The WSJ quotes a Ukrainian scholar as saying his compatriots are growing disappointed after seeing the lengths the US has gone to for Israel Read Full Article at RT.com

Russia and Algeria have agreed to work together to combat terrorism and other crimes under a cooperation agreement for 2024–2025 Read Full Article at RT.com

The secretary of the Russian Security Council, Nikolay Patrushev, has confirmed a Ukrainian link to recent terrorist attack has been found Read Full Article at RT.com

French government insiders have told Bloomberg that some security officials are worried about the president’s approach to Russia Read Full Article at RT.com

A fire has engulfed Denmark’s historic old stock exchange building in Copenhagen in an incident similar the 2019 Notre Dame blaze in Paris Read Full Article at RT.com

As senior leaders of the Thunder Bay Police Service and its oversight board say they are committed to accountability and rebuilding trust with the community, Indigenous leaders in the region say that words are no longer enough and they need to see action.  

Thirty years after he was attacked, one of the victims in an Ontario child sex predator cold case says he felt «joy, then sadness» when he learned of a recent arrest. The victim says police doubted his story at first.

Outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will be taking on the role of Senior Minister, continuing his service in Cabinet, Deputy PM Lawrence Wong said in a doorstop with the media at the Ministry of Communications and Information on Tuesday (April 16). «It has never been the case that when there is a leadership transition, all the older ministers step down at the same time,» DPM Wong said.  «Instead, they continue to contribute in different ways while making room for the younger ones to step up.» This comes after the announcement on Monday that Wong will become Prime Minister on May 15, taking the reins from Lee.  The 51-year-old will be sworn in at the Istana on May 15 at 8pm. But this isn't just a significant moment for Wong, however. He also told media that this upcoming ceremony isn't just for him, but also «for a new Cabinet». He expects that other ministers will continue to serve in their respective portfolios.

SINGAPORE - A group of three people who held up a banner at Gardens by the Bay calling for an end to Singapore’s arms trade with Israel are under investigation, said the police. In a video clip of the demonstration circulated on several Instagram accounts, the three protestors can be seen standing on the OCBC Skyway and unfurling a banner that said: “End SG - Israel arms trade”. Singaporean adults need to pay $10 to enter the OCBC Skyway while the ticket for foreigners costs $14. The incident took place on the evening of April 15, according to a statement issued by the protestors. The identities and nationalities of the three protestors remain unclear. In response to queries, the police said reports had been lodged, while a spokesman for Gardens by the Bay said it is aware of the incident and a police report has been filed. However, the spokesman said he could not comment further as police investigations are ongoing.

A schoolgirl was taken to hospital on Tuesday (April 16) morning after she was rammed by a car at the zebra crossing outside Bukit View Secondary School. When contacted by AsiaOne, the police said that they were alerted to an accident involving a car and a pedestrian at Bukit Batok Street 21 towards Bukit Batok Central about 7.05am. The Singapore Civil Defence Force confirmed that a 12-year-old girl was conscious when she was sent to the National University Hospital. The 50-year-old male driver is assisting with investigations.  Dashcam footage of the accident was posted on SG Road Vigilante's Facebook page on the same day.  The 20-second clip shows a girl dressed in what looked to be a school uniform running across the pedestrian crossing at the school zone after the traffic warden had given her the signal to cross.  As she is crossing, the warden stands in the middle of the left lane so that the cars would stop. He is also seen waving the an LED baton to alert the oncoming cars on the right lane to come to a halt. 

Seychelles Meteorological Authority (SMA) will be better equipped to record and monitor rainfall and weather conditions during the next rainy season, with assistance from India to develop its early warning systems, according to a top official. The SMA's chief executive Vincent Amelie told SNA that the upgrade in its system will be finalised once an agreement is signed next month, as part of a national partnership resulting from bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Amelie visited India earlier this month and had the chance to visit various meteorological services and discuss with Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Earth Sciences responsible for the India Meteorological Department (IMD). «What I have seen in the existing infrastructure during my visit, is that they have everything we need to advance in the field. We are finalising the priority areas that we will work on under the agreement,» he said. «India will be providing the technical expertise through the transfer of technology where they will tailor the modelling for Seychelles. This is different from the other countries' met centres we had approached to help us in that area, as they were asking for high prices for the expertise,» Amelie explained. The authority is working with its Indian counterparts to finalise an agreement that will help Seychelles improve its predictions as well as impact-based forecasting. «We will have a flash flood and early warning system that is more advanced and better equipped than the one we have currently,» said Amelie. As a result of the agreement between the two countries, Seychelles will not have to pay India consultancy fees for the advanced software they will be donating and helping with their proper installation. According to a report released by the World Meteorological Organidation (WMO) in December, there is a concerning trend of disasters increasing over five times between 1970 and 2019. Water-related disasters became the most common globally, with tropical cyclones causing the most harm to people and economies. Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, has also suffered from extreme weather, as the heavy rainfalls and ensuing flash-floods that resulted in landslides on December 7 last year have shown. Amelia said Seychelles this will address many weaknesses in its forecasts such as impact-based forecasting «where we not only say that it's going to rain, but we can also tell what impact it will have.» SMA currently only provides a generalised forecast. He explained that India has already developed a system that not only predicts rain but also predicts the intensity of the rain, what impact it will have as well as the exact location of the rain. Another area India will be assisting with is marine forecasting «an area that we have struggled a lot with over the years as we did not have the expertise. India will be providing SMA with advanced systems to allow the authority to provide this service more efficiently,» Amelie added. Capacity building and expertise exchange is also part of the agreement between the two countries and there will be very qualified personnel coming to SMA for short-term and longer term contracts. Those on shorter terms will mainly be working in research. «As a result of these improvements, people will see an improvement in our predictions and decision-making that is more cost-effective,» said Amelie. In addition to the exchange of expertise, SMA and India have plans for a hydrometer project costing US$ 70 million that covers four countries in the region. The other beneficiaries of the project being funded by the Green Climate Fund are Mauritius, Comoros, and Madagascar. The five-year-long project specifically covers equipment to be donated such as radars and automatic stations.

The Israeli military's most important strategic target should be Iran's nuclear weapons program. Tehran is building a new heavily fortified facility near Natanz in central Iran and buried under a mountain.

[Business Day Africa] Kenyan tea worth Ksh2.3 billion was withdrawn from the market in the latest sale as the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) instructed brokers to sell the beverage at the reserved price, resulting in traders rejecting millions of kilos of the commodity offered for sale.

[New Zimbabwe] THE Medicines Control Company of Zimbabwe -MCAZ has recalled two batches of Benylin Paediatric 100ml Syrup from shelves after a toxic substance, Diethylene glycol was recently found in the medicine.

[allAfrica]

German manufacturers would need decades to reduce their dependence on China, the Siemens chief financial officer has told the FT Read Full Article at RT.com

The layoffs come as the electric carmaker prepares for “the next phase of growth,” CEO Elon Musk said Read Full Article at RT.com

Officials in the US and the UK have explained why they will not give Ukraine the same protection they afforded Israel Read Full Article at RT.com

A suspect has been arrested following the attempted assassination of a former Ukrainian officer in Moscow, the FSB has reported Read Full Article at RT.com

Astronomer Adrian Tiplady says South Africa’s climate offers sky-watchers a geographic advantage Read Full Article at RT.com

CM Yogi Adityanath emphasizes law and order success in UP, highlighting no riots under his tenure, with criminals fearing punishment. He showcases this success in various states, addresses divisive politics, and ensures respect for faith and wide scheme implementation.

Mohammed Abdul Arfath's body brought to Hyderabad after found dead in Cleveland. Missing since March, he was studying in the US. Family received ransom demand. Tragic incidents involving Indian students in the US.

Most of the beds at the labour ward of Kihara Level 4 Hospital on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, are empty.

SINGAPORE – Chinese national Wang Baosen has been sentenced to 13 months in jail, the third accused in Singapore’s largest money laundering case to be convicted following a probe that started in 2021. As part of his plea offer, the 32-year-old has forfeited his assets worth $8 million believed to be benefits from illegal gambling offences abroad. With one-third remission, he may be out by early May. Baosen pleaded guilty on April 16 to two charges. Six other charges were taken into consideration. He admitted to using over $1.4 million from a company, Hornet Bee International Trading, to pay for 10 per cent of the purchase price of an upscale condominium unit in Orchard Road. Baosen also admitted to possessing nearly $600,000 in an HSBC bank account in Singapore, with the monies suspected to be proceeds from illicit gambling offences. Deputy Public Prosecutor Foo Shi Hao, who sought 13 to 15 months in jail for Baosen, said his case bears many similarities to that of Su Haijin, one of the 10 foreigners arrested in the money laundering probe.

Not many people love their jobs, but Rumiyati Razali is one of the rare few who do. And a major reason why the frontline crew member with McDonald's is passionate about her job has to do with her flexible work arrangements (FWAs) with her employer. The 50-year-old mother's working hours are determined on a flexi-shift basis, which means she can request to be rostered at certain times and days based on her availability. As a guest experience leader at the McDonald's outlet in Bukit Batok West, Rumiyati's role involves customer service — from assisting people with using the self-ordering kiosks to handling complaints. Speaking to AsiaOne during a company visit to the McDonald's Ridout Tea Garden outlet in Queensway on Monday (April 15), Rumiyati said the flexi-shift arrangements has allowed her to care for her 7-year-old daughter and elderly parents while making time to further her education. She recently completed a 10-month SkillsFuture-certified diploma in retail while continuing to work full-time.

Toronto, (HOL) — Several murders have been reported in Canadian cities with Somali populations in recent days, according to police investigations.

Mogadishu (HOL) - Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visited the army training schools of TurkSom, General Dhaga-Badan, and General Daud camps in Mogadishu on Monday to inspect army units departing for the front lines and high-level training for Turkey.

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali pirates have released the MV Abdullahi, a Bangladeshi-flagged freighter, after receiving a $5 million ransom, according to statements from two of the pirates involved.

Israel's army chief on Monday vowed a response to Iran's unprecedented attack against the country which has prompted appeals for de-escalation by world leaders fearing wider conflict. Six months of war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza have triggered violence across the region involving Iranian proxies and allies who say they act in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. But tensions have surged even higher with Tehran's first direct assault on Israel, in retaliation for a deadly April 1 strike on Iran's consulate in Damascus. «This launch of so many (Iranian) missiles, cruise missiles, and UAVs into the territory of the State of Israel will be met with a response,» Israeli army chief General Herzi Halevi said, addressing troops at the Nevatim military base hit in Iran's Saturday barrage. But the military also said it would not be distracted from its war against Hamas in Gaza. The United Nations on Monday cited reports of «air strikes, shelling and heavy fighting» for the past five days around Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah. - 'Engaged in terrorism' - Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel late Saturday, according to Israel's military which said nearly all were intercepted. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with his war cabinet late Monday to discuss possible reactions, local media said, as Israel issued its first official comment on the deadly Syria strike. «These were people who engaged in terrorism against the State of Israel,» military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said. «There was not a single diplomat there as far as I know.» Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps named two generals as among seven of its members killed in the consular attack. Tehran says its missile and drone barrage against Israel was the first act of a tough new strategy. The Iranian president's political deputy, Mohammad Jamshidi, wrote on X that the «era of strategic patience is over» and further targeting Iranian personnel and assets «will be met with a direct and punishing response.» Tehran said it considered the matter «concluded» unless Israel chose to commit «another mistake». Israel's top military supplier the United States played a key role -- with other allies -- in shooting down the Iranian drones. US officials, increasingly critical of the civilian death toll in Gaza, have urged caution on Israel after Iran's attack. «We don't seek escalation, but we'll continue to support the defence of Israel and to protect our personnel in the region,» said Secretary of State Antony Blinken. US President Joe Biden has told Netanyahu that Washington would not offer military support for any retaliation against Iran, according to a senior US official. Netanyahu has been less vocal than usual since Iran's attack, but late Monday he said on X that the international community «must continue to stand united in resisting this Iranian aggression, which threatens world peace.» At the White House Biden, meeting Iraq's Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani, said: «We're committed to a ceasefire that will bring the hostages home and prevent the conflict spreading beyond what it already has.» Israel estimates that 129 hostages, including 34 presumed dead, remain in the hands of Palestinian militants in Gaza since their October 7 attack triggered the war with Israel. - Bridge blocked - Reflecting both the domestic pressure Biden is under, and global calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge on Monday. The UN cited reports of clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups in eastern Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city which Israel has for two months threatened to invade in pursuit of Hamas. Hamas's October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,797 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. The toll rose by at least 68 deaths over 24 hours. Israel released around 150 detainees on Monday who had been rounded up in Gaza, the territory's crossings authority told AFP. The agency alleged «mistreatment» of the detainees, which Israel's military denied. Further emphasising the regional dimensions of the war, Israel's army said four of its troops were wounded inside Lebanese territory after Hezbollah said it had targeted a group of Israeli soldiers with «explosive devices» when they crossed the border. - 'Catastrophic hunger' - Following the Iranian attack, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting Sunday, where Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the region was «on the brink» of war and called for a defusing of tensions. On Monday Britain, Germany, Italy and France were among those also calling for de-escalation. A United States official said the hope was that «in the light of day» Israel would see it had won a «spectacular success» against Iran's attack, which resulted in no reported deaths. However, Middle East analyst James Ryan said «Netanyahu has already shown a willingness to test any kind of limit Biden wishes to impose». Netanyahu, who leads a coalition including religious and ultra-nationalist parties, has faced regular protests by anti-government demonstrators as well as supporters of the Gaza hostages demanding the government get them home. Experts, and the protesters, have said they expect Netanyahu to continue the Gaza war as a tactic to remain in power. British airline EasyJet on Monday said it was pausing flights to and from Tel Aviv until April 21, «due to the evolving security situation,» but on global markets world oil prices sank as traders bet on a de-escalation of tensions. The UN said it delivered on Sunday a four-day supply of fuel to enable a Gaza City bakery to resume operations in northern Gaza, which «has largely been cut off from aid and has recorded the highest levels of catastrophic hunger in the world.» © Agence France-Presse

Developing a freshwater biodiversity information system for long-term conservation and management in Seychelles is a first-of-its-kind project currently being implemented by a not-for-profit organisation Gaea Seychelles on the islands of Mahe, Praslin and Silhouette. The three-year project also aims to assess the healthiness of freshwater sources and monitor alterations and changes of the islands' rivers. Elvina Henriette, founding member of Gaea Seychelles, told SNA that even though the island nation has available freshwater, no information is available about them.  «There has been much development and change that we have not yet accessed its implications on this extremely rare resource,» said Henriette, adding that the project, which is being funded through the JRS Biodiversity Foundation at $260,000, aims to collect, store, analyse, and share data for better decision-making and better management of rivers. The JRS Biodiversity Foundation is an independent grant-making foundation based in the United States that awards grants to increase access to and use of biodiversity information in sub-Saharan Africa. «As this is an understudied field, we will also provide capacity-building opportunities for our staff but also for other individuals or organizations,» explained Henriette, stressing that the project will also assess the understanding of rivers and their importance in benefitting the local population. Several activities have been held, including a training session by Juan Tedder, an ecologist from Gaea Seychelles' partners, Ground Truth.  (Dr Elvina Henriette) Photo License: All Rights Reserved Project officer Mersiah Rose explained that the project, which was launched in September 2023, will focus on fifteen rivers and will have different components. «These are freshwater biodiversity data collection, which will include getting to know what we already have, capturing existing data such as museum specimens, publications, grey literature, existing databases, and putting all data into one public access database,» said Rose. She added that «Another component is the development of monitoring programmes such as establishing a long-term monitoring programme based on 15 rivers to monitor changes in ecosystems, particularly due to climate change, baseline surveys and biodiversity inventories of fish, micro and macro invertebrates. We will also monitor changes in ecosystems due to climate change as well as the collection of genetic material and DNA to build the reference database.» Since its launching, several activities have been held, including a training session by Juan Tedder, an ecologist from one of Gaea Seychelles' partners, Ground Truth, based in South Africa. The training focused on aquatic biomonitoring for macroinvertebrates. Participants learned techniques to identify and monitor species that normally receive little attention and discover how their presence or absence can indicate a problem arising from the river in which they live. Several local organisations and institutions are partnering with Gaea Seychelles, including the Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority (SPGA), Seychelles National Herbarium (SNH), Plant Conservation Action Group (PCA), Terrestrial Restoration Action Society of Seychelles (TRASS). International partners include Ground Truth of South Africa, the Natural History Museum of Paris, and Nature Metrics of the United Kingdom. The University of Seychelles (UNISEY) is also a crucial local partner for this project. «We are hopeful that the project can provide enough materials for the inclusion of more targeted freshwater biodiversity content into UniSey's BSc Environmental Science programme,» added Rose. Henriette, a conservation biologist, emphasised that the project's scope extends beyond wildlife observation. It will also investigate various facets of river usage, including how people interact with and utilise these vital water sources as well as incorporating the human and social elements into the interaction between people and rivers. «I think we have lost a lot of that respect because nowadays we mostly use the river as a place for us to throw our trash in, without realising that what we are drinking is what is keeping us alive,» said Henriette. She said that Gaea's commitment is integrating the cultural dimension as well. In the past, communities had a particular way of coexisting with rivers, demonstrating a deep respect for these vital water bodies. The 15 rivers targeted for this project are spread over the three islands, Mahe, Praslin, and Silhouette of the Seychelles' archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. These rivers include those rich with aquatic life where species such as river prawns, tadpoles, Golden Panchax, eels, crabs, and limpets are found and others with fewer species. Information and data collected at the end of the project will be used to inform conservation action decisions better, as well as what new policies and laws need to be put in place to preserve the rivers. 

Les jeunes entre 18 et 30 ans sont en mal de logements. Peu d’aides existent pour cette tranche d’âge. La toute première résidence des jeunes travailleurs avait ouvert en juin 2021 avant de fermer en novembre 2023. Les jeunes locataires ont dû plier bagage précipitamment sans véritables solutions.