Carib Scope

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  • Antigua Handball Association Celebrates Revival as National Teams Compete in IHF Beach Tournament

    Antigua Handball Association Celebrates Revival as National Teams Compete in IHF Beach Tournament

    After nearly 10 years of stagnation under the national Olympic framework, handball is making a promising comeback in Antigua and Barbuda, with the small island nation poised to make its regional competitive debut at the upcoming International Handball Federation (IHF) Beach Handball Tournament and World Cup qualifier hosted by neighboring St. Kitts and Nevis.

    The journey of handball in Antigua and Barbuda traces back to the early vision of E. P. Chet Greene, president of the Antigua and Barbuda National Olympic Committee (ABNOC), who first brought the sport to the islands. Decades later, after years of minimal activity, local handball advocates led by Cliff Williams have refocused development efforts on beach handball — a format that fits naturally with the country’s coastal landscape — to rebuild grassroots interest and participation.

    This revival effort received critical backing from the IHF’s Developing Nations grant program, which provided the financial support needed to assemble both men’s and women’s national squads and cover the costs of competing in the April 23-26, 2026 tournament. Beyond funding, the IHF also delivered on-the-ground coaching support, bringing in Puerto Rico-based coach Olando Garcia to train local athletes and help the Antigua and Barbuda Handball Association design a long-term competitive development plan for the sport.

    In just two months, the association ran an aggressive recruitment and intensive training campaign to build the two national rosters. A total of 20 athletes — 10 men and 10 women — were selected alongside a delegation of five officials. To build a competitive base quickly, organizers recruited athletes from existing popular local sports: most female competitors came from netball and volleyball backgrounds, while male athletes were drawn from cricket, baseball, volleyball and other community sporting programs. Training sessions were held across both beach courts and indoor hardcourts to prepare the squads for the upcoming competition.

    Association leaders say the athletes have shown remarkable dedication, enthusiasm and growth throughout the training process, putting in the work to reach a competitive standard ahead of their first international outing. The men’s team will kick off its tournament campaign at 9:00 a.m. against host St. Kitts and Nevis, while the women’s squad will face its first match against the United States at 12:20 p.m. Organizers plan to share a link to live stream the matches once it is made available.

    The handball association extended public gratitude to all partners that made the revival possible, singling out Karen Joseph, NOC vice president and president of Antigua and Barbuda’s netball association, for her instrumental support in launching the initiative, and local trainer Keston Daley for his ongoing commitment to athlete development. The association also reaffirmed its thanks to the IHF for both the financial investment and technical support that turned the comeback into a reality.

    As the delegation prepares to take the court for the country’s first-ever regional handball competition, association leaders are calling on local sports fans to rally behind the athletes as they take this landmark step for the future of handball in Antigua and Barbuda.

  • Minister Ramsaran: Defensie moet versnellen en zich aanpassen aan nieuwe dreigingen

    Minister Ramsaran: Defensie moet versnellen en zich aanpassen aan nieuwe dreigingen

    On Friday, during the formal inauguration of new Surinamese National Army Commander Mitchell Labadie, Defense Minister Uraiqit Ramsaran laid out a clear roadmap for the country’s defense sector, calling for urgent institutional strengthening and adaptive reform to match the pace of a rapidly shifting global security landscape.

    In his keynote address to the defense community, Ramsaran framed the change in military leadership not as a routine transitional moment, but as a pivotal milestone that carries renewed institutional responsibility. He reaffirmed the core mission of Suriname’s defense apparatus: safeguarding national sovereignty, maintaining operational readiness to respond to domestic emergencies, and upholding a reputation as a reliable pillar of national stability.

    Beyond basic functionality, Ramsaran pushed for accelerated progress across the defense sector. He emphasized that the National Army remains the foundational bedrock of Suriname’s overall security and domestic stability, a role that requires the organization to move far beyond maintaining the status quo. “Our organization must not only function — it must accelerate,” he told attendees.

    Growing global complexity, he argued, has created a steadily expanding set of security challenges. Shifting international dynamics, rapid technological change, and increasingly complex, transnational security threats demand constant adaptation, incremental improvement, and deliberate institutional strengthening. Against this backdrop, he stressed that strong, ethical, and dependable leadership is non-negotiable for the defense force to fulfill its mandate.

    Ramsaran extended his formal congratulations to Labadie on his appointment, expressing full confidence in the new commander’s professional capabilities. He reminded Labadie that the role demands unwavering resolve, sharp strategic insight, and uncompromising personal integrity, noting that every decision he makes will directly shape the readiness and morale of the country’s military personnel.

    Alongside welcoming the new leadership, the minister also publicly recognized the departing commander for their years of service and contributions to advancing the defense organization’s development.

    In guidance to Labadie, Ramsaran urged the new commander to remain visible, approachable, and closely connected to rank-and-file service members across all operational levels. “That is where the true strength of our defense force lies,” he said.

    Ramsaran further emphasized that cross-sector collaboration is not an optional strategy, but the core key to delivering successful outcomes. This commitment to collaboration applies within the defense hierarchy, across all government departments, and in engagement with wider Surinamese society. Even as leadership transitions, he added, the core values that guide the defense organization must remain unchanged. “Service, steadfastness, and loyalty will remain our compass,” Ramsaran said.

  • Minister pilots major labour law reforms

    Minister pilots major labour law reforms

    In a landmark move to update decades-old employment regulations, Trinidad and Tobago’s Labour Minister Leroy Baptiste introduced a transformative amendment bill to the Senate Wednesday that aims to rewrite the rulebook for retrenchment practices and strengthen safeguards for workers facing job loss.

    The Retrenchment and Severance Benefits (Amendment) Bill 2026 brings a slate of sweeping changes, including stricter accountability requirements for employers, expanded worker protections, and a marked increase in the minimum severance payments companies must issue to laid-off staff. Baptiste outlined that every core stage of the retrenchment process — from initial layoff planning to final severance payout — will be restructured under the new framework.

    One of the bill’s most financially impactful adjustments comes via Clause 16, which revises the tiered minimum severance payment structure to deliver higher compensation for displaced workers. For non-monthly paid (hourly, daily or weekly) workers with one to fewer than five years of service, the minimum payout rises to three weeks’ pay per year of employment, while monthly-rated workers in the same tenure bracket will receive one month’s pay per year. For workers with five or more years of service, non-monthly workers get four weeks’ pay per year for the first four years, jumping to six weeks’ pay per year for each year starting from the fifth. Monthly-rated workers in this longer tenure group will receive one and a quarter months’ pay per year for the first four years, increasing to one and three-quarter months per year from the fifth year onward.

    Clause 9 of the bill introduces a formal, regulated framework for temporary layoffs, a provision missing from the current outdated law. The new rule caps unagreed temporary layoffs at 90 calendar days; if a worker remains off the job beyond this window, they are automatically classified as redundant starting on the 91st day, triggering the employer’s legal requirement to issue full severance benefits. The legislation does build in limited flexibility: employers can extend the 90-day period if they reach a written agreement with either a recognized majority union representing the worker or the affected employee directly.

    Another key mandate comes via Clause 10, which requires mandatory consultation with recognized majority unions before employers can issue formal redundancy notices. The mandatory consultation period is capped at 21 days unless both parties agree to an extension, and the bill mandates that discussions must be “meaningful and genuine” covering six critical areas: the justifications for proposed layoffs, strategies to avoid or reduce the number of job cuts, criteria for selecting which workers will be terminated, measures to ease the impact on displaced staff, paid time off for job searching, and alternative arrangements such as redeployment, reduced working hours, or temporary layoffs. Employers are also required to disclose all relevant information to facilitate these talks, with a narrow exception for information that would cause material harm to the business if released.

    Additional worker-focused provisions include Clause 12, which requires employers that fail to meet the new 45-day minimum notice period for layoffs to pay the equivalent of wages for the full missed notice period. Clause 13 enshrines a new right for workers facing redundancy to take reasonable paid time off to seek new employment. Clause 14 adds a rehiring preference mandate: if an employer looks to fill a role identical or substantially similar to one made redundant within the previous six months, they must prioritize offering the position to the previously retrenched worker, and are required to make reasonable efforts to notify former staff of the opening.

    Addressing the Senate during debate on the legislation, Baptiste framed the bill as one of the most consequential overhauls to the nation’s labour legal framework in a generation, saying it carries profound social, economic and moral significance for working people across the country. The reform directly addresses the lived experiences of workers who have faced job displacement due to corporate restructuring, insolvency, receivership and business collapse, he added.

    Baptiste also used the speech to criticize the previous People’s National Movement (PNM) administration, saying the public was misled into believing comprehensive labour reform was a top PNM priority, yet the update languished for years without decisive action. He noted that the existing retrenchment law has not been updated since 1985, calling the outdated framework one of the country’s “greatest injustices” against workers, pointing to the 2016 closure of ArcelorMittal as a glaring example of the law’s failures. That sudden shuttering displaced roughly 1,400 workers including contract staff, and laid bare the gaps in the country’s outdated employment protection rules, Baptiste said.

  • Court rules police killings unlawful

    Court rules police killings unlawful

    Nearly six years after a fatal police operation left five young men dead in Trinidad and Tobago’s Laventille neighborhood, a High Court judge has delivered a landmark ruling that the shootings were unlawful, holding state authorities accountable and mandating millions in compensation for the victims’ grieving families.

    Justice Marcia Ayers-Caesar issued the historic judgment this week, upholding civil claims brought on behalf of the five victims: 22-year-old Mechack Douglas, 19-year-old Shaundell St Clair, 15-year-old Shakeem Francois, 23-year-old Nicholas Barker, and 17-year-old Kudiem Phillip. The fatal incident dates back to October 25, 2018, when the group had gathered behind a residential property on Upper Wharton Street, Trou Macaque Road.

    Court evidence laid out a starkly different account of the encounter than the official narrative advanced by law enforcement. According to testimony accepted by the judge, Douglas was playing cards and listening to music with friends when officers from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) entered the private yard. The officers allegedly taunted Douglas before shooting him in the chest. St Clair attempted to flee the scene but was chased, beaten with a service firearm, and then shot dead. Francois, Barker, and Phillip were also killed during the operation, while a sixth man present managed to escape and hide.

    State attorneys had argued that the five men opened fire on officers first, sparking a defensive shootout that justified the use of lethal force. But Justice Ayers-Caesar outright rejected this version of events, ruling it wholly unreliable and unsupported by the physical evidence presented to the court.

    Multiple key findings undermined the law enforcement narrative. Autopsy reports confirmed that both Douglas and St Clair were shot at close range directly in the chest, a detail that directly contradicted police claims of a exchanged gunfight at a distance. The judge also drew attention to two firearms that officers claimed they recovered from the scene as weapons belonging to the victims. She pointed out a striking irregularity: “It is passing strange that neither weapon had a trace amount of blood, dirt, or any appearance as if they had been used at all.”

    Beyond the lack of physical evidence to back the state’s case, Ayers-Caesar highlighted pervasive inconsistencies in the statements given by the officers involved in the operation. She also issued sharp criticism of the official investigation conducted by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), noting that involved officers were never interviewed separately to cross-verify their accounts, and independent witnesses were never properly questioned.

    These investigative failures led the judge to draw a serious conclusion: “The inadequacy of the investigation on the part of the TTPS to take any steps to properly and thoroughly investigate this matter can only lead one to conclude that there may have been attempts to cover up what actually took place.”

    Having established that the killings were not legally justified, Justice Ayers-Caesar ruled that the officers’ conduct amounted to three actionable civil wrongs: assault and battery, and misfeasance—improper and harmful conduct—in public office. She explicitly found that the officers acted in bad faith, demonstrating reckless indifference to whether their actions complied with the law. “The unauthorised killing of the men on the date in question, coupled with the incredulous defence which they have put forward, clearly shows that the party of officers acted in bad faith,” she wrote in her ruling.

    In total, the judge ordered the state to pay more than $4 million in damages to the victims’ families. Each victim’s estate receives $125,000 in general damages for assault and battery, plus an additional $75,000 for misfeasance in public office. Extra aggravated and vindicatory damages were also awarded to underscore the court’s strong condemnation of the officers’ unlawful conduct.

    Senior Counsel Lee Merry led the legal team representing the families, alongside attorney Ajesh Sumessar. The Office of the Attorney General, which defended the state in the civil action, was represented by attorneys Stefan Jaikaran and Janine Joseph.

  • 2 MORE HELD IN GUN HEIST

    2 MORE HELD IN GUN HEIST

    A shocking killing of a serving Trinidadian police officer has moved into a new procedural phase, as law enforcement officials have confirmed that two additional civilian men will face criminal charges connected to the murder of Municipal Police Corporal Anuska Eversley and the theft of weapons from the San Fernando Municipal Police Station. The incident, which took place early last Sunday, has already sparked institutional upheaval and raised urgent questions about internal oversight within the country’s municipal police service.

    Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) Commissioner Allister Guevarro announced the upcoming charges in an official audio statement released to the public this week. The new charges come after formal consultations with Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard, SC. The two soon-to-be-accused are a 24-year-old scrap iron dealer and a 20-year-old construction worker, both residents of Claxton Bay. They will be prosecuted jointly alongside a 28-year-old municipal police officer who has already been taken into custody, marking him as the only currently charged uniformed officer in the case, Guevarro clarified.

    All three suspects will face four identical counts: murder, robbery with violence, firearms trafficking, and illegal possession of ammunition, according to Guevarro. The pending charges are the product of days of coordinated investigative work and evidence recovery operations carried out across multiple districts in the country. During these searches, investigating officers seized a large cache of illegal weapons: more than 40 firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and multiple high-capacity magazines were recovered from locations across Claxton Bay, Gasparillo, and surrounding communities. The formal process of laying charges is currently being handled by Assistant Superintendent Maraj of the TTPS Homicide Bureau of Investigations. Once this paperwork is finalized, all three men will be brought before a Master of the High Court to answer the charges against them.

    Guevarro emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing, with the TTPS actively pursuing additional leads to identify every person connected to the crime. “Our investigators remain focused on identifying any additional facilitators, recovering any outstanding items and bringing every responsible individual before the courts,” he said, adding that the service will continue to share public updates while protecting the integrity of the ongoing probe. In response to widespread public concern following the killing of the 28-year-old mother of three, Guevarro reaffirmed the service’s commitment to delivering accountability: “The TTPS remains resolute in meeting that expectation.”

    Eversley’s body was discovered at the San Fernando Municipal Police Station just after 4:30 a.m. last Sunday. A post-mortem examination confirmed she died after being beaten, strangled, and stabbed. To date, police have detained 10 people in total in connection with her death and the linked weapons theft. Preliminary investigative findings, senior law enforcement sources told local outlet the Express, point to a ring of municipal officers that allegedly supplied stolen firearms and ammunition to the criminal underworld. Sources added that this illegal activity is believed to have been operating unchecked for between six and eight months, a revelation that has exposed critical gaps in institutional oversight within the municipal police service.

    In the wake of these revelations, institutional changes have already been implemented. Assistant Commissioner of Police Wayne Mystar has been tapped to replace Surrendra Sagramsingh, the long-serving Municipal Assistant Commissioner of Police who has led the Trinidad and Tobago Municipal Police Service (TTMPS) for the past six years. Sagramsingh was placed on immediate administrative leave earlier this week, a decision he confirmed in a phone interview with the Express.

    “Well, yes. I’ve been sent on administrative leave for the course of the investigation,” Sagramsingh told reporters. He explained that the administrative measure was framed as a step to protect the transparency of the probe. “Because of the investigation ongoing and they wouldn’t want me to be around performing duty, and to ensure transparency in case they see a connection.” Sagramsingh added that he had accepted the leadership’s decision. The order placing him on leave was formalized in an April 21, 2026 letter from acting permanent secretary Peter Mitchell, which explicitly states the leave is a precautionary step taken to protect the investigation’s integrity, and that the measure does not constitute a finding of misconduct or personal liability on Sagramsingh’s part.

  • AG wants ‘swift action’ in heist probe

    AG wants ‘swift action’ in heist probe

    A shocking on-duty murder at a local municipal police facility has triggered urgent disciplinary action across Trinidad and Tobago’s law enforcement oversight bodies, after Attorney General John Jeremie publicly pushed for swift accountability in the killing of Municipal Police Corporal Anuska Eversley.

    Eversley was fatally attacked last Sunday while on duty at the San Fernando Municipal Police Station, a crime that has sent shockwaves through the country’s public safety community and raised urgent questions about internal discipline within municipal law enforcement. In an official letter dated April 21, 2026, addressed to Dr. Gloria Edwards-Joseph, chair of the Statutory Authorities Service Commission (SASC)—the body responsible for disciplinary oversight of statutory public officers including municipal police—Jeremie stressed that the unprecedented nature of the crime demanded immediate, decisive action.

    Key details of the investigation, confirmed by Jeremie in his correspondence, reveal that the primary suspect in Eversley’s murder is a serving municipal police officer, and multiple other officers were on the station’s compound when both the killing and an associated heist took place. Jeremie emphasized that as the official guardian of public interest, the SASC could not afford to delay action, noting that disciplinary authority over affected officers falls explicitly under the commission’s constitutional and statutory mandates.

    “It would be remiss of your office, as guardians of the public interest, to not take swift action and treat the matter with urgency,” Jeremie wrote. “I hope that within your authority, appropriate urgent and decisive action is taken consistent with your constitutional and statutory mandates.”

    Edwards-Joseph confirmed in her response to the Attorney General that the commission has already acted on a formal recommendation from Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro, voting to immediately suspend five municipal police officers—three men and two women—including one serving Superintendent, pending the final outcome of the criminal investigation. Official suspension notices have already been delivered to all five officers, directing them to cease reporting for duty immediately.

    The commission also addressed a second recommendation from Guevarro to suspend Assistant Commissioner of Municipal Police Surendra Sagramsingh. However, Sagramsingh’s employment status falls outside the SASC’s jurisdiction: he serves as a contract officer directly employed by the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government. In line with this, Acting Permanent Secretary of the ministry Peter Mitchell issued his own notice to Sagramsingh on the same date, April 21, 2026, ordering him to take immediate paid administrative leave to protect the integrity of the ongoing homicide investigation. The ministry’s letter explicitly clarifies that Sagramsingh’s leave is a purely precautionary measure and does not represent a finding of misconduct or liability on his part.

  • No plans to remove subsidy to airbridge

    No plans to remove subsidy to airbridge

    A public debate over the future of the Trinidad-Tobago domestic airbridge has prompted top government officials to clear up widespread misinformation, confirming that existing subsidized passenger fares will remain untouched, while a proposal for new premium unsubsidized flights remains in the early feasibility stage.

    Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar stepped forward to address growing public anxiety over the weekend, emphasizing in an interview with local outlet the Express on that there has never been any official consideration of scrapping the longstanding subsidy program that keeps round-trip airfares fixed at $400 for travel between the two main islands. She stressed that the subsidized service is an essential lifeline for Tobago residents, who regularly need to travel to Trinidad to access government services, conduct private business, and handle critical matters that are unavailable on their home island.

    The confusion erupted after Trade, Investment and Tourism Minister Satyakama Maharaj told the Express Thursday that the government was exploring a targeted adjustment to the airbridge service to address persistent overcrowding and last-minute booking shortages. Maharaj’s proposal calls for adding two daily unsubsidized flights during peak travel periods, which would carry a price point of roughly $1000 round-trip. These premium flights would primarily serve travelers booking short-notice trips and tourists, who frequently struggle to secure seats on the heavily booked subsidized service. Maharaj himself noted that the persistent shortage is a well-known issue, even affecting government officials: he recalled a recent experience where securing a last-minute seat to Tobago was harder than booking a flight to Miami. Crucially, Maharaj explicitly stated in his initial comments that the existing subsidized service would remain in place, with no plans to eliminate the $400 fare.

    Persad-Bissessar clarified that Maharaj never proposed cutting the subsidy, pushing back against erroneous public interpretations that suggested the government was planning to eliminate the popular program. She confirmed that only the proposal for additional unsubsidized peak flights is under active review, with government analysts currently conducting work to assess whether the plan is logistically and financially feasible. The Prime Minister added that her administration remains fully committed to upgrading and maintaining the inter-island domestic transport network, and that she will continue collaborative discussions with Tobago Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) to advance policies that benefit Tobago’s residents. Currently, all airbridge services are operated by state-owned national carrier Caribbean Airlines.

    Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal further clarified the government’s position in an interview with TTT News, pushing back against an earlier misleading media headline that incorrectly claimed the government had already approved the $1000 unsubsidized fares. Moonilal stated categorically that the Cabinet of Trinidad and Tobago has not discussed, approved, or implemented any such decision, and that the reported policy change does not reflect official government position. While he acknowledged that the proposal reflects the working idea put forward by the relevant cabinet minister, it has not advanced to formal cabinet consideration, and the misleading headline should be completely discounted by the public. Moonilal noted that the inaccurate reporting was deeply concerning, and that officials wanted to erase the false claim from public discourse immediately, reaffirming that no policy change has been authorized by Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar’s cabinet.

    Looking ahead, the Prime Minister is set to address a range of national policy issues during the UNC Congress and Report to the Nation event, scheduled to take place today at the Couva South Hall car park along Couva Main Road.

  • Sir Molwyn Joseph Continues Public Service Ahead of Exit, Donates Specialized Wheelchair to Patient

    Sir Molwyn Joseph Continues Public Service Ahead of Exit, Donates Specialized Wheelchair to Patient

    As Antigua and Barbuda prepares for a political transition in the St. Mary’s North constituency, with outgoing Minister of Health Sir Molwyn Joseph set to retire and a new parliamentarian poised to take his oath of office, the veteran public servant has shown no signs of stepping back from his core responsibilities. Even in the final days of his tenure, Sir Molwyn remains fully dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of the communities he has served for decades.

    In a recent act that encapsulates his lifelong commitment to centering community care, Sir Molwyn organized and facilitated the donation of a cutting-edge, premium custom wheelchair to a local resident living with a physical disability. The specialized mobility device, which comes fitted with custom-engineered footrest attachments designed to accommodate the recipient’s specific needs, was officially received by the beneficiary’s mother, Gwendolyn King.

    This targeted donation is far more than an isolated act of kindness: it aligns directly with the core mandate of the Ministry of Health under Sir Molwyn’s leadership, which has long prioritized expanding support systems for vulnerable populations and delivering tangible interventions that boost overall quality of life for marginalized community members. The custom wheelchair is expected to dramatically improve the recipient’s ability to move independently and boost his daily comfort, addressing a critical unmet need for the family.

    Speaking on behalf of her son, King extended profound gratitude for the rapid, responsive support from the Ministry and Sir Molwyn personally, emphasizing that the new equipment will bring transformative change to her son’s daily routine.

    Sir Molwyn’s unwavering engagement with public needs, even as he wraps up his tenure and prepares to hand over power to his successor, stands as a powerful capstone to a decades-long career defined by relentless public service and intentional focus on lifting up the most vulnerable members of Antiguan and Barbudan society. As the St. Mary’s North transition moves forward, this final act in office reinforces his enduring legacy of commitment to advancing accessible healthcare and community support across the nation.

  • Iraanse minister in Pakistan voor vredesgesprekken; Trump verwacht aanbod

    Iraanse minister in Pakistan voor vredesgesprekken; Trump verwacht aanbod

    Eight weeks into a devastating conflict between the United States and Iran that has claimed thousands of lives and roiled global energy markets, a new round of diplomatic efforts to restart peace negotiations has taken shape in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi arrived Friday to advance Tehran’s position via Pakistani mediation.

    The diplomatic push comes after weeks of escalating hostilities: a sustained U.S. bombing campaign and Iran’s decision to block the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz have locked both sides in a costly stalemate. Iran’s oil exports have been cut off amid the standoff, while U.S. gasoline prices have surged to multi-year highs, putting pressure on both administrations to find a diplomatic off-ramp.

    U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters from Reuters Friday that Iran is preparing to table a proposal designed to meet core American demands, though he declined to share specific details of the offer. When pressed to identify which Iranian representatives Washington is engaging with, Trump said only: “I don’t want to say that, but we’re talking to the people who are currently in charge.”

    Contradicting Trump’s implication of direct talks, a spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry posted on social platform X that no Iranian officials plan to hold face-to-face negotiations directly with U.S. representatives. Instead, the spokesperson said, Iran will convey all its positions and concerns through Pakistani intermediaries. Despite this denial, U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are currently preparing to travel to Islamabad for planned meetings with Araqchi, according to multiple diplomatic sources.

    White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt struck an optimistic tone ahead of Araqchi’s arrival, saying the U.S. had observed encouraging signs of progress from the Iranian side in recent days. She added that Vice President JD Vance, who led an earlier failed round of talks earlier this month, stands ready to travel to Pakistan if needed to advance negotiations. Pakistani security and diplomatic sources have confirmed that a U.S. logistics and security delegation is already on the ground in Islamabad preparing for the talks. Araqchi was photographed meeting with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar at the Serena Hotel, the same venue that hosted the previous, unsuccessful round of U.S.-Iranian talks. The capital has been placed under heavy security amid the high sensitivity of the ongoing diplomatic process.

    Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has thrown his support behind Pakistan’s mediation efforts, in a recent phone call with President Trump. Araqchi, for his part, noted on X that his current regional tour — which also includes stops in Oman and Russia — is focused on coordinating with key regional and global stakeholders on bilateral issues, regional developments, and the latest efforts to bring the eight-week conflict to an end.

    U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth clarified Washington’s core red line Friday, saying that Iran still has an opportunity to reach a “good deal” with the U.S. as long as it agrees to roll back its nuclear ambitions in a meaningful, verifiable way.

    The most recently scheduled round of peace talks, planned to restart this past Tuesday, was canceled after Iran declined to confirm its readiness to negotiate, prompting the U.S. delegation led by Vance to remain in Washington. In a bid to keep diplomatic momentum alive, Trump extended an existing two-week ceasefire Tuesday to give negotiators more time to coordinate a new meeting.

    Global energy markets continue to swing sharply amid persistent uncertainty over the future of the conflict and its impact on energy supplies. Brent crude closed Friday at $105.33 per barrel, marking a small uptick from the previous session, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude dipped slightly to $94.88 per barrel.

    The latest diplomatic push has raised muted but tangible hopes that the eight-week conflict, which has upended global trade and energy security, could finally move toward a negotiated resolution, though significant gaps remain between the two sides on core issues.

  • Leacock shocked by info ULP gov’t was collecting on citizens (+video)

    Leacock shocked by info ULP gov’t was collecting on citizens (+video)

    A fierce political debate has unfolded in St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Parliament over a proposed national security bill, pitting current Deputy Prime Minister and National Security Minister St. Clair Leacock against former Prime Minister and Opposition Leader Ralph Gonsalves. The tension stems from Leacock’s recent startling revelations about the extent of citizen data collected by Gonsalves’ Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration, which held power for 25 years until its electoral defeat in November 2024.\n\nSpeaking during debate on the Advanced Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record Bill on Tuesday, Leacock expressed shock at the types of intelligence that now cross his desk, collected by the previous government. “When I see the things that come across my desk in this role… sometimes I hold my head and ask, ‘Is this the kind of intelligence the former prime minister held on me, my party, and ordinary private citizens during his time in office?’” Leacock told the legislative chamber.\n\nThe bill, designed to strengthen border and national security by standardizing collection and sharing of traveler data, ultimately passed with no formal unified position from the three-member opposition. Gonsalves, a trained lawyer, launched sharp criticism of the legislation, arguing that it reads like an unfinished draft rather than a final piece of law. He raised pointed concerns about gaps in data protection, unclear frameworks for official appointments, and ambiguous timelines for mandatory information submission, also questioning whether the bill had completed required vetting through the CARICOM Legal Affairs Committee (LAC).\n\nLeacock pushed back forcefully against these critiques, framing Gonsalves’ objections as part of a long-standing pattern of authoritarian control over policy. He told Parliament, “If it is not under the suzerainty of the Honourable Ralph Everett Gonsalves, it ain’t good. Nobody is good enough for him unless he presides over it.” The Central Kingstown MP added that as a former prime minister and decades-long national security minister, Gonsalves has a greater national responsibility to avoid undermining the credibility of current national and regional security institutions. Leacock accused Gonsalves of nitpicking over minor drafting details like punctuation to erode public trust in the new government’s work, calling his focus “all semantics” that amounts to an attack on the integrity of public servants.\n\nLeacock further alleged that Gonsalves’ 25-year administration left St. Vincent and the Grenadines with a disjointed, ramshackle national security apparatus that the new government is working to repair. He pointed to port security as a key example: while the previous ULP government installed passenger screening equipment at the main port, it failed to put in place legal mechanisms that would automatically share screening data with police, leaving critical security gaps. On the question of regional vetting, Leacock clarified that the bill was already reviewed by the CARICOM LAC during Gonsalves’ own tenure, and passed through all required regional processes when Gonsalves led the country’s involvement in CARICOM IMPACS, the regional security body.\n\nResponding to Gonsalves’ comment that the current New Democratic Party administration would only serve one term, Leacock framed the remark as evidence of the opposition’s core goal of undermining the new government rather than working for the national good. “It points to a poison that in order for this country to go forward, we must not underestimate the hurdles that remain for us to climb. Your single purpose is to ensure that we become a one-term government,” he said.\n\nIn his rebuttal, Gonsalves rejected all of Leacock’s claims, denying that he had ever criticized or disrespected regional security bodies.\n\nLeacock closed his argument by reaffirming the core purpose of the new legislation: to protect travelers entering and exiting St. Vincent and the Grenadines, boosting public confidence that the country offers both safety and streamlined access for visitors. He noted that any minor drafting imperfections can be corrected through regular governance processes down the line, and there is no justification for delaying the critical security framework the country needs to address modern transnational threats that may outpace the capacity of the outdated system inherited from the previous administration.