IBPC Dubai Launches ‘India Dialogues’ Series to facilitate crucial conversations to strengthen ties between India and the UAE. The series will showcase India’s remarkable progress and the vital role of global partnerships in shaping its future
The Indian Business & Professional Council (IBPC) Dubai launched a new season of its highly anticipated ‘India Dialogues’ series with an impactful event at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
The series aims to facilitate crucial conversations that strengthen ties between India and the UAE, showcasing India’s remarkable progress and the vital role of global partnerships in shaping its future.
Bringing together thought leaders, policymakers, and industry experts, the latest event underscored the importance of these dialogues in enhancing understanding and collaboration between the two nations.
IBPC Dubai is the largest association of Indian businessmen and professionals established under the aegis of Dubai Chambers. The panel of distinguished speakers at the event included Smt. Smriti Irani, Former Union Cabinet Minister of India; Dr. Ashwin Fernandes, author of Modialogue – Conversations for a Viksit Bharat; Dr. Atul Chauhan, President of Amity Education Foundation & Chancellor of Amity University; and Dr. (CA) Sahitya K. Chaturvedi, Secretary General of the (IBPC Dubai. Together, they provided invaluable insights on India’s transformative growth, the pivotal role of education, and the dynamic leadership driving national progress.
The event began with the inauguration of Modialogue, followed by an engaging fireside chat between Ms. Stuti Sinha and Dr. Ashwin Fernandes. The discussions highlighted the vision for a developed India and the strategic importance of education in shaping the future.
Smt. Irani’s keynote address focused on key government initiatives aimed at empowering women and uplifting marginalized communities, highlighting India’s commitment to social equity. Dr. Chauhan stressed the pivotal role of education in fueling India’s future development, while Dr. Fernandes shared the inspiration behind his book, Modialogue, and the profound impact of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat series in shaping national discourse. The occasion culminated in the official launch of the book as well.
The event also featured Shri B.G. Krishnan, Consul (Economic, Trade, Commerce & Education), who highlighted the strategic importance of the India-UAE relationship and the potential for greater bilateral collaboration in various sectors.
As the host of this seminal series, Chairman of IBPC Siddharth Balachandran reinforced its role as a key facilitator of high-level discussions that promote understanding and foster business and cultural ties between India and the UAE. In his closing remarks, Mr. Dinesh Kothari, Governor of IBPC Dubai, emphasized the growing recognition of India’s achievements on the global stage and the invaluable contributions of the Indian diaspora to both nations’ success.
The event was made possible through the generous support of Amity University Dubai, the co-sponsor, along with IBPC Dubai’s annual sponsors: Tristar Group, Fathima Healthcare Group, LuLu Group International, Aster DM Healthcare, HSBC, Pooja Studio Dubai, James Mathew, Sunil Sinha, Paras Shahdadpuri, and Ramesh Mahalingam.
“The ‘India Dialogues’ series is a pivotal platform for engaging in meaningful conversations that not only highlight India’s ongoing transformation but also demonstrate the strength of India-UAE partnerships in fostering mutual growth,” said Mr. Kothari, reflecting on the event’s success.
The IBPC is set to host another high-profile sectorial summit on the Real Estate and Construction sector on 13th December 2024 at Dubai Chambers, tackling some of the most pressing issues currently shaping the industry. As the UAE intensifies its commitment to sustainability, the event will focus on critical topics such as achieving Net Zero in the built environment, the latest regulatory changes in real estate, and the growing demand for luxury properties amidst a shifting investment landscape. Dr. Mahmoud AlBurai, Senior Director of the Dubai Land Department, Mr. Vivek Oberoi, Indian actor and businessman; and CA. Ankur Aggarwal, Founder & Chairman of Bricks n Woods (BnW), will be keynote speakers offering a timely analysis of the sector’s future under the guidance of Dubai Chambers.
Today, India is amongst the top 2 trading partners for UAE and conversely, for India, UAE is amongst its top 3 trading partners. Both countries have an ambition to grow this bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2025.
IBPC Dubai plays the important role of a trusted facilitator in India-UAE bilateral trade and economic relationship. It acts as the catalyst for UAE nationals to understand how to expand in India and for Indian businesses to establish a footprint in UAE. IBPC Dubai strives to do so through its vast network of businessmen and professionals in both regions and also through strong relationships with governments and key industry bodies of both countries.
The first day of the event witnessed several key announcements and discussions….reports Asian Lite News
Abu Dhabi Business Week (ADBW) has showcased the efforts of the Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council (ADBWC) of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) in supporting entrepreneurs and enhancing their presence in the local and international business arena.
The first day of the event witnessed several key announcements and discussions. The event attracted more than 10,000 policymakers, officials, and international business executives in its first day, which included the Abu Dhabi Business Summit, Marketing Lab, Innovation XChange, and the Business Exhibition Ecosystem. The Exhibition hosts local manufacturers, suppliers and leading international companies, and will resume its activities during the event’s second day.
Organised by the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI), in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), the first day of ADBW has witnessed prominent business leaders delivering keynote presentations and panel discussions that provide new insights for firms across the Emirate.
The Abu Dhabi Business Summit witnessed Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, deliver a keynote address and discuss the importance of building economic partnerships for prosperity.
Shamis Ali Al Dhaheri, Second Vice Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, introduced attendees to the services provided by ADCCI. Dr. Sara Sabry, the first female Arab astronaut to go to space, delivered a presentation about “Achieving an Impossible Dream”.
Discussing the means that lead to winning ways, a fireside chat titled ‘The Arts, Sciences & Sacrifices of Winning’ took place, where Formula 1 legend David Coulthard was accompanied by Dutch football star Clarence Seedorf.
Business leaders Magnus Olsson, co-founder & managing director of Careem and Elie Habib, co-founder and CEO of Anghami discussed their journey of building billion-dollar businesses during the “How to Take Your Company to the Moon” panel discussion.
Retail icon Jo Malone, founder of Jo Malone and Jo Loves, talked about building business empires during a fireside chat moderated by seasoned journalist and communications expert Louisa Preston.
During a keynote speech titled “Artificial Intelligence & How You Can Save Our World” Mo Gawdat, Author and Former Chief Business Officer at Google X, discussed the importance of AI and the role it can play in reshaping the future, reflecting Abu Dhabi’s eagerness to adopt the latest innovations.
Providing entrepreneurs with insight on starting their businesses were HSBC’s Manal Awad and Annex Investments’ Ahmed Al Nowais, in a panel discussion titled “The First 100 Days: Executing Your Business Plan to Win”.
Randi Zuckerberg, former Facebook CMO and Founder of Zuckerberg Media, delivered a speech called “How to Tell a Story & Attract Customers”, highlighting the pivotal importance of storytelling in businesses
During the Marketing Lab event, business leaders tackled fundamental marketing topics, that help businesses set up and grow. Other sessions took place, covering a wide array of topics, including how to build a brand, digital transformation and redefining brand narratives, with leading speakers the public and private sectors.
ADBW hosted Innovation xChange, a platform dedicated to sharing the latest innovative ideas, learning, and taking insights from leading business figures.
Senior officials from Microsoft, Khalifa University, Vanar, and Analog discussed the importance of technology in enhancing decision-making in a panel discussion titled “Edge Computing: Accelerating Real-Time Decision-Making”.
Abu Dhabi Business Week delivers more insightful sessions during its remaining days, allowing participants to drive sustainable development and partner with key public and private stakeholders.
On its second day, ADBW will host the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS), with sessions covering industrial safety, crisis and risk management, and cyber security. Furthermore, the Family Business Summit will have keynote speeches and panel discussions covering the pivotal role of family-owned businesses in Abu Dhabi. Shamis Ali Al Dhaheri Second Vice Chairman of Abu Dhabi Chamber will lead the conversation, with several speakers from leading organisations, including arbitrationAD, J.P. Morgan, PwC, Abu Dhabi Youth Council, and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO).
In statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Emirati tech entrepreneur Dr Reem Al Jneibi, founder of Stellr Studio, a technology startup, said that ADBW is a leading platform that offers multiple opportunities to engage with organisations and businesses, through its dialogue sessions and workshops that highlight the latest innovations and services.
The platform will present innovative applications that promote business growth, expand the customer base and achieve the best results and returns for projects, she added. .
She also highlighted her efforts, through her startup, to empower communities and drive growth by utilising advanced technologies effectively.
Al Jneibi said that Stellr was founded in 2019, and it aims to provide innovative technological solutions based on the latest artificial intelligence technologies to meet the needs of companies and individuals in the digital world.
She noted that the company is dedicated to creating a unified platform that enhances communication between individuals and communities.
Emirati entrepreneur Maysam AlAbbadi said that the UAE is a land of opportunities that provides all the ingredients for excellence and creativity for young people.
She noted that her participation in Abu Dhabi Business Week comes to review her project in support of the government’s innovation system.
Amnesty International Accuses Israel of Genocide in Gaza…reports Asian Lite News
Amnesty International has released a detailed report alleging that Israel has committed and continues to commit acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Titled “You Feel Like You Are Subhuman: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza,” the 296-page document builds a case for genocidal intent based on extensive research conducted over nine months, following the events of October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched attacks on southern Israel.
Amnesty’s findings come amid ongoing scrutiny of atrocities committed by Hamas during its October 7 attacks, which killed 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in mass hostage-taking. The report states that these acts will be addressed in a separate forthcoming document.
Amnesty claims Israel’s military offensive has caused catastrophic destruction in Gaza, killing more than 42,000 Palestinians, including 13,300 children, and leaving 97,000 injured. It describes systematic attacks on civilians, widespread destruction of vital infrastructure, and a suffocating blockade that has created inhumane living conditions for Gaza’s population.
The organisation analysed satellite imagery, visual evidence, and over 200 interviews with Palestinian victims, witnesses, and healthcare workers. It also reviewed statements from senior Israeli officials, finding evidence of dehumanisation and calls for actions that meet the criteria of genocide under international law.
Amnesty’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, said: “Israel has carried out acts prohibited under the Genocide Convention, with the intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza… This is genocide. It must stop now.”
The report highlights patterns of destruction and displacement, arguing that these acts reflect an intent to destroy Gaza’s Palestinian population in whole or in part. Among the evidence cited:
• Aerial bombings wiping out entire families and neighbourhoods.
• Forced displacement of 1.9 million people—90% of Gaza’s population—under life-threatening conditions.
• Blockade restrictions exacerbating malnutrition, disease, and suffering.
Amnesty also examined 102 public statements by Israeli officials, with 22 showing explicit dehumanisation of Palestinians and calls for genocidal acts.
Amnesty urged the international community, particularly arms suppliers like the US, UK, and Germany, to take immediate action to stop the alleged genocide. It called on the UN Security Council to impose sanctions and demanded full cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC). Arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes have already been issued.
International jurisprudence recognises that the perpetrator does not need to succeed in their attempts to destroy the protected group, either in whole or in part, for genocide to have been committed. The commission of prohibited acts with the intent to destroy the group is sufficient.
Amnesty’s report examines in detail Israel’s violations in Gaza over the nine months between 7 October 2023 and early July 2024, with Amnesty interviewing 212 people – including Palestinian victims and witnesses, local authorities in Gaza and healthcare workers – while conducting fieldwork and analysing an extensive range of visual and digital evidence, including satellite imagery. Amnesty also analysed statements by senior Israeli government and military officials, and official Israeli bodies. On multiple occasions, Amnesty shared its findings with the Israeli authorities but has received no substantive response.
“Our damning findings must serve as a wake-up call to the international community: this is genocide. It must stop now,” added Callamard. “States that continue to transfer arms to Israel at this time must know they are violating their obligation to prevent genocide and are at risk of becoming complicit in genocide.
“All states with influence over Israel, particularly key arms suppliers like the USA and Germany, but also other EU member states – the UK and others – must act now to bring Israel’s atrocities against Palestinians in Gaza to an immediate end.
“The International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity issued last month offer real hope of long-overdue justice for victims.
“States must demonstrate their respect for the court’s decision and for universal international law principles by arresting and handing over those wanted by the ICC.”
Israel has imposed conditions of life in Gaza that have created a deadly mixture of malnutrition, hunger and disease, exposing Palestinians to a slow, calculated death. Israel has also subjected hundreds of Palestinians from Gaza to incommunicado detention, torture and other ill-treatment. Viewed in isolation, some of the acts investigated by Amnesty constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law or international human rights law. But in looking at the broader picture of Israel’s military campaign and the cumulative impact of its policies and acts, genocidal intent is the only reasonable conclusion.
Amnesty is calling for the UN Security Council to impose targeted sanctions against Israeli and Hamas officials most implicated in crimes under international law. Amnesty is calling for all civilian hostages to be released unconditionally, and for Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups responsible for the crimes committed on 7 October to be held to account.
To establish Israel’s specific intent to physically destroy Palestinians in Gaza, Amnesty analysed the overall pattern of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, reviewed dehumanising and genocidal statements by Israeli government and military officials – particularly those at the highest levels – and considered the context of Israel’s system of apartheid, its inhumane blockade of Gaza and its unlawful 57-year-old military occupation of the Palestinian Territory.
Before reaching its conclusion, Amnesty examined Israel’s claims that its military lawfully targeted Hamas and other armed groups throughout Gaza, and that the resulting unprecedented destruction and denial of aid were the outcome of unlawful conduct by Hamas and other armed groups, such as locating fighters among the civilian population or the diversion of aid. Amnesty concluded these claims are not credible.
The presence of Hamas fighters near or within a densely-populated area does not absolve Israel from its obligations to take all feasible precautions to spare civilians and avoid indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks. Its research found Israel repeatedly failed to do so, committing multiple crimes under international law for which there can be no justification based on Hamas’s actions. Amnesty also found no evidence that the diversion of aid could explain Israel’s extreme and deliberate restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid. In its analysis, Amnesty also considered alternative arguments such as ones that Israel was acting recklessly or that it simply wanted to destroy Hamas and did not care if it needed to destroy Palestinians in the process, demonstrating a callous disregard for their lives rather than genocidal intent.
However, regardless of whether Israel sees the destruction of Palestinians as instrumental to destroying Hamas or as an acceptable by-product of this goal, this view of Palestinians as disposable and not worthy of consideration is in itself evidence of genocidal intent. Many of the unlawful acts documented by Amnesty were preceded by officials urging their implementation. Amnesty reviewed 102 statements that were issued by Israeli government and military officials and others between 7 October 2023 and 30 June 2024, which dehumanised Palestinians and called for or justified genocidal acts or other crimes against them. Of these, Amnesty identified 22 statements made by senior officials in charge of managing the offensive that appeared to call for, or justify, genocidal acts, providing direct evidence of genocidal intent. This language was frequently replicated, including by Israeli soldiers on the ground, as evidenced by audiovisual content showing soldiers making calls to “erase” Gaza or to make it uninhabitable, and celebrating the destruction of Palestinian homes, mosques, schools and universities.
Amnesty’s report also documents how Israel deliberately inflicted conditions of life on Palestinians in Gaza intended to lead, over time, to their destruction. These conditions were imposed through three simultaneous patterns that repeatedly compounded the effect of each other’s devastating impacts: damage to and destruction of life-sustaining infrastructure and other objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population; the repeated use of sweeping, arbitrary and confusing mass “evacuation” orders to forcibly displace almost all of Gaza’s population; and the denial and obstruction of the delivery of essential services, humanitarian assistance and other life-saving supplies into and within Gaza.
After 7 October 2023, Israel imposed a total siege on Gaza cutting off electricity, water and fuel. In the nine months studied for this report, Israel maintained a suffocating, unlawful blockade, tightly controlled access to energy sources, failed to facilitate meaningful humanitarian access within Gaza, and obstructed the import and delivery of life-saving goods and humanitarian aid, particularly to areas north of Wadi Gaza. Israel’s actions thereby exacerbated an already existing humanitarian crisis. This, combined with the extensive damage to Gaza’s homes, hospitals, water and sanitation facilities and agricultural land, and mass forced displacement, caused catastrophic levels of hunger and led to the spread of diseases at alarming rates. The impact was especially harsh on young children and pregnant or breastfeeding women, with anticipated long-term consequences for their health. Time and again, Israel had the chance to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, yet for more than a year it has repeatedly refused to take the necessary steps, such as opening sufficient access points to Gaza or lifting tight restrictions on what can enter the territory.
Through its repeated “evacuation” orders Israel has displaced nearly 1.9 million Palestinians – 90% of Gaza’s population – into ever-shrinking, unsafe pockets of land under inhumane conditions, some of them up to ten times. These multiple waves of forced displacement have left many jobless and deeply traumatised, especially since some 70% of Gaza’s residents are refugees or descendants of refugees whose towns and villages were ethnically cleansed by Israel during the 1948 Nakba. Despite conditions quickly becoming unfit for human life, the Israeli authorities have refused to consider measures that would have protected displaced civilians and ensure their basic needs were met, showing that their actions were deliberate. They refused to allow those displaced to return to their homes in northern Gaza or relocate temporarily to other parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory or Israel, continuing to deny many Palestinians their right to return to areas from which they were displaced in 1948.
On 7 Octocter 2023, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups indiscriminately fired rockets into southern Israel and carried out deliberate mass killings and hostage-taking, killing 1,200 people, including over 800 civilians, and abducted 223 civilians and captured 27 soldiers. Amnesty continues to call for all civilian hostages to be released unconditionally, and for Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups responsible for the crimes committed on 7 October 2023 to be held to account. The crimes perpetrated by Hamas and other armed groups during this attack will be the focus of a forthcoming Amnesty report.
Jake Sullivan appealed to the incoming administration of Donald Trump to sustain the ramp-up of the domestic defense industry spurred by the war in Ukraine. ..reports Asian Lite News
President Joe Biden’s national security adviser warned Wednesday that the United States could quickly run out of munitions in a war with China as he called for more sustained defense production.
Jake Sullivan appealed to the incoming administration of Donald Trump to sustain the ramp-up of the domestic defense industry spurred by the war in Ukraine.
“God forbid we end up in a full-scale war with the PRC,” Sullivan said, referring to the People’s Republic of China.
“But any war with a country like the PRC, a military like the PRC, is going to involve the exhaustion of munition stockpiles very rapidly,” he said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
“A big part of the answer to a healthy defense industrial base over time is the ability to regenerate, to surge, to build during a conflict — not just to build before, or to prepare for a conflict,” he said.
Sullivan called for Congress and the Trump administration to keep working on a Biden proposal to create a revolving fund of munitions.
The fund, which was proposed at $500 million a year, would let the Pentagon procure critical munitions even as they run out due to wars such as Ukraine.
Sullivan acknowledged there would be debate in the next administration on the size of the defense budget but said it was critical to keep up efforts to boost a military-industrial base which atrophied after the end of the Cold War when then United States saw no close competitor.
“First and most fundamentally, we’ve got to keep ramping up and accelerating production and procurement of the things that we need most,” he said.
He pointed to efforts to build 155-millimeter artillery rounds for Ukraine.
He said that the United States will produce 55,000 such rounds per month by the time the Biden administration leaves office next month, a 400 percent increase from before, with a goal of reaching 100,000 per month by early 2026.
Sullivan also pointed to the need to counter cooperation among US adversaries — China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.
Trump’s team has made clear it is unenthusiastic about the billions of dollars in US weapons for Ukraine and has spoken of forcing a quick settlement with Russia.
Trump’s advisers, notably Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, have said that US resources would be better spent countering China.
Trump’s attorneys on Wednesday filed a notice with the Georgia Court of Appeals saying a sitting president is completely immune from indictment or any criminal process, state or federal…reports Asian Lite News
President-elect Donald Trump is trying to get the Georgia election interference case against him dismissed, claiming the state’s courts will not have jurisdiction over him once he returns to the White House next month.
The Georgia case against Trump and others is mostly on hold pending a pretrial appeal of an order allowing prosecutor Fani Willis to remain on the case despite what defense attorneys say is a conflict of interest. Trump’s attorneys on Wednesday filed a notice with the Georgia Court of Appeals saying a sitting president is completely immune from indictment or any criminal process, state or federal.
The filing asks the court of appeals to consider before he becomes president next month whether it has jurisdiction to continue to hear the case. It says the court should conclude that it and the trial court lack jurisdiction as the continued indictment and prosecution of President Trump by the State of Georgia are unconstitutional.
Trump’s lawyers ask that the appeals court dismiss his appeal for lack of jurisdiction and instruct the trial court to immediately dismiss the indictment against him.
Also Wednesday, former Trump campaign lawyer Kenneth Chesebro, who pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge in the case, asked a court to invalidate that plea. Chesebro was one of four people to plead guilty in the case in the months following the indictment.
Representatives for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis declined to comment on Trump’s and Chesebro’s requests.
Trump and some of the other remaining defendants, who have pleaded not guilty, were already seeking to have Willis removed from the case or to have the indictment dismissed. They argued that a romantic relationship she had with Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor she appointed to lead the case, created a conflict of interest.
Willis and Wade have acknowledged that they had a relationship but have said it began after he was hired and ended before the indictment against Trump was filed.
Trump and other defendants argued that the relationship created a conflict of interest that should disqualify Willis and her office from continuing with her prosecution of the case. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled in March that Willis’ actions showed a tremendous lapse in judgment, but he did not find a conflict of interest that would disqualify Willis. He said she could continue her prosecution as long as Wade stepped aside, which he did.
The ordinance, passed by a unanimous vote, will prohibit city resources or personnel from being used to implement federal immigration laws…reports Asian Lite News
The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday voted to adopt “sanctuary city” status for America’s second biggest metropolis, as liberal jurisdictions gird for Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
The ordinance, passed by a unanimous vote, will prohibit city resources or personnel from being used to implement federal immigration laws.
The move comes as Trump appears ready to push ahead with campaign promises to carry out mass deportations of undocumented migrants, with the appointment of hard-liners to his administration.
It also comes as liberal administrations across the United States, led by California, are trying to establish bulwarks against what they see as the expected excesses of a new Trump presidency.
Wednesday’s vote was passed with an urgency clause that would allow it to come into effect in as little as 10 days after Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signs off on it.
There was no debate at the council meeting as the vote was a procedural repetition of an earlier agreement.
“We have been a pro-immigrant city for a number of years, we know that there is a target on our back from this president-elect, and what we are doing here is we are hardening our defenses,” Councilmember Bob Blumenfield said last month.
“We are codifying our good policies on protecting immigrants.”
Trump made a promise to crack down on migration the centerpiece of his election campaign, and rallygoers were frequently photographed carrying placards that said “Mass Deportation Now.”
The president-elect insisted that illegal migrants were disproportionately responsible for crime, even as figures show US citizens commit more offenses per capita.
The Los Angeles County Republican Party lashed out at Wednesday’s move.
“So-called ‘sanctuary’ cities and states sound warm and fuzzy, but the protections they offer aren’t for (grandmothers) getting ice cream, they’re for people who’ve entered the country illegally and committed additional crimes,” a statement said.
“Whether drunk driving, robbery, sexual violence, assault or murder, none of those should go unpunished. Perpetrators should definitely not be protected by the largesse taken from hard-working taxpayers.”
Los Angeles is home to a variety of cultures, with a large number of its residents first or second generation immigrants.
The 41-year-old, whose call sign is ‘Rook’, has reserved two more flights with SpaceX, including a trip to lead Starship’s first crew around the Earth’s orbit …reports Asian Lite News
Jared Isaacman, a billionaire astronaut who led the first private spacewalk during a SpaceX mission in September, has been tapped by US President-elect Donald Trump to lead Nasa, the country’s top space agency. From being a high school dropout to a businessman and now a billionaire spacewalker, the 41-year-old brings with him a unique blend of business acumen, astronautical experience and a strong vision for the future of space exploration.
Isaacman, who will replace current administrator and former Florida Democratic senator Bill Nelson, is well-known in the space community for his involvement in private astronaut missions. A business aide of Musk, Isaacman commanded and funded two significant SpaceX commercial flights. He led the first all-civilian mission on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon in September 2021.
Three years later, he commanded another mission on Crew Dragon, which set several records, including the highest altitude achieved on a crewed mission since Apollo 17 in 1972 and the first private spacewalk. Isaacman funded this mission for an undisclosed amount with SpaceX, UK-based The Independent reported.
During the successful mission in September, crew members raised money for St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Isaacman, a Jewish, was born in New Jersey on February 11, 1983, and dropped out of high school at 16. He got his General Educational Development (GED), which is equivalent to a high school diploma, and began working in his parents’ basement, according to The Independent. He is based in eastern Pennsylvania with his wife and their two daughters.
Isaacman is the chief executive and founder of Shift4, a payment services company and has also flown fighter jets. He is also the founder of Florida-based Draken International, which leases fighter jets that previously flew with the military before selling the company in 2019.
The 41-year-old, whose call sign is ‘Rook’, has reserved two more flights with SpaceX, including a trip to lead Starship’s first crew around the Earth’s orbit.
While tapping Isaacman, Trump emphasised the billionaire astronaut’s passion for space, astronaut experience and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration as reasons for his selection.
Isaacman has expressed a vision for Nasa that aligns with the advancement of a new commercial space era. He believes that space holds “unparalleled potential for breakthroughs in manufacturing, biotechnology, mining, and perhaps even pathways to new sources of energy”.
He aims to lead Nasa in “passionately pursuing” these possibilities and in ushering in an era where humanity becomes a true spacefaring civilisation.
Isaacman is expected to deepen the agency’s strategy of depending on private companies for accessing space as a commercial service. This has posed an existential threat to Nasa’s Space Launch System rocket, a massive, over-budget launch vehicle built by Boeing and Northrop Grumman and a crucial element of its Artemis programme alongside Starship.
If confirmed by the Senate, Isaacman, who has no government or political experience, would oversee Nasa’s roughly USD 25 billion budget. The space agency’s top priority has been returning humans to the moon under its Artemis programme, an effort promoted by Trump during his first term that will lean heavily on SpaceX’s Starship.
Atkins to head SEC
Trump has announced that he has nominated Paul Atkins, a former commissioner of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), to be the agency’s chairman. Atkins, the CEO, and founder of Patomak Global Partners, a risk management consultancy, served as an SEC commissioner from 2002-2008 under President George W. Bush.
The SEC has five commissioners, one of whom is designated as chairman by the President. The President nominates all five commissioners, and their appointments must be approved by the Senate.
Founded in 1934 at the height of the Great Depression, the SEC’s mission is to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation.
“Paul is a proven leader for common sense regulations. He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World,” Trump said on Wednesday in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.
“He also recognises that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump noted.
Earlier, on Wednesday, Trump nominated Jared Isaacman, CEO of Shift4 who has led two private spaceflights, as the next administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and Daniel P. Driscoll, a US Army veteran and venture capitalist, to serve as the secretary of the Army. Both positions would need Senate approval.
Trump also picked his ex-aide Peter Navarro to serve as senior counselor for trade and manufacturing in his next administration and appointed David A. Warrington to serve as Assistant to the President and Counsel to the President.
The Grand Sumo Tournament will take place at the 153-year-old venue in partnership with the Japan Sumo Association, Nihon Sumo Kyokai, to help mark its centenary….reports Asian Lite News
London will host only the second professional Sumo wrestling event ever staged outside of Japan at the Royal Albert Hall next October. The Grand Sumo Tournament will take place at the 153-year-old venue in partnership with the Japan Sumo Association, Nihon Sumo Kyokai, to help mark its centenary.
The only previous occasion when Sumo has been hosted professionally overseas was in 1991, when the same venue staged a five-day “basho” before a sold-out crowd and which was broadcast nationally in the UK.
“Good things come to those who wait,” the Royal Albert Hall’s chief executive, James Ainscough OBE, told the PA Media news agency. “We’ve tried a number of times but various things have got in the way, not least Covid.
“We have our own timetable of shows here, Sumo tournaments in Japan have their own rhythm, so finding a moment for our timetable and their rhythm to coincide has taken this long. But we’re absolutely thrilled to be bringing it back in 2025.”
The 1991 event, staged as part of that year’s Japan Festival in London, was a technical feat for organisers. Wheelbarrows were used to transport specialist soil to Kensington in west London from a site in Heathrow, while adaptations had to be made to the stage area to ensure it could bear the impact of the competitors as they wrestled.
“The fact they’ve chosen to come back when they could have gone to any capital city around the world is quite an honour, particularly for us here at the Royal Albert Hall,” Ainscough continued.
“To find something like Sumo, which isn’t just a sport but is a cultural moment, has a great tradition and ritual attached to it, it makes it even more interesting.
“We’ve had wrestling and boxing here at the Royal Albert Hall for well over 100 years, but Sumo is a completely different level and nature of sport and that’s why it’s such a fascinating thing to bring here.”
Sumo is considered more than just a sport in Japan. There is a ceremonial-religious aspect that dates back more than 1,500 years, with competitors living almost monastic lives in “heya” stables, where they observe strict and highly restricted lifestyles.
Forty of Japan’s top wrestlers are expected to travel to London to compete across five days from 15-19 October. The winner of the 1991 tournament and now the chair of Sumo Kyokai, Hakkaku Rijicho, was in London on Wednesday to help launch the event.
“There were many talks before before but with Covid it was not the right moment,” he said. “We will really bring the authentic way of presenting a Sumo tournament to London. It starts with the wooden clacks that marks the start and end of the tournament. These are very simple things but we would like to keep this authenticity when we present it in London.”
Ainscough added: “It’s what the Royal Albert Hall was built for. It says on the outside of the building, we were built for all nations, and so part of our job is to enable the British public to encounter different cultures and different experiences.”
A variety of factors, including a series of sumo wrestling scandals, the financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, delayed the sport’s return to London. But organizers believe the time is right because sumo is having a bit of a moment.
Two Netflix series have introduced audiences to the intricacies of the sport, which has roots stretching back 1,500 years. Earlier this year, Hanshin Contents Link opened a sumo hall in Osaka, Japan’s third-largest city, that entertains foreign tourists with explanatory exhibitions and actual bouts.
On hand Wednesday was the winner of the previous U.K. tournament, Nobuyoshi Hakkaku, nicknamed “bulldog’’ by British fans in 1991. Now the chairman of the Japan Sumo Association, he reminisced about how the only thing that made him really nervous was preparing for a victory speech in English.
Japan’s ambassador to the U.K., Hiroshi Suzuki, also made an appearance, a reflection of the event’s importance to the nation. Organizers promised that spectators also would see exhibitions of Kabuki theater and other Japanese traditions. But the main attraction were the wrestlers.
Kitanowaka and Fukutsuumi gamely tried to show off their sport. Clad in their mawashi, or ceremonial aprons, they faced off on a mat in front of several dozen journalists. The big men slammed into each other with an “oomph” as flesh slapped flesh. A grunt or two broke the silence. No sweat was evident. It was over in a flash.
Then they went outside, dropping their robes and exposing their flesh to the frosty November air as they entered and exited a classic London black cab for photographers.
Nothing seemed to bother them. Not the cold. Not the demands to stand this way or that. As the concert hall loomed behind them, they did their best to be sumo diplomats. “Sumo has a wonderfully intriguing collection of culture and ritual and sport and excitement,’’ Ainscough said. “And to bring sumo back to the Royal Albert Hall again doesn’t just create a sporting moment, it creates a moment where we can learn and be inspired by another culture and another set of principles to live by. It’s a moment where we can all grow closer together.’”
Labour Party MP Barry Gardiner on Monday requested for an urgent session in the UK Parliament to discuss the situation in Bangladesh and recent attacks on members of Hindu community….reports Asian Lite News
UK MPs have raised concern over the attacks on Hindu community in Bangladesh and the arrest of religious leaders, calling the degree of escalation in the violence “deeply concerning.” Conservative MP Bob Blackman said there was an “attempt at ethnic cleansing of Hindus.”
Labour Party MP Barry Gardiner on Monday requested for an urgent session in the UK Parliament to discuss the situation in Bangladesh and recent attacks on members of Hindu community.
Informing the members of UK Parliament regarding the measures taken by the government regarding the situation in Bangladesh, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State For Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Catherine West, recalled her visit to Bangladesh in November, where she met Bangladesh Interim government’s chief advisor Muhammad Yunus and discussed bilateral issues, including the importance of protecting religious minorities in Bangladesh.
West stated, “Just last month, as my hon. Friend the Member for Brent West (Barry Gardiner) is aware, I visited Bangladesh, where, as part of our programme, I met Chief Adviser Professor Yunus and Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain. At the meeting with Chief Adviser Yunus, I discussed the full range of bilateral issues, including the importance of protecting religious minorities in Bangladesh.”
“The UK Government support freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression in Bangladesh through both our political advocacy and development programme funding, providing up to £27 million from March 2023 to February 2028 under the Bangladesh collaborative, accountable and peaceful politics programme for protecting civic and political space,” she added.
She said that the Bangladesh interim government had given them assurances on Hindu community in Bangladesh. West said, “She stated that UK government will continue to monitor the situation, including making representations from this House, and will engage with the interim Government in Bangladesh on the importance of freedom of religion or belief specifically as it affects the Hindu community.”
She stated that UK is aware about Indian government’s concerns following the arrest of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das.
Catherine West said, “We are aware of the statement of concern from the Indian Government following the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a well-known Hindu leader, on sedition charges. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office desk is closely monitoring those developments.”
Chinmoy Krishna Das who is associated with the Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote, was arrested in Dhaka on November 25. The arrest followed a complaint filed on October 31 by a local politician that accused Chinmoy Das and others of disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag during a rally of the Hindu community.
In his remarks at the Parliament, Barry Gardiner said that Bangladesh has witnessed over 2000 incidents of violence since the fall of the previous government in August.
Gardiner stated, “Since the fall of the previous Government in August, Bangladesh has seen more than 2,000 incidents of violence, most of which have been targeted against the minority Hindu community. Hindus make up less than 10 per cent of the population of Bangladesh. As my hon. Friend will be aware, anti-Hindu violence has been a recurrent event in Bangladesh. Indeed, earlier this year, the Jamaat-e-Islami party was banned after riots in which 200 people were killed.”
Govt updates Bangladesh travel advisory
The government has warned travellers about possible terrorist attacks in Bangladesh and updated its travel advisory to reflect this caution. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) reviewed the ‘safety and security’ section of its advisory for Bangladesh on Tuesday evening.
The update reinforces the existing advisory discouraging “all but essential travel” to Bangladesh. “Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Bangladesh,” reads the updated FCDO travel advisory.
“Terrorist attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreign nationals, such as crowded areas, religious buildings, (and) political rallies. Some groups have targeted people who they consider to have views and lifestyles contrary to Islam,” the advisory goes on.
“There have been occasional attacks against minority religious communities and targeting police and security forces. These have included improvised explosive device (IED) attacks in major cities. The Bangladeshi authorities continue to work to disrupt planned attacks. Increases in security force presence and restrictions on movement may be put in place at short notice,” it adds.
Under the “political situation” section, the advice remains that the “situation remains volatile” in the country.
“Political rallies and demonstrations continue to take place. These can quickly turn violent leading to clashes with law enforcement. During demonstrations and strikes (‘hartals’), there can be arson, violence and vandalism in towns and cities across the country, which can result in fatalities. Attacks against property and public transport are possible,” it reads.
The FCDO advisory is a guidance on travel rather than a government-imposed regulation and could lead to travel insurance being invalidated if that advice is overlooked.
The update follows a series of parliamentary interventions by cross-party members of Parliament, raising concerns over recent attacks on the minority Hindu community there and the arrest of religious leaders in Bangladesh.
“We are aware of the statement of concern from the Indian government following the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a well-known Hindu leader, on sedition charges. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) desk is closely monitoring those developments,” Catherine West, Minister for the Indo-Pacific told the House of Commons on Monday.
Compulsory job cuts are not planned, the firm said, adding “almost all of the positions affected” do not relate to specific projects or programmes…reports Asian Lite News
Airbus will axe 477 jobs in the UK as the plane maker scales back its space business and tries to trim costs. More than 2,000 jobs – 5% of its workforce – will be lost globally by mid 2026.
Compulsory job cuts are not planned, the firm said, adding “almost all of the positions affected” do not relate to specific projects or programmes. The cuts come as the firm’s profits fall even as its sales rise, with the plane maker admitting in July it was struggling with “bottlenecks” in its supply chain.
It told at the time it has “more demand than the ability to supply” and admitted it was falling behind on orders. The company said on Wednesday evening it wanted to reduce its “fixed cost base” and that it will “will work with its social partners to limit the impact by utilising all available social measures”.
The space arm of its business will take the brunt of cuts, with 1,128 jobs to go from that department. A further 618 jobs will be cut from its headquarters, 250 from its air power department, and 47 from its connected intelligence department, BBC reported.
The job cuts will also be spread out geographically, with the bulk occurring in Western Europe: Germany – 689, France – 540, United Kingdom – 477, Spain – 303 and Rest of world – 34.
The job cuts come as Airbus’ profit fell 22% to £1.8bn even as sales rose 7% to £44.5bn in its most recent results, which cover the nine months to 30th October. Its thin profit margins mean relatively small rises in costs can hurt profits. This is not the first time in the last few years Airbus has had to cut back on staff.
In 2020, it announced 15,000 job cuts globally and 1,700 in the UK specifically as the pandemic grounded flights, hitting plane makers’ and airlines’ profits. The Unite union criticised the decision at the time as “another act of industrial vandalism” against the UK aerospace sector.
