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  • Teen Busted with Loaded 9mm in Lord’s Bank

    Teen Busted with Loaded 9mm in Lord’s Bank

    On a routine Tuesday evening patrol in Belize’s Lord’s Bank Village, a joint operation by two specialized police units led to the seizure of a loaded firearm and the arrest of a local 19-year-old, authorities confirmed.

    The incident unfolded shortly before 6 p.m. on Manta Ray Boulevard, when officers from the GI-3 tactical unit and the Quick Response Team (QRT) pulled over two men who were traveling on individual bicycles. According to Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith, who spoke about the case during a subsequent press briefing held on Monday, the two men behaved in a manner that immediately raised law enforcement officers’ suspicions.

    “After intercepting the pair, our team made the decision to conduct a pat-down search of both individuals to rule out any public safety threats,” Smith explained during the briefing. That search yielded a critical discovery: a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol hidden on 19-year-old Giovannie Gillet. The weapon’s magazine was fully loaded with nine live rounds of ammunition, meaning the gun was ready for immediate use.

    Following the seizure, authorities processed Gillet through the legal system and formally filed two criminal charges against him: unlawful possession of a firearm without a valid license, and unlawful possession of ammunition without a license. The second individual who was stopped alongside Gillet was not arrested or charged in connection with the incident, and police have not yet released additional details about whether that person is connected to any ongoing investigations.

    The arrest comes as part of ongoing targeted police patrol operations across low-income and high-traffic communities in the region, designed to get illegal firearms off the streets and prevent violent crime before it occurs. Law enforcement officials have emphasized that routine stops and proactive patrols remain one of the most effective tools for reducing gun-related violence in residential areas.

  • United Workers Party mourns passing of former minister Ian Pinard

    United Workers Party mourns passing of former minister Ian Pinard

    The Caribbean nation of Dominica is in national mourning this week following the unexpected death of former senior government official Ian Pinard on Friday, April 17, 2026. The United Workers Party (UWP), the political group with which Pinard was affiliated, has released an official statement extending deep sympathy to the late statesman’s family, friends and loved ones after his sudden passing.

    In the party’s public message, representatives confirmed that the entire UWP organization stands with the Dominican people in grieving Pinard’s loss. “The party joins the nation in mourning his passing and offers thoughts and prayers to all those grieving during this difficult time,” the statement reads.

    Details released by the government of Dominica outline Pinard’s decades-long commitment to public service, most notably his two terms as Parliamentary Representative for the Soufriere constituency. His elected office covered four coastal communities across the southern part of the island: Soufriere, Scotts Head, Gallion and Pointe Michel.

    Pinard launched his political career in national government after winning his first parliamentary election in 2005. Almost a decade later, he secured a second term in the 2014 general election. Throughout his tenure as a people’s representative, he consistently advocated for the needs and interests of his constituency at the national level, pushing for infrastructure investment and community development projects that benefited local residents.

    Beyond his role as an elected representative, Pinard held two key appointed positions in Dominican government. He began his executive service as a Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Education, where he supported policy implementation for the island’s public education system. He was later promoted to the cabinet post of Minister for Public Works and Ports.

    In this senior cabinet role, Pinard oversaw all island-wide road infrastructure projects and national port operations. His leadership was critical to the ongoing management and maintenance of Dominica’s core transportation networks, a responsibility he carried steadily even during periods of national recovery and post-disaster reconstruction following extreme weather events common to the Caribbean region.

  • Laurencin, Joseph and London hit Commonwealth standards

    Laurencin, Joseph and London hit Commonwealth standards

    A wave of outstanding performances from Saint Lucian track and field athletes competing in U.S. collegiate competitions has pushed three closer to securing spots at the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, while one athlete claimed a new national personal best that sets a new benchmark for the island nation.

    The 2026 Commonwealth Games are scheduled to run from July 23 to August 2 in Glasgow, Scotland. To earn a spot on Saint Lucia’s national team, athletes must hit the pre-determined qualifying standard set by the Saint Lucia Athletics Association three times – a milestone several competitors are already well on their way to reaching.

    Sprint hurdler Aasia Laurencin, a graduate of the University of Michigan, became the seventh Saint Lucian athlete to hit the 2026 Commonwealth qualifying standard during her appearance at the Tom Jones Memorial, hosted in Gainesville, Florida on April 18. Running into a legal wind speed of 1.5 meters per second, Laurencin clocked 12.76 seconds in the preliminary round before taking second place in the final with a 12.81-second finish. The result marks the fastest season opener in Laurencin’s career, and currently ranks her fifth globally for the 2026 outdoor season in the women’s 100m hurdles.

    Halfway across the country in Azusa, California, Kansas University senior Michael Joseph also delivered a standout performance at the Bryan Clay Invitational on April 19. Joseph clocked 46.45 seconds to take second place in the men’s 400m, notching his second qualifying standard for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. On the same Florida meet card as Laurencin, 19-year-old Naomi London, competing for the University of Texas, also earned her second qualifying mark. London ran 23.50 seconds to finish ninth in the women’s 200m, and added a 11.43-second finish for 23rd place in the women’s 100m.

    The three athletes join four other Saint Lucian competitors who have already hit at least one qualifying standard for Glasgow 2026: 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games women’s 100m silver medallist Julien Alfred, women’s high jumper Jenneil Jacobie, men’s 110m hurdler Khailan Vitalis, and fellow men’s 400m runner Marvric Pamphile.

    Beyond the Commonwealth qualifying milestones, thrower Joy Edward continued her upward trajectory following a recent coaching change and technical adjustments at the West Virginia Wesleyan Jasmine Clagett Memorial in Buckhannon, West Virginia. Edward has now consistently broken the 15-meter barrier in the women’s shot put, and claimed victory at the meet with a new personal best throw of 15.63m, improving on her previous top mark of 15.48m set just weeks earlier. She also took gold in the women’s hammer throw with a 54.73m effort, and placed 12th in the discus with a 28.59m throw.

    A host of other Saint Lucian athletes also recorded solid results across a series of U.S. collegiate meets in the same weekend. In the women’s 100m, Jola Felix took third place with a 12.57-second run at the Pioneer Classic, while Narlia Albert clocked 13.63 seconds for 44th at the Paul Donahue Invitational. For the women’s 200m, Carleen Lionel ran 25.94 seconds for 17th at the Paul Donahue Invitational, Felix took fourth with 26.92 at the Pioneer Classic, Malaika George placed fifth with 27.11 at the Rochester Alumni Invitational, and Albert finished 51st with 27.83 at the Paul Donahue Invitational. In the women’s 400m, Kereser Augustin took fourth with 55.39 seconds at the ESU Collegiate Relays, George placed fourth with 1:01.20 at the Rochester Alumni Invitational, and Julianie Gonzague finished fifth with 1:03.71 at the Mentor Cardinal Relays.

    On the men’s side, Miguel Charlery took sixth in the 100m with 10.63 seconds at the Shippensburg PR Bonanza, Cagini Pilgrim placed 33rd with 10.72 at the Cal State LA Twilight, and Ishmael Durand finished 36th with 11.41 at the Bill Schmidt Invitational. In the men’s 200m, Pilgrim took third with 21.32 at the Cal State LA Twilight, notched 21.50 for 20th at the Bryan Clay Invitational, while Durand ran 22.72 for 43rd at the Bill Schmidt Invitational. For middle distance, Asa Francis took third in the men’s 800m with 1:51.36 at the Morgan State Legacy Meet, and Rayshawn Harris finished 24th with 1:59.96 in the same race. In throwing events, Shamael Durand placed 10th in the men’s discus with a 37.19m throw and sixth in the men’s javelin with 31.97m at the Bill Schmidt Invitational.

  • $5,100 in Fines After Defenders–Rebels Brawl in ‘Rambo Town’

    $5,100 in Fines After Defenders–Rebels Brawl in ‘Rambo Town’

    A chaotic benches-clearing brawl between two competing teams in Belize’s National Elite Basketball League has resulted in heavy disciplinary action from league organizers, with combined fines totaling $5,100 set to go to charity. The violent altercation broke out Friday night during a match between the Belize City Defenders and the Orange Walk Running Rebels held at the Orange Walk Sporting Complex, prompting league officials to launch an immediate investigation into the incident.

    In an official statement released following the review, the NEBL shared that it was deeply disturbed by the unsportsmanlike behavior that marred the contest, and reaffirmed its dedication to upholding its core motto of “Basketball at its Best.” In a surprising move, the league confirmed that every dollar collected from the issued fines will be donated to a local charitable organization, which will be selected by the NEBL’s central office in the coming weeks.

    The bulk of the penalties fell on players from the Belize City Defenders, whose total fines reached $2,800. The harshest individual penalty was handed to Defenders player Kelvin Cumberbatch, who received a season-long suspension for the 2026 campaign and an $800 fine after being found guilty of striking an opposing player during the melee. Teammate John Bull received the same $800 fine alongside a six-game suspension for kicking and striking an opponent. Three more Defenders players—D’Von Campbell, Bobby Williams, and Ajang Aguek—each received a one-game suspension and a $200 fine for their roles in the altercation, with violations ranging from pushing to intentional striking. Six additional unnamed Defenders players were fined $100 apiece for leaving the designated bench area to join the on-court fight, adding a further $600 to the team’s total penalty.

    The Orange Walk Running Rebels also faced significant disciplinary action, with the team accumulating $2,300 in total fines. Starting Rebels player Kiy Houston was handed a one-game suspension and a $200 fine for pushing an opponent, plus an additional $400 fine for refusing to exit the court in a timely manner after being disqualified from the match and remaining in the arena following his ejection. Teammates Stanford Williams and Kenneth Perkins Jr. each received matching penalties: a one-game suspension, a $200 fine for pushing an opponent, and an extra $200 fine for staying in the arena after being disqualified. Rebels player Luis Sosa was suspended for one game and fined $200 for striking an opponent during the fight. Seven unnamed Rebels players were also fined $100 each for leaving the bench area during the altercation, contributing $700 to the team’s total fine.

    With the 2026 NEBL regular season entering its final stretch and playoff matchups set to begin in the coming weeks, league leadership emphasized that it will continue holding all players and team staff accountable for upholding the sport’s core values of fair play and respect moving forward.

  • Trump Warns of “Bombing” Iran Likely if Talks Fail

    Trump Warns of “Bombing” Iran Likely if Talks Fail

    With a critical Wednesday ceasefire deadline rapidly approaching, the United States and Iran stand just one misstep away from a resumption of open military conflict, according to new remarks from former president and current U.S. leadership figure Donald Trump. In an exclusive interview with CNBC, Trump openly warned that military strikes on Iran are the most likely outcome if negotiations fail to produce a breakthrough, stating that preparing for bombing operations is the strongest negotiating position Washington can hold.

    Trump added that U.S. military forces are fully prepared and eager to carry out combat operations if ordered, ratcheting up already heightened tensions between the two nations. The hardline comments come as Washington scrambles to organize last-ditch diplomatic talks in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, a plan that remains in limbo as Iranian officials have not yet confirmed their participation, multiple U.S. media outlets including CNN report.

    Per insider sources familiar with the negotiation plans, U.S. Senator JD Vance is expected to lead the American delegation alongside a cohort of senior national security officials, while Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf has been tapped to head Tehran’s negotiating team. But Iranian government officials have pushed back on this framing, publicly insisting that no Iranian delegation has even arrived in Islamabad for talks as of this reporting.

    Compounding the uncertainty around diplomacy, Trump has explicitly ruled out extending the existing ceasefire, calling a deadline extension “highly unlikely.” The refusal to extend the truce has put extreme pressure on negotiators before formal talks have even begun, leaving the entire diplomatic process on fragile ground.

    Off the negotiating table, hostilities between the two nations are already intensifying. The U.S. Pentagon recently confirmed that U.S. military personnel boarded a sanctions-targeted tanker in international waters, an operation that comes just days after U.S. forces seized an Iranian-owned cargo vessel. Iran has fiercely condemned these actions as outright piracy, and has issued explicit warnings that it will carry out retaliatory measures in response.

    At the core of the ongoing standoff is control over the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic global chokepoint that carries roughly 20 percent of the world’s daily oil supply. Global energy markets have already felt the impact of rising tensions, with oil prices seeing consistent upward volatility over the past weeks since the current conflict cycle began.

    While U.S. officials frame their military and economic pressure as a tool to force Iran to the negotiating table, Iranian leaders have signaled they hold unexpected new leverage in any potential military confrontation. The hardening positions from both sides have left global observers fearing that ongoing diplomatic efforts are not a genuine attempt to avoid war, but rather a preliminary step before open conflict resumes.

  • Controversial bill ‘not going to be dealt with today’ — PM

    Controversial bill ‘not going to be dealt with today’ — PM

    Prime Minister Godwin Friday of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has confirmed that controversial proposed amendments to the national constitution and electoral law will not face debate during Tuesday’s scheduled sitting of the House of Assembly, marking his first public response to opposition warnings about the proposed changes.

    The amendments, formally tabled as the Constitution of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Amendment) Bill 2026 and the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill 2026, were placed on the Order Paper one week prior as required by parliamentary procedure. In an interview with the state-run Agency for Public Information (API), Friday, who also serves as Minister of Legal Affairs, explained that while all legislation listed for the sitting holds importance, not all require immediate action.

    Opposition Leader Ralph Gonsalves, head of the Unity Labour Party (ULP), had previously raised public alarm over the bills, claiming the ruling New Democratic Party (NDP) intended to rush all three readings of the amendments through during Tuesday’s session. Opposition figures have further alleged the changes are being pursued as a political safeguard amid two ongoing election petitions set to be heard by the High Court this July. Those petitions were filed by ULP members Carlos Williams and Luke Browne, who are challenging the eligibility of Friday and Foreign Affairs Minister Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble to contest the November 2025 general election. The challengers argue that both lawmakers qualify as dual citizens of Canada, acquired through voluntary action, which violates existing electoral eligibility rules. Friday has held the Northern Grenadines parliamentary seat since 2001, while Bramble has represented East Kingstown since 2020; both held Canadian citizenship before their first elections, and the pair have defeated their ULP challengers in multiple previous contests.

    Friday acknowledged that the amendments, which are designed to clarify the legal definition of a “foreign power or state”, have sparked widespread public attention. While the bills will be formally introduced during Tuesday’s sitting, they will instead be referred to a parliamentary select committee to allow for extended public input, a process Friday says will ensure inclusive, informed decision-making. “These are matters that affect people’s rights and impact broad swathes of the population,” he noted. “We will not rush this. We will bring in broad public involvement to make a decision at the appropriate time. The public interest demands a thorough, collaborative process, and we are committed to delivering that.” Unnamed government sources have also confirmed to iWitness News that no vote on the amendments will be held until the ongoing election petitions are resolved by the courts.

    Instead of advancing the controversial amendments, Tuesday’s sitting will prioritize legislation directly impacting the daily lives of ordinary Vincentians, particularly low-paid public sector workers. Two key bills on the agenda address gaps in the national pension system: the Daily Paid and Minor Salaried Officers (Compassionate Gratuity) Bill 2026, which Friday will table, and the Pensions (Amendment) Bill 2026, set to be introduced by Deputy Prime Minister and Public Service Minister St. Clair Leacock. Currently, public sector workers who retire at age 60 are forced to wait until age 65 to access their pensions, with support previously handled only on an ad-hoc basis by the Cabinet. Friday explained the new legislation will formalize a permanent legal framework to remedy this gap, providing critical relief to some of the lowest earners in public service.

    Two smaller pieces of legislation are also scheduled for full passage during Tuesday’s sitting. The Illiterates Protection (Amendment) Bill 2026 expands the pool of people eligible to witness signatures for voters who cannot read or write, a change designed to improve access to electoral processes for marginalized communities. The second bill, the Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record Bill 2026, fulfills Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ obligations under CARICOM regional policy.

    In addition to legislative business, Tuesday’s agenda includes a motion sponsored by government senator Chelsea Alexander to advance the establishment of a national development bank, a key campaign promise from the NDP ahead of its landslide 14-1 victory over the ULP in the November 2025 general election. Friday, who also holds the finance portfolio, expressed strong enthusiasm for the project, noting it will fill a critical gap in access to capital for underserved groups across the country. “Regular commercial banks often turn away small borrowers with modest projects,” he explained. “This development bank will serve ordinary people: small business owners looking to expand their shops, fishers needing to buy new engines, food processors looking to scale up their labeling and bottling operations. We will debate this motion today, and we plan to introduce formal founding legislation later this year to get this institution up and running.”

  • Community champions fuel transformation in Rose Gardens under Project STAR

    Community champions fuel transformation in Rose Gardens under Project STAR

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a testament to the power of grassroots leadership, five long-time residents of Kingston’s Rose Gardens neighborhood have received formal recognition from the social transformation initiative Project STAR for their extraordinary dedication, community leadership, and relentless work advancing local programs that are driving tangible, positive change across the area.

    The honorees — Tenecia Cole, Kristoff James, Alaya Ferguson, Jason Longmore and Annette Hill — were celebrated during a public town hall gathering hosted recently at Kingston’s Pentab High School, an event that also gave Project STAR organizers an opportunity to share updates on the initiative’s ongoing efforts and cumulative impact in Rose Gardens.

    As outlined in an official release from Project STAR, Hill, who serves as president of the neighborhood’s Community Transformation Board, has emerged as a foundational leader for local collective action. From the launch of Project STAR’s work in the community, her strategic coordination and relationship-building have been instrumental in cultivating trust between organizers and residents, creating an environment that encourages broad, consistent participation in local programs.

    Beyond her governance work, Hill also leads coaching for Beyond the Hoop, a targeted netball programme designed to support positive behavioral development for girls between the ages of 8 and 18. Through the programme, she provides one-on-one mentorship to young female participants, helping them build self-assurance and develop the leadership skills that will serve them in future endeavors.

    Reflecting on her early work building buy-in for community initiatives, Hill emphasized that trust is the bedrock of any successful grassroots effort. “When they saw me being a part of it, they knew it couldn’t have been about politics… It was about the people in this place,” she shared.

    Tenecia Cole, the driving force behind the Rose Gardens Parenting Club, has centered her work on strengthening family support across the neighborhood. Under her leadership, the club has grown into one of the community’s most active and relied-upon support platforms, offering free counseling, interactive engagement workshops, and hands-on practical assistance for local parents navigating caregiving and economic challenges. The group completed its full strategic action plan in 2023 and has retained strong momentum, continuing to expand its reach to connect with vulnerable families that need support.

    Cole has also played a key role in connecting residents to economic opportunity: she has mobilized hundreds of neighbors to sign up for production worker training programmes, opening pathways to stable employment for dozens of community members who previously faced barriers to work.

    Kristoff James has been equally influential in boosting community participation since Project STAR first established a presence in Rose Gardens. He has been a vocal advocate for local involvement in training, job readiness, and skills development programmes, working to break down mistrust and encourage neighbors to take advantage of the opportunities available. James also leads youth engagement through the Kicking Forward Football Programme, where he mentors young men using organized sport as a tool to teach discipline, build life skills, and help young people find a clear sense of purpose. His steady, consistent outreach has helped cultivate a culture of participation across the neighborhood, particularly for young people navigating uncertainty and seeking direction.

    For many Rose Gardens residents, Alaya Ferguson embodies the quiet reliability that keeps community initiatives moving forward. As a consistent, dependable volunteer, she contributes to nearly every Project STAR activity across the area, from community outreach campaigns and event coordination to supporting training sessions and initiatives run by Jamaica’s HEART/NSTA Trust job training programme. Her calm, steady presence ensures community events run smoothly, and that every resident who participates feels welcomed and supported, helping reinforce a growing culture of unity across Rose Gardens.

    Jason Longmore has become a widely respected role model for young men across the neighborhood. He was an early mobilizer for Project STAR’s Nano Grants Programme, helping connect young entrepreneurs to small seed funding to launch their own local businesses, and continues to provide mentorship rooted in his own personal experience and faith-based values. Each summer, Longmore opens his personal home to host free hands-on carpentry training for local youth, teaching practical trade skills while instilling core values of discipline and mutual trust. Speaking about the visible changes reshaping his community, Longmore shared his optimism for what comes next: “I appreciate what I see… and the transformation that is coming,” he said, adding that Project STAR’s work aligns perfectly with his lifelong mission to lift up the next generation of Rose Gardens leaders.

    Saffrey Brown, project director for Project STAR, offered high praise for the five honorees during the town hall, framing their work as the core of the initiative’s success in Rose Gardens. “These individuals represent the very best of community leadership. Their commitment, consistency, and willingness to serve are what make transformation possible. Project STAR can provide the support and structure, but it is champions like these who bring the work to life and ensure it has a lasting impact,” Brown said.

  • Five-star Montego Bay crush Tivoli’s play-off hopes

    Five-star Montego Bay crush Tivoli’s play-off hopes

    The Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League’s midweek matchday on Wednesday delivered decisive blows and crucial breakthroughs for teams across the table, reshaping the race for playoff spots and the battle against relegation with just a handful of games remaining in the season.

    One of the most definitive outcomes came at Jarrett Park, where Tivoli Gardens’ slim hopes of securing a top-six playoff berth were completely dismantled by a dominant 5-1 defeat at the hands of league leaders Montego Bay United. Tivoli’s challenge got off to a disastrous start inside the opening 60 seconds, when defender Denville Watson turned the ball into his own net, opening the floodgates for Montego Bay’s attacking unit. Anthony Nelson managed to pull Tivoli level in the 37th minute, restoring brief parity, but Montego Bay refused to let up their pressure. They seized full control before halftime with back-to-back strikes from Malachi Sterling in the 42nd minute and in-form forward Deonjay Brown three minutes later.

    Montego Bay extended their advantage in the second half, with Brown netting his second of the game in the 85th minute, before Brazilian import Lucas Lima Correa put the finishing touch on the rout with a 90th-minute goal. The lopsided result pushed Montego Bay to 71 points, expanding their lead at the top of the table to a comfortable nine points, while Tivoli Gardens remained stuck in 10th position. Entering Wednesday’s play eight points adrift of the final playoff spot, Tivoli can only maximum a maximum of 53 points with three matches left – a total that will not be enough to crack the top six, ending their postseason ambitions for this campaign.

    Across the other fixture at Ferdie Neita Park, Molynes United took a major step toward securing top-flight survival, grinding out a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Racing United that lifted them out of the immediate relegation danger. Gerald Neil Jnr broke the deadlock for Molynes in the 52nd minute, and Roshawn Livingston doubled their advantage 10 minutes later to put the game seemingly out of reach. Racing United’s Tajay Wilson pulled one back deep into stoppage time, but the late consolation was not enough to turn the result around. The win lifted Molynes to 36 points and 11th in the standings, putting them five points clear of the relegation zone heading into the final stretch of the season. For Racing United, the defeat kept them in fifth place on 56 points – a result that saw them miss out on a golden opportunity to lock in their own playoff spot, which would have been secured with three points.

    Attention now turns to Thursday’s packed five-game slate, headlined by a make-or-break playoff clash between sixth-placed Cavalier and seventh-placed Arnett Gardens at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex. Cavalier currently hold the final playoff spot on 52 points, with Arnett Gardens six points behind in the chase. For Arnett Gardens, the fixture is a must-win: a victory would cut the gap to just three points, keeping their postseason hopes alive, while a defeat would all but end their chances. Even with a loss, Cavalier would still hold their playoff destiny in their own hands, with four matchdays remaining to secure their spot.

    Chapelton Maroon are also still in the playoff hunt, sitting eighth on 46 points ahead of their 7:00 pm kickoff against second-placed Mount Pleasant at Drax Hall. Their path to the postseason is far steeper, however, as they face a Mount Pleasant side just nine points off the league lead that is still in the hunt for the top spot and has no incentive to drop points.

    While the upper half of the table fights for postseason glory, the bottom half is locked in a tense battle to avoid dropping out of the division, and Spanish Town Police could be officially relegated as early as Thursday. The club sits 14th, dead last on 26 points, and will host Portmore United at Royal Lakes Field from 3:30 pm. If Spanish Town Police lose their fixture and 12th-placed Harbour View pick up three points against Dunbeholden, relegation will be confirmed. Harbour View enters the match on 33 points, well aware that a win could see them safe, while a defeat coupled with a Spanish Town Police win would leave the relegation fight open heading into the final three fixtures. Dunbeholden, the opposition, sits ninth on 45 points with their own playoff ambitions to chase.

    Another side fighting for survival is Treasure Beach, which sits 13th on 31 points. They face off against fourth-placed Waterhouse, a side that has already secured its playoff spot, and will be hoping to capitalize on any complacency from their already-qualified opponents to pick up a vital result.

  • Manchester City go top of Premier League as Burnley relegated

    Manchester City go top of Premier League as Burnley relegated

    In a high-stakes Wednesday night clash at Turf Moor in Burnley, United Kingdom, Manchester City secured a narrow 1-0 victory that delivered two seismic outcomes: it pushed the Sky Blues above Arsenal into first place in the Premier League title race, and confirmed Burnley’s drop back to the Championship for next season.

    The result means the Clarets will face a third Premier League relegation in just five campaigns, joining Wolverhampton Wanderers in the second tier of English football when the season concludes. The match’s only goal came from Erling Haaland in the fifth minute, putting Pep Guardiola’s side top of the table for the first time since the opening month of the season. Even with the valuable three points, however, Guardiola made his frustration clear after the final whistle, criticizing his squad for failing to convert their chances into a more dominant win.

    Manchester City now sit level on points with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, holding the top spot only by virtue of a superior goals scored record. With five matches remaining for both title contenders, the race for the 2023/24 crown remains wide open. Guardiola acknowledged the positive aspects of his side’s performance, pointing out that his players had shown strong energy just three days after a physically demanding title decider against Arsenal, which City won 2-1. “The chances were there. We created a lot. We made a fantastic game. We did everything after a demanding game three days ago,” Guardiola told reporters. Despite this, City face a statistically tougher remaining fixture list as they chase a seventh Premier League title in nine seasons.

    Fresh off their pivotal win over Arsenal at the weekend, City came out flying at Turf Moor. Early on, a spectacular diving save from Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dubravka pushed Rayan Cherki’s goal-bound effort onto the woodwork, denying City an early second goal. Just minutes before that, Jeremy Doku played a perfectly weighted through ball to release Haaland behind Burnley’s defensive line, and the Norwegian striker calmly chipped the ball over the onrushing Dubravka to open the scoring.

    City kept launching long-range attacks on Dubravka’s goal for the rest of the first half, but Guardiola grew increasingly irritated on the touchline as his side’s intensity dropped and they failed to add to their lead. Burnley even had a golden chance to equalize before the break, but Zian Flemming dragged his shot wide of the post when he was left unmarked in a dangerous position. After halftime, Haaland hit the goalpost with another effort, but City could not find the second goal they chased. The narrow margin leaves the title race delicately balanced, with both sides still in with a strong chance of lifting the trophy.

    For Burnley, the result forces yet another rebuild in the Championship, with the club set to bounce between the two leagues for a fifth consecutive season. After collecting just 20 points from 34 matches, Scott Parker’s side sit 13 points behind the safety line with only four games left to play, making survival mathematically impossible. Manager Scott Parker admitted after the match that his side had simply not been good enough to avoid the drop. “We’ve fallen a bit short. The facts are we had to overachieve this year and we’ve not managed to do that,” Parker said. “In certain moments we’ve lacked a certain quality about us and not managed to get enough points.”

    Burnley’s season began with unexpected promise: three wins from their opening nine matches left many believing they could avoid the fate that has seen most newly promoted sides drop straight back to the Championship. But a catastrophic slump followed, with just one win recorded in the 25 matches since that early run, ultimately sealing their fate. Parker has built a reputation as a Championship promotion specialist, having led both Fulham and Bournemouth to promotion from the second tier in previous seasons, but the former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea midfielder has consistently failed to keep his promoted teams in the top flight across all three of his managerial roles.

    In another key Premier League fixture on Wednesday, Bournemouth’s bid to qualify for European football for the first time in the club’s history suffered a late blow. Sean Longstaff scored a 97th-minute volleyed equalizer for Leeds United to secure a 2-2 draw at Elland Road. Junior Kroupi gave the Cherries an early opening goal, only for James Hill to score an own goal that leveled the scores just minutes later. A second-half strike from Romain Rayan put Andoni Iraola’s side on course to claim three points that would have strengthened their hold on a European qualifying spot, before Longstaff’s late intervention. The one point leaves Bournemouth one place above Chelsea, who sacked assistant manager Liam Rosenior earlier on Wednesday, in seventh place in the table. For Leeds, the draw moves them nine points clear of the bottom three relegation places, strengthening their own bid to stay in the top flight.

  • Singer Jazmin Headley announced as Miss Universe Jamaica’s GOGETTER ambassador

    Singer Jazmin Headley announced as Miss Universe Jamaica’s GOGETTER ambassador

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — A rising 13-year-old Canadian-Jamaican musical artist is adding a new philanthropic title to her growing list of achievements, while one of Jamaica’s most prominent pageant organizations is launching a landmark new initiative to turn temporary pageant participation into lifelong national service.

    Earlier this year, 13-year-old Jazmin Headley, a Mississauga-based ninth-grade student born to Jamaican parents, claimed the number one spot on the Reggae North Canadian Reggae and Dancehall Top 20 chart with her uplifting collaborative track *The Fire Inside*, which features renowned vocalist Richie Stephens and iconic dancehall veteran Bounty Killer. Now, Headley has been selected to serve as the official ambassador for Miss Universe Jamaica’s GOGETTER program — short for Giving Our Girls Educational Tools To Enrich & Reward.

    Her appointment marks a renewed push to center youth leadership, diaspora collaboration and creative social impact in the organization’s community outreach work. Long demonstrating initiative that far outpaces her young age, Headley has already coordinated the collection and shipment of more than 50 containers full of emergency relief supplies for communities across Jamaica that were devastated by the powerful Category 5 Hurricane Melissa. In the coming weeks, she will travel to Jamaica to join the Miss Universe Jamaica Alumni Association on the ground, supporting aid distribution and coordinating local outreach efforts to affected communities.

    Speaking to local outlet Observer Online, Headley said: “I like to hit the ground running, and now I have more vision, tools, and support to continue my mission.”

    Headley’s appointment coincides with a major new milestone for the Miss Universe Jamaica organization: the official launch of the Miss Universe Jamaica Alumni Association, a formal network that expands the group’s decades-long legacy of national impact across Jamaica. The initiative creates a permanent, structured platform for former pageant contestants to continue their philanthropic work, mentorship and public service after their competition tenures end, turning one-time participation into a lifelong commitment to community uplift and nation-building.

    For years, altruism has been a core requirement of the Miss Universe Jamaica program, with all contestants tasked with designing and executing meaningful community projects during their time in the competition. The outcomes of these efforts have been deeply transformative: contestants have led home reconstruction projects for vulnerable elderly residents displaced by house fires, organized international fundraising campaigns to rescue and relocate animals from overcrowded, underfunded shelters, and supported a wide range of other local initiatives. These sustained acts of service have not only lifted up underserved communities across the country, but have also shaped the public image of the modern Jamaican woman as compassionate, action-oriented and globally engaged.

    Karl Williams, CEO of Atelier Dermoth Williams, which oversees the Miss Universe Jamaica organization, explained the timing of the formal alumni network launch: “It is in this spirit, particularly in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, that we are compelled to elevate and formalise the goodwill that has become synonymous with our brand. The Alumni Association ensures that this spirit of service does not end on stage but instead grows into a lifelong commitment to nation-building.”

    Beyond expanding the organization’s philanthropic reach, the new alumni network adds a critical pillar of holistic wellness, empowerment and long-term support for former contestants. Pageant organizers recognize that former titleholders face unique pressures when transitioning out of public life after their competition ends, so the association will offer structured mental health resources, professional career guidance, and ongoing community connection through curated wellness events, formal mentorship programs, professional development workshops, and regular social gatherings.

    Williams noted that the organization has already integrated medically trained wellness mentors into the pageant competition experience over the past two years, and the alumni network simply extends this critical support beyond the competition period. “Now, we are extending that care beyond the competition because the journey after the crown can be just as significant, and in some cases, even more challenging,” he explained.

    As part of the network’s phased strategic rollout, the organization will soon appoint a former Miss Universe Jamaica titleholder to serve as president of the Alumni Association. This incoming leader will take on several key responsibilities: mentoring Headley in her role as GOGETTER ambassador, growing membership among former contestants, and shaping the association’s ongoing programming to advance wellness, empowerment and sustained community impact across Jamaica.