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Friday, July 31, 2015     JUDY-ANN Morgan walked away as winner in the inaugural Bikini Contest held at the American International School of Kingston in St Andrew on Saturday. Judy-Ann Morgan, Contest Winner The event was dubbed Power Play Power Lifting Competition and Bikini Contest. According to the event's co-organiser, Mark McDonald, he is encouraged by the feedback. "It was well received, and the patrons enjoyed every bit of it," he said. McDonald, a personal trainer at Gymkhana and promoter of Soca vs Dancehall, said the contest was conceptualised by Chris Virtue of Muscle Fitness and Health and himself. "We are in the process of planning the next staging," said McDonald. Judy-Ann Morgan (centre), winner of the inaugural Bikini  Contest, is flanked by (from left) Diedre Lewis, fourth place finisher — Fit Farm; Tara Fong Yee, third place — Giscombe’s Gym and Wellness Centre; Diandra Gilbert, second place  — Gymkhana; and Rachel Chong, fi...

 BY RICHARD JOHNSON Observer senior reporter johnsonr@jamaicaobserver.com  Friday, July 31, 2015     SIZZLA is working to bring cultural and historical awareness within his August Town community through his Sizzla Youth Foundation. The artiste is spearheading month-long celebrations for the August Town Emancipation Birthday, commemorating 177 years since the St Andrew community was officially established. Sizzla "It is paramount that we remind the youths of the community where they are from and the rich history and tradition which they must uphold. They must be aware of the strong links to the fight against slavery as the original settlers in these lands came from the Mona and Papine plantations... so we just need to re-education the community so they know where they are coming from so as to chart the course forward," said Sizzla. The celebrations started Wednesday with a peace march through August Town. Other events include the unveiling of a wall de...

Thursday, July 30, 2015 | 7:35 PM   KINGSTON, Jamaica — A self-professed homosexual was on Thursday hauled before the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court for robbing a district constable. However, the gay man told the court that he did not rob the district constable, and that he had simply confronted him because he refused to pay for sex on a previous occasion. “Me work him two times before and the second time him neva pay me,” the 21-year-old Everton Malcolm told the court repeatedly. Malcolm, otherwise called London, was arrested and charged with robbery with aggravation and assault at common law. Malcolm was reportedly one of two men in women’s clothing, who approached the district constable in his car when he stopped at the traffic light at the intersection of Holborn and Trafalgar Road in New Kingston on July 19. It is alleged that Malcolm pushed his hand inside the car and held onto a brown paper bag containing the district constable’s medication and Nok...

 Thursday, July 30, 2015 | 4:45 PM     STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AFP) — Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce swept to victory in the Stockholm Diamond League 100m on Thursday with a 10.93sec triumph which sent out a powerful message to her world championship rivals. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica (L) crosses the finish  line to win the 100m Women event of the IAAF Diamond  League Bauhaus Athletics meeting at the Stockholm. (Photo:AFP) The Jamaican sprinter, who is the reigning Olympic and World champion, edged out Tori Bowie of the United States (11.05sec) and compatriot Natasha Morrison (11.22sec). Fraser-Pryce, 28, was running for the first time since setting the season's best time in the sprint at Paris a month ago. Her performance on Thursday was a resounding reminder to her rivals just three weeks away from the World Championships in Beijing where she will be the defending champion. The Jamaican star is also the reigning world champion in the 200m and 4x100m...

SPECIAL FROM   Next Avenue    By Kathryn Hempstead Posted: 07/29/2015 07:47 AM EDT Michelle Obama Michelle Obama’s sleeveless dresses. Hillary Clinton’s pantsuits. Laura Bush’s sleek but soft pixie cut. Our recent First Ladies have created styles to suit themselves, and inspired thousands of American women to follow suit. But not many people know that our First Ladies of yesteryear made even bigger splashes with their fashion choices. They were famous (and sometimes infamous) for their lavish outfits, their quirky styles or simply for being daring and fashion-forward. And their effect on the nation was clear, from the entire houses decorated in ‘Mamie Pink,’ to the case of Frankie Cleveland and the disappearing bustle. Some First Ladies have chosen to support their husbands’ agendas through their couture. Others have forged their own separate identities through their choices in clothes and haircuts. But all have used fashion to tell their own fascinating stor...

 BY GARFIELD MYERS Editor-at-Large South/Central Bureau  Thursday, July 30, 2015     SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — There was a healthy shower of rain in sections of south eastern St Elizabeth on July 18. However, there has been no rain since and when asked about the last time rain fell before July 18, a group of young women at a shop in Ballards Valley laughingly told the Jamaica Observer "can't recall". The farming communities of south eastern St Elizabeth and southern Manchester are parched, rendering farming impossible in the absence of water, and with every passing day the local authorities are finding it more difficult and expensive to truck drinking water to thirsty residents. Member of Parliament for St Elizabeth South Eastern Richard Parchment believes the effect of the current drought is even worst than that of last year, which was described by many as the worst in living memory. "The thing is that since the drought of last year there has been no re...

Thursday, July 30, 2015     STOCKHOLM, Sweden (CMC) — Jamaica's Olympic and World champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who indicated that she might defend her 200m title in Beijing, China, next month, is among six Jamaicans set to participate at the Stockholm Diamond League today. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce winning the 100m at the Paris  Diamond League meet on Saturday, July 4, 2015 in a fast 10.74 seconds. (PHOTO: AP) The 28-year-old, who won both the 100 and 200 metres two years ago in Moscow, had repeatedly said that she would focus only on the 100 metres at the Bird's Nest next month. She even skipped the 200m at the National Senior Championships, running only in the 100m instead. However, speaking ahead of her 100m outing at the Diamond League meet here today, Fraser-Pryce said the 200m was now back in play. "I was down to do the 100 and relay, but the 200 is still possible," Fraser-Pryce told a media conference. "My coach did say earlier that I wa...

HORACE HINES Observer West reporter  Thursday, July 30, 2015     MONTEGO BAY, St James — HIGGLERS across St James will now be banned from selling outside school gates come September as the parish council and police move to make these areas no-vending zone. Stalls at the gate of the Maldon High School in St James Mayor of Montego Bay Glendon Harris made the announcement yesterday: "We are to have a meeting with the vendors to remove the stalls. No vending at the school gate in the prescribed distance. We are going to be dealing with all the schools in the parish. Remember, we did Corinaldi Primary already and we did Anchovy High," Harris said. The fatal stabbing of 15-year-old Maldon High School student Romario Salmon, by a group of knife-wielding students, factored into the decision to prohibit vending at school gates. A vendor reportedly kept the weapon used to stab Salmon. Commander of the St James Police Division Senior Superintendent Steve McGregor said ...

Oprah.comBy Emma Haak Posted: 07/29/2015 08:10 AM EDT | Edited: 07/29/2015 12:09 PM EDT 1. What your dentist is seeing:  Or in this case, smelling. You've got funky breath. What it could mean:  The most likely causes of less-than-minty-fresh breath are poor oral hygiene or gum disease, but halitosis can also signal a sinus infection, especially if your dentist still notices the odor when you exhale through your nose, says Mark Wolff, DDS, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Cardiology and Comprehensive Care at New York University College of Dentistry. It can also be caused by acid reflux -- a  study in the  Journal of General Internal Medicine  found a strong association between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms and bad breath -- or sleep apnea, says Ruchi Sahota, DDS, a spokesperson for the American Dental Association, because people with sleep apnea are more likely to breath through their mouths at night, which can lead to dry mout...

BY SEAN A WILLIAMS Assistant Sport Editor  Wednesday, July 29, 2015     FLORIDA, USA — Head Coach Winfried Schaefer did not have to say it, because it’s clear as day. If Jamaica should get by Central American minnows Nicaragua in a twoway World Cup qualifying tie starting in Kingston on September 4, they would find themselves in arguably the group of death. Head Coach Winfried Schaefer (right) discusses strategy with assistant Miguel Coley while video analyst Carlos Garcia looks on during the Copa America tournament  in Chile. (PHOTO: GARFIELD ROBINSON) The return leg will be played on September 8 in Managua, the Nicaraguan capital. Awaiting Jamaica in that group of the CONCACAF qualifiers are Costa Rica and Panama. But like Jamaica, Haiti will have an all- Caribbean tie to earn their spot in the group. Assuming that Haiti and Jamaica are successful in their play-offs, then the stage is set for royal battles for places in the fourth round of the CONCACAF ...

 Wednesday, July 29, 2015 CALIFORNIA, USA — Lorna Bell, the executive director of Special Olympics Jamaica, expressed joy after the bocce team won gold for the country at the World Summer Games here on Monday. Coaches Patricia Perry (left) and Silvan Wilson (right) join Special Olympics Jamaica’s gold medal-winning bocce team  (from second left) Esther Pair, Alton Carter, Shereen Gordon  and Vincent Evans as they display their gold medal  at the LA Convention Center in Los Angeles, California on Monday. (PHOTOS: COLLIN REID COURTESY OF  DIGICEL, SCOTIABANK AND CHASE FUND) The team, coached by Patricia Perry and Silvan Wilson, comprised Esther Pair, Shereen Gordon, Alton Carter, Vincent Evans. Helena Thomas and Dewayne Vanriel were slated to participate in singles events late yesterday. “I am extremely proud of our athletes. They have worked hard and this is a testament to their determination and hard work,” said Bell following the team’s success in ...

WINS CASE  after Banned from competition due to high  testosterone levels, Indian sprinter  Dutee Chand is taking her case to the  Court of Arbitration for Sport. (Manjunath Kiran/AFP/Getty Images) Dutee Chand is an 18-year-old sprinter from India. She was on the roster for  July’s Commonwealth Games  until somebody at June’s Asian Junior Athletics Championship requested that she be tested for hyperandrogenism. Those tests revealed Chand to have a naturally occurring high testosterone level and she has been banned from competition. Juliet Macur  profiled Chand  for the New York Times  and joined Bill Littlefield to discuss Chand’s current predicament. BL: What has Chand been told she needs to do to return to competition and why has she said she will not do it? Dutee Chand is an 18-year-old sprinter from India JM: Basically, by the rules of the  International [Association of] Athletics Federations  (IAAF), which is u...

 Lipton Matthews  Tuesday, July 28, 2015     In recent years the ranking of Jamaican high schools based on their performance in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations has become popular. Presently, two major ranking systems exist, EducateJamaica and Education2020, among them. The former assesses the percentage of students passing at least five subjects, inclusive of mathematics or English at the CSEC level. However Education 2020, the older ranking, examines the pass rates in CSEC mathematics and English for secondary schools. Over the years, critics have argued that these methods of ranking put schools where students are eligible to sit CSEC in grade 10 at a disadvantage. Notwithstanding this criticism, both methods have proven to be quite adept at what they intend to measure. However, the cohort of students usually eligible to sit the CSEC examination is not discussed by the public. Statistically, there is not a big difference bet...

Tuesday, July 28, 2015   -- Racquel Porter  Jamaica Observer    THE mother of 17-year-old Jahleel McDonald has dismissed suggestions that her son was shot dead in Lionel Town, Clarendon, last Thursday, in revenge for an altercation in the community a day earlier. McDonald and his friend, Hasiena Smith, 20, were sitting at premises on Chestnut Lane in the community when gunmen crept and shot them. Both were pronounced dead at hospital. 17-year-old Jahleel McDonald and mom McDonald's mother, Primrose Johnson, told the Jamaica Observer in an interview yesterday that her son was innocent and that he was not a part of the altercation that took place the day before the shooting. Sources in the community alleged that the argument the day earlier started after a member of the community was injured in a motorcycle accident, after which the motorcyclist was allegedly beaten. According to Johnson, her son was at the wrong place at the wrong time. "The reason wh...

Monday, July 27, 2015     THE Peter Stewart Scholarship Fund on Saturday celebrated 10 years of helping Jamaican students to access secondary education and named five new recipients of the bursary during a lunch at Devon House in St Andrew. Janette Stewart (left), chair of the Peter Stewart Scholarship Fund, with scholarship recipients at Devon House on Saturday when the fund celebrated its 10th anniversary. Stewart started the  fund in 2005 in memory of her late husband.  (PHOTO: GARFIELD ROBINSON) "Peter would be so elated," said Janette Stewart, widow of the man in whose memory she launched the fund in 2005. "Though he had no children of his own, he loved children. When he died, this was the first thing I thought of doing. Trust me, he is still around." Peter Stewart, who was the owner of automotive parts and industrial equipment company Bearings and Seals Limited, passed in 2004. Proceeds from the offering collected at his funeral were donated to Sun...

SEAN WILLIAMS Assistant Sport Editor at the CONCACAF GOLD CUP 2015  Monday, July 27, 2015     Dream Denied PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Jamaica's Reggae Boyz went into a shock meltdown as they were outclassed 3-1 by a slick Mexico in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup at the Lincoln Financial Field here last night. Their hopes of creating further history of being the first Caribbean Gold Cup champion faded into the Philadelphia night, the Boyz forlorn as confetti fell gloriously on the newly crowned champions and the desired prize raised in triumph mere touching distance away. So close, but yet so far. It was just not Jamaica's night. Meanwhile, Mexico Captain Andres Guardado opened the scoring in the 31st minute, with follow-up goals from Jesus Corona (47th) and Oribe Peralta (61st) to break Jamaican hearts. Substitute Darren Mattocks, a scorer in the 2-1 semi-final win against the USA in Atlanta on Wednesday, restored Jamaican pride with a goal in the 80th minute...

Monday, July 27, 2015     North East St Elizabeth Member of Parliament Raymond  Pryce (left) with Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change Robert Pickersgill (centre) and other stakeholders at a site in Burnt Savannah where it is  proposed that a canal would assist with water distribution in St Elizabeth. (PHOTOS:GREGORY BENNETT) SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — In recent weeks residents, pedestrians, motorists and business operators in this south central town have had to deal with unusual traffic congestion, inconvenience, dust nuisance and a pile-up of rubble. But most believe it will all be worth it if a $38 million pipe-laying project which is the cause of all the dislocation leads to an improved and more reliable water supply. During a recent inspection visit by water minister Robert Pickersgill and other officials, Santa Cruz resident Jason Dunkley hailed the project as a good move since he has experienced at first hand the water supply pro...

BY TANESHA MUNDLE Observer staff reporter mundlet@jamaicaobserver.com  Monday, July 27, 2015     MINISTER of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna yesterday urged Jamaicans to participate in this year's Emancipation and Independence celebrations and to turn a deaf ear to those who are of the view that there is nothing to celebrate. The minister said that globally people associate the symbol of "Jamaicaness" with excellence, and the country has achieved a lot and should celebrate. Minister of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna is greeted by  members of the Mona Preparatory School choir after their  performance at the National Emancipation and Independence  Thanksgiving Church Service at St Jago de la Vega Cathedral yesterday. (PHOTO: MICHAEL GORDON) "To the rest of the world Jamaica symbolises excellence, [yet locals] often ask why we celebrate, why we spend the kind of money to do it," said Hanna. "The simple truth is that we want to demonstrate not only to ...

Bobbi Kristina Brown  is dead at 22 y-o. In a statement, her family said: "Bobbi Kristina Brown passed away Sunday, July, 26 2015, surrounded by her family. She is finally at peace in the arms of God. We want to again thank everyone for their tremendous amount of love and support during these last few months." The circumstances strike an eerie similarity to her mother's death. Whitney Houston died three years ago after being found face down in a hotel bathtub in Beverly Hills. Bobbi Kristina Brown The daughter of Bobby Brown and the late Whitney Houston was found unresponsive in her Roswell, Georgia, home and taken to North Fulton Hospital, where she was reportedly  placed in a medically induced coma .   Bobbi Kristina Brown  (born March 4, 1993) [4]  is an American  reality television  and media personality, singer, and heiress. She is the daughter of singers  Bobby Brown  and  Whitney Houston . After Houston's death at age 48...

ATLANTA (WABC) -- Bobbi Kristina Brown, the daughter of the late Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, has died. She was 22. Her death comes after she was found unresponsive in a bathtub in her home back in January. Actress Lauren Bacall, left meets Bobbi Kristina Brown with her mother, Whitney Houston AP photo In a statement, her family said: "Bobbi Kristina Brown passed away Sunday, July, 26 2015, surrounded by her family. She is finally at peace in the arms of God. We want to again thank everyone for their tremendous amount of love and support during these last few months." The circumstances strike an eerie similarity to her mother's death. Whitney Houston died three years ago after being found face down in a hotel bathtub in Beverly Hills.