Whitney Houston's final record released
Whitney Houston's last record - a duet with American Idol winner Jordin Sparks - has been released.
The disco-inspired track - Celebrate - came out on Monday ahead of the late singer's upcoming film, Sparkle.
Sparkle, which tells the story of three sisters who become Motown stars, is a re-make of the 1976 film of the same name.
Houston plays Sparks's mother in the movie, which will be released in August in the US and October in the UK.
The film also stars singer Cee Lo Green.
Sparks paid tribute to Houston at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday, with a rendition of I Will Always Love You.
She presented a posthumous award to Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown.
Houston's last big movie was The Preacher's Wife in 1996.
She also had leading roles in Waiting to Exhale and The Bodyguard, opposite Kevin Costner.
Houston, one of the world's best known singers in the '80s and '90s, was found dead in a Los Angeles hotel room on the eve of the Grammy Awards in February.
Busy Signal goes to jail
Just days before the second anniversary of the security forces-led Tivoli Gardens incursion, law enforcement agents yesterday arrested another high-profile figure associated with that community, on an extradition warrant to the United States.
Popular dancehall artiste Busy Signal, whose real name is Glendale Gordon, was picked up at the Norman Manley International Airport immediately after he stepped off a flight from the United Kingdom.
“The extradition warrant was executed on him,” an officer told The Gleaner last night.
According to reports, he was met on arrival by members of the Fugitive Apprehension Team, United States marshals and representatives of the British High Commission. The artiste was reportedly travelling on a passport he had under the name, Reanno Gordon, in which his British visa was cancelled. He spent last night in one of the Corporate Area’s secured police lock-ups.
The Gleaner understands that the entertainer was returning from a tour in Amsterdam. His arrest came months after The Gleaner broke the story that a prominent entertainer was under the radar of the United States and was to be extradited.
According to one of the law-enforcement officers who spoke with The Gleaner yesterday, ‘Busy’ as he is affectionately called, has been on the run since 2002. Allegations are that he was implicated in a narcotics offence committed in Minnesota.
“He is to be extradited for failing to appear before the court to answer charges in relation to that offence,” argued the law-enforcement officer, who was among the team which escorted him from the airport late yesterday evening.
Busy Signal rose to stardom after releasing a string of singles in 2003 and 2004. He climbed Jamaica’s singles chart in 2005 with his aptly titled hit Step Out. He got the nickname ‘Busy Signal’ from his friends in west Kingston, where he formerly lived.
Glenroy Sinclair
Jamaica Gleaner
Artistes react to Beenie's statement
Since the release of a video with Grammy winning artiste Beenie Man's video statement to the gay community, many artistes have also voiced their opinions on the matter.
Bounty Killer, leader of the Alliance and Beenie Man's long-standing nemesis, recently took to Twitter to bash Beenie Man. Not known to hold back words, Bounty Killer unleashed a slew of tweets directed at the 'King of the Dancehall'.
In one of his cleaner tweets, Killer stated:
"Your view is your view, every one have the right to their opinion. Giving an apology simple mean you stoop to their level and have second thoughts of your opinion, so simply you never believe in your opinion from first."
Producer Skatta Burrell, however, applauded Beenie Man on his apology. Speaking with THE STAR, Skatta said that all judgement should be left to God.
"Instead of dancehall uniting, we have allowed it to progress to the point where the gay society are able to target our shows and venues and are successful in preventing us from performing and earning a living. If Beenie Man gets up and apologises then nothing is wrong. We are hypocrites, because even though we say we are a homophobic society, Jamaica is in the top 10 Caribbean countries with the most gays. We have bigger issues than condemning Beenie Man," Skatta told THE STAR.
Artiste Ce'Cile also sided with Beenie Man and his apology to the gays. In some of her tweets she said:
Low di doctor
"Everybody gonna jump on Beenie now, he's a great artiste and have nuff other things to sing about! As long as Beenie is sincere, we all good, cause mi waa see Beenie mash up more shows and I support him! Lots of you dudes don't even treat women good! Low di Doctor!"
When asked what he thought about Beenie Man's video statement, Tony Rebel said that he did not think about it. However, he went on to say that entertainers must be careful of the lyrics they put out so that it does not come back to haunt them.
"Beenie Man a him owner man. I'm not here to say if he is wrong or right. If him do things and him haffi apologise then that's his business. Tony Rebel nuh haffi apologise to dem and me straight. Him must know wha him a do why him need fi apologise. Mi nah apologise to no gay, no day, but if him feel fi apologise then that's his prerogative. Entertainers over the years were promoting gays, they claim they were bashing them but they were actually promoting them. If a man continue fi talk bout gays, why him need fi do dat? We have nuff more tings fi talk bout," Tony Rebel told THE STAR.
I never apologised - Beenie
Beenie Man also issued a release to THE JAMAICAN STAR saying he did not apologise.
"I never apologised. Jamaican people need to be more literate about life. Five years ago, we stop sing certain songs, and start focus more on dancehall to make it what it is today. I said that they (the gays) should leave us alone, don't have us up for what we said when we were young. That happened 20 years ago, nobody is the same person they were 20 years ago," Beenie was quoted as saying in the release.
The release also addressed the sound system selectors who have been lambasting his decision to do a videotaped statement.
"I told them to leave us alone, to try to understand where we are coming from, but still yu have some selectors weh go pon the mic and talk a bagga tings. So when the gays put on dance and want to spend $150,000, you selector bwoy, don't tek dem money, run dem outta the dance. Dem caan use dem little bird brain pon me, man ah lion," Beenie Man said.
He also addressed Bounty Killer's tweets about his video.
"Bounty Killer need fi tweet say ah eight people lef inna the venue outta 8,000 fi see him perform after him ah insist say him waan close the show over Amsterdam Reggae Festival, ah dat him fi tweet. After mi perform, the show done and everybody lef ... nobody never waan see him."
-THE STAR
US 'risks recession' if tax rises and spending cuts hit
The US could fall off a "fiscal cliff" if tax rises and spending cuts due to take effect at the end of 2012 are not avoided, auditors have said.
The US economy could go in to recession, shrinking at a rate of 1.3% in the first half of 2013, the Congressional Budget Office said.
Expiring Bush-era tax cuts are due to be amplified by $1.2tn (£760bn) of spending cuts due on 1 January.
Analysts say the issue could provoke a partisan stand-off in election season.
The US Treasury department has already signalled that the national debt ceiling will need to be raised early in 2013.
The last such rise triggered a political crisis in Washington as agreement eluded lawmakers and President Obama for much of the summer of 2011.
Contraction concern
The combination of rising taxes and deep cuts to domestic and defence spending are already on the minds of lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
If both are allowed to come into full effect the US deficit would be cut by some $607bn, the CBO estimated.
However, the combination of higher taxes on the middle class and the wealthy, as well as spending cuts, would severely impact the size of the US economy, the report added.
"Such a contraction in output in the first half of 2013 would probably be judged to be a recession."
However, the estimate also said the US could expect economic activity to return to 2.3% growth in the second half of 2013.
The CBO did not directly address the issue of the debt limit. But last week House Speaker John Boehner signalled that Republicans would not allow a rise in the debt ceiling without offsetting spending cuts.
Correspondents say it is unlikely that Congress and the White House will take action before the presidential election on 6 November.
World Bank: East Asia 'vulnerable' to eurozone crisis
The eurozone debt crisis could harm the growth of East Asian economies, the World Bank has warned.
The bank said that a "serious disruption" in the eurozone could hurt growth and dent demand for exports from East Asia.
It said that East Asian countries need to boost domestic demand to rebalance their economies and sustain growth.
The bank warned that a faster-than-expected slowdown in China was also a threat to the region's growth.
"A slowing China - which comprises 80% of developing East Asia's gross domestic product - is a drag on growth across much of the region given China's growing role as an export destination and source of foreign investment," the bank said in its latest report.
"In particular, a slowing in Chinese investment will primarily hurt demand for commodity and capital goods and particularly impact natural resource exporters that are heavily reliant on Chinese demand."
Slowing growth
The World Bank said that it expects growth in East Asian economies to slow in the current year.
It has forecast the region to grow by 7.6% in 2012, down from 8.2% last year, not least because of falling demand from key export markets such as the US and Europe.
"Prospects for East Asia are, as in other developing regions, weighed down by the persistent tepid recovery of the US and, most particularly, the uncertainty in Europe," the bank said.
It warned that growth in the region may slow even further if global economic conditions worsen.
"The prospects for growth in developed markets, and the potential impact that a renewed global recession would have on trade and capital flows, has heightened uncertainty about the growth prospects in Europe, Japan, and much of East Asia."
IMF tells UK to consider rate cut to boost growth
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said the UK's continuing economic weakness means authorities should consider more quantitative easing (QE) and even cutting interest rates.
Its annual look at the UK economy endorsed the government's deficit cutting plan, saying it was essential.
But it said if growth failed to pick up, the government would have to consider delaying cuts.
The body also stressed the risks to the UK of the eurozone crisis.
"Unfortunately the economic recovery in the UK has not yet taken hold and uncertainties abound," said IMF managing director Christine Lagarde.
"The stresses in the euro area affect the UK through many channels. Growth is too slow and unemployment - including youth unemployment - is too high. Policies to bolster demand before low growth becomes entrenched are needed."
UK interest rates are currently at a record low of 0.5%, a level the IMF said the Bank of England should reconsider the "efficacy" of.
It said the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), which sets interest rates and authorises other monetary boosts, such as QE - which involves pumping money into the economy to boost growth - should look at loosening the purse-strings.
These stimulus measures can lead to higher inflation, but the IMF's report comes on the same day of the latest UK inflation figures, which show a sharp drop in the annual rate to 3% last month, the lowest rate since February 2010.
The Bank of England and the IMF both expect that rate to continue to come down.
One suggestion was for the rate of VAT to be cut, something the Labour opposition have been advocating.
The IMF's technical expert on the UK economy, Ajai Chopra said: "I think the sort of measures we have in mind are, one could consider cutting the Value Added Tax. One could consider the payroll contributions because these can be credibly temporary. The emphasis here is on temporary and those are the sorts of measures we have in mind."
In its official statement on the UK economy, the IMF mission states:
"Fiscal easing measures...should focus on temporary tax cuts and greater infrastructure spending, as these may be more credibly temporary than increases in current spending."
Unemployment
The report said the weak recovery indicated that the process of unwinding pre-crisis imbalances was likely to be more protracted than previously anticipated, partly because of the difficulty of getting credit.
It said that output remained more than 4% below its pre-crisis peak, and that unemployment at 8.2%, with a large number of young people without a job, was still "much too high".
But the report said that the UK had made "substantial progress" towards achieving a more sustainable budgetary position and reducing fiscal risks.
Ms Lagarde, gave a strong endorsement to the government's actions: "The gain that resulted from the fiscal consolidation that was decided two years ago has been that result, the credibility of the UK government and its ability to borrow at extremely favourable rates.
"Sometimes you feel like you could look back and wonder 'what if?'. And when I think back myself to May 2010, when the UK deficit was at 11% and I try to imagine what the situation would be like today if no such fiscal consolidation programme had been decided... I shiver."
The Chancellor, George Osborne, welcomed the IMF's findings: "The IMF couldn't be clearer today. Britain has to deal with its debts and the government's fiscal policy is the appropriate one and an essential part of our road to recovery.
"They [the IMF] agree that, in their words 'reducing the high structural deficit remains essential' and make clear in their statement that they consider the current pace of fiscal consolidation to be appropriate."
But the shadow chancellor, Ed Balls, said: "A year ago, the IMF warned that if economic growth undershot expectations, the government should boost the economy with temporary tax cuts and greater infrastructure spending - as Labour has called for in our five-point plan for jobs and growth.
"Since then our economy has been pushed into a double-dip recession. How much worse do things have to get before David Cameron and George Osborne finally take action?"
Growth
Pointing to what it called the "global importance" of the UK's financial centre, the IMF report praised policies that had helped to build up capital "buffers" at banks, and the strengthening of regulation within the UK.
The IMF recently forecast UK growth of 2% in 2013.
The global body's revised UK forecasts now match those of the UK's independent Office for Budget Responsibility.
But both are more optimistic than most independent UK economists, who expect economic growth of about 1.6% next year.
Google completes purchase of Motorola Mobility
Google's $12.5bn (£7.9bn) purchase of US phone maker Motorola Mobility has been completed days after it received approval from the Chinese government.
Chinese authorities said Google must keep its mobile software, Android, free for other device makers for up to five years.
The acquisition is Google's biggest to date.
The internet search giant has also named a new management team for the phone handset maker.
Motorola is a leading manufacturer of smartphones and other devices.
Google's takeover of the business allows it to move into the manufacturing of phones and tablet computers for the first time.
History
Google's chief executive, Larry Page, said in a blog post that there were people using devices now who may never use a desktop machine: "The phones in our pockets have become supercomputers that are changing the way we live. It's now possible to do things we used to think were magic, or only possible on Star Trek- like get directions right from where we are standing; watch a video on YouTube; or take a picture and share the moment instantly with friends."
He added that Motorola had a long history in technological development: "Motorola is a great American tech company that has driven the mobile revolution, with a track record of over 80 years of innovation, including the creation of the first cell phone."
He said he saw the new business producing "the next generation of mobile devices that will improve lives for years to come".
The purchase gives Google access to more than 17,000 of the company's valuable patents.
The Chinese authorities cleared the deal on condition that Google keeps its mobile software, Android, free for other device makers for up to five years.
The European Commission also approved the deal, but it did not conclude there was an issue with Android, saying it was unlikely that Google would restrict the use of Android solely to Motorola, which is a minor player in the European Economic Area.
US approval has also been granted.
More than 87,000 racist incidents recorded in schools
Nearly 88,000 racist incidents were recorded in Britain's schools between 2007 and 2011, the BBC has found.
Data from 90 areas shows 87,915 cases of racist bullying, which can include name calling and physical abuse.
Birmingham recorded the highest number of incidents at 5,752, followed by Leeds with 4,690. Camarthenshire had the lowest number with just 5 cases.
A racist incident is defined as any situation perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person.
In response to the local authority figures, obtained under a Freedom of Information request, the Department for Education said racism needed to be "rooted out".
Lawrence inquiry
Following the inquiry into the murder of teenager Stephen Lawrence, the previous government said schools in England and Wales must monitor and report all incidents of racist abuse to their local authority.
However, the coalition government has changed that guidance and schools now have no duty to record and report the data.
Between 2007 and 2010 - the last year that heads had an obligation to record cases - recorded racist incidents in schools in England, Scotland and Wales rose from 22,285 to 23,971.
Many areas including Luton, Oldham, Croydon, Bedford and Middlesbrough saw an increase of 40% or more over the period 2007/08 to 2009/10.
In Cardiff, there was a 32% increase in cases of racism in schools in that time from 186 to 246.
In Aberdeenshire, cases rose by two cases in the same period from 22 to 24 and in Angus from 13 to 16.
In 2010/11, when the new reporting guidelines came into force, reported cases of racist bullying fell to 18,996.
'Tip of iceberg'
Sarah Soyei, of the anti-racism educational charity, Show Racism the Red Card (SRRC), said: "Unfortunately, the numbers of recorded racist incidents are just the tip of the iceberg.
"Racism is a very real issue in many classrooms around the country, but cases of racist bullying are notoriously underreported.
"Often teachers may not be aware of racism in their classrooms because victims are scared of reporting them out of fear of making the situation worse."
Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: "These numbers are disappointingly high - we would really hope this is not the tip of the iceberg.
"Clearly were would not want any cases of racist abuse or racism in any of our schools."
Many local education authorities say that the increase in reported incidents - up until 2010/11 when the guidance changed - is due to better recording methods.
However, anti-racism charities say that it is a growing problem in many regions.
"We are seeing a real increase in racism in some areas which is down to factors like a growth of Islamaphobia in society which is filtering into classrooms," said Ms Soyei.
"Racism towards eastern European and gypsy and traveller communities is also on the increase," she added.
Teaching unions say the key to tackling the problem in schools is through education for both teachers and students.
Charities have been delivering anti-racism lessons in schools across the country in an attempt to educate young people against racism.
'Box-ticking'
But both unions and anti-racism charities fear that the government's new reporting guidance of racism in schools is a mistake.
"It is not just a box ticking exercise, we absolutely do need recording and reporting of all racist incidents," said Christine Blower.
A spokesman for the Department for Education said: "Racism needs to be rooted out wherever it occurs, and particularly in schools, where every child has the right to learn in an environment free from prejudice."
The department defended the change in its guidance for schools.
"It is teachers and parents - not central government - that know what is happening in their schools, and they are best placed to deal with racist behaviour when it happens.
"We would expect all schools to implement their own processes to ensure they are dealing with racist incidents in the most appropriate way, rather than being bogged down with paperwork from the centre - which can sometimes mean that the most serious cases of racism are not dealt with."
Montreal crowds mark 100 days of student protest
Tens of thousands of demonstrators have filled the streets of Montreal to mark 100 days since protests began against a planned rise in student tuition fees.
People chanted "Our streets!" and carried signs and red banners. There were no reports of arrests.
An emergency bill passed by Quebec's government on Friday was aimed at curbing the protests by requiring marches to follow pre-approved routes.
Rallies since then have turned violent, with 300 arrests on Sunday alone.
Protesters say the law, Bill 78, infringes their democratic right to express themselves. They have pledged to contest it in court.
Quebec has the lowest tuition rates in Canada. The government's proposal would raise them by 80%, in increments of $254 per year (£160) for seven years.
'Massive, collective disobedience'
Most of Tuesday's protesters followed a route submitted to police in advance, in accordance with the emergency bill.
However, some protesters linked with Classe, a student group with a no-compromise reputation, chose to defy the law and break away from the crowds.
Classe also said it would continue to agitate through the summer, a time of year when Montreal hosts outdoor festivals and attracts large numbers of tourists.
"Thousands of people have come to demonstrate with us, not only against the rise in tuition rates but with the intention to signal their disapproval of the special law," Classe leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois told the Associated Press news agency.
"The gesture made by tens of thousands is one of massive and collective civil disobedience."
But Quebec's minister of public safety, Robert Dutil, countered that many cities - including Geneva, New York, Los Angeles and Toronto - have implemented comparable legislation.
"Other societies with rights and freedoms to protect have found it reasonable to impose certain constraints, first of all to protect protesters, and also to protect the public," Mr Dutil told reporters.
The bill requires activists to provide the police with eight hours' notice of when and where protests are planned to take place, or face heavy fines.
Small protests took place in New York and Paris on Tuesday in solidarity with the movement in Montreal.
In Quebec, the provincial government has not backed away from the proposed increases of tuition fees, and Premier Jean Charest has been criticised by opposition parties for his handling of the protests.
Mr Charest must call an election before 2013.
Regulators to Look Into Facebook IPO as Share Price Drops
Massachusetts' state secretary — the state's top securities regulator — has subpoenaed investment firm Morgan Stanley over allegations it may have withheld information about the future revenue of Facebook.
Shares in the world's most popular social network were sold in an initial public offering Friday at $38 each. The price of Facebook stock has since dropped to $31 a share — more than 18 percent.
The Reuters news agency reported Tuesday that analysts with Morgan Stanley — the top underwriter of Facebook stock — revised their revenue outlook downward in the days before Facebook went public. The revision was based on a stock prospectus issued by Facebook.
Reuters reports the analysts allegedly shared that information with large investors, but held it back from small investors who bought Facebook stock at $38, expecting the price to rise.
The Securities and Exchange Commission and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority have called for a review of Facebook's IPO.