CARIBBEAN

EAST RUTHERFORD, United States (AFP) -- Vinicius Junior scored a brilliant equaliser for Brazil in a 1-1 draw with Morocco on Saturday as the five-time World Cup winners made an uncertain start to the tournament in New Jersey.Ismael Saibari ran through to give Morocco a 21st-minute lead with a clever scoop in the Group C opener, but Vinicius produced a moment of magic to ensure Brazil came away with a point.Brazil are chasing a record sixth World Cup title, 24 years after last lifting the […]

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP)—Workers removed President Donald Trump's name from the facade of the prestigious Kennedy Center in Washington on Saturday -- a stinging defeat for the US leader who has eschewed political tradition to affix his name and likeness across public spaces.The restoration of the performing arts venue's original name was the culmination of extended legal tussling, with an anti-Trump crowd keeping watch Friday until late night thunderstorms forced construction workers […]

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP)—Five-time winners Brazil roll into the World Cup on Saturday when they play surprise 2022 semi-finalists Morocco in one of the standout group-stage matchups.On the first day featuring four matches at a tournament expanded this year to 48 teams, Scotland and their Tartan Army of supporters return to the World Cup after a 28-year absence.The Scots take on Haiti, who last appeared at a finals in 1974, in Boston.In other games, 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar play […]

SANTA CLARA, United States (AFP)—Qatar's Boualem Khoukhi stunned Switzerland with a late equaliser as the sides played out a 1-1 draw in their opening match at the World Cup on Saturday.A Breel Embolo penalty had broken the deadlock for Switzerland early in the first half in the San Francisco Bay Area, before the wasteful favourites were made to pay as Qatar earned their first ever point at a World Cup.Qatar, appearing in just their second finals after hosting the 2022 World Cup, looked rusty […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Almost 20 years ago, Marlon A. Wright went through a challenging period that helped define him as a parent.It sparked an awareness he wanted to share with others in a similar position.It was then that the first seeds of The Courage And Kindness Chronicles: The Day We Learn to Forgive were sown. That children’s book, Wright’s first, was released recently.Through Emily, Andre and Maya, the main characters, young people learn the importance of caring and forgiveness.“In […]

HOUSTON, United States (AFP)—Former NBA Most Valuable Player James Harden was arrested Saturday in Houston, Texas, on a misdemeanor charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon, court documents showed.Harris County court records showed that Cleveland Cavaliers guard harden was taken into custody at 3:41 a.m. when an unconcealed handgun was spotted in his Mercedes.Harden confirmed the gun was his and was arrested and booked into jail and released on a $100 bond, according to the documents, in which […]

EFFORTVILLE, Clarendon—A policeman escaped serious injury after a bullet struck his protective vest during an armed confrontation with a gunman in the Farm community of Effortville, Clarendon, on Friday.The officer, who was part of an operational team from the Area 3 Anti-Fugitive Apprehension Team (AFAT), was struck in the chest during the incident. He was taken to hospital for treatment and remains in stable condition.The confrontation resulted in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old O’Neil […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Opposition Spokesperson on Local Government and Participatory Democracy Natalie Neita-Garvey says three critical Acts passed in Parliament in 2016 to transform Jamaica's local government financing and governance framework have never been given full effect because the Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie has failed to bring the required regulations to Parliament in nearly 10 years.Garvey who made the remarks during her sectoral contribution on Wednesday described the […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Opposition Spokesperson on Tourism and Linkages, Andrea Purkiss, has charged that local ground transport operators are being shut out of the tourism sectorPurkiss spoke to the issue on June 9 during her contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.She highlighted that the Jamaica Union of Travellers Association (JUTA) was created by former Minister of Tourism Francis Tulloch with one explicit mission: “Jamaican hands drive Jamaica's visitors and with […]

TEHRAN, Iran (AFP)—United States (US) President Donald Trump said Saturday that a deal with Iran to end the war in the Middle East would be signed on Sunday, and that the strategic Strait of Hormuz would be "open to all" immediately after.Iran had offered a different timeline earlier in the day, but nonetheless signalled an agreement was in the offing, as both the warring parties and their mediators expressed increasing optimism that weeks of halting negotiations were drawing to a close.The […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica—When he made his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on June 9, Minister with responsibility for Land and Settlements Robert Montague could not resist the temptation to talk about his unlikely victory in the 2025 General Election after opinion polls had shown him to be the most vulnerable of Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidates.He addressed the matter on June 9 during his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the House of […]

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC)–Guyana's Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) says it has secured convictions against Cuban-born Yuri Garcia Dominguez and his Guyanese-born wife, Ateeka Ishmael, who were each found guilty of illegally operating a Ponzi scheme.Magistrate Sunil Scarce, sitting at the Vigilance Magistrates’ Court, sentenced both defendants, with both accused fined one million Guyana dollars (One Guyana Dollar=US$0.008 cents) and a one-year jail term each for the offence of operating a […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Justice Minister Delroy Chuck says $680 million in judgment debt was paid out during fiscal year 2025/2026, to satisfy claims against the government.“This will encourage judges to continue to deliver timely judgments and be a part of the process of delivering a stronger justice system,” he said.Chuck made the disclosure on June 10 during his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.He told the Parliament that, “As part of our commitment to […]

ACCRA, Ghana (AFP)—Ghana said Saturday it has formally lodged a protest over Canada's refusal to issue a visa for the World Cup to player Thomas Partey, who is facing trial in Britain on rape charges.In a statement the posted on social media by the Foreign Minister Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana called Canada's decision "high-handed and extremely unfair", calling Partey, "a key member of Ghana's senior national team"."Ghana has dispatched an official note of protest" to Canada, said the […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — After drawing more than 1,500 patrons to its debut earlier this year, Seychella Beach Society is set to return on August 15 with a new theme inspired by the hit reality television series Love Island.The event will be staged at East Beach in St Mary under the theme, "The Beach Becomes The Villa," promising an immersive experience featuring themed activations, entertainment and lifestyle offerings.According to organisers, the event's success was largely unexpected. Seychella […]

OCHO RIOS, St Ann—A woman reportedly died from injuries she sustained after being struck by a Toyota Mark X motor car along the Ocho Rios main road in St Ann on Saturday morning.Her identity has not yet been released.The Jamaica Constabulary Force Communications Network confirmed that the incident occurred sometime after 6 am. Further details surrounding the incident are still pending.More to come.

Jamaican reggae singer D'Yani has secured what could prove to be a career-defining opportunity after signing with UK-based independent powerhouse Lizzy Records, becoming the label's first artiste from Jamaica as it accelerates its international expansion.The move signals growing confidence in D'Yani's global potential following the success of songs such as Live a Little and Little Things, which helped establish him as one of reggae's most promising contemporary voices. Now, one of Europe's […]

ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica—A 19-year-old suspect accused of chopping his two brothers, one fatally, and wounding their mother, has been taken into police custody following a domestic dispute in Stephenson Town near Southfield, St Elizabeth, on Saturday morning.Police named the murder victim as Travis Williams, a resident and labourer of Stephenson Town, Seaview, St Elizabeth.A police report said shortly before 1:00 am, the 19-year-old allegedly inflicted chop wounds on his two siblings and mother […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Local Government and Community Development Minister Desmond McKenzie is mourning the passing of former Island Supervisor of the Bustamame Industrial Trade Union (BITU) Wycliffe Matthews.Matthews died on Friday after a period of illness. He was 90 years old."I am saddened to learn of the passing of Wycliffe Matthews and extend my deepest condolences, along with commiserations from the entire local government community to his family, friends and former colleagues. Wycliffe […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Paul Gray emerged as the overall winner of the Lindy Delepenha Golf Classic with 40 points at the Caymanas Golf Course last Saturday.Gray, who was winning the tournament for the first time, said he knew the course very well which aided his victory."I know the course inside out. Today, it played according to how I anticipated it, so it was just one day full of fun and so forth," said Gray, a Kingston College Old boy going up against a host of Munro College Old boys."The whole […]

Ottey Sisters, a movie about a horrific crime in Toronto, Canada 31 years ago, was released on May 29. It is directed, written and stars Dwight Benjamin, a Jamaican familiar with that incident.The one hour, 50-minute movie is released through Theater Giant, an American pay-per-view company. It recalls the August 1995 murders of sisters Marsha and Tami Ottey by Rohan Ranger, Marsha’s ex-boyfriend; and his cousin Adrian Kinkead.Benjamin, a Los Angeles-based film-maker, was dating Tami at that […]

LOS ANGELES, United States  (AFP) — The United States could scarcely have scripted a better start to their World Cup as a Folarin Balogun brace and Gio Reyna curler fired the co-hosts to a 4-1 drubbing of Paraguay in front of Hollywood royalty in Los Angeles on Friday.The hosts took the lead in the tournament's first game on US soil within seven minutes thanks to an own goal, and by the end of an utterly dominant half the home fans were in dreamland, their side up by three.Tom Cruise, […]

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump said late Friday the United States has carried out a deadly strike on the leader of Tren de Aragua (TdA), a transnational gang founded in Venezuela."At my direction, the United States Southern Command delivered a swift and lethal kinetic strike to successfully execute Nino Guerrero," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.The attack "was coordinated closely with our friends in Venezuela, with whom we are working very well," Trump […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s national record holder and national champion Ralford Mullings retained his NCAA men’s discus throw title after he threw 65.81m in a competitive event on Friday’s third day of the Outdoors Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.It was first and second for Jamaicans as Racquil Broderick of the University of Southern California was second with a personal best 64.15m.A third Jamaican, Christopher Young of the University of Alabama, was fifth with a […]

The Jamaica Police Federation is set to begin the process of selecting a new chairman following the promotion of its leader, Sergeant Arleen McBean, to the senior ranks of the Jamaica Constabulary Force as an assistant superintendent of police (ASP).McBean’s elevation marks the end of her tenure leading the organisation that represents rank-and-file police personnel, creating a vacancy at the top of the federation and paving the way for an election to determine her successor.The long-time […]