Category: CANA News

Caribbean-American Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke has criticised the decision of the ruling of the United States Supreme Court ((SCOTUS) clearing the path for President Donald Trump’s continued attacks on mail-in ballots ahead of the midterm elections in November.

In an emergency decision on Monday, the conservative-led SCOTUS ruled along ideological lines in permitting the Trump administration to proceed with plans to restrict mail-in voting before the elections, pausing an injunction by a federal judge in Boston, Massachusetts that had prohibited the administration from applying provisions of Trump’s executive order.

Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who represents the predominantly Caribbean 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that ‘the John Roberts Supreme Court has once again turned its back on the American people, clearing the way for the Trump administration’s corrupt, anti-democratic scheme to restrict mail-in voting ahead of the elections this November.

‘Despite voting by mail himself, Donald Trump has for years blamed vote-by-mail for his 2020 electoral loss and will attempt to use this ruling to further disenfranchise voters in the wake of the racial gerrymandering scheme unleashed by the court’s Callais decision – robbing Americans of access to free and fair elections in an effort to dismantle our democracy,’ said Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

She said extremist Republicans, enabled by the conservative supermajority on the Supreme Court, will stop at nothing to cement one-party rule in Washington.

‘But this scheme to restrict mail-in voting underscores one key fact: They know their only pathway to victory in November is to cheat. Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans know they cannot outrun their failed policies, which have worsened our nation’s affordability crisis and increased the cost of living on everything from gas to groceries’.

Clarke said that accountability will come for the Roberts Court and ‘when Democrats take back the House and Senate, we will work to pass legislation to restore the Voting Rights Act and advance nationwide judicial and electoral reforms to ensure fairness and equal representation under the law.

‘Republicans will use any tactic to undermine a free and fair election, but the American people must send a clear message this November. Our presence at the ballot box must overwhelm any effort to cheat,’ Clarke said, adding ‘we must become too big to rig.’

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries – whose 8th Congressional District in New York, encompassing parts of Brooklyn and Queens, which is largely Caribbean-American – said that the sycophantic Supreme Court majority’s decision in the vote-by-mail case is sowing chaos in service to Donald Trump’s effort to ‘undermine our free and fair elections.

‘The Trump-aligned justices on the Supreme Court did not and cannot give the president the power to decide how states run elections or who gets to vote by mail. The legal fight against Donald Trump’s unlawful executive order is not over.

‘The order does not override the Constitution, and the power to regulate elections remains with states and the Congress. After breaking every promise they made to the American people, extreme MAGA Republicans have concluded that their best course of action is to suppress the vote, intimidate the electorate and try to rig the outcome of the midterm elections,’ Jeffries added.

He said in response, House Democrats have put together the largest voter protection effort ever assembled.

‘The American people, not Donald Trump, should and will choose their elected officials. We will continue to push back in the courts, in communities across the country and at the ballot box. Regime change is coming to the United States Congress in November.’

New York Attorney General Letitia James said that while Monday’s ruling by SCOTUS is ‘a painful setback, it will not be the final word.

‘The right to vote is sacred, and no administration should be allowed to put that right in jeopardy by making it harder for eligible voters to cast their ballots. This fight is far from over,’ James said, adding ‘we are exploring our legal options’.

James, 22 other attorneys general, and the governor of Pennsylvania, filed a lawsuit on April 3 challenging Trump’s executive order that would have upended state election systems, ‘baselessly restricted mail-in voting, and threatened election officials with prosecution for carrying out their duties.’

James noted that, on June 25, the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts granted the coalition’s motion for summary judgment and blocked key provisions of the executive order.

After the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit declined to overturn the ruling, the Trump administration appealed to SCOTUS, and, on Monday, SCOTUS granted the administration’s motion for a stay of the District Court’s decision.

In a 10-page, unsigned opinion, the SCOTUS majority said that it was too soon for courts to consider the states’ challenge, stating that Trump’s executive order is yet to be pursued.

But, at the same time, the majority concurred with Trump’s argument to proceed with its plans, ruling that administration was ‘likely to suffer irreparable harm.’

The following is the CANANews and SPORTS Schedule for Monday, August 24, 2026.

TEGUSIGALPA – Belize Prime Minister John Briceño has arrived in in Honduras at the start of an official visit that includes a meeting with President Nasry Asfura.

TOKYO -The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) Monday said it has expanded its partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to US$6.5 billion, which is expected to generate approximately US$7.5 billion in additional resources, based on the average of recent years.

CASTRIES – Government minister contemplating civil and criminal action after police said allegations against him not sustained.

PORT OF SPAIN – The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has sought to assure the public that it is treating reports of bomb threats across the country ‘seriously’ and are urging the population ‘to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information and refrain from sharing material that may cause unnecessary alarm or panic’.

BASSETERRE – The St. Kitts and Nevis government says its multi-million dollar (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) ground water drilling project has recorded a major breakthrough following the successful drilling of a new groundwater well in Saddlers, north of here.

SPORTS:

PUNTA CANTA – Haiti whipped defending champions Jamaica 4-0 to capture the 2026 CFU Boys’ Under-14 Challenge Series in comprehensive style at Cap Cana Sports City here on Sunday.

PUNTA CANTA FIFA President Gianni Infantino has reportedly angered Concacaf President Victor Montagliani by attending a Caribbean Football Union (CFU) meeting over the weekend despite being asked not to.

The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) Monday said it has expanded its partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to US$6.5 billion, which is expected to generate approximately US$7.5 billion in additional resources, based on the average of recent years.

The financial institution the J$14 billion in financing for Latin America and the Caribbean also adds critical minerals and agriculture as strategic areas of cooperation. It said a new memorandum of cooperation (MoC) with JICA and Japan’s Ministry of Finance will also support health and care systems across the region.

The agreements were signed during IDB Group President Ilan Goldfajn’s visit to Tokyo to mark the 50th anniversary of Japan’s membership in the IDB. They increase co-financing under the Cooperation for Economic Recovery and Social Inclusion (CORE) framework from four to five billion US dollars and raise the ceiling of the Trust Fund Achieving Development of Latin America and the Caribbean (TADAC) from one to $1.5 billion for private-sector investment.

Goldfajn. Said Japan has been one of the IDB Group’s closest and most trusted partners in advancing development across Latin America and the Caribbean.

‘As the bridge between Japan and the region, the IDB Group connects Japanese financing, expertise, and innovation with public- and private-sector efforts to accelerate sustainable growth. By expanding our cooperation framework and trust fund, we are scaling that impact and reaffirming our shared confidence in the region’s future,’ said Goldfajn.

JICA president Akihiko Tanaka said for Japan, the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean are important partners, with which Tokyo shares universal values and which are also important suppliers of resources and food.

‘The agreements signed today represent an important step in further advancing the longstanding partnership between JICA and the IDB Group. Through them, we will bring together our respective financing, expertise, and networks to address the diverse development challenges facing the region.

‘JICA will continue to work closely with the IDB Group to translate these frameworks into concrete development impacts and contribute to inclusive and sustainable growth across the region,’ Tanaka added.

Created in 2011, CORE supports co-financing and co-investment in development in Latin America and the Caribbean in areas including infrastructure, disaster-risk reduction and resilience, global health, poverty reduction, and climate-shock mitigation for non-sovereign operations.

It also supports collaboration across the IDB Group, including coordinated JICA and IDB Lab co-investments in venture funds that back innovative companies and entrepreneurial ecosystems in the region.

Under the new agreement, CORE’s financing target increases to five billion US dollars through 2031, with agriculture and critical minerals added as new areas of cooperation. These additions reflect Latin America and the Caribbean’s growing role as a global supplier of food, energy-transition inputs, and critical minerals essential to batteries, electric vehicles, and other strategic industries.

The IDB Group and JICA also agreed to expand their partnership under TADAC, raising the fund’s contribution ceiling to US$1.5 billion. Since its creation in 2025, TADAC has deployed US$401 million across 12 projects in nine countries through IDB Invest, the IDB Group’s private-sector arm. IDB Invest is currently reviewing 19 additional transactions totaling $589 million.

The the MoC signed with JICA and the Ministry of Finance on health and care will build on Japan’s leadership in healthy aging and long-term care to strengthen health systems, advance digital health transformation, and support the expansion of the regional IDB Cares initiative.

The CORE and TADAC agreements and the new MoC are part of a broader package of new and expanded cooperation marking 50 years of partnership between the IDB Group and Japan.

The package also establishes the US$30 million Japan Resilience Initiative within the Japan Special Fund, for critical minerals and other uses, and creates a new risk-transfer instrument using NEXI loan insurance to cover an IDB-guaranteed loan.

It also renews a memorandum of understanding with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to identify public- and private-sector co-financing opportunities, and includes a new MoC with Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism to advance resilient, high-quality infrastructure.

The expanded partnership reflects the shared commitment of the IDB Group and JICA to address Latin America and the Caribbean’s most pressing development challenges, bringing together financing, expertise, and innovation to unlock new opportunities across the region, the IDB added.

Jamaica’s national lacrosse team missed out on a podium finish at the Pan American Men’s Lacrosse Championship when they went down to Haudenosaunee 16-9 in the bronze medal match here on Sunday.

Despite the result, Jamaica secured their spot at the 2027 World Lacrosse Championships as one of the top five finishers at the tournament.

Haudenosaunee lead 6-5 at the end of the first quarter, and maintained that one-goal advantage at the half (8-7)

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has sought to assure the public that it is treating reports of bomb threats across the country ‘seriously’ and are urging the population ‘to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information and refrain from sharing material that may cause unnecessary alarm or panic’.

The police said that it is aware of reports of bomb threats received at multiple locations over the last weekend and that ‘the reports are being treated seriously’.

It said officers of the Explosive Detection and Disposal Unit (EDDU), supported by officers from the respective police stations and Criminal Investigations Department (CID), responded to the reported incidents and conducted checks at the affected locations.

According to the police the bomb threats were made at several locations including the Forestry Division and the Kapok Hotel, where ‘no suspicious items were found and the premises was deemed safe.

‘The TTPS is continuing to assess the reports and is conducting enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the threats. Members of the public are urged to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information and refrain from sharing material that may cause unnecessary alarm or panic.’

The police are urging anyone with information that may assist the police is encouraged to contact the nearest police station and that it ‘remains committed to safeguarding the public and will provide further information as it becomes available’.

Last week, Homeland Security Minister, Roger Alexander, said that an ‘arrest is imminent’ following earlier bomb threats this month.

He said law enforcement is closing in on a suspect connected to the threats but refused to give further details.

‘When you do an investigation, you can’t tell everybody anything,’ Alexander said, adding that a suspect could be monitoring public statements and adjusting their actions based on information released by authorities.

Earlier this month, the TTPS confirmed that there had been at least seven reports of bomb threats across the country and that the threats were ‘received through different mediums’ and the locations were the Arima Magistrates’ Court, the Princes Town Magistrates’ Court, the Chaguanas Magistrates’ Court, the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government, the Siparia Magistrates’ Court, the Sangre Grande Magistrates’ Court and the Valpark Shopping Plaza

Exxon Mobil Guyana says a fire in the laundry room of the Liza Unity FPSO forced the suspension of operations on Sunday including the offloading of crude.

‘Operations were suspended as part of our established safety response and will resume following completion of the necessary checks,’ ExxonMobil Guyana said in a statement, adding that the heat detectors aboard the Liza Unity FPSO were activated in the laundry room of the living quarters, ‘indicating a small fire, which was quickly extinguished.’

The company said all personnel aboard the vessel are safe and accounted for and that the response procedures included the halting of crude lifting activities.

The Liza Unity is one of four FPSOs being operated by ExxonMobil in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana.

With an installed capacity to produce approximately 220,000 barrels of oil per day day, it was the second FPSO built for the Stabroek Block development and started production in February 2022.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Natural Resources Monday said it has been informed by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited of a potential safety issue aboard the FPSO vessel and that ‘the relevant regulatory authorities will conduct the necessary follow-up to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

‘The ministry remains committed to prioritising the safety and well-being of workers and ensuring the highest standards of safety across offshore operations. It will continue to closely engage ExxonMobil Guyana Limited and the relevant regulatory agencies on this incident,’ the ministry added.

The 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping has employed the services of a regional law firm to present its response to the challenge by Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar regarding the reappointment of CARICOM Secretary General, Dr. Carla Barnett.

CARICOM chairman and St. Lucia’s Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre told a news conference on Monday that his recent visit to Port of Spain where he met with Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar was ‘very cordial.

‘Basically, the Prime Minister wanted an update. I went to give an update on the advisory opinion … and what was the state of play on the opinion that the government of Trinidad and Tobago requested on the appointment of the Secretary-General of CARICOM.

‘As you know that the government of Trinidad and Tobago agreed that they wanted an advisory opinion from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on the appointment of the Secretary-General. So we went to update each other. I updated her as to where we were as CARICOM and she updated me as to what the government of Trinidad and Tobago was doing in terms of asking for that opinion. It was a very cordial meeting,’ Pierre told reporters.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) Monday expressed concern over the risks faced by Haitian nationals following the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the United States, particularly in light of the ongoing human rights and humanitarian crises in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.

The IACHR, a principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), is calling on the United States to ensure international protection when there are substantial grounds to believe that the return of the Haitians ‘would expose them to a serious risk of violations of their rights to life or personal integrity, as well as to guarantee access to procedures to identify and address such risks’.

The IACHR said that the TPS is a form of temporary protection under US law that may be granted when conditions in a country prevent its nationals from returning safely or, in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle returning persons adequately.

It said this includes ongoing armed conflicts, environmental disasters, epidemics, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions.

Haiti was initially designated for TPS in 2010 following the earthquake that struck the country. This designation was subsequently extended and modified considering evolving conditions in the country. In 2021, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of State (DOS) reviewed the conditions in Haiti determining that the country was grappling with a deteriorating political crisis, violence, and a staggering increase in human rights abuses. The IACHR said that based on that review, a new designation was granted for an additional 18 months.

On June 27, 2025, the DHS Secretary announced the ending of Haiti’s TPS designation with the IACHR saying this decision would affect Haitian nationals and persons having no nationality who last habitually resided in Haiti.

It said on June 25, 2026, the Supreme Court of the United States allowed the termination of Haiti’s TPS to take effect and on August 5, this year, a decision by the US District Court for the District of Colombia confirmed that DHS may proceed with the termination.

Following these decisions, the US authorities determined that Haiti’s TPS designation is terminated, effective July 27, 2026.

The IACHR said that even though the U.S. authorities determined that the conditions in Haiti no longer meet the statutory requirements for TPS, it considers that this determination must be assessed considering the prevailing conditions on the ground.

‘The situation in Haiti continues to be confronted with dire challenges to citizen security, individual protection, and enjoyment of human rights, which may significantly impact those returned to the country.

‘In 2026, gangs were estimated to control 80-90 per cent of Port-au-Prince, with their presence extending to the Artibonite, Centre, and South-East departments.’

The IACHR said that in this context, data from the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), highlights that, despite ongoing security operations aimed at restoring state control over certain areas, between March 6 and July 31, this year, at least 613 people were killed and 375 were injured in gang related clashes in La Plaine de Cul-de-Sac, including parts of Cité de Soleil within the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince.

BINUH also reported that, as of May 13, this year, 1.47 million people were internally displaced in Haiti, representing 12 per cent of the population and a oe per cent increase since December 2025; women and girls accounted for 54 per cent and children for 51 per cent of those internally displaced.

During the same period, 1,880 cases of gender-based violence were recorded, of which 71 per cent involved rape and sexual assault. Violence, including gender-based violence, internal displacement, and funding gaps continued to disrupt access to basic social services. As of June 15, only 25 per cent of the US$880.3 million required under the 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan had been funded.

The IACHR said that while elections are scheduled for December 13, 2026, and February 21, 2027, it considers that further efforts are still required to restore democratic institutions and strengthen State capacity to ensure the effective protection of human rights, including for persons returned to Haiti.

‘Additionally, the Commission is concerned that the return of those affected by the termination of the TPS may place additional pressure on Haiti’s resources and institutional capacity, with potential implications for the exercise of political rights, the electoral process and the efforts for the political stabilization of Haiti.’

In its Resolution No.02/21, the IACHR recognized the multidimensional nature of the Haitian crisis and called on states in the region to adopt measures aimed at the comprehensive protection of the human rights of Haitians in mobility, based on the principles of equality and non-discrimination, international solidarity, and shared responsibility.

‘IACHR has consistently recognized states’ authority to establish their migration policies and determine the conditions governing entry, stay, and departure from their territories. However, it recalls that the exercise of this authority must comply with States’ international human rights obligations.

‘In this regard, all migration policies, laws, and practices must respect and guarantee the human rights of persons in human mobility, regardless of their migration status.’

It said that under international law and the Inter-American human rights standards, the United States ‘is bound by the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning an individual to a country where their life, integrity, or personal liberty would be at risk of violation.

‘This principle is a peremptory norm of international law and admits no derogation. Additionally, the Commission emphasizes that expulsions and deportations must be individually assessed, comply with due process, and provide access to effective remedy.

‘Furthermore, the IACHR reiterates that the United States should provide access to refugee procedures and complementary forms of international protection, as well as other mechanisms to create regular, safe, accessible and affordable channels to receive permanent, regular migration status, including humanitarian measures, family reunification, and special regularization programmes,’ the IACHR added.

Police officer Rennick Stevens and 21-year-old Nyoka James were on Monday remand into custody after they appeared in a magistrate’s court lined to the disappearance and murder of a 16-year-old girl.

Both have been charged with perverting the course of justice in relation to the death of 16-year-old Jerbiah Paul. The police say that on August 7 James gave a false statement to the police who were at the time investigating one of their colleagues in connection with the disappearance of Paul. The defence had argued that their client had committed no crime and should therefore be released.

The defence argued that the evidence against James were untruthful, but the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Sherma Dalrymple, said the evidence against James were strong.

The court ruled said that it would await the results of an analysis of James’s phone being undertaken by the Barbados-based Regional Security System (RSS) and set October 2 as the date for her next court appearance.

With regards to Stevens, the third police officer to be charged in connection with Paul’s disappearance and death, he was also denied bail and will return to court on October 2.

Last week, police officer, Joshua Hamlet, the second member of the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (CDPF) to be charged with Paul’s murder, was remanded to prison Earlier, 23-year-old police officer, Jean-Luc Langlais, was also slapped with a charge or murdering Paul, whose decomposing body was discovered in a precipice in Capuchin, north of here.

They will both reappear in court here on October 2, this year.

Meantime, the police have confirmed that an autopsy was performed on the remains found at Capuchin and are now awaiting the pathologist’s report as to the cause of death. DNA analysis has also been sent to a forensic laboratory overseas for identification purposes.

Guyana’s candidate for the position of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett says a closer examination of previous peace efforts could help the global organization identify new pathways for resolving some of the world’s most protracted conflicts.

She told the state-owned Department of Public Information (DPI) that, if elected, she would assess the history of individual conflicts, including the interventions that have already been attempted and the outcomes they produced.

‘I will examine the conflict landscape to see what has been tried and what was not,’ the Guyanese diplomat said, maintaining that she would strengthen the UN’s ability to engage in preventive diplomacy before conflicts escalate.

‘There are certain tools at the disposal of the Secretary General, including his/her Good Offices and mediation. Conflicts do not start in a day. There are signals before a conflict erupts. The UN has a large footprint around the world, that can provide early warning information to the Secretary General’s office’, she said.

Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett said she would not hesitate to get in touch with the parties concerned when she is made aware that a certain situation is likely to escalate.

‘I am willing to use the tools at my disposal but also to play any role that will de-escalate the situation and bring about a solution. This could be a broker, a mediator, a negotiator or even a messenger between the different sides’ the diplomat said.

She said that a detailed assessment would allow the UN to identify practical opportunities for renewed diplomatic engagement, particularly in situations where previous efforts have failed to produce lasting solutions.

Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett acknowledged that geopolitical considerations can make conflict resolution more difficult, but said the UN must continue looking for ways to make progress.

‘In short, I will look at ways to move the needle. That’s the job of the Secretary-General,’ she said, adding that her approach would involve working with the UN Security Council and other relevant stakeholders and using the diplomatic tools available to the Secretary-General.

Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett is Guyana’s candidate for the position of UN Secretary-General, in the ongoing process to select a successor to the current Secretary-General.

The election for the next UN Secretary-General is expected to take place in 2027, when the General Assembly appoints the successful candidate upon the recommendation of the Security Council.

The successful candidate will succeed the current Secretary-General at the start of January 2027.

In the race to succeed António Guterres, Costa Rican diplomat Rebeca Grynspan won the first informal UN Security Council straw poll on July 30, 2026, while Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett took first place in the second straw poll held on August 21.