Archive for September 8th, 2010
Cayman baseball players shine at Miami camp
(Little League): As part of the continuing commitment of the Cayman Islands Little League Association to promote baseball in Cayman, a specially selected competitive travel team comprising eight boys recently took part in a baseball camp in Miami. Volunteer Coach Jon DaCosta and his dedicated group of 14- to 18-year-olds, who comprise the CILLA International Baseball Team, had been practicing up to five days a week throughout the summer in anticipation of attending the camp, run by ex-AAA, and Minor and Major League Baseball players. “The practices gave these young athletes a chance to continue playing a sport they have learned to love. Our goal is to help them play baseball all year round at a competitive level,” explained DaCosta.
Last minute witness called
(CNS): Another teenage girl has now said that she also witnessed the murder of Omar Samuels in July of last year. The 17-year-old girl gave evidence from behind a screen during the trial of Brandon Leslie-Ebanks, Osbourne Douglas and Patrick McField on Tuesday saying she saw three men, two of whom were carrying guns, approach Samuels and shoot him at a house off McField Lane. The last minute witness said she was with her best friend that night, a girl who gave evidence at the opening of the trial. However, after she had given her account of the night’s events to the court it was revealed that this last minute prosecution witness had given a different account in her statement to police a few weeks after the crime than the one she gave to the court.
Free rice game gets social boost
(BBC): An online game reminiscent of quiz show Call My Bluff is getting a facelift in order to provide rice to the hungry. Launched in 2007, Freerice.com challenges people to find the correct meaning of a word from four alternatives. For every correct answer given, 10 grains of rice are donated to countries such as Uganda and Bangladesh. Already attracting 40,000 players every day, the site is now aiming to integrate with Facebook and Twitter. A mobile phone app will also be available for iPhone and iPad users, and the site is extending its challenges so that users can also test their knowledge of other subjects, such as art, geography, chemistry and maths. The site is the brainchild of computer programmer John Breen, who originally designed it to help his teenage sons prepare for their college entrance exams.
Realising the game’s potential to help, he donated it to the World Food Programme (WFP).
Within a month of its launch, it had raised enough rice to feed over 50,000 people for a day. To date it has raised enough rice to feed more than four million people for a day.
Cambridge ousts Harvard as world’s best university
(The Guardian): Both of them have earned fistfuls of Nobel prizes, have educated enough statesmen to table a string of international summits, and inspired eminent scientists, philosophers and poets. But Harvard today forfeits first place to Cambridge in a league table of the world’s top universities, the first time in the list’s seven year history that the Ivy League institution has been knocked off the number one spot. British universities made a strong showing, with University College London, Oxford and Imperial all appearing in the top 10, while King’s College London and Edinburgh appeared in the top 25. American institutions dominate the list, however, taking 31 out of the top 100 places in the QS world university rankings. The list also features 15 Asian universities, lead by the University of Hong Kong at 23.
Woman dies from injuries suffered in road hit
(CNS): A 59-year-old woman died yesterday (Tuesday) in the US following an accident on Grand Cayman in April, the RCIPS has reported. Jane O’Neill from Massachusetts, who was visiting the island, was struck by two vehicles in West Bay Road on the 19 April just after 7:00 in the evening as she tried to cross the road by the Strand Shopping Centre. The victim received multiple injuries and was initially treated in the Critical Care Unit at the George Town Hospital. As the investigation has now changed status police are asking for any witnesses who were in the area to come forward. (Photo courtesy of News 27)
Following the accident, in which O’Neill was hit by one car and then reportedly knocked into the path of a second, was airlifted to Jacksonville Memorial Hospital in Florida for treatment. She was subsequently transferred to the Brigham Women’s Hospital in Boston, where she passed away yesterday, Monday 6 September.
A 48-year-old man was arrested following the incident on suspicion of dangerous driving. He is currently on police bail. Police said enquiries into the incident are ongoing and have asked for further information from the public.
Dudus appears in court with boosted legal team
(Jamaica Observer): US Judge Robert P Patterson has set 16 Nov for Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke’s next court appearance when the former Tivoli Gardens don appeared before him in a Manhattan. Coke has bolstered his defence team with high-profile attorneys Frank Doddato and Steve Rosen. They now join two other prominent lawyers — Steve Zissou and Elizabeth Macedonio, who were hired last month. Coke appeared in good spirits, although one of his attorneys described as "uncivilised", the conditions under which Coke has been held for over two months. The accused drug lord has been in custody in New York since June after he waived his right to an extradition hearing in Kingston on drugs and weapon charges.
Anglin says literacy key to higher living standards
(CNS): In his message marking the UN’s “International Literacy Day” the education minister said that poor literacy levels are a barrier to high standards of living. As a result it is a high priority in the government education system. Rolston Anglin said that a literacy co-ordinator has been appointed in the Ministry, and literacy taskforces have been established in primary and secondary schools. He added that the department was on its way to developing literacy strategies based upon international best practice that would provide a safety net for the most vulnerable students.
Cops made to face lie detector
(CNS): At least forty serving RCIPS officers have been forced to take a polygraph test, sources have revealed to CNS. The reason for the testing is unclear but it is said to be causing real concern among serving officers, who believe those who fail will be discriminated against. The police management has neither confirmed nor denied that the testing is taking place and a police spokesperson stated that it is not RCIPS policy “to comment on vetting procedures”. However, it is understood that the testing is ongoing and more officers are expected to be subjected to the lie detector test.
Banker warns peers over ultra rich clients
(Bloomberg): At a conference in Zurich last week, the head of Barclays Wealth Management’s private-banking unit, Gerard Aquilina, appeared to issue a red alert about the richest of clients. “Beware of the complexities of dealing with ultra high net worths,” Aquilina told his audience. “Demanding and often unreasonable” requests from them may create “impossible demands on the organization.” Such as? Help with getting children intothe right school, securing credit to buy property, or obtaining last-minute concert tickets, for example. Even worse, the richest of the rich turn out to be pretty stingy as well. They don’t even want to pay the full fee for all the services they demand.
It was strong stuff. But it was also an insight into the way the rich have changed over the past decade. They are, it turns out, a nasty bunch of people who are only getting nastier. And the banking industry only has itself to blame.
EU agrees on supervision for financial industry
(BBC): European Union finance ministers have agreed to establish a new framework for financial supervision, designed to help prevent future financial crises. The measures include a European Systemic Risk Board to oversee the health of Europe’s economy. Ministers also approved a second instalment of emergency loans to Greece worth 9bn euros . They were unable, however, to agree a new Europe-wide bank levy or bank transaction tax. Other supervisory bodies that will oversee banking, financial markets, insurance and pensions were also agreed by the ministers.