“A Mexican president is Mexican and does not represent another country,” Sheinbaum said during her morning press conference on August 25. If adopted, her proposal would make Mexico’s presidency qualifications in some respects more restrictive than those of the United States, where a president must be born in the country but there is no explicit ban on dual citizenship.

Sheinbaum’s proposal marks the latest in a suite of changes that her critics deem authoritarian. In May, for example, Sheinbaum gave the National Electoral Institute, Mexico’s highest electoral authority, the power to annul presidential elections deemed to have been influenced by foreign actors.

But Sheinbaum argues the reforms are necessary to stave off the growing influence of the far right in Latin America, where now two heads of state — Colombia’s Abelardo de la Espriella and Ecuador’s Daniel Noboa — are also U.S. citizens.

De la Espriella, the far-right Colombian president who received strong support from Trump during his campaign and took office in June, is a U.S. and Italian citizen and a registered member of the Republican Party. Noboa, who assumed office as Ecuador’s president in 2023 at the age of 35, was born in Miami, Florida, and is the son of one of Ecuador’s richest men. (His father, Álvaro Noboa, also ran unsuccessfully for president five times.)

It’s clear that Latin America has an ascendant right wing under U.S. influence, said Pamela K. Starr, a professor of political science and international relations at the University of Southern California. Morena, the party that Sheinbaum leads, genuinely seems to believe there’s an international far-right movement that has taken over most of Latin America and that efforts to weaken Mexico’s left-wing political leadership come from Washington. How Mexican observers view Sheinbaum’s protectionism, meanwhile, is something of a political Rorschach test.

“Those who trust her trust that her efforts are legitimate, that she’s not trying to establish authoritarianism,” Starr told The Intercept. “Those who oppose her have the exact opposite read: that this is simply an extension of the Fourth Transformation’s effort to recreate an authoritarian government in Mexico. The truth obviously is somewhere in between.”

The Fourth Transformation is the political project launched by former Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the founder of the Morena party who swept to the presidency in 2018 promising to break with Mexico’s political establishment, reduce inequality, and root out corruption. López Obrador cast his movement as a historic transformation of the country, and his successor, Sheinbaum, has pledged to protect it.

Her strategy raises an uncomfortable question inside Mexico: whether measures designed to shield the country from foreign political influence could themselves be used to consolidate Morena’s power.

“I don’t think it is an absurd idea,” said Damián Zepeda, the former president of Mexico’s conservative party PAN, of Sheinbaum’s proposed dual-citizenship ban. “But we cannot lose sight of the context of the authoritarian government we are living under.”

“What is being done is protecting Mexico from leaders who would sell out their own country.”

For Cynthia López Castro, a Morena senator, the initiative seems fundamental. The logic behind it is that someone who holds dual nationality has a legal bond with another state, López Castro said, while whoever holds the presidency can only represent the Mexican people.

“What is being done is protecting Mexico from leaders who would sell out their own country,” said López Castro, who told The Intercept that the measure was discussed in parliament this week. “President Claudia Sheinbaum argues that dual nationality is incompatible with serving as president or governor because these positions require exclusive representation.”

Sheinbaum’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

There are people within and around the U.S. administration who see Sheinbaum’s government as hostile to American interests and are seeking to see Mexico governed by conservatives, Starr said. The irony, she added, is that “the United States has never, literally never, had such good security cooperation from Mexico.”

The State Department and U.S. military are highly supportive of the Mexican president because of the level of security cooperation her government has provided Washington.

“There are two messages coming out of the United States, and Donald Trump just depends on what day it is, which side he apes in his rhetoric,” Starr said.

Framing Sheinbaum’s proposal as an authoritarian measure, Zepeda, the conservative, also presented it as an attack on a critical target for the Trump administration: the rights of millions of Mexican immigrants.

“A great deal of progress has been made on the migration agenda to recognize the rights of our fellow Mexicans abroad, and this proposal would prevent anyone who was born in the United States because of their family’s migration circumstances from aspiring to certain public offices,” Zepeda said. “It is a double narrative: On the one hand, we support migrants, and on the other, we restrict their rights in order to protect those in power.”

In Starr’s view, while the U.S. president is clearly an influential force, he’s inflating his own role in Latin American politics.

“There’s no question that Trump thinks that he has created a conservative coalition in Latin America, and it supports him. He’s right that it supports him, but he’s not right that he created it,” Starr said. “Latin Americans are voting on Latin American concerns.”

]]>

The deceased has been identified as Jessina Pearce of McKenzie Drive, Flanker, St James.

According to police, the incident occurred about 6:55 p.m. when Pearce became involved in an argument with two other girls.

The dispute reportedly escalated, and the two girls allegedly stabbed Pearce.

She was rushed to hospital for treatment but later succumbed to her injuries.

Police said one of the girls involved has been taken into custody as investigations continue.

Teen Charged with Murder After Fatal Stabbing During Domino Game

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

In all, agents with 3,700 distinct self-given names posted the messages to German site DSEwiki over a six-week period. Besides discussing ways the agents could break out of the restricted environment OpenAI intended to prevent them from posting code or content to the Internet, the posts shared test answers. The posts also shared possible ways to perform XSS (cross-site scripting) attacks against the wiki and to impersonate site moderators. In three of the posts, agents used the word “swarm” to describe the collection of agents engaged in the activity.

The research team—composed of Sydney Von Arx, Spencer Kitts, Thomas Larsen, and Cormac Slade Byrd—said they found the posts and pieced them together. The researchers say there are gaps in their understanding of precisely what actions the agents took because the research is based solely on the content of the posts. Additionally, the agents generated “chain of thought” data that’s understood only by OpenAI. As a result, the researchers said, they in some cases made educated guesses, including that the agents were, in fact, from OpenAI. In a statement, OpenAI later confirmed they were.

]]>

Pan Jamaica Group Limited (PJAM) has advised that a connected party purchased 11,600 PJAM shares on September 2, 2026.

PJAM has also advised that a connected party sold 132,995 PJAM shares on August 31, 2026.

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification – The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure – The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

JMMB Group Limited (JMMBGL) has advised that a connected party purchased 249,814 JMMBGL shares on September 3, 2026.

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification -The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure -The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

LASCO Financial Services Limited (LASF) has advised that effective January 1, 2027, the Company will transition from dividend payments by cheque to payments made directly to shareholders’ bank accounts through electronic funds transfer (direct deposit).

For further details, visit www.jamstockex.com

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification -The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation (s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure -The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

LASCO Manufacturing Limited (LASM) has advised that effective January 1, 2027, the Company will transition from dividend payments by cheque to payments made directly to shareholders’ bank accounts through electronic funds transfer (direct deposit).

For further details, visit www.jamstockex.com

.

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification – The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure – The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may effect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

LASCO Distributors Limited (LASD) has advised that effective January 1, 2027, the Company will transition from dividend payments by cheque to payments made directly to shareholders’ bank accounts through electronic funds transfer (direct deposit).

For further details, visit www.jamstockex.com

.

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification -The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure -The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

CAC 2000 Limited (CAC) has advised that Mr. Simon Roberts has resigned from the Board of Directors of the Company, effective July 31, 2026.

For further details, visit www.jamstockex.com

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification -The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure -The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

Sagicor Group Jamaica Limited (SJ) has declared a first interim dividend payment of $0.60 per share payable on October 8, 2026, to shareholders on record as at September 21, 2026. The ex-dividend date is September 21, 2026.

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification -The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure -The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., said 283 Jamaicans have already completed the programme, which was initially introduced in St. James and Kingston and St. Andrew.

The programme has since expanded to St. Catherine, St. Mary, Portland, Trelawny, St. Ann and Clarendon.

Speaking at the launch of Senior Citizens’ Month at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Wednesday, September 2, Minister Charles said the initiative must continue to expand as technology evolves.

He noted that skills relevant several years ago may no longer be sufficient, making it necessary for the training to be regularly updated.

The launch was held under the theme “Honouring a Golden Legacy, Shaping a Bold Future”, as the National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC) celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Minister Charles also called for a shift in how society views ageing, arguing that age should be treated as an asset rather than a liability.

He urged Jamaicans to focus not only on healthy ageing but also on creating opportunities for older persons to remain productive and engaged.

The Minister further encouraged younger Jamaicans to make deliberate efforts to prevent senior citizens from experiencing isolation.

He pointed out that isolation is not always physical, as older persons can live in family homes while still experiencing emotional and mental isolation.

Meanwhile, NCSC Board Chair, Dr. Julian McKoy Davis, said all Jamaicans have a role to play in supporting and engaging older adults.

She noted that 522 Jamaicans are currently over 100 years old, describing the number of centenarians as a testament to the country’s longevity.

Dr. McKoy Davis encouraged younger Jamaicans to use Senior Citizens’ Month as an opportunity to listen to and learn from the experiences and wisdom of older persons.

]]>

The deceased has been identified as 58-year-old Clifton Archibald James, who was working at the construction site near Granville on Thursday, September 3.

Preliminary reports indicate that James was taking measurements at approximately 10 a.m. when he was struck by a white 2023 FAW truck that was reportedly reversing at the site.

James sustained serious injuries and was pronounced dead following the incident.

The police have classified the matter as a fatal traffic accident and are conducting investigations. Statements are being collected, while an accident reconstruction officer is expected to assist with determining the circumstances surrounding the crash. The findings are expected to be submitted to the coroner.

Works Minister Robert Morgan has ordered a full probe into the incident and said the contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), is expected to cooperate fully with the authorities.

The National Road Operating and Constructing Company (NROCC) has also acknowledged the fatality, saying the incident is being treated with the utmost seriousness.

The investigation is continuing.

]]>

Thompson, of New Haven, Kingston 20, has also been charged with being armed with an offensive weapon. His court date is being finalised.

The incident occurred on Monday, August 31. The deceased has been identified as 29-year-old Christopher Wray, otherwise called ‘TunkuMan’, a labourer of Riverside Drive, Kingston 20.

According to police reports, Thompson and Wray were playing dominoes when an argument developed between them. The dispute reportedly became physical, during which Thompson allegedly used a knife to stab Wray in the upper body.

Wray was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Thompson reportedly fled the area following the incident but was apprehended on Wednesday, September 2.

He was formally charged following a question-and-answer session with investigators.

]]>

In Old Harbour, a pastor reported that her 2015 Nissan Sylphy, registered 9440 LY and valued at approximately $1.6 million, was stolen from Blue Quit Circle in the Aviary Housing Scheme.

Police said the woman parked the vehicle at about 11:30 p.m. on Monday and went to bed. She discovered the car missing when she awoke around 5:30 a.m. the following day.

The matter was reported to the Old Harbour Criminal Investigation Branch, which has launched an investigation.

Meanwhile, in Portmore, police are searching for the person or persons responsible for stealing a 2013 Toyota Mark X, registered 4570 KJ and valued at approximately $1.6 million.

The vehicle was reportedly parked at about 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday and was discovered missing around 7:00 a.m. the following day.

A report was made to the Caymanas Police, who are investigating.

]]>

The technique is broadly known as ASCII smuggling. It gained attention two years ago as a means of making a class of AI attack known as prompt injections more stealthy. Malicious instructions embedded in emails or other untrusted content to be processed by an LLM aren’t written in ordinary text. Instead, they’re rendered by a special range of Unicode tags. For example, the tag point U+E0041 mirrors “A,” and U+E0061 mirrors “a.”

The block of 128 tags mimics a portion of the American Standard Code for Information Interchange almost perfectly, with one major difference: the characters they encode are readable by computers but, by design, are almost completely invisible to humans. By expressing the malicious prompts in these tags, LLMs detect the instructions, but people reading the email never see them. There’s much more about ASCII smuggling here.

]]>

Broadcom’s acquisition of the virtualization firm brought the end of perpetual license sales and the arrival of pricey, stacked, subscription-based bundles that priced out many SMBs.

The most obvious is VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF), VMware’s flagship private cloud bundle that has been Broadcom’s primary focus since taking over VMware. Many SMBs find that VCF is unaffordable and stuffed with unnecessary offerings. However, numerous customers have reported online that VMware sales representatives have still pushed them toward VCF, with some claiming that sales reps have told them that the lower-priced edition of VMware’s virtualization platform, vSphere Standard, was no longer available.

]]>

Before automating anything: how often, are the rules stable, is the input consistent, and wouldyou notice if it went wrong? (Branded graphic by PGH Consulting, LLC)

88 per cent of data leaders are confident their data is ready for AI. 43 per cent say datareadiness is their biggest obstacle. A further estimate: 60 per cent of AI projects without AI-ready datamay be abandoned through 2026. (Branded graphic by PGH Consulting, LLC)

One hour, no software: take your last 100 records, check ten fields, count the errors. Thatnumber is your starting point. (Branded graphic by PGH Consulting, LLC)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 162,000 in August 2026, while the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1%. Employment gains were concentrated in food services and drinking places, local government education, manufacturing, and health care, while the information sector recorded notable job losses. The August payroll increase was significantly stronger than the average monthly gain of 31,000 jobs recorded over the prior twelve months.

The BLS also revised prior months’ employment figures upward. June payroll employment was revised from +20,000 to +31,000, while July was revised from -23,000 to +21,000. Combined, employment for June and July was revised 55,000 jobs higher than previously reported, reflecting additional reports received from businesses and government agencies and updated seasonal adjustments.

Household Survey Data

In August, the unemployment rate remained at 4.1%, with approximately 7.0 million individuals unemployed, showing little change from the previous month and over the year. Among major demographic groups, the unemployment rate for Asians declined to 3.2%, while the rate for teenagers increased to 14.1%, largely offsetting a decline in the prior month. Unemployment rates for adult men (4.0%), adult women (3.5%), Whites (3.7%), Blacks (6.0%), and Hispanics (4.8%) were little changed during the month.

The number of individuals unemployed for 27 weeks or more remained relatively stable at 1.9 million. Long-term unemployed persons accounted for 27.0% of all unemployed individuals in August, underscoring the continued concentration of unemployment among workers experiencing prolonged joblessness.

Broader labour force indicators showed mixed results. The labour force participation rate edged up by 0.2 percentage point to 61.6%, although it remains 0.5 percentage point below its January level. The employment-population ratio held steady at 59.1%, showing little change both over the month and since the start of the year. Meanwhile, the number of people employed part time for economic reasons declined by 414,000 to 4.4 million, indicating an improvement in labour utilization. The number of individuals not in the labour force who wanted a job remained largely unchanged at 5.7 million, while the number of discouraged workers held steady at 441,000.

Establishment Survey Data

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 162,000 in August, substantially exceeding the average monthly gain of 31,000 over the preceding twelve months. Food services and drinking places led job growth, adding 59,000 jobs, well above the industry’s average monthly gain of 12,000 over the prior year. Local government education added 42,000 jobs, largely reversing a decline recorded in the previous month.

Employment in manufacturing continued its upward trajectory, increasing by 16,000 jobs during August and bringing cumulative gains since December 2025 to 58,000 jobs. Growth was concentrated in machinery manufacturing (+6,000) and fabricated metal product manufacturing (+6,000). The health care sector added 13,000 jobs, although growth remained below the average monthly increase of 32,000 recorded over the past year. Gains were concentrated in home health care services (+11,000) and hospitals (+8,000).

The information sector experienced the largest employment decline, losing 23,000 jobs during the month. Losses were concentrated among computing infrastructure providers, data processing, web hosting, and related services (-8,000), publishing industries (-7,000), and broadcasting and content providers (-5,000). Construction employment increased modestly by 22,000, with nonresidential specialty trade contractors accounting for 8,000 of those gains. Employment showed little change across several other major industries, including mining, wholesale trade, retail trade, transportation and warehousing, financial activities, professional and business services, social assistance, and other services.

Wage growth remained moderate. Average hourly earnings for all private nonfarm employees increased by 10 cents (0.3%) to $37.75 in August and were 3.1% higher than a year earlier. Production and nonsupervisory employees recorded an 11-cent increase, bringing average hourly earnings to $32.53. The average workweek for all private-sector employees edged up by 0.1 hour to 34.4 hours, while the manufacturing workweek increased slightly to 40.5 hours. Manufacturing overtime was unchanged at 3.1 hours, and the average workweek for production and nonsupervisory employees remained at 33.8 hours.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification – The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure – The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may effect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

The Government has signed contracts to support the delivery of approximately 268 semi-permanent housing solutions across parishes hardest hit by Hurricane Melissa last October.

The signing ceremony took place at the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development yesterday.

Of the 268 housing solutions, 143 are earmarked for Westmoreland and 125 for St. Elizabeth.

The housing solutions include units provided through the National Housing Trust (NHT) and housing solutions provided by the Government of China.

Minister with responsibility for land titling and settlements, Robert Montague, said the contract signing moves the Government significantly closer to providing safer accommodation for families displaced by the hurricane.

Mr. Montague explained that the decision to utilise semi-permanent housing solutions was driven by the need to provide shelter to affected families as quickly as possible, while the government continues to consider other housing options as part of the wider recovery effort.

Works under the contracts include the excavation of foundations and footings, construction of bases and associated external works, installation of sewage and water distribution systems, transportation and installation of the housing units, as well as internal wall partitioning and installation of fittings and fixtures.

Mr. Montague said with the contracts now signed, the focus shifts to implementation and delivery.

United States:

US Adds 162,000 Jobs, Topping All Estimates in Broad Advance

US job growth surged in August and the unemployment rate held steady, suggesting the labor market has more momentum than previously thought.

Nonfarm payrolls increased 162,000 last month and July’s job losses were revised away, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data out Friday. The August increase topped all estimates in a Bloomberg survey. The unemployment rate remained at 4.1%.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-04/us-employers-add-162-000-jobs-topping-all-estimates?srnd=phx-economics-v2

Europe:

Economists See Final ECB Hike Next Week in Split With Markets

Economists think the European Central Bank will raise interest rates next week but not beyond that, a far more dovish outcome than markets are currently betting on.

The overwhelming majority of respondents in a Bloomberg survey expect the deposit rate to be raised by a quarter-point to 2.5% on Thursday and stay there through 2027. Traders, on the other hand, are pricing about three more hikes by mid-next year.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-04/economists-see-final-ecb-hike-next-week-in-split-with-markets?srnd=phx-economics-v2

Asia:

Takaichi Lauds ‘Transparency’ of Japan’s Record Budget Requests

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi touted the formulation of Japan’s record spending requests as increasing the transparency and discipline of the country’s finances after an overhaul of the budget-making process.

Takaichi’s government has promised to review and cut back on unnecessary spending programs and is trying to incorporate more forward-looking investment into the budget, but the biggest change is an attempt to end Japan’s postwar reliance on extra budgets.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-04/japan-ministries-seek-larger-budget-as-fiscal-questions-mount?srnd=phx-economics-v2

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification – The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure – The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may effect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

The Jamaica Medical Doctors’ Association (JMDA) says the Health Ministry has completed a preliminary audit of the accommodation for interns, following concerns raised by the association.

JMDA met recently with Health Ministry representatives.

In June, interns staged a protest to highlight the issues affecting them.

Among the concerns is the need for rest and overnight facilities.

According to the JMDA, those facilities are either entirely absent or inadequate.

Interns are reportedly required to share beds, and in some locations, have experienced recurrent flooding with sewage and inadequate sanitation.

The JMDA called for improvements.

President Dr. Jubilee Brown-Service told IRIE FM News that Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton disclosed at a recent meeting that he was awaiting further consultation before the audit findings were revealed.

She added that the JMDA used the same meeting to urge the ministry to establish consistent criteria for international medical graduates intending to enter the Jamaican workforce.

Since the beginning of 2025, Flock has given 700 percent more to the partisan groups representing mayors, attorneys general, and governors than in the previous three years. The giving has gone to Democratic and Republican groups alike.

Donating to those groups is a time-worn strategy for companies under scrutiny. The gifts can sometimes reap face time with elected officials. Two major Flock competitors in the license-plate reader industry, Axon and Motorola Solutions, have also donated widely.

One group that received money from Flock, the Democratic Mayors of America, defended its decision to accept $30,000. A spokesperson said reports of Flock misuse are “deeply unsettling,” while arguing that the donations gave Flock no influence over local mayors.

Since the beginning of 2025, Flock donated a quarter-million dollars to a bipartisan slate of groups.

Critics of money in politics have long raised concerns that such donations create, at a minimum, the appearance of a conflict of interest. A surveillance skeptic said the groups could face blowback.

“There’s a reputational risk for them accepting donations from Flock at this time,” said Torin Monahan, a professor of communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Flock did not respond to a request for comment.

Over the past year, Flock has faced intense pushback from activists on the left and right over perceived civil liberties abuses. Flock was forced to admit that immigration officials had access to its data, despite earlier denials in the middle of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown last year. Dozens of police officers have also been accused of abusing Flock’s database to track people, often former romantic partners.

Flock was founded in 2017, but it was only five years after that that it began doling out money to what are known as 527 groups, according to records compiled by the nonprofit news outlet ProPublica. The so-called 527 groups can raise unlimited funds directly from corporations and spend that money on key political races.

Flock’s giving began at a relatively meager rate: From 2022 to 2024, the company gave $20,000 to the Democratic Mayors Association and $10,000 to its Republican counterpart, the Community Leaders of America.

Its spending has skyrocketed since then. Since the beginning of 2025, the company donated a total of $240,000 to a longer list of groups that includes the Democratic and Republican Governors Associations and the Democratic and Republican Attorneys General Associations.

Flock’s pattern of donating to 527 groups was identified by a widely cited critic of the company, Jason Hunyar, who asked on his blog what the company was receiving in exchange for those donations.

The donations came as Flock was hiring an army of lobbyists. It has spent more than $2 million on state and federal lobbying since the start of 2025, according to a recent report from the transparency group OpenSecrets.

The rise of that multi-pronged influence campaign coincided with intense pushback to the company’s practices. Several members of Congress have proposed either outright bans or stricter regulations on Flock and other license-plate readers.

Much of the activism against Flock thus far has come at the local level. Scores of cities and other local governments have rejected or canceled Flock contracts or deactivated the company’s cameras since the start of 2026, according to the advocacy group DeFlock.

The suspicion crosses party lines. In Knox County, Tennessee, Republican Mayor Glenn Jacobs — the former professional wrestler Kane — recently led a campaign to cancel the company’s contract there. In Arizona, Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes announced that she was launching a review of Flock and other camera networks.

Flock is not the only license-plate reader company that has routed money to political groups. Motorola Solutions, which counts cameras as one product among many in its portfolio, has donated more than $986,000 since the start of 2023, according to public records.

Axon, which also hawks Tasers and body-worn cameras, has donated $225,000 to Democratic and Republican attorney general groups over the same period. (Motorola Solutions and Axon did not respond to requests for comment.)

Corporate donations to 527 groups long been controversial. Companies can use the groups to build connections with the same elected officials making decisions about whether to purchase their products and services.

More than a decade ago, the New York Times documented how corporations facing lawsuits used donations to the Republican and Democratic attorney general groups to cozy up to decision-makers.

On its website, the Democratic Mayors Association touts a program that connects mayors “with leaders from the private sector, organized labor, advocacy groups, and partner organizations to build relationships, share ideas, and take on the most pressing challenges facing America’s cities.”

That group defended its decision to accept donations from Flock.

“No donation made to the Democratic Mayors Association guarantees any form of influence over the mayors, no matter who the donor is,” said a spokesperson. “The reporting we’ve seen about police departments across the country misusing Flock cameras and the data is deeply unsettling, which is why mayors across the country have taken action to implement strict guardrails or ban them altogether. Ultimately, Democratic mayors have presided over a historic drop in crime and have proven they know how to keep their communities safe. Each mayor makes their own decisions about what is best for their cities, and we trust their judgement.”

The Democratic Governors Association also defended its donations from Flock and other corporations.

“The DGA does not take policy positions as an organization,” said a spokesperson for the group. “Every dollar sent to the DGA helps us elect more Democratic governors who make their own policy decisions about how to make life better in their states and stand up to Donald Trump.”

Other groups that have received money from one or more of three leading companies in the license-plate reader world — Axon, Flock, and Motorola Solutions — did not respond to requests for comment.

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

Works Minister Robert Morgan is calling for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of an engineer at the Montego Bay Perimeter Road project in St. James this morning.

The deceased has been identified as 58-year-old Clifton James of Paradise Heights, Hendon in Norwood.

Reports are that at about 9:45 am, James was measuring an area at the project site near Granville when a truck reversed into him.

In expressing regret at the incident, Mr. Morgan extended condolences to James’ relatives and colleagues.

Morgan said a tragedy of this nature should never occur on any work site, stressing that no project deadline, target or operational consideration is more important than the safety and life of a worker.

The Works Minister said the protection of people working on the country’s infrastructure-projects is non-negotiable.

In the meantime, the National Road Operating and Constructing Company limited (NROCC) has also extended condolences to James’ family and colleagues.

NROCC says the incident is being treated with the utmost seriousness as the safety and well- being of all persons working on its projects are a priority.

Authorized individuals are employees with valid identification cards from the Housing Ministry, the Labour and Social Security Ministry and the Social Development Commission (SDC).

The reminder follows reports that unauthorized individuals have been collecting names from people including individuals who suffered no property damage and do not reside in Cooper’s Pen, thereby raising their expectations of potentially benefiting from state resources.

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness recently disclosed that the ministry of housing interviewed a number of people on the property while the Social Development Commission (SDC) is being brought in to assess households, families and vulnerable residents.

Additionally, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security is conducting assessments ; the information collected will be reviewed to determine who qualifies for assistance.

The Prime Minister has already warned that Government will not allow unscrupulous individuals to act under false pretenses to obtain benefits and defraud tax payers of state resources.

The United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) provided the update during a press conference n Geneva, Switzerland today.

WMO General Secretary, Celeste Saulo said this is the first time the organization has given an El Niño update with such certainty.

El Niño is a natural climate pattern defined by the warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical pacific ocean.

Saulo said the world is in the danger zone of extreme weather as this El Niño could be the strongest since records began four decades ago.

El Niño in Spanish means boy child, but Saulo warned that it has the potential to deliver a massive blow to communities, economies and supply chains across the world.

She noted that this exceptional El Niño demands exceptional preparation and response.

Saulo said as a result, the WMO has launched a major mobilization with the National Meteorological and Hydro-logical services which are the front-line of delivering forecasts and services to save lives and livelihoods.

She urged nations to work together to mitigate the impact of this El Nino.

Principal Director of the Meteorological Service Evan Thompson says Jamaicans need not panic amid reports of severe weather impacts due to El Niño .

The United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) gave an update on the phenomenon today.

Speaking with IRIE FM News, Mr. Thompson says the WMO’s projection aligns with Jamaica’s met service forecasts issued in April.

Thompson says Jamaicans should focus on preparation.

TransJamaican Highway Limited (TJH) has advised that at a meeting of its Board of Directors to be held on September 11, 2026, a dividend payment to ordinary shareholders will be considered.

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification -The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure -The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

Dolphin Cove Limited (DCOVE) has advised that Mr. Richard L. Downer, CD, FCA, has tendered his resignation as a Director of the Company, effective September 2, 2026. DCOVE has further advised that Mr. Downer has confirmed that his resignation does not arise from any disagreement with the Board on any matter relating to the Company’s accounting practices, financial reporting, or disclosure.

DCOVE has also advised that at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company held on September 2, 2026, the Board considered and approved the following matters relating to the governance structure of the Company:

For further details, visit www.jamstockex.com

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification -The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure -The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

TransJamaican Highway Limited (TJH) has advised that effective September 1, 2026, Mr. Thierry Parizot and Mr. Michael McNaughton were appointed to the Board of Directors.

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification -The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure -The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

Sagicor Select Funds Limited – Manufacturing & Distribution (SELECTMD) has advised that an Executive purchased a total of 1,051,500 SELECTMD shares during the period August 20, 2026 to September 2, 2026.

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification -The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure -The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

VPNs funnel all of a user’s Internet traffic through an encrypted connection to a remote server. The design provides strong assurances that no one between the user and the server can read the encrypted contents. VPNs also allow users to hide their IP addresses from the destination servers they communicate with. While US agencies have previously recommended use of VPNs, none have given recommendations on which ones provide adequate protection.

There are a host of limitations that can undo many of the protections users may think their VPN provides them. For instance, the encrypted tunnel often terminates once a single server decrypts the traffic and sends it on to its final destination. That means the decrypted traffic or the sending and destination IP addresses may be available for snooping by rogue employees or attackers who hack the server. VPNs also don’t encrypt certain types of metadata, such as time stamps, allowing nation-states to build profiles that can be useful in intelligence gathering.

]]>

Tottenham hasn’t disclosed which VMware products it used or how much it previously paid the Broadcom firm.

The soccer organization confirmed this week to The Register that it has moved its stadium's server, storage, and networking infrastructure to HPE solutions delivered through HPE's hybrid cloud management platform, GreenLake. That is all “underpinned by" VME and HPE's OpsRamp software for hybrid and multi-cloud environments, Rob Pickering, Tottenham's CTO, told the publication, with HPE in charge of the hybrid cloud-managed service.

]]>

The deceased has been identified as Clifton James, an engineer attached to Stanley Consultants.

Reports are that James was at the construction site in the Granville area shortly before 10 a.m. when tragedy struck.

James was reportedly carrying out measurements at the worksite when he was struck by a truck that was reversing in the area. He was crushed by the vehicle and sustained fatal injuries.

Emergency personnel and the police were called to the scene, but James was pronounced dead.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated by the police.

The Montego Bay Bypass is part of the wider Montego Bay Perimeter Road Project, which is aimed at improving traffic flow and connectivity in the western parish.

The fatal incident has once again highlighted the importance of strict safety measures at major construction sites, where workers operate in close proximity to heavy machinery and moving vehicles.

Further details are expected as the investigation continues.

]]>

Jenelle Alexia’s music label, A’Legends Productions, co-produced ‘Gonna Be’ alongside SchemeYute Entertainment. The single will be released on Friday, September 4, on all major platforms, with distribution via OneRPM.

As schools begin to reopen in Jamaica, the motivational song is aimed at the island’s youth, encouraging them to pursue success during the new academic year. ‘Gonna Be’ may also inspire people of all ages to strive to become whatever they want to be in life. It delivers a message of hope, urging the resilient to remain strong during these tumultuous times.

“Dare to dream!” Jenelle Alexia says. “Build on whatever skill set, talent or knowledge you may have.”

“If you want to become an artist, do it,” says Navino. “If you want to sell clothes and shoes, do it. Just don’t do anything illegal or against God’s laws. Stay focused and true to yourself. Trust and believe. You’re ‘Gonna Be’ what you wanna be.”

Navino capitalizes on his melodic vocals and meaningful lyrics with ‘Gonna Be’, emphasizing on making the song catchy enough to grab a child’s attention. Paired with the production value of Jenelle Alexia’s vision for the song, the track goes beyond its musical capabilities, potentially amplifying the impact it may have once officially released.

Pre-order ‘Gonna Be’ – Single by Navino

https://music.apple.com/us/album/gonna-be-single/6802334982

PURCHASE/STREAM:

https://onerpm.link/

166135340493

@therealnavino @j_alexiabankx

@alegends_musicproduction

Source: @lesleyodyssey

]]>

Rashema Stanford , Administrative Assistant - JPS, shares a sweet moment with a family at the recently held St. Catherine South East Back-To-School Health Fair, held on the grounds of Portmore HEART/NSTA Trust. This is one of the many community-based back-to-school treats that JPS has supported with the provision of book vouchers and school supplies across the island.

Phillip Whittingham, JPS Director of Generation Asset Management; Vernon Lawrence, Project Lead, Hermit Foundation; Sameer Simms, JPS Vice President of Generation; Jerome Bacchas, Councillor for the Darliston Division in Eastern Westmoreland; Mitzie Marshall-Moodie, Principal of Darliston Primary School; Pete Manbode, Chairman of Darliston Primary School; and Pia Baker, JPS Senior Vice President for Customer Experience and Commercial, participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the handover of a temporary office for the principal of Darliston Primary School. As repairs continue following damage caused by Hurricane Melissa, the temporary office – previously a container which formed part of the JPS Emergency Mobile Power Generation Unit, was converted to an office space and an air-conditioning unit installed in collaboration with the Hermit Foundation.

Students and teachers of New Works Primary School in Westmoreland join representatives from the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information and JPS for a group photo following a back-to-school pep talk and the presentation of school supplies, including book vouchers, on August 19.

Newly minted awardees and representatives from JPS share a photo moment at the JPS Foundation Power Up Scholarship Awards, held in July 2026. A total of 42 students, including returning scholars whose awards were renewed, benefitted from more than $11 million in grants and scholarships for the 2026–2027 academic year. Among the awards presented were the Power Up STEM Tertiary Scholarship, Power Up STEM Scholarship for Teachers’ College Students, JPS VOLTS PEP Scholarship and EWP STEM Tertiary Grant.

Fresh off hosting the red carpet for the second consecutive year at the Rediscover Africa 2026 event in June and winning the Diaspora Excellence Award in September 2025, the A’Legends CEO is no stranger to pressure. She will therefore take on both events with the style, flair and grace she has become known for throughout her prestigious career.

Nominated for the Fashion Trailblazer Award at the fifth staging of the Inna Starz Awards Show, being held in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on October 3, Jenelle Alexia is a finalist and formidable contender in the category, despite it being her first year attending and receiving a nomination.

The 2nd Annual Caribbean Film & Fashion Festival, scheduled for October 10 in Delaware, will also mark Jenelle Alexia’s first time attending the event. She will serve as a presenter while also being nominated for an award for the Jamaican film Unbelievable, in which she co-starred alongside legendary dancehall artiste Spragga Benz.

It is the second consecutive year that Unbelievable has been nominated, having won at the festival’s inaugural staging last year. Jenelle Alexia will also showcase her exciting new A’Legends clothing line at the event.

“I’ve never wanted to be defined by just one title,” says Alexia. “Fashion, film, music, publishing and philanthropy are all different expressions of my purpose. I believe God gives us gifts to grow, create and make an impact.”

Jenelle Alexia is also continuing her philanthropic work by helping to feed homeless people through Shana’s Caribbean Cafe in her hometown of Philadelphia.

Shana, the sister of dancehall artiste Flippa Moggela, recently opened a second location for her restaurant, which Alexia currently manages. Together, they have been feeding the homeless since 2023 through a collaborative effort between the restaurant and Alexia’s charitable organisation, the A’Legends Helping Hands Foundation.

Instagram: @j_alexiabankx

Source: @lesleyodyssey

A ‘Perfect’ Combination: Anthony “ASG” Grant Teams Up with Guxxie Music on Upcoming Single

]]>

Known as the “Young Don” among his peers, DKoi is a proud alumnus of Mavis Bank High, where he received his education while nurturing a growing passion for music.

Although DKoi officially entered the music industry in 2019, his exposure to music began at a much younger age. Having practically grown up in the studio, he was immersed in the creative process from an early stage.

His first recording, “Summer Vibes,” was produced by Kanpe Tof Records and released in 2019. From that point, DKoi decided to pursue music wholeheartedly and began laying the foundation for his career.

Determined to carve out a unique space for himself, DKoi has made building his brand a priority. His sound is melodious and captivating, drawing on the musical influences of the island that raised him while also incorporating inspiration from international artistes such as John Legend.

In recent years, DKoi has steadily released new music for his growing fan base while attracting attention from the media. Among his releases are “Inagram,” produced by his own imprint, Young Donz Entertainment, and “Elevate,” produced by ZJ Dymond.

Now, in 2026, DKoi is managed by Cashout International, a team preparing to introduce a fresh wave of music from the artiste. The campaign began with the release of “Symphony” in August, as DKoi seeks to showcase his versatility and connect with audiences beyond Jamaica.

With ambitions to take his unique sound and messages to the world, DKoi wants his music to resonate with people from all walks of life. More than entertainment, he hopes his journey will inspire others to pursue their dreams despite the challenges they may face.

Focused, ambitious and confident in his abilities, DKoi is steadily making his mark on Jamaica’s dancehall landscape. With a refreshing sound, undeniable talent and a dedicated team behind him, the “Young Don” is positioning himself for greater recognition both locally and internationally.

Bahamian Artist Righteous Teacher Making Waves in International Reggae

]]>

Surrey, who batted first after winning the toss, appeared to be in control at 37 without loss before Middlesex’s disciplined bowling attack triggered a dramatic collapse.

They were eventually dismissed for just 73, with Ricardo Clarke top-scoring with 19 and captain Rajae McGeachy adding 12. Middlesex captain Andino Edwards was the chief destroyer, claiming an impressive six wickets for 13 runs from 9.1 overs, while Najae Wright took three for 27 from 10 overs.

Middlesex needed little time to wrap up the victory. They reached 74 without losing a wicket, with Daniel Wolliston scoring an unbeaten 36 and Jeremiah Johnson making 27.

The 10-wicket triumph avenged last year’s final, which ended in a shared trophy after bad light prevented further play.

Middlesex coach Oral Simpson praised his players for their preparation and execution.

“We have been preparing for this from we assembled as a Middlesex team. We spoke about what happened last year and we did our research,” Simpson said.

He explained that the team had specifically prepared for Surrey’s spin attack and was determined not to leave the final result to chance again.

Surrey coach Raymond Hart acknowledged Middlesex’s discipline, despite his team making a promising start.

“We started off well at 37 without loss and then the door just break off and everything just fell apart from there,” Hart said, while giving credit to Middlesex for consistently bowling in good areas.

The post-match awards ceremony saw players from both teams receive bursaries from Kingston Wharves for school expenses, along with knapsacks and water bottles. Two players also received full scholarships to their respective high schools.

Middlesex captain Andino Edwards was named MVP of the final and MVP of the winning team, while Surrey’s Rajae McGeachy was named MVP of the runner-up team.

Jeremiah Johnson claimed the award for most runs after accumulating 209 during the competition, while Surrey’s Ansel Crawford led the bowling charts with 23 wickets.

Jayden Newell of Muro College and Taviano Campbell of Black River High were the two scholarship recipients.

Kingston Wharves CEO Mark Williams said the scholarships were intended to recognise resilience and academic achievement, particularly among youngsters from western Jamaica who were affected by Hurricane Melissa.

The two-week camp at Manley Horne Park in St Elizabeth also featured mentorship sessions and a career day organised with the Jamaica Defence Force.

JDF Lieutenant Carl Budhoo described the programme as “very inspiring and fulfilling”, noting that the activities were designed to promote discipline while exposing youngsters to opportunities within the JDF.

Jamaica Cricket Association Cricket Operations Manager Oneil Cruickshank said the tournament produced improved performances this year. Four players scored centuries, while six bowlers claimed five-wicket hauls, with three achieving the feat twice.

JCA first vice-president Fritz Harris said selectors had identified players for Jamaica’s Under-13 and Under-15 squads through the programme.

The Under-15 squad is expected to compete in a regional tournament next year, while discussions are ongoing to arrange matches or a mini-tournament for the Under-13 players.

]]>

The crash occurred along the roadway connecting the toll road to Port Henderson Road.

Details surrounding the cause of the crash and the condition of those injured have not yet been released.

Identities of Two Killed in Trelawny Crash Released

]]>

Morris Dixon made the announcement during a tour of Ferris Primary School in Westmoreland, one of several schools damaged during Hurricane Melissa last October.

“I don’t have any schools at the moment [that will not reopen], based on the report from the regions. Every school will be open on Monday,” the minister said.

However, she acknowledged that repairs will not be completed at every institution before the start of the term. Schools with outstanding work will use temporary arrangements, including shift systems, tents and temporary timber structures.

Morris Dixon said the Government is particularly concerned about the comfort of students and teachers using temporary facilities amid Jamaica’s current hot conditions.

She said the National Education Trust is working with a provider to supply portable cooling units for schools operating in tents, while ventilation has been incorporated into the design of temporary timber classrooms.

The minister stressed that these arrangements are intended to be temporary, with repair work continuing throughout the school term.

The Government has identified 313 schools as priority-one institutions following the hurricane because of the severity of the damage. However, the pace of repairs varies, with some schools expected to be completed by the end of September, others by October, and institutions requiring major reconstruction potentially taking until next year.

Morris Dixon attributed some of the delays to shortages of labour and construction materials, noting the scale of the national recovery effort.

“When you’re trying to do 300 schools at the same time, while trying to do all the houses and all the businesses and the churches, it’s difficult,” she said.

The minister also said the ministry has increased its monitoring of school rehabilitation projects through unannounced visits and independent inspections.

Beyond restoring damaged facilities, the Government is incorporating measures intended to make schools more resilient to future hurricanes and other disasters, including rainwater harvesting systems, solar technology, stronger roofs and hurricane straps.

Morris Dixon also disclosed that hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on textbooks for the new academic year, with the latest bill she saw amounting to approximately $700 million.

She urged principals, students and families to take proper care of the books being distributed.

Primary School Teacher Found Stabbed To Death In Westmoreland

]]>

The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) has commissioned a comprehensive review of the proposed changes to the Beach Control Act.

The review aims to consider both policy and legal perspectives.

This position was outlined by JHTA President O’Brian Heron, coming out of the association’s extraordinary general meeting in Montego Bay, St. James.

Matters affecting Jamaica’s tourism industry were discussed at the meeting.

Mr. Heron said the review is being conducted on behalf of the JHTA’s membership and is intended to ensure that the association fully understands the potential implications of the proposed changes before determining its formal position.

He stated that this is an important matter that requires careful consideration.

The JHTA President added that the association’s responsibility is to ensure that members understand the proposed changes in their entirety and what that means for them and the country as a whole.

Mr. Heron said the JHTA wants its eventual response to be informed, balanced and grounded in a clear understanding of the issues.

He stated that members deserve a thorough assessment, and the country deserves a considered response.

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is urging farmers to take immediate action to protect their farms, crops, livestock and livelihoods from bushfires.

This as hot, dry and windy conditions continue to affect the agricultural sector.

Those weather conditions are associated with drought and the El Niño weather system.

In recent times, bushfires have affected farmlands in St. Elizabeth, St. Mary and St. Catherine.

In a statement, RADA said farmers should immediately discontinue the use of slash-and-burn methods for land preparation.

It warned that fires used for clearing land can quickly spread beyond control and threaten neighbouring farms, forests and communities.

Additionally, the authority said fires should not be lit outdoors during dry conditions, even when it appears to be safe.

It also advised farmers to desist from discarding lit cigarettes, charcoal or firewood without completely extinguishing them with water or burying them safely.

According to RADA, discarding burning materials is prohibited under environmental and forestry regulations.

Farmers are being reminded that open burning, slash-and-burn clearing and unattended fires are strictly prohibited in designated watershed areas.

These include the Rio Cobre, Yallahs Valley, Rio Minho and Hope River.

RADA indicated that these restrictions apply annually from February 1 to October 31.

Farmers are encouraged to monitor their surroundings for signs of smoke or fire, especially during dry periods.

They should report any fire outbreak immediately and alert neighbouring farmers to help protect the wider community.

Created by tech giant Palantir, a CIA-backed firm known for data mining and using artificial intelligence for everything from warfighting to “predictive policing,” the ELITE app helps ICE target immigrants and issues a “confidence score” for how accurate the information on a target is. The app analyzes data from government agencies and other sources, producing dossiers on targets, compiling them into lists, and mapping their locations.

The debut of ELITE — Enhanced Lead Identification and Targeting — came just as ICE added over 12,000 employees through an expedited hiring surge, placing a badge and a gun in the hands of new recruits in record time, thanks to cuts to ICE’s training curriculum.

Thousands of the new ICE hires, then, were able to hit the streets without cleared background checks, according to reporting by Reuters in early 2026.

“Some of these guys should’ve never been hired, let alone have access to the information on ELITE.”

The hiring spree at ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division, coupled with the powerful new handheld technology of the ELITE app, created potential civil liberties nightmares and threats to national security, according to ICE whistleblowers, former Department of Homeland Security officials, and legal experts who spoke to The Intercept.

“No one should have been hired by DHS before background reviews were completed. This never happened in previous administrations,” said Mary Ellen Callahan, former chief of staff to the deputy secretary of Homeland Security. “Furthermore, giving the newly hired ICE ERO staff access to sensitive databases such as ELITE threatens public safety by allowing non-vetted teams to access and potentially misuse data.”

The ELITE app, Callahan said, did not go through the usual process government tools undergo to prevent abuses and ensure privacy rights.

“It’s one of the first applications they give new officers so they can start working,” said one ICE deportation officer who came through the hiring surge. “You can access it without full background clearance.”

“Some of these guys should’ve never been hired, let alone have access to the information on ELITE,” the officer, who asked for anonymity to protect their livelihood, told The Intercept.

Every ICE deportation officer is issued a phone, where the ELITE app comes standard, according to five ICE officials who spoke to The Intercept. (Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor Palantir responded to requests for comment.)

The five ICE officials, who each work in different regions across the country, said deportation officers without completed background checks continue to work in all their jurisdictions, some of whom were hired nearly a year ago.

ELITE’s user guide identifies a dozen distinct sources that the app draws from. The databases include sensitive data sets like addresses, criminal histories, immigration records, court rulings, and other personal information about both immigrants and U.S. citizens.

Much of that information would constitute what the government calls PII, or personally identifiable information. According to a Department of Homeland Security document that catalogs the agency’s use of artificial intelligence, the ELITE app does involve PII.

A 2002 law, however, says that government agencies must conduct and publish the findings of a “privacy impact assessment” for “all new or substantially changed technology that collects, maintains, or disseminates personally identifiable information (PII),” according to a Justice Department summary of the statute.

The processes are designed to assess how technology affects personal privacy and outline what safeguards are in place to ensure accountability if systems are misused.

“You can access it without full background clearance.”

Yet the Department of Homeland Security privacy office hasn’t published an assessment for ELITE, according to Callahan, the former Homeland Security official, who also served as the department’s chief privacy officer.

“The DHS privacy office should have worked with ICE to publish a privacy impact assessment,” said Callahan, noting a general lack of productivity by the privacy office. “In fact, the DHS privacy office has only published one PIA all year. In comparison, I published 228 PIAs in my three-and-a-half years as privacy officer.”

The failure to conduct a privacy impact assessment has a profound impact on transparency and accountability, the very aspects of privacy policy the E-Government Act of 2002 was intended to regulate.

“This is not a technicality,” said Clare Garvie, a privacy lawyer and deputy director of technology policy at the New York University Law School’s Policing Project. “PIAs are an essential component of transparency and privacy governance, they are how the public understands what information is collected about us, how long it is kept, who can use it, and what remedies exist if it is wrong or subject to misuse.”

“If ICE can’t fulfill this prerequisite,” Garvie said, “I lack confidence in its ability to use the tool in a lawful, privacy-protective manner in the field.”

The Department of Homeland Security site for cataloging its uses of AI does list a privacy impact assessment on its page for ELITE, but the assessment is not actually for the ELITE app. Instead, the link goes to a 2019 privacy assessment for ICE’s Enforcement Integrated Database.

The Enforcement Integrated Database is just one of the systems ELITE incorporates into its searches, meaning the PIA only scratches the surface of what personally identifying information appears in ELITE and how the app organizes the data.

“The document DHS points to as fulfilling this obligation was updated in 2019, years before it acquired ELITE,” said Garvie. “This PIA completely fails to describe the app’s data sources, its AI analysis, or the inferences it produces that are used to focus immigration investigations and removal operations.”

Public concerns surrounding the incorporation of AI surveillance in law enforcement — including ICE’s new AI initiative to combat doxing of its staff — are reaching a boiling point in the U.S. today, leaving some ICE officials concerned.

“I know I sound crazy, but this is 1984 shit,” said another ICE official familiar with ELITE who requested anonymity to protect their job. “ELITE is used on illegal immigrants right now but can easily be used on Americans.”

]]>

United States:

Fed’s Waller Says September Rate Decision Hinges on August CPI

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said his next decision on interest rates will be “heavily influenced” by August inflation data due next week, adding it may not take much to nudge him toward supporting a rate hike at the Fed’s upcoming policy meeting.

“If there is continued progress toward our 2% goal, then I am willing to support holding the policy rate at its current level,” Waller said Thursday in remarks prepared for an event hosted by Reuters. “But if inflation comes in hot, I would consider a rate hike.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-03/fed-s-waller-says-september-rate-decision-hinges-on-august-cpi?srnd=phx-economics-v2

Europe:

Europe’s Gas Gamble Risks Higher Prices in Global Supply Fight

Europe is nearing the end of summer with a low natural gas buffer, threatening to intensify a global fight for supply.

The region still needs over 100 terawatt-hours of gas worth more than €7 billion ($8.1 billion) at current prices to reach even its lowest storage target of 75%, according to Bloomberg calculations. Getting there would require an injection pace not seen this late in the season since the 2022 energy crisis, and risks pushing winter prices above €100 a megawatt-hour, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Rystad Energy and Morningstar Inc.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-03/europe-s-gas-gamble-risks-higher-prices-in-global-supply-fight?srnd=phx-economics-v2

Asia:

BOJ Is Said to Favor Quarter-Point Hike, Flexible on Future Path

The Bank of Japan is leaning toward raising its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point this month in response to upward price risks, while leaving open the possibility of accelerating the pace of hikes thereafter, according to people familiar with the matter.

BOJ officials will mull an increase in the policy rate from 1% at the two-day meeting ending on Sept. 18, according to the people. They continue to see inflation risks as skewed to the upside, with service prices and ongoing weakness in the currency strengthening the case for action, the people said.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-03/boj-is-said-to-favor-quarter-point-hike-flexible-on-future-path?srnd=homepage-asia

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification – The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure – The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may effect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

The government says it is mobilising back-to-school support for children and families affected by the demolition of homes in Cooper’s Pen, Trelawny, last month.

The disclosure comes amid concern by lobby group, Fi We Children Foundation (FWCF), that some children from the community may not be able to attend school when the new academic year begins next week.

This as some parents expressed concern that their children may not return to school before January, due to uncertainty in the wake of the demolition.

A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister last evening said families will be receiving support to cover uniforms, textbooks and other related supplies.

The update followed a visit by Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness to the community last week, where he gave a commitment to provide residents with back-to-school support before the new school year opens.

OPM stated that Social Security Minister, Pearnel Charles jr, and Education Minister Dr. Dana Morris Dixon were directed by the Prime Minister to coordinate the government’s response to families.

Meanwhile, Dr. Morris Dixon assured that immediate steps are being taken to find the affected children in the area.

She said the government remains committed to ensuring that the children get the support required as soon as possible so that they can attend school next week.

Privately owned basic schools and early childhood institutions will soon benefit from the distribution of water tanks being provided by the Water Ministry.

This is aimed at boosting the water capacity at these schools as drought conditions continue to affect the island.

Portfolio Minister Matthew Samuda said the initiative will help prevent learning loss.

Mr. Samuda reiterated that water will be trucked to schools in areas being affected by regulation of water supply.

A taxi operator was shot dead by two gunmen posing as passengers in Nain, St. Elizabeth, yesterday.

Police who were in the area responded and one of the alleged attackers was shot and wounded during a confrontation.

The identity of the deceased operator has not been released.

Police have launched a manhunt for the other alleged attacker.

Head of the Division, Superintendent Coleridge Minto said the incident took place at about 5 p.m.

Superintendent Minto urged citizens to be on the lookout for the other suspect.

In the U.S., Rowan is simultaneously helping ensure a pro-Israel political project has no problem with money. Since the start of this year, according to Federal Election Commission filings, the billionaire CEO of Apollo Global Management has donated $1.5 million to the United Democracy Project, a super PAC for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, spending a fraction of his vast wealth to preserve a foreign policy defined by support for Israel’s genocide and the flow of U.S. weapons to Israel. 

“Palestinians did not choose him, and neither did American voters.”

Rowan — who is worth more than $8 billion and reportedly consulted on his business with convicted sex offender and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein — is an executive member of Trump’s “Board of Peace,” a United Nations-approved body tasked with carrying out Trump’s stalled plan for Gaza. He made his first donation to UDP of the year in early March, giving $1 million, filings show, just as the group began spending aggressively against the now-ousted Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., a loud critic of U.S. support for Israel. 

A second donation for $500,000 arrived on July 23. The same day, the AIPAC super PAC shelled out nearly $50,000 in campaign mailers in Michigan to attack the progressive pro-Palestine candidate for U.S. Senate, Abdul El-Sayed. In Missouri, it dropped another $100,000 for phone banking services against former Democratic Rep. Cori Bush in her race against pro-Israel incumbent Rep. Wesley Bell. 

It’s not clear which specific UDP efforts have been backed by Rowan’s largesse, and neither Rowan nor UDP responded to requests for comment. But Raed Jarrar, advocacy director with Democracy for the Arab World Now, connected Rowan’s position on Trump’s Gaza board and his major part as a donor to AIPAC’s super PAC as a matter of transparency. 

“Now he sits on a board that will decide Gaza’s future,” Jarrar told The Intercept. “Palestinians did not choose him, and neither did American voters. Americans and Palestinians alike deserve to know whose interests are actually being served.”

Rowan, a major donor to Trump’s failed 2020 presidential campaign, has long made his animus toward critics of Israel known. In recent years, he has been a fierce advocate against student protesters calling for an end to the genocide in Gaza, broadly mischaracterizing their anti-genocide calls as “antisemitic,” and played a key role in ousting leaders at his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, over their handling of the protests. In 2025, he served as a consultant to the White House in its recent attacks on higher education. He donated an initial $250,000 to UDP in 2022, the year the AIPAC super PAC was founded, and more than quadrupled his giving by 2024. Trump appointed him to the Board of Peace this past January.

“Marc Rowan has used his position to try to silence Palestinians and smear students protesting Israel’s genocide,” said Margaret DeReus, executive director of Peace, Accountability, and Leadership PAC, which launched this cycle as a pro-Palestine counterweight to the pro-Israel lobby. PAL PAC backed both El-Sayed and Bush, who have committed to cutting military aid to Israel. (El-Sayed prevailed in his Democratic Senate primary against Michigan Rep. Haley Stevens, while both Bush and Massie lost their races.)

Rowan “gives millions to fund the now-fringe idea that billions of our tax dollars should fund the Israeli military and targets candidates who are calling to stop sending U.S. tax dollars to Israel’s genocide,” DeReus said. She added that his presence on “Trump’s corrupt board” lays bare the actual goal of the governing body: “the continued genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians living in Gaza.”

As support for Israel among the American people has plummeted, and more leftist candidates run on promises to enact an arms embargo on Israel, AIPAC has broken its own spending records and set new ones, helping make El-Sayed and Massie’s primaries among the most expensive ever. In Congress, the lobbying giant has also worked to consolidate power among its pro-Israel base. In July, AIPAC lobbied members for the passage of a Pentagon program that further enmeshes military technological sharing between the U.S. and Israeli militaries. Last week, Democratic leadership appointed three hawkish, pro-Israel, and AIPAC-backed Democrats to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

In addition to his AIPAC super PAC spending, Rowan has also directly given to a host of pro-Israel candidates this cycle, including New Jersey Democrats Rep. Josh Gottheimer and Sen. Cory Booker, as well as Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig in her failed Senate bid.

The majority of Rowan’s spending, however, has been in favor of Republicans, including Mike Rogers, who is facing off against El-Sayed; Florida Sen. Ashley Moody, a vocal opponent of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement; and Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and former Israeli Defense Forces volunteer who famously wore his IDF uniform to Congress.

AIPAC has long championed Trump’s plan for Gaza, which has included overt calls to displace Palestinians, and supports Israel’s hard line in its negotiations with Hamas leaders. Israel, which occupies nearly 70 percent of Gaza, has refused to withdraw its military from the Strip. Israel blames Hamas for refusing to disarm, though the Palestinian militant and political group has said it would only surrender its weapons in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal and the establishment of a Palestinian state — conditions the Israeli government has refused.

AIPAC also regularly celebrates the ongoing bombardment of the Strip, where more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since the so-called ceasefire was brokered, including this week when bombing killed two children.

In Rowan’s view, there’s money to be made from the carnage. At the meeting in Washington, D.C., this past February — when Trump also pledged $10 billion in public funds to the board — Rowan fired off property value estimates in Gaza, more than 80 percent of which lies in ruins. He cited a coastline valued at $50 billion; a housing stock, if rebuilt, worth $30 billion; and infrastructure projects worth another $30 billion. Rowan spoke next to generic renderings of glistening high-rise apartments, palm tree-laden highways, solar power plants, and coastal oil depots. Consolidating all of these assets under the supervision of Trump’s Board of Peace, Rowan said, would allow for “conflict-free management of the resources to benefit the Gazans.”

“One hundred fifteen billion of value,” he promised. “It just needs to be unlocked and financed.” 

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

Jeffery’s talent agency, Alexanders Talent Management, announced her death on Instagram, saying it was sharing the news “with profound sadness.” The agency said the actress died Tuesday. No cause of death has been disclosed.

In its statement, the agency described Jeffery as a “beautiful, vibrant, and incredibly talented woman” whose smile could light up any room.

The agency said it had represented Jeffery for more than 20 years and that she was “more than a client,” describing her as family.

The talent agency extended its condolences to Jeffery’s loved ones and asked the public to respect their privacy during this difficult time.

“Rest beautifully, Carla. Your light will never be forgotten,” the agency said.

Jeffery’s death marks a loss for fans of the Disney Channel franchise, where she played Bree, a prominent character in the Z-O-M-B-I-E-S films.

Dolly Parton, Country Music Icon, Dies at 80

]]>

The deceased has been identified as Rohan Hill.

According to the St Elizabeth Police, Hill was transporting two men who had reportedly posed as passengers when he was attacked shortly after 5 p.m.

Following the killing, a team of police officers launched a search for the suspects and later located one of the men.

Police say the suspect challenged them, resulting in an exchange of gunfire during which he was fatally shot.

His identity has not yet been released.

The police are continuing their search for the second suspected accomplice.

Speaking with the news team on Wednesday evening, head of the St Elizabeth Police Division, Superintendent Coleridge Minto, confirmed that a search is underway for the alleged accomplice.

The circumstances surrounding the attack remain under investigation.

]]>

A quarter of the adolescents surveyed during the 2026 Global School-Based Student Health Survey reported that they have attempted suicide.

This was disclosed at a press conference this morning by Acting Principal Director of Prevention, Public Education and Treatment at the National Council on Drug Abuse, Uki Atkinson.

The 2026 survey was conducted with 3,058 students, from grades 7 to 12, in 32 secondary schools islandwide, and is representative of the Jamaican adolescent population.

It examined several areas affecting adolescent health, including mental wellness, substance use, bullying, social media use, sleep and other health-related behaviours.

Mrs. Atkinson said three in ten of the students surveyed reported that they had seriously considered suicide and made a plan to commit it.

She noted that there is a serious issue with adolescent mental health.

Mrs. Atkinson said more female students are reporting suicidal ideation, depression and anxiety.

[cutid: <cuts>

As the new academic year fast approaches, many parents are expressing frustration about the surge in prices for back-to-school supplies.

Parents have been finalising their purchases and taking on orientation activities this week, ahead of the September 7 start of the new school year.

While some parents say they are ready, some are still experiencing some challenges.

One father told IRIE FM News that he has observed a significant increase in textbook prices.

A St. Catherine parent echoed his statement, noting that she has also observed price increases even for uniforms.

Meanwhile, one Manchester mother said the impact of Hurricane Melissa on her business has affected her back-to-school preparation significantly.

A St. Elizabeth parent said she is fully ready for the start of the new academic year.

In the meantime, a St. Mary father urged parents who may be finding it difficult to take advantage of available scholarships and grants.

Administrators at the Balcombe Drive Primary School in St. Andrew are awaiting the go-ahead from the authorities to clear yesterday’s incident scene.

They are still deliberating if classes will resume at the start of the new academic year next Monday.

Yesterday, a section of a concrete structure collapsed on two workmen, killing one and injuring the other.

The police and fire brigade are continuing investigations into the incident, so they have not yet given the go-ahead to clear the rubble to allow for the necessary repair work.

Principal Yvette Foster told IRIE FM News that administrators are meeting and putting measures in place, as they possibly may not be able to reopen school on Monday.

If not, it’s hoped that classes can begin by the latest next Wednesday.

Ms. Foster said the guidance unit conducted a session with the staff today, as they were left traumatised by the incident.

They also held talks with the education officer, regional director and building officer.

Opposition Spokesman on Education Damion Crawford also visited the school today and offered his support.

An exposé published Tuesday by KrebsOnSecurity reports that my license was one of more than 153 million that were available through Nexus, the name of the new ID theft service. Like other driver's licenses available there—including some belonging to journalist Brian Krebs, his mother, an FBI assistant director, and several security researchers—my license was purported to include multiple image files showing both the front and back of the ID. Besides a basic image scan, the files also captured the images in the infrared and ultraviolet spectrums. Presumably, the additional formats may allow cloned-based counterfeit IDs to pass hologram tests.

Besides advertising the availability of driver's licenses, Nexus offered to sell a bevy of other forms of ID. They included:

]]>

Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL) has advised that on August 31, 2026, a related entity purchased 11,603 SVL shares and a senior manager sold 60,705 SVL shares.

Disclaimer:

Company Disclosure – The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

Guardian Holdings Limited (GHL) has advised of the following leadership changes:

For further details, visit www.jamstockex.com

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification -The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure -The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

AHF Jamaica said 79 people visited its Kingston Medical Centre in a single day to get tested for HIV, signalling heightened public interest in knowing their status.

The organisation said some of the online discussions referenced figures suggesting that approximately 30,000 people are living with HIV in Jamaica. However, AHF said the Ministry of Health and Wellness estimates that approximately 28,000 people are living with HIV, while national HIV prevalence is estimated at 1.1 per cent.

AHF welcomed the increase in testing but urged Jamaicans not to allow figures circulating on social media to create fear or stigma around people living with HIV.

The organisation is encouraging sexually active Jamaicans to make HIV testing part of their routine sexual healthcare, rather than waiting until concerns arise from social media discussions or a possible exposure.

AHF also stressed the importance of HIV prevention, including consistent and correct condom use, regular testing and access to appropriate HIV and STI prevention and treatment services.

The AHF Kingston Medical Centre provides free, confidential HIV and STI testing and other services at 183 Hagley Park Road, Kingston

]]>

RADA, in a statement issued Wednesday, cautioned farmers against activities that could trigger or rapidly spread fires, particularly during periods of dry weather.

The agency is urging farmers to discontinue the use of slash-and-burn methods for land preparation, warning that fires used to clear land can quickly become uncontrollable and threaten neighbouring farms, forests and communities.

Farmers are also being advised not to light fires outdoors during dry conditions, even when conditions initially appear safe.

RADA further warned against discarding burning materials such as cigarettes, charcoal or firewood without properly extinguishing them with water or safely burying them.

Restrictions in watershed areas

Farmers are reminded to observe watershed protection regulations, which prohibit open burning, slash-and-burn clearing and unattended fires in designated watershed areas.

These include:

The restrictions apply annually from February 1 to October 31.

Farmers urged to establish fire breaks

RADA said one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of bush fires is to establish and maintain fire breaks — cleared strips of land designed to slow or stop the movement of flames.

Farmers are encouraged to:

According to RADA, properly maintained fire breaks can also provide emergency responders with safer access during a fire.

Proper waste management important

The agency is also encouraging farmers to manage agricultural waste properly to reduce the accumulation of combustible materials.

Farmers should properly sort and store agricultural waste and keep items such as agricultural plastics, empty chemical containers, discarded timber and other waste away from buildings and crop fields.

RADA is also urging farmers to avoid burning waste in the open.

Farms should have emergency plans

RADA said every farm should have a basic fire preparedness plan.

The agency recommends maintaining accessible water storage points, keeping fire extinguishers and firefighting tools in working condition, posting emergency contact numbers in visible locations, and training workers in evacuation procedures and basic fire containment measures.

Farmers should also establish clear communication procedures to ensure quick action during an emergency.

“Prepared farms are better able to respond quickly and minimise losses in the event of a fire,” RADA said.

The agency is urging farmers to remain vigilant and report fire outbreaks immediately while alerting neighbouring farmers to help protect surrounding communities.

RADA, Jamaica’s premier agricultural extension agency, operates under the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining. Its work is guided by the theme “People, Land and Opportunity”, with a focus on strengthening national food security and advancing agricultural development through technical support, innovation and modernisation.

As the Jamaican saying goes: “Nuh wait till drum beat before yuh grine yuh axe.”

RADA Urges Livestock Farmers to Protect Animals from Heat Stress

]]>

For one enthusiastic patron, the highlight of the night was the appearance of veteran reggae singer Tanya Stephens, who performed for free as part of the weekly event.

“I really enjoyed myself this Sunday night at the Sunday Souls party. I want to congratulate the promoters for this magnificent show. Tanya Stephens is one of my favourite female artistes, and with her appearing at Sunday Souls for free, I couldn’t miss it,” the patron said.

Another visitor, who identified herself as Shereen, described the turnout as one of the biggest she has seen since attending the weekly event.

“This is the biggest crowd I have seen since coming to this weekly party. It was so nice to see Tanya Stephens back in Montego Bay after such a long absence. I really enjoyed myself,” she said.

The evening got off to an energetic start with media personality Janet Silvera, who took patrons on a trip down memory lane with a selection of classic songs. Her musical choices quickly had the crowd skanking and singing along, while she also doubled as the event’s master of ceremonies.

Following Silvera’s segment, ZJ Sparkes raised the energy even further, keeping patrons entertained and taking the atmosphere to fever pitch.

The highly anticipated moment of the night came when Tanya Stephens took the stage. The acclaimed singer treated fans to a selection of her classic hits, including “Handle the Ride,” “It’s a Pity,” “Wicked” and “Crucial.”

Stephens’ performance proved to be a major crowd-pleaser, particularly among the female patrons, many of whom sang along word for word to her songs.

The night ended on a high note, with Bubbles rounding off the event with an entertaining dance segment.

Sunday Souls continues to build momentum as a weekly entertainment fixture in Montego Bay, bringing together music lovers for an evening of nostalgia, dancing and live entertainment.

By Alan Lewin

]]>

Reports are that about 8:30 p.m., Chucky was standing along the roadway near the Love Worship Centre when he was allegedly approached by a man who brandished a firearm and opened gunfire, hitting him several times.

The police were summoned and found the man lying in a pool of blood. He was reportedly dressed in a green shirt, blue jeans and a ski mask.

He was taken to the Spanish Town General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The motive for the killing has not been established.

The Spanish Town Criminal Investigation Branch is investigating the incident.

Woman Shot Dead by Police After Fatal Stabbing Attack in New York’s Times Square

]]>

In a federal court filing in New York, the Justice Department argued that the U.S. has a vested interest in OpenAI having access to a vast array of intellectual property. The Trump administration warned that restricting OpenAI’s access to the data could hamper scientific progress and harm the country’s dominance in the race for artificial intelligence.

“The United States has a strong interest in continuing to develop a robust and competitive artificial intelligence industry that sets the standard for the practice and procedure of AI use globally,” said the filing, which was signed by associate attorneys general Stanley Woodward Jr. and Brett Shumate, along with the attorney general’s senior counsel Michael Weisbuch.

Matt Topic, the litigating attorney representing The Intercept in its lawsuit, warned that the Trump administration’s position was out of touch and a threat to the financial survival of media outlets.

“This is pretty reflective of the administration’s pro-AI policies, which are out of step with the public skepticism of AI and out of step with our long tradition in this country of protecting human expression,” said Topic. “If the administration’s position was accepted, it would result in an unprecedented, uncompensated transfer of IP rights from news organizations to tech companies.”

“If the administration’s position was accepted, it would result in an unprecedented, uncompensated transfer of IP rights from news organizations to tech companies.”

The Intercept originally filed its lawsuit against OpenAI and its partner Microsoft in February 2024, arguing that OpenAI’s use of work reported and written by its journalists constituted a breach of copyright law. In November 2024, the judge then presiding over the case dismissed all of The Intercept’s claims against Microsoft, but allowed its claim against OpenAI to proceed under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

The Intercept’s case was later consolidated under U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein alongside a number of other media plaintiffs, including the New York Times, Tribune Media Company, and Reuters. 

OpenAI has argued that its practice of hoovering up staggering amounts of copyright-protected materials to feed its large language models — the underlying technology powering generative AI tools like ChatGPT — falls under the domain of “fair use,” a doctrine protecting the unlicensed use of copyrighted material under certain circumstances.

In its filing, the Justice Department supported OpenAI’s fair-use defense, accusing the Times and other plaintiffs of taking an overly narrow definition of the doctrine. OpenAI’s use of the material, the government argued, met the criteria for “transformative” use, one of the ways in which “fair use” comes into play.

“In this litigation, the New York Times seeks to narrow fair-use doctrine to exclude the training of OpenAI’s large language models (LLMs). That result would be inconsistent with basic copyright law principles and severely hamper ‘the Progress of Science and useful Arts,’” the filing says. “An erroneous fair use ruling would hamper competition in the market for LLMs, because only the largest technology companies might have the capital necessary to pay licensing fees.”

The filing is the latest move from the Trump administration to protect the interests of U.S.-based artificial intelligence companies amid an AI arms race with companies based in other countries, most notably China.

In December 2025, Trump signed an executive order aimed at creating a federal standard, applicable in all 50 states, to “ensure that the United States wins the AI race, as we must.”

Topic, The Intercept’s attorney, said this position — combined with the fact that the Justice Department has not been privy to any discovery in the case — shows that the Trump administration is operating from a fixed position in support of tech companies, rather than arguing the merits of the case.

“What they’re saying isn’t based on any understanding of actual facts,” Topic said. “It just reflects what Microsoft’s and OpenAI’s PR machines have been putting out into the public.”

]]>

There is concern that children affected by the recent demolition exercise in Cooper’s Pen, Trelawny, will not be able to attend school when the new academic year commences on Monday.

Lobby group, Fi We Children Foundation (FWCF) says it became deeply concerned following reports from parents that some children may not return to school before January.

This as families are facing significant uncertainty following the demolition.

FWCF’s Legal Consultant and Attorney-at-Law, Kayla Wright, says the disruption to housing and family stability cannot be allowed to become an interruption to a child’s education.

She is calling on the government to intervene.

The Board Chairman of the St. Mary High School has reportedly expressed confidence that the process to appoint a principal can stand up to scrutiny.

This is according to Member of Parliament for Central St. Mary, Omar Newell.

The issue of the appointment of a principal came to the fore this week after Mr. Newell called on the Education Ministry to approve the recommendation of the board of governors.

With the start of the new school year just days away, he stressed that the institution should not enter another academic year without settled leadership.

In a response last evening, the Education Ministry indicated that TSC did not support the recommendation due to several concerns regarding the process.

The TSC is responsible for reviewing the recommendation and supporting documents, which are then reviewed by the minister.

The Ministry pledged that the TSC will work with the institution to better understand the recruitment process in accordance with established procedures.

Speaking with IRIE FM News about this latest development, MP Newell says the school is eagerly awaiting the feedback of the TSC.

Mr. Newell also sought to clarify that he is not pushing for the appointment of a specific individual.

He stressed that his aim is for his alma mater to have a principal whose permanent appointment would facilitate the long-term planning and execution necessary for St. Mary High’s continued development.

10.3 per cent of students surveyed reported that they attend school under the influence of alcohol and cannabis.

This was disclosed by Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton at this morning’s release of the findings of the 2026 Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS).

Dr Tufton stated that the survey also indicated that another 8.6 per cent of students attend school under the influence of other substances.

The 2026 survey included 3,058 students from grades 7 to 12 and examined several areas affecting adolescent health, including mental wellness, substance use, bullying, social media use, sleep and other health-related behaviours.

The Health Minister said the data show that alcohol use and episodes of drunkenness have declined.

However, there is concern that many students are reporting use of alcohol before age 14.

The 2026 Global School-Based Student Health Survey provides important insight into the health, behaviours and experiences of Jamaican adolescents and supports the development of evidence-based policies, programmes and interventions aimed at improving the health and well-being of young people.

The framing is understandable: In a country suffering under gerontocratic rule, Markey is 80 and Moulton is 47.

Age, however, was the least of what was at stake in Moulton’s run from the decaying center of the Democratic Party. Moulton ran on a conservative line, recycling right-wing talking points and echoing Donald Trump to suggest, erroneously, that Democrats have been failing because they have not been conservative enough.

“There’s only 12 trans athletes in the whole of the NCAA. We should have been embracing them.”

Markey may be 80 years old, but his campaign did precisely what Democrats must if they want to appeal to progressives and bring in a broad working-class voter base: He ran on issues of economic inequality, taxing billionaires, green energy, and universal health care — all while refusing to jettison support for vulnerable minorities, especially trans people.

Meanwhile Moulton, claiming to represent a break in the status quo, repeated precisely the tired centrist playbook that has both failed America’s multiracial working class and failed to win elections. He punched left and, as Markey himself highlighted, threw trans kids “under the bus.”

In a risible misreading of the Democrats’ 2024 presidential election loss, Moulton suggested that his party had shown too much care for trans rights. (It had not.)

“I have two little girls,” Moulton told the New York Times just after the November 2024 election. “I don’t want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete.”

It was only last month that Moulton offered a tempered apology for the anti-trans remarks — and only because Markey had lambasted him during a debate.

“He just took the whole playbook of MAGA and Trump, and he blamed those kids for the loss,” said Markey, who has been consistent in his advocacy for trans rights. “We should have been loving those kids. There’s only 12 trans athletes in the whole of the NCAA. We should have been embracing them.”

Indeed, we should question the validity of this so-called “debate” entirely: Why did the moderator of a Senate primary debate even feel the need to ask a question about trans girls in sports at all?

This is not, after all, a political problem in need of addressing in Massachusetts, or anywhere else. It is a ghoulish far-right panic that has been baselessly elevated into a hot-button issue, with the help of Democratic cowardice.

Fox News, of all places, noted that Markey is “one of the few Democrats running this midterm cycle who is continuing to push for transgender rights, particularly in sports” — as if that were a bad thing.

“There is good evidence that transgender issues were a major part of Markey’s victory, too,” wrote reporter and trans advocate Erin Reed. “In the final days of the campaign, a UMass/Amherst poll asked primary voters how a candidate who embraces anti-trans positions or policies would impact their vote. In that poll, a whopping 67% stated it would make their vote less likely for that candidate.”

Markey, the longtime incumbent, was already at an advantage. And no doubt proselytizers for Democratic Party conservatism will stress that Markey’s victory in deep-blue Massachusetts cannot offer lessons for Democrats running in less progressive territory. This again would be to selectively learn the wrong lessons from Kamala Harris’s spectacular 2024 failure.

It should not need repeating that Democrats in 2024 campaigned on Republican talking points, with Harris donning khaki for photo ops at the Arizona border. If Donald Trump’s campaign attacking trans people gained purchase, it is because Democrats roundly failed to answer it by demystifying right-wing anti-trans fearmongering. They also failed to offer a robust, class-focused platform to vote for.

Being nearly half someone’s age does not constitute a generational challenge; contesting the staid ways of a generational establishment does. Moulton did nothing of the sort.

Markey said it best on Tuesday: “Generational change isn’t about compromising.”

]]>

The memo, signed by Acting ICE Director David Venturella and leaked to The Intercept by ICE employees, identifies a company called ZeroFox as the tech firm behind the initiative. The communication describes ZeroFox as “a modernized protective technology solution designed to strengthen safeguards for our most valuable resource: You and your families.”

The Department of Homeland Security, ICE’s parent agency, quietly entered a $15 million contract with ZeroFox in July for software licenses to support ICE operations and investigations, according to public procurement records. The records indicate that ZeroFox will provide services for the Office of Intelligence at ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations division.

ZeroFox develops AI-driven software aimed at stopping data leaks across social media and the dark web, according to its website. “ZeroFox never stops finding, mapping, and monitoring your digital presence,” the company vows. It’s not clear from the contract or the internal email how, precisely, the new initiative will function, and neither ICE nor ZeroFox responded to requests for comment.

“It sounds like inside surveillance,” said an ICE official who spoke to The Intercept on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

ZeroFox has used its tech in the past to identify and categorize people engaged in political activism, including during public unrest in Baltimore after the 2015 police killing of Freddie Gray and the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The ICE official expressed concern that ZeroFox tech could now be used to weed out whistleblowers and critics of the Trump administration.

“If things go sideways they may just throw all your info out there, make you out to be the problem or dox you,” the official said. “I don’t trust it.”

According to Richard Forno, associate director of the cybersecurity institute at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, it’s not shocking that ICE would contract with AI companies that “may have checkered histories.”

“It’s plausible that this tech could be used to seek out whistleblowers,” Forno told The Intercept. “For example, if ICE internal affairs or leadership can seed information that gets leaked, and then that information is then passed along to a reporter, you’re kind of setting up a honey pot situation to figure out who the leakers are.” He pointed out that the White House has already set a precedent for targeting critics as “terrorists” or “extremists” on fairly broad terms.

In 2015, ZeroFox offered its services to Baltimore officials for free, sending Baltimore Police a list of “threat actors” identified by its social-media monitoring system, which classified peaceful BLM protest organizers as physical threats. (ZeroFox’s co-founders told the press at the time that the classifications were likely based on their social media follower counts, and that they were labeled “physical” because they were “acting in real life” rather than online.)

After the January 6 attack, the FBI struggled to identify online extremist activity using its recently acquired ZeroFox technology, which the bureau’s agents referred to with “a derisive nickname,” according to the Washington Post, that involved “replacing the ‘Fox’ with a similar-sounding expletive.”

ZeroFox’s relationship with ICE, according to the leaked memo, seems to be focused on detecting information online that could identify or “dox” ICE employees. It’s understandable for a person to want to limit the personal information published about them online, said Sophia Cope, a senior staff attorney at the digital rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation.

“However,” she said, “if ICE is instituting this program to shield officers and the agency itself from public accountability, especially when information is already publicly available, then that’s a serious concern and flies in the face of our democratic values.”

ICE officials who spoke to The Intercept said some ICE personnel already use third-party services to keep their information private.

“I frankly don’t trust the feds with that,” said a second ICE official, who spoke to The Intercept under anonymity to protect his livelihood. “I’m not really keen on giving my PII” — personally identifiable information — “to a company that doesn’t have a solid track record with government contracts.”

ZeroFox is owned by private equity firm Haveli Investments, which bought the company for roughly $350 million in 2024. Bryan Ware, a former assistant director for cybersecurity for the Department of Homeland Security during the first Trump administration, currently serves as an executive at ZeroFox.

]]>

Eppley Limited (EPLY) Unaudited financials for the six months ended June 30, 2026:

Eppley Limited (EPLY) for the six months ended June 30, 2026, reported a 13% increase in Gross Investment Income totaling $888.13 million compared to $783.94 million in the corresponding period last year. Gross Investment Income for the second quarter had a 10% increase to close at $423.56 million compared to $383.52 million for the comparable quarter of 2025. EPLY noted that the growth was driven mainly by higher operating lease and interest income as capital was deployed into opportunities offering attractive risk-adjusted returns, with the property and asset management businesses also contributing. The Company further highlighted that during the period it completed the acquisition of North West Premium Finance, an insurance premium financing company in Trinidad and Tobago, which contributed positively to interest income during the period.

A breakdown of Gross Investment Income showed that Interest Income rose 6% to $222.58 million (2025: $210.43 million), Asset management income grew 5% to $246.09 million (2025: $233.96 million), Net rental income advanced 12% to $324.73 million (2025: $290.14 million), while Operating lease income, net, nearly doubled with a 92% increase to $94.73 million (2025: $49.41 million).

Interest expense amounted to $337.92 million (2025: $342.75 million), this represents a decline of 1% year over year. Consequently, net investment income increased by 25% to $550.21 million compared to $441.19 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025. The company booked net investment income of $242.02 million for the second quarter versus $208.14 million reported for the similar quarter of 2025.

Net impairment gains on financial assets closed at $3.10 million relative to $193,000 in 2025, while Administrative Expenses increased by 37% from $246.02 million in 2025 to $337.77 million in the period under review. EPLY attributed this to general inflationary increases, costs associated with our new office space, and the continued expansion of its team. Also, fees and other operating income for the six months ended June 30, 2026, amounted to $79.11 million, a 26% decline relative to $106.50 million reported in 2025, which the Company indicated came despite higher exchange rate losses during the period.

Share of net profit from associated companies and joint ventures for the six months ended June 30, 2026, amounted to $146.78 million, a 6% increase relative to $138.95 million reported in 2025. Share of net profit for the second quarter amounted to $68.14 million (2025: $67.53 million).

Profit Before Tax totalled $441.42 million, virtually flat when compared to the corresponding period last year (2025: $440.81 million). For the second quarter, Profit Before Tax declined 21% to $141.23 million (2025: $177.91 million).

Taxation for the six months ended June 30, 2026, reflected a credit of $13.50 million relative to a charge of $30.70 million reported in 2025. As such, Net Profit for the six months ended June 30, 2026, had an 11% increase to reach $454.92 million (2025: $410.11 million). Net Profit for the second quarter, however, fell 4% to $156.52 million (2025: $162.83 million).

Net Profit attributable to Shareholders for the six months amounted to $259.19 million, a 10% increase from the $236.58 million reported in 2025. For the second quarter, Net Profit attributable to Shareholders was $55.00 million, a 20% decline (2025: $69.01 million).

Consequently, Earnings Per Share for the six months amounted to $1.35 (2025: EPS: $1.23), while Earnings Per Share for the quarter totaled $0.29 (2025: EPS: $0.36). The twelve-month trailing EPS was $4.00, and the number of shares used in these calculations was 192,468,300.

Notably, EPLY’s stock price closed the trading period on September 1, 2026, at a price of $35.95 with a corresponding P/E ratio of 8.98x.

Balance Sheet Highlights

The company’s assets totalled $24.23 billion (2025: $21.02 billion). The growth in total assets was mainly due to increases in the following during the period: Loans receivable (+$1.13 billion), Investment securities (+$763.97 million), Investment properties (+$726.31 million) and Insurance premium financing receivables (+$248.46 million). These were partly offset by declines in Lease receivables (-$323.38 million) and Investment in associated companies and joint ventures (-$205.59 million).

Total liabilities amounted to $12.21 billion (2025: $10.13 billion), with Borrowings accounting for $10.98 billion of the total (2025: $9.43 billion). EPLY indicated that consolidated leverage stood at 0.91x of capital at June 30, 2026, with a weighted average cost of borrowing of 8.062%.

Shareholder’s equity was $2.65 billion (2025: $2.11 billion), representing a book value per share of $13.78 (2025: $10.95).

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification -The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation (s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure -The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may effect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

United States:

Fed Chairman Warsh Lays Out His Own Data Dashboard for Reading the US Economy

Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh used his keynote speech in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, last week to map out some of the key data points he leans on to read the US economy, offering new insight into his approach to policy making.

The list wasn’t presented as comprehensive or conclusive, and Warsh has promised a rethink of how the central bank is analyzing economic data. Yet the remarks offered the clearest indication since he took the Fed’s helm in May of the economic signposts that shape his views.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-02/fed-s-warsh-lays-out-data-dashboard-to-read-us-economy?srnd=phx-economics-v2

Europe:

ECB Says Bank Risk Transfers Boost Dividends More Than Lending

European banks’ increasing use of synthetic risk transfers has a bigger impact on the dividends they pay shareholders than the loans they grant to companies, according to researchers at the European Central Bank.

When issuance of such SRTs goes up by 1%, dividend payouts rise by 0.07% while corporate loans grow by 0.02%, the ECB staffers wrote in a blog post on Wednesday. The magnitude of the latter is “too small to have a meaningful or substantial economic impact,” they wrote.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-02/ecb-says-bank-risk-transfers-boost-dividends-more-than-lending?srnd=phx-economics-v2

Asia:

Yen Surges with Traders on High Alert for Further Intervention

The yen strengthened sharply against the US currency, leaving traders on high alert for the potential that authorities may once again intervene in the foreign-exchange market.

The Japanese currency rallied as much as 1.2% to 158.22 per dollar, a sharp move that’s keeping market participants watching for signs that authorities are stepping into the market. It had strengthened earlier in the session after Bank of Japan Board Member Hajime Takata, one of the bank’s most hawkish members, left the door open for an outsized interest-rate move as well as back-to-back rate hikes. A gauge of the dollar, meantime, fell 0.3%.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-02/yen-surges-with-traders-on-high-alert-for-further-intervention?srnd=phx-economics-v2

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification – The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure – The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may effect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

In a statement, the JBDC says Ms. Ashpole brings to the Corporation extensive experience in public-sector leadership, international trade and investment, policy development, corporate governance, regulatory administration and entrepreneurship.

It notes that her professional background provides a strong foundation for leading the JBDC as it strengthens its support to Jamaica’s micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

She previously served as Director of Trade in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, where her responsibilities included contributing to Jamaica’s international trade policy and trade-facilitation agenda and representing Jamaica in engagements relating to regional and international trade.

The JBDC states that Ms. Ashpole has also served as Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Cannabis Licensing Authority, giving her direct experience in the executive leadership of a public body, including organisational management, stakeholder engagement and regulatory administration.

Her governance experience includes service on public-sector Boards, including the Trade Board Limited, where she has served in senior governance roles, and the Consumer Affairs Commission.

Ms. Ashpole also brings first-hand entrepreneurial experience. As a co-founder of a Jamaican business, she understands many of the practical realities confronting entrepreneurs, including building a brand, identifying markets, managing operations and growing an enterprise.

She holds a Master of Science in International Trade Policy, with Distinction, from The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, and a Bachelor of Science in International Relations and Spanish from The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus.

The Minister made the statement, as he toured phase three of the Munroe Wellington pipeline project, yesterday.

According to Mr Samuda, $200 million will go to members of parliament, while the rest of the money, will be shared between the municipal corporations, and the National Water Commission.

He said the initiative is to support the reopening of schools, and in anticipation of worsened drought conditions.

He said an improvement in drought conditions could mean spending less funds.

The revelation was made by the Education Ministry, following concerns raised by Member of Parliament for St Mary Central, Omar Newell.

He had called on the Ministry to urgently approve the recommendation of the board of governors for the appointment of a principal, noting that the institution should not enter another academic year without settled leadership.

In a statement last evening, the Ministry said the appointment of principals in public educational institutions, follows an established transparent process.

It added, that the board of management is responsible for advertising the vacancy, shortlisting and interviewing candidates, then making a recommendation.

The recommendation and supporting documentation are then submitted to the TSC for review and deliberation.

Following the decision of the TSC, the minister conducts a review.

The Ministry said, regarding the St Mary High appointment process, the TSC did not support the recommendation, due to a number of concerns.

It said the TSC will work with the institution to better understand the recruitment process, in accordance with established procedures.

The Ministry noted that it recognises the importance of stable leadership to all schools, and will continue to support the boards, as they move to complete the process and secure the appointment of senior leadership.

One of the men reportedly died at the scene, while the other is receiving urgent medical care in hospital.

In a statement, the Ministry expressed regret about the incident.

It’s reported that at about 2 P.M., a section of a corridor connecting classrooms, which was undergoing refurbishment work collapsed on the workmen who were actively engaged in the project.

The Ministry said the police, fire brigade, and other emergency personnel responded swiftly to the scene.

One labourer was crushed by the falling debris and pronounced dead by emergency responders.

The Ministry said the second worker sustained serious injuries and was immediately transported to the hospital.

Classes were not in session at the time of the collapse, so no student was on the compound.

The Ministry said it has dispatched a team of counsellors and social support officers to assist the school family, and the contractor community affected by the tragedy.

In a well-coordinated operation, the unknown attackers exploited weaknesses in the routing security setup of hosting provider Hetzner Online and the process for attaining valid TLS certificates. The lapses allowed the attackers to successfully perform a BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) hijacking to obtain control over IP addresses assigned to Softaculous. The company, based in the United Arab Emirates, is the maker of a platform for installing and managing Web software and is the developer of Virtualizor, a management platform for virtualized environments.

Softaculous used the IPs to issue updates and host a client and billing site. With control over the hijacked space, the attacker was now using the addresses to push malware masquerading as updates to unsuspecting users.

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

]]>

SEAGA... we have the ability to use our location as an asset... and we have to develop our economy as a logistics-centred economy where people can come in, add value to products here, and then distribute them throughout the Americas

An Amber IoT team member demonstrates a selection of connected devices at the company’s South Africa operation, where Amber says it has surpassed one million devices manufactured, sold and deployed across Africa.

NCB Financial Group’s headquarters. The financial holding company says it will focus on growth after three years of restructuring.

Government Operations Results for July 2026

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification – The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation (s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure – The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may effect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

The 10th international staging of the Food Security and Sovereignty Conference will focus on developing resilient as well as sustainable solutions for driving locally produced food systems.

Such systems should be capable of withstanding environmental, economic, and social pressures.

The details were provided at the conference’s press launch held at Sandals Dunn’s River in Mammee Bay, St. Ann today.

Hosted by the Food Hygiene Bureau, the conference will take place at the same hotel from September 9 to 10.

It will be held under the theme, ‘building resilience in food systems: enhancing food security and sovereignty.’

Speaking at the press launch, Conference Chair and Managing Director of the Food Hygiene Bureau, Dr. Marva Hewitt, says the event will focus on increasing food production amid challenges such as climate change.

She notes that climate change is affecting food security, demanding new innovative ways to produce food instead of relying on imports.

Meanwhile, several stakeholders in St. Ann have endorsed the conference.

Chairman of the St. Ann Municipal Corporation and Mayor of St. Ann’s Bay, Michael Belnavis, said the event provides, among other things, an important platform to find tangible solutions to strengthen domestic food production.

In the meantime, President of the St. Ann Chamber of Commerce, Kenneth Anglin, hailed it for bringing together both local and international stakeholders in agriculture and business sectors.

Sheree Martin has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the National Commercial Bank, effective today, September 1.

She is the first woman to be appointed CEO in the bank’s history.

Martin has served as interim CEO since January 19, leading the bank’s strategic and operational priorities with a focus on efficiency, governance and the customer experience.

In a statement, the bank says her appointment provides continuity as NCB advances these priorities and builds a more agile and connected organisation.

Group Chief Executive Officer of NCB Financial Group Limited and Chairman of NCBJ, Robert Almeida, says Martin’s leadership during the interim period reinforced the board’s confidence in her ability to lead the bank.

He says Ms. Martin brings deep institutional knowledge, a strong understanding of customers and a clear appreciation of how the different parts of the bank must work together to deliver.

The Group CEO says she combines strategic judgement with practical, hands-on leadership and a strong focus on execution.

These qualities will serve NCBJ well as it builds on the progress already underway.

Martin said she was honoured by the appointment and energised by the opportunities ahead.

She brings more than 20 years of executive leadership experience across the financial services and energy sectors.

Before assuming the role of interim CEO at NCB, she had leadership responsibility for several functions, including retail banking, operations, credit underwriting, marketing and enterprise information management.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Juliet Holness made the disclosure during the opening ceremony for the 48th Regional Conference of the Caribbean, the Americas and the Atlantic region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association yesterday.

The conference is being held under the theme “Strengthening Parliaments in the Digital Age” the conference runs until September 5.

Mrs Holness said the development of the website represents an important step in making Jamaica’s Parliament more accessible and responsive.

She said every piece of legislation and document that exists in Parliament would be available on the website.

Mrs Holness noted that the platform will also have live streaming capabilities.

The identity of the deceased has not yet been released.

The St Andrew south police have classified the incident as a freak accident.

In the meantime, Principal Yvette Foster told IRIE FM News that some teachers who were at the school at the time of the incident have been left traumatised.

Ms Foster noted that the 2 workmen were attempting to remove a column when the upper section of the structure fell on top of them.

Fire fighters and police were summoned and they extracted the trapped workman from the rubble.

She said the incident happened about 1 P.M., just after children who did assessments left the school.

Tomorrow’s assessment session has been cancelled.

Support teams from the Education Ministry are expected to visit the school tomorrow.

Speaking with IRIE FM News this afternoon, Corporate Public Relations Manager at NWC Delano Williams noted that the Mona Reservoir increased by 0.1 percent, equivalent to 4.1 million gallons.

He said the Hermitage Dam increased by 2.6 million gallons.

Mr Williams said while the systems are practically at the same level the rains are encouraging.

In the meantime, he said the company will continue to monitor facilities in other areas of the island.

He is calling on the nation not to overestimate the small periods of rainfall.

On Monday, CBS reporter Zak Hudak published an article headlined with the critique that El-Sayed’s “deleted tweets on Sept. 11 attacks invite scrutiny of past remarks.” Weiss, whose time in charge of CBS has been rife with controversy, was reportedly deeply involved with the story’s promotion and framing, going so far as to praise it in a newsroom meeting and champion it “to the entire network,” according to media-industry newsletter Status. She “even personally directed the headline to be tweaked to specifically mention” the 9/11 angle.

The story immediately came under harsh criticism, even from people whose politics when it comes to Muslims are virtually indistinguishable from Weiss’s. Atlantic writer Jonathan Chait, for example, called the tweets a “non-story.”

CBS declined to mention that two of those three deleted posts were asking Americans to take the death toll of the Covid-19 pandemic as seriously as the attacks. It’s worth noting — CBS did not — that invoking 9/11 to put the Covid death toll in perspective wasn’t unusual at the time; then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo directly compared the pandemic, which ravaged New York City, to the attacks the same month that El-Sayed did.

Another post at issue was a rather anodyne comment about the consequences of the decadelong war on terror and a call to action: “We could save lives rather than take them.”

El-Sayed’s campaign previously told Politico that all posts older than July 2023 were deleted “to prevent any old posts from being taken out of context.”

Weiss’s guidance led to CBS News’s racist framing that there’s just something different — even untrustworthy — about El-Sayed, and that the upcoming 25th anniversary of 9/11 is the right time to ask what that is.

In doing so, she’s embracing a long-standing bipartisan tradition of Muslim dehumanization — a playbook still being deployed on both sides of the aisle. The current anti-Muslim environment reflects the growth and regression in the country since the 9/11 moment: growth in the number of Muslims in political and public life, and the regressive backlash to multicultural liberalism that’s defined the Trump era.

This kind of bigotry was rampant during the early 2000s, particularly in 2002 and 2003, when the George W. Bush administration weaponized Americans’ anger and shock over the attacks to gin up support for its war of choice on Iraq.

Weiss’s guidance led to CBS News’s racist framing that there’s just something different — even untrustworthy — about El-Sayed, and that the upcoming 25th anniversary of 9/11 is the right time to ask what that is.

More recently, in the wake of mass protest and opposition, mainly from the left, to Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, institutional power on both sides of the partisan divide has cracked down on dissent. In the immediate aftermath of the October 7 attacks, expressing sympathy for Palestine was enough to engender severe career consequences.

Since 2023, the landscape of public opinion has shifted significantly. A supermajority of Democratic voters are opposed to Israel’s war on Gaza and support sanctions on Israel. Increasingly, primary voters are punishing incumbents who have been diehard supporters of Israel. The callback to the anti-Muslim rhetoric of ]]>

Mair brings more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry and is among several executives named in NCBFG’s latest Leadership Developments update.

His appointment marks a significant leadership change at the financial services group as the company continues to strengthen its executive leadership team.

]]>

The judge found probable cause to sustain the charges against the 70-year-old, who has been charged with simple domestic battery and felony tampering with or harassing a witness or victim. Campbell has since posted bond and was released from jail.

Campbell’s attorney maintained his innocence and argued that the allegations are politically motivated, coming as Campbell seeks re-election to Lauderhill City Commission Seat 4. The case reportedly involves Campbell’s ex-girlfriend and an alleged attempt to have a restraining order against him dropped.

Deaf Teen Gunned Down in Kingston, Mother Left Heartbroken

]]>

The deceased has been identified as Jermaine Burchell, otherwise called “Tarvy.”

Reports are that Burchell had been experiencing mental health challenges and was living in a makeshift tent in his yard.

He was reportedly last seen alive shortly after 11 p.m. on Thursday.

However, at about 7 a.m. on Friday, a neighbour discovered Burchell hanging from a breadfruit tree in the yard, with a piece of rope around his neck.

The matter was reported to the police, who responded and processed the scene.

Investigations into the circumstances surrounding Burchell’s death are ongoing.

]]>

A source close to the singer’s tour told ABC News that Richie checked himself into hospital “out of an abundance of caution” following his performance at The Muny’s annual summer finale concert on Saturday night.

Richie, 77, reportedly appeared to have difficulty toward the end of the show and performed his final song, “All Night Long,” while seated, according to reports from concertgoers cited by TMZ.

The hospitalisation comes more than two months after Richie experienced dizziness onstage during the opening night of his tour with Earth, Wind & Fire in Minnesota on June 24.

Videos shared online at the time showed the “Hello” singer performing while seated.

Following that incident, Richie postponed two scheduled performances — one in Columbus, Ohio, and another in Chicago — after doctors advised him to rest and return to full health.

He resumed performing on June 30 in Pittsburgh.

On July 4, Richie addressed fans on Instagram, thanking them for their concern and assuring them that he was doing well.

The singer is scheduled to continue his performances, including his “King of Hearts” shows at Wynn Las Vegas in October and November.

There has been no indication that Richie’s latest hospitalisation is related to a serious medical emergency, and his representatives have not publicly disclosed further details about his condition.

]]>

The suspect, identified by police as Pamela Cisneros of Queens, allegedly carried out the attacks near Seventh Avenue and West 41st Street shortly after 4:20 p.m.

According to New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Cisneros was armed with two large knives, which she reportedly pulled from a red shopping bag before attacking a 68-year-old man who had just exited a subway station with his wife.

The man was stabbed in the abdomen and taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he remains in stable condition.

Police said Cisneros then moved up Seventh Avenue and, within about 20 seconds, allegedly stabbed a 32-year-old woman in the abdomen.

The woman, identified as Erin Piacenti, was rushed to Bellevue Hospital but later died from her injuries. Piacenti, who was from New Jersey, worked as a vice president at Bank of America. (CBS News⁠)

Witnesses alerted police, who located Cisneros near West 42nd and West 43rd streets. Officers reportedly spent about four minutes ordering her to drop the knives, but police said she refused and threatened the officers.

Multiple officers deployed Tasers, but they were unsuccessful. Police said Cisneros then advanced towards officers while still armed, prompting two officers to open fire.

She was struck and taken to Bellevue Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Police said Cisneros had a documented mental-health history involving incidents in 2018 and 2019, but no prior arrests. Investigators have described the stabbings as random and unprovoked. Authorities also said there is no indication the attack was terrorism-related. (AP News⁠)

The police shooting was captured on officers’ body-worn cameras. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the footage will be released as the investigation continues.

The NYPD is conducting an internal investigation into the fatal police shooting.

]]>

Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL) has advised that a related entity purchased 13,397 SVL shares on August 28, 2026.

Disclaimer:

Company Disclosure – The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

Image Plus Consultants Limited (IPCL) has advised that a connected party sold 46,933 IPCL shares on August 31, 2026.

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification -The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure -The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

Consolidated Bakeries Jamaica Limited (PURITY) has advised that during the period August 24 to 29 2026, a director purchased 3,451 PURITY shares.

Disclaimer:

Company Disclosure -The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

NCB Financial Group Limited (NCBFG) has advised of the following leadership changes:

NCBFG has also announced the completion of the sale of the shares in its wholly owned banking subsidiary, NCB (Cayman) Limited, to its Bermuda-based banking subsidiary, Clarien Bank Limited, following the receipt of requisite regulatory approvals.

For further details, visit www.jamstockex.com

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification -The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure -The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

Image Plus Consultants Limited (IPCL) has advised that Ms. Carolyn DaCosta has tendered her resignation as an Independent Director, effective September 30, 2026. IPCL has further advised that at that time, Ms. DaCosta will cease chairing the Remuneration, Corporate Governance & Nominations Committee.

For further details, visit www.jamstockex.com

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification -The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure -The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has stated that cybersecurity can no longer be regarded as a technical matter as it is now a critical part of the nation’s democratic resilience response.

He was speaking last evening at the opening ceremony for the 48th Regional Conference of the Caribbean, the Americas and the Atlantic Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association at Moon Palace Jamaica in Ocho Rios, St. Ann.

Dr. Holness reiterated that misinformation and disinformation are threats to Jamaica’s democracy.

The Prime Minister said responding to this issue means ensuring that parliamentary systems, communications and data are secured.

Describing misinformation and disinformation as an epidemic, Dr. Holness noted that it can no longer be ignored as it breaches public trust.

A call is being made for Education Minister, Dr. Dana Morris Dixon to move with alacrity to approve the appointment of a principal for the St. Mary High School.

Member of Parliament for St. Mary Central Omar Newell who made the appeal said the institution should not enter another academic year without settled leadership.

Mr. Newell wants the minister to approve urgently the recommendation of the Board of Governors for the principal’s appointment.

Mr. Newell, who is also a past student of St. Mary High said the absence of a permanently appointed principal limits the school’s ability to undertake the long-term planning and execution necessary for its continued development.

Sub-officer in charge of the St Catherine North Police’s Community Safety and Security Branch, Sergeant Kester Fennel says he is often perturbed by how parents view their children’s development.

According to Sergeant Fennel, some parents are more focused on only providing financial support for their children while ignoring their performance in school.

He noted that some parents are unaware that their children are staying away from school and called on them to play a more active role in their children’s lives.

Innovative Energy Group Limited (ENERGY)

Audited financials for the year ended May 31, 2026

Innovative Energy Group Limited (ENERGY) for the twelve months ended May 31, 2026, reported a 6% increase in Revenue totaling $339.49 million compared to $321.21 million in the corresponding period last year. Investors should note that the comparative figures cover only the seven months from November 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025, being the period from the acquisition of the Group’s operating subsidiary, Innovative Energy Company DBA IEC SPEI Limited, and are therefore not directly comparable with the current twelve-month period.

Revenue was underpinned by a marked shift in mix. Solar project income fell to $183.67 million (2025: $316.10 million), while service and maintenance income rose to $101.71 million (2025: $3.64 million) and sale of product climbed to $54.10 million (2025: $1.47 million).

Direct costs amounted to $209.96 million (2025: $112.74 million), representing an increase of 86% year over year, driven mainly by project management costs of $88.29 million (2025: $39.36 million) and contractors’ costs of $55.53 million (2025: $60.43 million). Consequently, Gross Profit declined by 38% to $129.52 million compared to $208.47 million for the seven months ended May 31, 2025.

Administrative Expenses for the year ended May 31, 2026, amounted to $139.42 million, an 18% increase relative to $117.87 million reported in 2025. The largest line item was salaries and wages of $60.80 million (2025: $25.98 million), while the Group booked a foreign exchange gain of $9.69 million versus a loss of $10.39 million in the prior period, and an expected credit loss write-back of $13.10 million versus a charge of $18.34 million previously.

As a result, ENERGY recorded an Operating Loss of $9.89 million for the year, compared with an Operating Profit of $90.60 million in the prior period.

The Group recognised a Fair Value Gain on Investment Property of $13 million, following the March 2026 independent revaluation of its building at Unit 15, R1 Commercial Park, Kingston 10, from $47 million to $60 million.

Other Operating Income surged to $130.10 million (2025: $4.66 million). The dominant contributor was a $100 million related party loan write-off, arising from the decision by the directors of Innovative Energy Company Limited, St. Lucia, to forgive $100 million of the debt owed in connection with the acquisition of the subsidiary. Rental income contributed $6.91 million, reimbursement of expenses $6.68 million, and miscellaneous income $16.03 million.

Together, these items lifted the pre-financing result to $133.21 million, up 40% from $95.25 million.

Finance Costs totalled $20.85 million, a 118% increase from the corresponding period last year (2025: $9.55 million).

Pre-tax profit for the year ended May 31, 2026, amounted to $112.36 million, a 31% increase relative to $85.71 million reported in 2025.

Taxation for the year amounted to $5.03 million (2025: $3.52 million), comprising solely a deferred tax charge, with no current income tax provision booked for the year (2025: $4.64 million). Tax losses of approximately $256.3 million (2025: $247.9 million) remain available for set-off against future profits. As such, Net Profit for the year amounted to $107.33 million, a 31% increase from the $82.19 million reported in 2025.

On the impact of the October 2025 storm, the Group noted that Hurricane Melissa delayed execution on two major projects in St. Elizabeth and Montego Bay by approximately three months as customers prioritised restoration of their own facilities, and that during the period of reduced activity the subsidiary increased its focus on residential and smaller commercial projects, which contributed additional revenue. Project execution on the affected contracts has since resumed, with no material change to the underlying contracts or the total revenue expected from them.

Consequently, Earnings Per Share for the year amounted to $0.082 (2025: EPS: $0.144). The lower prior-year share count is the main reason the comparative EPS is higher despite lower absolute earnings; the weighted average number of shares was 1,316,324,120 for the current year versus 569,215,247 in the prior period. The twelve-month trailing EPS was $0.082.

Notably, ENERGY’s stock price closed on August 31, 2026, at $0.89 with a corresponding P/E ratio of 10.92x.

Balance Sheet Highlights

The Group’s assets totalled $3.34 billion (2025: $3.26 billion), driven by an 18% increase in current assets from $449.68 million to $530.89 million. Receivables and prepayments rose to $270.74 million from $159.76 million, while inventories declined to $239.76 million from $275.67 million. Cash and bank balances closed at $15.58 million (2025: $9.45 million).

Shareholders’ equity was $1.12 billion (2025: $1.02 billion), representing a book value per share of $0.85 (2025: $0.77). The accumulated deficit narrowed to $160.33 million from $267.66 million.

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification -The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer(s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view(s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure -The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may effect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

Margaritaville (Turks) Limited (MTL) Audited financials for the twelve months ended May 31, 2026: All figures are stated in US$ unless otherwise indicated.

Margaritaville (Turks) Limited (MTL) for the twelve months ended May 31, 2026, reported an 11% decrease in Revenue totalling US$8.50 million compared to US$9.58 million in the corresponding period last year. Revenue for the fourth quarter declined by 18% to US$2.12 million compared to US$2.60 million for the comparable quarter of 2025.

Cost of Sales amounted to US$2.29 million (2025: US$2.79 million), representing an 18% decrease year over year. Consequently, Gross Profit decreased by 9% to US$6.21 million compared to US$6.79 million for the twelve months ended May 31, 2025. Gross Profit for the fourth quarter amounted to US$1.38 million, compared to US$1.66 million reported for the similar quarter of 2025.

Administrative Expenses decreased by 5% to US$4.63 million from US$4.89 million in 2025, while Promotional Expenses decreased by 2% to US$37,086 from US$37,981 in the prior year. Depreciation and Amortisation decreased by 4% to US$246,606 from US$256,907. As a result, Total Expenses for the twelve months ended May 31, 2026 amounted to US$4.92 million, representing a 5% decrease relative to US$5.19 million reported in 2025.

Operating Profit for the twelve months ended May 31, 2026 amounted to US$1.29 million, representing a 19% decrease from US$1.60 million reported in 2025. Operating Profit for the fourth quarter amounted to US$182,655, compared to US$592,574 in the corresponding quarter of 2025. Finance Costs increased by 10% to US$14,300 from US$13,025 in the prior year.

Consequently, Net Profit for the year amounted to US$1.28 million, representing a 20% decrease from US$1.59 million reported in 2025. Total Comprehensive Income for the year also amounted to US$1.28 million, compared to US$1.59 million in the prior year. Total Comprehensive Income for the fourth quarter amounted to US$189,021, compared to US$604,003 in the corresponding quarter of 2025.

Consequently, Earnings Per Share for the twelve months amounted to US$0.0189, or approximately J$3.00, compared to US$0.0236, or approximately J$3.78. Earnings Per Share for the fourth quarter amounted to approximately US$0.0028, or J$0.44, compared to US$0.0089, or J$1.43, for the corresponding quarter of 2025. The number of shares used in these calculations was 67,500,000.

Notably, MTL’s stock price closed at J$9.42 on August 31, 2026, with a corresponding P/E ratio of 3.17x.

Balance Sheet Highlights

The company’s Total Assets amounted to US$11.33 million at May 31, 2026, representing a 22% increase from US$9.31 million in 2025. The increase was driven primarily by Due from Related Company, which rose to US$8.49 million from US$6.17 million. This was partly offset by lower Property, Plant and Equipment, which declined to US$2.08 million from US$2.28 million, as well as lower Inventories, Trade and Other Receivables, and Cash and Bank Balances.

Shareholders’ Equity increased to US$7.50 million from US$6.22 million in 2025, representing a book value per share of approximately US$0.111, or J$17.60. This compares to approximately US$0.092, or J$14.77.

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification -The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure -The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may affect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

United States:

Bond Slide Spreads to Emerging Markets on Fed Rate-Hike Bets

A global bond selloff spread to emerging markets as investors dumped the riskier debt on expectations that the Federal Reserve will increase US interest rates later this month.

Ten-year government bond yields rose from South Africa to South Korea and Poland as money markets indicated an almost 70% chance of a 25 basis-point increase in Fed’s benchmark rates on Sept. 16.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-01/bond-slide-grips-emerging-markets-as-fed-risk-drags-sentiment

Europe:

ECB’s Nagel Says Slowdown in Underlying Inflation Is Good News

Slower underlying inflation in the euro zone in August is a positive development, according to European Central Bank Governing Council member Joachim Nagel.

“The good news is that the core inflation rate has declined” along with services,” the Bundesbank president said Tuesday. “We’re not yet seeing second-round effects in the core inflation rate.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-01/ecb-s-nagel-says-slowdown-in-underlying-inflation-is-good-news

Asia:

Chinese Banks Extend Record-Breaking Rally on Earnings, Dividend

Chinese bank stocks extended their record-breaking rally, with investors drawn by the sector’s resilient earnings and higher dividends from some of the country’s largest lenders.

The MSCI China Banks Index rose as much as 1.4% to a fresh record high, extending gains this year to about 18%. The gauge has outperformed the broader MSCI China Index, which is down about 9%, as well as the 5% advance in the Standard and Poor’s 500 Financials Index over the same period.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-01/chinese-banks-extend-record-breaking-rally-on-earnings-dividend

Disclaimer:

Analyst Certification – The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the personal views of Mayberry Investments Limited Research Department about those issuer (s) or securities as at the date of this report. Each research analyst (s) also certify that no part of their compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendation(s) or view (s) expressed by that research analyst in this research report.

Company Disclosure – The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. You are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Mayberry may effect transactions or have positions in securities mentioned herein. In addition, employees of Mayberry may have positions and effect transactions in the securities mentioned herein.

The association met recently with Health Ministry representatives.

In June, medical interns staged a protest to register their frustration with a number of issues impacting them.

The JMDA disclosed then that there had been a significant drop in the number of interns working within medical facilities island-wide.

It said this had created significant human resource and clinical issues.

JMDA also indicated that in many facilities, the interns have been working for periods of 24 to 32 hours on some days.

In response, Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton released a statement on June 24, stating that he had ordered an audit and a review of the duty roster within three days.

Speaking with IRIE FM News, JMDA President Dr. Jubilee Brown-Service said the association wasn’t formally updated on that process until being invited to a meeting on August 7.

She noted that the association has not received any update on its suggestions and whether or not the Ministry will use any of them.

That was the declaration from Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness as he addressed the 48th conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association last evening.

Dr. Holness said the transformation that will come as a result of technology must preserve the dignity of the people.

He stated that parliamentarians cannot turn to artificial intelligence to make decisions for the Jamaican people.

The lawsuit that led to the settlement was in reaction to EEOC guidance issued under the Biden administration and after a 2020 Supreme Court ruling that Title VII protects against gender identity discrimination.

In the settlement, reached on August 18, the EEOC pledged to not pursue any claims of gender identity-based discrimination against the Christian Employers Alliance — and made the pledge in perpetuity.

The EEOC provides free investigation into complaints of discrimination and, in some cases, will bring lawsuits on behalf of employees at no cost to the plaintiffs.

Now, however, anyone who works for a company with membership in the Christian Employers Alliance who believes they suffered gender identity-based discrimination won’t be able to avail themselves of the EEOC’s process.

The settlement also contains an unusual provision: It applies not just to the more than 20,000 employers that are already members in the Christian Employers Alliance, but also to any future members, so long as they are members at the time that any claimed discrimination occurred.

That means that any employer that decides to sign up for Christian Employers Alliance membership will get the benefit of blanket protection from the EEOC against all claims of gender identity discrimination, such as harassing someone for being nonbinary or firing them for coming out as trans.

“I am not aware of any settlement that just creates in perpetuity a freedom from investigation.”

“I am not aware of any settlement that just creates in perpetuity a freedom from investigation,” said Karla Gilbride, a former EEOC general counsel under President Joe Biden who is now at the American Civil Liberties Union. “I’ve never seen an organization get a settlement that allows protection to future members in this way.”

The settlement will stay in place even if Andrea Lucas, the current Republican chair of the EEOC, is replaced with a Democratic chair under a future Democratic president. (The Christian Employers Alliance declined to comment, and the EEOC did not respond to an inquiry.)

The CEA notes the blanket protection on its webpage for signing up new members.

“Join CEA and stop being exposed,” the site says, under a banner that reads “Protected the Moment You’re In.”

“It’s like they’re selling an insurance policy against EEOC investigations,” said Gilbride. “I’m concerned about the incentive that that creates for employers, especially when the organization is explicitly marketing itself in that way.”

The settlement also has no expiration date. Nearly all settlements, Gilbride said, have an end point; they will remain in force for a certain number of years, during which a court will monitor to make sure the terms are met.

“What makes this settlement unusual,” she said, “is that, in exchange for agreeing to dismiss certain claims in this case, the EEOC is committing to these terms for what seems to be an indefinite amount of time.”

“It’s like they’re selling an insurance policy against EEOC investigations.”

The settlement is of a piece with the EEOC’s recent turn toward policies aligned with the aims of the Christian right in the United States. Lucas, the commission chair, has already pursued a broad agenda of eliminating trans rights.

The Christian Employers Alliance has been at the forefront of pushing conservative religious views into policy. The alliance was represented in its EEOC lawsuit by Alliance Defending Freedom, the conservative legal group behind the overthrow of Roe v. Wade.

The Christian employers’ group also boasted in its promotional materials for new members that, like the protection from gender discrimination complaints, a court injunction it secured against the government that allows members to refuse to cover contraception will “cover you the moment you join.”

The blanket carveout for members of the Christian Employers Alliance is also out of the ordinary for giving across-the-board protections from complaints. The EEOC already has ways to consider the rights of religious employers, but they require going through established processes. These employers, for instance, can raise a religious defense against a complaint of discrimination, and the agency will then consider it.

The new settlement, however, blocks EEOC investigators from even looking into a complaint of discrimination and evaluating the merits; instead, it stops all gender identity discrimination complaints against these employers dead in their tracks. All the agency can do is tell workers to sue their employers on their own in the courts.

“That categorical exclusion from investigation based on being a member of a group is unprecedented,” Gilbride said.

These victories for the Christian Employers Alliance closely mirror much of what the organization had originally sought when it filed for an injunction as part of its lawsuit. In its request, the group sought a permanent ban on the EEOC enforcing gender identity rights against its “present and future members.”

And there are close relationships between the Christian Employers Alliance and the EEOC.

In early 2025, Lucas, the current commission chair, hired Shannon Royce to be her chief of staff. Royce’s job immediately prior to accepting her role at the EEOC was president of the Christian Employers Alliance, which she led in 2021 at the time of the lawsuit over gender identity discrimination.

“Normally a settlement happens because the parties don’t want to keep litigating,” Gilbride noted. “But it seems like there might be a lot of alignment between the two sides in this particular situation, and that raises questions about whether the settlement is in the broader public interest or whether it’s just in the interest of these particular individuals and organizations.”

The settlement fits with the anti-trans agenda pursued by Lucas, the EEOC chair.

One of her first actions was to announce that a priority for the agency is “to defend the biological and binary reality of sex.” She instructed agency staff to focus on pursuing such cases, such as complaints from cis women of trans women sharing bathrooms with them. Harassment guidance that included protection from gender identity-based harassment and federal workers’ ability to pursue complaints of gender identity discrimination were both eliminated under Lucas’s leadership.

Lucas also withdrew the EEOC from lawsuits that it had brought on behalf of transgender and nonbinary workers, and she halted the processing of all worker claims of gender identity discrimination.

With Lucas at the helm, the Christian Employers Alliance already didn’t have to worry about gender identity complaints. Now, tens of thousands of employers with membership in the group won’t have to worry about complaints under the commission’s future leadership either.

Gilbride said, “I am not aware of a settlement that looks exactly like this.”

]]>

According to Broward jail records, the 70-year-old, who was arrested yesterday afternoon was charged with simple domestic battery and tampering or arresting a witness or victim which is a felony.

As NBC 6 South Florida reports, Campbell was last elected two years ago and is now on the ballot, campaigning for City Commission Seat 4.

The 63-year-old Davis was convicted Monday of murder with the use of a deadly weapon following a weeks-long trial.

Jurors deliberated for approximately three hours before returning the guilty verdict.

Prosecutors argued that Davis obtained a firearm and helped orchestrate the attack on Shakur and Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight after an altercation involving Davis’ nephew earlier that night.

Shakur was shot multiple times in a drive-by attack in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996. He died six days later at the age of 25.

Davis, a former gang member who has previously spoken publicly about his alleged involvement in the shooting, was arrested in 2023 after authorities renewed their investigation into Shakur’s death.

He now faces the possibility of life in prison.

Doctor who treated freed Hamas hostages describes physical, sexual and psychological abuse

]]>