Supersize me: Physicists awarded $3.3M for XL-Calibur telescope | The Source – Washington University in St. Louis Newsroom

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In 2018, X-Calibur measured the polarization of the high-energy X-ray emissions from a neutron star. NASA has committed more than $3 million to a new instrument dubbed XL-Calibur that builds on successes from the previous campaign. (Photo: Washington University)

Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis will develop and deploy a new telescope designed to measure the linear polarization of X-rays arriving from distant neutron stars, black holes and other exotic celestial objects. The instrument will be flown on a minimum of two scientific balloon launches as early as summer 2021. The NASA-funded effort builds on promising results from a previous balloon-borne mission known as X-Calibur and is dubbed XL-Calibur.

The new XL-Calibur will feature a more powerful mirror that will allow us to collect three times more signal, said Henric Krawczynski, the Wayman Crow Professor of Physics in Arts & Sciences, and the principal investigator for the research effort. Combining the more powerful mirror with improved focal pane instrumentation, we expect a sensitivity improvement by a factor of at least one order of magnitude.

Linear polarization is the preferred plane in which the electric field of the X-rays oscillates. It encodes information about the geometries of distant objects (for example, the spin of a rotating black hole), the magnetic fields that surround them and the physical mechanisms that accelerate particles to extremely high energies and prompt them to emit the X-rays.

Krawczynski led the team that developed the successful predecessor, the X-Calibur hard X-ray polarimetry telescope, which flew in December 2018 from McMurdo Station in Antarctica.

Dangling in the stratosphere beneath an enormous balloon at a float altitude of 125,000 feet above sea level, the instrument collects data that can provide new insights into how neutron stars and black holes in a binary orbit grow by gobbling up stellar matter. A paper reporting the results from the 2018 flight is currently under review.

Washington University will lead the science and manage the new XL-Calibur experiment. The researchers will also develop, build and test the upgraded scattering polarimeter device that is central to the mission. NASA is supporting this effort with a grant exceeding $3 million; additional funding is provided by Japanese and Swedish funding agencies.

X-Calibur, a predecessor instrument, was designed to measure the polarization of X-rays emitted from sources in space using a custom array of rotating Cadmium-Zinc-Telluride (CZT) detectors. (Video: Washington University)

The XL-Calibur system will incorporate several innovations to reduce background noise, including thinner detectors and improved shielding.

The experiment includes a 12-meter-long telescope made of carbon fiber tubes, aluminum joints and honeycomb end panels by contrast, X-Calibur was only 8 meters long. Scientists at Osaka University and the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science at Japans space agency (JAXA) will modify a mirror originally intended for the Hitomi satellite so that it can be used for XL-Calibur.

The new instrument could fly as early as 2021 from Esrange Space Center (Sweden) or McMurdo (Antarctica), Krawczynski said. Researchers plan to use it to observe neutron stars, like GX 301-2, and black holes, like Cyg X-1.

We do astrophysics on balloon flights. They are a great way of testing new instrumentation and new observational techniques on a moderate budget of a few million dollars before implementing a $125 to $250 million space-borne mission, Krawczynski said.

Krawczynskis research work is focused on X-ray observations of stellar mass and supermassive black holes, blazars and gravitationally lensed quasars. His team also develops room temperature and cryogenic X-ray and gamma-ray detectors. Krawczynski is part of Washington Universitys McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences and the Center for Quantum Sensors.

The XL-Calibur project team includes: the University of New Hampshire; Wallops Space Flight Facility; Goddard Space Flight Center; Osaka University; JAXA; Hiroshima University; RIKEN (a National Research and Development Institute in Japan); the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm; and industry partners including Guarino Engineering and G. de Geronimo.

The balloon flights from Esrange (Sweden) and McMurdo (Antarctica) will be supported by NASA and the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility. The United States Antarctic Program is managed by the National Science Foundation.

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Supersize me: Physicists awarded $3.3M for XL-Calibur telescope | The Source - Washington University in St. Louis Newsroom

What Are The Physics Stories That Define The 2000s And 2010s? – Forbes

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At the tail end of November, I talked for a bit about the notional decades of physics in the twentieth century, the topics that define particular eras that only roughly approximate calendrical decades. These notional decades parallel what we seen in pop culture: the Beatles define The 1960s in the popular imagination despite not really taking off until the calendrical decade was halfway done.

When I did that post, I stopped with the 1990s, despite the fact that weve had two more calendrical decades since then. I did that because I wanted to leave room to write a post wrapping up the decade thats ending in a few weeks, but the nature of these notional decades means that they spill over a bit. So, you get a two-for-one here: one post, about the physics topics that define two decades. Actually, its more of a three-for-one, because Ill throw out two possibilities for what will come to be seen as The Physics of the 2010s, though in the end I favor one of these.

So, to jump right in, my first definition:

A view of the magnet core of the world's largest superconducting solenoid magnet (CMS, Compact Muon ... [+] Solenoid) at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)'s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) particle accelerator, which is scheduled to be switched on in November, in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, March 22, 2007. Some 2,000 scientists from 155 institutes in 36 countries are working together to build the CMS particle detector. (AP Photo/Keystone, Martial Trezzini)

The 2000s Were the Decade of the Large Hadron Collider.

In very Beatlesesque fashion, the LHC didnt actually turn on until the decade was mostly over, but unlike a pop-cultural phenomenon that can explode out of Liverpudlian obscurity, big physics projects have a long lead time (and a large up-front price tag), so everybody knew this was coming. And this knowledge shaped every discussion about physics for years before the machine actually turned on.

I started blogging in 2002, and by the time I moved to ScienceBlogs in 2006 I was already thoroughly sick of hearing about how awesome the LHC was going to be. And that doesnt even count the many stories about possible disasters Could the LHC Make a Black Hole That Will Destroy the Earth? which culminated in John Olivers 2009 visit to the accelerator for The Daily Show (story about the clip here, video here).

The excitement about the discoveries sure to be made by the LHC had big effects on lots of other experiments, adding an air of desperation to the last runs at Fermilab, as the folks there raced to see if they could detect the Higgs boson before the LHC even turned on. It also penetrated to other subfields I remember listening to talks about searches for an electronic dipole moment of the electron circa 2001 where the speakers guessed they had maybe ten years to do the experiment before the LHC was sure to find whatever beyond-the-Standard-Model particle would turn out to be responsible for the symmetry violation they were hoping to measure.

FILE - In this March 30 2010 file picture s cientist of the European Organization for Nuclear ... [+] Research, CERN, react in the SMS experiment control room at their headquarter outside Geneva, Switzerland. The world's largest and most powerful atom smasher goes into a 2-year hibernation in March 2013 , aiming to reach maximum energy levels that may lead to more stunning discoveries after hunting down the so-called "God particle. But physicists at the European Center for Nuclear Research, known by its French acronym CERN, won't exactly be idle as the US $10 billion proton collider goes on hiatus for maintenance and retooling _ in preparation for unlocking more mysteries. There are still reams more data to sift through since the July discovery of a new subatomic particle called a Higgs boson and promises a new realm of understanding in subatomic science. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

The initial turn-on of the LHC in September 2008 was huge news, as was the failure of an electrical connection that shut the whole machine down very shortly thereafter. When it turned on again a bit more than a year later, in November 2009, it was also big news (though slightly more measured), and by 2012 had achieved one of its stated goals, the discovery of the Higgs boson. There were numerous books written anticipating the discovery and about the actual discovery, and eventually the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics to a subset of the theorists who had a claim on inventing the idea. (As always, the politics of the Nobel are a mess, but that was just more fodder for articles about particle physics...)

So I think its unquestionable that the 2000s were the Decade of the Large Hadron Collider, in the notional decade sense of the 2000s as a period starting in 2005-ish and ending in 2013.

What, then, would that mean for The Physics of the 2010s? I will note up front that this is, to some degree, a fools errand, as you really ought to allow a bit of time to pass before you can truly assess what counts as The physics of a notional decade. Were in an era of instant content generation, though, so we dont have that luxury. In which case, I have two possibilities to offer:

Room with concrete floor and smoke with dark wall background

Possibility 1: The 2010s Were the Decade of Nothing

This is actually a very natural follow-on to the LHC, because in many ways the most notable thing about the Large Hadron Collider is not that it succeeded in detecting the Higgs, but that it hasnt detected anything else. Despite numerous confident predictions that the LHC was going to usher in an era of beyond-the-Standard-Model discoveries, it just hasnt. There dont seem to be any new particles with masses in the energy range where people were expecting new discoveries; it also hasnt obviously made any micro black holes or anything else exotic.

To be fair, the LHC isnt alone in this. Numerous experiments have come online looking for dark matter particles (WIMPs and axions and other such things), and found nothing. Those electric dipole moment searches I mentioned above havent turned up new physics, either. There have been some claims made about detections of weird new phenomena in astrophysical observations, but the splashiest of these was definitively disproven, and others remain controversial.

This has led to endless articles about a Crisis in [Theoretical Particle] Physics. This is in some sense a continuation of a process thats been going on far longer there was the String Theory Backlash back in the mid-2000s but it feels a little different this time. In the past, defenders of particular theories had the LHC and other scheduled experiments to point to, offering hope of a definitive discovery to come. In the present moment, its not clear what the next experiment would even be, let alone whether theres the political will to get a next generation of Big Physics Stuff built.

So, in that bleak atmosphere, its tempting to call the 2010s the Decade of Nothing, in honor of all the new physics that hasnt been discovered. Thats awfully depressing and cynical, though, so Id like to offer a more uplifting possibility:

FILE - In this file photo dated Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016, Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave ... [+] Observatory (LIGO) Co-Founder Kip Thorne speaks during a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, USA, to announce that scientists have finally detected gravitational waves. The Nobel Physics Prize 2017 is announced Monday Oct. 3, 2017, awarded to 3 scientists including Kip Thorne, for discoveries in gravitational waves. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, FILE)

Possibility 2: The 2010s Were the Decade of Black Holes

This is really a two-fer in its own right, because it combines two splashy big experiments: the 2015 observation of gravitational waves from two colliding black holes by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO), and the release just this April of an image of the supermassive black hole in the center of the M87 galaxy by the Event Horizon Telescope. The LIGO folks already won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics, and Ill be a little surprised if some of the EHT folks dont get a trip to Stockholm sometime in the next several years.

Those two discoveries plus follow-on work fro LIGO and Virgo, and the steady accumulation of observations from people whove been tracking the stars orbiting the black hole Sag A* at the center of the Milky Way have really moved black hole physics into a new era. Of course, the 2010s is also the era of We Cant Have Nice Things, so theres some lingering controversy about the interpretation of LIGOs signals, but on the whole I think these have been the early years of an exciting new era for astrophysics. It also doesnt hurt that black hole physics had a bit of a pop-cultural moment, with Interstellar in 2014.

So, those are the two main possibilities I see for what future physicists will say was The Physics of the 2010s: either black holes, or the failure to find new physics. Given that part of the point of these end-of-decade lists is secretly to look to the future, though, I would tend to give the nod to black holes, as a positive and exciting development that opens up rather than closes off hope for exciting future developments.

IN SPACE - APRIL 10: In this handout photo provided by the National Science Foundation, the Event ... [+] Horizon Telescope captures a black hole at the center of galaxy M87, outlined by emission from hot gas swirling around it under the influence of strong gravity near its event horizon, in an image released on April 10, 2019. A network of eight radio observatories on six mountains and four continents, the EHT observed a black hole in Messier 87, a supergiant elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo, on and off for 10 days in April of 2017 to make the image. (Photo by National Science Foundation via Getty Images)

Again, this is a bit of a fools errand, as its difficult to say what will really dominate the perception of physicists of, say, 2050, looking back with a bit more perspective. There might be some development that seems relatively minor now that will come to dominate the future in a way that makes LIGO seem quaint. Theres really no way to say for sure.

I do, however, have a couple of guesses as to some dark-horse candidates for such a discovery. I tend to think, though, that these are things that might be heralding the start of a new decade, though, rather than things that will define the decade just ending. It wouldnt be appropriate to do that much looking to the future, though, so stay tuned for a future post...

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What Are The Physics Stories That Define The 2000s And 2010s? - Forbes

International Collaboration, Cross-Disciplinary Workforce Development and Education Needed for US to Maintain Leadership in Atomic, Molecular, and…

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December 11, 2019

WASHINGTON - The federal government should foster collaboration and decrease obstacles that can keep foreign atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) physicists from working in the United States, if the nation is to maintain its position as leader in these fields, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. As AMO science increasingly overlaps with different science disciplines, federal agencies and academia should enable cross-disciplinary workforce and educational cooperation among scientists, according to Manipulating Quantum Systems: An Assessment of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics in the United States.

AMO science studies atoms, molecules, and light at the quantum level. It combines curiosity-driven research with practical applications, connecting scientific discovery and rapidly evolving technological advances, innovation, and commercialization. AMO science played a pivotal role in, for example, the discovery of gravitational waves, and currently, AMO science is vital in fostering a number of emerging scientific areas, such as quantum information, novel approaches to the control and use of light, precise probes of natures fundamental principles, and new technologies for biology and medicine.

The U.S. research community has enjoyed global leadership in AMO science, thanks to sustained, strong support from the federal government and the unique AMO culture that fosters collaboration and open research, said Jun Ye, a NIST Fellow and professor of physics at the University of Colorado and co-chair of the committee that wrote the report. Over the past decade, however, the U.S. global leadership position has begun to erode, as funding has not kept up with growth in the field, and other countries have increased investments in this field.

International collaboration has been, and will continue to be, an essential avenue for progress in AMO science, the report says. While the committee recognized the potential security concerns in open, international collaboration, it recommended that the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and other federal agencies work with the U.S. Department of State to introduce mechanisms to remove excessive visa application delays for international students, collaborators, and speakers at conferences and workshops. OSTP should also standardize mechanisms for joint funding of cooperative projects and introduce agreements for funding agencies in different countries to accept each others grant administration regulations.

Components of AMO sciences overlap with other physics disciplines, such as quantum information science, high-energy physics, nuclear physics, and astrophysics, and can expand into different scientific fields. This interdisciplinary aspect of AMO physics necessitates collaboration with scientists and engineers from other disciplines. It is imperative, the committee stated, that academia encourage and enable cross-disciplinary hiring of scientists with backgrounds in fields such as computer science, mathematics, chemistry, biology, and engineering to work in AMO sciences. Likewise, federal entities such as the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the U.S. Department of Defense should foster collaboration and coordinate research activities that span across AMO sciences and other fields. The National Quantum Initiative (NQI), a program coordinated by OSTP that supports the collaboration between federal entities and the private sector and academia, will be vital to furthering investment and engagement on important AMO topics.

As with other science disciplines, AMO science continues to have difficulty attracting women and underrepresented minorities and has not kept up with demographic shifts in the U.S., the report states. The committee endorsed previous National Academies studies that aim to address this issue, with recommendations such as academia prioritizing inclusive teaching and mentorship practices.

The U.S. is at risk of losing its global leadership in AMO science as other countries are investing heavily in this vibrant field. The U.S. can keep pace with this growth internationally through strategic investments in vital areas of AMO science, and through collaborating across both disciplinary and international lines, said Nergis Mavalvala, Curtis and Kathleen Marble Professor of Astrophysics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and committee co-chair. The participation of women and underrepresented minorities in AMO science is far below the demographic composition of the U.S. Not tapping this talent pool to its full potential is a continuously lost opportunity.

The AMO science enterprise requires increased federal funding in order to see continued progress with regard to quantum sciences, astronomical research and experiments, and ultrafast X-ray light source facilities, among other areas. While strong support for individual investigators is key to maintaining the health of AMO science, it is also increasingly important to have coordinated efforts to fund mid-scale to large collaborations, the report says.

The study carried out by the Committee on Decadal Assessment and Outlook Report on Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Science was sponsored by the Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are private, nonprofit institutions that provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions related to science, technology, and medicine. They operate under an 1863 congressional charter to the National Academy of Sciences, signed by President Lincoln. For more information, visithttp://nationalacademies.org.

Contacts:Dana Korsen, Media Relations ManagerAndrew Robinson, Media Associate Office of News and Public Information202-334-2138; e-mailnews@nas.edu

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Red lights in the Milky Way could be evidence of alien civilisations – Metro.co.uk

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Mysterious transients that flare up and disappear could be produced by extraterrestrials or natural process we dont yet understand (Picture: Getty)

Mysterious red lights have been spotted way out in the Milky Way and theres a chance some may have been produced by alien civilisations.

A team of astronomers has been poring over sightings of vanishing and appearing sources of light seen since the 1950s.

These bizarre disappearing lights often resemble stars which spark brightly and are then snuffed out of existence.

But they could also be communication lasers used by extraterrestrial societies.

Researchers analysed 150,000 observations and found 100 weird red lights which have now disappeared.

Finding an actually vanishing star or a star that appears out of nowhere! would be a precious discovery and certainly would include new astrophysics beyond the one we know of today, said Beatriz Villarroel of Stockholm University and the Instituto de Astrofsica de Canarias, Spain.

When a star dies, it can face several fates.

Sometimes it becomes a white dwarf, whilst others explode in a supernova or collapse to form a black hole.

But there are other more exotic possibilties about what happens to stars at the end of their lives.

Its possible a black hole can form without a huge explosion, whilst a vanishing star could also be caused by a rare event called a failed supernova.

Its thought the red deep space mystery lights are caused by one of these impossible phenomena.

Of course, theres always the possibility that aliens are involved.

The stargazers are now looking for evidence of red interstellar communication lasers used to beam messages between star systems or Dyson spheres theoretical giant megastructures build around stars to harvest their energy

During the study, the team found 100 red transients which flared up to become several thousand times bright in a short space of time.

Martin Lpez Corredoira of the Instituto de Astrofsica de Canarias, Spain, said:But we are clear that none of these events has shown any direct signs of being extraterrestrial intelligence.

We believe that they are natural, if somewhat extreme, astrophysical sources.

The researchers are now hoping to arrange a citizen science project to analyse 150,000 other weird sightings captured in astronomical photographs.

We hope to get help from the community to look through the images as a part of a citizen science project. We are looking at ways to do that right now and that will be something we will be able to talk more about at a later date, said Lars Mattsson of Stockholm University.

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Red lights in the Milky Way could be evidence of alien civilisations - Metro.co.uk

Mystery of the Origins of Cosmic Rays Solved – UC San Diego Health

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For more than 100 years, scientists have speculated on the origins of cosmic rays with some agreement, but without certainty. Since cosmic rays are neither cosmic nor rays, this uncertainty makes sense. Though known to be primarily fast ionized atoms, scientists have long held that any real theory about cosmic rays origins required clarity on their composition.

Self-Portrait of Cosmic Rays Acceleration in their own HE Gamma Ray. Emission from supernovae in the Cygnus Superbubble Capture by the Fermi Mission. Image courtesy of Richard Lingenfelter, UC San Diego

Thats where UC San Diegos Richard Lingenfelter comes in. The research physicist emeritus at the Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences (CASS), in a paperjust released in the Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, confirms the source of the universes most energetic particles known. Synthesizing new measurements and scientific insights, the physicist shows that the sources and sites of cosmic ray acceleration and the process of their generation rest in supernovaeextremely bright, super-powerful explosions of stars.

Lingenfelter asserts that the unique elemental composition of cosmic rays can result from just two basic processes: 1) the bulk turbulent mixing of products of these supernovae with their swept-up surrounding interstellar medium and 2) their injection as fully stripped ions into the accelerating supernova shocks by collisions of their mixed dust grains mostly running into hydrogen and helium atoms in the gas.

According to the CASS researcher, the combination of these supernova shocks, the blastwave pushing ahead the surrounding medium and the reverse shock that it generates pushing back against the expanding supernova ejecta, accelerate the cosmic rays to the highest known energiesto nearly the speed of light. This exponential energy comes from supernovae explosions that blast out particles in an ultra-hot gas that rushes through space and expands. As its reach grows, the gas cools, its particles stop colliding and it condenses into solid matter.

The scientific details are more complex, as Lingenfelter outlines in his paper. For example, previous research has shown that this hot gas both expands at high speed and cools in its moving frame until it reaches about 20 degrees Kelvinor -423.67 Fahrenheit. Within just a few years, most of the heavy elements condense into crystals: diamonds, graphite and other dust that continue moving at the same high velocity.

These go along until they run into and push out interstellar media, which travel ahead of them, building up shockwaves with just a fraction of the original supernova energy, said Lingenfelter. The shocks and turbulence that occur amidst this expansion continually mix up more and more mass of the material with increasing supernova remnant age. Thus the measured ratio of the swept-up interstellar medium mass to that of supernova ejecta in the accelerated cosmic rays tells us exactly when most of that acceleration occurred.

Lingenfelter said that all takes place just as the reverse shock is expected to pass through its largest extent and peak strength, and the turbulent grain sputtering injection is also expected to peak. Thus, this mixing value further supports such a cosmic ray origin and ties it strongly to the broader model calculations of supernova remnant expansions.

Theres a real boost, said Lingenfelter. Elements from the sputtered grains are the most enriched, so the unique composition of cosmic rays is mainly from this enhancement. They are the heaviest and distort the composition of cosmic rays, which has contributed to the lack of scientific consensus around cosmic ray abundance and their rates of acceleration.

According to Lingenfelter, with the ever-improving measurements of the elemental composition of cosmic rays, scientists have collectively provided details to clearly reveal the sources, sites and timing of cosmic ray acceleration and the processes of their generation in long-suspected supernovae.

With all these new observations and insights, we can now define and test the conditions of cosmic ray acceleration and explore even more detailed models, he said.

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Mystery of the Origins of Cosmic Rays Solved - UC San Diego Health

Cyberpunk 2077s soundtrack features Grimes, Run the Jewels, and more – The Verge

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Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most anticipated games of 2020, and at The Game Awards, CD Projekt Red revealed more details about another important area of the game: the soundtrack, which will be drawing on a variety of popular punk, electronic, rap, hip-hop, and alternative artists to set the mood.

The trailer reveals a list of artists wholl be contributing music to Cyperpunk 2077s soundtrack, including:

A varied soundtrack is important for a game like Cyberpunk 2077, which looks to put a lot of effort into the world-building around Night City. Its also key to keeping players entertained during downtime think of how critical Grand Theft Autos radio stations were towards making driving around between missions more enjoyable. Cyberpunks soundtrack will likely be just as key in giving players sometime to fill their time as they explore around Night City.

The trailer also revealed that Refused will be specifically supplying music for the in-fiction band Samurai, whos lead singer Johnny Silverhand will be played by Keanu Reeves.

Cyberpunk 2077 is set to release on April 16th, and will be available on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Google Stadia.

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Cyberpunk 2077s soundtrack features Grimes, Run the Jewels, and more - The Verge

Everything We Know About Cyberpunk 2077 | TheGamer – TheGamer

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In Cyberpunk 2077, where the rich are affluent and separated from the poverty-struck middle class, there are rival factions that compete against each other. You can decide to side with authority or fight for gangs. This bold and ambitious project is one of the most (if not the most) anticipated games of 2020.

RELATED:The Witcher 3: 5 Reasons Yennefer Is Our Fav Love Interest (& 5 Why It's Triss)

Role-playing is an essential part of Cyberpunk 2077.It contains an environment that is ripe for exploration. This game is swiftly approaching, and we couldn't be more ecstatic. This is everything we know about Cyberpunk 2077.

The development company behind The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is working on Cyberpunk 2077. Of course, we see similarities between the two games. Both are player-driven role-playing games where your choices influence the game's events.

Although, the two games have different themes. One is played with swords and magic, and the other involves guns and tech-savviness.Don't expect Cyberpunk 2077 to be anything like The Witcher 3: Wild Huntbut naturally, there will be some parallels between the two games.

It's not always night in Night City, but there are certainly times when the city feels gloomy. We know that the city is a Californian city in the United States of America. In the pen and paper Cyberpunkrole-playing game series, Night City was voted "the worst place to live in America."

In Night City, nearly everything is connected to a network, meaning tons of possibilities for hacking. The city will be like your playground, which is kind of like Watch Dogs. We are eager to learn whatever we can about this city.

As a role-playing game, naturally, character customization is a fundamental part of the game. Unlike The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, however, the main character will be a character ofchoice. You'll be able to customize everything from gender, name, facial features, and more.

RELATED:Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order: 10 Hilarious Memes Only True Fans Understand

The character creation screen will allow you to change the background of the character. This means you'll be selecting a story for the protagonist before the game starts. To many, this is awesome news. Everyone will play as V, but will most likely have different characters.

It could be a good or a bad thing that Cyberpunk 2077 is going to have graphic content. The sales for the game could be impactedsince a group of gamers will be restricted from playing the game.

Cyberpunk 2077 has nudity, swearing, and is probably not meant for kids. The game hasn't released yet,so it doesn't have an ESRB rating. But we're guessing that Cyberpunk 2077 will have a rated M for mature rating when it releases. At least the game is going for realism.

Cyberspace is kind of like entering the Matrix, except for the fact Keanu Reeves isn't in the game. Correction, Cyberspace is a lot like The Matrix, and Keanu Reeves is in Cyberpunk 2077. There are some definite parallels between the high acclaimed movie and this game.

Cyberspace is a dark and dangerous place that you connect to while in a bathtub. The purpose of the tub is to avoid getting fried. Cyberspace takes place in the past, and as a Netrunner, you can access it as a CPU. It's all very confusing, but this is the gist of it.

Having A-list actors appear in video games is not a revolutionary idea. Over the years, numerous top actors have starred in video games. We've seen actors like Rami Malek, Kevin Spacey, Kiefer Sutherland, 50 Cent, and Martin Sheen play a character who looks like them in video games.

RELATED:10 Video Games In 2020 That Will Blow You Away

We know that Keanu Reeves will be playing a character named Johnny Sutherland, a vigilante who will have a significant influence in the game. He wears sunglasses and has a robotic arm. Already, this character sounds like a rebel.

One thing that seems to stand out in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, when compared to other games, is its romance options. It is confirmed, you can romance other players in Cyberpunk 2077. Moreover, you can romance other NPCs of the same sex, opening up the possibility for bisexual, gay, and straight relationships.

If this is something that appeals to you, then Cyberpunk 2077 is the game to get. It will have more romance options than The Witcher 3, so its side questlines are bound to be interesting.

From what we've seen so far, the gameplay of Cyberpunk 2077 is mostly played in the first-person. It's one of the most anticipated games of 2020 (if not the most), and it's going to have fresh gameplay elements. For example, Cyberpunk 2077 is going to feature drivable cars, first-person shooting, an intuitive map, and rival factions.

The gang presence in the game is apparent from the get-go. You, the protagonist, will either side with them or fight against them. You'll feel like a Terminator come to life in this futuristic fantasy.

According to pcgamer.com, "CD Projekt Red has officially confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 will have a multiplayer component." Multiplayer is likely still in the back burner since CD Projekt hasshared few details. Multiplayer was not a part of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt,but this is a new game so it shouldn't matter.

RELATED:10 Games To Play In Preparation For Cyberpunk 2077

When multiplayer does come to Cyberpunk 2077, it will likely besome time after the release of the game. Think of Red Dead Redemption 2's delayed multiplayer launch. We don't know how expansive Cyberpunk 2077's multiplayer will be, but let's hope it's as enthralling as Red Dead Redemption 2's.

Games that take long to develop can either set you up for disappointment or make you think the wait was worth it. Thankfully, Cyberpunk 2077won't take as long to release as games likeStarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, Prey, and Diablo III.

The game isscheduled to release on April 16, 2020. It will come to platforms such as PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Google Stadia. As of now, there are no plans to port Cyberpunk 2077 to the Nintendo Switch.

NEXT:Cyberpunk 2077: 10 Amazing Cosplays That Have Us Hyped For The Game

NextPokmon Sword & Shield: 10 Pokmon You'll Need If You Want To Beat Leon

Naive, passionate, and modest. You'll find Logan enjoying video games such as Dark Souls, Halo, Diablo II, Super Mario 64, God of War, Fortnite, Sea of Thieves, and Minecraft.

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Everything We Know About Cyberpunk 2077 | TheGamer - TheGamer

CD Projekt Red Is Auctioning Off a Limited-Edition Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One X – Comicbook.com

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CD Projekt Red revealed a stunning custom-made Xbox One X on Saturday thats going to make one Cyberpunk 2077 fan a lucky person if they win the auction for it. Its a Cyberpunk 2077 console modeled after one of the groups in the game, a faction known as the Voodoo Boys. Its got insignias from the gang plastered all over it, and its even got a skull atop the console thats been outfitted with a cyberpunk look.

The developers of the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 game unveiled the console on Saturday in a series of images shared on Twitter that showed it from different angles. Its got skulls and other brandings from the Voodoo Boys, but the most attention-grabbing part of the console is the animal skull thats been affixed to the top-left of the device with a custom-made slot for it to rest in.

CD Projekt Red said it partnered with Xbox DACH to make the console which can be seen below. If you want to shoot your shot at owning it, you can drop a bid in the auction by following the link thats included in the tweet.

This console is the only one of its kind, and it looks like the listing for it is going to be live for the next week before it ends on December 14th. The bids on the console have already gone up significantly since the auction opened within the day, and with exactly a week left to go until the bidding ends, you can expect that the price wont end there. Whoever ends up paying for it will likely be parting with a hefty sum to get the one-of-a-kind console, but CD Projekt Red said all of the proceeds from the sale will go to charity.

Cyberpunk 2077s Voodoo Boys are a bit different from the ones Cyberpunk fans may recall from the tabletop RPG. Theyre a group of people from Haiti and the Dominican Republic who Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith has called a cultural phenomenon as opposed to strictly a gang like some of the other groups in the game are.

Cyberpunk 2077 is scheduled to release for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia on April 16, 2020.

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CD Projekt Red Is Auctioning Off a Limited-Edition Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One X - Comicbook.com

Seychelles: The island nation with a novel way to tackle climate change – BBC News

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Image caption Fisherman Darryl Green welcomes the restrictions

On board Darryl Green's small fishing boat, just off the island of Praslin in the Seychelles, the water is so clear we can see the seabed. Brightly coloured fish swim around the hull.

"You know at my age I've seen the fish size decrease dramatically," the fisherman reminisces. He's on board his boat with his young grandson in tow.

"If as fishermen, we do not take responsibility for our fish stocks, who's going to do it? If we don't start somewhere then in the future we're going to be very hard pushed to find fish to feed our children."

Mr Green has been fishing his local bay for decades - but not any more. He's set up a project with his fellow fishermen to voluntarily stop fishing here for six months of the year, hoping that this will allow fish stocks to replenish.

"This is our office," he says. "You go to the office to work. We come here to work. This is where we earn our livelihood. So we've got to protect it."

During the six months off, they have to fish further out to sea, while some of them do other things like carpentry too.

Mr Green's project is one of many which have been funded by a pioneering marine conservation plan.

In the first deal of its kind, the East African nation swapped 5% of its national debt for a cash injection to fight the effects of climate change on the ocean.

In return, it promised to protect 30% of its national waters, which is an area twice the size of the UK - by the end of next year. It's a huge undertaking for this tiny nation.

The Seychelles government agreed the debt swap with the Nature Conservancy, a US charity, and a number of investors in 2016.

Under the terms of the $21m (16m) deal, the charity and the investors - who include the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation - bought a portion of the Seychelles' national debt from European nations, such as the UK and France.

The debt is now held by a trust, the Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT), which offers the country lower interest rates on its repayments.

The savings - over $8 million - are ring-fenced for projects designed to protect marine life and handle the effects of climate change.

Small island nations are among the most vulnerable to rising sea levels. Conservationists say dying coral reefs, extreme weather and land erosion threaten the very existence of the Seychelles archipelago.

The country is trying to defend its greatest resource - the sea - but it's no easy task. All human activity in the protected areas will have to be severely restricted - not just fishing but tourism too. Policing this huge swathe of the Indian Ocean will fall to the country's coastguard.

Lt Col Connie Anthony says it will take her team two days to get to some of the waters they are charged with protecting.

"We don't have a big coastguard. What we are doing now in order for us to get ready is mostly on our outer islands, that are further away. We've put soldiers on those islands and they have vessels with them to conduct inner harbour patrols." she says.

Thankfully they will have assistance from the skies. The country's air force is on board with the plans and will be using their unique vantage point to support their colleagues below.

Captain Donn Du Preez explains how they will spot rogue vessels.

"From the aircraft, we can see what we call trip wires, which are things that give us clues whether they are legal or not. For example, are they flying a flag? Not flying a flag? What type equipment could they have on board a vessel? Have they got buoys in the water? That sort of thing."

He says they are more than ready for the challenge.

"Our aircraft are quite capable. We have quite sophisticated equipment on board and we can detect vessels from quite long distances away. And when we fly, we cover tens of thousands of square kilometres. And we do that quite effectively, so we can do the job."

Other countries are also negotiating similar deals with the The Nature Conservancy to protect their oceans.

Wallace Cosgrow, the Seychelles' environment minister, says his country can hold up its end of the deal.

"We want to lead by example and show the world that it can be done. The resources in small island countries are not always available for conservation for example. So we're looking at innovative ways to raise financing to support the environment.

"I get a lot of questions, especially from small island states where they also want to replicate the debt swap but also looking at marine spatial planning."

While most people on the islands are positive, there is no denying that in a country which relies on its oceans for income, it won't be easy balancing the demands of people's livelihoods and what's best for the environment.

On the main island of Mahe, Beatty Hoarau, another fisherman has concerns. He operates bigger commercial operations and his boats can be out at sea for days at a time.

"I think having a protected area is good, but what has happened now is simply to me a publicity stunt. We have, like you say, to make sacrifices - but sacrifices should not come only from the fishermen," he says.

Back on Praslin Island, fisherman Mr Green tells us about another challenge he's facing - this one from his little grandson.

"He tells me: 'When I grow up, I'm going to be a fisherman. I don't want to go to school,'" Mr Green says.

"I tell him: 'No, no, no! I think you should go to school first to learn, because there are lots of instruments you have to know how to use. And then you will go fishing!'"

"He seems to have a real passion for it and he's very good - but then he's had a good teacher," laughs Mr Green.

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Seychelles: The island nation with a novel way to tackle climate change - BBC News

Seychelles Tourism Board Present at the Fifth Edition of the Penalty Shoot Out – eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News

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The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) through its office in Abu Dhabi participated at the 48th UAE National Day celebrations in style as its presence was noted at the 5th edition of the Penalty Shoot Out hosted by Al Ethihad Sports Academy on Saturday, November 30, 2019.

Penalty Shoot Out, a sports event spearheaded by Al Ethihad Sports Academy under the supervision of its founding CEO Mr. Arakkal Kamarudheen, seeks to groom young talents to be professional athletes.

Bringing together over 150 youths from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, the event provided an opportunity to the promising players to showcase their athletic abilities through friendly matches at the prestigious American International School Abu Dhabi.

The Academy further encourages the development of sport skills in youngsters, giving them opportunities to be selected to train at international academies such as Barcelona FC Academy and even tour countries such as India to gain experience.

Supporting the initiative through its office in Abu Dhabi, the STB was represented the Tourism Attach, Ms Aliette Esther, who conducted the mission successful alongside Seychelles based DMC Vision Voyages, also sponsored the event.

Recalling the fabulous experience at the Penalty Shoot Out Ms. Esther stated that assisting the Al Ethihad Sports Academy with the event has been a means to increase visibility for the destination and expressed that STBs involvement in such events are beneficial to the Seychelles.

There has been talk about a much-needed shift in diversifying tourism in the Seychelles, said Ms. Esther, and this event fits right into it as it can create opportunities for sports tourism in the Seychelles.

What is most encouraging, Ms. Esther continue, is Al Ethihad Sports Academys keen interest in tapping into young players potential in the Seychelles. We have swimmers, footballers and cricketers in the country, so a lot of young people could benefit from such a venture. Team exchanges between the 2 countries would not only help develop youth sports in the Seychelles but also open them up to more cultural experiences and boost their confidence. Players going to the Seychelles would be accompanied by their families, therefore contributing to our tourism and economic sectors.

Ms. Esther further stated her satisfaction to execute side-lined collaboration with her various Abu Dhabi partners as they consolidate the relationship between the two countries.

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President Faure attends Seychelles Young Leaders’ President’s Award ceremony – Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles

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12 December 2019 | Education

President Danny Faure was the guest of honour at the Presidents Award ceremony as part of the Seychelles Young Leaders Programme (SYLP) for the 5th cohort, held at the Guy Morel Institute this afternoon.

The 22 graduates have successfully completed the intensive two-year MA degree in Leadership and Strategy by the Institute of Public Administration in Ireland, a college at the National University of Ireland, and the University of Seychelles. They graduated last year and today they were presented with the SYLP Presidents Award by President Faure.

The degree incorporates a strong local and international dimension, and focuses on programmes in social domains. This is important to the country given the shortage of trained professionals to effectively address the various social ills afflicting Seychelles.

Launched on the 18th January 2008, the Seychelles Young Leaders Programme has produced over 130 graduates.

The ceremony was also attended by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Seychelles, Dr Justin Valentin, the Executive Director of Guy Morel Institute, Mrs Shella Mohideen, Executive members of the University of Seychelles and the Guy Morel Institute members and management.

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President Faure attends Seychelles Young Leaders' President's Award ceremony - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles

Seychelles joins the ranks of countries with a very high Development Index – Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles

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10 December 2019 | State House

The 2019 United Nations Human Development Report, which was released in Colombia on 9th December, ranks Seychelles as 62nd out of 189 countries, scoring an index of 0.801 which places it among the countries categorised as having a very high development index (VHDI).

Seychelles is also the only country in the African region and the Indian Ocean to have attained the VHDI category in 2019.

The UNDP Report notes that between 2000 and 2018, Seychelles HDI value increased from 0.712 to 0.801, an increase of 12.6 percent. It also noted that between 1990 and 2018, Seychelles life expectancy at birth increased by 2.6 years; the mean years of schooling increased by 2.2 years and expected years of schooling increased by 4.0 years. Seychelles GNI per capita increased by about 82.9 percent between 1990 and 2018.

In welcoming the UNDP Report, President Danny Faure congratulated the people of Seychelles on the progress they had made over the years, and said that these achievements were the result of the countrys focus on people-centred development. He said that the countrys development plans would continue to put its people first, and ensure that no one was left behind.

The 2019 Human Development Index Report may be accessed at http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/2019-human-development-index-ranking

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Seychelles joins the ranks of countries with a very high Development Index - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles

Club Med Seychelles set to debut in October next year – Breaking Travel News

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Club Med has unveiled details of its brand-new Seychelles resort.

The property is the latest addition to the brands Exclusive Collection, offering the highest level of luxury for guests looking to enjoy a tropical getaway.

Club Med Seychelles is set on its own private island within 220 hectares of luscious greenery, in a preserved national park location and is only 15 minutes by speedboat from Victoria-Seychelles airport in Mahe.

The Exclusive Collection resort, which is focused for families and couples alike, is the first resort in the Seychelles that offers unparalleled luxury alongside fantastic childcare facilities.

The resort will offer kids clubs from ages two up to 17 years as well as the Club Med Amazing Family concept which includes a fun-filled weekly agenda of activities for the families to enjoy together.

The resort set to open in late 2020 - will offer a world of adventures for guests staying on the island including, snorkelling, sailing, hiking, tennis and archery.

Estelle Giraudeau, managing director of Club Med UK and northern Europe, commented: We are incredibly excited to be opening this brand-new resort in the Seychelles.

Not only is this a brand-new destination for us, it is also the first time Club Med has opened a resort on its own private island.

In a series of firsts, the resort is also the first family-friendly offering in the Seychelles which also enables guests to unwind and relax in the luxurious and private surroundings of this Exclusive Collection property.

The resort has been created in a way where guests can feel at one with nature as well as learning more about the unspoiled marine life around them, in one of the most eco-friendly holiday destinations in our portfolio.

The resort, which will open from October 2020, has a range of different accommodation with four varying types of accommodation from family and superior rooms, to more lavish suites with private pools.

Club Med is a subsidiary of Fosun International, which is listed in Hong-Kong.

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Club Med Seychelles set to debut in October next year - Breaking Travel News

The Luxury Collection opens its First Private Island Destination in the Seychelles – FTNnews.com

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The Luxury Collection announced the opening of North Island, Seychelles. The opening marksthe portfolio's first private island destination.

With just 11 villas, Africas most exclusive private island is located 30 kilometers from the mainland and is accessible by a scenic helicopter flight or an hour boat ride, giving guests an immediate sense of escapism.

Following its history as a coconut plantation, the granitic island is now a sanctuary for endangered species; luminous beaches and clear blue seas welcome nesting sea turtles, and the Palm forests are home to giant Aldabra tortoises and rare Seychelles white-eye birds. The island has been expertly designed and with pioneering conservation programs, offers the highest standards of hospitality, earning them status as an award-winning sustainable travel destination. With a mission to demonstrate that luxury with a conscience can co-exist, sustainability lies at the heart of North Islands philosophy and will be further embraced and supported with The Luxury Collection. The operational responsibility of the resort will remain with ASMALLWORLD, the worlds leading travel & lifestyle community.

North Island has always skilfully combined a sustainable and environmentally conscious management philosophy with the ambition to provide a truly immersive, barefoot-luxury experience. Whilst maintaining our identity and ethos, our work with The Luxury Collection will allow us to maximise our awareness in our continued efforts in pioneering sustainable luxury travel. Jan Luescher, CEO of ASMALLWORLD.

Eleven private guest and family villas line the island; each villa has been created using local materials harvested during the islands rehabilitation process, expertly balancing luxury and simplicity. An haute-couture Robinson Crusoe aesthetic has been applied through interiors celebrating the sheer indulgence of volume and space.

North Island is one of the most rare and luxurious destinations in the world, making it a natural fit for The Luxury Collection and our global explorers who seek authentic experiences and connections to both pristine nature and elevated personalization, said Anthony Ingham, Global Brand Leader, The Luxury Collection. "This is the first private island within The Luxury Collection portfolio, and were delighted to be expanding our footprint of captivating destinations with storied pasts and protected futures.

The island not only offers a calming refuge from the modern world, but also an invigorating, refreshing getaway connected to the islands natural beauty. Aquatic explorers can take part in snorkeling, diving, fishing, sunset cruises, kayaking, paddle boarding and surfing. Bespoke guided excursions for those looking to explore the granite peaks or coral reefs are also available. Whilst on land, forest trails can be explored by foot, bicycle or private buggy, or guests can simply relax on one of the islands four pristine beaches located at each end of the compass. The island is also the ultimate playground for families and children, with a Beach Buddy program tailormade to interests and hobbies. Parents are invited to take part, or can find their own relaxation whilst children remain supervised.

As part of a new culinary concept, Michelin-Star Chef Akira Backbrings his fine-dining concept to the Piazza at North Island. The various dining venues lend themselves to a range of outstanding epicurean experiences with menus changing daily according to the latest island harvest. The Piazza is situated on the ocean front and offers candlelit, private dining utilizing the freshest ingredients from both land and sea. The more relaxed Sunset Beach Bar offers tapas and cocktails during sunset. In-villa dining centers on a comfort food menu featuring local Creole curries or classic dishes, complemented by a generously stocked villa pantry.

The North Island Spa is dwarfed by giant granite peaks, enjoys an open sea breeze and overlooks turquoise waters. Guests are invited to the spa on arrival where they are immediately immersed in island life with each tailor-made treatment starting with a barefoot ritual. A private consultation to create a bespoke spa experience is then formulated as part of a holistic journey of visual and textural contrasts, arousing the senses and rejuvenating mind, body and soul.

With 2020 rates from US$6000 per night, North Island offers an inimitable experience that seeks to offer a contrasted way of life; rough and smooth, old and new, wet and dry, casual and refined, where footprints are the only evidence on the islands vast, untouched beaches.

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The Luxury Collection opens its First Private Island Destination in the Seychelles - FTNnews.com

Cabinet Business – Thursday 12th December – Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles

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13 December 2019

President Danny Faure chaired a meeting of the Cabinet on Thursday 12th December, at which a number of legal and policy memoranda were considered.

Cabinet approved for adoption of the Radiation Safety and Security Regulations 2019 to provide for the effective implementation of the Radiation Safety and Security Act 2014. The Regulations concern the safe use and disposal of radioactive materials as required by the International Atomic Eneregy Agency (IAEA).

Cabinet also approved for the Seychelles Institute of Technology (SIT) to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Seychelles Public Transport Corporation (SPTC) to allow both parties to establish and benefit from a framework for technical cooperation and assistance.

Cabinet also approved to present the changes in the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement (iEPA) for Seychelles to ratify the amendments proposed to ensure that the interest of the country are preserved.

Cabinet approved for the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar on Tuna Derogation Re-allocation for the ESA-UK Economic Partnership Agreement.

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Cabinet Business - Thursday 12th December - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles

The Seychelles Islands Excels at the Ninth Edition of Cond Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards – eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News

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In the ninth edition of the prestigious Cond Nast Traveller Readers Travel Awards, The Seychelles Islands won the runner up award for the Favorite Emerging Overseas Country.

Held at the ITC Maurya, New Delhi- India on November 19, 2019, the ceremony was hosted by the esteemed Bollywood actress, Bhumi Pednekar, and attracted the likes of industry leaders, influencers and recognized names in the travel and tourism industries as well as government bodies.

As an increasingly popular tourist destination, Seychelles situated in Indian Ocean region is a promise of pristine paradise and beautiful adventure. The Seychelles islands, absolutely another world, as its brand would say it, is an ultimate holiday destination of some colorful 115 islands sprinkled with warm browns, striking turquoise and other hues found in the color spectrum.

Speaking about the latest recognition received by the destination, Mrs. Sherin Francis Seychelles Tourism Board Chief Executive mentioned that it is an honor for the destination to have been voted by the readers of the Cond Nast Traveller magazine.

The task of creating visibility for such a small destination is not always an easy one, this is why being recognized as the Favorite Emerging Overseas Country is even more significant for us. It is a collective effort on our part as the tourism board and on the part of our trade partners and usual collaborators.

We strive to demarcate our destination by its uniqueness and it is rewarding to see that our efforts have not gone unnoticed, said Mrs. Francis.

Rewarded by the Readers Travel Awards, Seychelles has been chosen through a readers voting process spanning over two months sans any nominations. The Cond Nast Traveller Readers Travel Awards also recognizes the best in the travel industry, namely hotels, destinations, airlines, spas, websites, apps, cruise lines and more.

Several eminent personalitiespresent at the ceremony included;Mr. Alexander Laloo Hek, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Meghalaya,Shri-Ram Gau-riya, Member of Legislative Assembly, Nagaur, Rajasthan,Shri Sampath Kumar, Commissioner and Secretary to the Chief Minister of Meghalaya,Ms. Sanme Marak, Additional Resident Commissioner, Meghalaya, His ExcellencyMr. Thomas Selby Pillay, High Commissioner of Seychelles,Mr. John Madew, Minister, Commercial and Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner, Austrade,Mr. Sanjay Pandey, Additional Director, Rajasthan Tourism,Mr. Deniz Ersoz, Culture and tourism Counsellor, Turkey Embassy,Mr. Fabio Subia, Second Secretary and Head of the Consular Section and Cultural Attach, Embassy of Peru to name a few.

Since its establishment in 1989 in the United States of America, the Cond Nast Traveller Readers Travel Awards has set the benchmarks in the hospitality and travel industry worldwide.

The Readers Travel Award 2019 winners will be featured in Cond Nast Traveller Indias December 2019 January 2020 issue.

For more news about Seychelles, please click here.

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The Seychelles Islands Excels at the Ninth Edition of Cond Nast Traveller Readers' Travel Awards - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News

France may blacklist Virgin Islands, others – BVI Beacon

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France plans to add the Virgin Islands to a blacklist along with the Seychelles, Anguilla and the Bahamas because they are not cooperative enough in terms of financial transparency, French Public Accounts Minister Gerald Darmanin reportedly told the newspaper Journal du Dimanche.

France has been investigating 500 offshore companies owned by French residents since information about them was revealed in the Panama Papers scandal in 2016, according to news reports.

The move, however, comes as the VI has been passing legislation over the past year to comply with economic substance requirements from the European Union to avoid being placed on an EU blacklist.

Premier Andrew Fahie did not respond to requests for comment, but BVI Finance CEO Elise Donovan said the relevant government agencies were working with French authorities to get more information. She declined to comment further until more is known.

However, during a Dec. 5 Senate sitting Bahamas Attorney General Carl Bethel called the blacklisting a surprise attack by the French and said, We will find out what the cause of the problem is and we will fix it, according to the Nassau Guardian.

The previous day in the countrys House of Assembly, Bahamas Finance Minister Peter Turnquest also pledged to remedy the situation.

I expressed regret that the French government deemed this step necessary, he said. I think that we have to accept that they too are under pressure from their parliamentarians and sometimes countries that have these issues have to find someone to strike out at.

Seychelles Finance Minister Maurice Loustau-Lalanne called the decision hostile, regrettable and disappointing, and added that it would negatively impact the Seychelles economy, according to the Seychelles News Agency.

French Ambassador to the Seychelles Dominique Mas suggested in an interview with SNA that the move was due to financial information requested by the French government that was delayed and deemed insufficient.

Seychelles, like the other countries which have also been blacklisted, were slow in providing the information requested by the French authority and the information provided was deemed not adequate, Mr. Mas said.

Mr. Loustau-Lalanne added that the Seychelles government would look at amending laws to better comply with international norms, and would write a letter to French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.

We will protest, because I feel this is a hostile action, he told SNA. We need to get out of this situation, and we need to work with the French authorities to remedy this situation as quickly as possible.

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France may blacklist Virgin Islands, others - BVI Beacon

President Sends Message of Condolences on Passing Away of Brother David Denicourt – Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles

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12 December 2019 | Condolences

President Danny Faure has sent a message of condolences to the Brothers of Christian Instruction on the passing away of Brother David Denicourt, at the age of 92, on Wednesday 11th December.

Brother Denicourt arrived in Seychelles in 1974, where he took up the position of Headmaster of Seychelles College until his appointment as Assistant Director of the National Youth Service in 1983.

In 1989 Brother Denicourtjoined the Planning Section of the Ministry of Education, where in 1992 he became the Director General for Planning and Administration. He was appointed Principal Secretary for Education in 1993.

Bro David retired as Principal Secretary in 1995, and served as Technical Advisor for Education until his departure from Seychelles in 1999.

President Faure said that Brother David had contributed enormously to education development in Seychelles, and he hadalso beenclosely involved with the planning and construction of the National Cultural Centre in Victoria, and the present Seychelles Institute of Teacher Education at Mont Fleuri.

Bro David passed away in the town of Alfred, Maine, in the United States.

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President Sends Message of Condolences on Passing Away of Brother David Denicourt - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles

NGOs work to rebuild vital coral reefs, but islands threatened by climate change need much more help – Euronews

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The Seychelles are known as paradise on Earth - but even here, storm clouds are gathering.

As the ocean absorbs more heat and CO2 from the atmosphere, it warms up and becomes more acidic. That causes bleaching and destruction of sensitive coral reefs.

Rafaela Gameiro and Nora von Xylander lead coral restoration projects with a local NGO, the Marine Conservation Society Seychelles.

"We had two major mass-bleaching events, says Rafaela. One in 1998 and one in 2016, which caused the mortality of more than 90% of all the corals in the islands. When you dive you can see that most of the coral reef is dead - it's almost like a coral cemetery."

To save the reefs, the activists are building artificial nurseries, nurturing and then transplanting more resilient corals. Death of reefs can trigger a collapse of the whole marine ecosystem, undermining fisheries and eco-tourism - and further endangering the coastal areas.

"They are a barrier, basically, for the waves before hitting the land, explains Nora. So if coral reefs disappear, it would create big problems for islands like Seychelles in terms of coastal erosion, flooding, and the way that beaches look like."

Coral bleaching is just one example of how ocean warming is hurting marine ecosystems and coastal communities around the world. The UN experts made it clear that global warming beyond 1.5C will drastically alter the oceans, ice caps and glaciers. Scientists call for urgent action to reduce emissions and help those who are most vulnerable.

Storm surges, intense rains and coastal erosion pose existential risks to Small Island Developing States - where a third of the population lives near sea level. The EU has close relations with the Seychelles and is helping the country to reinforce its coastline.

"Here, coastal erosion means disappearance of the islands - that's the reality, says Vincent Degert, EU Ambassador to the Republic of Mauritius and the Republic of Seychelles.

There are 90,000 people living here in the Seychelles. Their homes, their restaurants, their economic activity - everything is put at risk by climate change. So there is a genuine need to take action together."

Growing number of tourists, mostly from Germany, France and Italy, come to visit the magnificent beaches and natural reserves of La Digue - Seychelles' third most populated island. For some of them, the unusually early start of the rainy season is a disappointment. For local farmers like Jimmy, the risk is losing their harvest to flooding.

"The papayas don't like water, he says. One-two days of flooding and they're gone."

At the only school on the island half, the students have been made to stay at home after the sewers flooded its the second time it has happened over the past few years.

"We cannot close the school every now and then each time it rains, each time there's flooding. So we need to find a solution for that, once and for all," says Head Teacher Michel Madeleine.

Tourists and locals wade through flooded streets - as existing drainage systems cannot cope with increasingly heavy rains and growing real estate development.

"We need a good drainage system to properly evacuate the floodwater, says the resident of La Digue Therese Payet. That would be a great solution for us."

The European Union allocated 3 million euros under the Global Climate Change Adaptation programme to help deal with the flood problems and prevent the salinification of La Digues agricultural fields.

"There will be projects to be implemented under the programme which the EU has committed itself to fund, says Jean-Claude Labrosse, Principal Climate Adaptation officer, at the Seychelles Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change. One will be of course the shoreline management plan; the other one is to increase our capacity to deal with flooding within the plateau and other areas; the other one is for the beach protection; and lastly, there will also be projects to mitigate saltwater intrusion further inland."

"Today the world is like a global village - we cannot act in isolation. So if we are burning more fuel, if we are disposing more waste, it affects the seas, it affects the reefs, it affects the livelihood of people around the world."

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NGOs work to rebuild vital coral reefs, but islands threatened by climate change need much more help - Euronews

My Label and Me: I have 10 children, but motherhood doesn’t define me – Metro.co.uk

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On my 17th birthday I realised Id not had a period for two, maybe three months.

Having just won a coveted place at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London, I was facing the possibility of an entirely different future from the one I had planned. I needed to decide whether to start this study or to continue the pregnancy, against my parents wishes. Their resistance galvanised my decision.

I gave birth to my son later that year and set out on a path many said would ruin my life.

The moment I decided to become a young mother I knew that this label would follow me around, and while I love being a mother, I didnt want my whole identity to be defined by having children.

There were times maintaining a separate identity became a struggle. By the time I was 22, I was the mother of four sons. The mother label enveloped me.

I gestated, breastfed, knitted, baked, breastfed while pregnant, went to mother and baby groups, moved country, birthed, decorated homes, breastfed, created a group for isolated mothers, breastfed and planned university study.

But I was determined. With a small brood of noisy boys in tow, I built a shortlist of universities to approach and came away armed with interview dates to study social policy.

Id been told by career advisors to apply to lower league institutions because I was a mother, and this would be my primary role in life.

The assumption that Id tinker around the edges of my truest purpose being a mother was pervasive.

It felt like being a mother overrode being a person in my own right. Its like theres a motherhood contract with strict terms: Mothers must serve others needs, agendas and interests before their own.

I resisted all this advice including the suggestion that I defer my degree for a decade to get the children to their teens and applied to top league institutions. I wasnt about to derail my own ambitions because that is what others expected of me.

And I am so glad I did, because I graduated with a good degree and went on to postgraduate degrees and academia. Yet the stigma surrounding working mothers didnt stop there; I remember in a PhD scholarship interview being asked whether I intended to have children and how this would affect my ability to be a senior academic.

Except I was a mother of five already.

I am not prepared to be defined as a mother first and foremost, but its something that is embedded deeply in our culture.

We can see it in workplaces, the pay gap, the impact career breaks have on womens career prospects, the cost of childcare, advertising, and the ways our friends and families treat us.

Talking about myself, my potential and my desires outside of my family does not reduce my love for my children.

This might seem like a ridiculous thing to clarify, but mothers get used to prefacing any conversation we have about our hopes, dreams and plans with: Of course I love my children

Mothers feel the need to say this because were often vilified for the choices we make for ourselves beyond our children. Then we spend time defending ourselves by confirming the love we have for those children.

Ive gone from being a career academic when I was a mother of six, to building a consultancy firm that advises boards and C suite teams on strategic decision making having four more children along the way, including triplets who are now aged six.

People always assume Im childfree because of my drive and ambition, but its really their assumptions about what a mother is supposed to be that prevent them from seeing what we are really capable of.

Being a working mother of 10 is a balancing act between selflessness and making the most of my potential.

How do we stop having stupid conversations about women having it all? By not defining women solely in relation to motherhood.

This will allow women to be central participants throughout our whole lives rather than only before we become mothers.

Labels is an exclusive series that hears from individuals who have been labelled whether that be by society, a job title, or a diagnosis. Throughout the project, writers will share how having these words ascribed to them shaped their identity positively or negatively and what the label means to them.

If you would like to get involved please email jess.austin@metro.co.uk

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My Label and Me: I have 10 children, but motherhood doesn't define me - Metro.co.uk