Morning Bites: 5 things to know for Wednesday: Christmas in July; NWC wage talks; Reggae Boyz vs Mexico; Clovis Toon; Breaking News and more

Morning Bites: 5 things to know for Wednesday, July 12, 2023 175 SMEs for Christmas in July trade show Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, will deliver the keynote address at the official opening of the 9th staging of the annual Christmas in July trade show at 9:00 this morning at the AC Marriott Hotel in Kingston. Some 175 small and medium tourism enterprises will participate in the annual initiative, which encourages the purchase of authentic local products by stakeholders in the tourism sector and corporate Jamaica looking for gifts for clients and staff. Christmas in July is a collaborative effort of the Tourism Enhancement Fund, through its division the Tourism Linkages Network. NWC wage talks for Labour Ministry With the [72-hour strike notice]( given by workers of the state-owned National Water Commission (NWC) having expired Tuesday evening, the unions representing the workers will return to the Ministry of Labour today, following talks on Monday. The workers had threatened strike action if the Government did not move to address their concerns about new salary bands under the Public Sector Compensation Review Process. However, the [threat of a strike diminished]( following a meeting of the parties at the Ministry of Labour on Monday, with a follow-up meeting set for today. Jamaica to host Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians’ hybrid meeting As the Jamaican branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), the Parliament will host a hybrid ‘Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Regional Conference on Women’s Political and Parliamentary Leadership’ at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel today, July 12. The CWP is the arm of the CPA whose mission is to promote the representation of women in CPA branches and women’s full and equal participation in all political and parliamentary leadership at all levels. The CWP represents more than 3,000 women parliamentarians in over 180 Commonwealth national and sub-national Parliaments, across the 56 countries in the CPA’s nine regions. Advertisement Reggae Boyz face Mexico in Gold Cup semi-final Jamaica and Mexico [meet in the Concacaf Gold Cup semi-final]( in Paradise, Nevada this evening. The Reggae Boyz and El Tri have a deep history in the Concacaf Gold Cup. Jamaica finished runners-up to them in the 2015 final, having lost 3-1. They met again two years later in the semi-final, with Jamaica winning 1-0 through a Kemar Lawrence free kick. Wednesday's game kicks off from Allegiant Stadium at 9:00 pm. Pogba’s £128m Saudi offer? Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba, 30, will be offered £128m over three years to join a club in Saudi Arabia. [(Gazzetta dello Sport, in Italian)]( Tottenham and England striker Harry Kane is keen to join Bayern Munich this summer as the Bundesliga champions consider submitting a third bid for the 29-year-old. [(ESPN)]( Bournemouth are ahead of Tottenham, West Ham and Wolves in the chase for Bristol City's English midfielder Alex Scott, 19.[(Teamtalk)]( Manchester United are edging closer to an agreement for Inter Milan and Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana, 27. [(Sky Sports)]( ICYMI: WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING WATCH: Jamaicans share their views on new Sexual Harassment Act OBSERVER ONLINE took to the streets of the Corporate Area to hear [what Jamaicans think of the Sexual Harassment (Protection and Prevention) Act]( which was passed in 2021 but came into effect on Monday, July 3. Six Jamaican parliamentarians under probe for illicit enrichment - Integrity Commission Six of the country’s parliamentarians are being [investigated for illicit enrichment]( by the Integrity Commission. J’cans travelling from London forced to sleep in Nassau airport after flight develops technical issues Several Jamaicans heading home from the United Kingdom, and other individuals heading to Caribbean islands for visits, [were stuck in Nassau, Bahamas after the aircraft they were travelling in developed problems](. CLOVIS TOON TODAY IN HISTORY Mondale chooses Ferraro as running-mate On this day in 1984, US Democratic presidential candidate Walter F Mondale announced his choice of US Rep Geraldine A Ferraro of New York to be his running-mate; Ferraro was the first woman to run for vice president on a major-party ticket. For more stories, visit our website at www.jamaicaobserver.com or [sign up for our e-paper](. [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Website]( Copyright © 2023 Jamaica Observer, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: 40 - 42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue Kingston 5 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](.