Jamaica Sprint Star Yohan Blake Paid The Jamaican Government $52 Million For Old broken Down House

Yohan Blake has paid the Jamaica Government $52 million for a property at 11 Jack's Hill Road in St Andrew.

The Jamaica Sprint Star will need to spend heavily on fixing the property, as its condition has deteriorated badly in recent years and is said to require "major repairs", by one official close to the transaction.

The Government acquired the property from Ernest Wedgewood in 1964 for 10,000 pounds. Now, 50 years on, its value rose 5,000 times higher.

The sale of the single-family residence by the National Land Agency (NLA), was approved by Cabinet in July.

Utilised as a residence for government officers, the property fell into disrepair in recent years, due mainly to its infrequent use. 

NLA reported that major upgrading work was needed to restore it to its former glory.

One government source told the Jamaica Observer that some of the money earned from the sale will be used to maintain existing Government houses and put toward the purchase of newer properties in the State's housing stock.

Blake, 24, who is from humble dwellings in Bogue Hill, St James, rose to prominence as a St Jago High school athlete in becoming the first teenager to dip under the 10-second barrier for the 100m. In 2009 at age 19 years and 196 days, Blake ran 9.93 seconds in Paris, France.

Blake, who was quoted as saying he wasn't born with a gold spoon in his mouth, had a tough childhood and had to miss school on several occasions because he had no money and had to sell bottles to survive.

Now Blake, with personal bests of 9.69 and 19.26 seconds for the 100 and 200m, respectively, is reported by Celebrity Networth to be valued at US$2 million (approximately J$226 million).

Only at the 2012 London Olympics, Blake sported a Richard Mille designer watch in the colours of the Jamaican flag that was said to be worth US$500,000 valued at J$44 million at the time.

However, the International Olympic Committee has strict guidelines as to what athletes can and cannot wear while competing, and with Omega being the official watchmaker of the Olympics, Blake's action irked organisers.

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St James High Male Teacher found Dead With Note beside Is Body

The police are now working to apprehend the killer or killers of a St James High School teacher whose decomposing body was discovered at his home here yesterday morning.

The dead teacher has been identified as 53-year-old of Dexter Dacres of New Haven Heights, Granville, Trelawny.

A source at the scene said that among the things removed from the house yesterday morning was a note that read:"I killed him because he tried to rape me".

Condoms and lubricants were also said to be found in the English language teacher's bedroom.

According to the police, they were summoned to the swanky New Haven Heights, Trelawny neighbourhood, by residents, who detected a stench coming from the home of the teacher yesterday morning.

Upon their arrival, the cops discovered the decomposing body, with multiple stab wounds, wrapped in a sheet.

The body was removed to the Doyley's Funeral Home.

The teacher was said to have been last seen on Saturday in the company of a boy who he said was a relative of his, residents say.

The  police are probing the incident.

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US Captures Top IS Chemical Arms Engineer

US speciaL forces captured the head of the Islamic State group's unit trying to develop chemical weapons in a raid last month in northern Iraq, Iraqi and US officials told the Associated Press, the first known major success of Washington's more aggressive policy of pursuing IS militants on the ground.

The Obama administration launched the new strategy in December, deploying a commando force to Iraq that it said would be dedicated to capturing and killing IS leaders in clandestine operations, as well as generating intelligence leading to more raids.

US officials said last week that the expeditionary team had captured an Islamic State leader but had refused to identify him, saying only that he had been held for two or three weeks and was being questioned.

Two Iraqi intelligence officials identified the man as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, who worked for Saddam Hussein's now-dissolved Military Industrialisation Authority where he specialised in chemical and biological weapons. They said al-Afari, who is about 50 years old, heads the Islamic State group's recently established branch for the research and development of chemical weapons.

He was captured in a raid near the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar, the officials said. They would not give further details. In Washington, US officials confirmed al-Afari's identity.

The officials, who both have first-hand knowledge of the individual and of the IS chemical programme, spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorised to talk to the media. No confirmation was available from US officials.

A US official said yesterday that one or more follow-up airstrikes were conducted against suspected IS chemical facilities in northern Iraq in recent days.

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Three Men Killed Over Cellphone In Montego Bay St James.

Cook shop operator, Tyrone Hinds, Michael Holder and a man identified as DJ Davil, who operated a sound system, were shot dead at the cook shop around 1 o'clock.

Head of the St. James Police, Senior Superintendent, Steve McGregor, says the police have contacted the woman’s family adding that they have been urged to have her surrender to the police.

It is reported that yesterday the woman went to the cook shop and a dispute developed between her and Hinds.

During the altercation, water was thrown which reportedly got into the woman’s phone.

She reported left the cook shop angry and vowed to return.

The police say at about 12:30 p.m Wednesday, men armed with high-powered weapons turned up at the cook shop and opened fire hitting Hinds.

The gunmen then reportedly turned their weapons on two male patrons who were inside the cook shop.

All three men died at the scene.

The police believe one of the gunmen is the woman’s boyfriend.

McGregor has expressed concern about the incidents of violent disputes in the parish and has appealed to residents to seek to resolve their issues without violence.

He also appealed to friends and family of the deceased to not carry out any reprisal attacks.

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Alexia Palmer Jamaican model sues Donald Trump's modelling agency

A United States judge will this month determine whether to proceed with the case brought by Jamaican model Alexia Palmer against Donald Trump's modelling agency, in which she has claimed US$225,000 .

According to a report by Reuters, Palmer, in a suit filed in October 2014, is accusing Trump Model Management LLC, which is owned by the US Republican presidential candidate, of lying to the federal government in its work-visa application that said she would be paid a US$75,000-a-year salary while living in the United States.

Reuters reports that based on court documents, Palmer only received a total of US$3,880.75 during the three years she was under contract with the agency. Palmer alleges “fraudulent misrepresentation” and violations of U.S. immigration and labour laws. 

Lawyers representing Trump have called the case "frivolous" and "without merit." They claim the Jamaican was not an employee and was more than adequately compensated for a “very brief stint as a fashion model,” which they claim amounted to less than 10 days of work over three years.

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United Sates Agents To Seize Close To $100 Million Jamaican Dollars Held In Jamaica By Pamela Watson An Imprisoned Accountant

United States (US) Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are expected in Jamaica in the coming days to take possession of J$100 million, or close to US$1.7 million, which Jamaican authorities have traced to Jamaica-born accountant Pamela Watson.

Watson is serving a prison sentence in the US on fraud charges.

Robin Sykes, chief technical director of the Financial Investigations Division (FID) of the Ministry of Finance, declined yesterday to elaborate on the planned handover "before it is all tied up with the Americans", explaining that he did not want to frustrate the process.

However, according to local law-enforcement sources, FID investigators discovered approximately US$535,000, or approximately J$6.4 million, in an account linked to Watson at one licensed financial institution and J$46 million at a second financial institution.

"They  have traced and restrained J$107 million. The money has been handed over to the State and they are working with the IRS to have the cheques handed over shortly," one source revealed.

Cheques, amounting to US$535,000, are already prepared and they are waiting on the other company to liquidate some assets in her  name.

Law-enforcement sources also believe that Watson made a significant investment in a popular local entity and revealed that further investigations are being conducted.

Watson, who has been described as a very popular activist in the Jamaican community in South Florida, was given a 78-month prison sentence last December after pleading guilty three months earlier to operating a tax-refund scheme that defrauded clients - mainly Jamaicans she claimed she was helping - and the US government of US$3.6 million.

US District Judge James Cohn also ordered her to pay restitution in the same amount.

During sentencing, it was revealed that she made restitution totalling US$1.2 million to the IRS in the seven months she was in custody awaiting trial.

She admitted in court that she falsified hundreds of tax returns and refund amounts on IRS forms without her clients' knowledge.

The court also heard evidence that she diverted money to her own accounts and accounts belonging to her spouse.

The FID boss disclosed that Watson was the subject of a proceeds-of-crime probe being conducted by his agency.

He also acknowledged that the J$107 million linked to Watson was under restraint by local authorities, but indicated that it was removed in light of a parallel investigation by US authorities.

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WHO (World Health Organization) Said That Sexual Transmission Of Zika Is More Common Than Thought

The World Health Organization says reports from several countries suggest that sexual transmission of the Zika virus is more common than previously thought.

After a meeting of its emergency committee today, the UN health agency also said there is increasing evidence that a spike in disturbing birth defects is caused by Zika, which is mostly spread by mosquito bites.

Director General Dr Margaret Chan said "reports and investigations in several countries strongly suggest that sexual transmission of the virus is more common than previously assumed."

The agency last month said the outbreak in the Americas constitutes a global emergency.

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