BRIDGETOWN – The third tropical storm of the season formed off Antigua overnight and could affect the Northern Leeward Islands within the next 24 hours.
At eight o’clock Eastern Caribbean Time, Tropical Storm Chris was located 135 miles east of Antigua.
The islands of Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, Saba, St.
Eustatius, St. Barthelemy, and St. Maarten are on tropical storm warning for the next 24 hours.
Chris is moving toward the west-northwest at 15 kilometres an hour or 9 miles an hour … and on this track it could be near the northernmost Leeward Islands later tonight or early Wednesday morning.
Chris has storm-force winds of 65 kilometres an hour or 40 miles an hour.
A United States Air Force reconnaissance aircraft is scheduled to investigate the cyclone this afternoon to provide a more accurate estimate of its strength and location.
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HAVANA – For the first time in his 45 years in power, the Cuban president Fidel Castro has given over temporary power to his brother Raul, as the 80-year-old leader prepared for surgery to stop intestinal bleeding.
Cuban officials say the bleeding was linked to the stress of travelling to South America recently.
But over in Miami, Cuban exiles have begun a carnival-style death-watching, dancing in the streets.
The Cuban leader issued a message saying doctors had advised several weeks of bed-rest.
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PORT OF SPAIN – The Trinidad and Tobago government has welcomed a ruling by the country’s Court of Appeal that’s removed an injunction preventing the arrest of Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma on a charge of perverting the course of public justice.
The Attorney General John Jeremie describes the decision as a public vindication of the government’s position.
The Appeal Court struck a blow to Chief Justice Sharma’s attempt to avoid prosecution when it ruled that the judge who issued the injunction made a mistake.
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PORT OF SPAIN – If the Trinidad Cabinet accepts a new draft constitution, the country will have an executive president.
It’s one of the changes included in the new draft presented to the Prime Minister, Patrick Manning, by the former president, Ellis Clarke.
Former President Clarke says the new constitution will also prevent a repeat of the current crisis involving the executive branch of government and the Judiciary.
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CASTRIES – The grouping of regional nurses criticises a programme under which Cuba provides the region with nurses.
The Caribbean Nurses Organisation says the programme gets in the way of improving regional nursing.
But the St. Lucian health minister, Damian Greaves, says the country faces a nursing shortage… and the Cuban programme is the only answer right now.
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KINGSTON – The Jamaican opposition turns up the heat on the government as it prepares for a general election.
The Jamaica Labour Party is pushing the prime minister, Portia Simpson Miller, to hold the poll now.
And the party’s spokesman on finance, Audley Shaw, called on supporters at the weekend, to make sure the government party does not get another term.
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BRIDGETOWN – The Caribbean makes television history today with the launch of the region’s first-ever English-language global channel, CaribVision.
CaribVision, from the Caribbean Media Corporation, is a mix of regional news, sports and cultural programming.
The event coincides with Emancipation Day celebrations in several territories and will be broadcast live across the region.
Barbados’ Prime Minister Owen Arthur will officially launch the channel at a special ceremony that will be attended by top regional officials, broadcasters, entertainers, independent television producers and business partners at the CMC’s headquarters in Bridgetown.
CaribVision is a cooperative venture between CMC and regional and US partners.
These include CBC of Barbados; TV6 of Trinidad and Tobago; CVM, TVJ and CPTC of Jamaica; ICRT, Cuba; ZNS, Bahamas; Soundview Broadcasting of New York and many independent producers around the region.
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SPORT – The West Indies Cricket Board is denying media reports it has accepted an invitation from the Indian Board-to participate in a triangular series involving India and Australia in Singapore and Malaysia this September.
The WICB says it had received the proposal for the tournament on Saturday and was currently in discussions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India over the terms of the offer.
The board says that at this point negotiations are at the stage where no decision has been made…. This follows a story over the weekend that the Caribbean team will be participating.
The release added-the board is seeking to discuss this proposed series with the players and a team headed by the legendary West Indies wicketkeeper Deryck Murray will be meeting with the players’ representative.
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SPORT – In track and field, there’s huge trouble for the American sprint star Justin Gatlin, who now faces a life ban from the sport.
The World and Olympic champion, who jointly holds the 100-metre world record with Jamaican Asafa Powell, tested positive for testosterone, and he should learn his fate within a week in a hearing before the United States Anti-doping Agency.
Now, Gatlin says he is innocent suggesting he never knowingly used banned substances and his coach Trevor Graham believes he was sabotaged.
Graham has told reporters in the past couple of days that an aggrieved masseur rubbed testosterone cream into Gatlin’s legs.