The Senate on Friday passed the Casino Gaming (General) Regulations, 2025, but not before Opposition lawmaker Allan Bernard cautioned against the pitfalls of the integrated resorts development (IRD) model, which has been espoused by the Government as the approach to strengthening Jamaica’s tourism competitiveness. The IRD model, among other things, includes luxury hotel rooms, luxury shopping, entertainment facilities and casinos in particular.

When the world ground almost to a halt at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, millions were forced to reimagine their futures overnight. For Sashae Shaw, a young woman from Portland pursuing an associate degree in psychology at Excelsior Community College (ECC), the disruption was more than an inconvenience – it was a turning point that reshaped her life’s trajectory. Today, at 30, Shaw stands not only as a fisherwoman, but as a symbol of resilience, adaptability, and the growing role of women in Jamaica’s fisheries sector.

What began as a life-altering medical emergency nearly a decade ago has since blossomed into a beacon of hope for vulnerable students across Jamaica. For entrepreneur and philanthropist Shadeka McIntosh, May 12, 2016, remains etched in memory as the day she was granted what she describes as a “second chance”. That defining moment, born out of a frightening health emergency during her final year at university, has now inspired the launch of the Shadeka McIntosh Second Chance Scholarship, an initiative through which 10 students are set to benefit annually.

The Young Entrepreneurs Association of Jamaica (YEA) is calling for urgent, targeted support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) following the sharp rise in global oil prices to nearly US$100 per barrel, a development that now confirms risks previously highlighted ahead of the national budget discussions.

Defence attorney Isat Buchanan has raised concerns about what he describes as a troubling signal being sent by law enforcement following charges laid against popular podcaster Jhaedee Richards, more popularly known as Jaii Frais, in connection with Sunday’s shooting incident at a carnival afterparty in St Andrew. Buchanan said the decision to charge his client risks discouraging Jamaicans from defending themselves in life-threatening situations.

Bob Mpinganjira, head coach of Mighty Wanderers Football Club, spent the morning and afternoon of his first day at Queens Park Rangers immersed in every layer of the club’s professional operation, from the training pitch to the conditioning and nutrition departments as his ten-day attachment at the West London club got fully underway. Mpinganjira observed […] The post Malawi’s Mighty Wanderers head coach completes first day at Queens Park Rangers appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

Tehran put limits on the Strait of Hormuz’s opening, as the United States issued a new sanctions exemption on the sale of Russian oil.

Starbucks Singapore will be removing straws from their condiment bars, and customers are not happy about it. The coffee chain announced the news on their social media platforms on April 17. «Starting April 22, we'll be omitting straws from our condiment bar — a small change that goes a long way. Enjoy your iced beverages in-store with for-here cups or sip through our sippy lids instead,» they wrote.Those who still need a straw can request for a 100 per cent biodegradable, compostable straw.[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/DXNxCcLiRC1/[/embed]Customers who order a Frappuccino or frozen drink can request a straw too. There is also the option to bring your own tumbler, and those who do so can enjoy $0.50 off their drink. «Let's make a positive impact together with every sip!» said Starbucks Singapore. But the environmental move hasn't been well received by the public. In the comments section, many netizens expressed dissatisfaction with the change.

«Would you have tried it?»That is the question one woman had for her followers on Instagram after finding a curious dish at a buffet at a Marina Bay Sands restaurant: Crocodile feet.A Reel posted by user MsNikkolette on April 12 showed the dish to be a «crocodile toast» with Vietnamese «nuoc cham sauce».«I am adventurous with food, but this was pushing the limits,» she wrote in the caption. «Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to see crocodile feet served this way, at an Australia Day buffet, at Rise Marina Bay Sands.»Though Nikkolette did not share how she came across the dish in the video, many were curious to know her verdict.She responded to one of the comments: «I did have a small bite, it's way too fishy because of how it was prepped.»However, others were more horrified than intrigued.«Tell me it's AI,» a comment read.Another read: «I see the nails and I cannot.»One netizen suggested: «There is a plate on the right [with] just the sliced meat portion without the feet? Maybe just try that section, okay?»[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/DXCI7bEzWxf/[/embed]

Kim Lim's grandmother has died at the age of 107. The local socialite and billionaire heiress took to Instagram on Thursday (April 16) to share the news, posting several photos of herself and her brother, Kiat Lim, grieving by their grandmother's casket. «Last post in memory of Ah Ma. I don't usually post sad things, but my grandma meant too much to us,» Kim wrote. The elderly woman died on April 12. [embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/DXK6ih3kvPR/?img_index=1[/embed]Kim, 34, shared that her grandmother had cared for her and Kiat since they were young, and when she had her son Kyden, the elderly woman took him under her wing as well. «She was just with us every time, waiting for us to come home and eat. »She was always just there for us. We are sad but time will heal,« she wrote. Despite her grief, Kim pointed out that her grandmother had lived to the ripe old age of 107, so her life should be celebrated. She also thanked those who sent their condolences. »We read and acknowledge and know who you are. Thank you," wrote Kim. [[nid:733742]]

Oleg Gaidukevich says there is interest in dialogue with Belarus from all sides, including the US

The official added that «more and more countries,» including the US, are recognizing the systemic importance of Russian oil and gas for the global economy

Executive director of the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CAPRI) Dr Damien King hopes Jamaica never strikes commercially viable oil – and he means it. King, a former lecturer in economics at the University of the West Indies, fears what development economists call the ‘resource curse’ – a pattern in which the discovery of natural resources weakens, rather than strengthens, a country’s institutions and governance.

Pune airport operations have resumed after an Indian Air Force Sukhoi 30 MKI aircraft experienced an undercarriage failure during a hard landing, blocking the runway. Repair work was completed on a war footing, with departure operations starting at 7:30 AM and arrivals at 8:00 AM. Several flights were cancelled due to the incident.

The US president added that the «blockade is going to remain,» commenting on the possibility of extending the ceasefire if no deal is reached

Kirill Dmitriev also said that Russia maintained contacts with the US on economic and energy issues

Sept nouvelles personnes positives au VIH (virus de l'immunodéficience humaine) ont été recensées depuis le début de cette année. Pour faire face, le Pays lance une campagne de prévention. Les autorités sanitaires notent une « multiplication des rencontres anonymisées via les réseaux sociaux ou les sites de rencontre ». Des traitement existent, mais il n'est toujours pas possible de guérir du VIH.

Ce vendredi 17 avril, la cour d’assises de Papeete ouvre un nouveau procès. Un dossier lourd, intime, et tragique. Pendant deux jours, les jurés vont se pencher sur la mort d’une femme de 51 ans, poignardée par son conjoint à Bora Bora, en août 2022. Il encourt la réclusion criminelle à perpétuité.

The US president said he hoped much to be accomplished during the meeting

A migrant worker who wanted a portrait of Lee Kuan Yew tattooed on his neck was initially turned away by a tattoo artist — who asked him to return the next day “to see if he was serious”.He did.On April 12, 38-year-old air-conditioning technician Sugumar Surendran visited a tattoo studio along North Bridge Road with a bold request: to ink Singapore's founding father's image on his neck.Speaking to Stomp, Surendran, who arrived from Tamil Nadu, India at 18 and has since worked across various companies as an air-conditioning technician, said he admires Lee for building Singapore into what he calls a «golden country», where laws ensure fairness and equality.Widely regarded as the architect of modern Singapore, Lee led the nation through its uncertain early years after independence in 1965 — a period he later described as his greatest political setback.Yet it also steeled his resolve. In the weeks after separation, he urged Singaporeans to press on: «This is not a country that belongs to any single community… Ten years from now, this will be a metropolis. Never fear!»It is this sense of determination that resonates with Surendran.

Since the outbreak of the Iran war, Vignesh Kumaravel's quantitative trading models have struggled to perform due to «extreme volatility» in global stock markets.The quant finance professional, whose job involves coding systems to turn market signals into profits, said that higher prices have also hit him personally. He and some Vietnamese friends cancelled a trip to Kuala Lumpur after short-haul airfares doubled.«For now, I haven't changed my daily habits or food choices, but I am definitely being more careful with extra spending,» said the 26-year-old.Just as Vignesh fine-tunes his trading algorithms, Singaporeans are adapting their daily routines to cope with the higher prices unleashed by fighting in the Middle East.The Feb 28 air strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel triggered a series of retaliatory responses that have damaged oil and gas infrastructure in the Gulf, as well as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

A vape user tried to enter a wrong flat in Sengkang and was caught on camera stumbling about outside for nearly half an hour.Stomp contributor Cheng shared a 28-minute CCTV video of the incident that took place at Block 452A Sengkang West Way on April 2 at 1.25am.He told Stomp he kept hearing someone outside trying to open his gate in the middle of the night and saw through the peephole a stranger wandering drunkenly along the common corridor.Cheng said: «I think he took Kpods until blur and thought this was his flat.»The bespectacled youth can be seen vaping in the video. At one point, he loses his balance and falls onto the floor, losing one of his slippers. He gets up and tries to wear his slipper, but soon gives up.The youth attempts and fails to unlock the Stomp contributor's gate, then staggers away and returns to try again repeatedly. He also appears to vomit several times, but it's unclear if he did. Eventually, he puts his slipper back on.Cheng said: «My wife didn't dare open the door. We called the police.»

Sergey Lavrov is scheduled to address a special session of the forum and hold bilateral meetings with his foreign counterparts, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says

Sergey Nechayev added: «We are fully ready for dialogue, but we will not impose ourselves»

An elite Russian drone unit has released footage showing the interception of Ukrainian kamikaze UAVs Read Full Article at RT.com