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Push for Kwanzaa to be a national holiday  

Diara Springer
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Push for Kwanzaa to be a national holiday  

Kwanzaa celebrations kicked off recently, with organisers announcing an ambitious push to have the pan-African holiday recognised as a national holiday in Barbados by next year.

Saa-ankh Clarke, founder of the Sixth Region Movement, revealed plans to approach government officials about granting Kwanzaa the same national recognition as Christmas. 

“So what I’m hoping we can do maybe for next year is have Kwanzaa recognised as a national holiday here, the same way Christmas is,” Clarke stated during a media conference at the Haynesville Police Outpost in St James.

Beyond national holiday status, Clarke is advocating for a more radical transformation of the education system. She aims to incorporate authentic African rites and ceremonies into school curricula from kindergarten through tertiary level, making the African curriculum primary and the Westminster system secondary. 

“It’s confusing to the young people, but it’s confusing to us as elders, and that’s why you have a system where our people don’t believe who they are, don’t understand who they are, and most importantly, they do not accept who they are,” Clarke explained.

Kwanzaa which is a seven-day cultural festival, created in 1966 by Dr Maulana Karenga, runs from December 26 through January 1 and centres around the Nguzo Saba, or Seven Principles: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith).

Clarke noted a significant demographic shift in Kwanzaa participation, with children as young as ten and 11 now actively engaged in understanding and celebrating the holiday’s meaning, compared to predominantly older generations in previous years.

Several organisations across Barbados are planning Kwanzaa programmes throughout the week, with a major celebration scheduled for January 1, 2026. The final day event, organised by Special Envoy on Reparations and Economic Enfranchisement, Trevor Prescod, will feature traditional African dance, speeches, and community outreach.

David Denny, general secretary of the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration, which joined the Haynesville Youth Club to open the programme, stressed that this year’s Kwanzaa must transcend ceremonial observance. He stressed the urgent need for regional unity to defend the Caribbean as a zone of peace and called for solidarity with struggles in Cuba, Venezuela, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Somalia, and Palestine.

“Kwanzaa is not just a festival,” Denny stated. 

“Kwanzaa is about the development of our people and being able to support working class struggles and African struggles all over the world,” he added.

Family seeking answers after loved one’s death

Diara Springer
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Family seeking answers after loved one’s death

As Christmas celebrations were underway across the island, a grieving family is left searching for answers following the tragic death of their loved one on Christmas Eve.

 Speaking through tears, a relative of the victim expressed their pain and confusion, stating they remain uncertain about the full details of the collision that claimed the life of 24-year-old Natalia James.

“I don’t want to speculate. I just want to know what happened,” the relative said when speaking to the Nation team yesterday morning, declining to comment further on the heartbreaking loss.

James, a resident of Deacons Farm, St Michael, died following a vehicular collision along Lancaster Bridge, St James on Wednesday night around 10:15 p.m.

Police reported a vehicle travelling north collided with the retaining barrier on the bridge. The impact left both the driver and James, who was a passenger in the vehicle, severely injured.

Emergency services responded to the scene where ambulance personnel examined both victims. Tragically, they found no signs of life in James. A medical doctor who attended the scene subsequently pronounced her dead.

The driver of the vehicle sustained injuries and was transported to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he is receiving urgent medical attention. His current condition has not been disclosed.

Police have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision. Authorities are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward.

Members of the public with information are asked to contact the Holetown Police Station at 419-1700 or 419-1701. (DS/PR)

Wrong body cremated after hospital mix-up in Scotland

Nationnews Desk
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Wrong body cremated after hospital mix-up in Scotland

Scotland’s largest hospital has apologised after a bereaved family was given the wrong body for a cremation ceremony.

Morgue staff at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow passed an incorrectly labelled corpse to undertakers.

The mistake was only realised after the funeral service and cremation.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde blamed human error and said that the staff involved had been suspended.

First reported by the Scottish Sun, the family who thought they were cremating their loved one are said to be inconsolable.

The mistake also denied another family the chance to have their relative’s remains for a funeral.

Dr Scott Davidson, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde medical director, said: “I would like to offer my sincere apologies to both families affected.

“We have very rigorous processes for the identification and labelling of bodies from arrival in our mortuaries until their release into the care of an undertaker.

“It is of deep regret that these processes have not been adhered to on this occasion, and that as a result two families have been caused significant additional distress at an already very difficult time.

“We launched an immediate investigation into this incident and will ensure that learning is applied.” (BBC)

Applewhaite signs two-year deal with Connecticut United FC

Jonteau Coppin
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Applewhaite signs two-year deal with Connecticut United FC

Barbados’ senior men’s national captain, Andre Applewhaite, has signed a two-year contract with professional club Connecticut United FC.

The left back will compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) NEXT Pro, the league which launched in 2022 with 21 teams that now features 27 reserve sides from MLS clubs, along with two independent clubs.

Speaking after the announcement of his deal, Applewhaite said, “I’m super excited to sign for CT United next season, and I can’t wait to get started.”

This move culminates a long road to the professional level, which includes seven trials and a brief stint in the United States earlier this year with Appalachian FC in the Southeastern Conference.

Applewhaite’s move to Bridgeport follows a remarkable year in which he finished as top scorer for long-term club Weymouth Wales in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Championship with five goals. His scoring form helped the domestic league-and-cup champions reach the final, where they narrowly lost 3–2 to Moca FC. He also carried that momentum into the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup, finding the net in a 2–1 defeat to Cibao FC at the Wildey Turf.

On top of winning the domestic treble with Wales this season, the 23-year-old captured both the Best Defender and Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards in the Prime Minister’s Cup. His seven goals across the tournament helped propel Wales to last month’s final at Kensington Oval, which ended in a commanding 8–3 victory over Kickstart Rush, during which he completed a hat-trick.

The Barbadian defender will now play under the guidance of former Jamaican international Shavar Thomas in Connecticut, who was announced on Tuesday as the club’s first-ever head coach. The 44-year-old, who earned 52 caps for the Reggae Boyz and made nearly 200 MLS appearances, expressed his gratitude for the chance to build a professional club in the state where his American journey began.

“This is an incredible honour,” said Thomas. “Connecticut is where my path in the US began, and now I have the privilege to help build something new here. We’re going to create a disciplined, hardworking, fearless team that represents this state with pride. MLS NEXT Pro is just the start, and we’re building toward something much bigger.”

Italy arrests nine over alleged Hamas funding

Nationnews Desk
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Italy arrests nine over alleged Hamas funding

Italian police have arrested nine people accused of raising around €7m (£6m) for Hamas over more than two years.

The money was ostensibly collected as humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians, a police statement said, but was instead sent to the militant group via a “complex fundraising system”.

Alongside the arrests, police say they have seized more than €8m (£7m) in assets as part of the investigation.

Police say the suspects are “specifically accused of carrying out financing operations believed to have contributed to terrorist activities”.

The arrests were made as part of a joint initiative between Italy’s counter-terror police and financial police.

The investigation began after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack in southern Israel.

Police say they analysed “a series of reports of suspicious financial transactions” involving some of the suspects in the lead up to the attack.

Investigators uncovered a “complex” system of fundraising, which was headquartered in Genoa with branches in Milan, the statement adds.

“The suspects collected donations intended for the civilian population of Gaza, however, it emerged that over 71 per cent of these funds were diverted to Hamas’s coffers to finance its military wing and support the families of suicide bombers or those detained for terrorism,” the police statement says.

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said the most well-known of the arrested suspects was Mohammad Hannoun, the president of the Palestinian Association in Italy.

Hannoun has previously described allegations he is a financier of Hamas as a “lie”.

Piantedosi thanked police for their work in a post on X, but also noted that “the presumption of innocence… must always be recognised at this stage”. (BBC)

Guests Sparkle at Soiree

Nationnews Desk
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Guests Sparkle at Soiree

Sparkle Soiree, Part 2, of Colombian Emeralds International’s Christmas celebration took place recently at the plush Limegrove Lifestyle Centre in Holetown, St James.

Like the one previously held at the Bridgetown store, organisers and guests, some in their finest fits, mixed and mingled while browsing through the vast array of jewellery pieces on show, with deejay music playing in the background, some of it well-known Christmas favourites.

Cocktails and an assortment of finger foods added to the rich mix of business and Yuletide pleasure. (BW)

7.0 magnitude quake rattles Taiwan

Nationnews Desk
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7.0 magnitude quake rattles Taiwan

TAIPEI – A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck some 32 km (20 miles) off Taiwan’s northeastern coastal city of Yilan on Saturday, the island’s weather administration said, with no immediate report of major damage.

The quake with a depth of 73 km (45 miles) was felt across north Taiwan and shook buildings in the capital Taipei, the administration added, attributing it an intensity four category meaning there could be minor damages.

Taipei city’s government said there was no major damage reported in the immediate aftermath, with some isolated cases of damage including gas and water leakage and minor damage to buildings.

More than 3 000 homes in Yilan briefly lost power, Taiwan Power Company said.

Major chipmaker TSMC said a small number of its facilities in the northern Hsinchu Science Park met evacuation thresholds after the quake and evacuated staff had since returned to their posts.

The weather administration said people should be on alert for aftershocks between 5.5 and 6.0 in the coming day. It also said damage from the quake should be limited because it was relatively deep and hit offshore.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said in a social media post that authorities had the situation under control and also urged the population to be on alert for aftershocks.

Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is prone to earthquakes.

More than 100 people were killed in a quake in southern Taiwan in 2016, while a 7.3 magnitude quake killed more than 2,000 people in 1999.(Reuters)

Jamaica thanks China for hurricane relief support

Nationnews Desk
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Jamaica thanks China for hurricane relief support

KINGSTON – Prime Minister Andrew Holness has expressed gratitude to the Government of the People’s Republic of China for its support to Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa, which caused extensive damage across parts of the island.

“The Chinese Government has been very good to us,” he said during a ceremony at the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) headquarters in Kingston where ten new tipper trucks, valued at approximately $200 million, were handed over to the agency.

The Prime Minister highlighted China’s contribution to hurricane relief and recovery efforts, including the deployment of the navy hospital ship, the Silk Road Ark, which provided critical medical care across several locations in Jamaica.

“The Silk Road Ark spent 11 days in Jamaica, treating patients at the Montego Bay Cruise Pier, the Port Royal Pier, and the Falmouth Pier. The ship’s team concluded its visit with 7 563 medical consultations and 715 surgical procedures performed,” he said.

“I was not able to go and visit. But I saw all the reports, and the [Government] Ministers were very impressed… and the hundreds of people who benefited, I’m sure, are grateful. So I want to use this opportunity, on behalf of the people of Jamaica, to say thanks to the Government of China for their support with the hospital ship,” Dr Holness added.

The Chinese medical team also donated essential medicines to Jamaica’s public health system and delivered health lectures during their visit.

Looking ahead, Dr Holness said China will assist Jamaica by supplying equipment for the National Clean‑Up Programme, including excavators, front-end loaders, and other heavy machinery.

“We have asked for certain kinds of equipment that will be used in debris management… excavators, front-end loaders and some other heavy equipment,” he said, noting that the equipment will be placed in the custody of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) while remaining technically owned by the National Works Agency (NWA).

“The JDF will keep them in their fleet… but they are technically owned by the NWA. So, in the event of an extreme weather event, for example, a major landslide that will require more than just a private contractor, the equipment will be stationed with the JDF where they have an engineering corps, [and] they can be mobilised to deal with this,” Dr Holness explained.

He emphasised that the Government is leveraging these resources to strengthen Jamaica’s capacity to respond effectively to extreme weather events. (CMC)

Monthly flights to Africa on cards

Diara Springer
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1
Monthly flights to Africa on cards

Barbadians seeking to connect with their African roots will soon have a more convenient travel option, as Nigerian airline Air Peace is seeking to launch monthly direct flights from Barbados to West Africa starting in February 2026.

The announcement comes following a successful inaugural flight last Sunday, which brought approximately 300 passengers from Lagos to the Caribbean, with about 200 continuing to Barbados after a stop in Antigua and Barbuda.

Gideon Asare, chief executive officer of Adansi Travels, who was among the passengers on the historic flight, was in Barbados promoting the new route. He runs a travel agency focused on helping people of African descent reconnect with their heritage, particularly in Ghana.

“This opportunity offers more Barbadians the chance to go see their homeland,” he said. 

“Instead of going through the US or the UK, which is longer, you could fly from Barbados directly to Lagos and then continue to Accra.”

The new route represents a significant investment by Air Peace, which operates flights within West Africa and to select international destinations, including London. The airline has also purchased LIAT Air in Antigua to facilitate Caribbean connections.

For Asare, the flight service is about more than convenience. It’s about completing a historical narrative that begins in Ghanaian schools, where children learn about the transatlantic slave trade from an early age.

“You are taught about slavery because of the castles, but you don’t know where the story continues,” he explained.

“When they leave the shores of Ghana, where do they go? That is where you continue the story, when you get to Barbados.”

During a trip to Barbados last year, Asare visited historical sites where enslaved Africans arrived, noting the presence of many Ghanaian names among those documented.

His agency hosted about ten Barbadians in Ghana last year, offering them experiences he described as deeply spiritual.

Asare said visitors to Ghana can experience landmarks such as the Slave River, where enslaved Africans were washed before departure, and the Door of No Return, the final passage before being forced onto ships. 

He added, however, that Ghana offered much more than historical connections.

“When you come to Ghana, from your day of arrival, you feel a connection with people,” he said, contrasting it with trips to major Western cities where tourists might see impressive sights but make fewer personal connections.

“There are stereotypes of how some mainstream media may have projected Africa. It’s not the case. If you come to Accra, you will see it’s very modern.” 

Ransomware business threat grows

Shawn Cumberbatch
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Ransomware business threat grows

Barbadian cybersecurity strategist Niel Harper has raised an alarm internationally about the ongoing threats posed by the professionalisation of cybercrime and the emerging security risks introduced by autonomous artificial intelligence (agentic AI).

He framed the current threat landscape not as a technical problem, but as a market failure, where the profitability of ransomware as a Service (RaaS) groups continues to outpace enterprise defense spending.

Harper, who has worked in executive roles in global organisations such as Bermuda Commercial Bank, Canonical, INTERPOL, and the United Nations, was speaking recently at Black Hat Middle East & Africa MEA conference 

Black Hat MEA, the largest and most significant cybersecurity and hacking conference in the Middle East and Africa region, is held annually in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

As a VIP speaker at the conference, Harper, managing director and digital trust practice leader, Octave Cyber Security Group, delivered a number of key addresses at the event, issuing several warnings to businesses.

He focused extensively on the financial due diligence model employed by RaaS affiliates, urging corporations and law enforcement to enhance their cooperation.

“The RaaS threat needs to be addressed through robust disaster recovery, enhanced incident response, and improved methods for freezing and seizing funds,” he stated, emphasising the need for mandated security controls to disrupt the cyber insurance payout mechanism.

In a specialised “deep dive” session, Harper addressed the security challenge of Agentic AI. He detailed why traditional security layers fail against autonomous agents, calling for robust, layered controls to manage their high velocity and capacity for adaptive, independent decision making.

“When you empower AI with autonomy, you simultaneously multiply its potential blast radius,” he cautioned.

Harper recommended that organisations immediately implement zero trust principles for all AI agents, requiring just-in-time access and frequent authentication as well as layered guardrails to prevent malicious or misaligned AI agents from inflicting harm on critical financial systems or IT infrastructure.

He underscored the necessity for global enterprises to adopt proactive governance models that integrate security, compliance, and product go-to-market strategies at the highest executive levels. (SC/PR)

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