Suspect in custody in Nevis robbery of US judge
Police in Nevis said on Monday that a suspect is in custody in the recent robbery of US Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer at his vacation home on the island.
Sergeant Cledwyn Jeffers of the Royal St Christopher and Nevis Police Force said 28-year-old Vedel Browne turned himself in on Sunday, after officials declared him "a person of interest," and released his photo to the media. Browne has not yet been officially charged, authorities said.
Breyer, 73, and his wife were robbed by an intruder who broke into their home on February 9. The machete-wielding intruder fled the scene after taking about $1,000 in cash and no one was hurt, a Supreme Court spokeswoman said.
The robbery was reported to local authorities shortly after it happened. Breyer and his family have since returned home.
Police officials in a news release said Browne has worked as a gardener and Jeffers described him as a "Rastafarian."
A local law enforcement official had said the evidence indicated the incident was "a crime of opportunity," and that police had seen nothing to indicate Breyer was targeted for robbery.
St Kitts and Nevis Police Commissioner C.G. Walwyn had said earlier, "Our American-trained crime scene investigators and the members of our Criminal Investigators (unit) are working closely with the FBI on this case."
Puerto Rico honours Obama, LBJ visits with statues
Puerto Rican officials marked Presidents Day by unveiling bronze statues of US President Barack Obama and former President Lyndon B Johnson, pointedly noting that people who live on the island can't vote in the US general election and lack other basic rights.
The two life-size statues are the newest additions to the "Avenue of Heroes," outside the capitol building in the US island territory. The statues honour every sitting president who ever visited Puerto Rico, dating back to Theodore Roosevelt.
Obama became the ninth when he visited in June, said Kenneth McClintock, secretary of state for Puerto Rico.
Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi, who represents Puerto Rico in the US Congress but has limited voting powers, said the Obama administration has been helpful to Puerto Rico, including it in economic stimulus funding and health reform, among other initiatives.
But he and other officials who spoke at the ceremony complained about a lack of other basic rights, including representation in the US Senate and the right to vote in the general presidential election.
"The president of the United States is an important figure to Puerto Ricans despite the fact that we aren't able to elect him," said Pierluisi, who favours making the island the 51st US state. "... Puerto Rico and its nearly 4 million American citizens deserve to enjoy all the benefits and responsibilities that our fellow citizens enjoy."
Puerto Ricans can vote in primaries but not the general election though island residents are US citizens.
The new statues of Obama and Johnson are part of a broader $1 million project to improve the Avenue of the Heroes, a broad boulevard along the south side of the neoclassical capitol building.
-AP
Caricom in crisis
The Caribbean Community (Caricom) is in "crisis" and faces the possibility of being dismantled over the next few years if vital changes are not made to its administrative structure, according to a mandated assessment of the 15-member grouping.
The Observer has been reliably informed that the comprehensive document, submitted by a Project Management Team, has been circulated to Heads of Government ahead of their forthcoming Inter-Sessional Meeting scheduled for March 8-9 in Suriname.
Prior to that meeting, specific recommendations outlined in the report will be considered by a special session of the Community Council of Ministers — the second highest body in Caricom — scheduled to take place in the Surinamese capital, Paramaribo.
Hopes for arresting the crisis depend on a willingness on the part of Heads of Government to bite the bullet on the elusive issue of "fundamental changes" in the management structure and operational modalities of the Georgetown-based Caricom Secretariat.
An executive summary that focuses on "turning around Caricom" points to why delaying the establishment of a new administrative structure can no longer be an option.
The crisis, it said, "is sufficiently severe to put Caricom's very existence in question" and identified three reasons:
* Long-standing frustrations with its slow progress have continued to mount;
* A serious weakening in its structure and operations over a number of years; and
* Continuing economic retrenchment since the 2008 (international) financial crisis and the risk of a further downturn in 2012.
The Project Management Team feel that the Community Secretariat and related Caricom institutions "are not strong enough" to cope with any shortfall in funding.
Notwithstanding the "immediate dangers", the team of experts feel that without a "fundamental change", Caricom could expire slowly over the next few years as stakeholders begin to vote with their feet..."
Nevertheless, in seeking to bolster optimism instead of yielding to pessimism, the authors of the report feel that Caricom can yet surmount the prevailing crisis "as long as fundamental changes in its operation and structures are made — and made decisively and speedily".
JA.Observer
165 murders recorded so far this year
SECURITY Minister Peter Bunting this morning announced that 165 murders have been recorded since the start of the year.
The figure represents an increase of 13 during the corresponding period last year.
Bunting said most of the murders were gang related and were concentrated in Spanish Town and St James.
He says the Government plans to implement a raft of long term and short term measures including visiting communities and having dialogue with residents in order to take back the streets.
JA.Observer
Montserrat Officer Charged With Assault
Following an investigation which involved Bermuda police officers, a member of the Royal Montserrat Police Servic has been charged with assault and several other offences.
Montserrat Governor Adrian Davis said in a press release. “… A member of the Royal Montserrat Police Service has been charged with the offences of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, wounding, disorderly conduct, and threatening language.” The officer has since been taken before the Magistrate and was later released on bail.
Last month Governor Sir Richard Gozney said, “The Governor of Montserrat asked me if the Bermuda Police could spare two officers for a short attachment to the Montserrat Police Force to help them investigate accusations made against members of their own Force. I understand that the Cayman Police have also been asked to help.
“We are all conscious of the pressures on the Bermuda Police Service and of the need for Bermuda Police Service to remain closely focused on the issues to hand here on the Island. But equally we are conscious of the need to be sympathetic when we can to requests from British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean, particularly the smaller ones.”
-BERN News
Ruling out Gasol trade serves no purpose, Lakers' Kupchak
Mitch Kupchak says he must explore every opportunity to improve the Los Angeles Lakers, even if Kobe Bryant doesn't like it.
The Lakers general manager issued a statement Monday night in response to Bryant's criticism of the club brass over the haze of uncertainty surrounding Pau Gasol. The 7-foot Spanish star is having the lowest-scoring season of his career amid rampant speculation about his departure in a trade ever since the Lakers attempted to move him for Chris Paul before the season.
After Sunday night's loss at Phoenix, Bryant said he wanted Kupchak to decide whether Gasol would be traded or not. Kupchak responded with a terse one-paragraph statement before Monday's game against Portland.
"As a former player, I understand how the days leading up to the trade deadline can be nerve-wracking for an NBA player," said Kupchak, a former Lakers center.
"Nonetheless, as General Manager of the Lakers, I have a responsibility to ownership, our fans and the players on this team to actively pursue opportunities to improve the team for this season and seasons to come," Kupchak said. "To say publicly that we would not do this would serve no purpose and put us at a competitive disadvantage. Taking such a course of action at this time would be a disservice to ownership, the team and our many fans."
Bryant said Sunday he hopes the Lakers won't trade Gasol, who is averaging 16.6 points and 10.7 rebounds while failing to make the All-Star team for the first time in four years. Although the Lakers were 18-13 and sitting in fifth place in the Western Conference heading into the Trail Blazers' visit, they've been inconsistent in their first season under coach Mike Brown, with a 5-11 road record and several embarrassing losses along the way.
Bryant is the NBA's leading scorer with 29 points per game, but he's worried about Gasol, saying it's tough for the four-time All-Star to "immerse himself completely into games when he's hearing trade talk every other day."
Gasol doesn't want to leave Los Angeles, and he acknowledged he's thinking about the March 15 trade deadline. He hasn't spoken directly to Kupchak about his future since the Lakers' preseason attempt to deal Gasol to Houston in a three-team trade for Paul was rejected by the NBA.
-AP
Parker lifts Spurs to 11th straight win, 106-102
Even shorthanded, the San Antonio Spurs keep finding ways to win.
On Monday night, Richard Jefferson stepped up big. He hit a 3-pointer with 6.5 seconds left - only his second field goal all night - as the Spurs pulled out a 106-102 victory over the Utah Jazz .
It was San Antonio's 11th straight win - the longest streak in the NBA - and the seventh consecutive on this nine-game road trip. San Antonio (23-9) hasn't lost on the road since Jan. 29 in Dallas.
"I haven't been shooting the ball particularly well of late ... and even passed up one shot with about a minute to go," Richard Jefferson said. "But I was blessed the (3) went in."
Tony Parker scored 23 points to lead the Spurs, who were without key players Manu Ginobili and Tiago Splitter , both expected to miss two weeks because of injury.
"When you have guys that go down, I think sometimes it helps guys re-focus knowing you have less room for error," Jefferson said. "Everybody has to contribute."
Without Splitter to provide a spark off the bench, Matt Bonner came through in the clutch with five 3-pointers. He finished with 20 points on 6-of-8 shooting.
"Matty was great. Matty was key for us tonight," said Spurs forward Tim Duncan, who finished with 20 points. "He was able to spread the floor and hit some shots and continue to score points for us when we really needed it."
Al Jefferson scored 20 points to lead the Jazz (15-16), who fell below .500 for the first time since Jan. 2, but he couldn't get a mid-range jumper to fall with 29 seconds left.
Paul Millsap added 16 for Utah, and Devin Harris 15. Josh Howard, in the starting lineup because of an injury to shooting guard Raja Bell, had 12 points.
San Antonio trailed by as many as eight points in the first half and 10 in the third quarter before rallying.
"Persistence," Duncan said. "We stuck with it. They did make a (13-0) run. We came out in the second half and didn't play well for those first couple of minutes. They got themselves a lead, but we knew there was a lot of game left. It kind of shows the character of this team, how we've been playing over the last 10-15 games. We're really starting to turn that corner."
The Jazz, forced to practice Monday morning despite arriving back from Houston at 10:30 a.m., played with much more intensity than they did in a blowout loss to Houston on Sunday.
In the end, they still lost - and have dropped seven of their past nine.
"Tough loss," Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said. "I thought our guys fought hard, especially after last night. We had a chance at the end. We just didn't get the plays at the end."
The Spurs led 56-53 at halftime, but the Jazz opened the second half on a 13-0 run.
The Spurs fought back, with Bonner hitting his fifth 3-pointer and making three free throws after being fouled on his next 3-point attempt.
And Parker had 11 assists to go with his 23 points.
"Tony's an All-Star," Gregg Popovich said of his veteran guard. "He had another magnificent game - scoring, finding people, playing tough, being a leader. He was good."
The bad continues to be injuries for Ginobili.
"It's killing him," Popovich said. "He just came back, played in a couple of games and was beginning to get in shape, get a rhythm and then he goes down again. He's pretty depressed about it. Hopefully the team can be over it and realize he and Tiago (Splitter) are going to gone for a while."
Ginobili suffered a strained left oblique in Saturday's 103-100 victory at the Los Angeles Clippers . An MRI on Monday confirmed the injury to Ginobili, who had played just his fourth game since missing 22 with a broken left hand. He will remain in San Antonio for the remainder of the Spurs' road trip.
Ginobili led the Spurs against the Jazz in the first meeting with 23 points on 9-of-10 shooting.
Splitter, who had averaged 13 points off the bench in his previous five games, traveled with the team to Salt Lake City but also is out two weeks with a strained right calf.
David Haye has no plans to fight again, says trainer Adam Booth
Britain's former heavyweight world champion David Haye has no plans to fight again professionally, his trainer Adam Booth has told BBC Sport.
Booth said that Haye, who brawled with Dereck Chisora in Munich on Saturday, would only come out of retirement to fight WBC champion Vitali Klitschko.
But Booth then revealed: "[Vitali's promoter] Bernd Boente categorically said that fight would never happen.
"So David is still retired and has no plans to fight again."
Haye, who lost his WBA belt to Wladimir Klitschko last July and retired in October, was in Munich as a television commentator and watched Wladimir's Ukrainian brother Vitali successfully defend his heavyweight crown against Britain's Chisora.
However, Haye became embroiled in an ugly spat with Chisora during a news conference that followed the fight.
When asked whether there was any truth in rumours that the fight had been set up to help spark interest in a future bout between the fighters, Booth, who suffered a cut head in the melee, laughed: "If that was staged, I didn't get that memo because I would have ducked.
"David had no intention before and has no intention now of fighting Dereck Chisora."
Haye lost his WBA belt to Wladimir Klitschko last July and retired in October.
"He was there to see if there was a fight with Vitali Klitschko because he's always said the only people he would come out of retirement for are one of the Klitschko brothers and what happened on Saturday doesn't change that."
Booth refused to aportion any blame to either fighter following the unsavoury incident, preferring instead to focus on Chisora's showing in the ring.
"I gave him no chance in that fight just like everyone else did but he proved he belonged at world level," Booth admitted.
"With more improvement he could be the next British heavyweight champion."
Big Race!... Powell Vs Bolt In Rome
Jamaican sprinting royalty will be on show in the Eternal City, after former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell booked an early season clash against double Olympic champion and world record holder Usain Bolt at this year's Golden Gala IAAF/Samsung Diamond League meet in Rome, Italy.
Powell has reintroduced himself to the indoor circuit after a seven-year hiatus, but what the world is really clamouring to see is the renewal of his competitive rivalry with his compatriot, Bolt; as two of the three fastest men in history get ready to test their readiness for track and field's biggest stage.
The clash, scheduled for May 31 - just about two months before the pair are expected to start their gold medal campaign at the London Olympics, comes just days outside a full year since their last meeting, which incidentally also took place in Rome.
On that occasion, a returning Bolt, who had been on ice for nine months because of injuries, found a late 'kick' to edge Powell to the line in an exciting contest. Bolt stopped the clock at 9.91 with Powell crossing the line in 9.93 - pedestrian, by their own lofty standards.
The World 200m champion has dominated Powell over the years; beating the man he openly declared as an inspiration in nine of their last 10 meetings. Powell's last victory over Bolt came in Stockholm during their build-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
"I think I was too worried by Usain at the end of the race," was Powell's analysis after last year's defeat in Rome.
However, according to his agent Paul Doyle, there was no consideration of which athlete was already booked for the meet, the focus is to get his client in the best shape ahead of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association/Supreme Ventures Limited National Senior Championships and the Olympic Games.
"We are being very selective this year because Coach (Stephen) Francis doesn't want Asafa to race too much this year before the trials, so we are being very selective about what meets he will do," Doyle told The Gleaner yesterday. "To be honest, we have not thought once about who he will be facing, we just try to plan based on coach Francis' training plan; we want to ensure that Asafa races when he is ready to race. We don't care who is in the race, the coach has his plans for Asafa and that is to ensure that he is up and running very fast for the trials and Olympics."
"If he, as a result, has to race Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake or Tyson Gay, it doesn't matter, it's all about getting him ready," Doyle added.
Doyle added that Powell, who spends most of his summers in Italy and has been competing at the Golden Gala for some six years, is always excited about running there and is looking forward to his next visit.
"He has always loved running in Rome," said Doyle. "There is great weather there and it's a well-organised meet. The people of Italy are big fans of Asafa, as you know we spend the summers in Italy every year so it feels almost like a home meet for him."
The Golden Gala is the third meet in the lucrative Diamond League series, which opens in Doha on May 11.
Get Chris Gayle to retract
The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) is imploring Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller to use the influence of her office to get out-of-favour West Indies star batsman Chris Gayle to apologise or retract controversial statements he made against the board in a radio interview last year.
The regional body made the statements in response to Simpson Miller, who at the Jamaica Cricket Association Annual awards dinner last weekend, described the impasse involving the WICB-Gayle as "untenable".
"Justice delayed is justice denied, and we demand that a resolution be found as quickly as possible," said Simpson Miller, who is also the minister of defence, development, information and sports.
"Cricket is too important to the people of Jamaica and the West Indies for this to be left down the wicket," she added.
The WICB, however, in a release issued yesterday, said the minister had been misinformed, and chided local officials for not correctly briefing the minister.
"The WICB regrets the comments made by Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Honourable Portia Simpson Miller, at the Jamaica Cricket Association awards dinner", the release read.
"The WICB believes that the prime minister did not have the benefit of the full information pertaining to the matters on which she spoke ..."
"Had the Honourable Prime Minister been briefed she would have been informed that Mr Chris Gayle has been written to by the WICB, clearly outlining the full details of what is required of him. The WICB is awaiting a response from Mr Gayle."
Gayle, however, who up to two weeks ago stated that he does not believe a retraction of his criticism of the board and its officials is necessary, a position the WICB is asking the minister to look into.
"The WICB implores the prime minister to use her good office to urge Mr Gayle to respond favourably in an effort to put this issue in the past."
"The WICB does not believe that the prime minister is suggesting that Mr Gayle be returned to the West Indies team without withdrawing his comments.
"This would be tantamount to a member of the Jamaican cabinet lambasting and deriding the leader of the cabinet and fellow cabinet colleagues and being returned to that august body without any accountability for his or her actions," the WICB said.
"The WICB believes the prime minister would appreciate the seriousness and repercussions of the case had she been provided with all the relevant information."
The release also spoke to the concerns raised by Simpson Miller as it related to the non-selection of Sabina Park for the upcoming series.
"... the West Indies v Australia tour was, for reasons pertaining to scheduling and weather, always slated to be played in the Southern Caribbean", it read.
8 reasons the WICB wants Gayle to recant:
Listed below are some of the alleged statements CEO Ernest Hilaire says offended the board.
● "The ONLY communication was my physio CJ message got a BBM from me updating him on my progress."
● "I'm the perfect target for them. They want to get rid of me."
● "Just before the IPL auction, I got an email from the CEO if I'm retiring from Test cricket. I found that very strange. It sounded like he wanted me to retire so he can continue to screw me over."
● "They threatening players. They're using the fitness thing to threaten players. You can make 10 ducks in a row and still make the team ... as long as you fit like a fiddle ... That's the system they have now ... Fitness, fitness, fitness ..."
● "Every coach come with the same format ... fitness, fitness, fitness ... 24/7. Man to man, Australia team no fitter than we. You think India fitter than we?" "Ah joke coach Ottis Gibson ah mek!"
● "The coach is a user. That's what he is. He is a user."
● "You think that if I didn't get an IPL contract. you think I would get a layaway like Pollard and Bravo?.. Them say they will side with those two ... and show up Chris Gayle ..."
● "Me and Sarwan sit down and talk after the World Cup. Sarwan was messed up mentally. The coach messed up the man mentally. The players were not in the right frame of mind."