In case you missed it, here are OBSERVER ONLINE’s top 10 stories for today:

1. Cabinet discusses traffic management plans for start of 2019/2020 school year

At the first meeting of the Cabinet after the summer recess, yesterday (Monday August 26), discussions were held on issues related to enforcement of the road traffic laws and the plans of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) for traffic flow management for the start of the new school year.

2. PNP Caretaker wants urgent repairs to Baxter’s Mountain bridge in St Mary

People’s National Party (PNP) caretaker for South Eastern St Mary, Dr Shane Alexis, is calling on the government to make urgent repairs to the bridge linking the Baxter’s Mountain community and Annotto Bay in the parish, saying that it has become “a threat to life and should now be condemned from use”.

3. EIA for mining in St Ann and Trelawny not ready for public consultation, says NEPA

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) says that the draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for proposed mining areas in St Ann and Trelawny by Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners II is being reviewed and as such no mining will be allowed in the areas until a decision is taken by the Natural Resources Conservation Authority and the Town and Country Planning Authority (TCPA).

4. Address water crisis ahead of the reopening of schools, PNP urges Gov’t

Leader of the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) and Member of Parliament for East Central St Andrew, Dr Peter Phillips is calling on the government to respond immediately to “the urgent cry of residents for water in affected communities”.

5. Kingston man arrested in firearm seizure

A man was taken into custody following a joint police/military operation on Varma Road in Kingston 11, which resulted in the seizure of a firearm and ammunition on Monday, August 26, the police have reported.

6. 10-y-o boy goes missing at Hellshire Beach

Ten-year-old Romaine Hunter, otherwise called ‘Navie’, of Salt Pond Road in St Catherine has been reported missing since Sunday, August 25.Romaine is of dark complexion, slim build and is about four feet tall.

7. UHWI urges staff to report sexual harassment

The University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) has issued a memorandum to staff addressing the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace which, it says, has become a viral issue in the country.

8. Performance criteria for contractors to be introduced in procurement process — Holness

Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, says he has mandated the new procurement authority to develop a policy outline to introduce performance management contracting in the procurement process.

9. Puerto Rico mobilizes as potential hurricane approaches

Puerto Rico has mobilized thousands of federal agents ahead of what threatens to be the first hurricane to lash the US territory since it was ravaged by Maria in 2017, authorities said Tuesday.

10. We are deforesting Amazon ‘to survive’ — Brazil farmer

On his block of land deep in the Amazon rainforest, Aurelio Andrade says deforestation is the only way he and other farmers can survive in the remote region where fires are raging.