Black Immigrant Daily News

Chelsea are getting precious little return for being the biggest-spending team in Europe this summer.

And it’s not escaping the attention of Thomas Tuchel, either.

“It does not take a lot to beat us,” the Chelsea manager said after a 2-1 loss at Southampton in the English Premier League (EPL) on Tuesday. “This is what I do not like.”

If Wesley Fofana joins, as widely expected, from Leicester for what could be a record fee for a defender of more than 80 million pounds ($93 million), Chelsea’s spending will not be far off $300 million in this transfer window. The majority of that will have come on defenders, with Marc Cucurella and Kalidou Koulibaly having already arrived for big fees.

Yet Chelsea have conceded in all but one of their games. So compact in Tuchel’s first year in charge — which included a Champions League title in 2021 — the team now appears disjointed at the back and is missing the industry and energy of the injured N’Golo Kante in midfield.

Southampton took advantage on Tuesday, recovering from conceding a 23rd-minute opener to Raheem Sterling — another high-profile summer signing — with goals from Romeo Lavia and Adam Armstrong before the break.

Cucurella and Thiago Silva cleared Southampton shots off the line in the second half before late pressure by Chelsea failed to yield an equalizer at St Mary’s stadium, where Southampton lost to Manchester United on Saturday.

With so many new players, it might take time for this new-look Chelsea to click.

“We struggle with our focus and consistency in matches.” Tuchel said. “When things go against us, we struggle to find answers and our way back.”

“Just toughen up as a team,” he added, “and show a different mentality.”

MISSED CHANCE

Brighton missed a chance to move into first place — at least overnight — by losing 2-1 at Fulham, becoming the latest team to struggle to handle Aleksandar Mitrovic.

It’s now five goals for the season for the World Cup-bound Serbia striker — one behind the Premier League top scorer, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland — after setting Fulham on their way to a victory that ended Brighton’s unbeaten start to the campaign.

An unfortunate own-goal by Lewis Dunk put Fulham 2-0 ahead in the 55th before Brighton reduced the deficit five minutes later through Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister’s penalty.

Fulham already have eight points from five games in an encouraging start to life back in the top division. Brighton have two more points.

ZAHA ON SHOW

Wilfried Zaha could yet leave Crystal Palace before the transfer window shuts on Thursday, with Chelsea and Arsenal the clubs reportedly interested in the forward.

He’ll be sorely missed by Palace if he does leave.

Zaha emphasized his importance to the team by scoring for the fourth time this season to put give Palace the lead against Brentford, which equalized in the 88th to salvage a 1-1 draw.

It was another stunning goal by Zaha, who cut inside from the left and found the far corner with a curling shot from just outside the penalty area.

Home fans sang Zaha’s name throughout the match at Selhurst Park.

In the night’s other match, Leeds drew 1-1 at home to Everton but lost a key player in captain Rodrigo, who walked off the field midway through the first half after dislocating his shoulder in a seemingly innocuous clash with Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

Colombia winger Luis Sinisterra scored his first Premier League goal to earn Leeds a point, cancelling out Anthony Gordon’s first-half strike.

NewsAmericasNow.com

Black Immigrant Daily News

NewsAmericasNow.com

Black Immigrant Daily News

If you missed the recent commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the inaugural Caribbean Festival of Arts (Carifesta, held in Guyana between August 25 and September 15, 1972), then that means you’ve really missed this “virtual world that’s fast enveloping the human species”. “Virtual world?” you mutter, imagining your kids hooked on the games on the laptops and smartphones to which they’re permanently tethered.

Well…yes, and no. THAT virtual world has sent out its looong tentacles waay beyond Generation Z, and roped in even geezers like your Eyewitness. Now, the oldsters – anyone over 35!! – mightn’t be ensnared into VIRTUAL REALITY of the Metaverse, that pushed Facebook to change its name to “Meta”, but they’ve been enticed to plunge their toes into the ether through Zoom and all those platforms, that allow you to speak to each other from across the world!! These platforms give a whole new meaning to the term “talking heads”!!Anyhow, these very woke folks did hold the commemoration over Zoom, and wrote about it in their very woke local daily. One thing that jumped out right away to your Eyewitness (maybe because it was on top of the article??!!) was a map of the world showing – through dots of various sizes – where the viewers and participants originated.

It verified the local anecdotal claim that Guyanese are everywhere”!! Well, almost!! Even though there was a dot each in Japan and Alaska, there wasn’t a single one in the entire continent of Africa – from where most of our Caribbean people originated!! What gives?? Your Eyewitness knows there are lots of Guyanese in that particular “Motherland”. So, does the immersion give them amnesia about their ole mudland?? Say it ain’t so!!

But back to the commemoration. There WAS a dot for Guyana, but NOT nearly as big as the humongous blob that threatened to cover the entire East Coast of the United States!! Even the dot in French Guiana was bigger than the one in Guyana?? So, your Eyewitness was wondering why there’s this clear (studied?) lack of interest in the land where the subject under discussion – Carifesta 1 – was held?? Was it because the memory of the man whose baby it was – Burnham – was too painful for most locals?? After all, WE have to live with his (benighted) legacy!!

For your Eyewitness, he always wondered how enthusiasts of Carifesta – like Barbados’s Kamau Braithwaite – could live with themselves after they validated Burnham for his “vision”! They would’ve met Martin Carter, who’d jettisoned Burnham and the PNC Government in 1970 – after participating in the meeting of Caribbean intellectuals to plan the festival earlier in that year?But the great man did write wryly, “The mouth is muzzled by the hand that feeds it”!!

…agitation

But the virtual platforms don’t just seek to INFORM. No Siree, Bob!! They’re being used to MISINFORM, more than anything else!! Just last week, the NY Times ran a piece captioned “A Journey into Misinformation on Social Media”, which explained ruefully that its reporters concluded, “Disinformation and misinformation on social media have only grown worse since the 2016 election”!! Sadly, in Guyana, much of the misinformation is from the political partisans.

Another study demonstrates that social platforms have “been used to promote instability, spread of political conflict, and call for violence.There’s some good advice one commentator gave to your Eyewitness about information on social media: “Who’s posting it? What information are they sharing? What’s their intent? In terms of who’s posting it, you want to look at the qualifications and potential for bias.” In Guyana, we shouldn’t be surprised that partisans are twisting their “facts” to support their party. “Fact checking” by going to other sources, who does that??There’s the “confirmation bias” we all suffer from.What’s the Government’s role??

…politicians

The time’s coming when we won’t ever be seeing these politicians in the flesh looking for our votes. Their holographic images would stand in our living rooms showing us where to place that “X”!!Scary, eh??

NewsAmericasNow.com

Black Immigrant Daily News

REAL NEWS- Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh threw out the alleged victim’s testimony in a criminal case brought against Elvis Murray Watkins, President of the Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross, after the Prosecution stopped the trial.

In March this year, Watkins was charged with grievous bodily harm after the woman claimed he had used his fist on her.

He was taken before Magistrate Dexter Wason, who remanded Watkins to Her Majesty’s Prison for 10 days, with the understanding that he would remain there until April 6, at which time Wason would review the matter and decide whether to grant bail.

The matter came up for trial on Tuesday, August 30, and was transferred to Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh (who was Acting Director of Public Prosecutions when the matter was first brought to court).

However, as the Prosecution was proceeding with its case, it was noted that the testimony of the complainant – the only witness in the matter – was not matching up with the evidence.

Reportedly, the offense had occurred on October 31, 2021. However, the woman made a report to the Police only five months later – in March 2022 – and visited a doctor at that time, as well.

The doctor’s report could not corroborate the injury the woman claims she sustained. Rather, the doctor noted only that she had complained of pain in the area. Reportedly, she also lied to the medical practitioner about the date on which the alleged incident had taken place.

It was during cross-examination by Watkins’ attorney, Wendel Robinson, that most of the discrepancies and contradictions reportedly came out.

The woman claimed the Police had not given her the customary medical form to consult a doctor, and that she was not familiar with the procedure – although she has two brothers who are members of the Force.

Further, she claimed she did not want to bring the case against the Red Cross President, and she also did not report to the Police alleged threats he made against her life.

Explaining her reason for reporting the alleged offence some five months later, the woman said she was afraid that Watkins would stop paying her.

Reportedly, she and Watkins had worked together at the Red Cross. She alleges that she was not paid after the altercation took place, and is owed money – but has become a teacher since leaving that job.

The woman told the Police that she and Watkins had been in a relationship for seven years; but, during her testimony in court, said it was for two years.

On the night in question, the complainant allegedly had gone to Watkins’ home, where he was entertaining another guest, and the incident allegedly ensued.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP

NewsAmericasNow.com