Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

Scoreboard of the fifth day of the second Test between India and West Indies here at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.

INDIA 1st innings 518-5 dec’d

WEST INDIES 1st innings 248

WEST INDIES 2nd innings 390

John Campbell lbw b Jadeja 115

Tagenarine Chanderpaul c Gill b Siraj 10

Alick Athanaze b Sundar 7

Shai Hope b Siraj 103

*Roston Chase c sub Padikkal b Yadav 40

+Tevin Imlach lbw b Yadav 12

Justin Greaves not out 50

Khary Pierre c Reddy b Yadav 0

Jomel Warrican b Bumrah 3

Anderson Phillip c +Jurel b Bumrah 2

Jayden Seales c Sundar b Bumrah 32

Extras (b7, lb7, nb2) 16

TOTAL (all out; 118.5 overs) 390

Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-35, 3-212, 4-271, 5-293, 6-298, 7-298, 8-307, 9-311, 10-390.

Bowling: Siraj 15-3-43-2, Jadeja 33-10-102-1, Sundar 23-3-80-1, Yadav 29-4-104-3, Bumrah 17.5-5-44-3, Jaiswal 1-0-3-0.

INDIA 2nd innings

Yashasvi Jaiswal c Phillip b Warrican 8

KL Rahul not out 58

Sai Sudharsan c Hope b Chase 39

Shubman Gill c Greaves b Chase 13

Dhruv Jurel not out 6

Extras 0

TOTAL (three wickets; 35.2 overs) 124

Yet to bat: Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-88, 3-108

Bowling: Seales 3-0-14-0, Warrican 15.2-4-39-1, Pierre 8-0-35-0, Chase 9-2-36-2.

Toss: India elected to bat after winning the toss.

Result: India won by 7 wickets.

Player of the match: Kuldeep Yadav

Player of the series: Ravindra Jadeja

Series result: India won the two match series 2-0

Umpires: Paul Reiffel, Richard Illingworth.

TV Umpire: Alex Wharf.

Reserve Umpire: KN Ananthapadmanabhan.

Match Referee: Andy Pycroft.

President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons says she is unaware of a request filed by attorney Irvin Kanhai, seeking clemency for four people convicted in the highly publicised so-called December 8th trial.

The four men, along with the late Suriname president Desi Bouters, had been sentenced to prison over the execution of 15 political opponents in 1982.

President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons speaking Monday night during the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) commemoration meeting marking what would have been Bouterse’s 80th birthday.

Bouterse was found guilty of planning and ordering the extrajudicial execution of the 15 political prisoners and was sentenced to 20 years in jail. However, he went into hiding and died in December 2024.

Kanhai said he has made the request on behalf of Ernst Gefferie, Stephanus Dendoe, and Benny Brondenstein, who are serving their sentences in Santo Boma, and Iwan Dijksteel, who is still at large. They were each sentenced to 15 years in prison in December 2023.

‘Some time ago, I filed a request for clemency for the four people who, in my opinion, were wrongly convicted and are our comrades,’ Kanhai said Monday night during the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) commemoration meeting marking what would have been Bouterse’s 80th birthday.

‘We have not heard anything yet, but we remain determined,’ he told the ceremony, telling Bouterse’s widow, Ingrid Bouterse-Waldring and her family ‘for me, I wish to close this chapter and end the grieving process together with you’.

Regarding Dijksteel, Kanhai said ‘someone may avoid conviction, but once a conviction is obtained, a pardon can be requested.’ maintaining that given the way the trial proceeded, the four convicts are certainly eligible for a pardon.

But asked by reporters about the request, President Greelings-Simons said she has not yet seen the request.

‘Should I make a decision about this now? I haven’t seen it,’ she said.

In his address, Kanhai also addressed the relationship between Suriname and the Netherlands, caling for openness about information from the 1980s.

‘We also want a good relationship with the Netherlands. But when two friends have a disagreement, and one friend can’t say ‘I’m sorry, because I hurt you,’ that friendship can never be repaired. We hope the Netherlands will do that.’

NNP vice-chair, Ramon Abraham, and a former close colleague of Bouterse, recalled that the party has always considered the December 8 trial a political process.

He said that the 2025 elections were intended to ‘liberate the comrades’ and reiterated that the NDP maintains that position.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed that Antigua and Barbuda’s non-resident Ambassador to China, Brian Stuart-Young, is stepping down after 11 years as he bade farewell t0 outgoing Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yanli at a ceremony here on Monday night.

‘I have been in politics for some 26 years and I have had to interact with Chinese ambassadors.and I must say that Ambassador Zhang is one of the most effective and one of the most professional ambassadors that has served Antigua and Barbuda from China,’ Prime Minister Browne said.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne and outgoing Chinese diplomat, Zhang Yanli.

He said the fact that the government was hosting the special reception speaks volume to the tremendous work that the Chinese diplomat had been able to accomplish during her tenure.

‘It’s not very often that we hold these functions for a departing ambassador,’ he said, recalling that the ambassador arrived here during the COVID-19 pandemic and immediately sprang into action to secure vaccines and other assistance from China for Antigua and Barbuda. During her tenure she arranged funding support for SIDS4 and the OAS General Assembly as well as her signature project, the Booby Alley Housing Development.

Foreign Affairs Minister, E.P Chet Greene, said it is with a touch of sadness that he was saying farewell to ‘a true friend of Antigua and Barbuda’

‘For the past four years, Ambassador Zhang has not just been the head of the Chinese Mission, she has been a dedicated architect of a stronger partnership between our two nations. Reflecting on her tenure, one thing is without doubt: she has profoundly strengthened the bonds of friendship and cooperation,’ he said.

In response, Ambassador Zhang admitted that leaving Antigua and Barbuda was a particularly hard thing to do.

‘At this bittersweet moment, what fills me most is how valuable we both regard the good relationship between our two countries and people. We have always been joining our efforts to stand on the right side of history,’ she stated.

She said that China appreciates Antigua and Barbuda’s long-standing commitment to the one-China principle adding that ‘China firmly supports Antigua and Barbuda in pursuing development paths suited to its national conditions, safeguarding its sovereignty and independence’.

Meanwhile, Stuart-Young has described his service as ‘a privilege to serve the people of Antigua and Barbuda as an adopted son’.

He first visited China in 1983 as part of then prime minister V.C. Bird’s inaugural delegation and was later appointed by Browne in 2014.

‘When I presented my credentials to President Xi, it was part of a reconnection for me as I was part of the original delegation that accompanied then Prime Minister V.C Bird when he made his inaugural trip to China back in 1983.

‘I have watched and have been part of events in the early days with Prime Minister Bird and when the Gaston Browne Administration came in in 2014, the prime minister invited me to serve as non-resident ambassador. I have worked with four Chinese ambassadors over this period,’ he said.

Stuart-Young said he has been part of all the major negotiations between Antigua and Barbuda and China over the past 11 years from the modernization of the seaport, the community centres, the Booby Alley Housing project and many other developments.

‘I think my proudest moment was when the prime minister came to China in January, 2024, as I was pleased to open an embassy in Beijing for Antigua and Barbuda,’ he added.

In one of the closest finishes, Team Jamaica successfully defended their crown, capturing the overall title at the Caribbean Golf Association (CGA) Four-Ball Championship in a nail-biting finish at the picturesque Cinnamon Hill Golf Course here on Sunday.

The host nation clinched the coveted Ambrose Gouthro Trophy for the sixth consecutive year, but it was far from a simple stroll along the fairways.

In a dramatic conclusion, Jamaica amassed 91 total points, edging out a fierce challenge from Trinidad and Tobago by a single, heart-stopping point.

Bermuda finished in third place with 79 points, cementing Jamaica’s dominance in the regional golfing landscape.

Adding to the celebratory atmosphere, the formidable Jamaican pair of Owen Samuda and Dr Mark Newnham etched their names deeper into the tournament’s history books.

They retained the Francis Steele and Perkins Senior Men’s Trophy for an impressive third year in a row, proving their partnership is a force to be reckoned with.

Speaking after their victory, Dr Newnham shed light on the unique chemistry that fuels their success. ‘The special thing about this partnership is that Owen and I don’t spend a lot of time playing golf together. Owen is in the States most of the year,’ Newnham explained. ‘But there’s a chemistry, there’s a synergy, there’s a belief, and trust in each other that makes us play our best golf together.’

The path to their three-peat, however, was not without its early pressures. The duo admitted to feeling the weight of expectation competing on home turf.

‘We wanted to defend the trophy at home, so I think we put ourselves under a little too much pressure. The first day, we only shot one under, but then once we got a little relaxed, we realised that we were only two strokes off the lead. And we shot a blistering seven under on the second day. The third day was almost an anticlimax. We kind of cruised till the end.’

While the senior men’s team secured the only individual Jamaican victory, the squad showcased remarkable depth with several strong second-place finishes.

The female pair of Jodi Munn Barrow and Lisa Gardner secured a runner-up position in the highly competitive ladies 25-plus category, which was won by Trinidad and Tobago.

Jamaica also finished second in the ladies 45-plus category, behind eventual winners Bermuda, as well as in the mid-amateur and super senior men’s categories.

Two police officers are expected to go on trial for the murder of a 20 year-old man in 2018 after they lost an appeal to have the charge dropped.

Inspector Akeem Wilson and Detective Corporal Donald Wright appeared before Justice Dale Fitzpatrick accused of manslaughter in the death of 20-year-old Deangelo Evans in Mason’s Addition in 2018.

Their trial is scheduled to begin on June 1, 2026, with a pretrial hearing set for May 1, 2026.

Evans was shot and killed on May 27 2018, after officers responded to reports of an armed robbery. Police said he was armed, but eyewitnesses claimed he was not. But in 2023, a Coroner’s Court found that Evans’ death was a homicide by manslaughter.

The police officers had argued that Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Cordell Frazier committed an abuse of process by filing a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI) after indicating in a letter to the commissioner of police in April 2024 that the prosecution would not move forward. They also claimed that Coroner Kara Turnerquest-Deveaux acted outside her authority when they were summoned before her in September 2024 for the VBI.

But Justice Fitzpatrick found no merit in their arguments, ruling that although the coroner could not compel the men to attend court, they could appear voluntarily, as Wilson did in January.

He said the issuing of a summons was an administrative matter and found no abuse of power in how it was carried out. Justice Fitzpatrick also noted that the DPP had reversed her decision after reviewing the full coroner’s inquest file, which had not been available when the initial decision to discontinue the case was made.

The judge said that the defendants failed to prove that they had relied on the DPP’s earlier representation to their detriment or that proceeding with the case would offend the community’s sense of justice. He said that there was no abuse of process by the DPP.

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, says his country has absolutely no interest in hosting any form of military assets, and that the situation regarding Grenada is ‘really a sovereign issue’ for the government of that island.

‘If they decide to accommodate the United States, there is nothing we can do. We would have to respect the decision,’ Browne told reporters on a conference call from St. John’s.

Last week, the Grenada government confirmed that the United States had written seeking permission to install radar equipment and associated technical personnel at the Maurice Bishop International Airport (MBIA).

‘The Ministries of National Security, Legal Affairs and Foreign Affairs are carefully assessing the request and reviewing the request in technical consultations, in coordination with the Grenada airports Authority and other relevant agencies,’ the Dickon Mitchell government said, adding that it is carefully reviewing the request in accordance with established national procedures.

Prime Minister Phillip Davis says he will not meet with trade union officials on matters concerning public sector workers, after one of the unions threatened a national strike on Tuesday.

‘After careful consideration, I have decided not to proceed with that meeting. Instead, I will speak directly to the Bahamian people and to the workers of this nation, the men and women whose effort, care, and service form the backbone of our country,’ Prime Minister Davis said in a statement.

He said that on Monday, he met with the leadership of the Bahamas Union of Teachers and other union representatives ‘to continue our discussions on matters concerning public officers’.

Davis said that he went to that meeting in good faith and with a clear purpose to work together for the benefit of the Bahamian people, but that following the meeting, the President of the Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT), Belinda Wilson, made a public statement threatening a national strike and requesting a further meeting for Tuesday.

Wilson added that the BUT and other unions are demanding retroactive pay dating back to September 2024, and that all increases be applied and paid by the October payday, not December as previously stated by the Prime Minister.

‘Senior civil servants already received their retroactive pay – thousands of dollars – backdated to September of last year. We’re saying the small man deserves the same. This isn’t a gift. It’s money already earned,’ Wilson said.’

Her comments came after the government publicly insisted that the salary adjustments would be implemented by December 2025, just ahead of Christmas, a timeline unions flatly reject as too slow.

Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU), president, Kimsley Ferguson, speaking after the meeting, told reporters, the unions would no longer tolerate delays or mixed messages from the Davis administration.

‘The Prime Minister was receptive, but we’re not accepting excuses. If the Prime Minister’s having a memory lapse, we have the Hansard from Parliament to remind him exactly what he promised public officers,’ Ferguson said, adding that if Tuesday’s meeting failed to produce results, the unions would ‘visit the House of Assembly’ and intensify their campaign for immediate payment.

But in his statement, Prime Minister Davis said his government stands with Bahamian workers.

‘From the beginning, our mission has been to make life better for those who work hard every day, our teachers, nurses, uniformed officers, and the thousands of public servants who give of themselves for our country.

‘That is why we initiated a national salary review. This review was not done at the request of any union; it was done because my Government believes Bahamian workers deserve better. We wanted to look carefully and independently at how salaries across the public service can be made fairer and more reflective of the value of the work you do.’

Prime Minister Davis said he can now confirm that the government will make that review public.

‘Bahamians deserve to see for themselves the effort that has gone into ensuring fairness and equity in how we reward those who serve. If the question is one of payment, let me say again. Every public servant will be paid before Christmas. The Ministry of Finance and the Treasury have been working to ensure this, and I am satisfied that they are on course to deliver.’

He said that the agreements between the government and the unions remain in place, and the government will continue to honour them.

‘Some of these are approaching renewal, and as we move forward, we will do so with respect, transparency, and a commitment to the long-term wellbeing of workers and their families.

I understand the pressures many families are facing. I know the cost of living has stretched household budgets. That is precisely why this Government has been acting, not waiting, to make things better.’

Prime Minister Davis said he is asking the workers of the country to stand with him.

‘Let us choose partnership over division and dialogue over confrontation. When we work together, we achieve more for everyone. The Bahamas will always move forward when we act in unity and good faith, when we put the people first. That is the path my government is committed to,’ he added.