NEWS
Seismic Centre: Quake activity elevated
The two earthquakes felt on Monday night were part of “an elevated level of seismicity” being felt both regionally and globally, said Dr Joan Latchman, head of the Seismic Research Centre (SRC), at the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine. “What we are seeing in the Gulf of Paria this year is somewhat elevated above what we would normally see,” she commented. She said the two quakes occurred respectively at 11.33 pm and 11.37 pm in the Gulf of Paria, followed by aftershocks. The first and main quake was 5.1 magnitude at a depth of ten kilometres. Read more here
President falls ill at Carifesta XIV opening
President Paula-Mae Weekes fell ill earlier this evening while attending the launch of Carifesta XIV at the Hilton Trinidad, Port-of-Spain. According to a release from the Office of the President, Weekes was still able to complete her scheduled speech at the event after falling ill early on in the proceedings. It said Weekes had to be attended to by Dr Monica Davis, the Dean of the Consular Corps, after she had a bout of “cold sweating” and a “bad feeling.” She was escorted from the ballroom for treatment and it was later discovered her symptoms were due to low blood sugar. Read more here
Flood Victims Kicked Out Shelter
Several families at Ramlal Trace, off Bejucal Road, Cunupia, say they were kicked out of the Munroe Road Hindu School - a designated flood shelter - on Monday, after they sought shelter there on Saturday. Antoinette Jaikaran, 58, told Guardian Media she and her family were told they needed to leave the school’s compound as clean-up crews were going in to sanitise the compound for the resumption of classes yesterday. She said she was told to leave by Chaguanas West Member of Parliament Ganga Singh. Read more here
POLITICS
Ministry changes flood grant methodology
National Security Minister Stuart Young says the Ministry of Social Development is now using a more sensible approach to assessing people for flood relief grants. Read more here
BUSINESS
T&T’s gas reserves grow
Trinidad and Tobago’s natural gas reserves have grown. In his contribution to the budget debate in the Senate on Monday, Energy Minister Franklin Khan said the latest Ryder Scott report on T&T’s natural gas, which outlines the country’s proven, possible and probable reserves, shows that reserves have grown. Read more here
REGIONAL
Flood Nightmare - Thousands Caught In City Lockdown Following Heavy Rains
Frustration, flooded roads and buildings, city-wide gridlock, hours in stand-still traffic, and stranded at bus stops were some of the horror many persons experienced in the Corporate Area yesterday, as they attempted to get home following heavy rains which started at approximately 4 p.m. "It was a nightmare. I've never seen anything like this. The entire city seems to be practically locked down," one woman in downtown Kingston declared, who had been stuck in traffic for more than three hours trying to get home. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Trump is at the top of his dangerous game as midterms loom
Donald Trump fixed reporters with a hard gaze and declared: "I'm a very nonpolitical person, and that's why I got elected President." Like much of what Trump says, his comment required a large helping of salt, since it came in a session in which his considerable, instinctive and often cynical political prowess was on full display 14 days before the midterm elections. With reporters and lawmakers huddled around his Oval Office desk Tuesday, Trump floated conspiracy theories, boasted about his achievements, bent facts, teased future announcements and dipped into a well of racial and cultural prejudice. Read more here
Tropical storm Willa moves inland across Mexico
24th October 2018