Austin Daboh has departed from his executive positions at Warner Music's Atlantic Records UK. The widely respected music executive served as Executive Vice President of the label and had also held the title of President of Black Music since the previous year. Daboh confirmed his exit in a public post, stating that after five and a half years, the moment felt appropriate for new ventures.
His career before joining Atlantic included significant editorial leadership roles at major streaming services. He worked at Spotify as Head of Music Culture & Editorial and later served as Head of Editorial for the UK and Ireland at Apple Music. His earlier experience included programming and management positions at BBC Music 1Xtra.
The Manchester-based startup Dune has appointed Thom Brunner as its Chief Operating Officer and Max Crowther as its Head of Artist Services. The company, founded by Paul Knowles and Paul Bowe, is an app-based platform that lets music fans purchase tradable stakes in artists, with the value changing based on streaming performance.
Brunner, who previously worked at Sassy Media and founded Electric Friends Management, will manage daily operations and strategic planning. Crowther will oversee all artist support services, from onboarding to platform activation. These executive appointments coincide with Dune finalizing a Series A funding round of two million pounds.
Through its platform, Dune enables fans to trade artist stakes and receive...
TikTok is testing a new feature that will allow users to regulate the amount of artificial intelligence-generated content in their video feeds. The platform, owned by ByteDance, stated that this control would function through a slider within its existing topic management tool. This system is designed to let individuals customize their content exposure without eliminating AI material.
The announcement coincides with similar AI video initiatives from competitors like Meta and Google. Separately, TikTok is implementing an invisible watermarking technology to identify AI-generated content, which has already resulted in labels on more than 1.3 billion videos. The company also revealed a two-million-dollar fund for AI literacy education...
Authorities from eleven Eastern Caribbean jurisdictions convened a high-level seminar in Saint Lucia to address the threat of transnational gangs. The gathering included attorneys general, senior law enforcement officers, and judges who worked to develop a coordinated strategy against criminal networks involved in international drug trafficking.
The two-day event was organized by the French Embassy. In a recorded address, French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that the seminar was a key part of France's initiative to combat drug trafficking at its source. He reaffirmed his country's commitment to supporting regional partners in countering organized crime.
The French Embassy described the event as a significant...
Grenada is advancing amended fisheries legislation to avert a United States ban on its seafood exports. Marine Affairs Minister Lennox Andrews expressed confidence that the revised Fisheries Act would meet American standards for protecting marine mammals. The government aims to submit the required documentation to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration by a January 2026 deadline.
The potential embargo was announced due to Grenada's lack of a comparability finding regarding its fishing regulations. A special government task force was established to address the issue, and it has completed its work on schedule. Minister Andrews acknowledged that a recent U.S. government shutdown temporarily delayed communications but...
The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, has communicated concerns to the United States President regarding a military buildup in Caribbean international waters. In a formal letter, Browne cautioned that such activity risks destabilizing the region and could severely impact its tourism-dependent economies. He emphasized that the Caribbean maintains its status as a Zone of Peace.
Prime Minister Browne advocated for direct diplomatic engagement between the United States and Venezuela to prevent escalation. He noted that armed confrontation in the area would immediately affect hotel bookings, airline traffic, and foreign investment, casting a shadow over a vital industry. Browne expressed his nation's readiness to support...
Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that Jamaica will likely need to borrow money to fund reconstruction after Hurricane Melissa, despite initial access to approximately 1.15 billion dollars from disaster funds and an International Monetary Fund facility. He clarified that the government is not awash with cash, countering public speculation about available resources.
The scale of the challenge was underscored by a World Bank assessment presented at the briefing, which estimated total physical damage at 8.8 billion dollars. This figure represents forty-one percent of Jamaica's gross domestic product. The most severe damage affected residential buildings, accounting for 3.7 billion dollars, while infrastructure losses reached 2.9...
Hurricane Melissa caused an estimated 8.8 billion dollars in physical damage to Jamaica, a figure representing forty-one percent of the nation's gross domestic product. A World Bank official presented the assessment, noting the southwestern parishes of St. James, Westmoreland, and St. Elizabeth sustained sixty-three percent of the total losses.
The most significant damage affected residential buildings, accounting for 3.7 billion dollars. Infrastructure losses reached 2.9 billion dollars, while non-residential buildings suffered 1.8 billion dollars in damage. The agricultural sector experienced 389 million dollars in destruction.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness reported that the storm impacted approximately 900,000 people and damaged...
Following an onstage fall during a Miss Universe preliminary competition, Jamaican delegate Dr. Gabrielle Henry was hospitalized in Bangkok. The incident occurred in the evening gown segment, prompting immediate medical attention before she was transported to Paolo Rangsit Hospital.
Accompanied by family and pageant representatives, Henry received a medical evaluation. The Miss Universe Jamaica organization confirmed her condition was not life-threatening and requested public support and positive thoughts during her care.
Henry had previously competed in the national costume and swimwear events. The ophthalmologist and founder of the See Me Foundation is recognized for her advocacy for the visually impaired. Supporters on social media...
