John A. Terry, 64, British Diplomat, Found Slain at Home in Montego Bay, Jamaica

John Terry, 64, the honorary British consul in Montego Bay, Jamaica, was "killed by unknown assailants at his home in Mount Carey, St. James" on Wednesday, Jamaica's Constabulary Communications Network said in a statement. Terry, a New Zealand native, had lived in Jamaica since 1967 and represented the British High Commission on the Caribbean island's western end. This is a sad turn of events and certainly not the public relations nightmare the island needs at this time.

The body of John A. Terry, whose throat was tied with cord and clothing, was found by neighbours yesterday afternoon in the yard of his Montego Bay home, according to police spokesman Karl Angell. Authorities have not revealed any possible motive and no arrests have been made. Source: Jamaica Observer

While the circumstances surrounding his death are unclear, this is a blow to Jamaica, which has been wrestling with high crime rates for a long time. The commission employs about 100 people who focus on promoting trade, issuing visas and topics such as politics, defense and management, the commission says on its Web site.

Explosion Outside A New York City's Upper East Side Neighborhood Starbucks Blows Out Windows, No Suspect Caught

What a way to start Memorial Day. An explosive device blew out the windows of a Starbucks coffee shop in a blast that rocked a New York City's Upper East Side neighborhood. According to media reports, the loud blast was heard at the intersection of Third Avenue and East 92nd Street just before 4 a.m. The explosion took place on 92nd and 3rd avenue. Police are still looking for the person who left the device outside of the Starbucks. Great. Now everyone in New York City will be on pins and needles again. This is the work of some dirtbag with nothing better to do with his or her time. I hope the coffee shop had video surveillance that was working so that the cops may find some clues. The time the explosion occurred fits the same pattern as several other unsolved early morning blasts that occurred outside the British and Mexican Consulates, as well as the Armed Forces recruiting booth in Times Square over the past two years.

In the earlier cases witnesses and surveillance camera footage reportedly showed a suspect escaping on a bicycle. According to ABC News, no such information was immediately available in today's incident, but police were canvassing the neighborhood and collecting and reviewing security camera tapes.

According to media reports, the amount of explosive used today was thought to be the equivalent of two or more such fireworks. I hope they will catch the suspect or suspects in this incident. This comes at a precarious time for New York City, which has been reminded once again that terror is lurking in the background. The recent arrest of four men who plotted to bomb Jewish synagogues is an eerie reminder of the criminal elements roaming the city looking for a way to wreak havoc.