CARIBBEAN

KINGSTON, Jamaica — As demand for streaming, social media, cloud services and digital content continues to rise across the region, Flow is encouraging a wider Caribbean discussion on how major global technology companies can more meaningfully support the infrastructure that powers the online experience of millions of consumers.According to Flow, the discussion was raised by Stephen Price, vice president and general manager of Flow, during a recent regional panel discussion on utilities […]

Khadija “Bunny” Shaw scored a late brace to clinch a dramatic come-from-behind 3-2 win for Manchester City against Chelsea in the Women’s FA Cup semifinals on Sunday.The Jamaican international dominated headlines last week as she has been linked with a big money move away to Chelsea, even while City were crowned Women's Super League champions and she was named 2026 Football Writers' Association Women's Footballer of the Year.READ: ‘Bunny’ set to leave Man City with Chelsea the […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The search is officially on for talented, confident, and culturally aware young ladies to participate in the highly anticipated Mini Miss Kingston and St Andrew Heritage Queen Pageant, a prestigious platform designed to celebrate Jamaica’s rich heritage while empowering the nation’s youth.The parish pageant serves as a qualifier for the Mini Miss Jamaica Heritage Queen Pageant, which is proudly endorsed by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC). The […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Cognisant of the fact that popular music is mostly youth and image driven, 52- year-old Emanuel Stain is optimistic that at his age, he can make the breakthrough that he craves.He came close to making an impact in the late 1990s, when he recorded for producer Dave Kelly, however, that recording never saw the light of day.“Dave Kelly was the hot producer back then when I recorded the song, Medicine.  At the time of that recording with Dave Kelly, the song never made […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Government Senator Keith Duncan has pushed back strongly at talk that too much power is being concentrated in the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA), or that it will likely displace existing agencies and established processes in ways that are constitutionally or institutionally problematic.Duncan declared his full support for the authority that has been established by the Government to take charge of the major reconstruction projects in the […]

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) -- Arsenal moved closer to the Premier League title in controversial fashion as a hugely contentious decision to disallow Callum Wilson's stoppage-time goal handed the leaders a vital 1-0 win against West Ham on Sunday.Mikel Arteta's side struggled to break down West Ham in a tense derby at the London Stadium before Leandro Trossard struck with a deflected effort seven minutes from full-time.But Arsenal's title rivals Manchester City will be furious that West Ham […]

VATICAN CITY, (CMC) – The head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV on Saturday met with Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé at the Vatican, as Haiti continues to grapple with deepening violence, political instability and a worsening humanitarian crisis.Following the audience with the Pope, Fils-Aimé also held talks with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolinand, the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, Archbishop Paul […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Motherhood is often associated with biology, but for many women, it is ultimately defined by love, sacrifice and unwavering commitment.For Karen Brown, customer service manager at Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS), becoming a mother was not part of a carefully mapped-out plan. Instead, it was a role she stepped into during one of the most heartbreaking moments of her life — and embraced with remarkable courage.In 2020, after the devastating loss of her […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie has taken offence to a recent statement made by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Westmoreland Central, Dwayne Vaz that people sheltering at Petersfield High School were not in upgraded housing by the promised deadline because of “incompetence” on the part of McKenzie and his ministry.Vaz made the comment on the May 8 deadline for all victims of Hurricane Melissa to be relocated from schools being used to shelter them. He was […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Eighteen years after it was released digitally and 44 years after it was initially released on vinyl 45 rpm, Bam Bam by Sister Nancy has been certified gold in the United Kingdom,The song reached a new milestone on Friday May 8, when the British Phonographic Industry issued a certification commemorating sales and streaming figures exceeding 400,000 units.In a previous interview with the Observer Online, Sister Nancy who resides in the United States, said she is grateful […]

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — "The Devil Wears Prada 2" withstood a strong challenge from "Mortal Kombat II" to remain atop the North American box office for a second week running, industry estimates showed Sunday.The hotly anticipated sequel to the 2006 smash hit about the cutthroat world of high fashion -- starring Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci -- earned $43 million in US and Canadian theaters, Exhibitor Relations reported.That puts the worldwide total for […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition Senator Maziki Thame has warned that the ongoing war in the Middle East could have a negative effect in terms of the availability of funding for the Government’s ambitious reconstruction agenda in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.Thame gave the warning on Friday during her contribution to the debate on the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) Bill.NaRRA is the body established by the Dr Andrew Holness-led Government to lead the […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Hundreds of residents from the constituency of Manchester North Eastern recently received well-needed assistance from five major Government agencies in a first-of-its-kind initiative organised by Member of Parliament for the area Ambassador Audrey Marks.Dubbed Gov-360 Constituency Day, the residents were treated to the services of the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Ministry of Labour and Social […]

ST JAMES, Jamaica — A man was shot and killed during a police led operation in Granville, St James on Sunday morning.Reports are that the lawmen were in the area in search of wanted men. On leaving the community, they encountered the man.It is alleged that he attacked the security personnel during which he was fatally shot.Investigations are ongoing in this incident.This incident comes months after the Granville community was the site of another incident where three individuals, including a […]

GRANADILLA DE ABONA, Spain (AFP) — Occupants of a cruise ship struck by a deadly hantavirus outbreak that has sparked international alarm began arriving home from Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday in a complex repatriation operation.Three passengers from the MV Hondius -- a Dutch husband and wife and a German woman -- have died, while others have fallen sick with the rare disease, which usually spreads among rodents.No vaccines or specific treatments exist for hantavirus, which is endemic in […]

Within contemporary peptide research, increasing attention has shifted toward short regulatory peptides that appear to participate in system-level coordination rather than isolated biochemical reactions. Rather than being framed as forceful signaling agents, these peptides are increasingly theorized to function as informational modulators—molecules whose influence may arise from timing, localization, and structural affinity rather than magnitude alone.Vesugen occupies a distinctive position […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — State Minister in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce and Member of Parliament for St Andrew North Central, Delano Seiveright, departed the island Saturday leading a week-long Jamaican trade and investment mission to Ireland and the United Kingdom focused on expanding export opportunities, strengthening business partnerships and advancing investment discussions for Jamaica.The mission is being coordinated by JAMPRO, Jamaica’s national investment and export […]

In honour of Mother's Day, Observer Online is saluting several women who played important roles in the reggae movement.Louise “Miss Lou” Bennett CoverleyConsidered in some quarters the first dub poet, Miss Lou championed the use of Jamaican dialect on radio and in schools. While humorous, her poems like Nuh Lickle Twang and Dry Foot Bwoy, accurately captured the social state of mind in pre-Independence Jamaica.In the 1970s, they inspired aspiring poets such as Mutabaruka and Yasus Afari, […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition Senator Dr Maziki Thame ripped into Government Senators on Friday as she accused the Jamaica Labour Party Government of frequently displaying “autocratic tendencies”, while disregarding the rights of Jamaicans.Thame lashed out during her contribution to the debate on the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) Bill, which was eventually passed along party lines.NaRRA is the body established by the Government to lead the reconstruction […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Government Senator Marlon Morgan has described as a “zero-sum game” and “a scorched earth strategy”, the approach of the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) to the establishment of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA).Morgan levelled the accusation on Friday as the Senate debated and passed the NaRRA Bill that will allow for the setting up of the authority that is tasked with rebuilding large swathes of the country following the […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) has the potential to be one of the largest employment programmes in Jamaica’s modern history, according to Government Senator Kavan Gayle.Gayle, who is also President General of the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU), made the observation in the Senate on Friday during his contribution to the debate on the NaRRA Bill.NaRRA is the entity established by the Government to drive reconstruction efforts […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Island Traffic Authority (ITA) continues to report double digit reductions in road fatalities five months into the year.According to the latest statistics released by the ITA on Friday, 26 people were killed in 22 fatal crashes during  the month of April. This shows a 16 per cent reduction in fatalities and a 15 per cent decline in fatal crashes when compared to April 2025.During the month, pedestrian fatalities were down 27 per cent; however, private motor vehicle […]

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom (AFP) — Manchester City kept their slender Premier League title hopes alive as Jeremy Doku inspired a 3-0 win against Brentford on Saturday.Pep Guardiola's side struggled to prise open Brentford for almost an hour at the Etihad Stadium.But Doku's latest dazzling strike broke the deadlock before Erling Haaland bagged his 26th league goal this season.Omar Marmoush wrapped up an essential City victory in stoppage-time.City closed to two points behind leaders Arsenal, […]

TORONTO, Canada (CMC) – The Government of Canada said on Friday that its Prime Minister, Mark Carney, met with the President of Guyana, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, in Toronto, where the leaders emphasised the “strong” ties between Canada and Guyana.The Canadian Government said this is strengthened by over 100,000 Canadians of Guyanese ancestry.It noted in a statement that Guyana is one of Canada’s largest trading partners among the Caribbean Community (Caricom).“The leaders discussed […]

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — A person who jumped a perimeter fence and was hit by an airplane taking off from Denver International Airport died in the incident, the airport said Saturday.Frontier Airlines Flight 4345 aborted takeoff after hitting the person at about 11:19 pm Friday night (0519 GMT Saturday), the airport said."DEN can confirm that the pedestrian jumped the perimeter fence and was hit just two minutes later while crossing the runway," the statement said."The pedestrian is […]