KINGSTON, Jamaica – A leading Jamaican human rights organization is sounding urgent warnings about the country’s emerging partnership with the United States to temporarily host third-country nationals (TCNs) facing removal from US territory, citing gaps in legal oversight and grave risks to international human rights commitments.
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Kane scores twice as England beat Croatia 4-2
ARLINGTON, Texas — In a high-octane opening match of the 2026 World Cup that delivered end-to-end drama, Harry Kane scored two first-half goals, and late strikes from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford secured a dramatic 4-2 win for England over Croatia at AT&T Stadium on Wednesday, kicking off England’s long-awaited bid for a first World Cup title since 1966.
The clash was a rematch of the 2018 World Cup semi-final, where Croatia eliminated England 2-1 after extra time, adding an extra layer of intensity to the encounter between two top European sides. In front of 70,000 fans packed into the Dallas Cowboys’ climate-controlled domed stadium, Thomas Tuchel’s England side got off to a nervy start before the game exploded into action in the 12th minute.
A pivotal turning point came when Croatia captain Luka Modric fouled England winger Noni Madueke inside the penalty area, giving Kane a chance to put his side ahead. The Tottenham talisman’s first penalty was saved by Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, but referee Clement Turpin ordered a retake after VAR review found Livakovic had stepped off his goal line ahead of the kick – a decision that drew scrutiny after the English media highlighted Turpin’s past altercation with Tuchel, which included a red card for the England manager during a Champions League match.
Kane kept his composure on his second attempt, again aiming for Livakovic’s left side, but this time buried the shot with clinical precision to open the scoring. England controlled large swathes of the game after the opening goal, with Bellingham – deployed in the number 10 role ahead of youngster Morgan Rogers – carving out multiple chances, forcing Livakovic into a critical save early on. Even the mandatory drinks break was met with boos from the crowd, who had gathered in the air-conditioned stadium far from Texas’ blistering summer heat and were eager to keep the action flowing.
Croatia drew level in the 36th minute, capitalizing on an uncharacteristic England turnover in midfield. Petar Sucic danced past England defender John Stones with clever footwork before teeing up 23-year-old Martin Baturina, who fired a first-time shot past Jordan Pickford to level the score at 1-1.
The equalizer only lasted six minutes. A Declan Rice corner found an unmarked Kane at the near post, and the England captain nodded home his second of the half. The goal brought Kane’s total World Cup tally to 10, pulling him level with Gary Lineker as England’s all-time leading World Cup goalscorer. In a frantic end to the first half, another lapse in England’s defense allowed Croatia striker Petar Musa to slot home from close range in first-half stoppage time, sending the two sides into the break tied 2-2.
The second half picked up exactly where the first left off, with Bellingham breaking down the right flank unmarked just two minutes after the restart, rolling a calm finish into the far corner to restore England’s lead. Tuchel’s side piled on the pressure after the go-ahead goal, with Kane, substitute Nico O’Reilly and Bellingham all missing clear chances to extend the lead.
As England sat back to protect their advantage in the final 15 minutes, Croatia carved out several good opportunities to level again, but substitute Marcus Rashford put the result beyond doubt five minutes from full time, tapping home to seal the 4-2 win and three crucial opening points for England.
The result keeps England on track in their group stage campaign, while Croatia will need to bounce back in their upcoming matches to advance from the group. For Tuchel, who has openly stated that lifting the World Cup trophy is his only goal for the tournament, the dramatic opening win offers a promising, if imperfect, start to his side’s title run.
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Garvey Maceo win rural under-14 cricket title
In a lopsided final match played Saturday at St Catherine’s Chedwin Park, Garvey Maceo High School secured the Jamaican rural area Under-14 cricket championship with a commanding nine-wicket victory over Tacky High School.
Tacky High won the toss and elected to bat first, but the team quickly collapsed under relentless bowling pressure from Garvey Maceo’s attack. The side was bowled out entirely in just 20.5 overs for a meager total of 24 runs, the lowest possible competitive score that left their top-order batters struggling to find any rhythm. The highest individual contribution from Tacky High came from number-eight batter Nickoli Mighty, who managed only five runs across 31 balls before being dismissed.
The bowling duo of Garvey Maceo tore through Tacky’s batting line-up with unrivaled precision. Captain Andino Edwards delivered a career-defining spell, taking seven wickets while conceding only 10 runs, and his partner Najai Wright collected the remaining three wickets for just 10 runs of his own, completing a perfect 10-wicket split for the pair.
Chasing the tiny target of 25 runs to claim the title, Garvey Maceo cruised to victory in just 11 overs, finishing at 26 runs for the loss of one wicket. Opening batter Jeremiah Johnson anchored the run chase unbeaten on 15 runs to seal the win. Dominic Gayle recorded Tacky High’s only wicket of the innings, finishing with figures of 1 wicket for 4 runs across his two overs.
Despite Tacky High’s disappointing final performance, the team dominated the competition’s individual batting leaderboard throughout the tournament. Daniel Wolliston claimed the title of top run-scorer, notching 301 runs across seven innings for an average of 60.20. In fact, Tacky High claimed the top five spots on the tournament batting rankings: Draven Walker placed second with 240 runs, followed by Akeem Palmer with 205, Dominic Gayle with 172, and Leonardo Silvera with 163. The highest-ranked batter outside of Tacky High was Garvey Maceo captain Andino Edwards, who accumulated 121 runs across five innings.
On the bowling side, Edwards topped the tournament’s wicket-taking charts with 18 total wickets, outperforming his own teammate Wright, who finished second with 16 wickets. For his combined leadership, match-winning performance in the final, and top tournament bowling figures, Edwards was named the competition’s Most Valuable Player.
In a post-match interview, Edwards shared his surprise at how easily the final victory came together. “I think we would have got more challenge because all season we were hearing about Tacky, but we are grateful for the win and grateful for the performance,” he said.
The championship win adds another accolade to Garvey Maceo High’s historic season, as the school already secured the rural Under-16 cricket title earlier in the campaign. Now, the school will prepare for two all-island finals against Kingston College, the urban area champions across both the Under-14 and Under-16 age groups. A official date for the upcoming cross-region title clashes has yet to be announced.
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SPARK phase one completion date pushed back to March 2027, says Morgan
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s flagship national road infrastructure initiative has announced a three-month extension to the completion timeline for its first construction phase, pushing the target finish date from late 2026 to the end of March 2027. The updated timeline was delivered to lawmakers this Wednesday by Robert Morgan, Jamaica’s Minister with oversight for public works, during his scheduled address to the Sectoral Debate in the country’s House of Representatives.
Launched on December 31, 2024, the Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network Programme, widely shortened to SPARK, originally set a completion deadline of December 30, 2026 for its opening phase. Morgan told parliament that the adjustment to the timeline stems from current on-the-ground implementation progress and scheduling constraints. “Based on current scheduling and implementation realities, the anticipated completion date has been revised to March 31, 2027,” Morgan stated during the address.
The minister pushed back against pressure to rush construction, emphasizing that prioritizing speed over long-term structural quality would undermine the project’s public value. “I know that people want the work done quickly. So do I. But speed without quality is not success. A road rushed today and failed tomorrow is not value for money. The commitment of this Government is not simply to move fast. It is to move properly, transparently, and at a standard that protects the public investment,” he explained.
Morgan also issued a public appeal for patience from Jamaican communities already impacted by ongoing construction work. He acknowledged that road building brings significant daily disruptions to local residents, including increased dust, forced detours, uneven driving surfaces, and extended commute times, and said he does not dismiss these challenges. “To those in communities where SPARK work has already begun, I ask for your patience. I know that construction is disruptive. Dust, detours, uneven surfaces, and delays are real inconveniences, and I do not minimise them,” he said.
Despite the delay, Morgan reassured residents that the finished project will deliver long-term benefits that justify the temporary disruptions and extended timeline. When all work for the first phase is wrapped up, local communities will receive durable, high-quality roads engineered to last for years, rather than temporary patches that only hold up through a single rainy season, he noted. “But the work is coming to completion, and when it is done, you will have a road built to last; not patched to survive another rainy season, but built to endure,” he added.
For residents across Jamaica who have been waiting for road upgrades in their own local areas that have not yet broken ground, Morgan offered a clear promise of progress: “we are coming to you.”
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Caribbean Airlines adds daily Toronto–Guyana flights from July 1
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Caribbean Airlines has announced a major expansion of its trans-American route network, with the launch of daily non-stop service connecting Toronto, Canada, and Georgetown, Guyana, set to begin on July 1. The new route is being rolled out in response to surging travel demand across multiple segments, from business trips and leisure tourism to education-related travel and family visits, and it will bring greater capacity to a corridor that has seen consistent growth in passenger volumes in recent years.
In an official statement from the airline, the upgraded daily schedule will not only offer greater flexibility for travelers during the busy peak summer travel season but also deepen the social and economic ties between Guyana and Canada. According to Varma Khillawan, Caribbean Airlines’ acting chief executive officer, Guyana stands out as one of the carrier’s most strategically important and rapidly expanding markets across the Caribbean region.
“The launch of daily non-stop flights between Toronto and Georgetown is a clear demonstration of our dedication to meeting evolving customer demand and improving air connectivity between Guyana and the broader North American region,” Khillawan noted in his comment on the new service. He emphasized that the expanded schedule is designed to accommodate the diverse needs of all passenger groups, including corporate travelers, holidaymakers, students, and people reuniting with family members across borders.
Beyond improving the passenger experience, the new daily route is expected to bring widespread economic benefits. It will make travel far easier for the large Guyanese diaspora community based in Canada, while also removing barriers to growing tourism, bilateral trade, and other cross-border economic activity between the two nations.
Caribbean Airlines has also released the full operational schedule for the new route. Flight BW616 will depart Georgetown’s Cheddi Jagan International Airport daily at 9:20 a.m. local time, bound for Toronto Pearson International Airport. The return service, flight BW617, will depart Toronto daily at 4:50 p.m. local time, arriving in Georgetown the following morning.
For travelers looking to book tickets, reservations are already open across multiple sales channels. Customers can purchase seats directly through the Caribbean Airlines official website, the carrier’s mobile app, the company’s 24/7 reservations centre, physical Caribbean Airlines ticket offices, or through licensed third-party travel agents.
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Michael Lee-Chin presented with key to Falmouth
TRELAWNY, Jamaica — In a ceremonial gathering held Wednesday at the iconic Falmouth Cruise Port, C Junior Gager, Mayor of the coastal town of Falmouth, bestowed an honorary key to the municipality upon Michael Lee-Chin, chairman of the National Commercial Bank Financial Group Limited (NCBFG).
This symbolic award is far more than a ceremonial gesture: it formally recognizes Lee-Chin’s decades-long collaborative ties with the Trelawny Municipal Corporation (TMC), his leadership in growing NCB into one of the Caribbean’s leading financial institutions, and his outsized contributions to driving inclusive economic growth across the parish of Trelawny and the entire island nation of Jamaica.
In opening remarks at the event, Mayor Gager emphasized the durable, mutually beneficial partnership that has evolved between the municipal government and NCB over generations. He highlighted the bank’s unwavering support for local community initiatives and consistent delivery of customer-centric financial services that have empowered businesses and households alike. Gager also pointed to the wave of ongoing commercial development transforming Falmouth, most notably the ongoing upgrades to Champion Plaza, as clear evidence of the town’s rising profile as a key economic hub in northern Jamaica.
Notably, the honorary key presented to Lee-Chin was handcrafted by a local Trelawny artisan, a deliberate choice that underscores the event’s focus on celebrating community and local partnership. Gager added that the award also recognizes Lee-Chin’s transformative business leadership, his trailblazing achievements in the Caribbean financial sector, and his far-reaching positive impact on national development across Jamaica.
Wednesday’s visit to Falmouth forms a core part of Lee-Chin’s ongoing cross-country stakeholder engagement initiative, which aligns with his long-stated commitment to advancing equitable national development across Jamaica. During his visit, Lee-Chin led an official tour of Falmouth designed to strengthen working relationships between NCB leadership, local commercial clients, public sector officials, and community-based institutions. The tour also showcased the thriving investment climate and growing economic activity across Trelawny, with a particular focus on operations at the busy Falmouth Pier and the expanding small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) ecosystem that drives much of the parish’s local employment.
The day’s schedule will conclude with the soft opening of NCB’s newly constructed Falmouth branch, located at Champion Plaza on Market Street. The new facility will replace the bank’s existing Falmouth location, bringing expanded services and modern infrastructure to local customers.
Joining Lee-Chin and Gager for the day’s activities and tour were members of the board of directors for both NCB Jamaica and NCB Financial Group, Hugh Gentles, Custos of Trelawny, TMC council members, and a cohort of key NCB commercial clients from across the region.
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Roberto Álvarez: document fraud still obstacle to Schengen visa exemption
SANTO DOMINGO – The Dominican Republic continues to make steady progress in its campaign to secure short-term visa-free entry to the Schengen Area, but persistent challenges linked to document fraud still stand as a major barrier to reaching the goal, according to the nation’s top diplomat.
In a recent interview on the Gepiano Podcast, Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez outlined the steps the Caribbean country has already taken to satisfy the European Union’s strict criteria for visa exemption. The rollout of biometric passports, a security upgrade that aligns Dominican travel documents with global standards, stands as one of the most critical milestones achieved to date, Álvarez noted.
However, gaining visa-free access to the 27-nation Schengen Zone is not contingent on a single reform. European regulators weigh a broad set of factors when evaluating candidate countries, including the robustness of overall document security frameworks, the reliability of national identity verification protocols, and the effectiveness of border and migration management systems. Álvarez acknowledged that in one key area, the Dominican Republic still falls short of EU expectations.
The rate of fraudulent travel and identification documents detected during immigration and consular processing remains above the maximum threshold that European authorities have established as acceptable for visa exemption, the foreign minister confirmed. To address this gap, Dominican government agencies have launched coordinated cross-institutional efforts to strengthen document verification infrastructure, overhaul national identification procedures, and crack down on rampant document forgery networks operating within the country.
Despite the current challenges, Álvarez struck an optimistic tone about the long-term outcome of the country’s efforts. He expressed confidence that the Dominican Republic will ultimately meet all requirements and unlock visa-free short-term travel for its citizens, a change that would deliver far-reaching benefits for Dominicans traveling to Europe for tourism, business ventures, academic study, and cross-cultural exchanges. Beyond direct benefits for individual travelers, Álvarez added that the push for Schengen visa exemption is a core component of the government’s broader strategy to boost the Dominican Republic’s global standing and expand safe, accessible mobility opportunities for all of its citizens.
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1-y-o shot and killed by police in Mississippi shoplifting call
JACKSON, Miss. – Communities across Mississippi are grappling with outrage and grief this week after a fatal police shooting left a 12-month-old child dead and sparked widespread public demonstrations over police use of force. On Tuesday, hundreds of local residents gathered to protest the June 14 death of Kohen Wiley, who was killed in the parking lot of a Walmart in northern Mississippi.
According to details released by U.S. law enforcement and regional media, the shooting unfolded when a police officer from the nearby town of Senatobia responded to a 911 call reporting a suspected shoplifting incident at the retail location. The target of the response was a vehicle occupied by Wiley and his aunt, who was behind the wheel. Investigations confirm the officer opened fire on the moving vehicle, striking both the child and the driver. Wiley was pronounced dead at the scene, while his aunt was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Initial radio dispatches from the responding officer claim the vehicle was intentionally moving toward him when he pulled the trigger, a narrative that has been directly challenged by multiple civilian witnesses who were present at the time of the incident. Adding another layer of public frustration, authorities have confirmed the officer has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation, but have so far declined to release the officer’s name to the public, a decision that has drawn criticism from protesters and the victim’s family.
The child’s family has publicly rejected the initial claim that anyone in the vehicle was attempting to steal merchandise, specifically the alleged box of diapers that was cited in the original 911 call. Sean Tindell, Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, has stated that an independent internal investigation is underway to untangle conflicting accounts of the incident, and that the question of whether any shoplifting actually occurred will be resolved as part of the probe. The shooting is the latest high-profile incident of police violence involving a child victim to reignite national conversations over police accountability and use of deadly force in the United States.
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Golding to raise deportee issue on Motion of Adjournment
A growing political controversy has emerged in Jamaica surrounding a proposed bilateral agreement with the United States that would see the Caribbean nation accept Third-Country Nationals (TCNs) deported from US territory, with opposition leaders set to challenge the administration over the negotiations during this week’s parliamentary session.
Mark Golding, leader of Jamaica’s parliamentary opposition, has formally notified House Speaker Juliet Holness of his plan to bring the unresolved agreement issue to the floor during Wednesday’s adjournment motion. Citing Standing Orders 11(1) and 11(2) of Jamaica’s parliamentary rules, Golding framed the matter as one of “definite urgent national importance” that demands immediate public discussion and government accountability.
The controversy erupted after unconfirmed reports circulated claiming Jamaican officials had agreed to accept as many as 10,000 deportees from the United States under the emerging deal. In an official statement published Wednesday by the *Jamaica Observer*, National Security and Peace Minister Dr. Horace Chang, who also serves as the country’s deputy prime minister, pushed back firmly against those claims, labeling them completely false.
Dr. Chang confirmed that preliminary negotiations for a TCN agreement are indeed ongoing between Kingston and Washington, but stressed that the scope of the arrangement has been wildly exaggerated in initial reporting. According to the minister, the deal will cap the total number of TCNs held in Jamaica at no more than 25 at any given time, with fewer than 50 new arrivals expected every two weeks. Chang added that the framework for the program has been developed in close coordination with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency that specializes in migrant processing and resettlement. All TCNs accepted into the program will be rapidly transferred to their countries of origin, rather than being resettled permanently in Jamaica, he clarified.
Despite the government’s attempts to downplay the scope of the agreement, Golding has insisted that the public has a right to full transparency about the terms of the bilateral deal, prompting his push for an immediate parliamentary debate. The upcoming discussion during Wednesday’s adjournment motion is set to bring the simmering political dispute over migration policy into the public spotlight, as the opposition presses for greater clarity on the government’s negotiating position.
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WATCH: 27-y-o perishes in Manchester house fire
A devastating late-night house fire in the Greenvale community of Manchester, Jamaica, has claimed the life of a 27-year-old local man and left his visually impaired elderly grandfather without housing, as family members now appeal to the public for support and call for critical infrastructure repairs delayed after a recent hurricane.
Emergency responders confirmed that the blaze broke out at a residential property on Bethel Street, located just outside the town of Mandeville, shortly after 11 p.m. on Tuesday. The Mandeville Fire Station received the distress call at 11:17 p.m. and immediately dispatched a fire crew to the scene, but crews faced an unexpected barrier when they arrived: a utility pole damaged and toppled by Hurricane Beryl had blocked the only vehicle-accessible road leading to the property.
According to family member Carlene Ricketts Lewis, the downed pole prevented fire trucks from reaching the house directly, forcing firefighters to haul their hoses through a narrow footpath to reach the burning structure. By the time crews were able to establish a water line and begin attacking the fire, the entire dwelling was already fully engulfed in flames.
Once the fire was extinguished and crews began systematic cooling operations to clear hot spots, searchers recovered the charred remains of Leonardo Brown, who was also known locally by the nickname Joshua. Relatives have formally identified Brown as the deceased victim.
The tragedy has left Brown’s 74-year-old blind grandfather, who resided at the property with Brown, completely homeless. Right after the fire, the elderly man moved into a one-bedroom home shared by another sibling, where cramped conditions make long-term stays extremely difficult. Grieving grandaunt Panceta Hutchinson, who is helping coordinate support for the family, explained that the family has no resources to rebuild the lost home or create new stable housing for the elderly grandfather.
“Right now my brother is staying in my other sibling’s one-bedroom house, so any assistance that can help us rebuild the property would be life-changing — especially because my brother cannot see,” Hutchinson said in an interview amid her family’s grieving process.
In addition to public appeals for housing and rebuilding support, the family is also calling on the Jamaica Public Service Company to remove the downed utility pole and restore access to the roadway. The blocked route not only delayed the original fire response but continues to cut off access to the property as investigators work to determine the origin of the blaze. As of the latest update, the official cause of the fire remains under active investigation by local authorities.
Members of the public who wish to donate or provide any form of support to the affected family can contact Hutchinson directly at (876) 806 6104.