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Direct flights between India and China have officially resumed after a five-year hiatus, marking a notable step towards normalisation of relations between the world’s two most populous nations, neighbours, and rapidly growing major economies.Earlier this week, an IndiGo flight departed from Kolkata and landed in Guangzhou after a three-and-a-half-hour journey, restoring a vital air link that had been suspended since early 2020 following the Covid-19 pandemic.The pause in flights was prolonged following a deadly border clash in the Himalayas that sharply escalated tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.In recent months, however, both sides have taken concrete steps to ease frictions. The two countries reached an agreement last year on military disengagement along their disputed frontier and have since resumed high-level diplomatic dialogue for the first time in five years.Confirming the resumption of flights, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in India announced on X, “Direct flights between China and India are now a reality.”Further connectivity is expected in the coming days. China Eastern Airlines will restart its Shanghai–Delhi service on November 9, while IndiGo plans to launch a new Delhi–Guangzhou route on November 10.According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the restoration of direct air links will “facilitate people-to-people contact” and contribute to “the gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges.”The revival of air travel comes amid a broader improvement in India-China relations, a clear sign of thawing relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first visit to China in seven years this August, followed by a reciprocal visit to India by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi later that month.During his trip, Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to advancing ties “on the basis of mutual trust and respect”, noting progress in stabilising border tensions and expanding cooperation.Earlier this year, the Chinese Ambassador to India revealed that China had issued over 80,000 visas in the first four months of 2025, reflecting a steady increase in exchanges. Reports indicated that the Chinese Embassy has also simplified short-term visa procedures by removing the requirement for online appointments and biometric data collection.Before the pandemic and the subsequent border tensions, air connectivity between the two nations was robust, with more than 500 weekly flights in 2019.Both Air India and IndiGo had operated services to China, while Chinese carriers such as China Eastern maintained regular routes to Indian cities.The reinstatement of direct flights is expected to deliver significant economic and social benefits with trade, business and education sectors in the two countries becoming huge and immediate beneficiaries.For industry, the move will streamline logistics by allowing direct shipments between the two countries, reducing both transit times and costs associated with third-country routing.Business travellers are likely to be among the biggest beneficiaries, as the restored connections will save valuable time and support closer commercial engagement.The change will also facilitate greater mobility for students—both Chinese students pursuing studies in India and Indian students attending universities in China.Analysts say the return of direct air links underscores a cautious yet meaningful warming in India-China relations, signalling a shared interest in rebuilding cooperation and restoring normalcy after years of strained ties.Prominent aviation analyst Ashwini Phadnis noted: “Given the push that the Indian and Chinese government have been giving for more people to people contact, the starting of direct flights between the two neighbours was a question of time. This was reached this month.”Phadnis said the genesis for the start of direct flights can be traced back to December 2024 when the meeting of the Special Representatives of the two countries – National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Foreign Minister – in December in Berlin last year.“Probably, the biggest gainer will be industry as shipments will now arrive directly than coming through a third country which is a time consuming and expensive proposition. This move will also benefit the business community, which will now save time in travel. It will also help Chinese students wanting to come to India for further studies and Indian students wanting to study in China,” the New Delhi-based Phadnis said.Pratap John is Business Editor at Gulf Times. X handle: @PratapJohn.

Equipment is in place, registration and scrutineering is over and the world’s finest aquabike riders are now making their final preparations for the start of the Old Doha Port Grand Prix of Qatar Wednesday morning.The new venue is hosting the finale to this year’s UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship under the auspices of the UIM and the guiding hands of Aquabike Promotion and the Doha Marine Sports Club (DMSC).**media[374833]**Riders and team personnel busied themselves with fine tuning their skis after the recent round of the series at Olbia in Sardinia. Ten years ago, the last Qatar race was held in Doha Bay along the Corniche adjacent to the iconic Sheraton Hotel. On this occasion, the Old Port area around the Corniche will host the weekend’s action.Quinten Bossche is the defending Ski Division GP1 World Champion and is making his first appearance in Qatar with the Grand Prix returning after that 10-year absence. He has three Moto wins and three retirements so far this season and is arguably one of the fastest racers on the UIM-ABP tour.**media[374832]**The Ostende-based Belgian said: “I have lost too many points in the championship to do something so I just need to do some good results. With some good luck, I could maybe still finish third. When you come here, especially as the World Champion, you come here for a victory. I try and do my best, set the boat up and finish all the races this time and go for the victory in the GP.“Personally, I would have loved to see the course on the other side (Doha Bay). I like the waves. I think, as a pro ski racer, that is what you like to battle against the weather. For me, that’s a big thing. I love waves and all of the challenge. It puts everybody back at zero. It’s pure skill and the ski doesn’t make a difference any more. I do think with the walls and the fact we have 23 riders (Ski GP1), it’s still going to be a rough race. Everyone has the same issues with the heat. Just stay hydrated and rest.”**media[374834]**Jessica Chavanne is the defending European champion and a former World Champion. Boat damage in Sardinia has now ruled her out of overall title contention but the French girl is looking forward to her first ever race weekend in Qatar. Speaking before a brief ski shakedown on Wednesday afternoon, she said: “I think it will be a good race. I had a delamination on the side of the ski in Sardinia and my hull was under the water. The marshals saved my ski and I had a big shock. That’s why I feel a bit sick. I am really grateful that I had nothing else (injury).“The first goal is to take pleasure. In Indonesia, I had the covid, in Olbia the problem with the hull and now I want to give everything I can and after that we will see. We will make a set-up for me to be more comfortable.”Thursday timetable sees the free practice sessions for the Runabout GP2 Asian Continental Championship fire into life from 09.30hrs and precede nearly two hours of practice for the Ski Ladies GP1, Ski Division GP1, Runabout GP1 and Freestyle competitors.Thursday afternoon will be dominated by the various qualifying and pole position sessions.

The S&P 500 is on course to have the most companies delivering sales beats in about four years this earnings season, with Corporate America seeming to cope just fine with the impact of tariffs.Almost 70% of index members to have reported so far have exceeded third-quarter sales estimates, according to a Bloomberg Intelligence earnings tracker. That’s the highest proportion of positive surprises since the post-Covid revival in the final three months of 2021.US companies appear to be fairly unscathed by tariffs so far, protecting their margins through a combination of price increases and cost cuts. Meanwhile, the magnitude of the sales beats is also near the highest since the post-pandemic boom: companies have exceeded estimates by 2.4% in aggregate, against a historical average of 0.5%, according to strategists at Deutsche Bank AG.“Sales beats have correlated well with inflation surprises historically and likely partly reflect the impacts of tariffs on pricing this time,” Deutsche Bank’s Bankim Chadha and Parag Thatte wrote in a note.Meanwhile, with readings on the US economy and job market still holding up, and further interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve on the way, the profit outlook is looking increasingly brighter for 2026.“It’s early in earnings season, but this could be an initial indication that top line growth is firming into next year, in line with our view,” wrote Morgan Stanley strategists led by Michael Wilson. His team sees revenue beats running at double the historical rate as the “standout” feature of this earnings season.The view among most Wall Street strategists is that the strongest earnings and sales growth remains concentrated in megacap and technology stocks. But other sectors are delivering decent profit increases, helped by favorable comparables. Financials, real estate, materials and utilities are all showing double-digit earnings gains so far, according to Deutsche Bank strategists.Even so, the flurry of beats isn’t keeping everyone bullish. The current positive trend may not be easy to sustain, according to RBC Capital Markets strategist Lori Calvasina.“We think earnings are providing a solid foundation for the US equity market, but that it will be difficult to replicate the same kind of surge in earnings optimism that helped power markets higher in the last reporting season,” Calvasina said.There’s still a long way to go this season, with companies accounting for 50% of the S&P 500 market capitalisation due to report this week, including most of the large artificial intelligence hyperscalers like Microsoft Corp Alphabet Inc and Meta Platforms Inc.Still, the positive beginning is keeping sentiment upbeat, especially given encouraging news on trade negotiations, strong earnings from banks and financial firms and increased forecasts from a majority of companies.JPMorgan Chase & Co strategists led by Dubravko Lakos-Bujas note that about 66% of companies have had “double beats” of sales and net income compared with just 51% over the last four quarters, based on constant index constituents.They also note that that for 2026, EPS estimates have been revised up by 0.3% to $305.03, a 14.1% year-on-year increase. That “implies growth acceleration to above-trend next year,” according to Lakos-Bujas and his colleagues.

Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has completed a multi-specialisation medical convoy in Guyana, funded by Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD).During the seven-day mission, the volunteering medical team from Hamad Medical Corporation and Sidra Medicine examined a total of 140 patients and performed 48 major surgeries, in light of the needs specified by the Ministry of Health, as follows: 16 cardiac catheterisations, 13 cancer surgeries, four paediatric gastrointestinal surgeries, and 15 urology surgeries.Apart from the medical team, there was a delegation from QFFD and QRCS, headed by Mohamed Ahmed al-Beshri, assistant secretary-general, Communication and Resource Development at QRCS. Members of the delegation included Dr Izzadeen Gaffar, coordinator, Medical Convoys Project at QRCS and Yousef al-Mulla, acting director of Humanitarian Aid Department at QFFD. They were received by Mohamed Ibrahim al-Rumaihi, Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of Qatar in Guyana, who helped facilitate the delegation’s mission and coordinate with local authorities.Two training workshops were delivered by the gynaecology and urology consultants for 38 local doctors. In addition, 30 medical professionals received on-the-job training during the procedures,Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation was supported with the medical supplies and equipment needed for cardiac catheterisation and specialised surgeries, helping upgrade the hospital’s resources and ensure continued services following the end of mission.Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana, held a special reception for the Qatari delegation, in the presence of al-Rumaihi. He praised Qatar’s support for his country during the Covid-19 pandemic, through the deployment of a fully equipped field hospital and the provision of ventilators and vaccines.

Star Wars: Starfighter is filming in Britain, soundstages in Hungary are packed and post-production houses in Australia are humming, as the global film industry keeps rolling despite US President Donald Trump’s renewed threats to impose tariffs on movies made outside of the US. Trump has proposed levying a 100% tariff on films produced overseas to stem the loss of film jobs to production hubs around the world, reviving an idea he first broached in May. The initial call for tariffs jolted the film world, and temporarily halted projects and international movie finance deals as producers evaluated the potential impact of the levy on each project’s financial viability, two sources familiar with Hollywood motion-picture financing told Reuters. This time around, the reaction has been more muted. “Other than the initial flurry of ‘Oh, he’s said it again,’ people are not taking it as seriously as they did the first time around,” said Lee Stone, a partner at London law firm Lee & Thompson, who worked on the Emmy-winning Netflix show Adolescence. Trump initially called for a 100% tariff on movies produced outside the country in early May, to stave off the “very fast death” of the American film industry as incentives lured filmmakers to production hubs around the world. The announcement — just weeks before the Cannes Film Festival — caused a panic. “It was terrible timing. Everyone was saying, ‘What’s going to happen?’” said Stone, noting that Trump’s threat resulted in temporary paralysis. “I’m not getting the impression that there’s the same pause this time.” Newly released data from industry researcher ProdPro reveals that while overall spending is down 15% from last year, amid a pullback in scripted television series and big-budget feature films, there is no evidence that Hollywood is abandoning global production hubs. “We’re not seeing anything in the data that suggests studios are opting to film more of their production in the US because of concern about the tariffs,” said ProdPro CEO Alexander LoVerde. The US remains the industry’s largest production hub, accounting for $16.6bn in spending over the last 12 months, according to ProdPro. However, Hollywood studios and streaming services spent even more — $24.3bn — on film and television projects produced outside the US over that same period, ProdPro reported, as they took advantage of tax credits, lower labour costs and world-class soundstages. The United Kingdom has become a major beneficiary of the Hollywood exodus, attracting $8.7bn in film and scripted TV spending over the past year, including major film productions like Star Wars: Starfighter, the much-buzzed-about next entry in the “Star Wars” saga set for release in May 2027. Canada comes in a close second with $6.4bn, according to ProdPro’s most recent report on production trends. Other regions — Australia, Ireland, Hungary and Spain — together accounted for nearly one-quarter of all production. The Covid-19 pandemic and the Hollywood strikes by US writers and actors supercharged the exodus that began years earlier. “Australia became a bit of a production bubble where particularly in Queensland, productions could continue even as the rest of the world shut down,” said University of Melbourne film expert Kirsten Stevens. Prague increased its tax breaks from 20% to 25% in January, while Britain offers relief of 25.5% on qualifying films and TV productions, with a higher rate for animated films and a new credit for smaller independent films. In places like Central Europe, a deep filmmaking tradition and lower labour costs have attracted a long list of Hollywood films including the Russo brothers’ The Gray Man, Netflix’s Oscar-winning All Quiet on the Western Front in the Czech Republic, and Warner Bros Studios’ Dune: Part Three, which began shooting this summer in Hungary. “Hungarian soundstages are currently operating at full capacity with both international and domestic productions,” Csaba Kael, government commissioner for the development of the Hungarian Motion Picture Industry, told Reuters. Any change in US trade policy would take time to implement, Kael said. Hollywood studios have found that distributing work across multiple locations can accelerate the production timetable, allowing films to be completed faster and cheaper. “It’s not uncommon at high-end films that a bunch of work would come to Australia, but a bunch of work also might go to New Zealand and to London and to somewhere else,” said Mike Seymour, Emmy-nominated visual effects specialist and lecturer at the University of Sydney. “Sometimes the film is being worked on literally 24 hours a day because of all the time zones,” he said. For the moment, it is business as usual for filmmakers, said Stephen Weizenecker, an entertainment lawyer with Barnes & Thornburg in Atlanta. They are hoping to avoid any interruption that throws off the schedule of a production, which can result in actors, directors or even a filming location being unavailable. “The film industry dislikes uncertainty,” Weizenecker said. “Once it starts to hesitate, it means a project stops altogether.” A coalition of American film industry unions and guilds, joined by veteran actor Jon Voight, has asked Trump to consider implementing a federal tax incentive to put domestic film production on a more competitive footing with incentives offered in other countries. “What we really want is a national tax incentive that would be more effective than any tariffs,” one studio executive said. Meanwhile, a bill with bipartisan support, known as the CREATE Act, was introduced in the US Congress this past summer. It would extend a tax deduction for US productions, which is set to expire in December, and increase the cap on deductible costs. The looming threat of tariffs raises concern about the potential impact on the economy and livelihoods in production hubs around the world, if Trump follows through. “It is hard for anyone here to understand the likelihood of this coming into effect, but if it did, it would have a huge impact,” said a visual artist in the industry who declined to be named over fears of losing financing. “It would be devastating.” — Reuters

The global economy seems to be “doing better than feared” and has proven “more resilient than expected”, despite acute strains from multiple shocks around the world. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the global economy is “adjusting to a landscape reshaped” by new policy measures. Some extremes of higher tariffs (triggered by US policies) were tempered, thanks to subsequent deals and resets. But the overall environment remains “volatile”, and temporary factors that supported activity in the first half of 2025 — such as front-loading — are “fading”, IMF noted recently. As a result, global growth projections in the latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) are revised upwards relative to the April (2025) WEO but continue to mark a downward revision relative to the pre-policy-shift forecasts. After a resilient start, the global economy is showing signs of a moderate slowdown, as predicted. Incoming data in the first half of 2025 showed robust activity. Global growth is projected to slow from 3.3% in 2024 to 3.2% in 2025 and 3.1% in 2026, with advanced economies growing around 1.5% and emerging market and developing economies just above 4%. Inflation is projected to continue to decline globally, though with variation across countries: above target in the United States — with risks tilted to the upside — and subdued elsewhere. Inflation in Asian economies was subdued, while it remained steady in the United States. This apparent resilience, however, seems to be largely attributable to temporary factors — such as front-loading of trade and investment and inventory management strategies — rather than to fundamental strength, the IMF noted. As these factors fade, weaker data are surfacing. The front-loading is unwinding, and labour markets are softening, it said. Pass-through of tariffs to US consumer prices, previously muted, appears increasingly likely. Advanced economies, traditionally reliant on immigration, are seeing sharp declines in net labour inflows, with implications for potential output. On an end-of-year basis, global growth is projected to slow down from 3.6% in 2024 to 2.6% in 2025. Advanced economies are forecast to grow about 1½ percent in 2025–26, with the United States slowing to 2%. On the other hand, the world trade volume is forecast to grow at an average rate of 2.9% in 2025–26 — boosted by front-loading in 2025 yet still much slower than the 3.5% growth rate in 2024 — with persistent trade fragmentation limiting gains. Further escalation of protectionist measures, including non-tariff barriers, could suppress investment, disrupt supply chains, and stifle productivity growth around the world. Larger-than-expected shocks to labour supply, notably from restrictive immigration policies by some Western countries, could reduce growth, especially in economies facing aging populations and skill shortages. The IMF’s global growth forecast (of roughly 3%) over the medium-term, is well below the 3.7% forecast before the Covid-19 pandemic. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva cited deep undercurrents of marginalisation, discontent and hardship around the world, and said the global economy faced an array of risks, including a potential market bubble around artificial intelligence. Uncertainty is at exceptionally high levels and continuing to climb, while demand for gold — a traditional safe-haven asset — is surging, Georgieva said. Clearly, the IMF has lifted its outlook for global growth this year, flagging a milder-than-expected economic hit, mainly from President Donald Trump’s tariff policies while warning of risks ahead.

The 11th edition of the Katara Festival for Arabic Novel continued Friday.The festival will continue until tomorrow, featuring seminars, discussion panels, and the launch of new publications.A seminar titled "The Novel and the Aesthetics of Translation" was held Friday, discussing the relationship between narrative creativity and linguistic and cultural context, and translation as a bridge between languages.Speaking at the seminar were novelist Mohamed Suleiman al-Shazly, translator Sameh Kroum, and translator Kholoud Amr, and it was moderated by Dr Hanaa al-Bawab.A dialogue session was held with writer Abdel Aziz al-Sayed about his novel *The Carnation Seller, moderated by journalist Mohamed Dahou.A seminar was also held on "The Novel: From Text to Reader: Marketing Mechanisms and the Horizon of Dissemination".Speakers were novelist Jalal Barjas, sales and marketing specialist Aya al-Zein, and digital marketing specialist Jibril Kahlout.The seminar addressed the writers’ relationship with their audience via social media, the role of literary awards in disseminating Arabic books, and the concept of digital marketing.Another seminar highlighted "The Novel and Television Drama in the Gulf: From Written Narration to Spoken Image".Speakers were writer Dr Marzouq Bashir, media personality Mirza al-Khuwailidi, director Rashid Malhas, and writer Mohammed al-Nashmi.The seminar was moderated by Dr Fahd al-Hindal.Meanwhile, the Katara Book Fair, held as part of the 11th Katara Novel Festival, witnessed the launch of the latest publications from some of the participating publishing houses.Katara Publishing House launched the book *Financial Oversight During Crises: A Reading of Lessons Learned from the Coronavirus Crisis" by Dr Salwa Hamed al-Mulla.The book addresses the impact of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and the challenges it has posed to the economy and productivity.Dar Rosa launched several of its recent publications, including *Coffee with a Little Fascism by Sheikh Nawaf bin Mubarak al-Thani, a book on digital photography by Abdullah al-Jassim, and *Fresh Thoughts by Jassim Abdulrahman al-Khouri.

The European Union should jointly borrow to pay for European public goods like defence, research and development and energy, Alfred Kammer, the head of the International Monetary Fund's European Department, told Reuters yesterday. Joint borrowing by EU countries is a highly controversial topic. The bloc's biggest economy, Germany, is especially sensitive to joint debt, but a number of other northern European countries are also sharply opposed. The EU broke the taboo in 2020 when it jointly borrowed 800 bn euros to re-launch the European economy after the Covid-19 pandemic, and the option of more joint borrowing, while still very difficult, has been in the public debate since then. The threat of Russian aggression in Europe has dramatically increased the need for defence spending, and competition from China and the US has added to pressure to boost European innovation and lower energy prices. "We are suggesting concretely to more than double the European Union spending on these public goods, going up from 0.4% of GNI (gross national income) to 0.9% of GNI," Kammer said in an interview. That increase would be roughly equivalent to 100bn euros ($117bn). "We have one more recommendation, and that is to finance this increase in the EU budget with common debt in order to pay for these European goods, because they are a must, they need to be done, the benefits accrue to everybody, and you want to make sure that they start accruing now," he said. "And with that, of course, you are going to service that debt over time. For that, you need to have an increase in own resources (revenues to EU budget) to do that service. So don't shy away from thinking about common debt for common interests," Kammer said. Common EU defence projects, paid for jointly by the EU, are already happening through the EU programme of 150bn euros of cheap EU loans, though probably more money would be needed given the huge scale of necessary defence investment. Joint financing to create a European energy market would be new — the EU needs not only to switch away from burning fossil fuels to zero-emission energy sources but also build networks across borders to transport the electricity all over the bloc. Investing in research and development and innovation would also benefit all 27 EU countries and the bloc's 450mn citizens. "Those public goods are going to support many other reform efforts, so they are key in terms of moving up," Kammer said, adding that a co-ordination mechanism at the EU level is needed and doing so would save money. "More co-ordination at the European level on the energy electricity market saves 7% of the costs of the clean transition," Kammer said. "Other studies have said that, on defence spending, when you move to common procurement and have a more coordinated effort, you would actually save 30% compared to national-level efforts," Kammer said. "It's cheaper to do them at the European level." The EU has been discussing the idea of public goods as part of the debate about the bloc's next seven-year budget starting from 2028, but no conclusions have been agreed.

When the cries of children echo through the war-torn streets of Gaza, devastated by relentless Israeli attacks, very few can look away without feeling compelled to act. Among those who did something meaningful was a young Indian humanitarian, Sreereshmi Udayakumar, whose small act of solidarity has touched thousands of lives.Sreereshmi, a 24-year-old from Kayamkulam in Kerala’s Alappuzha district and the founder of the Koottu collective, coordinated the delivery of a 3,000-litre water truck to 250 displaced families in southern Gaza. At a time when safe drinking water had become a distant dream, her effort brought both relief and hope. Gaza responded with gratitude, holding signs thanking “Reshmi and her friends from Kerala, India,” images that went viral on social media.In an exclusive interview with Gulf Times, Sreereshmi shares her journey, challenges, and what keeps her going.Q: Can you share a little about yourself and how your journey into humanitarian work began?A: My journey into humanitarian work comes from my own life experiences. I grew up in a family where three members are disabled, and I witnessed my mother’s struggles every single day. From childhood, I was encouraged to help others, and that shaped my empathy and commitment.Over the years, I’ve been part of several efforts: during the 2018 Kerala floods I worked in rescue missions, rehabilitation, and relief camps. In 2019, I helped people affected by the Wayanad landslide. I also initiated post-Covid support for people facing isolation, offering them a non-judgmental listening space. At times, I have even done post-mortem care, such as washing the bodies of victims of the Chooralmala landslide.Beyond disaster relief, I help students and families from financially weak backgrounds by supporting their education and basic needs. For me, humanitarian work means standing with ordinary and oppressed people, both in everyday life and in times of crisis. That commitment is what led me to focus on Palestine.Q: What was the turning point that pushed you to start supporting families in Gaza from Kerala?A: It was the realization of how privileged we are compared to the people in Gaza. Here, we can eat, drink, and sleep safely, while at the same time children are being killed, families destroyed, and people dying of malnutrition. It felt impossible for me to stay silent.During the war, I began communicating with a few families in Gaza, mostly women with children. Over time, they became like sisters to me. Even though we come from different nations, cultures, and languages, there was a deep bond of humanity. Listening to their pain moved me so much that I couldn’t sleep at night. That’s when I knew I had to act—not as charity, but as solidarity.Q: You coordinated the delivery of a 3,000-litre water truck. How did this effort come together?A: I’ve been in contact with families displaced from northern to southern Gaza. One of my closest friends there, Hadeel, a mother of two, raised the urgent issue of water scarcity for 250 families in Jamal Al Wadi. Together with Hadeel and my friend Lesley Hawksley, a TV producer from the UK, we searched for organizations distributing water in that area but found none.Finally, Hadeel located a private water truck owner and coordinated logistics. The truck cost USD 300, and we collected the amount through friends and family. The delivery brought immense relief. Hadeel shared the video of families receiving water—it went viral, and the gratitude shown in those moments will stay with me forever.Q: How did you establish and maintain connections with families in Gaza?A: Through social media. Since the war began, I’ve been closely following the situation in Palestine. I connected with families and began video calls with them—joining them in their daily lives, even simple moments like visiting the market or talking to their children. These small exchanges kept me emotionally connected.Over time, I was able to support around 50–60 families with food and water. Later, when they were displaced, we organized the water truck during a critical time.Q: What role did your friends and well-wishers play in this initiative?A: They were crucial. I am blessed with friends and followers—more than 160,000 on social media—who are ready to support any cause. They contributed through verified international donation links like Chuffed and GoFund, created by social workers from different countries.In Gaza, transactions are complicated and sometimes exploitative, with money exchangers charging up to 50%. So, my friends trusted me to coordinate support and make sure it reached the right people. I will never forget their solidarity.Q: When you saw the viral videos of families thanking you, what was your reaction?A: I was overwhelmed with happiness. Seeing their gratitude gave me peace. Hadeel and her two sons, Mohammed and Read, appeared in one of the videos. Their smiles reminded me that, even from afar, I could bring a little light during such dark times.The world has not witnessed such a targeted genocide against women and children in recent history. According to the Palestinian Health Authority, more than 66,000 civilians have been killed, including 19,000 children. Amidst this horror, if I can bring even a little happiness and hope, it means everything to me.**media[367253]**Q: What challenges did you face in coordinating relief from India?A: The biggest challenge is that direct payment channels from India to Palestine are blocked. We often had to send money through social activists abroad who then transferred it via crypto wallets. Internet blackouts in Gaza make communication difficult, but we still managed to coordinate.At times, even water trucks couldn’t reach families because roads were destroyed or blocked. Once, a truck got stuck in the sand, and we had to find another vehicle to pull it out. Every delivery is a challenge, but worth it.Q: You mentioned that families now need at least 6,000 litres of water daily. How sustainable is this?A: It’s very difficult. Around 280 families that I initially supported have fled to South Gaza. The main water source, the Basin Stream, is polluted after sewage plants were destroyed. Private water trucks face logistical hurdles in reaching these families.I cannot do this alone. International organizations must step in. We need global solidarity and structural support to sustain such efforts.Q: What are your next plans to continue supporting Gaza families? A: I want to continue supporting families who fall through the cracks of humanitarian aid—pregnant women, children needing essentials like diapers, and families without access to social media. My aim is not just food and water but also education and dignity. I don’t know how much I can achieve, but I will try.Q: What message would you like to share with young people who feel helpless but want to make a difference?A: Gaza represents the largest genocide since the Holocaust, and it targets women and children in ways the world cannot ignore. We must understand that this is not about politics—it is about humanity.Wherever possible, raise your voice. Speak about Palestine. Stand against injustice. Even if you cannot send aid, you can spread awareness, keep the conversation alive, and remind the world that silence is complicity.

US President Donald Trump has thrown a lifeline to coal with his move to reinvigorate the industry by easing regulatory barriers. He’s declared the fuel “essential” to national and economic security, and his administration has given last-minute reprieves to plants that were set to shut down.The country’s coal consumption had been trending downward for much of the past two decades in the face of cheap natural gas, tighter environmental restrictions and pressure to curb planet-warming emissions.The US coal industry is having a good year. Demand for the dirtiest fossil fuel is increasing, utilities are running their plants harder, and miners are boosting production.In September, the Department of Energy announced it would be providing $625mn to recommission or modernise coal power stations as part of a co-ordinated government effort to revive the industry.The Energy Information Administration expects the US to consume 398mn metric tonnes of coal in 2025, up 7% from last year. That would mark the first increase since 2021, when power demand roared back after the global industrial slump triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic.Electricity generation accounts for the vast majority of coal use in the US. The EIA forecasts the amount of power from coal-fired plants will rise by 9% this year. That would push coal to 17% of the electricity mix — a slight uptick from 2024, although a far cry from the days when it fuelled more than half the country’s generation.For years, cheap gas has made coal plants comparatively less economic to run. But gas prices increased in 2025 in the face of tighter supply, which incentivised utilities to burn more coal — particularly during the initial months of the year, when colder-than-anticipated winter weather drove up electricity demand for heating.Trump issued an executive order in April that said it’s a national priority to support the US coal industry and directed federal agencies to identify and consider revising any policies that discourage coal production and power generation.That same month, his administration granted a two-year exemption to dozens of coal-fired power plants from federal requirements to limit the emission of mercury and other toxins.Meanwhile, the Environmental Protection Agency is seeking to reverse some of the fundamental legal findings for regulating greenhouse gases in the US, a move that would weaken pollution limits for coal plants and make them cheaper to operate.The Trump administration is targeting its support further up the supply chain, too, as Interior Secretary Doug Burgum says the US will “mine, baby, mine”. While the country has the largest coal reserves in the world, its production has been in long-term decline for almost two decades.Power consumption in the US is expected to surge in the coming years after decades of stagnant growth. Some researchers forecast it could rise by as much as 25% by 2030.The momentum reflects the proliferation of data centres for artificial intelligence (AI), as well as increasingly electrified homes and cars, and factories shifting away from fossil fuels.Data centres could account for 7% of the country’s electricity demand by the end of the decade, according to BloombergNEF, from around 4% today.BloombergNEF estimates that by 2035, the US will need an extra 77 gigawatts of generation capacity to power its data centres. Coal plants that delay their retirement could be the second-largest source to meet the additional capacity requirements after gas.Coal plants are designed to run for decades, so project developers consider the economics over a much longer time horizon than presidential terms. While Trump has swung federal policy in coal’s favour, this could change as soon as 2029 if a more climate-friendly successor is elected to the White House.

The agreement by Electronic Arts Inc to sell itself to a group of investors — a deal that would be the largest leveraged buyout on record — has created an attractive money-making opportunity in a corner of Wall Street known as merger arbitrage. Arbitrageurs, known as arbs, seek to profit from the gap between where a stock trades today and the price a buyer has agreed to pay.The size of the EA deal, which values the video-game company at about $55bn, along with a wave of mergers and acquisitions in recent months, is a potential boon for arbs, who now have more names to trade on. But just as their wagers can reap large rewards, they also carry significant risks.What is merger arbitrage?Also called risk arbitrage, it’s a trading strategy, used primarily by hedge funds, to profit from price differences that arise when it becomes known that one company intends to acquire another. When that happens, the stock price of the target company often rises but not to the level of the offer price. The gap reflects the risk that the deal might not go through.Why is EA’s stock trading below the offer price?The buyer group that would take the publicly listed EA private agreed to pay $210 in cash per share. That represents roughly a 25% premium over the stock’s so-called unaffected price, which is where it was trading before the media began reporting on talks aimed at a deal.The proposed buyers — Silver Lake Management, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Affinity Partners, a firm managed by President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner — all have deep pockets. And JPMorgan Chase & Co has committed to providing about $20bn of debt.But it’s not a done deal yet.The transaction is still subject to shareholder approval and sign-offs from regulators. In the US, it’s expected that the deal will need to be reviewed by antitrust authorities and by the Committee on Foreign Investment, better known as CFIUS, which screens foreign investments in American companies. EA has a global footprint, and authorities in jurisdictions where it generates meaningful revenue — potentially the European Union, UK and China — could also review the deal.These processes could drag on. EA has said it aims to close the deal by mid-year 2026.How do arbs stand to profit from the EA deal?Given the risks of the deal falling apart and the fluidity of the timeline for its completion, the market is pricing in doubt. With EA stock trading slightly above $200 as of the market’s close on October 2, the deal spread — the gap between the trading price and the bid— is about $10, implying approximately 80% odds of completion, based on back-of-the-envelope math.Many holders of EA stock will cash out and lock in a gain rather than wait to see how the deal unfolds. That’s when arbs step in. In theory, by buying the stock and holding it to the close of the deal, arbitrage traders could pocket the spread. They could achieve nearly an 8% annualised return if the deal closes on time, a decent payoff compared with the roughly 3.5% yield on a nine-month US Treasury bills.EA has also agreed it may pay quarterly dividends of as much as $0.19 per share until closing. That’s small, but it’s still extra pennies for investors to collect along the way.What can go wrong with merger arbitrage?Regulatory review is usually the primary source of concern for arbs. Last year, an antitrust challenge sank a proposed tie-up between the makers of Coach and Kate Spade handbags, dealing a huge blow to many hedge funds that lost money on the arbitrage.In a different video-game industry deal a few years ago, Microsoft Corp’s takeover of Activision Blizzard Inc drew scrutiny on antitrust grounds in both the US and the UK. The reviews prolonged the saga, sending the spread up and down, for a year and a half before the deal was ultimately cleared.The environment for mergers and acquisitions was challenging during the Biden administration, when Lina Khan, who was chair of the Federal Trade Commission, took a tough approach on antitrust issues. Regulators have become more accommodating toward M&A since Trump’s return to the White House for a second term. Arb specialists expect that the deal to buy EA won’t raise significant antitrust flags because while Saudi Arabia’s PIF, the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, already has some investments in video games, the buyout wouldn’t represent a significant consolidation in the industry.The national security review is another risk. The saga around US Steel’s sale to Japan’s Nippon Steel showed how that process can muddy deal timing and outcomes. Then-President Joe Biden initially blocked the acquisition on national security grounds. Eighteen months following the deal’s announcement, it finally closed in June, after Trump extracted a concession giving the US government a so-called golden share in the targeted company.Another wrinkle is a potential competing bid. The agreement gives EA a 45-day period in which it can engage other suitors; if it accepts a superior offer, the original bidders would be entitled to a $1bn breakup fee.There can be other kinds of developments that can delay or sink a deal. For example, in early 2022, Elon Musk said he would buy Twitter Inc, creating an opening for arbs. His threats to walk away turned that deal into a roller coaster ride for them.And during periods of extreme market turmoil, buyers sometimes press to reduce prices, which can make an arb’s bet on a merger less or not at all profitable. LVMH successfully pushed for a price cut in its takeover of Tiffany & Co during the tumult of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Scientists' work relates to 'how we keep immune system under control'Work spurred development of treatments in areas such as cancer, autoimmune diseaseMore than 200 trials on humans involving regulatory T cells under wayFirst award in 2025 Nobel Prizes, Physics next on TuesdayAmerican scientists Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi from Japan won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine on Monday for work shedding light on how the immune system spares healthy cells, creating openings for possible new autoimmune disease and cancer treatments.Their discoveries relate to peripheral immune tolerance, or "how we keep our immune system under control so we can fight all imaginable microbes and still avoid autoimmune disease", said Marie Wahren-Herlenius, a rheumatology professor at Sweden's Karolinska Institute, the awarding body.The institute said all three laureates brought to the fore so-called regulatory T cells, a class of white blood cells that act as the immune system's security guards that keep immune cells from attacking our own body.Brunkow, who found out she had won after being woken by her dog barking at a news photographer on the front porch of her Seattle home, said she, Ramsdell and their colleagues had isolated a gene called FOXP3 that could be used as a marker for the cells."They're rare, but powerful, and they're critical for sort of dampening an immune response," she said in an interview, describing the cells as a braking system that prevents the body's immune system from tipping over into attacking itself.Sakaguchi expressed surprise at a press conference in Osaka, western Japan, because he felt any major recognition would have depended on more development advances."I used to think that some sort of reward may be forthcoming if what we have been doing will advance a little further and it will become more beneficial to people in clinical settings," he said in a calm voice, cracking a smile now and then.The press conference was interrupted for Sakaguchi to take a congratulatory phone call from Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who asked him how effective immunotherapy could be for cancer treatment in the future."I believe the time will come when cancer is no longer a scary disease, but a curable one," said Sakaguchi.The winners of the award are selected by the Nobel Assembly of the Karolinska Institute, a leading medical university, and receive a prize sum of 11 million Swedish crowns ($1.2 million), as well as a gold medal presented by Sweden's king.Brunkow is senior programme manager at the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, while Ramsdell is scientific adviser at Sonoma Biotherapeutics in San Francisco. Sakaguchi is a professor at Osaka University.Jeffrey Bluestone, a decades-long friend of Ramsdell and a co-founder with him of Sonoma Biotherapeutics, told Reuters that his associate's extraordinary contribution was finding the FOXP3 gene, initially in mice, that controlled the development of regulatory T cells. They described their findings in a paper in 2001."Those cells were the master regulators of the tolerance of the immune system," said Bluestone.Ramsdell could not be reached by Reuters - nor by Brunkow or Bluestone, with Bluestone saying he may be on a hiking trip in an area without cell phone reception.After announcing the winners, the Karolinska Institute's Thomas Perlmann said specific therapies had yet to win market clearance but more than 200 trials on humans involving regulatory T cells were ongoing.Among companies in the early race, Ramsdell's Sonoma Biotherapeutics is partly funded and supported by US drugmaker Regeneron to work on therapies against diseases including inflammatory bowel disease.Also targeting that condition, Quell Therapeutics has partnered with AstraZeneca. Other biotech firms exploring the approach include Bayer's BlueRock.The Nobel Prizes were established through the will of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor of dynamite and a wealthy businessman.They have been awarded since 1901 for outstanding contributions in science, literature, and peace. The economics prize was added later and is funded by Sweden's central bank.Winners are selected by expert committees from various institutions. All prizes are awarded in Stockholm, except for the Peace Prize, which is presented in Oslo.Past recipients of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine include renowned scientists such as Alexander Fleming, who shared the 1945 award for discovering penicillin. In recent years, the prize has recognized major breakthroughs, including those that enabled the development of COVID-19 vaccines.Last year's medicine prize was awarded to US scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their discovery of microRNA and its key role in how multicellular organisms grow and live.Medicine in accordance with tradition kicks off the annual Nobels. The physics award is next, on Tuesday.The awards culminate in ceremonies attended by the royal families of Sweden and Norway, followed by lavish banquets held on December 10 - the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death.