CARIBBEAN

Experts are cautioning that Jamaica may be moving too quickly to reopen the bird shooting season following Hurricane Melissa, which devastated the island’s forests and left bird populations struggling for food, shelter and survival since October 2025.Their concerns come after the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) announced that the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) has granted approval in principle for a restricted bird shooting season for 2026.NEPA indicated that […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA) is advising students that “it’s important that you know how you cope” as it highlights mental health challenges they could be facing.The sentiment echoed throughout each presenter’s address at the CISOCA’s All About Me Advocacy Workshop, held at the Office of the Commissioner of Police on Thursday.“Unfortunately, many of our children are silently battling anxiety, trauma, depression, […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Renowned United Kingdom-based diabetes advocate Tony Kelly told Jamaican insurance executives and their guests recently that diabetes is too often dismissed as merely “just a little sugar’, as he urged them to take the non-communicable disease (NCD) seriously.Speaking recently at the Mico University College at a forum, Kelly, who is here at the invitation of Jamaica Medical Foundation (JMF), said unmanaged diabetes can lead to severe complications and even death, as […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Sagicor Group Jamaica (SGJ) recorded net profit attributable to stockholders of $2.01 billion for the first quarter ended March 2026.The Group says the quarter was characterised by strong insurance sales and continued balance sheet growth, despite increased global market volatility and an additional provision related to Hurricane Melissa, impacting its short-term insurance portfolio.SGJ delivered strong insurance sales, evidenced by improvements in insurance revenues […]

ST MARY, Jamaica (AFP) — The National Works Agency (NWA) is advising that a section of the Broadgate main road, St Mary, is now seriously compromised as a pipe culvert has been burnt from beneath the road embankment, leading to its partial collapse.Manager of Communication and Customer Services at the NWA, Stephen Shaw, said as a result, the northbound lane, heading from the direction of Broadgate, is now closed to vehicular traffic.All traffic is now being routed onto the northbound […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Kingston College (KC) successfully defended its Under-16 ISSA Cricket crown after defeating St Jago by 58 runs at Chedwin Park on Thursday.KC owed its triumph to an outstanding bowling display from Rajae McGeachy, who captured 7 for 26 and hit 28 runs.KC won the toss and decided to bat and made 135from 47.4 overs as opener, McGeachy top scored with 28, hitting three fours from 33 balls while Ajani Bond batting at number seven made 18, hitting three fours.Kyrie Rhone […]

UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — Clashes between gangs in the suburbs of the Haitian capital have left at least 78 dead since Saturday, including 10 bystanders, according to a provisional toll released Thursday to AFP by the United Nations (UN) Office in Haiti (BINUH)."Armed clashes between several gangs in the communes of Cite Soleil and Croix-des-Bouquets have left at least 78 dead and 66 wounded since May 9," BINUH said, adding that the fatalities included 10 "members of the […]

Danya’s Coffee Barrel in downtown Kingston was the centre of gravity for culinary and intellectual nourishment on Saturday, as the London School of Economics (LSE) celebrated 130 years of global impact.The Jamaica Alumni Chapter in partnership with NCB Capital Markets, hosted ‘Visions the Future: A Leadership Conversation’ with Alicia Herbert, British High Commissioner and Mark Berman, Canadian High Commissioner.The high-level conversation took the form of an intimate tea party with […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The United States (US) dollar on Thursday, May 14, ended trading at $159.19, down five cents, according to the Bank of Jamaica’s daily exchange trading summary.Meanwhile, the Canadian dollar ended trading at $116.42, down from $117.57, and the British pound at $216.88 up from $216.49.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — An initiative aimed at reshaping conversations surrounding men’s mental health, emotional well-being, and leadership in Jamaica will take centre stage on June 13 with the staging of the Redefining Men’s Wellness Conference & Award Ceremony.Set for the Hope Fellowship Auditorium in Kingston from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, the event is being spearheaded by author and life coach Shareka Swaby, who says the conference was born from years of observing the emotional […]

WASHINGTON, United States  (AFP) — A passenger who was aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius and initially tested "mildly positive" for hantavirus has now tested negative for the rare disease, a spokesperson told AFP Thursday.Kayla Thomas -- a media coordinator at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where 16 patients who were on the ship are being monitored -- said, "both tests were negative by PCR and serology."The asymptomatic patient was initially under observation in a biocontainment […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA) has announced a landmark partnership with Adidas, making it the first-ever apparel sponsorship agreement in the history of Jamaican national basketball.In a statement on Thursday, JaBA shared that the deal, brokered by sports consultancy Business 2 Sports Group, marks a defining moment not only for Jamaican basketball but for sport in the Caribbean region.Under the agreement, Adidas will serve as the official kit supplier and […]

Wildlife experts are warning that Jamaica could face serious agricultural and public health implications if runaway monkeys establish themselves in the island’s ecosystem, pointing to examples from Nepal and Barbados where the animals have become a burden. Videos of white-faced capuchin monkeys purportedly in Jamaica surfaced online recently, with the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) suggesting that the animals have been illegally smuggled into the island, possibly as part of […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition Spokesperson on Culture, Creative Industries and Information, Nekeisha Burchell, says Jamaica must stop treating culture as a “side conversation” and begin recognising it as serious infrastructure capable of reviving struggling rural communities and restoring economic life to forgotten parts of the country.Making her maiden Sectoral Debate contribution in Parliament under the theme “Culture Is Not Decoration. It is Infrastructure,” Burchell argued that […]

NEW YORK, United States — Before the reggae legends took the stage at UBS Arena in New York, Lady Da Flame delivered a stunning performance that wowed the thousands of reggae fans who had flocked to 'The Mother's Day Experience' show.As fans slowly filled the building, her performance brought warmth, energy, and anticipation to the atmosphere.During her performance of the Goodness of God, her voice echoed beautifully through the arena, pulling the crowd deeper into the experience and […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaican promoter Fabian Cole, popularly known as “Boomas,” is taking his Soul Food Caribbean Festival brand international as demand grows for soul and reggae-centered entertainment across the Caribbean diaspora.What began as the weekly Soul Food Tuesdays event in Jamaica has now evolved into the Soul Food Caribbean Festival, with successful stagings already held in England and Canada.Cole said the movement is built around classic soul music, Caribbean culture and […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The cancellation of a match between Jamaica’s senior women’s football team and the Super Falcons of Nigeria was due to issues with the date, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) says.In a press release on Thursday, the JFF said, contrary to reports suggesting that the fixture was cancelled due to "administrative issues" on the part of Jamaica, the issue was that the proposed dates were outside official FIFA Women's international window.Noting that the organisers of […]

PARIS, France (AFP) — Kylian Mbappe will spearhead France at the World Cup after coach Didier Deschamps on Thursday announced his 26-man squad for this summer's tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.Deschamps, who guided France to World Cup glory in 2018 and will leave his role after the 2026 edition, included few surprises.Mbappe will likely captain the team despite a thigh injury sustained last month, which caused him to miss key matches in Real Madrid's La Liga run-in.However, […]

Tensions are mounting at Drax Hall Country Club in St Ann as a number of homeowners accuse the gated community’s homeowners association (HOA) of poor governance, and lack of transparency and accountability, a situation they claim is so severe that it has forced some residents to sell their properties.“We have been having challenges with successive boards because of a lack of training or personality issues. They refuse to follow proper governance of an HOA,” homeowner Dr Tanika O’Connor […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Opposition is calling on the Government to immediately publish a transparent expenditure plan for all outstanding disaster relief funds following a report from the auditor general indicating only 1.8 per cent of Hurricane Melissa relief funds had been spent up to February 2026.In a statement on Thursday, Senator Cleveland Tomlinson, opposition deputy spokesperson on Productivity, Efficiency and Competitiveness, called out what he described as the Government's […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica— Minister with responsibility for Works Robert Nesta Morgan says concerns raised about the proposed One Road Authority must be addressed through facts, consultation, and a clear understanding of the current road-management structure.Morgan in a press release on Thursday, emphasised that the authority has not yet been established and that consultations remain ongoing with key stakeholders, including representatives of local government.“The One Road Authority is still in […]

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP) — The United States (US) should lift its blockade on Cuba rather than offer aid to the struggling island, President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Thursday, as the country endures worsening power cuts.Cuba's energy crisis has deepened since January when the United States imposed an oil blockade on the communist-run island of 9.6 million people.Only one Russian oil tanker has made it through since then, and power cuts and supply shortages have become the norm, with Cuban officials […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Kintyre Holdings Limited has announced the acquisition of a chemical manufacturing plant, a five-gallon water bottling plant and a white label production contract for chemical manufacturing, in a strategic transaction valued at over $40 million.According to a press release from the company on Thursday, the acquisition was completed as an all-equity transaction and marks another significant milestone in the rapid expansion of its manufacturing subsidiary, BOLD […]

MALE, Maldives (AFP)—Five Italians have died in a scuba diving accident in the Maldives, Italy’s foreign ministry said on Thursday, with security forces in the Indian Ocean archipelago recovering one body.The string of coral islands is a luxury holiday destination popular with divers who come to explore its pristine waters, often staying at remote resorts or aboard liveaboard dive boats.“Following an accident that occurred during a scuba diving trip, five Italian nationals have died in […]

WASHINGTON, United States (CMC) — The Trump administration on Wednesday congratulated Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis on his victory in Tuesday’s general elections.“We look forward to continued collaboration with the Government of the Bahamas to advance transparent and reliable economic and infrastructure partnerships that support sustainable growth, regional stability and increased opportunity for both Americans and Bahamians,” said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a […]