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Drunk in class - One in 10 students report going to school inebriated or under influence of drugs, survey finds

September 03, 2026 | News
Jamaica’s classrooms are facing an unsettling challenge, with one in every 10 high-school students reporting that they have gone to school drunk, while a similar proportion say they have turned up under the influence of marijuana or other drugs. The finding is among several troubling revelations from the latest Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS), which paints a concerning picture of the health and well-being of Jamaica’s adolescents, including poor dietary habits, declining physical activity, and worsening mental health indicators.
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Portmore earns first Caribbean Cup win

Reigning Jamaica Premier League (JPL) champions Portmore United picked up their first win in Group B of the 2026 Concacaf Caribbean Cup when they defeated Cavalier 2-0 at the National Stadium earlier tonight. Jevaughn Grant gave Portmore the lead in the 14th minute before Javier Brown secured the win with a goal in the 88th. With the win, Portmore moved to three points and now sit third in the Group B standings, while Cavalier sit fourth with two.
World News

US hits Cuba with new sanctions as island’s crises multiply

HAVANA (AP) — The United States government on Thursday slapped new sanctions on Cuba in a fresh push to strangle the island’s economy and deepen its multiple crises. Among those hit with sanctions are Fidel Ernesto Castro, grandson of former President Raúl Castro, and Cuba’s Oil Industry Supply Import Company, known as Abapet. The company is responsible for importing special equipment and spare parts needed to sustain Cuba’s crumbling power grid.
World News

St Kitts PM says he is in good spirits despite undisclosed illness

BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – St Kitts Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew Thursday said he remains in “good spirits” and is continuing to “get fully active, fully conscious and in stable condition” as members of his medical team in the United States continue to evaluate his illness. Drew, with tubes and plaster attached to his hands, in a five-minute broadcast to the nation, did not disclose the nature of his illness, but said that he had been treated first in the French island of Martinique and is now in South Florida.

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Dr Christopher Tufton (centre), minister of health and wellness, examines the Global School-Based Student Health Survey report while in discussion with (from left) Ian Stein, PAHO/WHO representative to Jamaica, Bermuda and The Cayman Islands; Paulette Smit
Updated 19 hours ago

Drunk in class - One in 10 students report going to school inebriated or under influence of drugs, survey finds

Jamaica’s classrooms are facing an unsettling challenge, with one in every 10 high-school students reporting that they have gone to school drunk, while a similar proportion say they have turned up under the influence of marijuana or other drugs. The finding is among several troubling revelations from the latest Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS), which paints a concerning picture of the health and well-being of Jamaica’s adolescents, including poor dietary habits, declining physical activity, and worsening mental health indicators.

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Dujuan Richards at Wimbledon FC.
Published 23 hours ago

‘Whisper’ tug-o’-war begins

Phoenix Sports Management CEO Craig Butler insists that Dujuan ‘Whisper’ Richards remains under contract with the organisation and says the company facilitated the player’s season-long loan move to League One club AFC Wimbledon. Richards recently sent a signed letter to the Jamaica Football Federation and the English Football Association (FA), notifying them of a change in his official representation.

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Percussionist Bongo Herman
Updated 19 hours ago

‘Young man see vision’, Bongo Herman says of Badge of Honour

Percussionist Herman ‘Bongo Herman’ Davis is one of the 2026 recipients of the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service for his significant contribution to Jamaican music and culture. It is another feather in the cap for the foundation musician who has been present throughout the eras of ska, rocksteady and reggae, and who enjoyed a close relationship with the King of Reggae, Bob Marley.

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Theo James sharpens his classic tailoring with polka dots.
Updated 19 hours ago

Something Extra | Thursday

Three years after its debut, Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen returns for a second season. The Netflix drama held its world premiere in London on Wednesday night, with Theo James and Kaya Scodelario reprising their leading roles alongside several newcomers, including Love Island host Maya Jama. Here are the highlights from the arrivals.

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, on Sunday, August 23.
Published 23 hours ago

Editorial | Message to UEFA

Given the crisis of confidence and disrepute into which Gianni Infantino has plunged FIFA, the Dutch football federation’s call for a global summit to reimagine the organisation seems a good idea. However, the outcome of any such forum cannot merely entrench the power of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) over the global game whether directly or by proxy. Other parts of the world, especially the Global South, must emerge with a genuine voice and a place at the table beyond being mere beneficiaries of a less vulgar form of patronage.

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