23 Killed in Syria Violence
Syrian activists say violence across the country has killed at least 23 people.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said clashes Tuesday between government troops and rebel fighters in Deir Ezzor province killed 12 soldiers. One civilian also was killed in the fighting.
In the northwest, activists say a bombing in the province of Idlib killed 10 people, including nine members from the same family.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says at least two of those killed in Tuesday's mortar attack were children. The group blames Syrian forces for the attack on civilians.
The news comes a day after Syrian activists said a double bomb attack near security buildings in the northwestern town of Idlib killed at least 20 people.
The activists said the attack in Idlib targeted intelligence offices used by the Syrian army and air force. Syria's state news agency said suicide bombers triggered the blasts. The news agency gave a lower death toll of at least nine, with another 100 people wounded.
Casualties could not be independently confirmed.
A small team of unarmed U.N. soldiers began operating in Syria earlier this month to monitor a shaky truce agreement in the Syrian conflict, which has lasted more than a year.
The Syrian government and rebels accepted a U.N.-backed truce agreement that took effect on April 12. But forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have continued assaulting opposition hubs, while rebel fighters have repeatedly ambushed government security personnel. Each side accuses the other of provoking attacks.
The cease-fire agreement is part of a peace plan mediated by international envoy Kofi Annan.
The United Nations estimates that at least 9,000 people have been killed since Mr. Assad began cracking down on the uprising in March 2011.
May Day Rallies Held Around the World
Tens of thousands of workers are taking to the streets in cities around the world to mark international Labor Day with marches and calls for better workers' rights.
In Asia, thousands gathered in the capital cities of Thailand, Bangladesh and Indonesia to mark May Day with a rallies organized by trade unions. The French news agency says the rally in Jakarta was the biggest on the continent.
In Russia, president-elect Vladimir Putin joined tens of thousands in a march through Moscow. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also attended the rally as marchers held huge banners supporting their labor unions and factories.
Thousands of Greek workers are expected to protest austerity cuts as part of May Day rallies in Athens Tuesday.
In the U.S., Occupy protesters are planning demonstrations in New York to blockade a major bridge and shut down some of Wall Street's financial houses.
John Legend to Replace Lionel Richie on ABC’s ‘Duets’
John Legend is in and Lionel Richie is out of ABC’s upcoming musical competition series “Duets,” which pairs contestants with established singers.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Richie has dropped out of the program due to scheduling issues. It was announced in early March that the former Commodores front man would join Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Nettles and Robin Thicke as they search the country for undiscovered musical talent to be featured on the summer show. The mentors will ultimately choose two singers to be their partners, and in the end, one partner will receive a recording contract with Hollywood Records.
Legend said of his sudden gig, “I’m thrilled to be part of ‘Duets,’ and I’m looking forward to finding an undiscovered gem out there. This is going be a lot of fun.”
Former “Total Request Live” host Quddus will lead the series, set to debut at 8 p.m. May 24.
Legend has won nine Grammys since breaking out his 2004 debut Get Lifted. All three of his albums have made the top 5 of the Billboard 200 and topped the R&B chart. His most recent disc, 2008′s Evolver, peaked at No. 4 and went gold. He also has collaborated on songs by dozens of acts including Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and T.I.
As of late, Richie — whose country duets album Tuskegee has been No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for the past two weeks — has made appearances on NBC’s “The Voice” as a mentor and had a two-hour CBS concert special, “ACM Presents: Lionel Richie and Friends — In Concert,” that aired April 13.
Duran Duran to play Olympics gig
Duran Duran are to play a concert in London's Hyde Park to mark the start of the Olympic Games.
The gig will feature headline acts from all four nations of the UK, with Duran Duran representing England and Snow Patrol appearing for Northern Ireland.
Stereophonics will represent Wales and Paolo Nutini will play for Scotland.
The concert on 27 July will coincide with the Olympics opening ceremony, which will be broadcast on big screens in the park between performances.
"Performing to so many people on the most exciting day in sport for Great Britain will be one of the highlights of the last decade for us," said Duran Duran's Simon Le Bon.
"We have been invited to represent England for this Team GB show, and we couldn't be more proud. Seeing the torch being lit on the big screens before hitting the stage in this iconic location will be a great experience… We simply can't wait."
Snow Patrol's Jonny Quinn said: "Living in London and everything, with all the excitement, it's certainly an honour to be part of it. I think it will be very special."
Tickets for the opening ceremony celebration concert show go on sale on 4 May at 09:00BST.
At the same time, Victoria Park in Tower Hamlets, east London will broadcast the opening ceremony free to the public on two giant screens.
During the games, highlights of the Olympics will also be shown at both parks.
Another concert marking the end of the Olympics will be held in Hyde Park on 12 August, headlined by Blur.
The "Best of British" lineup also features New Order and The Specials
--BBC
Diverse range of artistes for British Virgin Islands Music Festival
This year’s BVI Music Festival includes something for every music lover: Jamaica’s legendary reggae band Third World, Grammy award winning British songstress Estelle, rhythm and blues group Forever Motown, and Soca Monarch of St Vincent and the Grenadines Delroy ‘Fireman’ Hooper are all set to take centre stage on the weekend of 25-27 May for a full-fledged beach jam on Tortola’s Cane Garden Bay.
The BVI’s wide selection of artistes will also heat the stage to display the diverse talent and sound deriving from this Caribbean nation. Acts such as Ritical, Quito and The Edge, A Type of Toad, Mullah Gwop, Ouida, B'More and Lincoln Ward are all generating buzz for this entertaining event.
“We’re aiming for Music Fest 2012 to be the rebirth of music festival. In years past we tried different options to suit a variety of tastes. This year we’ve listened to the folks, we’re back on the beach, and we’re looking forward to great performances by our local up and coming artists who will showcase Virgin Islands talent, and our international artists who will bring multiple dimensions to this dynamic fete,” said Music Fest event coordinator, Rhodni Skelton.
BVI Music Fest coincides with the United States three-day Memorial Day holiday weekend on the sands of one of the most spectacular beaches in the British Virgin Islands. In addition to the musical performances, organisers have included a dance performance, fashion show and beach activities for festival-goers to attend.
This year marks the 12th anniversary of BVI Music Fest and it continues to be recognised as the largest beach concert in the Virgin Islands, drawing attendees from the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Great Britain and the Caribbean.
Think Like a Man woos US film fans
Dating comedy Think Like a Man remains the top film at the North American box office after taking $18m (£11m) between Friday and Sunday.
Chris Brown stars in the film, based on Steve Harvey's dating advice book.
But Think Like a Man is likely to be swept aside by The Avengers when it opens in the US on Friday.
The super-hero blockbuster has already been released in 39 countries and has made $178m (£110m) in international ticket sales so far.
Second place in this weekend's US and Canadian chart was taken by Aardman animation The Pirates! Band of Misfits which, according to studio estimates, plundered $11.4m (£7m) in its opening weekend.
Released in the UK as The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists, the nautical comedy sees Hugh Grant provide the voice for an inept buccaneer.
Zac Efron's romantic drama The Lucky One fell one place to three, having made £11.3m in its second weekend on release.
With The Hunger Games at four, it was left to romantic comedy The Five-Year Engagement to round out this week's top five.
According to Paul Dergarabedian of box office tracker Hollywood.com, "going to the movies... clearly was not the number one priority this weekend".
"There's so much anticipation for The Avengers that the newcomers kind of got lost in the shuffle."
Those newcomers included Jason Statham action thriller Safe and John Cusack's The Raven, a horror mystery inspired by the work of Edgar Allan Poe.
Safe was ranked sixth in the chart with $7.7m (£4.7m), while The Raven claimed seventh place with $7.3m (£4.4m).
The Avengers was released in the UK under the name Marvel Avengers Assemble.
It features an ensemble of Marvel comic book characters including Captain America, the Incredible Hulk and Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man.
TOP FIVE FILMS IN US AND CANADA
- 1. Think Like a Man - $18m (£11m)
- 2. The Pirates! Band of Misfits - $11.4m (£7m)
- 3. The Lucky One - $11.3m
- 4. The Hunger Games - $11.25m
- 5. The Five-Year Engagement - $11.2m
Trinidad sees rise in white collar crime
White collar crime in Trinidad is on the increase.
According to 2011 figures, crimes in laundering and fraud increased from 111 in 2010 to 303 last year.
And, president of the Chamber of Commerce, Andrew Sabga is calling for all those who commit crimes in corporate Trinidad and Tobago to be called to account if apparent misappropriation of funds was evident.
According to reports, Mr. Sabga charged that many alleged abuses of corporate governance were revealed during the Enquiry into CL Financial. Those, he said, have made it clear that there is an urgent need for the adoption of good governance practices and law enforcement.
He made the call for swift justice for offenders to be called on to give an account in cases where misappropriation of funds was evident.
The president expressed concerns that the lack of accountability in Trinidad and Tobago for crimes committed in the corporate world seem to be growing as the established trend.
However, he noted that recommendations coming out of the Commissions of Enquiry were expected to be reviewed and implemented soon, resulting in anyone found guilty of wrongdoing being held accountable for their actions.
Caribbean 360 News
Grenada's tourism minister resigns
Government Member of Parliament Peter David has resigned as Grenada’s Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture.
David tendered his resignation on Monday morning during a meeting of cabinet ministers chaired by Prime Minister Tillman Thomas.
“I was pushed into having to take this decision after the prime minister refused to accept the proposal that the Minister of Information retract public comments that sought to bring the party and government into disrepute,” David said in a statement to reporters following the submission of his letter of resignation.
“Many people have seen the online video where incendiary and unbecoming comments, almost bordering on slander were leveled against me and other cabinet colleagues,” he added.
In the video, Information Minister Glen Noel – a former chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) – alleges that David and others had conspired to control the executive of the party with the aim of removing Thomas as leader of the NDC.
Other conspirators, according Noel, included Labour Minister Glynis Roberts; Social Development Minister Sylvester Quarless; former Minister of Works, Joseph Gilbert; and former senator and interim leader of the NDC, businessman Jerome Joseph.
“The record is there to show that, in spite of repeated provocations and a well-orchestrated smear campaign against my name, until now I have said nothing publicly on the issues at hand,” David told the media.
“However, within the last week the situation became untenable with the publication of the comments by the minister that was made in the presence of Prime Minister Tillman Thomas and Minister of Finance Nazim Burke. Given their presence, and their subsequent stance Monday when the issue was brought up, it is now clearer that the comments were made with their tacit approval,” he said.
David, who will remain MP for the Town of St George and general secretary of the ruling NDC party, said the current “state of affairs made my continuation as a member of the cabinet untenable.”
He is the second minister to resign from government since the NDC’s 11 – 4 general election victory in 2008.
The other MP to have resigned was Michael Church, former Environment Minister.
A third minister, Joseph Gilbert, was dismissed from cabinet in January by Thomas.
Prior to David’s resignation, plans appeared to be in the making to rid the NDC of members that Thomas has accused of trying to “undermine” him, and his supporters have labeled as troublemakers, gang members and leftists.
The prime minister, backed by a few of his cabinet colleagues and some party supporters, has been holding a series of “Solidarity Sunday Meetings.”
At a recent meeting in Parish of St Patrick, of what some are calling the “Fight the Leftist Movement” of the NDC, Thomas said that thought is being given “to ensure that we get a cohesive and unified front” for Grenada’s next general election that is due by 2013.
“It’s a matter that we’re giving some consideration,” the NDC leader and prime minister said. “We cannot reveal all our strategies. You may have ideas you could share with us, too, of how we could go about doing it.”
Thomas emphasized that, “we have to find a way of dealing with the problem we’re faced with.”
Meanwhile, a group of what is referred to as “senior and long-standing members of the NDC” has denied that anyone is challenging Thomas for leadership.
“The issue is the way he treats and labels those with viewpoints other than his,” the group said in a statement signed by Collin La Barrie, a former NDC chairman.
The statement added that “detractors who are making references to leftists, resurrecting labels associated with the turbulent period of our history, are bent on destroying the NDC.”
The group said that it is “working hard to find a solution” to the party’s problem.
“It may mean the emergence of an NDC that may have to shed some individuals who refuse to abide by the democratic principles which govern the way we carry out the business of the party. Rest assured it will be a stronger NDC that emerges from this experience,” the statement said.
Jamaican PM assures easier investment process
Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has assured members of the business community in Philadelphia that she will do everything possible to make investing in Jamaica a hassle free process.
Addressing over 200 members of the Philadelphia business community at a reception given in her honour in downtown Philadelphia on Friday night, Simpson Miller said she was determined to attract more overseas investments to Jamaica. However to do so, she would have to find ways of removing the red tape so that Jamaica could benefit from the investments that many foreign entities and members of the Diaspora would like to make in the country.
“The investments that many of you here have started in Jamaica might be incomplete because of the difficulties you have experienced in doing business in the country. As prime minister, I’m here to let you know that I will do everything in my power to ensure that your investment desires will materialize,” she said.
The prime minister pointed out that one of the ongoing objectives of the government at this time is to help to increase the level of employment in the country through the creation of jobs from foreign investments.
Thomas faces no-confidence motion
The main opposition New National Party (NNP) today said it had filed a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Tillman Thomas after one of his senior ministers resigned amid continued turbulence within the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Opposition Leader and former prime minister Dr. Keith Mitchell told a news conference that the motion would be debated at the next sitting of the Parliament due next month and that it had been filed last Friday ahead of the resignation of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture Minister Peter David on Monday.
The NNP, which controls four of the 15 seats in the House of Representatives, is seeking a special sitting of the house for the motion to be heard.
“We as a responsible opposition took the decision to file a vote of no confidence in the leadership of the country. The Speaker (George James Mc Guire) in his own right decided that in the context of the Standing Orders that we must have at least six MPs to request a special sitting” .Mitchell told reporters.
“The motion will go as is but will not be a special sitting. If we are able to get support from two more members then we can ask for a special sitting of the House,” he added.
The motion is accusing Prime Minister Thomas of encouraging internal division and strife within his Government since 2008 when the NDC won the general elections.
The motion also comes a few days after NDC chairman Stanford Simon and a group of NDC elders accused the 66-year-old Thomas of dividing his own party. (CMC)