A year after deposing elected president Mohamed Bazoum, Niger's military rulers have been at pains to showcase their efforts aimed at restoring national «sovereignty» yet the country remains in thrall to jihadists. Since seizing power on July 26 last year the new government led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, former head of the presidential guard, has totally reset its international partnerships. It asked former colonial power France late last year to withdraw its troops stationed in the Sahel nation in order to fight jihadist groups. By mid-September, the US contingent deployed there will also have packed its bags leaving behind notably their important drone base at Agadez in the north. In contrast, Iran, Turkey and Russia -- partners the government deems «sincere» in building ties -- have been received with honours in the capital Niamey over the past 12 months. Russia sent military instructors in April and May. Now Niger «is in the process of recovering its sovereignty» and «unapologetically able to choose its strategic partners» within «the framework of a win-win partnership», said Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, whose media presence is far more visible than General Tiani's. «The regime shows commitment to restoring Niger's dignity and advocates balanced international cooperation,» added Mousoulmi Mallam Sita, who chairs the Nigerien Association for Civics and Growth (ANCC), which backs the new authorities. On a regional level, Niger is at odds with Benin, which it claims wants to destabilise it by hosting «French bases» -- something its neighbour denies. The main consequence is the frozen state of Nigerien oil exports, which are supposed to bring the economy a breath of fresh air. - Trial of strength - Niger has, however, engaged in some rapprochement with another two neighbours, Burkina Faso and Mali, after coups there in recent years also saw the military seize power. All three states have formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), their confederation turning its back at the start of this year on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). They accuse the regional bloc of being under the thumb of France and of not providing support against jihadism. The standoff between Niamey and ECOWAS blew up following the coup as the bloc imposed tough sanctions while demanding Bazoum be restored to office. For some weeks Niger even faced the threat of an armed intervention. The sanctions were lifted in February and regular demands from the international community for Bazoum's release have gradually faded away. The deposed president remains trapped in his residence and his immunity has been lifted by a court created by the new government, paving the way for a trial on charges of «conspiracy against the authority of the state» and «high treason». Against that backdrop, aid from international organisations has resumed. The World Bank has just approved 214 billion CFA francs ($350 million) to Niger and the IMF announced a $70-million payment. - Jihadist threat - On taking power, Tiani justified the coup by the «continual degradation of the security situation» in the country under the Bazoum administration. Repeated waves of jihadist attacks have scarred Niger for more than a decade, both in the west towards Burkina Faso and Mali and also in the southeast near the border with Nigeria. A year on from the coup Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda affiliates in the western region of Tillaberi are far from receding with the past few weeks alone seeing dozens of deaths in bloody ambushes and attacks between jihadists and the army. Despite a large-scale military deployment civilians have not been spared the violence although official victim tallies are sporadic and independent data hard to obtain. «The arrival of the military gave a glimpse of a rapid end to the attacks -- but the country still mourns,» said Amadou Hassane, from Tera in Tillaberi. «The authorities were (engaged) on several fronts and the terrorists took the opportunity to strike almost everywhere and sometimes hard,» said civil society official Ali Seyni. The government has promised «an increase in (military) power» of the army thanks to the acquisition of equipment and an increase in manpower to 100,000 by 2030 compared with 25,000 in 2022. It remains to be seen how long this «transition» will last. General Tiani -- who has never taken the oath of office -- quickly indicated «three years maximum» after taking power. But since then the authorities have remained silent on the subject. The «inclusive national dialogue» Tiani has promised is also expected to outline the «priority areas» of future governance while determining the duration of the transition. © Agence France-Press

The Bangladeshi student group leading demonstrations that have spiralled into deadly violence suspended protests Monday for 48 hours, with its leader saying they had not wanted reform «at the expense of so much blood». What began as demonstrations against politicised admission quotas for sought-after government jobs snowballed into some of the worst unrest of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's tenure. A curfew has been imposed and soldiers are patrolling cities across the South Asian country, while a nationwide internet blackout since Thursday has drastically restricted the flow of information. The streets of the capital Dhaka remained largely quiet Monday, and the army chief said the law and order situation had been brought «under control» since the military was deployed. Nahid Islam, leader of the main protest organiser Students Against Discrimination, told AFP that «We are suspending the shutdown protests for 48 hours». Nahid said he was hospitalised after being beaten by people he claimed were undercover police. «We demand that during this period the government withdraws the curfew, restores the internet and stops targeting the student protesters.» On Sunday, the Supreme Court pared back the number of reserved jobs for specific groups, including the descendants of «freedom fighters» from Bangladesh's 1971 liberation war against Pakistan. «We started this movement for reforming the quota,» Nahid said. «But we did not want quota reform at the expense of so much blood, so much killing, so much damage to life and property.» At least 163 people have died in clashes, including several police officers, according to an AFP count of victims reported by police and hospitals. Sporadic violence continued Monday, with four people brought to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital with bullet injuries, an AFP reporter at the scene saw, but the flow of casualties was much lower than on previous days. Government officials have repeatedly blamed the protesters and opposition for the unrest. Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesman Faruk Hossain told AFP that «at least 532» people had been arrested in the capital since protests began, including some leaders of the opposition Bangladesh National Party. Ali Riaz, a professor of politics and leading Bangladesh expert at Illinois State University, described the violence as «the worst massacre by any regime since independence». «The atrocities committed in the past days show that the regime is entirely dependent on brute force and has no regard for the lives of the people,» he told AFP. «These indiscriminate killings cannot be washed by a court ruling or a government announcement.» - Diplomatic questions - Bangladeshi Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus urged «world leaders and the United Nations to do everything within their powers to end the violence» in a statement. The respected 83-year-old economist is credited with lifting millions out of poverty with his pioneering microfinance bank but earned the enmity of Hasina, who has accused him of «sucking blood» from the poor. «Young people are being killed at random every day,» Yunus told AFP. «Hospitals do not reveal the number of wounded and dead.» Diplomats in Dhaka questioned Bangladeshi authorities' deadly response to the protests. Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud summoned ambassadors for a briefing on Sunday and showed them a 15-minute video that sources said focused on damage caused by protesters. US ambassador Peter Haas told Mahmud he was presenting a one-sided version of events, according to a senior diplomatic official. «I am surprised you did not show the footage of police firing at unarmed protesters,» the source quoted Haas as telling the minister. A US embassy official speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed the ambassador's comments. The diplomatic source added that Mahmud did not respond to a question from a UN representative about the alleged use of UN-marked armoured personnel carriers and helicopters to suppress the protests. Bangladesh is a major contributor to UN peacekeeping operations around the world -- earning significant revenues from its efforts -- and has UN-marked equipment in its military inventories. - 'Sheikh Hasina never flees' - With around 18 million young people in Bangladesh out of work, according to government figures, the quota scheme's reintroduction deeply upset graduates facing an acute jobs crisis. The Supreme Court curtailed the number of reserved jobs from 56 percent of all positions to seven percent, mostly for the children and grandchildren of «freedom fighters» from the 1971 war. While 93 percent of jobs will be awarded on merit, the decision fell short of protesters' demands to scrap the «freedom fighter» category altogether. Critics say the quota is used to stack public jobs with loyalists to Hasina's ruling Awami League. Opponents accuse her government of bending the judiciary to its will. Hasina, 76, has ruled the country since 2009 and won her fourth consecutive election in January after a vote without genuine opposition. Her government is also accused by rights groups of misusing state institutions to entrench its hold on power and stamp out dissent, including by the extrajudicial killing of opposition activists. The violence of recent days raised speculation about her future, but she told an audience of businessmen Monday: «Sheikh Hasina never flees.» © Agence France-Presse

A group of professionals working in cybersecurity are participating in the second edition of the National Cyber Drill 2024, an exercise to test and assess the capabilities of these professionals in Seychelles to ensure the country's readiness against cyberattacks. During his opening speech, the principal secretary for the Department of Information, Communication and Technology (DICT), Benjamin Choppy, emphasised the importance of maintaining vigilance and readiness in the face of evolving cybersecurity threats. «It is crucial for us to test and refine our incident response plans and procedures at a national level in a controlled environment. Exercises like this simulate real-world cyber threats, helping us to identify weaknesses in our defences, improve coordination among different response teams, and enhance our overall preparedness against increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks,» he said. The first edition of the National Cyber Drill was held in June last year, and Choppy added that based on feedback they received, this year they improved several aspects of the exercise. «Reflecting on the success of the first National Cyber drill in 2023, DICT has carefully considered the feedback from participants. As such, this year's cyber drill will be a more technical one. We have incorporated more technical exercises to provide you with enhanced hands-on experience,» said the principal secretary. «A successful cyber attack can severely impact our country, which is why safeguarding our critical information infrastructures is paramount. This year, we have ensured that participants come from both the public and private sectors, covering the different critical information infrastructure institutions or providers,» he stressed. The director for policy strategy and research at the DICT, Beryl Payet, told reporters that it was especially important to have professionals who form part of Seychelles' critical information infrastructures, such as banks, telecommunication as well as law enforcement, participate in this exercise. «This exercise will be done in a virtual environment; the participants will be separated into different teams. Then there will be simulations of different types of attacks against them that they will have to defend against,» she said. The cyber drill exercise is being done in collaboration with the Computer Emergency Response Team of Mauritius (CERT-MU), a team led by the head of CERT-MU, Dr Kaleem Usmani. Speaking to reporters, Usmani used the example of ransomware to explain the importance of such exercises. «These scenarios like ransomware, ransomware is very rampant, is very sophisticated. It is very complex. And since we are talking about the critical infrastructures, they are running the essential services in the country. Then in that case, it is best that these kinds of threats should be, in a way, discussed and their solutions and counter majors need to be understood by these critical sectors. So, this is a prominent threat, and that's why it is on board, and not only here around the world, all the different countries, they are building resilience around how to handle ransomware,» Usmani added. Usmani clarified that apart from ransomware, they will also be covering a variety of other kinds of virtual attacks such as malware and phishing, which is a scam through email to trick the recipient into sharing sensitive information, usually by impersonating a company or trusted individual.

The Central Bank of Seychelles (CBS) and the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) recently signed two memorandums of understanding (MOU) to enhance the use of local currencies in settling cross-border financial, commercial transactions, interlinking payment and messaging systems between the two countries. According to a joint press communique from the CBS and CBUAE, the MOUs were signed in Abu Dhabi, on July 18, by the governor of the CBS, Caroline Abel, and for the CBUAE, by governor Khaled Mohamed Balama. Through the first MOU, a framework will be set up to promote the use of local currencies in settling bilateral commercial transactions, develop the exchange market and facilitate bilateral trade and direct investment, remittance settlement, and financial market development. It will also include several elements to facilitate the settlement of commercial transactions in the UAE Dirham and the Seychelles Rupee in accordance with the laws and legislation in each country. Under the second MOU, both parties will consolidate cooperation and mutual benefit from the services of instant payment platforms, electronic switches and messaging systems, by directly linking them with the regulatory requirements in the two countries. This includes interlinking the Instant Payments Platform (IPP), which the Central Bank of the UAE is developing within the Financial Infrastructure Transformation Programme, and a similar platform in Seychelles. Additionally, interlinking between systems and electronic switches to facilitate mutual acceptance of local cards and processing of their transactions, to exploring the possibility of linking messaging systems and cooperation in the field of FinTech and Central Bank Digital Currencies. The governor of the CBS said that for small open island economies like Seychelles, the importance of an effective and efficient financial system to facilitate trade cannot be overemphasised. «In this regard, the MOUs just signed between our two central banks, guided by the relevant and applicable laws to safeguard the soundness and integrity of our respective financial systems, can assist this endeavour. The agreement to develop and gradually implement the necessary framework to promote the use of our respective national currencies, the UAE Dirham and the Seychelles Rupee, in cross-border transactions can further facilitate trade relations between stakeholders across the two jurisdictions,» she added. Abel said with CBS spearheading efforts to modernise and develop the Seychelles national payment system, in line with the government's digital economy agenda, the opportunity to collaborate on interlinking its payment and messaging systems will facilitate the processing and settlement of cross-border financial transactions between the two countries. «We look forward to learning from the experiences and expertise of the Central Bank of the UAE as we endeavour to keep pace with developments within the global payment landscape and further leverage technology and innovation for more seamless processing and settlement of payments, including cross-border payments,» she added. Meanwhile, Balama said, «The signing of the Memorandums of Understanding reflects the Central Bank's keenness to expand its relations with regional and international counterparts, to enhance UAE's economic and commercial partnerships globally.» He added that: «The use of the two countries' currencies for cross-border financial and commercial transactions reflects the growing trade, investment, and financial cooperation and contributes to reducing costs and saving time in settling transactions. This helps in developing the foreign exchange market in the UAE Dirham and the Seychellois Rupee, to enhancing trade exchanges, investments, and remittance between the two countries.»

Joe Biden on Sunday dropped out of the US presidential election and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party's new nominee, in a political earthquake that upends the already extraordinary race for the White House. Biden, 81, said he was acting in the «best interest of my party and the country» by bowing to weeks of pressure after a disastrous June debate against Donald Trump stoked worries about his age and mental fitness. The stunning move throws Democrats into fresh turmoil ahead of the November 5 election. But it could also reenergize the demoralized party, with Harris swiftly confirming her goal to become America's first woman president and to «defeat Donald Trump.» Trump reacted with a stream of posts on his Truth Social network, saying that because Biden is not «fit to run» for president, he is also not «fit to serve.» However, the dramatic shift will wrong-foot Republicans, whose campaign was solely focused on Biden and will now instead feature 78-year-old Trump -- the oldest presidential nominee in US history -- up against a far younger opponent. The move also transforms what had been a highly unpopular and dragging Trump-Biden rematch into one of the most compelling presidential campaigns in modern American politics. Biden's withdrawal had been widely expected at some point. The announcement finally came with no warning as he recovered from Covid at his Delaware beach house. In a letter posted on X, Biden said it had been the «greatest honor of my life» to be president. He said he would address the nation later this week. The White House later said he had no public events scheduled for Monday. «While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,» he wrote. Shortly after, he offered his «full support and endorsement» for Harris, with his campaign filing official notice to change its name to «Harris for President.» Endorsements began streaming in for Harris almost immediately from Democratic big shots as well as those seen as potential rivals for the nomination, such as California Governor Gavin Newsom. The Democratic fundraising group ActBlue meanwhile reported that Harris received $46.7 million in small-donor contributions in the hours just after announcing her campaign -- its «biggest fundraising day of the 2024 cycle.» - 'Unite our nation' - Democrats must now scramble to confirm a new candidate at their party convention in Chicago on August 19. Harris, the first Black and South Asian woman vice president in US history, praised Biden for his «selfless and patriotic act» and vowed to «earn and win» the nomination. Still highly influential former Democratic president Barack Obama cautioned that «uncharted waters» lie ahead. Biden's decision came after a period of enforced isolation, with only a few family members and aides around him to consult at his Rehoboth Beach home, as he nursed a Covid infection. First Lady Jill Biden reacted by simply reposting his statement, along with two hearts. In a clear sign of how Republicans will try to frame Harris's image, Trump's new running mate J.D. Vance underlined that she had been «every step of the way» with Biden, «the worst president in my lifetime.» - 'Mental decline' - Biden's decision to exit caps a tense and chaotic period in the US election, with Trump having survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally on July 13, and Democrats tearing themselves apart for weeks over whether Biden should quit. The Democrat is the first president in US history to drop out so late in an election race. Biden spent more than three weeks resisting calls to step down following the shock of the June 27 debate, during which he often lost his train of thought and stood with mouth agape. Harris meanwhile struggled to make an impact in her first years in the White House, but performed strongly on the campaign trail on key issues such as abortion. In recent weeks, the Biden campaign has reportedly been quietly carrying out a head-to-head survey of voters measuring how the former California prosecutor matched up against convicted felon Trump. Biden took office in January 2021 pledging to heal the «soul of America» after four turbulent years under Trump and the shock of the January 6, 2021 Capitol assault by his supporters. Overcoming a reputation for verbal flubs, Obama's former vice president gave strong backing to Ukraine's battle against Russia's 2022 invasion, pushed through a massive Covid recovery plan and historic green industry subsidies. But he faced criticism over the catastrophic US withdrawal from Afghanistan, high inflation, and his support for Israel's war in Gaza -- while concerns over his age only mounted. © Agence France-Presse

The Pacific Disaster Centre in the USA has sent its adviser for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief initiatives, Steve Recca, to visit the headquarters of the Red Cross Society of Seychelles (RCSS) on Friday to take stock of the damages caused by the December 7 explosion at the Providence Industrial Estate. Recca, accompanied by the U.S. Charge d'Affaires for Seychelles, Adham Loufti, also met with the secretary general of the RCSS, Marie-May Esparon, to discuss disaster risk management and relief activities in Seychelles. Following the meeting, Esparon told reporters that this is a continuation of a discussion with the United States Embassy regarding the needs of the Red Cross and highlighted the importance of getting the insight of experts in this field. «They have come to discuss which areas we can collaborate on regarding disaster management because he is a specialist in this field. Of course, everyone here wants to know how we can reduce the impact of disasters, she said. Esparon described the meeting as fruitful and the discussion included what the RCSS is doing especially compared to other small island states in the Caribbean, that are facing similar challenges. »These discussions will continue in the future and hopefully down the line we can also sign an agreement for further collaboration,« she added. The preparedness during disasters was also another component discussed and Esparon emphasised the importance of having contingencies and plans in place before an incident happens and this includes climate change. »Over the years we have noticed that the people of Seychelles are reacting better in situations of disaster. They know what to do, they attempt to help themselves instead of waiting for government agencies, which is ideal in these kinds of situations. This shows that whatever is being done to educate the people is working. It is never a disadvantage to continually develop and build capacity regarding disaster,« she said.  Loufti emphasised the importance of partnerships between the U.S. government, the Seychelles' government and organisations like the Red Cross to improve disaster response capabilities. »We think that these kinds of partnerships will strengthen the capacity of Seychelles to respond to disasters in the future. And we want to make sure that the partnership that we have, not just with the Red Cross, but with the government of the people of Seychelles, continues to grow so that we can respond better together,« he said. Recca commended the RCSS on the work being done despite the state of its headquarters. He said that this highlights the RCSS' strong commitment to disaster relief efforts in Seychelles. »It was obviously a very difficult situation following the explosion on December 7, but it is clear the Red Cross is still operating in amazing capacity, even given limited resources and the structural damage here. Just discussing with the secretary general, the work that's being done on a regular basis, really, truly a tremendous activity,« he added. Recca said, »Out of the Pacific Disaster Centre, which works around the world and the national governments and the national societies and Red Cross that I work with, this is perhaps the most aggressive in trying to do more for the citizens of the Seychelles, that I have seen anywhere." 

Preparations for the Paris Olympics went up a gear on Saturday as security teams scoured the banks of the Seine ahead of Friday's opening ceremony and top International Olympic Committee officials met in the French capital. Police with sniffer dogs were seen checking the six-kilometre (four-mile) route along the Seine for the ceremony in which up to 7,000 athletes will sail on nearly a hundred barges and river boats watched by 300,000 spectators. The stakes are high for the waterborne parade -- the first time the opening ceremony of a Summer Games will take place outside a stadium. French police will be bolstered by colleagues from several countries, including Spain, Britain and Qatar. Early on Saturday, a rehearsal for the ceremony was held on the river but security barriers and police screened it from the eyes of residents and media to keep the contents secret. IOC spokesman Mark Adams said that although he had not seen the full plan for the opening ceremony, the show will «blow your socks off». «I have a good idea, but not a full idea of what is in it. You can imagine it is going to be pretty amazing for the Olympic Games, first time outside the stadium,» Adams said at a news conference. The preparations for the ceremony have caused extensive disruption to residents of central Paris, who must have a pass with a special QR code to cross the Seine. «We've had far fewer customers than usual for the last two weeks. There aren't many tourists and lots of Parisians have left town. All our local clientele has gone,» said Behi Samadian, 69, in a boutique in Saint-Germain-des-Pres. Organisers say 8.8 million tickets have already been sold, beating the record from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and that figure will rise because tickets are still on sale for some of the 45 sports. - 'I'm going to win' - American sprinter Noah Lyles, one of the athletes expected to light up the Olympics, blazed to victory in the 100m at the Diamond League meeting in London on Saturday in 9.81 seconds, the fastest he has ever run the distance. Lyles said he was confident of taking a 100m-200m sprint double in Paris: «I'm going to win, it's what I always do. I'm getting faster every week.» The IOC's top brass, led by President Thomas Bach, met on Saturday to prepare for a larger gathering of all of the movement's members on Tuesday and Wednesday. There had been fears that the awarding of the 2030 Winter Olympics to the French Alps -- they are the only candidates -- could be delayed by a row over the French government's reluctance to give funding guarantees while the country is in political paralysis following inconclusive snap elections. IOC spokesman Adams sought to allay those fears, saying: «It will be on the agenda on Wednesday.» He admitted though that the political situation in France «makes it a bit more complicated». Russia will be the big absentee from the Paris Games, with just 15 Russians and 17 Belarusians accredited to compete as neutrals as most sports have turned their backs on the Russians in response to the invasion of Ukraine. The IOC said on Saturday it was resigned to the Paris Games being targeted by disinformation attacks following recent incidents blamed on Russia. Adams said he believed a campaign against the Paris Olympics was already under way. «Clearly there is a campaign of some sort going on,» he said. «It's not the first or last time that the IOC will be targeted with misinformation. It's getting more and more sophisticated.» Adams was responding to a question concerning a feature-length fake documentary that emerged in 2023 titled «Olympics has Fallen» which used AI-generated audio to impersonate Hollywood star Tom Cruise. The film, falsely purporting to be a Netflix documentary, was apparently designed to erode global support for the Olympics. © Agence France-Presse

Seychellois Penda Choppy, a recent PhD graduate from the University of Malta, received the Outstanding Thesis Award for her work in the humanities and social sciences category. Her thesis entitled «Creativity, Creolisation and Identity in Seychellois Creole Folktales,» delves into the intriguing world of Seychellois folklore, uncovering its rich history and its potential to reveal crucial insights into Seychellois culture and identity. «There were over 200 theses successfully submitted for examination between 2022 and 2023. After selection, there was a tie between mine, which was in the Humanities and Social Sciences category and another by Dr Ing Bugeja, in the Sciences category. So, the Doctoral School declared both theses the most outstanding in their respective categories,» Choppy told SNA. Her research examines how Seychellois folktales represent the diverse diasporas that shaped the island nation's population.  Drawing upon the work of Robin Cohen and Olivia Sheringham, the thesis explores three key concepts - diaspora, Creolisation, and social identity.  She argues that these elements, in a specific order, are fundamental phases of identity formation within plantation Creole societies like Seychelles. « Diaspora, Creolisation and Social Identity, in that order, are chronological phases of identity formation in plantation Creole societies like Seychelles and that in the particular case of Seychelles, its corpus of folktales is representative of these phases,» added Choppy. Using a database of Seychellois folktales coded in Nvivo, a research tool, Choppy's analysis revealed valuable insights.   «By tracing the origins of the stories and the likely periods that they were transferred to Seychelles, it has been possible to identify the different diasporas that formed the early population of the archipelago,» she added.  Choppy also used the Nvivo software to analyse the impact of slavery on the Seychellois psyche, uncovering attempts to create a new and more positive identity in the post-independence period. The research also highlights the role played by powerful structures, including the Catholic Church, in shaping Seychellois concepts of identity and culture. Choppy believes that her thesis, currently available online in the University of Malta's thesis repository, will significantly contribute to scholarly research on Seychellois folklore, culture, and identity.   «This award will greatly increase my visibility and credibility as a researcher, especially in the capacity of a literary scholar and cultural expert,» she added. Choppy said her thesis has already had a profound impact on her career and the award, along with the recognition garnered by her work, has resulted in an offer to publish her research as a book. «Already the thesis, which is featured in the University of Malta's thesis repository online, has attracted significant attention from experts in the field which will have some positive outcomes such as future publications and inclusion in international and local initiatives. For example, I already have an offer from a very reputable publishing house in Germany, Kreolische Bibliothek, to publish my thesis as a book,» she told SNA.   Beyond the academic realm,  Choppy's research marks a significant milestone, being the first time that all Seychellois folktales have been collected and documented in a digitised form and made available in one location.   She said this will make these important stories readily accessible, both to scholars and to the Seychellois community and the information about the folktales has been classified according to the international folktale classification index, Aarne/Thompson/Uther (ATU), making this vital resource accessible not only locally but also to global researchers. Choppy's research shows how folklore can be used to illuminate the complexities of history, culture, and identity meant to contribute to a deeper understanding of Seychellois heritage. It will encourage further exploration of the unique storytelling traditions that have shaped the islands.

A group of 18 young Seychellois male footballers, between the ages of 15 to 16, will travel to Marseille, France, on Sunday to train and play alongside top French teams, including Olympique Marseille. This is part of FIFA's Talent Development Scheme to help member associations reach their potential by ensuring that every talent can be detected and developed. Speaking to this SNA earlier this week, the technical director of the Seychelles Football Federation (SFF), Osama Haroun, explained that in this camp, the young players will undertake high level training enabling them to improve their skills. It will also showcase their talents and could even lead to chances of being signed by professional clubs. «The young players will have 27 training sessions and six friendly matches over 36 days, meaning it will be very intense,» said Haroun, and added that each player has been evaluated and will have training catered especially to them. The players in the group were born between 2009/2010, which was the criteria set by FIFA. Haroun explained that over 30 players were considered for selection and only the very best from each position were selected to attend the camp. «They are players with very good quality, but due to budget constraints, we were only able to select 18 players, where they were tested on control, speed, ball control and what we call a motivational test, to ensure they can handle the intense training they will do in France,» he added. Arsenal FC legend, Arsene Wenger, is the head of the Talent Development Programme. The operational cycle has been designed to provide member associations with resources in talent development and high performance in the form of consultancy services over the period 2023-2026, custom-made. Since April 2023, member associations can apply every year to participate in the programme. The main mission of the FIFA Talent Development Programme is to invest in academies. The goal is that by 2026, each member association will have at least one academy or centre of excellence. It will also be used to support national teams, talent identification, high-level coaches and structured competitions.

Planes were gradually taking off again Saturday after global airlines, banks and media were thrown into turmoil by one of the biggest IT crashes in recent years, caused by an update to an antivirus program. Passenger crowds had swelled at airports on Friday as dozens of flights were cancelled after an update to a program operating on Microsoft Windows crashed systems worldwide. By Saturday, officials said the situation had returned virtually to normal in airports across Germany and France, as Paris prepared to welcome millions for the Olympic Games starting on Friday. Multiple US airlines and airports across Asia said they had resumed operations, with check-in services restored in Hong Kong, South Korea and Thailand, and mostly back to normal in India, Indonesia and at Singapore's Changi Airport as of Saturday afternoon. «There are no long queues at the airports as we experienced yesterday,» Airports of Thailand president Keerati Kitmanawat told reporters. - CrowdStrike apologises - Microsoft said the issue began at 1900 GMT on Thursday, affecting Windows users running the CrowdStrike Falcon cybersecurity software. In a Saturday blog post, CrowdStrike said it had released an update on Thursday night that caused a system crash and the infamous «blue screen of death» fatal error message. CrowdStrike said it had rolled out a fix for the problem and the company's boss, George Kurtz, told US news channel CNBC he wanted to «personally apologise to every organisation, every group and every person who has been impacted». The company also said it could take a few days for a full return to normal. US President Joe Biden's team was talking to CrowdStrike and those affected by the glitch «and is standing by to provide assistance as needed», the White House said in a statement. «Our understanding is that flight operations have resumed across the country, although some congestion remains,» a senior US administration official said. Reports from the Netherlands and Britain suggested health services might have been affected by the disruption, meaning the full impact might not yet be known. Media companies were also hit, with Britain's Sky News saying the glitch had ended its Friday morning news broadcasts, and Australia's ABC similarly reporting major difficulties. Australian, British and German authorities warned of an increase in scam and phishing attempts following the outage, including people offering to help reboot computers and asking for personal information or credit card details. Banks in Kenya and Ukraine reported issues with their digital services, while some mobile phone carriers were disrupted and customer services in a number of companies went down. «The scale of this outage is unprecedented, and will no doubt go down in history,» said Junade Ali of Britain's Institution of Engineering and Technology, adding that the last incident approaching the same scale was in 2017. - Flight chaos - While some airports halted all flights, in others airline staff resorted to manual check-ins for passengers, leading to long lines and frustrated travellers. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initially ordered all flights grounded «regardless of destination», though airlines later said they were re-establishing their services and working through the backlog. India's largest airline Indigo said operations had been «resolved», in a statement posted on X. «We are diligently working to resume normal operations, and we expect this process to extend into the weekend,» the carrier said Saturday. Low-cost carrier AirAsia said it was still trying to get back online and had been «working around the clock towards recovering its departure control systems». It recommended passengers arrive early at airports and be ready for «manual check-in» at airline counters. Chinese state media said Beijing's airports had not been affected. - 'Common cause' - Companies were left patching up their systems and trying to assess the damage, even as officials tried to tamp down panic by ruling out foul play. According to CrowdStrike's Saturday blog, the issue was «not the result of or related to a cyberattack». CrowdStrike boss Kurtz said in a statement his teams were «fully mobilised» to help affected customers and «a fix has been deployed». But Oli Buckley, a professor at Britain's Loughborough University, was one of many experts who questioned the ease of rolling out a proper fix. «While experienced users can implement the workaround, expecting millions to do so is impractical,» he said. Other experts said the incident should prompt a widespread reconsideration of how reliant societies are on a handful of tech companies for such an array of services. «We need to be aware that such software can be a common cause of failure for multiple systems at the same time,» said John McDermid, a professor at York University in Britain. He said infrastructure should be designed «to be resilient against such common cause problems». © Agence France-Presse

The Seychelles' beach soccer national team hopes to pull off a shock result against Mozambique on Saturday when it takes on one of Africa's strongest sides at the local Beach Soccer Arena. The team has been training intensively in recent weeks as it prepares to seek a qualification spot in the CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations 2024 (AFCON) and head coach Herald Kowlessur said that the team is looking for a win. «We have played against Mozambique before and the results were not good, but we are hoping that this is not the case again and we want to come out and play to get a win,» said Kowlessur. The head coach is asking supporters to come and help  the players in an attempt to get a victory. The match will take place at 6 p.m. at the Beach Soccer Arena in the central district of Roche Caiman. The second leg will take place in Mozambique a week later. The team is currently in a training camp with full time preparations and the coach says everything is going well and the players are in good form ahead of Saturday's game. Earlier this week, the team was briefed by a referee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and coach Kowlessur explained that this was to ensure the players stay updated with the ever-changing rules of the game. «We brought the referee to share his experience and let the players know what they can expect from the referees in this match,» said Kowlessur. Seychelles will be captained by Mike Balette, who shared that the team is a mix of young and experienced players and feels they have enough about them to get a good result. «We are taking this match seriously, especially as we are playing in front of our fans and we have prepared well and will be looking for a good match,» said Balette. Stephen Lajoie, who is part of the team, said they are ready to show what they are capable of. «We want all supporters to come and give us support, where when we see our people cheering us on, it will give us the determination to do well,» he added. The winners of each edition of the Beach Soccer AFCON, launched in 2006, qualify for the African nations in the upcoming FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, has already qualified as it will host the next tournament in 2025. Senegal is the most successful nation in this competition and in the World Cup qualifications. The Western African country has won seven titles, including the latest one in 2022, and qualified with nine out of 11 attempts. Nigeria follows closely with six qualifications. Seychelles competed in the qualifiers for the tournament in 2022 in Mozambique and lost 11-4 on aggregate to Madagascar. The 2024 edition of the tournament will take place in Egypt.

The Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaption Trust (SeyCCAT) held a workshop with key organisations that have contributed to the Oceans 5-funded project «Enabling Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan» (SMSP) to showcase their accomplishments. The project involved implementation partners, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Energy, the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA), Marine Conservation Society Seychelles (MCSS), Save Our Seas Foundation's D'Arros Research Centre, Green Islands Foundation (GIF), and the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF). The SMSP is an initiative approved in October 2020 focused on planning for and managing the sustainable and long-term use and health of Seychelles' ocean. It covers the 1.4 million square kilometres of country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)  and is expected to support the island nation's Blue Economy. It also includes the demarcation of more than 410,000 square kilometres which amounts to 30 percent of Seychelles' ocean area, as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). There are 13 MPAs divided into several zones, with the model protected being Zone 1 - High Biodiversity Protection Areas where almost no extractive human activities are allowed. The SeyCCAT's grants manager, Liam Weber, said that Ocean5, funded by the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, targets the gaps that exist in the SMSP. Using Denis Island, which is owned by the Seychellois Mason family, as an example, he said that through the GIF, it developed and managed a plan for the sustainable use around the island. Denis Island falls under Zone 2 of the SMSP along with five others, the Amirantes group to Fortune Bank, the Cosmoledo as Astove atolls, the Farquhar group, and Desroches and Poivre Atolls.    The general manager of Green Island Foundation (GIF), a not-for-profit organisation, Wilna Accouche, showed the Denis Island Sustainable Use Area management plan. The Denis Island Sustainable Use Area is approximately 29 square kilometres and encompasses a distance of 2 km long around the island up to the high-water mark. The area is rich in marine biodiversity with perhaps one of the most important green turtle populations in inner Seychelles and there are also fishing activities conducted within this zone. Accouche explained in her presentation that among the challenges is how to find continuous funding to keep the initiative sustainable on Denis Island. The Ocean 5 projects, which started in June 2021 and will end August 2024, has a budget of $900,000. Weber said, «The project supports missing capacity areas and gaps in knowledge of things we didn't understand yet, which will benefit Seychelles for a long time.» Among other benefits from the Ocean 5 are the environmental monitoring regimes and protocols carried out in chosen areas every month.

Two first-time Olympians will carry the Seychelles flag at the upcoming 33rd Olympic Games, scheduled to take place in Paris, France, from July 26  to August 11. Swimmer Khema Elizabeth and sprinter Dylan Sicobo were given the honour of being the flag bearers for Seychelles at the sending-off ceremony for the island nation's delegation. Only Elizabeth was present as Sicobo is already in France so is swimmer Simon Bachmann, the other Seychellois athlete at the Games, and the only one among the three who had participated in an Olympic Games. Bachmann was part of the five-man team for Seychelles for the Tokyo Olympics.    The President of Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan, presented Elizabeth with the Seychelles' flag during the ceremony, and in his address he urged athletes to make the most of this experience. «I want the athletes to know that we will be following the performance in Paris and when you return, having rubbed shoulders with some of the best in the world, it will definitely enrich your development,» he said. Ramkalawan also stressed  the importance of togetherness in sports and shared his disappointment at the many in-fighting issues in local sports. «Once and for all, let us not look to compete among ourselves in a federation, but instead look to compete against our opponents,» he added. As for Elizabeth, she said, «It is a great honour for me to be the flag bearer of Seychelles, especially being a small island and it gives great pleasure to be able to hold our flag high.» The ceremony was attended by members of the 10-person Seychelles delegation for the Games. This year's Seychelles' team of three athletes is the smallest group the island nation, in the western Indian Ocean, has ever sent to the Olympic Games. Elizabeth will compete in the 50m freestyle event on Saturday, August 3, while Sicobo will be running in the 100m race on the same day. The two athletes join the list of athletes who carried the Seychelles' flag at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. The flag bearers at the last Games in Tokyo, Japan in 2021, were former Sportsman and Sportswoman of the year, sailor Rodney Govinden and swimmer Felicity Passon. Both athletes booked their spots for the Games. The other athlete that will represent Seychelles at the games is another swimmer, Simon Bachmann, who will compete in the 200m individual medley event on August 1.  This will be the 11th time Seychelles competes at the Olympic Games. The first time was at the Moscow Games in 1980.   The Minister for Family Affairs, Youth and Sports, Marie-Celine Zialor, was also present at the sending-off ceremony. She reiterated what an honour it is to represent the country at such events and asked the athletes to do their best to represent the country positively. «We will continue to support sports in Seychelles and I remain confident and I will continue to talk about Seychelles winning that first Olympic medal, until the day that we do win it,» she added. Seychelles' delegation includes the chairperson of the Seychelles Aquatics Federation, Murielle Morgan, swimming coach Barnsley Albert, Wilfred Adrienne for the Seychelles Athletics Federation and the medical officer, Julie Sham-laye. The head of the delegation is Jeffrey Lagrenade and also part of the delegation will be the vice president and secretary general of the Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (SOCGA), Michel Bau and Alain Alcindor, respectively.

The President of Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan, has sent a message of congratulation to Paul Kagame on his re-election as the President of Rwanda, the Foreign Affairs Department said on Friday. In his message, Ramkalawan, said, «I am pleased to extend my heartfelt congratulations on your re-election as President of the Republic of Rwanda. Your re-election to this high office is a testament to your leadership acumen and reflects the continued trust that the people of Rwanda have in your vision for a prosperous and united  Rwanda. I am confident that under your stewardship, Rwanda will make further progress in achieving sustainable development, social justice, and economic growth.» He said that Seychelles and Rwanda share strong and dynamic relations, which were further solidified during Kagame's visit to the island nation in June 2023. «I remain committed to our common objectives of further strengthening our bilateral ties and working together to intensify our cooperation for the mutual benefit of both our countries and peoples. I am very much looking forward to continuing our collaborative efforts at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels,» added Ramkalawan. Rwanda's National Electoral Commission said on Thursday that Kagame has been re-elected with 99.18 percent of the vote. The 66-year-old has been the President of Rwanda since April 2000.    

The Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaption Trust (SeyCCAT) held a workshop with key organisations that have contributed to the Oceans 5-funded project «Enabling Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan» (SMSP) to showcase their accomplishments. The project involved implementation partners, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Energy, the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA), Marine Conservation Society Seychelles (MCSS), Save Our Seas Foundation's D'Arros Research Centre, Green Islands Foundation (GIF), and the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF). The SMSP is an initiative approved in October 2020 focused on planning for and managing the sustainable and long-term use and health of Seychelles' ocean. It covers the 1.4 million square kilometres of country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)  and is expected to support the island nation's Blue Economy. It also includes the demarcation of more than 410,000 square kilometres which amounts to 30 percent of Seychelles' ocean area, as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). There are 13 MPAs divided into several zones, with the model protected being Zone 1 - High Biodiversity Protection Areas where almost no extractive human activities are allowed. The SeyCCAT's grants manager, Liam Weber, said that Ocean5, funded by the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, targets the gaps that exist in the SMSP. Using Denis Island, which is owned by the Seychellois Mason family, as an example, he said that through the GIF, it developed and managed a plan for the sustainable use around the island. Denis Island falls under Zone 2 of the SMSP along with five others, the Amirantes group to Fortune Bank, the Cosmoledo as Astove atolls, the Farquhar group, and Desroches and Poivre Atolls.    The general manager of Green Island Foundation (GIF), a not-for-profit organisation, Wilna Accouche, showed the Denis Island Sustainable Use Area management plan. The Denis Island Sustainable Use Area is approximately 29 square kilometres and encompasses a distance of 2 km long around the island up to the high-water mark. The area is rich in marine biodiversity with perhaps one of the most important green turtle populations in inner Seychelles and there are also fishing activities conducted within this zone. Accouche explained in her presentation that among the challenges is how to find continuous funding to keep the initiative sustainable on Denis Island. The Ocean 5 projects, which started in June 2021 and will end August 2024, has a budget of $900,000. Weber said, «The project supports missing capacity areas and gaps in knowledge of things we didn't understand yet, which will benefit Seychelles for a long time.» Among other benefits from the Ocean 5 are the environmental monitoring regimes and protocols carried out in chosen areas every month.

A lucky couple from Seychelles will soon head to Paris for the 2024 Olympics after winning a lottery held by the Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB) Seychelles. Nimhan and Bernice Senaratne were presented with the plane tickets in a small ceremony at the bank's headquarters in Victoria on Thursday. The prize includes a four-day all-inclusive package and attending the closing ceremony of the games, along with the diving and beach volleyball events. «I was very surprised when I received the call and wasn't sure that it wasn't a prank call, but when I heard the excitement of the MCB team behind the call, I knew it was real,» said Nimhan Senaratne, after receiving his prize. «I've been a loyal customer of MCB for over a decade now and we of course as a couple we are very pleased with this opportunity and I think it is going to be a dream getaway for us,» he added. Aside from experiencing the Games, the couple will also attend a special St Germain Food Tour. The package will also include transportation in Paris, meals and drinks, excursions and an allowance of SCR10,000 ($727) for both. Nimhan said his wife and him are not really sports fans but nonetheless, they are looking forward to the opportunity, which will be like a second honeymoon for them This opportunity came through the «Fly to the Olympique Paris 2024» promotional campaign held by MCB from March 15 to May 31. This was done through the usage of MCB Debit or Credit cards for Point of Sales (POS), or online payments. The winners were decided by a draw.   It is not the first time that MCB has held the 'Cashless Initiative' and since 2021, various clients of the bank have benefitted from it. In 2021 five lucky winners won SCR5,000 ($365) for a year and in 2022 one lucky winner was flown to Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup to attend the third place playoff game. In 2023, one customer won SCR100,000 ($7,276) with 20 other clients each winning SCR10,000 ($727). 

Thousands of French security forces locked down a six-kilometre (four-mile) stretch of central Paris on Thursday ahead of the hugely complex Olympics opening ceremony next week. The opening parade on July 26 that will see athletes sail down the river Seine led to the closure of central water-side residential districts to most vehicles from 5:00 am (0300 GMT) on Thursday. Traffic on surrounding boulevards was noticeably lighter than usual as many drivers stayed away, but locals and tourists found themselves blocked at checkpoints, particularly when trying to cross the river. «It's a real pain,» cyclist Frank Groner, 52, told AFP after being turned away by police outside the La Samaritaine department store. «I read everything online and thought I'd understood. You can't cross anywhere!» With the opening ceremony just eight days away, Paris is transforming itself as it prepares to welcome nearly nine million Olympics ticketholders. Organisers are putting the finishing touches to the temporary sports stadiums at iconic locations such as the Eiffel Tower, the Invalides or the Place de la Concorde. Advertising boards, new artwork and Olympics bunting are going up, while the creation of Olympic VIP traffic lanes this week are the latest change to the capital's gridlocked streets. «The Olympics have brought us nothing but misery,» taxi driver Rabah Ouanes, 53, complained on Thursday, saying traffic had been dreadful because of all the construction work. In the run up to the Games, tourist numbers are much lower-than-usual and many Paris residents have headed off on holiday to avoid the disruption. «Our clients are down by 50 percent,» said Renaud, a senior waiter at the famed Deux Magots cafe in Saint-German-des-Pres, which is inside the new security perimeter set up on Thursday. «Normally we have people queuing out the door,» he told AFP, gesturing towards the numerous empty seats on the outdoor terrace. - 'Super excited' - Elsewhere on Thursday, the first athletes arrived at the newly built Olympic Village in the Saint-Ouen northern suburb of the capital which urban planners are hoping to regenerate. Comprising 40 different low-rise housing blocs, the complex has been built as a showcase of innovative construction techniques using low-carbon concrete, water recycling and reclaimed building materials. It was also intended to be free of air-conditioning, but Olympic delegations have ordered around 2,500 portable cooling units for their athletes out of fear of high temperatures. «We are super excited to check how it's looking,» Australian hockey player Stephanie Kershaw told AFP as she waited to enter the village. «We can't wait to get started.» Members of the Argentinian, Brazilian and Kenyan delegations could be seen pushing luggage trolleys into the complex, while British and US athletes are also expected on Thursday. At full capacity, the village will host 14,500 people including 9,000 athletes. - Unprecedented ceremony - Securing the Paris Games remains the biggest priority for French authorities, with Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin insisting Wednesday that there was «no credible threat» against them at this stage. The opening ceremony has been giving senior police officers cold sweats ever since it was announced in 2021 because of the difficulty of protecting such a large, densely packed urban area. Around 6,000-7,000 athletes are set to sail down the Seine on nearly a hundred barges and river boats. It will be the first time a Summer Olympics has opened outside the main athletics stadium, with up to 500,000 people set to watch in person from stands, on the river banks and from the overlooking apartments. The two-tiered security perimeter installed on Thursday has restricted most vehicles from central areas. Anyone wanting to enter the highest-security «grey zone» along both banks of the Seine, such as residents or tourists with hotel reservations in the area, needs a security pass in the form of a QR code. River barriers blocking access to the Seine were installed and functioning on Thursday, while a vast no-fly zone will be put in place above the capital on the evening of the ceremony. The installation of tens of thousands of metal security barriers all along the route of the parade and around the temporary venues has also outraged some Parisians. Martine Dubois, a 74-year-old living in Saint-Germain-des-Pres, said the Olympics were «a real inconvenience». The metro stop she uses for work was one of 10 closed for security reasons on Thursday and the barriers «make you feel like you're living in a prison,» she told AFP. © Agence France-Presse

The Israeli parliament voted Thursday to oppose a Palestinian state as an «existential threat», a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told lawmakers the army had Hamas «by the throat». The vote, which drew swift criticism from the Palestinian leadership and the international community, is largely symbolic but laid down a marker ahead of a planned address by Netanyahu to the US Congress next Wednesday. The veteran hawk has shown little interest in efforts by the US administration to broker a truce and hostage release deal for Gaza, saying that «absolute victory» over Hamas is within reach and vowing to ramp up the military pressure. But on a visit to Israeli troops in Gaza Thursday, he rejected criticism from hostages' families that his policies are obstructing an agreement to bring their loved ones home, insisting that pressure on Hamas was «not delaying the deal, it is advancing it». On the ground in Gaza, the Hamas-ruled territory's health ministry reported 54 deaths in 24 hours as Israel kept up its heavy bombardment of recent days. The resolution passed by Israeli lawmakers in the early hours said a Palestinian state on land occupied by the Israeli army would «perpetuate the Israel-Palestinian conflict and destabilise the region». It said «promoting» a Palestinian state «would only encourage Hamas and its supporters» after its October 7 attack on Israel which triggered the war. The resolution passed by 68 votes to nine in the 120-member parliament. The Palestinian Authority accused Israel's hard-right ruling coalition of «plunging the region into an abyss». Neighbouring Jordan said the vote «constitutes a serious violation of international law and a challenge to the international community». France expressed «consternation», noting that the text was «in contradiction» with multiple UN Security Council resolutions. - 'Moral stain' - The establishment of a Palestinian state on lands occupied by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967 has been the cornerstone of the international community's efforts to resolve the conflict for decades. UN chief Antonio Guterres was «very disappointed» by the Israeli parliament's move. «You can't vote away the two-state solution,» his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Guterres has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza war, saying Wednesday that «the humanitarian situation... is a moral stain on us all». All health facilities in southern Gaza have been pushed to «breaking point» by the influx of casualties, the International Committee of the Red Cross said. AFPTV images showed mourners at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central town of Deir el-Balah, where several white-shrouded corpses lay on the ground. One man cradled the covered body of a child. - 'By the throat' - During more than nine months of war, Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to eradicate Hamas as well as bring home all the hostages. On Wednesday, he told parliament: «We have got them by the throat.» Far-right members of his governing coalition, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, oppose a truce deal. On Thursday, Ben Gvir said Netanyahu must not make a «surrender» accord with Hamas. In another sign of tensions within the government over the handling of the war, Netanyahu overruled an order by Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, a longtime rival, to build a temporary field hospital in Israel to treat sick children from Gaza. The prime minister «does not approve the establishment of a hospital for Gazans within Israeli territory -- therefore, it will not be established,» his office said. The war began with Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. The militants also seized 251 hostages, 116 of whom are still in Gaza, including 42 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's military retaliation has killed at least 38,848 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Gaza health ministry. - Polio virus detected - The war has destroyed much of Gaza's housing and other infrastructure, leaving almost all of the population displaced and short of food and drinking water. Pax, a Dutch activist group, said in a study released Thursday that «continuous bombing and Israel's fuel blockade have decimated» Gaza's outdated waste collection system, threatening water supplies and farm land. The health ministries in Israel and Gaza on Thursday reported that the polio virus had been detected in sewage samples from the war-stricken territory. The Israeli health ministry said poliovirus type 2 was detected in Gaza sewage samples tested in an Israeli laboratory, adding that the World Health Organization had made similar findings. Umm Nahed Abu Shar, 45, staying in a tent with her family in Deir el-Balah, has endured clouds of flies, the stench of sewage and constant illness. «We are not living,» she said. © Agence France-Presse

The Seychelles Prison Services will be headed for the first time by a woman, Janet Georges, starting the end of July, President Wavel Ramkalawan, announced in his televised address on Thursday. The President said that Georges, who is an Assistant Superintendent of Police, will be appointed Commissioner of Prison and will replace Raymond St. Ange, who is occupying the post currently. Earlier in the day, St. Ange told the media that he would be available to assist the new head in any needed capacity. Ramkalawan also announced that next week he will appoint a new board of the Islands Development Company (IDC), which would include preparation for the appointment of a new CEO before the end of the year as the current one, Glenny Savy, will be retiring. Ramkalawan said the televised address was to take stock of certain national subjects and share his thoughts and reflections on the country and its direction. TRNUC and 7 December outcomes  «Two subjects that concern our people are the TRNUC (Truth, Reconciliation, and National Unity Commission) and the 7th December disaster, especially, the CCCL explosion. I am pleased to announce that much progress has been made and today we have reached the point where I can declare that everything is under control,» he said.   On the TRNUC, he announced that three persons have been nominated after consultation to complete the work as per the recommendation made in the report. They are Michael Green, a former Commissioner of TRNUC, Nichole Gerardhi-Tirant, the former ombudsman and the current deputy chair of the Human Rights Commission, and Georges Bibi, a former politician. «They will also make a final recommendation on the subject of compensation for the victims,» said Ramkalawan. CCCL Explosion on December 7 Ramkalawan gave feedback on assistance being provided to Cascade residents whose houses were damaged in the CCCL explosion on December 7 at the Provide Industrial Estate. «I can tell you that all Cascade residents who were brought to the attention of the concerned authorities have been taken in hand and residents are receiving the necessary assistance,» said the President. He added that a total of SCR30 million ($2.1 million) has already been spent. Ramkalawan said the police case is in the hands of the Attorney General for the final determination of what will happen. He added that a discussion has started with CCCL on the creation of a fund to assist in the payment of compensation for those affected and this will be announced soon. Fight against drugs  Ramkalawan said he was happy to say that the fight against drugs is showing positive results. «We have seen much progress but a lot remains to be done. I congratulate the different agencies for the work they have accomplished to save our youths. At the same time, I must say that drug traffickers remain a group without a heart and keep looking for new ways to make money on those who are weaker. [...] We must all join together to help in this battle,» he added. Low employment rate «Today the employment rate is lower than it has ever been which means everybody can get employment,» said Ramkalawan. He concluded by saying he was proud of the direction the country is going but with more hard work and devotion, it can go further. 

Two boxers, who came close to getting medals at the Olympics, a renowned historian, a prominent female entrepreneur and an educator, who spent 65 years shaping young people for the world of work through career guidance and supporting couples to raise solid families, were recipients of National Awards this year. The awards were held at State House on June 28, as part of activities to commemorate Seychelles' National Day celebrations and four organisations were also recognised for their outstanding and meritorious service of national importance.  SNA presents the 10 distinguished and outstanding Seychellois who received their medals of merit and honour from President Wavel Ramkalawan.   Rival Payet: Former boxer and national coach for boxing - Medal of Merit Rival Payet, formerly known as Rival Cadeau, is a light middleweight boxer who has represented Seychelles in many regional and international competitions and games. Amongst his many accolades, Payet had represented his country at several prestigious sporting events such as the 1990 Commonwealth Games, 1992 Summer Olympics, 1994 Commonwealth Games in which he won a bronze medal, and the 1996 Summer Olympics, where he reached the quarter-finals. In 1995 at the All-Africa Games, he won a silver medal, eight years earlier at the same game Payet clinched a bronze medal. Today, he is a national coach for boxing. (State House) Photo License: CC-BY    Roland Raforme: Former boxer and national coach for boxing -  Medal of Merit Roland Raforme, a double Olympian, has contributed a lot to boxing and its development. Raforme represented Seychelles on the international scene in the men's light heavyweight category. At the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics, he reached the quarter-finals. He also left his mark at the Commonwealth Games in which he participated in 1994 and 1998, and won a silver medal in 1998 in the men's heavyweight. He also participated in the All-African Games in 1987 and won a bronze medal in the 1991 competition. (State House) Photo License: CC-BY    Edwina Adrienne: Former career guidance teacher, pioneer of couple and family support – Medal of Merit Edwina Adrienne, aged 91, is credited for her vast experience in career guidance – preparing the youth of Seychelles for the world of work and making the right career choices. Adrienne, a former teacher and employment officer, pioneered counselling and support, not only for couples but for families which led to the setting up of the Association for the Promotion of Solid Human Family (APSHF). The main aim of the organisation is to work with couples, married or not, to assist them to better manage and resolve conflicts and difficulties that may arise, giving them life and parenting skills and values that would enable them give the right guidance to their children. Adrienne spent 65 years of her life as an educator and supporting couples to raise strong families. (State House) Photo License: CC-BY    Edouard Domingue: The first managing director of the Seychelles Savings Bank - now the Seychelles Commercial Bank – Medal of Merit Domingue, who could not attend the ceremony at State House, was awarded for being the first managing director of the Seychelles Savings Bank and for his leadership. His award was received by a family member. The Seychelles Savings Bank started its operations in January 1981. In 1992 the Government of Seychelles incorporated Seychelles Savings Bank as a limited liability company under the Companies Act, with majority shares owned by the Government of Seychelles. In September 2013 the Bank changed its name to Seychelles Commercial Bank.   (State House) Photo License: CC-BY     Herman Maria: Successful local entrepreneur - Medal of Merit Maria was nominated as a member of the National Awards Committee by President Wavel Ramkalawan in May 2022. Two years on Maria was bestowed a Medal of Merit as a local entrepreneur involved mostly in the construction industry. Maria started his small business as a carpenter in 1971. Over the years, Maria developed the spirit of entrepreneurship growing his business Herman Maria & Company Ltd involved in building construction and furniture manufacturing. The company has also ventured into importing building materials. (State House) Photo License: CC-BY    Willy Andre, a renowned environmentalist -  Medal of Honour An environmentalist and forestry pioneer, Willy Andre does not require much introduction to the Seychellois public. Turning 90 years old in December this year, Andre spent 45 years of his life in forestry in the environment sector. Much of his work was on Praslin Island – the second most populated island of the 115-island archipelago. Fond Ferdinand, a nature reserve where the endemic coco de mer grows in its natural state, is a place where he spent a lot of time during his career. A place close to his heart, perhaps because Praslin is where he was born. Andre is a founding member of the Seychelles Island Foundation, responsible for the management of the Vallee de Mai, another place where the coco de mer grows in its natural state,  and the Aldabra Atoll, two of Seychelles UNESCO World Heritage sites.  (State House) Photo License: CC-BY    Francis Chang-Sam: A retired legal pioneer - Medal of Honour A retired lawyer and Attorney General, Francis Chang-Sam was recognised for his contribution as a lawyer and his work heading the secretariat that drafted the Constitution of the Third Republic of Seychelles. The former Attorney General spent over 30 years in legal affairs and assumed many responsibilities such as Registrar General, Registrar of Companies, Registrar of Land and Registrar of Trade Marks. Chang-Sam was involved with drafting legislation, commercial and other legal documents. Chang-Sam also served on the National Law and Order Committee and the Constitution Review Committee. (State House) Photo License: CC-BY    Ilette Esther: Former nurse at the main hospital's Blood Bank - Medal of Honour Ilette Esther's name is synonymous with the Blood Bank of the Seychelles Hospital. A senior nursing officer of the blood transfusion unit until her retirement, Esther was recognised for her long years of service and the pivotal role she played in the development of the Blood Transfusion unit. During the award ceremony President Wavel Ramkalawan proposed that the Blood Bank of the new Seychelles Hospital, which is planned for construction, should be named after Esther. (State House) Photo License: CC-BY    The late Tony Mathiot: Local admired historian- Medal of Honour A walking encyclopedia of the island nation, whose sudden demise earlier this year left many in shock, wondering who will step in to fill the void left by Tony Mathiot, for the local historian knew the history of Seychelles like the back of his hand. Mathiot, who passed away on January 24, was not only known as a historian and researcher but as a man who was a living archive, carrying the island nation's history in his extraordinary mind. He was truly a national treasure. (State House) Photo License: CC-BY     Soona Oliaji: Champion for children with special needs - Medal of Honour A prominent female entrepreneur, Oliaji is the owner of Teemooljee & Co Ltd, one of the oldest retail businesses of the island nation. Oliaji was also very active in civil society and is a member of the Soroptimist Club of the Seychelles – active on the islands for over 30 years and at the forefront of empowering women, girls, and boys, fostering leadership skills, and supporting various charitable causes. Oliaji was honoured for her role in initiating and setting up the School for the Exceptional Child for differently abled children.  (State House) Photo License: CC-BY 

The newly set up Seychelles Small Hotels and Establishments Association (SSHEA) Association has established strategic partnerships with key entities that will serve and address the interests and concerns of its members, according to the chairman and former government minister, Peter Sinon. A memorandum of understanding has been signed between SSHEA and Hospitality Plus from Mauritius, an entity that is the regional representative of the well-known US-based Sabre Hospitality Solutions. Sinon said, «Once the partnership kick-starts, small hotels and establishments will have access to the same efficient and effective system that its bigger counterparts in the industry have exclusively enjoyed.» He added that Sabre Hospitality Solutions is a global company with over 30 years of experience in booking and reservations management. However, until recently they only served the large hotels. «The playing field will be levelled in terms of access to cutting-edge technology from a global company with a proven record that it can withstand the test of times and cutting-edge technical solutions will be affordably accessible to our members,» Sinon told SNA. He explained that SSHEA is guided by the concerns expressed by its members and is committed to ensuring that these issues are on the agenda of national debates and policies. Sinon spoke about the concerns the small establishments face, especially on Praslin and La Digue, the second and third most populated islands, and said in general establishments on the two islands are in good shape. However, standards of related services have room for improvement. «One of our prospective members has done a comprehensive study on the reviews of the establishments in La Digue. They were found to be very favourable to the existing hospitality and accommodation entities,» he added. Sinon said the overall objective of the Association is to push and lobby the authorities to go back and re-visit the policies applied to Eden Island, a man-made island with luxury properties, and meet SSHEA to see if some of these policy incentives can be extended to its members in a drive to significantly upgrade standards. «SSHEA intends to lobby the authorities to define as much as possible their definition for an ideal establishment that meets their required standards. In our dialogue with our partners we will do our utmost to meet these required standards,» Sinon told SNA. The Association's aggressive discount programme is of great help to its members to ease the concerns on costs for operations, maintenance, and refurbishment. juxtaposed with the current competitive pressures to maintain and upgrade standards. He said that discussions with two companies are underway to ensure supplies to Praslin and La Digue are to the level and this will help to ensure the demand is met and quality services to clients are provided. «We are soon to engage with the Seychelles Public Transport Corporation (SPTC) with regards to bus passes,» said Sinon. At the moment, SSHEA has one representative on Praslin on its executive board. It expects to have three members on the executive board representing Praslin and three for La Digue. «We are going to have six instead of just two representatives on the executive board of SSHEA from Praslin and La Digue. Better representation means greater attention to details and concerns. We plan to do our best to support and promote all our members. Eighty-five members in a pool of around 700 plus licensed small establishments means that we have some ways to go to grow our collective bargaining strength,» he added. Aware and focused on the need to minimise costs, SSHEA has signed an agreement with EBOO, the first licensed digital payment system of Seychelles. «By opening this door for our members they can individually negotiate agreements with the aforementioned company and minimise their financial transaction costs of payments,» said Sinon. Additionally, a digital capacity building project for its members has also been formulated and efforts are underway to mobilise financing as well as technical expertise to carry out this project. SSHEA is also initiating a renewable solar energy project that could also be extended to a rainwater and water storage project for drought periods with a project to install solar renewable energy panels on members' establishments being under review by local experts. Strategic collaboration with the conservation group Sustainability4Seychelles (S4S) has been initiated and the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) has been informed of the Association's intention where it will seek technical advice and support. The implementation of this project when successful will be key to addressing the number one concern of members, which is the escalating costs of energy. «At the onset of our registration, an independent and anonymous survey was conducted. In a plethora of concerns the top two concerns were escalating costs of operations, and visibility and marketing,» said Sinon. «The 700 licensed operators should take note that only united we can be counted and our collective voices will be heard. If we operate as lone wolves in the wilderness that is where our issues will remain and dissipate with no action to address them,» he stressed.

Key players in the agricultural sector met at the Eden Bleu hotel on Wednesday to discuss ways to better prepare the country for the effects of climate change. This is part of prepartion work for a project the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) will be undertaking under the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) under the Global Environment Facility's eighth replenishment (GEF8). Representatives from the agricultural sector, the finance department and non-governmental organisations decided on key projects they wished to implement to make the sector more robust against the impacts of climate change. «Climate change poses significant financial risks to our farmers, who often lack the resources to recover from climate-related losses. The  SCCF can provide financial support, including grants and low-interest loans, to help farmers invest in climate-resilient infrastructure and technologies,» said principal secretary for agriculture, Keven Nancy, in his address. The FAO consultant for Seychelles, Barry Nourrice explained that this focus on food security is not only to increase food production but also to improve the way food is produced that is adapted to climate change. «Previous interventions mainly targeted mitigation, but with this one focusd on adaptation, we may apply these methods to those we are already using in the field,» he said. This will help established farms, food processing businesses and those carrying out studies on the topic among others. As a result, Seychelles will be able to put in place strategies that will vastly improve the agricultural sector by using robust methods to deal with the impact of climate change.  In addition to developing strategies specifically tailored to Seychelles' needs, Nancy explained that the project will also provide technical support in capacity building and develop innovative adaptation.  He added that the project «offers a lifeline to our nation, enabling us to adapt to the changing climate and transform our agriculture sector». Nancy also said that the meeting will help tackle some of the challenges faced in the agricultural sector such as seawater flooding farms found on the coasts or using water-saving devices. Once the projects are identified, they will be submitted to GEF, who will evaluate Seychelles' bid. «GEF will also provide their input as to what can be improved if they find a need before going to the next step of drafting the documents to access the funding,» explained Nourrice. The project will make US$ 3 million available - of which US$ 2.64 will be in the form of grants to support the proposed interventions from the stakeholders.

All six foreign nationals found dead in a luxury Bangkok hotel are presumed to have died after ingesting cyanide from teacups, a forensic doctor who performed autopsies on the deceased said on Wednesday. The bodies of six people of Vietnamese origin -- two who held American citizenship -- were discovered in a suite at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel in the tourist centre of Bangkok on Tuesday afternoon. Photos released by police of the bloodless crime scene showed bodies scattered around the room among plates of untouched Thai food, and two thermos flasks and cups. Initial examinations revealed the presence of cyanide in six cups, according to police. «The mouths and nails on all the bodies turned purple, showing a lack of air could be a joint reason of the cause of the death,» forensic doctor Kornkiat Vongpaisarnsin, told a press conference at the Chulalongkorn University. «We presume they all died from cyanide which causes a lack of air in some organs,» he added. Earlier Thai police said one of the six foreigners found dead likely also carried out the poisonings, thought to be related to debts worth millions of baht. «We are convinced that one of the six people found dead committed this crime,» said Noppasil Poonsawas, a deputy commander of Bangkok police. The Vietnamese foreign ministry said four of the dead were Vietnamese, while the other two were U.S. citizens. The mysterious circumstances surrounding the deaths of the three men and three women, aged between 37 and 56, have fuelled wild rumours, with several local media outlets initially reporting a mass shooting incident. Investigators also revealed that no movement had been observed around from Monday afternoon, suggesting the deaths could have occurred the day before the bodies were discovered. Speculation a seventh person may have been part of the group was also dispelled by the police. Tran Dinh Dung, the father of one of the victims, said his 37-year-old son was due to return to Vietnam last Sunday. «I kept calling him but couldn't get through so I was very worried, but I didn't expect him to die in Thailand,» Dung said in an interview with Vietnam's Thanh Nien newspaper. «Phu's mother has fainted countless times,  she could not bear this shock,» he said. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said Wednesday the crime was «a private matter», unrelated to national security, and should not affect the lucrative tourist sector. - Improve image - Thai authorities are keen to improve the image of the kingdom, whose reputation as a safe tourist destination sometimes takes a hit when grisly crimes are reported. The kingdom welcomed 28 million foreign visitors in 2023, and hopes for even more this year, to get closer to the record level of around 40 million in 2019. The country has been the scene of several sordid and high-profile criminal cases, such as that of French serial killer Charles Sobhraj, nicknamed «The Serpent» and linked to at least two dozen murders -- mostly of tourists -- in the 1970s. Fourteen victims died and one survived an alleged murder spree that spanned eight years, police said, announcing that they would file the case to the Attorney General for prosecution on Friday. Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn is facing about 80 criminal charges, including 14 counts of premeditated murder -- a record in Thai crime history, according to the police. Last October, a 14-year-old boy opened fire at the Siam Paragon mall in the same area as Tuesday's mass poisoning, killing three people. The shooting came just days before the anniversary of a massacre at a nursery in northern Thailand that left 36 people dead and amid government efforts to bolster tourist numbers. Some 28 million people visited Thailand in 2023, up from 11 million the year before, but still well down from the 40 million who came in 2019, the last year before the pandemic. Travel restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic hammered the kingdom's vital tourism sector and arrivals have not bounced back as quickly as officials hoped. Officials hope to hit 35 million visitors in 2024, with a target of $55 billion in revenue. © Agence France-Presse

US President Joe Biden tested positive for Covid with mild symptoms Wednesday, shortly after conceding he would consider dropping his reelection bid if doctors diagnosed him with a serious medical condition. The 81-year-old Democrat gave reporters the thumbs up and said «I feel good» as he cut short a trip to Las Vegas and flew to his beach home in Delaware to go into isolation, which will take him off the campaign trail for days. Biden thanked well-wishers on X, adding that «I will be isolating as I recover, and during this time I will continue to work to get the job done for the American people.» The infection comes at a critical moment for Biden's campaign, with the president seeking to show he is up to the job after a disastrous debate performance against rival Donald Trump sparked concerns about his health and calls from some Democrats for him to step aside. It is also the latest development in a tumultuous few days in an already frenetic White House race that saw Trump survive an assassination attempt at a campaign rally. Biden was forced to cancel a speech to a union representing Latino workers who will be crucial for his election bid, having attended a campaign event earlier in the day and given a radio interview. His spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden was vaccinated and boosted, was now taking the Covid medication Paxlovid and «continues to carry out the full duties of the office while in isolation.» White House doctor Kevin O'Connor said Biden had complained of suffering from a runny nose, a cough and «general malaise,» and after attending the campaign event he tested positive. «His symptoms remain mild,» O'Connor said, adding that Biden's respiratory rate, temperature and blood oxygen levels all remained normal. Biden was seen walking from his limousine to his plane at Las Vegas without a mask. «Good,» he said when asked how he felt, «I feel good.» Janet Murguia, the president of the Unidos union for Latino workers, told the crowd about the diagnosis shortly before the White House announcement. - 'Pass the torch' - People waiting for the speech said Biden's health did not worry them despite the Covid diagnosis. «I think he's strong and he's going to recover soon,» Anne Vilagut told AFP. But Biden's illness comes as concerns over the fitness of the oldest US president in US history reach fever pitch. Asked what could make him rethink his presidential bid, Biden told the Black media outlet BET in an interview taped Tuesday in Las Vegas: «If I had some medical condition that emerged, if somebody, if the doctors came and said 'you've got this problem, that problem.'» Biden has so far refused to drop out, and blamed his debate debacle, when he appeared tired and confused, on a bad cold and jet lag. But US broadcaster ABC News reported Wednesday that Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had told Biden over the weekend that it would be «better for the country if he were to bow out,» in what would be a fatal blow. A spokesperson for Schumer played down the report, saying: «Unless ABC's source is Senator Chuck Schumer or President Joe Biden the reporting is idle speculation.» «Leader Schumer conveyed the views of his caucus directly to President Biden.» The Washington Post and New York Times meanwhile reported that both Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries had warned Biden that his candidacy puts the party's electoral prospects at risk. White House spokesman Andrew Bates pushed back in a statement, saying: «The President told both leaders he is the nominee of the party, he plans to win, and looks forward to working with both of them to pass his 100 days agenda to help working families.» Earlier on Wednesday, Representative Adam Schiff of California became the highest-profile Democrat to publicly urge Biden to «pass the torch.» «A second Trump presidency will undermine the very foundation of our democracy, and I have serious concerns about whether the President can defeat Donald Trump in November,» Schiff said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times. Biden insists that Democratic voters support him, but a poll by the Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research said Wednesday that nearly two-thirds want him to step aside. © Agence France-Presse

The number of legal abortions recorded in Seychelles has remained fairly constant between 400 to 500 every year from 2008 until 2023, according to records from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).  Meanwhile, for the same period the average number of live births annually for the same period has remained constant at around 1500. In 2023, 58 teenagers had an abortion at the Seychelles Hospital. Out of a total of 405 abortions, 53 were 15-19 years old while five were between 10 to 14 years old. This represents about 13 percent of the total recorded abortions for the year. From those ages 20 up to 39 years, there were 317 cases recorded representing a majority at 78 percent. There was also a group of 30 women from the ages of 40 up to 49 who also had abortions in 2023 and this represents about 7 percent of the total number. These figures do not include the number of illegal and backstreet abortions, which are believed to be numerous and not recorded, unless the mother experiences an infection and needs further health assistance. Some of these women use strong medications for other illnesses to induce abortions, and therefore, statistics on these practices are not publicly available. In Seychelles, women can have an abortion under the Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1994. According to the Act, a pregnancy may only be terminated under section 3 or section 4 before the end of the 12 weeks of pregnancy, unless in the opinion of the director of Health Services, there are exceptional grounds for later termination. According to the Act, a gynaecologist may terminate a pregnancy if it involves risk to the life of the pregnant woman or a risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.   It can also be done if there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped. Additionally, if a judge determines that the pregnancy is the result of rape, incest, or defilement; or that the pregnant woman is unfit to have the care of a child because she is mentally retarded or deficient. However, there are also other reasons that women are choosing the termination of pregnancy. A member of the Termination of Pregnancy Board and the specialist consultant of the Gynecology and Obstetrics Department at the Seychelles Hospital, Dr Robert Michel, said, «Something that stands out here in Seychelles is the fact that a lot of these mothers do not want the pregnancy because they don't have a house or they are not financially stable. There are also a lot of requests where they list social issues linked to failed relationships or infidelity. They all have a reason for wanting a termination.» He said that the figures clearly show that there is a need for more sexual education given that the majority of abortion cases are above the age of 20. «The link between the school and the Ministry of Health is there, but it needs to be re-enforced and more emphasis should be placed on it. Contraceptives are free and there are 10 different forms. These numbers should not be the case if contraceptives were being used correctly and consistently,» said Michel. He said that the statistics for cervical screenings, known as Pap smears, also indicate a need for more sexual reproductive education or responsibility and that this is a necessary procedure as it can also help detect cervical cancer. «Contraceptives work in tandem with Pap smears. Both are provided by Family Planning. If a woman was regularly doing her Pap smears, she would have been taking her contraceptives because the Family Planning nurse would have inquired about it. If the Family Planning services available in the country were used appropriately as they were, the intended two statistics would go down; cervical cancer and the number of abortion cases,» said Michel. Meanwhile, the founder of the 'Elles Foundation, practising midwife Lorea Rassool, said they work mainly with to support pregnant teenagers who end up pregnant. The foundation also advocates for sexual and reproductive health in schools. In 2023, out of 1553 live births, 191 babies were born to teenage mothers with 15 aged less than 15 years old and 176 between 15 – 19 years old. This represents about 12.29 percent of the total live births in Seychelles. Out of the 191 births, 29 of these mothers gave birth to their second child, of which 1 was below the age of 15. «One of the key concerns at present is the lacuna within the current laws of Seychelles which allows a 15-year-old to freely consent to sexual relations but maintains that they require parental consent to be able to access effective methods of contraception such as the pill. This is a key area that requires reform alongside further education,» she told SNA. Rassool emphasized the importance of addressing teenage pregnancy especially to mitigate the effects that it has on society as a whole. «It has an economic impact, it has an impact on the level of education, it has an impact socially, it has an impact on the health system, a psychological impact, it underlines the terrible situation of abuse and many other social issues we have. [...] It is an issue that affects everyone in Seychelles,» she added. Rassool said that education is also an important factor, describing it as one of their main missions to educate the youth, the adults and the community as a whole. «I find it heartbreaking when in a workshop in a school students aged 14 will explain to me what is an abortion and sometimes how it happens illegally instead of being able to explain to me how to take a contraceptive pill. This is really showing how bad the situation is,» she said. Rassool highlighted the abuse that is happening in Seychelles, especially to young girls who sometimes do not know better. «We have made anonymous questionnaires in the past where we would ask teenagers if they have received sexual education at school and if they feel like it was sufficient. Many said they did not have classes for a very long period of time and only a few will say the content was sufficient. Most of the time teenagers learn about sexuality with children the same age or with adults who are way older than them and who are abusing them. How can a child explain sex and all its risks to a peer, and how will an abuser tell his victims that what he is doing is wrong?» she said. Rassool said there is not enough sexual education and there is a need to review what is being taught in school. «This subject cannot be taboo. We all know that abuse happens every day, that children have their first sexual intercourse very early, that they are often abused without knowing it, that unplanned and unwanted pregnancy is a big problem in our country and that many backstreet abortions happen daily putting the youth and the women in general at risks,» she explained. Additionally, Rassool also noted that apart from pregnancies, these statistics also portray a worrying trend, especially for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). «Most of these teenage pregnancies, if not all, are unplanned and happen because the kids did not use any contraceptives but also did not use condoms, so many people are having sexually transmitted diseases. Many people will find out they have STDs during pregnancy because it's the only time they are being tested! This also needs to improve and we need to talk about it more and more and inform the general public of all the risks, consequences but also statistics,» she said. 

Another 200 Kenyan police officers arrived in Haiti Tuesday under a UN-backed mission to try to quell rampant gang violence in the troubled Caribbean nation, where they were welcomed by senior Haitian and Kenyan police officials. Haitian sources say the new batch brings the total to 400 Kenyan boots on the ground in violence-ravaged Port-au-Prince, part of a closely watched offer to send some 1,000 police officers to help stabilize the country. The Kenyan contingent of what is shaping up to be a multinational mission has run into persistent legal challenges in Nairobi, where embattled President William Ruto is simultaneously trying to calm roiling anti-government protests at home. The East African nation is leading a force expected to number a total of some 2,500 personnel. Other countries, mostly in Africa and the Caribbean, are also contributing to the mission, which is blessed but not managed by the United Nations. «In the name of the government and the transitional presidential council, welcome,» Rameau Normil, director general of the Haitian police, told the soldiers alongside Godfrey Otunge, the Kenyan commander of the police contingent in Haiti. On July 1, Kenya's National Police Service issued a statement to scotch rumors that seven officers had been killed in Haiti. The forces deployed had been «received warmly», and were «all safe and ready to discharge their clear and specific mandate,» it said. They were «working closely with their host, the Haitian National Police, and have so far undertaken strategic mapping of the likely areas of operational concerns and conducted several joint patrols within Port-au-Prince.» - Rule of law - Kenyan police sources say 600 officers have left for Haiti, counting those that arrived Tuesday. «More will be departing soon until we have all the 1,000,» a source told AFP. The deployment was approved by a UN Security Council resolution in October, only to be delayed by a Kenyan court decision in January that ruled it unconstitutional. The court said Ruto's administration had no authority to send officers abroad without a prior bilateral agreement. While the government secured that agreement with Haiti in March, a small opposition party, Thirdway Alliance Kenya, has filed a lawsuit in another attempt to block it. The United States had been eagerly seeking a country to lead the mission and is supplying funding and logistical support. US President Joe Biden flatly ruled out putting US boots on the ground in Haiti -- the poorest nation in the Americas, where Washington has a history of intervention. Human Rights Watch has raised concerns about the Haiti mission and doubts over its funding, while watchdogs have repeatedly accused Kenyan police of using excessive force and carrying out unlawful killings. Haiti has long been rocked by gang violence, but conditions sharply worsened at the end of February when armed groups launched coordinated attacks in Port-au-Prince, saying they wanted to overthrow then-prime minister Ariel Henry. The violence in Port-au-Prince has affected food security and humanitarian aid access, with much of the city in the hands of gangs accused of abuses including murder, rape, looting and kidnappings. © Agence France-Presse

Determining how best to work with the local media to use available Seychelles' fisheries information was the aim of a half-day workshop organised by the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) in collaboration with the Danny Faure Foundation (DFF) on Tuesday. Held at the National Library in Victoria, the workshop was attended by representatives from the media houses. Yannick Memee, the Seychelles FiTi focal point, said, «We at FiTi can see that the media has an important role in disseminating information found in the reports we publish and have the public start a conversation.» He explained that the training was also a chance to link the media with the work FiTI is carrying out with the national Multi-Stackholders Group (MSG), which is the one that makes this report - the members are the face of FiTI in Seychelles. The MSG includes representatives from non-governmental organisations such as Sustainability for Seychelles (S4S), the Seychelles Fisheries Authority (SFA) and representatives of the industry. During the session, media representatives learned the different avenues available to them when writing about fisheries stories. Seychelles has released four country reports to FiTI - the latest for 2022 was released on April 24, 2024. FiTI is a global multi-stakeholder partnership based in Seychelles where governments, businesses, and civil society collaborate. It seeks to increase transparency and participation for the benefit of more sustainable management of marine fisheries and the well-being of citizens and businesses that depend on the marine environment. «Our workshop aims to explore how the media can actively support FiTI's goals by effectively communicating its principles, achievements and challenges to the broader public,» said the Foundation's representative, Fatime Kante, an economist. The Danny Faure Foundation and FiTI signed a partnership agreement in 2023 with the common aim of advancing sustainable fisheries in the Indian Ocean through transparency and collective action. 

Authorities in Hamas-run Gaza said dozens of Palestinians were killed Tuesday in three separate strikes, as Israel pounded the territory despite renewed US criticism of the high civilian toll. Gaza civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said the three air strikes killed at least 44 people and wounded dozens within an hour across the war-torn Palestinian territory. Israel confirmed it carried out two of the strikes. The health ministry said a strike on a fuel station in Al-Mawasi in southern Gaza killed 17 people, and the Palestinian Red Crescent said a separate strike at almost simultaneously hit the UN-run Al-Razi School in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, killing five people. The civil defence agency said the third strike was on a gathering of people near a roundabout in northern Gaza, but did not provide a breakdown of casualties. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier conveyed Washington's «serious concern» to two senior Israeli officials regarding deadly Israeli strikes in Gaza, his spokesman said. «We have seen civilian casualties come down from the high points of the conflict... but they still remain unacceptably high,» spokesman Matthew Miller said after Blinken met Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi. Washington has been pushing for a truce between Israel and Hamas. Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh said Sunday the group was pulling out of indirect talks for a deal in protest at Israeli «massacres», including a major strike that Gaza's health ministry said killed at least 92 people on that day. Hamas was ready to return to the indirect talks once Israel «demonstrates seriousness in reaching a ceasefire agreement and a prisoner exchange deal», he said. On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to ramp up pressure on Hamas. «This is exactly the time to increase the pressure even more, to bring home all the hostages -– the living and the dead –- and to achieve all the war objectives,» he said. - Prisoner abuse allegations - Israel's military said aircraft struck about «40 terror targets» in Gaza, including «sniping posts, observation posts, Hamas military structures, terror infrastructure, and buildings rigged with explosives». It said troops were continuing targeted raids in the southern city of Rafah and in central Gaza. The UN humanitarian office OCHA said multiple strikes across Gaza on Tuesday killed and wounded dozens. The war began with Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. The militants also seized 251 hostages, 116 of whom are still in Gaza including 42 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel responded with a military offensive that has killed at least 38,713 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Gaza health ministry. Israel's military has also detained scores of Gazans, who have made allegations of torture, rape and other abuses in custody that Israeli authorities have denied. Palestinian lawyer Khaled Mahajna said Monday that prisoners had recounted guards using «electric prods» on inmates. In one prisoner's case, a «fire extinguisher tube was inserted into his buttocks and the fire extinguisher was turned on,» Mahajna said after visiting detained Palestinian journalists. - Mass displacement - Indirect talks on ending the devastating war have been brokered by Qatar and Egypt, with US support, but months of negotiations have failed to bring a breakthrough. At the end of May, US President Joe Biden outlined a ceasefire roadmap he said had been drawn up by Israel that triggered an intensification of the talks. But despite meetings in both Cairo and Doha, there has been no sign of progress on how this might be implemented. Critics in Israel, including tens of thousands of demonstrators demanding a deal to bring home the hostages, have accused Netanyahu of prolonging the war. The conflict has forced 90 percent of Gaza's 2.4 million people to flee their homes. Many have sought refuge in UN-run schools, seven of which have been hit by Israeli strikes since July 6. «Why do they target us when we are innocent people?» asked Umm Mohammed al-Hasanat, sheltering with her family at a UN-run school in Nuseirat, which was among those hit. «We do not carry weapons but are just sitting and trying to find safety for ourselves and our children.» The war has also sparked near-daily exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, which says it is acting in support of Hamas. Lebanese official media said Israeli strikes Tuesday on southern Lebanon killed five people, including three Syrian children, with Hezbollah announcing rocket fire at Israel in retaliation. Meanwhile near Tel Aviv ultra-orthodox Jewish protesters fought police, hours after the Israeli military said it would begin issuing draft notices for men in the community from Sunday. Historically exempt from compulsory military service, ultra-Orthodox seminary students are being called up as the Gaza war and potential conflict with Hezbollah sap resources and fuel resentment against those who do not have to serve. © Agence France-Presse

The governments of the United Arab Emirates and Seychelles have issued a joint press statement on the alarming food security situation and the risk of famine in Sudan. The crisis is directly caused by the 14 months of conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and the systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid by both parties. «We express deep concern over the report of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), published on 27th June 2024, which concluded: 14 months into the conflict, Sudan is facing the worst levels of acute food insecurity ever recorded by the IPC in the country,» reads the joint statement released by the Seychelles' Foreign Affairs Department on Tuesday. The statement added that the disturbing results in the report reveal an unprecedented level of food insecurity in Sudan, leaving 25.6 million people in high levels of acute food insecurity and 14 areas at risk of famine. «We are particularly concerned about the IPC reporting a »stark and rapid deterioration« in food security and the dire impact of the deteriorating situation on the safety and well-being of the civilians, including many thousands of children, suffering from severe acute malnutrition. We also express deep concern over the repercussions of prolongation of the conflict on Sudan and on the neighboring countries,» it said. «We particularly recognise that the deepening food insecurity in Sudan presents a significant humanitarian challenge with potential repercussions for displacement, refugees, and migration dynamics. This underscores the importance of a coordinated international response to the crisis. The two countries expressed their alarm »by the worsening humanitarian crisis and the tragic consequences of the conflict on the Sudanese people,« accordinging to the statement. Both the UAE and of Seychelles recall the UNSC request for the parties to the conflict to allow the rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need, including by removing bureaucratic and other impediments. »We stress that parties must facilitate the urgent provision of the required visas and travel authorisations for humanitarian personnel and essential supplies, in line with resolution 2736 adopted on 13 June 2024," said the statement. Both governments call on the warring parties in Sudan to immediately halt hostilities, respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and comply with all relevant UN Security Council resolutions. 

As Seychelles continues to suffer the impacts of climate change, most of the fisheries sector is feeling the effects, except artisanal fishing which continues to see a rise in the amount of fish caught.   The Minister for Fisheries and Blue Economy, Jean-Francois Ferrari, made the statement about this in the National Assembly, in response to a question asked by Waven William, the elected member of the National Assembly for the western Mahe district of Grand Anse Mahe. Ferrari said that the continuous increase in the ocean's temperature and the effects of El Nino and La Nina create an imbalance in the ecosystem. He added that phenomenons, like El Nino and La Nina, have had huge impacts on the temperature of the sea and the movement of sea currents, which could have affected the distribution of pelagic fishes in the Indian Ocean. «In 1998, El Nino had a huge impact on our fisheries sector, which even forced our purse seiners to look to fish elsewhere,» he added. Ferrari explained that the temperature rise has affected tuna fishing and since purse seiners target fish close to the surface, with the temperature rise, they had to move elsewhere, where the temperature is cooler. «Last year, these vessels experienced a decline in tuna caught in the Indian Ocean region. It went down by 10 percent, from 403,000 tonnes to 373,000 tonnes. In the Seychelles' waters, the decline has been even more substantial, from 113,566 tonnes to 69,000 tonnes, representing a decrease of about 40 percent,» he shared. «As a result, there is an impact on our marine resources and it is also posing a threat to the livelihoods of our fishermen and the people who depend on these resources,» the minister explained. Fisheries is the second top contributor to the economy of Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. He said however, the studies done on the local fisheries sector, show that artisanal fishermen have maintained and even increased their catch over the last 20 years. «This is mainly in terms of fish traps, and the scientists at the SFA (Seychelles Fishing Authority) said that it is because many coral reefs affected by bleaching, have changed their state and transformed into one dominated by micro-algae, which favours herbivorous fish. These are those mostly caught using traps,» said Ferrari. He added that recent information shows that fish caught through this type of fishery has increased from about 2,500 tonnes in 2016 to 5,700 tonnes in 2023.

A service in memory of James Cadbury, a great friend of Seychelles conservation, was held at the Church of St Andrew and Mary, Grantchester, Cambridge, United Kingdom, on July 11, 2024. James Cadbury passed away peacefully in Cambridge in the UK on Friday, May 17. His daughter, Lucy, had cycled over to be with him on that glorious sunny morning, with birds singing loudly, flowers coming into bloom. On the way, a friend remarked to her, «It's a good day for a journey». At his home, Bruce, a good birdwatcher friend, sat with him and played to him some of the bird calls that he dearly loved. His son, Thomas, arrived just 20 minutes before he died, as if his father had waited for him to come. James Cadbury dedicated his life to nature conservation in both UK and Seychelles. He did so with kindness and generosity towards others, in a manner which inspired an extraordinary loyalty among friends and colleagues. Whilst taking a keen interest in the welfare of others, he displayed a deep humility, seeking to avoid the limelight, he heaped praise upon others for their good deeds. It was exactly two centuries ago, in 1824, that John Cadbury, great grandfather of James, opened his first shop, creating a business that made the Cadbury name synonymous with chocolate. George was appalled by England's nineteenth century sweatshops where workers toiled seven days a week and lived in squalid slums. He believed that if you look after your workers they will look after your business. So, he created a model workers' village with gardens, a hospital, reading rooms, wash houses, sports and recreational facilities and a works canteen. In return, he had a highly motivated, loyal and productive workforce. It is truly remarkable that this family characteristic of true humanity and warmth has passed down through the generations undiluted. Christopher Cadbury, George's grandson and James' father), funded the purchase of at least 30 nature reserves in the UK, the Falklands and Seychelles.  James Cadbury was awarded a coco de mer for his services. (Adrian Skerett) Photo License: All Rights Reserved  His Seychelles involvement began in 1968 when the international appeal to purchase Cousin Island and save the Seychelles Warbler fell well short of its target. Christopher chipped in half of the balance required and twisted the arms of the board of Cadbury's to obtain the rest. Enthralled by the beauty of Seychelles he went on to purchase Aride Island in 1973 and turn it into a nature reserve, owned by what is now the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT).   James shared his father's passion for nature conservation. He graduated in Natural Sciences at Cambridge University in 1959,  and completed his PhD at Oxford in 1965. After working as a teacher for several years, he joined the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), first as head of research, later as senior ecologist. He served on the boards of many conservation organisations including as chairman of the Aride Island Scientific Committee.  When the Island Conservation Society (ICS) was formed with no money and no assets, James breathed life into the new society's ambitions thanks to his tireless energy and financial contributions. It was solely because of his loyal support to friends and colleagues at ICS that RSWT agreed to pass the management of Aride Island to local control of ICS in 2004. Ian Bullock, former warden of Aride Island, recalls that on a visit to the island, they both rose just before dawn and watched the incredible sight of shearwaters slowly climbing the Mapou tree trunks to reach a high, level branch where they could finally take off to sea. «He was as excited as any schoolboy to witness the wonders of nature, a fascination he never lost. Even in his older years he was still teaching younger ecologists how to identify different grass and sedge species, or driving all the way out to the marshes of the Wash to do the British Trust for Ornithology's winter wader counts. An indefatigable champion for wildlife, science and conservation. We will miss him». On several occasions, James travelled  to Seychelles with Tim Sands, who recalls their first visit, «To be with James was memorable. Like his father, Christopher, I had experienced their impatience with often necessary financial and administrative detail, but also their strong desire to see people treated equitably and fairly. On this trip with James, I got to experience his near obsession with wildlife; recording and assessing how it looked and sounded, how it behaved and how it could be helped and restored. The necessary practical side of life such as eating, sleeping and getting about were barely tolerated as an unfortunate necessity! I remember him wanting to show me the Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher on La Digue. We were up early for the ferry and spent the rest of the day in the heat and humidity recording every territory on La Digue's Veuve Reserve and well beyond. James was surprised when in late afternoon I suggested I might go to one of La Digue's iconic beaches for a swim before catching the ferry back to Praslin!» (From left) Three generations of the Cadbury family on Aride Island in 1982: Betty, James, Ruth Esther Esther, Lucy and Christopher Cadbury. (Adrian Skerett) Photo License: All Rights Reserved    His lack of concern for everyday practicalities for himself was contrasted against his concern for the welfare of others. The well-being of staff on Aride was always uppermost in his mind when he visited Seychelles, or attended management meetings. In return, staff members never forgot him. At Christmas, 2023, James was thrilled to receive a Christmas card signed by every member of staff on Aride, each giving their personalised greeting. His fieldwork was meticulous and his note keeping on the management of the island and all aspects of the scientific research done on Aride was of the highest order. The years when James was regularly visiting the island, and chaired the Science Committee, were among the best for the island and this was to a great extent a result of his knowledge, commitment and understanding of what was both needed and what was possible. He understood the importance not just of diligent record keeping but also of reviewing data to inform future management. His encouragement for, and support of, substantial annual reports drawn up by successive wardens was and remains of vital importance for the island. Gerard Rocamora recalls in 2008, after he had received a coco-de-mer from a representative of the Ministry of Environment at l'Alliance Française, the French Ambassador invited James for dinner at his residence. James politely declined, saying he was not free that day. The ambassador proposed another evening because he really wanted to meet James, but James had planned an activity with Gerard's daughters that evening.  I told him that his arrangement with my daughters was not very important in comparison, but he replied: «No, no, it is important, let's stick to the plan!». James Cadbury helping with coconut clearance on Aride. (Adrian Skerett) Photo License: All Rights Reserved    He again politely declined the ambassador's invitation. In short, he made it clear that it was more important and enjoyable for him to spend time with my young daughters than to be in a fancy dinner with an ambassador.   Gerard commented, «That was really funny and I was almost laughing, although it was a bit embarrassing and I did not want to be disrespectful. So I looked at this man in a way meaning: well, that's how it is, what can we do ? This was our James Cadbury. He was such a character, and such a simple, lovely and enjoyable person to everyone. We will miss him a lot». Gerard also recalls how one day, after an ICS meeting in Victoria, five people were supposed to go to the ICS Head Office at Pointe Larue in Adrian Skerrett's car. It was a relatively small car and James measured almost 2 meters. James was invited to sit in the front, but he declined, insisting that ladies should always go in the front and offered the seat to Jeanne Mortimer. Jeanne was very grateful but argued that James would be more comfortable in the front and that she was fine at the back.  But for James it was like a personal rule he was not prepared to give up easily. Everyone tried to convince him that this was the best solution but he would not listen and remained adamant that he should be sitting at the back. At some point Adrian burst out: «James, please get into this car!».By this time Jeanne had grabbed the back seat, and reluctantly he admitted defeat. James Cadbury's abiding legacy will be the fruits of his boundless generosity, our abiding memory of him his modesty and anxiety to avoid taking the credit he so richly deserved but above we shall never forget his deep love of the natural world that brought him such joy, the same joy that he in turn gave to others. 

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame has scored a crushing election victory that will extend his iron-fisted rule by another five years, according to partial results issued Monday. De facto leader since the end of the 1994 genocide and president since 2000, Kagame scored 99.15 percent of the vote, the National Election Commission announced after 79 percent of ballots had been counted. It tops the 98.79 percent Kagame won in the last election in 2017 and puts him streets ahead of the only two candidates authorised to run against him. Democratic Green Party candidate Frank Habineza scraped 0.53 percent of the vote and independent Philippe Mpayimana 0.32 percent. The outcome of Monday's poll was never in doubt, with Kagame's regime accused of muzzling the media and political opposition, and several prominent critics barred from the race. Soon after the partial results were announced, giving Kagame a fourth term, he thanked Rwandans in an address from the headquarters of his ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). «The results that have been presented indicate a very high score, these are not just figures, even if it was 100 percent, these are not just numbers,» he said. «These figures show the trust, and that is what is most important,» he added. «I am hopeful that together we can solve all problems.» Full provisional results are due by July 20 and definitive results by July 27. With 65 percent of the population aged under 30, Kagame is the only leader most Rwandans have ever known. The 66-year-old is credited with rebuilding a traumatised nation after the genocide but he is also accused of ruling in a climate of fear at home, and fomenting instability in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. - 'Big margin' - Over nine million Rwandans -- about two million first-time voters --  were registered to cast their ballot, with the presidential race being held at the same time as legislative elections for the first time. «(Kagame) gives us everything we ask him, such as health insurance. This is why he wins by a big margin,» said 34-year-old mechanic Francois Rwabakina. Kagame won with more than 93 percent of the vote in 2003, 2010 and in 2017, when he again easily defeated the same two challengers. He has overseen controversial constitutional amendments that shortened presidential terms from seven to five years and reset the clock for the Rwandan leader, allowing him to potentially rule until 2034. Rwandan courts had rejected appeals from prominent opposition figures Bernard Ntaganda and Victoire Ingabire to remove previous convictions that effectively disqualified them from Monday's vote. The election commission also barred high-profile Kagame critic Diane Rwigara, citing issues with her paperwork -- the second time she was excluded from running. - Well-oiled PR machine - The imbalance between the candidates was evident during the three-week campaign, as the well-oiled PR machine of the ruling RPF swung into high gear. The party's red, white and blue colours and its slogans «Tora Kagame Paul» («Vote Paul Kagame») and «PK24» «Paul Kagame 2024») were everywhere. His rivals struggled to make their voices heard, with barely 100 people showing up to some events. Despite the lacklustre turnout at his rallies, Habineza hailed the «free and fair atmosphere». «This is a very good show of the level of growth in democracy in our country. We have been able to campaign (across) the whole country,» he told AFP. Kagame's RPF militia is lauded for ending the 1994 genocide when it marched on Kigali -- ousting the Hutu extremists who had unleashed 100 days of bloodletting targeting the Tutsi minority. The perpetrators killed around 800,000 people, mainly Tutsis but also Hutu moderates. Kagame has overseen a remarkable economic recovery, with GDP growing by an average of 7.2 percent per year between 2012 and 2022, although the World Bank says almost half the population lives on less than $2.15 a day. Ahead of the vote, Amnesty International said Rwanda's political opposition faced «severe restrictions... as well as threats, arbitrary detention, prosecution, trumped-up charges, killings and enforced disappearances». Abroad, Kigali is accused of meddling in the troubled eastern DRC, where a UN report says its troops are fighting alongside M23 rebels. Kigali was also accused of killing tens of thousands of Hutus in the DRC during its pursuit of fleeing genocide perpetrators. Discussion of these alleged massacres remains taboo and is considered genocide «revisionism» in Rwanda. In the parliamentary election, 589 candidates were chasing 80 seats, including 53 elected by universal suffrage. In the outgoing assembly, the RPF held 40 seats and its allies 11, while Habineza's party had two. Another 27 spots are reserved for women, the youth and people with disabilities. © Agence France-Presse

Kenyan police said they arrested on Monday a suspected serial killer who confessed to murdering 42 women, including his wife, and discarding their dismembered bodies in a Nairobi rubbish dump. Since Friday, nine butchered bodies trussed up in plastic bags have been hauled from the site of an abandoned quarry in the Mukuru slum, a gruesome discovery that has horrified the nation. Acting Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said the 33-year-old suspect, named as Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, was arrested at around 3:00 am (0000 GMT) near a Nairobi bar where he had been watching the Euro 2024 football final. «We are dealing with a serial killer, a psychopathic serial killer who has no respect for human life,» the head of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Mohamed Amin told reporters. «We are dealing with a vampire, a psychopath.» Amin said Khalusha claimed the murders took place between 2022 and July 11 this year. «The suspect confessed to have lured, killed and disposed of 42 female bodies at the dumping site,» he added. «Unfortunately, and this is very sad, the suspect alleged that his first victim was his wife... who he strangled to death, before dismembering her body and disposing it at the same site.» Police said Khalusha would appear in court Tuesday. - 'Luring another victim' - The suspect was tracked down after analysis of one of the victim's mobile phones, Amin said, in a joint operation by the DCI and the National Police Service. As officers swooped, «he was in the process of luring another victim», Amin said. Khalusha had confessed to having had «carnal knowledge» with some of his victims, he added. Officers searched his one-room house, located just 100 metres (300 feet) from where the bodies were found, discovering a machete, nylon sacks, rope, a pair of industrial rubber gloves -- as well as a «pink female handbag», and «two female panties». The areas will remain «active crime scenes», Amin said, promising a thorough investigation. Nine mutilated and dismembered bodies have so far been retrieved from the crime scene, according to police, with Kanja saying autopsies on the victims would be carried out on Monday. Eight have been confirmed to be female. A second suspect who was caught with a phone belonging to one of the victims has also been arrested, Amin said. After the discovery of the bodies, Kenya's State Department For Gender and Affirmative Action on Sunday condemned the «horrific act» and urged more action against gender-based violence. In 2022 the East African country recorded 725 femicide cases according to a UN report, the highest number since data collection began in 2015. - Police under spotlight - The dumped bodies have thrown yet another spotlight on Kenyan police and added more pressure on President William Ruto, who is struggling to contain a crisis over widespread anti-government protests that saw dozens of demonstrators killed. Kenya's police watchdog, the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA), said Friday it was looking into whether there was any police involvement in the bodies found in the dump, noting the dumpsite was just 100 metres from a police station. IPOA was also investigating if there had been a «failure to act to prevent» the grisly killings. Kanja told reporters on Sunday that all officers at the nearby police post had been transferred. Still, tensions ran high at the crime scene over the weekend, as volunteers combed through the vast piles of rubbish in search of more victims with officers briefly firing tear gas to disperse the crowds. Kenyan police are often accused by rights groups of using excessive force and carrying out unlawful killings or running hit squads, but few have faced justice. The Mukuru killings follow the so-called «Shakahola forest massacre» when the bodies of some 400 members of a doomsday cult were discovered in mass graves near the coast last year. © Agence France-Presse

A Seychelles Sustainable Forest Management Policy, to enhance the economic contribution of forests through sustainable practices while bolstering biodiversity conservation and promoting eco-tourism, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers recently.   The chief executive of the in Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority (SPGA), Allen Cedras, told SNA on Monday, «The policy does not really include new elements, it is just improving on existing forestry laws.» The Seychelles Forest Reserves Act was passed into law in March 1955 and the current Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment is tasked with overseeing the new Sustainable Forest Management Policy while the SPGA will implement it. Other parties involved with the policy include the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF), the Terrestrial Restoration Action Society Seychelles (TRASS) and the Seychelles Plant Conservation Action Group (PCA). Cedras said with the new policy, local environmental authorities will «work strategically to effectively protect the country's forests and provide a healthy habitat to its endemic species.» The SPGA is responsible for the management of marine and terrestrial national parks with associated trails and gardens in Seychelles, which are 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean. According to Cedras, the main problem the country faces at the moment, is the number of invasive species that are now taking over pristine areas endemic species are found. «This has happened due to people travelling and bringing in back plants they think are pretty into the country - that quickly spread and are difficult to control,» he added. With the implementation of the new policy, SPGA and its partners will be working on continuous and well planned methods to deal with the invasive species. Cedras explained that once Seychelles can tackle these issues, the island nation will be able to offer visitors and citizens a better experience of the country's nature. The new forestry policy also incorporates aspects of sustainability and eco-tourism. «SPGA is already in charge of several well-maintained and presented nature trails where people can appreciate breathtaking views and see endemic species such as the pitcher plant or scops owls on some of them,» said Cedras. As part of the policy, SPGA will be making revenue from visitors to the trails as well as selling timber that has been carefully taken from certain areas it manages. «This is how we will be dealing with the issue of eco-tourism as well as sustainability,» he said. Cedras added, «While there are issues that are beyond our control like climate change, we will be working hard to restore degraded areas and including reforestation aspects as well.» He said that although SPGA is the implementing body, «we will need everyone on board to keep protecting the Seychelles forests and keeping up with the fact that we have over 30 percent of our forests and lands protected.» 

Seychellois musicians and composers are invited to join together to create a song that will be used as the official theme song for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, which the island nation will host in May 2025. The secretary general of the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts (SNICHA), David Andre, launched the invitation on Friday. He said that this will be a collaborative effort, as they want to have the very best song that Seychelles can produce. «I know that we, the people of Seychelles, are not limited by our size. If we can organise a World Cup on our home soil, then our artists can, of course, create a special anthem to match it,» said Andre. He explained that this is not a call for artists to compete to get the rights to create the theme, but instead, it is an invitation to come together and create the best theme song a FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup has ever had. The theme song will be used throughout the World Cup competition and in promotional materials. While it is not a song competition, all artists involved will be paid and recognised for their work and FIFA will hold the distribution rights to the song. Andre explained that the theme of the song should relate to Seychelles and promote it as a country. The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup will take place in Seychelles from May 1 to 11, 2025, and 16 nations will participate including Seychelles, as the host country.   The island nation will be the first African nation to host the event, a remarkable achievement since the sport was only introduced in Seychelles close to a decade ago. This is not the first time Seychelles has hosted an international beach soccer tournament. In 2015, the island nation hosted the COSAFA Beach Soccer Cup and the Beach Soccer African Nations Championship (AFCON). In the first edition of the COSAFA tournament in 2015, Madagascar was the winner. The team was selected to compete at the Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations in 2015 and was again the winner.   The first edition of the Beach Soccer World Cup held outside Brazil was in 2008 in Marseille, France. The most recent edition in 2024 was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Brazil was crowned champions for the sixth time after defeating Italy 6–4 in the final.