News Briefs

Man killed along Camperdown Road

The Elletson Road police are investigating the shooting death of a man, who was pounced upon by unknown assailants on Monday along Camperdown Road in Kingston 16.

The deceased is yet to be identified.

Reports are that around midday, the now-deceased male had been standing along the corridor, when a dark-coloured motor car drove up.

A lone assailant emerged from the vehicle with a firearm and engaged in a chase with the man.

The attacker then shot the victim several times before subsequently making his escape in the motor vehicle.

Pedlar shot dead

A male pedlar from the Kingston 14 area was shot dead by unknown assailants at his home on Tuesday.

The victim has been identified as Dean ‘Deanie’ Simmonds, who operated along North Street in Denham Town.

According to reports from the Denham Town police, around 4:20 a.m. residents reported hearing explosions and summoned the cops.

When they arrived, they found Simmonds suffering from gunshot wounds.

He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Investigations continue.

Vatican says health of retired pope Benedict XVI ‘worsening’

VATICAN CITY (AP):

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI ‘s health worsened on Wednesday due to advanced age and doctors are constantly monitoring his condition, the Vatican said, as Pope Francis appealed to the faithful to pray for his “very ill” predecessor “until the end”.

Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said Francis went to visit the frail 95-year-old Benedict in the monastery on Vatican grounds, where he has lived since retiring in February 2013.

“Regarding the health condition of the emeritus pope, for whom Pope Francis asked for prayers at the end of his general audience this morning, I can confirm that in the last hours, a worsening due to advanced age has happened,’’ Bruni said in a written statement.

At the end of his customary Wednesday audience with the public in a Vatican auditorium, Francis departed from his prepared remarks to say that Benedict is “very ill” and asked the faithful to pray for the retired pontiff.

Francis didn’t elaborate on Benedict’s condition.

Benedict, who was the first pontiff to resign in 600 years, has become increasingly frail in recent years as he dedicated his post-papacy life to prayer and meditation.