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UPDATE: Death toll in Hong Kong high-rise fire rises to 36

Nationnews Desk
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UPDATE: Death toll in Hong Kong high-rise fire rises to 36

HONG KONG – At least 36 people were killed and 279 were missing on Wednesday after Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in three decades ripped through high-rise residential towers sheathed in flammable bamboo scaffolding, authorities said.

More than ten hours after the fire started in the northern Tai Po district, flames and thick smoke still engulfed the 32-storey towers as rescue workers swarmed the site and shocked inhabitants watched nearby.

The cause of the blaze was not immediately known, but it was fanned by green construction mesh and bamboo scaffolding which the government began phasing out in March for safety reasons.

Working through the night, firefighters were struggling to reach upper floors of the Wang Fuk Court housing complex, which has 2 000 apartments in eight blocks, due to the intense heat.

One 71-year-old resident surnamed Wong broke down in tears, saying his wife was trapped inside.

A firefighter was among the 36 killed, and 29 people were in hospital, Hong Kong leader John Lee told reporters. Some 900 people were in eight shelters.

“The priority is to extinguish the fire and rescue the residents who are trapped. The second is to support the injured. The third is to support and recover. Then, we’ll launch a thorough investigation,” Lee told reporters.

Harry Cheung, 66, who has lived at Block Two in one of the complexes for more than 40 years, said he heard a loud noise about 2:45 p.m. (0645 GMT) and saw fire erupt in a nearby block.

“I immediately went back to pack up my things,” he said.

“I don’t even know how I feel right now. I’m just thinking about where I’m going to sleep tonight because I probably won’t be able to go back home.” (Reuters)

Pinelands unveil basketball wall of honour

Jonteau Coppin
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Pinelands unveil basketball wall of honour

The spirit of pride and celebration filled St Michael South East on Sunday evening as residents gathered at the historic Princess Royals Basketball Court to honour the sporting giants who built the Pinelands Basketball Club.

Deputy Prime Minister and constituency Member of Parliament Santia Bradshaw stood alongside present honourees David Grant, Anthony Layne, Ricardo Hunte, Carl Thorpe, Cameron Vicary, Junior Rock, Wilfred Fields, Renaldo Maughn and Wayne Lascelless, telling the crowd: “Tonight is about people who built something from nothing. The facilities we see today and the winning culture in Pinelands were built on the backs of the people who came before.”

Calling the ceremony “personal,” Bradshaw stressed the impact of the original Pinelands players on the wider community. “This goes far deeper than trophies or titles. I want all of the young people, all the members of the Pinelands Basketball Club, and everyone coming up to recognise that a foundation has been made by people who came before you. Sometimes we behave as though we just arrived here. You walk in, and you see a court, you see lights, you see fencing, you see a team with structure and titles, but if we do not take the opportunity to hold events like this, the memory of the people whose backs we climbed on to reach the point where Pinelands can win title after title is forgotten.”

She also reflected on the effort to secure a permanent court, crediting her father, former MP Delisle Bradshaw. “One of the things I believe gave my father the greatest pride was knowing that this court didn’t require tokens. For those who are too young to remember, most hard courts back then required you to buy tokens and put them in a slot just to turn on the lights. This became one of the first community basketball courts in the country, where you didn’t have to do that. When my dad was Minister, he made sure of it, he made sure you could play from day straight into night, and that freedom allowed so many of you to become the successful players you did, and to inspire the young players who followed.”

Addressing violence in the community, Bradshaw said, “A few youngsters picking up guns is not the identity of St Michael South East. This community was built on success, discipline and unity.” She added, “The entire St Michael South East community wants the violence to stop. When you talk to people, nobody wants to lose their children. Nobody wants to lose their fathers. Nobody wants to have people afraid to speak. This has been a vibrant community from the time I was born in 1976.”

She continued, “Over the past few days, we’ve witnessed so many successes, but too often those achievements are overwhelmed by the senseless killings. I feel like being able to acknowledge our past helps a lot of our people in the community to remember what the community was like, and hopefully it will inspire a number of the young leaders within the community to do a lot more.”

Honouree Wayne Lascelless spoke with humour and emotion about the club’s beginnings. “We had no sponsorship, no big budgets. We made our uniforms ourselves. Cameron’s girlfriend was an air hostess, and she used to bring in shirts and pants for us. We sat down and sewed white binding on green shirts and green binding on white pants.”

After appealing to MP Delisle Bradshaw, the team quickly secured lighting and advanced through the national leagues, moving from Second Division to First Division in 1984. “From then until now, the name Pinelands is synonymous across the lengths and breadths for Basketball across Barbados.”

The full list of honourees is: Cameron Vicary, Aubrey Grant, Wayne Lascelles, Wayne Bispham, the Sealy Family, Renaldo Maughn, Captain Anthony ‘Beardy’ Layne, Carl ‘Fingers’ Thorpe, Ian Hutson, Andrew ‘Tarzan’ Thorpe, David Grant, Wilfred Fields, Ricardo ‘Ballerman’ Hunte, Junior Rock, Al Sealy, Edwin O’Neal and Joe Parris.

Guilty of disposing granddaughter’s body

Heather-Lynn Evanson
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Guilty of disposing granddaughter’s body

Twenty-three years after 12-year-old Rasheeda Bascombe told her sister “I coming back” and never did, her grandfather Winfield Nurse was found guilty of disposing of her body by a jury in the No. 4A Supreme Court yesterday.

He was remanded to Dodds Prison until next year when a pre-sentencing report is due.

Nurse, 80, of Accommodation Road, Bush Hall, St Michael, had denied unlawfully disposing of his 12-year-old granddaughter’s body, between January 2, 2002, and May 30, 2013.

He was represented by attorney Lennox Miller, while Principal State Counsel Olivia Davis, State Counsel Tito Holder and State Counsel Anastacia McMeo-Boyce prosecuted.

Yesterday, the jury took about an hour and 25 minutes to return a unanimous guilty verdict.

Justice Donna Babb-Agard then ordered a pre-sentencing report and sent the now convicted man back to Dodds, where he had been on remand since 2020 because he could not find a surety.

Nurse will return to court on January 29, next year.

During the trial, the court had heard from a neighbour, who was at Nurse’s house on January 2, 2002, that Rasheeda was in the dining room on the phone when she told her sister Raquel: “I coming back”.

That neighbour said that was the last time he heard or saw the girl.

The police statement of the girl’s mother, Hermena Straker, who is deceased and which was read into evidence, revealed that her daughter Rasheeda was living with her [Straker’s] father [Nurse] and grandmother at Accommodation Road after her daughter had “come out of the Nightengale Home”. She was a student at the Parkinson School.

The woman’s first statement detailed how she spent many days travelling back and forth between the house at Accommodation Road and District “A” Station.

Straker’s statement said people “were saying they were seeing [Rasheeda] all over the place”.

Her statement said she remembered “one Sunday”, after she had again visited District “A” Station, she went to her father’s house and he requested “a picture of Rasheeda to put up in his bedroom”.

In the woman’s second statement to police, which was dictated on June 1, 2013, she said her father confessed to her he had stabbed Rasheeda and left her for dead.

“I sat in the chair in front of him and I questioned him as to where Rasheeda was. My father told me that Rasheeda was dead. Being torn up in pain, I started crying and I asked him, how you mean she’s dead?” the court heard.

“Then he said to me that Rasheeda had asked him for money and she took out a knife and pointed [it] at him, and the two of them started to scuffle, which caused them to tumble to the ground, and Rasheeda got juck with knife in her belly and she hit her head. 

“My father also told me he left her body there in Jackson. My father did not specify the exact location in Jackson that he left her.

“I also asked my father why he did not go to the police, but he just stared at me. He did not answer. When my father told me what happened to Rasheeda, it was just both of us in a room. No one else was there with us,” the statement ended.

Nurse opted to say nothing in his defence.

Man pleads guilty to fathering child with 12-year-old girl

Nationnews Desk
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Man pleads guilty to fathering child with 12-year-old girl

NASSAU – A 22-year-old man who fathered a child with his 12-year-old “girlfriend” will be sentenced in January next year after he pleaded guilty to multiple counts of unlawful sexual intercourse.

Jakyle Barry admitted guilt without a formal plea agreement when he appeared before Justice Renae McKay with his lawyer, Glendon Rolle requesting a social inquiry report to assist the judge in arriving at an appropriate sentence.

The Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Basil Cumberbatch, said that while on a Family Island, Barry began having a sexual relationship with the 12-year-old schoolgirl, who became pregnant as a result. They have a two-year-old daughter.

Barry will be sentenced on January 20, next year. (CMC)

Trump says he would prefer not to extend Obamacare subsidies

Nationnews Desk
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Trump says he would prefer not to extend Obamacare subsidies

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE – President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he does not want to extend Obamacare subsidies but might consider such a move after a report said the White House was preparing a two-year extension of Affordable Care Act insurance premium subsidies.

Millions of enrollees in ACA health insurance programmes — also known as Obamacare — face sharp premium increases with the subsidies due to expire on December 31.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew to Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday, Trump made clear he was against a two-year extension, in line with Republican lawmakers who voiced opposition to it.

But he said it was possible some type of extension might be necessary in the short term.

Politico reported on Monday that the White House was preparing a health-policy framework that would extend Affordable Care Act insurance premium subsidies for two years, with new eligibility limits expected to be added.

“I don’t want to extend them for two years. I’d rather not extend them at all,” Trump said. But he added without elaborating: “Some kind of extension may be necessary to get something else done.”

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement earlier on Tuesday that Trump was not considering “a straight two-year subsidy extension.”

“The president is having ongoing conversations with members of his administration, members of Congress, and private sector experts,” Leavitt added.

Americans shopping for 2026 ACA health insurance plans face monthly premiums that are more than double on average, and they are likely to postpone signing up in hopes of a last-minute reprieve or to walk away, health experts have said.

Democrats’ demand for an extension of the subsidies was the core issue in Congress that led to the federal government shutdown that ended earlier this month.

The attention on health care costs has highlighted voter concerns about the cost of living broadly, a key factor in recent Democratic election victories. (Reuters)

Barbados ‘best for digital change’

Nationnews Desk
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Barbados ‘best for digital change’

Liberty Business, the business-to-business arm of telecommunications provider Flow, reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating Barbados’ digital future at the 2025 Government Innovation Summit, held recently at the Hilton Barbados Resort.

Speaking at the high-level forum, Daniel Neiva, chief commercial officer, business-to-business, Liberty Caribbean, praised Barbados for its unique combination of talent, leadership, and ambition, describing it as a “powerful force for driving digital transformation”.

“Barbados stands apart because of its extraordinary balance, confidence, speed, and humility, supported by a strong foundation in education. With one of the highest literacy rates in the world, this nation has built an exceptional talent pool. The question now is how we can work together to ensure this talent is ready for the digital era,” Neiva said.

Neiva emphasised that when talent, leadership, and ambition align, “the potential is extraordinary”, and highlighted Liberty Business’ belief in partnership as the key to national progress.

“At Liberty Business, we believe in collaboration, working hand-in-hand to build a digital future that strengthens Barbados’ economy, Government, and communities. Digital transformation isn’t just about technology. It’s about empowerment; enabling people, businesses, and institutions to grow,” he said.

Referencing the Government’s focus on modernisation, Neiva pointed to progress already visible in e-government solutions, such as digital documents, online tax portals, and 24/7 access to connectivity. These innovations, he noted, make public services more efficient while also unlocking new opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses, the backbone of the economy.

Neiva also underscored the broader benefits of connectivity adding: “As broadband penetration grows and digital maturity deepens, we see direct gains in GDP, sustainability, and community well-being. Digital access fuels innovation, inclusion, and economic resilience.

Liberty Business has concretised its role as a strategic digital partner, leveraging the company’s regional scale and global expertise, with key partnerships, to accelerate transformation and drive national development.

The Government Innovation Summit, held under the theme This Is How We Do It for You!, brought together senior Government officials, technology leaders, and industry partners to explore the future of connectivity and the practical steps needed to advance digital public services.

Among those in attendance were Desron Bynoe, vice-president and general manager, Flow Barbados, who also delivered remarks, and Minister of Industry, Science and Technology Senator Jonathan Reid, who moderated a panel discussion.

Liberty Business continues to serve as a trusted partner, strategic advisor, and collaborative ally to governments across the Caribbean, co-creating secure, scalable, and sustainable technology solutions that translate innovation into tangible public value. (PR)

CEOs ‘target AI and talent’

Shawn Cumberbatch
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CEOs ‘target AI and talent’

The confidence chief executive officers (CEO) have in the global economy has hit a five-year low, the KPMG 2025 Global CEO Outlook found.

This come as corporate leaders focus strategic investments in artificial intelligence (AI), talent, and risk resilience to sustain and fuel future growth.

The challenging landscape is prompting a shift in leadership approach, with many adapting their growth strategies to navigate today’s complex world.

Sixty-eight per cent of CEOs are confident in the current trajectory of the world economy – down from 72 per cent last year and continuing a long-term trend of declining confidence. 

The annual survey of more than 1 300 global leaders reveals a cautious outlook among CEOs, driven by persistent geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, climate challenges, and evolving digital demands. 

Raymond Campbell, country leader, KPMG in CARICOM, said that CEOs in the region “are facing similar global challenges, but the impact on our small, open economies is even more pronounced”.

“The report points to the fact that resilience in our region must be built deliberately – through resilient infrastructure, smarter technology investments, stronger talent development, and a deeper understanding of emerging risks,” he said.

“While the CARICOM region may not be investing in AI at the pace of larger markets, the direction is clear.

“To be economically sustainable, and to stay competitive, we must prioritise use of AI and its deployment in all aspects of planning and implementation and develop digital capability, talent, and organisational resilience. Preparedness is no longer optional; it’s a strategic advantage.”

Chris Brome, head of advisory, KPMG in Caricom, said: “For Caribbean organisations, these global trends offer both a warning and an opportunity. As AI adoption accelerates worldwide, our markets cannot afford to be passive observers.

“Even if the pace of investment in the region is more measured, the priority areas are the same – governance, data readiness, and talent.

“This is the moment for regional businesses to lay the groundwork by upskilling their people, strengthening cyber and technology resilience, and building the core digital capabilities needed to compete in an increasingly AI-enabled global economy,” he said.

KPMG said that despite the headwinds, cautious optimism persisted among global CEOs, with a significant majority of leaders focusing on investment in talent to drive a return to growth.

It reported that “92 per cent of CEOs say they’re planning to increase headcount over the next
12 months, while many remain upbeat on healthy earnings growth and remain keen on mergers
and acquisitions”.

Also, 40 per cent of them “forecast earnings increases of more than 2.5 per cent in the coming twelve months, while 89 per cent are predicting merger or acquisition activity”.

Their biggest potential roadblocks to achieving growth remain relatively unchanged from last year, with cybercrime and cyber insecurity (79 per cent), AI workforce readiness or upskilling of workforce on AI (77 per cent) and success integration of AI into business processes (75 per cent) continuing to loom large. (PR/SC)

Brazil’s Supreme Court orders Bolsonaro to begin 27-year prison term

Nationnews Desk
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Brazil’s Supreme Court orders Bolsonaro to begin 27-year prison term

Brazil’s Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to begin his 27-year prison sentence for his failed coup he launched after losing re-election in 2022.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes ruled that the right-wing politician had run out of appeals and would begin his sentence in a jail cell in the capital city of Brasilia, where he has been kept since Saturday over worries he would flee, the BBC reported. The ruling is a stunning development for Bolsonaro, who led Latin America’s largest nation and its first former president to be found guilty of trying to push its democracy back into a dictatorship.

Brazil’s highest court in September convicted Bolsonaro, 70, of the five counts related to the coup that involved a mob of his supporters storming government buildings following the election of rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in 2022.

Prosecutors charged Bolsonaro of engaging in a plot to violently subvert Brazil’s democracy that involved assassinating da Silva, The Washington Post reported. Bolsonaro denied the charges, but has not conceded the election.

Bolsonaro condemned the attack after the election, which he alleged in court was marred by irregularities. A court threw out the case and Bolsonaro traveled to the United States where he applied for a six-month visa.

President Donald Trump condemned Bolsonaro’s prosecution and imposed high tariffs on Brazilian imports, which were later dropped.

Bolsonaro’s argued unsuccessfully that the former president should be allowed to serve his sentence under house arrest, citing a pulmonary infection and other health issues. But the court rejected the request because Bolsonaro had earlier tampered with his ankle monitor, reported The New York Times. Analysts expect Bolsonaro to eventually be released into home arrest, according to the paper. (UPI)

Joan Branson, wife of British billionaire Richard Branson, dies at 80

Nationnews Desk
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Joan Branson, wife of British billionaire Richard Branson, dies at 80

Joan Branson, the wife of British billionaire Richard Branson, has died at age 80.

Branson announced her death Tuesday on Instagram and LinkedIn. No other details were disclosed.

“Heartbroken to share that Joan, my wife and partner for 50 years, has passed away,” he said. “She was the most wonderful mum and grandmum our kids and grandkids could have ever wished for. She was my best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my world.”

Richard Branson is the founder of Virgin Atlantic airline, space tourism company Virgin Galactic and satellite launcher Virgin Orbit.

In a 2020 blog post, he said he met Joan in 1976 at The Manor, a recording studio in Oxfordshire, England.

“Joan was a down-to-earth Scottish lady and I quickly realised she wouldn’t be impressed by my usual antics,” Branson wrote.

He said she worked at an antique shop that sold old signs and advertisements.

“I hovered uncertainly outside the shop, then built up the courage to walk in. … Over the next few weeks, my visits to Joan amassed me an impressive collection of old hand painted tin signs, which advertised anything from Hovis bread to Woodbine cigarettes,” Branson wrote.

The couple had three children, Holly, Sam and Clare Sarah. Clare Sarah died shortly after birth in 1979. (CNN)

Five overseas-based players in Barbados Senior Women’s squad

Jonteau Coppin
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Five overseas-based players in Barbados Senior Women’s squad

Five overseas-based players have been named in the Barbados Senior Women’s squad ahead of their home CONCACAF W Qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago at Kensington Oval next Monday.

Goalkeepers Lisa Harding of Merstham Women FC in England and Unesty Waithe of East Orange High School in the United States join defenders Laea Blakeley from Highland FC in the United States and Daphne Watson James from the University of Essex, along with forward Shakira Waithe of Enfield Town Ladies FC. They are part of a revamped squad aiming to launch their campaign with a win.

Head Coach Kerry Trotman said the team is eagerly anticipating the match, particularly as it will be played in front of a home crowd. “It’s been a journey with highs and lows, and the group has stayed focused and resilient,” she explained. “We’re proud to name what we believe is the strongest available squad to take on Trinidad and Tobago on December 1st at Kensington Oval, and we are confident that we will be competitive. Once we execute what we’ve been working on, we can achieve a favourable result. We’ve also been fortunate to add a few overseas-based players, bringing additional experience and strength to the unit as we prepare for this important fixture.”

In the lead-up to the match, Trotman encouraged Barbadians to take advantage of the free admission and show their support for the Women’s side. “Representing your country and playing in front of a home crowd is an electrifying experience for any player, and I encourage fans, supporters, and all Barbadians to come out and show our team that you are behind them, especially given that the match is part of such a patriotic weekend,” she said.

Barbados is in Group F of the 2025-2026 CONCACAF W Qualifiers alongside Trinidad and Tobago, El Salvador, and Honduras. The next round of matches will take place during the February and April international windows, with the Lady Tridents facing El Salvador and Honduras, respectively. The six group winners will advance to the 2026 CONCACAF W Championship, which serves as the qualifier for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympic Games.

This match also serves as a curtain-raiser for the Prime Minister’s Cup final later that evening at the ‘Mecca’. Kickstart Rush will face Weymouth Wales, who are striving to hold all domestic footballing titles. Rush secured a 2-1 semi-final victory over Wotton FC after extra time, while Wales defeated Paradise 4-0 to reach the final.

The Lady Tridents Squad is as follows:Goalkeepers: Lisa Harding (Merstham Women F.C., England), Chioma Maycock (Empire F.C.), Unesty Waithe (East Orange High School, USA) Defenders: Gabrielle Birmingham (Mavericks F.C.), Laea Blakeley (Highland F.C., USA), Brittany Branker-White (Paradise F.C.), Adrienne Forde (Paradise F.C.), Keinelle Johnson (Paradise F.C.), Zhane Newsam (Technique F.C.), Kay’shun Rouse, Taryn Sutherland (R.F. Prime F.C.), Daphne Watson-James (University of Essex, England) Midfielders: Makela Alleyne (Mavericks F.C.), Amber de Silva (Empire F.C.), Solonge Holford (Paradise F.C.), Tekoa Hope-Downes (Paradise F.C.), Marissa King (R.F. Prime F.C.), Shanice Stevenson (Captain) (Paradise F.C.), Ashanee Thompson (Paradise F.C.) Forwards: Rianna Cyrus (Empire F.C.), Ketarrah Lowe-Millar (Empire F.C.), Acacia Small (Paradise F.C.), Shakira Waithe (Enfield Town Ladies F.C., England)

The Management Team consists of Head Coach Kerry Trotman, Assistant Coach Mario Vanterpoole, Team Manager Tricia Forde, Equipment Manager Kamillah Burke, Physiotherapist Chrystal Lynch, Trainer Akeil Payne, and Goalkeeping Coach Richard Bynoe.

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