The 2026 NPPA Elrick “Pat” Beazer 8-Ball Team Tournament commenced with an electrifying showdown as Ball Breakers narrowly defeated Sharpshooters 5–4 in a match characterized by dramatic momentum shifts and exceptional individual performances. The season opener set a high bar for competitive intensity from the very first break. Sharpshooters’ Head Hunter initiated the campaign with a decisive 7-ball victory, though he conceded the subsequent rack before ultimately securing his team’s inaugural point against Ball Breakers’ Prince M. Sharpshooters extended their lead to 2–0 when Rock overcame an initial setback to claim two consecutive racks against Kelly. Ball Breakers’ Killer halted the slide with a methodical 2–0 sweep over Hazel, injecting renewed energy into the contest. The match then witnessed a highlight-reel moment as Jay executed a flawless opening rack, culminating in a spectacular massé shot on the 8-ball. However, Sharpshooters’ Shadi demonstrated remarkable resilience by capturing the next two frames, pushing the team advantage to 3–1. Dennis narrowed the gap for Ball Breakers with a steady 2–0 performance against Desmond. The captains’ duel saw Ball Breakers’ M3 claim the opening rack before Sharpshooters’ vice-captain Joel, dubbed the African Giant, delivered two commanding racks to bring his team to the brink of victory at 4–2. Facing elimination, Ball Breakers mounted a stunning comeback through Maurice’s gritty 2–1 triumph over Jarvis and Chopz’s composed 2–0 win against Patrick, leveling the score at 4–4. The outcome hinged on the final encounter between Blacka and Supa, where Blacka maintained his composure under immense pressure to secure the decisive point, clinching a hard-fought 5–4 victory for Ball Breakers.
作者: admin
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Gill wins a thriller at CRMS
In a breathtakingly close finish, Gill House successfully defended its title at the 2026 Carmen Rene Memorial School (CRMS) sports meet, edging out Lewis House by a single point with a final tally of 303 to 302. The electrifying competition, held on Friday, January 30th at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, showcased the emergence of a new generation of athletic talent from the San Souci school. Walcott House secured a strong third-place finish with 296 points, while Rene House trailed with 235 points.
The meet was characterized by intensely competitive races across all age groups. In the Under-9 boys division, Aiden Berkeley of Walcott claimed victory in the 60m dash with a time of 10.2 seconds. The Under-11 boys witnessed Jmarney George of Rene achieving a double victory in both the 80m (12.1s) and 600m (2:09.7s), while Gill’s Jaylan Howell took gold in the 150m (23.4s).
A fascinating rivalry unfolded in the Under-13 boys category where Jaden Jacob of Walcott triumphed in the 80m (11.2s) and Gill’s Dante Delice won the 150m (20.9s), with less than two-tenths of a second separating them in their races. Hervany George secured the 300m for Walcott (50.25s), while Gavriel Daniel won the 600m (1:59.44s) for Gill.
The girls’ competitions proved equally compelling with victories distributed across houses. Anikka Alexander (Rene) and Nellisa Daniel (Lewis) shared honors in Under-9 events. Walcott’s Arielle Charles demonstrated remarkable versatility with wins in the Under-11 150m (24.0s) and 300m (54.7s) after placing third in the 80m.
Allina William emerged as a standout performer for Gill in the Under-13 girls category, dominating the 80m (11.9s) and 150m (22.6s) while capturing silver in the 300m (55.9s). Her performance was matched by Alexia Lloyd who claimed gold in both the 300m (52.6s) and 600m (2:13.9s) for her house.
Despite late surges from both Lewis and Walcott, Gill House maintained its composure to secure back-to-back championships, demonstrating exceptional depth across multiple disciplines and age groups.
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Goud staat op het punt nieuwe records te bereiken nu kopers terugkeren
Gold markets are experiencing a dramatic resurgence as investor demand and central bank acquisitions propel the precious metal toward unprecedented valuations. Following a significant two-session decline that attracted bargain hunters, analysts project gold will reach new record levels while silver maintains its volatile trajectory.
The precious metal recorded its most substantial single-day gain since 2008 on Tuesday, rebounding from a substantial sell-off triggered by President Donald Trump’s appointment of Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve chair, dollar strengthening, and profit-taking activities. This recovery demonstrates the underlying strength of gold’s market position despite temporary fluctuations.
Market strategists point to persistent inflationary pressures exceeding target levels, escalating debt concerns, and growing investor preference for portfolio diversification beyond traditional stocks, bonds, and fiat currencies. Bart Melek, Head of Commodity Strategy at TD Securities, emphasized that “inflation remains well above target, debt is increasing, and investors continue to view precious metals as a way to diversify their portfolio and reduce dependence on stocks, bonds, and fiat currencies.”
Financial institutions have issued bullish projections, with UBS and JP Morgan anticipating gold prices reaching $6,200-$6,300 by year-end. Deutsche Bank maintains a 2026 estimate of $6,000, while Citi upheld its baseline scenario predicting an average first-quarter price of $5,000. Spot gold prices climbed 5.4% to $4,915 per troy ounce during morning trading.
The physical market’s dynamics are now under intense scrutiny following gold and silver’s record peaks of $5,594.8 and $121.6 respectively on January 29th, before experiencing corrections. Gold’s 9.8% decline on Friday represented its most substantial single-day drop in 43 years according to LSEG data, which analysts characterize as a healthy market adjustment.
Standard Chartered analyst Suki Cooper noted that “the physical market will be crucial in determining the bottom, particularly after Chinese New Year,” referencing the mid-February holiday period in the world’s largest consumer market. Investment demand, particularly from retail sectors, has emerged as the primary driver behind gold’s price surge as other traditional demand sectors—jewelry and central bank purchases—have stagnated.
Philip Newman, Director at Metals Focus, cautioned that “we expect prices to remain volatile, even though conditions remain favorable for further significant price increases this year,” while acknowledging gold could surpass the $5,500 threshold.
Silver exhibits even greater volatility due to its smaller market size, recently trading 9.3% higher at $86.8 after retreating from Thursday’s record high. The January rally was largely driven by momentum trading and substantial inflows from private investors. Analysts at Mitsubishi observe that silver has lost a key driver from last year’s gains as concerns about U.S. import tariffs following critical minerals revisions have diminished and London supply constraints have eased. However, the retreat from record levels benefits industrial applications by alleviating extreme margin pressure on solar energy producers.
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Congratulations Arianna Challenger, new Carnival Princess
In a spectacular display of talent and cultural celebration, Arianna Challenger from Paix Bouche Primary School emerged victorious as Dominica’s Carnival Princess 2026. The prestigious coronation ceremony unfolded Sunday evening at Windsor Park Sports Stadium, transformed into a vibrant Carnival City for the occasion.
Challenger’s triumph was particularly remarkable as she secured an impressive quartet of awards, demonstrating exceptional prowess across multiple competition categories. Her outstanding performance earned her the distinctions of Best Costume, Best in Costume, Best Talent, and Best in Party Dress, establishing her as the clear frontrunner throughout the competition.
The event featured three exceptional finalists representing primary schools across Dominica. Shanell Benjamin of Woodford Hill Primary School claimed the First Runner-Up position, receiving recognition for Miss Intelligence, Best in Party Dress, Best Party Dress, and the esteemed Miss Congeniality award. Fanayé Shillingford from Bagatelle Primary School earned Second Runner-Up honors, capturing both Miss Photogenic and The People’s Choice Award.
This annual competition showcases the rich cultural heritage of Dominica through the talents of its youth participants. The Carnival Princess pageant serves as a platform for young students to demonstrate artistic expression, intellectual capability, and cultural awareness through various performance categories. The event draws significant community support and represents an important tradition in Dominica’s cultural calendar, highlighting the nation’s commitment to preserving and celebrating its unique cultural identity through youth engagement.
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Survey of Living Conditions and Household Budget Survey 2026
Grenada is set to undertake a comprehensive national assessment of living standards and economic conditions through a joint initiative between the Central Statistical Office (CSO) and the World Bank. The Survey of Living Conditions (SLC) and Household Budget Survey (HBS), scheduled to commence in February 2026, will provide critical data to shape the nation’s development agenda.
Operating under the legal authority of the Statistics Act (No. 30 of 1960 and No. 21 of 1961), this landmark study aims to achieve three primary objectives: precisely measure poverty levels across Grenadian society, collect detailed household expenditure and income patterns, and generate essential social and economic indicators to guide national planning strategies.
The CSO has emphasized the strict confidentiality protocols governing the survey process. All field interviewers will be administered a formal Oath of Secrecy before commencing their duties, legally binding them to protect respondent information. The agency has assured citizens that all collected data will only be disseminated in aggregated form, with severe penalties for any violations of confidentiality protocols.
Government officials highlight the survey’s critical importance in addressing pressing national challenges including poverty, unemployment, and inequality. The resulting indicators will serve as fundamental tools for analyzing Grenada’s economic and social progress, enabling evidence-based policy formulation.
The Central Statistical Office is actively seeking public cooperation, particularly from households selected for participation. Officials stress that accurate responses to survey questionnaires are essential for the study’s overall success and its ability to generate reliable insights for national development planning.





