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KINGSTON, Jamaica — YARD Empire, a pioneering organization, has harnessed the transformative power of music to positively impact the lives of inmates at the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre. Through its recently concluded summer program, the initiative introduced incarcerated individuals to music theory and methodology, yielding promising results in behavior and well-being improvements. Founder Iris ‘Terri’ Salmon highlighted the program’s success, noting reduced disruptive behavior and enhanced overall morale among participants. Facility staff also observed significant changes in the demeanor and conduct of those involved. While formal research is still pending, Salmon emphasized the positive anecdotal evidence supporting the program’s effectiveness. She underscored the importance of addressing underlying issues such as trauma and providing inmates with productive outlets for rehabilitation. Salmon also pointed to a broader societal shift in Jamaica’s approach to incarceration, focusing not only on serving sentences but also on equipping inmates with skills for successful reintegration into society. She explained that life behind bars often fosters survival mechanisms that hinder reintegration, making programs like YARD’s crucial for creating a classroom-like environment that prioritizes learning over survival. Salmon advocated for more educational and skills-based initiatives, citing a RAND Corporation study that links prison education and vocational training to reduced reoffending and increased post-release employment opportunities. YARD Empire’s summer program featured three key components: creative writing, reading music, and a course on gender-based violence led by instructors from the Bureau of Gender Affairs. By teaching practical skills and fostering genuine interests, such as music, the program aims to empower inmates for life beyond bars.

A high-ranking official from the Japan Football Association (JFA) has been handed an 18-month suspended jail term by a French court after being caught viewing child sexual abuse images during a flight. Masanaga Kageyama, 58, the association’s technical director, was arrested last week during a stopover at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport while en route to Chile for the Under-20 World Cup. The incident came to light when flight crew members noticed Kageyama viewing the illicit material on his laptop in the business class cabin of an Air France flight. They promptly alerted authorities, leading to his arrest. The Bobigny court prosecutor’s office confirmed the charges, stating that Kageyama was convicted of importing, possessing, recording, or saving pornographic images of minors under 15. In addition to the suspended sentence, Kageyama was fined €5,000 ($5,830) and banned from working with minors for 10 years. He is also prohibited from entering France for the next decade and will be added to the French national sex offenders’ register. The JFA swiftly terminated his contract, expressing deep regret and apologizing for the incident. Kageyama, who claimed the images were AI-generated and stated he was unaware of their illegality in France, admitted to viewing the material during his court appearance. He was released after the hearing. Kageyama, a former professional J-League player and coach, had been instrumental in strengthening Japan’s football teams and nurturing young talent. His arrest has sent shockwaves through the football community, prompting calls for stricter compliance and ethical standards.

In a high-profile appeal hearing in Nîmes, France, Husamettin Dogan, one of 50 men convicted in a shocking sexual abuse case, is challenging his nine-year prison sentence. Dogan was found guilty of raping Gisele Pelicot, a 72-year-old woman who was repeatedly drugged and abused by strangers at the invitation of her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot. The case has drawn international attention, with Gisele Pelicot emerging as a symbol of resilience against sexual violence after waiving her anonymity during the initial trial.

The US Supreme Court is currently deliberating a significant case involving a Christian therapist’s challenge to Colorado’s law prohibiting ‘conversion therapy’ for minors questioning their gender identity or sexual orientation. The plaintiff, Kaley Chiles, a licensed mental health counselor, contends that the 2019 law infringes upon her First Amendment rights to free speech. Her legal team, represented by attorney James Campbell, argued that Colorado’s prohibition restricts counselors from assisting minors in aligning their gender and sexuality with their personal beliefs, labeling it as unconstitutional censorship. Colorado’s law, which bans licensed professionals from attempting to alter the sexual orientation or gender identity of individuals under 18, is supported by extensive evidence linking conversion therapy to heightened risks of depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies. The case is being heard by a conservative-majority Supreme Court, with Chiles backed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal advocacy group. This legal battle follows previous rulings by lower courts in favor of Colorado and coincides with broader national debates on gender identity and LGBTQ+ rights. The Supreme Court’s decision could have far-reaching implications for similar laws across the country, as well as for ongoing cultural and legal conflicts surrounding transgender rights and healthcare.

CLARENDON, Jamaica — In a chilling turn of events, the decomposed body of a missing 13-year-old student, Santina Sergeant, was discovered on Monday evening in a burnt-out refrigerator behind her family home in Baillieston, Clarendon. The grim discovery has sent shockwaves through the community and her school, Christiana High in Manchester. Sergeant, who had recently transferred from Excelsior High, was reported missing by her father on Friday, October 3. A search team from the Christiana Police Station located the body in an advanced state of decomposition, hidden in bushes under a zinc sheet near the refrigerator. The school has arranged grief counseling for students and staff as they grapple with the loss of a young life. The incident has cast a sombre mood over the community, with authorities continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.

Gerry Murray, a celebrated former footballer for Kingston College (KC) and Real Mona, passed away on September 15 at his residence in Red Hills, St Andrew. He was 75 years old. His younger brother, Richie Murray, confirmed the news in an interview with Observer Online, though the cause of death remains undisclosed.

Murray’s football journey began at Jamaica College, where he studied until fifth form before transferring to KC. He played a pivotal role in KC’s 1967 Manning Cup victory, scoring a crucial goal in the 2-0 final triumph over Excelsior High School. His talent earned him a scholarship to Michigan State University, where he pursued mechanical engineering and played alongside notable teammates, including Trevor “Jumpy” Harris, Tony Keyes, and Lennox Robinson.

In the 1970s, Murray transitioned to a defensive role with Real Mona, sharing the field with players like Stewart Stephenson, Peter Moses, and Ian Bond. Stephenson, a childhood friend, remembered Murray as an intense and competitive player who despised losing. Stratton Palmer, Murray’s strike partner from the 1967 KC team, described him as a quiet, soft-spoken individual deeply passionate about football.

Born in Browns Town, St Ann, Murray and his brothers moved to Mona in the early 1960s, settling near Buttercup Park, the community’s football field. Alongside Stephenson, Murray contributed to Real Mona’s victories in the Masters League competitions of 1990 and 1993.

Murray is survived by his wife Carmen, children Omari and Melissa, four grandchildren, and his extended family. A thanksgiving service will be held on October 18 at the Church of The Ascension in Mona, St Andrew, to honor his life and legacy.