Portmore Empire leader Vybz Kartel is the biggest gainer on the Reggae Specialty charts as the runaway hit, Clarks, featuring Popcaan and Gaza Slim blasted its way to #2, bested only by Gyptian's breakthrough hit, Hold Yu, which has held the pole position for the past four weeks. He had 23 plays this week, a jump of 11 over the previous week.

They call her the hardest working woman in showbiz, and D'Angel is living up to that billing and then some.She has been on a tear in the last few weeks and during the Easter weekend, she had no less than 6 shows in three days.

On Saturday April 3, she performed at both Hype 2K10 in St. Elizabeth and during the Portmore Carnival at the Portmore Pines Plaza. On Sunday April 4, she performed at Carnival Time: Trini Invation at the Richmond Estate, before blitzing Easter Monday with three shows, Palz Family Funday at Jamworld, Easter Bonanza at the Cecil Charlton Estate in Mandeville, and the Jamaica International Kite Festival in St. Ann.

"My birthday party was a sold out affair, the whole of St. Ann came out to see the show,"

Thousands of people turned out to see Charly Black, Nesbeth, I Octane, D'Angel and Beenie Man rip up the venue with several hits.

"Other great performaces came from Kantana, Versitile, and Mr Phang. DJ Sunshine, Munga Honorable, Amber from Irie FM, Kshema Francis of Irie FM were also there," D'Angel said.

Part Proceeds from this event will be handed over to two charities, the Spanish Town Infirmary and Jerusalem Children's Home.D'Angel will be performing on May 1st at Krazy Koconuts in Dominica, and on May 2nd at the Coast in Antigua.

She has been balancing all that with performances on the Irie FM Road Show, and the RE TV High School tour which concluded at the Manchester High School last week.

Deejay Mr. Lexx, who was arrested last October on a rape charge in New York, has been acquitted of all charges, one876entertainment understands.

"The case is over and done with. Mr. Lexx was able to get a good sleep for the first time in months and in the next couple of weeks, he will return to Jamaica to kiss his mother, and spend times with his children and his ex-wife. His record has also been expunged," a grinning Earlton Clarke told one876.

The deejay, whose real name is Christopher Palmer, had been arrested after a woman reported to the police that he sexually molested her. He reportedly has one more hearing to attend before he can return home.

The Express newspaper in Trinidad says that the police in that soca-loving island have attempted to block Jamaican deejay Blak Ryno, -- also known as Ryno Di Stinga from entering the country, but their plan failed.

Ryno performed at a concert there on Saturday, and reports are that the event was well attended and went very well.


Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Gilbert Reyes said he had written a letter to National Security Minister Martin Joseph, requesting that Ryno, whose real name is Romaine Anderson, be debarred from entering the country.

The artiste managed to slip into the country even though the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service had been put on alert to prevent his entry, Reyes said.


Apparently by the time the letter reached the Minister, it was too late because he (Anderson) had already arrived in the country and was given clearance (by Immigration officials) to enter, Reyes is quoted by the newspaper assaying.


Reyes says he is moving to block from entering the island, any regional or international artiste whose music contributes and appears to influence gang-related activity and behaviour.


We are already trying to deal with that (gang-related activities) and we cannot afford any longer for these artistes to come here with their music, which influences and ignites gang behaviour, which leads to serious crimes being committed.


And, while he did not name any of Blak Rynos songs, the Trinidad cop declared that Rynos music has gang lyrical content and we do not want that here.

Anyone who has that type of lyrical content in their music, we are going to write to the government and ask that they be blocked from entering the country, Reyes added.

IT will take approximately US$1 million (J$89m) for the Real Madrid Football School for Social Integration to be up and fully operational, revealed Jesus Silva, the Spanish Ambassador to Jamaica.

The first phase of the school was launched on Monday in Montego Bay, St James, and the official signing of the agreement took place yesterday at the Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston.

"The launching of the project is around US$30,000 and the annual budget will be incremented according to the number of coaches and kids that we will be training."The running cost will be around US$50,000. The wider project, which has different phases and the future infrastructure, will be up to US$1 million," Silva told the Observer following the press launch.

"We have calculated the initial step for the programme with 30 kids, but we want to expand it to 50 kids and it could go up to 200 kids," he added.

The school will be located on lands donated by the Rollins family on the sprawling property of Rose Hall in Montego Bay.

Mark Rollins, whose mother Michelle was instrumental in getting the project off the ground, said his family is proud to be involved.

Said Rollins: "We are honoured to be a part of it. The youths are the future of the country and we want to do everything we can to give them that extra little push."

Rollins pleaded for further assistant from corporate Jamaica, noting that one of these youngsters might "be the next famous footballer or prime minister".

Meanwhile, technical director of the school, former Jamaican goalkeeper Aaron Lawrence, saw his dream turn into reality.

"I must say today is a wonderful day for Jamaica's football. My dream is to see these youth become good ambassadors for Jamaica and their various communities," said Lawrence.

Former Real Madrid star and national Spanish striker Emilio Butragueno, who represents the Real Madrid School for Social Integration, said they want to give something back.

"Real Madrid is going to do their best to make this project a success. Football is the perfect vehicle to use," he pointed out.

PNP says statement raises more questions

THE ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) yesterday conceded that the decision to approach US law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips originated within its ranks and revealed that the mystery Government minister who met with State Department officials and representatives of the law firm was junior foreign minister Dr Ronald Robinson.

But according to Karl Samuda, the JLP general secretary who was mandated by the party to probe the controversy, the Government had no hand in any of the arrangements and did not make any payments to the law firm.

"The Government of Jamaica did not enter into any contractual arrangement with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips and therefore no payments were made to the firm by the Government of Jamaica," Samuda said in a statement in reference to queries over the source of the US$49,892.62 Manatt said it was paid for its services.Samuda gave a chronological report of the controversy in which the Government has been embroiled for more than a month and which is linked to the United States' request for the extradition of Tivoli Gardens don Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.

The extradition request for Coke, who the Americans accuse of drug-and arms-trafficking, was submitted to the Jamaican Government in August last year. However, the Bruce Golding-led Government has refused to process the request, arguing that the evidence submitted by the US against Coke was illegally obtained.

Yesterday, in his statement, Samuda said that in September last year, persons within the JLP approached Jamaican attorney Harold Brady "to see whether, through his wide network of international contacts, he could assist in facilitating the opening of discussions between the US authorities and the Government of Jamaica, and thereby seek to resolve what had become a treaty dispute between the US and Jamaica".

Added Samuda: "I am aware that Mr Brady's firm retained the services of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips on or about October 2009, to pursue discussions with relevant officials of the Government. I am advised that all payment arrangements to Manatt, Phelps & Phillips were transacted between the two firms. The Government of Jamaica had nothing to do with any aspect of these arrangements."

He repeated the Government's admission that Solicitor General Douglas Leys met with representatives of Manatt at Brady's invitation, but said that the talks were exploratory and were focused on alternative approaches that have been taken in similar treaty disputes with the US.

"The solicitor general made it clear that the Government of Jamaica saw no need at that stage to engage their services, but would be prepared to consider doing so should the need arise," Samuda said, adding that Leys accepted a suggestion that a representative of Manatt attend the planned meeting with the State and Justice departments as an observer, which he did with the full approval of the State Department.

"The solicitor general, who had had no previous contact with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, was not then aware that the firm had already been retained by Brady & Company," said Samuda. "He has had no further contact with the firm since that encounter in December."

Samuda also responded to an April 15 Washington Post report that revealed that a Jamaican Government minister attended a meeting with Manatt and State Department representatives.

He fingered Robinson as the minister to whom the Post referred but said it was "a brief social encounter".

But last night, Opposition spokesman Dr Peter Phillips, who brought the Manatt issue to public attention in Parliament on March 16, said Samuda's statement "raises more questions than it provides answers".

He questioned what interest the JLP, as a political party, would have in treaty matters between two governments and said the statement suggested that the JLP was confusing its party political interests and its responsibilities to the people of Jamaica and the public interest.

"I do not understand the basis for the Jamaica Labour Party having an interest in the matter, unless they are saying that, because Mr Coke is a member of the party that they have an interest in it, and why they would move as a party to engage in the lobbying effort, outside of using the established diplomatic channels, which they were obviously also using," said Phillips.

He also questioned whether, given that the senior members of the Cabinet were also senior members of the JLP, the party could have entered into the arrangement with Manatt without the approval of the party leader and prime minister, or the general secretary or chairman of the JLP.

"That certainly doesn't seem to be a credible position," said Phillips.

He also pointed to Samuda's failure to say who paid Manatt and asked: "Are we to believe that Mr Brady paid from his private funds? Did the Jamaica Labour Party pay? Or was it Mr Coke who paid?

"Those issues aren't clarified in any shape or form by what Mr Samuda has said."

Phillips also said that the matter raised questions about the credibility and tenability of the solicitor general, as Samuda did not indicate whether Leys was on a frolic of his own or was given permission to invite the law firm into the meeting two months after Manatt was engaged.

"The whole saga seems to suggest that there was a determined attempt, at the very outset, to confuse the people of Jamaica and to deny them access to the facts," said Phillips.

The country, he said, still expected forthright, truthful answers from the prime minister, "otherwise we can have no confidence in the trustworthiness of the Government".

THE Coconut Industry Board (CIB) is pushing to increase coconut production by 100,000 plants or six million nuts annually, even while local private interests express demand for 10 times that amount over the next two years.

Each plant on average can produce 60 to 100 coconuts per year. A coconut is sold for $27.50, according to information from the Ministry of Agriculture. At 60 coconuts per plant, Jamaica could realise an estimated $165 million per 100,000 plants.

It takes four years for a plant to fully develop and start bearing fruit, so the revenue impact may not be actualised until the fifth year of the programme.

Last year Jamaica produced 94.8 million nuts, generating revenues of over $2.6 billion.

Dr Derrick Deslandes, senior director, Centre of Excellency at the Ministry of Agriculture, told the Business Observer that the investment in coconut water comes at an opportune time because the world demand for coconut water, seen as the new replacement fluid, is set to increase.

He said with PepsiCo and Coca-Cola entering into the market for coconut water, there are many opportunities for expansion.

Moreover, one of the island's largest food processors, GraceKennedy has indicated that it has the capacity to absorb output from an additional 10,000 acres under cultivation. An acre can accommodate 60 to 100 trees, which means that the conglomerate has the capacity to additionally take on up to 100 million nuts annually.

"We are growing more coconuts in a time when more people want coconut water," Dr Deslandes said. He noted that the initiative will require the investment of the larger food processors locally.

Coconut water is seen as a natural alternative to sports beverages, energy drinks and flavoured water. The water is high in potassium, packed with electrolytes and is fat free. Natural coconut water is also low in sugar.

The Ministry of Agriculture and the CIB are encouraging local farmers and processors to engage with the industry in increasing the production of coconuts which can open the door to new opportunities in the US$19-billion global market for sports recovery drinks.

So far, one major international player, Vita Coco, realised US$20 million from the sale of coconut water in 2009 according to Forbes.com. Coconut water also represented 60 per cent of the US$10-million revenue of ONE beverages, a Brazilian company. Dr Deslandes said Pepsi and Coke are initially targeting Brazil as a source for the coconut water, but he believes as local production increases Jamaica can capture a portion of the overseas market.

Farmers who have available land for coconut production are being given incentives through the CIB in the form of grants, technical assistance, fertiliser and coconut seedlings to produce more coconuts. The CIB will provide the grants free for four years and assistance in planting the seedlings, once the farmer prepares the land for planting and registers each year with the CIB as a coconut farmer. To qualify, the farmers must have at least 1.5 acres of land to accommodate a minimum of 125 coconut seedlings.

Coconut cultivation can be a good investment as all parts of the plant can be used, which contributes to its value-added potential. Basil Been, director of research at the CIB noted that the coconut plant can be used in many different ways to generate earnings for farmers, including making earrings and beads, cocopeat, mats, and fences. Additionally, the coconut can be used to make busta candy. He said this can generate additional local sales in tourist areas.

"If you package it nicely you can sell it to tourists. Look how many tourists come to Jamaica every day. If we can get one out of every 10 tourists who come on the cruise ships to buy coconut products it will make a difference," Been said.

Additionally, once the coconut tree is fully grown it requires little care from the farmer. It can be used as an intercropping plant, acting as a windbreaker for smaller more susceptible plants such as banana in times of hurricanes. One tree can produce coconut every month for up to 80 years.

"There are a lot of problems, but there are also tremendous opportunities as well. We need a new breed of coconut growers who are doing it because it is profitable, not because you can't find anything else to do," Been said.

Been said the CIB is embarking on a programme to increase the level of awareness about the process of producing coconuts to yield more varieties. An estimated 8,000 coconut farmers produce approximately 3.5 million coconut plants over 15,000 hectares locally.

Farmers are encouraged to grow the Maypan variety of coconut plants as this has been shown to be more resistant to heavy winds and rainfall. The fruits are also larger and produce more water per nut than other varieties, a fact which the ministry said is important to processors of the coconut water.

Nearly $13 million cash, expensive liquor seized in raid

THREE men believed to be major players in the multi-million dollar illegal cigarette trade were yesterday arrested during a raid in the upscale Beverly Hills community in Kingston.

More than 56 cases of assorted cigarettes, which the Customs Department valued at $12.9 million, millions of dollars in local and foreign currency, as well as several cases of expensive liquor were seized in the raid carried out by the police's Organised Crime Investigation Division (OCID) and the Customs Enforcement team at 9 Shenstone Drive.

Fake brands of roll-on deodorants were also seized."Cash in British, Canadian, Jamaican and US currencies, totalling approximately J$15 million has been counted thus far by the investigators," head of OCID, Superintendent Fitz Bailey told the Observer.

Bailey said the brands of cigarettes seized were Newport, More, Rothmans, Matterhorn, Marlboro, Craven 'A', Benson & Hedges and Kool, while the liquor included Henessey, Moet Cheandon, Grey Goose, Baileys, Absolut and Hipnotiq.

"It is still very early in the investigation, but we believe that the men are key players in a cigarette racket," Bailey said.

Late yesterday evening, premises in downtown Kingston were being searched as part of the police investigation into the Beverley Hills raid, the police said.

Carreras, the sole legal distributor of Craven A cigarettes in Jamaica, said last week that $300 million worth of illicit Craven As were discovered in the country.

This week, the Sunday Observer reported local authorities as saying that organised criminal gangs and drug dealers are behind the growing multimillion-dollar trade in illicit cigarettes here.

According to the authorities, the drug lords' transition from cocaine and other hard drugs is driven by their desire to avoid the harsh penalties associated with narcotics trafficking, even though breaches of the Trade Marks Act can attract huge fines and prison time.

A survey of the effect of migration on residents of three inner-city communities in Kingston revealed that following the migration of a parent, the number of children registering improved school attendance was more than the number of children attending school less.

However, most migrating persons made little or no provision for their children's education or welfare before leaving the island to reside overseas, the study revealed.

The baseline survey and desk review on the impact of migration on families left behind in the communities of Greenwich Town, Whitfield Town and Rose Town was conducted between October and December of last year. Some 1,200 persons were interviewed for the study.

The survey results were presented by Lisa Taylor-Stone, CEO of SilverStone and Platt Research Solutions Ltd at the Terra Nova Hotel in St Andrew last Friday.

The study showed that following migration of a parent, school attendance improved among 31 per cent of girls and 18 per cent of boys; remained the same among 57 per cent of girls and 69 per cent of boys; and declined among 11 per cent of girls and 12 per cent of boys.

The study said, too, that following migration 56 per cent of the children were left under the supervision of older siblings, while 44 per cent under the supervision of other family members (including close and extended family and family friends).

The survey formed part of a European Commission/United Nations Joint Migration and development initiative project entitled "Mitigating the Negative Impact of Migration on the Multi-Generational Household in Jamaica". The project is being implemented in partnership with Hope for Children Development Company Ltd and HelpAge International.

The project targets 1,500 multi-generational households affected by migration in the three communities and will impact approximately 7,500 persons, roughly one-third of the population in the communities.

The project aims to, among other things, achieve:

* improved policies and programmes affecting migrants and their families in Jamaica;

* greater projection for households;

* better access of households to services, income and livelihood opportunities such as the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education, Jamaica Drug for the Elderly Programme, the National Health Fund and skills training programmes such as HEART/NTA.

Recommendations to reduce the negative effects of migration include:

* educational programmes and counselling in schools for children of migrants;

* pre-departure sessions for persons migrating;

* monitoring of recruitment agencies to prevent scams;

* establishment of a registry of migrant parents to better monitor children left behind;

* a one-stop immigration centre providing services to migrants; and

* the establishment of a lobby group of returned migrants to mentor new migrants.

According to the PIOJ, from 1996 to 2007, more than 225,000 persons legally migrated from Jamaica to the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, the three leading destinations for migration.

According to the 2007 Economic and Social Survey of Jamaica, private remittances is one of the leading sources of foreign currency inflows into the country and positively influences welfare and poverty reduction. Remittances make up 17 per cent of Jamaica's Gross National Income.

Some 54 per cent of Jamaican households received remittances from overseas.

Details to be announced at press conference today

FINANCE Minister Audley Shaw announced yesterday that Cabinet has approved the terms of an agreement for the divestment of the operations of Air Jamaica to Caribbean Airlines, effective Friday, April 30.

The finance ministry, in a statement last night, said Minister Shaw; Chairman of Air Jamaica Dennis Lalor; and the airline's president Bruce Nobles will provide details of the divestment at a press conference in Kingston this afternoon.

Chief Executive Officer of Caribbean Airlines Ian Brunton is expected to be in attendance at the press conference, the finance ministry said.Shaw promised to make a detailed statement on the divestment of Air Jamaica in Parliament next Tuesday, May 4.

In the meantime, the National Workers Union (NWU), which represents Air Jamaica employees, complained yesterday that the airline's management was yet to provide a list of the workers expected to be employed by the Trinidad-based Caribbean Airlines.

NWU President Vincent Morrison said there were also 'pressing matters' concerning the welfare of the workers which he would be raising when he meets with the labour minister, Pearnel Charles.

"I spoke with the minister and informed him that we need to have a meeting by Wednesday the latest," he said. According to the union boss, high on the list for discussions will be the employees' concerns about the non-payment of statutory deductions, the terms of employment with Caribbean Airlines, as well as a number of other related issues.

The union had complained workers who had retired from the airline, as well as those who opted for voluntary redundancy, still do not know how the sale would affect their pension and other benefits.

The NWU had also questioned whether outstanding statutory deductions would be paid before Air Jamaica employees receive their redundancy letters.

"It is just a few days to go before Caribbean Airlines takes over, and at this stage all of these things should have been settled," Morrison said yesterday.

Amy Whinehouse

Amy Winehouse is in hospital after drunkenly falling over and bruising her new breasts at the weekend.

The Rehab singer, who underwent breast enlargement surgery seven months ago, sought medical advice after falling over on a night out, also damaging her ribs and cutting her forehead.

She had thought that she had broken something, so she asked her security to take her to hospital. The doctors were worried she might be concussed because she had a big bump on her head and a cut above her eye.

The 26-year-old star reportedly caused chaos at the private London clinic she was admitted to because of her drunken antics, with ward staff having to beg her to calm down.

Amy's injuries have been described as "not serious" but she is refusing to leave hospital after being kept in overnight on Sunday.

The star has already returned to the facility once this month as her implants were causing her pain.

Amy feared she would have to have them removed, but medics eventually gave her the all clear.

'Avatar' Already Biggest Selling Blu Ray Disc In History With 2.7 Million Sold In Just 4 Days. Moves 6.7 Million DVDs Total

A 26 year old Italian motorcyclist is appealing losing his driving licence after speed cameras clocked him speeding at an impossible 383mph. Paolo Turina, claims that the speed camera was defective and that he should not have been banned; Mr Turina was also fined approximately £200 for speeding.

Talking about the incident, Mr Turina said: If I could go that fast Id enter my bike in the MotoGP world championships. Valentino Rossi would not stand a chance. What did they think they were clocking a jet fighter?

Adding that, If the court rules the fine will stand then Im going to send it to the Guinness Book of Records after all if the court says its true then I should get the credit for this remarkable feat.

The police have stated that the speed camera was not at fault, but suspect that it was an error by staff on Mr Turinas paperwork. The court has yet to decide on the case.

NUH UHHHHHHHHHH!!! THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE TATTOO'D ONTO YOUR AZZ!!!

German authorities warn others not to try: It will kill you

BERLIN - German police are investigating a man for theft after he siphoned electricity off a high-voltage overhead transmission line for one month with the help of an ordinary meat hook, authorities said on Tuesday.

The 36-year-old man from Sibbesse in Lower Saxony concocted the plan to steal electricity after the power company cut him off for failure to pay his bills, police said.

The man attached a cable to the meat hook and tossed it onto an overhead power line. He then drew power from the transmission line to his home, located about 150 meters away.

"I've never seen anything like this in my 34-year career," said Friedrich-Wilhelm Lach, chief executive of regional utility Ueberlandwerke Leinetal GmbH, told Reuters. "It's incredibly dangerous and utterly stupid."An employee of the utility noticed the meat hook during a routine check. Lach said the man was lucky he is still alive and warned copycats not to try it: "It will kill you," he said.

STEVENSVILLE, Mont. - An 18-year-old in Montana apparently thought it would be funny to yell "I'm going to kidnap you" at a 7-year-old girl, but the joke cost him a $185 fine for disorderly conduct.

The girl told police April 15 that she heard the man yell the threat from a car as she walked on a sidewalk in Stevensville. She helped police in the small town south of Missoula create a sketch, and police Chief James Marble says Justin Stockdale turned himself in Monday after seeing his likeness on flyers distributed around town.

Stockdale pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, was fined $185 and given a 10-day suspended jail sentence.

Marble says the teen apparently thought it would be funny to scare the girl but it appears he has learned a valuable lesson.

Cops: Man hit pole after beagle dog started throwing up all over him

WINONA, Minn. - Police say an 18-year-old has a pretty good excuse for why he crashed his car into a utility pole in Winona: his dog puked on him.

The Winona Daily News reported police found the car unattended last Thursday morning against an Xcel Energy pole. Witnesses told officers they saw a man leaving the area and walking a beagle.

The teen, who does not have insurance or a Minnesota driver's license, called police about four hours later to confess.

The man told police he was driving when his dog started "throwing up all over him."Deputy Police Chief Tom Williams said the story checked out police found vomit in the car.

The pole had only minor damage. The man was cited for driving without insurance or a license.

Move comes amid signs Mideast peace talks could resume

JERUSALEM - Israeli security forces demolished a handful of illegal structures in West Bank settlements Tuesday, including a wooden bunker that hard-line Jewish activists had defiantly named after President Barack Obama.

Israeli forces also clashed with Palestinian protesters opposed to construction of Israel's West Bank separation barrier. In one incident, paramilitary border police wrestled a teenage boy to the ground, then fired pepper spray directly into his face to subdue him. The youth, screaming in pain, was then arrested.

Nine structures in Jewish settlements were removed, including a wooden bunker north of Jerusalem known as "Obama's Shack," Israeli militaryofficials said. Young settlers threw burning tires at security forces in another location, and two people were arrested.

The crackdown coincided with growing signs that Israel and the Palestinians are on the verge of resuming peace talks after a breakdown of more than a year.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that he will discuss resuming the talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak when he travels early next week to Egypt, which is a key mediator between the sides.

On Monday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas signaled he is ready to start indirect negotiations.

"I heard with satisfaction that the Palestinian Authority president intends to resume talks," Netanyahu said at a convention of his Likud party. "I will be happy if this happens next week. We are committed to a real peace process."

Goodwill gestures
The Obama administration has urged Israel to make goodwill gestures since it announced plans for a contentious housing project in disputed east Jerusalem last month. The announcement, coming during a visit by Vice President JoeBiden, set off a diplomatic crisis between Israel and Washington and prompted the Palestinians to call off the start of indirect peace talks.

Authorities said the structures demolished Tuesday had been built in violation of a 10-month freeze on new construction in West Bank settlements.

Netanyahu announced the freeze in November under pressure from Obama, who opposes settlement construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem captured lands that the Palestinians claim for a future state.

Netanyahu has repeatedly said he will not freeze construction in east Jerusalem. Israel considers the area, home to sensitive Jewish, Muslim and Christian holy sites, part of its eternal, undivided capital.

But this week, Jerusalem municipal officials said Netanyahu has imposed an unofficial freeze in east Jerusalem since the dispute with Biden erupted on March 9. Netanyahu has not commented publicly on the claims.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Police in one Connecticut city have a warning for nightclub patrons: Don't call 911 for a ride home.

New Haven police say that's what 28-year-old Quandria (KWAN'-dree-ah) Bailey did, calling the emergency line six times to request a ride from a nightclub back to her Meriden home.

Bailey was charged with six counts of misuse of the 911 system early Sunday. She was released on a $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court May 5.

A telephone number for Bailey could not immediately be located Sunday and it was unclear whether she had an attorney.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - A Riverside County man was arrested for allegedly stealing dozens of fire hydrants to sell for scrap. The man, 45, was arrested Wednesday and remained jailed on Friday. Authorities in San Bernardino and Riverside counties say they suspect the man stole 45 hydrants. They believe he posed as a repairman, shut off the water, unbolted the 80- to 100-pound hydrants and hauled them away in broad daylight.

Authorities said they got a break when a water district employee in San Bernardino became suspicious of a man in an orange safety vest driving a white utility truck the description witnesses gave for the hydrant thief.

Authorities said the hydrants were cut up and sold for scrap for about $1.60 a pound but they cost up to $1,800 to replace.

According to the Fayetteville Observer, Shakur was arrested by state alcohol agents.

Police arrested Shakur on Friday, April 16th and hit with a number of charges, including felony possession of marijuana, maintaining a vehicle, dwelling or place for a controlled substance and simple possession of a controlled substance.

Shakur, 63, lives in Lumberton, North Carolina, where she oversees the estate of Tupac Shakur.

Mrs. Shakur was released on $10,000 bond and is due in court in Robeson County District Court on May 10th.

Tupac chronicled his mother's battle with substance abuse on his hit 1995 single "Dear Mama."

A record producer who is accused of attempting to export marijuana was granted bail when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

The accused, Percival Bell, is charged with possession of, dealing in and taking steps to export ganja.

The allegations are that on the day in question, the accused was at the airport when he was searched. A 2kg package was found hidden in a secret compartment.

When the matter was mentioned, the accused man's lawyer told the court that he had borrowed the suitcase. To this, Resident magistrate Judith Pusey asked why a big record producer would want to borrow a suitcase.

Bell was granted $100,000 bail with a surety and was ordered to report to the Freeport police in Montego Bay, St.James, twice a week. He was also ordered to surrender his travel documents and a stop order was issued.

Jah Cure, born Siccature Alc**k, pleaded not guilty to ganja possession when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

The 32-year-old entertainer appeared in court on a charge of possession of ganja.

According to the allegations, about 11 a.m. last Thursday (April 22), police saw a white BMW being driven recklessly along Dunrobin Avenue, St Andrew, and it was signalled to stop.

The police alleged that while talking to the driver, the aroma inside the vehicle and the scent coming from the accused man's mouth was similar to the essence of marijuana.

The police told the court that he asked the accused if he had ganja in his possession and he was told "yes". The vehicle was searched and an ounce of ganja was reportedly found. The accused man was arrested and charged.

UGGGGGHHH!!! KEYSHIA COLE'S MAMA FRANKIE GETS DRUNK . . . AND POSSIBLY HIGH . . . AND STARTS SINGING KEYSHIA COLE'S SONGS . . . AND DOING THE CRACKHEAD DANCE!!!

You know the CRACKHEAD dance . . . don't act like you ain't never seen a crackhead doing it . . .

WARDROBE MALFUNCTION!!! BEYONCE'S TATA POPS OUT!! (WARNING - PARENTAL DISCRETION IS ADVISED)

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT JAY Z WOULD BE DOING . . . IF HE WASN'T A RAPPER????? (PICS INSIDE)

EXCLUSIVE: RAPPER T-PAIN'S FATHER IS GRAVELY ILL!! (DETAILS INSIDE)

Deejay's lyrics said to be too violent

Popular deejay AdiDja Palmer, more popularly known as Vybz Kartel or Addi di Teacha, has been barred from performing at a show in Grenville, St Andrews, in Grenada scheduled for May 2.

The Star has learnt that the artiste was banned from the event, Rap-it-up, which was to mark the official launching of his Daggerin condoms in that island, after government officials turned down his work permit, stating that his songs were too lewd and violent.

facing losses

Dexter Tillock, promoter for the event, said he got the news last Friday and is now facing losses amounting to more than US$5,000 (J$445,000). "The ministry told me that they listened to his (Vybz Kartel) lyrics and they don't want him performing in Grenada," Tillock said. "Everybody was looking forward to it because he has a good following here. The people are really not happy because they were looking forward to it, everything else was in place for the show. "

The promoter said he would be seeking an audience with Grenada's Ministry of Labour on Tuesday to see if they could exercise some leniency. He said should this fall through, he will be seeking legal advice as it relates to claiming for losses as neither himself nor the artiste were aware of the government's blacklisting.

recent ban

Attempts to get in contact with Palmer were unsuccessful as calls to his cellphone went unanswered. Messages were left on his voicemail, however, the calls were not returned. His publicist also could not be reached.

The recent ban brings to three the number of local deejays who have been banned from performing in neighbouring islands.

The police in Clarendon say two of three men who were fatally shot in Hayes on Saturday were members of the 'Raymond gang' which is wanted for a number of murders and shootings in the parish.

The two men have been identified so far by only their aliases 'Leather' and 'Biscuit' and were both on the parish's most wanted list. The other man is still unidentified.

hail of bullets

According to police reports, acting on intelligence, a police team went to a house in the community where they were reportedly met with a hail of bullets.

The police returned the fire and one man was seen making his escape through a window.

When the shooting ended, three men were found in the house suffering from gunshot wounds and were later pronounced dead at hospital.

The police say the 'Raymond gang' are fingered in a combination of 20 murders and shootings committed in sections of the parish, while noting that since February there have been at least 10 murders committed in Hayes in addition to a number of persons being shot and injured.

DANCEHALL act and member of the US army, Zumjay is slated to release a new single, Move It Around, produced by Jason 'Jigzagula' Henriques of Coppershot Records during his visit to Jamaica in May.

According to a release from his publicity team, the video from the artiste, known for hits such as Shake It and Dancing Team, will feature dance choreography by the up and coming dancer/singer, MeliSul, of New York City.

The video will be directed by Jay Will, undoubtedly one of Jamaica's best video directors."I am looking forward to returning to Jamaica in May and getting back into the dancehall scene. It's been a rough couple of months in the Middle East and I am looking forward to the break, and working with this great team I have assembled to push my music to the next level," Zumjay said.

"Jay Will is one of the best directors in Jamaica, and Melisul has proven herself as a great choreographer, the video is going to be hot," Zumjay said.