Jamaica

Tahani Hassan and Mohammed Awad, a married couple with a 16-year history, are opening Cafe Tabeeb in Chicago's South Loop in late August 2026. The cafe will focus on single-origin coffee beans from countries like Jamaica and Colombia, alongside future offerings like matcha and teas. Their journey into coffee began during the pandemic, leading to global coffee education trips and eventual business expansion from home roasting to a commercial facility.

Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness lost an interlocutory appeal on July 31, 2026, as the Court of Appeal lifted a stay on proceedings. This allows a judicial review of an Integrity Commission investigation into his financial affairs to proceed.

Weekend subway service at the Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport station in Queens will be suspended, requiring travelers to seek alternative transportation. A travel advisory has been issued for the E train shutdown between 11:45 p.m. on Friday and an unspecified time over the weekend.

A Southeast Queens family alleges a Jamaica funeral home wrongfully cremated their 93-year-old matriarch, Euvy Rodney, despite her death certificate specifying repatriation to Guyana for burial. The family, which includes 55 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, demands justice and has filed a complaint with the New York State Bureau of Funeral Directing.

A woman listed as one of the FBI's Most Wanted Fraudsters was captured in Jamaica and returned to the U.S. after hiding there for the past year. The Justice Department confirmed her arrest and repatriation.

Jamaica is proposing to increase its General Consumption Tax on tourism from 10% to 15%, which hoteliers oppose, warning it could reduce the island's competitiveness against other Caribbean destinations.

IDB Invest is providing an US$80 million loan to Jamaica Public Service to refinance debt and strengthen its grid following costly hurricane restoration efforts.

The FBI captured Elaine Escoe, a suspect accused of submitting 90 fake applications for $32 million in Paycheck Protection Program funds. She fled the U.S. after her May arrest and skipped a June court appearance but was arrested in Jamaica with local authorities' help before being returned.

Guyana's government appointed an international team of experts to investigate the capsizing of the 87-year-old MV Barima ferry, which killed dozens in June 2026. The inquiry will examine potential negligence, overcrowding, and safety violations, with three individuals already arrested, including the captain who tested positive for marijuana.

A South Florida woman captured in Jamaica after fleeing was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering related to a scheme that fraudulently obtained over $32 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds. The FBI's West Palm Beach agency is investigating.

Elaine Angene Escoe, 41, was arrested in Jamaica by authorities following an FBI manhunt for allegedly orchestrating a $32 million COVID-19 relief fraud scheme. She was returned to South Florida on Thursday.

Elaine Angene Escoe, an alleged $32 million pandemic relief fraud fugitive, was captured in Jamaica under the alias 'Harley Newman' and returned to the U.S. FBI Director Kash Patel and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche highlighted the arrest as part of an international fraud crackdown, noting Escoe is the fourth fugitive captured in five weeks.

ICE detained a Southwest flight attendant at Nashville airport. The individual is Jamaican-born, and family and friends are requesting his release from ICE detention.

A Dallas-based Southwest Airlines flight attendant, Lorenzo 'Enzo' Thompson, was detained by ICE at Nashville International Airport on July 14. He entered the U.S. legally in 2021 but overstayed his visa, and his asylum case was pending at the time of detention. His union, TWU Local 556, and colleagues have expressed support for him.

Jamaica’s government reports that two of its citizens, deported by the US to Eswatini, have rejected offers to be repatriated to Jamaica. The third citizen's response was not specified in the article.

Jamaica's government reported that two of three US-deported citizens to Eswatini rejected offers to return to Jamaica, citing unwillingness to repatriate. The US has faced criticism for third-country deportations to Eswatini, a nation with authoritarian governance and human rights concerns. Jamaica is seeking diplomatic resolution with the US and Eswatini.

Jamaica's government confirmed two of its citizens deported by the US to Eswatini have rejected offers to return to Jamaica. The third citizen remains uncontacted, and Jamaica is working with the US and Eswatini to resolve the situation. The US deportations to Eswatini have faced criticism from human rights groups due to the kingdom's political environment.

The Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Michael Holness met with former Liberian president and Ballon d'Or winner George Weah during a France vs. Morocco match in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Jamaica, a country absent from the World Cup for nearly 30 years, was represented by its prime minister at the event.

Spain's foreign ministry listed 60 countries for visa-free entry, including nine CARICOM members such as Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, and Trinidad and Tobago. Five Caribbean countries—Jamaica, Guyana, Suriname, Belize, and Haiti—were excluded from the visa-free list.

Global Attractions Ltd, a company incorporated 115 days ago on March 16, 2026, is acquiring a 79.99% stake in Jamaica’s Dolphin Cove from World of Dolphins. The transaction, finalized on July 9, does not disclose the purchase price.

Eswatini accepted 11 people deported from the US under a bilateral agreement to host third-country nationals, with the government stating their rights will be protected during temporary stays. The Trump administration has sent thousands of deportees to countries like Eswatini, Central African Republic, and Congo, drawing criticism over transparency and human rights concerns.

Stephen Francis, a Jamaican track and field coach who co-founded the MVP Track & Field Club and trained multiple Olympic and world champions, died at 64. His work transformed Jamaica into a sprinting powerhouse and inspired athletes across the Caribbean.

Stephen Francis, a Jamaican track and field coach who co-founded the MVP training club and coached multiple Olympic and world champions, died at 64. His work transformed Jamaica into a sprinting powerhouse and earned him national recognition, including the Order of Jamaica in 2017.

Suella Braverman, a right-wing politician, called for Britain’s former colonies to pay reparations for the empire’s 'investment,' claiming the British Empire contributed to building them. The article refutes her claims, citing historical compensation to slave owners and research showing Britain looted resources from colonies like India.

A 2026 law targets countries complicit in Cuba's exploitation of medical professionals by imposing penalties such as aid cuts and travel bans. The U.S. State Department has listed nations using Cuban doctors under coercive conditions, leading some to reduce participation. The legislation aims to cut financial support to the Cuban regime and protect doctors from exploitation.

Jamaica secured a $200 million parametric hurricane bond in May 2025 through a World Bank-facilitated catastrophe bond, its largest to date. The previous bond paid out $150 million in full after Hurricane Melissa struck in October 2025 but did not pay out following Hurricane Beryl in 2024.

Food for the Poor is preparing for reconstruction in northern Venezuela following 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that exacerbated an existing humanitarian crisis. Cesar Guevara, a director at the nonprofit, is coordinating efforts to send $20,000 to partners for immediate aid and planning future projects to rebuild collapsed buildings in coastal towns like Caraballeda and Catia La Mar.

A fire involving lithium-ion batteries injured four people, two seriously, in Queens early Friday morning. The incident occurred in the basement of a house at 172-12 91st Ave. in Jamaica, according to the FDNY.

Reva Haughton, who became blind after a battery acid attack in Jamaica 26 years ago, received new furniture and a computer from City Home through Help Me Howard. The initiative provided her with a new home setup, including a love seat and storage, after 20 years in her apartment. Haughton expressed gratitude for the support, highlighting the community's assistance in improving her living conditions.

Jamaica's tourism sector has transitioned from recovery to a growth phase, with over 1.5 million visitors generating $1.5 billion in foreign exchange from January to May 2026. Sandals is investing $200 million in the country, and Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett confirmed the sector's growth following Hurricane Melissa.

Jamaica’s economy shrank by 5.9% in Q1 2026 due to Hurricane Melissa, with damages, losses, and added costs reaching $12.2 billion—equivalent to 56.7% of the island’s 2024 output. Mining and agriculture sectors fell by 26.6% and 20.3%, respectively, while tourism lodging was also impacted.

Jamaica is negotiating with the United States to accept deportees from third countries under a new agreement allowing up to 25 individuals every two weeks. The opposition People's National Party criticizes the plan, citing risks to national security and infrastructure, while the government emphasizes it as a structured process for transferring migrants to their final destinations.

Jamaica is in talks with the U.S. to accept third-country deportees under a Trump administration immigration policy. The agreement, pending final details, would allow up to 25 non-Jamaican migrants every two weeks, with opposition criticizing the move as risky to national security and social infrastructure.

Jamaica is negotiating with the U.S. to accept up to 25 third-country deportees every two weeks under a proposed agreement with the Department of Homeland Security. The move faces opposition in Jamaica over security and social risks, while the U.S. has used similar arrangements to deport over 19,000 people to third countries, including Mexico and other Caribbean and African nations.

Reva Haughton, a Jamaica-born woman blinded by a battery acid attack 26 years ago, now lives in South Florida. After reaching out to Help Me Howard, she is receiving new furniture from City Home to update her Miami Gardens apartment.

The Supreme Court will decide whether noncitizens can be detained for extended periods without bond hearings, following a case involving two green card holders convicted of aggravated felonies. A federal appeals court in New York ruled in 2024 that due process requires bond hearings for prolonged detention, but the Trump administration appealed, arguing the decision was misguided.

Jamaican activists are challenging a colonial-era law in court to prevent the privatization of beaches, arguing that handing shorelines to private hotel chains benefits outsiders while harming locals who rely on the sea. They demand 'free, legal, unfettered, forever rights' to beach access.

Jamaican activists are challenging the privatization of coastal areas, arguing that the tourism model disproportionately benefits elites while restricting access for most Jamaicans. A court case focuses on protecting public access to the Mammee Bay shoreline in St Ann, which activists say has historically supported local communities through fishing, recreation, and trade.

A South Florida woman, Elaine Escoe, is among the FBI’s inaugural Most Wanted Fraudsters for allegedly stealing $32 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds. She faces charges of wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy, with a $150,000 reward offered for her arrest.

The FBI has added Elaine Escoe, a South Florida woman, to its Most Wanted Fraudster list for allegedly orchestrating a $32 million scheme involving fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program applications. She faces charges including wire fraud and money laundering, with a reward of up to $150,000 offered for information leading to her arrest.