~Acquitted of sexually assaulting step-daughter~

PHILIPSBURG--The Court of First Instance on Thursday sentenced a man to a partially conditional four years in prison after finding him guilty of grooming and raping a fourteen-year-old girl.

R.E.A.K. (29) had also been charged with having sexually assaulted his former step-daughter over a period of four years, when she was between nine and 12 years old. However, the judge acquitted K. of these allegations, ruling there was insufficient evidence for conviction.

Curaçao gave its national football team a hero’s welcome Wednesday afternoon with a large victory motorcade from Hato airport to Waaigat in Willemstad.

WILLEMSTAD--Curaçao gave its national football team a hero’s welcome Wednesday afternoon with a large victory motorcade and festive programme, following their historic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

KINGSTON--Haiti defied the odds to book a place at next year's World Cup on Tuesday and they will be joined by both Panama and Curacao, who became the smallest country to ever win a berth at the finals.

A number of persons, including fire and ambulance workers, gathered in the public tribune of Parliament on Monday to watch the meeting in person. Among them were leaders of the WICSU/PSU and NAPB unions.

PHILIPSBURG--The Governor has ratified the draft landsbesluit for the Fire Department’s placement process, Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina announced during Monday’s urgent public meeting of Parliament on the escalating situation involving fire and ambulance personnel.

Ferley Feliz Valerio

CUL DE SAC--St. Maarten Academy has copped 10 top spots from among more than 100,000 candidates who wrote the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) examinations in May/June this year, three more than the previous year.