Carib Scope

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  • LISTEN: Antigua and Barbuda Considering US$100 Million Chinese Loan for Housing and Renewable Energy

    LISTEN: Antigua and Barbuda Considering US$100 Million Chinese Loan for Housing and Renewable Energy

    The Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda is actively exploring a new $100 million concessional loan from China to advance two key domestic development priorities: upgrading renewable energy infrastructure and expanding affordable housing stock, Prime Minister Gaston Browne confirmed in a recent public interview.

    Appearing as a guest on the local Brown and Brown Show this past Sunday, Browne framed the proposal as a feasible step forward, citing a notable improvement in the country’s fiscal position in recent years. He told listeners that Antigua and Barbuda’s debt-to-GDP ratio has dropped sharply to roughly 62%, putting it just two percentage points above the widely accepted international sustainability benchmark of 60%. This improved fiscal standing has created room for the government to take on targeted new borrowing to drive long-term growth, he argued.

    Under the draft plan being evaluated by the administration, $40 million of the requested loan would be dedicated to the construction of a utility-scale renewable energy facility, a project designed to cut the country’s reliance on expensive imported fossil fuels and lower energy costs for residents. The remaining $60 million would be channeled directly into expanding housing supply across both main islands of Antigua and Barbuda, as the country grapples with a persistent shortage of affordable quality housing.

    Browne emphasized that the current housing shortage is far larger than ongoing projects already underway can address. Currently, the government is utilizing a $20 million Chinese grant to build 100 new homes: 50 units in the Bolans community on Antigua, and another 50 on the island of Barbuda. Even with these new units coming online, the prime minister noted that the country still needs thousands of additional homes to meet unmet demand, requiring a large-scale scaling up of residential construction.

    The Antiguan leader added that his government has a long-standing policy of pursuing concessional financing from international partners to fund high-impact infrastructure and development projects, and he specifically highlighted the favorable terms of past Chinese lending. It was those low-interest terms, he said, that have helped the country steadily bring down its overall debt burden to the current improved level.

    Browne outlined the specific terms his administration would view as acceptable for the new loan: a 20-year repayment period, a 2% interest rate, and a five-year moratorium on principal payments, terms that match the favorable borrowing conditions the country has secured from China in the past.

    In a nod to multilateral openness, the prime minister also noted that the government would be equally willing to accept financing from the United States, should Washington be able to offer terms comparable to China’s concessional rates. “If they’re able to match the Chinese and we’re getting cheap money, we will borrow,” Browne stated, underscoring the government’s priority of securing the lowest-cost financing for national development regardless of the source.

  • Column: Het WK als spiegel van het leven

    Column: Het WK als spiegel van het leven

    For weeks now, the entire world has had one eye fixed firmly on the FIFA World Cup, a global quadrennial spectacle that stretches far beyond the boundaries of a simple sporting tournament. Across 90 minutes of play, under bright stadium lights and in the living rooms of millions of fans, the World Cup tells a universal story of hope, resilience and grit — themes that resonate more deeply than ever at a moment when global stability feels increasingly fragile.

    For billions of Brazilian football fans, the national team’s early exit in the round of 16 hit harder than most could have expected. For decades, Brazil was synonymous with beautiful, fluid football and an aura of invincibility that left opposing teams trembling before they even stepped onto the pitch. While the last three World Cup squads have not lived up to that legendary standard, the unwavering passion of the players and the Brazilian people for the beautiful game and their dream of lifting the trophy remains undimmed. This is the core power of sport: it is never only about triumph. It is about persistence, about getting back up after defeat, and about holding onto belief even when the odds are stacked against you.

    If you look beyond the green grass of the tournament pitches, the World Cup’s meaning grows even richer. In Gaza, a region torn apart by months of war and crippling uncertainty, Palestinian fans celebrated Morocco’s historic victories with unbridled joy. Amid the destruction and chaos of daily life, that moment of shared celebration offered a rare breath of peace, a small sliver of joy to hold onto when hope feels scarce. For Gaza’s people, this World Cup became a beacon, a quiet reminder that even in the deepest darkness, light can still break through.

    The Iranian national team also arrived at the tournament carrying an extraordinary weight, facing immense obstacles and widespread doubt on their road to Qatar. Yet they stepped onto the global stage as heroes, welcomed home with open arms regardless of their final results. Their journey is a powerful testament to perseverance and national pride, proof that sport can transcend political divides and break down barriers. For the Iranian team and their supporters, the World Cup was never just a series of matches — it was a symbol of hope and shared unity.

    Even tiny Cape Verde, a small island nation with barely half a million people, turned the global football spotlight into a stage to prove that courage and determination matter far more than size or global reputation. The underdog side pushed powerhouse Argentina to the absolute limit, turning unknown players into household names and putting their small nation firmly on the global football map. This World Cup has reinforced a timeless truth: respect and recognition are not reserved only for the world’s sporting giants. They belong to every team and every person brave enough to dream big and fight for their goal.

    At the same time, this tournament has also been a farewell. For a generation of the world’s biggest football superstars, this is their final appearance on the sport’s biggest global stage. Cristiano Ronaldo chases one last shot at glory with Portugal, while Lionel Messi dances his final World Cup tango with Argentina, bringing a passion to the pitch that will inspire generations of players to come. Neymar’s dream of leading Brazil to a sixth World Cup title crumbled early, a harsh reminder that even the biggest stars face the inherent vulnerability of sport. Meanwhile, Luka Modric continues to inspire his team and his country with tireless dedication, a beacon of experience and strength in a rapidly changing football landscape.

    These iconic players, who turned childhood dreams into global legend, are now confronting the quiet reality that their time on the world’s biggest stage is slowly drawing to a close. This makes the World Cup a beautiful paradox: it gives rising new stars a platform to shine, while also bidding farewell to the legends who defined the game for a generation, clearing the way for a new era. It reminds us that all dreams are vulnerable — they can come true, but they can also fall apart. And it is exactly that vulnerability that makes the beautiful game so deeply human, so universally relatable to people across every corner of the globe.

    In an era where war, poverty and uncertainty have become daily reality for billions of people around the world, this World Cup has shown that joy, hope and connection can be found anywhere: on the pitch, in packed stadiums, and in the hearts of millions of fans across the world.

    Brazil’s early fall, Morocco’s unexpected triumph, Iran’s defiant heroes and Cape Verde’s fearless underdog run are all chapters in this larger story. It is a story that reminds us that football is never only about winning or losing. It is about holding onto belief, and never stopping dreaming. In these divided, uncertain times, it is hope that binds us together, it is hope that pushes us forward, and it is the persistence to keep going that lets us prevail — both on the football pitch, and off it.

  • Derde helft WK 2026: Engeland overleeft Mexicaanse storm en rekent af met Azteca-trauma

    Derde helft WK 2026: Engeland overleeft Mexicaanse storm en rekent af met Azteca-trauma

    Sunday night at the 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered one of the most dramatic and emotionally charged matches in tournament history, as Thomas Tuchel’s England side fought tooth and nail to seal a 3-2 round of 16 victory over host nation Mexico at a roaring Estadio Azteca, booking their spot in the quarterfinals despite playing more than 30 minutes with 10 men. For England, the win was far more than just a place in the final eight: it closed a painful 40-year chapter in the nation’s football history, written at the very same stadium. It was at the 1986 World Cup that England fell to Argentina in a legendary quarterfinal clash at Azteca, where Diego Maradona scored both the infamous “Hand of God” goal and the iconic “Goal of the Century” – a defeat that has stood as one of the most bitter disappointments in English football ever since. This time, England left Mexico City with their heads held high, exorcising the ghosts of 1986.

    The match got off to a chaotic, physical start, with Declan Rice picking up a yellow card after just 60 seconds of play. England struck twice in quick succession just before halftime, putting themselves in a strong position early. Jude Bellingham opened the scoring in the 36th minute after a brilliant build-up from Bukayo Saka, and doubled the Three Lions’ lead barely two minutes later, tapping home a pinpoint cross from captain Harry Kane. Mexico did not fold, however, and Julián Quiñones cut the deficit in half right before the halftime whistle, giving the sold-out home crowd a spark of hope.

    The momentum looked set to swing completely in Mexico’s favor just after the break, when English defender Jarell Quansah was shown a straight red card in the 54th minute, forcing Tuchel’s side to play out the remaining 36 minutes plus stoppage time a man down. Against all odds, England extended their lead just six minutes later, as Harry Kane found the back of the net to make it 3-1.

    Mexico kept pressing, and Raúl Jiménez narrowed the gap to 3-2 in the 69th minute, turning the final stretch into a relentless siege on England’s goal. What followed was a masterclass in resilient, gutsy defensive football. For the final half hour of regulation time plus an astonishing 11 minutes of stoppage time, England barely crossed the halfway line, with every outfield player dropping behind the ball to protect their lead. There were no more attacking forays: every challenge, every aerial duel, every single second on the clock became a fight for survival.

    Match statistics highlight just how one-sided the late pressure was: England mustered only five total shots on goal across the entire 90-plus minutes, while Mexico launched 19 attempts on target or toward goal. Wave after wave of Mexican attack crashed against England’s defensive line, but goalkeeper and backline held firm time after time, with every last-ditch save celebrated as fiercely as a goal by the drained English players.

    For Mexico, the defeat is yet another devastating disappointment, crushing the host nation’s long-held dream of finally breaking through to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in decades. Buoyed by a raucous crowd of nearly 90,000 passionate fans that turned Estadio Azteca into a roaring sea of supporters, hope ran higher than ever that this would be the year El Tri broke their decades-long quarterfinal curse. Since reaching the quarterfinals as host nation back in 1986, Mexico has failed to advance past the round of 16 in every World Cup they have entered – a drought that remains unbroken even on home soil in 2026.

    When the final whistle blew, tears flowed across the stadium for Mexico. Fans hugged each other and wept in the stands, while Mexican players collapsed exhausted on the pitch, their World Cup journey over before the knockout stage’s final eight. England celebrated their hard-won victory with quiet composure, well aware that they had not only claimed a quarterfinal ticket but also laid to rest a shadow that had hung over English football for 40 years. For Mexico, there was only the painful, familiar conclusion: the quarterfinal curse still holds.

  • Zapping Haiti of July 6, 2026

    Zapping Haiti of July 6, 2026

    July 6, 2026 – A roundup of key developments spanning international sports, domestic security, diplomacy and political affairs out of Haiti and around the globe on Sunday.

    In international football, the 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered a stunning Round of 16 upset that will go down in Nordic football history. Norway, fielding one of the world’s most lethal strikers in Erling Haaland, knocked five-time champion Brazil out of the tournament with a last-gasp 2-1 victory that secured the Vikings’ first-ever trip to the World Cup quarter-finals. Haaland, who has dominated European club football for years, put his side ahead in the 79th minute before doubling the lead in the final minute of regulation. Brazilian legend Neymar, who came into the tournament chasing his first World Cup title, pulled one back from the penalty spot deep into 10 minutes of stoppage time, but it was not enough to avoid a historic early exit. This marks Brazil’s earliest World Cup elimination since 1990, and a visibly emotional Neymar confirmed to Brazilian broadcaster TV Globo that he was stepping away from international football after the defeat.

    Back in Haiti, domestic security forces successfully fended off an armed attack on critical infrastructure early Sunday morning. According to reports, heavily armed assailants launched an assault on the Teleco telecommunications site in the Obléon district of Kenscoff at approximately 1:00 a.m. on July 5. The attackers were met with immediate and firm resistance from members of the Haitian Armed Forces (FAd’H), who held their ground against the incursion until specialized reinforcements from the Haitian National Police (PNH) arrived on scene. The combined security forces forced the attackers to retreat, ending the assault without the attackers securing their objective.

    On the diplomatic front, Haiti’s Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé released a formal message marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. “250 years after its birth, the United States of America remains one of the most significant democratic experiments in modern history,” Fils-Aimé said in the statement. “On this anniversary, Haiti salutes the American people and pays tribute to a nation that continues to uphold the ideal of liberty. We also rejoice in the long-standing friendship that unites our two peoples and our shared commitment to nurturing it for the benefit of future generations.”

    Political tensions are rising around upcoming electoral processes in Haiti, however, as a broad coalition of opposition and civil society groups say they have been locked out of negotiations over a new national electoral decree. A coalition made up of more than 20 political parties and civil society organizations issued a statement pushing back against government claims of inclusive consultations, saying they were never invited to participate in discussions or provide input on the electoral decree published on June 2, 2026. “The signatory organizations wish to set the record straight. At no point were they invited by the Government to participate in consultations or to provide feedback on the electoral decree of June 2, 2026. This gives a false impression of the consultation process and risks misleading national public opinion as well as international partners,” the coalition said.

    In global tennis news, Haitian-Japanese star Naomi Osaka notched a career-defining upset on one of the sport’s biggest stages, defeating world number one Aryna Sabalenka to qualify for the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the first time. Ranked 14th in the WTA rankings coming into the match, Osaka dominated the opening set 6-2 before closing out the win with a 7-6(2) victory in the second set on Centre Court. The result marks a major milestone in Osaka’s ongoing return to top-level competition after a series of injury and personal breaks from the tour.

    In domestic economic news, Haiti’s central bank, the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH), has highlighted the growing impact of the country’s savings and credit cooperative (CEC) sector on national financial inclusion. As of the end of March 2026, the sector counts 62 licensed cooperatives, more than 1.48 million individual members, and holds a total of more than 38 billion gourdes in total assets. BRH commended the sector for its key role in financing local economic activity and expanding access to financial services across the country, confirming its standing as a core pillar of Haiti’s national financial system.

  • «The abolition of the death penalty in Haiti: a commitment to be preserved» dixit lawyer Jean Wilner Morin

    «The abolition of the death penalty in Haiti: a commitment to be preserved» dixit lawyer Jean Wilner Morin

    When global anti-death penalty advocates gathered in Paris last week for the 9th World Congress Against the Death Penalty, Haiti’s top human rights oversight official brought a urgent, nuanced message from his violence-plagued nation: the hard-won abolition of capital punishment must be defended, even as the country grapples with a systemic breakdown that threatens the fundamental right to life every day.

    Jean Wilner Morin, Haiti’s Ombudsman, addressed a dedicated congress session focused on advancing life protection and the global elimination of capital punishment, delivering a talk titled “The Right to Life and the Abolition of the Death Penalty in Haiti: A Commitment to Uphold.” Morin opened his remarks grounding his advocacy in universal human rights principles: the right to life, he emphasized, serves as the irreplaceable foundation of all other fundamental human freedoms, a value formally codified in every core international human rights agreement. This universal recognition, he argued, places a non-negotiable legal and moral obligation on all sovereign states to shield every individual within their borders from arbitrary deprivation of life.

    Turning to Haiti’s own legal history, Morin walked the audience through the decades-long process that removed capital punishment from the country’s framework. Formal abolition was first enshrined as a constitutional principle in Article 20 of Haiti’s 1987 constitution, adopted nearly 40 years ago after the end of decades of authoritarian rule. That landmark constitutional commitment was solidified a year later, when a government decree issued in June 1988 fully struck all references to the death penalty from the country’s national legal code. Morin framed this step as one of the most significant advances for fundamental human rights in Haiti’s modern democratic history.

    But the ombudsman did not shy away from the profound challenges that now undermine that progress, laying bare the grim reality of the country’s ongoing security and institutional collapse. Haiti is currently grappling with an unprecedented security crisis marked by the rapid expansion of violent armed groups, widespread and repeated violations of basic human rights, and a judicial system that has been weakened to the point of near collapse. This confluence of crises has created a pervasive culture of impunity, Morin explained, that has opened the door to a surge in extrajudicial killings, mob lynchings, and vigilante justice – all practices that systematically violate the fundamental right to life that abolition was meant to protect.

    Morin stressed that the Haitian state’s obligation to protect the right to life extends far beyond simply maintaining the formal abolition of capital punishment. Upholding that core principle requires far more systemic action: active prevention of summary executions, aggressive prosecution of perpetrators of human rights abuses, sustained efforts to root out systemic impunity, and guarantees that all victims of violence have meaningful access to fair and effective justice.

    In closing, Morin outlined the defining challenge facing Haiti today: rebuilding respect for the rule of law by reconstructing a judicial system that is independent, accessible to all Haitian citizens, and effective at upholding the law. He reaffirmed that consistent respect for the right to life – from ending capital punishment to curbing extrajudicial violence – remains an essential precondition for consolidating Haiti’s fragile democracy, protecting all fundamental human rights, and rebuilding the Haitian people’s shattered trust in their public institutions.

  • Sports : 3 Grenadiers from the World Cup visit Haiti

    Sports : 3 Grenadiers from the World Cup visit Haiti

    In a moving display of national pride and unity, Haiti officially welcomed three of its star World Cup Grenadiers back to home soil Sunday, July 5, with an official greeting organized at Cap-Haïtien International Airport. Acting on instructions from Prime Minister Fils-Aimé, a high-level inter-ministerial delegation traveled to the northern airport to extend a warm, official welcome to national players Duckens Nazon, Martin Expérience, and Josué Duverger, who helped represent Haiti on the 2026 FIFA World Cup global stage.

    The welcoming delegation included senior government and local officials: Tourism Minister Stéphanie Smith, Tourism Ministry Director General Sinedie Saintil Dupuy, Youth and Sports Ministry Chief of Staff Innocent Joseph, Minister of Youth, Sports and Civic Action (MJSAC) Pythagore Dumas, Cap-Haïtien Mayor Michel St. Croix, Cap-Haïtien District Deputy Delegate Rulz Angrand, and Haitian National Police Departmental Director Divisional Commissioner Ernst Bouquet Dorfeuille. Youth Ambassador and prominent influencer Ariana Milagro Lafond also joined the event to show public support for the returning athletes.

    All attendees gathered to share gratitude and public support for the three players, turning the airport arrival into a landmark moment of shared patriotic unity for the Caribbean nation. Speaking on behalf of MJSAC, Minister Pythagore Dumas emphasized that the Haitian state owes deep thanks to the athletes, who carried the nation’s flag with honor and distinction throughout the 2026 World Cup tournament. Dumas reaffirmed that the Grenadiers serve as critical role models for young Haitians across the country, adding that their standout performances on the global pitch have strengthened the ministry’s commitment to expanding youth sports development and nurturing emerging homegrown athletic talent.

    In her official remarks to the crowd and the players, Tourism Minister Stéphanie Smith called on all Haitian citizens to follow the Grenadiers’ example, urging “all the sons and daughters of the Nation to become Ambassadors of our heritage, builders of trust, and agents of territorial recovery.” Smith extended warm personal thanks to the three players on behalf of Prime Minister Fils-Aimé and the entire Haitian government, before presenting the athletes with commemorative plaques honoring their historic World Cup appearances.

  • FAd’H : 665 new Recruits begin their Military Training

    FAd’H : 665 new Recruits begin their Military Training

    On June 7, 2026, Haiti’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the completion of selection procedures for the latest cohort of recruits joining the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd’H), with the final selection round wrapping up on July 5. After navigating a rigorous multi-stage vetting process that evaluated medical fitness, physical endurance, psychotechnical aptitude, and administrative eligibility, 665 candidates have officially earned a spot in the new recruit class, including 98 women who will move forward to start their foundational military training.

    This step marks a key milestone in the Haitian government’s broader strategic push to rebuild and modernize the country’s national armed forces. The administration has framed the expansion of FAd’H as a core priority to enhance the military’s operational capacity, ultimately building a professional, disciplined, and fully functional military institution that can effectively respond to persistent national security challenges and support long-term national development initiatives.

    Looking ahead, defense officials have announced that a second round of recruitment will launch immediately after this initial cohort is deployed to their active units. As part of this next phase, 2,000 additional candidates will be called to participate in the same standardized selection testing process that guided the current intake.

    To uphold core values of transparency, inclusivity, and equal opportunity, the upcoming selection process will draw from candidate pools registered at recruitment centers across all of Haiti’s major urban centers. This decentralized geographic approach is designed to ensure balanced regional representation in the armed forces, guaranteeing that any qualified applicant from across the country has an equal chance to serve in FAd’H ranks.

  • Dowdye, Jones Win Silver and Bronze in OECS 100m Final

    Dowdye, Jones Win Silver and Bronze in OECS 100m Final

    The 2026 OECS Track and Field Championships delivered a historic moment for Antigua and Barbuda’s athletics program on Wednesday, as sprinters Geolyna Dowdye and Soniya Jones climbed the women’s 100 meters podium together at St. Kitts’ Kim Collins Athletics Stadium. Dowdye clocked an impressive 11.47 seconds to claim the silver medal, while Jones followed just behind with a personal-best-equaling 11.65 seconds to take bronze, wrapping up a dominant final performance from the Caribbean nation’s rising sprint stars. The gold medal ultimately went to Saint Lucia’s Jady Emmanuel, who edged out the competition with a winning time of 11.39 seconds to top the results sheet.

    What made the occasion even more meaningful for Antigua and Barbuda was the presence of the country’s own sprint legend Daniel “Bakka” Bailey, who had the honor of placing the medals around the two young athletes’ necks during the official ceremony. Bailey, whose 10.19-second men’s 100m OECS Championship record set back in 2014 still stands unbroken more than a decade later, received a standing ovation from the crowd as he congratulated the new generation of sprint talent on their achievement. The dual medals marked an important addition to Antigua and Barbuda’s overall medal count at this year’s championships, reinforcing the country’s strong showing across all track and field disciplines throughout the week-long competition and highlighting the success of its youth athlete development programs.

  • Miracle Rescue: Venezuelan Security Guard Pulled Alive After Eight Days Beneath Earthquake Rubble

    Miracle Rescue: Venezuelan Security Guard Pulled Alive After Eight Days Beneath Earthquake Rubble

    Eight days after powerful twin earthquakes flattened a coastal shopping center in northern Venezuela, an extraordinary international rescue effort has yielded a stunning outcome: a 43-year-old security guard, trapped under hundreds of tons of debris, has been brought out alive. The survival story has injected a rare spark of hope into a nation grappling with its deadliest natural disaster in over 100 years.

    On June 24, two major quakes registering magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 hit Venezuela’s northern coastal state of La Guaira, collapsing the multi-story Galerías Playa Grande shopping center where Hernán Alberto Gil Flores was on duty. Working in the building’s basement parking lot, Gil Flores took shelter in a small, sturdy concrete security booth that withstood the catastrophic collapse above. The intact booth formed a life-sustaining air pocket, shielding him from crushing debris and giving him a fighting chance at survival.

    Over the course of more than 100 hours, rescue teams from seven nations — Venezuela, Costa Rica, Chile, El Salvador, Mexico, Portugal, and the United States — worked relentlessly against stacked odds to reach Gil Flores. The mission was plagued by unstable rubble, ongoing aftershocks that threatened further collapses, and drenching heavy rains that turned the wreckage into a slippery, dangerous work site. Multiple times, newly dug access tunnels caved in, forcing crews to start over and putting the entire operation at risk.

    Days into the search, crews first spotted Gil Flores using a specialized telescopic camera, and quickly established communication. Through a narrow shaft drilled into the rubble, they supplied him with clean water and liquid nutrition, extending his survival far beyond the typical 48 to 72-hour window that experts consider the limit for most trapped disaster victims. Remarkably, Gil Flores remained calm throughout the entire ordeal, conversing with rescuers about his family and even making specific requests for flavored hydration drinks as they worked to clear a path to him. Out of concern for his wife’s emotions, he asked rescuers not to alert her he had been located until the rescue was fully complete, fearing she would suffer unnecessary heartbreak if the operation ultimately failed.

    When crews finally pulled Gil Flores into the open air on Thursday, the team of first responders erupted in spontaneous applause and hugged one another, celebrating the rare win amid so much loss. Carried on a stretcher to a waiting Red Cross ambulance, Gil Flores emerged from eight days underground with no life-threatening injuries, a outcome rescuers are already calling nothing short of a miracle.

    Allan Madrigal, a Costa Rican Red Cross paramedic who was the first to hear Gil Flores calling for help through the rubble, recalled the moment as one of profound emotion. He told reporters he initially doubted his own ears, unsure that any survivor could still be alive days after the collapse. Minyar Collado, another member of the rescue team, added that crews repeatedly reassured the trapped man that they would not leave the site without extracting him.

    For Gil Flores’ wife, Gusbimar González, the eight days before the successful rescue were an agonizing wait filled with uncertainty. She told reporters she had lived through days of overwhelming anguish before finally receiving word that her husband was alive and safe.

    As search operations continue across La Guaira for additional survivors and victims, the miraculous rescue stands out as a moment of light in a disaster that has brought unparalleled devastation to the country. Venezuelan authorities confirm the twin earthquakes have killed at least 2,595 people, injured more than 11,000, and left tens of thousands of buildings damaged or completely destroyed across the northern region.

  • Maliek Francis Breaks National and Stadium Records to Win OECS Javelin Gold

    Maliek Francis Breaks National and Stadium Records to Win OECS Javelin Gold

    At the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Track and Field Championships hosted in St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda’s star thrower Maliek Francis delivered a career-defining performance that cemented his place in the region’s athletics history. Francis dominated the men’s javelin competition, launching the implement to a stunning 66.11 metres to secure the top spot on the podium.

    This extraordinary winning throw was more than just enough to claim gold: it rewrote two existing records in one go. First, it knocked out the long-standing Antigua and Barbuda national javelin record that had stood for 12 years. The previous mark of 65.70 metres was set by Oraine Brown at the 2012 NACAC Under-23 Championships held in Mexico, and Francis’ effort surpassed it by more than 40 centimetres.

    Beyond the national record, Francis’ throw also claimed the new stadium record at the Kim Collins Athletics Stadium, the host venue of the 2026 championships. He overtook the previous venue best of 60.40 metres set by Abijah Nemdhari, improving the mark by a substantial 5.71 metres.

    The historic win adds a sixth gold medal to Antigua and Barbuda’s overall tally at this year’s championships, and stands out as one of the most impressive and significant achievements in field athletics from the Caribbean nation in over a decade. Coaches and athletics analysts across the region have already hailed Francis’ performance as a breakthrough moment for Antigua and Barbuda track and field, highlighting the rising talent coming out of the small island nation.