Britain Marks Charles Dickens’ 200th Birthday
Britain's Prince Charles has led ceremonies marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens, one of English literature's most famous and celebrated novelists.
The prince laid a wreath at Dickens' grave Tuesday at Westminster Abbey's Poets' Corner, where the writer was buried in 1870 — alongside Geoffrey Chaucer, Tennyson, Samuel Johnson and other literary greats.
The writer's descendants attended the ceremony. His great-grandson Mark Dickens said the writer was very committed to social reform.
“The fact that we're celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens is an opportunity to be able to look back at what he did in his works and in particular with his social reform because that was very, very important to him throughout his life.''
Prince Charles and his wife Camilla also toured the Dickens Museum in central London where they cut a book-shaped as cake and listened to a reading by Actress Gillian Anderson from an old Dickens book. Anderson recently played Miss Haversham in the British TV drama “Great Expectations” based on Dickens' novel. She praised Dickens for describing the human condition in England of his time.
“He's obviously very well talented in many different ways, but he was so specific about the human condition of the time. And his descriptions of characters and of the state of being at that time in England was, you know, is part of our historical record of what it was like back then.''
Dickens' difficult early life led him to campaign for social reform in Victorian England through his writing. His novels, including Oliver Twist, Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities, have been read by millions of people worldwide. In championing the problems of the poor and underprivileged, his stories about social inequality, greed and corrupt politicians remain relevant today.
More events are being held in the southern city of Portsmouth, where Dickens was born on February 7, 1812.
Hezbollah’s Nasrallah Admits Receiving Material Support from Iran
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has acknowledged for the first time that the Lebanese militant group receives financial and material support from Iran, a longtime ally.
He made the admission in a video-link speech to supporters in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. He said Hezbollah previously only confirmed receiving political and moral support from Iran to avoid embarrassing the Islamic state.
The United States considers Hezbollah to be a terrorist organization and has long accused Iran of arming the group by smuggling weapons through Syria, another Hezbollah supporter. The militant group began fighting Israel in 1982, when Israeli forces invaded Lebanon to drive out Palestinian militants who attacked the Jewish state.
Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000, but Hezbollah vowed to keep pursuing its goal of eliminating the Jewish state. In 2006, Hezbollah and Israel fought a month-long war that killed about 1,200 Lebanese and 160 Israelis.
Some observers have said Hezbollah may strike Israel again if Israeli forces take military action against Iran's nuclear facilities. Israel accuses Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons to try to destroy the Jewish state and refuses to rule out an attack to stop the program. Iran says its nuclear activities are peaceful.
Nasrallah said in the event of an Israeli strike on Iran, the Iranian government “will not ask Hezbollah to do anything.” He said his group will make its own decision about how to react.
Conrad Murray, James DeBarge on Same Cell Block
Michael Jackson’s former doctor and former brother-in-law are reportedly on the same cell block in Los Angeles.
The King of Pop’s personal physician Conrad Murray is said to be neighbors at Los Angeles County Men’s Jail with singer James DeBarge, who was famously married to Janet Jackson for a year in the 1980s.
Murray has been behind bars since he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter last year for administering the fatal dose of propofol that killed Michael in 2009.
TMZ is now reporting that Murray has been locked up in the same block as DeBarge, who is currently jailed on assault and drug charges and is being housed in the Administrative Segregation along with Murray.
DeBarge’s lawyer, Spencer Vodnoy, tells the website his client is “really upset” by the coincidence as he was previously close to the King of Pop.
Chronicle beats The Woman in Black at US box office
Chronicle, a film about teenagers with super powers, has beaten Daniel Radcliffe thriller The Woman in Black to top the North American film chart.
The films took $22m (£14m) and $21m (£13.3m) respectively on their opening weekends, according to early estimates.
As a result, both ended up in the all-time top 10 for Super Bowl weekend - usually a quiet time for US cinemas.
Last week's number one, The Grey, starring Liam Neeson, dropped to three, with takings of $9.5m (£6m).
Sci-fi film Chronicle, made by first-time director Josh Trank, tells the story of three teenage boys who use their telekinetic powers in mischievous ways.
It is shot in a faux-documentary "found footage" style made popular by films like The Blair Witch Project and Super 8.
'Younger demographic'
Analysts said that both Chronicle and The Woman in Black found their main audience with cinemagoers in their teens and early 20s.
"Chronicle was designed and made for a younger demographic," said 20th Century Fox head of distribution Chris Aronson.
"That demographic has been the one that's been missing from theatres."
He said there had been "a lot of pre-release chatter on social media that made a connection with this audience".
The Woman In Black is an old-fashioned ghost story, based on Susan Hill's 1983 novel.
Radcliffe plays a widowed lawyer, haunted by apparitions at the home of a dead client.
CBS Films head of distribution Steven Friedlander said the movie had "all the elements for making a hit".
"In retrospect, you look at Daniel Radcliffe, one of the biggest stars and one of the hardest-working kids in show business, you have a very well-made PG-13 scary movie," he said.
Hammer Films - the British studio which became synonymous with the horror genre in the 1950s - said The Woman in Black had scored the production company's biggest North American opening.
"I'm thrilled that a British ghost story made with a British cast, crew and investment is playing so well with American audiences," director James Watkins said.
Drama Big Miracle, based on the true story of a whale rescue, was in fourth place on its opening weekend, taking $8.5m (£5.4m).
Underworld: Awakening, starring British actress Kate Beckinsale, dropped three places to number five, with $5.6m (£3.6m).
Cee Lo’s $10 Grand Strip Club Adventure
If you were watching the Super Bowl half-time show and “The Voice” after the game, you know Cee Lo Green was in Indianapolis. And from what we’re hearing, Mr. Green had himself a jolly, jolly time.
Apparently he reunited with his dudes from Goodie Mob and took the party to an Indy strip club. TMZ says the crew treated the stripper ladies to a five-figure thunderstorm.
The gents started partying at the club around 1:00 AM Thursday morning.
Sources inside the establishment say Cee Lo requested lap dances from “the baddest b*tches in the club” … and the group rewarded their good behavior by making it rain with roughly $10,000 in cash.
Supposedly there were other famous people in the club at the time, including some NFL players, but they couldn’t hang in the rain making department and had to bow down to Team Cee Lo, who easily commanded the girls’ attention.
Bow Wow ordered to be Arrested on Sight
It looks like it’s time for Bow Wow to face the music.
A judge in Georgia has ordered he be arrested and held in custody until produces documents and information to the other side, according to TMZ.
Bow Wow was ordered by a Tennessee court back in 2009 to pay almost $100,000 to a tour bus company for allegedly not paying his bill. The company then took the case to Georgia to try and get the court where Bow Wow lives to enforce the judgment.
He was ordered to produce documents in his home state regarding the lawsuit, which he never did. As a result, the tour company filed a motion to have the rapper held in contempt.
Finally back in October, the judge granted the motion and ordered Bow Wow be arrested and held until he produces the necessary documents the tour bus company asked for.
Bow Wow has not been taken into custody so far, or responded to the lawsuit.
TMZ says Calls to Bow Wow’s reps were not returned.
Coco Tea rules at 'Marley Bash'
Veteran reggae singer Coco Tea took the resort town of Negril by storm on Saturday night, dazzling patrons at the 20th Bob Marley Birthday Bash with a brilliant performance, which left the appreciative patrons at the scenic MXIII Lawn consumed with musical satisfaction.
In fact, when Coco Tea left the stage, the elated fans did not even seem to realise that Jah Cure, who was billed as the headline act for the show, did not show as they poured out of the venue, obviously quite pleased with what they had just witnessed.
Had House of Leeds' dazzling singjay Iyahblazze, who preceded Coco Tea to the stage, not reported in top form and deli-vered a peach of a performance, which earned him a most deserved encore, the raging Coco Tea would have totally over-shadowed all and sundry.
Taking centre stage at 1:50 a.m., clad in an immaculate khaki outfit with red, green and gold trimmings, the diminutive Coco Tea immediately took charge, sending the patrons in a dancing frenzy with Babylon Throne, and impressive covers of Bob Marley's Zimbabwe and Waiting in Vain.
Dancing audience
With the audience, which was dominated by tourists, warming to him and seemingly trapped in a dancing frenzy, Coco Tea lifted the tempo almost effortlessly, reeling off Rikers Island, She Love Me Now, Good Life and Sonia against a backdrop of screams of appreciation.
Coco Tea took a short break from his singing to scold the 'rent a dreads' in the audience, accusing them shamelessly selling themselves and in the process, seeking to spoil the vacations of some decent visiting husbands and wives with their freaky sexual advances.
After 'burning out' the 'rent a dreads', Coca Tea all but brought the house down, setting the stage for his encore with songs like Hurry Up, Stand Up Straight, Tune In and the ever-popular 18 and Over. In fact, had the police not insisted that the cut-off time be adhered to, he seemed all ready to sing until daybreak.
After his performance, Coco Tea was presented with a commemorative plaque by promoter Cecil 'Cubba' Pringle for his contribution to the growth and development of Jamaica's music.
Prior to Coco Tea's exploits, the fans were treated to a blazing set by a militant Iyahblazze, who matched his eye-catching black outfit with his equally catchy lyrics. The bulky Boboshanti was in his elements, especially on songs like his cover of Bob Marley's Rastaman Chant, Prayer, What If, Heart Fe De Poor and Woman.
Ecstatic fans
Iyahblazze hit the proverbial roof when he drew the song, Rasta, which had the fans going wild and screaming for more. When he was called on for an encore, Iyahblazze sealed his set with a thought-provoking song entitled, Patience, which left no doubt about his vocal power.
Canadian jazz singer Robin Banks, who performed only reggae songs in her set, offered an insight into her undeniable class. After initially connecting with her song Why? a tribute to Negril resident, the late Mikey Hill, who was killed in a controversial police shooting, she simply exploded.
It was all vocal styling of the highest order as Banks unleashed covers of Bob Marley's Waiting In Vain and Stir It Up; and Barrington Levy's Too Experienced, among other popular Jamaican classics.
Veteran singer Allie C, who performed early, earned an encore; MC turned singer Mega Watt, who showed impressive vocal qualities; the Star Singers, who displayed much confidence in reeling off their original songs, all made impressive marks. In fact, the only weak link was Jah Meekie, who struggled to connect with the fans.
Queen celebrates 60 years on throne with celebrations
Queen Elizabeth II marked 60 years on the throne today with a message thanking all those who have supported her over her reign and reaffirming her dedication to serving the British people.
Tributes from British officials poured in to honour the 85-year-old monarch on Accession Day. She ascended the throne when her father, George VI, died on February 6, 1952 and is the longest-serving monarch after Queen Victoria, who reigned for more than 63 years.
Before a year's worth of festivities to celebrate her milestone, the queen said she and her husband have been "deeply moved" to receive so many kind messages about her Diamond Jubilee.
"I am writing to thank you for the wonderful support and encouragement that you have given to me and Prince Philip over these years," she wrote in a message to the nation. "In this special year, as I dedicate myself anew to your service, I hope that we will all be reminded of the power of togetherness and the convening strength of family, friendship and good neighbourliness, examples of which I have been fortunate to see throughout my reign."
The queen's Diamond Jubilee will be feted with a series of regional, national and international events throughout 2012.
Over the course of 2012, members of the royal family — including Prince William and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge — will fan out across the globe and travel to Commonwealth countries including Canada, Jamaica and Belize.
The queen and Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, will stay closer to home, touring the UK from March to July.
The 2012 Diamond Jubilee weekend will be held from June 2-5, with the main highlight likely to be a huge pageant on the Thames river featuring a 1,000-strong flotilla.
Elizabeth expressed hope that the coming year will be a time to give thanks "for the great advances" since she took the throne and "look forward to the future with a clear head and warm heart."
Later today, the queen is slated to tour a nursery school and meet pupils there before watching a play about her 60 years as sovereign.
Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron praised the Queen's "magnificent service," thanking her for guiding the nation with "dignity and quiet authority."
"Always dedicated, always resolute and always respected, she is a source of wisdom and continuity," Cameron said. "All my life, and for the lives of most people in this country, she has always been there for us. Today, and this year, in the 60th anniversary of her reign, we have the chance to say thank you."
6.8 quake in Philippines kills 13, buries homes
A strong earthquake destroyed buildings and triggered landslides that buried dozens of houses, trapping residents, Monday in the central Philippines. At least 13 people were killed and 29 were missing.
The 6.8-magnitude quake, in a narrow strait just off Negros Island, caused a landslide in Guihulngan, a city of about 180,000 people in Negros Oriental province. As many as 30 houses were buried and at least 29 people were missing, Mayor Ernesto Reyes said.
“Their situation is bad because if you are covered by landslide for one hour, two hours, how can you breathe?” he said. “But we just hope for the best, that there are still survivors.”
Rescuers were using picks and shovels to dig for survivors, he said.
Reyes said at least 10 people were confirmed dead in his town, including students at a college and an elementary school and others in a market that collapsed. About 100 were injured.
The quake, which hit at 11:49 a.m. (0349 GMT), triggered another landslide in the mountain village of Solongon in La Libertad town, also in Negros Oriental. An unknown number of people were trapped, said La Libertad police chief inspector Eric Arrol Besario.
“We’re now getting shovels and chain saws to start a rescue because there were people trapped inside. Some of them were yelling for help earlier,” Besario told The Associated Press by phone. Three key bridges in the town cracked and were no longer passable, he said.
Philippine seismologists briefly issued a tsunami alert for the central islands. Huge waves washed out five bamboo and wooden cottages at a beach resort in La Libertad, but there were no reports of injuries, said police Superintendent Ernesto Tagle. Elsewhere along the coast, people rushed out of schools, malls and offices.
The epicenter was closest to Tayasan, a coastal town of about 32,000 people flanked by mountains in Negros Oriental province. Two died there, including a child when a concrete fence of a house collapsed, said Benito Ramos, head of the Office of Civil Defense.
Another child was killed in a church when a wall collapsed during a funeral in Negros Oriental’s Jimalalud town, Mayor Reynaldo Tuanda said.
Tayasan police officer Alfred Vicente Silvosa told AP by phone that aftershocks were preventing people from returning to their homes.
“We are outside, at the town plaza. We cannot inspect buildings yet because it’s dangerous,” Silvosa said. “I felt the building shaking, so I rushed out of the building. Our computers, shelves, plates, the cupboards, water dispenser all fell.”
A three-story office building also collapsed in La Libertad, but occupants escaped.
Negros Oriental police chief Edward Carranza said the temblor damaged many houses in Guihulngan and he ordered his men to help displaced residents find shelter.
Officials in some areas suspended work and canceled classes. Power and telecommunications were knocked out in several places.
Carranza said police rushed out of his building when the quake struck. “All my personnel ran out fearing our building would collapse,” he said.
“Now it’s shaking again,” he said as an aftershock hit. “My keychain is dancing.”
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was centered 44 miles (72 kilometers) north of Dumaguete city on Negros and hit at a depth of 29 miles (46 kilometers). The area is about 400 miles (650 kilometers) southeast of the capital, Manila.
The Philippines is in the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where earthquakes and volcanic activity are common. A 7.7-magnitude quake killed nearly 2,000 people in Luzon in 1990.
By JIM GOMEZ
YAHOO News
Stanford used secret account to bribe Antigua regulator, says witness
Texas financier Allen Stanford drew on a secret Swiss bank account to pay bribes to the banking regulator in Antigua and Barbuda, the prosecution’s top witness said at Stanford’s criminal fraud trial on Friday.
The 61-year-old Stanford is charged with using his Houston-based financial empire to swindle investors out of more than $7 billion. He has pleaded not guilty to a 14-count indictment.
At the heart of Stanford’s alleged fraud are certificates of deposit sold by his Antigua-based Stanford International Bank Ltd to about 28,000 investors.
Prosecutors allege that Stanford diverted $2 billion from customer deposits to fund a luxurious lifestyle and money-losing ventures such as airlines, real estate developments and cricket tournaments in the Caribbean.
“The monies flowed from Stanford International Bank CDs to this slush account. It was a slush fund, just used for whatever the holder wanted to use it for,” James Davis, Stanford Financial Group’s former chief financial officer, told the jury in US Federal Court in Houston. “One purpose was to pull cash out to bribe the regulator in Antigua, Mr Leroy King.”
King, former head of Antigua and Barbuda’s Financial Services Regulatory Commission and one of four people charged in a separate indictment, is accused of taking bribes to divert regulatory attention from Stanford’s operations, and is fighting extradition from Antigua.
Davis told jurors Stanford gave King at least $10,000 to $15,000 in cash every quarter, as well as tickets to the National Football League Super Bowl championship games in 2005 and 2009, to prevent government examiners from probing the bank’s investment portfolio.
Davis said that for years he supplied inflated totals for the bank’s investment accounts to Antiguan regulators to disguise the gap between the bank’s actual assets and its reported assets.
In June 2005, Davis said King gave Stanford a copy of a confidential letter from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), asking Antiguan banking authorities for help investigating Stanford’s bank for possible fraud. Davis said Stanford and a company lawyer drafted King’s reply to the SEC, which falsely assured US regulators that Stanford’s bank was clean.
by Caribbean News Now