Chris Brown’s ‘F.A.M.E.’ to Top Billboard; J-Hud #2; Kirk Franklin #4
Looks like all of Chris Brown’s tomfoolery is about to pay off.
After several weeks in which the artist dyed his hair blonde, was seen naked in a leaked photo and trashed a dressing room, Billboard says his new album “F.A.M.E.” is poised to enter the chart at No 1 next week on sales of over 250,000. If the numbers pan out, this will be Brown’s first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart.
Industry prognosticators suggest the set, released yesterday (Mar. 22), could shift anywhere between 250,000 to 300,000 by week’s end on Sunday, Mar. 27. Brown has charted three previous top 10 albums: his first, self-titled set debuted and peaked at No. 2 in 2005 and was followed by 2007′s “Exclusive” (No. 4) and 2009′s “Graffiti” (No. 7).
“Graffiti,” released after the Rihanna beating, began with 102,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan, in the thick of the Christmas shopping season and has thus far sold 341,000. His new set boasts four Billboard Hot 100 hit singles “Deuces” (No. 14), “Yeah 3X” (No. 15), “No BS” (No. 62) and “Look At Me Now” (No. 8).
Brown won’t be the only high-bowing act next week, either. He’ll be joined by Jennifer Hudson, who will see her second album, “I Remember Me,” perhaps starting in the runner-up slot with around 160,000. The Strokes’ newest, “Angles,” may enter at No. 3 with maybe 90,000 while Kirk Franklin’s “Hello Fear” could start at No. 4 with 80,000.
With this week’s No. 1, Adele’s “21″ — on Columbia Records — looking at perhaps the No. 5 slot next week, it would give Sony Music a monopoly of the top five. (Brown is on Jive Records, Hudson is on J, the Strokes are an RCA act and Franklin is on Gospo Centric through Jive.)
The last time a distributor had that sort of lock on the top five was on the Jan. 15, 2011 chart, when Universal Music owned the region. Taylor Swift’s “Speak Now” (Big Machine) was No. 1, followed by Eminem’s “Recovery” (Web/Shady/Aftermath/Interscope), Rihanna’s “Loud” (SRP/Def Jam), Nicki Minaj’s “Pink Friday” (Young Money/Cash Money/Universal Motown) and Kanye West’s “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” (Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam), respectively.
Nicki Minaj Helps Victims Of Japan Earthquake/Tsunami
A variety of rappers are being tapped for an upcoming digital album being released by Universal Music Group to raise funds for the victims the March 11th earthquake/tsunami in Japan that left over 15,000 people dead.
According to reports, Nicki Minaj has been confirmed for the project, while Universal acts like Rihanna and Bon Jovi have also been tapped for the album, which will be released worldwide.
Proceeds from the album, which is being rushed to be released at the end of this week, will benefit the Japanese Red Cross.
A number of other Universal artists could be included on the project, including top-selling rapper Eminem and pop singer Lady Gaga.
Universal representatives are looking for artists who are willing to waver their royalties for the tracks that appear on the untitled, digitized benefit release.
In other Minaji News: Amidst speculations that she might be the next judge on The X-Factor, the show’s executive producer SimonCowell confirmed a secret meeting with Young Money star Nicki Minaj.
Simon Cowell also gave his piece on enlisting former Def Jam president L.A. Reid as the first judge on the show.
“I think it’s incredible to have a talent like L.A. on the show, it only brings more credibility and excitement to The X-Factor. He’s arguably one of the greatest hit-makers in the world,” Cowell said in an interview. “He was one of my first choices to bring on. After years in the music industry, you have look at who has continued to stay relevant — I’m just extremely happy that L.A. will be joining me. He’s really almost like a producer on the show, now…We’ve spoken to [Nicki] but we’ve met so many people that’s it’s just a long, exhausting process that we have to deal with. It’ll be announced in the next week. We were actually introduced a few weeks ago.”
Last weekend, rumors emerged that Simon Cowell is looking to enlist Nicki Minaj as a judge on the US X-Factor.
Whoopi Goldberg Was High During Oscar Acceptance Speech
Whoopi Goldberg says she smoked weed before accepting her Academy Award in 1991 for Best Supporting Actress in “Ghost.”
Speaking during a voiceover session for her 1992 movie “The Pagemaster” in a video obtained by gossip website TMZ, Whoopi said she was so nervous before the ceremony that she lit up in hopes of calming herself down.
“I learned a great lesson though. Never smoke pot before there’s the possibility of having to talk to one hundred million people. Smoking cigarettes and pot every now and then are one thing that relaxes me and I thought, ‘I’ve got to relax.’
“So I smoked this joint that was the last of my home grown and honey, when he said my name and I popped up, I was like, ‘Oh f**k, oh f**k, up the stairs one two three four five, onto the podium. There’s millions of people, OK grab the statue.’ I knew I should have never had done it.”
Whoopi said as soon as her mother saw her accept the award she realized what was going on.
“My mother called me afterwards and said, ‘You smoked didn’t you? Your eyes were just glistening.’
“So I panicked and got the Oscars tape to see whether you could tell and you just couldn’t. I know you’re not supposed to admit that you smoke pot but I don’t drink alcohol!”
NATO Takes Command of Libya No-Fly Zone
NATO member states have agreed to assume command of a no-fly zone over Libya, and are considering whether to take on broader responsibilities outlined in two U.N. Security Council resolutions.
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Thursday the alliance's operation will begin in the next three days, and will proceed alongside the bombing campaign carried out by international coalition aircraft.
Rasmussen said that at the moment "there will still be a coalition operation and a NATO operation." He said a decision on NATO assuming broader authority for the international campaign in Libya could come within a couple of days.
Turkey, which is NATO's sole Muslim member, agreed to the plan earlier Thursday after a four-way telephone conference between U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Turkish, French and British counterparts. Ankara had sought assurances that the NATO operation would be limited and would avoid casualties among Muslim civilians.
Also Thursday, the U.S. and France announced that the United Arab Emirates will contribute 12 planes to enforce the no-fly zone. The Gulf nation of Qatar already has joined the effort.
Coalition forces carried out strikes against pro-government targets in Libya Thursday, as the African Union announced it is hosting talks aimed at trying to halt the fighting.
The AU said it will host a meeting on Libya at its headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Reuters news agency says that among those invited to Friday's meeting are representatives of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's government and Libyan opposition leaders.
Reuters quotes AU chairman Jean Ping as saying the union wants to see a ceasefire, humanitarian assistance, protection for civilians and some kind of response to Libyans' demands for democracy.
French fighter jets shot down a Libyan government warplane Thursday over the city of Misrata. The French military says it carried out airstrikes deep in Libya's interior, targeting an air base 250 kilometers south of the Mediterranean coast.
Forces loyal to Mr. Gadhafi continued to strike rebel-held strongholds in the coastal cities of Ajdabiya and Misrata.
The French News Agency, AFP, quotes a doctor in Misrata as saying that attacks by pro-Gadhafi forces have killed at least 109 people in the city and wounded more than 1,300 in the past week.
Also Thursday, several explosions were reported east of the Libyan capital, Tripoli.
Earthquake Rattles Southeast Asia
A strong earthquake struck a remote area in northeastern Burma near the border with Thailand on Thursday, killing at least one person and shaking residents across a broad swath of southeast Asia. No tsunami was generated.
The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake at magnitude 6.8 and said it hit Thursday evening, local time, in an area where Burma, Thailand and Laos meet.
The epicenter was about 90 kilometers north of the Thai city of Chiang Rai, which sustained minor damage. U.S. experts say the quake was just 10 kilometers deep.
Police said a woman on the Thai side of the border was killed when a wall of her house collapsed on her.
Buildings swayed nearly 800 kilometers to the southwest in Bangkok, while residents of high-rise buildings in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, were temporarily evacuated.
Israel Strikes Gaza Targets Following Palestinian Rocket Fire
Palestinian officials say a new wave of Israeli airstrikes hit multiple targets in the Gaza Strip late Thursday, after militants there fired at least 10 rockets and mortars into Israel.
The Palestinians say Israeli planes bombed an arms depot in northern Gaza, a military facility near Gaza City once used as the Palestinian Authority's intelligence headquarters, and other sites.
The strikes were said to have hit buildings belonging to the Islamist group Hamas, which rules Gaza. Medical officials say several people were injured.
Also Thursday, U.S. President Barack Obama called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express concern about a bombing in Jerusalem Wednesday that killed a British tourist and wounded at least 31 other people.
The White House said that during the call, Mr. Obama reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Israel's security.
Israeli officials have blamed Palestinian militants for the attack.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who is on a trip to Israel, called Wednesday's bombing a “horrific terrorist attack.” He also condemned Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel.
On Thursday, Gates met with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, and is to meet with Mr. Netanyahu on Friday.
Barak said Israel will not tolerate attacks against its citizens. He blamed Hamas for the rocket fire and vowed to strike back. Barak said that because Hamas is in power in Gaza, the group must control the actions of Islamic Jihad and other militant groups.
Gates arrived in Israel after holding talks with Egyptian officials in Cairo on the opposition movements that are sweeping through much of the Middle East. Gates travels to Jordan after wrapping up talks in Israel.
Syria Announces Reforms Amid Anti-Government Protests
Syria says it will consider ending the country's emergency law as part of a series of reforms, following nearly a week of deadly anti-government protests.
An aide to President Bashar al-Assad says the government will study the idea of scrapping the law, in place since Syria's Baath Party took power in 1963. The law bans all opposition to the Baath party.
Anti-government protesters have been demanding that President Assad end the emergency law, curb Syria's pervasive security apparatus, free political prisoners and allow freedom of expression.
Witnesses reported more than 30 people were killed in clashes Wednesday between security forces and protesters in the southern city of Daraa.
The United States condemned the Syrian government's “brutal repression of demonstrations,” and it urged authorities to respect the rights of the Syrian people.
Syrian state-run media said four people were killed Wednesday in Daraa when an “armed gang” attacked a medical team.
European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton condemned the unrest in Daraa. She said the use of live ammunition and excessive force against peaceful protesters must end immediately.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Syria should follow the example of Egypt, where the army allowed pro-democracy demonstrations.
EU Summit in Disarray Over Portugal
Belgian police fired tear gas and sprayed water cannons at rock-throwing demonstrators protesting European Union plans to cut social spending and raise retirement ages.
Police say about 20,000 protesters filled the streets of Brussels, where EU leaders are holding a two-day summit called to deal with the region's debt crisis.
The meeting has been thrown into disarray because of Portugal's political crisis. Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates resigned Wednesday after parliament rejected his plans for more spending cuts. EU leaders fear Portugal could become the third member country to need a bailout from the EU and the International Monetary Fund.
EU leaders urged Portugal Thursday not to back down from plans to slash spending. Mr. Socrates will stay on as a caretaker prime minister until elections are held. He has said he will do all he can to avoid having to ask for a bailout.
But the Fitch and Standard & Poor's agencies have both cut Portugal's credit rating two notches, and some EU officials say a Portuguese bailout may be inevitable.
The EU and IMF granted Ireland and Greece multi-billion-dollar bailout packages last year, and some European financial analysts say Spain also might need help.
The CSA released a statement on today's Sick Out
RTC News received the following press release from the Civil Service Association that reads:
Today Thursday March 24 a number of Civil Servants did not report to work on the grounds of being sick. This event resulted in the closure of a number of Government Departments and the closure of the Providenciales International Airport with the exception of Emergency flights and Essential Services such as Domestic e Fire, Police, Ambulance Services.
It is unknown whether Civil Servants were genuinely sick or whether they were protesting in response to the impending changes in policy as it relates to Taxation, Pension and Payroll. It is also unknown whether they were upset over the Administrations reluctance to allow proper dialogue between their Civil Service Association (CSA) Representatives and persons in Authority here in the TCI or from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. There are numerous unknowns.
However, what is known is that these many issues can affect the mental and physical health of Civil Servants and result in illness such as
what may have occurred today. What is also known is that the Government intends to implement policies that will have a long lasting negative impact on the lives of Civil Servants and their families and residents of the TCI.
The CSA berates the allegation made by the Administration as to the involvement of the CSA in the ill-health of Civil Servants today and also the allegations made about the threat to “public safety”.
Furthermore, the CSA knows for a fact that the Government payroll system was functional today and that the payrolls were prepared from yesterday. Therefore the statement made about the reason to delay payment of wages and salary is false and can only be viewed as an action of victimization todiscipline Civil Servants for being sick.
There are a lot of issues affecting Civil Servants and their families and these issues need to be addressed amicably and with respect. The CSA therefore welcomes dialogue with the Administration so as to reduce the frustration and stress that Civil Servants are currently experiencing and build a better Civil Service and Country.
The release ended with a scripture that reads, The Lord is our light and our salvation; whom shall we fear? The Lord is the strength of our life whom shall we be afraid?
That was the full text from the CSA issued today to RTC News on today's sick out.
TCI Tourist Board adresses today's sick out
With the buzz surrounding today's sick out by the CSA, the Turks & Caicos Tourist Board has also weighed in on the affects by issuing the following statement:
The Tourist Board recognizes and supports the rights of civil servants and government workers to engage in industrial action, it must point out that when such action, grounds flights on our airports and causes international carriers to cancel their service to our islands, the Board is seriously concerned about the adverse effects this can have on our tourism industry.
The inconvenience caused to our guests could shake their confidence in Brand TCI and prove counter-productive to the health and growth of tourism in our islands. Additionally, disruptions in the tourism sector cost the Tourist Board, our private sector partners and government significant sums to restore the destination’s image in the market place.
The Tourist Board therefore urges caution from all involved and dialogue between the parties concerned to bring a speedy end to the current state of affairs for the sake of our tourism industry.
The Tourist Board would like to reassure our valued guests and would-be visitors that the Turks and Caicos Islands remain a great vacation destination, a great place in which to do business and home to friendly people all waiting to embrace you.
The following was a release sent to RTC News today by the Tourist Board on the sick out that left some parts of the country crippled.