Category: CANA News

New Zealand lead West Indies by 164 runs after reaching 100 for two at lunch on the third day of the first Test here at Hagley Oval on Wednesday.

NEW ZEALAND 231 and 100-2 in 32.5 overs (Tom Latham 40 not out, Devin Conway 37).

WEST INDIES 167.

New Zealand lead West Indies by 96 runs after reaching 32 without loss in their second innings at the close of play on the second day of the opening Test here at Hagley Oval on Tuesday.

NEW ZEALAND 231 in 70.3 overs (Kane Williamson 52, Michael Bracewell 47, Tom Blundell 29, Tom Latham 24, Nathan Smith 23, Will Young 14; Ojay Shields 2-34, Justin Greaves 2-35, Jayden Seales 2-44, Kemar Roach 2-47) and 32-0 in seven overs (Devon Conway 15 not out, Tom Latham 14 not out).

WEST INDIES 167 in 75.4 overs (Shai Hope 56, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 52, Tevin Imlach 14, Kemar Roach 10 not out; Jacob Duffy 5-34, Matt Henry 3-43, Zak Foulkes 2-32).

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has expressed its ‘deep concern’ regarding reports of lethal operations against non-state vessels or boats conducted by the United States in the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific Ocean since early September.

The IACHR said that these operations have allegedly resulted in the deaths of a high number of persons and is urging Washington to ensure that all security operations, including those carried out beyond its borders, ‘are consistent with international human rights obligations, particularly regarding the protection of the right to life, the use of force, due process guarantees, and accountability mechanisms’.

The IACHR said as a result, it is calling on the United States to refrain from employing lethal military force in the context of public security operations, ensuring that any counter-crime or security operation fully complies with international human rights standards; conduct prompt, impartial, and independent investigations into all deaths and detentions resulting from these actions; and adopt effective measures to prevent recurrence.

Last week, President Donald Trump designated Cartel de los Soles, a group he claimed is controlled by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, as a foreign terrorist organization. Pundits say the designation would authorise Trump to impose new sanctions on Maduro and his associates.

Maduro has flatly denied any connection with Cartel de los Soles, claiming instead that Trump is ‘fabricating’ a war against him.

In what the US military has labeled as ‘Operation Southern Spear,’ the US military has assembled over a dozen warships and 15,000 troops in the Caribbean Sea.

The US military has carried out several hits on vessels, killing more than 80 people, including two Trinidad and Tobago nationals, without providing any proof that they were engaged in drugs.

The United Nations UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also strongly condemned the airstrikes carried out by the United States against alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Pacific.

Volker Trk said in a statement that the strikes ‘violate international human rights law’, demanding that they be stopped immediately.

The IACHR said that according to publicly available and official information, since early September approximately 15 air and naval operations have reportedly been conducted by United States forces against boats which US authorities allege are linked to transnational criminal organizations, resulting in more than 80 people killed and three survivors.

It said that the first of these actions, announced on September 2, reportedly involved the destruction of a boat off Venezuelan waters, resulting in the death of 11 people. On September 15, another operation was announced, with reports indicating three deaths, followed by a further strike on September 19 in the Caribbean, also leaving three people dead. Subsequent incidents were reported in early October, including one around October 3, which allegedly caused four deaths, and another between October 16 and 17 involving a low-profile vessel in the Caribbean, resulting in two deaths and two survivors later transferred to United States custody. Two strikes took place in the Eastern Pacific on October 22 with a total of five deaths.

One of the deadliest incidents occurred on October 27 in the Eastern Pacific, when the destruction of four boats reportedly caused fourteen deaths and one survivor who was later rescued by Mexican authorities. Additional information suggests that another strike took place on October 29, resulting in four deaths.

The strikes continued in November. On November 1 a strike in the Caribbean reportedly killed three individuals. A further operation on November 4 in the Eastern Pacific reportedly resulted in two deaths, and two then separate strikes on 9 November in the Pacific reportedly killed six persons.

By November 10, U.S. forces announced strikes on two additional vessels in the eastern Pacific, resulting in six deaths and raising publicly reported total fatalities to more than 83 persons.

The IACHR, which is a principal and autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), while acknowledging the seriousness of organized crime and its impact on the enjoyment of human rights, recalls that states are obliged to respect and ensure the right to life of all persons under their jurisdiction.

According to the Inter-American jurisprudence, this duty extends to situations when state agents exercise authority or effective control, including extraterritorial actions at sea.

‘When lethal force is used by security or military personnel outside national territory, States have the obligation to demonstrate that such actions were strictly lawful, necessary, and proportionate, and to investigate, ex officio, any resulting loss of life.

‘These obligations persist irrespective of where the operations occur, or the status attributed to the individuals affected. Likewise, persons under state control must always enjoy full respect for due process and humane treatment,’ the IACHR said.

It reiterates that, under the standards of the Inter-American Human Rights System, the use of military force for public security purposes should be exceptional, strictly regulated, and limited to circumstances where civilian authorities are unable to respond effectively.

‘The deployment of armed forces in operations against alleged criminal groups, particularly outside the territory, carries a high risk of arbitrary deprivation of life, lack of accountability, violations of due process, and erosion of civilian oversight.’

The IACHR said it will continue to closely monitor the situation and reiterates its willingness to maintain continued dialogue and technical cooperation with the United States to support the protection of human rights in all security and defense policies

The Repair Campaign, a movement for reparatory justice in the Caribbean, says a significant number of Caribbean people believe the United Kingdom and other former colonial countries should commit to long-term sustainable investments which help develop affected countries.

The Repair Campaign, whose goal is to amplify Caribbean voices calling for reparations and produce evidence-based Socioeconomic Reparatory Justice Plans, said its research has found that more than eight in 10 Caribbean people believe the former colonial countries should commit to long-term sustainable investments in the affected countries.

It is calling on Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries to seek apologies from former colonising countries, including the UK, France and the Netherlands and that acknowledgement and apology are seen as crucial first steps towards achieving reparatory justice for the Caribbean.

The call coincided with the United Nations Day for the Abolition of Slavery observed on Tuesday as well as the launch of the report by The Repair Campaign on its impact since it was set up in 2022.

It said that over the past three years, The Repair Campaign has engaged with 280 civil society and government groups across the Caribbean and Europe and holding more than 100 meetings with political leaders in 20 countries. It said that the campaign has reached more than five million people on social media.

The Repair Campaign said it has also conducted research into public attitudes towards reparations on both sides of the Atlantic and among the key findings are that 83 per cent of Jamaicans and Barbadians surveyed agree that, given the history of resources being extracted from the Caribbean during colonialism, long-term sustainable investments should be made to help develop the Caribbean.

It said only 41 per cent of those surveyed reported having learned about the history of chattel slavery in primary school, while only 35 percent recalled learning about it in secondary school.

The survey found that 89 per cent of Caribbean respondents agreed that more education about this history is needed within Caribbean schools and that 85 people of people in the UK did not know that more than three million people were forcibly shipped from Africa to the Caribbean by Britain during the transatlantic slave trade.

The report also highlights the impact The Repair Campaign has had in bridging the education gap and encouraging governments to commit to reparatory justice.

It notes the recruitment of community organisers in St Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and St Lucia to build support for reparatory justice across local Caribbean communities as well as receiving more than 20,000 signatures on the petition calling for reparatory justice and an official apology from the UK government.

‘The legacy of transatlantic enslavement, colonialism, and Indigenous genocide continues to profoundly shape the social, economic, and political realities of the Caribbean today,’ said Denis O’Brien, the founder of The Repair Campaign on the launch of the report.

‘Historical injustices persist through structural inequalities, economic vulnerabilities, and social disparities in areas such as health, education and employment, as well as greatly reducing the region’s climate resilience. Addressing these challenges requires a conscious and collective commitment to reparatory justice as a fundamental pathway toward genuine healing and sustainable development.’

O’Brien said The Repair Campaign has laid the groundwork in the past couple of years for making real progress on reparatory justice.

‘Now is the time to take this work and double down on our calls for an apology and reparations, not only as a matter of righting historical wrongs but as a critical step in ensuring social and economic equity across the Caribbean,’ he added.

Campaign manager for The Repair Campaign, Brian Royes said growing up and living in Jamaica, he sees daily the ongoing legacies of chattel slavery.

‘So many of our family members struggle with diabetes and hypertension, while parents in the community struggle to make ends meet to provide for their families. And we are yet to truly repair the colonial legacies of racism and colourism, which continue to oppress and divide our people.

‘Our work so far, alongside a number of excellent partners, has helped to cultivate the conversation in the Caribbean and in Europe and has laid the foundations for real and lasting change,’ he added.

A 2-2 draw with Universidad O and M FC was enough to help Mount Pleasant FA capture their first-ever CONCACAF Caribbean Cup title here at the National Stadium on Tuesday.

Goals from substitutes Warner Brown and Tyreek Magee ensured a share of the spoils for Mount Pleasant and gave them a 3-2 aggregate lead following their 1-0 victory over the Dominican Republic club last week.

They became the fourth Jamaican club after last year’s champions Cavalier S.C., Harbour View and Portmore United to win the Caribbean Cup. Needing to avoid defeat to secure the title, Mount Pleasant were given a numerical advantage in the 26th minute when Junior Capellan was sent off.

However, it was the visitors who opened the scoring when Frantzety Herard fired past goalkeeper Tafari Chamber in first half added time.

Brown, who replaced Raheem Edwards at the start of the second half, brought the game back on level terms when he scored in the 62nd minute.

Those celebrations were cut short, as seven minutes later Universidad O and M FC regained the lead when Herard set up centre half Julen Olasagasti to score their second goal of the night.

But with three minutes remaining in regulation, Magee made himself an instant hero when he fired a low shot past goalkeeper Iraitz Gelbentzu’s left glove, just inside the upright to create history for the St Ann-based club.

West Indies trail New Zealand by 64 runs after being dismissed for 167 on the second day of the opening Test here at Hagley Oval on Tuesday.

NEW ZEALAND 231 in 70.3 overs (Kane Williamson 52, Michael Bracewell 47, Tom Blundell 29, Tom Latham 24, Nathan Smith 23, Will Young 14; Ojay Shields 2-34, Justin Greaves 2-35, Jayden Seales 2-44, Kemar Roach 2-47).

A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Ohio has returned an indictment charging an Ohio man with four counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors in Haiti.

According to court documents, Jeriah Mast, 44, of Millersburg, Ohio, traveled from the United States to the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country on multiple occasions between 2002 and 2019, including with the organisation, Christian Aid Ministries (CAM), and sexually abused minors in that country.

During the course of the investigation, law enforcement obtained flight records showing that Mast had taken over 30 flights from the United States to Haiti between November 2002 and August 2018. Each count of the indictment is premised on his sexual abuse of a different minor in Haiti.

‘As alleged, this defendant traveled abroad to commit heinous, unspeakable crimes against vulnerable children living in an impoverished nation,’ said acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

‘Despite the fact that the defendant’s alleged crimes occurred abroad, our law enforcement partners and prosecutors will continue to relentlessly seek justice on behalf of the minor victims. Wherever the Criminal Division has jurisdiction, we are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who engage in the intolerable crime of abusing and exploiting children.’

US attorney, David M. Toepfer, for the Northern District of Ohio, said crimes against children, like those mentioned in these allegations, are reprehensible.

‘Such appalling and morally corrupt behaviour will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We commend the work of Homeland Security Investigations and the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office, whose thorough work led to these federal charges being filed today,’ he added.

Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge, Matthew Stentz, said the case highlights the vital role HSI plays in identifying and investigating individuals, especially those in positions of trust , who exploit children, regardless of where these heinous crimes occur.

‘HSI Cleveland, in collaboration with the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Justice, worked diligently to ensure that those who prey on children abroad are held accountable here in the United States.

‘We remain steadfast in our commitment to pursuing justice for victims and ensuring that predators face the full weight of the law wherever our investigations lead,’ Stenz said.

HSI Cleveland said it is investigating the case and received substantial assistance from the Holmes County (Ohio) Sheriff’s Office.

The US authorities say this case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.

Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

The following is the CANANews and SPORTS Schedule for Wednesday, December 3, 2025.

WASHINGTON – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has expressed its ‘deep concern’ regarding reports of lethal operations against non-state vessels or boats conducted by the United States in the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific Ocean since early September.

PORT AU PRINCE – The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Albert R. Ramdin is winding up his first official visit to Haiti on Wednesday, since assuming office on May 26 this year.

KINGSTON – The Repair Campaign, a movement for reparatory justice in the Caribbean, says a significant number of Caribbean people believe the United Kingdom and other former colonial countries should commit to long-term sustainable investments which help develop affected countries.

GEORGE TOWN -The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) Wednesday said it has launched a new initiative in Jamaica this week in the wake of the disaster caused by Hurricane Melissa, which left thousands of low-income Jamaicans struggling to rebuild their lives and livelihoods.

PORT OF SPAIN -The state-owned national carrier, Caribbean Airlines (CAL) says it will discontinue services on several regional routes as part of its ongoing network optimization programme aimed at enhancing schedule reliability, maintain competitiveness and ensure long-term sustainability.

SPORTS:

CHRISTCHURCH – Pacers Jacob Duffy and Matt Henry ran through the West Indies’ batting to leave New Zealand firmly in control of the opening Test at the end of Tuesday’s second day of play.

Police have launched an investigation into the circulation of a video on social media describing the contents as ‘absolutely unacceptable’.

The Ministry of Ecclesiastical and Faith-Based Affairs, in collaboration with the St. Kitts Evangelical Association, the Christian Council, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church, have also ‘strongly condemn’ the behaviour depicted in the video.

The police said that its Special Victims Unit has opened an ‘immediate investigation’ into the matter after earlier expressing its ‘outrage’ at the contents. The law enforcement authorities are urging persons with ‘any information, PLEASE come forward’.

In the video, several women who are almost naked are seen dancing in a vulgar manner at the Basseterre Ferry Terminal.

In their statement, the faith based organisations said that the actions depicted in the video ‘have no place in our public spaces and do not reflect the moral and spiritual values of St. Kitts and Nevis

‘As a nation rooted in Christian principles, we are called to uphold decency, self-respect, and respect for others. Public conduct should honor God, protect our children, and preserve the dignity of our communities,’ they said, adding ‘we therefore urge all citizens to conduct themselves responsibly and, in a manner, befitting our faith-based heritage’.

The police in a separate statement warned that they would be adopting a zero-tolerance approach to public indecency throughout the Christmas-Carnival season.

They warned that ‘behaviour of this nature is not only inappropriate, but illegal’ and that ‘the law is explicit, and enforcement will be strict’.

According to the police, under the Small Charges Act any person, ‘who behaves in an indecent manner in a public place, shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month’.

The police reiterated that there are other acts under the legislation that ‘are arrestable and jailable offences, and no exemption or excuse exists for such behaviour committed during festivities, celebrations, or entertainment events’.

‘As the Federation enters the Christmas and Carnival period, the Police Force reiterates its operational stance for the season ‘Zer0 Tolerance. Zer0 Excuse

‘Any acts of indecency, lewd exposure, disorderly conduct, and behaviour that violates the Small Charges Act (2017) or any other law will attract immediate police intervention. The public is therefore strongly urged to conduct themselves appropriately in all public spaces, including entertainment venues, streets, and Carnival activities,’ the police warned.

-King Willem-Alexander Monday night called on Suriname to forgive the Netherlands for its history of slavery in the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.

‘Your history bears the stigma of slavery in the name of the Dutch state. The Dutch government has apologised for this, and I personally have added the request for forgiveness for the lack of action against this crime against humanity by the stadtholders and kings of the House of Orange-Nassau,’ said Willem-Alexander.

King Willem-Alexander addressing the state banquet on Monday night

In 2023, King Willem-Alexander first made a public apology regarding his country’s involvement in the Atlantic slave trade and he has not shied away from making public comments on the issue since then.

Numerous Surinamese and Dutch-Afro-Surinamese organizations have consistently demanded reparations from the Netherlands for its historical role in slavery. These groups argue that the official apologies offered by the Dutch government are insufficient without tangible financial and social compensation.

‘My parents knew this country before I was born,’ he told the state banquet held in his honour, recalling the stories he heard as a child.

‘Since then a lot of water has flowed through the Suriname River,’ he said, adding that his personal request, as king, is for the forgiveness for the Dutch slavery past in Suriname.

‘I would like to pay tribute here to Suriname’s resilience and resistance throughout the centuries. To the courageous Maroons who fiercely defended their self-won freedom from their hideouts in the forest. To a resistance hero like Boni, who, with his great ingenuity and moral authority, motivated people to fight for a decent existence.’

The King, who is accompanied by his wife, Queen Queen Máxima and a broadly composed Dutch business delegation, on the three-day state visit, put aside his prepared speech as he focused on improving the future relationship between the two countries.

‘In a world where conflicts are intensifying and polarisation is undermining societies, Suriname is a beacon of humanity,’ he said, adding this harmony, despite the challenges, serves as an example for other countries.

‘The Netherlands wants nothing more than to continue along this path. Makandra. Working together,’ he said, highlighting the strength of Suriname’s youth, the priceless value of the rainforest, a country that absorbs more CO2 than it emits, and the possibilities for responsible use of natural resources.

The head of state was also appreciative of the rule of law in Suriname, adding that a strong, independent judiciary deserves recognition. He said that the Dutch ambassador will lay a wreath at the monument to the victims of the December Murders during the commemoration ceremonies on December 8.

At the end of his speech, the king quoted the poet Dobru and asked those present to raise their glasses ‘to the Republic of Suriname, to the health of the president, and to the friendship between Suriname and the Netherlands’.