NEWS

Eager to play football as he celebrated his 16th birthday yesterday, Noah Simmons woke up early and went across to his cousin’s house for a cup of tea. It was there a man met him shortly after 8am and warned him to stop speaking to a girl from the community. Noah, a Form Four student of the Shiva Boys’ Hindu College, told the man, “It’s not that serious, I talk to everybody.” Read more here

Cops seize $1m in drugs after men crash SUV

Investigators are probing whether the New Cut Channel and the Godineau River are being used by drug smugglers after a seizing over a million dollars worth of drugs and guns at the scene of an accident yesterday. A 38-year-old man from Valsayn and a 32-year-old San Juan man were warded at the San Fernando General Hospital up to late yesterday under police guard following the incident. Read more here

Massy Stores CEO: Plastic bag fee a non-issue

What’s the big deal? This was Massy Stores CEO Derek Winford’s response to criticisms of the company’s decision to charge customers $0.50 for every plastic shopping bag they use come July. Read more here

POLITICS

Rowley committed to urban development

The Picadilly community in East Port of Spain will undergo a radical face lift in the coming years, according to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at a distribution ceremony of over 50 homes to families at the Spring View Development Project in Valsayn this morning. Read more here

Govt plans $9B housing plan

In a bid to provide shelter for the growing number of Housing Development Corporation (HDC) applicants, Prime Minister and Minister of Housing and Urban Development Dr Keith Rowley plans to inject $9 billion into the housing sector, which is expected to yield 10,000 homes in the coming months. This was revealed yesterday by Rowley, as he delivered the feature address at the Real Spring housing development key distribution ceremony at Valsayn South. Read more here

Australia trip: Govt to look at possibility of buying ferries

The Government will be looking at the possibility of purchasing ferries for the Trinidad and Tobago seabridge on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s visit to Australia. Read more here

BUSINESS

Oil prices cross US$70

US oil prices crashed through the US$70-a-barrel mark for the first time since late 2014, foreshadowing costlier gasoline and consumer goods. It’s not clear that pricey crude will slow down the economy, however. The stock market moved higher in midday trading yesterday, as investors bet that companies and consumers can cope with the increase. Read more here

Will Imbert’s recovery talk backfire?

When Minister of Finance Colm Imbert gets up to address Parliament and the nation tomorrow in his mid-year budget review, there is no doubt that he will repeat his revision of the country’s projected economic growth for the 2018 calendar. Read more here

REGIONAL

South Koreans In Jamaica Cautiously Optimistic Of Reunification With North

Koreans working in Jamaica have hailed the recent geopolitical developments between the North and South as a watershed moment that could result in the denuclearisation of the peninsula and, ultimately, reunification. Words such as 'surprising', 'groundbreaking' and 'dramatic' have been used to describe happenings on the Korean peninsula since North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea's President Moon Jae-in met at the line that separates the divided nations last month. Read more here

INTERNATIONAL

The earthquake unleashed by Trump's departure from Iran nuclear deal

They came, they saw and they failed to convince. In short order, Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel and Boris Johnson beat a path to Washington but left empty-handed. The last time Europe and the US were this far apart was on the eve of the Iraqi invasion in 2003; even then the Brits went along with Operation Enduring Freedom. This time, the consequences seem more dangerous and far-reaching. We don't yet know whether Iran will remain in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, but President Trump's promise that the US would impose "the highest level of economic sanctions" suggests the administration is intent on punitive action rather than a graduated approach that leaves the door open for compromise. Read more here

Iran nuclear deal not dead despite US exit, France says

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian says the Iranian nuclear deal is "not dead" despite US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw. The 2015 agreement curbed Iran's nuclear activities in return for the lifting of sanctions that had been imposed by the UN, US and EU. But Mr Trump argued that the deal was "defective at its core", saying he would pull out and reimpose sanctions. Other signatories to the nuclear accord say they remain committed to it. The deal was agreed between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, UK, France, China and Russia - plus Germany. It was struck under Mr Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama. Read more here

9th May 2018

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