A boy was ‘heard’ cheering Pakistan and his family lost everything. Is this justice?

TIMESOFINDIA.COM Updated: Mar 9, 2025, 21:37 IST IST

What does it mean for our country that a boy is beaten up, his parents are arrested and his home and father's shop bulldozed just for praising another country's team, while on the other hand, a politician who utters hate speech against the minority community gets away scot-free?



The events from February 23 onwards at Malvan , Maharashtra, are shocking but not surprising. As the narrative goes, Sachin Varadkar , a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) member overheard a 15-year-old Muslim boy cheering Pakistan’s performance during the recent Champions Trophy match between India and Pakistan.

Society & Culture News: What does it mean for our country that a boy is beaten up, his parents are arrested and his home and father's shop bulldozed just for praising another

A boy was ‘heard’ cheering Pakistan and his family lost everything. Is this justice?

Education Minister calls for removing barriers related to girls’ education

Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has called for taking collective action to remove barriers related to girls’ education.

He was speaking at the closing ceremony of a two-day global conference on “Girls’ Education in Muslim Society: Challenges and Opportunities” in Islamabad today.

Expressing concerns over the persistent opposition to girls’ education, the Minister called on the nation to unite in challenging these entrenched societal norms and attitudes.

Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui stressed that girls’ education is not only a moral imperative but also an economic necessity, highlighting that educated girls are better equipped to care for their families and access better job opportunities.

Highlighting the measures taken by government to improve quality of education, the Minister said that government is pursuing the strategy of teacher's training, construction of new schools, and the provision of scholarships for female students.

Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui further said that efforts are underway to enhance school infrastructure, particularly in underserved and rural areas, to ensure better educational opportunities for all students.

Education Minister calls for removing barriers related to girls’ education

Pakistan's Parliamentary delegation secures membership in 3 IPU committees

Pakistan's Parliamentary delegation has secured membership in three significant committees during the 150th Annual Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union being held in Tashkent.

The delegation, led by Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, includes members from both houses of Pakistan's parliament.

Notably, Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik was unanimously elected to the high-level advisory group on countering terrorism and violent extremism.

Aqeel Malik also held meetings with global representatives, sharing Pakistan's challenges, particularly those relating to terrorism and climate change.

Pakistan's Parliamentary delegation secures membership in 3 IPU committees

Pakistan hands over 2nd consignment of emergency relief aid to Myanmar

Pakistan has handed over the second consignment of emergency relief aid to Myanmar for its earthquake-affectees.

Pakistan's Ambassador to Myanmar Imran Haider officially gave the consignment to Chief Minister of Yangon Region at Yangon International Airport.

This shipment comprising 35 tons of goods, brings the total relief assistance dispatched to Myanmar after the recent earthquake to 70 tons.

As per the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, National Disaster Management Authority efficiently coordinated and expedited the dispatch of these consignments within a short timeframe.

Pakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to provide humanitarian assistance to earthquake affected people of Myanmar.

Pakistan hands over 2nd consignment of emergency relief aid to Myanmar

Tourism sector is one of priority areas of SIFC

Tourism sector is one of the priority areas of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), which aims to harness its potential for the country's development.

In this regard, Pakistan’s participation in "ITB Berlin 2025" offers a significant opportunity to highlight the tourism sector.

Pakistan's Ambassador to Germany inaugurated the "Pakistan Pavilion" in Berlin, with key stakeholders from Pakistan's tourism industry, including the Managing Director of Green Tourism Company, also in attendance.

Pakistani Pavilion featured an outstanding display of traditional cuisine, music, and handicrafts, reflecting the country’s breathtaking natural beauty, rich cultural heritage and hospitality.

Tourism sector is one of priority areas of SIFC

Four terrorists arrested in Balochistan

Four terrorists were arrested during a successful operation by security forces near Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Toba Kakri area of Balochistan.

According to security sources, weapons, including Kalashnikovs, hand grenades and other firearms were recovered from the arrested terrorists.

The arrested terrorists confessed to planning a major terrorist attack.

In his confessional statement, one arrested terrorist said they entered Pakistan three days ago from Afghanistan.

The security sources said the local population played a significant role in the success of this operation against the terrorists.

Defence experts described it a positive development that the local population is fighting alongside security forces against the terrorists. They said the primary reason for the rise in terrorism in Pakistan are the terrorist organizations flourishing on Afghan soil.

They said Afghanistan has become a haven for terrorists and immediate international action is needed.

Four terrorists arrested in Balochistan

‘Govt committed to addressing concerns of textile industry’

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has expressed government's strong commitment to providing all possible support to the textile sector.

He made this commitment at a meeting with the leadership of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association in Islamabad on Thursday.

The Minister also reiterated government's commitment to resolving critical issues related to taxation, energy, and financing to ensure long-term viability and future growth of Pakistan’s industrial sector.

Welcoming the APTMA office-bearers, he assured the delegation that the government recognizes the critical role of the textile industry in Pakistan’s economy and remains dedicated to addressing its concerns.

Muhammad Aurangzeb emphasized that addressing the core challenges faced by the industry is key to creating a conducive environment for industrial development, fostering economic stability, and supporting the nation’s overall growth trajectory.

Earlier, the APTMA delegation, led by Chairman Kamran Arshad, provided a detailed presentation on several pressing issues facing the textile sector related to energy, taxation and financing. The presentation also touched on various recommendations and proposals for the long-term viability and growth of the sector.

The Finance Minister assured the APTMA leadership that the government would give a thorough and thoughtful analysis of their recommendations, incorporating viable suggestions into the federal budget. He reiterated the importance of the consultative process and emphasized that any anomalies in the current framework would be addressed.

The APTMA delegation expressed their appreciation for the expedited disbursement of tax refunds and requested further support for the clearance of outstanding dues.

The Finance Minister reaffirmed that the government values this consultative approach and would continue to engage with key sectors to ensure their concerns are addressed effectively in the upcoming budget.

‘Govt committed to addressing concerns of textile industry’

Kashmiris observing Right to Self-Determination Day

Kashmiris on both sides of Line of Control and the world over is being observed Right to Self-Determination Day today with the pledge to continue their struggle till achievement of their internationally-acknowledged inalienable right.

Call for observance of the day has been given by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference.

It was on 5th January in 1949 when the UN Security Council passed a resolution supporting the Kashmiris’ right to decide their future by themselves under a UN-supervised plebiscite.

In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, a special session of the AJK Legislative Assembly will be held today.

The members will draw the attention of the international community towards its obligations on Kashmir and gross human rights violations by Indian troops in Indian illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

In Muzaffarabad, Pasban-e-Hurriyat and other Hurriyat organizations have arranged rallies at Shaheed Burhan Muzaffarwani Chowk to mark the day.

Kashmiris observing Right to Self-Determination Day

MUMBAI: The Indian stock markets are likely to remain volatile in the near term but stabilise towards the end of Q4 of the calendar year 2025, as domestic consumption is on the cusp and normal monsoons can provide a big boost, a report said on Tuesday.

The impact of various government initiatives and normal monsoons will likely start reflecting in improved consumer demand in Q2 2026, according to the 'India Strategy Report' by PL Capital-Prabhudas Lilladher.

"The biggest concern of the market – the FPI flows - may turn positive on the back of higher capex, tax cuts and consumer demand revival. Lastly, the Nifty’s 12-month target is seen at 25, 689, " the report mentioned.

Food inflation has peaked (declined from 10.9 per cent in October 2024 to 6 per cent currently) and a 25 bps cut in repo rate by the RBI and open market operations (OMO) will ease liquidity in the next 3-6 months.

Other positive factors are a Rs 1 lakh crore income tax cut for the consuming class in India, an increase in religious tourism, and a 17 per cent higher government capex allocation (including PSU and allocation to states).

In its model portfolio, PL Capital is turning overweight on consumers due to an expected uptick in demand following tax cuts, a decline in food inflation, and a cut in repo rate, and has increased weight in banks and healthcare.

Although uncertainty with regard to global markets is sustained, PL Capital believes the growth outlook in India looks far better in FY26 than in FY25.

"As the impact of the budget starts getting reflected in higher capex on a low base and tax cuts and monsoons revive consumer demand, we should see FPI flows turning positive, " the report mentioned.

India is also unlikely to experience any meaningful negative effects from US policies, as soft crude oil prices, geopolitical stability (If the Russia-Ukraine war stops), and increased technology transfer to India will neutralise the costs of Trump’s tariffs.

"India’s ability to navigate tariff negotiations, leverage its geopolitical positioning, and realign supply chains ensures that this phase is a momentary recalibration, not a retreat, " according to the report.

MUMBAI: The Indian stock markets are likely to remain volatile in the near term but stabilise towards the end of Q4 of the calendar year 2025, as domestic consumption is on the cusp and normal monsoons can provide a big boost, a report said on Tuesday.

Indian markets to stabilise towards Q4 2025 end, FPI flows to turn positive: Report

Making a grand comeback after a long hiatus, Park Bo Gum returned with ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ as Yang Gwan-sik, reminding audiences why he remains one of K-drama’s most beloved stars. Bo-gum began his acting career in 2011 and became a household name following the massive success of the hit K-drama ‘Reply 1988’ in 2015. He continued to soar in popularity with hit dramas like ‘Encounter,’ ‘Record of Youth,’ and ‘Love in the Moonlight.’

Let’s take a look at some interesting facts about this celebrated actor!

1. In 2016, at the age of 23, Park Bo-gum became the youngest artist ever to be named Gallup Korea’s Television Actor of the Year.

2. In 2017, he became the first actor to top the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list while still in his early 20s, solidifying his status as a Hallyu star.

3. Park Bo Gum is a trained pianist and initially aspired to be a singer-songwriter. During high school, he sent video clips of himself singing to various talent agencies, including YG Entertainment. Later, Yang Hyunsuk revealed that he was most regretful about missing out on Park Bo-gum.

4. As Korea’s representative actor and Coca-Cola endorser, he participated as a torchbearer in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and was involved in various promotional activities for the event.

5. Park Bo-gum graduated from South Korea’s Myongji University’s Film and Musical Studies Department. In 2015, he represented his university in a cultural overseas exchange program in Europe. He also directed a one-act play based on the works of Anton Chekhov and served as music director for his graduating class’ production of ‘Hairspray.’ He later earned his master’s degree in New Media Music at the Graduate School of Sangmyung University.

6. In 2022, Park Bo Gum was officially appointed as a global ambassador for the French luxury brand Celine. Since then, he has been seen effortlessly donning Celine's designs and attending various brand events.

7. Beyond acting and music, Park Bo Gum is also skilled in sports, particularly swimming. He was a member of the swimming team at Seoul Mokdong Middle School.

8. Since 2013, Park Bo Gum has privately volunteered at Myeonggjin Flower Love Village’s orphanage. In 2019, he participated in the Miracle365 relay run, which raised funds for the construction of a hospital specializing in ALS long-term care.

9. Bo Gum has been given endearing nicknames like Nation’s Little Brother, Nation’s Son-in-Law, Nation’s Crown Prince, Nation’s Man of Good Influence, Nation’s Boyfriend, and Nation’s Husband by several South Korean media outlets.

10. Park Bo Gum began his mandatory military service in 2020, serving in the Navy military band as a cultural promotion soldier. He rose to the rank of sergeant in 2021 and even earned a hairdressing license during his service. He was officially discharged in early 2022.









As ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ wraps up on a high note, we can't help but admire Park Bo Gum for the incredible star he is. Fans are eager to witness his next transformation as he takes on the role of an Olympic gold medalist boxer in the upcoming drama ‘Good Boy.’

SEE ALSO: Park Bo Gum is reviewing to lead Kim Han Min’s new historical film 'The Sword: A Legend of The Red Wolf'

Making a grand comeback after a long hiatus, Park Bo Gum returned with ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ as Yang Gwan-sik, reminding audie…

Interesting Facts about ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ Star Park Bo Gum

Actress Han Sun Hwa recently showed off her close friendship with Jung Jin Woon, former member of 2AM, by attending his art exhibition with fellow actors.

On April 4th, Han shared a series of photos on social media with the brief caption “Jin Woon” accompanied by a camera emoji. The photos featured a group of four — two women and two men — walking together, eventually revealing themselves as Han Sun Hwa, Han Groo, Jung Jin Woon, and Yeon Woo Jin posing in front of artwork at the venue.

The reunion of the four actors drew attention, as they originally starred together in the 2014 tvN drama Marriage, Not Dating. Nearly a decade later, they remain close — a testament to their long-lasting bond.

Han Sun Hwa first rose to fame as a member of girl group Secret in 2009 before transitioning into acting in 2013. She gained further recognition for her role in the popular 2021 tvN drama Work Later, Drink Now alongside Jung Eun Ji and Lee Sun Bin.

Her latest film project, 'The Student Teacher', recently wrapped filming. The comedy follows a trainee teacher who returns to her alma mater and uncovers the secrets of a high-achieving student club. The film is set for release in the second half of this year.





SEE ALSO: Former President Yoon Suk Yeol and former First Lady Kim Keon Hee must vacate the presidential residence immediately

Actress Han Sun Hwa recently showed off her close friendship with Jung Jin Woon, former member of 2AM, by attending his art exhibition with fellow ac…

Han Sun Hwa attends Jung Jin Woon’s art exhibit

Actor Lee Dong Wook is receiving a wave of politically charged backlash on social media, particularly from far-right commenters, following a message he shared with fans that many interpreted as a subtle nod to South Korea’s recent political developments.

On April 4th, shortly after the Constitutional Court ruled unanimously to remove President Yoon Suk Yeol from office, Lee posted a message on fan platform Bubble saying, “Ah, it finally feels like spring. The winter was so long.” While the comment appeared to be about the weather, many fans linked it to the political shift, interpreting “spring” as symbolic of a new beginning.

However, far-right internet users flooded Lee’s Instagram with negative comments, accusing him of political bias. Phrases like “Why are all celebrities leftist?”, “You must be a supporter of Lee Jae Myung”, and “This must be a ‘Dream’ spring for commies” were among the reactions left under his posts. Some users sarcastically accused the actor of disregarding public opinion and labeled his message as a political statement.

This isn’t the first time Lee has drawn political attention. Last year, he shared Girls’ Generation’s protest anthem “Into the New World” in support of fans participating in pro-impeachment rallies, saying he simply wanted to encourage them in the cold weather.

Lee is currently starring in the tvN drama 'Divorce Insurance' and has been maintaining strong communication with his fanbase despite the recent online attacks. Many supporters have rallied behind him, praising his subtle yet sincere expressions of solidarity.





SEE ALSO: Lee Dong Wook says 'the winter was long, spring is here', fans link it to Yoon’s impeachment

Actor Lee Dong Wook is receiving a wave of politically charged backlash on social media, particularly from far-right commenters, following a message …

Lee Dong Wook faces backlash from far-right netizens after subtle political message

ALBAWABA - Several social media platforms are facing widespread calls from pro-Palestine organizations advocating for a global strike for Gaza, in efforts to protest and combat the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Strip since Oct. 7, 2023.

Many social media users from several countries across the globe swarmed platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook, with the hashtag "#StrikeForGaza."

A user on Musk's X wrote, "Share, support & solidarity for humanity and freedom. To stop the genocide in which the Palestinian people are subjected."

Another shared, "Stand for humanity, Stand for children! Gaza is being destroyed, you don’t have to be Muslim to stand with Palestine."

Global strike for Gaza to take action Tomorrow

A global strike for Gaza and Palestine...

Monday, April 7, 2025.

Share, support & solidarity for humanity and freedom.

To stop the genocide in which the Palestinian people are subjected.

✊🏼🇵🇸#StrikeForGaza pic.twitter.com/vwFp2mpRGu — Sabrin Mohammad (@Sabreen25913538) April 5, 2025

The Palestinian National and Islamic Forces in Gaza stressed the importance of such strikes and expressed how a stance like this could halt Israel's killing of innocent Palestinians in the Strip.

It also issued a statement that read, "On behalf of every slaughtered child, every grieving woman, and every oppressed elderly person, to the Arab and Islamic nation and all free people of the world, to mobilize globally in support of our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and to reject the American-backed massacres."

What is a global strike?

إضراب شامل حول العالم من أجل غزة



🗓️الموعد: الإثنين 07/04/2025



إضراب حول العالم ... انشر .. احشد .. شارك#StrikeForGaza #إضراب_لأجل_غزة pic.twitter.com/wwr4xuKDyT — Dr.Sam Youssef Ph.D.,M.Sc.,DPT. (@drhossamsamy65) April 5, 2025

Pro-Palestine activists and individuals are urging people across the globe to drop everything they are doing on Monday for Gaza.

According to Al Jazeera, a global strike requests people to halt "all aspects of public life," including school and work. Other than refraining from going out into public spaces like restaurants and parks, several individuals are also avoiding making online orders.

Since the start of the war on Oct. 7, 2023, the ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza has resulted in the killing of at least 50,600 Palestinians and injuring more than 115,063 (including women and children), with the numbers rising due to recent bombardments.

Several social media platforms are facing widespread calls from pro-Palestine organizations advocating for a global strike for Gaza

Global strike for Gaza to take action Tomorrow

New Delhi, India, April 7th, 2025, Chainwire

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Hive Intelligence, a next-generation platform that empowers AI with real-time, multi-chain blockchain data via a robust API, today announced the official launch of its mainnet alongside its recent induction into NVIDIA’s Inception program for AI startups. These milestones mark a major step in Hive’s mission to make AI-driven blockchain applications faster and more accessible, positioning the company at the forefront of the emerging AI+crypto space.

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Developers can now leverage Hive Intelligence’s unified API to query real-time data across 60+ blockchains using natural language—eliminating the need to navigate fragmented data sources. NVIDIA Inception Membership: Hive gains access to NVIDIA’s best-in-class AI tools and networking opportunities, fueling the development of advanced AI-driven blockchain solutions.

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Hive’s API is designed to be LLM-ready, supporting natural language queries and AI-friendly responses. This means developers can ask complex questions about blockchain activity in plain English—such as, “What was the total trading volume on decentralized exchanges across Ethereum and Binance Chain in the past 24 hours?”—and receive structured, insightful answers immediately. The platform’s ability to handle such queries across several chains and data types (from DeFi lending stats to NFT marketplace trends) sets it apart as a universal data layer for Web3.

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Hive Intelligence Launches Mainnet, Joins NVIDIA Inception to Power Next-Generation Crypto AI Agents

EU trade ministers meet today in Luxembourg to discuss the bloc's best response to President Donald Trump's tariffs. Photograph: Ronald Wittek / EPA

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EU trade ministers gather today in Luxembourg to discuss how to respond to US President Donald Trump’s tariff assault. Everything from US meat, cereals, wine, wood and clothing as well as chewing gum, dental floss, vacuum cleaners and toilet paper are up alongside Harley Davidson motorbikes, boats, denim jeans, and soybeans. Simon Harris is expected to call for restraint while some colleagues will be looking for a more assertive approach in advance of a vote. Jack Power analyses what is likely to happen next.

Closer to home, Ibec chief executive Danny McCoy is calling for business supports and a refocusing on measures, including regulation, that businesses say are holding back productivity.

Changing EU rules means office building owners need to look at making them more energy efficient or unoccupiable. A Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland report looks at the costs and benefits of retrofitting.

Having seen mortgage lending jump 41 per cent last year, Irish credit unions are now waiting for the Central Bank to act on proposed reforms that would loosen the reins of crisis-era restrictions. Ian Curran reports

READ MORE

Church of the Oak Distillery in Monasterevin has named a new chief executive, industry veteran Enda O’Sullivan. He will be answering to investors including Paddy McKillen Snr, Bono and Richard Burrows.

Medytrak, a Galway-based medtech that numbers developer and solicitor Noel Smyth among its investors, is eyeing up a landmark €5 million funding as it looks to expand business for its patient monitoring/information gathering system. Ciarán Hancock reports.

And Norwegian consultancy firm DNV is set to create 200 jobs in Ireland to expand the business here after the 2023 acquisition of Dublin-based Enviroguide.

Stay up to date with all our business news: sign up to our Business Today daily email news digest. If you’d like to read more about the issues that affect your finances try signing up to On the Money, the weekly newsletter from our personal finance team, which will be issued every Friday to Irish Times subscribers.

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Tariff talk: EU trade ministers assess response to Trump

Jens-Frederik Nielsen, new prime minister of Greenland and leader of the Demokraatit party, takes part in a procession to Nuuk Cathedral, where a service was held to mark the Greenlandic parliament convening for the first time. Photograph: Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images

Greenland’s new parliament convened for the first time on Monday after a general election in March, amid repeated expressions of interest by US president Donald Trump to control the semi-autonomous Danish island.

Jens-Frederik Nielsen (33), who has called for political unity against external pressures since his Demokraatit (Democrats) party won the March election, took office as the youngest prime minister of Greenland and will face the challenges posed by Mr Trump’s ambitions.

“It has never been more important to stand together for our country and stable governance. That’s why I’m happy with this broad coalition with 75 per cent of the votes,” Mr Nielsen said, according to Greenlandic broadcaster KNR.

Mr Nielsen said last week Greenland would strengthen ties with Denmark, calling it “Greenland’s closest partner”, until the Arctic island could become a sovereign nation. He noted that the semi-autonomous Danish territory ultimately wishes to become independent.

READ MORE

The pro-business Democrats Party, which favours a slow march to independence, emerged as the winner last month in a general election, tripling its representation to 10 seats. The party said it would form a coalition government with three other parties.

[ Denmark rebukes US for hostile tone after Vance’s Greenland tripOpens in new window ]

The coalition, which spans much of the political spectrum, represents 23 of the 31 parliamentary seats. The Naleraq party, a staunch pro-independence party that doubled its seats to eight in the election, will not be part of the coalition. – Reuters.

Jens-Frederik Nielsen took office as the youngest prime minister of the semi-autonomous island

Greenland’s new parliament convenes for first time amid Trump pressure

Ireland reported the fourth highest rate of growth in retail sales across the European Union (EU) in February. Photograph: iStock

Ireland reported the fourth highest rate of growth in retail sales across the European Union (EU) in February as consumer spending bounced back following a lean January.

The volume of retail sales in Ireland grew by 1.4 per cent in February in comparison with the previous month, a rate significantly above the EU average of 0.2 per cent, according to Eurostat, the EU’s statistics department.

Sales volume dropped by 1.5 per cent in January.

The retail sales volume metric is a business indicator which shows the level of spending in the retail sector after an adjustment for inflation and for seasonal trading patterns.

READ MORE

The areas of largest growth were in the sale of non-food products, excluding fuel, which saw a monthly increase of 2.5 per cent, followed by the sale of fuel which rose by 2.1 per cent. Sales of food, beverages and tobacco experiences notched up a slight rise of 1 per cent during the same period. All showed sales growth significantly above the EU average.

Only Cyprus (4.7 per cent), Estonia (2.2 per cent) and Lithuania (1.7 per cent) saw higher month-on-month growth in February than Ireland across the EU. Many saw a contraction, with Bulgaria, the Netherlands and Poland experiencing the biggest falls on the previous month at -1.7 per cent, -1.4 per cent and -1.2 per cent respectively.

Compared to February 2024, however, retail sales growth in Ireland is more in line with the EU average, at 2.3 per cent. Indexed against retail sale volume in 2021, the level of retail sales in Ireland has reached 119.2 per cent, the second highest level in that period.

While the retail environment has been hit by inflation, consumer spending which is linked to real wage growth is expected to drive domestic activity in the medium term.

Strong February numbers follow a lean January when month-on-month sales volumes dropped by 1.5%

Irish retail sales growth fourth highest in the EU

Hyderabad: First ever B2G revenue accelerator iCollab launched

It helps startups navigate the maze of the public procurement landscape

By Telangana Today Published Date - 7 April 2025, 12:31 AM

It helps startups navigate the maze of the public procurement landscape

Hyderabad: iCollab Hub Foundation (iCollab), an initiative by Raminfo, India’s first-of-its-kind B2G revenue accelerator that helps startups navigate the maze of the public procurement landscape, launched in the city.

It aims to build an ecosystem that brings startups with innovative solutions, government agencies with constant need for disruptive solutions for public welfare and administration, and strategic enablers, together to benefit from opportunities in the public sector, which is the largest market in the world.

iCollab has a dedicated 25,000 sq. ft. office space that offers a collaborative environment where founders of early-stage startups can engage, learn, and scale their ventures. It leverages Raminfo Limited’s three decades of expertise, providing strategic guidance, market access and providing the right ecosystem to succeed.

It provides hands-on support in proposal development, policy guidance, and eligibility credentials, ensuring startups scale up their revenues through strategic partnerships, procurement readiness programs and leveraging public procurement opportunities.

It helps startups navigate the maze of the public procurement landscape

Hyderabad: First ever B2G revenue accelerator iCollab launched

Hyderabad: Chilkur Balaji temple Brahmotsavam from April 7-14

The festival will commence with Ankurarpanam on the evening April 7, symbolizing fertility and abundance by sowing seeds

By Telangana Today Published Date - 7 April 2025, 12:26 AM

Hyderabad: The annual Brahmotsavams at Chilkur Balaji Temple will be held from April 7 to 14.

The festival will commence with Ankurarpanam on the evening April 7, symbolizing fertility and abundance by sowing seeds, a statement from Chilkur Balaji said. The main event on April 8 is Dwajarohanam, where the Garuda flag is raised to mark the commencement of the festivities.

On April 10, Kalyanotsavam will be held while on April 12, Rathotsavam will be conducted. On April 13, Ashwavahanam is scheduled and Chakrasnanam will be conducted on April 14. Throughout the festival, religious activities such as daily homas and processions on the temple’s surrounding streets will be observed.

CS Rangarajan, the Archaka of Chilkur Balaji Devasthanam said that Garuda Prasadam for childless women will not be given in April. However since thousands of women had thronged Chilkur Balaji Temple for the same last year, Prasadam will be distributed from May 2025 every Friday for the entire year to benefit thousands of women.

Rangarajan said thousands received the Friday prasadam last year and the divine intervention has resulted in many of them having been blessed with children by the same. Those desirous of prasadam can come to Chilkur by 9 am on any Friday from May.

On the concluding day of the Utsavams, devotees participate in bathing the Sudarshana Chakra in a nearby water body, culminating in the lowering of the Garuda flag, the statement added.

The festival will commence with Ankurarpanam on the evening April 7, symbolizing fertility and abundance by sowing seeds

Hyderabad: Chilkur Balaji temple Brahmotsavam from April 7-14

Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2: Kapil Sharma Turns Dulha, Poses With New Mystery Woman In Fresh Poster

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News18.com

Last Updated: April 06, 2025, 12:29 IST

Kapil Sharma teased fans with a new poster from Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2, featuring him with a mystery bride. The film, directed by Anukalp Goswami, promises comedy and chaos.

Kapil Sharma's new poster from Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2 out.

Kapil Sharma posed with a mystery bride in a fresh new poster from Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2. Days after sharing the frame with a mystery lady from a nikaah ceremony setup, Kapil turned dulha (groom) again, hinting at another wedding scene in the film.

In the new poster, the makers carefully hid the face of the mystery girl, Kapil’s on-screen bride. The comedian looked confused as he posed beside her, hinting at a love triangle quite like the previous film in 2015. As the mystery deepens, fans can expect more surprises in the lead-up to release. The comedian shared the new poster from his reel-life Hindu wedding on Ram Navami, extending his wishes on the occasion. Take a look:

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kapil Sharma (@kapilsharma)

Previously, in an exclusive chat with News18, Kapil Sharma revealed that after Zwigato, he received a host of film offers that required him to play ‘serious’ roles. Talking about it, he told us, “After the trailer of Zwigato released, I was offered nine films. And all these films were in the serious zone. But (it was evident that) many of those writers weren’t serious about their own work (laughs)."

We quizzed him about what has kept him away from doing more Hindi films, and he candidly shared, “I’m thankful to God for being able to do some good work and earn well by being within my own comfort zone. But if I’m required to step out of that space and go work under the scorching sun, the script should be good so that it feels worth it." The 41-year-old adds, “I only want to do films that touch my heart. It was a priority for me and it will always remain a priority. I don’t want to do films just to earn money. I’ve earned enough. I’m very rich (laughs)."

Starring Kapil Sharma and Manjot Singh, Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2 continues its signature blend of comedy, confusion, and chaos that made the original film a fan-favourite.

Directed by Anukalp Goswami, Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2 is produced by Ratan Jain, Ganesh Jain, and Abbas-Mustan under Venus Worldwide Entertainment in association with Abbas Mustan Film Production.

First Published: April 06, 2025, 12:09 IST

Kapil Sharma teased fans with a new poster from Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2, featuring him with a mystery bride. The film, directed by Anukalp Goswami, promises comedy and chaos.

Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2: Kapil Sharma Turns Dulha, Poses With New Mystery Woman In Fresh Poster

A container ship leaves Qingdao Port, Shandong province. [YU FANGPING/FOR CHINA DAILY]

On Saturday, the Chinese government released its position opposing the US' abuse of tariffs. Additionally, on Friday, China announced its decision to levy an additional 34 percent tariff on all imports from the United States, effective from April 10. This move serves as a countermeasure against US tariff threats.

On April 2, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency on grounds of "national security" concerns to address the persistent and vast US trade deficit. By imposing a 10 percent base tariff on global imports and additional differentiated tariffs on key economies—including China and the European Union—Trump's administration has escalated its trade policy into what can only be described as a systemic trade war. Unlike the selective sanctions of previous administrations, this new approach transforms trade disputes into an all-encompassing economic confrontation, challenging the post-war, WTO-based multilateral trade order.

US hegemony threatens world trade

Trump's comprehensive tariff policy marks a fundamental shift from targeted measures to a full-scale, non-discriminatory imposition of tariffs. The policy, grounded in the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the National Emergencies Act (NEA), originally designed for wartime or major security crises, now serves as a vehicle for unilateral trade retribution.

By labeling the US trade deficit as a "national security threat", the administration has bypassed the traditional legislative process and expanded executive power to an unprecedented degree. This move not only undermines the system of checks and balances but also sets a dangerous precedent for future administrations, which might similarly invoke national security to recalibrate tariffs at will.

Moreover, the policy blatantly criticizes the WTO's "Most Favoured Nation” (MFN) principle by arguing that it allows countries like China and India to maintain high tariffs while enjoying low US import barriers. This narrative effectively delegitimizes the multilateral trade framework and paves the way for a new regime where American unilateralism dictates global trade rules.

The policy sets forth stringent conditions for tariff exemptions in critical sectors like semiconductors, key minerals and pharmaceuticals. Specifically, only products classified as "non-Chinese" are eligible for tariff relief. This compels multinational corporations to procure materials from the US or its allies, thereby cutting longstanding supply chain ties. Already, prominent industry leaders such as TSMC and ASML have signaled their intent to reassess their investments in China, underscoring the policy's capacity to expedite technological decoupling.

What's more, the order leverages the USMCA framework by penalizing products that include Chinese components, thereby pressuring allies like Canada and Mexico to restructure their production processes. For example, Mexican automotive manufacturers face additional tariffs if their vehicles incorporate Chinese-made batteries. This "friend-shoring" strategy coerces close allies into aligning with US economic objectives, even at the cost of disrupting their established supply chain networks.

China's resilience: Domestic demand, diversified trade

Trump's tariff strategy extends beyond immediate trade retribution; it is an explicit challenge to the global economic order. By weaponizing tariffs alongside non-tariff barriers — such as technical trade regulations, discriminatory subsidies, restrictive labor policies and data localization mandates — the US is not merely levying taxes but is redefining global trade norms. This move is intended to coerce trade partners into renegotiating bilateral terms under an American-dominated framework and to create a "value-based" economic alliance centered around shared political ideals.

However, this aggressive approach has far-reaching repercussions. It risks fragmenting the global economy into competing blocs, reminiscent of the Cold War era, where trade and economic cooperation are subordinated to geopolitical rivalry. Early reactions from key trading partners, including retaliatory tariffs and public condemnations from the EU, Australia and Canada, signal a volatile response that could destabilize global supply chains and undermine the integrated nature of modern commerce.

In light of these challenges, Chinese policymakers are accelerating efforts to expand domestic demand and stimulate consumption as a countermeasure to external pressures. By promoting the "dual circulation" strategy — which emphasizes the simultaneous expansion of domestic markets and external trade — China aims to fortify its economy against future trade shocks. This involves bolstering internal consumption through fiscal incentives, targeted subsidies for key industries, and reforms aimed at improving income distribution. Furthermore, China is taking steps to secure strategic supply chains by investing in domestic research and development, diversifying its export markets, strengthening cooperation with diversified trade partners and pursuing deeper regional economic integration.

Ultimately, China's focus on strengthening its domestic market is a recognition that robust internal demand is the best safeguard against external economic coercion. As the US embarks on what it terms a "tariff world war", the Chinese strategy underscores the need to "practice good internal governance" while forging new alliances and modernizing its economic infrastructure. Only by boosting domestic consumption and fostering innovation can China hope to weather the storm of escalating trade tensions and maintain its trajectory toward becoming a more resilient, high-value economy.

In summary, Trump's tariff measures signify a radical departure from the traditional, rules-based international trade system. By invoking national security to justify sweeping tariffs, the US has embarked on a systemic trade war that aims to restructure global supply chains and redefine trade norms. Although this approach may force some short-term concessions from trading partners, its long-term consequences could include a fragmented global economy and intensified geopolitical rivalry.

In response, China is accelerating its domestic demand and consumption strategies, laying the groundwork for a more self-reliant economic model. As both sides double down on their respective strategies, the world finds itself at a critical juncture—one that will not only determine the future of global trade but also reshape the geopolitical landscape for decades to come.

The author is a research fellow at the Institute of State Governance, Huazhong University of Science and Technology and the Eurasian Research Institute, Renmin University of China. The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

If you have a specific expertise, or would like to share your thought about our stories, then send us your writings at opinion@chinadaily.com.cn, and comment@chinadaily.com.cn.

China is accelerating its domestic demand and consumption strategies, laying the groundwork for a more self-reliant economic model.

China resilient in facing US' global 'tariff war'

Obi Nwaegbe’s stirring exhibition at the University of Cambridge, UK, brings into thrilling focus a decade’s worth of revolutionary work by the JR Botek Foundation, highlighting the resilience of African farmers in the face of climate change. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports

A stirring exhibition, titled The Roots of Resilience, that “sows” – pun intended – the seeds of excitement aptly embodies the spirit of Obi Nwaegbe’s recent presentation at the Salisbury Lab of the University of Cambridge, UK. This exhibition shines a thrilling spotlight on a decade’s worth of quietly revolutionary work by the JR Botek Foundation. As this foundation’s pioneering efforts take centre stage, it becomes clear that Carol Ibe, its visionary founder and a Gates Foundation scholar with a PhD, has been cultivating innovative solutions in agriculture and climate change. Its work was harvested in this dynamic exhibition, which prioritised farmers’ needs and sought effective solutions through initiatives like AGRIIP – the Agri-Innovation & Impact Project.

The exhibition’s nuanced exploration of the complex issues surrounding climate change and agriculture likely resonated deeply with visitors. Climate change, after all, is indeed a “growing” concern, laying waste to African agriculture with rising temperatures and erratic rainfall. Yet, farmers are adapting, innovating, and thriving. Their resilience forms the emotional core of The Roots of Resilience, evident in their weathered faces and ingenious solutions – from novel irrigation systems to pioneering tech uses. The exhibition’s urgent call to action is clear: to cultivate a better future.

The Roots of Resilience – which was up for the duration of the conference from March 26 to 28 – is, therefore, an exhibition that should have significantly altered the viewers’ perspectives – perspectives that are buoyed by the resilience of African farmers and galvanised to join the fight against climate change. Its impact resonates – long after it ended – as a powerful tribute to the boundless potential of collaboration, innovation and the human spirit, illuminating a beacon of hope for a more sustainable future.

This message was echoed by Nwaegbe, who commenced his presentation with a heartfelt statement: “It is an honour to be making this presentation from such an important podium and to a critical science audience.” As he began his discourse at the podium, Nwaegbe’s words proclaimed his deep-seated conviction, clearly emphasising the significance of the exhibition’s themes and the crucial importance of collective action in addressing the complex challenges of climate change. No doubt, the weight of the University of Cambridge’s history was palpable as he acknowledged the privilege of speaking at the institution, whose storied pedigree is unarguably a far cry from that of his alma mater, the University of Nigeria Nsukka.

Delving deeper into his presentation, the Abuja-based artist shed light on his fruitful collaboration with Dr Ibe, founder of the Biotek Foundation. Their shared passion for environmental sustainability had sparked an unlikely yet potent alliance, bridging the divide between science and art with elegance and precision. “I have been in long-term engagement with Dr Carol… even as we have been separately engaging with and orientating young students about the value of environmental sustainability.”

Nwaegbe’s words were infused with a sense of purpose, his emphasis on the transformative potential of their partnership nothing short of galvanising. “Today, we are working together, she as a scientist and I as an artist, towards the same goals. I firmly believe that this synergy across our professional fields holds tremendous social, environmental, and economic promise.”

The artist’s passionate conviction may have electrified the room, riveting his audience’s attention to the vast possibilities of this innovative partnership. Meanwhile, his paintings, which were displayed at the three-day event, seethe with a visual narrative that underscores the far-reaching consequences of climate change and environmental degradation. Take the work “Climate Change and Land Displacement”, for instance; it evokes a sense of desolation and captures the anguish of communities uprooted by conflict and environmental disaster. The painting’s eerie landscape, devoid of hope, served as a powerful indictment of the devastating impact of human activity on the environment.

A second painting, “Greenhouse Gases & Sustainable Agriculture”, presents a scathing portrayal of industrial agriculture’s role in exacerbating climate change. His depiction of a sprawling industrial complex spewing noxious fumes into the atmosphere was a stark reminder of the catastrophic consequences of unchecked emissions. The barren wasteland that stretched out beneath the complex served as a haunting reminder of the destructive impact of human neglect.

In “The Unpredictable Harvest”, the third instalment of the series, he presents a dichotomous vision of two worlds: one barren and lifeless, the other teeming with vitality. The painting’s left side was a desolate expanse, dominated by a withered tree and a farmer beset by despair. In stark contrast, the right side of the painting burst with colour and life, as a thriving farm seemed to flourish in defiance of the devastation that had ravaged its counterpart. This juxtaposition serves as a powerful commentary on the choices that lie before the viewers and the urgent need for sustainable practices to ensure a viable future.

Ultimately, The Roots of Resilience has masterfully woven together the threads of art, science, and collaboration, creating a vibrant quilt that inspires and educates. By harmonising the voices of African farmers, the expertise of scientists, and the visionary creativity of artists like Nwaegbe, this exhibition issued a rallying cry that echoes long after the viewer has left the gallery. As the world navigates the uncharted territories of climate change, it illuminates the game-changing symphony of collaboration – where human ingenuity, creativity, and collective action come together in perfect harmony.

Art and Resilience in an Era of Climate Change – THISDAYLIVE

Duro Ikhazuagbe

President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Uyi Akpata who was voted the ‘Sports Personality of the Year’ shown brightly at the 2025 Sportsville Awards night which held at the weekend.

It was a night of glitz and glamour as top sports administrators took turn to be celebrated at the ceremony which held at the Eko Club in Lagos last Thursday. It attracted the creme de la creme of Nigeria’s sports sector in an atmosphere of camaraderie and felicitation.

Uyi was one of the 22 eminent personalities and corporate organisations who were honoured with the prestigious Sportsville Special Recognition Award for their contributions to the development of sports in Nigeria over the years.

In his acceptance speech, the former Country Director of PwC thanked the Sportsville Awards organiser for recognising his input into making Nigeria a powerhouse in cricket in Africa.

“It is amazing that hard work can be recognised. We are glad that the hard work that we have put into cricket is being recognized and rewarded. We are very grateful for this. This award calls for more hard work for us in the cricket federation,” observed Dr Akpata shortly after receiving the award.

In his short stint as Nigeria Cricket Federation President, Dr Akpata has taken Nigerian cricket to be at par with the East Africans in the African continent. His developmental programme has created a path for Nigerian teams to qualify for the World Cup at the Under-19 level while the girls are rubbing shoulders with big cricket playing nations.

Also honoured at the event is former CAF and FIFA advisor on refereeing, Linus Mba, who baged the Sportsville Sports ICON Award for his contributions to referees development in Nigeria.

The General Manager of Rangers International FC, Amobi Ezeaku, recieved the Sportsville Football Administrator of the Year award while Barr. Christopher Green, Rivers State Commissioner for Sports, Davidson Owumi, the Chief Operating Officer of the Nigerian Premier Football League, Chioma Ajunwa, Terry Eguaoje, Coach Emannuel Osahon, Coach Fanny Amun, and Rotimi Pedro were also honoured.

Founder of the first sport’s television in the country, DBN, Osa Sonny Adun, baged the Sportsville Sports ICON Award.

Also on the lists of SV award recipients include; Omonlei Imadu, CEO Yucateco Boxing Promotions, Paul Ngadiuba, Boye Oyerinde, President Nigeria Squash Federation, Lagos State FA boss Gafar Liameed, Giadomeneco Masari, President Nigeria Cycling Federation, Moyo Ogunseinde, while late Molade Okoya-Thomas received was honored posthumously.

The CEO of Sportsville Frank Ilaboya, in his remarks said the SV Awards will continue to uphold its integrity as the most credible sports award in the country.

Akpata, Mba, Green, Others Shine at Sportsville Awards – THISDAYLIVE

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (rtd), has said that his administration is committed to fixing most of the vandalised infrastructure in the state within available financial resources.

Ibas expressed the commitment during an on-the-spot inspection of some ongoing road projects, vandalised secretariats of local government councils, and the recently inaugurated Bori Zonal Hospital, on Friday.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Government House Press Unit and sent to newsmen.

Some of the road projects inspected included the Nyhokhana-Kenkhana road, connecting the Luuwa Community to the Baani Community, and the Zakphor-Bateem road, all in the Khana Local Government Area.

Other projects are the Eleme internal roads and drainage, and the Eleme section of the Port Harcourt Ring road project.

The administrator also conducted an assessment of the extent of vandalism of the Khana and Eleme Local Government Council Secretariats.

Ibas described as disheartening the level of destruction and said that when people destroy such infrastructure, no matter the reason, they set the state back.

He stated: “I think we owe the people that we are superintending over, the duty to ensure that these facilities and infrastructure are in the best order.

“We have committed to fix most of the vandalised infrastructure with the limited resources that we have. It is a commitment that, I think we need to deliver to enable those who are using them to return to work.

“I think that by the time I go visiting the other local governments and see what we have on the ground, we will see how we can continue to build trust in our efforts to unite the people of Rivers State, so, that we can make this State a great state that people would want to be in.”

Ibas recalled his recent visit to the State House of Assembly and promised that it would be completed on time to enable that arm of government to start functioning.

The Administrator noted that there is a lot of work to be done and requires the support of all leaders at various levels to ensure that desirable governance is delivered to the people.

He said, “Within the limited resources made available to the local government, I want to implore those who are managing those resources to put them to judicious use.

“The people are watching. They want to know exactly what we are doing with their money. We need to limit the damage that is being created through delivering good governance. I think, once the people are happy with what we are doing, the chances of them taking the law into their own hands will be minimised.”

Commenting on the ongoing road projects, Ibas said roads are critical infrastructure for development and enhanced commerce in any society, which is why such provision cannot be compromised.

He added, “The more roads we have, the more commerce – I mean, the means of commuting becomes easy. We are trying to create wealth. Without roads, of course, sometimes, you have your produce, but before you move them to the marketplace, they are all rotten.

“But we also expect that when these roads are completed those who are going to use them will also take care of the infrastructure,” he added.

Ibas Moves to Rehabilitate Damaged Rivers LG Secretariats – THISDAYLIVE

The logo of TikTok is seen on the screen of a smartphone in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, March 13, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese tech heavyweight ByteDance, the parent company of short-video app TikTok, said on Saturday that it is still in discussion with the US government regarding plans to keep the app operational in the country, reiterating that no agreement has been finalized yet.

The company said in a statement that there are still key matters to be resolved, adding that any agreement will be subject to approval under Chinese laws.

The announcement came after US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he will grant ByteDance an additional 75-day extension to either sell TikTok to a non-Chinese company or face a nationwide ban that is set to take effect on Saturday.

In April 2024, then-US President Joe Biden signed a law that gave ByteDance 270 days to sell TikTok. Trump, who took office on Jan 20, signed an executive order to delay the TikTok ban by 75 days.

The extension follows China's announcement on Friday of a string of strong countermeasures, including imposing an additional 34-percent tariff on all products imported from the US and implementing export control measures on certain rare earth-related items in response to the US' decision to impose "reciprocal tariffs" on Chinese exports.

Chinese tech heavyweight ByteDance, the parent company of short-video app TikTok, said on Saturday that it is still in discussion with the US government regarding plans to keep the app operational in the country, reiterating that no agreement has been finalized yet.

ByteDance, US discuss TikTok's future in the country

By unilaterally imposing so-called "reciprocal tariffs," Washington has undermined the spirit of the rules-based multilateral trading system and contributed to growing tensions in global trade.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's six-word warning to the country's trading partners -- "Doing anything rash would be unwise" -- was perhaps the most telling moment of all. It laid bare Washington's enduring belief in its own unchallenged supremacy, a delusion increasingly out of step with a multipolar world.

For the international community, defending the World Trade Organization (WTO)'s authority has become an urgent imperative.

Despite sustained US sabotage, the multilateral trading system remains the backbone of global commerce, overseeing about 98 percent of international merchandise trade. But its survival is far from guaranteed. For years, Washington has worked to undermine the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism, particularly by blocking the appointment of new judges to its appellate court, severely crippling its ability to enforce trade rules.

Restoring the WTO's full functionality is no longer a matter of bureaucratic reform -- it is existential to preserve open and rules-driven global trade.

Washington's latest tariff offensive has landed hardest on nations in the Global South, exposing its deep-seated anxiety over a world shifting toward multipolarity.

Washington has long justified its economic dominance under the guise of global leadership. But as emerging economies strengthen, Washington's control over the global economic order is weakening. Instead of adapting to this new reality, it has chosen to lash out, erecting barriers in a desperate bid to maintain its fading influence.

The irony is that global trade was never designed to be a zero-sum game. From the inception of the multilateral system, its structure accommodated development gaps, allowing emerging economies to use higher tariffs to nurture industries, while advanced economies would benefit from lower trade barriers that promote efficiency and competition.

Washington once championed this system, recognizing that sustainable global growth ultimately benefited all. Now, in its pursuit of unchecked hegemony, Washington appears willing to tear it all down.

Even traditional allies haven't been spared. The EU, Japan and South Korea now find themselves squarely in the crosshairs of so-called "reciprocal tariffs."

The message from Washington is clear: alliances are transactional, and loyalty offers no immunity from economic aggression.

The international community cannot afford to appease Washington. Restoring the WTO's dispute resolution mechanisms, accelerating institutional reforms and reinforcing multilateral cooperation are crucial to counteracting Washington's unilateral coercion.

Only through solidarity can the world push back against the wrecking ball of so-called "American exceptionalism" and safeguard a system that has underpinned decades of global prosperity.

By unilaterally imposing so-called "reciprocal tariffs," Washington has undermined the spirit of the rules-based multilateral trading system and contributed to growing tensions in global trade.

World must unite to guard multilateral trade against US wrecking ball

GUHLA CHIKA: The team of Vigilance bureau Kaithal has arrested Guhla police station in -charge Rampal red -handed while taking a bribe of fifty thousand rupees in lieu of canceling an old case.

For this raid, XEN Varun Kansal of PWD Department Kaithal was appointed as Duty Magistrate. After the arrest, the Vigilance team has taken the accused with them to Kaithal. The complainant Chika resident Om Prakash alias Budhu, who was present on the spot during the raid, said that a thief had entered his house about one and a half years ago.

Omprakash told that when the thief entered inside the house, there was a scuffle with the thief. Omprakash told that the thief slipped grip and started running away from the top of the wall, then the thief's arm was broken after hitting the Generator kept in the street outside. Om Prakash told that after some time thief had registered a case against me .. Omprakash said that at the time of the incident, Rampal was posted in Cheeka police station and was investigating the case.

Omprakash alleged that Rampal had sought a bribe of fifty thousand rupees in the name of DSP Guhla in lieu of canceling the case, out of which he had given 20 thousand rupees to Rampal two days ago, and reported the case to the Vigilance officials. Today, taking a bribe of 30 thousand rupees from Omprakash, the Vigilance team had arrested Sub Inspector Rampal posted as Guhla police station in -charge.

Confirming the case, Vigilance Team Incharge Inspector Sube Singh said that he had received instructions from his high officials that Om Prakash, a resident of Cheeka, wants to take action against an officer seeking bribe, after which the Red Party was prepared as per the instructions of the higher officials. Sube Singh said that as soon as the complainant Om Prakash handed over 30 thousand rupees to Ram Pal the Vigilance team arrested him on the spot. Sube Singh said that when Rampal washed his hands, his hands turned red, after which a case has been registered against Rampal who was taken into custody.

I have been implicated wrongly

When the team of Vigilance was carrying the sub -inspector Rampal, who was arrested on charges of taking bribe, Sub Inspector Rampal said that he did not demand a bribe from anyone, I have been implicated under a conspiracy.

GUHLA CHIKA: The team of Vigilance bureau Kaithal has arrested Guhla police station in -charge Rampal red -handed while taking a bribe of fifty thousand rupees in lieu of canceling an old case.

Guhla police station in -charge Rampal arrested for taking a bribe of fifty thousand in lieu of cancellation of the case

The reciprocal tariffs on Indian exports announced by US President Donald Trump pose a threat of trade decline in several sectors, including electronics, gems, jewellery and fisheries. On the positive side, Indian pharmaceuticals, energy products and semiconductors have escaped the Trump tariff blow.

Industry body PHDCCI estimates a 0.1 per cent impact on India’s GDP, though investment banking and wealth managing company Goldman Sachs puts a higher figure. It estimates a potential decline of $15 billion (Rs 1,27,000 crore) in Indian exports, which is about 0.4 per cent of the country’s GDP.

The Trump-imposed protectionist tariff regime is the first since the 1930 US legislation called the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act raised import duties to protect American businesses and farmers.

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The latest US move raises questions on continuity of the World Trade Organisation-regulated trade regime, including the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement, which establishes minimum standards for intellectual property protection among WTO member nations. Ashwani Mahajan, national co-convener of Swadeshi Jagran Manch, says the WTO has lost its relevance after these tariffs. “We have been a loser in the WTO,” he stresses.

WHAT lies ahead

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For India, the early start to the bilateral trade negotiations with the US — the first round ended on March 29 — is a silver lining. Within the Government, the sentiment is to ‘negotiate and not escalate’. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit in February, the two nations agreed to have a trade deal by October this year.

India is open to cutting tariffs for US goods. Over the past few weeks, import duties have been slashed on some 8,500 industrial items, including on American bourbon whiskey and high-end motorcycles made by Harley-Davidson. India has also indicated its willingness to buy more American oil, LNG and defence equipment to narrow its bilateral trade surplus. The White House said India imposes its “own uniquely burdensome” testing and certification. “If these barriers were removed, it is estimated that US exports would increase by at least $5.3 billion annually,” it added.

Ajay Sahai, director general and chief executive officer of the Federation of Indian Exporters Organisation (FIEO), wants timely conclusion of the Bilateral Trade Agreement to mitigate tariffs and provide relief to exporters.

TAKING THE MAXIMUM hit

The office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) pegs the 2024 US-India bilateral trade at $129.2 billion — US exports to India totalled $41.8 billion, while it imported $87.4 billion worth of goods from India. From 2021-22 to 2023-24, the US was the largest trading partner of India. The US accounts for about 18 per cent of India’s total goods exports. India’s exports to the US span 30 sectors, with six in agriculture and 24 in industry.

Prime Indian exports to the US include $14 billion worth of electronics products; $11.88 billion worth of diamonds, gold and silver; and $2.58 billion worth of fish, meat and processed seafood. These will now be taxed at 27 per cent and are among the most impacted. Auto parts and aluminium products will attract 25 per cent tariff that Trump had announced earlier.

For the diaspora, all India-made wines, spirits, ghee, coconut oil, mustard oil and processed food — packaged snacks and confectionery items — would be expensive in the US.

An opportunity TOO

The US has set higher reciprocal tariff on goods from other Asian countries — China faces 34 per cent, Vietnam 46 per cent, Bangladesh 37 per cent, and Thailand 36 per cent. This relatively lower tariff on Indian goods gives India a competitive edge in several sectors like textiles, apparel, footwear, etc. It presents an opportunity for New Delhi to gain access to US markets as an alternative to China using the tariff differential.

Harsh Pant, vice-president, Observer Research Foundation, says, “With new tariffs, a supply chain restructuring is bound to happen. It opens up an opportunity for India.”

Still, India will face tariffs at rates higher than the UK, EU and Japan — at 10, 20 and 24 per cent, respectively.

The Trump tariff announcement leaving out the Indian pharma sector, with exports of $9 billion, and semiconductors is a positive. India also has a chance to step up exports of iron and steel products, where it enjoys tariffs lower than China, according to an assessment of the Commerce Ministry.

The reciprocal tariffs on Indian exports announced by US President Donald Trump pose a threat of trade decline in several sectors, including electronics, gems, jewellery and fisheries. On the positive side, Indian pharmaceuticals, energy products and semiconductors have escaped the Trump tariff blow.

Explainer: How US tariffs impact India

SAN JOSE, Calif. & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Adobe (Nasdaq:ADBE) announced a partnership with The Estée Lauder Companies (NYSE:EL) (ELC) where the company is adopting Adobe Firefly and redefining its process of launching digital marketing campaigns through generative AI. As the parent company to iconic brands such as Clinique, Estée Lauder, Jo Malone London, La Mer, and M•A•C Cosmetics, ELC connects with consumers across roughly 150 countries and territories. With a strong focus on innovation and speed to market, ELC is investing in digital advertising to engage its diverse and unique consumer base. By integrating Firefly across existing Adobe Creative Cloud workflows, ELC will drive efficiency, accelerate campaign execution and empower creative teams to recapture time—and focus on ideating and creating new artistic concepts.

Across digital channels, different formats (text, image, shopping, app promotion) and sizes for marketing campaigns contribute to hundreds of thousands of assets needed every year. Teams are burdened with repetitive tasks that take time away from driving new design concepts and connecting with different audiences. This partnership underscores ELC’s newly unveiled Beauty Reimagined, a bold strategic vision aimed at establishing ELC as the best consumer-centric prestige beauty company in the world. A key focus of this plan includes driving transformative innovation to accelerate speed-to-market, as well as boosting consumer-facing investments to accelerate new customer acquisition. By harnessing Adobe’s Firefly capabilities to streamline content production, ELC reinforces its commitment to this vision—ensuring impactful, consumer-driven engagement at scale.

Through leveraging Adobe Firefly Services—a collection of creative and generative APIs—ELC can reimagine content production as additional campaigns are required to engage consumers who are more digital than ever. In fact, survey stats show nearly two-third of marketers* believe the demand for content will quintuple between 2024 and 2026. With features such as Generative Expand seamlessly integrated into existing workflows, images can be intelligently resized and optimized for various formats. Teams can quickly deliver assets with text and imagery intuitively placed, ready for distribution across digital marketing channels.

“Maintaining mindshare on digital channels such as social media is important in the competitive beauty industry, but oftentimes the content requirements for each platform stresses our ability to deliver new campaigns,” said Justin Edwards, Vice President, Global Digital Creative and Brand Image, M•A•C Cosmetics. “The M•A•C Cosmetics team was the first to explore the potential of generative AI for the company through Adobe Firefly Services, and we believe it will remove hurdles that currently prevent our designers from focusing on their craft.”

“Adobe Firefly Services APIs surface decades of Adobe innovation across our foundational AI models and applications such as Photoshop and InDesign, to assist with daily tasks that are crucial but can often be repetitive and time-intensive,” said Varun Parmar, general manager, Adobe GenStudio and Firefly for Enterprise. “The Estée Lauder Companies have shown an incredibly compelling and practical application of generative AI, which allows design teams to focus more time on their craft and ideating eye catching creative for its portfolio of nearly 25 brands.”

As part of its new content production workflow, ELC also needed to modernize its digital asset management (DAM) system. The DAM houses the company’s entire library of images, logos, patterns and more—assets that anchor the creation of digital content. ELC is now leveraging Adobe Experience Manager Assets as a Cloud Service to enhance their DAM and drive greater operational efficiency. This creates an architecture where assets can be uploaded with greater speed, along with enhanced search capabilities for teams to quickly locate assets and gain actionable insights on usage and performance. It further shortens the time it takes to build and deliver assets for digital campaigns.

“At The Estée Lauder Companies, we need to keep pace with a changing environment where an increasingly large share of transactions is happening through digital channels such as mobile devices,” said Yuri Ezhkov, Vice President, Creative Center of Excellence, The Estée Lauder Companies. “We have a trusted partner in Adobe to provide generative AI technologies that are safe for commercial use, with tools that enable our design teams to operate more nimbly and be free to focus on ideating.”

About Adobe

Adobe is changing the world through digital experiences. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.

About The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. is one of the world’s leading manufacturers, marketers, and sellers of quality skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products, and is a steward of luxury and prestige brands globally. The company’s products are sold in approximately 150 countries and territories under brand names including: Estée Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Lab Series, Origins, M·A·C, La Mer, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Aveda, Jo Malone London, Bumble and bumble, Darphin Paris, TOM FORD, Smashbox, AERIN Beauty, Le Labo, Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, GLAMGLOW, KILIAN PARIS, Too Faced, Dr.Jart+, the DECIEM family of brands, including The Ordinary and NIOD, and BALMAIN Beauty.

© 2025 Adobe. All rights reserved. Adobe and the Adobe logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

*Adobe Survey of 2,841 marketers in markets including the U.S., Australia, France, Germany, India, Japan, and the U.K. (fielded from Feb. 27 to Mar. 7, 2024)

Today, Adobe (Nasdaq:ADBE) announced a partnership with The Estée Lauder Companies (NYSE:EL) (ELC) where the company is adopting Adobe Firefly and redefining...

The Estée Lauder Companies Partners with Adobe to Scale the Production of Digital Marketing with Firefly Generative AI

Top stocks to buy (AI image)

According to Aakash K Hindocha, Deputy Vice President - WM Research, Nuvama Professional Clients Group,

Computer Age Management Services

, PCBL Chemical, and

Balrampur Chini Mills

are the top buy calls for today. Here’s his view on Nifty, Bank Nifty and the top stock picks for March 27, 2025:

Index View: Nifty

Bank Nifty

CAMS (BUY):

LCP: 3756.75

Stop Loss: 3615

Target: 4150

PCBL (BUY):

LCP: 435.40

Stop Loss: 405

Target: 470

BALRAMCHIN (BUY):

LCP: 555.40

Stop Loss: 532

Target: 596

Disclaimer: The opinions, analyses and recommendations expressed herein are those of brokerage and do not reflect the views of The Times of India. Always consult with a qualified investment advisor or financial planner before making any investment decisions.

Top stock market recommendations:Having rallied nearly 1900 points from its 9 month low in March, Nifty has now retraced 38.2% of this move on Fibonacci retracement scale. Given the price action on Nifty this week, it could well retrace 50% of this whole 1900 point rally on account of jitters on the tariff news which would hit Indian markets on Thursday early hours. The index continues to hold above the 6 month trendline breakout seen on weekly charts and this pullback is just a retesting of the same. The broader trend remains buy on dip and levels of 24000 could be soon seen by the end of this month. Markets are nervous ahead of the tariff implementation as well as the RBI MPC meeting next week. For now the 22900 -23000 zone is seen as a strong support for Nifty.In line with Nifty, Bank Nifty as well shred close to 1.5% in Tuesday’s session but staged a comeback in Wednesday’s session. Bank Nifty has retested its 200DMA sub 51000 mark after completing its initial targets at 51650 which we had highlighted last week. The index has been leaning forwards in counts of - one step back and two step forward. Any dips between 49900 and 50400 are likely to get bought into for a strong up move towards 52500, given the outperforming stance of the index against Nifty for the past 6 months. Bank Nifty is down less than 4% v/s a drop of 10% on Nifty in the past 6 months.Computer Age Management Services stock has bounced over 25% from its recent lows printed in March 2025. The price action suggests that the ongoing 2 week sideways consolidation is nearing an end and an upside resumption is on cards paving way for a bullish flag breakout formation. Given the strong bounce back from its low, stock is likely to extend its rally northwards by 10-12% after the breakout above 3800.Higher high, higher low formation seen on charts of PCBL with the stock sustaining above its recent dynamic resistance plotted on the 200 DMA. Scrip has given a fresh momentum breakout as it has closed above the resistance of 430 created by a downward sloping trendline. A quick 6-8% move can unfold from the current set up at which the stock holds.With stock breaking above its 200 DMA resistance in the last fortnight, Balrampur Chini Mills has also given a breakout above sloping trendline resistance confirming a flag pattern breakout on daily charts. The consolidation above its 200 DMA before resuming the move forward confirms the presence of buyers for an anticipated up move towards 600 odd in the next couple of trading days.

India Business News: Top stock market recommendations: Aakash K Hindocha recommends Computer Age Management Services, PCBL Chemical, and Balrampur Chini Mills for today. F

Top stocks to buy today: Stock recommendations for April 3, 2025

An unexpected health emergency



Work-life balance and modern lifestyle



Reactions from LinkedIn



In the fast-paced world of today, work is often given priority over health. But one Bengaluru-based entrepreneur recently had a near-death health emergency that is a grim reminder that no job is worth a hospital bed. Amit Mishra, CEO, wrote about his terrifying experience in a now-viral LinkedIn post, explaining how his blood pressure shot up to 230 overnight, getting him admitted to the ICU with a nosebleed that would not stop.Mishra described how he was typing away on his laptop on what appeared to be a routine Saturday when he suddenly had a massive nosebleed. By the time he arrived at Apollo Hospital, he had lost a lot of blood, and the emergency team fought for 20 minutes before they managed to stop the bleeding temporarily. But the biggest shock came when doctors took his blood pressure at a critically high 230."I was shifted to the ICU straight away, where the doctors struggled to get my BP down. Everything looked okay by late night, but next morning while trying to walk within the ICU, I fainted suddenly," Mishra said in his post. Even after running several tests like ECG, LFT, ECHO, cholesterol testing, and even an angiography, no obvious reason for his spike in BP could be ascertained.Mishra's experience highlights the unseen dangers of contemporary work culture. Long working hours, excessive stress, and the 'always-on' mentality can result in silent health problems that go unnoticed until they become emergencies. His experience is a wake-up call to professionals who put work above well-being.In the post, Mishra listed important lessons from his experience:- Your body doesn’t always give clear warnings. Health risks like high BP and stress can be silent killers. Regular checkups are essential.- Work is important, but health is non-negotiable. Ignoring small signs can have severe consequences.- Emergency preparedness matters. Knowing the nearest hospital and how to handle a crisis can save lives.- Medical science has its secrets. Even with thorough testing, the reason behind his BP spike is still unknown, reiterating the need for proactive healthcare.Mishra's post was overwhelming for many professionals, and the discussion turned towards work-life balance. There were people on LinkedIn who were concerned about his recovery, and there were others who shared their own such experiences.Prashant Kamble, a professional, said: "The fact that you are writing this post while still ill indicates that you are still not serious about your health. My friend, keep that phone aside for a while and rest completely!"Ram Manohar Tripathi, who was also in a similar health crisis, penned: "Hearing your account is like gazing in a mirror. This had occurred to me on August 30, 2021. No signs, then out of the blue, a nosebleed and ICU admission with BP 210/110. Doctor told me that I was extremely lucky."Mishra's experience reinforces the imperative to shift the way professionals think about work and health. Stress reduction, routine checkups, and establishing clear boundaries between work and life are not indulgences—they are essential. His account is a wake-up call reminding us that success is fueled by ambition, yet ignoring health comes with catastrophic risks.As Mishra himself concluded, “If you’re reading this, let this be your reminder: listen to your body. Don’t wait for a wake-up call like mine.”

Amit Mishra, a Bengaluru-based entrepreneur, shared a frightening health scare on LinkedIn, with his blood pressure soaring to 230 and landing him in

Bengaluru CEO hospitalised as blood pressure hits 230, shares 'important learnings'

SHI YU/CHINA DAILY

China will further optimize public services for elderly people to make them more affordable, sustainable and comfortable, according to a guideline released in January.

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, China's Cabinet, released the guideline on improving elderly care services to address issues surrounding the nation's rapidly aging population.

The latest figures from the Ministry of Civil Affairs show that as of the end of 2023, China had 297 million people age 60 and above, accounting for 21.1 percent of the nation's total population. Among them, 217 million were above the age of 65, highlighting the urgent need for an increase in the allocation of resources for elderly care services.

The guideline says the nation will build up an all-around services net covering the elderly living in rural and urban areas, and enrich elderly care services to ease the burden on families. The guideline sets the target of "basically finishing the establishment of the elderly services net" by 2029 and better improving the net by 2035 to ensure all elderly citizens have access to basic elderly care services.

Elderly care services will be more "down-to-earth", according to the guideline, with efforts made by authorities to improve county-level, township and village elderly care services to ensure every single senior is covered by basic elderly care services in the near future.

The services covered for improvement in the guideline not only include day care and rehabilitation, but also entertainment and social events.

The latest policy action comes at a time when families are increasingly feeling the burden of caring for elderly relatives.

"It really needs time and effort to take care of the elderly," said Lin Yan, a 32-year-old teacher in Beijing. "My grandpa who is 75, stayed with me in Beijing in November and lived in my house for a week, and I wasn't prepared for all the extra accommodations I needed to make to meet his needs. Even the small things like needing a stool for the shower so that he wouldn't slip."

She said she has concerns about her parents' welfare when they retire as she is far away from where they live in the eastern province of Jiangxi. "Chinese people have some traditional views that children are not filial if they don't take care of their parents in their twilight years.

"We hope that the public elderly care services in our hometowns will be improved in the near future to ease family burdens," she said.

According to the guideline, nonprofit and charitable nursing homes will be made available to the elderly in financial difficulty and those with limited living ability or with disabilities. The elderly can choose to live at affordable or premium nursing homes based on their budgets and personal needs.

Enriching elderly care services in the countryside is also stressed, with local authorities required to set up a mechanism to regularly visit or offer emergency services to seniors living in rural areas whose children work outside of the village, and seniors with disabilities or losing their basic living ability.

Townships and villages are encouraged to introduce nursing service companies from cities to operate in rural areas, with the aim of balancing the development of elderly services between the urban and rural areas, the guideline said.

The guideline also highlights the importance of developing the "silver economy" by enriching products and services tailored specifically for seniors to unleash their consumption power. Tourism destinations are encouraged to offer healthcare and elderly care services to increase their popularity among the aging population.

In addition to increasing financial and policy support to improve elderly care services, the government will also channel more efforts into producing related industry professionals and professional standards.

According to the guideline, local authorities can take explorative steps to establish elderly care service majors at designated vocational colleges or schools.

Wu Liduo, an official from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, said at a recent news conference that cultivating talent is key to tackling the aging problem and offering diversified and comprehensive services to the elderly.

He said in recent years the ministry has guided vocational colleges to set up majors such as rehabilitation and health and social care, and has cooperated with other central departments to organize skills competitions for nursing and care workers and students to show their skills.

"In the latest amended national profession dictionary in 2022, nursing worker, healthcare worker and assessor of elderly living ability gained official recognition with specific national job standards," he said, adding that the ministry will work with the Ministry of Civil Affairs to establish a skills evaluation mechanism for people engaged in elderly care services, and produce more skilled and professional workers based on the market and seniors' practical needs.

chengsi@chinadaily.com.cn

China will further optimize public services for elderly people to make them more affordable, sustainable and comfortable, according to a guideline released in January.

Senior care services to be expanded

Customers select products at a supermarket in Zaozhuang, East China's Shandong province, Jan 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

China is set to optimize the price governance mechanism, with the primary aim of empowering market forces to play a more decisive role in price formation, while promoting efficient allocation of resources to serve the construction of a unified national market, said officials and experts.

The initiative is a critical component of China's broader efforts to create a fair, open and perfectly competitive market climate that will help unleash greater vitality for businesses of all types and strengthen the growth momentum of the economy, they added.

According to a document issued on Wednesday by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council, the country plans to expedite the establishment of a high-level price governance mechanism that is market-effective, well-regulated and scientifically managed.

"The price mechanism is a crucial component of a market economy. Market-determined pricing is a fundamental requirement for economic operations and the primary means of resource allocation," said Guo Liyan, deputy director of the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research's Economic Research Institute.

So far, 97.5 percent of society's goods and services prices have been decided by the market, data from the National Development and Reform Commission showed, underscoring the decisive role of the market in resource allocation.

"It plays a key role in regulating supply and demand, improving resource allocation efficiency, accelerating the formation of new quality productive forces, and promoting green and low-carbon development," Guo said.

The document emphasizes the need to consider overall supply-demand dynamics, economic growth, and market expectations when setting reasonable price level targets, thereby strengthening macroeconomic policy guidance.

Guo said she believes this approach helps align price policies with fiscal, monetary, industrial, employment, investment, and consumption policies, enhancing macro-policy coordination and governance.

Over the short term, Guo stressed that "price regulation efforts should be well-calibrated and effective, focusing on fine-tuning expectations, implementing range-based and targeted controls, and stabilizing key commodity and service prices to support economic recovery".

Maintaining a stable price level is one of the key objectives of China's macroeconomic regulation. By enhancing the price mechanism, the country aims to better guide price dynamics in a way that supports overall macroeconomic stability and high-quality growth, said an NDRC official.

Over the past decade, China's consumer price index, a main gauge of inflation, has grown at an average annual rate of 1.6 percent, data from the NDRC show.

"That reflects overall stability," said Deng Yusong, director of the Institute for Market Economy at the Development Research Center of the State Council.

"Robust agricultural and industrial supply capabilities have served as stabilizing forces for price levels. As demand structures evolve, particularly with the continued expansion of the services sector, favorable conditions for price stability are expected to increase, providing a favorable environment for further pricing reforms," Deng said.

Contact the writers at ouyangshijia@chinadaily.com.cn

China is set to optimize the price governance mechanism, with the primary aim of empowering market forces to play a more decisive role in price formation, while promoting efficient allocation of resources to serve the construction of a unified national market, said officials and experts.

New price setting mechanism on cards

02.16 EDT Morning opening: A broken stick Jakub Krupa

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen warned this morning that the global economy “will massively suffer” as a result of tariffs imposed by US president Donald Trump last night, as she said the EU was “prepared to respond.”

Despite Trump’s direct attack on “pathetic” EU as he imposed 20% tariffs on the bloc, von der Leyen still expressed hopes that the relationship could “move from confrontation to negotiation,” as she warned “there seems to be no order in disorder.”

But it wasn’t immediately obvious that there was any genuine prospect of that happening.

Instead the EU and the individual member states are now scrambling to consider how to manage the situation.

French president Emmanuel Macron has called an emergency meeting with sectors affected by Trump’s tariffs this afternoon.

German economic daily Handelsblatt published new estimates this morning that the US tariffs – including 25% on car imports – could cost German carmakers BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen as much as €11 bn given Germany is the largest EU car exporter to the US. For perspective, it’s just under a third of the total value of German automotive exports to the US at €36.8 bn.

But the worry is not only about the immediate impact, but the more long term consequences of last night’s decision.

Addressing Europeans directly, von der Leyen said “I know that many of you feel let down by our oldest ally,” as she stressed the need to think about what’s next.

Or as Moritz Schularick, president of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, put it to Handelsblatt:

“There is this memorable picture of a stick that you can bend and that comes back again and again. But at some point, if you bend too much, the stick breaks. I believe that in terms of trust in the United States, something has broken down in recent weeks that will not come back so quickly.”

It’s Thursday, 3 April 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.

Good morning. Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a lively one.

European Commission president hopes to move from confrontation to negotiation after Trump attack on ‘pathetic’ EU

Global economy will ‘massively suffer’ from Donald Trump tariffs, Ursula von der Leyen warns – Europe live

TOKYO -- Japanese government bond purchases by individuals rose 32% to 4.49 trillion yen ($30 billion) in fiscal 2024, as people sought to take advantage of the Bank of Japan's policy shift to raising rates.

Individual JGBs can be purchased in lots starting at 10,000 yen, or $67. They come in 10-year floating rate bonds, five-year fixed-rate bonds and three-year fixed-rate bonds. They can be purchased at securities companies, financial institutions and post offices. Some financial institutions also sell them online.

TOKYO -- Japanese government bond purchases by individuals rose 32% to 4.49 trillion yen ($30 billion) in fiscal 2024, as people sought to take advant

Individual JGB purchases soar as BOJ moves to higher rates

Beijing to host four performances of the Henan province edition of opera La Traviata from April 30 to May 3. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

At the end of last year, Henan Art Center in Zhengzhou, Henan province, hosted 10 consecutive performances of La Traviata, an opera jointly coproduced by Zhengzhou University's Henan Conservatory of Music and Beijing Poly Theatre Management Co Ltd.

This marked the first Western opera produced in Henan province. From April 30 to May 3, the Henan production of La Traviata will be performed at Beijing's Poly Theatre.

The production features a cast with an average age of under 30, joined by young Chinese opera singers active on the international stage, such as soprano Dai Ziyi and tenor Zhang Long.

Among the cast of over 200 performers, 90 percent are local artists. The Henan Symphony Orchestra provides live accompaniment and the Zaiyu Choir gives choral performances. Many of the orchestra's and the choir's principal members are faculty and students from Zhengzhou University's Henan Conservatory of Music.

Beijing to host four performances of the Henan province edition of opera La Traviata from April 30 to May 3. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

According to official statistics, the 10 performances last year attracted nearly 20,000 audience members, with 40 percent coming from outside the province. All performances were streamed online, reaching more than 10 million views.

"Henan has a rich cultural heritage, and we strive to foster a thriving artistic ecosystem through high-quality productions, to contribute to the province's cultural development, provide a platform for young artists, and bring excellent artistic experiences to audiences nationwide," says Dai Yuqiang, dean of the conservatory.

Caption: Beijing to host four performances of the Henan province edition of opera La Traviata from April 30 to May 3.

The Henan province edition of opera La Traviata, jointly produced by Zhengzhou University's conservatory and Beijing Poly Theatre, will have four performances in Beijing from April 30 to May 3. Last year, 10 shows in Henan attracted 20,000 live and 10 million online viewers. The production features young local artists. The dean aims to boost Henan's cultural development with high - quality works.

Henan edition of La Traviata to be staged in Beijing

This was during the 987th meeting at the ministerial level of the AU Peace and Security Council on March 22, 2021.

External Relations Minister, Mbella Mbella has outlined government’s efforts at preserving pecan in Cameroon and the continent. This was during the 987th meeting at the ministerial level of the AU Peace and Security Council on March 22, 2021 held by videoconference under the theme, “Women, Peace, Culture and the Inclusion of Gender in Africa.” Deliberations during the meeting were moderated by Ambassador Raychelle Omamo, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya and PSC Chairperson for March 2021.

In his declaration, Minister Mbella Mbella said as part of peacekeeping, the government is striving towards further training and positioning of the Cameroonian woman in the fields. “In this light, the women were deployed, and still continue to be, for missions all over the continent and the world,” he noted. The Minister further stated that an inclusive gender approach for the consolidation of peace is implemented in Cameroon under the directives of the President of the Republic, Paul Biya. “As concerns the inclusion of women in the prevention of conflicts and fights against violent extremism, the government has amongst other actions intensified fight against gender-based violence, the training of young female peace ambassadors, and the empowerment of the defence and peacekeeping forces,” Minister Mbella Mbella stated.

On the girl child in particular, the Minister said government has put in place an assist...

This was during the 987th meeting at the ministerial level of the AU Peace and Security Council on March 22, 2021.

Peacekeeping: Cameroon Presents Strides Thus Far



Press release

Paris, March 31, 2025 17h35

Annual Results Section

HOPSCOTCH GROUPE

2024 Annual Results

An ambition : reaching €200 Million in Gross Margin by 2030

HOPSCOTCH (Euronext Growth FR0000065278), a communications consulting group and a key player in digital, public relations, and events, announces the publication of its annual accounts as of December 31, 2024. These accounts were approved by the Executive Board and validated by the Supervisory Board on March 31, 2025, along with the Group’s strategic vision for the next five years.

A vision made possible by:

A successful growth strategy: €104.8 million in Gross Margin, +12.8% compared to 2023;

€104.8 million in Gross Margin, +12.8% compared to 2023; An organizational structure designed to create value: €9.2 million in Operating Profit, representing 8.7% of Gross Margin;

€9.2 million in Operating Profit, representing 8.7% of Gross Margin; A solid financial structure: €34.1 million in Shareholders' Equity and €7.7 million in net cash;

€34.1 million in Shareholders' Equity and €7.7 million in net cash; Strong growth levers to surpass €200 million in Gross Margin by 2030, targeting an Operating Profit Margin of 12%.

Frédéric Bedin states: “The Hopscotch brand is establishing itself as a key player in the market, with a clear ambition for consolidation and growth. In 2024, we fully capitalized on this recognition, strengthened our leadership, and accelerated our international expansion.

The coming years will be marked by expansion for Hopscotch.

Thanks to our international scale and unique positioning—which makes us the only agency combining communication consulting, influence, and event production in growing markets—as well as our proven acquisition strategy, we confidently affirm our ambition to reach €200 million in Gross Margin by 2030, with a 12% Operating Profit Margin.”

Consolidated Income Statement

In thousands of euros 2024 2023 Change Revenue 319 054 271 373 +47 681 Gross Margin 104 783 92 934 +11 849 of which Labor Costs

of which Freelance

of which Business Development Costs

Other Expenses (71 338)

(3 407)

(2 543)

(14 789) (62 414)

(2 674)

(2 393)

(14 411) +8 924

+733

+150

+378 Operating Profit 9 163 9 927 (764) Share of profit from Associates

Financial Result

Taxes (476)

(1 641)

(2 144) (85)

(2666)

(1 992) (391)

(1025)

(152)



Net Profit Attributable to the Group 4 824 4 568 + 256

A Successful Growth Strategy

In 2024, the Group's consolidated revenue reached €319.1 million (+17.7%), and the consolidated Gross Margin stood at €104.8 million (+12.7%).

This new record confirms the growth trajectory initiated by the Group through strong organic growth levers and a dynamic external growth strategy.

Regarding acquisitions, the successful integration of Interface Tourism—now Hopscotch Tourism—accounts for 9% of the Group's Gross Margin. In addition to incorporating solid expertise in the tourism industry, this acquisition strengthens Hopscotch’s international presence, particularly in Europe, and fosters significant commercial synergies.

This acquisition complements the Group’s organic growth, which stands at +4% for the year, excluding the decline in North American operations.

An Organizational Structure in Place to Deliver Value

Personnel expenses amounted to €71.3 million, representing 68.1% of Gross Margin.

External expenses totaled €18.8 million, or 17.9% of Gross Margin, with a limited increase given the integration of Interface Tourism.

EBITDA/AL (excluding the IFRS 16 accounting impact of lease capitalization) stood at €9.1 million in 2024, an increase of €2.2 million compared to 2023.

Depreciation and amortization expenses for 2024 amounted to €5.0 million, including €4.0 million in IFRS 16 lease amortization. The year also recorded a provision reversal of €1.5 million, a decrease of €1.7 million compared to the previous year. This explains the apparent decline in Consolidated Operating Profit and the increase in EBITDA/AL.

For 2024, Consolidated Operating Profit reached €9.2 million, compared to €9.9 million in 2023.

As expected, the integration of Interface Tourism—Hopscotch Tourism—positively contributes to the Group’s results. Hopscotch Tourism reported €9.5 million in Gross Margin for the year and generated €1.2 million in Operating Profit, representing 12.2% of its Gross Margin.

Within the Group’s historical scope, North American operations negatively impacted results with a Gross Margin shortfall of approximately €1.5 million and non-recurring reorganization costs of about €1 million.

The financial result stood at -€1.6 million. After the share of net profit from equity-accounted companies (-€0.5 million) and corporate tax (-€2.1 million), Net Profit Attributable to the Group for the year amounted to €4.8 million.

A Solid Financial Structure with Over €7.6 Million in Net Cash

As of December 31, 2024, the Group relied on a strong financial structure with shareholders' equity of €34.1 million, compared to €31.5 million as of December 31, 2023. This includes the acquisition of minority stakes in Sopexa—now Hopscotch Season—and the dividends paid for the previous year (€1.9 million).

Cash flow from operations, excluding IFRS 16 effects, stood at €9.3 million, compared to €5.9 million the previous year. The change in working capital at December 31, 2024, amounted to -€7.5 million, compared to €5.7 million the previous year.

In 2024, Hopscotch Groupe continued repaying its state-guaranteed loan (PGE) for €4.8 million. Excluding this loan, the Group’s overall debt increased by €7.9 million to finance acquisitions, reaching €20.3 million as of December 31, 2024.

Active cash amounted to €37.9 million, including €28 million excluding the PGE, resulting in a positive net financial position of €7.7 million.

The Executive Board will propose at the General Meeting on May 27, 2025, the payment of a dividend of €0.65 per share, unchanged from last year (ex-dividend date: July 3, payment: July 7, 2024).

Strong Growth Levers

Hopscotch’s established reputation, which peaked during the Paris 2024 sporting celebrations, reaffirms its growth and development ambitions in event production and communications consulting.

Already present in strategic regions (Europe, Gulf countries, Asia), Hopscotch intends to continue its international expansion through regional structures that ensure proximity to a high-potential global clientele.

Following successful integrations in strategic sectors like tourism, which bring new expertise and talent, Hopscotch is ready to accelerate in promising markets such as major international events—exemplified by the SuperCoppa Italia semi-finals and finals held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from January 2 to 6, 2025.

Over 2025 and beyond, Hopscotch aims to adopt a targeted acquisition strategy to strengthen its geographical, sectoral, and business positioning, penetrate new high-potential markets, create synergies, and generate long-term value.

Backed by these growth levers, the Group’s ambition for 2030 is to reach €200 million in Gross Margin, with a 12% ROC.

Upcoming Publications:

H1 2025 Activity: Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Wednesday, July 30, 2025 H1 2025 Results: Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Tuesday, September 30, 2025 Full-Year Revenue: Tuesday, February 3, 2026





________

Investor relations contact

Pierre-Franck MOLEY – Managing Director - Tel. 01 41 34 20 56 - [email protected]

Press contact

Jodie KNOEPFLER CONSCIENCE – Assistant to the Management Board - Tel. 01 41 34 20 51 - [email protected]

________

About HOPSCOTCH

HOPSCOTCH is an international communications group founded in France, driven by an entrepreneurial vision and the complementary nature of its talents and expertise.

HOPSCOTCH is a unique combination of expertise, driven by the belief that the value of a company or organization lies in the quality of its relational capital.

With more than 1,000 employees, half of whom are based internationally (40 offices across 5 continents), HOPSCOTCH covers all areas of communication: influence, events, public relations, activations, digital, internal communication, public affairs, and marketing services.

HOPSCOTCH organizes its agencies around its areas of expertise:

Event: Hopscotch Event, Hopscotch Congrès, Hopscotch Moments, Sagarmatha.

Public Relations: Hopscotch PR, Le Public Système PR, Human to Human, Hopscotch Décideurs.

Digital and Marketing: heaven, AD Crew, Hopscotch Digital Studio.

Sectorial expertise: Hopscotch Cinéma, Hopscotch Luxe, Hopscotch Season, Hopscotch Sport, Hopscotch Tourism.

HOPSCOTCH has been committed to ambitious ecological and societal initiatives for over 15 years, validated by internationally recognized CSR certifications, including RSE Agences Actives, ISO 20121, and the EcoVadis Platinum medal.

Listed on Euronext Growth Paris (ISIN code: ALHOP FR 00000 6527 8), the group represents a turnover of €319,1 million and a gross margin of €104,8 million in 2024.

Follow us: www.hopscotchgroupe.com and on LinkedIn / X / Instagram / Bluesky @HOPSCOTCHgroupe



Eligible PEA PME



Attachment



HOPSCOTCH GROUPE : Annual Results 2024

A Pakistani-Canadian national has been arrested for running a years-long scheme to circumvent US export control laws and smuggle millions of dollars' worth of American technology to entities associated with Pakistan's military and weapons programmes.

Mohammad Jawaid Aziz (67) was arrested on March 21 in the Western District of Washington while attempting to cross into the United States from Canada. He remains detained, pending transfer to the district of Minnesota.

Aziz has been charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Export Control Reform Act, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison; and violating the Export Control Reform Act, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison.

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The indictment alleges that from 2003 through approximately March 2019, Aziz operated an illicit procurement network through his Canada-based company Diversified Technology Services. The purpose of the network was to obtain US-origin goods on behalf of prohibited entities in Pakistan that were associated with the south Asian country's nuclear, missile, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) programmes.

Aziz, while operating through Diversified Technology Services, procured various goods, including sensitive and restricted items subject to export administration regulations (EAR) and those on the Commerce Control List, from US companies on behalf of the restricted entities in Pakistan.

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As alleged, Siddiqui and his co-conspirators worked to conceal the true end-users of the goods from US companies, often using front companies and transshipping goods through third countries to evade detection, a statement from the Department of Justice said.

Mohammad Jawaid Aziz (67) is arrested on March 21.

Pakistani-Canadian held for smuggling US tech to entities linked to Pak military

Key Highlights:

Global first "immuno + anti-vascular" bispecific antibody approved: ivonescimab for EGFR-TKI resistant nsq-NSCLC. Phase III HARMONi study topline data expected mid-2025 (FDA FTD).

ivonescimab outperforms pembrolizumab in Phase III study for first-line PD-L1+ NSCLC: mPFS HR=0.51; sNDA under priority review.

Cadonilimab approved for first-line gastric cancer: Fills immunotherapy gap for patients with low or negative PD-L1 expression.

Cadonilimab's sNDA for first-line cervical cancer accepted by NMPA.

New commercial milestones: cadonilimab and ivonescimab added to the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL).

AK117 (CD47) enters Phase III trials: ivonescimab combined with AK117 for first-line HNSCC treatment, compared with pembrolizumab.

Cadonilimab and ivonescimab: Over 20 Phase III and 40+ Phase II trials ongoing, covering 40+ indications.

"IO+ADC" 2.0 strategy gaining momentum: First self-developed ADC and bispecific ADC enter clinical trials.

Non-oncology expansion: ebronucimab (PCSK9) approved, NDAs for ebdarokimab (IL-12/IL-23) and gumokimab (IL-17) under review.

3 drugs approved, 5 new drugs with 5 indications under regulatory review.

HONG KONG, March 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Akeso Inc. (9926.HK) ("Akeso", "the Company") released its 2024 annual report, emphasizing the company's key achievements in drug research, clinical development, and commercialization.

In 2024, Akeso achieved key success in antibody therapy research and development. The approval of new indications for cadonilimab and the launch of first-in-class drugs like ivonescimab expanded the company's footprint in major solid tumors, including lung and gastric cancers. Akeso continues to challenge current standard of care with head-to-head trials against pembrolizumab and other therapies, while advancing novel treatments such as anti-CD47 monoclonal antibody, antibody drug conjugates ("ADCs") and bispecific ADCs. The company also achieved major milestones in commercialization and patient access, with products included in national insurance directories. Currently, over 25 registrational and Phase III clinical trials are actively progressing.

On the commercial front, Akeso's adjustments in drug pricing and optimization of its commercial systems led to new drug sales revenue surpassing RMB 2 billion in 2024, a 25% year-on-year increase. The company continues to reduce operating losses, with an EBITDA loss of 225 million RMB in 2024.

Dr. Xia Yu, Founder, Chairwoman, President, and CEO of Akeso Biopharma:

"We are thrilled to have reached historic milestones in our innovative drug development in 2024. The approval of several globally competitive products and breakthroughs in advanced therapies have strengthened our global competitiveness in biopharmaceutical innovation.

Notably, our first-in-class bispecific antibodies, cadonilimab and ivonescimab, have been approved for commercial sales and included in China's NRDL. This significantly improves drug accessibility, reduces patient burdens, and fulfills a key strategic goal in our domestic commercialization efforts. In clinical development, cadonilimab and ivonescimab are currently in over 20 registrational/Phase III clinical trials globally, establishing a strong presence in first-line treatments for a wide range of high-incidence cancers. Additionally, more than 40 Phase II trials are ongoing, further strengthening our leadership in global cancer immunotherapy.

We've also made key advances in novel therapies, with ligufalimab (anti-CD47 mAb) moving to Phase III for solid tumors, and progress in next-gen ADCs, bispecific ADCs, and autoimmune bispecific antibodies.

These achievements have expanded our oncology pipeline and strengthened our global expansion strategy with a comprehensive 'IO 2.0+' combination therapy platform."

Akeso's Bispecific Antibody Clinical Portfolio Continues to Expand, Demonstrating Global Leadership in Next-Generation Tumor Immunotherapy

In 2024, Akeso continued to focus and make progress on research and clinical development. The accomplishments from these efforts include :

3 novel drugs approved for market

5 NDAs under review for 5 indications

24 drug candidates in global clinical development

Over 25 registrational/Phase III trials actively progressing

Notably, Akeso has focused on redefining global treatment paradigms through the development of breakthrough therapies that provide additional survival and safety benefit to current standard of care. Centered around its internally developed first-in-class bispecific antibodies—cadonilimab (PD-1/CTLA-4) and ivonescimab (PD-1/VEGF)—the company has conducted over 40 clinical trials across a number of indications.

Cadonilimab

After its approval for recurrent/metastatic cervical cancer, cadonilimab reached a major milestone in 2024 with the approval for a new indication in first-line gastric cancer, addressing unmet needs in PD-L1 low/negative populations. The sNDA for first-line cervical cancer is currently under review. Cadonilimab is also currently in 8 Phase III trials and nearly 20 Phase II studies, exploring treatments for major cancers in both first- and later-line settings.

Ivonescimab

In 2024, ivonescimab was approved for the treatment of EGFR-TKI-resistant, locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (nsq-NSCLC). A major milestone was reached in May 2024 when the Phase III HARMONi-2 trial, comparing ivonescimab to pembrolizumab in first-line PD-L1-positive NSCLC, showed positive results. Data presented at the 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) revealed a median Progression-Free Survival (mPFS) of 11.14 months for ivonescimab, compared to 5.82 months for pembrolizumab. This breakthrough highlights ivonescimab's potential as a key therapy in next-gen immuno-oncology and boosts its global commercialization prospects.

Currently, ivonescimab is in 12 registrational/Phase III clinical trials, including 6 head-to-head studies against PD-1/L1 therapies, as well as in over 20 Phase II trials.

Key Phase III Trials in NSCLC :

Ivonescimab monotherapy vs. pembrolizumab as first-line (1L) treatment for PD-L1+ NSCLC

Ivonescimab + chemotherapy vs. pembrolizumab + chemotherapy (global multicenter trial) as 1L treatment for NSCLC

Ivonescimab + chemotherapy vs. tislelizumab + chemotherapy as 1L treatment for squamous NSCLC (sq-NSCLC)

Phase III Trials in Other Major IO Indications:

Ivonescimab + chemotherapy vs. durvalumab + chemotherapy as 1L treatment for biliary tract cancer

Ivonescimab + AK117 (CD47 mAb) vs. pembrolizumab as 1L treatment for PD-L1+ head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)

Ivonescimab combination as 1L treatment for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)

Ivonescimab in PD-(L)1-resistant NSCLC, and ivonescimab combination as 1L treatment for pancreatic cancer (preparation/initiation underway)

These trials reflect ivonescimab's development strategy that is based on a fundamental understanding of tumor immunobiology and designing clinical studies that compares it with standard of care, encompassing both first-line and later-line treatments for high-incidence, high-mortality cancers. This positions Akeso as a key innovator in next-generation cancer immunotherapy, improving and contributing to the global IO cancer treatment landscape.

Breakthrough Bispecifics Enter NRDL, Paving the Way for the Next Stage of Commercial Growth

In 2024, Akeso Biopharma achieved commercial sales of RMB 2 billion, representing a 25% year-over-year growth.

As China's innovative drug market transforms, clinically innovative medicines face historic development opportunities. Both cadonilimab and ivonescimab, recognized for their innovation and clinical value, were successfully included in the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) during the 2024 negotiations, marking a major milestone in Akeso's commercial franchise.

The inclusion of both cadonilimab and ivonescimab in the NRDL represents the next stage in Akeso's market strategy, with a clear focus on hospital-based markets as the core growth area. It greatly improves the therapy accessibility, reduces patient treatment burdens, and evolves the innovative value of the company's first-in-class bispecific antibodies into tangible social and commercial benefits.

Following the NRDL inclusion, Akeso has made key upgrades to its commercial infrastructure, aligning with its strategic priorities for accelerated growth:

Rapid Hospital Access: Prioritizing swift hospital access for cadonilimab and ivonescimab through data-driven tiering of key accounts.

Commercial Team Expansion: Enhancing coverage of core hospitals and regional hubs to ensure maximum reach and impact.

Scientific Leadership: Strengthening engagement with KOLs and generating real-world evidence to highlight the differentiated efficacy and safety profiles of its bispecifics, driving physician adoption.

These initiatives set the stage for Akeso's growth in 2025 and beyond, while building a strong foundation for long-term, sustainable commercial growth.

Akeso's non-oncology portfolio is also advancing with the launch of PCSK9 inhibitor ebronucimab and the potential approvals for assets like ebdarokimab and gumokimab. The company is building a dedicated commercial team to tap into the multi-billion RMB metabolic and autoimmune markets. Akeso's strong pipeline in non-oncology indications will provide additional drivers for sales growth.

Potential Disclosure of Ivonescimab's Topline HARMONi Clinical Data Mid-Year

International Expansion of Novel Drug Development Accelerates

Akeso's global partner on ivonescimab, Summit Therapeutics, is advancing three international multicenter Phase III clinical trials:

The HARMONi study, a Phase III clinical trial that evaluates ivonescimab combined with chemotherapy compared to placebo plus chemotherapy in patients with EGFR-mutated, locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous NSCLC who have progressed after treatment with a 3rd generation EGFR TKI (e.g., osimertinib). Summit has announced plans to disclose topline data in mid-2025.

Summit expanded the HARMONi-3 study cohort in 2024 to include both squamous NSCLC (sq-NSCLC) and non-squamous NSCLC (nsq-NSCLC), expanding first-line coverage for all NSCLC populations.

The HARMONi-7 study, a global Phase III trial comparing ivonescimab monotherapy with pembrolizumab monotherapy as a first-line treatment for PD-L1-high NSCLC, is expected to begin in 2025.

In February 2025, Summit has entered into a clinical collaboration with Pfizer to evaluate ivonescimab in combination with Pfizer's antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) across solid tumors. Pfizer will be responsible for conducting the operations of the studies. The studies will be overseen by both Summit and Pfizer. Both parties retain their respective rights to their products. Akeso is responsible for the production of ivonescimab used in the clinical trial conducted globally.

Beyond bispecific antibodies

Akeso is advancing a pipeline of promising candidates beyond bispecific antibodies. The company's first self-developed ADC, AK138D1, with the first patient enrolled in Australia for Phase I. Clinical trials for the Company's first bispecific ADC have also begun. Additionally, the IND application for AK139, the first IL-4Rα/ST2-targeting bispecific, has been accepted.

Ligufalimab (CD47 mAb), considered a key target in immuno-oncology, advanced to Phase III in 2024. A randomized, double-blind, controlled Phase III trial (vs. pembrolizumab) is ongoing for first-line PD-L1(+) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), making ligufalimab the first CD47 mAb to reach Phase III for solid tumors. A global Phase II trial combining ligufalimab with azacitidine for first-line myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is actively progressing across multiple countries, including the U.S.

In parallel with the accelerated global expansion of its novel drug development, Akeso's therapies and clinical studies have also received recognition in top-tier academic journals and conferences. In 2024, the company revealed nearly 80 groundbreaking research findings in prestigious journals and academic conferences, including JAMA, Nature Medicine, and The Lancet.

About Akeso

Akeso (HKEX: 9926.HK) is a leading biopharmaceutical company committed to the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of the world's first or best-in-class innovative biological medicines. Founded in 2012, the company has created a unique integrated R&D innovation system with the comprehensive end-to-end drug development platform (ACE Platform) and bi-specific antibody drug development technology (Tetrabody) as the core, a GMP-compliant manufacturing system and a commercialization system with an advanced operation mode, and has gradually developed into a globally competitive biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative solutions. With fully integrated multi-functional platform, Akeso is internally working on a robust pipeline of over 50 innovative assets in the fields of cancer, autoimmune disease, inflammation, metabolic disease and other major diseases. Among them, 24 candidates have entered clinical trials (including 15 bispecific/multispecific antibodies and bispecific ADCs. Additionally, 6 new drugs are commercially available, and 5 new drugs with 5 new indications are under regulatory review for approval. Through efficient and breakthrough R&D innovation, Akeso always integrates superior global resources, develops the first-in-class and best-in-class new drugs, provides affordable therapeutic antibodies for patients worldwide, and continuously creates more commercial and social values to become a global leading biopharmaceutical enterprise.

For more information, please visit https://www.akesobio.com/en/about-us/corporate-profile/ and follow us on Linkedin.

Akeso's 2024 Results: Strengthening Global Competitiveness and Transforming the Treatment Landscape with Bispecific Antibodies

Commonwealth Bank of Australia expects the Reserve Bank to keep the official cash rate unchanged at 4.10% in April, with policymakers likely to strike a more dovish tone as they await the March quarter inflation report. While the RBA has maintained a modestly hawkish stance since its February rate cut—signalling a reluctance to ease again so soon—CBA believes softer domestic data and moderating inflation could open the door to a cut in May.

In summary:

recent run of domestic data has on balance been a little softer than the RBA forecasts imply

totality of the data is not sufficiently soft that the cash rate will be cut April 1

RBA officials have retained a modestly hawkish narrative since the February cut ... so back-to-back rate cuts seem unlikely as it would signal too large a shift in the Board’s view on the economy in a short space of time

on-hold decision to be accompanied by a more dovish stance

we believe a Q1 25 trimmed mean outcome below the RBA’s 0.7%/qtr forecast means a 25bp rate cut in May is a done deal

---

Earlier:

I've only seen one analyst forecast a cut, of 25bp, tomorrow.

The Reserve Bank of Australia Statement is due at 2.30pm Sydney time on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

0330 GMT

2330 US Eastern time

Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Bullock's news conference follows an hour later.

The Reserve Bank of Australia meet on Monday, March 31, 2025 and Tuesday, April 1, 2025

CBA expects RBA on hold this week, with a more dovish tone

Trump rescinded permits and waivers that had allowed several Western energy firms to operate in Venezuela, further tightening pressure on President Nicolás Maduro’s regime.

Affected companies include U.S.-based Global Oil Terminals—led by energy magnate Harry Sargeant III (a staunch Trump supporter) —as well as Spain’s Repsol and France’s Maurel et Prom, all of which must cease operations in the country by May 27.

The decision also impacts Venezuelan gas firms working with PDVSA, the state oil company. Global Oil Terminals must halt financial dealings with PDVSA by April 2 and settle outstanding payments.

The move is part of Washington’s broader effort to increase economic pressure on Maduro and push for democratic reforms, following similar orders recently given to Chevron.

Bloomberg had the report over the weekend, citing "three people familiar with the issue said Saturday".

Weekend: Trump revoked permits and waivers allowing Western firms to operate in Venezuela

China March official Manufacturing PMI 50.5, fastest in a year.

expected 50.5 (I've also seen expected at 50.4)

prior 50.4

production index 50.5, from 50 in February

new order index 51.8, from 51.1 in February

new export order index is stayed in contraction, at 49.0, for the 11th month - weakness in external demand

Non-Manufacturing PMI 50.8

expected 50.5, prior 50.4

Composite PMI 51.4

prior 51.1

Solid results these. Not spectacular, but for diffusion indexes these are good results. More on this below

***

Earlier:

***

A diffusion index is a statistical measure used to summarise the direction of change in a particular economic indicator, typically based on survey data. It's most commonly used in business and economic surveys, such as PMIs, to show whether activity is generally expanding, contracting, or staying the same.

How does it work?

Respondents (like purchasing managers) are usually asked whether key business indicators (e.g. new orders, output, employment) have increased, decreased, or stayed the same compared to the previous month.

Each response is assigned a value:

Above 50 = Expansion

Exactly 50 = No change

Below 50 = Contraction

So, for example: A PMI of 50.5 means a majority of businesses reported growth compared to the previous month.

A PMI of 49.6 means a majority reported a decline.

The reason diffusion index results (like PMIs) are often viewed positively—even if they don't rise much—is because of how the index works and what it signals about the direction of economic activity rather than its speed or magnitude.

Here’s why:

Even a small increase above 50 indicates ongoing expansion. For example: If a PMI rises from 50.4 to 50.5, it's not a big jump—but it still means more businesses are reporting improvement than deterioration.

The higher the number, the broader the expansion—but as long as it stays above 50, growth is continuing.

A diffusion index doesn't need to surge to be encouraging. A steady, slightly rising index suggests:

Resilience in economic activity,

Confidence among businesses,

And that contraction risks are low, which is especially important in uncertain or volatile environments.

Diffusion indexes are all about momentum—the general trend in business conditions. Even modest gains reflect:

Cumulative improvement in areas like new orders or employment,

And broad-based participation in recovery or growth, which can be more sustainable than sharp spikes.

If the index is rising, even slowly, it shows that more firms are reporting better conditions than worse. That’s a clear contrast to a reading below 50, where the majority see deterioration.

***

In summary:

China March official Manufacturing PMI 50.5 (expected of 50.5)

BBC Studios' classic documentary IP "Walking with Dinosaurs," which used computer and animation technologies to showcase dinosaurs, will have a marvelous return. The epic series, which debuted in the United Kingdom in 1999, has inspired a new six-episode documentary series of the same name.

During the recent UK-China Screen Forum at the 29th Hong Kong International Film & TV Market, officials from the BBC and iQiyi announced the exclusive premiere of the series on the Chinese streaming service's Documentary and Kids channels on the Chinese mainland.

Produced by BBC Studios Science Unit, the new series leverages cutting-edge technology to bring the prehistoric world to life with stunning visual effects. Viewers will be immersed in the dramatic lives of these ancient giants, with each episode featuring gripping stories based on the latest archeological discoveries.

Each episode of the series focuses on dinosaur remains that are excavated by top paleontologists around the world. The process of survival, hunting, struggle, and extinction of these prehistoric overlords is reconstructed with unprecedented precision. Vivid prehistoric scenes will be presented to lead the audience into the prehistoric world.

BBC's new docuseries 'Walking with Dinosaurs' to premiere on iQiyi

The Cambodian Riel is one of the world’s cheapest currencies due to limited usage in domestic markets where the US dollar dominates. Cambodia’s economic dependency on tourism and agriculture makes the currency more volatile. Weak infrastructure and corruption have further reduced the growth. In 2020, the National Bank of Cambodia announced plans to phase out the widespread circulation of one, two, and five-dollar notes. This aimed not only to reduce dependency on smaller denominations of foreign currency but also to boost demand for the riel, which had been struggling with depreciation.



Currency values vary over time across the globe, as a result of being constantly influenced by factors like economic conditions, inflation, political stability, and market dynamics. While stronger currencies are a representation of stricter economies, weaker currencies come as a result of economic challenges. While weaker currencies can significantly impact trade, investment, and the purchasing power of citizens when compared to other countries across the globe, what if traveling to such nations isn’t a money matter at all? Here are the 10 weakest currencies across the globe.

From Vietnamese Dong to Cambodian Riel: The 10 least valued currencies in the world

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An adult Formosan black bear and a cub were rescued by employees of Hualien’s Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency this week.

On March 27, the agency received a report that an adult female bear was caught in a lasso trap in Hualien’s Zhuoxi Township. Agents quickly mobilized a team of 20 responders to free the bear and transport her to the Wild One conservatory and animal sanctuary for medical treatment and observation, according to a press release .

The agency also received a report that a black bear cub was spotted in a tree not far from where the adult was trapped. Concerned for the animal’s safety, the agency set up cameras, motion detectors, and two cage traps to capture the cub.



On Saturday evening, cameras revealed that the cub had found its way safely to one of the cage traps, according to a press release . Agents returned to the area on Sunday morning to retrieve the cub and transport it to the Wild One conservatory.

The cub was safely captured on March 30.

At the time of the mother’s rescue, she weighed 58 kilograms. She was dehydrated, and her front left paw was swollen and chaffed due to the lasso trap. Her condition was not critical, and a full recovery is expected.

The adult bear was caught in a lasso trap. (Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency photo)



The black bear cub was a female that weighed 11.5 kilograms. After examination, she was found to be in good health. The adult is assumed to be the cub’s mother, but a test will be conducted for confirmation.

The members of the public who reported the bears will be compensated per a wildlife protection initiative . A subsidy fund was established in 2022 that awards NT$3,000 (US$90) for verifiable reports of Formosan black bear intrusions.

The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency also warned hunters and those trying to protect property from animals that they should not use lasso traps. The traps, which are typically used to hunt wild boar, can easily ensnare Formosan black bears, which are a protected species.



The agency said it will assist hunters and landowners in updating equipment with traps and deterrents that are not as harmful to the bear population.

Adult female bear caught in lasso trap, cub spotted wandering alone nearby | Mar. 30, 2025 20:38

Formosan black bear and cub rescued in Eastern Taiwan

Lyt til artiklen Gem artiklen Gemt Læst Henter...

Redningsfolk graver sig gennem murbrokker i både Myanmar og Thailand i forsøget på at finde overlevende, efter et jordskælv fredag ramte Myanmar.

Jordskælvet, der er målt til en styrke på 7,7, havde sit epicenter nær Myanmars næststørste by, Mandalay. Det ramte fredag eftermiddag lokal tid. Få minutter senere ramte et efterskælv med en styrke på 6,7.

Bygninger er styrtet sammen, broer er kollapset og veje er ødelagte i store dele af Myanmar, der ligger i det sydøstlige Asien.

1.002 er meldt omkomne i Myanmar, mens ti meldes døde i Thailands hovedstad, Bangkok.

BBC har talt med en lokal mand i Mandalay-området, der har sluttet sig til et redningsteam. Han fortæller, at de har brug for maskiner til at redde folk.

»Vi graver folk ud med vores bare hænder. Det er ikke nok til at få kroppene og de mennesker, der er fanget under murbrokkerne, ud«, siger han til BBC.

»Folk skriger: ’Hjælp mig, hjælp mig. Jeg føler mig så fortabt’«.

I Myanmar er kommunikationsvejene hæmmet efter skælvet, og antallet af døde forventes at stige betydeligt.

Skælvet er ifølge amerikanske geologer det kraftigste, der har ramt det sydøstasiatiske land i mere end et århundrede.

»Jeg har aldrig set noget som det her før«

I Bangkok har redningsfolk natten igennem forsøgt at finde frem til arbejdere, der er blevet fanget i et højhus, der var i gang med at blive opført og som styrtede sammen som følge af skælvet.

Op mod 100 savnede arbejdere formodes tidligt lørdag morgen fortsat at opholde sig i den kollapsede bygning.

»Vi gør vores bedste, med de ressourcer vi har. Hver eneste liv betyder noget«, siger Bangkoks guvernør, Chadchart Sittiput.

Ifølge guvernøren måtte mere end 400 mennesker sove under åben himmel i hovedstadens parker natten til lørdag, fordi det ikke er sikkert for dem at vende hjem.

Hospitaler i byen er blevet evakueret, og en kvinde fødte sit barn udendørs, efter at være blevet evakueret fra et hospital.

I Myanmar er sundhedsvæsnet og beredskabet hårdt medtaget efter jordskælvet.

Lederen af landets militærjunta, Min Aung Hlaing, kom fredag med en sjælden bøn om hjælp og donationer fra ’ethvert land’. Tidligere har landets militærjunta undsagt sig udenlandsk hjælp - også efter naturkatastrofer.

I hovedstaden, Naypyidaw, behandler læger sårede i det fri efter jordskælvet.

»Jeg har aldrig set noget som det her før. Vi forsøger at håndtere situationen. Jeg er så udmattet«, fortæller en læge på stedet.

Indien, Sydkorea, Frankrig, og EU har tilbudt at yde hjælp efter jordskælvet. Også USA’s præsident, Donald Trump, sagde natten til lørdag, at der ville komme hjælp fra USA.

Over 1.000 personer har mistet livet som følge af jordskælv i Myanmar. Redningsfolk graver efter overlevende i både Myanmar og Thailand.

Over 1.000 meldes døde efter jordskælv: »Jeg har aldrig set noget som det her før«

ANDONG, South Korea: Kim Dal-geun has lived in Andong for the past decade with his wife, enjoying the rich culture and folk traditions that the city has to offer.

But on Tuesday (Mar 25), the couple was forced to flee with just the clothes on their backs.

They had been ordered to evacuate when South Korea’s worst wildfires on record – which have ravaged much of North Geyeongsang province in the southeast since last week – tore through their city, which is now one of the hardest-hit areas.

The fires began in central Uiseong county and have killed at least 28 people, devastating an area equivalent to about two-thirds of Singapore.

Heritage sites went up in flames, including a 1,300-year-old Buddhist temple, and residents were combing through their burnt homes to see what could be salvaged.

"The fire started down across the road. It was very windy that day, and a fireball blew over … so we started running. People who arrived later said that the fire had started and spread,” Kim told CNA.

The 78-year-old and his wife left the temporary shelters they had been evacuated to and briefly returned to their neighbourhood along with other residents on Thursday to check on their homes.

While part of the couple’s house went up in flames, they were hoping to save anything they could – like a small plot of land where they used to grow chillies for a living.

“This is painful to see, but what can we do? What can we say? It's hard to describe,” Kim added sombrely.

Still, he was relieved that his two dogs were safe and sound after he had to leave them behind. Others may not have been so fortunate – some residents had no time to even remove their dogs’ leashes before fleeing.

Thousands have been displaced and 28 people died in the fires that broke out last week, with at least 18 designated heritage sites or objects being destroyed or damaged.

'I can only cry': Homes, cultural heritage sites destroyed in South Korea's deadliest wildfires on record

What is a solar eclipse?



A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon totally conceals the Sun, briefly transforming day into darkness. Partial solar eclipse: The Moon creates a crescent shape when it partially covers the Sun. The Moon appears smaller than the Sun during an annular solar eclipse, creating a shining ring that is referred to as the "ring of fire."

Solar eclipse 2025: Will it be visible in India?

Start time: 2:20:43 PM IST Peak time: 4:17:27 PM IST End time: 4:13:45 PM IST

Are precautions necessary for pregnant women?



Important safety tips for pregnant women during solar eclipse



Avoid looking directly at the sun

Minimise UV exposure



Stay hydrated



Maintain a calm and stress-free environment



Avoid unnecessary physical strain



Eat nutritious meals



Consult a doctor for any concerns



Traditional tips that pregnant women can follow



Staying indoors



Avoiding sharp objects



Covering windows with curtains



Taking a bath after the eclipse



Placing Tulsi leaves in food and water



What really matters during a solar eclipse?

Pregnant women do not need to take any extraordinary precautions during a solar eclipse. The most important aspects to focus on are eye protection, hydration, stress management, and overall well-being. Superstitions should not cause unnecessary worry. Scientific understanding should always guide decisions, ensuring a safe and stress-free pregnancy experience. If any concerns arise, a healthcare professional should always be consulted for expert advice.

Solar eclipse: Pregnant moms, you need not stay indoors!

For thousands of years, almost all of us have been mesmerised by the amazing occurrence of solar eclipses. This time too the eclipse will surprise us with its beauty on March 29 which will be the first solar eclipse of 2025, and will last roughly four hours. However, there are many myths surrounding solar eclipses, particularly concerning the topic 'pregnancy' in various civilisations, particularly in India. Some of these ideas have little scientific support, while others have their roots in tradition. It's important to differentiate reality from fiction and concentrate on useful guidance that encourages wellbeing and safety.The eclipse has a very basic concept, when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, it can partially or totally hide the Sun's light, causing a solar eclipse. Three main kinds of solar eclipses exist:The partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025, will be visible across parts of the Northern Hemisphere, including eastern Canada, northern Russia, most of Europe, northeastern North America, and northwest Africa. But, For those who hope to see it from India, will not be able to watch this event as it will not be visible in India. The timing of the eclipse, as per Indian Standard Time (IST), is:See More: Solar Eclipse 2025: 5 things to do before, during, and after solar eclipse Pregnant women should take special care during a solar eclipse, according to various traditional beliefs. However, the idea that eclipses are an immediate risk to the pregnancy is not supported by current medical research. The key is to follow general health and safety guidelines rather than basing actions on myths.One of the most critical safety measures during a solar eclipse is to never look at the Sun without proper protection. This rule applies to everyone, including pregnant women. Direct exposure to the Sun’s rays can cause permanent eye damage. If there is a desire to view the eclipse, it is essential to use certified solar eclipse glasses. Regular sunglasses are not sufficient.See More: Solar Eclipse 2025: When and where to see it? Visibility in India, safety tips on how to watch it? Although a solar eclipse itself does not emit any harmful radiation, excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays is always a concern, especially during pregnancy. Staying indoors during the peak hours of the eclipse can help minimize unnecessary exposure.Pregnancy already increases the body’s requirement for fluids. Staying well-hydrated is essential, especially if the eclipse coincides with hot weather conditions. Drinking plenty of water, fresh juices, or coconut water can help prevent dehydration.Solar eclipses are often linked with superstitions and myths that can create unnecessary anxiety. Stress during pregnancy is not advisable, so it is best to engage in relaxing activities such as deep breathing, listening to soothing music, or meditating.While there is no direct evidence that a solar eclipse affects physical health, it is always good practice for pregnant women to avoid unnecessary physical strain and get enough rest. Taking it easy during the eclipse period can contribute to overall well-being.There is a common belief in some cultures that food should not be consumed during an eclipse. However, medical experts do not support this notion. A balanced diet is crucial for pregnant women at all times. Eating fresh, home-cooked meals and staying nourished is important, regardless of an eclipse.If there are any specific concerns related to pregnancy and solar eclipses, consulting a doctor or healthcare provider is the best course of action. A medical expert can offer reliable guidance based on scientific evidence rather than myths.Many cultures around the world have their own set of beliefs and customs regarding eclipses, particularly in relation to pregnancy. Some pregnant women may choose to follow them for cultural or personal comfort. Some common traditional practices include:It is often believed that pregnant women should avoid stepping outside during an eclipse to prevent any negative effects on the baby. While there is no scientific evidence supporting this, some follow this practice out of tradition.Some traditions suggest that pregnant women should not use knives, scissors, or needles during an eclipse, as it is believed to cause birth defects. Again, there is no scientific proof, but some choose to follow this as a precaution.Some households cover windows with dark curtains during an eclipse to prevent exposure to the celestial event. While this has no scientific basis, it is a widely followed practice in many cultures.A common belief is that pregnant women should take a bath after the eclipse to cleanse any negative effects. While this is a ritualistic practice, taking a bath can indeed be refreshing and relaxing.In some cultures, Tulsi (holy basil) leaves are placed in food and water during an eclipse to purify them. This practice is rooted in religious beliefs rather than scientific necessity.

The first solar eclipse of 2025, occurring on March 29, will not be visible in India. Despite myths linking eclipses to pregnancy risks, medical exper

Solar Eclipse 2025: Tips for Pregnant Women to follow on Surya Grahan





Just as regular visits to the gym maintain the body in good shape, exercise for the brain keeps it agile. Research indicates that working on puzzles such as Sudoku, chess, and crosswords can enhance mental function and slow down cognitive decline. Games that test memory, logic, and problem-solving abilities strengthen connections between neurons and make you respond faster and smarter. A few apps that can be downloaded free of cost are meant for brain training, and even recreational gaming—such as strategy-based computer games—improves decision-making abilities.



9 scientifically backed methods to increase intelligence smartly (there's a bonus tip too!)

Second Counter-Terrorism Committee meeting underway in Islamabad on March 29, 2025. — Radio Pakistan

Pakistan on Saturday decided to take up the issue of terrorism with Afghanistan’s interim government through the Foreign Ministry.

The decision was made during the second Counter-Terrorism Committee meeting, chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Islamabad.

Chairing the meeting, the interior minister said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir and all stakeholders are on the same page in combating terrorism.

He said no decision would be made without consulting the provinces.

The meeting reviewed the progress on enhancing the capacity of counter-terrorism departments in provinces.

Naqvi stated that it is essential to fully activate the CTDs at the provincial level for an effective counter-terrorism response, and in this regard, all possible assistance will be provided to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan in view of their challenges.

The interior minister emphasised that the Counter-Terrorism Wing of the FIA will be fully activated at the federal level.

The meeting also reviewed progress on the establishment of National and Provincial Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Centers.

Naqvi highlighted that after the reorganisation of the Frontier Constabulary (FC), it is being converted into the National Reserve Police.

The meeting also agreed to make explosive materials a federal subject to ensure effective monitoring.

On the occasion, the interior minister stressed that all institutions must strictly implement the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for foolproof security of foreign nationals.

Pakistan on Saturday decided to take up the issue of terrorism with Afghanistan’s interim government through the Foreign Ministry.The decision was made during the second Counter-Terrorism...

Islamabad to effectively raise issue of terrorism with Kabul

Emperor Naruhito, left, shakes hands with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on March 27 at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. (Pool)

Emperor Naruhito and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva shared a warm goodbye embrace on March 27, the end of Lula’s visit as a state guest of Japan.

Upon arriving at the president’s lodging at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, Naruhito was greeted by Lula in the second-floor hall.

Lula expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome he received in Japan, saying that he would never forget it.

“I am delighted that you had such a fulfilling time,” Naruhito responded. “I am confident that your visit has further deepened the bonds of friendship between our two countries.”

They engaged in a private conversation for about 20 minutes.

According to an Imperial Household Agency official, Lula remarked that this was his “best visit to Japan ever” and repeatedly expressed his appreciation for the hospitality of Naruhito and Empress Masako, and for the warm welcome he received from the Japanese people.

The imperial couple hosted a state banquet for the president on March 25.

Lula also shared a lighthearted moment, recounting that he had been advised by his aides not to touch the Japanese emperor.

However, he admitted to having already hugged Naruhito during his previous visit to the Imperial Palace.

With a smile, he then proceeded to give Naruhito another hug.

Lula’s visit marked Japan’s first state guest reception in six years, following a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emperor Naruhito and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva shared a warm goodbye embrace on March 27, the end of Lula’s visit as a state guest of Japan.

Emperor bids president of Brazil farewell with a final hug

Due on Friday at 0830 US Eastern time (0130 GMT), the Core PCE data is the focus. The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) data is a key measure of inflation that tracks changes in the prices of goods and services purchased by consumers. It is reported monthly by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and is a critical tool used by the Federal Reserve to assess inflation and guide monetary policy.

There are two main types of PCE data:

1. Headline PCE: This measures the overall change in prices for all goods and services. It includes volatile components like food and energy, which can fluctuate sharply due to supply shocks, seasonal changes, or geopolitical events.

2. Core PCE: This excludes the more volatile food and energy prices to provide a clearer view of underlying inflation trends. Core PCE is the preferred inflation gauge for the Federal Reserve because it gives a more stable picture of long-term inflation pressures.

PCE is similar to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), but PCE is broader in scope and reflects changes in consumer behaviour, such as substituting products when prices rise.

You can see the median estimates for the various PCE data points below in the table.

The ranges for 'core' measures (why these are important is explained below) are:

Core PCE Price Index m/m

0.1% to +0.3%

of the 54 forecasters (Reuters poll) 6 are at +0.2%, 35 are at +0.3%, and 13 are at 0.4%



and for the y/y

2.4% to 2.8%

of the 39 respondents for the y/y projection 1 is at 2.4% 2 are at 2.5% 3 are at 2.6% 18 are at 2.7% 15 are at 2.8%



***

Why is knowledge of such ranges important?

Data results that fall outside of market low and high expectations tend to move markets more significantly for several reasons:

The ranges of estimates & how unexpected US data results can significantly impact markets

US inflation (PCE) data due Friday - critical ranges to watch - clustered around +0.3% m/m

A magnitude 7.7 and 6.4 earthquakes have struck Myanmar, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), with reports of strong tremors felt in Thailand and elsewhere in the region.

The first tremor hit 16 kilometres (10 miles) northwest of the city of Sagaing at a depth of 10 kilometres at about 12:50 pm local time (06:20 GMT), USGS said.

Meanwhile, the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) said the jolt measured magnitude 7.9, according to the Xinhua news agency, with a social media post by CENC saying “tremors were felt in Yunnan”.

There were no immediate reports of the effect of the earthquake in the country, which is in the middle of a civil war.

In neighbouring Thailand’s capital Bangkok, startled residents poured out of high-rise buildings. Witnesses there said the tremors were forceful enough to send water sloshing out of pools.

More to come …

This is a breaking news story, more details to follow.

Two powerful earthquakes hit Myanmar

Pakistan reiterates strong commitment to global zero-waste movement

Pakistan has reiterated its strong commitment to the global zero-waste movement.

Speaking at the General Assembly Hall on the occasion of the International Day of Zero Waste, Pakistan's Permanent Representative-designate to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad also emphasized the need for sustainable waste management practices and enhanced multilateral cooperation to address the escalating waste crisis.

He said that despite numerous challenges, Pakistan is actively working to support the zero-waste movement through national policies and initiatives..

Recognizing the challenges faced by developing countries in achieving zero waste, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar stressed the need for special and differential treatment, capacity-building, technology transfer, and financial support to facilitate sustainable waste management.

Pakistan reiterates strong commitment to global zero-waste movement

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Fasts

Zayn Malik "almost cried" as he paid tribute to One Direction 10 years after leaving the band. The 32-year-old singer was performing in Mexico on his Stairway To The Sky tour and opened the show on Tuesday night (Mar 25) with a rendition of One Direction's hit, Night Changes.

After the performance – which has been shared on social media – Malik said: "It's the first time I sang that song in 10 years.

"Thank you, that was f*****g amazing. I almost cried at one point. This is insane."

The performance fell on the 10th anniversary of the day Malik quit One Direction after five years in the group alongside Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and the late Liam Payne.

In a Facebook statement on Mar 25, 2015, the Pillow Talk hitmaker wrote: "My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined. But, after five years, I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band.

“I'd like to apologise to the fans if I've let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart. I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight.”

He reunited with bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson at Liam Payne's funeral late last year.

After his friend's death aged 31 in October, he paid tribute to Payne in an emotional statement

He wrote on Instagram: "Liam, I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can't help but think selfishly that there were so many more conversations for us to have in our lives.

Malik admitted he "almost cried" after performing the band's hit Night Changes a decade after quitting the boy band.

Zayn Malik performs One Direction's Night Changes for first time in 10 years since leaving group

Sir, – Michael Lowry’s two-fingered gesture in the Dáil after the Government won the vote on changing standing orders may well be the image by which this Government is remembered.

Mr Lowry’s explanation of what the gesture meant is exactly what you’d expect from a TD of his calibre. – Yours, etc,

CHRIS FITZPATRICK,

Dublin 6.

READ MORE

Sir, – Micheál Martin was once severely critical of Michael Lowry, asking him to resign from the Dáil in 2011. What changed from Mr Martin’s demand that Mr Lowry resign in 2011 and Fine Gael deselecting Verona Murphy as party candidate in 2020 to standing behind both? The answer is simple. Power. But who is the power held for, the people or the political strategists in our establishment? This Dáil appals me and unfortunately I hold no hope for a fragmented Opposition to hold it to account.– Yours, etc,

JOHN CUFFE,

Dunboyne,

Co Meath.

Sir, – On a daily basis people in the statutory and voluntary sector work tirelessly to promote good citizenship. Elected public representatives have a huge role to play in helping them. Being a good example can achieve a lot. Let’s hope that what we saw in our national parliament doesn’t become the norm. Now more than ever we need good role models.

Sadly, an example of being a good role models was hard to find. – Yours, etc,

ALICE LEAHY,

Director of Services,

Alice Leahy Trust,

Dublin 8.

Sir, – Wouldn’t it be great if our politicians got as fired up about the housing crisis as they do about their speaking rights? – Yours, etc,

GRACE NEVILLE,

Sunday’s Well,

Cork.

Sir, – There was a time when it was two cheers for democracy. Now it’s two fingers to democracy and the Irish people. – Yours, etc,

PATRICK O’BYRNE,

Dublin 7.

Sir, – Now that there is a move to keep smartphones out of the school day so that the students can concentrate on their work, maybe there is a case to do the same in the Dáil, given the circus performance of March 25th. – Yours, etc,

TERESA GRAHAM,

Tramore,

Co Waterford.

Sir, – Perhaps the Dáil could sit for longer hours on more days. Then everyone’s voice could be heard, and we might get through the current embarrassing impasse and actually get some work done. TDs might forgo a few funerals and some social media updates to free up their schedules. – Yours, etc,

RICHARD FOX,

Kilcoole,

Co Wicklow.

Sir, – It now appears that Michael Lowry and his technical group have one foot in the Government and another foot in the Opposition.

With the gap on the issue becoming increasingly wider between the Government and the Opposition, are Mr Lowry and his colleagues now in danger of doing the splits and injuring themselves in the process? – Yours, etc,

CHARLES SMYTH,

Kells,

Co Meath.

Sir, – The antics and posturing in the Dáil by TDs of all persuasions were an utter disgrace. TDs seem to ignorant of or wilfully ignore the stark fact that western liberal democracy requires compromise and mutual respect. When will these alleged national politicians recall that their primary duty is to their fellow citizens and not to their own utterly tiresome, predictable and self-cherished soundbites? – Yours, etc,

ARTHUR BOLAND,

Ennis,

Co Clare.

Sir, – We live in a world where “optics” matter, and every picture tells its own story. Hence the photograph of Michael Lowry TD giving the “two-fingered salute” shows a parliamentarian displaying contempt for his seat, contempt for his fellow legislators, and contempt for the watching public. The cries of “Shame, shame, shame” which echoed around the chamber in response to the entire fiasco were never so appropriate. – Yours, etc,

PETER DECLAN O’HALLORAN,

Belturbet,

Co Cavan.

Sir, – Having watched the video of Michael Lowry’s two-fingered gesture in the Dáil, it is clear that there are an awful lot of ridiculous claims being made about the gesture and what Mr Lowry allegedly said. In my mind, as an expert lip-reader, it is clear that he is saying “Can you believe that Ireland scored two goals against Bulgaria the other night”. Case closed. – Yours, etc,

BRIAN CULLEN,

Dublin 16.

Sir, – Conflicts rage in the Middle East and lead to an increasing humanitarian crisis. There is war in eastern Europe and we are at greater risk of nuclear Armageddon than at any time in the past 60 years.

The US is threatening trade tariffs and other economic actions against Europe, putting at risk thousands of jobs in Ireland.

Meanwhile, our housing crisis continues and we face major challenges in areas such as healthcare and education. So, how do our TDs respond? By shouting at one another for the past two months over speaking time in the Dáil. We have among the highest number of representatives per head of population and the lowest number of sitting hours of any parliament in Europe. Perhaps we need fewer TDs, but ones who spend more time in the Dáil focusing on the international and national crises facing this country. – Yours, etc,

BRUCE MISSTEAR,

Bray,

Co Wicklow.

Sir, – Perhaps an hour on the naughty step, in silence, outside Dáil Éireann? – Yours, etc,

JAMES H MILLIKEN,

Carndonagh,

Co Donegal.

A chara, – Could it be that Mr Lowry was simply indicating that he had indeed got it both ways – hence, the two fingers? – Is mise,

JOHN GLENNON,

Hollywood,

Co Wicklow.

Local authorities and planning

Sir, – Comments to the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) criticising the ability of local authorities to plan big cities (“Irish councils lack ability to plan big cities, conference told”, News, March 25th), in tandem with additional remarks (Michael McDowell, “No European city would tolerate the decay and dereliction visible in Dublin”, Opinion & Analysis, March 26th), where there is a description of local authorities as being “somnolent behemoths” and councillors as being an “ornamental fringe of elected representatives”, are insulting and do not pay sufficient respect to the dedicated work undertaken by specialist planners, as well by councillors generally, within councils.

The future planning of Dublin is taken very diligently and comprehensively by all concerned in the preparation of development plans lasting for timeframes of six years where concentrated focus is undertaken to establish a viable and sympathetic planning framework that would be as compatible as much as possible in a localised sense within existing suburbs and villages, while taking into account to a statutory degree national guidance which is required to be adapted locally.

The idea that planning is driven primarily alone in a silo by local authorities does not hold, as such national guidance includes, for instance, the national planning framework, regional spatial strategies, climate plans, as well as interactions with the Office of the Planning Regulator and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

A proposal to create another entity or “quango” to act as a substitute for the role of local authorities in local planning would be absolutely unjustified in this context. – Yours, etc,

Cllr JOHN KENNEDY,

(Fine Gael)

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Offices,

Dún Laoghaire,

Co Dublin.

Sir, – Michael McDowell’s column rightly calls for a revolution in how we do urban development. In the case of Dublin, the answer is already Government policy in the programme for government, the Dublin Taskforce Report. This report was delivered on schedule to the Taoiseach in September 2024. The Taoiseach directed his department to create a cross-government group to report back by the end of December 2024 on how the Taskforce recommendations, which run across Government from policing to health to housing and transport, would be implemented. We await the response. There have been understandable delays around the general election and the Government formation talks, but it is essential that this group now begin implementation.

First it must designate a special purpose vehicle for the inner-city, then appoint an implementation team with a board representative of the key agencies and a strong independent chairperson. Finally it needs to assign a multi-year budget. None of this is for debate as it has been transposed into the programme for government. Delivery is essential for a new Government, especially in the context of a rapidly changing world, and this is a good test of Government efficacy. The policy is agreed: now let’s get on with the implementation. – Yours, etc,

DAVID McREDMOND,

Chair,

Dublin City Taskforce,

Dublin 1.

Children and disabilities

Sir, – Irish special schools do not offer the same chances to our young people with intellectual disabilities that they offer to their same age and typically developing peers, even if they are “lucky” enough to secure a place. They get one full year less in school (no transition year) and no choice in the matter.

Families of children with additional needs are forced to give up their anonymity to protest at the lack of places for services for their children in these discriminatory institutions.

Children with disabilities are used as photo-opportunities by politicians for promised money that never materialises.

Small children and their families cannot access vital assessment and therapies at an early intervention stage to support them and promote their independence and reliance on a creaking system.

Anyone notice a pattern?

People with intellectual disability are the most marginalised and discriminated group of people in the country at all ages and stages of their lives.

Can anyone hear their voices?

No, it seems not. – Yours, etc,

CAROLINE FARRELL,

Dublin 3.

Sir, – When Simon Harris met Charlotte Fallon in Kanturk in Co Cork last November during the general election campaign, the tetchy response of the then-taoiseach to the disability workers’ concerns for workers’ pay and disabled people catapulted the issue of disability rights to the heart of the political agenda.

What has happened since then? Ostensibly the programme for government delineates that there will be a step-change in disability supports and services.

It goes on to say that there will be a new unit established by the Department of the Taoiseach whose purpose will be to focus on disability.

I found it rather bewildering to learn last week that the multimillion euro fund which was announced by the last Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil government just days before the local elections last June has not paid out a single cent (“Not ‘one red cent’ of €8 million HSE disability fund paid out after being promised 17 months ago, Doherty tells Dáil”, News, March 20th).

This Government needs to start putting disability at the forefront of its policymaking. – Yours, etc,

JOHN O’BRIEN,

Clonmel,

Co Tipperary.

Immigration – time for debate

Sir, – Misinformation and disinformation are distorting Ireland’s immigration debate, fuelling hostility and division, particularly online. This is putting already vulnerable communities at even greater risk.

This conversation is not going away; across the world, we see it being dangerously weaponised for political gain. Ireland should lead with a different approach, seizing the opportunity to change headlines rather than react to them.

A national citizens’ assembly on immigration and social cohesion could provide the mature, informed conversation we need. We have a record of tackling complex social issues through this model.

Perhaps engaging in informed, collective dialogue would not only help us navigate this issue responsibly but also strengthen our democracy for the future. – Is mise,

LAURA COSTELLO,

Dublin 6.

Customers and some free advice

Sir, – I note that Phil Hogan in his consultancy and advisory role has dealt with Vodafone and was paid in the region of €200,000 for such advice and consultation (News, March 26th).

Did that advice, I wonder, suggest to them that a non-robotic human being employed by the company answer the phone when a customer tries to contact them?

I could advise Vodafone to do that for nothing.

It’s called common courtesy and genuine customer care. – Yours, etc,

JOHN GAFFNEY,

Carrick on Shannon,

Co Leitrim.

Trump and a long time in politics

A chara, – Paul Reardon reminds us (Letters, March 26th) that there are 1,462 days in a US presidential term. However, I must point out to him that since a broken clock is proverbially correct twice a day, the number of times the administration in question is likely to be right is actually 2,924.

No sign of it happening so far, unfortunately, but we live in hope. – Is mise,

DONNACHA KAVANAGH,

Auckland,

New Zealand.

One foot in the Government and another foot in the Opposition

Letters to the Editor, March 27th: On Opposition, Government and a two-fingered gesture, and local authorities and planning

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth Tomislav Donchev and French Ambassador to Bulgaria Joel Meyer discussed possibilities to attract French investors to the Bulgarian economy and ways to improve the local business environment, Donchev's ministry reported through its official Viber channel on Wednesday.

The talks were also attended by French-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Stephane Delahaye and the Chamber's Director Vessela Todorova-Mosettig.

The sides underscored the good relations between Bulgaria and France and the advantages of Bulgaria as an investment destination. They discussed this country's industrial development and financial instruments for supporting small and medium-sized enterprises.

Donchev and Meyer talked about Bulgaria's Recovery and Resilience Plan and Sofia's ambition to implement all projects which are at risk of dropping out of the plan.

BTA :: Deputy PM Donchev, French Ambassador Discuss Investments

“Ukrainians will fight with their bare hands if forced to accept an unjust peace,” Ratcliffe said during a US Senate hearing on Tuesday, March 25.

Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official .

Ratcliffe admitted that Russia is gaining ground in the war, but he also believes people have underestimated Ukraine’s ability to resist. He said his opinion comes from years of intelligence work and observation.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe said he was “convinced” that Ukrainians “will fight with their bare hands” if there are no just conditions for lasting peace.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe: Ukrainians will never give up and will fight Russia with their bare hands if they have to until there is enduring peace. pic.twitter.com/E9ZDt4etrv

He also said President Donald Trump wants to end the war with a deal that ensures long-term peace. The CIA backs this effort, but Trump also knows that a Russian victory would be dangerous.

Ratcliffe noted that any peace deal would mean neither side gets everything they want.

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Two weeks ago, Ratcliffe had a phone call with Russia’s intelligence chief, Sergei Naryshkin – the first since Trump took office. This happened as US and Ukrainian officials met in Saudi Arabia on March 11, where Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the US.

His latest comments came on the same day as the results of Riyadh negotiations marathon on March 23-25, where Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow had apparently agreed to ensure safe navigation and avoid using force in the Black Sea.

However, the Kremlin later outlined that Moscow would only agree to safe navigation in the Black Sea if sanctions were partially relieved.

Other Topics of Interest The Putin Fallacy Anyone who has been studying the Kremlin’s methods over the years can recognize exactly how Putin is stringing the Americans along so that Washington winds up pressuring Kyiv.

Ukraine’s defense minister, Rustem Umerov, confirmed that Kyiv agreed to a Black Sea ceasefire in exchange for a promise that neither side would attack energy sites.

The Kremlin and Russia’s Defense Ministry said a temporary halt on attacks against energy facilities had been in place since March 18, when Trump and Putin had reached an agreement. However, the drone assaults in Ukraine have even intensified since then, with dozens of UAVs targeting residential areas and killing civilians across the country.

John Ratcliffe admitted that Russia is gradually gaining ground in the war, but he also believes people have underestimated Ukraine’s ability to resist.

‘Ukrainians Will Fight With Their Bare Hands’: CIA Chief Warns Against Unjust Peace

ICE - Agenzia per la promozione all'estero e l'internazionalizzazione delle imprese italiane organismo attraverso cui il Governo favorisce lo sviluppo delle imprese

ETHIOPIA EXPANDS CAPITAL MARKET WITH LICENSING OF NEW SERVICE PROVIDERS

HQ

Late last year, reports surfaced that Elon Musk was a really ace player of both Path of Exile 2 and Diablo 4. So good, in fact, that he could soon qualify as some kind of world champion, causing people to question the achievements.

Unsurprisingly, the suspicions were correct and in January the scam was revealed. Elon Musk had cheated and paid people to play for him. This very thing became ammunition when he, a few hours ago, decided to take a shot at Assassin's Creed Shadows on X, commenting on the official account's claim that "Our game is out" with the comment "Sell-out would be more accurate".

But... you don't go after a ninja unprovoked and the Assassin's Creed account replied with: "Is that what the guy playing your Path of Exile 2 account told you?"

In the ensuing discussions, several cheering people are saying that they will now buy the game as a result of this roast, but of course we don't know if it will actually happen. However, there is a possibility that Musk has just given Assassin's Creed Shadows a little sales boost.

He tried with a fairly lazy attempt at trolling but was brutally hit with a ninja counter.

The Assassin's Creed Shadows account roasts Elon Musk on X

1m ago 22.50 EDT 13th over: Australia 106-1 (Voll 63, Litchfield 21) Georgia Voll is dropped again and New Zealand have grassed more chances than they’ve hung onto across the series. This time it’s Bella James who lets a chance slip at short third, as Litchfield makes the White Ferns pay immediately with back-to-back boundaries. To rub salt in the wound the players are setting up for the next over but have to run back to position for a free hit that Jess Kerr at leasts limits to a single. Share

5m ago 22.47 EDT 12th over: Australia 92-1 (Voll 61, Litchfield 10) It was only a matter of time before Australia would start to make New Zealand pay for so many dropped catches. 16 runs from Carson’s over goes a long way to doing that, as Litchfield hammers a pull shot to the fine leg rope, then Voll finishes off with back-to-back boundaries with exquisitite strokes on either side of the wicket. Share

8m ago 22.44 EDT 11th over: Australia 76-1 (Voll 52, Litchfield 3) Georgia Voll brings up a half-century as Rosemary Mair grasses a simple chance at long-of and the Australia pair scamper through for two. It’s not unusual to see Australia’s opponests failing to take their chances, as England found out in the Women’s Ashes, but New Zealand seem particularly rattled in the field. Share

17m ago 22.35 EDT 10th over: Australia 71-1 (Voll 48, Litchfield 2) Georgia Voll resumes after the drinks break an mandatory concussion tests by stepping down the wicket to smack Kerr over midwicket for a boundary. Share

19m ago 22.33 EDT Drinks are called a tad early – after 9.3 overs – after Georgia Voll gets down on one knee looking to sweep Melie Kerr but instead cops a blow in the grille. Australia are 66-1. Share

20m ago 22.31 EDT 9th over: Australia 65-1 (Voll 43, Litchfield 1) New Zealand get the breakthrough - and just their sixth wicket in the series - as Mooney’s streak of T20I scores of 44 or more ends at six innings. Phoebe Litchfield joins her great mate Voll at the crease. Share

26m ago 22.26 EDT WICKET! Mooney c James b Devine 21 (Australia 64-1) Bella James makes her mark on debut with a sensational catch in the deep. And it’s the key wicket of Beth Mooney after the in-form opener pulls over square but is caught just inside the rope. Share

29m ago 22.23 EDT 8th over: Australia 61-0 (Mooney 20, Voll 41) Eden Carson into the attack but Voll is up and running now as she picks up singles and occasional twos with ease. The opener took time to get her eye in but has 41 from 35 balls, while the White Ferns won’t mind that Mooney has only faced 13 deliveries in eight overs even if she has reached 20 runs. Share

32m ago 22.20 EDT 7th over: Australia 54-0 (Mooney 19, Voll 35) Melie Kerr takes over from Devine wiht the powerplay done, but Voll picks her line straight away and pummels a drive through cover for four. Voll picks up a pair of twos off the back foot and then with a sweep, as the Australia openers round out the over with a series of singles. All too familiar and ominous signs are appearing for New Zealand. Share

35m ago 22.17 EDT 6th over: Australia 43-0 (Mooney 18, Voll 25) Mooney finally takes her turn for a solid block at the striker’s end and ensures Australia finish the powerplay in command. The opener begins the over by caressing a stright drive to the rope and finishes it by dancing down the track to lift Mair over midwicket for another boundary. No doubt Mooney is the prized wicket for New Zealand. But all signs suggest she is set for yet another big score (even allowing for the dreaded #bloggerscurse). Share

39m ago 22.13 EDT 5th over: Australia 33-0 (Mooney 9, Voll 24) Sophie Devine is thrown the ball and continues to contain Georgia Voll. At least until the opener gets away with a punishing boundary behind square. Mooney is, not surprisingly, looking much more comfortable and could do with Voll turning over more of the strike. Share

47m ago 22.05 EDT 4th over: Australia 27-0 (Mooney 8, Voll 19) Mair keeps turning the screws from her end with only the one run coming from the last ball of the over. The White Ferns quick does her best to close out a maiden while using her left boot to try to stop a straight drive but it bounces away for an quick single. A promising over, filled with variety, from Mair. Share

50m ago 22.02 EDT 3rd over: Australia 26-0 (Mooney 8, Voll 18) DROPPED! Voll slices a straight drive skyward as Maddy Green plants her feet at mid-on. Green barely has to move but can only get fingertips to the ball before it tumbles to the turf. What a left off for Australia, and an opportunity that New Zealand can ill afford to waste! And another chance goes begging from the very next delivery. This one is much tougher as Eden Carson dives hard to her right at point but does well just to get a hand to the ball. Share

1h ago 21.56 EDT 2nd over: Australia 11-0 (Mooney 2, Voll 9) Rosemary Mair shares the new ball and quickly shows how much she has learned since leaking runs in the first T20 last week. A tidy over only gives up a trio of singles as the opening pair put Australian hearts in mouths with a chaotic, aborted attempt at a second run off the final delivery. Share Updated at 21.56 EDT

1h ago 21.53 EDT 1st over: Australia 8-0 (Mooney 1, Voll 7) SIX! Georgia Voll makes a red-hot start with a huge six over midwicket. The Australia opener picks up the length, gets down on one knee and heaves the ball over the rope. But she is fortunate to survive a tough caught and bowled chance just two deliveries later. Voll smashes the ball straight back at Jess Kerr, but the White Ferns pacer can’t get a hand around it as it bounces off her lower arm. Share

1h ago 21.47 EDT Jess Kerr will open the bowling for the White Ferns, in all black today. A sparse crowd is inside the stadium, as Australia’s Beth Mooney takes guard at the striker’s end. Play! Share

1h ago 21.45 EDT The anthems are done and dusted, and the players are heading out onto the pitch, which is bathed in sunshine on what looks like a glorious Wellington day. Play about to start in the final T20 of this series! View image in fullscreen Australia line up for the national anthem. Photograph: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images Share Updated at 22.06 EDT

1h ago 21.45 EDT Bates’ opposite number Tahlia McGrath says: “We’ve got a new challenge, though, playing in a new venue, the first time being here today, quick look and adapting to the conditions and hopefully post another big total.” On the long straight boundary at Sky Stadium, and the short boundary square of the wicket, McGrath says: “Yeah, we’re going to have to adapt. It looks very long straight and a touch shorter square and like I said, adapt and see how the wicket plays as well.” Share Updated at 21.47 EDT

1h ago 21.41 EDT Susie Bates says after winning the toss her decision to bowl was partly down to the “fresh wicket” in Wellington. “I think the way we know Australia are going to play, whatever they put on the board, we’re going to have a crack and have a chase, but yeah, fresh wicket, you never quite know what a par score is and we haven’t played here for a while. “We’ gotta take wickets and that’s not necessarily through doing anything too different. It’s just being consistent with our bowling and and then with the bat, we’ve just got to keep attacking. “So we’ve talked a lot about it and now the proof is going to be the pudding today with how we got there with our last game of the summer for the White Ferns.” Share Updated at 21.47 EDT

1h ago 21.37 EDT Line-ups The teams are in. Australia are unchanged and at full strength, New Zealand make one change with Bella James coming into the XI for Lea Tahuhu. New Zealand: Suzie Bates (c), Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Bella James, Sophie Devine, Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Jess Kerr, Polly Inglis (wk), Rosemary Mair, Eden Carson Australia: Beth Mooney (wk), Georgia Voll, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath (c), Grace Harris, Georgia Wareham, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt Share

1h ago 21.31 EDT New Zealand win toss and will bowl first Suzie Bates wins the toss and her team will have a field at a sunny Cake Tin in Wellington. Share Updated at 21.35 EDT

Over-by-over report: With the series already won, Australia are seeking a clean sweep in the final match in Wellington. Join Martin Pegan for updates

New Zealand v Australia: third women’s T20 international – live

Readers of The Irish Times have shared their views on apartment living and how it compares to living in a house. We asked them to set aside the harsh reality of unaffordable housing prices and the lack of new-homes supply, to establish their general preference between owning and living in a house or an apartment over the long term.

The reader callout was prompted by a recent Irish Times interview in which Michael Stanley, chief executive of Cairn Homes, said the narrative about Irish people not wanting to live in apartments makes him cringe. “I hear it on radio shows, in newspaper articles ... it’s the greatest piece of misinformation that’s put out there,” Stanley said.

Reader comments

‘Apartments in Ireland are just not designed for family life’

Pet issues: Apartments in Ireland are not designed for children and dogs and lack easy access to green spaces. Photograph: Getty Images

My husband and I moved back to Dublin in 2019, and having enjoyed apartment living abroad, we [hoped we would] find something similar here and have the benefit of being close to everything without the hassle of the upkeep of a house, but apartments in Ireland are just not designed for family life. They are often cramped with no dedicated storage and lack easy access to green spaces and playgrounds. When you have a child and a dog, a 30-minute walk to the park is just too far. In other European cities, you’re always within a stone’s throw of a park and playground. – Susan Reilly, Co Wicklow

‘Having a garden, however small, is great for your mental health’

A garden is a bonus of living in a house. Photograph: Getty Images

Having recently moved from a Dublin city-centre apartment to a small house still inside the canals, the house wins hands down. Having a garden, however small, is great for your mental health and it is nicer to not hear noise from neighbours above or below you. I realise that denser urban living (apartments) might be more efficient for the country overall, but in terms of personal preferences and benefits for an individual, a house offers so much more, which is why most people seek them. – Patrick, Co Dublin

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‘At the right stage in life, an apartment trumps a house for us’

We lived in a three-bed semidetached house for 36 years, raising five children. They have all fled the nest and with just the two of us now, the attraction of a new apartment in a nice area was quite compelling. No more cutting grass or external painting, along with all the other maintenance, which just falls away. The apartment has an A2 Ber compared with a B3, so there’s a huge advantage with that also. You do have less room, of course, but now we need less room, and that equates to a drop in heating bills and, again, less maintenance. Soundproofing is much more efficient thanks to the insulation. Having good neighbours is definitely more important with apartment living due to contact in the common areas and we have been blessed with fantastic, considerate fellow residents. Bottom line, at the right stage in life, an apartment trumps a house for us. – Name withheld, Co Dublin

‘Owning a house gives more freedom’

I, personally, would like to own a house to live in long term, as I would like to have my own garden (plant mom!), as well as the space to enjoy hobbies. Owning a house gives more freedom in making structural modifications compared to an apartment, like installing solar panels or an electric car charger, which would be important to me. – Sonya Chew, Galway city

‘We need a shift in apartment design’

I have been living in an apartment for more than 10 years and since I’m single and have no children, I don’t feel the need to own a house. That said, the quality of apartments built in this country, particularly during the 2000s, is, in my opinion, very poor compared to other countries. I think more people would live in apartments if they were larger and better built. At the moment, developers seem to be of the view that apartments are for investors and are designed and constructed as such, meaning small poky rooms and minimum sound insulation compared to houses. We need a shift in apartment design to encourage more people to consider apartment living. – Paddy, Co Dublin

‘We could be as noisy as we like without worrying about the people surrounding us’

Soundproofing can be an issue in some apartments. Photograph: iStock/Getty Images

I live in a beautiful, well-maintained apartment complex with my husband, two kids and a dog. Despite how lovely it is and the sense of community that comes with living here, long-term, we would absolutely prefer to own a house over an apartment. A house would give us the privacy and space of having our own garden, without having to drag prams and bikes and scooters up and down stairs every day; we could be as noisy as we like without worrying about the people surrounding us on all sides; we could park our car outside our own front door. The complex we are in would make sense for a lot of older people (like my dad who lives alone in a big suburban house and needs his car for everything) as it’s in a very central location, but the apartments are full of young couples and families who can’t afford to buy the houses that they want and need. – Name withheld, Co Wicklow

‘I am very happy to be in a third-floor apartment where I feel very secure’

I moved to a three-bed apartment from a five-bed house in 2006. My husband died three years ago and I am very happy to be in a third-floor apartment where I feel very secure. I know many of the residents here, more than I did my previous neighbours. If I go away for a while, I’m not afraid of something adverse happening while I’m gone. The downside is the steep management fee. – Gemma, Co Dublin

[ Is the answer to Ireland’s housing crisis more apartments?Opens in new window ]

‘The space and garden I have with my house are of utmost value’

While raising my family, the space and garden I have with my house are of utmost value. However, I would like to downsize to an apartment within easy walking distance of facilities for my retirement years. The challenge at that point will be finding an apartment with good soundproofing so as to ensure the quiet enjoyment of our home with neighbours in such proximity. – Niamh, Co Galway

‘While I would have loved a garden, I realise that I am futureproofed for old age’

I managed to secure an apartment in Dublin [in 2008]. I was very grateful and I hoped to be able to move on in a few years to buy a house with a garden for my son and me, perhaps with a third room for a study, guests, etc. Then we had the property crash and I saw the value of my apartment plummet. I am now in my mid-50s and while I would have loved a garden – the balcony is a bit small, not much space to store bikes, etc – I realise that I am futureproofed for old age as I am on the ground floor. There are raised eyebrows from the parents in school when they realise you live in an apartment. It doesn’t bother me as I lived in America for eight years and it was all apartment living. And there is a presumption from others being a single parent living in an apartment that I must be on social welfare. Because my family unit is not the norm, I feel happy that I don’t have to try to keep up with the Joneses. I had other dreams, they didn’t work out, and I am grateful I have a roof over my head, I can afford the mortgage and I can provide for my son. – Name withheld, Co Dublin

‘Irish people just didn’t know how to live in apartments’

I grew up in a typical apartment in another country: a 1,000sq ft three-bed with a large balcony that could accommodate a table for eight and still had space for plants and other possessions. This was pretty typical of apartments there. The block was well maintained by the management company and was built with good and durable materials. Everyone lived in respectful harmony. I’d be happy to live in a similar apartment in Ireland – but the problem is that Irish apartments are mostly awful. Dark, squeezed spaces with poor sound insulation, long corridors of apartments that, if lucky, pay lip-service balconies. Standards that meet those of continental Europe are only evident in €1-million-plus apartments today, which are out of the reach of most people.

My first property purchase was an apartment in Dublin, as, having grown up in one, I was well disposed towards them. I had to get out after just over a year. Irish people just didn’t know how to live in apartments. They gave no consideration to neighbours or of the common areas. My apartment building was brand new, but after a year it was already grotty and like living in a train station due to incessant noise from the common areas and apartments above and below coming through the poorly insulated ceiling, floor and side walls. Shocking standards of construction due to builders only having guidelines and not regulations at the time. Living in it was only partly living. I’ve been put off the idea of apartment living ever since. A house each time for me! – Emma Long, Co Dublin

‘The ability to control my environment is much better in a detached cottage’

I want/need to live in a house. I was diagnosed autistic in recent years, and the ability to control my environment is much better in a detached cottage on an acre in a small village in the midlands. Time spent in an apartment stressed me because of the noise of the other residents. My inability to filter background noise meant I knew which cycle the people beside me had their washing machine on, what time the gent upstairs used the toilet when he got in from work, and that’s without the outside street noise, from street sweepers to buses, to people having conversations with their friends across the road. – Name withheld, Co Offaly

‘Standard apartments are very basic, without adequate storage’

Adequate storage is essential in a home. Photograph: Alamy/PA

I would prefer to live in a house, not an apartment. The reason for my answer is this: standard apartments are very basic, without adequate storage and very little (if any) outdoor space. Generally, in mainland Europe, apartment builds are designed differently and are much more practical for families, with no apartments on the ground floor, which is reserved for relevant shops. Also, for residents, there are laundry rooms which are supervised, storage areas reserved for prams and buggies, and separate bicycle storage and a secure lockable storage area for each apartment. – Name withheld, Co Wicklow

‘In Ireland, apartments were built for childless 20-somethings’

I would prefer to buy a house over an apartment for long-term living. In Europe, apartments are built well and are designed for families and long-term living. In Ireland, apartments were built for childless 20-somethings to live in while they save for a house. There are exceptions, sure, but that is the average in my experience. I have been looking at apartments and, with one exception, they were all badly built or were badly designed or treated as a place to stay before moving somewhere better. Not always, of course. Houses vary but the quality is usually better. Not to mention, with a house one owns the land and can knock and rebuild a badly built house. You have more freedom to extend, demolish or modify a house. Houses usually come with outdoor space, garden and parking. This is not always the case, but in my experience, the average apartment doesn’t hold a candle to the average house. – John Neill, Cork city

The identity of all featured respondents is known to The Irish Times

We asked readers if they would prefer to live in a house or an apartment long-term – and the results are in

‘Irish apartments were built for childless 20-somethings to live in while they save for a house’ – readers have their say on apartment living

The mystery train was a popular concept in Ireland during the middle of the last century. Departing Connolly Station on a Sunday, the excursion to an unknown place attracted people to Amiens Street in anticipation of a pleasant journey with added intrigue concerning where they would actually alight.

The suspense proved unbearable for some and there are accounts of CIE staff being harassed all week to reveal the destination.

We are on the cusp of a football championship, the destination of which is as deep a mystery as it has ever been in recent years or even decades. Even the tracks are unknowable, given the great project that has been the FRC rules overhaul.

Then, there is the landscape through which the railway travels. It has become dull, featureless and overly familiar for half of the provincial campaigns. You could wager a fair wad of cash on an accumulator for Dublin and Kerry to win Leinster and Munster and still not have the price of the train ticket.

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This was all very well when the impact extended merely to one-sided matches, run off in jig time, but for the past two years, its influence has undermined the league in a tangle of crossed wires at this time of the year. Even plans next year to guarantee a two-week break may not suffice for managers, who have big matches on the horizon.

There is a key reason why the calendar is struggling to accommodate its three main competitions and that is that they were not built for it. Clear the decks and devise a co-ordinated intercounty competition with decent levels of contest: would it look anything like this?

Provincial championships were organised because it made more sense to have competing teams in reasonable proximity. It suited the GAA’s administrative model of radiating out in concentric circles of influence, club, county, provincial, national.

The rivalries were home-grown and the logistics of travel simpler and by All-Ireland stage there were just four counties, representing Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster.

Home-grown rivalries: Cork's Anthony Lynch blocks a kick by Kerry's John Crowley during the 1999 Munster football final. Photograph: Patrick Bolger/Inpho

The national league celebrates its centenary next year. Originally it too was regionalised – for the same reason that the championship was. It took until the turn of the 21st century for the competition to be rationalised into a coherent time-frame.

As recently as 25 years ago, the league meandered from the autumn all the way to spring, typically spanning eight months – to play for the most part seven matches and no more than nine or 10.

The All-Ireland series consisted of three fixtures, not counting replays, which took up the entirety of August and most of September. It made sense to expand it so that the best teams, regardless of province, could meet in the closing stages.

In essence these competitions haven’t changed even if they are now being squeezed into a far smaller calendar footprint of six months.

Four year ago, the GAA had a special congress to ponder the merits of “flipping” the season by bringing provincial championships forward to the spring and using the league as a foundation stone for the All-Ireland series.

One of the principal drivers of the idea was former president John Horan, who proposed it in October 2021. This was in a way the abiding difficulty for Motion 19. Its effective patron was a former president whose term was over.

The committee – cumbersomely titled the Football Calendar Fixtures Review – that he had appointed ended up splitting between this idea and the one that shoehorned the provincial championships into four groups of eight.

In the end the motion got a razor-thin majority but some way adrift of the required 60 per cent. Looking back, its merits are obvious. You move the most flawed competition (the provincials) to the time of year when the weather is least co-operative and link the most successful competition (the league) to the most important, the All-Ireland, at a time of the year when conditions are optimal.

Then GAA president Larry McCarthy (left) and former GAA president John Horan (right) after Motion 19 was defeated at Special Congress in October 2021. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho

The group format that follows the provincial championships – for one final iteration this year – has been ditched despite arguably being scapegoated for a non-essential protocol, concerning how many teams progressed to the knockout phase.

It has so far provided competitive matches in appealing settings with every team getting a home fixture and also having to travel away to another and play the third in a neutral venue. It was unplugged because of its lack of jeopardy, which entailed playing all those matches, 24, to lose four out of 16 teams.

Yet that could have been tightened to allow just eight rather than 12 to qualify. That was originally avoided because of the threat of dead rubbers. Anyway, what’s done is done for next year.

One of the big obstacles to the flipped season was the understandable commercial interests of the provincial councils. As long as they are used as vehicles for administering games development and other services, they can’t be faulted for hanging on to their most reliable income sources.

The problem is that the football box office is dying in Leinster and Munster and the former doesn’t have the runaway success of a thronged audience for its hurling championship to compensate.

Connacht and Ulster are unhappy enough about the loss of preseason tournament revenues without a threat to confiscate their buoyant championship returns.

In these entwined interests, genuine innovation almost inevitably gets choked.

The all but disowned Towards 150 report in 2018 proposed the abolition of provincial councils and their replacement with regional hubs, which would have responsibility for similar sized populations. In those circumstances, traditional provincial championships could be retained but without any dependency on their gate receipts.

Until there is a root-and-branch reform of governance, football will continue to have attempts at modern structures being twisted around 100-year-old competition formats.

It’s no mystery.

sean.moran@irishtimes.com

It’s no mystery why football continues to travel to uncertain destinations

Seán Moran: GAA trying to bend century-old competitions into modern structures

An aerial view shows the prime location of the properties in the Merrion Collection portfolio near St Stephen's Green

Following the recent reopening of The Unicorn, one of Dublin’s most storied venues, the restaurant’s premises are being offered for sale as part of a wider portfolio of prime investment properties known as The Merrion Collection for a total of €5.5 million.

The portfolio comprises a mix of retail, food and beverage and residential uses distributed across Merrion Row and Merrion Court, and within a short walk of St Stephen’s Green, Grafton Street, and Government Buildings.

The sale, which is being handled by Michele McGarry of Colliers, offers the prospective purchaser the combination of immediate rental income along with the opportunity to pursue the development in the medium term of a new office-led mixed-use scheme on the site. The existing portfolio has potential to generate further rental income from a number of residential units which are being sold with vacant possession.

The Merrion Collection covers a total floor area of 797sq m (8,584sq ft) and generates a combined annual rent of €235,000 from the commercial element, which includes a diverse tenant base comprising TOMI House Ltd (trading as Tomi House), Dublet Ltd (trading as the Herbert & Lansdowne Estate Agency), and Kristan Burness and Shybu Varghese operating as The Unicorn restaurant.

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The Unicorn restaurant and wine bar, comprising a 233sq m (2,510sq ft) premises at 12B Merrion Row and 12A-D Merrion Court, is held under a 10-year lease from August 2024, producing €80,000 per annum for the first three years, increasing to €85,000 per annum for years four and five, with open-market rent reviews thereafter. The lease allows for a landlord break option in January 2029. The landmark restaurant reopened its doors in 2024, having been closed for some time, with leading restaurateur and executive chef Kristian Burness at the helm.

Kristan Burness, restaurateur and executive chef at The Unicorn

The Unicorn restaurant ans wine bar comprises a 233sq m (2,510sq ft) premises. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien

The wine bar section of The Unicorn restaurant. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien

The restaurant, at 12B Merrion Row and 12A-D Merrion Court, is held under a 10-year lease from August 2024. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien

13A Merrion Row comprises a 276sq m (2,975sq ft) premises and fit-out works are currently under way in preparation for the opening of a new sushi restaurant to be known as Tomi House. The lease commenced in September 2024 at a passing rent of €100,000 per annum. As is the case with The Unicorn lease, there is a landlord break option in January 2029, giving the new owners flexibility to secure full vacant possession of the entire property at that point to allow for redevelopment in line with planning permission granted in October 2024 for a new office-led mixed-use scheme on the site.

The approved development provides for 186sq m (2,000sq ft) of ground-floor retail/restaurant space with 1,022sq m (11,000sq ft) of offices across four floors accessed from Merrion Row, together with a 19-space bike store. The planning permission also includes the refurbishment, restoration and part change of use of the existing buildings at 12C and D, and 5 Merrion Court from restaurant/residential use to three, two-storey townhouses on Merrion Court.

13 Merrion Row comprises 86sq m (923sq ft) of space over ground and first-floor levels, and trades as Herbert & Lansdowne Estate Agents. The property is held under a licence agreement from December 2021 and is producing €55,000 in annual rental income.

There are five residential units located on the first floor of 12A-D Merrion Court, and these have recently been fully refurbished and are being sold with full vacant possession. The estimated rental value on the residential units is in the order of €140,000 per annum.

Michele McGarry of Colliers says: “The sale of The Merrion Collection will attract strong interest from a variety of buyers. This is a high-quality investment opportunity in an unrivalled location, just minutes from St Stephen’s Green. The planning permission provides a viable redevelopment opportunity, with office floor plates of about 2,700sq ft in high demand in this prime, central business district location particularly.”

Prime mixed-use investment features famous restaurant as its centrepiece

Unicorn provides star turn as prime property portfolio seeks €5.5m

In 2014, Seth Rogen nearly dismantled a Hollywood studio by accident when his Kim Jong-un send-up The Interview brought down the wrath of North Korean hackers on the heads of executives at Sony Pictures. A decade and a bit on, the wheel has turned full circle, with Rogen playing the head of fictional Continental Studios in the outrageously enjoyable and cameo-crammed The Studio (Apple TV+, from Wednesday).

Cameos? The series, created by Rogen and his Interview writing partner Evan Goldberg, is a hit parade of Hollywood A-listers. Martin Scorsese turns up in the pilot playing an exaggerated version of himself in his funniest screen turn since he portrayed that paranoid passenger in Taxi Driver. He is in good company, with The Studio featuring self-mocking turns from Steve Buscemi, Charlize Theron, Sarah Polley, Ron Howard, Anthony Mackie and Zack Snyder. One instalment is a full-blown mini-noir movie that riffs on Chinatown and Vertigo while giving a matinee idol an excuse to demonstrate his comedy chops.

However, a Hollywood satire cannot thrive on novelty casting alone. Rogen and Goldberg are well aware of this, and The Studio is, at heart, a brilliantly written workplace satire that mixes the cringe factor of Curb Your Enthusiasm with the insider baseball qualities of Robert Altman’s The Player. It’s beautifully made too. Rogen and Goldberg, who together directed all 10 episodes, favour extended takes, similar to the one-shot approach employed to such acclaim in Netflix’s Adolescence.

Crucially, it never gets high on its own Tinseltown vapours. There is no attempt to glamorise Hollywood, and the show doesn’t go overboard with letting the stars send themselves up. The noir episode would be a fantastic tribute, even without a famous actor strutting about.

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Seth Rogen and Catherine O’Hara in The Studio

The Studio also appreciates the straightforward hilarity of watching supposedly competent people fail to deal with everyday work challenges – as happens when Rogen’s Matt Remick tries to work up the courage to tell an Oscar-winning director that his new prestige picture needs to be shortened.

[ Seth Rogen: ‘I wake up in the morning, I make a cup of coffee and I roll a joint’Opens in new window ]

The biggest joke is that Remick is a cineaste who wants to restore the magic of film – yet is also so pathetically careerist that he agrees on the spot to a terrible Kool-Aid cash-grab movie, as demanded by his boss (a wonderfully blustering Bryan Cranston). His lackeys are just as pathetic, starting with Ike Barinholtz as his cocaine-snorting number two, Sal, and Kathryn Hahn as PR flunky, Maya.

Often, The Studio doesn’t feel like satire at all. When Remick farms out the Kool-Aid feature to Forgetting Sarah Marshall director Nick Stoller, his suggested family-friendly take on the idea sounds chillingly like a spec script for a new Pixar blockbuster.

Just as plausible is Matt agreeing on the spot to finance Scorsese’s latest pet project – only to then discover he’s made promises he can’t possibly keep. All of these scenarios feel just one or two pitch meetings away from reality – ensuring that, beneath the laughter, The Studio has a serious point about the creative redundancy of 21st-century Hollywood. It is a love letter to cinema that doubles as a cry into the void for what the medium has become – while delivering top-drawer chuckles at a ferocious clip.

Television: Clever satire on Hollywood features Martin Scorsese, Charlize Theron, Bryan Cranston and more

The Studio: Outrageously funny and cameo-packed Seth Rogen love letter to cinema

When timekeeping draws from the enigmatic beauty of Earth or the mysteries of the vast cosmos, the result is nothing short of transcendent. Whether it’s a dial made of lunar rock or one that features a miniature solar system in motion, these extraordinary timepieces invite us to look up, lean in, and lose ourselves in their celestial storytelling. Judging by the latest launches, watchmakers are no longer measuring time; they’re reimagining it as an interstellar journey.

From the jewel-studded spectacle of Jacob & Co’s S$1.6 million Astronomia Solar G-Dragon, to the futuristic alchemy of Bvlgari x MB&F’s kinetic Serpenti, and Urwerk’s bronze-clad marvel with dinosaur scale-inspired guilloche, these creations launch haute horlogerie into the outer limits of our imagination. Welcome to the new frontier of watchmaking.

From G-Dragon’s custom Jacob & Co watch with gemstone planets to Hermes’ four-billion-year-old meteorite dial and more.

6 watchmakers that put horology light years ahead with watches inspired by Earth, the universe and a sci-fi movie

The National Board of Tourism (NBT) Tuesday held a discussion on Bulgarian tourism and implications for it from Bulgaria's accession to the euro area. The forum was organized under the patronage of the Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh and with the institutional partnership of his Ministry.

The participants looked at the effects of the forthcoming change in the operational work of the tourism sector, as well as the potential benefits of Bulgaria's accession to the euro zone and the introduction of the euro as the main currency of payment as a factor for increasing the competitiveness of Bulgarian tourism.

Among the attendees were Tourism Minister Miroslav Borshosh, Bulgarian National Bank Deputy Governor Todor Chobanov and Economic, Social Council Chairperson Zornitsa Rusinova and Petya Dimitrova, Chairwoman of the Executive Board of the Association of Banks in Bulgaria, among others.

Tourism Minister Borshosh said in his remarks that Bulgaria is behind schedule in implementing its information campaign for the euro changeover, and "months and years have been wasted". He also said that "populism has been one of the biggest employers" in Bulgaria in recent years and that the entry in the eurozone is frequently attacked "with inadequate arguments which lean more toward excessive emotionality rather than realism".

Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) Deputy Governor Petar Chobanov argued that membership in the euro area will provide a number of opportunities, but it is up to Bulgaria to take advantage of them. The BNB deputy governor advised business representatives not to look in the direction of price increases as this could affect inflation, which is one of the criteria for eurozone membership.

Polina Karastoyanova, the head of the National Tourism Board, reiterated that eurozone entry is the Number One priority for the government and would be a major change for the Bulgarian society and economy. "We believe firmly that it will be a key factor for improving the competitiveness of the Bulgarian tourist products," she said.

Nikolay Valkanov, a member of the Board of Directors of the National Tourism Board, said that businesses are fully prepared and eager to join the euro area. "Businesses have been prepared to operate in euros for a long time; in practice, we are already doing it," Valkanov said, recalling that the tourism sector has in the past conducted business in Deutsche Marks, US dollars, and euros. He noted that a large share of the sector’s activity now involves partners in Europe and worldwide, where the euro is the principal currency.

Deputy Finance Minister Metodi Metodiev pointed out that one of the positive effects of eurozone membership will be to improve the quality of work of its institutions in Bulgaria. In Metodiev's words, the conversation on Bulgaria's eurozone membership should be shifted away from the debate on the benefits and costs of adopting the euro, as academic literature and empirical analyses clearly show that the benefits are much greater than the potential costs.

Economic and Social Council Chair Zornitsa Rusinova said that all sectors, especially the tourism sector, will benefit directly from joining the euro area. According to her, the euro area will catalyze concrete benefits for businesses and people's incomes.

Petya Dimitrova, Chairwoman of the Executive Board of the Association of Banks in Bulgaria, assured that the banking institutions are already ready for the changeover to the euro and the lev. In her words, the banks have invested over BGN 400 million in systems, processes and digitalization to make the process of the changeover smooth and seamless.

BTA :: Bulgaria’s Eurozone Accession: Tourism Leaders Discuss Impacts and Opportunities

A Russian floating dock is towed by tugboats through Bosphorus to the Black Sea, in Istanbul, Turkey, September 18, 2024. PHOTO: REUTERS

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The United States reached separate agreements on Tuesday with Ukraine and Russia to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea and to implement a ban on attacks by the two countries on each other's energy facilities.

The agreements, if implemented, would represent the clearest progress yet towards a wider ceasefire that Washington sees as a stepping stone towards peace talks to bring an end to Russia's three-year-old war in Ukraine.

Both countries said they would rely on Washington to enforce the deals.

"If the Russians violate this, then I have a direct question for President Trump. If they violate, here is the evidence - we ask for sanctions, we ask for weapons, etc," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told reporters at a news conference in Kyiv.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: "We will need clear guarantees. And given the sad experience of agreements with just Kyiv, the guarantees can only be the result of an order from Washington to Zelenskiy and his team to do one thing and not the other."

The agreements, reached in Saudi Arabia, follow talks initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has vowed to swiftly end the war and has shifted Washington's position from firmly backing Kyiv to a stance more sympathetic with Moscow.

Under the agreement with Moscow, Washington promised to help restore Russian access to markets for its agricultural and fertiliser exports. The Kremlin said this would require lifting some sanctions.

The talks followed separate phone calls last week between Trump and the two presidents, Zelenskiy and Vladimir Putin. Putin rejected Trump's proposal for a full ceasefire lasting 30 days, which Ukraine had previously endorsed.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said Kyiv would regard any movement of Russian military vessels outside the eastern part of the Black Sea as a violation and a threat, in which case Ukraine would have the full right to self-defence.

Pause on attacks on energy facilities

Russia has attacked Ukraine's power grid with missiles and drones throughout the war, arguing that civil energy infrastructure is a legitimate target because it helps Ukraine's warfighting capability.

More recently, Ukraine has been launching long-range strikes on Russian oil and gas targets, which it says provide fuel for Russian troops and income to fund its war effort.

Early in the war, Russia imposed a de facto naval blockade on Ukraine, one of the world's biggest grain exporters, which threatened to worsen a global food crisis.

But maritime battles have been only a comparatively small part of the war since 2023, when Russia withdrew its naval forces from the eastern Black Sea after a number of successful Ukrainian attacks. Kyiv was able to reopen its ports and resume exports at around pre-war levels, despite the collapse of a previous UN-brokered Black Sea shipping agreement.

Trump is pressing both sides to bring a swift end to the war, a goal he promised to achieve when he ran for president last year.

At the same time he is pursuing a rapid rapprochement with Russia that Washington and Moscow say could lead to lucrative business opportunities.

Ukraine and its European allies fear Trump could strike a hasty deal with Putin that undermines their security and caves in to Russian demands, including for Kyiv to abandon its NATO ambitions and give up the entirety of four regions claimed by Russia as its own. Ukraine has rejected that as tantamount to surrender.

If implemented, the deals could mark key progress toward a ceasefire and peace talks in Russia’s war on Ukraine

US secures Black Sea, energy deals with Ukraine and Russia

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War in Ukraine - Latest update, key takeaways and map from the Institute for the Study of War on March 24, 2025

ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, Map and Update, March 24, 2025

He once missed a flight because he had to have his favourite Kuala Lumpur chilli pan mee, so it’s safe to say that Zhang Zetong takes good eats very seriously.

So seriously, in fact, that the actor and Star Search winner, who stars in the currently-airing Emerald Hill, proclaimed: “When food doesn’t meet the standard it’s priced and advertised at, I get royally pissed.”

On his travels, “I definitely plan my itinerary around good food locations, and will make restaurant bookings way in advance of my trip.” And, “for almost every city I visit, I actively look out for food recommendations on the different apps: Tiktok, Instagram, Xiaohongshu.”

Some of his all-time favourite places to eat can be found throughout Malaysia.

Although the 32-year-old is originally from Johor Bahru, he has an affinity for the food in Penang, as his maternal grandmother lives there and “I visit her every lunar new year, so I've been to Penang countless times”.

In this CNA Lifestyle series, celebrities share their favourite cities to travel to for good eats, and their top foodie recommendations for places to dine and imbibe there.

Celebrity food travels: Actor Zhang Zetong’s best places to eat in Penang and KL

Badminton: Hyderabad’s Sumeeth Reddy calls time on career

Known for his free and frank opinions, Sumeeth Reddy has decided to quit the sport formally and focus on coaching doubles

By VV Subrahmanyam Published Date - 25 March 2025, 12:21 AM

Hyderabad: Some of the best names in Indian badminton are not known to announce formal retirements even though it is obvious given the way they stay away from the competitive circuit for different reasons.

But, B Sumeeth Reddy, always known for his free and frank opinions and one who has his own three coaching centres, including Sikki-Sumeeth Sports Centre in the City, has decided to quit the sport formally and focus on coaching doubles.

“RETIRED AND PROUD. Embracing the next chapter with gratitude and excitement. I thank my family, friends and well-wishers for all the support,” Sumeeth wrote in an Instagram post.

“Well, I am ok with some of the trainees at my own Academy in Hyderabad making it really good at the national level like Lyosha and Abhishek. But I am keen to take my dreams beyond the borders and make a mark in doubles coaching on the international circuit,” Sumeeth said in a chat with ‘Telangana Today’ on Monday.

“I am already on the job, starting with the India Open, then to All England and the Swiss Open now. The ultimate dream is to produce Olympic medallists in doubles. And, given the talent available, I am sure that day is not far off,” said Sumeeth who says winning the 2015 Mexico International doubles, making it to 2016 Rio Olympics doubles with Manu Attri and the 2022 CWG team medal partnering Ashwini Ponappa in mixed doubles were some of the high-points of his career.

Known for his honest expression of thoughts, Sumeeth, Inspector in Income Tax Department, said that he was not a great talent and a slow learner, but no one could find fault when it came to slogging it out there on the courts for hours.

“Looking back, the back injury in 2011 when I was Junior India No. 1 and Senior India No. 5, was a huge blow to my career. The long injury break forced me to look at doubles on the advice of Gopi Anna,” he said, looking back at his two-decade-long playing career.

With wife Sikki Reddy, herself an acknowledged women’s doubles player from India, lending complete support to his plan of action, Sumeeth clearly wants to make it big as a coach.

“Well, if the BAI plans to hire some of us as coaches, it would be a great fillip to my dreams and aspirations,” he signed off.

Known for his free and frank opinions, Sumeeth Reddy has decided to quit the sport formally and focus on coaching doubles

Badminton: Hyderabad’s Sumeeth Reddy calls time on career

KT Rama Rao questions Congress over poor conditions in villages

Says the ruling party has undone years of progress in just 15 months

By Telangana Today Published Date - 25 March 2025, 12:21 AM

Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao lashed out at the Congress government, blaming it for the poor conditions in villages across Telangana.

“Under the BRS rule, villages flourished. Now, in just 15 months, the Congress has undone years of progress,” he said, pointing to the collapse of administration in 12,754 gram panchayats.

Rama Rao blamed the Congress government for lack of funds, poor sanitation, drinking water shortages, and non-functional streetlights. He noted that award-winning rural initiatives, including Vaikunthadhams and village nature parks (Palle Prakruthi Vanams), are now neglected.

“Congress neither provides funds nor allows development. Telangana’s once-thriving villages are turning into barren wastelands,” he said, holding the government responsible for the crisis.

Says the ruling party has undone years of progress in just 15 months

KT Rama Rao questions Congress over poor conditions in villages

Phone tapping case: Telangana HC notice to State on anticipatory bail plea of former Special Branch chief

Prabhakar Rao, who is currently in the US undergoing medical treatment, filed the plea stating he had no role in the case

By Telangana Today Published Date - 25 March 2025, 12:18 AM

Hyderabad: Justice J Srinivasa Rao of the Telangana High Court issued notices to the State government on Monday seeking its response on the anticipatory bail petition filed by former Special Branch chief T Prabhakar Rao, one of the accused in the phone tapping case.

Prabhakar Rao, who is currently in the United States undergoing medical treatment, filed the petition seeking anticipatory bail, stating that he had no involvement in the phone tapping case.

Rao asserted that he served with dedication for over 30 years and did not commit any illegal acts. Citing his health issues, he approached the High Court to grant him anticipatory bail.

As it was the first hearing of the petition, the court directed the government to provide its explanation on the matter. The hearing has been adjourned for two weeks to allow the government to file its response.

Prabhakar Rao, who is currently in the US undergoing medical treatment, filed the plea stating he had no role in the case