Six in 10 tourism insurance claims still unresolved
WESTERN BUREAU: Nearly two-thirds of the Hurricane Melissa insurance claims filed by hotel operators are still awaiting full settlement, according to a new Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) survey. The finding comes as insurers approach their end-of-September target for settling the vast majority of claims arising from the Category 5 hurricane. JHTA President O’Brian Heron said operators are reporting settlements substantially below their losses after using their own resources to finance repairs and reopen businesses.
Wolmer’s Boys’ fourth-form student dies after collapsing in class
The Wolmer’s Boys’ School community is mourning the death of a fourth-form student who collapsed during class on Monday. The student was rushed to hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to a statement from the Wolmer’s Joint Board of Management. The circumstances surrounding the student’s collapse and death were not immediately disclosed, but school Principal Dwight Pennycooke confirmed that the Kingston-based school was dismissed early for the day and that the boy’s parents had been contacted.
Police hunt gunmen after 2 mass shootings in South Africa leave at least 27 dead
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Two separate mass shootings in South African townships within hours of each other have left at least 27 people dead, police said on Sunday. South Africa has struggled with violent crime for years, but recent shooting incidents have shocked a country used to some of the highest homicide rates in the world. In the first attack, eight gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols opened fire at a bar near Johannesburg late on Saturday.
Boyz face fired-up Honduras
Reggae Boyz interim head coach Rudolph Speid expects Honduras to come out aggressively in search of a win when the teams meet in their Concacaf Nations League – League A Group B clash at the National Stadium today at 7 p.m. The Reggae Boyz defeated Guatemala 3-2 in their opening game on Friday to share the early lead in the group with El Salvador and Suriname. Meanwhile, Honduras are coming off a 3-2 defeat at home to Suriname.
Spragga Benz to celebrate ‘Endevors Reloaded’
Dancehall veteran Spragga Benz is set to officially celebrate the release of his latest album, Endevors Reloaded, with an exclusive album launch experience on Wednesday, at Jammin on the Oasis in Kingston. Released in August 2026, Endevors Reloaded marks the latest chapter in Spragga Benz’s celebrated musical journey, bringing together his signature dancehall sound with a diverse collection of collaborations spanning dancehall, reggae and Afrobeats.
Sandals adding 7,000 jobs, expanding beyond Caribbean
Sandals Resorts International plans to grow its workforce by more than a third, adding 7,000 jobs at new hotels, some of them outside the Caribbean, Executive Chairman Adam Stewart said. “The time has come for us to go further than the four corners of the Caribbean,” Stewart told travel advisors at a briefing last week—after Royal Caribbean Group agreed to buy half the company for about US$3 billion.
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Something Extra | Monday
Digicel Jamaica marked the close of its Tun Up Fi 25 Summer Promotion with an evening celebration on the rooftop terrace of its downtown Kingston headquarters. The event, part of the company’s 25th anniversary festivities, brought together promotion winners, partners, media representatives, and special guests.
Editorial | Holness wins points
In a political culture given to spin and where the default of government officials is to downplay or sugar-coat bad news, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness wins points for warning Jamaicans that the country is facing worsening economic turbulence because of the Middle East war. “I don’t want to be overpromising but yesterday (September 21), the Cabinet met,” the prime minister said at a function announcing a €5 million grant by the European Union to Jamaica’s post-Hurricane Melissa reconstruction programme.
Photo Gallery
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Pearl Harbor survivors watch a vintage WWII airplane fly over Pearl Harbor at the ceremony commemorating the 72nd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, in 2013, in Honolulu.
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Members and volunteers of the Ananda Marga pose for a photograph as they prepare to head out to distribute relief supplies to people affected by Hurricane Melissa in western Jamaica.
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West Indies’ Shimron Hetmyer celebrates scoring a half century during the T20 World Cup cricket match against Zimbabwe on Monday.
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Glenmuir High School players in a celebratory mood.