Donald Trump has won the US presidential election, media said Wednesday, defeating Kamala Harris in a stunning political comeback that will send shock waves across the world. The polarizing Republican's victory, following one of the most hostile campaigns in modern US history, was all the more remarkable given an unprecedented criminal conviction, a near-miss assassination attempt, and warnings from a former chief of staff that he is a «fascist.» «It's a political victory that our country has never seen before,» Trump told a victory party in Florida. Vice President Harris, who only entered the race in July after President Joe Biden dropped out, ran a centrist campaign that highlighted Trump's inflammatory messaging and use of openly racist and sexist tropes. But his apocalyptic warnings about immigration and championing of isolationism found their mark with voters battered by the post-Covid economy and eager for a change from the Biden years. The campaign pointed to a nail-bitingly close contest, but the results came surprisingly fast, delivering a crushing victory that included wins in the swing states of Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Trump is the first president in more than a century to win a non-consecutive second term. He is also the only person to be elected as a convicted felon -- he will face sentencing in a New York court for fraud on November 26. Already 78, Trump is on course to break another record as the oldest-ever sitting president during his four-year term. He will surpass Biden who is set to step down in January at the age of 82. - Impact on foreign policy - The US dollar surged and bitcoin hit a record high while most equity markets advanced, with traders betting on a victory for Trump as the results rolled in. But turmoil likely lies ahead. Trump's victory comes with his promise of radical policy shifts -- not just at home but also abroad, where his unrestrained isolationist and nationalist «America First» stance is likely to have enormous consequences. He has repeatedly suggested he would end the conflict in Ukraine by pressuring Kyiv to make territorial concessions to Russia, and his threat of mass deportations of illegal immigrants has stirred deep concern in Latin America. He also returns to the White House as a climate change denier, poised to dismantle his predecessor Biden's green policies and jeopardize global efforts to curb human-caused warming. Even before Trump's stunning victory was fully confirmed, foreign leaders rushed to send congratulations. These included longtime Trump allies, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Also messaging Trump was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is predicted to see a rapid reduction in US military aid once Biden leaves office. Zelenksy said he hoped the «impressive victory» would help his country find a «just peace.» NATO's chief, Mark Rutte, said Trump, who has frequently expressed displeasure with the US-led alliance, would make it «strong.» British Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined the stream of well-wishers, while French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to join Trump in working «with respect and ambition.»  - Showman's instinct -  For all his dark promises of political revenge against enemies at home and his criticisms of longstanding allies overseas, Trump remains famously unpredictable when it comes to matching words with actions. His campaign rallies, filled with grievance, insults and misinformation, featured extreme rhetoric. But he won positive coverage with viral online moments that played on his everyman appeal and his showman's instinct -- like his appearance at a McDonald's drive-thru and impromptu news conference from a garbage truck. He campaigned on tax cuts, less regulation and the most significant increase in import tariffs in nearly a century to promote growth and boost manufacturing, despite warnings of trade wars and higher prices for US consumers. Trump's more mainstream messaging often became overshadowed by his tendency to lurch into foul language and violent imagery. But that hard-charging style played well with his unfailingly loyal base, which sees him as a Washington outsider. And he gained traction with his hard-line anti-immigration message and outreach to working-class voters hit by Covid-triggered inflation. When Harris joined the race in July, replacing Biden, she soon managed to close the yawning gap Trump had opened over the president in opinion polls. Her message of unity, focus on abortion rights and warnings of the threat Trump posed to democracy appeared to resonate, evidenced by a huge surge in fundraising that swelled her campaign war chest way beyond her rival's. Ultimately, however, she fell short of what would have been a historic win as the first Black woman elected to the White House. © Agence France-Presse

Several agencies in Seychelles are taking part in a tabletop exercise that aims to empower them to prepare and respond to chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) events. Taking place at the Laila Resort at Anse Royale, the training has representatives from agencies such as the Disaster Risk Management Division (DRMD), the Seychelles Police, the Ministry of Health, and the Department of Environment, among others. The Tabletop Exercise (TTX) is part of the project «Toolkit on Effective CBRN Planning and Response for Policy-makers and CBRN Managers.» It is organised by the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), in partnership with the United States (US) Department of State (DoS) and the European Union CBRN Centres of Excellence Initiative (CoE). Francesco Morelli, the head of the CBRN Unit of UNICRI, who is leading the three-day workshop, said that it is very important for countries to be ready at all times to deal with such an event. «We are discussing what are the most important steps to be taken so that effective response can be delivered immediately,» said Morelli. There are three main objectives of the project and these include identifying common challenges and good practices in the response phase of previous CBRN events. Another objective is to simplify the main tools that policy-makers and CBRN managers can use to develop and implement CBRN response plans. The final one is to establish a network of regional stakeholders that includes national, international, and academic experts committed to sharing experiences and improving coordination in the «day after» phase of a CBRN event. For the exercise taking place in Seychelles, participants will engage in scenario-based discussions that reflect the complexities of decision-making and response in real-world CBRN events. Morelli explained that in the Seychelles context, while there is a low probability of such an event happening, it will have a huge impact on the country. It is, therefore, very important for all government departments and agencies that are responsible for dealing with such matters to be well prepared. «They will have to know how to work together and make effective use of available resources and also to ensure that there is a clear understanding of the threat so that the response can be specific to it,» added Morelli. The CBRN National Team of Seychelles will after this workshop develop a National Action Plan, capturing the priority risks and the existing capacity gaps needed to address those risks. The CBRN Toolkit for policymakers is considered an effective tool to respond to those identified priorities and strengthen the country's capacity to prepare, prevent, and respond to CBRN incidents. 

With the aim to better prevent and detect tax crimes in Seychelles, several organisations are attending a four-day training programme launched on Monday. The «Tax Inspectors Without Borders for Criminal Investigation» (TIWB-CI) is a technical assistance programme aimed at strengthening tax crime frameworks and enhancing the resolution of tax crime cases. It is being led by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), along with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF). Among the agencies participating are the Seychelles Revenue Commission (SRC), the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the Seychelles Police Service, and the Financial Services Authority (FSA).   The key objectives for Seychelles are to advance tax transparency and international cooperation in combatting tax evasion and ensuring tax fairness, while also equipping tax officials with the necessary skills to navigate the complexities of criminal tax non-compliance. The programme will also help Seychelles to deter tax non-compliance through a whole of government approach, involving collaboration between different government departments. Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Commissioner General of the SRC, Varsha Singh, outlined the importance of tax collection, stating that without tax revenue, the state will not be able to deliver services to its citizens. «Investigations capability serves a dual purpose, one in terms of recuperating taxes that are deliberately withheld by taxpayers, as well as being a deterrent for tax non-compliance,» added Singh. Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) is a joint initiative of the OECD and the UNDP supporting countries in building tax audit capacity.   TIWB Programmes complement the broader efforts of the international community to strengthen cooperation on tax matters and contribute to the domestic resource mobilisation efforts of developing countries. Speaking virtually at the opening of the training, Marcos Rosa, the TIWB team lead, explained that the programme requires active engagement from all agencies involved in financial crimes investigations across the country. «Our last annual report notes that through TIWB support, developing countries generated an additional $2.3 billion in tax revenues and over $6 billion in tax assessed,» said Roca. He added that utilising the country-driven approach of the TIWB programme will allow Seychelles to tailor the programme to the country's specific needs, which will then be used to inform the action plan that will be developed after the training.

The Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of Government Business in the National Assembly of Seychelles gave their responses to the 2025 Budget being proposed by the Minister for Finance, Naadir Hassan, on Tuesday. Hassan is seeking the approval of the National Assembly for a proposed budget of SCR 11.9 billion ($880 million), the largest budget in the history of Seychelles. This represents an increase of 11.9 percent compared to the 2024 Appropriation Act, which was SCR 10.6 billion ($731 million). In his response, Sebastien Pillay, the Leader of the Opposition, said that the budget presented in the Assembly is an election budget with a lot of promises crammed with several projects but one that does not fool anyone. His allusion refers to the next presidential and parliamentary elections, which will be in September 2025. “Despite some small increases here or there, there is nothing substantial to help Seychellois cope with the cost of living that has hit the ceiling. There is nothing proposed to revitalise the private sector. Economic growth is slowing, and the project list is increasing even more,” said Pillay. He said that this budget, the biggest one presented ever, is supposed to address all problems but there yet does not give an indication of how the government will finance it. “Revenue from tourism has fallen by SCR1.3 billion through ill-intentioned measures compared to the same period in 2023. In the budget document, the minister said that tourism earning as of August 2024, the total tourism earnings amounted to $539 million, and which is 17 percent less than what was recorded for the same period in 2023. If the economy is slowing down where to get the money to finance all these projects?” he asked. Pillay said that in the 2025 Budget, the government is proposing a 7 percent increase in the basic monthly salary for public servants earning less than 21,368 rupees, and according to the minister this increase guarantees an increase of SCR500 ($37) for all full-time workers. The questions he asked are whether the increase reflects the cost of living in the country, will bring a real benefit to people and why will this take effect in April 2025. Pillay said the government did not give its plan for workers in the private sector and asked if the private sector had been consulted on the minimum wage increase. On the drug problem is an issue, he questioned if the government has a solution for the methadone problem and if not if a solution is being sought. “When I look at the speech that the minister has made, he has failed to look at the situation and address the situation of our country,” said Pillay. Meanwhile, the Leader of Government Business, Bernard Georges, said that Seychelles’ economic situation has improved, and the country has a budget surplus. He said the government has found itself in a position where it can respond to the needs of the people and share the benefits of good management of the economy. This was in response to the fact that Seychelles is projected to make a primary fiscal surplus of 1.1 percent in 2024. “Because the cost of construction materials has gone up, loans with the Housing Finance Company (HFC) have also gone up,” said Georges, adding; “The basic salary has also increased, to put more money into the pockets of every worker. […] In this budget, there is something for everyone,” he stated. Georges said that the government has listened to the people and has announced several measures, such as a commercial court, which will hear all cases related to commerce, and a zero-bureaucracy policy. “All these, Mr Speaker, are giants steps to respond to the needs of a modern population and who wants to move forward,” he said. Georges also stated that in this budget, a series of measures have been put in place to allow every Seychellois to be able to improve their lives and that “this includes the scheme where someone can buy a piece of state land to add to that of their parents for development, which has been improved, to allow for a new floor to be added to the house.”

The destruction wreaked by Spain's deadliest floods in a generation in one of the country's economic motors will leave a huge bill for the state and the insurance sector. Last week's catastrophe that has killed more than 210 people nationwide gutted buildings, swept away cars, inundated fields, and wrecked transport and power infrastructure in the wealthy eastern Valencia region. The European country now faces its «biggest disaster for a climate event», said Mirenchu del Valle Schaan, president of the Spanish insurers' federation UNESPA. It is too early to estimate the total costs but they will undoubtedly be «extremely high», Celedonio Villamayor, director of the CCS consortium responsible for paying out compensation after natural disasters, told public broadcaster TVE. The head of the Valencia Chamber of Commerce, Jose Vicente Morata, told the same channel the final bill would be well north of 10 billion euros. For comparison, the devastating July 2021 floods that claimed more than 200 lives in Germany, Belgium, France, Austria and the Netherlands cost almost $43 billion, according to reinsurer Swiss Re. The public finances of the Spanish state -- already straining to bring its deficit down in line with EU spending rules -- and the Valencia region will be stretched. The regional government has proposed an aid package of 250 million euros ($272 million), tax breaks and compensation for businesses. Clearing debris and reconstructing obliterated infrastructure will also be financed with the central government, which has estimated those works at 2.6 billion euros. - 'Incalculable consequences' - An estimated 4,500 businesses located on the ground floors of buildings submerged by mud and water were affected, according to the Valencia Chamber of Commerce. Dozens of shopping centres and industrial estates home to small and medium-sized businesses were damaged and transport companies lost their lorries. Among the smaller firms counting the cost was BassMotor, a cleaning equipment company in the Valencia region whose stock was devoured by the floods. After clearing the mud, the firm is anxiously waiting for the government's response, «which at the moment doesn't seem to be moving forward much», spokesman Diego Navarro Rodriguez told AFP. If immediate help does not arrive, «there will be redundancies and closures», warned Morata. The flooding of fields dealt a heavy blow to agriculture in the Valencia region, one of Spain's breadbaskets and a major citrus fruit exporter. Regional agricultural trade union La Unio estimates 50,000 hectares (123,500 acres) of crops were affected. Agroseguro, which manages Spanish agriculture insurance, believes the cost could rise to 150 million euros in the sector. Trade union Asaja described the losses as «catastrophic» with «incalculable consequences». Spanish insurers rely on a common fund managed by the CCS that shares the cost across the sector in the event of a natural disaster. The CCS therefore covers most of the compensation and insurers only directly pay out for peripheral damage in areas unaffected by the floods. The system is «perfectly prepared to deal with this type of situation», said UNESPA head del Valle Schaan. Some 46,000 claims were submitted in just five days, said Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo, who hopes for the first payouts this week. © Agence France-Presse

A new UK-wide law aimed at creating the first «smoke-free generation» will on Tuesday be introduced in parliament, as part of a world-leading ban. The proposals come after New Zealand revoked plans to introduce a so-called «generational smoking ban» that would have stopped sales of tobacco to anyone born after 2008. «This is a groundbreaking piece of public health legislation. It will mean that we are creating the first ever smoke-free generation in our country. So children growing up in our country today will never, never legally be able to buy cigarettes,» said Health Secretary Wes Streeting. The UK's Tobacco and Vapes Bill will prevent anyone born after January 1 2009 from legally smoking by gradually raising the age at which tobacco can be bought. The legislation is similar to a bill proposed by the last Conservative administration, which was shelved earlier this year when prime minister Rishi Sunak called a general election. Sunak's successor Keir Starmer's new Labour government, however, has revived the proposals, which are part of a drive to increase preventative health measures and ease long-term pressure on the UK's state-funded National Health Service (NHS). The bill will introduce restrictions on vape advertising and sponsorship, as well as restricting flavours, displays and the packaging of e-cigarettes to reduce their appeal to children and young people. Last month the government announced that disposable vapes will be banned next year under separate legislation. - Outdoor spaces - New Zealand last November announced it would bin its own proposed anti-smoking legislation. Under a law that had been due to come into force later that year anyone born after 2008 would have been prevented from buying tobacco. The back pedalling came after new premier Christopher Luxon took the helm as head of a new coalition government and said he would prioritise tackling inflation and lowering interest rates. The new UK bill also proposes extending existing smoking bans to outdoor spaces such as children's playgrounds and outside hospitals. But Streeting said there would be no ban on smoking in pub gardens in England. Pub and restaurant industry figures criticised the idea after it was leaked in August, arguing it could deter customers in a market already struggling with the long-term fallout from the pandemic and cost-of-living pressures. «The UK hospitality sector has taken a battering in recent years, and we don't want to add to their pressure so we're not proposing to go ahead with an outdoor hospitality ban at this time,» Streeting added. England, Wales and Northern Ireland outlawed smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces in 2007 following a similar ban in Scotland in 2006. The Action on Smoking and Health charity has said there was a 2.4-percent reduction in hospital admissions for heart attacks in England a year after the ban, saving the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) millions of pounds. © Agence France-Presse

The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF Africa) announced recently that Seychelles' President Wavel Ramkalawan will receive this year's Africa Freedom Prize in a ceremony that will take place on November 6 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Hosted in partnership with the African Leadership Academy (ALA), the award ceremony recognises exceptional contributions to liberal civil society in Africa. The theme, «Intergenerational Co-leadership and the Future of Freedom in Africa,» underscores the importance of young leaders shaping the continent's future alongside established leaders. It will celebrate liberalism, democratic governance, and freedom on the African continent. According to a communique from State House on Monday, Ramkalawan is being honoured for his exemplary leadership in advancing democracy and freedom, aligning with the Foundation's core values of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law across Africa. Ramkalawan will travel to South Africa to accept the award and engage in these dialogues. The event will place a strong emphasis on intergenerational co-leadership, focusing on the collaboration between established and emerging leaders to secure a democratic and prosperous future for Africa. It will encourage meaningful dialogue on how generations can work together to address the continent's most pressing challenges.  

Kamala Harris courted voters angered by the Gaza war while Donald Trump doubled down on violent rhetoric with a comment about journalists being shot as the tense US election campaign entered its final hours. The Democratic vice president and the Republican former president frantically blitzed several swing states as they tried to win over the last holdouts with less than 36 hours left until polls open on Election Day on Tuesday. Trump predicted a «landslide», while Harris told a raucous rally in must-win Michigan that «we have momentum -- it's on our side.» The 2024 race is going down to the wire, with more key states effectively tied at this point than in any comparable election. Over 77.6 million people have cast early votes, around half of the total ballots cast in 2020. With the clock ticking, Harris, 60, spent the day in Michigan where she risks losing the critical support of a 200,000-strong Arab-American community that has denounced US handling of the Israel-Hamas war. «As president, I will do everything in my power to end the war in Gaza,» Harris said at the start of her speech at Michigan State University, noting that there were leaders of the community present. - 'Demonic' - But the rest of the speech was upbeat, with Harris spending more time on urging people to get out and vote than on attacks on Trump. «We got two days to get this done,» she said. Earlier, Harris quoted scripture in a majority-Black church in Detroit, Michigan and urging Americans to look beyond Trump. «Let us turn the page and write the next chapter of our history,» she said. Trump on Sunday zigzagged through Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia -- the three biggest swing-state prizes in the Electoral College system that awards US states influence according to their population. The 78-year-old Trump, the oldest major party candidate in US history, added to his increasingly dark rhetoric by musing to supporters in Lititz, Pennsylvania, that he wouldn't mind if journalists were shot. Discussing his near-miss assassination attempt against him in July, he said to laughter that to be hit again «somebody would have to shoot through the fake news -- and I don't mind that so much.» Trump called Democrats «demonic» and, despite no evidence of any meaningful election cheating so far, claimed that Democrats in Pennsylvania «are fighting so hard to steal this damn thing.» Adding to fears that he would not accept a defeat in 2024, Trump added that he «shouldn't have left» the White House after he lost his 2020 reelection effort to Joe Biden. - RFK Jr controversy - Trump meanwhile said in Macon, Georgia, that he had asked vaccine-skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who dropped his own presidential bid to support Trump, to work on «women's health» and «pesticides.» His comments came a day after Kennedy caused consternation by saying that a Trump White House would order US water systems to remove fluoride from public water supplies. Later in another rambling speech in Kinston, North Carolina Trump said «we're going to have on Tuesday a landslide that's too big to rig.» The polls however show that the result is likely to be historically tight. A final New York Times/Siena poll Sunday flagged incremental changes in swing states, but the results from all seven remained within the margin of error. Harris got a boost Saturday as the final Des Moines Register poll for Iowa -- seen as a highly credible test of wider public sentiment -- showed a stunning turnaround, with Harris ahead in a state won easily by Trump in 2016 and 2020. In the last hours, both candidates are desperately trying to shore up their bases, and win over any undecided voters. Pollsters have noted an erosion in Black support for Harris. But with abortion rights a top voter concern, her campaign has hailed the large proportion of women turning out among early voters. © Agence France-Presse

Seychelles is to introduce a digital traffic enforcement trial initiative for eight weeks to improve road safety in the small island state, according to a high-level official. Vice President Ahmed Afif revealed the government's plans in a recent interview recently following the Cabinet of Ministers meeting held at State House. The project will be carried out in the eastern Mahe district of Roche Caiman, using technology to detect traffic offences such as speeding, mobile phone use, and seatbelt violations. «The government has already approved the principal for the trial and all that remains is for the Department of Transport to contact the consul to inform the company to go ahead,» he said. The Seychelles consul in Australia, Arnold Chetty, has already been in touch with Australian company Acusensus for the use of their technology. «The company is interested in running the project on a pilot basis, which means that it will not cost the country anything to run it,» explained Afif. Through the project, drivers carrying out traffic infractions will be caught on camera, and will immediately receive a message. «There will not be anyone there to arrest the person, they will only receive the message informing them of what infraction they have committed and there will be a fine to pay,» said Afif. He added, «We will have to determine where to place the cameras and other instruments to be used, as you know the two countries are different.» The authorities also say that the measure will help reduce the costs for the police force. During the piloting of the project, the authorities will fine-tune the existing technology to cater to local needs. The trial will assess the system's ability and insights from the trial will guide future infrastructure planning and enforcement decisions. «This will provide the government with a lot of information, as we have seen nowadays people are driving without a valid license in addition to other illegal activities happening on the roads,» said Afif. He said if all goes well, Seychelles may then adopt it as a permanent measure, by coming into a commercial agreement with the company. Additionally, the Ministry of Transport will evaluate business models and legislative requirements to facilitate the transition to digital enforcement, with the trial's findings informing whether the system will be adopted permanently. Meanwhile, Seychelles is embarking on a digital surveillance path, where President Wavel Ramkalawan after his visit to China announced that the country will be receiving CCTV systems from China.

The Cabinet of Ministers has given its approval for Seychelles to launch its airline incentive scheme aimed at revitalising air connectivity and boosting tourism in Seychelles. Vice President Ahmed Afif announced the scheme in a press conference at State House on Thursday morning. «The idea is to encourage airlines that fly non-stop to Seychelles for a period of over seven hours - such airlines are those that we feel there is a need to encourage - and the idea is to help such airlines and incentivise them to come to Seychelles,» he said. He explained that this would be through the provision of financial incentives to come to Seychelles, and this can be «a small amount per passenger up to a certain load factor that is considered reasonable.» The scheme, introduced in response to post-pandemic challenges, provides financial and marketing incentives to encourage key airlines to increase flight frequency, commit to year-round operations, and open new routes to Seychelles. The government has allocated a budget of SCR21 million ($1.5 million ) over 2024-2026, which is the two years of the scheme's duration. Afif also said that the scheme forms part of the island state's marketing budget. The country is heavily reliant on the tourism sector. To ensure the effective running of the scheme, the principal secretary for tourism will head an oversight committee to monitor the implementation, assess effectiveness, and adjust strategies as needed. He also revealed that the authorities are working with partner airlines such as Air France, British Airways, Condor, and Sichuan Airlines to finalise incentives and secure sustainable tourism growth. «Change of Use» moratorium ends on two islands  Meanwhile, in its latest meeting, the Cabinet has also approved the development of a new «Change of Use» Policy framework for the tourism sector. This will effectively lift the existing moratorium preventing people from converting their residences into tourism establishments, on Mahe and Praslin. The moratorium on La Digue Island remains in effect. Afif explained that the authorities will be taking a tailored approach on the island - the third largest inhabited island in the archipelago. «The policy aims to align future applications with sustainable tourism objectives, promoting high-quality accommodations and avoiding market oversaturation with low-standard units,» he said. The change in the framework will also address challenges from the «Affordable Seychelles» initiative, balancing tourism expansion with housing availability. He said it will also encourage value-added, differentiated visitor experiences, with provisions for renovation standards through tripartite agreements involving the tourism department. Meanwhile, Afif also revealed that one of the conditions for a change of use application to be considered should be that the residence be built five years prior.  «We feel that this way people will make the proper applications and not just build a residence that they immediately change into a tourism residence, when they can apply for such a permit to begin with,» he concluded. 

Lebanon's health ministry said an Israeli strike killed three people near the southern city of Sidon on Sunday as more bombs fell in the country's east after Israel warned it would again hit Hezbollah targets there. In Israel, the military said it intercepted several projectiles fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory, while some fell in unpopulated areas. Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have been at war since September 23, when Israel escalated air raids over the border after a year of tit-for-tat exchanges of fire. One week later it sent ground troops into southern Lebanon on «targeted raids». Hezbollah said it was acting in support of Palestinian militants Hamas, whose unprecedented attack against Israel on October 7 last year triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. «The Israeli enemy's raid on Haret Saida resulted in an initial death toll of three people killed and nine others injured,» Lebanon's health ministry said, referring to a densely populated area near Sidon. Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) reported another Israeli strike south of Sidon, on the town of Ghaziyeh. That strike hit a residential building, according to an AFP correspondent, who said a child was rescued from the rubble. NNA said other Israeli strikes hit near a hospital in Tebnin, a town in the south Lebanon district of Bint Jbeil. The mayor of Tebnin told AFP the hospital was significantly damaged. Neither the Haret Saida strike nor those in Lebanon's south were preceded by an Israeli evacuation warning. - Heavy air raids - Israel's military did issue a warning for Lebanon's Baalbek area, which includes east Lebanon's main city and UNESCO-designated Roman ruins, saying it would be targeting Hezbollah-linked facilities. An AFP correspondent later reported at least three strikes in the Baalbek area, where Hezbollah holds sway and which has seen heavy air raids in the past few days. The war has killed more than 1,900 people in Lebanon, according to an AFP tally of Lebanese health ministry figures. Among the latest casualties was a Bangladeshi killed Saturday in a strike on his way to work in Beirut, Bangladesh's ambassador to Lebanon said in a statement. Israel's military says 38 soldiers have been killed in the Lebanon campaign since it began ground operations. Iran-aligned groups in Yemen, Iraq and Syria have also been drawn into fighting, and Iran and Israel have themselves attacked each other, heightening fears of even wider conflict. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday warned Israel and the United States they «will definitely receive a tooth-breaking response» for attacks on Iran and its allies. Israel has warned Iran against responding to its October 26 attack. On Sunday demonstrators burned Israeli and US flags outside the former American embassy in Tehran to mark the anniversary of the 1979 hostage crisis that has shaped relations between Washington and Tehran ever since. American B-52 bombers have arrived in the Middle East, the US military said on Saturday, as part of reinforcements being sent to the region in a warning to Iran. In Gaza the Israeli military again reported «dozens» of militants killed in the Jabalia area of north Gaza where, since October 6, Israeli forces have carried out a major air and ground assault to stop Hamas from regrouping. - Sacks of flour - On Friday the heads of United Nations agencies described the area as «under siege» and «denied basic aid and life-saving supplies». In central Gaza on Sunday, people crowded to receive sacks of flour from a distribution point of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in Deir el-Balah. Israel's parliament last Monday banned UNRWA -- the main aid agency in Gaza -- from operation in Israel and occupied east Jerusalem, despite objections from the international community. If implemented, the ban would be a blow to humanitarian work in Gaza, according to experts. The ban came after the United States on October 15 warned Israel it could withhold some of its billions of dollars in military assistance unless it improves aid delivery to Gaza within 30 days. Also in Deir el-Balah on Sunday, relatives at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital mourned over the bodies of a father and son killed during Israeli bombardment. Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel resulted in 1,206 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. Israel's military response against Hamas has killed 43,314 people in Gaza, a majority of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry which the United Nations consider to be reliable. During their attack, Palestinian militants seized 251 hostages, of whom 97 are still in Gaza. The Israeli military says 34 of them are dead. At a protest Saturday night in Tel Aviv, hundreds voiced their frustration with Israel's government for failing to secure an agreement that would bring the remaining hostages home. Ifat Kalderon, an anti-government protester afraid for her cousin still held in Gaza, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu «sabotages» every attempt at a deal. «He always blamed Sinwar, but now there is no Sinwar,» she said, referring to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar who Israel killed last month. «Every time he finds another reason,» the 50-year-old stylist told AFP. © Agence France-Presse

Luc Grandcourt, a recipient of the Seychelles' Medal of Honour in June 2023, is a retired seafarer, who at a very young age, decided to follow in his father's footsteps as a sailor. Grandcourt received the award for his bravery and quick thinking, which helped to save the lives of 22 passengers on board the schooner 'Ero' from Praslin to Mahe, when it capsized and sank on August 12, 1975. He was 27 years old at the time. Among the passengers was the late Anglican Archbishop Emeritus French Chang Him, who was a young priest at the time, stranded at sea, threatened by sharks. Grandcourt secured all the passengers and managed to swim to Chang Him, bringing him to the rest of the passengers until they were all safely rescued. Gandcourt received the Seychelles' Medal of Honour in June 2023. (State House) Photo License: CC-BY  Meeting Captain Grancourt Meeting Grandcourt was a priority on my to-do list as I have always wondered about the incident and how he managed to overcome the obstacles at sea that day. I met the retired seafarer at his home in the district of Grand Anse, Praslin. First he introduced himself and said, «My name is Luc Grandcourt and I am the son of Japhet and Lucie Grandcourt. My mother was from the main island of Mahe while my father was a native of Praslin. I was born on October 17, 1948 and I was named Luc after Luke the Evangelist, whose feast day falls on October 18. My father's parents came from France on a boat so the love for the sea comes from my father's side.» Grandcourt's father was also a renowned seafarer in Seychelles and started to work on a schooner even before he reached the age of 15 and after hearing his story, Grandcourt followed in his father's footsteps. «We come from a family of seafarers, from my father, his brother and my brother Pierre. And now some of my children have joined in the business,» he said. He comes from a family of six, with him being the third child of three sisters and three brothers and only his brother Robert, who left Seychelles at almost 18 years old, did not venture into a career at sea. The 76-year-old is the only sibling living on Praslin while his sisters and brother have left Seychelles' shores. A portrait of his late brother Captain Pierre Grandcourt who drowned on August 25, 2018, hangs on the wall in his sitting room. Other paintings of his schooners, life at sea and his family, as well as varnished steering wheels from and other items from his vessels, are all part of the interior decor of the house. He shared his story of nearly drowning story when he was four years old. «My father was at sea that day, my mother had gone to buy fish nearby and I was with my brother Robert and Lucianne when this happened. My mother ran to rescue me and instead of crying as any child would, I just looked at my mother and smiled with all my might. She knew right there and then that just like my father I was destined to be at sea,» Grandcourt remembered. A painting of Captain Grandcourt on his boat. (Mandy Bertin) Photo License: CC-BY  Being a young seafarer Grandcour said he started working on a schooner when he was only 14 and after completing Form Three on Praslin, he was accepted at the Victoria Training Centre but did not want to go to school on Mahe, the main island. «I loved my island and my mother so much that I decided not to leave. I told my parents that what I had learned at school was sufficient. I wanted to work with my father and help my mother. She was into agriculture, mainly livestock and vegetables, and she had to take care of her children as well. So with my father busy at sea every day, life was hectic for my mother so I became her helping hand.» His childhood Grandcourt said he had a passion for the sea from a very young age and learned how to swim using coconut husks and coir. «I made life jackets using these and practiced frequently until I knew how to swim. I remember I was about five to six years old when my father bought Ero. When I was eight, my father made some major repairs on the schooner and I was excited at that time, wishing that one day, I would be on that schooner rain or shine,» he shared. His dream came true on January 3, 1963, when he joined his father and his crew on Ero until 1975. The youngest seafarer to get certified «I took my tests at the age of 18 and at that time I was the youngest seaman to do so. I remember there was a man known as Captain Hunter who lived on Praslin and one day he told me he can get me to go work abroad and I can even become a captain. I refused because I was very close to my mother and I did not want to leave her,» said Grancourt. «At that time we did not have the Global Positioning System (GPS) so we had to learn how to use navigational instruments such as sextant. Captain Hunter wanted me to learn how to use the navigational chart as well,» he added. He sat his test with two captains, Hunter and Sauvage, and received his certificate and assumed command the La Digue Feast of the Assumption on August 15. «After years of commanding Ero, my father decided to sell the schooner and a businesswoman who built the Château de Feuilles, one of the first hotels on Praslin bought it and I became the 'patron' (boss) until the incident in 1975,» Grandcourt noted. 

Spain is deploying 10,000 more troops and police officers to the eastern Valencia region devastated by historic floods that have killed 211 people, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Saturday. Hopes of finding survivors were slim more than three days after torrents of muddy water submerged towns and wrecked infrastructure in the European country's worst such disaster in decades. Almost all the deaths have been recorded in the Valencia region, where thousands of security and emergency services personnel were frantically clearing debris and mud in the search for bodies. Sanchez said in a televised address that the disaster was the second deadliest flood in Europe this century and announced a huge increase in the security forces dedicated to relief works. The government had accepted the Valencia region leader's request for 5,000 more troops and informed him of a further deployment of 5,000 police officers and civil guards, Sanchez said. Spain was carrying out its largest deployment of army and security force personnel in peacetime, he added. - More deaths expected - Restoring order and distributing aid to destroyed towns and villages -- some of which have been cut off from food, water and power for days -- is a priority. Authorities have come under fire over the adequacy of warning systems before the floods, and some stricken residents have complained the response to the disaster is too slow. «I am aware the response is not enough, there are problems and severe shortages... towns buried by mud, desperate people searching for their relatives... we have to improve,» Sanchez said. In the ground-zero towns of Alfafar and Sedavi, AFP reporters saw no soldiers while residents shovelled mud from their homes and firefighters pumped water from garages and tunnels. «Politicians promise a lot, help will come when it comes,» said Mario Silvestre, 86, a resident of Chiva where gaping sinkholes risked triggering the collapse of buildings. Authorities in the Valencia region have restricted access to roads for two days to allow emergency services to carry out search, rescue and logistics operations more effectively. Officials have said dozens of people remain unaccounted for. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told radio station Cadena Ser on Friday it was «reasonable» to believe more fatalities would emerge. But with telephone and transport networks severely damaged, establishing a precise figure is difficult. Sanchez said electricity had been restored to 94 percent of homes affected by power outages and that around half of the cut telephone lines had been repaired. Some motorways have reopened but local and regional roads resembled a «Swiss cheese», meaning certain places would probably remain inaccessible by land for weeks, Transport Minister Oscar Puente told El Pais daily. - 'Overwhelmed' by solidarity - Thousands of ordinary citizens pushing shopping trolleys and carrying cleaning equipment took to the streets on Friday to help with the recovery. Susana Camarero, deputy head of the Valencia region, said some municipalities were «overwhelmed» by the solidarity and food they had received. The movement continued on Saturday as around 1,000 people set off from the Mediterranean coastal city of Valencia towards nearby towns laid waste by the floods, an AFP journalist saw. Authorities have urged them to stay at home to avoid congestion on the roads that would hamper the work of emergency services. The storm that sparked the floods on Tuesday formed as cold air moved over the warm waters of the Mediterranean and is common for this time of year. But scientists warn climate change driven by human activity is increasing the ferocity, length and frequency of such extreme weather events. © Agence France-Presse

Seychelles is looking to increase its air connectivity to the world and negotiations have been undertaken with a group of countries with the aim of getting more direct flights to the island nation, said a top government official recently. The Minister for Transport, Antony Derjacques, and the chief executive of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA), Gary Albert along with Air Seychelles, attended the International Civil Aviation Negotiating event (ICAN-2024), held recently in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. During the event, which took place from October 21-25, Seychelles held negotiations with around 17 countries and signed agreements with seven countries. These included Germany, Eswatini, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Turkey, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Seychelles also discussed several issues, with Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Spain. Derjacques told reporters, «The signing of these agreements is a success because it allows us to develop our connectivity, through airlines, with these countries.»   The CEO of SCAA gave more details on the agreements signed and said that with Malaysia, Seychelles talked about having a direct connection to Asia. «We have noticed that we have a gap in terms of direct connectivity to Asia, and we are looking at a country in Asia, that would like to take this route, while we have also negotiated with China, to see if they have an airline that could take this route,» he explained.   Seychelles also negotiated with Germany, one of the country's biggest tourism markets, where the number of airlines from the European nation is expected to increase.   Currently, only German airline, Condor, resumed services to Seychelles in September but according to Albert, there is interest from Germany's flag carrier, Lufthansa.   Seychelles has held negotiations with other Airlines, such as Saudi Arabia's FlyNas to come to Seychelles, and also with India's Indigo. Indigo, according to Derjacques, has agreed to start flying to Seychelles from February 2025. Albert also pointed out that during their event, the delegation was to talk to other airlines to find out, why they have stopped operating direct flights to Seychelles, or are only operating seasonally. «We had this conversation with them and we understood that there is interest, but with a lack of airplanes available, these airlines have had to prioritise their more profitable markets, although that is expected to be rectified by the end of the year,»he shared. During the event in Malaysia, the delegation from Seychelles visited the Subang International Airport in Kuala Lumpur to see how it was constructed and get some ideas for the redevelopment of the Seychelles International Airport. «They were able to give us an estimation of how much it cost to construct the airport, while they showed us the modern facilities available at the airport, and they also showed us the amount of development that can happen around an airport,» explained Derjacques.   The Seychelles International Airport Masterplan was completed earlier this year and the last presentation was made to the Cabinet on June 26. As the Cabinet still had some reservations about certain infrastructures and the financial plans, these two components are being explored further.

The Indian Ocean island of Mauritius blocked access to social media on Friday, just days ahead of a general election, as tensions mounted over a wire-tapping scandal. Mauritius has been gripped by the release of secret recordings of phone calls by politicians, journalists, members of civil society and even foreign diplomats that began to emerge online last month. On Friday, the office of Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth said it had ordered internet service providers to block access to the most widely used social networks. The blockage is due to last until November 11 -- the day after the election -- according to telecoms operator EMTEL. «Following the publication of certain audio tracks on social media, there is a real risk that the national security and integrity of our Republic and our international partners may have been compromised,» the prime minister's office said in a statement. NetBlocks, an internet governance watchdog, confirmed that Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X were not accessible. The former CEO of Mauritius Telecom, Sherry Singh, was arrested later on Friday along with three other suspects as part of the investigation into the leaks, police sources told AFP. Details of the charges were not immediately available. The leaked recordings were released by an account called Missie Moustass (Mr Moustache), primarily on TikTok. There have been attempts to block the account but it quickly resurfaced elsewhere and has been releasing recordings almost daily. Among those causing the greatest shock was that of the police commissioner apparently asking a forensic doctor to alter a report into a person who died after being beaten in police custody. A judicial investigation into the death was launched following the leak. Private calls featuring British High Commissioner Charlotte Pierre also appear to have been leaked. The shock ban on social media was roundly condemned by the opposition and poses a major challenge for local media and political parties which rely heavily on Facebook and other online outlets. «It's shocking, revolting and unacceptable. It's a sign of panic,» said Paul Berenger, one of the leaders of the opposition Alliance for Change coalition. «We are dealing with people who are dangerous to the country. Lawyers are working on what can be done legally. We will move very quickly on the legal and political level,» he added. Jugnauth is seeking re-election as head of the Militant Socialist Movement. He inherited the premiership on the death of his father in 2017 and secured a victory for his coalition in polls two years later. «This is the last desperate act of a regime in disarray,» said Nando Bodha, head of opposition grouping Linion Reform. «It attacks head-on the fundamental rights of citizens guaranteed by the constitution, including freedom of expression,» he added, calling for an intervention by the Election Commission to ensure the polls are «free and fair». © Agence France-Presse

Anecdotes are part of the Seychellois culture and heritage and one local artist keeps the tradition alive and retells them in his songs. Marc Dubel is a well-known artist in Seychelles and his music is unique as he focuses on stories of the past told by great-grandparents and includes supernatural events. Through his songs, Dubel gives people a chance to take a trip down memory lane and has successfully kept these anecdotes of Seychelles alive. The artist, who now resides on Praslin Island, strives to preserve this part of the island nation's culture because this is part of the Creole identity and what makes the Seychellois culture different.   Becoming an artist Dubel's career in arts started at a young age. He recalled that at that time his friends were members of the National Cultural Troupe. Well-known Seychellois musician, singer and composer, Patrick Victor, today the Seychelles' honorary cultural ambassador, was the founder of the troupe and director of the first Seychellois Creole musical play called «Kastor,» which he wrote in in 1984, and was conducting auditions for various roles. «My friends encouraged me to try out and I did. This was a big step, I went on stage and they gave me a role to play. After a while I got a call telling me that I was successful and from then on I did not look back,» he recalled. «I landed the main role, as Kastor. The personality was a slave of African origins, exiled to Seychelles. At that time, Mahe, Seychelles' main island was called Ile d'Abondance, meaning Island of Plenty. Kastor managed to escape into the forest. He freed himself from slavery. After I had played Kastor, whenever people came to Pointe Larue, my hometown, and asked for Kastor, residents would know you were talking about me,» he said cheerfully. Dubel acted in several other plays and another remarkable one was called «Zen 66,» whereby he played the role of the late France Albert Rene, who was the President of Seychelles from 1977 to 2004. «Everything needs a foundation. We need to revive plays. We see young people trying to revive theatre plays but support is needed for them to be able to soar higher,» Dubel said. The artist, who now resides on Praslin Island, strives to preserve this part of the island nation's culture. (Mandy Bertin) Photo License: All Rights Reserved     Anecdotal songs Dubel told SNA he wrote ancetoal songs at a young age and that he liked to hang around people who were much older than him because they had lots of stories to share and this fascinated him.   «I did not make up these songs, they are based on true stories told by our elders. The song 'Ziraf' (Giraffe) is an example. Back in the days when I was at school, I remember there was an old man, he was very tall and people used to call him Ziraf, which is the Creole name for giraffe,» he recalled. «The song talks about a man known as Msye Mondon (Mr. Mondon), a very authoritative man who was the registrar for Assumption Island, one of the outer islands of the Seychelles' archipelago. His character did not make him popular among the workers. Whoever had to go to the island had to first register with him. One day, Ziraf went to the jetty to register to go there and to take an advance payment, but unfortunately, he did not know how to write his name, so this angered Mr Mondon,» said Dubel. The song tells how the registrar how Ziraf told Mr. Mondon how his long neck helps him sense danger approaching and with that he was allowed to work on the island. Dubel has also written songs on spirits in the woods, adding that on several occasions people have witnessed strange things when walking in the forests and at one point, they realised they were not alone. The artist is now focusing more on Moutya songs but still has many other songs to write. Dubel has his vision board on the walls of his mind, and on it, his dreams are displayed. «When I retire, I wish to teach drama and music to young people. I want them to learn to develop their talents and keep these art forms alive,» Dubel said. The future of our culture in a pioneer's eye «I am a man of my culture. I believe in it and I will keep striving to keep it alive and propel it forward. We need people who have our culture at heart to help artists, cultural enthusiasts, and pioneers. This country needs its culture and together we must work collectively to preserve it,» Dubel told SNA. «The people of Seychelles should be proud of its culture, traditions and heritage. We need to showcase our real culture to our young generation. There is a need to build a strong foundation to ensure that we preserve what we have inherited. But it is sad to realise that not everyone knows the true value of our cultural assets,» he remarked. 

Seychelles launched the Africa Educates Her (AEH) campaign on Wednesday, joining three other African countries in efforts to safeguard young girls' rights to education. The campaign launched at the Seychelles Institute of Teacher Education (SITE) is an African Union-backed project. It is an advocacy platform for its member states and stakeholders to work for the protection of girls' right to education during emergency, security, and humanitarian situations. It is also geared towards ensuring learning recovery strategies. Seychelles joins Ivory Coast, Mozambique, and Uganda, who have already adopted the AEH. Africa Educates Her is currently in its second phase. The first took effect after the COVID-19 pandemic. In an interview with the press, Marie-Antoine Bethew, the head of the project in the 115-island archipelago, explained that Seychelles did not join the rest of the African continent for the first phase. This was because girls in the country did not go back to school later than their male counterparts following the pandemic. «We have seen that some countries on the continent sent their girls back to school later, opting to keep them at home to help their households,» she said. In her address, the principal secretary for Education, Merna Eulentin, pointed out that Seychelles has also faced increasing challenges in education over the years, including «an increase in school drop-outs, rising mental health issues and teenage pregnancies.» She said, «This year has been especially difficult for many families, as numerous children have lost their parents due to various tragic circumstances, including fire incidents and other disasters.» Eulentin added that the campaign will bring together all local stakeholders to tackle such difficulties and ensure education equity. Africa Educates Her in Seychelles will also include boys in the education system. Bethew said that «since the situation concerning girls' education in Seychelles is not exactly the same as that of other countries on the continent, we will also be including boys in our campaign.» The campaign launched at the Seychelles Institute of Teacher Education (SITE) is an African Union-backed project. It is an advocacy platform for its member states and stakeholders to work for the protection of girls' right to education during emergency, security, and humanitarian situations. It is also geared towards ensuring learning recovery strategies. Seychelles joins Ivory Coast, Mozambique, and Uganda, who have already adopted the AEH. Africa Educates Her is currently in its second phase. The first took effect after the COVID-19 pandemic. In an interview with the press, Marie-Antoine Bethew, the head of the project in the 115-island archipelago, explained that Seychelles did not join the rest of the African continent for the first phase. This was because girls in the country did not go back to school later than their male counterparts following the pandemic. «We have seen that some countries on the continent sent their girls back to school later, opting to keep them at home to help their households,» she said. In her address, the principal secretary for Education, Merna Eulentin, pointed out that Seychelles has also faced increasing challenges in education over the years, including «an increase in school drop-outs, rising mental health issues and teenage pregnancies.» She said, «This year has been especially difficult for many families, as numerous children have lost their parents due to various tragic circumstances, including fire incidents and other disasters.» Eulentin added that the campaign will bring together all local stakeholders to tackle such difficulties and ensure education equity. Africa Educates Her in Seychelles will also include boys in the education system. Bethew said that «since the situation concerning girls' education in Seychelles is not exactly the same as that of other countries on the continent, we will also be including boys in our campaign.»

A 7 percent increase in the basic monthly salary for public workers earning less than SCR21,368 ($1,500) and the same increase on the minimum wage as of April 1 next year, are being proposed in the Seychelles' 2025 Budget presented by the Minister of Finance, National Planning and Trade, Naadir Hassan, on Thursday. Hassan is seeking the approval of the National Assembly for a proposed budget of SCR 11.9 billion ($880 million), the largest budget in the history of Seychelles. This represents an increase of 11.9 percent compared to the 2024 Appropriation Act, which was SCR 10.6 billion ($731 million). Hassan said, «It is a budget whereby our people reap the benefits of our hard work and provides funding for investing in economic and social infrastructures that will ensure the wellbeing of our country for years and decades to come.» He said in the total revenue «we are projecting for the year 2025, SCR 9.96 billion will be collected from tax revenues, representing 85 percent of our total revenue collection. However, we are projecting a collection of SCR 1.8 billion in non-tax revenue, and SCR 453 million in terms of grants. This total represents an increase of SCR 1.3 billion or 11.7 percent when compared to the revised budget for the year 2024.» On the 7 percent increase in the basic monthly salary, Hassan said, «All workers earning more than SCR 21,368 will receive an increase of SCR1,500. This increase guarantees a minimum of SCR 500 for all full-time workers. This 7 percent increase also applies to home carers. [...] This SCR 1,500 cap is necessary to ensure that the salary increase remains sustainable. It is important to note that this salary increase does not apply to constitutional appointees.» The increase and will cost SCR 115 million, which represents 0.3 percent of Seychelles' GDP and will have an annual impact of SCR 153 million. On the minimum wage, the government has conducted an exercise and is proposing a 7 percent increase - from SCR 38.27 to SCR 40.95 per hour for employed workers. This means for a job based on 40 hours per week, the minimum wage will increase from SR 6,633.47 to SR 7,098 per month. The rate for casual (part-time) workers will increase from SCR 44.10 to SR 47.19 per hour. The minister also announced an increase in retirement benefits for the elderly starting in April 2025. Pensions and retirement benefits  In Retirement Benefit, for those who qualify for a pension with a benefit greater than SCR 3,250, it will increase from SCR 5,750 to SCR 6,150. Pension with a benefit less than SCR 3,250, will increase from SCR 5,750 to SCR 6,400. For those who do not qualify for a pension, their retirement benefit will increase from SCR 5,750 to SCR 6,650. Furthermore, all beneficiaries who were receiving social security before the creation of the Pension Fund, whose current retirement benefit is SCR 6,250, will have their benefit increased to SCR 7,150 Compared to the previous budget, in the 2025 Budget, the employment and social affairs portfolio, which includes expenses under benefits and programme at the Agency of Social Protection will get the largest portion of the  - totalling SCR 1.57 billion. It represents 13.2 percent of the total budget. The health portfolio budget is projected at a total of SCR 1.5 billion, representing 12.8 percent of the total budget. An allocation of SCR 1.4 billion is projected for the education portfolio, representing 11.8 percent of the total budget.   Sporting events and sports development Hassan said in 2025, Seychelles will host two international sports events, in May, the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, and in July, the Indian Ocean Youth and Sport Commission (CJSOI) «The government is allocating SCR 40.6 million in the budget under goods and services for the organisation of these events and our participation in the CJSOI, plus SCR 3 million for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup,» he added. Budget allocations are also being made for sports development as high level events Seychelles will participate in. «In 2025, a sum of SCR 5.75 million has been allocated to prepare athletes for the Olympics, African Games, Indian Ocean Games, and Commonwealth Games in the coming years,» he said. Fisheries and the Blue Economy From January 2025, the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA), in partnership with the European Union, will introduce a new pension scheme to encourage fishers to contribute towards their pensions on a voluntary basis. «All fishermen interested in participating in this scheme will need to contribute 5 percent, and the SFA will contribute the other 5 percent. An amount of SCR 500,000 will be budgeted annually by the SFA. In this scheme, the contribution will be based on the minimum salary,» said Hassan. Agricultural Development Fund To facilitate access to financing for farmers, there will be certain amendments to the Agricultural Development Fund (ADF) scheme for the year 2025. Under this scheme, currently, agricultural land on a leasehold can be used as security for a loan up to the value of SCR 350,000. The government is increasing the value of loans that can be secured with leasehold agricultural land to SR 850,000, provided that this represents no more than 70 percent of the land. «We are also encouraging transformation in the agricultural sector, and in line with this, we are ensuring that terms such as 'agro-tourism' and 'agro-forestry' are included in this scheme and well-defined to allow such projects to be financed under the ADF. Specialised vehicles—meaning vehicles that require specific training to operate and that are used for agriculture—will also be covered,» said Hassan. The Budget Address will followed next week by the response from the Leader of the Opposition, Sebastien Pillay, of the United Seychelles Party, followed by the repose of the Leader of the Government Business, of the Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) Party, Bernard Georges.  

Spanish media said Tuesday that Real Madrid had cheapened themselves by boycotting the Ballon d'Or ceremony, with even the normally loyal Marca weighing in while Spain's national coach admitted it was «not good for football». European champions Real announced their decision to skip Monday night's gala ceremony in Paris just hours before it took place after apparently learning that their Brazilian striker Vinicius had not won the men's award. «This masquerade is unworthy of the greatest club in the world,» said Marca, which is normally staunchly pro-Real, in an editorial, adding that the club had ignored its own mantra that calls on its players «to shake hands even when you lose». In fact Real Madrid won other awards, including men's team of the year, but there was no one to collect them. It was a big night for Spanish football in general with Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri and Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati collecting the men's and women's awards, but the seats left empty by Real's delegation cast a shadow over the event. «It's not good for football for an entity like Real Madrid not to be present at a gala of this dimension,» said Spain's Euro 2024-winning coach Luis de la Fuente on the red carpet. Alfredo Relano, editor-in-chief of Spanish sports daily AS, one of the 100 journalists who voted for the Ballon d'Or, lamented that «the first Ballon d'Or for a Spanish player since 1960, which was keenly awaited, did not provoke the state of collective excitement that was expected, but rather a controversial day». - 'Lack of respect' - Real Madrid are at loggerheads with UEFA over the proposed Super League, which the club support but which most other major European clubs have rejected, and they were quick to blame the European governing body for Vinicius missing out on the award. «It is clear that Ballon d'Or-UEFA does not respect Real Madrid,» they said on Monday. «And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected.» Vincent Garcia, the editor-in-chief of France Football which organises the event, denied there was any anti-Vinicius or anti-Real Madrid conspiracy. «UEFA has been involved in supporting the gala this year but it is France Football that awards the prize,» he told L'Equipe. «There is no possibility of manipulation.» Garcia also offered a more rational explanation for Rodri, voted the best player at Euro 2024, taking the award. «It was close,» he said. «Vinicius certainly suffered from the presence of (fellow Madrid players) (Dani) Carvajal and (Jude) Bellingham in the top five, as that lost him some votes... which may have benefited Rodri.» Another potential explanation, raised by several specialist media, was the fact that voters were asked to consider the «fair play» aspect of a player's game. This may have been detrimental to the occasionally temperamental and provocative Brazilian while benefiting the model image of Rodri. Meanwhile, former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon also lamented the club's absence from the awards ceremony by telling Sky Sports: «We are the greatest club in the world but we have to behave properly.» © Agence France-Presse

This week, the Seychelles' delegation at the 16th Conference of Parties under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16) in Cali, Colombia, will mainly examine the commitments made at the previous COP, when the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) was signed. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Flavien Joubert, Seychelles' Minister for Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment, said, «Unfortunately, we were unable to submit our commitments and targets and review NBSAP (National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plan) in time, but we are doing our utmost to have it ready by at least the end of the year. During COP16, we intend on facilitating even more engagements for Seychelles, especially regarding finance.» The second week of the Conference is the high-level segment, which includes heads of state and ministers. Joubert arrived at the conference during the weekend and will now participate in the high-level discussions and decide whether to sign off on the document at the end of the proceedings. Apart from the main plenary and working groups, the minister also attended side events, the most recent one about forging coral reef resilience in which he explained the importance of Seychelles building more connections for collaboration. «We will continue to look for partners willing to work with us on different subjects. Here we are working with the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR), and there are also other stakeholders present. We need to explore new opportunities, to ensure progress for the country. Today, everything is more complex. We will first focus on aspects which have more economic importance for Seychelles,» he said. Joubert further shared his expectations for the second week of COP16 and his thoughts about what needs to be done. «For this week, I think it is important that we establish how countries who have not submitted their targets will do so. Many countries still have not done this and we think that a good baseline is important. We also need a better definition regarding the financial resources that will accompany the targets and where they will come from. Are the commitments from other countries sufficient?» he asked. Joubert also had more bilateral meetings and said, «There are several key partners that we are targeting; these are key actors that we know have the capabilities to help us with our projects, therefore we must build upon the relationship we have with them.» Joubert said that finance was a key component of Seychelles' position and it also included local Seychellois actors who noted certain concerns to him. «There are quite a few concerns from local organisations, namely NGOs who conduct different kinds of research. This is mainly linked with access to financial resources. So, this is another point that I will be inquiring about here at the COP to clarify the situation with these organisations from Seychelles. They've said that they've been told that there is a lot of resources available, however, they feel that it is complicated to access such funding,» he shared. At the moment, Seychelles is being represented by 13 people at the COP16, a group comprising of government representatives and several non-governmental organisations (NGOs). «We have quite an interesting delegation here in Colombia, there is quite a number of Seychellois representatives here. I am interested in seeing how each person will do their part as they each have a component they are following. We do not want to just attend a conference. We also want to go back to Seychelles with concrete solutions and outcomes for the challenges we are facing. This is important for me,» he said.    This story was produced as part of the 2024 CBD COP16 Fellowship organised by the Internews' Earth Journalism Network. 

The Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority's (SPGA) operation centre will be functional next week and will serve as an information base for the conservation work of protected areas. The announcement was made by the chief executive of the SPGA, Allen Cedras, after a training session for its staff to use EarthRanger software. This is a real-time software solution from the Allen Institute in the United States, which helps protected area managers, ecologists, and wildlife biologists make more informed operational decisions for wildlife conservation. It collects, integrates, and displays all historical and real-time data from a protected area - including wildlife, ranger patrols, spatial data, and observed threats. A group of SPGA personnel attended the training held by 51 Degrees' representative, Neil Davidson, the EarthRanger's partner in Nairobi, Kenya, supporting them with this project. So far, 25 SPGA personnel have been trained to use EarthRanger. Cedras told the press that SPGA has been working on the project for the last two years, with the training session being the final touches to have the system up and running. The SPGA has already started to set up some components that will link up with the EarthRanger system at the newly renovated Anse Major trail. There is a camera at the entrance of the trail, which will provide information on persons going in and exiting the trail. The Authority is responsible for managing the marine and terrestrial national parks with associated trails and gardens in Seychelles, a group of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean. There are two types of sensors being used - one to detect fires and another to detect people visiting different sites. Meanwhile, Cedras said that once the operations centre is up and running at the man-made Perseverance Island adjacent to the main island of Mahe, the Authority will be working with other authorities such as the Seychelles Fire and Rescue Services Agency (SFRSA) and the police to share information. «With the information we will be collecting through the system, we will be able to tell where there are fires, and that will assist SFRSA in their duties as well,» he said. 

Nations could agree in December on a world-first treaty to reduce the amount of plastic leaking into the environment which, if nothing is done, is forecast to triple by 2060. How did we get here? And what are the impacts on the environment and the climate? - Plastic boom - Global production of synthetic polymers -- which form the building blocks of plastic -- has increased 230-fold since the 1950s, says the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Total production doubled between 2000 and 2019 to 460 million tons, faster than commodities like steel, aluminium or cement. By 2060, if left unchecked, that figure will have almost tripled to 1.2 billion tons, according to the OECD. The growth in plastic production has mainly occurred in the United States, the Middle East and China. - Demand - The Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crises that followed have had two notable -- and opposing -- impacts on plastic consumption. The first is a surge in consumption of single-use plastics in healthcare, food retail and e-commerce. The second is a decline in sectors affected by inflation and the global economic downturn such as the automotive and construction industries. - Trash problem - The sheer volume of plastic garbage produced around the globe has more than doubled in 20 years, from 156 million tonnes in 2000 to 353 million tonnes in 2019. It is expected to almost triple to just over one billion tonnes by 2060. More than two-thirds of this trash is made up of objects with a lifespan of less than five years like plastic packaging, consumer products and textiles. In 2019, 22 million tonnes of plastic found its way into the environment, including six million tonnes in rivers, lakes and oceans, according to the OECD. Plastics account for «at least 85 percent of total marine litter», according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The majority of the world's plastic trash is caused by poor waste management, with other lesser sources including littering, the abrasion of car tyres, and microplastics. By 2060, the OECD predicts the volume of waste in the environment will double to 44 million tonnes, mostly larger plastics but also tiny particles that have been detected in blood and breast milk. Just nine percent of the world's plastic waste is recycled; 19 percent is burned; and nearly 50 percent ends up in controlled landfills. The remaining 22 percent is abandoned in illegal dumps, burned in the open air or released into the environment, putting human health at great risk. - 'It's everywhere' - The impact on the environment, climate and human health is getting worse, the OECD says. The plastic that accumulates in the environment is non-biodegradable, takes hundreds of years to decompose and breaks down into tiny microscopic particles. They «asphyxiate marine species, have a negative impact on soils, poison groundwater», and can have serious repercussions on health, according to UNEP. «Plastic particles are everywhere, in tap water, in drinking water, in groundwater», adds Greenpeace. Plastics also bear a significant carbon footprint. In 2019, plastics generated 1.8 billion tonnes of planet-warming greenhouse gases, or 3.4 percent of the global total, said the OECD and UNEP. Around 90 percent of these emissions came from the production and processing of plastics, which are derived from crude oil and natural gas, according to the OECD and UNEP. © Agence France-Presse

Southern Africa's diamond-rich nation of Botswana votes in general elections Wednesday, with the ruling party seeking to extend its nearly six-decade rule and hand a second term to President Mokgweetsi Masisi. More than a million people are registered to vote after polls open at 6:30 am (0430 GMT), with four presidential candidates in the race to head the region's oldest democracy, installed on independence from Britain in 1966 when the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) took office. Voters in the arid and sparsely populated country have voiced concerns about an economic slowdown and unemployment that has reached 27 percent, amid claims of government corruption and mismanagement. But the ruling party has batted away the criticism and points to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy, with weakened demand for diamonds also chipping away at revenues. «In 2019, we had a clean sweep of Gaborone,» Masisi, 63, told around 400 cheering supporters at a final late-night rally in the capital late Tuesday. «This year, I want to polish,» the eloquent US-educated former school teacher said. Dressed entirely in the red colours of the BDP, Queen Mosiane, 34, said she was loyal to the party because its government had supported her when she became an orphan, including with education and healthcare that is covered by the state. «We live peacefully in this country because of BDP,» she said. «It's not time to change because we don't know what are we inviting.» «The opportunities that we find, and our kids are going to find in the future, are because of the BDP,» said civil servant Refile Kutlwano, 34, at the same rally. «The opposition is not ready to rule.» Masisi was elected in 2019 with around 52 percent of the vote. While the party is not expected to fare much better this time, the opposition is divided. - Divided opposition - The main opposition alliance is the left-leaning Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), led by human rights lawyer, Duma Boko, 54. It lost two key members in the run-up to voting day with the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) and Botswana Congress Party (BCP) quitting and each fielding their own presidential candidates. It was a blow to voters like Ookeditse Letshwenyo, 23, who saw the UDC offering opportunities to young people struggling to find jobs that pay beyond the minimum wage of around 1,500 pula ($110 dollars) a month. «Since our independence we've been ruled by the same people, with the same mindset, with the same goals,» said Letshwenyo, who has launched an IT start-up. «You can't win against the BDP while you are divided,» he said. While the surprise return six weeks ago from three years of self-exile of the previous president Ian Khama to campaign against Masisi added some energy to the opposition, analysts said his influence was limited to a few districts. In the lead-up to voting day, opposition groups made various claims of irregularities by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), including failing to share a digital version of the voters roll and a shortage of ballot papers in early voting for security personnel. Despite some disillusionment around the ruling party, with its «historical momentum and the limping opposition, the BDP’s path to victory appears not only likely but increasingly evident,» the independent Mmegi newspaper said. With 61 seats up for grabs in parliament, Botswana's first-past-the-post system means that the first party to take 31 seats will be declared the winner and install its candidate as president. Counting will start in the hours after polling stations close at 7:00 pm (1700 GMT) Wednesday with results due late Thursday, IEC spokesperson Osupile Marob said. © Agence France-Presse

The Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA) on Tuesday officially inaugurated a new tugboat that was added to its operations in mid-October, increasing its fleet to four. The new tugboat, which cost SCR86 million ($6.3 million), is a modern, state-of-the-art vessel, equipped with an Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD) system. It has an overall length of 21.02m, a draft of 4.5m, and a beam of 10.81m. Additionally, it has a bollard pull of 50 tonnes and can reach a maximum speed of 12 knots. The cutting-edge technology and remarkable capability will help Seychelles enhance its port operations and ensure maritime safety, according to the SPA. «This vessel is equipped with the latest technology and designed to navigate our waters safely, helping us respond to emergencies, assist larger vessels, and maintain the vitality of our shipping routes,» said the chief executive of the SPA, Sonny Payet. He added that the tugboat's «presence will undoubtedly strengthen our maritime operations, support our local economy, and bolster our community's connection to the sea.» It has been named «Silwet» (the Creole spelling of the word silhouette, which is also the name of an island in Seychelles), a name chosen among 96 submissions from a school competition launched to name the vessel. The winning entry was from nine-year-old Ila David from Takamaka School. The Minister for Transport, Antony Derjacques, and the chairman of the SPA Board, Brian Loveday, unveiled the name of the boat. David and the First Lady, Linda Ramkalawan, inaugurated the tugboat, in a ceremonial smashing of a champagne bottle on the hull of the vessel. Derjacques said the vessel's 50-tonne bollard pull and a top speed of 12 knots «will greatly enhance our port's capabilities to manage a variety of vessels—regardless of size and complexity – to cater for the larger vessels expected to call in Port Victoria after the completion of the ambitious Port Victoria Rehabilitation & Extension Project.» . During the event, SPA took the opportunity to reward its staff members who were recently part of two operations. One was a fire at the man-made Ile Du Port and the other was the removal of a cargo vessel that was grounded near Ste Anne Island. The new tugboat was part of the removal operation of the cargo vessel. «On behalf of the government, I extend sincere gratitude to all SPA personnel who showed exceptional courage and professionalism during the recent incidents on 18 and 19 October,» said Derjacques. He added: «Whether it was managing the fire outbreak at Zone 14 or responding to the grounding of a container vessel near Ste. Anne Island, these events tested our readiness and resilience.» Additionally in the ceremony, the chairman of the SPA's Board handed over several artefacts to the secretary general of the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts, David Andre. These are expected to be added to the Marine Museum, which will be constructed in the near future. «These artefacts tell the stories of our rich maritime heritage, showcasing the skills and artistry of those who came before us. By preserving and celebrating these pieces of history, we are not only honouring our past but also inspiring future generations to appreciate and understand the importance of our cultural identity,» said Payet. These artefacts included the remains of one of SPA's former pilot launches, Riga, which served over 45 years in its fleet before being decommissioned. The other artefacts are from old lighthouses and some were salvaged from the sea during operations.  

Global business leaders gathered in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for a glitzy investor forum as conflict shakes the region and scepticism mounts over the Gulf kingdom's most ambitious development projects. The Future Investment Initiative (FII) debuted in 2017 as a showcase for de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's dream of diversifying the economy of the world's largest crude exporter away from oil. This year's three-day event is expected to draw more than 7,000 delegates including TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew and the chief executives of Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. It kicked off with a performance by South African opera singers and remarks from Yasir al-Rumayyan, governor of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, about the kingdom's attempts to be a leader in artificial intelligence and the energy transition. But for the second year in a row, conflict in the Middle East was sure to shape panel discussions and side meetings. Last year's FII took place just weeks after Hamas's unprecedented attack on southern Israel triggered the war in Gaza, with high-level speakers warning about economic turmoil should the fighting draw in other countries. A year later those fears have been realised, as Israel presses operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon and carries out tit-for-tat strikes with Iran. Muhammad al-Jasser, chairman of the Islamic Development Bank, told a panel on Tuesday that the Gulf region was «a bright spot in the region» but that the ongoing wars have been a drag on growth. «The potential that was sitting there waiting to be cultivated is evaporating with all these conflicts and this level of uncertainty,» he said. - 'Show must go on' - While most speakers refrained from overtly political messages, American economist Jeffrey Sachs used his speaking slot to issue a full-throated call for the establishment of a Palestinian state. «Why is there war in Gaza and in Lebanon and possibly spreading to Iran and further in this region? Because there's no state of Palestine, obviously,» he said. «Because Israel blocks it, the United States blocks it, and until there is, there's going to be no peace in the region.» FII Institute CEO Richard Attias told a press conference in Riyadh this month that the gathering is not meant to focus on «politics» and should instead tackle big-picture investments «to build a better world». «We are an independent platform and we don't want to be, forgive me for the word, polluted by any political events,» said Attias, former producer of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. «I am curating events for 35 years now, and I learnt one thing: The show must go on.» On Tuesday Attias announced that this year's FII would be his last as CEO of the institute. - 'Doubters beware' - This year's FII, sometimes referred to as «Davos in the Desert», also comes as Saudi officials try to demonstrate progress on signature elements of Prince Mohammed's Vision 2030 reform agenda. Authorities have reportedly scaled back 2030 size and population targets for NEOM, a planned futuristic megacity in northwest Saudi Arabia meant to feature a ski resort and twin skyscrapers 170 kilometres (105 miles) long. On Sunday, NEOM announced the opening of its «first physical showcase», a luxury Red Sea island known as Sindalah featuring restaurants, hotels and yachting berths. «There was so much scepticism over NEOM in the Western media that the Saudis had to do something to demonstrate their commitment,» said Jim Krane of Rice University's Baker Institute. «The early opening at NEOM is probably designed to embarrass the naysayers by telling the world that Saudi Arabia is moving ahead. It's a 'doubters beware' message.» Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan said in May that «shocks» including the war in Gaza were prompting officials to «reprioritise» some aspects of Vision 2030. At a briefing with journalists in December last year, Jadaan said officials had decided to push the timeframe for some major projects past 2030, though he did not provide details and also noted that others would be accelerated. Saudi Arabia has enacted a series of oil cuts since 2022 in a bid to hike prices and is currently producing around nine million barrels per day, well below its declared capacity of 12 million bpd. Last month, the finance ministry said it anticipated a budget deficit of 2.3 percent of GDP in 2025, citing increased government spending and lower oil revenues. Additional spending commitments meanwhile continue to pile up for events such as Expo 2030 and the 2034 World Cup, for which Saudi Arabia is the sole bidder. © Agence France-Presse

North Korea has sent 10,000 troops to train in Russia and likely fight Ukraine in weeks, Washington said, as Seoul warned Tuesday that the accelerating deployment posed a «significant security threat.» Seoul has long accused the nuclear-armed North of sending weapons to help Moscow fight Kyiv, and after Kim Jong Un signed a mutual defence deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin in June, Pyongyang is alleged to have moved to deploy soldiers en masse. North Korea has denied sending troops, but in the first comment in state media last week, its vice foreign minister said that were such a deployment to happen, it would be in line with international law. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky warned North Korea could «soon» have as many as 12,000 soldiers on Russian soil, while US President Joe Biden slammed the deployment as «very dangerous.» North Korea «has sent around 10,000 soldiers in total to train in eastern Russia that will probably augment Russian forces near Ukraine over the next several weeks,» Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told journalists. The deployment is «a dangerous expansion of Russia's war», NATO chief Mark Rutte said, adding it was «a sign of Putin's growing desperation.» Rutte said more than 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded since the conflict started in 2022, adding the Kremlin was unable to sustain the invasion without foreign support. Speaking in Brussels after a briefing with South Korean intelligence officials, Rutte said he could confirm that North Korean military units had been deployed in the field in Russia's western Kursk region. - Satellite launch? - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday that growing military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang was «a significant security threat to the international community,» and warned Seoul was considering «countermeasures.» Seoul's spy agency told lawmakers that even high-ranking North Korean generals «could move to frontline areas», as it flagged acclerating military cooperation between the two countries. It also warned that the North was preparing for another satellite launch after a failed bid in May, «using advanced components and Russian technological assistance,» lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun said after an NIS briefing, according to a transcript obtained by AFP. Experts have said that in return for the troops, North Korea is likely aiming to acquire military technology, ranging from surveillance satellites to submarines, plus possible security guarantees from Moscow. The North is also clamping down domestically on the spread of information about the Russia deployment, Lee said citing the spy agency, with «families of deployed soldiers being falsely informed that they are in training.» North Korea's foreign minister travelled to Moscow this week, Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency said Tuesday, without giving details. - Growing threats - South Korea, a major arms exporter, has previously said it would reconsider whether to supply weapons directly to Ukraine, something its Western allies have long called for. Seoul has so far resisted the move due to longstanding domestic policy. Seoul has already sold billions of dollars of tanks, howitzers, attack aircraft and rocket launchers to Poland, a key ally of Kyiv. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen also warned that North Korea sending troops for the first time represented «a significant escalation of the war against Ukraine and threatens global peace.» She made the comments after a phone call with Yoon, during which she assured the leader that «the EU's response to this development will center on cooperation with the Republic of Korea and other like-minded partners.» The United States likewise told China -- an ally of both Moscow and Pyongyang -- it should be «concerned about this destabilizing action by two of its neighbors, Russia and North Korea,» State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters. © Agence France-Presse

Tinned tuna in many European countries is contaminated with dangerous levels of mercury, according to two environment pressure groups who called on retail stores and governments to take «urgent» measures. The Foodwatch and Bloom groups said that authorities had to cut the permitted levels of the heavy metal. Bloom said all of the 148 tins of tuna randomly selected in Britain, France, Italy, Germany and Spain it tested at an independent laboratory «were contaminated with mercury». The group, which campaigns for protection of the oceans, said that in more than half of the tins, the mercury level was higher than the 0.3 milligrams per kilogramme maximum limit for mercury in other fish. Bloom said that current accepted mercury levels of 1 milligram per kilo had been set to make sure that «95 percent» of tuna caught is sold. «That is the reason why tuna, among the most contaminated species, is given maximum tolerance in mercury three times higher than less contaminated species,» it said. Bloom and Foodwatch, a consumer rights group, said there was no «health reason» to justify the difference in levels between tuna and other fish. «Mercury is not less toxic if it's ingested through tuna, only the concentration of mercury counts,» they said. Mercury is often spread by atmospheric deposits from coal power stations. The World Health Organisation considers it one of the 10 most worrying substances for public health. In the ocean it mixes with bacteria to become methylmercury which is even more toxic and considered a threat to the nervous system and a cause of neurological troubles, according to the WHO. The groups said the European Commission must toughen permitted mercury levels in tuna to make it in line with other fish at 0.3 milligrams per kilo. «We demand that the public authorities strengthen regulation and, without delay, that distributors do not sell products over the most protective level,» said Foodwatch campaign director Camille Dorioz. © Agence France-Presse

Seychelles aims to achieve its target of net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2050, a target set under the Paris Agreement, with the development of its «Long Term Vision towards Net Zero.» To tackle climate change and its negative impacts, world leaders at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris reached a breakthrough on December 12, 2015, namely the historic Paris Agreement. As per the Agreement to keep global warming to no more than 1.5°C, emissions need to be reduced by 45 percent by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. The term net zero is important because, for carbon dioxide (CO2) at least, this is the state at which global warming stops. Seychelles' first step to developing this vision took place in a workshop held on Monday at the Savoy Resort, Beau Vallon, where all relevant agencies and departments met to discuss the short, medium and long-term targets towards achieving it. The workshop is being led by two consultants from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Dr. Laurent Sam and Rishi Basak. «The workshop today has brought together various parties, including the private sector, government, NGO's and other agencies, and this is important because everyone has a part to play in this work,» said Sam, explaining that all sectors must work together, as whatever one does, will have an impact on another. He added that the workshop will also bring everyone on the same page and if this happens, he believes that Seychelles will in fact reach that target, despite the difficulties that are present. These include finance and the technologies required to implement the changes needed. «The aim of the workshop will see us set targets for each relevant sector and after that, we will use all these targets to set the long-term vision, which will be implemented, so that Seychelles reaches its goal by 2050,» he added. Achieving net zero requires a two-part approach, with the first being the reduction of human-caused emissions - such as those from fossil-fueled vehicles and factories - to as close to zero as possible. Any remaining emissions should then be balanced with an equivalent amount of carbon removal, which can happen through natural approaches like restoring forests or through technologies like direct air capture and storage (DACS), which scrubs carbon directly from the atmosphere. Speaking to the media, the programme and operations specialist at UNDP Seychelles, Sujitha Sekharan, shared that is part of UNDP's Climate Promise programme, which covers about 140 countries, where they support climate change goals. «We know that Seychelles is aiming to have net-zero emissions by 2050 and so climate promise is helping through technical expertise, and also funding programmes to help Seychelles reach that goal,» said Sekharan.  

Seychelles has been ranked among the countries with the highest levels of information and communication technology (ICT) development in Africa, according to a report published at the end of June by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Seychelles retains its ranking as the third in Africa in the 2024 report, while the island nation sits 78th in the world. The country has gained 3.8 more points compared to last year, moving from 80.9 points in 2023, to 84.7 points in 2024. Libya steps up to top place in the African continent with a score of 88.1 points, with Morocco occupies the second step of the podium with a score of 86.8 points, ahead of Seychelles (84.7 points), Mauritius (84.2), which lost its first place, South Africa (83.6), Algeria (80.9), Botswana (78.7), Tunisia (77.2) and Egypt (76.8), while Gabon closes the African Top 10 with a score of 74.7 points. The report, titled «Measuring digital development – ICT Development Index 2024,» evaluates the state of ICT development in 170 nations and territories worldwide using ten indicators. These indicators include the percentage of people who use the Internet, mobile broadband penetration, the volume of traffic on mobile broadband, the cost of mobile data and voice services, and the rate of ownership of mobile phones. Each indicator is assigned a score between 0 and 100 points, depending on the countries and territories under investigation. An overall score, also ranging from 0 (complete lack of connectivity) to 100 points (excellent connectivity), was then generated for each country by adding the scores of the various indicators with the same importance. In Seychelles, since June 2020 to date, internet traffic data has increased by 254 percent, to its current value of 17,644,347GB, from only 4,989,210 GB, while the amount of international internet bandwidth purchased by service providers, has increase 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 amount 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, which includes personal and business subscriptions in the country of a population approximately 120,500. Meanwhile, globally, Kuwait leads the ranking with 100 points, followed by Finland with 98.1, while the rest of the top ten is made up of Estonia (97.9), Qatar (97.8), Singapore (97.8), UAE (97.5), Bahrain (97.5), Hong Kong (97.4), Denmark (97.1) and the U.S. (96.7).

The iconic Victoria clock-tower in the Seychelles' capital of of the same name was lit in pink on Friday highlighting the end of a month-long cancer awareness activities organised by the Soroptimist International Club of Victoria.   Members of the club's Seychelles chapter linked hands around the clock tower in a symbol of solidarity, unity and unwavering support for those battling cancer. The Pink Link event highlighted the importance of raising awareness of cancer diseases, which according to the Annual Health Sector Performance Report for 2022, were the second leading cause of death in 2022. Cancer diseases were attributed to 159 deaths in Seychelles, which is 17 percent of total deaths in the island nation. The president of the Soroptimist Club of Seychelles, Janick Durup-Bibi, said the non-governmental organisation was very pleased with the turnout throughout the months. The event highlighted the importance of raising awareness of cancer diseases. (Seychelles Nation)  Photo License: CC-BY  She explained that «cancer concerns all of us. It impacts us all as we are a very small community and we all know someone who has cancer. It might be a family member, a friend, or a colleague, so we are all coming together to show support for those who are living with cancer, to spare a moment of reflection for those who have left us because of the illness.» Rosabelle Mederick, who has just joined the club, said that the month of activities has not only been «fruitful as she is giving back to the community, but also a learning curve.» While a previous president of the club, Euricka Naidoo, told the press in an interview, that «the efforts the club has put into educating the public about the disease are evident, as when we talk to people about it, we see that they are more aware». Among other popular activities held during the months was a march along Beau Vallon beach and selling pink ribbons in town. Durup-Bibi explained that the funds raised during their events would go towards cancer, which will include helping people suffering from the illness.  

The experts' assessment is clear: humans are the major threat to Earth's land, seas and all the living things they shelter, including ourselves. The COP16 biodiversity summit in Cali, Colombia, enters its second week Monday to assess, and ramp up, progress towards achieving 23 targets agreed in Canada two years ago to halt and reverse nature destruction by 2030. The science in numbers: - 2/3 of oceans degraded - Three-quarters of Earth's surface has already been significantly altered and two-thirds of oceans degraded by humankind's rapacious consumption, according to the IPBES intergovernmental science and policy body on biodiversity. Globally, over a third of inland wetlands declined from 1970 to 2015 -- a rate three times that of forest loss. «Land degradation through human activities is undermining the well-being of at least 3.2 billion people,» according to the IPBES's latest report. But it highlights that not all is lost, and the benefits of restoration would be 10 times higher than the costs. One of the 23 targets of the so-called Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework is for 30 percent of degraded land, inland water, marine and coastal ecosystems to be under «effective restoration» by 2030. - A million species threatened - Over a quarter of plants and animals assessed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of threatened species risk extinction. According to the IPBES, about a million species are at risk. Pollinators, essential to the reproduction of plants and three-quarters of crops that feed humanity, are at the forefront, dying off fast. Corals -- on which the food and labor of some 850 million people depend -- are another striking example. These animals, whose reefs provide feeding and spawning grounds for a multitude of creatures, could all but disappear in a world 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than pre-industrial levels. This is the upper limit of average planet warming the world is seeking not to exceed under the 2015 Paris Agreement on curbing Earth-warming greenhouse gases. - Five horsemen of the apocalypse - For the UN, the biodiversity crisis has five causes, all human-induced and nicknamed the «Five Horsemen of the Apocalypse.» They are habitat destruction (for agriculture or human infrastructure), over-exploitation of resources such as water, climate change, pollution and the spread of invasive species. Climate change is likely to become the main driver of biodiversity destruction by 2050, experts say. - Half of GDP - More than half (55%) of the world’s gross domestic product, some $58 trillion, depends «heavily or moderately» on nature and its services, according to auditing giant PwC. Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, the food and beverage industry and construction are the sectors most exposed to nature loss. Pollination services, safe water, and disease control are other, nigh-incalculable, benefits derived from nature. Indian economist Pavan Sukhdev, who led a research project entitled The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) had estimated that biodiversity loss comes at a cost of between 1.35 trillion and 3.1 trillion euros ($1.75 trillion and $4 trillion) per year. - $2.6 billion in subsidies - A report in September by the Earth Track monitor said environmentally harmful subsidies to industries were worth at least $2.6 trillion, equivalent to 2.5 percent of global GDP. This dwarfs the Kunming-Montreal framework's target of mobilizing $200 billion per year by 2030 for nature protection. Harmful industries that benefit from subsidies include fisheries, agriculture and fossil fuel producers. Another target of the biodiversity framework is to reduce harmful subsidies and tax benefits by «at least $500 billion per year» by 2030. © Agence France-Presse

Every rainy season for the past 12 years, floods have swept through 67-year-old Idris Egbunu's house in central Nigeria. It is always the same story -- the Niger River bursts its banks and the waters claim his home for weeks on end, until he can return and take stock of the damage. The house then needs cleaning, repairs, fumigation and repainting, until the next rainy season. Flooding is almost inevitable around Lokoja in Nigeria's Kogi state, where Africa's third-longest river meets its main tributary, the Benue. But across vast areas of Africa, climate change has thrown weather patterns into disarray and made flooding much more severe, especially this year. Devastating inundations are threatening the survival of millions of residents on the continent. Homes have been wrecked and crops ruined, jeopardising regional food security. Torrential rains and severe flooding have affected around 6.9 million people in West and Central Africa so far in 2024, according to data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). - 'Very, very bad' - Residents and officials around Lokoja said floods first became more severe in Kogi state in 2012 and have battered the area each year since. In 2022, Nigeria's worst floods in a decade killed more than 500 people and displaced 1.4 million. Sandra Musa, an emergency agency adviser to the Kogi state governor, believes this year's flooding has not yet reached the level seen in 2022, but warned it was «very, very bad». «Usually at this time of year the water level drops, but here it's rising again,» she told AFP, estimating that the floods have affected around two million people in the state. Fatima Bilyaminu, a 31-year-old mother and shopkeeper, can only get to her house in the Adankolo district of Lokoja by boat as a result of the waters. The swollen river rises almost to the windows, while water hyacinths float past the crumbling building. «I lost everything. My bed, my cushioned chair, my wardrobe, my kitchen equipment,» she told AFP. With no money to rent a house elsewhere, she has little choice but to keep living in the small concrete building and repair it, flood after flood. - Damage and displacement - Africa is bearing the brunt of climate change, even though it only contributes around four percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to a recent report by the World Meteorological Organisation. This year is set to overtake 2023 as the world's hottest on record. «This year has been unusual in terms of the amount of rainfall, with many extreme events, which is one of the signs of climate change,» said Aida Diongue-Niang from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In the Sahel region bordering the Sahara desert, the volume, intensity and duration of rainfall was «unprecedented,» according to Amadou Diakite from the Mali Meteo weather service. In Niger, some regions recorded up to 200 percent more rain than in previous years, the national meteorological service said. The waters put at risk the historic city centre of Agadez, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the desert north. Over the border in Chad, torrential rains since July have killed at least 576 people and affected 1.9 million, more than 10 percent of the population, according to a report published by the OCHA. In neighbouring Cameroon, the UN body said torrential rains had destroyed more than 56,000 homes and flooded tens of thousands of hectares of crops. Floodwaters swept through the capital Conakry in Guinea, while floods in Monrovia reignited debates over building another city to serve as Libera's capital. Entire districts of Mali's capital Bamako were submerged, leaving waste and liquid from septic tanks seeping across the streets. In August, downpours caused the roof of the centuries-old Tomb of Askia in the Malian city of Gao to collapse. Several countries have postponed the start of the school year as a result of the floods. - 'Keep getting worse' - «It used to be a decadal cycle of flooding, and we're now into a yearly cycle,» said Clair Barnes, a researcher at the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London. «This is only going to keep getting worse if we keep burning fossil fuels,» she said. As global temperatures rise, extreme weather events will increase in frequency and intensity, scientists warn. Experts estimate that by 2030, up to 118 million Africans already living in poverty will be exposed to drought, floods and intense heat. Building along riverbanks also poses a risk, Youssouf Sane of Senegal's meteorology agency said, urging governments to think about the relationship between climate change and urbanisation. But the IPCC's Diongue-Niang said the only way to tackle extreme weather was to limit greenhouse gas emissions. «That doesn't fall to the region -- it falls to the whole of humanity,» she said. © Agence France-Presse

Seychelles is celebrating the 39th edition of the Creole Festival, an event that President Wavel Ramkalawan has said brings the Seychellois nation great pride to see the progress and achievements made in this field. Ramkalawan made the statement in his message on the occasion of International Creole Day, which is celebrated every year on October 28. The International Creole Day, proclaimed by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), is celebrated on October 28. Since 1983, the day has been an opportunity to celebrate the Creole language and culture across countries and communities sharing Creole, with more than 10 million people around the world. «As we celebrate International Creole Day, commemorated by various activities, this is also a time for us to reflect on what this means for each of us and how we continue to preserve the Creole culture and heritage of our ancestors,» he said. Ramkalawan said that it is essential that at all times «we continue to remain proud of our Creole heritage. Seychelles has become the Creole-speaking capital of the world and the Creole Festival has become an event that has helped us to appreciate more our culture and share its richness with the rest of the world.» The President congratulated the Seychellois nation for preserving and promoting its Creole culture. «Our Creole language that cradles us since our childhood, it forms a large part of the Creole heritage. Today we have several linguistic tools that help us develop our ability to write Seychellois Creole. I also thank all those who have worked with conviction to safeguard, develop, and promote our Creole culture. Let us as a people value our Creole identity which makes us unique in the world. Happy Creole Celebration Day!» he concluded. David Andre, the secretary general of the Seychelles National Institute of Culture, Heritage and the Arts, also sent a message for the occasion. «This festive moment is also an opportunity for us to salute and honour all individuals or groups who are or have continuously fought with conviction and determination to safeguard, develop and promote the Seychellois Creole language, our cultural identity, and our heritage,» said Andre.   In Seychelles, the Creole Festival is celebrated in October, an event that Andre said, «The Seychellois community together with other Creole communities in the world, take the opportunity to enhance and share knowledge and transmission of knowledge and skills.  Every year a series of intellectual, cultural and artistic events are organised to reach all groups and ages.» The secretary general said that there are various reasons why such a day and celebration of this day.   First, to value Creole nations and peoples, their cultural and linguistic identity of each individual that is often illustrated through their cultural practices. Secondly, to commemorate the memories and achievements that have been made. Thirdly, to recognise and respect the laws that govern each individual, such as the right to use and learn his or her mother tongue, which in the context of the majority of Seychellois is Seychellois Creole, access to information and information content written in Creole.   «I take this opportunity to thank the staff of the Seychellois Creole Academy with the support of the Creole Language Committee who make it their duty to develop linguistic and scientific tools for the teaching and learning of the Creole language,» said Andre. The leader of United Seychelles, the main opposition party, Dr. Patrick Herminie, said, «This day has historical and cultural importance for us because the roots of the Creole language started when masters and slaves began to find ways to communicate with each other. So the Seychellois people in all their diversity and spread all over the world are united with other Creole peoples through the Creole language.» Herminie said the Creole language is also one of the pillars of the Seychellois  culture as it «reflects our cultural diversity because we not only speak Creole but we live Creoleness through our way of doing things, cuisine and art, among others.» He added that is why «the United Seychelles Party places great importance on the preservation and development of the Creole language so that future generations will continue to enjoy their cultural identity as a Seychellois.» Herminie said, «Our Party will encourage the development and use of digital technology to develop and promote the Creole language through academic research, teaching and the arts. Singers and musicians are already using digital platforms such as Spotify and YouTube to promote their Creole songs to an international audience. We will continue to create favourable conditions and environment for Seychellois artists to continue to flourish on the international platform.» He concluded by saying, «On behalf of the United Seychelles Party, I would like to wish all Creoles and all those who support and promote Creole culture a happy International Creole Day. Remember that it is our Creoleness that unites us as a people.»

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Sunday that Israel's «precise and powerful» strikes on Iran had been a success, as his country's forces pounded targets in Gaza and Lebanon. The previous day's strikes by Israeli planes on military targets in Iran had fed fears that the Middle East was spiralling towards an even wider conflict and triggered global calls for restraint. But Iranian leaders played down their importance, saying the strikes had caused only limited damage and killed four soldiers, while Netanyahu stressed that the raids had served their purpose of avenging an earlier Iranian missile barrage against Israel. «The attack in Iran was precise and powerful, achieving all of its objectives,» Netanyahu said, in a speech marking the official Hebrew calendar anniversary of the Hamas attack on October 7 last year. Israel's strikes were in retaliation for an October 1 attack by Iran, which fired about 200 missiles at Israel, though most were intercepted by the country's air defences. Netanyahu said: «We kept our promise. The air force attacked Iran and hit Iran's defence capabilities and missile production.» His speech was interrupted by shouting from relatives of victims of the Hamas attack in the crowd. Netanyahu stood silently for more than a minute during the ceremony, which was broadcast live. There has been public and diplomatic pressure on the Israeli premier’s administration to do more to strike a deal to secure the release of the remaining captives held in Gaza. - 'Painful concessions' - Israeli spy chief David Barnea is scheduled to head to Qatar on Sunday for talks aimed at restarting negotiations towards a hostage deal. Families of the hostages have called on the Israeli government to broker an agreement in the wake of the killing of Hamas' leader Yahya Sinwar earlier this month. Israeli and US officials as well as some analysts said Sinwar had been a key obstacle to a deal allowing for the freeing of up to 97 hostages still held by militants in Gaza. Earlier on Sunday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said «painful concessions» would be needed to secure their release and that military action alone would not achieve the country's war aims. Despite talk of negotiations, Israel continued to fight in Gaza and Lebanon. Dense smoke hung over the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital Beirut on Sunday after a night of bombardment in the southern suburbs, while there were reports of strikes in and around the southern cities of Sidon, Tyre and Nabatiyeh. Lebanon's health ministry said at least eight people were killed and 25 others wounded near Sidon. The war has left at least 1,615 people dead in Lebanon since September 23, according to an AFP tally based on official figures, though the real number is likely to be higher due to gaps in the data. The Israeli military said early on Sunday it had killed 70 Hezbollah fighters and struck 120 targets in southern Lebanon, while losing four of its own soldiers in ground fighting. It warned residents that they must evacuate more villages said to be housing Hezbollah sites. «For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move to the north of the Awali River,» military spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a social media post. The Awali is the northern border of Lebanon's southern governorate. - 'Gaza is unbearable' - Heavy bombing also continued in the densely populated Palestinian territory of Gaza. The Israeli military said it had killed another 40 militants in the territory, despite Gallant saying on Sunday that: «In the south (Gaza), Hamas has ceased to act as a military structure.» United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern for the fate of Gaza's civilians. «The plight of Palestinian civilians trapped in north Gaza is unbearable,» Guterres's spokesman said. Israel several weeks ago began an ongoing major operation in the north of Gaza, in particular around Jabalia and its neighbouring refugee camp. «The Secretary-General is shocked by the harrowing levels of death, injury and destruction in the north, with civilians trapped under rubble, the sick and wounded going without life-saving health care and families lacking food and shelter.» At the Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City, Jihad Muqat mourned the death of his wife and two baby daughters whose bodies were pulled from under the rubble in Jabalia camp. «My darling Lulu, she was three and a half years old and Sama was 12 days old,» he said, adding that he'd already had to bury his two-year-old Lara earlier in the war. Israel launched the offensive in Gaza a year ago after Hamas's October 7 attack that resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures. At least 42,924 Palestinians, a majority of them civilians, have been killed in the Israeli offensive on Gaza, according to figures from the Hamas-ruled territory's health ministry, which the UN considers reliable. The war has since drawn in Iran-backed groups across the region, most notably Hezbollah in Lebanon, but also militias in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Iran's missile barrage and Israel's air strikes have raised concerns of a direct war but Tehran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei took to social media to say that the attack «should neither be exaggerated or minimised». Earlier, the Iranian armed forces general staff said that while it was «reserving its legal and legitimate right to respond at the appropriate moment, Iran is prioritising the establishment of a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon». © Agence France-Presse

A Seychellois fashion designer, Oushna John Labrosse, launched the inaugural edition of the Women Empowerment Fashion Week, focused on supporting women who have experienced domestic violence, on Thursday. The event, which was opened at The Boardwalk, Eden Island, is titled «Fashion With a Purpose,» and its overarching message is empowerment and awareness. Designers showcasing their work are from various countries, including Turtlehorn (Spain), Nyuzicad (Tanzania), and Minina (Germany). Local designers are also participating, such as textile designer Tony Souffre and craftsman Marco Germain. The grand fashion show will take place on Saturday, 26 October, free of change. It will commence with a fishing competition organised by the Seychelles Yacht Club, with the fashion show running concurrently as the fish are weighed. The goal is to attract as many attendees as possible to help spread the event's important message to the public. Another event will take place on La Digue at the Fish Trap restaurant on Saturday, October 26, at 2.30 p.m.  Designers showcasing their work are from various countries. (Juliette Dine) Photo License: CC-BY  The outfits featured in the show aim to raise awareness about domestic violence and child mortality, issues that Labrosse, the founder and chief executive of the Women Empowerment Fashion Week, has personally encountered. «I believe that many women are crying in silence, and we need to reach out to them. We are doing something about it,» she said. Labrosse has also included two male artists in the show, Tony and Marco, to highlight the role of men in supporting women's empowerment. They are portrayed as exemplary figures who stand in solidarity with women, contributing to Labrosse's cause. Unlike other fashion events, the Seychelles Women Empowerment Fashion Week has waived any registration fees. This is to make the international platform more accessible to designers who might not be able to afford high industry costs. Drawing from her own experience at New York Fashion Week, where she paid a registration fee of $6,000, Labrosse felt compelled to create a more inclusive opportunity for others. «I believe that there are women who want to make it to the international level but with the high cost set by fashion agencies, it makes it difficult for startups and women who are struggling to get their names out there,» she added. Oushna expressed her gratitude to all who supported this initiative, dedicating the event to her late friend June Barbe, who continuously encouraged her to make the project a reality.