Taylor Swift’s $35.7 million year tops Billboard’s Money Makers list
Taylor Swift is No. 1 again: The singer is the top act on Billboard’s just-released Top 40 Money Makers list for last year.
Swift earned more than $35.7 million, 17 percent more than the take-home pay of last year’s top-earner, Lady Gaga. U2 was second with $32 million. Artists’ rankings were based on U.S. income sources from tours, albums sales and publishing royalties.
Adele took the No. 10 spot on the list. Though she canceled most of her U.S. tour because of issues with her vocal cords, her “21” sold more than 5 million units in 2011. Country artists had a banner year, occupying 11 of the 40 slots on the list, including Zac Brown Band, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean and Brad Paisley. Among the other names that made the Top 40 list: Katy Perry, Journey, the Glee cast, Sade, Britney Spears, Bob Seger, Elton John and Motley Crue.
Billboard’s top ten and the earnings.
1. Taylor Swift — $35.7 million
2. U2 — $32.1 million
3. Kenny Chesney — $29.8 million
4. Lady Gaga — $25.3 million
5. Lil Wayne — $23.1 million
6. sade — $16.3 million
7. Bon Jovi — $15.8 million
8. Celine Dion — $14.2 million
9. Jason Aldean — $13.4 million
10. Adele — $13 million
Gannett News Service
China raises fuel prices for second time in a month
China has raised the price of petrol by about 6% and diesel about 7% for the second time in 2012, as it struggles with the rising cost of crude oil.
Global oil prices have been high because of tensions with key supplier Iran.
The move is aimed at ensuring domestic fuel supplies and to help local refiners cut heavy losses.
Analysts said this was a sign the government is less concerned about inflation.
Price worries
Rising prices have been a problem in China since the global financial crisis led authorities to introduce a stimulus package.
Consumer price inflation peaked in July last year at 6.5% before easing.
In February, the rate of inflation was 3.4% from a year earlier, which is below the government's target of 4%.
"It's a bold move by the National Development and Reform Commission... looks like inflation has fallen off quite sharply recently, so it is a good politically-timed window," said Gordon Kwan from Mirae Asset Management in Hong Kong.
High prices, especially of food and fuel, have previously led to unrest in Chinese cities.
Under China's fuel-pricing system, domestic fuel prices can be adjusted when a basket of international crude changes by more than 4% over a period of 22 days.
Refiner benefits
The hikes are higher than market expectation of an average 3% rise. They come after crude prices rose more than 10% in February.
Fuel prices were last raised in China in February by around 3% to 4%.
After the increase on Tuesday, benchmark diesel will be about $1.22 (76p) per litre and 90-octane petrol about $1.17, although prices vary by region.
Refiners had been urging the government to raise fuel prices, to help them pass on some of the higher cost of crude to consumers.
Manning goes from Colts to Broncos, with pending deal likely worth $95 million
The Denver Broncos got their Man. Make that Peyton Manning.
Pending final contract negotiations, Manning will join John Elway’s Broncos with hopes of winning another Super Bowl.
So much for Tebowmania.
Still to be decided is what happens to last season’s quarterback sensation, Tim Tebow.
The Broncos and Manning agent Tom Condon spent Monday working out parameters of a deal expected to be worth about $95 million over five years after the NFL’s only four-time MVP called Elway, the Broncos’ revered QB-turned-executive, and told him he had decided to come to Denver.
Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams also said Manning let him know that he had picked the Broncos. Adams released a statement Monday confirming the Titans were out of the running and later said to The Tennessean: “He called me himself and told me he wasn’t coming, that he made his mind up to go with Denver.”
Besides the Titans, the San Francisco 49ers had been a finalist in the chase for Manning, who turns 36 on Saturday and missed all of 2011 because of multiple neck surgeries.
ESPN first reported the record-setting quarterback instructed his agent to negotiate the details of a deal with the Broncos, less than two weeks after the Colts released him rather than pay a $28 million bonus.
“I think it’s a great place for him,” Broncos defensive end Robert Ayers said outside the Broncos’ complex. “I don’t think he made a bad decision. I think he made a great decision. Hopefully we can prove him right and hopefully we can win a lot of games here.”
Despite being sidelined all of last season, Manning’s success in the past — the Colts averaged a 12-4 record from 2001-10 — made him by far this offseason’s top potential signing and perhaps the most desired free agent ever.
He was wooed to Denver by Hall of Fame quarterback Elway, who led the Broncos to two Super Bowl championships and now serves as their vice president of football operations.
Elway, who retired from the game after winning his second straight title in 1999, never sounded all that convinced Tebow was the answer at the sport’s most important position and now could trade the enormously popular but flawed QB.
Tebow energized the Broncos in leading them to the playoffs last season — and has fans all over the country — but his play was erratic.
“I wouldn’t say I feel bad for him,” Ayers said. “It’s a business. And I’m pretty sure Tim understands that. ... We wish him luck, no matter what he does. I hope he’s here. He’s a great leader, a great locker room guy.”
Manning was cut loose March 7 by the Colts. The move marked the end of an era, a 14-year alliance between the team that drafted Manning No. 1 overall and the QB who brought Indianapolis from football irrelevance to the 2007 Super Bowl title and a second appearance in the NFL championship game three years later.
But with Manning’s rehab continuing, the Colts decided it was time to rebuild from top to bottom, and they are expected to take Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the top pick in April’s draft.
Two days after standing alongside Colts owner Jim Irsay at an emotional farewell news conference, Manning began his free agency tour in the place it was ending: Denver. Manning landed on Tebow’s turf with all the trappings of star treatment — flown to town on a chartered plane, then spending the day with Elway, coach John Fox and general manager Brian Xanders.
From there, Manning crisscrossed the country in search of a new team, as various clubs courted a guy with more than 50,000 yards passing, nearly 400 touchdowns and 11 Pro Bowl selections. After Denver, next up was a meeting with the Arizona Cardinals, and he also spent time speaking with — or throwing for — the Titans, 49ers and Miami Dolphins, with TV cameras and even helicopters often on the trail.
In the end, though, Manning decided he wanted to trade in his Colts horseshoe helmet for one adorned by a Bronco. The move would allow him to stay in the AFC, a conference he knows well and one considered weaker than the NFC at the moment, and would re-establish the tantalizing prospect of playing against his brother, New York Giants quarterback Eli, in a Super Bowl. They already have three titles in the family.
Manning-to-Denver also creates a fascinating dynamic with Tebow, only months after the former Heisman Trophy winner was the focus of the NFL regular season and perhaps the most talked-about athlete in sports, a polarizing figure both because of his style of play — as far as possible from a classic, dropback passer — and his outspoken religious beliefs.
After taking over a struggling team, Tebow led the Broncos to comeback victory after comeback victory, struggling for three quarters before starring in the fourth quarter and overtime. With an offense transformed into a spread option attack built on Tebow’s running, and a strong defense that kept games close, the Broncos won the AFC West title.
Tebowmania reached its apex in the playoffs, when he threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas on the very first play of overtime to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. The next week, though, Tebow was smothered by the New England Patriots, who easily eliminated the Broncos 45-10.
A little more than two months later, Tebow could be on the trading block.
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper chimed in, saying he hoped Tebow wasn’t going anywhere.
“He’s a young man, right? And a year or two of working under John Elway and Peyton Manning, you know, I’m not sure any other quarterbacks around the country get that opportunity,” Hickenlooper said.
Tebow isn’t the only domino that could fall now that the offseason’s biggest free agency question is seemingly settled.
San Francisco could decide to keep its own free-agent QB, Alex Smith, who went to Miami for a visit with the Dolphins after the 49ers’ flirtation with Manning became public. If Smith does go back to the Niners, perhaps Miami will look to trade for Tebow, who played in college at Florida. The Titans, meanwhile, probably will stick with grooming Jake Locker, who was a first-round draft pick a year ago.
Denver, meanwhile, could try to give Manning some new targets, because they still have millions of dollars in salary-cap space available. The Broncos did not exactly have a wealth of wideouts last season, other than Thomas, and they lost Eddie Royal to the San Diego Chargers as a free agent.
Eric Decker struggled to catch Tebow’s erratic passes, and was plagued with drops, but would seem a perfect fit for Manning’s precise passing game.
Ayers said he hoped the Broncos would be able to persuade other free agents to join the Broncos, such as Manning’s former Colts teammates Jeff Saturday and Dallas Clark.
Running back Willis McGahee tweeted: “To all my free agents across the nfl, I think u know what time it is.”
Former teammates of Elway’s were just as excited, with Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe tweeting: “I think (at)Terrell—Davis and I should round up the old gang and make a comeback.”
“I got my cleats,” Davis fired right back, “I’ll meet u (at) Dove Valley!”
--AP Sports
Contracts Put Gayle Return In A Bind
A proposed move that would have seen the return of talismanic opener Chris Gayle to the West Indies team and ended his yearlong impasse with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has been stalled.
A high-level meeting in St Vincent earlier this morning, chaired by the country's prime minister, Ralph Gonsalves, and involving WICB Chief Executive Ernest Hilaire, WICB President Julian Hunte and Gayle, had been expected to produce a solution.
However, a source close to the negotiations in St Vincent told CMC Sports that while a deal had been reached and agreed to by the WICB and CARICOM, Gayle was yet to sign off.
CMC Sports understands that the deal would have seen both Gayle and the WICB acknowledging that mistakes had been made during the impasse, but agreeing to move forward in the spirit of compromise.
The deal would have seen Gayle available for the current series against Australia which ends on April 27.
Gayle, however, is contracted to play for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League which runs from April 4 to May 27 and for Somerset in the English County Twenty20 tournament.
The IPL clashes with both the current Australia tour and West Indies tour of England from May 5 to June 24.
Contractual agreements
CMC Sports understands that Gayle is keen on fulfilling all his contractual international T20 obligations.
Speculation was rife during the second one-day international on Sunday as word slowly emerged that talks were ongoing to find a settlement to the dispute.
Gayle, who attended the funeral for the late Runako Morton in St Kitts on Saturday, was present for the game at Arnos Vale, triggering further speculation he could suit up as early as Tuesday for the third match of the series.
The dominant left-hander has not played for West Indies since the World Cup quarter-final against Pakistan last March, after being sidelined for controversial public criticisms of the WICB and team coach Ottis Gibson.
He had been mandated by the board to withdraw his comments before he could be considered for selection, but the player refused.
Only recently, Jamaica's Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller called for an end to the impasse and subsequently raised it at the CARICOM Interses-sional meeting in Suriname March 8-9.
--CMC
Bolt Starsin Visa Ad
Usain Bolt, the defending 100-metre and 200-metre Olympic champion, is being featured in a Visa Europe advertisement in its Run to London campaign leading to the XXX Olympiad starting July 27. Visa is an Olympic sponsor.
The ad was released last Saturday in Europe, as it is a Europe-only campaign.
Bolt is one of the athletes being used to raise awareness of the Summer Games that will make London the first ever city to host the Olympics on three occasions. Prior to this summer, London hosted the Olympics in 1908 and 1948.
Bolt reportedly shot the ad during one of his trips to Europe earlier this season. The entertaining advertisement shows Bolt and another man, who turns out to be a starter, racing from an airport in London to the Olympic stadium via several sites around the British capital using their contactless Visa credit cards.
During his run through the streets of London, Bolt strips down into his Jamaican kit, while the starter dresses up for his starter's role at the Olympic Games.
Insiders say that more and more the sprinter, who turns 26 in August and is considered to be the biggest name in athletics, is being exposed to roles such as the one he plays in the advert as it opens up opportunities for him to pursue other interests once his stellar career is over.
--Gleaner
Morton Laid To Rest In Homeland
Former West Indies batsman Runako Morton was laid to rest here Saturday, following a five-hour service that was attended by several dignitaries and former cricketers.
Morton died two weeks ago in Trinidad and Tobago when the car he was driving crashed into a utility pole along the Solomon Hochoy Highway in Chase Village in central Trinidad. He was 33.
The Elquemedo Willett Park was filled with hundreds of mourners who turned out to pay their last respects to the cricketer, who was only the sixth from the tiny Caribbean island to play Test cricket.
St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Denzil Douglas, who delivered one of the tributes, was among the mourners.
Premier of Nevis, Joseph Parry, was also in attendance, along with Sports Minister Hensley Daniel and former Premier Vance Amory, who delivered the eulogy.
Former West Indies captain Chris Gayle flew in for the service and delivered one of the tributes.
Carl Tuckett, the Nevis-born fast bowler who played a single one-day international (ODI) for West Indies 14 years ago, was present along with former Windies all-rounder Omari Banks, who played alongside Morton for the Leeward Islands.
Amory, who attended the thanksgiving service for Morton in Trinidad last week, described the cricketer as "unique", stressing throughout his speech that "there was another side to Runako".
"He was not all aggression once you got to know him. You would have known that he was a unique and special person who loved family and friends with passion," Amory said.
Morton played 15 Tests and 56 ODIs for the West Indies in a career spanning nine years and last wore maroon colours in a Twenty20 International against Australia two years ago.
He moved to Trinidad about five years ago to live and last year made his first-class debut for the twin-island republic.
Morton leaves to mourn his Trinidadian wife Leiselle and children Kalika, Macario and Demica-Dior.
He was buried in the cemetery of St George Anglican Church.
--CMC
WI Pumped Up - Narine
Exciting off-spinner Sunil Narine says West Indies' big win over Australia in Sunday's second one-day international (ODI) will serve as a huge boost to the regional side for the third game of the five-match series here today.
West Indies snapped a five-year winning drought against the Aussies when they pulled off a sensational five-wicket win at Arnos Vale, with 10 balls left in the contest reduced to 40 overs per side because of rain interruptions.
Narine, who only made his international debut last December, played a key role, snaring four for 27 to put the brakes on the Australian scoring late in the innings.
"It feels really great to get my best figures in just my fifth match and bowl the team to a victory," the beanpole Trinidadian said.
"We needed this win after going 1-0 down in the first match on Friday. This will be a huge boost for the players in the team and everyone in the dressing room. This is the first West Indies win over Australia in a long time and it shows that we have it in us to win."
Strong comeback
Chasing 158 for victory, West Indies lost opener Kieran Powell to the first ball of the innings, but Kieron Pollard smashed an unbeaten 47 and Dwayne Bravo got 30 to lead the Windies to victory.
The capacity crowd at Arnos Vale cheered the Windies' every run, and the value of their support was not lost on Narine.
"It was amazing. It felt special to have a big crowd cheering us on. This is just my second 'home' match for West Indies and I felt really motivated to go out there and perform," Narine said.
"The fans came in from early, and as we drove in we got words of encouragement. That's the reason we play, for the fans, and it is always good to give them something special to celebrate."
Narine is expected to be a key member of the attack again today and says the side would be looking to improve even further on their last performance.
"It was not an easy wicket to score on. The batsmen found it a bit difficult to get away the ball, and I knew once I kept to the game plan, I could create problems," he explained. "I bowled to a plan and I was well backed up by the other bowlers and the guys in the field. This was a wonderful team effort and is something to build on."
The series is currently locked 1-1.
--CMC
Antigua PM: Caribbean peace under threat
CARICOM CHAIRMAN, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer, yesterday called upon all regional governments to do all in their power to ensure that crime does not undermine peace and security in the Caribbean.
Spencer issued this clarion call to his fellow Caricom leaders as he revealed that officers from Britain’s Scotland Yard are now on the ground in Antigua and Barbuda to investigate the brutal double murders of British citizens Catherine and Benjamin Mullany on July 27 in his country. The couple were shot during an apparent robbery while on their honeymoon in the Caribbean island.
Speaking at a news conference hosted by the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC) at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port-of-Spain, the Prime Minister said: “We felt it would have been necessary very quickly to ask for the assistance and it was strategic for Scotland Yard to do that. They have responded. Scotland Yard is on the ground working with our local law enforcement agencies. They are doing their best to find the perpetrator or perpetrators of this heinous crime.”
Noting that this type of crime was unusual for his country and has implications for its tourism development, Spencer said: “Crime generally has got to be taken seriously. Not only in Antigua and Barbuda but in the Caribbean because we do have a challenge in the Caribbean as it relates to criminal activity.
“As leaders and as people we have to zero in on it in a real way and to find ways and means of combating it. This region comparatively speaking has always been considered a very peaceful and safe region of the world. We do not want anything to develop which would change that outlook on the part of the international community. So it behooves all of us to be able to work at the regional level and domestically to deal with this situation,” he declared.
The Antigua PM assured the international community that his country remains “peaceful and safe” for all visitors and steps are being taken to ensure that this image is not tarnished by crime. At last Thursday’s post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall, National Security Minister Martin Joseph said Caricom countries were praised at a regional security conference in Cartagena de Indies, Colombia earlier this month for taking a proactive approach to curbing crime in the region. At last month’s Caricom Heads of Government conference in Antigua, regional leaders agreed to a regional airspace and maritime agreement that would bolster member states abilities to deal with the threat of transnational crimes such as drug and arms smuggling.
Prime Minister Patrick Manning, who is Caricom PM with responsibility for security, said Caricom was looking at a Caricom arrest warrant and extending regional extradition agreements with countries like the United States so that persons wanted in one country can be extradited to another country without hearings.
Joseph also indicated that Government will be bringing new gun control legislation to Parliament in an attempt to help the authorities curb the country’s escalating murder rate.
Opposition Chief Whip and former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj said that kind of legislation was “completely irrelevant” because Government has failed to provide the police with the capability to detect crimes and bring the perpetrators to justice.
--Newsday
Cayman Islands calls in UK police as crime threatens image
The Cayman Islands has brought in British police to tackle a rise in gang-related crime that business leaders fear could hurt the territory's image as a safe finance and tourism destination.
Fourteen British officers arrived in the Caribbean hedge fund hub last month after they were requested by Cayman Police Commissioner David Baines.
The murder rate in the small British territory, with a population of 55,000, remains low compared with Caribbean states like Jamaica where crime is out of control and the country has one of the highest murder rates in the world. But the 390-strong local police force has been stretched since the start of the year by five murders, a kidnapping, armed robberies and shootings.
Victims included a 4-year-old boy killed in crossfire.
Cayman authorities and local leaders in tourism, financial services and real estate are worried the spike in crime could damage the islands' reputation for safety and security, which has underpinned its emergence as a legal domain for many of the world's hedge funds.
"If we can't crack the problem and bring down the murder rate and restore a much better level of law and order, in the long term, it is going to damage the Cayman Islands," the British-appointed governor, Duncan Taylor, said this month.
Cayman authorities are already concerned about preventing the exit of foreign firms after the global economic downturn and an international crackdown on tax havens threatened to diminish the attraction of offshore finance jurisdictions.
"Cayman has for years been compared to how safe and secure it is compared to its Caribbean neighbors ... People have invested here based on this," said forensic accounting expert Ken Krys. He said security questions were coming up more frequently in recruiting staff to fill Cayman financial jobs.
Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman Resort developer Michael Ryan said he believed the crime increase could be checked. "But we have to deal with it now and we have to deal with it very aggressively," he said.
To counter the crime rise, the police commissioner cancelled all rest days and vacation for police officers and put them on 12-hour shifts. Nonessential services were suspended to boost police visibility on the streets.
Drawn from a number of Britain's police forces, the reinforcing officers, who will be on four- to six-week assignments, were investigators and detectives with expertise in running murder inquiries and tackling gang-related crime.
"It is not about bringing in a SWAT team," said Baines. "It's about filling in the skill shortfall we have because our existing detectives are stretched."
Like most of the local police force, the reinforcements will not carry firearms, but will be backed up by armed officers if the need arises, a police spokesperson said.
Varying factors like the release of violent gang members from prison, a greater prevalence of firearms and leadership battles appeared to be contributing to the violence.
Gangs, which gained a foothold in the Caymans in 1996, have been involved in transhipment of drugs to the United States, as well as in the local drug trade, said Detective Chief Inspector Patrick Beersingh of the Joint Intelligence Unit.
Shipments of marijuana and cocaine from South and Central America are brought into the Cayman Islands via Jamaica, Honduras and Panama and then moved on to the United States. So-called Jamaican canoes also frequently smuggle in guns.
Police say there are some 30 criminal gangs in the Caymans with names like Jamaican Posse, Central Crew, West Bay Mobsters, East End Crew, Fern Circle and Wild Dogz. They each have special hand signs, colours and tattoos
--JO
Death of consul's daughter spurs Venezuela outcry
The killing of a Chilean diplomat's teenage daughter by police is reigniting concerns among Venezuelans about excessive force used by officers and their frequent involvement in violent crimes.
Nineteen-year-old Karen Berendique was riding in a vehicle with her older brother and another young man when police at an unmarked checkpoint opened fire early Saturday in the western city of Maracaibo, said her father Fernando Berendique, Chile's honorary consul in the city.
He said they disobeyed a police command to stop, fearing the officers might be robbers.
Twelve police officers were detained and are under investigation, the Justice Ministry said.
Radio program host Beatriz Navas said yesterday the case reinforces deep concerns many Venezuelans have about police misconduct.
"I wouldn't have stopped and they would have killed me, too," Navas said. "The problem is that we don't believe in the police."
She criticised the widespread practice by police in Venezuela of setting up such checkpoints, saying officers should instead be investigating crimes.
President Hugo Chavez's government expressed condolences to the family as well as to the Chilean government, and pledged that those responsible will face justice.
"We reject and repudiate this type of bad police practice," judicial police chief Jose Humberto Ramirez said.
He said the officers were in the area to investigate car thefts and hadn't set up cones as police typically do for checkpoints. Ramirez called the shooting inexplicable.
"They'll have to respond in criminal court," Ramirez said.
Violent crime is widespread in the country, which has one of the highest murder rates in Latin America.
Venezuelans have long been distrustful of the police. The government began building a new national police force in 2009, saying it was part of an effort to professionalize the police.
Justice Ministry Tareck El Aissami said in 2009 that the authorities believed police were involved in 15 to 20 percent of all crimes, particularly kidnappings and murders.
The Justice Ministry said in a statement Saturday that the government will "continue promoting the radical transformation of police forces, deepening the implementation of the new police model: human and professional."
Opposition politicians joined in the criticism over Berendique's killing.
"They shoot first and aim later," Ricardo Sanchez, an opposition lawmaker, said at a news conference yesterday.
He said that many questions remain about the behavior of the officers who opened fire on the Chevrolet TrailBlazer and that police officials should be summoned for questioning before the National Assembly.