Tremor terror - Jamaican recounts tale of escaping devastating Colombia earthquake A Jamaican man who found himself caught in the grip of a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Colombia says chaos erupted in the stairwell of the 17-storey hotel where he was staying, as panicked guests rushed to the exits amid “terrifying” tremors. Dave Creary said he arrived in Medellín on Saturday for a one-week vacation and was sleeping in his room when an earthquake alert on his cell phone went off early Monday morning. He said that seconds later, at approximately 7:30 a.m., his hotel room on the 12th floor began shaking violently, causing him to run for the exit.
‘Cold ground was my bed last night’ …. Cooper’s Pen demolition victim sings the blues Western Bureau: On Tuesday night, Shane ‘Biggs’ Ricketts, whose house was demolished in Cooper’s Pen, Trelawny, earlier that day, could not help but reflect on Bob Marley’s hit song, Talkin Blues, in which the legendary singer declared “ cold ground was my bed last night”. Ricketts, who lost all his belongings in the actions of a demolition crew that flattened some 20 houses using bulldozers, tractors and sledgehammers in a pre-dawn operation that started at 3 a.m., was left with nowhere to sleep.
Chuck draws line on kids with guns - Justice minister scoffs at proposal to have children caught with firearms automatically sent to child diversion programme instead of facing charges in court A recommendation by an opposition lawmaker that children found in possession of a firearm or ammunition should be referred to the child diversion programme rather than placed before the court on gun charges was yesterday rejected by the chairman of the joint select committee reviewing the Child Diversion Act.
AI reshaping Brazilian agriculture From detecting sick chickens to tracing beef from farm to fork, artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping Brazilian agriculture, with lessons that could help improve productivity and food security in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. The emerging technologies were on display at the International Animal Protein Show (SIAVS) in São Paulo, Brazil, from August 4-6, one of Latin America’s largest poultry and animal-protein exhibitions, where industry leaders demonstrated how AI is transforming different stages of food production.
Poppy power - Legion concert to aid hurricane-hit veterans WESTERN BUREAU: While the music is expected to be soothing, the performances entertaining and the atmosphere family-friendly, this year’s annual Legion concert is primarily about raising funds to support Jamaica’s veterans who are still struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Ex-Soldiers Association’s Montego Bay Branch of the Western Chapter, the Jamaica Legion and the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) will jointly host the annual fundraising concert this coming Sunday at the Half Moon Conference Centre in Montego Bay, St James.
‘Lickle’ Ras Natango tops the world WESTERN BUREAU: A small, family-run attraction tucked away in the hills above Montego Bay has emerged at the top of a global ranking of tourist attractions, outperforming celebrated sites across North America, Europe, Africa, Australia and the Middle East. Ahhh Ras Natango Gallery and Garden, long regarded as one of western Jamaica’s best-kept tourism secrets, topped a list of 10 attractions earning the highest praise from travellers around the world.
Rude awakening - Demolition crew flattens 20 squatter houses in Cooper’s Pen; remaining families uneasy WESTERN BUREAU: Residents of a section of Cooper’s Pen, Trelawny, were jolted from their slumber on Tuesday morning to find a demolition crew flattening their houses in a pre-dawn operation involving bulldozers, tractors, and sledgehammers. When the hours-long exercise, carried out under the watchful eyes of a bailiff and a strong police contingent, ended, 20 predominantly concrete houses lay in ruins as their bewildered owners looked on in disbelief.
$75m seized, wholesale owners charged in fake goods sting More than $75 million in cash and thousands of pieces of counterfeit merchandise carrying the labels of globally recognised brands were seized by law-enforcement authorities during multiple operations on the weekend. The counterfeit merchandise, which includes more than 300 pairs of ‘Nike Air Force One’ sneakers as well as ‘Gucci’, ‘Polo’, ‘Reebok’, ‘Crocs’, and ‘Jordan’ apparel, has an estimated value of $4 million.
Briton seeks refuge in MoBay airport after being shot WESTERN BUREAU: A 33-year-old British man sought refuge inside the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James, on Monday night after gunmen fired shots into the vehicle he was driving, injuring him. About 9:30 p.m., the man – a forex trader of a Valley Mill address in the United Kingdom – was travelling with his partner and two Jamaican relatives along Queen’s Drive, near the airport, when the attack occurred. According to police reports, after the vehicle stopped at a traffic light, a motor car pulled up alongside it, and the occupants opened fire.
Court halts action against officer over JLP activity The Supreme Court has stayed proceedings that could result in the dismissal of a St Elizabeth case-management officer over her alleged involvement in partisan political activity ahead of the general election last year. The stay bars the Office of the Services Commission and the Attorney General’s Department from taking further action against the officer, Toni Bailey-Cowan, while she challenges the constitutionality of the proceedings.