Signals

MIAMI – A Jamaican woman who was listed on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) most wanted fraudster list for her alleged role in a scheme that fraudulently obtained more than US$32 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds returned from Jamaica on Saturday to the United States to face federal charges. Forty-one-year-old Elaine Escoe, was charged by indictment in 2025 with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and multiple substantive counts of wire fraud and money laundering. After a federal arrest warrant was issued in May 2025, Escoe reportedly failed to appear for her court appearance and fled to Jamaica.

ST JAMES, Jamaica—Eight people including two United States (US) citizens were arrested and charged by lawmen assigned to the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) Specialised Investigation Branch in connection to a sweepstakes operation in Glendevon, St James, on Thursday, July 23. Charged are Natalia Baker, 21, of Rochester, New York, USA and Cruiz Amari Harding, 18, of Georgia, USA. The six Jamaicans, all of Glendevon, St James are: Chrislan Muschette, 19; Tiana Sloley, 27; Romario Cunningham, 29; Kemar Grant, 27; Geovanie Cunningham, 21; and Romain Salmon, 22.

KINGSTON, Jamaica- Fast rising dancehall artiste Dyum has released his album entitled, " Voice Inside ". According to several musical pundits, it is an impressive body of work that has the potential to be a chart topping album. Dyum shared that he put his all into the project and he is positive that it will do well.

A 49-year-old man from Jamaica who was deported in 2012 after felony convictions in New York and Pennsylvania, is facing a federal criminal charge after he was arrested in Hono­lulu where he was living and working as a DJ.

MANCHESTER, Jamaica — Two men were shot, one fatally, at a bar in the troubled community of Top Greenvale near Mandeville on Tuesday morning. Police identified the dead man as Asagar Martin, a resident of Greenvale. Preliminary reports are that about 12:30 am Martin was among patrons at a bar in Top Greenvale when a gunman pounced and opened fire hitting him and another man.

Reggae heavyweight Buju Banton has made an emphatic return to his dancehall roots with the release of his 13th studio album, Too Too Bad , which debuted at No. 3 on the United States iTunes Reggae Albums chart. The Butterflies singer was denied the top spot by producer Kemar "Flava" McGregor, whose projects Riddim 91 and the compilation Kiss of Judas occupied the chart's first and second positions, respectively.

Outward migration contributed to Jamaica’s population growing by a negligible 600 people in 2025 to 2,764,200, with the United States of America (USA), Canada and the United Kingdom (UK) continuing to be major destinations for Jamaican migrants who are granted visas for permanent residence or citizenship. This is according to the 2025 edition of the Economic and Social Survey Jamaica, a publication of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ). With 18,347 Jamaicans entering its borders, migration to the USA increased by 7.3 per cent in 2025 when compared with 2024, according to the survey.

Beenie Man, widely regarded as one of dancehall's most influential figures, was recently awarded Jamaica's Order of Distinction, recognising more than three decades of groundbreaking contributions to Jamaican music and culture. The honour comes as the dancehall icon enjoys a major resurgence in the United States, highlighted by a sold-out headline performance at New York's UBS Arena, along with appearances at Reggae in the Park Delaware, his own Summa Sizzle Fest and Florida's 64th Jamaican Independence celebrations. Snoop Dogg, meanwhile, continues to prove that his influence extends far beyond music.

Every finance team has the ritual. The books close, the Excel pack is updated, and then someone loses a day to the deck: copy the chart, paste it into PowerPoint, resize it, fix the font that changed itself, repeat fourteen times, and rename the file “Board_Deck_June_FINAL_v4.” The analysis was finished on Tuesday. The rest of the week went to moving it between two programs that sit next to each other on the same taskbar.

A regular visitor to Jamaica as a child, Kaysia Earley says those trips made a lasting impression on her. When she started the Seeds Of Manna organisation over one year ago, giving back to her father’s homeland became one of its priorities. An American attorney based in South Florida, Earley’s latest contribution took place in June in the Martha Brae region of Trelawny, where she has a home.

MANCHESTER, Jamaica—Northern Caribbean University (NCU) is the winner of the International Business Plan and Pitch competition 2026, organised by United States-based TEN (The Ecosystem Network). NCU computer science students, Adrian Tenant and Gary Bryan, snatched the top prize of US$20,000 with their innovation, WellNest, which is an AI platform designed to assist doctors and other healthcare professionals in writing their clinical notes. The NCU pair triumphed over 40 teams from universities and institutions in 20-plus countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and North America at the final pitch competition held in Kingston on June 24.

When Caitlyn Sams arrived in Jamaica last year to pursue research under the United States Fulbright programme, she expected to gain new academic perspectives, but little did she know that she would rekindle a childhood passion while developing a deep appreciation for Jamaican culture. The 23-year-old American, who hails from Massachusetts in the United States, commenced her Fulbright scholarship at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, in September 2025. Sams told Observer Online that her interest in oncology was inspired by seeing several family members and close friends battle cancer.

Jamaica’s Oblique Seville and Rajindra Campbell finished second in their respective events on Saturday at the Prefontaine Classic held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. They were among four Jamaicans to achieve podium positions at the event on Saturday – a day after Dejanae Oakley won the women’s 400m – with sprint hurdler Demario Prince and discus thrower Roje Stona earning third-placed finishes. Seville, the world leader, ran 9.89 seconds (0.1m/s) but was beaten to the finish line by Kayinsola Ajayi who equaled his Nigerian national record 9.84 seconds.

Jamaica’s Dejanae Oakley made a triumphant start to her professional career on Friday, winning the women’s 400m at the PreFontaine Classic at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. Oakley, who recently won the NCAA 400m outdoor title at the same track, clocked 49.64 seconds as she held off American Aaliya Butler who was second in 49.97 seconds with Jamaican national champion Stacey-Ann Williams placing third in 50.12 seconds. The Wanda Diamond League meet continues on Saturday with another 13 Jamaicans set to participate on the main day of competition.

World Taekwondo Jamaica (WTJ) is celebrating three podium finishes after members of its Peak Performance Taekwondo Team represented Jamaica at the AAU National Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. K’nedy Bentho, Alexandra Natto and Anaxana Natto each medalled, capping a strong showing for the island’s rising international programme. Bentho, Jamaica’s youngest competing athlete at just 10 years old and ranked third in her division for 2025, had to move up a full age group after finding no opponents to fight in her own weight class and still claimed gold.

Reports are emerging that thieves have made off with an undetermined amount of money believed to be in the millions, from an automated banking machine (ABM) at Scotiabank’s Portmore location at Braeton Parkway in St Catherine. Reports reaching Observer Online are that between 3 pm Saturday and early Sunday morning, the culprits broke into the ABM service room and stole a large sum of cash. When contacted, the police were tightlipped on the matter but well-placed sources told Observer Online that surveillance footage shows men dressed in black clothing and wearing gloves, driving a grey Nissan Latio sedan onto the bank compound.

PORTLAND, Jamaica — A 48-year-old retired United States soldier has been sentenced to 22 years in prison after pleading guilty to the 2022 murder of Portland mason Craig Senior. The convicted man, Emille Tracey of Pine Terrace, Florida, admitted to fatally shooting the 43-year-old on October 9, 2022, in Hart Hill District, Portland. Reports are that Senior was at his home when a motor vehicle pulled up and someone called him outside.

ST JAMES, Jamaica — Chairman of the St James Ministers Fraternal, Reverend Glendon Powell, has raised concerns over the Government’s recently signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States to accept deported foreign nationals under a third-country nationals (TCN) agreement, arguing that the Church and other stakeholders should have been brought into the discussion before the deal was finalised. Powell, speaking on the issue during a press conference at the Burchell Baptist Church in Montego Bay on Wednesday, said the lack of consultation reflects a wider problem in national leadership where major decisions are often made without enough engagement with critical sectors of society. “I won’t speak fulsome on it.

Top pick for the 2026 NBA draft AJ Dybantsa has reportedly applied for Jamaican citizenship, as he explores the possibility of representing Jamaica internationally. The 19-year-old forward, selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards, has a Jamaican mother and has expressed interest in playing for Jamaica, according to Jamaica Basketball Association President Paulton Gordon.

PORTLAND, Jamaica — A Portland motorist, Alty Walters, was on Tuesday fined $50,000 after pleading guilty to offering a $5,000 bribe to a police officer on May 22, 2026. The bribe was offered whilst he was being charged for a traffic offence on West Street in Port Antonio. Walters appeared before Portland’s Senior Judge Her Honour Jacqueline Willcott on Tuesday, where he pleaded guilty.

The United States (US) Supreme Court has ruled that a Rastafarian will not be able to sue Louisiana prison guards who held him down and shaved his head in 2020, an act he had argued was a violation of his religious rights. US media reports indicate that the conservative majority court, in a 6-3 decision split along party lines, ruled that the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) did not entitle former inmate Damon Landor to monetary damages in the case. The initial incident occurred when Landor was incarcerated in a Louisiana jail on a drug-related charge.

ST ANDREW, Jamaica — St Andrew Western Member of Parliament Anthony Hylton says recurring flooding in the New Haven community will persist unless urgent action is taken to address conditions along the Duhaney River. “Whenever it rains, I just start reading and start praying, because I know what the results will be,” he said while speaking at the Duhaney Park Divisional Conference on Saturday at Edith Dalton James High School. Hylton acknowledged that the dredging of the river will come at a high cost, but said that without action, residents will keep facing the same flood damage and disruption.

PORTLAND, Jamaica —Five more Haitian men were picked up by the Portland police on Monday, moving the total to 22 Haitians, who arrived in the country illegally early Monday morning. The police had picked up 17, which consisted of 10 men, four women and three children. They were taken to the Port Antonio Police Station for immigration and health processing.

PORTLAND, Jamaica —Six more Haitian men were picked up by the Portland police on Monday, moving the total to 28 Haitians who arrived in the country illegally early Monday morning. The police had picked up 17, which consisted of 10 males, four women and three children early in the morning in the Passley Gardens area. They were taken to the Port Antonio Police Station for immigration and health processing.

PORTLAND, Jamaica — Seventeen Haitians arrived in the Passley Gardens area of Port Antonio, Portland on Monday. Observer Online learnt that they were seen sometime after 6:00 am and the police were alerted. They were taken to the Port Antonio Police Station for health and immigration processing.

The third Poetry Echoes of Expression event, staged by poet Richie Innocent, is scheduled for September 26 at the Queens, New York headquarters of VP Records. Like previous stagings, he said exposure for spoken word artistes is its main objective. “The opportunity to recite and recognise that the people need to be lifted up through poetry, stories, songs, books and plays is essential,” Richie Innocent told Observer Online .

WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — Investigators have yet to establish a motive or make a breakthrough in the case of a 79-year-old yoga instructor who was found dead at her Negril home on Tuesday. The deceased has been identified as Fanette Johnson, a resident of Negril who taught yoga at several hotels in the community. Originally from France and married to a Jamaican, Johnson had more than three decades of experience as a yoga instructor, having also taught in Paris and New York.

WESTMORELAND, Jamaica—Close to 1,000 people in Westmoreland benefited from a two-day medical and humanitarian outreach mission led by the Jamaica Nurses' Association of Florida, which ended on June 18 in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland. The initiative, held under the banner of the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference, brought together a team of doctors, nurses, dentists and student volunteers from across the United States to provide free medical screenings, medication, and essential supplies to residents, students and community members in the parish. According to Dr Beverlin Allen, immediate past president of the association and coordinator of the mission, the outreach was organised in direct response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.

PORTLAND, Jamaica — A body in an advanced state of decomposition, believed to be that of missing 12-year-old Christal McLean, was discovered in the Rio Grande at Grants Level in Portland on Wednesday. McLean, a resident of Berrydale in Portland, had been reported missing since Friday, June 12. According to police, a high alert was issued on Monday after extensive efforts to locate the child were unsuccessful.

Jamaica is in discussions with the United States about accepting third-country migrants deported from the U.S., Deputy Prime Minister Horace Chang has said, according to Reuters. Speaking on Tuesday, Chang said no final agreement has yet been reached, but confirmed ongoing talks over a possible arrangement under which Jamaica would serve as a transit location […] The post Jamaica in Talks With U.S. on Hosting Deported Third-Country Migrants appeared first on Khaama Press .

Jamaica says it is in discussions with Washington over the possible acceptance of third-country migrants deported from the United States. Reuters reported on Tuesday, June 16, that the announcement was made by Horace Chang, Jamaica’s deputy prime minister. According to the report, Chang said that no agreement has yet been finalized.

Jamaica is in talks with Washington over accepting third-country migrants deported by the United States, the country's ​Deputy Prime Minister and Security Minister Horace Chang said ‌in a statement on Tuesday.

Jamaica has just set its most ambitious tourism goal yet. At a reception honoring Jamaica travel specialists at The Kimberly Hotel in New York City, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett laid out a bold new vision for the island’s most important industry. He called it 10x10x10 — a plan to grow Jamaica to 10 […] The post Jamaica Just Set a Bold New Goal of 10 Million Visitors a Year, Backed by New Flights, Reopened Resorts, and a 10-Year Plan appeared first on Caribbean Journal .

OSTRAVA, Czech Republic (AFP) — United States (US) sprinter Noah Lyles set the world's best ever time over the rarely-run 150 metres on Tuesday, clocking 14.67 seconds at the Golden Spike meet in the eastern Czech city of Ostrava. The 28-year-old Lyles beat the previous best of 14.72sec set by Kishane Thompson of Jamaica in Florida in April. At Ostrava, Lyles beat Sinesipho Dambile of South Africa with 14.78sec, while Australian teenager Gout Gout finished third in 14.96sec.

ST JAMES, Jamaica — A well-known fruit vendor was shot dead in Montego Bay, St James, Saturday night. The deceased has been identified as 42-year-old Kelvin Pyne, a resident of Orange in the parish. Reports are that Pyne's body was found about 11:30 pm on Miriam Way in the city.

HANOVER, Jamaica — The US citizen charged with the murder of his partner who was found dead in a rental house in Hanover on Monday was remanded in custody when he made an appearance in the Hanover Parish Court on Friday. Charged with murder and breaches of the immigration act is 36-year-old Aldean Jermaine Blake, otherwise known as Dean who is allegedly originally from Jamaica. READ: Murder charge laid against partner of US citizen found dead in Hanover It is understood that Blake, the holder of a United States passport who has been in Jamaica since October 5 of last year, should have left the island on April 3.

Jamaican model Romae Gordon continues to cement her return to the global fashion spotlight, starring in a new editorial for Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) showcasing one of this summer’s biggest eyewear trends. The editorial, titled “Heavy Metal Eyewear Trend: From 90s Inspired Shields to Sharp Rectangular Frames”, features Gordon modelling sleek, futuristic looks paired with designer sunglasses from luxury fashion houses including Prada, Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren and Gucci. Shot in New York City by photographer Vanessa Granda, the spread combines sharp tailoring, leather outerwear and dramatic silhouettes in a high-fashion nod to the resurgence of 1990s-inspired eyewear trends.

ST JAMES, Jamaica — A St James man accused of murdering his American wife who was in the country celebrating her birthday, appeared in court without a lawyer or obvious family support on Wednesday. When Dane Watson, 31 appeared in court he was asked whether he had retained an attorney. Watson shared that family members had been in dialogue with a lawyer and provided the attorney’s name.

Tenants rallied outside a Signature Bank-financed residential building in Jamaica, Queens, owned by developer Ved Parkash. The protest highlighted concerns about the city's pension system's investment in mortgage loans on the property, a deal that NYC Comptroller Brad Lander has featured in his political messaging.

Dancehall artiste Flippa Moggela appeared briefly before a federal magistrate judge in Camden, New Jersey, last week as proceedings continue in a sprawling narcotics conspiracy case in the United States (US). The entertainer, whose real name is Andrew K Davis and who is also known as the “Flossing King” and Flippa Mafia, attended the detention hearing before US Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio, where discussions centred primarily on legal representation and procedural matters rather than the substance of the allegations against him. Davis was advised of his legal rights before the court granted an application from attorney Tamika McCoy to withdraw from the case.

Long Island Rail Road commuters wait for trains and information at Jamaica Station in Queens on May 15, 2026. Commutes remain disrupted Friday following messy travels due to a track fire Thursday. [ more › ]

The nomination of controversial political figure and former TV anchor Kari Lake Halperin as the next United States ambassador to Jamaica has drawn mixed reactions from local commentators over what the potential appointment could mean for the island’s relations with Washington. Lake Halperin is considered a MAGA (Make America Great Again) diehard, whose time as the head of the US Agency for Global Media saw her controversially move to terminate hundreds of jobs at global broadcaster Voice of America under the direction of US President Donald Trump. Radio talk show host and director of Caribbean Immigrant Services, Irwine Clare, said Lake Halperin’s political history and hardline immigration stance make her a rigid candidate for the role, one who is willing to do what it takes to execute the US president’s agenda.

ST JAMES, Jamaica — The National Works Agency (NWA) is urging pedestrians and motorists to obey the new traffic signals installed at the Fairfield Road/ Megabyte Drive intersection. The lights are now operational after being turned on by the NWA on Thursday morning, providing a new level of safety on the corridor. "Pedestrians and motorists are encouraged to obey the traffic signals," Community Relations Officer for the Western Region, Janel Ricketts, told Observer Online following the activity.