Venezuelan politics heating up in Chavez's absence
Corruption accusations and insults are flying between allies and opponents of President Hugo Chavez nearly two months after the Venezuelan leader disappeared from the political stage to undergo cancer surgery in Cuba.
Analysts say the increasingly heated attacks between the two camps appear to be a preamble to what many expect to be a bruising campaign ahead of a possible new presidential election this year.
National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello on Tuesday night accused three lawmakers in the party Justice First of involvement in corruption.
Opposition lawmaker Julio Borges responded on Wednesday saying members of the party are totally innocent and that senior government officials are the ones who have enriched themselves during Chavez’s 14 years in office.
Prime Minister juggles national issues
Prime Minister Dean Barrow has been juggling enough balls on a number of national issues. Most recently, the dilemma has been keeping the unions at bay while trying to re-structure the five hundred and forty-four million U.S. dollar superbond. Going into the meeting with union leaders last Friday, all eyes were on the leader of the nation because he made it clear that any salary adjustment to teachers and public officers would send absolutely the wrong message to bondholders at a time when they needed to be assured of the nation’s economic distress. But perhaps due more to timing than any particular dexterity, the Prime Minister keeps on juggling, with additional pressure from an I.M.F. Team that is in town.
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“The IMF is here and of course the first thing they questioned officials about yesterday is what does this mean in terms of sustainability going forward. I believe we were able to answer their questions. We have not yet heard from CDB, which is far more important than IMF—the IMF isn’t giving us anything. CDB has promised to assist with our policy based loans to help us bridge the financing gap that will still remain. Because though, the proposal confirms the position that the raise cannot materialize unless we have the money to pay for it, I don’t think it will affect us going forward. We hope to conclude the restructuring process; at least in so far as the official launch is concerned by next Thursday. What may have been in jeopardy I suggest is financing from the IFIs—from people like the IDB and the World Bank and so on—but I believe that since it is quite clear that we are not going to tax people; we are not going to try to find money, pluck money out of thin air; the IFIs will be able to live with the formula that we have agreed so far with the teachers.”
With the salary adjustment issue just days from being pushed onto the 2014 list of things which may or may not happen, one of the biggest rocks blocking the road to successfully negotiating the superbond has been taken out of play.
Three schoolboys arrested for Marijuana trafficking
Three 15-year-old schoolboys from two schools in east Trinidad have been arrested for marijuana trafficking. Two were arrested on Tuesday at their school while the other was held by police at his school in Rio Claro. Police went to the schools in search of the suspects after receiving numerous reports that the teenagers were selling the illegal drug to fellow students as well as to some of their neighbours. The drugs were found hidden in the students’ schoolbags and shoes.
The boys were arrested and later charged with marijuana trafficking. In an unrelated incident, the police recovered a homemade shotgun and four rounds of ammunition at a house in Brazil. Acting on a tip-off, police found the weapon at New Lands Village in Brazil and arrested the two men who were in the house where the weapon was found. ASP Neville Sankar, Cpl Garcia and PC Hosein were involved in the exercise.
Jamaica's Budget slashed by $10 billion
THE Government cut the 2012/13 Budget by just under $10 billion yesterday, as it tabled its first supplementary estimates for the year, in an economic climate dictated by falling tax revenues, a declining dollar and the likelihood of failing to meet its fiscal targets, again.
The cuts were expected to counter a $14-billion loss in tax revenues, which should impact negatively on Government's attempt to meet a 6.3 per cent, or $88 million primary surplus this year.
However, the cuts were limited mainly to debt programmes in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, including the withdrawal of $7 billion in statutory allocations to meet projected interest payments on Government of Jamaica bonds, which failed to perform up to expectations.
Just over $12 billion, which was allocated in the ministry to meet contingencies -- including $7.6 billion for teachers' salaries and $1.3 billion for travel arrears owed to Government travelling officers -- was transferred to the various ministries, among them the Ministry of Education, which got $5 billion more.
The Ministry of National Security and the police department combined for an increase in their allocation of $2.7 billion, while the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing got almost $2 billion more for projects, including the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme.
Hundreds of beneficiaries of the Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education, who have failed to comply with the requirements of the programme will be disenfranchised, however, as some $400 million has been cut from their benefits.
The beneficiaries are required to attend health clinics on regular occasions and maintain almost perfect attendance records at school but, as the economic situation deteriorates, there appears an increase in the challenge for some families to meet the requirements, resulting in suspension of their benefits.
The Jamaica Observer has learnt that the ministry is taking steps to ensure that penalised beneficiaries still receive basic funding, and that full benefits are restored whenever they resume meeting the rules.
In summary, the estimates showed that there was a $7-billion cut in the recurrent expenditures and a $2.8-billion cut in capital expenditure adding up to a $9.9-billion cut in the budget, reducing the total figure from the $612.4 billion approved last May to $602.5 billion.
The Public Administration and Appropriations Committee will meet today and tomorrow at Gordon House to review the figures, after which the estimates will go to the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives (which comprises all 63 members of parliament) next Tuesday before being debated that afternoon during the regular meeting of the House.
Australian sport rocked by doping inquiry
The use of banned drugs in Australian professional sport is "widespread", a year-long investigation has found.
The Australian Crime Commission (ACC) said scientists, coaches and support staff were involved in the provision of drugs across multiple sporting codes, without naming any individuals.
In some cases, the drugs were supplied by organised crime syndicates, it said.
Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said the findings were "shocking and will disgust Australian sports fans".
"Multiple athletes from a number of clubs in major Australian sporting codes are suspected of currently using or having previously used peptides, potentially constituting anti-doping rule violations," Mr Clare said.
"It's cheating but it's worse than that, it's cheating with the help of criminals."
The BBC's Nick Bryant in Australia says that in a sports-loving nation like Australia the impact of the report has been huge.
With fans asking which sportsmen and women can be trusted, it is a black day for Australian sport, he adds.
In its report, the commission said it looked at the use of a new form of PIEDs (performance and image enhancing drugs) known as peptides and hormones, which provide effects similar to anabolic steroids.
"Despite being prohibited substances in professional sport, peptides and hormones are being used by professional athletes in Australia, facilitated by sports scientists, high-performance coaches and sports staff," it said.
"Widespread use of these substances has been identified, or is suspected by the ACC, in a number of professional sporting codes in Australia."
The use of illicit drugs in some sports was thought to be "significantly higher" than official statistics showed, it added.
In some cases, players had been administered with drugs not yet approved for human use, the report also said.
The commission found that organised crime syndicates were involved in the distribution of the banned substances - something Mr Clare, the home affairs minister, called particularly serious.
"Links between organised crime and players exposes players to the risk of being co-opted for match-fixing and this investigation has identified one possible example of that and that is currently under investigation," he said.
Because criminal investigations are under way the report does not go into details, our correspondent says.
Sports Minister Kate Lundy said sports organisations would be encouraged to establish "integrity units" and engage the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Agency and law enforcement agencies to root out the problems.
"If you want to cheat, we will catch you, if you want to fix a match, we will catch you," Ms Lundy said.
The report said there were "clear parallels" between what had been discovered in Australia and the US Anti-Doping Agency investigation into disgraced Tour de France cyclist Lance Armstrong.
It said the links underlined "the trans-national threat posed by doping to professional sport".
"The difference is that the Australian threat is current, crosses sporting codes and is evolving," it concluded.
Source-BBC
Reggae Boyz hold Mexico nil all at the Azteca
Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts came to the rescue twice in the second half blocking what seemed certain goals as the Reggae Boyz kept a clean sheet against Mexico at the dreaded Azteca Wednesday night.
Although dominating the first half Mexico saw the better chances for a goal in the first 45 minutes falling to the defiant Boyz.
Both teams are on one point each after playing to a nil all draw in the World Cup Qualifier. Earlier in the day the United States lost to Honduras 1-2 in their CONCACAF playoff. Honduras now lead the tables.
Darren Bravo scores career-best; says Windies can hold heads high
Darren Bravo made the highest score of his limited-overs career on his 24th birthday, but ended on the losing side as the West Indies went under to Australia in the high-scoring third One-Day International on Wednesday.
The classy left-hander was moved up to the Number 3 position in the batting order and made 86 off 96 balls to keep the Windies in the game until the very end, before they fell 39 runs short of Australia’s 329-7 off 50 overs.
Bravo added a superb third-wicket stand of 114 with his older brother Dwayne, who made 51 off 50 balls on a good pitch at the Manuka Oval. Opener Kieran Powell was again positive at the top of the order with 47 off 49 balls, while at the end Andre Russell hit 43 off 31 balls to maintain the run-chase.
The result was the West Indies’ third defeat of the series, giving the home side an unassailable 3-0 lead. The final two matches will both be day/nighters at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday and the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.
“It thought Dwayne and myself played pretty well, we had a decent partnership. However, we needed to bat a bit longer, obviously spending more time in the middle. As a team we showed great character tonight. Chasing 300-plus runs was going to be difficult, but we stayed in the game up until the very end,” Bravo said.
“I believe we can keep our heads high. From the start we felt we had a good chance of winning. Knowing [the power] we have at the back-end with the likes of Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard and the captain Darren Sammy, we felt once we got the right kind of start we could set-up the game.”
Wednesday’s knock was the eighth half-century of Bravo’s career and equalled the 86 he made against India at Sabina Park, Jamaica back in June, 2011. However, he said he was disappointed he missed out on a good chance to register his first century.
“We got a good start from Devon Thomas and Kieran Powell, and then Dwayne and myself were able to bat through the middle overs. We are disappointed that we did not go all the way to the finish, but we will go to Sydney and Melbourne with the confidence that we can pull it back.
“It is very important for us to bounce back and play with pride in those two matches. We don’t want to come here and lose 5-0 so there is still a lot to do. We are going to go back to the drawing board and look to understand where we went wrong and get it right.”
During the Australia innings, Kieron Pollard held a record four catches, including an amazing one-handed jumping catch on the deep mid-wicket boundary. Bravo said it was one of the best catches he has ever seen.
“He is tremendous in the field and what he did was simply amazing. He has set the standards very high and he is someone we look at out in the field. He is a very hard worker and for a big man he moves around very quickly,” Bravo added. “He is someone we try to emulate when we are out in the outfield. He is exceptional in the field.”
The two team travel to Sydney on Thursday for the fourth ODI which will be played on Friday. First ball is 2:20 pm (11:20 pm Thursday Eastern Caribbean Time/10:20 pm Jamaica Time).
Full Schedule of matches
February
Friday 1: 1st ODI – Australia won by 9 wickets at WACA, Perth
Sunday 3: 2nd ODI – Australia won by 54 runs at WACA, Perth
Wednesday 6: 3rd ODI – Australia won by 39 runs at Manuka Oval, Canberra
Friday 8: 4th ODI – SCG, Sydney
Sunday 10: 5th ODI – MCG, Melbourne
Wednesday 13: T20 International – The Gabba, Brisbane
Pau Gasol to reportedly miss at least six weeks with torn plantar fascia
Every single bit of momentum that the Lakers have been able to generate this season has been swallowed whole by bad breaks and poor chemistry, making it no surprise that L.A.’s recent success would inevitably lead to some unfortunate news. The latest gut punch comes courtesy of the ever reliable Ken Berger of CBS Sports, who is reporting that Pau Gasol — last seen exiting Tuesday night's game on crutches after collapsing to the floor late in the fourth quarter — is due to miss at least six weeks of game action due to a partially torn plantar fascia. The injury was confirmed by the Lakers, but the team was unwilling to provide a timetable before Gasol was examined by team doctors in L.A. on Thursday. Winners of three straight and six of their last seven, the Lakers now will have to radically change their approach and rotation to account for this critical blow to their lineup.
The rehab timeline would put Gasol’s recovery somewhere in the projected range of March 20-April 3, assuming no additional setbacks and not including his acclimation to the timing and conditioning of the NBA game. The surgery timeline would almost assuredly put Gasol out of action through the end of the regular season (L.A. plays its final game on April 17) and likely through even a potential first round series. The Lakers had no margin for error in their efforts to make the postseason cut, and now figure to see their playoff chances slashed significantly by the absence of so crucial a player.
There are no optimal solutions at this point, just the management of disappointing options. Gasol’s injury only compounds those faced by Dwight Howard (who may be ailing and limited for the rest of the season) and reserve big man Jordan Hill (who is ruled out for the year with a labral tear), virtually stripping the Lakers of their entire rotation of bigs.
This season has been one nightmare after another for Gasol. He’s missed time due to knee tendinitis and a concussion and he’s averaging a career-low 13.4 points and 8.01 rebounds per game while shooting a career-low 45.3 percent from the field. But this latest blow occurred when Gasol was forced from action with a little more than four minutes remaining in regulation on Tuesday. Gasol attempted to defend a drive by Nets center Brook Lopez, and as he rose to contest the running shot, Gasol pulled up in mid-air, falling to the ground in pain. Replays showed that there was no contact between the players and that the injury appeared to occur as Gasol lifted off the ground.
Gasol initially attempted to walk off the injury but eventually went to the locker room with the assistance of the Lakers’ medical team. He departed with 15 points (on 6-for-16 shooting), four rebounds and two blocks in 34 minutes.
Source-SI
Thunder rout weary Golden State 119-98
A fog-delayed arrival in Oklahoma City made Golden State's task tough enough.
Then the Warriors made the mistake of getting on Kevin Martin's bad side.
Kevin Durant scored 25 points and Martin roared to life with 10 points during a fourth-quarter run that put away the Thunder's 119-98 win on Wednesday night.
Martin hit a pair of 3-pointers, a runner and slammed home a two-handed dunk during a 16-4 fourth-quarter spurt that pushed the lead to 106-83 and coaxed coach Scott Brooks into emptying his bench instead of going back to All-Stars Russell Westbrook and Durant down the stretch. Warriors coach Mark Jackson soon followed suit.
"Coach Jackson should talk to a couple of his bench players and make sure they get wet behind the ears before they come barking at a couple of our players,'' said Martin, who went 4 for 5 in the final period and ended up with 21 points.
Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, the Warriors didn't get settled in Oklahoma City until almost daybreak and it showed as they fell behind by 20 early. Martin refused to say specifically who got him riled up to finally squash Golden State's chances for a comeback.
"You've got to take it personal, what they did,'' Martin said. "It wasn't only talking trash. They made a couple of dirty plays to inspire us as a team.''
Harrison Barnes and Klay Thompson had 19 points apiece for the Warriors. Golden State played without Andrew Bogut, who is still easing his way back from a left ankle injury, and Jarrett Jack was sidelined by a right shoulder contusion.
Fog kept the Warriors from arriving in Oklahoma City after their 140-109 loss at Houston on Tuesday night, and the team plane ended up landing about 100 miles away in Tulsa instead. The team buses were still in Oklahoma City, though.
Some players took taxis and others waited for the buses to come get them. It was around 4:30 a.m. by the time they got to the hotel.
"It definitely throws your routine off, especially on a back-to-back,'' Stephen Curry said. "On game day, you can't really think about it, about that being a crutch for you. Just try to overcome it as much as possible.
"I don't know if our energy was a problem. I think it was just a lack of focus at the beginning.''
Oklahoma City opened a 42-22 lead after scoring the first eight points of the second quarter - with four each from Martin and Nick Collison. The Thunder shot a blazing 60 percent over the first quarter and a half, getting easy buckets against the ragged Warriors and building a 28-10 scoring advantage in the paint and a 53-31 lead.
Golden State clawed back to cut the deficit to 75-63 after David Lee's two-handed dunk with 7:19 left in the third quarter and was as close as 11 to start the final period before
Oklahoma City put it away with a lineup featuring Serge Ibaka, Thabo Sefolosha and three reserves - most notably Martin.
Durant said he thought Martin got upset when he was fouled and shoved out of bounds.
"I wouldn't say they were too dirty but they were playing us physical, and you don't ever want to shy away from a physical game,'' Durant said. "I think K-Mart did a really good job of getting mad and getting into a zone.
"He can get hot pretty quickly, and that's what busted the game open for us in the fourth quarter.''
The big lead allowed Brooks to go without Durant or Westbrook in the fourth quarter for the second straight game.
"Any time you're sitting over there to start the fourth for the rest of the game, it's a good game,'' Durant said.
Westbrook finished with 22 points and Ibaka had 15 points, nine rebounds and a career-high four assists for Oklahoma City, which won consecutive games for the first time in nearly three weeks after alternating wins and losses for the previous nine games.
Curry had 14 points and 11 assists, and Lee had 12 points and 11 rebounds, but the duo also combined for 10 of the Warriors' 19 turnovers.
"I thought we played well in spurts but you give up 64 points in the paint and 29 points off turnovers, that's a recipe for disaster coming into this building against this team,'' Jackson said.
Source-AP
Gay marriage: MPs back legislation
MPs have approved same-sex marriage in England and Wales in a key Commons vote, despite the opposition of almost half the Conservative MPs.
The Commons voted in favour of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, by 400 to 175, a majority of 225, at the end of a full day's debate on the bill.
Prime Minister David Cameron has described the move as "an important step forward" that strengthens society.
Voting lists show that 136 Conservatives opposed the bill.
This figure includes two cabinet ministers - Environment Secretary Owen Paterson and Welsh Secretary David Jones - eight junior ministers, and eight whips.
Of the remaining Conservative MPs, 127 were in favour, 35 did not vote, and five registered an abstention by voting both in favour and against.
Junior justice minister Helen Grant said: "As Tories we do differ at times. We have squabbles - we're like any other family."
But she described the legislation as "a major step forward for equality and justice".