Premier Misick has denied any financial impropriety

The deputy Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands has announced he will challenge Premier Michael Misick at a leadership convention next month.

The announcement from Floyd Hall came a day before a commission of inquiry was due to begin public hearings into allegations of corruption against government officials.

Mr Misick, who was due to appear before the commission on Tuesday, has denied any wrongdoing.

The premier has faced a revolt in his party which has scheduled a leadership convention for 28 February.

Mr Hall also said he will support a motion to be tabled at the next sitting of parliament calling for Mr Misick to resign, though he praised the premier's vision for the British territory.

UK scam unveiled

Officials at a local government council in northwest England have spoken of a scam with Caribbean connections.

They said officers at the Trafford Council in Manchester were recently contacted by one lady in her 80s.

Having been told she'd won a large prize in a £1 million lottery draw, she had been encouraged to send money to Jamaica in order to cover legal fees and taxes.

It was a scam, but she sought help only after losing her life-savings.

The council has just started a training programme to help pensioners to fend off con-men and scammers.

Haitian killed in border incident

A Haitian man is reported to have died after being shot by a Dominican border guard while trying to sneak into the country.

The Spanish news agency, EFE, said a compatriot of the dead man was also shot and is listed in grave condition.

The Dominican border security force, CESFRONT, said that Sunday's shooting took place while one of its detachments had been pursuing motorcyclists carrying 18 undocumented Haitian immigrants into Dominican territory.

When one of the border guards tried to stop the migrant traffickers, the smugglers opened fire, forcing the guard to respond with his M-16 assault rifle, CESFRONT said.

CESFRONT said that the guard was in custody pending investigation of the incident.

Gonsalves calls for higher production

The Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines has urged residents to raise their production levels to meet the adverse effects of the global economic downturn.

In a speech to the nation, Ralph Gonsalves said he was confident the country would overcome whatever obstacles were put in its way.

He urged his countrymen to focus on discipline and caring.

Rebel leader seeks Senate seat

In Haiti, a former rebel leader wanted by US and Haitian anti-drug authorities has registered to run for the Senate in April's elections.

Correspondents called it a bold move by Guy Philippe toward securing immunity against arrest.

Mr Philippe was escorted by four gunmen in plain clothes and two other men in police uniforms when he submitted his registration documents in the southern Haitian city of Jeremie.

He has been charged in Miami with smuggling cocaine but has repeatedly denied any involvement in such criminal activities.

Mr Philippe led the armed revolt that ousted then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide nearly five years ago.

The former soldier and police chief unsuccessfully ran for the presidency in the last elections.

IDB gets new member

China has formally joined the Inter-American Development Bank.

China plans to fund a number of initiatives to help Latin American and Caribbean countries cope with the global financial crisis and economic slowdown.

Its total contribution is $350 million - a move analysts say is part of Beijing's plan to expand its influence in the region.

IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno said in a statement that China's membership comes "at a critical moment for the world economy, when countries need to protect recent social and economic gains."

Windies lose cricket series

New Zealand beat the West Indies by five wickets on a Duckworth-Lewis calculation in the rain-shortened fifth and final limited overs cricket international.

The Black Caps won the five-match series 2-1.

New Zealand were 211-5 in the 35th over in reply to the West Indies' 293-nine, when steady drizzle began to fall.

Under Duckworth-Lewis calculations, New Zealand needed to be 203-5 at that point to take the match and series.

Two previous matches in the series were abandoned and another shortened by rain.