gains. “[He] wasn’t suggesting in any way that the majority is safe for 100 years.”
Walden and other GOP leaders exulted at a press conference at Republican National Committee headquarters after the election and promised big accomplishments such as tax reform.
They were encouraged not only by big gains in the Senate and House but also victories in gubernatorial and state legislative races across the country. more

22 y-o Carlesha Freeland-Gaither, Missing Woman, Found Alive In Maryland....The suspect is Delven Barnes, 37, who's being held on an unrelated warrant from Virginia for attempted capital murder

 The Huffington Post | By Michael McLaughlin Email Posted: 11/05/2014 6:50 pm EST 
A woman violently abducted from Philadelphia on Sunday has been reportedly found alive in Maryland.
Carlesha Freeland-Gaither, 22, was discovered in Jessup, Maryland on Wednesday, according to TV station WPVI. A suspect is in custody and Freeland-Gaither is in good condition.
Carlesha Freeland-Gaither has been reportedly found alive after vanishing from Philadelphia on Sunday.
Carlesha Freeland-Gaither
"I just want to thank everybody. I would like to thank the Philadelphia department of police, the FBI…especially the public," said Freeland-Gaither's mother Keisha Gaither at a press conference with police department officials. "I'm taking my baby home."
The suspect is Delven Barnes, 37, who's being held on an unrelated warrant from Virginia for attempted capital murder, according to officials from the Philadelphia Police Department on Wednesday night.
"He’s a thug and this is what he does, apparently. Nothing he does make sense, don’t even try to find it," said Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey. "He’s a vicious predator, he’s off the streets, and hopefully he’ll spend the rest of his life in jail." more

Etana tops Billboard's album chart...FOR the first time in 17 years, a Jamaican female reggae artiste has topped Billboard's album chart with first-week sales of 547 copies

BY KEVIN JACKSON Observer Writer  Thursday, November 06, 2014   
FOR the first time in 17 years, a Jamaican female reggae artiste has topped Billboard's Reggae album chart.
Etana
With first-week sales of 547 copies, Etana's fourth studio album I Rise (VP Records) leaps from seven to number one.
The Clive Hunt-produced album is Etana's fourth entry on the album chart. The last time a Jamaican female reggae artiste topped the chart was 1997 with Diana King's Think like a Girl.
Etana, who is in the middle of an American tour, is ecstatic about topping the Billboard chart.
"I am grateful to all my fans who purchased the album in the United States of America the first week and all those who pre-ordered the album, also. It is because of them, actually. Thank you so much," Etana told the Jamaica Observer.
Asked what kind of work went into the album, Etana said: "It was well-thought out by the A&R, the producer and myself. But when the musicians came to each session, it was easy-going and fun. It was a good vibe. The hardest part was doing the vocal recording sessions with Dwain 'Barbwire' Campbell. But it makes me appreciate him more," she said. more