CARIBBEAN

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP) — Haiti coach Sebastien Migne said Friday his team are targeting a place in the knockout rounds of the World Cup as he named a 26-strong squad for the tournament.Haiti are returning to the World Cup this year for the first time since qualifying for the 1974 finals, where they have been placed in a daunting Group C that includes Brazil, Morocco and Scotland.Migne said while Haiti's main goal is to win a first ever point in the World Cup, the bigger challenge was to […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — In response to  what he described as “grossly misleading narratives” concerning the Government’s expenditure on relief and recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, Senator Marlon Morgan said Friday the Government is spending $67 billion on the efforts.In a statement, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Communication Taskforce member said: "The public should note that Finance Minister Fayval Williams had itemised the $67 billion being spent on Hurricane […]

ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — Authorities in St Elizabeth are working to identify alternative emergency shelters ahead of the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which begins June 1, while also seeking to ensure the parish has adequate safe havens should residents need to be relocated.Speaking during the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation’s monthly meeting on Thursday, Chairman and Mayor of Black River, Councillor Richard Solomon, noted that a high-level meeting held last week in Kingston with the […]

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Democrats accused United States (US) President Donald Trump of corruption on Friday after the disclosure of major stock market transactions carried out in his name, although his son denied there was wrongdoing."The President's corruption is a national security disaster," Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote on X.Warren referred to the purchase of shares in Nvidia -- the maker of advanced chips used by AI companies.Trump allowed the company to sell products to […]

It’s a “heart of love” affair for reggae sensation Immanuel “Ras-I” Kerr, who officially released his third studio album, Heart of Love, on Friday, May 15.The project is a compilation of groovy, feel-good reggae music with standout tracks including Somewhere Wonderful, Reggae Mountain and Oya featuring Govana.The Kingman Ting and Crazy Over You singer continues to cement his status as a hit-maker, with his new body of work serving as testament.The album launch, held at Janga’s […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Integrity Commission on Friday submitted to Parliament, four reports of investigation, together with associated indicative rulings from the Commission’s Director of Corruption Prosecution.Indicating that it anticipates that the reports, and the associated indicative rulings, will be tabled in both Houses of Parliament as soon as possible, the commission says the documents were formally received and signed for at the Parliament at 11:15 am Friday.Hard copies of the […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Mayor of Kingston Andrew Swaby has raised concerns about the implications of the newly passed National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) Act 2026, warning that the legislation could significantly weaken the authority of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC).Speaking during a council meeting, Swaby urged councillors to familiarise themselves with the contents of the legislation, describing its impact on local government as “significant and […]

VILLY-LE-PELLOUX, France (AFP) — A French toy spaniel named Lazare thought to have been "the world's oldest dog" has died aged 30, his carer said on Friday.AFP contacted the Guinness World Records to find out if Lazare had held the record before he passed away on Thursday, but did not receive an immediate response.Lazare, a Papillon dwarf spaniel with stand-up "butterfly" ears, was born on December 4, 1995, according to animal charity worker Anne-Sophie Moyon.He spent most of his life with […]

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) Friday said that a “security-related matter” involving a cargo aircraft had occurred at the Piarco International Airport on Thursday and “is currently engaging the attention of state security agencies”.In a statement, the TTPS said that in keeping with the heightened security posture under the ongoing state of emergency (SOE), routine checks identified irregularities which required immediate precautionary […]

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — The Antigua and Barbuda Government has given the green light to a new initiative aimed at strengthening multilingual education and deepening cultural and economic engagement within the region by establishing Spanish as the country’s official second language.A statement issued following the weekly Cabinet meeting noted that, as part of the national policy decision, the recently re-elected Government of Prime Minister Gaston Browne has mandated the Ministry of […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Accompong Electoral Committee says nomination day activities scheduled for Friday in Accompong, St Elizabeth will proceed as planned despite a Supreme Court injunction ordering a halt to the election process.On Wednesday, Justice N Hart-Hines granted an interim injunction staying both nomination day and election day activities until June 10, 2026, or until the amended application before the court is heard.The legal action was brought by Meredith Rowe, a former colonel […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Government will welcome Daren Tang, director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), for an official visit to Jamaica from May 16 to 20, 2026.The visit marks a significant milestone in Jamaica’s efforts to strengthen its intellectual property (IP) ecosystem, deepen international partnerships and advance innovation-led economic growth.The Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC), through one of its 20 agencies, the Jamaica […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Last month, EdgeChem partnered with Pentrilo to host Pentrilo Masters World Tour 2026 – Jamaica, an immersive, hands-on workshop designed to elevate professional painting standards across the island.Held at the Caymanas Golf Club on April 29, the workshop transformed the venue into a live working classroom, where Jamaican painters and contractors trained directly under internationally recognised decorative specialist Juan Carlos Paris.Participants engaged in advanced […]

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — A passenger from the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius cruise ship is in quarantine on tiny Pitcairn Island, a volcanic outcrop in the South Pacific famously settled by mutineers from the HMS Bounty.The woman, a US citizen, journeyed halfway across the globe to reach remote Pitcairn Island after disembarking the cruise ship in Saint Helena, authorities said."We can confirm that someone who had contact with a hantavirus-exposed individual is currently isolating on […]

AUSTIN, United States (AFP) — A new idea for combatting America's horrific problem of school shootings is to unleash an unarmed drone to confront the attacker, like a giant buzzing insect.It is the brainchild of a company called Campus Guardian Angel, which has pilot programmes using the technology in Georgia and Florida, with growing interest in Texas. These drones have not yet been battle-tested, however.The approach seems to reflect that part of America which says the way to address […]

After months of watching the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa from overseas, Sophia Brown finally saw the carnage when she recently visited her home parish of St Elizabeth.The singer returned to her district of Carisbrook in early March to distribute care packages to people still recovering from the category five force that struck Jamaica on October 28.Brown and a team from her Angel Of The Hearts Foundation presented 85 packages containing food, and essential items. The organisation […]

Twenty-five-year-old Montego Bay-based beatmaker and producer Justin "Mvssivh" Junagadala and dancehall star Popcaan are featured on two of Drake's albums, which were released on Friday.The Canadian rapper released three albums: the 18 track Iceman, Habibti which has 11 songs and Maid of Honour, which also bears 11 tracks.Popcaan is featured on the track Amazing Shape, which is included on Maid of Honour, while Mvssivh contributed to Ran to Atlanta, a collaboration between Drake, Future and […]

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States (US) is seeking to indict Raul Castro, the 94-year-old brother of late Cuban leader Fidel Castro, as Washington ramps up pressure on the communist-run island, US media reported Thursday.An indictment of Castro would be a stunning twist in the deepening crisis in US-Cuba relations, with the island enduring constant power outages prompted by President Donald Trump's fuel blockade.Trump has repeatedly signalled that he wants to topple the […]

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) convened a landmark meeting of its newly established Tourism Supply-Side Committee at Sandals Antigua on Tuesday, marking a decisive shift in the region's approach to retaining a greater share of the economic benefits generated by its most vital industry.Leading the charge was the Chair of the Tourism Supply-Side Committee and Jamaica's Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, who issued a bold call for concrete, coordinated regional […]

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Former Manchester United and England star David Beckham has become Britain's first billionaire sportsman, according to the 2026 Sunday Times Rich List.Beckham and his wife Victoria's collective wealth reached an estimated £1.185 billion (US$1.583 billion) this year, the Rich List compilers said.That moved them into second place in the list of the United Kingdom’s (UK) wealthiest sportspeople, behind the family of ex-Formula One chief executive Bernie […]

SHANGHAI, China (AFP) — Pole vault world record-holder Armand "Mondo" Duplantis admitted to nerves on the eve of the new Diamond League season on Friday as he seeks to extend his extraordinary unbeaten record.The United States (US) born Swede opens his outdoor campaign on Saturday in a loaded field in China that includes Greece's Emmanouil Karalis, who moved to second on the world all-time list in February with a 6.17m clearance in Athens.The competition in Shanghai/Keqiao also includes […]

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — French luxury giant LVMH will sell its Marc Jacobs brand to United States (US) brand firm WHP Global, the two companies said Thursday.Marc Jacobs, acquired by LVMH in 1997, will keep the namesake American designer as creative director once the transaction is finalized — expected by the end of the year once necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained.After a surge in popularity in the early 2000s, the Marc Jacobs fashion house lost momentum and made […]

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AFP) — A deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus has been declared in Ituri province in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a region hit by armed conflict, African health authorities said Friday.Four deaths linked to the virus have been confirmed through laboratory testing, while 246 suspected cases — including 65 deaths — have been recorded, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)."Ebola Virus Disease outbreak confirmed in Ituri […]

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — Caribbean countries are now better positioned to access millions of dollars in climate grant financing aimed at strengthening resilience and addressing losses and damages caused by climate-related disasters.The development follows a regional workshop hosted by the Caribbean Development Bank and the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage in Barbados earlier this week.The two-day workshop brought together government representatives and national focal points from 15 […]

Experts are cautioning that Jamaica may be moving too quickly to reopen the bird shooting season following Hurricane Melissa, which devastated the island’s forests and left bird populations struggling for food, shelter and survival since October 2025.Their concerns come after the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) announced that the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) has granted approval in principle for a restricted bird shooting season for 2026.NEPA indicated that […]