May 11, 2007 (CIDRAP News) – The city of Edmonton, Alta., recently announced that it was stockpiling an herbal supplement in the hope of boosting the immunity of police, firefighters, and other essential workers during an influenza pandemic.By buying a ginseng product from CV Technologies, Inc., a company based in Edmonton, the city has become the first in North America to add an herbal supplement to its pandemic stockpile, according to media reports.The supplement, COLD-fX, is a proprietary extract of North American ginseng that contains what the company calls unique polysaccharide components. It is Canada’s top-selling over-the-counter cold and flu remedy, according to an Apr 23 company press release. Warren Michaels, CV Technologies’ vice president of media relations, told CIDRAP News the company launched COLD-fX in the United States in October 2006 and that sales have been modest.City says decision took timeBob Black, Edmonton’s director of emergency preparedness, said in the CV Technologies press release that COLD-fX is another tool the city can use for pandemic preparedness. “There are so many unknowns in planning for a possible pandemic that anything we can do to be prepared makes sense,” he said. “We need to take every reasonable precaution to help our emergency personnel stay on the job, so they can help others.”The stockpile will be used to treat 5,000 key city employees, such as police, firefighters, paramedics, and waste disposal workers. It consists of 600,000 pills, an 8-week supply, according to an Apr 25 report by the Toronto Globe and Mail.CV Technologies, which pitched the stockpiling idea to Edmonton’s pandemic planners, said it would split the $250,000 cost of the program with the city as part of the company’s social responsibility program. Black told CIDRAP News that the agreement stipulates that Edmonton will pay $30,000 up front to secure access to a stockpile of COLD-fX and will be required to pay its remaining share only if and when the city needs the remedy in a pandemic setting.The product has a 5-year shelf life, but the company said it would make sure the city has access to a fresh supply regardless of when it uses the stockpile.Jacqueline Shan, PhD, DSc, CV Technologies’ chief executive officer and chief scientific officer, said that in a pandemic, “COLD-fX may help provide additional protection to front line workers by enhancing their immune systems” until an effective vaccine becomes available.Black said the city spent more than a year considering if it should stockpile COLD-fX. Senior officials and an epidemiologist from the city’s occupational health and safety office were involved in the discussions. “It wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. On the balance, it seemed like a prudent thing to do” he said.Emergency preparedness officials are faced with tough questions about whether workers, particularly those in health and public safety jobs, like paramedics, firefighters, and police, will come to work during a pandemic, Black said. Having an herbal remedy on hand that might boost immunity could potentially make employees feel more confident about showing up for work, he said.Canadian health officials may have a heightened sensitivity about protecting workers during a public health emergency because of their experience with SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in 2003, Black said. A final report on the outbreak that was issued in January faulted hospital officials for not doing more to protect their workers; nine hospital workers in Toronto contracted SARS while caring for critically ill patients.Studies suggest possible benefitsSome randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies have suggested that COLD-fX can help people reduce their number of colds and the duration and severity of symptoms.Two controlled trials were described in one report in the January 2004 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The researchers evaluated the effect of COLD-fX on the number of laboratory-confirmed acute respiratory illnesses in 198 nursing home and assisted-living residents (average ages, 83.5 and 81) in the 2000 and 2000-01 flu seasons.Ninety percent of the subjects had received the influenza vaccine. Half received a 200-mg COLD-fX tablet twice a day, while the others received placebo tablets.Investigators found that more people in the placebo group (9 of 101 subjects) than in the treatment group (1 of 97 subjects) were diagnosed with flu or respiratory syncytial virus. They calculated that the overall risk was reduced by 89% in the treatment group and concluded that COLD-fX was a safe, well-tolerated, and potentially effective treatment for preventing acute respiratory illnesses.During the 2003-04 cold and flu season, another research group, headed by Gerald N. Predy of the regional public health agency based in Edmonton, studied whether the ginseng supplement could prevent colds in a group of 323 Edmonton adults aged 18 to 85 who had not received seasonal flu vaccination. Their findings appeared in the October 2005 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).The volunteers, who had a history of at least two colds the previous season, randomly received two COLD-fX capsules or a placebo daily for 4 months. Colds were verified by a symptom scoring system and graded on a 4-point severity scale.Researchers found that those who took COLD-fX had fewer colds and the colds they did have were milder and less persistent. The authors concluded that the treatment appeared to reduce the number of recurrent colds by almost 13%, the severity of colds by 15.4%, and the average duration of colds by 2.4 days.In a commentary published in the same issue of CMAJ, Ronald B. Turner, MD, professor of pediatrics at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville, wrote that problems with natural remedy studies typically include a lack of information about the active ingredients they contain, lack of a clear understanding of the mechanism of action, and lot-to-lot variability in the products. However, he said the COLD-fX was standardized to reduce such variability.Turner wrote that it was not clear how the effects of North American ginseng relate to viral respiratory infections. “Enhancement of interferon-gamma activity might be expected to reduce the severity of symptoms, but enhancement of the elaboration of inflammatory cytokines might be expected to increase the severity,” he wrote.Few rigorous, reproducible studies have shown either conventional or alternative cold treatments to be beneficial, Turner wrote. Further studies involving well-characterized and standardized ginseng preparations were needed to confirm the results of the CMAJ study, he stated.Public health experts weigh inPaula Steib, communications director for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) in Washington, DC, told CIDRAP News in an e-mail that it’s not surprising to see a metropolitan area like Edmonton stockpile a natural remedy. Canada, along with Australia, Britain, and other European countries, has a long tradition of using homeopathic and herbal remedies, which are available in pharmacies and often prescribed by physicians, she said.”The situation is very different in the US where most homeopathic and herbal remedies are scoffed at by the medical establishment,” Steib said. “ASTHO is unaware of any state that is stockpiling remedies that are not part of the CDC’s strategic national stockpile program.”Jeffrey Duchin, MD, chief of communicable disease control for Seattle King County Public Health in Washington, said Edmonton’s plan to stockpile COLD-fX for its essential employees sounded interesting, but he said it was unclear from the studies whether the remedy would be of value.”It appears safe and inexpensive, but it shows how little else people feel they have to turn to,” he said.Communities that consider adding an alternative remedy to their stockpiles should weigh the costs and benefits, Duchin said. If they have met other stockpiling needs, such as having adequate supplies of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and personal protective equipment, and still have money left in their pandemic preparedness budgets, then it might be reasonable to consider adding something extra, he said.Black said the city has increased its supplies of personal protective equipment and other items its employees would need and noted that other public health functions, including stockpiling vaccines and antivirals, are handled by the province and its health authorities.NIH says ginseng may have potentialThe CMAJ study caught the attention of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), which in September 2006 included it in its annual bibliography of significant advances in dietary supplement research. “These findings suggest that North American ginseng may be an attractive natural prophylactic for upper respiratory tract infections,” the NIH said. “Additional studies are needed to confirm these findings.”In January, the Nutrition Action Health Letter, a publication of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a health advocacy group, included COLD-fX in a review of eight popular over-the-counter cold remedies. The publication said that more studies are needed to confirm that COLD-fX can shorten or prevent colds or flu. “Even so, COLD-fX is the only remedy we found with any evidence that it might improve your chances of getting through the cold and flu season without coming down with something,” the article said.Michaels said CV Technologies doesn’t want to overstate COLD-fX’s potential in a pandemic situation, but he said the company believes the product has merit and is a legitimate candidate for incorporation into pandemic plans.The company is exploring the possibility of applying for US Food and Drug Administration approval to market COLD-fX specifically as a preventive for colds and is conducting a phase 3 clinical trial for that purpose. The company also recently launched a trial to see if COLD-fX improves the immunity of healthcare workers and is investigating the precise biochemical pathways by which the product affects the immune system, according to information on the company’s Web site.See also:McElhaney JE, Gravenstein S, Cole SK, et al. A placebo controlled trial of a proprietary extract of North American ginseng (CVT-E002) to prevent acute respiratory illness in institutionalized older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 2004 Jan;52(1):13-9 [Abstract]Predy GN, Goel V, Lovlin R, et al. Efficacy of an extract of North American ginseng containing poly-furanosyl-pyranosyl-saccharides for preventing upper respiratory tract infections: a randomized controlled trial. CMAJ 2005 Oct;173(9):1043-8 [Full text]Turner B. Studies of “natural” remedies for the common cold: pitfalls and pratfalls. (Commentary) CMAJ 2005 Oct 25;173(9):1051-2 [Full text]CV Technologies news releaseSARS Commission final reporthttp://www.ontla.on.ca/library/repository/mon/16000/268478.pdfNIH press releasehttp://www.nih.gov/news/pr/sep2006/od-21.htmNIH bibliographies of dietary supplement research advanceshttp://ods.od.nih.gov/Research/Annual_Bibliographies.aspxSchardt D. Un-catching colds: do popular remedies work? Nutrition Action Healthletter 2007 Jan/Feb;8-11 [Full text]
“The current level of sales from the German market is higher than last year, which makes us extremely happy. Air connectivity has a great influence on the growth of tourist traffic, so this year we expect the continuation of the establishment of additional airlines from Germany. The tourist market is changing more and more, so an increasing number of German tourists are turning to sustainability, ie products and offers with a built-in nature conservation component. Therefore, it is in this segment that we see great potential and opportunity to strengthen our position in the future in this extremely important market for us. “, said State Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism Tonči Glavina. CNTB Director Kristjan Staničić is in Munich to meet with Michael Hinterdobler, Bavarian Government Envoy and Assistant Minister for International and European Affairs, Prince Leopold Von Bayern, Konig owner Ludwig Kaltenberg, who owns the Kaltenberg brand, and Evelyne. Menges, a member of the City Assembly of Munich. The fair was visited today by State Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism Tonči Glavina and President of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce Luka Burilović. The head of the CNTB Branch Office in Munich, Nera Miličić, pointed out that she was especially honored to host the Sinj Alkars in Munich and the promotion of the Sinj Alkars at the largest Bavarian tourist fair, f.re.e. A special novelty at this year’s fair is the refreshed visual appearance of the CNTB stand, which, on the eve of the upcoming European Football Championship, has been enriched with elements of red and white squares. Visitors to the fair taste the occasional cocktails Alkar and Srce Jadrana, while the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and the Croatian Tourist Board, under the brand “Vina Croatia – vina mosaica”, also serve top Croatian wines. This year, from 19 to 23 February, the Croatian National Tourist Board will present its domestic tourist offer at the f.re.eu fair in Munich, one of the most important fairs on the German market. On the eve of the fair, a large tourist delegation from Central Dalmatia, more precisely about 70 Alkars, Alkar boys and members of Sinj city music, paraded through the city center on Marienplatz and aroused the enthusiasm of many passers-by in the Bavarian capital. We remind you that last year a record 3 million tourist arrivals and more than 21 million overnight stays were made from the German market, which is an increase of 3 percent in arrivals compared to 2018.
“Alka is a symbol of patriotism and I am proud that we presented a part of Croatian culture and tradition included in the UNESCO list of intangible heritage to the Bavarians, who are our most numerous guests. The solemn procession of Alkar and Alkar boys together with Sinj city music, between the three medieval gates of Munich were a special attraction for residents and visitors of Munich, but also the pride of many Croats living in Bavaria., pointed out Miličić, adding that the Sinj Alka and the Bavarian Kaltenberg Knights’ Games are part of the European cultural heritage, so the agreed cooperation between the Sinj Alkars and the Knights of Kaltenberg is all the more gratifying. Within the stand of the Croatian Tourist Board, a total of 24 co-exhibitors present their offer at the fair, including the Dubrovnik-Neretva, Split-Dalmatia and Vukovar-Srijem counties (Slavonia cluster), the Zagreb and Dubrovnik tourist boards, as well as numerous business and tourist entities. Sinj’s alkari are a special attraction at the fair and the main town square in Munich. After the Alkar parade in the center of Munich, the fair hosted the program of the Knights of Alkar Society and City Music of Sinj, through which the Split-Dalmatia County was presented, with the aim of popularizing the UNESCO protected knight competition, but also Central Dalmatia and Croatia as a tourist destination. “Presentation at the fair in Munich is extremely important to us because the Germans, and especially the inhabitants of the southern provinces such as Bavaria, have been the largest share in the total tourist traffic of Croatia for years. This year’s performance at the fair was enriched by a large presentation of Alkar and our 300-year-old unique event Sinjska Alka, and we also met with key strategic partners such as FTI Touristik, the third largest tour operator in Europe and IDRiva Tours, a tour operator specializing in bringing of German guests to Croatia who forecast growth in demand for Croatian destinations “, said the director of the Croatian National Tourist Board Kristjan Staničić, adding that in the current part of 2020 the German market has grown by 25 percent in arrivals and 18 percent in overnight stays compared to the same period last year, while in 2020 it is expected total turnover growth from the German market ranging up to 3 percent.
Courtesy of Cardinals Coach Mike Burkhart. The St. Louis 7th Grade Boys Basketball team returned Monday, November 13th for a home game against Milan and picked up a win. The Cardinals are now with 2 wins vs 3 losses on the season.Next up for the Cards is Sunman Dearborn on Thursday, November 16th.Courtesy of Cardinals Coach Mike Burkhart. The St. Louis boys 7th grade basketball team defeated Milan 41 to 25 on Monday evening . The win improves the Cardinals record to 3-2.Scoring for the Cardinals were Charlie Schebler, Alec Bunselmeier, Benjamin Harmeyer, Noah Tuveson, Conner Ertel, Cy Muckerheide, Frank Forbeck and Aiden Geers.The Cardinals will be at home on Thursday night to face Sunman-Dearborn. The St. Louis Boys 7th Grade Basketball team defeated St. Mary`s of Aurora in the OA Classic 47 to 11 on Saturday. The win evens the Cardinals record to 2-2 on the young season.Scoring for the Cardinals were Charlie Schebler, Alec Bunselmeier, Benjamin Harmeyer, Noah Tuveson, Abe Hollins and Aiden Geers.Courtesy of Cardinals Coach John Harmeyer.The St. Louis 8th Grade Boys Basketball team participatedin the OA Classic Saturday, November 11th and lost to St Mary’s of Aurora.
USC’s Zeta Phi Rho fraternity attempted to beat the world record for the most sandwiches made in one minute for its 14th annual Zeta Phi ‘Skid’ Rho event Thursday in McCarthy Quad.The goal of the event is to make sandwiches that are then donated to the homeless living on Los Angeles’ Skid Row. Eric Liang, philanthropy chair at Zeta Phi Rho, supports his brothers’ development of leadership and teamwork through serving the community with events like “Skid” Rho.“The idea [for “Skid” Rho] came from brothers wanting to solve the homeless problem in Los Angeles by feeding them and spreading awareness of various ongoing issues,” Liang said.Zeta Phi Rho previously broke the world record for making the most sandwiches in one hour at the 12th Annual Zeta Phi “Skid” Rho at USC by making 17,341 sandwiches in 2014.Immediately after the event, the sandwiches were delivered to Union Rescue Mission on Skid Row. Liang estimated that they made around 400 sandwiches per minute, short of the 700-per-minute sandwich goal.“We didn’t beat the record unfortunately.” Liang said.Several participants donning plastic gloves gathered at McCarthy Quad to assemble sandwiches and partake in attempting to beat the world record. A handful of students from other schools, including members from Zeta Phi Rho’s UCLA chapter, also attended to help attempt to set the world record at USC.Thursday’s event began with several sandwich-making games that prepped participants for breaking the record. Brothers from Zeta Phi Rho informed participants about the event’s purpose and the target sandwich number they needed to beat.During the event, participants split up into tables and teams to start the sandwich-making process. The participants constantly bumped arms with each other in an effort to accelerate their sandwich production.Most groups split up the work putting peanut butter and jelly on the sandwich and opening the jars and packages in a bid to fill any vacant space. Other teams had more efficient ways at getting the job done.In addition, retailers such as 7-Eleven, ONO Hawaiian BBQ, Coca Cola and Frito-Lay sponsored the event, supplying the event with snacks, gift cards and prizes to ensure that the participants were full of energy and motivation to participate and assemble sandwiches.After the event, Zeta Phi Rho encouraged participants to sign a petition to improve mental health facilities in downtown Los Angeles. With the signatures from the petition, Zeta Phi Rho plans on drafting a deliverable that will be addressed to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to request for more of the city’s budget to be allocated to mental health facilities.“We want Trojans to read more about the link between mental health and homelessness and to reach out to the L.A. governor to express their voice,” Liang said.
The Tipperary side travel to take on Blackrock in the Division 1B Play-Offs this afternoon.Peter Silk is a member of the club committee.He says Cashel have reason to be confident they can get a good result in Stradbrook.
Ghanaian football supporters will on Monday(Today)march against the Canadian High Commission in protest against the denial of visas.The supporters have complained of the high denial rate of visas by Canada which is hosting the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup which kicks off on August 5.The protest comes on the back of complaints made by the supporters to Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry to appeal to the High Commission to increase the quota of visas granted to allow for football fans to travel for the tournament. The demonstration is being organised by the Coalition of Ghana supporters and will start from Circle at 10am.” How can you bid for a world cup when you know you will not allow supporters in to watch it? We know not everybody’s document will be perfect but they are bouncing everybody with the same reason,how is that possible?” one of the organisers of the protest complained to Allsports.
James Rodriguez will return to Real Madrid’s starting line-up for Sunday’s La Liga game at home to Granada after being out for two months with a broken bone in his foot, coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Saturday.The Colombia midfielder, who has had a fine debut season since joining from Monaco in July, sustained the injury in the league game against Sevilla in early February and will come back into the side in place of the suspended Isco.”James is fine and will start the match tomorrow,” Ancelotti told a news conference before adding that midfielder Sami Khedira and full back Dani Carvajal would be rested.The return of James is a welcome boost for the European champions who have lost three of their last four matches in all competitions.After winning last month’s ‘Clasico’ at home to Real 2-1, leaders Barcelona are four points clear of their arch rivals at the top with 10 games left and visit Celta Vigo later on Sunday.Isco’s ban means Ancelotti does not have to decide between him and James in his starting 11. The Spain midfielder is a huge favourite among the fans, already angry at their team’s recent stumble, and if Ancelotti drops him he could be on the receiving of more criticism.Ancelotti said he was confident Real could catch Barca and that the squad was in good shape physically and mentally, with only centre back Pepe sidelined by injury and due back in around a week.”We are convinced everything is still open,” said the Italian.”The team is full of desire and is in very good shape right now,” added Ancelotti who led Real to a record-extending 10th European crown in his first season in charge in 2013-14.”The team is fresh and prepared to fight for all the matches. We are in better physical shape going into this stage of the season than last year.” Real have La Liga games at home to Rayo Vallecano and Eibar before they play at Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on April 14.–
Veteran NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski has been suspended from ESPN without pay, according to the New York Post. ESPN has not publicly confirmed the suspension and declined to comment to the Post. Wojnarowski’s suspension stems from replying “F— you” in an email in response to Missouri senator Josh Hawley. Hawley had sent an email criticizing the NBA for the messages allowed on the back of players’ jerseys during the NBA restart. Hawley argued there should be additional messages such as “Stand with Hong Kong” or messages supporting law enforcemant. The letter was addressed to NBA commissioner Adam Silver.Wojnarowski apologized for his actions saying they were “disrespectful” and he made a “regrettable mistake.” In its own statement, ESPN called Wojnarowski’s email “completely unacceptable behavior.”https://t.co/cHyqaxBLQC pic.twitter.com/b2gPBcNzS3— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) July 10, 2020MORE: LeBron won’t wear social justice message on jersey When news came down of Wojnarowski’s reported suspension, several people came to his defense. The hashtag #FreeWoj began trending on Twitter as several NBA enthusiasts shared their praise and offered support for the veteran reporter. Many of those people sharing the #FreeWoj hashtag were NBA players. Players like LeBron James, Lou Williams, Patrick Beverley, Jamal Murray and more shared their opinion.#FreeWOJ!! 🤜🏻🤛🏾— LeBron James (@KingJames) July 12, 2020Aye #Freewoj man 😂😂— Lou Williams (@TeamLou23) July 12, 2020Till it’s backwards 🙏🏾🙏🏾 https://t.co/AwP0IqUHW6— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) July 12, 2020#freeWoj— Anthony Tolliver (@ATolliver44) July 12, 2020💯 https://t.co/4Erg4PubDj— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) July 12, 2020#FreeWoj— Jamal Murray (@BeMore27) July 12, 2020#FreeWoj ✊🏾 but in the #Verzuz battle I’m taking @ShamsCharania— Spencer Dinwiddie (@SDinwiddie_25) July 12, 2020#NBATwitter finding out @espn suspended Woj #FreeWojpic.twitter.com/xCgeEZj5fW— Enes Kanter (@EnesKanter) July 12, 2020Until It’s Backwards!! https://t.co/BzKDZtjQAd— 13am Adebayo💥 (@Bam1of1) July 12, 2020😭😭😭 #freewoj tho https://t.co/TpARz2cLIa— Myles Turner (@Original_Turner) July 12, 2020🗣 #FreeWoj ‼️— Harrison Barnes (@hbarnes) July 13, 2020NBA players weren’t the only ones sharing messages of support. On Change.org, a created petition named “Get Adrian Wojnarowski (Woj) His Job back. FREE WOJ” has over 6,000 signatures as of this writing.
Kaia Arua Photos Ravini Oa Pacific MMI PNG Lewas Squad Team Manager 2 Varoi Morea 11 Asst. Coach 6 Rodney Maha 1 Brenda Tau Gayan Loku Pauke Siaka 7 14 8 Tanya Ruma (VC) Kopi John Peter Williams Konio Oala Photo: Pacific MMI PNG Lewas playing against Australian Under 18 Girls TeamWe will bring you regular updates on our website and you can also follow us on twitter – @Cricket_PNG and on our page on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/cricketpng.
Helen Buruka Pacific MMI PNG Lewas Fixture 3 Mebo Ipi 13 After winning the toss, the Lewas batted first, posting their best score of the Australian tour to be eventually bowled out for 157 inside 49 overs.Mebo Ipi (25), Norma Ovasuru (23), Varoi Morea (20), Sibona Jimmy (17) and Kaia Arua (17) all made valuable contributions in a solid batting performance against the best young female bowlers in Australia.In reply, the Australians had no troubles passing the score, losing just one wicket on the way.“It was clearly our best batting performance on the tour,” said the Pacific MMI PNG Lewas coach Rodney Maha.“We knew it was going to be a tough game today, playing against the best young female cricketers in Australia. Our aim was to bat out the 50 overs, and we nearly did that.“Most of our batswomen got starts, but our next step is to convert these starts into big scores. We have improved in each game on tour, and we will continue to improve in our final matches,” said Maha.The Pacific MMI Lewas will play the Australian Under 18 girls team in two (2) T20 matches today at Allan Border Field, before flying back to Port Moresby on Monday. Norma Ovasuru (C) 9 Coach Greg Campbell Mairi Tom NAME 10 Sibona Jimmy Team Manager Veru Kila Frank 5 4 Sunday 27th September, 2015- Pacific MMI Lewas vs Aus U18 @ Allan Border Field 12 For more information contact: Karen Marie +675 7105 4444
Jamaica Scorpions, on the back of another shallow batting display, were yesterday defeated by 117 runs on the final day of their top-of-the-table WICB First-Class Championship clash against leaders and title-holders Guyana Jaguars at Sabina Park. Starting the day on 83 for three and needing another 244 runs to win, Jamaica were blown away for 208 midway the post-lunch session. Leading the Guyana bowling charge was outstanding 19-year-old left-arm spinner, Gudakesh Motie, who claimed six for 33 to take his tournament-leading tally to 34 wickets. The lanky Motie, playing in his debut first-class season and fifth match overall, last year represented West Indies Under-19s at the ICC Youth World Cup. “It was a disappointing performance, particularly as it relates to our batting,” bemoaned Scorpions captain, Paul Palmer Jr. “Our bowlers did well, especially in the first innings, but our batsmen did not back them up.” He added: “It is now a setback for us as Guyana have moved further ahead in the standings. But it is still midway the season and we still have time, so hopefully we can catch up with them.” Jamaica now have three wins and two defeats and lie third in the standings on 53 points. Guyana, unbeaten after five matches, extended their tally to 85, while Barbados Pride, who defeated Leeward Island Hurricanes by 10 wickets, are second on 63 points. The tournament, being played on a home-and-away basis over 10 rounds, will take a break to facilitate the holiday season, as well as the NAGICO Super50 regional one-day tournament, which bowls off in January. Volcanoes, Red Force draw AT THE BEAUSEJOUR CRICKET STADIUM: Windward Islands Volcanoes drew with Trinidad and Tobago Red Force on the final day of their fifth round game here yesterday. Scores: VOLCANOES 306 (Shane Shillingford 64, AndrÈ Fletcher 63, Mervyn Mathew 48 not out, Devon Smith 32, Liam Sebastien 30; Imran Khan 3-100, Narsingh Deonarine 2-29, Uthman Mohammed 2-51) & 198 for seven (Devon Smith 56, Shane Shillingford 34, AndrÈ Fletcher 29). RED FORCE 382 (Yannick Ottley 99 not out, Yannic Cariah 70, Narsingh Deonarine 60, Marlon Richards 60; Kevin McClean 4-66, Shane Shillingford 3-109).