Tropical Storm Alberto formed off the coast of South Carolina, USA today, however it is not a threat to Jamaica. Tropical Storms are very rarely formed in May and satellite imagery shows it could strengthen further. Alberto has 40 knots winds and is moving in a west south westerly direction at 5 knots.

Pakistan has blocked access to the social networking site Twitter, for posting "blasphemous" material by users of the website, a Government official has confirmed. A Gov't official is quoted in a Reuters report, that discussions have taken place with Twitter for the removal of some particular content, as Muslims deem that any representation of the Prophet Mohammed is blasphemous. For two weeks in May 2010, the Pakistani Gov't blocked 1,000 websites including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube over blasphemous content.

Trinidad owned regional carrier Caribbean Airlines is now facing an "operational risk", which could result in the Government stepping in to keep the cash stapped airline flying. In a Trinidad Express report today, it was revealed that Finance Minister Winston Dookeran has requested that the airline provide a list of its financial requirements and a business plan for the future. Dookeran confirmed this and stated that he will provide details on the type of intervention, which the Government will pursue for the airline. A political row has erupted in the twin island republic after it was revealed that CAL and Air Jamaica made a consolidated loss of US$52 million and US$38.1 million respectively.

Officials and witnesses in northern Italy are reporting that a magnitude 5.1 aftershock has caused more damage as more buildings collapsed. A 6.0 magnitude quake had earlier killed up to 6 persons with more than fifty injured. It is also feared that many persons could be trapped under buildings. http://og.nr/rbt/6093-six-dead-as-earthquake-hits-northern-italy.html

Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom, President Barack Obama, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, President Francois Hollande of France, and others watched the penalty shootout of the Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich Champions League final, in the Laurel Cabin conference room during the G8 Summit at Camp David, Maryland yesterday.

Lottery technology company GTECH Corporation donated a new, fully functioning computer lab to students at Holy Trinity High School in Kingston as part of their After School Advantage Programme. Students who benefitted from this new lab participated in a ceremony where school officials, members of the GTECH Jamaica team and Minister of Education, the Hon. Ronald Thwaites officially opened the new facility.

The headless body of a man was found in Wild Cane District, St. Ann last night by the Police. The Police team were patrolling the area, when they saw a blood trail which led them to a gully and the headless body of a man was found with gunshot wounds. A burnt out vehicle was also found in another section called White Sand. The Police are linking both finds. A search for the head of the man is now being conducted.

Kufumi Kawada was charged yesterday for using a 70cm samurai sword to chop off the arm of the president of a real estate company in Japan. According to RT News, Kawada also attacked two other persons leaving them with severe stomach wounds. The accused has been slapped with attempted murder charges and has since pleaded guilty. The Police are currently investigating the motive for the attack.

Trinidad's PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar states that while the Privy Council has served the twin island republic well, it was time for them to move towards the Caribbean Court of Justice. The Prime Minister who was speaking at a convocation ceremony for law students in New York states that the Caribbean can contribute with its own voice, from its own perspective and add to the phenomenon of globalisation in the field of law.

A cattle farmer only known as "Hall" was shot dead by unknown assailants yesterday in Claremont, St. Ann. The farmer had received news about the theft of cattle in the area and went to ensure that none of his livestock were stolen, when he was attacked and shot in the head. The Police were summoned and the body of the man was found, however his cattle have not been located.

Abdel Baset al-Megrahi the man convicted for the Lockerbie bombing in 1988 has died, following a long battle with cancer, his family has confirmed. The former Libyan intelligence officer was found guilty of 270 counts for the bombing of a Pan-American flight over Lockerbie by a Scottish court. He received a life sentence, however he was released in 2009 on compassionate grounds after suffering from terminal cancer. He returned to Libya shortly after his release

A magnitude 6.o Earthquake killed up to six persons and over 50 persons in Northern Italy in the wee hours of the morning local time. It is now being feared that many persons are trapped under buildings. The quake which had a depth of 5.1km, struck at 4:03am and was 35km of Bologna. The quake seriously damaged several historic buildings and is being described as the worst quake to have hit the area since the L'Aquila quake which saw nearly 300 persons dead in Central Italy in 2009.

35-yr-old Wendy Arjoon a single mother was stabbed to death on May 18 along Penal Rock road in Trinidad. Arjoon was last seen alive talking to a man she regularly meets at Eddie's Cafe located in the area when the owner of the cafe stated that he stepped out for awhile and when he returned he saw the 35-yr-old Woman in a pool of blood. The Police were summoned and Arjoon was rushed to Hospital where she was pronounced dead. The Trinidad Police are reporting that the single mom was stabbed five times in the back and upper chest and they are now searching for a 45-yr-old male suspect.

PM Portia Simpson-Simpson on May 18 signed a $160 million agreement with Ashtrom Building Systems for the completion of 48 houses in Majesty Gardens, Kingston by December 2012. According to a release by the OPM, PM Simpson-Miller lamented that a media report on the area did not mention that construction of the houses had began and that representation was made for them to be completed. "I noticed everything was carried in the clip, except the houses that were started were never completed. I hope for the day in Jamaica when no one will play politics with the lives of the people of this country," said PM Simpson-Miller.

The Police are conducting a probe into the circumstances of a blaze which destroyed a gas pump at the Total Service Station located along Featherbed Lane in St. Catherine yesterday. The gas pump was seen ablaze by an employee around 2am and fire-fighters were summoned to the scene, where several employees who had taken refuge inside the Service Station's building were rescued. Cooling down operations were conducted. There were no reported injuries.

11 persons and companies were awarded net billing licenses by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Mining to supply excess energy to the Jamaica Public Service. Technology Minister Phillip Paulwell who handed over the licenses recently, has encouraged more Jamaicans to come forward, "as the government looks towards enlarging its ambition in relation to renewable energy." According to the JIS, the new licences will provide up to 100 kilowatts of energy to the JPS at a cost of approximately US$0.25 per kilowatt hour. Residential customers are limited to between 0 and 10 kilowatts, while commercial customers have a limit of 0 to 100 kilowatts.

Kensley Stewart o/c "Bebe" a man believed to be one of the masterminds in the lottery scam, was among twenty eight persons including women arrested yesterday, as the Lottery Scam Taskforce swooped down on several premises in Western Jamaica. "Bebe" who was asked to turn himself into the police, was reportedly on the run for sometime before he was caught yesterday morning. Several motor vehicles, computers, lists for calling potential overseas victims were seized. A man who is the brother of "Bebe" was arrested following a raid in Granville, St. James, where a motor vehicle was seized.

15 persons were arrested following an operation by the Police in Central Village targeting persons illegally connecting to the Jamaica Public Service lines. The pre-dawn operation began at 5am today as JPS service crews accompanied by the a team from the St. Catherine North Police removed several illegal wiring. Several persons were also arrested for ganja possession

The USGS is reporting that a preliminary magnitude 6.0 Earthquake struck Northern Italy, with a depth of 5.1km. The quake struck at 4:03am local time. There have been no reported damage or injury.

Mark Zuckerberg the CEO and founder of Facebook has married his longtime girlfriend Priscilla Chan today, the Associated Press is reporting. The couple tied the knot at a small ceremony in his back yard located in Palo Alto, California. The report states that the 100 invited guests at the ceremony all thought they were going to celebrate Chan's graduation, and only discovered the occasion when they arrived.

13-yr-old Regina James a student of Mt Alvernia High School in St. James was stabbed in the neck by another 13-yr-old girl earlier this afternoon. According to the Gleaner, James was stabbed in the left side of her neck at 2:30pm and was rushed to Hospital where she was pronounced dead. There are unconfirmed reports that the 13-yr-old suspect is now in custody, after being on the run.. The Police are reporting that both teens were recently involved in a dispute, which led to the incident.

15-yr-old Sam Saurs a male student of the Sedgwick Junior High School in Seattle was suspended for wearing a skirt and high heels after his mother laid down a challenge. According to reports, Saurs's Mother told the teen that he would not last a day in heels and he accepted her challenge and turned up at the school, on May 16, and was immediately suspended for the rest of the year. However his suspension was later reduced. Saurs stated his disappointment, but said he felt pretty "If anything, it makes me want to be more out there and more spontaneous and crazy,"

The University of Technology is to receive $365 million to enhance its capacity to provide education, through expansion and upgrading of its facilities, development of staff, and improved sustainability the JIS reported. This figure was earmarked in the 2012-2013 Estimates of Expenditure as funds will aid in completing 20 per cent of shared facilities (three lecture theatres and 20 lecture rooms), and 50 per cent of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, as well as completing consultancy to enhance the quality of learning and teaching.

The Police in Guyana are investigating the chopping and stabbing of a 16-yr-old student by six reputed gang members on May 7, outside the LBI Primary School. According to the Kaieteur News report, gang members allegedly returned to the area in search of the headmistress and another teacher who were probing the incident. The 16-yr-old was chopped in the back of the head and stabbed in the abdomen with an ice pick. The student was rushed to Hospital, where he was treated and sent home. The Ministry of Education and the Police are probing the incident.

$41 million has been allotted for three Police Stations to be upgraded in this fiscal year under the Poverty Reduction Programme which is being funded by the European Union.The three include the Hunt's Bay Police Station; the facility which serves Tivoli Gardens community and the Spanish Town Police Station in St. Catherine. These figures were revealed in the Estimates of Expenditure for 2012-2013.