ECOWAS considers citizens in decision making

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has started a process that aims at encouraging citizens' participation in ECOWAS decisions and activities. The programme, called: "Community Development Programme," hopes to transform West Africa into a borderless region where ordinary citizens can enjoy free movement and trade amongst themselves. Mr Traore Kalilou, Director at the Ivorian Ministry of Regional Integration, said there was low level involvement in ECOWAS activities by non-state actors in the region hence the need for the CDP programme to make the ordinary ECOWAS citizen enjoy the privileges of ECOWAS. He said this at a workshop organized by ECOWAS for civil society organizations within the sub region to share ideas on the structure of the CDP and make inputs where necessary. The workshop brought together about 50 civil society actors and media personnel from Nigeria, Cote D' Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, Togo, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Cape Verde and Senegal The CDP, which is still at the planning stage, when established, would facilitate the creation of a region where people can live in dignity and peace under the rule of law and good governance in each of the member states. Mr Kalilou said regional integration was one of the solutions to the development problems in Africa. Mr Ken Ukaoha, a civil society actor from Nigeria, said after 38 years of ECOWAS, the region appeared not to have moved closer to development and integration as was originally envisaged. Comparing ECOWAS to the European Union he said in Europe people, even non citizens who have a visa are able to move freely from one European country to the other, however, the story is not the same in ECOWAS. "Even travelling from Ghana to Cote d'Ivoire, can take people two days because of immigration demands," Mr Ukaoha said. He said civil society organizations could help get the ordinary person integrated into ECOWAS since they are usually in touch with people at the local level. "The Community Development Programme aims at realizing the ECOWAS heads of States and government's vision 2020 of a transition from ECOWAS heads of states to ECOWAS of people," Mr Ukaoha said.

Source:GNA

Sir Paul Reeves Concludes Visit to Fiji

Sir Paul Reeves, Special Representative of Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma to the Republic of the Fiji Islands, departed Suva early on 11 September following a two-day visit to the Republic of the Fiji Islands.

At the invitation of the Interim Government, Sir Paul visited Fiji to explore opportunities for continued Commonwealth engagement with Fiji. The objective of his visit was to support the early restoration of constitutional democracy in the country, in line with Commonwealth principles.

Speaking on the eve of his departure, Sir Paul said his discussions with the Interim Prime Minister, members of Cabinet and others had been cordial, frank and informative.

“While I do not wish to pre-empt my report to the Secretary-General, I can say that I depart Fiji with a clear understanding of the Interim Government’s plans for Fiji following the abrogation of the Constitution in April. I welcome the importance Fiji attaches to its relationship with the Commonwealth, and the willingness of the Interim Prime Minister and his government to remain in discussions with me.

“I reiterated to Commodore Bainimarama and his Ministers that the Commonwealth stands ready to support an inclusive and time-bound national political dialogue, to facilitate the return of constitutional democracy. I also emphasised the importance Commonwealth members place on the fundamental principles that underpin our organisation, including representative government, respect for human rights and the rule of law.”

The Interim Prime Minister conveyed to Sir Paul his government’s intention to implement the “Strategic Framework for Change” announced by him on 1 July 2009, which entails elections being held in 2014. “I reminded Commodore Bainimarama that such an extended timeframe for the restoration of democracy was not one the Commonwealth could support”, Sir Paul said. “In particular, I expressed my view that it is vital to re-start broad-based dialogue on electoral and constitutional issues as soon as possible, rather than delay this important work until 2012.”

Sir Paul said he was disappointed that he had been unable to meet with leaders of other political parties during this visit to Suva. “In deference to the Interim Government of Fiji as my host, I complied with its specific request not to meet with other political leaders. I remain convinced, however, that an inclusive national dialogue which recognises and respects the voices of all major political players is the only way Fiji can find its way back to a sustainable democracy. The Commonwealth will continue to listen to the viewpoints of all sectors of Fiji’s community and political life, in its efforts to assist Fiji resolve the current situation and find long-term solutions to its significant challenges.”

Sir Paul will provide a report to the Secretary-General on his discussions and findings, which will inform the Secretary-General’s briefing of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), and his consideration of the Commonwealth’s ongoing engagement with Fiji.

During the visit Sir Paul met with Interim Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, Minister for Foreign Affairs Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, other members of the Interim Cabinet, government officials, and selected representatives from the private sector, civil society and the diplomatic corps. Sir Paul was accompanied by two senior officials from the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Source:Commonwealth Secretariat

West Africa flooding affects 600,000

Torrential rains and flooding since June have affected 600,000 people in Ghana and 15 other West African nations, the United Nations has reported.The worst hit have been Burkina Faso, Senegal, Ghana and Niger, said Yvon Edoumou, a spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, in the Senegalese capital, Dakar. So far, 159 people have died, he said. Sierra Leone has also been hard hit, according to the UN.The UN has not yet received reports of waterborne diseases, but a real threat exists of diarrhea or, worse, cholera.The UN World Food Programme said on September 8 that it has begun distributing food to tens of thousands of homeless flood victims.WFP has set a goal of feeding 177,500 people, mainly in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, where 150,000 people have been affected and key infrastructure - including a central hospital, schools, bridges and roads - has been damaged.
Source:CNN

COMMONWEALTH SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO VISIT FIJI ISLANDS

Sir Paul Reeves, Special Representative of Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma to the Republic of the Fiji Islands, will arrive in Fiji on 8 September for a two-day visit.
“I welcomed Commodore Bainimarama’s invitation for a Commonwealth delegation to visit Fiji, and fully support this opportunity for my Special Representative to engage with the Interim Government to promote an early restoration of constitutional democracy in the country in line with Commonwealth principles”, Mr Sharma said.
Sir Paul’s visit follows an invitation from Commodore Bainimarama in early August for a Commonwealth delegation to visit Fiji. Sir Paul will explore opportunities for continued Commonwealth engagement in support of an inclusive and time-bound national political dialogue, to facilitate the return of constitutional democracy.
Sir Paul’s visit follows the full suspension of Fiji from the Commonwealth on 1 September 2009, in accordance with the decision of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) of 31 July. The visit is a reflection of the Secretary-General’s and CMAG’s stated commitment to continue engaging with Fiji to promote the restoration of Commonwealth principles, and enduring adherence to them.
Sir Paul will meet with the Interim Prime Minister and other senior functionaries of the regime. He hopes also to meet other key stakeholders.
Sir Paul will be accompanied by two senior officials from the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Source: Commonwealth Secretariat

Fiji Island Suspended from the Commonwealth

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, today announced that the Republic of the Fiji Islands stands fully suspended from membership of the Commonwealth with immediate effect.

“This is an announcement I make with deep regret -- it is a step the Commonwealth is now obliged to take, and one that it takes in sorrow.”

“Since Fiji was suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth following the military overthrow of civilian government in December 2006, sustained efforts have been made by the Commonwealth to engage the Interim Government, so as to promote a return to constitutional democracy, and to encourage a national dialogue aimed at tackling the underlying issues that led to this and past coups.”

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) last met on 31 July, some two and three quarter years after the military overthrow. At that meeting, CMAG urged the Fiji regime to reactivate immediately the President’s Political Dialogue Forum (PPDF) process, facilitated by the Commonwealth and the United Nations, in a manner that was independent, inclusive, time-bound and without any pre-determined outcome, and that would lead to credible elections in the country by October 2010. CMAG had sought a firm commitment from Fiji to these terms by no later than 1 September 2009, failing which it would be fully suspended.

“Although I received a letter from Commodore Bainimarama on 21 August reaffirming his commitment to the principles of the Commonwealth, his response did not meet the terms set out by CMAG on 31 July I informed him of this in writing on 24 August. Accordingly, Fiji has today been fully suspended from the Commonwealth. I have informed the Interim Prime Minister of Fiji of this decision. I have similarly informed Her Majesty the Queen as the Head of the Commonwealth, and all Commonwealth governments.”

Elaborating on the implications of “full suspension”, the Secretary-General said the following provisions would apply with immediate effect;

. representatives of the Interim Government of Fiji will be excluded from
participation at all inter-governmental Commonwealth meetings; likewise,
nominees of the Interim Government will not be able to take part in other inter-governmental Commonwealth activities.

. Fiji will not be able to participate in Commonwealth sporting event

.no Commonwealth technical assistance can be provided to Fiji, with the
exception of assistance aimed at facilitating the restoration of democracy,

.while Fiji will remain a member of the Commonwealth, all emblematic
representation of Fiji at the Commonwealth Secretariat, at Commonwealth
meetings and all other official Commonwealth events will cease; and
. contact at professional and non-governmental levels with Fiji counterparts will
be left to the discretion of individual pan-Commonwealth organisations.

The Secretary-General emphasised that the Commonwealth remained open to engaging with the Fiji Interim Government towards the restoration of constitutional democracy in the country. “I welcome the invitation from Commodore Bainimarama to meet my Special Representative in Fiji in September, and look forward to continuing my good offices engagement to promote adherence to Commonwealth principles and the welfare of the people of Fiji”, Mr Sharma said.

The Secretary-General concluded by expressing the hope that Fiji would take the necessary steps to restore its full participation in the Commonwealth. “We will continue all possible efforts to promote the restoration of Commonwealth principles and enduring adherence to them. We will also continue to bear fully in mind the welfare of the people of Fiji.”

Source:Commwealth secretariat

Ghanaian embassy shut due to budget pressures

GHANA HAS decided to close its embassy in Dublin due to pressures on the country’s national budget amid the global downturn.The Ireland Department of Foreign Affairs was informed of the decision in July. It is understood that the embassy, on Clyde Road in Ballsbridge, Dublin, shut its doors last month.Kodjo Wadee, chief director of Ghana’s foreign ministry in Accra, told The Irish Times the embassy had opened last November. Prior to that, Ghana was represented by an honorary consul here, and diplomatic relations came under the aegis of the Ghana High Commission in London.The embassy was staffed by four diplomats, but Ghana had not formally accredited an ambassador prior to the decision to shut the mission.Mr Wadee would not comment on the reasons for the closure, but The Irish Times understands that it was related to efforts by the Ghanaian government to offset the impact of the global financial crisis on the country’s economy.Diplomatic relations with Ireland will again be the responsibility of the Ghana High Commission in London.Ireland does not have a diplomatic mission in Ghana. Diplomatic representation for the country is handled by the Irish embassy in Abuja, Nigeria.The cost of maintaining Ireland’s own diplomatic service has also come under scrutiny in recent months. In July, the McCarthy report on public expenditure recommended that the State’s network of embassies and consulates be reduced from 76 to 55.
Source:Irish Times

Family, celebrities say final goodbye to Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson was mourned by his family and celebrities including Elizabeth Taylor, Barry Bonds and Macaulay Culkin at a private funeral service held Thursday night outside the elaborate mausoleum where the King of Pop will be entombed.
The funeral began about an hour and a half late because of the tardy arrival of his parents, Joe and Katherine, and other family members. They included the singer’s three children, Prince Michael, 12, Paris Michael, 10, and Prince Michael II, 7, known as Blanket.
The invitation notice indicated the service would begin promptly at 7 p.m.; it began closer to 8:30. The 77-year-old Taylor and about 200 other mourners were left waiting in the late summer heat, with the temperature stuck at 90 degrees just before sunset. Some mourners fanned themselves with programs for the service at Forest Lawn Glendale.
A vivid orange moon, a mark of the devastating wildfire about 10 miles distant, hung over the cemetery.
Police had escorted the family’s motorcade of 31 cars, including Rolls-Royces and Cadillacs, from Encino to Forest Lawn, with the hearse bearing Jackson’s body at the end.

A large, blimp-like inflated light, the type used in film and television production, and a boom camera hovered over the seating area placed in front of the elaborate marble mausoleum. The equipment raised the possibility that the footage would be used for the Jackson concert documentary “This Is It.”
About 250 seats were arranged for mourners over artificial turf laid roadside at the mausoleum. Nearly double the number of media credentials, 435, were issued to reporters and film crews who remained at a distance from the service and behind barricades.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, who gave a rousing eulogy at Jackson’s public memorial two months ago, posted on his Twitter account — while the service was still under way — that he made a repeat performance Thursday night.
“I just spoke at the conclusion of tributes,” Sharpton wrote. “Gladys knight sang her heart out. Now we prepare to lay him top rest.”
The few clusters of fans who gathered around the secure perimeter that encircled the cemetery entrance struggled to see much. Maria Martinez, 25, a fan from Riverside, Calif., who was joined by a dozen other Jackson admirers at a gas station near the security perimeter, gave a handful of pink flowers to a man with an invitation driving into the funeral.
“Can you please put these flowers on his grave?” she told him. Martinez said she picked them from a nearby park.They were small and ugly, but I did that with my heart,” she said. “I’m not going to be able to get close, so this is as close as I could get to him.”
The man consented, adding, “God bless.”
Glendale police said all was going smoothly early in the evening and there were no arrests.
Jackson will share eternity at Forest Lawn with the likes of Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and W.C. Fields, entombed alongside them in the mausoleum that will be all but off-limits to adoring fans who might otherwise turn the pop star’s grave into a shrine.
After the burial, the closest the public will be able to get to Jackson’s vault is a portion of the mausoleum that displays “The Last Supper Window,” a life-size stained-glass re-creation of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece. Several 10-minute presentations about the window are held regularly 365 days a year, but most of the building is restricted.
Lisa Burk, who blogs about celebrity graves at www.gravehunting.com, said the Jackson family chose well for his final resting place if it was privacy they were after.
“It’s impossible to get in there,” Burk said. “It was before, and it will be worse now.”

By late afternoon Thursday, media tents had cropped up all along the boulevard across from the wrought-iron gates that serve as the main entrance to Forest Lawn. That vantage point offered no view of any mausoleum — just a fountain and a building containing the gift shop.
The Jackson family had booked an Italian restaurant in Pasadena for a gathering Thursday night, said Alex Carr, assistant operations manager at Villa Sorriso, in the city’s Old Town district. She wouldn’t specify the menu or number of people, but said the entire restaurant, which can accommodate 200 guests, had been reserved for the event and that security would be present.
The ceremony ends months of speculation that the singer’s body would be buried at Neverland Ranch, in part to make the property a Graceland-style attraction. An amended copy of Jackson’s death certificate was filed Thursday in Los Angeles County to reflect Forest Lawn as his final resting place.

Source:Associated Press/MSN

Coroner says Jackson died from lethal dose of propofol

Pop star Michael Jackson died from a lethal dose of the powerful anesthetic propofol given in a cocktail of drugs, leading authorities to suspect his doctor of manslaughter, court documents showed on Monday.
The "Thriller" singer suffered cardiac arrest and died on June 25 at age 50. Since then, an investigation by state and federal agencies have focused on Conrad Murray, Jackson's personal doctor who was at his bedside the day he died.
The findings, contained in a warrant to search Murray's home and offices, paint a picture of an insomniac pop star who could not sleep without heavy medication. Jackson sought out propofol -- routinely used to sedate patients and anesthetize them before surgeries such as a colonoscopy -- and called it his "milk."
"The Los Angeles Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner, Dr. (Lakshmanan) Sathyavagiswaran, indicated that he had reviewed the preliminary toxicology results and his preliminary assessment of Jackson's cause of death was due to lethal levels of propofol (diprivan)," according to a warrant to search Murray's offices issued by California.
The document was unsealed and released by the Harris County District Clerk in Houston, where Murray has an office. U.S. agents raided the office on July 22.
In an affidavit seeking the warrant, Houston police officer E.G. Chance said U.S. agents had gathered "items constituting evidence of the offense of manslaughter that tend to show that Dr. Conrad Murray committed the said criminal offense."
Murray's attorney, Ed Chernoff, was not available to comment.
In a statement, a representative said Jackson's family has "full confidence in the legal process, and commends the ongoing efforts of the L.A. County Coroner, the L.A. District Attorney and the L.A. Police Department."
Murray, who was with Jackson on June 25 administering drugs to ease the pop star to sleep, gave him a range of medication including a 25-milligram dose of propofol via an intravenous drip at 10:40 a.m. PDT, the state search warrant said.
Jackson was "very familiar" with propofol and referred to it as his "milk" because of its milky appearance, the warrant said. Murray, who had been treating Jackson for about six weeks leading up to his death, was worried that Jackson was addicted to propofol. Murray was trying to wean him off the drug by giving him smaller doses, it said.
Jason Hymes, an assistant clinical professor at the University of Southern California who is not associated with the case, said the drug was a true anesthetic. "You administer it to somebody and then operate on them ... This concept of giving somebody a general anesthetic for sleep disturbance strikes me as just bizarre and astoundingly inappropriate."
In the early hours of June 25, Murray also gave Jackson doses of anti-anxiety medications Valium and Ativan and sedative Versed, the filing said.
Jackson went to sleep after Murray gave him the propofol, and Murray stayed by his side for about 10 minutes, then left "to go to the restroom and relieve himself," the search warrant said.
Murray was out of Jackson's room for about 2 minutes and when he returned, Jackson was no longer breathing, the warrant said.

Source: Reuters

Hurricane Bill now Category 4 storm in Atlantic

MIAMI – Hurricane Bill became a Category 4 storm as it rumbled across the Atlantic early Wednesday with maximum sustained winds near 135 mph.
And forecasters say the dangerous hurricane could get even stronger.
The National Hurricane Center said people in the Leeward Islands should monitor Bill's progress, though the core of the storm was expected to pass well to the northeast of the islands late Wednesday and early Thursday.
"The wind sheer is light and the waters are warm," Todd Kimberlain, a forecaster at the center, said Tuesday. "Those are two essential ingredients not just for the formation, but also the maintenance, of hurricanes."
Early Wednesday, Bill was centered about 460 miles east of the Leeward Islands and moving west-northwest near 16 mph.
The most significant threat could be to Bermuda, which the storm could pass in three or four days, Kimberlain said. But it also could move directly between Bermuda and the eastern coast of the U.S. without making landfall.
Either way, people near the coast can expect wave swells and rip currents in the next few days, Kimberlain said.
Meanwhile, people in flood-prone Haiti and the Dominican Republic awoke to good news Tuesday as it appeared Ana, the first named storm of the Atlantic season, had largely spared their shared island.
The two countries that share the island of Hispaniola are vulnerable to storms, with many impoverished people clustered along rivers, but there were no reports of major damage from the remnants of Tropical Storm Ana. The system had been downgraded to a tropical depression and then largely dissipated before reaching Haiti and the Dominican Republic, but its rains were still considered a potential threat.
Forecasters had revised their Atlantic hurricane season predictions for this season after the first two months passed without any named storms developing.

Source: AP Associated Wordpress

100 Ghanaians stranded in Kenya

About a 100 Ghanaians stranded in Kenya say they have been shabbily treated by officials in that country.The passengers of the Kenyan Airways got stranded following a strike by workers of the airline.Having been languishing in that country for two days, the passengers say their plight has been worsened by the silence of the authorities airline.A University of Ghana lecturer who is among the affected passengers told Joy News they had been checked into a brothel where they had to contend with prostitutes.He said the Ghana consulate in Kenya is also of no help to them.When Joy News drew the Foreign Minister Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni’s attention to the plight of the passengers, he promised to immediately secure help for them.All attempts to reach officials of Kenyan Airways for their reaction proved futile.According to a Kenyan news site, hundreds of Kenya Airways (KQ) workers on Thursday boycotted work and stage a sit-in at their union offices in Embakasi, where they vowed to continue with their strike until their demands for higher pay were met.Those interviewed by Capital News said they were disappointed “because the management had resorted to using the police to intimidate and us to go to work.”They added: “There are people who have been forced to work for extra hours yet they are not supposed to be working. It is unfair,” one of the striking workers said.The workers who were in their uniforms said they were only willing to resume duty if the matter was resolved in line with their demands.The workers could be seen celebrating whenever they received reports that a KQ flight at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) had been cancelled.They sang songs and some could be seen hugging each other in unison as they noted the success of their strike action.“You see, the strike is causing an impact and that is what we wanted. KQ management must understand that times are changing and we need a pay increase. Not peanuts,” another worker who said he was a flight engineer said.But the management of Kenya Airways put on a brave face in the midst of the strike, claiming that the flight disruptions were not as a result of the boycott but normal operational hitches.Kenya Airways Managing Director Titus Naikuni said at a press briefing that “all is well at the airline.”“The situation as of midnight was that there was some disruption at the airport. However some of our flights were able to take off albeit with some delay,” he said.Mr Naikuni said some flights especially on the Kigali and Johannesburg routes had been cancelled but was optimistic the situation would normalise later in the day.“The position with Johannesburg is that we have had to cancel one flight because of low passenger numbers, but we will combine them with those leaving with the later flight, so we don’t see any problem there,” Mr Naikuni said.When Capital News visited the Kenya Airways offices at JKIA activities were slow and only a few staff were seen working.Cabinet Minister Amason Kingi of the East Africa Community was among passengers who said they had been inconvenienced by strike.The Minister told Capital News he was travelling to Mombasa to join President Mwai Kibaki but had to use an alternative airline.“We are going for the engagement between parliamentarians and the private sector in South Coast. The President has already opened this session today (Friday) and I was rushing to join my colleagues. KQ apparently has its problems,” he said.“I called KQ about twice and the second person told me that if they get crew then the flight will be on. If they don’t then the flight is not leaving. It is really disappointing,” he added.Mr Kingi urged the KQ management to “urgently resolve the crisis” because “it is not only Kenyans who are going to suffer.”“Kenya Airways is a Kenyan brand therefore, if this is how things are going to be, then as a country our image is also going to be put in jeopardy,” the Minister said.Kenya Airways on Tuesday obtained a court order barring any of its employees from taking part in the planned strike but the strike notice expired at midnight on Thursday.At least three people including Jimmy Masege the AAWU Secretary General were arrested over the outlawed strike.Mr Naikuni maintained they would assess the situation case-by-case before determining what course of action to take.“I understand that some staff had been arrested this morning (Friday) but I can’t promise that I will intervene until I know the facts because they could have been arrested for reasons that are out of my control,” he said.Mr Naikuni refuted allegations he had influenced the arrests saying: “The law of the land is governed by the government and I am not the government.”Sources said Mr Masege was arrested when he convened an illegal meeting at the airport to mobilise disgruntled staff members for the strike.Mr Masege had on Thursday held a daylong meeting with the KQ staff, and vowed to push on with the strike despite the court injunction outlawing the strike.During the meeting he accused the management of Kenya Airways for failing to listen to the pleas of employees to review their salaries which they felt was biased compared to theirs. The two groups are expected to meet at the industrial court on Monday August 17.
Source:jfm

Ghana's Envoy in Guinea Attacked

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has condemned the unprovoked attack on the Ambassador of Ghana to Guinea by armed elements of the Guinean security forces last week.A statement by ECOWAS Commission expressed dismay on the assault on a diplomat in complete contravention of all accepted principles and norms regarding the obligation of governments to ensure the safety and security of diplomatic personnel.It added that the act is repugnant and coming few weeks after the assault on Gen. Toto Camara, the Vice President of the ruling junta, and the National Council for Development and Democracy (CNDD)."These acts, coupled with the frequent brutalities against civilians, businesses and dissenting voices, are obviously signs of the worsening state of indiscipline and impunity, as well as the absence of command and control within the security forces of Guinea" it stated. It added that there is need to restore constitutional and democratic governance in Guinea without further delay. "The Commission further urges the Guinean authorities to take appropriate steps to fish out and severely punish the perpetrators of this act in order to reassure the international community of its commitment to the rule of law and as a deterrent" it stated.ECOWAS also urged CNDD to announce dates for the conduct of elections before the end of 2009 as agreed by all stakeholders, "so that Guinea can return to civilian rule when the rule of law and respect for human rights can be guaranteed".
Source:GHP

Michael Douglas' son arrested on drug charge

Michael Douglas's son Cameron Douglas has been arrested in New York on a drug charge, according to reports.

Cameron Douglas, left, attended the "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" premiere in April with his father, Michael.

Douglas, 30, was arrested at the Hotel Gansevoort in Manhattan and faces a methamphetamine-dealing charge, according to the Associated Press.
Michael Douglas was out of the country and unavailable for comment. His longtime rep declined to comment to PEOPLE.

Source:CNN.com

Steps needed to strengthen benefits, reduce problems of large global flows-UNCTAD

Rising unemployment as the global recession worsens is damping flows of migrant workers and many are returning to their home countries, experts said at a one-day meeting on "the contribution of migrants to development."

But steps taken nationally and internationally could stem these economic and personal losses and labour migration could function as a "tool" for recovering from the worldwide financial crisis, high-level officials on migration and economic development issues said.

"The crisis will be impacting quite significantly on the flow of migrants, especially in terms of unemployment," UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi told the opening session of the meeting.
He said global unemployment will continue to worsen this year, with an estimated 60 million put out of work by end of 2009. That would bring total unemployment caused by the worldwide recession to an estimated 240 million.

Sectors affected by significant job losses include some that employ numerous migrants, such as construction and manufacturing, Mr. Supachai said. For women, the impact will likely be felt in declining employment in health care, education, and domestic services.

Mr. Supachai said there is a "great need" for multilateral agreements, including through the World Trade Organization General Agreement on Trade in Services, and a need for partnerships and "diaspora networking" not just to regulate migration fairly and humanely but to harness migration for development, and to ensure that knowledge and technology and “circular migration” help to advance the economies of the sending countries, and to avoid the negative effects of the so-called brain drain on such countries.

Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN/DESA), said current trends indicate that the total number of international migrants could reach 214 million by 2010.
But he said that excluding refugees, there has been a deceleration in the growth of the number of migrants in recent years, and high unemployment will likely dampen future migration flows. It also appears that the growing feminization of the international migrant stock -- a trend apparent over some years -- has ceased, and the proportion of women among migrants has declined slightly.

William Swing, Director-General of the International Organization for Migration, said the flow of labour is a “neglected element” of the globalization process. There are many agreements dealing with free flows of money, investment, and goods, he said, "but migration policies haven't kept pace. And migration today is overwhelmingly about labour mobility.

"Legal migration channels are inadequate," Mr. Swing told the meeting, "and that opens doors of opportunity for those who traffic in human beings." Meanwhile, "remittances are falling, jobs are being lost, and we fear that levels of ODA (official development assistance) and FDI (foreign direct investment) may decline. Remittances may drop by 9% in the current year."

And Marielza Oliveira, Associate Director of the Governance Unit of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and Chair of the Global Migration Group, said migration has social, economic, and environmental impacts and affects such concerns as security, social cohesion, and many aspects of human development. There is a "win-win potential" to effectively linking migration and development, she said, "but enhanced dialogue and the sharing of ideas and practices" is vital, especially in times of crisis.

Topics discussed over the course of the day included "migration trends and the impact of the economic crisis;" "trade, investment, and development linkages;" and "policy frameworks to enhance migrants' contributions to development."

The one-day meeting results from decisions at the 2008 UNCTAD XII quadrennial conference that the organization should "conduct research and analysis on the potential benefits and opportunities of trade, investment and developmental links between migrants' countries of origin and their communities abroad;" and that UNCTAD should "analyze the potential of migrants' remittances to contribute to development."

Source: UNCTAD PRESS

CNN MULTICHOICE AFRICAN JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR AWARDS SET FOR SATURDAY

Africa and the rest of the world will on Saturday witness another eventful happening as Africa’s best and top journalists gather in the city of Durban in South Africa for the 14th annual CNN MultiChoice African Journalist of the Year Awards.
This year has seen a steady, remarkable improvement in the overall quality of the entries. 836 entries came from across the continent including French and Portuguese speaking Africa all with very compelling stories, well told and reported. This gave the judging panel a difficult task in deciding who becomes the best and the overall award winner. Before the gala awards night on Saturday, the finalists from 12 countries are expected to arrive in Durban on Wednesday for various activities including seminars, workshops and sightseeing.
Last year’s awards held in Accra had Israel Laryea of Joy FM and Emmanuel Nkrumah of the Daily Graphic in the finalists. Israel Laryea made Ghana roar with pride and joy when he emerged winner of the best radio report category award. Anas Aremeyaw Anas, from the Crusading Guide Newspaper is the only Ghanaian among this year’s finalists. Ghanaians, in spite of the rather low turnout in the finalists are very expectant, even pitching their hopes to the overall awards with the belief and pride that, Anas is certainly one of the finest journalists in Africa. His recent mention by President Barack Obama during his historic visit to Ghana gives the young investigative journalist a lot of international recognition.
“I was very happy and humbled when President Obama mentioned Mr. Anas as one of the young people fighting a worthy cause on the continent. It gives me a lot of hope that whatever we do with passion, commitment and professionalism, we certainly will get results and some recognition someday” said Edward Boateng, co-founder of the awards.
The winners of the competition will be announced at an Award Ceremony and Gala Evening at The International Convention Centre, Durban, South Africa on Saturday 18th July. The hosts for the evening will be Isha Sesay, presenter of CNN weekly programme ‘Inside Africa’, joined on stage by South African eNews Channel presenter Macfarlane Molele.
These year’s finalists include the following journalists
· Ayodeji Adeyemi, TELL Magazine, Nigeria
· Biaou Daniel Valérien Adje, ORTB - Parakou, Benin
· Anas Aremeyaw Anas, The Crusading Guide, Ghana
· Rajen Bablee, Samedi Plus, Mauritius
·Ernesto Bartolomeu, TPA, Angola
·Nicola De Chaud, Backyard Productions for Carte Blanche, South Africa
·Ethar El-Katatney, Business Today Egypt
·Hazel Friedman, Special Assignment, SABC, South Africa
·Halden Krog, The Times, South Africa
·Anna-Maria Lombard, Health-e News Service for 3rd Degree e.tv, South Africa
·Paul McNally, Men's Health Magazine, South Africa
·James Moturi Mogaka, KTN, Kenya
· Fredrick Mugira, Freelance for Mail & Guardian online http://www.mg.co.za/, Uganda
· Sammy Muraya, Metro FM, Kenya
· Boniface Mwangi, Expression Today, Kenya
· John Benson Mwangi, KTN, Kenya
· John-Allan Namu, KTN, Kenya
· Elshadai Negash, Freelance for Fortune Newspaper, Ethiopia
· Luís Nhachote, Zambeze, Mozambique
· Tolu Ogunlesi, Contributing Editor for Glide Magazine, Nigeria
· Violet Otindo, K24 Television, Kenya
· Odette Schwegler, Backyard Productions for Carte Blanche, South Africa
· Viviane Tiendrébéogo, Radiodiffusion Télévision du Burkina Faso
· Beauregard Tromp, The Star, South Africa
·Alain Zongo, L'Observateur Paalga, Burkina Faso

About the award:
The CNN African Journalist of the Year Award was founded in 1995 by Edward Boateng, Executive Chairman of Global Media Alliance ( and formerly African Regional Director for Turner Broadcasting System Inc., CNN’s parent company) and the late Mohamed Amin, to recognise and encourage excellence in journalism throughout Africa.
Entries were published or broadcast in 2008 for the following awards:
Arts & Culture: Economics and Business: Environment: Free Press Africa; HIV/AIDS Reporting; MSD Health & Medical: Mohamed Amin Photographic; Print General News; Radio General News; Sport; Television Features; Television News Bulletin; Tourism; Francophone General News; Portuguese Language General News

Contact Brooke Nuwati: +233 244 987 121/ bnuwati@gmaworld.com

Source: Global Media Alliance

Ghana – Africa’s Best State

Somalia worst state, Norway worlds best It’s official Ghana is the best country in Africa.

Ghana is ranked the 53rd most failed state in the world and the least failed state in Africa by the Foreign Policy's online annual index released last Wednesday. The placement is an improvement from last year's ranking.
Out of the 15 most failed nations surveyed, ten were African nations. These include Somalia (1st), Zimbabwe (2nd), Sudan (3rd), Chad (4th), Dem. Rep. of Congo (5th), Central African Republic (8th), Guinea (9th), Ivory Coast (11th), Kenya (14th), and Nigeria (15th).
The best five nations, which were described as having the most sustainable state include Norway (177), Finland (176), Sweden (175), Switzerland (174), and Ireland (173).
Ghana emerged the best state in Africa, ranked 124 and classified as moderate state, while USA was 159th and UK 161 on the survey list.
The newly released Failed State Index 2009 was published by the United States think-tank and an independent research organisation, the Fund for Peace, and the magazine Foreign Policy. It ranked 177 countries according to their potential for failure, which was based on the totals of 12 scores for factors of state stability. Each factor received a rating of 1 to 10, 10 being the least stable. Ghana's total score was 66.2
The index's ranks are based on twelve indicators of state vulnerability - four social, two economic and six political. The indicators are not designed to forecast when states may experience violence or collapse. Instead, they are meant to measure a state's vulnerability to collapse or conflict
The Crisis States Research Centre defines a “failed state” as a condition of “state collapse” – i.e., a state that can no longer perform its basic security and development functions and that has no effective control over its territory. The Index used 12 indicators of state cohesion and performance, compiled through a close examination of more than 30,000 publicly available sources.The survey also ranked 177 states in order from most to least at risk of failure. The 60 most vulnerable states are listed in the rankings. The list only assesses sovereign states (determined by membership in the United Nations.) Several territories are excluded until their political status and UN membership is ratified in international law.For example, Taiwan, the Palestinian Territories, Northern Cyprus, Kosovo, and Western Sahara are not included in the list, even though some are recognized as sovereign states by some nations. Ranking is based on the total scores of the 12 indicators. For each indicator, the ratings are placed on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being the lowest intensity (most stable) and 10 being the highest intensity (least stable). The total score is the sum of the 12 indicators and is on a scale of 0-120. The applied indicators include demographic pressures; massive movement of refugees and internally displaced peoples; legacy of vengeance-seeking group grievance; chronic and sustained human flight; uneven economic development along group lines; and sharp and/or severe economic decline. Others are criminalisation and/or delegitimisation of the state; progressive deterioration of public services; widespread violation of human rights; security apparatus as ‘state within a state’; rise of factionalised elites; and intervention of other states or external factors. “It is a sobering time for the world’s most fragile countries—virulent economic crisis, countless natural disasters, and government collapse.
Source:GHP

Ghana Mixed Up In British Bribery Probe

Mabey and Johnson, a UK based company, has pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates Court in London, UK, to ten charges of corruption relating to contracts in Ghana, Jamaica and Iraq between 1993 and 2001.
The international bridge building firm is accused of seeking to corruptly influence politicians and officials in Ghana between 1994 and 1999 to land build-bridging contracts.
The Reading-based firm says it is not prepared at this time to divulge any names of Ghanaian officials it tried to influence
A check with the Westminster Crown Court, where the case was heard last Friday, revealed that even then there had been no name dropping.
The prosecution for corruption arose from the company's voluntary disclosure to the British Serious Fraud Office(SFO} of evidence to indicate that the company had sought to influence decision-makers in public contracts in Jamaica and Ghana by bribing them.The successful prosecution is the first of its kind against a UK company operating overseas.The temporary steel bridge manufacturer's guilty plea follows voluntary disclosure to the UK's SFO in 2008 after an internal investigation uncovered evidence of corruption.The UK's Financial Times said that Mabey's prosecution comes after years of attacks on London for its alleged hypocrisy in criticising poor countries over corruption, while failing to tackle the British companies and managers that feed it by paying bribes to win contracts.The Jamaican minister State Minister in the Ministry of Transport and Works has resigned as a result of this case.Five of Mabey & Johnson's eight directors have stepped down in the midst of the corruption saga and new management installed.The case will continue to be heard at the Southwark Crown Court this Friday, 17th July.
Source:GHP

Shooting unveils very different sides of McNair

Steve McNair earned the respect of his fellow NFL players for shaking off defenders and injuries. That same blue-collar playing style won the love of fans amazed at how the quarterback kept showing up for work—and winning.
He endeared himself more with his charity work. Not just from the checks he handed out, but for throwing himself into the efforts, like he did when loading boxes onto tractor-trailers bound for Hurricane Katrina victims.
Publicly, McNair was a happily married man and proud father of four sons who split his time between his Mississippi farm and a home in Music City, where celebrities are cherished, not hassled.
But when he was found shot to death on the Fourth of July with his 20-year-old girlfriend dead nearby, a darker side of his private life was suddenly thrust into the spotlight.
“People have certain things that they do in life,” said McNair’s longtime friend Robert Gaddy, who called 911. “We don’t need to look on the situation at this time (but) on the fact we just lost a great member of society.”
Even McNair’s longtime agent said he didn’t know about the former quarterback’s relationship with Saleh Kazemi until news broke of the deaths. Now police call McNair the victim of homicide, though they aren’t yet ready to label Kazemi’s death a suicide despite her single bullet wound to the head.
“As good as he was on the football field, that couldn’t touch the person,” agent Bus Cook said Sunday, still shaken by McNair’s death. “I mean it just couldn’t.”
Hints of a problem with alcohol surfaced in May 2003 when a Nashville cop pulled McNair over on suspicion of drunk driving. Police said the quarterback’s blood alcohol content was .18 percent—well over Tennessee’s legal limit. He also was charged for having a 9mm weapon with him, but all the charges were later dropped.
McNair was charged with drunken driving in 2007 because he let his brother-in-law drive his pickup truck. Those charges were later dropped when the DUI charge against the brother-in-law was reduced to reckless driving.
And McNair could have been charged again Thursday night when the same officer who arrested him in 2003 stopped a 2007 Cadillac Escalade driven by Kazemi and registered to both her and McNair. Kazemi was arrested on a DUI charge, and he was allowed to leave in a taxi.
Dr. Sherry Blake, a clinical psychologist who practices in the Atlanta area, has counseled athletes and entertainers about the temptations of easy drugs, alcohol and women. She talked Sunday about the challenges even for those with strong family ties, though not about the McNair case specifically.
“Individuals can’t get enough of the limelight. It’s easy to have people telling you how great and wonderful you are rather than otherwise,” Blake said.
“The sad part is many times the public likes to be close to you not because of who you are but what you do.”
Police labeled his death homicide Sunday, revealing McNair had been shot four times—twice in the head, twice in the chest when found in a rented condominium he shared with a longtime friend, Walter Neeley. Police found a semiautomatic pistol under Kazemi’s body.
But police spokesman Don Aaron said they were reviewing every possibility, interviewing friends of both and an ex-boyfriend before labeling Kazemi’s death. On the football field, he simply was “Air McNair,” a winner.
McNair still holds the NCAA’s Football Championship Series (formerly Division I-AA) records for career yards passing (14,496) and total offense (16,823) from his days at tiny Alcorn State in Mississippi.
He played 13 NFL seasons starting with the then-Houston Oilers, led Tennessee to its famous last-second 2000 Super Bowl loss to the St. Louis Rams. He ended his career in Baltimore last season, after being traded away by the Titans after they drafted Vince Young(notes) as a replacement to the aching and expensive veteran
A four-time Pro Bowler, he shared the NFL’s MVP award with Peyton Manning(notes) in 2003.
“Many of our defensive players talked about what a huge challenge it was playing against him,” Manning said in a statement. “He and I had some great battles against each other.”
McNair never acknowledged any of his numerous injuries on the field, even in one game when the painkilling shot wore off before he drove the Titans to a touchdown and ran in for the tYoung called McNair, a father figure since Young was a teenager, “Pops.”
“I hear his advice in my head with everything I do. Life will be very different without him,” Young said in a statement.
McNair’s friends want the quarterback to be remembered for his generosity. He gave away turkeys and checks in Tennessee, toys in Baltimore and paid for three football camps himself this year. Cook talked to someone Saturday who saw McNair cleaning up the field after one camp at Southern Mississippi.
“That was Steve McNair. That’s who he is. And who he was,” an emotional Cook recalled.
Cook described Mechelle, who married McNair in 1997, as “very upset, very distraught.” Funeral arrangements could be completed Monday with some of McNair’s family coming to Nashville to assist planning.
McNair met Kazemi at the Dave & Buster’s restaurant where she worked as a server and where when his family ate often. The two began dating a few months ago in a relationship that included a vacation with parasailing. Photos posted on TMZ.com showed McNair gazing and smiling at the young Kazemi.
ying 2-point conversion. Then he led them to the winning field goal. “She pretty obviously got mixed up way over her head with folks,” said Reagan Howard, a neighbor of Kazemi’s.
A man who answered the door at a house in the Jacksonville, Fla., suburb of Orange Park said it was the home of Kazemi’s family, but said her relatives did not want to comment.
“We don’t have anything to say, please leave us alone,” he said.
The victim’s sister, Soheyla Kazemi, told the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville that the young woman had expected McNair to get a divorce. “She said they were planning to get married.”
Nashville courts had no record of a McNair divorce case, but a home he owned in Nashville is on the market for $3 million.
The real estate agent declined to comment. Her online listing for property described it as a “gigantic house” of more than 14,000 square feet and photos showed a pool, home theater, baby grand piano and ornate furnishings throughout.
Kimberly Hardy visited a restaurant McNair recently opened near Tennessee State University to provide healthy, affordable food for college students. The Nashville woman said McNair had been nice to her the handful of times she met him. She said she hated what had happened to him.
“But I do think that all the greatness he accomplished will endure forever,” Hardy said.
Associated Press writers contributing to this report include: Ron Word in Jacksonville, Fla., Travis Loller, Lucas L. Johnson II and Joe Edwards in Nashville.

Source:Yahoonews

Michael Jackson: 1958-2009:-Complete Coverage

He was lauded and ridiculed. He broke down barriers and built them around himself. He soared to heights unimaginable with his music, and he made the ignominious front page of gutter tabloids worldwide. For Michael Jackson, the spotlight was always present, and the rest of the world followed. From the time he was a child, it was obvious Michael Jackson was something special. He and his brothers shot to stardom as the Jackson 5 in the 1970s. But it was in the 1980s, when Jackson became a worldwide phenomenon, that his impact really began to be felt. Pop music went into a Jackson era. From the elegant ballads to the down-and-dirty grooves and ecstatic dance hits, he dominated the music world. "Billie Jean," "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin,'" "Bad," "Man in the Mirror," "Beat It," "P.Y.T." His album "Thriller" had nine songs; seven of them became hit singles. He became much imitated, from his hair to his clothes to his dance moves. Jackson was also a fashion icon, his heavily zippered leather jackets a de rigueur 1980s fashion accessory, his single, spangled glove beyond compare. Then rumors began, from his pets to his sleeping habits to his cosmetic surgery. Add to that child-abuse allegations and financial troubles, all fodder for the press. He was treated as a traveling circus. But he kept many fans. His death at age 50 prompted many of them to pour out their grief through music and dance, impromptu shrines at symbolic locations and heartfelt remembrances. "This is a very sad day,"sobbed CNN iReporter Melissa Fazli. A fan outside Grauman's Chinese Theater in California called Jackson an innovator. "He's basically an icon in his own time -- legendary ... I'm still mourning, and at the same time missing him. It's a little bit much to bear."

Source:CNN.com

Jackson's will cuts out ex-wife Debbie Rowe

Michael Jackson's 7-year-old will was filed Wednesday in a Los Angeles court, giving his entire estate to a family trust and cutting out his former wife Debbie Rowe.
The will, dated July 7, 2002, estimated his estate at that time at more than $500 million.
It names his mother, Katherine Jackson, as a beneficiary of the trust and the guardian of Jackson's children, who are named in the will.
It also names entertainer Diana Ross as a successor guardian for the children and their estates if something happens to Katherine Jackson.
Ross introduced the Jackson 5 on the Ed Sullivan Show in the late 1960s and was instrumental in launching their career. She was a lifelong friend of Michael Jackson.
Meanwhile, a person familiar with the situation said no public Jackson memorial was planned for Neverland.
Santa Barbara officials had discussed the possibility a memorial or public viewing could occur Thursday.But the person, who is not authorized to speak for the family and requested anonymity, said nothing was planned for Neverland at least through Friday. The source said it appears more likely a funeral and burial will take place in Los Angeles. The family has the final say.
The person says billionaire Thomas Barrack, who owns Neverland in a joint venture with Jackson, sought an exemption to bury the singer at the ranch. But the person says it's a complicated process and it couldn't be done for a burial this week.
The will gives the entire estate to the Michael Jackson Family Trust. Details of the trust will not be made public.
The documents said Jackson's estate consisted almost entirely of "non-cash, non-liquid assets, including primarily an interest in a catalog of music royalty rights which is currently being administered by Sony ATV, and the interests of various entities."
One of Jackson's most lucrative assets is his stake in the massive Sony-ATV Music Publishing Catalog, which includes music by the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, Lady Gaga and the Jonas Brothers, and is estimated to be worth as much as $2 billion.
Jackson's longtime lawyer John Branca and John McClain, a music executive and a family friend, are named in the will as co-executors.
In a statement, Branca and McClain said: "The most important element of Michael's will is his unwavering desire that his mother, Katherine, become the legal guardian for his three children. As we work to carry out Michael's instructions to safeguard both the future of his children as well as the remarkable legacy he left us as an artist we ask that all matters involving his estate be handled with the dignity and the respect that Michael and his family deserve."
The five-page will is signed by Jackson, and each paragraph includes Jackson's scrawling initials.
Jackson, who died Thursday at age 50, left behind three children: son Michael Joseph Jr., known as Prince Michael, 12; daughter Paris Michael Katherine, 11; and son Prince Michael II, 7. Rowe was the mother of the two oldest children; the youngest was born to a surrogate mother, who has never been identified.
Katherine Jackson was granted temporary guardianship Monday of Jackson's three children. A judge held off on requests to control the children's estates, and gave her limited control over her son's property.
Rowe, who was married to Jackson in 1996 and filed for divorce three years later, surrendered her parental rights. An appeals court later found that was done in error, and Rowe and Jackson entered an out-of-court settlement in 2006.
Neither Rowe nor her attorneys have indicated whether she intends to seek custody of the two oldest children.
Funeral plans have not yet been announced.
On Tuesday, heavy construction equipment and workers passed through the gates of Neverland Ranch, fueling speculation that it could soon be hosting Jackson's funeral or even a permanent memorial.
Groups of gardeners and florists bearing huge wreaths were also spotted on the 2,500-acre Santa Barbara County property about 120 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
Members of Jackson's family met Tuesday with officials from the Los Angeles police and California Highway Patrol about funeral services. But "details are still pending," according to Fran Clader, a spokeswoman for the patrol. The patrol would need to be consulted if the body was moved from Los Angeles to Neverland.
It was unclear whether Jackson could be legally buried at the ranch. The state's health and safety code makes interring any uncremated remains outside of a cemetery a misdemeanor. Cremated remains can be kept in a home or private mausoleum outside a cemetery.

source:Yahoo news

Pop star's family wants answers, Jesse Jackson says

Michael Jackson's family suspects that the singer's personal doctor, Conrad Murray, knows more about Jackson's death, but they have been unable to contact him, the Rev. Jesse Jackson told CNN on Saturday.The parents need to know what happened in the last hours of their son's life, according to Jesse Jackson, a civil rights activist and Baptist minister unrelated to Michael Jackson.
Murray is believed to be the last person to see Michael Jackson alive.
"The routine inquiry is now an investigation," Jesse Jackson said. "They [the Jacksons] didn't know the doctor. ... He should have met with the family, given them comfort on the last hours of their son."
Police, who met briefly with Murray after the singer's death, have been able to reach him and are trying to set up an interview, Los Angeles Deputy Police Chief Charlie Beck told the Los Angeles Times on Friday. Police said the doctor has been fully cooperative.
Detectives impounded Murray's car, which was parked at the singer's rented home, because it may contain evidence related to Michael Jackson's death.
Police have released no information on what they may have found.
Michael Jackson died Thursday, and an autopsy was performed the following day. The body was taken to an undisclosed mortuary Friday night.A spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner's office told reporters Friday that more tests must be conducted before a cause of death can be determined. That could take four to six weeks. Jesse Jackson visited the family compound in Encino, California, on Friday.
"I talked with Mrs. Jackson and with the father, Joe, and she could not fight back the tears. She said, 'My baby is gone. Michael was such a good son. I loved him so much. I miss my baby.'"

The family wants to hear Murray's account of what happened, but they can't locate him, Jesse Jackson said.
"The doctor's bizarre behavior here is creating all these suspicions," he said. There are lingering questions, such as: 'How long had he stopped breathing? How long had he been unconscious?'"
He said the family may decide to pursue its own inquiry.
"At this point it [the investigation] is very incomplete," he said. "... They need an independent autopsy to get even more answers to questions that are now being driven by the gap between when Michael was last seen alive and [when] he was pronounced dead day before yesterday."
The possibility that Michael Jackson was taking medication that could have contributed to his death at age 50 weighs heavily on people close to the star.
In 2005, after he was cleared on charges of child molestation, Jackson spent a week at a center run by Dr. Deepak Chopra, a physician who focuses on spirituality and the mind-body connection.
During that week, the pop star asked Chopra for a prescription for a narcotic, the doctor told CNN.
"I said, 'What the heck do you want a narcotic prescription for?'" Chopra said. "And it suddenly dawned on me that he was probably taking these and that he had probably a number of doctors who were giving him these prescriptions, so I confronted him with that. At first, he denied it. Then, he said he was in a lot of pain."
Chopra said he told Jackson that there were plenty of other ways to handle his pain, but that Jackson was not convinced.
He blamed Jackson's death on drug abuse, though he offered no direct evidence.
"When you have enough drugs in your system, your heart goes into an arrhythmia and your respiration stops," he said. "I think the drugs killed him."
Brian Oxman, a former lawyer for the Jackson family who was in the emergency room Thursday, also expressed concern about medications the pop star was taking.
"I talked to this family about it, I warned them -- I said that Michael is overmedicating and that I did not want to see this kind of a case develop," Oxman told CNN's "American Morning" on Friday.
He referred to Anna Nicole Smith, the former model and reality television star who died of an overdose in 2007.
"I said, 'If that's what's going to happen to Michael, it's all going to break our hearts.' And my worst fears are here," he said.
Oxman emphasized that he did not know what killed Jackson, and was not making accusations against anyone.
Jackson was in cardiac arrest when paramedics took him Thursday from his home to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where the music idol was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. (5:26 p.m. ET).
In a 911 call released Friday, an unidentified caller told a dispatcher to send help. He told the dispatcher that Jackson was not breathing and Jackson's doctor was performing CPR on a bed.

Jackson had been preparing for a comeback tour -- aimed at extending his legendary career and helping him to pay off hundreds of millions of dollars in debt.
Jackson is survived by his three children, Prince Michael I, Paris and Prince Michael II.

Source:CNN