Beyoncé and Kim Kardashian Share a Bonding Moment in Atlantic City
Believe it or not, after the rumors of Beyoncé avoiding Kim Kardashian, the two were spotted having a bonding moment in Atlantic City where the singer was performing over the weekend.
Backstage, Kim had an opportunity to chat with the diva and the two were caught embracing and dancing with one another.
“Kim thought it was such a great show,” a source told Us Weekly. “There’s always some random rumors there is tension between them and there totally isn’t! Kim had so much fun.”
Kim wasn’t the only star who attended the four-concert weekend. The Obama ladies were spotted in a private box dancing and singing to some of their favorites and Gale King sat nearby.
This was Beyoncé’s big debut since having Blue Ivy in January. On Saturday, the singer revealed to her screaming fans that she lost 60 pounds since giving birth.
“Y’all have no idea how hard I worked! They had me on that treadmill. I ate lettuce!” she told her fans. “Now tonight I’m gonna get chocolate wasted!”
Sir Elton John 'doing well' after illness
Sir Elton John is on the mend after a respiratory infection led him to cancel three concerts in Las Vegas, his civil partner David Furnish has said.
The 65-year-old star was treated in hospital in Los Angeles last Wednesday but was released the same day.
Mr Furnish told reporters in London: "He's doing incredibly well and recovering."
Sir Elton's spokesman said he would perform at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee concert as planned on Monday.
He will join stars including Sir Paul McCartney, Kylie Minogue, Sir Cliff Richard and Dame Shirley Bassey at the show at Buckingham Palace.
A statement on the singer's website said he was now at his home in England and was "very excited" about taking his place at the event.
On Wednesday, Sir Elton will attend a gala performance of Billy Elliot The Musical to mark seven years and 3,000 performances in the West End.
Sir Elton's latest European tour then begins on Friday.
His spokesman said: "It's nothing more than a chest infection - you rest and it's better. Everything that's planned is still happening."
The illness was described as a "serious respiratory infection" by his US spokesperson last week and forced the star to pull out of three performances of his current Las Vegas residency.
The remaining 11 concerts of his Million Dollar Piano residency at Caesars Palace take place in October.
Obama honours 13 with Medal of Freedom at White House
President Barack Obama has bestowed the nation's highest civilian honour on political and cultural figures in a ceremony at the White House.
Musician Bob Dylan, astronaut John Glenn, and Israeli President Shimon Peres were among the Medal of Freedom recipients.
The award is given to people from all walks of life who have made exceptional contributions to society.
It was established by former President John F Kennedy in 1963.
Dylan was born Robert Allen Zimmerman on 24 May 1941 and began his musical career in 1959, playing in Minnesota coffee houses.
He took his stage name from the poet Dylan Thomas and, not coincidentally, paid as much attention to his lyrics as his music.
Much of his best-known work dates from the 1960s, when he became an informal historian of America's troubles.
Songs such as Blowin' In The Wind and The Times They Are a-Changin' became anthems of the anti-war and civil rights movements.
His move away from traditional folk songwriting, paired with a controversial decision to "go electric", proved equally influential - his confessional, introspective lyrics were undoubtedly absorbed by The Beatles in their later work.
He continues to record and tour, expanding his horizons with a US radio show and a recently signed six-book publishing deal.
'Beloved'
Another luminary to be awarded the honour, Toni Morrison, is renowned for her portrayal of the African-American experience in novels such as Song Of Solomon, and Beloved, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1988.
Born Chloe Anthony Wofford in 1931 in Ohio, she went on to become a senior editor at publishers Random House before pursuing her writing career.
Outside of novels, she has written literary criticism and even lyrics for operas, including Honey and Rue, with music by Andre Previn.
Once asked by a student who she wrote for, Morrison replied: "I want to write for people like me, which is to say black people, curious people, demanding people...
"People who can't be faked, people who don't need to be patronised, people who have very, very high criteria."
The 13 people awarded the Medal of Freedom at Tuesday's ceremony in the East Room of the White House included:
- Madeleine Albright, secretary of state from 1997 to 2001 and the first woman to hold that post
- John Doar, assistant attorney general in charge of civil rights at the Department of Justice during the 1960s
- William Foege, physician and former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who led the campaign to eradicate smallpox
- Gordon Hirabayashi, who fought the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II and died in January
- Dolores Huerta, community activist and co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association in 1962
- Jan Karski, officer in the Polish Underground in World War II and later a professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, who died in 2000
- Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts in 1912, who died in 1927
- John Paul Stevens, associate justice of the US Supreme Court from 1975 to 2010
- Pat Summitt, basketball coach who has won more games than any other coach, and spokeswoman against Alzheimer's disease
Previous honourees include Mother Teresa, Margaret Thatcher, Stephen Hawking, Walt Disney, Doris Day, Duke Ellington and Aretha Franklin.
Dancehall film to be screened at WeBeat opening
A multiple-award-winning documentary about Jamaica’s dancehall scene is set to enthrall audiences at the opening of the annual WeBeat festival on June 2 from 7 pm at the St James Amphitheatre. The screening of Hit Me With Music is part of the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival and bpTT Community Cinergy series of film screenings, and is presented in association with the St James Community Improvement Committee.
Released in 2011 and directed by Miquel Galofré, Hit Me With Music explores various facets of dancehall culture, including feuds between rival musicians, skin bleaching, and the “daggering” phenomenon. Dancehall pioneers Yellowman and the late Bogle make appearances in the film, as well as more recent stars Elephant Man, Mavado and Vybz Kartel.
The film—which has been screened in North America and Europe—won both the jury and audience awards for best documentary at last year’s film festival. After the screening there will be a Q&A session with the director. Before the film there will be a lime, from 6 pm, when food and drinks will be on sale. Admission is free of charge and open to everyone 16 and over.
WeBeat is a festival that celebrates the rich diversity of cultures and at the same time commemorates the incorporation of St James into the city of Port-of-Spain. The festival runs until June 9, when the Steelband Parade takes place on the Western Main Road, from 7 pm. At a dinner on Friday, at the Lions Civic Centre in Woodbrook, the festival will honour Denyse Plummer, Trinidad Rio (Daniel Brown) and Keith Simpson. For a schedule of events log on to: WeBeat.org.
Police find guns, ammo in Chaguanas bars
Chaguanas police raided two bars yesterday seizing illegal weapons and narcotics. The exercise followed weeks of complaints by residents living close to the police station. According to reports, around 2.30 am yesterday officers of the Chaguanas CID, led by Supt Othaniel Williams and Inspector Wayne Lawrence, searched the two recreation clubs during which a loaded Taurus revolver with three rounds of .38 ammunition were found hidden between beer cases in one bar.
They also searched the female washroom of the second bar and found a Smith and Wesson revolver with five rounds of ammunition. That gun was found in a toilet tank. Both weapons will be taken to the Forensic Science Centre in St James where ballistic analysis would be used to determine if the firearms were used in recent shootings.
Several plastic packages containing marijuana were also found at one of the bars during the raid. Four patrons, who were also found in possession of narcotics, were also arrested. Also, in response to residents who complained about illegal parking by customers at the business places, several vehicles were wrecked while more than 60 fixed penalty traffic tickets were issued.
Two men were also arrested after officers with the assistance of sniffer dogs found a large quantity of marijuana hidden in the steering wheel of a dump truck. Those arrested are expected to appear before a Chaguanas magistrate later today.
Also involved in the exercise were woman police sergeant John, Cpl Ramsaran and officers of the Central Divisional Task Force.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated exercise yesterday at Eastern Quarry, Laventille, police issued more than 50 traffic tickets. During the exercise, officers of the Port-of-Spain Division under the supervision of ASP Ajith Persad, ordered scores of drivers to strip their illegal tints. Five motorists were arrested for possession of marijuana while five were held for outstanding warrants. The exercise was coordinated by Senior Supt Wayne Boyd.
Bahamian PM outlines 2012 - 2013 budget
Prime Minister Perry Christie Wednesday presented a US$3.3 billion budget to Parliament outlining a number of measures to further rationalize tariff and excise rates, encourage energy efficiency and provide relief to consumers.
In his first fiscal package since his Progressive Liberal party (PLP) won the general elections last month, Prime Minister Christie said the measures were aimed at dealing with the “very serious deterioration” in the government’s fiscal position.
“We must set the fiscal parameters prudently in 2012/13 in such a way as to begin the process of getting our fiscal house in order, while at the same time accommodating our short-term priority initiatives to the fullest extent possible,” Christie said.
He told lawmakers that the fundamental challenge for fiscal policy is the “very large negative imbalance that has been allowed to develop in respect of the Government’s recurrent account.
“The gap between Recurrent Expenditure and Recurrent Revenue, both expressed as a per cent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product), has quadrupled in the last five years. In 2006/07, the negative spread between the two stood at 0.8 per cent of GDP.
“This year, that imbalance has grown to 3.2 per cent of GDP. In the last five years, the ratio of Recurrent Expenditure to GDP has grown from 17.4 per cent to 21.3 per cent. However, the ratio of Recurrent
Revenue to GDP has only risen from 16.6 per cent to 18.1 per cent,” he said, adding that the former Hubert Ingraham administration “rather than only borrowing to finance productive investments in our nation’s future prosperity ...was also increasingly borrowing to pay for an increase in everyday expenditures in the form of salaries, rent and utilities that was not matched by an increase in revenues.
The government has estimated recurrent expenditure at US$1.8 billion, while recurrent revenue is put at US$1.5 billion.
CMC
Prisoners Continue with Strike Action
The male prisoners at the Pointe Blanche prison are still in lock down as they continue what they describe as a peaceful strike. Prison Director Rudsel Ricardo said in an invited comment to SMN News that some of the prisoners want to end the strike but there is another group that is threatening those that want to work. Ricardo said the last time that same group attacked the prisoners who wanted to work. "The situation at the Pointe Blanche Prison is very tense because several prisoners are afraid for their lives." Ricardo said on Tuesday afternoon some of the prisoners lit some paper and threw it in the garbage bins causing a fire. He said the fire department and police reacted very quickly and brought the fire under control. Ricardo further explained that while that was taking place, the male prisoners were making noise because they claim they were being affected by the smoke.
The Prison Director said that the female prisoners at the Pointe Blanche Prison are not part of the on-going strike. "The female prisoners are working normally and they are working very hard."
In the meantime, Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams said that the Minister of Justice Roland Duncan is on top of the crisis at the Pointe Blanche prison.
"The Minister is aware of the matter and he is handling it." In an invited comment, Minister of Justice Roland Duncan said that media has been giving the prisoners too much exposure. He said one has to understand that the prisoners are locked up for the crimes they committed and the Pointe Blanche prison is like a Hotel and Spa. Minister Duncan said he will not comment on the ongoing situation because in his opinion it's causing more trouble.
SMN
Anguilla's Chief Minister Hubert Hughes calls for a fight against growing gun crime
National Address by Chief Minister Hughes:
Fellow Anguillians, the theme for this 45th birthday of our Country which you know by now is Rejoice, Rebuild and Reconcile.
My Anguilla day speech related to our self-determination. It was so written based on the experience of Anguillian leaders before me and my experience in politics in Anguilla. There may be some who will deem that speech controversial but it is a discussion that is long overdue and the time for us to move towards full constitutional independence is now.
Independence should be the goal of each and every one of us but there is another goal that we need to pursue with even more vigour and urgency and that is; UNITY. We need to unite our people. I have seen over my years in Anguilla that there is more that unite us than divides us and it was through that unity that the revolution succeeded and it can only be through unity that we stamp out the scourge of gun violence that plague our youth and our country once and for all.
I still mourn the loss of Mr. Gustave Hodge along with his family. We are all family – the family of Anguillians. I weep for all of those parents who have lost love one’s through this senseless means. As a country, we have to reach out to those who have been injured and maimed as well. They too will need our support.
Fellow Anguillians, we are all one people! From East to West, from North to South, Anguillians are one people. Like the soca song asked a few years ago, “why can’t east go west, why can’t west go east?” there is absolutely no reason why a country of less than sixteen thousand (16,000) people should have its citizens living in fear. All that we have gained since the revolution is being threatened.
We have met with the Chief of Police on more than one occasion to discuss this issue collectively, as one people across the political divide.
Just this week, the Hon. Jerome Roberts and I met with both the Deputy Governor and His Excellency the Governor to discuss this spate of gun play on our island paradise by a handful of young men. We believe that it is time that our local police force receives some regional and or international assistance. We believe that the people of Anguilla – all of us must give our police force our fullest cooperation.
We believe that this is the time that we garner assistance by qualified crime scene investigators and bring an end to this destructive behaviour once and for all. I have privately requested for this help and I am now publicly asking His Excellency to look favourably at this request.
As you know, it is His Excellency, the Governor’s portfolio and I will not interfere in his constitutional duty for our internal security but I believe that if there is ever a time for mutual respect and cooperation, that time is now. This is bigger than any political party – Anguilla’s existence is under threat and we must fight that threat by all means necessary!
There is room to rebuild - We have to commit ourselves to rebuild the Anguilla that makes us proud – economically, socially and culturally and spiritually. We have to reduce the dilemma of increasing hostilities in our youth who are engaging in unruly conduct and crime that is having a devastating impact on lives in this Country. As Parents, Teachers, Community, Law Enforcement and Government we have to be far more vigilant in re-directing our youth into positive behaviour.
Like I have said, there is room to Reconcile – let us never forget that we are our Brother’s Keeper and we are all one family on this three mile by sixteen mile island.
Let us now unite and rid ourselves of any sort of violence and build our country to her full potential.
God bless.
Dominicans mark the end of their darkest nightmare
The Dominican people today May 30 mark their Day of Freedom, and the 51st anniversary of the execution of dictator Rafael Trujillo, the culmination of a vast conspiracy by various political and military groups, close collaborators of the tyrant among them.
Though the plotters managed to eliminate their main target, the planned political actions failed, leading to the capture and later execution of the conspirators.
To carry out the execution the group learned of Trujillo’s visits to his native town every Wednesday, and corralled him in his car in a hail of bullets on the seaside road today called 30 de Mayo highway to mark the event.
Rajon Rondo outstanding but LeBron James, Heat rally for 2-0 lead
Back and forth they went in overtime, Rajon Rondo and the Miami Heat.
Rondo scored. The Heat answered. Then again. And again.
Eventually, Rondo missed, one of the rare times he didn't deliver on an unforgettable night. Moments later, the Heat took the lead for good, finally able to close out a wild Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.
LeBron James scored 34 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Dwyane Wade scored eight of his 23 points in the extra session and the Heat rallied from 15 down to beat the Boston Celtics 115-111 on Wednesday night -- taking a 2-0 lead in the series by pulling off the biggest comeback in franchise postseason history.
"One of the best games I've played in, win or lose," Heat forward Shane Battier said. "It's easier said when you win -- but it's unbelievable."
Rondo scored all 12 of Boston's points in overtime, capping a 44-point, 10-assist, eight-rebound effort in which he played every second of a 53-minute game. The Heat expected Boston's best -- and the Celtics didn't disappoint, yet still head home for Game 3 on Friday night facing a deficit no Boston team has rallied from to win a series since 1969.
"Listen, we played terrific," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "I told them, we played extremely hard. I thought we played with great heart tonight, but I didn't think we played smart all the time. And there's things we can absolutely fix, and we'll do that. We'll be ready for Friday."
Mario Chalmers scored 22 for the Heat, who took 47 free throws -- 24 by James -- to Boston's 29.
"This group had resolve," Wade said of the Celtics. "They came out and played a great game. It was physical early. They brought the game to us. That can't happen. We used our crowd and the energy to get back into the game and we had to play better."
Paul Pierce scored 21 points, Kevin Garnett added 18 and Ray Allen 13 for Boston. Rondo finished 16 of 24 from the floor, 10 of 12 from the foul line and made both his 3-point tries.
"He showed why he's one of the best point guards in this league," Chalmers said.
Rondo shrugged off his night.
"We lost," Rondo said. "Simple as that."
Allen's 3-pointer with 34.3 seconds left tied the game at 99-all. James missed two shots, first a layup -- he got the rebound of his own miss -- and then a jumper on the final possession of regulation, and to overtime they went.
"We had to do it the tough way," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.
The Heat had come back to win from 14 points down in playoff games twice before, first in Game 6 of the 2006 NBA finals -- their title clincher -- and again last season against Philadelphia.
And this one was slipping away, more than once. James missed two free throws 21 seconds into overtime, and Miami looked in trouble, especially since Rondo was simply taking over.
When Rondo missed a layup -- he thought he was fouled, and the Celtics agreed -- with 1:33 left, Miami took advantage, with Udonis Haslem getting a dunk to put the Heat up 105-103. And after a turnover on the next Boston possession, Wade drove the lane, hit the deck and watched as his layup bounced on the rim and dropped through.
Garnett stood over Wade and glared, to no avail. Wade hit the free throw, and Miami was up 110-105 with 59.7 seconds left. By then, the no-call on Rondo had the Celtics seething.
"It was obvious," Rondo said.
Added Allen: "We all thought he got hit. I'll say it. He did, but what can you do about it?"
Miami was down by 15 in the first half and by as many as 11 in the third quarter, before a pair of 3-pointers by James started a comeback. Wade made consecutive jumpers midway through the third to shake off a slow start to his night and get the Heat within three both times, and the 2006 NBA finals MVP set up Haslem for a three-point play with 2:55 left that gave Miami its first lead since the opening minutes, 73-71.
As Haslem's shot dropped, Wade spun at midcourt and punched the air. More highlights followed.
Miami's lead got to as much as seven in the third after James blocked Pierce's shot near the rim, sending the ball high into the air and starting a sequence that was capped by a three-point play from Wade, pushing the margin to 78-71. It capped a 12-0 run for the Heat, who took an 81-75 lead into the fourth.
It was the fifth straight game where Miami outscored its opponent by double-digits in the third quarter. In each of the previous four of those outings, Miami never trailed in the final period.
That streak ended in this one.
"It's been very key for us, whether we're up, whether we're down, to win that quarter," Wade said. "But in the fourth quarter, even when we were down, we felt like we were close enough. ... We never felt like we were out of it."
They weren't out of it -- but a call that Boston argued against played a big role in the Celtics getting the lead back.
James stole the ball from Rondo early in the fourth, drove down the court and got wrapped up by Pietrus, who was assessed a clear-path foul, meaning Miami got two free throws and the ball. James missed both foul shots, Mike Miller missed a 3-pointer later in the possession, and the lead stayed at 85-81.
Barely a minute later, it was gone. Pietrus hit a 3-pointer, Rondo followed with a steal and layup and Boston led 86-85. The Celtics led by five with 3:50 left after a jumper by Pierce, and the Celtics looked to be in control.
It was temporary. The Heat scored the next nine points, Haslem's jumper with 1:08 remaining put Miami up 98-94. So of course, back came Boston -- Allen's 3-pointer tying the game a few moments after Pierce fouled out.
"Rondo was absolutely amazing," James said. "The performance he put on tonight will go down in the record books. ... It was a battle, and we never felt like we won the game or lost the game when there were zeros on the clock."