Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly – There’s no way to start this list without highlighting the amazing women who contributed to aviation history both in terms of developing fighter planes in World War II and developing rocket science in the space age. These women held highly-skilled jobs in an age when most of the US fought for Civil Rights. They couldn’t be kept back or kept down – even though they could not obtain the distinction of mathematicians or engineers, positions that were reserved for white males. These women were referred to as “computers”, which was lower than a mathematician in the pre-computer age with all its advanced technology. When computer technology came to the workplace, their jobs were often to re-calculate information.

They essentially checked the computer’s facts for accuracy.

Charlotte Bronte: A Writer’s Life by Rebecca Fraser – “If men could see us as we really are, they would be amazed,” wrote Bronte, who is most famous for her novel Jane Eyre. The author strives to place Charlotte’s life “within the framework of contemporary attitudes towards woman, and addresses how attitudes and perceptions of Charlotte have (or haven’t) changed since the Victorian era.

Jacqueline Kennedy Historic Conversations on Life with John F Kennedy – These books, compiled by Kennedy’s daughter, Caroline Kennedy and the Kennedy library, are accompanied by CDs that capture Jackie Kennedy voice describing her life with the president. This is a rare audio treat.

Who Is Malala Yousafzai? – Upper elementary and middle school students love the Who Is/Who Was series. They’re a simple read, and the pictures resemble comics, which gives these biographies the image of being somewhere between chapter books and comics.

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Patricia McCormic – this is a teenage- friendly version of Malala’s autobiography.

Malala’s story of survival after she was shot by the Taliban for attending school will resonate with girls who are reluctant readers.

Louisa The Extraordinary Life of Mrs Adams by Louisa Thomas – Only two US First Ladies were not born in the US.

Louisa Adams, born in England served as First Lady and the wife of the sixth president of the US, John Quincy Adams. Louisa is an exciting biography of the first lady, who was born in England.

Michele – A biography by Liza Mundy – This short biography of Michelle Obama shows her transformation from lawyer to First Lady of the US.

Galileo’s Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love by Dava Sobel is still one of my favourite biographies in the library. This is the touching story of the relationship between Galileo and his illegitimate daughter, a cloistered nun, who became his biggest supporter.

She stood by Galileo when everyone abandoned him, and he was in trouble with the search for his scientific inventions and theories.

Read a book on this list or any book by a woman this week to discover women power.

Krishna Ramtahal, 70, of Apple Blossom Avenue, Petit Valley told Newsday that on November 28, while he was walking on the pavement he fell into the hole as he stepped off the pavement onto the road. He said he is now raising funds to seek medical attention in Miami for the fractured shoulder.

“The hole is on the corner of Phillip Charles Avenue and Mon Coco Road. I was heading east and as soon as I was going to approach Phillip Charles Street the hole was at the end of the pavement just before I step onto the road,” Ramtahal said. “There was no caution tape, no sign indicating a hole was there…nothing. I fell straight into the hole and fractured four ribs, my shoulder and got several cuts about my body,” he added.

Ramtahal said he is fearful that it can happen to someone else, and it may cause someone to lose their life. He said several letters were written to the corporation and the Ministry, however, up to date the hole remains the same. “I stayed six days at the General Hospital in Port-of-Spain but I left because I was not getting the support I needed at that hospital.

“I am still in constant pain, especially in one of my shoulders. I got a lot of soars on my back so I went to a private institution for medical attention. I am pleading with them to fix the hole before it kills someone.” Ramtahal said he was told by the corporation that the Ministry of Transport and Works was responsible for fixing the hole. However, when he contacted the Ministry he was directed to the Diego Martin Regional Corporation.

The response in the name of Public Utilities Minister Fitzgerald Hinds, showed that out of the 118 contractors paid by the Commission during this period, a total of 18 other contractors received multiple payments for this kind of work.

Kato’s General Contractors, JS Bison and High Risk Tree Removers received payments of $2.7 million, $2.1 million and $1.9 million respectively for vegetation management.

TTEC also paid approximately $200,000 for bees/pest control in this period. The payments for this work was divided amongst three contractors – Innovative Pest Control Limited, Integrative Pest Control Services Limited and Sunildath Maharajh. Another written response circulated in the House last Friday, showed a total of 62 recipients of homes distributed in San Fernando by the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) on September 10, 2016.

He assured that TT remains committed to further strengthening the relationship. He also welcomed India’s High Commissioner Bishwadip Dey and his family to TT at the event to mark the occasion on Thursday evening.

Gavaskar, ranked among the greatest opening batsman in cricket history, Dillon said, incidentally had his test cricket debut at the Queen’s Park Oval in 1971, and hit the winning runs in the first ever match that India beat the West Indies, which was also at the Oval.

He quoted local calypsonian, Relator, immortalising India’s winning performance in the words, “Gavaskar, the real master, just like a wall, we couldn’t out Gavaskar at all, not at all, the West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all.” Noting that, “We cannot out this partnership at all,” he said that TT has an enduring relationship that dates back to shared colonial heritage, and the arrival of Indian indentured labourers to these shores in 1845. Over the years, he said, “the Indo Trinbagonian community has grown and prospered, maintaining their cultural heritage and transforming the socio-economic fabric of our twin island nation with their food, music, dance and religions.” One cannot imagine the country without chutney music, the month-long Divali celebration at the Divali Nagar, or a breakfast without doubles and aloe pies, he said.

The birth of the Republic of India on January 26, 1950, Dillon noted also marked the enactment of India’s constitution, and with it the creation of one of the world’s largest constitutional democracies.

Since taking responsibility for its own development, he said, “India has grown tremendously and, today is a rising power and a fast emerging global leader in innovation, technology, pharmaceuticals, alternative energy, to name just a few.” Having established diplomatic relations with India in 1962, Dillon said the relationship continues to grow and thrive through continued people-to-people contact, technical cooperation, investment and joint ventures in the business sector.

The lead story in Friday’s Newsday, “Man cries rape”, related the attempted rape of a young man by male occupants of a PH taxi, plus two instances of women in San Fernando being raped after entering similar vehicles.

Last Thursday, Newsday’s report of the Police Service weekly briefing cited Child Protection Unit (CPU) data in a story titled, “3,000 child sex abuse cases in eight months” or 100 instances each week.

These are alarming figures.

Shockingly, the victims include 236 infants under age five. What in God’s name is going on in our country, we ask? Anyone reading these figures would try to seek solace by reasoning that this is abnormal behaviour carried out by perpetrators in an anti-social minority. Yet this occurrence of 400 cases of serious sexual offences each month suggests to us an even worse scenario. We ask, does TT have a rape culture? Beneath this country’s easy-going veneer, it seems some persons regard others with gross inconsideration verging on callousness and a sense of entitlement or even proprietorship and power over the bodies of those seen as weaker.

While family-life has been seen as a bulwark against this country’s current social degeneration as measured by an increasing number of murders, the tragic irony of child sexual abuse is that it is mostly carried out by family members who have ready access to their victims, according to the CPU.

If an abuser is the provider for the child-victim and his or her family, sadly this may deter a mother from confronting the harsh reality of such abuse, thereby complicating any resolution or prosecution of this crime. We also ponder the problem of where to relocate children rescued from abuse within their family, as the country’s children’s homes themselves may harbour sexual abusers.

We also wonder how many instances of sexual abuse remain unreported, in cases of the mother or child being afraid or reluctant.

Further, in noting the difference between reported and unreported cases, are we to abhor a year by year increase in reports as indicative of a greater prevalence of these crimes actually occurring, or do we assume the prevalence remains constant over the years and therefore we welcome a greater reporting of crimes that have always existed? We also note how much worse the CPU figures of 3,000 cases are from the already alarming 900 cases reported to the Children’s Authority during May 2015 to February 2016, cited last April.

While this country has eight Acts specific to the protection of children’s welfare – including the Children’s Act, Children’s Authority Act and Children’s Community Residences Act – the fact of 3,000 instances of sexual abuse clearly shows that legislation alone is inadequate especially if unenforced.

We suggest children must be taught about “good touch/bad touch”, with the basic advice that if they feel uncomfortable they must report their woes to a trusted adult.

Other tips to safeguard children are posted on the Children’s Authority website. Secondly parents and teachers must stay vigilant to the child displaying signs of anger, withdrawal and the like that may signal sexual abuse. Thirdly, the authorities should mull the establishment of a sexual offenders’ register with head-shots that could be accessed and viewed by an “app” on a mobile- phone before a woman, child or man sets foot inside any vehicle.

Fourthly, this society needs a discussion on masculinity, a crisis of which child sexual-abuse is but one manifestation. This is all the moreso given the fact that an act of rape is said not to be about sex, but about power or control.

This cannot continue. It is one power that needs to be brought down, and quickly.

Khelawan (K), tracked leader Academy Award for half the 1800 metres trip before sending the Dr Rupert Indar Jrowned colt into the lead and he held on gamely to hold off a fast-finishing Black Onyx by a short head.

But the day belonged to ace trainer John O’Brien who saddled four winners including Magical Victory.

One lucky turfite walked away from Santa Rosa with a fat cheque for $38,,483.00 for corectly spotting the Hi5 in the fifth race yesterday – Discouldrun, Why Kapalua, Mikesback, Jacob’s Dream, Tonithetiger.

It was also a good day for two-kilo claiming ap[rentice Romario Hernandezs who rode home two winners to share honours with Sheldon Rodrigo and Brian Boodramsingh all with two winning rides.

According to reports Cynthia Matthews, who lives alone, was at home when it is believed that intruders broke into the house and attacked her.

She was stabbed repeatedly about the body by the bandits who then ransacked the house and carted away valuables.

Sunday Newsday understands relatives began calling the home of Matthews and when they got no reply they became suspicious. Police officers were alerted and they accompanied relatives to the house where they found the bloodied body of Matthews in a bedroom lying on a bed.

Homicide officers were summoned to the scene along with Port-of-Spain officers. Up until late yesterday the scene was being processed by a team of officers. Sunday Newsday understands Heerah, who also lived in the East, was informed of his aunt’s demise. He went to the crime scene where he was seen in a distressed state.

Contacted yesterday, Heerah said the murder was shocking.

“This is a woman who posed no harm or threat to anyone but I heard that here was a struggle and she may have put up a good fight.

But I am trusting that the authorities would do all the find the killer or killers,” he added. He said when elderly people in a country are murdered and other people as well it indicates that crime is spiralling out of control and citizens seems helpless on how to protect themselves and their loved ones.

He described his aunt as an independent person who loved her relatives dearly and added that to break the news to her children and grandchildren would be very difficult.

He however promised that relatives would come together to provide the necessary emotional and other support needed at this time.

Matthews is a grandmother of six and her children all live abroad.

Police believe the motive was robbery and they are hoping to get surveillance footage from nearby residents to assist them in solving this murder. Homicide officers are also probing the murder of an unidentified man whose headless body was found in bushes at Edna Hill, Lopinot shortly after 10 am yesterday.

According to reports, a Lopinot villager was walking along the roadway when he saw blood on the street. The man followed the trail of blood which led him to some bushes where he saw to his horror the headless body of a man, clad only in boxer shorts. The man’s hands were also severed from his body.

Police were called to the scene and the were unable to find any form of identification on the man’s body or close to scene where the body was found. Up to late yesterday the missing head and hands of the dead man had not been located.

The body was viewed by a district medical officer and ordered removed to the Forensic Science Centre, St James. The discovery of the body resulted in Lopinot villagers gathering at the scene and looking on in disbelief as the body was removed by a hearse.

Northern Division police are asking persons whose relatives are missing to contact the Homicide Bureau in a bid to identify the headless body.

If you’re lacking sleep, your eyes can look red and irritated. To combat this look, line your lower waterline with a white or flesh toned eyeliner instead of the usual black or brown. This will extend the whites of your eyes, making them appear bigger, giving you a fresher look.

If you don’t have time to execute perfectly even eyeliner, simply grab a black waterproof eyeliner and apply it onto your upper waterline, right under your lashes. It needs to be waterproof so it doesn’t transfer to your lower waterline, especially if you’ve used white eyeliner there.

This technique is called tight-lining. It’s great because it doesn’t require much precision, it defines your eyes and makes your eyelashes appear fuller. If you’ve never used this technique before, it may seem a bit tricky, but the easiest way to do it is to tilt your head back while looking down into a mirror.

Hold your eyelid in place and with back and forth motions, rub a pencil eyeliner onto the upper waterline. The only thing you need to be careful about is poking your eye with the eyeliner, but with a little practice, you’ll be tight-lining like a pro! If your eyelashes are straight, I definitely recommend curling them. An eyelash curler will help to lift your natural lashes, which in turn will make your eyes appear larger and more defined. If your lashes don’t usually hold their curl, opt for a waterproof mascara to keep your lashes lifted all day long.

If your eyebrows are thick and unruly, tame them with a clear brow gel. Comb the hairs into the direction you want them to stay. You shouldn’t need to use additional products _ ll in your brows, so with one simple step, your brows will look neat and polished. Likewise, if you have fair or sparse eyebrows, opt for a tinted brow gel; comb lightly through your eyebrows to build color and thickness, while also keeping the hairs tamed.

Filling your eyebrows in with powder or pencil is optional, but usually brow gel on its own will give you a more natural finish.

To wake up tired looking skin, opt for a luminous highlight.

With a fluffy brush, highlight your cheekbones for a healthy glow. But to brighten the rest of your face, using a pencil brush, create a little dot on the tip of your nose and buff away any harsh edges with a clean finger so it looks seamless.

This will visually make your nose appear lifted. Highlight the inner corners of your eyes to make your eyes appear brighter, and then lightly highlight your cupid’s bow, to define your lips and draw light to the area. Having this brightness on central points of your face will make you look more awake and healthy.

You can finish your makeup with whatever lip color you like.

Generally, peachy nudes are good for days that you don’t want to look like you’re wearing too much makeup, shades of pink will perk up your complexion, and bolder colors like red and plum will trick people into thinking you spent more time on your makeup than you actually did!

Set 267 for victory at Coolidge Cricket Ground, Red Force seemed to be strolling towards a straightforward win at 217 for three in the 41st over.

However, medium pacer Kyle Mayers intervened to snatch three quick wickets and engineer a slide which saw four wickets tumble for 28 runs in the space of 26 deliveries, and leave Red Force nervously placed at 245 for seven.

But all-rounder Imran Khan, with a cameo 30 from 23 balls, held his nerve well along with Roshon Primus, who scored a run-a-ball 10 not out, to see Red Force over the line with two overs remaining.

Mohammed top-scored with 80 from 105 balls while left-hander Lewis dazzled with 64 off a mere 31 deliveries. Opener Kyle Hope made 36 and captain Denesh Ramdin, 33.

Barbadian Mayers finished with three for 59 while captain and off-spinner Liam Sebastien picked up two for 31.

Sunil Ambris and former West Indies captain, Darren Sammy, had earlier entertained with dashing half-centuries, to help Volcanoes up to 266 for seven off their 50 overs after being sent in.

Ambris hit 69 from 88 deliveries while Sammy’s cavalier unbeaten 60 needed just 36 balls. Andre Fletcher offered support with 35 and Delorn Johnson, an audacious 16-ball, unbeaten 26.

Out-of-favour West Indies pacer Ravi Rampaul shone with four for 43 while current Windies spearhead Shannon Gabriel claimed two for 53.

Volcanoes were rattled early on when Rampaul struck twice to reduce them to 18 for three in the eighth over.

Gabriel struck first when he had left-hander Devon Smith caught at slip for six at nine for one in the fifth over and Rampaul then bowled Johnson Charles for three and had Tyrone Theophile caught at the wicket for six, in successive overs.

Ambris led the fightback by spearheading three key partnerships before Sammy arrived to do the damage at the end.

The right-handed Ambris counted eight fours and posted 60 for the fourth wicket with Fletcher, 45 for the fifth wicket with Kavem Hodge (18) and another 27 for the sixth with Mayers whose 22 came from just 22 balls.

When Ambris played back to seamer Rayad Emrit and was bowled in the 40th over, Sammy entered to take charge – adding 50 off 35 balls for the seventh wicket with Mayers and a whirlwind 66 off 29 deliveries with Johnson in an unbroken eighth wicket partnership.

While Sammy belted four fours and five sixes, Johnson thrice cleared the ropes, in an entertaining stand that climaxed the innings nicely.

Red Force responded strongly, mainly through Lewis who slammed nine fours and three sixes to inspire an opening partnership of 94 with Hope.

He was in full flight when he holed out to long-off off left-arm spinner Hodge and his dismissal triggered a slide where three wickets fell for 31 runs to leave Red Force on 125 for three in the 22nd over.

However, Mohammed and Ramdin combined in a 92-run fourth wicket stand which seemed to put Red Force in the driver’s seat.

Mohammed hit seven fours and a six while Ramdin counted three fours in his 45-ball knock.

The tide swung again when Mayers ran Ramdin out with a direct hit from mid-off off the first ball of the 41st over and three balls later, seamer Mervin Matthew bowled Nicholas Alexis without scoring.

Mayers injected more excitement into the contest when he removed both Mohammed and Emrit (0) to catches at the wicket in the space of four deliveries in the 45th over but Imran Khan and Primus kept their wits to deny Volcanoes.

An upset eyewitness to Jacob’s brutal murder remarked: “You could tell me quarter to six in the morning you planning to kill somebody.” The eyewitness spoke of a “little fella” emerging from the back seat of a car and shooting Jacob once in the head and twice in the back.

“They took nothing,” the eyewitness told Sunday Newsday.

“Raj was just taking out his cooler when this car just drive down, make a U-turn and come back and a little boy come out the back seat and shoot him in his head and then shoot him twice in the back and just jump in the car and gone.

I can’t understand that at all, as Raj is one of the most (sic) nicest person anybody could know.” Jacob’s wife, Halima, and other workers who were present at the time escaped injury. Police believe it was a hit.

According to a police report, Jacob was next to his doubles van when a young man wearing a hoodie got out of a heavily tinted Nissan Sunny B15 car and shot him. He escaped in the waiting vehicle.

Jacob died on the spot.

There was chaos yesterday morning on the roadside where Jacob sold doubles every morning for the last 17 years. Close relatives and friends screamed in anguish on seeing Jacob sprawled on his back in a grassy area mere steps from where his doubles van was parked. Curious onlookers parked their cars at the side of the road as the body lay for almost four hours before it was removed.

Halima, weeping uncontrollably, asked: “Oh God, O God, why they do him that?” As the hearse was taking away the body she begged one last time to touch the van. Jacob was a father of two and lived at Carat Hill, Barrackpore. One of his sons, who asked not to be identified, said his father “played” with him and his brother before he left home for work yesterday.

The 21-year-old trainee pilot said: “He woke up as usual, normal as ever at 3 am to prepare the van and they left home at 5 am to come here to sell. Before leaving, we played with a helicopter.” He said he received the tragic news as he was about to leave home to go on a hiking trip.

“As I was about to go in the maxi they indicated to me that my dad was shot,” the distraught young man said.

The son said he never heard his father complain about any threats on his life and described him as a man who taught his sons “to work for what we want.” He added: “He brought us up the hard way just to show us that we had to learn to earn. He was a people’s person and always ready to assist in good times and bad.” Similar sentiments were echoed by Jacob’s sister, Annie, who said her brother held his annual prayers on Friday and they all had a good time.

“I don’t know what this place coming to,” she said.

Police are yet to establish a motive for the killing and are hoping CCTV cameras in the area could assist in their enquiries. They believe a second car was involved.

A casualty of war And on Friday night, in Enterprise, Chaguanas, Michael Lewis was gunned down in ongoing gang warfare in the community despite the presence of a joint army and police camp recently set up in Lion’s Gate, Crown Trace, a short distance from where Lewis was fatally shot.

Yesterday, Lewis’ grieving mother, Michaelena, 40, admitted her son’s life was always in danger as all young men living in the feuding community had threats made on their lives.

“He is a casualty of this war, and police are doing all they can do in here but it cannot change unless the young men change,” she said.

The mother said it was the reason she was trying to send her first-born to England.

“I wanted him to get away from here, he was intelligent and had potential,” the insurance agent told Sunday Newsday. “He wanted to go back to school but because of the war, and because they threaten to kill all of them he feared to travel to go to work. So if my brothers didn’t have work he did not go out.

So I say I will send him England and he would go back to school and get back on track.” She said she and other members of the family often spoke to him about “hanging out” on the block with other young men.

“Everyone have choices, my son had a choice,” she said. “Every time I hear somebody child dead, my heart going out but I never thought I would be next, but God has given me faith.” Lewis said gunmen often outwit the police and soldiers.

“And that is what happened last night,” he suggested. “I heard just as they left the block the shooting began.” A police report stated that at about 10.15 pm on Friday, officers of the Chaguanas Police Station responded to a report of man being shot along Bhagaloo Street, Enterprise.

Upon arrival Lewis was found bleeding from gunshot wounds.

He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Chaguanas Health Facility where he was taken.

Sunday Newsday was told that following the murder, gunmen went on a spree shooting up areas controlled by their rivals.

Last evening, there were reports that a suspect had been held for the young man’s murder.