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HAZY FIRE FACTS

September 16, 2026 | News
Cops probing the death of two young children in a house fire on the weekend have received “conflicting stories” about whether they were home alone at the time of the blaze, a police official has revealed. At the same time, the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) said an assessment to determine whether there are other children “within the home, family, or community who may be in need of care and protection” has been interrupted by a warning from the police. The CPFSA is the principal body tasked with guarding the welfare of children in Jamaica.
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UN chief urges global AI cooperation saying world can't afford 'a race to the bottom on AI safety'

UNITED NATIONS (AP) – The United Nations chief urged global competitors in artificial intelligence on Wednesday to cooperate in addressing threats from the technology, warning that "the world cannot afford a race to the bottom on AI safety". UN Secretary-General António Guterres said concerns raised by those on the frontlines of AI technology that its development "is racing ahead of our understanding of the risks" can't be ignored.

Centenarians living in Japan exceed 100,000 for the first time

TOKYO (AP) — The number of people aged 100 or older in Japan surpassed a record 100,000 this year, the latest government figures show, underscoring the country's rapidly aging and declining population. The Health and Welfare Ministry statistics released on Tuesday show Japan now has 107,677 centenarians, up 7,914 from the previous year and exceeding the 100,000 mark for the first time. Nearly 88 per cent of them are women.

Technical issue delays NIS pension payments for some direct-deposit recipients

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security says a technical issue has delayed National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pension payments to some pensioners who receive their benefits by direct deposit. In giving an update on Wednesday, the ministry said the issue is limited to the direct-deposit payment process and does not affect pensioners who receive their payments through other methods. Those beneficiaries would have received their pensions as scheduled.
Samson Cameron, 4, and Keriecia Hutchinson, 7, were killed in the fire.
September 16, 2026

HAZY FIRE FACTS

Cops probing the death of two young children in a house fire on the weekend have received “conflicting stories” about whether they were home alone at the time of the blaze, a police official has revealed. At the same time, the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) said an assessment to determine whether there are other children “within the home, family, or community who may be in need of care and protection” has been interrupted by a warning from the police. The CPFSA is the principal body tasked with guarding the welfare of children in Jamaica.

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Keemo Paul (right) is congratulated by Rovman Powell after scoring 50 runs against the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriot in their Caribbean Premier League T20 Cricket match at Sabina Park in August.
September 16, 2026

Kingsmen ready to defy odds

Jamaica Kingsmen captain Rovman Powell has issued a rallying cry to his squad on the eve of their crucial Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Eliminator against the Barbados Tridents, declaring that his team is ready to defy the odds and keep its season alive. The teams will meet today at the iconic Kensington Oval, with the first ball scheduled for 6 p.m. Jamaica time. The stakes could not be higher, with the winner advancing and the loser’s campaign coming to an abrupt end.

Entertainment

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Sevana celebrated her newest single, ‘Jeans an Marina’, with an intimate event.
September 16, 2026

Sevana’s ‘Jeans an Marina’ celebrates community and culture

A pair of jeans, a merino, a game of dominoes, and some music represent much more than a casual night out for Jamaican singer-songwriter Sevana. They are symbols of community, resilience and the simple ways Jamaicans have traditionally found joy and comfort in each other and form the heart of her latest single, Jeans an Marina. The song, which officially dropped on September 9, is about making the most of what you have. “You come together to sort of heal, to move forward to the next week,” Sevana said.

Business

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Tania Waldron-Gooden, CEO of Island Grill.
September 16, 2026

Island Grill targets 30 stores by 2030 in stepped-up expansion

Island Grill plans to grow its restaurant network by two-thirds to 30 outlets by 2030, a target that overtakes the goal the chain set a year ago. Chief Executive Officer Tania Waldron-Gooden told the Financial Gleaner that the company will add “an additional 12 over the next four years” to the 18 restaurants it now runs across Kingston and St Andrew, St Catherine, Ocho Rios in St Ann, Mandeville in Manchester, and Montego Bay in St James.

Lifestyle

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Reggae songbird Alaine says intentional living and making healthier choices are among the best decisions she continues to make for herself.
September 16, 2026

Alaine makes wellness a way of life

For reggae songbird Alaine Laughton, getting older is less about slowing down and more about making sure she can continue showing up for herself. The musician has become increasingly intentional about what she eats, how she exercises and, most importantly, maintaining the strength to enjoy life as she ages. In an interview with THE STAR earlier this week, about her approach to health and fitness, Alaine said the foundation was laid years ago after a conversation with her father.

Commentary

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The OpenAI logo is displayed on a cell phone with an image on a computer monitor generated by ChatGPT's Dall-E text-to-image model on December 8, 2023 in Boston.  AP
September 16, 2026

Editorial | Regulating AI

The renewed fears of a potentially apocalyptic future caused by artificial intelligence (AI), and calls for a slowdown in the advance of these technologies, again highlight the need for a full and transparent debate in Jamaica on guard rails to prevent these tools from running amok.

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