Latest news with #TurksandCaicos
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Winnie Harlow looks ethereal in a plunging white dress as she arrives at Fashion and Futurism event during Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2025
Winnie Harlow looked ethereal as she arrived at her Fashion and Futurism event during Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2025 on Tuesday. The Canadian model, 30, stunned as she showcased her enviable frame in a figure-hugging plunging white dress. She gave herself a few extra inches by slipping into a pair of towering white strappy sandals. Winnie toted around her belongings in a white leather handbag and completed her look with a white and orange neck scarf. She looked elated during the event, which was hosted by Meta, as she was seen speaking to the audience on stage. Her appearance comes just a few months after the America's Next Top Model revealed she is set to walk down the aisle with fiancé Kyle, 29. The basketball player popped the question on February 13 with a dazzling 8.5-carat, oval-cut diamond ring, which he spent three months designing himself. He asked Winnie to be his wife while they were on a private plane heading off on holiday in the Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean. Filling the plane with red roses, balloons, chocolate and champagne, Kyle then read her a poem he had written, before getting down on one knee. And in an extra special surprise, once on the Caribbean island, their families were waiting for them to celebrate the proposal, with dinner on the beach and a fireworks display. Winnie gushed to Vogue magazine that the couple were 'over the moon' to be engaged, admitting she was caught completely by surprise. She said: 'For a split second in my head I thought, "This would be so cute if this was an engagement. 'But I'm also not the type of person who wants to guess or wants to spoil a surprise. So it just was a fleeting thought in my head.' The lovebirds first started dating in 2020, with Winnie then moving from New York City to Los Angeles to be with Kyle, who played for the L.A. Lakers at the time. The athlete has now moved to join the Milwaukee Bucks, with Winnie often spotted at his basketball games cheering him on from courtside seats. Meanwhile, Winnie has found huge success as a supermodel and has stormed some of the world's biggest runways. The superstar previously confessed she was 'never supposed to be a model' due to her Vitiligo. However, she became the first person with the skin condition to walk the runway at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Vitiligo is a long-term condition where pale white patches develop on the skin, which is caused by a lack of melanin. In 2023, Winnie recalled working at La Senza and looking at the models, wishing she could do what they were doing, as she reflected on how much she'd achieved. She told ET Canada: 'It's funny to me now that I've actually created a lane for myself in this industry that there was never a lane set. 'People will be like, she's already a model because of her skin. I'm like, Well, it was actually the opposite. I was never supposed to be a model because of my skin. 'I've actually fought against that but I'm like oh… you must think my skin is beautiful now, which nobody thought before. So, you know, it's a double-edged sword, but there's beauty in it.' Winnie said she hopes to continue breaking down barriers for other people with the condition who dream of becoming a model. She said: 'I think the biggest challenge today would be still breaking down those doors that, God bless, I was able to push down those doors to walk through. 'But keeping those doors open for others to walk through… making sure that it isn't just tokenism. 'Making sure that it isn't just there's one face or there's one person who can. Everyone is able to.'
Telegraph
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Former Scottish Tory leader presides over Holyrood committee from the Caribbean
The former leader of the Scottish Tories has caused outrage after chairing a Holyrood committee from thousands of miles away in the Caribbean. Douglas Ross appeared at the education committee hearing on Wednesday via video link from the Turks and Caicos Islands. He is in the region for a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association seminar after being nominated by some of its members in the Scottish Parliament. However, MSPs said it was 'farcical' that he was trying to lead the meeting from the Caribbean at around 4am local time. It came as the committee cross-examined Jenny Gilruth, the SNP Education Secretary, Natalie Don-Innes, the children's minister, and Graeme Dey, the higher and further education minister. During the hearing, Willie Rennie, a Liberal Democrat committee member, raised a point of order, saying: 'It is wholly inappropriate and unprofessional for Douglas Ross to even attempt to chair the education committee 4,000 miles away in the Caribbean. 'This is especially the case when questioning the three ministers for education on issues such as temporary contracts for teachers, school violence, the University of Dundee, the future of colleges, the Promise, additional support needs and so much more. 'These issues deserve a convener who is in the room rather than attempting to conduct affairs in the middle of the night in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Everyone in education in Scotland deserves better than this.' George Adam, an SNP MSP, also told Mr Ross at the meeting: 'I am, for the record, not happy. I find this meeting farcical, the fact that you could even think you could do that online from the other side of the world.' He said he had repeatedly tried to convince Mr Ross to 'do the right thing' but told him: 'You continue with your continued behaviour, and quite frankly I think it makes you look small and pathetic.' Mr Ross, who is due to return to the UK on Thursday, said he was happy to hear concerns and allow Jackie Dunbar, his deputy on the committee, to oversee the hearing instead. Following a brief suspension, Ms Dunbar said the rules for conveners did not distinguish between a virtual or physical appearance, and Mr Ross continued to lead the rest of the meeting. Speaking afterwards, he said: 'While I was away from Holyrood on parliamentary business, leading sessions for new and existing MPs on behalf of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, I was still keen to take a full part in the committee session. 'The time difference allowed me to convene this committee session and then fully participate in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association programme.' Mr Ross added: 'Often MSPs are criticised for being work-shy, but I don't think that accusation can be levelled at me given my determination to fully take part in this meeting. 'I also note, despite members being informed of my intention to convene the meeting remotely last Friday, no member raised any concerns with me until the meeting began on Wednesday morning. I'm very pleased that the session ran so smoothly and all members were able to question the education ministers on a number of crucial topics.'
Sky News
05-06-2025
- Business
- Sky News
Diddy trial latest: Baby oil comes up again at Diddy trial - after judge threatens to throw rapper out of court
An anonymous former girlfriend and alleged victim of Sean "Diddy" Combs - known only as Jane - begun her evidence against the rapper on the 17th day of his sex-trafficking trial. Scroll down to catch up on proceedings as they happened. 21:11:58 Court finishes for the day It's just after 4pm in New York and so the judge leaves Jane's testimony there for the day. She will be back on the stand tomorrow and is expected to continue giving evidence for several days next week as well. We'll be back with a recap of today's hearing soon - in the meantime scroll through our posts to catch up on what was said in court. 21:09:47 Escort sex sessions lasted up to 30 hours with no sleep, Jane tells court Jane tells the court that she and Sean "Diddy" Combs had "hotel night" - sexual encounters with male escorts, also described as "freak offs" during Cassie's testimony - in Turks and Caicos, Miami, Los Angeles and New York. Combs's employees would arrange travel, she says, and he would pay. Hotel nights always followed the same pattern, the court hears - "hotel suites, red lights, music, lotions and alcohol, there would be bed sheets covering everything, blankets and towels, because of the excessive use of baby oil everywhere". Jane says she would "have drugs in my system" and wear "provocative" lingerie and "high stripper shoes". The encounters with escorts would start with small talk before she would dance in her robe, she says, to "get my nerves out". Combs liked her to pour baby oil on the men and on herself, she says, and adds that a "typical hotel night lasted a very long time". After having sex with an escort, Combs would "excuse" her, she says, and they would have sex with each other. They typically lasted between 24 and 30 hours, she says, with "no sleep". 20:52:20 Jane 'wanted to earn her own money and considered OnlyFans - but Diddy said to wait' Jane is continuing to answer questions about her relationship with Sean "Diddy" Combs, telling the court it was always him who decided when they would see each other. Often, this was at short notice - a night before or on the day, the court hears. She tells jurors she always made sure she was "put together" and ready in case he called. "I liked looking beautiful for him." Combs liked her with straight hair and white coloured nails, she says, and later in the relationship he wanted her to get piercings. "Looking nice" took a lot of time and money and became like a "habit", she continues, as she strived to make him happy. The court hears that while Jane started to earn less money after she prioritised her relationship with Combs, the rapper would support her with money - payments of $5,000, $10,000 or $20,000, she says. She tells the court she wanted to make her own money and had considered content creating on adult website OnlyFans - posting photos but not showing sexual activity. Combs told her to give it time, the court hears. Asked why she felt she needed his approval, she replies: "I felt like he was my boyfriend." 20:38:38 Jane describes 'debauchery' or 'hotel nights' - and says she felt 'obligated' as Diddy paid rent After that first night in May 2021, Jane is asked what percentage of the time with Sean "Diddy" Combs she was having sex with another man. She replies: "90%." Asked if this is what she wanted, she says: "No." Jane tells the court she wanted "an old-fashioned relationship with me and him" - which is how it felt when they first met. After the first sexual encounter with an escort, Combs quickly suggested they do it again, Jane says, telling the court she was agreeable because she wanted him to be happy. "I went along with it because I loved him at this point," she says. However, Jane says she started to tell him - more than once, in writing and in person - that she did not want to have sex with other men. Over the next three years she says she told him this "many times", but it would be "uncomfortable" whenever the subject came up. Combs would dismiss it and move the conversation on, she says, or tell her she didn't have to. He would also tell her she could break up with him if she wanted to, she says. Combs paid her rent, but would threaten to stop doing so, she adds. Jane says she felt "obligated" to perform on some nights "because I knew he was paying my rent". Asked the words she and Combs used to describe the sexual encounters with male escorts, she says they would call them "debauchery" or "hotel nights". 20:27:01 First sexual encounter with male escort 'opened Pandora's box', Jane tells court After being told by Sean "Diddy" Combs that he could make the fantasy of role play with another man come true, Jane says she went to the bathroom. When she returned, she says he was in his robe and "looking serious" on his phone. He told her he could "make it happen tonight", the court hears. Jane says she was taken aback but agreed. A few hours later, she says assistants set up a room for them and she was introduced to an escort, Don. She tells the court she was nervous but Combs told her to relax and asked her to stand up. At his suggestion, she started dancing, she says, as the escort got closer and started to touch her. Combs was naked, she says, and masturbated as he watched them. Jane says she wanted to "speed things up" so asked for a condom. Combs told her he "didn't want that", she says, saying the guys were "safe" and regularly tested. Eventually, however, he did give Don a condom and they had sex, she says. Afterwards, Don left and the two of them had sex together, she says. "We were really happy." The day afterwards, Jane says she "felt excited" that she had done something "taboo", something she had never done before. However, she says she thought it was a one-off. Asked how the relationship changed after this, she tells the court "it opened a Pandora's box", and "set the tone" going forward. 20:11:06 'Diddy wanted role play with other men and liked me to have baby oil all over' Jane tells the court her relationship with Sean "Diddy" Combs was kept private. Between February 2021 and May 2021, she says he would fly her to see him in Miami every few weeks, and also gave her money. During this period, they took drugs including ecstasy, molly (MDMA), cocaine and ketamine, she says. Jane says Combs wanted her to wear "provocative lingerie outfits" when they had sex and liked her to have baby oil "all over my body". Sexual sessions could last for up to 24 hours and he liked to have red lights on in their hotel rooms, she adds. Asked how she felt about the long sex sessions at this point, Jane tells the court she "really loved" Combs and enjoyed the affection. "Sean was really passionate," she says, and very complimentary. In those first three months, she says she "loved him very much". Asked what happened in May 2021, she bows her head and becomes emotional. "We would watch a lot of pornography, we started having a lot more fantasy conversations." Combs started to talk about role play with other men, she says, and one night told her he could make the fantasy a reality. Jane says she told him "okay" - but did not think it would really happen and says she did not want to have sex with anyone other than Combs. 19:55:02 Diddy 'used L word' - but made it clear he was seeing other women, Jane tells court In February 2021, Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jane went on a trip to the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas, the court hears. Jane says he organised the break after she told him her birthday was coming up, and that he had several members of staff there too, including an assistant, a chef and a butler. She says they had a good connection and were "passionate" about each other - that she told him about her work and being a single mother. Asked about gifts during this trip, Jane tells the court Combs gave her a bracelet - and later offered to send her $10,000 because she wasn't working while they were there. She is also asked about drugs, and says they took ecstasy. Jane tells the court she developed deep feelings for Combs and that they "started using 'the L word'." He told her he "really liked" her, she says, but made it clear he was seeing "multiple" women. She says she was okay with this because she liked him. Asked if she had the option of a monogamous relationship, she replies: "I don't think so." The relationship lasted, on and off, until Combs was arrested in September 2024, the court hears. 19:41:04 Alleged victim Jane says she fell 'head over heels' after first date with Diddy Jane tells the court she was in a relationship with Sean "Diddy" Combs between 2021 and 2024. She called him Sean or Diddy, the court hears, sometimes Schnookums, or sometimes Ernie - she was Bert and he was Ernie, like the characters from Sesame Street. Jane says she met the hip-hop mogul during a trip to Miami in late 2020. At the time, he was involved with one of her friends, she tells the court, and he invited a group of them to his home. The witness says they spent time on a yacht and that she was "drawn" to Combs. They flirted and exchanged numbers, which is when he suggested the Bert and Ernie nicknames, she says. Asked if she saw drugs, she says she remembers seeing a pink, powdery substance on that first night. Combs told her he wanted to take her out the following day, jurors hear. She says the situation was "complicated" but they remained in touch and Combs pursued her. After the friend who had previously been seeing him got engaged to someone else, Jane says she decided to "potentially entertain" the idea. They agreed to meet up in Miami in January 2021, the court hears. Jane says they went to a hotel, had dinner on the balcony, and she ended up staying for five days. Afterwards, she says, she was "head over heels". 19:23:35 Third alleged victim 'Jane' begins her testimony The government calls "Jane" to the stand. Jane, who is giving evidence under a pseudonym, is a former girlfriend of Sean "Diddy" Combs. After Cassie Ventura and "Mia", a former personal assistant to the hip-hop mogul, she is the third alleged victim to give evidence during this trial. Jane was allegedly engaged in commercial sex acts "as a result of force, fraud or coercion" by Combs. "The defendant used lies, drugs, threats, and violence to force and coerce, first, Cassie, and later Jane, to have sex with him in front of male escorts," prosecutors said in their opening statement at the beginning of the trial. Judge Arun Subramanian tells the court her real name will not be mentioned in court. Evidence monitors have been switched off in overflow rooms. 19:18:03 Investigative analyst answers questions on Cassie's mobile phones Enrique Santos tells the court he is an investigative analyst for the US attorney's office for the Southern District of New York. His duties include forensic examination of mobile phones, tablets and other devices with GPS technology, the jury is told. Santos says he has carried out close to 3,000 mobile phone "extractions", which means preserving and analysing electronic data, during his career, and tells the court about the methods and tools he uses for his work. He says he was asked to extract three iPhones for this case and later found out they belonged to Cassie Ventura. They were generally in good shape, he says. Santos says investigators recovered several deleted records from the devices. After a few questions from both the prosecution and the defence, he finishes his evidence.
Travel Weekly
27-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Turks and Caicos offers a progress report at CHTA event
Meagan Drillinger Turks and Caicos is riding a wave of growth in 2025, with strong visitor arrivals, record-breaking cruise numbers and infrastructure developments across the islands. Under the leadership of CEO Paul Pennicook, Experience Turks & Caicos, the destination's new destination marketing and management organization, is steering the tourism sector with an eye on sustainability and global competitiveness. During a press briefing at the Caribbean Hotels & Tourism Association's annual Caribbean Travel Marketplace earlier this month in Antigua & Barbuda, Pennicook said the country has done very well in the years following the pandemic and that the momentum is continuing into 2025. In the first quarter of 2025, visitor arrivals were up 2.3% over the same period in 2024, with March clocking the highest number of monthly visitors at 76,850 arrivals. Top source markets remain consistent among the U.S., Canada and the U.K. But there's growing recognition of the Caribbean region as a strong fourth market, with inbound traffic from the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica. A cruise surge While Providenciales continues to dominate in overnight visitor arrivals, Grand Turk is emerging as a cruise powerhouse, according to Pennicook. In Q1 alone, for example, the Grand Turk Cruise Centre received 410,107 cruise passengers, a 54% increase year over year. "For that first quarter, there were two ships in port daily," said Pennicook. The cruise spike is helping to distribute tourism across the islands and fuel local economies outside of Provo. • Related: Treasure Beach Village at Beaches Turks and Caicos taking bookings With eight airports spread across the country, Turks and Caicos is positioning itself as a multidestination nation, and several facilities are currently undergoing upgrades. In Providenciales, Howard Hamilton Airport is in the midst of a 2025-2026 congestion alleviation project. Phase one included an expanded departure lounge and a new security checkpoint. Phase two will add new international departure gates. Meanwhile, bids for a new passenger terminal and parallel taxiway are still under evaluation. "Final bids were received in December 2024," said Pennicook. "The evaluation is still happening." He noted that the February election slowed down the process, and now that the new government is in place, the process can continue. • Related: Wymara Villas unveils its largest unit yet Other islands are also seeing progress. In March 2025, the South Caicos Airport reopened to international traffic with American Airlines now offering twice-weekly flights from Miami. "Phase two of that airport's remodeling will complete external work and improve critical infrastructure," Pennicook added. North Caicos is getting a new terminal, and daily domestic flights now connect it with Provo via Caicos Express.
Forbes
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Vacation Like A Celebrity In Turks And Caicos
Ambergris Cay is a dreamy island escape. Celebrities are just like you. When they make vacation plans, they consider the weather, safety and the resort's proximity to the beach the same way you do. This might explain why Turks and Caicos ends up on so many stars' social feeds. The Caribbean nation roughly a third of the size of Rhode Island checks every box and does so with an effortless elegance. Just ask model Cindy Crawford and former tennis star Maria Sharapova, who've stayed at Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Grace Bay Club. Will Smith has been seen at Four-Star Amanyara more than once. And we've lost count of how many times Drake and Bella Hadid have been spotted around town. Ambergris Cay, a pristine, 1,100-acre private island getaway consisting of an all-inclusive resort and private homes, has the same kind of pull with the elite. As soon as you make the 30-minute Cessna flight from Providenciales International Airport to the resort's very own air strip, you realize this tropical paradise is its own world, far from vodka-chugging tourists and any camera-snapping paparazzi. You can't merely stumble upon this property. But neither a SAG card nor an NBA contract is necessary to experience the lavish escape, either. To get on this VIP vacation list, all you need is an Ambergris Cay reservation. The beachfront bungalows are things of beauty. Ambergris Cay's 17 beachfront bungalows are immaculate, 1,600-square-foot spaces with sitting areas, shiny gold-tiled showers, private plunge pools and spotless Wi-Fi for any Zoom calls that couldn't get rescheduled after your trip. It's the perfect place for the CEO in your family to call headquarters for a few days. When there's a gap in the meeting schedule, take your golf cart (one is allotted to every room) out for a spin. Dirt roads cut through well-maintained grounds filled with Turk's head cacti and resting herons. Rock iguanas far outnumber the other drivers here, so you can leisurely cruise in your cart while taking in the scenery. Drive over to Elevate Spa to get rid of any built-up tension from back home. The facility has quaint, detached treatment huts that are filled with a tranquil air and sweeping views of the turquoise waters. Treatment-wise, the 60-minute relaxing massage is our first recommendation, but the skin-glistening body cocoons (done with chocolate, mango or blueberry wraps) make for tasty choices, too. And speaking of deliciousness, a bonfire dinner on Calico's deck easily closes the deal on a great day on the cay. Just you, your significant other and a curated selection of Caribbean fusion dishes. While you savor bites of caviar-topped sushi and Moroccan lamb, cherish the sounds of the waves and the sight of fish swimming underneath your feet. The all-new Dream Estate is perfect for groups. Ambergris Cay debuted its newest accommodations, Dream Estate, in early 2025. It's unclear if the property had the Kardashians in mind as potential guests, but with 10 bedrooms, four pools, a game room and more spread across 19,000 spectacular square feet, housing the high-profile family (or any other big group) is a breeze. Beyond the building's checklist of amenities, the estate also comes with two dedicated chefs and a pair of butlers. Lots of fun and great food are on the Club House's menu. Should you need a change of backdrop for your Instagram posts, head over to the Club House to find a waterfront restaurant and lounge (it's the perfect place for an apple lemonade and baked jerk chicken wings), billiards and a quiet cay for some paddleboarding and water trampoline jumping. At night, things get sexier with guests dressed in their resort best and a menu filled with grilled shrimp tacos and sangria. And what's a Hollywood-worthy vacation without a boat outing? Ambergris Cay can arrange a sunset cruise that takes you out a few miles from the dock— close enough that you can see your bungalow, but far away enough from the shore that you can spot the occasional nurse shark swimming nearby. The boat staff is congenial and knowledgeable, so don't hesitate to ask it about island history or to take a picture of you and your crew lounging on the deck. Bonefishing is one of the island's favorite pastimes. When we last visited, an on-staff birdie told us that one of the Dallas Mavericks had just left a few days prior to our arrival. While didn't inquire about the NBA star's itinerary during his stay, we have a good idea of how he spent some of his time. Ambergris Cay's fitness pavilion is a simple, two-level structure made of stone, wood and glass in the middle of the island. It's a masterpiece of minimalism. There's no way he'd miss out on visiting the open-air yoga deck or trying out a gym with floor-to-forever windows you fully appreciate from the Peloton and treadmill. As the name suggests, the resort is surrounded by cays and shrubland. That's great news for anyone into bonefishing. Fuel your competitive fire by seeing who in your group can snag the biggest bonefish or permit. But even if you're unsuccessful catching anything, casting in the crystal-clear Caribbean is so peaceful you won't have any regrets. There's a world to explore on this small island. Drinks at Hangover Tiki Bar are another way to drown out any fishing mishaps. It doesn't matter if you're a 6-foot-10 forward or a 5-foot-6 financial adviser, the floating drinking hole in the middle of the sea is the ideal setting for enjoying an All Sensations (vodka, pineapple juice, ginger ale and grenadine) or Melon Mist (vodka, rum, triple sec, melon liqueur and cranberry and orange juices) on a warm afternoon. After drinks and dinner, head back to your bungalow to put the telescope that's been sitting on your coffee table to use. Because the island is so removed from urban congestion, there's no light pollution to hinder the brilliance in the sky. When you look up to Ursa Major and other constellations, take a moment to realize that you're always surrounded by stars at Ambergris Cay—be it those up in the Northern Sky or a familiar face from West Hollywood.
