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  • Sri Lanka’s top monk suspended over alleged child sex abuse

    Sri Lanka’s top monk suspended over alleged child sex abuse

    COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – On Saturday, the same day Sri Lanka marked the sacred Buddhist holiday of Vesak commemorating the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death, the island nation’s top Buddhist governing body made an unprecedented disciplinary move: it suspended a high-ranking monk facing charges of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl, a case that has sent shockwaves through this deeply religiously conservative South Asian country.

    At 71 years old, Pallegama Hemarathana held one of the most revered positions in Sri Lankan Buddhism: chief custodian of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi sacred ficus in Anuradhapura, a site located roughly 200 kilometers north of the capital Colombo. This ancient tree is believed to have grown from a cutting of the original Bodhi Tree, the very ficus under which the Buddha achieved enlightenment, drawing tens of thousands of devout pilgrims and worshippers from across the country every year.

    Following the allegations against Hemarathana, the Malwatte Chapter Council of Monks formalized its disciplinary decision in an official public statement, confirming that the monk would remain stripped of all his official duties and titles pending the outcome of ongoing criminal proceedings against him.

    Law enforcement first took Hemarathana into custody on May 9, over claims that he assaulted the 11-year-old victim at the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi temple compound in 2022. Since his arrest, the monk has been released on bail, though a court has imposed a formal travel ban barring him from leaving Sri Lanka for the duration of his trial.

    What makes this case particularly notable is Hemarathana’s senior status: while a string of child abuse allegations involving Sri Lankan Buddhist clergy have emerged in recent years, he is the highest-ranking monk ever to face such criminal charges. The case also draws renewed attention to gaps in religious institutional accountability on the island: in an unrelated, separate narcotics case, 22 Buddhist clergy arrested back in April for possession of 110 kilograms of cannabis remain in custody awaiting trial, but have not faced any disciplinary suspension from the national Buddhist hierarchy.

  • Glittering Osaka edges Jovic to prolong French Open run

    Glittering Osaka edges Jovic to prolong French Open run

    PARIS, France — Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka extended her landmark run at the 2024 French Open on Saturday, outlasting 18-year-old American prodigy Iva Jovic in a gripping three-set third-round battle that ended 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (3/7), 6-4 on Court Suzanne Lenglen. The result pushes Osaka into the fourth round of Roland Garros for the first time in her career, marking a new career high at the clay-court major for the 16th-seeded Japanese star.

  • Montoconcho regulations: the outstanding debt that authorities are still evading

    Montoconcho regulations: the outstanding debt that authorities are still evading

    A recent minor traffic collision outside Santo Domingo’s Centro de los Héroes Metro station has pulled back the curtain on a growing, months-long mobility crisis plaguing the Dominican capital, exposing deep institutional gridlock over the regulation of informal motorcycle taxi (locally known as motoconcho) stands.

    The incident unfolded when a motorcycle taxi driver traveling against the flow of traffic scraped a passing truck, sending the rider falling onto hot pavement. Within seconds, dozens of fellow drivers surrounded the vehicle, blocking the main thoroughfare in front of the busy transit hub and snarling traffic for passing commuters. While the collision caused no severe injuries or harm to the truck driver, it amplified longstanding questions from frequent station users: why is an unpermitted motorcycle taxi stand operating directly adjacent to an official “No Passengers” sign here?

    Local residents confirm the informal stand’s appearance dates back to the inauguration of the city’s new Independence Corridor project. When existing public transport service disappeared from the corridor following the project’s completion, more than 10 drivers affiliated with local motoconcho associations MOHUDA and UNIMODIN gradually occupied a long stretch of curb space in front of the Metro station. To date, no local authority has intervened to remove the stand, which disrupts both pedestrian and vehicle movement on a daily basis. This unregulated encroachment is not an isolated incident: recent data from the Dominican Republic’s General Directorate of Internal Taxes (DGII) shows motorcycles have come to dominate the capital’s vehicle fleet. As of February 2026, the National District hosts roughly 841,647 registered motorcycles, with the national total hitting 3,954,053 by April 2026. Shockingly, 2025 data from the National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (INTRANT) reveals only just over 11,000 of these motorcycle operators hold valid legal driving licenses.

    To uncover who authorized this informal stand – and hundreds like it across the capital – reporters submitted three freedom of information requests to the Mayor’s Office of the National District and INTRANT, asking for public records of all permitted and registered motorcycle taxi stands in the capital. Under Dominican Law 63-17 on Mobility, Land Transport, Transit and Road Safety, the two institutions share formal responsibility for regulating motorcycle transport: Article 75 of the law states that motorcycle services are to be overseen by INTRANT in coordination with local municipalities, requiring joint authorization and an operating license for all motoconcho stands, plus a municipal registry of all permitted sites.

    What followed was a clear case of bureaucratic buck-passing. A senior source within the National District Mayor’s Office confirmed no such registry exists, after the agency’s Public Information Access Office refused to fulfill the request and redirected all responsibility to INTRANT. After a 14-working-day delay, INTRANT responded with just four lines of text, asserting that under current law, registration of motorcycle taxi stands falls exclusively to local municipalities. This directly contradicts a 2025 response INTRANT gave to an identical request for records of motoconcho stands in Greater Santo Domingo. At that time, the agency claimed the information was still in internal review and data collection, rather than shifting full responsibility to the city government.

    Even more striking, INTRANT’s own 2025 annual public report contradicts both agencies’ claims of having no active records. The report explicitly details the work of INTRANT’s Motorcycle Operating License Department, noting that the agency processed hundreds of applications to register new motorcycle taxi stands, update existing stands’ rosters, and conducted a full census of more than 200 motoconcho operating zones across multiple provinces including the National District in 2025. The report also mentions that INTRANT provided compensation and safety training to motoconcho operators displaced by new Metro and Cable Car construction in Los Alcarrizos.

    While the current system is mired in chaos, policy experts and existing planning documents outline a clear path forward to formalize the service. A past national motorcycle registration initiative launched in 2021 and discontinued in 2022 offers a tested framework for identifying and registering the country’s massive unregulated motorcycle fleet. The official Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan for Greater Santo Domingo also proposes a practical solution that does not require eliminating the popular informal service: instead of eradicating motoconchos, urban mobility specialists recommend integrating them into the formal public transit network as last-mile feeder services. Under this plan, designated, clearly marked intermodal transfer zones would be established near mass transit stations like Centro de los Héroes, physically delimiting operating space to prevent spontaneous encroachment on sidewalks and traffic lanes, reduce congestion, and protect pedestrian safety.

    This model has already proven successful across Latin America. Technical road safety reports endorsed by the Spanish Road Association highlight Brazil’s regulatory framework for motorcycle taxi services, which combines clear administrative requirements and direct institutional oversight to deliver smoother, safer traffic flow. The crisis of unregulated motoconcho stands in Santo Domingo ultimately presents an opportunity to turn systemic chaos into a efficient, integrated mobility model – but progress will first require an end to institutional buck-passing and a commitment to fulfilling the shared regulatory mandates set out in national law.

  • The dollar closes May with key movements: here’s how it impacts your wallet

    The dollar closes May with key movements: here’s how it impacts your wallet

    The Central Bank of the Dominican Republic has published its official weighted-average exchange rates for the United States dollar, effective through June 1 following the close of business on May 29, 2026. Per the central bank’s official announcement, the reference buying rate for US dollars stands at 57.83 Dominican pesos (RD$) per dollar, while the official selling rate is set at RD$58.70.

    This benchmark rate is calculated as a weighted average of all spot market transactions conducted across the Dominican foreign exchange market, covering cash trades, interbank transfers, and check-based transactions. Notably, the calculation excludes activity related to financial derivatives, which the central bank does not count toward core spot market exchange rate benchmarks.

    The established rates follow a long-standing regulatory framework set by a 2003 Monetary Board resolution, which mandates that the official spot market purchase rate be used for the daily revaluation of foreign currency-denominated assets and liabilities across the country’s financial system. Under this rule, all commercial companies and financial institutions are required to adjust their balance sheets to align with this daily reference rate, a mechanism designed to support overall transparency and stability in the Dominican economic system.

    Movements in the dollar-peso exchange rate carry direct, widespread impacts for multiple segments of the Dominican economy. For importers and domestic consumers, a higher dollar valuation directly pushes up the cost of cross-border purchases, ranging from staple food goods to imported consumer technology and fuel, which in turn shapes household monthly budget planning.

    However, the exchange rate shift creates uneven outcomes for different groups of Dominican citizens. For households that receive remittances from family members working abroad, a stronger dollar delivers a tangible financial benefit: each US dollar sent from overseas converts to a larger amount of Dominican pesos, increasing the purchasing power of remittance receipts for local consumption.

    As the month of May 2026 draws to a close, the performance of the dollar against the Dominican peso continues to act as a key barometer for both national and global economic conditions. Its fluctuations directly shape the daily financial decisions of Dominican citizens, from personal consumption plans to long-term investment choices, making close monitoring of exchange rate evolution a critical step to prepare for potential economic challenges in the second half of 2026.

  • Decree 301-23 Government increases anti-narcotics agents by more than 600: find out in which categories

    Decree 301-23 Government increases anti-narcotics agents by more than 600: find out in which categories

    In a landmark move marking a new chapter for the Dominican Republic’s anti-narcotics efforts, President Luis Abinader has signed off on the promotion of 634 personnel from the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD), fulfilling the provisions of Decree 301-23 that formalizes the agency’s official career framework for frontline staff. This initiative stands as an unprecedented milestone in the DNCD’s 38-year history: it is the first time since the organization’s founding that its civilian agents have received formal, structured hierarchical promotions.

    The promotions span all civilian rank levels within the agency, ranging from entry-level first, second and special agents, up through first and second officers, special officer, to senior first and second inspector postings. By formalizing these advancement pathways, the move locks in a permanent, transparent career structure that the institution has lacked until now.

    Notably, this executive order directly benefits all non-military, non-police civilian operational and support staff who make up a core part of the DNCD’s daily counter-narcotics work. Beyond administrative restructuring, the Dominican government’s decision formalizes the agency’s hierarchical scale, strengthens internal institutional governance, and formally recognizes the dignity of the dangerous work carried out by DNCD’s male and female agents who combat transnational drug trafficking.

    Speaking during the anniversary celebrations, President Abinader offered his congratulations to all DNCD personnel, noting, “On this new anniversary, I wish to congratulate all the agents of the DNCD, who with courage and bravery risk their lives daily to combat drug trafficking and related crimes.”

    Officials across the board have emphasized that this step represents a critical investment in improving working conditions for agents who put their lives on the line every day to disrupt drug trafficking networks and transnational organized criminal operations.

    DNCD leader Vice Admiral José M. Cabrera Ulloa extended a formal note of gratitude to President Abinader for his consistent backing of the agency. Beyond the career reforms, the president’s administration has also provided the DNCD with critical new resources and upgraded equipment to expand its interdiction operations and dismantle transnational criminal networks operating in the country.

    The promotion announcement coincided with the DNCD’s 38th founding anniversary, which the agency celebrated this Friday with a full slate of commemorative events. The day kicked off with a formal Mass held at the Cathedral of Santo Domingo, officiated by Coadjutor Bishop Carlos Tomás Morel Diplán, followed by a floral tribute to fallen agents and other ceremonial activities. Vice Admiral Cabrera Ulloa was joined at the Mass by his family, including wife Carmen Encarnación de Cabrera and their children.

    The anniversary event drew a wide range of senior domestic and international stakeholders, demonstrating broad coordinated support for the Dominican Republic’s counter-narcotics work. Attendees included Dominican Minister of Sports Kelvin Cruz, Deputy Defense Ministers Vice Admiral Agustín A. Morillo Rodríguez and Major General Carlos R. Febrillet, Armed Forces Inspector Major General Delio B. Colón Rosario, and Migration Director Vice Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester.

    Also in attendance were senior international partners: Rebeca Marquez, director of the U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), and a high-level delegation from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Southern Command (JIATFS). Domestic partners including National Department of Investigations (DNI) Director Luis Soto, representatives of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, heads of other Dominican specialized security agencies, former DNCD directors, and leaders of local prevention and human rights organizations also participated in the commemorations.

  • Celebrate at home or out? This is what the weather will be like for Mother’s Day weekend

    Celebrate at home or out? This is what the weather will be like for Mother’s Day weekend

    As the Dominican Republic heads into the weekend, the Dominican Institute of Meteorology (INDOMET) has released a detailed forecast outlining how shifting atmospheric patterns will shape conditions across the country for both Saturday and Sunday. For weather observers and residents alike, the two-day outlook points to consistent hazy conditions paired with isolated afternoon precipitation concentrated in specific geographic zones.

    On Saturday, the combination of a stable anticyclonic system and incoming Saharan dust particles will create a muted, grayish sky across nearly the entire country. Morning hours will stay largely dry, with very little precipitation expected across most Dominican provinces. As temperatures rise through the afternoon, localized dynamics will trigger weather activity in higher terrain and northern regions: daytime orographic heating and the consistent drag of a southeast wind will combine to spark scattered, widely isolated showers. The forecast notes a moderate chance of accompanying thunderstorms and gusty wind bursts across three key areas: the country’s northwest, the shared border region with Haiti, and the Central Mountain Range.

    For Sunday, INDOMET’s forecast carries over many of the same core trends, with subtle shifts in precipitation risk. Morning hours will again bring overcast, gray-tinted skies to most provinces, with unseasonably warm, muggy conditions expected as humidity builds through the early part of the day. By afternoon, similar dynamics will drive isolated, passing showers in the same northwest, border and Central Mountain Range regions. The biggest change from Saturday’s outlook is a reduced chance of thunderstorms and strong wind gusts on Sunday, as atmospheric instability is expected to be slightly lower.

    The forecast also included specific outlooks for the country’s most heavily populated urban areas. The National District, which encompasses the capital city of Santo Domingo, is expected to see gray skies and warm temperatures through Sunday afternoon. The broader Santo Domingo province will see identical conditions: hot, hazy weather with gray overcast skies during afternoon hours.

  • Auction Sale

    Auction Sale

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  • Spice erupts with Volcano

    Spice erupts with Volcano

    After decades of dominating the global dancehall scene, the self-proclaimed Queen of Dancehall Spice is back with a scorching new release that’s poised to own summer playlists across every continent. Titled *Volcano*, the high-octane track marks the first official single from the icon’s upcoming studio album, distributed through iconic independent label Easy Star Records.

    Far more than a simple seasonal bop, *Volcano* stands as a bold cultural statement — one that channels the unapologetic confidence, magnetic charisma, and larger-than-life stage energy that has defined Spice’s 25-plus year career. Co-produced by Spice herself alongside Grammy Award-winning producer Antaeus, the track strikes a masterful balance between raw, authentic dancehall grit and a polished, globally accessible sound crafted to resonate with audiences far beyond Caribbean borders.

    Built around a throbbing, pulsating beat and instantly memorable lyrics — headlined by the viral-ready line “My body hot like volcano” — the song turns the idea of “hot” into a full cultural movement. It celebrates unfiltered self-expression, radical self-confidence, unapologetic fun, and boundary-pushing fashion, all delivered through Spice’s one-of-a-kind vocal delivery that blends playful bravado with infectious, high-energy rhythm. Whether played at Caribbean carnivals, European music festivals, or nightclub sound systems around the world, *Volcano* is engineered to get crowds moving.

    In a statement accompanying the track’s release, Spice opened up about the creative vision behind the project: “I wanted the music and the visual to feel explosive, fearless, and authentic to the energy that’s been inside me this entire era.”

    Spice’s career has long been defined by breaking barriers and redefining what success looks like for Jamaican women in dancehall. Currently ranked as the second-highest streaming Jamaican female artist in the world, she has built an unparalleled resume of record-breaking milestones: multiple nine-figure streaming hits, regular entries on Billboard music charts, a Grammy nomination, and historic gold and platinum certifications across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. She also earned mainstream mainstream recognition through a starring role on the hit VH1 reality series *Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta*.

    Her 2022 release *Mirror 25*, a project celebrating her 25-year legacy in the genre, earned widespread critical acclaim, and she has since continued her global domination with sold-out headline performances, a viral fan-favorite reunion with dancehall legend Vybz Kartel, and a historic, well-received run of sets on the UK festival circuit.

    A pioneer for independent Jamaican artists, Spice has repeatedly smashed industry expectations through her own label, Spice Official Entertainment, earning independent chart placements on both Billboard and the UK Official Albums Chart. She made history as the first Jamaican female artist in more than 30 years to earn gold certification in the United States, and her global crossover hit *Go Down Deh* has racked up more than 400 million total streams worldwide. Just recently, she notched another historic win, becoming the first Jamaican female artist to land a lead single with more than 300 million streams on Spotify — a feat that solidifies her standing as one of the most commercially successful and culturally influential figures in modern dancehall.

    With *Volcano*, Spice once again proves why she has retained her crown as one of the genre’s most dominant and beloved voices. Loud, unapologetic, and instantly addictive, the scorching new single builds massive anticipation for her forthcoming full-length album, which is expected to drop later this year.

  • Current and ex-JP in legal trouble

    Current and ex-JP in legal trouble

    MANDEVILLE, Jamaica — A brazen corruption and forgery ring operating out of a regional traffic services facility has landed two men — one sitting justice of the peace and one decommissioned JP — in police custody, facing a raft of criminal charges that have raised serious questions about public trust in the honorary office in Jamaica.

    The two accused have been identified as 46-year-old Marvin Dean, a resident of Cross Keys and Newport in Manchester Parish, and 64-year-old Dudley Powell, a local businessman based in Glenco, Spalding, along the shared border of Clarendon and Manchester parishes. Dean, who had already been stripped of his JP commission earlier in 2024 over accusations of charging unauthorized fees for official JP services, now faces 12 separate criminal charges, while Powell, the current sitting JP, faces four counts.

    Law enforcement officials confirm the pair were taken into custody during a targeted police operation carried out last week at the Mandeville Service Hub operated by the Island Traffic Authority. Investigators allege the men had been posing as licensed medical professionals to illegally sign off on mandatory health check requirements for driver’s licence applications, collecting illegal payments from applicants in exchange for the fraudulent signatures. The coordinated arrests were executed on May 18 as part of a broader ongoing probe into misconduct by officials in the JP system.

    Following their detention, Dean was formally charged on Thursday with offenses including impersonating a medical doctor, cheating public revenue, uttering forged documents, possession of falsified official materials, forgery of a government seal, using a forged notary public seal, obtaining funds through false pretence, conspiracy to commit fraud, attempted bribery, and possession of a forged official stamp. The following day, Powell was charged with cheating public revenue, conspiracy, fraudulent use of an official government seal, and misconduct in a public office. Both men are scheduled to make their first court appearance at the Manchester Parish Court next Wednesday.

    Garfield Green, the Custos of Manchester, confirmed to local media that Dean had been decommissioned from his post as a justice of the peace earlier this year specifically over claims he was charging residents for access to JP services, which are required by law to be provided free of charge to the public. Speaking to the Jamaica Observer on Friday, Green noted that the unfolding case carries significant risks to public confidence in the integrity of the justice of the peace office, adding that his administrative team is collaborating fully with law enforcement to advance the investigation.

    Green also revealed that the charges against Dean and Powell are not an isolated incident: multiple other allegations of improper conduct by sitting and former JPs have emerged, which have already prompted a wider police investigation into systemic misconduct in the region.

    To help the public protect themselves from fraudulent activity, Green issued a public reminder of core rules governing official JP documentation. He explained that all official documents signed by a justice of the peace — with the sole exception of photo authentication — require an official government-issued seal to be considered valid. When a JP receives their commission, they are provided with an official government seal, which must be affixed to every document they sign; any document that bears only a signature without the required seal is not legally valid, Green emphasized.

    Green clarified that while it is not illegal for JPs to use custom rubber stamps to reduce repeated handwriting on routine forms, these stamps do not replace the requirement for an official seal. He also reiterated that no JP is authorized to charge any fee for any service provided in their official capacity as a justice of the peace. “There is not one single thing a JP can do for you out of the office of a justice of the peace that costs you a penny,” Green stated.

    In closing, Green called on members of the public to collaborate with authorities to root out ongoing misconduct, noting that while investigators have received widespread anecdotal reports and rumors of illegal activity by corrupt JPs, tangible evidence from witnesses and victims is required to pursue formal action. “We need the public to work with us to provide evidence of any information that they have of persons carrying out illegal activities in this way. We have heard rumours and heard people making comments, but we need evidence to act on,” he added.

  • Bartlett reiterates need for tourism pivot

    Bartlett reiterates need for tourism pivot

    At a strategic industry workshop held Thursday on the Mona campus of Jamaica’s The University of the West Indies, St. Andrew, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has called for a fundamental reimagining of Jamaica’s tourism sector, urging stakeholders to move beyond outdated metrics of visitor arrivals and hotel occupancy and reposition the industry as an inclusive engine of national growth.\n\nOpening the workshop, titled ‘The Event Playbook: Strategies for Event Tourism Success’, Bartlett reflected on decades of narrow public perception surrounding Jamaican tourism. For generations, he explained, the sector was widely viewed as an exclusive space, reserved only for large hotel chains, big corporate players, and disconnected from the daily lives and economic prospects of ordinary Jamaicans. This exclusion, he noted, stretched across small business owners, local community groups, creative practitioners, small-scale farmers, local artisans, and young Jamaicans seeking economic opportunity.\n\nBut that outdated narrative is rapidly changing, Bartlett emphasized, pointing to tangible shifts that have opened new doors for broad-based participation in tourism’s growth. He credited this transformation to intentional government policy reforms, deliberate efforts to build stronger connections between tourism and other domestic sectors, and a steady expansion of the country’s tourism product portfolio. Beyond traditional beach and resort offerings, Jamaica now nurtures fast-growing segments including community-led cultural tourism, local gastronomy tourism, sports and event tourism, health and wellness tourism, and tourism anchored in the island’s creative economy.\n\nUsing the workshop as a platform to reinforce his bold strategic agenda, Bartlett reaffirmed his vision for the transformative Tourism 3.0 initiative, a framework built from the ground up to expand the overall tourism economy by centering broad participation across all segments of Jamaican society.\n\n“Tourism 3.0 marks a fundamental paradigm shift,” Bartlett said. “It tells us that we can no longer reduce tourism to just counting arrivals, filling hotel rooms, and managing attractions. Instead, we must frame tourism as a cross-cutting national development platform. It must create space for Jamaicans to participate not just as employees, but as business owners, local suppliers, content creators, innovators, independent service providers, and entrepreneurs.”\n\nWhen Bartlett first unveiled the Tourism 3.0 concept, he framed it as a total reset for Jamaica’s tourism industry, built on a completely new operational framework. Today, he reaffirmed that the shift is designed to modernize the sector’s operating model, making it more efficient, far more inclusive, and accessible to a much wider range of investors and local stakeholders — with a specific focus on small operators and creative entrepreneurs, who have long been sidelined from the sector’s historic growth.\n\nA core element of the new framework is a strategic geographic differentiation of tourism experiences across the island, ensuring every region can leverage its unique strengths to drive local economic growth. Bartlett outlined that the island’s south coast will be developed as a global hub for accessible tourism, delivering one-of-a-kind experiences that cater to under-served visitor segments. The well-established north coast will retain its role as Jamaica’s anchor for high-end wealth and luxury tourism, a position complemented by the unique offerings of the north-eastern corridor.\n\nLooking ahead, a major new priority for the Tourism 3.0 agenda is the development of urban city tourism, with the capital city Kingston positioned to take on a new leading role in the country’s tourism ecosystem. “City tourism is a big priority for us moving forward,” Bartlett said. “And that means Kingston is ready to claim its rightful place in Jamaica’s tourism story.”