Jamaica

Stories 41 - 60 | << Prev   Next >>

Jamaica Death Toll at 44; Drug Kingpin Still at Large

Police still battling holdout Dudus supporters as hunt continues

(Newser) - Jamaican security forces claim a tenuous hold today over the slum stronghold of a gang leader sought by the US, but only after battles that killed at least 44 civilians. Officers and soldiers were still fighting holdout defenders of Christopher Coke, known as "Dudus," in pockets of the...

Jamaican Troops Storm Drug Lord Stronghold

Body count mounts in battle extradition

(Newser) - At least one Jamaican soldier was killed as 1,000 troops and police stormed the Kingston stronghold of alleged drug kingpin Christopher "Dudus" Coke. Bodies could be seen in the street as forces carried out house-to-house searches in the Tivoli Gardens housing complex, the BBC reports. Several people were...

2 Cops Die in Jamaica Drug-Dealer Showdown

Kingston is under siege as kingpin's supporters challenge police

(Newser) - Two policemen were killed and six injured last night in the violent showdown between Jamaican police and supporters of drug lord Christopher "Dudus" Coke, who are holed up in a barricaded section of Kingston. The cops were fired on as they responded to a call for help from a...

Jamaica Declares Emergency Over Drug Gang Violence

Gangs blockade Kingston to protect drug boss

(Newser) - Jamaica has declared a state of emergency as gangs backing a reputed drug lord sought by the US blockaded a huge section of Kingston and attacked police stations. The violence erupted as US authorities moved to extradite drug boss Christopher "Dudus" Coke after his indictment for heading a criminal...

Jamaica Ready for Rumble Over Drug Lord's Extradition

Supporters set up barricade, fire on cops

(Newser) - Jamaica has caved to US pressure to extradite alleged drug kingpin Christopher "Dudus" Coke to New York, but it'll have to drag him out of his stronghold in the capital to do so. Gunmen, who have set up barricades blocking all entrances to Kingston's Tivoli Gardens neighborhood and vowed...

Jamaica Bets 'Jewmaican' Past Will Draw Tourists
 Jamaica Bets 'Jewmaican' 
 Past Will Draw Tourists 
JEWISH PIRATES DEPT.

Jamaica Bets 'Jewmaican' Past Will Draw Tourists

Today's population is small, but remnants abound; plus, Jewish pirates!

(Newser) - When the uninitiated look at Jamaica’s Jews, they might see a small but resilient community: around 200 faithful, an historic synagogue but no rabbi, few choices for kosher food. But if you’re the nation’s tourism director, you see a goldmine. Plans are afoot to launch a Jewish...

Gays Blast Buju Banton Grammy Nod

Homophobic singer is up for best reggae album award

(Newser) - Gay rights groups angered at notoriously anti-gay reggae singer Buju Banton's Grammy nomination are urging organizers to use Sunday's awards show to denounce him. Banton—up for a best reggae album award for his Rasta Got Soul album—called for the murder of gay men in his 1988 hit Boom ...

Geologists Warned of Haiti Earthquake

Calculations predicted temblor of up to 7.2 magnitude—but not timing

(Newser) - Scientists have known for years that the fault Haiti sits on was due for a large-magnitude quake—they just didn’t know when. A 2008 paper predicted a quake registering up to 7.2, but “it could have been the next day, it could have been 10 years, it...

40 Hurt as US Jet Misses Jamaica Runway
 40 Hurt as US Jet 
 Misses Jamaica Runway 

UPDATED

40 Hurt as US Jet Misses Jamaica Runway

American Airlines flight goes down in driving rain

(Newser) - Some 40 passengers were injured early this morning when an American Airlines jet overshot a runway in Jamaica. The Boeing 737 broke into three pieces as it plowed through a fence in driving rain, Reuters reports. Four people were reported to be in serious condition, though none of the injuries...

Jamaican Busted in Murder of UK Diplomat

Cops suspect slaying motivated by gay hatred

(Newser) - A 23-year-old Jamaican man has been arrested in the suspected gay-hate murder of a British diplomat. Consul John Terry, 62, was found last month bludgeoned and strangled in his long-time Montego Bay home with a handwritten note on his body containing a derogatory term for gays, reports the Telegraph. Police...

'Homophobic Attack' Kills Diplomat in Jamaica

'This is what will happen to all Gays,' warns note with body

(Newser) - A British diplomat was found severely beaten and strangled in his Jamaica home in what police believe was a homophobic attack, reports the Telegraph. A note was found with John Terry's body referring to the 65-year-old married father as gay, using a Jamaican slur. “This is what will happen...

Usain Bolt Crashes Gift Car, Walks Away

Bolt has only minor scratches

(Newser) - Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt walked away from a car accident in Jamaica with no apparent injuries except a thorn in his foot. The world champion sprinter crashed his BMW M3—a gift from sponsor Puma for his performance in Beijing—after speeding down a wet highway, the Guardian reports....

Hijacker of Canadian Jet Surrenders
 Hijacker of Canadian Jet Surrenders 
UPDATED

Hijacker of Canadian Jet Surrenders

(Newser) - The hijacker of a Canadian jet demanding to fly from Jamaica to Cuba has freed the six crewmembers he was holding and surrendered, reports the BBC. The man, whom authorities described as "mentally challenged," appeared to check in normally last night, then forced his way aboard the CanJet...

Jamaican Hurdlers Linked to Steroids

Drugs sent through Internet network, Sports Illustrated discovers

(Newser) - Two Jamaican Olympic hurdlers received shipments of banned performance-enhancing drugs in 2006 and 2007, according to documents obtained by Sports Illustrated. The drugs were sent to addresses linked to Delloreen Ennis-London and Adrian Findlay, both members of the Jamaican team in Beijing. Findlay denied using steroids, while Ennis-London was unreachable....

New Orleans Eyes Gustav, Readies Evacuation Plans

Category 3 Gustav headed for the Gulf

(Newser) - New Orleans has a wary eye on Tropical Storm Gustav and may begin evacuations as early as Friday—the third anniversary of Katrina. The storm's path could yet spare the city, but if it hits this weekend, Gov. Bobby Jindal said he wants to be ready, the Shreveport Times reports....

Gustav Kills 11, Weakens
 Gustav Kills 11, Weakens

Gustav Kills 11, Weakens

Could strike US as Category 3

(Newser) - Thousands fled their homes as Hurricane Gustav triggered flooding and landslides that killed at least 11 people in the Dominican Republic and Haiti before weakening to a tropical storm, but forecasters said today that he still represents a major threat to the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. They suggested...

Hurricane Gustav to Hit Haiti
 Hurricane Gustav to Hit Haiti

Hurricane Gustav to Hit Haiti

Expected to make landfall later today

(Newser) - Hurricane Gustav is expected to make landfall in Haiti later today, Bloomberg reports, buffeting a country already hard hit by Tropical Storm Fay earlier this month. Gustav was upgraded from a tropical storm earlier this morning, after strengthening over the Caribbean. The National Hurricane Center said that preparations should “...

US Finishes Strong, Sweeps 1600 Relays

(Newser) - The US men's and women's teams swept the 1600-meter relays today, ending a string of frustrations for the Americans that included dropped batons in two earlier races. For the women, Sanya Richards anchored her team in a come-from-behind victory over Russia in 3:18.54, the world's fastest time since...

Speedy, but Disrespectful: IOC Chief

IOC chief criticizes sprinter's winning attitude

(Newser) - Usain Bolt has reached the level of track great Jesse Owens, but the 22-year-old Jamaican needs to show more respect to fellow competitors, says the head of the IOC. Although Jacques Rogge expects more amazing feats from Bolt, whom he calls "another dimension in sprint," he censured the...

Golden Bolt Breaks 200 Record
 Golden Bolt Breaks 200 Record
OLYMPICS

Golden Bolt Breaks 200 Record

Jamaican sprinter first since Carl Lewis to win 100 and 200 meters

(Newser) - Usain Bolt of Jamaica raced to a gold medal and a world record of 19.30 seconds today in the 200 meters, becoming the first man since Carl Lewis in 1984 to sweep the 100 and 200 gold medals at an Olympics—and the first to ever break world records...

Stories 41 - 60 | << Prev   Next >>