Some might attribute it to mere coincidence that Courtney Campbell, VM group president and chief executive officer, received an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree for his contributions as an entrepreneur and philanthropist from The UWI, Mona on...

The University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) has been formally recognised as a full teaching university by both the University Council of Jamaica and previously the Jamaica Tertiary Education Commission (JTEC). The UCC said this...

The Caribbean Community of Retired Persons (CCRP) has recognised six Jamaicans for their lifelong service and contributions to the nation. The honourees were recognised during the organisation’s annual Living Legacy Awards luncheon, held on...

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is to recognise the Revival Pilgrimage to Watt Town in St Ann in December, a move that Culture Minister Olivia Grange has hailed as a timely tribute to former Prime...

Russia's war on Ukraine has laid bare the challenges facing the European defence industry as it tries to meet increased demand and ramp up production in the wake of a fundamentally changed security environment in Europe. Europe's defence industry comprises a number of large multinational companies, mid-caps and over 2 000 small and medium-sized enterprises. It faces a multitude of challenges, such as decades of under-investment, fragmentation, insufficient critical raw material and semiconductor supplies, and a lack of manufacturing capability. The EU and its Member States have taken several steps to reinforce the European defence industry, especially since the start of Russia's war on Ukraine. Member States have boosted their defence budgets, with their combined total expected to reach €350 billion a year in 2024. The European Defence Fund is investing in research and capability development projects and has achieved very positive results so far. Permanent structured cooperation also provides the legal framework and binding commitments for progress in collaborative defence. The EU has also broken taboos, by agreeing a joint defence procurement instrument (the European Defence Industry Reinforcement through Common Procurement Act) and an initiative to build up ammunition production (Act in Support of Ammunition Production). These form part of a three-track proposal to support Ukraine's needs for ammunition (deliver ammunition from existing stocks, jointly procure from industry, and support the ramping up of production). In March 2024, the European Commission proposed the first-ever European defence industrial strategy and a defence industry programme to implement it. Additionally, the European Peace Facility, best known for facilitating lethal weapon supply to Ukraine, is being used to procure defence materiel from Europe's defence industry, further boosting its capacity. The European Chips Act and Critical Raw Materials Act are also expected to benefit the European defence industry by ensuring it has the necessary supplies to tackle the substantially increased demand for its products. These signals have led the industry to take the first steps to increase production capacity. This updates a previous edition, published in 2023. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

In this paper, the ECB monetary policy stance is assessed by comparing the recent tightening cycle (2022-today) with the two preceding ones, which took place in 2000-2001 and in 2006-2008. Interest rates, quantitative indicators and monetary conditions indices (MCIs) are used for this purpose. The main finding is that at the peak of the latest tightening cycle, the ECB monetary policy stance was no more restrictive than it was at the peak of the two preceding ones; actually, probably less. This contrasts with the fact that in the more recent case inflation was higher and more persistent than in the two earlier episodes. This document was provided by the Economic Governance and EMU Scrutiny Unit at the request of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) ahead of the Monetary Dialogue with the ECB President on 4 December 2024. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The leaders will speak on Monday in Paris to discuss whether US President Joe Biden can be convinced to give the war-torn country permission to use Storm Shadow missiles.

SINGAPORE — Road users who cause accidents leading to death or serious injuries will face the full force of the law and can be handed maximum jail sentences. To prevent less egregious offenders from being overly punished, as other road users might have also contributed to the accident, changes in the traffic rules are being proposed. This will allow the courts to have more discretion in sentencing these offenders. To achieve this, the Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill was introduced for first reading in Parliament on Monday (Nov 11).

Low crime doesn't mean no crime - and this father's vigilance may have paid off. A father confronted a man who allegedly tried to pick up his primary school daughter when she was alone in Thomson Plaza, according to a video uploaded to Facebook group SG Kaypoh on Thursday (Nov 7). The video has since been reposted on multiple platforms, with the earliest being a post on TikTok - now deleted - on Wednesday by TikTok user Busybeesingapore. According to the Facebook post, the father had left his nine-year-old daughter alone to play with a claw machine in the mall's arcade and went to the washroom. When he came back, he was told by his daughter that she had purportedly been approached by a 30-year-old man who asked for her phone number and told her to text and call him. 'No motive, just making friends' Returning to the arcade, his daughter identified the man and the father confronted him. In the video, the father can be heard forcing the man to remove his daughter's phone number from his device, and also happened to see his other messages.

Police may be getting powers to instruct banks to restrict transactions of potential scam victims, according to a bill tabled in Parliament by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday (Nov 11). Under the Protection from Scams Bill, the police will be able to issue restriction orders (RO) to banks so long as there is reasonable belief that scam victims will make monetary transfers to the scammer, according to MHA. Under this bill, money transfers, ATM facilities and all credit facilities (e.g. credit card transactions, personal loan facilities) will be restricted for potential scam victims. «This will enable the police to better protect targets of ongoing scams who refuse to believe that they are being scammed,» the ministry stated said in a press release on Monday When issued, the RO will be sent by default to the seven major retail banks in Singapore: OCBC, DBS Bank, UOB, Maybank, Standard Chartered, Citibank and HSBC. Other banks not included may also be sent an RO where there is reasonable suspicion that an account under these banks might be involved.

[New Zimbabwe] A CHOLERA outbreak is threatening to devastate the resort town of Kariba, Mashonaland West province, where one person has died, and 14 others are suspected to be suffering from the medieval disease.

[Mozambique News Reports And Clippings] 59 shot in Maputo with 3 killed

[allAfrica]

The Supreme Court has rejected the bail plea of suspended Janata Dal (Secular) leader Prajwal Revanna. Revanna is accused in a rape and sexual assault case. The court acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations despite the absence of explicit rape charges in the initial complaint. This decision upholds the Karnataka High Court's prior denial of Revanna's bail applications.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at the 200th anniversary of the Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in Vadtal, cautioned against societal divisions based on caste, religion, and language. He emphasized the importance of unity and urged collective action to safeguard national integrity. Modi also praised the temple's contribution to Indian spiritual culture and the Swaminarayan community's alignment with government initiatives.

A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province’s police watchdog.

A government-funded report released to CTV News highlights 'systemic racism' against dozens of Black executives within the federal public service, including allegations of abuse, violence and harassment that, in some instances, led to suicide.

The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

Two suspects, Navjot Singh and Amalpreet Singh, apprehended for the murder of Sikh activist Gurpreet Singh Hari Nau, have also been linked to the killing of Jaswant Singh Gill in Gwalior. Investigations revealed that the duo acted on the orders of designated Khalistani terrorist Arsh Dalla, based in Canada.

Le Président de la République, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, a reçu, ce 8 novembre 2024, les membres du Conseil des Sages de la Transition, représentés par Paul Malekou et Eugène Revangue. Cette rencontre a été l'occasion de dresser un bilan des avancées de la transition en vue d'améliorer le processus démocratique et de favoriser un retour à l'ordre constitutionnel. CTRI - POLITIQUE / SUJET_ECRIT_MAISON

Alors que le Gabon aborde une phase cruciale avec la transition politique et le projet de Constitution, une question se poserait : comment les 1,75 milliard de FCFA alloués à la jeunesse seraient-ils réellement gérés ? Dans ce contexte, des personnalités publiques se retrouveraient au centre de préoccupations sur la transparence et la bonne gouvernance. 1 - Un rapprochement qui sèmerait le doute. Un des locataires du Palais Leon Mba, connu pour son attachement à la transparence, avait (...) - SOCIETE / SUJET_ECRIT_MAISON

Le Président de la République, Chef de l'État, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, a reçu en audience ce 8 novembre 2024 le Dr Mike Jocktane, président du parti politique Gabon Nouveau. À l'issue de cet échange, l'évêque Mike Jocktane s'est dit satisfait de la qualité des discussions. Il a insisté sur la nécessité d'une Constitution consensuelle et a lancé un appel à la responsabilité collective pour atteindre un accord, soulignant ainsi l'importance d'une démarche unie pour l'avenir du pays. (...) - POLITIQUE / SUJET_ECRIT_MAISON

The 16th United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)7 was suspended early on November 2 after losing quorum, but not before reaching a historic agreement. The key outcomes included operationalising a new global mechanism for sharing benefits from digital genetic information and expanding the role of local communities and Indigenous peoples in biodiversity conservation. Despite the suspension after 12 hours of discussions, the conference demonstrated that multilateralism can still yield meaningful results. The agenda and location will be announced later to address the remaining issues. According to the executive secretary for the CBD, Astrid Schomaker, «Over the last weeks, we have seen the largest, whole-of-society mobilisation for biodiversity unfold in Cali, triggering interest from around the globe. We have seen Indigenous Peoples and local communities, civil society, businesses and financial institutions, sub-national governments, cities and local authorities, women and youth present remarkable initiatives and action.» She said that through it all, this COP delivered a seminal message: the time has come to make peace with nature.  «From Cali, this UN Biodiversity Conference sent a powerful call to action. It has never been clearer that the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Paris Agreement in a synergistic fashion will make peace with nature within reach,» she added. Speaking to SNA following the conference, the Minister for Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment, Flavien Joubert,  described COP16 as pivotal in the call for global actions. He said there is an urgency to implement the global biodiversity framework to halt the loss of biodiversity. «COP16 delivered on key decisions that are also of importance to Seychelles such as invasive alien species, biodiversity and climate change and on the conservation of coastal and marine biodiversity and of island biodiversity,» he added. At COP16, delegates advanced the creation of the Cali Fund, a groundbreaking mechanism for sharing the benefits of using digital sequence information (DSI) on genetic resources. This follows an agreement from COP15 to establish a multilateral system for fair benefit-sharing, particularly with developing countries and Indigenous Peoples. The fund will primarily support developing countries in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), with a significant share directed to meet the self-identified needs of Indigenous communities, including women and youth. Some funds will also be allocated for capacity-building and technology transfer. The system will be closely monitored for transparency, with regular reviews to improve its effectiveness. This agreement sets a global precedent for using DSI proceeds to help protect and restore biodiversity where it's most needed.  Joubert said the fund «provides another source of funding for biodiversity conservation, through sharing of benefits arising from the use of digital sequence information of genetic resources.» He added that while there was some progress through COP16, he cited some major concerns and the need for more advocacy regarding resource mobilisation. «We are deeply concerned that there is a lack of progress towards resource mobilisation for biodiversity and that this matter had not been resolved before the meeting was suspended. The developed countries need to honour their commitment to providing new and additional financial resources. We will continue our efforts to advocate for further resources to implement the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan to address biodiversity loss,» Joubert added. The conclusion of COP16 was met with mixed reviews, especially among non-governmental organisations. SNA spoke to the chief executive of Nature Seychelles, Dr Nirmal Shah.   «This COP was another disappointment. Countries were supposed to present their new National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan but only a handful of countries managed. In Seychelles, it's only now we are starting to look at national targets to implement the Global Biodiversity Framework. The funding situation is even grimmer with very little new pledged for the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund,» said the CEO. Shah added that COP16 collapsed because there was no consensus as talks dragged on beyond the scheduled end and many nation's representatives left and there was no longer a quorum for an agreement to pass. He emphasised the urgency of the situation, stating the need to find funding elsewhere in order to protect biodiversity in the country. «For Seychelles, we have to look for new ways to fund biodiversity conservation. We are losing critical species and habitats as well as ecosystem services we all depend on. With climate change battering us, we are really at an important juncture of our journey as a nation,» he said. 

Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said spending on the army may lead to 'trade-offs' in other public services, despite Sir Tony Radakin warning the UK needs to strengthen its forces

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (HOL) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Riyadh on Monday to join an emergency summit of Arab and Islamic leaders convened by Saudi Arabia. The summit is focused on addressing escalating violence in Gaza and Lebanon.

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia is grappling with dangerously low immunization and treatment rates for pneumonia and diarrhea, two of the leading killers of children under five. According to a new report from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Somalia remains far behind in providing essential healthcare interventions, placing thousands of young lives at risk.

Mohammed Abdiwali sexually violated women in 2014 and 2020. Now in and out of jail because of repeatedly breaching his release conditions, he has nowhere permanent to live so sleeps either on the streets or with meth-addicted friends, risking, he says, relapsing into his own addiction.

[VOA] Yaounde, Cameroon -- Chadian military airstrikes killed scores of Boko Haram fighters and injured several dozen more in the Lake Chad Basin, President Mahamat Idriss Deby said Friday.

[New Times] The Ministry of Health has announced that two patients who had been receiving treatment for the Marburg Virus Disease recovered on Friday, November 8, bringing the total recoveries to 51.

[RFI] Burkina Faso's military regime wants to reinstate the death penalty, which was abolished in the country in 2018, a government source told AFP news agency on Saturday.

[RFI] Mauritius votes on Sunday in a legislative election overshadowed by a wire-tapping scandal that has sparked concerns over the erosion of rights in the Indian Ocean nation. The poll follows last month's historic agreement granting Mauritius sovereignty over the Chagos Islands after a lengthy legal battle with Britain.

[VOA] A senior Somali official insisted Saturday that Ethiopia will not participate in a new African Union peacekeeping mission starting in January.