13-Y-O CRITICAL An eighth-grade student has been hospitalised with life-threatening injuries to his kidney and intestine after he was reportedly shot by a policeman during an incident his family claim was unprovoked. The 13-year-old Cedric Titus High student was on the rooftop of a bar adjoining his home in Rio Bueno, Trelawny, on Sunday night, when a uniformed cop inside the venue fired a single bullet that struck him, according to a family member.
Probe deepens after Carnival night erupts in gunfire Investigators probing Sunday night’s shooting at the Big Wall Carnival after-party say it is still “very early days as it relates to charges”, even as eyewitness accounts, reported security gaps, and the experience of an injured American visitor intensify scrutiny on safety at major entertainment events. The event, staged for several years after the Carnival road march, was held this year at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre on Hope Road in St Andrew.
‘We’re just hoping for the best’ Still grappling with the physical and psychological toll of Hurricane Mellissa, schools across the worst-affected parishes are racing to ready grade-six students for the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) exams, now just days away.
Gordon Harrison suggests Child Diversion Act clarifies ‘accepting responsibility’ Children’s Advocate Diahann Gordon Harrison wants the Child Diversion Act to make it clear that the ‘accepting of responsibility’ by a child who commits an offence should not automatically be followed up by a guilty plea in the courts before the youngster can be referred to the Child Diversion Committee.
Chinese community donates $1m to Howard Cooke Primary’s recovery WESTERN BUREAU: The Howard Cooke Primary School in Montego Bay, which had its furniture, equipment and vital records destroyed when mud, debris and floodwaters associated with Hurricane Melissa devastated the institution, got a major boost in their recovery plans yesterday, thanks to a $1-million donation from the Chinese community. The contribution was handed over by Ziping Chen, chairman of LCH Development Limited, developers of The Pinnacle, who noted that thedonation reflects the Chinese community’s commitment to Jamaica and its education sector.
Bad roads drive Hertford residents to the brink Tensions flared along the Hertford main road on Monday as taxi operators and residents mounted a protest over deteriorating road conditions, with some going as far as forming human barricades to halt traffic and draw attention to their plight. Among them was Faith, a female taxi driver on the route, who physically positioned herself as part of a blockade when one operator attempted to continue working.
Cops believe cross-border robbers targeting churches in St James WESTERN BUREAU: Senior Superintendent Eron Samuels, police commander for St James, is appealing to churches and communities to help the police to apprehend thieves who are committing multiple break-ins – even targetting churches. Samuels, who was speaking at last week’s St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC) meeting, said that information received by the police suggests that the perpetrators are operating on a cross-border basis.
Summit snub WESTERN BUREAU A diplomatic dispute within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has intensified after Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) stayed away from an emergency meeting convened to address concerns it raised about the reappointment of the regional bloc’s secretary general. Dr Terrance Drew, chairman of CARICOM and prime minister of St Kitts and Nevis, confirmed that neither T&T Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar nor any representative of the twin-island republic attended the 25th Special Emergency Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government on Saturday.
From Churchill Downs to Serenity Ranch For more than 150 years, the Kentucky Derby has stood as one of the most iconic and prestigious traditions in American history. Established in 1875 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, the Derby quickly became known as ‘The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports’. Yet, its significance reaches far beyond the race itself. It represents discipline, legacy, culture, and the pursuit of excellence at the highest level.
100-member team of Jamaican-American cops visit island this month A 100-member-strong mission from the Jamaican-American Law Enforcement Organization (JAMLEO), comprising officers in the New York Police Department (NYPD), will arrive in Jamaica on April 26 for a three-day visit to uplift and empower students at Unity Primary School in Westmoreland. This will be the third such visit by JAMLEO to schools in Jamaica. The first visit in 2024 focused on schools in St James where they visited Mount Alvernia and Cornwall College and the second visit last year focused on Marcus Garvey Technical High School in St Ann.