Israel is due to hold elections early next year after the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, lost his defence minister and talks broke down in his coalition government on Friday, a source close to the cabinet told the Guardian. Netanyahu had met the education minister, Naftali Bennett, who wanted the defence ministry post in the rightwing government, but the meeting ended with a decision by cabinet members to hold national polls, which were previously due in November 2019.

During a frantic few hours ahead of the country shutting down for the Friday night sabbath, ministers rushed to make media statements before the holy day of rest.

A source close to Bennett said that at the end of the cabinet discussion it became clear that “there was a need to go to elections as soon as possible with no possibility of continuing the current government”. Netanyahu’s office said he would attempt to preserve the administration, but that looked unlikely after he lost support from Bennett’s Jewish Home party.(theguardian)…[+]

An aspiring mechanic was murdered in Carenage during a drive-by shooting in the area on Wednesday night. Police said Shaquille John, of Resurrection, Upper Haig Street, had finished work and stopped off at a savannah in the area where some of his friends had gathered at around 9 pm. It turned out to be a fatal choice.

A Nissan AD Wagon reportedly pulled up alongside the group and two gunmen in the vehicle opened fire. John, relatives said, had his back to the roadway and was none the wiser to the attack while his friends scattered when made aware of the danger.

He was shot several times about the body. He was taken to the St James Medical Facility where he was pronounced dead. Just one week ago, John, 20, had reconciled with his father, his mother Stacy Ann John told reporters at the Forensic Science Centre St James. She said he had long expressed his dreams to be a mechanic and having spent several years taking odd jobs with other garages, finally put aside his differences and accepted a role in his father’s garage. She said she was happy to see John make that decision because it meant that he would be off the streets and involved in a field he had long been interested.(Trinidad Guardian)…[+]

GENEVA/GEORGETOWN — On 19 and 20 November, government representatives from across the Caribbean region, together with the President of the Human Rights Council, Vojislav Šuc of Slovenia, will gather in Georgetown, Guyana to participate in an unprecedented meeting to discuss ways to maximize their engagement with the Geneva-based Council, the United Nations’ body responding to all human rights situations across the globe. The unique event marks the first official visit by a President of the Human Rights Council to the region, and will be opened by Moses Nagamootoo, Prime Minister of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

The two-day workshop, organized by the Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the work of the Human Rights Council, of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Government of Guyana, and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, will provide a unique opportunity for officials of the 14 member States of CARICOM to interact, exchange information, experiences and ideas on how to better engage with the Geneva-based Council.

Some 40 participants, who include senior Government officials from Guyana, and Colin Granderson, Assistant Secretary-General of CARICOM, will identify and document good practices that can further enhance and strengthen the effective participation of their respective countries in the Human Rights Council, both nationally and regionally. “Only six of the 14 countries in the Caribbean region have a permanent mission in Geneva. It is therefore essential that those unable to attend our meetings in Geneva have their voices heard which will enhance our efforts to promote universality in our work.  Thanks to the Trust Fund and this gathering in the Guyanese capitol, this is becoming a reality”, stated Ambassador Šuc…[+]