The death toll from a batch of toxic illegal alcohol in India has risen to 53, media reported Sunday, as more victims in hospital succumbed to the poisonous brew. Tamil Nadu state Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has said the locally brewed arrack drink was laced with poisonous methanol, killing 37 within hours after they drank the illegal alcohol on Tuesday. More than 100 people were rushed to hospital, but some were too sick for medics to save. An AFP photographer, who had visited the hard-hit Kallakurichi district during the first wave of deaths, reported how the sky was darkened by plumes of smoke that rose from dotted funeral pyres, as wailing relatives gathered to mourn. Hundreds of people die every year in India from cheap alcohol made in backstreet distilleries, but this poisoning is one of the worst in recent years. To increase its potency, the liquor is often spiked with methanol which can cause blindness, liver damage and death. The Indian Express newspaper on Sunday quoted a local councillor, Palraj, describing how poor labourers in Kallakurichi district regularly bought the liquor in plastic bags costing 60 rupees ($0.70), which they would drink before work. Some went blind and were rushed to hospital. Others died rapidly, collapsing in the street. - 'Work just to drink' - «The men work just to drink, and the women run the family», motorised rickshaw driver Shankar, who lives on a street where 23 people died, told the Indian Express. M.S. Prasanth, the top government official in the state's Kallakurichi district, said «53 people have passed away», according to the latest figures on Saturday, the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported. Other Indian media on Sunday put the toll as high as 56, but there was no immediate response from police, medics or local government officials. Political rivals in the state have apportioned blame on each other for the tragedy. Prasanth said that seven people had been arrested in connection with the «spurious liquor tragedy», PTI added. Tamil Nadu is not a dry state, but liquor traded on the black market comes at a lower price than alcohol sold legally. The Indian Express also spoke to Kolanji, a domestic helper whose husband died on Thursday after drinking a packet of the tainted brew. She said people drank the moonshine «because they cannot afford» alcohol from the government-run shops. «They start buying packets early in the morning,» she said. Another local resident, M. Murugesan, 48, from Karunapuram, told The Times of India how most of the victims were «daily wage workers» including farm labourers. «They were breadwinners of their families, which will now struggle to make ends meet», Murugesan said, the paper reported. Selling and consuming liquor is prohibited in several other parts of India, further driving the thriving black market for potent and sometimes lethal backstreet moonshine. Last year, poisonous alcohol killed at least 27 people in one sitting in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, while in 2022, at least 42 people died in Gujarat. © Agence France-Presse

Russia on Sunday said the United States had responsibility for a Ukrainian missile attack on Russian-annexed Crimea, which it said killed four people, including two children, and wounded over 100. A missile exploded above a beach area of the city of Sevastopol, firing shrapnel at people relaxing there, Russian-appointed officials said. Russia's defence ministry said Washington and Kyiv bore «responsibility for a deliberate missile strike on peaceful residents», which it said used US-supplied ATACMS missiles. Sevastopol governor Mikhail Razvozhayev initially said in a Telegram video the attack had killed three children and two adults, and wounded nearly 120 people. He later revised the toll to four dead and 151 people requiring medical care, of whom 82 had been hospitalised. Russian President Vladimir Putin had called to «offer his condolences», Razvozhayev added. The Black Sea port city and naval base on the Crimean peninsula was annexed by Russia in 2014 but is still internationally recognised as part of Ukraine. Sevastopol regularly comes under fire from Ukraine but Sunday's attack was unusually deadly. Razvozhayev said the attack hit Uchkuyevka, an area with sandy beaches and hotels. Videos posted on social media showed people running from the beach as explosions went off and people in swimming outfits carrying a stretcher. AFP could not verify their authenticity. A local news channel on Telegram, ChP Sevastopol, cited witnesses as saying that an elderly woman was killed as she swam in the sea. Washington said in April that it had provided longer-range ATACMS missile systems to Kyiv, which had long urged allies for weapons allowing it to strike Russia farther beyond the front lines. Neither the United States nor Ukraine had commented on the Sevastopol strike. - 'Terrorist act' - The investigative committee, which probes major crimes, said it was opening an investigation into «a terrorist act». The governor said Ukraine had launched five missiles that Russian air-defences intercepted over the sea but fragments fell onto the shore, wounding people. Razvozhayev said shrapnel hit beach areas in the north of the city and set fire to a house and woodland. A Russian defence ministry statement said Ukraine had committed a «terrorist attack on the civilian infrastructure of Sevastopol with US-supplied ATACMS tactical missiles loaded with cluster warheads». The ministry said four missiles were downed but a fifth changed trajectory after being intercepted «with its warhead exploding in the air over the city». It added that «all flight missions for US ATACMS are entered by US specialists based on the US's own satellite reconnaissance data. »Such actions will not be left without a response,« the ministry said. Ukraine's military has not commented on the attack, which came a day after a Russian guided bomb strike on the city of Kharkiv hit an apartment building, killing two people and wounding more than 50. - Deaths in Belgorod, Russia - On Sunday, Russian strikes hit a house and a children's educational facility in Kharkiv, killing one person and injuring 10 including two teenagers, regional governor Oleg Synegubov said. In the Belgorod region on Sunday, three Ukrainian attack drones struck Graivoron, near the border with Ukraine, said governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, with one hitting a car park near a multi-storey block of flats. »A peaceful civilian was killed. The man died from his wounds at the spot« and three people were wounded, Gladkov wrote on Telegram. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a social media post urged supporter countries to help Ukraine step up attacks on Russian soil. »We have enough determination to destroy terrorists on their territory -– it is only fair -- and we need the same determination from our partners. We can stop Russia,« Zelensky wrote. In his evening address he added: »The recent approval of strikes on Russian territory -- near the border -- made it possible to destroy part of Russia's terrorist potential.« But, he said, »we need more long-range weapons, we need appropriate weapons for Ukrainians". Ukraine's energy operator Ukrenergo announced that rolling electricity blackouts would be imposed nationwide throughout Monday because of increased Russian attacks on power stations. © Agence France-Presse

With a rise in demand for value-added fish products, the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) hosted a fisheries festival on Praslin, the second most populated island recently. The festival was held on Friday at the Baie Ste Anne fish market as part of activities leading up to its 40th  anniversary and to celebrate this year's National Day on June 29, which is Seychelles' Independence Day. A large crowd was present at the fish market, the chosen venue for the event, but many voiced their disappointment as in less than an hour, mostly all the products had been sold. The SFA team had partnered with the Indian Ocean Tuna Limited (IOT) company to bring a variety of canned tuna products to sell at the festival. Other fish-based products such as burgers, nuggets and balls prepared by SFA were also on sale but not enough to cater to the islanders' demands. The fishballs were used in Spaghetti. (Mandy Bertin) Photo License: CC-BY   Members of the public who were present were eager to try the dishes prepared by SFA and among them were grilled fish, shark chutney, tuna belly stir fry and the mouth-watering salted tuna coconut curry. All the dishes were served with creamy lentils and pumpkin chutney. Spaghetti, usually served with meatballs, was given a new local touch, with fishballs replacing the meat. All the SFA products were sold before noon and the authority said this surpassed their expectations. Aside from the products on sale, an exhibition was mounted at the venue, showcasing the different sections within SFA and their work, marine animals, and the public were able to learn more about aquaculture in Seychelles. Neddy Rose, a fisherman for more than two decades, was present to demonstrate his skills in making fish traps, and this attracted a lot of school children who were visiting the exhibition. The students described the exhibition as interesting and informative, as they have acquired new knowledge on the fisheries sector in the country. Rose making fish traps. (Mandy Bertin) Photo License: CC-BY  Part of the exhibition gave in-depth information on various elements of aquaculture, which aims to help in diversifying the country's economy. One is the broodstock acclimation and quarantine facility, which is a multi-species facility located at Providence Port on the main island of Mahe. More light was also shed through this exhibition on the sea cage site, a project to carry out a pilot-scale group of marine finfish in Seychelles.  Visitors were also given information on crab farming, sea cucumber, sea urchin and pearl farming. The SFA team was also displaying and sharing more information on the permits needed before engaging in any fishing activity or fishing-related activities. People wanting to venture into a fishing business were able to view the section displaying information on the Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS). These are used in commercial fishing to allow environmental and fisheries regulatory organisations to track and monitor the activities of fishing vessels.

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani called on West African countries to come together to confront jihadism, in an interview with AFP ahead of the country's presidential vote. «The region must generate a common political will to be able to fight against insecurity,» Ghazouani told AFP on Friday, on the campaign trail ahead of an election on June 29. «I am not one of those who think today that countries can face a threat like terrorism individually.» The 67-year-old former army chief and defence minister is tipped for a second term as head of the country of 4.5 million that lies strategically between north and sub-Saharan Africa. He told AFP that the «security situation in the sub-region is not at all good» and has become «worse». The military has seized power by force in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger in recent years, heightening uncertainty in the region. Ghazouni's huge desert nation has a frontier of more than 2,000 kilometres (1,250 miles) with Mali. While jihadism has spread in the Sahel, particularly in Mali, Mauritania has not seen an attack since 2011. «We need to form a coalition,» Ghazouani said, urging the countries of the region to «come together». He spoke to AFP in Atar, some 450 kilometres northeast of the capital Nouakchott, where he launched his re-election campaign last week. Ghazouani called for a possible replacement to the G5 Sahel alliance, which was created in 2014 by Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Chad, with the support of Western countries, to confront jihadism. The military leaders in Mali, Burkina and Niger have all withdrawn from the G5 alliance in recent years. «If the G5 Sahel is not the right one, we must find another G-something,» he said. - Education and health - The three countries, which have broken militarily and politically with the former French colonial power, have pivoted closer to Russia under their new military rulers. They have also pulled out of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and created their own alliance of Sahel states. Ghazouni said Mauritania did not seek any role in the internal affairs of the other Sahel countries. «We respect their sovereignty in their decisions. We want these countries to move as fast as possible towards elections,» he said. Despite the military-led trio of neighbours having left the regional alliance, Ghazouani said he hoped a way could be found for relations to be maintained, be that via «a meeting, (or) a discussion». He said that with some reflection the states would «find the format which best suits us». Mauritania, which is rich in natural resources but still has a low gross domestic product, was hit by a series of coups from 1978 to 2008, before the 2019 election marked the first transition between two elected presidents. The president said that stability has been maintained by being aware of the militant threat as well as «enormous efforts» made in education and health provision. Ghazouani has pledged to «step up» his social welfare policy for the poor if re-elected, claiming more than 1.5 million people had benefited already from housing and financial help during his first term. © Agence France-Presse  

The history of lullabies sung to children and lyrics of Moutya songs in Seychelles are at the heart of the book entitled «Chanson Moutya et Berceuses Traditionnelles Des Seychelles (Moutya Songs and Traditional Lullabies) launched on Thursday at the National Library. The book, which contains 40 Moutya songs and 30 lullabies, is the result of research and collection of data by Abdourahamane Diallo, who initially came from Guinea to the country as a French teacher, which started between 1980 and 1983. In his address, Diallo said, »The publication of this history aims to disseminate, share, and safeguard the rich heritage of Moutya. It seeks to make this dynamic oral tradition accessible to local and international audiences, ensuring that Seychelles' cultural heritage is preserved and celebrated worldwide.« He shared that »work on the basic documents for this work dates back to the early 80s by the team based at La Bastille, made up of Eudoxie Labiche, Gabriel Essack and our late Marcel Rosalie.« The team went to various islands to collect these songs, namely Mahe, Praslin, La Digue, the most populated islands of Seychelles, and Silhouette. »The Moutya is the first part of our heritage to be included on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, as of 15 December 2021. So the Moutya has been passed down from generation to generation, right up to the present day, having survived despite adversity, with a new and recognised status,« highlighted Diallo. The Moutya dance was introduced to the Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, by enslaved Africans who arrived there with French settlers. It was originally performed around a bonfire, deep in the forest in the dead of night. The dance was an expression of resistance, allowing enslaved people to share their suffering and sing about the difficulties they faced, far from their masters' ears. »It tells stories of oppression and was later used as revenge against the colonising powers,« said Diallo. Copies of the book are available to read at the National Library in the capital of Victoria. This is Diallo's second book sponsored and published by the National Arts and Culture Fund. His first book entitled »Les Écrivains Seychellois" (The Seychellois Writers), was launched in 2019. 

The next Africa Cup of Nations will be played in Morocco from December 21 2025 to January 18 2026, Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe said on Friday. «I am confident that the CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 will be extremely successful and the best AFCON in the history of this competition,» he said. CAF held a virtual executive committee at their headquarters in Cairo on Friday evening after which Motsepe made the announcement. Originally scheduled for June and July 2025, the AFCON was moved to avoid a clash with the inaugural Club World Cup in the United States from June 15 to July 13 next year. An added challenge for CAF officials was the desire to avoid a clash of dates with the UEFA Champions League in Europe. Matchday six of the elite European club competition ends on December 11 2025 and matchday seven begins on January 21 2026. However, the new dates are sure to upset many Premier League clubs as the Christmas-New Year period is frenetic with teams playing many matches in a short period. English media reports have suggested clubs might not release African stars as they are compelled to do so for only one international championship per year and the next World Cup is in 2026. CAF could argue that it is the 2025 AFCON, although most of the tournament will be staged the following year. Finding suitable dates for the AFCON, a 24-nation tournament won by hosts the Ivory Coast last February, has become increasingly difficult. A switch to mid year worked for the 2019 edition in the searing heat of Egypt in so far as it avoided a clash with the European club seasons. - Dramatic profit increase - However, the two subsequent editions, in Cameroon and the Ivory Coast, had to be staged in January and February to avoid the rainy seasons in central and west Africa. The qualifying draw for the 2025 AFCON is scheduled for Johannesburg on July 4 with 48 hopefuls to be divided into 12 groups. Morocco will take part to gain competitive match practice, but are guaranteed a place at the 24-team finals as hosts. Unlike the four-yearly European Championship, Copa America and Asian Cup, the AFCON is held every two years because it delivers most of the CAF revenue. In a recent TV interview, Motsepe said CAF made an $80 million (€75 million) profit from the last AFCON, hosted by the Ivory Coast in January and February this year. This was a dramatic increase from previous editions, which produced an average profit of about four million dollars, according to the South African billionaire. The 2024 Women's AFCON (WAFCON) has also been postponed and will now be played in Morocco from July 5-26 next year. New dates will also have to be found for the African Nations Championship (CHAN), originally scheduled for Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda this year. Not even the qualifying draw has been made for a competition restricted to home-based footballers and won by Senegal in Algeria last year, and CAF have not explained the delay. There has also been no news from CAF on a second edition of the African Football League (AFL), initially called the African Super League. Planned to be a 24-club mini-league and knockout competition featuring the highest ranked clubs in the continent, it debuted last year with just eight sides involved in a three-round affair. Were the original format to be introduced, clubs would play between 14 and 21 matches in a continent where air travel presents challenges due to limited direct flights between countries. «You can turn the lights off on domestic football if this (AFL) goes ahead,» warned John Comitis, the chairman of top-flight South African club Cape Town City. © Agence France-Presse

The Anti-Corruption Commission Seychelles (ACCS) and the European Public Prosecution Office (EPPO) on Friday signed a working arrangement to further develop their partnership in creating anti-corruption awareness and addressing corruption within the public sector.   According to the ACCS, the purpose of the working arrangement is to facilitate cooperation between the two parties in investigations and prosecutions relating to criminal offences. The arrangement also expects to enhance the exchange of evidence, operational and strategic information and other forms of cooperation such as building local capacity and transfer of knowledge. The signing was conducted by May De Silva, the commissioner of ACCS and Andrés Ritter, deputy European chief prosecutor. In her address at the event, May De Silva said, «The ACCS highly appreciates the important role the European Public Prosecution Office plays in the fight against corruption.  The signing of the Working Arrangement between the European Public Prosecutor's Office and the Anti-Corruption Commission Seychelles is a landmark event that significantly enhances the fight against corruption.» She said that by fostering international cooperation, strengthening legal and institutional frameworks, and promoting good governance, this arrangement sets a precedent for effective and collaborative anti-corruption efforts.   «It not only benefits Seychelles and the European Union but also contributes to the broader global campaign against corruption, supporting economic development and the rule of law.  We will continue our work with our friends in the EU, and national and international partners to ensure Seychelles develops further robust anti-corruption structures and returns stolen public assets to be used for our people, by our people,» added De Silva. The working arrangement is significant for several reasons as it marks a pivotal step in enhancing international cooperation, combating corruption, and strengthening judicial processes, according to the Commission. The EPPO is an independent public prosecution office of the European Union responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU. These include several types of fraud, Value Added Tax fraud with damages above €10 million, money laundering, corruption, and related crimes.   The EPPO also undertakes investigations, carries out acts of prosecution and exercises the functions of prosecutor in the competent courts of the participating member states, until the case has been finally disposed of.   Since starting its operations on June 1, 2021, EPPO has registered more than 4000 crime reports from participating EU member states and private parties and opened over a thousand investigations.  

The Seychelles' football season has been a good one for Premier League champions St. Louis, aside from winning the league title, their players made a sweep of individual awards at the recent Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) Awards ceremony. Gavin Jeanne won the Coach of the Year award, after leading his side to a first league title since 2017. SNA spoke to Jeanne to learn more about his journey after injury cut short his playing days.     SNA: What does winning this award mean to you? GJ: I am happy for the players who won individual awards because my job as a coach is to always get the best out of my players and push them to their limits. It's not only those who win awards, but also those who are called up to the national team, for example, Johan Gamatice, who represented Seychelles for the first time in the country's last two games. It's all about the players. The performance sometimes brings individual recognition, even though that's not my objective. But, it is an honour for me to win this award, and I dedicate it to my players, past and present, my assistant coach, the St. Louis management, and everyone who has continued to support me even in tough times. Yes, it's an individual award, but I see it as a team award.   SNA: When you started the season with St. Louis, were you expecting to win the league and the award for Coach of the Year? GJ: You know, this is the first time I have worked with a team whose objective is to win the league. My previous team for one reason or another, was always looking for me to help them to remain active or to simply stay in the division. Joining St. Louis was a long time coming, but I always wanted to honour my commitments to the teams I was with. Finally, Davis Khan (St. Louis manager), who I have worked with previously with The Lions and the national team, convinced me to join. For the first time in my life, I felt I needed to prove the critics wrong, so with St.Louis, I was afforded that opportunity. The objective this season for St Louis was the league title and nothing else, so the expectation was high even if we lost some key players at the start of the season. But in life, everything happens in God's timing and God's will.   SNA: Let us talk about your journey in football. Firstly, how were your days as a player? GJ: Football has always been here. I played a little for Cadets (14 to 16 years old), before moving to Plaisance at 18 years old. Plaisance at that time was in the second division, but three years later, we won promotion to the top division, after losing in the play-off to Ascot the previous season. We did well in our first season to finish fourth, but, the year after, many players left the team and I joined Sunshine, which had a lot of great players, such as Brian Ravignia, Ted Esther, and others. I was not on their level, but it was a time when I learned a lot from Ulrich Mathiot, who was the coach at the time. The year after, when I was 24, I joined Foresters, but during my first season, in a match against Athletico Juniors, I injured my knee and never recovered, which meant I stopped playing at 24 years old. Jeanne in a training session with St. Louis Football Club. (Gavin Jeann) Photo License: CC-BY    SNA: So, did you decide to take coaching after that? GJ: Before coaching, Eddie Maillet, who I had met while playing for Plaisance, asked me to join refereeing. I started and even officiated first division matches. During that same time, Leslie Mathiot asked me to help him with Foresters Youth. I helped for a few sessions, and the year after I took charge of the youth team. I was 26 at the time. Foresters Youth was doing well at the time and the year after I was approached to take charge of the Cadet Under 16 team, where I had already started my coaching course. In my first year at Cadet, we won promotion to the second division and after three years, we finished second in the division, but then the SFF decided to shut the team down. The Lions, who had been demoted from the top division that same season, approached me to take over and they had lost most of their players. So, when I joined, nine players from Cadets moved with me. In our first season, we finished the league unbeaten and won promotion. For the next six years, The Lions became a stable first division side and even reached three semi-finals. After that, I decided to step down and the Seychelles national team came calling.   SNA: How was your time in charge of the national team? GJ: The first time I took over the national team was as interim coach in 2012, after the Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG). It was a time when many players were refusing to play for the team due to discontent over their rewards after the Games and I was brought in to help. I did but refused to take the role permanently. After the 2015 IOIG, I was again approached but rejected it and was approached again in 2018. I accepted and relished the challenge of taking on Nigeria. I believe we played well in most matches and even at the IOIG, even if we did not win any medals, but made it to the semi-final. But my time with the national team was a dark period in my life, as many were trying to destroy me through social media, sports programmes on the radio, anonymous letters and even in my employment. But that did not deter and made me stronger.   SNA: You coached the Defence Forces after that. How was the experience? GJ: When the Defence Forces approached me, they said that if they did not get a coach, the team would be shut down. We started the season well, going unbeaten for five games, but then the Covid-19 pandemic hit and football stopped. That also meant the downfall of the team as it could not be maintained, especially when they lost Colonel Roseline as president of the team. The return to football then proved difficult for them.   SNA: So, what is next for you now? GJ: I have an agreement for another two years with St. Louis and I intend to honour that. But, after that, I will think and decide on whether I will continue or retire from coaching. 

The recent results of the lobster fishery independent survey show that illegal fishing could be causing a decline in the abundance of lobsters near the Seychelles' inner islands. Speaking to SNA at a validation workshop to present the survey results, the senior fisheries scientist at the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA), Kettyna Gabriel, said the survey found that there were more lobsters in areas near the outer islands such as Bird Island and Denis Island compared to the Mahe plateau area. «We suspect that this may be because of fishing pressure. We are all aware that a high amount of IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) illegal fishing is happening even if there is a closed season. And the Mahe area would be a prime target given its proximity and the fact that you would need bigger boats and equipment to fish near the outer islands,» she said.  Gabriel elaborated that following this survey, they concluded that a comprehensive stock assessment needs to be done for lobster. «This survey was essentially a snapshot of what the situation is concerning the lobster population in Seychelles, therefore, we need more investigation. Following that, we would then be able to implement certain management measures depending on the results we get,» she explained.   The survey was conducted from October to November last year three different kinds of lobsters found in Seychelles were examined - the pronghorn spiny lobster, the long-legged spiny lobster, and the painted spiny lobster. Gabriel said after the survey, the conclusion is that a comprehensive stock assessment needs to be done for lobster.  (Seychelles Fishing Authority) Photo License: CC-BY  Gabriel said in the future SFA wants to do more research near the outer islands to get a clearer picture of the distribution of lobsters compared to Mahe. Present at the validation workshop was Seychellois fisheries specialist and consultant, Dr Ameer Ebrahim, who presented the outcome of the work done by FishPath over the past few years. The FishPath Network provides a platform for exchanging knowledge and sharing lessons, intending to produce concrete products that directly support small-scale fisheries. The SFA has been working actively with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) since 2021 to identify challenges and find solutions to develop a harvest strategy for the lobster fishery. During a scoping mission in 2019, TNC met with Seychelles' government and SFA, and it was decided that FishPath would be used to identify problems and solutions with the spanner crab and lobster fishery in the island nation.   Ebrahim, who is also working as a consultant with TNC, is leading the FishPath process in Seychelles.  He was invited to become a global FishPath member in 2023, making him the first Seychellois to be given this recognition as a global fisheries expert. In Seychelles there has been a tailored approach to the FishPath process, not focusing solely on the tool but identifying the importance of bringing fishers into the discussion and the accompanying capacity-building and technical support that FishPath brings. The most recent exercise was done in the first week of May 2024 in partnership with some committed lobster fishermen and the SFA. Ebrahim told SNA that illegal fishing was found as a major issue facing fisheries management for lobster in Seychelles, even though there are already certain measures in place. He noted that the SFA lacks enforcement capacity to deal with illegal fishers, including recreational fishers. He said through consultations, the fishers said they felt penalised because while they have ensured they have a licence and follow policies in place, illegal fishing is still rampant. Ebrahim added that through FishPath, they have determined that more needs to be done to address illegal fishing before further management measures are imposed on the licenced fishery. He elaborated that potential solutions include more education and awareness programmes about illegal fishing and also exploring a potential tagging programme for lobster to help enforcement. «The FishPath team is preparing a detailed document for SFA. Now SFA will need to review the results based on FishPath and decide for themselves what is feasible and what's not. This will be based on several factors such as budgetary constraints. Fisheries management can be expensive, for example, stock assessments can cost millions of rupees. So, all of this has to be taken into consideration before management decisions are taken,» said Ebrahim.

The Island Conservation Society (ICS), a non-profit environmental organisation in Seychelles, has successfully re-homed 50 Aldabra giant tortoises on Aride Island. According to the ICS, this was made possible following a generous donation by a private donor based on Mahe, the main island. The tortoises, weighing between 1.5 to 4 kilogrammes, were previously being raised in captivity and have now been allowed to live a free-roaming life in their new environment. The largest population of Aldabra giant tortoises, which are endemic to Seychelles, live in the wild on the Aldabra Atoll in the southern part of the archipelago. The translocation process, supported by the Indian Ocean Tortoise Alliance (IOTA), involved micro-chipping each tortoise and recording their vital details, including size measurements and weight. The tortoises were transported via a 15-minute helicopter ride to Aride Island, a granitic island located approximately 9 km north of Praslin, the second most populated island.   The tortoises, weighing between 1.5 to 4 kilogrammes, were microchipped. (Island Conservation Society) Photo License: CC-BY  This is the second group of tortoises to be translocated to Aride by ICS. Previously, 10 tortoises were brought to the island from Fregate Island and have been roaming free since their arrival. The introduction of the new tortoises is expected to enhance the island's ecosystems and improve its scientific value. «Tortoises are ecosystem engineers, which means they bring significant ecological benefits to an area, simply by aiding in seed dispersal and vegetation management,» said Greg Berke, director of Science and Conservation at ICS. «For Aride, which has a small population of magpie robins (Pi santez in Creole), this is an added bonus as the tortoises will help with their foraging activities. They do this by disturbing the leaf litter and topsoil so that insects are exposed and the magpie robin can forage more efficiently,» he added. Upon arrival on Aride, the tortoises, which have been marked and numbered, were initially placed in a pen for monitoring. This will also serve as a quarantine period to ensure that any seeds that the tortoises may have consumed on Mahe are not spread into the pristine ecosystem of Aride. The tortoises were transported via a 15-minute helicopter ride to Aride Island. (Island Conservation Society) Photo License: CC-BY  While in the pen, the tortoises will be fed regularly and closely observed until they can be released into the wild. According to a press statement from ICS, this initiative aligns with the organisation's ongoing efforts to enhance biodiversity and promote conservation in the outer islands of Seychelles. The successful re-homing of these tortoises not only provides them with a better habitat but also contributes to the ecological richness of Aride Island. The ICS is dedicated to the conservation of island ecosystems, promoting sustainable development and environmental education across the Seychelles. Through various projects and initiatives, the non-governmental organisation works to protect and restore the unique biodiversity of the islands.

New tensions emerged this week between President Joe Biden's administration and Benjamin Netanyahu over the Israeli premier's criticism of US weapons deliveries -- comments the White House described Thursday as «vexing» and «disappointing.» The issue began when Netanyahu claimed in a video posted on social media earlier this week that the US administration -- Israel's main military backer -- has been «withholding weapons and ammunitions» from his country in recent months. «Those comments were deeply disappointing and certainly vexing to us, given the amount of support that we have and will continue to provide,» National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told journalists. «No other country is doing more to help Israel defend itself against the threat by Hamas and, quite frankly, other threats that they're facing in the region,» Kirby said. The previous day, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that «we genuinely do not know what he's talking about.» With the exception of «one particular shipment of munitions,» Jean-Pierre said «there are no other pauses. None.» She was referring to a shipment of 2,000 pound bombs that Washington has said is under review because of concerns about their use in densely populated areas. - Biden-Netanyahu tensions - But Netanyahu appeared to double down later on Thursday, saying in a statement that he is «prepared to suffer personal attacks provided that Israel receives the ammunition from the US that it needs in the war for its existence.» The spat is not the first between the head of the Israeli government and Biden's administration since the start of the Gaza war, which began with an unprecedented Hamas attack in October. Biden previously stated his strong opposition to a major Israeli operation in Rafah in southern Gaza, where more than a million civilians were located, and threatened to stop certain arms deliveries if his warning was not heeded. On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also warned Israel against escalating tensions in Lebanon as fears of a wider regional war grew with Hezbollah militants firing dozens of rockets into northern Israel. During a meeting with top Israeli officials in Washington, Blinken «underscored the importance of avoiding further escalation in Lebanon and reaching a diplomatic resolution that allows Israeli and Lebanese families to return to their homes,» the State Department said in a statement. The Gaza war is a particularly thorny issue for 81-year-old Biden, who is seeking a second term in office this year. The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the ever-rising death toll has led to sharp criticism of the president from the progressive wing of his party -- pressure Biden has had to balance with a long-standing US policy of backing Israel. The latest round of bloody conflict between Israel and Hamas was triggered by an unprecedented October 7 attack by Palestinian militants on southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,194 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. The militants also seized 251 hostages. Of these, 116 remain in Gaza, although the army says 41 are dead. Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed at least 37,431 people, also mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory. © Agence France-Presse

The death toll from this year's hajj has exceeded 1,000, an AFP tally said Thursday, more than half unregistered worshippers who performed the pilgrimage in extreme heat in Saudi Arabia. The new deaths reported Thursday included 58 from Egypt, according to an Arab diplomat who provided a breakdown showing that of 658 Egyptians who died, 630 were unregistered pilgrims. Around 10 countries have reported 1,081 deaths during the pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam which all Muslims with the means must complete at least once. The hajj, whose timing is determined by the lunar Islamic calendar, fell again this year during the oven-like Saudi summer. The national meteorological centre reported a high of 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit) this week at the Grand Mosque in Mecca. A Saudi study published last month said temperatures in the area are rising 0.4 degrees Celsius each decade. Each year tens of thousands of pilgrims try to join the hajj through irregular channels as they cannot afford the often costly official permits. Saudi authorities reported clearing hundreds of thousands of unregistered pilgrims from Mecca this month, but it appears many still participated in the main rites which began last Friday. This group was more vulnerable, because without official permits they could not access air-conditioned spaces provided for the 1.8 million authorised pilgrims to cool down. «People were tired after being chased by security forces before Arafat day. They were exhausted,» one Arab diplomat told AFP on Thursday of Saturday's day-long outdoor prayers that marked the hajj's climax. The diplomat said the main cause of death among Egyptian pilgrims was the heat, which triggered complications related to high blood pressure and other issues. Egyptian officials were visiting hospitals to obtain information and help Egyptian pilgrims get medical care, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday. «However, there are large numbers of Egyptian citizens who are not registered in hajj databases, which requires double the effort and a longer time to search for missing persons and find their relatives,» it said. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has ordered that a «crisis cell» headed by the prime minister follow up on the deaths of the country's pilgrims. Sisi stressed «the need for immediate coordination with the Saudi authorities to facilitate receiving the bodies of the deceased and streamline the process,» said a statement from his office. - Burials begin - More fatalities were also confirmed on Thursday by Pakistan and Indonesia. Out of around 150,000 pilgrims, Pakistan has so far recorded 58 deaths, a diplomat told AFP. «I think given the number of people, given the weather, this is just natural,» the diplomat said. Indonesia, which had around 240,000 pilgrims, raised its death toll to 183,  its religious affairs ministry said, compared with 313 deaths recorded last year. Deaths have also been confirmed by Malaysia, India, Jordan, Iran, Senegal, Tunisia, Sudan and Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region. In many cases, authorities have not specified the cause. Friends and relatives have been searching for missing pilgrims, scouring hospitals and pleading online for news, fearing the worst. Two diplomats told AFP Thursday that Saudi authorities had begun the burial process for dead pilgrims, cleaning the bodies and putting them in white burial cloth and taking them to be interred. «The burial is done by the Saudi authorities. They have their own system so we just follow that,» said one diplomat, who said his country was working to notify loved ones as best it could. The other diplomat said that given the number of fatalities it would be impossible to notify many families ahead of time, especially in Egypt which accounts for so many of the dead. Jordan's foreign ministry said on Thursday that Saudi authorities had granted 68 permits for Jordanian pilgrims to be buried in Mecca. Sixteen Jordanians remain missing and 22 are in hospital, including seven who are in critical condition, the foreign ministry said in a statement. - 'Extreme danger' - Saudi Arabia has not provided information on fatalities, though it reported more than 2,700 cases of «heat exhaustion» on Sunday alone. Last year various countries reported more than 300 deaths during the hajj, mostly Indonesians. The timing of the hajj moves back about 11 days each year in the Gregorian calendar, meaning that next year it will take place earlier in June, potentially in cooler conditions. A 2019 study by the journal Geophysical Research Letters said because of climate change, heat stress for hajj pilgrims will exceed the «extreme danger threshold» from 2047 to 2052 and 2079 to 2086, «with increasing frequency and intensity as the century progresses». Hosting the hajj is a source of prestige for the Saudi royal family, and King Salman's official title includes the words «Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques», in Mecca and Medina. The hajj has seen a number of disasters over the years, most recently in 2015 when a stampede during the «stoning the devil» ritual killed up to 2,300 people. © Agence France-Presse

The National Assembly of Seychelles on Wednesday rejected a private member's bill seeking to remove the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker (DS) from the political hold of his or her political party and for this to apply to the office of the Leader of the Opposition (LOTO). The Constitution of the Republic of Seychelles (Eleventh Amendment) Bill, 2024, was brought forward by the Leader of the Opposition, Sebastien Pillay, as a private member's bill from the United Seychelles (US) party.   The Speaker of the National Assembly, Roger Mancienne, is the president of the ruling party Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) and the Deputy Speaker is Gervais Henrie, the party's secretary general.   In his presentation, Pillay said that when entering the National Assembly, there is a motto «Serving A Modern Democracy.» «The fundamental question we must ask as a National Assembly is whether we are serving a modern democracy. Is the National Assembly fulfilling the role of serving a modern democracy? We maintain after everything we see happening this is not the case,» he said. Pillay said that in his research he has seen several documents that showed that although a speaker can be part of a political party, which in itself is not important, what is important is that a speaker must be able to distinguish between the allegiance to the party and the duty towards parliament. «Seychelles for the first time in its history has a Speaker who not only is responsible for his party's policy, has the power to appoint and remove proportionate members. In a sense,  for the first time in our history, a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker are both on high leadership level of the Party with a majority in the National Assembly,» he stressed. Pillay highlighted several instances where he felt that the Speaker was not impartial and that the National Assembly was not fulfilling its motto and this he said happens often during private notice questions and when questioning ministers. On his side, the Leader of Government Business, Bernard Georges, said the only functions of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker in the National Assembly, are to be fair and just in their approaches. He said he has not seen a fairer Speaker since he has been in the National Assembly. Georges said it is not the fact that a person is a leader of a party that makes the person fair or unfair or the fact that a person is not a party leader that will make the person fair or unfair. «It is the way the person behaves and leads the institution. There is nothing wrong with the fact that a speaker can be a party leader. We must not forget and we have to realise that this Assembly is a political one and that the Speaker is elected by politicians as they are member of the National Assembly. They have been elected directly like the Deputy Speaker or proportionally,» he explained. There were lengthy debates from both the members of the United Seychelles for the amendment and from those of the ruling party Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS), against it.   Twenty-two members of LDS voted against the Bill and nine members of United Seychelles voted for

Eight athletes will represent Seychelles at the upcoming Senior African Athletics Championship in Douala, Cameroon, from June 21 to 26. The Seychelles' team of athletes, which left the country on Tuesday, include seven male and one female athletes carrying the national flag to the championships.   The athletes are Dylan Sicobo, who will compete in the 100m sprint race,  Sharry Dodin for 100m and 200m, Caleb Vadivello in 400m, Janosh Moncherry for 100m, Denzel Adem in the 200m, Don Wittz in the hammer throw, and Liam Barbe in the high jump. The only female athlete is Natasha Chetty, who will compete in the 100m and 200m races.   Five of the athletes recently competed in the Mauritius Pepsi Cola Championship and Seychelles won two gold medals, three silver and two bronze.  Among the medallists who are part of the team Seychelles travelling to Cameroon, are Dodin and Adem. Dodin won silver in the 200m race while Adem came out third winning a bronze medal in the same event.   Seychelles won gold through two female athletes, Dora Samson in the 400m event and Amelie Charles, who won gold in the 200m race. The silver medals went to Jamelia Gonazlves, who came out second in the 400m race and in the 200m event, while Ned Azemia won silver in the 400m race. The team will be hoping to produce another good performance in the Championship when they compete against the top athletes from the continent. The African Championships in Athletics is a continental athletics event organised by the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), the continental association for sport in Africa. The last championship was held in Mauritius in 2022, where Seychelles failed to win any medals. The island nation has had some success in the championships previously, winning 18 medals - 4 gold, 7 silver and 7 bronze. The last medal for Seychelles at the championships was in 2016, when high jumper Lissa Labiche became the African champion by winning the gold medal. Labiche also won gold at the championship in 2012 and silver in 2008.

A senior scientist from the Monaco Scientific Centre said a coordinated approach is the ideal way to mitigate coral bleaching and climate change. The statement was made by Dr Didier Zoccola, who was part of the team heading the Dialogue Science - Decision Makers for Integrated Management of Coastal and Marine Environment (DiDEM) project in Seychelles. The collaboration headed by experts from the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) brought together experts from the University of Seychelles (UniSey), the Seychelles Park and Garden Authority, institutes and universities from the region in meetings, called a Thematic School. Zoccola told reporters that the research is important but it has to work in tandem with other factors such as managing risks and marine protected areas are also important. «Of course, you need the involvement of local communities because if not people will poach. The mitigation of pollution is also an important factor to consider. We are all involved in this protection. It's not only the scientist, the decision maker, or the authorities, everyone is involved in the protection of our planet,» he added. Zoccola touched on the work being done in Seychelles and highlighted certain challenges. «Seychelles knows how to do coral restoration, we are now going forward to this. There is the problem of the scale of restoration and also what type of coral is being used in the restoration; are these corals resistant to temperature change or not? Because if we are not using heat-resistant coral at the next bleaching event all these efforts of restoration will be for nothing,» he explained. Talking about the work done during the week-long project for DiDEM, Zoccola emphasised the importance of neighbouring countries tackling these challenges together. «It is important that the countries in the region are working together. Maybe they will be able to think of common actions together for restoration and managing marine protected areas,» he said. One of the participants, Seychellois fisheries specialist, Dr Ameer Ebrahim, described this week-long thematic school as a good opportunity for Seychelles and other countries in the region. Apart from presentations and the theory portion, there was also a practical portion where the participants visited several sites dedicated to coral restoration. «All the experts had the opportunity to visit the St. Anne Marine Park and they were very shocked by the beauty of Seychelles. In my capacity as a board member of Moyenne Island, I facilitated a visit to the small island on the coast of Mahe where they had the opportunity to do an excursion on the island and snorkel there to observe the coral,» said Ebrahim. «Not many people are aware, but there is a site on Moyenne Island that has been dedicated to coral reef restoration that is being financed by the UNDP and facilitated by the MCSS (Marine Conservation Society of Seychelles),» he added. Apart from the practical aspect of the project, he highlighted the most interesting points and said, «The research about discovering the genetic makeup of corals was particularly interesting for me. And after listening to the other experts during this week, I realised that Seychelles is not alone in the challenges it faces. Climate change has no barrier.» The main aim of the DiDEM project was to provide doctoral and post-doctoral scientists, coral reef managers, and experts from non-governmental organisations the opportunity to share experiences, knowledge, and methods, especially about assessing the resilience of reef ecosystems. It also highlighted the importance of considering coral reefs as a natural heritage and building a coral social-ecological system that ultimately follows an integrated approach; bridging the final goal to put coral reef heritage as a cross-cutting body of analysis and management. Over five days, the project, financed by Monaco Explorations, explored the concepts of resilience, vulnerability, heritage and social-ecological systems from the perspective of sustainable science.  

Russian President Vladimir Putin begins a state visit to Vietnam on Thursday, a day after signing a mutual defence pact with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, who offered his «full support» on Ukraine. Putin and Kim inked a strategic treaty at a summit in Pyongyang that included a pledge to come to each other's aid if attacked. Washington and its allies accuse North Korea of supplying ammunition and missiles to Russia for its war in Ukraine, and the deal fuelled fears of more deliveries. The US State Department said deepening Russia-North Korea ties were «of great concern» while a top Ukrainian official accused Pyongyang of abetting Moscow's «mass murder of Ukrainians». Making his first visit to the isolated North in 24 years on Wednesday, Putin said he did not rule out «military-technical cooperation» with Pyongyang, which like Moscow is under heavy international sanctions. «Today, we are fighting together against the hegemonism and neo-colonial practices of the United States and its satellites,» Putin said. The two countries have been allies since North Korea's founding after World War II and have drawn even closer since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 isolated Putin on the global stage. Kim called Putin the «dearest friend of the Korean people» and pledged him his «full support and solidarity» over the war in Ukraine, which has triggered rafts of UN sanctions on Moscow. Putin thanked his host -- whose country has been under a UN sanctions regime since 2006 over his banned weapons programmes -- saying Moscow appreciated the «consistent and unwavering» support. Putin called for a review of UN sanctions on North Korea and said the two countries would not submit to Western «blackmail». Reacting to the Pyongyang visit, a US State Department spokesperson said no country should «give Mr Putin a platform to promote his war of aggression against Ukraine». «Deepening cooperation between Russia and the DPRK is a trend that should be of great concern to anyone interested in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,» the spokesperson said. Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior aide to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, told AFP that North Korea was abetting Russia's «mass murder of Ukrainians», and called for greater international isolation of both countries. - Trade and arms - Putin received a rapturous reception in the North Korean capital, embraced by Kim as he stepped off his plane and greeted by cheering crowds, synchronised dancers and flag-waving children. His reception is likely to be more reserved in Vietnam, a major global manufacturing hub that has carefully hedged its foreign policy position for years, seeking to be friends with all but beholden to none. In particular, it has sought to avoid picking sides in the growing US-China rivalry even as both superpowers look to boost their influence in Southeast Asia. Putin will spend Thursday meeting senior Vietnamese leaders including newly installed President To Lam and Nguyen Phu Trong, the powerful general secretary of the ruling Communist Party. US President Joe Biden visited Hanoi in September to promote ties as his administration seeks to build up Vietnam as an alternative supplier of key high-tech components to reduce American dependence on China. Beijing swiftly followed suit, with President Xi Jinping making his own state visit barely three months later. Putin touched down in Hanoi around 2 am (1900 GMT Wednesday) and begins his engagements at noon with a meeting with his counterpart To Lam. Russian officials say Putin's visit will focus on economic, education and energy issues. Trade between the two countries stood at just $3.5 billion in 2022 -- a tiny fraction of Vietnam's $175 billion trade with China and $123 billion with the United States. But observers say that in private, Ukraine and defence cooperation are likely to be on the table. Russia and Vietnam have deep ties dating back to the 1950s, and for decades, Moscow was Hanoi's leading arms supplier. Carl Thayer, emeritus professor of politics at Australia's University of New South Wales, said Vietnam has stopped «big ticket» military purchases since 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. «Russia and Vietnam have a mutual interest in resuming arms sales but Vietnam is hamstrung by the threat of US sanctions,» he told AFP. © Agence France-Presse

Israel's repeated use of heavy bombs in the densely-populated Gaza Strip indicates repeated violations of the laws of war, the UN said Wednesday, highlighting six attacks that killed at least 218 people. In a fresh report, immediately slammed by Israel as deeply biased, the United Nations rights office provided details on the six attacks, which it said were emblematic of a concerning pattern. They involved the suspected use of up to 2,000-pound bombs on residential buildings, a school, refugee camps and a market. The rights office, known by the acronym OHCHR, said it had verified 218 deaths in those attacks, which were carried out in the early months of the war on October 7, but said it had information indicating the number of fatalities «could be much higher». «The requirement to select means and methods of warfare that avoid or at the very least minimise to every extent civilian harm appears to have been consistently violated in Israel's bombing campaign,» UN rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement. The report concludes that the series of Israeli strikes, exemplified by the six attacks carried out between October 9 and December 2, suggested that Israel's military had «repeatedly violated fundamental principles of the laws of war», the statement said. - 'Collapse tall structures' - Gaza's deadliest war was sparked by Hamas's unprecedented attack inside Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,194 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. The militants also seized 251 hostages. Of these, 116 remain in Gaza, although the army says 41 are dead. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 37,372 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the territory's health ministry. Among the attacks listed in Wednesday's report were the strikes on Ash Shujaiyeh neighbourhood, in Gaza City on December 2 last year. It caused destruction across an approximate diagonal span of 130 metres (420 feet), destroying 15 buildings and damaging at least 14 others, it said. The extent of the damage and the craters visible and seen on satellite imagery indicated that around nine 2,000-pound GBU-31 bombs were used, it said, adding that it had received information that at least 60 people were killed. GBU-31s, along with 1,000-pound GBU-32s and 250-pound GBU-39s «are mostly used to penetrate through several floors of concrete and can completely collapse tall structures,» UN rights office spokesman Jeremy Laurence told reporters. «Given how densely populated the areas targeted were, the use of an explosive weapon with such wide area effects is highly likely to amount to our prohibited indiscriminate attack.» - 'Crimes against humanity'? - Ajith Sunghay, head of OHCHR's office in the Palestinian territories, said that the report focused heavily on Israeli actions, since the weapons used by Israel's military were far more destructive. The missiles fired by Hamas, while «absolutely unacceptable», he said, «have not caused significant killing during the war» by comparison. The incidents detailed in the report did not include a key and controversial blast early in the war on Gaza's Al-Ahli hospital compound, where Hamas initially talked about hundreds killed in what they said was an Israeli strike. Israel denied responsibility and blamed a misfired rocket launched by Islamic Jihad militants -- a claim backed by the US -- while Western intelligence sources suggested a far lower death toll. Asked why this incident did not figure on the list, Sunghay suggested the team had not had enough information to include it. The report highlighted that unlawful targeting was not only a violation of the laws of war. When committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population, in line with an official state or organisational policy, it «may also implicate crimes against humanity», it said. Israel harshly criticised the report, suggesting it aimed to «lambast and single-out Israel, while further shielding Hamas terrorists in Gaza». «OHCHR has been echoing Hamas narrative and spreading unfounded allegations,» Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israel's ambassador in Geneva, said in a statement. «This report shows the deep-rooted bias against Israel that has existed in OHCHR for decades,» she added. © Agence France-Presse

South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa hailed «the beginning of a new era» on Wednesday as he was sworn in for a second full term as president after his weakened African National Congress (ANC) struck a hard-won government coalition deal to remain in power. Lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to re-elect the 71-year-old last week after a May 29 general election produced no outright winner for the first time in three decades. «The formation of a government of national unity is a moment of profound significance. It is the beginning of a new era,» Ramaphosa said, after taking the oath of office during a ceremony at the Union Buildings, the seat of government, in Pretoria. «The voters of South Africa did not give any single party the full mandate to govern our country alone,» he added, speaking before lawmakers, foreign dignitaries, religious and traditional leaders and cheering supporters. «They have directed us to work together to address their plight and realise their aspirations.» Ramaphosa is expected to announce his cabinet in the coming days, as talks with coalition members continue. Numerous heads of state, including Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Angola's Joao Lourenco, Congo Brazzaville's Denis Sassou Nguesso and Eswatini's absolute leader King Mswati III attended the inauguration. Guests in suits, fancy dresses and coats to keep warm in the chilly winter weather started to arrive early in the morning amid a heavy police presence. VIPs, some singing anti-apartheid struggle songs, were allowed into a small amphitheatre within the imposing, sandstone government building. Other attendees, some holding South African flags, sat on a lawn outside as dancers and musicians performed on a big stage. After Ramaphosa was sworn in, a band played the national anthem, followed by a 21-gun salute and a fly past by the air force. - Third time lucky -  It was the third time Ramaphosa has taken the oath. The former trade unionist turned millionaire businessman first came to power in 2018, after his predecessor and rival Jacob Zuma was forced out before the end of his term under the cloud of corruption allegations. Ramaphosa was then re-appointed for a full five-year term in 2019. In South Africa, voters elect the parliament, which then votes for the president. Ramaphosa promised a new dawn for South Africa, launched an anti-graft drive and started to reform a collapsing energy system. But under his watch, the economy languished, blighted by power cuts, crime remained rife and unemployment increased to 32.9 percent. In May, he led the ANC into yet another vote, but the historied party of the late Nelson Mandela came out bruised. It won only 40 percent -- down from 57.5 percent five years earlier. For the first time since the advent of democracy in 1994, it lost its absolute majority in parliament and was left scrambling to find coalition partners to remain in power. It has since agreed to form what it calls a national unity government with several other parties. - Unity - They include the centre-right Democratic Alliance (DA), the Zulu nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party, the anti-immigration Patriotic Alliance and the small centre-left GOOD party. The deal allowed Ramaphosa to comfortably see off a last-minute challenge by firebrand leftist politician Julius Malema, with 283 lawmakers in the 400-seat National Assembly voting to put him back in office. But it has faced a vociferous opposition from the left, with Malema's Economic Freedom Fighters and former president Zuma's uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) refusing to take part and denouncing the inclusion of right-wing parties and the white-led, free-market DA. MK came third in the election but has contested the results. Party spokesman Nhlamulo Ndhlela said in a statement ahead of the ceremony that its lawmakers would snub the «farcical inauguration of Cyril Ramaphosa as the puppet DA-sponsored President», also using a racial slur to describe the ANC leader. But Ramaphosa said voters had stressed they were «impatient with political bickering» and wanted parties to «put their needs and aspirations first» and «work together for the sake» of the country. «We must reject every attempt to divide or distract us, to sow doubt or cynicism, or to turn us against one another,» he said, in an apparent, veiled dig at his opponents. «As leaders, as political parties, we are called upon to work in partnership towards a growing economy, better jobs, safer communities and a government that works for its people.» © Agence France-Presse

A Japanese Training Squadron on a friendly port call in Seychelles has been described as an interesting experience and having impeccable standards by Seychellois who visited the ships. The two ships, JS Kashima and JS Shimakaze of the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), organised an open day on Tuesday where the public could tour the ships as part of the activities during their time in Seychelles.  Visitors walked around and asked the crew questions about different features of the ships such as the weapons and other equipment. There were also signs translated into English all around describing certain features as well as certain points of interesting history regarding the ships. SNA spoke to several visitors who were touring the ship at the time. Debra Denis said, «I was expecting something smaller, so when we arrived, we were impressed. Both ships are very large. Ever since my son was small, we've been going on visits on the visiting ships, so now we bring all the kids. It's not every day that we get this sort of opportunity to experience these kinds of ships.» An open day was organised on Tuesday where the public could tour the ships. (Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY    Elna Fanchette said, «We heard that they would be allowing visitors on board today so we wanted to check it out, especially for the kids. It was a nice visit.» Another visitor Randolph Accouche shared that «It was a nice experience, especially for my son. It's not always that we have the opportunity to experience things like this.» Jude Marie said he was very impressed with the visit and he has «always been interested in experiencing new cultures and also infrastructure especially mega structures, my daughter also. Every time there's a new ship, we like to go see what it's like. I found the standards aboard the ship to be impeccable, even better than others that I've seen. And I've seen several different navy ships from different countries over the years. This one has by far impressed me with their standards.» Onboard the two ships are approximately 570 officers and crew members, including the 200 newly commissioned officers who recently graduated from the Maritime Officer Candidate School. The visit is part of an almost six-month training cruise and the squadron experts to visit 13 ports around the world. The purpose of this Overseas Training Cruise is to develop the seamanship of the newly commissioned officers through various training at sea, as they foster their international perspectives, while at the same time promoting friendly relationships with port of call countries. As part of their visit, the officers from the Japanese Training Squadron will also participate in visits to different Seychelles Defence Forces facilities as well as participating in cultural events. 

InterGlobe Aviation Limited (IndiGo), India's largest passenger airline, has expressed strong interest in starting flights from the South Asia country to Seychelles, Seychelles' Ministry of Transport said on Wednesday. The ministry said in a press release that this development follows bilateral aviation talks held in New Delhi, India, in May 2024, where negotiations between IndiGo and Seychelles authorities began. The commencement of flights by IndiGo to Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, is set to strengthen the bilateral ties with India and enhance the visibility of both destinations. The Minister for Transport, Antony Derjacques, said, «The intent expressed by IndiGo to launch direct flights to Seychelles represents a significant milestone in our efforts to enhance connectivity and foster strong bilateral relations with India. We are excited about the potential for increased tourism and business opportunities that this new route will bring.» IndiGo is one of India's fastest growing airlines with a fleet of over 367 aircraft connecting passengers to more than 121 destinations worldwide. The airline's commitment to providing an affordable, reliable, and efficient travel experience has made it one of the fastest-growing airlines globally. If confirmed, the launch of the new flight route is anticipated to significantly enhance tourism and business exchanges between the two nations. Visitor arrivals from India to Seychelles have shown a positive trend over the past few years, with 4,957 visitors in 2022, 7,602 in 2023, and 3,268 in 2024. This new flight route is expected to boost these numbers, providing more opportunities for tourism and business exchanges. The chief executive officer of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA), said, «The operation of IndiGo to Seychelles will represent a milestone achievement in our air transport development, connecting Seychelles to the geographically vast and rich nation of India via Mumbai.» The Seychelles' authorities remain committed to fostering strong international aviation partnerships, and this new development with IndiGo marks a promising step towards achieving that goal, according to the press statement.

Kenya's government on Tuesday scrapped plans to impose multiple tax hikes, the presidency said, amending a controversial bill that sparked protests where hundreds of demonstrators were arrested. The East African economic powerhouse has struggled with a cost-of-living crisis, which critics warned would only worsen under the levies laid out in a bill due to be debated this week and passed before June 30. Hundreds of mostly young protesters assembled near parliament on Tuesday, with police firing tear gas, according to AFP journalists. The human rights commission KNHCR said 335 arrests were made. Hours later, the presidency announced that it would scrap many of the bill's most contentious provisions, including taxes on bread purchases and car ownership. «The Finance Bill has been amended to remove the proposed 16 per cent VAT on bread, transportation of sugar, financial services, foreign exchange transactions as well as the 2.5 per cent Motor Vehicle Tax,» the presidency said in a statement. «Additionally, there will be no increase in mobile money transfer fees, and Excise Duty on vegetable oil has also been removed,» it added. The cash-strapped government had earlier defended the hikes -- which were projected to raise some 346.7 billion shillings ($2.7 billion), equivalent to 1.9 percent of GDP -- as a necessary measure to cut reliance on external borrowing. Lawmakers were due to debate the bill on Tuesday afternoon but postponed the discussion to Wednesday, just before the presidency announced the changes following recommendations made by a parliamentary committee. «Because the people's representatives have listened to the people... they have adjusted the proposals,» President William Ruto told lawmakers. - 'Fighting for my future' - The bill sparked fury among many Kenyans, who staged protests on Tuesday dubbed «Occupy Parliament». Black-clad protesters were forced into a cat-and-mouse situation with police, with officers lobbing tear gas and -- in one instance -- chasing people into a church. KNHCR said there were «arbitrary arrests» and an «unnecessary and disproportionate» use of force by security forces. A police report seen by AFP said one officer was seriously hurt when a tear gas grenade exploded in his hands. «I am fighting for my future,» one protester, 23-year-old Wangari, told AFP. «With such taxes, with such exploitation, I don't see how we can build a life,» she said. «This is making it very hard for us, especially us, that are not a part of the one percent.» Her thoughts were echoed by others like 29-year-old Rara Eisa who was protesting for the first time. «I am tired. The prices of everything have gone up, life is no longer affordable,» she said, adding that the taxes «are not lenient in any way». Many demonstrators waved signs emblazoned: «Do not force the taxes on us», referring to Ruto as Zakayo, the Swahili name for the biblical tax collector Zacchaeus. «This finance bill must be revised to reflect what the 'mwananchi' (ordinary citizen) wants and can do,» demonstrator Yvonne Muthoni told AFP after the withdrawal of the measures was announced. «The government is here to serve Kenyans and freedom... better economic outcomes must be accessed by all Kenyans, not just the privileged few.» - Discontent - Ruto came to power in 2022 on a promise to revive the economy and put money in the pockets of the downtrodden, but his policies have sparked widespread discontent. He has raised income tax and health insurance contributions and doubled VAT on petroleum products to 16 percent. While Kenya is among the most dynamic economies in East Africa, roughly a third of the 51.5 million population lives in poverty. Overall inflation has remained stubbornly high at an annual rate of 5.1 percent in May, while food and fuel inflation stood at 6.2 percent and 7.8 percent respectively, according to central bank data. The World Bank said this month that while Kenya's real GDP growth had accelerated last year to 5.6 percent from 4.9 percent in 2022, it was expected to slow to five percent this year. © Agence France-Presse

Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed North Korea on Tuesday for «firmly supporting» Moscow's war in Ukraine ahead of a visit to Pyongyang set to boost defence ties between the two nuclear-armed countries. Putin is scheduled to touch down on Tuesday night for his first trip to the isolated nation in 24 years, with a confrontation between North and South Korean troops on their shared border highlighting regional security tensions. Huge banners with a smiling photograph of the Russian leader reading «we ardently welcome President Putin!» were hung from lamp-posts across Pyongyang alongside Russian flags, images in Russian state media showed. Moscow and Pyongyang have been allies since North Korea's founding after World War II and have drawn even closer since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to the West isolating Putin internationally. The United States and its allies have accused North Korea of supplying Russia with much-needed arms, including ballistic missiles to use in Ukraine. The North has denied giving Russia military hardware but, ahead of his trip, Putin thanked Kim Jong Un's government for helping the war effort. «We highly appreciate that the DPRK (North Korea) is firmly supporting the special military operations of Russia being conducted in Ukraine,» Putin wrote in an article published by Pyongyang's state media on Tuesday. Russia and the North are «now actively developing the many-sided partnership», Putin wrote. Both countries are under rafts of UN sanctions -- Pyongyang since 2006 over banned nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and Moscow over the invasion of Ukraine. Putin praised North Korea for «defending their interests very effectively despite the US economic pressure, provocation, blackmail and military threats that have lasted for decades». He also hailed Moscow and Pyongyang for «maintaining the common line and stand at the UN». North Korea said the visit showed bilateral ties «are getting stronger day by day», the official Korean Central News Agency reported. - US concern - The North has described allegations of supplying weapons to Russia as «absurd». However, it did thank Russia for using its UN veto in March to effectively end monitoring of sanctions violations just as UN experts were starting to probe alleged arms transfers. The United States voiced «concern» on Monday about Putin's trip because of the security implications for South Korea as well as Ukraine. The two Koreas have remained technically at war since their 1950-53 conflict and the border dividing them is one of the most heavily fortified in the world. «We know North Korean ballistic missiles are still being used to hit Ukrainian targets (and) there could be some reciprocity here that could affect security on the Korean peninsula,» National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. Highlighting those security concerns, South Korea said its troops fired warning shots at soldiers from the North who briefly crossed the border on Tuesday and then retreated. The South's military said it believed the North Korean soldiers accidentally crossed as they were fortifying the border, but said some of them were wounded after detonating landmines. - 'Lonely bromance' - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Putin's trip showed how he was «dependent» on authoritarian leaders. «Their closest friends and the biggest supporters of the Russian war effort -- war of aggression -- (are) North Korea, Iran and China,» Stoltenberg said. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged the international community to counter «the lonely bromance» between Putin and Kim by increasing arms supplies to Kyiv. «The best way to respond to it is to continue strengthening the diplomatic coalition for just and lasting peace in Ukraine and delivering more Patriots and ammunition to Ukraine,» Kuleba told AFP. North Korea is eager for high-end military technology to advance its nuclear, missile, satellite and nuclear-powered submarine programmes, according to experts. The Kremlin released a document on Tuesday confirming that Russia plans to sign a «strategic partnership» treaty with North Korea. Given North Korea's chronic resource shortages, Pyongyang is expected to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in areas such as tourism, agriculture and mining, «in exchange for providing military supplies» to Russia, an Institute for National Security Strategy report said. Other issues including «cooperation on the deployment of North Korean workers or the supply of energy to North Korea -- both of which would violate sanctions... are also likely to be discussed» behind the scenes, INSS researcher Kim Sung-bae wrote. © Agence France-Presse

Seychelles is celebrating the 31st anniversary of its Constitution on Tuesday, June 18, in flag-raising ceremonies on the three most populated islands of Mahe, Praslin and La Digue. The events commemorate the day the Constitution of the Third Republic of Seychelles was adopted by the Seychellois nation. On June 18, 1993, the island nation took a new direction guided by fundamental principles essential for its development as a sovereign and democratic state. The first flag-raising ceremony took place on the main island of Mahe at the 'Lavwa Lanasyon' monument in the capital of Victoria. Attending the ceremony were Seychelles' President Wavel Ramkalawan, Vice President Ahmed Afif, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Roger Mancienne, the Chief Justice, Rony Govinden, and other high-level government officials and members of the diplomatic corps. Attending the ceremony were President Wavel Ramkalawan, high-level officials and dignitaries. (State House) Photo License: CC-BY   In his opening address, the master of ceremony for the event, Ahmadou Sylla, said the event celebrates «our people's unity and diversity. We are celebrating everything that unifies us and makes us strong as a nation.» Sylla, said, «Amid great challenges that our country and the world is going through, we have come here to shout very loud that we are one people under one sun, united under one flag and the protection of our creator. Today we especially celebrate our Constitution, the fundamental document that guides us in our everyday lives and that shows us which direction our country should go.» After the flag was hoisted, a blessing was done through a gospel song of the late Father Gustave Lafortune ''En Soley Pe Leve« (A Sun is Rising) performed by youths of the Seychelles National Youth Council with Taniah Entertainments. A late Father Gustave Lafortune song was performed by SNYC youths and Taniah. (Seychelles Nation) Photo License: CC-BY   This was followed by the reading of a poem written and delivered by Elodie Ah-Time, a student from the School of Advanced Level Studies, entitled 'Monn Konnen', (I Have Known) accompanied by Jael Ellen, a member of the National Youth Troupe. The ceremony ended with a performance of a patriotic song, »Mon Sesel", (My Seychelles) written by singer Simon Amade. Two other flag-raising ceremonies will be done on La Digue, the third most populated island and on Praslin, the second most populated island.  

The Japan Training Squadron, JS Kashima and JS Shimakaze of the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) arrived in Seychelles' Port Victoria on Monday for a friendly port call. Onboard the two ships are approximately 570 officers and crew members, including 200 newly commissioned officers who recently graduated from the Maritime Officer Candidate School. The visit is part of an almost six-month training cruise, where they expect to visit 13 ports around the world. The purpose of the Overseas Training Cruise is to develop the seamanship of the newly commissioned officers through various trainings at sea, as they foster their international perspectives, while at the same time promoting friendly relationships with port of call countries. At the arrival of the ships were representatives of the Seychelles Defence Forces, the Embassy of Japan, the Seychelles Japan Alumni Association as well as the School for the Deaf in Seychelles.   The Seychelles Japan Alumni Association is a group of people from the island nation who have studied in Japan.  The Chief of Staff of the Seychelles Defence Forces, Jean Attala, greeted the officers from the squadron. (Embassy of Japan in Seychelles) Photo License: All Rights Reserved   Speaking to SNA, the Chief of Staff of the Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF), Jean Attala said, «These courtesy visits are an opportune moment to exchange best practices on both sides. This is especially helpful during the times when several countries are participating in certain operations and everyone is aware of how each side usually operates.» He added that during their visit to Seychelles, the cadets from the Japanese Training Squadron will also be participating in this kind of exchange. «There will be visits organised for the cadets on board in which they will have the opportunity to observe different facilities such as the Coast Guard at Perseverance and the Airforce base at Pointe Larue. There will, of course, be interactions between the senior officers on board and high officials from Seychelles,» said Attala. As part of the activities during their visit, there will be an open day on Tuesday, June 18, the day on which Seychelles celebrates its Constitution Day, for an hour and a half starting from 10 am. Members of the public will be able to visit the ships. As a special treat, on Monday morning, the group welcoming the ship into port got a chance to go aboard.  Part of the group, Dolores Savy, the secretary of the Seychelles Japan Alumni Association said, «This visit is nice, the boat was very interesting.»

The African Union on Monday condemned «massacres» in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo that killed 150 people in June. African Union Commission chief Moussa Faki Mahamat said he had learned with «dismay of the increasing massacres of innocent civilians» by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), in Beni and Lubero in North Kivu province. «The Chairman of the Commission strongly condemns these attacks, which have claimed the lives of 150 people since the beginning of June,» the statement said. Mahamat encouraged «Congolese authorities, in collaboration with the countries of the region, to intensify their efforts to curb the spread of the terrorist threat in the Great Lakes region». He also reiterated the African Union's «ongoing commitment to the countries of the Great Lakes region in their fight against terrorism». The attacks are attributed to the ADF, which originated in neighbouring Uganda. The group has operated in eastern DR Congo for decades and in 2019 it pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, which portrays the ADF as its central African branch. Since the end of 2021, the Congolese and Ugandan armies have conducted joint operations against the ADF in North Kivu and neighbouring Ituri province, but have so far failed to stop the deadly attacks on civilians. The east of the country has been plagued by violence from armed groups for decades. © Agence France-Presse

Israel struck Gaza on Monday and witnesses reported blasts in the besieged territory's south, but fighting has largely subsided after a day of relative calm and as Muslims marked Eid al-Adha. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dissolved his war cabinet, a government spokesman said, reflecting fractures at the top of the country's politics. David Mencer, spokesman for the prime minister's office, said the body had been disbanded following the resignation earlier this month of centrist leader Benny Gantz, who had required a war cabinet's formation in order to join a unity government. «So with Mr Gantz leaving government, there is no need for the cabinet,» whose duties Mencer said will be taken over by the pre-existing security cabinet. The security cabinet had finalised decisions proposed by the war cabinet. Israeli media said the move, which was not expected to trigger any major policy shift, was meant to counter pressure from far-right politicians seeking a greater say in decision-making. A daytime «pause» for aid deliveries around a southern Gaza route, announced at the weekend by Israel's military, appeared to be holding on Monday. But witnesses told AFP they could hear blasts in the centre and west of the southernmost city of Rafah on Monday morning. Elsewhere in the Palestinian territory an AFP correspondent said strikes and shelling have decreased. In Gaza City, medics at Al-Ahli hospital said at least five people were killed in two separate air strikes, and witnesses reported tank shelling in the southern neighbourhood of Zeitun. At least one strike hit Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, residents said. Palestinian officials in Rafah reported tank shelling early on Monday, before the start of the daily «local, tactical pause of military activity» announced by the army. It said the pause «for humanitarian purposes will take place from 8:00 am (0500 GMT) until 7:00 pm (1600 GMT) every day until further notice along the road that leads from the Kerem Shalom crossing to the Salah al-Din road and then northwards». Earlier, an Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP «there was no change» in the military's policy and stressed fighting «continues as planned». - 'Catastrophic hunger' - An army spokesperson told AFP the pause was in effect on Monday, and the military in a statement said troops were still operating in Rafah and central Gaza, reporting «close-quarters combat» that killed several militants. A map released by the army showed the declared humanitarian route extending up to Rafah's European Hospital, about 10 kilometres (six miles) from Kerem Shalom. Mahmud Basal, spokesman for the civil defence agency in the Hamas-ruled territory, said that apart from the deadly Gaza City strikes overnight, «the other areas of the Gaza Strip are somewhat calm». He reported military movements and gunfire in parts of Rafah as well as Bureij camp in central Gaza. On Sunday, the first day of Eid al-Adha, or the Muslim feast of the sacrifice, the spokesman said «calm has prevailed across all of Gaza». The Gaza health ministry said on Monday it had recorded 10 deaths over the past 24 hours, in one of the lowest daily tolls since the war began. The United Nations welcomed the Israeli announcement of the pause, although «this has yet to translate into more aid reaching people in need», said Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency OCHA. He called for «further concrete measures by Israel to address longstanding issues» on humanitarian needs. Gazans «urgently need food, water, sanitation, shelter, and health care, with many living near piles of solid waste, heightening health risks,» Laerke said. Dire shortages of food and other essentials in the Gaza Strip have been exacerbated by overland access restrictions and the closure of the key Rafah crossing with Egypt since Israeli forces seized its Palestinian side in early May. After discussion with US President Joe Biden that month, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi agreed to temporarily divert aid from Rafah by sending it into Gaza via Israel's nearby Kerem Shalom crossing. Israel's military said the pause was in effect as part of efforts to «increase the volumes of humanitarian aid» following discussions with the United Nations and other organisations. The head of the World Health Organization said last week that much of Gaza's population faces «catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions.» - 'End the war' - The pause was announced a day after eight Israeli soldiers were killed in a blast near Rafah and three more troops died elsewhere, in one of the heaviest losses for the army in more than eight months of war against Hamas Palestinian militants. The war was triggered by Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,194 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. The militants also seized 251 hostages. Of these, 116 remain in Gaza, although the army says 41 are dead. Israel's retaliatory offensive aimed at eliminating Hamas has killed at least 37,347 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the territory's health ministry. In an Eid message late Sunday, US President Joe Biden called for the implementation of a ceasefire plan he outlined last month, saying it was «the best way to end the violence in Gaza» and to help civilians suffering «the horrors of the war between Hamas and Israel». Egyptian, Qatari and US mediators have been pushing for a new Gaza truce, so far without success. Biden's truce plan would bring an initial six-week pause to fighting. «I strongly believe that the three-phase ceasefire proposal Israel has made to Hamas and that the UN Security Council has endorsed is the best way to end the violence in Gaza and ultimately end the war,» the US president said. Hamas has insisted on the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire -- demands Israel has repeatedly rejected. © Agence France-Presse

Seychelles' President Wavel Ramkalawan has congratulated Cyril Ramaphosa on his re-election as President of South Africa. South Africa's parliament re-elected Cyril Ramaphosa as President last Friday after a landmark coalition deal between the governing African National Congress (ANC) and opposition parties. According to a communique from the Foreign Affairs Department, Ramkalawan said, «I equally wish to congratulate you and the people of South Africa for the successful and peaceful general elections. This democratic process stands as a testament to the enduring strength and vitality of South Africa's commitment to democratic governance. The peaceful and transparent conduct of these elections reaffirm South Africa's unwavering dedication to upholding democratic principles and ensuring the voices of its citizens are heard and respected. In this context, South Africa will continue to be an example for the region as well as for the rest of Africa.» He added that Ramaphosa's re-election «underscores the continued faith of the South African people in your vision and leadership. Your recent call for broader national unity in South Africa has resonated well with many around the world. I am confident that under your continued stewardship, South Africa will further advance its goals of social justice, economic growth, and regional stability.»  «Our two countries share strong and dynamic ties since the establishment of diplomatic relations which have evolved and grown stronger over the past few decades. I have every confidence, that during your tenure in office, the bonds that exist between Seychelles and South Africa will be further strengthened for the mutual benefit of our two countries and peoples. I am very much looking forward to continuing our working relationship bilaterally, regionally and in the multilateral fora,» said Ramkalawan. Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, established diplomatic relations with South Africa in 1993.

As world leaders lined up to offer their support at summit for peace in Ukraine Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced hope of garnering international agreement around a proposal to end the war that he could present to Moscow. More than two years after Russia invaded, leaders and senior officials from more than 90 states gathered in a Swiss mountainside resort for a two-day summit dedicated to Kyiv's plan to end the largest European conflict since World War II. Most voiced strong support for Ukraine, demanding a «just peace». Others, however, criticised Moscow's exclusion and warned Kyiv it would need to compromise if it wanted to end the war. In his opening remarks, Zelensky told the assembly: «We must decide together what a just peace means for the world and how it can be achieved in a lasting way. »Then it will be communicated to the representatives of Russia, so that at the second peace summit we can fix the real end of the war.« Kyiv has previously said Russia would be invited to a second summit -- a position many countries backed Saturday. - 'Capitulation' - The summit comes as Ukraine is struggling on the battlefield, where it is outmanned and outgunned. On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded Ukraine's effectively surrender if it wanted to even begin peace talks. Putin's call for Ukraine to withdraw from the south and east of the country -- already rejected by Zelensky as an »ultimatum« -- were widely dismissed. »He is not calling for negotiations, he is calling for surrender,« US Vice President Kamala Harris said. »All us are committed to build a sustainable peace... Such a peace cannot be a Ukrainian capitulation,« French President Macron said. »There is one aggressor and a victim,« he added. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that any ceasefire without »serious negotiations with a roadmap towards a lasting peace... would only legitimise Russia's illegal land grab«. EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen took a similar line, arguing: »Freezing the conflict today with foreign troops occupying Ukrainian land is not an answer. «In fact, it is a recipe for future wars of aggression.» - 'Difficult compromise' - It was a more mixed message, however, from outside Ukraine's traditional circle of backers. Saudi Arabia, an energy ally of Russia, told Kyiv it would have to make a «difficult compromise» if it wanted to end the conflict. «And here it is essential to emphasise that any credible process will need Russia's participation,» Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud said. China, which struck a «no-limits» strategic partnership with Moscow days before the February 2022 invasion, did not send a delegation to the conference in protest at Russia's exclusion. And Kenya's President William Ruto criticised the latest Western measures against Russia, this week's G7 deal to offer a $50-billion loan to Ukraine secured against profits of frozen Russian assets. «Just as Russia's invasion of Ukraine was unlawful and unacceptable, the unilateral appropriation of Russian assets is equally unlawful,» Ruto said. The range of positions on display hints at the difficulty Kyiv faces in securing agreement for any settlement that it would be happy to send to Russia. Turkey, a potential mediator, issued a stark assessment of the need for action, warning the war risked spilling outside Ukraine or ending in the use of nuclear weapons. «This conference ... might be the last exit before the bridge,» Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan cautioned. - Gaza comparisons - Attendees at Saturday's summit were wrangling over a possible final joint declaration, according to sources close to the discussions cited by Swiss public news agency Keystone-ATS. Kyiv has insisted that terms like «Russian aggression» and references to its «territorial integrity» appear in any joint communique. It was not clear, however, if more than 90 countries could get behind such wording. And as Zelensky lent heavily on the UN Charter and international law to criticise Russia's invasion, some world leaders drew parallels with the Israel-Hamas war. «Only the respect of international law and human rights can guarantee peace. The same applies to the conflict in Gaza,» said Chile's President Gabriel Boric. Zelensky did not say whether he was prepared to engage with Putin directly in talks to end the conflict, though he has in the past ruled out direct talks with him. On Sunday, delegates will focus on three areas: nuclear safety, freedom of navigation and food security, and humanitarian issues. That includes prisoners of war and the issue of Ukrainian children taken to Russia or Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine. G7 leaders this week agreed its $50-billion loan for Ukraine, and Kyiv also inked a 10-year security agreement with Washington for military aid and training. On Friday, the European Union's 27 member states agreed «in principle» on beginning accession negotiations with Ukraine. © Agence France-Presse

Visitors to Seychelles and locals had the chance during the weekend to appreciate the Creole culture during a cultural tourism event called the «Rendez-Vous Praslinois» on Praslin, the second most populated island. The initiative, called «Creole Rendez-Vous, that was launched by the Department of Tourism last year, is also held on La Digue Island to give the local community a place to market and sell their locally made products. Artisans and entrepreneurs on Praslin mounted their stalls all around the Berjaya Praslin Beach Hotel's beachfront area while various local handicrafts, drinks and dishes were also on sale. Bernadette Sofola, a well-known entrepreneur from Anse Kerlan, in the district of Grand Anse, showcased her products in her stall that day. »Kot Dadette« - the name of her business, produces an assortment of jams made with various fruits, coconut nougat (coconut fudge), cassava cake, pickles and curry powder. »I acquired these skills from my great grandparents so I decided to put into practice what I have learned,« she said. Bernadette Sofola, a well-known entrepreneur from Anse Kerlan, in the district of Grand Anse. (Mandy Bertin) Photo License: CC-BY   Mikaela Marie, owner of Chaquell tailoring, sold her locally-made products but decided not to stick to only tailoring but to venture into another avenue. For the past two years, the young artisan has been working with resin, a semi-solid natural and synthetic compound that can be hardened into a durable plastic material. She uses resin to make a selection of jewellery items such as necklaces and earrings and the main attraction at her stall was the handbag she has sewn with the map of Praslin on it. There were also various stalls selling scrumptious dishes such as the fruit bat curry, cooked in coconut milk and the much-loved salted fish chutney. Another stall that attracted a lot of visitors was one belonging to Florette Barbe and her 89-year-old mother Eloise Barbe. Both artisans were weaving dried up leaves of a type of palm tree called Latanier or Seychelles stilt palm. Aside from Latanier, they also use coconut leaf sheath, which is known as tanmi koko in the local language. With latanier leaves, handbags, table mats in the form of the famous coco de mer nut and the giant tortoises of Aldabra are made. An artisans were weaving dried up leaves of a type of palm tree called Latanier or Seychelles stilt palm. (Mandy Bertin) Photo License:  CC-BY  Handmade coconut soy wax candles, coconut wax melts and coconut vegan reed diffusers were also on sale by Sey Glow, a local business owned by Beverley and Craig Green. Sey Glow focuses on natural, clean and sustainable handmade products that bear Creole names such as Moutya, kanmtole, Dan Marmit and Fanm Kreol. The cultural experience would not be complete without the traditional Moutya dance, which has been added to UNESCO's list of intangible heritage, and this is exactly what was on the programme to close the curtains on this event. Speaking to SNA, the director general for Destination Planning and Development in the Tourism Department, Paul Lebon, said the event falls under the Creole Rendez-Vous umbrella that the Tourism Department is promoting, to enhance visitor experience in terms of cultural tourism activities. »Many visitors have voiced out that there is a lack of cultural experience and activities that will enable them to enjoy and learn about the Seychellois culture, so we have taken the lead through these series of events," he said.

St. Louis football club winger Dean Mothe has been named Seychelles' Footballer of the Year for the 2023/24 season. Mothe, who received the award in a ceremony on Friday, was rewarded for a great season of football, where he helped his side to win the Seychelles Premier League title. In second place was Foresters' Brandon Labrosse, who scored eight times in the league this season, while another St. Louis player, Justin Riaze, came out in third place.   Lorenzo Hoareau,  also a St. Louis Football Club player, who earlier this week scored his second goal for the Seychelles national team, won the title of the Young Player of the Year.    Lorenzo Hoareau won the title of the Young Player of the Year. (Seychelles News Agency)  Photo License: CC-BY  Hoareau made football history as the youngest player from an African nation to score a goal with the senior team in an international match in 2021. Hoareau was 14 when he scored for Seychelles and won the youngest African striker award in September 2021. He is the second youngest player in the world to achieve the feat, behind Aung Kyaw Tun of Myanmar. There were other individual awards presented on Friday evening and St Louis' Malagasy goalkeeper, Michel 'Toldo' Ramandimbisoa was named the goalkeeper of the season as his side conceded only 18 goals in 18 games.  St Louis' Malagasy goalkeeper, Michel 'Toldo' Ramandimbisoa was named the goalkeeper of the season. (Seychelles News Agency)  Photo License: CC-BY  St. Louis made it a clean sweep of individual titles with their coach, Gavin Jeanne, receiving the award for Coach of the Year, after leading his side to a first league title since 2017. There were also awards for the top scorers in the three divisions of Seychelles football. The award for the top scorer in the Premier League went to Lightstars Rennick Esther in the Premier League with 15 goals. For the Championship, the top scorer was Madagascar's Jocelyn Fenosoa, who scored a massive 34 goals for champions Real Maldives and Fabrice Radriamanantenasoa of Beau Vallon, won the top scorer award in League 1, after finding the net 24 times. Officials were also rewarded in the ceremony and the Best Male Referee went to Hensley Petrousse. Deidrey Roucou won the Best Female Referee and Rio Dubignon won the award for Young Referee of the Year.

World leaders headed to Switzerland on Saturday for a first summit on peace in Ukraine, after Vladimir Putin demanded Kyiv effectively surrender if it ultimately wants negotiations with Moscow. The two-day gathering at the luxury Burgenstock resort brings together Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and more than 50 other heads of state and government, but without Russia taking part. Switzerland says the aim is to lay the early groundwork for a path to peace eventually involving Moscow, but Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday branded the summit a «trick to distract everyone». He said Moscow, which launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, would cease fire and begin peace talks «immediately» if Kyiv pulled its troops out of the east and south and gave up its NATO membership bid. Zelensky slammed Putin's demands as a territorial «ultimatum» reminiscent of Nazi Germany's dictator Adolf Hitler, while NATO and the United States also immediately rejected the hardline conditions. After almost a year of stalemate, Ukraine was forced to abandon dozens of frontline settlements this spring, with Russian troops holding a significant advantage in manpower and resources. But since mid-May, Russian progress has slowed and Zelensky hopes to swing the momentum further with the back-to-back G7 and peace summits. - G7 $50 bn, security deal - The G7 summit in Italy, which Zelensky attended, offered on Thursday a new $50 billion loan for Ukraine, using profits from the interest on frozen Russian assets. Leaders of the Group of Seven rich democracies said they would support Ukraine «for as long as it takes». Zelensky said the new loan would go towards «both defence and reconstruction», while Putin branded the move as «theft», warning it would «not go unpunished». Meanwhile, a landmark 10-year security deal signed by Zelensky and US President Joe Biden on Thursday will see the United States provide Ukraine with military aid and training, with Zelensky calling it a bridge to joining the NATO defence alliance. Biden will not go from Italy to Switzerland, sending instead his Vice President Kamala Harris, while the other G7 leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Italy are due to attend. The EU chiefs and the presidents of Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Finland and Poland are among the others heading to Switzerland. The Summit on Peace in Ukraine aims to see the 92 attending countries agree a final declaration on some tentative basic principles. Russia's BRICS allies Brazil and South Africa are only sending an envoy, and India will be represented at the ministerial level, while China will not take part at all without Moscow's presence. - Finding common ground - The summit is being held at the ultra-exclusive Burgenstock hotel complex perched high above Lake Lucerne in classic picture-postcard Swiss scenery. The gathering will focus on narrow themes, based on common ground between Zelensky's 10-point peace plan presented in late 2022, and UN resolutions on the war that passed with widespread support. The summit aims to find paths towards a lasting peace for Ukraine, based on international law and the United Nations Charter; a possible framework to achieve this goal; and a roadmap as to how both parties could come together in a future peace process. Experts have warned against too-high expectations from the gathering. «Meaningful negotiations that could truly end the devastating war in Ukraine remain out of reach, as both Kyiv and Moscow stick to theories of victory that amount to outlasting the other,» the International Crisis Group think tank said. «Kyiv and its backers will be hard pressed to get tangible results from the meeting... beyond reaffirmations of the UN Charter's principles of territorial integrity.» - Nuclear, food, humanitarian focus - A plenary session involving all delegations will be held on Saturday. On Sunday, three topics will be discussed in detail in working groups: nuclear safety, freedom of navigation and food security, and humanitarian aspects. These will look at Black Sea shipping, prisoners of war, civilian detainees and deported children. A second summit is envisaged, and Zelensky's chief of staff Andriy Yermak said Tuesday that Kyiv hoped Russia would attend and receive a «joint plan» presented by the other attendees. The Burgenstock mountain is surrounded by the lake on three sides and the hotel complex is on a ridge some 450 metres above the water, making it relatively easy to seal off from traditional physical threats. However, the Swiss government said its websites have been repeatedly hit with cyberattacks in the build-up to the summit, and has noted a surge in misinformation. Samuel Charap, a Russia expert at the RAND think tank, said of the Swiss summit: «Russia is clearly going out of its way to demonstrate its pique with it... that tells you something. »Avoiding the expansion of the pro-Ukraine coalition: they're concerned about this," he told AFP. © Agence France-Presse

Officials from biosecurity, fisheries, conservation and customs in Seychelles participated in a familiarisation workshop on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The workshop, held at the Savoy Resort and Spa, is part of the steps to implement the convention in the country and it aims to step up efforts to fight the illegal trade of wildlife. CITES is a global agreement among governments to regulate or ban international trade in species under threat. In Seychelles, it is managed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and the Environment and part of the ministry's role is to ensure that the trade is legal, sustainable and can be traced. The director for biosecurity conservation and the local CITES focal point, Ashley Dias, told reporters that the workshop is for the local partners to have open and frank discussions. During the session, the officials were shown presentations of the various roles the agencies involved have in the implementation. «This morning we discovered that even some of the officers involved in upholding the convention locally are not aware of what it is or entails. This shows that we have a lot of education work to carry out in that area so that everyone knows what it is,» she added. Through the talks, the authorities hope to identify the existing gaps and how they can work together to implement the convention nationally. The gaps identified so far were a lack of human and financial resources and the need for more training so that the officers concerned may identify species being traded. «CITES is a very important convention and as we know there is illegal trade in flora and fauna taking place now, this is the perfect time to talk about how this is happening,» said Dias. She said the authorities have «noticed an increase in illegal wildlife trade, as this sector is even more lucrative than trafficking in illegal drugs. We are working closely with our partners to find out what avenues are being used to do so and what countries where such trades are taking place.» The Trade of Wild Flora and Fauna Act came into force in 2021 allowing authorities to confiscate specimens and fine those found trading illegally. «What remains now for us is to be able to detect the illegal trade of flora and fauna, which at the moment is very alarming,» said Dias. She said there is a demand for endemic and rare species from Seychelles and in recent years there have been reports of illegal trading of the island nation's giant bronze gecko and potential illicit trading of the endemic Aldabra giant tortoise. Endemic to the Seychelles' island of Praslin's endangered coco-de-mer palm forests, the vulnerable giant bronze gecko seems more like a close relative of the Komodo dragon from the Galapagos Islands than a gecko. Dias added that although the authorities are detecting such cases there are many loopholes such as monitoring, control and surveillance in marine areas. The local CITES management authority says it plans to hold more training to equip all concerned with the tools needed to identify the various species being traded and know existing laws. «This is a constantly evolving topic and we have to ensure that as a small country, we are always on top of all the changes taking place,» said Dias.

The Seychelles' Port Victoria extension and rehabilitation project has been revised from 600 metres to 310 metres to cater for an escalation in costs of materials and building resources since the conception of the project in 2018. This was announced by the deputy chief executive of the Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA), Philippa Samson, in a scoping meeting with different terminal operators. «The new quay will cater for container vessels and tankers primarily and the existing quay that is 370 metres will used for lighter activities until such time that we remove it,» she said. Samson added that many things have changed «since we secured the financing for this project in 2018. We had COVID, we had a huge escalation in the prices in the construction industry. So, we had to really look at what is possible with the financing that we have.» For the extension project, the SPA received $41 million – namely $35 million from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB). The European Union (EU) has also provided a grant of around $6 million. Since the project was approved in 2017 and an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), there have been major changes to the plan and scope of the project. The Ports Authority and the Department of Environment found it necessary to do an addendum to the ESIA. The meeting on Thursday was part of this process. Following the presentation of the changes to the project, several people, mainly terminal operators, raised concerns primarily about the fact that the new quay is also meant to be raised by a height of one metre. They were concerned about whether this would affect operations. Samson said that this raising of the level of the new quay is meant to cater to the expected sea level rise in the future. «It is understandable because it is different from what we originally advertised and what we envisioned together. So, they do have concerns about how the new port will cater to the traffic. But we would like to reassure them that we have done forecasts and we see what is planned with the existing services from the shipping lines and the planned use of mobile harbour cranes. We foresee that it will be manageable at least for the next 20 years,» he added. Samson said maybe by then «We would have renovated the next part of the quay but it is still left to be seen how things play out but the forecasts show that we can make do with these 310 metres,» she explained. Participants have been given seven days to formally submit their comments regarding the proposed change to the project. The Port of Victoria of Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, is the only port that handles the import and export of goods for the country.

The Seychelles' Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday discussed the island nation's proposed positions in the forthcoming European Union and Eastern Southern Africa negotiations on the liberalisation of the provision of certain services. Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe and Madagascar signed the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Eastern and Southern Africa in August 2009, and applied provisionally in May 2012. Comoros signed the agreement in 2017 after the consent of the European Parliament in 2013. Vice President Ahmed Afif said in a press briefing on Thursday, that the agreement «makes provision for the five countries to export their products and services via the EU to other markets with favourable conditions. Like Seychelles, we export canned tuna and we get favourable conditions such as we do not pay taxes on entry and there is no quota on the quantity we are bringing in.» Afif said that on the other hand, as a country, Seychelles has to encourage exportation towards its destination for almost the same condition that the EU is offering. «This comes with some difficulties among certain countries for certain products coming into the country without paying taxes. This will impact our revenue, so we decided to discuss with them what is permissible under the agreement that can sustain us. We are not on the same level as them and we would not be able to do the same as them in everything,» he explained. Afif added that Seychelles needs to agree with them on what the country «needs to protect and what can be done under the agreement but for others we will make concessions and compromise. This is the discussion that we have agreed upon.» He gave examples of items like fuel and transport on which there will always be taxes on them and they have accepted this. «There will always be VAT (Value Added Tax) on most products entering the country but they can say that there are certain areas Seychelles can agree on making concessions for example on dairy products that we are not producing. We can review the conditions under which they are entering the country. Also certain pharmaceutical products but we cannot offer equally what they are offering,» said Afif. 

G7 leaders agreed Thursday on a new $50 billion loan for Ukraine using profits from frozen Russian assets, a move Joe Biden said showed Moscow «we're not backing down». The US president and other G7 leaders agreed at a summit in Italy to use the profits from the interest on the assets to back the loan to provide help this year to Kyiv as it struggles in its third year of war with Russia. Summit host Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the «political agreement» after the first day of the Puglia talks, saying it was a hard-fought but «fundamental» step. Meloni invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to join a special session on the Ukraine war alongside the leaders of Germany, France, Canada, Britain and Japan. At a joint press conference with the Ukrainian leader afterwards, Biden said the deal emphasised to Russian President Vladimir Putin the long-term commitment of Kyiv's allies. With it, the G7 leaders «collectively show Putin he cannot wait us out, he cannot divide us», he said. Addressing leaders earlier at the luxury Borgo Egnazia resort, Zelensky said the loan was a «vital step forward in providing sustainable support for Ukraine in winning this war». He said it would go towards «both defence and reconstruction». But he said Ukrainian forces still needed more air-defence systems to help counter attacks by Moscow, which has been pummelling Kyiv's front-line troops and the country's power grid. - Loan syndicate - The EU agreed earlier this year to help Kyiv by using the profits from the interest on Russian central bank assets frozen by Western allies -- the majority of them held in the bloc. But Washington has been pushing for more and faster help through a huge upfront loan. A senior Biden administration official said the United States was willing to provide up to $50 billion, but said its contribution could be «significantly less» as it would be a shared initiative. «We will not be the only lenders. This will be a loan syndicate. We're going to share the risk, because we have a shared commitment to get this done,» the official said on condition of anonymity. He would not say how much other G7 countries would contribute, nor did any other leaders on Thursday. - 'Historic step' - G7 countries, which count the EU as their unofficial eighth member, have been Ukraine's key military and financial backers since Russia invaded in February 2022. The G7 and the EU have frozen around 300 billion euros ($325 billion) of Russian assets, much of it frozen by Euroclear, an international deposit organisation based in Belgium. EU countries say they could generate 2.5 to 3.0 billion euros a year for Kyiv from the profits on the interest. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hailed the loan agreement as a «historic step» and a «clear signal to the Russian president that he cannot simply sit this matter out». «The basis has been created for Ukraine to be in a position to procure everything it needs... in the near future, in terms of weapons but also in terms of investment in reconstruction or in energy infrastructure,» he said. Zelensky has been engaged in a flurry of diplomacy aimed at shoring up international support, from a reconstruction conference in Berlin earlier this week to an upcoming peace conference in Switzerland at the weekend. In Puglia Thursday, he also signed what he called a «historic» 10-year security deal with Biden, and another with Japan. - Political flux - The summit comes at a time of extraordinary global turmoil. Apart from the conflict in Ukraine, the Hamas-Israel conflict in Gaza is raging and economic tensions are rising between China and Western countries. Many G7 countries are also in political flux, with summit attendees aware this could be Biden's last G7 summit if he loses to Donald Trump in November elections. Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is tipped to be ousted in July 4 elections, while France's Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Scholz are both under pressure after gains by the far right in EU Parliament elections last weekend. By contrast, Italy's Meloni is riding high after her far-right party came out on top in her country's EU Parliament vote. But she drew criticism from both France and the United States after reportedly seeking to remove a reference to safe access to abortion from the final G7 statement. The summit talks began Thursday with a short session on Africa, before turning to the Middle East, and on Friday the focus will turn to China -- and a visit by Pope Francis. G7 leaders on Thursday confirmed their support for a truce and hostage deal in the Hamas-Israel war. Biden said that so far, the «biggest hang-up» was Hamas, which was refusing to sign up. © Agence France-Presse