Mr. Vegas is on a whirlwind press junket in the tri-state area as he ratchets up promotion of his popular I Am Blessed single. He will be returning to the island on Saturday to perform at the special Mother's Day concert he will be hosting at Club Jamaica Jamaica in Runaway Bay on Saturday.

The 18th annual Mother and Daughter Pageant takes to the stage of the National Cultural Centre next Saturday night under the theme ’18 Love Roses… Coming of Age’.

Supa Stylistics Producer Ingrid Fung promises a thrilling evening. The pageant will see 22 pairs of mothers and daughters in party, casual and evening wear in three categories: junior, middle and senior. First, second and third places will be awarded in each category. Fung assured that the prizes include trips to international destinations and interior resorts, jewellery, cosmetics, lunches, dinners and cellular phones among othe rs.

There will also be “18 delightful giveaways”, which patrons will win. Buy your tickets early and come out and enjoy a night of '18 Love Roses... Coming of Age!'

The contestants in this category pictured above are: Sacha Paul and katana, Tian Edward and Teya, Donna Wong and Aliya, Donna Edghillo and Akayla, Takisha Sullivan and Tyanne, Kendra Squires and Akua, Tammy Chand and Emily.

The contestants in this category are: Patricia Helwig and Delicia, Tracy Junor and Tremayne, Shurla Brotherson and Rhonda, Sherron Bess and Roshanna, Phillipa Amsterdam and Amanda, Pauline Daniels and lavenia, Gem Sanford-Johnson and Anastasia, Wendy Hermonstein and Jewel, Sharon Younge and Faith. Two pairs are missing from this group photo.

The contestants in this category pictured above are: Nicola Moonsammy and Sandra, Cherran Holder and Tianna, Yvonne Vickerie and Amina, Danielle Whyte and Denesha, Donna Edghillo and Akesia, Ambiza Persaud and Nadia..

This fool killed a 3 month old baby the other day by throwing the child out of a moving car...

Here's the full story below:

Authorities in Florida arrested a man suspected of assaulting and kidnapping an infant, and then discarding the child’s body along an interstate Tuesday.

Sheriff’s deputies were called to the home of a 17-year-old girl early Tuesday in Tampa, Fla. Jasmine Marie Bedwell told authorities that her ex-boyfriend showed up before dawn and attacked her and her infant son, throwing the boy onto concrete and then running off with him, according to the St. Petersburg Times. The body of the infant, Emanuel Wesley Murray, was found along Interstate 275 in Tampa by a photographer for Fox 13, a local television station.

“On the side of the road, I saw something out of the corner of my eye and at first I thought it was a baby doll and then as I was thinking about it more, I thought that was awfully big for a doll,” photographer Jason Bird told Fox 13.

The popular annual music festival Reggae Sumfest will take place this year from July 19 – 25 in Montego Bay.

On July 19 it will be the beach party and the ensuing three days of epic live performances (starting with Dancehall Night on Thursday, July 23) that make up the annual event, will captivate the thousands of tourists and Jamaicans alike who make the trek each year to this, the Mecca of reggae music festivals.

Presently the Sumfest organizers are busy negotiating the acts for the usual slate of international inclusions in the line-up, some of the top flight local acts have already been confirmed. Among them, is the King of the Dancehall, Beenie Man. Last year The Doctor, as he is also called, brought a fitting finale to Dancehall Night exhibiting high energy and his usual flair. Once again, joining The Doctor on the line up is his lyrical counterpart, Bounty Killer.

Included in this year's roster is high-riding, dancehall act, Mavado. The Gully Gadd will be taking the Sumfest stage following a year-long ride on the charts and the success of his sophomore album, Mr Brooks... A Better Tomorrow. His Alliance counterpart, Busy Signal is also on the bill.

Reigning prince and princess of reggae Tarrus Riley and Etana, will also be sweetening the 2009 Sumfest offerings. The two have been having a spectacular year captivating radio stations, music charts and audiences world-wide showing love and appreciation for their music. In what has been a rare occurrence for the past several months, the individuals making up the reggae group Morgan Heritage will be performing together on the Sumfest stage, almost a year since they split directions in pursuit of solo projects. Also confirmed for the line-up is veteran reggae crooner

Before he pleaded guilty, drug smuggler Roger Khan had ordered a local associate to find persons close to a potential witness against him and either pay or threaten them to tell the witness not to testify.

According to the US government, a scanned letter which was found on Khan’s ex-lawyer’s computer instructed his “Phantom Squad” member to contact two local businessmen as they could help locate persons close to the witness’s relatives.

The letter, seen by this newspaper, was dated May 13, 2007 and was written to a named ex-policeman, who the US government said was a “Phantom Squad” member. The US government said it was one of “numerous scanned letters written by Khan” to members of the Phantom Squad since his incarceration. It was discovered on a computer belonging to Khan’s ex-lawyers Robert Simels and Arianne Irving, which the US government had seized.

Some of the content of the May 13, 2007 letter was enclosed in a memorandum of law filed by the US government on Thursday in a bid for an anonymous jury for the trial of Simels and Irving. The two were jointly charged with Khan on witness tampering charges arising out of Khan’s drug case. Khan has pleaded guilty to that charge in addition to trafficking in 150 kilos of cocaine and gun running. His two ex-lawyers are now faced 14 charges in a superseding indictment filed by the government earlier this week; these include shipping and being in possession of the ‘spy computer’ that was seized from Khan in 2002 in Guyana.

The letter reads: “Please call ‘Dancing Man’ and tell him to make sure he pays the $ on time every month. I am happy to hear he spoke to her parents & that they are making excuses for her, ask him if he can’t have them call her to talk to my lawyers, and we can to work out something.” Khan asked in the letter that ‘Dancing Man’ stay in close contact with the parents and to keep “bugging tem, why can’t she just come back home [to Guyana]? And avoid lying on the stand.”

Khan asked the former policeman to find out who was close to the witness’s father; for instance who was his best friend. He instructed the ex-policeman to approach the principals of two city businesses, named in the letter, as they “would definitely know him.” The ex-policeman was also told to speak to another named man, to find out who the best friend did most of his business with and that he should “push this issue” as it could really help.

“You have to get someone to look him straight in the eyes and tell him that NO one will accept her attempt to testify against me, let them might as well sell everything and leave [Guyana] NOW! [Name of ex-policeman] you know if anyone of you were here [in the United States], I would have guaranteed she can’t testify, I can’t understand, offer her parents a big amount of money to persuade them, you never know… this is worth a try. Ask ‘Dancing Man’ to make the approach,” Khan’s letter said.

In the memorandum filed by the US it was stated that along with the computer, members of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) also found a box and a half of records, illegal electronic eavesdropping equipment, US$2,500, jewellery and a loaded firearm.

The prosecution in the Simels/Irving witness-tampering case is seeking to have the names, addresses and workplaces of members of jury concealed; for transportation to be provided for them to and from the courthouse for the duration of the trial and for them to eat lunch together every day. A similar request had been made in Khan’s drug case before he pleaded guilty, and Justice Dora Irizarry had granted it.

The memorandum pointed out that the two criminal attorneys are charged with conspiring and attempting to obstruct justice by tampering with potential witnesses and attempting to bribe a witness in their former client’s criminal trial.

“They are also charged with importing and possessing their client’s illegal wiretapping equipment,” it said. The government said the two lawyers have demonstrated their willingness and ability to interfere with the judicial process and they are exposed to significant prison sentences and disbarment.

According to the memorandum, the case concerns the defendants’ representation of the leader of an extremely violent, “murderous international narcotics organisation,” Shaheed Khan.

“While there is no reason to believe that either of the defendants themselves are likely to commit acts of violence, certainly their co-conspirators, all members of the Khan’s narcotics organisation, have a long history of violence,” the memorandum said. “Consequently, the evidence at trial ‘will depict a pattern of violence’ by the defendants’ accomplices, that could ‘cause a juror to reasonably fear for his own safety.’” The government further argued that if a jury questionnaire is used, jurors who are not assured anonymity will likely feel much more concerned about the information they provide to the court and parties.

Simels and Irving, the government argued, have repeatedly attempted to obstruct justice and will not hesitate to do so again.

“Concerted efforts at obstruction have included lying to gain entrance to a prison facility, offering to pay a witness money, including $10,000 to one witness, to testify falsely on their client’s behalf at trial, and plans to ‘eliminate’ perceived government witnesses by either bribing or committing acts of violence against them or their family,” the government said.

The memorandum also pointed out that neither of the two defendants is incarcerated and as such would have ample opportunity to contact jurors, either directly or through third parties.

The government also noted that the case has received wide press coverage both in the US and in Guyana, adding that while most members of the press would likely respect a court admonition not to communicate with a sitting juror the order would not prevent them from attempting to interview jurors’ family members, friends, neighbours and co-workers. The order would not also prevent the press from taking steps to line up post-verdict interviews of jurors.

Guyana is to be featured on BBC World and in Tatler, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

A British international travel writer, Michelle Jana Chan was recently here to compile an article for Tatler magazine’s travel section and film a mini-documentary on the country for the BBC World.

The writer was commissioned by Steppes Travel to write for the prestigious Tatler magazine which only features one country per month. For the BBC, she will be creating a travel log of the three Guianas: Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.
Chan, GINA said, after spending 10 days in Guyana exploring its wilderness and culture, briefed the media last Thursday on her trip.

She stated that it was her intention to come to the country to try and “introduce it to the world,” and this is her second trip to Guyana. Chan praised the work being done to encourage tourists to the country, GINA said.

It quoted her as saying that, “I knew there was potential as I wrote a story before on the
country… It’s still a new destination and for some people they are hearing it for the first time… a lot of these stories are introducing people to Guyana.”

She said that in her first article she tried to create a portrait of the nation and in her present article she will be focusing on people who represent and love the country as she hopes to focus on a tour through Guyana.

Chan praised the country’s product, and said, “Guyana does community tourism well, it adds a unique touch which makes it special… what I love is the rawness of going to Kaieteur and there not being railings, security guards and shops. It gives a pioneering feeling of being the first one to stumble upon it.”

Meanwhile, Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Indranauth Haralsingh said that this will add to the international recognition that Guyana is receiving. He added that it will help in promoting the country’s image as a tourism destination.
“There are still people who do not know us as a country so it will help to promote destination Guyana, to brand Guyana and get the name out and in her article she will be talking about the Guyana experience”.

He was also optimistic that the documentary will complement the recent version done by the BBC, “The lost land of the jaguar”, which has proven very beneficial for Guyana by raising its profile in the United Kingdom.

Additionally, the GTA plans to continue bringing more travel writers, familiarization and press trips to the country since these have been proving very successful and cost effective, GINA added.

Well folks we just had to give ya'll some info on the Chris Brown hearing that should have been today.

Chris Brown's public hearing scheduled for today has been postponed, and at this rate, Brown will be 40 by the time his trial actually gets underway.

A few hours ago, Brown's attorney Mark Geragos told a judge his team had not received important files and photographs from the LAPD pertaining to the case and wanted the hearing postponed. According to reports, the prosecution didn't put up much of a fight and the judge granted Geragos his wish.

The hearing has been rescheduled for May 28th with the stipulation that a preliminary hearing be scheduled by June 10th at the latest.

As always, will keep you posted.