For years, Jamaica’s ambitious North-South connectivity project languished in bureaucratic and logistical limbo, mired in repeated delays that blocked much-needed economic and social progress for the island nation. That all changed after a high-profile official visit to China, a diplomatic and cooperation exchange that unlocked new momentum to move the long-stalled infrastructure initiative forward. Today, that transformative project—widely known to locals as the “Beijing Highway,” built with substantial development support from China—has reshaped daily travel across Jamaica.
Before the highway opened, the cross-island journey from the northern coast to the southern capital region took a grueling two hours along winding, congested local roads. The new modern thoroughfare has cut that travel time to less than 30 minutes, slashing logistics costs for local businesses, boosting tourism access to Jamaica’s iconic northern beach resorts, and opening new development opportunities for inland communities that had long been cut off from key economic hubs.
The project has not been without external scrutiny, however. As China’s infrastructure investment and diplomatic footprint expand across the Caribbean, the United States has raised public concerns over what it frames as growing Chinese influence in the region. But for Jamaica’s former prime minister Bruce Golding, those worries are unfounded. In a clear defense of Jamaica’s independent foreign policy and bilateral partnership with Beijing, Golding emphasized that all negotiations and cooperation between Jamaica and China have been rooted in the core principles of mutual respect and deep mutual understanding. “There is no danger in it,” Golding said of the bilateral relationship. He added that he hopes Jamaican leaders will maintain the courage and fortitude to safeguard the mutually beneficial partnership between the two nations.
The “Beijing Highway” stands as a tangible example of how South-South development cooperation can deliver immediate, tangible benefits to participating nations, while highlighting the growing push among smaller developing countries to preserve their policy independence amid great power competition.
标签： North America
北美洲
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Stories behind the ‘Beijing Highway’ in Jamaica
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Trump invokes Defense Production Act to boost energy supply amid Iran war
Amid escalating armed conflict between the U.S.-Israel coalition and Iran that has roiled global energy markets, former U.S. President Donald Trump has enacted sweeping emergency energy measures, drawing on wartime federal authority to ramp up domestic energy production and stabilize volatile consumer energy costs. On Monday, Trump signed five separate presidential memorandums activating the 1950 Defense Production Act, a decades-old law that grants the executive branch expanded powers to compel and support domestic industrial output to meet national security needs.
The five executive actions target five core pillars of U.S. energy security: domestic petroleum production, coal development, liquefied natural gas (LNG) expansion, general energy infrastructure upgrades, and modernization of the national power grid. As outlined in the official directives, the law will be used to allocate federal funding to a broad portfolio of domestic energy projects that are deemed critical to shoring up supply amid the Middle East crisis.
Enacted at the start of the Korean War, the Defense Production Act has long been a standby tool for U.S. presidents responding to national security and public emergencies, granting expansive authority to align domestic industrial capacity with pressing defense and public stability requirements. This latest activation comes as the Trump administration faces growing political pressure from voters and industry stakeholders to rein in skyrocketing prices for oil, gasoline, and electricity, all of which have spiked in recent weeks amid conflict-related supply chain disruptions in the global energy market.
Media reports confirm that a wide range of projects will qualify for federal support under the new memorandums. Eligible infrastructure includes existing and new coal-fired power plants, domestic oil refining facilities, and manufacturing sites that produce critical electrical grid components including gas turbines and transformers – a category of equipment that has already faced widespread national shortages in recent years, exacerbating grid reliability challenges across multiple U.S. regions.
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Role of US officials killed in crash in Mexico under scrutiny
A deadly car crash that killed two US embassy personnel and two Mexican law enforcement officials in northern Mexico has ignited a major diplomatic and sovereignty dispute between the neighboring nations, after Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed federal authorities had no prior knowledge of the joint counter-narcotics operation the group was returning from.
The fatal incident unfolded early Sunday morning in Chihuahua, a northern Mexican state that has long been a hub for illicit synthetic drug production tied to trafficking networks supplying the United States. According to Chihuahua state officials, the four officials were traveling back from a mission to dismantle multiple clandestine methamphetamine laboratories when their vehicle lost control on a rural road, slid into a deep ravine and exploded on impact.
Chihuahua State Attorney-General César Jáuregui initially described the two American officials as instructor officers from the US embassy who were participating in routine training exchanges as part of standard law enforcement cooperation between the two countries. During follow-up questioning on Monday, Jáuregui clarified that the pair had only been conducting basic training roughly an eight to nine hour drive from the location of the drug lab raid, though that account has done little to defuse rising tensions over the unapproved operation.
In the wake of the crash, Sheinbaum has ordered a full federal investigation to determine whether Mexican national security law was violated by the unreported activity. The Mexican leader emphasized that under existing policy, all foreign personnel operating on Mexican soil must receive explicit prior clearance from federal authorities. Sheinbaum, who has faced sustained pressure from US President Donald Trump to crack down on drug trafficking flows from Mexico into the US, has repeatedly defended the country’s territorial sovereignty and rejected any unauthorized foreign activity within national borders.
“We did not have knowledge of any direct work between Chihuahua state and personnel from the US embassy,” Sheinbaum told reporters on Monday. “We need to understand the circumstances under which this was taking place, and then assess the legal implications.”
US Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson has confirmed the two deceased Americans were active US embassy personnel, but has not yet issued further comment on their role in the operation. Sheinbaum confirmed that her administration has formally requested full details from both the US embassy and Chihuahua state authorities to clarify how the unreported joint activity was organized. The investigation will also focus on whether the operation violated Mexican law, which strictly prohibits joint counter-narcotics operations without formal federal authorization. Sheinbaum stressed that while Mexico maintains productive cooperation with the US on counter-narcotics efforts, including intelligence sharing, the country does not permit joint ground or air operations within its territory.
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Hauger-Thackery runs Boston Marathon at 22 weeks pregnant
In a stunning display of elite athletic endurance that has captured global running community attention, European distance running medalist Calli Hauger-Thackery has crossed the finish line of one of the world’s most prestigious marathons while 22 weeks into her pregnancy. The British competitor completed the 2024 Boston Marathon with an impressive final time of 2 hours, 43 minutes and 58 seconds, marking another extraordinary milestone in a competitive career defined by remarkable achievements during her pregnancy.
This is not the first high-profile victory Hauger-Thackery has earned while expecting. Prior to her Boston run, the runner took first place at the Honolulu Marathon when she was just four weeks pregnant, and followed that win with another first-place finish at the Houston Marathon only one month later. Her consistent elite performance throughout an ongoing pregnancy has sparked conversations among sports fans and medical observers about the intersection of elite athletics and maternal health, cementing her status as one of the most unique standout competitors in modern long-distance running.
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Madonna offers reward for return of missing Coachella costume
One of the most iconic figures in pop music, Madonna, is publicly appealing for the return of irreplaceable vintage stage garments that went missing following her surprise appearance at this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, and has offered an undisclosed reward for their safe recovery.
The pop legend made an unannounced guest spot during headliner Sabrina Carpenter’s Friday evening set, where the pair delivered show-stopping duets of Madonna’s classic hits *Vogue* and *Like A Prayer*. During the appearance, Madonna also treated the crowd to an early preview of a new track from her upcoming album *Confessions II* — the highly anticipated sequel to her 2005 hit record *Confessions On A Dancefloor*, scheduled for a full release this coming July.
In a heartfelt post shared to her official Instagram account, Madonna explained that the lost pieces are far more than ordinary performance clothing. The missing items include the purple jacket, corset, and dress she wore on stage during her Coachella set, alongside other archival garments dating to the same era. What makes these pieces particularly meaningful is that Madonna originally wore the matching boots, corset, and jacket during her Coachella performance two decades prior, turning this year’s appearance into a poignant full-circle moment for the singer. As she told the crowd mid-set, with an admiring Carpenter by her side, the callback appearance held deep personal significance for her.
“These aren’t just clothes, they are part of my history,” Madonna wrote in her Instagram post. “I’m hoping and praying that some kind soul will find these items and reach out to my team. I’m offering a reward for their safe return.”
Local law enforcement has confirmed the details of the missing items’ last sighting. The Indio Police Department told entertainment outlet TMZ that the bags holding the garments were last spotted on a golf cart on the festival grounds at 1:30 a.m. local time on Saturday. A department spokesperson added that there is currently no evidence indicating the bags were intentionally stolen; investigators believe it is far more likely that the items fell off the cart while they were being transported to a waiting tour bus. The BBC has reached out to the Indio Police Department for additional comment on the ongoing search.
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US mayor’s Shanghai visit renews cooperation
In a landmark move signaling renewed commitment to cross-Pacific people-to-people and institutional cooperation, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie launched a two-day official visit to Shanghai on Sunday, marking his first international trip since assuming office in January 2026. The visit centers on deepening the 46-year-old sister-city relationship between the two major global metropolises, a bond that has served as a cornerstone of China-U.S. local exchanges for decades.
Calling the choice to make Shanghai his first overseas destination deliberate, Lurie framed the visit as a defining milestone for his new administration. “This decision reflects the priority I place on this relationship and the deep respect I have for the Chinese-American community in San Francisco,” he told attendees at a sister-city reception during his stay.
Leading a cross-sector delegation focused on advancing tourism, cultural exchange and partnership building, Lurie oversaw the signing of multiple memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with leading Shanghai-based cultural, educational and scientific institutions. The San Francisco delegation toured key local sites including the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Shanghai Natural History Museum, and Shanghai Grand Opera House, with four formal partnership agreements sealed across these institutions.
On Monday, Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng held an official meeting with Lurie, where the two sides signed a new round of cooperation MOUs and outlined shared priorities for future collaboration. Gong emphasized that the newly signed agreements should serve as a fresh starting point to expand deeper joint work across trade and investment, urban governance, and cultural and artistic exchanges. He also encouraged leading enterprises from both cities to expand their market presence in each other’s jurisdictions to drive mutual economic benefit.
For his part, Lurie articulated shared expectations for closer collaboration across a wide range of priority areas, including technological innovation, climate governance, sustainable development, urban management, culture, tourism, and grassroots people-to-people exchanges. “We are building on that foundation and investing in a future where science, education and sustainability remain at the center of our partnership,” Lurie said. “For us, this isn’t just about diplomacy. It’s about family, history and the neighborhoods that make our city what it is.”
Cultural and artistic exchange emerged as a core highlight of the visit, with new agreements set to expand creative ties between the two cities. During a stop at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Lurie noted that the San Francisco Conservatory of Music has already hosted hundreds of Chinese students over the years, nurturing lasting creative connections between young artists on both sides. He expressed hope that San Francisco students traveling to Shanghai would build similarly enduring personal and professional bonds.
A new partnership with the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum will clear the way for a major Chinese dinosaur exhibition to tour San Francisco. Additionally, the San Francisco Ballet has been scheduled to perform at the China Shanghai International Arts Festival in 2027, bringing one of the U.S.’s leading dance companies to Chinese audiences.
David Stull, president of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, emphasized the unique power of artistic collaboration to bridge cultural divides. “Music is a universal language. Young musicians will lose track of where they’re from and what language they speak because the only language they’re focused on is music,” Stull said, adding that both cities share a common “spirit of imagination, innovation and the future.”
Tourism also remains a critical pillar of the bilateral sister-city relationship. Mike Nakornkhet, director of San Francisco International Airport, reported that annual passenger traffic between China and San Francisco rebounded to 700,000 last year, with 23 weekly flights connecting the city to four major Chinese destinations. Ongoing expansion of air connectivity is expected to further boost people-to-people exchanges in the coming years.
Lurie summed up the visit by noting that the agreements signed during the trip represent a formal shared commitment to advance ongoing collaboration across culture, the arts, sports, and youth exchanges. The new partnership framework is built on a foundation of mutual respect and recognition of the complementary strengths of both cities. “San Francisco is the home of technology alongside arts and culture,” Lurie said. “The world looks at San Francisco as the global hub of innovation and technology. I know Shanghai is also cutting-edge, and we look forward to continuing these partnerships for many more decades to come.”
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The Onion launches new effort to turn Infowars into parody website
A years-long legal battle over dangerous disinformation about one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history has brought far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ Infowars media platform to the brink of complete liquidation, with a surprise new bid from satirical news outlet The Onion introducing another twist in the high-profile saga.
The conflict traces back to the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, which left 26 people — 20 of them young children — dead in Newtown, Connecticut. For years after the tragedy, Alex Jones used his Infowars platform to spread virally harmful falsehoods, repeatedly labeling the mass shooting a staged “giant hoax” manufactured with crisis actors. In a 2015 on-air statement, Jones doubled down on these lies, claiming “Sandy Hook is a synthetic, completely fake with actors, in my view, manufactured.”
These baseless claims subjected grieving families to years of harassment, threats, and ongoing emotional trauma, prompting the relatives to file defamation lawsuits against Jones and his media company. Although Jones later reversed his position and acknowledged the shooting was real, arguing his original comments were protected under U.S. free speech law, courts sided firmly with the victims’ families, issuing hundreds of millions of dollars in defamation judgments against Jones and Infowars.
Facing overwhelming legal penalties, Jones filed for personal bankruptcy in 2022, as the case moved through the court system. By June 2024, a judge had already ordered the liquidation of Jones’ personal assets to satisfy the unpaid damages. Later that same year, The Onion made its first attempt to acquire Infowars outright, winning an auction bid for the platform. However, that sale was ultimately thrown out by a judge, who ruled the auction process had failed to generate maximum-value bids for the estate and raised procedural concerns about the transaction.
Now, with Infowars still set for full corporate liquidation under court order, The Onion has returned with an alternative, restructured proposal. Instead of an outright purchase, the satirical outlet is seeking a six-month initial licensing arrangement, with an option to extend the deal for an additional six months. Under the plan, The Onion would repurpose Infowars’ existing platforms to publish original parody content mocking the kind of conspiratorial far-right content Jones originally built the platform around.
In comments shared with the Associated Press, The Onion CEO Ben Collins outlined the outlet’s vision for the platform: the project would create satirical characters and narratives to parody online influencers who spread harmful conspiracy theories and dangerous unregulated health advice that can cause serious harm to audiences. Collins also confirmed that if the court approves the deal, all profits generated by the new venture would go directly to the Sandy Hook victim families, fulfilling the outstanding defamation judgements.
Jones, who has already appealed the court order mandating Infowars’ liquidation, has made clear he will oppose The Onion’s new proposal. A spokesperson for Jones told the AP he intends to continue broadcasting his original programming unchanged, and will fight to retain control of the platform he founded.
The proposal now awaits judicial approval, marking the latest chapter in a years-long legal fight that has become a high-profile test of accountability for harmful disinformation spread by digital media personalities.
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Cuba confirms recent meeting with US delegation
HAVANA — Cuban officials have formally confirmed that a high-level diplomatic meeting between Cuban and U.S. government delegations was recently held in the Cuban capital, according to a statement reported by the country’s leading state-run newspaper.
Alejandro Garcia del Toro, deputy director general for U.S. affairs at Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, shared details of the closed-door talks with Granma, the official daily of the Cuban Communist Party, on Monday. He confirmed that both sides dispatched senior officials to lead their respective delegations: the U.S. side was led by State Department assistant secretaries, while Cuba’s delegation was headed by a deputy foreign minister.
Garcia explained that the discussions were conducted with deliberate discretion, a choice rooted in the Cuban government’s classification of the bilateral negotiations as a sensitive topic. He emphasized that the exchange unfolded in a constructive, respectful framework: neither side imposed arbitrary deadlines for progress nor placed coercive demands on the other, with all interactions carried out in a professional manner.
For the Cuban negotiating team, Garcia noted, the number one priority for discussion was the full removal of the U.S. energy blockade imposed on the island nation. The measure in question refers to U.S. sanctions that target third-party countries that engage in fuel exports to Cuba.
Garcia reaffirmed Cuba’s longstanding stance that this U.S. policy of economic coercion represents an unjustified collective punishment that harms the entirety of the Cuban civilian population. Beyond its impact on Cuba, he added, the sanctions framework also functions as a form of global blackmail against sovereign nations, which hold clear legal right to sell fuel to Cuba under established international free trade rules.
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Wembanyama wins NBA award with 100% of vote
The NBA has crowned a new trailblazer in defensive dominance, as 22-year-old San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama etched his name into league history by taking home the 2025-26 Defensive Player of the Year award. The 7-foot-4 French star achieved a milestone no other player has managed in the award’s 43-year existence: he claimed every single one of the 100 available first-place votes, making him the first unanimous winner in the honor’s history. Beyond the unanimous selection, Wembanyama also breaks another record as the youngest player ever to win the award, and only the second player to claim the honor within his first three seasons in the league. That rare distinction was previously only held by Spurs legend David Robinson, who took home the award back in the 1991-92 campaign.
Selected first overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, Wembanyama has built a reputation as an unrivaled rim protector early in his career, and this season was no exception. He led the entire league in blocks per game for the third consecutive season, averaging 3.1 rejections per contest. His 2025-26 season also saw career-best offensive production: the two-time All-Star put up 25 points per game, pulled down 11.5 rebounds per game, and added one steal per game to round out his well-rounded stat line.
In comments to NBC after the award announcement, Wembanyama expressed his excitement over the historic achievement, saying, “I’m super, super happy to win this award and actually super proud to be the first ever unanimous [winner].” Behind Wembanyama in the voting, Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder finished second overall with 239 total points, including 76 second-place votes, while Ausar Thompson of the Detroit Pistons took third place with 60 points and nine second-place votes.
Already a contender for this season’s MVP award, Wembanyama has been the driving force behind the Spurs’ dominant regular season. San Antonio posted the league’s second-best record at 62 wins and 20 losses, with the team’s overall defensive rating ranking third across the NBA. German NBA legend Dirk Nowitzki praised Wembanyama’s one-of-a-kind impact in comments to Agence France-Presse, noting, “I’ve never seen anything like it. His defence is so good that he changes the game just by being on the court and taking away some of the lay-ups and twos that other teams would usually take.”
The historic award came just days after Wembanyama turned in a sensational performance in his first ever NBA playoff appearance. On Sunday, the young star dropped a game-high 35 points to lead the Spurs to a win over the Portland Trail Blazers in his postseason debut. The first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs continued on Monday, with several more teams taking the court to extend or level their series.
The Cleveland Cavaliers moved to a 2-0 series lead over the Toronto Raptors after a 115-105 home win, behind 30 points from Donovan Mitchell and 28 points from James Harden. Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley praised the dynamic offensive duo after the game, saying, “They’re one of the greatest (back-courts). It’s hard to stop them because of their offensive prowess. They can make any shot.” Toronto guard RJ Barrett acknowledged the challenge his team faces, telling reporters, “They’re a problem and we’ve got to figure out how to fix that.”
In Denver, the Minnesota Timberwolves pulled off a dramatic comeback win after falling behind by 19 points against the defending champion Denver Nuggets. Anthony Edwards led the way with 30 points and 10 rebounds, helping Minnesota secure a 119-114 road win to even their series at one game apiece. The Atlanta Hawks also notched a road comeback victory, holding off the New York Knicks 107-106 to level their first-round series at 1-1. CJ McCollum led all scorers in that matchup with 32 points.
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How mum inspired ‘goofy’ Mendoza to brink of NFL stardom
When Fernando Mendoza stepped to the podium to accept the Heisman Trophy, college football’s most prestigious individual honor, emotion already flowed freely. But it was when the Indiana Hoosiers quarterback turned his remarks to his mother Elsa that his voice broke, laying bare the profound bond that fueled his extraordinary underdog journey.
“This is your trophy as much as it is mine,” Mendoza told the crowd. “You’ve always been my biggest fan. You’re my light, you’re my why.”
Elsa Mendoza’s influence stretches far beyond the typical supportive parent role. For nearly 20 years, she has lived with multiple sclerosis (MS), a degenerative neurological condition that now requires her to use a wheelchair. Her quiet resilience in the face of relentless symptoms has been the cornerstone of Fernando’s rise from a lightly regarded recruit to the overwhelming favorite for the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
“You taught me that toughness doesn’t need to be loud,” Mendoza added. “It can be quiet and strong. It is believing in yourself when the world doesn’t give you much reason to.”
A former collegiate tennis player at the University of Miami, Elsa raised three sons to prioritize both athletic effort and academic achievement, never letting her own health struggles dim that commitment. From the earliest days of Fernando’s football career, when he was picked as the fourth-string quarterback for his 9-year-old team, Elsa pushed him to ignore the doubts of recruiters and coaches. Coming out of high school in the 2022 recruiting class, Fernando was ranked just 2149th nationally, and the 140th quarterback at his position. He received only one Power Five scholarship offer late in the recruiting cycle, a moment Elsa had always predicted would come.
Elsa only shared her MS diagnosis with her sons in 2020, after her condition worsened following a COVID-19 infection. In 2024, Fernando launched a public fundraising campaign for the National MS Society to honor his mother’s strength, bringing widespread attention to the condition alongside his athletic success. Days before the Heisman ceremony, Elsa penned an open letter to Fernando published on The Players’ Tribune, opening up about the shame she once felt over her worsening symptoms — and crediting her son with never making her feel anything less than loved.
“One of the biggest issues I had to overcome as my condition first worsened wasn’t just the condition itself. It was the embarrassment,” she wrote. “But you’ve never once looked away. You’ve never once treated me like I’m embarrassing, or deficient, or anything other than someone you love and are standing by.”
After transferring to Indiana last year to join his younger brother Alberto — who served as the team’s backup quarterback — Mendoza led the unheralded Hoosiers to a historic undefeated 16-0 season and the program’s first-ever national college football championship. The fairytale run reached its emotional peak in the title game, held in Mendoza’s hometown of Miami against the Miami Hurricanes, who did not even offer him a walk-on spot out of high school. Mendoza sealed the win with a iconic 12-yard game-winning touchdown, cementing his place in college football lore and capturing the hearts of sports fans across the country.
Beyond his on-field success, the 22-year-old Mendoza has stood out as a distinctly unconventional top prospect. A first-generation American with four Cuban immigrant grandparents, he has been open about his heritage and unafraid to show emotion, earning a reputation as a cheerful, unpretentious “goofy” overachiever. After Indiana upset powerhouse Ohio State to claim the conference title, he went viral for his unscripted exclamation that “the Hoosiers are flippin’ champs.”
A self-described “football nerd” with a passion for both X’s and O’s and off-field growth, Mendoza prioritized academic achievement even as his football star rose. He originally committed to Yale University to study economics and play Ivy League football before accepting a scholarship at the University of California, Berkeley. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in just three years at Cal, completing summer internships at real estate investment firms and coaching elementary school football teams to prepare for a life outside the sport, before transferring to Indiana to pursue a master’s degree and pursue a higher profile path to the NFL. When he declared for the 2026 draft days after winning the national championship, he posted a characteristically playful announcement: “my LinkedIn status is now Open to Work.”
Like his childhood idol Tom Brady, who went from a 199th overall draft pick to a seven-time Super Bowl champion, Mendoza has built his career on relentless preparation, following Brady’s well-documented approach to training, nutrition and recovery. The 6-foot-5, 236-pound quarterback has a similar build and playing style to Brady: a composed pocket passer who excels at making game-changing plays under pressure, even if he is not the fastest or most physically imposing prospect in the draft. Brady, now a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders — the team that holds the first overall pick in this year’s draft — has already praised Mendoza’s standout leadership, and the quarterback has said he would jump at the chance to learn from his idol. The Raiders recently signed veteran starting quarterback Kirk Cousins, a move widely interpreted to allow the first overall pick to develop under Cousins’ tutelage in his rookie season if the team selects Mendoza.
In a final gesture that underscores how central his family is to his success, Mendoza has turned down the traditional honor of walking across the draft stage in Pittsburgh when his name is called this week. Instead, he will remain at his family’s home in Miami, sharing the milestone moment with the woman whose strength and belief made it all possible.