CARIBBEAN

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Red Stripe has announced a significant leadership transition as Holly Bostock has been appointed as the new managing director effective July 1, 2026 and Managing Director Daaf van Tilburg will assume a regional role within Heineken’s Asia Pacific (APAC) region.Notably, Bostock’s appointment marks a historic milestone for the company, as she becomes the first woman to lead Red Stripe in its century-long history.The company made the announcement Thursday indicating that […]

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Drone flights will be banned over United States (US) stadiums hosting World Cup matches as well as over fan events related to the tournament that kicks off June 11, authorities said Thursday.On match days, unless specifically authorised, all aircraft, including drones, will be prohibited from flying within three nautical miles (5.6 kilometres) of stadiums and up to 3,000 feet (900 meters) above ground level, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The numbers are building and the buzz is getting louder as the Sunday, June 21 staging of the Powerful Women and Men Perform for Charity draws near.The event is set for the Jamaica College auditorium beginning at 7:00 pm, and rehearsals are underway in earnest as a number of political representatives, private sector and civil society are  polishing their acts.Miss Jamaica World 2026, Nevaeh Allen is one of the latest to join the list of performers, as well as Nekeisha […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica— Restaurants of Jamaica (ROJ), operators of KFC andPizza Hut turned Labour Day 2026 into a company-wide show of service, mobilisingteam members, supplies and meal support behind school improvement projects across western Jamaica and St Catherine.The company, in a press release on Thursday, explained that the initiative was built around community projects connected to ROJ team members across its network, allowing employees from different restaurant locations and internal […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Enhanced Games has increased the bonus for any athlete who breaks Usain Bolt’s men’s 100m world record at its 2027 event to $10 million, dramatically raising the stakes ahead of the competition’s second edition.The announcement came in a shareholder letter from Enhanced CEO Maximilian Martin following the inaugural Games in Las Vegas, where organisers said 13 athletes produced 21 personal bests under medically supervised enhancement protocols.Bolt’s long-standing […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Senator Abka Fitz-Henley, has criticised the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) for what he described as a “malicious tendency” to discredit “competent and patriotic Jamaicans” who serve in crucial posts.His remarks came in response to a statement issued by the PNP questioning whether Ambassador Antony Anderson formally applied for the role of chief executive officer (CEO) of the National Reconstruction […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Super-talented teenage singing sensation Sanna (pronounced SAY-NA) Moore has been generating a lot of attention in music circles with her powerhouse live performances.She wowed a large audience at the 'To Mom With Love' concert at the AC Hotel Ballroom recently with a rendition of Andra Day's I Rise Up, a powerful, soulful anthem of resilience, hope and perseverance. As Sanna's voice reverberated off the venue walls, it provided an aural nitrous boost that energised the […]

There are 10 finalists competing for the 2026 Mister and Miss Supranational Jamaica titles. The winners will be announced in a boutique-style event this Sunday, May 31 at the Louise Bennett Garden Theatre on Hope Road in Kingston.The finalists have been going through weeks of training and preparation for the finals. They recently spent a weekend at the Princess Hotel & Resorts in Hanover where they did an impromptu fashion show as well as a photo shoot.Serene Lloyd, the public relations […]

NAIROBI, Kenya (AFP) — A Kenyan rights group said on Thursday it had filed a court petition against plans to establish an Ebola quarantine centre for United States (US) citizens in the east African country.Washington is building a "state-of-the-art" facility in Kenya for US citizens to quarantine after leaving the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is battling a major outbreak of the disease, a US administration official said.Katiba Institute, a Kenyan rights group, said it had filed the […]

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — Global average temperatures are likely to continue at or near record levels this year and for the next four years afterwards, the United Nations (UN) warned Thursday.The 11 hottest individual years ever recorded all happened from 2015 onwards and the UN's weather and climate agency said the trend was set to continue, with a new hottest-ever year "likely" before 2031.There is a 75 per cent chance that the 2026-2030 five-year mean temperature will surpass the key […]

PARIS, France (AFP) — Mosquitoes can learn to associate the smell of the world's most common insect repellent with a tasty meal — and after training can even prefer to bite people who have been sprayed with it, an experimental study said Thursday.The surprising results, which were conducted "under very specific conditions" in the lab, do not "call into question the effectiveness" of the repellent DEET, lead study author Claudio Lazzari told AFP.Since being developed in the 1940s in the […]

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States (US) announced Thursday that it was allocating an additional US$80 million to help combat the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.The Trump administration has faced criticism from the Democratic Party and non-governmental organisations over its response to the crisis, which comes after the US withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development […]

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — United States (US) President Donald Trump could soon appear on a new US$250 bill in the Republican's latest move to shatter US traditions by putting his personal stamp on national institutions.A proposal for the new bill, featuring a glaring Trump, was reported Thursday by the Washington Post.If carried out, it would be the first time the image of a living person — let alone a president — had appeared on US currency in a century and a half.The design […]

NAIROBI, Kenya (AFP) — A vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus will be ready by the end of the year, the head of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said Thursday.The Bundibugyo strain of the virus that has caused a major outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo currently has no approved vaccine or treatment.Jean Kaseya, head of Africa CDC, said there were already "some candidates" for a vaccine."What we can tell you for sure, by the end of […]

NASSAU, Bahamas (CMC) — Caribbean climatologist Dr Cedric Van Meerbeeck is forecasting a quieter but potentially unpredictable Atlantic hurricane season this year, warning that even a below-average season could still bring devastating storms, dangerous flooding, drought, and extreme heat across the region.Speaking at the 2026 Wet/Hurricane Season Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF) in The Bahamas, he said the region is likely to experience a strong El Niño pattern, which typically […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Small Business Association of Jamaica (SBAJ) is congratulating Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson on his recent appointment as chief executive officer of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA), while urging greater inclusion of local contractors in national infrastructure projects.Anderson’s appointment was announced by Prime Minister Andrew Holness during a special post-Cabinet media briefing in the banquet hall at Jamaica House on […]

For Jevaughn Gordon, being named among Ignite Caribbean’s 30 Under 30 Changemakers is more than an award, it is a reflection of resilience, purpose and the belief that young people from underserved communities can create meaningful change across the region.The young Jamaican communications professional, journalist and youth advocate, who hails from Princess Field in Linstead, said the recognition carries deep personal significance because of the circumstances that shaped his journey.“I come […]

ROME, Italy (AFP) — Italy's health ministry on Thursday declared a red heatwave alert for the cities of Rome, Florence, Bologna, Brescia and Turin as an unseasonal heatwave sweeps Europe.The red alert, the first of the year in Italy, is issued to warn of "possible negative effects on the health of healthy, active people" and advise the public to stay out of the sun.Outside Rome's Colosseum on Thursday, tourists were struggling to cope with the muggy weather, with temperatures at 32°C."We're […]

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AFP) — Brazil forward Neymar is a doubt for the start of the World Cup after injuring his calf, requiring two to three weeks of treatment, the national team's doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said on Thursday.The 34-year-old Santos star will miss Brazil's two pre-World Cup friendlies against Panama and Egypt, but may also be out of their tournament opener against Morocco on June 13.An MRI scan "identified a grade two muscle injury... our expectation is that he will be available […]

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The World Health Organization’s (WHO) chief pledged to do "everything in my power" to help conquer a deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as he headed to the African nation on Thursday.In lengthy message to the Congolese people, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus insisted that "together, we will overcome this outbreak".According to its latest figures up to May 24, the WHO has recorded 10 confirmed and 223 suspected Ebola deaths […]

Jamaican model Romae Gordon continues to cement her return to the global fashion spotlight, starring in a new editorial for Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) showcasing one of this summer’s biggest eyewear trends.The editorial, titled “Heavy Metal Eyewear Trend: From 90s Inspired Shields to Sharp Rectangular Frames”, features Gordon modelling sleek, futuristic looks paired with designer sunglasses from luxury fashion houses including Prada, Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren and Gucci.Shot in New York City […]

The Bank of NT Butterfield & Son Limited has signed a definitive agreement to acquire CIBC’s 91.7 per cent stake in CIBC Caribbean Bank Limited in a transaction valued at approximately US$1.8 billion.The acquisition will create a major banking and wealth management platform across international financial centres and key Caribbean markets, with combined assets of roughly US$29 billion. The deal brings together two long-established regional banks with the aim of strengthening scale, […]

NASSAU, Bahamas (CMC) — The Principal of the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), Dr David Farrell, on Wednesday warned the region to brace for higher energy costs as it faces the threat of extreme heat during the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which begins in June.Farrell said drought conditions and excessive heat linked to the climate phenomenon El Niño are expected to intensify by the end of the year.Speaking at the opening of the 2026 Wet and Hurricane Season […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — A low-level jetstream across the central Caribbean has been generating very strong winds across Jamaica since Tuesday, with forecasters warning that hazardous conditions are expected to persist into the weekend.According to the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, the strongest effects are likely to be felt across southern parishes and offshore marine areas, where gusty winds and rough seas have already begun impacting conditions.The agency said the strong winds are expected […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Shot putters Shaiquan Dunn of the University of Texas and Kobe Lawrence of the University of Oregon, as well as long jumper Jordan Turner of Louisiana State, all booked their tickets to the NCAA National Outdoor Championships after Wednesday’s first day of the regionals.Dunn threw a personal best 18.81m to placed ninth in the shot put, while despite one of his shortest throws of the season, Lawrence, who only managed 18.69m, snatched the final place from the West […]