CARIBBEAN

ROME, Italy (AFP) — United States (US) Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday he had a "very good meeting" with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican after President Donald Trump's criticism of the pontiff's anti-war stance.Rubio told reporters they had discussed areas of joint interest, including religious freedom and the threat posed by Iran, adding: "It's important to share our points of view and an explanation and an understanding of where we're coming from. And I thought it was very positive."

PARIS, France (AFP)—Parisian authorities have remanded in custody 95 people, including nine minors, following unrest in the French capital after Paris Saint-Germain reached the Champions League final, the public prosecutor's office said on Thursday.Another 14 minors outside of Paris were also remanded in custody after celebrations turned violent following PSG's 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich in Germany that sealed a 6-5 aggregate victory in the semi-final.The Public prosecutor's office said […]

PARIS, France (AFP)—The European Union's climate monitor said Friday that ocean temperatures are edging toward record highs as conditions shift toward a potentially powerful El Nino weather pattern.Samantha Burgess from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) said sea surface temperatures in recent days were just shy of the all-time highs of 2024 -- and May looked set to break its own record."It's a matter of days before we are back in record-breaking ocean SSTs (sea […]

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP)—United States (US) President Donald Trump and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday hailed a positive three-hour meeting in Washington, as the ideological opposites sought to smooth tensions.Leftist Lula, 80, who grew up dirt poor, and right-wing billionaire Trump, 79, have clashed before over everything from tariffs to Trump's bid to exert US dominance over the Americas.However, both men beamed in photos after a meeting that dragged […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica— Jermaine Harvey, the promoter of the three times a year event, Brunch at Brew’d, has promised that for this Mother’s Day edition on Saturday, patrons can expect a premium experience at the Police Officer's Club in St Andrew.“Everyone can expect to have premium fun at Brunch and Brew’d with a lot of food,” Harvey told the Jamaica Observer during a recent interview.For five years now, Brunch at Brew’d has been a favourite brand for people seeking to celebrate […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dana Morris Dixon, says amendment to the country’s legislation that facilitates adoption, as well as administrative changes in the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), will assist in making the adoption process less tedious.The minister noted, too, that critical to the process is a framework around fostering.Dr Morris Dixon was responding to questions during a post-Cabinet press briefing at […]

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Former prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago Stuart Young has called for the resignations of two senior government ministers following the murders of three people, including a two-year-old child on Thursday in Morvant, on the outskirts of the capital.The incident followed a similar pattern last month when three other people, including an eight-year-old child, J’layna Armstrong, who were also gunned down in Morvant in a drive-by shooting.Police say they cannot […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica—"For students who no longer have to wonder if their parents can find the money for that third or fourth subject, this bursary is a source of immense relief and motivation,” said Oneish Shaw, deputy head boy of Tarrant High School, speaking at the presentation of National Commercial Bank (NCB) Foundation’s 2026 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) national bursary programme, recently.Shaw’s words capture what the programme means at its most human level.For […]

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP)—The United States (US) military said it carried out strikes on Iranian military targets Thursday after an attack on three American destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran accused Washington of striking first.The violence threatened to unravel a fragile truce in effect since April 8 that brought an end to weeks of US-Israeli attacks on the Islamic republic, which has retaliated with strikes across the Middle East and by blocking the strait, a vital […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Richard Byles says many middle managers struggle after promotion because companies elevate strong technical performers into leadership roles without preparing them to manage people, arguing that the skills that make employees excellent individually can become liabilities at management level.Speaking at the Make Your Mark: Middle Managers Leadership Conference on Tuesday, the Bank of Jamaica governor said organisations often reward precision, discipline and individual output, […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Local makeup artist and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gabby Glam Cosmetics Gabrielle Waite on Sunday, May 3, 2026 opened the doors to a new space, Glam Haus by Gabby Glam, at 9-11 Phoenix Avenue, Kingston 10.The grand opening marked a special day for Waite who also celebrated her 30th birthday."It warms my heart to see so many of you guys come out today. I'm just so thankful and so grateful. I can't imagine myself celebrating my 30th any other way," she said.Among the […]

The deejay’s long-awaited comeback is already creating major buzz throughout the Caribbean diaspora and reggae community."Capleton is now working with the industry establishment, a move which has brought his career to a different level. He is now tapping into the lucrative marketplace in UK, and now Canada, which has a huge Jamaican community. We have to ensure that our artistes will be able to service their fan base in these critical markets," Cabel 'Jeffrey' Stephenson, head of Free People […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The United States (US) dollar on Thursday, May 7, ended trading at $158.74, up 26 cents, according to the Bank of Jamaica’s daily exchange trading summary.Meanwhile, the Canadian dollar ended trading at $118.07, up from $115.45 and the British pound at $216.29, up from $215.39.

KINGSTON, Jamaica— A book has the power to open minds, spark imagination, and shape the future, and for the students of Allman Town Primary, this year’s Read Across Jamaica Day did just that.There was no shortage of excitement at Allman Town Primary School in Kingston as CB Chicken joined in the celebration of Read Across Jamaica Day on Tuesday, May 5.What started as a simple reading session quickly turned into something much more.Across Grade 1 and Grade 2 classes, students leaned in, […]

Two Jamaicans will participate in the upcoming fifth Annual World Protocol Matters Conference 2026, to be held later this month in Budapest, Hungary.The conference is a global forum designed to foster international cooperation and standardise professional etiquette and diplomatic practices.“While it often operates in the background, protocol underpins all diplomatic relations and, executed correctly, can positively influence the outcomes of relations between countries,” Diplomatic Advisor […]

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday that more hantavirus cases could emerge after the disease killed three passengers from a cruise ship but it expected the outbreak to be limited if precautions were taken.Another sick passenger from the MV Hondius landed in Europe earlier in the day, as the vessel headed to the Spanish Canary Islands and health officials scrambled to map the outbreak of the potentially deadly human-to-human strain.The fate of the […]

WASHINGTON, United States (CMC) – The Donald Trump administration in the United States (US) says it is taking “decisive action” to protect US national security by imposing sanctions on Cuba’s military and elites.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, on Thursday said the administration’s sanctions are aimed at depriving Cuba’s government and military of “access to illicit assets.”Pursuant to President Trump’s Executive Order 14404 of May 1, 2026, […]

Khadija “Bunny” Shaw is set to leave Manchester City Women when her contract expires in June, with reports suggesting a £1 million offer from Chelsea FC Women is the leading option for the prolific striker.Shaw, Manchester City's all-time top scorer, is reportedly preparing to move on after contract extension talks with the club failed to produce an agreement.The news comes shortly after City secured their first Women's Super League title in a decade.According to The Guardian, the Reggae […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — American streamer IShowSpeed has arrived in Jamaica as part of his ongoing Caribbean tour.The viral internet personality, whose real name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr, is known for his high-energy livestreams and massive online following across platforms including YouTube and Twitch.Jamaicans have been abuzz on social media awaiting the arrival of the streamer, who has over 50 million subscribers on YouTube.As part of the Caribbean leg of his tour, Speed has already visited […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica Flour Mills Limited (JFM) says there will be an increase in the price of flour and select bakery mixes sold by the company effective Monday, May 18, 2026.The company, in a statement on Thursday, said this adjustment follows a sustained period during which it made every effort to absorb rising costs across raw materials, packaging, freight and other manufacturing related expenses."Despite these efforts, continued increases driven by global market conditions have […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Tax Administration Jamaica’s office on King Street in downtown Kingston temporarily closed on Thursday after a strong, unexplained odour forced employees to leave the building.Director of Communications Merris Haughton told Observer Online that staff noticed the smell when they arrived for work Thursday morning.Haughton said while she could not confirm, based on what she had been advised the odor was caused by an animal that had died in the area.The smell was immediately […]

ST JAMES, Jamaica — The National Works Agency (NWA) is urging pedestrians and motorists to obey the new traffic signals installed at the Fairfield Road/ Megabyte Drive intersection.The lights are now operational after being turned on by the NWA on Thursday morning, providing a new level of safety on the corridor."Pedestrians and motorists are encouraged to obey the traffic signals," Community Relations Officer for the Western Region, Janel Ricketts, told Observer Online following the […]

In a classroom filled with small voices and wide eyes, stories did more than sit on pages—they were brought to life. On the eve of Read Across Jamaica Day, the usual rhythm of the school day softened at Spanish Town Infant School, making space for the simple joy of reading.Conceptualised by Massy Distribution, now transitioning to Acado Jamaica, the initiative was designed to make a meaningful impact and that it did. Students were treated to an engaging session led by international author […]

Attorneys representing six policemen who are on trial for murder in the Home Circuit Court are awaiting a ruling from judge Sonia Bertram-Linton following an attempt by the prosecution to tender into evidence a document that lists firearms they say are not associated with the cops.The policemen are on trial for murder in relation to the January 12, 2013 shooting deaths of Matthew Lee, Ucliffe Dyer and Mark Allen. The three men were killed in an alleged shootout with the police on Acadia Drive […]

For most of his career, Anthony Malvo has toasted fans of lovers' rock with songs like Come Back to Me (with Tiger) and Can’t You Stop The Rain. He has no time for niceties on Corruption, his latest song.Released in May, the single is produced by Reggae Vibes Productions out of New York. The veteran singer takes shady individuals to task, whether they are politicians, corporate bigwigs or music industry figures.“Di song is about people on a whole, di people who pretend…gatekeepers. Yuh si […]