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  • Pope says he doesn’t fear Trump, has ‘moral duty to speak out’ against war

    Pope says he doesn’t fear Trump, has ‘moral duty to speak out’ against war

    On Monday, as Pope Leo XIV traveled to Algiers for the first stop of a multi-nation African apostolic tour, a public dispute erupted between the pontiff and former U.S. President Donald Trump over the ongoing Middle East conflict, overshadowing the spiritual and diplomatic aims of the trip.

    Before the papal plane departed Rome, Trump launched a series of sharp criticisms against Pope Leo, who had publicly called for an immediate end to the war ignited by the joint Israel-U.S. military strike on Iran in late February. The U.S. leader doubled down on his attacks hours later, insisting he had nothing to apologize for, and claimed the pontiff’s stance on Iran was factually wrong. “He was very much against what I’m doing with regard to Iran, and you cannot have a nuclear Iran,” Trump stated, adding that he is “not a big fan of Pope Leo” and accusing the pontiff of recklessly engaging with the Iranian government.

    Speaking to reporters aboard his aircraft en route to Algiers, Pope Leo pushed back against the criticism, rejecting any desire for political confrontation with the Trump administration. “I have no intention to debate with Trump, I am not a politician,” the pontiff clarified. He emphasized that his calls for peace flow directly from the core mission of the Catholic Church: “The Gospel says… blessed are the peacemakers. I believe that the Church has a moral duty to speak out very clearly against war and in favour of peace and reconciliation.” Pope Leo added pointedly that he does not fear condemnation from the Trump administration, and will not shy away from proclaiming the Gospel’s message of peace.

    Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni quickly stepped in to condemn Trump’s attacks, describing them as “unacceptable.” “It is right and normal for [Leo] to call for peace and to condemn all forms of war,” she stated.

    Beyond the transatlantic dispute, Pope Leo’s two-day visit to Algeria carries deep personal spiritual meaning for the pontiff. Algeria is the birthplace of Saint Augustine of Hippo, the 4th and 5th-century Christian theologian whose writings have shaped Catholic thought for millennia, and whose spiritual order the pope himself belongs to. In his very first address after being elected pope in May 2025, Leo identified himself as a “son” of Augustine, and frequently references the theologian’s work in his teachings.

    In his opening address at the Algerian Martyrs Memorial in Algiers on Monday, the pontiff paid tribute to the thousands of Algerians killed during the country’s 1954-1962 war of independence from France, and used the occasion to call for cross-national forgiveness and reconciliation. The remarks come at a time of rising diplomatic tensions between Algiers and Paris, and follow a recent private meeting between Pope Leo and French President Emmanuel Macron at the Vatican. “In this place, let us remember that God desires peace for every nation,” the pontiff said.

    The ongoing dispute with the Trump administration is not new: Pope Leo has previously criticized Trump’s threats against Iranian civilians as unacceptable, and decried the U.S. administration’s “inhuman” treatment of migrants crossing the southern U.S. border. Trump has responded in kind, calling Pope Leo “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy”, and has claimed that cardinals elected Leo solely because of his American citizenship. In a recent controversial social media post, Trump shared an AI-generated image that depicted him as Jesus Christ, before deleting the post amid widespread backlash. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the post as an “insult” and “desecration of Jesus” on the social media platform X.

    During his flight to Algiers, Pope Leo reiterated that his work is fundamentally different from secular political statecraft. “We’re not politicians, we’re not looking to make foreign policy as he calls it with the same perspective that he might understand it,” the pontiff said.

    On Monday, the pontiff also toured two of Algiers’ most iconic religious sites: the Great Mosque of Algiers, which boasts the world’s tallest minaret, and the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa, which overlooks the Bay of Algiers, a landmark that reflects the country’s long history of coexistence between Muslim and Christian communities. On Tuesday, Pope Leo will travel to Annaba, the modern city built on the site of the ancient Roman city of Hippo where Saint Augustine lived and worked for most of his career. He plans to hold a private prayer service at a chapel honoring 19 priests and nuns murdered during Algeria’s brutal 1992-2002 civil conflict, but will not visit the Tibhirine monastery where seven monks were kidnapped and killed in 1996, a killing that remains unresolved decades later.

    Pope Leo’s 10-day African tour will also include stops in Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, covering more than 18,000 kilometers between April 13 and 23. While in Algeria, three international human rights organizations have publicly called on the pontiff to address the ongoing repression of religious minority communities in the country. While Algeria’s constitution formally guarantees freedom of worship for all faiths under regulated conditions, human rights groups have documented consistent patterns of harassment and discrimination against minority religious groups in recent years.

  • After unsuccessful US-Iran talks, what next for Trump?

    After unsuccessful US-Iran talks, what next for Trump?

    After days of high-stakes closed-door negotiations in Islamabad, hopes for a breakthrough deal to de-escalate months of escalating conflict between the United States and Iran have completely collapsed, leaving U.S. President Donald Trump trapped between a set of unappealing policy choices that carry major domestic and international risks ahead of upcoming midterm elections. U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who led the American negotiating team in marathon talks with senior Iranian officials, left Pakistan without any framework for an agreement, shattering earlier expectations that a deal could ease the tensions that have rippled across the entire Middle East since conflict erupted in late February.

    The core challenge now centers on Trump’s earlier order to implement a full naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic chokepoint that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s daily oil shipments, set to take effect this Monday. Independent regional and security analysts across the globe have warned that moving forward with the blockade would only complicate an already intractable crisis, while walking back the threat would undermine the Trump administration’s repeated public claims that Iran had been cornered and had “no cards” left to play.

    Domestically, ramping up military action carries significant political risk for Trump’s party ahead of the midterms. American voters are already grappling with surging gasoline prices driven by market uncertainty over Middle Eastern oil supplies, and a new round of escalation could further alienate an already skeptical electorate. The broader global economic impact also looms large: the proposed blockade would do little to ease the market volatility that has pushed energy prices higher in recent months, deepening the economic jitters already facing major economies worldwide.

    Many foreign policy experts have criticized the Trump administration’s approach to the crisis as unplanned and reactive. Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Middle East Institute, argued that Trump’s off-the-cuff rhetorical style and frequent aggressive threats—what he describes as the president’s “carnival barker” approach—have left senior White House and Pentagon officials constantly scrambling to adjust policy with no clear long-term strategy. “He may be simply buying more time to move in more military assets or because he doesn’t know what else to do. I wouldn’t call it a strategy; it is a military-centric approach without strategy,” Katulis told AFP in an interview.

    Shibley Telhami, a leading scholar of Middle Eastern affairs at the University of Maryland and a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution, called the threat of a Hormuz blockade “bewildering and seems self-defeating.” He noted that Iran already has deep-seated distrust of Trump, and the unilateral threat has done lasting damage to America’s global diplomatic credibility. “Hard to understate what this makes of what’s left of America’s global credibility,” Telhami said.

    Tehran has already issued a sharp warning in response to the blockade threat. Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards, the country’s elite military force, pledged over the weekend that any hostile move against the strait would trap Tehran’s enemies in a “deadly vortex” of prolonged conflict.

    Israeli security analyst Danny Citrinowicz, a fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, echoed the widespread skepticism that a blockade would force Iran to back down. “There is little reason to believe that a blockade would force Iranian capitulation. If anything, Iran’s demonstrated resilience thus far suggests the opposite,” Citrinowicz posted on the social platform X. He added that Iran’s size and mature military capabilities mean any sustained blockade would require massive, long-term commitments of American military and financial resources, a burden that the U.S. is poorly positioned to take on at this moment.

    Public opinion polling suggests that a prolonged military engagement would face significant pushback from the American public. A CBS News poll released Sunday found that negative emotions—worry, stress, and anger—far outweigh feelings of safety and confidence among U.S. adults when asked about the ongoing conflict. More than 80 percent of respondents said the U.S. should prioritize reopening the Strait of Hormuz to improve global oil access, lower domestic gas prices, and support greater freedom for the Iranian people, but fewer than 10 percent believe the Trump administration has made progress on any of those goals.

    “ I don’t see how, 40 plus days into this war, that we are safer, that our allies are safer. I’m not even sure Israel is safer,” Democratic Senator Mark Warner said Sunday on CNN’s *State of the Union*. “I don’t understand how blockading the strait is going to somehow push the Iranians into opening it. I don’t get the connection there.”

    Returning to sustained, meaningful negotiations also faces major hurdles, after Trump pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 multinational nuclear accord with Iran, which had restricted Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for relief from crippling international sanctions. Democratic Senator Tim Kaine noted that the U.S. withdrawal from that previous agreement destroyed any remaining trust Iranian leaders might have had in Washington’s commitments. “This is not going to be an easy negotiation because the last negotiation that led to a control of Iran’s nuclear programme, the US made the decision to tear it up and walk away from the deal,” Kaine told CNN.

    Katulis echoed that assessment, arguing that mutual distrust runs deep on both sides. “Iranian officials are also untrustworthy and duplicitous, but the Trump Administration is providing the mirror image of that,” he said. “If I were an Iranian official leaving Islamabad, I would wonder if I am back on the Israeli kill list.”

  • Law enforcement authorities in Belize seize plane, drugs in major operation

    Law enforcement authorities in Belize seize plane, drugs in major operation

    In a major coordinated anti-narcotics operation carried out over the weekend of April 10, Belizean security and law enforcement agencies have seized nearly 551 kilograms of unprocessed suspected cocaine and a private Cessna aircraft, taking four people into custody as investigations into a transnational drug trafficking network continue.

    The operation, which unfolded in the remote Neuland region of northern Belize’s Corozal District, was built on real-time intelligence sharing and cross-border partnership, Belize’s Ministry of Home Affairs and Enterprise confirmed in an official statement. According to ministry details, security personnel began tracking the small aircraft long before it touched down on a clandestine landing strip, monitoring its journey north from South America with live surveillance feeds provided by international partner nations.

    The multi-phase operation was structured to maximize the element of surprise and avoid tipping off members of the trafficking ring. First, elite intelligence units carried out prolonged stealth surveillance of known and suspected secret landing sites across northern Belize, mapping potential routes and target locations. Once the aircraft entered Belizean airspace, specialized tactical units from multiple government agencies were deployed to pre-assigned positions surrounding the Neuland landing zone, lying in wait for the aircraft to touch down.

    At 6:14 pm local time on April 10, the Cessna landed in the Neuland area, and law enforcement teams moved in immediately to secure the site. In addition to seizing the aircraft and the 551.39 kilograms of cocaine stowed aboard, officers detained two Mexican nationals identified as the aircraft’s pilots, along with two Belizean men who were waiting at the landing site. The total estimated street value of the seized cocaine has not been publicly released by authorities as of the latest update.

    Ministry officials announced that they are withholding key details of the operation at this stage of the investigation, noting that a parallel probe is already underway to uncover the full network of senior organizers and major players behind the foiled shipment. The drug was intended for transshipment through Belize to consumer markets in North America, authorities confirmed, adding that the bust disrupts an active trafficking route that criminal networks have attempted to use repeatedly.

    The successful operation was led by Belize’s Joint Intelligence Operations Centre (JIOC), with tactical support from specialized units across four key agencies: the Belize Police Department, Belize Defence Force, Belize Coast Guard, and Customs Department. The ministry emphasized that the result of this operation is a clear demonstration of the Belizean government’s consistent, unwavering commitment to dismantling transnational drug trafficking networks and rooting out organized criminal activity within the country’s borders.

    “Through strengthened law enforcement protocols, deeper cross-agency coordination, enhanced local and regional cooperation, and comprehensive prevention strategies, we will continue to confront these threats head-on,” the statement read. Officials added that they expect more breakthroughs in the ongoing investigation as they work to trace the origins of the shipment and arrest additional members of the smuggling ring.

  • Over half of damaged community Wi-Fi sites up, running again

    Over half of damaged community Wi-Fi sites up, running again

    Four months after the Jamaican government allocated $800 million to repair community free Wi-Fi networks destroyed by Hurricane Melissa, the Universal Service Fund (USF) has already committed 80 percent of that budget to restoration work, with 60 percent of damaged sites now fully operational, according to top USF officials. The update was shared by USF Chief Executive Officer Charlton McFarlane in an exclusive interview with Jamaica Observer last Friday, delivered immediately after McFarlane led a handover ceremony for $4.3 million in new information technology equipment to the Trelawny Municipal Corporation in Falmouth.

    The donation, which includes three laptops, 12 fully configured desktop computers with monitors, and two professional printers, comes as the Trelawny local government rebuilds core administrative operations after the Category 5 hurricane devastated its headquarters at the historic Falmouth Courthouse. Nearly all existing office devices were destroyed in the storm, forcing the corporation to relocate its day-to-day services to temporary container-based workspaces on the same property as the local Roads and Works Department.

    McFarlane emphasized that the pace of fund commitment, reached in just four months, represents a notable milestone for the program, as the agency prioritizes strict, compliant procurement protocols for all restoration contracts. The effort has been concentrated on seven western parishes that bore the brunt of Hurricane Melissa’s impact: Trelawny, St James, Hanover, Westmoreland, St Elizabeth, St Ann, and St Mary. To date, 17 damaged Wi-Fi sites across Trelawny have been brought back online.

    Rather than simply rebuilding the networks to their pre-storm specifications, the USF has redesigned the infrastructure to withstand future extreme weather events, aligning with the government’s “build back better” resilience framework. The old network design relied exclusively on underground fiber-optic cables, which are highly vulnerable to wind, flood, and storm-related damage. The updated system adds satellite connectivity as a redundant backup, ensuring service remains online even if primary infrastructure is disrupted by severe weather.

    A second key upgrade is the integration of solar power with battery storage as a secondary energy source. McFarlane explained that this means the Wi-Fi sites will remain operational even if the main Jamaica Public Service power grid goes down during a storm, giving residents a reliable connection to call for emergency assistance, report outages, and access critical information when they need it most.

    Falmouth Mayor and Trelawny Municipal Corporation Chairman Councillor C Junior Gager welcomed the donation, noting that the local government was facing severe budget constraints in the post-hurricane recovery period and could not have afforded to replace the damaged devices on its own. Amid widespread budget cuts to cover recovery costs, the $4.3 million donation has filled a critical gap that was slowing the return of regular public services for local residents.

    Gager expressed sincere gratitude to both the USF and the national government for the timely support, saying the investment would help streamline operations across all municipal departments, including Roads and Works, Poor Relief, the Mayor’s Office, and the accounts section. “We have suffered a lot of damage here, and the truth be told, at this time we couldn’t afford this $4.3 million. We have been cutting spending across the board, but you came on board with such a generous gift. I want to thank you, I want to thank the Government. I believe we are moving in the right direction,” Gager said, adding that the upgraded equipment would remove major bottlenecks that prevented residents from accessing the services they need.

    McFarlane echoed that the donation and broader Wi-Fi restoration program are core to the USF’s mission of supporting resilient, community-centered recovery. “We are building back stronger, and this is just one of the partnerships that we believe is in keeping with us building back stronger,” McFarlane said. “I hope today that the devices you get will serve to enhance your work, and by enhancing your work it will improve your ability to provide services to the people, because at the end of the day, that is what this work boils down to. We look forward to more partnerships to support recovery across the island in the months ahead.”

  • JCF says ‘restriction’ on firearms at entertainment venues to be introduced soon

    JCF says ‘restriction’ on firearms at entertainment venues to be introduced soon

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — In direct response to a recent violent shooting at a major carnival-linked entertainment event that left three people wounded, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has unveiled plans to roll out a strict new restriction banning firearms from all public entertainment spaces across the island.

    The policy shift comes on the heels of a Sunday night altercation that turned deadly in terms of gun violence at the Big Wall Revolution event, hosted at Kingston’s Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in St Andrew. What began as a minor physical confrontation between two attendees at approximately 9:30 pm escalated rapidly into an exchange of gunfire, leaving three people with gunshot wounds, authorities confirmed.

    Among the injured was Jhaedee Richards, a widely popular Jamaican podcaster who goes by the professional name “Jaii Frais”, alongside a United States citizen and a member of a local entertainer’s personal entourage. When the shooting stopped, it was confirmed that two of the three wounded individuals had been the original parties to the initiating dispute. All three were immediately rushed to nearby medical facilities for urgent care.

    Law enforcement officials confirmed that Richards was treated for his injuries and subsequently taken into police custody following the incident, while the two other victims remain hospitalized in unspecified condition as of the latest updates. Two illegal firearms were recovered by investigators at the scene, and prominent local music producer and manager Jahvel “Jahvy Ambassador” Morrison has also been taken into custody as part of the ongoing probe. As of the latest police briefing, no formal charges have been filed against any individuals in connection with the shooting, and detectives continue to piece together details of the confrontation and attack.

    Moving forward, the JCF announced that it will kick off a series of mandatory consultations with event promoters and party organizers across the country to embed new security and public safety requirements into the event permit approval process. The new firearms restriction, which will be formally implemented in the coming weeks, is framed as a core pillar of the JCF’s long-standing campaign to curb rising gun violence in public gathering spaces and protect attendees at concerts, festivals and other entertainment events.

    Community leaders and public safety advocates have highlighted the shooting as a stark example of the pervasive threat that unregulated gun ownership poses to public life in Jamaica, and have welcomed the new policy as a necessary step to prevent similar violent incidents in the future.

  • Campari Boulevard: Not just a location; a whole vibe

    Campari Boulevard: Not just a location; a whole vibe

    On Jamaica’s annual Carnival Road March Sunday, Trafalgar Road — the iconic route that every mas band parades along — played host to a standout off-route experience that reimagined how fans engage with the festival: Campari Boulevard. Nestled directly along the parade route, this purpose-built hub offered an unrivaled front-row vantage point, letting guests watch the full Carnival spectacle unfold in real time without needing to join a mas band.

    From the early hours of the morning, the space buzzed with palpable excitement, drawing hundreds of festival-goers. Many arrived without official parade wristbands, many without the elaborate custom costumes that define masquerade participation, but every guest brought unmatched enthusiasm and festive spirit. For anyone craving the energy of Carnival from the sidelines, there was no better spot to soak in the atmosphere.

    When the first parade trucks rumbled into view, the crowd’s anticipation snapped into electric celebration. What followed was a steady, hypnotic procession: a vast sea of masqueraders moving steadily down the road in vivid, intricately detailed costumes that glinted and shimmered under the midday Caribbean sun, their bodies moving in lockstep with the rhythmic beats booming from parade speakers and side stage setups. Even for spectators watching from Campari Boulevard, the power of the moment felt just as immersive as being on the route.

    More than just a viewing spot, Campari Boulevard carved out its own unique identity as a space that blended two of the Caribbean’s most beloved musical genres: soca and dancehall. Instead of spectators being passive onlookers, the hub turned every guest into a participant, keeping the high energy of the Road March contained and sustained long after the last mas band passed through. Campari Jamaica brand manager Jerome Walters summed up the mood of the day, noting: “The vibe at Campari Boulevard was simply amazing. It was non-stop vibes throughout the entire day. Soca buss inna wi head and it’s been amazing to see the genre’s growth in Jamaica. We have room for more growth, but this year has been phenomenal compared to last year. The crowd is better, the vibe is better, and the entertainment is definitely top-notch.”

    That high bar for entertainment was fully met by the day’s curated lineup. The intentional blend of continuous soca anthems transitioned seamlessly into hard-hitting dancehall tracks, creating a one-of-a-kind sonic experience that felt distinctly Jamaican while still embodying the broader shared spirit of Caribbean Carnival. This thoughtful fusion, Walters explained, was what kept the crowd engaged from open to close.

    Walters added that the activation aligned perfectly with Campari’s brand identity, saying: “Campari is all about what is cool, sensual, and passionate. That says it all, because that’s what Carnival is. Carnival is a time for everyone to experience what is culturally relevant. We did our research and we knew this is something Jamaica wants at Carnival.”

    The on-stage lineup brought that energy to life through dynamic performances. Rising stars Yung Bredda and Valiant set the crowd alight with back-to-back hit sets, Yung Bredda leaning into soca’s infectious energy and Valiant delivering signature dancehall heat. Every track was met with thunderous roars of approval and waves of movement from the packed audience. A short but electrifying guest set from D’Yani added extra depth to the day’s programming, with crowd-pleasing performances of fan favorites *Goddess* and *Birthday*.

    Beyond the big-name headline acts, the unsung backbone of Campari Boulevard’s magic was the lineup of skilled local selectors who kept the energy steady all day long. Top DJs including DJ Escobar, Shukkle Bus, Team Coppershot, and DJ Banka mastered the crowd’s mood, reading the room to adjust the energy, and ensuring every minute of the day felt electric and dynamic.

    What made the activation truly special was its commitment to inclusivity. While masqueraders paraded along the route, fully immersed in their band’s experience, Campari Boulevard created a parallel, equally joyful experience for guests who preferred not to march. Instead of making spectators feel like outsiders looking in, the hub wove them into the broader Carnival story.

    Explaining the core vision behind the project, Walters noted: “The truth is, not everyone will get to do the road experience and some persons just want to watch. So we give them the best of both worlds at Campari Boulevard — to watch and participate. And let’s not forget that you get the right amount of soca mixes and hard-hitting dancehall favourites… our expert line-up of DJs served up both in equal measure.”

    By the end of the day, Campari Boulevard stood as a powerful reminder that Carnival, at its core, is a celebration for everyone. Regardless of whether you’re marching in a full costume in a mas band or enjoying the show from a prime vantage point with a drink in hand, the joy of the festival is open to all who want to take part.

  • Trial for ‘Beachy Stout’ in murder of first wife adjourned to January

    Trial for ‘Beachy Stout’ in murder of first wife adjourned to January

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — What was meant to be the start of a high-profile murder trial this week in Jamaica’s capital has been pushed back years, after prosecutors requested a delay to complete critical procedural steps in the case against prominent Portland businessman Everton “Beachy Stout” McDonald. McDonald stands accused of orchestrating the 2009 shooting death of his first wife, Marlene McDonald.

    The proceeding was scheduled to open Monday before Justice Leighton Pusey at downtown Kingston’s Home Circuit Court. However, prosecuting representatives immediately filed a motion for adjournment, asking for additional time to formally serve legal documents tied to a Section 31D(a) court application. The Crown also confirmed it is considering revising the list of witnesses named on the original indictment.

    The proposed changes to the witness roster have drawn fierce pushback from McDonald’s defense team, which is led by attorneys Monique Scott, Anna Kaye Scott-James, and John Jacobs. The court will issue a formal ruling on the adjournment request and the witness modification dispute when the matter next comes up for review on May 15, 2025. Following the ruling, the full trial will not get underway until January 27, 2027, marking the second delay to the proceeding after it was originally scheduled for April 2026.

    The 2009 killing of Marlene McDonald, who was gunned down outside her Boundbrook, Portland residence, sat as an unsolved cold case for more than a decade. It was only reopened and McDonald was charged after his connection to the violent 2020 murder of his second wife, Tonia, was uncovered.

    In September 2024, McDonald and his co-defendant Oscar Barnes were convicted and sentenced to life in prison for Tonia’s brutal killing. On July 20, 2020, Tonia was found murdered on a main road in Portland’s Sherwood Forest community: she had been stabbed multiple times, her throat cut, and her body was left burned inside her Toyota Axio, which the attackers also set on fire.

  • ‘WE ARE IN FRONT’

    ‘WE ARE IN FRONT’

    The opening day of the latest West Indies Championship four-day clash between Jamaica Scorpions and Barbados Pride at St Catherine’s Chedwin Park delivered a dramatic twist of fortunes, with Jamaica’s head coach Robert Haynes insisting his side still holds the advantage after a testing day in the field.

    Electing to bat first after winning the toss, the visiting Pride got off to a disastrous start, collapsing to 23 for three inside the opening seven overs. Fast bowler Marquino Mindley tore through the top of the order, dismissing Pride captain Kraigg Brathwaite and opening batsman Jonathan Drakes, while new ball partner Ojay Shields claimed the wicket of Shane Moseley to put the Scorpions firmly in control early on.

    That early advantage was all but erased by a resilient counterattack, however, as Kevin Wickham and Kyle Mayers stitched together a match-turning 117-run partnership to steady the Pride innings. Mayers fell for a well-compiled 64, but Wickham continued his aggressive strokeplay to notch a spectacular personal century, finishing the day unbeaten in spectacular fashion with an innings of 153 that included six fours and a staggering 12 sixes. Useful lower-order contributions from Shamar Springer (40) and Joshua Bishop (37) pushed the Pride total past the 300 mark before the Scorpions bowling attack fought back to limit the damage.

    Mindley and off-spinner Peat Salmon led the Jamaica bowling effort, each claiming four wickets, while Brad Barnes took the remaining one to restrict Barbados to 348 all out from 81.4 overs. The result means the Scorpions need another 332 runs to claim valuable first-innings points, and they closed the day’s play having already survived six overs, reaching 17 for no loss before stumps. Left-handed batsmen Kirk McKenzie (8 not out) and captain John Campbell (3 not out) will resume the innings for the hosts at 10:00 am on Monday, with no wickets lost.

    Haynes acknowledged that his side’s bowling was not at its most consistent on a flat Chedwin Park pitch, which produced occasional unpredictable low bounce, but underlined that the points table puts Jamaica ahead entering the second day. “It’s funny, because they would have gotten two batting points and we got 10 wickets — we would have gotten three points — so overall right now we are in front,” he explained.

    Haynes reserved special praise for match-winner Mindley, calling his performance exceptional. “He really bowled well, he bowled straight — wicket to wicket — and he got the reward. Peat bowled a good spell and he could have done better, but overall it wasn’t the best bowling performance. But at the end of the day, we still have to go here and bat. At 17 without losing a wicket after six overs, it’s a good start.”

    The Jamaica coaching staff faced minor controversy ahead of the match after selecting a side that omitted home-grown left-arm spinner Jeavor Royal, who would have been playing on his home ground. Haynes defended the selection choice, noting that the team’s long-standing success against Barbados with off-spinners, paired with Brad Barnes’ six-wicket haul against the Pride in Barbados last season, justified the call. “Peat has gotten wickets before against them and, at the end of the day, we just felt that on this surface, the off-spinners would have done a lot better. It’s just for us to come back, get these runs, and go back out there and try and bowl out Barbados.”

  • Over 6,000 regain power in March as gov’t intervention helps JPS exceed targets

    Over 6,000 regain power in March as gov’t intervention helps JPS exceed targets

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s destructive sweep across the island, Jamaica has marked a major milestone in its post-storm recovery: the national utility Jamaica Public Service (JPS) has outperformed its agreed power restoration target for March, bringing the country significantly closer to full grid recovery after the devastating weather event.

    Data released by the Ministry of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications confirms that more than 6,000 customers were reconnected to the JPS grid throughout March, beating the initial goal of 5,000 set by the government and utility. As of April 1, 2026, only 3,022 customers across the island remain without power.

    This rapid progress builds on gains made in February, when the government had already restored service to 98 percent of the total JPS network, cutting the number of outages from tens of thousands to fewer than 10,000. By the end of that month, 9,135 of the utility’s roughly 690,000 total customers were still waiting for power to be restored.

    Ramping up operations through March, crews successfully reconnected 6,113 customers by the start of April – representing 67 percent of all customers who remained without power at the beginning of March. That reduction has left just over 3,000 customers still waiting for service.

    The vast majority of remaining outages are now concentrated in the hardest-hit, geographically challenging communities across the island. Roughly 84 percent of all customers still without power are located in the parish of Westmoreland, where extensive damage to critical infrastructure and complicated logistics have slowed recovery work. According to the ministry, current restoration efforts center on highly complex operations: traversing steep, hard-to-access terrain, repairing large-scale damaged infrastructure, and resolving individual barriers to customer connection, such as damaged in-home wiring that prevents safe reconnection.

    Portfolio Minister Daryl Vaz emphasized that the steady, accelerated progress is the direct result of intentional government policy and strict accountability measures put in place after the storm. Back in December 2025, the Jamaican government approved a $150 million US loan to speed up restoration work. This move came in response to initial projections from JPS that full grid restoration could stretch all the way into late 2026, or even the first quarter of 2027 – a timeline the administration rejected as unacceptable for Jamaican households.

    “That was not acceptable to us,” Vaz stated in an official release Monday. “When we approved the loan in December, it was on the basis that we would achieve full restoration by the end of February. While we reached 98 per cent restoration by that deadline, the Government made it clear that aggressive restoration efforts would continue into March and April to close the remaining gap.”

    After meeting the 98 percent benchmark in February, the government and JPS agreed to a specific target of reconnecting 5,000 customers in March – a goal the utility not only met but surpassed by more than 1,000 connections. “That is a strong performance, and JPS deserves commendation. Every target agreed with the Government has been met. That is an extraordinary achievement in a recovery effort of this scale,” Vaz added.

    Vaz went on to highlight that without the government’s early intervention and dedicated financing, restoration timelines would have been far longer, leaving thousands of Jamaicans without power for additional months. “The alternative would have resulted in many communities waiting months longer for electricity,” he said, noting that the administration took decisive action to avoid that outcome and speed up relief for all affected residents.

    The current phase of work, widely referred to as the “last mile” of restoration, relies on close coordination between local JPS crews, domestic contractors, international line crews brought in to supplement local capacity, and multiple state agencies focused on clearing access routes and removing storm debris.

    The Jamaican government has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to reaching near-total restoration as quickly as possible, noting that ongoing work is prioritizing the most technically complex connections. The administration’s goal is to reconnect every customer who can safely receive power as rapidly as possible, even as full infrastructure rebuilding continues across all affected parishes. With steady progress month over month, Jamaica continues to advance toward full recovery from Hurricane Melissa’s impact.

  • UPDATE: Podcaster Jaii Frais among 3 shot at carnival party, producer Jahvy in custody

    UPDATE: Podcaster Jaii Frais among 3 shot at carnival party, producer Jahvy in custody

    A violent shooting incident unfolded in the early hours after carnival celebrations at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in St. Andrew on Sunday night, leaving three people injured and drawing sharp attention to public safety at major Jamaican entertainment events. Among the casualties is Jhaedee “Jaii Frais” Richards, a well-known podcast host, who is currently receiving medical care under constant police guard at a local hospital.

    Authorities have confirmed that the three injured victims have varying backgrounds and conditions. One casualty is an innocent bystander who was caught in the crossfire, while the third victim, a member of a local entertainer’s entourage, remains in critical condition and is currently undergoing emergency surgery to treat gunshot wounds.

    In the wake of the attack, police have taken prominent music producer and talent manager Jahvel “Jahvy Ambassador” Morrison into custody as part of their ongoing investigation. Initial witness accounts and police reports detail the sequence of events: Richards had stepped away from the main carnival crowd to use the venue’s restroom, and was ambushed by a group of men immediately after exiting the facility.

    Two firearms were recovered by law enforcement following the confrontation. The first is a 9mm Glock pistol registered to Morrison, who holds a valid license to carry the weapon. The second gun was seized by Richards himself, who reportedly managed to disarm one of his attackers during the assault before turning the weapon over to responding officers.

    As of the latest update, no formal charges have been filed against any person connected to the incident. Investigators are still reviewing evidence, interviewing witnesses, and working to confirm a motive for the unprovoked attack.