Adele has minor throat surgery at hospital in America
Adele has had throat surgery to stop an ongoing condition that caused her to cancel tour dates for the rest of the year.
A spokesman for Massachusetts General Hospital in the US says she had vocal cord microsurgery to stop bleeding from a benign polyp.
The condition is usually the result of unstable blood vessels in the vocal cord that can rupture.
Columbia Records announced last month that she would be having surgery.
The hospital says the 23-year-old Grammy winner went to Boston to undergo the surgery with Dr Steven Zeitels, director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Voice Centre.
Adele is expected to make a full recovery from the laser microsurgery.
She was forced to cancel tour dates in America in October, as well as six gigs in the UK.
Doctors the 23-year-old to rest her voice and scrap all her promotional appearances for the rest of the year.
Adele, whose second album 21 is the biggest selling of the year so far in the UK and US, has struggled with illness since the summer.
In July the singer told Radio 1 she had the "all-clear" from a problem which saw her cancel a US tour in June.
In September the beginning of her UK tour was delayed due to a "severe chest infection".
Last month the singer was forced to deny rumours on microblogging site Twitter that she had throat cancer.
Aretha Franklin honoured with tribute at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin has been honoured with a star-studded tribute at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.
The Plain Dealer reported that Lauryn Hill, Dennis Edwards of the Temptations and Chaka Khan were among those who entertained. The 69-year-old soul singer was not scheduled to perform, but towards the end of the three-hour event she took a seat at a piano and traded verses with Edwards in a rendition of A Song for You.
Franklin received a key to the city from Cleveland mayor Frank Jackson during the Saturday event and an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Case Western Reserve University.
The show ended a week-long American Music Masters tribute to her.
Nikki Z's birthday party set for Jamaica
Media personality Nikki Z is ready to showcase her 'sexiness' once again for her birthday party 'Beach Sexy: Divaz Revenge.'
December 3 will see the third staging of the event after a two year absence. Despite being Nikki Z's birthday party, she promises it will focus solely on the patrons.
Set for Sugaman's Beach in Portmore, Beach Sexy will have music from Razz & Biggy, ZJ Chrome, Foota Hype, Flava Unit and Chris Diamond. Speaking to The STARwhile in Jamaica recently Nikki Z said "The theme for this edition is 'The Orient'. We have a fire display show with three well trained contortionists, fire-eaters and even limbo with patrons. There will be an Asian décor, Kamakaze and other great drink specials. As always, there will also be loads of celebrity guests."
popular events
This year Nikki Z teams up with Hapilos International, who are known for staging a number of popular events. "Hapilos international firmly believes as well as I that patrons come first. We have and are still putting together a host of activities for the earlier part of event as well as later in the evening. One main attraction is our fire show," said Nikki Z.
Nikki Z is known for her work at popular radio station ZIP FM where she hosted her own morning segment. While she is currently not working in Jamaica full time, when it came to having her birthday party the diva said hosting it in Jamaica was the right choice.
"I decided to keep it in Jamaica because it did not feel right anywhere else. I started Beach Sexy because I believe it's where patrons can be interactive, let loose. I chose to keep it again in Jamaica because I miss here, my friends, my fans, my supporters this is my day to reconnect. I can't be here as often as I like, work comes first and it's hard. Doesn't mean I don't miss here any less," she said.
busy working
The radio host has been keeping herself busy working on the No. 1 radio station in Connecticut, Hot 93.7 the only urban market radio station to spin dancehall/ reggae in prime time. Her syndicated radio show 'World Caribbean Countdown' has been added to iTunes and is currently the No. 1 podcast in its reggae category airing on over 13 radio stations worldwide. She added, "I'm also a correspondent for BBC 1xtra with Robbo Ranx and Irie Jam 93.5, celebrity guest DJs on Sirius Xm twice. I also staged my first major production 'Lakefest' and I'm looking forward to the next edition of that."
Haiti cholera victims demand UN damages
Lawyers representing 5,000 cholera victims in Haiti are seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation from the UN over the epidemic.
Several studies have found that cholera was probably introduced to Haiti by UN peacekeepers from Nepal.
The demand was brought by the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti.
It says the UN mission in Haiti failed to screen peacekeepers for cholera and allowed untreated waste from a UN base to be dumped into the main river.
It also says the UN mission failed to respond adequately to the outbreak.
The UN says the secretary general is studying the petition.
More than 6,500 Haitians have died of cholera since the outbreak began in October 2010, according to the Haitian Ministry of Health, and nearly 500,000 have been made ill.
'Public apology'
The Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti (IJDH) - a US-based human rights group - is demanding $50,000 (£31,000) in compensation for each sick person and $100,000 (£62,000) for each death.
As well as individual damages, it also wants a public apology and an adequate nationwide response - including medical care, clean water and sanitation infrastructure.
The group says it is prepared to go to court in Haiti or the US if the UN does not respond.
"It is time for the UN to step up and do the right thing," IJDH director Brian Concannon said.
"The majority of our petition's facts come from UN reports. The UN developed much of the law we cite," he said.
"Our clients are challenging the institution to act consistently with what it knows to be true and just".
A UN report on Haiti's cholera epidemic - drawn up by by independent experts and published in May - found that the outbreak was the result of a "confluence of circumstances" rather than the fault of a group or individual.
But it strongly suggested that the disease was introduced by UN peacekeepers from Nepal living on a base where poor sanitary conditions allowed human waste to enter the Artibonite river system.
A report by the US Center for Disease Control also linked the outbreak to Nepalese troops.
The cholera epidemic provoked widespread demonstrations against the UN mission, which has been in Haiti since 2004.
Haitians have little natural resistance to cholera, and the waterborne disease spread rapidly in a country whose already poor infrastructure was shattered by the January 2010 earthquake.
Chinese looking to work closer
BARBADOS IS ONE OF THE FIRST countries in the Caribbean to have established diplomatic relations with China, and the Chinese government is prepared to work with Barbados to promote high-level exchanges between the two countries.
This was emphasized Monday by Chen Changzhi, vice-chairman of the standing committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), during a courtesy call on members of the Senate at Parliament.
Thanking the Barbadian Government for what he described as a “warm reception”, Chen stressed that “exchanges between the legislatures of the two countries are an integral part of bilateral relations.”
He noted that “for the past 34 years since diplomatic ties were established, our friendship and cooperation have been developing smoothly and steadily”.
“Our two countries have cooperated well with each other in regional and international affairs and Barbados has become one of the most important partners of China in the Caribbean.”
Chen and a delegation of Chinese officials are in Barbados to observe Parliamentary procedure and learn some rudiments of the Barbadian legislature.
The Chinese delegation met with Deputy President of the Senate Kerryann Ifill, Deputy Speaker of the House Kenneth Best, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Senator Maxine McClean and Leader of Government Business in the House of Assembly John Boyce.
They heard first-hand how the Senate is selected and its role in the governance of Barbados.
In welcoming the Chinese to the Senate Chamber, the Foreign Affairs Minister reiterated the “extremely good relationship” between the two countries, pointing to years of high-level exchanges and cooperation.
Alluding to the official visit to China by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart in June of this year, Senator McClean said it demonstrated Barbados’ commitment to strengthening its relationship with China. (BGIS)
Venezuela’s envoy slams critics of govt
In a Guardian exclusive, Venezuela’s Consul General in New York, Carol Delgado, hailed the newly-created Community of Latin America and Caribbean States (CELAC) as a counter to the United States meddling in the region and its lopsided influence in the Organisation of American States (OAS). She said CELAC’S upcoming summit in Caracas in December is a significant step in creating a community of nations based on solidarity and co-operation. Speaking at her country’s consulate in midtown Manhattan, Delgado pledged her commitment to forming a close knit Caribbean community in New York. “We are brothers and sisters and it’s our responsibility to assist each other,” she said.
Delgado cited Venezuela’s historical ties with Haiti and the role of Simon Bolivar in revolutions throughout the region. “Our motto is Our America, a political concept advanced by Jose Marti. It’s about forging a political union based on common ideals,” she said. She identified recent programmes at the Consulate that promoted the history and cultures of the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba. She acknowledged disagreements with neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago over “our nation’s favourable oil deals with some Caribbean countries,” but said relations can, and should be improved. “We are so close yet so far apart at times,” she observed and promised programmes promoting the twin island state in the near future.
The Consul General went on to denounce critics of the Chavez government, while conceding that the majority of Venezuelans in New York and Miami are against the government. “My role however is to serve all despite their political views,” she added. Delgado lauded President Chavez as a “visionary who has helped Venezuela recover from dependency and US imperialism.” She said: “We were at the mercy of big powers. We now have the right to dream. When Chavez came into office he negotiated and signed huge oil agreements which helped to revalue our most precious commodity.” She also assailed the Western media for disseminating inaccurate information about the South American country.
“Chavez is not dying, neither is Venezuela a politically fractured country. Our leader has been given a clean bill of health and enjoys a 63 per cent approval rating.” Delgado blamed a one time food shortage on saboteurs, “bent on destabilising the government.” She said her government is committed to diversification and she is optimistic about her country’s ventures in telecommunications, satellites and the auto industry. “There is debate on whether our oil production has dropped. Let me say that independent analysts have said that our exports have been stable and our domestic consumption has been steady over the years. We have also seen a spike in agricultural produce.” She also noted that the government’s goal is to stamp out poverty with a prodigious programme that guarantees housing and three daily meals to the needy.
“We have also cut out the middle man so that our produce is 40 to 50 per cent subsidised,” Delgade said. She derided the opposition for campaigning on a strong social agenda platform—for which they have always criticised Chavez. Finally, Delgado welcomed the thawing of relations with Colombia as a “step in the right direction” with wider regional implications. “There is no way that we can completely police over 2000 kilometers of frontier territory,” she argued, referring to past allegations of Venezuelan complicity with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and its decades-old bloody war with authorities. “The Santos government has recognised this and the rapprochement between our governments is a victory for regional stability and co-operation.”
Mariela Castro Twitter debut sparks Cuba dissident spat
The daughter of Cuban President Raul Castro has made her debut on Twitter, only to be confronted by a dissident demanding free speech.
Mariela Castro is the head of Cuba's sexual education institute and a supporter of gay rights on the island.
Within hours of joining the internet site, she was challenged by Cuban dissident blogger Yoani Sanchez.
"Welcome to Twitter pluralism," Ms Sanchez wrote. "Here no one can shut me up or deny me permission to travel".
The internet activist - who has more than 170,000 followers on Twitter - questioned why Ms Castro's tolerance of gay rights did not extend to other areas of life in Cuba.
"How can you ask for acceptance in just one area?" she asked.
"When can we Cubans come out of the other closets?"
'Parasites'
Ms Castro responded by telling her critic she needed to study.
"Your focus on tolerance reproduces the old structures of power," she tweeted.
The daughter of the Cuban leader went on to thank her friends for "messages of support" and the "boring and mediocre" for spreading her tweets.
Later, she employed some of the revolutionary rhetoric made famous by her uncle Fidel, who ruled Cuba for nearly half a century before handing power to her father.
"Contemptible parasites," she tweeted. "Were you given the order by your bosses to reply to me in unison and with the same predetermined script?"
The public exchange of views between President Raul Castro's daughter and one of his most outspoken critics is very unusual in communist Cuba, where political opposition is banned and the media is controlled by the state.
Yoani Sanchez is a prominent figure in Cuba's small but vocal dissident movement, and one of the first to make widespread use of the internet.
She writes a prize-winning blog - Generacion Y - and relies on Twitter to communicate via her mobile phone when access to the internet is difficult.
According to official Cuban statistics, only 3% of the population have access to the web - the lowest figure in the western hemisphere - and internet speeds are among the slowest in the world.
Access is restricted and available only with government permission - although since 2009 Cubans have been able to use internet cafes, mostly in hotels, and there is a strong black market for internet connections.
Tiger Woods says Steve Williams is "certainly not a racist"
WARNING: This story contains language some may find offensive.
Tiger Woods has revealed he was hurt by Steve Williams's race comment but insisted his long-time former caddie "is certainly not a racist".
Woods added: "It was a wrong thing to say. We're moving forward. It was hurtful certainly, but life goes forward.
"It is a comment that shouldn't have been made and he certainly wishes he didn't make it."
Woods said he had spoken to Williams about the remark, but declined to reveal exactly what they discussed.
"We talked about it this morning [Monday], we met face-to-face, we talked it through and we have agreed it was the wrong thing to say," former world number one Woods said. "He did apologise."
Woods said he had "no doubts" in his belief that Williams did not hold racist views.
"It's one of those things. We'll see what time does," said Woods. "Time does heal wounds and we'll see how that goes."
The caddie has also apologised publicly for his remarks, while European Tour chief George O'Grady and US PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem have decided to take no action.
"I don't make policy, I'm not part of the governing bodies and it's up to them," said Woods.
Williams, who now carries Adam Scott's bag, made the comments when he was awarded a light-hearted accolade for "the best celebration of the year" at a private caddies' dinner in Shanghai on Friday.
When the New Zealander, who was sacked by Woods in July, was asked to elaborate on his celebration after Scott won a world championship event in August, he said the aim was "to shove it right up.............
Williams said on Saturday: "I now realise how my comments could be construed as racist. That was not my intent. I apologise to Tiger and anyone else I have offended."
Joe Paterno reportedly will soon be out as Penn State
If Penn State’s Board of Trustees has, as reported, decided that Joe Paterno’s career as Penn State’s coach will end in this, his 46th season, then the move needs to be made immediately, prior to Saturday’s game against Nebraska. It then needs to be followed by the firing of school president Graham Spanier.
The New York Times reported the icon’s tenure will be over “perhaps within days or weeks,” the casualty of a widening sex abuse scandal that has imploded the once tranquil world of Penn State football.
There’s no reason to wait. The debate over Paterno’s moral culpability in not informing police in 2002 after a then-graduate assistant told Paterno of “something inappropriate involving (former defensive coordinator Jerry) Sandusky” during an “incident in the shower of our locker room facility” will wage forever.
Paterno did what he was legally obligated to do – he informed his boss, athletic director Tim Curley, about the allegation the following day.
He did nothing else though, and a lack of action that has been criticized by many, including the Pennsylvania law enforcement entity that eventually charged Sandusky with dozens of counts of abuse of a minor and Curley and a school vice president for perjury and failure to report the abuse.
The result has been a hurricane of a scandal, rocking not just the football program but also Penn State as an institution to its foundation.
Just Tuesday, a ninth potential victim of Sandusky emerged, according to the Harrisburg Patriot-News. The state’s attorney general has asked for other victims to come forward. Sandusky was allowed to roam free for nine-and-a-half years after the 2002 allegations were brought to Penn State’s attention, a time when other victims were molested. In 1998 the Penn State police department investigated other molestation accusations against Sandusky, but he was not prosecuted.
The depth and fury of the questions still remaining unanswered not just by Paterno, but also by other school officials, including President Spanier, are considerable.
FIFA upholds ban for Caribbean leader Austin
Caribbean football leader Lisle Austin has lost his appeal against a one-year suspension.
FIFA says its appeals panel upheld Austin's ban for breaking football rules by seeking a court injunction against the governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean.
Austin, who is banned until July, can challenge FIFA at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The case followed bribery allegations involving former FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam and vice-president Jack Warner.
Austin became acting president of CONCACAF when Warner was suspended and then tried to fire general secretary Chuck Blazer, whose evidence file sparked the scandal.
When CONCACAF suspended Austin, he petitioned a court in the Bahamas.
Former FIFA executive committee member Ahongalu Fusimalohi gave evidence to the CAS yesterday in Lausanne challenging his two-year ban, which runs until October 2012.
The Tongan official was caught in a British newspaper's sting during bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Fusimalohi and other former FIFA officials reportedly advised The Sunday Times' undercover reporters how to bribe their former colleagues.
Fusimalohi's ban cost him his job as Tonga Football Association general secretary, and his seat on the Oceania confederation's executive committee.
He now works as an adviser to Tongan Prime Minister Lord Tu'ivakano.
Fusimalohi was a member of FIFA's ruling body from 2002-06 and took part in the election of South Africa as the 2010 World Cup host.
He is the last of three officials to appear at CAS among six banned by FIFA last year based on the newspaper's evidence.
Amos Adamu of Nigeria, who FIFA ruled had asked for bribes, last month challenged his three-year ban. Adamu was barred from voting when FIFA's executive committee chose World Cup hosts Russia and Qatar last December.
Amadou Diakite of Mali faced the same FIFA charges as Fusimalohi. He appealed his two-year ban last month. Diakite had been a member of FIFA's refereeing committee.
The CAS panels are scheduled to give their three verdicts within several weeks.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter said as part of his reform process he intends to revive his 28-member strategic committee, which includes representatives from clubs, leagues, players and referees. Among the members are US Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati, Barcelona President Sandro Rosell, former Italy coach Marcello Lippi and former French national team player Christian Karembeu.
The committee last met in April 2009.