Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson, last Tuesday reinforced a commitment to the Caribbean’s regional defence and security cooperation, as he addressed defence and security professionals from 16 nations at the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington DC.

Western Bureau: A simple act of care, which was sparked by a newborn baby wrapped in a worn towel, has blossomed into a meaningful donation for mothers and babies at the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital in Westmoreland. On Friday morning, the hospital’s maternity department received more than 200 receiving blankets from the United States (US)-based Support Your Girlfriends Foundation, an initiative led locally by returning resident Vanessa Moore. Moore said the effort began after witnessing a close friend struggle during an emergency delivery.

WESTERN BUREAU: Nickeisha Black, the 34-year-old mother of three children who is battling Stage-3 colorectal cancer, says she is placing her fate in the hands of God and the prospective kindness of others, as she continues to seek help amid mounting medical and financial challenges

WESTERN BUREAU: Days after a devastating fire left Hanover mother Natalee Watson homeless and clinging only to her faith, the outpouring of support has begun to transform despair into hope. Watson, whose story of loss and her plea for a Bible, moved readers across the island, is now set to have her modest two-bedroom board house rebuilt through a coordinated effort involving Hanover Charities, her member of parliament, and private-sector support.

Future leaders in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) are being warned to rethink the popular view that “knowledge is power”, as approaching leadership in this way can be dangerous and risk failing those they are meant to serve. Instead, drawing on the wisdom of his father, a former policeman, Professor Densil Williams said knowledge should be seen as freedom.

Household electricity contract renewal prices in Singapore have increased by as much as 11 per cent since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran.CNA reported that on Feb 27, a day before the war began, fixed-price retail plans for residences ranged from 24.88 to 28.67 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh).By Saturday (March 21), prices increased to between 28.80 and 29.18 cents per kWh depending on plan and retailer, according to AsiaOne’s checks on the Open Electricity Market’s price comparison website.The most expensive plan was from Senoko Energy Supply, whose monthly fixed price plan rose from 25.88 cents to 29.18 cents. This is almost a 12 per cent increase.According to CNA, a four-room HDB flat consuming an average of 357 kWh of electricity per month, will pay $10.42 more for a 24-month fixed price plan from Senoko Energy.But the retailers have different promotional gifts and rebates to lower the cost.Senoko Energy offers customers up to $240 in promotional gifts and rebates, compared to the $160 bill rebares previously.

Le ministère de la Santé informe qu'un cas d'infection invasive à méningocoque a été diagnostiqué chez un adulte résidant à Papeete. L'occasion d'appeler à la prévention. En cas de symptômes, il convient de consulter rapidement un médecin.

This week temperatures in this dusty corner of Arizona were 105F (40C) - and turned visiting America's most famous unsolved crime scene into a gruelling endurance sport.

The actor was best known for playing Xander Harris in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer as well as Kevin Lynch in Criminal Minds.

A 56-year-old woman was arrested on Tuesday (March 17) in a raid that was part of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore's (IRAS) crackdown on Goods and Services Tax (GST) refund fraud.The IRAS said in a statement on Thursday that 179 luxury watches worth over $1 million were seized for investigation.The woman allegedly created fictitious purchases, inflated transactions and used false tax invoices to support fraudulent GST refund claims.Accounting records, electronic devices and other evidence linked to the alleged offences were also seized.In all, tax investigators from the IRAS conducted raids at over 20 business and residential premises island-wide on March 17. Another seven people from other cases are assisting with investigations.IRAS said that businesses across various industries, including logistics and wholesale trade, were identified in separate GST refund fraud cases.Some of them allegedly used shell companies to facilitate fraudulent GST refund claims.IRAS added that they conduct regular audits to detect anomalous GST refund claims and ensure claims comply with GST rules.

If you've noticed a burnt smell in the air over the past few evenings and are wondering if it's the haze at work, here's why.The National Environment Agency (NEA) said in a Facebook post on Friday (March 20) evening that hotspots with smoke plumes were observed in Central Sumatra and Johor.Noting the dry and warm conditions over Singapore and the surrounding region from this weekend until the end of next week, along with prevailing winds from the northeast, NEA said that there may be an increase in hotspot activity and a «continued risk of smoke haze».Checks by AsiaOne on the agency's 1-hour PM2.5 reading at 11.30pm indicate that Singapore's air quality remains in the «normal» band.The 24-hour Pollutant Standard Index ranged from 45 to 57, within the «Good» to «Moderate» range, as at 7pm.Warmer conditions expectedDaily maximum temperatures in Singapore may reach a high of 35 to 36 deg C on some days in the coming week, NEA said.

The threat comes as Marines sail toward the region amid widespread speculation that U.S. soldiers could be called on to deploy.

Elanor Beaulieu, 39, was arrested after a seven-hour siege of a $6.3 million oceanfront property in Hermosa Beach, Los Angeles, and charged with murdering a man who was found dead inside.

The two-bedroom, 82 square metre apartment on a main road in Sydney's south-west was listed last month for $690 - up from $480 when the grisly discovery was made in June 2022.

LIVE UPDATES: Follow the Daily Mail's live coverage of the Iran war as Saudi Arabia warns Tehran it could take military action after repeat strikes on Gulf nations since the start of the war.

The General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces says that it «would attack the source of any aggression against the territory and national sovereignty of the Islamic Republic»

Emergency services are working at the site of the crashed debris

The statement was made in response to an option proposed by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent of lifting sanctions on Iranian oil already loaded into tankers

The sale, delivery, and unloading of oil and petroleum products are allowed until midnight on April 19

The attack was aimed at more than 55 targets, according to the report