World News

When Virgin Galactic astronaut and mission specialist Christopher Huie took his first space flight on Unity 25 on May 25, 2023, he wore Jamaican and United States flag patches to reflect his conviction that the trip represents the completion of a journey that had its beginnings on the Caribbean island of Jamaica.

The son of Jamaican immigrants, Huie’s personal origin story begins when his mother moved from Harvey River in the parish of Hanover to Chicago at the age of 17 to live with her aunt and pursue better life opportunities. She then went to Florida where Huie grew up. Huie’s mother flew to New Mexico to watch her son take his first space flight from Spaceport.

“Ever since I was a young child, my adoration for the game of tennis has run deep. Starting at a tender age, I competed fervently and proudly represented Barbados on multiple occasions during my formative years, even earning a couple of CARIFTA medals along the way.

“Before the end of my teenage years, my passion for the art of communication and storytelling began to take shape. Over the years I served as a sports reporter, foreign correspondent, United Nations correspondent, communications consultant, news anchor, talk show host, non-profit communications director, airline and event communications advisor, columnist, and now, full-time public relations consultant.

The African Union and The African Tourism Board will sign a Memorandum of Understanding today (Tuesday, May 30) opening a new chapter for tourism in Africa. This new chapter for Tourism Cooperation in Africa is also a new chapter for the African Tourism Board, the African Union, and the African Continent. The proud Chairman of the African Tourism Board, Cuthbert Ncube, is traveling to Addis Ababa to sign this historic Memorandum of Understanding between the two organizations at the African Union Headquarters. This will happen at 3.00 pm.

Ocean conservation is a core pillar for OUTRIGGER Resorts & Hotels and the newly appointed resident marine biologist at OUTRIGGER Maldives Maafushivaru Resort has ambitious plans for guest interaction and participation this World Ocean Month, which runs throughout June.

As part of OUTRIGGER Zone – the premier beach resort brand’s global conservation initiative on marine and environmental protection – guests can join in and learn about conservation activities that go beyond World Reef Day on 1 June, World Environment Day on 5 June and World Ocean Day on 8 June.

frican continent had celebrated six decades of independence under the umbrella of the African Union, with high expectations for brighter economic prosperity and tourism development. The continent had celebrated on Thursday this week 60 years of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and its successor, the African Union.

The 60th Anniversary celebration of AU has been observed under the theme “Our Africa, Our Future”. OAU was formed on 25 May, 1963 when 32 heads from independent African States met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, along with leaders from African liberation movements and created a political and economic roadmap that paved a way for Africa’s complete independence and political and economic development.

China has deployed a team of experts to Tanzania to help support establishing a pioneer geopark project in the northern tourism circuit. With a vast territory and complex geological and geomorphic features, China has 289 national geoparks and 41 UNESCO global geoparks, qualifying Beijing as a leading country in the world in establishing and maintaining geoparks.

Asian Airlines had to make an emergency landing with 194 people on board after a passenger opened an emergency door during the flight.

The passenger was able to crack the door open which ultimately flung completely open causing air to rush into the cabin. The Airbus A321 aircraft had just taken off from Seoul, South Korea, and was 700 feet up and close to landing in in Daegu, South Korea, in just a few minutes.

Delivering a captivating presentation at the Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS) in Miami this week, Nicola Madden-Greig, president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), called on investors and tourism decision-makers to reap the benefits of partnership and collaboration by joining hospitality trade associations, which are key to the success of the tourism industry.

Almost the entire island of Guam is without power as Typhoon Mawar makes a destructive path even without making landfall. The Guam Power Authority reported that of its 52,000 customers, as of Wednesday afternoon, 51,000 of them has lost power.

As Typhoon Mawar approached Guam, it jogged to the north which caused it to slow a bit before it continued to head west.

The Galápagos Islands are home to 3,000 marine species, including sea turtles, dolphins and tropical fish.

This archipelago off the coast of Ecuador is already one of the largest and most biologically diverse marine protected areas in the world, but it faces threats from climate change as well as illegal fishing. Now, thanks to a recent agreement between the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Ecuador’s government and other partners, funds to protect the Galápagos Islands will last for years to come.

Africa will not accept that it "should just continue to be a source of raw materials" for the rest of the world, the African Union's Trade Commissioner has said.

Albert Muchanga says instead his continent wants a future of "genuine and mutually beneficial relationships" with its trade partners. It comes as the AU's chair has been invited to the G7 summit in Japan amid intensifying competition with China for Africa's natural resources.

Italy Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè issued a positive message after the Chamber and Senate approved the Tourism Strategic Plan.

“The green light from the Production Activities Commissions of the Chamber and Senate of Italy for the 2023-2027 Tourism Strategic Plan is an important signal that gives me great satisfaction,” stated Minister Santanche. I thank the members and the Presidents of the Commissions for the excellent work done, and the trade associations and confederates who have provided constant and participatory ideas.

Nigar Nazar’s polka-dot–clad comic creation, Gogi, has delighted and challenged readers with her humorous take on the life of young women in Pakistan for more than 50 years.

Pakistan’s first woman cartoonist, Nazar introduced Gogi in 1970. Through a mix of word play and social critique, Gogi keeps topics ranging from extremism and corruption to interfaith harmony and the rights of women and girls in the public conversation.

Leading Korean gaming company Wemade has joined the UN Global Compact, affirming its commitment to good environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices and policies. Founded in 2000, the UN Global Compact is the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative with more than 15,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 162 countries, and 69 Local Networks. UN Global Compact participants are encouraged to internalize the 10 Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption into their operations and management strategies.

Artist Rebecca Moses paints the portraits of nurses at a New York City hospital to honour and commemorate their hard work fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

What began as a “Stay Home Sisters” series — which centred around the worldwide “powerful stories of how women have coped and continue to cope in such extraordinary times,” the artist says — turned into a way to honour heroic and selfless women in Moses’s backyard.

The UN chief expressed his solidarity with Jamaica and all other Small Island Developing States, outlining what he termed the “moral, power and practical problems” that are preventing the current dysfunctional international financial system from supporting fair and sustainable development.

At a joint press conference, with the Jamaican Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, Secretary-General António Guterres said: “We are determined to do our best to correct it and this is the reason of my visit.” Mr. Guterres also said that they had discussed what he described as “the tragic situation” in Haiti, that was one of the biggest political challenges facing the whole Caribbean region, praising Jamaica’s involvement in seeking urgent solutions to the crisis there, along with the regional intergovernmental bloc of 15 Member States, CARICOM.