Beginning this week, American Airlines First and Business Class customers traveling from the Caribbean can enjoy a taste of the islands in-flight through freshly updated menu offerings that incorporate many local Caribbean flavors. Chef Cindy Hutson of Ortanique on the Mile, a highly regarded Coral Gables, Fla., restaurant featuring Caribbean cuisine, collaborated with American Airlines to design the new menu selections in a way that reflects her unique style and culinary skills, which she describes as “edible art.” Chef Hutson demonstrates the virtues of a flavorful combination of fish, fruits, vegetables and traditional tropical seasonings.

“We are excited to offer our premium class customers refreshed menu options created in collaboration with Cindy Hutson, as these new additions fulfill the commitment of American Airlines commitment to enhance the travel experience for our customers,” said Lauri Curtis, American’s Vice President – Onboard Service.

This week, American will begin to rotate the following island delicacies on a monthly basis:

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By MATT VOLZ

Republican vice presidential candidate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, introduces her running mate, presidential candidate Sen., John McCain, R-Ariz., before he delivers a policy speech on the country’s current economic crisis in Green Bay, Wis., Friday, Sept. 19, 2008.(AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Gov. Sarah Palin’s chief of staff authorized ex-Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan to travel to Washington, although the governor has cited that trip as a primary example of the insubordination that led to Monegan’s firing.

Monegan is the central figure in the investigation into whether Palin abused her power when she fired him. Monegan alleges he was fired because he refused to terminate a state trooper who was involved in a bitter divorce with the governor’s sister. Palin says he was fired because of insubordination on budget issues.

A legislative committee voted July 24 to investigate the dispute, and Palin initially welcomed it. But after she was picked as Sen. John McCain’s running mate on the GOP presidential ticket, she reversed herself. The campaign sent a team of operatives to Alaska to carefully coordinate any information that’s released.

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The after-and-before.

Santo Domingo .- The Dominican and Haiti republics will begin in October a plan to reforest the border area and protect the environment and natural resources of the whole island.

The Dominican minister of the Environment and Natural Resources, Jaime David Fernandez Mirabal and Haiti’s Jean Marie Claude Germain yesterday signed the joint statement in Villa Anacaona, municipality Restauracion (west), which sets out actions aimed at improving environmental conditions on the island.

The Dominican Ministry of Environment said in a statement that it seeks concrete actions to manage shared water resources, arranging and conducting hydrographic surveys, and inventories of transboundary aquifers. It also provides measures to reduce risks of shortages of these resources, and adaptation to climate change impacts.

The document says the Environment Ministry will reforest through Quisqueya Verde starting early October with 10 binational brigades to reforest the area.

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Actor Matt Damon, second from left, musician Wyclef Jean, and former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna are escorted by UN peacekeepers and police officers in Gonaives, Haiti, on Sunday. (Ramon Espinosa/Associated Press)

Haitian-born singer Wyclef Jean says he’s trying to raise millions of dollars to help Haiti recover from Hurricane Ike.

Just back from a trip to Haiti with friend and supporter Matt Damon and former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna, Jean said he found the island in a desperate situation.

“The basic needs, the immediate needs right now are water … clean water. Blankets are very important. The idea of food is very important,” he told CBC News on Friday from New York.

“I was walking in water — water was up to my knees … a dead cat in the water…still body parts in the water, the entire city smelling like dead people,” he said of his trip to the city of Gonaives.

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By JENNIFER KAY

MIAMI -No deportations to storm-crippled Haiti are planned, federal immigration officials said Friday, an encouraging sign to advocates who say the Caribbean country needs more time to recover before it can deal with fresh arrivals.

No removals from the U.S. are scheduled, and federal officials were evaluating conditions in the country, said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Barbara Gonzalez. Haiti is trying to rise from the wreckage left behind by three hurricanes and a tropical storm within a month.

“When we feel it’s appropriate to resume, we’ll notify members of Congress. There are no imminent removals to Haiti,” said ICE spokeswoman Barbara Gonzalez.

Ralph Latortue, the Haitian consul general in Miami, said he stopped issuing travel documents for detainees, but deportations had continued.

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