Events

The first edition of the ongoing Bangladeshi Mangoes Festival (Al Hamba Exhibition) at Souq Waqif is evoking a good response while recording good sales. The sales crossed 29 tonnes on the first three days of the festival while the festival drew 31700 visitors, who thronged Souq Waqif to relish the Bangladeshi mangoes.As per the figures, released by Souq Waqif Management, the first day recorded sales of 87,00 kg mangoes while the sales on the second and third days stood at 11,300 kg and 9,700 kg reaching a total sale of 29,700 kg. The festival on the first day received a total of 7,000 visitors while the second and third days witnessed 12,200 and 12,500 respectively.To run until July 1, the festival at the Eastern Square of Souq Waqif features 20 varieties of Bangladeshi mangoes. Organised by the Private Engineering Office (PEO) in cooperation with the Embassy of Bangladesh, it sells an array of mango products and fresh fruits from Bangladesh.The expo showcases a distinguished selection of renowned Bangladeshi mango varieties such as Amrapali, Langra, Katimon, Khirsapat, Fazli, Gopalbhog, Haribhanga, Lame Mango, Banana Mango, Himashagor and Lakshmanbhog. Also, litchi, jackfruit, dragon fruit, guava, Baccaurea motleyana and pineapple are on sale. The exhibition is open daily from 4 pm to 9 pm except during official holidays when the opening hours are extended to 10 pm.Most of the exhibitors have come all the way from Bangladesh exclusively for the expo where high quality fruits that are flown from Bangladesh in special flights are sold. The festival is held for the first time in conjunction with the peak mango harvest season in Bangladesh with the goal of enhancing healthy competition among participating companies and offering high-quality products at accessible prices. It is the result of collaborative planning between the Celebrations Committee and the Embassy of Bangladesh to provide a platform for both Bangladeshi and local companies to showcase their offerings in a distinguished commercial setting.The exhibition tent is equipped with proper cooling systems to ensure the freshness of the products and visitors’ comfort.

On the second day of the Eid al-Fitr celebrations, the Cultural Village Katara continued to offer its impressive events, attracting large numbers of visitors who immensely enjoyed the festive atmosphere.Katara Corniche hosted a variety of activities and events that added a special joy to the Eid celebrations. Among the standout events was the street play "The Adventures of Adnan the Pirate – The Mind is a Blessing." This children’s play was written by Dr Hanan Sadiq, directed by artist Ali al-Khalaf, and performed by a group of Qatari actors, including Ali al-Sharshani, Shahd al-Jassem, and Faisal al-Jassem, alongside young talents and a team of performance artists. The music was composed by the Qatari group Neymar Music.Dr Hanan Sadiq explained that the play continues Katara's tradition of presenting theatrical performances during Eid, aiming to reinforce the cherished values and principles in a creative and engaging way for children, while introducing them to the expressive power of theatre.She noted that the performances have drawn large audiences of children and families, receiving enthusiastic interaction, which indicates the play’s success. The first show takes place at 6.15pm on the Katara Corniche, while the second show starts at 8.45pm.Another major attraction during Eid is Fereej Katara, which draws large crowds of visitors.Saeed al-Kuwari from the beach management team explained that Fereej Katara is a traditional heritage village that recreates the authentic atmosphere of the past, both in architecture and in the variety of activities it offers. These include children’s workshops, competitions with prizes, and the participation of family-run businesses and craftsmen specialising in traditional arts, all designed to highlight Qatari culture and heritage.The spectacular fireworks displays continue to captivate large audiences, with the final show scheduled for the third day of Eid at 8.30pm on the Katara Corniche. The sky will be lit up with vibrant colours, spreading joy and delight among attendees.Another highlight is the Qatari Ardha (traditional sword dance), which attracts spectators from various nationalities. Participants form opposing rows and chant patriotic songs expressing pride in the country's leadership and heritage. The Ardha is a fundamental part of Qatari culture, combining poetry with synchronised movements in a powerful display of tradition.Among the prominent activities in Katara’s Eid celebrations was the performance by the Police Music Band, where musicians delivered a captivating show blending rhythm and choreography, making it one of the most admired events.Further, visitors enjoyed a range of Asian and African folkloric performances, featuring traditional dances and music from various African countries, along with vibrant showcases from Egypt and Syria. These performances provided audiences with a rich cultural experience, forming a colourful and diverse artistic spectacle that was met with great enthusiasm. Visitors expressed their appreciation for the cultural diversity presented by Katara.Katara’s Eid celebrations will continue until the fourth day of Eid, offering a rich and diverse programme that appeals to all age groups and social backgrounds.

Katara Cultural Village on Wednesday inaugurated the 13th edition of the Halal Qatar Festival. The festival features prominent participation from livestock breeders in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait, attracting a large audience of heritage enthusiasts and lovers of traditional culture.Chairman of the Festival's Organising Committee Salman Mohammed al-Nuaimi told Qatar News Agency that the festival aims to attract all interested parties and livestock breeders in Qatar and the region, adding that since its inception and after 13 years, the festival has become one of the largest and most influential events in establishing the concept of genetic improvement among breeders to enhance animal production efficiency.He highlighted the committee's commitment to involving and supporting productive families in the festival, in addition to organising various activities and events for school students and festival visitors.Al-Nuaimi explained that the festival has established its prestigious position among breeders from Qatar and the GCC countries, thanks to its unique economic platform for displaying and acquiring the best types of livestock, including sheep and goats, and highlighting their features and specifications.Al-Nuaimi added that this year's edition includes several new additions and developments to enrich the experience of participants and visitors. The festival features a variety of competitions, including the "Mazayen" competition for selecting the most beautiful livestock, bidding on rare breeds, and direct sales exhibitions.The festival got underway Wednesday with the Mazayen competitions, where breeders showcased the best types of livestock in different categories in the presence of a judging panel and livestock experts.The first day also witnessed auctions for some distinguished breeds of goats and sheep, adding excitement to the event.In addition to the competitions, the festival includes a range of accompanying activities and events, such as a comprehensive market featuring veterinary pharmacies, date stores, honey and sweets shops, traditional foods, and handicrafts, along with drawing and crafts workshops for children and a traditional tent (Beit Al Shaar) to introduce children and visitors to traditional lifestyles.A dedicated area for children has been set up, allowing them to experience horse and camel riding in a fun and safe environment, helping to introduce new generations to the heritage of horsemanship and desert transportation.The festival also saw the opening of an art exhibition in collaboration with Gallery 38, featuring the works of nine artists from Qatar and various nationalities.The artworks are inspired by the desert heritage and its authentic elements, adding a new cultural dimension to the festival.The festival will continue until February 24, blending authenticity and heritage. It serves as an outstanding platform to promote the Gulf heritage related to livestock breeding (sheep and goats) and includes a variety of competitions and traditional shows that attract heritage and folklore enthusiasts. It also offers visitors the opportunity to learn about rare livestock breeds and their breeding methods in an environment that simulates desert life.Katara has been organising the Halal Qatar Festival annually, recognising it as one of the most prominent heritage festivals that contribute to preserving the Bedouin heritage and traditional customs, fostering a deep-rooted legacy in the hearts of the younger generation, and providing them with a realistic portrayal of various aspects of desert and wilderness life. (QNA)

The fifth Katara International Arabian Horse Festival (KIAHF) will kick off on Wednesday at the Cultural Village Foundation (Katara).Organised by the institution and in cooperation with the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) and the Qatar Equestrian Federation (QEF), the festival aims to enhance the legacy of the State of Qatar in equestrian sports, that has been loved by Qataris since ancient times and their interest in the ancient breeds of Arabian horses.The festival will run from January 29 to February 8. The first edition of the festival was launched in February 2021.This year's edition includes three main events, namely the Al Jazira Horse Championship, which starts on January 29 and concludes on February 1, followed by the horse auction on February 3, then the Arabian Peninsula Horse Show during the period from February 5 to 8.KIAHF is one of the largest sporting events in the field of equestrianism and is held as part of a series of events hosted by Katara annually and is witnessing great development in various organizational and artistic aspects in addition to its accompanying events.The idea of the festival is inspired by the large cultural and historical stock of the Qatari society, as Katara has taken the responsibility of caring for this heritage and love for Arabian horses and highlighting it globally, which falls within its continuous and persistent efforts to balance between the duality of heritage and authenticity on the one hand, and promoting the culture of modernization on the other hand, in line with Qatar Vision 2030.The festival's message is based on supporting the rich Qatari heritage in the field of equestrianism to spread it globally, as the festival aims to enhance the position of purebred and unique Arabian horses at various local, regional and international levels.The festival has a vision and objectives that features making the State of Qatar a global center for horse and equestrian sports, taking the lead in caring for purebred Arabian horses and enhancing its position in this sport, in addition to contributing to the pride of purebred Arabian horse owners by holding an international championship with a high level of organization and coordination by giving them the opportunity to participate with their best productions, in addition to spreading the culture of "modernity and authenticity", which is in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.

Under the patronage of HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, the 12th Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition will be held from February 4 to 8 at Katara Cultural Village.A Ministry of Municipality press conference revealed that participants from over 29 countries would be engaged in specialised conferences, seminars and panels on the latest agricultural innovations and environmental sustainability.The largest in the event's history, this year's edition, the hosts the UAE's Ministry of Climate Change and Environment as the guest of honor.A total of 114 local farms along with honey and 24 date producers will showcase their products across specialised markets on a venue of more than 40,000 square meters, boosting interaction between producers and consumers.Organising and Supervisory Committee Chairman Yousef Khalid Al Khulaifi said the event, which coincides with the launch of the Ministry of Municipality's 2024 - 2030 National Food Security Strategy, reflects an ambitious vision to enhance innovation, exchange expertise and open new horizons for investment and partnerships in the agricultural sector.Meanwhile, the Ministry of Municipality's Public Parks Department Director Mohammed Ibrahim Al Sada hailed the event's role in realising an integrated and sustainable agricultural sector.He highlighted the exhibition's aims of showcasing the latest sustainable agriculture technologies including smart irrigation systems, organic and cosmetic agriculture, and food security.The Ministry of Municipality's Public Relations Director Dr. Faiqa Abdullah Ashkanani spoke about the media campaign launched to introduce the exhibition and its importance and spotlight the vital role of the agricultural sector in achieving national and regional food security.

The fifth edition of Katara International Amber Exhibition was inaugurated on Tuesday afternoon by Prof Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti, general manager of the Cultural Village Katara.The exhibition is organised by Katara in Hall 12 and features 77 booths representing 14 countries from around the world.The opening ceremony was attended by a number of ambassadors, members of the diplomatic corps in Qatar, representatives of the participating companies, and a considerable number of amber traders, enthusiasts, and cultural heritage lovers.The exhibition is the largest of its kind in Qatar and the region. It brings together elite exhibitors and participants from across the world and runs until January 10. The exhibition showcases a wide range of luxury products and rare amber-crafted artifacts.Dr al-Sulaiti expressed his delight at the launch of the fifth edition of the exhibition. He stressed that the event reflects Katara's commitment to supporting cultural heritage and developing traditional amber craftsmanship. The exhibition has become an international economic platform that blends heritage and innovation, highlighting the significance of amber as a cultural and economic treasure for Qatar and participating countries. Besides, the exhibition presents rare collections of prayer beads, amber stones, and innovative handcrafted items, catering to the diverse tastes and preferences of its visitors.He added: "We take pride in hosting this international exhibition for the fifth consecutive year. It has attracted wide participation from exhibitors and experts worldwide. We hope this exhibition will enhance cultural and economic exchange and offer visitors unique experiences."The opening day saw significant attendance from the public and experts in the amber industry. Many participants expressed their appreciation for Katara's efforts in organising this event.Bader al-Medaires, booth supervisor from Kuwait, expressed his pleasure in participating for the third time. He noted that the exhibition provides a valuable opportunity for exhibitors to showcase their products, connect with traders, enthusiasts, and experts, and gain insights into the latest innovations in the amber industry.Similarly, Samir Ramou, supervisor of another booth from Germany, expressed his admiration for the professional organization of the event. He stressed that the exhibition is an excellent platform for introducing innovative amber products to the Middle Eastern audience, fostering new client relationships, and exploring new markets. His booth showcases German amber products, including prayer beads, jewelry, and heritage-inspired collectibles.Abdulla al-Khelaifi, supervisor a booth from Qatar, said that he is happy to participate for the third time in this internationally leading exhibition. He described it as a unique platform that brings together amber traders and enthusiasts from the region and around the world, offering a rare chance to exchange knowledge and skills in the amber industry.The exhibition is open daily from 12pm to 10pm, except Fridays, it opens from 2pm to 11pm.

Qatar’s winter tourism campaign received a major boost with the launch of Sealine Season Friday, a three-week multi-activity experience at Sealine Beach aimed at attracting visitors with a diverse range of desert adventures, entertainment, and sporting events. Running until January 27, the initiative is organised by Visit Qatar in collaboration with key government entities, including the Ministry of Sports and Youth, Qatar Sports for All, and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. “We are very happy that we are launching the Sealine Season. What we offer is a variety of activities that has a lot to do with excitement, a lot to do with activation that is suitable for all ages, not to forget that we are talking about two main musical concerts that will start officially from Saturday. It includes fireworks that will start around 10pm,” Visit Qatar’s Media Relations and Communications senior manager, Dr Buthaina al-Janahi told Gulf Times on the sidelines of the event. She highlighted how the Sealine Season aligns with Qatar’s broader tourism strategy, as it aims to further attract a large number of visitors from neighbouring GCC countries and beyond. “Qatar is a very strategic location that hosts these kinds of activities and welcomes everyone, especially our visitors from the GCC region,” Dr Janahi said. According to Visit Qatar, visitors can choose from a range of paid and free activities: paid options comprise of thrilling desert safaris, including the popular Monster Bus Safari, as well as ATV Buggies, horse riding, boat trips, and a tethered balloon experience while free activities cater to all ages and interests, with football, volleyball, and mini-soccer at the sports area, obstacle courses and face painting for children, and cultural activities such as falconry and calligraphy. Weekend adventures feature paid fishing trips and free stargazing sessions while entertainment highlights include musical concerts that began Friday and will be held again on January 10, 17, and 24, accompanied by fireworks displays in the evening. Visit Qatar noted that Muay Thai self-defence classes are offered every Thursday and Friday, while the “Chef on Fire” cooking competition showcases local culinary talents every Thursday, with awards ceremonies held on the main stage. Other attractions include daily classic car displays by Mawater and the chance to see Qatar’s national animal at the Oryx Barn. The activation also hosts several food outlets for visitors to enjoy. Dr al-Janahi said Qatar’s tourism calendar continues to flourish as more activities and mega events set for this year, ensuring that the country remains committed to creating unique and exciting experiences for all visitors. “There is something in the pipeline that we promise everyone to experience”, she stressed.

The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) on Wednesday revealed its 2025 sports events calendar, featuring a robust lineup of 84 events, including 15 world-class championships. Among the most anticipated event is the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships, scheduled from May 17-27, 2025, across Lusail Multipurpose Arena, Qatar University Arena, and Qatar Sports Arena. Additionally, Qatar will also host the FIFA U-17 World Cup from November 5-27, 2025, at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums.The year will open with the finals of King of the Court beach volleyball tournament, organised by the Qatar Volleyball Association in early January, followed by the Beach Pro Tour Elite16 in February.February also features the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, hosted by the Qatar Golf Association, the Qatar ExxonMobil Open for men and Qatar TotalEnergies Open for women, organised by the Qatar Tennis, Squash, Padel and Badminton Federation. Meanwhile, the HH The Amir’s Shooting Cup and the Lusail Shotgun Championship will be conducted by the Qatar Shooting & Archery Association. In April, the spotlight will be on the FIG Artistic Gymnastics Apparatus World Cup, showcasing both men’s and women’s competitions.In May, Doha will host the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships with top players competing for the ultimate prize in the sport. This prestigious event marks a triumphant return to Doha, two decades after the city hosted the successful ITTF World Championships in 2004. As the first host in the Middle East region, the 2004 event contributed significantly to the growth of the sport and inspired the next generation of table tennis enthusiasts.The 2025 edition continues Doha’s longstanding association as one of the most established cities in global table tennis calender.The ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals 2025 promises to be an incredible spectacle, where the best players in the world will compete at the highest level. There will be a 128-player main draw in both the men’s and women’s singles events, and 64-pair main draws for the men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles events.June will feature the FIBA 3x3 U-23 Youth League, hosted by the Qatar Basketball Federation. Later in the year, the QTerminals Qatar Classic squash tournament will take place from September 28-October 4, 2025, organised by the Qatar Tennis, Squash, Padel and Badminton Federation.The calendar boasts 36 international championships, including the Al Shaqab International League which is a qualifier for the FEI Group 7 final, the WTT Star Contender, the Qatar Fencing Grand Prix, the Qatar International Optimist Sailing Championship, HH The Amir’s Sword Equestrian Festival, the Commercial Bank CHI Al Shaqab presented by Longines, the Doha Diamond League, the 5th Qatar Open Taekwondo Championship, and the 10th Qatar Weightlifting Cup.On the Asian level, Qatar will host 14 events, such as the Asian Beach Volleyball Championship, the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers, the West Asia One-Day Athletics Championship, the West Asia Badminton Championship, and the Asian Padel Championship.On the Arab level, the Qatar Football Association will organise the FIFA Arab Cup, from December 1-18 at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums. Gulf competitions include six championships, including the GCC Men’s Tennis Championship (singles and doubles), the GCC Padel Team Championship for U-14, U-18, men, and women, and the GCC Youth and Junior Athletics Championship.In addition, the newly-released calendar includes a big number of local and community events such as: National Sport Day, QOC Half-Marathon, Qatar Volleyball Cup Final, HH The Amir Basketball Cup final, Qatar Football Cup Final, Qatar Handball Cup Final, HH The Amir Volleyball Cup final, closing ceremony of Olympic Schools Program, HH The Amir Football Cup final, HH The Amir Handball Cup and World Olympic Day.

The 16th edition of Qatar International Falcons and Hunting Festival (Marmi 2025) kicked off Wednesday at Marmi area in Sealine and will continue until Feb. 1, 2025.Held under the patronage of HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, the event is supported by the Social and Sport Contribution Fund (DAAM) and organised by Qatari Society of Algannas (AGQS). It commenced with Haddad Al-Tahaddi contest in which 23 groups are competing, but the event did see the Farkh Shaheen falcons winning despite the intense competition, with the second group contests scheduled for Thursday.In his remarks to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Marmi Festival chairman, Miteb Mubarak Al Qahtani, underlined that the falconry legacy will steadfastly continue to garner new generations of children and young people, affirming that the event is annually held to instill falconry in their hearts to be true guardians of this legacy, especially since the record turnout from visitors manifests the community's interest in this deep-rooted popular legacy.Al Qahtani stressed the importance of this festival on the map of major events that are held in Qatar, along with the successes achieved year after year and the huge turnout from members of the Qatari and Gulf communities.This year, 23 groups are competing in the Haddad Al-Tahadi Championship, with competitions scheduled during the festival days, taking place in the afternoon starting at 12pm. While the targeted prey of homing pigeons returned safely to their nests in Umm Ebairiya and the falcons failed to achieve notable results within the first day of its launch, the competition remained fierce.Several falcons demonstrated readiness and competitiveness but were not fortunate enough to secure victories or qualifications. Accordingly, no falcon could make a victory on the first day. Last year (Marmi 2024), three falconers, one from Kuwait and two from Qatar, won on the opening day.Marmi Festival vice-chairman, Abdulwaheb bin Omair Al Nuaimi, underscored to QNA the festivals crucial role in maintaining the falconry legacy, with the 16th edition positioning itself as a sterling platform to support falconers and conventional hunting enthusiasts, which is strikingly demonstrated in participants record turnout.The festival has become a preferable destination for foreign tourists to learn about falconry legacy, along with citizens and residents who intend to enjoy spectacular atmospheres at Marmi area in Sealine, Al Nuaimi added, confirming that the organizing committee offers all kinds of amenities for visitors.Chairman of the Hadad Al Tahadi Committee, Shawi Al Kaabi, commended the falconers' efforts in the first days of this event, emphasizing that the Hadad Al Tahadi competition draws huge crowds of spectators.In addition, several falconers participating in the event expressed their gratitude to AGQS in supporting them, along with its commitment to consistently holding such events that enhance this unique legacy.The festival primarily aims to enhance falconry, which is registered in the UNESCO's list, especially since Qatar was the first country that made profound efforts to maintain this global heritage at home and abroad.Meanwhile, participating falconers expressed their gratitude to Al Gannas Qatari Society for its support and dedication to continuing festivals and championships that promote this traditional sport.

Despite the rapid proliferation of artificial-intelligence chatbots and virtual assistants, finding an answer to a question that a company’s software is not programmed to address can be frustrating. Searching through countless options on price-comparison websites for the best insurance policy or airline ticket can be equally exhausting. Yet, we tend to view this “time tax” as the cost of doing business in today’s digitised global economy.To be sure, we already spend much of our time online for both work and leisure. Internet users in the US spend roughly eight hours per day online on activities like video meetings, shopping, or watching shows and movies on streaming services. But digital technologies also consume our waking hours in subtler ways, allowing companies to offload onto users tasks that their employees previously performed.Consider, for example, the automated checkouts that allow us to scan and bag our groceries. This reduces the need to hire cashiers, enabling supermarket chains to save on wage costs, boost revenues, and enhance productivity. It might even save consumers some time by shortening queues. Still, this represents a shift from paid labour to unpaid work by customers.Or consider filing a tax return. Many Americans today use software like TurboTax to file their annual taxes. While this might save consumers time and money, enabling them to avoid paying for an accountant or tax expert, it also represents a shift away from paid professionals to self-service.These trends may provide an early indication of the potential labour-market disruption caused by large language models and machine learning. A 2023 study suggests that nearly 20% of US workers, particularly high-income earners, are vulnerable to automation. But a comprehensive assessment of the AI revolution’s costs and benefits must also account for its impact on what economists call the “household account”: our personal (unpaid) time and valuable but non-monetised domestic work.Moreover, while AI may help companies reduce costs and boost profit margins, these gains are not necessarily shared with consumers. For example, are stores using automated checkouts charging lower prices or providing better service than their less automated counterparts?In fact, there seems to be little evidence that these technologies have actually benefited consumers. While the digital economy has provided us with valuable free services, it has also enabled companies to extract money from users by obscuring prices and quality through overly complicated designs, “dark patterns” – interfaces meant to manipulate users into making poor decisions – and potentially collusive algorithmic pricing models.But the real question is why digital innovation has not led to meaningful improvements in domestic productivity. The washing machine, as the late physician and statistician Hans Rosling famously argued, was one of humanity’s greatest innovations because it saved caregivers – the vast majority of them women – a huge amount of time and effort. So far, the digital revolution has not produced a similar time-saving breakthrough.One possible explanation is that it is difficult to quantify the care economy. While it is well established that demand for care workers is growing across OECD countries, economic statistics do not capture the amount of time devoted to care work. The US Bureau of Economic Analysis and the United Kingdom’s Office for National Statistics publish household production figures occasionally, but policymakers and the media rarely pay attention to these data.Fortunately, researchers are working to bridge this gap. University of Kansas economist Misty Lee Heggeness, for example, is currently developing a “dashboard” of indicators on care work in the US. Similarly, the London-based Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence is exploring ways to analyse time-use data to measure household activity.As MIT economist Erik Brynjolfsson has argued, a new “GDP-B” metric is required to capture the benefits of free digital services such as online search and email. Similarly, we need a measure – let’s call it “GDP-H” – that accounts for activity in the unpaid economy. The goal of such a metric would be to provide an accurate picture of economic activity. At present, we overlook much of the value that technology creates or destroys simply because it is not monetised.While measuring the frictions created by today’s digital technologies remains challenging, they take up an increasingly large portion of our daily lives. With AI-powered automation looming on the horizon, it is crucial to ensure that technological advances simplify life rather than complicate it and that the benefits are accessible to all.To achieve this, the AI industry must generate more value than it destroys. While major new technologies are always disruptive, their social acceptance hinges on their ability to improve people’s lives in meaningful ways. – Project SyndicateDiane Coyle, Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge, is the author of Cogs and Monsters: What Economics Is, and What It Should Be (Princeton University Press, 2021) and the forthcoming The Measure of Progress: Counting What Really Matters (Princeton University Press, Spring 2025).

Germany is extremely concerned about rising violence on Israel’s border with Lebanon and the growing risk of a full-blown regional conflict, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on a visit to the region yesterday.Speaking at a security conference, Baerbock also warned Israel, that it could “lose itself” in the war against Hamas and that rising anger at the plight of civilians in Gaza undermined Israel’s security.Fears are growing that a war that has already killed tens of thousands in Gaza could spill into neighbouring countries.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signalled on Sunday that Israel could move more troops to the north, where fighting against the Hezbollah militia has escalated on the border with Lebanon. Hezbollah began trading fire with Israel on October 8, a day after its Palestinian ally Hamas, which administers Gaza, stormed southern Israel. Tens of thousands have fled both sides of the border.“We are extremely concerned about the increase in violence at the northern border. I will pay a visit to Beirut tomorrow again exactly for this reason,” Baerbock said, according to prepared remarks.“Together with our partners, we are working hard on finding solutions that can prevent more suffering. The risk of an unintended escalation and of all-out war is growing by the day.” As in other Western countries, the war in Gaza has stirred popular opposition as the Palestinian death toll - now over 37,600 - has mounted, and Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government has sharpened its rhetoric about Israel’s conduct.Baerbock highlighted the humanitarian situation in Gaza, saying at least 17,000 children there were orphaned or separated from their parents. She flagged reports of human rights violations including the torture of detainees, and extremist settlers driving Palestinians from their homes in the West Bank. Images from Gaza have sparked disbelief, sadness and anger, she warned.Israel’s campaign in Gaza was triggered when Hamas-led fighters stormed southern Israel in the first week of October.The Israeli military has said it is investigating allegations of mistreatment of detainees. A number of countries, including the United States, have imposed sanctions on violent Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank and urged Israel to do more to stop the violence.

Ivory Coast’s cocoa regulator plans to implement a reform of the domestic cocoa marketing system that will, within a year, eliminate middlemen to prevent risk and overpayment, an official and sources told Reuters.The reform will target intermediaries who act as scouts and buyers, sourcing cocoa beans from farms in the hinterland and reselling to exporters.According to the Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC) regulator, independent intermediary buyers represent around 80% of the volumes purchased from farms and delivered in the ports of Abidjan and San Pedro, while cooperatives account for around 20% of volumes in the world’s top cocoa producing nation.The reform will rely on Ivory Coast’s new cocoa traceability and certification system that is being deployed by the CCC, and will be operational by October at the start of the 2024/25 cocoa season. The system will digitise payment for all cocoa bean sales or purchase transactions from the farmer to the exporter.“The intermediaries who collect the product to resell to other intermediaries will disappear because they will not benefit from this system,” Arsene Dadie, director of domestic marketing at the CCC, who is leading the reform, told Reuters. Dadie said the new system based on the farmers identification cards, which also serve as payment cards, will essentially rely on cocoa cooperatives that will be the only intermediaries between exporters and farmers.The CCC has identified 1.05mn cocoa farmers, and issued around 900,000 cards of which around 800,000 have been distributed. The regulator has said that 580 out of nearly 2,000 cooperatives are participating in a test deployment of the new sales system, as well as 22 exporters out of 100.“At the same time as we distribute the cards, we are gradually rolling out the traceability system among the cooperatives,” Dadie said, adding that the system will ensure that farmers are paid directly without any intermediary from next cocoa season.The CCC also aims to exclude intermediary scouts and buyers by reducing the number of permits issued to them, and introduce more restrictions which will eliminate those who fail to comply.“We have already identified all those who are responsible for the current overpayments, they will be excluded from the permits. We’ll also introduce severe measures including limiting the number of permits to better control them,” a source at the CCC with knowledge of the planned reform said, requesting anonymity to speak candidly.According to the CCC, around 40,000 metric tonnes of beans are being hoarded in farm warehouses by independent intermediary buyers who are delaying deliveries to ports, demanding up to 1,800 CFA franc ($2.96) per kilo for deliveries compared with the official farmgate price of 1,500 CFA franc.This has slowed down supply to exporters, forcing the CCC to suspend cocoa bean exports to enable local cocoa grinders to buy the necessary volumes for the factories.“Today, middlemen buyers and scouts control 80% of purchases in the farms but with the new marketing system that is coming, the cooperatives will take power. We clearly want to exclude the buyers,” the source at the CCC said.

Globally, democracies appear fragile and on the defensive. Comparisons with the 1970s and the interwar period abound. In the United States, Donald Trump’s strong showing in recent polls has triggered another wave of fear about authoritarian nationalism. To many of those who closely followed the 2016 and 2020 US presidential elections, his lead in the key swing states is downright alarming.The worst strategy for democrats around the world, and for the Democrats in the US, would be to imitate their opponents. That is a game they cannot win. Yet that is precisely what many are doing. Consider US President Joe Biden’s new package of China tariffs, which is a more radical reversal of traditional US trade policy than anything Trump himself embraced during his presidency.While headlines have emphasised the 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), the real story concerns batteries, steel, aluminium, and semiconductors. Though the public doesn’t buy these goods directly, they are inputs in many US-made products and appliances. Presumably, the Biden administration is hoping that Americans will feel hardly any economic effect, and will only see it getting tough with China.We know what the tariffs won’t do. They won’t create (or “bring back”) many jobs in the US, because if America were to manufacture EVs or solar panels on a large scale, it would rely almost entirely on automated factories. Nor will the tariffs improve relations with US allies, such as by encouraging “friend-shoring.” Instead, European producers are likely to lose markets for engineering products sold to China, as Chinese domestic industrial production ramps up.The tariffs also won’t accelerate decarbonisation. On the contrary, by making essential green technologies more expensive (thus delaying their mass uptake), Biden will make the world warmer. Moreover, as a recent European Bank for Reconstruction and Development report shows, it remains the case that the minerals and rare earths (gallium, germanium) needed for the expensive parts of battery technology are mostly sourced from China.Lastly, the tariffs will not improve China’s human-rights record. They will merely encourage those who already believe that American rhetoric on human rights is pure hypocrisy and can safely be ignored.But the tariffs will have an impact: they will help Biden lose the election. No matter how high the current administration sets them, Trump will always be able to claim that he would set them even higher. Biden will continue to look like he is merely responding to Trump’s challenge – and in a half-hearted, geriatric way.Moreover, the tariffs have validated the argument by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin that the old international order is broken because America plays fast and loose with the rules. And most importantly (in the context of an election), the tariffs will aggravate the problem of increased costs for ordinary Americans. The Trump campaign has already made inflation one of its major issues. At his rallies, Trump claims (mendaciously, to be sure) that he can no longer have bacon on his sandwiches, because it costs too much.The inflation debate is widely misunderstood. Like all Western governments, the Biden administration can point out that inflation has fallen rapidly and is within range of the old 2% target. But that doesn’t matter to ordinary people. They see that costs have risen dramatically since the Covid-19 pandemic, ending a long period of price stability.While cumulative inflation might be around 20% since 2020, the perception is even worse, because consumers and the media tend to focus on just a few extra-inflationary items, like Trump’s bacon. Housing and food have become much more expensive. A gallon of milk that cost $3.25 at the beginning of 2020 cost more than $4 by 2022; a dozen eggs went from $1.45 at the beginning of the pandemic to $4.82 in January 2023, before falling to $2.86. At the same time, voters don’t think about clothing and other items whose prices have remained relatively stable – or even declined, as in the case of EVs. But they probably will notice an increase in prices for a wide range of consumer products as a result of the new tariffs.Here, the 1970s offer some lessons. Back then, the US tried to exclude Japanese cars and other manufactured goods that were cheaper and more efficient. The result was only momentarily beneficial for US producers. In the medium term, they lost markets and credibility; and in the long run, they had to adapt belatedly to new techniques. Protectionism cost US carmakers valuable time in making changes, and ultimately destroyed rather than created jobs. It also alienated consumers who were worried about inflation, ultimately contributing to President Jimmy Carter’s defeat in the 1980 election.In 2023, the Biden administration took great pains to explain that it wasn’t decoupling from China, only “de-risking.” But now, in a fit of panic, it has adopted an aggressive policy of conscious decoupling.A government will not suddenly inspire voters because it decided to “decouple,” nor will it make any meaningful progress combating climate change by shifting the costs to others. In 1944, US secretary of the treasury Henry Morgenthau observed that “prosperity, like peace, is indivisible. We cannot afford to have it scattered here or there among the fortunate or to enjoy it at the expense of others.”That message was correct then, and it is correct now. Political leaders inspire confidence when they can show that their policies are benefiting ordinary people, lowering prices, and making better products available. That is what effective government would look like, and many democracies currently are not delivering the goods. — Project SyndicateHarold James, Professor of History and International Affairs at Princeton University, is the author, most recently, of Seven Crashes: The Economic Crises That Shaped Globalization.

A High Court in Pakistan overturned jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s conviction on charges of leaking state secrets, his lawyer and his party said on Monday, but Khan will remain in prison for now due to a conviction in another case.Khan, 71, had been sentenced to 10 years in prison by a lower court on charges of making public a classified cable sent to Islamabad by Pakistan’s ambassador in Washington in 2022. He has been in jail since August last year.He had challenged the conviction in Islamabad High Court, which said in an order on Monday that, an “instant appeal is allowed”, adding Imran Khan was acquitted of the charges.Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Khan’s foreign minister during his tenure from 2018-2022, was also acquitted of the charges, in what is a major victory for the jailed leader.“Thank God, the sentence is overturned,” a spokesman for legal affairs from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, Naeem Panjutha, said in a post on the X social media platform shortly after the Islamabad High Court announced its decision.Khan has said the classified cable was proof of a conspiracy by the Pakistan military and US government to topple his government in 2022 after he visited Moscow. Washington and Pakistan’s military deny that accusation.The cipher case was one of four in which Khan was summarily convicted one after the other in less than a week just ahead of Pakistan’s national election in February. In two other of those cases the sentences have since been suspended while he appeals.But despite Monday’s acquittal, Khan, a former cricket legend, will remain in prison serving a seven-year sentence over another case relating to his marriage to Bushra Khan which the court ruled “contravened Islamic traditions”.A ruling on the couple’s appeal against the sentence was postponed last week and the proceedings transferred to another court after a judge recused himself following an accusation of bias made by her former husband, according to Khan’s lawyers.“We will celebrate this victory,” another one of his lawyers, Ali Zafar, said in a TV interview, adding that the other cases faced by Khan would result in acquittals too.“It’s a huge political and legal victory,” journalist and political analyst Mazhar Abbas told Reuters, but cautioned that it would be premature to say that Khan would be released anytime soon.Khan is also named as an accused in several other cases, including charges of “inciting violence against the state”.The government, which says Khan broke clauses of the state secrets law by revealing contents of a secret diplomatic cable, said prosecutors were awaiting the detailed decision before deciding if they would appeal against the acquittal in the Supreme Court.“It is a fact that a national security document was used for political purposes,” government spokesman for legal issues Aqeel Malik said in a press conference after the decision, adding that the government would not compromise on national security.“This is the first big case which was part of the political victimisation against Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi which has been dashed to the ground,” Salman Safdar, a lawyer for Khan’s party, told AFP outside the court.Analysts regard Pakistan as a “hybrid regime”, where the military establishment wields immense power to determine the course of ostensibly democratic politics. Khan’s provocative first arrest in May last year sparked nationwide protests by supporters who directed unprecedented anger at the military — which responded with a sweeping crackdown on PTI and its supporters.Despite being severely hobbled during the election campaign, candidates loyal to PTI secured more seats than any other party in the February elections — which were marred by allegations of vote tampering.A broad coalition of parties considered more pliable to the influence of the military kept the MPs from power. “In the court of the public he was already very popular and now it seems that in at least one institution, at the senior judiciary level, there is a realisation that they cannot be part of the undemocratic method of removing Imran Khan,” political analyst and pollster Bilal Gilani told AFP.Despite Khan’s recent success in the courts, however, his political role hinges on his relationship with the military, Gilani added. “If he continues his pace of current confrontation with the military, the chance of a comeback are limited.”

Amira al-Taweel scoured pharmacies in northern Gaza for milk to feed her child, but could not find a single bottle to satisfy his hunger.“Youssef needs treatment and milk, but there’s none available in Gaza,” the 33-year-old mother said at Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in central Gaza where her son was admitted suffering from malnutrition.“I feed him, but no milk as it’s not available. I feed him wheat (flour) which makes him bloated,” she said, as Youssef lay on a narrow bed, his frail body receiving desperately needed medication through intravenous tubes in his feet.The Hamas government media office said that at least 32 people, many of them children, have died of malnutrition in Gaza since the war broke out in the first week of October following an unprecedented storming of Israel by Hamas fighters.Since then Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has killed 36,439 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.But aid agencies warn that the situation is even worse when it comes to children.On Saturday, the World Health Organisation said that more than four in five children had gone a whole day without eating at least once in 72 hours.“Children are starving,” WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said in a statement.The rise in malnutrition among Gaza’s children is largely a result of humanitarian aid that enters the Palestinian territory not reaching its intended destination, aid agencies said.Since mid-January the UN humanitarian agency OCHA has screened more than 93,400 children under five in Gaza for malnutrition, including 7,280 who were found to be acutely malnourished.Malnutrition is particularly prevalent in northern Gaza, which received little aid in the early months of the war.Only in recent weeks has much of the food aid been diverted through new crossings after aid agencies warned of imminent famine.The Israeli military said that a total of 1,858 trucks of aid were inspected and sent into Gaza this week through its Kerem Shalom and Erez West crossings, including 764 from Egypt.At Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital, mothers were concerned about their malnourished children.After Youssef and another baby boy, Saif, were admitted, their mothers sat next to them, worrying about how long they could survive on the food the hospital provides.“We depend on the aid that comes here and is given to the children,” said Noha al-Khaldi, mother of Saif, whose skin was stretched over protruding bones.“All night long he suffers... He was supposed to have an operation, but it was postponed.” Hazem Mostafa, a paediatrician at the hospital, blamed the closure of the Rafah crossing in the south for the worsening situation.The crossing is the main conduit for aid into Gaza from neighbouring Egypt, but Israeli forces seized control of it on May 7.Since then, no aid has entered the territory through the crossing, and no sick or wounded patients have been able to leave for treatment in Egypt. Cases of malnutrition among children in Rafah have also emerged in recent days, with several babies being treated for it in health care centres, AFP correspondents reported.“The occupation (Israel) has prevented the entry of food, particularly milk, for children, which has led to serious weakness in the body, very poor growth and infection by numerous diseases,” Dr Mostafa said as he studied a patient’s X-ray in his office. “We demand an abundant supply of milk so that mothers can feed their children to keep them healthy.”

A New York jury has convicted Donald Trump on all charges in his hush money case in a seismic development barely five months ahead of the election where he seeks to recapture the White House.The historic first criminal trial of a former US president ended with the 77-year-old Trump found guilty on each of the 34 charges of falsifying business records to hide a payment meant to silence an adult entertainment actress.Trump did not immediately react when the verdict was read, but sat still, his shoulders dipping.The former president later declared that he would appeal the guilty verdict that made him the first US president convicted of a crime, though he will have to wait until after his sentencing on July 11 before taking that step.In remarks yesterday at the Trump Tower lobby in Manhattan where he announced his first presidential run in 2015, Trump repeated his complaints that the trial was a “rigged” attempt to hobble his comeback White House bid and warned that it showed no American was safe from politically motivated prosecution.“If they can do this to me, they can do this to anyone,” Trump, 77, said in an unscripted 33-minute speech.Applauded by supporters, Trump, the Republican candidate in the 2024 election took no questions from reporters.“We’re going to be appealing this scam,” he said.Trump will have 30 days from the date of his July 11 sentencing to file a notice of appeal.Democratic President Joe Biden, who will face Trump in the November 5 election, said Trump had been given an opportunity to defend himself in the same justice system that applies to all Americans.“It’s reckless, it’s dangerous, it’s irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged just because they don’t like the verdict,” Biden, 81, said at the White House.The conviction thrusts the United States into uncharted political territory but does not bar Trump from a White House run, even in the unlikely event that Judge Juan Merchan sentences him to prison time.The verdict comes just weeks before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Trump is due to receive the party’s formal nomination to face Democratic President Joe Biden on November 5.The 12-member jury deliberated for more than 11 hours over two days at the end of the extraordinary five-week trial held in a drab Manhattan courtroom.Trump was convicted of falsifying business records to reimburse his lawyer, Michael Cohen, for a $130,000 payment to the actress on the eve of the 2016 election, when her claim to have had a liaison with him could have proved politically fatal.The trial featured lengthy testimony from the adult performer, who described to the court in graphic detail what she says was a 2006 encounter with the married Trump.Prosecutors successfully laid out a case alleging that the hush money and the illegal covering up of the payment was part of a broader crime to prevent voters from knowing about Trump’s behaviour.Trump’s defence attorneys had countered that “trying to influence an election” was simply “democracy” and that the former president did nothing wrong.The trial has distracted Trump from his campaign to unseat Biden.However, he milked the media attention throughout, with daily speeches in front of the cameras outside the courtroom in which he complained about being a political victim.Identities of the 12 jurors deciding the case were kept secret, a rare practice more often see in cases involving mafia or other violent defendants.After teasing the prospect for weeks, Trump – who denied ever having the liaison with the actress at a 2006 celebrity golf tournament – opted not to testify.The Republican, who made his name as a brash real estate mogul before a stunning ascent to the nation’s highest office in the 2016 election, now faces prison or, more likely, probation.In theory, he could face up to four years in jail for each count of falsifying business records but legal experts said as a first-time offender he is unlikely to go behind bars.An appeal could take months to complete.Any sentence on Trump would likely be suspended until the appeals process plays out.A close ally, House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, predicted the US Supreme Court would eventually overturn the verdict.Should Trump win the presidency he will not be able to pardon himself, given that the case was not brought by the federal government but by the state of New York, where only the governor could clear his name.Trump also faces federal and state charges of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election won by Biden, and for hoarding secret documents after leaving the White House.National opinion polls show Trump locked in a tight race with Biden, and one in four Republican respondents in an April Reuters/Ipsos poll said they would not vote for him if he were convicted of a felony by a jury.Strategists from both parties questioned whether the verdict would have a significant impact on the race.On pro-Trump corners of the Internet, some supporters called for riots, revolution and violent retribution.In the battleground state of Georgia, retiree Wendell Hill, 65, said the verdict would not cause him to abandon Trump.“It is all politicised. I still don’t understand what crime he’s supposed to have committed,” he said as he set up chairs for a concert in downtown Marietta.Carol Cuba, 77, a longtime Republican voter, said she was disgusted with Trump.“For the first time in my life I’m thinking about voting on the dark side,” she said referring to the Democrats.See also Page 10

France’s President Emmanuel Macron on Monday raised the alarm over the “ill wind” of the rise of the far-right in European politics, during a state visit to Germany ahead of key EU elections.Macron noted a “fascination with authoritarian regimes” in Europe, singling out Viktor Orban’s government in Hungary for criticism.“Everywhere in our democracies these ideas thrive, pushed by the extremes and in particular the far-right,” Macron said in a speech in the eastern city of Dresden, a bastion of support for Germany’s far-right.“This ill wind is blowing in Europe, so let us wake up,” he said in front of the city’s famous Frauenkirche church.Macron’s trip comes two weeks ahead of European Union elections in which polls are indicating his centrist coalition is trailing the far-right.It could even struggle to reach a third-place finish. Macron, undertaking the first state visit by a French president to Germany in a quarter of a century, made a plea for the defence of democracy against nationalist forces as he arrived on Sunday.In Germany too, all three parties in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition are polling behind the far-right AfD in surveys, despite a series of scandals embroiling the anti-immigration party.“Europe is not just a place where we give ourselves common rules, it is a set of values,” Macron said.“We must find the strength and commitment to defend it everywhere,” he added.Macron also underlined the threat posed by Russian aggression since the invasion of Ukraine, saying Europeans had a “new responsibility” to guarantee peace.Without supporting Ukraine and stopping Russia from imposing the “law of the strongest” on the battlefield, there would be no peace in Europe, Macron said.“In Ukraine, it is your security, our peace that is at stake,” Macron told the Dresden audience.And Europe, he said, must think about “its own defence and security”. The French president repeated a warning that “our Europe could die”.Earlier, Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron together with the German presidential couple visited the Holocaust memorial in Berlin that commemorates the 6mn Jews murdered by the Nazis.Accompanying them was Nazi hunter Serge Klarsfeld and his German wife Beate, who underlined a resurgence of anti-Semitism, fuelled by Israel’s offensive in Gaza.“It’s very good that the French president is meeting the German president before this monument, especially at a tragic time for the global Jewish community,” said Klarsfeld. The Klarsfelds have faced controversy lately over comments in favour of far-right leader Marine Le Pen, whom they praise for her engagement against anti-Semitism as opposed to her father Jean-Marie Le Pen.Macron on Sunday labelled Le Pen’s National Rally a “threat to Europe”, stressing that he does not see them as “just another party”.The French president however skirted the issue as he presented the Klarsfelds with honours at the French embassy in Berlin to acknowledge their work “opening eyes” to the past and confronting crimes committed under the Nazis.Macron will today travel to Muenster in western Germany, where he will be presented with the Westphalian Peace Prize.He will later meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Meseberg, near Berlin, for a joint Franco-German meeting of ministers.Relations between the two leaders have been strained over their attitudes towards Europe and support for Ukraine, with the French president striking a more strident tone against Russia.

Europe’s far-right figureheads Marine Le Pen and Giorgia Meloni are hinting they could join forces following this summer’s EU elections, after Le Pen’s French party announced a break with its radical German ally AfD.The overtures presage a possible reconfiguration of nationalist parties’ alliances after voters decide the next European Parliament in June 6-9 elections.Surveys suggest the parliament’s far-right groups — currently fractured — will win around 37% of seats in the next legislative term, up from 30% currently.At a far-right rally in Madrid on Sunday, Le Pen declared: “We are all together in the final stretch to make June 9 a day of liberation and hope.”A day later Meloni, prime minister of Italy since October 2022, said in a television interview that she wanted to replicate the success of her post-fascist party at home and “do the same thing in Europe: ally parties that are compatible with each other in terms of vision, even with completely different nuances”.The door to that scenario opened wider Tuesday when Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) said it was splitting with the Alternative for Germany (AfD).The announcement came after the AfD’s lead EU candidate Maximilian Krah — buffeted by controversies — told an Italian newspaper that not every member of the Nazi’s feared SS was “automatically a criminal”.“The AfD crossed what I consider to be red lines,” RN leader Jordan Bardella told French channel LCI. He said far-right alliances in the European Parliament would “go back to zero” after the elections.The RN and AfD are part of the extreme-right Identity and Democracy (ID) EU parliament group.Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, in contrast, sits with the far-right European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR).A third hard-right force sits in the EU parliament in the form of Fidesz, the unaffiliated party of Hungary’s Kremlin-friendly Prime Minister Viktor Orban.Analysts say key issues divide the parliament’s far-right factions.Most notably, the ID is sceptical of continued EU support for Ukraine’s war against Russia’s invading army, while the ECR backs Kyiv in its fight.“These deep-seated differences seem difficult to reconcile,” Pascale Joannin, managing director at the Robert Schuman Foundation, a think tank, said in an analysis.But Nicolai von Ondarza, at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, wrote on X that “a more fundamental change has now... become possible” because of the RN-AfD split.Le Pen could now “argue for a merger with Meloni, Orban, (The Netherlands’ Geert) Wilders & Co towards a united far-right sans the most radical part”, he said.But von Ondarza acknowledged that most likely, “the differences... are too high” for that to happen.Daniele Albertazzi, co-director at the Centre for Britain and Europe think tank, said on X that while it might be “logical” for Le Pen’s RN to abandon the ID and join the ECR, “she may well resent playing second fiddle to Meloni”.“Too many queen bees and the bee hive descends into anarchy,” he said.While Le Pen has welcomed Meloni “opening the way” to a possible rapprochement, she also said last year that the Italian leader “is not my twin sister”.Le Pen is more closely allied with Meloni’s deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini, from Italy’s far-right League party — a fellow ID member.Salvini’s team posted on Wednesday a photo of him meeting online with Le Pen to “take stock of the situation ahead of the European elections, also in light of the reflections shared on Wednesday on the future composition of the ID group”.Von Ondarza said that while the “power potential would be there” for a Le Pen-Meloni configuration, the far-right forecast was “messy”.Eric Maurice, policy analyst at the European Policy Centre, said he believed that “the break isn’t total” between the RN and the AfD, and that the announcement of a split could prompt the German party to “tone down its radical image”.A hypothetical ID-ECR merger could create the second-biggest grouping in the parliament, behind the conservative European People’s Party (EPP) of European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen — who is tipped for a second term.But even divided, a bolstered far right could pull the EPP in its direction, according to Pawel Zerka, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.“We cannot fully trust the EPP” not to ally with the far right, Zerka told the European Center for Populism Studies.

Cheering crowds greeted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday as he submitted his candidacy for a Hindu holy city’s parliamentary seat in a general election his party is strongly favoured to win.Modi remains roundly popular in India, in large part due to his cultivated image as an aggressive champion of the country’s majority faith.Varanasi is the spiritual capital of Hinduism, where devotees from around India come to cremate deceased loved ones by the Ganges river, and the premier has represented the city since sweeping to power a decade ago.“I swear on God... I will have faith and allegiance to India’s constitution,” Modi said before handing over the paperwork to an election registrar, flanked by a Hindu mystic dressed in a loincloth.Hundreds of supporters had gathered to applaud Modi outside the local government office where he lodged his nomination, at the end of a two-day campaign stop packed with numerous public displays of worship.Modi waved to the gathered crowd after emerging from the office before leaving with his entourage, made up of senior figures from his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).“The amazing love and blessings I have received from all of you in the last 10 years have inspired me to work with a constant spirit of service and full determination,” Modi wrote afterwards in a post on social media platform X.The 73-year-old premier, who has made acts of religious devotion a fixture of his premiership, had spent the morning visiting temples and offering prayers at the banks of the Ganges.The ascent of Modi’s Hindu-nationalist politics despite India’s officially secular constitution has made Muslims in the country increasingly anxious.“We are made to feel as if we are not wanted in this country,” Shauqat Mohamed, who runs a tea shop in the city, told AFP.“If the country’s premier speaks of us in disparaging terms, what else can we expect?” the 41-year-old added.“We have to accept our fate and move on.”

The climate catastrophe that has struck southern Brazil, killing more than a hundred people and displacing nearly two million, has also spawned a spate of bizarre conspiracy theories, some involving jets’ vapour trails and weather antennas in faraway Alaska.As often happens at times of disaster and great uncertainty, several of these theories have gone viral on social media.“What’s happening in Rio Grande do Sul is definitely not natural,” one woman said on the platform known as X. “Let’s open our eyes!”She blamed something called HAARP – the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Programme – a US project that studies the ionosphere using huge antennas in Alaska.Other people have posted images of airplanes crisscrossing the skies over Brazil’s hard-hit state of Rio Grande do Sul, saying that the trails of condensation left by jets contain toxic chemicals as part of a secret and nefarious governmental programme.Taken together, the theories paint an ominous picture that somehow denies climate change while blaming governments and scientific institutions that supposedly are orchestrating “planned tragedies” for murky motives.These theories ignore the overwhelming scientific consensus that climate change is almost certainly behind a global increase in extreme weather events.Carlos Nobre, who heads Brazil’s National Institute of Science and Technology for Climate Change (INCT), listed what scientists believe is behind the disastrous rainfalls of late: a low-pressure system has been blocked by a high-pressure system in the centre-west and southeast of the country, causing cold fronts to linger over the region even as water vapour coming flowing in from the Amazon contributed to historic levels of rainfall.Global warming aggravated this situation, Nobre said, adding: “The warmer atmosphere can store much more water vapour, fuelling more frequent and intense episodes of rainfall that lead to disasters like this.”Brazil’s government agrees: President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has declared the tragedy an “alert” for the planet.In contrast, his predecessor – far-right president Jair Bolsonaro – weakened environmental enforcement and played down the impact of climate change.A recent survey by the Quaest polling institute, however, found that virtually all Brazilians believe climate change is at least partly responsible for the disaster in Rio Grande do Sul.Still, conspiracy theories that might once have been brushed aside have gained new life amid the enormous environmental disaster hitting the region.Social media users are sharing theories discredited years ago in the United States that link extreme weather to “chemtrails” from jets and an alleged covert program at the HAARP project.One claim is that the government uses jets to spread toxic chemicals which are then activated by the powerful antennas in Alaska, altering the climate and provoking weather disasters.Yet the process behind jets’ “chemtrails” has long been understood: jet engines leave visible trails of condensed water vapour – plus small amounts of soot and pollutants.And the HAARP project, originally funded in part by the US military, is now operated by the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, where scientists use the antennas for high-power radio transmissions to study the ionosphere, with no ability to manipulate weather.Nobre, like many other scientists, says the theories about HAARP “make no physical sense”.“There’s no way an instrument in the ionosphere could make weather events more extreme,” he said.Raquel Recuero, who specialises in social communications at the Federal University of Pelotas in Rio Grande do Sul, said the conspiracy theories were likely being spread by organised groups “in search of an audience, monetization and influence”.Such theories find fertile ground when people are desperate for explanations – however unlikely – for some deeply worrying phenomenon.The ideas take root, she added, when they are melded with issues of importance to people, like “political and religious discourse”.However, she said that while they tend to reinforce conservative and extremist beliefs, they can’t be linked to a single political movement.Recuero said people’s trust in fundamental pillars of democracy is being undercut by these attacks on governmental authorities, scientists and the press, all of them accused of manipulating the truth.The challenge, she said, is to raise public awareness about what is happening, and help people understand “what is true and what is false”.