CARIBBEAN

Opposition Spokesperson on Justice, Zuleika Jess, is pointing to what she calls a crisis in the court system in western Jamaica, in particular in the parishes hardest-hit by Hurricane Melissa last October.Jess, in her maiden presentation in the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, called attention to the matter and accused Justice Minister Delroy Chuck of incompetence.“We cannot talk about a fair and accessible justice system when the physical infrastructure of our […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The People's National Party (PNP) on Wednesday called for the resignation of Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA) Chief Executive Officer Shane Dalling following the tabling of Integrity Commission Report 37/2026, which exposed systemic corruption, falsified government records and a catastrophic failure of accountability under his leadership.According to the opposition, the report raises serious questions about accountability at the FLA and warrants Dalling’s immediate […]

ST ANDREW, Jamaica — The Red Hills El Clasico Corner League competition is set to kick off on June 7 at the Belvedere Sports Complex in Red Hills, St Andrew, with 10 teams competing over 12 weeks for more than $600,000 in cash and prizes.The community tournament, which runs until August 23, has quickly become one of the area's premier grassroots football events, attracting talented players and enthusiastic supporters from across the Red Hills and surrounding communities.Defending champions […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jumpers Lamara Distin and Nia Robinson achieved podium finishes at Wednesday’s 2026 Paavo Nurmi Games, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Turku, Finland.Distin was second in the women’s high jump with 1.94m, while Robinson placed third in the women’s long jump with an outdoors season best 6.61m (1.4m/s).Four other Jamaicans all placed fifth in their events- Assinie Wilson in the men’s 400m hurdles, Roje Stona in the men’s discus throw, Ackelia […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The United States (US) dollar on Wednesday, June 3, ended trading at $159.11, up 34 cents, according to the Bank of Jamaica’s daily exchange trading summary.Meanwhile, the Canadian dollar ended trading at $116.18, up from $115.51 and the British pound at $213.17, down from $214.84.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) will be the main transportation partner for Reggae Sumfest 2026.The bus company made the announcement in a press release on Wednesday, stating that it will be offering dedicated transportation solutions for patrons travelling to and from the event at Richmond Estate, St Ann.“The partnership reflects JUTC's commitment to providing safe, reliable, and convenient transportation while supporting one of Jamaica's premier cultural […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Urban Transit Company Limited (JUTC) is reminding the commuting public that seating on all its buses is allocated on a first come, first served basis and should not be reserved for individuals who are not already on board.The State-run bus company in a statement Wednesday, said the reminder follows reports of some commuters occupying or holding seats for family members, friends, or acquaintances while other passengers are left standing despite available […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Motorists should see an decrease at the pumps in the price of gasoline effective Thursday, June 4, according to the latest ex-refinery costs from Petrojam.90-octane will be sold for $201.33 per litre after a decrease of $0.25, while 87-octane will be sold for $193.88, down $0.25.Automotive diesel fuel will be sold for $201.50 per litre after a decrease of $0.25, and ultra-low sulphur diesel will be sold for 208.35 per litre, down $0.25.Kerosene increased by $0.25 and will […]

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – The Barbados-based Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF) Wednesday warned of a potentially increased Atlantic Hurricane Season activity in the northern Caribbean during the three-month period leading up to the month of August.In the latest publication of its Caribbean Climate Outlooks, CariCOF said that the period June to  August marks the first half of the Caribbean Wet Season, the Atlantic Hurricane Season, as well as the build up to the peak of the […]

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Fraudsters are exploiting interest in the 2026 World Cup with a barrage of scams, as authorities and researchers caution against fake websites impersonating FIFA's official online presence to sell phantom tickets.Controversy has already swirled around the football governing body's official ticketing for the largest-ever World Cup, which begins June 11 with an expanded 48-team format and 104 matches across the United States, Mexico and Canada.As sky-high […]

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — The Government of Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday welcomed the country’s election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, describing the achievement as one that “will elevate our nation’s voice on the international stage”.The Caribbean Community (Caricom) member state was officially elected by the United Nations General Assembly to serve a two-year term on the Security Council from 2027 to 2028. Trinidad and Tobago secured 181 […]

MANCHESTER, Jamaica – Marvin Dean and Dudley Powell, the two men charged with a string of charges including uttering forged documents were granted bail in the Manchester Parish Court on Wednesday.Dean, a decommissioned justice of the peace (JP) was offered bail in the sum of $600,000 while Powell, a current JP, was granted bail in the sum of $400,000 when they both appeared before Judge Monique Harrison.Dean, 46, a resident of Cross Keys and Newport in Manchester; and Powell, 64, a […]

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP) — Visa and Mastercard payments in Cuba will be suspended from Saturday after United States (US) sanctions prompted a foreign bank to sever ties with a state-backed financial institution, Cuba's central bank said Wednesday.Washington-Havana relations have tumbled as the United States has slapped sanctions on Cuba, which has also been under a US-imposed energy blockade since January.Sanctions have notably targeted Cuba's military conglomerate and major economic player GAESA […]

Dancehall artiste Moyann has given her fans another reason to celebrate with the release of her highly anticipated EP, Miss Toxic, which became available on all major digital streaming platforms on Friday, May 29, 2026.According to the singjay, the project represents some of the finest work of her career to date."I am very proud of this project. It has a melting pot of sounds and I poured my all into every record. I want my fans to give this project their support and I promise no listener will […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Matthew Samuda, has called for increased financing, technology transfer, capacity building, and technical support to assist small island developing states (SIDS) in strengthening ocean governance and promoting the sustainable development of the blue economy.Speaking at the Island States Ocean Summit, being held from June 3 to 4, Samuda said Jamaica's future is closely tied to the health and sustainability of its marine and […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Caribbean Cement Company Limited (CCCL) says cement availability has improved significantly in recent weeks, with supply increasing by more than 20 per cent after heavy rainfall in April disrupted operations.In a statement on Wednesday, Managing Director Jorge Martinez said the company has been taking steps to stabilise supply and meet strong demand across the local market.“Between April and May 2026, CCCL increased production by more than 50 per cent and customer […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The policeman who fatally shot Latoya “Buju” Bulgin in Granville, St James, on May 17 has been charged with murder.Constable Andrew Wilson appeared before the St James Parish Court on Wednesday after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) ruled that charges should be laid following an investigation by the Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom).The constable was denied bail and ordered to surrender his travel documents. He was also instructed not to […]

PARIS, France (AFP) — Aryna Sabalenka's bid for a first French Open title was left in tatters as she fell apart in a bizarre defeat by Russian 25th seed Diana Shnaider in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.The world number one led by a set and a double-break before exiting the tournament in a blaze of unforced errors, collapsing to a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss in blustery conditions on Court Philippe Chatrier.Shnaider will face Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska in the semi-finals on Thursday, with Marta […]

NAIROBI, Kenya (AFP) — Kenya's health minister said on Wednesday that the United States (US) funded quarantine centre would proceed, days after deadly protests erupted over the project.The US-built facility at Kenya's Laikipia Air Base was due to open last week, according to US officials, to quarantine Americans arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is battling a major Ebola outbreak.But it has been temporarily blocked by a court order, and triggered protests on Monday that […]

Steve Barrow, a respected British musicologist who wrote liner notes for the acclaimed box set, Tougher Than Tough: The Story Of Jamaican Music, died in the United Kingdom on May 30 at age 80.His death has been covered extensively by UK media, which consistently acknowledged his voluminous writing, covering the history of Jamaican music. Barrow also worked in promotions for companies such as Trojan, Island and Blood And Fire Records.He co-founded the latter in 1993 with Mick Hucknall, lead […]

The family of late Jamaican business and tourism mogul Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart have announced that they have resolved their differences and are looking forward to the continued development and success of his legacy.The family made the announcement in a joint press release issued through the law firm LennoxPaton in The Bahamas.Following is the full text of the release:The family of The Hon Gordon “Butch” Stewart OJ, the founder of the Sandals & Beaches Group, are pleased to announce […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The National Works Agency (NWA) is advising motorists and residents that a section of Long Lane along Stony Hill Road in St Andrew will be closed this weekend to facilitate critical road repair works.The closure will affect the area near the Lane Landings housing complex and will take effect from 10:00 pm on Friday, June 5, 2026, until 3:00 am on Monday, June 8, 2026.According to NWA Manager of Communication and Customer Services, Stephen Shaw, investigations conducted at […]

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The World Health Organization (WHO) warned Wednesday that the Ebola outbreak confirmed to have killed 61 people in central Africa had a "big head-start", and said "blanket travel restrictions" were hindering the response.The outbreak was declared on May 15 in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, but the virus is believed to have been spreading under the radar for some time beforehand."The outbreak had a big head-start and we're still behind," WHO Chief […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Parts of Jamaica's utility sector have yet to fully recover from Hurricane Melissa as the country enters a new Atlantic hurricane season, prompting regulators to require stronger disaster planning and additional financial safeguards for critical service providers.The warning from the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) comes seven months after Melissa damaged electricity and telecommunications infrastructure across the island, leaving hundreds of thousands of customers […]

MARSEILLE, France (AFP) — Around 30 European and North American media outlets on Wednesday joined a coalition launched by Britain's BBC, Sky News and The Guardian, aiming to secure fair payment for news content from artificial intelligence (AI) giants.New members of the SPUR Coalition include France's CMA Media, Switzerland's Ringier and Canadian groups including The Globe and Mail and CBC/Radio Canada."The world's leading publishers are determined to open a new chapter in their relationship […]