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[] | 2016-08-27T14:47:19 | null | 2016-08-27T09:49:17 | TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands, Aug. 27, CMC – Community meetings are been planned across the British Oversees territory in the wake of reports of confirmed | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fcommunity-meetings-planned-as-territory-braces-for-possible-zika-fallout%2F.json | http://cdn.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/mosquito.png?da4e36 | en | null | Community meetings planned as territory braces for possible Zika fallout | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands, Aug. 27, CMC – Community meetings are been planned across the British Oversees territory in the wake of reports of confirmed cases of the mosquito borne Zika virus.
On Friday, Government officials held a major meeting here to devise strategies in response to concerns about five cases of the virus in two areas frequently visited by tourists – Havers and Cane Garden Bay.
The first of the community meetings will be held on Monday with special focus on areas that have been designated “hotspots” by the Ministry of Health.
However tourism officials are hoping that a major fall out will can prevented.
Marketing Manager at the BVI Tourist Board, Keith Dawson, told BVI News online that visitors entering the country will be advised to protect themselves from mosquitoes.
He noted that while some potential visitors may change their mind about visiting the country, others will come despite the presence of the virus. .
“One can only extrapolate from what’s happening in the other countries in the region and what we know of the travelers. There are persons who are going to – in terms of their plans – question whether they would come or not. There are persons who, because of the presence of Zika in the region, have already decided to defer or even cancel trips to the region, and are looking at alternative areas where they think they will be safe. This is being done especially by pregnant women. ….” he said.
Meanwhile, health officials are concerned about resources need to tackle the infestation of mosquitoes.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Petrona Davies says additional resources would be helpful to tackle issues such as the removal of derelict vehicles . | http://antiguaobserver.com/community-meetings-planned-as-territory-braces-for-possible-zika-fallout/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/487f7a4c239e102876b034942e9a59f591c7e2d279b3bcc6e6a9beffe294e480.json |
[
"Shermain Bique"
] | 2016-08-27T10:47:30 | null | 2016-08-27T05:00:37 | Government could face legal action from the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU), over its controversial Statutory Corporations Bill. | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fgovt-could-face-legal-action-over-controversial-bill%2F.json | http://cdn2.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/David-Massiah.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Gov’t could face legal action over controversial bill | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Government could face legal action from the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU), over its controversial Statutory Corporations Bill.
The latest threat came from General Secretary David Massiah who said that the bill has placed the democracy of Antiguans and Barbudans under threat.
“It is obviously going to be conflicting with a number of other laws that are already on board, hence the reason why the challenges by legal situations will be forced upon the bill,” he said.
The Statutory Corporation (General Provisions) Bill 2016 has been sent back to the Lower House by senators who voted against several clauses in the committee stage.
Massiah said any legal action against the bill should be seen as an act of bravery, although government may have a different view.
“They will say people are trying to stall its operations but it is not. It means that people are standing up for what we believe is right and constitutional defense against issues like this,” he said.
According to Massiah, if this bill goes forward without a challenge, “many more will come”.
“That is going to put us in straight jacket and government will simply sit down in Cabinet and tell us what to do,” he explained.
Clause 7 of the Bill is what is being debated. That clause states: “The Cabinet may, if it considers it in the best interest of public administration, transfer an employee on secondment from one statutory corporation to another statutory corporation, or to the public service.” | http://antiguaobserver.com/govt-could-face-legal-action-over-controversial-bill/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/f57f707548b51d0a297fa957cced4c52ebbbe25a6288d2fd553a39a2977d77e7.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:57:52 | null | 2016-08-26T05:10:59 | Students disgruntled about their failure to move to the next level in the nursing profession, this year, have been told they must adhere to the standards of the | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fnursing-students-told-to-adhere-to-standards-after-high-failure-rate%2F.json | http://cdn3.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/STUDENT-NURSES.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Nursing students told to adhere to standards, after high failure rate | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | Students disgruntled about their failure to move to the next level in the nursing profession, this year, have been told they must adhere to the standards of the profession.
According to reports, over 80 per cent of first-year nursing students who sat the general end-of-year examinations failed miserably.
This has led to some parents of students, who were asked to repeat the first year class, lashing out at the Antigua & Barbuda Nursing School, for what they said was failure by lecturers to effectively teach the students.
Two students have been expelled.
“Ten million French men cannot be wrong. If a few students repeated, then I would not be bothered, but so many students flunked the class,” one parent said.
Another said her daughter always complained about not having enough time to catch onto a topic before another one is thrown at them.
“I have seen my daughter up all night studying, crying sometimes, saying she just cannot understand certain lessons.” | http://antiguaobserver.com/nursing-students-told-to-adhere-to-standards-after-high-failure-rate/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/798498b0d6b0654dff63470a9ef1356c52f3cfd17e1743584db6b840d556518f.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T18:47:32 | null | 2016-08-28T13:06:33 | Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz and Lupita Nyong'o have posed for the 2017 Pirelli Calendar, which features a host of Hollywood's biggest names. | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fhollywood-stars-pose-for-2017-pirelli-calendar%2F.json | http://cdn3.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/download-1-Custom-1.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Hollywood stars pose for 2017 Pirelli Calendar | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz and Lupita Nyong’o have posed for the 2017 Pirelli Calendar, which features a host of Hollywood’s biggest names.
The likes of Uma Thurman, Kate Winslet and ‘House of Cards’ actress Robin Wright are also among the 15 stars who appear in the calendar.
The photos were taken by the German fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh, who has shot for Pirelli twice before.
Other movie greats featured include Alicia Vikander and Helen Mirren, with the photos taken in Berlin, London, Los Angeles, Le Touquet and New York.
The first Pirelli Calendar was published in 1963, and the publication has since featured many of cinema’s best known performers. | http://antiguaobserver.com/hollywood-stars-pose-for-2017-pirelli-calendar/ | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/083fcba62e5f61ead152fe7eb3ea9db016cc13febd365352793b374f141cc17e.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T12:47:39 | null | 2016-08-29T08:14:00 | Beyonce dominated the MTV Video Music awards on Sunday, prowling the stage with a 15 minute medley from her powerful "Lemonade" album and taking home eight | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fbeyonce-storms-video-music-awards-rihanna-gets-lifetime-award%2F.json | http://cdn3.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/download-6-Custom-1.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Beyonce storms Video Music Awards, Rihanna gets lifetime award | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Beyonce dominated the MTV Video Music awards on Sunday, prowling the stage with a 15 minute medley from her powerful “Lemonade” album and taking home eight statuettes, including the top prize – video of the year.
On a night when women ruled, Britney Spears returned to the VMA stage for the first time in a decade, and Rihanna performed four times to mark her lifetime achievement award.
Beyonce brought the house down at New York’s Madison Square Garden, stringing together five of her “Lemonade” album tracks about betrayal, revenge and female empowerment in a song and dance routine that brought a long standing ovation.
VMA organizers had announced only three hours before Sunday’s show began that Beyonce would perform. The singer arrived on the red carpet accompanied by the mothers of three African-American men who have died at the hands of U.S. police in the past two years.
Her politically charged “Formation” beat Adele’s 2015 comeback single “Hello,” Drake’s “Hotline Bling,” Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” and Kanye West’s sleeping nude celebrity look-alikes in “Famous” for video of the year.
She also won best female video and prizes for choreography, editing, and long form video in the awards that are voted on by fans.
Where Beyonce was angry and bold, Spears, 34, dressed in a sparkly gold leotard and matching over the knee boots was slinky retro pop. It was the “Toxic” singer’s first time on the VMA stage since her humiliating 2007 performance when her personal and professional life was falling apart, and follows the release of a new album last week.
Rihanna, 28, sang 13 of the biggest hits in her 13-year career, including “Rude Girl,” “Diamonds” and “Only Girl in the World.” She was presented with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award by Canadian rapper Drake – with whom she has often been romantically linked.
“She’s someone I’ve been in love with since I was 22 years old. She’s one of my best friends in the world. All my adult life, I’ve looked up to her even though she’s younger than me,” said Drake.
Fifth Harmony, the five-girl group that won TV talent show “The X Factor,” took home 2 “Moonman” awards.
Kanye West, who has often hijacked the live VMA show, presented a new video for his single “Fade.” West preceded the video with a rambling, improvised speech that touched on poverty, his wife Kim Kardashian, his long-running feud with Taylor Swift, and violence in black neighborhoods.
“We are undeniably the influencers, the thought leaders,” he said, before screening what he called a “piece of my art.”
Many of pop music’s biggest names, including Justin Bieber, Britain’s Adele and Taylor Swift were absent on Sunday. | http://antiguaobserver.com/beyonce-storms-video-music-awards-rihanna-gets-lifetime-award/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/9624e708a5fac1376e3d07fed7555490b824e8bba4097f42036fefabe70f3d20.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T14:47:23 | null | 2016-08-27T08:54:03 | Britney Spears is hitting up pop culture one more time, releasing a new album, singing retro karaoke hits and about to take the MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Foops-britney-spears-does-it-again-in-latest-pop-culture-comeback%2F.json | http://cdn4.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/download-21-Custom-1.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Oops! Britney Spears does it again in latest pop culture comeback | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Britney Spears is hitting up pop culture one more time, releasing a new album, singing retro karaoke hits and about to take the MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) stage for the first time since 2007.
Spears, 34, who became a teen pop phenomenon with breathy, sexually-charged hits like “Toxic” and “Oops!.. I Did it Again,” released new album “Glory” on Friday ahead of a much anticipated return to the VMA show on Sunday in New York.
She also became the latest superstar to ride, sing and chat with U.S. talk show host James Corden for his viral “Carpool Karaoke” segment, where both donned the schoolgirl uniforms that shot her to fame as a 16-year old in the 1998 music video for “… Baby One More Time.”
Spears dominated pop music before undergoing a personal and career meltdown in 2006-2007 that included shaving her signature blonde locks, losing custody of her two children and being placed under a court-ordered conservatorship.
Millennium Award recipient Britney Spears performs a medley of songs at the 2016 Billboard Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., May 22, 2016. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
She made a comeback in late 2008 and for the past three years has been performing a nightly show in Las Vegas. But the new album and the anticipation surrounding her VMA performance have thrust her back in the national spotlight.
Rolling Stone’s Rob Sheffield said “Glory” was “another fantastic comeback” for Spears, in which she “goes back to the fizzy electro-stomp mode she does best.”
“Glory” was top of the iTunes charts in more than 40 nations on Friday, including Saudi Arabia, Chile and Russia.
Billboard’s Jennifer Keishin Armstrong said that with the single and music video for “Make Me”, Spear had “reclaimed her standout talent, a distinctive dance style that combines cheerleader precision with slinky bits of burlesque.”
Spears will perform “Make Me,” with rapper G-Eazy, at the live VMA show, her first appearance there since her halting performance of “Gimme More” in 2007 when her career hit a low.
“She has had such a huge impact on this show throughout her career, so for us to have her back is a no-brainer,” said Garrett English, executive producer of the VMA show.
“She embodies what the VMAs is to a large extent and she has had some of the biggest moments on this stage, and I think Sunday night will be the same,” English added.
Spears is also to be the subject of a 2017 TV biopic for the Lifetime cable channel that will chart her rise to fame along with her stumbles, and her romances with Justin Timberlake and ex-husbands Jason Alexander and Kevin Federline. | http://antiguaobserver.com/oops-britney-spears-does-it-again-in-latest-pop-culture-comeback/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/68ec18f4584d8b56a0fdf6da6ad66dbacc36fb8d81705973fcb0a983eb1ff196.json |
[
"Neto Baptiste"
] | 2016-08-26T12:52:38 | null | 2016-08-26T05:00:37 | President of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) EP Chet Greene has assured that audited statements of the organisation’s financial activities over the last | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fnational-olympic-committee-to-provide-financial-statements-ahead-of-2017-elections%2F.json | http://cdn2.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/1-chet-greene2.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | National Olympic Committee to provide financial statements ahead of 2017 elections | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | President of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) EP Chet Greene has assured that audited statements of the organisation’s financial activities over the last eight years will be distributed to its members ahead of the next Annual General Meeting (AGM) and elections in 2017.
Greene, also the country’s minister of sports, was responding to calls for the organisation’s financial records to be made available to voting members, in light of the fact that the records were not ready for distribution during its last AGM held in 2013.
“The elections are due in the year following the Games. The last one was held in December of the year following the last Games in 2012, so 2013 December was the last one, if the executive is to serve its term of four years, then next year December…I think we have time to have financial statements prepared and ready for circulation and discussion,” Greene said.
“I think we should at least allow the auditors to get their work done and ready, so that when we go into a meeting, we have all of our financials to clear the period and account for the period,” he added.
More in today’s Daily Observer. | http://antiguaobserver.com/national-olympic-committee-to-provide-financial-statements-ahead-of-2017-elections/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/8fed5dcbfc324c8949690630b0afe00a688ef368e9d581e2e956d3f8ade49a11.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T16:47:58 | null | 2016-08-30T11:49:39 | Beyonce dominated the MTV Video Music awards on Sunday, prowling the stage with a 15 minute medley from her powerful "Lemonade" album and taking home eight | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fbeyonce-storms-video-music-awards-rihanna-gets-lifetime-award-2%2F.json | http://cdn3.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/beyonce.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Beyonce storms Video Music Awards, Rihanna gets lifetime award | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Beyonce dominated the MTV Video Music awards on Sunday, prowling the stage with a 15 minute medley from her powerful “Lemonade” album and taking home eight statuettes, including the top prize – video of the year.
On a night when women ruled, Britney Spears returned to the VMA stage for the first time in a decade, and Rihanna performed four times to mark her lifetime achievement award.
Beyonce brought the house down at New York’s Madison Square Garden, stringing together five of her “Lemonade” album tracks about betrayal, revenge and female empowerment in a song and dance routine that brought a long standing ovation.
VMA organizers had announced only three hours before Sunday’s show began that Beyonce would perform. The singer arrived on the red carpet accompanied by the mothers of three African-American men who have died at the hands of U.S. police in the past two years.
Her politically charged “Formation” beat Adele’s 2015 comeback single “Hello,” Drake’s “Hotline Bling,” Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” and Kanye West’s sleeping nude celebrity look-alikes in “Famous” for video of the year.
She also won best female video and prizes for choreography, editing, and long form video in the awards that are voted on by fans.
Where Beyonce was angry and bold, Spears, 34, dressed in a sparkly gold leotard and matching over the knee boots was slinky retro pop. It was the “Toxic” singer’s first time on the VMA stage since her humiliating 2007 performance when her personal and professional life was falling apart, and follows the release of a new album last week.
Rihanna, 28, sang 13 of the biggest hits in her 13-year career, including “Rude Girl,” “Diamonds” and “Only Girl in the World.” She was presented with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award by Canadian rapper Drake – with whom she has often been romantically linked.
“She’s someone I’ve been in love with since I was 22 years old. She’s one of my best friends in the world. All my adult life, I’ve looked up to her even though she’s younger than me,” said Drake.
Fifth Harmony, the five-girl group that won TV talent show “The X Factor,” took home 2 “Moonman” awards.
Kanye West, who has often hijacked the live VMA show, presented a new video for his single “Fade.” West preceded the video with a rambling, improvised speech that touched on poverty, his wife Kim Kardashian, his long-running feud with Taylor Swift, and violence in black neighborhoods.
“We are undeniably the influencers, the thought leaders,” he said, before screening what he called a “piece of my art.”
Many of pop music’s biggest names, including Justin Bieber, Britain’s Adele and Taylor Swift were absent on Sunday. | http://antiguaobserver.com/beyonce-storms-video-music-awards-rihanna-gets-lifetime-award-2/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/e461c51b2d78362832ce5718bc40a053fc4cb61a462293d64b0890c3db097a8c.json |
[
"Tameika Malone"
] | 2016-08-31T10:48:02 | null | 2016-08-31T05:01:07 | Residents are concerned with the number of house fires that caused one fatality and continues to devastate homes leaving families displaced. Yesterday, seven | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Ffirefirefire%2F.json | http://cdn.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/front-1-fire-2-Custom.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | THREE FIRES IN ONE WEEK | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Residents are concerned with the number of house fires that caused one fatality and continues to devastate homes leaving families displaced. Yesterday, seven more people were added to the 12 who were left without homes in the last six days.
In the midst of the devastation, Bernadine Richards said she is thankful no one was hurt when a morning blaze destroyed her Gray’s Hill home, leaving her and the six other occupants with nothing more than the clothes on their backs.
Richards’ Gray’s Hill home that she “struggled to rebuild after living in a smaller home at the same place,” was reduced to charred wood, destroyed appliances and burnt furniture.
Firefighters battled the blaze that started about 10:30am, but nothing from the wooden structure that was once a three-bedroom dwelling of the vegetable vendor, her three sons– a four-year-old toddler, a 12-year-old and 21-year-old, a 15-year-old daughter, her stepson who is in his 20s — and the children’s father, John Dennie could be saved.
A visible distraught Richards stood in utter shock at the devastation caused by the blaze, especially since she was not very far from the home she had just left to ply her trade.
“Everything gone, nothing tarl dey, I don’t know what I will do. I was just coming up the hill and someone ran to me to tell me my house is on fire. I said to her my house on fire and she said ‘yes, you need to come,’ but my foot was not moving. By the time I catch myself and came up, I saw the house still smoking, but after that it was gone,” the woman said.
The destruction is especially hard on the mother, who said she does not know how her three younger children will be able to attend school, which reopens tomorrow.
(More in today’s Daily Observer) | http://antiguaobserver.com/firefirefire/ | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/7c15510add00f3ea53a2f514c29e7eadd087f67de0ec9cab656a556cf7f03388.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T16:47:15 | null | 2016-08-26T11:03:51 | Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh has arranged to meet with public health inspectors to underscore the need to enforce regulations related to the fight | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fgovernment-to-enforce-regulations-in-zika-virus-fight%2F.json | http://cdn.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/download-31-Custom-1.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Government to enforce regulations in Zika virus fight | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Aug. 26, CMC – Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh has arranged to meet with public health inspectors to underscore the need to enforce regulations related to the fight against the mosquito borne Zika virus.
During a post Cabinet news conference on Thursday, the Health Minister expressed concerning that Trinidadians and the global population has been taking the Zika outbreak “too lightly”.
“We need to step up the campaign,” he said, adding that in order to do this, fines for unkempt lots which could harbour breeding sites for mosquitoes, have been increased from TT$350 to TT$3,500 (One TT dollar=US$0 -16 cents)”
He said if the population does not partner with the government “we will not win this fight with Zika”.
So far the number of confirmed cases of the virus in the twin island republic is 335 – and according to the Health Minister this could be just “the tip of the iceberg”. | http://antiguaobserver.com/government-to-enforce-regulations-in-zika-virus-fight/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/e704cb80fb1f2a3840279bb8d5c1b943078b8753f47d7b74ae6427a8a18abf82.json |
[
"Neto Baptiste"
] | 2016-08-27T10:47:26 | null | 2016-08-27T05:08:02 | Antigua & Barbuda’s team doctor to the Rio Olympics, Dr Philmore Benjamin, has apologised to the nation following public complaints over the sudden “no-show” of | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Frio-doctor-apologises-for-the-bakka-no-show%2F.json | http://cdn.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Dr-Philmore-Benjamin.png?da4e36 | en | null | Rio doctor apologises for the ‘Bakka’ no show | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Antigua & Barbuda’s team doctor to the Rio Olympics, Dr Philmore Benjamin, has apologised to the nation following public complaints over the sudden “no-show” of sprinter Daniel Bailey for the 100 metres semifinal heats in Brazil.
According to Benjamin, the decision came just moments before the event, and officials were busy working “behind the scenes” to ensure that all the relevant documents were submitted in time.
“We could not report it right away because we had to go through the protocol to get him sort of removed from the list. During that period of time, and I guess it’s when the persons saw on the screen the DNS (Did Not Show). But they would not understand what was happening. But we were working behind the scenes to get him cleared to see if he would be able to run again in the relays, so the message came a bit late,” Benjamin said.
Benjamin, who saw to the immediate medical needs of Bailey and Miguel Francis who both suffered injuries at the Games, also sought to debunk widespread speculations that Bailey’s injury was not legit.
“After a hernia repair, you need at least three months to avoid any strenuous activity, and this is speaking about just an ordinary person and not just an athlete. So if Daniel Bailey had surgery 10 months ago, and he is going to run in the Olympics, then that is a very severe task. When we went [to Brazil] he told me he had the pain there and we had been nursing the pain but he’s an athlete,” the doctor said. | http://antiguaobserver.com/rio-doctor-apologises-for-the-bakka-no-show/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/b5d26be9b3ac3293b9a3c02beb352fb51070b7c47a97c44c80b5e14e863c8880.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T12:47:46 | null | 2016-08-29T08:18:09 | LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - "Don't Breathe," a twisty story of a group of teenage delinquents who pick the wrong house to burglarize, dominated the late summer | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fbox-office-dont-breathe-scares-up-26-1-million-as-hot-summer-for-horror-continues%2F.json | http://cdn.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/countdown-Custom.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Box Office: ‘Don’t Breathe’ scares up $26.1 million as hot summer for horror continues | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “Don’t Breathe,” a twisty story of a group of teenage delinquents who pick the wrong house to burglarize, dominated the late summer box office, debuting to a potent $26.1 million and topping charts. It joins a long list of recent horror films such as “The Purge: Election Year,” “The Conjuring 2,” “Lights Out,” and “The Shallows” that have all found success with audiences. It’s a genre that’s particularly attractive to studios, because these films don’t require much in the way of special effects or star power, making them cheaper to produce than comic book adventures and science-fiction fantasies.
“These are the films of bean counters’ dreams,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at ComScore. “They are profit machines and even when they’re poorly reviewed, people line up for them.”
“Don’t Breathe” was backed by Sony’s Screen Gems and Steve Bersch’s Stage 6 Films, and cost less than $10 million to produce. It more than doubled its production budget in a single weekend, after rolling out across 3,051 locations. The film follows a gang of thieves who find out that the blind man whose house they’ve targeted isn’t as helpless as he appears. Instead of making off with loot, they are pitted in a deadly cat-and-mouse game.
Sony screened the film at SXSW and Comic-Con in order to build buzz. It also relied heavily on digital platforms to drive enthusiasm for the picture, debuting spots on Snapchat, crafting animated gifs for Twitter and Facebook, and launching interactive mobile apps.
“This film is going to be a big moneymaker for us,” said Rory Bruer, Sony’s distribution chief. “We knew we had something special here. This is a film that’s all about keeping people jumping out of their seats and holding on to the person next to them.”
“Don’t Breathe” displaced “Suicide Squad” from its perch atop charts. After finishing in first for three consecutive weekends, the super villain mash-up had to settle for second place this weekend with about $12.1 million at 3,582 locations. The Warner Bros. release has earned $282.9 million.
Among new releases, Lionsgate bowed “Mechanic: Resurrection,” a follow-up to the 2011 cult hit “The Mechanic,” in 2,258 locations, where it earned $7.5 million. That’s less than the first “Mechanic’s” $11.4 million domestic debut. The sequel centers on an assassin (Jason Statham) who is lured out of retirement for a series of hits. It co-stars Tommy Lee Jones, Michelle Yeoh, and Jessica Alba.
Fans of the 44th president got a tour down memory lane with “Southside with You” from Roadside Attractions and Miramax. The romantic drama looks at Barack and Michelle Obama’s first date, debuting to $3.1 million from 813 sites. It will have a modest increase in screens next weekend. The film hits theaters as popular opinion of the Obama administration continues to rise, but the improvement in the president’s standing didn’t factor into release plans, the studios say.
“It helps, but we weren’t banking on it,” said Howard Cohen, Roadside Attractions’ co-president. “If it had been the reverse, it might have given us pause, but it’s not like we read the approval ratings and said, ‘ok, let’s go to 800 screens.”
The Weinstein Company countered with the boxing drama “Hands of Stone,” a biopic about Panamanian fighter Roberto Duran, that opened to $1.7 million at 810 locations. The indie label plans to expand the film to roughly 2,500 locations over Labor Day. Executives at the company said they were particularly pleased by the film’s A CinemaScore rating; a sign that the film is being embraced by those who see it.
“People love the movie,” said David Glasser, the Weinstein Company’s COO and president. “The conversation around the movie has begun and we think it’s going to continue to keep building.”
In third place, Focus Features’ “Kubo and the Two Strings” added $7.8 million to its $24.8 million domestic haul. Sony’s “Sausage Party” nabbed fourth position, picking up roughly $7.7 million to bring its total to just under $80 million. Rounding out the top five, Disney’s “Pete’s Dragon” snagged $7.3 million driving its stateside gross to $76.2 million.
In limited release, Sony Pictures Classics bowed “The Hollars,” a family dramedy that marks “The Office” star John Krasinski’s feature film directorial debut, on four screens where it made $46,068, for a per-theater average of $11,517.
Paramount and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s “Ben-Hur” solidified its status as one of the year’s biggest bombs joining the likes of “Ghostbusters” and “The Huntsman: Winter’s War.” The biblical epic dropped 60% to $4.5 million, bringing its total to $19.6 million. Rival studios estimate that the film could lose $100 million, while sources close to the film peg that figure as between $60 million to $75 million. MGM put up 80% of the film’s cost.
Overall revenues were up 31% from the year-ago period; a weekend that saw the debut of the religious drama “War Room” and the Owen Wilson thriller “No Escape.” After a sluggish start and a series of high-profile bombs such as “The BFG” and “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” ticket sales have rebounded. Receipts are running neck-in-neck with last year and some think that this summer’s revenues could be the second highest in history when not factoring in inflation.
That’s somewhat deceptive, however. Ticket prices have hit record highs, which are helping to boost revenues. As it currently stands, ticket sales could be the lowest in roughly two decades, according to Box Office Mojo.
“These films have no longevity,” said Jeff Bock, a box office analyst with Exhibitor Relations. “Hollywood gave audiences what it thought they wanted — a bunch of sequels and reboots — and guess what, it didn’t work. So they have to ask themselves, what can we offer now?” | http://antiguaobserver.com/box-office-dont-breathe-scares-up-26-1-million-as-hot-summer-for-horror-continues/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/18df7faf3c9232a07ffcc599c43406828c96bf61768b4bc5afe379a923ab1dc7.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T14:47:17 | null | 2016-08-27T09:00:26 | Facebook Inc (FB.O) changed its popular "Trending" feature, which shows users the most-talked about topics of the day, to make it more automated and further | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Ffacebook-changes-trending-feature-to-rely-less-on-human-editors%2F.json | http://cdn.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/download-22-Custom-1.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Facebook changes ‘Trending’ feature to rely less on human editors | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Facebook Inc (FB.O) changed its popular “Trending” feature, which shows users the most-talked about topics of the day, to make it more automated and further eliminate the potential for human bias, the company wrote in a blog post on Friday.
The update is Facebook’s latest attempt in recent months to stress its neutrality as its influence grows.
The feature came under scrutiny in May after a news report alleged it suppressed conservative news, which prompted a demand from Republican members of the U.S. Congress for more transparency. Facebook said an internal probe found no evidence of bias.
The Trending feature shows users the most-talked about stories and topics on the top right-hand corner of Facebook’s home page with one-sentence descriptions. To eliminate the potential for bias, Facebook said it would no longer rely on editors to write descriptions for the topics and would instead show users the topic and how many people are discussing it.
Facebook said in an e-mailed statement that the composition of its Trending team would focus more on technical expertise since it no longer needed editors to write descriptions. The company did not say whether it was laying off employees.
Facebook maintains it is a neutral platform, but its political influence has come under scrutiny, especially as its user base swells. It has 1.7 billion people on its social network, and studies have shown it has the power to influence people’s behavior, ranging from registering as organ donors to registering to vote.
After the May news report first surfaced, Facebook penned a lengthy blog post explaining how the Trending feature works, the first time it had done so. Less than two weeks later, the company said it changed some procedures and outlined those changes in an effort to be more transparent. | http://antiguaobserver.com/facebook-changes-trending-feature-to-rely-less-on-human-editors/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/171b53a4d37191cdf4f5caa126d78440cf9cf96ce4865068de7ec5f794feaf9c.json |
[
"Kieron Murdoch"
] | 2016-08-31T10:48:08 | null | 2016-08-31T05:01:23 | With the recent death of burn victim Gayan Williams, the Ministry of Health has signalled its desire to establish a burn unit at the Mount St John’s Medical | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fminister-promises-a-burn-unit-for-mount-st-johns%2F.json | http://cdn3.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/front-hospital-1.png?da4e36 | en | null | Minister promises a burn unit for Mount St John’s | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
With the recent death of burn victim Gayan Williams, the Ministry of Health has signalled its desire to establish a burn unit at the Mount St John’s Medical Centre (MSJMC), despite being “advised” that there may not be enough cases to justify the cost.
Minister of Health Molwyn Joseph justified the new position saying, “It’s very difficult to associate cost with a life.”
According to Joseph, the Ministry would seek to have five nurses specially trained to handle burns when such cases come to the hospital’s doors – as they have been increasing in past months.
“Since Shaveesa and the other two incidents we have been using basically the same nurses. So they have developed some familiarity and some expertise in dealing with these incidents. We are thinking that these very nurses could be sent abroad for training,” Joseph said.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Rhonda Sealy-Thomas told OBSERVER media that she advocates such training broadly for all nurses and had such discussions with the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) as recently as on Tuesday.
(More in today’s Daily Observer) | http://antiguaobserver.com/minister-promises-a-burn-unit-for-mount-st-johns/ | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/8b1519c6035f8f1bc758a8536ed015a0f9206daeafbdcce6b43ec4a226dd74b5.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T14:47:23 | null | 2016-08-27T09:04:37 | Iran has detected and removed malicious software from two of its petrochemical complexes, a senior military official said on Saturday, after announcing last | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Firan-detects-malware-in-petrochemical-plants-says-not-linked-to-recent-fires%2F.json | http://cdn4.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/cyber-security.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Iran detects malware in petrochemical plants, says not linked to recent fires | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
=
The official said the malware at the two plants was inactive and had not played a role in the fires.
“In periodical inspection of petrochemical units, a type of industrial malware was detected and the necessary defensive measures were taken,” Gholamreza Jalali, head of Iran’s civilian defense, was quoted as saying by the state news agency IRNA.
Iran is alert to the threat of cyber attack by foreign countries. The United States and Israel covertly sabotaged Iran’s nuclear program in 2009 and 2010 with the now-famous Stuxnet computer virus, which destroyed Iranian centrifuges that were enriching uranium.
The National Cyberspace Council announced last week that it was investigating whether the recent petrochemical fires were triggered by a cyber attack.
But when asked if the fire at Iran’s Bu Ali Sina refinery complex last month and other fires this month were caused by the newly-discovered malware, Jalali said: “the discovery of this industrial virus is not related to recent fires.”
The oil minister said last week that most of the fires in petrochemical plants happened because the privatized petrochemical companies have cut their budgets for health and safety inspections. | http://antiguaobserver.com/iran-detects-malware-in-petrochemical-plants-says-not-linked-to-recent-fires/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/ef2ebf31db26810d60055dfe42b4c8e0a365e3370100da4e83b86c7acc7a7d77.json |
[
"Makeida Antonio"
] | 2016-08-31T10:47:58 | null | 2016-08-31T05:01:26 | A religious leader in Antigua & Barbuda is convinced that there is too much consumption of liquor during the carnival festivities and the substance needs to be | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Ftake-alcohol-out-of-carnival-says-bishop-browne%2F.json | http://cdn4.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Alcoholic_beverages-1.png?da4e36 | en | null | Take alcohol out of carnival, says Bishop Browne | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
A religious leader in Antigua & Barbuda is convinced that there is too much consumption of liquor during the carnival festivities and the substance needs to be removed all together.
Bishop Charlesworth Browne, who was invited to the 2016 Carnival Symposium by the Festivals Commission, made a presentation on the church’s involvement in carnival. He outlined that one of his major concerns is the amount of alcohol available in the various pre-carnival fetes and other times of the year.
“If it is one thing that comes out of this symposium, let it be that alcohol is taken out, that there is no celebration of alcohol. All this ‘Lots of Liquor’, as a matter of fact, it’s not just at carnival time because they have stretched the thing out from January to December. It needs to be taken out,” Bishop Browne charged.
The cleric said while he is aware of the medicinal benefits of some types of alcohol, such as wine, the level of consumption of rum is a serious issue that needs to be dealt with immediately.
“I know some people like their little wine, that’s okay, it’s good for the heart and so on; but the ‘Lots of Liquor’ is terrible and we are destroying our young people.”
Bishop Browne also described an experience he had earlier this year where certain types of music concerning alcohol were being blasted at a children’s party. He said he was very shocked, and aired his concerns on the repercussions that this type of exposure may lead to.
“We heard songs coming from the property. We saw people there and asked for directions. We recognised that it was a children’s party! There was a song blazing: ‘whole day we drinking and we don’t need no chaser’, with children! Are you pumping that into their heads at that stage?” Bishop Browne queried.
He concluded that while the church believes in celebration, Carnival has evolved into the type of festival that Christians cannot be involved in.
“We believe in celebration and we believe that people should celebrate. I believe that we can be merry and moral, but what carnival has become is decadent. I believe that we have all seen this, and something has to be done.” | http://antiguaobserver.com/take-alcohol-out-of-carnival-says-bishop-browne/ | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/13099662e2639fd642b31353156ee99b5e6e120639f5f16e0cac1ca411e7e44f.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T12:47:44 | null | 2016-08-29T08:25:54 | PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Aug 29, CMC – Prominent actor and playwright Freddie Kissoon was found dead at Diamond Vale Diego Martin home, west of here on Sunday. | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fprominent-actor-playwright-dies%2F.json | http://cdn4.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/flag-of-trinidad-and-tobago.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Prominent actor, playwright dies | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Aug 29, CMC – Prominent actor and playwright Freddie Kissoon was found dead at Diamond Vale Diego Martin home, west of here on Sunday. He was 86.
The cause of death was not disclosed but police believe he may have died a few days before his body was found.
Kissoon, the founder and director of The Strolling Players, was also a director and drama teacher.
Kissoon has directed more than 100 plays and a s a drama teacher, he conducted classes for American students at the Ecumenical Centre and the Peace Corps in 1968 at the University of the West Indies in St Augustine.He made more than 200 stage appearances, acting in Caribbean plays including Ping Pong, Sea at Dauphin, Drums and Colours, Man Better Man, which was staged in London, and Croydon and Glasgow staged as part of the Commonwealth Arts Festival in 1965.
He has taught classes in in Grenada, St Vincent, St Kitts and Curacao. | http://antiguaobserver.com/prominent-actor-playwright-dies/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/9b36c55be2ef81801d7f2d568013113065c123cf8755cd1cb4e2b01d5a50137f.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T18:47:19 | null | 2016-08-27T14:01:22 | The family of the Jennings burn victims are seeking to raise ten thousand US dollars for their medical care through crowd funding | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Ffamily-of-burn-victims-seek-to-raise-funds%2F.json | http://cdn2.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/House-Fire.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Family Of Burn Victims Seek To Raise Funds | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
The family of the Jennings burn victims are seeking to raise ten thousand US dollars for their medical care through crowd funding
To date around three thousand US has been raised on their go-fund me page in around one day by about two dozen people.
Early Wednesday morning Gayan along with her three year old son Jadean, her eight month old son David, her finance Eddy, and his seven year old daughter Jadea, were victims to a house fire that occurred while they were asleep.
The cause of the fire is believed to have been electrical.
Gayan and her two sons, were unable to get out of the house safely andthey sustained burns to the upper portion of their bodies.
Due to the severity of their injuries, Gayan and her son Jadean are being airlifted out to a facility that can treat burn patients.
The go-fund me page says Gayan Williams is the eldest daughter of Pascal Williams and the late Idona Williams of Liberta, Antigua.
They say she is also the sister of Nicole and Myron Williams whom have been by their sister and nephews side since the tragedy.
Gayan works are the Mount St John’s Medical Center as an anesthesiologist.
The family is asking for help to ease some of the financial stress and struggles to ensure that Gayan and her sons receive the best treatment towards their recovery. | http://antiguaobserver.com/family-of-burn-victims-seek-to-raise-funds/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/479e72071bcdc943306894dd8be658a0804b6ae866dcf5fac6facb18f7523a62.json |
[
"Theresa Gordon"
] | 2016-08-26T12:55:32 | null | 2016-08-26T05:00:52 | The government has said an outright no to repealing the laws decriminalising buggery, a decision which has disappointed the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fab-says-no-to-buggery%2F.json | http://cdn4.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/buggery.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | A&B says no to buggery | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | The government has said an outright no to repealing the laws decriminalising buggery, a decision which has disappointed the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LBGT) community.
The Cabinet of Antigua & Barbuda, on Wednesday, agreed that “the buggery law will remain unchanged”.
In the same breath,
government acknowledged that the results which
were obtained in the recent historic Belize case are
likely to follow, should an interest group pursue this matter in the courts, since “our jurisprudence is similar”.
The Supreme Court in Belize ruled a few weeks ago that a law which criminalises homosexuality was unconstitutional.
The decision was handed down six years after a gay citizen advocate, 42-year-old Caleb Orozco, brought the challenge against the attorney general of Belize.
LBGT activist Tasheka Lavann said she is gravely disappointed by the declaration, however she will remain undaunted.
More in today’s Daily Observer. | http://antiguaobserver.com/ab-says-no-to-buggery/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/c6d7c51d809eb3e8e50f9667252a898e8488ec405e49d137fc2c258d609edc06.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T16:47:31 | null | 2016-08-26T10:52:03 | "Don't Breathe", a tense psychological horror-thriller, is expected to topple DC antiheroes "Suicide Squad" at the U.S. box office this weekend. | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fhorror-thriller-dont-breathe-set-to-trump-suicide-squad-at-the-u-s-box-office%2F.json | http://cdn.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/dont-breathe.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Horror-thriller ‘Don’t Breathe’ set to trump ‘Suicide Squad’ at the U.S. box office | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
“Don’t Breathe”, a tense psychological horror-thriller, is expected to topple DC antiheroes “Suicide Squad” at the U.S. box office this weekend.
According to BoxOfficeMojo.com, “Don’t Breathe,” about a group of friends who plan to rob a blind man’s house with terrifying consequences and made for less than $10 million, is predicted to take between $11 million and $14 million in its first three days.
Warner Bros’ “Suicide Squad” is expected to pull in another $9.6 million in its third week of release at the box office this weekend, while Sony Pictures’ raunchy animated comedy “Sausage Party” is also expecting a strong holdover in its third week with $7.5 million.
Also opening this weekend is Jason Statham’s action-packed “Mechanic: Resurrection,” boxing drama “Hands of Stone” and romance “Southside With You.”
Statham leads the cast including Jessica Alba and Tommy Lee Jones in “Mechanic: Resurrection”, a sequel to the 2011 action film “The Mechanic”, which is expected to open with around $9.8 million this weekend.
Weinstein Co’s “Hands of Stone”, starring Robert de Niro, singer-actor Usher Raymond and Edgar Ramirez, and “Southside With You,” the Barack and Michelle Obama first date love story starring Tika Sumpter and Parker Sawyers, are both expected to open between $2 million to $3 million at the box office. | http://antiguaobserver.com/horror-thriller-dont-breathe-set-to-trump-suicide-squad-at-the-u-s-box-office/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/bf3d4cd7d611b6705028e22f8a6c7ba62664da433b6e5a7f4e734074b629a15e.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T14:47:21 | null | 2016-08-27T09:46:50 | SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, Aug. 27, CMC – An earthquake measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale rocked sections of the Dominican Republic late Friday. | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fearthquake-shakes-santo-domingo%2F.json | http://cdn3.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Earthquake.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Earthquake shakes Santo Domingo | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, Aug. 27, CMC – An earthquake measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale rocked sections of the Dominican Republic late Friday.
The epicenter of the quake was just outside of the town of Sánchez, , in the northeast of the Spanish speaking country that shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti.
The quake that also rocked the capital of Santo Domingo had a depth of 95 kilometres at 19.262 latitude North and 69.578 longitude West.
The United States Geological Survey says the tremor was also felt in several eastern provinces including Monte Plata, Santiago, La Vega and Bonao.
There were no reports of injuries or damages. | http://antiguaobserver.com/earthquake-shakes-santo-domingo/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/3dd46230f415cf26e64be1dcb4a25f4ef308d22b6a956c6c6dd58de6000a632f.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T10:47:50 | null | 2016-08-30T05:00:42 | Lewis Hamilton made a brilliant recovery from the back row of the grid to steal third place as his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg took first position in the | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fhamilton-storms-back-to-steal-third-place-in-belgian-gp%2F.json | http://cdn.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/8-Vettel-flanked-by-Hamilton-Heidfeld.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Hamilton storms back to steal third place in Belgian GP | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
BRUSSELS, Belgium, Aug 28, CMC- Lewis Hamilton made a brilliant recovery from the back row of the grid to steal third place as his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg took first position in the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday.
Rosberg’s victory from pole position cuts by nine his points deficit to Hamilton during a race in which Renault’s Kevin Magnusson suffered a violent crash and was taken to hospital with an injured left ankle.
Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo held off a late charge by Hamilton to place second.
Hamilton, whose paternal grandparents are Grenadian, started in 21st place on the grid, after a raft of engine penalties resulting from failures early in the season.
At one stage after Magnusson’s crash and the red flag reset the race, Hamilton appeared to have the chance of an unlikely victory.
By then he had too much to do to catch Ricciardo but succeeded in limiting the damage to his title bid.
Heading into the Italian Grand Prix next weekend Hamilton remains in the lead on 232 points, Rosberg has 223 while Ricciardo is on 151 points. | http://antiguaobserver.com/hamilton-storms-back-to-steal-third-place-in-belgian-gp/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/3f849ec603bbb0ca073186001fef5e41b412e8b17554d7811d1c4fb053afe621.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T16:47:38 | null | 2016-08-26T10:57:06 | Paisley Park, the suburban Minneapolis estate and studio of late rock musician Prince, will be opened for public tours starting on Oct. 6, the administrator of | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fhome-studio-of-late-u-s-rocker-prince-to-be-opened-to-public-2%2F.json | http://cdn4.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/sheriff.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Home, studio of late U.S. rocker Prince to be opened to public | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Paisley Park, the suburban Minneapolis estate and studio of late rock musician Prince, will be opened for public tours starting on Oct. 6, the administrator of the singer’s estate said.
Prince, 57, collapsed and died at the 65,000-square-foot (6,040-square-meter) estate in April after an accidental overdose of the powerful opioid fentanyl.
“Opening Paisley Park is something that Prince always wanted to do and was actively working on,” Tyka Nelson, his sister, said in a statement on Wednesday from Bremer Trust, which is administering his unresolved multi-million-dollar estate.
“Only a few hundred people have had the rare opportunity to tour the estate during his lifetime. Now, fans from around the world will be able to experience Prince’s world forthe first time as we open the doors to this incredible place.”
An application for development review and a business plan have been submitted to Chanhassen officials, the statement said.
Guided tours will include the main floor of Paisley Park,
including recording and mixing studios. Visitors also will be able to see video editing suites, rehearsal rooms, the private NPG Music Club, a soundstage and concert hall, and items from Prince’s personal archives.
Tickets will go on sale at 2 p.m. CDT (1900 GMT) on Friday for tours starting Oct. 6. Information on tickets and tours is available at OfficialPaisleyPark.com.
Media reports on Monday said that pills containing fentanyl were seized from Prince’s home after his death but they were mislabeled hydrocodone.
Prince’s hits included “Purple Rain” and “When Doves Cry.” | http://antiguaobserver.com/home-studio-of-late-u-s-rocker-prince-to-be-opened-to-public-2/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/b2f54eaf8a33373d0142a2eb29c230798029da17e106f7210be92acf00e26d4d.json |
[
"Kadeem Joseph"
] | 2016-08-26T12:58:16 | null | 2015-05-07T05:00:24 | Regional carrier LIAT is attempting to lose excess baggage as part of measures to make the carrier “a smaller airline in 2015.” | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fliat-offers-redundancy-packages-to-workers%2F.json | http://cdn4.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/liat-Custom.png?da4e36 | en | null | LIAT offers redundancy packages to workers | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | Regional carrier LIAT is attempting to lose excess baggage as part of measures to make the carrier “a smaller airline in 2015.”
In a document, signed by Director of Human Resources Ilean Ramsey, eligible employees were asked to opt to apply for voluntary separation or early retirement packages to avoid being made redundant.
“In consideration of this change and in order to restore our business to financial stability, we must remove the costs that we were carrying as a larger entity,” the communiqué said. “The company wishes to avoid having to impose compulsory redundancies in order to achieve this.”
Since 2014, talks of job cuts at LIAT have been looming, ultimately leading to a call from Prime Minister Gaston Browne for the airline to put a hold on plans to axe 180 workers.
While PM Browne opposed the move minister responsible for Civil Aviation, Robin Yearwood supported the measure, calling it a sound business decision.
Full-time, permanent employees, who have no disciplinary action pending against them and have been employed in excess of six years, are being asked to submit their applications on or before 4pm on Tuesday May 19.
The company warned that insufficient volunteers for voluntary separation or early retirement packages will lead to compulsory redundancies as downsizing is the only way the carrier “can ensure our survival.”
The document read, “Our operating schedule for the year will be based on eight ATRs flying with a ninth providing back up and support. The entire Dash 8 fleet is expected to be removed by the end of 2015.”
Meantime, veteran trade unionist Stafford Joseph is advising workers to negotiate for added benefits outside of what has been stipulated in the Labour Code, since a new job may be difficult to find.
“Things are hard now and work is hard to get, (they) can easily negotiate a six month or year’s salary in addition to what is yours legally,” he said.
He said workers would have to approach the negotiating table soon to avoid being made compulsorily redundant. | http://antiguaobserver.com/liat-offers-redundancy-packages-to-workers/ | en | 2015-05-07T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/3d37590ef0a77d77cbc85489e23ba3d6012c6ed69a90c4bf0d6ffc8d842c7b11.json |
[
"Dave George"
] | 2016-08-26T12:56:59 | null | 2016-08-26T05:00:53 | With ongoing construction being carried out at five government public schools, Antigua & Barbuda’s Education Minister Michael Brown is assuring the public that | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fconstruction-will-not-disrupt-school-says-education-minister%2F.json | http://cdn4.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SCHOOL-CONSTRUCTION.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Construction will not disrupt school, says education minister | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | With ongoing construction being carried out at five government public schools, Antigua & Barbuda’s Education Minister Michael Brown is assuring the public that it will be business as usual with no disruption anticipated to regular school.
“For the most part, in most of the schools, the areas where the construction will take place, while school is going on… I think just about all the principals have insisted that they want the work to continue. It’s a matter of cordoning off the area where construction will be taking place.
“Students, teachers and parents and the community, do understand and appreciate that while the renovation is taking place, it will be for the benefit of the overall school community and for educational purposes as well,” Browne said.
According to the minister, the five public schools that are currently undergoing renovations are Antigua Girls’ High School, Princess Margaret, Clare Hall Secondary, All Saints Secondary and the Jennings Secondary School.
“The Antigua Girls’ High School is one of the schools where no classroom space has been eliminated. We’ve simply moved
the building to the side, so they will be able to go back and forth.
“The ministry, along with the Public Works, have undertaken to build 50 thousand square feet of space in two months. That’s a record both for public and the private sector,” he added.
Minister Browne reminded the public that it took months of consultation and planning with key members of a task force to include principals, contractors and unions to properly manage the upgrade of these schools.
More in today’s Daily Observer. | http://antiguaobserver.com/construction-will-not-disrupt-school-says-education-minister/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/1bdcd706df0d3ed4e6ba30ebfcb67401a0fa490e1f9a5700156231686ece7691.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T10:48:09 | null | 2016-08-31T05:00:04 | Recently, we wrote an optimistic piece entitled “The future of carnival is in your hands”. In that editorial, we praised the Minister responsible for Culture | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fyou-asked-for-it%2F.json | http://cdn2.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/writing-Custom.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | You asked for it | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Recently, we wrote an optimistic piece entitled “The future of carnival is in your hands”. In that editorial, we praised the Minister responsible for Culture and National Festivals, Paul “Chet” Greene, for his efforts in engaging the Carnival stakeholders and public through a national symposium and his encouragement to the people for them to submit their ideas, in writing, to the Festivals Commission.
In fact, we were so enthusiastic about the news that we said, “We think that this is a fantastic idea. From our perspective, this is a form of consultation, and you all know how we feel about public consultation … the more the better. Just like ‘many hands make like work’, many brains can make a better Carnival.”
Well, as is the norm, many people chastised us for being a “bit over the top” with our enthusiasm pointing out that nothing had happened and little probably will. The reason? Carnival organizers have never greeted criticism with a welcoming smile, let alone, an embrace.
We do not live in the past and always hold hope for the future, so we were willing to put aside the criticism and allow for the process to prove itself. Well, the ‘rubber hit the road’ on Monday with the launch of the Carnival Symposium and let’s just say that the response to criticism was less of what we thought and more of what the ‘I told you so’ crowd told us.
That is not to say that we have lost hope, but rather to point out that the sheen has dulled and our expectations have been lowered.
In the first day, bandleader Alister Thomas made a presentation in which he delivered pointed criticism of the entire Carnival organization and execution. Among other things, he highlighted a lack of transparency when it comes to making financial data available to the public, citing that the opaqueness makes it difficult to review success. He also chastised the organizers and government for not keeping accurate statistical data and records, calling the practice “inexcusable”.
As an important stakeholder in Carnival, we deemed Mr Thomas’ presentation to be honest and forthright; exactly what we thought was wanted by the minister and the Festivals Commission. In fact, we even thought that his presentation was ‘politically correct’. He emphasised that his criticisms and comments spanned decades and pointed no political finger, save and except when he warned the Festivals Commission that the festival may continue to suffer, if political affiliations are not removed from the planning and execution.
Thomas stated, “One of my critiques of it, not just this administration, but across a period of maybe the last three decades or so, is that carnival is being treated as a serious political business.” Adding, “We have to begin to break with the partisan approach and maximise with the best human resources.”
Those comments did not sit well with the Chairman of the Festivals Commission, Mr Maurice Merchant. He was quick to fire back and stated that he was unaware of the political affiliations of each of his board members, and that he stands firmly with Minister EP “Chet” Greene. To be exact, he said, “I can tell you that I am not familiar with the colours of my board, whether they are red, blue, green or pink, but what stands is that the minister is red, the government is red and you can interpret that any way you wish”
We do not believe that there is any interpretation necessary. That sort of response reminded us of the recent Emancipation Day address by Prime Minister Gaston Browne in which he elicited exactly the reaction that he sought to eradicate. You may remember that speech. PM Browne challenged people to shun “the negatives of political tribalism and ill-will that inhibit cooperation and greater prosperity” and said, “It is the task of each one of us to think big, aim high and strive for greater productivity in our blessed state of Antigua & Barbuda.”
In this case, Thomas was invited to give a critique and did so with what appeared to be good intentions, hoping to elicit, what we presume was, at least a thankful nod. Instead, and like the PM, he elicited exactly what he went to criticize. It is unfortunate and we do hope that the opening day does not derail this public consultation initiative. That would be beyond disappointing.
We are sure that no one wanted to hear what Mr Thomas had to say, but there was no denying that some, if not all of his points had merits and should be addressed. And, if no one wanted to hear, and we, along with others, read the minister wrong when he held out an open invitation to the nation for criticisms, then we beg to be enlightened so that we are not made to look the fool and participate in an unwelcoming process that is going nowhere.
Minister Greene what say you? | http://antiguaobserver.com/you-asked-for-it/ | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/1d12df8ca147ea698115c5ce8c3f2d8fa2f94f93ffcd50a3c64153a8f70f0989.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T16:47:55 | null | 2016-08-26T11:15:25 | Campaigning for Haiti’s October 9 presidential elections has gotten off to a timid start with the French-speaking Caribbean country’s elections chief asking | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Ftimid-start-to-haiti-presidential-campaign%2F.json | http://cdn3.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/index27.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Timid start to Haiti presidential campaign | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Aug 26, CMC – Campaigning for Haiti’s October 9 presidential elections has gotten off to a timid start with the French-speaking Caribbean country’s elections chief asking candidates and political parties to campaign fairly and avert elections-related violence
Léopold Berlanger also reiterated that there will be stricter controls on the balloting, which includes voting for one portion of the 30-member Senate and runoffs for several legislative seats.
There will be no voting wherever you like,” Berlanger told reporters, referring to poll watchers, also known as mandataires, who were allowed to vote at any polling stations in last year’s disputed vote, triggering allegations of fraud and plunging the country into a political crisis.
“No one will have the right to do this,” Berlanger was quoted as saying.
Berlanger told the Miami Herald that the voter list — now at 6.1 million voters — is ready, and that the number of polling stations has been reduced to provide voters with more space and privacy to cast ballots.
“We are making a lot of effort for these elections to be done another way,” he said, urging Haitians to “show all the other countries that we can take control of our own affairs.”
Last week, election authorities finally released details of the US$55 million budget, US$48.5 million of which will be cobbled together with funds from several public agencies, including the port and the central bank, the Herald said.
Despite assurances that the repeatedly postponed vote will finally happen, doubts still persist over whether Haiti will be able to pull off the balloting without international financing.
On Monday, the country announced a hike in gas prices, causing politicians to take the airwaves to denounce the move.
At the same time, it’s reported that several corruption probes also threaten to derail the process.
“We hope and we trust that they are very serious when they say the elections are going to take place,” said Brazil’s ambassador to Haiti, Fernando Vidal. “It would be catastrophic if there are no elections in October.”
This is the first time in years that Haiti will have to pay for its own elections.
Last month, the United States announced that it would not provide funding and demanded the return of nearly US$2 million in unspent elections financing from the US$33 million it shelled out in last year’s disputed vote.
The US Department of State had disagreed with the decision of Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council to annul last year’s first round presidential vote, which pitted then government-backed candidate Jovenel Moïse and opposition leader Jude Célestin in a second round, the Herald said.
Candidates this time have 45 days rather than the customary 30 days to woo voters, “and most seem to be leaving their debut rallies for later in the week.
Officially, 27 candidates are contesting the poll, which also includes runoffs for dozens of unresolved legislative seats and a vote for 10 Senate seats, featuring 149 candidates.
Runoffs for the Senate seats and the presidency will be held on January 8, along with an election for thousands of municipal seats.
On Monday, a delegation from the Organization of American States Electoral Observation Mission arrived here to begin observing the process. | http://antiguaobserver.com/timid-start-to-haiti-presidential-campaign/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/c4cce2e3addd23c8b6c02a48be432ff4565577d27da35e59f8c5731c416365e0.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T14:46:57 | null | 2016-08-26T10:41:57 | Hopes of finding more survivors faded on Friday three days after a powerful earthquake hit central Italy, with the death toll rising to 267 and the rescue | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fitaly-quake-death-toll-hits-267-state-funeral-planned%2F.json | http://cdn2.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/italy-1.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Italy quake death toll hits 267, state funeral planned | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Hopes of finding more survivors faded on Friday three days after a powerful earthquake hit central Italy, with the death toll rising to 267 and the rescue operation in some of the stricken areas called off.
Sniffer dogs and emergency crews continued to scour piles of rubble in Amatrice, a picturesque town popular with tourists which was leveled by Wednesday’s quake and where 207 bodies have been retrieved so far.
Mayor Sergio Pirozzi said around 15 people, including some children and the local baker, had not been accounted for. “Only a miracle can bring our friends back alive from the rubble, but we are still digging because many are missing,” he told reporters.
In nearby villages, such as Pescara del Tronto, rescuers pulled out after all the missing had been accounted for.
Italy plans to hold a state funeral for around 40 of the victims on Saturday, which will be held in the nearby city of Ascoli Piceno.
A day of national mourning was announced, with flags due to fly at half mast around the country for the dead, who include a number of foreigners.
The civil protection department in Rome said nearly 400 people were being treated for injuries in hospitals, and 40 of them were in critical condition. An estimated 2,500 people were left homeless by the most deadly quake in Italy since 2009.
Survivors with nowhere else to go are sleeping in neat rows of blue tents set up by emergency services close to their flattened communities. The government has promised to rebuild the region, but some local people feared that would never happen.
“I’m afraid our village and others like it will just die. Most people don’t live here year round anyway. In the winter time the towns are virtually empty,” said Salvatore Petrucci, 77, who lived in the nearby small village of Trisunga.
“We may be the last ones to have lived in Trisunga,” he said.
More than 920 aftershocks have hit the area since the original 6.2 magnitude quake struck early Wednesday. By Friday, most of the outlying communities were quiet and empty, buildings lying in crumpled mounds, the innards of private homes exposed to the skies and belongings scattered in the debris.
“We have removed the last bodies that we knew about,” said Paolo Cortelli, a member of the Alpine Rescue national service who helped to recover about 30 bodies from Pescara del Tronto.
“We don’t know, and we might never know, if the number of missing that we knew about actually corresponds to the people who were actually under the rubble.”
The foreigners who died in the disaster included six Romanians, a Spanish woman, a Canadian and an Albanian. The British embassy in Rome declined to comment on reports that three Britons, including a 14-year-old boy had died.
The area is popular with holidaymakers and local authorities were struggling to pin down how many visitors were present when the quake hit.
The Romanian Foreign Ministry said 17 Romanians were still missing. Italy has a large Romanian community, and some of the victims were resident in the country.
FUNERAL
The first funeral of a victim was held in Rome on Friday, for Marco Santarelli, the 28-year-old son of a senior state official, who died in the family’s holiday home in Amatrice.
“I cannot find the words to describe the grief of a father who outlives his own children. Perhaps there are no words,” Marco’s father, Filippo Santarelli, told Corriere della Sera newspaper.
Hardly a single building was left unscathed in Amatrice, which was last year voted one of the most beautiful old towns in Italy and is famous for its local cuisine.
“Amatrice will have to be razed to the ground,” said mayor Pirozzi, who urged youngsters not to leave the area, saying that would mean the end of their community. “No night can last so long that the sun never rises again. I am convinced that Amatrice will rise again. We owe it to the 207 people who died here.”
Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has declared a state of emergency for the region, allowing the government to release an immediate 50 million euros ($56 million) for the relief work.
He has promised to rebuild the shattered homes and said he would also renew efforts to bolster Italy’s flimsy defenses against earthquakes that regularly batter the country.
“We want those communities to have the chance of a future and not just memories,” he told reporters in Rome on Thursday.
Italy has a poor record of rebuilding after quakes. About 8,300 people who were forced to leave their homes after a deadly earthquake in L’Aquila in 2009 are still living in temporary accommodation.
This latest disaster represents a major political challenge for Renzi, who has been in office for two years. Former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi was widely criticized for what was perceived to be a botched response to the L’Aquila calamity.
Renzi declined to predict when the homeless might be rehoused. “This is not about setting challenges and making promises. We need the pace of a marathon runner,” he said.
Most of the buildings in the area were built hundreds of years ago, long before any anti-seismic building norms were introduced, helping to explain the widespread destruction.
Cultural Minister Dario Franceschini said all 293 culturally important sites, many of them churches, had either collapsed or been seriously damaged.
Italy sits on two fault lines, making it one of the most seismically active countries in Europe. Almost 30 people died in earthquakes in northern Italy in 2012 while more than 300 died in the L’Aquila disaster. | http://antiguaobserver.com/italy-quake-death-toll-hits-267-state-funeral-planned/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/6f17197b16bd81ed6c947b814aa3881cb55347a8cb20e8f067b85345a1b44f83.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T18:47:31 | null | 2016-08-28T13:05:13 | The divas of pop and R&B look set to steal the show at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs)on Sunday, with Beyonce leading all nominations for her testament to | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fdivas-disruptors-set-to-dominate-mtv-video-music-awards%2F.json | http://cdn4.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/download-Custom-2.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Divas, disruptors set to dominate MTV Video Music Awards | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
The divas of pop and R&B look set to steal the show at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs)on Sunday, with Beyonce leading all nominations for her testament to female empowerment “Lemonade,” and excitement building over performances by Rihanna and Britney Spears.
But don’t count out Kanye West, the rapper with a talent for the unpredictable, who is a contender for the coveted video of the year award and who will be seated in the front row just a short leap from the VMA stage.
VMA organizers won’t say whether Beyonce, West, or sultry eight-time nominated British singer Adele will sing during Sunday’s live show from New York’s Madison Square Garden.
That’s because the annual VMAs thrive on surprises and controversy.
“The culture around the show is that every artist has the latitude to express themselves in whichever way they want to, and we sort of light that candle and hold on for dear life,” said VMA executive producer Garrett English.
“There is a volatility to it, a massive creative expectation and a lot of one-upmanship that happens, and from that a lot of spontaneity happens and we are good with that,” he added.
Beyonce dominates the VMA nominations, with a career-best 11 nods for videos from her visual album “Lemonade” and its bold songs about betrayal, revenge and race.
The R&B singer’s politically-charged “Formation” will compete for video of the year prize with Adele’s 2015 comeback single “Hello,” Canadian rapper Drake’s “Hotline Bling,” Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” and West’s sleeping nude celebrity look-alikes in “Famous.”
The winners are voted on by fans.
Confirmed performers include Nicki Minaj, who will join Ariana Grande for Grande’s new song, “Side to Side,” Nick Jonas who will sing “Bacon” with Ty Dolla $ign, and the Chainsmokers with Halsey on their summer hit “Closer.”
Spears, 34, will return to the VMA stage for the first time since her humiliating 2007 showing with “Gimme More” when her personal and professional life was falling apart.
This time, with a newly-released album already a hit, Spears is one of the most-talked about celebrities ahead of Sunday’s show.
Rihanna will open the show and is expected to perform a career retrospective marking her lifetime achievement award in the form of the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard prize.
One of pop music’s biggest names isn’t expected to attend. Taylor Swift, who has dominated music award shows for the past decade, didn’t get a single VMA nomination this time. | http://antiguaobserver.com/divas-disruptors-set-to-dominate-mtv-video-music-awards/ | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/ca0ab7576846e735ac89140b30abeef3687f6de7cb28bd9576067101e5c457e4.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T14:47:13 | null | 2016-08-26T10:40:21 | A U.S. Navy ship fired warning shots toward an Iranian fast-attack craft that approached two U.S. ships, a Pentagon spokesman said on Thursday, in the most | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fu-s-navy-ship-fires-warning-shots-at-iranian-vessel%2F.json | http://cdn2.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/iran-1.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | U.S. Navy ship fires warning shots at Iranian vessel | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
A U.S. Navy ship fired warning shots toward an Iranian fast-attack craft that approached two U.S. ships, a Pentagon spokesman said on Thursday, in the most serious of a number of incidents in the Gulf area this week.
“They did feel compelled ultimately to fire three warning shots and the reason for that is… they had taken steps already to try and de-escalate this situation,” spokesman Peter Cook told reporters.
Tensions have increased in the Gulf in recent days despite an improvement in relations between Iran and the United States.
Years of mutual animosity eased when Washington lifted sanctions on Tehran in January after a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions but serious differences still remain over Iran’s ballistic missile program, Syria and Iraq.
A U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the USS Squall patrol craft fired three warning shots from a .50 caliber gun in the northern Gulf on Wednesday after warning flares did not work.
The incident started with three Iranian vessels, but there was only one around by the time the warning shots were fired, the official said. He described the Iranian behavior as “unsafe, unprofessional, and not routine.”
At one point, the Iranian vessel came within 200 yards (193 meters) of a U.S. ship, the official said.
Another interaction took place between an Iranian and U.S. ship on Wednesday, the defense official said but gave few more details.
The Pentagon earlier this week accused Iranian vessels of harassing a U.S. warship near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.
On Thursday, Iran’s defense minister said those Iranian vessels were just doing their job.
“If an American ship enters Iran’s maritime region, it will definitely get a warning. We will monitor them and, if they violate our waters, we will confront them,” Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said in a statement reported by the Iranian Students’ News Agency.
A State Department spokeswoman said it was not clear what the intentions of the Iranian ships were, but the behavior was unacceptable.
“We believe that these type of actions are of concern, they unnecessarily escalate tensions,” State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau told a briefing. | http://antiguaobserver.com/u-s-navy-ship-fires-warning-shots-at-iranian-vessel/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/543efe87b002c814bb6590998b95211a5fc906176391f74c3c104b6d371fbde6.json |
[
"Brenton Henry"
] | 2016-08-26T12:59:34 | null | 2015-05-06T08:20:15 | Joanne Massiah, the female contender in the race of the United progressive Party (UPP) leadership has pulled out. | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fmassiah-pulls-out%2F.json | http://cdn2.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/admin-ajax-1.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Massiah Pulls Out | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | Joanne Massiah, the female contender in the race for the United Progressive Party (UPP) leadership has pulled out.
Her announcement today comes ten days before the party’s biennial convention on May 16 and 17.
Reacting to the news moments ago UPP leader Baldwin Spencer said her decision was “unfortunate.”
It’s not certain why Massiah called it quits.She is expected to address the media today.
Spencer said the delegates’ conference will go ahead with Elston Adams and Harold Lovell the other two leadership hopefuls. | http://antiguaobserver.com/massiah-pulls-out/ | en | 2015-05-06T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/a8dddf2bfa1cb7897ac2c0ad7da49515bd8a1cd8885c26f54bcc7347a4f5f6a6.json |
[
"Dave George"
] | 2016-08-29T10:47:51 | null | 2016-08-29T05:05:58 | Kenny Jacobs successfully defended his title at the 49th National Bodybuilding Championships held at the Royal Antiguan Hotel on Saturday night. | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fjacobs-wins-mens-bodybuilding-title-again%2F.json | http://cdn2.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/body-building-champs-2016.png?da4e36 | en | null | Jacobs wins men’s bodybuilding title, again | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Kenny Jacobs successfully defended his title at the 49th National Bodybuilding Championships held at the Royal Antiguan Hotel on Saturday night.
The event, organised by the Antigua & Barbuda Amateur Bodybuilding & Weightlifting Federation, saw the usual enthusiasts pack the Crystal Ball Room.
Jacobs had to overcome tough opposition in the men’s heavyweight division en route to the overall Mr Antigua & Barbuda title, his second consecutive national crown and third overall.
Speaking to OBSERVER media after savouring victory, he attributed his continued success to tireless hours of training, dedication, discipline and commitment to the sport.
“It feels real good. I feel really good about winning another one and third overall. It shows hard work really pays off, focus and discipline.
“Preparations for this year’s show were tough. It’s never easy. I don’t care who’s on stage with you. As long as there’s another competitor on stage with you, it’s never easy; it’s tough and challenging, but you just have to grind it out, and that’s what I did,” Jacobs said.
More in today’s Daily Observer. | http://antiguaobserver.com/jacobs-wins-mens-bodybuilding-title-again/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/f2ffbfa4c0de5d46ef9f9b9eaf2decc7df50f3199f5000ba7a618037ca55f369.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T14:47:20 | null | 2016-08-27T08:56:37 | A fire severely damaged a set for the "Knightfall" television series at studios in Prague overnight, causing damage worth about $4 million, Czech media reported | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Ffire-severely-damages-knightfall-set-in-prague-media%2F.json | http://cdn3.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Firemen.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Fire severely damages ‘Knightfall’ set in Prague: media | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
A fire severely damaged a set for the “Knightfall” television series at studios in Prague overnight, causing damage worth about $4 million, Czech media reported on Saturday.
Firefighters brought the fire under control late on Friday after they used helicopters to dump water on the blaze at the Barrandov Studios from the nearby Vltava river, CTK news agency reported.
Shooting of the series, depicting the final days of the Knights Templar in the 14th century, was due to start in the Czech Republic this weekend after initial work in Croatia. “Avengers” Jeremy Renner is an executive producer.
The Barrandov studios, established by late Czech President Vaclav Havel’s uncle in the 1930s, are one of the largest in Europe. Films such as “Mission Impossible” or “Hart’s War” were shot there. | http://antiguaobserver.com/fire-severely-damages-knightfall-set-in-prague-media/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/53153f6d35a158280e472a6e3853314072d31a2961ef772c7704cf3dd13045a8.json |
[
"Dave George"
] | 2016-08-27T10:47:20 | null | 2016-08-27T05:10:56 | With the government’s plan to decriminalise up to five grammes of marijuana, United Progressive Party (UPP) Senator Damani Tabor is calling this move a knee | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fupp-senator-calls-for-consultation-on-proposed-marijuana-law%2F.json | http://cdn4.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Front-4-Tabor-Custom.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | UPP senator calls for consultation on proposed marijuana law | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
With the government’s plan to decriminalise up to five grammes of marijuana, United Progressive Party (UPP) Senator Damani Tabor is calling this move a knee-jerk reaction by the Antigua & Barbuda Labour Party Government.
Speaking on OBSERVER Am yesterday, he said this recent disclosure appears disorganised and reactive.
“This was a knee-jerk reaction from the ABLP. Senator Harold Lovell would have made a public call on this matter recently. Wilmoth Daniel is on record calling for the decriminalisation, and so the UPP was leading the way; the ABLP panicked and just made a knee-jerk reaction.
“There was no policy behind it; there was no thought, no plan and a lot of missing elements,” he said.
One of the reasons that the government has given for Legal Affairs’ intention to take a draft law to Parliament that will remove fines for the possession of five grammes of marijuana or less, is the expense associated with pursuing marijuana conviction for such small portions.
According to the senator, there are other concerns that require close examination before proceeding with such a plan.
“What about visiting medical marijuana users? What’s the procedure for them? Should they present their medical marijuana certificate? Should they have to swear before a representative of the ministry of health as they do in Jamaica, that they’re a medical marijuana user?
“What about the economic benefit of going into the manufacture of therapeutic products, having universities conducting research. That’s big business in Jamaica for instance. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry,” he added.
In the meantime, Tabor is making a clarion call for public consultation on such an important issue before the law is passed.
“If consultation doesn’t precede this legislation, it’s going to be inadequate. There are going to be various interest groups, including the Rastafari community that’s going to be gravely displeased. | http://antiguaobserver.com/upp-senator-calls-for-consultation-on-proposed-marijuana-law/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/acd5359fe08cc64fbed19c7aa596289d6092386ba1997970476a6c7c50591284.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T10:47:58 | null | 2016-08-30T05:00:16 | India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni believes the United States market is a prime destination for the continued expansion of cricket. | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fdhoni-keen-on-more-series-in-florida%2F.json | http://cdn.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/cricket-pitch.png?da4e36 | en | null | Dhoni keen on more series in Florida | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
LAUDERHILL, Florida, Aug 29, CMC – India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni believes the United States market is a prime destination for the continued expansion of cricket.
Speaking following the rained-out final Twenty20 International against West Indies, the veteran player said the US provided lucrative options for all the stakeholders involved in the sport.
The hastily arranged two-match series at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium here came at the back end of the four-Test tour between the two teams staged in the Caribbean, and was the first time they had played matches in a bilateral series in the US.
“This is one place where we can come back and play lot of cricket, maybe a triangular or a four-nation ODI or T20 series. It will be better to play T20s to start off. The venue looks good,” Dhoni said.
“It will also let us spend more time in the US [unlike this series] when we played back-to-back games. It will easily fit into our schedule as well because we don’t play many games this time of year at home.
“Yes, it will be a bit cramped for international cricketers, but I don’t think modern cricketers mind it. Also, the money making ability of this place, the spectators will come, the time suits broadcasters. It’s a win-win situation for everyone. It’s a good venue to continue cricket.”
West Indies won Saturday’s contest by a single run after posting the fourth highest total in T20 Internationals when they rattled up 245 for six off their 20 overs.
The game finished in dramatic fashion as India just failed to get eight runs off the last over, with two runs needed off the last ball.
In Sunday’s second game, West Indies were dismissed cheaply for 145 off 19.4 overs and India were 15 without loss after two overs, when rain intervened.
Dhoni said his side had been confident of easily chasing down the target.
“I felt bowlers executed plans very well; 150 was a good score to achieve,” he pointed out.
“I’m not saying we would have definitely won, but a good batting effort would have seen us through. If you compare the two games, you’d wonder if we were playing on the same wicket.”
Dhoni also praised the move to include Amit Mishra for the second game, as the leg-spinner did the damage with three for 24, to cripple the Windies innings.
“We did take a bit of risk with Mishra coming in, replacing (Stuart) Binny, because we were one batsman short,” Dhoni pointed out.
“We realise on a wicket like this, we needed an extra bowler and a leg-spinner can give you wickets.
“It paid off well. Mishra bowled exceedingly well, he was able to put pressure and he was well supported by (Ravi) Ashwin. It’s fantastic effort by both of them.” | http://antiguaobserver.com/dhoni-keen-on-more-series-in-florida/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/933799373c54e36a9e1cfc201505a7d35909510d2e45342293da94f3319fe3b2.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T10:47:22 | null | 2016-08-27T05:00:31 | Operating in an environment where high energy cost is an issue, Head of the Renewable Energy desk at the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA), Girvan | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fapua-official-makes-strong-call-for-more-use-of-renewable-energy%2F.json | http://cdn4.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Front-3-ENERGY-Custom.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | APUA official makes strong call for more use of renewable energy | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Operating in an environment where high energy cost is an issue, Head of the Renewable Energy desk at the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA), Girvan Pigott, said it’s time to focus more on alternate sources of providing energy, and not rely heavily on the traditional methods.
While appearing on OBSERVER’S Voice of the People on Thursday, Pigott said that while APUA continues its policy of providing energy using conventional methods, the local utility company has no choice but to adapt to the growing changes of providing alternate sources of energy.
“I think it, [APUA] in a sense, has no choice. I think we’re going to be moving in that direction. As I tell a lot of people, I think the ball began rolling and it will continue rolling.
“What APUA will find themselves in is a position of adapting, and they’re actually doing that. There is a solar farm already in existence, and that has its own unique challenges, and they will continue adding to that,” Pigott said.
According to the renewable energy expert, albeit it’s happening at a pedestrian pace, people are finding alternate sources of energy like solar power, and APUA will have to adapt to this, notwithstanding all the technical issues that can arise from providing renewable energy. | http://antiguaobserver.com/apua-official-makes-strong-call-for-more-use-of-renewable-energy/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/6392f81c7d516d38eae50e3b0071d5d98cbfbe93ad9bf281e61d9261bac8bbde.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T14:47:33 | null | 2016-08-26T10:43:35 | Turkish forces will remain in Syria for as long as it takes to cleanse the border of Islamic State and other militants, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fturkey-signals-no-quick-end-to-syria-incursion-as-truck-bomb-kills-11%2F.json | http://cdn.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/turkey-9.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Turkey signals no quick end to Syria incursion as truck bomb kills 11 | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Turkish forces will remain in Syria for as long as it takes to cleanse the border of Islamic State and other militants, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Friday, after a truck bombing by Kurdish insurgents killed at least 11 police officers.
The suicide bombing at a police headquarters in a province bordering Syria and Iraq came two days after Turkey launched its first major military incursion into Syria, an operation meant to drive Islamic State out of the border area and stop Kurdish militias from seizing ground in their wake.
Turkey, a NATO member and part of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, has seen a series of deadly bombings this year blamed on the radical Islamists. But it also fears Kurdish militias in Syria will seize a swathe of border territory and embolden Kurdish insurgents on its own soil.
President Tayyip Erdogan said the bombing in Sirnak province would increase Turkey’s determination as it fights terrorist groups at home and abroad. Yildirim said there was no doubt the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade insurgency for Kurdish autonomy, was responsible.
“From the beginning we have been defending Turkey’s territorial integrity. We are also defending Syria’s territorial integrity. The aim of these terrorist organization is … to form a state in these countries… They will never succeed,” Yildirim told a news conference in Istanbul.
“We will continue our operations (in Syria) until we fully guarantee security of life and property for our citizens and the security of our border. We will continue until Daesh (Islamic State) and other terrorist elements are taken out.”
After he spoke, the PKK claimed responsibility for the attack on the police headquarters, according to a website affiliated to the group.
Syria has condemned the Turkish operation, codenamed “Euphrates Shield”, as a breach of its sovereignty. Turkish special forces, tanks and warplanes launched the incursion in support of Syrian rebels, mostly Turkmen and Arab, who quickly took the border town of Jarablus from Islamic State on Wednesday.
An alliance of 23 Kurdish parties in Syria also condemned the Turkish operation on Friday. In a joint statement, they called for a complete withdrawal of all Turkish forces from the country and accused Ankara of trying to occupy Syria under the pretence of fighting terrorism.
Turkish military vehicles shuttled in and out of Syria on Friday, Reuters witnesses said, including a construction machine that helped to flatten the route for a tank. Controlled explosions rang out around the Karkamis border crossing as Turkish security forces removed mines and booby traps left by Islamic State.
Ismail Metin, the commander of Turkey’s second army responsible for the borders with Syria and Iraq, visited Jarablus on Friday, local sources said.
WEEKS OR MONTHS
Turkey has shown little sign so far of a quick withdrawal. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, who met Erdogan in Ankara on Wednesday, said Turkey was ready to stay in Syria for as long as it takes to destroy Islamic State.
A Syrian rebel commander in charge of one of the main groups involved in the Turkish-backed operation told Reuters the forces now aimed to move westward after taking Jarablus, an advance that could take weeks or months to complete.
Colonel Ahmad Osman, speaking to Reuters from Jarablus, said the priority was now to advance about 70 km (40 miles) west to Marea, a town where rebels have long had a frontline with Islamic State.
Turkey has long lobbied for a “buffer zone” in northern Syria controlled by what it regards as moderate rebels, potentially in border territory currently held by Islamic State and stretching about 80 km (50 miles) west of Jarablus.
Sweeping out Islamic State would deprive the group of a smuggling route taken by foreign fighters joining its ranks, and could also create a safe area for displaced civilians and help to stem the flow of refugees, Turkish officials have said.
They argue the proposal has become all the more urgent since Ankara began implementing a deal with the European Union to stop illegal migration earlier this year.
“The situation in Syria and Iraq is getting worse,” Yildirim told a joint news conference with the visiting prime minister of Bulgaria, which has also been struggling to slow migrant flows.
“We’re cleansing Islamic State and other terrorist elements (in northern Syria) so people living there are not forced to leave their homes. But the problem has to be comprehensively handled at the EU level. Solutions are needed quickly.”
Syria’s five-year conflict has killed at least a quarter of a million people and forced almost five million to flee the country, many of them to Turkey. The United Nations estimates that 6.5 million are internally displaced.
An agreement was reached on Thursday to evacuate around 4,000 civilians and 700 fighters from the besieged Damascus suburb of Daraya, ending one of the conflict’s longest stand-offs. Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) vehicles entered the area to prepare for the evacuation on Friday.
Syria’s army has surrounded rebels and civilians and blocked food deliveries in Daraya since 2012, regularly bombing the area, one of the first places to see peaceful protests against President Bashar al-Assad.
OVERLAPPING INTERESTS
The suicide bombing in Turkey’s southeastern town of Cizre is another reminder of the risks Ankara faces as its gets drawn ever more deeply into Syria’s conflict, with the threat of reprisals from both Islamic State and Kurdish insurgents.
The provincial governor’s office said 11 police officers were killed and 78 people, three of them civilians, wounded.
Large plumes of smoke billowed from the blast site.
Photographs showed a large three-storey building reduced to its concrete shell, with no walls or windows, surrounded by rubble.
Turkey views the PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, as closely linked to the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia. Washington, however, has backed the YPG in a separate campaign against Islamic State in northern Syria.
Turkish troops fired on YPG fighters south of Jarablus on Thursday, highlighting the cross-cutting of interests of two pivotal NATO allies.
The Cizre attack came as Turkey has been weakened by a failed July 15 military coup. More than 1,700 military personnel have been removed for their alleged role in the putsch, including some 40 percent of admirals and generals, raising concern about the NATO member’s ability to protect itself.
Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Twitter that Islamic State, the PKK and the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia were all attacking to take advantage of the failed coup.
Last week Erdogan accused followers of a U.S.-based Islamic cleric he blames for the coup attempt of being complicit in attacks by Kurdish militants.
The cleric, Fethullah Gulen, has denied any involvement in and denounced the coup plot. | http://antiguaobserver.com/turkey-signals-no-quick-end-to-syria-incursion-as-truck-bomb-kills-11/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/f29de15b38572bcba5426f39e207596951e8b4fe9d12866f93d6a042cf110580.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T14:47:36 | null | 2016-08-28T09:24:51 | Haiti has launched a programme aimed at sensitizing young people about the HIV/AIDS virus. | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fhaiti-launches-programme-to-deal-with-hivaids-among-young-population%2F.json | http://cdn3.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/hiv-aids.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Haiti launches programme to deal with HIV/AIDS among young population | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Haiti has launched a programme aimed at sensitizing young people about the HIV/AIDS virus.
The project is being co-funded by the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and UNAIDS and will target young people between the ages 15 to 30 mainly from the west, center and south Haiti where the epidemic is most widespread.
“I believe in the youth of Haiti, because you believe in the future of this beautiful country. We want you as ambassadors to address the problem of HIV juvenilization, growth of sexual violence and the increase in early pregnancy,” said Sandra Honoré, the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations.
Figures released here show that over 15,500 young people aged 15 to 24 are living with HIV, with 61 per cent being females.
Under the programme 90 people aged 15 to 30 will be followed, accompanied and encouraged to initiate public awareness campaigns through the media.
The project follows a similar one launched with much success in 2015. | http://antiguaobserver.com/haiti-launches-programme-to-deal-with-hivaids-among-young-population/ | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/a7e11fd8ffdb668996ceca843bb8ce4aec01942b0c185909cc5c12e8063cdb3e.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T10:47:55 | null | 2016-08-30T05:00:20 | Larry Mussenden, who made an unsuccessful bid for the top CONCACAF post earlier this year, has announced he is to step down as president of the Bermuda Football | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fmussenden-to-step-down-following-failed-concacaf-bid%2F.json | http://cdn4.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Larry-Mussenden.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Mussenden to step down following failed CONCACAF bid | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
HAMILTON, Bermuda, Aug 29, CMC – Larry Mussenden, who made an unsuccessful bid for the top CONCACAF post earlier this year, has announced he is to step down as president of the Bermuda Football Association (BFA) next month.
Mussenden, who took over as Bermuda’s new Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in March, said on Monday he will not seek re-election when his term as BFA president ends.
Mussenden returned for a second stint as BFA president in 2010 having previously served from 2001 to 2008, but believes it is time for him to move on and for a new president with “fresh ideas”.
Mussenden will stand down as president on September 29 at the BFA’s annual general congress meeting.
“It is both time for me to move on and for a new president with fresh ideas and new energy for all,” Mussenden said a statement.
Mark Wade, who Mussenden defeated 13-7 at the BFA’s presidential election in 2010, serves as first vice-president and quit as coach of Premier Division side PHC Zebras at the end of last season.
Mussenden, a former Caribbean Football Union vice-president and a senior director of a Hamilton law firm, has plenty on his plate as the FIFA chairman of the appeals committee as well as his new DPP role.
Added Mussenden: “It has been hard work but quite enjoyable too. Generally, I will be available to the BFA and clubs as necessary. Once again, many thanks for the honour and your confidence in me to be your president.”
Mussenden lost to Victor Montagliani of Canada 25-16 in the CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Football Association) presidential election in Mexico City in May,
The Bermudian went into the vote believing he had the support of 24 nations, more than enough to win with 41 votes at stake. | http://antiguaobserver.com/mussenden-to-step-down-following-failed-concacaf-bid/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/2433bfa7b51a294f6a3284f6841c0a96bf87f69c55b761379502bfcefdafa71c.json |
[
"Neto Baptiste"
] | 2016-08-31T10:48:10 | null | 2016-08-31T05:00:41 | National women’s golfer Kimesha Anthony upstaged defending champion and former Jamaica player Leiza Munn-Blakeley to capture a fifth title at the Sagicor | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fanthony-captures-fifth-barbados-open-title%2F.json | http://cdn3.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/1-ANTHONY-Custom.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Anthony Captures Fifth Barbados Open Title | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
National women’s golfer Kimesha Anthony upstaged defending champion and former Jamaica player Leiza Munn-Blakeley to capture a fifth title at the Sagicor Barbados Open Golf Championships held at the Royal Westmoreland course over the weekend.
Anthony had scores of 77 on day one and 73 on Sunday’s day two, as she won by seven strokes to add the 2016 title to her list of winnings. She previously won in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011.
Her hardest fight, she said, came from the defending champion.
“I had to somewhat battle with the defending champ Leiza Munn-Blakeley and there was a junior who was trying. On the first day she had a good day, where she was two shots behind me, and Munn-Blakeley was like four shots. But on the second day, the junior, she collapsed because she was trying a little too hard, and as far as Munn-Blakeley, she actually pushed me,” she said.
The Antiguan, who led the field by five strokes on Saturday, posted a one-over-par 73 on Sunday for a 36-hole gross 150.
The former US college circuit player and former Trinidad Open champion said this year’s triumph was especially rewarding as it was her first time playing the course in a number of years.
“I haven’t played that golf course for five years, and I didn’t get a practice round, so basically I used Saturday as my practice round to get to know where the different rolls are, where to hit the ball or where not to hit the ball. So, the Sunday, I made it a one-day tournament to me,” Anthony said.
Top Barbados player and national captain James Johnson captured the men’s division for an amazing 13th time.
Veteran Bill Weir, moving back to the senior men’s division after playing Super-Seniors in recent times, predictably won the his Division while in the men’s first flight over at Apes Hill Club, defending champion Malcolm Hunte retained his title.
Richie Alleyne emerged winner of the super-seniors division, with a 54-hole gross 253 and was followed by former BGA President Cally Boyea with 260. | http://antiguaobserver.com/anthony-captures-fifth-barbados-open-title/ | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/a170a8ce36399ae149b701194d51167202cea5f592a9bad897cbd04d35ef2509.json |
[
"Dave George"
] | 2016-08-31T10:48:12 | null | 2016-08-31T05:01:09 | Principal of the Princess Margaret Secondary School Dr Colin Greene is of the view that the country’s school plants need to be modernized if they’re going to | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fpms-principal-calls-for-modern-school-plants%2F.json | http://cdn4.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/education.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | PMS principal calls for modern school plants | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Principal of the Princess Margaret Secondary School Dr Colin Greene is of the view that the country’s school plants need to be modernized if they’re going to meet the multiple objectives and reap the desired successes.
Speaking on OBSERVER AM yesterday, he said this would ensure they are used for the purpose they’re intended.
“We no longer have Common Entrance, we have students coming in based on their positions in the National Assessment. So, for now, you need places like resource centres and literacy centres. In the technical vocational area, close to 70 per cent of the job opportunities in most societies come from this level of skillset.
“Now we have to retrofit our schools to satisfactorily meet those needs. For instance, CXC has changed its requirements so our students can be certified both at the CSEC level, and in regards to the CVQ’s. So, there has to be a modernization of our labs to include the technical vocational aspect,” Greene said.
The principal emphasized that it’s not just about the physical space that needs to be addressed at the schools.
“We also talk about qualitative space. Space that’s fit to produce the type of education we’re taking about. For CXC, by next year, most of the examinations will be online, so our technology labs will have to be upgraded.
“So it’s not just building boxes and classrooms. It’s about building classrooms that’s fit for a particular purpose, and training teachers who can now meet the diverse needs of students who are coming to the secondary Schools. That’s the major challenge we have,” the principal added.
Another challenge the educator pointed out that requires various stakeholders on board to overcome centres around setting up multiple programmes in one institution.
“You’re trying to provide an education that’s meeting the needs of everybody. So, that means setting up multiple programmes in one institution. So you’re trying to reach the gifted ones, the average ones and the slow learners, and trying to set up a structure within a structure.
“Additionally, we’re not in charge of all the resources that come through our doors. Somebody else makes those decisions. So, in the selection of what type of students come into the schools is sometimes above the paygrade of the administration of the public school,” the principal added.
He further reminds that shared responsibilities amongst key persons in the education system is critical in achieving laid out objectives.
“You have the responsibility of the administration of the school to include the principal, the responsibility of the teachers on a whole, the parents, and ultimately the responsibilities of the students themselves.
“And to share that vision, school is a rounded place, and you have to create an environment to meet these multiple objectives,” he mentioned.
Asked if he’s satisfied with the mechanisms of communication between himself, other principals and the ministry to address the issues, he said the lines of communication are open but receiving the required responses and action, also, at times, present a challenge.
“I’m satisfied to the extent I have an avenue to air my views. Whether or not there is relevant feedback and sufficient actions based on the knowledge and information that’s a different thing.
Greene’s assessment comes on the heels of government’s ongoing upgrade work to create an additional 50,000 square feet of space at five public secondary schools, to include the Antigua Girls’ High School, Princess Margaret, Clare Hall Secondary, All Saints Secondary and the Jennings Secondary School.
Director of Education Clare Browne has indicated the work is scheduled to be completed by the middle of the first school term commencing September 1. | http://antiguaobserver.com/pms-principal-calls-for-modern-school-plants/ | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/bd7797d34f93000f00bcdb2bb9523bccd7403e77b36f522b6f7608f3c6212836.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T14:47:30 | null | 2016-08-28T09:14:41 | Rescuers believe they have located more bodies in the ruined town of Amatrice, five days after a devastating earthquake struck central Italy, killing at least | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fmore-bodies-located-beneath-rubble-in-italy-quake-zone%2F.json | http://cdn2.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/download-27-Custom-1.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | More bodies located beneath rubble in Italy quake zone | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Rescuers believe they have located more bodies in the ruined town of Amatrice, five days after a devastating earthquake struck central Italy, killing at least 290 people.
Residents of the hill town said up to 10 people were still missing and emergency services said they might have located three corpses in Amatrice’s Hotel Roma, which, like much of the historic center, was wrecked by Wednesday’s quake.
“I am certain there is one more person (in the hotel), because it is my uncle,” said Deputy Mayor Gianluca Carloni.
“It is absolutely vital to finish as soon as possible this initial (search) phase to make sure that there are no more bodies under the rubble,” he said.
The Civil Protection Department lowered the official death toll on Sunday to 290 from a previously given 291. A number of foreigners were among the dead, including 11 Romanians, the foreign ministry in Bucharest said.
Many Romanians work in Italy and Bucharest said 14 of its nationals were still unaccounted for.
Museums across Italy will donate proceeds from Sunday’s ticket sales to help the rebuilding effort and soccer teams will hold a minute’s silence before their weekend matches out of respect for the victims.
Pope Francis led prayers for the dead in his weekly address in Rome, saying he wanted to go to the earthquake zone to bring comfort to the survivors.
“Dear brothers and sisters, as soon as it is possible, I hope to come and visit you,” he said.
Italy has promised to rebuild the shattered communities and has said it will learn from the mistakes of the reconstruction following a similar earthquake in the nearby city of L’Aquila in 2009, where much of the center is still out of bounds.
“The government isn’t going to tell you what should be done. You will decide what needs doing,” Prime Minister Matteo Renzi told relatives of the dead on Saturday at a state funeral for 35 of the victims. | http://antiguaobserver.com/more-bodies-located-beneath-rubble-in-italy-quake-zone/ | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/18ae687b2d46ec09c183877b65e4eb35093dbfe83235d21863025cb16a82d993.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T12:47:40 | null | 2016-08-29T08:10:45 | Islamic State has claimed a suicide bombing that killed at least 15 people and injured 16 at a wedding party near the holy Shi'ite city of Kerbala late on | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fislamic-state-claims-suicide-bombing-at-iraqi-wedding%2F.json | http://cdn2.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/rip-Custom.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Islamic State claims suicide bombing at Iraqi wedding | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Islamic State has claimed a suicide bombing that killed at least 15 people and injured 16 at a wedding party near the holy Shi’ite city of Kerbala late on Sunday.
Five assailants including the suicide bomber attacked the celebration in Ain al-Tamr, west of Kerbala in southern Iraq, firing machine guns and throwing hand grenades, the police said. All the attackers were killed by security forces.
The bombing is the first in the Kerbala region since Iraqi forces dislodged Islamic State militants from their stronghold in Falluja, 80 km (50 miles) north of city.
The ultra-hardline Sunni group has been retreating since last year in the face of government forces backed by a U.S.-led coalition and Iranian-supported Shi’ite militias.
But it remains in control of parts of northern and western Iraq and continues to claim bombings all over the country, targeting mainly Shi’ite districts and cities.
A statement on the Amaq news agency that supports Islamic State said the attack was carried out by four of its suicide fighters against a “gathering of Shi’ites”.
Initial reports in local media late, citing security sources, blamed the killings on a dispute between two tribes at the wedding party.
Islamic State claimed a truck bomb that killed at least 325 people in Baghdad’s Karrada shopping street in July, the deadliest attack since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. | http://antiguaobserver.com/islamic-state-claims-suicide-bombing-at-iraqi-wedding/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/05e867cfae6d8a9ac5c151c055134d59e869445391b9471720a5d9064e6a98ce.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T16:47:02 | null | 2016-08-26T11:16:50 | Public-sector nurse practitioners are the latest group of healthcare professionals to sign the Heads of Agreement with the Government for the 2015/2017 contract | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fpublic-sector-nurse-practitioners-sign-wage-agreement%2F.json | http://cdn3.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/index26.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Public sector nurse practitioners sign wage agreement | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | KINGSTON, Jamaica, Aug. 25, CMC – Public-sector nurse practitioners are the latest group of healthcare professionals to sign the Heads of Agreement with the Government for the 2015/2017 contract period.
At a ceremony yesterday, the nurse practitioners signed the two-year wage agreement under which they will receive a four per cent salary increase for year one and three per cent in year two.
Junior Minister with responsibility for the Public Service, Rudyard Spencer, said the Government was only able to give what it is able to afford.
“Now, more than ever, when you have an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), you really can’t give more,” he said.
Spencer lauded the National Workers Union (NWU), which lobbied on behalf of the nurse practitioners, for their “tolerance and their understanding of the issues”.
Meanwhile, NWU Vice President, Arthur Grant, expressed pleasure at the signing of the agreement that will include provisions for education and training.
“We believe that the grant of one million dollars for nurse practitioners (for training) will be a good start. It is an indication that we are headed in the right direction,” he said.
Grant noted that the Jamaica Association of Nurse Practitioners and the NWU believe in the promotion of continuous professional development. | http://antiguaobserver.com/public-sector-nurse-practitioners-sign-wage-agreement/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/f52ad37fb8f298426463c4a3875bd2931cd2c622879f920ffc1099101c9157ad.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T16:48:04 | null | 2016-08-30T11:51:14 | Taylor Swift was the most high-profile absence at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) but on Monday but the singer happily took photos with fans after reporting | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Ftaylor-swift-poses-with-fans-at-jury-duty-a-day-after-vma-snub%2F.json | http://cdn2.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/taylor.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Taylor Swift poses with fans at jury duty a day after VMA snub | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Taylor Swift was the most high-profile absence at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) but on Monday but the singer happily took photos with fans after reporting for jury duty in Nashville.
Swift, 26, was photographed by other potential jurors as she was waiting to be selected as a jury member ahead of a trial in a Nashville court, according to Twitter user Tracy Bates (@TracysActivism).
Bates had initially tweeted, “I am on jury duty with @taylorswift13” and said at first Swift’s security personnel initially would not let her take a picture. But later she posted a video and numerous photos, including a selfie with Swift, who was wearing a simple black dress and smiling, in the waiting room.
Bates said Swift was happy to pose with other potential jurors and she also posted an autograph from the pop star that said “So nice to meet you!!”
While Bates was happy to snap the star doing her civil duty, she said she did not consent for any media to use her photos, saying they were not for sale. Another user who posted a photo of Swift with her mother on jury duty made her account private.
Swift, named Forbes’ top-earning female celebrity this year with $170 million in earnings, did not receive a single nomination at Sunday’s MTV’s VMAs and did not appear at the New York show.
She was however mentioned on stage by rapper Kanye West, with whom she has a long-running feud, as he rambled about asking her for permission to use her in an explicit lyric in his song “Famous.”
A representative for the singer did not respond for comment on Swift’s jury duty or on West’s VMAs speech. | http://antiguaobserver.com/taylor-swift-poses-with-fans-at-jury-duty-a-day-after-vma-snub/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/f6a2fdfed9eab180ee71ca69e7f764dff3df1a86c25866960c891d56fc435910.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T12:47:18 | null | 2016-08-27T08:45:22 | Weeping relatives hugged each other and reached out to touch the simple wooden coffins at a state funeral held on Saturday for some of the 290 people killed in | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fitaly-grieves-as-state-funeral-held-for-victims-of-powerful-quake%2F.json | http://cdn.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/download-17-Custom-1.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Italy grieves as state funeral held for victims of powerful quake | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
Weeping relatives hugged each other and reached out to touch the simple wooden coffins at a state funeral held on Saturday for some of the 290 people killed in an earthquake this week.
Amongst the 35 coffins laid out in a sports hall were small caskets holding the bodies of an 18-month-old baby and a nine-year-old girl, two of the 21 children who are known to have died when the quake hit central Italy early on Wednesday.
“Don’t be afraid to bewail your suffering, we have seen so much suffering. But I ask you not to lose your courage,” Bishop Giovanni D’Ercole said in a homily in the hall, which was packed with grieving families and the nation’s top politicians.
“Only together can we rebuild our houses and churches. Above all, together we can give life back to our communities,” he said, speaking in front of a dusty crucifix salvaged from one of dozens of churches devastated by the quake.
Even as the funeral Mass was being held, rescuers kept searching through the rubble of the worst hit town, Amatrice, although they acknowledged they had little hope of finding any more survivors from Italy’s worst earthquake in seven years.
Nine more bodies were recovered from the town on Saturday, including three corpses that were pulled overnight from the crumpled Hotel Roma, bringing the death toll in Amatrice alone to 230 residents and tourists.
One of the last people to be plucked alive from the debris was a girl called Giorgia, who turned four on Saturday. Her sister Giulia’s small coffin lay in the center of the sports hall for the funeral Mass.
Relatives of the dead sat on chairs next to the coffins or knelt on the floor, their arms resting on the varnished wood caskets, which were covered in flowers. Some of the mourners clutched framed photos of their loved ones.
As the names of the dead were read out, hundreds of people gathered outside the sports hall broke into prolonged applause in a sign of solidarity with the families.
INVESTIGATION
Italian President Sergio Mattarella flew to Amatrice by helicopter on Saturday to see the damage for himself before traveling on to the nearby city of Ascoli Piceno for the funeral. He was joined by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, parliamentary chiefs and local mayors.
Further funerals will be held in the coming days, including in the capital Rome, where almost 50 of the dead came from.
Authorities have released the names of 181 victims. The youngest was five months old, the oldest 93.
Six Romanians, three Britons, a Spanish woman, a Canadian and an Albanian also died in the calamity. The area is popular with vacationers and authorities are still struggling to pin down how many visitors were there when the quake hit.
Most of the buildings in the quake zone had no anti-seismic protection, but even some of those that did, including a school in Amatrice that was renovated in 2012, fell apart.
Magistrates have opened an investigation into some of the incidents, including the collapse of a belltower in the town of Accumoli, which smashed through the roof of an adjacent building killing a family of four.
“What happened cannot just be considered fate,” said prosecutor Giuseppe Saieva, who is leading the probe. “If these buildings had been constructed like they are in Japan then they would not have collapsed,” he told la Repubblica newspaper.
Renzi has promised to rebuild the shattered communities and the mayor of Amatrice urged the government to learn the lesson of painfully slow post-quake reconstructions of the past.
“What we need is a reconstruction in record time. It is a great opportunity for politicians to show extraordinary commitment,” mayor Sergio Pirozzi told president Mattarella.
Aftershocks continued to rattle the area overnight, the strongest measuring 4.2. The Italian geological institute said some 1,332 aftershocks have hit Italy’s central mountains since Wednesday’s pre-dawn 6.2 magnitude quake.
Italy sits on two fault lines, making it one of the most seismically active countries in Europe. Almost 30 people died in earthquakes in northern Italy in 2012 while more than 300 died in the nearby city of L’Aquila in 2009. | http://antiguaobserver.com/italy-grieves-as-state-funeral-held-for-victims-of-powerful-quake/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/22cc046cbba2580b5951d0d24ab56e48b248cfc034aa56ef187cffb869dbd162.json |
[
"Observer Media"
] | 2016-08-28T12:47:28 | null | 2016-08-28T07:24:00 | One man is dead following a shooting incident on Christian Street; Grays Farm this morning. | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fman-dead-following-shooting-incident%2F.json | http://cdn4.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/unnamed.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Man dead following shooting incident | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | Police have confirmed that Tyrone Lewis better known as ‘Yankee’ was shot in the chest at around 5 am. ‘Yankee’ succumbed to his injuries at the Mounte St Johns Medical Center where he was undergoing surgery.
Community Rules
antiguaobserver.com is really happy to provide this forum in which all are encouraged to freely state their opinions without ridiculing anyone or being ridiculed. We've found that happens really easily if each comment is limited to the topic at hand. We will approve any comment that speaks solely to the story to which it is attached and is free from name calling and defamatory statements.
While we will not post comments questioning moderators' judgement, we will take such suggestions into consideration as possible ways to improve the experience of all community members. If you feel your submission has been disallowed unfairly or if a breech slips through our net, please let us know by e-mailing customer_support@antiguaobserver.com. | http://antiguaobserver.com/man-dead-following-shooting-incident/ | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/908c833079ffa5b9f28473f669ba35e2647ce82918cff2713cecab140822c5f6.json |
[
"Yahoo"
] | 2016-08-28T14:47:38 | null | 2016-08-28T10:07:45 | A SpaceX Dragon capsule returned to Earth on Friday with scientific gifts from the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins waved goodbye as the | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fspacex-dragon-returns-to-earth-with-station-science-gea%2F.json | http://cdn4.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Space-Custom.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | SpaceX Dragon Returns to Earth With Station Science, Gea | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
A SpaceX Dragon capsule returned to Earth on Friday with scientific gifts from the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins waved goodbye as the Dragon slowly flew away Friday morning.
Six hours later, the spacecraft parachuted into the Pacific, just off Mexico’s Baja California coast. It’s loaded with 3,000 pounds of research and equipment, including 12 mice that flew up on the Dragon as part of a genetic study.
“Good splashdown of Dragon confirmed,” SpaceX reported via Twitter. Rubins and Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi used the big robot arm to release the capsule. Mission Control thanked the astronauts for their effort, then added, “To the Dragon recovery team, fair winds | http://antiguaobserver.com/spacex-dragon-returns-to-earth-with-station-science-gea/ | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/ac2edf93d90990740b669e28580e70f14751b8a8b59350710c3efac67a58722e.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T10:47:46 | null | 2016-08-29T05:00:34 | That collective cheer that you heard recently was from all the marijuana smokers in Antigua & Barbuda. It followed the news that the government of Antigua | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fan-interesting-solution-to-a-pot-problem%2F.json | http://cdn2.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/observer_favicon1.png?da4e36 | en | null | An interesting solution to a pot problem | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | That collective cheer that you heard recently was from all the marijuana smokers in Antigua & Barbuda. It followed the news that the government of Antigua & Barbuda had decided to relax the penalties related to the possession of marijuana up to five grammes.
There is absolutely no doubt that something has to be done about the current way marijuana is dealt with, because the current laws, regulations, classifications, etc do not work. From what we have heard, we think that the intent here is good. It was reported that the Cabinet is of the view that the cost of pursuing convictions for such small amounts is very expensive. A point which we agree with and have made before.
Cabinet also expressed their view that young males, in particular, are adversely affected by the current laws and their application.
Under the current system, persons who are caught and convicted carry criminal records that impact their lives forever. It impedes employment opportunities and eliminates them from acquiring visas to at least one large country. As the Cabinet note states, “Cabinet agreed that criminalising young males for a failure of judgment that follows them all the days of their lives is not fair.”
All good intentions aside, the devil is in the details and this is one of those areas that could have a significant downside if it is not implemented correctly and in totality. It is not enough to simply say, let’s decriminalise weed and allow persons a five gramme baggie to walk around with. There is so much more that needs to be studied and put in place in order to make this initiative a success, or to determine that it is a road that we should not travel.
The good thing is that much of the work has already been done. For example, many states in the US has decriminalised marijuana to the point where small amounts for personal consumption is treated much in the same way as a traffic violation. We don’t even have to go that far. Last year, Jamaica revamped its laws to allow possession of up to two ounces (56 grammes) of marijuana. Well, “allow” may be a strong word, since possession is still a petty offence and could result in a ticket (but no arrest or criminal record).
The first big question that springs to most people’s minds is “where do you go to buy your weed?” Sure, possession of five grammes may no longer be a criminal offence, but certainly the person selling the five grammes has more than five grammes. And that would mean that the supplier is engaging in a criminal act. How will the distribution of marijuana be regulated?
The conspiracy theorists have a couple of theories. The first is that the whole thing is just a vote-getting charade. They say that you can spout all the nice words you want, but if there is nothing to back it up then it is nothing more than hot air. The point to what they deem to be the major weakness of the announcement, which is how the supply chain will be regulated.
That leads them to theorising about the supply side and who gets to control the “legalised” distribution of ganja in our bit of paradise. The usual answer, ‘political cronies’, comes to the fore. But there is another one that has the conspiracy theorists buzzing. The thought is that the Gaston Browne administration may employ its new model of development — Entrepreneurial Socialism — to deploy a quasi-state-sponsored marijuana pharmacy (for lack of better words).
This is a fascinating theory. Can you imagine the government actively becoming involved in the cultivation and/or importation and distribution of marijuana? That would certainly get the attention of our big brother to the north.
Couple that with our possible suspension of intellectual property rights in the Internet gaming dispute and wow, what a powder keg. If the annual US $20 million World Trade Organization authorised resolution gets such a heavy-handed pushback, what would “Uncle Sam” have to say if our government got into the trafficking of marijuana?
It is easy to dismiss the conspiracy theorists as being on the fringe, but these are legitimate questions. The ABLP’s entrepreneurial socialism is a powerful tool that can be quickly employed in this circumstance to get over one of the major hurdles associated with decriminalisation of pot and put lots of money in the government coffers.
Alternatively, the government could simply assign the “distribution rights” to the Medical Benefits Scheme and utilise the already established network of dispensaries to distribute five gramme baggies to pot users of Antigua & Barbuda. It would be a sight to behold.
Trust the conspiracy theorists to give us such entertaining thoughts and possibilities. | http://antiguaobserver.com/an-interesting-solution-to-a-pot-problem/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/9d40dd6a8dcb1b3179b943e35f981d987f7db22ecffbc03cc7beef2f3c04a0b3.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T14:47:32 | null | 2016-08-27T09:43:13 | BELMOPAN, Belize, Aug 27, CMC – Opposition legislators have accused the government of stifling efforts to debate issues relating to the country after one | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Fopposition-legislator-suspended-opposition-leader-cries-foul%2F.json | http://cdn.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/belize.jpg?da4e36 | en | null | Opposition legislator suspended, Opposition Leader cries foul | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
BELMOPAN, Belize, Aug 27, CMC – Opposition legislators have accused the government of stifling efforts to debate issues relating to the country after one opposition legislator was suspended and police fired shots in the air to break up a protest outside the Parliament building on Friday.
Cayo South Area representative Julius Espat was suspended after the Speaker Michael Peyrefitte said he used language contrary to the rules or procedures of parliament.
“You have to have the time; the people pay you to listen to us. When you have the prime minister insulting this gentleman by name and you are giving them opportunities to do that and I am talking about good governance, what is your problem Mister Speaker?,: Espat said in the Parliament.
But the Speaker responded by calling on a government minister “to name this person please?” to which Espat responded “this goddamn House of Representatives is a joke.
“You are a mercenary of that government. It is ridiculous that a member of the House cannot speak about good governance in this country…There is nothing that I have done that is illegal or against the orders of this House. Let them raise their hands. Bring it on. Mister Speaker, the reason that you don’t want me to debate is because I am bringing up issues that the Auditor General has put in her report,” he added.
As a result Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington raised a motion to have Espat suspended.
But the embattled opposition legislator sat in his seat despite a request by the Speaker to have him escorted out of the Chamber and the police were later called in.
A defiant Espat later told reporters that the government did not want a debate on the Auditor General’s report and that he had been told by the Speaker, the day before not to raise the issue in Parliament.
“The people have to understand that I am not fighting for Julius Espat I am fighting for the people that put me here and I have to be given an opportunity to express myself for them,” he said, adding “I have a right to speak about corruption in public places; that’s my job. I am the chairman of PAC (Public Account Committee).”
Opposition Leader John Briceno said while he has no idea as to when opposition legislators would return to the Parliament, “when we come, we want to talk about the people’s business.
“But they need to give us an opportunity to speak about the people’s business. The last House meeting was in March; here we are at the end of August and they finally decide to have a meeting. And the only reason they had a meeting was because they had to raise the treasury bills and treasury notes so that they could continue to max out the credit card because they have an insatiable appetite to spend and spend money,” he added.
Briceno said that the opposition intends to hold the government accountable on the contents of the Auditor General’s report.
“I am going to have our senators to call for a senate investigation. Let’s wait for the Audit report,” he said, adding “and when we get into government, we are going to go through this and anybody that can be held liable, we are going to hold them liable and if they have to go to jail, they are going to go to jail.
“Enough is enough,” Brinceno added. | http://antiguaobserver.com/opposition-legislator-suspended-opposition-leader-cries-foul/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/fa877c4176a9634ff563b62c5b67836fb6e3990411574df6b15b621c04759f28.json |
[
"Makeida Antonio"
] | 2016-08-29T10:47:45 | null | 2016-08-29T05:00:42 | The head of the University of the West Indies School of Nursing, St Augustine, is warning against the drawbacks of Antigua & Barbuda losing nurses who migrate | http%3A%2F%2Fantiguaobserver.com%2Feducator-warns-of-the-financial-burden-of-losing-quality-nurses%2F.json | http://cdn2.antiguaobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/UWI-School-of-Nursing-Head-Dr-Oscar-Ocho.png?da4e36 | en | null | Educator warns of the financial burden of losing quality nurses | null | null | antiguaobserver.com | New Story
The head of the University of the West Indies School of Nursing, St Augustine, is warning against the drawbacks of Antigua & Barbuda losing nurses who migrate to metropolitan areas for better pay.
Dr Oscar Ocho said while people in the lower socio-economic strata of society would benefit from the migration of nurses when they remit to their families, the country may have to pay heavily in an era where people expect a higher level of service from medical practitioners.
He said if the brain drain and the migration continues, there may be an increase in the level of malpractice suits because people have a higher level of “consciousness”.
“It could put serious economic pressure on the state to look at what is the service they will be able to offer and what level, within the context of individuals understanding their right to quality health care,” he said.
The doctor said maintaining a high quality of health care will also increase, since government will have to further invest in the training of more nurses and improving infrastructure. | http://antiguaobserver.com/educator-warns-of-the-financial-burden-of-losing-quality-nurses/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | antiguaobserver.com/ec05452a0c4bc26e6eb9c9828db01b138ee577a0171b52598f5bf0e6a53e47d1.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T06:48:32 | null | 2016-08-29T10:44:21 | Two arrested for making 2.5 year old boy drink liquor,Two construction workers were arrested at Ambattur in Chennai for forcefully making a two-and-half | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Ftwo-arrested-making-2-5-year-old-boy-drink-liquor%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Two-arrested-for-making-2.5-year-old-boy-drink-liquor.jpg | en | null | Two arrested for making 2.5 year old boy drink liquor | null | null | chennaivision.com | Two construction workers were arrested at Ambattur in Chennai for forcefully making a two-and-half year-old consume liquor.
The boy rushed home, a make-shift tent, and complained to his mother. Dhanalakshmi, a construction worker, filed a police complaint with Ambattur police after she found the men drinking.
Palani, 36, and Selvam, 40 were arrested. They admitted that they gave liquor to the child in a spoon, as he was watching them taking sips.
Police said the two labourers made the boy drink liquor when he was playing alone near the construction site at Menambedu in the afternoon.
The incident came to light after the boy’s mother V Dhanalaksmi, 25, also a labourer, came searching for the child and noticed him sitting with the two men who were boozing on the construction site.
A police officer said, “We questioned the workers. They have admitted to have given liquor to the child. They did it for fun.” Police personnel registered a case against the duo and remanded them in judicial custody.” | http://chennaivision.com/two-arrested-making-2-5-year-old-boy-drink-liquor/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/c91783736fc28572ade10ba260b7baa2e8d32eb3f584e173fe90174b7497cb07.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T08:48:49 | null | 2016-08-30T12:22:33 | Special fare special train from Kochuveli to Secunderabad,Train No.07116 Kochuveli to Secunderabad special fare special train will leave Kochuveli at 20.30 | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fspecial-fare-special-train-kochuveli-secunderabad-16-09-2016%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Special-fare-special-train-from-Kochuveli-to-Secunderabad-on-16-09-2016.jpg | en | null | Special fare special train from Kochuveli to Secunderabad on 16-09-2016 | null | null | chennaivision.com | Special fare special train from Kochuveli to Secunderabad
Train No.07116 Kochuveli to Secunderabad special fare special train will leave Kochuveli at 20.30 hrs. on 16th September, 2016 and reach Secunderabad at 04.00 hrs. on 18th September, 2016.
Composition: AC 2-tier – 1, AC 3-tier – 2, Sleeper Class – 10 & Luggage-cum-brake van – 2 coaches.
Stoppages: Kollam, Kayankulam, Chengannur, Tiruvalla, Kottayam, Ernakulam Town, Aluva, Thrissur, Ottapalam, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Jolarpettai, Vaniyambadi, Katpadi, Renigunta, Gudur, Nellore, ongole, Tenali, Vijayawada, Khammam, Warangal and Kazipet.
Advance reservations for the above trains are open | http://chennaivision.com/special-fare-special-train-kochuveli-secunderabad-16-09-2016/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/4dcfa3f68a4e3043e24345617ac1cfa53ac9894c1e79667f4efac42afc113718.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T12:48:55 | null | 2016-08-30T17:34:57 | On day one after end of suspension, DMK MLAs walk out,Legislators from the main opposition DMK, who attended the Assembly proceedings today as their period | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fday-one-end-suspension-dmk-mlas-walk%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/On-day-one-after-end-of-suspension-DMK-MLAs-walk-out.jpg | en | null | On day one after end of suspension, DMK MLAs walk out | null | null | chennaivision.com | Legislators from the main opposition DMK, who attended the Assembly proceedings today as their period of suspension ended, did not stay long inside the House, as they chose to walk out over the Cauvery and Siruvani issues..
After the question hour was over, opposition leader M K Stalin urged the AIADMK government to convene an all party meeting to discuss the Cauvery and Siruvani rows.
Public works department minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said it was because of an earlier agreement signed by the then chief minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi with Kerala, the neighbouring government is now planning to construct dam. “The pact was against the interests of Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Following this, Stalin said that there was no proper reply from the government and said his party would stage walk out. Congress legislators too walked out in suport of their alliance partner.
The DMK members were evicted en masse on August 17 as they did not pay heed to Speaker P Dhanapal’s repeated warnings and later the House adopted a resolution suspending79 of the 89 the DMK members, who were present on that day,for a week.
On August 18 and 19, the non-suspended members attendedthe House and urged the Chair to reconsider the suspensionorders. But the Speaker rejected their demand following which they staged a walk out and boycotted the proceedings.
They along with suspended members staged a sit in dharna in the assembly premises on August 18 and conducted a mock Assembly drill the next day, following which the security was tightened in the Assembly complex | http://chennaivision.com/day-one-end-suspension-dmk-mlas-walk/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/4e6b495cde4787f48f0c4213e62243157801c64d94b3842f88daf2629bdd3802.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T06:46:47 | null | 2016-08-27T11:35:11 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Farun-vijay-detained-drunken-driving-hitting-car-police-van%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Arun-Vijay-detained-for-drunken-driving-hitting-car-into-police-van.jpg | en | null | Arun Vijay detained for drunken driving, hitting car into police van | null | null | chennaivision.com | The Pondy Bazaar traffic investigation wing has booked two cases against actor Arun Vijay for drunken driving and ramming his car into a police van.
According to sources, the actor, was returning to home after attending a party (reportedly organised to celebrate the wedding of Radhika Sarathkumar’s daughter Rayane) at a star hotel at Nungambakkam.
It is said that Arun Vijay, who was rashly driving his BMW car, lost control of it near Nungambakkam railway station and hit into a police van that was parked outside.
While the Nungambakkam police started questioning him, cases have been filed by the Pondy Bazaar traffic investigation wing, it is said. His father Vijayakumar and others reached the station after receiving information, sources said.
Arun Vijay is an actor, playback singer and stunt coordinator. He is the only son of veteran film actor Vijayakumar and has been active in the Tamil film industry since 1995.
An adventurous person by nature, he has his license to skydive from the United States Parachute Association. In 2006, Arun Vijay married Aarthi, daughter of film producer Dr N S Mohan and a post-graduate in Psychology, with whom he has a daughter, Purvi and a son, Arnav Vijay. | http://chennaivision.com/arun-vijay-detained-drunken-driving-hitting-car-police-van/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/49b9349b77a0ff4af1795bf9629f7f76d631c67705569d11771f624cc5d61063.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T06:49:25 | null | 2016-08-30T11:07:26 | HC reserves order on Sasikala Pushpa bail plea, MP leaves for Singapore,Expelled AIADMK MP Sasikala Pushpa on Monday left for Singapore by a flight. After | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fhc-reserves-order-sasikala-pushpa-bail-plea-mp-leaves-singapore%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/HC-reserves-order-on-Sasikala-Pushpa-bail-plea-MP-leaves-for-Singapore.jpg | en | null | HC reserves order on Sasikala Pushpa bail plea, MP leaves for Singapore | null | null | chennaivision.com | Expelled AIADMK MP Sasikala Pushpa on Monday left for Singapore by a flight. After arriving at the airport in Chennai from Madurai, she left for Singapore by an Indigo flight, reports said, quoting airport officials.
Earlier, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had reserved its order on the anticipatory bail petition moved by her in connection with a sexual harassment case filed by her two domestic aides.
Sasikala Pushpa, who was recently expelled from the AIADMK, appeared before the Madras High Court Bench on Monday and conceded that she did not come to Madurai on August 17 for authorising her lawyers to appear on behalf of her in an anticipatory bail plea as stated in a vakalat filed in court along with the advance bail petition.
The MP told Justice V.M. Velumani, before the judge reserved orders on the former’s anticipatory bail plea, that she signed the petition.
Earlier, Sasikala Pushpa said women should be treated with dignity and they be given protection. Sasikala arrived here in the morning to appear before the Madras high court Madurai bench in connection with an anticipatory bail petition she has filed.
Pushpa was expelled from the AIADMK earlier in August after an altercation with rival DMK MP Tiruchi Siva at the Delhi airport, with the party officially saying she was dismissed for bringing it “into ill-repute.” | http://chennaivision.com/hc-reserves-order-sasikala-pushpa-bail-plea-mp-leaves-singapore/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/9afd74e55adbf55802d52a260c85d329f434fb08ed30796c8cd4e8c653073fe4.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T06:48:47 | null | 2016-08-30T12:12:30 | Superfast Suvidha special trains between Chennai Central to Ernakulam Jn.,Train No.82621 Chennai Central to Ernakulam Jn. Superfast Suvidha special train | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fsuperfast-suvidha-special-trains-chennai-central-ernakulam-jn%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Superfast-Suvidha-special-trains-between-Chennai-Central-to-Ernakulam-Jn.-on-02-09-2016.jpg | en | null | Superfast Suvidha special trains between Chennai Central to Ernakulam Jn. on 02-09-2016 | null | null | chennaivision.com | Superfast Suvidha special trains between Chennai Central to Ernakulam Jn.
Train No.82621 Chennai Central to Ernakulam Jn. Superfast Suvidha special train will leave Chennai Central at 22.30 hrs. on 02ndSeptember, 2016 and reach Ernakulam Jn. at 10.45 hrs. the next day.
Train No.82622 Ernakulam Jn. to Chennai Central Superfast Suvidha special train will leave Ernakulam Jn. at 19.00 hrs. on 05thSeptember, 2016 and reach Chennai Central at 07.15 hrs. the next day.
Composition: AC 2-tier – 1, AC 3-tier – 2, Sleeper Class – 12 & Luggage-cum-brake van – 2 coaches.
Stoppages: Katpadi, Jolarpettai, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Palakkad, Thrissur and Aluva.
Train No.82621 Chennai Central to Ernakulam Jn. Superfast Suvidha special train will stop at Ernakulam Town also.
Advance reservations for the above trains are open | http://chennaivision.com/superfast-suvidha-special-trains-chennai-central-ernakulam-jn/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/ac72a9912d0ace8d3c390f3af9aae6afc5af57fab75bc2477b037882a3420947.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T08:48:07 | null | 2016-08-29T14:13:23 | After direct election to Mayors, TN now abolishes direct election of Municipal, Town Panchayat chairpersons,Two months after doing away with direct election | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fdirect-election-mayors-tn-now-abolishes-direct-election-municipal-town-panchayat-chairpersons%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/After-direct-election-to-Mayors-TN-now-abolishes-direct-election-of-Municipal-Town-Panchayat-chairpersons.jpg | en | null | After direct election to Mayors, TN now abolishes direct election of Municipal, Town Panchayat chairpersons | null | null | chennaivision.com | Two months after doing away with direct election of Mayors for municipal corporations, the State government today introduced a Bill in the State Assembly to end direct election of chairmen of municipalities and town panchayats too.
Introducing the Bill, Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani said ”at present, election to the council of the Urban Local Bodies are conducted on party basis and the Chairmen is elected directly.” It has been brought to the notice of the Government that in certain circumstances, the Chairmen do not get the co-operation of the Councillors and vice-versa and thereby, there have been impediments in the proceedings of the councils and to arrive consensus in passing resolutions to provide civic services to the public, as both the Chairmen and the Councillors were elected directly.”
The Minister said ”having felt the difficulties faced by the Councils of Municipal Corporations, the Tamil Nadu Municipal Corporation Laws (Amendment) Act, 2016 (Tamil Nadu Act 8 of 2016) was enacted to enable the councillors to elect a councillor among themselves as Mayor for the Municipal Corporation.”
Velumani said ”as such, in order to have a uniform election procedures in all the Urban Local Bodies in the State, the Government has decided to elect the Chairmen of the Municipalities and Town Panchayats also indirectly by the Councillors or members from among themselves, as the case may be”.
“To give effect to the above decisions, the Government have decided to amend the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act 1920 (Tamil Nadu Act V of 1920), suitably,” he added.
On June 23, the State Assembly adopted the Bill to do away with the practice of direct election of Mayors amidst opposition from the DMK and its allies Congress and IUML. | http://chennaivision.com/direct-election-mayors-tn-now-abolishes-direct-election-municipal-town-panchayat-chairpersons/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/c5261095216a5582d216f10cf0e8522e84fc589a8ddd13f6b96d2bd2ae70e0d1.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T10:48:08 | null | 2016-08-29T14:18:56 | Santhosh Narayanan too in Remo,Besides Anirudh who has composed music, Sivakarthikeyan starrer Remo has one more music composer too in its team. He is none | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fsanthosh-narayanan-remo%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Santhosh-Narayanan-too-in-Remo.jpg | en | null | Santhosh Narayanan too in Remo | null | null | chennaivision.com | Besides Anirudh who has composed music, Sivakarthikeyan starrer Remo has one more music composer too in its team. He is none other than the hot and happening Santhosh Narayanan.
For, the Kabali and Madras composer has crooned a song in the movie directed by debutant Bakkiaraj Kannan and produced by R D Raja of 24 AM Studios.
Confirming this development, Anirudh has posted on his microblogging page: ” “Santi sings #Daavuya for #Remo.. Get your dancing shoes on 🙂 Album from the 5th..”
A few days ago, it emerged that the first copy of the film is ready. “Happiest day Saw the first copy of our #Remo.so Happy&Proud to Produce this film.@Siva_Kartikeyan’s career best till date.proud of u Siva,” posted the movie’s producer R D Raja on Twitter.
He added: “Outstanding performance by @KeerthyOfficial(Keerthy Suresh). remarkable place waiting for u in southindian film industry Keerthi.happy,Proud&congrats.”
In another tweet, he stated: “After seeing #Remo given advance to @Bakkiyaraj_k.He is doing next film for @24AMSTUDIOS.So happy Bakkiyaraj.”
The producer went on to add: “I never thank @Siva_Kartikeyan and @anirudhofficial.First time I want to thank both of them.Siva introduce me as a producer.thank u Siva.”
Remo is a romantic comedy film written and directed by Bhagyaraj Kannan. The film stars Sivakarthikeyan and Keerthy Suresh in the leading roles, while Sathish, K. S. Ravikumar and Saranya Ponvannan among others portray supporting roles. The film will be released on 7 October 2016. | http://chennaivision.com/santhosh-narayanan-remo/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/63e02bb23a819b634e05e079d23166c83cd5556846134cc57d885d594c4339ca.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T06:49:24 | null | 2016-08-31T11:45:05 | Irumugan cleared with U/A, release on Sept 8,Vikram's 'Iru Mugan' will finally hit the screens on September 8. The Anand Shankar film has crossed the final | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Firumugan-cleared-ua-release-sept-8%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Irumugan-cleared-with-UA-release-on-Sept-8.jpg | en | null | Irumugan cleared with U/A, release on Sept 8 | null | null | chennaivision.com | Vikram’s ‘Iru Mugan’ will finally hit the screens on September 8. The Anand Shankar film has crossed the final hurdle and is ready for a worldwide release.
Iru Mugan has been censored with UA certificate. As the censor process gets completed, Iru Mugan director Anand Shankar has officially announced that the film will be hitting the screens on September 8.
According to reports, the runtime of the film has been locked at two hours and twenty-four minutes. There are even rumours that the film received an amazing response when it went to CBFC for certification.
For the first time in his career, Vikram plays a dual role in Iru Mugan- RAW officer and a transgender villain. Overall, the mystery thriller looks extremely promising.
The film stars Vikram, Nayantara and Nithya Menen in the lead roles. Having gone through several changes in pre-production of cast and producers, the film began shooting in December 2015. Music is by Harris Jayaraj. | http://chennaivision.com/irumugan-cleared-ua-release-sept-8/ | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/798cb710cf592eef5d8c839a6c1fbe5cdb2d49cc42de454f9b305c97f31f75ae.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T06:49:10 | null | 2016-08-30T11:24:15 | Chennai to get Monorail in two routes,Monorail, a pet project of Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, was revived on Monday, as it was announced in the | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fchennai-get-monorail-two-routes%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Chennai-to-get-Monorail-in-two-routes.jpg | en | null | Chennai to get Monorail in two routes | null | null | chennaivision.com | Monorail, a pet project of Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, was revived on Monday, as it was announced in the State Assembly that the scheme would be implemented in two routes in Chennai.
The Poonamallee-Kathipara line is planned to be executed through public-private partnership on ‘design, build, finance, operate and transfer basis’ at an estimated project cost of Rs. 3,267 crore.
The second line from Vandalur to Velachery is proposed to be taken up under multilateral funding with an estimated project cost of Rs. 3,135.63 crore, the policy note tabled by transport minister M R Vijayabhaskar in the Assembly said.
Vijayabhaskar said that though the 43.48 km Chennai monorail scheme was announced by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in 2006, the subsequent DMK government had, however, put it in “cold storage”.
This is the third time the AIADMK government is making efforts to set up the mono rail network. In 2006, Ms. Jayalalithaa announced a proposal to set up 300 km of monorail comprising 18 corridors.
However, when the DMK came to power later that year, the party went ahead with the proposal to set up the metro rail. In 2011, Jayalalithaa again revived plans to set up the monorail. | http://chennaivision.com/chennai-get-monorail-two-routes/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/4234ef1d493616992528ba77cddea557da3df0efee30cb7474af3471922f3671.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T06:49:23 | null | 2016-08-31T11:55:51 | Jayalalithaa completes 100 days in office, greetings galore,Rich laurels were heaped on chief minister J Jayalalithaa in the Assembly today, as she complete | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fjayalalithaa-completes-100-days-office-greetings-galore%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Jayalalithaa-completes-100-days-in-office-greetings-galore.jpg | en | null | Jayalalithaa completes 100 days in office, greetings galore | null | null | chennaivision.com | Rich laurels were heaped on chief minister J Jayalalithaa in the Assembly today, as she completed 100 days in office after assuming charge for the second consecutive term in May this year.
Ministers and MLAs lauded her in the House. Meanwhile, “Stable-government – sustained growth” – thus began TN government’s full page advertisement for 100-days of Jayalalithaa in her second consecutive term, on the front-page of all leading dailies in Tamil Nadu.
Less than three months after AIADMK’s euphoric victory retaining its leadership, TN woke up advertisements with long list of “achievements” of the present government on Wednesday morning.
From reducing TASMAC shops to providing free electricity of 200-750 units to handloom and powerloom weavers, the advertisement has not left out any perceived achievement by the government
It quoted the CM as saying: “The people of Tamil Nadu are my family and their welfare is my life”. Listing out the achievements, it said “outstanding crop, medium and long term loans of small and marginal farmers payable to Co-operative banks were fully paid and 16,94,145 farmers benefitted”.
It claimed 1.91 crore consumers benefitted under the scheme of provision of 100 units of electricity to all households. It also said Tamil Nadu emerged as power surplus state in Jayalalithaa’s regime. | http://chennaivision.com/jayalalithaa-completes-100-days-office-greetings-galore/ | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/9f3093678542554cc2df3e1aa0638cb8aaff031e99cceaa04ea8c7a5e8609829.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:53:41 | null | 2016-08-26T14:27:14 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fchennai-hospital-replaces-damaged-skull-titanium-plate%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Chennai-hospital-replaces-damaged-skull-with-titanium-plate.jpg | en | null | Chennai hospital replaces damaged skull with titanium plate | null | null | chennaivision.com | Doctors from Parvathy Hospital in Chennai have conducted a ‘unique’ cranioplasty surgery using a newly designed titanium plate customised to fit the damaged portion of the skull of a 26-year-old who sustained severe head injury.
The implant was performed by globally acclaimed Dr. K. Eliyasbasha, Senior Consultant, Neurosurgeon known for his stem cell surgery for cervical cord injured patients.
The patient based in Chennai, who had recently returned from Kenya suffered severe head injury due to a bike accident, was admitted in the hospital with broken skull and brain matter oozing out of the injury. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of the patient was 4, due to the highest level of severity of the brain injury.
Commenting on the innovative surgery, Dr. K. Eliyasbasha, says, “When the patient was admitted, saving the life of the patient was our first priority. When we completed the surgery, the skull was still open and the skin formed a layer after some days. To close the damaged portion of the skull, we were looking for various options which will be the best fit for the skull.
Based on our research, we found out that Titanium is the best material to fit into the damaged portion of the skull. We then customized the Titanium plate to fit the damaged skull using 3D designs and implanted the same. Now the patient is healthy with all his vital organs working in proper and healthy condition.”
This is the first time Titanium plate is implanted in a patient in Tamil Nadu using Cranioplasty. Titanium is strong, durable and non-corrosive. It is perfectly adapted to patient’s anatomy and suited to 3D contours of Skull. Titanium is aesthetically and cosmetically good. It is easy to perform and timesaving, he said. | http://chennaivision.com/chennai-hospital-replaces-damaged-skull-titanium-plate/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/10ebb40f64fb05267004afd149af568c17708a0bff54a636cad025fb712cb15d.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T06:48:14 | null | 2016-08-29T11:28:03 | Vaikundarajan's brother levels series charges, mining baron denies,Leading mining baron S Vaikundarajan’s brother V S Kumaresan has alleged that beach sand | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fvaikundarajans-brother-levels-series-charges-mining-baron-denies%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Vaikundarajans-brother-levels-series-charges-mining-baron-denies.jpg | en | null | Vaikundarajan's brother levels series charges, mining baron denies | null | null | chennaivision.com | Leading mining baron S Vaikundarajan’s brother V S Kumaresan has alleged that beach sand mining was on in Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, and Thoothukudi districts despite a ban imposed by the State Government in 2013.
Kumaresan, who also heads the Nadar Makkal Peravai, a caste outfit, on Sunday alleged that V.V. Minerals, owned by Vaikundarajan, and a few other firms were actively engaged in mining rare earth and were exporting them with the tacit support of officials.
“They have together caused loss of an estimated Rs. 10,000 crore to the government,” he claimed and produced some photographs of mining activity, which he said, were taken in recent times.
Reacting to the charges, Vaikundarajan said his brother has several pending cases of blackmail, fraud and other cases. “He has accepted in his affidavit filed in the Madras high court (Madurai Bench) that he is suffering from a mental illness. He asked me for 15 crore which I was not in a position to give him. Ask him to show proof of his allegations.”
“Once we file our documents with the Customs, anyone can open and see it and see how much we exported. He only wants to turn the state government against me,” he said. He added that his company mined 93 lakh metric tonnes of sand from 2000 to 2013, and exported 61-62 lakh metric tonnes. | http://chennaivision.com/vaikundarajans-brother-levels-series-charges-mining-baron-denies/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/3f3c63456e5c4310f4f9eabd77f0fa6454b1a5339caddfcb15d5ffcd911e3fdf.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T08:48:43 | null | 2016-08-30T14:08:04 | Special fare special trains between Ernakulam Jn. to Velankanni on 08-09-2016,Train No.06016 Ernakulam Jn. to Velankanni special fare special train will | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fspecial-fare-special-trains-ernakulam-jn-velankanni-08-09-2016%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Special-fare-special-trains-between-Ernakulam-Jn.-to-Velankanni-on-08-09-2016.jpg | en | null | Special fare special trains between Ernakulam Jn. to Velankanni on 08-09-2016 | null | null | chennaivision.com | Special fare special trains between Ernakulam Jn. to Velankanni
Train No.06016 Ernakulam Jn. to Velankanni special fare special train will leave Ernakulam Jn. at 20.10 hrs. on 01st,08th,15th September 2016 and reach Velankanni at 09.30 hrs. the next day.
Train No.06015 Velankanni to Ernakulam Jn. special fare special train will leave Velankanni at 14.20 hrs. on 02nd, 09th,16th September 2016 and reach Ernakulam Jn. at 04.15 hrs. the next day.
Composition: AC 2-tier – 1, AC 3-tier – 2, Sleeper Class – 11, General Second Class – 3 & Luggage-cum-brake van – 2 coaches.
Stoppages: Aluva, Thrissur, Ottapalam, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Karur, Tiruchchirappalli, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam.
Train No.06015 Velankanni to Ernakulam Jn. special fare special train will stop at Ernakulam Town also.
Advance reservations for the above trains are open | http://chennaivision.com/special-fare-special-trains-ernakulam-jn-velankanni-08-09-2016/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/1e76ead0730f081d224d312be59b4aceba6f2b9d86168927ed879159a5037c68.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T06:46:42 | null | 2016-08-27T10:56:13 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Famid-dengue-fear-girl-dies-chennai-minister-says-dont-panic%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Amid-dengue-fear-girl-dies-in-Chennai-minister-says-dont-panic.jpg | en | null | Amid dengue fear, girl dies in Chennai; minister says don't panic | null | null | chennaivision.com | A 10-year-old girl from Keerapakkam near Ponneri, who was admitted to the government children’s hospital at Egmore in Chennai following ‘mysterious fever’, has died.
While her relatives alleged that she was suffering from dengue, doctors denied it and said her death was due to jaundice, and not because of dengue.
The girl’s death also led to a crackdown on quacks who, officials say, have compounded the problem in the district.
On Friday morning, Vaishnavi M of Keerapakkam in Ponneri died at the Institute of Child Health, Egmore, after she developed internal bleeding. She had been admitted last week with high fever, abdominal pain and vomiting.
This death comes a week after the death of four young children from two villages – Adi Andhrawada and Kaverirajapuram – at the ICH, which health officials have attributed to mixed infections, including dengue and leptospirosis.
As of Friday , a total of 135 persons from the district have been admitted to various hospitals for fever, including 17 at the Ponneri government hospital.
On Friday , health minister C Vijaya Baskar visited patients in the government general hospital in Thiruvallur and inspected sites in Ponneri, Gummidipoondi and Tiruttani.
He said that the 17 persons who were admitted to the hospital with fever were not affected by dengue. “It is ordinary fever and they will be alright soon,” he said, adding: “There is no need for panic among public.” | http://chennaivision.com/amid-dengue-fear-girl-dies-chennai-minister-says-dont-panic/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/80205963aa6191d8389787f46a5f2b6bb144db29d35feb312bdaa1bc9eb43e1d.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:51:05 | null | 2016-08-26T16:54:57 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fsrm-group-founder-pachamuthu-arrested%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SRM-group-founder-Pachamuthu-arrested.jpg | en | null | SRM group founder Pachamuthu arrested | null | null | chennaivision.com | SRM University chancellor T.R. Pachamuthu alias Parivendhar was arrested on Friday by the Chennai Central Crime Branch (CCB) after an overnight interrogation in connection with the mysterious disappearance of film producer Madhan and alleged cheating of medical course aspirants.
He is one of the accused in 109 cheating complaints filed by parents who alleged that they had paid huge amounts for medical admissions in the group of colleges under the SRM Deemed University and other institutions run by SRM Group.
The trouble for Pachamuthu began when Kollywood film producer Madhan, who allegedly started his career as a college admission agent, mysteriously went missing on May 27. A note supposedly written by him in the letter head of his film production house Vedhar Movies surfaced on social media soon after.
Police sources said Pachamuthu has been arrested under IPC sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 34 (common intention).
Madhan, who was also a high-profile Tamil film producer, allegedly wrote a letter to his friends saying that he was going to attain ‘Samadhi’ in Varanasi before he went missing on May 28. The letter he wrote to his friends had blamed SRM group of institutions and claimed that he used to work as an admission agent for the SRM group.
Madhan had lamented that though crores of rupees had been collected from parents, they would not be able to keep their promise of admission to students with NEET coming into force and changing the entire admission process, | http://chennaivision.com/srm-group-founder-pachamuthu-arrested/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/2bc3c235458790b1c8d1a9f675512b103bb81861ae3c52df797750431356b4ca.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T06:48:39 | null | 2016-08-30T11:54:16 | Suvidha special trains between Chennai Egmore to Tirunelveli on 02ndSeptember, 2016,Train No.82601 Chennai Egmore to Tirunelveli Suvidha special train will | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fsuvidha-special-trains-chennai-egmore-tirunelveli-02ndseptember-2016%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Suvidha-special-trains-between-Chennai-Egmore-to-Tirunelveli-on-02ndSeptember-2016.jpg | en | null | Suvidha special trains between Chennai Egmore to Tirunelveli on 02ndSeptember, 2016 | null | null | chennaivision.com | Suvidha special trains between Chennai Egmore to Tirunelveli on 02ndSeptember, 2016
Train No.82601 Chennai Egmore to Tirunelveli Suvidha special train will leave Chennai Egmore at 21.05 hrs. on 02ndSeptember, 2016 and reach Tirunelveli at 10.45 hrs. the next day.
Train No.82602 Tirunelveli to Chennai Egmore Suvidha special train will leave Tirunelveli at 17.00 hrs. on 05thSeptember, 2016 and reach Chennai Egmore at 05.20 hrs. the next day.
Composition: AC 2-tier – 2, AC 3-tier – 4 & Sleeper Class – 9 coaches.
Stoppages: Tambaram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Tiruchchirappalli, Dindigul, Madurai, Virudhunagar and Kovilpatti.
Advance reservations for the above trains are open | http://chennaivision.com/suvidha-special-trains-chennai-egmore-tirunelveli-02ndseptember-2016/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/c7deee50095e6568222edbe3359d7433e867eb6e687ce1d26aa57e7535a3c9cb.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:55:34 | null | 2016-08-26T14:40:34 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Ftrouble-ghibran-bhutan-border%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Trouble-for-Ghibran-in-Bhutan-border.jpg | en | null | Trouble for Ghibran in Bhutan border | null | null | chennaivision.com | Music director Ghibran is currently on a road trip from Chennai to Singapore, a promotional activity called audio drive to launch the album of his new movie Chennai 2 Singapore.
Though Ghibran and team have successfully crossed the border of Bhutan in their black Ford Endeavor, they were blocked at the border for not having key document.
But they were let off by the officials after they explained the reason behind their visit. The authorities were happy to know that Ghibran composed music for Kamal movies (Uttama Villain and Papanasam) and were also keen to know about Rajini.
Meanwhile, the team was struck in earthquake too. Producer Ananthan says, “The team that left for the road trip consists director Abbas, Ghibran, actor Shiv, DOP Karthik and a driver. After releasing one song in Bhutan, they were driving towards Myanmar, when the quake happened.”
“They were pretty much near the border, and were forced to stop owing to the natural calamity. I was not even able to reach them initially. Later they contacted me saying that they moved to a nearby hotel there.”
“The problem is that they are yet to open the roads for vehicles to pass the border. I am trying to get in touch with the Myanmar Embassy to see if something can be done.” | http://chennaivision.com/trouble-ghibran-bhutan-border/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/dffae9013fee5be772756dd3f5f6ffd5feed849f439c90a6305c7d10172a5f58.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T04:48:34 | null | 2016-08-30T10:05:57 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fkanchi-sankaracharya-hospitalised%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/jayendrar.png | en | null | Kanchi Sankaracharya hospitalised | null | null | chennaivision.com | Kanchi Sankaracharya Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal was hospitalised in Vijayawada today after he complained of uneasiness.
According to sources, the seer who is in Andhra Pradesh on a spiritual trtip, suffered from illness in the wee hours of today and was immediately rushed to hospital.
“Doctors there provided him treatment and he is under observation. Scans and other tests have been taken,” sources added.
Let us pray for the good health of the Sankaracharya. | http://chennaivision.com/kanchi-sankaracharya-hospitalised/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/15dbdba7d725d50bd2787265538d8f952f514a935216c04cf59ef848d1abbbe2.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:52:08 | null | 2016-08-26T15:08:36 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fbollywood-launch-la-trobe-education-program-india%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Bollywood-Actress-Vidya-Balan-at-an-Event-at-LaTrobe-University-Campus.jpg | en | null | Bollywood launch for La Trobe Education Program in India | null | null | chennaivision.com | La Trobe University’s role in India’s ‘Educate the Educators’ program will promote a collaborative relationship where Australian and Indian teachers work together to address the educational needs of students with diverse abilities.
The initiative has been supported by the Australian Government’s New Colombo Plan Mobility Program, which is helping fund La Trobe education student visits to India for the next three years.
The New Colombo Plan aims to increase understanding of Asia and the Pacific among Australian undergraduates and build people-to-people and institutional links with countries in Australia’s region.
Multi-award winning Indian actress Vidya Balan visited La Trobe University to meet staff and students taking part in a new international effort to help children with disabilities in India.
Led by Educationist Dr Mary Keeffe, the first cohort of fifteen La Trobe students will travel to Mumbai and New Delhi in November
Dr Keeffe is Associate Professor in Inclusive Education on La Trobe’s Bendigo Campus.
‘Our aim,’ she said, ‘is to boost educational opportunities for people with disabilities by helping to build teacher capacity to work with children with special needs in main stream classrooms.’
‘Follow-up visits to Indian schools will include La Trobe students and researchers from education, speech pathology and social work. They will use a team-based approach to solving problems and building teacher capacity, which will be helpful for both Australia and India.
‘In addition, our students will gain first-hand experience of Indian society, culture, architecture, language, religion and art.’
Close links with India
Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Jane Long said it was an exciting project that extended the horizons and experiences for La Trobe students, while contributing to an important educational goal of India’s education system.
‘We are extremely pleased to launch this scheme,’ she said, ‘as La Trobe has close and long-standing connections with India, reaching back to 1968 when India’s then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, visited the Melbourne Campus.
‘Almost 5,600 of our graduates were born in India,’ she added.
Two years ago the University inaugurated the Shri Amitabh Bachchan Scholarship for Indian students to study at La Trobe. Named after legendary Indian film actor Amitabh Bachchan, it is valued at up to A$200,000 for four years.
Professor Long said: ‘We are the only university in Australia – apart from the ANU – to teach Hindi and a founding member of the Australia India Institute. Our library houses one of the largest Indian collections in Australia.
‘We also have an arrangement for our sports management and sports journalism students to undertake internships with the leading Indian Premier League (IPL) Cricket team, Kings XI Punjab which was also funded by the New Colombo Plan in 2016,’ she said.
La Trobe University has supported the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) since 2011. This year’s festival is a sponsor of India’s ‘Educate the Educators’ project. Vidya Balan is in Melbourne as a guest of the Festival. | http://chennaivision.com/bollywood-launch-la-trobe-education-program-india/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/ff1e68e3604889cc9213ee01144c76cc7f954b29558c80c8235c01fa873780d7.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:48:05 | null | 2016-08-26T15:01:19 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fmouna-ragam-completes-three-decades%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Mouna-Ragam-completes-three-decades.jpg | en | null | Mouna Ragam completes three decades | null | null | chennaivision.com | Believe it or not, Mani Ratnam’s classic Mouna Ragam, which has evergreen songs by maestro Ilayaraja, has completed 30 years of hitting the screens.
Mouna Ragam, released on August 15, 1986, not only provided an insight on issues faced by couples, but also raised many questions such as the plight and perception of divorce and how our society needed to look at the wishes and desires of a woman.
Written and directed by Mani Ratnam, and produced by G Venkateswaran, the film narrates the life of Divya Chandramouli (Revathi), who is robbed of her carefree existence when she reluctantly marries Chandrakumar (Mohan).
Divya does not wish to be married as she is still grieving over the shooting death of her former lover Manohar (Karthik). The rest of the story follows Divya’s inner conflict between holding on to her past or coming to terms with the present and making a life with Chandrakumar.
Mouna Ragam’s development began when Ratnam wrote a short story titled “Divya”, while he was making his debut film Pallavi Anu Pallavi (1983). As the script developed he renamed it. He did not plan to film the story until he finished writing it, but he could not start actual production on it until after his fourth film, Idaya Kovil (1985), was released.
Mouna Ragam was filmed mainly in Chennai; additional filming took place in Delhi and Agra. The soundtrack album and background score were composed by Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics by Vaali; cinematography was handled by P. C. Sreeram, and the art director was Thotta Tharani. The film was jointly edited by B. Lenin and V. T. Vijayan.
Mouna Ragam was released on 15 August 1986, India’s Independence Day. Despite opening to modest audiences, it became a box office success, running for over 175 days in theatres.
The film was critically acclaimed and won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil, while Ratnam won the Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Director.
Mouna Ragam was dubbed in Telugu under the same title and was released on 14 February 1987; this version was also a commercial success. The film was remade in Hindi in 1992 as Kasak, with Rishi Kapoor and Neelam Kothari in the lead roles. | http://chennaivision.com/mouna-ragam-completes-three-decades/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/01933ac872d21f3ed03e8aceae5b8ef6152e271a410b389d3914f9f29fb03788.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T06:49:12 | null | 2016-08-30T12:18:29 | Special fare special train from Kochuveli to Nanded,Train No.07504 Kochuveli to Nanded special fare special train will leave Kochuveli at 20.15 hrs. on 15th | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fspecial-fare-special-train-kochuveli-nanded-15-09-2016%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Special-fare-special-train-from-Kochuveli-to-Nanded-on-15-09-2016.jpg | en | null | Special fare special train from Kochuveli to Nanded on 15-09-2016 | null | null | chennaivision.com | Special fare special train from Kochuveli to Nanded
Train No.07504 Kochuveli to Nanded special fare special train will leave Kochuveli at 20.15 hrs. on 15th September, 2016 and reach Nanded at 08.30 hrs. on 17th September, 2016.
Composition: AC 2-tier – 1, AC 3-tier – 2, Sleeper Class – 10 & Luggage-cum-brake van – 2 coaches.
Stoppages: Kollam, Kayankulam, Chengannur, Tiruvalla, Kottayam, Ernakulam Town, Aluva, Thrissur, Ottapalam, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Jolarpettai, Vaniyambadi, Katpadi, Renigunta, Koduru, Rajampeta, Nandalur, Cuddapah, Yerraguntla, Muddanuru, Tadipatri, Gooty, Dhone, Kurnool City, Gadwal, Wanaparti Road, Mahbubnagar, Jadcherla, Kacheguda, Malkajgiri, Bolarum, Kamareddy, Nizamabad, Basar, Dharmabad and Mudkhed.
Advance reservations for the above trains are open | http://chennaivision.com/special-fare-special-train-kochuveli-nanded-15-09-2016/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/bab0218fe977d22ce203dd4de80088b8befd835ea1e1d0bf8b7f7b465d654f16.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T06:46:30 | null | 2016-08-27T11:32:49 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Ftnpl-warriors-defeat-kings-thriller-match%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/TNPL-Warriors-defeat-Kings-in-thriller-match.jpg | en | null | TNPL: Warriors defeat Kings in thriller match | null | null | chennaivision.com | Ruby Kanchi Warriors beat Lyca Kovai Kings by four runs in the third match of the India Cements TN Premier League at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday.
Earlier, Lyca Kovai Kings had finished on 126/7 (20) in their first essay. Ruby Kanchi Warriors came out all guns blazing and managed to tie the game in their stipulated 20 overs.
Come the Super Over and it was Ruby which batted first and scored 14 with B. Indrajith hitting a six off the fifth delivery. In the run chase, Jesuraj bowled brilliantly and managed to take the wicket of Harish Kumar. Despite a six from Murali Vijay, Kings fell short by five runs in the end.
Earlier, Ruby Kanchi Warriors won the toss and elected to bowl first. They put up 126 runs on board for the loss of seven wickets. Nilesh Subramanian shined on field as he effected two crucial run-outs, took a catch and scored a quick-fire 49.
Come the Lyca Kovai Kings’ innings and Murthy Prabhu and R Jesuraj choked the batsmen with their accuracy. Lyca Kovai Kings could only score 29 runs in the Powerplay. Also, Murali Vijay (24) was pushed deep into his crease thanks to the pace of J Kaushik’s bowling and was out hit-wicket.
Anirudh B (39) and Harish Kumar (25) played good knocks and set the platform for a huge total. The partnership was broken as Kumar was brilliantly run-out by a direct hit. Ruby Kanchi Warriors were fantastic in the field as they effected three run-outs. Also, the outfield was a little slow due to the rain in the evening.
Lyca Kovai Kings picked up three quick wickets in the power-play thanks to the fiery pace of Mohammed M and K Vignesh. Subramanian held the innings together and stitched a useful partnership of 50 with J Kousik. Ruby Kanchi Warriors had a scare when skipper Indrajith had to retire hurt with cramps. When he returned, he scored a fine 31 to help his side tie the game. And come the super over, it was Harish Kumar who took a vital wicket to seal things for his team.
Ruby Kanchi Warriors skipper B Indrajith told reporters: “We did not plan those things. We did not expect the match to go to a Super Over.”
He added: “I think I did a decent job. I did not want to hit the ball in the air. At least I wanted to get a Super Over and tie. I wanted to hit the ball to mid-wicket so that I could try and take two runs but it didn’t happen. I didn’t want to take a chance and hit the ball in the air.” | http://chennaivision.com/tnpl-warriors-defeat-kings-thriller-match/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/e5a2fed72271c2dc18f0ca944d67782c49785a8c8722cbafadf12fc8ae10c63a.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T12:48:53 | null | 2016-08-30T17:38:28 | Arun Vijay surrenders, gets bail,Actor Arun Vijay today surrendered before the police in drunken driving case. He was produced before court and was granted | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Farun-vijay-surrenders-gets-bail%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Arun-Vijay-surrenders-gets-bail.jpg | en | null | Arun Vijay surrenders, gets bail | null | null | chennaivision.com | Actor Arun Vijay today surrendered before the police in drunken driving case. He was produced before court and was granted bail.
Meanwhile in a statement, the actor has said he is innocent and prove it soon before the law.
Late last week, the Pondy Bazaar traffic investigation wing booked two cases against Arun Vijay for drunken driving and ramming his car into a police van.
According to sources, the actor, was returning to home after attending a party (reportedly organised to celebrate the wedding of Radhika Sarathkumar’s daughter Rayane) at a star hotel at Nungambakkam.
It is said that Arun Vijay, who was rashly driving his BMW car, lost control of it near Nungambakkam railway station and hit into a police van that was parked outside.
While the Nungambakkam police started questioning him, cases have been filed by the Pondy Bazaar traffic investigation wing, it is said. His father Vijayakumar and others reached the station after receiving information, sources said. | http://chennaivision.com/arun-vijay-surrenders-gets-bail/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/675a37f2a7f9f4d75bae902b8996c5907b7f1d2d0e37b8cdc89c42ea277765a7.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T06:46:32 | null | 2016-08-27T11:17:53 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Ftn-advocate-general-somayaji-resigns-muthukumaraswamy-named-successor%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/TN-Advocate-General-Somayaji-resigns-Muthukumaraswamy-named-successor.jpg | en | null | TN Advocate General Somayaji resigns | null | null | chennaivision.com | The State government on Friday appointed senior advocate R. Muthukumaraswamy as the new Advocate General of Tamil Nadu. A Government Order was passed hours after the outgoing Advocate General A.L. Somayaji tendered his resignation.
A notification appointing Muthukumaraswamy as the states chief law officer was issued by the government, hours after it became known that incumbent advocate general A L Somayaji had rendered his resignation.
Muthukumaraswamy had served as the additional advocate general of Tamil Nadu during the 2001-2006 of Jayalalithaa regime.
Somyaji was appointed to the post on March 7, 2013. He has over 35 years of experience at the Bar, and was designated as a senior counsel by the Madras High Court in 1994. He had served as an Additional Advocate General of the State Government between 2001 and 2006.
Muthukumaraswamy brings with him rich experience in civil, writ, service and service jurisprudence. He commands a reputation of being an affable, soft-spoken but no-nonsense lawyer.
He was appointed as Special Government Pleader for the Madras High Court in 1994 and later became the Government Pleader in 1995. He held the post of the Central Government Senior Standing Counsel during the years 1998-1999. | http://chennaivision.com/tn-advocate-general-somayaji-resigns-muthukumaraswamy-named-successor/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/6a8a8e8b8c0f4a5e6689c589265c968ee29057e8234e913eaa460ac958714946.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T06:48:23 | null | 2016-08-29T11:38:14 | Kidaari cleared with U/A,Sasikumar's upcoming film Kidaari, which is slated to hit the screens this weekend, has been cleared by the Censor board with an | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fkidaari-cleared-ua%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Kidaari-cleared-with-UA.jpg | en | null | Kidaari cleared with U/A | null | null | chennaivision.com | Sasikumar’s upcoming film Kidaari, which is slated to hit the screens this weekend, has been cleared by the Censor board with an U/A certificate.
As the censor process is over, Kidaari’s producers have officially announced that the film will be hitting the screens on September 2.
As of now, there is no big competition for Kidaari and hence, the film is expected to get a very good opening in Tamil Nadu.
It is an action film directed by Prasath Murugesan, starring Sasikumar and Nikhila Vimal in the leading roles. The film, which is also produced by Sasikumar, features Napoleon in a supporting role and Darbuka Siva as the music composer.
Sasikumar began work on the film directed by Prasath Murugesan during March 2016 in Chennai. Sasikumar attained the title Kidaari from Samuthirakani, who had previously registered the title when making Kitna.
The film was shot briskly over the month of May 2016, lasting 62 days in total, with the makers announcing that the film was entering its final phase during June 2016. | http://chennaivision.com/kidaari-cleared-ua/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/93f17ce7c7fcce284d0a9160c777eeb8701e8d554f24799aeb355951854c7619.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T06:46:35 | null | 2016-08-27T11:24:38 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fbhanupriya-play-aaris-mother%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Bhanupriya-to-play-Aaris-mother.jpg | en | null | Bhanupriya to play Aari's mother | null | null | chennaivision.com | Bhanupriya seems to be making a strong comeback in Kollywood. Close on the heels of signing Jyothika’s upcoming movie to be directed by Bramma of Kutram Kadithal fame, she has signed on the dotted line for another flick.
According to sources, she will be seen in a movie titled Nagesh Tiraiarngam. The movie directed by Mohamad Issack, has Aari of Nedunchaalai fame as the lead actor.
Says a source close to the movie’s unit, “Bhanupriya will be playing Aari’s mother in the movie. The actress has already agreed to do the film, and is happy with her character.”
Meanwhile, Bhanupriya will be seen playing a key role in the upcoming film of Jyothika.
Says director Bramma of Kutram Kadithal fame, who is set to wield megaphone for this yet untitled movie, “We have roped in Bhanupriya for a very important role.”
He adds: “Along with her, Urvashi and Saranya Ponvannan have also been signed on. The film will go on the floors very soon, and I am sure that the subject will be received well by all age-groups.”
Bhanupriya was a mainstream Indian actress who has predominately appeared in Telugu and Tamil films. She has also acted in Malayalam, Kannada and Bollywood films. | http://chennaivision.com/bhanupriya-play-aaris-mother/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/f8a891b7ff5d639964e27a13cba88a3fd6d718968304ee4618b04dc46fe42bc5.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T06:48:11 | null | 2016-08-29T11:02:28 | Stalin to lead DMK's protest against Kerala,DMK treasurer M K Stalin will lead a protest meeting in Coimbatore on September 3 against Kerala government's | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fstalin-lead-dmks-protest-kerala%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Stalin-to-lead-DMKs-protest-against-Kerala.jpg | en | null | Stalin to lead DMK's protest against Kerala | null | null | chennaivision.com | DMK treasurer M K Stalin will lead a protest meeting in Coimbatore on September 3 against Kerala government’s move to construct a dam across Siruvani and also Tamil Nadu government’s ‘failure’ to take any action against this.
In a statement, DMK president M Karunanidhi said that the districts of Coimbatore, Tirupur and Erode would become deserts if Kerala is given nod to construct dam across Siruvani.
“In order to urge the central and the state governments to take necessary legal measures to prevent Kerala from doing so, the DMK will conduct a protest at Chidambaram Park in Coimbatore at 10 am on September 3,” he said.
Meanwhile, a resolution adopted at a meeting of District DMK office bearers in Coimbatore, led by former minister Pongalur N Palanisamy, blamed Tamil Nadu government for its ‘failure’ to respond to letters sent by the Centre and Kerala Government over the issue.
Considering this, the environment ministry had cleared the project during its meeting onn August 11 and 12, it claimed.
Karunanidhi alleged that after waking up to the gravity of the issue, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that she had taken up the issue with the then Prime Minister in 2012.
“But, four years have passed (since she wrote to Manmohan Singh). Has the Tamil Nadu government informed the BJP-led government at the Centre or has the Chief Minister informed Mr. Modi when she met him in person (about the opposition to the project). She also has not given the dates when she wrote (these) letters to the Centre,” Karunanidhi said. | http://chennaivision.com/stalin-lead-dmks-protest-kerala/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/b432d04386c512a81802293c8fcbd63b3f36e5ba7c7a42c1f0eff10bab0408a4.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T06:46:38 | null | 2016-08-27T11:13:59 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fcauvery-sc-hear-tns-plea-sept-2%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Cauvery-SC-to-hear-TNs-plea-on-Sept-2.jpg | en | null | Cauvery: SC to hear TN's plea on Sept 2 | null | null | chennaivision.com | The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear Tamil Nadu government’s plea for an urgent judicial direction to Karnataka government to release 50.052 tmcft of Cauvery water from its reservoirs to feed the agricultural lands of Tamil Nadu in the “interest of justice”.
A bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur posted the matter for September 2 after Tamil Nadu government mentioned it and sought an urgent hearing.
In the petition, Tamil Nadu has charged Karnataka with diverting water meant for farmers during distress years for undeclared projects, in violation of the final orders of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal in 2007.
It has sought directions to Karnataka to release 50.052 TMC feet of Cauvery water to irrigate the farmland of Tamil Nadu in the ‘interest of justice’.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said that the state will not be able to share Cauvery River’s water with Tamil Nadu as the rainfall deficit has left the state in acute water crisis.
Addressing a delegation of Tamil Nadu farmers, Siddaramaiah said, “We have only 50 TMC of water, that is 50 percent deficiency, we need water for drinking purposes. Nearly 40 TMC of water will be needed we will be left with just 20 TMC, with that we will have to irrigate and give Tamil Nadu, please understand our position.” | http://chennaivision.com/cauvery-sc-hear-tns-plea-sept-2/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/7386e5183ab898b583f3b63ae561c3eba14d83aa638669280682b7842e0b4806.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T08:48:50 | null | 2016-08-30T13:58:01 | Special fare special train Puducherry to Santragachi on 10-09-2016,Train No.06010 Puducherry to Santragachi special fare special train will leave Puducherry | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fspecial-fare-special-train-puducherry-santragachi-10-09-2016%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Special-fare-special-train-Puducherry-to-Santragachi-on-10-09-2016.jpg | en | null | Special fare special train Puducherry to Santragachi on 10-09-2016 | null | null | chennaivision.com | Special fare special train Puducherry to Santragachi
Train No.06010 Puducherry to Santragachi special fare special train will leave Puducherry at 19.15 hrs. on 10th September 2016 (Saturday) and reach Santragachi at 04.30 hrs. on Monday.
Composition: AC 2-tier – 1, AC 3-tier – 1, Sleeper Class – 7, General Second Class – 6 & Luggage-cum-brake van – 2 coaches.
Stoppages: Villupuram, Chengalpattu, Tambaram, Chennai Egmore, Gudur, Nellore, ongole, Chirala, Tenali, Vijayawada, Eluru, Tadepalligudem, Rajahmundry, Samalkot, Duvvada, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam Road, Palasa, Brahmapur, Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Bhadrak, Balasore and Kharagpur.
Advance reservations for the above trains are open | http://chennaivision.com/special-fare-special-train-puducherry-santragachi-10-09-2016/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/15b313aba7c13129f161b9eb0ca13ae2dedb5213970d88111e881600fe09e118.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:53:11 | null | 2016-08-26T14:33:48 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fsudeep-heaps-rich-laurels-ajith%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Sudeep-heaps-rich-laurels-on-Ajith.jpg | en | null | Sudeep heaps rich laurels on Ajith | null | null | chennaivision.com | Sandalwood actor Sudeep, who is popular in Kollywood thanks to Naan Ee and the much recent Mudinja Ivana Pudi, has revealed that he would love to work with Ajith.
He said in a recent interview, “I feel he is very real. He doesn’t fake anything, both on and off the screen. When I see in interviews and his lifestyle, I think it’s something amazing.”
Sudeep added: “It is always nice to be associated with films like that, where he himself doesn’t expect too much from his films. And one more thing that strikes about him is that he comes out with his natural self.”
“You need guts to do that. Normally all heroes would like to look younger than their original age, including me. If you ask me, I would love to work with him.” he said further.
The shooting for the highly anticipated 57th project of Ajith, temporarily titled as ‘Thala 57’, kicked off in Slovenia on August 2.
The Siruthai Siva film is touted to be a spy thriller. Now, a few more exciting details about the film have come to light.
In an interview to a Tamil magazine, producer of the movie, T G Thyagarajan of Sathyajothi Films said, “Ajith will be seen as an interpol officer and while investigating a murder case in Tamilnadu, clues lead him to several parts of the world including Europe.”
Kajal Aggarwal and Akshara Haasan will be playing the heroines in the movie, which is directed by Siruthai fame Siva. Anirudh Ravichander will be composing the songs and the theme music is already composed, he added. | http://chennaivision.com/sudeep-heaps-rich-laurels-ajith/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/5d80fdb1f33afe7a1516041fcca98cc9e0739847393142114115c82441872cd7.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T06:46:41 | null | 2016-08-27T11:09:19 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fvadivelu-ready-imsai-arasan-sequel%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Vadivelu-ready-for-Imsai-Arasan...-sequel.jpg | en | null | Vadivelu ready for Imsai Arasan… sequel | null | null | chennaivision.com | The much awaited sequel for Imsai Arasan 23am Pulikesi is all set to become a reality soon, with shooting expected to commence in October.
According to sources, Chimbu Devan, who made the first part will also be directing the sequel and the director is planning to commence the shoot by the end of October.
It is learnt shoot would take place at grand sets at the outskirts of Chennai. Shankar’s S Pictures and Lyca Productions will be bankrolling the film and the major shoot is likely to happen in a large set.
Imsai Arasan 23am Pulikesi is a 2006 Indian Tamil language historical-comedy film written and directed by Chimbu Deven. The film stars Vadivelu in his debut as a lead actor.
Monica and Tejashree play the female leads, while Manorama, Nassar, Ilavarasu, Sreeman and Nagesh play supporting roles. Sabesh-Murali composed the soundtrack album and background score. S. Shankar produced and distributed the film under his production banner S Pictures.
Set in the late 18th century during the early stages of the British Raj, the film tells the story of twin brothers separated at birth. Pulikecei XXIII, the foolish elder brother, becomes a puppet of his uncle, the Chief Minister, while Ukraputhan, the wise younger brother, becomes a patriot intent on saving his land and his brother. | http://chennaivision.com/vadivelu-ready-imsai-arasan-sequel/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/23f1887c8cc6ba137fa6c181e7c49adffd4128f5bf539358723083c950bcbecc.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T06:49:37 | null | 2016-08-31T12:02:58 | Dharmadurai to be remade in Hindi, Telugu, Kannada,The success and reviews of Vijay Sethupathi starrer Dharmadurai have made its makers to go ahead with its | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fdharmadurai-remade-hindi-telugu-kannada%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Dharmadurai-to-be-remade-in-Hindi-Telugu-Kannada.jpg | en | null | Dharmadurai to be remade in Hindi, Telugu, Kannada | null | null | chennaivision.com | The success and reviews of Vijay Sethupathi starrer Dharmadurai have made its makers to go ahead with its remakes. According to sources, the film will be remade in Hindi, Telugu and Kannada.
And the icing on the cake is that, director Seenu Ramasamy, who helmed the original, will wield the megaphone for the Hindi version too, it is said.
Dharmadurai directed by Seenu Ramasamy stars Vijay Sethupathi and Tamannaah in the lead roles, with Aishwarya Rajesh, Srushti Dange, Raadhika Sarathkumar, Ganja Karuppu and Rajesh in supporting roles.
Produced by R. K. Suresh and featuring music by Yuvan Shankar Raja, the film began production in December 2015 and hit the screens recently to positive criticial response.
The story revolved around Dharmadurai (Vijay Sethupathi), an alcoholic doctor, who is being viewed as burden by his brothers. His only solace is his mother Pandiammal (Radhika Sarath Kumar), who supports him from her heart.
As his brothers plan a murderous attack on him, Pandiammal makes Dharmadurai flee home with a bag full of money (but he doesn’t know the bag is loaded with lakhs of currency notes). Dharmadurai goes straight to a medical college in Madurai.
There, he meets his friends Stella (Srushti Dange) and Subhashini (Tamannah). He also has a flashback in which his love episode with Anbuselvi (Aishwarya Rajesh) is revealed. In fact, his brothers play spoilsport in his love and it makes Dharmadurai alcoholic. What’s next is the crux of the story. | http://chennaivision.com/dharmadurai-remade-hindi-telugu-kannada/ | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/3468b6d1c2f7ce1a174ef475b5de741e8f9a5fedbdd7b68f0e99e5a802536dac.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T06:48:25 | null | 2016-08-29T12:01:20 | Vikram enters Instagram,'Chiyaan' Vikram is the latest celebrity entry to popular social media site Instagram. Vikram's official Insta handle is named as | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fvikram-enters-instagram%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Vikram-enters-Instagram.jpg | en | null | Vikram enters Instagram | null | null | chennaivision.com | ‘Chiyaan’ Vikram is the latest celebrity entry to popular social media site Instagram. Vikram’s official Insta handle is named as ‘the_real_chiyaan’.
It is to be noted that the actor is a photography enthusiast and he has posted some really amazing pictures on his Insta account.
Meanwhile on the professional front, his upcoming film Irumugan, directed by Anand Shankar of Arima Nambi fame, is gearing up for release.
It is a science fiction psychological thriller film written and directed by Anand Shankar. The film stars Vikram, Nayantara and Nithya Menen in the lead roles.
Having gone through several changes in pre-production of cast and producers, the film began shooting in December 2015. Music has been composed by Harris Jayaraj.
Irumugan marks Harris Jayaraj’s sixth collaboration with Vikram and first with Anand Shankar, with the soundtrack being released on 2 August. The movie was shot in Chennai, Ladakh, Bangkok and Malaysia. | http://chennaivision.com/vikram-enters-instagram/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/3aad90208b9c86b038589b5a5c8c238aca7ba33a4650e19b74482b30505ec824.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:50:33 | null | 2016-08-26T14:56:47 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fsamantha-helps-small-girl-get-back-leg%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Samantha-helps-small-girl-get-back-leg.jpg | en | null | Samantha helps small girl get back leg | null | null | chennaivision.com | Samantha has ensured that a five year old kid named Chandini, who was referred to her NGO Pratyusha as she has lost her leg in an accident four years ago, got back her leg.
The girl named JCG Bhavani alias Chandini lost her left leg when she was one year old and was not able to walk. Pratysuha Foundation admitted her at Max Cure Hospital where she underwent for the treatment.
Now according to the doctor, she will be able to walk without any help with the use of artificial limb.
Samantha is very happy, she visited to hospital to meet her and shared her picture on social networking site and tweeted, “Thankyou #maxcure and @DrManjula_A. Happy day . Chandni is well @PratyushaOrg.”
Samantha was born and raised in Chennai to parents of Telugu and Malayali ancestry, and as an undergraduate pursuing a degree in commerce, she worked part-time on modelling assignments. She soon received offers for film roles, and made her acting debut in Gautham Menon’s critically acclaimed Telugu romance film, Ye Maaya Chesave (2010). In Tamil, she debuted with Baana Kathadi. | http://chennaivision.com/samantha-helps-small-girl-get-back-leg/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/ba4870bf33d6e2c5b54ce83473f493744e5307133f87f61c58a9c60160774f21.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T06:48:28 | null | 2016-08-29T11:05:06 | 22carat goldrate,Todays Gold Rate in Chennai,Todays Gold Rate in Chennai 22 carat,Todays Gold Rate in Chennai per gram,Todays Gold Rate,gold rate in chennai | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Ftodays-gold-rate-chennai%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Todays-Gold-Rate-in-Chennai.jpg | en | null | Todays Gold Rate in Chennai | null | null | chennaivision.com | null | http://chennaivision.com/todays-gold-rate-chennai/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/2087e4b26b6610982d8b5bf3dba974769ce909416bde72d32a2db7d7bcfb68bf.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:47:33 | null | 2016-08-26T14:53:09 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Framadoss-sends-letter-jaya-leaders%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Ramadoss-sends-letter-to-Jaya-other-leaders.jpg | en | null | Ramadoss sends letter to Jaya, other leaders | null | null | chennaivision.com | PMK chief S Ramadoss, in his letter to chief minister J Jayalalithaa and other prominent political leaders, has urged them to discuss and implement strict measures to ensure safety of women in Tamil Nadu.
PMK spokesperson K. Balu handed over a letter written by Ramadoss at Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s residence in Poes Garden on Wednesday.
Balu said that he had also met leaders of other major parties in Tamil Nadu including DMK chief M. Karunanidhi, R. Mutharasan of CPI, leaders of BJP, CPI(M) and others.
In the letter, released to the media on Thursday, Ramadoss offered suggestions that, he said, could be discussed at the general council meetings of the political parties and also adopted by the state government.
“Lately, there were mutliple incidents of murders of young women by stalkers. The list includes Vinupriya, Swathi and Vinodhini etc. These are results of provocations made by some caste leaders, who urge youngsters in their community to lure girls from other castes.”
He referred to a Karnataka high court judgement that a girl below 21 years of age must have the consent of her parents for marriage. He asserted that his party was not opposed to love marriages, and lashed out against those who tried to malign the party. To ban love or inter-caste marriages would not fit with the modern society, he said. | http://chennaivision.com/ramadoss-sends-letter-jaya-leaders/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/2eb366c9e89d5e9c101f2b5ab62d6b2a2fbfba4ed5b93cf3583f58db9b895b39.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T06:46:37 | null | 2016-08-27T11:01:21 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fhigh-drama-pachamuthu-lodged-puzhal-prison%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/After-high-drama-Pachamuthu-lodged-in-Puzhal-prison.gif | en | null | After high drama, Pachamuthu lodged in Puzhal prison | null | null | chennaivision.com | SRM University chancellor T.R. Pachamuthu alias Parivendhar was late on Friday night remanded in judicial custody till September 9 , hours after he was arrested by the Chennai Central Crime Branch police.
It was a day filled with suspense for most Chennai reporters. Around noon news broke that Thandavarayapuram Ramaswami Pachamuthu, chairman of the powerful SRM group, had been arrested by the Central Crime Branch of the Chennai police.
But till around 8pm , there was no clarity as to where Pachamuthu was. Police sources claimed that he had been taken for a medical checkup at the Royapettah General hospital and later to the Rajiv Gandhi General Hospital in the city for a heart checkup. But for hours there was no sign of Pachamuthu at the Saidapet magistrate court.
The Saidapet Judicial Magistrate XI Prakash, who at his house heard lengthy arguments advanced by Pachamuthu’s lawyers challenging his arrest, ordered his remand and granted his request for providing first class facilities in jail.
The magistrate posted his bail application to August 29 for hearing. His lawyers had opposed his remand on the grounds that he had cooperated with the investigation and claimed that he was innocent.
Pachamuthu has been arrested under sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal misappropriation of property entrusted to someone) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC.
Police team brought Pachamuthu to the Chennai city police commissioner’s office and was questioned him about his role in allegedly cheating 111 students by promising seats in his medical college. A sum of Rs 75 crore was allegedly collected from the students. | http://chennaivision.com/high-drama-pachamuthu-lodged-puzhal-prison/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/d5cadb7bfbebfa79a6c0bc213342c134dc65ff527fde33b604a70034d49b5341.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:49:59 | null | 2016-08-26T14:47:34 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fhc-comes-rescue-84-year-old-land-grab-victim%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/HC-comes-to-the-rescue-of-84-year-old-land-grab-victim.jpg | en | null | HC comes to the rescue of 84-year-old land grab victim | null | null | chennaivision.com | Coming to the rescue of an 84-year-old man, whose land worth Rs eight crore in the city was encroached, the Madras High Court has directed police to immediately remove the encroachers and restore the property to him.
Justice P N Prakash directed the deputy commissioner of police in T Nagar to put sufficient police force at the disposal of Virugambakkam police inspector for removing encroachers squatting on the 4,000 sqft property. Compliance of the order shall be reported to the court on Friday, the judge said.
Claiming that he was the owner of the property, petitioner P M Elavarasan had sought a direction to police not to interfere with its peaceful possession and enjoyment.
The third respondent, octogenarian V V V Nachiappan, who is the actual owner of the property in Vadapalani here, submitted that the land was grabbed by S N Padmanathan and a few others in 2011 by creating forged release and sale deeds.
Nachiappan, a retired assistant chief engineer of railways, had purchased the land at Plot No. 27, Kumaran Colony in Vadapalani, in the name of his wife Saraswathi, in 1961. His wife died in 2001.
Due to his old age, he was unable to visit the property often but erected a compound wall and gate to protect it from unauthorized occupation.
Justice Prakasah, coming to the rescue of the octogenarian, directed the Virugambakkam inspector of police, who was present in the court, to immediately restore the property to the possession of Nachiappan by removing the encroachers by using necessary police force.
When Nachiappan had gone to inspect his land in February, he was threatened by a few anti-socials allegedly engaged by Elavarasan.
Following this, Nachiappan had moved the high court seeking police protection and the court had then passed an order directing the police to take action. | http://chennaivision.com/hc-comes-rescue-84-year-old-land-grab-victim/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/91b0f763c4eec287b43e001867d98e246fd0bef2320fa14cbb9086b422859ffa.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T06:46:45 | null | 2016-08-27T11:03:56 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Frj-balaji-mahesh-babus-next%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/RJ-Balaji-in-Mahesh-Babus-next.jpg | en | null | RJ Balaji in Mahesh Babu's next | null | null | chennaivision.com | After carving a niche for himself in Kollywood, radio jockey turned actor RJ Balaji is now all set to estalish himself in Tollywood.
For, he will be next seen in an AR Murugadoss film, with Mahesh Babu in the lead role. It is a bilingual to be made simultaneously in Tami and Telugu.
Confirming the news, Balaji says, “I have always wanted to work with good directors, and Murugadoss is one among them. I will be playing Mahesh Babu’s friend in the film, and I have a substantial character.”
He added: “This will be an interesting role, as I will be handling several serious situations with the hero and will not be ‘just another comedian’. I will start shooting for the film soon.”
Balaji is a radio jockey, presenter, comedian and actor based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He is best known as the host of the Big FM 92.7 show Take it Easy and its now defunct segment Cross Talk, where he made prank calls to unsuspecting victims.
Although mainly a radio jockey, Balaji is also active in other fields; he is known for his association with the television shows Ungalil Yaar Adutha Prabhu Dheva and Why This Kolaveri, and for his performance in the films Theeya Velai Seiyyanum Kumaru (2013), Vadacurry (2014) Naanum Rowdy Dhaan (2015) and Pugazh (2016).
He has also been a presenter at many inter-school cultural events in Chennai, and has contributed to many social causes, such as providing relief support to the victims of the 2015 South Indian floods. | http://chennaivision.com/rj-balaji-mahesh-babus-next/ | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/b716409273373017858bbf3b049c450f394ecbcf0798f25cfd0b9bf2973e1dc4.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T06:49:40 | null | 2016-08-31T10:53:52 | Swathi case: HC reserves order on Ramkumar mom's plea for CBI probe,The Madras High Court on Tuesday reserved its order on a petition filed by the mother of | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fswathi-case-hc-reserves-order-ramkumar-moms-plea-cbi-probe%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Swathi-case-HC-reserves-order-on-Ramkumar-moms-plea-for-CBI-probe.jpg | en | null | Swathi case: HC reserves order on Ramkumar mom's plea for CBI probe | null | null | chennaivision.com | The Madras High Court on Tuesday reserved its order on a petition filed by the mother of Ramkumar, prime accused in the murder of a woman IT employee, seeking a CBI probe in the case.
Justice P N Prakash reserved his orders, after advocate Ramaraj, counsel for Ramkumar’s mother Pushpam, charged state police with slapping a false case on the engineering student and attempting to shield someone involved in the murder.
He argued that three-four cut injuries could not be inflicted on any person by a sole assailant, and that the nature of injuries on Swathi appeared as if they were inflicted by an expert.
The counsel for Pushpam alleged that the police had foisted a false case and were trying to shield someone involved in the murder. The counsel for government, however, denied the allegations and said the police had based their case on the basis of a detailed and thorough investigation.
The police were ready to submit all material before the court and leave the decision to it, the counsel said. After hearing both the sides, Justice P N Prakash reserved his order without mentioning any date.
Ramkumar’s mother Pushpam has filed a criminal original petition in the Madras high court seeking transfer of investigation from the city police to CBI, saying the case had been foisted on her son though he had nothing to do with Swathi or her murder.
Claiming several loopholes in the prosecution claim that it was Ramkumar who initially stalked Swathi and then murdered her, Pushpam said her son went to Chennai m studies and arrears in engineering course. | http://chennaivision.com/swathi-case-hc-reserves-order-ramkumar-moms-plea-cbi-probe/ | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/6e5f0601d317a9db3d415818aece48ce3babb9f11ce66c938903f59f1769be67.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T06:49:30 | null | 2016-08-31T11:18:36 | Rajini-Ranjith's next is Mudhalvan type story,Amid a buzz that Superstar Rajinikanth and Ranjith would do a sequel to their blockbuster Kabali, sources clos | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Frajini-ranjiths-next-mudhalvan-type-story%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Rajini-Ranjiths-next-is-Mudhalvan-type-story.jpg | en | null | Rajini-Ranjith's next is Mudhalvan type story | null | null | chennaivision.com | Amid a buzz that Superstar Rajinikanth and Ranjith would do a sequel to their blockbuster Kabali, sources close to the development have said it would be a different story.
“It will be a Mudhalvan type revolutionary story. Though it is a take off from Kabali, it is not sequel. At the same time, there are also chances for a fantasy entertainer,” they said.
On Monday night, Dhanush took to Twitter to announce that Wunderbar Films would helm the Superstar’s next film which is to be directed by Pa.Ranjith.
Sharing this exciting news on Twitter, Dhanush wrote, “I”m so proud and honoured to announce our production’s next film.”
After this pleasant surprise, the ardent fans of Rajinikanth have already started trending various hashtags on Twitter.
In a video tweet, Dhanush said that he was announcing his next project, while the video played the superstar title to the tune of Neruppu da, and the screen later read that it will be written and directed by Pa Ranjith.
It also informs that this film will only be completed after “2.o”. “2.o”, the sequel to “Endhiran” is likely to be released only in 2017.
Wunderbar films has helmed many blockbusters and critically acclaimed movies, including Velayilla Pattathari, Kaaka Muttai, among others. Rajinikanth’s Kabali, directed by Pa.Ranjith, hit the screens on July 22. | http://chennaivision.com/rajini-ranjiths-next-mudhalvan-type-story/ | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/526e1344c8bb10dd35eb7deef059c18af6cbfe855485e21a0cf92ecd56568b5b.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T06:49:27 | null | 2016-08-31T10:59:43 | Farmers protest all over TN for Cauvery, thousands arrested,Thousands of farmers in Cauvery delta districts in Tamil Nadu picketed road and rail traffic at | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Ffarmers-protest-tn-cauvery-thousands-arrested%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Farmers-protest-all-over-TN-for-Cauvery-thousands-arrested.jpg | en | null | Farmers protest all over TN for Cauvery, thousands arrested | null | null | chennaivision.com | Thousands of farmers in Cauvery delta districts in Tamil Nadu picketed road and rail traffic at various places, demanding that Karnataka release water from its dams for long-term samba paddy crop.
Farmers associations called for a state-wide protest on Tuesday calling on the state and Central governments to facilitate release of water from the Cauvery River for cultivation of Samba crops.
Apart from rail and road roko, the farmers called for participation from the public. The protesters condemned Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s statement that they cannot release water as the farmers in Karnataka are facing a severe water shortage.
His statement last week had added that the state would explain the matter before the Supreme Court.
The farmers’ stir comes days after Tamil Nadu government moved the Supreme Court, seeking realese of 50 tmc ft of water from Karnataka to meet its irrigation demands after it expressed its inability to release water as per the Cauvery water dispute tribunal’s final award, citing low storage in its dams.
Meanwhile in Karnataka, screening of Tamil film ‘Bhayam Oru Payanam’ was disrupted at a cinema hall in Mysure on Tuesday during a protest organised by State Sugarcane Growers Association and other pro-Kannada forums against Tamil Nadu’s stand on Cauvery water release. | http://chennaivision.com/farmers-protest-tn-cauvery-thousands-arrested/ | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/60682e972e24f3c5aa7885e11e8846b6d5fd3045d34efcb68203e3971d228522.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T06:48:00 | null | 2016-08-29T11:34:12 | Another boy dies of fever in Chennai,Fifteen-year-old Sreenivasan from Pothatturpettai in Tiruvallur district died at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fanother-boy-dies-fever-chennai%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Another-boy-dies-of-fever-in-Chennai.jpg | en | null | Another boy dies of fever in Chennai | null | null | chennaivision.com | Fifteen-year-old Sreenivasan from Pothatturpettai in Tiruvallur district died at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai on Saturday night.
He is the sixth person from the district to die in the last two weeks, it is to be noted.
Meanwhile, with Tiruvallur district reporting a series of high fever cases, the state government has initiated stern action against sale of medicine in pharmacies without prescription.
Though the situation is under control, more cases of fever are surfacing in Tiruvallur, Ponneri and Tiruttani. In the past three weeks, eight quacks were arrested in Tiruvallur, Ponneri, Tiruvottiyur and Talipet taluk.
Now, officials have identified eight more in the same area although all of them are absconding.
Tamil Nadu has the maximum number of Elisa testing centres and the presence of best infrastructure facilities have kept the dengue fever under control, Health Minister C. Vijayabasker told the Assembly recently.
Responding to DMK member P.K. Sekar Babu’s demand for increasing Elisa testing centres from 31 to 75, the Minister said the numbers had already been increased to 75. | http://chennaivision.com/another-boy-dies-fever-chennai/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/a9400fa081def093f1df0ee1802b2cd32d003f5a0810fc9416af2a89cfee1da3.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T12:48:13 | null | 2016-08-29T17:07:41 | MILKYWAY has opened another Outlet on 28th August 2016 at Redhills, Chennai,MILKYWAY the best Chain of Softy Ice Cream and Fast Food Parlour in South India | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fmilkyway-opened-another-outlet-28th-august-2016-redhills-chennai%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/MILKYWAY-has-opened-another-Outlet-on-28th-August-2016-at-Redhills-Chennai.jpg | en | null | MILKYWAY has opened another Outlet on 28th August 2016 at Redhills, Chennai | null | null | chennaivision.com | MILKYWAY the best Chain of Softy Ice Cream and Fast Food Parlour in South India has opened another outlet on 28th August 2016 at 272, GNT Road REDHILLS, Chennai 600052. Near SKLS Galaxy Mall with large parking facility.
They serve wide range of Softy Ice Creams, Milk Shakes, and different varieties of Fast Foods in their outlets.
They have given inaugural offer of Buy one and Get one free of the Softy Ice Creams for three days from 28th August 2016 to 30th August 2016 and 20% discount from 1st September 2016 to 30th September 2016.
People from near by areas PUZHAL Madhavaram, Ma Nagar, Vadagarai. Sholavaram Karanodai Gandhinagar can also now enjoy the best Chain of Icecream and Fast Food Parlour
T Raghavan | http://chennaivision.com/milkyway-opened-another-outlet-28th-august-2016-redhills-chennai/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/d817ff2bf598ae3ff45e7b431d1af959b7773affb4fef10c9c7a8b400aa8766c.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T08:48:47 | null | 2016-08-30T14:03:31 | Special Fare Special Train from Ernakulam Jn. to Howrah on 06-09-2016,Train No. 02856 Ernakulam Jn. to Howrah special fare special train will leave Ernakula | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fspecial-fare-special-train-ernakulam-jn-howrah-06-09-2016%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Special-Fare-Special-Train-from-Ernakulam-Jn.-to-Howrah-on-06-09-2016.jpg | en | null | Special Fare Special Train from Ernakulam Jn. to Howrah on 06-09-2016 | null | null | chennaivision.com | Special Fare Special Train from Ernakulam Jn. to Howrah
Train No. 02856 Ernakulam Jn. to Howrah special fare special train will leave Ernakulam Jn. at 08.50 hrs. on 06th September 2016 and reach Howrah at 23.00 hrs. the next day.
Composition: AC 2-tier – 1, AC 3-tier – 4, Sleeper Class – 12 & Luggage-cum-brake van – 2coaches.
Stoppages: Aluva, Thrissur, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Erode, Jolarpettai, Katpadi, Renigunta, Nellore, Ongole, Vijayawada, Eluru, Rajahmundry, Visakhapatnam, Brahmapur, Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Bhadrak and Kharagpur.
Advance reservations for the above trains are open | http://chennaivision.com/special-fare-special-train-ernakulam-jn-howrah-06-09-2016/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/ead4175390daeb979e9105357127092417403976e29a5dd85de44b37fc8cfb4d.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T06:49:40 | null | 2016-08-31T11:30:26 | Jayalalithaa greets player, announces Amma Environment Park in Chennai,Chief minister J Jayalalithaa has congratulated skydriver B Rajkumar who was awarded | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fjayalalithaa-greets-player-announces-amma-environment-park-chennai%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Jayalalithaa-greets-player-announces-Amma-Environment-Park-in-Chennai.jpg | en | null | Jayalalithaa greets player, announces Amma Environment Park in Chennai | null | null | chennaivision.com | Chief minister J Jayalalithaa has congratulated skydriver B Rajkumar who was awarded ‘Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2015’ by the union government for air adventure.
In a letter to him, she said, “I am delighted to learn that based on the recommendation of the Government of Tamil Nadu, you have been selected by the Government of India for the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2015, for Air Adventure.”
“This award is in recognition of your splendid achievements as a sky diver.”
“I congratulate you and all those who have contributed to your success. I do hope this award will encourage you to work even harder to achieve higher goals in future and you would be able to bring many more laurels to the country and Tamil Nadu in future.”
Meanwhile, a day after announcing Amma parks and Amma gyms, Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday said in the assembly that an Amma Environment Park would be set up at Tondiarpet in Chennai at a cost of Rs 2 crore.
“An environment park called Amma Environment Park will be established at Tondiarpet at a cost of Rs 2 crore to create environment awareness among children, school students, youth and others.”
The park, which will be created at Cochrane Basin Road, will have lawns, pathway, children’s park, play space and awareness banners, she added.
Jaylalithaa also announced that the Paruthipet lake at Avadi in the city will be freed from encroachments. | http://chennaivision.com/jayalalithaa-greets-player-announces-amma-environment-park-chennai/ | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/ba1734d3f1fb8d8c0e9489186adbebba0369d4a908655f824015469f759a2f95.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T06:49:28 | null | 2016-08-31T11:40:39 | Two senior TN officials suspended, IAS association to discuss issue,Senior IAS officer and former Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary K. Gnanadesikan and Commission | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Ftwo-senior-tn-officials-suspended-ias-association-discuss-issue%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Two-senior-TN-officials-suspended-IAS-association-to-discuss-issue.jpg | en | null | Two senior TN officials suspended, IAS association to discuss issue | null | null | chennaivision.com | Senior IAS officer and former Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary K. Gnanadesikan and Commissioner of Geology and Mining Atul Anand were suspended along with six other government officials pending an inquiry into certain charges allegedly linked to “beach sand mining” in the southern districts.
While three of the suspended officials belong to the Geology and Mining Department, three others were working in the Environment Department, including the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board.
Reports said Ganandesikan’s suspension was a result of certain decisions on power tenders and contracts during his tenure as the Chief Secretary in the previous regime.
They said his role in controversial permissions regarding sand mining on the beaches are also under scrutiny.
Meanwhile, the suspensions of former chief secretary K Gnanadesikan and commissioner of geology and mines Atul Anand have sent shockwaves down the Tamil Nadu bureaucracy.
The TN IAS Officers’ Association has convened its general body meeting on September 1 to discuss the suspension of its two senior members — a rarity for the body. | http://chennaivision.com/two-senior-tn-officials-suspended-ias-association-discuss-issue/ | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/ff52007a8d2f1a1188fa0668ed3f37bfbced69250c96e8525c9232cdb644a93c.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T06:49:14 | null | 2016-08-30T11:41:54 | Kamal resumes Sabash Naidu,Kamal Haasan, who took a break from the shoot of Sabaash Naidu after he fractured his leg and underwent surgery, has resumed work | http%3A%2F%2Fchennaivision.com%2Fkamal-resumes-sabash-naidu%2F.json | http://chennaivision.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Kamal-resumes-Sabash-Naidu.jpg | en | null | Kamal resumes Sabash Naidu | null | null | chennaivision.com | Kamal Haasan, who took a break from the shoot of Sabaash Naidu after he fractured his leg and underwent surgery, has resumed work on the much awaited movie.
Kamal posted on his online page: “Started paper work again on Kundu/Naidu walking now ready to run show again mind is flying gaining altitude. Good enough a progression.”
He even promised to give a full account of how the mishap happened, and said: “Later will share the near miss I had. My story has to be told. Can’t finish with a fall. Thanks to doctors, well wishers and physiotherapy.”
Recently, Kamal was selected by the French government for the prestigious Chevalier award.
He issued an audio message, in which he has thanked the French government, his fans and family members for the honour. “The French Government has kindly conferred the Chevalier award for Arts and Letters on me. On this occasion, I bow before my more deserving forerunners, Mr. Satyajit Ray and Mr. Sivaji Ganesan, who made even the common man realise the value of the Chevalier award,” he said.
“I thank His Excellency, the Ambassador of France in India, Mr. Alexandre Ziegler, who inimated me of this honour. This award humbles me rather than stiffen me with pride,” Kamal, hailed as ‘Ulaga Nayagan’ by his fans, added.
“I realise my journey in my chosen field has not been alone. Teachers and admirers abounded around me. With motherly care they have applauded my every little step forward. The melancholy of my parents not being alive to see this day is allayed by the fact that the elders and the young are still around in my family to enjoy it. I dedicate this award to my admirers and audience, who give me the tenacity of purpose to pursue, to this day and moment, my arts and letters. Thank you,” he concluded. | http://chennaivision.com/kamal-resumes-sabash-naidu/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | chennaivision.com/53139121fecf16914465ea89f5878a32d7bca0eff3aefd31e4c9e3b18f29ad0b.json |
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