Metry Seaga, CEO of JFP Limited, was yesterday re-elected as president of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) during a council meeting held at the organisation’s offices on Hope Road in St Andrew. This marks Seaga’s final year in his...

Robin Russell, president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), says the Government’s plan to remove taxes on tips for hospitality workers does not guarantee any notable widespread increase in salaries, as only about half of tourism...

The population of wedge-tailed shearwaters on D'Arros Island and St Joseph Atoll in Seychelles has increased tenfold, according to the Save our Seas Foundation (SOSF), which highlighted a successful eradication of rats, in a paper earlier this year for the Marine Ornithology journal. The project to eradicate rats was undertaken in the year 2003 and the island was declared rat-free in 2005. This statement is supported by a series of surveys and research papers on the birds. The original survey was done in 2009 by scientists led by Michelle Kappes, the 2017 survey was conducted by Danielle Keys, and the 2021 survey was by current D'Arros research centre staff. Invasive rats and mice inhabit 80 percent of the islands in the Indian Ocean region and pose a serious conservation threat to breeding seabirds. Rodents easily prey on eggs and chicks of nest-bound birds and, in some cases, even brooding adult seabirds, which have not developed any sense of anti-predator behaviour. «The result, as seen on Marion Island, is that seabirds face local extinction. Without successful intervention on this sub-Antarctic island, scientists believe that 19 out of 28 bird species could be lost by 2030,» said the Save Our Seas Foundation D'Arros Research Centre. The population of wedge-tailed shearwaters on D'Arros Island and St Joseph Atoll in Seychelles has increased tenfold. (Save Our Seas Foundation, Rainer von Brandis) Photo License: All Rights Reserved     According to the chief executive of SOSF, James Lea, this latest study estimated 2,768 and 2,406 breeding pairs in 2016 and 2021, respectively, nearly 10 times larger than estimated in 2009. «D'Arros has preventive measures in place to ensure that the biosecurity of goods transported to D'Arros is implemented at source, and in addition, they have pens at offload sites and traps set around the island that provide a second layer of security,» said Lea. Danielle Keys, a researcher from Nelson Mandela University in South Africa, said, «The shearwaters on D'Arros island make up the largest breeding population in the western Indian Ocean compared to Madagascar, Mauritius, and the Comoros. St.Joseph Atoll is one of the largest breeding colonies of wedge-tailed shearwaters in the western Indian Ocean and Fouquet Island is home to most of them.» The researcher stated that St. Joseph Atoll represents as much as 16 percent of the total population of wedge-tailed shearwaters in the western Indian Ocean. As a result, these birds might also be repopulating D'Arros Island, which lies two kilometres from the St Joseph Atoll, as birds find new nesting grounds nearby to avoid overcrowding on the atoll. Scientists call this phenomenon a 'source population.' Understanding the changes enables researchers and managers to prioritise the future and perhaps even look to safeguarding populations elsewhere. The Save Our Seas Foundation said that given the importance of the area to these breeding seabirds, the long-term monitoring of wedge-tailed shearwaters can help guide researchers on conservation strategies. At present D'Arros Island, which is a private island, is occupied by staff of the Save Our Seas Foundation D'Arros Research Centre and they continue to monitor the shearwater population and promote its conservation as part of their long-term monitoring programmes. 

EXCLUSIVE: Police have launched a desperate search for an Australian waitress, Jessica Parkinson, 29 who vanished from a south London backpacking hostel two weeks ago.

Christian ex-teacher - Enoch Burke - jailed after a row over his refusal to address a transgender pupil as 'they' has been joined in prison by his father Seán Burke (pictured).

On Tuesday, Marochko told TASS that Russian forces had expanded their patrol zone near Kremennaya in the past few days, clearing some seven hectares of Kremennaya Forest of fighters

Murmansk Region Governor Andrey Chibis stated earlier in the day that one of victims in the trains’ collision died in a hospital bringing the death toll to two people

Earlier, the same television said two central power plants in Sanaa had come under attack

Yury Klimenko welcomed both the embargo imposed by Spain already after October 7, 2023 on arms shipments to the Middle East conflict zone, and the words of the Spanish prime minister to the international community with a call to follow the example of his country

According to Yury Slyusar, a man was injured by the falling debris of an unmanned aerial vehicle

This year’s World AIDS Day on December 1, the global community reflected 43 years since the CDC first alerted the world to the AIDS epidemic among young gay men in California. During this period, significant strides have been made in combating HIV and AIDS, particularly through international goals such as the 95-95-95 target, which aims […] The post Where Are the Key Population HIV Funds Going? appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

In a significant development for Malawi’s aviation sector, President Lazarus Chakwera today announced that the Orton Chirwa International Airport, formerly known as Mzuzu Airport, is set to reopen and receive flights from Malawi Airlines. According to President Chakwera, the reactivation of the airport is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to boost connectivity and improve […] The post Orton Chirwa International Airport set to open as Malawi Airlines plans flights to Mzuzu appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

Singapore motorists without Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) tags will continue receiving warnings at Malaysia's land checkpoints.  Replying to CNA's question on whether action will be taken against Singapore drivers who have outstanding traffic fines come Jan 1, 2025, Malaysia's transport minister Anthony Loke said on Wednesday (Dec 18) that the VEP system is still not fully enforced. «We have not announced the [full] implementation [of VEP enforcement] yet… Any further enforcement will be communicated and will be announced. So nothing to worry for the drivers,» Loke said. «We are giving notices to drivers who have yet to apply for the VEP, but that is for the time-being.» He also urged motorists not to delay registrations for the permit. Loke, however, did not confirm whether action will be taken against Singapore motorists with unpaid traffic fines from January 2025, which was previously announced by Malaysia.

[Addis Standard] Addis Abeba- Over 10,000 residents in Bugna District, North Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, including children under five, are experiencing severe food shortages due to prolonged drought and ongoing conflict, according to the District Health Bureau.

[AIM] Maputo -- The Mozambican government on Tuesday admitted that it does not have the money to pay education and health professionals for the overtime worked in 2023 and 2024.

[allAfrica]

Get the latest news on the transition to the new administration of President-elect Donald Trump and a new Congress.

The call center for the program, located at the central headquarters of the Popular Front, has been open for 11 days to collect applications, so far, a total of 1,539,761 requests in various formats have been received and processed

Ten civilians and three haval personnel have died following a collision between an Indian Navy speedboat and a passenger ferry off Mumbai Read Full Article at RT.com

Poland is reaching its limits in providing military aid to Ukraine, Polish Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski has stated Read Full Article at RT.com

The Supreme Court Collegium's summons of a High Court judge for a personal explanation has sparked debate about its authority. High Court judges express concern over the Collegium's perceived overreach, suggesting its power to transfer judges influences judicial independence.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant extended Liberation Day greetings, commending the freedom fighters' valor and acknowledging Goa's progress. He praised the strides made towards a 'Golden Goa', recalling the 1961 'Operation Vijay' that freed the state from Portuguese rule.

EXCLUSIVE: Marcus Fakana says he enjoyed a holiday romance with the 17-year-old girl at the Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah - but her mother reported him to the authorities.

John Dance, 50, allegedly used clients' money to buy racehorses, properties and a nightclub in what the Financial Conduct Authority called 'one of the largest frauds ever investigated'.

«Normal trade between China and Russia is aboveboard, in line with WTO [World Trade Organization] rules and market principles, and is not targeted at any third party,» Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the United States said

Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the United States said he hopes US will «cease issuing irresponsible reports year after year, and take concrete actions to maintain the stable development of China-U.S. relations and military ties»

The Israeli Defense Forces delivered air strikes targeting the districts in the center and north of the enclave, according to Al Jazeera