FALMOUTH, Trelawny- JAMAICA: GUNS, GUNS, GUNS! Large gun, ammo cache including grenade launcher seized in Trelawny... one 40 mm Grenade racket launcher; three rifles, including a M-16, AK-47 and a sniper rifle; three handguns, including two 9mm and a .45 pistol; two sub machine guns, including a Uzi and an Intratech, and two shotguns.

Sunday, March 29, 2015 | 10:50 PM  

FALMOUTH, Trelawny - The Trelawny Police have taken two men into  custody in connection with the recovery of 10 illegal firearms, and a grenade launcher and over 300 rounds of assorted ammunition which were hidden in a barrel which was found inside a motor vehicle.

Guns, Guns, Guns! (File Photo)

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Odean Dennis, crime officer for the Trelawny Police Division, yesterday at approximately about 10: 00 am, members of the Trelawny Highway Patrol were on a stop and search operation along the Scarlett Hall main road in the parish, when the driver of a motor vehicle was ordered to stop.

During a search of the vehicle, a total of 11 firearms and 330 rounds of assorted ammunition were found hidden inside a barrel.

The firearms include:

one 40 mm Grenade racket launcher;

three rifles, including a M-16, AK-47 and a sniper rifle;

three handguns, including two 9mm and a .45 pistol;

two sub machine guns, including a Uzi and an Intratech, and

two shotguns.

The names of the two persons taken into custody have been withheld, pending further investigation. Source, Jamaica Observer. more

EMPRESS TEE - Higher Frequency (#19) - Color Psychology and how its affects your Health, Energy & Love on RBN

RULA BROWN - "Peace and Love" CD to be released on April 14, 2015 by VPAL for digital distribution worldwide....The 2-set, 38-track CD features Dobby Dobson, Fantan Mojan, Jack Radics, Mad Cobra, Lukie D, Red Fox, Skanky Dan, Daddy Blu and much more....All proceeds will go to PALAS scholarship program

All proceeds will go to PALAS scholarship program

CONGRATULATIONS : PORTLAND, Jamaica-born Lana Patterson is Florida Maths Teacher of the Year 2014-2015 for Middle Schools ... St Joseph's Teachers' College alum makes waves in US

Sunday, March 29, 2015    

PORTLAND, Jamaica-born Lana Patterson has been named 'Broward County Mathematics Teacher of the Year 2014-2015 for Middle Schools'.

Lana Patterson with her award

Broward is a county in the US state of Florida.

Award-winning Lana Patterson
and her sons Alton (left)
and Christopher

Patterson, who teaches at William Dandy Middle School in Fort Lauderdale, copped the top prize from a field of 50 aspiring nominees and was awarded on March 18. It was her second time vying for the coveted award, having been nominated in 2013-2014, the same year she won Teacher of the Year at William Dandy.

Before emigrating to the US in 1992, the St Joseph's Teachers' College alumna taught for 18 years, 14 of which were spent at her high school alma mater Titchfield High in Port Antonio.

She has since furthered her studies at Florida Atlantic University.

Patterson's sons Alton and Christopher attended the award function with their mother and helped her celebrate the win.

A SUPER TRACK STAR : Akeem Bloomfield, the 17-year-old Kingston College phenomenon : 'I knew I'd do something great' Bloomfield not surprised by record sub-45 run at Champs

BY HOWARD WALKER Observer senior reporter walkerh@jamaiacaobserver.com  Sunday, March 29, 2015    

His story is similar in some ways to that of Usain Bolt's. Some say his long legs remind them of the legendary Arthur Wint. Most believe he is destined for greatness. He is Akeem Bloomfield -- the rising star of the 400m.

Akeem Bloomfield, the 17-year-old Kingston College
phenomenon

Bloomfield, the 17-year-old Kingston College phenomenon, created history by becoming the first Jamaican schoolboy to run the 400m under 45 seconds with an astonishing 44.93 seconds to win the event in Class One at the GraceKennedy/ISSA Boys' and Girls' Athletics Championships at the National Stadium yesterday.

Just last year, the promising Javon Francis ran what was then an unbelievable 45.00 seconds to break Usain Bolt's 400m record, just failing to dip below the 45-second mark. In fact, after Francis' run, the clock flashed 44.98 before settling at 45.00 seconds.

A year on, Bloomfield, standing at 6ft 5in,crossed the line and the clock flashed 45.03 seconds before settling at 44.93 in an eye-popping, jaw-dropping display of speed and stamina.

In 2008, Bolt was working on his speed for the 200m and tested himself over 100m and ran 9.72 seconds in his third 100m event in new York and the rest is history. Five years on, Bloomfield, who runs 100m and 200m, last year at Champs was working on his stamina, and in his first 400m race he clocked an amazing 45.41 seconds at the Carifta Trials a few weeks ago.

"My 200 was good and I was just doing some strength work, but I was not sure what my coach had in store for me. I just knew I would do something great," said Bloomfield, who has 10 CXC subjects.

Then, in only his third 400m run, Bloomfield broke the Class One record of 45.00 seconds and Davian Clarke's National Junior record of 45.21 seconds and became the 11th fastest junior of all time in the world.

Kingston College’s Akeem Bloomfield (right) in his record-breaking
 run in the Class One 400m at the GraceKennedy/ISSA Boys’
and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium
 yesterday. St Jago High’s Nathan Allen (left) was second.
(PHOTO: BRYAN CUMMINGS)

Bloomfield, who was drawn in lane five, was sandwiched between main rivals from St Jago High Martin Manley, the 2013 World Youth 400m champion, and Nathan Allen, while his teammate Twayne Crooks was in lane seven with the Class Two record holder Devaughn Baker of Jamaica College in lane eight.

Bloomfield, who is a sub-21 200m runner with 10.3 under his belt for the 100m, went out fast, swept past Allen and cleared the entire field at the 200m mark, and when Allen came with a renewed challenge in the straight, Bloomfield found an extra gear for a victory that will be talked about for years to come. more

IN JAMAICA: Boys' and girls' COMPLETE rankings at Champs 2015....Calabar amassed 280.5 points to be crowned Boys Champions and Edwin Allen with 321 points trounced the Girls for Champion.

Saturday, March 28, 2015 | 10:34 PM    

KINGSTON, Jamaica - OBSERVER ONLINE brings you a breakdown of the points amassed by each school in the 105th staging of the GraceKennedy ISSA Boys' and Girls Athletics Championship. KINGSTON, Jamaica - Defending champions Calabar High secured their fourth consecutive hold on the GraceKennedy InterSecondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Boys' and Girls' Athletics Championship and gained their 25th lien on the Mortimer Geddes trophy at the National Stadium a short while ago.

Calabar amassed 280.5 points, 15.5 ahead of Kingston College with 265, with Jamaica College third some way back with 200 points. St Jago High with 183 finished fourth ahead of ST Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) on 132 points.

How did your school do?

Boys Champions

Boys - Team Rankings - 41 Events Scored               

1) Calabar High 280.50

2) Kingston College 265

3) Jamaica College 200

4) St Jago High 183

5) St Elizabeth Technical High 132

6) Wolmer's High School for Boys 68

7) Petersfield High 50

8) Holmwood Technical High 44

9) Cornwall College 38

10) Edwin Allen High 34

Girls Champion

Girls

1) Edwin Allen 321

2) Hydel 221

3) St Jago High 219.33.

4) Holmwood 206

5) Vere Tech 136

6) Wolmers' 82.50

7) Manchester High 61

8) Convent of Mercy 60

9) STETHS 51

10) St Catherine High 44

more

MANCHESTER, Jamaica : 28-year-old Kirk Porter falls into water tank after being shot, dies

Saturday, March 28, 2015 | 3:59 PM    

MANCHESTER, Jamaica – The Manchester police have confirmed a shooting incident in the Spalding area of Manchester last night, which left one man dead and another in hospital.

The dead man has been identified as 28-year-old Kirk Porter.

Reports are that Porter and the another man were having drinks at a bar about 9:15 pm when two gunmen entered and opened fire hitting them.

Porter reportedly ran from the scene and subsequently fell into an open water tank.

According to the police, they are now awaiting post-mortem reports to determine his cause of death.

The injured man is reportedly in critical but stable condition at hospital.

Police told OBSERVER ONLINE that they are investigating reports that the incident was “scamming-related.”

Alicia Sutherland

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (LUCKY SON-OF-A-GUN) : T&T soldier, Jason St John, finds $100m in bank account...What would you do if you woke up one morning and found TT$100 million in your account?

Friday, March 27, 2015 | 7:14 AM    

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (Trinidad Express) – What would you do if you woke up one morning and found TT$100 million in your account?

That’s the reality facing Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) soldier Jason St John, who says he has no clue how the money ended up in his account.

Soldier Jason St John (Photo: Trinidad Express/ Kitty Kowlessar) 

St John, 34, said he got the surprise of his life on March 19, upon checking his account balance at the RBC Royal Bank ATM (automated teller machine) in Chaguanas.

The balance read ninety-nine million, nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents (TT$99,999,999.99).

John said only the day before, his balance read zero on his account. He explained: “I had a TT$20,000 credit-card limit which I am trying to clear, and my RBC branch in Cha¬gua¬ramas suggested I take a loan to clear the amount owed while they held my salary from the previ¬ous month (February) until I got it sorted out, and as far as I knew, when I checked the account that day (March 18), there was a zero balance.”

He said to make sure his eyes were not deceiving him, on March 19, he checked his balance at not only the RBC Royal Bank ATM in Chaguanas but also at the Republic Bank, First Citizens and Scotiabank ATMs, all with the same result.

After a week elapsed, John visited an ATM in Chaguanas and then RBC Royal Bank, Independence Square, Port of Spain, yesterday, hoping the jackpot money would have gone away, presuming it might have been a glitch or bank error, but things became even more perplexing to him. The money was still sitting in his account.more

JAH RUBY under the mango tree chats with RULA BROWN - "The Delroy Wilson Story" (RECORDED 3/26/15)

DANCEHALL artiste Mr Vegas shares ‘Euphoria’ with hip- hop star Pitbull for a remix of his single My Jam...."This is great, as he has propelled me to a level that I only dream about. Pitbull has a huge fan base," said Vegas. The video for the single was shot two weeks ago in Atlanta.

Friday, March 27, 2015    

DANCEHALL artiste Mr Vegas has teamed up with hip- hop star Pitbull for a remix of his single My Jam.

The single is from Vegas' Euphoria album which was released last year.

Pitbull/Vegas

"We wanted it to be a happy song and we needed an artiste to take us to another level, so we sent a copy of the track to Pitbull's team and they instantly jumped on the remix. He recorded his part and sent back to us in Jamaica and we did the rest," Vegas told Splash.

He has worked with the Miami-born Pitbull before. Culo, Pitbull's 2004 collaboration with rapper Lil Jon, samples Vegas' Pull Up.

Pitbull, whose parents are Cuban, has a massive following in the Latin market, one of the most lucrative in contemporary music.

"This is great, as he has propelled me to a level that I only dream about. Pitbull has a huge fan base," said Vegas.

The video for the single was shot two weeks ago in Atlanta.

Mr Vegas, whose given name is Clifford Smith, is no stranger to international collaborations. Standing in The Sun, his remix with Beyonce, will be featured on her upcoming album Platinum Edition.

He has also worked with Wyclef Jean and DMX and is featured on Snoop Lion's 2013 Grammy-nominated album, Reincarnated.

Last year, he collaborated with Jason Derulo on the dancehall remix for Talk Dirty.

-- Simone Morgan

BOYS CHAMPS in JAMAICA: Calabar jumper Reid shatters record as defending champs soar to lead... After six finals, early leaders Jamaica College (JC) were relegated to second on 34 points ahead of Kingston College with 28. St Jago High with 18 points are fourth ahead of Edwin Allen High on 16 points.

BY HOWARD WALKER Observer senior reporter walkerh@jamaicaobserver.com  Friday, March 27, 2015    

CALABAR High's jumper Lamar Reid broke the first boys' record and propelled the champions to the top of the GraceKennedy ISSA Boys' and Girls' Athletics Championships with 48 points yesterday.

After six finals, early leaders Jamaica College (JC) were relegated to second on 34 points ahead of Kingston College with 28. St Jago High with 18 points are fourth ahead of Edwin Allen High on 16 points.

Calabar's Lamar Reid leaps to 1.99m to break the Class
 Three high jump record on day three of the GraceKennedy
 ISSA Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the
 National Stadium yesterday. (PHOTO: COLLIN REID)

Reid, who is actually a Class Four athlete, broke a 22-year-old high jump record of 1.98m set by his schoolmate Ryan Chambers in 1993, clearing the bar at 1.99m on his second attempt, sending the Calabar fans into a frenzy.

Vanderleer Palmer of St Jago was second with 1.81m ahead of Javair Hall of Herbert Morrison with 1.78m.

In the first final of the day, the Class One discus, Demar Gayle of Edwin Allen High won with a throw of 50.70m; Calabar's Warren Barrett was second with 49.95m. Petersfield High's Sanjae Lawrence was third with 49.65m ahead of KC's Rajindra Campbell with 49.48m.

Rasheeda Downer delivered the first gold for KC, capturing the Class Two shot put with 16.47m and relegating favourite Andre Chin of Calabar to second with 15.53m with his teammate Savion Burke third with 15.10. KC was fourth courtesy of Dohnarris Stewart.

Meanwhile, KC suffered a major setback when star athlete Jhevaughn Matherson pulled up 90 metres into the Class Two 200m semi-final two which was won by Calabar's Tyrek Wilson in 21.11 seconds.

But before that, the remarkable Christopher Taylor sizzled to 20.97 seconds in semi-final one setting the stage for a Calabar sweep. more

CHAMPS 2015: Girls Points Standing (After Five Events)....Edwin Allen poised to take Girls Champs....XLCR High Lady Eagles are in 7th place in the Girls Championships with 11 points.

Published March 27, 2015

XLCR's Class 4 girls relay
baton change

CHAMPS 2015: Girls points standing (After four events)After five events Edwin Allen High School on 48 points is currently leading the girls on the points table at the 2015 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston.

Edwin Allen’s Saqukine Cameron
 (second right), a favourite for the girls’
 Class One 100m title, weeps
 uncontrollably after she was disqualified
 for false-starting in the heats of the
event on day three of the
 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and
Girls’ Athletics Championships

Girls points standing :

1) Edwin Allen High 48      
2) Hydel High 32 
3) Holmwood Technical High 16      
4) Rusea's High 12 
4) Vere Technical High 12      
7) Excelsior High 11 
8) Wolmer's High School for G 9       
9) Buff Bay High 9 

 

IN JAMAICA : St Jago and Ardenne High To Battle For 2015 Schools' Challenge Quiz Title

St Jago High and Ardenne High will contest the 2015 finals of TVJ's Schools' Challenge Quiz competition.

Quiz master, Marlene Stephenson Dalley, announced after the last semifinal match this evening that the live finals will take place next Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. St Jago secured their place in the finals this evening with a convincing 46-32 victory over Campion College, last year's beaten finalists.

On Wednesday, Ardenne, from St Andrew, held their nerve to hold off defending champions, Kingston College. They won 27-24. Ardenne last won the title in 2013, their fifth.

The St Catherine-based St Jago last won the title in 2010, their fourth. Sixty-four schools entered the annual competition which started in January.

Double Vision Models: Meet the Pairs of Twins Who Are Revolutionizing African Fashion....Cipriana and Takenya Quann are currently the most in-vogue twins in the blogosphere. (PHOTOS)

Posted: 03/26/2015 5:09 pm EDT

Say goodbye to the Olsen twins-- and hello to these sibling pairs, who are bringing their own unique vision to the world of African-influenced fashion.

You may not know their names yet, but it won't be long until you do, because these young people are talented and creative. They are twins, of African descent, bloggers for the most part, and they are part of a group of "elite influencers" who are blazing a trail in fashion.

Twins have always fascinated most people -- and the Internet is no exception. Thanks to this inherent power, these twins have managed to make a name for themselves, acquiring incredible amounts of followers. Praised by acclaimed publishers such as Vogue and The Coveteur for some. Approached by brands such as Diesel, Adidas and And Other Stories for others. Collaborations continue raining down for these stylish doubles. However, we must not forget the point: these young people represent our generation. One that is proud of its cultural heritage, proud to be ebony, proud of their curly hair, proud of our style of clothes. Below are some very inspiring and inspired representatives of this "Afro-cosmopolitan" generation for you to discover and follow! 

The Quann sisters are American and live in New York. Cipriana is the co-founder of the celebrated lifestyle blog "Urban Bush Babes" which, among other topics, celebrates the beauty of natural hair. Takenya, aka TK Wonder, is an electronic music artist. Their sense of style and their outrageous beauty have seduced many, judging by the number of brands that are fighting over them. Between advertising campaigns for the Gap, And Other Stories (a subsidiary of H&M), and interviews for Vogue, The New York Times, Refinery 29, as well as The Coveteur, I think we haven't heard the last of them. more

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You may also listen commercial FREE by clicking ON AIR-Listen LIVE AUDIO BOX above or TUNE-IN LINK or call in on Tele at 213-401-0061. Enjoy the sweet music.To chat , please sign in with your Chatango account.Please support the scholarship program by considering to donate at least $10.00 at www.PALAS1.org. Thank you very much.

Scientists have discovered a simple way to cook rice that dramatically cuts the calories...Rice is popular because it's malleable—it pairs well with a lot of different kinds of food—and it's relatively cheap. But like other starch-heavy foods, it has one central flaw: it isn't that good for you. White rice consumption, in particular, has been linked to a higher risk of diabetes. A cup of the cooked grain carries with it roughly 200 calories, most of which comes in the form of starch, which turns into sugar, and often thereafter body fat.

By Roberto A. Ferdman March 25 at 8:23 AM

Rice, the lifeblood of so many nations' cuisines, is perhaps the most ubiquitous food in the world. In Asia, where an estimated 90 percent of all rice is consumed, the pillowy grains are part of almost every meal. In the Caribbean, where the starch is often mixed with beans, it's a staple too. Even here in the United States, where people eat a comparatively modest amount of rice, plenty is still consumed.

Rice is popular because it's malleable—it pairs well with a lot of different kinds of food—and it's relatively cheap. But like other starch-heavy foods, it has one central flaw: it isn't that good for you. White rice consumption, in particular, has been linked to a higher risk of diabetes. A cup of the cooked grain carries with it roughly 200 calories, most of which comes in the form of starch, which turns into sugar, and often thereafter body fat.

But what if there were a simple way to tweak rice ever so slightly to make it much healthier?

An undergraduate student at the College of Chemical Sciences in Sri Lanka and his mentor have been tinkering with a new way to cook rice that can reduce its calories by as much as 50 percent and even offer a few other added health benefits. The ingenious method, which at its core is just a simple manipulation of chemistry, involves only a couple easy steps in practice.

[Scientists have figured out what makes Indian food so delicious]

"What we did is cook the rice as you normally do, but when the water is boiling, before adding the raw rice, we added coconut oil—about 3 percent of the weight of the rice you're going to cook," said Sudhair James, who presented his preliminary research at National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) on Monday. "After it was ready, we let it cool in the refrigerator for about 12 hours. That's it." more

IN JAMAICA: 66-yar-old man who fell in gully wants proper infrastructure for the disabled...PERCIVAL McIntosh, 66, was going about his business, only to find the sidewalk suddenly disappearing from underneath him, and plunging into a wet, filthy gully on Torrington Road in St Andrew.... I (had) stepped right over and broke my foot," he recounted yesterday. The senior citizen said he was assisted and taken to the Kingston Public Hospital where he received treatment. "The x-ray showed that my right foot was broken. For the next six weeks, I was unable to get out of bed," he said..

BY ALPHEA SAUNDERS Senior staff reporter saundersa@jamaica observer.com  Thursday, March 26, 2015   

PERCIVAL McIntosh, 66, was going about his business, only to find the sidewalk suddenly disappearing from underneath him, and plunging into a wet, filthy gully on Torrington Road in St Andrew.

PERCIVAL McIntosh, 66, 

McIntosh, who lost this sight nine years ago, told the Jamaica Observer that on Christmas Eve last year he alighted on Slipe Road from a Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) bus, which he said had detoured. Guided by his cane, he began walking down Torrington Road towards the intersection at Slipe Pen Road.

"The next thing I knew, I woke up wet and with my foot feeling as if someone had put iron boots on it [and] people told me I stepped into the gully. I (had) stepped right over and broke my foot," he recounted yesterday.

The senior citizen said he was assisted and taken to the Kingston Public Hospital where he received treatment. "The x-ray showed that my right foot was broken. For the next six weeks, I was unable to get out of bed," he said.

A pedestrian walks by the ‘un-railed’ gully at the corner
 of Slipe Pen Road and Torrington Road where senior citizen
Percival McIntosh says he fell last December.
 (PHOTO: GARFIELD ROBINSON)

The Jones Town resident, who decided to go public to highlight the dangers faced by the blind on the streets, yesterday pulled a sheaf of letters from a bucket containing documents, including a personal injury claim submitted to the National Works Agency (NWA). He also presented a response from the works agency, requesting supporting evidence of his injury, including receipts, invoices, a medical report, and eyewitness statement.

He said he has since submitted the eyewitness statement, but is awaiting a medical report from his physician, which he should receive by the end of April.

McIntosh made it clear that while the NWA has responded, there is a deeper issue at hand that must be addressed.

"Those places must have on rails. Even if the people thief them out for the scrapyard, put them back on. Me step right over into a gully and that should not to happen. If the rail was there I would feel it with the stick," he argued. more

New diet could considerably reduce the risk of Alzheimer's

Researchers at Rush University in Chicago have developed the MIND diet, which their recent study suggests could significantly reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. The study is published in the latest issue of Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.

Professor Martha Clare Morris and her colleagues combined elements of the Mediterranean diet with elements of DASH, a diet aimed at combatting high blood pressure, to create MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay).

To test the effectiveness of various diets on preventing the appearance of Alzheimer's disease, the study's authors recruited 923 participants aged 58 to 98, who responded to food questionnaires that reflected how closely their diets followed the Mediterranean, DASH or MIND diets.

After following the subjects from 2004 to 2013, the researchers found that the MIND diet was associated with a 53% reduction in the risk of Alzheimer's disease in subjects who followed it regularly, compared to a reduction of 54% and 39% for the Mediterranean and DASH plans respectively. more

BOYS' & GIRL's CHAMPS IN JAMAICA: Hydel's Shadea Lawrence repeats as discus champion and XLCR's/PALAS recipient Shanice Love was second...Girls begin quest for glory in short sprint today

 BY PAUL A REID Observer Writer reidp@jamaicaobserver.com  Thursday, March 26, 2015    

HYDEL High's Shadea Lawrence won the girls' Class One discus with a personal best throw of 48.66m to repeat as champion on day two of the GraceKennedy ISSA Boys' and Girls' Athletics Championships at the National Stadium yesterday.

Second in the event was Excelsior High's Shaniece Love (48.01m), while third went to Paul-Anne Gayle of Edwin Allen (47.87).

Hydel's Shadea Lawrence 

Meanwhile, Edwin Allen's Rochelle Frazer stayed on course to win a third-straight girls' Class One shot put event after easily qualifying in yesterday's preliminaries.

Frazer threw 12.45m to finish second behind St Andrew Technical's Ayesha Champagnie (12.70m) with Spalding's Tavia Dixon (12.15m), the only other thrower over 12.00m yesterday.

Frazer's teammate Janelle Fullerton is also expected to be among the medallists as well as Vere Technical's Kiona Bradshaw and Excelsior's Latifah Smith.

Meanwhile today, the preliminaries of the 1,500m in Classes one, two and three will be contested as well as the javelin Open first round, semi-finals of the 800m and the 4x400m relays.

Lamara Distin of Rusea's High, who was second in the Class Three high jump and leads with 1.65m so far this year, is among the 14 qualifiers for the event after yesterday's preliminaries.

Janique Burgher of Edwin Allen, who beat Distin at Western Relays, is also a medal contender as well as her teammate Annia Ashley and Herbert Morrison's Western Champs gold medallist Shyanne Smith.

In the only 800m event that was contested yesterday, Edwin Allen's Cemore Donald clocked 2:12.93 to lead the qualifiers with Spalding High's Kimone Campbell (2:14.93) and Albert Town's Kelly-Ann Beckford (2:16.49). Also advancing are Rusea's High's Tara Bert the Western Champs record holder and Albert Town's Tasinia Mothersill.

The road to what is expected to be an exciting set of 100m finals tomorrow starts this morning with the first rounds of the short sprint starting at 10:45.

Defending champions Edwin Allen High and St Jago are expected to dominate the events, each expecting to win two gold medals.

There will be a lot of speed on display on the blue track today. Among the sizzling events are the semi-finals of the 200m, with the finals set for Saturday, the final day of competition.

Edwin Allen High's Saqukine Cameron, who stepped down from the 200m/400m double to the 100m/200m double in Class One, will start favourite with the withdrawal of Wolmer's Girls' Shauna Helps, who failed to show for the 200m heats yesterday.

Helps won the Class Two 100m last year and was expected to feature this year, especially after running 11.66 seconds earlier. more

SEYNE-LES-ALPES, France (AP) : Audio Shows Germanwings Pilot Was Locked Out Of Cockpit Before Crash: Report ... 'You Can Hear He Is Trying To Smash The Door Down'...

AP  |  By Greg Keller & Elaine Ganley Posted: 03/25/2015 9:27 pm EDT 

SEYNE-LES-ALPES, France (AP) — The first half of Germanwings Flight 9525 was chilling in its normalcy. It took off from Barcelona en route to Duesseldorf, climbing up over the Mediterranean and turning over France. The last communication was a routine request to continue on its route.

Airbus 320

Minutes later, at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, the Airbus A320 inexplicably began to descend. Within 10 minutes it had plunged from its cruising altitude of 38,000 feet to just over 6,000 feet and slammed into a remote mountainside.

To find out why, investigators have been analyzing the mangled black box that contains an audio recording from the cockpit. Remi Jouty, the head of France's accident investigation bureau BEA, said Wednesday that it has yielded sounds and voices, but so far not the "slightest explanation" of why the plane crashed, killing all 150 on board. A newspaper report, however, suggests the audio contains intriguing information at the least: One of the pilots is heard leaving the cockpit, then banging on the door with increasing urgency in an unsuccessful attempt to get back in.

"The guy outside is knocking lightly on the door and there is no answer," The New York Times quotes an unidentified investigator as saying. "And then he hits the door stronger and no answer. There is never an answer."

Eventually, the newspaper quotes the investigator as saying: "You can hear he is trying to smash the door down." more