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West Indies rising star Ackeem Auguste has signed with MI Emirates for the upcoming season of the DP World International League T20.

Auguste, who will join fellow West Indians Romario Shepherd and Andre Fletcher on the squad, is expected to strengthen MI Emirates’ batting lineup with his elegant stroke play during the tournament, which runs from December 2, 2025, to January 4, 2026.

The 22-year-old left-handed batsman was part of the West Indies team that played Nepal in a three-match T20I series recently, scoring an unbeaten 41 in the third match which the Windies won by 10 wickets.

Auguste, a Saint Lucian, earned the callup after a solid showing for the Saint Lucia Kings in the recently concluded Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League, where he averaged 25.44.

He follows in the footsteps of fellow Saint Lucian McKenny Clarke, who was signed by the MI Emirates franchise in 2022.

Barbados’ tourism sector has recorded a 5.43 per cent increase in stayover arrivals between January and August 2025, for a total of 503,000 visitors. And for the first time, the United States has surpassed the United Kingdom as the island’s leading source market.

Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.’s (BTMI) Chief Executive Officer, Andrea Franklin said the US led tourist arrivals, followed by the UK and the Caribbean.

‘Arrivals from the United States of America stand at 179,753 visitors, making the USA now our number one source market this year,’ she said on Friday, the final day of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s State of the Tourism Industry Conference at the Hilton Barbados Resort. ‘This is particularly significant because all of you who may know Barbados and the history of tourism in Barbados, you know that the United Kingdom has always been our number one source market.

‘This year, as well, we have the Caribbean performing very well. They are now our number three market, with 70,984 visitors coming from the region,’ she stated.

Franklin credited the BTMI’s focus on airlift expansion for the US becoming the leading source market for the island.

‘So, what we did was a real double down on our airlift strategy. And we really went after building airlift to the destination out of the US market. So, in winter 2025, we had in excess of 60,000 additional seats from the US market. So, our airlift strategy was the pivotal point for us in terms of building the capacity to the destination out of the market,’ she explained.

‘From January to August this year, stayover arrivals in Barbados increased by 5.43 per cent compared to the same period in 2024. That’s an additional 25,000 visitors who chose our island. To put that into perspective, arrivals grew from 477,891 in 2024 to 503,000 in 2025. These numbers tell us that Barbados is not only attracting more visitors but also strengthening its position as a destination of choice in the region.’

Cruise arrivals also showed some growth, with an increase of 117,776 cruise passengers visiting the island. ‘Cruise performance so far for the year, and our stats are only showing January to July, we’ve welcomed 599,826 cruise passengers, which is a growth of 24 per cent over the same period,’ Franklin reported.

She further revealed that the Barbados Port Inc. is enhancing its cruise infrastructure aimed at improving the visitor experience.

‘Some of the things that the Port are working on are ongoing modernisation and expansion of the facility at the Bridgetown Cruise Terminal, including improving the passenger flow, embarkation and disembarkation services and port aesthetics. Plans are also on the way for greener port operations, including looking at digitalisation and shore power readiness and the introduction of smart port technology to streamline logistics and enhance operational efficiency,’ she noted.

Franklin also mentioned significant investments in the island’s accommodation sector, with new hotels expected between 2026-2027. These include the Blue Monkey Hotel and Beach Club, Hotel Indigo, the Royalton Vessence (the Barbados property will be the first one under that label), Pendry Barbados, Hyatt Ziva, Beaches Barbados (Sandals brand).

West Indies Test captain Roston Chase has placed the team’s dismal showing in the opening Test against India squarely on the shoulders of the batsmen.

The Windies were routed for 162 and 146 in their first and second innings respectively, on their way to a demoralising innings and 140-run defeat to the home side inside three days at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

While no West Indies batter scored 40, Dhruv Jurel, Ravendra Jadeja and KL Rahul all hit centuries in India’s mammoth first innings total of 448 for five declared.

Speaking in a post-match press conference on Saturday following the defeat, Chase admitted that the team’s batting continued to be a major concern.

‘Obviously we had a poor batting display, and this is something that has been plaguing us for the past two series. We’ve not been able to bat at least 80 overs, bat a day, or even get 250 or 300 runs on the board.

‘Anytime you win a toss in a Test match and bat and you don’t bat out the first day, you’re always going to be behind the eight ball,’ Chase said.

‘We didn’t start well and we never really put any partnerships in place. We never really got back into the game, we never put those partnerships together and we paid for it.

‘In the table obviously, they are ranked higher than us so they’re supposed to be a stronger team, but I think we could have done better. I don’t think that the wicket was a wicket that we should be bowled out twice under 200, 250. I think it’s a pitch that we could have at least gotten 300 runs in the first innings. I thought it was a very good batting wicket,’ he added.

Chase, who opted to bat after winning the toss, maintained that his decision was not to blame for the loss.

He said the West Indies’ batsmen needed to work on their defensive tactics heading into the second Test on Friday at New Delhi.

‘I don’t think the decision was a bad decision. We saw the wicket and although it had a bit of moisture, we still thought that it was a good wicket to bat first on. We thought that once we batted well and the openers went out there and saw off that moisture, it would have been a good wicket to bat on as we did see coming on later into the first day.

‘I just think that it’s a case where our defense needs to be a bit tighter. I find that we gifted some of the wickets too easily,’ Chase said.

‘There was some rough and some balls were spinning out of the rough, but there weren’t any devils in the wicket, and I still thought it was a wicket you could stand up and bat on as shown by the Indian batters.’

‘I think we need to trust in our defense a bit more, because I can’t say that we weren’t scoring because the run rate was still good, but I just think that we need to be a little more solid in our defense,’ he added.

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency on Friday released new information it deems to be the ‘criminal history’ and ‘immigration history’ of alleged undocumented Guyanese national Ian Andre Roberts, who was serving as Des Moines, Iowa’s school superintendent at the time of his September 26 arrest.

ICE said when officials of the agency approached Roberts, he identified himself, then sped off, abandoned his vehicle, and hid in a brushy area about 200 metres away, where ICE officers located him with help from Iowa State Patrol officers.

Roberts was charged on October 2 with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms.

‘Roberts’ rap sheet and immigration history reveal a long record of criminal conduct in the United States,’ it said. ‘He should never have been serving in a role overseeing children in Iowa’s largest school district.’

ICE said Robert’s criminal record includes charges for criminal possession of narcotics with intent to sell, criminal possession of narcotics, criminal possession of a forgery instrument and possession of a forged instrument in New York on July 3, 1996; a charge, on November 13, 1998, for third-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle in Queens, New York, which was dismissed July 6, 1999; and a November 1, 2012 conviction for reckless driving, unsafe operation and speeding in Maryland.

ICE said Roberts was charged on February 3, 2020 for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon (having a loaded firearm outside his home or business); third-degree criminal possession of a weapon (an ammunition feeding device); and fourth-degree weapon charges.

‘A document from February 4, 2020, indicates that the second-degree criminal possession charge was inchoate,’ ICE said.

On January 20, 2022, it said the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania convicted Roberts of unlawful possession of a loaded firearm.

On September 26, 2025, ICE said Roberts was arrested with a Glock 9mm pistol and a fixed-blade hunting knife in his possession. He also had US$3,000 in cash, the immigration enforcement agency charged.

On October 2, 2025, it said Roberts was criminally charged with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms.

ICE said Roberts’ immigration history includes two visas, four green card applications (for permanent residency) and ‘subsequent denials, and several trips.’

ICE said Roberts, on June 1, 1994, entered the United States at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York on a B-2 non-immigrant visa.

He was classified as ‘a visitor for pleasure’, ICE said.

It said Roberts departed the US on ‘an unknown date but returned before his 1996 arrest for narcotics possession.’

On March 8, 1999, ICE said Roberts entered the US through California’s San Francisco International Airport as an F-1 student visa holder.

ICE said the visa was set to expire on March 7, 2004, and that Roberts departed the US on an unknown date.

On June 28, 1999, it said Roberts reentered the US through San Francisco on the same F-1 student visa, and departed the US on an unknown date.

On August 30, 1999, ICE said Roberts reentered the US at JFK International Airport on the same student visa.

ICE said Roberts, on February 9, 2000, filed an application for employment authorisation, ‘which US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approved April 5, 2000, with an expiration date of April 1, 2001.’

On September 4, 2000, ICE said Roberts left the US from JFK International Airport and re-entered the US again, on September 30, 2000, at JFK International Airport on the same F-1 student visa.

On May 21, 2001, ICE said Roberts filed a green card application with USCIS, ‘which the agency rejected January 3, 2003.’

ICE said, on May 15, 2018, Roberts filed another green card application with USCIS, ‘which the agency again rejected on May 30 that year.’

On June 4, 2018, ICE said Roberts filed another green card application, ‘which USCIS rejected for the third time June 20 that year.’

The immigration enforcement agency said that on July 15, 2018, Roberts filed for employment authorisation documents, ‘which USCIS granted on December 18 that year, giving the documents an expiration date of December 18, 2019.’

On July 16, 2018, ICE said Roberts filed, for the fourth time, a green card application, and that USCIS denied it on January 24, 2020.

On November 18, 2019, ICE said he filed another application for employment authorisation documents, which USCIS approved on December 3 of that year and issued an expiration date of December 18, 2020.

ICE said Roberts updated his address with USCIS on February 11, 2020.

On October 2, 2020, USCIS issued Roberts a notice to appear before an immigration judge.

On May 22, 2024, ‘an immigration judge in Dallas, Texas, ordered Roberts removed in absentia.’

On April 24, 2025, an immigration judge in Dallas denied Roberts’ motion to reopen his case.

ICE officials arrested Roberts in Des Moines, Iowa, on September 26, 2025.

‘He is now in US Marshals custody and will be prosecuted for his recent crimes,’ ICE said.

‘At the time of his arrest, Roberts was working as the Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, despite being an illegal alien with a final order of removal and no work authorisation,’ it added.

During a targeted enforcement operation on September 26, 2025, ICE said its officers approached Roberts in his vehicle, and after identifying himself, he sped away.

‘Officers later discovered his vehicle abandoned near a wooded area,’ it said. ‘State Patrol assisted in locating the subject, and he was taken into ICE custody.’

ICE said the investigation into how Roberts acquired the handgun is being turned over to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

‘It is a violation of federal law for those in the US without legal status to possess a firearm and ammunition,’ ICE said.

Sam Olson, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations St. Paul Field Office Director, said: ‘This suspect was arrested in possession of a loaded weapon in a vehicle provided by Des Moines Public Schools after fleeing federal law enforcement. This should be a wake-up call for our communities to the great work that our officers are doing every day to remove public safety threats.

‘How this illegal alien was hired without work authorisation, a final order of removal, and a prior weapons charge is beyond comprehension and should alarm the parents of that school district,’ Olson added.

The 121st Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED – Agriculture) has been hailed a success, with regional leaders agreeing to three landmark measures designed to transform intra-regional trade and strengthen food security across the Caribbean.

Chairman of the meeting, Barbados’ Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Indar Weir, said the decisions taken would empower farmers, agribusinesses, and regional supply chains.

Among the agreements reached were: a pre-clearance mechanism for goods, aimed at simplifying and harmonising customs processes to allow freer movement of goods within CARICOM; a regional risk analysis framework, ensuring clarity, transparency, and consistency in how agricultural risk assessments are conducted, reducing barriers to trade; and an e-agriculture strategy, enabling electronic sharing of market information and the online marketing of agricultural goods, creating more efficient regional markets.

Minister Weir noted that the breakthroughs directly support CARICOM’s goal of cutting the region’s extra-regional food import bill.

‘These three agreements represent significant progress for CARICOM. They will enable smoother, more efficient trade flows between our member states while strengthening the framework for agricultural development across the region, he said. ‘In addition, they directly support our collective objective of reducing the region’s food import bill from extra-regional sources by 25 per cent by the year 2030. This target, which we set together as a region, can now be achieved through the measures adopted at this meeting.’

Weir said the pre-clearance mechanism for goods ‘represents an historic achievement for CARICOM, as it removes long-standing obstacles to inter-regional trade’.

‘By easing trade among member states, we are giving our farmers, producers, and traders the ability to compete more effectively, while strengthening regional supply chains,’ he said.

He further explained that the agreement on regional risk eliminates unnecessary barriers and ensures that risk assessments are conducted in a consistent and balanced way that supports regional trade rather than hinders it.

‘For too long, CARICOM has been constrained by barriers that limited the free movement of goods among ourselves, while our food import bill continued to grow,’ he said. ‘By addressing these challenges head-on, COTED – Agriculture has taken decisive steps toward ensuring food and nutrition security for our people, reducing our dependence on external markets, and strengthening our sovereignty.’

The meeting, which formed part of Caribbean Week of Agriculture in St. Kitts and Nevis, brought together ministers, officials, and technical experts from across the Community. Weir commended their spirit of cooperation, stressing that the outcomes prove ‘when we work together with a common purpose, we can deliver transformative outcomes for our region.’

He added, ‘The decisions taken in St. Kitts and Nevis are historic. They will shape the future of regional trade, empower our farmers and agribusinesses, and create opportunities for our people. This is what regional integration is about – building a stronger Caribbean Community that can thrive in the global economy while ensuring prosperity and food security for all.’

Saint Lucia’s track queen Julien Alfred returned from her historic outing at the World Athletic Championships in Tokyo to a major reception on Thursday at the Hewanorra International Airport.

Alfred, the reigning Olympic champion in the women’s 100 metres, claimed bronze last month to capture her country’s first ever medal at the World Championships

The homecoming ceremony was attended by officials from the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, the Saint Lucia Olympic Committee, the Saint Lucia Athletics Association and the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority.

‘Welcome home. We are eternally proud of you,’ said Sports Minister Kenson Casimir as he greeted the 24-year-old Alfred on the tarmac.

Alfred, who was among the favourites to win gold at the World Championships, said she was pleased with her performances throughout the season.

‘As I reminisce and I think about the season I had, even though it didn’t end the way I wanted it to, I’m very proud to bring home a bronze medal. The first ever for Saint Lucia,’ Alfred told those gathered.

‘The highlight of my season is just the amount of Saint Lucians I saw, wherever I go, the amount of flags. That will be the highlight of my season this year.’

President of the Saint Lucia Athletics Association, Dora Henry congratulated Alfred for flying the Saint Lucia flag high whenever she stepped on the track and described her as a ‘shining example’ of determination and excellence.

‘Julien, you are our pride, our star, and our lasting inspiration,’ Henry said.