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  • Oakley sets facility record to lead qualifying for NCAA National Championships

    Oakley sets facility record to lead qualifying for NCAA National Championships

    The final qualifying rounds for the NCAA National Track and Field Championships wrapped up this weekend with standout performances across two regional venues, as dozens of top collegiate athletes secured their spots in the national competition.

    At the East Regionals hosted by the University of Kentucky on Saturday, University of Georgia sprinter Dejanae Oakley delivered a historic performance to top the women’s 400-meter qualifying rankings. Oakley, who already holds the world’s fastest time in the event this year – a 48.92-second run that earned her the Southeastern Conference championship title two weeks prior – shattered the venue’s existing facility record with a 49.48-second finish. The previous record of 50.30 seconds had been set two years earlier by Aaliyah Butler, another University of Georgia sprinter, meaning the facility mark remains in Bulldog hands.

    Oakley was not the only athlete to hit a new personal best on her path to nationals. Northwestern State’s Rushana Dwyer clocked her second career best time in the women’s 400m, finishing with a 50.81-second run to advance. LSU’s Skyler Franklin also hit a new personal record, posting a 50.83-second time that makes her the current world leader in the under-20 category for the event, and earned her a spot at the national championships.

    In the women’s 100-meter, Florida State’s Shenese Walker – the current Atlantic Coast Conference double sprint champion – secured her national spot with a 10.88-second finish, aided by a 1.1m/s tailwind. She will be joined at nationals by University of Florida’s Gabrielle Matthews, who achieved a rare double qualification over the weekend. Matthews ran 11.02 seconds in the 100m with matching 1.1m/s wind conditions, and followed that up with a 22.78-second finish in the 200m (with a 0.8m/s tailwind) to book two spots in the national competition.

    Field event competitors also turned in strong qualifying performances at the East Regional. Clemson’s Shantae Foreman earned her second qualification of the weekend, sealing a spot in the national triple jump competition after notching a 13.49m jump with 0.8m/s wind. Foreman had already secured her spot in the national long jump competition on Thursday. West Virginia’s Anniska McDonald claimed fourth place in the high jump with a 1.82m clear to qualify for nationals, while Ohio State’s Janela Spencer matched her season best of 12.79 seconds to take fourth place in the 100m hurdles. Clemson’s Oneka Wilson finished fifth in the same event with a 12.88-second run, also earning a national spot.

    Over at the West Regionals hosted by the University of Arkansas, athletes continued to punch their tickets to the upcoming NCAA National Championships. Texas A&M University’s Abigail secured her spot in the women’s discus throw with a 57.98m qualifying throw. The University of Texas’s Carleta Bernard earned her first ever individual spot at the national championships, clocking a wind-aided 11.01-second finish in the 100m with a 2.5m/s tailwind. Texas Tech’s Tonie-Ann Forbes advanced in the 100m hurdles with a 12.92-second finish, while Texas A&M’s Machaeda Lander pulled off a last-chance qualification: on her final attempt in the triple jump, Linton hit a new personal best of 13.31m with a 1.0m/s tailwind to claim the last available qualifying spot for nationals.

  • Singer Dua Lipa marries actor Callum Turner — media

    Singer Dua Lipa marries actor Callum Turner — media

    LONDON, UK – Multiple UK media outlets have confirmed that global pop sensation Dua Lipa and *Fantastic Beasts* franchise star Callum Turner have exchanged vows in a quiet, low-key civil ceremony held in central London this Sunday. The small, private event, held at Old Marylebone Town Hall, was only attended by a tight circle of the couple’s closest family members and friends, aligning with their long-stated preference for keeping their personal relationship out of the constant glare of tabloid attention.

    Leading British tabloids *The Sun* and the Daily Mail published candid photos of the newlyweds exiting the town hall following the service, giving fans their first look at the wedding day looks. Thirty-year-old Lipa, a multiple Grammy Award-winner and one of the UK’s biggest modern pop exports, stepped out in a custom ivory wedding dress and matching hat crafted exclusively for her by luxury Italian fashion house Schiaparelli. Turner, 36, who gained global fame for his role as Theseus Scamander in the *Fantastic Beasts* film series and is widely tipped as a frontrunner to take on the iconic role of James Bond, complemented his bride in a tailored dark blue suit.

    According to reporting from *The Sun*, the couple is already planning a far more lavish celebration to follow their intimate civil service. Sources told the outlet that the pair will host a three-day, luxury celebratory party for their wider circle of celebrity friends and industry contacts at a venue in Sicily, scheduled to kick off at the end of next month. The couple have been linked romantically since early 2024, and Lipa first confirmed their engagement and plans to wed in an interview with *British Vogue* last year. Reps for both Lipa and Turner declined multiple requests for comment from Agence France-Presse when reached for confirmation of the news.

    For Lipa, the wedding caps a years-long ascent from a young musician with Kosovo-Albanian heritage to one of the most recognizable pop stars on the planet. The daughter of Kosovo migrants who settled in London before she was born, Lipa earned her first mainstream breakout hit with 2016’s *Be The One*, and has since gone on to earn dozens of chart-topping singles, multiple industry awards, and a loyal global fanbase. Beyond her music career, she has also made frequent forays into high fashion, regularly headlining runways and collaborating with luxury brands like Schiaparelli. Turner, meanwhile, has built a decades-long career across film and television, with his star rising steadily enough in recent years that bookmakers have consistently ranked him among the top candidates to replace Daniel Craig as the next James Bond, a role that remains unconfirmed by studio Eon Productions.

  • Oblique Seville runs 9.96 seconds in opening 100m

    Oblique Seville runs 9.96 seconds in opening 100m

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — One of the sport’s top global talents has kicked off his 2024 campaign in dominant fashion, as reigning world champion Oblique Seville clocked a polished 9.96 seconds with a legal 0.2 meters per second tailwind to claim top honors in the men’s 100-meter dash at the third JAAA/Puma Invitational meet, held Saturday at Kingston’s iconic National Stadium.

    Seville, drawn in the 21st and final heat of the day’s 100m competition, separated himself from the rest of the field in his section within the opening 30 meters, never looking threatened en route to the finish line. He crossed the line well clear of second-place finisher in his heat Sandrey Davison, who registered a time of 10.22 seconds, while Adrian Kerr rounded out the heat’s top three with a 10.28s run. Across all heats, rising star Bouwahjgie Nkrumie took second place overall, posting a new personal season’s best of 10.13 seconds in the penultimate heat despite a slowing -1.1m/s headwind.

    In the women’s 100m, Ashanti Moore emerged as the standout performer of the day, taking the victory in a solid 11.18 seconds with a 0.1m/s wind reading. She edged out World Relays gold medalist Jodean Williams, who crossed the line just four hundredths of a second behind at 11.22s, while national junior record holder Alana Reid claimed the third spot on the podium with a 11.31-second run.

    Other highlights from the one-day meet included a surprise men’s 400m victory for Tajh Marques White, who crossed the line first in 45.91 seconds. White held off a late push from Kingston College high school standout Jason Pitter, who finished second in 46.40 seconds, just one hundredth of a second ahead of third-place Reheem Hayles who clocked 46.42s.

    In the field events, Samantha Hall dominated the women’s discus throw, launching a winning mark of 60.07 meters to take the title. Lushane Wilson, a decorated World Indoor Championships medalist, claimed top spot in the men’s high jump, clearing the bar at 2.16 meters to secure the win at the national qualifying event.

  • Tina Clayton leads Jamaican 100m sweep with season’s best in Morocco

    Tina Clayton leads Jamaican 100m sweep with season’s best in Morocco

    The third leg of the 2024 Wanda Diamond League circuit wrapped up Sunday at the Meeting International Mohammed VI d’Athlétisme de Rabat in Morocco, with Jamaica delivering a dominant performance that stole the spotlight, starting with a full medal sweep in the women’s 100-meter sprint.

    World Athletics Championship silver medalist Tina Clayton set the pace from the opening gun, exploding out of the blocks to maintain control of the race through the finish line. She crossed the line in a season’s best 10.85 seconds, falling just 0.02 seconds short of Elaine Thompson-Herah’s 2022 meeting record.

    Clayton was followed across the line by two first-time Diamond League competitors, delivering a historic clean sweep for Jamaica. Lavanya Williams took silver with a new personal best of 10.95 seconds, while Jonielle Smith claimed bronze in 11.00 seconds, marking a memorable debut for both young sprinters on the elite global circuit.

    Jamaica’s strong showing extended beyond the women’s 100m across multiple events. In the women’s 400-meter hurdles, Rushell Clayton secured another podium spot for the country, finishing third with a time of 53.75 seconds, while teammate Andrenette Knight placed eighth in 55.37 seconds. The race title went to Slovakia’s Emma Zapletalova, who delivered a career-defining performance: her winning time of 52.82 seconds set both a new Slovakian national record and the fastest time run by any athlete in the world this season. American Anna Cockrell took second place in 53.18 seconds.

    In the women’s 100-meter hurdles, another Jamaican rookie made her Diamond League debut, with Kerrica Hill running a season’s best 12.71 seconds (with a 1.2m/s wind) to finish ninth. The race was won by Nigeria’s world-class star Tobi Amusan, who broke her own previous Rabat meeting record of 12.45 seconds to claim gold with a 12.28 second finish. For the women’s high jump, Jamaica’s Lamara Distin tied for fourth place after clearing a 1.91m bar.

    In men’s competition, Rajindra Campbell, who set a new Jamaican national shot put record of 22.34m during a competition in China just one week prior, placed seventh in Rabat with a throw of 21.04m. American shot put star Joe Kovacs took home the gold with a dominant performance, recording a new meeting record and world-leading throw of 22.58m. Rounding out Jamaica’s results, sprinter Bryan Levell finished ninth in the men’s 200-meter sprint with a time of 20.44 seconds in 0.4m/s wind conditions.

  • MYE Laurell get rave reviews for Diana Ross remake ‘It’s My House’

    MYE Laurell get rave reviews for Diana Ross remake ‘It’s My House’

    After nearly a decade prioritizing healthcare work and amplifying Caribbean women in entertainment through a non-profit awards initiative, US-based reggae vocalist Mye Laurell is grabbing attention across Jamaican airwaves with a warm, soulful reimagining of Diana Ross’ 1970s classic hit *It’s My House*. The new release, which puts a distinct reggae spin on the iconic pop-soul track, was crafted by veteran reggae producer Richie Stephens, who first proposed the remake idea and shepherded its release through his independent Pot of Gold record label.

    In an interview discussing the project, Laurell – whose legal name is Laurel Nurse – shared that the entire concept stemmed from Stephens’ belief that her unique vocal tone echoes the legendary Motown diva’s signature sound. “Richie was the one who picked this song, not me. He told me my speaking voice reminded him so much of Diana Ross that I had to record it,” Laurell explained. “At first, I wasn’t familiar with the original, so he walked me through every part of the track and told me to trust his direction. That’s exactly what I did.”

    The original version of *It’s My House* first appeared on Ross’ 1979 studio album *The Boss*, written and produced by the celebrated American songwriting partnership Ashford & Simpson. Centered on themes of radical independence and personal empowerment, the track resonated with audiences across the globe, earning a modest commercial showing: it climbed to No. 27 on Billboard’s U.S. R&B Singles chart and reached No. 32 on the UK singles chart, cementing its status as a beloved cult classic among soul and pop fans.

    For Laurell, the warm reception of her new remake has already exceeded expectations. Beyond her work as a professional recording artist, Laurell maintains a full-time career as a registered nurse, and she is far better known in Jamaican entertainment circles for her philanthropic and advocacy work than her recent music. Even so, she says the public response to her new release has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic. “The feedback we’ve gotten from listeners so far has just been phenomenal,” she said.

    Laurell’s return to recording comes on the heels of her years-long work leading the Queens Of Reggae Island Honorary Ceremonies (QORIHC), the awards organization she founded in 2016 to shine a spotlight on women working across all segments of the Caribbean entertainment industry. As the initiative approaches its 10th anniversary in 2026, Laurell and her team are preparing to mark the milestone with a special celebratory QORIHC Ball, scheduled for Sunday, May 31 at the Karl Hendrickson Auditorium in St Andrew. The landmark event will be hosted under the patronage of Rose Tavares-Finson, with 2020 Miss Jamaica Universe Miqueal Symone-Williams tapped as the event’s guest speaker.

    Laurell emphasized that QORIHC fills a critical gap in the Jamaican entertainment ecosystem, working to elevate women who often go unrecognized for their behind-the-scenes and on-stage contributions. “QORIHC’s core mission is to boost the social morale of women across Jamaica,” she explained. “We publicly and proudly celebrate the tireless work that women do in every corner of the local entertainment industry, work that so often goes unacknowledged.”

    Music has been a lifelong passion for Laurell, who launched her recording career after relocating to the United States, scoring early success with a string of popular reggae radio singles. One of her earliest breakout hits was a widely praised cover of Gregory Isaacs’ legendary reggae track *Night Nurse*, and she earned a major career honor in 2007 and 2008 when she took home the New Jersey Reggae Award for Best Female Singer. She eventually stepped back from full-time recording to focus on her healthcare career and build the QORIHC initiative from the ground up.

    Her comeback to active recording was sparked by a standout performance at the 2024 QORIHC Awards ceremony, where she opened the show alongside fellow reggae artist Gem Myers performing a rendition of Whitney Houston’s *Greatest Love of All*. “After that performance, Gem told me I had her full blessing to get back to singing and pick up the path I left off, while still growing QORIHC,” she said. After spending almost 10 years building the awards organization, Laurell says the moment felt right to step back into the spotlight and pursue her own creative goals again. “Now I’m back in music full force, and that’s how this remake of *It’s My House* came to be,” she added.

  • WHAT A CLASH!

    WHAT A CLASH!

    The stage is set for a historic showdown at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex this afternoon, as two undefeated powerhouses, three-time defending champions Frazsiers Whip FC and Arnett Gardens FC, go head-to-head for the Jamaica Women’s Premier League (JWPL) title, with kickoff scheduled for 5:30 pm. Ahead of what is already being billed as a clash for the ages, both head coaches have extended mutual respect to their counterparts, even as they prepare their squads for a winner-takes-all decider.

    Both teams earned their place in the final with dominant semi-final aggregate victories. Frazsiers Whip FC secured their spot with a convincing 6-1 combined score against Real Mona, while Arnett Gardens FC outmatched Los Perfectos 8-3 across two legs to book their place in the title decider. Entering the final match, both sides hold unblemished unbeaten records through the entire 2024/25 season, setting the stage for what fans and analysts expect to be a display of elite women’s football.

    For Frazsiers Whip, the road to the final followed a familiar pattern of dominance, even after a high player turnover that left head coach Courtney Dowdie anticipating challenges at the start of the season. Despite integrating six first-time JWPL debutants into the starting rotation, the three-time champions have not dropped a single win, posting an 11-0-1 record that includes 70 goals scored and only 5 conceded across all competitions. Their attacking trio of Christine Salmon, Shanel Spence, and captain Nevillegail Able alone have combined for 54 goals this campaign, while their backline has emerged as one of the stingiest in league history.

    Dowdie, who predicted early-season obstacles following roster changes, said his squad has retained the same winning culture that carried them to three consecutive titles. “It is still step by step and we are coming to play good football. Arnett Gardens is a good team and we can’t take anything for granted,” Dowdie told reporters ahead of the match. “We have the same confidence in this team that we had in last year’s team. We are focussed on us, not on the other team, we have to play the way we want.”

    Arnett Gardens, however, enters the final as far more than an underdog contender. The side, which fell to Cavalier SC in the 2023 semi-finals, has posted identical 11 wins and one draw this season, topping their own first-round zone after dropping points only in a 1-1 draw with Cavalier. Across all matches, they have scored 46 goals and conceded just 5, mirroring Frazsiers Whip’s defensive solidity. Top striker Shikira Douglas has led the attack with 18 goals, supported by Tuanashae Hamilton’s six goals heading into the decider.

    Head coach Garnett Lawrence acknowledged the defending champions’ proven pedigree, noting that three consecutive final appearances have given Frazsiers Whip an unmatched edge in high-pressure matches. “They know how to win, they have what it takes,” Lawrence said. But he insisted his squad is stronger than last year’s side, and has the tactical discipline to end the champions’ three-year title run. “We have to pick our moments and we can’t get flustered, we have to create our own chances as we can’t expect them to give us anything,” Lawrence added. “We have to bring that same hunger that we have shown in the semi-finals and fight for every thing.”

    Organizers with Professional Women’s Football Jamaica Limited selected the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex months in advance based on cost efficiency and venue availability. For Arnett Gardens, the match presents an opportunity for revenge: the side suffered a heavy defeat to Frazsiers Whip in the 2024 JWPL final, the last time the two clubs met in a title decider. Hosting the match near Arnett Gardens’ South St Andrew base also means the side is expected to have overwhelming home crowd support, which Lawrence and his players will look to to gain a critical edge. Today’s final marks the first meeting between the two undefeated sides this season, making the outcome anyone’s guess as two of the league’s best squads compete for the domestic crown.

  • PSG edge Arsenal on penalties to retain Champions League title

    PSG edge Arsenal on penalties to retain Champions League title

    In a tense, dramatic 2025 UEFA Champions League final held at Budapest’s Puskas Arena on Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain etched their name into European football history, claiming consecutive continental titles with a 4-3 penalty shootout victory over Arsenal, after the two sides drew 1-1 across 120 minutes of regular and extra time.

    Arsenal, the reigning Premier League champions entering the match, made a dream start to their first Champions League final in two decades. Just six minutes into the game, a miscued clearance from PSG captain Marquinhos rebounded off Leandro Trossard, falling perfectly into the path of German forward Kai Havertz. The 2021 Champions League final match-winner broke into open space behind PSG’s defensive line and rifled a pinpoint finish into the top corner of the net from a tight angle, putting the Gunners ahead early.

    That early strike put PSG on the back foot for much of the first half and opening stages of the second. Mikel Arteta’s side, who had conceded only six goals en route to the final, dug in with a disciplined, compact defensive block that frustrated Luis Enrique’s free-flowing attacking side. PSG controlled majority of the possession but struggled to break through Arsenal’s well-organized rearguard, with centre-back Gabriel producing a standout last-ditch tackle to shut down dynamic Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on one dangerous PSG break.

    After half-time, PSG upped the tempo, moving the ball faster to stretch Arsenal’s defense. Midway through the second half, a slick one-two between Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele ended with Cristhian Mosquera hauling Kvaratskhelia down inside the penalty area, awarding PSG a spot kick. Dembele coolly sent Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya the wrong way with a low strike to level the scores, marking PSG’s 45th goal of the tournament, tying the all-time Champions League record for goals in a single campaign.

    As Arsenal tired in the closing minutes of regular time, PSG turned up the pressure, with Kvaratskhelia hitting the post on a lightning break down the left wing that nearly gave the French side the lead. No further goals came in regulation, sending the final to extra time. The only major talking point of the additional 30 minutes was a penalty shout from Arsenal substitute Noni Madueke, who went down under contact from PSG full-back Nuno Mendes, though referees ruled no foul, a decision that proved fair given Madueke had pulled on Mendes’ shirt to create contact.

    With the scores still level after extra time, the final went to a penalty shootout, where PSG entered with impressive momentum: the club had won three previous penalty shootouts to claim trophies this season, and had not lost a spot-kick contest in five straight attempts. After Eberechi Eze fired Arsenal’s second penalty wide, Raya saved PSG’s Nuno Mendes’ strike to keep the Gunners in the game. Declan Rice converted to level the shootout at 2-2, and after Lucas Beraldo put PSG ahead 4-3, Arsenal defender Gabriel stepped up to take his side’s fifth penalty and sent it sailing high over the crossbar, sealing the title for PSG.

    The victory makes PSG just the second club in the Champions League era to win back-to-back titles, following Real Madrid, and marks the third Champions League crown for head coach Luis Enrique, who first won the competition with Barcelona in 2015. This is PSG’s second consecutive European title, coming just one year after their 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the 2024 final – 10 of the starting players from that 2024 triumph retained their spots for the 2025 final. The club’s first Champions League title came 55 years after the club’s founding, and 14 years after Qatari ownership took control; now, the back-to-back win lays the foundation for what PSG hopes will become a sustained period of dominance in European football.

    Luis Enrique’s work at the club has been remarkable: the Spanish manager quickly rebuilt the squad after taking charge, offloading the club’s high-profile superstars to build a cohesive, hard-working attacking unit that can tear through opposition with blistering pace. Players and staff expressed immense pride after the final whistle.

    “We are so, so proud, so happy, so grateful,” PSG winger Desire Doue told TNT Sports. “As a team, as a family, I think we deserve that… look at the fans, we are so happy.” PSG midfielder Fabian Ruiz added to Movistar: “It was Real Madrid and now it is us too. They defended all through the game and football is fair… today the right team won.”

    For Arsenal, the defeat marks a devastating end to a historic season, marking their second Champions League final loss 20 years after their first defeat to Barcelona in 2006. “It’s gutting, it’s devastating to lose the Champions League final on penalties,” Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice told TNT Sports. “Giving it absolutely everything up until this point, we took the game to penalties and it’s a lottery.” Despite the heartbreak, the club will still hold a victory parade in London on Sunday to celebrate their first Premier League title in 22 years, an achievement that will be tempered by the narrow missed chance at European glory in Budapest.

  • Dock deception fails

    Dock deception fails

    In a striking turn of events during an ongoing Jamaican gang trial in downtown Kingston, a retired police officer who initially arrested accused Klansman gang affiliate Carlos Williams took mere seconds on Friday to correctly identify him from a group of 25 co-accused, even after defense attorneys secured a last-minute seating rearrangement and the defendant attempted a surreptitious shirt swap to throw off the witness.

    The former law enforcement officer is a key witness for the Crown in the high-profile trial of members of the Tesha Miller faction of the notorious Klansman gang, testifying to the details of two counts on the sweeping indictment against the group. During his direct testimony, he walked the court through the pre-dawn arrest of Williams carried out on April 16, 2023, by Jamaica’s former Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime (C-TOC) unit at a residence on Okra Lane in Spanish Town, St Catherine.

    According to the witness’s account, a search of the property uncovered a Ziploc bag stored in a dresser drawer holding 30 blank magnetic-strip cards and two embossed bank cards carrying a major Jamaican bank’s branding. He then took the then 27-year-old labourer into custody and charged him. Williams allegedly told the officer the two bank cards were his, gifted to him by a girlfriend living overseas.

    When the acting deputy director of public prosecutions leading the case asked the former officer if he could pick Williams out of the dock of defendants, the witness confirmed he could, but defense attorney Petreta Gabbidon immediately objected. She requested the witness step outside the courtroom while she argued for a reshuffling of the defendant seating arrangement, a motion that was granted alongside co-counsel Lynden Wellesley’s request. Trial judge Justice Dale Palmer ordered the shuffle, instructing all defendants to remove any facial coverings and sit upright to ensure unobstructed visibility, after multiple accused had been observed slouching in their seats to hide their faces, some completely obscuring their features.

    As the defendants rearranged themselves, Williams moved from his assigned seat in the secondary dock to the main holding area, where witnesses saw him attempt to trade his signature blue patterned shirt with another co-accused. The swap was cut short, however, when Justice Palmer spotted the half-completed exchange, with both men already stripped down to their white undershirts. The judge halted the swap immediately, ruling that unauthorised clothing changes could not take place in the courtroom, leaving the two men sitting side by side in matching white tees.

    When the former officer returned to the stand to make his identification, he left the witness box, walked along both sides of the courtroom to get a clear view of every defendant in the docks, and within seconds correctly pointed to Williams, identifying him as the second-to-last man in the back row on the right side. When Justice Palmer asked the defendant to confirm his name, a dejected, crestfallen Williams replied, “Carlos Williams.” The former officer confirmed Williams faces a charge of possession of an unauthorised access device in addition to his more severe gang-related counts.

    Williams, alongside co-accused Jermaine Clarke and Owen Billings, faces charges on counts 28 and 29 of the Crown’s indictment for knowingly facilitating the August 11, 2022, robbery and murder of Zamari McKay, a St Catherine resident.

    During cross-examination, Wellesley attacked the former officer’s conduct during the arrest, comparing the pre-dawn operation to the biblical figure Nicodemus who visited Jesus under cover of night, claiming the officer “sneaked up” on his client. The witness pushed back, confirming the operation was a pre-planned targeted action. Wellesley also challenged the witness’s account of the evidence recovered, asserting that only one bank card with Williams’s name was found at the property, and that Williams only admitted ownership of the 30 blank cards, not the second bank card. The former officer firmly denied this claim, stating the suggestion was incorrect.

    Separately, Denise Hinson, counsel for Clarke and Billings, questioned the authenticity of the witness’s investigative notes, arguing that the entries related to the 2023 arrest were a recent fabrication, not written in 2023 as the witness had testified. The former officer countered that he completed his final notes on the case on April 27, 2023, 11 days after the arrest, and finalised his official statement shortly after. He resigned from the Jamaica Constabulary Force roughly one year after the arrest.

    The trial is scheduled to resume at 10:00 a.m. Monday at the Home Circuit Division of the Supreme Court in downtown Kingston.

  • Entries for 2026 JCDC creative writing competition open June 1

    Entries for 2026 JCDC creative writing competition open June 1

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s leading cultural institution, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), has launched the call for submissions for its 2026 Creative Writing Competition and Exhibition, with the official entry period set to kick off on June 1. Ahead of the entry opening, a series of preparatory workshops covering all major creative genres — including stage plays, poetry, short fiction, full-length novels, personal essays, and screenplays — will get underway on May 30, designed to accommodate participants through both in-person and digital attendance options.

    Aisha Parker, Speech and Literary Arts Development Specialist at the JCDC, emphasized that the competition is intentionally structured to be inclusive, welcoming creators from every experience level and background. “We are opening the door to all writers — established creators who have been honing their craft for years, aspiring storytellers who have always dreamed of sharing their work, students, teachers, and anyone who has ever wanted to explore the creative talent hiding within them,” Parker said in an official statement.

    One of the most notable updates to the 2026 iteration of the competition is a policy change expanding submission allowances for the screenplay category. “In previous years, participants were only permitted to submit one screenplay for consideration. This year, we made the decision to remove that arbitrary limit. If you are a working screenwriter with multiple completed projects you are proud of, we are happy to accept every eligible piece you want to share,” Parker explained.

    The pre-competition workshops will be led by a roster of acclaimed industry professionals and experienced writers, each heading sessions aligned with their area of expertise. Trisan Brown will lead essay-focused training, while Kwame Macpherson will guide short story participants. Poetry sessions will be helmed by Alexis Samuels, novel development training will be led by Lisa Tomlinson, stage play workshops will be handled by Basil Dawkins, and screenwriting instruction will be led by Sherando Ferrell.

    Parker highlighted that the flexible hybrid workshop format is designed to remove barriers to participation for all interested creators. All sessions will be streamed digitally via the Zoom video conferencing platform, with a limited number of workshop locations also offering in-person seating. “For creators who thrive on in-person connection and face-to-face feedback, they can join us in person. For those who cannot travel to a workshop location, they can simply log into Zoom from home and take part just the same,” she said, adding that the accessible format makes it easy for new creators to learn, grow their skills, and connect with the JCDC’s cultural programming.

    Entry to the competition is completely free of charge for all participants, with multiple submission pathways available. Creators can submit their work digitally through the official JCDC website at jcdc.gov.jm, or drop off physical submissions at any JCDC parish office across the country. The JCDC also allows third-party submissions, meaning teachers, parents, friends, or community leaders can submit work on behalf of emerging creators who may need support navigating the entry process.

    “A teacher might have a classroom full of talented young writers who love creating stories, and they can submit those entries on their students’ behalf. Our entry form is designed to clearly note when a submission is entered by a third party, so there is no confusion about authorship,” Parker explained. “It doesn’t just stop at teachers, either — if you know a gifted writer at your church, in your neighborhood, or at a community group, you can reach out to them and offer to submit their work for consideration.”

    In a move to strengthen ties with Jamaican creators living outside the country, the 2026 competition is also open to members of the global Jamaican diaspora. “Since all submissions can be made digitally, there is no requirement for participants to be physically present in Jamaica to enter. If you are a Jamaican creator living abroad, this is a wonderful opportunity for you to engage with local cultural programming and share your work with our community,” Parker noted.

    The entry window will close on June 30, giving creators one full month to submit their work after the entry period opens. For full guidelines, eligibility details, and updates on workshop schedules, interested individuals can visit the JCDC’s official website or reach out to their nearest local JCDC parish office.

  • 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.”