Cuban state television has broadcast the first video in five months of the country’s former leader, Fidel Castro. The pictures of Mr Castro are the first since he relinquished power to Raul in February. He has not been seen in public since falling ill in July 2006. The silent footage shows Mr Castro at a meeting in Havana on Monday with his younger brother, President Raul Castro, and Venezuela’s President, Hugo Chavez. Mr Chavez said he had discussed issues such as the food and energy crises.
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The main 2008 hurricane season outlook from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center (CPC), is in collaboration with scientists from the NOAA National Hurricane Center (NHC) and Hurricane Research Division (HRD). This outlook makes it clear that the scientists do not provide the public with a general guide to the expected overall nature of the upcoming hurricane season.
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The Dominica government announced on Monday a change in its traditional pro-whaling voting position and said it would abstain on a vote for the sustainable use of marine resources at the 60th International Whaling Commission meeting in Chile, later this month. Dominica, St Lucia, Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines have traditionally voted alongside Japan in favor of commercial whaling but Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said his cabinet had taken a decision not to support Japan at the June 23 meeting. Skerrit said he did not expect assistance from Japan to be reduced as a result of the new position “because there is mutual respect”.

Via [Muzikmedia]

The World Food Programme will extend its school feeding programs in Haiti through the summer months because of the country’s huge needs related to a global food crisis, its executive director said on Tuesday. Josette Sheeran said the commodity price shock that has made staple foods increasingly unaffordable in poor countries meant the United Nations agency’s budget, already increased, would have to rise further this year. “The solution (to hunger) is stabilizing situations so that the hungry can grow their food and meet their food needs” Sheeran said.

Sumfest launched its 2008 staging with a bang at the Hilton Kingston Hotel in Jamaica on Wednesday. The festival in its sixteenth year of existence is also Reggae’s longest running annual festival. Its stage has been graced by almost every major Reggae and Dancehall superstar including some of the world’s best international performers. The event kicks off with beach parties on July 13th featuring Classique Disco and Dangerzone.
The following night the festival moves into high gear featuring heavyweights such as Beenie man, Bounti Killa, Mavado, Elephant Man, Busy Signal, Wayne Marshall and Vybz Kartel amongst others. Up and coming performers such as Spice, Assassin, Munga, and Demarco will also grace the stage.
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Jamaican chef, musician and entrepreneur, Levi Roots, officially released his new Reggae Reggae Cook Book at a launch party held at the Jamaican High Commission on June 5.  Levi Roots, who originally hails from the parish of Clarendon and who went to Britain to join his mother at the age of 12, gained widespread fame from his successful appearance on the BBC television program, ‘The Dragon’s Den,’ in which small business owners pitch their ideas and seek financial backing for their projects from a panel of prominent businessmen.
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