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THIS WEEK’S TOP NEWS   STORIES
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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION BANS “PARANORMAL” GAME—05/30/15
Jamaica’s Ministry of Education is concerned about the Charlie Charlie Challenge, a game that uses two pencils and a piece of paper to allegedly invoke a Mexican demon. Similar to the Ouija board, the game is popular around the world, and videos posted online purport to show the pencils moving “by themselves” as players perform an invocation to the Charlie demon. According to the Ministry, the ban was prompted by reports from a number of island schools about “very disruptive behavior” among students who played the game.

VISAS NO LONGER REQUIRED FOR JAMAICANS VISITING BRAZIL—06/03/15
Travelers from Jamaica who want to visit Brazil will no longer need to obtain a visa to do so. According to Brazil’s Ambassador to Jamaica Antonio da Costa e Silva, the abolition of the visa represents part of a special visa cooperation agreement between the two nations that was implemented in 2014 for the FIFA World Cup event. Jamaica’s Ambassador to Brazil Alison Stone Roofe, noted that inspections at the port of entry will continue and that the visa waiver does not extend to individuals who plan to work, do research, take a traineeship, study or do social work in Brazil, or to those planning to do missionary, religious or artistic activities in that country.

ISLAMIC COUNCIL MEMBER TOUTS POLYGAMY AS SOLUTION TO FAMILY PROBLEMS—06/04/15
Rashidah Khan-Hagg, a member of the Islamic Council of Jamaica, believes that polygamy could solve many of the nation’s problems relating to family and paternity. She made her remarks during a speech at the Editors’ Forum at the headquarters of the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper. Khan-Hagg believes that if men in Jamaica were permitted to have more than one wife, the nation would be relieved of much of the burdens associated with infidelity, delinquency, and single parenthood.

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THIS WEEK’S TOP JAMAICAN DIASPORA NEWS
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MISS JAMAICA PAGEANT CELEBRATES 26 YEARS IN SOUTH FLORIDA—06/04/15
Twenty contestants are participating in the Miss Jamaica Florida Pageant of 2015. This is the 26th staging of the event, which will be held on June 28th at the Coral Springs center for the arts in Coral Springs, Florida. The pageant offers four age categories for contestants aged five to 21 years of age. The contestants will show off their talents via a creative expression theme that celebrates dance, drama, and song. The 2015 event will offer a tribute to “Women of Power Around the World.” The Miss Jamaica Florida Pageant was started by the late Anthony Bernard Baker in 1990 and was designed to foster youth activities in the arts.

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THIS WEEK’S TOP BUSINESS NEWS SUMMARY
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FILM FESTIVAL COMBINES ART AND BUSINESS—06/03/15
The theme of the 2015 staging of the Jamaica Film Festival has been announced by the Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO). The theme focuses on innovative ways to extend Brand Jamaica into the global film market. The festival will provide a business forum for filmmakers, writers, and producers working in Jamaica and will educate industry insiders on how to market their projects in order to create wealth for the local industry.

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THIS WEEK’S TOP ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
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RICHIE B CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS BREAK DOWN—05/30/15
Richie B, the popular Jamaican broadcaster, is set to leave Mello FM after contract negotiations with the radio station broke down. Richie B, whose real name is Richard Burgess, left Hot 102FM to join Mello, which is based in St. James, in 2013. While not reporting events in detail, Richie B confirmed that he no long presents at Mello. He thanked the station’s management and staff for the “leverage and latitude” he was given during his time there. He plans to focus on his new wholesale liquor business in Kingston in the near future, but has not completely “closed the door” on radio broadcasting, he said.

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THIS WEEK’S TOP SPORTS NEWS
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FRASER-PRYCE WINS 100-METERS AT DIAMOND LEAGUE—05/30/15
Jamaica’s world record and Olympic champion runner Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce outpaced a tough field of competitors at the Diamond League race in Eugene, Oregon, winning the 100 meter race in a world record time of 10.81 seconds. Five women had times of less than 10.90 seconds in the competition.