Washington, DC: The New Jersey-based Help Jamaica Medical Mission is scheduled to visit Jamaica on its annual run from September 4 to 16. During the visit, residents across six parishes will receive free screening for heart disease, cancer,...

“WE RETURNED all the glory to God Almighty for the success. On behalf of the executive and the planning committee of the AYJ (Alliance of Yorubas in Jamaica) Cultural Exposition 2024, we sincerely appreciate you all for your contributions, support...

The 2023 annual report of the Integrity Commission (IC) is expected to be tabled today following a one-week delay, owing to the passage of Hurricane Beryl. Speaker of the House of Representatives Juliet Holness indicated that the IC annual report...

The St Catherine community of Hill Run, with just under 2,000 residents, narrowly escaped the ferocious winds of Hurricane Beryl but was not spared its aftermath. Heavy rains from Saturday into Sunday morning severely disrupted their lives....

WESTERN BUREAU: Former House Speaker Violet Neilson was eulogised as a woman whose dedication knew no bounds, one who had an unwavering insistence on discipline and education, during her thanksgiving service on Monday. Neilson, Jamaica’s first...

The Harry Potter actress, 34, was recently enjoyed a romantic date with the hunk at a pastry shop close to the University, days after they were seemingly spotted kissing.

We told our daughter that she would have to spend her own money for her prom but we'd be happy to cover the cost of the dress and the prom ticket. However, she's failed to do that.

UEFA have made a final decision on the referee for England's Euro 2024 semi-final showdown with the Netherlands after originally assigning the game to a convicted match-fixer.

Hargeisa (HOL) — Sir Mo Farah, the celebrated 4x Olympic gold medallist, expressed profound sorrow over the devastating effects of climate change on child malnutrition in Somaliland, his birthplace. As a Save the Children ambassador, Farah visited Gabiley, where he witnessed firsthand the struggles of families impacted by severe droughts and floods.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia is facing a worsening hunger crisis driven by conflict, climate change, and economic instability, according to Action Against Hunger's 2023 Global Impact Report. The report reveals significant increases in emergency interventions and highlights Somalia as one of the hardest-hit nations in the Horn of Africa region.

CAIRO (Xinhua) -- The Suez Canal transit receipts decreased by 57.2 percent to register 959.3 million U.S. dollars in the first quarter of 2024, according to a statement released on Monday by the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE).

A Russian playwright and a theater director were sentenced to 6 years in prison for “justifying terrorism” Read Full Article at RT.com

Russia is Modi’s first state visit abroad after being reelected for a third term Read Full Article at RT.com

Bernadin Renaud and Elvis Julie were sworn in as the chairman of the Seychelles Human Rights Commission (SHRC) and a member of the Electoral Commission, respectively, at State House on Monday. Seychelles' President Wavel Ramkalawan congratulated the two appointees, saying he has «no doubt that you will do a great job. I believe the two appointments today go well together keeping in mind the work that both Commissions do.» The first to take the judicial oath of allegiance was Renaud, who was the Commissioner of SHRC until 2019, and was first appointed chairman of the institution the same year when he retired as justice of the Court of Appeal. The Seychelles Human Rights Commission is a self-governing, neutral, and independent body that is not subject to the direction or control of any person or authority. Its role is to investigate alleged violations of human rights and to assist victims of such violations to seek redress. The institution was set up to carry out its mandate under the Seychelles Human Rights Commission Act 2018. Renaud said that during his first mandate, SHRC has mainly worked to establish the entity. However, he told the press that «the strategy now is more to strengthen our structure and focus more on media and education. We believe that once people understand - not only those on the streets - but the institution of government ministries, departments and agencies, people will understand the aspects of human rights as set out in Chapter Three of the Constitution.» He said, «We have to live and give life to what is written in Chapter Three of the Constitution.» Renaud became the country's first Ombudsman in November 1993. Among his other positions, he was also the Chairman of the Constitutional Commission that drafted the Constitution - which remains the country's Supreme Law to date, in 1992 and 1993. In his address, Ramkalawan said that institutions had to work with Renaud to ensure that the experience and knowledge he has, are kept and shared with others.   Julie is the 5th member of the Electoral Commission. (State House) Photo License: CC-BY Elvis Julie also sworn in the fifth member to the Electoral Commission of Seychelles, the body that organises, oversees and regulates political elections in the island nation. The Commission, which is in charge of registering political parties in Seychelles, comprises a chairperson and six other members appointed for a seven-year term as per Article 115 of the Constitution. Julie replaces Veronique Bonnelame-Alcindor, who had been in the position until the end of her mandate. With over 15 years of working experience with the Electoral Commission, Julie told reporters that with this new appointment, his role is different as he is now part of the decision-making team. He said this appointment is complementary to his current role as the chief executive of the SHRC. «When you have someone who understands human rights and is also working in the Electoral Commission, it makes me more sensitive when making decisions, and I can also contribute where individual rights are concerned,» said Julie. Julie held several positions with the Electoral Commission, including an assistant electoral officer, a deputy and the electoral officer for the St Louis district in the last presidential elections held in 2020. He revealed that the EC is already working on the 2025 elections and holding a series of consultations in different regions of the country until July 15. «My work is to go out there and sensitise people about the amendments the Electoral Commission wants to bring forward and ensure that the laws are passed in time for the coming elections in September 2025,» he added. 

Two rifles and a quantity of ammunition were seized by the police today during an intelligence-led operation in Kings Valley district, Grange Hill in Westmoreland. According to police reports, about 3:30 p.m., a team involved in a coordinated...

Some visitors to the Yishun Dam were greeted by the sight of a crocodile leisurely gilding through the waters on Sunday (July 7) morning. Taking to Facebook page Singapore Wildlife Sightings on early Monday morning, user Toh Wilson posted an over one-minute-long clip showing the reptile swimming some distance away from the shoreline. The Straits of Johor can be seen in the background. A man can heard saying in the video that he often visits the dam, but «seldom sees» crocodiles. The clip has since gone viral, amassing over 180,000 views at the time of writing. Netizens were amazed by the video, with several commenting that the reptile is «big» in size. Some also poked fun at the location of the spot, with one user commenting: «Yishun, so happening even buaya (crocodile in Malay) also go there.» A few netizens voiced concern about the potential danger that visitors might be in, and cautioned the public to be careful. «This is so unsafe. Authorities need to put a signage around this place to warn the public,» said a Facebook user.

«UAV operators discovered an area of concentration of personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian armed forces at a stronghold camouflaged in a wooded area,» the Russian Defense Ministry reported

The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that as a result of an investigation a «citizen Ardenis Garcia Alvarez, the main perpetrator of these actions brewing in the United States», was detained

The mission noted that the main blow fell on the Donetsk direction (7 shellings), as well as the Gorlovka direction (18 shellings)

Alexey Smirnov reminded residents that they should not approach or touch the rocket debris

According to Vyacheslav Gladkov, about 160 apartments, 60 private houses, and about 140 cars were damaged in the region

Des policiers sont intervenus sur les hauteurs de la Mission dimanche 7 juillet, dans le cadre de violences intrafamiliales. Tout le quartier a été secoué.

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s consulate in Houston has urged Saudis to follow all instructions issued by local authorities regarding Storm Beryl, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday. The consulate asked Saudis to exercise caution and use its emergency contact number if required. Beryl hit Texas on Monday, killing several people and zapping power to nearly 3 million homes and businesses as it headed east.

A Russian playwright and a theater director were sentenced to 6 years in prison for “justifying terrorism” Read Full Article at RT.com

A widow and a widower, both from Singapore, chose to get married in Batam, Indonesia, to save their respective HDB flats. The marriage, considered a secret as the couple did not register their marriage in Singapore, took all of 15 minutes to be solemnised. Married couples in Singapore are not allowed to own more than one HDB flat between them. «I had been single for more than 10 years and my wife-to-be had inherited her flat after the death of her husband,» the man told Berita Harian. «We are both almost 60 years old and have our own children and grandchildren who live in our flats.» In order to have their union «accepted by the religion» and retain ownership of their respective flats at the same time, the couple opted to get married in Batam in early-2023.  Their solemnisation was witnessed by their family members. The man has five children and three grandchildren while his wife has four children and four grandchildren. «The solemnisation in Sekupang, Batam, was done and dusted within 15 minutes,» said the man.

A fire broke out in a ward at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) on Monday (June 8) evening, causing patients to evacuate. In a Facebook post made later that day, SGH said that a cleaning robot had been charging in Ward 76, the hospital's orthopaedic ward, at around 7pm when it caught on fire. This caused the sprinkler and SGH's response team to be activated. However, by the time the hospital's fire warden arrived at the scene, the fire had already been extinguished. As a precaution, patients in the affected ward were moved to other ward areas in view of the smoke. They returned to the ward at 9pm, when the situation was confirmed to be under control, said SGH.

He was hoping to make a quick buck and the advertisement had promised «fast cash».  All Reign Lee Jing Yu had to do was give up his Singpass account details for them to be used in opening bank accounts and he would be paid $8,000. Not only did he not receive the money, his account was used by scammers to launder $220,000, CNA reported in October 2023.  The 21-year-old was dealt with under the Computer Misuse Act for disclosing his Singpass password for wrongful gain. The case was cited as an example of how cybercriminals use stolen identities for illegal activities in an article posted by California-based cybersecurity company Resecurity on their website on June 26 this year.  A large number of underground sellers, the article revealed, have gotten their hands on identity data of Singaporeans and are offering them on the Dark Web for prices as low as $8. By the end of the second quarter of this year, the number of such sellers have jumped by 230 per cent compared to the same period in 2023.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was set to hold talks with President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, a day after the Indian leader arrived in Moscow amid global outcry over Russian strikes in Ukraine. Modi, visiting Moscow for the first time since Russia launched its campaign in Ukraine in February 2022, will seek to nurture New Delhi's long-standing relationship with Moscow. At the same time, he is courting closer Western security ties after being returned to power last month as leader of the world's most populous country. «There are no surprises in preparation. The main thing is to create an atmosphere for meaningful interaction,» Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state TV when asked about the talks. Modi landed in Moscow hours after Russia launched a massive barrage targeting cities across Ukraine Monday that killed more than three dozen people and heavily damaged a children's hospital in Kyiv, sparking condemnation from governments in Europe and North America. Russia is a vital supplier of cut-price oil and weapons to India, but Moscow's isolation from the West and growing ties with Beijing have impacted its partnership with New Delhi. Western powers have in recent years also cultivated stronger relations with India as a hedge against China and its growing influence across the Asia-Pacific, while pressuring New Delhi to distance itself from Russia. The United States on Monday urged Modi to make clear in his talks with Putin that «any resolution to the conflict in Ukraine must... be one that respects the UN Charter with respect to Ukraine's territorial integrity». Modi last visited Russia in 2019 and hosted Putin in the Indian capital two years later, weeks before Russia began its offensive against Ukraine. India has largely shied away from explicit condemnation of Russia ever since and abstained on United Nations resolutions targeting the Kremlin. - Arms, oil and China - But Russia's fight with Ukraine has also had a human cost for India. New Delhi said in February it was pushing Moscow to return several of its citizens who had signed up for «support jobs» with the Russian military, following reports some had been killed after being forced to fight in Ukraine. Moscow's relationship with China has also been a cause for concern. Washington and the EU accuse China of selling components and equipment that have strengthened Russia's military industry -- allegations Beijing denies. China and India remain intense rivals competing for strategic influence across South Asia. India is also part of the Quad grouping with the US, Japan and Australia that positions itself against China's growing boldness in Asia. New Delhi and Russia have maintained close links since the Cold War, which saw the Kremlin become a key arms provider to the country. But Ukraine has stretched Russia's weapons supplies thin, pushing India to look for other sources for arms -- including growing its own defence industry. Russia's share of Indian imports of arms has shrunk considerably in recent years, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. At the same time, India has become a major purchaser of Russian crude, providing a much-needed export market for Russia after it was dropped by traditional buyers in Europe. That has dramatically reconfigured their economic ties, with India saving itself billions of dollars while bolstering Moscow's war coffers. India's month-on-month imports of Russian crude «increased by eight percent in May, to the highest levels since July 2023», according to commodity tracking data compiled by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. But this has also resulted in India's trade deficit with Russia rising to a little over $57 billion in the past financial year. From Russia, Modi will travel to Vienna for the first visit to the Austrian capital by an Indian leader since Indira Gandhi in 1983. © Agence France-Presse

Last month was the hottest June on record across the globe, the EU's climate monitor said Monday, capping half a year of wild and destructive weather from floods to heatwaves. Every month since June 2023 has eclipsed its own temperature record in a 13-month streak of unprecedented global heat, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said. «This is more than a statistical oddity and it highlights a large and continuing shift in our climate,» said the service director, Carlo Buontempo. «Even if this specific streak of extremes ends at some point, we are bound to see new records being broken as the climate continues to warm.» This was «inevitable» as long as humanity kept adding heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere, he said. The global average temperature notched last month broke the previous June record set in 2023. The fresh high came at the midway point of a year marked by climate extremes. Scorching heat has blanketed swathes of the world from India to Saudi Arabia, the United States and Mexico in the first half of this year. Relentless rain, a phenomena scientists have also linked to a warmer planet, caused extensive flooding in Kenya, China, Brazil, Afghanistan, Russia and France. Wildfires have torched land in Greece and Canada and last week, Hurricane Beryl became the earliest category five Atlantic hurricane on record as it barrelled across several Caribbean islands. - Warmer oceans - The streak of record-breaking temperatures coincided with El Nino, a natural phenomenon that contributes to hotter weather globally, said Julien Nicolas, a senior scientist at C3S. «That was part of the factors behind the temperature records, but it was not the only one,» he told AFP. Ocean temperatures have also been hitting new highs. Record sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic, the Northern Pacific and Indian Ocean also contributed to the soaring heat across the globe. Sea surface temperatures hit a separate milestone in June -- 15 straight months of new highs, an occurrence Nicolas described as «striking». The oceans cover 70 percent of the Earth's surface and absorb 90 percent of the extra heat associated with rising climate-warming emissions. «What happens to the ocean surface has an important impact on the air temperature above the surface and global average temperature as well,» he said. However, the world is about to transition into a La Nina phase, which has a cooling effect. «We can expect the global (air) temperature to taper down in the next few months,» said Nicolas. «If these record (sea surface) temperatures persist, even as La Nina conditions develop that might lead to 2024 being warmer than 2023. But it's too early to tell,» he added. Global air temperatures in the 12 months to June 2024 were the highest in the data record -- on average 1.64C above pre-industrial levels, Copernicus said. This doesn't mean the 1.5C warming limit agreed by 196 countries in Paris in 2015 has been breached, because that goal is measured in decades, not individual years. But last month, Copernicus said there was an 80 percent chance that Earth's annual average temperatures would at least temporarily exceed the 1.5C mark during the next five years. © Agence France-Presse

The National Water Commission (NWC) is advising that area-wide power outages have disrupted operations at the Bybrook numbers 1, 2 and 4 facilities. As a result, some communities in St Catherine and Kingston will experience...

In his new self-published book, Johnny Depp's Accidental Fixer, Paul Barresi, 74, recalls interviewing 100 people only to find that the majority were still supporting the actor.

MATTHEW LAMBERT ON CENTRE COURT: The 37-year-old seemed to believe some in the crowd were masking boos in the pretence of supporting Rune.

Pictures showed groups of people wearing life jackets, and some wrapped in blankets, being escorted off a Border Force boat in Dover, Kent, with children among those seen being carried ashore.

Josh McKay, 33, from Waltham Forest, was stabbed in the neck on Lea Bridge Road on Saturday.