Almost 270,000 more people have left Jamaica, in comparison those who have chosen to return, and foreigners who choose to move to the island over an 18-year period.According to data provided by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (Sta...

Policewoman Harviette Donaldson went home after her shift on the night of Thursday, October 14 and immediately learned that her nine-year-old neighbour was abducted from their Bath, St Thomas, community.Before Donaldson could even react...

THE Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL) is reporting an increase in new HIV cases among youngsters under 24 years who access the entity's treatment sites.JASL, the country's main advocacy group in the fight against HIV, told reporters ...

More concerns over the chain of custody of the second of two firearms, along with 32 rounds of ammunition taken from accused Klansman gangsters prevented the items from being admitted into evidence Friday in the ongoing trial of 33 alle...

Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) President Winston Smith is asserting that had the Government answered the call to provide educators with technological devices years before the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic, online teaching...

Police had counted the number of wounds in the heinous November 8 stabbing incident of a woman by her jealous ex-lover as 20. Now, make that 30.The medical report confirmed that Nalia Dennis, now 21, who is miraculously alive to talk a...

Latoya Dyer wears a smile today that you would not have seen a few weeks ago. That's because she knows her nine-year-old daughter is now safe and sound.But occasionally, her joy fades as Davian Bryan, the man who is accused of abductin...

Mark Golding's skin, and a horrible manTHERE is good reason for Milholland Barker's two losses in local government elections - he clearly lacks a brain.For how else can you explain what would have driven the Jamaica Labour Party officia...

ONLINE shopping is gradually becoming more popular in Jamaica, and with the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic, many local retailers have been forced to consider providing the option to their customers. "There's no denying that if ...

Criminologist Dr Jason McKay prefers the imposition of a national state of emergency (SOE) instead of concentrating the anti-crime activity on geographical regions.McKay, who is also a Sunday Observer columnist, said that such a move wo...

FALMOUTH, Trelawny - Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie says one of the conditions being mulled for the restart of admitting new indigents into infirmaries is that they must be fully vaccinated.The ban on admission at infirmarie...

Twenty years ago, a Jamaican doctor picked up the habit of smoking cigarettes. It didn't take him long to decide that he needed to quit. "It was not very hardcore but I did realise that it was affecting my health so I slowed down, but I...

FOR World AIDS Day, which will be celebrated on December 1, UNAIDS is highlighting the urgent need to end the inequalities that drive AIDS and other pandemics around the world.Without bold action against inequalities, the world risks mi...

HUMAN immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and HIV/AIDS can lead to certain dental symptoms.Symptoms such as bleeding gums, fungal and candida (yeast) infection and herpes sores...

THE updated UNAIDS targets for 2025 (95-95-95) aim for 95 per cent of those living with HIV to know their status, 95 per cent of those who know their status to be on treatment and 95 per cent of those on treatment to be virally suppress...

HARTFORD, Westmoreland - Even as one community in this western parish grappled with Thursday night's attack that left a teenager dead and injured three others, including a toddler, an unidentified motorcyclist was shot dead by another r...

Security guards employed at Shalk Electronic Security Company are unhappy with what they say is the manner in which they are treated by their managers, whom they described as "dismissive" when they complain of late pay or being underpai...

Christina Blake has always had plans to pursue law at a United Kingdom-based university. However, she did not expect that she would be afforded that opportunity until at least another three years.Without even applying for the programme,...

Securing a scholarship was Kevon Waller's only shot at tertiary education due to financial struggles that stemmed from as early as primary school. He applied for a Chinese Government scholarship to study nursing and was shortlisted.But ...

MONTEGO BAY, St James - Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL) officially opened a multimillion-dollar flagship store at Fairview Shopping Centre in this western Jamaica city last week.It is the gaming company's second of its kind super gaming ...

World Health Organization's (WHO) latest HIV Drug Resistance Report gives an in-depth picture of the extent to which drug resistance is growing, and the steps that countries are taking to ensure people will receive effective medicine to...

THE dynamic and expansive nature of the Internet makes it easier for consumers of information and services to communicate and do business. This rapidly evolving landscape has stimulated a growing demand for Internet-enabled technologica...

SPALDING, Clarendon - She credits her longevity and daily blessing to the Lord, spanning 100 years filled with immense spiritual reward as a Christian.Dorcas McPherson, affectionately called "Mother Mac", born in Alston (north-west Clar...

EVERY person has the right to a life that is free from ageism, said the World Health Organization (WHO)."Throughout the ages, change-makers around the world joined forces to spread the message, and we're inspired by what we've been able...

LONDON (AP) - The UK tightened up rules Saturday on mask-wearing and on testing of international arrivals after finding two cases of the new potentially more contagious Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus that was identified just a...

JOHANNESBURG (AP) - Worried scientists in South Africa are scrambling to combat the lightning spread across the country of the new and highly transmissible Omicron novel coronavirus variant as the world grapples with its emergence. In t...

That all love's pleasureShall not match his woe.It shall be fickle, false, and full of fraud.Bud and be blasted in a breathing-whileThe bottom poison, and the top o'erstraw'd.- ShakespeareThere are so many different types of fraud, and ...

The Senate resumed sitting yesterday in a much-improved atmosphere following Thursday night's rancour over a vote to extend the existing states of emergency. But the session was brief, in keeping with a long-standing political protocol...

Residents of some Corporate Area communities in which states of emergency (SOEs) are in force yesterday gave mixed views on the security measure.While some said they saw no benefit to the SOEs, others told the Jamaica Observer that the...

KIX by Lee's Fifth Avenue is the newest addition to the family of 20 stores in Tropical Plaza, Half-Way-Tree, offering a new and friendly shopping experience.Fyah 105 FM will be on-site today to herald the opening.The trendy set-up cate...

Representatives of the global Baha'i community of 187 countries, including Jamaica, and 2,100 tribal communities, are now assembled at the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, Israel, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ascension of Ab...

THE Opposition indicated yesterday that it is undaunted by any possibility of a political fallout from its refusal to support an extension of states of emergency (SOEs) across seven police divisions in the country in which murders have ...

MONTEGO BAY, St James - The Opposition's vote against extending the states of emergency (SOEs) currently in force in seven police divisions across the island has been met with disappointment and anger by stakeholders in western Jamaica....

PRIVATE Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) President Keith Duncan has given support to the states of emergency (SOEs) declared in seven police divisions to help quell the escalating spate of murders across the island."If the police c...

The Opposition's vote against an extension of the states of emergency has triggered furious debate across the country.Some Jamaicans have painted the Opposition as reckless, given the spiralling crime rate in the island, while others sa...

Undaunted by a worrying spike in COVID-19 cases in Germany, one of Jamaica's markets for leisure travellers, Director of Tourism Donovan White yesterday remained optimistic that earnings projected for the sector will hold up."Germany is...

PATERNITY testing has always been a sensitive subject. However, since Parliamentarian Heroy Clarke called for mandatory DNA testing at birth, St Mary residents are expressing mixed views on the issue.On November 9, the Member of Parliam...

BRUSSELS, Germany (AP) - The discovery of a new coronavirus variant sent a chill through much of the world Friday as nations raced to halt air travel, markets fell sharply and scientists held emergency meetings to weigh the exact risks,...

THERE'S no doubt that when it comes to being a taxi operator one will have to face many challenges - sometimes on a near daily basis - and for Mandeville taxi driver Gary Dyer, interacting with passengers has oftentimes proved to be mor...

LLUIDAS VALE, St Catherine - It's a case of better late than never for staff and students of Juan de-Bolas Primary School which resumed face-to-face classes here in St Catherine on Monday, two weeks after the reopening date announced by...

MANDEVILLE, Manchester - Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton yesterday reiterated that the Government's position is that parental approval must be given in relation to COVID-19 vaccines being administered to children."We ...

While Jamaica Police Federation officials were in court yesterday dealing with a claim for overtime pay owed to rank and file cops, many of whom were outside the building protesting for their money, the head of the Police Civilian Over...

An admission by the lead police investigator in the case against the 33 individuals who stand accused of crimes committed by the St Catherine-based Klansman gang that he had not placed any identifying mark on a rifle taken from the boso...

JAMAICA College (JC) Parents Teachers' Association (PTA) President Collin Greenland is fuming over a Wednesday-night hospital visit by a JC board member, whom he says has been the source of recent public discontent among the board, the ...

Opposition Leader Mark Golding says he agrees with the position of Integrity Commission chairman, retired Justice Seymour Panton, that the auditor general's position as one of five commissioners of the commission poses no threat of a co...

President of the Senate Tom Tavares-Finson last night severely criticised an order which requires the Government to win over at least a single vote from the Opposition to pass legislation with constitutional implications.Tavares-Finson...

MONTEGO BAY, St James - The protest over arrears for overtime work staged by police in Kingston and St Andrew yesterday received strong support from their colleagues in St James who also complained about less than adequate working condi...

Three of the passengers on the Nieuw Statendam cruise ship seem to be celebrating their arrival at PortRoyal yesterday. The Holland America vessel is the largest cruise ship to date to visit Port Royal. It has acapacity of approximately...

THE US Embassy in Kingston has partnered with Junior Achievement Jamaica (JA Jamaica) to provide tablets for students in need at the primary and high school levels.This initiative, valued at $3.7 million, is tied to two flagship program...

FALMOUTH, Trelawny - With over 1,300 murders reported across the 19 police divisions since the start of the year, prime minister and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader Andrew Holness is expected to address the country's worrying crime pr...