Nicki Minaj Sued for $229K in Unpaid Legal Fees After Copyright Case Ends in Settlement

The lawsuit didn’t show up in a courtroom first. It showed up taped to the gate of Nicki Minaj’s California mansion, which is the kind of detail that makes a legal dispute feel a lot more dramatic than a standard billing dispute.

The Butterfly That Never Landed: Remembering Eric Garner On His 12th Death Anniversary

By Nyan Reynolds

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. July 17, 2026: Today, July 17, 2026, marks twelve years since the death of Eric Garner. Twelve years have passed since a cell phone camera captured one of the most haunting moments in recent American history.

We remember the image. We remember the words. We remember the grief that followed. We remember the protests that spread throughout cities, the conversations about policing that reached kitchen tables and classrooms alike, and the movement that gained renewed momentum because one man’s death became a nation’s mirror. Today is not a day of celebration. It is a day of remembrance. A day of reflection. A day to honor a life that ended far too soon. Yet as I reflected on Eric Garner today, my mind wandered to an unexpected place. It wandered into the butterfly effect.

Chaos theory tells us that small changes in the beginning of an event can produce dramatically different outcomes in the future. The flap of a butterfly’s wings does not literally create a hurricane, but the metaphor reminds us that seemingly insignificant events can redirect the course of history in ways that no one could have predicted.

History often feels inevitable when we look backward. It wasn’t. History is fragile. It hangs on moments. It hangs on seconds. It hangs on decisions. And perhaps the greatest illusion we carry is believing that what happened was always destined to happen.

What if it wasn’t? What if history simply followed the path created by countless human choices, some wise, some reckless, and some made within seconds? That question has stayed with me. Not because I want to rewrite history, but because I want to better understand how delicate history really is.

The Butterfly Lands

Imagine Staten Island on July 17, 2014. The officers arrive. The crowd gathers. Voices begin to rise.

But imagine one small detail changing. Eric Garner is not the man being restrained. Instead, he is standing nearby. He notices what is unfolding and steps between two people before the situation escalates.

“Stop!” Someone listens. Someone pauses. Someone chooses another response. The confrontation ends differently. The evening news tells the story of an ordinary father who helped prevent violence rather than becoming its victim.

No marches. No chants of “I can’t breathe.” No international symbol born from tragedy. History changes because one insignificant moment changes. Not because destiny changed. Because people did.

That is the butterfly effect. It is uncomfortable to think this way because it reminds us that history is not always driven by enormous decisions made by presidents or generals. Sometimes it turns because someone arrived thirty seconds later than expected. Sometimes someone answered a phone call. Sometimes someone decided to intervene rather than remain silent.

History is often balanced on moments so small they are invisible until they are gone.

The Lives That Might Have Been

As I continued thinking about Eric Garner, I realized he is not alone. History is filled with futures we never had the opportunity to know. I think about Tamir Rice, a twelve-year-old boy playing in a park with what officers believed was a real firearm.

What if the responding officer had stopped the patrol car farther away? What if there had been one more question before one irreversible decision? What if someone had simply said, “Let’s slow this down.”

Perhaps Tamir grows into adulthood. Perhaps he becomes a father. Perhaps he becomes a teacher. Perhaps, in one of history’s beautiful ironies, he becomes a police officer because one officer once showed him patience instead of fear.

We will never know. I think about Philando Castile. A man remembered by so many for his calm spirit during unimaginable circumstances. What conversations never happened because his life ended? What children never crossed paths with him? What community was never strengthened because one future disappeared in a matter of seconds?

I think about Sandra Bland. How many speeches were never given? How many young women never found encouragement through her voice? How many lives were never influenced because history ended her story before she finished writing it? The same questions echo through generations.

What if Malcolm X had never entered the Audubon Ballroom that afternoon? Perhaps his daughter becomes ill before he leaves home. Perhaps heavy rain delays the meeting. Perhaps someone warns him. Perhaps the people waiting for him never arrive.

Would Malcolm have lived another decade? How much more would his thinking have evolved? How would America have been shaped by ten more years of his leadership? We cannot know.

The same can be asked of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. What if someone interrupted the assassin’s view from across the street? What if one unexpected distraction delayed everything by sixty seconds? Would the Civil Rights Movement have entered an entirely different chapter under his continued leadership?

President John F. Kennedy presents another reminder. After his assassination, the way presidents travel changed forever. Security evolved. Procedures evolved. Risk assessments evolved. But what if one pedestrian unexpectedly crossed the street? What if the presidential motorcade paused for just a moment? What if one tiny interruption redirected one bullet? Would America have changed differently? Would the decisions that followed his presidency have unfolded another way?

History is full of these unanswered questions. Not because we seek fantasy. Because every life carries possibilities that die alongside the person. When someone dies, we do not only lose who they were. We lose everyone they still had the potential to become. We lose the conversations they never had. The ideas they never shared. The children they never mentored. The inventions they never imagined. The kindness they never extended.

The future dies quietly with them. That may be the greatest tragedy of all.

The Butterfly Within Us

It would be easy to leave the butterfly effect inside history books. But that would miss its greatest lesson. The butterfly effect belongs to all of us. Every one of us can probably identify moments that seemed insignificant at the time but completely redirected our lives.

A phone call we almost ignored; an interview we almost declined; a friendship we almost never started. A relationship we almost walked away from. A conversation we wish we had, or one we wish we never had.

Years ago, actor Mahershala Ali shared a story that fascinated me. Before becoming a two-time Academy Award winner, he received a basketball scholarship to Santa Clara University. He declined it. Eventually, another young man accepted the opportunity.

His name was Steve Nash. He would go on to become one of the greatest point guards in NBA history and a two-time Most Valuable Player.

Think about that for a moment. One scholarship. One decision. Two extraordinary lives moving in completely different directions. Had Mahershala Ali accepted that scholarship, perhaps he would have fallen in love with basketball. Perhaps Steve Nash would have attended another university. Perhaps they both still would have found greatness. Or perhaps history would remember both men entirely differently.

No one knew at the time. That is precisely the point.

The butterfly effect reminds us that the future is being quietly constructed through today’s ordinary decisions. The choices that appear insignificant often reveal themselves years later as life’s defining moments.

That truth extends beyond famous names. It reaches into our own lives. Perhaps there was a job you almost accepted. A city you almost moved to. A degree you almost pursued. A marriage you almost entered. A friendship you almost ended.

Looking back now, you can probably see the butterfly landing. At the time, it looked like an ordinary afternoon. Now it looks like destiny. But perhaps it wasn’t destiny at all.

Perhaps it was simply one decision creating another, and another, until an entirely different future emerged. That realization humbles me. It reminds me to slow down before making decisions. It reminds me that every interaction carries weight. It reminds me that extending grace, choosing patience, speaking with kindness, or simply pausing before reacting may shape futures I will never witness.

Perhaps that is the greatest lesson Eric Garner’s story leaves with us twelve years later. Not simply that tragedy occurred. Not simply that history remembers.

But that history remains fragile because human choices remain powerful. Every officer. Every parent. Every teacher. Every judge. Every politician. Every stranger. Every one of us participates in writing tomorrow’s history through today’s decisions.

We rarely recognize the significance of those moments while we are living them. Only afterward do we realize the butterfly had already landed. Perhaps somewhere today, another butterfly is landing. Perhaps someone is deciding whether to speak or remain silent. Whether to show mercy or anger. Whether to intervene or look away. Whether to choose patience instead of fear.

None of us knows which ordinary moment will become tomorrow’s history. But we do know this.

History has never been shaped only by extraordinary people. It has always been shaped by ordinary people making ordinary decisions during ordinary moments. And sometimes, those moments determine the future of a family, a community, a nation, or even the world.

Perhaps that is the real butterfly effect. Not that history changes because of magic. But that history changes because we do.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Nyan Reynolds is a U.S. Army veteran and published author whose novels and cultural works draw from his Jamaican heritage, military service, and life experiences. His writing blends storytelling, resilience, and heritage to inspire readers.  

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Reggae Star Buju Banton To Host Album Signing In Queens, NY

By NAN ET EDITOR, NewsAmericas Now

NEWS Americas, New York, NY, Fri. July 17, 2026: Grammy Award-winning reggae icon Buju Banton will sign copies of his new album, “Too Too Bad,” at a meet-and-greet Friday at the VP Records retail store in Jamaica, Queens, kicking off a weekend that also brings his co-headlining tour to Long Island’s UBS Arena.

The event runs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at the VP Records store, located at 170-19 Jamaica Avenue. Fans will be able to purchase “Too Too Bad,” Banton’s 13th studio album, along with exclusive merchandise available only at the signing. Attendees will also be able to buy tickets for the Roots & Rhymes Summer Tour stop at UBS Arena on July 18, part of a co-headlining run with fellow Grammy winner Stephen Marley.

The signing is presented by Gargamel Music, Banton’s own label, and VP Records, the reggae and dancehall label he returned to this year after 23 years away. “Too Too Bad” is his sixth album with VP Records and arrives the same day as the signing, July 17th.

Banton has built one of reggae and dancehall’s most influential catalogs, including “Mr. Mention” in 1992, “Voice of Jamaica” in 1993, the Gold-certified “Til Shiloh” in 1995, and “Before The Dawn,” which won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2010. He has collaborated with artists ranging from Beres Hammond and Stephen Marley to Nipsey Hussle and DJ Khaled, whose Platinum-certified 2019 album “Father of Asahd” featured Banton on two tracks. His 2020 album “Upside Down 2020” earned a Grammy nomination, and his 2023 follow-up “Born For Greatness” included collaborations with Snoop Dogg and Victoria Monét.

Beyond music, Banton runs the Buju Banton Foundation, which shelters more than 120 Jamaican boys in foster care.

VP Records, founded by Vincent Chin and Patricia Chin out of their Kingston-based Randy’s Record Mart and Studio 17, has operated out of New York since the family relocated there in the late 1970s. The label’s catalog includes releases from Sean Paul, Shaggy, Beenie Man, Beres Hammond and Spice, and it holds one of the largest archives of reggae and dancehall recordings in the world following its acquisition of Greensleeves Records.

Fans can pre-save “Too Too Bad” and purchase Roots & Rhymes tour tickets ahead of Friday’s signing.

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Two Jamaicans Deported To Eswatini Say They Do Not Wish To Return Home, Ministry Says

By Staff Writer, NewsAmericas Now

News Americas, KINGSTON, Jamaica, Thurs. July 16, 2026: Two of three Jamaican nationals reported to be in the Kingdom of Eswatini have told Jamaica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade that they do not wish to return home at this time, the ministry said.

Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s foreign affairs minister, said the ministry learned of the men’s situation through Jamaica’s Consulate General in Miamiafter one of the men initiated a phone call. He was joined on the call by his attorney, and a second Jamaican national joined the conversation shortly after.

During that call, the ministry said the men were told what consular assistance is available to them and that the Jamaican government stood ready to help facilitate their return. They were also told Jamaica could not determine their immigration status in the United States or secure their return there. Both men maintained they did not wish to return to Jamaica, according to the ministry.

Jamaica’s High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa, which is also accredited to Eswatini, is continuing efforts to make direct contact with a third Jamaican national believed to be in the country, the ministry said.

The ministry said its outreach followed earlier contact by Jamaica’s Embassy in Washington with U.S. authorities, seeking information on the circumstances of the men’s removal to Eswatini, as well as formal representations by the Pretoria High Commission to the Eswatini government.

The ministry did not name the man but reports say one is Junior Alves, a 64-year-old Jamaican pastor. He was among a group deported to Eswatini in July 2026 and remains in detention facing uncertainty over his legal status. Alves, who has lived in the US for 44 years, was among 11 people flown to the southern African state on Wednesday under Washington’s third-country nationals (TCN) program.  He is a father of eight and grandfather of 11, all born on American soil. He and his wife run a transport business and were preparing to open a new office when ICE swooped him up in Florida.

Part of a wider pattern

The case adds to a string of removals of Jamaican nationals to Eswatini under the Trump administration’s third-country deportation program, under which migrants – including some whose home countries are willing to accept them – have been sent to African nations rather than repatriated directly. Eswatini has received at least 19 deportees under the program since July 2025, according to Jamaica Observer reporting, with 17 held in a maximum-security prison as of earlier this month.

A Jamaican man, Orville Etoria, was among the first group of five men sent to Eswatini in July 2025. He was held in a maximum-security prison for more than seven weeks without charge before being voluntarily repatriated to Jamaica in September, with assistance from the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration. His lawyers said at the time that Jamaica had been willing to accept his return, disputing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s characterization that the men sent to Eswatini came from countries that had refused to take them back.

DHS described that first group of deportees as convicted criminals whose home countries would not accept them. Johnson Smith’s ministry has previously said Jamaica has not refused the return of any of its citizens.

Ministry: consular help remains available

The ministry said its consular support “remains available in this matter and more broadly, to Jamaican nationals overseas whose circumstances may require its intervention,” and pledged to continue handling the matter “with care, discretion and respect for the rights and decisions of the individuals concerned.”

Jamaican nationals overseas who are in distress or need consular assistance are asked to contact the nearest Jamaican Embassy, High Commission or Consulate, or email the ministry at consular@mfaft.gov.jm.

NewsAmericasNow will continue following developments in this case, including efforts to reach the third Jamaican national believed to be held in Eswatini.

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Caribbean American Lawmakers Back Continued U.S. Military Aid To Israel; Both Received AIPAC Donations

By Staff Writer, NewsAmericas Now

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Thurs. July 16, 2026: Caribbean American Rep. Yvette Clarke, a Brooklyn Democrat representing one of the largest Caribbean communities in the country, and Rep. Adriano Espaillat, a Dominican-born Democrat whose district covers parts of Manhattan and the Bronx, both voted on Wednesday, July 15th, to preserve U.S. military assistance to Israel, siding with a narrow majority of House Democrats against a push from the party’s left flank to cut off the funding.

The vote came Wednesday on an amendment from Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie that would have eliminated $3.3 billion in annual U.S. military assistance to Israel from the fiscal 2027 State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs appropriations bill. The amendment failed 104-314, with 10 members voting present. Massie was the only Republican to support his own measure.

The overall tally masked a sharp divide inside the Democratic caucus. Of the roughly 211 Democrats who cast a vote, 103 voted to strip the aid, while 98 – including Clarke and Espaillat – voted no, and 10 voted present. The split reached into party leadership: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries opposed the amendment, while Minority Whip Katherine Clark broke with him and voted yes.

Caribbean American Representative Yvette Clarke, a Democrat from New York, center, seen here at a rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall in the Brooklyn borough of New York, US, on Thursday, July 9, 2026, also voted against the measure to end military aid to Israel. (Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Both Clarke and Espaillat are listed among New York’s congressional delegation on Track AIPAC, a donor-tracking site run by the advocacy group Citizens Against AIPAC Corruption, as recipients of donations linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and affiliated pro-Israel groups. The group claims Clarke received over $131,000 while Espaillat, who lost his primary election to Avila Chevalier, a democratic socialist and community organizer, received over $3 million. NewsAmericas Now is continuing to confirm the specific dollar figures attributed to each lawmaker against Federal Election Commission records and will update this story once those figures are verified.

In her own statement Wednesday, Clark agreed the amendment was “overly broad” and an attempt by Republicans to “score cheap political points.”

But she came to a far different conclusion on her ultimate vote. “However, it is clear that the status quo is not tenable. We should not provide a blank check for military aid to any country that does not comply with U.S. law, interests, and values,” Clark said. “The Netanyahu government has failed to meet that standard. I will be voting yes, not because I agree with the entirety of the amendment, or the GOP’s cynical motivations for its consideration, but because I believe we must change course.”

A caucus divided

Jeffries told colleagues in a letter ahead of the vote that he considered the amendment “overly broad,” warning it would also limit funding for refugee resettlement and humanitarian programs. Rep. Greg Casar of Texas, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said after the vote that opposing the billions in military funding is what matters most, even as he acknowledged the amendment’s broader flaws. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also voted for the cut, saying she wanted her vote to send a message despite viewing the amendment itself as flawed.

The vote is widely seen as an early test of where House Democrats stand on Israel heading into the November midterms, following a string of primary losses this year by incumbents seen as too closely aligned with the Netanyahu government’s conduct of the war in Gaza. Israel’s standing with Democrats will be tested again on August 4, when Michigan voters nominate candidates running for ​U.S. Senate, the U.S. House and governor as the state debates U.S. relations with Israel.

Why it matters for Caribbean communities

Clarke and Espaillat represent two of the most heavily Caribbean and Caribbean-immigrant congressional districts in the country – NY-09 in Brooklyn and NY-13 in upper Manhattan and the Bronx. Both lawmakers have built political careers partly on advocacy for Caribbean and Latin American immigrant constituencies, making their votes on a matter this polarizing among the Democratic base a point of scrutiny within the communities they represent.

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Fantan Mojah’s Passing Marks The Loss Of More Than A Reggae Artist; It Is the Loss Of A Soul of Rastafari

By Nyan Reynolds

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. July 15, 2026: The reggae community is mourning the passing of Jamaican roots reggae artist Fantan Mojah, born Owen Moncrieffe, who according to multiple reports, died on July 14, 2026, at the age of 49 after complications related to a heart condition. His death represents a tremendous loss for reggae music and the global Rastafari community. Throughout his career, Fantan Mojah became known for spiritually driven songs such as Hail the King, Thanks & Praise, and perhaps one of his most defining recordings, Rasta Got Soul.

For many listeners, Rasta Got Soul was simply another conscious reggae anthem. For those of us who grew up around Rastafari, it was much more. It was an affirmation of an identity, a way of life, and a spiritual philosophy that cannot be understood simply by listening to the music. It must be lived.

When I was a young boy growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, my father was a Rastaman. My mother was a Rasta lady. They considered themselves Rasta. I grew up among men and women who had a certain vibe, a certain aura to them. They considered themselves lions and lioness. Even though many people associate those animals with something aggressive, something raw, something vicious, as you often find the lion portrayed on the Rasta flag, what I experienced was something entirely different. I saw the beauty in the way they viewed the world. I would say, in many ways, that is the soul Fantan Mojah was singing about.

To understand Rasta Got Soul is to understand that having soul, in the Rastafari tradition, has little to do with appearance and everything to do with spirit.

First, it is spiritual consciousness. A Rastaman understands that life extends beyond material possessions and worldly status. His identity is rooted in Jah, not in the standards established by Babylon. That spiritual awareness shapes how he walks, speaks, and lives.

Second, it is compassion. Sit and talk to any true Rasta, one who lives, breathes, and embodies Rastafari, and they will tell you the world itself is a place of love and light. They carry within themselves a sense of peace that they try to give to the world. They are never interested in becoming hardened by struggle. Instead, they choose to remain compassionate, even when life has given them every reason not to be.

Third, it is authenticity. Rastafari has never been about wearing locks or wrapping yourself in red, gold, and green. It is reflected in what Rastas call livity, the way a person lives every day. Integrity, humility, righteousness, and consistency become the evidence of the faith.

Finally, it is resilience. Throughout reggae music, suffering has always been present, but so has hope. A Rasta with soul refuses to surrender his humanity. Even through poverty, oppression, or hardship, he continues to believe in love, peace, and righteousness. That enduring spirit is heard throughout Fantan Mojah’s music.

That was the Rastafari I grew up around.

They were never the loudest people in the room. They were spiritually connected to the world around them and to the earth from which they came. Their eyes were always turned toward Ethiopia, the homeland of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, not simply as a place on a map but as the spiritual center of their identity.

Listen closely to Rasta Got Soul. Listen to the respect Fantan Mojah speaks about for elders. Listen to the humility in his voice. Listen to the reverence with which he speaks. That is the heart and soul of Rastafari.

It is respect.

It is love.

It is light.

It is connection.

It is relationship.

It is community.

It is looking forward to making the man better. And when I say the man, I am talking about your brothers and your sisters to your right and to your left.

That is the heart and soul I saw growing up.

As Fantan Mojah passed away on July 14, 2026, he took with him a part of the culture. He took with him an essence of Rastafari. Yet he also leaves behind something perhaps even greater. He leaves behind a truer version of Rastafari because his music reminds us what genuine Rastafari has always been.

Today, many embrace Rastafari as a cultural trend. They wear the colors. They wear the locks. They speak the language. But I do not believe many truly understand what Rastafari means or what it means to be a Rasta.

My own connection to that heritage is personal. My name comes from Nyabinghi, one of the oldest spiritual traditions within Rastafari. Because of that upbringing, when many of us say we have a Rasta soul, we are not talking about appearance or music. We are speaking about a heart of love, a commitment to peace, respect for others, and the responsibility to leave people better than we found them.

That is what Fantan Mojah represented.

His music carried messages of faith, justice, African consciousness, and hope, but more importantly, it carried the spirit behind those messages. His voice reminded listeners that strength does not have to be loud, that conviction does not require hatred, and that righteousness begins within. That legacy will continue long after the music stops.

Today, we celebrate the music. We celebrate the musician. More importantly, we celebrate a man who reminded the world that the greatest expression of Rastafari is not found in outward appearance, but in the condition of the soul.

Rest in power, Fantan Mojah.

Rastafari.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Nyan Reynolds is a U.S. Army veteran and published author whose novels and cultural works draw from his Jamaican heritage, military service, and life experiences. His writing blends storytelling, resilience, and heritage to inspire readers.  

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French Guiana is about to get its first direct digital link to Europe

NEWS Americas, DUBLIN, Ireland, July 15, 2026: EllaLink and Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) hosted a delegation from SPLANG, the Government of Maranhão (Brazil) and the international financial institutions of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) across two of ASN’s facilities: the Les Ulis headquarters, for technology demonstrations; and the Calais factory, to witness the loading of the Lum@link cable onto the cable ship. The CS Île d’Yeu has now set sail for Cayenne, French Guiana, to begin the installation campaign that will be completed over the summer, with the Lum@link system on track to be ready for service by the end of 2026.

This marks a critical milestone in the creation of the first direct submarine connection between French Guiana and continental Europe. The 2,100 km extension will connect the new cable landing station of Cayenne to the existing EllaLink trunk system off the coast of Fortaleza, establishing direct optical connections from Cayenne to Sines (Portugal) and Fortaleza (Brazil).

The delegation was joined by Leandro da Silva Costa, President of the State Information Technology Agency, and Anderson da Silva Serra, Director of Technological Infrastructure and Connectivity from ATI/MA, representing the Government of the State of Maranhão, Brazil. They witnessed the loading of the two branching units that will enable future connectivity to the north of Brazil, one serving São Luís (Maranhão) and one serving Salinópolis (Pará).

Lum@link is designed to open the way for direct links between Cayenne, Fortaleza and the northern Brazilian states, including Maranhão (São Luís) and Pará (Salinópolis), reinforcing French Guiana’s role as a crossroads between the Caribbean, Brazil and Europe. For both SPLANG and the State of Maranhão, the visit confirmed that EllaLink will equip the region with critical infrastructure that is essential to its economy.

The SPLANG, AFD, IDB, Government of Maranhão delegations with EllaLink during the visit to ASN facilities in Les Ulis

The European Commission supports the project with a €29.9 million grant from the CEF Digital programme, managed by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). The Lum@link system is also backed by an investment from the Collectivité Territoriale de Guyane (CTG) and financial support from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD).

For the future Brazilian branches, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and AFD are providing financing to the states of Pará and Maranhão.

Marie-Lucienne Rattier, President of SPLANG, next to a repeater that will be part of the Lum@link system and ready to ship to Cayenne, French Guiana.

Marie-Lucienne Rattier, President of SPLANG, said: “To see the Lum@link cable loaded and on its way to Cayenne is a deeply significant moment for French Guiana. With the lay now under way and the system on track to enter service by the end of 2026, we are securing our international connectivity for the long term, ensuring our digital sovereignty and catalysing the economic and social development of our territory.”

Philippe Dumont, CEO at EllaLink, added: “Watching the Lum@link cable being loaded in Calais and the Île d’Yeu setting sail for Cayenne to begin the lay is a proud moment for the entire EllaLink team. After years of planning, engineering and construction, marine installation is now under way. We expect to complete the lay over the summer, and the system is on track to be ready for service by the end of 2026, delivering a direct, sovereign route between French Guiana, Brazil and continental Europe. We are honoured to share this milestone with SPLANG, the Government of Maranhão and the partners who have made it possible.”

About SPLANG

The Société Publique Locale pour l’Aménagement Numérique de la Guyane (SPLANG) (local public company for the digital development of French Guiana) is owned by the CTG (Collectivité Territoriale de Guyane) and other local authorities and municipalities of French Guiana. It is the local authorities’ operational arm for the digital development of French Guiana. Created in 2014, SPLANG promotes the deployment of infrastructure operated by its shareholders (such as the fibre network and the satellite network in French Guiana). SPLANG is involved in financing its own infrastructure such as satellite relays, FTTO networks or international connectivity, supports and coordinates the development of digital uses, and acts as a public service operator in situations where private initiative is lacking.

For more information, visit: https://www.splang.fr/

About EllaLink

EllaLink is an optic fibre submarine cable system offering secure high-capacity connectivity on a unique low-latency transatlantic route serving the growing needs of the Latin American and European markets. The EllaLink network directly connects Brazil and Europe, linking the major hubs of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Fortaleza with Lisbon, Madrid and Marseille. The EllaLink System has been built with state-of-the-art coherent technology, initially offering 100Tbps of transatlantic capacity over four direct fibre pairs between Europe and Brazil. EllaLink is a privately funded and independent company committed to providing products and services on a Carrier-Neutral and Open-Access basis. Marguerite, a pan-European infrastructure investor active in the renewables, energy, transport and digital transformation sectors, is the main shareholder of EllaLink.

For more information, visit: https://ella.link

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