Four years after the release of his sophomore set Gully Sit'n, dancehall artiste Assassin aka Agent Sasco, is getting ready to drop his third opus.
The still untitled project will be released in the summer, and according to a source close to the project, the album will showcase a more mature Assassin. The album is said to contain mostly reggae and lover's rock tunes.
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The album will be his final offering for New York-based independent reggae label VP Records. The label released his debut album Infiltration in 2005. His sophomore set Gully Sit'n was released two years later in 2007.
Born Jeffrey Campbell, Assassin began his professional career under the guidance of Penthouse Music's Donovan Germain.
He has earned a string of hits since 2000 with songs like To Make Money, Idiat Ting Dat, Step Pon Dem, Girls Gone Wild, Don't Make We Hold You, Dem a Sissy, Anywhere We Go and No Boring Gal.
Assassin wed his longtime girlfriend Nicole McLaren last week. The couple is expecting their first child around April. Assassin is already the father of a daughter from a previous relationship.
A California man attending a ****fight was stabbed to death by a bird that had a knife attached to its own limb.
Jose Luis Ochoa, 35, of Lamont, died about two hours after he was injured in neighboring Tulare County on Jan. 30, according to the Kern County coroner.
"I have never seen this type of incident," Sgt. Martin King, a 24-year vet of the sheriff's department, told the Bakersfield Californian.
Ochoa died of accidental "sharp force injury" to his right calf, according to the autopsy.
Onlookers fled when cops arrived at the scene of the fight, King told the local newspaper. Authorities, acting on an anonymous tip, found five dead roosters and other evidence of ****fighting at the location.
No arrests were made at the fight.
****fighting is an illegal sport in the U.S.
Metal spurs are often placed on the specially bred birds' legs and they are encouraged to fight until one is incapacitated or killed.
Just after 1 p.m. yesterday afternoon,Tovoyia Owens, 21, was beaten to death outside of a Philadelphia traffic court. Owens and her boyfriend had just left the building when Owens' ex-boyfriend and a group of men approached the couple.
"We were walking down Market street, coming from school and we saw all the cops and policeman there so we decided to see what had happened," witness David Cole said. "As we came closer, we saw all these guys beating this girl, and she was pregnant and no one tried to help."
Owens was hit in the head and fell to the ground. She was rushed to Hahnemann University Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Owens graduated from Bartram High School in 2007, and was attending Cheyney University. Owens also had a three-year-old daughter.
"I just found out she was pregnant, so now not only did they take my granddaughters life, but they took the life of her unborn baby also," Owens' grandmother Barbara Morris said.
Owens' ex-boyfriend and several others are currently in police custody, but no one has been charged.
J.O.E
Another entertainer has passed. J.O.E., formerly Lil Joe, died yesterday morning and has left friends, family and well-wishers in a state of mourning.
His friend of many years, Gavin Blair, member of Equiknoxx Music, said J.O.E., whose real name is Alty George Nunes, died this morning after being rushed to the hospital. He said the 25-year-old artiste had a brain aneurysm, which is a cerebrovascular disorder in which weakness in the wall of a cerebral artery or vein causes a localised dilation or ballooning of the *la*hd vessel.
"I really don't know what happened. They took him to the hospital this morning (Monday) and he didn't make it. It's really sad, I don't know what else to say. I've known him practically all my life. We went to the same high school. He's been one of my best friends," said Blair, his voice falling at intervals.
He is puzzled by the death, as J.O.E. performed at a show in Bull Bay the night before he died.
"He did a show last night (Sunday) in Bull Bay and he was in top form. He was perfect. He was fine so I don't understand how this," Blair told THE STAR.
He also explained that J.O.E. was doing well after being admitted in the University Hospital of the West Indies last year for three weeks because a *la*hd vessel burst in his brain. His survival was described as a miracle, as persons with that condition would normally die or go into a vegetative state.
J.O.E. is the son of former NDTC dancer and choreographer Patricia Ricketts and brother of Digicel's sponsorships and events manager Tahnida Nunes. He had songs like Hey Yo, Crazy and Struggles. In 2005, he placed third in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's Popular Song competition.
The news of his death has also hit hard for his other close friends like Tifa. The usually bubbly entertainer was at a total loss for words and even apologised for not being able to say much.
"Mi still inna disbelief. Mi nuh have nutten fi seh 'cause mi still nuh believe, sorry," Tifa said in a sombre tone.
Ward 21's Suku was also surprised by the news of a friend he has known for about five years.
"Mi deh out pon di road but from mi hear the news mi just come in. It kinda mash up mi day. Mi feel a way bout it. Mi know seh him did sick some time ago but him did look healthy," he said.
As news of his death spread, people expressed their grief on social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter.
"R.I.P Lil Joe. Bredda fi life, condolences to da family, enoxx stay strong," Aidonia tweeted.
There were also tweets from other members of the entertainment fraternity like Wada *la*hd, Johnny Wonder, T'Nez, Crumbs from Liv Up Records, Bridgez, Wayne Marshall, Ishawna, Delly Ranx, Stampede, ZJ Wah Wa and Quizz.
During the lead-up week to the Super Bowl, North Texas experienced widely-ranging, record-setting numbers: Outside, exceptionally frigid temperatures literally froze over the greater Dallas/Fort Worth area. At the same time, inside country and western night club Billy Bobs Texas, an unveiling of the Largest belt buckle in existence - 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m ) tall, 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) wide - as inspected and certified by Guinness World Records® Adjudicator Danny Girton Jr., celebrated ESPN and commissioned Texan sculptor Kelly Grahams world-class achievement!
According to event organizers, the façade of the aluminum buckle paid homage to the state of Texas, the city of Fort Worth where it will permanently reside at Billy Bobs Texas stockyard-area venue - ESPN* and other Super Bowl events around the area.
Home to a new Guinness World Records® feat, perhaps Fort Worth may next create a large belt to complement their buckle!
*For the past 7 years, over Super Bowl Weekend in the United States, ESPN The Magazine has produced a red carpet gala to appeal to athletes, celebrities, sports industry executives as well as advertisers who travel to the Super Bowl host city: Arlington, Texas Cowboys Stadium - located between Dallas and Fort Worth is the 2011 Super Bowl site. ESPN The Magazines 2011 red carpet gala - known as NEXT - is set to take place on a ranch in Fort Worth, TX.
Dancehall artist Mavado was recently in the UK and MTV's The Wrap Up managed to catch the Jamaican artist for a few words about his past, present and future.
The star opened up about how he is portrayed in the media and says that he doesnt care, because theyre always trying to fabricate things to make him look bad:
I don't care, because you know the media always try a lot of stuff. You've got good media, and you've got bad media. I'd say probably 10% are good. The next 90% just want to try and bring down an artist, or try to scandalise you, or because a man wants to make his thing hot as a media.
A woman who is accused of dragging a teenager from a wheelchair and beating her in Spanish Town is now trying to prove her innocence in court.
The woman appeared in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday, after it was alleged that the child, who has spinal damage, was assaulted while she sat along the roadway.
Charged with assault occasioning bodily harm is Marlene Sterling from Spanish Town, St Catherine.
Allegations before the court are that on the afternoon of December 7, the 13-year-old complainant was seated in her wheelchair along Burke Road, when the incident happened.
The accused woman, the court heard, saw the child and became verbally abusive towards her. The matter is said to have developed further as the child was attacked, dragged to the ground and beaten.
Following the alleged incident, a report was made to the Spanish Town police and the child taken to seek medical attention.
The police later charged Sterling. She is now set to reappear in court on February 28.
The Brooklyn guys sold the Long Island guys $16,000 worth of crushed up sheetrock which they claimed was cocaine.
The Long Island guys purchased the crushed up sheetrock with counterfeit money. So who wins? Neither team. Both are going to jail. The Long Island guys got caught while trying to move the drugs back to their headquarters but were stopped by police. They confessed to possessing cocaine, only to find out it was sheetrock. In total 23 men ended up falling to the legal system when it all came crashing down. The district attorney Thomas Spota says one of the men is in ESPECIALLY deep trouble for the following reasons -
"During a raid of Mr. Butler's Patchogue home last month, police found a counterfeit bill printer in a living room closet and a check list items needed to impersonate a police officer, including handcuffs and a Chevy Impala car. Clothing was crossed off the list, most likely because police vests and hats were found in the home, Mr. Spota explained."
Members of the St Catherine North Street Crime Unit and the Municipal police swooped down and confiscated 30 handcarts from areas surrounding the Princess Market in Spanish Town on Saturday.
The operation, which started about 9 a.m., saw handcart operators trying to drive away from the authorities. In the end, the police took a number of persons into custody.
The police said the operation was aimed at ridding the streets of illegal vending in Spanish Town.
born fi lose
It was a very busy day for the handcart operators, most of whom were selling goods that should be peddled in the market.
"Bwoy we born fi lose. Look at all of the things we buy fi ketch di weekend sale. Now everyting gone wid now, one handcart vendor said.
Some handcart vendors in order to avoid the police dragnet made quick diversions while others were ordered to push the carts, mostly laden with vegetable, fruits and ground provisions, into the nearby market.
Many told THE STAR they have no choice and will eventually have to start using the market. Others, however, question why they can't sell anywhere as long as they pay their dues. "Why di parish council collecting money from wi if dem ago ha**** wi every chance dem get," a vendor remarked.
"The market can hold all the vendors. Moreover,it is not fair for others to be inside while persons with carts sell all five times the amount of goods," a St Catherine Parish Council representative said.
When THE STAR checked with the Spanish Town police, it was revealed that the operation will be ongoing.
The police told THE STAR that 18 persons were arrested and charged with breaches of the Main Road Act for exposing goods for sale.
The police said the aim is to free up pedestrian and vehicular traffic along Cumberland Road, Manchester, Young and French streets, which are located close to the market.
BOULDER, Colorado - The potential for a newly discovered asteroid smacking into the Earth in 2036 cannot be discounted. NASA has sketched out a response strategy in the outside possibility that the space rock becomes a true threat.
NASA's action plan was the result of prodding by a group of astronauts, scientists and other technical specialists uneasy about the current lack of action to protect the Earth from the impact of near Earth objects (NEOs).
The object was found last year through the efforts of NASA's Spaceguard Survey. In 1998 NASA formally initiated the Spaceguard Survey by adopting the objective of finding 90 percent of the near Earth asteroids larger than 3,280 feet (one kilometer) diameter within the next decade - before the end of 2008.
Asteroid 99942 Apophis - first labeled as 2004 MN4 -- is estimated to be roughly 1,000 feet (320 meters) in diameter. Were it to strike Earth, it would not set off global havoc but would generate significant local or regional damage, experts say.Worrisome to asteroid watchers is the exceptionally close flyby of Earth by Apophis on April 13, 2029. So close in fact, the space rock will be naked-eye visible as it darts by. And what can't be ruled out at this time is that Apophis may pass through a gravitational "keyhole" - a spot that alters the asteroid's trajectory as it zips by our planet and might put it on the bee-line lane for banging into Earth seven years later.
Two BVIslanders have been charged in Antigua for the seizure of almost $24 million worth of cocaine in a drug operation over the weekend, according to a release issued on Monday by the Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy (ONDCP) and the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force Coast Guard.
The two BVIslanders are Lloyd Frett, 38, and Luke Joseph, 61. They are expected to appear in the St Johns Magistrates Court on Tuesday to answer to possession of cocaine, possession with intent to transfer, drug trafficking, and being concerned with the supply of cocaine.
The drug weighs 169.65 kilos and has a street value of around $23,975,000, police said.
The cocaine, which was packaged in five parts, was tightly sealed with duct tape and further placed in flour bags.
It was found aboard a 35ft single mast sailing vessel which was on its way to a neighbouring island when it was stopped and searched on Saturday off the southwestern end of Antigua, police said.
It is expected that more arrests may be made as the investigation continues.
The ONDCP said it continues with its efforts in collaboration and cooperation with other relevant agencies to make the streets of Antigua and Barbuda safer for its citizens, residents and visitors.
Seems like the act of shaving has gone hi-tech in the form of a shaving helmet.
This baffling demonstration has begun making the rounds, and if you watch it you'll probably be as dumbfounded as we are. Somehow, this helmet uses four razors and a shaving cream irrigation system of sorts to shave a head bald in just 20 seconds -- without nightmarish results.
As the thoroughly bald man explains and later demonstrates on a slightly less bald man, this seemingly lethal device is actually pretty efficient. We don't know if the invention will take off.
A Western New York man was convicted of beheading his wife after the jury deliberated for only an hour on Monday.
Muzzammil Hassan used hunting knives to kill his wife of nine years, Aasiya Hassan in February of 2009, six days after she filed for divorce.
The verdict came after a trial that featured Hassan defending himself and often going into long diatribes in his own defense.
While he never denied beheading his wife, Hassan claimed throughout the trial that he in fact was a battered spouse and had feared for his own life. In the middle of the two-week trial, he took the witness stand for four days, sputtering bizarre testimony about his marriage, according to the Buffalo News.
"All these people are hearing stories," he told the jury in closing arguments, the newspaper said. "They want you to believe stories are evidence. They have no witnesses."
Hassan told the unconvinced jurors that the prosecution based their case on lies spread by his wife during the last two years of their marriage. After an hour of his closing statement, the newspaper reported that jurors began looking restless.
The prosecution slammed his case saying that as soon as Hassan realized his wife was leaving him, he chose to kill her.
"Self defense? Not a chance, not even close," the prosectuor said. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is intentional murder beyond a reasonable doubt quite frankly, beyond any doubt."
Kim Kardashian got royally booted off stage at a Prince's Madison Square Garden concert.
The Purple One ushered the "Kourtney & Kim Take New York" star onstage Monday night -- despite joking that she "might be too sexy" but was unimpressed when she started "shaking."
"I was so nervous I froze when Prince touched me!!!!" she tweeted after simply standing onstage, shaking her head and clapping as Prince cut a rug around her.
After a brief period of time, the "Raspberry Beret" singer appeared to have had enough of her antics.
"Get off the stage!" he scolded, grabbing the 30-year-old star's wrist and pointing her to the stairs, and she threw up her arms in rejection and left.
Her boyfriend, Kris Humphries, who was also at the show Monday night, didnt appear to mind her nerves. He gushed about his "gorgeous" girlfriend getting "shy on stage."
"Kimmy got nervous," the New Jersey Nets player tweeted. "So cute though."
Luckily, Kardashian, who earlier on in the evening had taken to Twitter to state she was going to "party like it's 1999," had a chance to make up for her lackluster stage presence.
"Went up on stage AGAIN! This time I redeemed myself!" she tweeted. "We all danced while Prince played the piano! Wow! What a night!"
On Tuesday morning, the E! star scolded critics, including Prince, for denigrating her stage presence.
"Come on people!" she tweeted. "Doesn't anyone have a sense of humor?! Prince must not have seen Dancing With The Stars! LOL"
Prince was playing MSG on the latest stop of his Welcome 2 America tour.
New York:
New York clubdj and Irie Jam radio host/programme director, Dubb Master Chris, is standing by his decision not to play any songs by dancehall artiste Vybz Kartel during Black History Month.
The radio discjock had announced last week that he will not play any music from the artiste who has raised eyebrows for bleaching his skin.
Black History Month is a big deal and we as a people should take every opportunity to celebrate our heritage. I feel if I continue to play Vybz Kartel, an artiste who is now very much known for bleaching his skin, it simply sends the wrong message to my young impressionable listeners" Chris said in an exclusive interview with the Star.
"Please understand that I have a lot of love and respect for Kartel's music. I respect his enormous talent and his individuality.He is one of the great lyricists of our time, however, at times I am disappointed in the direction he decides to take his audienceeven thoughthat is his prerogative" he noted.
Chris, who reiterated that he has been playing Vybz Kartel music on his radio show since the artiste first broke on the scene in the late 90s with Gal Clown, said he is against bleaching.
"I strongly believe bleaching is wrong, wrong, wrong! It's a disgrace. It's a slap in the face of our heritage, our ancestors andour God. This definitely sends the wrong message to children, I think it leads them to believe that somehow, if they are dark complexion something is wrong with that.It erodes the concept thatblack is beautiful," he said.
Dubb Master Chris
Chris, whose career on radio spans 16 years, said he made the decision to ban Kartel songs because of the power and influence the dj wheels, especially on the minds of young impressionable kids who love his music.
"Without a doubt kids are following his lead. Entertainers need to understand that the words they use are powerful. They influence their listeners, especially the younger ones. Artistes have the power to start trends good or bad ... remember that," he noted.
He called on other radio jocks who programme reggae songs to "take a good look at the values they are reinforcing by playing an artiste such as Kartel especially in these times." He noted that the temporary ban on Kartel music specifically applies to radio play. The ban he said was a personal decision but said that he had the full support of the Irie Jam Radio management and other jocks at the station.
Vybz Kartel, the award winning DJ who is known for songs like Romping Shop, Clarkes, Gun Like Mine, and Who Tell You Fi Run has said in several interviews that he doesn't mind being controversial and he bleaches to show up his many tattoos.
He is also comfortable with black people bleaching and it is tantamount to white people tanning.
Alluding to participants at a recent regional conference convened in Barbados to explore the Caribbeans challenges and policy options, the Washington-based financial institution said the global crisis has had a big impact on economies in the Caribbean because of their strong links to the United States and Europe, adding that their recovery has been sluggish so far.
While governments responded appropriately to the drop in tourism, trade, remittances and capital flows, they now face economic and social challenges that call for fresh ideas and a renewed policy resolve if the region is to reach a brighter, more sustainable growth path, the IMF said.
The conference entitled "Caribbean Policy Challenges after the Global Crisis" and organised by the University of the West Indies (UWI), the Central Bank of Barbados, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) brought together experts from across the Caribbean, Canada, the Seychelles, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
This conference presented a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas and approaches to common challenges, to search for new solutions, and to develop a shared vision, said Dr. DeLisle Worrell, Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados.
The IMF said one of the most difficult issues facing the region is the high level of public debt, and its implications for fiscal sustainability and growth, noting that five of the worlds 13 most indebted nations (as a share of Gross Domestic Product GDP) are now in the Caribbean.
The IMF said debt has accumulated because of successive years of fiscal deficits and, since the mid 1990s, borrowing by public enterprises and off-balance sheet spending, including financial sector bailouts.
With mounting interest bills, the global financial crisis caused serious problems for debt management, it said, pointing out that fiscal consolidation is critical to ensuring macroeconomic stability, and also to crowd in the private sector.
Conference participants acknowledged that lowering debt would lead to higher growth over time, a finding that is based on considerable research, the IMF said.
They accepted also that fiscal adjustment was inevitable since, like households, countries must - over time - live within their means, it added.
The IMF said the conference looked at the case studies of the Dominican Republic and the Seychelles, where the impact of the crisis was severe, but where governments had responded proactively, relaxing considerably monetary policy in the Dominican Republic, and pushing through fiscal adjustment and debt restructuring, as well as exchange rate adjustment in the Seychelles.
These efforts, supported by the IMFs assistance, had helped restore stability, improve confidence, and spur the recovery, the IMF said.
Participants also discussed innovative ideas about how to manage debt, including the recent experience of the debt exchange by Jamaica and debt restructuring by Antigua and Barbuda.
Some of the important factors behind these successful outcomes included realistic burden sharing, social consensus and a strong communications strategy, the IMF said.
1. Volkswagen, "The Force"
Volkswagen's commercial for its Passat sedan leaked during the week and proved very popular during the broadcast itself. Combining an iconic film character with the cute concept of a child trying to use "The Force"--and displaying some remarkable physical acting skills--the spot was a winner through and through. In-depth discussions of the commercial led to some thinking the character in the costume might even be a girl, which was seen by many as an even neater twist. This one is a classic and will be remembered for some time.
2. Chrysler, "This Is Motor
Chrysler surprisingly scored the longest ad of the night with their two-minute spot about Detroit that featured the rapper Eminem which extols how Detroit, downtrodden as it has become, is still capable of making a comeback, as embodied by the new designs Chrysler is producing.
3. Doritos, "Powder"
Doritos scored one of the more clever ads of the night with this one which hypothesizes that sprinkling Doritos can resurrect a dead fish, plant, and even a loved one.
4. Bridgestone, "Reply All"
Bridgestone humorously took one of the biggest faux pas an office-dweller can make--accidentally sending a presumably embar****ing-or-worse reply-all email--and turned it into a joke, showing the lengths that one man will go to make sure his email isn't read by the wrong sets of eyes.
5. NFL, "Sitcoms"
The NFL's own spot very smartly used two things that people love for one of their own commercials: the NFL and iconic TV characters. It makes for a tremendous commercial. While some of the combinations didn't work--Alf, who left the airwaves in 1990, wearing a Carolina Panthers shirt, a the team that debuted in 1995, chief among them--seeing all those characters as excited about the big game as the fans at home was a real treat.
The Bad
Here are some of the commercials that for some reason or another just did not sit well with the fans at home.
1. Pepsi Max, "First Date"
Pepsi Max's commercials were very bizarre last night. Their first spot featured a couple where the man was constantly trying to sneak snacks before finally getting caught by his partner drinking a Pepsi Max. The commercial ended with the woman throwing a can of the soda at another woman and the two running away before the police arrived.
Their second ad was somehow worse, combining tired cliches and dating stereotypes for a rather crude ad.
2. Groupon, "Tibet"
Groupon, the site where people can find deals for just about anything in their town, had a series of commercials that poked fun at the idea of celebrity activism. This ad reappropriated Tibet's history of persecution for a joke about saving money on a Himalayan restaurant. While the ad is certainly in bad taste, the Groupon site does have information about charities connected to each of the subjects their commercials made light of during the broadcast.
3. Bud Light, "Product Placement"
Bud Light's ad poked fun at product placement in such that they filled this commercial with a lot of its product, circuitously becoming the very thing it was poking fun at. Yet, with commercials that skewered home makeover shows and having a dog bartender, as well as their commercials that were on all season in which bartenders made fun of people who did not drink Bud Light, it might have been the best ad from the beer brand in a while.
4. Chevrolet, "Misunderstanding"
This ad for the new Chevy Cruze lamely tackles one of the most tired tropes in all of entertainment: the fact that elderly people might be hard of hearing and therefore misinterpret what is being said to humorous degree. This was not one of those instances.
5. Doritos, "Finger Licking"
Doritos' commercial where a young man licks the fingers of someone that has just eaten Doritos--and calls that the "best part"--and then smells the pants of someone who has wiped Doritos crumbs off on said pants was probably the weirdest ad of the night. What the firm that produced that ad was thinking will probably never be known, but it's unlikely they score another big stage ad with the company, and you have to hope the actor in the commercial has a good agent.
Did we get it right or wrong? What spot was your favorite? Let us know in the comments section.
Several areas in the crime hotbed of Spanish town, St Catherine, were placed under curfew by the security forces yesterday.
At least three different areas including Dela Vega City, Railway Premises/Dallas Lane and March Pen, were placed on curfew. Police said the curfew, which began about 6 p.m. will remain in effect until 6 p.m. tomorrow.
The boundaries of the curfew in Dela Vega City will be north along an imaginary line at Dela Vega City playing field from Port Henderson Road to Salt Pond Road. South along the Spanish Town Bypass from Port Henderson Road to Salt Pond Road. East along Port Henderson Road from Dela Vega City playing field to the Spanish Town Bypass and west along Salt Pond Road from the Spanish Town Bypass to Dela Vega City playing field.
In the Railway Premises/Dallas Lane, the boundaries are north along Burke Road from the intersection of Salt Pond Road to the intersection of lower Oxford Road. South along the Spanish Town Bypass from the intersection of Salt Pond Road to the intersection of Oxford Road. East along Salt Pond Road from the intersection of Burke Road to the intersection of the Spanish Town Bypass and west along Oxford Road from the intersection of Burke Road to the intersection of the Spanish Town Bypass.
Meanwhile for March Pen, the boundaries will be north along the Spanish Town Bypass between Dunbeholden Road and March Pen Road. South along an imaginary line between Dunbeholden Road and number 76 March Pen Road. East along Dunbeholden Road between Spanish Town Bypass and the overhead bridge and west along March Pen Road between the Spanish Town Bypass and the southern boundary.
The police said during the hours of the curfew, all persons within the boundaries are required to remain within their premises unless otherwise authorised in writing by the member of the security forces who is in charge of enforcing the curfew.
LAHORE, Pakistan The wife of a Pakistani man shot and killed by a U.S. official committed suicide by eating rat poison Sunday, explaining before she died that she was driven to act by fears the American would be freed without trial, a doctor said.
The U.S. has demanded Pakistani authorities release the American, saying he shot and killed two armed men in self-defense when they attempted to rob him as he drove his car in the eastern city of Lahore. He was arrested on Jan. 27, and the U.S. has said he has diplomatic immunity and is being illegally detained.
Luther Campbell aka Uncle Luke, the man that brought us songs like "Put Her In The Buck", "Me So Horney" and "The F*ck Shop" has announced he is going to run for Mayor of Miami-Dade County, Florida.
In an Interview with the Miami New Times, Campbell detailed why he wants to run.
I've thought about running for public office before, but someone would always end up talking me out of it, saying, "We have this good person here, he will do good for the community," so I always backed out. But I'd end up frustrated because they didn't do anything. I'd give them ideas and they would just tell me what they wanted to hear..
I get in my car, ride around Liberty City, and everything looks the same as when I was in the neighborhood growing up. I see the same crimes in the same areas. Officers and residents are still getting killed in the community I grew up in. I go to a city like Atlanta that has sensible affordable housing, and no one is being murdered. I go to Miami International Airport and see the same construction that has been going on for like a hundred years. All of that frustrates the hell out of me. Why aren't we getting it right in Miami-Dade? Why is our government only serving one set of people? That's what is pushing me to run
Even though all my stripper friends are gonna be mad at me, I think we can stimulate the economy with a tax on strippers. They make all this money and don't pay taxes. I'd take that cash and put it into a fund where it supports youth athletics for girls like cheerleading or softball. Or it can go to help pay for existing little girls programs that are struggling to get government assistance
.
Hmmm, would you vote for Uncle Luke?
Russian (left) and Vybz Kartel show off their awards. Winston Sill
Deejay Vybz Kartel brought the Youth View Awards patrons to their feet as he delivered a surprise performance that was the highlight of the night for his young fans.
Held once again at the National Indoor Sports Centre, the artistes and primarily young fans came out to an event that delivered entertaining performances and interesting fashion.
Despite the appearance of countless artistes, it was the appearance of Vybz Kartel halfway through the show that caught the attention of persons in the grand stand that immediately started to scream in delight. The deejay would later have the grand stand audience and members of the VIP on their feet as Trever Off Key did his Fake Jeans Admit It which led into Kartel and Russian entering the stage for Straight Jeans and Fitted. Kartel then moved to Cakesoap before inviting Sheba onstage for Wha Mek Yuh Do Me Dat and teased with Like Christmas.
smoothly run event
Prior to Kartel's entrance, the entertainment was diverse with numerous dance performances from the likes of 'On the Verge' winners, Infamous Dancers, among others.
Hosts ZJ Bambino and 106 & Park's Rocsi did a good job throughout the night, ensuring for a smoothly run event.
Denyque kicked off the night followed by singer Raine Seville, who returned to the stage for the first time since giving birth. The singer did a tribute to Bob Marley, whose birthday was hours away, singing I Wanna Be Loved.
Khago took to the stage with an energetic rendition of Nah Sell Out, White Tees and Addidas as well as performing his tribute to Coppercat, whose funeral he was just coming from.
Munga went through a number of his hits with Buss It Like An Earthquake, Clean and Fresh among others, while Ce'Cile brought something different to her act, as her performance started with a very young female dancer who danced alongside the singjay for Whoot Whoot, Cyaan Done before exiting for two male dancers to take the stage for Coffee.
Richie Loop and a slew of dancers followed for My Cupp, and D-Major joined for Party Like It's Your Birthday.
Ikaya brought a touch of consciousness to the stage for Hard Way while Bambino brought humour with his Trever Off Key personality.
Tifa closed the night with a medley of Move Yuh Body, Cyaan Stop Shine, Certified Divas with Tami Chynn, among others. The young diva showcased her performing skills as she danced and even did a little gymnastics as she was thrown into the air, closing the show with a bang.
Ding Dong (centre) and his Ravers Clavers at the Youth View Awards Show and Presentation held at the National Indoor Sports Centre on Saturday night.
Winners:
Favourite Music Video: 'Straight Jeans and Fitted' - Vybz Kartel and Russian
Sound of the Year: Coppershot
Favourite Dance Group: Card Unit
Chart Topping Song of the Year: 'Clarks' - Vybz Kartel, Popcaan and Gaza Slim
Favourite Selector: ZJ Liquid
Favourite Local Artiste of the Year (female): Tifa
Favourite Local Artiste of the Year (male): Vybz Kartel
Favourite Group/Duo: Voicemail
Favourite Producer of the Year: Stephen 'Di Genius' McGregor
Favourite Male Dancer of the Year:
Ding Dong
Favourite Gospel Artiste: DJ Nicholas
Favourite Media Personality: ZJ Bambino
Favourite New Artiste: Khago
Fashion Icon (Female): Tifa
Fashion Icon (Male): Beenie Man
Favourite Song Collaboration: 'Straight Jeans and Fitted' - Vybz Kartel and Russian
Celebrity Role Model: Yendi Phillipps
Best Entertainment Show: Intense
Favourite Dancehall Female: Tifa
Favourite Dancehall Male: Vybz Kartel
Young, Hot and Hype (Male): Ding Dong
Young Hot and Hype (Female): Tifa
Video Director of the Year: Jay Will
Left: Tifa, one of the big winners at the Youth View Awards, performing a medley of songs. Right: Ce'Cile performing at the Youth View Awards. - Winston Sill photos
Khago delivered an energetic set at the Youth View Awards Show.
DELANO, Calif. A California man attending a ****fight has died after being stabbed in the leg by a bird that had a knife attached to its own limb.
The Kern County coroner says 35-year-old Jose Luis Ochoa was declared dead at a hospital about two hours after he suffered the injury in neighboring Tulare County on Jan. 30.
An autopsy concluded Ochoa died of an accidental "sharp force injury" to his right calf.
The first 'Addi's' merchandise from deejay Vybz Kartel is currently on the market.
Last month, the deejay announced that he would be releasing his own brand of shoes under the label 'Addi's' which also include dog tags, T-shirts and belt buckles.
Speaking with THE STAR recently, Kartel explained, "All the products are called 'Addi's'. What I have now for full-scale sale is Gaza tags, and belt buckles. Within the next three, four weeks, shirts will be here. Both male and female."
According to Kartel, the Gaza tags and belt buckles are currently available at Tashamay's Fashion, Shimmer and Fashion Addiction. The designs for the items is the brainchild of the deejay.
With the release of the Addi's merchandise, Kartel says he will also be hosting a raffle in which persons who purchase the brand will be able to win a cash prize. He said, "I will also be giving away money via a contest. The prizes will be up to a $1 million. It's pretty much like a raffle. You have a one in 10,000 chance of winning because for every 10,000 units sold, I'll give a away up to a $1 million."
He added, "They enter the raffle by way of a proof of purchase receipt. You write your name, address, email etc and drop it in a box. The raffle will be done on radio."
According to the deejay, since the items are just on the market he hasn't been able to see what the response to them have been like but says that currently he is targeting a predominately teen market.
This is the latest of the deejay's business ventures having previously released his Daggerin' condoms and Vybz Rum as well as Street Vybz Rum.
He is also suppose to release his own brand of cake soap called 'Vybz cake soap'.
Musically, Kartel has new releases such as Colouring Book, Dancehall Hero Part 2, Life Goes On and he says he will be off to Trinidad soon.
The timing might not be perfect but last year's Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall winner, Bumpa, is now pregnant.
The artiste, whose real name is Kemelee Swaby, explained that she was not pregnant during the competition and is due to have her son in March.
"I feel good. I got married in December while I was pregnant. It (pregnancy) was kind of a setback but I won't be pregnant forever, so after the baby I can do some catching up," said Bumpa, who is now married to Patrick Evans, a private in the army.
"It feels good to be married. It was supposed to be before the competition but it got put off. After the competition we decided to go along with it and then I found out that I was pregnant."
an impact
But this pregnancy is certainly different from the first with her five-year-old daughter.
"In my first pregnancy I was sick a lot but with this one I don't get sick as often. However, I was admitted two weeks ago 'cause my glucose level was high. Every pregnancy is different," she said.
While being pregnant is a blessing, Bumpa said she is aware that it will have an impact on her newly developing career.
"I wouldn't plan this now. It's going to have a negative impact but hopefully the people won't forget about me later this year. I am currently writing stuff," said Bumpa, who released the song Pay Day and its video shortly after winning the competition last year.
"I know it won't be easy 'cause having a child is very demanding. But I have the support of my family and husband. It's just going out there to get a good producer to work with you. I will have to get new links 'cause I lost my phone but that shouldn't be hard," she said.
Congrats X-Tina!
For nearly a year the Houston Mayor's Office, District Attorney and Police Chief have tried to prevent this tape from becoming public.
Their reason? In their opinion, the March 2010 tape is too graphic and disturbing for the public to see. In other words, there's some f*cked up sh*t they don't want to get sued for on it.
However, through the efforts of Houston activist Quanell X the video was obtained and given to ABC 13.
What the video shows is then 15-year old burglary suspect Chad Holley running from police along a metal fence when he is cut off/hit by a police car in pursuit. Holley falls to the ground, rolling onto his stomach, where he immediately places his hands above his head in the "surrender" pose.
As police move in he puts his hands on the back of his head.
At least 6 officers then swarm him and start kicking him, one kicks him repeatedly in the face and head. Officers are also seen punching Holley to the body and stomping on his legs.
The beating lasts for about 2 minutes before he is picked up and taken to a patrol car.
Right after the attack, "We began to mobilize and organize the community for justice for Mr. Holley and for the community who wanted to view the tape," Quanell X told ABC News. "From day one, I was always subtly threatened by police officers, and the mayor of Houston who made a statement at the very beginning of the case that if anyone possessed a copy of the tape it would be considered theft and would be prosecuted."
Holley was convicted of burglary in October 2010 and is now on two years probation.
Now that this footage is out he will probably be heading back to court to sue the Houston Police Department.
Archival materials belonging to Jamaica's late Ambassador of Culture The Honourable Louise Bennett-Coverley (Miss Lou), will be turned over to McMaster University, located in Hamilton, Canada.
The presentation will take place next Sunday, during an event dubbed, 'Walk Good: A Celebration of the Life and Legacy of Miss Lou', which will be held at the McMaster University's DeGroote SchoolofBusiness, Ron Joyce Centre.
Judge Pamela Appelt, who served as co-executor of Miss Lou's estate, said the gift to the university will consist of all of Miss Lou's papers, photos and works in her possession when she died in July 2006, in Canada, where she resided for many years.
"We are talking about some 80 boxes of materials," said Appelt during a recent interview with JIS News.
"The university will digitise all the material that they will receive and it will be available for anybody around the world to see and learn more about Miss Lou," she added.
Miss Lou, who has been credited with elevating the status of the Jamaican language, lived in Toronto, Canada for the last 20 years of her life. The Province of Ontario honoured her memory with the establishment of 'Miss Lou's Room' in 2007 at Harbourfront Centre, a cultural centre located in downtown Toronto.
Visitors to Miss Lou's Room can see photographs and listen to her performances and recordings.
The singers security rushed him out of New Yorks Amazura nightclub after fans thought he was going to perform but Chris Brown was only scheduled to host the event.
totalindustry.com's photographer Alonzo nearly got into it with Chris Brown's security to get these photos. He was told that he would have his camera busted up and he would be thrown out. Alonzo stood his ground to get these shots.
Ellen Degeneres opened up a whole new world for Jennifer Aniston on her show last week when she introduced her to vibrating nipple pads.
Ellen had seen an ad for the vibrating bra inserts on a foreign infomercial and couldn't resist trying it out herself.
At one point Aniston asked, "am I getting milked?"
Degeneres seemed a lot more comfortable wearing the device than did Aniston. Something tells me Ellen uses these at home, lol.
Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley says the Peoples National Movement (PNM) is standing by former prime minister Patrick Mannings claim about the construction of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessars private residence in south Trinidad. Speaking in Parliament last Friday, Manning raised questions about the funding for the project and called on Persad-Bissessar to produce documents to show the property had all the required approvals. He said the property was built at a cost of $150 million. Persad-Bissessar has since denied that claim and maintained that all was above board with the project.
Asked to comment on the matter during a news conference at his Charles Street, Port-of-Spain office yesterday, Rowley declared: We stand by our Member of Parliament, assuming that he is responsible and well informed. Mr Manning does not stand alone, Mr Manning is a PNM MP and therefore, if he is taking a position in the Parliament, until it has been shown that he has been wrong, we are not taking a position on it. Rowley noted that all our MPs are expected to be responsible when they take the floor in the Parliament.
Rowley said the present situation reminded him of a similar situation years ago, when Persad-Bissessar (as an Opposition MP) supported claims of wrongdoing in the Landate project at Mason Hall, Tobago, by then Chief Whip Ganga Singh. Landate was a private housing project owned by Dr Rowleys wife, Sharon. Rowley said he hoped Persad-Bissessar now understood how he felt over unfounded claims of wrongdoing against him. I hope she understands now what it feels like to be accused unjustly, he added. Rowley said he was subjected to a series of investigations and was treated as a criminal.
Rowley said at that time House Speaker, Wade Mark (then Leader of Opposition Business in the Upper House) led a walkout of the chamber in protest of his (Rowleys) presence. Rowley later reiterated his call for citizens to deal with the institutions of State and not individuals. He said that was the only way for the nation to advance. If we run this country on personalities we are never going to build the independent democracy that we are trying to build, he added.
Woman flogged after husband blames her for losing his work
A man who has pleaded guilty to beating his wife at a police station was sentenced in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.
He is Ian Harrison from a Corporate Area address, who was sentenced to 12 months' probation with counselling.
Allegations are that on September 3, around 11:40 a.m. Harrison and his wife had an altercation and she was attacked at the Rockfort Police Station, where she was making a report about him.
It is alleged that after being counselled by a police officer, Harrison hit his wife all over her body and said, "You see how yu come out a station fi mi an mek mi boss fire me."
Following the incident, he was arrested and charged with assault occasioning bodily harm.
It is also alleged that the altercation was as a result of a money argument that Harrison had with his wife, where she was complaining that he needs to stop spending his salary on alcohol.
(CBS) A mother in Alaska has sparked outrage for allegedly punishing her son with hot sauce and cold showers. Now, she's the one facing punishment: charges of child abuse.
However the gathering had to end early as the cops came and turned off the music. This got several of the artistes/selectors who were present angry. Ricky Trooper had to be calmed down by his female companion while Fantan Mojah shouted "mek wi march tonight because dem fight the music in every way".
Mr. Vegas also made an interesting point, "when dem kill Copper Cat a one police come put up yellow tape but yet dem send four car loads of police fi end di thing".
With the Noise Abatement Act stating that no outdoor events should go over the 2:00am cut off time many were surprised when the cops came a few minutes after 1:00am to turn off the music.
Copper Cat was gunned at his gate by unknown assailants who shot him in the head for his Black Berry.
The funeral service for Copper Cat will be held on Saturday February 5, 2011 at his home town in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland.
UPDATE: Several additional websites have been seized by U.S. authorities. Read more here.
The sports streaming website ATDHE.net has had its domain seized by ICE Homeland Security Investigations.
A spokesperson from ICE confirmed that it was a legitimate seizure and that there is an ongoing investigation into the matter.
According to a description on Mahalo, ATDHE "specializes particularly in live sports, but also features general programming from networks such as ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX. The website, although popular, has come under fire as to any copyright restrictions it may be violating in operating the service."
ATDHE's website currently contains the following image:
The term "ATDHE" was trending on Twitter late on Tuesday as users tweeted their disappointment and concern over discovering the website was no longer up and running. "scary stuff when govnmnt [sic] can just take your domain," tweeted Jason Calacanis. Others suggested that the website had responded to the closure by opening up at a different domain address: ATDHE.me.
"For the record, ATDHE.net appears to have moved to ATDHE.me and is working fine," tweeted @Amgodd.
For other related news to this visit here.
THE LOVE DIRECTORIES . . . All you need this Valentine's Day
Available iTunes from 8th Feb www.reggaesoundnetwork.com & all other outlets 14th Feb.
The hot new Lovers Rock compilation album from the UKs premier reggae music label. Featuring massive revival tracks from reggae legends such as Delroy Wilson and the unforgettable 'Cool Ruler' Gregory Isaacs, The Love Directories is the essential sound for this Valentines!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0Ej3ajhUyg&feature=player_embedded
Curtis Lynch's timeless production fuses modern reggae with Lovers Rock vibrations and original dancehall sounds... resulting in a revival masterpiece that is bound to appeal to lovers across the generations and around the globe.
The Love Directories features fresh cuts from international rising stars like Chantelle Ernandez, Kevin Mark Trail, Blackout JA and solid performances from Tony Curtis and Glenn Lewis, showcasing some of the hottest talent in the industry, further attests UK heavyweight producer Curtis Lynch's reputation as a leading figure of international reggae music.
Available on iTunes from 8th February 2011 and www.ReggaeSoundNetwork.com from Valentines Day 2011, aswell as all good stores from 14th February 2011.
Necessary Mayhem presents. . . The Love Directories.
http://www.necessarymayhem.com/ for further information.
info@necessarymayhem.com / neo@necessarymayhem.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/NECESSARY-MAYHEM/64358861531
http://www.twitter.com/necessarymayhem
Liverpool have confirmed they have agreed the sale of Fernando Torres to Premier League rivals Chelsea.
It is understood Chelsea's offer is £45 million(79 million) and the striker will now hold talks with the Blues as he seeks to finalise a deal before the transfer window closes.
A statement read: "Liverpool Football Club tonight confirmed they have agreed a fee with Chelsea for the sale of Fernando Torres. The player has now been given permission to speak to the London club."
Torres joined Liverpool from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2007 and has scored 65 goals in 102 Premier League games.
Liverpool have moved to compensate for the loss of Torres by agreeing a £35 million deal for Newcastle United striker Andy Carroll.
The club are also hopeful of signing Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam, while Stephen Warnock has been linked with a return to Anfield on loan.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are working hard to sign Benfica defender David Luiz before the transfer window closes.
Roman Abramovich has thus sanctioned one of his biggest ever spending sprees on just two players, splashing out a total investment of almost £130 million to sign Fernando Torres and David Luiz on transfer deadline day.
Torres will command wages of a basic £175,000-a-week but with image rights, bonuses and the signing-on fee spread over the period of his contract, plus wage rise increments in the final years of the deal, the total outlay in wages is £36 million.
That brings the total package to over £80 million-plus for Torres, whereas Chelsea are paying £21 million for Luiz, with the deal coming up to £25m with Nemanja Matic as a makeweight.
As Luiz's Brazilian's wages will be a far more modest £100,000-a-week, including his bonuses, making his total outlay £45 million.
Together that is an astonishing spend on just two players, and marks a complete U-turn on transfer policy for Abramovich who showed no inclination to be hustled into inflated fees until the very last day of the January transfer window.
At the top end of the market it added up to one of the most bizarre January transfers of all time, with the winter window normally a notoriously poor time for top clubs to buy the right type of player, and yet Manchester City also splashed out £28 million for Edwin Dzeko, to make this one of the most remarkable January windows of all time, and probably never to be repeated.
UEFA Financial Fairplay rules kick on from the summer's transfer window and the big clubs know they will henceforth have to be far more prudent with their spending.
Astoria-based insurance broker Ibrahim Mansi tries to take care of his employees, and when one of his favorite subordinates, Silvia Olveira, celebrated her 33rd birthday in October 2009, he wanted give her the gift of unparalleled pleasure. But everything went terribly wrong as soon as Olveira opened up the present Mansi had put so much thought and effort into selecting. "When I opened it, I saw this thing," Olveira tells the Post. "I was like, what is this?" That "this" was a vibrating dildo. And unbeknownst to Mansi, this sort of gift is frowned upon in today's modern workplace.
"I didn't know what to do in that moment," says Olveira. "I went outside and took the bag and threw it in the garbage. I called him and said, 'Don't do that anymore.'" Trying to salvage the awkward situation, Mansi explained that he usually gets a cake for his employees, but he thought Olveira had earned special treatment. Olveira recalls him saying, "Come on, girl. You don't know how to enjoy your life." And when Mansi asked what became of his gift, Olveira tactlessly told him, "I threw it in the garbage." Couldn't she have at least re-gifted it?
According to the lawsuit (below), Mansi repeatedly asked Olveira to tell him about her sex life, over-shared about his, commented often about her breasts and buttocks, asked her to sit on his lap, slapped her buttocks, frequently tried to kiss her, and attempted to slide her paycheck into her pants pocket. So perhaps that "large skin colored vibrating dildo" gift wasn't so innocent after all.
Olveira's attorney Matthew Blit tells us he "hopes this lawsuit carries a message to other woman that sexual ha****ment in the workplace must not be tolerated.
A Brooklyn nun from a fringe Christian sect has confessed she lied after telling cops she was sexually attacked and left unconscious in a snowbank, sources said Monday.
After a police search for a hulking black man was launched, the 26-year-old white woman from the Apostles of Infinite Love convent in East Flatbush recanted, the sources said.
She told cops she made up the story in an attempt to cover up a consensual sex romp with a bodega worker inside the Glenwood Avenue residence.
A woman in religious garb who answered the door at the convent said the nun, identified as Mary Turcotte, suffered an "emotional break" and made everything up - even her excuse.
"Nothing happened, none of it," said the woman, who declined to give her name.
"It was all proven to be false. It wasn't her fault. She is going to move out and we are going to get her some help."
The convent appears to be linked to a Canadian-based religious order founded in the 1960s by a defrocked Catholic priest who ordained himself Pope.
Turcotte claimed she was headed there the night of Jan. 22 when a thug ambushed her, choked her until she passed out and dragged her - in her habit - eight blocks.
She said she awoke in the snow with her underwear down and her breasts exposed. She said she was treated at a hospital and sought counsel from her Mother Superior.
Police were informed of the rape last Thursday, and put out an alert asking for the public's help in finding a suspect - described as black, 40 to 50 years old, 6-feet-4 and up to 250 pounds.
Cops released a sketch, but they were skeptical someone could have dragged or carried a woman in nun's gear through the streets without drawing notice.
When a penitent Turcotte recanted, her excuse was that she needed a story to cover up a real sexual encounter: bedding a shop worker she sneaked into the convent through the back door, sources said.
Police have not charged her with any crime.
No one at the convent would discuss the order's affiliation, but the Apostles of Infinite Love sect based in Quebec has been described as a cultlike group that has successfully fended off sex abuse allegations.