CARIBBEAN

KINGSTON, Jamaica —  The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is putting several emergency measures in place for the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season.Making his contribution to the 2026/27 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Local Government and Community Development Minister, Desmond McKenzie, said this is in response to lessons learned from the impact of Hurricane Melissa in October 2025.The NSWMA is already preparing to preposition equipment and […]

Foreign Minister Senator Kamina Johnson Smith says Jamaica and Ghana have renewed their formal cooperation agenda after more than two decades, with the resumption of the Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation, which will advance work in health, defence, trade, air services, culture, and education.The Third Session of the Commission concluded in Accra on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, with the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding for Cooperation in health and defence.Johnson Smith explains that […]

GraceKennedy (GK) will once again play a central role in strengthening the connection between Jamaica and its diaspora as a Legacy Partner of the upcoming 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference, scheduled for June 14-18, 2026 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James.As one of the conference’s legacy partners, GK will support several areas of the conference through its food and financial services businesses, while also facilitating the participation of Jamaican sprint icon and […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) is set to launch a new emergency communication centre, designed to improve response times islandwide through the implementation of an automatic station alerting system.Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, made the announcement during his 2026/27 Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.He indicated that 24 firefighters were specially trained in February as emergency […]

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP) — The United States (US) announced new sanctions Thursday on Cuba's president and some of his immediate family, alongside members of the Castro family, in Washington's latest ramping up of pressure on its communist-led neighbor.Among those targeted were the son and a grandson of former president Raul Castro, who no longer holds an official position but remains a key power-broker on the island.President Miguel Diaz-Canel, his wife and stepson were also hit by the latest […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, has announced the allocation of an additional $60 million to assist municipal corporations with improving emergency shelter accommodations across the island.He made the disclosure during his contribution to the 2026/27 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.McKenzie said the allocation will assist local authorities with obtaining blankets, cots and other bedding materials to […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Young Jamaica, the youth arm of the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), is calling on Opposition Leader and President of the People's National Party (PNP), Mark Golding, to provide an explanation regarding the status of his 2024 Statutory Declaration, which, it noted, has not yet been certified by the Integrity Commission.In April this year, when questioned during a media briefing about the absence of certification, Golding reportedly attributed the matter to alleged […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — A labourer of a York Town address, Clarendon, was on Thursday offered bail in the sum of $400,000 when he appeared in the May Pen Parish Court on gun-related charges.He is 34- year- old Hartley Blake.Allegations are that about 8:55 pm on March 6,  Blake was driving a Honda motor car on the Comfort main road in Clarendon with three male passengers aboard, when they opened fire on lawmen when the car was  signaled to stop at a checkpoint.The police say they returned the […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Orlando Bennett, the 2025 110m hurdles national champion, looks set to miss the Commonwealth Games later this month as he says he will forgo the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association’s national championships set for June 18-21.Bennett, who was second in the 110m hurdles on Thursday’s Golden Gala Pietro Mennea in Rome, the fourth stop on the Wanda Diamond League, said afterwards his next meet would be the Diamond League meet in Doha, set for June 19.A finalists […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Megan Simmonds won her first Diamond League race on Thursday after she ran a season’s best 12.50 seconds (0.8m/s) to win the 100m hurdles at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea in Rome, the fourth stop on the circuit.Simmonds, who got off to a fast start, held off a quality field to win ahead of former world record holder Kendra Harrison of the USA who ran 12.54 seconds and Nadine Visser of the Netherlands was third with 12.58 seconds.Danielle Williams was fifth with a […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The United States (US) dollar on Thursday, June 4, ended trading at $158.38, down 73 cents, according to the Bank of Jamaica’s daily exchange trading summary.Meanwhile, the Canadian dollar ended trading at $116.77, up from $116.18 and the British pound at $212.30, down from $213.17.

ROME, Italy (AFP) — Olympic champion Noah Lyles scorched to victory in the men's 100m at the Rome Diamond League meeting on Thursday in 9.88sec.The four-time 200m world champion American pushed Cameroon's Emmanuel Eseme (9.94) into second with Letsile Tebogo (9.95) of Botswana in third.Italian former Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs came fifth in 9.99sec.Lyles, 28, had won his first race of the season in Tokyo two weeks ago in 9.95sec.Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage produced a stunning […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — At just 31 years old, Nickole Donaldson has established herself as one of Jamaica’s most accomplished financial advisors, earning recognition for her exceptional work ethic, client-centered approach, and unwavering commitment to excellence.Born and raised in the cool hills of Manchester, Jamaica, Nickole’s journey is one of resilience, determination, and purpose. Raised by a single mother who worked tirelessly to provide opportunities for her family, Nickole learned […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — A bold new television series is sparking conversations about faith, relationships, leadership and accountability within church communities.Produced by Eric and Natasha Brown of Cinnamon Brown Entertainment, Sundays After Church offers a raw and thought-provoking look at life beyond the sanctuary walls. The series explores the untold stories, personal struggles and complex dynamics that often exist once Sunday service has ended.With a compelling cast and engaging […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Television Jamaica (TVJ) and Caribbean Premier Sports Ltd, operators of RUSH Sports, are reiterating that they are the only officially authorised broadcasters of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Jamaica across all television, digital and public viewing platforms.“Members of the public are advised that access to FIFA World Cup 2026 matches through side-loaded applications on devices such as Amazon Firesticks, Android boxes, modified IPTV devices and other unauthorised […]

Former Liverpool and England footballer John Barnes has revealed that he underwent surgery to remove his prostate after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, and is now encouraging men to overcome the stigma surrounding the disease and seek medical attention when needed.Speaking with Times Radio in the United Kingdom, the 62-year-old said his children persuaded him to get tested, a decision that ultimately led to his diagnosis and treatment.“A lot of men don't want to admit it or want to have […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica Premier League (JPL) champions Portmore United and runners-up Cavalier SC will begin their respective Concacaf Caribbean Cup group-stage schedule on August 4-5 with away games in Group B.The tournament schedule, released on Thursday, outlines group-stage matches running through mid-September, with the semi-finals slated for October and the final set for early December.Portmore United and Cavalier secured qualification for the regional competition after advancing to […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — An accounting officer/customer service officer employed at the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) was arrested and charged on Wednesday following an investigation into alleged financial irregularities involving student payments.The accused, Kevan Anthony Panton, faces 14 counts each of embezzlement, engaging in transactions involving criminal property, possession of criminal property, facilitating transactions involving criminal property, falsification of accounts, and […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Treasure Bay Estates has reaffirmed its dedication to real estate investment, national development and diaspora engagement through its participation as the platinum real estate sponsor of THROP-X 2026.The event, staged under the banner of the Jamaica Real Estate Investment Conference, brought together a diverse mix of investors, entrepreneurs, business leaders, policymakers, and members of the Jamaican diaspora to examine opportunities driving the country's economic […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Chairman of Parliament's Economy and Production Committee, Alando Terrelonge, has announced that the committee will undertake a comprehensive review of flexible work hours and work-from-home policies as energy prices continue to fluctuate due to ongoing geopolitical tensions.In a statement on Thursday, Terrelonge said the review comes as part of ongoing efforts to identify practical measures to enhance productivity, strengthen economic resilience and improve the quality […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The People's National Party Youth Organisation (PNPYO) has thrown its support behind the Opposition’s demand for the immediate resignation of Shane Dalling as chief executive officer of the Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA), following the findings of a recent Integrity Commission investigation.The call comes after an Integrity Commission report was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, detailing allegations of corruption, impropriety and operational irregularities within the […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Civil Service Association (JCSA) is calling on the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service to urgently address an outstanding travelling allowance claim that has been before the Government since 2024.In a statement on Thursday, the organisation said that for far too long, public sector workers required to travel for their duties have absorbed an unsustainable financial burden.“Since the initial submission of these claims, workers have faced significant […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has officially opened applications for the position of head coach of the Reggae Boyz, the country's senior men's national football team.In a post to multiple social platforms on Thursday, the federation announced that qualified candidates are invited to apply for the role.The vacancy comes after Jamaica’s unsuccessful 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, which saw then-head coach Steve McClaren resign in November 2025.Following […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — A new report released Thursday by Earth Insight has warned that some of Jamaica’s most ecologically significant marine habitats could face direct threats from offshore oil and gas exploration in the Walton-Morant block off the island’s south coast.The report, Fossil Fuel Threats to the Ocean: Marine Life and Coastal Communities at Risk, was produced in partnership with the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) and 10 other civil society organisations worldwide.In a […]

KAMPALA, Uganda (AFP) — The Ghetto Kids, a Ugandan dance troupe made up of street children, spoke of their excitement at being invited by music superstar Shakira to perform at the World Cup.The Colombian star last week announced on Instagram that the Ugandan kids were her first selection to join her for the half-time show of the World Cup final in the United States this summer.Unsurprisingly, that has triggered massive excitement at Ghetto Kids -- an NGO that started in the Ugandan capital […]