Syria Rejects Arab League Call for Power Transfer
Syria has rejected a new Arab League initiative for President Bashar al-Assad to step down and allow the formation of a national unity government.
The plan agreed to by Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo Sunday requires Mr. Assad to transfer power to a deputy and allow the formation of a unity government with the opposition within two months. The country's new leaders would be responsible for organizing parliamentary and presidential elections under Arab and international supervision.
Syrian state media denounced the plan Monday as a “flagrant” violation of Syrian sovereignty. Qatar said the Arab League will ask the United Nations Security Council to support the initiative.
European envoys at the United Nations swiftly hailed the plan. Germany's U.N. ambassador welcomed it as a potential “game changer.”
The Security Council has been blocked for months over Syria, with Russia and China maintaining that any moves in the U.N. body against Mr. Assad would be the first steps toward regime change by force, as happened in Libya last year.
Also Monday, EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels approved additional sanctions on Syria, imposing travel bans and asset freezes on another 22 people and eight companies linked to the Assad government.
The Syrian uprising against Mr. Assad's 11-year autocratic rule has become increasingly militarized in recent weeks. In the latest unrest Monday, Syrian rights activists say army defectors killed five pro-Assad troops in a battle in the central province of Homs. They say government security forces also killed at least 10 civilians in operations against centers of protest around Syria.
Activists also say at least 60,000 people gathered in the protest hub of Douma, near Damascus, for the funerals of 11 people killed by pro-Assad forces in recent days. It was not possible to independently verify details of the funeral procession or the casualties because Syria severely restricts independent media coverage in the country.
In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the top US diplomat for the Middle East would press Moscow on a reported $550 million deal to sell Syria 36 advanced Yak-130 light attack fighter jets. She said Jeffrey Feltman was in the Russian capital Monday and that Syria was “issue number one on his agenda.”
The advanced training aircraft could be used for attacks on ground targets and to train pilots on Syria's more advanced fleet of Mig-29 fighters, which it ordered from Russia in 2007. Moscow is one of Mr. Assad's few remaining allies, and Syria is its top arms customer.
The respected Russian business daily Kommersant first reported the deal.
Meanwhile, the Arab League mission's Sudanese chief, General Mohamed Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi, said violence in Syria declined after league monitors began work on December 26. Speaking Monday to reporters in Cairo, al-Dabi said the observers' job is not to stop the unrest, but to monitor it.
The United Nations says violence linked to the uprising has killed more than 5,400 people. Syria says terrorists have killed about 2,000 security force members since the unrest began.
Ring The Alarm” Producer/Pioneering Reggae Artist Winston Riley Dies
A producer who created an often sampled reggae song died from gunshot wounds over the weekend, in the West Indies.
Producer Winston Riley had been hospitalized since November, after he was shot in the head in his upscale residence in St. Andrew, Jamaica.
Prior to being shot in the head in November, Riley was targeted in August of 2011 when he was shot by unknown assailants.
Before that incident, he was stabbed by and unknown arsonists also burned down his legendary record store, Techniques.
Winston Riley was born west Kingston and rose to prominence in the early to mid 1960′s, as a member of influential Ska/Rocksteady band, The Techniques.
He was also influential in the popularization of Reggae music throughout Europe with hits in the 1970′s.
By the 1970′s Winston Riley was producing early records for a genre of music that would later be identified as Dancehall music.
He produced several hits for the genre including Tenor Saw’s classic “Ring the Alarm,” while artists like Nas, OGC, Busta Rhymes, Biz Markie, Slick Rick and numerous others have sampled his work.
Winston Riley’s son told local media they he had no idea why his father had been targeted.
Jay and Bey to Film A Music Video in Space?
Ok, brace yourself. Hip Hop royalty has decided it’s time to take a leap for the music industry and film a video … in space.
Power couple Jay-Z and Beyonce have already made plans for the future just after they’ve brought Blue Ivy to the world and buying the most expensive toy the world has ever seen – an all gold rocking horse purchased at $614,000, reports MTV News.
They are going to take a suborbital space trip on the Virgin Galactic and film the most monumental videos the music industry has never thought of.
Besides, tickets are only $200,000 a person.
For what song or production this could be for? Your guess is as good as any.
But this is up in the air, no pun intended. If they do pull this off, a space music video in space might be the king of all music videos.
Box Office Report: ‘Red Tails’ Flies to #2 with $19.1 Million
According to the Hollywood Reporter, “Red Tails” did far better than expected (by the Hollywood establishment that is.)
In its opening weekend “Red Tails” brought in $19.1 million for a solid number 2 placing at the box office behind “Underworld Awakening” with $25.4 million.
The back story behind “Red Tails” is that Producer George Lucas spent 20 years pursuing the project, and recently revealed he couldn’t get any studio to finance the film because of an all-black cast. He finally decided to put up the money himself, and spent $58 million on the production budget and another $35 in distribution costs.
Weekend/Domestic Box Office Jan. 20-Jan. 22
Title/Weeks in Release/Studio/Theater Count/Three Day Weekend Total/Cume
1. Underworld: Awakening (1), Sony/3,078, $25.4 million
2. Red Tails (1), Fox/2,512, $19.1 million
3. Contraband (2), Universal/2,870, $12.2 million, $46.1 million
4. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (5), Warner Bros./2,630, $10.5 million, $11.2 million
5. Haywire (1), Relativity Media/2,439, $9 million
6. Beauty and the Beast (3D) (2), Disney/2,625, $23.5 million, $33.4 million
7. Joyful Noise (2), Warner Bros./Alcon/2,735, $6.1 million, $21.9 million
8. Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol (6), Paramount/2,519, $5.5 million, $197.3 million
9. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (6), Warner Bros./2,485, $4.8 million, $178.6 million
10. The Iron Lady (4), Weinstein Co./1,076, $3.7 million, $12.6 million.
Rikki Jai ready for Chutney Soca Monarch
Reigning Chutney Soca Monarch Rikki Jai (Samraj Jaimungal) paid tribute to the late Sundar Popo in word and song on Friday night and admitted to having started his career with a soca song "deliberately—in order to change society's perception of the Indian man".
Jaimungal was addressing a capacity crowd at Queen's Hall, St Ann's, during his performance at a fund-raising concert entitled, "Vintage Fuh So 7" staged by the Holy Name Convent Past Pupils' Association (HNCPPA).
He said:
"In those days, you couldn't hear an Indian man singing soca. Anytime you heard an Indian man is 'ahhhhhhhaaaaaahhhaaaaaahhhhh!' And that was nice...and people enjoyed all the movies on a Sunday with lovers hiding behind the trees and stuff, but I wanted to change the perception and someone told me: If you don't try to effect change, change will never come. So, I'm happy to have contributed to the change, so that now fellas like Ravi B and Raymond Ramnarine and others having a time in Trinidad with no problems. But before me, there was a little guy from Barrackpore named Sundar Popo and I was taught that we should always show respect and pay tribute to those who came before us..."
Performing Popo's "Scorpion" for the appreciative audience, Jaimungal later defended his decision to enter the Chutney Soca Monarch again this year, after winning a record sixth title in 2011.
He told the Sunday Express after his performance:
"Aside from the fact that it wouldn't augur well for the competition if the reigning champion did not return to defend his title, with the show moving to Port of Spain and all the hype that surrounds that, why would a gold medal sprinter choose not to compete in the biggest race? There are music professionals all around the world who have careers spanning more than half a century and I don't see anyone telling them they should pack it up and stop singing. If my music wasn't relevant, or God forbid my voice was gone, I could understand these detractors, but I am in prime condition right now – back to my winning ways, so they can't beat me no-how and ah going for the Calypso Monarch crown too!"
Jaimungal was the third of four "vintage" performers to grace the stage on the night, which saw encore performances from Timothy Watkins Jr aka "The Baron", Rapso Trio, 3Canal and veteran bard/bandleader, Ronnie McIntosh. Watkins opened the show after humorous introductions from MC Nikki Crosby in her role as "Granny" and delivered classics such as "River of Tears" and "Sweet Soca Man" before rushing off to the opening of the Kalypso Revue Tent in Arima.
3Canal made its appearance after the gold-wearing bard and in no time had the audience singing along to hits like "Sacrifice", "Ben Lion" and its debut smash "Blue". Jaimungal followed after a brief intermission and Mc Intosh closed the show with classics like "How It Go Look" and "Ent".
Jamaican Movie "Green Card" featuring Spragga Benz, Coming Soon!
Dancehall deejay Spragga Benz, will be heading to the big screen in a new movie "Green Card", which is directed by Jamaican-born Cleon James.
"Green Card", is based on Caribbean nationals trying to get to the United States to make a better life ,and living the American dream.
Spragga Benz, plays the lead role as Ricarlo a 'moorish' Rastaman who has a Caucasian girlfriend, but is not very keen about getting married for the papers to obtain his Green card for residency in the US.
No dates are set for the Premiere of the movies.
Allan Stanford trial starts
Jury selection began on Monday morning in the fraud trial of Allen Stanford in US federal court in Houston.
The 61-year-old Stanford is charged with using his Houston-based financial empire to swindle investors of more than $7 billion. 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.
Among the allegations is a claim he bribed an Antiguan banking regulator to ignore irregularities.
Receivers are still trying to locate the money that was invested with the Stanford Financial Group and its affiliate companies, but indications are that Stanford’s lavish, globe-trotting lifestyle, including the sponsorship of multi-million dollar Caribbean cricket tournaments, may have consumed most of it.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission in February 2009 sued Stanford, alleging that he and his employees lied about the certificates of deposit, telling investors the proceeds were invested in safe, liquid assets.
The financier has been in federal custody as a flight risk since his June 2009 indictment and, in September 2009, he suffered broken facial bones in a beating by another inmate. He reportedly became addicted to anti-anxiety medications prescribed by prison doctors after the attack and, after eight months in a prison rehabilitation unit, his lawyers claim he cannot now remember much of his life or details of his business empire.
Earlier this month, Stanford’s entire defence team tried to withdraw from the case, complaining that time and budget constraints imposed by the court had left them unable to defend him adequately. However, the judge disagreed and ordered the team to prepare for trial as scheduled.
Penn State coach Joe Paterno dead at 85
Happy Valley was perfect for Joe Paterno, a place where "JoePa" knew best, where he not only won more football games than any other major college coach, but won them the right way: with integrity and sportsmanship. A place where character came first, championships second.
Behind it all, however, was an ugly secret that ran counter to everything the revered coach stood for.
Paterno, a sainted figure at Penn State for almost half a century but scarred forever by the child sex abuse scandal that led to his stunning dismissal, died Sunday at age 85.
His death came just 65 days after his son Scott said his father had been diagnosed with a treatable form of lung cancer. The cancer was found during a follow-up visit for a bronchial illness. A few weeks later, Paterno broke his pelvis after a fall but did not need surgery.
Mount Nittany Medical Center said in a statement that Paterno died at 9:25 a.m. of "metastatic small cell carcinoma of the lung." Metastatic indicates an illness that has spread from one part of the body to an unrelated area.
The hospital says Paterno was surrounded by family members, who have requested privacy.
Paterno had been in the hospital since Jan. 13 for observation after what his family called minor complications from his cancer treatments. Not long before that, he conducted his only interview since losing his job, with The Washington Post. Paterno was described as frail then, speaking mostly in a whisper and wearing a wig. The second half of the two-day interview was conducted at his bedside.
His family released a statement Sunday morning to announce his death: "His loss leaves a void in our lives that will never be filled."
"He died as he lived," the statement said. "He fought hard until the end, stayed positive, thought only of others and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed his life had been. His ambitions were far reaching, but he never believed he had to leave this Happy Valley to achieve them. He was a man devoted to his family, his university, his players and his community."
Paterno's death just under three months following his last victory called to mind another coaching great, Alabama's Paul "Bear" Bryant, who died less than a month after retiring.
"Quit coaching?" Bryant said late in his career. "I'd croak in a week."
Paterno alluded to the remark made by his friend and rival, saying in 2003: "There isn't anything in my life anymore except my family and my football. I think about it all the time."
Two police officers were stationed to block traffic on the street where Paterno's modest ranch home stands next to a local park. The officers said the family had asked there be no public gathering outside the house, still decorated with a Christmas wreath, so Paterno's relatives could grieve privately. And, indeed, the street was quiet on a cold winter day.
Paterno's sons, Scott and Jay, arrived separately at the house late Sunday morning. Jay Paterno, who served as his father's quarterbacks coach, was crying.
Paterno built a program based on the credo of "Success with Honor," and he found both. The man known as "JoePa" won 409 games and took the Nittany Lions to 37 bowl games and two national championships. More than 250 of the players he coached went on to the NFL.
"He will go down as the greatest football coach in the history of the game," Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said after his former team, the Florida Gators, beat Penn State 37-24 in the 2011 Outback Bowl.
Paterno roamed the sidelines for 46 seasons, his thick-rimmed glasses, windbreaker and jet-black sneakers as familiar as the Nittany Lions' blue and white uniforms.
The reputation he built looked even more impressive because he insisted that on-field success not come at the expense of high graduation rates.
But in the middle of his 46th season, the legend was shattered. Paterno was engulfed in a child sex abuse scandal when a former trusted assistant, Jerry Sandusky, was accused of molesting 10 boys over a 15-year span, sometimes in the football building.
Outrage built quickly when the state's top cop said the coach hadn't fulfilled a moral obligation to go to the authorities when a graduate assistant, Mike McQueary, told Paterno he saw Sandusky with a young boy in the showers of the football complex in 2002.
At a preliminary hearing for the school officials, McQueary testified that he had seen Sandusky attacking the child with his hands around the boy's waist but said he wasn't 100 percent sure it was intercourse. McQueary described Paterno as shocked and saddened and said the coach told him he had "done the right thing" by reporting the encounter.
Paterno waited a day before alerting school officials and never went to the police.
"I didn't know which way to go ... and rather than get in there and make a mistake," Paterno said in the Post interview.
"You know, (McQueary) didn't want to get specific," Paterno said. "And to be frank with you I don't know that it would have done any good, because I never heard of, of, rape and a man. So I just did what I thought was best. I talked to people that I thought would be, if there was a problem, that would be following up on it."
When the scandal erupted in November, Paterno said he would retire following the 2011 season. He also said he was "absolutely devastated" by the abuse case.
"This is a tragedy," he said. "It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more."
But the university trustees fired Paterno, effective immediately. Graham Spanier, one of the longest-serving university presidents in the nation, also was fired.
Paterno was notified by phone, not in person, a decision that board vice chairman John Surma regretted, trustees said. Lanny Davis, the attorney retained by trustees as an adviser, said Surma intended to extend his regrets over the phone before Paterno hung up him.
After weeks of escalating criticism by some former players and alumni about a lack of transparency trustees last week said they fired Paterno in part because he failed a moral obligation to do more in reporting the 2002 allegation.
An attorney for Paterno on Thursday called the board's comments self-serving and unsupported by the facts. Paterno fully reported what he knew to the people responsible for campus investigations, lawyer Wick Sollers said.
"He did what he thought was right with the information he had at the time," Sollers said.
The university handed the football team to one of Paterno's assistants, Tom Bradley, who said Paterno "will go down in history as one of the greatest men, who maybe most of you know as a great football coach."
"As the last 61 years have shown, Joe made an incredible impact," said the statement from the family. "That impact has been felt and appreciated by our family in the form of thousands of letters and well wishes along with countless acts of kindness from people whose lives he touched. It is evident also in the thousands of successful student athletes who have gone on to multiply that impact as they spread out across the country."
New Penn State football coach Bill O'Brien, hired earlier this month, offered his condolences.
"The Penn State Football program is one of college football's iconic programs because it was led by an icon in the coaching profession in Joe Paterno," O'Brien said in a statement. "There are no words to express my respect for him as a man and as a coach. To be following in his footsteps at Penn State is an honor. Our families, our football program, our university and all of college football have suffered a great loss, and we will be eternally grateful for Coach Paterno's immeasurable contributions."
Paterno believed success was not measured entirely on the field. From his idealistic early days, he had implemented what he called a "grand experiment" - to graduate more players while maintaining success on the field.
"He maintained a high standard in a very difficult profession. Joe preached toughness, hard work and clean competition," Sandusky said in a statement. "Most importantly, he had the courage to practice what he preached."
Paterno was a frequent speaker on ethics in sports, a conscience for a world often infiltrated by scandal.
The team consistently ranked among the best in the Big Ten for graduating players. As of 2011, it had 49 academic All-Americans, the third-highest among schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision. All but two played under Paterno.
"He teaches us about really just growing up and being a man," former linebacker Paul Posluszny, now with the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, once said. "Besides the football, he's preparing us to be good men in life."
Paterno certainly had detractors. One former Penn State professor called his high-minded words on academics a farce, and a former administrator said players often got special treatment. His coaching style often was considered too conservative. Some thought he held on to his job too long, and a move to push him out in 2004 failed.
But the critics were in the minority, and his program was never cited for major NCAA violations. The child sex abuse scandal, however, did prompt separate inquiries by the U.S. Department of Education and the NCAA into the school's handling.
Paterno played quarterback and defensive back for Brown University and set a defensive record with 14 career interceptions, a distinction he still boasted about to his teams in his 80s. He graduated in 1950 with plans to go to law school. He said his father hoped he would someday be president.
But when Paterno was 23, a former coach at Brown was moving to Penn State to become the head coach and persuaded Paterno to come with him as an assistant.
"I had no intention to coach when I got out of Brown," Paterno said in 2007 in an interview at Penn State's Beaver Stadium before being inducted into college football's Hall of Fame. "Come to this hick town? From Brooklyn?"
In 1963, he was offered a job by the late Al Davis - $18,000, triple his salary at Penn State, plus a car to become general manager and coach of the AFL's Oakland Raiders. He said no. Rip Engle retired as Penn State head coach three years later, and Paterno took over.
At the time, Penn State was considered "Eastern football" - inferior - and Paterno courted newspaper coverage to raise the team's profile. In 1967, PSU began a 30-0-1 streak.
But Penn State couldn't get to the top of the polls. The Nittany Lions finished second in 1968 and 1969 despite perfect seasons. They were undefeated and untied again in 1973 at 12-0 again but finished fifth. Texas edged them in 1969 after President Richard Nixon, impressed with the Longhorns' bowl performance, declared them No. 1.
"I'd like to know," Paterno said later, "how could the president know so little about Watergate in 1973, and so much about college football in 1969?"
A national title finally came in 1982, after a 27-23 win over Georgia at the Sugar Bowl. Another followed in 1986 after the Lions intercepted Vinny Testaverde five times and beat Miami 14-10 in the Fiesta Bowl.
They made several title runs after that, including a 2005 run to the Orange Bowl and an 11-1 season in 2008 that ended in a 37-23 loss to Southern California in the Rose Bowl.
In his later years, physical ailments wore the old coach down.
Paterno was run over on the sideline during a game at Wisconsin in November 2006 and underwent knee surgery. He hurt his hip in 2008 demonstrating an onside kick. An intestinal illness and a bad reaction to antibiotics prescribed for dental work slowed him for most of the 2010 season. He began scaling back his speaking engagements that year, ending his summer caravan of speeches to alumni across the state.
Then a receiver bowled over Paterno at practice in August, sending him to the hospital with shoulder and pelvis injuries and consigning him to coach much of what would be his last season from the press box.
"The fact that we've won a lot of games is that the good Lord kept me healthy, not because I'm better than anybody else," Paterno said two days before he won his 409th game and passed Eddie Robinson of Grambling State for the most in Division I. "It's because I've been around a lot longer than anybody else."
Paterno could be conservative on the field, especially in big games, relying on the tried-and-true formula of defense, the running game and field position.
He and his wife, Sue, raised five children in State College.
Bolt top man, women share
Usain Bolt, along with fellow sprinter Veronica Campbell-Brown and women’s cricketer Stafanie Taylor were named Jamaica’s top sports personalities for last year on Friday.
Bolt grabbed the men’s prize ahead of fellow sprinter Yohan Blake, while the voting panel failed to choose between Campbell-Brown and Taylor, forcing the women’s award to be shared for the third time in its history and for the first time in four years.
While Campbell-Brown and Taylor may have been straightforward choices for the women’s honour, the voting academy must have faced a stiff challenge choosing between Bolt and Blake for the men’s award.
Bolt, like Campbell-Brown, had a strong season on the track last year, highlighted by his capture of the 200-metre World title at the World Championships last year in Daegu, South Korea.
But Blake became the World 100 champion, following Bolt’s disqualification in the final in Daegu, but he, too, had a strong season on the track with an amazing 19.26 seconds in the 200 at a Diamond League meet in Brussels topping his performances.
Bolt had also been overlooked for the top men’s athlete award, when Jamaica’s track and field authorities staged their honours ceremony late last year.
The sprint megastar said in his acceptance speech that he and Blake would continue to work together at the Racers Track Club, where they are under the supervision of coach Glen Mills.
“We are good friends, and we will continue to make our country proud,” he said, while admitting there will be some rivalry.
Taylor had another excellent year, playing her way to her sport’s world governing body’s Women’s Cricketer-Of-The-Year award. She also ended the last year as the No.1 ranked women’s all-rounder in the world, No.2 in the batting and No.7 in bowling in the world One-day rankings.
Campbell-Brown was her usual impressive self, romping her way to a first-ever World Championships 200 gold medal shortly after taking a silver medal in the 100 at the same championships. She also helped the Jamaica women’s 4x100 team to a silver medal at Worlds. It was her fourth national sports personality award.
Bolt also collected the Icon award, while Asafa Powell, one of seven male nominees, won the People’s Choice Award for his victory at Jamaica’s World Championship trials. (CMC)
Pierce has best game of the season in Celtics win 100-94
The Boston Celtics were missing one of their star guards when the game started, and then lost another in the second quarter.
The way Paul Pierce was playing, it didn't matter.
Pierce had season highs with 34 points and 10 assists and tied his season best with eight rebounds to lead the Celtics to a 100-94 victory over the Washington Wizards on Sunday.
"Paul carried us," said Ray Allen, who left after jamming his left ankle in the first half. "He played great for us. The team, everybody rallied behind him."
Boston started without point guard Rajon Rondo, out for the second straight game with a sprained right wrist, and Allen left after being fouled by Jan Vesely with about 6 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter.
Pierce - who had scored a total of 20 points in the previous two games - made up for their absence, going 10 for 15 from the floor and 12 of 15 from the line. His three steals were also a season high.
"I'm one of our, if not our main scorer on this ballclub," Pierce said. "That's my role. I haven't been doing a good job of it lately, but a lot of that has to do with just being in game shape, getting my legs stronger, being able to get up and down and jump."
John Wall had 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for the Wizards. Nick Young scored 19 points, and JaVale McGee added 13, but they had no answer for Pierce.
"It's tough. The last five minutes we were right there," Wall said. "We've got to execute down the stretch."
Pierce was at his best right after the Celtics let a 15-point third-quarter lead slip away.
Washington tied the game at 75 with 9 1/2 minutes left on a fast-break alley-oop for a dunk from Wall to Trevor Booker, and the Wizards seemed to have the momentum. Pierce scored Boston's next 10 points, countering Washington's surge.
Pierce capped his 10-point run after the Wizards took an 84-83 lead with six minutes to go on Young's three-point play. Pierce hit a jumper to get the lead back, and the Celtics did not trail the rest of the way.
"At the end of the day, your big players have to step up and play well for you to win, especially games when you have guys out," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "And Paul did everything."
Pierce scored 14 of Boston's final 25 points. Kevin Garnett scored five of his 17 points in the final two minutes, including an emphatic dunk down the lane with two minutes left to give Boston a 95-90 lead which effectively ended the Wizards' chances.
"We got ahead because we defended, got ahead and ran, and we moved the ball offensively," Washington coach Flip Saunders said. "Then all of a sudden we got ahead and the ball had Velcro."
Half of Boston's six wins this season have come against the Wizards, who have the league's worst record at 2-14.
Washington has some reason for optimism despite a two-game losing streak. On Wednesday, the Wizards got their second win of the season, and the past two losses were both close until the end.
"Ten days ago we weren't competing at a high level," Saunders said. "We've gotten to the point now we're competing at a high level. Now we've got to find a way to close out these games."
SI