[RFI] French President Emmanuel Macron met his Congolese counterpart Felix Tshisekedi on Monday in Paris. The visit, which will continue tomorrow, Tuesday, will focus on business partnerships, but is also likely to touch on the war in eastern DRC.

[The Conversation Africa] In 2022, as the world was slowly beginning to recover from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, an outbreak of mpox - then still called monkeypox - began spreading at an alarming rate in many countries worldwide. Confirmed cases were cropping up in places where the disease wasn't normally present (endemic) - and it was spreading quickly among certain groups.

[DW] President Felix Tshisekedi was in Germany to meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He spoke with DW exclusively about the ongoing Congo-Rwanda standoff, his country's first female prime minister and German infrastructure.

Les résultats de la consultation sur la réforme des rythmes scolaires ont été dévoilés par le ministre de l'éducation, ce lundi, lors d'une conférence de presse. La majorité des parents et des professeurs veulent du changement et Ronny Teriipaia, dit vouloir suivre l'avis du plus grand nombre. Chaque commune pourra avoir un scénario différent.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre says he would use «whatever tools the constitution allows» to pass crime laws if his party forms the next government.

US State Department says at least five Israeli security units committed gross violations of human rights against Palestinians Read Full Article at RT.com

Dozens of pro-Palestine activists have been detained at the University of Texas Read Full Article at RT.com

The proposal consists of two phases, the first of which calls for 20 to 33 hostages to be released in exchange for the pause in hostilities

Dmitry Polyansky added that Moscow hoped that the current situation will be «cardinally corrected.» He also reiterated that legally binding agreements with the host country existed

«There were three experts: on finance, general issues and the nuclear program», the source said

«As of now, over 180 agency’s employees have been killed in the Gaza Strip which is an absolute record low for the UN,» the Dmitry Polyansky noted

One of the assault regiment commanders told that Ukrainian units frequently deliver erroneous artillery strikes on their own positions

Yahoo is reportedly letting go of its editorial and social media teams in Singapore as it moves towards the curation of content here. The digital news publication, which uses a mix of third-party and original reporting, will be laying off some staff in Singapore. The Straits Times understands that the decision stemmed from a thorough evaluation by Yahoo, which found that its partner content has consistently driven engagement. The Edge Singapore reported on April 29 that 17 staff are affected by the shift in Yahoo’s strategy, and will leave the company after May 7.  They will receive slightly more than two weeks’ pay per year of service, reported The Edge Singapore, citing an anonymous source. Affected staff had met a human resources representative on April 23. Under its new strategy, Yahoo is hiring three “curation editors” and a market lead for Yahoo News Singapore. Newsrooms contributing syndicated content to Yahoo include HuffPost, AFP News, Reuters, EdgeProp and The Edge Singapore. Workers who were laid off were told that they can apply for the new roles, reported The Edge Singapore. 

BOGOR - Singapore has held its own on the international stage in the past 20 years and has secured its place on the global map by participating in discussions on many issues, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. He was in Bogor, West Java, for the Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat, where he told Singapore media during an interview on April 29 that it was his last overseas trip as prime minister. When asked for some reflections on the past two decades of meeting international leaders and representing Singapore, PM Lee noted how the Republic contributed to discussions on world issues. “Over 20 years, Singapore has held its own internationally, we have managed to promote cooperation to contribute to discussions in many global forums,” he said. Singapore has also played its part in addressing climate change, as well as in trade pacts like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

MADRID — Police investigating the death of Singaporean Audrey Fang are looking into the origins of a note left on her tablet that appears to justify a change in her Central Provident Fund (CPF) nomination to a «trusted confidant». The nomination is for a payout from her CPF savings in the event of her death. The note also granted the unknown beneficiary a «friendly loan of US$50,000 (S$68,000) based on our friendship in the past», separate from the CPF nomination.  Spanish media outlet La Verdad de Murcia reported on April 28 that the Civil Guard, one of two national police forces, was examining the note written on the 39-year-old's iPad on March 24. «I want to declare that my decision to name you in my CPF is because you have been a friend for a long time and my trusted confidant,» read the note. The newspaper said the message «raises as many questions as it answers». Ms Fang was found dead with 30 stab wounds and other injuries near a parking area for lorries in the town of Abanilla in south-eastern Spain on April 10 while she was on a solo trip.

PM Modi revealed on Monday the untold story of how he ensured Pakistan was the first to officially hear about the 2019 Balakot airstrike, linking it to BJP-governed “new India’s policy of looking an adversary in the eye and speaking the truth rather than resorting to stealth”, reports Gururaj Jamkhandi.

In first change to the guidance in 25 years, federal agency says repeatedly misgendering employees or denying them access to a bathroom consistent with their gender identity amounts to workplace harassment.

The 19-year-old student was repeatedly stabbed to death by Valdo Calocane, 32, as she came to the aid of Barnaby Webber.

QUENTIN LETTS: It went on a bit and things became weepy towards the end. He'd had a wonderful time and was adamant he felt no ill-will to anyone.

Mr Yousaf announced he would resign four days after he tore up the power-sharing agreement he had with the Scottish Greens.

A Charlotte police officer killed in a shooting that left three other US Marshals task force members dead outside a North Carolina home has been identified.

L'acte a été officialisé à l'occasion du dernier conseil des ministres, dans le cadre de la réforme de la Protection Sociale Généralisée (PSG). A partir du 1er juin prochain, les membres du gouvernement seront affiliés au régime de retraite de base des travailleurs salariés. Une première dans l’histoire de la Polynésie et de la CPS.

A deputy U.S. marshal was shot and killed and several other law enforcement officers were wounded Monday as they tried to serve a fugitive warrant in North Carolina, federal authorities said.

Rhod Gilbert is delighted to be back on stage performing stand-up comedy two years after he was diagnosed with cancer.

The first-ever Seychelles Coral Festival was held recently by the Seychelles Parks and Garden Authority (SPGA) to share information about corals and the different projects undertaken to protect them. Shazelle Julie, assistant park officer for the SPGA, told SNA that the event was organised in collaboration with Absa Bank Seychelles, which will be adopting the Port Launay Marine Park. In addition, Absa Bank Seychelles wanted to promote the importance of coral through this festival. «Corals are one of the biggest economic drives we have in Seychelles. Without them, we wouldn't have fish and we wouldn't have tourists. Many of us would be jobless. They also play an important part in the absorption of CO₂ (carbon dioxide),» she said. The Aquaculture Department had a live display aquarium and several non-governmental organisations such as the Marine Conservation Society Seychelles (MCSS), the Seychelles Islands Foundation and Nature Seychelles were present for the festival. The NGOs were giving information on projects they are implementing and how the public can participate in conservation. Representatives from the Seychelles Investment Board (SIB) were also on the lookout for potential investors and shared information on possible investments in the Blue Economy in the country.   The Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT) participated and advertised the Blue Grants Fund 8. The grant was launched recently and is still open for application from entrepreneurs and investors. Most of the organisations had on display facts linked to conservation and corals. (Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY The Grants and Fundraising officer for SeyCAAT, Diana Renaud, told SNA this festival is the ideal place to promote the Blue Grants Fund 8. «This is good for businesses who may have a product that doesn't harm corals or maybe a feasibility study is needed, they may apply under the criteria set for the fund, among which is that the project should aim to reduce risk and build resilience to climate change,» said Renaud. The request for proposals was opened on April 15 and will close on May 27. Most of the stalls had interactive activities for people to participate and use facts linked to conservation and corals. Alisha Belle, who took part, said that this festival is very important for promoting more awareness about corals and the crucial role they play in our environment. «There's a lot of coral bleaching happening at the moment and this festival gets people thinking about these issues,» she said. A student from the School of Advanced Level Studies (SAL), Lishad Morgan, said, «What I found interesting is the information about how most people do not think about corals and how their actions may impact them. Such as people who are out on excursions, dropping their anchors without care, or even divers not being careful with their fins near the coral reefs. This started with previous generations but we have to protect what is left for our future generations.» The event also hosted several professionals in the scientific community in Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. They held panel discussions about the importance of corals, and anyone could sit and listen.  

Developers presented a five-star luxury resort project to be made at the palace of former UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who passed away in 2022, to members of the public at the Grand Anse Mahe district administration's office on Saturday. It was revealed in the meeting that the owners of the building at La Misere plan to convert it into a 54-room luxury resort that would also include six villas, and construction is expected to be completed in August 2026. This initial meeting with residents and other concerned citizens is part of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) carried out before any such projects are undertaken. ECO-SOL is the local company carrying out the EIA for this project and through the various presentations, it revealed that the Seychelles Investment Board (SIB) granted the developers approval to proceed with the EIA in 2023. Those attending the meeting were also informed that in order to build the new establishment, certain parts of the palace will be demolished, while others will be elevated to the same height as the tallest building of the palace. One of the establishment's features will be a swimming pool on the roof. During the meeting, one of the attendees, Nelson Renaud, expressed his concerns at the fact that SIB had granted permission to proceed to the next step of carrying out an EIA. «You were given a plot of land to stay there, live there and not build a hotel,» he said. Sheikh Khalifa bought the former United States' satellite tracking station land for $395,000 in 2005. Renaud said SIB should not have given this plot of land to do that and expressed his concern that «SIB is asking all Seychellois to develop their plot of land in a sustainable manner» causing him to ask the developers whether the project was one that would be sustainable. Other issues raised by people who attended were water pollution, the endangerment of endemic species in the area such as the Seychelles white-eye (Zwazo linet) bird, and noise and vibration disturbances. The developer's legal counsel, Basil Siddiqui, asked that the project be looked at with an open mind. «Do not be overly cynical. Look at the conduct of the project's particular owner. This particular project owner has actively taken part for two decades in the development of infrastructure and other amenities in this country,» he added. Meanwhile, once the EIA is completed, interested parties will have a fortnight to view the document.

Kenyan President William Ruto called on richer countries Monday to boost contributions to a World Bank fund to help African development and the fight against climate change. His comments came at a summit of African leaders and the World Bank in the Kenyan capital Nairobi to discuss building financial support for the continent of 1.2 billion people. Ruto urged donors to the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA) to raise their contributions to at least $120 billion in 2024, from $93 billion raised in 2021. «As many African and other developing nations face severe debt crises, this financial strain hampers our efforts to combat climate change, transition to a low-carbon economy, and adequately fund essential sectors like education, health, and social protection,» he said. The leaders were discussing how the IDA could help improve services such as energy and health care across Africa. «The rising cost of living, increasing commodity prices, and supply chain disruptions severely impact our food security, healthcare systems, and overall preparedness for and response to crises,» Ruto said. The summit comes as Kenya and other East African countries are battling heavy rains and flooding that have claimed the lives of scores of people in recent weeks. Africa is responsible for the smallest amount of carbon emissions but is hit disproportionately hard by droughts, flooding, storms and heatwaves. Donors to the IDA fund meet every three years to «to replenish IDA's resources and review its policy framework,» the World Bank says on its website. The IDA helps developing nations in Africa and other parts of the world through grants and loans with low interest rates. World Bank president Ajay Banga told the meeting there was a need to act «with urgency» and said that the IDA, the World Bank, governments and the private sector should do more. «We are working to make IDA more efficient and able to deliver faster by cutting burdensome rules, requirements, and redundancies,» he added. © Agence France-Presse

Hamas has been offered a 40-day ceasefire and the release of «potentially thousands» of Palestinian prisoners in return for freeing Israeli hostages, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said Monday. The Palestinian militant group has been given «a very generous offer of sustained 40 days ceasefire, the release of potentially thousands of Palestinian prisoners, in return for the release of these hostages», Cameron told a World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh. A Hamas delegation is due in Egypt on Monday, where it is expected to respond to the latest proposal for a truce in Gaza and a release of hostages after almost seven months of war. «I hope Hamas do take this deal and frankly, all the pressure in the world and all the eyes of the world should be on them today saying take that deal,» Cameron said, adding the proposal would lead to a «stop in the fighting that we all want to see so badly». Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been trying to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas for months, but a flurry of diplomacy in recent days appeared to suggest a new push towards halting hostilities. The UK foreign minister said that for a «political horizon for a two-state solution», with an independent Palestine co-existing with Israel, the «people responsible for October 7, the Hamas leadership, would have to leave Gaza and you've got to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza». «You've got to see a political future for the Palestinian people, but you've also crucially got to see security for Israel and those two things have to go together,» he added. © Agence France-Presse

The UGC-NET exam has been rescheduled to take place on June 18 instead of the previously planned date of June 16, as notified by the National Testing Agency. The decision to postpone the exam was made in response to concerns raised by aspirants regarding the clash of dates between the UPSC Prelims and NET exams.

Uttarakhand continued to deal with the persistent forest fire problem on Monday. The state reported 47 new incidents, burning approximately 78 hectares of forest land. The majority of these fires affected the Kumaon region, with 30 incidents destroying an area of 51 hectares. Garhwal also recorded 16 incidents, impacting 25 hectares, with one incident burning 1.5 hectares of protected forests.

The Ministry of External Affairs summoned the Canadian Deputy High Commissioner on Monday and expressed strong opposition to the open chanting of separatist pro-Khalistan slogans at an event where Canadian PM Justin Trudeau was speaking. Trudeau spoke at a 'Khalsa Day' event in Toronto where banners saying 'Modi wanted' were displayed, causing concern among Indian intelligence officials, according to sources.

A report in the Washington Post, a newspaper based in the United States, has alleged that Vikram Yadav, an officer from the Research and Analysis Wing, directed a hired hit team to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Khalistani separatist based in the US. Last year, authorities in the United States indicted Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, for the conspiracy.

Video captured the moment police dragged protestors away from a courtyard in the university, which was founded in 1257.