French President Emmanuel Macron has been publicly criticized over controversial remarks he was recently caught making on camera about Haiti’s leaders. In a video shot on the sidelines of last week’s G20 meeting in Brazil and shared on social media, Macron was filmed calling Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council “total morons” for dismissing the Caribbean nation’s ex-prime minister Garry Conille. “The prime minister was great, I defended him. They are total morons, they should never have fired him,” Macron said in the clip, responding to an individual. The council’s former president, Edgard Leblanc Fils, said in a statement posted on X late on Sunday that Macron had made “insulting remarks” about an entire nation “living through dark times.” Leblanc said Macron “did not hesitate to interfere in a matter that essentially concerns the Haitian authorities” by declaring that he supported Conille and that the latter was “formidable.” Conille, previously a top UN official, was ousted amid divisions within the council just six months after taking the post. He was replaced by entrepreneur and former senate candidate Alix Didier Fils-Aime. In the clip, Macron, who was accused by the individual of being responsible for the situation in Haiti, is seen saying it was the “Haitians who killed Haiti by letting drug trafficking take over.” Macron’s remarks have sparked outrage in Haiti, prompting its foreign ministry to summon France’s ambassador late last week over what it described as “unfriendly and inappropriate” comments. Many in the Caribbean nation have been blaming its former colonial metropole for centuries of economic and political turmoil, as France had forced Haiti to pay debt for recognizing the island’s independence and to compensate for the loss of its most productive colony. The final payment was made in 1947. A coalition of civil society groups in Haiti has been calling on Paris to return the harsh reparations, which, according to different estimates, could amount to hundreds of billions of dollars. Haiti has suffered from decades of political instability and violence since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021. A confederation of criminal gangs served as Haiti’s de-facto rulers until the transitional council was established earlier this year, tasked with choosing Haiti’s president, next prime minister and Cabinet with the hope that it would help quell the turmoil. Beset by mounting challenges and political division, the council chose to dismiss Conille.
The 2024 Sam Cali Battle for the Belt featured some of the state’s best teams with nationally ranked wrestlers, NJ state medalists, state qualifiers and highly accoladed freshmen in every bracket. From upsets to statement wins to close calls, there was plenty of action in the medal round of this year’s Cali. Scroll through below to see who finished 1st through 6th at each weight. First-place results (Winners in bold) 106 pounds Anthony Curlo, Blair, TF Forest Rose, Princeton, 19-4 113 pounds 3-Greyson Pettit, Delsea , d. 1-Brayden Karovski, Green Farms Academy (CT), 8-4 120 pounds 4-Amari Vann, Delsea, p. 2-Chase Kastner, Green Farms Academy (CT), 4:12 126 pounds 1-Anthony DiAndrea, Watchung Hills v. 2-Jack Abramson, Pingry 132 pounds 1-Pat O’Keefe, St. John Vianney v. 2-Finn O’Brien, Green Farms Academy (CT) 138 pounds 1-Carson Walsh, Pope John tech. 2-Jake Nieto, Chaminade (NY), 20-3 (2:25) 144 pounds 1-Blase Mele, Princeton v. 6-Reid Clausi, West Essex 150 pounds 1-Sonny Amato, Rumson-Fair Haven v. 2-Jamar Dixon Jr., Delsea 157 pounds 1-Cody Pritzlaff, Watchung Hills, d. 2-James Conklin, Passaic Tech , 7-4 165 pounds 1-Santino Rodriguez, Don Bosco Prep p. 6-Matt DiEduardo, Bridgewater-Raritan, 1:34 175 pounds 1-Jordan Chapman, Cranford, TF 3-Anthony Verdi, St. Peter’s Prep, 21-6 190 pounds 2-Maximus Konopka, Green Farms Academy (CT) d. 1-Nevin Mattessich, Don Bosco Prep, 8-2 215 pounds 1-Sal Marchese, Delsea, TF 2-Matt Morrissey, Old Tappan , 17-2 285 pounds 1-James Lynch, Toms River East p. 3-Mason Brancato, Pompton Lakes, 0:54 Third-place results 106 pounds 1-Logan Forgatch, Parsippany Hills, d. Julian Zargo, St. John Vianney, 5-2 113 pounds 2-Michael Daly, Cranford, TF 5-Ethan Quinn, Simsbury (CT), 15-0 120 pounds Anthony Borrometi, St. Peter’s Prep, d. 1-Matt Gould, St. John Vianney, 1-0 126 pounds 6-Carter Pack, St. Augustine, d. Joaquin Duque, Rumson-Fair Haven, 10-6 132 pounds 4-Gino Schinina, St. Peter’s Prep v. 5-Nicky Pallitto, Paramus Catholic 138 pounds 6-Isais Hernandez, DePaul v. Kimoni Giles, Green Farms Academy (CT) 144 pounds 5-Ben Zuckerman, Green Farms Academy (CT) v. Jeremy McGrath, Green Farms Academy (CT) 150 pounds 4-Jackson Weller, Delran med. for. 3-Joey Ruiz, St. Peter’s Prep 157 pounds Will Motley, Green Farms Academy (CT) v. Ryan Gavrish, St. John Vianney 165 pounds 2-Riley Boos, Delsea med. for. 7-Ryan Willi, Middletown South 175 pounds 4-Greyson Catlow-Sidler, William Penn Charter (PA) TF 5-Carmine Masi, West Essex, 15-0 190 pounds 3-Ryan Schneider, Green Farms Academy (CT) MD 4-Clark Rich, Seton Hall Prep, 10-0 215 pounds 4-Noah Berlin-Langston, Highland Park , d. 3-Guy Oelsner, Paramus Cath., 4-3 285 pounds 4-Connor Reynolds, St. Peter’s Prep v. 5-Isaac Cazimoski, Clifton Fifth-place results 106 pounds 6-Chase Dubuque, Delran, MD 2-Josiah Sweeney, Freehold Borough, 14-3 113 pounds 8-David Vazquez, North Bergen, d. 6-Joseph Rowinski, Hackettstown, 4-2 120 pounds River Hibler, Paramus Catholic, def. 6-Elijah Bayne, Rumson-Fair Haven 126 pounds 4-Delvan Rotte, DePaul, d. 3-Andre Morero, Seton Hall Prep, 7-1 132 pounds 3-Devin Ryan, New Milford v. Ryan Hrenenko, Sparta 138 pounds 4-Adrian Arbelo, St. Augustine v. Abraham Amoako, St. John Vianney 144 pounds Logan Hrenenko, Sparta med. for. 2-Ryan Langenmayr, Lakeland 150 pounds 8-Nick Orejola, Seton Hall Prep v. Charles Shaddow, Ridgewood 157 pounds 4-Alex Diorio, Livingston med. for. 3-Abe Zaretsky, Paramus Catholic 165 pounds 4-Joe Geleta, Clifton v. 5-Tyler Boelhower, Woodbridge 175 pounds John Saraiva, St. John Vianney, med. for. 2-Tyler Neiva, Green Farms Academy (CT) 190 pounds Kodi Pfieffer, Hoboken, med. for. 5-Carmen Marano, St. Peter’s Prep 215 pounds 8-Adrian Galvez, Glen Rock, p. 7-Josh Leath, Moorestown, 1:26 285 pounds 7-Matt Smith, Rumson-Fair Haven, p. 6-Gabe McCulloch, Bloomfield, 3:11 Jake Aferiat can be reached at jaferiat@njadvancemedia.com . Follow him at @Jake_Aferiat . The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter)Arsenal make Mikel Arteta proud after smashing Sporting Lisbon
