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Vision/ Autumn 2014

The Caribbean Haiti’s president meets with opposition amid search for prime minister

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti _ Haiti’s president is meeting with opposition leaders in a bid to stabilize the politically fractious country as pressure mounts on him to appoint an interim prime minister.

Wednesday’s meeting is Michel Martelly’s latest response to the recommendations of an independent panel he created to end a political stalemate over delayed elections. It said former prime minister Laurent Lamothe should resign, which he did.

The administration also is drafting a list of candidates for interim prime minister, who could help steer Haiti through political unrest.

The Associated Press

US Coast Guard rescues man who says he was stranded on tiny, remote island in The Bahamas

NEWS After forced resignation, prime minister says Haiti has made progress though stalemate remains

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The World United States and Cuba move to reestablish diplomatic relations

attracting more foreign investment and school enrolment has increased. He also notes that most of the encampments of displaced people that sprung up following the January 2010 earthquake are now gone.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti _ The Haitian prime minister who resigned under pressure over the weekend says the country has made significant progress even as the political standoff that led to his ouster continues.

Laurent Lamothe says he is proud of his 31-month tenure as prime minister. Lamothe said in an interview Monday with The Associated Press that Haiti is

The prime minister resigned early Sunday. An independent commission had called for his resignation to end a standoff in the Senate that blocked legislation needed to hold parliamentary elections.

President Michel Martelly is expected to announce a new nominee for prime minister this week.

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON _ After a half-century of Cold War acrimony, the United States and Cuba move to re-establish diplomatic relations and spark the flow of money and people across the narrow waters that separate their nations. The historic shift in U.S. policy follows more than a year of secret talks and marks an extraordinary use of President Barack Obama’s executive powers.

The Associated Press

Theatres across the continent are dropping plans to show “The Interview,’’

Dominican legislators submit new bill aimed at decriminalizing certain abortions Danilo Medina urged legislators to decriminalize abortions if a woman's life is at risk or in cases of rape, incest or fetus malformation.

Supporters of Medina's proposal said they worried that legislators would not approve a separate bill as pledged, or that the process would take several years.

MIAMI _ The U.S. Coast Guard has rescued a man who drifted at sea for five days and ended up stranded on an uninhabited island in The Bahamas.

Coast Guard Petty Officer John-Paul Rios says the 39-year-old set out from Marathon in the Florida Keys in a small raft or dinghy when he accidentally drifted out to sea. He ended up on tiny Cay Sal Bank, just north of Cuba.

The man identified as Illinois native Larry Sutterfield had not been reported missing.

The Coast Guard found him on a patrol of the area Monday. Coast Guard video shows him emerging from a small tent and waving frantically to get the crew’s attention.

The Coast Guard says “no major medical concerns were reported’’ upon his return to the U.S.

The Associated Press

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic _ Legislators in the Dominican Republic tentatively approved a bill Tuesday that would decriminalize abortions if the mother's life is at risk.

Chamber of Deputies President Abel Martinez pledged that lawmakers would soon submit a separate bill that would decriminalize abortions in cases of rape, incest or fetus malformation.

The Senate is expected to vote on the measure in upcoming weeks.

Legislators had approved a previous bill that would have allowed abortions in what it called only a “state of necessity'' without providing details or further guidance.

Abortion in the Dominican Republic is currently illegal in all cases.

The Associated Press

RUSSIA-ECONOMY MOSCOW _ Russian consumers flock to the stores, frantically buying a range of big-ticket items to pre-empt the price rises kicked off by the staggering fall in the value of the ruble. Russian authorities outline a series of measures that have helped halt the precipitous slide of the currency, at least temporarily.

The Associated Press

The Associated Press

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LOS ANGELES _ One by one, theatres across the continent are dropping plans to show “The Interview,’’ following threats of multiplex mayhem by the Sony hackers. Come Christmas Day, one of the busiest movie-going periods of the year, will there be any place left to see a film that had once been booked on 3,000 screens in North America?

Vision Newspaper UK: Editor in Chief : Nadine White, Editor: Nadia Akram, Correspondent in Jamaica: Deana Meyers Contributors: Francesca Quass, Yemi Abiade, Samantha Dennis, Claire Daley, Vision Newspaper Canada: Editor in Chief: Alwin Squire, Editors: Samantha Deschamps, Kelly Deschamps, Marilyn Marshall, Christopher Miller

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Vision/ Autumn 2014

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Obama says even though he's president, he's a black man who has been mistaken for the valet es are still there and that they should reflect on any hidden biases they may have, including about themselves as black girls.

“We don't want them to be constrained by any of these stereotypes,'' he said.

“So when something like Ferguson or the Trayvon Martin case happens, around the dinner table we're pointing out to them that too often in our society black boys are still perceived as more dangerous or riskier, they get less benefit of the doubt, and that it will be part of their task, their generation's task, to continue to try to eradicate some of those old stereotypes,'' Obama said.

The president said although racial relations have gotten better, more progress is needed.

WASHINGTON _ He may be president now, but Barack Obama says he's a black man who has been mistaken for the valet and worries his daughters could face stereotypes.

“There's no black male my age, who's a professional, who hasn't come out of a restaurant and is waiting for their car and somebody didn't hand them their car keys,'' Obama told People magazine in an interview out Wednesday. That happened to him, he said.

party and asked for coffee. She said even when she went to Target as first lady, a fellow shopper asked her to get something from a shelf.

Mrs. Obama said they have long talked to their girls about racism and the issues that have been raised in the wake of the two men's deaths.

“I think people forget that we've lived in the White House for six years,'' she said. “Before that, Barack Obama was a black man that lived on the South Side of Chicago, who had his share of troubles catching cabs.''

“These conversations aren't new to us,'' she said. “I mean, when you're raising black kids you have to talk about these issues because they're real.''

The president said his daughters have grown up in a time of enormous progress and take for The first couple spoke about their experiences with racism granted that it makes no sense to treat someone differently for amid protests nationwide over their race, sexual orientation or the deaths of Michael Brown First lady Michelle Obama said 265x112_BlakeRealEstate_1-4page_ad.pdf 1 disability. He said he and the first in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric her husband also once was misGarner in State Island, New York. lady remind them that prejudictaken for a waiter at a black-tie

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“The small irritations or indignities that we experience are nothing compared to what a previous generation experienced,'' Obama said. “It's one thing for me to be mistaken for a waiter at a gala.

It's another thing for my son to be mistaken for a robber and to be handcuffed, or worse, if he happens to be walking down the street and is dressed the way teenagers dress.'' ___ People article: http://w w w.people.com/people/ article/0,,20883472,00.html

2013-05-22

3:20

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Community

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Vision/ Autumn 2014

Toronto’s Singjay “Chux Starr” Announces January Release Date For Long Anticipated E.P In the talks since the end of summer, Chux Starr had announced that he was going to be coming out with an E.P in the near future.

With singles “Dem Set Evil” and “Loving Non Stop” releasing the last part of this year, the versatile artist created a good anticipation for his upcoming E.P release.

Set to release Tuesday, January 13th 2015, the “Live My Life” E.P has a versatile playlist, which also focusses on the “reggae-bop” sound that represents his artistry. For the E.P he had a chance to record in Jamaica working with labels such as Payday to help attain a higher level of production V.S his already quality releases from the past.

With the exciting news, the artist ends off the year in high spirits.

Around the time of the release

What ’s On

Events

the artist will be in Jamaica to complete a radio tour and record a few music videos for tracks of the E.P, upon his return to Canada he will also complete his first Canadian radio tour alongside a few promotional gigs to help with the E.P’s campaign.

To help promote the E.P's release, Chux Starr releases an official single off the project titled "More Money".

He continues working alongside Firestar Records, as well as recently teaming up with Empowerment Media Group and M.I.A Productions for P.R. His team sets high expectations for 2015, ensuring that Chux Starr will reach another milestone in his career next year.

Empowerment Media Group

Family & Children

Common & Jay Electronica

Flow 93.5’s Big Night Staring Ashanti

Tinashe

World War Clash King Addies vs Body Guard vs Super Fresh

Jhene Aiko

Ross Petty Productions Presents Cinderella

Toopy and Binoo

Venue: Kool Haus Address: 132 Queens Quay E, Toronto, ON Date: December 12, 2014 Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ca

Venue: The Guvernment Address: 132 Queens Quay East Toronto, ON Date: December 12th, 2014 Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ca

Venue: Tatoo Queen West Date: December 13th, 2014 Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ca

Venue: On the Rox Address: 1600 Steeles W Date: December 13th, 2014

Venue: Sound Academy Date: December 18th 2014 Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ca

Venue: Elgin Theatre Toronto, ON Date: November 29th to December 29th, 2014 Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ca

Venue: Hamilton Place Theatre Hamilton, ON Date: December 13th 2014 Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ca

John Legend

Smokey Robinson

ASAP Ferg & YG Best Coast Connection Tour

The Spinners

Chris Brown & Trey Songs

Rudolph The Rednose Reindeer (The Musical)

Disney on Ice Treasure Trove

Venue: Fallsview Casino Resort Niagara Falls, ON Date: January 5th & 6th, 2015 Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ca

Venue: Fallsview Casino Resort Niagara Falls, ON Date: January 9th, 2015 Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ca

Venue: Sound Academy Toronto, ON Date: January 14th, 2015 Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ca

Venue: Living Arts Center Mississauga, ON Date: February 13th, 2015 Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ca

Venue: Air Canada Center Toronto, ON Date: February 25th, 2015 Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ca

Venue: Living Arts Center Date: December 14th, 2014 Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ca

Venue: Rogers Center Date: December 19 - 28th, 2014 Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ca

Vision/ Autumn 2014

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Music

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Vision/ Autumn 2014

Up and coming Brooklyn rapper Bobby Shmurda arrested in gun and narcotics investigation under the name Bobby Shmurda, was taken into custody shortly after he left a recording studio near Radio City Music Hall in midtown Manhattan.

Pollard, 20, is named with other defendants in an indictment that will be unsealed after their arraignments Thursday, said Kati Cornell, a spokeswoman for the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor. She declined to detail the charges.

FILE -- In this Oct. 30, 2014 file photo, Bobby Shmurda arrives at Power 105.1's Powerhouse 2014 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Shmurda whose real name is Ackquille Pollard has been arrested in New York City in a gun and narcotics investigation. Authorities said Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014, that he was apprehended after leaving a Manhattan recording studio. Several others were also taken into custody. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)

NEW YORK _ An up-and-coming rapper was among several people arrested Wednesday in an investigation into a series of

gang-related shootings and drug trafficking in the city.

Ackquille Pollard, who performs

Chad Marshal, another aspiring hip-hop artist known as Rowdy Rebel, was arrested inside the recording studio where police also recovered handguns, authorities said.

The Brooklyn-born Pollard is best known for the hit song “Hot Boy'' and for a music video that popularized a dance move called the

“Shmoney dance.''

A “Hot Boy'' video posted on YouTube in August has been viewed tens of millions of times, and Pollard performed the song for a national television audience this month on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.''

“My music is straight facts,'' Pollard recently told New York Magazine. “There are a lot of gangsters in my 'hood.''

Pollard's criminal history included two arrests for gun and drug possession, authorities said.

The names of attorneys for Pollard and Marshal weren't immediately available.

The Associated Press

Nicki Minaj's 'Pinkprint' delivers grown up from Boi-1da, Zaytoven and Dr. Luke, among others _ has Minaj conveyed that message so clearly. The set's first single “Pills N Potions'' captures the heart and soul of the album, even with songs like the Drake and Lil Wayne-assisted “Only'' and “Anaconda'' (along with its bootylicious music video) drumming up considerable buzz.

Nicki Minaj, “The Pinkprint'' (Young Money/Cash Money/Republic Records) Maybe we knew _ even in 2010 _ when Nicki Minaj released her debut set, that beneath the fluorescent wigs and zany accents, there resided a real-life grown-up. On some level, we

surely understood that the now 32-year-old rapper had complex emotions and a past, and all the things that make stars more like regular people and less like characters.

But not until now, with her third release, “The Pinkprint'' _ which includes production

Throughout her latest set, Minaj oscillates between boss and broken. “Who had Kanye (West) saying 'she's a problem'?'' Minaj boasts on “Want Some More.''

She lives up to the compliment with sharp storytelling on the sinister “Four Door Aventador,'' which has her name-dropping everyone from designer Donna Karan to actor Shia LaBeouf.

She's bold on “Favorite'' featuring Jeremih, and cocky on “Feelin' Myself'' featuring Beyonce, but it's Minaj's aching

that is endearing. She laments changing family ties and the death of a relative on “All Things Go,'' adding “my child with Aaron, would've been 16'' in what, for most listeners, is a surprising revelation.

Minaj also refers to a decade-ago marriage proposal on the song _ a tidbit that lines up with rumours that the rapper's hypeman Safareee Samuels had for many years been her romantic partner, and is now the subject of songs alluding to hurt and betrayal, including “The Crying Game,'' featuring UK singer Jessie Ware and the pop-friendly “Bed of Lies.''

It seems as though the gap is closing between Minaj's on and offstage personas, and so far, that's a good thing.

By Melanie J. Sims THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Vision/ Autumn 2014

Music

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D'Angelo and The Vanguards' 'Black Messiah' plays to message of rising up recent slayings of unarmed black men by police in Ferguson, Mo. and New York.

The album title is about people rising up, D'Angelo said, and his songs _ featuring the singer's band, The Vanguards _ plays to that message. “All we wanted was a chance to talk/'Stead we only got outlined in chalk,'' D'Angelo sings on the politically charged “The Charade,'' co-produced by longtime collaborator and champion Questlove.

D'Angelo and The Vanguard, “Black Messiah'' (RCA) The phrase “long-awaited album'' gets tossed around quite a bit _ slapped on sets delayed by a couple years, or a few measly months, even. But “Black Messiah,'' D'Angelo's follow-up to 2000's “Voodoo''

comes after a 14-year wait, which for some fans had probably begun to feel more like wishful thinking, or a waste of time.

But “Black Messiah'' is finally here, both amazing and right on time, arriving as demonstrators across the nation demand change after the

Unmatchable instrumentation leads the way on “Black Messiah,'' and at times D'Angelo's words are actually indecipherable. The guitar-charged “1000 Deaths'' will surely send some fans scrambling for lyrics, and what they'll find are powerful declarations, like, “. a coward dies a thousand times/ But a soldier only dies just once.''

Nevertheless, D'Angelo seems intent on his music being felt first, and

analyzed second. “Really Love,'' for instance, opens with a delicate mix of horns and strings, sweeping listeners away for a full two minutes before D'Angelo ever opens his mouth to pour out his sweet and soulful voice.

On “Back to the Future (Part I),'' the elusive singer reflects on life before and after fame. “If you're wondering about the shape I'm in, I hope it ain't my abdomen that you're referring to,'' he sings on the plucky track.

The airy “Another Life'' and uptempo “Sugah Daddy'' are also standouts, but the whole album is truly good.

The beauty of D'Angelo's return is that he's come back full-force, and as fantastic as his fans remember.

By Melanie J. Sims THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Music

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Vision/ Autumn 2014

Vision/ Autumn 2014

J. COLE HITS NUMBER ONE

Chris Brown's bodyguard sentenced for assault in DC

JEREMIH ARRESTED

meaning he'll stay out of jail if he successfully completes a year of probation. He must also do 24 hours of community service.

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ J. Cole has picked up his third number-one record. Billboard reports “2014 Forest Hills Drive'' debuts at number one, moving 375-thousand units.

His previous albums, “Cole World: The Sideline Story'' and “Born Sinner'' also made it to the top spot.

JILL SCOTT CHOSEN FOR HONOUR

NEW YORK (AP) _ Essence magazine will honour Jill Scott at its Black Women In Hollywood event. The magazine says it chose Scott for “her incredible achievement, singular artistry and powerful storytelling.'' Scott will be honoured in Los Angeles on February 15.

WASHINGTON _ A judge who convicted singer Chris Brown's bodyguard of punching a man in Washington last year has given him a sentence that will keep him out of jail.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Patricia Wynn sentenced Christopher Hollosy to 90 days in jail Tuesday but suspended the sentence,

Both Hollosy and Brown were arrested after the incident. Hollosy told police he punched the man after he tried to enter Brown's tour bus. But the man said Brown and Hollosy punched him when he tried to take a photo with Brown.

Hollosy was convicted of misdemeanour assault. Brown pleaded guilty to misdemeanour assault and was sentenced to time served.

The Associated Press

STEVIE WONDER - GRAMMY HONOUR

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) _ He has already won a mess of Grammys. And now Stevie Wonder is getting notice from the Grammy people for one of his iconic albums. The Recording Academy is doing a special on Wonder's landmark project, “Songs In the Key of Life.'' The show will tape in

Los Angeles in February -- and air on C-B-S two days after the Grammys -- Feb. 16. Many top stars will cover tunes from the album on the show. Wonder himself is paying tribute to the upcoming 40th anniversary of the 1976 project; he has been touring with a track-by-track performance of the album.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Jeremih (jehr-eh-MY') and two others were arrested after one of the men allegedly opened a door to an airport boarding ramp after it had been closed for takeoff.

Authorities at Newark International Airport in New Jersey say a member of Jeremih's party tried to open the door Friday in an attempt to let tardy passengers board a flight to Phoenix. Jeremih was charged with disorderly conduct and obstruction of administration of law. A second man faces the same charges and a third is charged with defiant trespass for allegedly opening the door.

They were released without incident and ordered to appear before a judge. A representative for Jeremih could not be reached for comment.

Music

Vision/ Autumn 2014

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Ron Muschette joins Richie B and Barry G on Mello FM

MELLO FM’s morning man Richard ‘Richie B’ Burgess is calling the inclusion of Ron Muschette to the station’s line-up as “formidable”.

This comes after days of speculation as to the destination of Muschette after he quit at IRIE FM just over a weeks ago. He spent 14 years at the reggae radio station.

According to Burgess, he is happy with the decision of his media colleague to join the ranks of the station whose line-up also include radio veteran Barry ‘Barry G’ Gordon.

“I was doing an outside broadcast in Montego Bay during Soul in the Sun in October. I took a photograph with

myself, Ron, Barry G and our station Manager Al Robinson and it went viral on the Internet. I interviewed Ron asking him to set his IRIE vibe aside and take on a Mello vibe, not knowing it would be a prophetic statement,” Burgess told Splash.

“My station manager then met with Barry and myself as two veterans on staff and informed us of Ron’s interest in coming to Mello. My words to him were: ‘Run with it, anywhere he goes on the dial is an asset to that organisation.’ It did not matter what time slot he was taking. So I welcome him with open arms. Having Richie B, Ron Muschette and Barry G on one station is a formidable lineup,” he continued.

Yesterday, Muschette used social media to confirm what had been making the rounds since he shocked many with what seemed like a snap resignation from the St Ann-based IRIE FM.

6:00 am to 9:00 am show and radio veteran Barry G, who is on from 1:00 in the afternoon till 5:00 pm.

In a teary, emotional video on his blog, Muschette noted that the decision to move away from IRIE came after a lot of thinking.

He used the nearly eight-minutelong video to thank everyone who had made his time on IRIE memorable, but did not give a reason for his resignation.

“Parting doesn’t mean we don’t love each other anymore, but you’ve got to go. It’s time to grow and so I have to move on. Let’s look to the future with optimism. I asked my agent to check out the markets and went searching and found what we think is the best deal,” he explained.

“I’ve signed a new deal with Mello FM… I’m going back home to Montego Bay where it all began. I start on January 5. It’s gonna be a lot of fun… a new beginning from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm in a show called the Perfect Mix with Ron. It will be Ron Muschette magnified,” he added.

In this new slot, Muschette will be sandwiched between Mello’s morning man Richie B, who works the

According to Muschette, “the giants of radio will be locking the daytime”.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that Muschette and the management of IRIE have been at odds since the untimely passing of the station’s owner Chad Young in February of this year.

Muschette, born Deron Muschette, started his radio career in the 1990s when as a playmaker attached to the entertainment staff at Sandals Montego Bay he was instrumental in the establishment of the resort’s on-property radio station, WSMB. He would them move to the Montego Bay-based Radio WAVES (now Hot 102) before settling in at IRIE, hosting the morning show in a slot previously occupied by Dionne Matthis. www.jamaicaobserver.com

Upcoming Album Releases

Black Masiah D’Angelo

Blame it on the Streets YG

Set up Shop Vol. 2

The Young OG Project Fabolous

D’angelo’s last release was his 2000 record Voodoo. The album has been widely agreed upon as a masterpiece in subsequent years, putting extensive pressure on the singer for his long-awaited follow up. There have been many promises over the years, with claims that the album was 90% omplete for at least the last five -- but the most recent announcement is the first very concrete evidence that the album is on its way, and its gonna be REAL soon

YG is looking to end the year with a bang, he recently announced that he will be releasing his first ever short film and accompanying soundtrack titled Blame It on the Streets. The project, which will be his second of the year with his debut album My Krazy Life being the other, is set to drop on December 15 and feature 9 songs in total, with six being new, two being remixes, and the other a live performance of “BPT.”

Bob Marley’s sons – Damian, Julian, and Stephen – are prepping the release of a new compilation,Ghetto Youths International Presents Set Up Shop Volume 2, on their Ghetto Youths International label.

The 15-track set is due out on December 23. Fans can preview Damian’s song “The Living Breed” featuring Black-Am-I, Jo Mersa, and Illestr8 & Biggz General exclusively on Yahoo Music.

Fabolous is making a play for the fourth quarter. The Brooklyn rapper will release his first album in five years, The Young OG Project, on Christmas Day. The digital-only album will arrive on iTunes and other platforms on December 25 via Desert Storm/Def Jam Records.

www.hiphopdx.com

www.complex.com

Various Artists

www.tumblr.com

www.rap-up.com

Music

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Vision/ Autumn 2014

Drake says "Drake Night" not about him, but about Toronto Raptors as a team

opening round of the playoffs last season.

“If there's anybody that I want to beat, it's the Nets,'' Drake said. “I think if we have a rivalry at all, I think this would probably would be it. Obviously, I've got much love for New York and Brooklyn but in this particular arena at this particular moment, the one thing I want to do is knock out Brooklyn.''

Drake has come to know the Raptors players well, and attributes their success to their chemistry.

TORONTO _ Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey said he often gets asked about Drake.

“I get texts: 'Do you know Drake? Have you met Drake?'

He sits there every night, he hears me cuss out the referees every night,'' Casey said, laughing. “He knows all my cuss words.''

Part rapper, part Raptors mascot, Drake is the basketball team's global ambassador, and has his own courtside seat at the Air Canada Centre, about an arm's length away from where Casey paces and hollers at the referees.

The rapper-songwriter hosted his second annual “Drake Night,'' on Wednesday at the Air Canada Centre, as the Raptors played Brooklyn for the first time since the Nets ousted Toronto in the first round of last season's playoffs.

A sell-out crowd of 19,800

fans received keepsake “Drake Night'' T-shirts. Drake announced the Raptors' lineup pre-game before taking his usual courtside seat.

He spent some time at the broadcast table doing guest commentary.

“It's really about this team just doing what they've been doing all year, which is just being incredible,'' he said. “I had some conversations with a couple of the guys and just really asked them to overdo it tonight for me.

“Do I hear Dwane Casey use foul language?'' Drake was asked in a humorous pregame scrum with reporters.

“He just always says 'high hands.' He's always screaming 'high hands.'

“I hate to be redundant, but I just care so much about the city and the people in it and night after night, it's amazing to see all these seats sold out,'' he added. “Sports is a huge part of my life, and it's just great to see people from all walks of life, Toronto itself is such a mosaic of different people from different cultures and different walks of life and you look around the building and you see all these people just coming together for a great squad, a great game.''

“Honestly, I sit right beside him, and I can't understand a word that he's saying. I don't know how the players know what to do. It just all sounds like random words that come to his mind. He'll just be like, 'A-1 sauce!'''

Drake said while the night was named for him, it was all about a Raptors team that is enjoying its best start in franchise history.

Drake said he was given a choice of visiting teams for his night this season. Brooklyn was an obvious choice after the Nets dispatched the Raptors in Game 7 of the

“Being part of an ensemble cast, it involves the meshing of all personalities. I can testify because I was on 'Degrassi' where there were 12 kids trying to co-exist, and everybody wanted to be a star,'' he said.

“Once you have a common goal in mind as opposed to a personal goal, that's when things really start to click.

“They have a real family vibe going on. . . These guys love each other. They care about each other. It shows in our record. I'm excited for this stretch, and I'm excited for the stretch where we play the over-500 teams. I think that's going to be the real test.''

After Sunday's game versus the visiting New York Knicks, the Raptors head west for a tough six-game road trip.

By Lori Ewing THE CANADIAN PRESS

Vision/ Autumn 2014

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Rams 'Hands Up, Don't Shoot' players to attend Urban League Christmas party in Ferguson

Members of the St. Louis Rams raise their arms in awareness of the events in Ferguson, Mo., as they walk onto the field during introductions before an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014, in St. Louis. From left are Stedman Bailey (12), Tavon Austin (11), Jared Cook, (89) Chris Givens (13) and Kenny Britt (81). The players said after the game, they raised their arms in a "hands up" gesture to acknowledge the events in Ferguson. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)

ST. LOUIS _ The St. Louis Rams are following through on plans to aid residents in nearby Ferguson.

The five players who did the “Hands Up, Don't Shoot'' gesture before a recent home game are scheduled to appear at an Urban League of St. Louis Christmas Party on Friday for residents of Ferguson and north St. Louis County.

Tight end Jared Cook and wide receivers Kenny Britt, Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey and Chris Givens will attend after practicing for the home finale against the New York Giants on Sunday. The group is contributing $10,000 to purchase

gloves, hats, socks, underwear, non-perishable food items, detergent, personal hygiene items and 200 coats that will be distributed at the event.

The Rams and the Urban League anticipate attendance of 250-300 for a party that will also include food and games.

The day after players posed during introductions before the Rams' 52-0 victory over the Raiders, Cook promised the team would do more to help those affected by rioting and protests. There's been much strife in the St. Louis suburb since early August, when Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, was fatally shot by

Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, who is white.

Violence and protests spiked anew after a grand jury declined to indict Ferguson on criminal charges.

Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree and Cardinals Hall of Famer Lou Brock appear on a video on the Urban League website seeking holiday season donations. Later Friday, the Urban League scheduled a Toys for Ferguson event.

Earlier this month, the franchise made a $50,000 donation to a local police charity after the players' protest drew the ire of local law enforcement

officials. A check was presented before last Thursday's home game against the Cardinals to the Backstoppers, which provides financial assistance to families of police officers, firefighters and paramedics killed in the line of duty.

The “hands up'' gesture has become the rallying cry of protesters in Ferguson and around the nation.

By R.B. Fallstrom THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ___ AP NFL website: www.pro32. ap.org and www.twitter.com/ AP_NFL

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Vision / Autumn 2014

Black Captain America spearhead push into diversity for comic books man and dress him in the red white and blue of the flag, of the United States flag, ... there's symbolism in that, that is more potent and more thought-provoking, evocative'' than other kinds of changes, Alonso said.

The new diverse comic characters are far from the first: Marvel introduced the world to Samuel Wilson as the Falcon, the comic's first African-American superhero, in 1969 as a sidekick to Captain America.

In 1977, DC Comics introduced Black Lightning, a schoolteacher who gains electrical powers and becomes a superhero.

And Marvel isn't the only company looking at diversity. An alternative black Superman, one who is president of the United States, is part of a team in DC Comics' “The Multiversity.'' DC also brags of having more comic books featuring female leads than any other company, including Batgirl, Catwoman, Batwoman and Wonder Woman, the longest-running comic book with a female hero.

WASHINGTON _ For decades, comic books have been in colour, but now they truly reflect all the hues of American society.

The new Captain America is black.

A Superman who is suspiciously similar to President Barack Obama recently headlined a comic book.

Thor is a woman, Spider-Man is part-Puerto Rican and Ms. Marvel is Muslim.

Mainstream comic book superheroes _ America's modern mythology _ have been redrawn from the stereotypical brown-haired, blue-eyed white male into a world of multicolored, multireligious and multigendered crusaders to reflect a greater diversity in their audience.

Society has changed, so superheroes have to as well, said Axel Alonso, editor in chief at Marvel Comics, who in November debuted Captain America No. 1 with Samuel Wilson, the first African American superhero taking over Captain America's red,

white and blue uniform and shield.

“Roles in society aren't what they used to be. There's far more diversity,'' said Alonso, who has also shepherded a gay wedding in the X-Men, a gender change from male to female in Thor and the first mainstream female Muslim hero in Ms. Marvel.

The change to a black Captain America is already having an impact outside of comics.

Even before the first issue was published, unauthorized images of the black Captain America were shown at a town hall meeting in St. Louis following the funeral of Michael Brown, who was 18 and unarmed when he was killed by a white police officer. This Captain America had his hands up saying ``Don't Shoot,'' a slogan protesters have used to highlight the number of African Americans killed by police.

“When you take an African-American

“Our goal is to tell the best stories while making sure our characters are relatable and reflect DC Comics' diverse readership and fanbase,'' DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson said.

But not everyone is happy with the changes: A contingent of vocal Internet fans are currently protesting a reboot of Marvel's Fantastic Four property in the movies, turning one of the quartet _ Johnny Storm _ from blond and blue-eyed to black.

Noah Berlasky, author of the upcoming “Wonder Woman: Bondage and Feminism in the Marston/Peter Comics, 1941-1948,'' said portions of the largely white, male comic book audience don't want favoured characters to change.

“Changing people's race or changing people's gender can feel more threatening or a bigger deal than changing Thor into a frog,'' said Berlasky, referencing a popular storyline in which the Norse god transforms into an amphibian. “Characters are always changing, but there are cultural lenses which make it seem like a bigger deal if Johnny Storm is

black.''

Movies based on superheroes, like Marvel's The Avengers, and DC's Man of Steel, are driving a new audience to comic books. That surge has comic book companies are looking to have characters that those fans can relate to, said Cheryl Lynn Eaton, head of the Ormes Society, which promotes black female comic creators and the inclusion of black women in the comics industry.

“The stories of Superman, the story of Batman, we're going likely to be telling them 40 years from now, and we've already been telling them for decades,'' Eaton said. “They are telling us sort of how to live life and how we relate in this world, so I think it's important for everyone, for people of different backgrounds, to have a say.''

Comic books companies need to recognize the impact these characters have before they change them back to their default identities, Eaton said.

“Having Sam Wilson become Captain America and having a woman become Thor, you're stating that everyone is equal and that race, gender shouldn't not limit you, and that you're just as good as the heroes we've had. But if you pull these symbols away from them after a short period of time, you're kind of going back on what you're saying,'' she said.

Alonso said they haven't written an end to Wilson's time as Captain America.

“We have not discussed at this point the end of Sam's journey,'' he said.

“That's not been the topic of discussion yet, so we don't' have a clean and easy way out. We've just got a great landscape ahead of us to tell great stories.''

By Jesse J. Holland THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ___ Follow Jesse J. Holland on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jessejholland .

Vision/ Autumn 2014

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