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  • KC, JC juggernauts to clash in ISSA urban U-14 and U-16 finals

    KC, JC juggernauts to clash in ISSA urban U-14 and U-16 finals

    Jamaica’s urban schoolboy football landscape is set for a monumental clash as powerhouse institutions Kingston College (KC) and Jamaica College (JC) secured their places in both the Under-14 and Under-16 championship finals following impressive semi-final performances.

    The road to the finals showcased both schools’ footballing prowess across different age groups. Jamaica College’s Under-14 squad delivered a commanding 2-0 victory against Wolmer’s Boys on Monday, while their Under-16 team demonstrated remarkable composure by defeating St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) 4-3 on penalties after a tense goalless draw in regular time.

    Kingston College responded with equally impressive showings on Tuesday. Their Under-14 team, maintaining an exceptional defensive record throughout the season, secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Campion College thanks to a 62nd-minute goal from standout striker Owayne Feautado. The Under-16 KC squad delivered a more decisive performance, overwhelming Mona High with a 4-0 triumph highlighted by Juvaun Buckeridge’s remarkable hat-trick. The prolific scorer, who netted over 30 goals last season at the Under-14 level, found the net in the 27th, 37th, and 51st minutes, following Rasheed Payne’s opening goal in the 19th minute.

    The stage is now set for Thursday’s championship finals where both schools will compete for dual titles. The Under-14 final promises to be particularly intriguing as both teams previously battled to a 0-0 draw in the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, the Under-16 final will see KC entering with psychological advantage having recently defeated JC 1-0 in their quarter-final encounter via an own goal. Despite previous results, both finals are expected to showcase intensely competitive football between these two historically dominant programs.

  • International chefs preview bold flavours ahead of Jamaica Food & Drink Festival

    International chefs preview bold flavours ahead of Jamaica Food & Drink Festival

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Food & Drink Kitchen transformed into an epicurean laboratory Wednesday evening as celebrated chefs from across the globe unveiled innovative interpretations of Caribbean gastronomy. The exclusive Chef’s Table event, an invitation-only preview for the 2026 Jamaica Food & Drink Festival, demonstrated how traditional regional ingredients are being reinvented through contemporary culinary techniques.

    The evening’s presentations revolved around this year’s festival theme: creative reimagining of familiar Caribbean components. Chef Scotley Innis, the Bronx-born culinary artist of Jamaican descent renowned for his Food Network appearances, showcased his innovative approach through dishes like crispy tuna served on sushi-style rice and peas, curry shrimp potstickers accentuated with scotch bonnet garnish, and an inventive coco-bread bread pudding complemented by rum crème anglaise and vanilla ice cream.

    Brooklyn-based restaurateur Chef Patrick Simpson emphasized traditional Jamaican flavors presented through novel formats. His culinary offerings included ackee and salomon gundy bammy bites, red snapper sliders accompanied by spicy calypso coleslaw, and pulled jerk chicken tostones finished with avocado aioli.

    Adding regional diversity to the proceedings, award-winning Trinidadian chef Brigette Joseph presented a fusion of Trinidadian and broader Caribbean influences. Her menu featured spiced goat dumplings with tamarind-soy glaze and chilli oil, stewed pork belly paired with macaroni-pie croquette and coconut callaloo, plus a trio of traditional Trinidadian chokas served alongside fried paratha.

    The mixology component received equal innovation, with Chicago-based expert Tyler MacLellan crafting signature cocktails using Jamaican rum and tropical flavors. His creations included the Starbird Lights, a honey-and-passionfruit rum concoction, and the Fyah Bird, made with clarified strawberry cordial, pineapple, and lime.

    Organizers highlighted that the festival, scheduled for March 5-8 in Kingston, will feature four signature events: KUYAH, DECADE 2.0, Meet Street & The Market, and Boozy Brunch. The Jamaica Food & Drink Festival, presented by VISA and hosted by CB Foods, continues to establish Kingston as a premier culinary destination within the Caribbean region.

  • Cuba restores power to most households after major blackout

    Cuba restores power to most households after major blackout

    HAVANA, Cuba – Cuban energy officials confirmed on Thursday that electrical service had been largely restored following a massive nationwide blackout that plunged significant portions of the country into darkness. The widespread outage, which began Wednesday afternoon, affected approximately two-thirds of the Caribbean nation, including the capital city of Havana.

    The Ministry of Energy reported that by late Thursday afternoon, the national grid had been successfully reconnected with approximately 80% of households in Havana regaining power. The initial trigger for the catastrophic failure was identified as a technical breakdown at the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, Cuba’s largest power generation facility, located in the central-western region.

    However, authorities emphasized that the root cause extends beyond mechanical failure to systemic vulnerabilities within Cuba’s energy infrastructure. The fundamental issue stems from critical fuel shortages that have crippled the country’s ability to maintain backup generator support for the national grid. This scarcity directly results from stringent United States restrictions on oil shipments to the island nation.

    Cuba’s electrical generation system has deteriorated significantly, with regular daily outages lasting up to 20 hours in some regions becoming commonplace. The current crisis affects all 9.6 million residents and occurs amidst heightened geopolitical tensions following the United States’ diplomatic recognition of Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate leader on January 3, effectively ousting Nicolás Maduro.

    This political shift has proven particularly consequential for Cuba, as Maduro’s administration previously supplied approximately half of Cuba’s fuel imports. Although Washington initially imposed a comprehensive oil embargo following Maduro’s departure, subsequent modifications eased restrictions after neighboring Caribbean nations warned of potential economic collapse and humanitarian consequences.

    Despite these adjustments, the Trump administration maintained substantial pressure through various blockade measures, leaving oil shipments from Caracas to Havana in operational limbo. The complete cessation of oil imports since January 9 has forced airlines to reduce services to the island and exacerbated Cuba’s prolonged economic difficulties.

  • Allen’s record ton powers New Zealand into T20 World Cup final

    Allen’s record ton powers New Zealand into T20 World Cup final

    In a spectacular display of power hitting at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, New Zealand’s Finn Allen rewrote the record books on Wednesday, smashing the fastest century in T20 World Cup history to demolish South Africa by nine wickets and secure a place in the tournament final.

    The explosive opener reached his unbeaten 100 from just 33 deliveries, obliterating Chris Gayle’s previous record of 47 balls, as New Zealand chased down South Africa’s total of 169-8 with a staggering 7.1 overs remaining. Allen’s breathtaking innings featured 10 fours and 8 sixes in a demonstration of controlled aggression that left the Proteas bowling attack in disarray.

    Allen found perfect synergy with opening partner Tim Seifert, who contributed 58 runs in their devastating 117-run partnership that spanned just 9.1 overs. The collaboration effectively decided the contest within the first half of the chase, with Seifert providing stability while Allen unleashed his destructive capabilities.

    Reflecting on his record-breaking performance, Allen acknowledged his partner’s role: “It’s easy for me when Timmy’s going like that. I can just watch and then hit it when it’s in my area and try to give him the strike.”

    Earlier, New Zealand’s spin duo of Rachin Ravindra and Cole McConchie had applied significant pressure, each claiming two wickets to restrict South Africa to 169-8 after captain Mitchell Santner elected to field first. The previously unbeaten South Africans collapsed to 77-5 before Marco Jansen’s unbeaten 55 provided some respectability to their total.

    New Zealand, who had qualified for the semi-finals on net run rate, now advance to Sunday’s final in Ahmedabad where they will face either India or England as they pursue their first T20 World Cup title.

  • France to let US planes not involved in Iran strikes use air base

    France to let US planes not involved in Iran strikes use air base

    PARIS—In a move clarifying its delicate diplomatic position, the French military confirmed Thursday that United States military support aircraft have been permitted to utilize the Istres air base in southern France. The authorization comes with the explicit condition that these assets play no role in offensive operations against Iran, a guarantee French officials state they have secured in full.

    The announcement follows critical remarks by President Emmanuel Macron, who stated on Tuesday that recent U.S.-Israel military actions in Iran were conducted ‘outside international law.’ The French general staff emphasized the distinction, specifying that the accepted U.S. aircraft are for ‘operational support’ and are ‘not combat aircraft.’

    Defining the precise limits of this cooperation, a statement detailed, ‘France has required that the assets involved in no way take part in the operations conducted by the United States in Iran, but strictly in support of the defence of our partners in the region.’

    Further contextualizing the decision, Alice Rufo, minister delegate to the defence minister, characterized the move as a ‘routine procedure within the framework of NATO,’ noting that such arrangements are automatic in some allied nations. She provided critical clarification on the nature of the aircraft, identified by flight-tracking services as KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling planes. ‘We systematically verify, and in this case, the aircraft that were able to refuel at Istres were aircraft used for the defence of the Gulf countries and not for American offensive action. That is the limit we have set, and it has been respected,’ Rufo asserted, unequivocally stating, ‘There is no use of French bases in the Near and Middle East for American offensive action.’

    Flightradar24 data indicates four KC-135s arrived at Istres from the U.S. base in Rota, Spain, on Monday, with a fifth arriving Wednesday. The aircraft have remained at the base since.

    Echoing the defensive posture, Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin drew a clear analogy: ‘a refuelling aircraft is a service station, it is not a fighter jet… the issue is clearly refuelling capability, that is the only authorisation that has been given by the president.’

    This carefully calibrated support reflects France’s overarching ‘strictly defensive’ stance since strikes began last Saturday. Macron simultaneously announced the deployment of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean, underscoring a commitment to regional stability driven in part by defence agreements with Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE. The decision has nonetheless sparked concern among left-wing French politicians, who warn it risks entangling the nation in a broader conflict.

  • JPS releases list of communities to be restored by March 31

    JPS releases list of communities to be restored by March 31

    KINGSTON, Jamaica—Jamaica Public Service (JPS) has unveiled its comprehensive strategy to achieve near-complete electrification by spring’s end, targeting the nation’s most isolated communities across four western parishes. The utility provider’s latest announcement identifies specific localities in St James, Westmoreland, St Elizabeth, and Hanover scheduled to receive grid connection before March 31.

    This development follows JPS’s successful February initiative that reduced the number of powerless households to under 9,000—representing just 1% of their total customer base. The upcoming phase promises to restore electricity to approximately 5,000 additional customers, marking a significant milestone in Jamaica’s infrastructure recovery efforts.

    The company acknowledges substantial technical challenges ahead, with crews preparing to navigate extremely rocky terrain where conventional machinery cannot operate. Pole installation in these remote areas requires specialized techniques that may prolong the process, but JPS maintains unwavering commitment to completing the task.

    Corporate communications emphasize that some households within targeted communities might experience delayed restoration due to property-specific issues. Customers whose buildings suffered structural damage or flooding during recent hurricanes are advised to commission certified electricians for safety inspections before reconnection.

    JPS anticipates approximately 3,000 customers will remain without power after March, with another restoration list scheduled for publication in April. The current initiative covers numerous communities including Huntley and Kemshot in St James; extensive areas of Westmoreland from Alma to York Mountain; multiple districts in St Elizabeth from Allen Crescent to Zeena Way; and the Haughton Grove to Miles Town corridor in Hanover.

  • Motorists turn out in numbers for Traffic Ticket Public Day initiative

    Motorists turn out in numbers for Traffic Ticket Public Day initiative

    Hundreds of Jamaican motorists converged on St Catherine Parish Court Wednesday for a special Traffic Ticket Public Day initiative, experiencing dramatically different outcomes in their attempts to resolve longstanding violations. The Court Administration Division (CAD) launched this unprecedented event to tackle a staggering backlog of approximately 200,000 outstanding traffic tickets dating back to 2018.

    According to Kadiesh Jarrett-Fletcher, CAD’s director of client services, communications and information, the massive accumulation resulted partly from systemic technical failures. “There was a period where the system malfunctioned, causing paid tickets to remain visible in the system,” Jarrett-Fletcher explained. “This technical glitch made courts cautious about issuing warrants, recognizing that many motorists had indeed settled their fines despite system errors.”

    The initiative employed a time-slot system to manage crowds, with officials anticipating resolution of over 10,000 tickets serving approximately 4,000 individuals. By 5:00 PM, the court had processed 4,571 tickets, with another 5,346 scheduled for night court proceedings.

    Motorists reported sharply contrasting experiences. Prince, attending to resolve a 2021 violation, described “pure rigmarole and foolishness” as he was shuffled between courtrooms. Dyonnelle, attempting to settle a 2019 speeding ticket, found the back-and-forth between courtrooms “exhausting” despite pre-registration.

    However, Andre Miller from Old Harbour reported a “seamless” process that resulted in a $9,000 fine for failure to keep left. Taxi operator Cowando Nodle praised the “smooth transition” and reasonable fines for his uniform violation summons, calling the initiative “encouraging” for motorists.

    CAD officials deemed the event successful enough to consider expanding the initiative to other parishes. “We’re analyzing data to determine where we implement this next,” Jarrett-Fletcher stated, highlighting the program’s potential to address Jamaica’s nationwide traffic ticket backlog.

  • BCDP marks 30 years of community investment with launch of Phase VIII

    BCDP marks 30 years of community investment with launch of Phase VIII

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s Bauxite Community Development Programme (BCDP) is preparing to launch its eighth operational phase in 2026, celebrating thirty years of sustained investment in mining-affected communities across the nation’s bauxite-producing regions.

    Established in 1996 and administered by the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI), the pioneering initiative has channeled nearly $1 billion in mining revenues back into local communities through seven completed development cycles. The program represents one of Jamaica’s most significant corporate social responsibility ventures, directly benefiting approximately 100 communities across five parishes: Manchester, St. Ann, St. Catherine, St. Elizabeth, and Clarendon.

    The BCDP’s comprehensive approach focuses on creating sustainable economic opportunities while enhancing social and physical infrastructure in rural mining areas. Strategic investments have spanned multiple sectors including agricultural modernization, infrastructure upgrades, vocational training, social enterprise development, and support for community-based organizations.

    The recently concluded Phase VII (September 2020-August 2024) utilized a $300 million allocation from the Capital Development Fund, with approximately $220 million distributed across key initiatives. This included $102 million dedicated to agricultural development, $80 million for community infrastructure improvements, $35 million for educational scholarships, and $3 million for small enterprise support and training programs.

    With December 2025’s injection of $400 million in new funding, Phase VIII will continue the program’s core mission of strengthening livelihoods, promoting rural development, and building resilient communities in Jamaica’s bauxite-producing regions. The upcoming phase maintains the program’s three-decade commitment to transforming mining revenues into sustainable community development.

  • Trinidad terminates Dwight Yorke’s contract as national team head coach

    Trinidad terminates Dwight Yorke’s contract as national team head coach

    PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) has formally severed ties with national team head coach Dwight Yorke, marking the conclusion of the Manchester United legend’s brief tenure. The termination, effective February 28, was announced Thursday as a mutually agreed decision following extensive deliberations.

    The separation comes in the aftermath of the national squad’s unsuccessful campaign to secure a berth in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The TTFA Executive Committee conducted a thorough evaluation of the qualification effort, examining not only on-field performance but also the technical administration and financial structure of the national program.

    Subsequent negotiations between the football governing body and the 54-year-old coach focused on revised contractual conditions and compensation packages for the next developmental phase. Despite these discussions, both parties failed to reach a consensus on the proposed terms, ultimately resulting in the decision to terminate the relationship.

    The TTFA emphasized the professional and respectful nature of the separation in its official communication, noting that “the door is not closed to future dialogue” with the national icon. The association extended gratitude for Yorke’s service and commitment during his leadership period.

    With the team now lacking permanent guidance, the TTFA has confirmed that an interim or permanent replacement will be announced shortly. The incoming coach will face immediate challenges, including preparing the squad for an international friendly against Bolivia on March 15, followed by participation in the FIFA Series tournament in Uzbekistan.

    The association reaffirmed its dedication to strengthening the national program during this transitional period, pledging to prioritize the best interests of Trinidad and Tobago football. Additional announcements regarding Yorke’s successor are anticipated in the coming weeks.

  • We have options

    We have options

    Jamaica’s Energy Minister Daryl Vaz has articulated a deliberate strategy of maintaining multiple options as the government enters pivotal negotiations with the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) for a new comprehensive electricity license. With the current JPS license set to expire in July 2027, the administration is pursuing a reformed licensing framework that prioritizes consumer benefits and investment attractiveness.

    Minister Vaz, addressing journalists at a post-Cabinet media briefing, revealed that a specialized negotiation team led by former ministry permanent secretary Carol Palmer and guided by UK-based consultancy Francis Maude Associates has already presented draft heads of terms to Cabinet. This document, which outlines the fundamental principles of the proposed license framework, received Cabinet approval on Monday.

    The negotiation process will formally commence in April, initiating a comprehensive 16-month sector reform program. This ambitious initiative includes drafting new electricity legislation, amending the Office of Utilities Regulation Act, strengthening enforcement mechanisms, renegotiating power purchase agreements, and developing updated policies addressing system losses and grid resilience. A draft white paper outlining the full scope of reforms will subsequently be published.

    Significantly, Minister Vaz emphasized that the government has prepared contingency plans should negotiations with JPS prove unsuccessful. ‘We’re not putting all our eggs in one basket,’ Vaz stated. ‘If negotiations with JPS do not prove fruitful, we have alternatives to ensure a new license is in place by 2027.’

    The minister also addressed JPS’s recent request for a 10-year license extension following substantial grid damage from Hurricane Melissa last October. While this request received support from multilateral organizations, the government maintained its commitment to the 2027 licensing timeline, separating hurricane recovery efforts—to be addressed through loan mechanisms—from the license negotiation process.

    Vaz concluded that this structured, reform-driven approach will deliver a modern, transparent electricity framework that protects consumers, strengthens regulation, attracts investment, and aligns with Jamaica’s long-term development objectives.