An Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) steering committee is in Seychelles discussing the future of cultural and creative industries projects in the region for the coming year. This is part of a partnership project between the IOC and the French Development Agency (AFD) - IOC-AFD - which aims to promote gender equality and stimulate the cultural and creative industries (ICC) sectors through interventions in the areas of heritage, cultural entrepreneurship, training, mobility, co-creation, and governance. Through the project, the IOC has launched five grants, namely the AléVini, regional mobility fund, Tafa scholarships, support for cultural events, support for digital works and the Indian Ocean co-creation fund. The meeting at the International Conference Centre from November 26 to 27,  is being attended by representatives of culture and the cultural creative industries from the six member countries. These are Mauritius, Reunion - a French Overseas Department - Seychelles, Comores, Mozambique and Madagascar. In his speech to officially launch the regional cultural and creative industries development project, the permanent liaison officer for the IOC in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ralph Agrippine, said «The actions carried out by the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) development project are perfectly in line with the priorities of the Seychelles' IOC presidency. [...] The project is currently carrying out an inventory of the country's traditional architecture, which has demonstrated the potential for tourist circuits, but which could also be the subject of a UNESCO World Heritage listing.» Agrippine also explained that since the launch of AléVini in September 2023, there has been an increase in the number of applications from Seychelles, which he said was proof of the sector's enthusiasm and need for support. Over the coming days, the representatives will discuss the topics of copyright, scholarships, and how to improve in the coming year to better answer the needs of those industries in the region, among others. The IOC is also setting up a training course on cultural management, which will professionalise the sector. Agrippine is appealing to operators and artists to take advantage of these opportunities to strengthen their production, for products of Seychellois production on the regional and international scene. Meanwhile, candidates who have successfully applied for the project were also revealed. These are the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and Arts (SNICHA), the Seychelles Institute of Arts and Design (SIAD), the Creative Seychelles Agency (CSA), Tipik Seychelles, Fondasyon Kiltir Kreol and Artistic Dance Factory, as well as individuals - Martin Kennedy, Johnny Volcere and Devin Malcouzane.

[UN News] Ahead of World AIDS Day on 1 December, a new report by the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) highlights the critical role of human rights in ending the AIDS pandemic as a public health threat by 2030.

[VOA] Nairobi -- A new report from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center says the number of people displaced in Africa has tripled to 35 million. Of these, 32.5 million abandoned their homes due to conflict and violence. The report, published Tuesday, says government efforts to address internal displacement on the continent have been commendable but not enough.

[allAfrica]

A personal mobility device (PMD) user suffered minor injuries after he was hit by a truck in Ubi on Tuesday (Nov 26) afternoon. Footage of the accident, shared on the SG Road Vigilante Facebook page, shows the elderly man riding his PMD across the road just as a truck drives down the exit slope of an industrial compound at Ubi Road 1. As he reaches the middle of the road, the truck bumps into the PMD, causing him to topple. He props himself against the road with his right arm and struggles to free himself. The truck then reverses, causing the PMD rider to fall onto his back. He subsequently sits up as the truck driver and another person go to his aid.

How do you measure a man? By the car he drives? Or the different classes of vehicles he is licenced to operate? In an argument between two car drivers in a carpark, one pointed out he was driving a BMW while the other, who was driving a Mazda, boasted about holding four classes of driving licences. Videos of the confrontation between the two men in the open carpark at Hougang Avenue 5 on Nov 17 were posted online. The dispute started after the black Mazda 3 came to a stop and appeared to block the path of the oncoming white BMW 318. PHOTO: Screengrab/Facebook/Roads.sg The BMW honked at the Mazda to give way, but the Mazda driver probably thought there was enough room for the BMW to squeeze past and so he merely honked. This led to the two cars honking at each other until both drivers eventually got out of their vehicles and confronted each other.

The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) has highlighted a recent case of animal abuse. In a video posted to Acres' social media accounts, co-CEO of its advocacy branch Anbarasi Boopal said the organisation had received a report of «horrific cruelty» towards a reticulated python. According to Acres, the incident took place at an unknown location on Nov 20. «I'm here today because I'm overwhelmed with disgust, shock and frustration,» Boopal said. In the clip provided to Acres, two men can be seen setting a live reticulated python on fire using spray cans and a lighter. One of the men can also be seen stepping on the snake's head. At the end of the video, the snake is transferred into a clear container and appears to be alive and moving. Addressing the clip, Boopal said the two men were trying to capture the python, which appeared to be stuck in machinery and did not struggle or pose any danger to anyone. The pair then used a flammable spray and a lighter to burn the snake three times, she added.

Tuesday was election day in Nova Scotia, but not everything went according to plan. Elections Nova Scotia says “human error” is to blame for a delayed opening at one polling station and high traffic caused its website to crash.

A B.C. court has ordered the forfeiture of $30,000 in cash that was seized during a murder-for-hire investigation more than 30 years ago.

Notorious killer Paul Bernardo has been denied parole for a third time following a hearing before the Parole Board of Canada.

The Ontario government is proposing to push through a bill that would close 10 supervised consumption sites without holding any public hearings, a move advocates and opposition critics say is anti-democratic.

A few lucky Taylor Swift fans in Vancouver managed to grab seats for the hottest ticket in town on Monday — the pop star's last three shows of her Eras Tour—  for $16.50 each.

A mother who hid her child in a drawer from her partner and other children for THREE years has been jailed for more than seven years after appearing in the Chester Crown Court.

Detained in Dubai campaigners claim Marcus Fakana, 18, from Tottenham, was targeted by Emirates police to ensure he receives a harsher punishment for having underage sex.

John Letby, 78, repeatedly rang and put 'pressure' on his daughter's support worker at the Countess of Chester Hospital, when she was moved off the neo-natal unit amid fears she was harming children.

His partner of 15 years Dee Devlin was pictured arriving hand-in-hand with McGregor to the hearings and tonight took to Instagram to post a long rant in staunch defence of her man.

The GMB General secretary sent an email to all Labour peers after a Daily Mail investigation revealed ex-officials had described the union as 'riddled with sexism'.

Former Members of Parliament (MPs) for the Pentecost Constituency, Silas Bule and Blaise Sumptoh, have engaged in discussions with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Vanuatu, Li Minggang, following their recent visit to China.

According to the UN office in Fiji, Sixteen UN agencies are actively implementing programs in Vanuatu despite not having a physical presence in the country.

The Israeli-Hezbollah ceasefire officially took effect on early Wednesday morning Read Full Article at RT.com

Union Home Minister Amit Shah urged the National Federation of State Co-operative Banks (NAFSCOB) to modernize and strengthen Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS). He emphasized transparency, viability, and technology upgrades, advocating for increased youth involvement and a 50% rise in district cooperative banks. Shah stressed collective prosperity and equal profit sharing as core cooperative principles.

Russia will not tolerate Ukrainian missile strikes deep inside its territory, Moscow’s top diplomat said Read Full Article at RT.com

Ukraine was forced to recall a batch of faulty shells from the front line Read Full Article at RT.com

Get the latest news on the transition to the new administration of President-elect Donald Trump and a new Congress.

Premier Scott Moe described the proposed policy as his 'first order of business' if re-elected but backed away from the plan after securing another majority government.

Alberta RCMP are investigating the death of a 33-year-old fighter following a charity combative sports event outside Edmonton on Saturday.

The Ukrainian delegation has not yet informed on this development, the convention’s Secretariat said

Vinnik has entered a plea deal in the US, and pleaded guilty in May