British Virgin Islands

"I told you this was paradise," Chuck Ward said, as we drove the inflatable dinghy to famous Willy T's bar, located on a pirate ship anchored off Norman Island. The sun, heading to the other side of the world, painted the horizon rosy pink. It was our fifth day on a chartered sailboat trip through the British Virgin Islands, and we had spent it sailing calm waters and swimming and snorkeling in The Caves, a jumble of water-carved openings in craggy sea cliffs, home to a fringing coral reef and thousands of tropical fish.

A federal judge in Boston this week ordered a 28-year-old who claimed to be a hedge fund manager to pay $7.5 million for defrauding investors, the Securities and Exchange Commission said. Andrey C. Hicks of Boston and his Locust Offshore Management engaged in a scheme to mislead investors and diverted $2.7 million of their money to his personal bank accounts, the SEC said. He and his firm were ordered to repay the funds, and to pay $5 million in civil penalties.         Hicks falsely told investors that he held two degrees from Harvard University and formerly worked for...

TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands - A jury convicted a Rhode Island man of murder yesterday in the drowning of his wife during a 1999 scuba-diving trip in the British Virgin Islands. A judge will sentence David Swain on Nov. 4. He faces life in prison and would be sent to a Tortola prison where he has been held for about two years. Swain did not react when the verdict was read, although the parents of victim Shelley Tyre gasped at that moment. After obtaining permission from the judge, Richard Tyre walked to the witness box and clutched a microphone.

A federal judge in Boston this week ordered a 28-year-old who claimed to be a hedge fund manager to pay $7.5 million for defrauding investors, the Securities and Exchange Commission said. Andrey C. Hicks of Boston and his Locust Offshore Management engaged in a scheme to mislead investors and diverted $2.7 million of their money to his personal bank accounts, the SEC said. Hicks and his firm were ordered to repay the funds, and to pay $5 million in civil penalties. Hicks falsely told investors that he held two degrees from Harvard...

A federal judge in Boston this week ordered a 28-year-old who claimed to be a hedge fund manager to pay $7.5 million for defrauding investors, the Securities and Exchange Commission said. Andrey C. Hicks of Boston and his Locust Offshore Management engaged in a scheme to mislead investors and diverted $2.7 million of their money to his personal bank accounts, the SEC said. Hicks and his firm were ordered to repay the funds, and to pay $5 million in civil penalties. Hicks falsely told investors that he held two degrees from Harvard...

TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands - A British Virgin Islands judge ruled yesterday that a former Rhode Island dive shop owner must serve at least 25 years of a mandatory life sentence for killing his wife on a Caribbean scuba outing in 1999, rejecting his lawyers’ bid for leniency. Justice Indra Hariprashad-Charles said the premeditated nature of the crime bound her to deny a defense request that David Swain become eligible for parole after 18 years in prison. “It is my view that this murder was carefully planned and premeditated and calls for stiff...

A federal judge in Boston this week ordered a 28-year-old who claimed to be a hedge fund manager to pay $7.5 million for defrauding investors, the Securities and Exchange Commission said. Andrey C. Hicks of Boston and his Locust Offshore Management engaged in a scheme to mislead investors and diverted $2.7 million of their money to his personal bank accounts, the SEC said. He and his firm were ordered to repay the funds, and to pay $5 million in civil penalties.         Hicks falsely told investors that he held two degrees from Harvard University...

CHRISTIANSTED, US Virgin Islands - Hurricane Omar fell apart at sea yesterday after delivering a glancing blow to the US Virgin Islands and lashing St. Croix, its most populated island, with rain. The powerful core of the storm passed overnight between St. Martin and the US and British Virgin Islands, said Lixion Avila, a hurricane specialist with the National Hurricane Center in Miami. "It could have been worse," Avila said. "They were very, very lucky. " Omar knocked down trees, caused some flooding, and minor mudslides in the US Virgin Islands, but there were no...

The 21-suite Turks & Caicos Club, located at Grace Bay Beach, is cutting rates 50 percent through Nov. 9 on any one- or two-bedroom oceanfront suite or two-bedroom poolside suite. Discounted rates start at $248, with a minimum four-night stay. Visit turksandcaicosclub.com or call 888-482-2582. $1,100 savings Through Nov. 20, Rosewood Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands is offering a triple upgrade worth $1,100 for a four-night stay in an ocean cottage.

Tropical Storm Irene is moving toward the Leeward Islands and the Caribbean Sea, with forecasters issuing warnings for Puerto Rico, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and numerous other islands. The National Hurricane Center reported late Saturday that the storm is about 150 miles (241 kilometers) east of the Caribbean island of Dominica, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kph). It was moving west at 22 mph (35 kph). In addition to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, tropical storm warnings have been issued for Vieques, Culebra, Saba, St. Eustatius, St....

"I told you this was paradise," Chuck Ward said, as we drove the inflatable dinghy to famous Willy T's bar, located on a pirate ship anchored off Norman Island. The sun, heading to the other side of the world, painted the horizon rosy pink. It was our fifth day on a chartered sailboat trip through the British Virgin Islands, and we had spent it sailing calm waters and swimming and snorkeling in The Caves, a jumble of water-carved openings in craggy sea cliffs, home to a fringing coral reef and thousands of tropical fish.

GUANA ISLAND, British Virgin Islands - So little to do, so many beaches to do it on. We are on White Bay Beach on this privately owned island, a luxurious dot of hilly land where accommodations range from $695 to $8,100 a night. This half-mile stretch of pure white sand has been dubbed one of the British Virgin Islands' best beaches and rightfully so. There are five people to our right; two at a small beach bar, two in lounge chairs, and one swaying in a rope hammock beneath a giant tree.

Tropical Storm Irene is moving toward the Leeward Islands and the Caribbean Sea, with forecasters issuing warnings for Puerto Rico, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and numerous other islands. The National Hurricane Center reported late Saturday that the storm is about 150 miles (241 kilometers) east of the Caribbean island of Dominica, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kph). It was moving west at 22 mph (35 kph). In addition to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, tropical storm warnings have been issued for Vieques, Culebra,...

LONDON - British authorities said yesterday that they had seized the largest shipment of illicit hard drugs in the country's history and that the seizure had led to the arrests of six people suspected of working with an international narcotics ring. The UK Border Agency said it had seized more than 2,600 pounds of almost pure cocaine in June, with an estimated street value of more than $490 million. The haul was found inside a yacht at the Southampton docks on the southern English coast.

TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands - A British Virgin Islands judge ruled yesterday that a former Rhode Island dive shop owner must serve at least 25 years of a mandatory life sentence for killing his wife on a Caribbean scuba outing in 1999, rejecting his lawyers’ bid for leniency. Justice Indra Hariprashad-Charles said the premeditated nature of the crime bound her to deny a defense request that David Swain become eligible for parole after 18 years in prison. “It is my view that this murder was carefully planned and premeditated and...

TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands - A jury convicted a Rhode Island man of murder yesterday in the drowning of his wife during a 1999 scuba-diving trip in the British Virgin Islands. A judge will sentence David Swain on Nov. 4. He faces life in prison and would be sent to a Tortola prison where he has been held for about two years. Swain did not react when the verdict was read, although the parents of victim Shelley Tyre gasped at that moment. After obtaining permission from the judge, Richard Tyre walked to the witness box and clutched a microphone.

PROVIDENCE -- A former Jamestown council member who was sued after his wife died while scuba diving in the Caribbean defended himself in court for the first time yesterday. David Swain was not represented by a lawyer and gave his own opening statement at the trial, asking jurors to keep an open mind. He said he would not testify. It was the first time Swain presented any defense in the trial. He had been subpoenaed to appear in court this week. Swain's wife, Shelley Tyre, died in 1999 while scuba diving off Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.

LONDON - British authorities said yesterday that they had seized the largest shipment of illicit hard drugs in the country's history and that the seizure had led to the arrests of six people suspected of working with an international narcotics ring. The UK Border Agency said it had seized more than 2,600 pounds of almost pure cocaine in June, with an estimated street value of more than $490 million. The haul was found inside a yacht at the Southampton docks on the southern English coast.

The 21-suite Turks & Caicos Club, located at Grace Bay Beach, is cutting rates 50 percent through Nov. 9 on any one- or two-bedroom oceanfront suite or two-bedroom poolside suite. Discounted rates start at $248, with a minimum four-night stay. Visit turksandcaicosclub.com or call 888-482-2582. $1,100 savings Through Nov. 20, Rosewood Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands is offering a triple upgrade worth $1,100 for a four-night stay in an ocean cottage.