Regional News

Rationing hours extended The water company in St Vincent is considering rationing water for longer hours, because of the ongoing drought.

BRASILIA (Reuters) – US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton failed to win Brazil’s support yesterday for more sanctions against Iran and said Tehran would not talk seriously about its nuclear programme until the United Nations took new action.

CARACAS (Reuters) – President Hugo Chavez said yesterday he had “nothing to explain” to Spain’s President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero after a judge alleged links between the Venezuelan government and ETA and FARC rebels.

GENEVA (Reuters) – Cuba on Wednesday accused the United States, whose Democratic administration has been seeking to ease long-term restrictions on links with Havana, of stepping up subversion against the communist-ruled island.

(Jamaica Gleaner) – Prime Minister Bruce Golding has accused the United States (US) government of using illegally intercepted telephone conversations for the basis of drug and weapons trafficking charges against west Kingston strongman Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke.

(Jamaica Gleaner) The United States Government has flayed the Bruce Golding administration over Jamaica’s handling of the extradition request for west Kingston strongman Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke.

…Ignores Jack, keeps Mark in Senate (Trinidad Express) Opposi-tion Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Monday appoin-ted six senators, acting independently of United National Congress (UNC) chairman, Jack Warner, who had opposed the decision to reappoint Wade Mark.

(Barbados Nation) That’s the group that will pull Barbados through the most crippling worldwide recession in the last half-century.

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) – Floods and mudslides killed at least 13 people in Haiti over the weekend, raising fears about the vulnerability of survivors of the Jan.

MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said yesterday the United States stood ready to help Argentina and Britain resolve new tensions over the disputed Falkland Islands, which sparked a war between the two countries in 1982.

MADRID (Reuters) – Spain’s High Court yesterday accused Venezuela’s left-wing government of helping Basque ETA rebels and Colombian FARC guerrillas plot possible attacks on Spanish soil against targets including Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.

BOGOTA (Reuters) – Former Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos leads the race to succeed President Alvaro Uribe in a May election after a court barred the US ally from seeking re-election, a poll said yesterday.

Barbados economy will improve – IMF The International Monetary Fund says economic activity in Barbados will improve as the global economy gradually expands, but the recovery’s timing remains uncertain.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – Secretary of State Hillary  Clinton flew to Latin America yesterday, working to buff a  lackluster U.S.

(Trinidad Express) Prime Minister Patrick Manning on Saturday promised T&T will soon be cloaked in a security blanket, making it difficult for illegal arms, ammunition and drugs to penetrate its maritime boarders.

(Barbados Nation) Barbados’ Acting Chief Immigration Officer, Edine Griffith is worried about people who come to Barbados and try to set up businesses and then do not live up to their expectations.

PM: Born-again Christians must rise up against persecution (Trinidad Express) Declaring it was “tantamount to religious persecution of the prime minister,” PM Patrick Manning yesterday lashed out against those who were critical of his relationship with the Lighthouse of the Lord Jesus Christ Church and its leader, Juliana Pena.

– Bas on the back bench, refuses to deal with Chief Whip Jack (Trinidad Express) – Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Thursday pledged to return Trinidad and Tobago to a peaceful country under a UNC government.

(Jamaica Gleaner) – A Rastafarian church’s 14-year bid for incorporation in Jamaica continues to be a major source of contention among the nation’s lawmakers.

OECS issues warning on Black Sigatoka A fungus that causes premature ripening in fruit has been found spreading among various crops in the Eastern Caribbean.