Chris Brown & Ammika Harris Party On Valentine’s Day Listening Aidonia Music

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Urban Islandz

Chris Brown was really feeling Aidonia’s classic “Fi Di Jockey” while partying with Ammika Harris on Valentine’s Day.

Chris Brown and Ammika Harris, the mother of his son Aeko Brown were spotted out partying at a club on Wednesday night. This is one of the few rare occasions the couple has been spotted together since the year started and since Brown welcomed his first child, daughter Lovely Symphani with Diamond Brown in early 2022.

There have been rumors that the couple had broken up following the baby and even more unsavory rumors about Ammika creating fake pages to drag the father of her son.

On Wednesday, Brown and Harris were spotted sitting side by side at a club. She was seen wearing a pink sweater with her dark hair straightened while Brown appeared antsy in a black t0shirt, brown cap, and his neck iced out with jewelry.

Many fans online expressed concern for Brown as he didn’t appear to be at ease. “Why y’all got Chris posted up on here looking higher than a cooter brown,” one person wrote.

“He high as rent in downtown LA,” another joked.

Some fans also called out blogs for disrespecting the artist and the mother of her child. “It’s the language that we put under the post of Black people that we would never. Mind your f**king business. This man has gone through a lot, and does not deserve y’all in his business.”

Ammika Harris reportedly lives in Germany with her son, while Brown lives in Los Angeles. It appears that the two are in a long-distance relationship, but she might be slamming social media users after they accused her of creating fake accounts online to harass and spread false rumors about the singer.

Harris lives in Germany, and it’s unclear if she and Brown are still together as the R&B singer recently welcomed a baby girl with another woman.

Some fans put Harris on blast months ago after she was suspected of creating fake pages to drag Brown, whom she claimed did not make time to see his son in over a year.

Ammika Harris had, however, denied making fake pages, and Chris Brown has never publicly addressed his relationship with the mother of his child.

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Rihanna Pushes Back At Critics Over Calling Her Baby Boy “Fine”

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Urban Islandz

Rihanna shared images of her son with the world nine months for the first time on February 15. The baby, whose name has not been revealed, was born in May, and his mother had protected him from the world as she and her partner, A$AP Rocky, mulled mentally dealing with introducing him to the world.

However, the images of the chunky baby have brought hatred and disrespect from some people on social media who have commented on his looks. Some of the rude and disrespectful comments have not escaped the eyes of mama bear Rihanna, who showed she was ready to claw anyone messing with her young.

It appeared that Rihanna reacted to the rude comments earlier in the day after her Vogue article was published, and she ensured that the world knew she didn’t give a hoot about anyone’s opinion of her kid. The singer shared a photo of herself and her son in bed on red Satin sheets. The baby is clearly playing and grabs his own feet while a proud Rihanna gently touches his chunky legs.

“My son so fine! Idc Idc Idc, How crazy both of my babies were in these photos and mommy had no clue,” she captioned the photo.

Many fans and well-wishers including some of her celebrity friends have commented on her posts gushing over her baby boy. One commenter also questioned in the comments, “who calls a baby fine?? [crying emoji].”

Rihanna had a sharp rebuke as she replied – “his mother!”

The singer also chided a woman who tried to school her on the ‘appropriate’ adjective to describe her own child.

“Fine!? More like cute, adorable… he’s not a grown man… lol,” the woman wrote.

Instagram

Rihanna also replied, “you just keep your lil cougar paws away from him and we good,” the mother-to-be wrote.

Rihanna is a savage when it comes to clapping back, and it seems that some people forgot that she was a master troll on Twitter years back. Despite the self-hating trolls, Rihanna’s baby received lots of love from many, the likes of Khadeen Ellis, Viola Davis, DJ Khaled, Facebook, Erykah Badu, and a throng of celebrities and fans.

In her interview with British Vogue, Rihanna says she is dropping new music this year for sure and says it would be insane for her not to release an album in 2023 despite her pregnancy. Her performance at Sunday’s 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show was the catalyst of her comeback to music, as it reminded us of her star power when it comes to making hit songs and performing them live.

Rihanna has since changed her caption to read, “my perfect baby!”

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Barbados removed from European Union list of non-cooperative jurisdictions

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

Barbados has been removed from the European Union’s (EU) state-of-play document (Annex II), which means the island has been deemed compliant with tax requirements.

Minister of Energy and Business, Senator Lisa Cummins, said the announcement followed substantial work by government officials and stakeholders, from last November until now.

The state-of-play document identifies cooperative jurisdictions which have made further improvements to their tax policies or related cooperation. It reflects the ongoing EU cooperation with international partners and the commitments of these countries to reform their legislation to adhere to agreed tax good governance standards.

“Even over the Christmas holidays, into the earlier part of the new year, we literally had to keep our heads down to ensure that Barbados avoided the measures that would have come along with an Annex II listing, which many would call, perhaps in a different type of language, a black listing,” Cummins said.

“We have been able to avoid some of the additional enhanced due diligence measures that would have resulted in Barbados being subjected to measures that were not in place in other jurisdictions that were structured differently than we are.”

The Minister explained that officials in the International Business Unit, the Barbados Revenue Authority, the Barbados International Business Association and all of the service providers, including members of the Barbados Bar Association, worked earnestly on this matter.

“Very often, you think that the business community does not want to be compliant, either with domestic policy or international policy, and that has not been our experience at all in this instance. In fact, it has been the opposite.

“The business community has walked hand in hand, lock step with us as the Government, to ensure that Barbados is not facing a negative outcome internationally, and that our corporate sector and our international business sector is not negatively impacted,” she said.

Acknowledging that there was still more work to be done going forward, Senator Cummins gave the assurance that Government would continue working with the Forum on Harmful Tax Practices, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, and sovereign jurisdictions.

‘We are going to be making sure that Barbados is a country that is sitting at the table. We have always been finding ourselves over the years in a defensive position as the goalpost is moved and as the rules are changed.

“But now we’re working to make sure that we are in a far more proactive position; that we’re sitting at every table where the decisions are being made and so we’re able not just to respond, but to be a part of crafting the rules and regulations that govern jurisdictions like ours,” Minister Cummins added.

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CARICOM leaders open annual summit overshadowed by the continuing unfolding events in Haiti

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders began their 44th regular summit in Nassau on Wednesday night overshadowed by the continued deterioration of the situation in the French-speaking member country of Haiti, pledging also to find a solution to the political and socio-economic problem there.

“The situation in Haiti requires our urgent attention. The turmoil and suffering there continue to worsen. As a near neighbour, the Bahamas is under great strain and many other countries in our region are already heavily impacted,” Bahamas Prime Minister Phillip Davis told the opening ceremony of the summit.

Davis, who is the chairman of the 15-member regional integration grouping, said the region would benefit “if Haiti is again fully functioning as a state.

“We should learn from the failures of past efforts to help rather than use these disappointments as an excuse for inaction. I pray that we can agree on a series of concrete steps to help move towards a solution for the Haitian people and the region as a whole,” Davis told the audience that included Haitian Prime Minister Dr Ariel Henry and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has pledged his country’s support in finding a solution to the situation.

“We have learnt that inaction has its own costs and consequences,” Davis added.

Earlier, outgoing CARICOM chairman and Suriname’s President, Chandrikapersad Santokhi, said Haiti “is in need of our concrete, and feasible assistance.

“We must support the Haitian people. Building on our discussions in the past year, I look forward to how and in what way this assistance can be provided. Democracy, free and fair elections, rule of law and certainly the protection of fundamental human rights are indeed at the core of the Caribbean civilisation,” Santokhi said, adding “we must foster and protect these also in the sister nation in need”.

CARICOM Secretary General, Dr Carla Barnett told the ceremony that even as progress is being made on some fronts, CARICOM and the wider international community continue to struggle to help Haiti resolve its multifaceted crises.

“We will continue our efforts to assist all stakeholders in Haiti to ensure a Haitian-owned resolution to the crises,” she said, adding “we will have to show the resilience and fortitude of the Haitian people, as we strive to overcome challenges and advance the initiatives to improve the lives of all citizens of our Caribbean Community.

“That goal – to create a safe, sustainable, prosperous and viable Community for all – has been the guiding principle of our efforts over the last 50 years, and will continue to guide us over the next 50 and beyond,” she added.

Haiti’s prime minister has called on the international community, “especially those countries that can help” to support efforts to deal with the ongoing socio-economic and political situation in his country.

Prime Minister Henry, who succeeded the assassinated President Jovenel Moise, as head of the government in July 2020, has said to deal with this situation, his administration is urging the international community to participate in a specialised multinational force to help the Haitian security forces to fight against the proliferation of organised crime, the illicit trafficking of arms and ammunition, and eradicate the gangs that have held the country hostage.

United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres reiterated his urgent appeal to member states to understand the urgency of acting quickly to support the solutions chosen by Haitian actors.

So far, Jamaica is the only CARICOM country that has publicly said it is “willing to participate in a multinational security assistance deployment to Haiti” which is going through a period of political turbulence and economic and social difficulty, aggravated by a climate of insecurity fuelled by armed criminal groups.

The Caribbean leaders will over the two days discuss a wide range of issues, ranging from climate change to food security and the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Prime Minister Davis said that the pandemic had taught the region a valuable lesson “about what’s important and about what we need to do to save lives and livelihood”.

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Judge hears arguments to strike out election petitions in Nevis, reserves decision

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

High Court Judge Justice Patrick Thompson Jr. has reserved decision after hearing arguments to strike out election petitions in Nevis on Wednesday, February 15.

Two sitting Ministers in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), Premier Mark Brantley and Spencer Brand of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) Party, are named among respondents in election petitions filed by Ms. Jaedee Caines and Dr. Patricia Bartlette of the opposition Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), unsuccessful candidates in the December 12, 2022 Nevis Island Assembly election.

The NRP candidates filed the petitions in January 2023, challenging the results in Nevis 1, St. Paul, where Brand defeated Ms. Caines by 27 votes; and Nevis 2, St. John where Brantley defeated Dr. Bartlette by 147 votes.

Also named in the petitions are the Electoral Commission, Supervisor of Elections, Registration Officers, Returning Officers, and the Attorney General of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Brantley and Brand applied to have the petitions struck out as null and void. One of their positions was that they were filed after the 21 day requirement for filing of an election petition as prescribed in the National Assembly Elections Act of St. Kitts and Nevis.

During the hearing, counsel for the petitioners and respondents proffered evidence in support of their claims, outlining their interpretation of the calculation of the 21-day margin.

At the end of the proceedings Justice Thompson Jr. informed that he will announce his decision on February 27, 2023, which will include a determination on the awarding of costs.

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As Trudeau meets Caribbean leaders, some warn against military intervention in Haiti

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in the Bahamas to take part in a meeting of the Caribbean Community, where the escalating crisis in Haiti will be a main topic.

But some experts are urging Trudeau to avoid promising Canadian military intervention.

Trudeau is to deliver remarks and meet with several of the leaders — including de facto Haitian prime minister Ariel Henry, who took power after the assassination of former president Jovenel Moise (jeh-veh-NEL’ moh-EEZ’).

Gangs have taken control of much of the country since the assassination, grinding its economy to a halt and hastening a resurgence of cholera.

A United Nations report last week detailed indiscriminate shootings, executions and rapes.

With the support of the U-N, Henry’s unelected government is seeking an external security force to quell the chaos.

Some Caribbean countries — including Jamaica and the Bahamas — have publicly committed to contributing to a force if one is established.

But Bob Rae, Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations, says a solution has to come from within Haitian society and be executed by Haitian police.

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Haiti at fore as Caribbean leaders tackle regional issues

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

Top officials from Canada, the U.S. and Haiti met Wednesday behind closed doors to talk about the spiraling chaos in Haiti, a topic expected to dominate an annual Caribbean trade bloc meeting that opened in the Bahamas.

The three-day Caricom meeting began Wednesday night, with host Philip Davis, the Bahamian prime minister, welcoming leaders of the 15-member bloc and others, including Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Brian Nichols, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs.

Also attending are Haiti’s foreign affairs minister and the acting minister of justice and public security.

A day before the meeting, Davis said at a news conference that Caribbean leaders “do not have the resources to deal with the Haiti problem ourselves, and we do need outside help. And we are looking to the north, Canada and the United States, to come to the fold to help.”

Davis and other Caribbean leaders have complained about a surge in migrants that they say is straining the budgets of small islands struggling with the influx of hundreds of Haitians. The vast majority are fleeing deepening poverty and a spike in violence, with killings, kidnappings and rapes rising as gangs grow more powerful following the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Mo?se.

At the meeting’s opening, Davis said Haiti needs urgent attention as conditions there deteriorate.

“I pray that we can agree on a series of concrete steps to help move towards a solution for the Haitian people and the region as a whole. We have learnt that inaction has its own costs and consequences,” he told the other leaders.

Trudeau’s entourage said the trip would allow leaders to consider political, security and humanitarian assistance for Haitians and “Haitian-led solutions to the current situation.”

Emmanuel Dubourg, the only Canadian member of Parliament of Haitian origin, said the Canada’s government is “discussing all kinds of options to help people in Haiti.”

The Caricom meeting comes as Haiti’s prime minister continues to seek the deployment of foreign troops, a request made in October that the U.N. Security Council has not acted upon.

The U.S. and Canada, along with other countries, have sent military equipment and other resources to Haiti’s National Police, but have not pledged troops to the dismay and frustration of some.

Henry, Haiti’s prime minister, tweeted that he and Nichols had “an important work meeting” Wednesday morning, but he did not provide details.

The Caricom meeting will continue until Friday, with leaders also expected to talk about food security, climate change and other issues affecting the region.

Other officials attending the meeting include the U.S. special presidential envoy for the climate, John Kerry.

“Caribbean governments are looking for action, and it will be important that the United States delivers in what is expected to be a pivotal year for the relationship,” Wazim Mowla, associate director and lead of the Caribbean Initiative at the Atlantic Council, wrote in a recent essay. “With the challenges the region faces, the Caribbean no longer has time to wait on the United States for action — and the United States can’t keep putting it off.”

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Trinidad makes pitch to help Caribbean countries monetise energy sector

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

Trinidad and Tobago Tuesday said it is prepared to assist Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries further develop their oil and gas industries and has taken a deliberate policy to engage its regional neighbours in the development of economic cooperation in the energy sector.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, addressing the opening of Guyana’s International Energy Conference and Expo, told more than 1,200 delegates that crude oil, which was once seen as being at the margins of the region, has become a focal point with major discoveries in Guyana, Suriname, French Guyana, Belize and Trinidad and Tobago.

He said beyond this, there is a huge interest by major oil and gas companies prospecting off the coasts of Barbados, Grenada, Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.

Rowley said exploration success by new Caribbean entrants in the petroleum industry can be a game changer for the Caribbean region.

He told the conference that is being held under the theme “Harnessing Energy for Development”, and aims to facilitate the exchange of ideas, propositions, and plans for fundamental advances in the energy sector, that fossil fuels, namely oil and gas, will remain the dominant energy source in the near to medium term.

“Regional availability and infrastructure will determine how various countries expand their domestic energy supplies. Industry innovation for both fossil fuels and renewable sources will continue to increase energy supply and energy efficiency, thereby improving energy security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.

Rowley said global trends such as climate change are forcing a rethinking of investment, especially in the light of a reshuffling of global economic activity and significant demand growth in the developing world.

“However, fossil fuels are still the main energy source for the world’s economic engine and are cost-effective. It is resilient and affordable energy that creates economic growth. Therefore, the concept of climate change should not prevent developing countries from using fossil fuels as sources of energy in pursuit of economic growth.”

He said it is interesting to note that during the rethink, in so far as circumstances demand, some developed countries have fired up their old coal-burning plants and have declared hitherto despised nuclear power as “clean energy.”

“The Caribbean response is to designate natural gas as the clean energy, reserve our right and willingness to continue to explore for and market oil resources and invest in green energy and technologies as far as we are able to.

“We will continue to make the case to the major global polluters to encourage investment in green initiatives identified within the region. We in the Caribbean are not alone in defending our energy interests,” Rowley said, noting the statement by the Pulitzer prize winner Daniel Yergin who had pointed out that in the 1990s, before shale, gas never accounted for more than 17 percent of electricity generation by 2019 gas had risen to 38 percent and continues to rise.

Rowley said that the regional energy landscape does not equip any single country to meet the energy security requirements of the region. He said a cooperative approach allows for shared risks and diversified perspectives and will facilitate the development and execution of innovative solutions to the challenges associated with the energy demand for the region.

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Op-Ed: Taking forward the Africa – Caribbean Trade and Investment Partnership

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Caribbean News Service

By Deodat Maharaj

It is good to see movement to deepen the trade and investment partnership between Africa and the Caribbean. Indeed, just recently, the Africa Export Import Bank announced that they would be opening an office in Barbados and have committed USD1.5 billion to help advance a trade partnership with the Caribbean.

This follows the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum that took place last September in the Caribbean. We need to maintain this momentum since it is high time that we build on our inextricable and deeply intertwined history and bonds with Africa for the benefit of both the people of Africa and the Caribbean.

However, to achieve concrete progress, a lot of work must be done. According to the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) Trade Map, in 2021, Africa’s exports to CARICOM countries and the Dominican Republic represented a mere 0.001% of Africa’s total exports. For us in the Region, our exports as a percentage of total exports, just 1.4% go to Africa, with petroleum products being the main trade between CARICOM and West Africa, particularly with Gabon and Ghana. . In essence, the limited trade we have with Africa is dominated by just a few products and a small number of countries. The question then arises, how do we take our trade and investment relationship with Africa to the next level leveraging on our excellent people-to-people, historical and cultural ties given the existing patterns and size of trade?

To begin with, in redefining this relationship, the Caribbean must have a forensic focus. Firstly, we must recognise that Africa is not a monolith. There are 54 countries on this vast continent with acute differences in terms of regions and subregions. Just in terms of language and in addition to the multiplicity of local, national, and regional variants, large swathes of Africa speak English, French and Portuguese. Just take one country like Tanzania where I served and lived in my first stint on the continent, it has over 120 ethnic groups and dialects. Nigeria, the largest country on the continent is even more complex as is South Africa, one of the twenty richest economies on the planet. Therefore, for us in the Caribbean as a small region dealing with a vast continent, it is important to recognise that whilst politically we want a greater relationship with Africa, on the economic front, we need to focus on fewer countries in the first instance.

Secondly, we should therefore start where our strengths lay, we need to build on the existing foundation we have in West Africa. Some businesses such as Republic Bank Ltd have a well-established presence. Similarly, in the area of Financial Technology, a partnership was formed among Barbados Global Integrated FinTech Solutions (GIFTS), iPay Anywhere (iPay) and TelNet, a Nigerian digital transformation company, which will ultimately give access to 200 million customers through the TelNet database. On the flip side, GIFTS has partnered with Ghana-based fintech firm Zeepay to offer Barbadians- Zeemoney, the mobile wallet which gives users the ability to transfer funds to other users of the Zeemoney platform. This is the perfect example of the reciprocal opportunities that exist between the two regions and the benefit of a clear focus reinforced by concrete action. Success begets success and lays the strongest foundation for an expanding partnership.

Thirdly, we need to transition from a traditional representation approach to diplomacy to one that is commercial, building on existing diplomatic relationships and creating new ones. A few Caribbean countries have already started on this path. However, it cannot be individual and ad-hoc, it has to be part of a coherent and systematic approach to commercial diplomacy. Related to this is building relationships with countries in Africa akin to our size and share common concerns on issues such as climate vulnerability and the need for concessional financing. Island countries and small states on the continent such as Seychelles, Mauritius, Botswana, Sierra Leone, and Namibia will be natural allies and champions for us in the inner sanctum of African decision making at the African Union and elsewhere.

Looking ahead we have the option of proceeding with business as usual and proceeding incrementally which will see yet another opportunity lost. Alternatively, we can advance a transformational agenda that can reset and reshape the trade and investment relationship with Africa. Having lived, served and travelled extensively across Africa, I have seen first-hand the massive opportunities for us in this time of Rising Africa. To take our relationship to this next level, we need a sustained focus to build on existing relationships and forge key partnerships on the continent.

Deodat Maharaj is the Executive Director of the Caribbean Export Development Agency and can be reached at: [email protected]

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Masicka and Jahshii Beat The Odds In “Pieces” Video After Def Jam Deal

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Urban Islandz

Masicka links up with fast-rising dancehall star Jahshii for a new collab, “Pieces,” a song about triumph and celebration on the heals of the Genasyde artist’s deal with Def Jam.

The track marks the first time that the two young deejays are collaborating, and after listening to it, we can’t help but wonder what took them so long to jump on a track together. The 1 Syde Records-produced single saw Masicka deejaying about being alert and always ready to defend himself.

“Only thing me worry bout a failin / Lif it up watch it sailin / Kotch a riffle pon the railin / Cause them wah fi tek me out / Have it when me bathin / Paranoid me hardly ravin / The mount a ute inna the gravin / From them diss me press them out,” Masicka rhymes.

The AKA.Ruppi-directed cut saw the two artists linking up with some friends for a smoke and drink. Masicka was later joined by Jahshii and his crew, who celebrate their rapid success since entering the dancehall space.

“Mommy don’t worry / You fi know your child different / Affi build da house / Deh & make daddy drive the Benz / Shame all a who say / Ghetto yutes designed fi dead,” Jashshii sings.

In a statement released, Masicka says the song is about celebration and triumph and will serve as a motivation for his fans who may be going through something.

Masicka and Jahshii on set ‘Pieces’ Video

“??’Pieces’ is a song of triumph. It’s a celebration of what you have worked hard for and motivates the listeners to keep going. You will be victorious,” the artist said. “The song touches on overcoming challenges and obstacles you face along the way, as we navigate through this thing called life. The challenges you’re faced with make you stronger. They mold you into a warrior. The warrior which is needed to be successful.”

The Genasyde deejay is riding a high tide in dancehall right now after signing a major deal with Def Jam Recording. The label confirmed the signing yesterday, saying they’re happy to add Masicka to their roster because he adequately represents the new generation of artists out of Jamaica. Whether you agree with them or not, we can all agree that Masicka is among the top artists of this generation.

The deal was months in the making but only recently came to light after the ink dried.

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