As Guyana continues to transform, a family is betting on a different side of the country’s future, one centered on lifestyle, community living, and modern waterfront experiences.Monarch Group has officially launched Monarch Bay, a new waterfront community planned for Ogle that will feature Guyana’s first Crystal Lagoon, a massive man-made turquoise lagoon designed to bring a resort-style living experience closer to home.Behind the project are Guyanese entrepreneurs Clairmont and Iman Cummings, who say the development is rooted in a desire to invest back into Guyana and create spaces that reflect the country’s rapid evolution.Spread across 30 acres, Monarch Bay is being designed as more than just another housing development. The vision includes homes, shopping, dining, green spaces, recreational areas, and family-centered amenities all built around a modern waterfront setting.At the heart of the project will be the Crystal Lagoon, powered by internationally used Crystal Lagoons technology, known for creating large scale clear water lagoons in luxury and tourism developments around the world.For many Guyanese, the concept may feel unlike anything currently available locally, blending residential living with the kind of leisure experiences more commonly seen in international resort communities.Founder of Monarch Group, Clairmont Cummings, said the idea was always about creating a destination that matches the energy and optimism now shaping Guyana.He explained that the goal is not simply to build houses, but to create a community where people can live, relax, connect, and enjoy modern amenities within a safe and thoughtfully planned environment.Co Founder Iman Cummings said Guyana is entering a major period of transformation and developments like Monarch Bay are intended to contribute to that growth in a meaningful way.According to the developers, the project is targeting a wide cross section of buyers including young professionals, families, returning Guyanese in the diaspora, and regional investors looking for opportunities in one of the world’s fastest growing economies.The first phase of the project represents an estimated US$20 million investment and is being financed by Citizens Bank Guyana.Construction preparation has already started, with the first phase expected to be completed by 2028.<img src="https://i0.wp.com/newsroom.gy/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/xbxbxbx.jpg?resize=1500%2C999&amp;ssl=1">Monarch Group has also partnered with ARC Consultants, led by Toronto based real estate professional Kimberly Jeffrey D’Angelo, to oversee sales and market positioning.As Guyana’s economic boom continues to reshape skylines, industries, and communities, projects like Monarch Bay signal a growing demand not only for housing, but for a different style of living one that blends comfort, recreation, convenience, and long term investment into a single space.

Guyanese family unveils waterfront community featuring crystal lagoon

RICHARD AKOTO WALLS

Their report concludes that Barbados’s population of African descent have suffered damages estimated at up to $2tn (£1.5tn) from 200 years of chattel slavery.The head of the research team, Coleman Bazelon, said the total reflected the magnitude of the damage done, but he emphasised that the figure was not a bill for damages but the factual foundation for dialogue.“This research is not creating an invoice for anybody to pay,” said Bazelon. “It is an accounting of the harm that was done … a recognition of the harm that was done that is the starting point for reconciliation.”Barbados was the first major British colony to force enslaved people to work on its plantations from the early 1600s. It is also a founding nation of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) which advocates for reparations.Bazelon was the lead co-author of the 2023 Brattle analysis, which was included in the report on reparations for transatlantic chattel slavery in the Americas and the Caribbean. The analysis estimated that chattel slavery affected 19.9 million people, including those who were captured, those who lost their lives while being transported from Africa, and those who worked on plantations and their descendants.After Britain abolished slavery on 1 August 1834, £20m was paid in compensation to enslavers for loss of their “property”. The enslaved people themselves received nothing.Bazelon conducted this new research through the non-profit organisation Public Interest Experts. “What they asked me to focus on was: what was the value of the labour stolen through slavery in Barbados,” Bazelon said.Speaking at an event in Barbados to preview the research earlier this month, Barbados’s minister for pan-African affairs and heritage, Trevor Prescod, said: “You can’t erase history … My job is to give an Afrocentric redress to the imbalances that occurred during the period of slavery.”The minister said that the report will eventually go to the cabinet for ratification. “I feel the public must walk with us to our destination … Many areas of progress that we were denied will be at the heart of our call and claims for reparations and reparatory justice,” he said.<img src="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/03d1a4d93825a6fa88e80b5b6fa188ac29ea0c17/0_0_3000_2492/master/3000.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none"><h6>Workers on a sugar plantation in Barbados in the 19th century. Photograph: Chronicle/Alamy</h6>Bazelon has given a detailed breakdown of the methodology and figures: “The value of the labour that was provided but not compensated, it’s somewhere between$500bn and $700bn. But of course, an enslaved person working in Barbados had much of their life stolen from them as well. So, I think it’s very proper to include the short lifespan of people who were enslaved in Barbados. And the short lifespan estimate is anywhere from about $1.1tn to $1.3tn. So if you add them together you end up with a range of about $1.6tn to $2tn as the value of the labour and life directly stolen from people in enslaved Barbados.”He added: “The important contextual point is that there were [about] 379,000 people who got off the boat from Africa in Barbados … There were another 78,000 people who got on the boats but didn’t get off, who died during the middle passage. And then we estimate another 335,000 people who were born into slavery in Barbados.”The findings provide an understanding of the significant size of the harm done.Prof Alan Lester, from the University of Sussex, a leading expert on the British empire, said: “It’s not surprising that – when you add up the value of lives appropriated to make money in Barbados, Britain’s oldest slave plantation colony – you get such an enormous figure.“The inequalities entrenched by slavery have only been exacerbated since, as compensation was paid to slave owners rather than the enslaved and independence left Caribbean islands drained of capital and indebted to western institutions.”The 2023 Brattle analysis estimated that the value of harms from transatlantic chattel slavery in 31 territories in the Americas and the Caribbean amounted to $100–131tn in total, of which $77-108tn represented harms during the period of enslavement, and $23tn the continuing harms since.The analysis was commissioned after an international symposium on reparations and international law concluded that transatlantic slavery was unlawful.Last month 123 nations at the UN general assembly voted that chattel slavery was the gravest crime against humanity. The US, Israel and Argentina voted against the resolution, while 52 countries, including the UK and other many European countries abstained. Previously, the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, ruled out direct monetary payments for reparations.David Lascelles, the co-founder of Heirs of Slavery, a group of descendants of British enslavers who encourage others to acknowledge and discuss reparative justice, said: “My distant ancestor Henry Lascelles made his fortune in Barbados in the 18th century. Now, 300 years later, it’s high time we all recognise there is a debt to pay, a debt that is of course about money, but not just about money.”Alex Renton, another co-founder of the group, added that “addressing the legacies of this most terrible event in Britain’s modern history is the right thing for the nation to do, morally and practically”.

UK stole 25m years of life and labour through slavery in Barbados, says report

In late August, the term of the current secretary general of the 15-nation Caribbean Community, Dr. Carla Natalie Barnett, 68, would have come to an end and although leaders recently reappointed her to a second and final five-year term, it does not appear that she will survive a full second employment period.Speculation about whether she might even work a day after August 26 is rife and growing because of a relentless campaign by Trinidad’s government to see the back of her due to a row, dating back nearly four years, between Barnett and Kamla Persad-Bissessar, prime minister of the Trinidad and Tobago (T&amp;T) federation.The escalating public row about her tenure and the process used to reappoint has become so divisive that at the weekend, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness called for an emergency meeting of leaders to look at the issue all over again.The T&amp;T PM is gunning for the Belizean economist turned regional chief executive largely because of what she has basically said was a hurtful diplomatic snub that Barnett had allegedly inflicted on her while she was the country’s opposition leader back in 2022.The PM complained that she had written to Barnett because a Trinidadian national had allegedly been abducted from his hotel by local police while he was in neighboring Barbados during a joint operation with Barbadian officers. She said Barnett never had the decency to reply, but now that she is PM after winning general elections a year ago this month, the time to get rid of Barnett is now.The vitriol emanating from Port of Spain against Barnett has been so loud and has become so embarrassing that it appears that the issue of her reappointment might well trigger a second emergency meeting of heads of governments as early as this week, after one held earlier in April.“I think the solution really lies in assembling another heads meeting to have the matter addressed,” Holness told the local Guardian Media during a visit to New York over the weekend. “That’s something that I have been pushing for quietly behind the scenes. I think it is distressing for a lot of people within the region regarding what is being said in the public domain, but I know that all the heads are working behind the scenes to have this matter resolved.”Trinidad is contending that the process to reappoint Barnett at the late February meeting of leaders was highly flawed and suspicious because the local delegation and at least two countries were excluded from attending a closed-door caucus in sister isle Nevis.Leaders including Terrance Drew, prime minister of St. Kitts and the current regional chair have accused Foreign Minister Sean Sobers of not attending the session because of his fear of seasickness on the short boat ride to Nevis. Sobers had been the acting Trinidad delegation head to the meeting and would have been the one to attend after his PM had left the summit. He denies ever suggesting his fear of the sea but later admitted that he was simply joking.As preparations proceed for the second emergency meeting in weeks, a leading regional diplomat is suggesting that it is better for Barnett to walk away rather than stick around and stoke division in the bloc. Sir Ronald Sanders, Antigua’s ambassador to the U.S., has argued that this will be the best solution to a contentious and divisive issue.“If I were the secretary general of CARICOM, and I’m being quite serious here, and this had occurred, I would have resigned, and I would have resigned because I would have said I must not stand in the way of Caribbean integration and the movement forward,” he said on the state-owned ABS Television, apparently signaling the position of the government. “Why am I still there? Because it is clear that I will never enjoy her support and why, therefore, would I put myself in a situation in which I am now the cause of the rift? If I were Carla Barnett, I would resign now on principle because … Kamla Persad will not attend the meeting if Carla Barnett is at that meeting; neither will her foreign minister,” he noted._Source: Amsterdam News

CARICOM to meet again as row over incumbent escalates

Nathan

Guyana's oil exports are experiencing an historic boom, with&nbsp;production surpassing 900,000 barrels per day by late 2025, transforming it into one of the world's fastest-growing economies. Major export destinations include the Netherlands, Panama, and the United Kingdom, with a significant portion (roughly half) going to just two nations. The crude, largely from the Stabroek Block, generated over US$17 billion in 2025.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.amazonaws.com/08449990cIMG_3642.png">Key Aspects of Guyana's Oil Export Industry<ul><li>Production &amp; Growth:&nbsp;Production has surged from zero in 2019 to over 900,000 barrels per day by late 2025, with plans to exceed 1.2 million barrels per day.</li><li>Major Export Destinations:&nbsp;Over 60% of shipments are headed to Europe, with the Netherlands (often via Rotterdam) being a primary hub, while Panama serves as a key transit point. Other significant recipients include the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, and the United States.</li><li>Revenue &amp; Economic Impact:&nbsp;Export earnings are massive, reaching over US$17 billion in 2025. Guyana's GDP saw record growth, expanding by 62% in 2022 and over 30% in 2023.</li><li>Key Operations:&nbsp;All oil production is managed by a consortium led by ExxonMobil, along with Hess and CNOOC.</li><li>Export Composition:&nbsp;The oil produced is primarily "light and sweet" crude, which is in high demand.</li><li>Export Trends:&nbsp;In 2024, Guyana ranked as the 8th largest crude oil supplier to the United States.</li></ul>Key Export Data<ul><li>2024 Earnings:&nbsp;~US$17.99 billion</li><li>2025 Earnings:&nbsp;~US$17.8 billion</li><li>Primary Destination Region:&nbsp;Europe (&gt;60% of shipments)</li><li>Top Hubs:&nbsp;Netherlands (Rotterdam), Panama&nbsp;</li></ul>The rapid increase in oil exports has driven significant infrastructural development and economic expansion, but it has also brought challenges, including inflationary pressures on housing and food.

Guyana is quietly getting rich from the oil blockade cause by the US Israeli war in Iran

The color shows up in the sand before anything else. Along certain stretches of The Bahamas and the broad reaches of the Caribbean, crushed coral mixes with white grains to create a soft pink tone that runs for miles along the shoreline. It’s most visible along the edges of Bermuda, The Bahamas and Barbuda, with smaller pockets in Barbados and Grenada. The hotels along these beaches keep a close relationship with the shoreline — low-rise footprints, short paths to the water, and rooms positioned so you see the ocean the moment you open the door.Here’s where you can check in and walk straight onto pink sand.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/a084a5a32IMG_3375.webp"><a href="https://www.thecrane.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Crane, Barbados</a>Set above Crane Beach on Barbados’ southeastern coast, this resort gives you a clear vantage point over one of the island’s most distinctive shorelines, where the sand carries a noticeable blush tone in certain light. You reach the beach by elevator or staircase carved into the cliff, stepping onto a wide, open stretch framed by rock formations and steady Atlantic surf. Rooms range from suites to multi-bedroom residences, many with private plunge pools and full kitchens. Dining includes Zen for sushi and Asian dishes and L’Azure for Caribbean-focused plates, both set within restored historic structures. You’re here for elevated views, direct beach access, and one of the island’s most visually distinct coastlines. It’s one of the most iconic places to stay in the region.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/6c849b857IMG_3376.jpeg">Sandals Grenada.<a href="https://www.sandals.com/sandals-grenada/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sandals Grenada, Grenada</a>Set on&nbsp;Pink Gin Beach&nbsp;on the southwestern coast of Grenada, this resort takes you to a quiet, curved stretch of shoreline. In certain light, especially near the waterline, the sand carries a faint pink tint from crushed coral mixed into the shoreline. The resort runs along the beach with multiple zones, the spectacualr SkyPool suites. Dining spans more than 10 restaurants, from Caribbean to Italian to sushi, all included, along with bars positioned close to the sand. You stay here for Sandals’ unique brand of all-inclusive luxury.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/6b5435a7aIMG_3377.jpeg">The iconic Blue Bar at Pink Sands.<a href="https://pinksandsresort.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pink Sands Resort, Harbour Island</a>Cottage-style rooms are scattered across landscaped gardens just above Harbour Island’s signature pink sand beach, with sandy paths leading directly to the shoreline. Interiors use white walls, light woods, and soft fabrics, keeping the focus on the setting outside. You can walk from your room to the water in under a minute, with miles of uninterrupted beach in both directions.&nbsp;Blue Baranchors the beachfront with grilled fish, conch, and cocktails served steps from the sand. The layout keeps things quiet and spaced out, even when the hotel is full.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/86e49693cIMG_3378.webp">It’s the gateway to Barbuda.<a href="https://www.barbudabelle.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Barbuda Belle, Barbuda</a>A small collection of beachfront villas lines one of the longest uninterrupted pink sand beaches in the Caribbean. There’s no nearby town and very little surrounding development, so the experience stays focused on the shoreline and the water. Each villa opens directly onto the sand, with shaded terraces and outdoor seating facing the ocean. The on-site restaurant serves fresh seafood and simple Caribbean dishes, often sourced locally. You stay here for isolation, open coastline, and a setting where the beach stretches out with almost no interruption.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/cd74b3ac3IMG_3379.webp"><a href="https://www.thelorenhotels.com/bermuda" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Loren at Pink Beach, Bermuda</a>Set directly on one of Bermuda’s most consistent pink sand stretches in Tucker’s Town, this hotel puts you steps from the shoreline the moment you leave your room. Every accommodation faces the Atlantic, with private terraces that open to uninterrupted ocean views and a clear line down to the sand. The beach here runs in a gentle curve, with a visible blush tone that shows up strongest along the waterline.Rooms and suites keep a clean, modern look, with floor-to-ceiling glass, light finishes, and layouts that prioritize the view. Villas add private plunge pools and expanded outdoor space, giving you a more residential setup right above the beach. The&nbsp;Pink Beach Club&nbsp;anchors the property, with outdoor tables set close to the sand and a menu focused on local seafood, while the&nbsp;Marée Lounge&nbsp;handles drinks and lighter fare throughout the day.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/a1240aaa8IMG_3380.jpeg">The Dunmore, perched above the sand.<a href="https://www.dunmorebeach.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Dunmore, Harbour Island</a>I just adore this hotel. A white main house faces the Atlantic from slightly elevated ground, with a long veranda that looks out over the pink sand below. Guest rooms sit in modern bungalows behind it, finished with clean lines, polished concrete, and neutral tones. The restaurant draws both hotel guests and visitors, with a menu that mixes Bahamian seafood and broader coastal dishes, and a bar that fills up as the evening progresses. You’re steps from the beach throughout your stay, with a layout that keeps the ocean in constant view. It’s jet-set, it’s golden age, it’s what we love about travel. It just feels special.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/22e438bf6IMG_3381.png">It’s set on a seven-mile stretch of pink sand beach.The Potlatch Club, Harbour IslandOne of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.caribjournal.com/2024/06/20/bahamas-eleuthera-new-boutique-hotel/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">newest places to stay in The Bahamas</a>&nbsp;is famous for something old: a jet-set pedigree that includes Paul McCartney’s honeymoon. It’s hip and low-key. There’s no central hotel building, and no shared resort structure, just individual homes set along the sand. You walk straight from your villa onto the beach, with outdoor showers and shaded seating areas that keep you outside most of the day. It’s a quieter, more residential approach to Harbour Island, built around privacy and direct access to the shoreline.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/830480852IMG_3382.webp">La Bougainvillea, a boutique resort in Governor’s Harbour.La Bougainvillea, EleutheraThis small beachfront hotel places you directly on a quieter stretch of Eleuthera’s pink-tinged sand. Rooms and suites include terraces facing the Atlantic, with clear sightlines to the water and steady ocean breeze. The on-site restaurant serves fresh fish, lobster when available, and simple Caribbean dishes, with seating just steps from the sand. The setting stays relaxed and low-density, with long walks available in either direction along the beach.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/023493baaIMG_3383.jpeg">The hotel just underwent a big makeover.<a href="https://www.coralsands.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Coral Sands, Harbour Island</a>One of the island’s best-known properties, Coral Sands offers a mix of ocean-facing rooms and private cottages set along the Atlantic side. Many units include patios or balconies with direct views of the shoreline. The freshwater pool sits just above the beach, and the Pink Mermaid restaurant anchors the property with all-day dining and a bar that remains active into the evening. You get immediate access to a wide stretch of pink sand, along with a classic, easy-to-navigate setup.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1f649ebbaIMG_3384.jpeg">Greenwood Beach on Cat Island in The Bahamas.<a href="https://greenwoodbeachresort.biz/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Greenwood Beach Resort, Cat Island&nbsp;</a>Set on a quiet stretch of Cat Island’s Atlantic coast, this small resort gives you direct access to a long, open beach where the sand carries a soft pink tint in certain light. The shoreline runs wide and largely empty, with steady surf and almost no development in sight. Rooms face the ocean, with simple interiors and short paths leading straight onto the sand. The on-site restaurant serves fresh, straightforward meals, often centered on local seafood, with a bar that stays low-key into the evening. You stay here for seclusion, uninterrupted beachfront, and a part of The Bahamas where the pace stays slow and the beaches feel untouched. It’s a kitesfuring retreat as much as anything.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/252446ac7IMG_3385.webp"><a href="https://pineapplefields.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pineapple Fields, Eleuthera</a>Near French Leave Beach, these condo-style residences give you larger living spaces with full kitchens, separate bedrooms, and private terraces. The beach itself is one of Eleuthera’s most consistent pink sand stretches, wide and lightly trafficked, with steady surf and long walking distances. You’re a short walk or quick drive from the shoreline, with nearby access to Tippy’s Restaurant for beachfront dining and drinks. The best part is, of course, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.caribjournal.com/2024/01/26/tippys-eleuthera-rum-punch-secret/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">secret rum punch.</a>_Source: Carib Journal

These 11 Beach Resorts From Barbados to The Bahamas Deliver the Ultimate Pink-Sand Vacations

We always celebrate when a visionary steps up to shift the cultural landscape. Byron Allen is doing exactly that. The media mogul and founder of Allen Media Group is officially expanding his empire, taking majority ownership of BuzzFeed in a move that promises to disrupt the digital content space.For audiences passionate about pop culture, media representation, and the intersection of technology and entertainment, this acquisition is a massive milestone. It represents a powerful moment for Black media ownership and signals a drastic shift in how we will consume free-streaming video in the near future.<h2>How did Byron Allen secure the BuzzFeed acquisition?</h2>The deal officially closed on May 27, when Allen Family Digital acquired nearly 51% of BuzzFeed’s outstanding shares. According to Variety, Allen acquired 40 million shares of the media company at $3 per share, bringing the total purchase price to $120 million. The transaction was completed with $20 million in cash and a $100 million promissory note, which is due in five years at a 5% annual interest rate. Furthermore, $12.5 million in cash from the transaction was utilized to pay down BuzzFeed’s existing debt.Byron Allen brings immense capital and structural power to the table. Allen holds an estimated net worth of $1 billion. His company, Allen Media Group, already boasts a massive portfolio featuring nearly 400 local TV broadcast affiliates and a network of 650 free, ad-supported television channels.<h2>Why is Jonah Peretti stepping down as CEO?</h2>After two decades of leading the company he founded, Jonah Peretti is passing the baton to Allen. Peretti will now step into the newly created role of President of BuzzFeed AI.Peretti firmly believes that artificial intelligence will fundamentally transform the media industry. He sees this transition as an enormous opportunity to empower creative people to build in entirely new ways. According to Peretti, Allen’s deep relationships with advertisers, partners, and sources of capital free him up to focus on his true passion: the intersection of technology and media.“I’m thrilled to pass him the baton, and even more excited about what comes next,” Peretti stated. “AI is going to create a new medium for content that wasn’t possible before, and I’m convinced the opportunity is enormous.”<h2>What is the new vision for the BuzzFeed streaming platform?</h2>Byron Allen is not playing small. His immediate vision is to build upon the iconic foundations of both BuzzFeed and HuffPost by expanding heavily into free-streaming video, audio, and user-generated content.Allen made his ambitions crystal clear: “As of this moment, with the power of AI, BuzzFeed is officially chasing YouTube to become another premier free-streaming video service.”This bold push will work in conjunction with Allen Media Group’s Local Now, an existing free streaming platform that delivers original local news, weather, traffic, sports, and customized entertainment based on a user’s zip code. By integrating advanced artificial intelligence, the company plans to accelerate content creation, distribution, and discovery, bringing a highly tailored, free-streaming experience directly to consumers globally.<h2>Join the Conversation on Media’s Next Chapter</h2>This acquisition is more than just a corporate buyout. It is a powerful example of taking up space, building community-driven platforms, and challenging the heavyweights of the tech world. Byron Allen is empowering a new generation of creators to share their voices on a global scale.What do you think about Byron Allen taking on YouTube? Drop your thoughts, share this article with your community, and let us know how you feel about the future of AI in media.<h2>Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)</h2><h3>How much did Byron Allen pay for BuzzFeed?</h3>Byron Allen’s company acquired 40 million shares of BuzzFeed at $3 per share, totaling a $120 million purchase price. This included $20 million in cash and a $100 million promissory note.<h3>What will Jonah Peretti do at BuzzFeed now?</h3>Jonah Peretti stepped down as CEO to become the President of BuzzFeed AI. He will focus exclusively on integrating artificial intelligence into the media company to empower creators and develop new content mediums.<h3>How will artificial intelligence change the BuzzFeed platform?</h3>BuzzFeed will use artificial intelligence to accelerate content creation, optimize distribution, and improve video discovery. This technology aims to help the brand transition into a premier free-streaming video destination to rival platforms like YouTube.

Byron Allen Acquires BuzzFeed to Rival YouTube

The biggest two movies in America right now, “Backrooms” and “Obsession,” come from twentysomething filmmakers who honed their craft on YouTube.Their films were made with relatively low budgets and were marketed online. Now that they’re filling theaters with teens and young adults who rarely show up at the movies, all of Hollywood is paying attention, with experts predicting that studios will copy this moviemaking model many times over.“Obsession,” directed by 26-year-old Curry Barker, opened in theaters May 15. Filmed for roughly $750,000, the darkly funny horror film has made almost $150 million to date, a jaw-dropping return on investment for Focus Features and Blumhouse Productions.Then came “Backrooms,” directed by 20-year-old Kane Parsons, who developed the project for years on his YouTube channel.Parsons had a bigger budget — about $10 million — and famous actors like Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve and Mark Duplass. But it was still astonishing to see “Backrooms” dominate the box office so thoroughly in its opening weekend.The psychological horror film took the No. 1 spot at the weekend box office, raking in about $80 million in North America and $120 million worldwide, with ticket sales fueled by Gen Z.The studio A24, which has been trying hard to boost young directors, said Parsons now ranks as the youngest filmmaker in Hollywood history to release a film that finished No. 1 at the weekend box office.“Obsession” was No. 2 for the weekend, pushing “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,” which opened a week earlier, to No. 3.Michael Johnston, Curry Barker, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless and Andy Richter attend a screening of Focus Features' "Obsession" at the Hollywood Legion Theater on May 11, 2026. Frazer Harrison/Getty ImagesFor most movies, the opening weekend is the most lucrative, with ticket sales tapering off from there. But “Obsession” keeps growing: Focus Features said Sunday that “exclusive of Christmas, ‘Obsession’ is the first film since 1982 that went up in box office over its second and third weekends.”So what does this hot streak mean? Well, it means young people are actually willing to buy movie theater tickets if they know and relate to the YouTube-era talent.And it means Hollywood studios are going to chase the success of “Obsession” and “Backrooms” by scouring online video sites for the next great auteur.It might even mean that some studio bosses will place a few more bets on original concepts rather than predictable franchises and sequels.Duplass, who plays a scientist in “Backrooms,” said in a social media video that the two films were giving the movie business a “glimmer of hope.”“We’ve got an example of creators woodshedding things, putting them online, building an audience,” he said. “And now the people with the purse strings are going to notice … because they see what they can do at the box office, you know, in the form of these two films that are over-performing.”Producers and agents have been building a YouTube-to-Hollywood pipeline for a while now. And last winter’s robust ticket sales for YouTuber Mark Fischbach’s self-financed film “Iron Lung” demonstrated the potential for success.Still, as screenwriter Zack Stentz wrote on X, “This feels like a genuine cultural moment in moviegoing, watching Zoomers who honed their craft doing YouTube shorts breaking into features the way the MTV directors did in the ’80s and Sundance kids did in the ’90s.”The Hollywood Reporter’s Steven Zeitchik wrote that the YouTuber hits are “a teetering, if not the first hints of a collapse, of a legacy-driven studio system.”This moment, Zeitchik wrote, is about a lot more than discovering fresh talent. The Alphabet-owned YouTube platform makes filmmakers famous, streams their work, helps them strike brand partnerships and gives them a huge marketing megaphone.“This is a phenomenon generated, driven and controlled by creators and the biggest company in the world that amplifies them,” he wrote.Speaking at an industry conference on Saturday, Warner Bros. Motion Pictures co-chair Michael De Luca said filmmakers like Parsons, who “worked on ‘Backrooms’ for five years,” are “in a dialogue with their audience from the word ‘go.’ Their subscribers have direct input in each iteration of these things.” Warner Bros. Discovery is CNN’s parent company.And “by the time you get to the movie,” he said, “they’ve had a billion test screenings.”

YouTubers are setting box office records. It could change the future of moviemaking

A growing number of women over 35 are quietly struggling with unexplained weight gain, crushing fatigue, anxiety, inflammation, and a body that no longer responds to the same efforts that once worked.According to Dr Isstelle Jonker, medical practitioner at Dr Smook and Partners, managed by RxME Group, many women are incorrectly blaming themselves for physical and emotional changes that may be linked to complex hormonal, metabolic and stress-related shifts that commonly emerge after the age of 35.“Many women come to us convinced they’ve become lazy or weak,” says Dr Isstelle. “But in reality, they’re navigating significant hormonal, metabolic, and stress-related changes that no one properly prepared them for. These patients are functioning in survival mode, building careers, raising families, managing households, and carrying emotional loads their bodies were never designed to sustain long-term.”Dr Isstelle explains that after 35, many people experience shifts in hormone regulation, cortisol levels, insulin sensitivity, sleep quality, muscle mass, and inflammation. Chronic stress, in particular, plays a major role.“The modern woman rarely truly rests,” she notes. “Even when sitting still, her nervous system is often in overdrive. When the body feels chronically stressed, it prioritises survival over balance, which is why so many patients feel trapped in cycles of fatigue, stubborn weight gain, poor sleep, anxiety, and emotional eating.”This struggle often leads to deep emotional distress, with patients feeling they no longer recognise themselves. “Women tell me, ‘I don’t feel like me anymore.’ And that’s heartbreaking,” says Dr Isstelle. “It’s not just about appearance. It’s about confidence, energy, identity, and feeling comfortable in your own body again.”Dr Smook and Partners, managed by RxME Group, has positioned itself as a leader in women’s metabolic and hormonal health by taking a more compassionate, medically informed approach. Rather than focusing solely on willpower and restrictive diets, the practice emphasises preventative care, hormone awareness, nervous system regulation, inflammation reduction, and emotionally sustainable wellness.Dr Isstelle adds that many individuals are now asking more informed questions about their health and seeking deeper understanding around symptoms they may previously have ignored or normalised.“Women are no longer only asking how to lose weight,” she explains. “They are asking why they feel exhausted, why their bodies feel inflamed, why their energy has changed and why they no longer feel like themselves. Those are important questions, and they deserve proper medical attention.”As awareness around women’s hormonal and metabolic health continues to grow globally, Dr Smook and Partners, managed by RxME Group, is seeing a significant increase in women seeking personalised, medically informed approaches to long-term wellness. “Most women are not looking for perfection,” says Dr Isstelle. “They simply want to feel healthy, energised and comfortable in their own bodies again.”As conversations around women’s health continue to evolve, Dr Isstelle and her team at Dr Smook and Partners are committed to helping women better understand the complex relationship between hormones, stress, metabolism and long-term wellbeing.

Why So Many Women Over 35 Feel Like Their Bodies Have Suddenly Turned Against Them

Cypress

On May 18 2026 Niger’s Cabinet approved a decree cancelling the Arlit mining concession — a title originally granted in 1968 to France’s Atomic Energy Commission — declaring the land now free of all rights and returning it fully to the Nigerien people.&nbsp;The concession covered 360 square kilometres and had been granted for 75 years. France’s nuclear giant Orano — formerly Areva — operated it for over half a century extracting uranium that powered French homes, French hospitals, and French industry while the communities around Arlit remained without reliable electricity.&nbsp;Niger did not just cancel the contract. It replaced it entirely.Niger’s Cabinet simultaneously created a new state owned company called Teloua Safeguarding Uranium Mining Company — TSUMCO — to take over all uranium operations on Nigerien soil. Nigerien uranium will now be extracted by Nigerien hands for Nigerien benefit.&nbsp;And France is not getting away clean either.Orano still faces outstanding tax obligations and environmental accountability for what Niger describes as dramatic impacts on soil, water resources, and biodiversity around the Arlit mining zone — damage accumulated over five decades of extraction that enriched France and poisoned Nigerien land.&nbsp;France had already lost Niger as a uranium supplier after the 2023 coup. This week Niger made that separation permanent, legal, and irreversible.&nbsp;For 58 years Niger’s uranium kept European lights on while Nigeriens sat in the dark. The contract is cancelled. The company is gone. The land belongs to the people it was always supposed to belong to.

Niger permanently ends France’s uranium mining with state owned entity

Russian logistics giant launches first-ever container shipment to Tanzania amid Africa trade push<ul><li>Russian logistics group FESCO delivered its first export containers to Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam port.</li><li>The shipment travelled from Novorossiysk through India’s Nhava Sheva port.</li><li>Russia is increasing trade and logistics ties with African markets amid Western sanctions.</li><li>Dar es Salaam is emerging as a key gateway for East and Central African trade.</li></ul>The company, which operates within the management structure of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, said the shipment carried plastic products and industrial spare parts from the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk to Tanzania through India’s Nhava Sheva port.FESCO said the route, operated under its FESCO Indian Line West service, has an average transit time of about 45 days.The move comes as Russia seeks to deepen commercial ties across Africa following years of Western sanctions linked to the war in Ukraine.Moscow has increasingly turned toward African, Asian and Middle Eastern markets for trade, logistics and political partnerships.Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s main commercial port, has become a strategic gateway for regional trade, serving not only the domestic market but also landlocked neighbours including Zambia, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.Tanzania has invested heavily in expanding port infrastructure in recent years as East Africa’s economies and consumer markets continue to grow.“Dar es Salaam is one of the fastest-growing container ports in the world,” Alexey Kravchenko, executive director of FESCO Integrated Transport, said in a statement.He added that the port offers access to wider East African markets and presents “great potential for co-operation with Russian companies.”FESCO said it plans to use the route in both directions, with imports from Tanzania expected to include tea, coffee and other agricultural commodities bound for Russia.Once cargo arrives in Novorossiysk, it can be distributed across Russia using the company’s rail and trucking network.The next shipment from Russia to Tanzania is scheduled for mid-May, according to Rosatom.Trade between Russia and African countries has been growing steadily, although it still remains far below the levels seen between Africa and major partners such as China or the European Union.Russia has recently focused on expanding exports of energy products, fertilisers, grain, machinery and logistics services to the continent.FESCO has also signalled broader ambitions in Africa. In 2025, company executive Timofey Shkuntik said the group believed trade turnover between Russia and South Africa could triple within five years.The new Tanzania route highlights how Russia is trying to strengthen alternative trade corridors as global supply chains continue to shift amid geopolitical tensions and changing shipping patterns.

Russian logistics giant launches first-ever container shipment to Tanzania amid Africa trade push

Ghana's state-owned cocoa buyer is unable to purchase cocoa from farmers after accumulating debts of 673 million cedis ($60 million) ​that have left it facing an asset seizure, a company source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.The company, ‌Producer Buying Company, is legally mandated to purchase cocoa from any farmer as a buyer of last resort. The government pledged in February to restore it as the country's leading cocoa buying company.But three months later, PBC owes growers 24 million cedis for over 9,000 bags already delivered and lacks the ​liquidity to resume purchases, the company source said.A consortium of Ghanaian banks owed 257 million cedis secured a court order ​in March to sell off the company's assets, the source said.Ghana's cocoa industry has been in crisis as ⁠it has struggled to sell beans and pay farmers this year due to ample global harvests, lower cocoa prices and falling ​demand from chocolate makers for the ingredient.PBC's woes also stem from a loss of market share - it used to control 30% of the ​domestic market but currently buys less than 5% of cocoa produced in Ghana. Its problems risk further exacerbating financial hardship for Ghana's smallholder farmers, thousands of whom have not been paid for beans delivered since November 2025.The company source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief ​the media, said COCOBOD has yet to reimburse PBC for 800 metric tons of cocoa delivered more than two months ago.Under Ghana's ​cocoa system, PBC and other Licensed Buying Companies that purchase cocoa from farmers then sell it to COCOBOD, the market regulator, which sells it ‌on to ⁠international buyers.Neither the finance ministry nor COCOBOD has responded to requests from PBC for support, the source said.The finance ministry and COCOBOD did not respond to requests for comment.Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson said in February that the revival of PBC was central to the government's strategy of supporting cocoa farmers, promising a reliable and transparent avenue for growers to sell their product ​at fair prices.The source said ​the minister has since not ⁠had any discussions with the company on the way forward.COCOBOD says it has been disbursing funds to buying companies. But the company source said PBC had not received any money.PBC’s debt includes over 24 ​months of unpaid staff salaries, vendor arrears and outstanding statutory payments, in addition to the 257 ​million cedis owed to ⁠banks, the source said.Two of the five banks in the consortium that secured a court order to sell off PBC assets are state-owned and all report to the finance ministry.SSNIT, the state pension fund and a major shareholder, has been reluctant to inject fresh capital into PBC, ⁠having ​not received expected dividends since its initial investment, the company source said.A structured COCOBOD ​intervention could turn things around, the company source said, if the board directed a share of international buyers towards PBC and released funds for purchases.PBC operates in ​all 127 cocoa-growing districts, giving it a bigger reach than any private company.

Farmers go unpaid as Ghana's indebted state cocoa buyer faces asset seizure, source says

African culinary creator Chef Abbys has for the past few years now been building a reputation for herself as the go-to person for everything African and Ghanaian cuisine. Her short form videos of various food recipes that are easy to replicate have found their way into most homes on the continent and in the diaspora. This has led her to receive accolades such as being named one of TIME 100’s top creators of 2025, getting the chance to cook with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew and the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.In extraordinary fashion, Chef Abbys decided to throw a spotlight on her home country Ghana’s cuisine and rich culture during Ghana’s Heritage Month celebration for the month of March. Throughout the whole month, the tour planned by UK-based cultural and creative organization My Runway Group, set out to explore Ghana’s heritage through food and tourism and after 25 days on the road, she completed a groundbreaking tour spanning 12 out of the 16 regions in Ghana. This feat, never before attempted on the African continent, took Chef Abbys beyond the kitchen, into the heart of each community. The 24 videos she created on this journey amassed almost 100 million views across Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, Youtube and X. The feedback has been remarkable with Chef Abbys socials experiencing an 18% increase in just that short period.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/3e145da1eIMG_5069.JPG">Over the course of this four-week expedition, Chef Abbys traveled from the mountainous terrains of the Eastern Region to the historic castles of the Central Region, from the lush forests of the Ashanti Region to the desert landscapes of the Upper East. Each region presented unique flavors,cuisine, markets, rich traditions, and both expected and unexpected challenges. From navigating remote villages to securing filming permissions at heritage sites, the journey was as much about resilience as it was discovery.Critics and locals alike have praised Chef Abbys for bringing a fresh lens to Ghana’s cultural tapestry. In a series of pop-up cooking demonstrations, each region’s cuisine, culture and tourist destinations were celebrated, drawing millions of views across the world. She got to cook at iconic Ghanaian tourist destinations like the Umbrella Rock, Elmina Castle, Nzulezu Floating Village, Larabanga Mosque, Kintampo Water Falls and even the Desert Safari.Speaking about her experience on the tour, Chef Abbys says, “exploring the 12 regions through food showed me how rich and diverse Ghana truly is. My goal is to make the world see Ghanaian cuisine not as one thing, but as a powerful collection of cultures, flavors, and histories.” She goes on to add that, “what I’ve started is more than a tour, it’s a movement to document, celebrate, and elevate cuisines and cultures from across the world, and I look forward to bringing the tour to other parts of the world.”Beyond the numbers, the impact is seen in a revived pride among locals and a new global curiosity about Ghana’s diverse culinary story. Chef Abbys’s historic journey flips the script for African culinary exploration, one where every region, every bite, and every story is a bridge between the past, present and future.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/56c4f9867IMG_5163.JPG">Chef Abbys’ approach to food and content creation is very distinct amongst her peers. It’s not just about recipes, plating, or even taste, but for her, it’s about memory, identity, and the quiet power of culture being passed from one generation to the next.&nbsp;Long before the recognition, the awards, and the millions of followers, there was simply a deep curiosity to understand where dishes came from, why they mattered, and how they made people feel. That curiosity would eventually grow into something much bigger than a career.&nbsp;Today, Chef Abbys stands at the center of a new movement in African cuisine. Through her work, she has built a community of over 4 million people across platforms, including more than 2.2 million followers on TikTok. But what makes her influence powerful isn’t just the numbers, it’s the connection. People don’t just watch her content; they feel seen in it.

Chef Abbys Breaks New Ground With A First-of-Its-Kind Culinary and Cultural Journey Across Ghana’s Regions

International Breweries, Nigeria’s second-biggest beer maker, is out of the woods at last as it reported its first annual profit since 2017 in the 2025 financial year.The results signal profound relief for AB InBev, the Belgian majority owner, which had endured seven harrowing years of losses.The company booked N50.9 billion in post-tax profit for 2025, relative to a net loss of N113.6 billion the previous year, its audited financial report issued on Friday stated.International Breweries, which owns popular beer brands such as<a href="https://us.budweiser.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&nbsp;Budweiser</a>, Trophy, Hero and Castle Lite, is worth N739.7 billion in assets, placing it next to Heineken-backed Nigerian Breweries among the country’s top beer manufacturers.Its share price rose by 9.9 per cent to N13.35 in Lagos after the news went public. It is its strongest daily gain since the start of the year.<h3>Rough road to profitability</h3>AB InBev, in 2016, completed the purchase of SAB Miller’s interest in International Breweries, consolidating it with the stake it already held in the brewer, which totalled 72.2 per cent at the time.It proceeded to merge the entity with Intafact Beverages Limited and Pabod Breweries, two other companies where it held controlling stakes, the year after, hoping to unlock greater value from the broader economy of scale the consolidation would deliver.The deal was central to the investor’s strategic push to gain a huge swathe of Africa’s brewery business, following a slowdown in its European and North American operations, and targeted Nigeria as one of the most promising beer markets on the continent.International Breweries started reporting losses in 2018, when it posted negative earnings of N3.9 billion, driven by a 257.6 per cent surge in finance costs and the harmonisation of the accounts of the three entities that went through the business combination.Setting up a greenfield plant as vast as the Sagamu-based Gateway plant, completed at an initial cost of $250 million, added further pressure to its financials, particularly in financing costs and debt levels.Between 2019 and 2020, soaring operating costs and a flattish revenue growth lengthened the chain of losses.Post-tax loss, at its peak, crossed N113 billion in 2024, following four years when foreign exchange losses from a dollar crunch and far-reaching currency reforms in Nigeria hammered earnings.The winning factor that turned the tide last year, apart from an appreciable leap in revenue to N619 billion, was cutting back net foreign exchange loss to N13.7 billion from N165.7 billion.<h3>Free float troubles</h3>As of 2020, AB InBev had upped its shareholding to 87.3 per cent by virtue of a rights issue that raised N164.4 billion for the purpose of moderating the company’s debt level, which had been bloated by the cost of constructing the Gateway factory.Proceeds from another rights issue in 2024 helped it deleverage its balance sheet dramatically, as the cash was used to pay down a balance of $379.9 million on a sticky loan obtained from Citibank six years earlier.AB InBev fully exercised its rights under the share sale, driving its shareholding further up to 96 per cent.Allowing a single investor to own a stake that huge in a public company, to the extent that only 4 per cent of its issued shares are tradable in the open market, has been noted to make its shares hardly available to potential investors, consequently creating artificial scarcity.The practice tends to fuel jumps in share price without justifiable fundamentals to support most of the gains the stock records over time.The main board of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), on which International Breweries is listed, requires that companies maintain a free float (the minimum number of shares that can be traded publicly) of 20 per cent or at least N40 billion worth of their shares.In a January 2025 disclosure, the brewer said the NGX had extended the deadline it had given the brewer to remedy the shortcoming._Source: Premium Times Nigeria

Nigeria’s second-biggest beer maker posts N51 billion profit after seven years of loss-making

China has halted imports of&nbsp;soybeans&nbsp;from five Brazilian exporters after inspectors found pesticide-treated wheat mixed into a cargo bound for Beijing, officials from both countries said on Thursday.The suspension by&nbsp;China’s General Administration of Customs&nbsp;was communicated to Brazil’s agriculture ministry on Wednesday and made public on Thursday.The ban covers two Cargill facilities and one plant each run by Louis Dreyfus Co., CHS Agronegocios and 3Tentos Agroindustrial. Four of the plants are in São Paulo state. One is in Rio Grande do Sul.Inspectors in China discovered the contamination during checks at a port. The ship Shine Ruby was carrying about 69,000 tonnes of soybeans. Inside the hold, they found roughly ten tonnes of wheat treated with a chemical coating not authorised for food or&nbsp;animal feed.The customs agency called it a “serious violation” of&nbsp;Chinese food safety rules. It said the pesticide involved is only approved for seed treatment and is considered toxic if consumed. Wheat from Brazil is not cleared for import to China, adding to the breach.In a letter to the Brazilian embassy in&nbsp;Beijing, the agency said the decision was made to protect public health and ensure the safety of imports. The order took effect on Thursday and applies only to the listed facilities. Other plants run by the same companies remain cleared to export.

China halts soy imports from Brazil plants, pivots to US amid food safety probe

Many have grown tired of wandering without direction through the darkness of Canadian cannabis legality surrounding food beyond snacks. Yet, a new document has just emerged. This isn’t another government white paper, or a dry legal textbook. It is a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) manual for cannabis-infused dining called CannaDine, and it’s a sign that we’re finally moving beyond the fearmongering and into a truly mature cannabis culture.This manual is nothing less than a blueprint for a: civilized, respectful, and safe way to consume. It directly addresses the most significant and often misunderstood aspects of edibles: the delayed onset and potency variability. As CannaDine rightly points out, it’s this unique characteristic that leads to overconsumption, turning a pleasant experience into a “nightmare.” This is the very core of why precision is so crucial to responsible consumption. By hammering home the principle of “start low, go slow,” the manual provides the kind of common-sense guidance that should have been mainstream from day one.The document then dives headfirst into the logistics of creating a safe environment, something that has been severely lacking in the cannabis community. It stresses that every detail matters, from sourcing cannabis legally and safely (avoiding the issues associated with an illicit market) to the meticulous process of dosing. It rightly frames the act of preparing cannabis-infused food not just as cooking, but as a scientific process, requiring digital scales and a precise understanding of milligrams. This is how we elevate infused dining from seeming like a dark-alley transaction to a sophisticated culinary practice, just as legal cannabis deserves.Where the manual truly shines, and where it distinguishes itself from other types of governing documents, is in its focus on the critical issues that have long been ignored. CannaDine’s unvarnished discussion on potential interactions with medications and, more importantly, the dangerous mix of cannabis and alcohol, is a monumental step forward.The guide doesn’t pull any punches, detailing how THC can affect everything from blood thinners to antidepressants. It’s a brave and necessary move to prioritize health and safety over all else, forcing a new conversation about responsible consumption. The blunt yet relevant language about the synergistic effect of mixing cannabis and alcohol (“cross fading),” which can lead to “greening out,” an intense anxiety, and dangerous impairment) is a much-needed public education campaign. It’s a simple notion, but one that often gets lost in the casual nature of a party, and the manual’s call to action is a powerful one: choose one, or the other.CannaDine even tackles the very act of a cannabis-infused gathering. It provides a full roadmap for event planning, from pre-notifying guests and designing menus with clear differentiation to managing the event itself with a sober host, and a clear emergency plan. It is a level of professionalism that has been missing from the conversation. The manual’s inclusion of emergency protocols and crisis management is a testament to its maturity. It acknowledges that, despite best intentions, things can go wrong, and a prepared, calm response is the only acceptable option.In the end, CannaDine is a blueprint for a better cannabis culture. It takes the formless lump of clay that is the living, changing nature of our laws and shows how it can create beautifully polished plates for everyone to use. By providing a clear, simple outline for every aspect of infused dining, it normalizes and professionalizes a practice that has long been shrouded in myth, and mystery. It’s a crucial step in ensuring that as more people feel comfortable with how and what they consume, we can build a safe, respectable, and ultimately, more enjoyable cannabis community._Source: TorontoCaribbean.com

Is this the missing blueprint for Canadian cannabis dining culture?

Ghana reportedly rejected a health deal with the US over terms that would require sharing citizens’ personal data, the latest sign of mounting privacy concerns around the agreements being pursued by Washington.More than a dozen African countries — including Nigeria, Rwanda, and Uganda — have signed up to the Trump administration’s America First Global Health Strategy, which asks countries to share data about pathogens that could spark epidemics, as a condition of receiving the funding. But data-sharing concerns prompted Zimbabwe to abandon talks this year over a similar deal to Ghana’s, and led a Kenyan court to suspend implementation of an agreement between Washington and Nairobi. The head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has previously expressed “huge concerns” over data and pathogen-sharing between African countries and the US.Washington’s pursuit of deals comes after last year’s shuttering of the US Agency for International Development, which had disbursed $40 billion a year across 130 countries. USAID’s closure, along with aid budget cuts by other Western countries, has left some African governments struggling to cover health budget shortfalls.

Ghana ‘rejects’ US health deal over data concerns

Portugal and Italy do not plan on exempting British nationals from Europe's new fingerprinting and facial scanning checks, the European Commission has confirmed.Recent reports had suggested the two countries were set to follow the example of Greece, which has effectively suspended biometric checks at its borders for British citizens in order to prevent major disruptions over the summer.These reports were not confirmed by the authorities in either country.The rollout of the Entry-Exit System (EES) has caused long queues at some European airports and sparked warnings that delays could worsen over the summer holiday period.The biometric checks are required by the European Union's new digital system, which was first introduced in October last year and was meant to become fully operational on 10 April.It requires most short-term visitors from outside the EU and European Economic Area to register biometric data each time they enter or leave the Schengen free travel zone.Although the European Commission insists the system has mainly been working well, there have been widespread reports of travellers, many of them from the UK, experiencing very long delays at borders.In some cases, large numbers of passengers have missed flights as a result.Last month more than 100 people missed their EasyJet flight to Manchester from Milan's Linate airport after they were stuck in what the airline described as "unacceptable" passport queues.Other passengers due to travel with Ryanair from Milan Bergamo airport to Manchester also missed their flight due to passport control problems, the airline confirmed.<h2>People urged not to cancel flights over fuel shortage fears</h2>These issues have already led to biometric checks on British citizens being abandoned in practice at Greek border controls, despite Athens claiming that it had "successfully started the full operation of the Entry-Exit System".The Commission told the BBC it was "in contact with Greece to clarify the situation and recall the existing rules".It pointed out those rules allow checks to be suspended for short periods at specific border crossings in exceptional circumstances, but do not allow "blanket exemptions for nationals of specific third countries and for an extended period of time".The Commission was "also in contact with Portugal and Italy, as with all Member States, on the implementation of the EES".It added: "The Portuguese and Italian authorities confirmed that they do not intend to exempt any nationality."The changes to the EU's border system come as airlines grapple with skyrocketing jet fuel costs and concerns over ongoing fuel supplies ahead of the busy summer months.Airlines have cut 13,000 flights globally for May, equivalent to 1% of flights for that period.Holidaymakers have been urged not to change their travel plans as there is currently no fuel shortage in the UK and there are contingency plans in place.<h2> </h2>

Portugal and Italy will not suspend digital border checks for Brits

World Malaria Day was observed recently and each year at this time, conversations tend to focus on progress — declining incidence rates, global eradication targets, and long-term public health milestones. While it is important to acknowledge the increased visibility this has brought to malaria control efforts and the advances in research and treatment, there is a growing concern that the narrative is becoming too abstract.In doing so, we risk losing sight of what is still happening on the ground: malaria has not become less dangerous. If anything, its outbreaks have become more predictable, yet responses remain dangerously delayed, particularly in underserved communities where access to timely care is based of finance.<img src="https://mydailynewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/iwIMFOzN.jpg">The World Health Organization estimates that malaria still causes over 200 million cases annually, with more than 600,000 deaths each year, and about 94% of those deaths occurring in Africa, predominantly among children under five. UNICEF continues to highlight malaria as one of the leading causes of preventable childhood mortality on the continent. These are not historical figures. They are the current realities.At Helpster Charity, between 2025 and 2026 to date, we supported 498 severe malaria cases requiring hospitalization. These were not mild or early-stage cases. Every patient in this cohort had already crossed into clinical severity — requiring urgent admission rather than outpatient treatment. The average age of these patients is 7.6 years, a figure that should immediately sharpen our understanding of where the burden is concentrated: children who depend entirely on the timing of adult decisions, access to care, and affordability.<img src="https://mydailynewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/8TD4N6g8.jpg">We also recorded cases involving pregnant women, including women in their early thirties, where malaria becomes not just an individual illness but a dual-risk condition affecting both mother and unborn child. In these situations, the consequences are intergenerational and far more complex than a single infection episode.These cases rarely exist alone. The most common complications we see include cerebral malaria, anemia, and kidney failure. Malaria acts as the trigger, but what unfolds is a wider clinical collapse shaped by delayed care-seeking, underlying vulnerability, and systemic gaps in early intervention. Most patients are hospitalized for an average of three days, but those three days are often preceded by much longer periods of unmanaged fever at home, where families delay seeking care due to cost constraints or uncertainty about severity.<img src="https://mydailynewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/3VOgL2-X.jpg">The financial reality is equally revealing. Across these cases, the average treatment cost is approximately $82.50, with extremes ranging from $15 to $560, depending on complexity. While these figures may appear modest in global health discussions, they are significant in the context of the households affected. Importantly, treatment is always initiated immediately at Helpster-supported facilities, before payment is resolved, because in severe malaria, delay is not clinically acceptable. Yet administrative confirmation of cases often takes between two weeks and one month, reflecting a persistent gap between urgent clinical response and slower institutional documentation systems.Malaria is also highly seasonal, and our data reflects clear clustering during and after rainy periods, with peaks consistently observed in May, June, October, and November. This is not new epidemiological knowledge. What remains unresolved is the implication of that predictability. Each year, the same seasonal conditions produce surges in severe cases, yet the preparedness of households and systems does not scale in proportion. Predictability without resilience simply becomes repetition.A further complexity lies in financing. Our intake system focuses on patients who cannot independently afford care, meaning every case represents not just a medical emergency but a financial one. In this context, conventional ideas around micro-credit or repayment capacity become difficult to apply meaningfully. In the middle of a child’s fever crisis, the question is not repayment structure — it is survival and immediacy of access.Within this cohort, luckily, we have no confirmed malaria-related deaths recorded based on available partner reporting and case management data. While this is encouraging, it should not be misread as evidence that risk is absent.<img src="https://mydailynewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/iUZzK6ep.jpg">What emerges clearly from this data is that malaria is no longer simply a disease of incidence. It is a disease of delay — delay in detection, delay in care-seeking, delay in financing, and delay in system coordination. It disproportionately affects young children and pregnant women, who have the least capacity to withstand these delays. And its true burden is not captured by infection numbers alone, but by the complications, comorbidities, and systemic inefficiencies that turn preventable illness into hospitalization.A child admitted for three days of inpatient care is not just a clinical case. It is an indicator of earlier failures — in prevention, in access, or in affordability. When nearly 500 such cases are recorded through one organization in just over a year, the question is no longer if malaria remains a public health challenge. The question is why severity is still the entry point into care.World Malaria Day must move beyond symbolic recognition and confront a harder truth: progress cannot be measured by declining incidence alone when preventable infections are still escalating into emergencies. Until early detection, timely access to care, and financing mechanisms operate with the same urgency as the disease itself, malaria will remain not something we are eliminating, but something we are repeatedly forced to manage at its most severe and costly stage.<img src="https://mydailynewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/MrlfIrPR.jpg">For the children and families behind these numbers, intervention after deterioration is not enough. At Helpster Charity, our work is rooted in closing that gap — continuously refining our systems to reach underserved communities earlier and ensure that lack of funds never delays lifesaving care. Our goal is simple: make access to quality healthcare immediate, efficient, and dependable when it matters most.But no single organization can solve this alone. Real progress depends on a collective effort; from donors who enable rapid response, to technology teams building transparent and efficient systems, to healthcare partners delivering critical care, and even to the patients and families who take the step to seek help. Ending malaria, and other treatable conditions like it, will require that shared commitment to act earlier, faster, and together.By Kate Lysykh, CEO, Helpster Charity.

The Real Malaria Crisis Is Delay To Hospital Access, And Health Financing

Did you know that April is Stress Awareness Month? I don’t know about you, but the month of April always makes me feel like I’m treading water. I don’t know if it’s just the time of the semester when I’m grading exams, helping students register for the fall, making sure seniors are all set for graduation, and assisting with summer internships … and that’s just my professor hat. I haven’t even begun to think about all of the other meetings and organizations and obligations in the various facets of my life … and I know I am not alone in sometimes feeling totally overwhelmed with the amount of work on my plate and news in my ears. The world seems like it is being pushed and pulled to limits many of us have not seen in our lifetimes and it can be, well, rather stress-inducing.&nbsp;It seems like everyone I speak to echoes my feelings of being so busy and emotionally drained by national and international politics that we feel like we’re on a Ferris wheel (fun fact: The Ferris wheel was actually designed by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair). I’m seeing a certain level of burnout in my students, family members, friends, and just everyday New Yorkers I interact with on a daily basis. Many folks have expressed feelings of sheer emotional and mental exhaustion caused by the leaders in Washington, D.C. and the levels of incompetence and corruption and policies that make our lives more difficult and less safe.&nbsp;I definitely know this draining feeling and am trying to be proactive about how to take care of myself and reduce stress in this moment. First things first: I have been getting the adequate amount of sleep. Sleep is fuel for our minds, bodies, and spirits, and I am keenly aware that a good night’s rest will carry me a long way.&nbsp;I definitely do not exercise as much as I should, but I know getting endorphins moving helps not only produce better sleep and decrease anxiety, but the sheer activity of sweating away the day does wonders for emotional regulation. More exercise, beyond just walking, is something I will work on in the upcoming weeks to help decrease the overall stressors of life these days.For some, stress can have severe and long-standing health effects. It is imperative for us to be in community with others so we can name the issue and find solutions for it before it becomes something unmanageable and irreversible. Sometimes just saying what the stressor is can be an important step in alleviating it.&nbsp;For the remainder of the month, let’s be mindful about taking care of ourselves. Let’s get out in nature; get good rest; and make our mental and physical health a priority.&nbsp;Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of the books “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams” and “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC._Source: Amsterdam News

Find ways to observe Stress Awareness Month

Launched on April 15, 2026, by President John Dramani Mahama, Ghana’s Free Primary Health Care (FPHC) programme aims to eliminate financial barriers to essential health services. It targets 150 underserved districts, covering services like screenings, maternal care, and malaria treatment at CHPS compounds and clinics, aiming for universal coverage by 2028.Key Details of the Free Primary Health Care Programme<ul><li>Target Population &amp; Launch:&nbsp;The policy targets the approximately 35% of Ghanaians currently not covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). It officially rolls out in phases, beginning in April 2026 and aims for nationwide expansion by 2028.</li><li>Services Covered:&nbsp;The policy focuses on preventive care, including:</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Routine screening for hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and mental health.</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Maternal and child health services (antenatal care, immunization).</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Treatment for common diseases (malaria, pneumonia, respiratory infections).</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Basic emergency care, counseling, and referrals.</li><li>Access Requirements:&nbsp;Access is at the primary level (CHPS compounds, health centres, and polyclinics) simply with a valid national ID card.</li><li>Financing and Scope:&nbsp;About 1.5 billion Ghana cedis has been allocated to the initiative to reduce out-of-pocket costs and complement the existing NHIS.</li><li>Infrastructure Support:&nbsp;Over 24,000 pieces of equipment, including incubators and ultrasound machines, have been acquired to support the rollout.</li></ul>Objectives and ContextThe initiative is designed to address a 35% coverage gap in the current NHIS, shifting the health system's focus from treatment to prevention. It specifically targets vulnerable populations, attempting to reduce the burden of disease at the community level.Challenges and Considerations<ul><li>Implementation Concerns:&nbsp;Critics argue that, despite the promise, the key to success lies in tackling historical issues regarding implementation, logistics, and consistent funding.</li><li>Sustainability:&nbsp;Concerns have been raised regarding the long-term funding model and its ability to truly eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for all basic care.</li></ul>While some updates for a 2025 rollout were previously discussed, the official launch as reported is on April 15, 2026, according to official social media sources.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/61141fa59IMG_3442.jpeg">

Ghana’s President Mahama launches Free Primary Care, Mahama Care

The global spotlight is set to shine on Ghanaian actress, filmmaker, and producer Juliet Ibrahim as her short film Behind A Lie prepares for a special screening in Cannes, marking an important moment not only for her career but also for African women in film and storytelling.The announcement comes at a symbolic time for Juliet Ibrahim, who is also celebrating 20 years in film in 2026. In a recent social media post, the actress shared her excitement about taking the project to Cannes, revealing that she both directed and produced the short film under Juliet Ibrahim Studios.&nbsp;The screening is expected to take place alongside activities connected to the Nigerian International Film &amp; TV Summit (NIFSUMMIT), bringing together creatives, filmmakers, executives, and media professionals from different parts of the world.For many African creatives, Cannes represents more than just a glamorous destination. The Cannes Film Festival remains one of the most influential film platforms globally, often shaping conversations around cinema, storytelling, funding, and international collaborations. Having Behind A Lie screened within that environment signals growing visibility for African independent films and especially female-led productions from the continent.What makes this moment even more significant is the involvement of WIFT Ghana, which is using the Cannes moment as part of its global launch and visibility push. Organizations like WIFT Ghana are increasingly important in Africa’s creative ecosystem because they create opportunities, mentorship, visibility, and support systems for women working across film and television industries that have historically been male-dominated.Across Africa, conversations around women in film have become louder over the last decade. Female directors, producers, screenwriters, and cinematographers are gradually gaining more recognition, but challenges around funding, distribution, representation, and leadership opportunities still remain.&nbsp;<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/15e41b926IMG_3020.jpg">According to UNESCO reports on gender representation in film industries globally, women remain underrepresented in directing and technical roles despite growing participation rates. Moments like this therefore become important because they push African women-led storytelling into international spaces where deals, partnerships, and long-term opportunities are often created.Juliet Ibrahim’s journey also reflects the evolving nature of African entertainment itself. Over the years, she has built a career that cuts across acting, directing, producing, and entrepreneurship, becoming one of the recognizable names within West African cinema. Her decision to direct and produce Behind A Lie herself suggests a growing movement among African creatives who are taking ownership of their narratives rather than waiting for outside validation.The film’s screening in Cannes also speaks to a larger trend happening across African cinema today. More African stories are traveling internationally through streaming platforms, festivals, and global partnerships. In recent years, films and projects from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, and other African countries have increasingly gained international attention, proving that audiences around the world are interested in stories rooted in African realities and perspectives.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/b734dbbd1IMG_3086.jpg"> Beyond the screening itself, the networking and cocktail events hosted around the showcase are expected to create room for collaboration between African filmmakers and global industry players. These gatherings may seem social on the surface, but they often become spaces where funding conversations, distribution agreements, co-productions, and future partnerships begin.

Juliet Ibrahim’s “Behind A Lie” Heads To Cannes As WIFT Ghana Launches On The Global Stage

International actor and entrepreneur Boris Kodjoe has paid a courtesy visit to the Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, in a meeting facilitated by the Black Star Experience, led by Coordinator and Presidential Staffer, Rex Owusu Marfo.Also present at the meeting was Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, Chief Executive Officer of the National Sports Authority, and the Chief Director of the Ministry of Sports, Wilhemina Asamoah.The high-level engagement focused on strengthening collaboration between Ghana’s sports sector and private industry, particularly in the area of sports tourism ahead of upcoming global competitions, specifically the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.During the meeting, Mr. Kodjoe introduced his company, Full Circle Streamline Travel, which he co-founded with Chantel Foli, and outlined plans to roll out tailored World Cup travel packages specifically designed for Ghanaians. The initiative aims to provide accessible, well-organized travel experiences that will enable more fans to support the Black Stars on the global stage.He added that his firm will help enable solid partnerships between the Ghanaian business community and those in the US, leveraging on shared nterests and opportunities.Minister Adams welcomed the initiative, highlighting the importance of partnerships that enhance fan engagement and expand opportunities for Ghanaians to participate in international sporting events. He emphasized that such collaborations align with the government’s broader vision of leveraging sports as a tool for national development and international visibility.The facilitation of the meeting by the Black Star Experience underscores its growing role in connecting global Ghanaian talent and investment opportunities to local development priorities, particularly across tourism, culture, and sports.Mr. Kodjoe expressed his commitment to contributing to Ghana’s global presence, noting that sports, especially football, remain a powerful unifying force for the country and its diaspora.Further details on the World Cup travel packages, including pricing and booking arrangements, are expected to be announced in the coming months.About the Black Star ExperienceThe Black Star Experience (BSE) serves as Ghana’s leading national brand platform for culture, arts, tourism, and creative engagement, bridging local and international audiences. It represents a unified expression of Ghana’s renowned hospitality, offering structured pathways for both Ghanaians and global visitors to explore, engage with, and appreciate the country’s rich cultural assets, attractions, and experiences.Anchored on the vision to reaffirm, revitalize, and reimagine the essence, identity, and spirit of Ghana, the Black Star Experience is designed to attract people, investments, and businesses into the Ghanaian economy while strengthening the country’s global cultural footprint. It seeks to align Ghana’s brand reputation among the top 20 most admired country brands globally, Integrate the BSE framework across national initiatives and sectors, Position Ghana as a premier destination for global travelers, Transform Ghana into Africa’s Culture Capital and Contribute significantly to economic growth, targeting multi-billion-dollar impact by 2027. The Black Star Experience’s primarily focuses on: Amplifying and scaling existing platforms, programs, events, and attractions through coordinated local and global promotion and Creating and collaborating on new initiatives, formats, and experiences that showcase Ghana’s cultural and creative excellenceAbout Full Circle Streamline TravelFull Circle Streamline Travel is an international travel and lifestyle company focused on creating seamless, culturally immersive travel experiences. Founded by Boris Kodjoe, and Chantel Foli, the company specializes in curated group travel, sports tourism, and diaspora engagement initiatives, with a mission to connect people to meaningful global experiences while promoting cultural exchange and heritage exploration.

Black Star Experience facilitates Boris Kodjoe & Sports Minister Kofi Adams engagement to Boost World Cup Travel Opportunities for Ghanaians

A vibrant and culturally immersive Tourism Trade Show has been successfully held in Ethiopia as part of the official launch of Ghana Month&nbsp;at the renowned Kuriftu African Village, bringing together tourism stakeholders, cultural enthusiasts, business leaders, creatives, and members of the diplomatic community in a celebration of African unity and collaboration.The initiative was organized by Bridge54, a Pan-African cultural and diplomacy platform committed to reconnecting African nations through tourism, culture, trade, and investment opportunities. The event was coordinated by the The Black Star Experience Secretariat under the leadership of Rex Owusu Marfo.The launch marked an important cultural and economic exchange between Ghana and Ethiopia, highlighting the shared values, heritage, and aspirations of the African continent. Guests were treated to an authentic Ghanaian experience through carefully curated showcases of Ghana’s rich traditions, creativity, and hospitality.Attendees experienced live Kente weaving demonstrations, authentic Ghanaian Shea Butter exhibitions, chocolate tasting sessions, traditional Ghanaian cuisine and drinks, GTP fabric displays, and a showcase of indigenous craftsmanship that reflected the beauty and ingenuity of Ghanaian artisans.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.amazonaws.com/2334b2bc4Black%20Star%20Experience%20Coordinates%20Ghana%20Month%20In%20Ethiopia%20To%20Strengthen%20Pan-African%20Tourism%2C%20Culture%20And%20Business%20Connections%20III.jpeg">The event also served as a platform for strengthening meaningful Ethiopian-Ghanaian partnerships in tourism, business, investment, arts, and cultural exchange. Through music, food, fashion, and storytelling, the initiative reinforced the importance of intra-African collaboration and people-to-people connections.Speaking on the significance of the initiative, organizers emphasized that the Ghana Month activation goes beyond cultural exhibition and represents a broader vision of building bridges across Africa through shared identity, economic cooperation, and cultural diplomacy.The celebration forms part of ongoing efforts to position Africa as a connected destination for tourism, trade, and cultural engagement while encouraging Africans to explore, invest in, and celebrate one another.The significance of initiatives such as this lies at the very heart of The Black Star Experience Secretariat&nbsp;vision, using culture, tourism, arts, and creative engagement as powerful tools to reconnect Africa with itself and the world. By creating platforms that promote authentic African experiences and foster cross-border partnerships, the Black Star Experience continues to position Ghana as a leading hub for Pan-African collaboration, cultural diplomacy, tourism growth, and creative economy development across the continent.One of the major highlights of the event was the commitment by Tadiwos G. Belete, CEO of Kuriftu Resorts, to establish a dedicated shop in Ethiopia to market Ghanaian products. The move is expected to significantly expand visibility and commercial opportunities for Ghanaian brands within the Ethiopian market.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/b4e4de850Black%20Star%20Experience%20Coordinates%20Ghana%20Month%20In%20Ethiopia%20To%20Strengthen%20Pan-African%20Tourism%2C%20Culture%20And%20Business%20Connections%20I.jpeg">Discussions during the event also revealed plans for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ghana Tourism Authority and their Ethiopian counterparts to strengthen tourism cooperation and jointly market both destinations. Stakeholders emphasized the enormous opportunities presented by Ethiopia’s vast market size and strategic accessibility, particularly with Ethiopian Airlines currently operating flights from Accra three times daily.The announcement that, from 25th May, Africans will be able to travel to Ghana visa-free was received with excitement by participants, who described it as a major step toward strengthening cultural and economic ties between Ghana and Ethiopia, while advancing broader Pan-African integration.As part of efforts to sustain cultural awareness throughout the month of May, Ghanaian chefs will remain in Ethiopia to promote Ghanaian cuisine and culinary experiences. In addition, GTP Textiles announced plans to enter the Ethiopian market by designing fabrics tailored specifically to Ethiopian tastes and preferences. Ghanaian fashion brands also participated in the showcase, with collections modelled by Ethiopian models in a powerful display of cultural exchange and creative collaboration.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/73a497a32Black%20Star%20Experience%20Coordinates%20Ghana%20Month%20In%20Ethiopia%20To%20Strengthen%20Pan-African%20Tourism%2C%20Culture%20And%20Business%20Connections%20II.jpeg">The event attracted high-profile participation including Ghana’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, His Excellency Robert Afriyie and his Deputy, representatives from United Nations Permanent Missions, and the Kenyan Ambassador to Ethiopia. Sister agencies including the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and the Ghana Tourism Authority also participated alongside six Ghanaian SMEs, including a Kente weaver, 57 Chocolate, a handmade chocolate company, Skin Gourmet, a Shea Butter company, and several fashion houses.Panel discussions during the event encouraged both countries to deepen investment partnerships, particularly within Ghana’s mining sector, tourism industry, and creative economy. Organizers noted that the success of the initiative demonstrates the immense opportunities that exist when African nations intentionally collaborate through culture, tourism, trade, and diplomacy.The event is expected to grow even bigger as Ghana prepares to celebrate its 70th anniversary next year, with projected benefits for tourism operators, investors, creatives, and Medium to Small Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) across both countries.

Black Star Experience Coordinates Ghana Month In Ethiopia To Strengthen Pan-African Tourism, Culture And Business Connections

Barbados Reggae Weekend ended on a high note after three nights at Kensington Oval, with organisers hailing the 2026 staging for its record attendance.&nbsp;The festival, which ran from Friday to Sunday, featured its signature events: Mount Gay Legends of Reggae, Guinness Showdown, and Reggae in the Gardens.Speaking to reporters on Sunday night, sonsorship manager Michelle Straughn said the turnout had surged across the weekend, estimating that attendance at Guinness Showdown doubled, while that of Reggae in the Gardens tripled.&nbsp;Straughn noted that, despite production challenges, the event continues to position Barbados as a premier entertainment destination.“At the end of the day, we are happy. We are doing this on behalf of Barbados, to help build Barbados as another destination of festivals because I think we were losing that somewhat when the Barbados Reggae Weekend went away,” she said.The organiser also noted that this year marked the first time the festival was livestreamed worldwide, with patrons purchasing tokens for digital access. According to Straughn, the process was “seamless” and organisers intend to continue the initiative for future eventsCommenting on the use of Kensington Oval as the event’s venue for the first time, Straughn described the venue as “beautiful”, despite logistical considerations.“The venue is beautiful,” she said. “We still had to make sure that we protect the pitches so that cricket can be played here in Barbados.”Straughn said she hopes the festival will help attract visitors ahead of the island’s summer arrivals. “We are hoping that from here on in, we start seeing plane-fulls coming in April, before we start to get [visitors] in July.”The festivities opened Friday with the Mount Gay Legends of Reggae Show and Dance, where icons including Barrington Levy, Super Cat, Sister Nancy, Norris Man, JC Lodge and Biggie Irie delivered nostalgic performances despite technical issues that affected sections of the show. Levy emerged as a standout, while deejays Jerry Dan and Lil Rick kept patrons entertained between sets.Saturday’s Showdown shifted the tempo with a dancehall-heavy showcase led by Popcaan, while Capleton and General Degree delivered hit-filled sets. Local acts Maasta T, Doejay, Brutal Crankstar, Weather 40 and Idea the Artist also earned strong crowd reactions. Although 450 did not appear, organisers later confirmed his move to Sunday’s lineup.Reggae in the Gardens brought the curtain down on Sunday with headliner Fantasia leading a diverse cast that included Dexta Daps, Kranium, Admiral Tibet, DJ Puffy, D’Yani, Spice and Company, and Rite Side of Red featuring Buggy Nhakente and Rhesa Garnes.

Reggae Weekend draws record crowds, says organiser

Joseph Okpako/Redferns via Getty ImagesDrake's Iceman isn't just taking over the culture, it's been dominating the charts — as have his two other surprise albums.According to trusted music outlet Hits Daily Double, the rapper's new album, which arrived on Friday (May 15), is expected to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart next week, and is projected to sell 480,000-520,000 equivalent units in its first week.Drizzy’s surprise albums, Maid of Honour and Habibti, which were released on the same day as Iceman, are also slated to have a high position on the chart, moving 115,000-135,000 equivalent units and 110,000-130,000 equivalent units, respectively.If the 6 God scores another No. 1 single, he’s on track to surpass the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson. The artists are currently tied at 13 chart-topping hits on the Billboard Hot 100, hence Drake wearing a sparkly glove similar to Jackson on the Iceman album cover.Earlier this week, the five-time Grammy winner made music history with being named the artist with the most albums that have spent 10 years on the Billboard 200. Before him was Jackson with Thriller, while Drake’s record-breaking albums are Take Care, Nothing Was the Same and Views, all released during the 2010s.In less than 48 hours of being released, Iceman, Maid of Honour and Habibti have reached other global streaming milestones on Apple Music, Amazon Music and Spotify. On Spotify alone, Drake nabbed highest-streamed artist of 2026 so far, along with highest-streamed album (Iceman) and song ("Make Them Cry") in a single day.

Drake's 'Iceman,' 'Maid of Honour,' and 'Habibti' Albums: Blockbuster First Week Sales Projections

The parliament in Ghana has approved a new bill criminalising homosexuality and the promotion of LGBTQ+ activities.It proposes that identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer be punished by up to three years' imprisonment. The bill also introduces a "duty to report" prohibited acts to police.Religious leaders have pressured President John Dramani Mahama, who still needs to ratify the legislation, to strengthen anti-gay laws since he came to power last year.The ban has been sharply criticised by international organisations, including Human Rights Watch, which said it placed LGBTQ+ peoples' lives at risk while also "encouraging citizens to surveil and denounce one another".Same-sex relationships have been banned in Ghana under laws dating from the British colonial era.In an address to parliament, the bill's sponsor Reverend John Ntim Fordjour said it would protect Ghanaian family and cultural values.He said the new bans would make existing laws "more robust, more encompassing and more stringent in dealing with the practices of LGBTQI".Anyone who identifies as an "ally", a general term for a supporter of LGBTQ+ people, could also face a prison sentence.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/28840b818IMG_4132.jpeg">Exemptions were included for legal, media and healthcare professionals who report on LGBTQ+ issues or provide medical treatment or other services for gay people.Human Rights Watch recommended the bill be abandoned in a formal submission to the constitutional and legal affairs committee scrutinising the legislation in the capital, Accra.Ghana passed a similar bill in 2024 but it did not become law after former President Akufo-Addo failed to sign it amid legal challenges.The current President Mahama has indicated he would support the bill's passage, saying shortly after he took office that "I believe in the principles and values that only two genders exist – man and woman - and that marriage is between a man and a woman."Several African countries have cracked down on LGBTQ+ rights in recent years.Senegal's parliament approved similar legislation in March prescribing a maximum prison term of 10 years for sexual acts by same-sex couples and criminalising the ''promotion'' of homosexuality.Uganda introduced a death penalty for certain same-sex acts in 2023._Source: BBC

Ghana's parliament passes anti-LGBTQ+ bill

Drake might officially be the new king of pop.The Toronto rap star has shattered the longstanding record previously held by Michael Jackson for most No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100 by a solo male artist.His song Janice STFU entered at the top of the chart this week following the release of his trilogy of albums.Toronto superstar Drake pulled off another major promotional stunt by projecting digital ice over the city's iconic CN Tower and setting off a massive fireworks barrage, to mark the release of his new album Iceman, and two other records.Billboard says that pushes Drake's career total to 14 chart-toppers, tying him with Taylor Swift and Rihanna for the most No. 1 singles among all artists. Only Mariah Carey, with 19, and The Beatles, with 20, have more.Drake also set a new record for most entries on the Hot 100 in a single week, placing 42 songs on the chart. That surpasses Morgan Wallen's 2025 record of 37, which broke his previous high of 36.The Hotline Bling artist has repeatedly alluded to Michael Jackson in his music in recent years, framing his own legacy in relation to the pop icon's. The cover of his new album Iceman also appears to nod to the late singer, featuring a rhinestone-studded glove reminiscent of Jackson's signature accessory.This week, Drake also became the first artist to claim the top three spots on Billboard's top 200 album chart.His trilogy of albums — Iceman, Habibti and Maid of Honour — debuted at Nos. 1, 2 and 3, respectively, on the chart dated May 30.The releases mark Drake's first solo projects since his high-profile feud with Kendrick Lamar in 2024, with references to the rivalry woven throughout several tracks.Hours before the release of his new album Iceman, Drake put on a light show at the CN Tower, transforming the landmark in downtown Toronto into ice.Iceman arrived after nearly a year of buildup, during which Drake teased the project with a series of public stunts — including a large ice-block installation in a downtown Toronto parking lot with the album's release date hidden inside.He launched the album release on May 15 by lighting Toronto's CN Tower in an icy-blue hue, before surprise-dropping the other two albums.

Drake breaks King of Pop's record for No. 1 hits

The Pope described Church's role in slavery as a "wound in Christian memory"Ghana has welcomed Pope Leo XIV's apology for the Catholic Church's historic role in slavery, describing it as an "act of moral courage" that was important in the global pursuit of "truth, human dignity and justice".The Pope issued the clearest apology yet for the Church's involvement in legitimising slavery and its delay in condemning it for centuries.The apology was published on Monday in the Pope's first major teaching document of his papacy, which also focused on the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI).Ghana was a major hub for the transatlantic slave trade when millions of people were captured and loaded on to ships, never to return home.Between the 16th and 19th Centuries, 12-15 million Africans were shipped to the Caribbean, with about two million dying during the journey.Ghana has long been leading efforts for compensation and apologies from Western nations for the slave trade.The West African nation's government said the Pope's recognition of the painful past was an important step towards healing, reconciliation and a just society.''[The apology] reinforces the growing global understanding that confronting historical injustices demands truth-telling and moral responsibility as essential foundations for justice and reconciliation,'' its statement, released late on Tuesday, said.The Pope's apology was delivered in what is known as a encyclical - technically a letter to Catholic bishops, but which over recent decades have been how a pontiff passes on messages to the world.In the papal letter - titled "Magnifica Humanitas" ("Magnificent Humanity") - Pope Leo sincerely asked for a pardon in the name of the Church, adding that it was "impossible not to feel deep sorrow when contemplating the immense suffering and humiliation endured by so many".Leo said Church authorities had at times responded to requests of rulers by "regulating and legitimising forms of subjugation, including the enslavement of of [non-Christians]".He also acknowledged that earlier in the Middle Ages, ecclesiastical institutions had their own slaves."This constitutes a wound in Christian memory," he said of the Church's record.In April, Pope Leo completed a 11-day, four-nation of Africa - his first visit to the continent as pontiff - and where he made several forthright remarks including lashing out at foreigners who exploit Africa's wealth for profit.Pope Leo visited Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in AprilGhana said the Pope's acknowledgment of the "painful history" was significant, at a time the world was having a "deeper reflection" on the effects of slavery and colonialism.The country successfully pushed for a UN resolution in March, which recognised the enslavement of Africans as the "gravest crime against humanity".Submitted by Ghana's President John Mahama and backed by the African Union, it aims to provide a pathway to healing and the payment of reparations.It also seeks to address the enduring consequences of slavery like inequality and racial discrimination.Ghana, which still has some of the forts that were used for holding captives under inhuman conditions as they waited to be shipped to the Americas by European powers, is due to host a conference in June to discuss the next steps following the adoption of the UN resolution.On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch said the Pope's apology marked an important step, but stressed apologies alone were not enough and that real reparative justice needed to go further.Religious institutions, along with states and corporations that benefited from slavery, should "reckon seriously" with their histories and take part in reparative efforts, the rights group added.

Ghana welcomes Pope's apology over Catholic Church's role in slavery

At a time when many families are feeling the strain of rising living costs, one church in the United States has offered a powerful witness to what generosity shaped by faith can achieve.Alfred Street Baptist Church, a historic congregation in Virginia, has given more than one million dollars to prevent the eviction of hundreds of families living in public housing. The initiative, announced on Easter Sunday, reflects a deep commitment to prayer, justice, and care for neighbour.The church raised $1,049,000 through its annual SEEK offering, a season marked by fasting, prayer, and intentional generosity. Rather than directing the funds inward, the congregation chose to respond to a growing crisis in their local community, where many households have struggled to keep up with rent amid rising fuel prices, economic pressure, and job instability.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/71b4f2993IMG_4047.png">Senior Pastor Howard-John Wesley shared the news during the Easter service, connecting the effort to the church’s wider spiritual calling.“We pray that the Lord would not only change our lives,” Wesley said, “but that God will also change our land.”Following a careful process that included audits, verified records, and conversations with affected families, the church confirmed that the funds would directly stop the eviction of 338 families. Each case represented a household facing uncertainty and possible displacement.“It is my joy to share with you that with that SEEK offering, you have helped stop the eviction of 338 families,” Wesley said.The donation forms part of the Fresh Start Initiative, a local program created to support residents in public housing. The initiative emerged after the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority reported around one million dollars in unpaid rent across its properties. For many residents, the combination of increased living costs and unstable employment had made it difficult to remain secure in their homes.City leaders have recognised that the response from the church is about more than financial relief. It speaks to the possibility of longer-term stability when communities work together.Alyia Gaskins, Mayor of Alexandria, highlighted the broader significance of the initiative.“This is about more than clearing balances, it’s about creating pathways to stability,” Gaskins said in a statement. “Housing affordability continues to be one of the most pressing challenges facing our city.”She also noted that partnerships with local faith communities are helping to provide financial education and support systems that can strengthen families over time.Founded in 1803, Alfred Street Baptist Church&nbsp;has long held a commitment to serving beyond its walls. With around 10,000 members, it continues to demonstrate how a large congregation can remain grounded in local mission. In the past year alone, the church also gave more than $132,000 to erase college debt for 11 graduates of Saint Augustine’s University.In a world where economic pressures often isolate and divide, this act of collective generosity offers a different story. It is a story of people who prayed, gave, and acted together so that hundreds of families could remain in their homes.As churches consider their own mission in challenging times, this example poses a quiet but important question. What might it look like for prayer to shape not only our inner lives, but the wellbeing of the communities we are called to serve?

Black mega church donates over $1 million save over 330 families from eviction

Ghana has recorded 14 arrests linked to false news and offensive speech in less than 16 months, nearly double the number documented during the previous administration’s entire eight-year tenure, according to the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA).The rise has triggered a sharp debate in one of West Africa’s most stable democracies over whether authorities are simply enforcing long-standing laws in a new digital environment, or edging into a more restrictive approach to public speech.The controversy carries added political weight because President John Mahama, while in opposition in 2022, warned that using state power to intimidate dissent was a “dangerous blueprint” for democracy.<h2>Government: enforcement not repression</h2>A senior ruling party official dismissed allegations that the arrests amount to a crackdown.“The opposition intentionally sponsors people to insult the President,” he told Al Jazeera. “When the law catches up with them, they cry persecution to score cheap political points.”He pointed to the case of TikToker Prince Ofori, known as “Fante Comedy”, who was arrested last August over alleged threats to President Mahama.Days after his arrest, Ofori appeared at a political rally alongside opposition figures, a development the official said showed how quickly such cases become politicised.“They paraded him at an opposition rally,” he said.<h2>Opposition: a warning sign for democracy</h2>Opposition leaders see something more troubling taking shape.Minority leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has been among the most outspoken critics.“The state-sponsored persecution must stop,” he told Al Jazeera. “Arresting citizens for words that do not constitute genuine threats is not justice. It is intimidation.”<img src="https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/13574211-1780497934.jpg?w=770&amp;resize=770%2C513&amp;quality=80">Police officers on security patrol in front of the Ghana black star symbol [Frank Kporfor/Epa]He said free speech has limits, but argued that the state is increasingly crossing a line.“Excessive use of state power risks undoing Ghana’s hard-won democratic gains,” he said.<h2>Where is the line?</h2>At the centre of the debate are long-standing provisions in Ghana’s Criminal Code and Electronic Communications Act, which authorities say are now being applied to a fast-moving digital landscape.Government supporters argue the increase in arrests reflects the explosion of anonymous and unregulated online content.Critics say the problem is not the laws themselves, but how they are being used.A legal consultant who reviewed recent cases said he counted at least 16 alleged misapplications of Section 208 in the past 18 months, compared with roughly a dozen in the previous eight years.“The law has been abused beyond repair,” he said. “Repeal is the only remedy.”<h2>Media freedom and blurred boundaries</h2>Veteran journalist Ben Ephson said Ghana needs clearer guidance on where free expression ends and harm begins.“The government must properly explain the arrests so people can draw the line between press freedom and responsible journalism,” he said.He added that both journalists and state institutions risk overstepping if the rules remain unclear.“When you compare the freedom of the media and the rights of the individual, we need to be careful that the media, in trying to do their work, don’t trample on people’s rights,” he said.A wider global debateOthers say Ghana’s debate mirrors tensions playing out in other democracies.Tegha King of the Universal Peace Federation Ghana said concerns about shrinking civic space are not unique to Ghana.“The global civic space must cultivate more free speech, not less,” he told Al Jazeera.He said stronger institutions, not more arrests, are needed to manage the pressures of the digital age.“There must be independent courts, transparent enforcement, media self-regulation and digital literacy,” he said.Some analysts point to gaps in public understanding of constitutional rights.“There is a lack of constitutional education among many Ghanaians,” said David Adofo of the African Chamber of Content Producers. “People must know the consequences of their actions before they act, not after.”Concerns are also being voiced outside the country.“We have had many concerns from diasporans about perceived erosion of press and political freedoms, especially news of blogger arrests,” said Nana Kofi Opoku-Agyemang of the NuGhana Expat Center. “Negative news sells fast. The government must be cautious so it does not project a negative image of Ghana in the diasporan community.”<h2>Government stance</h2>Officials insist there is no coordinated effort to silence dissent.An NDC communicator said the legal framework in question predates the current administration and defended the approach.“Ghana’s laws, Section 208 of the Criminal Code and Section 76 of the Electronic Communications Act, have been on the books for decades,” he said. “What has changed is the sheer volume of reckless, anonymous and sometimes dangerous content on social media. There is no systematic crackdown. There is simply enforcement of existing law.”<img src="https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2025-12-12T002056Z_86881175_RC2DEIA7WL6K_RTRMADP_3_GHANA-SECURITY-1780497947.jpg?w=770&amp;resize=770%2C513&amp;quality=80">Police stand guard during a Show of Force Exercise in Accra last December [Francis Kokoroko/Reuters]A political irony at the centre of it allGhana remains one of West Africa’s more open democracies, with a competitive political system and active media landscape.But the rise in speech-related arrests has sharpened scrutiny of how far the state can go in policing online expression without undermining the democratic culture that helped define its reputation.The debate is also politically charged because of Mahama’s own past warnings.As opposition leader, he described the use of state power against dissent as a “dangerous blueprint.” Today, critics say his government faces accusations it once condemned.For Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the moment calls for restraint — and reflection.“We should not continue to say that because it happened yesterday, it should happen today and tomorrow. That cycle must end,” he said. “President Mahama has an opportunity to leave a legacy of tolerance and free speech. I hope he takes it.”

Arrests of critics in Ghana provokes alarm over free speech under Mahama

Qatari and U.S. oil giants turn to Africa’s second-largest gas producer to ship Cyprus offshore gas to Europe<ul><li>Egypt is enhancing its role as a regional energy and logistics hub by facilitating the export of Cypriot gas to Europe via Egyptian infrastructure.</li><li>QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil signed an agreement with Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum to liquefy and export Cypriot gas discoveries through Egyptian terminals.</li><li>Egypt is also expanding trade routes, including a new cargo corridor linking Mediterranean and Red Sea ports, connecting European and Gulf markets.</li><li>These developments come as Europe seeks alternative energy routes amidst the Russia-Ukraine war and instability in the Strait of Hormuz, further solidifying Egypt’s strategic position.</li></ul>The memorandum of understanding, signed with Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, will explore the development and commercialisation of offshore gas discoveries from Cyprus using Egypt’s liquefaction facilities and export terminals.The agreement strengthens Cairo’s push to position itself as the Eastern Mediterranean’s main transit and processing route for exports to Europe.It also reinforces Egypt’s growing influence as Africa’s second-largest gas producer amid renewed instability across Middle Eastern shipping routes.Currently, Cyprus lacks liquefied natural gas infrastructure, meaning offshore reserves must first be transported through subsea pipelines to Egypt before being liquefied and exported to international markets.According to Euronews, the project could provide Europe with an additional energy supply route as countries continue diversifying supply sources following disruptions triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.While output from Cyprus alone is unlikely to significantly reshape Europe’s energy balance, it could nonetheless strengthen supply flows from the Eastern Mediterranean.The agreement builds on Egypt’s expanding role in Mediterranean energy flows.In April, partners in Cyprus’s Aphrodite gas field signed a 15-year agreement to sell all recoverable natural gas from the reservoir to the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company, with an option to extend the arrangement for another five years.QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil are already partners in Cyprus’s Block 10 concession, where the Glaucus offshore discovery, identified in 2019, is estimated to contain about 3.7 trillion cubic feet of gas.A second discovery, Pegasus, announced in 2025, increased the combined reserves of the two fields to around 7 trillion cubic feet after the consortium declared both commercially viable earlier this year.QatarEnergy chief executive Saad Sherida Al Kaabi described the agreement as a step toward strengthening regional energy cooperation across the Eastern Mediterranean.Since the Russia-Ukraine war and rising Middle East instability, Cairo has drawn growing global attention due to its strategic position linking the Gulf with European markets, while accelerating infrastructure and energy partnerships with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.Among the key projects is the planned Egypt-Saudi Arabia electricity interconnection project, designed to link North African and Gulf power grids through the Red Sea.Egypt also remains a critical transit player through the SUMED pipeline, which transports crude oil from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, helping global markets reduce exposure to congestion and security risks around the Strait of Hormuz.Although the latest Cyprus-Egypt gas export project remains in its early stages, with no final investment decision yet announced, completion by 2028 would mark Cyprus’s first-ever gas exports to Europe.

Qatari and U.S. oil giants turn to Africa’s second-largest gas producer to ship Cyprus offshore gas to Europe

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia has temporarily suspended travel to Egypt through the OK-to-Board authorization system after Somali citizens reported being stranded and mistreated at Cairo airport, immigration officials said Sunday.The Immigration and Citizenship Agency said that starting May 24, 2026, all Somali citizens traveling to Egypt must obtain an official visa from the Egyptian Consulate before departure.The agency said it had monitored recent problems faced by Somali travelers using the OK-to-Board system and decided to suspend the arrangement temporarily.Officials stressed that the measure does not affect Somalia’s wider relationship with Egypt, describing travel and friendship ties between the two countries as important.The agency urged Somali citizens planning to travel to Egypt to contact the Egyptian Consulate and secure official visas before their flights.The decision follows reports that 35 Somali citizens were stranded at Cairo airport for two nights. Some travelers said they were treated poorly, had their passports confiscated and were prevented from leaving the airport or continuing their journeys.OK-to-Board is a pre-flight travel authorization used by some airlines and countries to confirm that passengers meet visa and entry requirements before departure. In some cases, travelers with valid documents can still be denied boarding if the authorization is not properly updated in the airline system.The suspension comes as Somali authorities seek to prevent further travel disruptions and ensure that citizens have formal entry clearance before arriving in Egypt.

Somalia suspends OK-to-Board travel to Egypt after airport complaints

Naomi Osaka isn’t letting negativity get to her, as evidenced by a few posts made to social media over the weekend, addressing those upset over a recent event she threw. And believe us when we tell you, her response is just as classy, yet, as direct as you might think.For a bit of context, you should know that over the weekend, the Grand Slam winner decided to co-host an exclusive dinner in France for Black tennis players with fellow tennis star Taylor Townsend, as the French Open continues to get underway. Dubbed the “Black Party,” the intimate dinner was attended by folks like Coco Gauff, Asia Muhammad, Christopher Eubanks, and more.And while many of both Townsend and Osaka’s Black fans were quick to praise the event, with many calling it “beautiful,” “Black excellence,” and more on Instagram—there were a handful of others online who saw the event as nothing but racist and exclusionary.“Half black/half Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka held a dinner party exclusively for black tennis players before the French Open She defended the party by claiming there have been segregated white-only parties (Without proof, of course) This woman is insufferable,” wrote one user on X/Twitter.“Imagine is a white tennis player today said I’m holding a whites only party. Osaka would be the first one at a mic crying racism,” said another.“How does someone of mixed race heritage end up being so bloody racist?,” one other user wrote.Added another: “If a white Tennis player held a party where black players were not allowed, there would be a global outrage and understandable too.”However, after so much time and seeing the backlash to her good deed increasing, Osaka took to Threads to address it a couple of since-deleted posts over the weekend.<img src="https://assets-server.theroot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/26101914/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-7.18.35-AM-891x1024.png">Screenshot: Threads“You know I’m seeing a little bit of- ‘Why can’t you love everyone for all skin tones?’ and ‘what if someone had an all white party?!’ First of all I do love everyone for who they are no matter their race + ethnicity, (I’m literally half Japanese lol),” she began in one post as captured by The Tennis Letter. “I can only speak from my experiences in my own life though, growing up as a tennis player I didn’t see many people that looked like ME and I feel like it’s important to celebrate them. “She continued: “Secondly I feel like it’s important to note that there have been all white dinners/parties. I don’t know how else to tell you this, I literally seen them all the time and never had an issue with it at all. To the people who ask this question I want to ask you this question too, ‘What is it about POC getting together that unsettles you so much?’”Osaka concluded, “I want to end this by saying I grew up watching my dad get discriminated against, having the cops called on him multiple times at the tennis court. There are multiple things I will apologize for in my life but celebrating being black and appreciating who we are will never be something I would consider saying sorry for. Thanks. Actually I lied, I am sorry. I’m sorry for the people who cannot comprehend in their brains that this is not about exclusion, this is a celebration about how far we have come.”

Naomi Osaka Responds to Backlash Over Black Tennis Dinner

GUYANA’S 10-member contingent captured a massive medal haul on Saturday evening at the annual International Bodybuilding Federation’s Roger Boyce World Cup in Bridgetown, Barbados.The country’s bodybuilders finished with a combined 13 medals, their largest haul at the World Cup,Leading the way was strong man Roley Chandler, who was fabulous in his three men’s physique categories, winning three gold medals on his way to a pro card on the world bodybuilding circuit.Romelton Siland who turned out in the men’s fitness, men’s physique and master’s physique, also had an outstanding showcase to walk away with two gold medals and a silver medal.Reigning Mr Guyana Colin ‘Mr Clean’ Chesney snapped up two silver medals in the heavyweight and master’s bodybuilding classes.Also earning a gold medal was Lindon ‘Muscle’ Burnett; he won his weight class and took silver in the masters.Javier Cespedes also claimed gold in the youth bodybuilding division.Other medal winners were Weslyn Gonsalves – bronze in women’s wellness and Suraj Jahaman – silver in youth bodybuilding.Savita Stephenson took fourth place in the women’s bikini, and Christopher Anthony finished fourth in Classic Physique and his weight category.The team is coached by Videsh Sookram along with Guyana Body Building and Fitness Federation (GBBFF) president Roger Callender.Guyana’s Rosanna Fung is competing in the Women’s Wellness category of the professional segment of the competition.

Guyana captures seven gold medals

He described it as "the biggest piece of business we've ever done but more importantly the one we've always wanted."Biggest year of AJ's career coming up, the comeback is on."This is a modal window.The video you are trying to watch cannot be viewed from your current country or locationTyson Fury grabbed the mic and bellowed a challenge for Anthony Joshua to fight him next!Fury called out Joshua after his points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this month and revealed that he had signed for the all-British mega-fight.Ring Magazine announced the fight was a "done deal" and would take place in "Q4, 2026" in a social media post on Monday.Hearn previously told Sky Sports that November was the date they were targeting for Joshua's fight with Fury after his July comeback bout.Play Video - Will we finally see AJ vs Fury? Hearn reveals latest on Joshua’s fight plansEddie Hearn revealed his plans for Anthony Joshua to fight Tyson Fury.<h3>A decade of missed chances - How Joshua and Fury never happened</h3>Joshua and Fury, two of the biggest names in British boxing, have circled one another for the best part of a decade. Fury first became a heavyweight world champion when he upset Wladimir Klitschko a decade ago. Joshua turned professional after winning Olympic gold at London 2012 and rocketed through the pro ranks.But by the time Joshua picked up his first world title belt in 2016, Fury had stepped away from the sport.Fury would eventually return and beat Deontay Wilder to become the WBC world champion. Joshua held the unified IBF, WBO and WBA championships and the two were close to fighting in an undisputed heavyweight championship fight.It was not to be, Fury boxed a third fight with Wilder instead and Joshua lost to Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian also defeated Fury, who retired again at the start of last year.When Fury returned to beat Makhmudov in London earlier this month, Joshua was waiting for the all-clear to resume full training after sustaining injuries in a terrible accident in which two of his close friends and members of his team lost their lives. Joshua is now in camp working with his former rival Usyk, who has backed AJ to beat Fury.Play Video - 'AJ will beat Fury!' | Usyk on helping 'friend' Joshua in camp'AJ will beat Fury!' | Usyk on 'helping' Joshua in campWith one more hurdle to clear for Joshua, Kristian Prenga on July 25, the two rivals will finally box in the most richly anticipated heavyweight bout the UK will have ever seen.The exact date and location of the contest is yet to be confirmed but hopes will be high for another British stadium fight.<h3>Fury vs AJ... and a Dua Lipa concert?</h3>Sky Sports Boxing expert Andy Scott says:"If you go to each part of this deal, everyone is saying the same thing: that Anthony Joshua will fight Tyson Fury this year."I've spoken to Spencer Brown from Gold Star promotions - who represents Tyson Fury - and he says 'go ahead and confirm it'."Tyson Fury came back successfully from his own retirement - he confirmed after the Arslanbek Makhmudov fight that he had signed his part of the deal."There was a little bit of disappointment that Joshua didn't join him in the ring and confirm that fight on the night."According to Turki, Spencer Brown, and Eddie Hearn that fight is done."There are lots of things still to go through. There isn't a confirmed venue, and AJ still needs to go through his own comeback fight. Brown has confirmed that it's a two-fight deal."I don't know if they're pulling my leg here, but I'm hearing that Turki has stipulated that Dua Lipa needs to perform at the fight! If you're listening, Dua, clear your diary!"We aren't there yet - but we are very close now. AJ needs to come through his next fight, and then all roads lead to Joshua vs Fury next year."

Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are set to meet in their long-awaited heavyweight mega-fight later this year.

Ghana Police have confirmed the arrest of the suspected gang leader linked to the robbery incident that led to the death of Berekum Chelsea footballer Dominic Frimpong last Sunday night.&nbsp;According to police sources, the suspect was apprehended following an intelligence-led operation. He reportedly sustained gunshot injuries during a shootout with officers and was subsequently rushed to a medical facility for treatment under tight security.Authorities say the suspect has since confessed to his involvement in the crime, providing crucial details to aid ongoing investigations. The tragic incident, which claimed the life of the Berekum Chelsea player, has sparked widespread concern within the football fraternity and the general public.The Ghana Police Service has assured that efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest other members of the robbery gang believed to be connected to the attack.Dominic Frimpong’s death sent shockwaves across the country, with tributes pouring in from clubs, players, and football administrators. Berekum Chelsea and the Ghana Football Association have both expressed deep sorrow over the loss, calling for swift justice.Police say further updates will be provided as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the fatal robbery attack.

Police arrest suspected gang leader in Dominic Frimpong killing

The Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association, working with all key stakeholders, has appointed Carlos Queiroz as head coach of the senior national team, the Black Stars.The former Real Madrid, Manchester United, Portugal, and Iran coach will lead Ghana’s campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.Queiroz boasts an extensive World Cup pedigree. He led South Africa to qualification for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, guided Portugal to the knockout phase in 2010, and took charge of Iran at both the 2014 and 2018 tournaments.He has also held coaching roles in Egypt, Oman, Japan, and Qatar, and is expected to bring his wealth of experience to bear during the World Cup.Coach Queiroz begins work immediately to prepare the Black Stars for the tournament, which kicks off on June 11, 2026.Ghana plays its first group match against Panama on June 17, 2026, in Toronto, Canada, before facing England and Croatia in the other Group matches.

Carlos Queiroz appointed Black Stars head coach for 2026 FIFA World Cup

Home Affairs is working on new South African digital IDs that will store all particulars on your smartphone. And yes, it is a big deal …Good news, Home Affairs is working on new South African digital IDs that will keep all pertinent information on your smartphone. Think of it as a digital version of your identity document, birth certificate, marriage certificate and any other official government documents (UIF, SARS, SASSA, etc) that you can keep on your smartphone.But hang on a moment, do the planned South African digital IDs mean the end of the current paper booklet and plastic Smart ID cards? Yes and no … Yes, in the future you will be able to prove who you are only using facial or fingerprint recognition (biometrics) digitally. However, traditional green ID books and Smart ID cards are not going anywhere.The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) explains that South African digital IDs are merely ‘an extra option’ and not an outright replacement. It is completely voluntary and nobody will be forced to use it. But why …?Minister Dr. Leon Schreiber is focused on fully digitising his department, but not to the point he exclude any residents. Image: FileSo, why is the DHA creating South African digital IDs, only to make them non-mandatory? There are a few reasons:<ul><li>The added security will it make it harder for criminals to steal your identity.</li><li>It will cut down on fraud, corruption and illegal immigration.</li><li>To let you access government services directly from your smartphone.</li><li>It speeds up processes that currently require you to stand in long queues.</li></ul>In turn, government says nobody should be left out of this system. Physical IDs will remain in use, so the neediest residents who don’t have a smartphone or reliable internet, won’t be any worse off.Moreover, security experts say the new South African digital IDs actually possess very strong security. This includes face-matching technology to confirm you’re a real person, fingerprint checks to prevent duplicate identities, and encrypted digital documents that are impossible to fake.Likewise, privacy laws (POPIA) will also strictly govern how your data is used.

South African digital IDs: Here’s everything you need to know

Dr. Hallowed Oluwadara Olaoluwa has emerged as one of Africa’s most remarkable academic prodigies, earning recognition as one of the youngest PhD holders on the continent after completing his doctorate in Mathematics at the University of Lagos at just 24.His journey, marked by exceptional academic milestones and record-breaking achievements, continues to inspire young scholars across Nigeria and beyond.Born on September 27, 1989, in Bangui to Nigerian missionary parents from Ekiti State, Olaoluwa’s journey has been defined by exceptional brilliance and record-breaking achievements from an early age.He completed his primary and secondary education with four double promotions and passed the French Baccalauréat (equivalent to A’ Levels) in Sciences at the age of 14, making him one of the youngest to achieve that milestone in the Central African Republic at the time.Olaoluwa went on to attend the University of Bangui, where he undertook the rare challenge of studying two degree programmes simultaneously. At just 18, he graduated in 2007 with First Class Honours in both Mathematics and Physics.His outstanding performance earned him multiple accolades, including the All-Time Best B.Sc. Student in Mathematics and the Best B.Sc. Student in Physics.Not stopping there, he repeated the extraordinary feat at the postgraduate level, completing two Master’s degrees in Mathematics and Physics concurrently at the same institution. He graduated at 19 with first class in both programmes, becoming the first and only student at the university to accomplish such.Related NewsIn pursuit of higher academic excellence, Olaoluwa enrolled at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), where he obtained his PhD in Mathematics in January 2014 at age 24. Specialising in Functional Analysis with a focus on Fixed Point Theory, he graduated with a perfect CGPA of 5.00/5.00.His doctoral performance earned him the Overall Best Graduating PhD Student award for the 2012–2013 academic session, as well as the Best PhD Graduate in the Engineering/Sciences category.Olaoluwa’s academic journey also includes international recognition. He received an offer to pursue advanced studies at Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI) in France and later became a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University between 2015 and 2016, where he worked on quantum ergodicity in mathematical physics. He is also a fellow of the Next Einstein Forum.Over the years, he has received several awards, including the Ekiti State Merit Award (2014), Youngest PhD Holder in Africa of the Year (2014), and the Young Achievers Award by the Hallmarks of Labour Foundation. He was also recognised by the Nigerian Young Professionals Forum as the Youngest Academic Achiever in Nigeria.Fluent in French, English, and Yoruba, Olaoluwa currently serves as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Lagos, where he continues to teach, mentor, and inspire the next generation of scholars.

Meet Hallowed Olaoluwa, UNILAG lecturer who had double First Class at 18, PhD at 24

A UMG press release on Wednesday confirmed: “Consistent with the Company’s approach to artist compensation, artists will share in the proceeds. UMG’s share will initially be directed towards its buyback program.”That commitment to artist participation in any Spotify sale dates back to 2018.Later that year, at the request of Taylor Swift, UMG agreed to distribute any proceeds to its artists on a non-recoupable basis, matching a policy previously adopted by Sony Music.According to UMG‘s 2025 annual report, the company holds 6,487,000 Spotify shares — equivalent to a 3.10% stake in the streaming platform — valued at €3,214 million as of December 31, 2025.Based on Spotify‘s closing share price on Tuesday (April 28), 50% of UMG‘s stake is currently worth approximately $1.4 billion (€1.2 billion).However, that comes after Spotify‘s shares fell double-digits on Tuesday after the streaming platform’s Q2 operating-income guidance landed below Wall Street expectations.The expanded buyback authorization brings UMG‘s total share repurchase commitment to €1 billion — doubling the €500 million program announced on March 30.The additional €500 million authorization is subject to shareholder approval at UMG‘s 2026 Annual General Meeting on May 13.UMG said its board “considers UMG’s share price to be undervalued relative to its business performance and prospects.”Pershing Square has cited the same valuation gap as the rationale for its takeover proposal: UMG‘s shares are down approximately 30% over the past year, despite continued growth in its underlying business.“The important steps we are announcing today to increase our share buyback authorization and monetize a portion of our equity stake in Spotify will lead to enhanced shareholder value while maintaining the flexibility the Company requires to drive further success,” said Matt Ellis, UMG‘s CFO.On Wednesday’s call, Grainge said the Spotify monetization “underscores the importance of our capital discipline, the expected returns from our buybacks and our confidence in the long-term growth of UMG, as well as the broader music ecosystem.”The UMG chief added that the company would not be commenting further on the Ackman proposal until the board completes its review.UMG‘s Q1 2026 revenues came in at €2,900 million ($3.39 billion), flat year-over-year and up 8.1% in constant currency, partly reflecting the consolidation of Downtown Music Holdings, plus “initial pricing benefits of Streaming 2.0 agreements”.Music Business Worldwide

Universal is selling 50% of its Spotify stake, generating around $1.4 billion

A consortium led by investment firm HOF Capital has acquired a stake in the company behind the iconic Bugatti brand, indicating a significant shift in the ownership structure of one of the world's most prestigious automakers.Bugatti Chiron Profilée [BugattiNewsroom]<ul><li>A consortium led by HOF Capital is acquiring stakes in Bugatti Rimac, signaling a major ownership shift for the luxury automaker.</li><li>Porsche AG will fully exit Bugatti Rimac by selling its 45% stake and also divesting its 20.6% holding in Rimac Group.</li><li>BlueFive Capital, based in Abu Dhabi, joins as the largest investor, with additional support from institutional investors in the US and Europe.</li><li>Rimac Group will gain control of Bugatti Rimac and partner strategically with HOF and BlueFive to drive expansion.</li></ul>The transaction will see Porsche AG fully divest its stake in Bugatti Rimac, a joint venture founded in 2021 with Rimac.Porsche presently owns 45% of the brand, with Rimac Group controlling the remaining 55%.In addition to selling its Bugatti Rimac investment, Porsche will sell its 20.6% stake in Rimac Group as part of the deal.The purchase consortium is led by HOF Capital, which was co-founded by the Egyptian businessman, Onsi Sawiris, a member of Egypt's well-known wealthy family, alongside fellow Egyptian investors Hisham Elhaddad and Fady Yacoub.BlueFive Capital, an Abu Dhabi-based private equity firm, has joined the deal as the largest investor.The consortium will also comprise a mix of institutional investors from the United States and Europe, reflecting the substantial worldwide interest in the luxury automotive market.Rimac Group will take control of Bugatti Rimac and develop a strategic relationship with HOF Capital and BlueFive Capital to assist its continued expansion.In addition, HOF Capital will become the largest shareholder in Rimac Group, alongside Mate Rimac, the company's founder and CEO, as seen on the Porsche newsroom.The transaction's agreements, which were touted back in December 2025, were officially signed on April 24, according to comments released Friday. However, the purchase is still subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.“In setting up the joint venture Bugatti Rimac together with Rimac Group, we successfully laid the foundation for Bugatti’s future. As an early-stage investor of Rimac Group, Porsche made a significant contribution to developing Rimac Technology into an established Tier-1 automotive technology company,” Dr Michael Leiters, CEO of Porsche AG, stated.Billionaire Sawiris scion eyes Porsche’s Bugatti stake in $1.2b deal“Now, with the sale of our stake, we demonstrate that we will focus Porsche on the core business. We would like to thank Mate Rimac and his team for the constructive and trusting cooperation over the past years,” he added.<h3>Sawiris family and HOF Capital</h3>HOF Capital was co-founded by Onsi Sawiris, the father of billionaire Naguib Sawiris, and the former patriarch of the Egyptian billionaire family.At the same time, BlueFive is a private equity firm led by Hazem Ben-Gacem, formerly an executive at Investcorp.The group is known for investing in fast-growing technological startups and ambitious enterprises across numerous industries.Since its founding, HOF Capital has concentrated on early and growth-stage investments, particularly in fintech, enterprise software, and developing digital platforms.In recent years, HOF Capital has broadened its focus, taking part in larger and more significant transactions.The group’s co-founder, Naguib Sawiris, in October last year, announced a $50 billion push into U.S. real estate, and is currently the richest man in North Africa.

Egyptian-founded firm buys stake in one of the world’s most luxurious car brands

President John Dramani Mahama has praised NASA astronaut Christina Koch for her historic role in the Artemis II mission, highlighting her past as an exchange student at the University of Ghana.He said Koch’s journey is an inspiration to young Ghanaians.The Artemis II mission has four astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—with Koch set to become the first woman to travel that far from Earth.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.amazonaws.com/a1d42a83cIMG_3323.png">In a Facebook post on Thursday, April 9, 2026, President Mahama described her journey from an exchange student in Ghana to a member of the Artemis II crew as a source of national pride.“I join the University of Ghana and the entire nation in celebrating NASA Astronaut Christina Koch on her historic membership of the Artemis II mission,” he wrote.Madam Koch, the only woman on the mission, studied at the University of Ghana during the 1999/2000 academic year, where she immersed herself in Ghanaian culture and academic life.“Her time at Legon was not just a passing visit; she truly immersed herself in our culture and heritage… she built a foundation of global citizenship right here in Accra,” he said.President Mahama also highlighted Koch’s gesture of carrying the Ghanaian flag into space as a moment of national significance.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/aea497b19IMG_3324.png">“Her gesture of hoisting the Ghanaian flag in outer space was a deeply touching moment for every Ghanaian,” he said.“Christina’s journey from the classrooms of the University of Ghana to the frontiers of space exploration serves as a powerful inspiration to every young Ghanaian.”The President wished Koch and her fellow crew members a safe return, expressing hope that their achievement would inspire future generations._Source: Citi Newsroom

‘Ghana is proud of you’ – Mahama celebrates Astronaut Christina Koch

A pregnant woman from Ghana and her young son who spent more than a week in a windowless detention room at a Washington airport have been ordered deported and are flying back to Africa, her lawyers said Friday.Annabella Gyasi, 38, arrived May 19 at Washington Dulles International Airport ahead of a medical appointment for her son, who was born with severely malformed hands, according to a petition filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia.Both were traveling on valid visas, but they were detained by immigration officers after Gyasi said they had faced persecution in Ghana and feared returning, the lawyers said.After days in detention and two hospitalizations for pregnancy complications, including vaginal bleeding and high blood pressure, Gyasi felt she had no choice but to agree to leave the U.S., they said.“While we’re relieved that Ms. Gyasi and her son will soon be free from this nightmare, no one should be subjected to the inhumane conditions they endured,” ACLU Virginia Executive Director Mary Bauer said in a statement.Gyasi had repeatedly told guards that she and her son were hungry but were not given additional food, according to her lawyers. The Department of Homeland Security denied that, saying everyone in custody “has access to appropriate care, including medical evaluation by a doctor, medication, and food.”A Friday order by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema said that “the welfare of the petitioners and the interests of justice are best served by allowing petitioners to return home immediately.”An earlier order from Brinkema quoted immigration officials as saying Gyasi’s tourist visas were not valid because she had told them that she came to the U.S. to seek asylum and didn’t plan to return home.&nbsp;Gyasi and her son were expected to leave for Ghana on Friday evening._Source: AP News

Ghanaian mother and child who arrived in US on valid visas to fly home after detainment, lawyers say

Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has sparked widespread conversation after clarifying a key detail about the country’s new travel policy for Africans, emphasising that “free visa” does not mean “visa-free” entry.His comments came during a public address, just as discussions around the policy gained traction online. Many had initially interpreted the announcement as a move toward completely open-border access across the continent, prompting excitement particularly among young Ghanaians and creatives.Providing clarity, Ablakwa explained that while Ghana is waiving visa fees for African travellers, visitors will still be required to apply through an electronic visa (e-visa) system before entry. This shifts the policy from a fully open-border approach to a more structured system that maintains security checks and regulated access.Despite the distinction, the initiative is still being widely viewed as a significant step toward Pan-African integration. Stakeholders in the entertainment and tourism sectors have already highlighted their potential to boost cross-border collaborations, festivals and cultural exchange.For Ghana’s creative industry, the policy could prove transformative. More accessible and affordable travel across Africa opens new opportunities for artistes, DJs and creatives to connect, perform and collaborate without the usual financial constraints tied to visa costs.As the conversation continues to trend, Ablakwa’s clarification has not only corrected public perception but also reinforced optimism about the future of Africa’s creative economy where mobility, culture and music increasingly intersect.

Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa Clarifies Ghana’s Free Visa Policy

SAFTA-nominated presenter and media personality Zanele Potelwa is officially returning as host of the upcoming 12th season of the popular reality series Tropika Island Of Treasure.This announcement comes at a pinnacle moment for the franchise, which was recently nominated in two categories at the 2026 South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs).&nbsp;The previous season, Tropika Island of Treasure: Zanzibar, scored a nod in the Best Competition Reality Show category while Zanele Potelwa herself was honoured with a nomination for Best TV Presenter, a testament to her infectious energy, professionalism, and the seamless way she navigates the high-stakes drama of the island.The 12th season promises fresh twists, high-stakes challenges, breathtaking locations and the trademark adventure that has made the show a fan favourite since it made its debut in 2008.“Being back as host for Tropika Island Of Treasure is a dream come true. I am beside myself that I get to come back and host another season. I can tell you, without a shadow of a doubt, that this is going to be the biggest season yet,” Zanele Potelwa says. “I don’t think anyone is ready for the surprises, the celebrity contestants, which island we might be going to and everything else we have done behind the scenes to make this season special. After being nominated for a SAFTA for the previous season, this announcement is a beautiful way to celebrate, and I cannot wait to be on that island.”“We are incredibly excited to have Zanele return as host for the 12th season of Tropika Island Of Treasure. She brings authenticity, relatability and a vibrant energy that truly connects with viewers,” says Sveti Kovatcheva, Brand Manager: Dairy Fruit Mix at Clover. “We are incredibly proud of her well-deserved SAFTA nomination for Best TV Presenter. It’s a proud moment for the entire Tropika family and reflects the passion, creativity, and excellence that goes into every season. Zanele truly embodies the smoooth, feel-good spirit of Tropika, and we can’t wait for audiences to see her shine again.”While Zanele’s return sets the stage for another blockbuster season, the mystery surrounding who will be joining her on the sand is about to be revealed. Tropika has confirmed that the star-studded cast of celebrity contestants for Season 12 will be officially announced later this week.Auditions Open SoonGot what it takes to win a smoooth shared R1 million grand prize and a R10,000 voucher from Pep? Enter to take part in the upcoming season of Tropika Island Of Treasure by uploading your audition tape to either TikTok, Facebook, X or Instagram, tagging @MyTropika and using the hashtag #Tropika. Auditions open on 6 March and close on 5 May 2026.With the cast reveal just days away, the 12th season of Tropika Island Of Treasure is shaping up to be another smoooth adventure. Expect bigger challenges, bold personalities and the kind of island drama that keeps viewers glued to their screens, with Zanele back at the centre of the action.

SAFTA-Nominated Zanele Potelwa Returns To Host The Highly Anticipated 12th Season Of Tropika Island Of Treasure

Buzzing music, entertainment, and lifestyle brand Revolve Plus has announced that distinguished Ghanaian presenter, TV show host, and voice-over artist Caroline Sampson has collaborated with them to co-produce and host ‘Clear Cut, ' a podcast coming to the channel soon.Caroline has 20+ years of experience in media and a deep understanding of how the industry works. Over the years, she has built a stellar reputation and relevant networks with stakeholders in the industry.&nbsp;Speaking on this strategic move, Mr George Mensah Britton, CEO and visionary leader of Revolve Plus, expressed excitement and remarked"Caroline Sampson is a multi-award-winning, familiar face in the industry with a wealth of experience, and she brings to the team a fresh perspective that aligns with the brand."&nbsp;Caroline Sampson co-owns and will co-produce and host the ‘Clear Cut’ Podcast, with its first episode airing soon on Revolve Plus. The show will have in-depth conversations about concerns and issues in entertainment and lifestyle around the world from the perspective of policy makers, event organisers, artists, and consumers.<iframe class="ql-video" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" src="https://youtube.com/shorts/1Z2oyjbDhZ4?si=vDxpJV-cGoxWbBjy"></iframe>On her part, Caroline Sampson expressed excitement about the new show. According to her, the show revolves around credibility and a fresh perspective on the pillars of entertainment, education, and engagement.&nbsp;"We are clear and about to cut it. For this show, if it must be done, it must be done well," Caroline saidThis new partnership marks a defining step for Caroline and Revolve Plus. Audiences should expect the best from future episodes of the 'Clear Cut' podcast.

Caroline Sampson Hosts Clear Cut on Revolve Plus

After weeks of intense culinary battles and creative challenges, 14-year-old Arona Yster from Krugersdorp has officially been named the winner of the second season of The Taste Master Junior.In a high-stakes grand finale that required the top three contestants to prepare a full festive feast, Arona’s combination of traditional warmth and creativity won over the judges and earned her the title of champion.The finale challenged the top three contestants to prepare a celebratory festive feast, including a main dish, four sides, and a dessert. Arona rose to the occasion with a roasted leg of lamb and lemon herb chicken, accompanied by potato salad, mashed potatoes, beetroot roses, and a TODAY spinach and mushroom pie, finishing with Yum Yum Peanut Butter frosted cupcakes. Her menu showcased bold flavours and family-inspired warmth, earning praise for its creativity and presentation.As champion, Arona takes home R200,000 from Capitec, a Hisense double-door refrigerator from Clover and a year's supply of Clover products, a R30,000 voucher for Food Lover’s Market plus an additional R10,000 cash and a year’s supply of pastry from TODAY,a baking kit from Huletts worth R20,000, a year’s supply of Yum Yum products, and R40,000 worth of KitchenAid products.Runner-up Tyler Robinson wins a year’s supply of Clover and Yum Yum products plus R10,000 cash, while third-place Kodi Bertish takes home R5,000 cash. Additionally, each of the Top 12 contestants receives a Hisense air fryer courtesy of Clover."When my name was announced as the winner, I wasn't expecting it at all. I was totally surprised and super excited! The whole experience was awesome, and I learned so much. I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat,” Arona said shortly after her big win. “I've grown a ton, speaking in front of judges, guest judges, and other contestants has boosted my confidence in my skills and abilities like never before."Fritz Schoon, judge on The Taste Master Junior, says Arona delivered a strong and consistent performance throughout the competition. “Arona showed great commitment and focus in the kitchen, especially in the finale. She approached the challenge with confidence and handled a demanding menu well, which ultimately set her apart.”Zola Nene adds that Arona’s growth over the season was clear to see. “Throughout the competition, Arona demonstrated steady improvement and a willingness to learn. In the final challenge, she brought together flavour, structure, and presentation in a way that reflected how far she’s come during the season.”Looking ahead, Arona already has big plans. “I want to start creating food content and eventually build a confectionery business,” she says. “I've always dreamed of starting a YouTube channel and my own business, so with the prize money, I plan to save three-quarters for studying architecture later, and use the rest to buy a vlog camera. I'll also make the most of my Food Lover’s and Huletts vouchers to create fun food content on my channel!"The second season of The Taste Master Junior, brought to you by Clover, has once again showcased the incredible talent, passion, and creativity of South Africa’s young cooks, delivering inspiring moments and unforgettable dishes week after week.From technical challenges to heartfelt storytelling through food, the season celebrated not only culinary skill but confidence, growth, and the joy of cooking. Arona Yster’s win marks a fitting end to a standout season that has captured the hearts of viewers and cemented The Taste Master Junior as a platform where young talent truly shines.

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