Brazil election: Lula and the new face of Bolsonaro's right
Brazil's October presidential election is shaping up as another battle between the Lula and Bolsonaro camps, with incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva seeking a fourth term and Flávio Bolsonaro stepping in for his imprisoned father. The two frontrunners are running close in the polls, as Lula focuses on Brazil's sovereignty amid tensions with Washington, while Flávio leans on his family's far-right support and ties to Donald Trump.
2026-08-16 10:46:32

The race for critical minerals is creating a corporate naming mess
The race for critical minerals is creating a corporate naming mess
2026-08-16 10:38:17

Photos: Patriotic music and flags mark Taliban rule anniversary in Kabul
Thousands of Taliban supporters have poured into central Kabul, waving white flags and chanting religious slogans, as au...
2026-08-16 09:29:38

At least 12 people killed in Hungary bus crash
News|Transport A bus crash in eastern Hungary has killed 12 people and seriously injured 10, police say. The bus carryin...
2026-08-16 09:29:35

Arizona Supreme Court defines elements of clergy-penitent privilege Headlines
Arizona Supreme Court defines elements of clergy-penitent privilege Headlines
2026-08-16 09:23:02

New satellite images show Europe’s disappearing rivers due to drought
Drought conditions have worsened across Central and Western Europe since the start of the summer with southern England, ...
2026-08-16 08:28:31

A nation divided: What do Israelis want in October’s elections?
Analysts, sociologists and pollsters all seem to agree that the forthcoming Israeli general elections, due to be held on...
2026-08-16 07:27:32

Indonesia’s magnitude 7.7 quake kills at least 51, displaces thousands
A powerful earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia has killed at least 51 people and forced about 5,000 people to evacu...
2026-08-16 06:26:31

Australia gun buyback spurred by Bondi attack to start in November, PM says
News|Gun Violence Australia’s prime minister has said that New South Wales will begin a gun buyback scheme in November...
2026-08-16 05:25:35

Russian strikes kill Ukrainian woman as NATO jet downs drone over Romania
News|Russia-Ukraine war Russian strikes on Ukraine have killed at least one person and wounded seven more while a Spanis...
2026-08-16 05:25:33

Israeli strike kills seven in south Lebanon as attacks intensify
News|Israel attacks Lebanon An Israeli air strike has killed seven people and wounded three in southern Lebanon, accordi...
2026-08-15 08:04:40

India marks 80th Independence Day with military display

2026-08-15 07:03:39

Shpresat për të mbijetuar po veniten! Vijojnë kërkimet nën rrënoja në Kolumbi, 287 të vdekur dhe 379 të zhdukur
Ekipet e shpëtimit vijojnë kërkimet në zonat e prekura nga tërmeti i fuqishëm që goditi Kolumbinë të hënën, ndërsa numri i viktimave ka shkuar në 287 dhe 379 persona rezultojnë ende të zhdukur. Tërmeti me magnitudë 7.4......
2026-08-15 06:43:31

Flock privacy updates- 7-day default for ALPR data, mandatory misuse safeguards
Flock privacy updates- 7-day default for ALPR data, mandatory misuse safeguards
2026-08-15 06:41:24

Some San Francisco officers earned over $500K in OT amid severe staffing shortages
Some San Francisco officers earned over $500K in OT amid severe staffing shortages
2026-08-15 06:41:17

Pennsylvania police awarded $1.5M state grant to fund new police station
Pennsylvania police awarded $1.5M state grant to fund new police station
2026-08-15 06:39:13

Tyler Technologies Acquires CODY Systems
Acquisition to advance mission-critical public safety operations in the cloud
2026-08-15 06:38:17

NYPD officer becomes first convicted under state law banning chokeholds
NYPD officer becomes first convicted under state law banning chokeholds
2026-08-15 06:37:43

DOJ settles suit with Los Angeles Sheriff over alleged delays in granting gun permits
DOJ settles suit with Los Angeles Sheriff over alleged delays in granting gun permits
2026-08-15 06:37:34

Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to federal stalking charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO
Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to federal stalking charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO
2026-08-15 06:37:28

FBI arreston 109 persona të dhunshëm në Maryland dhe Delaware
Zyra e degës së FBI-së në Baltimore njoftoi më 13 gusht 2026 se në një operacion trijavor janë arrestuar 109 persona të dhunshëm me precedent në Maryland dhe Delaware. Operacioni u krye si pjesë e nismës kombëtare “Summer Heat......
2026-08-14 06:43:44

North Korea fumes over upcoming US-South Korea military drills
North Korea has denounced major United States-South Korea military drills set to start next week as a provocation that h...
2026-08-14 06:39:39

SHBA zgjeron luftën kundër karteleve/Sekretari amerikan i Mbrojtjes paralajmëron operacione tokësore në Amerikën Latine
Shtetet e Bashkuara po planifikojnë të zgjerojnë operacionet kundër trafikut të drogës në Amerikën Latine, duke përfshirë edhe operacione tokësore të zhvilluara së bashku me aleatët e tyre në rajon. Lajmi u bë i ditur nga......
2026-08-14 06:37:17

CCJ image at stake
DESCRIBING the current discord within the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as deeply troubling, former Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding has recommended an urgent probe and speedy resolution, warning that delay could irreparably tarnish the institution’s reputation. “Disagreements are normal and healthy in a panel of judges who may offer different interpretations of the facts and points of law. That is why a panel exists. One expects that such disagreements are expressed respectfully, unlike another jurisdiction where they are sometimes punctuated with personal abuse,” Golding said in a column sent to the Jamaica Observer on Thursday. Golding weighed in on the turmoil which became public at the start of the week when the Sunday Express newspaper in Trinidad and Tobago published a series of e-mail involving CCJ President Justice Winston Anderson and colleague judges. In the e-mail exchanges, a majority of the judges accused Justice Anderson of governing the regional court in an “authoritarian” and “dictatorial” manner. The complaints, as reported by the Sunday Express , range from accusations of Justice Anderson unilaterally imposing a judicial dress code to allegations of “panel fixing” and attempts to influence the outcome of cases. The newspaper reported that the internal correspondence showed that five of the CCJ’s six sitting judges challenged Justice Anderson’s leadership, with one warning of “creeping patterns of anti-democratic approaches” and another calling for an urgent meeting to address “a level of disenchantment that may well be approaching a crisis point if left unaddressed”. In one of the e-mail correspondence, presiding CCJ judge Justice Chile Eboe-Osuji told his colleagues: “I have never seen before the level of dictatorship in the administration of a judiciary that I have witnessed at the CCJ in recent months. There is a serious concern, not that the new trend would include an attempt to use a body like the RJLSC (Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission) as an unwitting instrument of dictatorship. The RJLSC performs important functions within the mandate properly conferred upon it in the CCJ agreement. It would be wrong of any CCJ president — who is also the chairperson of the RJLSC — to try and misuse that important body in that way.” Explaining his use of the world “dictatorship”, Justice Eboe-Osuji said it was “because Winston himself told us early on in a judges’ meeting — soon after his assumption of office of president (July 2025) — that he did not see himself as ‘running a democracy’ and that he would run the court in any way that he deems fit”. In his column on Thursday, Golding said, “What is alarming is that the disclosure involves accusations of autocratic behaviour by the president and his manipulation of panel selection aimed at influencing judicial outcomes.” Added Golding: “More alarming is the fact that these accusations are made not by one or two judges, but all the other five. It is hard to believe that they could have all taken that position without due consideration.” He said that without appropriate resolution, “this episode will tarnish the reputation of the court, perhaps irreparably. Even if it is resolved, it will have suffered a serious setback in its hopes of gaining acceptance as the final court for all Caricom member states”. Golding said that responsibility for fixing this débâcle lies firstly with the RJLSC and called on the commission to “move swiftly to investigate the reports and assess the facts”. Pointing out that removal of the president, if that is deemed necessary, can only be done on the recommendation of the RJLSC and with a 75 per cent majority vote of the Caricom heads of government, Golding said: “God forbid that that becomes another imbroglio similar to that regarding the reappointment of the Caricom secretary general.” The former head of Government also said he was most surprised by the focus of some legal luminaries as well as The Gleaner newspaper editorial on the circumstances by which the information became public — through a leak of confidential e-mail. “Without that leak we would most likely never have become aware of this dysfunction and the court could descend into unexplained chaos. The leak may have breached ethical rules for which remedies exist, but are we not entitled to know? Is that not what whistle-blowing is all about?” Read the full text of Golding’s column on Page 12 of today’s Jamaica Observer .
2026-08-14 05:20:00

Mystery development irks Kingston 8 residents
RESIDENTS of sections of Manor Park in upper St Andrew are up in arms over what they regard as secrecy surrounding a planned development in the area. The residents say they have tried, without success, to get information on the development slated for 2 Broadway Close, Kingston 8. According to the residents, unofficial sources have indicated that a five-storey building is planned for the area but efforts to get the authorities to either conform or deny this have so far failed. In a letter, which they shared with the Jamaica Observer, the residents claim that people who live on Broadway Close, Broadway Road, Harrow Drive, and Waterworks Road are worried about the proposed development. “The developers posted a notice of intention to build at 2 Broadway Close on July 6, 2026. Within 48 hours, the Broadway Mews Association formally requested the plans. The developer responded that the plans were in progress and would be provided once completed. Since then, there has been no further correspondence,” the residents said in the letter. “Despite multiple requests, the community has been left in the dark. The developers were aware of the community’s interest within 48 hours of the notice going up. Yet, they have chosen to ignore all subsequent requests for information,” the residents added. They claimed that when the community submitted a formal request for plans under the Access to Information Act, they were told it could take up to 60 days to receive them. “The Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) informed residents they had only 35 days to file an objection. This creates an impossible situation where residents are being asked to object to a developer whose plans they have not seen, may not receive before the deadline, and which the developer has refused to share,” the residents claimed in the letter. Repeated attempts by the Observer sine last week to get a comment from the KSAMC have so far been unsuccessful. The residents pointed to comments made recently by Dr Patricia Green, a registered architect and former head of the Caribbean School of Architecture at the University of Technology, Jamaica. “Dr Green has highlighted this exact issue. When citizens contact the KSAMC, they are denied access to the development proposals. Without the drawings, how are we to object?” the residents charged in the letter. They pointed out that under Section 18 of the Building Act 2018, once a notice of intention is posted people can object to the development even without seeing the plan. “The law does not require you to have seen the plans. Under Section 7 of the Kingston and St Andrew Building (Notices and Objections) Regulations, the KSAMC must take into consideration all objections which may be made before making a decision. “The Supreme Court has confirmed this right. In Wint v KSAMC [2022], the court held that residents have a legitimate expectation that their objections will be considered, and that failing to do so is a breach of natural justice. You can object based on what you already know — the restrictive covenants, the cul-de-sac, the gully course, the road problems, the inadequate notice. You do not need to wait for the plans. But the developer’s refusal to share them speaks volumes,” the residents said. They told the Observer that they have also contacted the National Environment and Planning Agency for answers and the agency confirmed the area is zoned for residential purposes and that the half-acre lot is permitted for 25 habitable rooms. But the greatest fear of the residents is that the developers could be allowed to go as high as five storeys. The tallest building in the area is currently two storeys. “Legal experts have noted that developments on plots smaller than half an acre are a key warning sign of a bad development. Under the 2017 Provisional Development Order, multi-family developments are only permitted if the land exceeds 0.5 acres, unless compelling reasons are shown. The 2 Broadway Close site is exactly 0.5 acres, a fact that should have triggered additional scrutiny,” the residents claimed. They further argued that with Broadway Close being a dead-end street, a five-storey, multi-family development will generate significant vehicular traffic that must enter and exit through a single point. “The KSAMC is required to assess access and traffic flow as mandatory planning criteria. Emergency vehicles — fire trucks and ambulances — require adequate turning radius and access. The Jamaica Fire Brigade is a mandatory referral agency that must approve such developments. Residents are demanding that a traffic impact assessment be conducted and made public before any permit is granted,” argued the residents. They added: “The certificate of title for 2 Broadway Close contains restrictive covenants that are binding on the land and its owners. No building other than that used for the purposes of a private dwelling house with appropriate outbuildings appurtenant thereto shall be erected on the said land or any part thereof. Restrictive covenants are contractual obligations imposed on purchasers by the original vendor, intended to limit the purchaser’s use of the land for the benefit of all land owners in the subdivision. “They run with the land, meaning successive owners are bound by the same covenants. A covenant that precludes subdivision would limit the owner’s ability to legally construct an apartment complex.”
2026-08-14 05:18:35

Competitive-looking None Such Sprint Trophy
The $1.75-million None Such Sprint takes centre stage at Caymanas Park tomorrow in the day’s feature Graded Stakes/Open Allowance for three-year-olds and upward going 6 furlongs (1,200m). Only six have been declared, but it’s a talented and competitive field. The Jamaica Observer ’s The Supreme Racing Guide takes a look at each runner and their chances of winning. 1. IS THAT A FACT (USA): (6 b h by Palace Malice – Valid Code ) – Capable on his day but faces a tough task and may be outclassed here. 2. ANOTHER ONE : (4 b c by Aveenu Malcainu – Chintagoodaz ) – Coming off a win last time but is not expected to repeat against this company. 3. DOTHRAKI (USA): (5 b h by Into Mischief – Vanquished ) – An impressive winner over 51⁄2 furlongs (1,100m) on August 1, taking it by a length in 1:05.0. He has another half-furlong to handle but Dothraki looks primed to slip the field and win again. 4. PACK PLAYS (USA): (5 dk b/br h by Stay Thirsty – Standard Deal ) – Finished 7th in the Diamond Mile on July 25. This shorter trip should suit him better and he’s expected to challenge for top honours. 5. OF A REVOLUTION (USA): (7 ch h by MacLean’s Music – Hot Spell ) – Failed to see out the Diamond Mile, finishing 10th. The cutback in distance should help and based on his running style, Of A Revolutio n could lead them home. 6. CALIFORNIA CROWN : (5 ch h by Hedge Fund – Dream Big ) – Finished third behind stablemate Dothraki on August 1 over 51⁄2 furlongs. With his early speed, he’s expected to make a bold bid. — Ruddy Allen
2026-08-14 05:11:00

2026 MG ZS: Luxury on a budget
Sports car brands that make SUVs have it tough with the car-buying public. The fact that MG, one of the most-storied British auto makers and a cornerstone of the quintessential English roadster, has given in to the SUV-pocalypse must have the faithful spitting their afternoon tea across their crumpet-laden tables. Still, history has proven them more wrong than right, as these companies with sporting intention are able to infuse the mundane family hauler with their original ethos. MG has done just that with the ZS. EXTERIOR SUVs tend to stay on the conservative side of things, whereas the ZS has adopted a previous trend held by the premium brands: Russian Dolling, the act of simply scaling corporate design up or down a specific model. Yes, there is the usual Grilleus Maximus styling across the MG family present on the ZS; however, it has only been possible with the updates made to its larger sibling, the HS, to tell them apart. Otherwise, the ZS is inoffensive, clean, and modern-looking with a bit of sporting purpose due to the standard 18-inch wheels on the luxury trim. Adding to its visual appeal is its availability in a wider colour palette than many of the sub-compact SUV class rivals. Push past the black, white, silver, and grey to the Brighton Blue Metallic on Auto ’s review unit, or the Emerald Green Metallic that instantly brings forth similar tones to the iconic British Racing Green. INTERIOR The ZS is feature-rich given its class and price point. Keyless entry gets one into a cabin similar to the exterior. It’s a clear, modern design, highlighted by soft-touch materials across the main contact surfaces. Drop into the 6-way powered driver’s seat for an ergonomic experience. Button clutter is a thing of the past, as there are hard buttons for the most accessible functions, and the other controls are tucked away in the 12.1-inch infotainment touchscreen. Some functions can even be assigned to steering wheel-mounted buttons. These few physical controls available operate with assuredness. Luxury trim buyers will enjoy a bit more digital instrumentation via their 7-inch gauge cluster. The system works smoothly, has a logical layout, and all the connectivity modern passengers want. While the ZS is the smaller MG SUV, the cabin space is more than sufficient for all occupants, and the sense of space is enhanced by the glass-to-body ratio and the sunroof. Even with the large greenhouse, the cabin retains a low-noise quotient for further comfort. Storage, including trunk space, is more than sufficient for family treks. Combine this with a number of automated or powered convenience features and the ZS is a very nice place to be. ON THE ROAD For many class rivals, it would just fall apart right here, falling into either the ‘too soft, I don’t want to drive it fast’ category, or the ‘too stiff, my passengers are going to throw up and complain’ side of the graph. Then there are those soft, yet unable to provide comfort; and hard, yet unable to provide any actual vehicular control. This is where the sports car legacy kicks in. The real beauty of the ZS is its driving dynamics, clearly inherited from MG’s performance car know-how. The suspension is compliant, but firm enough to be sporty. At the first corner, at speed, there’s magically precious little body roll, instilling confidence to drive with some enthusiasm. Even better, the rest of the car can keep up, as the steering is direct in tracing the given driving line, and the brakes assure constant speed reduction. The 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder is more than willing to respond in unison with the transmission for rapid increases in velocity as demanded by the accelerator pedal. Even on the broken surfaces that make up the Jamaican internal road network, the ZS quickly makes one forget that it’s an SUV, taking on a car-like feel and making as much use of its front-wheels as possible. For those that are more measured in their pace, the ZS can handle precious human cargo with the abundance of equipped safety systems, passive, and active for urban operations. Things are a breeze in stop-and-go traffic due to the auto hold function on the luxury trim. Then there is the MG Pilot Driver Assistance suite. Put together, they keep the vehicle in check and the driver alert for potential accidents, while allowing the vehicle to be operated for short periods with minimal driver intervention. VERDICT With its size, price, comfort, and feature set, the 2026 ZS Luxury is already a top contender in the cut-throat sub-compact SUV segment. And while the brand faithful may scoff at it, or others mislabel it as another small SUV, MG did take time to work their magic. This is a brand known for driving excellence, and the ZS is a pleasure to be behind the wheel, packed to the gills with the family, or alone on a B-road. If that last part is important, then the 2026 ZS MG Luxury should be at the top of your list.
2026-08-14 05:10:00

JCA says two tonnes of cocaine, plus ganja seized at KFTL
The Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) said last week’s seizure of drugs at the Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited (KFTL) was its largest drug seizure since the start of the year. More than two tonnes of cocaine and 256 pounds of ganja were intercepted in operations conducted between August 5 and 7. The seizures, carried out in collaboration with the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Firearms and Narcotics Investigation Division and Specialised Operations Branch, involved approximately 1,813 parcels of cocaine in containers destined for Spain and Florida.
2026-08-14 05:06:33

Petrojam worker faces charges in alleged ammo-selling ring
An employee of the state-owned oil refinery Petrojam has been arrested and charged by the police arising from allegations that he was part of a ring that illegally sold bullets and gun parts for high-calibre rifles, law- enforcement sources have disclosed. Vashel Witter, 52, a line engineer based at Petrojam’s Montego Bay terminal, was apprehended in the Freeport area on August 6 during a sting operation in which the police allegedly found more than 200 rounds of ammunition for AK-47 rifles inside his vehicle, sources told The Gleaner.
2026-08-14 05:06:33

Doku signs new five-year deal at Man City
MANCHESTER, England (AP): Jérémy Doku signed a new five-year contract with Manchester City yesterday after establishing himself as one of the best and most exciting wingers in the English Premier League. The Belgium international is tied to Manchester City until 2031. He joined from French team Rennes in 2023. Doku said he feels settled at Manchester City and was looking forward to playing under recently hired manager Enzo Maresca, whose gameplan relies heavily on wingers.
2026-08-14 05:06:33

Cheers to ‘Miss Chin’
My favourite Jamaican food will always be made by a “Miss Chin”. Every Jamaican knows what I mean: the catering shop, the glass case, the alchemy no hotel buffet and no ring-lit food blogger has ever replicated. Miss Chin has been feeding Jamaica for generations. She is, in every way, Jamaican, and if this sentence gives anyone pause, this column is for you. We have just finished celebrating 64 years of Independence under the theme ‘United in Celebrating Resilience’, a phrase that earned itself this year, after Hurricane Melissa. I watched the Grand Gala, as I always do, with real pleasure and one small private test: How many of the streams that made this country would appear on that field? It was a beautiful staging. But the creole threads I had hoped to see were, once again, absent. Year after year we stage one magnificent thread of the tapestry and let the audience assume it is the whole cloth. I made this argument in these pages last July before the celebrations, and I am making it again this year, after them — which tells you how the year went. Let me be precise about what I am not saying. The endurance of enslaved people of African heritage and their descendants forms part of the moral centre of the Jamaican story and its deepest stream. It has earned a significant place on that field. Nothing here subtracts a syllable from it. But a nation that under-celebrates its own ends up not knowing itself. And there is a particular cost when we imply, even by omission, that some Jamaicans are guests here. Somewhere online this year, a foreign vlogger in borrowed patois told a Jamaican woman of Chinese heritage that she did not belong in a “black country”. He is a symptom, and we supply the silence he mistook for agreement. So rather than complain, let me celebrate, by name. I’ll start with the patty. In that golden shell is the biography of the island: the pastry: Cornish; the curry: Indian, arriving with the indentured workers who came from approximately 1845; the scallion: Chinese; the spiced interior: African; the annatto giving the crust its rust-red colour: indigenous, from the Tainos who were here before all of us; and the two franchises that made the patty a national institution were built by Jamaican families of Chinese heritage. The patty is not influenced by Jamaican history; it is Jamaican history wrapped in a golden crust. Then there’s the music. Tom “Great Sebastian” Wong ran what may have been one of the earliest sound systems out of his Kingston shop, spinning records to draw customers; and from that counter emerged a cultural revolution. Leslie Kong was selling ice cream before a young man named James Chambers walked in with a song; the world came to know him as Jimmy Cliff. Vincent and Patricia Chin founded Randy’s Records in 1962, the year of Independence itself; and “Miss Pat” worked that counter for two decades before political violence drove them to New York and VP Records. She is called, without exaggeration, the Mother of Reggae. The sound system, the studio, the label, the distribution were present at foundational moment after foundational moment, yet barely mentioned on any major stage. The Irish came as prisoners and indentured servants from approximately the 1650s, many of them children. They stayed, intermarried, and became us: Morrison, McLaughlin, Roche, Maloney, and Crowe. Sephardic families (Jews who trace their roots to Spain and Portugal) fleeing the Inquisition arrived from approximately the 1530s, and possibly earlier, barred for centuries from voting and holding office by the very Crown they lived under. Full political rights came in, or around, 1831, within the same historical breath as Emancipation. And two brothers born here to Sephardic Jewish families founded, in 1834, the oldest newspaper on this island, The Gleaner . And let’s talk about bun and cheese. I have tried, repeatedly, to share this with people from outside Jamaica. I have watched the faces. Nobody else wants it. Nobody else understands it — a British Easter tradition married to a processed cheese so particular to us (annatto-coloured, faintly spiced) that no other cheese will do. It should not work, but it does. This is proof of our creoleness in our very taste buds. Last year I wrote that we are not a hyphenated people. I still believe it. There are no Afro-Jamaicans or Indo-Jamaicans or Chinese-Jamaicans etc, only Jamaicans, every inheritance carried whole, honoured, and belonging entirely to the one identity. But saying it once a year in a newspaper is not the same as staging it. A nation shows what it believes by what it puts on the field, whose names it reads out, and whose story it teaches come September. Which brings me to an opportunity. Next year is Jamaica 65, and it may very well be the last Grand Gala staged at the old National Stadium, the ground on which the Jamaican flag was first raised in 1962. A farewell like that should be the fullest telling we have ever staged — every stream of this story, on that field, by name. Miss Chin will be at the shop that evening, feeding whoever comes, which is, when you think about it, one of the most Jamaican things on the programme. Out of many, one people. Let us act like we mean it. Francesca Tavares is an attorney-at-law, compliance professional, writer, commentator, and co-creator of the Jamaican documentary Traffick Blocking: The Docu-Film. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or francescatavares@yahoo.com.
2026-08-13 05:00:00

Pocket Rocket Foundation awardee encourages student-athletes to apply for scholarship
CURRENT Pocket Rocket Foundation scholar and 2026 Papine High School valedictorian Lysandra Taylor is encouraging student-athletes across Jamaica to take advantage of the foundation’s 2026–2027 scholarship programme before applications close on Saturday. Taylor, who has benefited from the programme since 2023, said the support has played a key role in easing financial pressure and strengthening her commitment to both her academic and athletic goals. “Being part of this programme has truly changed my journey. It has eased the financial burden on my family and given me the confidence to push harder in both school and sport. I would encourage every eligible student-athlete not to doubt themselves — apply, give it your best, and take the opportunity seriously,” said Taylor. The Pocket Rocket Foundation Scholarship Programme provides financial and developmental support to Jamaican high school students who are actively involved in sport and committed to their academic progress. The initiative assists with school-related expenses, including educational materials and equipment, while also fostering a supportive network that encourages holistic development. Founder and chairwoman of the Pocket Rocket Foundation Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is also encouraging eligible students to complete and submit their applications before the deadline. “Balancing academics and sport requires discipline, resilience and the right support system,” Fraser-Pryce said. “This scholarship exists to help student-athletes stay focused on their goals while knowing they are supported. If you meet the requirements, I encourage you to complete your application and give yourself a fair chance to be considered,” added Fraser-Pryce. The scholarship is open to Jamaican high school students from second through to sixth form who represent their school in at least one sport. Applicants must maintain regular attendance, demonstrate satisfactory conduct, achieve a minimum average of 60 per cent across five subjects, and actively participate in school life. Eligible students may apply by visiting the Pocket Rocket Foundation’s website at www.pocketrocketfoundation.org , accessing the scholarship application form, and submitting the required academic and sporting information along with supporting documents.
2026-08-13 05:00:00

Complete rebuild for John’s Hall Primary
JOHN’S HALL, St James — John’s Hall Primary School in St James is set for a complete rebuild after a decision was made to demolish the existing building and start anew following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa. Following the storm, the main building lost its roof, while several areas were left unusable and unsafe for both staff and students at the more than 100-year-old institution. “Better opportunities for the students, better opportunities for the teachers, for the families, and for the wider community at large” is how Principal Maxine Tugwell-Brown described the situation. The landscape at the school has since changed, with the yard now transformed into a work zone as construction gets under way on the foundation of the new school building. “Based on what they are saying, we’re going to get an improved building based on what I’ve been getting. It’s expected to be state of the art,” she said. Reports are that the new building will be a two-storey structure, with classrooms on both the upper and lower levels. The administration offices will also be located on the lower level. For the principal the massive setback caused by Melissa has been tempered by the prospect of a new facility. “It’s amazing to know that after 102 years the structure you have worked in, a structure that moulded you as a student here, to know now that you are the principal and will be getting a new school after all those years you’ve attended as a child, it’s an elated feeling,” she said. She said six months has been slated for completion of the work, but noted that the school is anticipating a longer timeline because of potential unforeseen factors. “Based on the discussions that have been had, they have a six-month time plan, but we know that with the hurricane season and all other kinds of delay are possible, we, as a school, are looking at a one year, even though the ministry has estimated a six-month plan, we know we have to factor in the unforeseen things,” she said. She made it clear, however, that individuals in the community are anxiously awaiting completion of the new edifice, which will serve students from John’s Hall and surrounding communities. “The excitement is there, the pride is there, the gratitude is there,” she said. Despite the excitement surrounding the rebuilding project, the principal continues to lament other infrastructure challenges caused by Hurricane Melissa that are also affecting the school. “Our population is 326, but with the erosion of the road, our numbers were affected after Melissa, so it’s a likelihood that our numbers may dwindle for September, we have to just hope and see,” she said. Currently, the road at Spring Mount has been washed away, preventing motor vehicle traffic from accessing the area. Closer to the school, another section of the roadway is also deteriorating, creating further challenges for students travelling to the institution. The National Works Agency (NWA) has previously indicated that the matter is to be addressed in short order.
2026-08-13 05:00:00

Israeli settlers besiege Palestinian families in West Bank’s Qusra
Israeli settlers have besieged three Palestinian families inside their homes in the occupied West Bank, blocking access ...
2026-08-13 04:14:44

Zimbabwe’s land reform enters a new chapter
Harare, Zimbabwe – More than two decades after Zimbabwe seized thousands of mainly white-owned commercial farms, some ...
2026-08-13 03:13:37

SWI Group Accelerates Transition Into Digital Infrastructure
(MENAFN - PR Newswire) SINGAPORE and AMSTERDAM, Aug. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- SWI Capital Holding Ltd (Euronext Amsterdam: SWICH, ("SWI Group") the listed investment group, today confirms the ...
2026-08-13 02:16:38

CMB.TECH ANNOUNCES Q2 2026 RESULTS ON 27/08/2026
(MENAFN - GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) ANTWERP, Belgium, 13 August 2026 – CMB.TECH NV (NYSE: CMBT, Euronext Brussels: CMBT and Euronext Oslo B–rs: CMBTO) (–CMBT–,–CMB.TECH– or–the Company–) will ...
2026-08-13 02:16:23

Michelin: Disclosure Of Trading In Own Shares - 13 AUGU 2026
(MENAFN - GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) Information about securities repurchasing program Regulated informationIssuer social denomination: Michelin – LEI 549300SOSI58J6VIW052 Types of securities: ...
2026-08-13 02:16:22

Skanska Signs An Additional Contract For A Data Center In Virginia, USA, Worth USD 238M, About SEK 2.2 Billion
(MENAFN - PR Newswire) STOCKHOLM, Aug. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Skanska has signed an additional contract with an existing client to build a data center in Virginia, USA. The contract is worth USD ...
2026-08-13 02:02:04

Helios Cash Offer For CAB Payments Holdings Plc Cash Offer Update And Disclosure Under Rule 2.10 Of The Takeover Code (“Code”)
(MENAFN - GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A ...
2026-08-13 02:01:46

Iran holds firm on Hormuz conditions as Pakistan’s Naqvi visits Tehran
Iran has held firm on its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, as Pakistan’s interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi...
2026-08-12 02:50:31

Habitual Abuser Sent to Prison for Assaulting Girlfriend and Coercing Her to Lie to Law Enforcement
Habitual Abuser Sent to Prison for Assaulting Girlfriend and Coercing Her to Lie to Law Enforcement
2026-08-12 02:48:38

Skanska Signs Additional Contract For Medical Office Building In Durham, NC, USA, For USD 68M, About SEK 630M
(MENAFN - PR Newswire) STOCKHOLM, Aug. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Skanska has signed an additional contract with UNC Health (UNCH) for the construction of a new medical office building and parking ...
2026-08-12 02:47:38

Strauss Group Reports Q2 & H1-2026 Financial Results:1 Solid Operating Income Growth To NIS 363 Million, Up 42% Net Profit Doubled To NIS 195 Million
(MENAFN - PR Newswire) Key Financial Highlights – Q2-2026 2 Strauss Group revenues of NIS 2,867 million, down 1.9% on a LFL basis.3 EBIT of NIS 363 million, up 41.9% (EBIT margin of 12.6%), ...
2026-08-12 02:47:38

Realty Income Prices Upsized $875.0 Million Convertible Senior Notes Offering
(MENAFN - PR Newswire) SAN DIEGO, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Realty Income Corporation (Realty Income, NYSE: O ), The Monthly Dividend Company–, today announced the pricing of its offering of ...
2026-08-12 02:47:38

COONTEC And Soongsil University Are Developing LLM-Based Power ISA Verification Pipeline
(MENAFN - GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) Connecting Structured ISA Specifications to Virtual-Machine ISS Code Generation and VerificationSEONGNAM, South Korea, Aug. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- COONTEC ...
2026-08-12 02:47:18

'Amit Shah Jawab Do': Oppn Ups Ante On Student Protest Issue
(MENAFN - AsiaNet News) Opposition demands answers from Amit Shah Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said the Opposition would continue its ...
2026-08-12 02:46:15

MU, SNDK, SKHY: Memory Stocks Rise As Report Of Temasek's Planned Investments In Samsung, SK Hynix Boosts KOSPI
(MENAFN - AsiaNet News) Micron stock gained 1.4% in the overnight session, while SanDisk shares were up 2.5%. The Singapore state fund sees the AI semiconductor segment as undervalued and has ...
2026-08-12 02:46:15

NIO Stock Suffers Worst Day In 2 Months: July Deliveries Show ES8 Rebounds, ES9 Stays Hot - But Rest Of The Lineup Struggles
(MENAFN - AsiaNet News) The ES8 and ES9 generated 46% of Nio's July deliveries and 83% of its core brand volume. ES8 deliveries rose 14.7% to 10,288, while ES9 deliveries fell 26.5% to 6,315. Onvo ...
2026-08-12 02:46:00

Bubbles Is Turning Up the Heat in Dancehall
St James native Bubbles Gillies is making waves in the dancehall scene with her hardcore [...] The post Bubbles Is Turning Up the Heat in Dancehall appeared first on McKoysNews .
2026-08-12 02:45:35

Samuels says there’s greater mistrust among British people about integrity of their judges when compared to Jamaicans’ response to local ones
August 10, 2026 Written byShanice Gibbs Amidst renewed discussions over the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) being the r...
2026-08-10 18:18:43

Kingston Central Police Division remain committed to removing gangs from the space
August 10, 2026 Written bySugar Ray Thomas Written By: Sugar Ray Thomas The Kingston Central Police Division say they ...
2026-08-10 18:18:42

Colombia earthquake live: Magnitude 7.4 quake strikes near Bogota, 47 dead
Residents and emergency personnel dig through the debris of a partially collapsed building after an earthquake, in Perei...
2026-08-10 18:18:33

‘A scare’: Brazil player leaps into tunnel in joy over goal
SAO PAULO, Brazil (AFP) -- A Brazilian footballer said Monday he was recovering well after an exuberant goal celebration saw him jump over a barrier and disappear into a tunnel. In a mishap that went viral, Jacy Maranhao, the captain and defender with the Coritiba club in Brazil's top league, leaped over the pitch perimeter and down an opening to stairs and a tunnel that access the locker rooms. A video of the bizarre incident during a match against Chapecoense on Saturday shows him clambering out afterward, stumbling and then continuing his celebration with teammates. His goal was ruled offside by VAR soon after. Jacy was substituted in the second half due to pain, but Coritiba went on to beat Chapecoense 2-1 in the 2026 Brasileirao. After the match he said he had gotten "carried away" as "defenders don't score many goals." In an interview with local media, he said he had wanted to celebrate with his pregnant wife, but had forgotten the access to the underground tunnel was on the other side of the advertising boards. "When I jumped... you know that feeling when you dream you're falling from a building? That's what it was like." The tunnel entrance is usually kept closed during play and only opened at the end of each half. Because the incident occurred shortly before halftime, the access area had already been opened. "At first it was more of a scare than anything else. During the match my foot was quite painful and I couldn't really put weight on it, but today I'm feeling much better and recovering well," Jacy wrote on social media. It is not the first such mishap at the Couto Pereira Stadium. In 2014, Cameroonian striker Joel Tagueu fell into the tunnel while celebrating a goal for Coritiba.
2026-08-10 18:18:11

MPLX LP Prices $2.25 Billion Senior Notes Offering
(MENAFN - PR Newswire) FINDLAY, Ohio, Aug. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- MPLX LP (NYSE: MPLX ) announced today that it has priced $2.25 billion in aggregate principal amount of unsecured senior notes in ...
2026-08-10 18:16:30

Grupo Supervielle Reports 2Q26 Results
(MENAFN - PR Newswire) ?Return to profitability, with Adjusted ROAE of 12.4% excluding extraordinary severance charges from the rightsizing plan Group headcount reduced 17% vs. year-end 2025, with ...
2026-08-10 18:16:30

The American Waterways Operators Issues Statement On Jones Act Waiver Extension
(MENAFN - PR Newswire) ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Waterways Operators, the national trade association of the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry, today ...
2026-08-10 18:16:30

REPL INVESTOR ALERT: Replimune Group, Inc. Investors With Substantial Losses Have Opportunity To Lead The Replimune Class Action Lawsuit
(MENAFN - PR Newswire) SAN DIEGO, Aug. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP If you suffered substantial losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the Replimune class ...
2026-08-10 18:16:30

Moneris Announces Acquisition By Francisco Partners
(MENAFN - PR Newswire) New investment from Francisco Partners and long-term referral agreements with BMO and RBC further the company's commitment to advancing Canadian commerce TORONTO, and SAN ...
2026-08-10 18:16:30

Deadline Alert: Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. (CAPR) Shareholders Who Lost Money Urged To Contact Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP About Securities Fraud Lawsuit
(MENAFN - GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) LOS ANGELES, Aug. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP reminds investors of the upcoming September 28, 2026 deadline to file a lead ...
2026-08-10 18:16:15

Vaz Prep’s 75th anniversary gala aims to honour its legacy and raise funds
KINGSTON, Jamaica — For 75 years, Vaz Preparatory has contributed significantly to the country’s education system. Several of its graduates have also gone on to excel in various fields including business, entertainment, sports, diplomacy and politics. On Saturday September 12, the school will host its 75th anniversary gala, a black-tie event scheduled to be held at the AC Hotel in Kingston. According to Peter Richardson, president of Vaz Preparatory School Past Students Association (VPSPSA), the anniversary gala event will serve multiple objectives. “The gala carries our anniversary theme, "Honouring Our Legacy. Inspiring the Future." Its aims are threefold,” Richardson told Observer Online on Saturday. “First, to honour the legacy of our founder Mrs Hazel Vaz, OD, to formally honour our main honouree Mrs Beverley Ulett, and to honour 30 plus educators and staff who have served Vaz for over 20 years, with the longest-tenured over 50 years, and to recognise alumni who have excelled across multiple disciplines. The second, is to reunite the global Vaz Prep family, which has graduates across Jamaica, North America and beyond. Thirdly, to raise funds for the school's next chapter: scholarships for deserving students, a solar energy installation to secure the school's future, a modern STEAM laboratory, and upgrades to the Creative Centre, which Mrs Ulett herself founded. Every ticket and sponsorship directly supports these projects through the Past Students Association, a registered 501(c)(3) organisation. We are also inviting alumni to sponsor gala seats for the school's teachers and long-serving staff — the people who made all of our stories possible.” Ambassador Lloyd Carney, CD and Jamaica’s Special Investment Envoy will deliver the keynote address at the gala. The technology executive and philanthropist is the founder of the school's computer labs that now bear his name, the Lloyd Carney Computer Lab, which the alumni through the Bridging the Digital Divide initiative, has since refreshed. The official Gala Ambassador is Sanya Richards-Ross, four-time Olympic gold medalist, London 2012 Olympic champion in the 400m and former American record holder. Fyah 105 FM’s DJ Bambino, who is also a past student of the institution, and Captain Roxene Nickle, JP, will both host the event, which will also feature a full artistic programme under musical director Joe Davis, with live saxophone interludes by Raheem Vassell. The evening will feature the Voices of Vaz series — a curated look at the journeys of alumni from ambassadors to Olympians — showcasing the lasting impact of their Vaz Prep foundation. The gala includes fine dining, awards and recognition, and graduates spanning seven decades travelling home from across the diaspora. Among the well-known entertainment personalities who have attended the institution are Grammy winning members of the Marley family, Ziggy, Stephen, Rohan and Cedella Marley. Recording artiste Chino McGregor and his brother, Stephen, a popular music producer, also attended Vaz Prep, so too medal winning athletes Alia Atkinson, Jaydon Hibbert, Reggae Boy Damion Lowe and Jaheel Hyde, Olympic hurdler; O'Dayne Richards, Commonwealth gold medalist; Marvin Watts, Olympic 800m runner; Wolde Harris, Reggae Boyz striker; Damani Ralph, MLS standout; and Llori Sharpe, professional road cyclist. Others include Oliver Mair, Jamaica's Consul General in Miami, and Franz Hall, Jamaica's Ambassador to Cuba and the Dominican Republic, Christopher Berry and Konrad Mark Berry, brothers behind Mayberry Investments; Kayree Berry Teape, CEO of the Mayberry Foundation; former Minister of Education Maxine Henry Wilson, Nari Williams-Singh, JP, former Director General of the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority and president of the 40th ICAO Assembly and Dr Renée Rattray, education transformation leader. Vaz Preparatory was founder on September 10, 1951, by Hazel Vaz shortly after Hurricane Charlie impacted the island. She started out by teaching three children in a converted garage at 111⁄2 Dunoon Road. Across 75 years, the school has educated an estimated 12,000 Jamaican children. Its academic record includes decades of Spelling Bee dominance — more than 35 Kingston championships and at least nine national titles — alongside a strong tradition of excellence in the Common Entrance and PEP examinations. Co-curricular achievements span championship track and field, football, netball and swimming, national festival medals in music, dance and speech, and artwork featured on national commemorative stamps.
2026-08-09 16:10:08

FIFA defends Infantino against allegations tied to his time at UEFA
LONDON (AP) — FIFA has issued a statement defending its president, Gianni Infantino, against what it calls a “concerted and ongoing effort” to undermine his leadership of the organisation. The statement was released Saturday, a day after a report by British newspaper The Daily Telegraph raising questions about an exit package paid by UEFA to a female staffer who worked with Infantino when he was general secretary of European soccer’s governing body.
2026-08-09 16:09:02

Radnet Reports Second Quarter Financial Results With Record Quarterly Revenue And Adjusted EBITDA(1) And Revises Upwards 2026 Financial Guidance Ranges
(MENAFN - GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) Total Company Revenue increased 25.0% to a quarterly record of $622.7 million in the second quarter of 2026 from $498.2 million in the second quarter of 2025 ...
2026-08-09 16:01:49

Concerns mount over integrity of Israel’s upcoming October elections
Concerns are being raised about the integrity of Israel’s upcoming general election with politicians, civil society gr...
2026-08-09 15:54:34

BVI developing water policy to assist farmers
TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands (CMC) – The British Virgin Islands is developing a new water policy outlining assistance and subsidies for farmers as it moves ahead with plans to improve water storage at the Paraquita Bay Agricultural Station. Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley said the policy is expected to be completed soon and is intended to address long-standing water challenges affecting the agriculture sector. “The Ministry of the Premier’s Office should produce for us very soon a water policy for our farmers that will help to clarify what types of assistance and subsidies our farmers get as it pertains to water,” Wheatley said. The premier made the disclosure during a recent news conference while responding to questions about the impact of drought and water shortages on residents and farmers. He said the government is also advancing plans to construct reservoirs at the Paraquita Bay Agricultural Station, with the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) overseeing the project. “I got a good update on the reservoirs we’re seeking to build at the Paraquita Bay Station, an agricultural station, which will provide water for our farmers,” Wheatley said. He said the RDA is moving ahead with the project, which the government hopes will be completed next year. Efforts to establish a reliable water supply for farmers at Paraquita Bay have been underway for several years amid complaints about unreliable supplies and the high cost of purchasing water. In May 2025, the RDA signed a US$224,639.60 contract for the design and construction management of the Farmers’ Reservoir. The project includes engineering design and oversight of water mains and other infrastructure to support irrigation and livestock. Five farmers also received 1,000-gallon water tanks in March under an Organization of Eastern Caribbean States-supported programme aimed at improving rainwater harvesting, irrigation and water reserves for livestock. Wheatley said the government is providing assistance to farmers while work on the reservoir project continues. “In the meantime, we’re doing our best to provide water to our farmers,” he said, acknowledging the challenges facing the sector. The premier said the territory’s broader water problems are also being addressed through investments in pipelines, reservoirs and distribution infrastructure, with water designated as a critical national priority.
2026-08-09 15:45:37

Olivia Wilde On 'The Invite': The Most Incredible Experience Of My Life
(MENAFN - IANS) Los Angeles, Aug 10 (IANS) Hollywood actress-director Olivia Wilde is currently presenting her directorial 'The Invite' at the Locarno Film Festival. She interacted with the audience ...
2026-08-09 15:45:24

Trump Signals Shift Away From New Iran Strikes, Says US Is 'Low-Keying It'
(MENAFN - Live Mint) US President Donald Trump has signalled that his administration is easing off the prospect of further military strikes against Iran, saying Washington is instead allowing ...
2026-08-09 15:31:10

Banco Falabella Launches Zero-Fee Online Account In Chile The Rio Times
(MENAFN - The Rio Times) Digital Banking Key Facts - The account. Banco Falabella is promoting a current account with zero monthly maintenance, opened entirely online. - The August promotion. ...
2026-08-09 15:14:33

Argentina Daily Cash Withdrawal Limits 2026, Bank By Bank The Rio Times
(MENAFN - The Rio Times) Personal Finance Key Facts - No national cap. Argentina's central bank lets each bank set its own daily ATM withdrawal limit. - Wide range. Limits span from ARS 400,000 ...
2026-08-09 15:14:33

Bifrost Submarine Cable Lands In Rosarito, Baja California The Rio Times
(MENAFN - The Rio Times) Digital Infrastructure Key Facts - The cable. Bifrost is a trans-Pacific submarine cable system backed by Meta, Telin, and Keppel. - The landing. The Rosarito branch has ...
2026-08-09 15:14:33

Beijing Gains 2029 World Capital Of Architecture Title Arabian Post
(MENAFN - The Arabian Post) Beijing has been designated the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture for 2029, placing the Chinese capital at the centre of a global programme examining how ...
2026-08-08 14:18:18

Lionel Messi’s father Jorge dies aged 68
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AFP) — Jorge Messi, the father and agent of Lionel Messi, has died aged 68, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner's childhood club Newell's Old Boys announced on Saturday. Argentinian media reported Jorge Messi had passed away on Friday in a hospital in Rosario. "His constant companionship and behind-the-scenes leadership were essential in backing every step of Lionel," Newell's Old Boys said in a social media post. Jorge Messi was his son's first coach in Argentina and his sole companion when he first moved to Barcelona as a child, before later becoming his agent. "My father helped me enormously. He is very critical of me. That made me always want to push myself further," Lionel Messi told DirecTV Sports in 2022. Messi's family asked the media for "humanity" during the recent World Cup amid persistent rumours over Jorge's health.
2026-08-08 14:15:35

Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds Take Their 4 Kids To Wrexham Soccer Game
(MENAFN - AsiaNet News) Blake Lively gave fans a rare glimpse into her family life with husband Ryan Reynolds and their four children as they attended a soccer match at New York's Yankee Stadium, ...
2026-08-08 14:15:23

US Senate Confirms Todd Blanche As Attorney General
(MENAFN - The Peninsula) QNA Washington: The US Senate has confirmed Todd Blanche as Attorney General of the United States. The Senate approved Blanche's nomination by a narrow 50-49 vote, formally ...
2026-08-08 14:03:13

China's Administrative Measures” At Scarborough Reef
(MENAFN - U.S. Department of State) The United States rejects China's ongoing attempts to enforce its destabilizing–national nature reserve– at Scarborough Reef and deny Filipino fishermen access to ...
2026-08-08 14:02:35

The Anniversary Of A Historic Breakthrough And The Trump Route For International Peace And Prosperity (TRIPP)
(MENAFN - U.S. Department of State) One year ago today, President Trump secured peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan when he hosted President Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Prime Minister Pashinyan of ...
2026-08-08 14:02:35

The Wrong Beneficiary On A Retirement Account Can Create A Costly Surprise
(MENAFN - Saving Advice) A retirement account can represent decades of saving, yet one outdated form can determine where all that money goes after the owner dies. Many people assume their will ...
2026-08-08 14:02:11

Why Police Say Never Leave Visible Items In Your Car - Even For A Minute
(MENAFN - Saving Advice) You might think it's harmless to leave something in your car for–just a minute,– but police say that's exactly how most break-ins happen. The truth is, the one item you ...
2026-08-08 14:02:11

Home Safety Checks That Can Help Older Adults Stay Independent Longer
(MENAFN - Saving Advice) More than 55% to 60% of all falls happen inside the home, and over 75% take place in or immediately around the house. Staying safely in your own home as you get older does ...
2026-08-08 14:02:11

6 Travel Discounts Older Adults Should Check Before A Fall Trip
(MENAFN - Saving Advice) Fall can be one of the best times for older adults to travel, with cooler temperatures, changing leaves, and fewer families tied to summer vacation schedules. But ...
2026-08-08 14:02:10

Meta ordered to pay $567 million in US over ‘public nuisance’ child harm
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP)—A United States (US) state court has ordered Meta to pay $567 million and limit some features for children on its Facebook and Instagram platforms, saying the social media giant had created a "public nuisance" that endangered young users. The ruling in New Mexico on Thursday adds to a previous fine of $375 million in the same case in March, when a jury found the social media giant liable for making youths vulnerable to predators on its platforms. While Meta said it would appeal, the decision sets a precedent at a time when dozens of other US states are pursuing lawsuits alleging harms to children and their mental health, including a major trial against Meta set to open in California next week. "Today's decision is a victory for every parent who has worried about what social media is doing to their child and every child who deserves to grow up safer online," New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez said. "This case has always been about protecting children, standing up for families, and making sure that one of the world's largest technology companies cannot profit from practices that endanger young people without consequence." It was the first time a US court has found a social media firm guilty of creating a "public nuisance", amid thousands of lawsuits claiming Meta had put children at risk. Around three-fourths of the $567 million payment ordered Thursday will be earmarked for a mental health treatment fund, to be paid over five years. The remainder will be allocated to programs for "awareness and prevention" of potential dangers to youths and ensuring Meta implements the ordered changes. - Limits on 'like' counts - Judge Bryan Biedscheid said in his ruling that teenagers were particularly susceptible to features designed to capture and boost engagement such as autoplay, infinite scrolling, "like" counts, push notifications and algorithmic recommendations. He ordered Meta to limit push notifications and usage to 90 hours a month for users under 18, or around three hours daily on average, and to block certain notifications altogether during school hours. It must also hide "like counts" and pursue efforts to ensure children in New Mexico who are under 13 are not allowed to join Facebook or Instagram. Meta will also have to provide the court with updates twice a year regarding its efforts to comply. "We disagree with the ruling and will appeal," Meta told AFP in a statement. It said it remained "confident in our record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts". - More trials loom - During closing arguments, prosecutor Linda Singer told the jury that Meta had concealed internal findings about the risks to young people, even as its algorithms directed adults toward content posted by teens. The company had already been found guilty in March of violating New Mexico's Unfair Practices Act by misleading consumers about the safety of its products for children. More than 30 US states are suing Meta over similar allegations. In July, a US teenager dropped his lawsuit against Meta just days before the trial was set to begin after confidential settlements with it alongside YouTube, TikTok and Snap. A first bellwether trial for social media harms on mental health concluded in March, when a Los Angeles jury ordered Meta and Google to pay a 20-year-old woman $6 million. In May, Meta, Snap, TikTok and YouTube reached confidential settlements with a Kentucky school district.
2026-08-07 12:29:18

Saudi ⁠Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye sign defence deal amid regional turmoil
BREAKINGBREAKING, Saudi ⁠Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye have signed a ⁠joint defence agreement, Pakistan’s ⁠foreig...
2026-08-07 12:06:11

Houthi attacks on gov’t forces hint that a major battle in Yemen is brewing
Sanaa, Yemen – Houthi missiles and drones struck military locations inside Yemen on Thursday, leaving at least 30 gove...
2026-08-07 12:06:08

Trump says war ‘can’t go much longer’ – what’s the latest on talks?
United States President Donald Trump told reporters on Thursday that he believes the war on Iran is nearing an end, prom...
2026-08-07 12:06:05

Norwegian football federation calls for Infantino to resign
OSLO, Norway (AFP)—The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF), among the fiercest critics of FIFA president Gianni Infantino for several years, will call for his resignation, its head Lise Klaveness said on Friday. "He does not have the institutional trust required to lead FIFA in a stable manner in the current climate. There is no turning back for Gianni Infantino," Klaveness told reporters. "We are going to ask the FIFA president to resign now," she said, a day after a meeting of the Norwegian federation's governing bodies, which among other things examined the fate of the much-criticised FIFA chief. He is standing for re-election for a fourth and final term next March. President of FIFA since 2016 and currently the only declared candidate, Infantino must secure a majority of the 211 votes from the organisation's members in order to be re-elected. Candidates must declare by November 18. The Italian-Swiss lawyer has come under enormous pressure since the failure of his plan -- which was revealed last week -- to open FIFA competitions, including the jewel in the crown the World Cup, to private investors. "Given the chaos we find ourselves in, he can no longer be the figure capable of uniting people," Klaveness told AFP. Some, including his disgraced predecessor Sepp Blatter, have suggested Klaveness as a possible candidate to succeed Infantino -- which would make her the first woman to head FIFA. "She was the only one who always took a clear stand and did not go along with the mainstream. And at FIFA, the time is right for a woman to take the lead," Blatter wrote on social network X. "We're not there yet," Klaveness told AFP. "For us, it's now about the issues I just mentioned, and not about particular individuals. "It would be strange for me to start answering questions about myself, and that goes for everyone," the 45-year-old lawyer and former international footballer added. The Norwegian federation has decided to refer three cases to FIFA's ethics committee: the aborted plan to open up to private investors, the lifting of the suspension of US player Folarin Balogun at the 2026 World Cup following an intervention by US President Donald Trump, and FIFA's awarding of a so-called 'Peace Prize' to Trump. It will also request a full review of the reforms to which Infantino had committed.
2026-08-07 12:01:55

Republican Lisa Murkowski opposes Todd Blanche nomination for US attorney general
Murkowski cited concerns over the “politicisation” of the Justice Department, putting Blanche's confirmation in jeopardy.
2026-08-07 11:40:45

Card, Douglas win silver in 100m at World U20 Championships
OREGON, USA — Jamaica’s Gary Card and Shanoya Douglas won silver medals in the men and women’s 100m on Thursday night at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. It was the first medals for Jamaica at the championships, putting them in ninth position on the medals tables. Americans Tate Taylor and Mia Maxwell delighted the home fans by winning the double, only the second time athletes from the same country had taken both gold medals at the same under-20 championships after Americans Noah Lyles and Candace Hill achieved the feat in 2016 in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Card got off to a fast start but was chased and caught by Tate who passed him to win in a personal best 9.94 seconds (0.1m/s), the Jamaican second in 10.05 seconds. South Africa’s Marko Ferreira took the bronze with 10.16 seconds. Maxwell got the edge over Douglas at the start and held off the Jamaican to the tape, running 11.14 seconds (-0.1m/s). Douglas finished second in 11.17 seconds with Italy’s Kelly Ann Maevane Doualla Edimo third in 11.27 seconds. Theianna-Lee Terrelonge was sixth in 11.37 seconds It was the first time in 10 years an American won the women’s 100m and snapped the four-championships winning streak by the Jamaicans – Briana Williams in 2018, Tina Clayton in 2021 and 2022 and Alana Reid in 2024. Also on Thursday, thrower Able Mills failed to record a legal throw in both the women’s discus and shot put finals that were held within two hours of each other. Mills had thrown distances close to her lifetime bests to qualify for both finals but failed to make a legal mark in either. Jamaica also failed to qualify any runner in the 400m finals set for Friday afternoon, all four failing to get past their semifinals. Jabari Matheson who was running his fourth 400m race in two days, placed sixth in his semi-final in 47.29 seconds, the first time he failed to go under the 47.00 second mark at the championships. Jason Pitter failed to get up to his high standards, and was sixth in his semi-final in 46.50 seconds after he advanced on time from the first round. Daniellia Dixon was fifth in her semi-final in 53.77 seconds and Shameika McLean, who had run three times since the start of the championships, just failed to get into the final after placing fourth in her semis in 54.24 seconds. -Paul A Reid
2026-08-07 11:37:34

‘De-escalation’: Europe hesitates as US pushes for Hormuz naval mission
The United States has spent months trying to forge an international naval coalition to escort vessels through the embatt...
2026-08-07 11:05:37

Central Europe sees record temperatures as heatwave continues
News|Climate Crisis Central Europe has seen record-breaking temperatures amid a sweltering heatwave, as energy and trans...
2026-08-07 11:05:35

Houthi strikes in Yemen as Saudi Arabia braces for attacks: What we know
Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen launched at least 12 fresh missile attacks on the Yemeni provinces of Hadramout and M...
2026-08-07 11:05:34

Sheikh Hasina vows to return, but will Bangladesh accept fugitive ex-PM?Â
Dhaka, Bangladesh – Two years after she was ousted and forced to flee to India following a student-led uprising, forme...
2026-08-06 10:35:41

US-Israel war on Iran upends Europeâ€TMs summer holiday travel patternsÂ
London, United Kingdom – Nadia Waleed had set off from London with her husband and three daughters for a holiday in Ba...
2026-08-06 10:35:39

Sudan war threatens ancient Meroe pyramids, a UNESCO Heritage SiteÂ
Sudan’s war is endangering the ancient pyramids of Meroe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as fighting and a lack of secu...
2026-08-06 10:35:36

Hormuz deal †̃closeâ€TM: Whatâ€TMs the latest on each sideâ€TMs positions?Â
Iran says a deal with Oman to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is “on the verge of being finalised” after both countries ...
2026-08-06 10:35:34

Estados Unidos: "Los resultados en Michigan reflejan la movilización de la izquierda demócrata"
En Estados Unidos el candidato del ala izquierda del partido democrata, Abdul El-Sayed, ganó la eleccion primaria en Michigan y será el candidato democrata para la eleccion al senado. Durante su campañana, El-Sayed se ha caracterizado por sus criticas contra el la politica israeli en Gaza y por eliminar la presencia de ICE. Para Ernesto Calvo, profesor de política de la Universidad de Maryland, la victoria de El.Sayed confirma un movimiento que empezó en Nueva York con Zohran Mamdani.
2026-08-06 10:07:22

What to know about this weekâ€TMs US primary elections in Tennessee and HawaiiÂ
Voters in Tennessee and Hawaii are headed to the polls for another key round of midterm primaries, where they will choo...
2026-08-06 09:34:32

Ley de medios en México: ¿Defensa de la audiencia o intento de censura?
En México, con su reforma del "derecho de las audiencias", el Gobierno quiere instaurar nuevas obligaciones para los medios audiovisuales. Pretende, por ejemplo, que se haga una distinción clara entre información, opinión y publicidad. Y prevé multas para los medios en caso de infracción a la ética periodística. La presidenta mexicana asegura que se busca de que no haya mentiras en los medios, pero los detractores de esta reforma denuncian un intento de censura.
2026-08-06 09:23:55

On This Day in 1962: Jamaicans Remember the Birth of an Independent Nation
On August 6, 1962, Jamaica took its place among the world’s independent nations. As the Union Jack was lowered and the Black, Green and Gold was raised for the very first time, thousands of Jamaicans witnessed a moment that would shape the country’s future. Sixty-four years later, those who witnessed that historic day still remember [...]
2026-08-06 09:00:00

Russian strikes kill six in Ukraine as Moscow intercepts hundreds of dronesÂ
News|Russia-Ukraine war Russian strikes on eastern Ukraine have killed at least six people overnight, local authorities ...
2026-08-06 08:33:35

Ireland miss direct 2027 ODI World Cup qualification after first ODI washout against Afghanistan
Bready [UK], August 6 (ANI): Ireland's hopes of securing direct qualification for the 2027 ICC Men's ODI World Cup came to an end after the opening ODI against Afghanistan was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to persistent rain in Bready. According to Cricinfo, the washout ruled out Ireland's slim mathematical chance of climbing into the automatic qualification places in the ICC men's ODI rankings before
2026-08-06 05:59:51