Carib Scope

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  • Upcoming summer program aims to help Dominican youth become climate resilience leaders

    Upcoming summer program aims to help Dominican youth become climate resilience leaders

    As the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season approaches, the Caribbean island nation of Dominica is launching a groundbreaking new educational initiative designed to equip its youngest residents with the knowledge and skills to address climate change and natural disaster risk. The Junior Climate Resilience Champions Program, developed and led by the island’s long-running non-profit Business Training Center (BTC), will kick off this July, with full funding supported by a $22,000 grant from the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility Segregated Portfolio Company (CCRIF SPC) through its Small Grants Programme.

    The free program will welcome 125 young participants between the ages of 5 and 15 across two months of summer learning and hands-on community engagement. To ensure age-appropriate instruction aligned with each group’s developmental needs, BTC has split participants into two cohorts. For younger learners aged 5 to 9, core climate and disaster concepts will be introduced through playful, immersive formats including interactive storytelling, educational games, and hands-on group activities. Older participants, aged 10 to 15, will dive into more complex topics, ranging from foundational climate science and local disaster risk assessment to collaborative problem-solving for climate adaptation.

    The program’s structured curriculum is organized around five core thematic areas: comprehensive disaster risk management, introductory principles of climate-resilient infrastructure engineering, climate literacy through creative and artistic expression, community-focused environmental action, and individual leadership capacity building. Unlike traditional classroom-only education programs, the Junior Climate Resilience Champions places heavy emphasis on practical, real-world application of learned concepts. Participants will take part in a range of community-focused projects, including native tree planting drives, watershed clean-up campaigns, the development of shared community food gardens, and educational visits to local sustainable farms.

    In a nod to Dominica’s own recent history of devastating climate disasters, the program will also include guided educational tours to sites deeply impacted by past extreme weather events. Scheduled stops include the Hurricane Maria memorial in the coastal community of Pointe Michel, and several hard-hit communities in the Kalinago Territory, a decades-long experience with climate impacts that organizers say will help young participants connect abstract concepts to tangible, local experiences. These on-site visits are designed to reinforce the critical importance of disaster preparedness and long-term resilience building for the island.

    BTC Managing Director Lucia Stedman emphasized the intergenerational impact of the initiative in a statement ahead of the program’s launch. “This program is about planting seeds of resilience in the next generation,” Stedman explained. “As hurricane season 2026 officially begins, Dominica knows firsthand the devastating effects of climate-related disasters. By equipping our young people with practical knowledge and skills, we are building communities that are better prepared, more aware, and actively engaged in protecting our environment.”

    Beyond educating the 125 direct participants, the program is structured to amplify its impact across entire communities through its “Climate Champions” model. Young participants are encouraged to share the lessons and skills they gain with family members, neighbors and peers, extending climate literacy far beyond the program’s direct cohort.

    With nearly 30 years of experience designing and delivering youth development and community empowerment programs across Dominica, BTC brings deep institutional knowledge and local trust to the initiative, positioning the organization to successfully cultivate a new generation of environmentally conscious, disaster-ready Dominican citizens.

  • Public Asked to Help Locate Stolen Honda CR-V

    Public Asked to Help Locate Stolen Honda CR-V

    In St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, a vehicle theft incident has prompted a public appeal for assistance from the owner of a stolen black 2012 Honda CR-V. The compact SUV was taken from the Potters New Extension neighborhood, according to official updates circulated to local communities online.

    Investigative timelines place the theft between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. The stolen vehicle carries the official Antiguan and Barbudan registration number A24314, and was last confirmed to be in the Potters New Extension area before it was reported missing.

    Local law enforcement and the vehicle’s owner are urging any member of the public who encounters the SUV or obtains details about its current location to avoid approaching the vehicle out of an abundance of caution. Instead, tipsters are instructed to reach out to the relevant authorities directly via the two dedicated public tip lines: 780-2033 or 721-0246. Any small piece of information could prove critical to recovering the stolen vehicle and resolving the case.

  • Gregg climbs rally table after BCIC RB26

    Gregg climbs rally table after BCIC RB26

    The fifth running of the Barbados Rally2 Championship has already cemented its status as the most competitive iteration in the series’ history, with unprecedented parity among top contenders turning the title race into a nail-biting contest ahead of the final two rounds. After four completed rounds, the championship table reflects the sheer unpredictability of this season: three different drivers have already claimed round victories, and a total of six competitors have secured podium finishes. Most notably, just eight points separate the top three title hopefuls as the series enters its home stretch. Jamaican driver Kyle Gregg, piloting his Ford Fiesta Rally2, emerged as the biggest mover from the recent BCIC Rally Barbados 2026 double-header. A strong points haul across the two rounds catapulted him from fifth place in the overall standings up to third, reigniting his bid for the season crown.

    Gregg’s path to BCIC RB26 was far from smooth. Just one week before the event, a crash on his opening run at the First Citizens King of the Hill left him scoreless, dropping him from second to fifth in the championship and 12 points adrift of current leader Stuart Maloney, the 2022 series champion. With a maximum 66 points still up for grabs across the remaining rounds, the double-header at BCIC RB26 was a make-or-break weekend for Gregg, who knows what it is to compete at the sharp end of the standings: he finished third overall in the Barbados Motoring Federation (BMF) championship in 2024, and claimed second place behind fellow Jamaican Jeff Panton last season.

    The opening stage of BCIC RB26, the Friday night Riddara Bushy Park SuperSpecial, delivered its own share of drama. Mark Maloney, driving a Fabia RS Rally2, took the stage win, edging out his brother Stuart Maloney and Adam Mallalieu, who was also competing in a Ford Fiesta Rally2. Northern Ireland Tarmac champion Aaron McLaughlin, piloting a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5, crossed the line in fourth, though as an overseas guest competitor he was not eligible to score championship points. Fifth place went to Jeff Panton, five-time winner of Rally Barbados, while 2024 Rally2 champion Josh Read (Ford Fiesta Rally2) finished sixth.

    The Barbados Rally2 Championship will now go on a short break before returning to action on September 12, for the penultimate round of the season: the Rally of the Sun & Stars, the premier annual event hosted by the Motoring Club Barbados Inc. With the title race still hanging in the balance, all eyes will be on the top three contenders as they fight for every point to secure the 2026 crown.

  • Public statement: Chief Veterinary Officer on unathorised importation of horses

    Public statement: Chief Veterinary Officer on unathorised importation of horses

    Grenada’s Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Forestry has issued an official public announcement detailing a high-stakes biosecurity incident that unfolded after an attempt to smuggle two horses into the country from St. Lucia without required legal authorization. Under Grenada’s Animal Disease and Importation Act (Cap. 15), the Veterinary and Livestock Division holds exclusive authority as the competent body for issuing animal import permits, and no approval was granted for this shipment, making the attempted cross-border movement a direct violation of national law.

    Following interception of the unauthorized shipment, official health verification from St. Lucia’s Chief Veterinary Officer confirmed a devastating finding: both horses tested positive for *Babesia spp.*, the parasite that causes equine babesiosis, a life-threatening tick-borne disease that is currently not present in Grenada. National biosecurity policy explicitly bars entry to any animal testing positive for the pathogen, as an outbreak would pose an immediate, severe threat to the country’s existing equine population.

    A full technical assessment confirmed that Grenada lacked the infrastructure and resources to safely manage the infected animals. The country has no operational quarantine facilities designed to house and isolate high-risk *Babesia*-positive animals, no specialized medications or equipment to treat the infection, and no external domestic partners able to step in to provide these critical resources. With no feasible, legally compliant pathway to admit, isolate or treat the horses on Grenadian soil, and with returning the animals to St. Lucia deemed unworkable, officials moved forward with mandated protective measures aligned with international standards.

    In line with national legislation, international biosecurity protocols, and formal recommendations from the Caribbean Animal Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA), the two horses were humanely euthanized following accepted veterinary welfare standards, and their remains were immediately incinerated under full official supervision to eliminate all risk of infectious material spreading. The Ministry emphasized that these actions are not punitive or extraordinary: they represent standard sanitary procedure used globally to block the introduction of destructive transboundary animal diseases.

    Under Grenada’s existing legislation, the Chief Veterinary Officer is legally required to prioritize preventing the entry of foreign animal diseases, reject high-risk shipments, and order necessary measures to protect the health of the national herd, as well as broader public and economic health. Officials outlined the severe potential consequences of allowing the infected horses to enter the country: given the widespread presence of tick vectors across Grenada and the lack of mitigation infrastructure, the disease would almost certainly become established and endemic. This would lead to chronic infection and death among local equines, skyrocketing veterinary and disease control costs, and potential trade restrictions on Grenadian animal and animal product exports that would harm the national agricultural economy.

    The Ministry stressed that the decision to euthanize the horses was made exclusively on technical and legal grounds, not political considerations. The action complies fully with national law, adheres to globally recognized animal health and biosecurity best practices, and aligns with expert guidance from regional animal health authorities at CAHFSA. Moving forward, the Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to fair and consistent enforcement of animal import regulations, ongoing protection of Grenada’s disease-free animal population status, and transparent public communication about matters impacting national biosecurity. Members of the public with additional technical questions are directed to contact the Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer within the Veterinary and Livestock Division.

  • Listwa Kannaval returns to dig further into our culture

    Listwa Kannaval returns to dig further into our culture

    As one of the cornerstone events of Saint Lucia’s annual Carnival celebration, Listwa Kannaval is gearing up for its second iteration, creating a dedicated community space for cultural reflection, open dialogue and collaborative exploration of the island’s rich heritage.

    Scheduled to kick off at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at the scenic Harbor Club venue, this year’s gathering centers on the provocative theme: “Rhythm, Language, and Identity: Does Our Music Define Us?”

    The core discussion will unpack the profound role that Saint Lucian music plays in shaping and reinforcing the island nation’s collective national identity. Attendees will trace the evolutionary arc of local sounds, starting from the roots of traditional folk music and calypso, through the rise of upbeat soca, to the distinct, homegrown Dennery segment genre that is unique to Saint Lucia.

    According to the official Carnival Planning and Management Committee, the conversation will place special emphasis on the central position of Kwéyòl in local musical expression. Organizers note that music acts as a powerful vessel for intergenerational storytelling, a function that in turn drives critical work in cultural preservation that would not be possible through other mediums.

    Headlining the event is Dr. Ronald T. Francis, a respected Saint Lucian scholar based at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, where he teaches linguistics. Holding a PhD in linguistics, Francis’ research focuses on Atlantic Creoles, applied linguistics, corpus linguistics and world Englishes, with a specific focus on social justice, systemic discrimination, and cultural attitudes as they relate to Saint Lucian popular music. His decades of specialized work position him to bring nuanced, evidence-based insight to the event’s core theme.

    Following Francis’ keynote address, a diverse panel featuring working artists, music producers, cultural organizers and senior industry leaders will extend the conversation, bringing on-the-ground experience to the theoretical framework laid out in the presentation. The event will also reserve dedicated time for audience participation, inviting attendees from all backgrounds to share their own perspectives and experiences with Saint Lucian music and culture.

    As Carnival as a global cultural practice continues to evolve to meet the needs of modern communities, Listwa Kannaval fills a critical gap in the celebration’s programming by offering a structured space to ask probing, meaningful questions about what cultural identity means for Saint Lucians today. Event organizers emphasized that the event reaffirms a core truth: Carnival is far more than just a time for celebration and public festivity, it is also a cultural institution worthy of academic study, careful documentation, and deep, holistic understanding.

  • Family appeals for help in search for missing Gros Islet man

    Family appeals for help in search for missing Gros Islet man

    A 73-year-old resident of Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, has been missing for more than a week, sparking a coordinated search effort by local community members and law enforcement. Lawrence Hyacinth, a resident of the Morne Giraud neighborhood, was last seen by his family at around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2. When he left his home that afternoon, he was dressed in casual attire: shorts, slippers, and a commemorative family reunion t-shirt emblazoned with the name “Hyacinth” on the back.

    Relatives later confirmed that independent sightings by Hyacinth’s friends placed him in the area on the following Wednesday morning. This partial confirmation has left the family clinging to cautious hope, suggesting he may have traveled outside the boundaries of his immediate neighborhood rather than remaining close to home.

    Since Hyacinth was reported missing, volunteers from northern communities across the island have mobilized to comb through local areas in search of any trace of him. Dozens of family members, friends, neighbors and ordinary residents have volunteered their time to check wooded areas, local businesses, public gathering spots and abandoned properties, but as of yet, no credible clues to his whereabouts have emerged.

    Marylin Hyacinth, Lawrence’s sister, spoke publicly about the family’s urgent distress, noting that their anxiety is amplified by the 73-year-old’s pre-existing health conditions. “We are begging members of the public, especially bus drivers who travel across the island every day, to keep an eye out for him and reach out if they see anything that matches his description,” she said in an interview.

    She explained that Lawrence faces heightened risk due to his combination of medical issues: he lives with both dementia, which can impair his ability to navigate or communicate where he is, and diabetes, which requires consistent medication and blood sugar management. With each passing day that brings no update on his location, the family’s worry grows exponentially.

    Marylin Hyacinth confirmed that the family notified law enforcement immediately after realizing Lawrence was missing. “We filed a missing person report with police right from the start, and we have been checking in regularly for updates while continuing our own independent search efforts across the island,” she said.

    Beyond on-foot searches led by local volunteers, the family has launched a public awareness campaign to spread information about Hyacinth’s disappearance. They have distributed hundreds of flyers featuring a clear photograph of Lawrence and multiple family contact information to community centers, shops, and post offices in towns across Saint Lucia, in the hope that a member of the public may have seen him and can share critical information.

    Local police have confirmed they are supporting the search effort. Investigators have been reviewing public and private surveillance camera footage from areas near Hyacinth’s home and along common travel routes, though the investigation is still ongoing with no conclusions to date.

    The Hyacinth family is urgently appealing to anyone who has spotted Lawrence, or who has any information about where he may be staying, to contact them immediately. Anyone with relevant details can reach the family at three dedicated phone lines: 4894565, 5208020, or 4885646.

  • Visa, OpenAI partner to enable payments through AI agents

    Visa, OpenAI partner to enable payments through AI agents

    The global payments leader Visa has announced a new strategic collaboration with artificial intelligence research firm OpenAI, aiming to embed secure, user-controlled payment capabilities directly into AI-driven commerce tools. The partnership was unveiled publicly on June 10 during the annual Visa Payments Forum held in San Francisco, marking a major step forward in preparing global digital commerce for the rise of AI agent-driven transactions.

    Under the terms of the collaboration, Visa will weave its existing worldwide payment infrastructure — including its global processing network, digital credentialing systems, industry-leading tokenization technology, and advanced fraud prevention frameworks — directly into OpenAI’s AI-powered products and experiences. This integration will allow autonomous AI agents to initiate legitimate transactions on behalf of consumers and businesses, all while retaining strict oversight and control by the end user.

    Visa officials note that this joint project fits neatly into the company’s broader Visa Intelligent Commerce strategy, an ongoing effort to expand the reach of secure payment processing into emerging digital ecosystems beyond traditional e-commerce and in-person shopping. Beyond consumer-facing use cases, the two companies also plan to explore new enterprise applications, including developer tools built on OpenAI’s Codex AI model, and more streamlined automated conversational business workflows.

    The partnership arrives at a pivotal moment for the AI and payment industries, as both sectors shift beyond the current generation of text-based chatbots toward developing more capable autonomous systems that can complete end-to-end tasks for users. That includes everything from scheduling appointments and organizing travel to placing orders, settling invoices, and processing other types of commercial transactions.

    To address growing concerns about data security and unauthorized spending, Visa emphasized that all AI-initiated payments will operate within clear, user-defined permission parameters. These controls include customizable spending caps, restrictions on approved merchant categories, and mandatory user approval for transactions that meet pre-set criteria. Every transaction will leverage Visa’s tokenized credential system, real-time risk-based authorization, and 24/7 AI-powered fraud monitoring to protect users’ financial data.

    “AI will reshape global commerce more deeply than either the internet or mobile technology did in their early days,” said Jack Forestell, Visa’s chief product and strategy officer, in a statement ahead of the forum. “As AI agents become active, everyday participants in the global economy, Visa’s core priority is to make sure every transaction they process remains trusted, fully secure, and completely seamless for all parties.”

    Marco Mahrus, OpenAI’s head of commerce partnerships, echoed that perspective, noting that industry analysts broadly expect AI agents to take on an increasingly large role in helping people complete money-related tasks. These range from routine everyday purchases and bill payments to far more complex multi-step commercial transactions that currently require hours of manual work from consumers or business teams.

    Ultimately, the collaboration is designed to give developers and merchants across industries a simplified, standardized pathway to accept Visa payments that are initiated by AI agents, without sacrificing the core pillars of security, transaction transparency, and end-user control that have become hallmarks of the modern payment ecosystem.

  • Family believes latest body of man presented to them by funeral home is theirs

    Family believes latest body of man presented to them by funeral home is theirs

    WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — Nearly 30 days after the Williams family was thrown into chaos when they said Doyley’s Funeral Services could not produce the body of their 90-year-old relative Roy Williams, a long-awaited breakthrough has come — but it has only opened the door to a fresh, contentious conflict between the grieving family and the local funeral home.

    On Thursday, funeral home representatives turned over a body to the family for genetic testing to confirm identity, bringing a temporary end to the family’s weeks-long search for answers. But the two sides are already at odds over two key details: whether a DNA sample was collected on Thursday, and whether the body now provided is the same one displayed at Roy Williams’ funeral service last month.

    In an interview with local media, a senior executive at Doyley’s Funeral Services flatly denied that any DNA testing procedure had taken place that day. The executive also asserted that the body presented this week is identical to the one brought to Savanna-la-Mar Seventh-day Adventist Church for the May 17 funeral service.

    That account is categorically rejected by the Williams family. Roy Williams, a former resident of the Savanna-la-Mar Infirmary, had been missing from the funeral home’s custody for nearly a month prior to Thursday’s development. His sister, Andrea McDonald, told reporters that the body turned over this week bears no physical resemblance to the corpse the family viewed during the May service.

    Despite the ongoing dispute, McDonald acknowledged the family is relieved to finally have a body they believe matches their late relative. “It makes no sense they try to play us. This is not it. This is not the body that we had before. But we are happy that they have located him where he was and we’re happy that they brought him to us,” McDonald said in an interview with the Jamaica Observer.

    McDonald explained the family holds concrete photographic and video evidence that proves the two bodies are not the same. She was present in Jamaica for the May funeral, and captured images of the corpse displayed at the service — including photos of the face and full body. She also noted that footage from the funeral ceremony itself further documents the mismatch between the first body and the one provided on Thursday. “I have both pictures. This is two different people,” McDonald emphasized.

    Roy Williams’ brother, Bishop Dr. Oliver Williams, backed up the family’s claim that a DNA test was completed Thursday, saying McDonald witnessed the entire procedure firsthand. “She witnessed everything,” Williams stated.

    McDonald shared that upon first seeing the new body, she believed its resemblance to her brother was strong enough that genetic confirmation might not be needed. But the family’s legal counsel advised them to follow through with the planned DNA testing to resolve the ongoing controversy once and for all. “Because of the controversy, the lawyer said yes, let’s go through with it,” McDonald explained.

    She also described the visibly deteriorated condition of the body provided Thursday, noting it showed clear signs of decomposition that matched a corpse that had recently been disinterred. “It looked like it was being exhumed from somewhere. It looked like a mummy’s body. Just like how you see a mummy look. You could see where parts of it had been decomposed — the neck, the hands, the feet,” McDonald said.

    As the family waits for the DNA results that will allow them to lay Roy Williams to rest properly, they are now pressing for answers about the identity of the first body displayed at the May funeral. The funeral home has maintained that it only has one body, which it claims is Williams’, leaving the family with unresolved questions. “Resoundingly we said yes, this is the body that we were missing. But where is the other body that they had before? Where is it? Where is the previous body? We still haven’t seen that body today (Thursday) because they said they don’t have another body, they said this is the body. But thank God we have pictures of the body that they gave us before,” McDonald said.

    Looking back on the weeks of uncertainty and grief that have stretched over the past month, McDonald acknowledged the ordeal has taken a devastating emotional toll on the entire family. “For right now let’s take it step by step. But trust me, we have gone through hell with this,” she reflected.

    The attorney representing the Williams family had committed to returning a request for comment from the Jamaica Observer, but no response had been received as of the publication of this report.

  • Stranger Cole, ska and rocksteady pioneer, has died

    Stranger Cole, ska and rocksteady pioneer, has died

    The global music community is mourning the loss of one of ska and rocksteady’s founding trailblazers, Stranger Cole, who passed away at 83 on Thursday at the University Hospital of the West Indies. His death was confirmed by his son Wilburn “Squiddly” Cole, a professional drummer, in an exclusive conversation with Jamaica’s Observer Online. According to Cole’s son, the iconic singer had been in poor health for an extended period before being admitted to the medical facility two weeks prior; no official cause of death has been released to the public.

    A beloved figure across international music scenes, Cole maintained an active performance schedule well into his later life. As recently as December 2023, he completed a run of six sold-out shows in Australia, where he retained a fiercely loyal fan base built on his decades-old catalog of 1960s hits. He also commanded a large, dedicated following across Europe for decades.

    Born in the rural parish of Portland, Jamaica, Cole relocated to the capital city of Kingston during his childhood, eventually settling in the iconic neighborhood of Trench Town. In the early 1960s, Trench Town emerged as the creative heartbeat of Jamaica’s burgeoning music movement, as ska began to capture the attention of clubgoers and dance attendees across Kingston. It was in this fertile creative environment that Cole launched his professional recording career.

    His first breakout charting singles, *Rough And Tough* and *When You Call My Name* (a collaborative track with vocalist Patsy Todd), were produced by legendary Jamaican producer Duke Reid. He followed this early success with a string of enduring hits that remain staples of the ska and rocksteady genres, including *Just Like A River* recorded with keyboardist Gladstone Anderson, and *Bangarang*, which he cut with Lester Sterling of the iconic Skatalites collective.

    Beyond his own celebrated recording career, Cole played a pivotal, often underrecognized role in nurturing the next generation of Jamaican reggae and rocksteady talent. He supported the early careers of legendary artists Ken Boothe and The Mighty Diamonds, even writing and producing the group’s very first commercial release, *Oh My Baby*.

    In the early 1970s, Cole immigrated to Toronto, Canada, where he quickly became a core member of the city’s fast-growing Jamaican expatriate reggae community. His decades of contributions to Toronto’s cultural landscape were chronicled in the 2018 documentary *Ruff and Tuff — Stranger Cole’s Toronto Roots*, directed by filmmakers Chris Flanagan and Graeme Mathieson.

    Cole is survived by seven children, as well as multiple grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

  • WATCH: Senegal arrive at team hotel ahead of France World Cup clash

    WATCH: Senegal arrive at team hotel ahead of France World Cup clash

    Five days before their opening Group I matchup against defending champions France at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Senegal men’s national football team touched down in New Brunswick, New Jersey, stepping off their team bus to a warm welcome from local fans. The delegation, headed by captain Kalidou Koulibaly, saw head coach Pape Thiaw and star winger Sadio Mané presented with bouquets of flowers from supporters as the squad checked into their tournament hotel.

    For the Teranga Lions, the 2026 campaign carries high expectations and a historic narrative to chase. Back in 2002, the African side pulled off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, beating tournament favorites and reigning champions France in their opening match, a result that propelled them to a quarter-final finish — still the best deep run in the nation’s World Cup history.

    This year, Senegal faces a formidable test in Group I, paired with 2018 winners and 2022 runners-up France, European contender Norway, and tournament underdogs Iraq. Team leadership has made no secret of their ambition: to pull off another shock upset over France and match or even exceed their 2002 quarter-final run.

    Off the pitch, however, the team’s pre-tournament preparation has been overshadowed by unresolved controversy stemming from January’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final. Senegal claimed a 1-0 extra-time victory over host Morocco in that match, but the final was marred by on-pitch chaos. After match officials awarded Morocco a late penalty, the Senegalese squad walked off the pitch in protest, triggering a disciplinary process that ultimately saw the Confederation of African Football (CAF) strip the team of their AFCON title. Senegal has since appealed the ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with the verdict still pending as the World Cup kicks off.

    The 2026 tournament will mark a special return for Mané, the 34-year-old veteran who missed the entire 2022 World Cup through a devastating injury. Now fit and leading the squad once again, the Bayern Munich forward is seen as the team’s emotional and tactical leader heading into their opening clash.