Lieutenant Colonel Sheldon Bryan of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) has been appointed director general of the Island Traffic Authority (ITA), effective September 1. He has been seconded from the JDF with the approval of the chief of defence staff and the permanent secretary.

For Jamaica-born philanthropist Donna More Stewart, the opening of the Pollyanna Project Empowerment Learning Centre in Kakendema Village, Sierra Leone, represents more than the completion of another charitable project. It is the fulfilment of a vision rooted in partnership, dignity and the belief that communities can transform themselves when given the opportunity.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used by cybercriminals to identify weaknesses and launch attacks, with Jamaica recording 46.7 million attempted cyberattacks in 2025 and another 5.4 million in the first quarter of 2026, according to a new report from cybersecurity firm Fortinet. The company’s latest FortiGuard Labs Global Threat Landscape Report suggests that AI and automation are changing the nature of cyber threats by enabling criminals to scan for vulnerable systems, conduct reconnaissance and scale up attacks more quickly than before. What’s more, Jamaica recorded seven million active scanning attempts in 2025, with a further two million detected during the first three months of this year. The findings come as businesses and governments increasingly adopt AI tools to improve efficiency, even as cybersecurity specialists warn that the technology is giving attackers new capabilities. “The conversation around cybersecurity in Jamaica has changed dramatically. We’re seeing organisations move beyond asking whether they should invest in cybersecurity to understanding why it must be embedded into business strategy from day one. Security is no longer simply an IT expense; it is a business enabler that protects operations, customer trust and long-term growth. When security is built into an organisation’s operations from the outset, businesses are far better positioned to minimise the impact of an attack and maintain continuity when threats arise,” said Emmanuel Oscar, senior engineering manager for Fortinet English Caribbean. According to Fortinet, organisations are becoming more aware of cyber risks and are increasingly treating cybersecurity as a business issue rather than solely an information-technology concern. However, the company said the growing use of AI presents fresh challenges. Carlo Caloca, regional sales manager at Fortinet English Caribbean, warned that some organisations are adopting AI-powered tools before putting in place the systems and controls needed to manage the associated risks. “As organisations embrace AI to streamline everyday tasks - from developing presentations and reports to supporting customer engagement and data analysis - they must ensure those tools are being used responsibly and securely,” Caloca said. “Without the right governance, awareness and security controls, AI can unintentionally introduce new vulnerabilities into an organisation.” Fortinet noted that while AI can strengthen productivity and decision-making, it can also create new pathways for cyberattacks if organisations fail to establish appropriate safeguards. HUMAN BEHAVIOUR The company also said human behaviour remains one of the most common ways cybercriminals gain access to networks, underscoring the importance of staff training and cybersecurity awareness. Garfield Gordon, senior systems engineer for Fortinet Jamaica, said sensitive information is increasingly being shared through AI platforms, email systems, banking applications and other digital tools. He added that government agencies, banks and businesses remain among the sectors most frequently targeted by cybercriminals in Jamaica and across the Caribbean. Fortinet said it continues to support national cyber-resilience efforts through its participation in the Technology Recovery and Resilience Task Force, established by the Office of the Prime Minister following Hurricane Melissa. The initiative focuses on strengthening the resilience of critical digital infrastructure, including government services, healthcare and education. The company is also hosting a cybersecurity planning workshop with the Bank of Jamaica this week for chief security officers from financial institutions, aimed at strengthening cybersecurity strategies across the banking sector.

Employees at Gordon House, the seat of the country’s legislature, are reportedly peeved at a decision by the management of Parliament to install a junior parliamentary counsel to act as clerk to the houses, bypassing the current deputy clerk to the houses.

Hearing the a PIL over fasting activist's dwindling health, the high court noted that ​​«life is precious» and asked both the governments to provide, if needed, medical aid, to the Ladakh native. Doctors have warned that Wangchuk may soon enter a potentially «alarming» phase involving organ damage. Wangchuk has reportedly lost more than 9kgs since beginning his indefinite hunger strike.

«No that is very bad. 9th standard is stressful. Why do you introduce a new language in 9th? You introduce it in 6th. When we were there in our school we had both ICSE and SSLC. We were taught both syllabus. Only at the end of 9th standard we had to select,» Justice BV Nagarathna, who was hearing plea challenging Madras high court direction to establish Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in each district, said according to Live Law.

Addressing a public gathering in Mukerian, he said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had fulfilled its promises through initiatives in education, healthcare, power and social welfare, and urged people to give the party another mandate so that «opportunist» opposition leaders, especially the Congress, do not get a chance to come to power.

[allAfrica] Scientists have discovered a new species of monkey, the Colobus congoensis, that has striking pinkish-orange lips and a black face and lives in the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Early on in the game at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz stadium, Messi was seen exchanging tense words with the England superstar after a foul ignited an altercation between several players.

Lip readers believe they have uncovered what was said in a viral video of a South African couple arguing during a match at the World Cup.

Heather Herbert, a transgender web developer at Aberdeen University, relished in the 'good news' of the former Tory MP's death in a vile post on Bluesky on July 10.

The popular internet personality, who boasts 57 million subscribers on YouTube and 53 million followers on TikTok , has livestreamed games throughout the tournament.

NIK SIMON IN BUENOS AIRES: Outside the Casa Rosada, where Argentina's first lady, Eva Peron, famously addressed her supporters in the 1950s, anti-English banners were unfurled.

«Disgusting» was how some Bedok residents described the sight of blood-stained sanitary pads and used tissues strewn around the foot of their HDB block. Residents told Lianhe Zaobao that this issue has persisted for months, adding that the soiled materials are believed to have been thrown from a flat at Block 636 Bedok Reservoir Road. Acting on a tip-off, a Lianhe Zaobao reporter visited the HDB estate on Monday (July 13) evening and found a discarded sanitary napkin in one of the drains, and several used tissues scattered nearby. Litter was also seen on the service ledges of several floors.Resident Chen Xianzhang, 67, said he has repeatedly come across blood-stained sanitary pads and used tissues downstairs in recent months. «If it were a tissue, it could have accidentally been blown away by the wind. But sanitary napkins are personal items, so it's obvious that they were thrown there deliberately,» added Chen. He condemned the behaviour as «disgusting» and said it was damaging the estate's environment. 

Shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho told MPs that operators claimed that on June 23, the grid failed to meet necessary standards as temperatures reached 34C.

Ed Miliband is angry. Reports that the former Labour leader has been ditched as Andy Burnham's chancellor have apparently turned Red Ed a peculiar shade of puce.

[New Times] Cancer cases worldwide could surge to nearly 35 million a year by 2050 unless countries urgently improve access to prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment, the World Health Organization (WHO) says in a new report.

[Unicef] Dakar -- Statement by UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Gilles Fagninou, following visit to Ituri

[allAfrica]

Two masterminds behind a 2020 plot to bring $80 million worth of cocaine into Australia were sentenced in Victoria’s County Court, five years after a failed drug trafficking flight.

[Nyasa Times] More than 100 girls under the age of 18 are believed to be involved in sex work in Rumphi, according to warnings issued by campaigners at a stakeholders' meeting this week.

[HRW] Nairobi -- Targeting Opposition Figures, Journalists; Violating Fundamental Rights

[allAfrica]

A video showing four men using long-handled nets in an attempt to catch wild chickens has sparked debate online.While some residents welcomed the efforts to address what they see as a growing nuisance, others questioned if the attempted capture was carried out humanely.The video, posted in Facebook group Complaint Singapore on Wednesday (July 15), is believed to have been filmed at public housing estate Yishun Boardwalk.Captioned, «I was just on the bus... then I saw the whole neighbourhood chasing a chicken», the short clip shows four men attempting to surround a wild chicken.A man in an orange shirt first approached the bird from one side of a grassy patch, while two men in white shirts swung their nets in its direction. Another man in an orange shirt was also seen running over to assist the others.AsiaOne understands that the wild chickens were eventually caught.Netizens left dividedThe footage has since drawn mixed reactions from netizens.Some questioned whether it was necessary to capture the chicken and whether the methods used were humane. 

A cleaning contractor and a manager responsible for issuing confined space entry permits were on Thursday (July 16) charged over alleged workplace safety offences after two workers died while carrying out tank cleaning works at Choa Chu Kang Waterworks in May 2024.The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a news release on Thursday that cleaning and maintenance contractor, Stargroup, was engaged by the national water agency to carry out tank cleaning operations at the plant.On May 23, 2024, a team of four workers from Stargroup and its subcontractor carried out cleaning works at a water treatment process tank.Three of them later collapsed after entering an enclosed passage beneath the tank to close hand valves that had been opened earlier to drain water from the tank.They were taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital where two workers later died on May 24 and 28, with the third worker discharged after receiving medical treatment.MOM said its investigations revealed that the workers had been exposed to hydrogen sulphide gas, a toxic gas that is typically emitted when sludge is drained from water treatment tanks.

«I am sorry.» That was the message from Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) chairman Chng Kai Fong to all affected staff in the agency's retrenchment exercise. «I am sorry for the disruption to you and your families. Thank you for what you have given GovTech and Singapore,» he said.GovTech announced on Wednesday (July 15) that it will be reducing its headcount by up to nine per cent over the next two years, as it shifts to build and manage its own digital products.In a note to GovTech officers, which was seen by AsiaOne, Chng acknowledged that this was «difficult news» and thanked the affected staff.«The systems you built are running in production today and serving Singaporeans. That contribution endures and it will remain part of GovTech's story,» he said. He also addressed the officers who remain, saying: «To colleagues who are staying: we owe it to those leaving to make this transformation real, not another reorganisation on paper.» A total of 305 staff from GovTech headquarters and in project and vendor management roles are affected by the first of three planned waves of job cuts.

New York, 15 juillet 2026 – Le Gabon a présenté ce mardi son deuxième Rapport d'Examen National Volontaire sur les Objectifs de Développement Durable. La cérémonie s'est tenue au siège des Nations Unies, dans le cadre du Forum politique de haut niveau pour le développement durable. C'est Louise Pierrette Mvono, ministre de la Planification et de la Prospective, qui a porté la voix du Gabon aux Nations Unies. Dans son intervention, elle a estimé que le pays entre dans "une étape décisive (...) - POLITIQUE / SUJET_ECRIT_MAISON