Etana prepares for Europe

AFTER an outstanding performance at last weekend’s Rebel Salute concert, Etana is now gearing up for a European tour based on the strength of her Billboard chart-topping album, I Rise.

The 31-year-old kicks off her tour on January 29 in Belgium and will go through several countries before climaxing on February 22 in Stuttgart, Germany.

Released in 2014, I Rise marked the first time in 17 years that a Jamaican female reggae artiste has topped Billboard’s Reggae album chart.

“It [the album] was a great showing. It topped the album charts for four weeks, and then when I went on a US tour, it jumped once again and topped the chart for three weeks, so it shows that my brand is very strong in the reggae world,” said Etana.

The Clive Hunt-produced album is Etana’s fourth entry on the album chart. The last time a Jamaican female reggae artiste topped the chart was 1997 with Diana King’s Think like a Girl.

Etana, whose given name is Shauna McKenzie, released her debut album The Strong One in June 2008. Her other sets include Free Expressions (2011) and Better Tomorrow (2013).

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Etana prepares for Europe

Europe, others weigh risks

CASABLANCA, Morocco (AP) — After seven months in Ebola-stricken Liberia, Vijay Kumar was getting his temperature scanned yesterday at the airport by medical crews in blue gowns and masks — one of dozens who relied on Royal Air Maroc’s continuing flights to West Africa.

“Of course we are all scared,” the cellphone worker said as he and dozens of passengers made their way through the international airport in Casablanca, Morocco. But “we really appreciate their procedures, it’s a good system”.

He was finally heading home to Chennai, India, relieved that there were still flights operating, after British Airways and Emirates suspended travel to the region. Airlines from Morocco, France and Belgium are still flying in and out of West Africa, encouraged by the World Health Organisation, because stopping would keep out needed aid workers and supplies — and wouldn’t necessarily halt the spread of the disease.

It can take up to 21 days before a person infected with Ebola starts to show symptoms that can be found in airport screening tests. During that period, an individual carrying Ebola can get a flight to anywhere in the world and fall ill later — as happened with a Liberian man who developed Ebola and died in the US this week.

Departing passengers in Africa are being screened. US officials have started screening arrivals from the affected countries as well. European governments so far have held off, even though it’s conceded infected passengers could arrive undetected. If someone gets sick in Europe, they are hoping to focus on quick response in advanced isolation wards like the one at Frankfurt, Germany’s University Clinic — not far from its international airport.

As a major hub for travel to West Africa, Casablanca airport functions as a gateway to the rest of the world. Yesterday morning’s arrivals board included flights from the Ebola-hit cities of Monrovia, Liberia and Freetown, Sierra Leone, among others. Besides Royal Air Maroc, Air France and Brussels Air also still fly to and from West Africa.

Travel bans aren’t the way to go, says a top WHO official.

“You can stop a direct flight, but you can never stop people from moving,” either by connecting through other cities or crossing land borders, said Dr Isabelle Nuttal from the World Health Organisation.

The UN health agency is not asking countries to have people screened when they arrive on a flight. Nuttal warned that on-arrival screening could lead to a false sense of security, when the key step is that doctors “need to ask people where they have been”.

She cited the case of Thomas Eric Duncan, who died Wednesday in Dallas. He passed an airport screening at Monrovia before he flew to Brussels and on to the US because he was not yet showing symptoms. When he did fall ill, he was sent home by a Dallas hospital at first.

Ilham Kazzini, senior vice-president with government-owned Royal Air Maroc, said the company is still flying to West Africa because Morocco has an official policy of solidarity with the region.

“It also is in response to the calls by international organisations fighting against Ebola, like the UN and WHO, who called on the company to maintain its flights as the best way to fight the disease,” she said. “We transport members of international organisations, food and medical aid.”

As the passengers lined up in Casablanca to be scanned by thermal cameras and checked by remote thermometers, they expressed relief that there were still flights. Passengers from West Africa who stay in the country have to give the police contact details, travel plans and are handed a free mobile phone to stay in touch with medical officials.

Passenger John Hyland, who had visited Sierra Leone on a mission for Virginia-based Project Hope, emphasised the importance of not cutting West Africa off from the rest of the world.

“These countries need foodstuffs and all the things they usually import,” he said. “If Air Maroc can fly there, why not British Air?”

The airport’s chief medical officer, Mohammed Moussif, said they had yet to discover a case of Ebola in months of screenings, but travellers staying in the country must remain in contact.

“By default, we consider all of them to be in the phase of incubation and they are followed up with by a medical team no matter where they are in Morocco, in the north or south, until the end of the incubation period,” Moussif said.

US officials say exit screening of about 36,000 people attempting to board airplanes in West Africa showed 74 had a fever and three others had some other symptom that led to them being pulled out of line. That’s roughly one in 500 people. None are believed to have had Ebola.

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Europe, others weigh risks

From top to bottom, Europe the best in Ryder Cup as Americans bicker

Phil Mickelson of the US speaks during a press conference after Europe won the 2014 Ryder Cup golf tournament at Gleneagles, Scotland, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (The Associated Press)

Europe’s Rory McIlroy celebrates winning his match against Rickie Fowler of the US on the 14th hole during the singles match on the final day of the Ryder Cup golf tournament, at Gleneagles, Scotland, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) (The Associated Press) Europe’s Graeme McDowell celebrates on the 17th green after winning his singles match against Jordan Spieth of the US on the final day of the Ryder Cup golf tournament, at Gleneagles, Scotland, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell) (The Associated Press) Europe’s Jamie Donaldson holds up the trophy as the team celebrate winning the 2014 Ryder Cup golf tournament at Gleneagles, Scotland, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell) (The Associated Press) Jordan Spieth of the US look at his ball on the 2nd green from a bunker during the singles match on the final day of the Ryder Cup golf tournament, at Gleneagles, Scotland, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) (The Associated Press)

GLENEAGLES, Scotland –  Tom Watson walked over to congratulate Jamie Donaldson for the shot of his life, a shot that ended the Ryder Cup. He walked up the 15th fairway at Gleneagles with his arm around European captain Paul McGinley even before the final match was conceded to secure another win for Europe.

Europe left no doubt who had the best team, if not the best players.

This Ryder Cup provided a real surprise — but only after it was over. The strongest opponent Watson faced Sunday might have been one of his own players.

Just as the European party was getting started, Phil Mickelson took a not-so-subtle dig at Watson — with the U.S. captain just six seats away on the dais — by questioning why the Americans have strayed from a winning formula in which the players were more involved.

Mickelson praised Paul Azinger’s captaincy in 2008 — the only U.S. victory in the last 15 years — for creating a “pod” system in which players felt invested in every aspect of the team.

“Nobody here was in any decision,” Mickelson said, which no doubt included Watson’s decision to bench Lefty for both sessions on Saturday when Europe built a lead that was too much for this American team to overcome.

Watson stared blankly as Mickelson spoke. When asked to respond, he was just as even in speech as Mickelson was in the back-handed criticism.

“I had a different philosophy as far as being a captain of this team,” Watson said. “It takes 12 players to win. It’s not pods. It’s 12 players.”

Watson said there would be room for second-guessing — every losing captain goes through that.

“The bottom line is they kicked our butts,” Watson said.

Even amid the American bickering, there was no doubting that.

The score — Europe 16 1/2, United States 11 1/2 — was reflective of that. And so was the way Europe completed its eighth Ryder Cup victory over the last 10 times.

It began with Rory McIlroy, the best player in the world producing a brand of golf that showed clearly why he won the last two majors. He was 6-under par in his opening six holes to build a 5-up lead over Rickie Fowler, the first point for Europe.

Whatever hopes the Americans had building momentum was put to rest by Graeme McDowell and Justin Rose, both of whom overcame big deficits with rallies that made the outcome inevitable.

And then there was Donaldson, the 38-year-old Ryder Cup rookie for Wales. Donaldson secured a tie when he was 4 up with four holes to play against Keegan Bradley. And then he gave this European performance the finish it deserved. Donaldson hit 9-iron from 146 yards onto the green at No. 15, and the ball kept rolling toward the flag until it settled about 18 inches away.

Watson knew it was over and shook hands with Donaldson.

Bradley walked onto the front of the green, saw the ball next to the hole and removed his cap. It was over.

“It came down to me to close it out,” Donaldson said. “But it’s all about the team.”

The PGA of America brought Watson back as captain — at 65, the oldest in Ryder Cup history — hopeful that he could repeat some history of his own. Watson was the last U.S. captain to win a Ryder Cup on European soil.

That one ended with Davis Love III — in his first Ryder Cup — clinching the cup for the Americans by raising his hands in the air. This one ended badly for the Americans, in a conference room instead of on the course.

Watson said he had a pit in his stomach watching the Americans blow a 10-6 lead at Medinah two years ago. The difference as captain?

“Not a damn thing,” he said. “It hurts.”

McGinley talked all week about a template of European success. The message was to embrace their role as the favorites, and to be proud that they had earned it. And the final instruction was to avoid complacency. Europe won the Sunday singles session for the second straight Ryder Cup.

“I didn’t execute the plan. All these guys sitting at this table did,” McGinley said with the 17-inch trophy on display. “I know how difficult it is to play in a Ryder Cup. I know when your heart is jumping out of your chest how incredibly excited and nervous you are. But we relish this challenge. We did it with a smile on our face, which is so important. And we did everybody proud.”

The Americans had a few bright spots. Patrick Reed led a solid debut of the three rookies, who accounted for about 45 percent of their team’s points.

As For Europe?

Watson had singled out Ian Poulter as the European with the best record and the man to beat. Poulter wound up playing only three matches and he didn’t win any of them, settling for two halves. But it wasn’t about Poulter. It was about Europe. What a team.

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From top to bottom, Europe the best in Ryder Cup as Americans bicker

Torch Campbell leaves Europe ablaze

Torch Campbell has seen his hard work pay off in recent years with the success of tracks like Good Reggae Music, produced by Europe-based label, Silly Walks Discoth?que.

Most recently, he has returned from a spate of successful showings in Germany, followed up with shows in The Netherlands and Switzerland. The most noteworthy areReggae Jam in Germany and Kultur festival Integration in Switzerland.

The Rebel Tour was based on one of Torch’s newest singles of the same name, produced by Europe-based Soul Rebel Sound and Scrutialists, on the Rising rhythm, which also features tracks from Jah Mason and Luthan Fyah.

The summer tour wasfocusedon promoting the new Rebelsingle while generating interest in other tracks from the young crooner. Welcome To Jamaica and Voices are other songs making an impact for the artiste in the UK after he completed a 10-city promotional tour there earlier this year.

This time around, the audience had increased noticeably, making Torch anticipate returning to Europe next year.

Before then, though, Torch will be focusing on his EP to be released later this year, and is now working on putting the final touches on that project. He recently released a video for a collaboration single with Censi Rock from The Netherlands and will be completing the official video for Voices on the Frankie Music-produced My Voice rhythm, later this month.

Frankie Music is also the production house behind Torch’s yet-to-be-titled EP. It will be distributed digitally later this year, with a limited number of physical copies made available as well.

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Torch Campbell leaves Europe ablaze