Regional News

BUENOS AIRES,  (Reuters) – Several Latin American countries stepped up measures yesterday to slow the spread of the coronavirus, including halting flights to and from Europe, banning public gatherings and closing schools.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The United States yesterday imposed sanctions on another subsidiary of Rosneft, ramping up pressure on the Russian state oil giant that the Trump administration has said provides a financial lifeline to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Former national distance runner Kemoy Campbell is now recovering after experiencing a cardiac episode early this week.

(Trinidad Guardian) Health Min­is­ter Ter­rence Deyals­ingh says no cruise ships will be al­lowed to berth in ei­ther Trinidad or To­ba­go for the rest of the cruise ship sea­son.

(Trinidad Guardian) Min­is­ter of Health Ter­rance Deyals­ingh has con­firmed the first case of coro­n­avirus COVID-19 in Trinidad and To­ba­go.

(Jamaica Observer) The police are reporting that two more women were arrested for their alleged involvement in the fatal beating of former Miss Jamaica contestant Tamara Sinclair in the lobby of a Bronx bank.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Scotiabank has closed its New Kingston Branch after it came to light that one of the two confirmed local COVID-19 patients visited the location and was in contact with some staff members.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Percival Joseph, the Canadian who was arrested on February 21 after attempting to smuggle 14lb of cocaine out of Jamaica via the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, has been sentenced to two years in prison and fined J$5 million.

(Jamaica Star) The US Embassy has suspended visa services and American citizens services after news that one of its employees has tested positive for the coronavirus.

(Jamaica Observer) Approximately 500,000 students are facing the prospect of being out of school as the island’s educational institutions were yesterday put on notice that they could be closed, following the announcement of the second imported case ofthe  novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) here.

(Jamaica Gleaner) A reward of $350,000 is being offered for the safe return of missing University of the West Indies, Mona student Jasmine Deen.

(Trinidad Express) A team of police officers disrupted the Express newsroom operations yesterday when they swooped down on Express House in Port of Spain and searched the office of the Editor-in-Chief.

HAVANA,  (Reuters) – Cuba confirmed its first cases of the new coronavirus yesterday, while its textile industry has been drafted to fabricate masks and the government also urges citizens to make their own, amid a cash crunch and dwindling supplies worldwide.

GUATEMALA CITY,  (Reuters) – Guatemala said yesterday it will ban the entry of citizens of European countries, Iran, China, South Korea and North Korea in a bid to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, as governments around the world race to contain the deadly disease.

(Trinidad Guardian) Health authorities in St Vincent and the Grenadines have announced that the country has registered its first case of coronavirus COVID-19.

(Jamaica Gleaner) The United States Embassy in Kingston has suspended visa and other consular service after one of its employees tested positive for the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

(Jamaica Gleaner) Jamaica has a second confirmed imported case of the new coronavirus.

QUITO,  (Reuters) – Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno yesterday said he will seek to improve debt payment terms and slash $1.4 billion from the government’s budget in response to the crash in oil prices and the economic effects of the coronavirus.

(Jamaica Observer) A second case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Jamaica.

(Trinidad Express) Legal action has been filed against the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) by attorneys representing a woman who caught on fire while giving birth at the Sangre Grande Hospital in 2016.