Italy's Berlusconi Faces 2-year Ban from Public Office
An Italian court has ruled that former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, convicted of tax fraud, should be barred from holding public office for two years.
However, Saturday's ruling against Berlusconi — a current senator — will have no immediate effect, until a vote in the upper house of parliament in coming weeks on whether to expel him from the Senate.
In August, Italy's Supreme Court turned down the media tycoon's second and final appeal against the tax fraud verdict, upholding his first definitive conviction after many years of legal challenges.
The 77-year-old Berlusconi, one of Europe's richest men, is not expected to be imprisoned for the tax fraud case. His four-year sentence has already been reduced to 12 months under an amnesty that his former government pushed through for crimes committed before 2006.
He is reported to have requested to serve that term in community service.
Separately, Berlusconi faces a seven-year prison term and a lifetime political ban after his conviction earlier this year of paying a minor for sex and then forcing officials to cover it up. Italian law allows two appeals of such convictions, and neither has yet been adjudicated.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
Brahimi Pushes for Syria Peace Talks on Egypt Visit
The U.N.-Arab League envoy for Syria is in Cairo as part of a regional tour aimed at garnering support for a peace conference in Geneva next month.
Lakhdar Brahimi met Saturday with Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy. He is due to hold talks with Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi on Sunday.
The so-called "Geneva Two" conference would be aimed at establishing a transitional government to run Syria and prepare it for democratic elections.
After holding talks with Brahimi about a week ago, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has "lost the legitimacy to be a cohesive force" that can unite people. Kerry said it is imperative to get the Geneva conference organized by a mid-November target the United Nations has set.
In other news, a Syrian activist group said at least 16 soldiers were killed in a suicide car bombing and ensuing clashes with rebels outside Damascus.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front carried out Saturday's suicide attack.
The blast went off at a checkpoint between the rebel-held area of Mleha and the pro-government town of Jaramana, which is populated by Christians and Druze.
Syria's state-run SANA news agency also reported the attack.
Meanwhile, Lebanese Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said nine Shi'ite pilgrims from Lebanon kidnapped last year in Syria have been freed as part of a negotiated hostage deal.
The conflict in Syria has killed more than 100,000 people and displaced millions more since it began in March 2011.
SEVERE WEATHER WARNING AFFECTS TCI
FifA World Cup Trophy travels to the Turks & Caicos on Sunday October 13th, 2013.
After a successful launch at the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio, with a bird’s eye view of the iconic Estádio do Maracanã, the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola jetted off to start its international tour by visiting Tahiti, Fiji and Vanuatu. With 3 of 89 countries having already welcomed the trophy, it’s now time to set off on the Caribbean leg of the tour.
In true superstar fashion, the most sought after symbol of football will have at its disposal it’s very own branded plane! This plane will now carry world football’s most coveted trophy and the global Trophy Tour team all over the world, with the final destination set to be back in the FIFA World Cup host country to start its domestic tour.
The trophy has just left the BVI on the 10th, the Dominican Republic on the 11th-12th and unto the TCI on the Sunday the 13th, 2013 before heading to Dominica.
The Turks and Caicos Islands occupy the very lower reaches of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking and have never made a significant impact on the qualifying stages of the FIFA World Cup™, usually tumbling out of the CONCACAF scene in the early rounds, it is hoped that the magic of the spirited trophy will leave it’s legendary mark on the TCI harnessing the growth of football among our residents.
According to Sports Watch hosts, “the fact that the trophy has come to the TCI means there is hope through the coverage of TCI one day qualifying for Concacaf then onto the World Cup.” The TCI fell short in qualifying in the preliminary rounds for South Africa 2010 & Brazil 2014.
The TCI High Schools & Primary Schools does not have football in their sports curriculum but with small clubs & the TCIFF there could be changes in the future.
The Coco-Cola sponsored event will see kids taking photos with the trophy as well as a special presentation in the morning with dignitaries when the jet lands at the Provo Air Center.
Toni Braxton and Babyface Debut 'Hurt You' Music Video
Tony Braxton and Babyface have released the music video for their collaboration, "Hurt You". Directed by Ray Kay, the four-minute visuals is simple and a perfect representation of the track, which tells about the hardships of being in a relationship.
The touching clip opens with the two singers singing the ballad in two different rooms, which are separated by a wall. They eventually manage to break the wall and express their desire to start all over again.
Co-written by Braxton, Babyface, Daryl Simmons and Antonio Dixon, "Hurt You" serves as the first single off the former two's collaborative album, "Love, Marriage, Divorce". The record is scheduled to arrive on November 25 via Motown.
"I think because Babyface and I have both gone through divorces, we can relate and we can collaborate together on this topic and make it so others who have gone through this situation can relate," Braxton recently told a Los Angeles radio station of working with Babyface for the forthcoming album.
Braxton and Babyface are not strangers to working together. They teamed up for "Give U My Heart", 1992's song which also served as the soundtrack to film "Boomerang". They reunited again for Braxtons' hits that included "Breathe Again" and "Another Sad Love Song".
Jamie Foxx Reportedly Playing MLK In Oliver Stone Directed Biopic
Academy Award winning actor Jamie Foxx may be taking on the most significant role of his career. According to The Wrap, Foxx is being considered to play civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. in a film directed by Oliver Stone.
The DreamWorks/Warner Brothers production will present MLK’s life going from a Atlanta preacher to national figure to his 1968 assassination. King’s children, Dexter King, Bernice King and Martin Luther King III, are reportedly on board as executive producers. Steven Spielberg is also attached as a producer.
The script was written by Kario Salem (The Score, Chasing Mavericks). Salem’s screenplay is based on three years of research and interviews.
Several other MLK biopics have been in the works over the years, but the DreamWorks film is the only one endorsed by the King family.
Katy Perry and Ron Burgundy to appear at MTV EMAs
Katy Perry will perform at this year's MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs).
The American singer will play her new single Unconditionally at the ceremony, which takes place at Amsterdam's Ziggo Dome on 10 November.
The track is the second single taken from her new album Prism.
Will Ferrell will also make an appearance as fictional newsreader Ron Burgundy from The Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues at the awards show next month.
He will make several news reports from around the Dutch capital during the ceremony.
The sequel to the 2004 original Anchorman film is released in UK cinemas on 20 December.
The bookings are said to be part of MTV's plans to attract a larger American audience for the event.
As well as performing, 28-year-old Perry has been nominated in two categories including best female artist.
Other artists named in two EMA categories include Rihanna, Eminem, Jay Z, Bastille, The Killers, Rita Ora, Drake, Avicii, Calvin Harris and Iggy Azalea.
Justin Timberlake and duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis lead the nominations this year, both getting five nods.
Timberlake's nominations include best male artist while Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are up for best song for Thrift Shop and best hip-hop act
They will go head-to-head with Timberlake for best US act.
Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke are all up for four awards.
Cyrus' nominations include best pop and US act, while Justin Bieber is also up for best pop, male, biggest fans and Canadian act.
Robin Thicke, who headlined 1Xtra Live in Liverpool earlier this week, is nominated for best song for Blurred Lines, US Act and world stage award for a performance in Malaysia earlier this month.
Lady Gaga is named in the best look and biggest fans categories.
One Direction's Harry Styles is also on the shortlist for best look.
Music tourism 'boosts UK's economy by £2.2bn a year'
Tourists going to concerts and festivals are boosting the UK economy by as much as £2.2 billion a year.
Music tourism is also said to provide 24,000 jobs each year, a report by VisitBritain and UK Music shows.
Spending by people from the UK and abroad was worth £1.3 billion last year.
That includes buying tickets and paying for transport and accommodation plus other indirect spending, which adds another £914 million.
VisitBritain says nearly half of the average live music audience is made up of tourists, with visitors from abroad spending an average of £910 while attending festivals and £602 going to concerts.
Domestic music tourists spent, on average, £396 while attending festivals and £87 going to concerts.
The report also says that overseas tourists account for 6% of music tourism visits and 20% of music tourism spending.
London attracts 28% of all music tourists in the UK, with 1.8 million people visiting the capital.
The Stone Roses gig at Heaton Park generated more than £20 million for Manchester's economy.
VisitBritain chief executive Sandie Dawe said: "This report confirms that the UK's music scene has significant international appeal and that music tourists spend lots of money and travel across the whole of Britain.
"This will act as a catalyst for us all to ramp up our activity and forge better relationships with festival organisers, promoters, venues and producers to raise awareness of our amazing music scene across the world."
Jo Dipple, chief executive of industry body UK Music, which helped prepare the report, said: "It's clear our music industry is doing a great job for the British economy, encouraging 6.5 million tourists who generated £2.2 billion last year.
"Music tourism created more than 24,000 jobs. Just think what we might achieve with policies that specifically target the music tourist in this country and abroad."
Republic of Ireland to exit bailout in December, says PM
The Republic of Ireland is on track to exit its international bailout programme by December, Prime Minister Enda Kenny says.
He told the Fine Gael party conference in Limerick that although "fragile times" lay ahead "the economic emergency will be over".
The 85bn euro (£73bn) bailout was forced on the country after its biggest banks collapsed in 2010.
Ireland sought help after a property crash left its banks under-capitalised.
"Tonight I can confirm that Ireland is on track to exit the EU/IMF bailout on December 15. And we won't go back," said Mr Kenny.
"It won't mean that our financial troubles are over. Yes, there are still fragile times ahead. There's still a long way to go. But at last, the era of the bailout will be no more. The economic emergency will be over.
Addressing those most affected by the years of austerity, the Taoiseach (prime minister) said their "huge sacrifice" was paying off.
He cautioned that the national budget due to be unveiled on Tuesday would be "tough", with another 2.5bn euros (£2bn) in tax rises and spending cuts.
But he said it would leave Ireland with a 4.8% deficit next year, well ahead of the required 5.1% target.
He added that the government would publish a new medium term economic strategy by the end of this year.
Correspondents say that if the Republic of Ireland does exit the scheme by December, it will be the first of the four countries bailed out by the eurozone to wean itself off emergency aid.
In July, ratings agency Standard & Poor's upgraded its credit outlook for the Republic of Ireland from "stable" to "positive", arguing that the country's debts were falling faster than expected.
In April, eurozone finance ministers rewarded the country's efforts by giving Ireland more time to repay its bailout loans.
TCI welcomes big cut in roaming service rates
Digicel boss in the Turks and Caicos Islands, E Jay Saunders said customers in the island chain could save over 50 per cent on roaming services, following a big chop in rates announced last week by the telecommunications giant.
"As a commercial product, it's an amazing development for Digicel customers travelling to other parts of the Caribbean and beyond," Saunders told the Caribbean Business Report shortly after Digicel announced its new "Roam Like You're Home" plan from headquarters in downtown Kingston, Jamaica.
Asked how much savings could be realised on a typical spend for roaming services, Saunders who is also President of the TCI Chamber of Commerce, said a Digicel customer in the TCI could see a reduction of over 50 per cent in their roaming bills.
"It's even more amazing for customers who travel across the region. They won't have to keep buying a new SIM card for each territory they land in. In fact, they don't have to worry about which island they are in," said Saunders. "This is certainly going to reduce cost for our valued customers, especially our business customers who travel often. We are really excited about this development."
Digicel announced last Friday that under its "Roam Like You're Home" plan, customers would be able to call, email, browse the Internet and send text messages for "great low rates as they can use their phones in 24 countries abroad as they do at home".
Customers roaming in other Digicel markets across the Caribbean and Central America (with the exception of Guyana) will not have to pay an activation fee, and for roamers to the USA, the activation fee is lower.
Digicel quoted Jamaica's Technology Minister Phillip Paulwell as saying on August 7, 2013 that "those (roaming) charges hinder affordable communication among Caribbean people, and as we move toward greater regional unity, we must take every opportunity to remove the barriers that keep us apart".
Barry O'Brien, Digicel Jamaica CEO also commented: "We have done extensive research across the globe and what we are offering with 'Roam Like You're Home' is quite simply the best roaming plan in the world as it gives customers the freedom to use their phones abroad as they do at home, without having to worry about the cost.
"We are thrilled to be revolutionising the world of roaming and to be rolling this out across the region. In doing so, we are ensuring that our customers can stay connected easily and economically with Digicel."
Prepaid and postpaid customers in Jamaica already benefit from lower rates when they roam in the Caribbean and the United States with Digicel's "Same Rates a Yaad" offer, without having to pay an opt-in fee when they roam in a large number of Caribbean countries. To effect the change, tax on international calls to Jamaica ($0.095) and Haiti ($0.05) has been removed from October 1, 2013 for Digicel roaming subscribers.
The countries included are USA, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman, Curacao, Dominica, El Salvador, French Guyana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Panama, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Turks & Caicos.
Saunders who has been CEO of Digicel TCI for the past seven years, partnered with Digicel's principal Denis O'Brien to bring the telecommunications company to his country.
He said Digicel now has over 55 per cent of the TCI telecommunications market and can boast that all TCI government networks are now powered by Digicel, which includes a high-speed WAN (Wide Area Network) that connects over 80 government offices across six islands, making the state apparatus five times as efficient as it was before and saving it an estimated US$62,000 a month or US$3.7m over the five-year term of the contract.
TCI Government officers anywhere in the world can now utilise any data connection including WiFi on their mobile phones to make and receive calls through the Government's new cloud-based Unified Communications System (PBX) that Digicel TCI built specifically for the Premier Rufus Ewing-led State, thereby greatly reducing their roaming costs. The custom-built solution also gives the top 250 government officials the ability to conduct video conference calls directly from their desk phone, thereby cutting down on travel costs.
"What we have built for the TCI Government is probably the best unified communication system available to any government in the Caribbean. It is also comparable to the best in North America. I am certain when other governments see the efficiency gains this type of system produces and the amount of money it saves they will want to upgrade their communications networks," said the tech-savvy Saunders who personally designed the CISCO solution.
Digicel TCI is poised to move to the next level, having recently won the bid for the prime LTE (Long Term Evolution) spectrum, the next generation in mobile broadband, which is expected to be rolled out in 12 months.
Source-JA.Observer