Bolt clocks world leading 19.79 at Oslo 200m
Usain Bolt confirmed his dominance over the 200m at the Oslo Diamond League meet with a workmanlike performance Thursday, clocking a meet record and world leading 19.79 seconds.
Competing against a mediocre field the Jamaican led from the start and ran a strong curve but it was in the final 100 metres of the race that he pulled away in what turned out to be an easy win.
Jaysuma Saidy Ndure of Norway was second (20.36) while James Ellington of Britain took third (20.55) after Churandy Martina was disqualified on a false start.
Bolt leads the world list as two other Jamaicans, Nickel Ashmeade (20.00) and Warren Weir (20.11) complete the top three performances this season.
The repeat triple Olympic champion will next compete at Jamaica’s senior National Trial next weekend.
RankAthlete NationResult Reaction time
1BOLT Usain JAM19.79WL,MR 0.182
2SAIDY NDURE JaysumaNOR20.36SB 0.155
3ELLINGTON James GBR20.55 0.131
4BORLÉE Jonathan BEL20.56SB 0.168
5BOLARINWA David GBR20.62 0.167
6TALBOT Daniel GBR20.72 0.204
7DE OLIVEIRA Nil SWE20.88 0.165
MARTINA ChurandyNEDDQ
Tiger Woods 2 over thru 10
Tiger Woods wasn't feeling good about being 2 over par through 10 holes of the weather-suspended first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday.
A possible injury to his left wrist or arm could be making him feel worse.
It was unclear how serious the issue was Thursday night, as Woods only spoke briefly to a United States Golf Association media official and said it was fine.
But he clearly was bothered on several swings, most notably at the first and fifth holes, when he played shots to the green from Merion Golf Club's heavy rough. Perhaps not coincidentally, Woods made bogeys on both.
The No. 1-ranked player in the world bogeyed two of his first three holes and four overall, and faces a 4-footer for par at the 11th hole when play resumes Friday morning.
He is only six strokes back of on-course leader Luke Donald -- who got to 4 under par through 13 holes -- and five back of clubhouse leader Phil Mickelson, who shot 67. But Woods appeared a bit off and faces the toughest stretch of Merion's East Course when play resumes Friday morning.
"It's going to be a fast night," Woods -- who marked his ball on the 11th green as play was suspended at 8:16 p.m. ET, and noted that the PGA Tour has been plagued by weather issues throughout 2013 -- told the USGA official.
"It's kind of the way the tour has been this year. We've had a lot of bad weather this year, and this is the way it's been. I've got a lot of holes to play tomorrow. And hopefully I can play a little better than I did today."
Woods was not available to reporters but later said through his spokesman: "I'm doing fine and I'm looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow."
Source-ESPN
Sangakkara century sees off England
England's Champions Trophy hopes hang in the balance after Kumar Sangakkara's imperious century led Sri Lanka to a seven-wicket victory at The Oval.
Sangakkara's unbeaten 134, aided by a 30-ball half-century from Nuwan Kulasekara, took Sri Lanka to their target of 294 with 17 balls to spare.
Earlier, fifties from Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott and Joe Root - on the day he received a public apology for being punched by David Warner - seemed to have England well placed on a good batting wicket.
Ravi Bopara made 33 not out from 13 balls, clubbing 28 from the final over to carry the hosts to an imposing 293-7.
But Sangakkara's chanceless knock means Cook's side must beat New Zealand at Cardiff on Sunday if they are to advance to the semi-finals.
Sri Lanka, who were bowled out for 138 in their opening one-wicket defeat by New Zealand, will advance with victory over Australia on Monday.
That they have gone from the verge of elimination to having their fate in their own hands is largely down to a majestic performance from Sangakkara.
The wicketkeeper took advantage of a home attack that was unable to find the reverse swing that was so instrumental in their win over Australia, although England were unhappy to see one ball changed by the umpires midway through Sri Lanka's chase.
Accumulating from the good balls and punishing the bad, the left-hander scored all around the wicket, increasing his aggression as the target drew nearer.
Arriving in the third over after Kusal Perera shovelled James Anderson to mid-on, he shared stands of 92 with Tillakaratne Dilshan and 85 with Mahela Jayawardene as Sri Lanka found the boundary with more regularity than England were able to earlier in the day.
After Dilshan holed out off Graeme Swann to long-on and Jayawardene pulled Anderson to deep square leg, Sri Lanka showed the flexibility to promote Kulasekara.
Although he was involved in a mix-up that could have seen Sangakkara run out for 100, it was Kulasekara's consecutive sixes off Swann that seemed to spell the end for England, with the expensive Stuart Broad getting more harsh treatment in the next over as the hosts became ragged.
He ended unbeaten on 58 off 38 balls, leaving Sangakkara to seal victory with a pull off Broad that took their unbroken partnership to 110.
England would have been hopeful of a target that pushed Sri Lanka harder after Cook, Trott and Root took them to 249-3, but Root's wicket was the first of three to fall without addition - albeit with Eoin Morgan harshly adjudged lbw off Lasith Malinga.
Asked to bat in conditions that looked favourable for bowling, England faced few problems from the Sri Lanka attack and were satisfied with steady accumulation, manoeuvring the ball and running well.
After Ian Bell clipped Shaminda Eranga tamely to mid-wicket, Cook and Trott added 83 for the second wicket, not often finding the boundary but constantly keeping the scoreboard ticking.
Cook was lbw sweeping Rangana Herath on 59, bringing Root to the crease to continue in the same manner.
As both he and Trott became more adventurous, Trott also fell sweeping, this time to Dilshan, for 76, to end a third-wicket stand of 87.
Root had been confident enough to scoop Malinga over his head, but the same bowler had his revenge when Root shovelled a slower ball to Jayawardene on the leg-side boundary.
Morgan fell next ball, leg before to one that would have missed off stump, with Jos Buttler edging behind in the next over.
Still, Bopara's brilliance in twice hitting Eranga over mid-wicket for six either side of a drive over extra cover for another maximum, looked to have given England a competitive total.
However, that was to discount the magnificent Sangakkara.
Source-BBC
WICB Director blasts ICC penalty imposed on Ramdin
Ramdin, who pleaded not guilty to a charge of misconduct laid by the International Cricket Council, has been suspended for two one day internationals (ODIs) and fined 100 per cent of his match fees.
A director of the West Indies Cricket Board, Baldath Mahabir, has criticized the penalty meted out to West Indies wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin for claiming a catch off Misbah-ul-Haq during the Champions Trophy game against Pakistan at The Oval.
Ramdin, who pleaded not guilty to a charge of misconduct laid by the International Cricket Council, has been suspended for two one day internationals (ODIs) and fined 100 per cent of his match fees.
“Ramdin is no cheat,” declared Mahabir in an interview with the Guardian.
“He has always played the game within the spirit of it and to see this kind of penalty imposed on him is hard”.
Ramdin missed Tuesday’s match against India which West Indies loss by eight wickets and will miss the Caribbean side’s do or die clash with South Africa at the Swalec Stadium in Cardiff on Friday.
Johnson Charles, who kept wicket against India and top scored with 60, is expected to substitute again against the Proteas.
“I think that if the match referee was not happy with what transpired, then he should have at least given him a suspended ban, so as to not upset the balance of the West Indies team at this tournament,” said Mahabir.
“He could have even let start his ban after the Champions Trophy. If there is an avenue to appeal the West Indies management should immediately use it”.
The wicketkeeper initially appeared to have caught the ball but lost control of it as he fell forward and it slipped out of his gloves on to the grass.
West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo, however, had defended Ramdin, saying the wicketkeeper did not act deliberately.
Source-Caribbean360
Real Madrid forward dismisses contract reports
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has dismissed reports he is set to sign a new contract with the club.
The 28-year-old has been linked with an £85m move to French side Monaco.
The Portuguese's current deal expires in 2015 but Real president Florentino Perez suggested he would renew it this summer and "retire at Real Madrid".
However, Ronaldo, who joined the club in June 2009 for £80m from Manchester United, tweeted: "All the news about my renewal with Real Madrid is false."
Ronaldo has spent four seasons at the Bernabeu, scoring 201 goals in 199 games in all competitions and helping them win La Liga in 2011-12.
Earlier this week, Perez was quoted by Spanish newspaper Marca as saying: "I would bet Cristiano will retire at Real Madrid because it's the natural thing.
"We will negotiate the new contract before the start of La Liga and I am convinced that everything will come out well.
"To renew Cristiano before the start of the season is my desire and my ambition. We will do everything possible to make it happen."
New indictment details charges against former Cayman Premier
A new indictment filed in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands in relation to the criminal charges against former premier McKeeva Bush reveals that he faces 11 allegations of unlawfully using a government issued credit card in casinos in Las Vegas, Florida and The Bahamas.
The indictment alleges that Bush made unlawful cash withdrawals totalling over $50,000 at the Seminole Hard Rock Casinos in Hollywood and Tampa, Florida; the Mirage Hotel and Casino, the Bellagio Hotel and the Venetian Casino in Las Vegas; and the Atlantis resort in The Bahamas, on eleven different occasions between July 2009 and April 2010.
He faces six counts of misconduct in public office under the common law and five charges of breach of trust under local anti-corruption law, all of which could result in imprisonment if he were to be convicted.
Bush has denied all of the allegations against him and stated that, where necessary, the money was repaid. He claimed the cash withdrawals were for legitimate purposes.
However, according to local media, not all of the spending considered unlawful may have been repaid. Furthermore, government credit cards cannot be used to withdraw cash, buy alcohol or for any purpose other than legitimate public business expense and they cannot be used as a source of advances. It is alleged that Bush also used the card on several occasions when he was travelling for pleasure and not on government business.
Bush was originally arrested on December 11, 2012, on suspicion of theft and corruption and one week later he was ousted from office when Cayman Islands lawmakers passed a vote of no confidence in him.
Last month he was re-elected as a parliamentary representative for his district of West Bay and is now leader of the opposition.
He is due to make another appearance in the Grand Court on June 28.
AG steps aside in Trinidad
Attorney General Anand Ramlogan has temporarily relinquished his responsibilities for the Central Authority, paving the way for the police investigating the e-mail matter to seek foreign assistance if they need it. Sources said yesterday that Ramlogan wrote to the head of the Central Authority, Netram Kowlessar, last month recusing himself from all duties and responsibilities affiliated with the investigation of the 31 e-mails raised by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley in Parliament, and delegated all responsibilities to Kowlessar.
Kowlessar, the T&T Guardian learnt, in response to the AG’s letter, which was dated May 21, queried whether Ramlogan was sure he wanted to shift such a responsibility to him. The AG said yes. Under the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act, the AG “may delegate any of his functions under this act to any public officer or legal officer employed in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs.”
The AG’s recusal now means Deputy Commissioner of Police Mervyn Richardson and his investigative team can go through the Central Authority to seek assistance from foreign parties. There had been a call from several quarters, both legal and political, for Ramlogan to step aside during the investigation, since via the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), his office would have liaised with some of the international bodies the police would seek assistance from.
Calls to Ramlogan’s cellphone yesterday were not answered, but when the T&T Guardian contacted Kowlessar yesterday, he directed all calls to Ramlogan. “I would prefer not to comment. Seek a comment from the AG,” Kowlessar said. Asked whether any requests had come to the Central Authority seeking the invocation of the MLAT, Kowlessar said: “At this point in time, no written request has been made.”
He added that he would have to treat with such a request if it came. “Requests are confidential and we will not be making pronouncements where this is concerned,” he said. “It’s something not really published or advertised because of the level of confidentiality, hence the reason you will not get a release from the Central Authority stating this. It will not be proper for the Central Authority to make such statements because of the level of confidentiality.”
Two of the e-mail server domains which the police will have to probe—Gmail and Yahoo— are owned by companies based in the United States. On May 22, Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard, SC, also recused himself because he too was named in the e-mails, which Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley claimed were fed to him by a whistle-blower.
Gaspard, in a release then, said he felt duty-bound to do this “so that the public may feel that justice has not only been done, but is seen to be done.” He delegated the task of advising the police in this matter to one of his deputies, Joan Honore-Paul. Gaspard also said the e-mails presented by Rowley in Parliament required experts experienced “in both forensic analysis in the relevant foreign jurisdiction as well as in the conducting of investigations in matters of this type.”
The police have said they would be willing to seek assistance from their foreign counterparts if needed.
Source-Guardian
AG steps aside in Trinidad
Attorney General Anand Ramlogan has temporarily relinquished his responsibilities for the Central Authority, paving the way for the police investigating the e-mail matter to seek foreign assistance if they need it. Sources said yesterday that Ramlogan wrote to the head of the Central Authority, Netram Kowlessar, last month recusing himself from all duties and responsibilities affiliated with the investigation of the 31 e-mails raised by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley in Parliament, and delegated all responsibilities to Kowlessar.
Kowlessar, the T&T Guardian learnt, in response to the AG’s letter, which was dated May 21, queried whether Ramlogan was sure he wanted to shift such a responsibility to him. The AG said yes. Under the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act, the AG “may delegate any of his functions under this act to any public officer or legal officer employed in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs.”
The AG’s recusal now means Deputy Commissioner of Police Mervyn Richardson and his investigative team can go through the Central Authority to seek assistance from foreign parties. There had been a call from several quarters, both legal and political, for Ramlogan to step aside during the investigation, since via the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), his office would have liaised with some of the international bodies the police would seek assistance from.
Calls to Ramlogan’s cellphone yesterday were not answered, but when the T&T Guardian contacted Kowlessar yesterday, he directed all calls to Ramlogan. “I would prefer not to comment. Seek a comment from the AG,” Kowlessar said. Asked whether any requests had come to the Central Authority seeking the invocation of the MLAT, Kowlessar said: “At this point in time, no written request has been made.”
He added that he would have to treat with such a request if it came. “Requests are confidential and we will not be making pronouncements where this is concerned,” he said. “It’s something not really published or advertised because of the level of confidentiality, hence the reason you will not get a release from the Central Authority stating this. It will not be proper for the Central Authority to make such statements because of the level of confidentiality.”
Two of the e-mail server domains which the police will have to probe—Gmail and Yahoo— are owned by companies based in the United States. On May 22, Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard, SC, also recused himself because he too was named in the e-mails, which Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley claimed were fed to him by a whistle-blower.
Gaspard, in a release then, said he felt duty-bound to do this “so that the public may feel that justice has not only been done, but is seen to be done.” He delegated the task of advising the police in this matter to one of his deputies, Joan Honore-Paul. Gaspard also said the e-mails presented by Rowley in Parliament required experts experienced “in both forensic analysis in the relevant foreign jurisdiction as well as in the conducting of investigations in matters of this type.”
The police have said they would be willing to seek assistance from their foreign counterparts if needed.
Source-Guardian
BOJ continues to chase Jamaican dollars
The Bank of Jamaica will be offering another two variable rate Certificates of Deposit aimed at taking cash out of the system.
The CDs are special issues available for subscription from June 12 to June 18, at rates that are more than a percentage point above the regular CD issued by BOJ.
The offers are being used as tools by the central bank as an alternative to investors with cash that would otherwise be invested in the foreign exchange market, thereby taking downward pressure off the local currency.
However, the JMD ploughed through the psychological barrier of J$100 per share last Friday, June 7. It traded at J$100.30 against the USD on Wednesday.
BOJ says it aims to raise J$3 billion from a 183-day CD priced initially at 6.77 per cent for the first quarter and thereafter at the three-month treasury plus a reset price of 0.15 per cent.
For the other CD, a one-year issue, the BOJ has set no limits on the funds to be raised from the offer. The initial coupon rate is 6.85 per cent payable in the first quarter. The reset price in the following periods will be 0.23 per cent above the three-month treasury rate.
The offers are open to BOJ’s licensed primary dealers and commercial banks.
The central bank said it would continue to offer its regular 30-day CD at the current rate of 5.75 per cent.
The BOJ has already placed seven special variable rates CDs since April -- the current issues will bring the placements to nine year to date -- as well as a fixed rate USD-indexed bond under its liquidity management programme.
Source-gleanerjm.com
$12m in ganja seized in Toco and Tobago
Police seized more than $12 million worth of high-grade marijuana during two separate drug interdiction exercises in Tobago and Toco between Tuesday afternoon and yesterday. Twenty-nine kilos of marijuana were seized in Toco on Tuesday and another 800 kilos confiscated in Tobago yesterday. Investigators suspect the two were connected.
Two men were detained in the Tobago bust and a couple were held in Toco. The haul, police said, originated from St Vincent. Around 4 pm on Tuesday police from the Eastern Division Task Force, who had been involved in the search for missing hiker Bissoondaye Geeta Seenath, stopped a panel van on the Toco Main Road.
They searched the van and found three crocus bags of compressed marijuana. The 27-year-old driver, from San Juan, and his 31-year-old female companion, from Balandra, were held and taken into custody. Early yesterday, police from the Roxborough Police Station, the Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit and the Divisional Task Force got a tip-off and went to an area close to the beach in Belle Garden where they found ten crocus bags of marijuana hidden in the bush.
They then headed to Englishman’s Bay and stopped a Nissan X-Trail on the North Side Road, with two occupants. The men escaped but while checking the vehicle the police found 11 more crocus bags filled with marijuana. Speaking at a news conference at the Scarborough Police Station yesterday Senior Supt Garfield Moore said the operation was part of an ongoing exercise to rid Tobago of illegal narcotics and the escalating drug trade.
“We are not going to let up because we realise that Tobago is being used as a transshipment point. Because of the information received about the amount of drugs arriving in Tobago, we want to ensure that is discouraged because Tobago is not the area we want drugs being offloaded in that quantity,” Moore said. Meanwhile, Assistant Police Commissioner of Tobago Heflin George commended the officers who made the bust, saying they went the extra mile.
Source-Guardian