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

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

French authorities on Wednesday evicted hundreds of migrants from a squat in a southern suburb of Paris with just 100 days to go until the Olympics, encouraging them to board buses to other parts of France. Charities have accused the authorities of seeking to clear homeless people from the French capital to make it look better for the Games from July 26 to August 11. The abandoned office building in Vitry-sur-Seine had been home to up to 450 migrants, most of them documented but awaiting social housing, according to non-governmental organisations who visited to help them. Several had left the building earlier in the week after authorities announced the upcoming eviction. Clutching their belongings in bags, suitcases or trolleys, some 300 people who had remained left calmly on Wednesday morning under the eye of police in riot gear, looking worried about their next step. Most were young men, but several women with children were also among the crowd. One by one, holding documents in plastic folders, they approached immigration officials sitting behind tables to explain their situation in broken French or stilted English. Buses waited outside, ready to take them to the central city of Orleans or the southwestern city of Bordeaux. But many people said they did not want to leave the Paris region. «I want to stay here,» said Abakar, a 29-year-old from Sudan who did not give his second name. He said he was in Paris to follow a logistics course and had been promised a job in a supermarket. - 'Bordeaux is nice' - At one table, a woman official tried to convince another young man to try his luck in Bordeaux. «You know in France, there isn't just Paris. Bordeaux is nice, it's warmer than here,» she said. But he too was attending training in the capital region, and so she directed him to another table where a colleague was in charge of accommodation near Paris. Merci Daniel, a mother from Sudan, said she had sent her children to stay in a nearby shelter because there was «too much violence» inside the squat. But she did not want to leave the area as she was scared she would no longer see them if she did. An official found her a room at a hotel outside Paris for several days. Migrant and homeless charities have accused the authorities of seeking to remove the homeless from Paris and its outskirts before tourists arrive for the Olympics. «There are spaces in shelters near Paris, but clearly they want to move them away from the capital. Especially before the Olympics,» said Paul Alauzy, a representative from medical charity Medecins du Monde (Doctors of the World). Some mayors in rural and small-town France have also become increasingly angry over the transfer of migrants from the capital to their communities. © Agence France-Presse

Witnesses at a US Senate hearing on Boeing drew a disturbing picture Wednesday of an aviation giant that blows off safety questions and sidelines critics as it chases faster production and bigger profits. «The attitude from Boeing from the highest level is just to push the defective parts, regardless of what it is,» Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour told lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Salehpour, who has worked at Boeing for 17 of his 40 years in aerospace, said he became a whistleblower after he was punished for raising safety questions about the top-selling 787 Dreamliner and 777. He testified that he was blackballed by company higher-ups and feared for his personal well-being after raising concerns about safety. He maintains that the Dreamliner could show premature signs of fatigue, resulting in a catastrophic accident because of excessively large gaps in the plane's assembly. He likened it to a paper clip that is bent repeatedly. «You do it once or twice, it doesn't break, but it breaks at some time,» said Salehpour, who has said the entire 787 fleet should be grounded for investigation. Boeing acknowledged imperfections, but said it was making progress. «We know we have more work to do and we are taking action across our company,» the company said after the hearing, pointing to an uptick in its «Speak Up» portal to field employee input. Boeing has pushed back against Salehpour's allegations about the 787, pointing to extensive testing that shows no signs of fatigue. It also said that it had addressed the gap issue during a period when it slowed production and suspended deliveries -- a process tightly overseen by the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA said in response to Salehpour's claims that the 787s currently flying are in compliance. The aircraft also received an endorsement Wednesday from United Airlines Chief Executive Scott Kirby, who told CNBC he was «totally confident the 787 is a safe airplane.» Lawmakers expressed alarm at testimony about alleged widespread manufacturing and quality control problems throughout Boeing's fleet, as well as the overly deferential approach of the FAA, which one witness described as «captive» to Boeing. «This requires a full-blown investigation,» said Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, calling for future hearings to hear from pilots, the airlines and other witnesses. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, who chaired the hearing, said representatives of Boeing and the FAA were already scheduled to appear. - Going backwards? - The hearing comes as regulators escalate scrutiny of Boeing in the wake of a near-disastrous January 5 Alaska Airlines flight, in which a 737 MAX was forced to make an emergency landing after a fuselage panel blew out in mid-flight. The incident revived major questions around Boeing's safety practices that had initially arisen following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019, but which had subsided following a lengthy grounding of the 737 MAX. In late March, Boeing announced a leadership shakeup that included the retirement of Chief Executive Dave Calhoun at the end of 2024 and the replacement of Chair Larry Kellner with former Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf. In a recent message to shareholders, Mollenkopf pledged to «take the necessary steps to regain the trust lost in recent times.» «Boeing must commit to real and profound improvements and we will hold them accountable every step of the way,» the FAA said in a statement, reiterating the need for aviation employees to be able to speak up without fear of reprisal. The agency also pointed to a recent audit by an FAA advisory panel that found employee skepticism that safety complaints by workers would not result in retaliation. Former pilot Shawn Pruchnicki, now at Ohio State University, said a reporting culture was critical to improved safety, along with a chain of accountability all the way up to the CEO. Pruchnicki said despite promises he called «hollow,» there was no sign Boeing has reformed itself. «So it leaves one to wonder, have we gone backwards?» he asked. © Agence France-Presse  

Seychelles will pilot a project this year that integrates ocean science in its school curriculum, said President Wavel Ramkalawan on Tuesday at the heads of state high level segment in the 9th Our Ocean Conference in Athens, Greece.    He said that the island nation has known success in the past with the inculcation of environmental conservation values into its society through school children. «Now it is high time that we strive to do the same with our ocean science values and I call upon all of us here present to join us in this endeavour and to become  catalysts for unparalleled actions,» said Ramkalawan.   Seychelles' President stressed that life at sea and near the sea is a culture that is not only to be celebrated but one that needs to be appropriately sustained and translated to the next generation, who he described as shareholders and successors of the 71 percent aquatic global heritage. «Hence comes the dire needs for this generation, as well as the next, to be taught why and how we need to change our mindsets in regards to how we view and treat the ocean and all of Earth's aquatic sources,» he added. Ramkalawan said the African Union has recognised the Blue Economy as the continent's development pathway and Seychelles has embraced this concept wholeheartedly as it aligns with its traditions, values and way of life. He spoke about international trade, the cornerstone of modern-day civilisation and central to most industries' supply chains and the global economy, which he said is almost single-handedly powered by sea freight.    The participants at the 9th Our Ocean Conference in Athens, Greece.  (State House) Photo License: CC-BY  «I urge everyone to see and accept the vulnerabilities of island states like Seychelles when marine commercial routes are disrupted as is currently happening in the Red Sea. The Mediterranean at one end and the Indian Ocean at the other are the two regions facing the consequences of warring madness. This causes much damage not only to our economies but to the livelihood of our people as the cost of living keeps going up,» Ramkalawan highlighted. He said another scourge is marine litter that is transported by ocean currents again from one corner of the world to the next even to seemingly isolated and pristine areas like Seychelles' Aldabra atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage site. «We cannot continue to take for granted Earth's aquatic resources or to treat our uncharted oceanic space as a bottomless sink for our waste and expect to still thrive at the expense of others because eventually we will all be affected,» he said. Ramkalawan spoke about the need and willingness to adapt as all the incentives are there. «We need to change attitudes, get our people involved, and put them at the centre of our strategies. We need to effectively communicate and explain to them why we need to do things that we do. We need to start with our youths who are the beacon of hope and who have a good track record for being agents of change,» he added. He said Seychelles has already made headway with its Marine Spatial Plan and has achieved the protection of 30 percent of its marine territory before 2030,  the set global deadline. «We do not only need commitments and pledges but we also need to transform words into deeds. Let this ocean conference be the nexus where Seychelles and the global community essentially converge to create, expand and mobilise networks for the sustained health and sustainable use of our oceans,» he concluded.  

Climate mitigation will play a big role in the strategic plan of the Islands Development Company (IDC) and it is crucial to put adequate measures in place sooner rather than later if Seychelles wants to preserve its islands, said a top official in a press conference. The IDC chief executive, Glenny Savy, described the erosion on the outer islands as very severe and that «It's becoming extremely concerning, almost all of the islands are being affected by erosion. We are hoping that these reef balls work; if they do, we'll have to accelerate the project to other islands.» IDC has already started to implement several projects to mitigate the impact of climate change among them is the reef ball project, which is a designed artificial reef module that mimics the structure and function of a natural reef, made with special concrete additives with a pH similar to seawater. This assures compatibility with marine environments and enhances its attractiveness to colonising organisms. These balls are placed about 150 metres away from the beach. They also aid in reducing the surf and current before it reaches the coastline, minimising the strength of the impact and effectively reducing erosion. Although the project began in July 2022, Savy clarified that they have not been able to fully implement the project due to certain challenges that they faced. A reef ball is a designed artificial reef module that mimics the structure and function of a natural reef made with special concrete additives with a pH. (Islands Development Company) Photo License: CC-BY  «We've already fabricated these reef balls, about 800 to 1,000. At first, we were installing them using a small landing craft because of how shallow the area is and we were able to put 24 but it was very difficult because the draft from the boat was too much so we had to stop,» he said. Savy added that IDC tried using an excavator with an extension piece but that did not work either because the sand is so fine and soft that the excavator gets stuck. «We then decided to pause the project until we receive another landing craft that is on order from an Indian Shipyard; there have been some delays. We expect the new boat by the end of next month,» he said. Savy confirmed that IDC will continue its work to try and mitigate the effects of climate change on the islands and mentioned the possibility of bringing in foreign expertise to consult on the matter. «This year, with the speed at which these islands are being affected we will have to discuss the need to bring in more assistance from international experts to analyse and find different solutions to mitigate the effect of the erosion. We have to keep trying to find something that works, because if the situation continues as it is now, in the next 20 years some islands may disappear,» said Savy.

The torch relay for the Paris 2024 Olympics set off Tuesday from Olympia, the birthplace of the ancient Games, after the flame was lit in a ritual inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. «The Olympic flame that we are lighting today symbolises this hope for a better future,» said International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. Owing to cloudy weather, Greek actresses in the role of ancient priestesses used a flame lit in a rehearsal Monday in the 2,600-year-old Temple of Hera, near the stadium where the Olympics were born in 776 BC. Carrying the flame in a pot, Greek actress Mary Mina lit the torch for the first bearer, 2020 Olympic rowing champion Stefanos Ntouskos. Retired swimmer Laure Manaudou, who won a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, followed as France's first torchbearer in Olympia. The torch harks back to the ancient Olympics when a sacred flame burned throughout the Games. The tradition was revived in 1936 for the Berlin Olympics. During the 11-day relay on Greek soil, some 600 torchbearers will carry the flame over a distance of 5,000 kilometres (3,100 miles) through 41 municipalities. «In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even – and in particular – during times of war and conflict,» Bach said. «Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition,» he said. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message: yes, it is possible to compete fiercely against each other and at the same time live peacefully together under one roof.« - 'Inclusive' Games - Officials on Tuesday stressed that the Paris Games will set new milestones, following the legacy of the other two prior Olympics held in the French capital. »The Olympic Flame will shine over the first Olympic Games inspired by our Olympic Agenda reforms from start to finish,« Bach said. »These Olympic Games will be younger, more inclusive, more urban, more sustainable. These will be the very first Olympic Games with full gender parity, because the IOC allocated exactly 50 percent of the places to female and male athletes,« he said. Paris Olympics chief organiser Tony Estanguet noted that women took part for the first time in the Paris 1900 Games, while the first Olympic Village was created for the 1924 Paris Games. For the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic imposed toned-down events for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2022 Beijing Winter Games, the ceremony was back with full regalia and scores of spectators. Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo were  present at the ceremony. American mezzo soprano Joyce DiDonato delivered the Olympic anthem. - Security concerns - The Olympic flame will be handed over to Paris 2024 organisers in a ceremony at the all-marble Panathenaic Stadium, site of the first modern Olympic Games of 1896, on April 26. Nana Mouskouri, the 89-year-old Greek singer with a worldwide following, has been invited to perform at the ceremony. On April 27, the flame will begin its journey to France on board the 19th-century three-masted barque Belem, which was launched just weeks after the 1896 Athens Games. A French historical monument, the Belem carried out trade journeys to Brazil, Guyana and the Caribbean for nearly two decades. France's last surviving three-mast steel-hulled boat, it is expected to arrive in Marseille on May 8. Ten thousand torchbearers will then carry the flame across 64 French territories. It will travel through 400 towns and dozens of tourist attractions during its 12,000-kilometre (7,500-mile) journey through mainland France and overseas French territories in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Pacific. On July 26 it will form the centrepiece of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. The ceremony is planned to be held on the river Seine, with thousands of athletes sailing along a six-kilometre (four-mile) stretch of the river on barges -- the first time it has not been held in the Games' main stadium. However, French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said it could be moved to the national stadium in the event of a security threat. Macron said instead of teams sailing down the Seine, the ceremony could be »limited to the Trocadero« building across the river from the Eiffel Tower or »even moved to the Stade de France". © Agence France-Presse

A contentious bill that aims to eventually phase out smoking in Britain advanced in parliament on Tuesday, as the House of Commons voted in favour of the controversial measure. The bill would ban the selling of tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009 –- effectively raising the smoking age by a year each year until it applies to the whole population. The UK parliament kicked off debate on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's planned flagship legislation on Tuesday, despite opposition from many in his own Conservative Party. «This has the potential to phase out smoking in young people almost completely as early as 2040,» the government said when it unveiled the plan, calling the move «historic». In the first vote of the bill, 383 MPs voted in favour with 67 voting against. The bill will need to be adopted by the House of Lords to become law. Among those who opposed the bill were nearly 60 Conservative MPs -- including business secretary Kemi Badenoch and other senior secretaries of state. Conservative MPs were given a free vote, meaning they were able to defy the government without fear of being suspended from the party. Smoking is the UK's biggest preventable killer and opinion polls show that around two-thirds of people in the UK back a phased smoking ban. However, libertarian-leaning MPs on the right of the ruling Conservatives, including former prime minister Liz Truss, have branded the move an attack on personal freedoms. Conservative MP Simon Clarke told BBC radio that he was «both sceptical and downright opposed» to the plans. «I think that an outright ban risks being counterproductive, I think it actually risks making smoking cooler, it certainly risks creating a black market, and it also risks creating an unmanageable challenge for the authorities,» he said. Former prime minister Boris Johnson also said at an event in Canada last week it was «mad» that the party of Winston Churchill was «banning cigars». - Vaping clamp down - Opening the debate for the government, Health Secretary Victoria Atkins told the House of Commons that there is «no liberty in addiction». «Nicotine robs people of their freedom to choose. The vast majority of smokers start when they are young, and three quarters say that if they could turn back the clock they would not have started,» she said. The proposed ban was supposedly inspired by a similar plan in New Zealand which was later dropped. Official figures show smoking causes about one in four deaths from cancer and leads to 64,000 deaths in England per year. «If parliament passes this new bill, it will put the UK at the very forefront of the fight to eradicate one of the most harmful inventions of modern times,» said Lion Shahab, co-director of the tobacco and alcohol research group at University College London. The legislation also seeks to clamp down on young people vaping by restricting flavours and packaging to make them less appealing to children. © Agence France-Presse

Seychelles' President Wavel Ramkalawan said the primary task before the international community would be to support the swift ratification and domestication of the High Seas Treaty and simultaneously advocate for its entry into force among at least 60 states. According to State House on Tuesday, Ramkalawan made the statement during his intervention at the High Ambition and Partnerships for the High Seas on the sidelines of the Our Ocean Conference taking place in Athens, Greece.  The BBNJ Treaty, known as the High Seas Treaty, is an international agreement that aims to preserve and sustainably use the marine iodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. This includes the high seas, which are outside of countries' exclusive economic zones, and make up nearly half of the Earth's surface The Seychelles' National Assembly ratified the Treaty on March 13. Ramkalawan said, «The adoption of the BBNJ Agreement rekindles hope for a healthy ocean, planet, and human life. The Agreement which balances the protection of marine biodiversity with opportunities for scientific discovery and sustainable development, signifies an advancement in global collaboration and exemplifies our collaborative effort for the well-being of the entire globe.» He added that it expresses a common vision for a future «in which our ocean's biodiversity is valued, protected, and used sustainably for the benefit of current and future generations.» Ramkalawan said the entry into force of the treaty will also accelerate the accomplishment of many other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), playing a vital role in climate regulation, food security and nutrition, peace and justice and many more. «The race for the ratification of the BBNJ Treaty is the perfect example of how, by working together around the world, we can accelerate action to deliver the SDGs. At this point, Seychelles and other developing countries require capacity-building assistance to develop domestic processes that will enable the treaty's rapid implementation,» he added. Ramkalawan said that for Seychelles, the aims and components of the BBNJ treaty are of critical importance as they are seen as a national priority to secure ocean sustainability for humanity. «For the people of Seychelles, the BBNJ Agreement means an opportunity for our young scientists to get involved in research projects, and access samples, databases, repositories, and digital sequence information. It is another step forward in the establishment of a comprehensive system and well-connected networks of marine protected areas, and we now have a mechanism that is more equitable in which everyone can benefit from what is called the 'common heritage of mankind,» he added. He concluded in saying that the agreement is in the world's interest «but effective implementation will determine its real impact on oceans, people, and the planet. It is my sincere hope that we maintain the positive momentum for the Agreement's implementation as soon as possible for the vast, interconnected ecosystem that is our global ocean.» 

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

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

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

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged allies on Monday to show the same «unity» towards Ukraine as Israel, which said it repelled an Iranian attack over the weekend with Western support. Ukraine has in recent months grown increasingly frustrated at delays in Western aid, including air defences it says are urgently needed to repel deadly Russian attacks. In a post on Telegram, Zelensky thanked allies who had responded to Ukraine's call for more air defences but said: «The intensity of Russian attacks requires greater unity». «By defending Israel, the free world has demonstrated that such unity is not only possible, but also one hundred percent effective,» he said. «The same is possible in defending Ukraine, which, like Israel, is not a NATO member, from terror,» he continued, calling for «political will» from Ukraine's allies. The US Senate passed a $95 billion package in February that included major funding to help Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion, as well as fresh support for Israel and Taiwan. But the legislation has stalled in the narrowly divided House of Representatives amid opposition from the Republican party's right wing. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, however, announced Monday that a vote would be held in the coming days on the legislation, but not in its current form. Instead, the House «will vote on each of these measures separately in four different pieces», he said. He added that votes on the separate bills could occur by Friday evening, but members would be allowed to offer amendments, which could prolong the process. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba had also invoked Western support for Israel in a press conference earlier in the day, calling for more aid «as soon as possible». «We see that when allies act as one in a very coordinated way, not a single missile falls on the targets, reaches targets in Israel,» Kuleba said alongside his Norwegian counterpart. «Everything we are asking from partners, even if you cannot act the way you act in Israel, give us what we need and we will do the rest of the job,» he added. Iran over the weekend launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel in retaliation for a deadly April 1 strike on Tehran's consulate in Damascus. Israel's military said it intercepted 99 percent of the aerial threats with the help of the United States and other allies, and that the overnight attack caused only minor damage. © Agence France-Presse

With European markets remaining robust and emerging interest from Asia, Seychelles continues to attract travellers seeking extraordinary experiences in an idyllic setting, according to a top tourism official. The statement was made by Bernadette Willemin, director for marketing of the Tourism Seychelles, the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism. According to the latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NSB) on April 10, 105,457 visitors disembarked in Seychelles compared to 98,619 in 2023 year-to-date, showing a 7 percent increase.    Willemin said, «We are pleased to acknowledge the positive performance outlined in the first quarter report, particularly the robust growth trajectory observed in visitor arrivals to Seychelles.» Europe continues to lead the visitor arrival to the island nation in the western Indian Ocean. Germany is the leading market with 21, 913 followed by Russia with 13,100  arrivals. France is third with 11,662 arrivals. «The tourism performance for the first quarter of 2024 aligns with the recommendations of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), focusing on analysing visitor arrivals based on their country of residence and offering insights into Seychelles' evolving tourism landscape,» explained Willemin. The latest figures show that 90,111 of the visitors to Seychelles did so for holidays and 3,688 for honeymoons and Willemin attributes it to «Seychelles' status as a premier leisure destination offering unparalleled experiences amid breathtaking natural landscapes.». Cruise ship arrivals for this period show 6,854 tourists and 130 transit passengers out of 6,998 arrivals, with the remainder being residents. Willemin said, «While Europe continues to serve as the primary source market, it is uplifting to see substantial contributions from key regions notably South Africa, and North America.» The figures show that 2,276 visitors from South Africa arrived in Seychelles up to week 14 while 2,872 were from North America to date. Willemin said, «These contributions further solidify our position as a global tourism destination.» Tourism is the top contributor to the economy of Seychelles followed 

Donald Trump's New York criminal trial opened Monday in a historic first for a US ex-president and a seismic twist to an already explosive 2024 presidential election, where the scandal-plagued Republican is seeking to return to power. «Good morning Mr Trump,» Judge Juan Merchan said to the defendant in the courtroom, where the Republican sat with hunched shoulders and a stern expression. Jury selection was due to start shortly, but given the notoriety of the case it could take as much as two weeks for defense lawyers and prosecutors to agree on the panel of 12 jurors. Trump, wearing his trademark red tie, white shirt and blue suit, struck a defiant stance, telling a throng of journalists on arrival at the gritty Manhattan courthouse that his trial was an «outrage» and an «assault on America.» He then strode into the courtroom, walking past nine rows of wooden benches and took his seat. The 77-year-old is accused of falsifying business records in a scheme to cover up an alleged extramarital sexual encounter with adult film actress Stormy Daniels to shield his 2016 election campaign from a last-minute upheaval. The so-called hush money affair is one of four criminal cases hanging over Trump, including historic prosecutions against the Republican's alleged attempts to subvert the 2020 election and prevent the winner, Joe Biden, from taking office. If convicted in the hush money case, Trump would potentially face years in prison, but legal observers consider this unlikely. Even so, the prospect of Trump becoming a convicted felon throws an unprecedented wild card into an already unpredictable November 5 election, where he wants to defeat Biden and retake the White House. The hard-right populist is running on dark vows of «vengeance» and seeking to spin his criminal cases as evidence of persecution. On Monday his campaign released a video portraying Trump with the trappings of the presidency and warning his supporters that «they want to take away my freedom because I will never let them take away your freedoms.» Attempting to keep up his trademark bravado, Trump said last week that he will take the stand in the trial -- a highly unusual and often risky move for defendants. - Lawyer and porn star - For jury selection, a pool of ordinary citizens convened by Merchan must answer a questionnaire including checks on whether they have been members of far-right groups. The actual charges revolve around highly technical finance laws. Trump is accused of illegally covering up remittances to his longtime attorney and fixer Michael Cohen, who was using the funds to pay Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about the alleged sexual encounter in the final weeks of the 2016 election campaign. A New York grand jury indicted Trump in March 2023 over the payments made to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, with the ex-president charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records. He denies the charges and says the encounter with Clifford and another with a Playboy nude model, whose story he also allegedly covered up, did not happen. Trump also claims he will not get a fair trial in heavily Democratic New York. Even if convicted, he would be able to appeal and would not be barred from continuing to run, or even being elected president on November 5. - Four criminal cases - Trump's other three criminal cases -- centered on his alleged hoarding of top-secret documents in Florida after he left the White House and his involvement in attempts to overturn the 2020 election -- all face multiple delays. In the New York case, Trump has repeatedly failed to secure meaningful delays, and Merchan has signaled he will run the trial with a firm hand. Last week, the judge extended an existing gag order, in place to prevent Trump from attacking those involved in the trial, widening it to cover family members of the judge and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, the lead prosecutor. The expansion of the order came after Trump lashed out at Merchan and his daughter in a series of posts on Truth Social. © Agence France-Presse

Seychelles is on track to have its aquaculture facility become a centre of excellence in the region. The opening of the first Containerised Echinoderm Hatchery, a state-of-the-art facility earlier this year, is the latest step to bolster the country's position in achieving this strategic objective. The head of aquaculture at the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA), Aubrey Lesperance, told SNA that with the opening of the hatchery, the SFA has embarked on an ambitious journey to transition from research-based aquaculture to the commercialisation of aquaculture, aligning with Strategy 3 of its Strategic Plan 2022-2027. «A pivotal step towards this goal is the establishment of Seychelles' first Containerised Echinoderm Hatchery, crucial to establish the islands as a Centre of Excellence for aquaculture collaborative research,» explained Lesperance. The Containerised Echinoderm Hatchery represents a significant leap towards the commercialisation of aquaculture in Seychelles. By integrating advanced research facilities with practical, scalable solutions like the hatchery, the Seychelles – 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean – are poised to become a global leader in sustainable aquaculture practices. At the opening of the hatchery, the Minister for Fisheries and the Blue Economy, Jean Francois Ferrari, said, «It is our ambition to become a marine Centre of Excellence in fisheries and aquaculture in the Blue Economy sector. Facilities such as this one bring us closer to this strategic objective.» According to Lesperance, «This initiative not only enhances the country's aquaculture infrastructure but also paves the way for significant economic opportunities, reinforcing the importance of public and private sector investment in realising the full potential of the aquaculture sector.» Lesperance added that the authority has aligned its priorities in terms of infrastructure and research to become a Centre of Excellence. These include the newly inaugurated Containerised Echinoderm Hatchery on February 29, the setting up of the Broodstock, Acclimation, and Quarantine Facility, which plays a crucial role in ensuring the health and quality of broodstock, critical for successful hatchery operations, and the Sea Urchin Research Facility, which is located at the Seychelles Maritime Academy (SMA). Lesperance says the facility "facilitates cutting-edge research on sea urchin aquaculture, contributing to the knowledge base necessary for commercial success.' The open ocean sea cages, which are situated 300 metre from Providence Fishing Port, enable the practical application of research findings in a controlled marine environment, essential for the scale-up to commercial operations. In addition, SFA has acquired a service boat, Aqua 1, which is crucial for aquaculture's day-to-day operations, enabling broodstock collection, training, investor site selection, environmental monitoring, and maintenance activities for structures such as the sea cages crucial for the sector's development. In addition to the infrastructure, the Seychelles Fishing Authority has made a move to foster a new generation of aquaculture technicians and scientists by establishing a strong collaboration with the Seychelles Maritime Academy (SMA). The authority and academy collaboration focus on providing students with real-world experience and exposure to the latest aquaculture technologies and practices. Through various work-based experiences, internships, and research projects, students from the SMA can apply their academic knowledge in practical settings, thus bridging the gap between theoretical learning and practical application. SFA is also extending its educational outreach beyond the SMA, targeting secondary school students through the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme. This initiative is designed to inspire and educate young Seychellois on the opportunities within the aquaculture sector. The TVET programme and the SMA aim to train a good majority of the 70 percent of the workforce required in the Seychelles aquaculture sector by 2040, highlighting the government's commitment to developing a skilled and knowledgeable workforce to support the sector's growth. Through these initiatives, students are empowered to become the next generation of aquaculture professionals with the knowledge, skills, and passion to drive the sector forward. 

Israel and Iran accused one another Sunday at the United Nations of being the main threat to peace in the Middle East, each calling on the Security Council to impose sanctions on their sworn enemy. «The mask is off. Iran, the number one global sponsor of terror, has exposed its true face as the destabilizer of the region and the world,» Israel's UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan told an emergency meeting of the Security Council convened after Tehran's unprecedented attack on Israel overnight. «The mask comes off and the gloves must come on,» he said, imploring the body to «take action.» Erdan asked the Security Council to designate the Revolutionary Guards, the Islamic Republic's ideological army, as a terrorist organization and to «impose all possible sanctions on Iran before it's too late.» In particular, he referred to the «snapback» mechanism that allows members of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal -- which the United States exited in 2018 -- to reimpose international sanctions against Tehran. «We have a collective responsibility as members of the Security Council to ensure that Iran complies with the council's resolutions and ceases its violations of the charter,» said Deputy US Ambassador Robert Wood. In the coming days the United States will «explore additional measures to hold Iran accountable.» Late Saturday, Iran launched a direct attack on its arch foe Israel for the first time, firing more than 300 missiles and drones. Nearly all were intercepted by Israel and others, including the United States, Jordan and Britain. Iran said its attack came in response to a deadly April 1 air strike on Tehran's consulate building in Syria's capital Damascus that was widely blamed on Israel. That attack killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards, including two senior generals. - On 'the brink' - Addressing the emergency meeting, Iran's UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani insisted the Islamic republic was exercising its «inherent right to self-defense.» «The Security Council... failed in its duty to maintain international peace and security,» Iravani said. Therefore, Tehran «had no choice» but to respond, he said, adding that his country does «not seek escalation or war,» but will respond to any «threat or aggression.» He also lashed out at Israel. «It is time for the Security Council to shoulder its responsibility and address the real threat to international peace and security,» Iravani said. The body «must take urgent and punitive measures to compel this regime to stop a genocide against the people of Gaza.» The rising tensions come against the backdrop of Israel's six-month-old war against Hamas in Gaza, which began after the Palestinian militant group's October 7 attack in Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,729 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Since the 1979 Iranian revolution Israel has been considered a sworn enemy by the Islamic republic, which calls for Israel's destruction. Until now, Tehran had refrained from attacking Israel head-on, and the two countries have opted instead to confronting each other through third parties. On Sunday United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged restraint, telling the emergency meeting that «neither the region nor the world can afford more war.» «Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate,» he said. Guterres also repeated his condemnation of Iran's strikes on Israel, and the attack on Iran's consulate in Damascus. «It's time to step back from the brink,» Guterres said. © Agence France-Presse

Aldabra Atoll has officially been designated as an Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission shark specialist group. According to the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) in a recent press statement, the designation has been awarded to Aldabra as it contains specific marine habitats that are deemed critical for the survival and well-being of sharks, rays, and chimaeras - which are soft-bodied, cartilaginous fish.  SIF said it submitted the nomination of Aldabra, one of Seychelles UNESCO World Heritage sites, in August 2023, to be evaluated in an ISRA workshop in Durban, South Africa last September, which focused on the western Indian Ocean region. The submission then underwent a peer review by an independent review panel before it was validated. ISRA designations are based on scientific criteria that consider factors such as the species' range restriction. It is also based on their status on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the importance of the habitat for various life stages of sharks and the special attributes of the habitat in terms of distinctiveness and diversity. The majority of available evidence from Aldabra came from opportunistic sighting records and photos and videos collected over many years by Aldabra staff, volunteers and visiting researchers, highlighting the value of rigorously recording opportunistic sightings. The chief executive of SIF, Dr Frauke Fleischer-Dogley, said «this designation helps SIF to re-focus on one of the most threatened group of animals on reefs' with 60 percent of coral reef shark and ray species globally being at risk of going extinct. Since the submission of the nomination over 500 additional opportunistic sightings have already been made on Aldabra, and this time the exact locations have been recorded too.»   A juvenile of the sharptooth lemon shark. (Martin Van Rooyen) Photo License: All Rights Reserved  Sharks, rays and chimaeras belong to the most threatened marine taxon and more than a third of shark species are threatened with extinction due to impacts from fisheries, habitat loss, and climate change. Aldabra Atoll was designated for six species, namely the blacktip reef shark, tawny nurse shark, sharptooth lemon shark, scalloped hammerhead shark, spotted eagle ray, and reef manta ray. The species fulfilled the criteria of being considered threatened on the IUCN Red List, and being found in a marine habitat that is important for their reproduction and feeding. Dr Rima Jabado, deputy chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and chair of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group, said «Sharks and rays play a key role in supporting the health of marine ecosystems. ISRAs are now providing a critical tool to support the conservation of these species by consolidating the most up-to-date scientific data from regional experts, but also from citizen scientists, that can really allow policymakers to take action and safeguard remnant populations.» With the designation, Aldabra joined a select group of globally recognised areas crucial for biodiversity and this will serve as a catalyst for heightened awareness and action and urge policymakers and stakeholders to prioritise conservation efforts and ensure long-term protection. Aldabra is now one of nine ISRAs in Seychelles and the others are Alphonse Atoll, Baie Laraie at Curieuse Island, Bay Ternay at Mahe Island, Conception Island, D'Arros and St. Joseph Atoll, La Passe at Silhouette Island, Saint François Atoll and the Seychelles Inner Islands.

Iran's unprecedented overnight attack on Israel has been «foiled», the Israeli military said Sunday, with hundreds of missiles and drones intercepted with the help of the United States and allies. The attack which began late Saturday marks a major escalation of the long-running covert war between the regional foes, and comes against the backdrop of the ongoing war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Iran's proxies and allies also carried out coordinated attacks on Israeli positions as sirens sounded in many places and AFP correspondents heard blasts in the skies above Jerusalem early Sunday. Iran had repeatedly threatened to retaliate against Israel for a deadly April 1 air strike on its Damascus consular building, and Washington had warned in recent days that the reprisals were imminent. Late Saturday, the Israeli army said Iran had launched a «massive swarm of over 200 killer drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles». The army said it had scrambled dozens of fighter jets to intercept «all aerial threats», and was working with the US and other allies to stop the launches. People in Jerusalem sought cover, while some residents stockpiled water. «As you can see it's empty, everybody is running home,» said Eliyahu Barakat, a 49-year-old grocery shop owner in Jerusalem's Mamilla neighbourhood. Early Sunday, the Israeli army said that 99 percent of the launches had been intercepted. «The Iranian attack was foiled,» military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a televised statement. US President Joe Biden reiterated Washington's «ironclad» support for Israel after an urgent meeting with his top security officials on the spiralling crisis. - 'Stay away' - Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed a drone and missile attack was launched against Israel in retaliation for the Damascus strike which killed seven Guards, two of them generals. The Guards said ballistic missiles were fired almost an hour after the slower moving drones. Hundreds of Iranians gathered in Tehran's Palestine Square waving Iranian and Palestinian flags in a show of support for the military action against Israel. Iran's allies in the region joined the attack, with Yemen's Tehran-backed Huthi rebels also launching drones at Israel, according to security agency Ambrey. Lebanon's Hezbollah movement announced it had fired rockets at Israeli positions in the annexed Golan Heights around the same time, as well as a second barrage hours later. Tehran's official IRNA news agency said the attack had dealt «heavy blows» to an air base in the Negev desert, but the Israeli army said there had only been minor damage. The Iranian mission to the United Nations warned Washington to keep out of Iran's conflict with Israel. «It is a conflict between Iran and the rogue Israeli regime, from which the U.S. MUST STAY AWAY!» it said. It added that it hoped Iran's action to punish the strike on its diplomatic mission would lead to no further escalation and «the matter can be deemed concluded». But despite Tehran's warning not to get involved, US forces took part in shooting down drones aimed at Israel. - 'Take the win' - Biden said in a statement that the United States had «helped Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles». The US president later said he told Netanyahu during a phone call «that Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks -- sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel». News outlet Axios said Biden had told Netanyahu that he would oppose an Israeli counterattack against Iran and that he should «take the win». Before Tehran launched its attack on Saturday, the Israeli military warned Iran it would suffer the «consequences for choosing to escalate the situation any further». British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned Iran's «reckless» action and pledged his government would «continue to stand up for Israel's security». France echoed the commitment to Israel, with Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne saying «Iran has reached a new level of destabilisation». Egypt, which regularly acts as a mediator between Israel and the Palestinians, said it was in «direct contact with all sides to the conflict to try to contain the situation». And regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia urged parties to exercise «restraint and spare the region and its peoples from the dangers of war». China, meanwhile, characterised the attack as «the latest spillover of the Gaza conflict» and called for the implementation of a recent UN Security Council resolution demanding a ceasefire in the besieged Palestinian territory, saying more than six months of fighting «must end now». The Security Council was to meet at around 2000 GMT Sunday to discuss the latest crisis at Israel's request, its current president Malta said. Biden said he would also convene his fellow leaders of the G7 group of wealthy nations on Sunday to coordinate a «united diplomatic response» to Iran's «brazen» attack. Earlier on Saturday, Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized an Israeli-linked container vessel in the Gulf earlier on Saturday, putting the whole region on alert. Indian officials said there were 17 Indian citizens on board the Aries, while the Philippine government said that four of its nationals were also aboard. The April 1 strike in Damascus, which killed 16 people, including two Iranian generals, had been widely blamed on Israel. Iran had repeatedly vowed to hit back, but had not specified how. Shortly before the launches, Netanyahu said Israel was prepared for a «direct attack from Iran». Israel has closed its airspace but reopened it at 0430 GMT, according to its airport authority. Schools nationwide did not open on Sunday. Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon also announced they were temporarily closing their airspace. - Gaza stalemate - Fighting in Gaza meanwhile has ground on, with Israel's military saying Saturday it had struck more than 30 Hamas targets across Gaza. The war began with the unprecedented October 7 attack by Hamas against Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,686 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Hamas said it had submitted its response to a truce plan presented by US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators at talks in Cairo this week. Israel described the Hamas as a «rejection» of the latest proposal, with the Mossad spy agency saying the Palestinian group does not «want a humanitarian deal and the return of the hostages». Hamas has said it was sticking to its previous demands, insisting on «a permanent ceasefire» and the «withdrawal of the (Israeli) occupation army from the entire Gaza Strip». Mossad accused Hamas of «continuing to exploit the tension with Iran» and aiming for «a general escalation in the region». © Agence France-Presse

Residents reported heavy Israeli fire in central Gaza on Friday, with regional tensions soaring after Iran threatened reprisals over a strike in Syria this month that killed two Iranian generals. As talks for a truce and hostage release dragged on, fears that Iran could soon launch an attack on Israel prompted the United States to announce it was sending reinforcements to the Middle East as a deterrent. US President Joe Biden said he expected Iran to attempt to strike Israel soon but warned it against attacking the US ally in retaliation for the April 1 strike on its Damascus consulate. Authorities in Hamas-ruled Gaza reported dozens of new air strikes in the central region where most Israeli troops have regrouped in recent days. Israel's military said its aircraft had struck more than 60 militant targets in Gaza over the previous day. The Hamas media office said 25 people were taken to hospital in Deir al-Balah «as a result of an air strike on a house». Mohammed al-Rayes, 61, told AFP that he fled Israeli «air strikes and artillery shelling» in Nuseirat overnight. «It was all fire and destruction, with so many martyrs lying in the street,» he said. Another resident, Laila Nasser, 40, reported «shells and missiles» throughout the night. «They will do to Nuseirat what they did to Khan Yunis,» said Nasser, vowing to flee to the southernmost city of Rafah, like most of Gaza's population. - 'Real' threat - The war began with Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack against Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,634 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the territory's health ministry. The latest bombardments in Gaza came after Israel said it had strengthened air defences and paused leave for combat units, following a deadly April 1 air strike that destroyed Iran's consulate building in Damascus. Iran blamed its arch foe Israel, which has stepped up strikes against Iran-linked targets in Syria since the Gaza war began. The White House said on Friday that the threat from Iran remained «real». Asked what his message was to Iran on striking Israel, Biden said: «Don't». «We are devoted to the defence of Israel, we will support Israel, we will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed,» he said. A defence official said the Pentagon was «moving additional assets to the region to bolster regional deterrence efforts and increase force protection for US forces.» - 'Shoulder to shoulder' - Biden sent the head of US Central Command, General Michael Kurilla, to Israel for urgent talks on the threat from Iran. After meeting Kurilla on Friday, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel and the United States stood «shoulder to shoulder», despite recent differences over the conduct of the war in Gaza. «Our enemies think that they can pull apart Israel and the United States, but the opposite is true -- they are bringing us together and strengthening our ties,» Gallant said. Washington, which has had no diplomatic relations with Tehran since the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic revolution, also asked its allies to use their influence with Iran to urge restraint, the State Department said. After calls with his Australian, British and German counterparts Thursday, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said: «Iran does not seek to expand the scope of the war.» But he added that it felt it had no choice but to respond to the deadly attack on its diplomatic mission after the UN Security Council failed to take action. Lebanon's Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah said it fired «dozens of Katyusha rockets» at Israeli artillery positions Friday, a bombardment it said was in response to Israeli strikes in the south. The Israeli army said approximately 40 launches were identified, some of which were intercepted. «No injuries were reported,» it added. - French travel warning - France warned its nationals against travelling to Iran, Israel, Lebanon or the Palestinian territories, after the US embassy in Israel announced it was restricting the movements of its diplomats over security fears. German airline Lufthansa said its planes would no longer use Iranian airspace as it extended a suspension of flights to and from Tehran. In their October attack, Hamas militants seized about 250 hostages, 129 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli army says are dead. The European Union on Friday imposed sanctions on the armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad for «widespread» sexual violence during the October 7 attack. The bloc said fighters from the two militant groups -- already on the EU's terrorism blacklist -- «committed widespread sexual and gender-based violence in a systematic manner, using it as a weapon of war». - New crossing for aid - Washington has ramped up pressure on Netanyahu to increase aid flows to Gaza in the face of UN warnings of imminent famine. The Israeli army said that an undisclosed number of aid trucks had been allowed to enter Gaza Thursday through a newly opened border crossing into the north of the territory. «The first food aid trucks entered through the new northern crossing from Israel into Gaza yesterday,» the Israeli defence ministry body that oversees Palestinian civil affairs, COGAT, said. Despite repeated AFP requests for comment, Israeli authorities did not disclose the exact location of the new crossing, which Israeli media reported to be close to the Zikim kibbutz. Gallant had trumpeted the new crossing on Wednesday, promising to «flood Gaza with aid», but on Thursday the UN Security Council said «more should be done». © Agence France-Presse

A young Seychellois, Nathalia Lawen, represented Seychelles at the UN Ocean Decade Conference 2024, as a panellist at one of the satellite events of the conference in Barcelona, Spain. The event was co-hosted by the Peace Boat organisation, which is a Japan-based global NGO that promote peace, human rights, and sustainability, together with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOOA) of the United States. Lawen was on the panel as Peace Boat's ocean and climate youth ambassador from Seychelles and the main topic of discussion was youth capacity building and intergenerational collaboration. «When I am given a chance to share my voice internationally, I carry Seychelles on my heart always. We all know how rare it is for Seychellois to be given a platform to speak internationally, so I treasure the opportunities I manage to get, and I do my utmost best to bring the voices of not just Seychellois, but the voices of my brothers and sisters from other ocean states like Seychelles to the world,» said Lawen. During the discussions, Lawen emphasised the need for more international cooperation to facilitate interaction between stakeholders in the Global North and the Global South. «I would love to see a programme where youths from Seychelles get the chance to collaborate with international academic institutions to enhance capacity building,» she said.   Lawen added that «As African islanders, we are often excluded from important decisions globally and opportunities to grow are limited. Most of the time, lack funding is the factor.» She said that a way of communicating science in a simpler way is also lacking and «when science is communicated with very scientific terms, nobody wants to listen. I believe science, especially science about our Seychelles should be available in Creole.» With Seychelles being such a small nation, but facing very real problems, it is always important for the nation's voices to be heard, she believes. For Lawen, such platforms allow small island developing states (SIDS) like Seychelles, to have an impact on protective actions that can be taken to minimise the risks of climate change challenges. «Often at conferences like these, the majority of the participants are from the Global North,» said Lawen. She continued by saying; «I can tell you that when islanders meet at these conferences we stick together and this is where knowledge sharing happens. It is quite ironic that we are less represented at environment conferences when in reality we are the most affected by the decisions that come from international meetings like these. » The young environment conservation champion says that in Seychelles, the ocean is in the people's DNA, the people depend on the ocean for their livelihoods, with most of the country's resources coming from the ocean around the islands. She explained, «We know at this point, thanks to scientific research, how our ocean's resources are depleting because of pollution, climate change and numerous other factors. I believe that if one has the ability to do good, then why wouldn't you? We cannot stay silent while the world continues to facilitate the destruction of our planet in the name of development.» 

The Seychelles National Institute of Culture, Heritage and the Arts (SNICHA) and the National Centre for Art Schools of Cuba have agreed to facilitate mutual exchanges between the two countries in art, music and heritage preservation. This will be done through a newly signed cultural agreement that also establishes the basis for developing cooperation in the field of artistic education, which is an area of great interest to both parties. The agreement was signed by the secretary-general of SNICHA, David Andre and the Ambassador of Cuba to Seychelles, Martha Hernández Caneiro, on behalf of the National Centre for Art Schools of Cuba.   The signing was done on Friday, April 12, which marks the 46th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Seychelles and Cuba. The agreement includes academic and cultural cooperation among students, professors and specialists, with opportunities for visits and scheduled meetings in the Art Schools of both countries, complete training courses and short training courses in different disciplines in Cuba. It will also include the promotion and participation of students in festivals and other events that enrich their academic training and the exchange of information, specialised and audiovisual materials. The cultural cooperation can be extended to areas like the conservation, restoration and preservation of cultural heritage, and cooperation between our libraries and national archives, among others. Andre said, «There are a lot of benefits through this agreement, for example, let's take musical education; Seychelles needs instructors at the School of Music, and Cuba has people with this expertise. We can also have people from Seychelles who go there for training. It is a mutual exchange.» He confirmed that one of the first concrete projects under this agreement is that the School of Music in Seychelles will soon benefit from a group of instructors from Cuba. On her side, Caneiro said, «This is an opportune moment to strengthen the diplomatic relations between the two countries. We want to promote the rich Creole culture in Cuba. This will be good for Cuba because we also have to learn about Seychelles too.» She added: «On our side, I know that we have a very big expectation for the start of this agreement. For example, we have the Biennale of Havana at the end of the year and we are trying to agree for some Seychellois artists to go to Cuba. That will be a very good opportunity to show the art and culture of Seychelles.» Caneiro said, «In July we also have another event; the Festival of the Caribbean, where countries with Creole cultures can participate. Every two years we also have a festival for young dancers that includes training and presentations so there are many opportunities for Seychelles art to be displayed in Cuba.» 

The Disaster and Risk Management Division (DRMD) in Seychelles has confirmed that there has been an incident of an unknown substance in gaseous form affecting people in contact with it at the Anse Etoile Primary School today. DRMD said in a press statement on Friday that as of 4 pm, 16 children and three adults have reported with itchiness, rash and shortness of breath. The division and its partners remain on alert following the incidents, while efforts are still ongoing to identify the unknown substance and its origins. DRMD advises the public to contact the national emergency number 999 in the case of any emergencies and any information concerning these incidents that can assist in the investigation can call 133 or 4288000. In a press conference on Thursday, DRDM said is continuing its investigation to find the cause of incidents of an unknown substance in gaseous form that started earlier this week and have resulted in the closure of schools, the Judiciary and the National Assembly. Perseverance Secondary School was the first to report a strong odour that was also smelt at the Supreme Court, the Magistrates' Court and the National Assembly at Ile Du Port on Monday. The same incident was reported at Beau Vallon Secondary and Primary Schools, La Rosiere Creche at English River Secondary School in the following days, and the latest at Anse Etoile Primary on Friday. Regina Prosper, director of health and security at the Ministry of Education, told reporters on Thursday that all concerned agencies were immediately alerted and Seychelles Petroleum Company came immediately and did an assessment as it was thought it had something to do with the gas in a laboratory. «We did all the tests which showed that it had nothing to do internally with the school. PUC (Public Utilities Corporation) came and we did all the tests on the sewage side same thing and today we did the same at Beau Vallon for example the classes where the complaints started, at the toilets to see if it was related but we did not see anything,» she added. Prosper said, «What we are seeing that is common it is more or less the classes on the top floors is where the smell is stronger depending on the wind. We have seen that it is not only at Beau Vallon, there is also the La Rosiere Creche located at the English River Secondary School, three staff had the same symptoms and we advised them to go to the clinic.» She added «We see that it is moving and we are concerned with the time pattern. It starts at the same time 11 am to 2 pm.» Daniel Cetoupe, chief risk management officer, said DRMD has been able to eliminate the possibility of these gases  being certain chemicals that can cause these problems such as ammonia and chlorine. «We have done surveillance again to investigate the situation at the Beau Vallon School to find out if there are common points with what is going on in the Perseverance region. What we have seen is that yes, there are things that are similar in the context of the symptoms people are having except the smell. Irritation of the skin and respiratory system,» he explained. Cetoupe added that «What is common among them is the smell of fuel. People have described it as a smell that suffocates. We are exploring different theories, intensifying our surveillance, and targetting specific areas that are being affected based on the information we have collected. [...] but we have not ruled out that there may be other possibilities at play.» Assistant Police Commissioner Antoine Desnousse said the police have been patrollling the affected areas since Monday. «It is not stopping us from intensifying and seeking more information because many people are asking if there is not a criminal aspect to it. This is what we are doing and for now, we are still searching for information and doing the necessary inquiry,» he added.

South Africa's electoral commission said Friday that it had appealed to the country's highest court to rule on whether ex-president Jacob Zuma can stand in a general election in May. The commission said in a statement that it had lodged an «urgent and direct» appeal to the Constitutional Court to provide «certainty». It is the latest twist in legal wrangling over the eligibility of the 81-year-old who is fronting uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), a new opposition party that has become a potential upsetter in the May 29 election. In a surprise verdict on Tuesday, the electoral court ruled that Zuma could stand, overturning a decision by the electoral commission to bar him over a contempt of court conviction. The commission had excluded Zuma from the race at the end of last month, saying the constitution barred anyone sentenced to more than 12 months' imprisonment. Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in jail in June 2021 after refusing to testify to a panel investigating financial corruption and cronyism during his presidency. His lawyers argued the sentence did not disqualify him as it followed civil rather than criminal proceedings, and had been shortened by a remission. Zuma was freed on medical parole just two months into his jail term. The electoral commission said Friday that there was «substantial public interest in providing certainty on the proper interpretation» of the constitutional article relating to candidacies of people who have been convicted. «Such clarity is important in the present matter because of a live issue but also for future elections,» it said. - 'Free and fair' - It also said the appeal was not intended by the commission «to involve itself in the political field of play». «It is rather to ensure free and fair elections by ensuring that applicable constitutional provisions relating to elections are clearly understood by all role-players and applied evenly,» it said. South Africa's general election is expected to be the most competitive since the advent of democracy in 1994, and Zuma's presence in the campaign could prove a key factor. Banking on his popularity, MK is expected to cut into the vote share of the embattled African National Congress (ANC) -- the governing party and Zuma's former political home. This could precipitate the ANC towards seeing its vote share drop below 50 percent for the first time since 1994. Short of a parliamentary majority, it would be forced to seek coalition partners to remain in power. The ANC is struggling in opinion polls amid a weak economy and allegations of corruption and mismanagement. Some polls put MK at above 10 percent nationwide, a share that would make it the third or fourth political force behind the ANC and the liberal Democratic Alliance. The party is projected to make a particularly strong showing in the battleground region of KwaZulu-Natal, Zuma's home province. Zuma, who was president from 2009 to 2018, still carries considerable political clout. Despite scandals and graft allegations, he remains popular particularly among the country's more than 10 million Zulus. South Africans will be voting for a new parliament, which in turn will elect the president. © Agence France-Presse

A senior official of the Seychelles' agricultural department has revealed that although a large number of leaf beetles that are feeding on golden apple trees reported on the Seychelles' main island of Mahe, none have been found on the other Inner and Outer islands. Roy Govinden, senior agricultural research officer and a member of the rapid response team, told SNA that «From December of last year until mid-March 2024, we have received a total of 594 reports» of beetle infestations. Govinden said, «The pest has been reported in a total of 20 districts around Mahe, the majority of reports were from Anse Etoile, followed by Beau Vallon and English River.  To date, no reports of the pests have been made on the Inner and Outer islands.» The leaf beetle was first reported in Seychelles in November 2023 and has been attacking golden apple trees on the main island of Mahe, prompting the Department of Agriculture to establish a rapid response team to deal with the infestation. The beetle is brightly coloured - usually yellow or salmon pink- with an antenna of 11 segments and as an adult it can measure up to 5 millimetres in length. The Department of Agriculture suspects that the beetle was introduced into the country through imported goods, as this kind of beetle is common in India, China, Philippines and Malaysia. Since the discovery of the beetle in Seychelles, the Department of Agriculture has sent its technicians to examine the situation as well as fumigate the areas it was found on all affected golden apple trees. So far the team has held fogging operations at 193 locations, targeting  273 trees - representing 32 percent of the total complaints received.   Govinden revealed that as a result of the fogging, they have seen «many of the golden apple trees that have been sprayed have fully recovered from the pest infestation.» Despite the recorded success in its operations to suppress the beetle, the department «faces challenges due to a limited number of foggers, spray operators and weather conditions,» he added. Furthermore, the technicians cannot carry out fogging activities when it is raining, leading to delays in addressing all complaints promptly. Meanwhile, the department is advising those who have a single tree at their home that is infested with leaf beetles to use common household insecticidal sprays.

Kelly-Mary Anette, a young Seychellois fitness trainer, aims to get closer to her clients, and people dreaming of a healthier lifestyle can access all her services through her fitness app.  Aside from the fitness app, Anette also holds numerous classes, which is what she has been doing lately. On Saturday, April 13, she will hold a Fun Workout Day and people can join her for a class for free from 10 am to 12 pm at Paradis des Enfants in the capital of Victoria.   «This event will give everyone an idea of what to expect from the app, which will include workouts, yoga and meditation, and they will also be able to ask me any questions and even register with the app with me in person,» added Anette, who is urging everyone to come down enjoy the day. Anette, a former Miss Seychelles, moved into fitness four years ago and launched her brand, «Fit With Kelly», aimed at helping people in Seychelles to live a healthier lifestyle. People interested in joining Fit With Kelly can visit her website www.fitwithkelly.info  where they can register for any packages and get the app, and join this growing community, which costs only SCR500 per month. «I was actually into fitness even before I got into pageantry,» Anette told SNA,  and explained that her brothers were always in the gym and so she got into it at a young age. Anette showing the right posture. (Kelly-Mary Anette) Photo License: All Rights Reserved She represented Seychelles at the Miss World Pageant and won the title of Miss Intercontinental Africa. She was the first Seychellois to be in the top five at an international pageant. «When I look back, I can tell you that it was because of me working out, eating healthier and having a better relationship with my health, that helped me to be so confident,» she added. She explained that Fit With Kelly is not only about exercising and nutrition but also about stress management, sleeping habits and the general lifestyle of her clients. «On the app, I communicate regularly with my clients, where they each have their very specific training schedule, tailor-made for each individual's lifestyle,» Annette shared, explaining that she wants people to be able to carry on about their daily lives as usual but find the time that suits them to do their workouts. «Fit With Kelly is not only geared towards women but open to every gender and every age, whether you are a teenager or a pensioner,» she added. Anette said that her health advice and training are based on scientific evidence and she uses them to give her clients the best tips to ensure they get the results.  

Millions displaced and on the brink of famine. Sexual and ethnic violence. Infrastructure destroyed. Aid workers say a year of war between rival generals in Sudan has led to catastrophe, but the world has turned away. The northeast African country is experiencing «one of the worst humanitarian disasters in recent memory» and «the largest internal displacement crisis in the world», the United Nations says. It is also on track to become «the world's worst hunger crisis». Aid workers have called it the «forgotten war» affecting a country of 48 million -- more than half of whom they say need humanitarian assistance. «People have been killed and raped and assaulted and detained and beaten and taken away for months at a time. We're used to it,» said Mahmud Mokhtar, who helped provide volunteer social services in the Khartoum area during the war before finally fleeing to Cairo. Experts see no end in sight to the fighting, which began on April 15 last year between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Since then thousands of people have been killed, including up to 15,000 in one West Darfur town alone, according to UN experts. More than 8.5 million have had to flee their homes to seek safety elsewhere in Sudan or across borders in neighbouring countries. The war «is brutal, devastating and shows no signs of coming to an end», said veteran Sudan expert Alex de Waal. But even if the violence stops now, «the state has collapsed, and the path to rebuilding it is long and fraught», de Waal said. Before the bombing and pillaging began, Sudan was already one of the world's poorest countries. Yet the UN says that by January, its humanitarian response scheme had only been 3.1 percent funded and can barely reach one of every 10 people in need. - 'Milestone of shame' - «Before the start of the war, there were dozens of international organisations responding across the country,» according to Christos Christou, international president of medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF). «Now, there are almost none.» The health system has all but collapsed, and most agricultural land -- the leading employer and once touted as a model for African development -- is out of commission, researchers have said. Gibril Ibrahim, finance minister in the army-aligned government, said in early March that Sudan had lost «80 percent of its income». Days later, the situation became even more precarious when the energy minister declared force majeure over a «major rupture» on an oil pipeline. Oil exports, via neighbouring South Sudan, account for tens of millions of dollars in earnings each month. For desperate civilians, virtually all that remains is mutual aid: volunteers organising soup kitchens, evacuation plans and emergency health care. «The world continues to look the other way,» said Will Carter, Sudan country director for the Norwegian Refugee Council, which alongside MSF is one of the few humanitarian organisations still operating there. The war's anniversary is «a milestone of shame», he said, charging that the international community «has allowed this catastrophe to worsen». On the ground, the RSF now controls most of the capital and the western Darfur region. The paramilitaries descended from the feared Janjaweed militia, unleashed by former strongman Omar al-Bashir's government to quash an ethnic rebellion. The International Criminal Court (ICC) charged Bashir with genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes dating from 2003, but Sudanese authorities never handed him over following his overthrow in 2019 after mass protests. - 'Pure evil' - During the current war, government forces have used their air power to bomb targets on the ground, but failed to gain back much territory and have been blamed for striking civilians. «A final victory is out of the question,» said a former army officer, requesting anonymity to speak freely. Sudanese analyst Mohammed Latif agreed, telling AFP a win «is impossible» at this point for either side. «Their troops are tired and their supplies drained,» Latif said. There has, however, been no shortage of abuses against civilians, rights groups say. «What is happening is verging on pure evil,» Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, said earlier in the war. Most recently, the army has taken over homes in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman, according to a pro-democracy lawyers' committee, after similar seizures by the RSF earlier in the fighting. The lawyers' committee, like other volunteer groups across Sudan, has spent the past year painstakingly documenting violations including summary killings, the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and the forced conscription of children. The ICC, currently investigating ethnic-based killings primarily by the RSF in Darfur, says it has «grounds to believe» both sides are committing atrocities. International mediation efforts yielded only truce announcements that were quickly violated. A UN Security Council call last month for a ceasefire also failed to end the war, as did Western sanctions. The war is «a vortex of transnational conflicts and global rivalries that threaten to set a wider region aflame», said de Waal. Both sides have sought regional support, experts say, and the United Arab Emirates has been painted as the RSF's main foreign backer, though its leaders deny it. Washington has signalled talks could restart around April 18, but army-aligned prosecutors have since moved against civilian leaders the international community had looked to as potential partners. Still, according to de Waal, «it should not be difficult to reach a consensus across Africa and the Middle East that state collapse is in no one's interest». Against those complex realities, Amer Sohaiel, a displaced man taking shelter in Darfur's Abu Shouk camp, has a simple hope, «that God will help us achieve peace this year». © Agence France-Presse

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Port Victoria has received a donation of €35,000 from the Order of Malta to launch a new drug rehabilitation programme in Seychelles called the Farm of Hope in the western Mahe district of Port Glaud. Bishop Alain Harel received the cheque from the Ambassador of the Order of Malta to Seychelles, Alexandra Azaïs, on Thursday, the first such donation made to the project that will last for one year and will be free of charge. The Farm of Hope is a therapeutic community for people with drug addiction problems founded in Brazil. It has already established 150 communities in the world and in the region.  They are found in Mozambique, Kenya,  South Africa and other African countries. Harel told reporters that the rehabilitation centre will work to treat addicts using socialisation and spiritual aspects. «It will not only be open to those from the Roman Catholic faith, but to anyone who is addicted to substances like alcohol and drugs who voluntarily want to stop using them», he explained. Harel revealed that initially «the programme will only be taking in men, although as it progresses and we build the proper infrastructures, we will also work with women and girls.» On her side, Azaïs explained that it was through the fundraising efforts of Roberto Purini and Marios Fotiadis, both counsellors at the embassy, that the donation became a reality. She explained that «since one of the major issues in Seychelles is the addiction of about 10 percent of the population, the embassy made the donation as one the duties of the Order of Malta is to bring relief where there are our brothers and sisters in struggle.» Stressing that due to the scourge, the youths in Seychelles «cannot grow anymore in a positive environment and are physically and mentally destroyed. They have no future and this is a big social problem,» said Azaïs. The setting up of such a community in Seychelles was proposed by Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Tomasz Grysa, last year during discussions with the Seychelles' President Wavel Ramkalawan, which revolved around addressing social ills such as drug abuse and drug trafficking. This method, which has proven to be effective and successful, was initiated by the Roman Catholic mission in the Diocese of Brazil, in the early 1980s, helping many addicts to recover from addiction and to be reintegrated into society. In August of last year, a Roman Catholic delegation came to present the idea of having the rehabilitation centre in Seychelles as a holistic way of treating addicts. The facility of around four hectares will be run by a Brazilian expert in the domain, who is due to arrive in the country soon. However, the farm will also be collaborating with Centre d'Accueil de La Rosière (CAR) - another Catholic rehabilitation centre in Seychelles established in 2009, and other authorities concerned with social and family aspects. «We are expecting some 16 people to join the farm in the initial stages,» said Harel. He stressed that they are now in the process of looking for help from both governmental and private bodies to assist them in building the infrastructures needed to run the farm. «We are only looking for initial help to build the infrastructures, once up and running the Farm of Hope will be able to sustain itself through what is produced at the farm,» he added.

Seychelles' President Wavel Ramkalawan and the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Mark Brown, held discussions on establishing diplomatic relations on the margins of the 2024 United Nations Ocean Decade Conference taking place in Barcelona, Spain. State House said in a communique on Thursday that during discussions between the two heads of state, Ramkalawan reciprocated  Seychelles' interest in furthering talks to establish diplomatic relations with the Cook Islands. «Our two countries share the common goals of furthering the cause of SIDS (small island developing states) in the face of unprecedented threats of climate change. Therefore, establishing diplomatic relations will further enhance the opportunities of working together to promote and defend the interest of SIDS in combatting climate change as well as other important issues for our people. We look forward to further strengthening the ties we have discussed today,» said Ramkalawan. Prime Minister Brown reiterated his country's wishes to further explore and deepen areas of bilateral cooperation with Seychelles in offering the two island nations the potential for productive engagements on SIDS-specific issues. These included strengthening international commitments to climate change matters and sharing the best policy measures in addressing climate mitigation and adaptation. The Cook Islands are a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean located approximately halfway between French Polynesia and American Samoa comprising of 15 islands and has a population of around 17,500. The islands are made up of a combination of volcanic islands and coral atolls with a total land area of 236 square kilometres and an Exclusive Economic Zone of over 2.2 million square kilometres. The two sides share many similarities as SIDS, championing pressing issues on climate action and carbon neutrality. Seychelles and the Cook Islands are members of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and the Organisation of African Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) - two crucial organisations for SIDS advocacy. Both nations are considered high-income countries. The Cook Islands attained high-income status in 2020 and Seychelles graduated to high-income status in 2015, and both economies are heavily dependent on tourism. Other possible areas of cooperation discussed include tourism, Blue Economy through deepwater science research, shared best practices and sea bed exploration techniques. 

The effects of El Nino may have impacted the amount of yellowfin tuna caught during 2023 and last year in Seychelles, according to the country's minister for fisheries. Seychelles had a total quota of 33,200 tonnes for this species of tuna, which is subject to a strict quota system monitored by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). This amount is then distributed by the Seychelles Fisheries Authority (SFA) to 13 Seychelles-flagged longliner vessels, each receiving about 2,400 tonnes for the year. Yellowfin tuna in the Indian Ocean is currently the most overfished tuna stock in the world and this is why in 2016, the IOTC adopted a resolution reducing the fishing allowance of the species by 15 percent to help rebuild the population. The Minister for Blue Economy and Fisheries, Jean-Francois Ferrari, told SNA, «At the moment SFA is still in the process of crunching the numbers so we don't have a final answer yet. However, for 2023 we expect to be under-quota and several factors may have caused this. According to our scientists, El Nino could have played a part in this because when sea temperatures rise the tuna tend to swim at lower depths.» Every year, the Seychelles-flagged vessels are legally required to declare their catch for the year on December 31 and usually vessels start reaching their limit towards the end of October or beginning of November, but this is vessel-specific as they each one manages its quota differently. In the past, some have chosen to do their major servicing during the stoppage and go to dry-docking in Mauritius or Madagascar, while some remain in Seychelles and undertake minor routine servicing on equipment. Fishing operations usually are expected to resume as of January 1 once quotas are reinstated, while some vessels will leave port as early as December 28 to be able to start operations as the New Year rolls in. However, this year, since the vessels were behind on their quota, they were still at sea until the end of December. To ensure that these vessels did not miss the start of the season at the beginning of January, they were allowed to remain at sea and granted permission to declare their catch for 2023 two weeks later on January 15.   Ferrari said, «The vessels had to ensure that the new catch for 2024 was kept separate from the one from 2023 to ensure that the quota is properly recorded. There were also observers present that ensured that these processes were followed adequately.» Fisheries is the second top contributor to the economy of Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. 

The EU parliament on Wednesday adopted a sweeping reform of Europe's asylum policies that will both harden border procedures and force all the bloc's 27 nations to share responsibility. The parliament's main political groups overcame opposition from far-right and far-left parties to pass the new migration and asylum pact -- enshrining a difficult overhaul nearly a decade in the making. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the vote, saying it will «secure European borders... while ensuring the protection of the fundamental rights» of migrants. «We must be the ones to decide who comes to the European Union and under what circumstances, and not the smugglers and traffickers,» she said. EU governments -- a majority of which previously approved the pact -- also welcomed its adoption. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Greece's migration minister, Dimitris Kairidis, both called it «historic». French President Emmanuel Macron said Europe was acting «effectively and humanely» while Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi hailed what he termed «the best possible compromise». But there was dissent when Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban derided the reform as «another nail in the coffin of the European Union». «Unity is dead, secure borders are no more. Hungary will never give in to the mass migration frenzy! We need a change in Brussels in order to StopMigration!» Orban said in a post on social media platform X. For very different reasons, migrant charities also slammed the pact, which includes building border centres to hold asylum-seekers and sending some to outside «safe» countries. Amnesty International said the EU was «shamefully» backing a deal «they know will lead to greater human suffering» while the Red Cross federation urged member states «to guarantee humane conditions for asylum seekers and migrants affected». The vote itself was initially disrupted by protesters yelling: «The pact kills -- vote no!», while dozens of demonstrators outside the parliament building in Brussels held up placards with slogans decrying the reform. The parliament's far-left grouping, which maintains that the reforms are incompatible with Europe's commitment to upholding human rights, said it was a «dark day». It was «a pact with the devil,» said Damien Careme, a lawmaker from the Greens group. - Border centres - As well as Orban, other far-right lawmakers also opposed the passage of the 10 laws making up the pact as insufficient to stop irregular migrants they accuse of spreading insecurity and threatening to «submerge» European identity. Marine Le Pen, the figurehead of France's far-right National Rally, complained the changes would give «legal impunity to NGOs complicit with smugglers». She and her party's leader who sits in the European Parliament, Jordan Bardella, said they would seek to overturn the reform after EU elections in June, which are tipped to boost far-right numbers in the legislature. The pact's measures are due to come into force in 2026, after the European Commission first sets out how it would be implemented. New border centres would hold irregular migrants while their asylum requests are vetted. And deportations of those deemed inadmissible would be sped up. The pact also requires EU countries to take in thousands of asylum-seekers from «frontline» states such as Italy and Greece, or -- if they refuse -- to provide money or other resources to the under-pressure nations. Even ahead of Orban's broadside, his anti-immigration government reaffirmed Hungary would not be taking in any asylum-seekers. «This new migration pact practically gives the green light to illegal migration to Europe,» Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said before the vote, adding that Budapest «will not allow illegal migrants to set foot here in Hungary». - EU 'solidarity' - German's Scholz said on X that the accord stands for «solidarity among European states» and would «finally relieve the burden on those countries that are particularly hard hit». One measure particularly criticised by migrant charities is the sending of asylum-seekers to countries outside the EU deemed «safe», if the migrant has sufficient ties to that country. The pact resulted from years of arduous negotiations spurred by a massive inflow of irregular migrants in 2015, many from war-torn Syria and Afghanistan. Under current EU rules, the arrival country bears responsibility for hosting and vetting asylum-seekers and returning those deemed inadmissible. That has put southern frontline states under pressure and fuelled far-right opposition. A political breakthrough came in December when a weighted majority of EU countries backed the reforms -- overcoming opposition from Hungary and Poland. In parallel with the reform, the EU has been multiplying the same sort of deal it struck with Turkey in 2016 to stem migratory flows. It has reached accords with Tunisia and, most recently, Egypt that are portrayed as broader cooperation arrangements. Many lawmakers have, however, criticised the deals. © Agence France-Presse

Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz said Wednesday that «Hamas is defeated» as fighting raged on in the Gaza Strip and negotiations towards a truce seemed to falter. Gantz, a former army chief and defence minister, warned of a long war, saying Israeli forces would have to fight in Hamas-ruled Gaza for years to come. More than six months into the war triggered by Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, Gantz said, «Victory will come step by step.» «From a military point of view, Hamas is defeated. Its fighters are eliminated or hiding, its abilities are cut off, and we will continue to fight what remains of it.» According to Gantz, «boys who are now in middle school will also fight in the future in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank and in the Lebanon front.» With Israel facing a multi-fronted war with Iran-backed groups in Lebanon and Syria as well as in Gaza, and with violence also surging in the occupied West Bank, Gantz touted Israel's military capability which he said exceeds that of all of its regional foes. He told a meeting of his National Unity party in the southern city of Sderot, near the Gaza border, that the army would go back into southern Gaza. Echoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and despite growing international concern, Gantz said, «We will enter Rafah. We will return to Khan Yunis,» which Israeli commandos left on Sunday. Rafah, on Gaza's southern border with Egypt, is packed with displaced Palestinians and remains the territory's last city yet to be the target of a ground invasion during the war. «We will operate in Gaza wherever there are terrorist targets,» Gantz said. The October 7 attack that sparked the war resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, Israeli figures show. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,482 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the territory's health ministry. © Agence France-Presse

The Islamic community in Seychelles joined others throughout the world to celebrate Eid al-Fitr on Wednesday, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. This year, Eid-Al-Fitr was celebrated with the usual morning prayer at four locations over the country. These were the Roche Caiman Sport Complex, the University of Seychelles Campus in the southern Mahe district of Anse Royale, the Stad Amitie on Praslin and the La Digue Sports complex. Imam Abdul Imam Heneka-Camille told SNA that the prayer on Wednesday took place at 6.30 a.m, and the Islamic community will celebrate with their families and other faithful throughout the day. «This year, the Ramadan went smoothly, where we were able to stick to our programme, which started well before the month of Ramadan, to prepare for the month,»  said the imam. He said that the month of Ramadan is not only about not eating or drinking, but also about behaving righteously.   The President of Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan, also sent a message to the Islamic community. «I wish you and your families a blessed Eid-al-Fitr filled with love, happiness and countless blessings. Celebrating this joyous festival of thanksgiving, may Allah's blessings fill your lives with more happiness, peace and good health always,» said Ramkalawan. «As a people, we are blessed to enjoy a sense of spiritual togetherness, regardless of our faith and we pray our beautiful islands of Seychelles continue to live in this harmony of faiths for the further prosperity of the country,» he added. Ramkalawan said, «May the sacrifice of Ramadan and the blessings received accompany you during the year. Warmest wishes for a joyful celebration. Eid Mubarak.» Eid-al-Fitr is the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal and though it is not a public holiday in Seychelles, the law stipulates that it is at the discretion of the employers to allow Muslim workers a day off. The population of Muslims in Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, has grown rapidly in recent years, from under a hundred people in the 1960s and 1970s to approximately 2,500 today, which represents about 3 percent of the island nation's population, according to National Bureau of Statistics.

The Ocean Decade provides a convening framework for scientists and stakeholders to develop scientific knowledge and partnerships needed to accelerate and harness advances in ocean science, said Seychelles' President Wavel Ramkalawan in his keynote address at the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference in Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday. «As we gather here, it is crucial for us to acknowledge the significant strides made under the leadership of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, which has been able to galvanise a global network of partners, uniting us in a common cause to deliver the science that will safeguard the precious blue expanse that connects us all,» said Ramkalawan. He said that science offers new perspectives and promotes truth-seeking and «whether we are scientists or not, the ways in which we carry out these scientific activities are of profound significance. They determine the quality of our decisions, the accuracy of our understanding, and ultimately, the quality of our lives. Most often, we are rarely aware of the assumptions that we make as we seek solutions to problems.» Ramkalawan Seychelles has embraced the Ocean Decade challenge with vigour. «We have been able to set up our National Decade Committee, which comprises diverse members from various stakeholder groups, such as scientists, local and indigenous knowledge holders and early career ocean professionals, among others. We want to empower stakeholders to engage, plan, and implement Decade Actions in a spirit of co-design and co-delivery,» he added. «The commitment of Seychelles towards ocean science is deeply rooted in the understanding that the sustainable development of our Blue Economy hinges on unlocking the mysteries of the marine realm, and only the right kind of science can help us achieve this. In this regard, Seychelles is walking the talk,» Ramkalawan said. He gave some examples of Seychelles' engagement in line with its efforts to promote scientific research to better understand its ocean. «We have been placing emphasis on the integration of ocean literacy and sustainable ocean management into our school curriculum. We need to shape the minds of the next generation as early as possible if we want to promote research and development to ensure that they understand and appreciate not only what the ocean can do for them, but also what they can do for the ocean,» said the President. «Only yesterday, the Monaco Explorations, under the auspices of His Serene Highness Prince Albert organised the screening of the documentary entitled »Saving Paradise,« which was a culmination of the Indian Ocean expedition of 2023,» he added. This scientific expedition was dedicated to the multidisciplinary investigation of the Aldabra atoll, one of Seychelles' UNESCO World Heritage sites, and the Saya de Malha Bank. «During this research mission many specimens were studied, lost species were re-discovered and new species were also potentially discovered. I must note that 18 Seychellois scientists had the opportunity to be part of this expedition, underlying our commitment to ensure that our very own scientists, especially young early career scientists also benefit from the research opportunities happening in our ocean space,» he highlighted. Ramkalawan reiterated «that by investing in science and research, implementing effective policies, and promoting sustainable practices, we will ensure that our oceans remain a thriving and diverse ecosystem that supports both human and ocean well-being.» «Ocean Decade beckons us to chart a course towards a future where our oceans flourish, our communities thrive, and our shared commitment to sustainability resonates globally. So, let us set joint priorities for the future; the kinds that are rooted in the science we need, in collaboration, through innovation, and a shared vision for a resilient and thriving blue planet,» he said in conclusion.

President Wavel Ramkalawan highlighted Seychelles' efforts to join the world in a collective action to resolve the world's most pressing ocean challenges in his opening remarks at the Ocean Decade Alliance meeting, State House said on Tuesday. Ramkalawan, one of the Patrons of the Ocean Decade Alliance, is in Barcelona, Spain to participate in the United Nations (UN) Ocean Decade Conference 2024.   Seychelles' President spoke about the island nation's sustained commitment towards the protection and sustainable development of its aquatic resources. Ramkalawan said Seychelles is a small island state surrounded by a vast maritime territory that presents many ocean-related challenges such as the rise in sea levels, coral reef degradation, overfishing, illegal fishing practices, and marine pollution, among others. He said the island nation has limited expertise and technology, lack of funding, and data unavailability and accessibility. «However, we embrace these challenges with vigour and we do our best with what we have. Yes, we do voice out our concerns on all available platforms, punching way above our weight at the international level because we are committed to protecting our oceans. This does not mean that we want to shift the blame or responsibility onto others. Rather, we do so because we want to see collective actions and solutions to the problems our planet is facing,» he added. Ramkalawan said that the challenges are «common to us all and if left unchecked will affect us all and have severe consequences to our existence. We are also not afraid to acknowledge our limitations and to ask for help. We cannot achieve much on our own. There is strength in numbers and some tasks are only surmountable through collaborative efforts. The Kenyan spirit of Harambe, let us pull together, must remain the life giving beacon in these times.»  He spoke about the great strides Seychelles has made through its regional recognition as a Blue Economy pioneer. These include initiating the first Blue Bonds, exchanging debt in environment protection and achieving the protection of 30 percent of its marine territory before 2030. «We have also made notable progress in ocean science research. We have set up our own Blue Economy Research Institute. We have more recently collaborated with renowned research entities, such as the Monaco Explorations and Ocean X. We are also integrating ocean literacy and sustainable ocean management into our curriculum. Equally important to note is that, we have ratified the BBNJ (Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction) Treaty, making us the first African state to do so and the third worldwide,» he added. Ramkalawan stressed that ocean sustainability is at the core of Seychelles' development agenda. It features prominently in the country's diplomatic outreach, making it a key actor in mobilising Indian Ocean countries and small island developing states (SIDS) more generally into supporting and contributing towards the Ocean Decade.