Report: Obama adviser to join Clinton campaign - Report: Rand Paul hires campaign manager for possible 2016 bid - Romney phones party allies in prep for 2016 decision

Oct. 29, 2011: John Podesta, president and chief executive officer of the Center for American Progress, attends the National Italian American Foundation Gala in Washington. (Reuters)

Counselor to the President John Podesta will take on a senior role in Hillary Clinton’s as yet undeclared Presidential campaign when he departs the White House next month, according to a published report. 

The Wall Street Journal, citing three people with the matter, reported that Podesta has sat in on informal meetings of Clinton aides that have have discussed a potential presidential campaign in 2016. The former Secretary of State and Senator from New York has not yet formally announced her candidacy. However, the Journal reports that Podesta’s planned move is seen as the clearest sign yet that she will run. 

It remains unclear what role Podesta would play in a presumptive Clinton campaign, the Journal reported that he would likely become campaign chairman. 

Podesta served as White House chief of staff for the final 27 months of former President Bill Clinton’s second term in office. He became Counselor to President Barack Obama at the beginning of 2014, and has played a key role in advising the president on energy policy. 

Podesta initially told Reuters last week that he would depart the White House “in early February,” a few weeks after Obama delivers the State of the Union address Jan. 20. When discussing a possible role in a Clinton campaign, he said, “If she decides to run, I told her I’d do anything I can to help her.”

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Report: Obama adviser to join Clinton campaign - Report: Rand Paul hires campaign manager for possible 2016 bid - Romney phones party allies in prep for 2016 decision

Possible jet skis operation in Long Bay Beach

NEGRIL, Westmoreland — TOURISM Minister Dr Wykeham McNeill has expressed the likelihood of the Long Bay Beach area of Negril being used as a launch area for jet ski operations.

“There’s a discussion on now,” said McNeill, “we got the okay and basically it looks like it is going to be Long Bay. UDC [Urban Development Corporation] will give a portion of that to Long Bay Beach Park and they will do a commercial operation there.”

He added: “All jet skis will launch from there, both public and private.”

Since July 18, the operation of private personal watercraft (PWCs) or jet skis was reopened across the island for licensed PWC users. This after an islandwide ban was imposed in February to allow for the regularisation of the commercial operations and for steps to be taken by the Maritime Authority of Jamaica to register all PWCs or jet skis in the island.

A ban remains on the importation of PWCs until further notice.

There are approximately 28 registered jet skis in Negril.

It was also disclosed that craft will only be permitted to operate in daylight hours and should enter and leave the shore using a designated launch area (a permitted area for operation between 20 and 40 metres wide). The launch area will also allow operators to go about business 200 metres out at sea.

In Ocho Rios, St Ann, the UDC beach is being used as a launch area.

During a recent address to the Negril Resort Board at the Rayon Hotel in Negril, McNeill said that there was no formal designated area for operation in Negril.

“The formal thing has not come to me as yet, so it is not possible for them to operate legally,” said McNeill.

Dr McNeill further explained that individuals will be allowed to operate outside of resort areas. He said, in the resort areas and public beach spaces, only designated launching areas will be allowed for jet ski operations.

– Anthony Lewis

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Possible jet skis operation in Long Bay Beach

US disappointed at Belize decision regarding possible Ebola victim

Saturday, October 18, 2014 | 1:53 PM    

BELMOPAN, Belize (CMC) — The United States says it is disappointed that Belize had refused a couple, including a woman suspected of having the Ebola virus, from disembarking from a cruise ship and using the Phillip Goldson International Airport (PGIA) to be flown back to the United States.

“…we’re disappointed by this. We think it could have been handled differently. Decisions like these need to be made based on information and science and not fear, even though we know this is a very serious disease, serious threat,” said Marie Harf, US State Department deputy spokesperson.

“The ship is on its way back to Galveston, Texas right now. It is expected to dock on Sunday and obviously we’ll be giving any care to this individual that is needed and we’ll keep having the conversations with countries if something like this arises again,” she added.

But Prime Minister Dean Barrow held on to his administration’s position that he would not be putting the lives of Belizeans at risk.

“I stuck to my line which was that in the circumstances we couldn’t take any chances,” he said, noting that US Secretary of State John Kerry had also urged his administration to rethink its position.

“He did ask whether I would consider, whether I would explore the possibility of their sending a helicopter that would land on the deck of the cruise ship and then take the two passengers straight across to the PGIA.

“In other words he thought that an option could be explored that would mean that no Belizean would come into any kind of contact with these passengers. I said well have your people tell us what would be the logistics of that.”

Barrow said that the option was not feasible because Belizean nationals would still be engaged and adding that in the circumstances he was convinced that his original position would remain “because I could not let the circumstances be possible to do what the Americans were asking without exposing some Belizeans to some degree of risk”.

The unidentified woman is a known lab technician who may have had contact with fluids from Ebola victim Thomas Eric Duncan, who died earlier this month after contracting the virus for which there is no known cure. She had been exposed to his body for at least 18 days.

The woman and her companion were on the cruise ship, Carnival Magic that sailed into Belize Thursday night. They had allowed themselves to be isolated while on the cruise.

A number of Caribbean countries have since banned nationals from Libera, Sierra Leone and Guinea from visiting their shores.?

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US disappointed at Belize decision regarding possible Ebola victim

Health ministry prepares for possible ebloa outbrreak

As part of ongoing preparations for a possible introduction of the ebola virus into Jamaica, the Ministry of Health is undertaking ongoing activities to ensure that the requisite systems and resources are in place to enable a comprehensive response.

Acting Director, Emergency, Disaster Management and Special Services, Dr Sonia Copeland, points out that although Jamaica has no case of ebola at this time, it continues its preparation against the background of the current outbreak in west Africa.

“Our preparation activities have been heightened in line with World Health Organisation recommendations. We urge members of the public to pay close attention to information about ebola especially if they have to travel to any of the affected countries,” she said.

The overall situation of the ebola outbreak in west and central Africa remains critical. The following countries are now affected: Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Senegal. As of September 25, 2014, the World Health Organisation reports a cumulative total of 6,263 cases including 2,917 deaths from the affected countries.

She said persons are advised to avoid non-essential travel to the affected areas. If persons have to travel to these areas they are advised not to handle dead animals and restrict close and intimate contact with persons who may be infected or could be a contact of an infected person.

Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with blood and other bodily fluids or secretions such as stool, saliva, urine and semen of infected persons. Infection can also occur if broken skin comes in contact with environments that have become contaminated with an ebola patient’s infectious fluids such as soiled clothing, bed linen or used needles.

For more information persons may contact the Ministry of Health Emergency Operations Centre at 1888-663-5683 or 1888-ONE LOVE.

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Health ministry prepares for possible ebloa outbrreak

Pittsburg residents warned of possible Jamaica phone scam

PITTSBURGH, United States, July 24, 2014, CMC – Residents of suburbs in Pittsburgh have been warned to beware of a telephone scam believed to be based in Jamaica.

The warning came from the District Attorney for Allegheny County who said the callers.

claim to work for a legitimate sweepstakes firm – Publisher’s Clearing House and tell residents they’ve won a prize but must first send a check to cover processing fees.

Zappala says the callers have targeted residents of Whitehall Borough and South Fayette Townships in recent days, and that IDs have indicated the calls are being placed from Jamaica’s ’876′ area code.

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Zappala says residents should always refuse to send money when they’re contacted by phone about any sweepstakes prize or similar offer.

Residents have been told to avoid the calls altogether by having their phone company block any calls from the Jamaican area code.

Meanwhile, in Jamaica, the Lottery Scam Task Force is reporting several arrests during a two-day multi-agency operation in the western end of the island.

So far, 41 suspects linked to lottery scamming activities were arrested in the back-to-back operations, which started on Monday.

Lottery Scam Media Liaison Officer, Corporal Kevin Watson, says the latest drive targeted persons who lured unsuspecting elderly United States citizens to Jamaica as couriers.

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Pittsburg residents warned of possible Jamaica phone scam

Pick -9 set for possible reduction

Sport

BY OBSERVER RACING WRITER Friday, January 03, 2014

The news around the racetrack is that there is a possibility the Pick-9 exotic wager at its present amount of $10 per line is under review, and that attempts will be made by the promoting company Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) to reduce the base wager to its original amount of $5.Confirmation of this possible move by CTL follows the decision by the company last year to increase the unit cost for win, place, exacta, quinella and some other bets to $50, from the then amount of $40. The decision was also taken at the time to increase the Pick -9 from $5 to $10.The only comment coming from an official of CTL regarding the possibility of a reduction in the cost of the Pick-9 was: “At this time the matter is under consideration.” For a change to take place, CTL would have to make a formal request in writing to the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC), after which the BGLC would consider the request and take a decision.There has been a noticeable decline in the amount of betting dollars spent on the Pick-9 since it was increased in the middle of last year. Sales have been struggling to reach the $1 million mark on most race days, with the exotic wager having a minimum guarantee payout of $1 million.Members of the public at the races.

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Pick -9 set for possible reduction

Chang: JLP ensuring widest possible delegates participation

GENERAL secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Dr Horace Chang says that the decision taken by the Standing Committee on Monday, to extend the registration of constituencies to Friday, will ensure the widest possible participation of delegates in the event there is a challenge to current leader Andrew Holness.

“The change was to ensure that the constituencies have representatives at the conference. If we had proceeded without that level of representation there would have been a question of legitimacy. Although it is fair that the law should rule, in politics we have to be somewhat accommodating from time to time,” Dr Chang told journalists at a press briefing at Belmont Road, yesterday, to explain the Standing Committee’s decision.Chang rebuffed suggestions that the committee’s decision was to accommodate the inclusion of the likely challenger to Holness, Deputy Leader Audley Shaw, whose North East Manchester constituency missed two deadlines to register up to May 31. This led to a clamour by some Labourites that it should have been excluded.But, Chang said that the Standing Committee would have been accommodating, whether or not Shaw’s constituency had missed the deadlines, “because, the purpose of this is to ensure that we have the participation of our constituencies, which will give us an election that cannot be questioned”.Dr Chang explained that, despite an extension of the period from March 31 to May 21, because of the low level of registrations up to the constitutional deadline, 24 constituencies were still not registered by that deadline, giving rise to questions as to whether they could legitimately participate in any election at the annual conference.“It is a political process, and we are a political party, and we accept our responsibility and the need to ensure that we have the widest possible participation. Once there was a constitutional route to do so, we proceeded to use that route,” he said.The route was one of several options recommended to the Standing Committee by the Legal and Constitution Committee, headed by Senator Kamina Johnson-Smith.The committee’s membership also includes the party’s representative at the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ), Senator Tom Tavares-Finson, who explained at yesterday’s briefing that they considered a number of points from members, all lawyers, before deciding on the options offered to the Standing Committee.“At the end of the day, we put a number of recommendations to the Standing Committee, and the end result is a list acceptable to all the candidates,” Senator Tavares-Finson explained.“The position taken by the Standing Committee, in my mind, is one that preserves the integrity of the process. There were alternatives, but the process has been preserved by the inclusive position. It is hoped that once the general secretary completes his work, the parties will sign off on the list (of delegates), the list will be presented to the Electoral Office (of Jamaica) and we will have an election that is free and fair: one man, one vote; one woman, one vote,” Tavares Finson said.Jamaica Labour Party General Secretary Dr Horace Chang (left) discussing a point with the party’s Public Relations Committee chairperson Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange, and Legal and Constitution Committee spokesman, Senator Tom Tavares Finson, prior to the start of yesterday’s briefing at the party’s headquarters on Belmont Road in Kingston. (PHOTO: GARFIELD ROBINSON)

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Chang: JLP ensuring widest possible delegates participation

POSSIBLE LINE-UP

Sport

Friday, September 06, 2013

Donovan Ricketts, Wes Morgan, Jermaine Taylor, Alvas Powell, Obrian Woodbine (left), Lloyd Doyley, Rodolph Austin, Gareth McCleary (right), Jobi McAnuff, Jermaine Beckford and Marlon King. 3-5-2 formationSubstitutes: Richard McCallum, Gariece McPherson, Daniel Gordon, Shaun Cummings, Kemar Lawrence, Marvin Elliott, Jermaine Johnson, Chris Humphrey, Theo Robinson, Luton Shelton, Darren Mattocks, Ryan Johnson and Jermaine Anderson.

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POSSIBLE LINE-UP

Bale in possible world-record transfer fee to Spanish giants

MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Gareth Bale’s prolonged transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid was finally completed for an unconfirmed world- record fee yesterday after the Spanish club officially announced the move.

“Real Madrid and Tottenham have reached an agreement for the transfer of Gareth Bale,” confirmed a statement on the club’s website.“The player will be tied to the club for the next six seasons.”Widespread reports in England have suggested that the move will make Bale the world’s most expensive player with Real set to pay 101 million euros ($US133.5 million, £86 million) for his services.However, media in Spain insisted yesterday that Real will only pay 91 million euros, three million less than Los Blancos paid for Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2009.Bale will be presented to the media and the club’s fans today after undergoing a medical.“I would like to thank everyone at the Club, the Chairman, Board, staff, coaches and players — and most of all the fantastic fans who I hope will understand this amazing career opportunity,” Bale said in a statement on the Spurs website.“I am not sure there is ever a good time to leave a club where I felt settled and was playing the best football of my career to date. I know many players talk of their desire to join the club of their boyhood dreams, but I can honestly say, this is my dream come true,” he was quoted as saying.The Welshman was coveted by the Spanish giants following a series of amazing performances for Tottenham last season that landed him both the Premier League players and football writers’ player of the year.Bale scored 21 goals in 33 Premier League appearances, but his efforts still weren’t enough to lift Spurs into the Champions League as they were edged out of fourth place by just one point by North London rivals Arsenal.And the chance to not only play with some of the best players in the world, but also in Europe’s premier club competition was a significant factor as the 24-year-old made his desire to move to Madrid clear.Bale was criticised by Spurs’ Coach Andre Villas-Boas on Wednesday after he refused to attend training last week in a bid to force the move through.“Gareth was a player we had absolutely no intention of selling as we look to build for the future. He is a player whose career we have fostered and developed and he was only a year into his new four-year contract,” Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy told the club’s website.Indeed Bale hasn’t played at all since Spurs’ pre-season friendly against Swindon Town on July 16, as he first complained of a gluteal injury and then a foot problem which kept him out of the English side’s impressive start to their league campaign.However, he has still been called up by Chris Coleman for Wales’ upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Macedonia and Serbia.The deal lands Spurs an incredible profit on a player they bought for just 7 million six years ago from Southampton.And with his departure having been expected for a number of weeks, Villas-Boas has set about significantly strengthening his squad with the signings of Roberto Soldado, Paulinho, Etienne Capoue, Nacer Chadli, Erik Lamela, Vlad Chiriches and Cristian Erisken to take the club’s spending for the summer to over 100m.After a difficult spell following his move from Southampton, Bale didn’t begin to truly shine with Spurs until he was moved from left back into a more advanced position on the left during the 2009/2010 season.BALE… this is my dream come true

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Bale in possible world-record transfer fee to Spanish giants

Elite J"can athletes face possible expulsion over drugs-testing setbacks

Sport

Friday, August 23, 2013

MONTREAL, Canada (CMC) — The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has threatened to expel Jamaica from the next Olympics and other major competitions if it refuses to address shortcomings highlighted by a senior ex-employee.WADA director general David Howman Wednesday night urged the Portia Simpson Miller government to investigate claims by the former executive director of the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission that its drugs-testing programme was inadequate.“Our normal approach if we have issues falling into the category of either complaint or concern is to try to work with the particular signatory — in this case the NADA (National Anti-Doping Agency) — and remedy it,” Howman said.“If nothing happens, we can ask our board to declare any of the signatories non-compliant and that has implications as to whether teams from the country would be admitted into various events”.Renee Anne Shirley had accused Jamaica’s politicians and administrators of ignoring her warnings that the positive tests returned by Asafa Powell and four other athletes were a “disaster” waiting to happen, saying: “They believe Jamaica does not have a problem.”Howman warned that if the country refused to take its responsibilities seriously, WADA could deem JADCO non-compliant with the WADA code, which could have dire consequences for the country’s elite athletes, including world record-breaking sprinter Usain Bolt.“We report the non-compliance to people who can then consider whether other sanctions ought to follow,” said Howman.“That would be the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) and so on.”Top Jamaican athletes like Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (pictured) and Usain Bolt could be affected if Jamaica does not bring its anti-doping profile up to WADA’s satisfaction.

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Elite J"can athletes face possible expulsion over drugs-testing setbacks