JAGS remembered again, 35-years after his tragic death
A moment of silence held yesterday for James Alexander George Smith McCartney, the first Chief Minister of the TCI by the party he helped to found in 1975; the People’s Democratic Movement.
“On Saturday May 9th, would mark the 35th anniversary of the death of the country’s first Chief Minister and only named National Hero, our Party’s first leader, the Hon James Alexander George Smith McCartney. On May 9th 1980, the news of his untimely demise sent shock waves throughout these islands and the region as he was currently the youngest Caribbean leader at the time. So we’re going to ask you to just inconvenience yourself a bit, as we stand and observe a moment of silence in memory of our Party’s first leader.”
That was PDM Leader, Hon Sharlene Robinson, speaking at the PDM headquarters yesterday evening. After this upcoming National Heroes Day on May 25, JAGS McCartney will be referred to as the ‘Right Excellent’; this was announced by the newly commissioned National Honors and Awards Committee, which is right now accepting nominations for seven different National Awards. Nomination booklets are available in all islands at public places, including clinics and some banks.
Deadline for entries is June 30, 2015.
Germany Arrests 4 Extremist Suspects
German authorities say they have arrested four people who are suspected of founding a right-wing extremist group to attack mosques and housing for asylum seekers.
Officials announced the arrests Wednesday, saying they confiscated a stash of explosives during the raids as well.
The four detainees — three men and one woman — are being held on terrorism charges. They are reported to have called themselves the "Old School Society" and are believed to have been planning attacks on well-known Salafist Muslims in Germany and on places where asylum-seekers are housed.
In western Germany, police said unidentified arsonists had set fire to a building housing asylum seekers in the town of Limburgerhof, where the housing was under construction. Police said they have not yet determined the motive for the attack.
Last week police in Frankfurt said they foiled a plan by alleged Islamic extremists to attack a popular bicycle race on the May Day holiday. The police arrested a Turkish-German man and his Turkish wife. Authorities reported finding a stash of weapons and bomb-making ingredients in the couple's home. The race was consequently canceled.
Floyd Mayweather: Bruno, Tyson, Froch, Khan united in praise
Floyd Mayweather will go down as one of boxing's greatest fighters, says former WBC heavyweight champion Frank Bruno.
The American outclassed Filipino rival Manny Pacquiao with a unanimous points decision in Las Vegas on Saturday.
The boxing world was unanimous in praise of Mayweather, 38, following his victory at the MGM Grand and Bruno said he could fight on until he is 50.
And former undisputed heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson hailed him "invincible" after his 48th career win.
Tyson believes Mayweather stands alone at the forefront of boxing: "He controlled the fight, he has great endurance, he did a really good job.
"It's his era, his time. He is in invincible mode now - no-one can stand with him at this particular moment."
And he is getting better as he gets older, according to Bruno: "As a boxer you've got to admire him, he's got to go down as one of the greats.
"If you look at Mayweather and understand him and work him out, from 16 until now he hasn't changed in his attitude or whatever.
"I think he can go on until he's 50 in boxing because he's got the secret to looking after himself," Bruno told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek programme.
Former world cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson was surprised by the margin of Mayweather's victory. He said: "He shocked me and shocked everybody because he stepped up another three, four, five levels and shut him out. It was a complete masterclass.
"The whole thing of boxing is hit and not be hit. That's what he did."
Amir Khan, who hopes to be Mayweather's next opponent, told Sportsweek: "It was a classy fight. The mistake Manny made was drop to Mayweather's pace.
"To fight Mayweather you have to stick to your own pace, and that's something a young fighter would do."
Four-time world champion Carl Froch was disappointed with the Filipino: "Was Pacquiao that poor or Mayweather that good?"
"Mayweather was sharp, accurate. I wanted to see more from Pacquiao, I am disappointed," the Nottingham fighter told Sky Box Office.
"I was a bit disappointed with Pacquiao saying he thought he won. You can see when you are getting beat and outboxed. The best man won."
Six-weight world champion Oscar De La Hoya had hoped for a little more action: "Call me old-school but I like the fans getting their money's worth by watching an action-packed fight.
"I'm just not into the boxing, running style. I like jumping out of my seat because a fight was existing."
Former world featherweight champion Barry McGuigan was not surprised by the manner of Mayweather's victory. "Mayweather was much too smart and quick for Manny. Just as I predicted - boringly one-sided," he tweeted.
Source-BBC
J.Lo Pays Tribute to Selena at 2015 Billboard Latin Music Awards
Jennifer Lopez served as a musical guest at Billboard Latin Music Awards on April 30 in Miami. She paid tribute to Selena Quintanilla, singing the late singer's hits like "Como La Flor", "Bidi Bidi Bam Bam", "Amor Prohibido", "I Could Fall in Love", and "No Me Queda Mas".
J.Lo delivered her performances with the help of Los Dinos, the family band that backed up Selena who was tragically killed 20 years ago. "Hands up for Selena and Los Dinos," the singer addressed the crowd who flocked to the Bank United Center. "Sing with me!"
The "American Idol" judge changed her costumes at least three times throughout her performance without leaving the stage. She hugged Selena's family at the end of the performance.
Jennifer Lopez was nominated for Latin Rhythm Song of the Year, thanks to her collaboration with Wisin and Ricky Martin. Unfortunately, the award went to J Balvin's "6 AM" featuring Farruko. J.Lo's ex-husband Marc Anthony, meanwhile, managed to take home one prize for Tour of the Year, while Romeo Santos and Enrique Iglesias led the pack with 10 and 9 wins respectively.
Source-AceShowbiz
Robin Thicke and Pharrell Asking for New 'Blurred Lines' Trial
The war between Robin Thicke and Marvin Gaye's family over "Blurred Lines" isn't over yet. After a jury ruled in March that the 2013 hit infringed on the late musician's "Got to Give It Up", lawyers for the 38-year-old singer and his collaborator Pharrell Williams are now pushing for a new trial.
In a new motion presented on Friday, May 1, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Thicke and Pharrell's legal team argued that there were errors in jury instructions, improper testimony from a musicologist and insufficient evidence in the original trial. They also added that the jury's verdict was inconsistent since T.I. was not found guilty in the case.
Additionally, the lawyers wanted to reduce the monetary award given to the Gaye children, stating that $7.4 million was double the profit Pharrell made from the song. They said that since "the elements of ['Got to Give It Up'] claimed to have been copied amount to less than 5% of the ['Blurred Lines'] composition," the award should be slashed to under $680,000.
Also on Friday, the Gayes filed motions of their own, asking for Interscope Records, UMG Recordings and others labels to be held accountable. They also wanted to halt the distribution of the song, and if the request wasn't granted, they demanded for over 50% of all future revenues.
The judge will consider the motions at a hearing scheduled for June 29.
Source-AceShowbiz
Windies defy odds, wearing pitch to complete series-levelling win
West Indies defied the odds and a wearing pitch to complete a series-levelling five-wicket victory over England on the third day of the third and final Test yesterday.
Set a daunting target of 192 after the tourists were dismissed for 123 in their second innings, a 108-run fifth-wicket partnership between Darren Bravo and Jermaine Blackwood tilted the match decisively the Caribbean side's way.
It was their first victory over England since the opening match of the 2009 series in Kingston, Jamaica.
Bravo's controlled knock of 82 ended when he attempted to make the victory hit off Ben Stokes as Stuart Broad pulled down the catch at mid-off.
It was left to Blackwood to finish off the match in the next over, hoisting Moeen Ali's off-spin over long-on to complete a team and personal triumph following his first innings top score of 85 out of a total of 189.
West Indies seemed on the verge of another capitulation when veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who endured a poor series, played on to James Anderson without scoring to leave the home side uncomfortably placed at 80 for four.
However, Blackwood capitalised on a significant moment of luck -- a missed stumping by wicketkeeper Jos Buttler off Joe Root when only on four -- to stay with his senior partner.
Gradually they wore down the England bowlers before unfurling the attacking shots that sped the West Indies to the target that seemed beyond them at the start of the chase given the state of the pitch and the low-scoring nature of the match.
Openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope saw off the early assault from Anderson and Broad, although not without a few anxious moments.
However the introduction of Chris Jordan into the attack brought the breakthrough that England craved as the debutant fell leg-before for nine.
In the very next over, Jordan's brilliance at slip throughout the series was again in evidence as he held on to a sharp chance left-handed to remove Brathwaite off Ali's off-spin for 25.
England had started the day brightly, putting on 51 in the first hour for the loss of just one wicket from a perilous overnight position of 39 for five.
Gary Ballance was that early casualty after England resumed in the perilous overnight position of 39 for five.
England won the second Test in Grenada by nine wickets while the opening game of the three-match series in Antigua was drawn.
Scoreboard
England 1st Innings 257 (A Cook 105, M. Ali 58)
West Indies 1st Innings 189 (J Blackwood 85; J Anderson 6-42)
England 2nd Innings (overnight 39 for 5)
A Cook c Brathwaite b Gabriel 4
J Trott lbw b Taylor 9
G Ballance c Bravo b Permaul 23
I Bell lbw b Taylor 0
J Root c Bravo b Holder 1
M Ali b Permaul 8
B Stokes c Chanderpaul b Permaul 32
J Buttler not out 35
C Jordan lbw b Holder 2
S Broad b Holder 0
J Anderson lbw b Taylor 2
Extras (b4, lb2, nb1) 7
Total (all out, 42.1 overs) 123
Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Trott), 2-13 (Cook), 3-18 (Bell), 4-28 (Root), 5-39 (Ali), 6-62 (Ballance), 7-95 (Stokes), 8-98 (Jordan), 9-98 (Broad), 10-123 (Anderson).
Bowling: Taylor 11.1-1-33-3, Gabriel 7-4-16-1 (1nb), Holder 9-3-15-3, Permaul 11-3-43-3, Samuels 4-1-10-0.
West Indies 2nd Innings
K Brathwaite c Jordan b Ali 25
S Hope lbw b Jordan 9
D Bravo c Broad b Stokes 82
M Samuels b Broad 20
S Chanderpaul b Anderson 0
J Blackwood not out 47
D Ramdin not out 0
Extras (b5, lb6) 11
Total (5 wickets, 62.4 overs) 194
Did not bat: Jason Holder, Veerasammy Permaul, Jerome Taylor, Shannon Gabriel.
Fall of wickets: 1-35 (Hope), 2-35 (Brathwaite), 3-70 (Samuels), 4-80 (Chanderpaul), 5-188 (Bravo).
Bowling: Anderson 13-4-35-1, Broad 13-5-29-1, Jordan 11-5-24-1, Ali 12.4-1-54-1, Root 8-4-16-0, Stokes 5-0-25-1.
Toss: England
Result: West Indies won by five wickets
Series: 1-1
Umpires: Billy Bowden (NZL), Bruce Oxenford (AUS)
TV Umpire: Steve Davis (AUS)
Match Referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
Two gold, one silver for Jamaica in World Relays
Jamaica added three more medals, including two gold on last night's second and final day of the 2nd IAAF World Relay Championships at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium in the Bahamas and went a far way to redemption after just two silvers on Saturday's opening session.
The men's 4x200m team without World Record holder Usain Bolt retained their title while the veteran Veronica Campbell Brown rolled back the clock to anchor the women's 4x100m team to a close victory over the Americans, avenging last year's loss.
The women's 4x400m were second again as Jamaica finished with five medals after winning two on Saturday -- in the men's 4x100m and the women's 4x200m.
Jamaica were second in the points tables with 46, behind the USA's 63 with Poland third with 34, followed by Australia (25), rounding out the top four teams.
The Jamaican men made up for their loss Saturday night in the 4x100m by retaining the 4x200m despite the absence of Bolt, who watched the race from the stands.
Nickel Ashmeade, who replaced Jermaine Brown who ran in the semi-finals earlier in the day, Rasheed Dwyer, Jason Livermore and Warren Weir got away with an iffy baton change to run 1:20.97 minutes to get to the line first.
As their women did a night earlier, the American men had issues with their baton changes and were disqualified after another great run by Justin Gatlin, this time on the anchor leg, crossing the line third.
France were second in 1:21.49, while Germany were promoted to third after running 1:22.65.
The Jamaican men ran faster in the semi-finals with a World Leading 1:20.19 to win their heat with Dwyer, Livermore, Brown and Weir on anchor beating France (1:21.41) and Germany, who ran a National Record 1:21.46.
Campbell Brown replaced Natasha Morrison, who had anchored the women's 4x100m in the semi-finals and chased and caught American anchor leg runner Carmelita Jeter, getting to the line a stride and half ahead of her.
Simone Facey, Kerron Stewart and Schillonie Calvert had kept the Jamaicans in the race with strong legs and left it up to Campbell Brown to lead them to victory in a world-leading 42.14 seconds.
The USA were second with 42.32 seconds and Great Britain third in 42.84 seconds.
In the semi-finals run earlier in the afternoon, they had clocked a then world-leading 42.50 seconds to win the first semi-final heat, beating Canada (42.94 seconds) and Nigeria (43.56).
The women's 4x400m team of Anastasia Leroy, Novlene Williams-Mils, who replaced Natoya Goule who ran in Saturday's semi-final, Christine Day and Stephenie Ann McPherson took silver in 3:22.49 minutes behind the USA's Championship Record 3:19.39with Great Britain taking the bronze in 3: 26.38 seconds.
Yesterday, the USA and Jamaica separated themselves from the rest of the field, opening up a big lead while three teams -- Great Britain, France and Poland -- battled for the bronze.
The Jamaica women had also won the silver last year, beaten again by the USA with Williams Mills and Leroy, joining Kaliese Spencer and Shericka Jackson.
The men's 4x400m team were fourth, just missing a medal as Javon Francis failed to repeat his heroics from 24 hours earlier when he had split 44.02 seconds to take the team from fifth to second.
He managed to take the team from about sixth on the anchor leg, but failed to catch the top three as Jamaican clocked 3:00.23 seconds.
The USA retained their title with a world-leading 2:58.43 minutes, beating the Bahamas' 2:58.91 and Belgium took third with a new National Record 2:59.33.
Source- Jamaica Observer
DIGICEL LAUNCHES CONVENIENT TOP UP APP FOR CUSTOMERS ABROAD AND IN THE CARIBBEAN
Digicel today announced the official launch of its convenient Top Up App which delivers a fast, reliable and convenient way for customers from abroad to send minutes to their family and friends living in the Caribbean anytime. The new top up app also allows customers in the Caribbean to top up their own phones really easily too.
Digicel customers abroad have been calling for the launch of an easy, convenient way to top up family and friends at home, and Digicel has delivered on that call, providing a convenient, fast and reliable way to stay connected. What’s more, there are no transaction fees when sending minutes via the Digicel Top Up App.
“The response from our customers has been overwhelming,” said Declan Cassidy, CEO Digicel Diaspora. “Since our initial soft launch in November last year, we have over 200,000 downloads and our customers continue to tell us how the App fits their lifestyle – topping up themselves or sending top up to family in the Caribbean on-the-go no matter where they are, or what time it is.”
Digicel is also launching an integrated advertising campaign to ensure customers are benefiting from the great features of the App. The radio ads feature Jamaican songbird, Tessanne Chin, whimsically interacting with Caribbean nationals highlighting the various situations in which they can send minutes conveniently. French and creole versions of the radio ads have also been produced and feature popular Haitian compas band, Carimi.
The Digicel Top Up App is a free mobile application and is available for download in iTunes and Google Play.
Digicel is committed to keeping family and friends abroad connected to those at home in the Caribbean via the Top Up App, online at www.digicelgroup.com or via any Digicel branded authorized retail location across the US, Canada and the UK.
Beyonce, Jay-Z, Justin Bieber Attend Floyd Mayweather Vs. Manny Pacquiao Fight
Celebrities flocked to MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Saturday, April 2 to witness the ring showdown between Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z were among them. Queen Bey was red hot while her hubby looked dapper in a suit.
They were joined by celebrities like Justin Bieber, Drew Barrymore, Anna Paquin & husband Stephen Moyer, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, P. Diddy, Michael Keaton, Tom Hardy, Matthew Bomer, Claire Danes & hubby Hugh Dancy, Adrien Brody, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. Also spotted at the fight were "Southpaw" actor Jake Gyllenhaal and director Antoine Fuqua.
Jimmy Kimmel stole attention as he walked Pacquiao out to the ring wearing a t-shirt with a hilarious picture of a big Pac-Man eating little Floyd faces. "Disappointing result but what a fight - thank you for making me your Bieber @MannyPacquiao - you are a champion," he tweeted after the event.
Source-AceShowbiz
Morgan Heritage tops Billboard Reggae chart
For the first time in seven years, Morgan Heritage has topped Billboard's reggae album chart.
This time their latest album Strictly Roots, released on April 20, holds the number one spot.
Strictly Roots's achievement makes it eight times the group has been on that album chart. In 2001, More Teachings reached number six, while 2003's Three in One stalled at number 13. Full Circle topped out at number 7 in 2005, while 2009's The Journey Thus Far got as far as number eight. 2013's EP The Return unpacked its travelling bags at number 15, while 2013's full length Here Come the Kings perched at number 2.
The sibling group last topped the Billboard Reggae album chart in 2008 with Mission in Progress.
Strictly Roots is released on the group's very own CTBC (Cool to be Conscious) label, and the album features collaborations with Shaggy, J Boog, Jemere Morgan, Mo Mersa Marley, Chronixx, Eric Rachmany lead singer of Rebelution, and Bobby Lee, from Santa Barbara reggae band SOJA.
Journalist: Kevin Jackson
Source-Jamaica Observer