A fuel tanker explosion in northern Nigeria has killed almost 100 people and left 50 injured, police said on Wednesday. Many of the victims had been trying to collect fuel spilt on the road after the tanker crashed in northern Jigawa state late on Tuesday, police spokesman Lawan Shiisu Adam told AFP. The tanker had veered to avoid colliding with a truck in the town of Majia, he said. «We have so far confirmed 94 people dead and around 50 injured,» he said, warning the death toll could rise. Following the crash, residents crowded around the vehicle, collecting fuel that had spilt on the road and in drains, Adam said. He said the residents had «overwhelmed» officers trying to stop them. The Nigerian Medical Association has urged doctors to rush to nearby emergency rooms to help with the influx of patients. Fuel tanker explosions are common in Africa's most populous nation, where roads can be poorly maintained and residents often look to siphon off fuel following accidents. Fuel has become an even more precious commodity as Nigeria suffers its worst economic crisis in a generation. The price of petrol has soared fivefold since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu scrapped subsidies last year, and there are often shortages. Desperation rose further last week after the state oil company hiked prices for the second time in just over a month. - Dangerous roads - Accidents involving tankers are frequent in the country, with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) recording 1,531 in 2020, causing 535 deaths. Last month, at least 59 people died when a fuel tanker collided with a truck carrying passengers and cattle in northwestern Niger state. The FRSC said more than 5,000 people died in road accidents in Nigeria in 2023, compared to nearly 6,500 the previous year. But according to the World Health Organization, the figures do not include accidents that are not reported to the authorities. It estimates annual road accident deaths in Nigeria to be closer to 40,000, it said in a report published last year. Deadly fires and explosions also take place across fuel and oil infrastructure in Nigeria, one of the continent's largest crude producers. © Agence France-Presse  

Israel conducted strikes on Wednesday targeting Hezbollah's main bastion and a city in southern Lebanon where it holds sway, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed calls for a ceasefire. The strike on south Beirut, the militant group's main stronghold, was the first in several days of calm in the area, after an intense period of bombardment earlier in the Israel-Hezbollah war. On Wednesday, warplanes pounded the city of Nabatiyeh in south Lebanon, where Hezbollah and its ally Amal hold sway, with the strikes sending a thick plume of smoke billowing over houses, palm trees and the blue-tipped minaret of a mosque. The Lebanese health ministry said five people were killed in the Nabatiyeh strikes on two municipal buildings, while a local official said the mayor was among the dead. Israel ramped up its bombardment mainly of Hezbollah strongholds in late September, and sent ground troops across the Lebanese border on September 30. The Israel-Hezbollah war has left at least 1,356 people dead in Lebanon, according to an AFP tally of Lebanese health ministry figures, though the real toll is likely higher. Hezbollah started low-intensity strikes on Israel in October last year, in support of its ally Hamas following the October 7 attack that triggered the Gaza war. With Hamas weakened but not crushed, Israel widened the focus of its military operations to include Lebanon, vowing to fight until tens of thousands of Israelis forced by Hezbollah's fire to flee their homes are able to return. The war in Lebanon, which has suffered years of economic and political crisis, has displaced at least 690,000 people, according to figures from the International Organization for Migration. - No ceasefire - The latest strikes came hours after Netanyahu told French President Emmanuel Macron he was «opposed to a unilateral ceasefire, which does not change the security situation in Lebanon, and which will only return it to the way it was», according to a statement from his office. Netanyahu and the Israeli military have insisted there must be a buffer zone along Israel's border with Lebanon where there are no Hezbollah fighters. «Prime Minister Netanyahu clarified that Israel would not agree to any arrangement that does not provide this (a buffer zone) and which does not stop Hezbollah from rearming and regrouping,» the statement said. On Tuesday, Hezbollah's deputy leader Naim Qassem said the only solution was a ceasefire, while threatening to expand the scope of its missile strikes across Israel. «Since the Israeli enemy targeted all of Lebanon, we have the right from a defensive position to target any place» in Israel, he said. On Tuesday, the Iran-backed group said it launched a barrage of rockets towards the northern Israeli city of Haifa and targeted Israeli bulldozers and a tank near the border. Israel's military had kept up its bombardment on Tuesday and said it captured three Hezbollah fighters in south Lebanon. Asked about Israeli air strikes in Lebanon, in which residential buildings in the centre of Beirut were hit on October 10, the US State Department voiced open criticism. «We have made clear that we are opposed to the campaign the way we've seen it conducted over the past weeks» in Beirut, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters. In a letter sent to the Israeli government on Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also warned that the United States could withhold weapons deliveries unless more humanitarian aid was delivered to Palestinians in Gaza. The letter made «clear to the government of Israel that there are changes that they need to make again to see that the level of assistance making it into Gaza comes back up from the very, very low levels that it is at today,» Miller said. - 'Worst restrictions' - Despite the need for food, medical supplies and shelter in hunger-ravaged Gaza, a spokesman for the UN's children's agency UNICEF said Tuesday that aid was facing the tightest restrictions since the start of Israel's offensive over a year ago. «We see now what is probably the worst restrictions we've seen on humanitarian aid, ever,» spokesman James Elder said, adding that there were «several days in the last week (where) no commercial trucks whatsoever were allowed to come in». For over a week, Israeli forces have engaged in a sweeping air and ground assault targeting northern Gaza and the area around Jabalia amid claims that Hamas militants were regrouping there. «The whole area has been reduced to ashes,» said Rana Abdel Majid, 38, from the Al-Faluja area of northern Gaza. Majid said entire blocks had been levelled by «the indiscriminate, merciless bombing.» Nidal al-Arab lost 10 of his family members during Israeli strikes on Jabalia. «People are trapped. If they don't die of shelling, they will soon die of thirst and hunger because the siege is getting tighter,» the 40-year-old told AFP. Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza after an October 7 attack by Hamas that resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures, including hostages killed in captivity. The Israeli campaign has killed 42,409 people, the majority civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory which the UN considers reliable. - Iran retaliation? - Israel is also weighing how to respond to Iran's launch of around 200 missiles at the country on October 1. Iran's top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, warned UN chief Antonio Guterres that Tehran was ready for a «decisive and regretful» response should Israel attack his country. Araghchi's conversation with Guterres was the latest in a string of diplomatic efforts by Iran, which also says its main goal is protect peace in the region. Iran said its October 1 attack was in retaliation for an Israeli strike in Beirut that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian general Abbas Nilforoushan on September 27. US President Joe Biden, whose government is Israel's top arms supplier, has warned Israel against striking Iran's nuclear or oil facilities. © Agence France-Presse

The new resort in the remote yet pristine Aldabra Group is due to open by 2027. The islands are home to the Aldabra giant tortoises as well as rare marine and bird life such as the Aldabra rail. The first images have been unveiled of the breathtaking, new resort planned for Assumption in the Aldabra group of islands in Seychelles. The resort is expected to include up to 40 beautifully designed, sustainable villas, a wellness spa and gym, and multiple dining choices. Remarkable experiences for guests will include dramatic diving and snorkelling tours as well as atoll sunset trips. The operator of the resort on Assumption will be announced in 2025, with the resort itself expected toopen in 2027. The resort is expected to include up to 40 beautifully designed, sustainable villas. (PC Agency) Photo license: All Rights Reserved The stunning and remote Aldabra group of islands is highlighted in a new website which showcases the spectacular beauty, and unique wild and marine life, that define this tiny region of the Seychelles. A barely discovered and unexplored wilderness, the area is teeming with colorful coral and marine life,birdlife, giant tortoises, dolphins, whale sharks and sea turtles. This distinctive and untamed marine andwildlife will be among the reasons guests choose to visit once the new resort is open. The four islands that form the Aldabra group are Aldabra, Assumption, Astove and Cosmoledo, whichcan be reached via the small Aldabra Islands airport located on Assumption itself. At the heart of the Aldabra archipelago is the Aldabra coral atoll, one of the world’s largest andreported to have been first discovered in 916AD. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in theIndian Ocean, over 1000km southwest of the main Seychelles island of Mahe. Assumption forms part of the Aldabra group. (PC Agency) Photo license: All Rights Reserved The remote nature of the islands, their rougher terrain, and scarcity of fresh water have meant fewlarge settlements have emerged over the years. As a result, the islands have seen the rise of hugenumbers of giant tortoises, reportedly over 200,000, and pristine marine life featuring manyendangered and unique species. Unique or rare species in the region include the Aldabra giant tortoise; dugong; coconut crab;red-footed booby; fregate bird; Aldabra banded snail; crab plover; Aldabra drongo; Aldabra rail;green turtle and blacktip reef shark. Abid Butt, CEO of Assets Group, the developer overseeing the new resort, said: “The Aldabra group ofislands offer the most beautiful beaches, incredible wildlife and some of the best diving in the world. Itis a perfect and pristine destination to create one of the fi nest and unique resorts, while we focus onprotecting and preserving the marine life and wider eco-system.” Sir David Attenborough, in his BBC TV series Life on Earth, described Aldabra atoll as “one of theworld’s greatest surviving natural treasures.”

The new Attorney General of Seychelles, Vincent Perera, was sworn in on Wednesday at State House. Perera said, «Together with my team, I will pledge that I will be contributing to the best of my abilities to see that the rule of law in this beautiful country is upheld.» He revealed that «there are changes in the system we operate that I intend to bring through my experience of working in other jurisdictions, so I have to beef up the prosecutors with the necessary skills.» This will include the necessary training to ensure that they are one step ahead of criminals and that «together we shall ensure that guilt shall not escape, nor innocent suffer,» he said. The Attorney General's Office has the mandate of providing the government with legal advice and is the country's criminal prosecution service. It is also responsible for ensuring legal footing when the government signs international treaties, conventions and agreements as well as other complex contracts the government enters. Sri Lanka-born Perera is qualified as an attorney-at-law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, barrister and solicitor of Fiji and an accredited mediator at the Singapore Mediation Centre. He also holds a Master of Laws degree from the University of Colombo and before he was appointed Attorney General, Perera was working at the Seychelles' Attorney General's Office as a legal consultant heading civil litigation. Perera said that he will be studying the issue of case backlogs in the system. «When I come to know the statistics, I will devise a system, because I have the experience in clearing backlogs,» he added. Perera will be holding office for the coming four years, replacing Frank Ally, who has held the post since October 2017. 

A Chinese Navy Ship, Xu Chang, is currently berthed in Port Victoria on a three-day visit for some much-needed rest and recuperation before proceeding on its way to China.  This is the first time that Xu Chang, a ship of 130 metres in length with a width of about 16 metres, visits Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. It has a crew of 150 members.   As a gesture of the friendship and diplomatic ties between Seychelles and China, several people gathered at the port to welcome the ship.  The group included the Chinese community, comprising of Chinese nationals living in the country as well as Seychellois who have ancestors from China. There were also students from the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) and the Seychelles Maritime Academy (SMA) and other groups and associations.  Part of the activities to welcome the vessel to Port Victoria. (Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY  After a warm welcome, visitors toured the ship and learned more about the different equipment they use. Several high level government officials were present, namely, the Minister for Internal Affairs, Errol Fonseka, who welcomed the ship and its occupants to Seychelles and praised them for their apparent professionalism.  The Minister for Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment, Flavien Joubert, said he was impressed with the technology aboard the ship as well as the professionalism of the crew. He said that these exchanges are a clear sign of friendship between the two countries. Seychelles' Chief of Defence Forces, Brigadier Michael Rosette, said the visit «represents the military cooperation between China and Seychelles. This ship is part of a task force that was patrolling in the Red Sea, and now they are on their way home. This is not only a chance for them to rest but also an opportunity to establish cooperation between them and SDF (Seychelles Defence Forces).» SNA spoke to several people who visited the ship, including a student from the Maritime Training Academy, Jean-Yves Joubert. He said he found this visit an opportune moment as a young person involved in the maritime sector to tour a foreign navy ship.  «Even if we were not able to visit the whole ship due to security reasons, I found the visit very interesting,» he added. A group of teachers from the Seychelles Association of Retired Educational Professionals (SAREP) also visited the ship and its vice chairperson, Merida Delcy, said, «The visit was interesting, and even though the weather is very hot today, our members were able to enjoy the visit. The crew aboard were very welcoming, with great hospitality. It was a good experience.» 

A global target of ending extreme poverty by 2030 is «out of reach,» said the World Bank on Tuesday, adding it could take three decades or more to do so. «Global poverty reduction has slowed to a near standstill, with 2020–30 set to be a lost decade,» according to a new report assessing progress on eliminating poverty after the Covid-19 pandemic. The world is experiencing serious setbacks after decades of progress, noted World Bank senior managing director Axel van Trotsenburg. This comes amid overlapping challenges including slow economic growth, the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as climate shocks. He warned that with these crises, «a business-as-usual approach will no longer work.» Almost 700 million people, or 8.5 percent of the global population, live on less than $2.15 daily -- the threshold for extreme poverty. This is set to remain at 7.3 percent in 2030. Today, extreme poverty remains concentrated in countries with low growth and fragility, many in Sub-Saharan Africa, the World Bank said. And 44 percent of the world's population lives on below $6.85 a day, which is the poverty line for upper-middle-income countries. «The number of people living under this poverty line has barely changed since 1990 due to population growth,» the bank noted. It added that «future poverty reduction requires economic growth that is less carbon emissions-intensive than in the past.» Nearly one in five people are expected to be hit by a severe weather shock in their lifetime, and will struggle to bounce back from it, according to the World Bank. © Agence France-Presse

To equip judges and legal professionals of Seychelles' judiciary with the skills to handle the rapid advancement of digital technology, a two-day intensive training was organised recently by the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) and conducted by experts from the United States Secret Service.  In a press release on Monday, the judiciary said that during the training, judges and legal experts were introduced to critical topics such as traditional laws and evolving technology, privacy versus security, and authentication of digital evidence. The training was led by a team of specialists, including Special Agent Chris McCauley, Judge James Hudson, Deputy Criminal Chief for National Security and Cybercrime at the U.S. Department of Justice Ryan Locker, and Network Intrusion Forensic Analysts Jared Lobato and Mike Alvarez. Participants were trained on how to verify the authenticity of digital evidence, from Facebook messages to altered images, a key issue in ensuring that only legitimate evidence is admitted in court. The session also addressed how courts can handle emerging threats like AI-altered images and videos, commonly referred to as the «liar's dividend,» which can cast doubt on the authenticity of digital evidence. On the second day, the focus shifted to more technical aspects, such as mobile device forensics, cryptocurrency investigations, and cross-border challenges in handling digital evidence. Judges learned about the complexities of extracting data from mobile devices and ensuring the integrity of digital evidence in legal proceedings. Participants were able to interact with the experts and discuss real-life situations where judges were faced with certain digital evidence in court, the admissibility of said evidence, and how these can make or break a case. The training also emphasised the importance of understanding digital networks, privacy concerns, and the intricacies of submitting digital evidence in courtrooms, especially in the context of transnational cases. With the world becoming increasingly digital,  Seychelles' Judiciary said it is committed to ensuring that judges are well-prepared to handle cases involving digital evidence. The training is part of a broader effort to continuously upgrade the skills of the judiciary, ensuring that justice keeps pace with technological advancements. This initiative not only enhances the legal system's capacity to address current challenges but also strengthens the judiciary's commitment to transparency, security, and fairness in the age of digital transformation, said the statement.

Seychelles and Ghana are exploring collaboration in fisheries health and education, said the newly accredited Ghanian High Commissioner to Seychelles on Tuesday.   Francisca Ashietey-Odunton made the statement after she presented her credentials to President Wavel Ramkalawan at State House. Ashietey-Odunton said, «Our discussions were focussed on strengthening the relationship between Ghana and the Seychelles.» She told reporters that one of the main topics of discussion revolved around the 100-year-anniversary of King Prempeh of Ashanti's return to Ghana from exile in Seychelles, and how to use that to further enhance the strong bond between Seychelles and the Western African country.   Seychelles and Ghana established diplomatic relations on October 10, 1988, though the two countries have historical ties dating back to the late 1890s. The king of the Ashanti - Prempeh I - along with some members of his family were exiled to Seychelles by the British colonial authorities of the time. «Ghana and Seychelles have quite a lot of similarities, and we are looking to collaborate in areas such fisheries, health, education and trade, for the mutual benefit of our people, and especially when it comes to the youth, we are looking at exchange programmes that both countries can benefit from,» added Ashietey-Odunton. The new high commissioner began her career in the media field, spending four years as the deputy director general of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, before taking up ambassadorial roles in Kenya, Turkey, South Africa and now Seychelles. Also accredited on Tuesday was the Ambassador of Ireland to Seychelles, Nicola Brennan-Brugha.   In her press conference, she said, «Ireland and Seychelles have a very strong bilateral relationship, and our discussion focussed on issues related to climate action, given that both Seychelles and Ireland are experiencing issues related to climate change and trying to address these.» Also accredited was the new ambassador of Ireland. (Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY  The new ambassador commended the President for his leadership of small island developing states (SIDS) on climate action. Brennan-Brugha is also the ambassador to Ethiopia, South Sudan and Djibouti and will be based in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania. The new Netherlands' Ambassador to Seychelles, Henk Jan Bakker, was also accredited. The new ambassador of the Netherlands presenting his credentials to President Ramkalawan. (Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY  «The President and I discussed matters of mutual interest, of which there are a few, and one of them is maritime security,» he told reporters. Bakker explained that the two countries will also look to collaborate in other areas, including cybercrime. Next year, the two nations are expected to sign an asset-sharing agreement on cybercrime.

A 60-year-old French skipper was rescued on Friday off the Seychelles' main island of Mahe after his yacht, Cote Rotie, sank, the Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF) have said in a press statement. According to the SDF, the Seychelles Coast Guard Maritime Operations Centre was alerted that there was a vessel in distress by the Centre Régional Opérationnel de Surveillance et de Sauvetage (CROSS) in Reunion . «Through coordinated efforts, a military plane from the French Air Force on the way to Seychelles was diverted to locate the life raft until Seychelles Air Force (SAF) aircraft could reach him. The French plane remained on station until SAF Dornier arrived and took over the operation,» said the SDF. «Further coordination was done with IDC (Islands Development Company) sand Blue Safari to deploy a boat to recover the man. SAF aircraft successfully guided the boat to the life raft, and the man was rescued and brought ashore on Desrosches late last night,» added the SDF. The Seychelles Defence Forces said the French national was examined by the medical staff on Desroches Island and kept under observation until he was taken to Mahe Island on board a Seychelles Air Force aircraft.   Desroches is the largest in the Amirante Group. It is located 230 kilometres from Mahe, the main island of Seychelles, a group of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean. 

Britain on Monday ordered sanctions against top Iranian military figures after the Islamic republic's October 1 ballistic missile attack on Israel. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Iran had ignored repeated warnings that its «dangerous actions» -- and those of its proxies -- were fuelling conflict in the Middle East. Among the individuals subject to a travel ban and assets freeze are the commander-in-chief of the Iranian army,  Abdolrahim Mousavi, and the head of the air force Hamid Vahedi. Iran said it launched the missile attack in response to Israel's killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon, and the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in a Tehran bombing widely blamed on Israel. It was Iran's second direct attack on Israel after a missile and drone attack in April in response to an air strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus that it blamed on Israel. Lammy, in Luxembourg at a meeting with EU foreign ministers, said in a statement that the sanctions were a way to hold Iran to account and expose those behind the attacks. «Alongside allies and partners, we will continue to take necessary measures to challenge Iran's unacceptable threats and press for de-escalation across the region,» he added. The British list also features the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps intelligence chief Mohammad Kazemi. Two companies, including Iran's space agency, whose technology can be used in cruise and ballistic missile were hit with an assets freeze. Last week, the US government imposed restrictions on dozens of companies in Iran's oil and petrochemicals sectors, to cut off funding of what it said was the country's «destabilising activity». © Agence France-Presse

The UN stressed on Monday the urgent need for ceasefires in both Lebanon and Gaza to avert a broader regional conflict with ramifications for the whole world. «A ceasefire that is sustained by a meaningful peace process ... is the only way to break the cycle of violence, of hatred, of misery,» said UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi. Speaking at the start of the UNHCR refugee agency's annual executive committee meeting in Geneva, he insisted that only a ceasefire could «stem the tide to a major regional war with global implications». His comments came amid escalating Israeli attacks targeting Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, where more than 1,300 people have been killed and a million displaced since late September, according to Lebanese officials. Hezbollah started firing into northern Israel a year ago to support Hamas following its deadly October 7 attacks that sparked the devastating war in Gaza. The near-daily exchange of fire led to the displacement of tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border even before the escalation last month, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to crush Hezbollah to allow Israelis displaced by the violence to return home. «You will have seen the images and heard the numbers; hundreds of thousands of displaced inside Lebanon, seeking reprieve from Israeli airstrikes,» Grandi said. «Once again, the distinction made between civilians and combatants has almost become meaningless.» The UN high commissioner for refugees, who has just returned from Lebanon and neighbouring Syria, slammed attacks impacting humanitarian workers. Grandi paid tribute to two UNHCR workers killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon last month, and also highlighted the 226 staff working for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, killed in Gaza in the past year. «We cannot accept that lives of humanitarians are dismissed as mere collateral damage, or worse, maligned as somehow culpable or complicit,» he said. Despite the attacks, he stressed that the United Nations would «stay and deliver». Grandi highlighted the plight of Syrian refugees who had fled the civil war in their country to seek refuge in Lebanon, only to find themselves «uprooted again». Many have crossed back to Syria along with Lebanese and others fleeing the Israeli airstrikes. UNHCR says 276,000 people have crossed the border so far -- 70 percent of them Syrian nationals. Lebanese authorities put the number at over 400,000. © Agence France-Presse

Seychelles has long been ranked as having the strongest passport in Africa, with the largest number of countries that its citizens have visa exemptions for when travelling, and now it has added Benin to the list. Seychelles and Benin signed a visa exemption agreement at a bilateral meeting during the 19th Summit of the Francophonie held in France from October 4-5, which was undertaken by Seychelles’ Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sylvestre Radegonde. The Summit of the Francophonie, which is the highest body of the l’Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), brought together several heads of state and government of French-speaking countries to discuss important issues such as international cooperation, sustainable development and crisis situations in the French-speaking world, in particular the crisis in Lebanon, Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Seychelles is currently number one in the ranking for the most influential passport in Africa, according to the Henley & Partners 2024 rankings. The rankings, based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), are reflective of passport power through visa-free entry privileges to different countries. Seychelles is 26th worldwide, with 156 visa-free destinations. The island nation has advanced significantly over time, moving up the rankings from 46th place in the globe in 2006, to now 26th place. With the signing of this new agreement, it is expected that this ranking may improve.  

Details of a proposed 26-room wilderness beach reserve at Grand Barbe on Silhouette Island were presented to Bel Ombre inhabitants and other interested parties on Saturday in a public meeting.  The meeting was held at the Bel Ombre District Administration’s office and is the second phase of the assessment process before the Seychelles' government gives the go ahead for the construction of the eco-hotel on Silhouette.  A representative of the operator for the project, Kenya-based Arijiju, Richard Smith, revealed that they plan to incorporate the natural rocks and features as well as existing historical buildings into the property.  Since there is a turtle nesting area at the Grand Barbe beach, Smith stated that they would be staying away from the beach and stressed that the property would be a “wilderness beach reserve and not a beach resort.”  Grand Barbe is located on the northwest coast of Silhouette and is seen as one of the most captivating parts of the island, benefiting from the grandiose backdrop of Mount Dauban, the second-highest peak in Seychelles at 740 metres.  Meanwhile, the Island Conservation Society (ICS) has been appointed as the environmental consultant for the project and it already submitted a report to the Department of Environment in January.  “As it is earmarked to be built in an area of high ecological value, it is for this reason that we have decided to hold a class one Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA),” said the director for environmental assessment and permit in the Department of Environment, Myron Meme.  It is estimated that the property will be spread over a 10 -12 hectares area of Grand Barbe, which will include the rooms, back of house operations and staff quarters.  The developers expect to have around 100 construction workers on site to complete the property due to open its doors in 2026.  “We will be examining all areas in the environmental context of the assessment, from its biodiversity, its operations and even the social and economic aspects,” said Meme.  “We are still in the assessment phase as we are still scoping, and we are still doing our own analysis internally at the ministry," said Meme.  He went on to explain that it is only after all the information is gathered from all concerned that they will be able “to determine what needs to be preserved in the area at all costs and to what extent we will allow the development to proceed”.  Meanwhile, those attending the meeting were able to voice their concerns as to what would happen to the two cemeteries on the proposed development site, the fate of the two remaining Grand Barbe inhabitants and the impact of the construction work on the area’s ecosystem among others.  Meme explained that “if there is a resettlement issue, this is something that we will have to discuss with the authorities concerned, gather as much information as possible about the situation, in order to determine what are the appropriate steps we will have to take.” The Island Development Company (IDC) chief executive officer, Glenny Savy, reassured those present that despite the development at Grand Barbe, that they will preserve and restore all the historical aspects of the area. The state-owned IDC manages the island.  “Silhouette is a place rich in history and we want to keep it that way,” he said.  Those attending the meeting were given a scoping form to fill out, and hand in by October 31.

Israel battled Hezbollah in south Lebanon as the air force expanded its bombardment of the country, with the Iran-backed group reporting «point-blank range» fighting and Israel announcing the capture of a fighter. Israeli warplanes hit a 100-year-old mosque in a village near the border on Sunday, Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said. On Saturday a marketplace in the southern city of Nabatiyeh was hit. «It's as if an earthquake shook the Nabatiyeh market. It's been completely destroyed,» said resident Tarek Sadaka in disbelief. There were also deadly strikes on a Shiite Muslim village in a mostly Christian mountain area and another in north Lebanon, the health ministry said. AFP footage from the northern Deir Billa area showed rescuers and villagers digging through debris left by a strike with their bare hands. In Kfar Tibnit, the NNA said a strike destroyed a mosque. «It was a significant place because families used to gather in the square right next to it on special occasions,» Mayor Fuad Yassin told AFP, adding that the mosque was at least 100 years old. The health ministry said strikes on three villages on Saturday killed 15 people. The Lebanese Red Cross said paramedics were lightly injured and ambulances destroyed in Sirbin when a house was hit by a second air strike as they searched for casualties. Israel has alleged that militants use civilian infrastructure in Lebanon and Gaza to conduct operations -- a claim the groups have denied. The Israeli military said its 36th division continued «targeted and limited operational activity» against Hezbollah. Jets hit «Hezbollah launchers, anti-tank missile posts, weapons storage facilities and additional terror targets» and on the ground, soldiers «eliminated dozens of terrorists», it said. According to the NNA, Israeli forces have «escalated their attacks» on southern Lebanon, with «successive air strikes from midnight until morning» pounding several border villages. Iran-backed Hezbollah said it clashed with Israeli troops who tried to «infiltrate» twice into a border village, sparking an hour-long battle. It later said it shelled Israeli soldiers gathered in the village of Maroun al-Ras, and that in Blida village, its forces engaged Israeli soldiers «with machine guns at point-blank range». It also said it launched a salvo of rockets at a «base in southern Haifa» in Israel. Israel said it intercepted five projectiles after Hezbollah launched around 320 projectiles into Israel over the weekend of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. It also said it struck roughly 280 «terror targets» in Lebanon and Gaza over the same period. A Hezbollah fighter was captured emerging from a tunnel in south Lebanon on Sunday, Israel's military said, the first such announcement since the start of the ground offensive. - 'No military solution' - With no sign of the war easing, UN peacekeepers in Lebanon warned against a «catastrophic» regional conflict. Andrea Tenenti, spokesperson for the United Nations peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, told AFP he feared an Israeli escalation against Hezbollah could soon spiral «into a regional conflict with catastrophic impact for everyone». There is «no military solution», Tenenti said. At least five UN peacekeepers have been wounded in recent days as Israeli forces battle Hezbollah. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told his US counterpart troops would «continue to take measures to avoid harm to UNIFIL troops», his ministry said Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called on the UN chief to remove peacekeepers in southern Lebanon out of harm's way, after the force rejected repeated requests to abandon their positions. - Lebanon call for ceasefire - Hamas sparked the year-long war in Gaza by launching the deadliest-ever attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures. The number includes hostages killed in captivity. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says 42,227 people, the majority civilians, have been killed since Israel's military campaign began there. The UN acknowledges these figures to be reliable. In support of its ally Hamas, Hezbollah started firing into northern Israel in October last year, triggering a near-daily exchange of fire that even before the current escalation had led to the displacement of tens of thousands of people. In September, Israel expanded its focus to Lebanon, with Netanyahu vowing to fight Hezbollah until Israelis displaced by the violence could return to their homes. Since Israel began a wave of air strikes on targets around Lebanon and sent troops across the border, more than 1,200 people have been killed, according to an AFP tally of Lebanese health ministry figures, and a million others have been displaced. Efforts to negotiate an end to the Lebanon and Gaza wars have so far failed. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said his government would ask the UN Security Council to issue a new resolution calling for a «full and immediate ceasefire». In a show of support for Hezbollah -- which Tehran arms and finances -- the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, on Saturday visited the Lebanese capital. In another high-level contact ahead of Israel's expected retaliation for Iran's October 1 missile attack, Iran's top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, visited Iraq on Sunday. There, he vowed there would be «no red lines» for Iran in defending its people and interests. - 'Risk of death' - In Gaza, Israeli forces have focused on an area around Jabalia in the north, with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, saying the fighting is causing more suffering for hundreds of thousands of people trapped there. «Our brave soldiers are now in the heart of Jabalia, where they are dismantling the Hamas strongholds,» Netanyahu said. Hamas on Sunday condemned what it described as Israel's «criminal military campaign» in the northern Gaza Strip. Palestinians trapped in the Gaza Strip, many of whom have been uprooted multiple times by the war, were praying for an end to the violence. «There is no safe place, neither in the south nor in the north -- everyone is at risk of death,» Gaza resident Sami Asliya, 27, told AFP. © Agence France-Presse  

During the Lospitalite Lafyerte Sesel (Hospitality Pride of Seychelles) Service Excellence Awards 2024 at the end of September, individuals and organisations were crowned for their excellence in the tourism industry. Seychelles has been trying to diversify its tourism products and cultural tourism is one of the main areas that has been promoted. One person who has excelled in this area is Collin Constance, the founder and creative director of Kokosye, which provides visitors to the island of La Digue with unique and traditional cultural experiences. At the 3rd edition of the Lospitalite Lafyerte Sesel Awards, Constance won the Minister’s Award, presented by President Wavel Ramkalawan. SNA caught up with the entrepreneur to learn more about his business and how he is developing it.   SNA: What is Kokosye? What do you offer?  CC: Kokosye was set up in 2022, but we started with our activities mid last year. I often refer to Kokosye as a collection of stories from the island of La Digue, crafted into pieces of locally made products and immersive cultural experiences. Through Kokosye, we offer workshops like Creole cooking classes and coconut leaf weaving classes, giving visitors and locals as well a chance to engage directly with the island’s traditions, while learning about its background and history. We also host cultural events like 'Merkredi Moutya'[Wednesday Moutya dancing] and ‘Local Tea & Cake Tasting’, celebrating the rich heritage of La Digue. In addition, we support events like the Creole Rendezvous, organized by the Department of Tourism, where we do traditional wear photoshoots. Beyond events, we assist small local businesses with branding and development services, often helping them incorporate cultural elements into their offerings, which we proudly promote through our platform. SNA: Do you see much interest in the services you offer? CC: I see a lot of interest in what we offer because, in a place where most businesses focus on the same types of activities, it's refreshing for tourists to have options that are more immersive and offer a true learning experience. There's also a strong interest from locals who want to participate and take pride in our Creole culture, learning things they didn’t know about their own heritage. It’s wonderful to see both tourists and locals engaging with these experiences in such a meaningful way.   (Collin Constance) Photo license: All Rights Reserved SNA: Have you always been offering your services online? How has this benefitted you? CC: I consider myself a digital nomad, able to travel or stay at home while working from my laptop anywhere I go. I wanted to create a business that promotes and facilitates cultural activities on my island, even if I'm not physically there, which is why I do so much online. So, most of the bookings for these experiences and promotion of events and these activities are made online. We actively engage in educating people about the importance of preserving cultural traditions, fostering a deeper appreciation for our local heritage. By harnessing the power of technology, we document and share this culture through videos, photos, and sharing it via social media, as well as our website, www.kokosye.com. Using these digital tools, we ensure that our cultural heritage is not only preserved but made more accessible to a wider audience.   SNA: You recently won the Minister’s Award during the 'Lospitalite Lafyerte Sesel’ Service Excellence Awards, were you expecting this? CC: I was recently honoured with this special and newly introduced category that recognises an individual or a business that has made an innovative and impactful contribution to the tourism industry. I received the award for my work focusing on Creole culture, my use of technology and online platforms, and my active efforts to create positive change in my community on La Digue. It came as a surprise since I thought I was attending simply as a thank-you for supporting the tourism department and helping elevate the island’s cultural offerings. I’m deeply grateful for the recognition, as it shows that my efforts are valued, and I dedicate this award to all my partners and cultural practitioners in the community who have helped me move this project forward.   (Collin Constance) Photo license: All Rights Reserved SNA: In what way will this award help Kokosye? CC: The award has definitely helped by giving me more exposure and added credibility. At the event, there were managers and representatives from various tourism establishments, including small and large hotels, destination management companies, and others. Since then, some have reached out to discuss potential collaborations, which has opened up exciting new opportunities for Kokosye.   SNA: What does the future look like for Kokosye? What direction do you intend to take this business? CC: I’m currently working on adding a few more cultural experiences to what we offer. People have been asking if I plan to expand to Mahé and Praslin, but for now, I want to keep Kokosye as a La Digue heritage brand. My focus is on growing it from here while maintaining the high level of quality in both service and offerings. I also have some exciting projects that I’m working on that will come later on this year or beginning of next year.    (Collin Constance) Photo license: All Rights Reserved SNA: What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs? CC: My advice to other entrepreneurs is to stop doubting yourself and take the leap. Dive in headfirst—you’ll learn and adapt along the way. If it works, fantastic. If not, find new ways to make it work. When you're passionate about something, pursue it and the rest will fall into place as you go.   (Collin Constance) Photo license: All Rights Reserved  

Comoros shocked Tunisia 1-0 on Friday to end a run of 16 consecutive home victories in Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers by the Carthage Eagles. Premier League sharpshooters Mohamed Salah and Bryan Mbeumo struck key goals, South Africa hit a record-equalling five and Nigeria snatched a late win in other matchday 3 qualifiers. French second-tier league forward Rafiki Said scored midway through the second half in Rades to lift Comoros to second in Group A, one point behind Tunisia halfway through the campaign. Comoros, a tiny island nation off the south-east coast of Africa, have a habit of causing upsets, most notably when beating Ghana to reach the second round at the 2022 AFCON. But the islanders were given little chance of succeeding away to former champions Tunisia, who are ranked fifth in Africa, and 82 places above Comoros in the world. The lack of a international-standard stadium in Moroni means the Comorans must host Tunisia in matchday 4 on Tuesday in Abidjan, the Ivorian commercial capital. Record seven-time African champions Egypt faced stubborn resistance from Mauritania in Cairo until Mahmoud 'Trezeguet' Hassan netted 69 minutes into the Group C clash. Prolific Liverpool scorer Salah put the outcome beyond doubt with a second goal 10 minutes later to maintain the perfect record of the Pharaohs after three rounds. Runaway leaders Egypt have nine points, leaving Cape Verde, Botswana and Mauritania -- all with three -- battling to claim the second qualifying place for the 2025 finals in Morocco. Mbeumo, whose six goals for Brentford has been bettered only by Erling Haaland of Manchester City this season, netted just before half-time to put Cameroon two goals ahead of Kenya. Cameroon, who boast the second best AFCON record with five titles, went on to triumph 4-1 in Yaounde with Vincent Aboubakar, Martin Hongla and Christian Bassogog the other scorers. Victory lifted Cameroon to the top of Group J with seven points. Zimbabwe have five, Kenya four and Namibia are pointless. - Mokoena stars - South Africa, third at the AFCON this year behind hosts and winners Ivory Coast and Nigeria, matched a 5-0 scoreline against Guatemala in a 2010 World Cup warm-up as they outplayed Congo. Teboho Mokoena, sidelined by Mamelodi Sundowns because of a dispute with his coach, showed no rustiness as he headed a corner into the net, then scored again via a half-volley. Further goals from Bathusi Aubaas, who stretched the lead to 3-0 by half-time, Lyle Foster and substitute Iqraam Rayners completed the rout of a poor Congolese side. The Group K match in Gqeberha was halted by the Mauritanian referee for 18 minutes during the first half after several spectators entered the pitch to join goal celebrations. However, South Africa coach Hugo Broos warned his team to expect a much tougher return match in Brazzaville on Tuesday. «Come tomorrow, our five-goal victory will be history. We have got to repeat the fantastic mentality shown tonight,» said the Belgian who coached Cameroon to the 2017 AFCON title. Uganda and South Africa have seven points each, Congo three and South Sudan none. The co-leaders can both clinch qualification if they win on Tuesday. Nigerian supporters endured 85 anxious minutes in Uyo against Libya before Lazio midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru moved undetected into the box and fired the winning goal past Murad al Woheshi. Under caretaker coach Augustin Eguavoen, three-time AFCON champions Nigeria have collected seven points in Group D. Benin have six, Rwanda two and Libya one. The difficulty the Super Eagles experienced in breaking down the Mediterranean Knights defence can partly be explained by the absence through injury of star forward Victor Osimhen. Former African Footballer of the Year Sadio Mane scored for Senegal and Chelsea star Nicolas Jackson completed a 4-0 Group L rout of Malawi, who had goalkeeper Brighton Munthali sent off after 16 minutes in Dakar. © Agence France-Presse

LGBTI Sey is a non-governmental organisation set up in 2015 regrouping the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex persons in the country. It advocates for equal human rights, irrespective of sexual orientation or gender identity and its current strategy is to increase visibility and awareness on LGBTI issues. The organisation currently has around 200 members. SNA spoke to its chairperson Rebecca Julienne, who assumed the position in 2022, on the evolution of the association and the challenges it faces.⁠    SNA: What would you say are the main challenges you’ve faced since you took this position in 2022? RJ: I think my biggest challenge has been the enormity of the role itself. Having so many people of different walks of life depending on you to have their best interests at heart and to deliver on those interests has been by far the most challenging thing but also the most rewarding.    SNA:⁠ ⁠The LGBTI Sey Association currently has around 200 members, would you say you receive enough support from the members of the association? Are they engaged enough? RJ: I would say that the community is of course much larger and that we are constantly on the lookout for innovative ideas for our events from new and engaging individuals, some of whom have already approached me directly to either offer financial or technical support. I would be much happier with more engagement, however.    SNA: ⁠What about the LGBTI community, who are not members, are they engaged with the association? What kind of activities does LGBTI Sey do to promote engagement?  RJ: The activities we host are always open to the public. I stand by the Association being a human rights group and so always support our events as welcoming spaces for members, non-members and human rights activists alike. There have been interactive workshops in the past and our social media accounts are still promoting events. Of course, due to last year’s registration issue, we took a hiatus to reformat our administrative framework and re-strategise to best suit the community’s current needs.    SNA: What is next for the Association? RJ: Now, we are recruiting. I am happy to say that the Association’s constitution is being amended to provide greater spaces for outside ideas to be incorporated into our calendar of events. We are rebranding to make sure that younger community members have a greater say on how the Association can better meet their needs.   SNA: The recent hate speech amendment bill was adopted by the National Assembly, for the Penal Code to include hate as an aggravating factor in offences based on a victim’s actual or perceived protected characteristics. What are your opinions on this?  RJ: As I said, I consider the Association’s work as a branch of human rights activism. Seychelles has been a leader in this for as long as I can remember. We are a people who pride ourselves on being a melting pot. I think this hate speech amendment is a definite move in the right direction towards a country we can all proudly say supports human dignity and fights for it to be upheld.   SNA: ⁠Do members of the LGBTI community in Seychelles face a lot of stigmas? RJ: Stigma has always existed in any country. Whether a lot or a little, it is still a stigma and the community definitely faces it. We do however, have immense support and this gives me hope that within my lifetime, Seychelles will hold itself accountable to all its people and give them all the same liberties to be themselves. We are only as strong as our diversity.   SNA: ⁠What more does the LGBTI community expect in Seychelles? RJ: There is no such thing as more. The country is only as strong as its most vulnerable people. All Seychellois are owed the right to live safely and thrive in their own country and to that end contribute to their country to the best of their ability. No one can be their best and do their best in an environment that stifles their authenticity.   SNA: ⁠Would gay marriage and adoption be subjects that the LGBTI Sey community have discussed before? Are these causes that the Association, and the community expect to support in the future? RJ: This has always been a subject of discourse and one I strongly believe should have ended a long time ago. Two consenting adults who love each other and want to show that love through marriage, absolutely, the Association supports it. And what child does not thrive in a home where their caregivers do not love each other. There are far too many children without loving homes in the world.   SNA: What is your opinion about the current state of affairs in Seychelles for how the LGBTI community is treated? RJ: We could do better. We should do better. We must be better.  

Construction for The Residences at Meliá Seychelles is well underway, with the development expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2026, which will then be followed by the official opening. Already the main buildings for the business and leisure resort project, undertaken by the Seafront Development Ltd, have reached roof height. The project is located near L’Escale Resort and across from Eden Island, on reclaimed land on the east coast of Mahe, the main island, near the capital Victoria. The construction site (Seychelles News Agency) Photo license: CC-BY   This five-star development will showcase the Spanish Meliá Hotel Group’s debut in Seychelles, offering 120 hotel rooms, 68 branded apartments, a conference centre, a commercial hub, multiple restaurants, a spa, gym, a 48-metre infinity pool, and Seychelles’ first rooftop bar on the 6th floor overlooking the Eden Island and its superyacht marina and St. Anne Marine Park. Speaking to the media on Thursday, the project development manager, Rod Thorrington, said that “The Residences at Meliá Seychelles allows investors to acquire 68 freehold title apartments, priced between $500,000 and $1.5 million, all managed by world-renowned Meliá Hotels & Resorts. Apartment owners will enjoy full access to the hotel's extensive amenities.” Infinity pool (The Residences at Meliá Seychelles) Photo license: CC-BY He explained that as the first branded apartments project on the island, there will be 40 units in the South Block and 28 in the North Block. The South Block apartments come fully furnished and are included in the 5-star Meliá Resort’s rental pool for renting out to hotel guests. In addition, the rental pool offers owners 42 days of complimentary usage each year. “The first twenty buyers in the South Block will benefit from a guaranteed minimum annual net yield of 5 percent for the first 3 years,” said Thorrington. The 28 apartments in the North Block will be sold as private residential units for owners to live in or for rental to their long-term tenants, who will have access to hotel amenities. And they will also come fully furnished. Thorrington further elaborated on the background behind the project, specifically the circumstances behind the location of the development. The project is being undertaken where an international medical centre proposal would have been situated, had it been completed many years ago. Thorrington said that “when the previous developer for what would have been the Seychelles International Medical Centre dropped that project, around 16-17 years ago, the lender, Nouvobanq, took over the lease. Seafront Development Ltd acquired the lease back in 2020.” Rear view, overlooking Eden Island and St. Anne Marine Park (The Residences at Meliá Seychelles) Photo license: CC-BY Apart from the branded residences, the hotel and conference facilities, The Residence at Meliá Seychelles will also have a private hospital. This facility is expected to serve both guests of the hotel, residents and locals as well. Thorrington added that as of yet, they are in discussions with an operator for the hospital and, therefore, information is limited regarding this. Seafront Development Ltd is a collaboration between Land Marine Ltd, a local port management and marine logistics company, and UAE-based ASB Limited, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Albwardy Investment LLC. Albwardy Investment LLC already has a diverse portfolio within the hospitality industry, including the Four Seasons Seychelles Resort. Thorrington clarified that Seafront Development Ltd is registered in Seychelles and Land Marine Ltd owns 51% percent while Albwardy Investment LLC owns 49 percent. The project is being built by the Green Island Construction Company (GICC). Aerial view (The Residences at Meliá Seychelles) Photo license: CC-BY The recruitment for staff will start next year with the aim of officially opening their doors early in 2026. In total, around 400 jobs will be created, and they plan on hiring as many qualified Seychellois as possible. Thorrington said that this project is also an opportunity to market Seychelles and various investment opportunities to the rest of the world. “We have launched our international sales and marketing campaign, through Pam Golding International, which has a far reach. This is important as it speaks to a continued effort to attract foreign investments to Seychelles…We are also investing and creating value, in return we’ll see opportunities to have sales taxes, VAT, income tax, property tax and obviously all the other taxes that go along with operations for Seychelles. We are very proud of our latest investment, especially at an international level in Seychelles,” he said. Founded in 1956 in Mallorca, Spain, Meliá Hotels International has a portfolio of more than 347 hotels, across more than 40 countries and 10 brands. Ranking No. 1 in Spain and No. 3 in Europe, Meliá Group boasts an exceptional loyalty programme that enables members to benefit from their global portfolio. In 1996, it was the first hotel company in the world to go public. Today, it is still a family-run business, headed by Gabriel Escarrar Jaume, son of the original founder, Gabriel Escarrer Julià.

Seychelles' 39th edition of the Creole Festival, under the theme 'Lakwizin Kreol' (Creole Cuisine), opened with an exhibition at Kenwyn House on Thursday evening. Every Seychellois citizen has the moral obligation and responsibility of safeguarding their Creole heritage, the secretary general of the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts (SNICHA), David Andre, said at the opening ceremony, attended by Vice President Ahmed Afif. “Today more than ever in this world of globalisation and turmoil, we must all join together and lend a helping hand in protecting and preserving so that we don’t lose what is precious to us - our culture which is our soul as a people,” he said. The month-long «Festival Kreol» is an annual celebration of the various aspects of the country's culture. For the second year running, the festival was officially launched with an exhibition - this year it is entitled ‘Kwen Tapi’ or patchwork. In Seychellois Creole tradition, people would use pieces of remaining fabric to make bedsheets, towels and door mats among others. For its part, the Kwen Tapi exhibition is one showcasing the work of both seasoned artists like Leon Radegonde alongside that of students at the Seychelles Institute of Art and Design (SIAD). “We feel that visual artists are in a good position to highlight certain aspects of the Creole culture,” permanent secretary for Culture, Cecile Kalebi, explained to the press in an interview. The exhibition’s curator - who also has two pieces on show - Emmanuel D’Offay, said in his foreword that the exhibition “is a reflection of the Creole Society, where people of different races and cultures are living together harmoniously.” Although the festival organisers are promising a packed programme for this edition, they also explained that the celebrations will be on a lower scale.   Traditional dance features in the Creole Festival (File photo: Seychelles Nation) Photo license: All Rights Reserved   “This year all the popular activities of the Creole Festival will take place, although we are doing it on a smaller scale in preparation for the celebration of the 40th edition next year,” Kalebi said. Kwen Tapi is open to the public at Kenwyn House until November 5.

Nouvobanq S.I.M.B.C. (Seychelles International Mercantile Banking Corporation) has announced that its main British banking partner, Standard Chartered Bank, and a consortium of Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank and SWC Limited, have entered into an agreement for the sale of Standard Chartered’s 22 percent minority shareholding in Nouvobanq, according to the bank's press statement on Thursday. “The agreement with the Consortium for the sale of the Bank’s stake in Nouvobanq is in line with Standard Chartered’s global strategy, aimed at achieving operational efficiencies, reducing complexity, and driving scale. The transaction remains subject to applicable regulatory approvals. Nouvobanq, Standard Chartered and the Consortium will work closely together in the coming months to complete the transition, with the transaction expected to be completed within 6 months,” it said. Nouvobanq will continue to operate its business as usual throughout this period, the bank assured. Nouvobanq is a commercial bank, founded in 1991, in a joint venture between the Seychelles’ government and Standard Chartered Bank.

Loud bangs sounded, thick columns of smoke rose and ambulance sirens rang throughout the night as deadly Israeli strikes hit residential areas of central Beirut on Thursday evening. The Israeli attacks hit two central Beirut locations, killing 22 people and injuring over 100, Lebanon's health ministry said. They were the deadliest such attacks to target central Beirut since Israel intensified its bombardment campaign on the country two weeks ago. In the working-class district of Basta, whose inhabitants are largely Sunni and Shiite Muslim, two old buildings of three or four floors had collapsed. Around a kilometre away (less than a mile), a Beirut resident was still reeling from the terrifying sound of the blast. «I'm not scared usually, but it was like an earthquake,» she said, adding that she wanted to flee the area. Rescuers pointed large spotlights at the rubble to see in the dark. Dozens of men, some in yellow vests, worked to clear the debris with shovels, some stepping in mud after a pipe appeared to have burst. «Watch out, there's a hole over there,» one called out. Several wounded people lay by the side of the road, while others collected their clothes in bags as they prepared to flee the area. - Injured hand - Israel has repeatedly pounded Beirut's southern suburbs, the bastion of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, over the last two weeks but Thursday's raid was only the third time the city centre has been targeted. At the site of the second strike in the Nweiri neighbourhood, a brand new eight-storey building had been damaged. Ayman, who lives across the street and declined to give his last name, said he «heard three explosions». «The kitchen windows exploded... and my son started crying,» he said. Firemen worked to put out the blaze after the strike on what the National News Agency described as a «residential building». They worked to evacuate residents from the upper floors using a ladder. Hassan Jaber, who lives in a nearby building, said he was wounded in the hand and leg. «I went out to throw out the rubbish, opened the door of the lift and the strike hit» and he was propelled to the ground, he said. «It was such a big shock,» he said, bewildered. The atmosphere was tense after Hezbollah and the Lebanese army set up a security cordon around the area. Hezbollah said it was cancelling a press conference planned for Friday, «in view of current developments». - Other strikes - After almost a year of cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel increased its air strikes against what it said are Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on September 23. Since then, Israeli strikes have killed upwards of 1,200 people and displaced more than one million, according to official figures. A massive Israeli strike on September 27 killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in the southern suburbs, for which there was no Israeli military warning. A five-minute drive away in another part of town, another person said the strikes sounded incredibly close. Two other strikes have hit central Beirut in the past few weeks. Earlier this month, Israel carried out a deadly air raid in Beirut, hitting an emergency services rescue facility run by Hezbollah, killing seven workers, the service said. That strike was a short drive away from a commercial area in downtown Beirut and the seat of government. On September 30, an Israeli drone strike on a building in Beirut's busy Cola district killed three members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the leftist armed group said. The damaged building can be seen from the main highway bridge linking the Beirut city centre to the airport. © Agence France-Presse

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will on Friday meet Pope Francis and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as he ends a whirlwind tour of Europe aimed at drumming up support ahead of a tough winter. Zelensky is seeking a military and financial boost during a 48-hour trip to London, Paris, Rome and Berlin, amid fears of dwindling support if Donald Trump wins the US presidency next month. Zelensky will meet Pope Francis at the Vatican on Friday morning before flying to Berlin, where he is due to meet Scholz, whose government plans to halve its bilateral military aid to Ukraine next year. The Ukrainian president travelled to Rome Thursday for a working dinner with Giorgia Meloni, after which the Italian prime minister announced the city would host the next «recovery conference» to help Ukraine's reconstruction on July 10-11, 2025. «Ukraine is not alone and we will stand with it for as long as needed,» Meloni told reporters after the supper. Zelensky also held talks with France's President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, after which he denied media reports that he was discussing the terms of a ceasefire with Russia. «This is not the topic of our discussions,» he told the press in the French capital. «It's not right. Russia works a lot with media disinformation so it (such reports) is understandable,» he added. Zelensky has rejected any peace plan that involves ceding land to Russia, arguing Moscow must first withdraw all troops from Ukrainian territory. Zelensky also said he and Macron had discussed Kyiv's «victory plan» to defeat Russia. «Before winter we need your support,» he added, acknowledging «a difficult situation in the east» and a «big deficit» in terms of some equipment. Without elaborating, Macron said Zelensky had outlined Ukraine's «plan for the next weeks» and the pair had discussed strategy for the coming «weeks and months». Macron emphasised he had reaffirmed France's support «for the Ukrainian resistance against the Russian invasion». Zelensky said later on Telegram that they had discussed the possibility of France and Ukraine jointly producing arms. - Tough winter - Ukraine is facing its toughest winter since the full-scale invasion started in February 2022, as Russia launches strikes on the country's power grid and advances across the eastern front line. Zelensky arrived in Paris from London where he had had talks with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and NATO chief Mark Rutte. Speaking after his Downing Street meeting, Zelensky said he had «outlined the details of our victory plan», adding that it «aims to create the right conditions for a just end to the war». The meeting, Starmer said, had been a chance to «go through the plan, to talk in more detail». Zelensky has said Ukraine desperately needs more aid to fight back after Russia captured dozens of small towns and villages in the east. He is also pushing for clearance to use long-range weapons supplied by allies, to strike military targets deep inside Russia. Washington and London have stalled on giving approval over fears it could draw NATO allies into direct conflict with Russia. Zelensky said he had raised the subject at the Downing Street meeting. Rutte told reporters: «Legally, Ukraine is allowed to use its weapons, if they can hit targets in Russia, if these targets present a threat to Ukraine.» A planned meeting of Ukraine's allies in Germany on Saturday was postponed after US President Joe Biden called off his visit to focus on the threat from Hurricane Milton. © Agence France-Presse

Wild populations of monitored animal species have plummeted over 70 percent in the last half-century, according to the latest edition of a landmark assessment by WWF published on Thursday. Featuring data from 35,000 populations of more than 5,000 species of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish, the WWF Living Planet Index shows accelerating declines across the globe. In biodiversity-rich regions such as Latin America and the Caribbean, the figure for animal population loss is as high as 95 percent. The report tracks trends in the abundance of a large number of species, not individual animal numbers. It found that populations under review had fallen 73 percent since 1970, mostly due to human pressures. The index has become an international reference and arrives just ahead of the next UN summit on biodiversity, which will spotlight the issue when it opens in Colombia later this month. «The picture we are painting is incredibly concerning,» said Kirsten Schuijt, Director General of WWF International, at a press briefing. - Tipping points - «This is not just about wildlife, it's about the essential ecosystems that sustain human life,» said Daudi Sumba, chief conservation officer at WWF. The report reiterates the need to simultaneously confront the «interconnected» crises of climate change and nature destruction, and warned of major «tipping points» approaching certain ecosystems. «The changes could be irreversible, with devastating consequences for humanity,» he said, using the example of deforestation in the Amazon, which could «shift this critical ecosystem from a carbon sink to a carbon source.» «Habitat degradation and loss, driven primarily by our food system, is the most reported threat in each region, followed by overexploitation, invasive species and disease,» the report said. Other threats include climate change, in particular in Latin America and the Caribbean, and pollution, notably in North America, Asia and the Pacific. - 'Incredibly concerning' - The biggest decline is found in populations of freshwater species, followed by terrestrial and marine vertebrates. «We have emptied the oceans of 40 percent of their biomass,» said Yann Laurans of WWF France. Continent by continent, the average decline reached 95 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean, followed by Africa, down 76 percent, and then Asia and the Pacific, which declined 60 percent. The reduction in populations is «less spectacular» in Europe, Central Asia and North America. Some populations have stabilised or even expanded thanks to conservation efforts and the reintroduction of species, the report said. The European bison, for example, disappeared in the wild in 1927 but in 2020 numbered 6,800 thanks to large-scale breeding and successful reintroduction, mainly in protected areas. While calling the overall picture «incredibly concerning,» Schuijt added: «The good news is that we're not yet past the point of no return.» She pointed to global efforts including a breakthrough pact landed at the last UN meeting on biodiversity in 2022 to protect 30 percent of the planet by 2030 from pollution, degradation and climate change. But she warned, «all of these agreements have checkpoints in 2030 that are in danger of being missed.» Several scientific studies published by the journal Nature have accused WWF of methodological biases in its index that lead to an exaggerated extent of the decline of animals. «We remain really confident of its robustness,» said Andrew Terry of the Zoological Society of London at a press briefing, highlighting the use of a «range of indicators, looking at extinction risk, biodiversity and ecosystem health to really broaden that picture». © Agence France-Presse

Rafael Nadal on Thursday announced he will retire after the Davis Cup finals in November, ending a career which brought 22 Grand Slam titles, global respect and inspired epic, iconic rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. «I am retiring from professional tennis. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially,» Nadal said in a video on social media. «It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make. But in this life everything has a beginning and an end.» The 38-year-old Spaniard is set to end his two decades as a professional with 92 titles and prize money alone of $135 million, indisputably one of the greatest tennis players in history. «What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come,» said 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer. «Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It's been an absolute honor!» Current world number one Jannik Sinner said Nadal's departure from the sport was «tough news for the tennis world», but it comes after another injury-plagued season. After being limited to four matches in 2023, Nadal returned from a year out in January but missed the Australian Open with a muscle tear. He made his comeback at Barcelona in April and reached his first final in two years on the clay of Bastad in July. Nadal though lost in the first round of the French Open to Alexander Zverev, making an emotional goodbye to Grand Slam tennis, before he was swept aside on the same Philippe Chatrier court by Djokovic at the Olympics. His last appearance was a doubles quarter-final loss alongside Carlos Alcaraz at the Paris Games. «Thank you so much for being an example on every level, your legacy is incomparable,» Alcaraz wrote on social media. Nadal's farewell will come next month in Malaga, teaming up again with Alcaraz in the Spain squad as he bids to sign off with a sixth Davis Cup triumph. «I think it's the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined,» said Nadal. «But I am very excited that my last tournament will be the final of the Davis Cup and representing my country.» «I think I've come full circle,» added Nadal, who won the Davis Cup for the first time as a teenager in 2004. Nadal dominated the French Open where he won 14 of his majors, his first arriving just days after his 19th birthday in 2005, his last in 2022 briefly making him the event's oldest champion before Djokovic broke the record. On the famous crushed brick of Roland Garros, he lost just five times in 118 matches. He was also a four-time champion at the US Open and a two-time winner at the Australian Open, his first triumph coming in 2009; his second 13 years later. Nadal also won Wimbledon twice, in 2008 and 2010 even though grass seemed to be the surface most likely to expose any shortcomings in his game. His five-set victory over Federer in the 2008 championship match, which ended in almost complete darkness at the All England Club, is widely regarded as the greatest Slam final ever played. Nadal claimed a career Golden Slam when he took Olympic gold in 2008. He was a five-time year-end world number one and never left the top 10 from 2005 until March last year. In total, he spent 209 weeks in top spot and between 2004 and 2022, won at least one title every year. In his long rivalry with close friend Federer, who retired two years ago, he enjoyed a 24-16 edge. Nadal surpassed Federer's mark of 20 majors in Australia in 2022. He and Djokovic, the all-time leader with 24 men's Grand Slam titles, met 60 times with the Serb ahead by two. Despite his record-breaking career, Nadal was plagued by injuries, a painful by-product of his all-action, brutal-hitting style. - Injury-plagued- Ankle, wrist, knee, elbow and abdominal problems caused him to sit out 18 Grand Slam tournaments and withdraw mid-event on five occasions at the majors. Nadal has for years suffered from a problem in his foot called Muller-Weiss syndrome, a rare and degenerative condition affecting bones in the feet. At the 2022 French Open, he admitted that his title charge would have been impossible without daily pain-killing injections in his foot. Nadal then underwent a medical procedure which required nerves in the foot to be burned to allow him to extend his career. However, the creaks in the body were getting louder. An abdominal strain forced him out of Wimbledon where he had made the semi-finals. He was then struck down with a hip injury at the Australian Open the following January as he crashed out in the second round -- his earliest exit at the majors in seven years. Nadal possibly sensed the writing was on the wall at the 2022 Laver Cup in London when he played alongside Federer in the great Swiss star's final tournament. The two men wept and even grasped each other's hands as the Federer era ended. «When Roger leaves the tour, an important part of my life is leaving too,» said Nadal. © Agence France-Presse

Seychelles’ Cabinet of Ministers has approved the necessary steps for Seychelles to accede to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime.  This decision was made at the recent meeting of the Cabinet, where it will see amendments made to the Computer Related Crimes Act (CRCA), to refine definitions, enhance procedural laws and expand international cooperation.  “The Budapest Convention is considered as the most modern convention that helps all countries to fight against Cybercrime,” said Vice President, Ahmed Afif, during the Cabinet press briefing on Thursday.  “By being part of the Budapest Convention, it will give us access to higher levels of international cooperation, which will put us as a country on par, in line with international standards,” added Afif.  The Budapest Convention is the first international treaty seeking to address Internet and computer crime (cybercrime), harmonising national laws, improving investigative techniques, and increasing cooperation among nations.  It was drawn up by the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, with the active participation of the Council of Europe's observer states Canada, Japan, the Philippines, South Africa and the United States.  The Convention is the first international treaty on crimes committed via the Internet and other computer networks, dealing particularly with infringements of copyright, computer-related fraud, child pornography, hate crimes, and violations of network security.  It also contains a series of powers and procedures such as the search of computer networks and lawful interception.  Cybercrime encompasses a wide range of criminal activities that are carried out using digital devices and/or networks.  These crimes involve the use of technology to commit fraud, identity theft, data breaches, computer viruses, scams, and expanded upon in other malicious acts.   Cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks to gain unauthorised access, steal sensitive information, disrupt services, and cause financial or reputational harm to individuals, organizations, and governments.  “We are conscious that that is a real threat and we want to ensure that we are giving the necessary training to all our staff working in these areas, and we are also encouraging the private sector to do so as well,” added Afif.

The 114-year-old Carnegie Building, Seychelles’ first public library, reopened this year following renovation works that restored it to its former glory and splendour. The building, which now features a remarkable resemblance to the one that was opened in January 1910, stands not only as a reminder of the colonial character and British era but one of the style, elegance, and architecture of Seychelles in the distant past. SNA presents you with five interesting facts about the Carnegie Building.    Andrew Carnegie, benefactor Andrew Carnegie was born in 1835 in Dunfermline, Scotland, and later emigrated to the United States. He set up the Carnegie Steel Company, becoming the largest manufacturer of pig iron and steel rails in the world. It is estimated that Carnegie had spent half of his fortune on philanthropic projects. When he died in 1919, he had funded around 3,000 libraries around the world. (Theodore C. Marceau, Wikipedia) Photo Licence: CC0   Donation to set up library Seychelles' first public library was opened following a donation of £1,750 (then SCR26,250) from Andrew Carnegie. The news first appeared as an ordinance – number 14 – of September 24, 1908, which was enacted “to provide for the establishment and management of the Carnegie Library”.   Construction Work on the building began in January 1909.  The builder was William Marshall Vaudin and the architect was Henry A. Pare. The Carnegie Building, a one-storey structure made of mortar, included a wide verandah on the first floor with a wooden balcony with a balustrade of timber posts supported from the ground floor by a row of white masonry pillars. (Seychelles National Museum) Photo License: All Rights Reserved       Public Library opens In November 1909, the Government Gazette published the Carnegie Library Regulations for the opening of the library. It was inaugurated on January 22, 1910, by Walter Edward Davidson, who was the second British governor of the colony of Seychelles. On June 23, 1982, Act 12, published in the Official Gazette, closed the doors to the 74-year-old Carnegie Library, and the public library was moved to a different location, and in later years to a central position in the capital Victoria, called the National Library, where it remains today. (Joe Laurence, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY    Natural History Museum and today On June 30, 1994, the National Natural History Museum was inaugurated in the Carnegie Building to promote awareness, understanding and respect for the islands' biodiversity. The Museum closed in 2019 due to the building's deterioration. Today, after renovation, it is home to the Seychelles National Institute of Culture, Heritage and the Arts (SNICHA) on the ground floor. The top floor houses the Public Account Management Unit of the Department of Finance. (Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY   

Seychelles has seen a significant increase in internet usage over the last couple of years as service providers offer better speed packages at more affordable prices. As of June 30, the amount of traffic data observed from April to June, was 17,644,347 Gigabytes (GB), an increase of nine percent from the previous quarter. Patrick Moustache, the director of the Seychelles Communications Regulatory Authority (SCRA), said that compared to the same period last year, there has been an increase of 43 percent in data consumption. This is attributed to faster speeds and unlimited packages being offered by local service providers. «If the size of the road, which is the bandwidth is not increased, the number of cars, or data in this case, will also not increase. So the more bandwidth is increased, the more data will be able to pass through, meaning more people will be able to use it a high speed,» Moustache explained. According to the statistics provided by the SCRA, since June 2020, internet traffic data has increased by a huge 254 percent, to its current value, from only 4,989,210 GB. The amount of international internet bandwidth purchased by service providers has increased from 17.870 megabytes per second (Mbps), in 2020 to 221,774 Mbps in June 2024. The increase in data consumption is on par with the number of internet subscriptions in the country, which has also increased significantly over the last five years, rising from 112,334 in 2020 to 139,850 in June 2024. «It should be noted these statistics do not represent the number of homes with internet subscriptions though, because some houses can have multiple subscriptions, while others may not have any subscription at all,» explained Moustache. He explained that the way people use the internet has also shifted. Before people used to download movies for example, but nowadays, with faster speeds, people are streaming more. «With capped internet, people were more responsible with their data, where for example, if someone was watching a movie on Netflix, they would turn it off if they were doing something else, but with unlimited internet, now people can keep the streaming movie on, even when they are not watching it, while there could also be other people using data on other devices, leading to more traffic,» said Moustache. At the moment there are three main internet service providers in Seychelles, Cable & Wireless, Airtel, and Intelvision, with all offering varying internet packages to their clients. Despite these better packages on offer, the SCRA is urging members of the public to use their internet more responsibly, to ensure that everyone can enjoy their services as intended. «People may tend to abuse the internet usage, which in turn can lead to internet service providers, having to purchase increased bandwidth, and that can then lead to price increase,» said Moustache. He said for example clients can turn off streaming movies if they are not watching them and avoid excessive downloading, especially in peak hours, as that can lead to a degradation of the service for others.  

Representatives from the African Beneficial Ownership Transparency Network (AfBOTN) met at the Eden Bleu Hotel in Seychelles on Wednesday to discuss opportunities and challenges in implementing beneficial ownership reforms. The meeting organised by the African Development Bank, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and supported by Open Ownership, provides a platform bringing together 13 members from the region to discuss the formalities of beneficial owners. During the two-day event, they are also addressing priorities member countries have identified during Network's activities over the past year and working on how to undertake concrete steps, including the role of international donor organisations to support effective implementation in member countries. Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, has put in place measures over the past few years to improve transparency in the sector, introducing the Beneficial Ownership Act and the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act in 2020. The Beneficial Ownership Act 2020’s primary role is the identification and verification of beneficial ownership of legal persons and legal arrangements. It is also to establish and maintain up-to-date registers of beneficial owners and a centralised database. Seychelles' Minister for Finance, Naadir Hassan, explained that both have been “instrumental to furthering transparency of legal persons and legal arrangements in Seychelles, by improving the legislative framework for identification and verification of beneficial owners, as well as through the establishment of a centralised beneficial ownership database.” Meanwhile, the director of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), Richard Rampal, told the press in an interview that the meeting was in line with the country’s national strategy of bringing more transparency in the financial sector. “It is important nationally, regionally and internationally, as we have seen that there have been structures established to hide ownership of businesses, that are not necessarily in line with the norms of best practices,” he explained. Rampal went on to add that there has been a regional effort to converge the existing regulatory systems “so that they will no longer be appealing to criminals.” Hassan said that “by collaborating across borders and sectors, we can strengthen our initiatives and create a robust framework that fosters a culture of transparency...Together, we can lay the groundwork for a more transparent and equitable Africa, where the benefits of ownership are clearly defined, and the interests of all citizens are protected." The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an initiative of the G7 group of countries to develop policies to combat money laundering, is also attending the meeting in order to guide the members on the norms of good practices they will need to follow. “We are hoping that while we will be sharing good practices over these two days, we will also be learning the most convenient way to tackle our measures where beneficial ownership is concerned,” said Rampal.  On Tuesday, Seychelles signed an economic security partnership agreement with the United Kingdom, which will seek to address illicit finance and promote greater transparency in the country.

The Biennial Honorary Consuls Conference opened on Wednesday in the presence of Seychelles’ President Wavel Ramkalawan, where discussions will focus on policies adopted by Seychelles recently, and diplomatic officials will update the consuls on other matters involving the island nation.  A total of 60 out of 85 honorary consuls the country has abroad are present at the meeting, which is being held under the theme “The Honorary Consuls: Our Partners in Advancing the Sustainable Development Agenda of Seychelles,” at the Savoy Seychelles Resort & Spa, on October 9 and 10.  President Ramkalawan and dignitaries at the opening of the conference (State House) Photo license CC-BY “This time, the main topic of discussion is maritime security, where they will be going on site visits and will see presentations on challenges the country is facing in regard to illegal fishing and resurgence of piracy,” explained the principal secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Vivianne Fock-Tave.  She added that during the conference, discussions will also be about the new diaspora policy, tourism, and show them investment opportunities in Seychelles.  The honorary consuls will also be able to visit their adopted districts, where they will hold discussions with their respective members of the National Assembly and district administrators.  The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde, who launched the conference, spoke of the challenges that Seychelles has faced over the past two years, which includes global and regional issues, such as the geopolitical tensions, piracy, human and drug trafficking, among others.  “Despite these challenges, we have maintained our independence and sovereignty as a small nation,” said Radegonde in his address, adding; “Our diplomacy remains firm, neutral, and assertive, allowing us to engage freely on the world stage while upholding our principles.”  Diplomats meet at the start of the Honorary Consuls Conference (State House) Photo license CC-BY He also spoke of the need for continued joint efforts in tackling the many priorities of Seychelles as chair of the Indian Ocean Commission (COI), such as protection of the environment, promoting the Blue Economy, strengthening security and fostering economic integration among member states.  “I want to remind you of the immense responsibility we carry as we move forward… Each of you plays an essential role in advancing Seychelles’ vision for a sustainable and prosperous future,” he said.  During the opening ceremony of the conference, there were also five awards presented to long serving honorary consuls by President Ramkalawan. Maxim Behar, honorary consul general of Seychelles in Bulgaria, receiving his award from President Wavel Ramkalawan (Maxim Behar) Photo license: CC-BY They were Maxim Behar, honorary consul general in Bulgaria, Nikolaus Fuchs, honorary consul general in Berlin, Germany, Joselito Campos, honorary consul general in the Philippines, Loucas Elinnas, honorary consul in Greece, and Maximilian Hunzinger, honorary consul general in Frankfurt, Germany.

The Seychelles Coastguard (SCG) will start the construction of a SCR 52.9 million ($3.8 million) jetty in anticipation of the arrival of two new patrol vessels.  The Chief of Defence Forces, Brigadier Michael Rosette, revealed the plans during an interview with the press following the signing of an agreement to begin the construction work.  «With the bigger vessels we will have in our fleet, it will make more sense to have a new and improved jetty,» he said.  The agreement was signed at the SCG base at Ile du Port on Tuesday.  Vijay Construction is responsible for the construction work, whereas Charles Pool and D'Offay Associates are the consultants.  «They are not only the architects on the project but will be also working with Vijay Construction to ensure that everything is up to the required standards,» explained Rosette.  The new SCG jetty will be located at the same place as its current one, which has been in operation since SCG moved to Ile du Port from Bois de Rose on the main island of Mahe.  Rosette explained that it was «essential to build a better jetty as you can see the one we have now is a floating one and it is no longer appropriate for the fleet that we have today.»  The new hard jetty will be 152 metres long, which Rosette said would make it easier to carry out repair works on it once completed.  He also said it would allow the SCG to carry out tasks of lifting heavy loads, which in turn require the use of cranes.  «The vessels will also be much safer when moored here than what it was with the floating jetty,» he added.  Rosette also said that the floating jetty may still be used for the smaller vessels once the construction work is complete.  Work on the new jetty begins in three weeks' time and is expected to be completed in ten months.

The developing world needs trillions of dollars in climate aid, but who should pay for it? Wealthy nations? Big polluters? Countries that got rich burning fossil fuels? All of the above? A fight over this question looms at crucial negotiations next month as China and other major emerging economies come under pressure to chip in for climate action in poorer countries. It is hoped a new deal can be struck at the UN COP29 climate conference to greatly lift financial assistance to countries least able to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to global warming. The present bill of $100 billion a year is footed by a list of countries that were the richest and most industrialised at the time the UN climate convention was written up in 1992. These donors -- including the United States, the European Union, Canada, Japan and others -- agree more money is needed, and intend to keep paying «climate finance» where it is needed most. But they want others to share the burden, specifically developing countries that have become more prosperous and polluting in the decades since the original donor list was drawn up. China –- today the world's largest polluter and second-largest economy –- is the obvious target, but Singapore and oil-rich Gulf states like Saudi Arabia could also come under scrutiny. It is «entirely fair to add new contributing parties, given the ongoing evolution of economic realities and capabilities», the United States wrote in an August submission to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). - 'Bad faith' - Diplomats from other developed countries have echoed this, arguing that the contributor list is based on outdated notions of rich and poor, and anyone who can pay should pay. Some have proposed revised criteria against which potential contributors might be judged, such as income levels, purchasing power or their emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases. Calls to widen the donor base are deeply unpopular and have sparked heated exchanges in the months before COP29, which is being hosted in oil-and-gas-rich Azerbaijan, itself classified as a developing country. Donors have been accused of forcing the matter onto the negotiating table while refusing to engage on the central question of how much they intend to pay. For some involved «this was the literal definition of negotiating in bad faith», said Iskander Erzini Vernoit from the Imal Initiative for Climate and Development, a think tank based in Morocco. It has «taken up a lot of airtime, and a lot of oxygen», he told AFP. «For the sake of all of the poorest, most vulnerable countries of the world, it's not fair to hold the whole thing hostage.» Developing countries are pushing for the strongest possible commitment at COP29 to ensure adequate funding for clean energy projects, defensive sea walls and other climate adaptation measures. Negotiators are nowhere near landing a concrete figure, but some developing countries are calling for over $1 trillion annually. In a UNFCCC submission in August, the EU warned «the collective goal can only be reached if parties with high GHG-emissions (greenhouse gas) and economic capabilities join the effort». - Tough talk - For developing countries, who pays is non-negotiable: the 2015 Paris climate agreement reaffirmed that developed countries disproportionately responsible for global warming to date pick up the tab. In a joint statement in July, China, India, Brazil and South Africa strongly rejected «attempts by developed countries to dilute their climate finance legal obligations under international law». Azerbaijan's chief negotiator Yalchin Rafiyev told AFP in September that the gap between the United States and China over the issue was «narrowing», with a «softening» of stances on both sides. China, like some other developing countries, actually pays climate finance, it just does so on its own terms. Between 2013 and 2022, China paid on average $4.5 billion a year to other developing countries, the World Resources Institute (WRI) wrote in a September paper. This amounted to roughly six percent of what developed countries paid over the same period, said the US-based think tank. China is not required to report this to the UNFCCC, and it is not counted toward the collective target. Analysts say any formal additions to the donor list at COP29 are very unlikely, though some countries may agree to voluntary contributions in support of the broader goal. © Agence France-Presse

Seychelles has signed an economic security partnership agreement with the United Kingdom, which will seek to address illicit finance and promote greater transparency in Seychelles.  The agreement was signed on Tuesday morning at the Ministry of Finance, National Planning and Trade’s headquarters by the Secretary of State for Finance, Patrick Payet, the Minister for Finance, Naadir Hassan, the British High Commissioner to Seychelles, Jeff Glekin, and the UK Minister for Africa, Lord Collins of Highbury.  Payet said that the first component of this partnership is transparency, adding; “We want to revise the beneficial ownership database and we are being assisted by the UK to put a new framework in place.”  He added that the UK will also work jointly with other institutions, such as the Financial Investigations Unit (FIU), Financial Services Authority (FSA), Seychelles Revenue Commission (SRC), and others, to build capacity, so they are better able to analyse this beneficial ownership information.  The second component in the assistance that the UK is giving is for the Anti-Corruption Commission Seychelles (ACCS) and the Seychelles Police, specifically in regard to corruption cases.  “They will give their technical expertise for capacity building in these institutions, to ensure that we get more cases that are taken to court,” added Payet.  He added that the third component is in regard to virtual assets, where the Virtual Assets Service Providers Act was enacted on September 1, 2024, and they will be looking to operational these regulations.  “Virtual assets are relatively new to many institutions, so the UK will provide its expertise to help with this,” added Payet.  High Commissioner Glekin expressed his pleasure at signing this partnership, which he says will help make both countries safer economically.  “This agreement is going to support the exchange of information between our people and our experts, in a way that lays the foundations for both a safer Seychelles and a safer UK, and also more prosperous Seychelles and UK,” he said.

Three Seychellois crew members of a high-speed leisure boat have been intercepted by the Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF), in collaboration with the Seychelles Police and partner agencies, suspected of transporting narcotics in Seychelles' waters. The joint operation on Monday involved the Seychelles Coast Guard and the Seychelles Air Force, when a maritime patrol aircraft identified the suspected vessel during a surveillance mission, according to a joint statement from the SDF and its partners. “Patrol Ship Topaz was dispatched to intercept the high-speed craft…Crew members were observed discarding items into the water before complying with orders to stop. The discarded items, believed to be narcotics, were recovered,” said the statement.  The boat was taken back to port and the evidence was handed over to the police for further investigation. Evidence taken from the boat's crew (Seychelles Defence Forces) Photo License: CC-BY  

The UK government insisted on Monday that the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar was «not up for negotiation» after it said it would return a remote archipelago to Mauritius. Britain announced on Thursday that it would hand back the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to former colony Mauritius but that it would maintain a key military base there. Argentine foreign minister Diana Mondino reacted by saying that Argentina would «recover full sovereignty» over the Falklands -- the disputed British overseas territory in the South Atlantic Ocean. «We celebrate this step in the right direction,» Mondino said in a post on Instagram, hailing the move as a «milestone». «Travelling the path we have begun, with concrete actions and not empty rhetoric, we are going to recover full sovereignty over our Malvinas Islands,» he said, using the Argentinian name for the archipelago When asked about Mondino's comments, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's official spokesman told reporters that the return of the Chagos would have «no bearing on other overseas territories». He said the deal with Mauritius should not be seen as a precedent for other disputes because Chagos was «a unique situation based on its unique history and circumstances». «British sovereignty of the Falkland Islands or Gibraltar is not up for negotiation,» the spokesman added. Gibraltar is a British enclave off southern Spain that is claimed by Madrid. The UK government has been under pressure for decades to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, including from the International Court of Justice. But it had resisted because of the military base on Diego Garcia island, which plays a key role for US operations in the Indian Ocean and Gulf. At the start of talks last year, the British and Mauritian governments agreed that the base would continue to operate whatever the outcome. The Falklands, home to just over 3,000 people, lie nearly 13,000 kilometres (8,000 miles) from London and some 480 kilometres from the coast of Argentina. Britain sent a military taskforce to reclaim the islands in 1982 after Argentinian troops invaded and claimed sovereignty. © Agence France-Presse  

The director for Governance and Economics Reforms at the African Development Bank, Coulibaly Abdoulaye, has said that during his delegation’s visit to Seychelles, they were able to discuss the economic performance of the country and collaboration with the Central Bank of Seychelles. He made the statement after a meeting with Seychelles’ President Wavel Ramkalawan at State House on Tuesday. “We have a very good collaboration; the Bank recently approved $25 million of budget support for Seychelles to help the country in the implementation of its budget as an assistance…We have given support to many countries in terms of financing, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes Seychelles,” explained Abdoulaye. He added that their delegation is in the country currently to discuss further cooperation with Seychelles. The development bank is also organising a two-day workshop in the country, with other partners, such as the UK and the African Beneficial Ownership Transparency Network, starting on Wednesday, to the fight against illicit finance activities and to put in place a network between African countries. This is meant to facilitate the implementation of beneficial ownership lists that are effective on the continent. “The continent loses a lot of money from illicit activities. This two-day workshop, which has been named ‘Africa transparency of beneficial ownership’, is meant to promote best practices and the establishment of a network between African countries,” concluded Abdoulaye.