Carib Scope

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  • Belize Pitches Robotics as the Caribbean’s Next Big Game Changer

    Belize Pitches Robotics as the Caribbean’s Next Big Game Changer

    In a landmark push to position technology as a core driver of regional progress, Belize is stepping onto the global stage to share its trailblazing approach to robotics advancement, pitching it as a transformative force that could reshape education, innovation and economic expansion across the entire Caribbean. The small Central American nation brought its nationally institutionalized “Robotics as a Sport” initiative to the first-ever Caribbean STEM Engine for Economic Development (SEED) Summit 2026, where leaders framed the program as a replicable blueprint for preparing youth for the digital workforce of tomorrow while laying the foundation for more resilient, dynamic regional economies.

    Hosted by the Caribbean Science Foundation, in formal collaboration with Barbados’ Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Science and Technology and local innovation incubator FUTURE Barbados, the 2026 SEED Summit gathered a cross-sector audience of top stakeholders: educators, research scientists, startup founders, impact investors and regional government officials, all convened to explore how strategic investment in science and technology can unlock inclusive, long-term growth across Caribbean nations.

    Leading Belize’s delegation to the summit was Jamie Lee Usher, who serves dual roles as vice principal of student affairs at Saint Catherine Academy and president of the Belize Robotics Federation. During her keynote presentation, Usher spotlighted Belize’s historic distinction as the first country worldwide to grant official national recognition to robotics as a competitive sport—a classification that has helped expand access to robotics programming far beyond niche tech circles, embedding it into mainstream youth development and education frameworks.

    Usher’s presentation sparked energetic, productive discussion among regional education and innovation leaders, with Belize formally calling on other Caribbean countries to integrate robotics-focused strategies into their national development agendas. Proponents argue that widespread adoption of similar programs can boost participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields across the region, strengthen workforce readiness for emerging digital roles, and open new, sustainable economic opportunities for young Caribbean people who too often face limited professional pathways.

    Belize’s community-centered approach to robotics development aligns seamlessly with the overarching mission of the SEED Summit: the collective agreement that intentional investment in education, entrepreneurial ecosystems and homegrown innovation today is the most reliable path to building the new industries and high-quality jobs that will sustain Caribbean economies tomorrow.

    Beyond technical coding and engineering skills, Usher emphasized that the sport-centric robotics model cultivates a broad set of transferable soft skills that are critical for long-term success. “Students are pushed to think critically, tackle complex real-world problems, collaborate seamlessly in teams, communicate their ideas clearly, and keep persevering even when their designs fail,” Usher explained in her address. “These are not just the traits that make successful robotics competitors. These are exactly the qualities that the future Caribbean workforce and leadership will need to thrive in a rapidly changing global economy.” Closing out her presentation on the core philosophy that drives Belize’s program, Usher summed up its impact simply: “Skills pay the bills.”

  • West Indies women reflect on World Cup elimination

    West Indies women reflect on World Cup elimination

    The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign for West Indies came to an abrupt end in the semifinal stage, with two of the team’s key players pointing to inconsistent execution of their core game plan as the deciding factor in their premature exit. This elimination followed a lopsided eight-wicket defeat to powerhouse Australia at The Oval on Tuesday, a result that marked West Indies’ third consecutive loss after a promising unbeaten opening run through the first three matches of the tournament.

    All-rounder Jannillea Glasgow, one of the team’s most versatile performers, opened up about the squad’s reflections after the defeat. She emphasized that the team’s critical mistake was failing to adopt their signature aggressive, focused style of play from the very first delivery of key matches. “I think we just have to believe in ourselves from ball one and the get-go,” Glasgow explained. “You just come here and cricket is played on the day, you just come and play the right cricket on that day.”

    Fast-bowler Aaliyah Alleyne echoed Glasgow’s assessment, adding that despite the disappointing result, the team’s internal morale never fully fractured through the campaign’s ups and downs. She noted that even after an unexpected loss to Ireland earlier in the tournament, the squad still managed to battle their way into the semifinal round, proving their resilience off the pitch. “At the end of the day Australia came out and came hard at us, and we had no answers,” Alleyne added, acknowledging the defending champions’ dominant performance on the day.

    Both players took time to express sincere gratitude to the West Indies fanbase that supported the team throughout the tournament, even as results turned south in the knockout stage. Glasgow acknowledged that the semifinal exit fell far short of the title aspirations both the team and fans held, but struck an optimistic note for future tournaments. “To the supporters out there, thanks very much but hopefully in the future there are better things to come,” she said.

    Alleyne highlighted how far the women’s game has come for West Indies, noting that the growing crowd support marked a significant shift from earlier years when the team had far less public backing. “When you look back years ago, we didn’t have a following and now we see everyone keep saying go girls, keep going, we’re backing y’all 110 per cent,” she said. “So I just want to say thank you and keep supporting us. We have more to come.”

  • Africa-Caribbean initiative puts soil at the centre of climate and food security discussions

    Africa-Caribbean initiative puts soil at the centre of climate and food security discussions

    Against a backdrop of rising climate vulnerability and growing global food insecurity, a groundbreaking cross-continental knowledge-sharing initiative centered on climate-resilient agriculture has officially launched, connecting a diverse community of experts, policymakers, researchers, and smallholder farmers to reframe soil as a cornerstone of climate adaptation, sustainable development, and food system stability.

    Organized by the Caribbean Climate Responsive Agriculture Forum (CCRAF) in partnership with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and environmental advocacy group The Allure of Soil, the new Africa-Caribbean Connect Knowledge Exchange Initiative opened with its first public webinar on June 2, 2026. Titled “Why Soil Changes Everything: Reframing Soil as the Foundation of Climate, Food and Water Systems and Development,” the online event drew more than 350 live attendees spanning the Caribbean, Africa, and other global regions.

    Unlike traditional climate discourse that often overlooks below-ground ecosystems, the webinar positioned healthy soil as far more than inert growing medium, framing it as a dynamic, living foundation that underpins climate regulation, global biodiversity, freshwater security, agricultural output, and rural livelihoods across the world. Discussions were led by a cross-regional cohort of specialists spanning soil science, agroforestry, climate policy, and sustainable land management, bringing together on-the-ground experience and academic expertise from two regions disproportionately impacted by climate change but rich in indigenous and practical agricultural knowledge.

    In her opening remarks, Nekelia Gregoire Carai, IICA’s Technical Specialist in Soil and Water Management and CCRAF Coordinator, emphasized that the new initiative marks a critical milestone in strengthening collaborative ties between the two regions. “The launch of the CCRAF Africa-Caribbean Connect Initiative represents an important milestone in building stronger bridges between Africa and the Caribbean. Both regions are rich in agricultural knowledge, innovation, and resilience. Through collaboration and practical knowledge exchange, we can strengthen food systems, empower communities, and accelerate climate action across both regions,” she said.

    Established in 2015, CCRAF has operated for over a decade as a leading regional platform for knowledge sharing and climate action across the Caribbean. Coordinated through IICA, the forum already supports a wide portfolio of activities designed to advance climate-resilient agriculture, including regional training programs, youth engagement projects, knowledge-to-action networks, and international partnerships. The Africa-Caribbean Connect Series marks the forum’s first formal, sustained cross-continental collaboration focused on soil health.

    Marete Selvin, founder of The Allure of Soil, noted that the dialogue filled a longstanding gap in global climate and development planning. “Soil is often invisible in many climate and development conversations, yet it sustains every major system we depend on. This session challenged participants to rethink soil not as dirt, but as living infrastructure essential to climate resilience, food security, water systems, biodiversity, and economic development. The Africa-Caribbean dialogue demonstrated the incredible opportunity we have when communities and regions learn from one another,” she explained.

    Chaney St Martin, IICA’s International Specialist in Water and Soil Management, unpacked the scientific case for prioritizing soil health during his presentation, outlining how healthy soil functions as a self-sustaining ecosystem that sequesters carbon, regulates hydrological cycles, supports beneficial microbial life, and boosts agricultural resilience to extreme climate events. He illustrated that degraded soils undermine the effectiveness of common agricultural investments, from irrigation infrastructure to synthetic fertilizers, drastically limiting the impact of climate adaptation efforts. “Soil is not simply a growing medium; it is living infrastructure that underpins climate stability, water systems, food production, and ultimately human survival,” St Martin emphasized.

    Attendees also received on-the-ground insights from East Africa, where regenerative soil practices have already delivered transformative results for smallholder communities. Mercy Karunditu, Director of External Relations and Advocacy at Trees for the Future, shared case studies of the organization’s Forest Garden Approach, an integrated model that combines tree planting, intercropping, composting, and regenerative farming techniques to reverse land degradation while boosting crop yields and household income. She highlighted a successful project in Tanzania, where coordinated soil restoration turned extensive degraded farmland back into a productive, biodiverse ecosystem. “Healthy soils are not just environmental assets, they are economic assets that improve livelihoods, stabilize communities, and strengthen long-term food security,” Karunditu noted.

    From a global policy perspective, Rico Rau, Policy and Research Consultant for the international Save Soil movement, outlined the systemic changes required to scale regenerative agriculture worldwide. Rau explained that widespread soil restoration offers a cost-effective, scalable solution to overlapping global crises, from food insecurity and biodiversity collapse to freshwater scarcity, while also generating long-term economic opportunity for rural farming communities. He stressed that a coordinated multi-sector effort is required to drive the transition, with critical roles for national governments, local communities, financial institutions, and educational systems. “Restoring soil is not only an environmental necessity, it is one of the most practical and scalable solutions available for climate adaptation and strengthening global food systems,” Rau said.

    Post-webinar audience polls found that attendees overwhelmingly identified food systems and freshwater systems as the two areas facing the greatest risk from ongoing soil degradation. Participants across the Caribbean, Africa, and other regions contributed actively to the event via live chat and question-and-answer sessions, praising the webinar for combining rigorous scientific insight, indigenous knowledge, narrative storytelling, and actionable, on-the-ground solutions to address shared climate challenges. Organizers noted that the high level of engagement reflects growing global momentum around soil restoration and regenerative agriculture as core components of effective climate action. The initiative is set to host additional events and collaborative projects in the coming year to continue building cross-regional capacity and advancing shared goals for climate-resilient development.

  • Belize Signs Modifications to US$125M U.S.-Funded Compact

    Belize Signs Modifications to US$125M U.S.-Funded Compact

    On July 1, 2026, Belizean government officials formalized key amendments to a landmark $125 million grant compact with the United States’ Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a major U.S. foreign assistance agency, in a signing ceremony attended by Prime Minister John Briceño and senior diplomatic representatives from both nations. The revised agreement, one of the largest grant-based development investments in Belize’s modern history, reallocates $20 million originally earmarked for education to the compact’s energy sector initiative, following a comprehensive review of foreign assistance priorities by the U.S. government. The document was officially signed by Carlos Pol, Chief Executive Officer of Belize’s Ministry of Economic Transformation, on behalf of the Belizean government.

    The redirected funding will directly address unanticipated surges in energy demand driven by Belize’s faster-than-projected economic expansion over the past four years. According to Prime Minister Briceño, the country’s current energy consumption has already hit levels forecasters did not expect to see until 2028 or 2029, a shift he described as a “victory of our own success” that required urgent adjustments to the original compact’s funding allocations. The additional capital will support critical upgrades to Belize’s national electricity grid, highlighted by the construction of a new 69-kilovolt submarine transmission cable connecting the mainland to Ambergris Caye, a popular tourist and residential hub whose growing population has strained existing energy infrastructure.

    Beyond physical infrastructure improvements, the expanded Energy Project will also back targeted policy and regulatory reforms to modernize Belize’s energy governance, including structural updates to the national Belize Energy Act. Briceño noted that the upgraded investment will not only strengthen the reliability of the country’s power supply but also advance the government’s core goal of reducing overall energy costs for consumers and businesses. The Belizean government is already pursuing parallel renewable energy development—including utility-scale battery storage and solar energy projects—with financial backing from the World Bank, and the additional MCC funding will complement these ongoing efforts.

    Despite the $20 million reallocation, the compact’s remaining education investment will retain its original core mandates: improving access and quality at the secondary education level, expanding technical and vocational training programs aligned with labor market needs, and boosting overall workforce readiness to support long-term economic competitiveness. To offset the funding shift, the Government of Belize has committed to increasing its own domestic contributions to both the energy and education initiatives, including sustaining public funding for digital learning devices for secondary school students across the country.

    Briceño emphasized that education and energy have remained Belize’s top two development priorities since compact negotiations first launched with the MCC in late 2021, and years of cross-stakeholder consultations have shaped the revised agreement to reflect on-the-ground changes in the country’s economic context. The amended compact is scheduled to enter into force later in 2026, with the overarching goal of advancing both human capital development through education and more affordable, reliable energy to support inclusive, long-term economic growth across Belize.

  • ABRSC Announces Winners of 2026 Essay Competition

    ABRSC Announces Winners of 2026 Essay Competition

    A long-running initiative to deepen public understanding of historical injustice and reparatory action in Antigua and Barbuda has reached its latest milestone, with the Antigua and Barbuda Reparations Support Commission (ABRSC) officially announcing the winners of its highly anticipated 2026 national essay competition. This year’s contest centered on the timely, thought-provoking theme “Reparatory Justice: Reflection and Projection,” drawing submissions from a diverse cross-section of learners across the country’s education system.

    Unlike many academic competitions that limit participation to a single educational tier, the 2026 essay contest opened its doors to entrants across four distinct groups: primary school students, secondary school students, learners at the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies (ABCAS), and undergraduate and graduate students at the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus. Organizers reported that the range and quality of submissions far exceeded expectations, with entries showcasing exceptional creativity, rigorous scholarly research, and a nuanced, mature grasp of the complex topic of reparatory justice.

    Dr. Lenworth Johnson, the coordinator tasked with overseeing the 2026 competition, offered high praise for all participants who took the time to develop and submit their work. In remarks following the judging process, Johnson highlighted that every top-placed essay met and exceeded the competition’s four core judging standards: clarity of argument, depth of historical awareness, logical structural organization, and command of language. “These essays were far more than academic exercises,” Johnson noted. “They were imaginative, deeply insightful pieces, enriched with vivid personal and contextual imagery that brought the topic of reparatory justice to life for readers.”

    Winners were selected across two primary competitive categories to match the different educational levels of participants. In the university student category, Elena Etinoff claimed the top prize, followed by Neilisha Maragh in second place and Makkedah Lawrence in third. For the combined category of ABCAS learners and secondary school students, Shemika David of Clare Hall Secondary School took first place, with Uriah Francis from ABCAS’s Dr. Alister Francis Campus earning second place and Ariana Goodluck of ABCAS’s Eustace Hill Campus securing third place.

    In addition to public recognition, all winners received a combination of cash prizes and educational books. For university category winners, first place takes home EC$600, second place receives EC$400, third place gets EC$250, and all three top finishers receive a curated collection of books focused on Caribbean and African history. For the ABCAS/secondary school category, first place earns EC$500, second place gets EC$300, third place receives EC$150, paired with the same set of educational books.

    On behalf of the full commission, Chair H.E. Dorbrene O’Marde extended warm congratulations to every winner, as well as sincere gratitude to all participants and partnering educational institutions that supported the competition. The ABRSC emphasized that the essay competition is a core part of its broader mission to advance public education, encourage critical thinking, and build widespread awareness of reparatory justice and the shared history of African Caribbean people across Antigua and Barbuda. Commission members noted they hope the contest will continue to inspire new generations of learners to engage with this critical national and regional topic in years to come.

  • Saint Lucia celebrate another strong showing at OECS Bridge

    Saint Lucia celebrate another strong showing at OECS Bridge

    The Caribbean competitive bridge community is buzzing with excitement following a standout performance from Saint Lucia’s national delegation at the 36th annual Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Bridge Championships, held earlier this week at Roseau, Dominica’s iconic Fort Young Hotel. The 10-member team from Saint Lucia turned in a historic showing, claiming six podium placements across five event categories, with three first-place titles to its name.

    Over three days of tightly contested, strategic competition, Saint Lucia’s athletes asserted clear dominance over the tournament’s pairs divisions, claiming four of the six available trophies and locking in both first and second place in both pairs events. In the tournament’s most highly anticipated division, the OECS Pairs, Saint Lucia’s Jackie Theodore and Ian Hippolyte secured the top spot on the podium, followed by compatriots John Lewis and Naomi Patrick-Smith in second, with a pair from Martinique finishing third to round out the ranking.

    In the Open Pairs competition, the order shifted slightly, but Saint Lucia still locked out the top two positions: Lewis and Patrick-Smith claimed gold, while Irvin Smith and Dexter Theodore took silver. A Martinique pairing once again earned third place in this event.

    Saint Lucia’s winning streak continued into the Open Teams division, where the four-person squad of Theodore, Hippolyte, Nannette Reyes and Monique Devaux-Lovell claimed first place, outperforming squads from Martinique and host nation Dominica, which took second and third respectively. In the parallel OECS Teams event, Martinique claimed the gold medal, while Saint Lucia’s second team, made up of Smith, Victor Theodore, Patrick-Smith and Lewis, finished with silver.

    The only event where Saint Lucia failed to earn a podium placement was the Swiss Teams division, where host Dominica turned in a strong performance to claim both first and third place.

    Following the tournament, the Saint Lucia Bridge Association, which organized the 10-member delegation’s trip to Dominica, issued a public statement thanking its key sponsors for their support. Major backers included the country’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, Republic Bank, and the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association, whose contributions made the team’s participation and successful run possible.

  • Exclusive report: New study raises fresh questions about security vetting in Caribbean Citizenship by Investment programmes

    Exclusive report: New study raises fresh questions about security vetting in Caribbean Citizenship by Investment programmes

    For years, Eastern Caribbean governments have operated Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs, which grant citizenship to foreign applicants in exchange for substantial financial investment. As international scrutiny of these schemes has grown over the past decade, regional authorities have repeatedly defended their protocols, emphasizing that rigorous background checks and globally recognized due diligence frameworks effectively block high-risk and criminal applicants from securing citizenship. But a new peer-reviewed academic study published in the *Global Crime* journal, titled *Passports, Transactions and Trust: Middle Eastern Financial Executives on Money Laundering Risks in Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Schemes*, calls these official assurances into question, based on firsthand testimony from senior international banking leaders.

  • Mira Millions Update: Briceño Says PUP Government Is Not In Crisis

    Mira Millions Update: Briceño Says PUP Government Is Not In Crisis

    On July 1, 2026, Belizean Prime Minister John Briceño pushed back firmly against public claims that his People’s United Party (PUP) administration is facing a governing crisis, following a high-stakes development in the ongoing Mira Millions corruption investigation: Defence Minister Florencio Marin Jr has formally requested a 90-day leave of absence from his post.

    Speaking to reporters Wednesday morning, Briceño rejected the framing of the unfolding scandal as a catastrophic threat to his government, pointing to the stability of his parliamentary bloc. “No, it’s not creating a crisis. Remember, it’s 26 of us,” he told media outlets, emphasizing that the majority of his party remains unified despite the ongoing probe.

    Briceño confirmed that Marin reached out to him personally to request the temporary leave, explaining that the step is intended to eliminate any perception of political interference as the auditor general’s office completes its investigation into suspicious activities at the Ministry of Defence. According to the prime minister, Marin has consistently maintained that he has not engaged in any illegal activity connected to the case, but believes stepping down temporarily is the most responsible choice for both his party and the integrity of the audit process.

    “He believes that he didn’t do anything illegal, but he thinks that it would be best for the government, for him, to step back for the next 90 days, then we get a report and then take it from there,” Briceño explained, outlining the path forward once the auditor general issues its final findings.

    Marin’s decision to step aside comes after weeks of growing public scrutiny over questionable payments documented in Smart Stream invoices. The records link five siblings of Oscar Mira, the Belmopan Area Representative, to millions of dollars in disbursements from the Ministry of Defence, prompting the launch of the official independent audit. Since the details of the payments emerged, multiple senior government officials connected to the case — including Mira himself, Minister Andre Perez, and Marin — have declined to address the allegations directly, instead deferring all questions to the ongoing audit process.

    Prior to Marin’s leave request, Financial Secretary Joseph Waight had already publicly outlined the formal payment approval structure used by the Ministry of Defence, breaking down the multi-step process: a junior clerk first prepares invoices for payment, a designated financial officer then approves the disbursement, and a senior accounting officer conducts a final review and authorizes the transaction before payment is issued.

  • SOCU Chief denies being detained in US

    SOCU Chief denies being detained in US

    In a public statement issued Wednesday from his current location in the United States, the senior head of Guyana’s top organized crime enforcement unit has strongly refuted unsubstantiated social media claims that he was taken into custody and interrogated by U.S. law enforcement officials during a recent entry into the country.

    Deputy Police Commissioner Fazil Karimbaksh, who leads the Guyana Police Force’s Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU), is moving forward with plans to pursue legal action against the individuals responsible for spreading the false allegations across social platforms. Currently on the ground in the U.S., Karimbaksh explained that his lawsuit will aim to compel a court order forcing the originators of the rumors to release any evidence they claim to have supporting the assertion that he was detained upon arrival last week.

    Karimbaksh’s role at SOCU centers on leading high-stakes financial crime investigations, work that regularly involves close cross-border coordination with law enforcement partners across the Caribbean, North America and other international jurisdictions. This is not the first time rumors of U.S. law enforcement questioning of senior Guyanese police officials have circulated: the Guyanese government has previously pushed back on and downplayed similar reports naming multiple high-ranking police figures as subjects of U.S. interrogations.

    The unconfirmed allegations spread widely across social media earlier this month, prompting Karimbaksh’s first public on-the-record denial of the claims amid growing public attention to the rumor.

  • Derde helft WK 2026: Engeland herpakt zich en krijgt heldhaftig Congo alsnog klein

    Derde helft WK 2026: Engeland herpakt zich en krijgt heldhaftig Congo alsnog klein

    The 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage kicked off with a breathtaking clash at Atlanta Stadium that delivered everything fans could have asked for: underdog grit, last-minute drama, and a heart-stopping finish that left supporters on the edge of their seats. Pre-tournament favorites and former world champions England entered their round of 16 tie against DR Congo as heavy favorites on paper, having topped their group to secure their knockout spot. The Congolese side, meanwhile, had scraped into the knockout phase as one of the best third-placed teams, with most pundits writing them off before the opening whistle.

    But football’s greatest magic often lies in upset hopes, and DR Congo made it clear within the opening seven minutes that they had not come to Atlanta just to make up the numbers. Starting at a blistering pace, the African side caught England napping on the break: Chancel Mbemba teed up a clinical finish from Brian Cipenga, who slotted past England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to put DR Congo 1-0 up early. The stunned Three Lions side grew increasingly frustrated as the half wore on, with the Congolese defense blocking every attacking threat thrown their way.

    England’s first real dangerous chance came in the 14th minute, but DR Congo’s backline held firm to clear the danger. In the 30th minute, Jude Bellingham, one of England’s standout stars of the tournament, fired a powerful effort that DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi pushed away for a corner. Five minutes later, Marcus Rashford thought he had bagged the equalizer, only for former England youth international Aaron Wan-Bissaka to clear the effort off the goal line, preserving DR Congo’s lead going into halftime.

    DR Congo even had a golden chance to double their advantage just before the break, when Yoane Wissa found himself unmarked in front of goal from close range. But his effort rattled off the post and bounced wide, letting England off the hook. Just before halftime stoppage time, Harry Kane attempted to win a penalty after going down in the box, but the referee waved away the appeal, correctly judging no foul had been committed. Bellingham then had a close-range header that looked destined for the back of the net, only for Mpasi to pull off a miraculous save to keep his side ahead going into the break.

    The second half opened with more of England’s relentless pressure, and more world-class stops from Mpasi. Rashford had a clear chance to level the score just after kickoff, but his shot drifted inches wide of the post. A minute later, Bellingham again had a golden opportunity, but Mpasi pulled off another stunning save to keep DR Congo ahead.

    It was not until the 75th minute that England finally broke through DR Congo’s resilient defense. Captain Harry Kane nodded home a cross, with the ball deflecting off Mpasi and bouncing into the net to level the score at 1-1. With just 10 minutes left on the clock, Kane struck again to secure England’s place in the quarter-finals: the striker hit a venomous effort past Mpasi into the top corner of the net, putting England ahead 2-1 with just four minutes left of normal time.

    The late double was enough to see England over the line, as they held on through stoppage time to avoid one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. Gareth Southgate’s side will now advance to the quarter-finals, where they will face tournament hosts Mexico for a spot in the final four.