Jamaica's immigration authorities will today start testing their new, multi-million dollar computerised passport and immigration tracking system, which officials say will enhance the country's border controls.

Jamaica's Asafa Powell, a hot favourite for a medal in the men's 100 metres, ran his worst race of the 2004 Olympic Games last night to finish fifth in the final at the Athens Olympic Stadium.

The internecine violence that has plagued Spanish Town for the past 14 months has forced several companies to institute staff exit strategies that include mapping out and teaching staff "safe routes" out of the old capital.

The police were up to last night unable to find the whereabouts of Anna-Kay Bligen, the 18 year-old woman who was kidnapped in Grants Pen, Kingston on Tuesday by gunmen.

World Cup quarter-finalists the United States barely avoided an historic loss to Jamaica when they pulled off a late 1-1 draw in a CONCACAF World Cup qualifyer today.

The singers at the centre of a campaign to rid homophobic lyrics from music are set to face added pressure today, with both UK police and sports clothing giant Puma threatening them to tone down their songs.

At a chic beach club under a steamy nighttime sky, with reggae music in their ears and sand in their shoes, the members of the Jamaican Olympic team took a little time out from training to dance and party together Saturday night.

Jamaica's Asafa Powell has predicted that there could be a 100 metres world record in the blue riband event at the Athens Olympics.

Nineteen Jamaicans were murdered between Thursday night and Friday evening, pushing the island's murder tally to 691 for the year.

KINGSTON, Jamaica (Reuters) - Heavy rain from the fringes of Tropical Storm Charley spread across Jamaica on Wednesday as two tropical cyclones put millions of people on alert from the Caribbean to the Florida Panhandle.