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India throws Mauritius an oil lifeline as the ceasefire wobbles

PM Navin Ramgoolam announced Thursday that Mauritius has finalised an agreement with India to guarantee the island's petroleum and gas supply. The deal is a direct response to the energy shock from the Iran war. Mauritius imports 100% of its refined fuel, and with the Strait of Hormuz still barely open despite a two-week ceasefire, New Delhi has effectively become Port Louis's insurance policy against a supply crunch.

Ramgoolam also cautioned parliament that the two-week truce must not breed complacency, calling it a "fragile peace." He is right to worry. Only a handful of vessels have been allowed through Hormuz since the ceasefire began. Washington and Tehran are accusing each other of not honouring the agreement. Brent crude climbed back to $96.35 a barrel Thursday, and the American benchmark WTI crossed $100 again.

Tourism Minister Xavier-Luc Duval warns the sector will be "severely impacted" sooner or later. Consumer groups are demanding excise duty and VAT be scrapped on fuel. The India deal buys time. Whether it's enough depends on what happens in the Strait over the next twelve days.

Bérenger floats creating a "new MMM"

Paul Bérenger is not going quietly. In a video posted on his Facebook page Thursday, the former MMM (Mouvement Militant Mauricien) leader raised the possibility of launching an entirely new party if the current leadership proceeds with what he calls a rigged delegates' assembly. "If they go ahead with their fake assembly and take bad decisions, then we, the true militants, will have no choice but to move forward with a new MMM," he said.

The threat escalates what was already a crisis inside Mauritius's oldest opposition party. Bérenger resigned as leader last week and now sits as an independent with his daughter Joanna and MP Chetan Baboolall. A splinter party would divide the mauve voter base further, potentially reshaping the opposition landscape for years.

A new party or a negotiating tactic? Either way, the MMM is splitting in real time.

Air Mauritius senior manager arrested over discounted Audi deal

The Financial Crimes Commission (FCC) arrested Anba Manikham, a Senior Manager at Air Mauritius, over the alleged sale of a company-owned Audi Q5 at a heavily discounted price, netting the buyer a reported Rs 550,000 benefit. Manikham and his partner Kiran Balgobin were released on bail after appearing in court.

Food prices keep climbing: meat, fish, oil, cheese all up

The household shopping basket keeps getting heavier. Meat, fish, cooking oil, corned beef and cheese have all risen in price since the start of the year, driven by global supply chain disruptions and war-related shipping costs. With 99% of merchandise arriving by sea through routes now diverted around the Cape, every imported calorie carries a surcharge.

Heavy vehicles banned from five major routes at rush hour

Following a multi-vehicle collision at the Caudan roundabout, the Commissioner of Police will enforce strict restrictions on heavy goods vehicles using five arterial routes during morning peak hours.

🗞️ SHORTS

IT specialist arrested for laundering – A Flic-en-Flac man known as "Hacker" was picked up by the FCC on Thursday in a money laundering probe.

Fatal accident at Mon Goût – Rajwantee Devi Kichenama, 69, died in a road crash Thursday morning; her family gave an emotional public tribute.

Boat engines tied to drug ring – Police in the North are investigating stolen outboard motors linked to a maritime drug network.

Tamil festival 14–16 April – The MTTF and Tamil Speaking Union will host the National Tamil Festival to mark the Tamil New Year.

Sword attack in Saint-Pierre – A 65-year-old man was attacked with a sabre; his 54-year-old brother is being sought by police.

$96.35 per barrel: Brent crude on Thursday, down from the $109 peak but still elevated as Strait of Hormuz traffic remains at a trickle. The US benchmark WTI crossed $100 again on ceasefire doubts. Mauritius imports every drop of its refined fuel, so every dollar on the barrel is a policy headache in Port Louis.

$4,757.60 per ounce: Gold surged 8.39% in a single session, its largest one-day jump in years, as investors piled into safety. In Mauritius, where gold is cultural wealth stored in drawers and around necks, the family jewellery box has quietly become the best-performing asset of 2026.

Rs 463 billion: Mauritius's national reserves have slipped to this level, a sign that the twin pressures of costly fuel imports and volatile capital flows are draining the cushion faster than expected. The India oil deal is welcome, but it does not solve the underlying fiscal squeeze.

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IMF warns Iran war will slow global growth

The head of the International Monetary Fund warned Thursday that the Iran conflict is darkening the outlook for the world economy, whether or not the fragile ceasefire holds. Disrupted oil flows, elevated energy prices and broken shipping routes have already baked in damage that will take quarters, not weeks, to unwind. For small island economies like Mauritius, the message is blunt: imported inflation is here to stay.

Israeli strikes on Lebanon kill over 200, ceasefire at risk

Israeli airstrikes on Beirut, Tyre and southern Lebanon killed at least 203 people and wounded more than 1,000 on Wednesday. Israel says Lebanon is not covered by the US-Iran truce. Iran's parliament speaker warned "time is running out" as the attacks threaten to collapse the broader ceasefire. Netanyahu has since agreed to direct talks with Lebanon in Washington next week.

Benin votes Sunday in a one-sided presidential race

Benin heads to the polls this Sunday as outgoing President Patrice Talon steps down after a decade. Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, 49, is the clear frontrunner, backed by the ruling bloc. His sole challenger, moderate Paul Hounkpè, faces an uphill battle in a field critics say was narrowed by design.

Hormuz still at a trickle: both sides blame each other

Two days into the ceasefire, the Strait of Hormuz remains barely open. Washington accuses Tehran of dragging its feet; Iran says the US has not met its obligations. Trump told reporters Iran is "doing a very poor job" with the waterway. Saudi Arabia has halted operations at several energy sites damaged during the conflict, further constraining global supply.

A ceasefire without open shipping lanes is a ceasefire on paper only.

Russia and Ukraine agree to Orthodox Easter truce

Vladimir Putin announced a ceasefire in Ukraine over the Orthodox Easter weekend, running from Saturday afternoon through Easter Sunday. Previous holiday truces in this war have been patchy at best, but any pause in fighting offers a window for humanitarian access along the front lines.

Melania Trump denies Epstein ties in rare White House statement

US First Lady Melania Trump delivered an extraordinary statement from the White House on Thursday, denying any connection to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. She dismissed rumours that Epstein introduced her to Donald Trump as "mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation" and called on Congress to hold a hearing for survivors.

Afrika Bambaataa, the man who shaped hip-hop, is dead at 68

Afrika Bambaataa, one of hip-hop's founding pioneers, died on Thursday from prostate cancer. Born Kevin Donovan in the South Bronx, he helped forge an entire culture in the late 1970s: DJing, breakdancing, graffiti and MCing fused into what he called "hip-hop." His 1982 track "Planet Rock" is one of the most influential records ever made.

His legacy is complicated. Bambaataa founded the Zulu Nation collective to channel gang energy into art, but longstanding abuse allegations cast a shadow over his later years.

He turned a block party into a global movement. The world sounds different because of him.