CARIBBEAN

PARIS, France (AFP) — Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez will lead a cast reunion of "The Fast and the Furious" stars on Wednesday in Cannes ahead of a special screening to mark the 25th anniversary of the original movie.Diesel and Rodriguez posed with fellow actor Jordana Brewster and the daughter of late co-star Paul Walker, who died in a car crash in 2013, at the French film festival Wednesday."The Fast and the Furious" will be screened in a midnight slot later in the day, bringing some […]

ST THOMAS, Jamaica — A 4.4 magnitude earthquake was recorded in eastern Jamaica early Wednesday morning, according to the Earthquake Unit at the University of the West Indies (UWI).Preliminary reports indicate that the quake struck at approximately 3:20 am and was felt across sections of eastern Jamaica.The epicentre was located approximately 10 kilometres south of Albion, St Thomas.The earthquake had a focal depth of 11 kilometres

Buzzing recording artiste Marcue is breaking barriers locally and internationally.The multifaceted entertainer says he is happy with the direction his career is headed at present, as his songs are becoming staples on local and international radio playlists and charts.The singer, who recently peaked at number 10 on the USA iTunes Singles Chart with his latest single entitled Just Can’t Let Go, says he believes it is his time to stamp his class in music.“Everything is coming together […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Newly appointed technical director of Calabar High football, Kemar Ricketts, said he is grateful to be a part of a school with such history, as he hopes to build something special with the school.“First off, let me say thanks be to God for allowing me to get another opportunity, a great opportunity of being a part of a school with history. You know, a lot of stars, a lot of sportsmen and different people would have been through this school, so it's a pleasure to be a part […]

ST JAMES, Jamaica—Five residents of Salt Spring have been recognised by Project STAR as community champions, honoured for their consistent volunteerism, leadership and commitment to community development.The awards were presented during a recent town hall meeting hosted by Project STAR at the Salt Spring New Testament Church.According to a release from Project STAR, the recipients, Travis Cooke, Oraine Lawson, Barbara Beadle, Ann Marie Douglas and Sherri-Kay Morris, were recognised for their […]

WASHINGTON, United States (CMC)–The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on Tuesday called on Caribbean countries to take decisive action to strengthen and expand the area of advanced practice nursing, which is a key strategy to improve access to health services and build stronger, more people-centred health systems.In a message marking International Nurses Day, PAHO said with nearly 7.4 million professionals, nurses represent the largest group in the health workforce of the Americas, […]

BRASILIA, Brazil (AFP)—Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Tuesday launched a new plan to combat organised crime as he faces mounting pressure over security, five months ahead of elections.Brazil's battle with powerful criminal factions has been a point of tension with Washington, and was high on the agenda of a meeting between Lula and US President Donald Trump last week."Today's event serves as a signal to organised crime, telling them that very soon, they will no longer be the […]

Kingston College (KC) have parted ways with technical director Vassell Reynolds while promoting Under-16 coach Jermaine Miller to take charge of the Under-19s for the upcoming season.Reynolds took over at KC in 2023 when the school's football programme was in shambles with a reported 16 players leaving for other institutions. Still, he led a depleted unit to the semi-finals of both the Manning Cup and Champions Cup competitions in his first season and, against the odds in his second year, he […]

TEHRAN, Iran (AFP)—Iran's chief negotiator said Tuesday that Washington must accept Tehran's latest peace plan or face failure, after US President Donald Trump warned the truce in the Middle East war was on the brink of collapse.The war, which erupted more than two months ago with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has spread throughout the Middle East and roiled the global economy despite the ceasefire, impacting hundreds of millions worldwide.Both sides have refused to make concessions and […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Opposition Spokesman on Trade, Industry and Global Logistics, Anthony Hylton, says the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Government has become very comfortable celebrating numbers.“It celebrates fiscal discipline. It celebrates stability. It celebrates the growth of Jamaica’s Net International Reserves. And while those things matter, and while macroeconomic discipline is necessary, the Jamaican people are not living inside spreadsheets,” said Hylton.He added that, “They are […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica—A social media policy for Jamaica’s children could be in the making.Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton told the Parliament on Tuesday that research is underway to determine the level of harm being done to Jamaican children by social media.He was making his contribution to the 2026-27 Sectoral Debate.He said the research will “guide a conversation and certainly advocate for some changes in this regard.”Describing it as a “public health threat”, […]

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP)—United States (US0 President Donald Trump on Tuesday posted a map graphic on his Truth Social platform depicting Venezuela with an inset American flag and the label "51st State."The provocative post -- published while Trump was en route to China for a high-stakes summit -- comes a day after Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, said her country had "never" considered becoming the 51st state, even after US forces captured deposed leader Nicolas Maduro […]

With consumers now paying more for non-alcoholic sweetened beverages, manufacturers are being urged to pivot by reformulating their products to provide consumers with more affordable and healthier options while maintaining taste profiles.This call is coming from executive director of the Scientific Research Council, Dr Charah Watson, who says the SRC is willing to work with manufacturers to help them meet the new sugar regulations without compromising on customer experience.“We're supporting […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica—The Auditor General’s Department (AGD) has flagged the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) over its financial management of donated and national disaster funds and the implementation of the Restoration of Owner or Occupant Family Shelters (ROOFS) Programme.According to the audit report, which was tabled in the Parliament on Tuesday, “weaknesses were found in ODPEM’s financial management, governance and programme accountability”.It […]

Visa has launched a new tap-based identity verification system with fintech company Keyno and Fidelity Bank (Bahamas), allowing customers to activate cards and confirm identity by tapping their physical Visa card against a mobile phone instead of using passwords or one-time passcodes.The payments giant said the technology, called Tap to Confirm and Tap to Activate, uses the EMV [Europay, Mastercard, and Visa] chip embedded in Visa cards alongside Visa’s Chip Authenticate service to verify […]

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP)—United States (US) President Donald Trump on Tuesday said US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief Marty Makary was leaving his post, a resignation that follows weeks of political tumult at the powerful agency.During his tenure atop the sprawling body responsible for overseeing vaccines, medicine and food, Makary managed to upset figures across industry, politics and public health over a range of issues, and most recently faced pressure from the Republican […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister with responsibility for Works, Robert Nesta Morgan, has rejected what he described as misleading and politically convenient claims made by representatives of the Opposition regarding the Government’s SPARK Programme.Morgan in a Monday afternoon statement said the Opposition is attempting to convert legitimate community concerns about road conditions into a false narrative that the SPARK Programme has failed.“The Government will not capitulate to a misleading […]

Only four years after his release from prison on drug trafficking charges, dancehall artiste Flippa Moggela is once again in hot water with United States federal authorities.The self-styled 'Flossing King', whose real name is Andrew Kendrick Davis, has been charged in a New Jersey federal drug conspiracy case, alongside co-defendants Damion Jones, Clifford Brown, and James McBride.Prosecutors noted that the four men are accused of conspiring to possess and distribute at least 500 grams of "a […]

Jamaican recording artiste T-Drive is celebrating a major milestone in his musical journey after his single Fly Away climbed to the number two spot on the Island Gold Radio Top 10 Reggae Chart in West Palm Beach for the week of May 1.Born Trevor Hewitt, the artiste says the achievement represents years of hard work, dedication, and belief in his craft.“I felt honoured and privileged to be featured alongside many established artistes on the Captain Kirk Island Gold reggae chart,” T-Drive […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The United States (US) dollar on Tuesday, May 12, ended trading at $159.13, up by 22 cents, according to the Bank of Jamaica’s daily exchange trading summary.Meanwhile, the Canadian dollar ended trading at $115.89, down from $117.60 and the British pound at $214.16, down from $214.33.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Health and Wellness has established an International Recruitment Unit (IRU) as part of its broader Human Resources for Health Strategy.Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, said the dedicated IRU has been set up in the ministry’s Corporate Services Division with the approval of Cabinet.He made the disclosure on Tuesday during his contribution to the Sectoral Debate at Gordon House. He explained that the unit will serve as the central […]

ANNOTTO BAY, St Mary—A 19-year-old hairstylist and a 30-year-old construction worker were arrested and charged on Tuesday after allegedly attempting to smuggle contraband into the Annotto Bay police lock-up.Police reports indicate that lawmen on the compound of the Annotto Bay police station observed suspicious activities involving the two individuals. While investigating, inmates were seen pulling an item through a cell window.The item reportedly fell to the ground and was found to be a […]

Established producer Kemar “Flava” McGregor is using the momentum surrounding his latest release, the Kiss Of Judas Riddim, to spark conversation about the current direction of Jamaican music and the role he and his creative colleagues play in shaping its future.Released on May 8 through Billboard King Records, the Kiss Of Judas Riddim has already been making waves internationally, reportedly racking up more than 500,000 Spotify streams within days while also securing the number one […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica—The number of prescriptions under the National Health Fund (NHF) has increased from less than one million in 2016 to approximately three million per year, serving more than 770,000 Jamaicans.This was stated by the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, on Tuesday as he made his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.Tufton said the number of Jamaicans covered under the NHFCard Programme has increased from 241,897 to more than […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Member of Parliament (MP) for St Mary Central, Omar Newell, has raised concerns about the implementation of the Government’s SPARK programme, questioning delays, budgeting and the selection of roads in the constituency.Speaking during a special press briefing on Tuesday titled “Uncovering the Facts on the SPARK Road Programme”, Newell said several communities in St Mary Central continue to suffer because of poor road conditions despite promises made under the […]