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Messi’s father recovering from ‘health issue’ — family

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – The family of global football icon Lionel Messi has confirmed Thursday that the 68-year-old father of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Jorge Messi, is recovering from an undisclosed medical issue. The announcement comes amid a wave of intense public and media speculation that erupted after Lionel Messi broke down in tears mid-match earlier this week, and the family has issued a sharp call for privacy around the strictly personal matter.

Jorge Messi, who has long served as his son’s agent and most trusted advisor throughout his historic football career, is currently receiving ongoing medical care. In an official statement released Thursday, the family shared that he is recovering well and making positive progress relative to his condition, but declined to share any further details about the specific nature of his health problem.

Speculation around Jorge Messi’s health began to spread rapidly on Tuesday, after the Argentina men’s national team captain gave an unusually emotional reaction following his opening goal in a friendly World Cup warm-up match against Algeria. Argentina went on to secure a dominant 3-0 win, with Messi scoring a hat trick, but all attention quickly shifted to the star’s uncharacteristic show of emotion: he collapsed into tears after putting his side ahead, and later acknowledged the moment was tied to personal struggles unrelated to football.

“It was a matter unrelated to sports. I went through some difficult and complicated days,” Messi told reporters shortly after the match, confirming off-pitch turmoil without elaborating further.

For nearly his entire professional career, Jorge Messi has been a constant presence alongside the star. He traveled with him through his trophy-laden stints at Barcelona, his tenure at Paris Saint-Germain, his current move to Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami, and every major international tournament with Argentina, including the 2022 World Cup victory that cemented Messi’s legacy as one of the greatest players in the sport’s history. Beyond his role as an agent, he is widely recognized as one of the most foundational sources of personal and professional support in Messi’s life.

In their statement, the Messi family expressed profound frustration over the handling of the private health issue, saying they are deeply distressed by what they called a lack of sensitivity, respect, and ethical scruples from some media outlets and public figures who have turned the confidential family matter into public fodder.

“We ask for responsibility, prudence, and humanity. A person’s health and the peace of mind of those around them should not be the subject of speculation or irresponsible media attention,” the statement concluded.

17 6 月, 2026
Important or selfish? World Cup evidence mounts against Ronaldo

HOUSTON, DALLAS — As global football powerhouses kicked off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaigns in North America, the opening matchday for Portugal has turned into a burning debate over the future of one of the sport’s greatest ever players: Cristiano Ronaldo. While contemporaries Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland have all turned in electrifying early tournament performances, the 41-year-old Portuguese icon delivered a distinctly underwhelming showing in Wednesday’s 1-1 stalemate against the Democratic Republic of Congo, leaving manager Roberto Martinez facing an existential selection dilemma ahead of the team’s second group stage match.

Once locked in a legendary rivalry with Messi for the title of the world’s best active footballer, Ronaldo struggled to impose himself as Portugal’s central striker against the African underdogs. He completed the full 90 minutes but managed only 25 total touches on the ball — the lowest number he has ever recorded in a full match for Portugal at a major senior tournament. The gap in form between Ronaldo and Messi could not have been starker: just 24 hours before Portugal’s opening match, 38-year-old Messi bagged a hat-trick to lead defending champions Argentina to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Algeria.

For a Portugal side widely tipped as an outside contender for the World Cup title, a draw against the DRC marked a hugely underwhelming start. This World Cup is the DRC’s first appearance at the global tournament since 1974, when the nation competed under the name Zaire. Even as Portugal pushed desperately for a late winning goal, Ronaldo never looked likely to find the back of the net, yet Martinez opted to keep his veteran captain on the pitch for the entire match.

Martinez defended his call after the final whistle, arguing that “When you are looking for goals you need Cristiano on the pitch, it makes no sense to get the best goal-scorer in the world out in a game where you need goals. In moments like this, the experience of Cristiano in the box is important.”

The match has reignited long-simmering questions about Ronaldo’s place in the current Portugal setup as he nears the end of his legendary career. A former superstar of Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Juventus, Ronaldo has built his legacy on unparalleled fitness and an unwavering drive to be the best. This tournament sees him tie the record for appearing at six World Cups, a testament to his decades-long commitment to physical conditioning. This season alone, he scored 30 goals in 37 appearances for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr, and he holds an all-time Portugal record of 143 international goals across 229 caps.

As age has slowed his pace, Ronaldo has transitioned from a dynamic winger to a stationary central striker, but he failed to capitalize on his chances against the DRC — ranked 46th in the FIFA rankings compared to Portugal’s 5th spot. He pushed two close-range efforts wide after being teed up by winger Francisco Conceicao, and drew sharp criticism for poaching a cut-back pass that was destined for Bruno Fernandes, who was in a far better goalscoring position.

Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry, commentating for Fox Sports, called out Ronaldo’s decision as selfish, noting “The team needs to score, not you need to score.”

Ronaldo’s scoring drought at major tournaments now stretches back 10 matches, a clear indicator of his reduced impact at the highest level of international football. Back at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, former manager Fernando Santos made headlines when he dropped a out-of-form Ronaldo for the knockout stage, a decision that stunned the global football community. Four years on, critics say Martinez’s unwavering public support for the veteran is even more puzzling.

When asked after the match if the DRC had a specific gameplan to mark Ronaldo, opposing midfielder Ngal’ayel Mukau offered a blunt but respectful assessment: “Not really. We know he’s no longer the same player as before and that he’s older now. At his age he can no longer put in the same effort as before, but I have tremendous respect for him.”

Mukau’s measured take was far milder than the backlash directed at both Ronaldo and Martinez from football pundits. Many analysts have accused Martinez of being unwilling to drop or substitute his captain out of fear of the backlash that would follow. Writing for the BBC after the match, former Premier League striker Chris Sutton slammed Martinez’s 83rd-minute substitution that saw him take off midfielder Vitinha rather than Ronaldo: “That’s embarrassing from Martinez. He’s scared to take him off. He’s not the manager… the game has passed him (Ronaldo) by today.”

Critics point out that Martinez has no shortage of ready alternatives to Ronaldo in his squad. Goncalo Ramos, the young Paris Saint-Germain striker who replaced Vitinha against the DRC, is a natural out-and-out number nine and a proven replacement at the international level.

Portugal’s next group stage match is against Uzbekistan, who are making their first-ever World Cup appearance this tournament. Even as mounting evidence suggests Ronaldo is no longer the right choice to start, most football observers expect the veteran captain to retain his place in Martinez’s starting eleven for the crucial second fixture.

17 6 月, 2026
Dominican Republic hotel occupancy reaches 82% in 2026, led by La Romana and Bayahíbe

The Dominican Republic’s tourism sector has maintained its robust upward trajectory through the first five months of 2026, new official data from the nation’s Ministry of Tourism (MITUR) confirms, delivering strong numbers that outpace recent years and cement the country’s standing as a top Caribbean travel destination.

Per MITUR’s latest industry report, average hotel occupancy across the country hit 82% between January and April 2026, with a 72% occupancy rate recorded in May alone. That May figure marks a multi-year high for the month, climbing four percentage points above the 68% occupancy rates the country recorded in the same month between 2023 and 2025. The steady growth underscores rising global demand for the Dominican Republic’s diverse travel offerings, which range from sun-soaked coastal getaways to premium luxury leisure experiences.

Regional performance data breaks down the growth across the country’s most popular travel hubs, with La Romana taking the top spot for May occupancy at 91%. The coastal town of Bayahíbe followed close behind at 89%, while the renowned Bávaro-Punta Cana resort region posted a solid 77% occupancy rate. Other key destinations posted strong results as well: Samaná recorded 66% occupancy, Miches hit 63%, Juan Dolio-Boca Chica reached 60%, Puerto Plata logged 53%, and the capital city of Santo Domingo held at 51%.

Looking at the full January-to-May period for 2026, Bayahíbe leads all national destinations with an average 92% occupancy rate. La Romana follows at 90%, with Bávaro-Punta Cana close behind at 88%. Juan Dolio-Boca Chica hit an 80% average, while both Miches and Puerto Plata reached 77% — a spread of strong results that demonstrates the Dominican Republic’s tourism strength extends beyond a handful of top resorts, drawing robust visitor demand across nearly all its major regions.

Beyond raw occupancy numbers, MITUR’s report also highlighted extremely high satisfaction levels among international travelers. A post-visit survey conducted in May found that 94% of responding tourists already plan to return to the Dominican Republic for a future trip, while 65% stated they would actively recommend the destination to friends, family, and travel contacts. Overall visitor satisfaction scored an average 4.5 out of 5, further reinforcing the country’s reputation as one of the most desirable and welcoming travel markets in the Caribbean.

International visitor breakdowns show that the United States continues to be the Dominican Republic’s largest single source of tourists, accounting for 46% of all arrivals in the first five months of 2026. Other top source markets, in descending order of visitor volume, include Canada, Argentina, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Brazil, reflecting broad-based demand from across the Americas.

17 6 月, 2026
Dominican Republic guarantees free healthcare for Santo Domingo 2026 participants

As the Dominican Republic enters its final preparation phase for the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games hosted in Santo Domingo, a historic symbolic gesture has put the spotlight on the country’s public health preparations: the National Health Service (SNS) has officially received the Games’ torch in a ceremony held at the Ciudad Sanitaria Dr. Luis Eduardo Aybar.

Marking the first time the ceremonial torch has been accepted by a health institution in the history of the regional Games, the event brought together over 100 frontline and managerial healthcare professionals from the country’s public health network. In a symbolic handover, the official Santo Domingo 2026 Games mascot passed the torch to SNS Executive Director Julio Landrón, kicking off the formal rollout of the event’s medical support plan.

During his remarks at the ceremony, Landrón emphasized the unprecedented nature of the torch handover to a health complex, noting that the moment underscores the central role the public health system will play in delivering a safe, successful competition. Scheduled to run from July 24 to August 8, 2026, the Games will draw thousands of athletes, official delegations, international visitors, and local spectators to venues across Santo Domingo, making robust and accessible medical care a top priority for organizers.

To meet this demand, Landrón outlined that all hospitals and primary health centers located within close proximity of Games venues will be integrated into a dedicated, coordinated medical response network. This specialized system is designed to deliver rapid, efficient care in any scenario, from minor training injuries to emergency health incidents. Per explicit directives from Dominican President Luis Abinader, all medical services for participating athletes, delegation members, visiting guests, and spectators will be provided completely free of charge, reaffirming the government’s commitment to an accessible, welcoming event.

José Joaquín Puello, a neurosurgeon and president of the Ciudad Sanitaria Dr. Luis Eduardo Aybar, echoed Landrón’s remarks, highlighting the months of advanced planning that have gone into preparing the country’s hospital network for the Games. Puello stressed that deliberate, comprehensive healthcare planning is non-negotiable for the overall success of the regional event, adding that Dominican medical teams have completed specialized training and are fully equipped to deliver high-quality care to all attendees. The goal, he noted, is to ensure every participant and visitor leaves the Games with a positive, safe experience.

Health authorities across the country have framed infrastructure and capacity upgrades to public hospitals and specialized medical centers as one of the most critical long-term legacies of the 2026 Games. Beyond supporting the event itself, these improvements will leave a permanent enhanced health infrastructure that benefits Dominican communities for decades after the closing ceremony, turning Games preparations into a public investment that extends far beyond sports.

17 6 月, 2026
UTech’s Dominic Williams leads qualifiers for men’s 100m at trials

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Ahead of Thursday’s first round of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) National Senior and Junior Championships, the men’s 100-meter preliminary qualifying round wrapped up Wednesday at Kingston’s iconic National Stadium, with University of Technology (UTech) sprinter Dominic Williams securing the top position in the overall rankings.

In a pre-championship qualifying structure designed to pare down a deep field of contenders, 26 sprinters earned automatic spots in the first round based on their entry submission times. Those pre-qualified athletes will be joined by seven top performers from the 45-man qualifying round, which was held to thin out the remaining field of competitors.

Running in the fifth heat of the qualifying round, Williams crossed the finish line first with a time of 10.31 seconds, posted against a headwind of -0.7 meters per second. That mark was enough to give him the fastest overall qualifying time heading into the first round. Right behind Williams in the overall rankings, two other sprinters matched each other for the second-fastest qualifying time: Ramone Barnswell of the elite MVP Track Club and UTech’s Jeevan Newby, who both clocked 10.33 seconds in the fourth heat, running into a stronger headwind of -2.5 meters per second. Both earned their spots in Thursday’s opening round.

Several other standout sprinters also advanced out of qualifying to join the first round field. De’jaun Strachan, another UTech representative, posted a 10.39-second run (-0.7m/s) to secure his place. Rounding out the advancing athletes are Mario Williams (MVP), Kyle Richards (MVP) and Javoy Tucker of Titans Track Club.

The men’s 100m first round is scheduled to kick off at 6:10 pm local time on Thursday, continuing the annual national championships that serve as a key selection event for Jamaica’s international track and field teams. Reporting by Paul A Reid.

17 6 月, 2026
Neymar to miss Brazil’s second World Cup game against Haiti

MORRISTOWN, U.S. – As the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage progresses, Brazil’s all-time leading goal scorer Neymar will miss the Seleção’s second Group C clash against Haiti on Friday, after medical and coaching staff opted to let the star continue his rehabilitation from a right calf injury rather than travel with the squad.

The 34-year-old forward only rejoined full team training with the Brazilian national side this week, after being sidelined since late May when his calf injury was first diagnosed. Fitness issues have plagued Neymar throughout the 2024 club season with Santos, limiting him to just half of his club’s competitive matches this year. He also missed Brazil’s opening Group C fixture against Morocco last week, which ended in a 1-1 draw for the five-time world champions.

Prior to this decision, Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti had expressed cautious optimism that Neymar would be available to feature at least partially in the Philadelphia match against Haiti. But local Brazilian media reports indicate the coaching hierarchy is unwilling to rush Neymar’s comeback, a move that would put his potential participation in later knockout rounds of the tournament at unnecessary risk.

In an official statement distributed to reporters on Thursday, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed that Neymar, who has not represented the Seleção since October 2023, will stay behind in New Jersey to complete the final phase of his recovery program. Brazil will wrap up its group stage play against Scotland in Miami on June 24, with supporters still holding out hope the star will be fit to feature by that critical final group fixture.

17 6 月, 2026
Dr Peter Phillips appointed executive-in-residence of Mona School of Business and Management

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Mona School of Business and Management (MSBM) at The University of the West Indies has announced a high-profile new addition to its academic leadership network, confirming that veteran Jamaican public servant Dr Peter Phillips will take up the post of executive-in-residence starting June 15, 2026.

With a public service career spanning more than 30 years in Jamaican government, Dr Phillips has built a reputation as one of the nation’s most accomplished policy leaders. He has held multiple senior ministerial portfolios across his career, delivering consistent, impactful results that have earned him widespread recognition. Even global multilateral institutions, including the International Monetary Fund, have publicly praised his exceptional policy-making and economic governance capabilities.

Before his decades-long career in public office, Dr Phillips built a strong foundation in academia as a member of the faculty at The University of the West Indies (UWI). During his early academic tenure, he produced an extensive body of rigorous research and peer-reviewed publications focused on economic development, public governance, and public finance, cementing his expertise across these critical domains.

His contributions to Jamaican public life have been formally honored on multiple occasions: he received the Order of Jamaica (OJ), the nation’s fourth-highest national honor, in 2021 for his distinguished service. He was also named The Gleaner’s Man of the Year in 2015, and earned a dedicated Award for Public Service for his transformative work as Minister of Finance and Planning.

Academically, Dr Phillips’ credentials span top institutions across the Caribbean and North America. He completed his early secondary education at Jamaica College, before earning a Bachelor of Science in Economics and a Master of Science in Government from UWI. He went on to obtain a doctorate in International Political Economy from the State University of New York at Binghamton, and most recently received an Honorary Doctor of Economics from the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean in 2025.

In a formal statement released this Thursday, MSBM leadership explained that the appointment underscores the institution’s long-standing commitment to bridging academic learning and real-world leadership. The executive-in-residence program is designed to connect students and faculty with seasoned, accomplished leaders from across the public and private sectors, creating opportunities for meaningful cross-sector engagement that nurtures the next generation of global decision-makers.

As part of the voluntary, community-focused role, Dr Phillips will act as a strategic connector between MSBM, Jamaica’s public sector institutions, and the country’s private business community. He will engage directly with students, faculty, and members of the wider Jamaican public to share his decades of on-the-ground expertise, while also contributing to policy-focused research and publications that advance UWI’s core mission and strategic vision.

Dr Phillips is the latest addition to MSBM’s executive-in-residence cohort, joining sitting appointees Leighton McKnight and Harry Smith in the program’s work of giving back to academic and national development.

17 6 月, 2026
Police seek public assistance in locating man accused of fleecing over $2m from company

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Law enforcement units tasked with combating financial crime have issued a public appeal for assistance in tracking down a 38-year-old man suspected of major workplace fraud. The Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Fraud Squad and the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) are asking community members across the island to come forward with any information that can lead to the arrest of Gary Bennett, who is named as a person of interest in two criminal charges: larceny and processing illegally obtained property.

Authorities confirmed that Bennett’s last documented residential address is in the Woodford Park neighborhood of Kingston 4, a central district of the Jamaican capital. According to official case documents, the alleged offenses took place between October and December 2024, while Bennett was working in a senior accounting role at a local private company. Investigators allege that over the course of those two months, Bennett siphoned off more than $2 million in company funds through unauthorized financial maneuvers.

Law enforcement officials added that all pre-arrest attempts to reach Bennett at his known address and through his former contacts have been unsuccessful, prompting the decision to issue a public appeal for tips. Members of the public who have any information about Bennett’s current location are encouraged to reach out directly to investigators through multiple dedicated channels: the Specialised Investigation Branch’s Fraud Squad and FCID hotline at 876-922-2374, the anonymous Crime Stop tipline at 311, or any local police precinct across Jamaica. All tips can be submitted anonymously, per official police policy.

17 6 月, 2026
Greenland sees wildfires earlier in the year

In a striking climate-driven shift in natural patterns, Greenland is now grappling with localized wildfires emerging far earlier than any recorded historical observation, a development that leading polar climate researchers say ties directly to accelerating global warming. Speaking with Agence France-Presse on Thursday, Karl Brix Zinglersen, who leads the Department of Environment and Minerals at the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, outlined the anomaly of the current outbreak: blazes breaking out in June, a full month before the traditional narrow window when Greenland’s tundra fires have occurred in recent years. Zinglersen noted that it is scientifically logical to connect the unprecedented early fires to long-term planetary climate shifts, amplified by the amplified warming trend across the Arctic and the current global influence of the El Niño weather system.

Greenland, the world’s largest island, is dominated by a massive permanent ice sheet that covers roughly 80% of its landmass. The remaining ice-free coastal regions are covered almost entirely by low-lying Arctic tundra vegetation. Unlike fire-prone forested regions across the globe, vegetation wildfires are an extremely recent phenomenon here, according to comprehensive analysis of historical satellite data. When researchers reviewed decades of satellite imagery to reconstruct past fire activity, they found no documented evidence of any significant tundra fires across Greenland prior to 2008. Following that turning point, the frequency of the blazes rose steadily: between 2008 and 2020, researchers recorded a total of 21 separate vegetation fires across the island. Almost all of these past events were concentrated in the warmest mid-summer months of July and August, when periods of extended warm, dry conditions create the only environment capable of supporting combustion. The onset of widespread fire activity in June remains a unique and unforeseen event, Zinglersen emphasized.

Nearly all of the current early-season blazes have ignited across western Greenland, a region that has seen an unusual stretch of cloudless, warm conditions paired with near-negligible rainfall in recent weeks. While this unseasonably sunny weather has been welcomed by local residents for outdoor recreation, it has also created tinder-dry conditions across the tundra, turning low-lying vegetation into highly flammable fuel that can ignite from even a small spark. Local emergency officials have moved quickly to issue public guidance to reduce the risk of new blazes. The fire department for Sermersooq municipality, which encompasses Greenland’s capital Nuuk and the surrounding populated coastal areas, shared public safety recommendations on its Facebook page, urging residents and visitors to restrict all open burning—including campfires and recreational barbecues—to officially designated fire-safe zones. As of the latest update, the early-season wildfires have not resulted in any reported injuries, and all active blazes have been rapidly contained and extinguished by local emergency response teams.

17 6 月, 2026
Unionist stabbed before deadly duplex fire

A 63-year-old Bahamian unionist Perry Cox was discovered dead with apparent stab wounds early yesterday following a suspicious blaze that tore through a duplex in Nassau Village, a killing that has drawn widespread condemnation from local political leaders. The incident unfolded just after 2 a.m. on Lee Street, when emergency responders were first notified of the active residential fire. Three fire trucks were immediately deployed to the scene, where crews arrived to find thick smoke pouring out of a single-story stone duplex painted lime green and white. As firefighters worked to contain the spreading flames, they gained forced entry to the apartment where the fire originated and located Cox unresponsive just steps from the unit’s front entrance. Crews carried Cox out of the smoke-damaged building and alerted regional Emergency Medical Services to conduct an on-site evaluation. Upon assessing the victim, EMS personnel officially confirmed he had no remaining signs of life. Though first responders were able to extinguish the fire in a relatively short time frame, the duplex structure suffered severe, widespread damage across its affected areas. Initial post-recovery examinations of Cox’s body revealed clear evidence of apparent stab wounds, leading law enforcement investigators to immediately label the death a potential case of foul play. Officials confirmed a formal autopsy will be carried out in the coming days to pinpoint the exact cause and manner of Cox’s death. Speaking before the House of Assembly later the same day, Jamahl Strachan, the Member of Parliament for Nassau Village, delivered an official statement of condolence to Cox’s family and friends, framing his death as a devastating loss for the entire constituency. “We would have lost not only a community builder but also a strong advocate in the constituency, a father, and an uncle,” Strachan told legislative colleagues. In the wake of the violent killing, Strachan used the moment to call on all Bahamian citizens to reject violence as a means of resolving disagreement, urging communities to prioritize peaceful conflict resolution and practice patience with one another.

17 6 月, 2026