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Mexico opens World Cup with passion, parties and protests

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Mexico opens World Cup with passion, parties and protests

Mexico City opened the World Cup ​on Thursday at the famous Azteca stadium with a ceremony celebrating pre-Hispanic culture, as the ground rocked ahead of the tournament’s first match ‌between Mexico and South Africa that kicks off against a backdrop of protests around the capital.

Fans in Mariachi costumes, with sombreros and trumpets, formed a sea of dark green support as Shakira and Burna Boy performed the 2026 World Cup anthem and pyrotechnics filled the ground.

Alejandro Garcia, 50, decked out in a sombrero and carrying a replica trophy, said he was proud that ​Mexico was hosting another World Cup. He was a young kid when the country last hosted the tournament in 1986.

“This is our temple,” he ​said on the concourse around the Azteca. “It’s going to be a great World Cup, all of the protests will now be ⁠forgotten.”

But outside the ground, the city of 9 million people remained deeply divided.

The run-up to the tournament in Mexico, which the country is co-hosting with the U.S. ​and Canada, has been marked by social unrest in the capital as various groups — from teachers to families of those missing in the drug war — have marched in ​attempts to leverage the international spotlight to advance their cause.

At least six protests were planned on Thursday, with the city a contradiction of celebration and opposition. Freshly painted murals, new trains and a revamped stadium aimed at welcoming tourists for the games contrasted with steel barricades mounted by businesses to protect themselves from rioters along the capital’s main avenue.

About three miles from ​the Azteca, thousands of disgruntled teachers from around the country began marching towards the stadium ahead of the match.

Avelina Cruz Miguel, who has taught elementary school for ​22 years, travelled from Oaxaca to protest for better pay. She said the protests offered an opportunity for the teachers to make their demands known at “an international level.” “There is no ‌support for ⁠education” in Mexico, she said.

Teachers had also camped outside the central Zocalo square for days leading up to the start of the tournament.

The encampment forced authorities to barricade the entrance to the Zocalo on the eve of the competition opener and raised fears the area would be closed to fans who had planned to amass in the square to watch on a big screen.

On Thursday, tents lined the streets for multiple blocks surrounding the square but authorities confirmed the fan zone would be ​open.

Mario Martinez, 30, from Tijuana, was one ​of the first fans to enter ⁠with his girlfriend. He said they had come to the fan zone because stadium tickets were too expensive and had been worried the event would be cancelled. “Thank God it all worked out.”

In the Zocalo, organisers said the fan zone was at ​capacity with over 50,000 packed into the square to watch the game.

Many residents have complained money was being spent to ​beautify the city for ⁠visitors without addressing underlying infrastructure issues. Thursday was declared an official holiday in Mexico City, in part to alleviate transport concerns.

Other Chilangos, as Mexico City locals are known, complained of prohibitively high ticket prices that had kept them from seeing the spectacle live in their home town. For the opening match between Mexico and South Africa some fans ⁠interviewed by ​Reuters said they had paid $3,000 or more, way out of reach for most Mexicans. FIFA has ​defended its pricing saying the cost of tickets is on a par with other major sporting events.

“FIFA is only interested in profit,” said Jonathan Cordoba, 33, as he stood in a long queue to ​enter the stadium. But he said he had no regrets: “It’s the passion!” (Reuters)

Texas couple jailed for running pandemic “blessing” scheme

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Texas couple jailed for running pandemic “blessing” scheme

A Texas couple was sentenced yesterday to 40 years each in prison for running a fraudulent chain-referral pyramid scheme, following their convictions by a jury on conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering charges in January 2026.

“At the peak of the pandemic, LaShonda and Marlon Moore launched an investment fraud scheme and cheated struggling Americans out of $30 million,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This fraud scheme exploited people out of their hard-earned money at a time when they needed it most. Opportunistic fraudsters like the Moores belong in prison.”

“The Moores’ get rich quick scheme has earned them a well-deserved stay in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs for the Eastern District of Texas. “Playing games with other peoples’ money while promising unrealistic returns is stealing and will be prosecuted and punished.”

“The harm caused by greed-driven, deceptive investments promising returns too good to be true cannot be overstated,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group. “The mission of the USPIS continues, to aggressively investigate such schemes and hold fraudsters fully accountable.”

“Those who exploit uncertainty and hardship for personal profit undermine the safety and security of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Christina Foley of the U.S. Secret Service Dallas Field Office. 

“The Moores took advantage of trust and hope during a time of national crisis, causing significant harm to thousands of victims. Today’s sentencing sends a clear message: the Secret Service remains steadfast in our mission to investigate and disrupt these schemes, and those who prey on vulnerable communities for personal gain will be held fully accountable.”

“The Moores used a polished image and a reality TV appearance to build trust, but behind the scenes, they orchestrated a deceptive pyramid scheme built on fake ‘playing boards’ and false promises of 800% returns,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office. 

“This scheme deliberately targeted the African American community, exploiting cultural trust and community ties. These sentences make it clear: if you abuse trust and exploit communities, you will face justice.”

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, LaShonda Moore, 38, and Marlon Moore, 39, of Frisco, Texas, co-founded and ran “Blessings in No Time,” known as “BINT”, an illegal chain-referral pyramid scheme that targeted victims during the COVID‑19 pandemic from June 2020 to June 2021.

BINT targeted and recruited victims with false and misleading promises through weekly live-stream video broadcasts to thousands of participants across the United States during the COVID-19 shutdown. 

Victims were falsely promised that they would earn 800 per cent returns on each $1 400 investment and were guaranteed a refund if they were unsatisfied.

The Moores falsely held out BINT as a way for people to help their own community by paying “blessings” of at least $1 400 to participants who had already joined. The Moores falsely promised that new participants’ “blessing” payments would be paid back eight-fold within a few weeks. 

 BINT was falsely presented as an altruistic invitation-only community to help others during the economic downturn from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The defendants structured BINT to operate on “playing boards” that had positions for participants on four levels: eight Fires, four Winds, two Earths, and one Water. Once eight new participants were recruited to fill all eight Fire positions on the playing board, each Fire was directed to “bless” or pay at least $1 400 to the participant in the Water position.

A Water participant then received eight payments totalling more than $11 000. After a Water participant received his or her payment, other participants at lower levels would move up one level on the playing board and then be required to recruit new participants into the Fire positions to perpetuate the scheme.

To profit from the investment scheme, the defendants placed themselves in positions on the playing boards so that they received many of the ultimate payments, and they otherwise diverted substantial money to themselves that was paid by the participants. The defendants’ pyramid scheme victimised more than 10 000 people across the country and inflicted more than $30 million in victim losses.

USPIS, USSS, and IRS-CI investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Theodore Kneller and Adam LD Stempel of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant US Attorney Abe McGlothin Jr for the Eastern District of Texas prosecuted the case. (US Dept of Justice)

BiMPay set to go live on June 12

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BiMPay set to go live on June 12

Barbados will enter a new era of digital payments on June 12 when the Central Bank of Barbados officially launches BiMPay, the country’s new instant payment system, at 11:59 p.m.

The launch will be marked during a special livestream event beginning at 10:30 p.m. on the Central Bank’s YouTube and Facebook platforms, with Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley expected to carry out the first live transaction.

The payment will be sent to a well-known Barbadian small business, symbolising the start of real-time transfers across the national system.

Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados, Dr. Kevin Greenidge, said the platform will significantly change how money moves in Barbados.

“BiMPay changes how money moves in Barbados. From June 12, a payment that once took hours or even days will settle in seconds, at any hour and on any day. This is a national achievement, delivered with our banks and credit unions, and it lays a foundation we will keep building on as new features come on stream.”

At launch, all six commercial banks and three major credit unions will be connected to the BiMPay rail, which replaces existing automated clearing house and real-time interbank transfer systems.

Seven financial institutions will also be linked to the BiMPay e-wallet, which allows users to send money using phone numbers, email addresses or QR codes, as well as request payments directly.

However, Scotiabank and AffinityPlus Credit Union will not initially support e-wallet access. Their customers will still be able to process interbank transfers through existing online banking channels.

Scotiabank is expected to integrate e-wallet functionality within 30 days of launch, while AffinityPlus is expected to follow within 60 days.

The Central Bank said the rollout marks a major step in modernising Barbados’ payments infrastructure, with the aim of making transactions faster, more secure and more efficient across the economy. (PR)

Antigua and Barbuda exploring Japanese support for Sargassum processing facility

Nationnews Desk
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Antigua and Barbuda exploring Japanese support for Sargassum processing facility

Antigua and Barbuda could benefit from Japanese technical assistance to develop a facility that converts sargassum seaweed into commercially viable products, following discussions held during Agriculture Minister Anthony Smith Jr.’s recent visit to Japan.

The proposal emerged during broader talks between Antiguan and Japanese officials on agriculture, fisheries, food security, and sustainable development, details of which were shared during Thursday’s post-Cabinet media briefing.

Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant said Minister Smith reported that Japanese officials expressed a strong interest in helping Antigua and Barbuda tackle the growing challenge posed by recurring sargassum invasions.

Although the country has already acquired equipment to harvest the seaweed, Merchant noted that disposal remains one of the biggest obstacles.

“The main challenge is the disposal of the sargassum,” Merchant explained. “Once the sun hits the sargassum, gases are emitted, creating a foul odor.”

According to Merchant, Japanese officials have indicated their willingness to send a technical team to Antigua and Barbuda to assess existing harvesting operations and explore opportunities to transform the seaweed into marketable products.

The initiative could provide a sustainable solution to a long-standing environmental problem while creating new economic opportunities from a resource that has traditionally been viewed as a costly nuisance. Sargassum blooms have repeatedly affected beaches, tourism areas, and coastal communities throughout the Caribbean.

Merchant said Minister Smith was encouraged by the discussions and sees the potential partnership as an important step toward developing innovative and practical uses for the seaweed.

The talks also covered possible Japanese assistance in other areas, including fisheries infrastructure, fish and vegetable markets, and broader food security initiatives. Japanese officials reportedly signaled a willingness to cooperate with Antigua and Barbuda on several development projects as the government continues efforts to strengthen agricultural production and modernize key sectors.

While no timeline has yet been announced for the proposed processing facility, Cabinet was informed that Japan stands ready to provide technical expertise should Antigua and Barbuda move forward with the project. (CMC)

Walcott touts bill to regulate medicine

Antoinette Connell
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Walcott touts bill to regulate medicine

A bill passed in the Senate yesterday will bring about the “most significant transformation of the Barbados Drug Service” since its inception in 1980, says Senator The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott.

The Senior Minister Coordinating Social and Environmental Policy, speaking during debate on the Barbados Medical Products Bill, 2026, said the legislation would result in a metamorphosis in Barbados’ pharmaceutical regulatory system.

The modern, autonomous national regulatory authority will be responsible for regulating medicines and other health devices, health products and ensuring that all products used in Barbados meet international standards for quality, safety and efficacy.

Walcott added that the purpose of the bill was also to improve access to safe and effective medicines and strengthen public health protection, while supporting pharmaceutical manufacturing and research that would contribute to the life sciences sector.

The reform, which started four years ago, was also part of the Government’s broad agenda to modernise the health regulatory system, and position Barbados as a regional leader in regulatory science, said the former minister of health. It began when during the COVID-19 pandemic, Barbados and other small, developing, lower-middle-aged income countries were exposed to the vulnerability that they depended heavily on importing medicines, and the inequity in access to vaccines and pharmaceuticals, medical devices, even nasal swabs.

Difficult situation

“You had the funds, you wanted to buy, you wanted to procure but, for instance, you were not being assisted by the countries which produced and exported. At one stage we ordered ventilators, paid for them and then we had to be reimbursed because they were stopped from being exported.

“We’ve had issues in the Caribbean. We had to borrow from each other, nasal swabs, continuously send texts, and all sorts of things like this happened. During that period, we weren’t ready for coming out of COVID. We recognised, as a Government, that in a situation like this, we would have to mitigate against this happening again,” Walcott told the Senate.

The trigger, he added, came during the visit of President of Rwanda Paul Kagame in April 2022 and the issue of equitable access to vaccines and pharmaceuticals came up.

He said Kagame explained how Rwanda embarked on a process to mitigate the situation by establishing vaccine and pharmaceutical manufacturing with German company BioNtech. That was followed with a visit by Barbados to the launch of the facility in Kigali.

Eventually through contact with the German consultants who developed a white book, and assistance through the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, Barbados embarked on the establishing of regulatory pharmaceutical production.

“If you’re going to go to a manufacturer, you have to reach certain levels. Barbados is very rudimentary. We are at Level 1 at this point. So then we started working on the draft bill, and this was, I wouldn’t like to say, tedious, but it was indeed hard work,” Walcott said.

The Barbados Pharmaceutical Inc., headed by attorney Ramon Alleyne, was created.

In addition, HeDPAC, a health development partnership between Africa and the Caribbean, was created, leading to a number of meetings and a delegation visiting Ethiopia to recruit health workers for Barbados.

Among the products this country is expected to manufacture are medicines, vaccines, biologics, medical devices, in vitro diagnostics and herbal medicines, as well as medicated cosmetics.

In addition, the regulatory functions, said Walcott, speaks to marketing and authorisation of medical products currently done through the Barbados Drug Service.

Pharmaco vigilance and post-market surveillance will also fall under the regulatory functions of the authority.

Barbados, said the senior minister, was on a strong trajectory towards establishing a more internationally-aligned medicines regulatory authority. ( AC)

Knicks fans go wild as New York team makes biggest comeback in NBA Finals history

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Knicks fans go wild as New York team makes biggest comeback in NBA Finals history

A star-studded crowd saw the New York Knicks record the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history on Wednesday night, beating the San Antonio Spurs by one point in the last 1.2 seconds of the game, after trailing by 29 points.

It was game four of the feverish best-of-seven NBA Finals – the first finals the Knicks have hosted in 27 years.

The final score of 107-106 means the Knicks now enjoy a 3-1 lead and are just one win away from a famous series victory.

Famous and not-so-famous fans erupted in chants of “O-G! O-G!” for player OG Anunoby. He scored the winning points when, after inbounding the ball, he rescued a failed three-point attempt and tapped the ball into the basket.

Taylor Swift, Timothee Chalamet and director Spike Lee were all watching in the Madison Square Garden arena.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted on X in all caps, “SPEECHLESS”, while Swift, who was wearing a T-shirt that said “Stevie Knicks” – a play on the name of the team and the Fleetwood Mac frontwoman – jumped for joy as she left the court, stopping to be twirled by one of the Knicks City Dancers.

Knicks coach Mike Brown said OG Anunoby’s move has to be the most iconic shot in the history of New York basketball. “It was just unbelievable.”

This season has represented a stunning reversal of fortune for the Knicks who haven’t been in the finals since 1999, when they lost to the Spurs. New Yorkers have been out in the streets celebrating each win.

“The city is electric,” a fan told the BBC earlier in the week. New York has been decorated in a Knicks theme from the top of the Empire State Building to the paws of the marble lions outside the New York Public Library’s Fifth Avenue branch.

“I can’t say I’ve ever seen anything like this before because in 1999 I was 4 years old. I’m just trying to soak it all in,” Resident Sol, 31, told the BBC earlier this week, saying he couldn’t be more excited.

After Wednesday’s result, the team need to win just one more game to win the national championship for the first time since 1973. Their first chance will come on Saturday night, when they will play Game five in San Antonio.

But comebacks can work both ways – San Antonio may be the new underdogs, but they could still win, if they take the next three games. (BBC News)

BWU in talks over construction layoffs

Tonisha Rock-Yaw
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BWU in talks over construction layoffs

The Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) says it is actively engaging C.O. Williams Construction after the company indicated that about 30 workers could be made redundant later this month, as concerns grow over the impact of the layoffs on employees and the wider construction sector.

In a statement, the BWU said it has been formally involved in discussions with the company on its intention to make workers redundant shortly after June 12.

“The union does not treat any redundancy exercise as a routine administrative matter. Behind every name on a list is a worker, a household and a set of obligations that cannot be reduced to figures on a page. Our immediate priority is to protect the dignity, rights and entitlements of the affected workers and to ensure that no worker is unfairly treated in the process,” the BWU stated.

It noted that C.O. Williams had linked the proposed layoffs to business pressures, including the loss of contracts and challenges within the wider construction industry.

“While those explanations are for the company to advance, the union has made it clear that workers must not be asked to carry the full burden of conditions they did not create. The union has sought to engage in meaningful consultation, to receive justified evidence on the basis for proposed redundancies, to ensure fair and objective selection.”

It warned that the issue raises broader concerns about the future of the construction industry and the need to protect employers who maintain proper labour standards.

“Responsible employers who invest in proper wages, training, safety and decent working conditions must not be forced to compete with contractors who cut corners and drive down standards. Barbados needs a construction industry that values skill, experience and decent work,” the statement added.

Former president of the C.O. Williams Construction division of the BWU, Ricardo Payne, said the development was not entirely unexpected given the large number of workers recruited when the company anticipated significant projects.

Wider crisis

“To be honest, we took on a lot of people in 2023 because there was a lot of work expected to come on stream. The understanding at the time was that there would be a substantial amount of projects available and the company hired based on those expectations. Those are the people who are now being affected, particularly many of the labourers and general workers,” he said.

“At the end of the day, if the work does not materialise at the level that was anticipated, the company still has to manage its operations. From my understanding, that is one of the factors behind what is happening now.”

Despite the layoffs, Payne said he did not believe the situation signalled a wider crisis for the construction industry.

“I don’t really see this happening across the sector. C.O. Williams is the largest construction company in the country right now. When you compare it with other companies, many of them have significantly fewer workers. From what I understand, this situation is tied to circumstances specific to C.O. Williams and the volume of work that was expected versus what is currently available,” he said.

However, general secretary of Unity Workers’ Union (UWU), Caswell Franklyn, argued that the challenges facing C.O. Williams were linked to broader labour and Government policies rather than solely companyspecific issues. While noting that UWU does not represent workers at C.O. Williams, Franklyn said he had occasionally assisted some employees in disciplinary matters and was concerned about the impact of imported labour on local construction firms.

“I do not represent workers at C.O. Williams. They are represented for the most part by the Barbados Workers’ Union. However, the company cannot maintain its workforce because Government is allowing too many people to come into Barbados to do work that can be done by the staff at C.O, Williams,” he charged.

He contended that some foreign workers were being employed at rates below those paid to Barbadian construction workers, creating an uneven playing field for companies adhering to negotiated wage agreements.

“C.O. Williams has to pay wages that have been negotiated with the union and they have generally paid fairly decent wages. Nobody is going to use C.O. Williams when there are contractors bringing in workers who are earning a fraction of what C.O. Williams is paying. In some cases, these workers are earning significantly less than the standard rates that local workers receive,” he stressed.

Franklyn accused Government of failing to adequately protect local workers and employers who complied with established labour standards.

When contacted for comment, managing director of C.O Williams Construction, Neil Weekes, declined to discuss the matter but said the company would be responding in due course. (TRY)

St. James man identified as road fatality victim

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St. James man identified as road fatality victim

Police have identified the victim of a fatal collision along Codrington Road, St. Michael, as 55-year-old Juon Aloysius Heywood of Upper Durants Village, Holders Hill, St. James.

Heywood died following a collision involving two motor vans around 11:15 p.m. on Monday, June 8.

Initial investigations indicate that the vehicles were travelling in opposite directions when the crash occurred. Emergency medical personnel responded to the scene, but Heywood showed no signs of life. A doctor later pronounced him dead.

The driver of the second vehicle complained of minor injuries.

Police at District ‘A’ Station are continuing investigations and are appealing to anyone who witnessed the collision to contact 430-7242 or 430-7246.

Spain, Brazil, Argentina, US injuries could factor into World Cup

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Spain, Brazil, Argentina, US injuries could factor into World Cup

Several key injuries could factor into the 39-day 2026 World Cup, including those to Lamine Yamal, Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr.

While some national teams have known for months about expected injury-related absences, allowing them to prepare replacements, others are in limbo about the status of key players, which could hinder their tournament aspirations.

The 48-team tournament will be held from tomorrow, Thursday through July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Spain, the No. 2 team in the FIFA world rankings, is favoured to win the tournament. No. 3 France, No. 4 England, No. 5 Portugal, No. 6 Brazil and No. 1 Argentina, the defending champion, are among other top contenders.

Spain’s Yamal was recently ranked by tournament broadcaster Fox as the best player in the tournament. But the winger continues to be evaluated for groin issues and a hamstring injury he sustained in April.

Yamal’s status for Spain’s opener — Monday versus Cape Verde — remains in vague. Coach Luis de la Fuente previously told the Guardian that he could wait for the Spaniards’ second game to debut the star winger. Yamal hasn’t played since April 22.

He provided another update Monday, telling reporters that Yamal and fellow injured forwards Nico Williams and Victor Munoz, who were left off Spain’s squad for a friendly against Peru on Monday in Mexico, are all on track to play against Cape Verde. De La Fuente hinted the players could be on minutes restrictions for the opener.

“All three are within the expected timelines to arrive in good condition for June 15,” de la Fuente said. “The most important thing is that those timelines are being met and will continue to be met, so they can be with us and available to be selected at some point in the match.”

Spanish midfielder Fermin Lopez was previously ruled out with a foot fracture. Midfielder/striker Mikel Merino sustained a foot stress fracture in January, but recovered and is available for World Cup.

Messi, who is to play in a record sixth World Cup, is dealing with a thigh/hamstring issue and hadn’t played since May 24. He entered as a substitute in Argentina’s 3-0 friendly victory over Iceland on Tuesday in Auburn, Ala. Messi, a 70th minute substitute, scored off a penalty kick in the 72nd minute.

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni told reporters before the match that Messi would be on a minutes restriction to “avoid any type of risks.” Messi said he was still dealing with discomfort when he arrived with his Argentina teammates. He told reporters he was up to form after the match.

“I felt great,” Messi said. “I’d been keen to play for a while, having been carrying that [injury] since I arrived. I was eager to get going and shake off the lingering fears you have when you’re carrying an injury, so I could play freely. We’ve got a week left to get everyone fit and ready for the opener.”

Cristian Romero (knee) and defender Nahuel Molina (thigh) are among the other Argentins stars dealing with injuries. Romero hadn’t played since April 12 before appearing as substitute in each of Argentina’s two friendlies Saturday and Tuesday.

Molina, who hasn’t played since May 9, did not take the field in either friendly, despite being declared available by Scaloni. Midfielder Nico Paz, who was out since May due to a knee issue, returned as a substitute against Iceland.

The top-ranked Argentines will play Algeria in their tournament opener Tuesday in Kansas City, Mo.

Neymar is among several Brazilian players with injury concerns ahead of the World Cup. The star forward has been out since mid-May with a calf injury. Brazil said Monday that an MRI of Neymar’s injury showed positive progress, but he is still not expected to play in their opener Saturday against Morocco.

Brazilian defender Wesley sustained a thigh injury Saturday and was replaced by midfielder Ederson.

Raphinha, who previously dealt with a hamstring issue, returned last month and started each of Brazil’s last two friendlies. Brazilians Rodrygo (knee), Estevao (hamstring) and Eder Militao (hamstring) were previously ruled out of the tournament.

The United States Men’s National Team will also be without several notable names at the 2026 World Cup, including forward Patrick Agyemang (Achilles) and midfielder Johnny Cardoso (ankle). Defender Chris Richards, who hasn’t played since mid-May due to an ankle injury, was ruled out of the Americans’ final friendly, but participated Monday in his first full training session of camp.

The U.S. men will face Paraguay in their opener Friday in Inglewood, Calif.

Forward/midfielder Serge Gnabry (thigh), midfielder Lennart Karl (thigh) and goalie Marc-Andre ter Stegen (thigh) are among the German players fans won’t see at the World Cup. Germany will take on Curacao in a Group E opener Sunday in Houston.

The Netherlands will be without defender Jurrien Timber (groin), midfielder Xavi Simons (knee), midfielder Jerdy Schouten (knee) and defender Matthijs de Ligt (back). The Dutch will play Japan in a Group F opener Sunday in Arlington, Texas.

Japan will be without winger Kaoru Mitoma (hamstring) and midfielder/winger Takumi Minamino (knee). Midfielder Wataru Endo (ankle), who hadn’t played since Feb. 11, started Japan’s May 31 friendly against Iceland. The captain trained alone Wednesday while his teammates had the day off.

France will be without forward Hugo Ekitike (Achilles). Defender William Saliba (back) started during a 3-1 friendly victory over Northern Ireland on Monday and played the entire first half.

Australian defender Lewis Miller (Achilles), Canada winger Marcelo Flores (knee) and Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour (knee) are among other players who won’t play in the World Cup.

England defender Tino Livramento (thigh), Australia midfielder Aiden O’Neill (ankle), Uruguay defender Jose Gimenez (ankle) and Ghana midfielder/winger Mohammed Kudus (hamstring) are also dealing with injuries.

Livramento was a second-half substitute in England’s 1-0 friendly win over New Zealand on Saturday in Tampa, Fla. He hadn’t played since April 18. O’Neill started each of Australia’s last two friendlies. Gimenez hasn’t played since May 9. Kudus has been out since January.

Canada defender Alphonso Davies (hamstring), Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi (hamstring), England defender Reece James (hamstring) and Croatia midfielder Luka Modric (cheekbone fracture) have also been dealing with injuries, but are expected to play in the 48-team tournament.

Davies last played May 6 in Bayern Munich’s Championship League semifinal draw with Paris Saint-Germain. Canada manager Jesse Marsch said last week that Davies will play in the World Cup, but didn’t specify when the captain would make his debut. He is not expected to play in Canada’s opener June 12 against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“We’re motivated to get him healthy,” Marsch said Friday on Men in Blazers. “We’re motivated to give him a chance to play in this tournament. We’re doing everything we can to work with our medical team to do that. Alphonso is too. In the meantime, the team feels the energy. The feel having him back in the group is a different feeling than it was without him.

“If we can give him a chance to play in this tournament, and then get him on the pitch at a high level, where we know he can help us be better, this is all we are focusing on in terms of what Alphonso needs right now.”

James was a substitute in England’s friendly win over New Zealand. Modric started each of Croatia’s last two friendlies. Hakimi started Morocco’s 1-1 friendly draw with Norway on Sunday in Harrison, N.J.

Mexico will host South Africa in the World Cup opener at 3 p.m. EDT Thursday in Mexico City. Tournament coverage will air on Fox platforms. (UPI)


    

Accident along Tweedside Road

Nationnews Desk
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Accident along Tweedside Road

Emergency personnel are on the scene of an accident along Tweedside Road, St. Michael.

No injuries were reported.

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