PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – A new study has found that there is a notable increase in seizures of firearms shipments to both the Caribbean and Latin America from 2016 to 2023. The study, titled 'Trends in Trafficking: Comparing US-...

The Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) has earmarked $420 million as consultancy fees to design its planned twin-tower office complex at Nethersole Place, downtown Kingston.  It's the latest development in the expansion of the Central Bank. ...

The St Andrew South police seized another rifle from a house on Glen Road in Kingston today, bringing to three the number of high powered illegal guns recovered from the space in under 10 days. Over that period, the police also seized a Glock...

The Supreme Court overturned land allotments in Hyderabad to influential groups, including judges, officials, and journalists, deeming them arbitrary and discriminatory. The court criticized the policy for favoring the privileged and depriving the marginalized, ordering refunds to allottees.

The Supreme Court formed a three-member SIT to investigate allegations of custodial torture of two women arrested for protesting against the R G Kar hospital rape-murder and allegedly threatening an MP's daughter. This modifies the Calcutta High Court's order for a CBI probe, aiming to reduce the burden on the CBI and boost the morale of state police.

Andrea Arnold is used to having to slow down to let deer cross the road in her Northern B.C. community. But this weekend she saw something that made her pull over and snap a photo.

A senior UN official on Monday called on all parties involved in the conflict in Lebanon to «accept a ceasefire,» as new Israeli strikes targeted Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold. The violence follows top European Union diplomat Josep Borrell calling for an immediate ceasefire on Sunday and after a US envoy said last week that a deal was within grasp. «The situation remains grave across the region,» senior envoy Muhannad Hadi told the Security Council on behalf of UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland. «Israeli military operations continued across the Blue Line with Lebanon, as did the firing of rockets by Hezbollah toward Israel, including a barrage this weekend,» he said. «I welcome the ongoing diplomatic efforts to reach a cessation of hostilities and urge the parties to accept a ceasefire anchored in the full implementation of UNSCR 1701,» Hadi said in the remarks. UN Security Council Resolution 1701 ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah and stipulates that only UN peacekeeping forces and the Lebanese army can be deployed in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has maintained a presence in the region, however, and Israel has been conducting ground operations against the Iran-backed militant and political group since September 30. © Agence France-Presse

A final round of talks on a treaty to curb plastic pollution opened on Monday, with deep differences between nations emerging almost immediately. The meeting started just hours after a chaotic end to the COP29 climate talks in Baku, where delegates agreed to a boost in climate funding that developing countries slammed as insufficient. Opening the plastics meeting, the Ecuadorian diplomat chairing the talks warned nations that the conference was about «far more than drafting an international treaty». «It is about humanity rising to meet an existential challenge,» Luis Vayas Valdivieso told a plenary in South Korea's Busan. Plastic pollution is so ubiquitous that it has been found in clouds, the deepest ocean trenches and even human breastmilk. And while almost everyone agrees it is a problem, there is less consensus on how to solve it. Among the most contentious issues are whether the treaty should cap plastic production, a possible ban on chemicals feared toxic to human health and how to pay for implementation. The deep differences have dogged four previous rounds of talks over the last two years, resulting in a lengthy and contradictory draft treaty running over 70 pages. Valdivieso has produced an alternative document intended to synthesise the views of delegations and move negotiations forward. But several countries, including Russia and India, immediately objected to it. «The reality is that many countries do not see themselves represented in this paper,» warned Saudi Arabia's delegation head Eyad Aljubran, speaking on behalf of the Arab group. In 2019, the world produced around 460 million tonnes of plastic, a figure that has doubled since 2000, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Plastic production is expected to triple by 2060. - 'Not going to wait' - Some countries, including the so-called High Ambition Coalition (HAC), which groups many African, Asian and European nations, want the treaty to address the entire «lifecycle» of plastics. That means limiting production, redesigning products for reuse and recycling, and addressing waste. More than 90 percent of plastic is not recycled, with over 20 million tonnes leaking into the environment, often after just a few minutes of use. On the other side are countries, largely oil producers like Saudi Arabia and Russia, who want a downstream focus on waste alone. Plastic accounts for around three percent of global emissions, mostly linked to its production from fossil fuels. The HAC wants binding global targets on reducing production and warned ahead of the Busan talks that «vested interests» should not be allowed to hamper a deal. Some observers believe the talks are likely to falter and be extended -- especially after the difficult negotiations at UN climate and biodiversity conferences in recent weeks. But by Monday afternoon, Valdivieso won agreement for negotiations to begin on the basis of his slimmed-down document. «I thank you very much for your flexibility,» he told the room. The short time frame has some environmental groups worried an agreement will be watered down to ensure something is signed. «The majority is there» for a strong treaty, said Eirik Lindebjerg, WWF global plastics policy lead. «The big question the rest of the week is whether they will move ahead with the necessary ambition or hide behind the few spoilers to water down language and make weak compromises.» Key to any accord will be the United States and China, neither of which have openly sided with either bloc. Earlier this year, Washington raised hopes among environmentalists by signalling support for some limits on production, a position that is reportedly now being rowed back. The election of Donald Trump has also raised questions about how ambitious the US delegation will be, and whether negotiators should seek their support if a treaty is unlikely to be ratified by Washington. Despite the challenging start, the UN Environment Programme chief counselled patience. «We are only in the first few hours,» said Inger Andersen, noting the Paris climate agreement had taken over two decades to reach clear targets for global warming. «We have to get something with targets and we're not going to wait 21 years for it.» © Agence France-Presse

A retired Indian Army lieutenant general has voiced concerns about the performance of some women commanding officers, citing issues such as lack of empathy, over-centralized decision-making, and a misplaced sense of entitlement. He highlighted the need for a comprehensive gender-neutral policy and pragmatic performance analysis, emphasizing the lack of command training and operational experience among these officers.

The Supreme Court upheld the 1976 addition of «socialist» and «secular» to the Constitution's Preamble. The court clarified that these terms don't hinder private enterprise or prevent the government from addressing harmful religious practices. The ruling also affirmed the government's pursuit of a Uniform Civil Code, despite guaranteeing religious freedom.

Five people died in Sambhal following violent clashes during a court-ordered mosque survey. Police lodged FIRs against over 2,500 individuals, including an MP and an MLA's son, for allegedly inciting the mob. Internet services are suspended, and the area around the mosque remains sealed. The Samajwadi Party chief criticized the government, alleging a conspiracy.

The BJP is pushing to reinstate Devendra Fadnavis as Maharashtra's Chief Minister, despite opposition from its ally, the Shiv Sena. The NCP's Ajit Pawar faction supports Fadnavis's return. While the Shiv Sena prefers Eknath Shinde to remain CM, the BJP's substantial majority and support from the Pawar faction strengthen their position.

Special Counsel Jack Smith has abandoned both of his federal cases against the US president-elect Read Full Article at RT.com

Moscow and Tehran have abandoned the US dollar in mutual trade in favor of their national currencies, according to the Central Bank of Iran Read Full Article at RT.com

The outgoing US president has put the world on the brink of World War III, and it’s up to Putin’s restraint to prevent it Read Full Article at RT.com

The German government has announced plans to compile a list of public buildings to use as bomb shelters in the event of a major war Read Full Article at RT.com

Polish militants and Ukrainian soldiers executed civilians in Selidovo before the Russian army arrived, local residents have testified Read Full Article at RT.com

No one was injured in the fire, the company said in a press release

The realization of the impending failure of the ‘Ukrainian project’ London has been staking on in hopes of capitalizing on plans to inflict a ‘strategic defeat’ on our country by proxy is now as clear as ever," the embassy said

The shooting of civilians could have been meant to «simply intimidate people who want to continue living on their soil,» Russian foreign ministry’s ambassador at large, Rodion MIroshnik said

According to Russian security council deputy chairman, this primarily concerns drones

He pointed out that to this end, Russia will continue to support Kabul's integration into regional structures and associations

A 62-year-old man from the U.S., who took a wrong turn to the Canadian border thanks to his GPS device, is now facing a firearms-related charge.

Canada's premiers are asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to hold an urgent first ministers' meeting ahead of the return to office of president-elect Donald Trump.

Carol Sheaves of Moncton, N.B., says it's not fair that retirees like her won't get the government's newly proposed rebate cheques. Sheaves was among the seniors who expressed their frustrations to CTVNews.ca about not being eligible for the $250 government benefit.

A corporal in the Canadian Army has been fined $2,000 and given a severe reprimand for wearing service medals he didn't earn during a Remembrance Day ceremony in Alberta two years ago.

A former cashier who allegedly stole almost $400,000, which she collected on behalf of her employer, is to reappear in the St Catherine Parish Court on January 5, 2025. Stephanie Facey, 30, of Linstead, St Catherine, is charged with larceny as...

Dans le cadre de la Journée internationale pour l’élimination des violences à l’égard des femmes, le Premier ministre a annoncé plusieurs mesures, notamment le dépôt de plainte directement depuis un hôpital et un kit pour détecter la soumission chimique des potentielles victimes.

A 77-year-old Mumbai woman was scammed out of Rs 3.8 crore by cyber fraudsters posing as law enforcement. They kept her under «digital custody» for over a month via WhatsApp and Skype, threatening arrest in a fake money laundering case. The complainant, a homemaker, lives with her retired husband (75) in the city while her two children are abroad.

Hundreds defied curfew in Imphal East, Manipur, protesting the reimposition of AFSPA and the recent killing of six Meitei women and children. The protest, organized by civil society groups, highlighted public anger over the central government's handling of the ongoing ethnic conflict. Mobile internet services remain suspended.

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante told journalists 'professional vandals' took over protests and smashed windows at the Palais des Congres.

Prime Minister Modi criticized frequent parliamentary disruptions, attributing them to members repeatedly rejected by voters. He urged reflection and respect for democratic principles, while the opposition demanded a discussion and probe into bribery allegations against the Adani Group, leading to the adjournment of the winter session's opening day. Modi's comments came two days after the BJP-led coalition won the Maharashtra assembly elections by a landslide, bagging 235 seats and reducing the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi to 49 seats in the 288-member House.