Lagos, Nigeria, October 14, 2025: Liberian digital media figure and founder of Geez Liberia, Kerkula Blama, has been named “Best Blogger of the Year” at the 2025 Music Video Africa Awards held at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos, Nigeria. The recognition marks yet another milestone in Blama’s growing influence across Africa’s media and entertainment landscape. The award ceremony, which brought together top creatives, music executives, and media professionals from across the continent, celebrated individuals and brands making exceptional contributions to Africa’s music and digital storytelling industries. Blama’s consistent role in amplifying Liberian entertainment and creating cross-border visibility for emerging artists stood out among this year’s honorees. Earlier this year, Blama also took home the “Blogger of the Year” title at the 2025 Young Achievers Africa Awards in Kigali, Rwanda. This continental platform celebrates exceptional young innovators in business, arts, and media.

Mary Williams, General Manager for Local Content at DSTV, is championing a bold initiative to transform Liberia’s struggling film industry into a thriving, globally recognized sector. Known for her background in political media, Williams has now set her sights on movies, spearheading efforts to create sustainable opportunities for filmmakers and elevate Liberian cinema.

One of the most iconic groups of modern R&B, Jagged Edge — Richard Wingo, Kyle Norman, lead singers (and identical twins) Brian and Brandon Casey — is back Friday with their 11th studio album, “All Original Parts: Vol. 1.” The title of the 15-track project points to the group’s solidarity: They’ve never broken up or switched original members. “The love is actually genuinely real. We really care about each other’s well-being,” Wingo said. “I guess a lot of groups, they really didn’t have that. Love will keep you together.” The “Where the Party At” artists say “Vol. 1” is the first of three they plan to release this year. But the men behind classic songs like “Promise” and “He Can’t Love You” say while the sonics and even subject matter of R&B have changed since their first hit single in 1997, they’re still committed to telling stories about romance and relationships.

NEW YORK (AP) — Tune into the Oct. 11, 1975 premiere episode of “Saturday Night Live” — then without “live” in its name — and you may be instantly surprised at some of the bones of the show that are still intact today. There’s the cold open skit, featuring cast members John Belushi and Michael O’Donoghue. At its end, Chevy Chase gingerly walks by the prone bodies of the two actors, playing dead, for the very first call of “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!” NBC is rebroadcasting that episode Saturday, part of a feast of 50th anniversary programming that includes a three-hour special on Sunday reuniting dozens of past cast members and friends and a homecoming concert from Radio City Music Hall being livestreamed Friday night on Peacock.

The air was electric at the grand ballroom in Monrovia as families and fans gathered to witness a unique spectacle: Liberia’s rising stars in ballroom dance. The competition featured a dazzling array of cha-cha-chas, tangos, and quicksteps, with each young performer vying to impress the judges and the cheering crowd. From the very first note of the music, it was clear this wasn’t just a showcase—it was a battle. The competition was fierce, with dancers executing moves that seemed to defy their ages and training. As the audience roared in delight, each performance seemed to push the boundaries of what Liberian ballroom dancing could achieve.

“Another Simple Favor,” Paul Feig’s sequel to his 2018 noir comedy starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively, will open the SXSW Film and TV Festival. Organizers of the Austin, Texas, festival announced Tuesday that the long-awaited “A Simple Flavor” sequel will kick of this year’s edition on March 7. The Amazon MGM release plots another twist-filled round of murder and betrayal, with Stephanie Smothers (Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Lively) heading to an Italy wedding on Capri. “When we saw this film last fall, we instantly knew it had to open SXSW — it gave us that electric feeling we live for as programmers,” said Claudette Godfrey, festival vice president, in a statement. SXSW has hosted Feig’s films before, including a work-in-progress screening of “Bridesmaids” in 2011 and the premiere of “Spy” in 2015.

MAYVILLE, N.Y. (AP) — In 2022, Salman Rushdie was about to deliver a lecture before a live audience in western New York when a man ran towards him and plunged a knife into the author’s hand as he raised it in self-defense. “After that there are many blows, to my neck, to my chest, to my eye, everywhere,” Rushdie recalled in a memoir that followed. “I feel my legs give way, and I fall.” In the coming weeks, Rushdie is expected to return to the same New York county to recount the experience as one of the first witnesses in the trial of the man charged with wielding the knife that day, Hadi Matar. Jury selection got underway Tuesday. Matar, 27, of Fairview, New Jersey, has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault.

NEW YORK (AP) — Before they hit the stage every night, Irish siblings Anna Mai and Fergus Fitzpatrick share a special ritual: A hug and a low five. “Like a high five, but instead of going high with it, we go lower just to be different,” Fergus Fitzpatrick says laughing. It’s a sweet way to check in for a brother and sister dancing duo who are propelling “Riverdance 30 — The New Generation,” a touring celebration of the show that put Irish dance on the global map and has deepened their bond. “Me and Anna Mai have grown up dancing together. So we’re like siblings, but we’re also like best friends,” says Fergus. “We always have that support system.” Both were veteran winners of Irish dance competitions when they joined “Riverdance” in 2017, Fergus a few weeks ahead of Anna Mai.

Mary Williams, General Manager for Local Content at DSTV, is championing a bold initiative to transform Liberia’s struggling film industry into a thriving, globally recognized sector. Known for her background in political media, Williams has now set her sights on movies, spearheading efforts to create sustainable opportunities for filmmakers and elevate Liberian cinema. “We’re trying to see how we can help the local industry, especially with movie production in Liberia,” Williams said. “We want to elevate movie production and make it viable for Liberians who are practitioners. It’s about making the industry a real career path, where actors and cinematographers can proudly identify their professions in their passports.” At the heart of Williams’ strategy is a groundbreaking radio program titled “Behind the Scenes”, designed to spotlight Liberia’s film industry amidst the country’s noisy political landscape.

If we are to recreate the meaning of consistency through the human experience of CIC and his music journey, it would be appropriate to define consistency as staying true to oneself even when misunderstood by a moving train of minds engulfed in identity crises. Those who chase trends to be accepted often seek validation, but that has never been the case for the Commander-in-Chief. When you are in control and fully aware of who you are, you don’t bow to external forces. Consistency, in CIC’s view, is mastering the art of time management, using it to your advantage until it transforms into supernatural grace. It is the awareness that time does not exist, and songs that become timeless hits propel you into a dimension where relevance becomes perpetual. Regardless of who sees him as a rival or competition, CIC remains unbothered.

MONROVIA – Sound is the birthplace of creativity. Everything on earth sings, has a rhythm, and flows in waves. The synchronization of events and history reveals that life itself is made of rhymes—nothing is a mistake. When Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, once remarked that his songs were channeled through him by a force beyond human comprehension, he categorized himself as merely a vessel—a medium through which the universe speaks. From sound comes vision, and those who can truly listen to the silence within discover a volume of words and images that guide their creativity. Enter Sayou Tequah Jnr—a visual artist of unparalleled genius.