Dressed in yellow and white, family and friends gathered inside the Trinity Moravian Church in Richmond Park, St Andrew, on Saturday to celebrate the life of Donna-Lee Sophia Donaldson. A smiling photograph stood at the altar in place of the body of the vibrant young woman, whose infectious laughter, warmth and wit once filled every room she entered.

For years, Parliament’s Ethics Committee has largely operated outside the public eye, quietly examining matters ranging from conflicts of interest to allegations of misconduct involving legislators. Marlene Malahoo Forte wants Jamaicans to see that work for themselves.

The first thing many shoppers notice at Coronation Market these days isn’t the smell of fresh produce or the chorus of vendors calling customers. It’s the price of onions. “Five hundred dollars a pound!” one vendor shouts, hoping not to scare away another customer.

Six years ago, when Skai Harvey began her journey at the Hague Primary and Infant School in Trelawny, her classroom was a computer screen. Like the many students who started school during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, her schooldays were spent in virtual classrooms, broken mainly for scheduled breaks. Occasionally, too, she would engage in online games after school with her friends.

For Jamaicans who have already signed up for the new national identification (ID) card, one question has loomed larger than most: Can I actually use it? At least where the country’s banks are concerned, within the last month, the answer is increasingly becoming yes.

The dangers of prolonged standing have often been overlooked by those who engage in the practice, including teachers, nurses, barbers, hairdressers, security guards, and other workers. Prolonged standing may contribute to significant health problems such as chronic back pain, swollen feet, an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, varicose veins, and musculoskeletal pain, especially in the shoulders and neck.

WESTERN BUREAU: Cricket icon Chris Gayle’s entry into the premium rum industry is being described as a strong endorsement of Jamaica’s capacity to produce globally competitive brands. Delano Seiveright, state minister in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, said Gayle’s decision to establish a Jamaica-owned premium rum company should encourage more entrepreneurs to invest in value-added industries with strong export potential. Seiveright was speaking at Wednesday night’s launch of Rich Rum at the AC Hotel in St Andrew.

Residents of Seaview Gardens are being encouraged to take to the field this summer in support of peace and positivity as the Gritty Elders for Youth Foundation hosts its sixth annual One Love Football Competition. Kicking off today and running until August 31, the two-month tournament will be held under the theme ‘Kick Out Violence, Score with Change’.

The atmosphere in Miami, United States, is electric, according to media reports, as tens of thousands of fans take over South Beach ahead of the World Cup quarter-final clash between England and Norway. The match is being billed by fans as the ultimate striker showdown between England’s Harry Kane, the lethal operator hoping to finally secure international silverware, and Norway’s Erling Haaland, who is playing like a man possessed, scoring goals at will. For England, it is the familiar anxiety of trying to “bring football home”.

Disbarred attorney Ano Miller-Sewell, who reportedly misappropriated more than $37 million entrusted to her by a client in a failed real estate transaction, has promised to repay the outstanding amount by early August.

WESTERN BUREAU: Hotelier Christopher Issa has called for the construction of a world-class performing arts centre in western Jamaica, arguing that the region’s cultural talent has long been constrained by inadequate venues.

Spain enters today’s World Cup quarterfinals against Belgium as heavy favourites, but with that tag comes much anxiety for their fans. The two European nations will square off at the Los Angeles Stadium in California with the expectations of their fan base heavy on their shoulders.

The St Catherine Municipal Corporation (StCMC) has unanimously adopted a resolution aimed at better protecting public infrastructure and ensuring that local authorities are compensated for damage caused by motor vehicle crashes, vandalism, and heavy-duty vehicles.

Government Minister Matthew Samuda has floated a recommendation for the Financial Investigations Division (FID) to be given the mandate to review or examine the statutory declarations of members of parliament (MPs) instead of the Integrity Commission (IC). Samuda, a member of the Integrity Commission Oversight Committee (ICOC), pitched the idea during a meeting of the body on Thursday.

Thousands of fans around the world, including in Jamaica, will be glued to their television sets when the first quarter-final match of the 2026 World Cup kicks off later today at Boston Stadium.

Energy Minister Daryl Vaz yesterday welcomed the settlement of a defamation lawsuit between himself and People’s National Party (PNP) General Secretary Dayton Campbell, describing it as vindication from what he called a “politically orchestrated rumour” that began four decades ago.

For St Ann poultry farmer Marcia Bygrave, collecting 50 broiler chicks at the Port Rhoades Sports Club recently was more than the start of another rearing cycle. It marked the beginning of a new chapter. Bygrave said the support gave her renewed purpose and a realistic opportunity to earn an income.

Veteran attorney and Pan-Africanist Bert Samuels on Sunday opened the Kumasi African Museum – a repository of Black history – at his Belvedere, St Andrew home and, in an emotionally charged moment, dedicated it to his young son, charging him with the responsibility of safeguarding its legacy and future.

Three years ago, while working at a supermarket in Black River, St Elizabeth, Javier Farquharson received a flyer about the robotics programme at the HEART/NSTA Trust Derrick Rochester Southwest Campus in Junction. Intrigued, he decided to find out more.

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders have turned to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) for a legal review of the process used to reappoint Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett after pushback from Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

A member of the Upper House has joined the ranks of parliamentarians who are currently under investigation for potential illicit enrichment and or submitting false information to Jamaica’s principal anti-corruption body.

NEW YORK: Jamaicans across the Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut will not have the annual Jamaica Independence Gala to attend this year. Ariel Bowen, the officer in charge of the Jamaican Consulate in New York, confirmed the news to The Gleaner.

WESTERN BUREAU: Some 30 students were given a lesson on how to embark on profitable businesses by hotelier Christopher Issa during last Friday’s awards ceremony, which brought the curtains down on the recently concluded Hanover Youth Entrepreneur Programme.

WESTERN BUREAU: In a move aimed at expanding support for small businesses, the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) will be relaunching its Growth and Expansion of MsMes through Innovation and Capacity-building (GEMINI) Programme , after reviewing shortcomings identified during the programme’s pilot phase.

The Chinese Embassy has broken its silence on a United States-backed security assessment of Jamaica’s major ports, warning that while it has no objection to Jamaica-US cooperation, it will act to protect the interests of Chinese companies operating on the island.

A major diplomatic rift has opened within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leadership amid the reappointment of Secretary General Dr Carla Barnett, with Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar insisting that the matter be brought to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

They came as the Cinderellas of the FIFA 2026 World Cup, but by the end of the first round, Cabo Verde (Cape Verde) ‑ the tiny archipelago in the central Atlantic Ocean off the West African coast – had become the darling of the competition being hosted across Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Vendors and small-scale farmers in Clarendon are being encouraged to organise themselves and take advantage of new licensing arrangements designed to make it easier and more affordable to enter Jamaica’s regulated medicinal cannabis industry.

Project STAR, the social and economic transformation initiative that targets under-resourced and under-served communities across Jamaica, will continue beyond its original five-year timeline after independent evaluations found that the programme has been delivering measurable results and remains faithful to its development model.

WESTERN BUREAU: The Jamaica Medical Doctors Association (JMDA) has joined residents of western Jamaica in expressing displeasure that the timeline for the completion of the St James-based Cornwall Regional Hospital’s (CRH) 10-year-long restoration has been extended to as late as March 2027.

Leaving a lasting legacy and playing a significant role in taking Jamaica’s track and field to dizzying heights, Stephen ‘Franno’ Francis is being remembered with superlatives by his peers, athletes, track and field fans, administrators and the political directorate following his passing on Saturday night.

Nearly a decade after sugar workers were temporarily moved into the Golden Grove housing development to shelter from Hurricane Matthew, some say they remain in legal limbo without titles to the properties they were “forced” to finish equipping themselves.

In 1999, Time magazine named Bob Marley’s album Exodus as the greatest album of the 20th century. The title comes from the second book of the Bible, which tells the story of the Israelites refusing to accept slavery, and G-d leading them to freedom. Biblical themes of breaking free from Babylon, the journey to Zion, and all of us being G-d’s creations, abound in Bob’s music.

WESTERN BUREAU: For Westmoreland pig farmer Michael Murphy, the numbers no longer add up. Every month, he must find $100,000 to repay a loan. Every week, he spends roughly $300,000 on feed alone. Yet the price he receives for his pigs has remained virtually unchanged for years.

Fourth-form Jonathan Grant High School student Alexander Ashley had a revelation when he completed his first term in grade 10. Although he did very well in his take-home assignments, the final grades on his report card from the St Catherine-based institution painted a very different picture.