A US Department of Agriculture report says Moscow has “captured” a large market share in Algeria – one of the EU’s top supply destinations Read Full Article at RT.com

Unemployment in India is set to fall due to the creation of opportunities in the service sector, according to a new report Read Full Article at RT.com

Police have evicted up to 450 people from France’s biggest squat, 100 days ahead of the Paris Olympic Games, media have reported   Read Full Article at RT.com

US-backed proposals to use frozen Russian assets in Ukraine could hurt the international order, the ECB president has warned Read Full Article at RT.com

Insurers say policies for the gas pipelines damaged by blasts two years ago don’t cover cases of ‘war,’ Kommersant reports Read Full Article at RT.com

Seychelles' authorities are offering a reward of SCR 100,000 ($7,425) to anyone having credible information on the recent suspected gas attacks and pledge to investigate the incidents. The Minister for Internal Affairs, Errol Fonseka, made the statement when answering an urgent question by Wallace Cosgrow, a proportionate member of the United Seychelles party in the National Assembly. Since Monday, April 8, an unknown substance in gaseous form has affected people in contact with it at several primary and secondary schools and the staff of the judiciary, also closing down the parliament. Fonseka passed on a message from President Wavel Ramkalawan, who has been on an overseas mission since April 10 - attending the United Nations Ocean Decade conference in Barcelona, Spain, and the Our Ocean conference in Greece. «He feels for those who have been affected, especially the children who have breathed in the unknown substance and have fallen ill,» said Fonseka. He added that the President has pledged to do everything to ensure that the authorities get to the bottom of the situation. «There are no agencies that use chemicals in their operations such as Seypec, PUC and who have reported having an accidental discharge,» said Fonseka. He added that none of the agencies were operating in the areas where the incidents occurred and initially the authorities believed that «the marine sediments found in lagoons could be responsible for releasing a gas called balsamic methane.» «We are now treating this as a criminal case, and after the two incidents of yesterday (Monday) and today (Tuesday) all indications point to criminality. I also want to inform the National Assembly that the police is intensifying its work on all levels,» said the minister.   Fonseka asked people to be vigilant as such attacks are mainly aimed at spreading fear. In the latest figures presented by the Minister, 353 people, both children and adults reported their respective health centres. «They are experiencing symptoms of headaches, itching and stomach pains among others,» explained Fonseka and added that the «Beau Vallon and Bel Eau school incidents have forced us to look into other areas.» Meanwhile, in a press release statement on Wednesday, United Seychelles (US) said it is truly disgraceful that children are deliberately being targetted. «We, the United Seychelles Party, firmly believe that every individual has the right to live in a safe and secure environment, free from harm and fear and It is truly disheartening to witness such acts of malice, especially when they target educational institutions and workplaces,» said United Seychelles. The party added «It is truly astounding that, despite the presence of numerous security apparatuses in the country, the culprits are still able to operate with impunity.  We sincerely hope that the individuals responsible for these heinous acts will be apprehended and brought to justice the soonest.» «We demand that the authorities in Seychelles take immediate and decisive action to bring the culprits responsible for these atrocious deeds to justice, we strongly urge the government to implement effective measures in order to put an end to these acts of terror,» said United Seychelles.  Furthermore, the Seychelles Inter-Faith Council's (SIFCO) managing committee issued a statement also expressing concern over the incidents.   «We are concerned because the incident is causing fear among the population especially school children. We hope and pray that all concerned can bring the situation to its finality soon, » said SIFCO. 

Seychelles celebrated Chinese Language Day through a cultural event with the participation of students from the Chinese language programme of the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) on Wednesday. Held in the presence of staff, students of the STA, and the Confucius Institute at the University of Seychelles (UniSey), the event featured various activities, such as the singing of Chinese songs, a Taiji demonstration, calligraphy and Chinese dances, among others. The event was organised by the Chinese Embassy in Seychelles, along with the STA and the Confucius Institute, to commemorate the Chinese Language Day, which is observed annually on April 20. Jianmei Zhang, the new director of the Confucius Institute, said, «I feel extremely honoured to gather together with you on this special event. Chinese Language Day is a significant moment to inherit and promote Chinese culture, as well as a grand occasion for us to learn and communicate together, just as the theme of the event 2024 indicates: »Chinese Language: Connecting Cultures through the Bridge of Mutual Learning.« The learners do not only learn the language but there is also the exchange of cultures. (Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY  »The Confucius Institute at Unisey is committed to promoting Chinese education, facilitating cultural exchanges between China and Seychelles, and cultivating talents with an international perspective and a deep understanding of Chinese culture. Through our efforts, we hope to help more Seychellois, especially the youth, understand and love Chinese, making it a bridge leading to a larger world and a brighter future,« added the director. She thanked the STA not only for its full support for the activity but also for six years of sincere collaboration since 2018 as one of the most important partners and largest teaching site of the Confucius Institute at UniSey with more than 200 students learning Chinese each year. The director of the STA, Terrence Max, explained that Mandarin, one of the many Chinese languages, has been part of the curriculum at the academy since 2019. »During the first year, our learners have the opportunity to learn the very basic component of the Chinese language,« said Max. He added that in the second year, students learn about words and phrases that relate specifically to their respective programmes at the school, such as restaurant and bar, and wellness and spa.   »The learners do not only learn the language but there is also the exchange of cultures. We are involved in various activities, be it educational or cultural, such as the spring festival and the Chinese Bridge competition," added Max.  

[allAfrica]

Mamata Banerjee has accused BJP of instigating violence during Ram Navami celebrations in Murshidabad, claiming it was pre-planned. Eighteen people, including two minors and several police personnel, were injured and a number of shops damaged as violence erupted Wednesday evening after a Ram Navami procession went past a mosque in Beldanga town in West Bengal's Murshidabad district.

BJP accuses Congress of supporting Naxals for votes, criticizing security forces' actions. Shehzad Poonawalla highlights Congress' sympathy for Naxals. The encounter in Chhattisgarh reveals the ongoing battle against Left Wing Extremism.

In our second episode, the crew discusses the jurors selected during the first two days of former president Donald Trump's Manhattan criminal trial – and why plenty of other prospective jurors were dismissed. Washington Post reporter Devlin Barrett joins to discuss what it's like covering the trial from inside the courthouse.

Behind the scenes, researchers working for Trump’s legal defense are scouring prospective jurors’ online lives, hunting for bias.

WESTERN BUREAU: Senior clergyman Reverend Dr Howard Gregory is urging Christians to resist the temptation from elected officials to trample and smear the integrity of the Auditor General’s Department and the Integrity Commission. Gregory said...

Earlier this month, Jamaica’s Taino chief, Kasike Kalaan Nibonrix Kaiman, gave a presentation titled, ‘Stories as medicine: Taino and African Healing and the Environment in Jamaica’, at Northeastern University, a private university with its main...

The Jamaica Olympic Ice Hockey Federation has confirmed that the senior men’s team will be playing in the Challenger Series of three tournaments April to July 2024. This series involves round robin matches against Puerto Rico and Lebanon, who...

The role of technology in higher education has become more crucial now than ever, says Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams. Addressing the opening ceremony for St Joseph’s Teachers’ College’s Research Day 2024 in Kingston on Tuesday,...

Twenty young people will be presented with the 2023 Prime Minister’s National Youth Award for Excellence (PMNYAE) for achievements in various fields, at a ceremony scheduled for April 20 on the lawns of Jamaica House, starting at 5 p.m. The award...

UNSC approval would mean neither «statehood nor self-determination» for the Palestinian people, the State Department argued

«Without noticing it themselves, they spoke the language of an ultimatum,» Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova underlined

During the drills, the military contingents from both countries practiced training units to accomplish objectives on mountainous terrain, exercising command and control of troops in protecting the state border and destroying infiltrated outlawed armed gangs

According to the media outlet, «the US administration will support the plan for a military operation in Rafah put forward earlier,» which provides for dividing the city into numbered sectors that will be mopped up one by one

There are 137 people in temporary accommodation centers, including 48 children

Canadian entrepreneurs and investors are blasting the federal government's budget for expanding a tax on the rich that they say will worsen brain drain and further degrade productivity. The government estimates the change will impact 0.13 per cent of Canadians in any given year, and 307,000 Canadian companies.

A Quebec-based company is hoping to become a leader in direct air capture, where carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere. But questions remain about whether the technology is the best use of limited public funds and resources as the world seeks to reduce climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions.

A once-sealed affidavit filed with the Tax Court of Canada and obtained by The Fifth Estate details how alleged scammers tricked the Canada Revenue Agency and made off with $37 million of taxpayers' money.

The move by several Kennedys to endorse President Biden is a rebuke of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is pursing the White House as an independent.

Melania Trump may not be publicly standing at Donald Trump's side during his trial in New York but, privately, she is backing her husband in his hush money case.

The Bank of England 's governor last night forecast another big drop in inflation after it fell to the lowest level since September 2021.

Former et performer son personnel, sont deux des missions dévolues à l'École nationale du Cadastre et des Sciences Géographiques (ENCSG). Du 8 au 15 avril, ce sont 15 participants qui ont pris part au séminaire de renforcement des capacités sous la thématique : «Habitat et climat». Théorie et pratique étaient dans le programme de ce rendez-vous du donner et du recevoir. La fin du séminaire a permis aux séminaristes de recevoir, chacun, un certificat. Ils étaient au total 15 participants (...) - ENSEIGNEMENT SUPÉRIEUR / SUJET_ECRIT_MAISON

Climate change, a global phenomenon, affects every aspect of our lives, including cultural heritage in both its forms – tangible and intangible. Extreme weather conditions expose these important elements of our cultural identity to serious threats. These threats must be addressed to protect valuable sites and preserve them for future generations. Research on climate change is not a novelty, but climate change as it relates to cultural heritage is a relatively new area of exploration and policy. The impact of climate change on cultural heritage made its way to the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change in Madrid in 2019 (COP25) and has become increasingly visible at subsequent COPs. In 2003, the European Commission became the first European Union institution to launch a research project addressing the intersection of climate change and cultural heritage. Since then, the EU has expanded the scope and scale of its projects in this policy area. The EU's competence in cultural policy is limited to providing funds, which it does in the areas of cooperation, networking, exchange of best practices, research and education. Despite this limitation, EU level policies offer a broad perspective, much needed given the interdisciplinary and global nature of this issue. The dual challenge of climate change and protection of cultural heritage does not often feature clearly in European Parliament resolutions or European Commission policy documents. However, policy instruments are indeed available, and an integrated approach including not only economic, but also social, environmental, sustainability and identity dimensions of this complex issue is well underway. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The supplementary protection certificate (SPC) is a specific intellectual property right that extends the basic patent's market exclusivity for plant protection products. The unitary patent became operational in the EU on 1 June 2023, unifying patent protection in all participating Member States. Despite this significant change, SPCs, which are inseparable from patent protection, remain regulated at national level. This fragmented regulatory approach has proven ineffective, leading to excessive administrative costs for SPC applicants, who have to navigate the national laws of each Member State where they seek SPC protection. To address this issue, on 27 April 2023 the Commission submitted a proposal for a regulation introducing a unitary SPC for plant protection products as a complement to the protection offered by the unitary patent. This proposal, coupled with a parallel proposal for an SPC for plant protection products of the same date, seeks to harmonise the process of granting SPCs for plant protection products in the single market. In Parliament, the proposal was assigned to the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI), with Tiemo Wölken (S&D, Germany) as rapporteur. Following the approval of the reports on the two proposals by the Parliament plenary at first reading, Parliament adopted its position for the interinstitutional negotiations. The Council has yet to agree on its negotiating mandate. First edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP