KERN Spencer, the former junior energy minister on trial stemming from the Cuban light bulb scandal, may have to find a new guarantor for his $10 million bail following Wednesday's arrest of his surety, businessman Patrick Roberts.

Spencer stands to lose his bail when he appears in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court today as Roberts' arrest renders him ineligible to continue acting as surety, as he now has a criminal charge pending against him, according to section 21 of the Bail Act.

But Patrick Atkinson, Spencer's attorney, said yesterday that the court may decide not to interfere with his client's bail while he seeks another surety."Mr Spencer has been reliably coming to court and the magistrate will take that into consideration," Atkinson told the Observer.

Roberts, 45, the People's National Party caretaker for the West Central St Andrew constituency, was arrested and charged after his licensed .38 Taurus revolver was allegedly recovered from a man who reportedly engaged the police in a shoot-out using the weapon.

The alleged shoot-out occurred on January 20 this year.

Yesterday, Roberts' lawyer, Valerie Neita-Robertson, said he was charged with illegal possession of firearm.

Roberts reportedly told the police in an interview last month that he was not aware of the disappearance of the weapon. He is scheduled to appear in the High Court Division of the Gun Court today.

Roberts, who is a lay magistrate, was granted $300,000 station bail following his arrest, his lawyer said.

Spencer, along with his former personal assistant, Coleen Wright, were arrested in February 2008 for their role in the distribution of four million energy-saving light bulbs, a gift from the Cuban Government that ended up costing Jamaican taxpayers several million dollars.

Both accused are due back in court today when Senior Magistrate Judith Pusey will decide whether or not to throw out the case against them.

this is ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING ! What kind of mother no sorry.... MUMMA is this??? And what is it with ppl an facebook???



-- Edited by *~*~Sweet Applezz*~*~ on Thursday 15th of April 2010 02:35:37 PM

This might spark a run on Nintendo Wii Fit.

Amanda Flowers, a 24 year old from Harpurhey, Manchester damaged a nerve when she fell off a Wii Fit board turning her into a sex addict.

The slightest vibrations from anything like mobile phones to food processors sets her off. She needs at least 10 sex sessions a day to satisfy her needs.

She told the UK Daily Star, It began as a twinge down below before surging through my body. Sometimes it built up into a trembling orgasm.

She's been diagnosed by a doctor with persistent sexual arousal syndrome due to the damaged nerve.

Amanda who is single says she looking for the right man.

With no cure I just have to try to control my passion by breathing deeply. Hopefully one day Ill find a superstud who can satisfy me"

A northeastern Pennsylvania woman convicted of animal cruelty for marketing "gothic kittens" with ear and neck piercings has been sentenced to six months of house arrest.

A cyclone packing winds of more than 100 mph demolished ten of thousands of mud huts in northeastern India, killing at least 89 villagers.

Neighbors are in shock after a shooting rampage in Chicago's Marquette Park neighborhood left a woman and three children dead overnight. Two others were hospitalized. Family and friends held a candlelight vigil Wednesday night in front of the house where the tragedy took place.

Earlier Wednesday, Chicago Police picked up the suspect on foot without incident a few miles away at 59th Street and Racine Avenue. A weapon was recovered from a car nearby.

Family members said the suspect was visiting from Madison, Wis. The big question is what made him open fire on his whole family.

"He just went crazy. He shot everybody in the house," said Ella Smith, an aunt of one of the victims.

Grieving relatives and friends of the victims are struggling to comprehend a senseless tragedy. It happened in the 7200 block of South Mozart Street at about 4:30 a.m.. Police sources confirm for CBS 2 that the suspect shot and killed his wife, 19, who was pregnant, and shot five other family members. Three children are among the dead.

Relatives said the deceased victims include the suspect's 7-month-old son, Jahad Larry; the suspect's niece, 3-year-old Keleasha Larry, known by the nickname of "Pooh Pooh;" a woman believed to be the suspect's wife, 19-year-old Tawanda Thompson; and another niece of the suspect, 16-year-old Keyshai Fields. Friends said Fields also was pregnant.

"She was real happy," said Fields' friend Marquetta Welborn. " We just saw her yesterday at school, prancing in the hallway with her sunglasses on, being the Keyshai she is. Nobody never had anything negative to say about her."

Also wounded were Keyshai's brother, Demond Larry, 13, and the suspect's mother, Leona Larry, 57. Demond was in stable condition Wednesday afternoon. Leona was in critical condition and being kept alive on a ventilator.

Keesha Larry, the mother of two of the children Keyshai Fields and Keleasha Larry said she feels almost numb. Her son, Demond Larry and her mother, Leona Larry, were also injured.

"I'm really just leaving everything in God's hands," she said, "I don't know what is a mother to do when something like this happens, especially by a family member. I love my brother too, I don't know what went wrong with him."

The suspect's 12-year-old niece, Lala, was able to escape while shots were being fired.  She ran to a nearby gas station, wearing only a bra and underwear, and told a clerk that her uncle was chasing her and trying to kill her. The clerk immediately called police.  They arrived in minutes.

Police said Lala told them the suspect, her 32-year-old uncle, had come from Wisconsin with his wife and began shooting family members.

Lala's brother, 7-month-old Prayvion, was covered up and also survived and escaped.

It's unclear what sparked the rampage, though court records show the suspect has a lengthy criminal record dating back 15 years. He has spent time in prison on drug charges and, most recently, a battery charge.

The suspect's sister, Letisha Larry of Wisconsin, said that, while her brother has no diagnosed mental illness, he started acting strangely recently. She said her brother had been saying Allah was telling him to kill people for the past week.

"He just flipped out. He said the Muslim in some book he always carried around and read said that yeah ... in the book he said he must kill someone, so he killed his family," Letisha Larry said. "He was like just saying little weird little stuff, talking about about he an angel and we demons -- there's demons in the house."

She says while her brother was behind bars in Wisconsin, he had become a Muslim. Sources say he told them he had been hearing voices that told him to kill his family. Sources also say he had planned on killing more people in the house, but had run out of bullets.

A family friend, Susan Ingram, said the boy who was injured asked his uncle to stop while he was shooting the family. "Demond actually tried to say uncle, what's going on and he shot him in the face."

Ingram was at the Marquette Park house Tuesday afternoon, just hours before the shootings. Ingram says even then, she thought the suspect seemed off.

"Last time I met him, he wasn't so he looked more zoned," Ingram said.

All day long, relatives and friends like Ingram have been at the hospital with the suspect's sister Keesha and outside the home where the victims were killed. To say they're shocked and devastated doesn't say enough.

Family friend Shanta Moore said, "That's like my sister, that's my heart. I just can't even imagine that anything like this would happen to Keyshai because she didn't deserve that. None of them deserved that."

Letisha Larry said her brother must be held accountable for the murders. "He's wrong for that. How you gonna shoot your mom and then your wife and kids. That's just crazy," she said. "Your nieces and nephews, how could you do something like that?"

Even street-hardened Chicago police officers were shaken by the shooting.

"It's really horrendous. Something like this is pretty incomprehensible," said Chicago Lawn District Police Commander John Kupczyk. "We deal with a lot of crime scenes out here and a lot of terrible things that happen to families and victims, but this one is especially horrendous. It's very tough on family, I'm sure the community, and even the officers that have had to deal with this."

Friends described a home that was previously filled with laughter.

"Her little sister, they be playing, fighting, everything," Welborn said. "We used to have fun over there."

But Wednesday, it's a home surrounded by police tape and sobbing relatives.

Two of the dead were found in one bedroom and two other victims were found dead in another bedroom, Kupczyk said.

The spot where the suspect was caught is about four miles away from the house. A police source said the suspect may have fled on a CTA bus because he did not have access to a car.

According to a police source, the suspect took off after the shooting to the 5700 block of South Aberdeen Street where another relative lived. It was not immediately known why he was traveling to the house.

"We do have who we believe is the offender in custody, and we believe we have the weapon used," said Roderick Drew, director of Police News Affairs.

No charges had been filed as of 10 p.m. Wednesday.

http://www.tuffchin.com/apps/blog/show/3110856

-- Edited by RATTIGAN FLEXX on Saturday 20th of March 2010 04:16:58 PM

-- Edited by RATTIGAN FLEXX on Saturday 20th of March 2010 04:18:34 PM

A 48-year-old Rastafarian man who was hauled before the court for allegedly raping a five-year-old girl and giving her a vaginal infection, was Tuesday ordered to undergo testing, after he was offered bail in the sum of $200,000.

The rastaman -- a resident of the Jamaican capital, Kingston, and who trades in art and craft -- allegedly sexually assaulted the minor last December when the child was left in his care by her mother.

It is further alleged that the child did not inform her mother, who two months later noticed that she was secreting a yellow discharge. It was then that the mother was informed about the incident.

The matter was reported to the police and the accused was subsequently taken into custody and charged with rape.

On Tuesday, the accused pleaded not guilty in the Corporate Area Criminal Court and was offered bail by Resident Magistrate Georgianna Fraser, on conditions that he reports to the Hunt's Bay Police Station on Thursdays between 6:00 am and 6:00 pm. The court also placed a stop order on the accused, who was ordered not to communicate with the child or her parents. In addition, he was ordered to undergo a medical test to find out whether or not he has a sexually transmitted disease.

The accused will return to court on May 22.

An Oregon woman has pleaded guilty to killing her 4-year-old son, and trying to kill her 7-year-old daughter after the children plunged off a bridge into a frigid Oregon river last year.

Authorities say a cargo plane has crashed into traffic while trying to land overnight in the northern Mexican city of Monterrey, killing all five crew members on board.

Police officers in Tulsa, Oklahoma are trying to track down a burglar who broke into a drug store by climbing through the roof. He made seven escape attempts before he was able to climb out.

he mother of a missing 11-year-old found safe after four days in a Florida swamp says the girl didn't eat or drink anything during her ordeal. Tanya *la*hm said that God had a hand in Nadia's rescue.

STEVEN Brault, head of the American Citizen Services at the US Embassy in Kingston yesterday sought to reassure the Montego Bay business community that visa cancellations were not in any way politically motivated.

Responding to questions from patrons of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry's quarterly luncheon, Brault stressed that while his protocol was not to speak in specifics, he could say with conviction that there was no political link in the cancellation by his embassy of any US visa held by any Jamaican.

"Absolutely no political considerations are allowed to enter visa adjudications. Each case is decided purely on the merits of the individual application," he told the Observer at the function.

Speculation has been rife in recent weeks that the embassy's cancellation of the visas a number of entertainers and a businessman is somehow linked to the government's diplomatic row with the US over Christopher 'Dudus Coke, the strongman of Prime Minister Bruce Golding's West Kingston constituency.

The US wants Coke to answer charges of drug and gun-running in that country, however, the Government has been refusing since last year to sign the request.

Air travel around the world was disrupted Thursday 15th April as clouds of ash from a volcano in Iceland blew across northern Europe. Scientists warned that the problem could continue.

Monica, who's fifth album 'Standing Still' hit the No. 1 spot on the R&B charts, talks about her new disc, growing up and her No. 1 single, 'Everything to Me.

WASHINGTON The White House and congressional Republicans sparred Wednesday over how to protect taxpayers against "too big to fail" financial institutions, sharply disagreeing on whether legislation backed by President Barack Obama would leave the government on the hook for bailing out firms whose failure might threaten the economy.

Obama, meeting with House and Senate leaders of both parties, insisted on a tough bill, specifically singling out oversight of previously unregulated financial instruments. How to regulate these products, known as derivatives, has become the latest point of friction between Democrats and Republicans.

But as the Senate prepares to begin debate in less than two weeks on legislation revamping regulation of the financial industry, the question of bailouts has elevated the sharp partisan differences over how to respond to the 2008 crisis that caused a near meltdown on Wall Street.

Both sides were testing populist messages, seizing on public disdain for big financial institutions. The White House argued opposition to the bill amounted to support for Wall Street banks; Republicans countered that the Obama-backed bill would perpetuate bailouts for Wall Street firms rather than end them.

Obama, speaking briefly to reporters before the closed meeting began, said he was "absolutely confident that the bill that emerges is going to be a bill that prevents bailouts. That's the goal."

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner later said that the cost of taking down large failing financial institutions will be borne by big banks, not taxpayers. The House and Senate bills call for funds, financed by large financial institutions, to cover the costs of liquidating firms deemed too large to go through bankruptcy proceedings. Republicans have argued that the funds would not be sufficient and that taxpayers could still be on the hook to pay to deal with giant failures. They also argue that emergency loan authority by the Federal Reserve could also amount to a financial bailout.

The give-and-take, which officials said was more heated in public than in private, set the terms for the final debate on yet another of Obama's priorities. The president is hoping the Senate acts quickly and passes a bill that can be easily reconciled with legislation that passed the House in December. But Democrats need at least one Republican to overcome procedural hurdles and the looming question was whether the administration and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would simply seek to pick off Republican senators or build a coalition through bipartisan negotiations.

Geithner was to discuss the legislation Thursday with Sen. Scott Brown, a Massachusetts Republican who has already broken ranks with his party on jobs and jobless benefits votes.

Reid signaled Wednesday that he was ready to proceed quickly. Reid had initially planned to bring the bill up the week of April 26, but officials said Wednesday that he now might seek to begin debate next week.

Asked after the White House meeting whether it was time to abandon efforts to negotiate with Republicans, Reid said: "We're going to move on the bill very quickly. They can offer all the amendments they want on the floor."

Sen. Christopher Dodd, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, agreed to meet again with the committee's top Republican, Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama. Aides said Dodd, D-Conn., believed he and Shelby could add language to the bill that would address the bailout question without fundamentally altering the bill.

Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., a banking committee member who has negotiated with Dodd, said the rhetoric over potential bailouts had become overheated. "The fact is," he added, "I think we could fix those in about five minutes."

Earlier, Dodd angrily accused Republicans of "political chicanery" and appeared on the verge of abandoning talks.

"My patience is running out, my patience is running out," he said from the Senate floor. "I'm not going to continue doing this if all I'm getting from the other side is the suggestions somehow that this is a partisan effort."

Aides said Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in the meeting urged Obama not to cut off bipartisan talks. Afterward, McConnell still insisted that the Senate bill "will lead to endless taxpayer bailouts of Wall Street banks."

That was the message McConnell delivered earlier Wednesday on the Senate floor the second such attack on the bill in as many days. He said the White House plans the same approach on financial reforms that it took on health care: "Put together a partisan bill, then jam it through on a strictly partisan basis."

White House economist Austan Goolsbee dismissed the GOP objections as "totally disingenuous."

"Bailouts are forbidden," he said in an interview. "There will only be wipeouts. They (the banks) will clean up the messes. If somebody fails, they're done they're toast. The management is fired. They're broken up or sold off or liquidated."

Goolsbee added the GOP broadside was "pretty cheeky of the Republican leadership," and an effort to divert attention from its efforts to stop regulation of the derivatives market. "They're trying to dramatically weaken and put loopholes into that derivatives regulation," he said.

Republicans think they continue to score huge points with voters by opposing the health care overhaul that narrowly passed Congress with no GOP votes. They are taking a similar approach on financial regulations.

The White House says GOP lawmakers are using campaign strategist talking points to label the legislation as a bank bailout, regardless of the truth.

An earthquake rocked sections of Kingston, as well as Portmore, St Catherine, yesterday around 3:51 p.m.

The earthquake, with its epicentre located near Chestervale, St Andrew, had a magnitude of 3.7 and a focal depth of 9.9 km.

It was reportedly felt in Half-Way Tree, Mona, New Kingston, Havendale, Stony Hill, downtown Kingston and Portmore.

Head of the University of the West Indies Earthquake Unit, Dr Lynden Brown, told The Gleaner that although the quake was minor, aftershocks could be experienced.

However, he said the aftershocks would be mild.

Prelude to bigger event

Brown further said the possibility existed for a bigger event, as the quake could also have been the foreshock to a more massive event.

"The quake could be the foreshock to a bigger event, so persons need to start thinking about what steps they would take if a bigger event occurs," he said.

The Office of Disaster Prepared-ness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) also implored Jamaicans to take the necessary precautions should another earthquake occur.

"Remember, earthquakes cannot be predicted. Therefore, our vulner-ability to earthquakes is always imminent. How well you survive an earthquake depends on how prepared you are for one. Preparation is the key," the ODPEM stated in a release.

The earthquake occurred hours after more than 600 people died as a result of a 7.1-magnitude quake that hit northwest China's Qinghai province.

What to do before, during and after an earthquake

Always have on hand emergency kits.

Practise earthquake drills at schools, homes and offices.

Look around your school, home and offices for things that could fall and injure you.

During:

Be calm. If you are inside, stay there.

Get under heavy furniture such as a sturdy desk or table.

Do not rush to exits.

If you are outside, stay there. Avoid the hazards, which could cause injury.

If you are in a vehicle, drive away from bridges and stop in the safest place possible.

After:

Evacuate the building immediately after the shaking stops.

Be prepared for additional aftershocks.

A section of the roadway in Omeally, rural St Catherine, that as been in this condition from 2006 and has left residents worried that the impending rainfall will worsen the situation. - Ricardo Makyn

While the persistent drought has most Jamaicans begging for rain, some residents of Omeally, a communityin St Catherine, are actually thankful for the dry spell and are praying that the rain will stay far away from their community.

This unusual desire is not because the residents have an abundance of water, but because in the past, rain has caused landslides and damaged the roads making certain sections almost impassable.

As residents of the community explained, the area which was once the road is becoming narrower and narrower because of the erosion, and is so bad that graves were being dislodged, exposing the caskets and bodies inside. In fact, some bodies have had to be exhumed and re-buried in other locations.

 

break-away

"A four years now the situation is like this. Despite persons coming and promising to fix it for the residents, the distress continues especially when the rain falls. In fact since the break-away we worry when it rains,'' said one resident, Clifton Romell.

His views were echoed by shopkeeper Derrick Edwards, who added that he has to become a regular driver for many persons who are afraid to even drive their cars on the narrow strip of road.

"As the thing is right now, we wish it would not rain as those cracks are likely to give way anytime. We might soon be without a road. I am personally worried as the water will continue to erode the surface,'' Edwards said.

He added that the situation gets worse with each shower of rain, leaving the residents of the rural farming community, crossing their fingers in hopes that the rain will stay away.

Another resident told THE STAR, "See, my house is getting closer to the edge each day and there is no help for me and my family." She added, "Even the dead feel disturbed, as them have to relocate two of the bodies before them wash weh.''

Councillor for the area, Michelle Jackson, told THE STAR that after consultation with the National Works Agency (NWA), a special design for the roadway is now being drafted. She said this design will address the problem and all its technicalities.

In the meantime, Chairman of the St Catherine Parish Council Andrew Wheatley said the local authority is aware of the break-away in Omeally District. He, too, mentioned that the NWA had been made aware of the issue.

Efforts to get a comment from a NWA representative were unsuccessful.

Caster Semenya is likely to release the results of her gender tests herself, according to an Athletics South Africa (ASA) official.

"I have some suspicion that Caster, herself, will release the results of the medical process," ASA administrator Richard Stander said yesterday.

Stander regarded as a confidential client-doctor relationship that between 800-metre world champion Semenya and world athletics body, the IAAF, which oversaw her gender-verification tests last year, meaning only Semenya can release them publicly.

"This is how it is done with everyone else," Stander said, "so I don't see why she would be different.

"All over the world everyone is waiting, and I think it will be Caster who tells you guys (the media) the results."

Semenya, who has been waiting since August for clearance to run from the IAAF, was left out of South Africa's 56-strong squad for the African Championships in Nairobi beginning on July 28.

But the ASA said the 19-year-old athlete can still compete in Kenya, if she is cleared by the IAAF and proves her fitness in time.

A cop who is accused of attempting to rape a woman he was transporting from a set-up, is now the centre of an investigation by detectives from the Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offence and Child Abuse (CISOCA).

Information reaching THE STAR is that the cop, who is attached to the Constant Spring Police Station, is alleged to have tried to rape a woman who is employed there.

When contacted yesterday, Head of CISOCA Deputy Superintendent Herfa Beckford confirmed the investigation but noted that it was in its initial stages and as such she could not divulge much information.

"Yes, there is such a case but investigations are in it's fresh stages," DSP Beckford also told THE STAR.

However, a police source from the St Andrew North Police told THE STAR that the incident reportedly occurred early Friday morning as the cop was taking the woman to her home after both had left the wake of a policeman, Constable Ainsworth Rushton.

Constable Rushton was mowed down on March 18 by a motorist who was reportedly stopped and subsequently told his vehicle would be seized.

After the wake, the accused policeman is said to have offered to take the woman home. During the journey it is alleged that he began making sexual advances at her.

"Investigations are underway and we can't say much yet, but it is being alleged that the policeman tried to rape the woman and there was even a scuffle during which the woman's clothes were torn," the source said.

The director of public prosecutions is also expected to rule on the matter.

An inmate at the Kingston Central lock-up was sentenced to three months in prison in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday after he used a padlock to hit another inmate in the head.

Oneil Fraser pleaded guilty to the charge of wounding with intent.

 

underwear

Allegations are that the complainant had problems with inmates in another cell and was brought to the cell which housed Fraser. The allegations further indicated that the complainant left his underwear at his previous cell and tried to retrieve it, however, he was prevented from doing this by the accused.

It is alleged that an argument developed between the two and the accused used a padlock to slap the complainant in the head.

Although he pleaded guilty to the charge, the accused man indicated that it was an accident and that he was sorry. Fraser received a three-month prison term.

Konshens, Vybz Kartel - File photos

After hitting it big last year with the 'Good Life' rhythm, Liv Up Records plans to take it farther this year with the soon to be released 'Money Tree' rhythm.

Liv Up Records came into mainstream popularity with the 'Good Life' rhythm which features Kartel's Dollar Signand Mr Vegas' I Am Blessed. The producing group later released their one-drop 'Stronger' rhythm, with 'Money Tree' being their first dancehall follow up. Money Tree will be officially released on April 27th on itunes and featuring 18 artistes deejaying on diverse subject matters.

 

greater masterpiece

When THE STAR spoke to O'Neil Coke from Liv Up he said, "'Good Life' gwaan good and with this rhythm we put in the same work, so we expect to see a greater masterpiece. This rhythm is totally different from 'Good Life' which was more uptempo and party-like, while this one is smoother and have crazy substance. You have money songs, cultural songs wid a strong message, whining songs and more."

As the name implies, money is a major theme on the rhythm starting with Kartel's Money Tree. Kartel comes strong in the song singing, "if nobody loves me, me love money, money love me, me waan count money like crazy, so me go inna di garden fi a money tree." Money is also the focus on Tony Matterhorn's, Lock Down Di Endz, who says he won't sell out his soul for money.

In Konshens and Tuff Enuff's Money Double the two talk about money changing a friendship as Konshens deejays, "true di money double now, dem sey a true di hype a grow, mi can't believe a two bokkle of Hennessey and two big car mek me and mi nigga stop par."

 

hussling song

Flippa Mafia says money can't buy respect in his song, while Serani sings that a Benz can't impress friends in his hussling song Got to Survive.

The only two females on the rhythm also focus on money with Stacious' Slow it Down and Pamputtae's Money.

Munga Honourable also puts out a good effort as he sings about wanting to make money Inna 2010.

Conscious lyrics are also on the rhythm including Bramma's This Anthem and Bugle's Never Scared, as the twoadds a badman flair.

Demarco also takes a conscious route with Work Hard deejaying, "my pickney nah grow up and sey dem daddy neva deh deh." Twin of Twins talks about a number of topics from politics to the radio deejays who are playing "lame" songs.

Chino has the only party song adding something different with Party Hard, Vegas is also versatile with the gospel-like song Jah Never Fail Me. Other songs on the rhythm come from Almidon, Kibaki and Elephant Man.

Next from Liv Up according to Coke is 'The Grind' rhythm which he describes as a 'cross over' beat. He said, "we try to challenge di artistes dem to sing about summen different. The Grind does that, but we don't have a release date for it as yet."

Bounty Killer - File

Linda Wright, the attorney representing deejay Bounty Killer in the much-publicised assault case now before the court, says she is ready for trial and is confident that the deejay will be vindicated.

The attorney told THE STAR that she is ready to proceed to trial on Friday regardless of whether the deejay is granted bail.

She said that she will attempt to question the complainant's credibility during the trial. "We plan to attack her credibility," she said.

When the case was first mentioned in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court last week, Wright had told the court that the investigating officer had seen no marks of violence on the complainant.

She also pointed out that the medical certificate had not given a detailed description of the supposed injuries, but had instead only listed "injuries to the hand and behind the chest".

Yesterday, Wright told THE STAR that Killer, whose real name is Rodney Price, was coping with the situation as best as he could.

"The circumstances are unfortunate. The court has remanded him, so he has no choice, he just has to cope with it. But, he is coping. He was quite satisfied with how things went today (yesterday)."

Wright told THE STAR that she expects the trial to be a quick one and does not think it will last more than a day or two. He is expected to return to court tomorrow.

Despite plea Killer remains behind bars

Bounty Killer - File

Despite a 27-minute-plea by his lawyer in court yesterday, deejay Bounty Killer will remain behind bars until tomorrow.

The deejay who faces assault charges in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court, had his matter transferred to another court room. This decision was made shortly after Resident Magistrate Georgianna Fraser reserved bail in the matter.

It was expected that the trial would have began yesterday, but the defence was said to have not received all the relevant documents to begin the case.

 

domestic matter

The defence lawyer, Linda Wright, then attempted to secure bail for her client. However, RM Fraser said that she was not prepared to grant Price bail because he had a matter of a similar nature before the Gun Court.

Wright, however, highlighted to the RM that both incidents were not of a similar nature since one was a common-law matter and the other a domestic matter.

She made reference to a case in the privy council (Herman vs The State) which illustrated the conditions under which bail should be granted.

The defence lawyer indicated that an accused man may only be denied bail if the court believes that it cannot find a condition stringent enough to ensure that he would reappear in court.

Price's lawyer, then mentioned that her client has a history of always returning to court when he is instructed to do so.

After listening to the defence, the resident magistrate told the court that she would need some time to read over the case which the lawyer cited before a decision could be made with regards to Price's bail.

The 38-year-old entertainer, of a Constant Spring address, was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm. According to the allegations, on March 26, Price and the complainant went to a nightclub and returned to his house.

The allegations indicated that the Price and the complainant had a discussion with regards to them continuing their three-year relationship. It is alleged that the complainant refused to continue the relationship and she was slapped across the face by the accused and held down on the bed.

Wright indicated that the complainant went to the doctor four days after the incident and that the medical report was very vague in its description of the injuries received by the complainant.

Price will return to court on Friday, where his bail application will continue.

Senior Puisne Judge Gloria Smith has turned down an application to quash the indictment charging Corporal Lancelot Webley with the murder of a person unknown.

Webley was first charged with the murder of John Spencer. On Monday, when the case was set for trial, the Crown issued a new indictment because the person who identified the body could not be located.

Webley's lawyers, George Soutar and Linda Wright, argued that the new indictment was an abuse of the process of the court and would prevent Webley from getting a fair trial.

Prosecutors Diahann Gordon-Harrison and Adley Duncan opposed the application and cited authorities to show that the trial could proceed with the new indictment.

The judge, in handing down her ruling yesterday, said she did not find an abuse of the process, as was being alleged. She said she did not find any conduct on the part of the prosecution to be oppressive or vexatious.

In dismissing the application, the judge said it would be appropriate for an adjournment to be granted to give the defence the opportunity to meet the new indictment.

Webley's bail was extended for him to return to the Home Circuit Court on June 2 when his trial will begin.

He is accused of murdering a person unknown in November 2000.

Eighteen Jamaicans, including two women, were extradited last year, even as the Bruce Golding administration tussled with the United States government over its extradition request for west Kingston strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.

Official data show 15 people were extradited to the US, two to Canada, while one person was sent to England to answer charges.

In 2008, a total of 14 people, including two women, were extradited.

Of the 18 people extradited last year, 10 were wanted overseas for narcotics charges, five to answer murder charges, two for fraud, and one for first-degree assault.

However, the administration has refused to sign the extradition request for Coke, who has been interdicted in the US on drugs and firearm charges.

Golding has argued that the extradition request for Coke was unusual, as the American authorities are depending on wiretapped information that is inadmissible in a local court because it was illegally provided to them.

The prime minister has claimed that the justice minister cannot sign the extradition warrant based on what has so far been presented by the Americans.

However, Washington has rejected this position and has urged the Government to place the matter before the court.

Seeking declaration

According to Golding, Justice Minister Dorothy Lightbourne will be seeking a declaration from the court on whether she has the authority to refuse to sign the extradition request for Coke in the present circumstances.

And even as the impasse drags on, Lightbourne is proceeding with other extradition requests.

On Tuesday, 50-year-old Mark Antonio Clarke, a musician of Parks Road, St Andrew, was arrested by the Fugitive Apprehension Team (FAT) on an extradition request.

The police reported that about 5:15 Tuesday morning, an operation was carried out on Parks Road by members of the FAT, the Flying Squad and the Mobile Reserve.

During the operation, Clarke, who is wanted in the United States for narcotics offences, was arrested.

According to the allegations, Clarke was a member of a drug-trafficking organisation which distributed large quantities of marijuana in East St Louis and Illinois during 2004 and 2008.

Clarke reportedly fled the US to Jamaica in May 2008.

He is to appear in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court today for an extradition hearing.

HIGH school track and field kingpins Holmwood Technical and St Jago High have found themselves having to reconfigure their teams and adjust their plans after several members of their teams were denied US visas to travel to Philadelphia, USA, for next week's Pennsylvania Relay Carnival.

St Jago's principal Sandra Watson told the Observer that eight of 15 team members had their visa applications turned down, while Holmwood's vice-principal Edward Hector said of three boys who applied, only one was accepted and the school was not yet certain as to the position regarding another six applicants.

However, Watson told the Observer that after checks made through various channels, she had learnt that the United States council was more stringent about issuing visas to students who are 18 and have never travelled, or much younger students who had also never travelled.

"All the students who did not travel before were turned down, but all those who got through went with us before," Watson said.

Five of the eight students were girls and Watson said it meant the school would have to reconfigure their relay teams that will be participating in events at the University of Pennsylvania's Franklin Field next week.

Students from a number of other schools including Munro College, Camperdown, Edwin Allen and Vere Technical have been visiting the Liguanea-based United States Embassy this week to complete the visa-application process for the annual Penn Relays.

Canadian newspaper raps Golding on 'Dudus' affair

THE United States White House and State Department declined yesterday to confirm or deny reports out of Washington that a career diplomat has been identified as ambassador-designate to Kingston.

But impeccable Observer sources insisted that the person had been identified, though not announced, and that a career diplomat was deemed to be more desirable than a political appointee, in the frosty environment caused by the stand-off over Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding, flanked by Charge d Affaires at the United States Embassy in Kingston Isiah Parnell, and mission director of the United States Agency for International Development, Karen Hilliard, leaves the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston yesterday following the launch of the US$2-million OBRA project, which is aimed at improving the employment prospects of the islands unattached youth. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

"A career diplomat has the requisite skill to manoeuvre in a situation where there is disagreement with a foreign government. They are almost always deployed to trouble spots," the Observer source said."By appointing a career foreign service officer, the Obama administration also avoids the long delay that could be involved with Congressional approval of a political appointee," another knowledgeable source said.

The US was still playing its cards close to chest on the appointment of an ambassador to Kingston to succeed Brenda LaGrange who ended her tour of duty a lengthy 16 months ago.

There have been suggestions -- denied by the US -- that the non-appointment of a replacement was linked to US unhappiness over the Jamaican Government's refusal to hand over Coke, the Tivoli Gardens strongman, who is wanted in the States on alleged gun-and drug-trafficking charges.

White House spokesman Ben Chang would neither confirm nor deny the reports when contacted by the Observer, saying only that "there is nothing new or different", to what he previously told the newspaper, that an ambassador would be named as soon as an appointment was made.

State Department spokesman Michael Tran said he could not go beyond the position of the White House as "such matters are handled by the Office of the White House".

And Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding has found a detractor in the influential Canadian newspaper, the Globe and Mail, which described Golding as "unwise" in a recent editorial on the issue. It called on the Jamaican Government to "act now and turn the extradition request for Mr Coke over to the courts".

"The refusal of Jamaica's prime minister to extradite a man Washington describes as one of the world's 'most dangerous' drug kingpins is unwise," the conservative paper wrote.

"Up until now, the Caribbean island of 2.7 million has won praise from the US for its co-operation in signing off on extradition requests for those who face charges for serious crimes, helping to build the country's reputation as an ally in the hemispheric battle against drug trafficking and gang-led violent crime.

"However, the stalling over the August 2009 request to extradite Christopher 'Dudus' Coke has caused a rift in the relationship with Washington. The incident threatens to expose political corruption in the Government of Prime Minister Bruce Golding, underscoring the reality that criminal gangs and politics are still linked in Jamaica, as the two main political parties rely on 'garrison dons' or heads of urban communities to produce votes during elections," the newspaper said.

It noted that in a major address in 2007, "Mr Golding pledged to tackle crime and corruption -- the island's two most significant social problems. Three years later, his government's ambitious initiatives remain stalled in Parliament, and five anti-crime proposals have yet to be debated."

-- With additional reporting by Harold Bailey in New York

JAMAICA and Queens Park Rangers defender Damion 'Stew Peas' Stewart will not after all require surgery after fracturing his skull on Saturday during his club's 2-0 win over Crystal Palace.

In fact, according to Sporting Life website, Stewart will be fit in time for pre-season training after being involved in a sickening collision with Crystal Palace's striker Calvin Andrew inside the first minute at Selhurst Park and suffering internal bleeding as well as the fracture.

Head physio Paul Hunter told the club's official website: "The results of the scans have given us some good news in the respect that there's no further damage to what we were already aware of."These tests are more detailed than the original ones carried out at Mayday Hospital so could potentially have provided us with extra cause for concern. Thankfully, that's not the case.

"Damion will have a precautionary brain scan on Thursday and will remain in hospital for the rest of the week.

"He's currently at greater risk of developing infections so we need to keep a close eye on him. No surgery is required, which is great news, and having spoken with the surgeon, he is confident Damion will be ready to return for pre-season training."

The Rangers defender was stretched out of Saturday's 2-0 win over Crystal Palace after colliding with Eagles forward Calvin Andrew.

The incident, which occurred during the opening exchanges at Selhurst Park, left everyone concerned for Stewart's wellbeing.

Those fears were heightened when it emerged that he had suffered a fractured skull and bleeding into the brain.

However, the 29-year-old is now over the worst and is taking the first tentative steps on the road to recovery.

Stewart, who signed for QPR in 2006, has netted nine goals in 151 appearances. He also has three goals for Jamaica from 55 games.

The former Harbour View standout represented his country at the Under-20 and Under-23 levels before making his senior international debut in 1999 against Ghana.

Icelandic volcanic ash alert grounds UK flights

All flights in and out of the UK and several other European countries have been suspended as ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland moves south. Up to 4,000 flights are being cancelled with airspace closed in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark among others. The UK's air traffic control service (Nats) said no flights would be allowed in UK airspace until at least 0700 BST on Friday amid fears of engine damage. The airspace restriction was the worst in living memory, a spokesman said. Air ambulance Nats suggested that the restrictions were unlikely to be lifted after 0700, saying saying it was "very unlikely that the situation over England will improve in the foreseeable future". Passengers were advised to contact their carriers prior to travel. Experts have warned that the tiny particles of rock, glass and sand contained in the ash cloud from the still-erupting volcano could be sufficient to jam aircraft engines. But the Health Protection Agency said the ash from the Eyjafjallajoekull eruption did not pose a significant risk to public health because of its high altitude. These are some of the main knock-on effects: Safety organisation Eurocontrol says Germany is monitoring the situation and considering partial airspace closures The two main airports in Paris and many others in the north of France are closing There is severe disruption in France and Spain, where all northbound flights are cancelled Nats says it will make an announcement at 2000 BST as to the arrangements that will be in place through to 1300 BST on Friday British Airways offers refunds or an option to rebook after all its domestic flights are suspended Royal Navy Sea King helicopter flies a critically ill patient from Scotland to London British sports teams have been hit by travel problems after flights were grounded Dozens of Leicestershire students were evacuated from accommodation in Iceland after the volcano eruption One passenger at Glasgow told the BBC: "I'm meant to be going to Lanzarote. We've travelled from Oban, leaving at 3am. Now we've decided we might as well just go home and do a bit of gardening." EXTENT OF ICELAND VOLCANO ASH CLOUD The eruption in Iceland on Wednesday sent ash kilometres into the air. Satellite images show the cloud as brownish-black as ice particles mingle with ash. BACK1 of 5NEXT Others switched from plane to train, with the East Coast line extending its 1830 BST London to Newcastle service through to Edinburgh. A spokeswoman for Eurostar said it had received hundreds of calls on Thursday "that turned into thousands before lunch" and that an estimated extra 10,000 seats had been booked. She also said Friday's services were "extremely full". Budget airline Ryanair said no flights were operating to or from the UK on Thursday and it expected cancellations and delays on Friday. A spokesman for Nats, which was formerly known as the National Air Traffic Services, said: "The Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre has issued a forecast that the ash cloud from the volcanic eruption in Iceland will track over Europe tonight. "Nats is working with Eurocontrol and our colleagues in Europe's other air navigation service providers to take the appropriate action to ensure safety in accordance with international aviation policy." The European air safety body, Eurocontrol, said the cloud of ash had reached 55,000ft and was expected to move through northern UK and Scotland. Brian Flynn, assistant head of operations of its central flow management unit, told the BBC: "As it moves toward the Netherlands and Belgium it will dissipate and lose intensity, like any weather phenomenon. But we don't know what the extent of it will be." A spokesman for the BBC weather centre said the Met Office will be sending up a reconnaissance flight on Thursday to investigate how the ash is distributed in the cloud, something that is impossible to assess from satellite imagery. Dr Mike Branney, senior lecturer in volcanology, University of Leicester, said: "Volcanic ash is not good to plane engines. "Firstly it is highly abrasive and can scour and damage moving parts. Secondly, if it enters a jet engine the intense heat of the engine can fuse it to the interior of the engine with a caking of hot glass, which ultimately can cause the engine to cut out completely. "This is a sensible precaution." In 1982 a British Airways jumbo had all four of its engines shut down as it flew through a plume of volcanic ash. There was also an incident on 15 December 1989 when KLM Flight 867, a B747-400 from Amsterdam to Anchorage, Alaska, flew into the plume of the erupting Mount Redoubt, causing all four engines to fail. Once the flight cleared the ash cloud, the crew was able to restart each engine and then make a safe landing at Anchorage, but the aircraft was substantially damaged. A BAA spokesman said: "Passengers intending to fly today are asked to contact their airline for further information." The eruption under a glacier in the Eyjafjallajoekull area of Iceland is the second in the country in less than a month. Prof Bill McGuire, professor at the Aon Benfield UCL Hazard Research Centre, said it was not "particularly unusual" for ash from Icelandic eruptions to reach the UK. "Such a large eruption... would have the potential to severely affect air travel at high northern latitudes for six months or more. "In relation to the current eruption, it is worth noting that the last eruption of Eyjafjallajoekull lasted more than 12 months."

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) A Swiss individual is demanding that authorities prosecute Roman Catholic Church leaders in two Swiss dioceses for turning a blind eye to sex abuse by priests, a judicial source said yesterday.

The justice ministry in the eastern Grisons canton is considering whether to open an inquiry following the complaint made against members of the Chur diocese, spokesman Maurus Eckert told AFP.

An identical complaint against another diocese was lodged in the north-western canton of Solothurn, the Swiss agency ATS said.

The plaintiff is not a victim of the alleged paedophile priests, but hopes to set in motion proceedings against clergy accused of knowing about, but not acting on, recently revealed cases of sexual abuse by priests.

In mid-March church leaders in Switzerland said about 60 people had contacted dioceses in the country claiming they were victims of sexual abuse by members of the clergy.

"We humbly admit that we underestimated the extent of the situation," the Swiss bishops conference said in a statement at the end of March. "Those in charge of the diocese and religious orders made mistakes."

The leaders of the Roman Catholic Church in Switzerland called on "all those who have suffered abuse" to approach special clergy offices that deal with such complaints and "if the need arises, to press charges".

AIR Jamaica has laid off a further 16 pilots as the carrier hobbles closer to its April 30 appointment with divestment.

The pilots were informed of their status in an April 7 letter from Captain Paul Atkinson, director, flight operations, a copy of which was obtained by the Observer.

The letter, which addressed the pilots' bid for flights, informed them that they had not been awarded a position in what is termed the "Establishment Posting".

"You are surplus to the required crew manning and the Human Resources Dept will communicate with you further regarding lay-off status effective Block 6, 2010 for an initial period of 120 days," the letter to the 16 pilots said.

An Air Jamaica staff member who explained that the bids were put out in March told the Observer that the lay-off period was temporary. However, it meant that if the pilots opted for voluntary redundancy they would lose about one-third of their entitlements, including the notice period of two months.

The 16 pilots are among those who have so far not accepted or explored job opportunities in the Middle East and Asia.

According to an Air Jamaica source, at least 16 pilots have taken up offers from overseas airlines since the start of the year.

"Two have gone to Malaysia; four have gone to Vietnam while three others have accepted and are to leave soon; four have already left for the Emirates; five went to Qatar Airways; one is going to China and another one is going there," the source told the Observer.

Last month, the Sunday Observer reported that Air Jamaica pilots were being wooed by at least eight overseas airlines, mostly in the Middle East and Asia.

The story also reported that well over 50 former Air Jamaica pilots were now flying in the Gulf, and at least two had already taken positions in India and Nigeria.

Interest in the national carrier's pilots, rated among the best in the world, increased after it became clear that the Jamaican Government had no interest in a bid by the Jamaican Airline Pilots' Association to acquire Air Jamaica, which the administration must divest or close down before June in keeping with a loan agreement signed with the International Monetary Fund.

The Sunday Observer had obtained a copy of an e-mail from Direct Personnel International, a recruiting agency for Vietnam Airlines, saying that that carrier has a number of positions available for Airbus A320 Captains, TREs (supervisors) and First Officers.

The Government is set to divest Air Jamaica to Trinidad & Tobago's Caribbean Airlines.

PEOPLE'S National Party caretaker and businessman Patrick Roberts, 45, of Delamere Avenue in Kingston 13 was yesterday evening charged by the Hunt's Bay police for breaching the Firearms Act.

The police reported last night that on Wednesday, January 20 this year, the police seized two illegal firearms from a man who engaged them in a shoot-out on Waltham Avenue, Kingston 13. One of the weapons -- a .38 Taurus revolver -- was later traced and found to be the property of Roberts, the police said yesterday.

The Constabulary Communication Network reported that when Roberts was interviewed by investigators last month he said that was just being made aware of the disappearance of the weapon.A file was prepared and sent to the director of public prosecution, who ruled that Roberts be charged for breaching the Firearms Act. He is scheduled to appear in court tomorrow.

 

A Chinese man who offered a policeman $1,000 to buy himself a drink when he was stopped for a traffic violation was Tuesday ordered to pay a fine of $10,000 or serve three months in prison.

The man, Wen Haugh, was fined after pleading guilty to bribery in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court.

 

The court was told that Wen, a 42-year-old businessman, tried to bribe the policeman after producing an invalid fitness certificate for the vehicle he was driving along Waltham Park Road in Kingston when he was stopped by the police on April 7.

Wen, through his interpreter, told Resident Magistrate Georgianna Fraser that the officer did not give him a ticket.

However, he admitted that he offered the officer the money after the policeman took him and locked him inside the service vehicle for an hour.

"Well Sir, you must not be over generous with your money; keep it in your pocket," RM Fraser told Wen after handing down the sentence.

OPPOSITION spokesman on Industry and Commerce, Phillip Paulwell, yesterday challenged the government to take some risks in an effort to create jobs and grow the economy.

"It is your Government that must lead the way. You have to take some risks, you have to get up off your seat and do something. Do something," Paulwell urged the Bruce Golding administration as he concluded his contribution to the 2010/11 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives.

Paulwell, a former minister in the People's National Party Government that was voted out of office in August 2007, had earlier presented his framework for job creation in a wide-ranging presentation that focused on the micro and small enterprise sector, the information communications technology sector, energy among others.Noting that 50,000 jobs had been lost since the Jamaica Labour Party came to office in September 2007, Paulwell said the situation would likely deteriorate further "unless the Government begins to take more seriously the issue of providing the structure and sub-structure for job opportunities in Jamaica".

He said unemployment was at a five-year high of 11.3 per cent, up from the 9.8 per cent when the PNP left office.

He urged the Government to focus on the small business sector and the ICT sector, both of which he said had the potential to create significant employment.

"All of the programmes to invest in human capital, build capacity for job creation, expand opportunities in science and technology as well as research and development have been severely affected. Several key programmes have received no allocation or drastic cuts," Paulwell said.

He was speaking against the background of significant cuts in the Estimates of Expenditure for the 2010/11 financial year.

The former minister spent most of his presentation on the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Sectors (MSMEs), which he said are "key elements of growing Jamaica and providing growth with jobs".

He pointed to data from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica which indicate that MSMEs account for 67 per cent or two-thirds of the existing employment opportunities in Jamaica.

"There can then be no question that there is need for aggressive programmes which ensure that these enterprises receive the necessary support so that they are first sustainable and then, for those with potential, that their capacity for further growth and the creation of more job opportunities is realised," the Opposition spokesman said.

He charged that despite the clear and obvious importance of these sectors, there is no coherent Government policy to support MSMEs.

Pauwell, meanwhile, claimed that the Government had stymied growth in information and communications sector area through its decision to reimpose the General Consumption Tax (GCT) on computers.

"The experience is that GCT is retarding the acquisition of computers and so the Government is not getting the revenues in any event, therefore, we are in reverse. I again call for the removal of GCT on computers so Jamaica can resume its forward march."

THE Miami Herald reports today that two Miami men have been accused of taking part in a migrant smuggling operation involving seven Jamaicans, four Haitians and four Sri Lankan men.

The men face alien smuggling charges.

The boatload of people landed illegally on a beach in Fort Lauderdale on Monday night.

Officials discovered about $11,000 in American and Bahamian currency on the boat and said that most of the migrants were smuggled into Florida from the Bahamas.

The group came ashore Monday night near Haulover Beach after ramming a United States Coast Guard boat, then running aground, according to federal authorities. Moments later, people began jumping off the boat and onto the beach.

Today In History 


Today is Thursday, April 15, the 105th day of 2010. There are 260 days left in the year.

On April 15, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln died, nine hours after being shot the night before by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theater in Washington. Andrew Johnson became the nation's 17th president.

In 1817, the first permanent American school for the deaf opened in Hartford, Conn.

In 1850, the city of San Francisco was incorporated.

In 1861, three days after the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter, President Abraham Lincoln declared a state of insurrection and called out Union troops.

In 1912, the British luxury liner RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic off Newfoundland, less than three hours after striking an iceberg; some 1,500 people died.

In 1945, during World War II, British and Canadian troops liberated the Nazi concentration camp Bergen-Belsen.

In 1947, Jackie Robinson, baseball's first black major league player, made his official debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers on opening day. The Dodgers defeated the Boston Braves, 5-3.

In 1959, Cuban leader Fidel Castro arrived in Washington to begin a goodwill tour of the United States. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles resigned for health reasons; he was succeeded by Christian A. Herter.

In 1960, a three-day conference to form the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) began at Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C. The group's first chairman was Marion Barry.

In 1980, existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre died in Paris at age 74.

In 1990, actress Greta Garbo died in New York at age 84.

Ten years ago: The world's leading financial officials, meeting in Washington, pledged cooperation to promote global prosperity. Meanwhile, anti-globalization protesters swarmed through the heart of the nation's capital. Cal Ripken of the Baltimore Orioles became the 24th player to reach 3,000 hits when he lined a clean single to center off Twins reliever Hector Carrasco. The Orioles won the game, 6-4.

Five years ago: A Paris hotel fire killed 24 people, many of them African immigrants. A Russian rocket blasted off from the Central Asian steppes, catapulting three crew members on a two-day journey to the international space station.

One year ago: Tens of thousands of protesters staged "tea parties" around the country to tap into the collective angst stirred up by a bad economy, government spending and bailouts. A U.S. Army master sergeant, John Hatley, was convicted of murder at a court-martial in Vilseck, Germany, in the 2007 killings of four bound and blindfolded Iraqis. Hatley initially received life in prison but had his sentence later reduced to 40 years. Pirates released the Greek-owned cargo ship Titan that had been hijacked off the Somali coast on March 19.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Michael Ansara is 88. Country singer Roy Clark is 77. Author and politician Jeffrey Archer is 70. Rock singer-guitarist Dave Edmunds is 66. Actress Lois Chiles is 63. Writer-producer Linda *lo**worth-Thomason is 63. Actress Amy Wright is 60. Columnist Heloise is 59. Actress-screenwriter Emma Thompson is 51. Blueg**** musician Jeff Parker is 49. Singer Samantha Fox is 44. Rock musician Ed O'Brien (Radiohead) is 42. Actor Flex Alexander is 40. Actor Danny Pino is 36. Actor-writer Seth Rogen is 28. Actress Alice Braga is 27. Rock musician De'Mar Hamilton (Plain White T's) is 26. Actress Emma Watson is 20.

Thought for Today: "Freedom is what you do with what's been done to you." - Jean-Paul Sartre, 1905-1980. (AP)

Spanking children and negative affects have once again come up in the news. But how accurately are the effects being reported?
A new study reveals that, when children are spanked, they are more likely to become more aggressive. According to the study, which sampled over 2,500 mothers, children who are spanked more frequently increase their levels of aggression through the age of five. Children who are spanked even less than two times a month at three still have a 40 percent increased risk of aggressive behavior at age five.
While I do think the study is valid in reporting the found data, I dont think its being reported correctly. For instance, the handful of media reports I found state that other factors should be considered, such as alcohol use, violence in the home, and parent neglect. Those are pretty big factors that can lead to childrens aggressive behavior, spanked or not spanked.
We also have to consider what the spankings were for, the duration of the spankings, the motive and mood behind the spankings, and what was used for spanking.
I think the real truth is that children who are spanked as the sole form of discipline may end up feeling bullied and will act out aggressively. Think about a three year-olds mental development. As smart as he may be, hes barely getting anything beyond stimulus-response. A three year-old who is spanked harshly for even the slightest disciplinary violation may grow up to be anxious and seek to control what he can, such as smaller children, when he reaches five years. A temperamental child that throws tantrums may not change from any spanking. Hes now just crying from pain and not getting his way.
From a cultural context, previous studies on spanking or corporal punishment revealed surprising results. African American children who were spanked actually turned out to be less troublesome when they get older. The reasoning, according to a longitudinal study published in the psychological studies test Development Through Lifespan, was that African Americans within the group studied incorporated spanking with warmth and understanding afterward. Spanking wasnt used as a last resort or as a way to vent anger towards a child. Spanking was generally not out of control.
Yet lawmakers have tried to exert control. In 2007, San Francisco Assemblywoman Sally Lieber introduced a bill that would criminalize parents who spank their children if it included a closed fist or foreign objects. Although family science professor Robert Larzelere agreed with her bill, he had an issue with banning foreign objects. The issue is not what the child is spanked with, but how hard theyre spanked, he commented.
And control is really the truth about spanking. Parents should spank out of anger. Love should accompany any discipline, and discipline should be administered in relation to the offense. Even if your three year-old doesnt get it just then, he eventually will. Whats important is they learn impulse control, which is where they have the most difficulty. By being consistent with your boundaries and discipline-no matter what safe techniques you use-youll earn the healthy respect you want from your child.

Dancehall Artiste Bounty Killa was again denied bail when he appeared before the Corporate Area Criminal Court this morning.

The troubled dancehall deejay is to return to court on Friday, April 16.

Defense attorney Linda Wright made a bail application for Bounty,
however, Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey said she will decide on
Friday whether to grant him bail.

She said she need time to consider the legal authorities cited by Ms
Wright as to why Bounty Killa should get bail.

The dancehall deejay remains in lockup until then.

Last Wednesday, Bounty Killa was denied bail and forced to spend a
week behind bars.

The Angry, Cross and Miserable deejay is accused of domestic abuse
stemming from an incident at his East Kingston Apartment in St.
Andrew.

Allegations are that, Killas female companion decided to end their
three year relationship. The deejay refused and reportedly attacked
her physically.

A report was made to the police and following investigations a warrant
was issued for his arrest. Bounty Killa is also accused of using his
one phone call to threaten the woman in the presence of the police.

Bounty Killa currently has several charges including ganja possession,
traffic violation and gun charges looming over his head.

The veteran deejay is also one of several entertainers whose US visas
were recently revoked.

Tiger Woods' marriage to Elin Nordegren is over, with reports in the U.S. that the golfing superstar and his estranged wife are making the finishing touches to their divorce, The (Sydney) Daily Telegraph reported Wednesday.