Jamaica's Jimmy Cliff, the iconic reggae star who helped transform the island's music into a global cultural phenomenon, has died, his wife said Monday in a social media post. He was 81.

Kingston

Jimmy Cliff, the renowned Jamaican reggae musician and actor, has died at the age of 81. Cliff rose to prominence with his role in the film 'The Harder They Come,' which played a significant role in introducing reggae music to international audiences. 

Cliff's career included a series of successful albums, international hits such as his cover of 'I Can See Clearly Now,' and notable contributions to film soundtracks. He was also recognized for his political activism, with his song 'Vietnam' praised by Bob Dylan as a powerful protest anthem.

Reggae legend Jimmy Cliff dead at 81

The film that almost pushed Jimmy Cliff into the mainstream, The Harder They Come tells the story of an aspiring musician looking for work in 70s Jamaica. Despite his character's tragic spiral into crime and violence, the musician struggled to get heard as not too far from Cliff's own tale. Born James Chambers in Jamaica, the ambitious young singer eventually found success on his native island after reaching the ears of producer Leslie Kong. But the path to worldwide fame was a tough one. Even though The Harder They Come was finished by 1972, it took until 1975 to get general release in the US. Jimmy Cliff's soundtrack eventually helped to bring the positive vibes of reggae to American ears. By this time Cliff had completed a voyage of spiritual discovery in Africa where he converted to Islam. But music remained the most important thing to him then. Music has always played an integral part in changing the world. Why? Because music is the universal language. So music does it better than religion or politics. Despite a string of albums in the 1970s and 80s and a solid fan base in Brazil, France and the UK, Jimmy Cliff's real success came with the work he did for Filmed. In 1993 his cover of Johnny Nash's I Can See Clearly Now for the film Cool Runnings was an international hit followed by a version of Hakuna Matata from the Lion King soundtrack in 1995. Positive vibes from this fantastic artist who has now departed this side of the world as his wife put it in the press release of his passing. But like many artists and reggae artists he could be very political and people like Bob Dylan once described his 1970s track Vietnam as the best protest song he'd ever heard. So how about we check out Jimmy Cliff's cover of Vietnam. My time will be of some diamond jewel

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the U.S.- and Israeli-backed organization to distribute aid in Gaza, said on Monday (November 24) it was ending its operations after months of criticism over the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians trying to reach GHF hubs.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Divisive U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza aid group ends operations

The head of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, said late on Monday (November 24) that his paramilitaries would immediately enter into a three-month humanitarian truce in its conflict with the country's armed forces.

Darfur

Sudan's RSF paramilitary says it will enter into a ceasefire

Chauncey Billups, who was serving as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers until his suspension, pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges related to alleged rigged high-stakes poker games.

Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty to charges

The Kremlin on Monday (November 24) said that a European counter-proposal to a U.S. 28-point peace plan for Ukraine was not constructive and that it simply did not work for Moscow.

Moscow

Kremlin rejects revised European peace plan to end war in Ukraine

A federal judge has dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James on the grounds that Lindsey Halligan, the interim U.S. attorney who secured their indictments, was unlawfully appointed to the role.

Washington

Cases against James Comey, Letitia James dismissed

At least 90 people have died in a week of torrential rain, flooding and landslides in south-central Vietnam, authorities said. Popular tourist areas have been heavily hit, with parts of Nha Trang submerged and deadly landslides cutting off roads near Da Lat.

Nha Trang

Vietnam flooding kills at least 90

The Trump Administration is ramping up pressure on Venezuela as the Air Force conducted a simulated nighttime attack along the country's coast. Charlie D'Agata has the latest.

Caracas

Trump ramps up pressure on Venezuela with nighttime Air Force attack

Israel killed Ali Tabtabai, the acting chief of staff of militant group Hezbollah, in an airstrike on a southern suburb of Beirut on Sunday, the Israeli military said.

Beirut

Middle East Conflict

Israel kills Hezbollah military leader in Beirut strike

While Russia and Ukraine continue to exchange daily drone fire, an updated peace framework is being worked out in Geneva between Ukraine, the US and European partners.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Ukraine upholds red lines as Geneva peace talks continue

Álvaro García Ortiz's decision came less than a week after he received a two-year suspension and a fine for disclosing private information about the partner of an opposition politician.

Madrid

Spain's attorney general resigns after conviction over data leak

U.S. President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency has been disbanded with eight months remaining in its mandate, and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor has told Reuters that the cost-cutting body now "doesn't exist".

DOGE 'doesn't exist' with eight months left on its charter

Al-Burhan rejected a new truce proposal from US envoy as the “worst yet”, accusing the Quad mediators of bias due to the UAE’s involvement.

Al Fashir

Sudan’s army chief rejects quad truce proposal as ‘worst yet’

Three suicide bombers and three security personnel killed in attack on the Federal Constabulary headquarters in Peshawar, media reports say.

Peshawar

Six killed in suicide attack on security complex in Pakistan

The attack which Israel says to have killed chief of staff Haytham Tabtabai in the southern suburbs of Beirut also killed four other people and injured 25.

Israel says to have killed top Hezbollah official in strike on Beirut

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer suggested that former Prince Andrew should testify before the U.S. Congress as part of its ongoing investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. Starmer did not discuss Andrew’s case directly but said, as a matter of principle, everyone involved should cooperate with the inquiry.

London

Starmer says former Prince Andrew should testify in Epstein probe

About 50 schoolchildren aged 10–18 who were abducted in Niger state, Nigeria, have escaped, authorities confirmed. They fled individually between Friday and Saturday, according to the Christian Association of Nigeria, which runs the school. Officials continue to track those still missing.

Niger

50 abducted Nigerian schoolchildren escape, authorities say

The first G20 summit to be held in Africa has been labelled a "triumph of multilateralism," as leaders from the world's more powerful economies came together in Johannesburg. South African leader Cyril Ramaphosa used his presidency to highlight the priorities of Africa and the global south.

Johannesburg

G20 shared goals 'outweigh differences' as summit ends

After running a day overtime, delegates at COP30, the United Nations climate summit in Belém, Brazil, finally reached a deal on a final agreement, but one that falls well short of the high expectations held by many delegates, environmental groups and NGOs.

Belém

COP30 climate deal falls short of expectations

Washington signaled room for negotiation on a 28-point plan to end the Ukraine war, denying claims by some U.S. senators that it is a Russian "wish list," as Kyiv and European allies criticized the proposal ahead of Sunday talks in Geneva.

Geneva

Europeans push for stronger deal for Ukraine as Geneva talks continue

The United States is set to launch a new phase of Venezuela-related operations in the coming days, four U.S. officials told Reuters, as the Trump administration steps up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro's government.

U.S. to launch new phase of Venezuela operations, sources say

Premier Li Qiang said Beijing wants to work with Pretoria to safeguard the multilateral trading system.

China pledges to work more closely with South Africa

Brazil's COP30 presidency pushed through a compromise climate deal that would boost finance for poor nations coping with global warming but that omitted any mention of the fossil fuels driving it.

UN climate talks end with no binding deal on fossil fuels

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a once-loyal supporter of Donald Trump who has since become a critic of the president, said she is resigning from Congress in January. Greene's resignation followed a public fallout with Trump over the Epstein files.

Trump loyalist-turned-critic Marjorie Taylor Greene resigns

The Coast Guard said it conducted its largest cocaine seizure in history worth an estimated $362 million. Take an inside look as officials offload the nearly 50,000 pounds of drugs.

Coast Guard announces largest cocaine seizure in agency history

U.S Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff are due to arrive in Geneva on Sunday to push for President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in Ukraine. European and Ukrainian officials will take part in the talks.

U.S delegation to meet with Ukraine to sell Trump's peace plan

The G20 summit opened on Saturday (November 22) with EU leaders and their counterparts from leading and emerging economies coming together as Washington's proposed peace plan for Ukraine loomed large on the sidelines.

Soweto

Leaders adopt declaration at Africa's first G20 summit

Federal police have detained Brazil’s ex-president Jair Bolsonaro after a Supreme Court judge deemed the far-right firebrand a "high flight risk." The arrest comes just days before Bolsonaro is due to begin a 27-year prison term for leading a botched coup attempt.

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil ex-president Bolsonaro arrested due to "flight risk"

Pope Leo XIV met with some of the rescued Ukrainian children who were kidnapped by Russian forces throughout the war as the Vatican ramps up its efforts to get all of the nearly 20,000 abducted kids home to Ukraine.

Rome

Pope Leo XIV meets with rescued Ukrainian children

U.S. President Donald Trump and New York City's incoming progressive mayor Zohran Mamdani were all smiles at a White House meeting, promising to set aside months of bitter feuding and cooperate on the city's future.

Trump hosts warm White House meeting with N.Y. mayor-elect Mamdani

Hopes for a strong G20 declaration on climate and debt relief are slim as South Africa hosts the summit from Saturday (November 22). Global tensions and a boycott by the U.S. threaten to overshadow the gathering.

Breakdown