Argentina president under fire for tweets mocking Chinese accent

Feb. 4, 2015: Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, and Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez shake hands after signing documents following their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (AP Photo/Rolex Dela Pena)

Embattled Argentine President Cristina Fernandez, while on a state visit to China seeking badly needed investment, caused a furor Wednesday by joking about her hosts’ accents on Twitter.

Fernandez tried to mimic a Chinese accent by switching “r’s” with “l’s” in a tweet in Spanish that translates as: “Did they only come for lice and petloleum.”

A few minutes later, she added: “Sorry, the levels of ridiculousness and absurdity are so high they can only be digested with humor.”

The tweets came as she met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

As of late Wednesday, there was no official response from China about the comments by Fernandez, a prolific tweeter who has 3.53 million followers.

But that didn’t stop the Twitterverse in the South American country and beyond from exploding with criticism of what many considered a racist tweet.

“Cristina Fernandez’s lack of tack and respect is incredible,” wrote @FaundezLafarga. “She goes to China looking for (economic) agreements and she makes fun of their accents.”

@GuyChazan wrote: “Faux pas in China. Really, this sort of joke went out of fashion in the 70s.”

The latest controversy comes as Fernandez struggles to distance herself from the mysterious death of prosecutor Alberto Nisman, who was found dead in his bathroom Jan. 18, hours before he was to elaborate on allegations that Fernandez helped shield Iranians connected to the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center that killed 85.

Fernandez has vehemently denied the accusations, saying Argentina had nothing to gain from such a deal. She has suggested that rogue elements in the intelligence services ordered Nisman’s hit, but has not elaborated.

Earlier this week, just as her visit to China was getting underway, investigators looking into Nisman’s death said they had found a of an arrest warrant for Fernandez that Nisman had written up. While he never presented it, the revelations brought Fernandez back to the center of the case.

On Wednesday, relatives of victims of the bombing marched with family members of the victims of Argentina’s military dictatorship and other national tragedies to demand an end to impunity and the truth about what happened to Nisman.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in front of Congress in Buenos Aires with the march ending in the famed Plaza de Mayo.

“The demand for truth and justice that relatives of the AMIA (Jewish center) victims are making is the same as what we want for the 30,000 people who disappeared” during the dictatorship, said Nora Cortinas, who co-founded the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo human rights group.

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Argentina president under fire for tweets mocking Chinese accent

Sergio Mattarella elected Italian president

Saturday, January 31, 2015 | 9:42 AM    

ROME, Italy (AFP) — Little-known constitutional court judge Sergio Mattarella was elected Italy’s new president on Saturday after four rounds of voting by lawmakers and regional representatives.

The 73-year-old Sicilian, who enjoyed the backing of centre-left Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, succeeds the hugely popular Giorgio Napolitano, 89, who is stepping down because of his advanced age.

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Sergio Mattarella elected Italian president

WICB president rejects victimisation claims, says team selected on merit

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) — West Indies Cricket Board president Dave Cameron has rejected claims that all-rounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard were axed from the World Cup squad because of their roles in the controversial abandoned tour of India.

Neither player was named in the 15-man squad announced on Saturday to contest the World Cup which bowls off in Australia and New Zealand next month. They were also overlooked for the five-match series against South Africa starting Friday.

When the squad for South Africa was announced last month, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves wrote to Cameron to complain that the WICB had “dishonoured that undertaking” of not punishing any player involved in the India tour walk-out.

However, Cameron remained adamant the ODI squads for both the South Africa tour and the World Cup had been selected on cricketing merit.

“We have not gone back on our agreement. At the point in time we made it very clear we didn’t want to use the terminology that was being suggested, because if you made any changes to the team then that could be termed,” Cameron told CARIB UPDATE News in a radio interview here Sunday.

“And so we have been very, very firm that as a body we have entrusted that relationship and that decision making to some of the biggest legends we have in West Indies cricket and their judgement is what the board goes by.”

The task force was established by the WICB to investigate the reasons behind the abandoned tour and make recommendations on the way forward.

Like the squad in South Africa, the World Cup unit will be skippered by rookie fast bowler Jason Holder, who featured on the tour of India last October.

The 23-year-old has played just three Tests and 21 ODIs and replaced Bravo, who took over from Darren Sammy in May, 2013.

Gonsalves, who brokered an agreement between the players, the WICB and players union WIPA in the wake of the abandoned tour, also contended in his two-page letter to Cameron that the omission of Bravo and Pollard “reeks of village vengeance, discrimination and victimisation” and slammed the decision as “glaringly (lacking) cricketing merit.”

Cameron defended the squad selection, arguing that the selectors were embarking on a rebuilding process and infusing the ODI set-up with new blood.

“The team we have selected has a very good mix of experience, youth and a lot of talent. One would remember that the team four years ago didn’t do very well in the World Cup and we are ranked number eight today, so the selectors have decided they want to put some youth and build for the future and I think it is a very good balance,” Cameron said.

Pollard and Bravo boast 255 ODIs between them, and despite their unflattering statistics with bat and ball, are powerful batsmen and steady bowlers in the shorter versions of the game.

In recent years, they have become virtual fixtures in the T20 and ODI squads, but Cameron pointed out that team building was the focus at this juncture.

“The board of selectors have appointed very eminent persons to select the West Indies team and they have selected those players based on the balance and merit etcetera, and we have accepted that team,” he said.

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WICB president rejects victimisation claims, says team selected on merit

Barca president calls early club elections

MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has called club elections for the end of the season in a bid to ease the tension surrounding the embattled Catalan club.

Bartomeu took over as president a year ago after Sandro Rossell resigned following the controversial signing of Brazilian striker Neymar which led to the club being accused of tax fraud.

“I have called this press conference to say that we have called elections for the end of the season to reduce the tension that surrounds the club which I think is disproportionate and doesn’t correspond to the reality of the club,” Bartomeu said yesterday.

“It is better that the mandates are completed, but it is clear that in recent weeks the level of tension hasn’t been right. We will keep managing things as we had planned and will not change our programme.”

“We want to present ourselves for re-election. Things are positive, we started in 2010 and we want to continue.”

Former Barca president Joan Laporta, who oversaw two Champions League triumphs in his previous spell in charge of the club between 2003 and 2010, has been strongly linked with a return to the top job at the Camp Nou but is yet to formally declare himself as a candidate.

The current board’s mandate was due to run until 2016, but Bartomeu has come under fire in recent weeks after Barca’s appeal against a one-year transfer ban by FIFA for irregularities in the signing of players under the age of 16 was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

On Monday, Bartomeu sacked sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta, and former captain Carles Puyol resigned from his position as Zubizarreta’s assistant.

Barca’s turbulent start to 2015 on and off the pitch began with a shock 1-0 defeat to David Moyes’s Real Sociedad on Sunday after coach Luis Enrique had left nearly 300 million euros of talent, including Lionel Messi and Neymar, on the bench.

The two South American stars had only returned to Spain on Friday after being given two extra days’ holiday than the rest of the squad during the winter break.

Messi then sparked rumours he could leave the club he joined at the age of 13 when he missed an open training session with the club’s fans on Monday, citing a stomach bug, and then followed Chelsea players Thibaut Courtois and Flilipe Luis as well as the London club’s official account on the social networking site Instagram.

However, Bartomeu strongly denied claims in Barcelona sports daily Sport that a request from Enrique to discipline the Argentine for missing the training session had been rejected by the club.

“That story is completely false. Whoever sent it did so with the intention to damage the club.”

Bartomeu also dismissed suggestions that Messi could leave the club having signed a new contract to keep him at the Camp Nou until 2018 in May.

“Messi had a contract until 2018. He is happy and content, so we are calm.”

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Barca president calls early club elections

Former Haiti president Duvalier dies

4 October 2014 Last updated at 18:21 Jean-Claude Duvalier was a controversial figure, as Tom Esslemont explains

Haiti’s former ruler Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier has died of a heart attack in the capital Port-au-Prince aged 63, official sources say.

Duvalier was just 19 when in 1971 he inherited the title of “president-for-life” from his father, the notorious Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier.

He was accused of corruption, human rights abuses and repression in his rule, which ended in a 1986 uprising.

After years of exile in France, he returned to Haiti in 2011.

His death was announced by Haiti’s health minister, and the ex-leader’s attorney Reynold Georges confirmed he died at home on Saturday.

Lavish wedding

At the time of his swearing in, Jean-Claude Duvalier was the youngest president in the world.

Initially it seemed that there could be a significant move away from his father’s harsh regime, underpinned as it was by Haiti’s notorious secret police, the Tontons Macoutes, says BBC world affairs correspondent Mike Wooldridge.

For some time, Jean-Claude Duvalier was the youngest president in the world

He moved closer to the Americans, from whom his father had been estranged. US businesses moved in and he allowed limited press freedom.

But Jean-Claude Duvalier lived lavishly. His state-sponsored wedding reportedly cost $5m in 1980, while most of the people in his ravaged nation endured the worst poverty in the Western hemisphere.

Repression continued, too, and amid massive unrest in 1986 he fled to France.

Human rights groups say thousands of political prisoners were tortured or killed under his rule, and he was accused of massive corruption.

He described his return to Haiti – a year after it was devastated by a major earthquake, as a gesture of solidarity to the nation.

His unexpected return to Haiti saw him arrested and charged, but the case against him stalled

But he was arrested and charged, and although released he finally appeared in court in February 2013, where in an emotionally-charged hearing in front of some of his alleged victims, he denied responsibility for abuses carried out during his time as president.

Judges ruled he could face crimes against humanity charges, but the case had stalled some time before he died.

Jean-Claude ‘Baby Doc’ Duvalier Jean-Claude Duvalier, pictured here in 1980, ruled Haiti with an iron fist for 15 years Took over presidency aged just 19 when his father, Haiti’s authoritarian leader Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier, died in 1971 Called himself “president-for-life” and ruled with an iron fist, aided by a brutal private militia known as the Tontons MacoutesAccused of corruption and human rights abuses that prompted more than 100,000 Haitians to flee the country during his presidencyRuled for 15 years before outbreak of popular protests led him to flee to France in 1986Asked Haitian people for forgiveness for “errors” made during his rule in a 2007 radio interviewReturned to Haiti in 2011 as it was supposed to hold run-off elections to choose successor to outgoing President Rene Preval

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Former Haiti president Duvalier dies

Afghan president to sign deal allowing US troops to stay after 2014, officials say

Newly inaugurated Afghan President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai is expected to sign a vital security deal Tuesday to allow American soldiers to remain in the country past the end of the year, officials say. 

A senior Defense Department official confirmed to Fox News that the new president will sign the Bilateral Security Agreement allowing for 9,800 U.S. troops to remain in Afghanistan after 2014. The president also is expected to sign a NATO Status of Forces Agreement, which will allow a small NATO force to stay on as well.

John Podesta, a senior adviser to President Obama, also discussed the pact at a news conference at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. According to the White House, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan James Cunningham will sign the document on behalf of the U.S. president. 

The announcement comes after Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai was sworn in Monday as Afghanistan’s new president, replacing Hamid Karzai in the country’s first democratic transfer of power after the 2001 U.S.-led invasion toppled the Taliban. Karzai would not sign the security agreement with the U.S. 

Moments after Ghani Ahmadzai took the oath, he swore in his election challenger, Abdullah Abdullah, as chief executive, fulfilling a political pledge he had taken to share power and defuse election tensions that had threatened to spark violence between the country’s north and south.

In his first speech, Ghani Ahmadzai called on the Taliban and other militants to join the country’s political process and lay down their weapons. However, extremist violence Monday killed at least 12 civilians and police officers as foreign forces prepare to withdraw from the country at the end of the year.

“We are tired of war,” Ghani Ahmadzai said in a televised address. “Our message is peace, (but) this doesn’t mean we are weak.”

U.S. officials previously had said they expected Ghani Ahmadzai or an official in his government to sign the security agreement with the U.S. shortly after his inauguration. Both Ghani Ahmadzai and Abdullah said during their campaigns they would sign the deal. 

Fox News’ Justin Fishel and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Afghan president to sign deal allowing US troops to stay after 2014, officials say

Former Haiti president Jean-Bertrand Aristide placed under house arrest

Former Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide (File photo)

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Thursday September 11, 2014, CMC – Former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide has been placed under house arrest as a judge continues to investigate allegations of corruption, money laundering and drugs smuggling involving the former leader and close allies.

As a result of the ruling issued by Judge Lamarre Belizaire the residence of the former president, in the district of Tabarre, is being guarded by agents of the prison administration, known as APENA, while the perimeter of the residence will be guarded by agents of the Central Department of the Judicial Police (DCPJ ).

“We order those responsible for the Prison Administration to take all necessary measures to secure the residence where the accused is found and to bring him before us, when required, in order to be interrogated on acts of money laundering and illicit drug trafficking blamed on him, “Justice Bélizaire said in his order.

“We order consequently, officials of the Central Department of the Judicial Police to secure the perimeter of the above-mentioned house,” the judge said, noting that the new ruling was part of conservatory measures to ensure that Aristide remain available to judicial authorities and that he can be brought to the judge’s office, as needed, to be heard.

“For these reasons, (we) say and declare that the named Jean-Bertrand Aristide is under house arrest since force must remain with the law,” according to the order dated September 9.

Justice Belizaire also ruled that he alone, as the judge in charge of the case, could now authorise anyone to visit the former head of state at his residence.

Last week, the head of the police service in Haiti appeared before the judge to answer why law enforcement officials had not arrested Aristide, despite an arrest warrant being issued.

Police Chief, Godson Orelus, later confirmed the police were in possession of several arrest warrants, but would not elaborate.

Aristide and several of his former colleagues have been accused of embezzling hundreds of millions of dollars from the State through his organisation, Aristide for Democracy Foundation and other organisations during the period 2001-04.

Aristide, a former Roman Catholic priest, and his colleagues including Mirlande Liberus, Yvon Neptune, Jean Nesty Lucien and Gustave Faubert, have also been banned from leaving the country.

Lawyers representing Aristide have already filed a motion seeking to have Justice Bélizaire removed on the grounds of bias.

But despite the motion, the judge has said he had not revoked the warrant for Aristide’s arrest.

Aristide’s lawyers argue that the judge is now obligated to stop all proceedings in the case regarding serious acts of corruption blamed on the former leader, but legal observers say the arrest warrant against Aristide is still valid and that the judge may proceed with the criminal inquiry while relevant judicial authorities examine the request for recusal.

The judge said that Article 77 of the Criminal Investigating Code made provisions for Aristide’s arrest and that in order to conduct a proper investigation he must ensure the constant presence of the accused and must take “all conservatory measures in this regard”.

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Former Haiti president Jean-Bertrand Aristide placed under house arrest

JTA to elect President for 2015/2016

The Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA) is counting ballots cast in last month’s election to select a President for the 2015/2016 academic year. The count is taking place at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort and Spa, in Ocho Rios, St. Ann.

The election, held from June 16 to June 20 at various schools,  saw JTA members voting from a list of  five candidates. Among them are principals, Norman Allen, Melva Humes-Johnson and Georgia Waugh Richards. The other contenders are classroom teachers, Claudette James and Merlene Dawes.

JTA Public Relations Officer Leon Nash said the results will be available on Tuesday afternoon.

The president-elect will succeed Doran Dixon who vacates the post next month to take up duties as president.

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JTA to elect President for 2015/2016

JOA President clears the air about team selection for Youth Olympics

President of the Jamaica Olympic Association, Mike Fennell, has sought to clear the air regarding selection of Jamaica’s team to the Youth Olympic Games this summer in China, noting the process is being done through qualification.

Jamaica will be represented in four sporting disciplines at the games, track and field, beach volleyball, fencing and swimming.

Speaking with RJR Sports Online, Fennell explained that each athlete selected would have earned a place in the squad on merit.          

“Each International Federation for the sport set their own criteria as approved by the IOC for how you qualify”, Fennell commented.  “You will recall that last year we had the qualification of the two young beach volleyball players, the fencer qualified by competing in England, the track and field athletes qualified through the Junior Carifta Championships and the swimmers also”, Fennell further added.

Noting that plans have been going well for the Games with a youth ambassador also to be included on the team, Fennell says the athletes will be involved in more than just sports at the Games.

“The Youth Olympic Games has some special features,” Fennell said.  “It is not just a sports competition, but it also has a cultural and educational component which is compulsory for all participants”, Fennell highlighted. “So any athlete going to the Games, has to take part in the cultural and educational programme, because the IOC in its prescription for the Games are quite clear that they want this to be about the development of the whole person and no just your physical ability to win medals in a sport” the JOA head noted.  

Jamaica’s team to the second Youth Olympic Games set for August 16 to 28 in Nanjing China, will be announced next week.     

Sprinter Odean Skeen won Jamaica’s lone medal, at the inaugural Games in Singapore in 2010 taking gold in the boys 100 meters. 

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JOA President clears the air about team selection for Youth Olympics

Pengelley expected to be re-elected JMA President

Brian Pengelley is expected to be re-elected President of  the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA) when the organisation holds its annual general meeting today.If re-elected, Mr. Pengelley, a company executive, will be serving his fourth term in the post.       
Elections for the post of Deputy President and eight directors will also take place.

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Pengelley expected to be re-elected JMA President

VIDEO: El Salvador votes for new president

The people of El Salvador are voting in a presidential election.

The main rivals are current Vice-President Salvador Sanchez Ceren of the left-wing FMLN party and Norman Quijano of the conservative Arena alliance.

Neither is expected to win outright because a third candidate standing for a new independent party is likely to make a strong showing.

Will Grant reports.

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VIDEO: El Salvador votes for new president

Russia"s President Putin writes to the American people

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a letter to the American people published by The New York Times Wednesday, argued against US military in Syria while stating that it is “extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional” in response to President Barack Obama’s address to the nation on Tuesday.

Says Putin in his letter to the American people:Recent events surrounding Syria have prompted me to speak directly to the American people and their political leaders. It is important to do so at a time of insufficient communication between our societies.Relations between us have passed through different stages. We stood against each other during the cold war. But we were also allies once, and defeated the Nazis together. The universal international organization — the United Nations — was then established to prevent such devastation from ever happening again.The United Nations’ founders understood that decisions affecting war and peace should happen only by consensus, and with America’s consent the veto by Security Council permanent members was enshrined in the United Nations Charter. The profound wisdom of this has underpinned the stability of international relations for decades.No one wants the United Nations to suffer the fate of the League of Nations, which collapsed because it lacked real leverage. This is possible if influential countries bypass the United Nations and take military action without Security Council authorization.The potential strike by the United States against Syria, despite strong opposition from many countries and major political and religious leaders, including the pope, will result in more innocent victims and escalation, potentially spreading the conflict far beyond Syria’s borders. A strike would increase violence and unleash a new wave of terrorism. It could undermine multilateral efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear problem and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and further destabilize the Middle East and North Africa. It could throw the entire system of international law and order out of balance.Syria is not witnessing a battle for democracy, but an armed conflict between government and opposition in a multi-religious country. There are few champions of democracy in Syria. But there are more than enough Qaeda fighters and extremists of all stripes battling the government. The United States State Department has designated Al Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, fighting with the opposition, as terrorist organizations. This internal conflict, fueled by foreign weapons supplied to the opposition, is one of the bloodiest in the world.Mercenaries from Arab countries fighting there, and hundreds of militants from Western countries and even Russia, are an issue of our deep concern. Might they not return to our countries with experience acquired in Syria? After all, after fighting in Libya, extremists moved on to Mali. This threatens us all.From the outset, Russia has advocated peaceful dialogue enabling Syrians to develop a compromise plan for their own future. We are not protecting the Syrian government, but international law. We need to use the United Nations Security Council and believe that preserving law and order in today’s complex and turbulent world is one of the few ways to keep international relations from sliding into chaos. The law is still the law, and we must follow it whether we like it or not. Under current international law, force is permitted only in self-defense or by the decision of the Security Council. Anything else is unacceptable under the United Nations Charter and would constitute an act of aggression.No one doubts that poison gas was used in Syria. But there is every reason to believe it was used not by the Syrian Army, but by opposition forces, to provoke intervention by their powerful foreign patrons, who would be siding with the fundamentalists. Reports that militants are preparing another attack — this time against Israel — cannot be ignored.It is alarming that military intervention in internal conflicts in foreign countries has become commonplace for the United States. Is it in America’s long-term interest? I doubt it. Millions around the world increasingly see America not as a model of democracy but as relying solely on brute force, cobbling coalitions together under the slogan “you’re either with us or against us.”But force has proved ineffective and pointless. Afghanistan is reeling, and no one can say what will happen after international forces withdraw. Libya is divided into tribes and clans. In Iraq the civil war continues, with dozens killed each day. In the United States, many draw an analogy between Iraq and Syria, and ask why their government would want to repeat recent mistakes.No matter how targeted the strikes or how sophisticated the weapons, civilian casualties are inevitable, including the elderly and children, whom the strikes are meant to protect.The world reacts by asking: if you cannot count on international law, then you must find other ways to ensure your security. Thus a growing number of countries seek to acquire weapons of mass destruction. This is logical: if you have the bomb, no one will touch you. We are left with talk of the need to strengthen nonproliferation, when in reality this is being eroded.We must stop using the language of force and return to the path of civilized diplomatic and political settlement.A new opportunity to avoid military action has emerged in the past few days. The United States, Russia and all members of the international community must take advantage of the Syrian government’s willingness to place its chemical arsenal under international control for subsequent destruction. Judging by the statements of President Obama, the United States sees this as an alternative to military action.I welcome the president’s interest in continuing the dialogue with Russia on Syria. We must work together to keep this hope alive, as we agreed to at the Group of 8 meeting in Lough Erne in Northern Ireland in June, and steer the discussion back toward negotiations.If we can avoid force against Syria, this will improve the atmosphere in international affairs and strengthen mutual trust. It will be our shared success and open the door to cooperation on other critical issues.My working and personal relationship with President Obama is marked by growing trust. I appreciate this. I carefully studied his address to the nation on Tuesday. And I would rather disagree with a case he made on American exceptionalism, stating that the United States’ policy is “what makes America different. It’s what makes us exceptional.” It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation. There are big countries and small countries, rich and poor, those with long democratic traditions and those still finding their way to democracy. Their policies differ, too. We are all different, but when we ask for the Lord’s blessings, we must not forget that God created us equal.Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserver

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Russia"s President Putin writes to the American people

JHTA president welcomes Hyatt

News

BY MARK CUMMINGS Editor-at-Large, Western Bureau cummingsm@jamaicaobserver.comThursday, August 29, 2013

MONTEGO BAY, St James — President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) Evelyn Smith has welcomed the planned reopening of the former Ritz-Carlton hotel in Rose Hall, which closed its door four months ago.The hotel, which is to be managed by the international chain Hyatt as an all-inclusive resort, is scheduled to open for business early next year under the brand Hyaat Ziva.Smith told the Jamaica Observer Tuesday night that the planned reopening is “certainly welcome news”. She, however, could not provide details on the initiative.“The location is a prime area for tourism and if the reports are so, then it is welcome news,” said Smith, stressing the importance of tourism to the country.“Tourism plays a pivotal role in the country’s economy, so any addition to the room stock is good news for the sector.”It has been reported that the Hyatt invested in the Playa Hotels and Resorts Company earlier this year, as part of a plan to increase the all-inclusive portfolio.Playa reportedly purchased the former Ritz-Carlton at the end of spring.Efforts to get a comment from the resort chain were unsuccessful.Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall began operations in 2002 as a high-end tourism property and closed its doors in May, putting roughly 400 workers out of work.SMITH… the location is a prime area for tourism

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JHTA president welcomes Hyatt

Bolt visits FIFA president

Sport

Wednesday, August 28, 2013 | 10:44 AM

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Sprinting legend Usain Bolt visited football’s headquarters FIFA on Wednesday ahead of the IAAF Diamond League meeting Weltklasse Zürich Thursday evening at the Letzigrund Stadium in Switzerland.He was greeted by FIFA President Joseph S Blatter and Fuleco, the official mascot for the next FIFA World Cup. Blatter presented Bolt with a FIFA No 9 shirt and an invitation to Brazil 2014.“For years, he has dominated speed events,” said the FIFA President. “I’m very proud that this great gentleman is here today. He also showed again recently that the 4x100m is very important to him, which proves that he is a team player, just like in football,” said Blatter.Bolt who recently turned 27 said he was pleased to visit the Home of FIFA for the first time. “For me, it’s an honour to be here today,” he said. “I follow football and today I saw the World Cup Trophy for the first time.”FIFA invited the IAAF Diamond League organisers to hold their pre-meeting press conference with Bolt, in the auditorium of the home of FIFA, where all the football governing body’s important media events take place.Bolt, meanwhile — already an all-time great in his sport — would like to follow the footsteps of legendary figures in other disciplines. “I would like to become a legend,” he said, “like Pele, Maradona, Muhammad Ali or Michael Johnson.”

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Bolt visits FIFA president

VIDEO: 100 days of President Maduro

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VIDEO: 100 days of President Maduro

Taiwanese President to visit St Kitts/Nevis

Latest News

Monday, July 29, 2013 | 9:07 AM

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (CMC) – President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Ma Ying-jeou will pay a two-day State visit St Kitts and Nevis as part of a Latin America and the Caribbean tour next month.A statement from the Taiwanese embassy in St Kitts said that President Ma will arrive here on August 18 as part of his 12-day visit to allies in the Caribbean and Latin America. Taiwan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Simon Ko said the main purpose of the trip is to attend the inauguration of Paraguayan President-elect Horacio Cartes on August 15.President Ma will also visit Haiti, St Lucia and St Vincent.Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserver

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Taiwanese President to visit St Kitts/Nevis

Edwin Moses running for WADA president

LONDON, England (AP) — Former Olympic hurdles great Edwin Moses has entered the race to become the next president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

The two-time Olympic gold medallist in the 400-metre hurdles submitted his candidacy last week, become the third — and likely final — contender for the job, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said yesterday.Also in the running are IOC vice-president Craig Reedie of Britain and former IOC Medical Director Patrick Schamasch of France.The 57-year-old Moses, who won gold medals at the 1976 and 1984 Olympics, has been active in the anti-doping movement since retiring from competition. He has been chairman of the US Anti-Doping Agency since September 2012.Moses was the most dominant one-lap hurdler in the world for more than a decade, winning 122 consecutive races — including 107 straight finals — from 1977-87. His world record of 47.02 seconds stood from 1983 to 1992.It’s the turn of the Olympic movement to nominate a successor to former Australian government minister John Fahey, who steps down as WADA president in November after six years in the job.The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is sending a document summarising its position on the anti-doping fight to the three candidates, who have until August 7 to reply in writing.The IOC executive board will put forward one candidate for the WADA presidency at a meeting in Moscow on August 9 on the eve of the World Athletics Championships. The nominee will then be put up for formal election at the World Conference on Doping in Sport in Johannesburg from November 12-15.Reedie, who sits on the WADA executive committee, is considered the favourite.The election campaign comes at a time of increasing scrutiny on WADA, which was set up by the IOC in 1999 to lead the global anti-doping fight. The IOC and Olympic movement provide 50 per cent of WADA’s annual budget, with governments paying the other half.The role of WADA has come under fire in recent months, with sports federations saying the organisation is spending millions of dollars on drug-testing without catching the serious drug cheats. The IOC and federations have also insisted that WADA is a “service organisation” created to support the sports bodies, not to criticise them and order them what to do.IOC President Jacques Rogge has called for more targeted, out-of-competition testing in high-profile sports.Former WADA President Dick Pound recently submitted a report detailing the ineffectiveness of the current drug-testing system.Despite increased testing and scientific advances to detect more sophisticated substances, Pound said drug cheats are getting away scot-free because of a lack of will among sports organisations, governments and athletes. The report cited statistics showing that, of 250,000 drug tests per year, less than one per cent produce positive findings for serious doping substances.In this September 10, 2010 file photo, former Olympic hurdles great Edwin Moses speaks during a press conference before the Triathlon World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. (PHOTO: AP)

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Edwin Moses running for WADA president

JNA president expresses regret at passing of Isbeth Bernard

Sport

Friday, July 19, 2013

THE President of the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) Marva Bernard has said that the death of long-time JNA associate Isbeth Bernard has come as great shock to her and leaves her deeply saddened.Bernard, who died in hospital two days ago after a short illness, was a member of the JNA Leagues and Technical Committees for more than two decades. She kept statistics for the association and attended almost all of the international tours by the national teams. “I know for a fact that she intended to be at the World Youth Netball Championship in Scotland next month,” the JNA president said.“Isbeth served the JNA well. She was good at what she did and the JNA came to rely on her skills without question.“She will be hard to replace and on behalf of the JNA and the netball fraternity in general, I wish to express sincere condolences to Isbeth’s family, friends and associates.“May her soul rest in peace.”

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JNA president expresses regret at passing of Isbeth Bernard

Hold parents accountable for student failure, Senate President says

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Friday, June 28, 2013 | 8:35 AM

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica — President of the Senate Floyd Morris, says that parents must be held accountable for the poor performance of their children in school.Morris was delivering the keynote address at the 21st staging of the Montego Co-operative Credit Union Schools’ Academic Championship Quiz, held Wednesday June 26 at the Montego Bay Civic Centre in St James. According to Senator Morris, parents are not providing the necessary supervision and support of their children’s studies, in order for the country to realise the returns from the billions of dollars invested in education each year, and they should be “brought to book”.“This year alone, the Government is spending approximately $77 billion, and when you match that with what is being done by private sector companies, I am certain that the figure for education is running well over $100 billion…but, I don’t believe that we are getting the type of returns that we should be getting,” Morris said.“I believe that the necessary support systems that are supposed to be in place are not there. I am very disappointed with the sort of parental support that is being given to the education of our children. How can a parent have a child at home and that child traverse primary school and high school, graduate from both institutions, but is not able to read and write? It must be poor parental supervision that is contributing to such a situation,” the Senate President insisted.Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserver

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Hold parents accountable for student failure, Senate President says

Venezuelan President to meet regional leaders

Latest News

Friday, June 28, 2013 | 7:59 AM

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago (CMC) — Venezuela’s President Nicholas Maduro is scheduled to pay his first official visit to the Trinidad and Tobago when he attends the 34th meeting of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders here next month. Maduro, who was elected back in April following the death of former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, is among two other special guests invited by Caribbean leaders to attend the four-day summit which coincides with the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas.President of the Dominican Republic, Danilo Medina as well as President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo will also attend the meeting.Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserver

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Venezuelan President to meet regional leaders