Barbados cuts ties with the British monarchy and becomes a republic. Caribbean Today's top stories this week

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Barbados Tuesday became the fourth English-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country to replace Britain’s Queen Elizabeth as its head of state and sworn in Dame Sandra Mason as the island’s first President with a 21-gun salute.

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – An Antiguan woman will be going to space, possibly with her daughter, after winning two seats aboard a Virgin Galactic’s commercial space flight.

NEW YORK, NY- (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – The metaverse will soon be a place to not just buy virtual goods and meet avatars, but to also get essential public services, as governments prepare to enter the rapidly expanding digital world despite concerns about privacy and other rights.

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – The Antigua and Barbuda government has hinted at the possibility of reversing a decision to end the state of emergency (SOE) on December 23 following the discovery of a new variant of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in South Africa over the past few days.