WESTERN BUREAU: Although the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) reports that leptospirosis cases have begun to decline since mid-November, health minister Dr Christopher Tufton is warning Jamaicans not to become complacent in preventing the spread of the disease following Hurricane Melissa.

WESTERN BUREAU: Tension erupted inside the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation (WMC) yesterday as Councillor Lidden Lewis launched a dramatic but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to oust his People’s National Party colleague, Councillor Devon ‘Don Don’ Thomas, from his post as deputy mayor.

Dozens of puppies are being rushed to the Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (JSPCA), suffering from severe gastroenteritis, bloody diarrhoea, and agonising pain before many ultimately die. Veterinarians say they are locked in a race against time to save the young animals from a surge in canine parvovirus infections – now proving even more deadly than leptospirosis in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

WESTERN BUREAU: The Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC) has estimated more than $800 million in damage to roads and public infrastructure across the parish arising from the passage of Hurricane Melissa over a month ago. During Thursday’s monthly meeting of the HMC, Lucea Mayor Sheridan Samuels reported that the total cost to clear, repair, and reinstate damaged roadways, as well as to fix government buildings and other facilities, stands at $814,844,975.65. The figure was determined based on assessments conducted by the corporation.

[allAfrica]

Mighty Wanderers sent their fans into wild, rain-soaked ecstasy yesterday as they danced, sang, and celebrated in the open stands after watching their team storm to the top of the TNM Super League table. The Nomads didn’t just win — they snatched the summit and shoved arch-rivals FCB Nyasa Big Bullets aside with a commanding […] The post Nomads Surge Three Points Clear — Bullets Left Slipping in the Mud appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

Malawi is in the grip of a terrifying rainy season that has already claimed 14 lives and left more than 8,096 households counting the wreckage of shattered homes and broken futures. What began as routine seasonal rainfall has quickly turned into a national nightmare. Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) Commissioner Wilson Moleni confirmed the rising […] The post Lightning Carnage: 14 Dead, Over 8,000 Homes Damaged as Deadly Rains Pound Malawi appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

Steve Perez, who set up drinks maker Global Brands, said Keir Starmer assured him two days before the general election that he had 'nothing to fear'.

Mark Plimmer spent Christmas Eve in 2023 sinking shots in multiple pubs before driving home that night. On his way home, he crashed into a vehicle and killed a man.

IAN BIRRELL meets the battle-weary and traumatised citizens of Kyiv as they face a fourth Christmas at war.

Armed Forces minister Al Carns said the country was on a 'war footing' and warned that the 'shadow of war was at Europe's door'.

The King, 77, was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of the disease in early 2024 and has been receiving weekly treatment ever since.

Trump says he has pardoned Tina Peters, a major cause for MAGA supporters. She was convicted in state court, and it’s unclear if his act has any impact.

A Ukrainian drone has hit a residential building in western Russia Read Full Article at RT.com

BANGKOK – Singapore sprint queen Shanti Pereira’s bid for a historic double-double at the SEA Games got off to a speedy start on Dec 11, when the 29-year-old retained her women’s 100m gold in Bangkok.Competing at the Suphachalasai National Stadium, she clocked 11.36sec to beat home favourite Khanonta Jirapat (11.54) and Ha Thi Thu (11.58) of Vietnam, who finished second and third, respectively.While Pereira said she did not feel “too good” the day before in practice, her coach Luis Cunha’s advice that “you just need to come in first” worked a treat.She said: “I didn’t think about the time too much. Of course, I wanted to do a good one, but it was really just about showing up and trying to attain my goal of defending the title no matter the timing.“I’m happy to go to coach and give him a great hug and get ready for the 200m.”At the 2023 edition in Cambodia, Pereira made history by becoming the first Singaporean to win the 100m and 200m golds.

Two men, aged 24 and 47, will be charged in court on Friday (Dec 12) for their alleged involvement in a government official impersonation scam (GOIS).In a statement on Dec 11, the police said they received a report involving the impersonation of an officer from the Singapore Police Force.Modus operandi: Your personal information was misusedThe female victim who filed the report was allegedly told over a video call, by a man dressed in police uniform, that she had purchased an insurance policy and that her personal information was misused.The woman was also instructed to surrender her money and valuables for the purpose of investigations. Convinced that she was under investigation, the woman handed over cash amounting to more than $7,000, and subsequently, gold worth over $53,000. The police said that the cash and gold were handed to a different unknown person on each occasion. They established the identities of the two individuals, a 47-year-old Malaysian man and a 24-year-old Singaporean man, through follow-up investigations and ground enquiries.

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis said the government could not indefinitely detain Kilmar Abrego García, a 30-year-old immigrant from El Salvador who is fighting his deportation.

The effort appears to be a new phase in the Trump administration’s push to oust President Nicolás Maduro.

Tashella Sheri Amore Dickerson deposited at least several million dollars into personal accounts instead of the organization’s accounts, authorities said.

But the US’ new strategy raises a deeper question: can a pan-European house ever be rebuilt? Read Full Article at RT.com

“Not much” can stop the Russian advance in the Donetsk People’s Republic after the liberation of Seversk, Thomas Roeper has told RT Read Full Article at RT.com

Russia has reaffirmed its support for Venezuela during the US military buildup in the Caribbean Read Full Article at RT.com

A Ukrainian drone has reportedly hit a residential building in western Russia Read Full Article at RT.com

Prime Minister Modi and President Trump held a productive conversation, reaffirming bilateral cooperation and discussing regional and global issues. The call signals renewed engagement, with progress noted in most areas except trade, where US tariffs remain a point of contention. Both leaders emphasized continued collaboration for global peace and prosperity.

Toronto police say DNA testing has identified Kenneth Smith, who died in Windsor in 2019, as the killer of three women in Toronto between 1982 and 1997.