Rising oil prices are taking a toll on Jamaican fishermen, forcing many to make shorter trips out to sea and to increase the price of their catch to cope with the escalating fuel expenses. “It rough man. It rough pon fisherman,” 56-year-old Alton Foster told The Gleaner. “Sometime mi deh ya and mi haffi a think bad bad right ya now ‘cause mi cya manage di price a gas.”

Executive Director of the Insurance Association of Jamaica (IAJ) Everton McFarlane says players in the insurance industry are concerned about the magnitude of increase in insurance fees, in some instances as high as 100 per cent, which was approved on Thursday by the Regulations Committee of Parliament. Asked whether insurance companies are likely to pass on the increase to consumers, McFarlane told The Gleaner that it would be left up to individual entities to make that decision.

A 29th birthday celebration in Trench Town turned into a night of fear and trauma on Wednesday after police officers descended on a family gathering, detained the celebrant, and allegedly discharged high-powered weapons. Residents were left angered, shaken, and demanding answers. The incident unfolded along West Road in Federal Gardens, where relatives and friends had gathered in a yard to mark what should have been a joyful milestone. Instead, the night ended in chaos.

The music fraternity is mourning the passing of legendary singer Ernie Smith, who died on Thursday evening at a hospital in Florida. “He’s gone. He’s no longer with us,” his wife, Claudette Bailey-Smith, told The Gleaner. Earlier on Thursday, Bailey-Smith had shared that the beloved reggae and folk singer, who underwent surgery on Sunday, had been experiencing health challenges since June last year.

Shockwaves rippled through the global track and field community – particularly in Jamaica – after World Athletics (WA) on Thursday blocked the transfer of allegiance to Türkiye for 11 professional athletes in an unprecedented ruling. WA said the move, first revealed in June 2024, amounted to a coordinated state recruitment effort driven by financial inducements, with athletes lacking any genuine connection to Türkiye. The governing body argued that such arrangements undermine eligibility rules and threaten the integrity of international competition.

[UN News] From election support in the Central African Republic to patrols in the disputed Abyei region, UN peacekeepers are operating in increasingly volatile environments - but shrinking resources and new threats, including drone warfare, are testing their ability to keep communities safe.

[DW] Pope Leo XIV has admonished those waging war in the name of god and slammed «tyrants» destroying the world and its resources. The pontiff has stepped up his criticism of senseless violence, angering US President Trump.

Previous reports said seven drones were downed in the area overnight

The Russian delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov

«Unable to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, the authorities in Kiev and the Eurocrats are resorting to terrorist attacks,» Joao Pitillo said

The rotation of IAEA experts took place normally

As of 7:10 a.m. Moscow time the MOEX Index was up by 0.13% at 2,744.65 points

[allAfrica]

A primary school teacher who was battling cancer died on Monday (April 13), reportedly after developing an infection from a cut she sustained when trimming her nails.White Sands Primary School said on social media on Wednesday that Jacqueline Bay was a «cherished member of our school family» and will be deeply missed by the community.The educator, aged 50, taught English and Mathematics at the school, according to Shin Min Daily News.Her mother told the Chinese paper that Bay was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in October 2025, and the cancer cells had spread to her spinal cord.Due to a low platelet count, she was hospitalised for over two months. At her worst, she reportedly had to be fed, and she lost strength in her legs.Gradually, Bay's condition improved, and she was able to walk again with some assistance, her husband said.However, Bay recently sustained a cut when clipping her nails and subsequently developed a bacterial infection.Her husband told Shin Min that she was admitted to hospital after developing a fever and given antibiotics, but her condition was unstable.

Singapore has to take a selective strategy towards expanding its capacity for data centres due to geographical and energy constraints, said Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.Speaking during a fireside chat at the Semafor World Economy conference in Washington DC on Thursday (Apr 16), DPM Gan said that Singapore is gradually allowing for more data centres to be set up, but that they need to be used for «very critical operation and functions».«We don't really want (the data centres) to store all your birthday photos, and so I think that you can store somewhere else that's not so critical,» he said.Instead, the data centres should be used for banking data, transaction data, and business data, which are «very critical» for Singapore. DPM Gan said: «If you need to develop AI systems, you need to have access to the data centre capacity, and that's what we are focusing on.»He explained that Singapore has strict regulations on data centre development due to the limited alternative energy sources available.

US Senator Lindsey Graham has argued that the truce in Lebanon could limit Israel’s ability to fight Hezbollah Read Full Article at RT.com

India has voiced strong concerns at the United Nations regarding threats to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Ambassador Harish P emphasized the vital importance of maritime security for India's energy and economic interests. He condemned attacks on civilian maritime activity and called for the immediate restoration of safe navigation.

Women's reservation in elections will now be implemented from April 16, 2026, following a notification by the law ministry. This move aims to expedite women's participation in politics. The government is pushing for amendments to the Constitution to allow delimitation based on the 2011 census, potentially enabling women's reservation in the 2029 general election.

Trump touts “no tax on tips” in Las Vegas as voters grapple with high prices and economic unease.

Cameron Hamilton had publicly disagreed with previous efforts to dismantle FEMA. While those plans have shifted, the agency’s future is still unclear.

A US-mediated 10-day Israel-Lebanon ceasefire entered into force on Friday Read Full Article at RT.com

US President Donald Trump’s real religion is “Israelism,” journalist Tucker Carlson has said Read Full Article at RT.com

A Singaporean man was arrested after attempting to smuggle duty-unpaid cigarettes into the country at Woodlands Checkpoint on April 2. The 40-year-old man had attempted to smuggle the cigarettes in a Singapore-registered rental car, according to a Facebook post by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Friday (April 17).ICA officers directed the vehicle for enhanced checks based on information received from ICA's Integrated Targeting Centre (ITC).The ITC operates 24/7 and leverages data analytics to conduct pre-arrival risk assessment of travellers, conveyances and cargo.Officers subsequently found more than 1,300 packets and 217 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes concealed within the door panels and the boot of the vehicle.The 40-year-old male driver was arrested in connection with the case and, along with the exhibits, referred to Singapore Customs for further investigations.[[nid:733718]]esther.lam@asiaone.com 

A fire broke out in the engine compartment of a saloon car at Hong Lim Complex's carpark on Thursday morning (April 16).A video of the incident posted on social media shows flames engulfing the front part of the vehicle sending thick smoke into the air.Meanwhile, a man wearing a blue shirt stood a short distance away with a fire extinguisher by him as a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) fire biker readied himself.Other SCDF firefighters arrive later to tackle the blaze. They were seen holding up the vehicle's bonnet and directing a water jet at the engine compartment.

Troisième et dernier jour du procès du second meurtrier présumé de Manoa, devant la cour d’assises des mineurs. Manoa avait été tué à coups de marteau par deux frères mineurs au moment des faits, en septembre 2024. Après la condamnation du cadet début mars, c’est au tour de l’ainé d’être jugé. Le fait qu’il ait changé de version en se défaussant sur son petit frère, pourrait alourdir sa peine.

The official commended the role of the United States in facilitating the ceasefire

The launch proceeded normally

Mighty Wanderers Football Club has confirmed that Head Coach Gerald Bob Mpinganjira will begin a ten-day professional coaching placement at Queens Park Rangers Football Club in London tomorrow, Friday 17th April 2026. Mpinganjira will be based at QPR’s TSG Elite Training Centre in Cranford, West London, working alongside the club’s professional coaching staff across their […] The post Malawi’s Mighty Wanderers Head Coach To Begin Professional Development Placement At Queens Park Rangers appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

Two Malaysians, aged 35 and 39, will be charged in court on Friday (April 17) for their alleged involvement in two separate cases of government official impersonation scam.Following their arrests, the number of Malaysians arrested in Singapore for facilitating scam syndicates to collect cash and valuables obtained from scams now stands at 15.In a news release on Thursday night, the police said the duo were arrested when they separately attempted to leave Singapore on Wednesday.Hand over money, valuables for investigationsIn both cases, the victims were told they were implicated or being investigated for money-laundering offences after they denied having applied for a product or service.They were then told to make purchases for gold or to hand over valuables such as silver bars to facilitate investigations The two victims only realised they were scammed after failing to receive any acknowledgement, or when told to take their time to travel to another location.Police said their officers from the Anti-Scam Command established the duo's identities through extensive ground enquiries and follow-up investigations.

Iran has not confirmed Trump’s claim. Giving up its highly enriched uranium would be a major step toward an agreement.

President Donald Trump announced the agreement, which went into force Thursday evening, as Pakistani mediators worked to extend a U.S.-Iran ceasefire and arrange new talks.

Trump is poised to highlight the tax policy in Las Vegas as a bright spot in an economy many voters say still feels expensive and unsettled.