GNN Online Newspaper - JAN 13, 2016

Wednesday January 13, 2016

charged for murder of bush lot couple sam hinds questioned by police

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Another suicide; East Coast father hangs self

Over the past two weeks a number of incidents of suicide and attempted suicides were recorded.

The latest is a thirtyfive year-old father from Better Hope,

Vincent Sukhdeo

East Coast Demerara.

According to reports, the man, Vincent Sukhdeo, was found hanging over his bed on Monday last.

It is not clear what would have pushed

him to take his life.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that he was reportedly experiencing some domestic issues relating to a female.

He is separated from his

child mother. Together they have a twelve year-old daughter.

Sukhdeo’s lifeless body was discovered by his mother.

Infrastructure Ministry, City Hall to coordinate 2016 activities to save resources be working closely together in a number of areas for 2016 to better coordinate projects and avoid wastage of reources.

During a recent meeting with subject ministers and representatives of M&CC, Minister of Hamilton Green Public Infrastructure, The Ministry of Public David Patterson Infrastructure and emphasised that it was the Mayor and City important that the two Council (M&CC) will bodies coordinated

their efforts. He said that duplication, due to poor coordination, would have been noted in the past and would have resulted in the waste of much needed resources.

He added that 2016 was particularly important since Guyana will be celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, come May 26. He further said that with the anniversary will come a slew of

activities which will be held primarily in Georgetown. Thus, the Ministers concurred that M&CC had an integral role to play and partnering with the Infrastructure Ministry would only strengthen its efforts.

In response, Mayor Hamilton Green lauded the Infrastructure Ministers’ decision to host the meeting and proposed the

Minister Patterson

formation of a technical team to draft plans before execution.

During the meeting, a number of topics were discussed.

Amongst them were drainage; the cleanup of Georgetown; preservation of trees; building regulations; and traffic congestion.

SAM HINDS AND OTHERS QUEStioned by CID Gail Teixeira

Three Members of Parliament of the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds have been summoned for questioning by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) in relation to the finding of the audit conducted on the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).

At a press conference on Wednesday

January 13, held at Freedom House PPP/C MP and Chief Whip Gail Teixeira disclosed to the media that herself, Nigel Dharamlall, Irfaan Ali and former PM Hinds were questioned at SOCU’S Headquarter earlier this week.

She noted however, that ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Guyana Police Force did

Samuel Hinds

the questioning.

She declined to disclose the line of questioning.

“The night of the fifth, they went to Irfaan Ali’s house and they asked him to come in the next day. On the Thursday, the night of the last sitting of Parliament, they went to Mr. Nigel Dharamlall and said they wanted him to come in on Monday and gave him a time.

They went to former Prime Minister’s house and gave him

a date to come in yesterday at a time, but they came to my house on Monday and say they been looking for me since last week…and asked for me to come in and I went in today” she related to the media.

She further stated that the members complied and took their lawyers along.

“They said it’s the first phase or stage one of looking at statements and issues raised in Mr Goolsarran report relating to

Irfaan Ali

criminal activities,” Ms. Teixeira said.

The opposition chief whip questioned the mandate of SOCU and why ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) conducted the interviews at the SOCU head office on Camp Road.

She reasoned that since SOCU fell under the antimoney laundering legislation, the

Nigel Dharamlall,

question remains as to the nexus between the unit, the CID and the forensic audit of NICIL. Further questioned on her opinion on the possible outcome of the interrogations, the PPP/C executive stated “I have nothing to hide, it’s a fishy expedition.”

US deported 104 Guyanese in 2015 According to statistics released by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the US deported 104 Guyanese from the country in 2015.

The agency said in executing its enforcement duties, it focuses on the identification and apprehension of

criminal aliens and other priority aliens located in the United States and the detention and removal of those individuals apprehended in the interior of the United States as well as those apprehended

by CBP officers and agents patrolling the US’ borders.

In total, ICE conducted 235,413 removals and 98% of all ICE removals last year, or 230,715, met one or more of ICE’s stated civil immigration enforcement priorities.

The leading countries of origin for removals were Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.

ICE shares responsibility for enforcing the Nation’s immigration laws with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

PPP/C not taking denial of Opposition day in Parliament lightly-Teixeira The opposition Parliamentary party continues to register its concern with regard to not being afforded a day in the National Assembly to put forward its motions and bills.

At a press conference today, Chief Whip of the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Gail Teixeira made it clear that the party will not sit idly by and continue to be railroaded by the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government in the

National Assembly because of its one seat majority.

The opposition was supposed to be afforded a day on November 12, 2015, however, Parliament was postponed until December 17, 2015. It was subsequently promised the twentieth sitting, which was last Thursday.

Due to the consideration of capital and current estimates of the sixteen constitutional bodies, this did not materialize.

Ever since, there has been no opposition day.

“Again the discussions began with the Clerk, with the Chief Whip, it has been mentioned to the Speaker and nothing has produced except we were assured by the Clerk that the twentieth sitting was ours,” PPP/C Chief Whip stated.

She reminded that the Standing orders are very clear that every fourth sitting should facilitate the opposition’s business.

“We are not taking lightly this issue of not being allowed to have our day and this is an issue we are going to continue to

internationalize what are some of the concerns that we have in relation to the functioning of the eleventh Parliament in Guyana,” Teixeira declared.

A motion to have the next sitting of the House on Wednesday January 13, 2016 was rejected by the government side of the house, even though the opposition did not get to have their matters addressed at the last sitting.

Prime Minster Moses Nagamootoo recommended that the

City Hall says vendors must help to clean City As the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) works to regularize vending in the city and sustain the ongoing clean-up campaign, it has decided that any vendor who does not keep their surroundings clean will be removed.

During a meeting with vendors at the M&CC compound this morning, Town Clerk; Royston King said vendors were told that they will be removed from the areas in which they are operating if they refuse to keep it clean.

Additionally, he disclosed that one Sunday in every month will be taken to clean the city with the input from vendors.

He disclosed that “once per month, there will be cleaning of the entire city. You will decide whether it is the first or the last Sunday of every month, you will not come out to sell, you

there is a poisonous substance it gives off and the acetone you breathe

Vendors at meeting with M&CC representatives

will come out to clean and we will begin this activity from February.”

This proposal was lauded by the vendors.

Also, there will be no additional vendors on the pavements this year. King said “no new vendors will be allowed on our pavements. We have the list of all those who are there already.

We do not have space, the city is already congested and we have no more space for new vendors.

You must help us, if you see somebody come next to you, tell us and we will remove them!”

The meeting was hosted

to inform vendors of the M&CC’s plans for 2016 to improve and sustain the Georgetown environs.

Highlighting some of the current problems faced by the council and its workers, Deputy Mayor Patricia ChaseGreen disclosed that the continued practices by some vendors are posing severe health and environmental problems.

The Deputy Mayor also attributed to the mobile salons which she described as unsightly and a health threat to others. “It is against the public health laws; every time you file nail,

Gail Teixeira

next sitting be held on Thursday January 14.

Teixeira contended that five months after the PPP/C MPs took up its thirty-two seats in the House it is still waiting to have its matters addressed.

With the expectation that the 2016 National Budget will be presented soon, Teixeira is concerned that the opposition matters will be further pushed back.

in. These may not tell on you now but many years down the line” she said.

Vendors were urged to dress properly which they also accepted. They raised several concerns including the lack of adequate parking to ply their trade within the

designated time to do so, being harassed by constabulary officers, garbage truck turning up too late and inadequate bins provided at the Water Street area among others which the M&CC officials pledged to address.

13-year-old Tuschen student commits suicide The suicide trend seems to be continuing unabated. According to an INEWS report today, a 13 year-old student who resides at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, was found hanging in her bedroom by her guardian at about

PPP questions success of “Operation Dragnet” The political opposition is questioning the success of “Operation Dragnet” that was launched by the coalition government on December 1, 2015.

Peoples Progressive Party/Civic executive member Gail Teixeira today questioned “in what way has Operation Dragnet helped to reduce crime?”

She pointed to the fact that on Saturday January 9 the murder figure was at nine.

Only Friday last, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) expressed concern about the daily occurrence of criminal activities, often violent.

The body said it was looking forward for the government to come

forward with a CrimeFighting Master Plan, as well as successes which provide much needed comfort presently.

FTUG in a statement said insecurity and fear are currently pervasive, noting that the security forces are “obviously facing overwhelming challenges at this time.” “Clearly, our expectations that the current administration will effectively contain crime, even its previous statements and the surfeit of securityoriented personnel in its ranks, are certainly not being realised.

FITUG feels that the present grave situation warrants a national consultation. In previous times, such an approach had a positive impact in

midday yesterday.

The reason for the Vergenoegen Secondary School student taking her life is unknown at this time.

The online news agency reported that the child’s g rand mot he r, Stephanie Fredricks,

said that the family found a note allegedly written by the teen expressing her love for a 17 year old boy.

Investigations are ongoing.

At least three persons committed suicide and five others made attempts over the past five days.

-cites high murder rate for 2016

reducing crime in the country,” FITUG said.

On December 12, 2015 Minister of State Joseph Harmon hailed the success of the crime fighting initiative. He said it has resulted in a drop in the rate of serious crime and an increase in

interdiction rates by the Guyana Police Force.

The country-wide security exercise began on December 01 and runs until June 2016.

Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan earlier this week confirmed that

Operation Dragnet is a sum total of government’s security plan.

The coalition government promised a five point comprehensive security plan which is still to be implemented.

The APNU+AFC government had

Trotman also attended the meeting, which was held this morning at the Ministry of the Presidency.

In a brief comment after the engagement, REPSOL’s Latin America Exploration Director, Mr. Mikel Erquiaga explained that the company has

to drill a well, but had been delayed by several stumbling blocks, including its legal battle with CGX Energy Incorporated in 2012 over exploration activities in the Georgetown Block. This matter was resolved 2014.

REPSOL needs an

extension to complete the necessary preparatory work for drilling to begin.

“We want a short extension in order to continue working in the Block and eventually drill a well,” Mr. Erquiaga said.

REPSOL, which is based in Spain, is

previously sought to throw the blame on the past administration with regard to the crime wave, saying that it inherited the sore issue when it assumed office in May of last year. On the other hand, the opposition has severely condemned the coalition government over what it deems its inability to tackle crime.

In spite of this, the President was quoted in the media today as saying that he is satisfied with the manner in which law enforcement agencies have been stepping up the fight against criminals in recent months.

He was quoted too as saying that “the war on crime is being won.”

REPSOL seeks extension to continue work From L-R- REPSOL’s Country Manager, Mr. Giancarlo Ariza, Minister of Natural Resources, Mr. Raphael Trotman; President David Granger, REPSOL’s Latin America Exploration Director, Mr. Mikel Erquiaga and Exploration Manager of the Atlantic Basins, Mr. Allan Kean, at the Ministry of the Presidency this morning

Officials from global energy company REPSOL, today, met with President David Granger to seek an

extension to continue exploratory work in the Kanuku Block.

Minister of Natural Resources, Mr. Raphael

one of the first oil companies to discover oil in Guyana. It commenced drilling in 2012 at the Jaguar-1 well and discovered the presence of hydrocarbons. ( M O T P )

President says Guyana beginning to win ‘war on crime’

President David Granger

making at the moment.

“There are several measures; one of the most important thing that is not visible to the naked eye, is that our CID [Criminal Investigation Department] has been strengthened. Though we may not be able to prevent crimes from occurring in all those cases, we could detect those crimes and bring those people to justice very quickly. That has been one of the achievements of the Police Force over recent months,” the President said.

Other areas of strengthened crime fighting activity include the deployment of mounted police in the Rupununi and aerial surveillance of the coastland, which is having an impact on the incidence of piracy.

Recently, there have been a number of arrests made soon after criminal acts were perpetrated.

Granger noted that his Administration inherited a situation characterized by gun running, smuggling and narco-trafficking, and

said that these problems did not begin in 2015. He said that there has been for over two decades, a tradition of disorder in the country, which the Government is working hard to arrest.

He said, “Early in our administration I set up the National Security Committee. I’ve met with the Commissioner of Police, the Minister of Public Security and the Prime Minister every week under the National Security Committee. We have committed ourselves to strengthening the police force, not only Operation DRAGNET but also enabling the police to

have greater reach.”

Prior to the launch of Operation DRAGNET, which is currently being executed to tackle external and internal security threats, the President had indicated that the security of the nation’s citizens is a priority for the Government.

This approach includes ensuring that the police force is strengthened by putting a lot of emphasis on equipment and training, ensuring the police officers are well-paid, deploying more police ranks to the hinterland and more patrols in vulnerable communities. (MOTP)

President David Granger believes that Guyana is beginning to win the war on crime while acknowledging there is still a lot of work to be done.

The President was the time responding to questions from members of the media corps. He said he is pleased with the progress that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is

Kuwait’s Non-Resident Ambassador to Guyana, H. E. Ayadah M. Alsaidi, this morning presented his Letters of Credence to President David Granger at the Ministry of the Presidency.

Ambassador Alsaidi while bringing greetings in behalf of the Emir of Kuwait, His Highness Shaykh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber AlSabah, committed to working to strengthened relations between Guyana and his country.

He added that the two countries enjoy strong political relations but noted that in the past year economic and trade relations were not as strong as they could be.

The Ambassador promised that he would do is best to work to strengthen ties in these areas and indicated that his country would welcome proposals for projects that could benefit the people of Guyana.

President Granger, said that he is confident that during Ambassador Alsaidi tenure, the two countries would find practical ways

of moving their collaboration further.

He stated that, “Your Accreditation takes place at a time of economic transformation for both our countries, albeit at different levels.

Guyana, like Kuwait, is striving to further develop its natural resources to accelerate economic growth and ensure the good life for all of its citizens.

Guyana remains deeply committed to its efforts H.E. David Granger, Kuwait’s non-resident Ambassador to Guyana, H.E. Ayadah M. Alsaidi and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Carl Greenidge in discussion at the Ministry of the Presidency, this morning to reduce poverty and unemployment and to provide better permanent seat on for the period 2014- that country’s bid used the opportunity social services for the United Nation’s 2015 and Guyana is for 2017-2018. Both to express thanks for all. There are ample Security Council currently supporting state representatives that support. (MOTP) opportunities for our two countries to collaborate in this regard.”

The President noted that Kuwait and Guyana have worked closely at the multilateral level on areas such as the preservation of sovereignty and territorial integrity and share a number of similar positions on global issues.

Guyana and Kuwait c o m m e n c e d diplomatic relations in August 1995. Kuwait President Granger greeting Ambassador Ayadah M. Alsaidi at the Accreditation Ceremony as Minister of supported Guyana’s Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge looks on candidature for a non-

Kuwait Ambassador invites Guyana to submit project proposals for support

2 of 5 persons who attempted suicide improved Two persons who attempted suicide in Region two over the past weeks and were patients at the Suddie Hospital have been discharged.

GNN understands that one person was discharged yesterday (Jan, 12, 2016) while another has taken selfdischarge from the

hospital. However it was unable to confirmed which of the two persons were discharged.

On Monday, GNN reported that five persons from various locations from the Essequibo Coast have been hospitalized following attempts to end their lives.

The five person names

were given as 12 year old, Ferana Mohamed from Anna Regina Squatting area, 22 year old Nelina Ramesh from La Belle Alliance, 24 year old, Yosoda Munniram from Fairfield, 28 year old Sushelia Khemraj from San Souci Wakenaam and 20 year old, Savita Sursattie from

Golden Fleece Estate.

Reports indicate that three of the persons injected Gramaxzone.

Over the weekend two unrelated persons, one from Adventure and one from Anna Regina committed suicide.

information, all three are also expected to be charged in the coming week for robbery and murder of another West Coast Berbice woman who was burnt to death in her home.

Forty-nine year-old Anita Baichan, of Plantation Hope, West Coast Berbice, was bound and gagged and left to die after her home was set ablaze by bandits.

Her son, who was beaten and left in the house, managed to escape.

GNN was reliably informed that the three allegedly committed several other robberies in villages along the West Coast Berbice area.

Their descriptions were

reportedly given to the police on several occasions. One of the three was recently released from prison.

At the Magistrate Court this morning there were relatives of the three accused .They were passed through

the courts as early as 0930hrs this morning.

Two remanded for murder of Bush Lot husband and wife Two nineteen yearolds from West Coast Berbice have remanded to prison for the capital offence of murder of eighty-one year-old Arthur Rajkumar and his forty-nine year-old wife, Dianne Chamanlall.

The couple were chopped to death in their Bush Lot home on Saturday last during what appears to be a robbery.

Gocoul Danpaul also known as “Clown” of Lot 175 Block ‘B’ Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, and Nazamadeen Raffic of Lot 5 Bush Lot West Coast Berbice, today appeared before Magistrate Rondel Weaver at the Fort Wellington

Magistrate’s Court.

They are expected to return to court on February 3rd for a progress report by the police.

A third person has also been implicated in the incident. The Guyana News Network (GNN) understands that the third suspect was arrested on Tuesday at the No.4 seashore after ranks were tipped off. He reportedly confessed to the crime as the two others.

GNN has been informed that the police are likely to withdraw the charges from the two teenagers and jointly charge the three for the double murder.

According to

3 months grace period for Styrofoam ban in effect

Anyone found with polystyrene containers at the end of March, 2016 will be guilty of an offence and be asked to pay a fine of $100, 000.

While the importation and manufacturing of polystyrene products was banned from January 1, 2016, the Grace period given by the government to importers and food operators to utilize the stocks they currently have and to dispose of those that have already been shipped to Guyana will last for three months.

Currently any person or entity found importing could face fines of no less than $50,000.

Styrofoam has proven over the years to be one of

the major waste problems faced.

Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency collaborates with local authorities, especially the Mayor and City Council’s Office of Georgetown to address waste management in the city.

It also has an Education, Information, and Training Division that regularly updates and informs the public about waste management issues and programmes both globally and locally; and authorizes management operations and landfills, as well as monitoring and compliance of such.

According to EPA Environmental Officer Aretha Forde, “the Agency

has ensured that the general public has been informed that biodegradable alternatives are available for purchase, and is partnering with the Institute of Applied Science and Technology and the Guyana Bureau of Standards to establish acceptable standards for imported and manufactured b i o d e g r a d a b l e alternative products.”

She added that “the Agency has received the

full support of the Private Sector Commission in this regard while feedback from the general public indicates full support with queries being addressed.”

Forde also stated that the Agency plans to monitor these indicators highlighted (response to the alternative products) through implementing partners.

In an effort to reduce the high price tagged on alternatives to

Styrofoam products, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a reduction of the import tax she said, however no word was given on whether it will be implemented.

The EPA has undertaken an aggressive public relations campaign on the Styrofoam Ban, especially during the month of December. A series of radio and television interviews were conducted in which questions from the public were answered and information on the reason for the ban, as well as the benefits of using the alternatives were relayed to the public.

Government has gazetted subsidiary legislation-: The Environmental Protection (Expanded Polystyrene

Ban) Regulations earlier this month which explained that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be the entity to implement the ban with Syrofoam-made food containers, plates, hot and cold beverage cups, meat and vegetable trays and egg cartons to be prohibited from being imported, manufactured or distributed locally.

The gazetted legislations said the EPA or authorized persons from the Director of Public Prosecutions can bring prosecutions in a court of summary jurisdiction.

It was recommended that the EPA work with stakeholders to promote use of recyclable, biodegradable and other environmentally friendly products.

The containers to be allowed by the EPA include aluminium, glass and recyclable plastic and paper.

Jagdeo says he’s willing to support gov’t on benefits to Guyanese- PSC

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

The Private Sector Commission said it

recently cordial

had and

a very fruitful

enquired from Mr Jagdeo on his willingness to participate in the National Economic Forum and to provide any assistance that he and the Party would be willing to give for this National Programme.

To this “Mr. Jagdeo indicated that he would be willing to support the Government on any benefits to the Guyanese

people and he was at all times prepared to support the Government in this important thrust but is indisposed to cutting Budgets or benefits” the statement said.

Finally on the list, was the issue of collaboration with the Government, both by the Opposition and the PSC.

Those bills are as follows: the CREDIT R E P O R T I N G (AMENDMENT) BILL 2015 – Bill No. 13 of 2015, the CORONERS (AMENDMENT) BILL 2015 –Bill No. 11 of 2015, and the LAW REFORM COMMISSION BILL 2015 –Bill No. 12 of 2015.

The bills were read for the first time on December 17, 2015.

Meanwhile, the opposition is expected to table its motion for the filing of income tax returns by all Members three bills will be read for the second time. of Parliament. The

motion will be tabled by PPP/C MP Juan Edghill.

The motion is seeking to have all Members of Parliament file annual income tax returns to the Guyana Revenue Authority in compliance with the Income Tax Act, Cap 81:01.

The opposition is urging the government to give to expeditiously table legislation to give effect to the 2015 ELECTION DAY VIOLENCE: C O M P E N S AT I O N FOR VICTIMS motion.

meeting with opposition members where several topics were discussed.

A meeting was held with Leader of the Opposition Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, Party Chief Whip; Gail Teixeira and MP Irfan Ali. The PSC in a statement said the opposition team was engaged on “Hydroelectricity and, in particular, Amaila Falls…world economic

situation and the state of the Guyanese economy and such issues as Sugar, Rice, Bauxite and other major sectors of the economy… upcoming Local Government Elections and an assessment of the preparations by GECOM and, in particular, Education as the Local Government Elections.”

The PSC said it also

President to address Parliament tomorrow Head of State David Granger is expected to address the House tomorrow January 14, the second sitting for the year, according to the order paper.

During the opening of the eleventh Parliament last year the President promised to address the House at the beginning of every year.

Apart from the President’s

address,

Belize importer of Guyanese Rice given 14 days to re-export Belize importer of Guyanese rice Jack Charles has been given two weeks to make arrangements to export his 3 containers of rice out of Belize.

The case has been ongoing since last year when Charles imported 3 containers of rice to be sold in Belize at reduced price, but the rice was stopped at the Port of Big Creek by Belize government who noted that this

move was unfair to local rice farmers.

A week ago Charles’ attorneys had to scramble to the Supreme Court for an interim injunction - to stop customs from destroying the 75 tonnes of rice. The customs got an order of forfeiture from the Magistrate’s Court which later decided to give Charles 14 days to make arrangements to get the rice out of Belize

after a compromise was met with the government and him.

Prime Minister of Belize Dean Barrow highlighted that “It’s not a fight between Belize and Guyana.

The Deputy Prime Minister and the CEO in the Ministry of Agriculture are in Guyana now.

They are going to be talking to their counterparts over there. But this is not a.... we don’t want to make too

much of it. This is a as of now a problem with Mr. Charles and is not having gone through the proper processes.”

The Ministry of Agriculture’s Belize

Agricultural Health modified from Authority (BAHA) B e l i z e 7 n e w s . ) have detained the three containers containing of Rice since the second week in December, 2015. (Taken and

Charlie Sheen Quits HIV Meds: ‘I Was Born Dead’ Charlie Sheen admitted on Tuesday that he has been off his HIV medication “for about a week now” and is seeking alternative treatment in Mexico.

“I’ve been off my meds for about a week now,” he said on “The Dr. Oz Show.” “Am I risking my life? Sure. So what? I was born dead. That part of it doesn’t faze me at all.”

The actor also said he is seeking treatment from a physician named Dr. Sam Chachoua, whom Dr. Mehmet

Oz says is not licensed to practice medicine in the United States.

In November, the sitcom star revealed to Matt Lauer on NBC’s “Today” that he was diagnosed with HIV four years ago. During his appearance, he said that doctors found an undetectable amount of the virus in his blood.

However, two months later, Sheen told Dr. Oz that he received some terrible news before stepping onto the stage.

“I’m a little off my game,

because right before I walked out here, I got some results that I was disappointed about,” he said. “I know this is an experiment, that I took a stroll down a different path. But yeah, I’d been nondetectable and nondetectable and checking the blood every week, and then found out that the numbers were back up.” (Yahoo)

Montgomery County District Attorney in 2005, in which the Commonwealth agreed that Mr. Cosby would never be prosecuted with respect to the allegations of sexual assault made by complainant Andrea Constand,” Cosby’s attorneys said in a statement.

The deposition was given in a civil lawsuit against Cosby by Constand, now 44. That lawsuit was settled in 2006 for an undisclosed sum.

Cosby, who personified the model family man in his hit 1980s television

series “The Cosby Show,” and his lawyers have acknowledged marital infidelity on his part but have denied any allegations

of sexual misconduct.

Cosby is free on $1 million bail and his lawyer has said he is not guilty and will not consider a plea bargain.

Prosecutors in California last week decided not to charge Cosby over sexual assault allegations made by two other women.

(Huffpost Entertainment)

It seems like the 2002 hit and run case involving actor Salman Khan has taken another twist.

In fact after being acquitted in the case by the High Court, we hear that the case might just be reopened in front of the apex court after the top brass of the Mumbai Police issued

a circular to all police stations highlighting the lapses and discrepancies in the case.

Apparently, the circular issued by the additional Commissioner of Police (crime) KMM Prasanna, mentions 16 among the several procedural lapses of the police’s

case, the High court highlighted in its judgment which include the mismanagement of evidence, apparent changes to the FIR without reason, lethargic response to collecting blood samples for evidence and their subsequent processing and a host of others.

Further we also hear that while the state announced that it would be challenging Salman’s acquittal in the apex court, the Bandra police are in the process of drafting an appeal for the same.

(Bollywoodhungama)

Bill Cosby’s Lawyers seek to have charges dismissed Attorneys for Bill Cosby on Monday asked a Pennsylvania court to dismiss sexual assault charges filed against the comedian late last month, saying prosecutors violated terms under which he gave a deposition in a civil lawsuit a decade ago.

Cosby, 78, was charged last month with sexually assaulting a woman in 2004 after plying her with drugs and alcohol.

The charges, filed days before the statute of limitations on the alleged crime was to expire, are the only criminal

charges the entertainer faces after more than 50 women accused him of sex assault.

Defense attorneys on Monday asked a judge to disqualify Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, District Attorney Kevin Steele from prosecuting the case, noting that he had said during his recent election campaign that he would work to charge Cosby if elected.

His rival in the race made similar comments.

“The charges brought on December 30, 2015 violate an express agreement made by the

Salman Khan’s hit and run case to be reopened?

Smarter People Live Longer, Study Finds Your IQ matters, too.

In 1932, almost 2800 10- and 11-year-olds in Aberdeen, Scotland sat down for an IQ test as part of a national survey. Recently, a mental health specialist at the University of Aberdeen and a psychologist at the University Nerds may have yet their peers. While ed- of Edinburgh tracked another reason to ucational attainment down as many of these feel superior: They has previously been kids as they could find, might live longer. linked to living lon- trying to figure out A longitudinal study ger, it may not all be how long they lived finds that smart kids about how much time and how that might may live longer than you spend in school. correlate with the re-

sults of their IQ tests.

Using public records, they traced 2230 people of the original participants (nearly 80 percent) and compared their mental abilities in childhood to whether they were still alive in 1997, at the age of 76.

They found that people who performed better on the test at age 11 were more likely to live to age 75. The effect was more significant for women than for men, though that

might be due to the fact that this cohort served in World War II, and the men in the group who died in the war tended to have a relatively high average IQ. For women, an 11-point disadvantage in IQ score lowered the chances of living up to the age of 76 below the 75 percent rate. Having a 30-point lower IQ made someone only half as likely to survive until the age of 76 as someone

with an average IQ. Why a higher IQ might help you survive longer is still unknown.

An IQ test is not an absolute measure of native intelligence, as Scientific American points out. A test taker’s performance, for example, can be influenced by how well they expect to do, and some research indicates that IQ test results can be shaped by social and economic factors.

(Adapted from MSN)

“moving around in a haphazard and relentless manner throughout the vitreous cavity.”

Doctors removed the worm from the patient’s eye. The worm was identified as Loa loa, a parasite transmitted by flies that breed in high-

canopied rain forests of West and Central Africa.

According to study authors, this is the first case of African eye worm in the vitreous cavity of the eye, which is behind the lens and in front of the retina. Doctors speculate that the worm may have migrated there in its larval stage— either from the blood through ciliary vessels or by burrowing through the coats of the eyeball— and grown there. (Adapted from Fox News)

Man’s blurred vision caused by worm living in his eye A man who went to the doctor with reduced vision, redness, pain and floaters discovered he had a long, live worm living in it.

The man was a fruit vendor in India, and he had been experiencing these symptoms for

two weeks in his left eye, which was tested to have 20/160 vision, indicating that sight in his affected eye was severely impaired.

According to the report, which was published Friday in BMJ Case Reports, the worm was

Here’s what to eat if you want to live to be 100 A new book called The Blue Zones Solution has offered up eating and living advice to get you to that 100-year mark.

The book’s author, Dan Buettner studied five areas — Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Ogliastra Region, Sardinia; Loma Linda, California; and Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica — that have been identified as having the highest concentrations of centenarians in the world.

These so-called Blue Zones, the book argues, are clearly doing something right that we should learn from to give ourselves a leg up on the climb to 100. What we found especially interesting was the book’s list of “top longevity foods” from each Blue Zone. Add these to your grocery list, stat: Ikaria, Greece: Potatoes, goat’s milk, honey, legumes (especially garbanzo beans, black-eyed peas, and lentils), wild greens, lemons, feta cheese, some fruit, and small amounts of fish Okinawa, Japan: Bitter melons, tofu, garlic,

brown rice, green tea, and shitake mushrooms Sardinia, Italy: Goat’s milk, sheep’s cheese, flatbread, sourdough bread, barley, fennel, fava beans, chickpeas, tomatoes, almonds, milk thistle tea, and wine Loma Linda, California: Tofu, avocados, salmon, nuts, beans, oatmeal, whole-wheat bread, and soy milk Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica: Eggs, rice, beans, corn, squash, papayas, yams, bananas, and peach palms Beyond what you put in your mouth, there are also a few recommendations for how people in these areas actually eat, which include: • Stop eating when your stomach is 80% full to avoid weight gain.

• Eat the smallest meal of the day in the late afternoon or evening.

• Eat mostly plants, especially beans. And eat

meat rarely, in small portions of 3 to 4 ounces.

Blue Zoners eat portions this size just five times a month, on average.

• Drink alcohol moderately and regularly, i.e. 1 to 2 glasses a day.

Got all that? Seems simple enough to live to 100, right? But you might also want to make allowances for pesky things like exercise, family and community, which, according to the book, also play a vital role to longevity.

Once all that’s sorted, living to 100 should be a piece of cake — oooh, cake…(Yahoo)

Venezuela’s first lady says DEA kidnapped her nephews Venezuela’s first lady on Tuesday broke her silence on the arrest of her two nephews on drug trafficking charges, saying they were kidnapped by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Cilia Flores, who serves in congress, told Venezuelan weekly Tal Cual that the U.S. was seeking revenge

and trying to force the socialists from power in the South American country.

She said the government had proof that the DEA had conducted an illegal operation on Venezuelan soil and “violated our sovereignty.”

Two of Flores’ nephews were arrested

in November in Haiti and transferred to New York. They are being held on charges of conspiring to smuggle cocaine into the U.S. “The DEA committed the crime of kidnapping,” Flores said.

U.S prosecutors have investigated several top Venezuelan officials for drug charges, but

November’s arrests marked the first time President Nicolas Maduro’s inner circle was directly implicated.

Flores had refrained from addressing the case. But that’s been increasingly hard to do after the opposition won control of congress and allowed reporters to enter the congressional

chamber for the first time in years.

Last week, Flores was filmed ignoring direct questions

from reporters on the topic, which local press has dubbed the “narconephews” scandal.

(Yahoo)

Republic in June.

Indicating the focus of his chairmanship, Sanders expressed concern about the financial health of the OAS, saying

that its “financial state is dire and urgently needs to be addressed if the Organisation is to continue to fulfil its obligations to the development needs of the people of its member states”.

Sanders is expected to elaborate on his concerns about the Organisation in his inaugural statement to the Permanent Council on January 20.

Sanders’ first act as chairman of the OAS Permanent Council was to receive the deputy minister of foreign affairs of Bolivia, Juan Carlos Tejeda, to discuss

climate change and initiatives that could be taken to ensure that undertakings given at the climate meeting in Paris last December actually deliver results.

Sanders has been an advocate of the interests of small states in the global warming debate.

He is expected to advance discussion of this issue, as well as threats to the financial services sector of the Caribbean during his chairmanship

Ronald Sanders now Chair of OAS Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador Sir Ronald Sanders on Tuesday assumed office as the chairman of the Permanent Council of the Organisation of American States (OAS).

In a ceremony at the OAS headquarters in Washington DC, Sanders was welcomed to the office by SecretaryGeneral Luis Almargo Lemes and ambassadors from the Organisation’s 35 member states.

Sanders will preside over the activities of the OAS until April this year, with a packed agenda that includes issues involving

general elections in Haiti as well as problem areas in some member countries.

Under his stewardship, the Permanent Council will also advance

preparations for the General Assembly, the highest decision-making organ of the OAS. The General Assembly will be held in the Dominican

Girl with nearly no brain is still alive at 10 When Alex Simpson was born, she seemed to be a typical baby in many respects, but she would cry for 20 hours a day.

For two months, her parents didn’t know why.

Then, an answer, Alex was diagnosed with a rare congenital disorder called hydranencephaly, meaning she was born missing a good chunk of her brain.

Most babies with the

condition die before their first birthday; the longest any known person has lived with hydranencephaly was 33 years, reports the Pediatric Brain Foundation.

The foundation notes that some children display no obvious symptoms of the condition at birth, but “increased irritability, increased muscle tone, and the lack of purposeful

movement generally initiate suspicion of an underlying cause.”

Alex is now 10. She has part of her cerebellum, allowing her to maintain some awareness of her surroundings.

“She knows her mom and dad, her little brother,” her father Shawn Simpson says. “She knows when bad things are going on; she will cry or have a sad face.”

To get a better window into whether that was the case, researchers

surveyed 108 primary caregivers of children with hydranencephaly, asking questions like “Will your child echo or imitate you?” (29% said yes) and “Does your child reach for objects?” (26% yes).

Their conclusion, in part: “The indications that they are not only physiologically awake but conscious during waking makes it appropriate to apply the concept of quality of life to these children” (Yahoo)

to be on his way to school, police said.

Police said the teen had headed to the bus stop

but apparently came back home through a back door. The man said he heard a noise in the basement.

Police said when the father opened a door within the basement, the boy appeared.

“He scared me!” the distraught father said in his 911 call shortly before 6:30 a.m. “I thought he was in school.

I heard noise, so I went downstairs looking and he jumped out at me. ....

Oh, God. Get here quick!”

The man told police he

Father kills son he mistook for an intruder

An armed man who believed he was confronting an intruder in the basement of

his home yesterday morning, instead fatally shot his 14-year-old son, who was supposed

A snake thief smuggled a 2-footlong python from a Portland pet store by stuffing it down his pants.

Surveillance video shows the suspect with a blue-haired woman who appeared to be in on the theft. He handed her some keys before taking the snake from a tank and shuffling out of the store.

The pet store owner, Christin Bjugan, says it was “pretty gutsy” for the man to put the python down his pants, and potentially a bad move because it was close to feeding day. On the other hand, she added, the snake does like warm, dark places.

The snake is a black pastel ball python and sells for $200.

“We have a cheap

accidentally shot his son with a .45-caliber handgun. After initially telling the 911 dispatcher the boy was hit in the chest, he then said it was in the neck. The dispatcher told him to put the gun on the kitchen counter, then talked him through first aid steps and tried to calm him until police and emergency vehicles arrived.

The boy, Georta Mack, died at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Police officials said the Hamilton County prosecutor’s office will decide whether there should be any charges against the father.

“These types of tragedies are so horrific, they’re even unimaginable,” Police Chief Eliot Isaac told reporters.

Referring to indications the boy had planned to skip school, Isaac said children should “tell the truth: make sure your parents know where you are, absolutely.” (Yahoo)

Man steals snake; hides it in crotch

price, usually they go for about $400,” Bjugan said.

Police said the department has investigated thefts at pet stores, but this is the first time it has involved someone putting a snake in their pants. It also seemed more purposeful than usual.

(Huffpost Weird News)

Obama urges nation not to fear future President Obama tried to use his final State of the Union address Tuesday to calm Americans’ economic and national security anxieties, tout his record and rebuke Republican presidential hopefuls for the vitriolic tone of their campaigns to replace him.

“And then, as frustration [with politics] grows, there will be voices urging us to fall back into

our respective tribes, to scapegoat fellow citizens who don’t look like us, or pray like us, or vote like we do, or share the same background,” Obama said, in one of many not-so-subtle references to GOP frontrunner Donald Trump.

“We can’t afford to go down that path. It won’t deliver the economy we want or the security we want, but most

of all, it contradicts everything that makes us the envy of the world.”

The president — his hair now flecked with gray — was greeted with cheers of “O-bama!” from enthusiastic Democrats but mostly stony silence from Republicans.

Obama’s speech came with more than a year — a full one-eighth of his term — still remaining in the White House. “I

believe in you,” Obama said, as he closed.

“That’s why I stand here confident that the state of our union is strong.”

History shows that presidents delivering their final State of the Union addresses take the opportunity to frame their time in office and begin to cement their legacies.

Obama said “one of the few regrets” of his

presidency was that — after he ran on a message of unity and healing — American politics has become more divided and resentful on his watch.

But the president mentioned a series of goals, including lifting the trade embargo on Cuba, passing the Authorization for the Use of Military Force, expanding the earned

income tax credit, making college more affordable, raising the minimum wage, and fixing the immigration system.

He called for the closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison, where scores of terrorism suspects have languished without trial. Obama called it a “recruitment brochure for our enemies.”

(Adapted from MSN)

in asylum centers.

“The government, the Social Democrats, the Danish People’s Party, the Liberal Alliance and the Conservative People’s Party have agreed to amend

the bill concerning valuables,” a government statement said.

Wedding rings, engagement rings, family portraits, “badges of honor” and other sentimental items would be exempt from the measure. The proposed law would let authorities take away valuables worth about $1,500 or more in order to help bear the

burden of housing costs.

The value of eligible property was raised from an initial $437 in order to gain more widespread support for the measure.

The proposal is just one part of a larger immigration package the Danish parliament is due to begin debating on Wednesday.

A delay on some family reunifications is also

part of the plan. A vote is set for Jan. 26.

The U.N. refugee agency criticized the proposed move last week, saying it was “a deeply concerning response to humanitarian needs” and “an affront” to the “dignity” of refugees, according to Reuters.

More than a million people have gushed into European countries,

primarily fleeing wartorn Syria, but also other conflict zones in the Middle East and Africa.

What was initially viewed as a primarily humanitarian issue has become increasingly focused on security and economics.

Refugees have been accused of mass sexual assaults and Islamic terror attacks in numerous countries.

(AFP/Fox News)

of MH370, which vanished on March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board.

In July last year, a twometre-long (almost seven-foot) flaperon wing part washed up on a beach on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion and was confirmed to be from the ill-fated flight, marking the first

the turn of the 19th century -- has been discovered some 3,700 metres deep.

“The Shipwreck concrete evidence that Galleries of the Western it met a tragic end.

Australian Museum Nothing has been have conducted a found since despite preliminary review of more than 80,000 some sonar imagery square kilometres of and advised that the the seafloor being vessel is likely to be a searched, based on steel/iron vessel dating satellite analysis of the from the turn of the jet’s likely trajectory 19th century,” the Joint after it diverted Agency Coordination from its flight path.

Centre (JACC) said.

But another shipwreck It is the second wreck -- an iron or steelfound during the hunt. hulled vessel believed In May last year, sonar to have gone down at

imagery revealed an anchor, along with other objects searchers said were man-made as well as what are thought to be lumps of coal.

Investigators believe

MH370 ran out of fuel and crashed somewhere in the southern Indian Ocean, sparking one of the biggest mysteries in aviation history.

(Adapted from Yahoo)

Denmark proposes taking refugees’ valuables to pay for asylum costs

With a flood of refugees streaming into Europe, Denmark’s government said Tuesday it had enough support for a plan to seize migrants’ valuables in order to pay for their stays

Search for missing Malaysian plane finds new shipwreck, but no aircraft The hunt for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has uncovered a shipwreck deep underwater, officials said Wednesday, the second such discovery since the search began almost two years ago.

An Australian-led team continues to scour the southern Indian Ocean seabed in hope of finding the final resting place

Nat’l Sports Commission aiming for 4 year program

The National Sport Commission (NSC) in Collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MoE), Department of Sport (DoS) is aiming to have its Community Development Fund Project rolled out in four year

over four phases according to Director Christopher Jones.

Briefing the media on Wednesday Morning, Jones stated that they are intent on revamping some of the initiatives used previously with the process expected

to involve the grass root people in the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and Village councils.

The Provision according to Jones will remain the same at $300m annually but, there will be changes

The Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) is planning to capitalize on an early start to 2016, having suffered a sluggish commencement to the new Executive’s tenure in September of 2015.

President of the union Peter Greene, confessed to a somewhat sluggish start to the new executive committee but contended that it was unavoidable.

“I’ve been mandated to lead the union with a bunch of young people , so many of them thought that it was a piece of cake but

I have to guide them on the constitution in the ways and means of world rugby the issues and all sort of things too many to describe right now; but the fact is there are very inexperienced and they needed to be guided,” said the veteran Administrator.

He noted that the body will have an Annual General Meeting later this month in an attempt to make some changes to the current constitution adding, “we will be addressing the issues of the constitution , which

will be moving from one year to two years.”

“Apart from other small items that are hindering the progress but this constitution was a really long time back , so we have to keep up with the times,” said the GRFU boss.

He noted that they are keen on ensuring that Guyana’s constitution is in keeping with the International Rugby Board (IRB) constitution in order to access grants and funding.

The union, due to accountability issues was only able to

multipurpose space which caters for several different disciplines and of course priority is on lights at every one of the location,” said Jones.

Jones already has a plan moving into this year, saying, “my first proposal (to the Ministry of Education/ Department of Sport) for 2016 is for 22 NDC which will speak to (on average) $220M and of course you still have to cater for those to the amount one communities that do project access as those not reside within a offered in the past municipality or the were often times not NDC for example Amerindian sufficient to complete the communities and and maintain projects. “$10m is about the of course you still minimum that we have to cater for grounds.” can spend if we want school to achieve the truly He noted that there

is still $80m unused funds yearly which will go toward developing schools grounds as well as those in the hinterland locations.

The Director said that in order for funds to be accessed, the must have a community committee that is responsible for the development of the ground and to do a needs assessment followed by a document indicating the cost of the project and the particulars.

Those documents should be submitted to the MoE DoS and copied to the NSC. Thus far, Jones admitted that he is in receipt of 10 proposals which missed the 2015 deadline.

GRFU Executive looking to early 2016 start have their mandated annual election in September of 2015, giving the executives until this year’s AGM

expected in February. National 15’s league This, he noted will set to commence not change the later this month. development stride of the body with the

Wednesday January 13, 2016

Sarwan’s gym will provide exposure for youth - Junior Education Minister

West Indies and Guyana Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan on Monday evening opened the doors of his Gym Fitness 53 located at Plantation M Providence.

Speaking at the launch Minister of Education with responsibility for sport, Nicolette Henry contended that, “This is the type of inspiration that we need for your young people so they can dream bigger and reach higher, so I would

like to congratulate Mr Sarwan on this initiative. I would also like to pledge the support of the government as it relates to supporting this gym from two fronts.”

“One, from an athletics perspective it certainly can provide the type of exposure that our athletes need and so that’s a good opportunity; secondly from a public health perspective it can provide people with

the type of exercise that they would need to address NCD non communicable diseases,” she added.

She noted that these two aspects are important for Nation building.

Also making brief remarks was chairman of the National Sport Commission Ivan Persaud, who stated that the investment means that persons have less excuses to be fitter and train harder.

Sarwan, giving brief

comments, spoke of his long nights in ensuring his dream became a reality, thanking his parents and friends who ensured that he kept pushing for the facility.

The providence based facility features sections for weights, Cardio, aerobics as well as a sauna and a fitness bar for persons serious about their training.

Sarwan confirmed that he had the facility, officially called Fitness

53 after his West Indies number, He said it was an idea in thought for over five years and Saturday’s event marks his first investment off the field.

Patrons will be charged $6000 for registration and a monthly fee of $5,500 for the facility which will open from 05:30 to 22:00 every day.

The right hander also confirmed that he is working to ensure that the Gym’s trainers have

updated information, committing to refresher courses as well as various sessions with international figures from time to time.

He has also confirmed that the Gym will have a nutritionist to assist elite athletes in devising programs to ensure their overall progression.