A year after record-breaking Hurricane Beryl, the Caribbean is still reeling – but on one island, defiant traditions are fuelling its climate resilience.In the predawn darkness, the streets are still damp from the night before as thousands gather, ready to parade through St George's, the capital of the Caribbean nation of Grenada. Chains scrape against the asphalt and horns jut from helmets pointing skyward.A conch shell sounds, the rallying call that heralds J'Ouvert morning, the official start of carnival, called Spicemas. As dawn breaks, people flood the streets with their bodies blackened with oil and charcoal.This is Jab Jab, one of Grenada's oldest carnival traditions, born of emancipation, resilience and resistance. These masqueraders raise chains as symbols of liberation and dress this way to embody the very figures that oppressors of the past once used to demonise them – using mockery and satire to turn insult into power. Its unruliness is deliberate, a rejection of the order once imposed by colonial rule.That same spirit of defiance is what Grenadians are leaning on today in the face of deep challenges brought by extreme weather. In July 2024, Grenada was left badly damaged when Hurricane Beryl swept over the island and those around it. Fuelled by hot seas, the strongest storms, like Beryl, have arrived earlier and intensified explosively.As a second-generation British-Grenadian returning to join these carnival celebrations a year after Hurricane Beryl, I wanted to take the temperature of the island's climate resilience. How is Grenada building back after the storm, and where is the country in its longer-term pursuit of climate justice?<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/a994499cfp0m2h3pz.jpg.jpg"><h5>Teddy Dwight Frederick/ Grenada Film Co Spicemas carnival celebrations overturn the narrative of colonial rule, embracing defiance and resilience (Credit: Teddy Dwight Frederick/ Grenada Film Co)Teddy Dwight Frederick/ Grenada Film Co</h5><h5>Spicemas carnival celebrations overturn the narrative of colonial rule, embracing defiance and resilience (Credit: Teddy Dwight Frederick/ Grenada Film Co)</h5>David A Farrell, principal of the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, says Hurricane Beryl was unlike anything the region had seen. "It became the earliest category five storm on record in the Atlantic, developing when people were still preparing for the season."For Farrell, it's a signal that things are shifting. "This suggests that the baseline for the start of the hurricane season may be shifting to earlier in the year and the season getting longer."Ageing infrastructure, highly erodible soils, steep terrain and wide stretches of low-lying coastline all magnify the impacts of storms. "These factors combine to make the impacts of stronger storms far more severe in the region." (Read more on how Caribbean islands are bolstering their soils from extreme storms.)In Grenada, and on its tiny sister isles of Carriacou and Petite Martinique, Hurricane Beryl flattened homes, tore up crops, shuttered schools and left clinics struggling to reopen. Recovery is ongoing, but the financial burden has been immense and the psychological toll on residents is huge.Jab Jab is resistance and revolt against a system that was deliberately meant to break you – Ian CharlesWhen it comes to richer nations stepping up to offer financial support for hurricane recovery, "there is a lot of talk and no action", says Tevin Andrews, minister for Carriacou and Petite Martinique affairs and local government.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/0ac4b5900p0m2j2dr.jpg.jpg"><h5>Teddy D Frederick Production/Grenada Film Company Grenada's coastal towns are not only at risk from hurricanes, but rising seas and coastal erosion (Credit: Teddy D Frederick Production/Grenada Film Company)Teddy D Frederick Production/Grenada Film Company</h5><h5>Grenada's coastal towns are not only at risk from hurricanes, but rising seas and coastal erosion (Credit: Teddy D Frederick Production/Grenada Film Company)</h5>Andrews and other politicians in Grenada warn that outside finance still lags far behind what's needed. Global promises often stall in bureaucracy, leaving countries like Grenada to rely on debt or insurance schemes that cannot cover the true scale of loss, he says. The question, experts argue, is not only how to rebuild stronger and with limited resources, but how an island adapts when storms themselves are changing faster than the systems designed to withstand them.The world's oceans are not only warming, but the rate of warming has more than quadrupled since the 1980s, according to the World Meteorological Organization. And this heat is fuel for hurricanes. (Read more about how warmer oceans mean more extreme weather.) This extra ocean heat also fuels "rapid intensification", when a storm's winds accelerate by at least 35 miles per hour in under 24 hours."Rapid intensification leaves far less time for communities to prepare, and that's particularly dangerous for small islands with extremely vulnerable communities," says Farrell.Hurricane Beryl is just one example of a storm intensifying explosively as it approached the Caribbean. In 2017, Hurricane Maria rapidly intensified before it struck Dominica, which lies to the north of Grenada.Looking ahead, Farrell says the science is clear. "Research conducted in the region suggests the frequency of intense category three, four and five storms are likely to increase in coming years if climate change continues unabated."<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/64144387dp0m2j3cm.jpg.jpg"><h5>Teddy D Frederick Production/Grenada Film Company Hurricane Beryl damaged or destroyed almost all homes on the islands of Carriacou and Petit Martinique (Credit: Teddy D Frederick Production/Grenada Film Company)Teddy D Frederick Production/Grenada Film Company</h5><h5>Hurricane Beryl damaged or destroyed almost all homes on the islands of Carriacou and Petit Martinique (Credit: Teddy D Frederick Production/Grenada Film Company)</h5>On the sister isles of Carriacou and Petit Martinique, where Beryl struck hardest, the scale of destruction was unprecedented. Andrews recalls walking through villages where nearly every roof had been torn away."Ninety-eight percent of homes were damaged or destroyed," he says. "That includes schools, clinics, government buildings – everything. Entire families were displaced."One year on, Andrews estimates around 60% of buildings have been repaired or rebuilt. But progress is uneven. The challenge is not only financial, though the government's preliminary assessment put the recovery bill at nearly 470 million Eastern Caribbean dollars (around $170m/£130m). It is also logistical. "Getting quality building materials to Carriacou has been one of the hardest things," Andrews says. Cargo boats cannot keep up with the demand, he notes, and construction costs across the Caribbean have soared as multiple islands rebuild at once.In Beryl's aftermath, however, some older traditions have resurfaced. Andrews points to the revival of "windbreakers" – sturdy trees planted close to homes on the weather-facing side, a practice once common among elders. Another is the use of secure basements. "As a matter of fact, because of the downstairs [basements], many people survived Hurricane Beryl," he says.Architecture is changing too. Contractors are now required to build under closer supervision from planning authorities. "We cannot be naive and think this was a one-off," Andrews says. "Every year the risk is there. We must build stronger, more resilient."Rebuilding is not just about roofs and roads. Every new wall and every repaired clinic requires money, and for small states like Grenada, finding this finance is its own battle.The government has used so-called "hurricane clauses", mechanisms designed for small states that let them halt debt payments after disasters, temporarily freeing up millions that would otherwise have gone to creditors. The government has also drawn on its regional catastrophe insurance, intended to provide short-term financial relief after a disaster. Yet Andrews stresses that these measures are only a stopgap.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1e74b58f0p0m2j44w.jpg.jpg"><h5>Teddy D Frederick Production/Grenada Film Company International finance to help rebuild after Hurricane Beryl have been slow to arrive, Grenada's leaders say (Credit: Teddy D Frederick Production/Grenada Film Company)Teddy D Frederick Production/Grenada Film Company</h5><h5>International finance to help rebuild after Hurricane Beryl have been slow to arrive, Grenada's leaders say (Credit: Teddy D Frederick Production/Grenada Film Company)</h5>For Grenadian environmental lawyer Rosana John, Beryl was more than a meteorological event – it was also a legal and moral one. The average person in Grenada contributes just 2.9 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, compared with 14.3 tonnes for the average US resident. Over the course of the two countries' histories, the difference is even starker – Grenada has produced barely 0.002% of the climate-warming CO2 emissions than the US has.True justice means having the resources to rebuild before the next storm hits, not after – Rosana John"Grenada is paying for a crisis it did not cause," John says. "We contribute next to nothing in emissions, yet we are the ones facing the destruction of our homes, our livelihoods, our very heritage."She points to ongoing slow progress in implementing the international loss and damage fund, a mechanism meant to channel money from wealthy, high-emitting nations to vulnerable states hit hardest by climate impacts. Though agreed in principle at UN climate talks in 2013, it has only just begun to take shape. "By the time funds arrive, the urgency has passed, the damage has deepened, and the cost of recovery has multiplied," John says.When finance does arrive, it often comes as loans, not grants, driving countries like Grenada deeper into debt. "Instead of relief, we're pushed toward debt-creating finance," she says. "That is not climate justice."John sees judicial strategy as a crucial part of the response. She points to the International Court of Justice's July 2025 advisory opinion on climate change, which emphatically affirmed that countries have legal obligations to prevent climate harm and protect both current and future generations. Though it is not binding, the ruling provides powerful legal ground for accountability and climate reparations."We need to be more assertive and creative in pursuing climate justice," she says.For John, Grenada's battle is both local and globally symbolic. "Hurricane Beryl reminded us that the climate crisis does not follow a predictable schedule," she says. "True justice means having the resources to rebuild before the next storm hits, not after."<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/7194c283ap0m2h46n.jpg.jpg"><h5>Teddy Dwight Frederick/ Grenada Film Co Young and old people alike take part in the defiant tradition of Jab Jab during Spicemas (Credit: Teddy Dwight Frederick/ Grenada Film Co)Teddy Dwight Frederick/ Grenada Film Co</h5>Young and old people alike take part in the defiant tradition of Jab Jab during Spicemas (Credit: Teddy Dwight Frederick/ Grenada Film Co)Her call for justice carries echoes of a much older tradition here. Resistance in Grenada has never only been fought in courtrooms or at climate talks, it has also lived in its culture. If Beryl exposed the fragility of buildings, Jab Jab and similar elements of Grenadian culture have revealed the resilience of a people.Ian Charles, cultural custodian and head of the cultural organisation Jambalasee Grenada, says Jab Jab is more than performance. "Jab Jab is resistance and revolt against a system that was deliberately meant to break you," he explains. "There is a sense of energy, of linking with your ancestors – you wake them, you remember them."Asked what this symbol of national strength, a Jab Jab, might say if Hurricane Beryl stood before them, Charles doesn't hesitate: "Jab is strength, jab is liberation… The chants could vary, but they would find some way to draw strength and turn a bad into a good."<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/a9d4b2899p0m2h495.jpg.jpg"><h5>Teddy Dwight Frederick/ Grenada Film Co As Grenada's beaches are at risk from rising seas, its culture may become even more crucial to its survival (Credit: Teddy Dwight Frederick/ Grenada Film Co)Teddy Dwight Frederick/ Grenada Film Co</h5><h5>As Grenada's beaches are at risk from rising seas, its culture may become even more crucial to its survival (Credit: Teddy Dwight Frederick/ Grenada Film Co)</h5>These cultural traditions may have a very tangible role in Grenada's future. Randall Dolland, chairman of the Grenada Tourism Authority, says the country is confronting a hard truth: rising seas may one day take away the very coastlines it is known for. "In decades to come, we may no longer have beaches," says Dolland. "But what we will always have is culture."_Photo Credit: Teddy D Frederick Production/Grenada Film Company A carnival masquerader anointed in black oil in Spicemas celebrations (Credit: Teddy Dwight Frederick/ Grenada Film Co)Teddy D Frederick Production/Grenada Film Company

If our culture survives, then so do we': The Caribbean island defying the existential threat of hurricanes

RICHARD AKOTO WALLS

Trinidad and Tobago pays tribute to the nation's Afro-descendant community on Emancipation Day, which marks the ending of slavery throughout the British Empire.Augustine Ogbu works as a doctor, treating patients in clinics across the striking Caribbean island of St Lucia.When he returns to his home in the coastal town of Rodney Bay, he clocks in for his second job - as the owner and solo chef of a Nigerian takeaway."Egusi soup and fufu, that's more popular... they love jollof rice too," Dr Ogbu says, reeling off a list of his customers' favourite dishes.The 29-year-old hails from Nigeria - population 230 million - but crossed the Atlantic for St Lucia - population 180,000 - to train as a doctor in 2016.He set up his home-based takeaway, named Africana Chops, in 2022, after being incessantly asked by his St Lucian friends for Nigerian fare.The takeaway is now thriving, Dr Ogbu tells the BBC, and not just because his island customers think the food is tasty."They know that we all have the same ancestral origin. So most of the time, they want to get in touch with that," Dr Ogbu explains, adding that interest in African culture has grown "tremendously" since he arrived almost a decade ago.St Lucia is not alone in this phenomenon.Across the Caribbean, the desire to reconnect with the population's&nbsp;African heritage appears to have strengthened over the past few years.People across the Caribbean have been expressing African pride through cultural means, such as food, clothing and travel, while governments and institutions from both sides of the Atlantic have been meeting to forge economic ties.We are in a different phase now of pan-Africanism – one that's not going to wane like before.Dorbrene O'MardeChairman, Antigua and Barbuda Reparations Support CommissionAfrica has had a long presence in the Caribbean.A significant part of the islands' population descended from enslaved West and Central Africans, who were forcibly transported to the Caribbean by European merchants in the 17th and 18th Centuries.Slavery was abolished in much of the Caribbean during the 1800s, while independence from European powers came the following century.The descendants of enslaved people retained some African customs, but largely developed their own standalone cultures, which differ from island to island.In the past, there have been major campaigns to encourage African pride, as Dorbrene O'Marde, who runs the Antigua and Barbuda Reparations Support Commission, says."It was particularly strong in the 1930s or so, and then again in the 1960s - we saw a major outpouring in sync with the [American] black power movement during that period," he says, talking to the BBC on the island of Antigua.Mr O'Marde believes the Caribbean is witnessing a renewed, more promising version of such "pan-Africanism" (a term used to describe the idea that people of African descent should be unified)."It has widened beyond psychological and cultural themes and we are now talking in broader economic terms, such as stronger transportation links between the Caribbean and Africa," he says."We are in a different phase now of pan-Africanism – one that's not going to wane like before."The cultural ties are strong but new trends on social media, as well as African musicians going global, have excited a new generationOne thing that separates this wave of African pride from the ones that came before is social media.Dennis Howard, an entertainment and cultural enterprise lecturer at the University of the West Indies, says a "significant" amount of Jamaicans are connecting with Africa through platforms such as TikTok."People are learning more about black history beyond slavery," he tells the BBC from his home in the Jamaican capital, Kingston.Mr Howard also points to the global rise of Afrobeats, a musical genre from Nigeria and Ghana.He feels that in Jamaica specifically, the popularity of Afrobeats is partly down to a desire to reconnect with the continent."Through the music videos, [Jamaicans] are seeing certain parts of Africa are similar to Jamaica and are developed. We had a concept of Africa as this place where it is backward and it's pure dirt road... the music is changing that."Asked about the view of some Jamaican commenters online - that islanders do not need to reclaim their African heritage as they have an equally valid, hard-won Jamaican heritage of their own - Mr Howard stresses that the two are not distinct."Our whole culture is African, with a little sprinkling of Indian and European and Chinese. But for the most part it is African-derived. It is the most dominant part of our culture," he says.Those leaning into their African heritage are not just consuming the culture, but actually getting on flights and exploring the continent first-hand.The tourism authority in Ghana - once a major departure point for enslaved Africans being shipped to the Caribbean - told the BBC there had been a "notable increase" in holidaymakers from the islands in recent years.Similarly, Werner Gruner, South Africa's consul to the Bahamas, says that over the past two or three years, his office has seen a rise in local people travelling to South Africa, Ghana and Kenya."I see a lot of interest in safaris and I think people also start to realise that South Africa and other African countries are actually very well developed," Mr Gruner says.Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar (second from the right) wore a Nigeria-inspired outfit when she met African dignitaries on Emancipation DayEven Burkina Faso, an economically struggling country under military rule that is not well known for tourism, is apparently on some people's buckets lists. Mr O'Marde says some of his countrypeople want to visit the country&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1egely9v3go" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(32, 34, 36);">because of the pan-African leanings of its leader, Ibrahim Traoré</a>.Getting to the mother continent from the Caribbean can, however, be complicated, with travellers often forced to fly via Europe.Earlier this year, in a speech in which she referred to herself as a "daughter of Africa", Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley called for the construction of "air and sea bridges" between Africa and the Caribbean."Let us make these changes, not just for heads of state, but for ordinary people who wish to trade, travel, and forge a shared future," she said.Key institutions like the African Union, African Development Bank (AfDB) and African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) have been working on the "trade" angle, hosting conferences and setting up memorandums of understanding with their Caribbean counterparts.Afreximbank says trade between the two regions could jump from around $730m (£540m) to $1.8bn (£1.33bn) by 2028, provided the right conditions are achieved.But at the moment, Africa and the Caribbean have some of the lowest indicators in the world for transport infrastructure, logistics quality and customs efficiency, according to the World Bank.I can say I'm working hand-in-hand with the Nigerian government and even the St Lucian government to promote the African culture"Dr Augustine OgbuMedic and food entrepreneurIn an attempt to reduce trade barriers, the prime minsters of Grenada and the Bahamas this year called for Africa and the Caribbean to launch a shared currency.Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis told delegates at an Afreximbank meeting in Nigeria they should "seriously" consider a single digital currency, while Grenada's Dickon Mitchell said: "Such a move would symbolically and practically affirm our shared identity not just as trading partners, but as members of a truly global Africa".Getting more than 60 countries to coordinate and launch a standard system would be no easy feat, but Mitchell said this must be done if the regions are to "take control of [their] own future".Back in St Lucia, Dr Ogbu says his attempts to bring egusi, fufu and jollof to local people are a small but worthy contribution to the strengthening of relations between Africa and the Caribbean.In June, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu signed various cooperation agreements with St Lucia during a state visit and Dr Ogbu sees Africana Chops as an extension of that."I can say I'm working hand-in-hand with the Nigerian government and even the St Lucian government to promote the African culture," he says.The doctor and businessman is now trying to upgrade his food business to a full-fledged restaurant - and he hopes the "cultural exchange" between Africa and the Caribbean also goes from strength to strength."It's awesome!" he says. "I'm really, really excited about that."

New wave of African pride rises in the Caribbean

If you were alive and clubbing in the boroughs in the 1980s and ‘90s, chances are you saw advertisements for a “sound clash.” If you were lucky—and near enough to Flatbush, Jamaica or Wakefield—you attended these wild, bombastic, occasionally dangerous and ultimately legendary dancehall parties.&nbsp;Born in Jamaica in the late ‘70s, dancehall found its second home in New York (and, specifically, central Brooklyn) in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Often harder, faster and, later, more digital than its progenitor reggae, dancehall relies on instrumental “riddim” tracks that would be the bedrock for a toaster to sing and talk over. At parties and festivals, dancehall music was blasted over massive sound systems and these “sounds” would battle for supremacy in a clash. Held between competing systems from different cities, boroughs and countries, these sound clashes were the Caribbean equivalent of a rap battle.“It's hard to explain to somebody if you weren't there,” says DJ, MC and producer Walshy Fire, one half of the Grammy-winning group Major Lazer. “To experience the level of danger, the level of fashion, the flyness. To see people floss at a time where flossing was never a thing, to see floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall speakers … Thankfully, we have the flyers."&nbsp;Birth and death by flyerWalshy grew up in Kingston’s Half Way Tree neighborhood—home to many legendary dancehall clubs and sounds—and spent years in Miami’s scene and in Connecticut before moving to Canarsie, Brooklyn in 1994. While he was a “very serious cassette seller” from age 14, it was Walshy’s collection of a different kind of ephemera that sparked his newest project: a book titled The Art Of Dancehall.Beginning with his own collection and expanding to that of selectors and soundmen from Jamaica, the U.K., New York and even Japan, the flyers in Art of Dancehall highlight the culture's broad influence. The New York flyers showcase popular local crews like Earth Ruler, LP International and Emperor Hi-Power, who clashed with each other and occasionally, alongside live appearances by Jamaican superstars of the day—including Capleton, Buju Banton, Super Cat, Shaggy and Bounty Killer. The flyers highlight shuttered but not forgotten venues including Flatbush’s Biltmore Ballroom and Tilden Ballroom, Act Three in the Bronx, as well as The Q Club in Jamaica.&nbsp;“The flyers are always trying to make it look like, if you miss this, you’ll die the next day and you’ll regret in the afterlife,” Walshy says. “A weak flyer meant a weak party, 100 percent. If you didn’t see ‘musical murder’ splashed across the front with a bomb exposure behind it, yeah, you’re not going.”The flyer was everything, Walshy says and Lee Major—a DJ from East Flatbush by way of Panama and member of Earth Ruler Soundsystem—couldn't agree more. “The first time I was on a flyer, I slept with it,” he says.&nbsp;In a world without social media, flyers designed by Errol “Irie” Myrie and others were crucial in spreading the word about dances and clashes. While many ‘70s- and ‘80s-era flyers were hand drawn, later posters typically featured the artists clashing in bold colors and typography, with humorous text—a reflection of the movie posters they were often inspired by.“Just like everything else in life, the way you present yourself, that’s the way it’s going to be reciprocated. So your flyer had to be good, and the top man at that time was Irie Myrie. He took it to a different dimension,” Major says, adding that Myrie and other designers also went to dances to party, see who to put on their flyers and, of course, drum up new business.Dancehall takes shape in New YorkNew York’s dancehall scene wasn’t relegated to those now-legendary clubs. Lee Major recounts dancehall parties in basements in the ‘70s and makeshift spaces like barber shops and plazas. “You had to kind of graduate” to the Biltmore, Starlite Ballroom or Act Three, he says. “Those was the arena. That’s when you know you made it, because those are the big platforms … It was definitely a battle, you had to be worthy.”The Biltmore era of New York dancehall is mythical not only for its epic clashes, but for the diversity of its audience and formidable crews. “There’s King Addies and LP International, Earth Ruler and Soul Supreme. And then you go over to the Bronx, and it’s Downbeat, Stereo Five, and Young Hawk. In Harlem, you got like Firgo Digital and some other sounds. Every sound was on the level,” Walshy says. “It's New York in the ‘90s. You can’t compare it; it’s like everything was happening in a mecca format.”&nbsp;The dancehall scene developed parallel to the golden age of hip-hop, and influenced the likes of KRS-ONE, Busta Rhymes and Wyclef Jean. The Notorious B.I.G.—the child of Jamaican immigrants whose Bed-Stuy stomping grounds weren’t far from Flatbush’s dancehall epicenter—even did a dub plate for LP International Sound System. “Kool Herc was very influential, because he brought that trademark from Jamaica: the sound system,” Major says, adding that these musical communities largely remained at a respectful distance. “Hip-hop, we integrated, but we never really integrated that much.”Like aspects of hip-hop at the time, dancehall could be violent. “There were bottles thrown at each side of the place, garbage cans on fire being thrown at each other, gunshots, flinging at each other,” Major recalls of a 1992 clash. “[People at the venue] escorted me out because they said there was people who wanted to kill me. We valued life, but honestly … we didn't.”Dancehall in the ‘90s “was still underground,” Walshy says. “It was still fire and goddamn dangerous. You know, you literally risked your life for music.”Dancehall lives onToday things are more calm, respectful. Crews and remaining soundmen that used to violently clash now support each other’s parties—often at still underground events where OG dancehall fans can reminisce, Major says. Dancehall as a genre, however, has moved into the mainstream: there are dancehall parties on yachts and Sean Paul can pack clubs like Elsewhere. “Queen of Dancehall” Spice has 5 million followers on Instagram. At an average club night, dancehall will be among the sounds of the diaspora, alongside hip-hop, Afrobeats, etc.But in New York, dancehall culture is still going strong, from more “traditional” parties to DJ nights and more.Hosted by Hot 97’s Bobby Konders and Jabba of Massive B soundsystem, Fire Sundays in East Flatbush is one of the longest-running dancehall parties in the city. Founded in 2007 as a monthly and now a pop-up event, Rice and Peas is the project of DJ Gravy and Max Glazer of Federation Sound, with resident DJs Maya, Orijahnal Vibez, and the late Micro Don. In Manhattan, the monthly Sattama Sundays has been bringing dancehall, Afrobeats and reggae to the masses since 2003; Yard N Abroad is held weekly on Thursday at Miss Lily's in Alphabet City. Back in Brooklyn, DJ Ayanna Heaven's monthly Good Ting party returns May 10 with a dancehall queen contest and a round robin of DJs, including Lee Major. Sister Nancy, an original dancehall name, performs annually at Union Pool's Summer Thunder series (and recently performed at VP Records' Record Store Day event). And for sound system fans, Dub-Stuy uses its 15-kilowatt stack to highlight a range of Jamaican music—including dancehall.&nbsp;While they have largely evolved from print-outs and paste-ups to the IG grid, flyers from back in the day still hold a deep value. “It's really like a treasure,” Major says. “My thing is to collect flyers so my kids can see that I had importance, and I contributed to such a major platform.”

Inside NYC's bustling dancehall scene that still lives on today

Nathaniel Quaye

Venezuela will resume flights for its nationals deported by the US, after reaching an agreement with the Trump administration.Venezuela, which does not have diplomatic relations with the US, had initially agreed to accept deportees in February. But President Nicolás Maduro halted flights in March after a dispute with the Trump administration."Tomorrow, thanks to the government's perseverance, we'll resume flights to continue rescuing and freeing migrants from prisons in the United States," Maduro said in a televised address on Saturday, Reuters reports.The White House and US State Department did not respond to BBC requests for comment.Trump's special envoy, Richard Grenell, had initially brokered a deal with Venezuela's government to take back its citizens deported from the US."Venezuela has agreed to receive, back into their Country, all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the US, including gang members of Tren de Aragua," Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time. "Venezuela has further agreed to supply the transportation back."But Maduro halted deportation flights from the US on 8 March, after the US Treasury Department suspended the energy giant Chevron's permission to export oil from Venezuela, the AP reported.On 15 March, the Trump administration deported 238 Venezuelans, who they alleged belonged to the Tren de Aragua gang, to El Salvador, where they were detained at a mega-prison.The administration has not named the individuals deported, or provided details of their alleged criminal behaviourIn a statement issued on Saturday, Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela's national assembly, appeared to address the matter of the Venezuelan nationals currently held in El Salvador.He said Venezuela accepted a deal to assure "the return of our compatriots to their nation with the safeguard of their Human Rights," the AP reported."Migrating isn't a crime, and we won't rest until everyone who wants to return is back and we rescue our kidnapped brothers in El Salvador."Trump has used the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 as a legal basis for removing 137 of those Venezuelan deportees, which immediately prompted a legal challenge.A federal judge in Washington, DC sought to block the deportation flights to El Salvador via a verbal order.However, the planes landed in El Salvador, and the country's president Nayib Bukele posted on social media that the intervention came "too late".The White House has faced allegations of defying the judge's order, which it refutes.The judge, James Boesberg, demanded more details from a government lawyer at a hearing on Friday.

Venezuela to resume repatriation of migrants after deal with US

Tensions have flared as a Venezuelan navy vessel breached Guyana's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the morning of 1 March 2025, prompting a swift response from Guyanese authorities.&nbsp;President Irfaan Ali has condemned the incursion, labelling it a "matter of grave concern" and reaffirming Guyana's commitment to defending its maritime boundaries.At approximately 07:00 GMT, the Venezuelan patrol vessel, identified as "ABF Wakari PO-11 IMO 4695542," entered Guyana's EEZ, approaching key assets including the Prosperity floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel.This critical infrastructure, operated by US oil giant ExxonMobil within the prolific Stabroek Block, is central to Guyana's burgeoning oil industry.In a televised address, President Ali revealed that the Venezuelan vessel issued a radio transmission claiming the FPSO was operating in "disputed international waters."Despite this assertion, the vessel continued its course southwest, heading towards other FPSOs within the Guyanese EEZ."Let me be unequivocal," President Ali stated. "Guyana’s maritime boundaries are recognised under international law and this incursion is a matter of grave concern."﻿<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/ca6475945venezuela-vessell_large.jpg">In response, Guyana has deployed air assets and mobilised its Coast Guard to the area. The Minister of Foreign Affairs has summoned the Venezuelan Ambassador to register a formal protest, and Guyana has committed to informing all its international partners of the incident.This incursion comes amid heightened tensions between the two nations. Just weeks ago, Guyanese soldiers were reportedly attacked by a Venezuelan gang along the border.The incident further underscores the fragile state of relations, dominated by a long-standing territorial dispute.The heart of the conflict lies in Venezuela's claim to over two-thirds of Guyana's territory, the Essequibo region.This claim directly challenges the 1899 Arbitral Award, which legally established the boundary between the two countries. While Venezuela initially accepted the award, it declared it null and void in 1962.Guyana subsequently sought recourse through the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2018, following a determination by UN Secretary-General António Guterres that judicial settlement was the most appropriate path forward.In a significant ruling in 2020, the ICJ confirmed its jurisdiction over the case, dismissing Venezuela's objections.The ongoing ICJ proceedings aim to resolve the long-standing territorial dispute. However, this latest naval incursion raises the spectre of further escalation, potentially destabilising the region.

Venezuelan vessel breaches EEZ, sparking a diplomatic crisis

Chichi

Nonkululeko Nyembezi is a trailblazer in corporate South Africa and is currently the chairperson of Standard Bank, South Africa’s largest bank by assets under management. Born in Pietermaritzburg in 1960, Nyembezi grew up in the Clermont township outside Pinetown. Her mother was a nurse, and her father was a lawyer active in the apartheid struggle. A gifted maths and science pupil, she would go on to study at the Manchester Institute of Science and Technology in the UK. She would then go on to receive a Master of Science degree from the California Institute of Technology. She then received an MBA from the Open University Business School. Her first roles were with IBM in the United States and South Africa, where she worked in various technical, marketing, and management roles. She then moved to Alliance Capital Management, where she would become CEO and chairperson of the Namibia business. She then pivoted into telecommunications, becoming the Chief Officer of Mergers and Acquisitions of the Vodacom Group. She then moved to industry again,taking over as the CEO of ArcelorMittal South Africa.During her time there, she earned the monikor of South Africa’s “woman of steel”, heading up the country’s largest steel producer. Despite appearing as an odd fit to lead an industrial giant, she believes that her unique skillset was good for the company—being an expert team builder, who recognises the value in skillsets and people who can get things done.“In some industries, there is a time when it is perhaps good to bring in an outsider who can shine a light and ask questions about things that others might not have,” she told Forbes. “I know how to build a team and can compensate for areas where my knowledge may have been limited.”Her growing influence saw her named one of the most influential women by Forbes in 2012, ranking 97th worldwide. Following six years at AMSA, she moved to mining company Ichor Coal NV, which focuses on thermal coal production, where she again stayed for six years. Outside of her day-to-day duties, she also joined the board of several listed and unlisted companies across South Africa. She became the chairperson of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 2013 and served in the role for close to a decade. She was also named the chairperson of Alex Forbes in 2018, becoming the first black woman to chair the company. She left near the end of 2019. She remains the chairperson of Business Leadership South Africa, a corporate lobby group thats members include Standard Bank, Nedbank, the JSE, Vodacom. Allan Gray, MTN, Vodacom and far more. On top of these roles, she has also worked on the boards of other JSE-listed companies, including Old Mutual and Anglo American. Takes the job at Standard Bank She was appointed to the Standard Bank Group and Standard Bank South Africa (SBSA) boards in January 2020 as an independent non-executive director. She was then named chair-designate of the group and SBSA in March 2022, taking over in June 2022. “By every possible measure of experience, character, skill, and achievement, Nyembezi is ideally suited to be the chairman of the group,” said Standard Bank CEO Sim Tshabalala at the time of the announcement. “Nyembezi’s very strong academic background, great achievements as an industrialist and corporate leader, and her worldwide network of colleagues and peers combine to make her a very widely respected citizen of South Africa, Africa, and the world.” Nyembezi will likely be busy at South Africa’s largest bank, as the group looks to find a new CEO and CFO. Although the group recently increased its executive retirement age from 60 to 63, this will not apply to current CEO Sim Tshabalala and CFO Arno Daehnke. Tshabalala became CEO in 2013, while Daehnke was appointed in 2016.She has already overseen one transition in her role as the chairperson of Standard Bank South Africa. Earlier this year, Kenny Fihla left his roles as Group Deputy CEO and SBSA CEO to take over as the Group CEO of rival Absa. While Tshabalala filled in as SBSA CEO on an interim basis, the group’s Chief Risk Officer, David Hodnett, will take over full-time.

The ‘woman of steel’ who took corporate South Africa by storm and now watches over its biggest bank

According to the exchange rate from the Bank of Ghana (BoG) on Friday, September 12, the Cedi was buying at 12.1139 and selling at 12.1261.On Thursday, September 11, it was buying at 12.0940&nbsp;and selling at 12.1061.The fall of the Cedi has been a major concern for stakeholders.President John Dramani Mahama said that the local currency has been making an adjustment.He makes the point that the Cedi will settle at a rate and not depreciate again.According to him, what his economic managers are doing is to stabilise the currency to make for effective economic planning.“I believe that it is about stopping the rapid depreciation of the cedi,” he said in an answer to a question posed by TV3’s Keminni Amanor at a media encounter on September 10 at the Jubilee House.“The cedi is making an adjustment, and it will settle at a certain rate,” he assured.He further stated that the Bank of Ghana has been intervening in the forex market, but they have withdrawn.“The cedi is adjusting, we will make sure that any depreciation that occurs in the value of the cedi is within a per cent per annum margin.”The central bank has, however, taken steps to strengthen the Cedi. The Bank of Ghana reiterated the caution to institutions and individuals against charging or accepting payments in foreign currencies for goods and services in Ghana, stressing that the Ghana cedi remains the only legal tender.In a notice issued on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, the central bank reminded the public that under the Foreign Exchange Act, 2006 (Act 723), it is illegal for any person or institution without authorisation to engage in foreign exchange transactions.These include black market dealings, pricing, invoicing or advertising in foreign currencies, particularly the United States dollar.“The Ghana cedi remains the only legal tender in Ghana,” the notice signed by Mrs Aimee V. Quashie, Secretary to the Bank, said.It added that no resident of Ghana, unless duly licensed or authorised by the Bank of Ghana, should price, advertise, invoice, or receive payment in any foreign currency.The directive covered transactions such as the payment of school fees, the sale and rental of vehicles, the sale and rental of real estate, airline tickets, domestic contracts, retail shopping, online sales and hotel accommodation.According to the BoG, foreign currency invoices may be issued only to expatriates or non-residents, with proceeds required to be paid into a Foreign Exchange Account (FEA) with licensed banks.The Bank further stated that exchange rates on such invoices must reflect prevailing market rates of commercial banks and be benchmarked against its published reference rate.The Bank of Ghana said foreign exchange transfers for legitimate external payments remain permitted through the banking system, subject to regulatory limits and procedures.It cautioned that enforcement would continue and warned that persons or institutions found to be in breach would face sanctions and prosecution in line with Act 723.Some banks have been caught violating this directive. On Thursday, September 4, the Bank of Ghana announced that it has suspended the Foreign Exchange Trading Licence of United Bank for Africa (UBA Ghana), effective September 18, 2025, for a period of one month, in accordance with section 11(2) of the Foreign Exchange Act, 2006 (Act 723).A statement issued by the BoG on Thursday, September 4, said that this is a result of multiple violations of the foreign exchange market regulations, including the Updated Guidelines for Inward Remittance Services by Payment Service Providers, 2023, as amended by Bank of Ghana Notice No. BG/GOV/SEC/2025/25, which has come to the attention of the Bank of Ghana.“UBA Ghana conducted unauthorised remittance activities with the following Payment Service Providers(PSPs); Halges Financial Technologies Limited, Cellulant Limited and Flutterwave Inc., on behalf of Money Transfer Operators(MTOs) – Top Connect, Send App, Taptap Send, Remit Choice and Afriex.“All remittance partnerships held between UBA Ghana and DEMIs/PSPs/MTOs have been suspended. DEMIs/PSPs/MTOs that wish to engage UBA Ghana in future partnerships must re-apply after the suspension period elapses.“By this statement, the Bank of Ghana cautions foreign exchange market players to adhere strictly to the applicable forex market regulations and guidelines,” the statement said.

BoG Rate: Cedi buys at 12.11 to a Dollar and sells at 12.12 on Friday

Donald Trump has called on the European Union (EU) to hit China and India with tariffs of up to 100% to force Russian president Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.The US president made the demand during a meeting between US and EU officials on Tuesday discussing options to increase economic pressure on Russia, a source familiar with the discussions has told the BBC.Trump, who previously pledged to end the conflict on “day one” of becoming president, is struggling to broker a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv, and Russia’s strikes on Ukraine have intensified.Separately, Trump told reporters on Tuesday that he plans to talk to Putin on a call this week or early next week.China and India are major buyers of Russian oil, which helps to keep the country’s economy and war machine afloat.Last month, the US imposed a 50% tariff on goods from India, which included a 25% penalty for its transactions with Russia.Although the EU has said it would end its dependency on Russian energy, around 19% of its natural gas imports still come from there.If the EU does impose the tariffs on China and India it would mark a change to its approach of attempting to isolate Russia with sanctions rather than levies.Trump’s request to the EU, first reported by the Financial Times, follows remarks from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said Washington was prepared to escalate economic pressure but needed stronger European backingUkraine’s main government building in Kyiv was struck by a Russian missile over the weekend – in an attack that was seen as both symbolic and a major increase of aggression by the Kremlin.The strikes across the country marked the heaviest aerial bombardment on Ukraine since the war began. Ukraine said Russian forces used at least 810 drones and 13 missiles.On Tuesday, more than 20 civilians were killed by a Russian glide bomb in the eastern Donbas region, as they queued to collect their pensions.Trump said he was “not happy with the whole situation” and threatened harsher sanctions on the Kremlin.The US president has previously pledged harsher measures against Russia, but not taken any action despite Putin ignoring his deadlines and threats of sanctions.A highly anticipated summit between the leaders in Alaska last month ended without a peace deal.Trump also said on Tuesday that the US and India were “continuing negotiations to address the trade barriers” between the two countries.He plans to speak to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the coming weeks and expects a “successful conclusion” to their trade talks, he wrote on social media.In response, Modi echoed Trump’s optimism that the talks would be successful and said the two countries were “close friends and natural partners.”“Our teams are working to conclude these discussions at the earliest. I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump,” he added.Trump’s comments have been seen by some as the latest sign of a reconciliation between Washington and Delhi, after a collapse in their trade negotiations.Last week, Trump emphasised the “special relationship” between India and the US, saying “there’s nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion”.Source: BBC

Trump lobbies EU for 100% tariffs on China and India

Elon Musk has lost his title as the world's richest person to Larry Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle and an ally of US President Donald Trump.Ellison's wealth surged to $393bn (£290bn) on Wednesday morning, surpassing Musk's $385bn (£284bn), according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.Shares in Oracle soared more than 40% after the database software company gave investors a surprisingly rosy outlook for its cloud infrastructure business and artificial intelligence (AI) deals.Ellison, whose net worth is tied to the company, has steadily built his fortune over the past five decades.Musk had held the title of world's richest person for nearly one year. He could receive a pay package worth over $1tn (£740bn) if he hits a list of ambitious targets over the next decade, the board of the electric car firm has proposed.But shares in Musk's most valuable business, Tesla, have fallen this year.The electric vehicle maker has grappled with investor jitters over the Trump administration's rollback of electric vehicle initiatives, on top of consumer backlash to Musk's political involvement.Oracle has recently been propelled by growing demand for data centre infrastructure.The company projected as part of its quarterly earnings report on Tuesday that revenue from its cloud business will jump 77% this year, to $18bn, with further growth expected in the coming years.Oracle has reported a surge in demand among AI companies for its data centres, which helped push its stock dramatically higher.It signed four multibillion-dollar contracts with customers in the last quarter and anticipates several more deals in the months ahead, chief executive Safra Catz said on Tuesday.Trump ties and media ambitionsEllison, 81, helped start Oracle in 1977 and rose to prominence in the 1990s, when he became a public figure known as much for his lavish lifestyle as for the database company behind his fortune.He was Oracle's chief executive until 2014 and is now the company's chairman and chief technology officer.And he has positioned himself as an ally to President Trump.When Trump returned to the White House in January, Ellison appeared alongside OpenAI's Sam Altman and SoftBank's Masayoshi Son to announce a project called Stargate, to build out AI infrastructure in the US.Oracle has also emerged as a possible buyer of TikTok, the app owned by the Chinese internet company ByteDance. TikTok is facing a ban in the US unless it divests itself of its ByteDance ownership.In January, when asked whether he was open to Musk buying TikTok, Trump responded: "I'd like Larry to buy it, too."Ellison's media ambitions extend beyond TikTok.He funded the bulk of a $8bn bid by his son to acquire Paramount, which owns CBS and MTV.That deal between Paramount and the media company Skydance, which is controlled by his son David, closed last month.

Larry Ellison tops Elon Musk as world's richest person

When Tesla’s board unveiled its latest executive compensation plan for CEO Elon Musk on Friday, it wasn’t just another line in a proxy filing. It was an act of theater—and defiance. After two previous pay deals for Musk—the world’s richest man, worth hundreds of billions—had been alternately dismantled under legal and shareholder pressure, and then heavily criticized, the company is once again pushing the boundaries of corporate governance with a headline-grabbing target: Musk will earn only if Tesla’s valuation surges by at least a factor of eight over the next decade.Tesla told shareholders in the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that Musk’s most recent pay package worth $29 billion was accompanied by the statement that “work was ongoing” by the special committee evaluating Musk’s compensation. The board—with Elon and his brother, Kimbal, recusing themselves from the process—unanimously recommended a “longer-term CEO compensation strategy” that could reach $1 trillion.The special committee then confirmed what Fortune’s Amanda Gerut reported: that the $29 billion package was not directly linked to performance, and that this was quite the opposite. “Yes, you read that correctly,” the committee told shareholders. “In 2018, Elon had to grow Tesla by billions; in 2025, he has to grow Tesla by trillions — to be exact, he must create nearly $7.5 trillion in value for shareholders for him to receive the full award.” The committee also said that this award “uniquely challenges” Musk to guide Tesla through a new phase of unprecedented growth, while keeping him in leadership for many years to come.Musk’s pay-package pastElon Musk’s relationship with pay packages has always been outlandish by conventional corporate measures. Unlike the cash-heavy salaries and bonuses that structure most CEO contracts, Musk has repeatedly tied his fortune to Tesla’s ability to smash through aggressive milestones.Back in 2012, Tesla’s board offered him a deal based on production and stock price hurdles. At the time, it looked audacious; Tesla was still a niche manufacturer producing a few tens of thousands of cars. When those goals were eventually met, the pay package delivered Musk tens of millions of dollars in options—at once a win for him and a vindication for Tesla shareholders who had seen their stock multiply.Then came 2018: a plan with a $56 billion potential jackpot contingent on a suite of operational metrics and stratospheric valuation targets. Skeptics scoffed, yet Musk hit many of those goals, pushing Tesla past the trillion-dollar valuation threshold in 2021. To admirers, it proved Musk’s visionary drive. To critics, it was governance gone awry—a board in thrall to its CEO.Indeed, in January 2024, a Delaware judge struck down that $56 billion arrangement, citing conflicts of interest on the board (including his brother, Kimbal) and lack of adequate oversight. The ruling landed as a symbolic rebuke of Musk’s sway over Tesla, and a warning about the excesses of Silicon Valley’s cult-of-founder ethos. A second attempt at revising the package—“Plan B,” as it was informally known—was again quashed by a Delaware judge nearly a year later. Throughout the year, a furious Musk decamped from his incorporation in Delaware.In Friday’s proxy, the committee said it ​had explored numerous alternatives, but ultimately decided to build upon the controversial 2018 package. Musk’s new goals include adjusted Ebitda targets (up to 28x higher than the 2018 milestone, per the committee) and new product rollouts, including 1 million robotaxis in commercial operation and delivery of 1 million AI bots.Backlash, loyalty, and the Musk dilemmaTesla’s board has found itself trapped in a predicament: Musk is simultaneously Tesla’s greatest asset and its greatest risk. The company’s extraordinary rise from an upstart carmaker to a global force in sustainable energy and transport has been fueled by his relentless ambition and uncanny ability to attract capital. He embodies the Tesla brand so thoroughly that investors and customers alike conflate the company’s trajectory with his own.But that strength comes with fragility. Musk’s long list of side ventures—SpaceX, X, Neuralink, the recently launched xAI—leads critics to charge that Tesla risks becoming a neglected child. Meanwhile, his mercurial style and public controversies, from social media firestorms to clashes with regulators, have brought volatility to Tesla’s stock and reputation.Underlying the trillion-dollar plan is a quieter, more existential question: Can Tesla truly outgrow Musk? For over a decade, it has been his vision, his risk appetite, and his brash style that defined the company. Yet most corporate giants eventually mature beyond their founding personalities, shifting power toward institutional structures and professional management.Once again, Tesla’s board has sided with continuity, betting that the upside of locking Musk in outweighs the turbulence of pushing him aside. Still, the allure of Tesla has always rested in its improbable odds. A company dismissed in its infancy now shapes the future of global transportation. A CEO once thought reckless has become one of the richest men alive. And a pay package once unimaginable is back in play—only now, the number is no longer billions, but a trillion.For this story, Fortune used generative AI to help with an initial draft. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.

Tesla pay committee pitches $1 trillion pact to keep Elon Musk as CEO for long term

Shoprite, Africa’s largest grocery retailer, has announced its exit from the Ghanaian market after receiving a binding offer for seven of its trading stores and one warehouse.While this may appear to be a routine business transaction, it carries significant implications for competition, consumer welfare, and the structure of Ghana’s retail sector. This is why the government must take a keen interest in who acquires Shoprite’s assets.Ghana lacks a competition or antitrust law, despite having a draft since 2007. This means that the sale and acquisition of Shoprite’s operations will not be reviewed by any local authority to assess potential harm to competition or consumers.Unlike regulated sectors such as banking and telecommunications, where mergers undergo scrutiny, the retail market has no such safeguards. In many countries, regulators examine mergers to prevent monopolies and protect consumers.In Ghana, the absence of oversight makes it crucial for the Ministry of Trade and Industry to evaluate this transaction from a competition policy perspective.Why This Transaction Matters to Consumers and Producers?The buyer’s identity is crucial because it could reshape market dynamics. If the acquiring company is already a dominant player, such as Melcom, the acquisition could significantly increase market concentration.Firstly, such a merger could result in increased market concentration.&nbsp;When GAME exited the Ghanaian market in 2022, Melcom replaced GAME in malls across Accra, Kumasi, and Takoradi. This strengthened Melcom’s presence and market share. If Melcom were to acquire Shoprite’s stores, its dominance in the retail space would grow even stronger, reducing competition and consumer choice.Secondly, there is a risk of monopoly.&nbsp;Melcom is rapidly expanding across Ghana. Should it acquire Shoprite’s assets, it could become so dominant that no other retailer would be able to compete effectively. Without competition, innovation slows down, prices tend to rise, and consumers are left with fewer options.Thirdly, such a merger could impact consumer welfare.&nbsp;A company with a large market share can use its market power to sustain prices above competitive levels. This would harm consumers, who may end up paying more for groceries and other retail products. While it is true that alternatives to the retail shops smaller provision shops, mini-marts, and traditional markets, the future of retail is shifting toward shopping malls and networked retail networks. Dominance in this segment could have long-lasting effects on consumer welfare and may be difficult to dismantle.Fourthly, retail firms with market power can decide to squeeze suppliers.&nbsp;Market dominance not only affects consumers. Suppliers also face challenges when dealing with a powerful retailer. A dominant company can exert what economists call “buyer power” or monopsony, dictating terms and prices to suppliers. This can force suppliers to accept unfavourable terms or risk losing access to the market altogether.Additionally, if the market becomes concentrated by a dominant player, it could lead to barriers to entry in the future.&nbsp;If this acquisition goes unchecked, Ghana may soon have to contend with a retail giant whose size and influence make it nearly impossible for new competitors to enter the market. This could create long-term inefficiencies and reduce the vibrancy of the sector.Ghanaians have already experienced the consequences of market dominance in other sectors. MultiChoice’s control of premium sports content in the pay-TV market and MTN’s designation as a Significant Market Power (SMP) operator in telecommunications have contributed to less competitive markets and higher prices. Without regulatory oversight, the retail sector risks heading in the same direction.Lessons from Namibia and MalawiShoprite’s exit also affects Malawi, where the sale is subject to approval by the Malawi Competition and Fair Trading Commission and the Reserve Bank of Malawi. Their competition laws require that such transactions be assessed to ensure they do not harm competition or consumers. This is standard in countries with strong antitrust frameworks.Internationally, competition regulators have acted decisively when mergers threaten markets. In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority blocked the 2019 merger between Sainsbury’s and Asda, arguing it would lead to higher prices and reduced quality. In the US, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice have challenged major deals, including the attempted acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft and the merger of American Airlines with US Airways.African regulators have also intervened. In South Africa, the Competition Commission blocked the 2017 merger between Mediclinic International and Matlosana Medical Health Services, citing reduced competition in healthcare. In Kenya, the Competition Authority blocked the 2016 merger between outdoor advertising firms Magnate Ventures and Adsite, as it would have created a dominant player and restricted opportunities for smaller competitors.Why the Government Must Act?The sale of Shoprite’s operations is not merely a private matter between buyer and seller. It has broader implications for competition, consumer welfare, and the future of Ghana’s retail sector. Even without a competition law, the government can still act by reviewing the transaction through the Ministry of Trade and Industry or the Attorney General’s office. This would ensure the acquisition does not create a monopoly or harm suppliers and consumers.The Urgent Need for Competition and Consumer Protection LawsThis case underscores the urgent need for Ghana to pass the Competition and Fair Trade Practices Bill, along with a strong consumer protection law. These laws are essential to ensure markets function efficiently, protect consumers, and promote fair competition.Recent experiences in the pay-TV and telecom markets show how unchecked dominance harms consumers and stifles competition. The retail sector must not be allowed to go down the same road.

Appiah Adomako Writes: Why govt must take interest in who acquires Shoprite Stores in Ghana

The Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI) has commended the government of Ghana on the official opening of its 2025/2026 cocoa season and the announcement of a new producer price that reflects a sustained commitment to the welfare of cocoa farmers.This is contained in a press release dated August 5.“The government increased producer price of cocoa from US $ 3.100/Ton to US$5.040/Ton, which is a record level and a clear demonstration of our members’ commitment to uphold their promise to cocoa farmers and strengthen the foundation for a fairer and more resilient cocoa economy,” a part of the press release reads.“The CIGCI commends the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and applauds this bold step as an essential contribution to the ongoing efforts to create a more equitable and sustainable global cocoa market. For the past four years, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana—representing over 60% of global cocoa production—have worked in close collaboration to align policies on farmgate pricing, market transparency, and value distribution. It is in this same spirit of cooperation and coordination that the new producer price was announced. This level of cooperation between the major producing countries is unprecedented on the African continent and reflects a shared vision of transformation in the cocoa sector,” the statement added.“Since 2019, amid a volatile cocoa economy with market prices well below production costs, the two countries have closely collaborated to address entrenched market failures that had left cocoa producers holding the short end of the stick. A fair price to farmers is the first milestone to achieve a sustainable cocoa sector” Alex Assanvo, Executive Secretary, CIGCI said.It assured that “Together with partners and stakeholders, we are working to make cocoa the world’s first truly sustainable commodity—one that is environmentally sound, economically viable, and socially just. The transformation of the cocoa sector can only be achieved if it is rooted in fairness and profitability for all, especially the cocoa farmer—without whom there is no cocoa, and no chocolate.”

Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative commends Ghana’s govt for announcing new producer price of cocoa

Countries like Algeria, Madagascar, and Zimbabwe have banned both the import and cultivation of GMOs. In contrast, South Africa permits commercial GMO farming, producing modified maize, soybeans, and cotton.African countries that have banned GMO imports and cultivation<ul><li>Countries such as Algeria, Madagascar, and Zimbabwe have banned GMO cultivation citing biodiversity risks.</li><li>Some nations, including South Africa, permit GMO farming, while others like Nigeria and Ghana are conducting trials.</li><li>The market for GMOs is expected to increase from $615.4 million in 2018 to $871 million by 2025.</li></ul>The market for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is projected to grow significantly, rising from $615.4 million in 2018 to an estimated $871 million by 2025, according to industry experts. Yet across Africa, the adoption of GMOs remains highly contested.Unlike traditional seeds, genetically modified seeds are engineered to withstand climate-related challenges such as drought, floods, pests, and diseases, making them attractive in the face of growing food insecurity and climate change.However, the debate over their safety, environmental impact, and ethical implications continues to divide the continent.Countries like Algeria, Madagascar, and Zimbabwe have banned both the import and cultivation of GMOs, citing risks to biodiversity, indigenous agricultural practices, and public health.In contrast, South Africa permits commercial GMO farming, producing modified maize, soybeans, and cotton. Nations like Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana are beginning to ease restrictions, allowing trials under strict regulatory oversight.Regulation across Africa varies widely. Some countries, such as Ghana and South Africa, have established biosafety laws and mandatory labelling policies.As food prices spike and climate threats intensify, African governments face a difficult choice: embrace biotechnology or protect traditional agriculture at all costs.

Let's discuss African countries that have banned GMO imports and cultivation

South Africans with a sweet tooth are unlikely to find any price relief on store shelves this year as global cocoa prices remain high and are expected to rise further.Despite headline inflation sticking below the South African Reserve Bank’s 3%-6% target range, food and non-alcoholic inflation rose to 4.0% in April 2025.This is lower than the SARB’s current 4.5% target but reflects the category slowly edging upward.Inflation for sugar, confectionery, and desserts was even higher at 5.6%, with tracked pricing for chocolates specifically up 6% year-over-year.While the increases may seem marginal, the longer-term price increases are more pronounced, with a chocolate slab now costing almost 27% more than it did in 2023, and a chocolate bar up 18.6%This reflects the continued strain on global cocoa prices, which have been severely impacted by adverse weather conditions in key cocoa-growing regions.Global cocoa prices have surged almost 300% over the past year, hitting a peak of $12,565 per metric tonne in December 2024.The global cocoa shortage is being driven by the poor weather and disease that devastated crops in Ghana and the Ivory Coast.Two-thirds of the world’s cocoa beans are grown in these regions.While exports from the Ivory Coast increased in early 2025, easing prices, the nation has now signalled a tighter supply, sending futures in the opposite direction.Analysts have warned that prices are likely to rise further as there are now quality concerns about the country’s mid-crop, which is currently being harvested through to September.“Cocoa processors are complaining about the crop’s quality and have rejected truckloads of Ivory Coast cocoa beans,” Reuters analysts said.“Processors said about 5% to 6% of the mid-crop cocoa in each truckload is poor quality, compared with 1% during the main crop.”The quality is likely tied to late-arriving rain, which impacted growth, and could result in yields dropping 9% from 2024’s harvest.<a href="https://businesstech.co.za/news/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Chocolate-prices-2022-25.jpg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(13, 110, 253); background-color: rgb(248, 249, 250);"><img src="https://businesstech.co.za/news/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Chocolate-prices-2022-25-660x1024.jpg"></a><h2>Chocolate producers plan for the worst, hope for the best</h2>Major confectionery producer Mondelez International flagged the supply issues this week, with an iffy outlook on earnings ahead.Mondelez is the company behind the Cadbury’s brand, as well as other popular chocolate confectionery labels, such as Oreo.The group has flagged “unprecedented cocoa cost inflation” in its forecasts and stated that it is preparing for a potential cocoa pricing spike in the coming months.The group expects global cocoa pricing levels to remain elevated but stable in 2026, while acknowledging that making accurate predictions is challenging.“Cocoa futures might come down, but we’re not there yet. So we will continue to plan various scenarios with the base case for a continuation of elevated levels,” it said.“If cocoa stays high, we would expect to gradually price more. If cocoa starts to come down, then we would expect earnings delivery to be higher.”Other international producers, such as Nestlé, have also floated the possibility of increasing prices due to the cocoa shortage and associated costs.More locally, Tiger Brands, the owner of Beacon chocolates and the iconic marshmallow easter eggs, has more to deal with than high cocoa prices.The group is looking to sell its chocolate business altogether, citing a lack of business interaction and investment in the segment for about 30 years.Beacon has been in South Africa for almost a century, but Tiger Brands admitted not having kept up with changing technology in the sector or interacting with the brand that much.It stated that it had fallen behind competitors like Cadbury’s and that the brand would likely fare better under new ownership.Despite this, the group said it would continue to work to turn around Beacon’s operations and support it until the ‘right exit’ comes along.Wherever the brand ends up next, it will have to deal with the pressure of rising cocoa prices and growing supply issues, which are looking to be settling in for the long term.

Bad news for chocolate lovers in South Africa

A yam germplasm bank has been launched by the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), in collaboration with the Division of Food Security, Natural Resources, the Environment and Sustainable Development (DFSNRESD) and the Member of Parliament for Tobago East Ayanna Webster-Roy.The bank was launched at the Goldsborough Demonstration and Training Centre in Goldsborough on March 18 and is the second planting of the Ghanaian yam and aims to improve the agriculture industry and reduce the national food import bill.The initiative introduced five new varieties of yam from Ghana that will serve as a crucial resource for local farmers by providing high-quality planting material, enabling improved productivity within a seven- to eight-month growing period.Speaking at the event, Webster-Roy said her initial thought was about reigniting a sense of pride in the people of Goodwood and in the New Yam Festival.She also spoke of the potential for economic development and improving food security.“It is the start of something beautiful for the people of Tobago and the people of TT. Hopefully, when we have the yam planting festival to mark the harvesting of the yam, it signals to the people of TT that Tobago East is not only taking their food security seriously but also our health seriously.”She pointed to the importance of agriculture and food security in Tobago’s development:“We have to ensure that we promote within our communities, within our schools, within our community-based organisations, the importance of food security. We have to drive agriculture as a meaningful area for investment, not only through the community-based organisations but also through the private sector and through various agencies.”She commended the THA and the island’s farmers for coming on board. THA Secretary of Community Development, Youth Development and Sport Assemblyman Joel Sampson, who represented the Food Production Division, endorsed Webster-Roy’s sentiments.Sampson said the introduction of the yam varieties greatly expands the diversity of the local crops and also strengthens the island’s ability to enhance food security and support sustainable agriculture.“This exchange of knowledge, research and planting materials reinforces Tobago’s place in the regional and international agricultural landscape.“Agriculture has long been a pillar of our economy and our culture. For our farmers, agriculture is more than just a job, a source of income and a foundation for their family’s well-being. The ability to cultivate new varieties provides them with a unique opportunity to expand their production capacity, increase their earnings and secure a more stable future."A stronger agricultural sector means increased income for farmers, reduce dependence on imported goods and a boost for Tobago’s agro-processing industry. With consistent investment on initiatives like these, we can ensure that our famers have resources, knowledge and the support they need to thrive in a competitive agricultural market.”Sampson further highlighted the broader impact of the initiative.“This collaboration with CARDI to establish a yam germplasm bank in Tobago truly highlights the importance of global-cultural exchange and marks an exciting opportunity for our agricultural sector. This initiative speaks to a broader vision, one where Tobago continues to strengthen its food systems, empower its farmers, and build a future where we can feed itself with high-quality, locally grown produce.”The event closed with a formal yam planting ceremony, marking a significant milestone in Tobago’s agricultural development.

Stakeholders back Ghana yams to boost Tobago food security

Twenty-seven (27) new cases of Mpox have been confirmed in Ghana, raising the country’s total infections to 494, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has reported.According to the Service, one patient is currently receiving treatment as of the update recorded on Monday, September 1, 2025.The latest update shows an increase from August 28, when 21 new cases brought the total to 467. On August 25, the Service reported 22 cases, which pushed the cumulative figure at the time to 446.Health officials explained that Mpox is mainly transmitted through close contact with an infected person.Symptoms often include fever, headache, muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes, and skin rashes.The GHS urged the public to remain alert, practise good hygiene, and seek immediate medical attention if they experience any of the symptoms.

Mpox: Ghana’s total cases now 494 after 27 new infections

The patient, a Maryland resident, had recently returned from travel to El Salvador and was found to be infected with New World screwworm, an HHS spokesperson told ABC News.It comes amid an outbreak of the parasite among livestock in Mexico and countries across Central America.Here's what you need to know about the infestation, including how it spreads, what the signs are and how it can be treated.New World screwworm (NWS) is a species of parasitic fly that feeds on live tissue and can cause myiasis, which is an infestation of larvae, or maggots.They can infest many types of animals, including livestock, pets, wildlife and, in rare instances, humans.Cochliomyia hominivorax, the New World screw-worm fly, or screw-worm for short, is a species of parasitic fly that is well known for the way in which its larvae.Ramdan Fatoni/Getty Images"New World screwworm kind of gets its name because these are little parasites and, when they actually land on an open wound, they're going to screw down into the wound -- that's how they burrow in -- and actually consume tissue," Lori Ferrins, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Northeastern University, told ABC News.Ferrins explained that a female NWS will find a living host, land in an open wound and lay somewhere between 200 and 300 eggs. After the eggs hatch, the maggots burrow further into the tissue and cause painful infestations.NWS is not typically found in the U.S. and is present in countries in Central and South America as well as the Caribbean, according to the&nbsp;Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;(CDC).NWS infection can cause&nbsp;several symptoms&nbsp;including skin lesions that don't heal or worsen over time, painful wounds or sores, bleeding from open sores, feeling or seeing maggots in sore or a bad odor from the site of the infestation, according to the CDC.The maggots can also be found in the eyes, nose and mouth, the federal health agency said."The larvae of the New World screwworm are particularly nasty, and that's why it has been given this name," Dr. Shira Doron, chief infection control officer for Tufts Medicine Health System, told ABC News. "Here in the hospital, we may have a patient come in and, with a painful open wound, we may notice that there are larvae or maggots in it."There is currently no&nbsp;drug-only cure&nbsp;but there are effective treatments for NWS infestation. If someone believes they may be infected or sees and feels maggots in a wound or anywhere else in the body, they should contact a health care provider immediately, according to the CDC.

What to know about New World screwworm after 1st human case detected in US

According to the situation report released by the GHS, death remains one with no admissions.Already, Ghana has secured more than 33,000 Mpox vaccines earmarked to be administered to the at risk groups in the country.15 out of 16 regions have all recorded cases of the disease so far in the country and concerns are rife on the increasing number of cases in the country.The vaccine when it arrives is expected to complement efforts in managing the disease.Mpox spreads mainly through close contact with an infected person.The general public is encouraged to practice good hygiene, and seek medical attention if they develop symptoms such as headaches, fever, rash, and body pains.

22 new Mpox cases recorded; total cases now 446

WITH&nbsp;23 Grand Slam singles titles and four Olympic gold medals,&nbsp;Serena Williams&nbsp;is undeniably a super-athlete. But the 43-year-old will be the first to admit that she isn’t superhuman.After the birth of her first child—daughter Olympia in 2017, during which&nbsp;Serena experienced life-threatening complications—she struggled to get back to what she considered a healthy weight for her. Fans got a small glimpse into this side of the tennis star’s journey in her 2018 HBO documentary&nbsp;Becoming Serena.“At one point my coach says, ‘You need to lose weight,’” Serena tells&nbsp;Women’s Health. “I was eating extremely healthy and I was working out really hard because I know what it takes to be number-one. But I was never able to lose weight, and that was really frustrating for me.”Serena recalls a trip to Paris, in particular, during which she routinely walked 20,000 to 30,000 steps per day—partially because she loves strolling Paris (who doesn’t!?) and partially because she was trying to get fit. Yet, the scale number “would never go below where it needed to go,” she says.Sage East / RoWith the&nbsp;birth of her second child—daughter Adira in 2023—Serena initially lost weight quickly, but she once again plateaued. As a result of the extra weight, she was experiencing strain on her joints every time she ran down a ball. “In a sport like tennis, you’re putting hundreds of pounds of strain on your joints per movement, per time,” she says.That’s when Serena came to a realization, she says: “I have to try something different.” She started researching&nbsp;weight loss medications, but as she more seriously contemplated taking a GLP-1, she found herself hesitant due to the stigma surrounding the drugs—that they’re some kind of shortcut or cop out. As a top athlete, she felt the scrutiny would be extra intense.“I am a very good use case of how you can do everything—eat healthy, work out to the point of even playing a professional sport and getting to the finals of Wimbledon and U.S. Opens—and still not be able to lose weight,” she says. “It’s not a shortcut. It’s not a copout. This is just another tool to support my health journey.”Serena began a GLP-1 regimen about a year ago,&nbsp;once she finished breastfeeding&nbsp;Adira. But her first go-around with the medication didn’t quite stick. “I was a bit nervous and had too many unanswered questions,” she says of taking a pause.In January of this year, she started anew, this time with telehealth company&nbsp;Ro. (Her husband, Alexis Ohanian, is also an investor in Ro and serves on its board.)<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/50f421bc2Serena-Williams-Ro-SC-YouTube.jpg">“It was a lot easier of an experience with Ro,” Serena says. “Doctors were able to answer my questions, no matter how silly or crazy.” And with her hectic travel schedule, she appreciated that support was just a click away, rather than having to schedule an in-person appointment at an office. Serena is now officially partnering with Ro as a celebrity patient ambassador (she began as just a regular client) to help bust the stigmas that might be holding others back from exploring their health options. (Serena did not disclose which specific medication she is on. Ro offers prescriptions for Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound.)Seven months into treatment, Serena is seeing results beyond weight loss. The tennis star says she can finally see the effects of all her&nbsp;hard work at the gym—plus, her body feels less strain while training since she’s carrying less weight.“My joints are a lot better,” she says—and that's despite all the running she’s been doing lately to prepare for an upcoming half-marathon. "I am running farther than I ever have."Her health is benefiting too: “I just had my checkup, and the doctor said everything—including my blood sugar levels—looked great.”For anyone contemplating a GLP-1 who’s been hesitant given the stigma that it somehow undermines personal effort, Serena assures that couldn't be further from the truth. "Being on a GLP-1 definitely doesn’t take away from who I am as a professional athlete. In fact, I am enjoying sports now more than ever. And my body feels good doing it."“I would never take a shortcut to living a healthy life,” Serena says. “It's really about using the tools available to you to support your health. That’s why it’s so important to be transparent with my story.”And that’s just one more reason why Serena truly is the GOAT.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/e164568f5serena-williams-ro-1024x585.webp">

Serena Williams Says Being On A GLP-1 'Doesn’t Take Away From Who I Am As A Professional Athlete'

Botswana has declared a public health emergency as it faces a shortage of essential medicines and medical equipment.President Duma Boko made the announcement in a televised address on Monday, setting out a multimillion-dollar plan to rectify the supply chain involving military oversight.Managing the shortages would be “highly price sensitive due to our limited coffers”, he told the nation.The economy of Botswana, which has a population of 2.5 million, has been hit by a downturn in the international diamond market, as it is one of the world’s leading diamond producers. This strain, further fuelled by US aid cuts, has seen high levels of unemployment and poverty, according to media reports.“The work shall remain nonstop until the entire value chain of procurement has been fixed,” Boko said in his address, announcing that the finance ministry had approved 250m pula (£13.8m, $18.3m) in emergency funding.The president, a 55-year-old Harvard-trained lawyer, made history when his Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) won a landslide in elections at the end of last year, ousting the party that had governed for 58 years.Before taking office, he said his main focus would be to fix an economy too reliant on diamonds.Earlier this month, the country’s health ministry said that it was facing “significant challenges”, including medical shortages and debts of more than 1bn pula (£55.2m).The bulk of these debts was due to patients being admitted to private hospitals for services that were not publicly available.Shortages listed by the Health Minister Dr Stephen Modise included medicines and supplies for managing cancers, HIV treatments and tuberculosis among others.Before the cuts to US aid issued by President Donald Trump, the US funded a third of Botswana’s HIV response, according to UNAIDS.The Ministry for Health also temporarily suspended referrals for elective surgeries and non-urgent medical conditions as a result of these challenges, including organ transplant surgeries.But the government remained positive.“I have no doubt that soon, very soon, we will overcome. This is definitely not insurmountable,” Dr Modise said.As part of the military’s distribution efforts, the first trucks were due to leave the capital, Gaborone, on Monday and arrive in remote areas by the evening, Reuters news agency reported.The UN children’s agency (Unicef) has called for “urgent action” in the country to “protect the health and future of every child in Botswana”.It noted that “malnutrition is a daily struggle” in the town of D’Kar, saying “the president’s call underscores what we witness on the ground”.Source: BBC

Botswana declares national public health emergency

Adolescence star Owen Cooper has become the youngest male actor to win an Emmy, earning the award for his role in the British Netflix drama.Owen, who is 15, who had already made history as the youngest person ever nominated for supporting actor in a limited series, told the audience at the 77th Emmy Awards that he was “nothing” just three years ago.“Honestly, when I started these drama classes a couple years back, I didn’t expect to be even in the United States, never mind here,” the English actor said in his acceptance speech. “But I think tonight proves that if you listen and you focus and you step out of your comfort zone, you can achieve anything in life.”Owen’s win saw him beat Scott Jacoby’s long-held record, after he won an Emmy for That Certain Summer in 1973 aged 16. However, the youngest ever Emmy winner remains Roxana Zal, who was 14 when she clinched an award for Something About Amelia in 1984.Hollywood stars arrived at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday night, 14 September, for the ceremony, hosted by US comedian Nate Bargatze.“It says my name on the statue, but it really belongs to all of the people who worked on the show,” Owen said.Co-stars Erin Doherty won best supporting actress in a limited series, dedicating the award to her older sister, while Stephen Graham picked up the award for lead actor in a limited series.“I’m just a mixed-race kid from a block of flats in a place called Kirkby,” Stephen told the audience. “So, for me to be here today in front of my peers and to be acknowledged by you is the utmost humbling thing I could ever imagine in my life, and it shows you that any dream is possible.”Severance was nominated 27 times, while crime drama mini-series The Penguin had 24 nominations and Adolescence received 13. The British drama, which dominated Netflix’s most-watched list earlier this year, centres on the story of a 13-year-old boy arrested for the murder of a classmate.Adolescence director Philip Barantini took home the Emmy for outstanding directing for a limited or anthology series or movie, while writers Jack Thorne and lead actor Graham won for outstanding writing in the same category.“To Netflix, thank you for trusting us with this mad idea,” Barantini said while accepting his award. Adolescence also took home the gong for best limited or anthology series.The night’s other major winners included Seth Rogen’s The Studio, which took home awards for best directing, best comedy series, best writing and outstanding actor in a comedy series. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver picked up two awards for variety series and outstanding scripted variety series.Severance star Tramell Tillman made history as the first black man to win the Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series, while his co-star Britt Lower won the award for outstanding lead actress in the same category.The Pitt won best drama series, with its stars Noah Wyle and Katherine LaNasa taking home awards for outstanding lead actor and supporting actress, respectively.Dame Maggie Smith, musicians Ozzy Osbourne and Quincy Jones, Gossip Girl actress Michelle Trachtenberg and director David Lynch were among the famous faces honoured in an In Memoriam slideshow.

Adolescence star Owen Cooper becomes youngest ever male Emmy winner for breakout role

GloRilla took it to the booth in reply to insulting remarks from Young Thug, revealed during a leaked jail call last week.In response to the recording, where Thugger refers to the Memphis artist as “ugly,” GloRilla has dropped a diss track targeting the Atlanta rapper over Hot Styles’ 2008 “Lookin’ A** Ni**a” beat.The track starts off with Glo jokingly calling herself “Brianna,” as the Business Is Business rapper called her that as he scoffed at the thought of people comparing her to Rihanna.Glo goes on to compare Young Thug’s — or “Young Bug” as she calls him — looks to everything from a “Black and Mild” to a “Jamaican Vegeta,” also taking shots at his fashion sense and the more feminine ‘fits he’s rocked over the years.“Cut shirt wearin’ a** ni**a, skirt wearin’ a** ni**aA bug on the ‘Gram ’bout to chirp lookin’ a** ni**aA pain in the a** tryna hump lookin’ a** ni**aA ho in the mirror ’bout to twerk lookin’ a** ni**a.”She also references the fact the Young Thug attempted to flirt with her before the recordings revealed what he said about her looks.Young Thug wasn’t the only target, however, as his girlfriend, Mariah The Scientist, also caught a few shots for entertaining Thugger’s insults over the phone. Glo took a few playful jabs, like comparing the singer to a “sexy Winnie The Pooh,” but also called out Mariah’s seeming willingness to put up with cheating and general disrespect from the “Parade On Cleveland” rapper.“Birdie and the freak lookin’ a** bit*hBrain size of a pea lookin’ a** bit*hI don’t care if he cheat lookin’ a** bit*hLong as he come home to me lookin’ a** bitch (Ha, haha).”Many have noted that GloRilla and Mariah The Scientist hit the stage together as recently as June for Hot 107.9 Birthday Bash in Atlanta, adding an interesting layer to both the song and their friendship.Despite dishing out a few bars aimed at the couple, Glo was also sure to state that the track is “all fun and games,” and that she doesn’t have any hard feelings.After the initial phone call was leaked, Young Thug took to X to apologize to the “TGIF” rapper, writing, “@GloTheofficial first of all I’m sorry to u for my words and I honestly don’t think ur ugly at all, I was speaking from jail just having a hard time with life.. I don’t like bashing girls and hardly ever did.. I’m sorry to u twin.”

GloRilla Takes Aim At Young Thug, Mariah The Scientist On Diss Track Following Leaked Call

Veteran Nollywood actor, Segun Arinze, has disclosed that his character as ‘Black Arrow’ in the famous Silent Night Movie caused a turning point in his career as an actor.Although, he had been featured in movies prior to acting in Silent Night, Segun Arinze recounted that he became popular after his role in the movie.Speaking in an interview on TV3’s The Afternoon Show, September 10, 2025, Black Arrow as he’s affectionately known said he gave his best shot in the movie.“I had done movies earlier before that but yes, I think that was the turning point of my career. I didn’t even know what I did but I just know that I just did the job.“And when I was going round Nigeria people were screaming Black Arrow and I was like hey, what’s going on here? I had so many things and everywhere I go people wanted to have pics of Black Arrow,” he stated.He continued: “I gave it my best shot actually.”Segun further clarified that Ramsey Noah who was also featured in the 1996 Nigerian movie was the lead actor, not him.Due to his perfect performance in the movie and playing the character, Black Arrow, he garnered the attention of many and was perceived to be the lead actor in the movie.“I wasn’t the lead in that (Silent Night) movie. It was Ramsey, the story was all about Ramsey and Kate Henshaw was my sister. For one reason or the other, it just turned. The narrative just changed.“I guess because we were trying to do the end bit of the firing squad of it and I told Chiko, well we should just let Black Arrow escape and come back for revenge in part 2.“He looked at me and said okay. Stay in the crowd and then we went on to do Silent Night which became a monster and a hit,” he stated.Silent Night is a classic Nollywood action-thriller film from 1996 about robbery whereby a gang was formed by different people. Directed by the late Chico Ejiro, it is known for being the movie that earned actor Segun Arinze his nickname “Black Arrow”.Aside Segun Arinze who starred as Black Arrow, the movie also featured Ramsey Nouah as Stanley, Alex Usifo as the Case Judge and Stanley’s father, Joke Silva as Mrs. Agnes Odame, Stanley’s mother, Kate Henshaw as Ruth, Emeka Ike as Spako and Victoria Inyama as Julie.

Silent Night movie was the turning point in my career – Segun Arinze

High-flying Ghanaian artiste, Black Sherif, born Mohammed Ismail Sharrif, continues to make history with his debut album, Iron Boy, with its record-breaking streak on digital streaming platforms since its debut on Thursday, April 3, 2025.&nbsp;The album, since its inception, has occupied top spots on both the Apple Music Ghana Top Album and Apple Music Top 100 Ghana charts, respectively, with standout track Sacrifice currently occupying the #1 spot on the Top 100 songs chart.In addition to his Apple Music feat, Iron Boy also shattered records on Spotify, debuting at #6 on the Spotify Top Debut Albums UK chart and #10 on the Billboard World Albums Chart.Iron Boy holds the record for the most-streamed Ghanaian album in a single day, racking up over 2 million streams within 24 hours of release.The Sacrifice crooner secured a nomination at the 2025 BET Awards, earning a coveted spot in the Best International Act category.&nbsp;The 23-year-old has also been nominated for Best Male West Africa, Songwriter of the Year, Best African Act Reggae &amp; Dancehall, and Best African Video of the Year at the African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA 2025).These accolades highlight not only his immense talent but also the growing influence of African music on the global stage.

Black Sherif’s Iron Boy stretches record run at #1 on Apple Music Ghana Top Albums to 21 weeks

Designer Giorgio Armani, who helped to put Italy at the forefront of global fashion and dressed Hollywood stars, has died at the age of 91, the company that he founded and led for five decades said on Thursday.Armani combined the flair of a designer with business acumen as he directed a company generating some 2.3 billion euros ($2.7 billion) in annual turnover."With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder, and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani," the fashion house, which has remained proudly independent for 50 years, said in a statement."We, the employees and the family members, who have always worked alongside Mr. Armani, commit to protecting what he built and to carrying his company forward in his memory, with respect, responsibility, and love," it added.The designer had been unwell for some time and was forced to drop out of his group's shows at Milan's Men's Fashion Week in June, the first time he had missed one of his catwalk events.Actress Julia Roberts, who famously wore an Armani men's suit for the 1990 Golden Globes, posted a picture of herself with the designer on Instagram with a broken heart emoji. "A true friend. A legend," she wrote.Armani remained the sole owner of his company and worked with a tight-knit group of long-time colleagues and members of his family."He treated everyone as equals and felt at ease among young people. He'd invite us to birthday parties and dinners at his villa in Broni (northern Italy), groups of us: tailors, mailmen, sales assistants," said Mauro Barbieri, who worked as a warehouse man for Armani in Milan for 32 years."He would laugh with us and was really down to earth," Barbieri told Reuters.A funeral chamber will be opened on Saturday and Sunday in Milan, the city he made his home, to allow well-wishers to pay their respects. His funeral will be held on Monday in private.<h2>ATTENTION TO DETAIL</h2>Known as "Re Giorgio" - King Giorgio in his native Italian - the designer famously oversaw every detail of his collection and all aspects of his business, from advertising to fixing models' hair as they headed out on to the runway.The company had been planning an exhibition and other events during Milan Fashion Week this month to honour the 50th anniversary of the company Armani founded with his romantic partner Sergio Galeotti in 1975.Family members, including nieces Silvana and Roberta as well as his nephew, Andrea Camerana, and his right-hand man Pantaleo Dell'Orco are expected to run the company from now but his death raises inevitable questions about its future.Armani's minimalist style, particularly for jackets, was an instant success in the United States in the late 1970s and 1980s, particularly among women, who found in his aesthetic a perfect balance of elegance and strength in what was back then still a masculine-led working world."His clients usually continued wearing his style for decades. They married into his philosophy, especially professional women," said Virginia Hill, a dress and fashion historian based in Italy.

Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani dies at 91

The Safo family and the Kristo Asafo Church confirmed that Apostle Dr Kwadwo Safo has died.A statement said he passed on peacefully on Thursday, September 11, 2025.He was widely celebrated as a man of God, innovator, philanthropist, and industrialist.“With profound sorrow and deepest grief, the Safo family and the Kristo Asafo Church announce the peaceful passing of Ghana’s beloved man of God, the greatest technological icon, philanthropist, agriculturalist and industrialist,” the statement read.Apostle Safo, revered as a trailblazer in Ghana’s industrial and technological space, was also known for his philanthropic works and his role in advancing indigenous innovation through his Kantanka brand.The family described him as a “true genius, a beacon of hope for many, and a father to the fatherless.”The statement, signed by his daughter and former MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo, added that funeral arrangements would be announced in due course and appealed to the public to respect the privacy of the family during this period of mourning.Apostle Safo leaves behind a legacy of faith, resilience, and a lifelong commitment to technology, agriculture, and community development.

Apostle Dr Kwadwo Safo 'Kantanka' is dead

Two firefighters and a civilian sustained injuries on Tuesday, September 9, 2025 during firefighting operation at a warehouse in Lartebiokorshie near Salvation Army School.Providing update on the situation in a statement on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, the Ghana National Fire Service said the victims have been treated and are recovering.“Sadly, two (2) firefighters and one (1) civilian sustained injuries, but all have been treated and are recovering well,” portions of the statement said.On Tuesday, September 9, 2025, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) responded to a warehouse fire at Lartebiokorshie near Salvation Army School.The GNFS received a distress call at 4:15 p.m. and dispatched a response team at 4:16 p.m. The first pump from the Greater Accra Regional Headquarters Substation arrived on scene at 4:24 p.m. to find the fire well advanced.Reinforcements followed swiftly, with five (5) additional fire tenders from Industrial Area, Circle, Accra Metro, Ministries, and Flagstaff House Fire Stations, supported by four (4) private water tankers.After sustained firefighting operations, the blaze was confined at 7:44 p.m. to the affected warehouse, preventing spread to surrounding residential buildings.Currently, an earth-moving equipment is assisting firefighters to excavate unburnt debris, ensuring full extinguishment of the deep-seated fire involving leather and plastic footwear materials stored in the warehouse.This latest incident comes almost exactly a year after a similar fire outbreak occurred just a few meters away from the current location, raising serious concerns about enforcement of building codes and zoning regulations in the area.As investigations continue, residents are calling for urgent interventions from both local government and regulatory bodies to prevent further tragedies.

Latebiokorshie, Ghana warehouse inferno: 2 firefighters and civilian sustain injuries

New York City officials opened the doors of a unique school Thursday: a first-of-its kind Historically Black College and University (HBCU) preparatory high school in a major U.S. city.“There's just not enough exposure to HBCUs across the country,” Johnson said during an interview with ABC News ahead of the school's opening. “We talk about college and college access, but we do not spend enough time celebrating the history and the data around it.”HBCUs enroll nearly 10% of all Black U.S. undergraduates and promote the majority of Black doctors, lawyers and judges, according to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.However, there are no HBCUs north of Pennsylvania on the East Coast, including in New York.A graduate of Delaware State University, a historically Black land-grant research university, Johnson said she wants to expose her students to their roots.“It's important because it doesn't exist,” Johnson told ABC News of the need for an HBCU-focused prep school, adding “We often don't explain to students what exists beyond just our state or our local tri-state area. Why not expose students to that?”Johnson appeared with New York City Mayor Eric Adams and other policymakers from the city at the school's opening Thursday.“We want them to know that from the minute they walk into the doors, how much we love and care for them," Johnson said of the first class of students to attend the new school.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/4c54f5b3bimg_48588.jpg">The new school, located in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, has just 100 seats -- and there were over 1,000 applicants competing for a spot for its first year, according to Johnson. Prospective students had to complete an essay solving a technology or health care issue in their community and record a two-minute video discussing how they would use their degree to give back to their community.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/ce945aa5chcbu-early-college-prep-school-ht-jt-250904_1757022874495_hpEmbed_23x15.jpg">The school’s mission is to cultivate a “community of learners dedicated to academic excellence, diversity, societal contributions, and social justice,” according to its website.Starting in 11th grade, students at HBCU Early College Prep will take online college courses taught by DSU professors, according to the school website.DSU President Tony Allen, speaking at the news conference at the school opening, said HBCUs have played a key role in building the Black middle class over the past century and a half."To be clear, the greatest indicator for a lower-resourced student from an under-served community to actually get into the middle class and change the economic trajectory for themselves, their families, and their communities is their attendance at an HBCU," he said.Students attending the school will earn up to 64 college credits for an associate's degree in liberal arts from DSU and are guaranteed admission there, according to the New York mayor's office.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/b30457819AA1M8ZDh.jpeg">"We're just not trying to give kids a high school diplomas and associates degree, but we want to prepare them for the real world to make sure that they can be active citizens in this society,” Johnson said.FocusQuest, a company that helps HBCUs with recruiting, has been tapped as one of the school’s official partners. CEO Sean-Reed McGee called the merger a “game-changer.”As some institutions roll back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, Johnson stressed all are welcome at these institutions."HBCUs, and our school, in particular, are not just for students who are Black,” Johnson told ABC News. "Anyone can attend an HBCU, just like anyone can attend and apply to HBCU Early College Prep here in New York City."

'It's important because it doesn't exist': First-of-its kind HBCU prep school opening in New York City

After years of waiting, Iñaki Williams finally made his long-awaited Champions League debut, leading the line for Athletic Club in their group stage opener against Arsenal at San Mamés.The night, however, ended in disappointment as the Basque side fell 0-2 to the English giants. For Williams, who has stayed loyal to Athletic throughout his career, the moment was filled with emotion.Hearing the Champions League anthem in his home stadium was, as he put it, a very special tingle and a dream come true.The Ghana international stepped onto the pitch not just as a forward, but as a symbol of Athletic’s return to Europe’s biggest stage after more than a decade.Athletic matched Arsenal for much of the contest, pressing with intensity and fighting for every ball. For 70 minutes, the home fans could believe in an upset.Then came the turning point. Gabriel Martinelli, introduced from the bench, scored just 36 seconds after coming on, punishing a lapse in concentration. Leandro Trossard added a late second to seal Arsenal’s win.Williams admitted how painful the moment was:“Martinelli’s goal killed us. But we have 70 minutes to be proud of, against an Arsenal we made suffer.This is the line to follow in the Champions League, we want to compete. We cannot throw in the towel.”The 30-year-old also reflected on the wider meaning of the occasion: “To get here you have to work a lot. As Athletic’s striker, it is a dream come true. We want this to last as long as possible.”Coach Ernesto Valverde had already warned that Arsenal are “one of the favourites to win the Champions League thanks to their technical and tactical ability, and the winning spirit Arteta has instilled in them.”His assessment proved accurate, but he too will take encouragement from the fight shown by his team.Athletic may have lost their opening game, but Williams’ debut marked the beginning of a new journey.For Ghana, his appearance is another chapter in a long story of players breaking barriers on the European stage.The result hurt, but the determination in Williams’ words points to a belief that this is not the end, but the start of something much bigger.

Iñaki Williams falls to fefeat on Champions League debut against Arsenal

The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has arrested a British and two Ghanaian accomplices at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) for attempting to smuggle 38 kilograms of compressed substances suspected to be cannabis into the country.The arrest was made after security personnel intercepted two pieces of luggage containing 25 slabs of the illicit substance.The suspects were apprehended during a routine inspection at the arrival terminal. Upon further examination, officials discovered the suspected narcotics concealed in the false compartments of the suitcases.Preliminary investigations suggest that the suspects were working as a group to transport the substances, which were tightly wrapped and labelled in a manner consistent with international drug trafficking methods.NACOC has confirmed that the substances will be sent to the Ghana Standards Authority for laboratory testing. The suspects are currently in custody and assisting with ongoing investigations. Authorities say the arrests form part of intensified efforts to clamp down on drug trafficking through Ghana’s entry points.In August, the NACOC arrested the main suspect behind the attempted trafficking of seven slabs of cocaine, weighing a total of 8 kilograms, through Swissport at the Kotoka International Airport. The illegal drug consignment was intercepted during separate attempts on August 13 and 14, 2025, en route to the United Kingdom. Preliminary investigations revealed sophisticated concealment methods intended to bypass security checks at the airport.According to NACOC, the suspect was apprehended following detailed surveillance and intelligence-led operations. Authorities believe the individual plays a central role in an international drug trafficking network operating between West Africa and Europe. The suspect is currently in custody and assisting with investigations, while NACOC has assured the public of its commitment to clamping down on narcotics smuggling and strengthening airport security protocols.

NACOC arrests 1 British, 2 Ghanaians at KIA for attempting to import 38kg of suspected cannabis

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced plans to deploy 1,650 personnel from its Standby Force (ESF) in 2026 as part of a new sub-regional counterterrorism initiative.The decision follows an agreement by ECOWAS Ministers of Finance and Defence on modalities for funding during a meeting in Abuja, Nigeria.Addressing the opening of a two-day meeting between the ECOWAS Commission and two of its Training Centres of Excellence (TCEs) — the National Defence College (Nigeria) and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (Ghana) — on Monday, September 15, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, H.E. Abdel-Fatau Musah, said the force would form part of a 5,000-strong ESF Brigade, which also serves as the West African Brigade of the African Standby Force.The 1,650 personnel will serve as a Rapid Deployment Force to support ECOWAS Member States in their fights against terrorism, Ambassador Musah stated.He noted that West Africa’s conflict landscape is increasingly defined by terrorism and violent extremism, with threats spreading beyond the Sahel into coastal countries. He cited Mali as an example, where insurgent activities have shifted from the north toward central regions and western borders with Mauritania and Senegal.Ambassador Musah emphasised that ECOWAS leaders had recognised terrorism as an existential threat, resolving to scale up activities under the Peace and Security Architecture.“The decision by the Ministers, once approved, will set in motion the activation of the counterterrorism force, drawing on years of training by the TCEs,” he explained.To ensure operational readiness, the TCEs will continue to provide training, including Staff Officers Courses (SOC) and Protection of Civilians (POC) programmes, in line with a capacity needs assessment conducted earlier this year.Deputy Commandant of KAIPTC, Brigadier General Ziblim Bawa Ayorrogo, said the TCEs carried a “collective responsibility to remain responsive, innovative, and collaborative.”He noted that the meeting aimed to identify synergies, exchange best practices, and strengthen a unified training ecosystem in support of ECOWAS’s peace and security mandate.Ghana’s Representative of the ECOWAS President, Ambassador Muhammed Gana, added that the initiative comes at a critical time when insecurity in the Sahel is spilling over into coastal states.He called for “renewed political will to address root causes of instability” and stressed the need for proactive crisis management in a rapidly changing global order.Other dignitaries present included Air Vice-Marshal Ayodele Ibrahim Hanidu, representing the Commandant of Nigeria’s National Defence College; Dr. Cyriaque Agnekethom, ECOWAS Director of Peacekeeping and Regional Security; and senior officials from ECOWAS, KAIPTC, and the NDC.

ECOWAS to deploy 1,650 standby force for counterterrorism in 2026

Football governing body FIFA has confirmed a significant overhaul of the international football calendar starting from the 2026/2027 season. The governing body will merge the traditional September and October international breaks into a single, extended window lasting 16 days, scheduled from September 21 to October 6, 2026.This combined break allows national teams to play up to four matches, compared to the current two matches in September and two in October.The single window will run for approximately three weeks, suspending club football for this period.National teams will have the opportunity to play four games during this combined break. The November break remains unchanged, with teams playing two matches from November 9-17, 2026. The move aims to reduce travel demands on players, create more continuity for club football, and provide national team coaches with extra time to work with their squads.The change responds to growing concerns over fixture congestion and player workload. The revised calendar is part of FIFA’s efforts to balance national team and club competitions, planned through 2031.This adjustment reflects FIFA’s attempt to address the congested football schedule and player health concerns, impacting how clubs and national teams plan their seasons ahead.

FIFA merges September and October International breaks into 16-Day window starting 2026/2027 season

Mondo Duplantis cleared 6.30m on his return to Tokyo, setting the 14th world pole vault record of his career at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.Back at the scene of his first senior global title win in 2021, the Swedish star managed his latest world record on his third and final attempt to claim his third consecutive World Championships crown and his eighth major senior international title in front of a packed and passionate crowd at the Japan National Stadium.In a competition of record depth, Emmanouil Karalis of Greece cleared 6.00m to secure silver and Kurtis Marschall equalled his PB of 5.95m to clinch bronze on countback.It is the first time that seven men have ever cleared 5.90m or higher in a single competition, and the first time that 5.95m has not been enough for a medal.“It’s better than I could have imagined. To give you guys this world record is amazing. The crowd were so loud. Thank you so much. I’m just so happy.”This latest achievement adds to Duplantis’ growing legacy as arguably the greatest pole vaulter in history. Since breaking the world record for the first time in 2020, he has continued to raise the bar—literally—setting new marks with astonishing consistency.Beyond the record itself, what sets Duplantis apart is his ability to perform under pressure on the world’s biggest stages. From Olympic gold to multiple world titles, he has made a habit of turning high-stakes moments into career milestones.

World Athletics Championships: Mundo Duplantis clears 6.30m to break Pole Volt world record for a 14th time

Mamdani – the Democratic nominee in the 4 November election – alleged to the New York Times on Thursday that Netanyahu was a war criminal who was committing genocide with Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, according to a&nbsp;report&nbsp;published by the outlet on Friday. He said he would honor an international criminal court (ICC) arrest warrant&nbsp;issued in November 2024 for Netanyahu’s arrest over alleged Gaza war crimes by having the Israeli leader taken into custody at the airport if he ever steps foot in New York and Mamdani is the mayor.“This is something that I intend to fulfill,” Mamdani remarked, reiterating a pledge he had made earlier in the mayoral race, as the Times put it. “It is my desire to ensure that this be a city that stands up for international law.”In&nbsp;New York, the city’s police commissioner serves at the pleasure of its mayor. But the Times’ report cited legal experts who judged that having Netanyahu arrested “would be a practical impossibility” for Mamdani and could bring him into direct conflict with the federal government.The US does not recognize the ICC’s authority and is not a party to the body, whose headquarters are at The Hague in the Netherlands. In February, Donald Trump ordered economic sanctions against the ICC, with the president maintaining that the court lacked jurisdiction over the US or Israel.Netanyahu, for his part, said in July at a meeting alongside Trump that he was “not concerned” about Mamdani’s wishes to have him arrested. He suggested he would travel with Trump and then “we’ll see” if he was arrested.As the Times noted, Trump at the time added that Mamdani “better behave – otherwise, he’s going to have big problems”.The Times alluded to&nbsp;polling which showed that New Yorkers now generally express support for Palestinians over Israel in the latter’s war with Hamas. Nonetheless, the outlet said it anticipated Mamdani’s comments would provoke strong reactions in the city, which is the world’s second-largest home to Jews behind only the Israeli city of Tel Aviv.A&nbsp;poll&nbsp;released on Wednesday showed Mamdani, a democratic socialist state assemblyman, led former New York governor&nbsp;Andrew Cuomo by a dominant 15 percentage points with less than two months to go in the race to take charge of one of the world’s most prominent cities. Cuomo is running as an independent after losing June’s Democratic primary to Mamdani. Behind both Mamdani and Cuomo in the survey from Emerson College Polling, PIX11 and the Hill were Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and incumbent mayor&nbsp;Eric Adams, who is also running as an independent.Recent reports say advisers to Trump – a Republican and New York native – have sought to set up a two-candidate race between Mamdani and Cuomo, possibly by arranging potential presidential administration roles for Adams and Sliwa.A Times/Siena University poll estimated Mamdani’s lead over Cuomo would shrink to four percentage points if Adams and Sliwa dropped out of the mayoral contest.Adams and Sliwa, though, have both said they do not intend to abandon the race.

Zohran Mamdani says as mayor he would arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if he traveled to New York

Burkina Faso says it has removed visa fees for all African travellers, in an effort to facilitate the movement of people and goods into the country."From now on, any citizen from an African country wishing to go to Burkina Faso will not pay any amount to cover visa fees," said Mahamadou Sana, the country's security minister, following a cabinet meeting chaired by military leader Capt Ibrahim Traoré on Thursday.African visitors will however be required to submit an online visa application, which will be reviewed for approval, the minister clarified.The West African nation joins countries such as Ghana, Rwanda and Kenya, which have eased travel requirements for African visitors.Citizens of West African countries can already travel to Burkina Faso without the need for visas, however this may change in the future because the country has pulled out of the regional bloc, Ecowas, along with its neighbours, Mali and Niger which are also under military rule.Capt Traoré, a young soldier who seized power in a 2022 coup, portrays himself as a champion of Pan-Africanism, while often criticising the West and colonialism.He is admired in the continent for his charismatic leadership. His popularity has been fuelled through social media, including many misleading posts intended to bolster his revolutionary image.But Capt Traoré has also faced criticism for his authoritarian style of governance, his handling of dissent and the ongoing Islamist insurgency.Like its Sahel neighbours, Burkina Faso has been battling armed jihadist groups, with an estimated 40% of the country under their control.Despite promises by Capt Traoré's military government to improve security and seeking new partnerships with Russia, the situation remains dire with frequent attacks.The scrapping of visa fees for the continent's nationals reflects Burkina Faso's attachment to Pan-Africanist ideals and promotes regional integration, a statement from the junta's information service said late on Thursday."This free visa system for African nationals will also help promote tourism and Burkinabe culture, and improve Burkina Faso's visibility abroad," it added.Several African countries have tried to ease travel requirements for visitors from elsewhere on the continent in recent years, with studies showing it is often easier for citizens of Western countries to visit.The move to facilitate travel within the continent is also being pushed by the African Union (AU).Earlier this year, Ghana said all African passport holders would now be able to visit without needing a visa.Last year, Kenya introduced a "visa-free" policy that required most visitors to apply online for authorisation before leaving their country.African visitors to Rwanda also do not need a visa to enter the country.

Burkina Faso scraps visa fees for African travellers

South Sudan's First Vice-President Riek Machar has been charged with murder, treason and crimes against humanity in a move that some fear could reignite the country's civil war.Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech said the charges against Machar relate to an attack in March by a militia allegedly linked to the vice-president, which killed 250 soldiers and a general.Machar's spokesperson has condemned the move as a "political witch-hunt".The roads leading to Machar's house in the capital, Juba, have been blocked by tanks and soldiers.Forces loyal to Machar fought a five-year civil war against those backing President Salva Kiir until a 2018 peace deal ending the fighting in the world's newest country.Machar has been under house arrest since March, with the UN, African Union and neighbouring countries all calling for calm.The 2018 peace deal ended the conflict that had killed nearly 400,000 people, however the relationship between Machar and Kiir has become increasingly strained amid ethnic tensions and sporadic violence.Seven others have been charged alongside Machar, including Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol and Army Deputy Chief of Staff Lt Gen Gabriel Duop Lam, Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech said in a statement.They are all Machar allies who were arrested at the same time as him and have also been in detention ever since. Another 13 suspects remain at large, the minister said.Machar and Chol have also been suspended from their government roles, according to an announcement on state TV.Machar's spokesperson Puok Both Baluang said the whole crisis had been fabricated by Kiir's allies and was "designed to dismantle the peace agreement".He further said that South Sudan's judicial system was not independent, "operating instead as politically directed courts".The March attack was carried out by the White Army militia, largely made up of fighters from the Nuer ethnic group, the same as Machar, long-time rivals of Kiir's Dinka community.The White Army overran an army base in the north-eastern town of Nasir. A UN helicopter also came under fire, leading to the death of its pilot."This case sends a clear message: those who commit atrocities against the people of South Sudan, against our armed forces, and against humanitarian personnel will be held accountable, no matter their position or political influence," the justice minister said.He added that as the matter was now before the courts, it should not be subject to political or diplomatic debate until a judicial pronouncement is made.Machar has not commented on the allegation that he was behind the attack.South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan in 2011 following decades of conflict which devastated the country.But within two years, civil war broke out.

South Sudan vice-president charged with murder and treason

Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot and killed Wednesday at a Utah college event in an act that drew renewed attention to the threat of political violence across the United States.The death was announced on social media by Trump, who praised the 31-year-old Kirk, the co-founder and CEO of the youth organization Turning Point USA, as “Great, and even Legendary.”“No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie,” Trump posted on his Truth Social account.The suspected shooter has not been arrested, Orem, Utah, Mayor David Young said. A person who was taken into custody by law enforcement at the university where Kirk was speaking was not the suspect, according to a person familiar with the investigation who was not authorized to speak publicly.Videos posted to social media from Utah Valley University show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone while sitting under a white tent emblazoned with the slogans “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong.” A single shot rings out and Kirk can be seen reaching up with his right hand as a large volume of blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators are heard gasping and screaming before people start to run away. The AP was able to confirm the videos were taken at Sorensen Center courtyard on the Utah Valley University campus.“We are confirming that he was shot and we are praying for Charlie,” said Aubrey Laitsch, public relations manager for Turning Point USA.

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk dies after being shot at Utah college event

Terence Crawford&nbsp;moved up two divisions to challenge&nbsp;Canelo Alvarez&nbsp;and scored the biggest win of his career, a unanimous decision victory to win the undisputed super middleweight championship on Saturday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.Crawford, a four-division world champion, put his name in the history books by becoming the first men's fighter in the four-belt era (since 2007) to become an undisputed champion in three weight classes (junior welterweight, welterweight and super middleweight).Crawford had fought most of his career between 135 and 147 pounds.&nbsp;He moved up a weight class&nbsp;to 154 in August 2024 and defeated&nbsp;Israil Madrimov&nbsp;to win the WBA junior middleweight title before taking a year to build up for the fight against Canelo.Canelo is also a four-division champion. His only three losses are to Crawford,&nbsp;Floyd Mayweather&nbsp;in 2013 and&nbsp;Dmitry Bivol&nbsp;in 2022, when Canelo&nbsp;moved up to light heavyweight&nbsp;to challenge for a world title. The loss to Crawford snapped a six-fight winning streak.Relive the fight round-by-round here.<h2>Canelo vs. Crawford round-by-round analysis</h2>Round 1:&nbsp;Crawford immediately presses forward and throws jabs to the body. Canelo hasn't thrown a punch in over a minute. Crawford is circling away from Canelo, who digs to the body with a left. A combination from Crawford lands clean. Canelo is targeting the body, but Crawford's movement is making him hard to track. 10-9 Crawford.Round 2:&nbsp;Crawford is showing Canelo different looks as Canelo attempts to get inside. He eats a few jabs from Crawford to get in a body shot. Crawford continues to work the jab, and Canelo lands a hard right to the body. Crawford rumbles right back with a combination, and both pick up the pace. Crawford is attempting to come over the top of Canelo's jab, but Canelo sniffs it out. More jabs from Crawford as the round comes to a close. 10-9 Crawford. 20-18 Crawford.Round 3:&nbsp;Body shot from Crawford lands and Canelo responds with one of his own. More jabs from Crawford and a left hook land flush. Canelo lands to the body with a left hand before Crawford leaps forward with a two-punch combination. All three rounds have been close. 10-9 Crawford. 30-27 Crawford.Round 4:&nbsp;Canelo comes in with a jab and Crawford lands a combination. A hard left hand from Crawford moves Canelo back. Crawford is picking up the pace. Canelo stabs with a jab to the body and lands a right hand. Crawford pops a pair of jabs. Canelo lands a hard right hand, but another strong round for Crawford. 10-9 Crawford. 40-36 Crawford.Round 5:&nbsp;Canelo's upper-body movement is keeping him out of trouble. Both fighters exchange power punches, and Crawford sneaks in a right hand. Canelo with a hook to the body. Not much action in the round. 10-9 Canelo. 49-46 Crawford.Round 6:&nbsp;They start the round exchanging punches. Crawford is getting the better of Canelo early. Crawford lands a straight left. Big body shot from Canelo that Crawford takes and circles off. Canelo steps in and lands a left hand, but Crawford rips Canelo to the body and lands a right hand of his own. 10-9 Crawford. 59-55 Crawford.Round 7:&nbsp;Crawford steps in, and we finally have some fighting on the inside. Canelo is pushing forward and throwing, while Crawford is holding his place, looking to counter. Canelo appears frustrated. Crawford is cornered but lands an uppercut and circles away. Canelo can't track Crawford down and shows more signs of frustration. 10-9 Crawford. 69-64 Crawford.Round 8:&nbsp;Hard left hand to the body from Crawford to open the round. Canelo works his way inside and lands to the body, but Crawford returns fire. Canelo is chasing Crawford around the ring, but can't do anything with him. They clinch and Crawford turns Canelo into the ropes. Not much happens, but perhaps just enough to give Canelo the round. 10-9 Canelo. 78-74 Crawford.Round 9:&nbsp;Crawford is on the attack! He peels off multiple combinations that snap Canelo's head back. Canelo attempts to return fire and they clash heads. Canelo appeared to lead with his head there, opening a small cut on Crawford's head. Canelo with a hard combination and lands a right hand, but Crawford gives him one right back. Hard short left by Crawford. Crawford's movement stalls Canelo from attacking. 10-9 Crawford. 88-83 Crawford.Round 10:&nbsp;Crawford's movement still has Canelo stuck. A hard one-two from Crawford slows Canelo's advancement. They exchange punches, but Crawford disengages and circles away. Crawford wraps a right hand around the gloves of Canelo, who's hunting Crawford but can't seem to find him. 10-9 Crawford. 98-92 Crawford.Round 11:&nbsp;Both fighters know these scorecards can go either way, and they meet in the middle to throw hands. Canelo digs to the body and eats two punches for every one punch he lands. Crawford with an uppercut and a combination that may have put down another fighter, but not Canelo. Crawford is beating Canelo at every aspect of the game. Crawford rips up Canelo with a three-punch combination. Canelo isn't hurt, but he's fading fast. 10-9 Crawford. 108-101 Crawford.Round 12:&nbsp;Straight right from Crawford lands and a combination clips Canelo. Canelo is trying to summon something special, but Crawford is too good. Canelo lunges in and gets smacked with a right hand. Canelo eats a combination as Crawford smiles at him. A hard left hand from Crawford sends Canelo backward. Crawford is feeling it. Another combination from Crawford and he staggers Canelo at the final bell! 10-9 Crawford. 118-110 Crawford.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/d21466b2bNetflixs-Canelo-vs-Crawford-Fight-Night-4hk3d05s.avif">_Source: ESPN

Round-by-round: Crawford tops Canelo, makes boxing history

The Black Queens will face the Lionesses of England in a high-profile international friendly on 2nd December 2025 per agreement between the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the England Football Association.After reaching the semi-finals at the 2024 WAFCON, the Black Queens are determined to build on that performance and establish themselves among the elite teams on the continent.This match comes off as part of Ghana’s preparations for all international assignments including 2026 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (WAFCON).The fixture against England, one of the world’s top-ranked sides and reigning European champions, is expected to provide the Queens with a tough test that will sharpen the squad.Head coach Kim Lars Björkegren will also seize golden opportunity to measure the team’s progress, expose the players to world-class opposition, and correct areas that need improvement.The Black Queens will head into the encounter motivated to put up a strong performance, not only to test their readiness but also to showcase the strides Ghana continues to make in women’s football on the international stage.

Black Queens Set to Face England Lionesses in International Friendly

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) has announced that Ethiopia’s growing capacity to produce drones domestically will play a critical role in safeguarding the country’s sovereignty and sustaining its path toward prosperity.During a visit to the Aero Abay drone manufacturing facility, Abiy emphasized that advancing military technology is not only a matter of national defense but also an essential safeguard for economic progress.“The drones that Ethiopia is producing will help it maintain its sovereignty and continue its prosperity,” the Prime Minister stated.He further highlighted Ethiopia’s shift from being a purchaser of foreign military technology to a producer of indigenous systems, describing it as a milestone achievement for the nation’s industrial and technological future.The Prime Minister also pointed to progress across multiple sectors — agriculture, technology, tourism, and mining — as proof of Ethiopia’s untapped potential. He framed the drone production initiative as part of this broader national transformation.“The fact that Ethiopia has started manufacturing technologies rather than purchasing them is an indication that impressive and promising results are being recorded in the sector,” Abiy said.The unveiling of domestically produced drones comes amid Ethiopia’s wider push for self-reliance in strategic industries. The move is seen as part of Abiy’s broader vision to position Ethiopia as both a regional power and a competitive economy built on innovation, resilience, and sovereignty.

Ethiopia Showcases Locally Produced Drones as Symbol of Sovereignty and Growth

Dharmesh Shah speaks at INBOUND 2024 Powered By HubSpot in September 2024.Chance Yeh/Getty Images for HubSpotAlthough US residents are likely used to visiting sites with .com, .org, and .edu, it's common for other countries to&nbsp;use domains&nbsp;that reflect their names, like .uk in the United Kingdom or .cn in China.Anguilla, a British territory, also uses a country domain, and until the last few years, its .ai domain wasn't remarkable.Industry insiders have been keeping an eye on&nbsp;how AI's growth could impact Anguilla&nbsp;since 2023, as Business Insider previously reported. Now, as&nbsp;AI transforms the internet&nbsp;and our world, .ai is a moneymaker Anguilla never saw coming, as eager AI founders pay the country to register .ai domains.For instance, tech founder Dharmesh Shah paid Anguilla $700,000 to secure the domain you.Mead's Bay in Anguilla.Bob Krist/Getty Images"I usually don't invest in .ai domains — I lean towards .com," Shah, the cofounder and CTO of HubSpot, told Business Insider. "But, you.ai was a great name and I had an idea for a project for it."The BBC reported that Shah said he hoped you.ai could serve as the domain for a product that would "allow people to create digital versions of themselves that could do specific tasks on their behalf."Shah told Business Insider he doesn't usually set out to buy domains to sell them, though in 2024, he posted on X that he bought chat.com for over $15 million and later&nbsp;sold it to ChatGPT&nbsp;for an undisclosed price. He owns a few other .ai-related domains as well, including simple.ai, easy.ai, and chess.According to Domain Name Stat, the&nbsp;number of .ai domains&nbsp;jumped from just 40,000 at the beginning of 2020 to 859,000 as of August 2025. Additionally, in a 2024 report, the&nbsp;International Monetary Fund&nbsp;said that Anguilla made $32 million through .ai domain registrations in 2023 alone.Anguilla has been working with the US-based firm Identity Digital to&nbsp;manage the influx&nbsp;of registrations since 2024.Although he's an early investor in .ai domains, Shah said he doesn't think they're going to be lucrative long-term."Long-term, I think the interest is likely going to taper off," he said. "I think .com domains will end up holding their value better."Business Insider reached out to Anguilla and Identity Digital for comment.

Tech founder Dharmesh Shah paid Anguilla $700,000 to use the .ai domain, but says interest in the country code will likely taper off

In the realm of aviation, safety is paramount. Every aircraft in the sky represents a complex orchestration of engineering, technology, and human operation. Among the critical tools that ensure accountability and continuous improvement in aviation safety is the Black Box—a device that plays a vital role in understanding incidents and preventing future accidents.Despite its name, the Black Box is neither black nor a single box. It actually consists of two distinct devices: the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR). The FDR records various aircraft performance parameters such as altitude, speed, engine data, and control inputs. Meanwhile, the CVR captures audio from the cockpit, including pilot conversations, radio communications, and background noises like alarms or engine sounds. Both devices are housed in bright orange, crash-resistant containers and are designed to survive extreme conditions like high-impact crashes, fire, and deep-sea pressure.The primary function of the Black Box is to aid in investigating aircraft accidents or incidents. When an aircraft crashes or experiences a malfunction, the data recorded by the FDR and CVR enables investigators to reconstruct the events leading up to the incident. This information includes pilot actions and communication, aircraft performance, environmental conditions, and any technical malfunctions. These insights are crucial for identifying the root cause of an accident, whether it stems from human error, equipment failure, or adverse weather.Beyond accident investigation, Black Box data plays a key role in enhancing future aviation safety. Lessons learned from past incidents often lead to changes in aviation practices. These changes may include improved pilot training, updates to aircraft design or software, modifications to air traffic control procedures, or the implementation of new safety regulations. For example, findings from Black Box recordings have led to enhanced cockpit communication protocols and better warning systems, directly reducing the likelihood of similar incidents reoccurring.In addition, the Black Box serves an important legal and regulatory purpose. It provides unbiased, factual evidence in legal investigations and court cases, helping determine accountability. Regulatory bodies such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) also use Black Box data to enforce safety standards and ensure airlines are in compliance with aviation regulations.Public trust in air travel is also supported by the existence of Black Boxes. Knowing that every flight is continuously monitored, and that any issues will be thoroughly investigated, provides reassurance to passengers and the general public. This trust is essential in maintaining the reputation and reliability of the global aviation industry.Despite their robustness, Black Boxes are not without challenges. In some cases, such as deep-sea crashes, they can be extremely difficult to locate and recover. The 2009 crash of Air France Flight 447 highlighted the need for improvements in this area. As a result, the aviation industry has been exploring new technologies such as real-time data streaming, deployable recorders, and longer-lasting underwater locator beacons to enhance the recoverability of flight data and prevent the loss of critical information.

The Importance of the Black Box and Its Role in Aviation Safety

Mercedes-Benz&nbsp;has been under scrutiny as of late because of the rather bland designs of some models, especially the all-electric passenger cars. To avoid the potential for increased controversy regarding their flagship S-Class limousine, here's an independent proposal that has lots of personality. And then some more.Audi has always been accused of diluting their personality to 0.1% levels by a part of the automotive fanbase, so when BMW started doing cars that were 150% 'personality' and minus 100% 'normalcy,' the folks over at Mercedes-Benz probably thought it's safer to go down Audi's alley. So, they made an experiment and created some of the most aerodynamic EVs out there – but the decision quickly backfired into countless jokes and memes about their styling.Even some of the regular cars aren't too far off Audi's alley of going so safe in terms of design that you're not going to recognize any of them if you can't see the badges. Anyway, it's clear that many folks don't want that on models that cost tens of thousands of dollars and even hundreds of thousands of dollars if we're to discuss&nbsp;the flagship S-Class limousine, for example.As such, it's no wonder that even the members of the imaginative guild of digital car content creators have stopped dwelling across the parallel universes of vehicular CGI to try and lend a helping hand. More precisely, the good folks over at Car Design World (a.k.a&nbsp;cardesignworld&nbsp;on social media) tipped us off to this independent design project by Joaquin Obligado, who is better known as&nbsp;world_observer_&nbsp;on the Internet.By the way, this automotive designer knows what they're doing – he previously worked at Pininfarina and Chery Design and currently resides in the offices of Changan Design. However, the pixel master isn't gunning for something Chinese and instead has an interesting proposal for the upcoming next-generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class. More precisely, he's thinking about&nbsp;the Mercedes-AMG flagship limousine&nbsp;of the 2030s.The CGI expert's first variant is all black ('murdered-out' as some people on the West Coast would say), and looks pretty darn ready for a mobster congress, among other things. However, there's also a version dressed in classic 'Silver Arrow' attire with dual-tone elements for the radiator grille, transparent roof, and the rear diffuser, plus the 'Aeroblade' wheels. That way it's much easier to identify the design traits, of course.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/7b2408b782030s-mercedes-amg-s-class-looks-digitally-ready-for-a-stately-encounter-with-rolls-royce_1.jpg"><img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1fd46f9712030s-mercedes-amg-s-class-looks-digitally-ready-for-a-stately-encounter-with-rolls-royce_2.jpg">Overall, this limousine has clearly defined styling elements – like the upright grille that wouldn't look out of place with the Spirit of Ecstasy above it on a Rolls-Royce Phantom, the extra-long hood, the slim glass line, the massive wheels and rear doors, or the lip-style rear bumper. Additionally, the pixel master has an interesting proposal for the three-pointed star logo, too. In the same minimalist key as the LED headlights and taillights, the front and rear badges come with just the three silver elements of the star and without the classic roundel that surrounds them.<img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/4124509f12030s-mercedes-amg-s-class-looks-digitally-ready-for-a-stately-encounter-with-rolls-royce_12.jpg">Additionally, the CGI expert doesn't make his version of the Mercedes-AMG S-Class an all-electric model – in line with the current affinities of customers, the flagship limousine remains ICE-powered, as evidenced by the open radiator grille and the quad exhaust setup in the back. <img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/0944cb9ed2030s-mercedes-amg-s-class-looks-digitally-ready-for-a-stately-encounter-with-rolls-royce_8.jpg"><img src="https://aukisscontent.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/f684f99502030s-mercedes-amg-s-class-looks-digitally-ready-for-a-stately-encounter-with-rolls-royce_3.jpg">Of course, this doesn't exclude an electrified option, as the current W223-based Mercedes-AMG S 63 E Performance is already mixing a V8 with an electric motor and churns out no less than 791 horsepower. So, what do you think?&nbsp;

2030's Mercedes-AMG S-Class Looks Digitally Ready for a Stately Encounter With Rolls-Royce

The new patent filed by the Chinese tech company Huawei reveals development of a new solid-state EV battery which can be fully charged in only 5 mins Huawei, the Guangdong-based Chinese tech brand, has claimed to develop a new solid-state EV battery with a driving range of 3000+ km on a single charge. Furthermore, it can be fully charged in merely 5 mins. The patent filed by the company reveals that the EV battery features a nitrogen-doped sulfide electrolyte which drastically enhances the energy density to 400–500 Wh/kg—two to three times higher than current lithium-ion batteries. The ultra-fast charging ensures 0-100 percent charge in just 5 mins. Presently, the biggest hurdle in the commercialization of solid-state batteries is the stabilisation of the lithium interface and lowering down the risks of harmful side reactions. The patent filing reveals that both of these can be overcome by nitrogen doping of sulfide electrolytes.Though industry experts state that while theoretically it might appear impressive, it is unlikely to happen in the real-world with mass-produced prototypes. These claims are based on laboratory results, claimed the experts. There are a plethora of challenges in implementing this model in real-world and mass production due to sky-high production costs. Just so you know, sulfide electrolytes are quite expensive in nature, costing around $1,400 per kWh.Furthermore, the inadequate infrastructure to support the ultra-fast charging rates is another major challenge among others. Huawei is presently not in the business of manufacturing power batteries, but the heavy investments made by the company in recent times in battery research and materials suggest that it intends to become a mainstream player in future.One more point to notice here is that the driving range of 3000+ km on a single charge provided by Huawei is based on the CLTC (China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle). On the contrary, if we consider the EPA cycle, it will come down to 2000+ km, which is still by far more than any of the mainstream EVs on sale right now in any part of the world.Several leading global battery manufacturers such as Toyota, Samsung SDI, and CATL aim to begin commercializing solid-state batteries by 2027–2030. However, Huawei with its recent claim has took everyone by surprise, and if materialised, it could change the face of the EV industry. It could entirely eliminate range anxiety and charging delays, therefore promising a brighter and bolder future of EVs.

New Huawei Patent Reveals EV Battery With 3,000 Km Range

Closed for centuries to outsiders, Moulay Idriss is a sacred place bathed in colour and tradition – and it makes a welcome respite from the crowds of Chefchaouen.On a May morning in Moulay Idriss – a small town at the base of Jebel (Mount) Zerhoune in Morocco's Rif Mountains – I rise at dawn with the crow of roosters to beat the summer heat. Wandering towards the olive-tree covered hillside, I wind through a labyrinth of centuries-old cement buildings, where the walls are splashed in shades of mint, coral, lemon, violet and emerald.The spectrum of pastel hues rivals the vibrant blues of heavily-touristed Chefchaouen, a three-hour drive north. Yet, historically closed to non-Muslims and lacking a direct train line, Moulay Idriss has remained largely off the tourist radar. Nevertheless, this technicolour town's ties to Idris I – the founder of Morocco's first Islamic dynasty – has made it the country's holiest pilgrimage site. "If you visit Moulay Idriss five times, it's considered the same as if you visit Mecca in Saudi Arabia," says Imad El-Meloudi, my tour guide.&nbsp;Despite its brilliant colours and sacred status, life here is slow paced and steeped in tradition. The city opened to non-Muslims in 1912, and planned improvements to Morocco's high-speed rail system will soon make it easier to visit, as the nearby city of Meknes is a new stop on the link. "We are waiting for more visitors," says El-Meloudi. "We want to get the word out about one of Morocco's most important towns."Following a failed uprising in 786 CE, Idris I – the great-grandson of the Prophet Muhammed – made the Amazigh-Roman ruins of Volubilis his headquarters for his quest to spread Islam. Upon his death by poisoning in 791, he was buried several kilometres away, and devout Muslims began building homes around his grave during the 17th Century, giving rise to the modern town.&nbsp;Today, remnants of columns, homes, public baths and detailed mosaics of Volubilis are spread among fields of yellow flowers overlooking olive groves and vineyards. "There were once two rivers that ran through here," says Khalid, who guides me through the ruins. "The first inhabitants settled here for the fertile land. They had everything they needed."As Moulay Idriss developed, it quickly became Morocco's most important religious town. To protect its sanctity, it was closed to non-Muslims until 1912. Only in 2005 were non-Muslims allowed to stay overnight; a change decreed by King Mohammed VI hoping to bridge divides between Western cultures and Morocco while making Moulay Idriss better known to the outside world.&nbsp;Some of the town's most sacred elements are still preserved just for followers of Islam, such as access to Idris I's tomb and the mosque. Through an arched pathway from the town's main square, you can glimpse the shiny white floor extending into the mosque and the mausoleum, blocked by a single horizontal pole. Only Muslims may proceed further.Hajiba Dahik – one of my hosts at the local guesthouse where I'm staying – leads me through a series of winding paths to a discreet passage overlooking the mosque. The call to prayer echoes through the narrow corridors. From the arched windows, we observe a handful of worshippers walking to the mosque to pray."During Ramadan, these halls are filled with people," she says, while looking down into the mosque from the pale green-and-white stone corridor. "And during August, there is a festival honouring Moulay Idriss that draws Muslims from across Morocco. People are sleeping on the floor, listening to music."From the bottom of the incline, I spot the emerald-green, round minaret with white Kufic-scripted Quranic verses of the Al-Santisi Mosque. The colours green and white are strongly tied to the Islamic religion – green represents Paradise and white symbolises purity – and the cylindrical minaret is purportedly the only of its kind in Morocco, where minarets are square-shaped, a design consistent across North Africa and the Iberian peninsula. Architect Hajj Idris Al-Santisi constructed the round minaret in 1939 to distinguish Moulay Idriss from other mosques in the country.&nbsp;Above the main square, the homes and small shops of Moulay Idriss are built into rocky hills, connected by a maze of narrow alleys and tunnels leading up and around the hills, where the white facades transform into technicoloured paths. Each corner and flight of steps reveals a new hue: seafoam green, sky blue, butter yellow, dusty rose, transporting you into a watercolour painting.There are different stories about the origins of the colourful streets. Some residents I met surmise that the buildings have been green and white since the town was built. Others note that the homes here used to be white and, slowly, everyone started bathing them in colour. "The colours are [the] people's choice," says El-Meloudi. "They don't need to be blue like Chefchaouen, they paint their homes whatever colour they want."Everyone seems to agree on one thing: the dominance of white and green in Moulay Idriss is a tribute to Islam, representing peace and the spiritual importance of the town."Do you wonder why you always see cats in the streets of Morocco?" asks Madiha Alfi, a guide based in the nearby city of Meknes. "In Islam, cats are highly regarded. They are considered to be pure and ritually clean. Prophet Muhammad reportedly was known to be gentle and caring towards them, setting an example for Muslims."&nbsp;Indeed, exploring Moulay Idriss's colour-splashed alleys, you might spot more felines than people. Orange-and-white cats stretched out on yellow steps. Kittens playing in a blue corridor. A black cat licking its paws in the shadow of a mint-green door.Donkeys are a reminder of the traditional ways of life still dominant in Moulay Idriss. Unlike many of Morocco's more-visited destinations like Fes and Marrakech, donkeys are not used to carry tourists but are a primary form of transportation among local residents."The donkeys are used for everything," says El-Meloudi. "They help with olive harvest. They help elderly locals carry groceries home up the mountain."Much of life in Moulay Idriss exists in the rocky hills above the town and among the winding, colourful streets. By evening, however, the town descends into the main square. Tables are filled with locals sipping coffee and mint tea beneath the shade of purple flowering jacaranda trees. Young children kick footballs. Women sit on plastic red chairs, painting henna designs on one another's feet and hands. Men dressed in striped djellaba (a long, traditional Moroccan robe) walk across the square.Around the corner from the main square, vendors sell quick bites and fresh goods. Baskets are filled with seasonal bounties: peaches, mulberries, plums and leafy green herbs. Street food is plentiful. Men grill kefta (a kebab made from ground beef or lamb and mixed with spices and herbs) and fresh ears of corn over fire.Once the afternoon heat subsides, I hike out of town for sunset. I walk past Roman baths and cross a bubbling river, bypassing herds of sheep grazing in fields of brilliant pink flowers. Taking a seat on the rocky ground beneath the branches of an olive tree, I marvel at the colourful buildings of Moulay Idriss spread across two rugged hills, enveloped by open fields. Intense shades of orange and red spill across the sky casting it in a golden light.In a world where so much of travel is curated, Moulay Idriss is a rare invitation into the unfiltered everyday. "If you knock on someone's door, they'll invite you in for tea," El-Meloudi had told me earlier in the day. The heart of Morocco's spiritual history invites visitors to embrace the art of slow, mindful travel as you explore its age-old, technicoloured streets and its traditional way of life.

A technicolour visit to Morocco's holiest town

Following a recent demonstration by some Ghanaians calling for the deportation of Nigerian nationals from Ghana, both countries have condemned the act, indicating it could mar the relationship between the two countries.&nbsp;The Nigerian government has since sent a fact-finding delegation to ascertain the truth in the reports, which have become topical in Nigeria and caught the attention of the Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.Speaking at a meeting with the delegation on July 30, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said, “As we have agreed, the video that went viral which incensed Ghanaians legitimately, we were all outraged when we saw that video. That video has been condemned by our counterparts from Nigeria. They have reprimanded the gentleman. He has been asked not to engage in such statements and such commentary.”Mr Ablakwa added that, “I had met him earlier and he was very contrite in the meeting, he has apologized. He’s issued a public statement apologizing to President Mahama, to the government and people of Ghana. Fellow Ghanaians, let’s also remember that Nigeria is one of the places where we have a lot of Ghanaians living in that country. A lot of Ghanaians. Our consular department tells us that not less than 500,000 Ghanaians are living in Nigeria. So, there is always the potential of reprisal attacks.”The Foreign Minister therefore called for calm.“And so, it is absolutely crucial that this is managed very well,” he said.For her part, the Nigerian Minister of State in charge of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegu Ojukwu, said her observations were different from the widespread media reports in Nigeria. She used the occasion to call on Nigerians in Ghana to respect the laws of their host country.“I came and I saw with my own two eyes that there were not tires burning on the streets and people with placards everywhere urging Nigerians to be deported. And it speaks to how the government of President John Mahama was able to rise to the occasion. President Mahama and President Bola are like brothers. So the message in short would be that there is no cause for alarm. The situation is being handled quite effectively,”she noted.According to her, “We will continue with our stakeholder engagement. We have met some of the dramatist personnel, the people who are in the middle of this crisis, to continue to ensure that this is not a situation that repeats itself.

Government has no plans to deport Nigerians from Ghana – Ablakwa assures

Ghanaians and other international travellers planning to visit the United States on non-immigrant visas will soon incur an additional charge of $250.This new policy, introduced under President Donald Trump’s administration, is part of the recently signed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which became law on July 4, 2025.The new fee is set to take effect during the U.S. government’s 2025 fiscal year, spanning from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025.According to the Independent.co.uk, the new charge, officially termed the “visa integrity fee,” will apply to all non-immigrant visa holders, including tourists, students, and temporary workers from Ghana and other countries that do not qualify for the U.S. Visa Waiver Programme.It is important to note that this fee does not affect individuals travelling with an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), which is primarily limited to citizens of countries such as the UK, Australia, Japan, and Singapore.In addition to existing visa processing costs, the U.S. has also increased the Form I-94 fee to $24, further amplifying the financial burden on travellers.Strictly Non-Refundable—With a Few ExceptionsUnder Section 10007 of the newly passed legislation, the visa integrity fee comes with rigid conditions. It is non-negotiable and non-waivable, and refunds are only possible under very limited circumstances. To qualify for a refund, visa holders must fully comply with U.S. immigration rules—specifically by either leaving the country within five days of their visa’s expiration or securing lawful permanent resident status during their stay. Any breach, such as unauthorized employment or overstaying, results in automatic forfeiture of the fee.Although the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has yet to finalize the logistics for fee collection, officials confirm it will be implemented before the end of the current fiscal year. “The visa integrity fee requires coordination across multiple agencies before rollout,” a department spokesperson explained, adding that the broader legislation is designed to “reinforce the credibility of the U.S. immigration framework.” The fee will also be subject to annual inflation-based adjustments.Who Is Exempt?Travellers from over 40 visa-waiver countries, including the UK, Germany, and Japan, will not be required to pay the $250 fee for short stays under 90 days. However, citizens from these countries will see the cost of applying for an ESTA (electronic travel authorisation) nearly double, rising from $21 to $40. A recent U.S. government report highlights the significant volume of non-immigrant visas issued in 2024, with nearly 11 million granted, many of which were to applicants from African, Asian, and Latin American countries.Implications for Ghanaian TravelersGhanaians intending to study, visit, or work in the United States will now face an even higher financial barrier, as this new fee adds to the already hefty cost of securing a U.S. visa. Beyond standard application charges, applicants must also budget for medical exams, documentation, and airfare costs that make the journey financially demanding.So far, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ghana has not released any official response regarding how this development might affect visa services at the U.S. Embassy in Accra.

New US visa integrity fee: Ghanaians to pay additional $250 for non-immigrant visas

The award-winning filmmaker captures the emotional and cultural landscapes of 12 African nations, offering an immersive journey into the museum’s new African Art galleries.New Yorkers can visit secluded African landmarks without leaving Manhattan, thanks to Sosena Solomon. The celebrated Ethiopian-American film director created twelve transformative short films for the Metropolitan Museum of Art.Solomon found documenting the locations in Sub-Saharan Africa as creatively fulfilling as it was culturally impactful. “We went to 12 countries in a year and a half, and it was just the most intense thing I’ve ever done,” Solomon tells ESSENCE. “I can’t compare it to any other experience.” Three of the films will be permanently displayed in the institution’s “newly reimagined African Art galleries.” They represent an effort to reconsider how major cultural institutions are framing the African diaspora.She considered visiting the Rock-Hewn Churches of Tigray, Ethiopia, a personal pilgrimage. “It’s two and a half hours of climbing these really steep hills,” she says. “This is what the locals do. This is not just for show, or for film or just, you know, this is what everyday Ethiopians do just to get to their place of worship,” she continues. “It was just an honor to be able to do that.”Her films are not full of the instantly recognizable tourist traps that frequently flood “For You” pages. The cultural monuments and heritage sites are less accessible. “Physically, it was such an emotional moment for us to be able to not just recreate that experience, but to have to go through it ourselves,” she adds.&nbsp;Other museums and galleries are rethinking their relationships with the continent. Contemporary context about countries in Africa is being infused in spaces where it was absent before. Prior to taking on the project, Solomon interviewed with the Ceil and Michael E. Pulitzer Curator for African Art, Curator in Charge of The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing,&nbsp;Alisa LaGamma, and the Senior Regional Director, Africa for the World Monuments Fund&nbsp;Steven Battle. The process was refreshing. “We were so in sync. It just felt so destined,” she says “We were all aligned in our vision for Africa and African storytelling and cultural heritage and preservation work.”She knew she was uniquely qualified to take on the ambitious project as a director and&nbsp;educator. They did, too. “All my projects have really prepared me for this moment,” says Solomon, who has been documenting nuance for years. She directed&nbsp;Dreaming of Jerusalem&nbsp;(2021) and&nbsp;Living While American&nbsp;(2022.)&nbsp;“It’s been an incredibly personal journey that’s been rooted in memory preservation and reverence, for me, and just to have it live at the Met permanently, it’s just an incredibly proud moment.”&nbsp;Solomon takes a subtle approach in her work. It is not about larger-than-life mythmaking. The narration is not a droll listing of facts. The visuals are not a series of sensationalized spectacles. Her short films are full of soft moments exploring Yoruba spirituality, Nigerian urban planning, the hills of Botswana, and other locations with subtlety and respect.&nbsp;These projects are not devoid of passion, but the lens is more precise and respectful than aggressive or saccharine. Drones invite the viewer into a clear perspective, not an allegedly impartial record that sees itself as unquestionable. She worked with local filmmakers and drone operators to execute her vision, who put her on to the hottest new artists in every nation. That energy worked its way into the final edits. She spent hours editing, listening to&nbsp;Afrobeats, and losing herself in the creative process.&nbsp;“There’s always been from this very like historical objective point of view, which is lovely—but I think what sets this series apart is that we really went into the nuances, and we really navigated the personal histories and the emotional histories,” says Solomon. “I think these films actually move you and then take you to these places and really allow you to see why they are so valuable. And so that’s a very different way of navigating the stories.”&nbsp;Preserving these sites for the historical record is vital as they are not guaranteed to exist for the next generations. “A lot of these sites are in danger,” says Solomon. “There’s a lot of threat… We don’t know if it’s going to be there tomorrow, and so these films are a way to document them in this present moment.”&nbsp;She captures moments that feel accessible even if the journey to preserve them is not. The glimpses that she offers viewers put them in the shoes of those who have these rare sites embedded into their everyday lives. When shifting weather patterns, population migrations, and other factors bring change to these places, her work will tell their stories.&nbsp;“I get to a site, and I want to encapsulate what it feels like. I want that to be translated in the imagery,” says Solomon. “I think that’s something that is rare in a lot of African historical storytelling and documentaries.”&nbsp;The new African Galleries at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/press-releases/africa-films-mcrw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(189, 17, 135);">Metropolitan Museum of Art</a>.

Sosena Solomon Brings The Diaspora’s Hidden Landmarks To Life At The Met

The management of MultiChoice, operators of DSTV, has assured its staff in Ghana of its commitment to addressing the directive issued by the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George.In an internal circular dated Friday, August 1, 2025, the company urged staff to remain calm, assuring them that steps were being taken to resolve the issue and prevent the suspension of its broadcasting licence.This follows a directive by Minister Sam George during a sector update on August 1, instructing the National Communications Authority (NCA) to suspend DSTV’s broadcasting licence if the company fails to reduce its subscription fees by August 7, 2025.The directive comes in response to MultiChoice’s refusal to revise its pricing despite the recent appreciation of the Ghanaian cedi.In a nine-page response to the Ministry, DSTV argued that the cedi had depreciated by over 200% in the past eight years and maintained that the recent gains in the local currency were not stable enough to justify a price reduction.

MultiChoice assures staff amid DSTV Licence suspension threat

Government has condemned the attempted arrest of a JoyNews Reporter, Carlos Carlony during coverage of a demolition site exercise at a warehouse linked to businessman Daniel McKorley, popularly known as McDan in Accra.&nbsp;Similarly, the state also condemned the assault by military officers on an eyewitness who was being interviewed at the demolition site.The incident occurred on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.Spokesperson to the President and Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu in a statement on July 30, 2025 said “such actions are utterly unacceptable to the John Mahama administration and have no place in our democratic society.”Felix Kwakye Ofosu further reaffirmed President Mahama’s “unwavering commitment” to the freedom and safety of journalists.“A free and unfettered press is a cornerstone of our democracy, essential for accountability, transparency, and informed public discourse,” the statement added.Government also reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all Ghanaian citizens, whose rights must always be protected.Government has accordingly directed the Minister for Defence and the National Security Coordinator to investigate the incident and ensure that the officers involved receive the appropriate punishment&nbsp;immediately.“Appropriate disciplinary and punitive measures must be applied without delay to ensure accountability and prevent future occurrences,” Kwakye Ofosu noted.The incident occurred during coverage of demolition of a warehouse belonging to businessman Daniel McKorley, popularly known as McDan. The JoyNews reporter Carlos Carlony while interviewing an eyewitness was interrupted by military officers and some national security personnel who demanded that he stopped reporting on the demolition.Mr. Carlony was further detained alongside Group CEO of McDan and three others, who were allegedly compelled to kneel. According to Carlony, he received punches from behind by one of the military officers and has since visited the hospital where a number of scans had been conducted.

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