CARIBBEAN

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Unity Cup has reportedly been confirmed as a FIFA Tier 1 event, days before the four-team tournament involving Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz is set to kick off in London.According to online publication Punch,  the designation ensures that “all participating fixtures carry full international recognition under FIFA regulations”.The tournament is set to start on Tuesday with the final set for Saturday, May 30, at Charlton Athletic’s ground.It features Nigeria, […]

Kingston Mayor Andrew Swaby has urged residents of Mona Commons in St Andrew not to take matters into their own hands following the murder of one of their own at the Papine Market.Colleen Bernard was gunned down Friday afternoon at the market, where she was a supervisor.In a video release on Sunday, Swaby called on the nearby Mona Commons community to remain calm and allow the police to carry out their investigation into the incident.“In situations like this, persons tend to want to put […]

LAS VEGAS, United States (AFP) — Juiced-up athletes gathered in Las Vegas on Sunday for the first-ever Enhanced Games, where organisers predict world records will be unofficially "beaten" by competitors using performance-enhancing drugs that have sparked health concerns.Around 40 sprinters, swimmers and weightlifters have spent the past four months in Abu Dhabi taking combinations of testosterone, human growth hormone, peptides and anabolic steroids -- all banned by events like the […]

Jamaica Insurance Brokers Association has hailed late Jamaican business titan Dennis Lalor as a transformational figure whose impact extended well beyond corporate Jamaica.“Dennis Lalor was far more than a distinguished leader in Jamaica’s insurance industry; he was a visionary who helped strengthen its very foundation,” Levar Smith, JIBA president, said in a press release on Friday.“Through his unwavering commitment to excellence, professional development, and mentorship, he cultivated […]

A team from the Allied Protection Foundation headed west on Saturday to assist in restoration efforts at the DRB Grant Demonstration Basic School in Catherine Hall, Montego Bay.The efforts were undertaken as part of the foundation's activities for Labour Day 2026.In a press release on Thursday, the Allied Foundation highlighted that the school was still reeling from devastation caused by the Category 5 Hurricane Melissa on October 28 last year."The Foundation’s involvement reflects its […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica  (AFP) — Prime Minister Andrew Holness has reiterated the Government’s commitment to the full deployment of integrated camera systems across the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), including body-worn cameras, patrol car cameras, and national surveillance infrastructure, as part of a broader drive to strengthen accountability and operational effectiveness within the force.The statement, made at the 91st Staff and Junior Command Course graduation exercise at the National […]

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Arsenal lifted the Premier League trophy after celebrating their first game as champions with a 2-1 win against Crystal Palace on Sunday.Mikel Arteta's side clinched their first English title for 22 years on Tuesday when second-placed Manchester City drew at Bournemouth.In action for the first time since the celebrations of their long-awaited triumph, the Gunners took the lead through Gabriel Jesus late in the first half at Selhurst Park.Noni Madueke scored […]

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom (AFP) — Erling Haaland won a third Premier League Golden Boot in four seasons at Manchester City on Sunday despite not featuring in Pep Guardiola's farewell at the Etihad.Haaland was left out of the City squad for a 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa as City celebrated Guardiola's trophy-laden 10-year reign in the manager's final match in charge of the club.Norwegian star Haaland scored 27 times in 35 league appearances as City fell just short in their quest to deny Arsenal […]

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom (AFP) — Pep Guardiola bid an emotional farewell to Manchester City as a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday brought down the curtain on a glittering decade under the Catalan.The 55-year-old announced Friday that he is set to depart after winning 20 trophies in 10 seasons that made City the dominant force of English football.Guardiola made his entrance to a rousing reception alongside a giant banner bearing his face and the message "Game changer. History maker. City […]

At least two Jamaicans are expected to compete in the drug-fueled Enhanced Games that are slated to begin Sunday, May 24, in Las Vegas.Sprinters Denae McFarlane and Shockoria Wallace both joined the roster of athletes earlier this year alongside runners including American star Fred Kerley and Guyana’s Jasmine Abrams in the track and field category, and swimmers including Antani Ivanov of Bulgaria, Miguel De Lara Ojeda of Mexico, and Emily Barclay of Great BritaThe Enhanced Games brands itself […]

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes set a new outright record of 21 assists in a single Premier League season when he set up Patrick Dorgu's goal against Brighton on Sunday.The match, on the final day of the Premier League campaign, was still goalless when Dorgu powered in a 33rd-minute header from Fernandes's corner at the Amex Stadium.Dorgu's goal gave Fernandes sole possession of a record he had shared with Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, both of […]

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP) — A shipment of 15,000 tons of rice donated by the Chinese government to Cuba has arrived at the port of Havana, the island's president said on Sunday.The shipment is the first batch of a promised 60,000 tons that China says it will donate to Cuba, which is grappling with dire shortages."That noble gesture of solidarity will reach millions of consumers throughout all the provinces and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud, in addition to our health and education […]

WASHINGTON, United States (CMC) – Jamaican-American Democratic Congresswoman Yvette Clarke has written to United States President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging an end to the oil blockades imposed on Cuba.In the letter, Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants and chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), appeals to the Trump administration to “relieve the economic pressure on the island, which has led to an increase in infant mortality rates, the threat of […]

MONTREAL, Canada (AFP) -- Dozens of sex workers in Montreal went on strike during the Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix, demanding better working conditions and the decriminalisation of sex work, protesters said.Around 200 people demonstrated on Saturday in the city's downtown neighbourhood, where numerous strip clubs are located, in support of the strike.Demonstrators carried signs with slogans like, "No to whorephobia" and "This slut deserves safety."One protester, Ella, who did not give her […]

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) —The United States and Iran could strike a deal to end the Middle East war as early as Sunday, Washington's top diplomat said, while Tehran insisted the agreement would do nothing to limit its nuclear programme.Washington and Tehran have observed a ceasefire since April 8 while mediators push for a negotiated settlement, although Iran has imposed controls on Gulf shipping and the US has blockaded Iran's ports.On Sunday, during a visit to India, US Secretary of […]

CLARENDON, Jamaica — A 54-year-old man has been charged after a reported housebreaking incident where he attacked another manJoseph Wynter has been charged with housebreaking with intent, assault at common law, assault occasioning bodily harm, and unlawful wounding.Reports from the May Pen Police indicate that a man was asleep at his home when Wynter allegedly forced entry through a living room window. It is further alleged that an argument developed between both men over several sheets of […]

Prominent consultant psychiatrist Dr Aggrey Irons has died.Observer Online understands that Irons passed away on Saturday evening. He was 74.Irons served as a senior medical officer at Bellevue Hospital for over 20 years and was known for his advocacy in support of mental health.He also served as president of the Medical Association of Jamaica and was a former chairman of the Jamaica Coalition for Tobacco Control.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Caribbean Airlines says it will discontinue flights to Dominica, St Kitts and the Ogle–Suriname corridor from June 1 as the Trinidad-based carrier pursues a codeshare agreement with an unnamed regional airline partner.The airline said the move forms part of a “continued network adjustment strategy”, while flights to Martinique and Guadeloupe will be reduced to twice weekly. Caribbean Airlines said it is working toward a codeshare agreement that will provide customers […]

Reggae-dancehall icon Capleton is feeling the love from fans worldwide as buzz continues to build around his latest single, Prayers Up, featuring Derrick Sound.The spiritually charged anthem, produced by Evidence Music, is now streaming across all major platforms and serves as the second single from Capleton’s highly anticipated upcoming album, Heights Of Fire, due June 26, 2026.Known for his fiery conscious lyrics and unwavering Rastafarian message, Capleton says the track reflects […]

For reggae singer Kenne Blessin, revisiting a classic is less about nostalgia than reinterpretation. The artiste's new version of Barrington Levy’s Vice Versa Love -- the 1990s reggae favourite celebrated for its gentle groove and message of reciprocal love -- has begun drawing attention across reggae circles.Kenne Blessin is pleased with the response he is getting by introducing the song to younger listeners while preserving the warmth that made the original such an enduring masterpiece"The […]

BARCELONA, Spain (AFP) — Real Madrid ended a troubled La Liga campaign with a 4-2 win over Athletic Bilbao in Alvaro Arbeloa's last game at the helm, while Mallorca and Girona were relegated from the Spanish top flight on Saturday.In the final round of fixtures, Mallorca defeated already-relegated Real Oviedo 3-0 to reach 42 points, but it was not enough to survive.Girona were held to a 1-1 draw by Elche, which kept the visitors up and sent the Catalan side down, just one season after they […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica – A St James carpenter has been charged with fraudulent conversion after allegedly spending money entrusted to him by a relative.Jordan Ricketts, 30, was reportedly entrusted with US$10,000 between July and August 2024, and asked to safeguard the money for the complainant and his wife to use while vacationing in Jamaica.However, upon the relative's return to Jamaica in April 2026, he requested the funds from Ricketts, who was unable to repay the money.Further investigations […]

LAS VEGAS, United States (AFP) — The drug-fueled Enhanced Games have put competing athletes under scrutiny, with critics asking why they signed up for a pro-doping competition that is potentially dangerous for their health, and to young viewers who could be tempted to emulate them.Asked for their motivations ahead of this weekend's Las Vegas multi-sport event, the responses ranged from the spikily defiant to the purely mercenary -- with a smattering of caution.Retired Australian Olympic […]

ST JAMES, Jamaica — On the heels of the death of a United States citizen, who was shot in a confrontation with police at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett is seeking to assure that Jamaica is safe for visitors."The Ministry of Tourism is very concerned about the safety of our visitors and we want to make it very clear to the world that when you come to Jamaica, you will be safe," he told reporters during a visit to the airport on Saturday for […]

KYIV, Ukraine (AFP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the US embassy in Kyiv issued warnings Saturday about the risk of a major Russian airstrike in the coming hours.Their alerts came after Russian officials said the death toll from a Ukrainian strike on a college and its dormitory in a Russian-occupied town in eastern Ukraine had risen to 18.Zelensky, posting on social media, said: "Our intelligence services reported receiving data, including from American and European partners, […]