Category Archives: Seychelles

Amidst the stunning natural landscape of south west England, change is happening. At the University of Plymouth, with a 650 mile-long coastline as backdrop, students are tackling global sustainability challenges on land and at sea.

Here, over 18,000 students 2,000 of whom hail from over 100 countries gather to learn how to transform the world they live in through sustainable solutions. The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Judith Petts, believes that the university has the power to produce the sustainable leaders of tomorrow with accolades to prove for this.

It is Top 10 in the UK, according to the People and Planet University League, the only comprehensive and independent league table of UK universities ranked by environmental and ethical performance. The Students Union achieved the NUS Green Impact Excellence Outstanding status.

Such impact makes for great learning. Hear from the students and graduates on how their School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences education have helped shape their careers and make a difference.

Source: University of Plymouth

The natural environment matters to Seychelles-born Alvania Lawen. Her love for her home country brought her all the way to the UK, where she found the perfect university to explore her interest in environmental conservation.

The environmental management and sustainability major has made it her mission to protect Seychelles from the existential threat of climate change and rising sea levels. Believing that no one is coming to save us, Lawen chose the University of Plymouth in hopes that it will arm her with the knowledge she needs to fix the crises back home.

The University of Plymouths BSc (Hons) Environmental Management and Sustainability course stood out as covering the important theoretical and practical aspects I wanted to understand, she says. The sustainability science module in particular has reinforced the things I learned while volunteering in Seychelles. This module introduced us to environmental systems and sustainability at different scales, learning investigative skills through field and laboratory work.

Source: University of Plymouth

Every degree programme at the university was designed with the Sustainable Development Goals in mind, and the BSc (Hons) Analytical Chemistry now known as BSc (Hons) Chemistry is no exception. After graduating, alumna Chloe So inspects products and toys for hazardous chemicals on a daily basis.

So returned to Hong Kong to work as an assistant chemist in Intertek Testing Services Hong Kong Ltd before getting promoted to chemist. She credits her alma mater for preparing her to face new challenges associated with the jump: There were many experiments other than just theory, she says. The practical experiences consolidated my knowledge.

The university made her more confident. Once nervous before getting on the plane and heading to the UK for her studies, So would later build a new home away from home in the UK thanks to the robust support she received from day one. There was a collection at Heathrow airport, boat trips once we got to Plymouth on orientation day, free English courses, pleasant accommodation, and nice lectures, she shares.

Source: University of Plymouth

Just shy of a month after completing his BSc (Hons) Physical Geography and Geology degree at the University of Plymouth, Patrick Roberts found his calling in Geotechnical Engineering Ltd as an engineering geologist. He got the chance to work for the company thanks to a chance meeting with the companys representatives at the schools Geoscience careers fair.

It was his degree, however, that taught him how the Earths surface is shaped by natural and human processes key to addressing many of the complex sustainability challenges facing the planet. By exploring seismic, landscape and volcanic geohazards, clean energy transitions, and long term environmental change, they gain a deep understanding of climate, environments, and the biosphere.

Asked what advice he had for anyone wanting to get into the same line of work, he said, Talk to people in the industry, engage with any careers fairs or Personal Development Planning (PDP) modules available. Also, come in with an open mind and be prepared, whilst on site, for things to not always go to plan.

Source: University of Plymouth

Coming from Trinidad and Tobago, Kelsey Parsons had always loved being surrounded by water. Her BA (Hons) Geography and International Relations programme is not only close to Devon and Cornwalls glorious beaches, coasts, rivers and estuaries, but makes the most of its geographys strengths in tackling head on the biggest global challenges we face. Modules address many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and her degree is fully accredited by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).

The University of Plymouth is one of the very few UK universities to offer this programme. Beyond that, the emphasis on a more practical rather than theoretical approach is what drew me to the course, she explains. Going into my third year, I can say that the course has challenged me, and I have gained skills and knowledge that are all relevant to life today. Even some of my assignments and lectures feature the current pandemic!

To her, the social aspect of university is important. The COVID-19 pandemic hit Parsons hard, but it pushed her to try many new things like learn online, meet up with friends virtually, and teach dance classes via Zoom. It allowed me to assess where I am, where I want to go, and that life is precious, so reach for the stars, she says. The aim is to do just that, starting with completing my degree, doing a masters, and then hopefully working for the United Nations.

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University of Plymouth: Changing the world, one student at a time - Study International News

On several nights, Pegasus anchored at sea, and excursions involved getting on the ships Zodiac to be whizzed ashore, or as close as the sturdy rubber boat could get. Wet landings added to the sense of adventure as we clutched our shoes and belongings and waded onto dry land through the warm shallows.

But more exciting still was our arrival at Cousin, another unpopulated island and important bird sanctuary, which has been at the forefront of conserving the once critically endangered Seychelles warbler. In fairness, Roddy had tried to warn us laughing a cheery Its going to be like a James Bond movie! during his pre-dinner daily briefing the night before but even so, it was a trial not to flinch when our craft, skippered by one of Cousins wardens, approached the beach and, instead of slowing down, accelerated right up onto the sand.

After each day of exciting excursions, wed return to Pegasus and bask in her homely warmth and comfort, greeted by pulsing music on the marine platform while cold beers and drinks were passed around by the ever-smiling crew.

On our first night, Kostas, the hotel manager, told us Variety Cruises didnt have passengers or clients, but family. It was true. Officers and crew mingled with their newfound relations throughout, and joined in enthusiastically when local entertainers came aboard and invited us to have a go at the traditional dance from La Digue, madilo. Similar to rubbing your head and patting your stomach, this involves facing your partner and swapping hands to hold a stick, and lifting alternate legs over it as it increases in height. Tricky, and more so after a tipple, but endlessly entertaining.

It was on our final morning that we visited Moyenne to make way for tortoises and hear the tale of the extraordinary Englishman who bought a tropical island on an altruistic whim. Over the years, he was offered millions of dollars for the isle, but turned them all down. He died in 2012 and is buried alongside his father, next to a pair of centuries-old stone graves he uncovered when clearing the island. Bearing the inscriptions Unhappily Unknown they are believed to be the resting place of two pirates who reputedly also buried treasure nearby, which Grimshaw tried and failed to find.

Hidden cache or not, the visit to an island where tortoises are king was certainly an enriching experience. Keep your beaches and resorts Ive seen the Seychelles anew.

How to do it: Variety Cruises (varietycruises.co.uk) offers a year-round seven-night Garden of Eden round trip cruise on Pegasus plus three night B&B post-cruise stay at the Savoy Resort on Mahe Island from 3,545pp, including flights and transfers, or seven nights cruise only from 2,300 in 2023.

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The treasure islands where tortoises have right of way - The Telegraph

According toArcane Research, African countries such as Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Mauritius, Uganda, Ghana, Seychelles and South Africa are among the leading nations for crypto adoption worldwide.

With crypto adoption in Africa positioned to double in the coming years, one might wonder which cryptocurrencies are most used on the continent. This article discusses the 10 most popular coins and tokens in Africa, along with the top 5 countries in Africa for investing, setting up your business or growing your crypto network.

For obvious reasons,Bitcoinis the most popular and valuable cryptocurrency in the world. Much of crypto adoption globally has been due to the rise in the value of BTC. That also helped its popularity in Africa. Most businesses that accept cryptocurrencies for payments in Africa opt for Bitcoin, and the same applies to retail investors. Recently, the Central African Republic (CAR) became the second country in the world to make Bitcoin a legal tender,writes BBC. Meanwhile, Nigeria is the #1 country worldwide in terms of the number of people searching for Bitcoin and Crypto keywords on Google.

Ether or ETH has the second-largest market cap among cryptocurrencies. It is one of the most used in Africa due tothe Ethereum network. Ethereums smart contract capabilities allow for the development of decentralized applications and platforms within its ecosystem. This has led to the emergence of decentralized finance,play-to-earn,non-fungible tokens, and several other sectors on Ethereum. All the use cases of Ethereum contribute to its appeal in Africa. Since ETH is its native token, it has grown popular on the continent. The rising value of ETH further helps this.

Similar to Ethereum, theSolana network has smart contract capabilities. But NFT trading has made its native cryptocurrency popular in Africa. The continent is one of the top destinations for NFT trading globally, which will likely increase this year. A recent survey by Finder AU shows that Nigerians are the most likely to buy NFTs, with 21.7% planning to buy and 13.7% of Nigerians already owning NFTs. Nigeria and South Africa already have a sizable percentage of their population interested in digital assets. The Solana coin, which is currently the ninth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, rose significantly in value in 2021 due to NFT trading. Although SOLs value has declined, its still a popular African choice, especially for NFT traders since the transaction fees are so low on Solanas blockchain.

BNBis the native token ofBNB Chain(formerly Binance Smart Chain), the blockchain network created by Binance.Binance exchangeis one of the most widely used exchanges in Africa. Its widespread usage means that BNB, which is associated with it, has also grown in popularity. It also helps that the trading fees on Binance are lower for those holding BNB in their portfolio compared to those that dont. Since the launch of the Binance Masterclass Education Series, Binance has educated over 541,000 Africans about cryptocurrency. Some of these events have been held both offline and online for French-speaking Africans.

Thememe coin boomin 2021 catapultedDogecoin to the top ten cryptocurrencies globally. With that and numerous tweets about it from Elon Musk, Doge has risen to become one of the most popular cryptocurrencies in Africa. While it is already down 89% from its peak, Doge is still popular among Africans, with many holding and looking forward to when it will peak again. Several gambling sites in Africa accept Dogecoin and soon there are likely to also be some more crypto casinosallowing DOGE.

Another token that benefited from the meme coin boom wasShiba Inu. Launched in 2020, just when the bull market was about to start, Shiba Inus low price made it attractive to crypto investors who couldnt afford more valuable cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc. However, Shiba Inu has seen its value drop significantly over the last few months.

ADA is currently the sixth-largest cryptocurrency by market.Cardanos network is considered one of the alternatives to Ethereum due to its smart contract capabilities. While the token has not been able to reach ETH levels in value, it has enhanced its popularity in Africa. This is mostly due to Cardanos partnership with African countries such as Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Kenya. With the network helping African countries adopt blockchain technology for various purposes, the use of its tokens is also likely to increase. Many Africans find the low value per token of ADA compelling and giving a low entry barrier for many.

Stablecoinsplay an integral role in the crypto ecosystem. Unlike regular cryptocurrencies that are volatile, stablecoins maintain the same value.Tether (USDT) is a stablecoin with the highest volume and has become very popular in Africa. Since its pegged to US dollars, many use it as a means of foreign exchange, especially in countries where it is much harder to access US dollars through official sources. Its also the go-to currency for many retail investors on the continent.

TheUSD Coin has grown popular in Africa, especially among crypto traders. Like USDT, it is pegged to the US Dollar, which means its value is always $1. Traders use it as a bridge when switching from one volatile cryptocurrency to another. Those who also want to save in USD sometimes use USDC to avoid the challenges of traditional financial institutions.

Dash cryptocurrency was one of the first virtual assets to be accepted by merchants in Africa. While it doesnt have a large market cap like the other cryptocurrencies on this list, its quite popular on the continent.

South AfricaNew laws for cryptocurrencies are coming to South Africa, an African country that has often been seen as a pioneer for crypto.

Mauritius The popular island in the Indian Ocean got crypto-friendly legislation. There is also no tax for crypto transactions in Mauritius yet.

Nigeria The countrys crypto sector is thriving, despite a ban in 2021.Bloomberg wrote that Nigeria is the most curious nation on the planet when it comes to queries related toinvesting and buying crypto. In 2023, it seems like the Nigerian Bourse is about to adopt a blockchain-enabled exchange according toBloomberg but how far they come is yet unclear.

Kenya When it comes to the highest levels of dailypeer-to-peer transaction volume, Kenya stands out as the winner. Many Africans expect the peer to peer crypto transfersto be way cheaper thanother deposit methods, but in reality, both e-walletsandcredit cards to buy cryptocan have zero additional exchange fees.

Seychelles For crypto exchanges looking for a jurisdiction that allows customers from all over the world, Seychelles and Bahamas usually stand out. While the regulation is minimal and exchanges only have to pay a small fee and do some paper exercises, its not harder to get a crypto license in Seychelles than it is to get a bank account in Malta, rather the opposite way easier.

In conclusionThe high rate of adoption of crypto in Africa is due to reasons such as inflation in several countries, inadequate banking infrastructure, international settlements, etc. Although the adoption is projected to increase, there are several challenges ranging from three low internet penetration, regulators resistance, and poor electricity.

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Africa & Crypto: Top 5 countries and 10 best tokens - Ventures Africa

This comes after a 10-member delegation fromthe Gambiarecently completed a visit to the island nation, where the aim was to learn from theexperience of the island state'sPublic Enterprise Monitoring Commission(PEMC).

On Friday afternoon, the delegation, along with the CEO of PEMC, George Tirant, met with the media, to give details on the visit, where Abdoulie Jallow, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs ofThe Gambia, explained that they have identified a number of things that would help them.

What we have noticed is that in Seychelles, the level of compliance from these SOEs is very high, which shows good oversight, while the SOEs are also profitable, which is what we want to see in The Gambia, said Jallow.

He added: If oversight is weak, it will affect the performance of the SOE and even their financial ability, which is why, we must ensure they perform according to expectations.

The establishment of a monitoring commission for SOEs in Gambia was expected to come after the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission in the country made the recommendation to the government to come up with new legislation to oversee SOEs.

These recommendations are part of a number of reforms being undertaken in the country, since 2016, as part of efforts to stabilise the country, Jallow added.

The Gambiahas 13 SOEs and they were pointed in the direction of Seychelles by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as the country they could learn from, as a model of where the oversight of SOEs is concerned.

The CEO of PEMC, Georges Tirant, explained that this is not the first time that PEMC has been visited by other nations who want to learn from them, as such recommendations from IMF are a testament to the work they are doing to ensure local SOEs perform to an acceptable level.

We also had a team from Eswatini recently who met us virtually, in a bid to learn from us, but this visit is not a one-way thing as we are also able to learn from them, added Tirant.

Compared toThe Gambia, Seychelles currently has 27 SOEs and the delegation also visited some of them, to see their operations, while they also met with the office of the Auditor General and the Procurement Oversight unit.

The Gambian delegation will now work on the plans for establishing their commission, which they would present to the National Assembly soon for approval.

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Gambia takes interest in Seychelles' state-owned enterprises oversight - The Point - The Point

Oceania Cruises has announced its most extensive and immersive series of World and Grand Voyages, which are setting sail in 2025.

The line will once again operate its popular Around the World in 180 Days voyage in 2025, this time in a unique east-to-west itinerary. Oceania is also introducing a series of seven Grand Voyages, which range in length from 50 to 111 days.

74 days, two ships, five countries, three continents December 22, 2024 to March 6, 2025

This ultimate odyssey will explore three continents on two small ships, linked together by an immersive mid-cruise overland program. Kicking off with a 50-day circumnavigation of Australia, Indonesia, and New Zealand sailing roundtrip from Sydney, guests will then be flown to South America for explorations of Patagonia, Antarctica, and the Chilean Fjords.

Linking these two cruises are two overland tours that guests will be able to choose from: six days in the Blue Mountains of Australia, or six days in the Andean Lakes District of Chile and Argentina.

Highlights of the Ultimate Odyssey voyage include:

180 days, five continents, 32 countries, 89 ports January 5 to July 3, 2025

Setting sail on a rare east-to-west journey, the 2025 Around the World in 180 Days cruise is filled with beautiful landscapes and experiences. From Miami, the 656-guest Insignia will head south for explorations in Brazil and the Amazon. The ship will then cross the Atlantic Ocean for adventures in the villages and landscapes of AFrica. En route to South Africa, the crossing will feature a call on the most remote inhabited island on the planet: the volcanic isle of Tristan da Cunha.

Insignia will then continue east to Asia, with explorations of some of the most exclusive islands lining the Indian Ocean along the way. The French Comoros, Maldives, and Seychelles give way to destinations in Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, and beyond.

As the vessel heads south along western Australia, guests will have the opportunity to discover some of the continents most unique treasures. During the ships navigation of the South Pacific, it will make a rare call on Champagne Bay on Vanuatu along with some of French Polynesias most stunning islands before heading north to visit the Hawaiian Islands to conclude the journey.

Exclusive shoreside events during this world cruise include:

Overnight port calls along the journey will include, but are not limited to, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Walvis Bay, Namibia; Cape Town, South Africa; Mah, Seychelles; Yangon, Myanmar (two nights); Singapore; Shanghai, China; Sydney, Australia; Bora Bora, French Polynesia; and Honolulu, Hawaii.

MORE: Azamara Details 2024 Europe Itineraries & Golf-Focused Voyages

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Oceania Cruises Announces 2025 'Around the World in 180 Days' Voyage - Cruise Radio

Many nations have created or promised to create marine protected areas, but they dont all carry the same level of protections.

Billions of people around the world rely on the ocean for food, income and cultural identity. But climate change, overfishing and habitat destruction are unraveling ocean ecosystems.

As a marine ecologist, I study ways to improve ocean conservation and management by protecting key areas of the ocean. Many nations have created or promised to create marine protected areas zones that may restrict activities like fishing, shipping and aquaculture. But decades of research have shown that not all marine protected areas are created equal, and that the most effective preserves restrict damaging activities.

Many governing bodies around the world have responded to the ocean crisis by pledging to protect swaths of ocean within their territories. To see how these commitments added up, my colleagues and I recently evaluated ocean conservation commitments announced from 2014 through 2019 at the yearly Our Ocean Conferences high-level international meetings initiated by the U.S. State Department. (More recent meetings were canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic.)

A number of countries have made ambitious commitments. At the Our Ocean Conferences from 2014 through 2019, 62 countries pledged to protect areas of their ocean. Fourteen nations, including the Seychelles and Chile, committed to protect more than 38,000 square miles (100,000 square kilometers) within their waters.

Unfortunately, even if all of these commitments are fully implemented, they will protect only 4% of the worlds ocean. Adding in all other protected areas and outstanding commitments made in other forums raises that figure to 8.9%.

The number is likely to rise as additional countries join in. For example, on May 30 the South Pacific island nation of Niue pledged to protect 100% of its national waters. They cover 122,000 square miles an area roughly the size of Vietnam.

Most recently, the Biden administration proposed on June 8 to designate Hudson Canyon, which lies southeast of New York City in the Atlantic and is one of the largest underwater canyons in the world, as a national marine sanctuary. The canyon provides habitat for sperm whales, sea turtles, deep-sea corals and other sensitive species.

Adding urgency to this effort, negotiations at the United Nations continue around a proposed target to protect at least 30% of Earths land and sea areas by 2030. More than 90 countries, including the U.S., have endorsed this goal.

Clearly this is strong progress, but much work remains. Nations have failed to carry out past international conservation pledges. And meaningful marine protection involves more than stating high-level commitments.

Today some marine protected areas offer significant protection for fish and other sea life, but others exist mainly on paper.

For example, the Southern Ocean around Antarctica is one of the least-altered marine zones on Earth, but fishing is expanding there, and only 5% of it is currently protected. Deliberations over two proposed protected areas there, in the East Antarctic and the Weddell Sea, have continued for years.

In many protected areas, damaging activities are permitted. For example, the Habitat Protection Zones of Australias Great Barrier Reef Marine Park allow multiple types of fishing.

I served on an international team that published a broad framework for planning and assessing marine protected areas in 2021. Our key message was that effectively conserving ocean habitats and marine life will require working together with local communities and governments to create more marine protected areas and set tighter curbs on destructive activities.

We designed this guide to provide an accurate, science-based picture of how much actual conservation these protected areas will deliver. It complements the International Union for Conservation of Natures well-established categories for protected areas guidelines that the United Nations and many national governments use for defining protected areas.The IUCN categories describe types of management at various sites. For example, a Category II national park sets aside large swaths of land or sea. But the categories dont specify what kinds of activities are allowed there or describe their impact. Our guide adds four new elements that are particularly relevant for tracking and decision-making.First, it identifies whether a protected area is simply a concept, an operational area with effective governance and regulations, or something in between. This is important, because it can take years to move from drafting a proposal to actually conserving a swath of ocean.

Second, the guide outlines four levels of protection: 1) fully protected, with no destructive activities allowed; 2) highly protected, with only minimal human impacts; 3) lightly protected, with moderate impacts; 4) minimally protected, with destructive activities allowed.

This last category can still qualify as a protected area if conserving biodiversity is its primary goal and no industrial activities, like mining and drilling, are permitted.

Third, successful marine protected areas must be planned, designed and managed equitably. An open process is crucial to earn public support. This includes co-managing and incorporating traditional knowledge from Indigenous peoples and the experience of local fishers and other people who use the area.

Finally, once a marine protected area is established, it needs to receive adequate political support and financing, particularly for projects that rely on international investment.

Applying these criteria will help policymakers develop more effective marine protections and assess what existing protected areas are accomplishing. For instance, measured by these standards, we found that only 3% of all existing and pledged marine protected areas from Our Ocean Conferences would be considered fully or highly protected.

Experts in Canada, Indonesia, the U.S., and other countries are already using this guide to evaluate existing marine protected areas so that communities and governments can make informed decisions and adjust policies accordingly.

While ocean protection has far to go, I see reason for optimism. At the most recent Our Ocean Conference, in the Pacific island nation of Palau in April nations made more than 400 new commitments to take steps including creating new protected areas and reducing marine pollution and illegal and unregulated fishing.

These pledges involved some $16.35 billion in funding, on top of $91.4 billion already committed at previous conferences. I believe that if nations use these resources to create the kind of high-quality protected areas described in our guide, there is great hope for conserving ocean life.

Vanessa Constant, associate program officer with the Ocean Studies Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, contributed to this article.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The Top 10 Ocean Biodiversity Hotspots to Protect

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What Do Ocean Preserves Really Safeguard? That Depends The Revelator - The Revelator

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Back in 2007, Prince William and Kate Middleton had been dating for around five years after meeting as students at the University of St. Andrews. William and Kate were both 25 years old, and the public pressure was mounting for William to propose. Speculation ran rampantwhen will he pop the question?but William, according to The Mirror, started to get cold feet.

His nerves had been building for some timeaccording to the outlet, as far back as Christmas 2006, William became so anxious about the pressure that he confided in both his father, Prince Charles, and his grandmother, the Queen.

William had been having second thoughts and sat down with his father and his grandmother to have a frank discussion about his future with Kate, says royal expert Katie Nicholl. Both advised him not to hurry into anything.

A few months later, William called Kate while she was at work and broke up with her, devastating her. She later recalled, in an interview surrounding their engagement (which ultimately happened in 2010), at the time, I wasnt very happy about it, but it made me a stronger person. You find out things about yourself that maybe you hadnt realized. I think you can get quite consumed by a relationship when youre younger. I really valued that time for me as well, although I didnt think it at the time.

For his part, William added we were both very youngwe were both finding ourselves and being different characters. It was very much trying to find our own way and we were growing up, so it was just a bit of space, and it worked out for the better.

According to The Mirror, the Queen was disappointed by the breakup. But Kate took those months apart to better herselfeverything from being spotted with a copy of the book Love Is Not Enough: A Smart Womans Guide to Keeping (and Making) Money in her handbag to joining an all-female dragon boat race team that rowed across the English Channel to raise funds for childrens hospices. Kates teammate Emma Sayle says Kate was in touch with William the whole time, and it only took about two months for him to miss her.

William got the message quicker than he or anyone else expected, says royal historian Robert Lacey.

Roughly three months later, the two were a couple again, and in 2008 Kate represented William at a family wedding when Williams cousin Peter Phillips (son of Princess Anne) married Autumn Kelly. (William was at a friends wedding in Africa at the time.)

It is thought the couple agreed on a marriage pact during a secret break in the Seychelles, The Mirror reports. (The Seychelles is ultimately where William and Kate would go on their honeymoon in 2011.) The plan was for William to finish military training before they wed, and Kate is said to have advised him to let off steam ahead of their marriage.

In October 2010, William took a secret trip by motorbike to once again chat with the Queen. This time, it was to collect his late mother Princess Dianas 18-carat sapphire and diamond engagement ring. On a safari in Africa later that month, he carried it in his rucksack, terrified of losing it, The Mirror reports, and proposed to Kate in a secluded spot near Mount Kenya. The engagement was announced to the public on November 16, 2010.

It is my mothers engagement ring, William said at the announcement. It is very special to me, and Kate is very special to me now, as well. Its only right the two are put together. He added the timing is right. As any guy knows, it takes an amount of motivation to get yourself going.

The couple married on April 29, 2011, and have been married for over 11 years.

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An Anxious Prince William Once Confided in the Queen About Having Second Thoughts About Kate Middleton - MarieClaire.com

After attempting to maintain the $25,000 mark yesterday, Bitcoin (BTC) dropped to lows of $23,788 overnight. Perhaps this is an indication that the worlds largest cryptocurrency by market values two-month rally has come to an end.

Meme-token dogecoin was up 15% over the last 24 hours. One analystsaidthat the token is rallying ahead of its launch of Dogechain, which requires wrapped doge for trading.

Unlike BTC, Ether (ETH) was up slightly on the day, trading at around $1,900. According to areportfrom research firm FSInsight, Ether has a good chance of exceeding Bitcoin in market cap over the next 12 months because the Ethereum blockchains switch to a proof-of-stake (PoS) mechanism will reduce both the production of the tokens and selling pressure from miners.

Areportfrom CoinShares showed that crypto funds had $17 million in outflows in the seven days up to Aug. 12, ending six consecutive weeks of inflows. Bitcoin (BTC) investment products saw $21 million in outflows, and short Bitcoin positions, which bet on a price decline of the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, had $2.6 million in inflows.

CryptocurrencyexchangeHuobi Global announced it will stop offering derivatives trading services to users in New Zealand starting next week, just a couple of months after expanding operations to the country. The Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange cited local compliance policies as the reason for withdrawing margin trading services, options and ETPs as of next week.

Celsius Network, the crypto lender that filed for bankruptcy in July, appears to be in even worse financial straits than previously signaled. A new court filing Monday from Kirkland & Ellis, a law firm the crypto lender hired to lead its restructuring efforts, included financial projections that Celsius will run out of cash by October.

In Latin America,Brazils largest brokerage, XP, launched Bitcoin and Ether trading. The company, which has 3.6 million customers, hopes to reach 200,000 active crypto users by the end of 2022.

Is This The Most Reliable BTC Bottom Signal?

Puell Multiple, a bottom signal for Bitcoin, currently sits at 0.54, and values under 0.50 have historically marked price bottoms and are considered to be good accumulation zones.

The indicator fell to 0.34 in July the lowest it has gone since 2019 according to data from Delphi Digital.

The Puell multiple is the daily issuance of BTC (in USD) divided by the 365-day moving average of the daily issuance of BTC (in USD). It compares the short-term revenue of BTC miners to its longer term trend. A lower score equates to lower revenue for miners.

Since 2014, the Puell multiple has gone below 0.50 only four times: during the previous market bottoms of 2015 and 2019, the Covid-induced crash of Spring 2020, and most recently in July 2022, according to Delphi Digital.

Delphi Digital notes that even as the Puell multiple seems to indicate a market bottom, other indicators must be used in tandem to conduct a meaningful analysis.

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Ether is strong but Bitcoin drops below $24,000 - Fortune

As Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on Sunday that the country will repeal a colonial-era law criminalizing sex between men, LGBTQ+ rights activists in the country celebrated a long-sought victory.

The law, which did not apply to women, had not been enforced in over 15 years, but its long-standing presence contributed to stigmatizing and discriminating against gay men in Singapore, activists said.

"Sex between consenting men should not be criminalized. There is no justification to prosecute people for it, nor to make it a crime," the prime minister said.

A similar law criminalizing same-sex consensual relations dating back to the British colonial time was struck down in India in 2018 when the Supreme Court ruled the ban to be "irrational, indefensible and manifestly arbitrary."

But in both India and Singapore, the abolition of these laws didn't translate into a complete backing of LGBTQ+ rights, as same-sex marriage remains illegal in both countries.

"Let me reassure everyone that in handling the issue, the government will continue to uphold families as the basic building blocks of society," Singapore's prime minister said on Sunday. "We will keep our policies on family and marriage unchanged and maintain the prevailing norms and social values of our society."

Despite increased acceptance in the past two decades of LGBTQ+ rights around the world, there have also been backlashes and setbacks in many countriesand in 67 nations part of the United Nations, homosexuality is still persecuted as a crime.

A map produced by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersexual Association (ILGA) in 2020, seen above, shows the countries where homosexuality is still criminalized.

Since the report was published, Bhutan and Antigua and Barbuda decriminalized consensual same-sex sexual relations between adults, respectively, in 2021 and 2022.

Nearly half of the countries where homosexuality is still criminalized are in Africa. These are the 67 U.N. countries with laws that prohibit same-sex relations (65 by explicit provisions of law, 2 de facto):

In these countries, the punishment for those having consensual same-sex relations ranges from a minimum of two years in prison to a life sentence (in countries including Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia in Africa and Barbados and Guyana in the Caribbean).

In six of the U.N. member states listed above Brunei, Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria (12 northern states only), Saudi Arabia and YemenILGA has full legal certainty that homosexuality carries the death penalty. In five more statesAfghanistan, Pakistan, Qatar, Somalia and the United Arab Emiratessources suggest the death penalty might be imposed for same-sex relations.

Despite these discouraging numbers, the countries listed above are in the minority. Over 64 percent of U.N. state members do not criminalize same-sex sexual acts.

There have also been steps forward in recent years in improving LGBTQ+ rights across the world.

In Mozambique, same-sex sexual acts became legal in 2015, followed a year later by the Seychelles, which outlawed a rule that made sex between two men illegal and punishable with up to 14 years in prison. The country also banned employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Trinidad and Tobago reversed laws criminalizing gay sex in 2018, while in 2019 Botswana's court of appeal voted to uphold a ruling that said that criminalizing homosexuality was unconstitutional.

In February 2021, Angola's President Joao Lourenco approved a revision of the penal code allowing same-sex relationships and banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Gabon repealed a law criminalizing homosexuality which made gay sex punishable with six months in prison and a large fine in June of that same year.

In December 2021, Chile approved a bill making same-sex marriage legal as well as allowing same-sex couples to adopt, while Switzerland introduced marriage equality in July 2022.

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Homosexuality Is Still Illegal in These 67 U.N. Countries - Newsweek

A staple in tropical countries, breadfruit has a similar taste to potatoes but with an amazing aroma of baked bread. In Seychelles, it is mostly made into mash or chips or roasted over an open fire. The salad palmis, also known as the Heart of Palms Salad or Millionaires salad due to the labour that comes with getting the palm hearts, is a local delicacy consisting of coconut, red peppers, green tomatoes, avocados, green mangoes, coriander, and mint. Being an island destination, seafood is a dominant feature on any menu in Seychelles, and one of the most common and most loved dishes is grilled fish. Seychelles has created its own version of shark chutney. Made with ground shark meat, bilimbi, lime, and turmeric, shark chutney is served with many of the creole main dishes. Sosis Sale (salted sausage) and sosis kreol (creole Sausage) are two types of sausages found in Seychelles, and they make up this popular household dish of sausage rougay. Two types of cassava are found on the island of Seychelles, a sour one and a sweet one called mayok dou, which is the one used as an ingredient in making cassava pudding cake vanilla infused baked treat topped with coconut for some crunch.

SOURCE:IOL

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A Menu Sample of Dishes to Try When in the Seychelles - Africa.com