NEWS
Woman stabbed to death in altercation with ex-boyfriend over $4,500 owed to her
Shayana Ruiz was ambushed and stabbed in the back, face, chest and hand during a deadly attack after she went to collect an outstanding debt of $4,500 from her former boyfriend on Wednesday. Caught by surprise after allegedly being stabbed by the man’s current girlfriend as they were arguing, relatives who witnessed the incident unfold were horrified as they watched the suspect plunging the knife into Ruiz’s body several times. Ruiz, 25, of Quarry Road, Diego Martin, had gone to the Edinburgh South, Chaguanas home of her former boyfriend around 5.30 pm on Sunday to collect the cash, which she had loaned him before their separation in December 2025. Her relatives said Ruiz, an employee at Little Caesar’s, Ariapita Avenue, Woodbrook, had been asked to collect the money. Read more here
Search teams comb mangrove for missing migrant Nikol
A coordinated land and coastal search operation was undertaken in Icacos yesterday as teams scoured the mangrove and surrounding areas for any sign of missing Venezuelan migrant Nikol Landaeta. The search efforts were coordinated with members of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force and Coast Guard, who combed at least five kilometres of mangrove along the Icacos coastline for several hours, marking days of search efforts along the south-western peninsula since Landaeta’s disappearance. Hunters Search and Rescue Team (HSRT) leader Vallence Rambharat told the Express his team combed the shorelines during a low-tide window around 10.49 a.m., when it was low enough to gain access into the wetlands. Read more here
POLITICS
Amid continuing political row over racist rhetoric PM dismisses ‘race grifters’
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has dismissed what she described as efforts by “race grifters” and others to spread racist propaganda, urging supporters not to be distracted by inflammatory commentary. In a strongly worded response to questions from Guardian Media yesterday, the Prime Minister said those promoting racial division should be ignored. “Don’t bother with the race grifters, deranged commentators, ‘has been’ and ‘never was’ politicians and clinically depressed Facebook trolls who are pushing racist propaganda. Let stupid people wallow in their stupidity by themselves. Live your life with so much love and light that nothing will ever bother your inner peace,” the Prime Minister said. Persad-Bissessar’s comments come against the backdrop of an escalating political dispute over race and public discourse, following the circulation of a leaked audio recording allegedly capturing a conversation between businesswoman Star Sabga and her niece Genevieve Hadeed. Read more here
BUSINESS
RFHL reports $1.52b profit
Republic Financial Holdings Ltd (RFHL) has recorded a 1.6% or $24 million surge in profit attributable to equity holders to $1.52 billion for its nine months ended June 30. RFHL is the registered owner of all of the banks in the Republic Group. In a release yesterday, RFHL chairman Yashmid Karamath said, “The Group continues to deliver a strong financial performance against a backdrop of evolving economic conditions across our operating territories, demonstrating the strength of our diversified business model and the resilience of our regional franchise.” Read more here
REGIONAL
Guyana renews call for united action against human trafficking
The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministerial Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons have renewed their call for a coordinated national response to human trafficking, warning that Guyana’s rapid economic growth and increased migration must not create opportunities for exploitation. In a message marking World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on Thursday, Minister of Home Affairs and Co-Chair of the Ministerial Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons, Oneidge Walrond, said the country must remain committed to protecting vulnerable persons as economic opportunities continue to expand. “Opportunity should never become a pathway to abuse,” the Minister said, reaffirming the government’s commitment to preventing trafficking, protecting victims and survivors, and ensuring that those responsible for exploiting others are brought to justice. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
If Hamas disarmament plan holds, it could mark first credible step to ending Gaza war
After months of marathon talks, Hamas has, for the first time, accepted a framework of the Board of Peace's plan to completely disarm in Gaza. The plan provides for the inventorying and storage of its remaining heavy weapons under Palestinian supervision, potentially removing the most significant obstacle to advancing the Trump-backed peace initiative for Gaza. The move comes soon after Hamas concluded leadership elections that brought Gaza-based leader Khalil al-Hayya to the head of the movement. Read more here
31st July 2026