CARIBBEAN

VP Records says it did not send a letter of support to United States authorities for dancehall producer Taugea “Countree Hype” Dayes, who has pleaded guilty to charges linked to the smuggling of 30 firearms to Jamaica.The record company was responding to a Jamaica Observer report that the label and a corporal in the Jamaica Constabulary Force have thrown their support behind Dayes in sentencing support letters to federal court judge Roy Altman.The letter referenced in the Observer report […]

ST ANN, Jamaica – Residents of Stepney and surrounding communities in St Ann are set to benefit from a rainwater catchment tank to be constructed, following Thursday’s groundbreaking ceremony led by the Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Matthew Samuda.In a release, the ministry shared that the $140 million project, to commence on June 1, being implemented by Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL), will deliver a reliable, regularised supply of potable water to over 1,100 […]

American rapper Rob Base, best known for the iconic hit It Takes Two with DJ EZ Rock, died on Friday after a battle with cancer, according to an announcement on his social media page.Base, real name Robert Ginyard, was 59.“Rob’s music, energy, and legacy helped shape a generation and brought joy to millions around the world,” the statement read.“Beyond the stage, he was a loving father, family man, friend, and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten,” it continued. […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaican-born Marcos James, best known for the pivotal guest star role of White Rat in Game of Thrones, as well as the series regular role of William French in Lifetime’s Keeping up with the Joneses, will return to the stage on June 4 as Minister Richard Allen — a leading role in the production The Fighting Quaker.As part of the celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary, The Fighting Quaker, which will be staged at the El Portal Theatre in Los Angeles, takes a […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Taxi operators across the island  have been placed in a “wait and see” mode following an announcement by Transport Minister Daryl Vaz of his commitment to meeting with toll operators to explore the possibility of providing a special concessionary fee for Public Passenger Vehicle (PPV) Operators.Vaz, who was speaking at a press conference at the Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre in St Andrew on Monday, to address the issue of an unfulfilled 16 per cent fare increase for […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Amid mounting public outrage over the controversial police killing of Latoya Bulgin on Sunday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has cautioned that heightened alertness among cops operating in violent communities must be carefully balanced with their core responsibility to “protect and preserve life”.Speaking at the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Staff and Junior Command Course 91st Cohort Graduation Exercise on Friday, Holness addressed the incident directly, describing […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — As part of Workers’ Week 2026 celebrations, two Kingston-based buildings under the Ministry of Labour and Social Security will be officially renamed.The renaming ceremonies, scheduled for May 26, form part of the broader slate of activities commemorating Labour Day on Monday, May 25.Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, announced that the ceremonies will pay tribute to two distinguished Jamaicans in recognition of their outstanding […]

Just days after postponing its Atlanta stop following a family bereavement, the Reggae Fest Tour has now officially pushed back two more highly anticipated shows featuring dancehall star Alkaline.In a statement shared on the official Reggae Fest Tour social media pages, promoter CJ Milan confirmed that the New Rules shows scheduled for Miami and Philadelphia will no longer take place on their original dates.According to organisers, the team initially believed they would still be able to move […]

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — United States (US) President Donald Trump confirmed Friday he would miss his son's wedding, insisting he had to stay in Washington because of "circumstances pertaining to government."Trump had said a day earlier that the Iran war made it "bad timing" for him to attend Donald Trump Jr's wedding to Bettina Anderson in the Bahamas this weekend."While I very much wanted to be with my son, Don Jr., and the newest member of the Trump Family, his soon to be wife, […]

Dancehall entertainer Brownskin Rae is embracing a more spiritual and introspective direction with the release of her upcoming single Father, a heartfelt track centred on faith, personal growth and resilience.Scheduled for release on May 22, the single showcases a different layer of the artiste, who has built a reputation for balancing melodic vocals with gritty deejay energy. This time, however, Brownskin Rae is leaning heavily into conscious themes and messages of encouragement.“I have been […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition Spokesperson on Environment and Climate Resilience, Omar Newell, is calling for urgent improvements to Jamaica’s climate resilience systems ahead of the hurricane season.Speaking during the 2026/2027 Sectoral Debate in Parliament, Newell said Jamaica can no longer rely on outdated infrastructure, slow preparedness measures and fragmented planning in responding to climate threats.He argued that climate resilience must become a national priority affecting all […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) is advising the public, airlines, aviation stakeholders and the international aviation community that temporary restrictions may be placed on parts of Jamaica’s airspace on Friday.The measures are linked to planned SpaceX Starship Flight 12 operations from Starbase, Texas, which could affect aircraft flying through the Caribbean region.In a statement Friday, the JCAA said the rise in commercial space launches has increased the […]

President of the Senate Tom Tavares-Finson has defended the decision not to table the controversial Integrity Commission report involving the Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA), insisting that Parliament “will not bow to intimidation or threat” amid mounting criticism from the Opposition.He also defended Speaker of the House Juliet Holness against accusations that she alone was responsible for delaying the report, arguing that the decision was made jointly by Parliament’s presiding […]

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has extended its Staff-Monitored Programme with Haiti through June 2027 as rising oil prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East add fresh pressure on a country already battling gang violence, political instability and a seventh straight year of economic contraction.In a statement released Thursday, the IMF said management approved the third review of the arrangement on May 5 and agreed to extend the programme through June 19, 2027, as Haitian […]

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AFP) — A hospital in The Netherlands said Friday it had admitted a patient with a "low suspicion" of Ebola, adding that diagnostic results would emerge over the weekend.The patient has been placed in a specialised isolation unit for observation, testing and treatment, according to the Radboud University Hospital.The hospital, located in Nijmegen, in the east of the country, gave no details about the patient or recent travels.Radboud hit the headlines on May 11 when 12 […]

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, United States (AFP) — Elon Musk's SpaceX will attempt another launch of its mammoth Starship rocket Friday, after the previous evening's try was called off over technical issues."Counting down to our second launch attempt," the company posted on X, adding that the weather was 85 per cent favourable for flight during the 90-minute test window that kicks off at 5:30 pm local time (2230 GMT).The highly anticipated launch will see the debut of SpaceX's third-generation model […]

Stationery & Office Supplies Limited (SOS) is intensifying its regional expansion strategy as it increases export shipments across the Caribbean and looks to venture into more markets in the coming years.Managing Director Allan McDaniel, in an interview with Observer Online, said the company exported approximately 12 containers regionally last year and is now targeting 20 containers annually as it seeks to strengthen its Caribbean footprint.“If we can get up to 20 containers a year, then […]

Like many children of entertainers, Richie Malvo was expected to follow in his parents’ footsteps into that industry. It took him some time before he decided to take the plunge and become a recording artiste.Son of singer Anthony Malvo, he made his debut last year with Yes I Love You. The follow-up to that song is Remember Mama, which was released in early May for Mother’s Day.“It’s my second song and it feels great. It feels like I’ve accomplished something great…it was like […]

As anticipation builds around one of dancehall’s most talked-about reunions, Zimi Entertainment has secured a key role in what is expected to be a landmark moment for Jamaican music culture.The entertainment brand has partnered with Reggae Sumfest to stage the official after-party following A Taste of Sumfest, the showcase headlined by dancehall heavyweights Vybz Kartel and Mavado.Set for Sunday, July 19, the premium Zimi Seh Brunch event will run from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm in St Ann and is […]

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — The Antigua and Barbuda Government has announced new measures aimed at enhancing public health safety amid concerns regarding the deadly outbreaks of hantavirus, ebola and malaria in several parts of the world.The Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Thursday said that following the declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO) that ebola has now become a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), it assesses that the current […]

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — A member of the MV Hondius cruise ship crew who disembarked in Tenerife and was repatriated to the Netherlands was confirmed Friday as a new hantavirus case, the World Health Organization (WHO) said."Today, the Netherlands confirmed an additional case among a crew member who disembarked in Tenerife, was repatriated to the Netherlands and has been isolating since then," World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Friday, adding that there were […]

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The public health risk from the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been upgraded from high to very high, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.The risk level remains high at the regional level and low worldwide, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference.He said there were now nearly 750 suspected cases in the DR Congo and 177 suspected deaths."The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is […]

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom (AFP) — Pep Guardiola announced on Friday that he will leave Manchester City at the end of the season after a trophy-laden decade that transformed English football.Guardiola guided City to 20 trophies, including six Premier League titles, and won the Champions League for the first time in the club's history.Aston Villa's visit to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday will be his final match in charge, although he is set to continue working for the City Football Group as a […]

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Cole Palmer and Phil Foden were among a number of high-profile players left out of Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad announced on Friday.Real Madrid's Trent Alexander-Arnold was also omitted, with Saudi-based Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney the surprise inclusion.Tuchel, a Champions League winner during his time at Chelsea, was hired to end England's 60-year wait to win a major international tournament.The German former Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich boss has […]

Jamaican chef Darian Bryan beat a talented field to walk away with top honours on hit American cooking TV show Next Level Chef on Thursday night.Bryan entered the finals of the TV show, which airs on Fox, competing to be named top chef against fellow contestants Connor Caine and Nicole “Cole” Lawson.The three were the finalists out of an initial field of 24, which under the show's premise, consisted of eight home chefs, eight social media chefs and eight professional chefs, all competing […]