Source: Asia Development Bank
This paper examines how households in the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan adapt their cooling strategies to power outages and increasing temperatures. It highlights the importance of reliable power and the potential of solar panels to meet summer energy demands.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Robotic arms are displayed during the 9th China-South Asia Expo in Kunming, southwest China’s Yunnan province, June 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
The country has pledged to step up support for scientific and technological innovation, according to a report submitted on Tuesday to the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the national legislature.
The report, prepared by the State Council, China’s Cabinet, outlined how China will intensify efforts to achieve scientific and technological breakthroughs and speed up revolutionary advances, amid increasingly fierce global competition and a growing need to enhance high-quality technological output.
Key measures include increasing spending on basic research, improving funding mechanisms that combine competitive and stable support, and raising the organizational level of basic research.
China has achieved steady progress in tackling core technologies, resolving a number of bottleneck issues, the report said. In the integrated circuit sector, the country has strengthened capabilities across the entire industrial chain, from design and manufacturing to packaging and testing.
As a result, the output of integrated circuits rose by 22.2 percent last year, while exports topped 1.1 trillion yuan ($153.3 billion), a record high.
The report said future plans will focus on solidifying the role of enterprises in driving innovation by establishing institutional support, including a research and development reserve fund system. Efforts will also be made to deepen industry-university-research collaboration led by enterprises, enabling them to participate in national decision-making and lead major innovation projects.
The report highlighted the significant progress in developing Beijing, Shanghai and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area into global innovation hubs. All three ranked among the world’s top five technology clusters in 2024.
To advance industrial transformation, the report laid out plans for major technological upgrades in manufacturing and large-scale equipment renewal projects. China’s push for intelligent manufacturing has yielded notable outcomes, with the country accounting for more than 50 percent of newly installed industrial robots globally each year, it said.
Additional priorities include accelerating the development of emerging sectors such as biomanufacturing, quantum technology and embodied artificial intelligence. Large-scale demonstration projects will be launched for new technologies, products and applications.
The report noted that a growth mechanism for future industries has already been put in place and that the establishment of a national startup investment fund is being accelerated.
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
The Indian benchmark indices opened over 400 points up on Wednesday amid positive global cues, as buying was seen in the IT, auto and pharma sectors in the early trade.
At around 9.25 am, Sensex was trading 445.6 points or 0.54 per cent up at 82,500.73 while the Nifty added 130.15 point or 0.52 per cent at 25,174.50
According to analysts, a significant feature of the recent market trend has been its resilience despite major challenges like the West Asian crisis.
“Even during the short India-Pakistan conflict, the market has been resilient. A significant contributor to this resilience has been FII buying during the crisis,” said Dr VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited.
Nifty Bank was up 31.25 points or 0.06 per cent at 56,493.15. The Nifty Midcap 100 index was trading at 58,867.80 after adding 245.40 points or 0.42 per cent. Nifty Smallcap 100 index was at 18,617.85 after climbing 165.10 points or 0.89 per cent.
Meanwhile, in the Sensex pack, Titan, UltraTech Cement, Trent, HCL Tech, Adani Ports, Tech Mahindra, Tata Steel, PowerGrid, Hindustan Unilever Limited and L&T were the top gainers. Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Bank, BEL, and Axis Bank were the top losers.
Interestingly, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have been selling as the Mideast crisis blows over. On the other hand, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) have been sustained buyers in the market, thanks to the continuing inflows into mutual funds, said experts.
This will impart resilience to the market even when FIIs sell on valuation concerns, they added.
FIIs were net sellers on June 24, selling equities worth Rs 5,266.01 crore. Meanwhile, DIIs remained buyers, purchasing equities worth Rs 5,209.60 crore.
In the Asian markets, Japan, China, Seoul and Hong Kong were trading in green. Whereas Bangkok and Jakarta were trading in red.
In the last trading session, Dow Jones in the US closed at 42,581.78, up 507.24 points, or 1.19 per cent. The S&P 500 ended with a gain of 67.01 points, or 1.11 per cent, at 6,025.17 and the Nasdaq closed at 19,630.97, up 281.56 points, or 1.43 per cent.
(IANS)
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra won the javelin throw title at the Ostrava Golden Spike 2025 meet with a best throw of 85.29 metres during the one-day competition held on Tuesday.
Neeraj clinched victory with one throw remaining, as his third-attempt effort of 85.29m remained unbeaten through all six rounds, securing him yet another top podium finish this season. This marks his second title within a month, following his recent triumph at the Paris Diamond League.
The 27-year-old athlete from Haryana delivered his best throw in the third round. He finished first ahead of Douw Smit of South Africa, who threw 84.12m, and Anderson Peters of Grenada, who managed 83.63m, securing second and third place, respectively.
Neeraj, who made history by winning India’s first Olympic gold medal in athletics at Tokyo 2020, and a silver at the Paris 2024 Olympics, has been in fine form this season. After winning the Paris Diamond League, he was keen to extend his winning streak in Ostrava—and he did just that.
However, while he secured the top spot, the distance might leave him slightly disappointed, as he has previously surpassed the 90-metre mark and is aiming to breach that barrier again soon.
The competition didn’t start smoothly for Neeraj. His first attempt was a foul, and his second throw measured 83.45m. But he made a strong comeback on his third attempt, launching the spear to 85.29m, which proved to be the winning throw. Douw Smit followed with 84.12m, and Anderson Peters was close behind with 83.63m.
Neeraj could not better his distance in the remaining attempts. He recorded 82.17m in the fourth, 81.01m in the fifth, and deliberately fouled his final throw, opting not to complete it after an unsatisfactory release.
Despite not crossing the 90-metre mark, Neeraj Chopra’s consistency and commanding performance reaffirm his status as one of the top javelin throwers in the world.
(With inputs from IANS)
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
OKINAWA, Japan – More than 120 Airmen from the Tennessee Air National Guard’s 134th Mission Support Group deployed to Okinawa for annual field training in June 2025, immersing themselves in a high-tempo, joint environment that included collaboration with U.S. Marines, active-duty Airmen and host nation forces.
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
ITOMAN, OKINAWA, Japan (June 22, 2025) — U.S. Navy Sailors and family members joined local Okinawan volunteers at Peace Memorial Park on June 22 to prepare nearly 7,000 candles for a vigil on the eve of Okinawa Memorial Day. The event honored the 80th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa — an 82-day conflict in 1945 that claimed more than 200,000 lives and stands as the deadliest battle of the Pacific theater during WWII.
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
Joy, pride, and excitement swept through Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla prepares to make history with the Axiom-4 mission, set to launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on Wednesday.
The Indian Air Force Group Captain, hailing from Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow, is heading to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 Mission.
Shukla’s father, Shambhu Dayal, expressed that his son’s achievement brings pride not only to Lucknow but also to the entire nation.
“…His mission is set to launch around 12 noon IST. We are very eager to see his mission launch. We are delighted. Our blessings are with him, and we also pray to God for his mission to be completed well… He is fully prepared… It feels great to see all the posters that have been put up for him… He is bringing laurels to Lucknow, the state and our country… We are proud of him,” Shambhu Sayal said.
Asha Shukla, Shubhanshu’s mother, praised her daughter-in-law for her unwavering support ahead of the mission, emphasizing that this achievement wouldn’t have been possible without her.
“It is a moment of pride for us and everyone else. Posters are being put up everywhere. Everyone is delighted that a man from this country, this Triveni Nagar, is going to soar so high… We are sending all our wishes and blessings to him… He has all the support of our daughter-in-law. This could not have been possible without her… She has played the biggest role here,” she added.
The Axiom-4 mission is targeting a launch window of 2:31 a.m. EDT or 12 noon IST on Wednesday from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in the US.
The crew, piloted by India’s Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, will travel to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket. The targeted docking time is approximately 7 am EDT on Thursday, or 4 pm IST.
The four-member crew, which has been in quarantine in Florida, will be commanded by Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and now Axiom Space’s Director of Human Spaceflight. The mission specialists are ESA project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.
The Ax-4 mission will “realise the return” to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, with each nation’s first government-sponsored flight in more than 40 years. While Ax-4 marks these countries’ second human spaceflight mission in history, it will be the first time all three nations will execute a mission on board the International Space Station.
For Group Captain Shukla, this will be an opportunity to emulate fellow Indian Air Force Officer Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard Soyuz T-11 on 3 April 1984 as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme. Sharma spent seven days in space on board the Salyut 7 space station.
The Ax-4 mission is also conducting major research. The research complement includes around 60 scientific studies and activities representing 31 countries, including the U.S., India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, the UAE, and nations across Europe.
For ISRO and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, this mission lays the groundwork for India’s space roadmap to land an Indian on the Moon by 2040.
(With inputs from ANI)
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who will pilot the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), is one of the four astronauts selected for ISRO’s ambitious Gaganyaan mission.
Born on October 10, 1985, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Shukla was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in June 2006. A highly accomplished combat leader and seasoned test pilot, he has amassed over 2,000 hours of flight experience across a wide range of aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32.
In 2019, Shukla began intensive training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Star City, Moscow—a rigorous, year-long preparation that set the course for his spaceflight journey. On February 27, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially introduced Shukla as one of the astronauts undergoing advanced training for Gaganyaan, India’s maiden human spaceflight mission, scheduled for launch in 2025.
Now, Group Captain Shukla is gearing up to pilot the historic Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), marking a major milestone in India’s human spaceflight journey.
“I found out I was going probably a week before we arrived at Axiom. I was extremely excited—this was a real opportunity to actually fly to space. You don’t even know how to respond to something like that,” Shukla shared in a YouTube video posted by the Ax-4 mission team.
The Ax-4 crew will be led by Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and current Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space. She praised Shukla’s capabilities:
“For me, having him as my pilot in the Dragon capsule is great. He already has that operational savvy—he’s just wicked smart when it comes to spacecraft technologies,” Whitson remarked.
Shukla will pilot a three-member crew that includes Whitson, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, both serving as mission specialists.
“The team I’m flying with on this mission is fantastic. I truly feel I have exceptional crewmates. While I’ll fly with them just this once, these are people who will remain my friends for life,” said Shukla.
Group Captain Shukla’s participation in Ax-4 is poised to inspire a new generation, just as Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma did in 1984 when he became the first Indian in space.
“It has been an amazing journey. These are the kind of moments that make you realize you’re part of something far greater than yourself. I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of this mission. My sincere endeavour is to inspire a generation back home in India. If my story can ignite curiosity or change even one life, that alone would make this mission a success for me,” Shukla said.
As Ax-4 lifts off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, it will not only mark a new chapter for commercial spaceflight but also a defining moment in India’s journey into human space exploration.
(With inputs from ANI)
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated the commitment to strengthening the principles in the Constitution and working together to realise the nation’s vision of a Viksit Bharat.
He said this on Wednesday while marking 50 years of the imposition of the Emergency in the country.
In a post on X, PM Modi wrote that this day marks 50 years of one of the darkest chapters in India’s history when the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution were set aside.
“Today marks fifty years since one of the darkest chapters in India’s democratic history, the imposition of the Emergency. The people of India mark this day as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas. On this day, the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution were set aside, fundamental rights were suspended, press freedom was extinguished and several political leaders, social workers, students and ordinary citizens were jailed.”
“It was as if the Congress Government in power at that time placed democracy under arrest!” said PM Modi.
He said the country salutes every person who stood up against the tyranny.
“We salute every person who stood firm in the fight against the Emergency! These were the people from all over India, from all walks of life, from diverse ideologies who worked closely with each other with one aim: to protect India’s democratic fabric and to preserve the ideals for which our freedom fighters devoted their lives.”
The Prime Minister said in his post that it was their collective struggle that ensured that the then Congress government had to restore democracy and call for fresh elections, which they badly lost.
Reiterating the commitment to the Constitution and its values, he said, “We also reiterate our commitment to strengthening the principles in our Constitution and working together to realise our vision of a Viksit Bharat.”
“May we scale new heights of progress and fulfil the dreams of the poor and downtrodden,” he added.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is observing the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, which was imposed by the Indira Gandhi-led government in 1975, as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ (Constitution Murder Day).
The party has planned extensive outreach programmes at district and booth levels across the country to mark the day as a “dark chapter” in India’s democratic history.
(IANS)
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated the commitment to strengthening the principles in the Constitution and working together to realise the nation’s vision of a Viksit Bharat.
He said this on Wednesday while marking 50 years of the imposition of the Emergency in the country.
In a post on X, PM Modi wrote that this day marks 50 years of one of the darkest chapters in India’s history when the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution were set aside.
“Today marks fifty years since one of the darkest chapters in India’s democratic history, the imposition of the Emergency. The people of India mark this day as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas. On this day, the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution were set aside, fundamental rights were suspended, press freedom was extinguished and several political leaders, social workers, students and ordinary citizens were jailed.”
“It was as if the Congress Government in power at that time placed democracy under arrest!” said PM Modi.
He said the country salutes every person who stood up against the tyranny.
“We salute every person who stood firm in the fight against the Emergency! These were the people from all over India, from all walks of life, from diverse ideologies who worked closely with each other with one aim: to protect India’s democratic fabric and to preserve the ideals for which our freedom fighters devoted their lives.”
The Prime Minister said in his post that it was their collective struggle that ensured that the then Congress government had to restore democracy and call for fresh elections, which they badly lost.
Reiterating the commitment to the Constitution and its values, he said, “We also reiterate our commitment to strengthening the principles in our Constitution and working together to realise our vision of a Viksit Bharat.”
“May we scale new heights of progress and fulfil the dreams of the poor and downtrodden,” he added.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is observing the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, which was imposed by the Indira Gandhi-led government in 1975, as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ (Constitution Murder Day).
The party has planned extensive outreach programmes at district and booth levels across the country to mark the day as a “dark chapter” in India’s democratic history.
(IANS)
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
SpaceX has confirmed that all systems are “looking good” for the launch of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), as NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX target a 2:31 AM EDT (12:00 PM IST) liftoff on Wednesday for the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
In a post on X on Tuesday (local time), SpaceX stated that weather conditions are 90% favorable for the launch scheduled for Wednesday evening (local time).
“All systems are looking good for Wednesday’s launch of Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station, and weather is 90 percent favourable for liftoff,” the company said.
The Ax-4 mission will launch from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The mission holds special significance for India’s space programme, as the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will be piloted by Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force. The spacecraft will launch atop SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
For Group Captain Shukla, this mission presents a historic opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who became the first Indian in space when he flew aboard Soyuz T-11 on April 3, 1984, as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme.
Now, Group Captain Shukla is set to rewrite history by becoming the second Indian in space and the first to travel to the International Space Station.
The four-member Ax-4 crew, currently in quarantine in Florida, will be led by Commander Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and now Axiom Space’s Director of Human Spaceflight. The mission specialists include ESA project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.
The Ax-4 mission marks a symbolic “return to human spaceflight” for India, Poland, and Hungary, with each country sponsoring its first government-backed human space mission in over 40 years. While Ax-4 is only the second crewed space mission in the history of these nations, it will be the first time all three will participate in a mission aboard the ISS.
For ISRO and Group Captain Shukla, this mission is a significant milestone, laying the foundation for India’s future in human spaceflight. It also paves the way for India’s first crewed space mission, Gaganyaan, slated for launch in the first quarter of 2027, and the country’s long-term goal of landing an Indian on the Moon by 2040.
(With inputs from ANI)
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
SpaceX has confirmed that all systems are “looking good” for the launch of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), as NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX target a 2:31 AM EDT (12:00 PM IST) liftoff on Wednesday for the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
In a post on X on Tuesday (local time), SpaceX stated that weather conditions are 90% favorable for the launch scheduled for Wednesday evening (local time).
“All systems are looking good for Wednesday’s launch of Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station, and weather is 90 percent favourable for liftoff,” the company said.
The Ax-4 mission will launch from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The mission holds special significance for India’s space programme, as the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will be piloted by Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force. The spacecraft will launch atop SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
For Group Captain Shukla, this mission presents a historic opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who became the first Indian in space when he flew aboard Soyuz T-11 on April 3, 1984, as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme.
Now, Group Captain Shukla is set to rewrite history by becoming the second Indian in space and the first to travel to the International Space Station.
The four-member Ax-4 crew, currently in quarantine in Florida, will be led by Commander Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and now Axiom Space’s Director of Human Spaceflight. The mission specialists include ESA project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.
The Ax-4 mission marks a symbolic “return to human spaceflight” for India, Poland, and Hungary, with each country sponsoring its first government-backed human space mission in over 40 years. While Ax-4 is only the second crewed space mission in the history of these nations, it will be the first time all three will participate in a mission aboard the ISS.
For ISRO and Group Captain Shukla, this mission is a significant milestone, laying the foundation for India’s future in human spaceflight. It also paves the way for India’s first crewed space mission, Gaganyaan, slated for launch in the first quarter of 2027, and the country’s long-term goal of landing an Indian on the Moon by 2040.
(With inputs from ANI)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ9: Preventing employees from suffering heat stroke at work
Question:
Hong Kong has become increasingly hot during summer in recent years, and workers who have to work in a hot environment for long hours are at risk of heat stroke at any time. In the reply to this Council on the Estimates of Expenditure 2025-2026, the Government has indicated that the number of heat stress-related work injury cases registered by the Labour Department (LD) from 2022 to 2024 has shown a rising trend. There are views that the existing Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work (GN) is still advisory in nature and there is no mandatory requirement for strict enforcement by employers, so the occurrence of heat stroke-related accidents may not be effectively minimised if there is a lack of compliance of enterprises with GN. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) among the cases of “Occupational Injuries in All Workplace – analysed by Type of Accident” in LD’s Occupational Safety and Health Statistics in each of the past three years, of the number of heat stroke-related cases under “Others” and, among them, the number of cases which deaths were caused by heat stroke, together with a breakdown by industry; whether heat stroke will be separated as a standalone type of accident;
(2) while the optimised Heat Stress at Work Warning (warning) is now linked with the “Extremely Hot” special alert of the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO), some members of the trade have relayed that HKO’s data relating to heat stress has deviated from the actual temperature at workplaces (i.e. the temperature may not be the same in different districts), coupled with the deviation between the actual temperature of construction site at height and the ground level monitoring data, whether the Government will lower the benchmark of the Hong Kong Heat Index which corresponds to the three warning levels of amber, red and black, and at the same time enhance the Smart Site Safety System by leveraging technologies for real-time monitoring of the temperatures in various districts, so as to give accurate advance warnings and reduce the risk of employees suffering from heat stroke; and
(3) as there are views that the existing GN is not legally binding and the warning mechanism not only lacks stability, but also fails to cover all working environments, whether the Government will further refine GN or consider mandating the implementation of the workplace heat stress risk assessment through legislative approach, so as to ensure that workers can work in a safe environment; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
My reply to the Hon Kwok’s question is as follows:
(1) The Labour Department (LD) has been keeping separate statistics and records on cases of heat stroke or work injury cases related to heat stress. The breakdown of such cases by industry in the past three years is as follows:
| Industry^ The case is a fatal case
(2) To prevent employees from suffering heat stroke while working in hot weather, employers should, with reference to LD’s Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work (GN), conduct risk assessments on heat stress for employees at work, and implement corresponding preventive measures based on the assessment results. When the Heat Stress at Work Warning (HSWW) is issued, it indicates that employees working in hot weather generally face a high level of heat stress risk. Employers should, taking account of the principles and recommendations of the GN, assess whether further control measures are needed, including the arrangement of hourly rest periods to reduce the risk of heat stroke. NNNN |
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ18: Licence for billiard establishment
Question:
Under the Places of Amusement Regulation (Chapter 132BA), Places of Amusement Licence must be obtained for the operation of billiard establishment with four tables or more. However, it is learnt that some billiard establishments without the required licence are operating inside industrial buildings, evading the licensing requirement by adopting such operating practices as providing three or fewer tables in subdivided or sub-let units. There are views that such practices may contravene the deeds of mutual covenant of the buildings and create an unfair advantage over other billiard establishments that are licensed. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has compiled the following information on billiard establishments that currently provide three or fewer tables but have not obtained the licence: (i) the number of billiard establishments, (ii) the number of units involved, (iii) the duration of operation, and (iv) whether the deeds of mutual covenant of the buildings occupied by such establishments have been contravened, together with a breakdown by the 18 districts across the territory; if not, whether it has plans to start compiling and maintaining such information from now on;
(2) of the following information on complaints received by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) regarding illegal operation of billiard establishments each year over the past five years: (i) the number of complaints received, (ii) the number of complaints found to be substantiated, (iii) the number of prosecutions initiated, (iv) the number of successful prosecutions, (v) the number of persons prosecuted, (vi) the offences involved, and (vii) the number of billiard establishments involved;
(3) whether it has plans to step up efforts in combatting billiard establishments operating illegally, and those adopting the aforesaid practices to evade the licensing requirement, such as stepping up law enforcement actions, amending relevant laws, and imposing harsher penalties; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4) as some members of the industry have relayed that currently applications for the licence for billiard establishments need to be vetted and approved by different government departments such as the LCSD, the Fire Services Department, and the Buildings Department, and it has taken over nine months for some cases to be processed (meaning that the applicants have to pay nine months’ rent for premises not yet placed in service but intended for operating the billiard establishment, amounting to several million dollars), whether the Government has plans to expedite the vetting and approval process for the licence; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
My reply to the Hon Yung Hoi-yan’s questions are set out below:
(1) The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) is responsible for the licensing of billiard establishments with four or more billiard tables pursuant to the Places of Amusement Regulation (Cap. 132BA) under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (the Ordinance). It maintains a register of licensed billiard establishments to ensure that the licensees comply with, among others, the requirements in respect of fire safety, building safety and health. It does not keep any information on venues with three or fewer billiard tables.
(2) Over the past five years (from January 2021 to June 2025), the number of complaints and prosecutions related to suspected unlicensed operation of billiard establishments handled by the LCSD is tabulated below:
| The LCSD will take immediate follow-up actions upon receiving complaints about suspected unlicensed billiard establishments (including evasion of the need to obtain licences by any means) or case referrals from other departments. The LCSD may, depending on actual circumstances, launch joint operations with other law enforcement departments. If unlicensed operation is confirmed after investigation, the LCSD will prosecute the operator in accordance with the law. Any person operating a regulated billiard establishment without a licence issued under the Ordinance, upon conviction, may be sentenced to imprisonment for up to six months and a maximum fine of $25,000. In addition, if other irregularities (such as violation of lease conditions) are found at the premises, the LCSD will refer such cases to relevant departments for follow-up. The LCSD will continue to monitor the operation of billiard establishments and review the enforcement action and penalties under the existing legislation from time to time. The LCSD will step up efforts to combat the operation of unlicensed billiard establishments as and when necessary. (4) The dedicated page on Places of Amusement Licences on the LCSD’s website sets out the general licensing requirements, application guidelines and frequently asked questions to assist applicants interested in operating billiard establishments in preparing the necessary documents and layout plans for their licence applications. The time required to vet each application depends on whether the individual applicant meets the licensing conditions, as well as the time needed by relevant departments (including the Fire Services Department and the Buildings Department) to examine the information submitted by the applicant and approve the relevant works for the premises concerned. If the applicant responds to and follows up on the advice of relevant departments in a timely manner, the approval process can generally be completed in about four to seven months upon receipt of the application and all required information. The LCSD is committed to simplifying the application procedures for Places of Amusement Licences all along, and will continue to review and refine relevant procedures, including simplifying the application forms and providing online submission channel. Furthermore, the LCSD will continue to work closely with various departments concerned to process applications as quickly as practicable upon receipt of the required information from applicants with a view to expediting the vetting process. Issued at HKT 12:10 NNNN |
Source: Asia Development Bank
Concerns with eligibility criteria
Some of these relate to the inclusion of households not facing economic hardship and the exclusion of families living in poverty. There’s a need to refine the current criteria to better identify households experiencing temporary financial difficulties, even if they own certain assets.
Challenges in data verification
Another area for improvement in Aswesuma is the difficulty officials face in verifying household information related to eligibility. For example, errors may occur during data collection if households withhold accurate information about their poverty status to qualify for benefits or are unable to recall details correctly. These inaccuracies can reduce the program’s effectiveness by excluding people who genuinely need help and undermining efforts to create a more objective social protection system.
Improving follow-up and monitoring
Better data collection methods during follow-ups with Aswesuma recipients would help improve the criteria. This would allow the program to monitor households’ economic conditions and track improvements resulting from cash transfers. The main goal of these transfers is to help participants move out of poverty by improving their living situations. Therefore, follow-up assessments should document any changes and measurable outcomes related to food insecurity or poverty levels. These outcomes should go beyond the current Aswesuma indicators to better reflect improvements in well-being.
Addressing chronic and transient poverty
Ongoing updates to Aswesuma should also improve its ability to target people experiencing both chronic and transient poverty. Chronic poverty refers to long-term deprivation, often passed down through generations, while transient poverty involves short-term income or spending losses, even when long-term resources are sufficient to stay above the poverty line (Duclos et al., 2078). The current deprivation score mainly focuses on chronic poverty, emphasizing household assets and housing conditions (13 of the 22 indicators are based on multidimensional measurements).
Gaps in coverage and food insecurity
While addressing chronic poverty is important, it’s also necessary to consider temporary poverty. A large portion of the population (households ineligible for Aswesuma but who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months) remains underserved. Of the 20% of the population that faced food insecurity, nearly 40% are not eligible for Aswesuma.
Expanding the framework for vulnerability
Given the current economic climate, with rising costs and income losses, measures of temporary poverty could help identify both long-term and short-term hardship, regardless of assets or housing. Including data on household members’ recent employment experiences, especially job loss, could offer a more complete picture of who needs support. The amount of cash transferred is unlikely to directly improve indicators related to household assets or other long-term poverty markers, as those require larger investments in education, health, and infrastructure (Lipton and Ravallion, 1995).
Climate vulnerability and regional differences
Climate vulnerability also adds complexity to household conditions. Although it’s difficult to measure, including it would help the program reach more at-risk groups in Sri Lanka.
The current set of indicators can also be improved by accounting for both visible and hidden factors that influence household selection. The relevance of indicators varies by region and demographics. For example, vehicle use and electricity consumption depend on the availability of alternatives, which differ across the country. Rural households may lack access to transportation or electricity not because of poverty, but because those services aren’t available. Regional adjustments in how deprivation is measured could lead to more accurate assessments of poverty in both rural and urban areas.
Asset ownership and agricultural work
Asset indicators like ownership of agricultural machinery or land are influenced by both observable and hidden factors, including the decision to work in agriculture. This suggests a need for additional support programs, such as insurance for agricultural workers. In some areas, deprivation in agriculture-related indicators may actually reflect higher well-being, depending on location and market access.
Labor market impacts and conditional transfers
Finally, the program’s impact on labor market outcomes should be considered. The study predicts a drop in labor force participation for both men and women under various scenarios. This aligns with economic theory, which suggests that higher non-labor income reduces the need for paid work (Garganta et al., 2017). However, building resilience through employment is key to long-term poverty reduction. In some cases, transfers tied to employment have shown fewer negative, or even positive, effects on labor participation (Berlinski et al., 2024). While cash transfers are helpful for addressing food insecurity, exploring conditional transfers that encourage work and self-reliance is important for helping people move out of poverty.
Source: Asia Development Bank
Concerns with eligibility criteria
Some of these relate to the inclusion of households not facing economic hardship and the exclusion of families living in poverty. There’s a need to refine the current criteria to better identify households experiencing temporary financial difficulties, even if they own certain assets.
Challenges in data verification
Another area for improvement in Aswesuma is the difficulty officials face in verifying household information related to eligibility. For example, errors may occur during data collection if households withhold accurate information about their poverty status to qualify for benefits or are unable to recall details correctly. These inaccuracies can reduce the program’s effectiveness by excluding people who genuinely need help and undermining efforts to create a more objective social protection system.
Improving follow-up and monitoring
Better data collection methods during follow-ups with Aswesuma recipients would help improve the criteria. This would allow the program to monitor households’ economic conditions and track improvements resulting from cash transfers. The main goal of these transfers is to help participants move out of poverty by improving their living situations. Therefore, follow-up assessments should document any changes and measurable outcomes related to food insecurity or poverty levels. These outcomes should go beyond the current Aswesuma indicators to better reflect improvements in well-being.
Addressing chronic and transient poverty
Ongoing updates to Aswesuma should also improve its ability to target people experiencing both chronic and transient poverty. Chronic poverty refers to long-term deprivation, often passed down through generations, while transient poverty involves short-term income or spending losses, even when long-term resources are sufficient to stay above the poverty line (Duclos et al., 2078). The current deprivation score mainly focuses on chronic poverty, emphasizing household assets and housing conditions (13 of the 22 indicators are based on multidimensional measurements).
Gaps in coverage and food insecurity
While addressing chronic poverty is important, it’s also necessary to consider temporary poverty. A large portion of the population (households ineligible for Aswesuma but who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months) remains underserved. Of the 20% of the population that faced food insecurity, nearly 40% are not eligible for Aswesuma.
Expanding the framework for vulnerability
Given the current economic climate, with rising costs and income losses, measures of temporary poverty could help identify both long-term and short-term hardship, regardless of assets or housing. Including data on household members’ recent employment experiences, especially job loss, could offer a more complete picture of who needs support. The amount of cash transferred is unlikely to directly improve indicators related to household assets or other long-term poverty markers, as those require larger investments in education, health, and infrastructure (Lipton and Ravallion, 1995).
Climate vulnerability and regional differences
Climate vulnerability also adds complexity to household conditions. Although it’s difficult to measure, including it would help the program reach more at-risk groups in Sri Lanka.
The current set of indicators can also be improved by accounting for both visible and hidden factors that influence household selection. The relevance of indicators varies by region and demographics. For example, vehicle use and electricity consumption depend on the availability of alternatives, which differ across the country. Rural households may lack access to transportation or electricity not because of poverty, but because those services aren’t available. Regional adjustments in how deprivation is measured could lead to more accurate assessments of poverty in both rural and urban areas.
Asset ownership and agricultural work
Asset indicators like ownership of agricultural machinery or land are influenced by both observable and hidden factors, including the decision to work in agriculture. This suggests a need for additional support programs, such as insurance for agricultural workers. In some areas, deprivation in agriculture-related indicators may actually reflect higher well-being, depending on location and market access.
Labor market impacts and conditional transfers
Finally, the program’s impact on labor market outcomes should be considered. The study predicts a drop in labor force participation for both men and women under various scenarios. This aligns with economic theory, which suggests that higher non-labor income reduces the need for paid work (Garganta et al., 2017). However, building resilience through employment is key to long-term poverty reduction. In some cases, transfers tied to employment have shown fewer negative, or even positive, effects on labor participation (Berlinski et al., 2024). While cash transfers are helpful for addressing food insecurity, exploring conditional transfers that encourage work and self-reliance is important for helping people move out of poverty.
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
The ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump between Iran and Israel appeared to be holding on Wednesday a day after both countries signalled that their air war had ended, at least for now.
Each side claimed victory on Tuesday after 12 days of war, which the U.S. joined with airstrikes in support of Israel to take out Iran’s uranium-enrichment facilities.
Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said late on Tuesday that talks between the United States and Iran were “promising” and that Washington was hopeful for a long-term peace deal.
“We are already talking to each other, not just directly but also through interlocutors. I think that the conversations are promising. We are hopeful that we can have a long-term peace agreement that resurrects Iran,” Witkoff said in an interview on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle” show.
“Now it’s for us to sit down with the Iranians and get to a comprehensive peace agreement, and I am very confident that we are going to achieve that,” he added.
Trump said over the weekend that U.S. stealth bombers had “obliterated” Iran’s programme to develop nuclear weapons. Iran says its enrichment activities are for civilian purposes only.
But Trump’s claim appeared to be contradicted by an initial report by one of his administration’s intelligence agencies, according to three people familiar with the matter.
One of the sources said Iran’s enriched uranium stocks had not been eliminated, and the country’s nuclear programme, much of which is buried deep underground, may have been set back only a month or two.
The White House said the intelligence assessment was “flat out wrong.”
According to the report, which was produced by the Defense Intelligence Agency, the strikes sealed off the entrances to two of the facilities, but did not collapse underground buildings, said one of the people familiar with its findings.
Some centrifuges remained intact, the Washington Post said, citing an unnamed person familiar with the report.
Trump’s administration told the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday that its weekend strikes had “degraded” Iran’s nuclear programme, short of Trump’s assertion that the facilities had been “obliterated.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that the attack had removed the nuclear threat against Israel and he was determined to thwart any attempt by Tehran to revive its weapons program.
“We have removed two immediate existential threats to us: the threat of nuclear annihilation and the threat of annihilation by 20,000 ballistic missiles,” he said.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country had successfully ended the war in what he called a “great victory,” according to Iranian media.
Pezeshkian also told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that Tehran was ready to resolve differences with the U.S., according to official news agency IRNA.
Israel launched the surprise air war on June 13, attacking Iranian nuclear facilities and killing top military commanders in the worst blow to the Islamic Republic since the 1980s war with Iraq.
Iran, which denies trying to build nuclear weapons, retaliated with barrages of missiles on Israeli military sites and cities.
RESTRICTIONS LIFTED
Israel’s military lifted restrictions on activity across the country at 8 p.m. local time (1700 GMT) on Tuesday, and officials said Ben Gurion Airport, the country’s main airport near Tel Aviv, had reopened. Iran’s airspace likewise will be reopened, state-affiliated Nournews reported.
Oil prices edged higher on Wednesday, finding some respite after plummeting in the last two sessions, as investors assessed the stability of the ceasefire and the diminished prospect of an Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
The truce appeared fragile: Both Israel and Iran took hours to acknowledge they had accepted the ceasefire and accused each other of violating it.
Trump scolded both sides but aimed especially stinging criticism at Israel, telling the close U.S. ally to “calm down now.” He later said Israel called off further attacks at his command.
Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, said he told his U.S. counterpart, Pete Hegseth, that his country would respect the ceasefire unless Iran violated it. Pezeshkian likewise said Iran would honour the ceasefire as long as Israel did, according to Iranian media.
Israeli armed forces chief of staff Eyal Zamir said a “significant chapter” of the conflict had concluded but the campaign against Iran was not over. He said the military would refocus on its war against Iran-backed Hamas militants in Gaza.
Iranian authorities said 610 people were killed in their country by Israeli strikes and 4,746 injured. Iran’s retaliatory bombardment killed 28 people in Israel, the first time its air defences were penetrated by large numbers of Iranian missiles.
(Reuters)
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) is set to conduct major research during its mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The Ax-4, a landmark private spaceflight to the ISS, will launch on Wednesday from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.
The research complement includes around 60 scientific studies and activities representing 31 countries, including the US, India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, UAE, and nations across Europe.
This will be the most research and science-related activities conducted on an Axiom Space mission aboard the International Space Station to date.
NASA and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) are collaborating to launch several scientific investigations.
These studies include examining muscle regeneration, growth of sprouts and edible microalgae, survival of tiny aquatic organisms, and human interaction with electronic displays in microgravity.
ISRO’s experiments include the following:
Crop Seeds on ISS
This ISRO experiment will investigate the impacts of spaceflight on six varieties of crop seeds. After the mission, seeds will be grown for multiple generations and plants showing preferred traits selected for genetic analyses. This project aims to help understand how crops may be grown in space for future exploration missions.
Cyanobacteria on ISS
Cyanobacteria are aquatic bacteria that can photosynthesize, and are of interest for integration into spacecraft environmental control systems. This ISRO experiment will compare two strains of cyanobacteria to investigate growth rates, cellular responses, and biochemical activity in microgravity. The results could help with the development of future spacecraft life support systems.
Sprouts
This ISRO experiment will investigate the impacts of spaceflight on germination and growth of crop seeds. After the mission, seeds will be grown for multiple generations and the effects on genetics, microbial load, and nutritional profile investigated. This project aims to help understand how crops may be grown in space for future exploration missions.
Space Microalgae
Microalgae are potentially useful organisms for future spaceflight that could be used as foods, fuel, or even used in life support systems. In this experiment, three strains of microalgae will be grown and the impact of microgravity on the growth, metabolism, and genetic activity will be investigated versus algae grown on the ground.
Myogenesis
This project aims to identify the pathways responsible for skeletal muscle dysfunction in microgravity and explore therapeutic targeting strategies. By studying how muscle loss occurs in space, the project seeks to pinpoint specific molecular mechanisms and potential interventions. Understanding these pathways is crucial for developing treatments to prevent muscle atrophy in astronauts during long space missions. On Earth, the findings could also impact the understanding of and treatments for muscle-related diseases and conditions related to aging or prolonged immobility.
Voyager Displays
This experiment will investigate how the physical and cognitive impact of utilizing computer screens in microgravity. The research will study how pointing tasks, gaze fixation, and rapid eye movements are affected my being performed in space, and how this may interact with subjective experiences of stress wellbeing. The results could inform future spacecraft computer design and interaction.
STEMonstrations
These will consist of four different STEAM outreach activities for Indian students. STEAM stands for Science and Technology, which is interpreted through Engineering and Arts and is based on mathematics.
Voyager Tardigrades
This ISRO project will investigate the revival, survival, and reproduction of tardigrades sent to the ISS. The project will examine the revival of dormant tardigrades, count the number of eggs laid and hatched during a mission, and compare the gene expression patterns of space flown vs. ground control populations. The research seeks to identify molecular mechanisms of resilience which has implications for understanding the limits of life in extreme environments. This knowledge could inform future space exploration and help develop biotechnology applications on Earth.
The Axiom-4 mission also sets the tone for ISRO’s own Gaganyaan Mission, a project to send a 3-day manned mission to the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) of 400 km with a crew of three members and bring them safely back to Earth.
(With inputs from ANI)
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) is set to conduct major research during its mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The Ax-4, a landmark private spaceflight to the ISS, will launch on Wednesday from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.
The research complement includes around 60 scientific studies and activities representing 31 countries, including the US, India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, UAE, and nations across Europe.
This will be the most research and science-related activities conducted on an Axiom Space mission aboard the International Space Station to date.
NASA and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) are collaborating to launch several scientific investigations.
These studies include examining muscle regeneration, growth of sprouts and edible microalgae, survival of tiny aquatic organisms, and human interaction with electronic displays in microgravity.
ISRO’s experiments include the following:
Crop Seeds on ISS
This ISRO experiment will investigate the impacts of spaceflight on six varieties of crop seeds. After the mission, seeds will be grown for multiple generations and plants showing preferred traits selected for genetic analyses. This project aims to help understand how crops may be grown in space for future exploration missions.
Cyanobacteria on ISS
Cyanobacteria are aquatic bacteria that can photosynthesize, and are of interest for integration into spacecraft environmental control systems. This ISRO experiment will compare two strains of cyanobacteria to investigate growth rates, cellular responses, and biochemical activity in microgravity. The results could help with the development of future spacecraft life support systems.
Sprouts
This ISRO experiment will investigate the impacts of spaceflight on germination and growth of crop seeds. After the mission, seeds will be grown for multiple generations and the effects on genetics, microbial load, and nutritional profile investigated. This project aims to help understand how crops may be grown in space for future exploration missions.
Space Microalgae
Microalgae are potentially useful organisms for future spaceflight that could be used as foods, fuel, or even used in life support systems. In this experiment, three strains of microalgae will be grown and the impact of microgravity on the growth, metabolism, and genetic activity will be investigated versus algae grown on the ground.
Myogenesis
This project aims to identify the pathways responsible for skeletal muscle dysfunction in microgravity and explore therapeutic targeting strategies. By studying how muscle loss occurs in space, the project seeks to pinpoint specific molecular mechanisms and potential interventions. Understanding these pathways is crucial for developing treatments to prevent muscle atrophy in astronauts during long space missions. On Earth, the findings could also impact the understanding of and treatments for muscle-related diseases and conditions related to aging or prolonged immobility.
Voyager Displays
This experiment will investigate how the physical and cognitive impact of utilizing computer screens in microgravity. The research will study how pointing tasks, gaze fixation, and rapid eye movements are affected my being performed in space, and how this may interact with subjective experiences of stress wellbeing. The results could inform future spacecraft computer design and interaction.
STEMonstrations
These will consist of four different STEAM outreach activities for Indian students. STEAM stands for Science and Technology, which is interpreted through Engineering and Arts and is based on mathematics.
Voyager Tardigrades
This ISRO project will investigate the revival, survival, and reproduction of tardigrades sent to the ISS. The project will examine the revival of dormant tardigrades, count the number of eggs laid and hatched during a mission, and compare the gene expression patterns of space flown vs. ground control populations. The research seeks to identify molecular mechanisms of resilience which has implications for understanding the limits of life in extreme environments. This knowledge could inform future space exploration and help develop biotechnology applications on Earth.
The Axiom-4 mission also sets the tone for ISRO’s own Gaganyaan Mission, a project to send a 3-day manned mission to the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) of 400 km with a crew of three members and bring them safely back to Earth.
(With inputs from ANI)
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), a landmark private spaceflight to the International Space Station (ISS), will launch on Wednesday from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.
Axiom Space, in collaboration with NASA and SpaceX, organised the mission, which features a diverse international crew and marks a major step forward in commercial and global space exploration.
Scheduled to lift off at 2:31 a.m. EDT (12:01 p.m. IST) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the mission will transport four astronauts aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, propelled into orbit by a Falcon 9 rocket. Docking with the ISS is expected at around 7:00 a.m. EDT (4:30 p.m. IST) on Thursday, June 26.
“All systems are looking good for Wednesday’s launch of @Axiom_Space’s Ax-4 mission to the @Space_Station and weather is 90 per cent favorable for liftoff. Webcast starts at 12:30 a.m.” SpaceX posted on X ahead of the launch.
Among the crew is Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, representing ISRO, who will serve as the mission’s pilot. He is joined by veteran NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, ESA astronaut Sławosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. For India, Hungary, and Poland, this mission signifies a return to human spaceflight after a long hiatus.
Earlier on Tuesday NASA confirmed the final schedule via its official X handle, “With @Axiom_Spaceand @SpaceX, we’re now targeting Wednesday, June 25, to launch #Ax4 to the @Space_Station. The four-member crew, including astronauts from @ESA and @ISRO, is scheduled to lift off at 2:31am ET (0631 UTC).”
Axiom-4 has experienced multiple delays leading up to Wednesday’s launch. Initial postponements were due to unfavourable weather conditions, followed by technical issues, including detected leaks in the Falcon 9 rocket. After a thorough review and resolution of the problems, the launch was cleared.
This is the fourth private astronaut mission to the ISS under Axiom Space’s expanding program, signalling growing international interest in commercial space missions and partnerships.
(IANS)
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), a landmark private spaceflight to the International Space Station (ISS), will launch on Wednesday from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.
Axiom Space, in collaboration with NASA and SpaceX, organised the mission, which features a diverse international crew and marks a major step forward in commercial and global space exploration.
Scheduled to lift off at 2:31 a.m. EDT (12:01 p.m. IST) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the mission will transport four astronauts aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, propelled into orbit by a Falcon 9 rocket. Docking with the ISS is expected at around 7:00 a.m. EDT (4:30 p.m. IST) on Thursday, June 26.
“All systems are looking good for Wednesday’s launch of @Axiom_Space’s Ax-4 mission to the @Space_Station and weather is 90 per cent favorable for liftoff. Webcast starts at 12:30 a.m.” SpaceX posted on X ahead of the launch.
Among the crew is Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, representing ISRO, who will serve as the mission’s pilot. He is joined by veteran NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, ESA astronaut Sławosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. For India, Hungary, and Poland, this mission signifies a return to human spaceflight after a long hiatus.
Earlier on Tuesday NASA confirmed the final schedule via its official X handle, “With @Axiom_Spaceand @SpaceX, we’re now targeting Wednesday, June 25, to launch #Ax4 to the @Space_Station. The four-member crew, including astronauts from @ESA and @ISRO, is scheduled to lift off at 2:31am ET (0631 UTC).”
Axiom-4 has experienced multiple delays leading up to Wednesday’s launch. Initial postponements were due to unfavourable weather conditions, followed by technical issues, including detected leaks in the Falcon 9 rocket. After a thorough review and resolution of the problems, the launch was cleared.
This is the fourth private astronaut mission to the ISS under Axiom Space’s expanding program, signalling growing international interest in commercial space missions and partnerships.
(IANS)
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
NEW YORK, June 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SkyCrest Capital, a global fintech innovator, today announced the launch of its transformative Pension Plan, a structured asset growth initiative set to begin on Monday, June 23, 2025. Powered by the proprietary SAX-iCore AI Structural Recognition System and executed via the LEXO decentralized trading platform, the plan targets a 150% net return in its first week, offering individual traders and investors a disciplined, AI-driven path to wealth accumulation.
Headquartered in Manhattan, SkyCrest Capital manages $1.2 billion in assets for over 600 high-net-worth clients across New York, Singapore, and Dubai. Known for its SkyAlpha X 2.0 AI system, which achieves 95% crypto trend prediction accuracy, and the SkyFund Protocol (SKF), SkyCrest now introduces the Pension Plan to democratize structured trading. Unlike traditional models, this initiative emphasizes “rhythm over judgment, system over emotion,” delivering replicable growth through high-probability intraday trades and mid-term positions over a 40-day cycle.
Pension Plan: A Structured Approach to Wealth
The Pension Plan leverages SAX-iCore’s real-time structural analysis to provide:
SkyCrest’s 150% first-week target stems from SAX-iCore’s stress tests, which showed weekly returns of 90% to 160%. “This isn’t a gimmick—it’s a data-driven structural model,” said Nathaniel Ross, SkyCrest’s founder. “Our AI customizes execution to each account, ensuring precision and scalability.”
LEXO Platform: Secure and Transparent Execution
All trades occur on LEXO, a decentralized, MSB-registered platform compliant with FinCEN’s KYC/AML and BSA requirements. LEXO ensures:
“LEXO maximizes autonomy and compliance,” a SkyCrest spokesperson noted. “Participants retain full control while benefiting from AI-driven strategies.”
Strong Early Adoption
SkyCrest pre-evaluated over 500 prospective participants, onboarding the first batch of mid-sized accounts today. Early feedback is positive, with a Texas participant stating, “The SAX-iCore integration is seamless, and my trades this morning show steady gains.” In response to user demand for transparency, SkyCrest will launch a Strategy Visualization Module this week to provide AI rationale and operational insights.
Industry Interest and Future Vision
The Pension Plan has drawn inquiries from New York hedge research institutes, a Silicon Valley AI wealth platform, and an Asian ETF innovation fund, signaling its potential to redefine structured finance. This initiative paves the way for SkyCrest’s 2026 structured fund public offering, combining AI strategies with on-chain transparency.
“The Pension Plan is more than a program—it’s a new financial paradigm,” Ross said. “We’re building a sustainable asset pathway with LEXO’s secure infrastructure.” SkyCrest will continue onboarding participants in controlled batches, with the first performance checkpoint set for Friday, shared via community channels.
SkyCrest Capital invites traders to join this bold venture.
About SkyCrest Capital
Founded in 2019, SkyCrest Capital is a global fintech leader headquartered in New York, blending AI with asset management. Serving high-net-worth clients with equity, crypto, and DeFi strategies, it manages $1.2 billion in assets across a global network.
Contact us Email: sakyskinla@gmail.com
Official Website: https://www.skyskinla.com/
Contact Person: Audrey Sinclair
Company Email: service@skyskinla.com
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Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
‘Fake News’: Trump slams CNN, NYT for reports stating US strikes did not destroy Iranian nuclear sites
US President Donald Trump has slammed CNN for its report suggesting that the US strikes did not destroy nuclear sites in Iran. Trump said CNN, along with The New York Times, teamed up to “demean one of the most successful military strikes in history” and termed it “fake news.”
He reiterated his claim that the US has completely destroyed nuclear sites in Iran. According to him, both the media outlets faced backlash from the people.
In a statement shared on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump stated, “FAKE NEWS CNN, TOGETHER WITH THE FAILING NEW YORK TIMES, HAVE TEAMED UP IN AN ATTEMPT TO DEMEAN ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MILITARY STRIKES IN HISTORY. THE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN ARE COMPLETELY DESTROYED! BOTH THE TIMES AND CNN ARE GETTING SLAMMED BY THE PUBLIC!”
The findings, first reported by CNN, citing seven individuals briefed on the assessments, noted that the early evaluation from the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) suggested that the attacks only caused a temporary disruption, possibly setting Tehran’s nuclear program back by a few months.
The findings based on a battle damage assessment by US Central Command contradict public claims made by US President Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who asserted that the US “completely obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities, CNN reported.
As per CNN, citing intelligence sources, the centrifuges in Iran’s nuclear facilities remain mostly functional, and enriched uranium stockpiles were likely moved before the strikes.
The US strikes targeted Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites, which inflicted heavy damage to above-ground structures, such as power infrastructure and facilities involved in uranium metal conversion, but failed to neutralise Iran’s underground enrichment systems, as reported by CNN.
As per CNN, citing officials, the US used its B-2 bombers that dropped over a dozen 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs during the assault; underground components remained largely intact.
Israel, which conducted their own strikes before the US operation, also found less damage at Fordow than anticipated; however, it was earlier believed that the combined efforts may delay Iran’s nuclear ambitions by up to two years, as reported by CNN. The long-standing doubts over whether the US’s Massive Ordnance Penetrators could penetrate Iran’s deeply buried nuclear sites.
Earlier on Tuesday (local time), Trump has stated that Iran will “never be able to rebuild” its nuclear facilities after recent American airstrikes carried out under “Operation Midnight Hammer” over the weekend while claiming that the sites were now “under rock”, referring to Iran’s nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Taking to his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote, “IRAN WILL NEVER REBUILD THEIR NUCLEAR FACILITIES!”
(ANI)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by Dr the Hon Tik Chi-yuen and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Joseph Chan, in the Legislative Council today (June 25):
Question:
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
Issued by: on
Virac, Philippines (June 3, 2025) – Hawaii National Guard Spc. Elvis Salinas and personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Disaster Response Unit instruct local emergency responders and civilian authorities on knot-tying techniques used in rappelling during a training session in Virac, Philippines, June 3, 2025. This effort is part of a two-week urban rescue training exercise supporting the humanitarian assistance and disaster response objectives of Pacific Partnership 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jordan Jennings)
| Date Taken: | 06.03.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.24.2025 23:13 |
| Photo ID: | 9130337 |
| VIRIN: | 250603-N-YV347-1041 |
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| Size: | 20.63 MB |
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This work, The Hawaii National Guard conducts Urban Rescue training during Pacific Partnership 2025 in Virac, Philippines, by PO2 Jordan Jennings, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Mohiuddin Ahmed, Senior Lecturer of Computing and Security, Edith Cowan University
In recent days, Iranians experienced a near-complete internet blackout, with local service providers – including mobile services – repeatedly going offline. Iran’s government has cited cyber security concerns for ordering the shutdown.
Shutting off the internet within an entire country is a serious action. It severely limits people’s ability to freely communicate and to find reliable information during times of conflict.
In countries that have privatised mobile and internet providers, control is often exercised through legislation or through government directives – such as age restrictions on adult content. By contrast, Iran has spent years developing the capacity to directly control its telecommunications infrastructure.
So how can a country have broad control over internet access, and could this happen anywhere in the world?
The “internet” is a broad term. It covers many types of applications, services and, of course, the websites we’re familiar with.
There’s a range of ways to control access to internet services, but broadly speaking, there are two “simple” methods a nation could use to block citizens’ internet access.
Hardware
A nation may opt to physically disconnect the incoming internet connectivity at the point of entry to the country (imagine pulling the plug on a telephone exchange).
This allows for easy recovery of service when the government is ready, but the impact will be far-reaching. Nobody in the country, including the government itself, will be able to connect to the internet – unless the government has its own additional, covert connectivity to the rest of the world.
Read more:
Undersea cables are the unseen backbone of the global internet
Software and configuration
This is where it gets more technical. Every internet-connected endpoint – laptop, computer, mobile phone – has an IP (internet protocol) address. They’re strings of numbers; for example, 77.237.87.95 is an address assigned to one of the internet service providers in Iran.
IP addresses identify the device on the public internet. However, since strings of numbers are not easy to remember, humans use domain names to connect to services – theconversation.com is an example of a domain name.
That connection between the IP address and the domain is controlled by the domain name system or DNS. It’s possible for a government to control access to key internet services by modifying the DNS – this manipulates the connection between domain names and their underlying numeric addresses.
An additional way to control the internet involves manipulating the traffic flow. IP addresses allow devices to send and receive data across networks controlled by internet service providers. In turn, they rely on the border gateway protocol (BGP) – think of it like a series of traffic signs which direct internet traffic flow, allowing data to move around the world.
Governments could force local internet service providers to remove their BGP routes from the internet. As a result, the devices they service wouldn’t be able to connect to the internet. In the same manner, the rest of the world would no longer be able to “see” into the country.
Read more:
Internet shutdowns: here’s how governments do it
In dozens of countries around the world, the internet is either routinely controlled or has been shut down in response to major incidents.
A recent example is a wide-scale internet blackout in Bangladesh in July 2024 during student-led protests against government job quotas.
In 2023, Senegal limited internet access to handle violent protests that erupted over the sentencing of a political leader. In 2020, India imposed a lengthy internet blackout on the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. In 2011, the Egyptian government withdrew BGP routes to address civil unrest.
These events clearly show that if a government anywhere in the world wants to turn off the internet, it really can. The democratic state of the country is the most significant influence on the willingness to undertake such action – not the technical capability.
However, in today’s world, being disconnected from the internet will heavily impact people’s lives, jobs and the economy. It’s not an action to be taken lightly.
Virtual private networks or VPNs have long been used to hide communications in countries with strict internet controls, and continue to be an effective internet access method for many people. (However, there are indications Iran has clamped down on VPN use in recent times.)
However, VPNs won’t help when the internet is physically disconnected. Depending on configuration, if BGP routes are blocked, this may also prevent any VPN traffic from reaching the target.
This is where independent satellite internet services open up the most reliable alternative. Satellite internet is great for remote and rural areas where traditional internet service providers have yet to establish their cabling infrastructure – or can’t do so.
Even if traditional wired or wireless internet connections are unavailable, services such as Starlink, Viasat, Hughesnet and others can provide internet access through satellites orbiting Earth.
To use satellite internet, users rely on antenna kits supplied by providers. In Iran, Elon Musk’s Starlink was activated during the blackout, and independent reports suggest there are thousands of Starlink receivers secretly operating in the country.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Iran’s internet blackout left people in the dark. How does a country shut down the internet? – https://theconversation.com/irans-internet-blackout-left-people-in-the-dark-how-does-a-country-shut-down-the-internet-259546
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Anthony Burke, Professor of Environmental Politics & International Relations, UNSW Sydney
The United States’ and Israel’s strikes on Iran are concerning, and not just for the questionable legal justifications provided by both governments.
Even if their attacks cause severe damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities, this will only harden Iran’s resolve to acquire a bomb.
And if Iran follows through on its threat to pull out of the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), this will gravely damage the global nuclear nonproliferation regime.
In a decade of international security crises, this could be the most serious. Is there still time to prevent this from happening?
In May 2015, I attended the five-yearly review conference of the NPT. Delegates debated a draft outcome for weeks, and then, not for the first time, went home with nothing. Delegates from the US, United Kingdom and Canada blocked the final outcome to prevent words being added that would call for Israel to attend a disarmament conference.
Russia did the same in 2022 in protest at language on its illegal occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in Ukraine.
Now, in the latest challenge to the NPT, Israel and the US have bombed Iran’s nuclear complexes to ostensibly enforce a treaty neither one respects.
When the treaty was adopted in 1968, it allowed the five nuclear-armed states at the time – the US, Soviet Union, France, UK and China – to join if they committed not to pass weapons or material to other states, and to disarm themselves.
All other members had to pledge never to acquire nuclear weapons. Newer nuclear powers were not permitted to join unless they gave up their weapons.
Israel declined to join, as it had developed its own undeclared nuclear arsenal by the late 1960s. India, Pakistan and South Sudan have also never signed; North Korea was a member but withdrew in 2003. Only South Sudan does not have nuclear weapons today.
To make the obligations enforceable and strengthen safeguards against the diversion of nuclear material to non-nuclear weapons states, members were later required to sign the IAEA Additional Protocol. This gave the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) wide powers to inspect a state’s nuclear facilities and detect violations.
It was the IAEA that first blew the whistle on Iran’s concerning uranium enrichment activity in 2003. Just before Israel’s attacks this month, the organisation also reported Iran was in breach of its obligations under the NPT for the first time in two decades.
The NPT is arguably the world’s most universal, important and successful security treaty, but it is also paradoxically vulnerable.
The treaty’s underlying consensus has been damaged by the failure of the five nuclear-weapon states to disarm as required, and by the failure to prevent North Korea from developing a now formidable nuclear arsenal.
North Korea withdrew from the treaty in 2003, tested a weapon in 2006, and now may have up to 50 warheads.
Iran could be next.
Iran argues Israel’s attacks have undermined the credibility of the IAEA, given Israel used the IAEA’s new report on Iran as a pretext for its strikes, taking the matter out of the hands of the UN Security Council.
For its part, the IAEA has maintained a principled position and criticised both the US and Israeli strikes.
Iran has retaliated with its own missile strikes against both Israel and a US base in Qatar. In addition, it wasted no time announcing it would withdraw from the NPT.
On June 23, an Iranian parliament committee also approved a bill that would fully suspend Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA, including allowing inspections and submitting reports to the organisation.
Iran’s envoy to the IAEA, Reza Najafi, said the US strikes:
[…] delivered a fundamental and irreparable blow to the international non-proliferation regime conclusively demonstrating that the existing NPT framework has been rendered ineffective.
Even if Israel and the US consider their bombing campaign successful, it has almost certainly renewed the Iranians’ resolve to build a weapon. The strikes may only delay an Iranian bomb by a few years.
Iran will have two paths to do so. The slower path would be to reconstitute its enrichment activity and obtain nuclear implosion designs, which create extremely devastating weapons, from Russia or North Korea.
Alternatively, Russia could send Iran some of its weapons. This should be a real concern given Moscow’s cascade of withdrawals from critical arms control agreements over the last decade.
An Iranian bomb could then trigger NPT withdrawals by other regional states, especially Saudi Arabia, who suddenly face a new threat to their security.
Iran’s support for Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria’s Assad regime certainly shows it is a dangerous international actor. Iranian leaders have also long used alarming rhetoric about Israel’s destruction.
However repugnant the words, Israeli and US conservatives have misjudged Iran’s motives in seeking nuclear weapons.
Israel fears an Iranian bomb would be an existential threat to its survival, given Iran’s promises to destroy it. But this neglects the fact that Israel already possesses a potent (if undeclared) nuclear deterrent capability.
Israeli anxieties about an Iranian bomb should not be dismissed. But other analysts (myself included) see Iran’s desire for nuclear weapons capability more as a way to establish deterrence to prevent future military attacks from Israel and the US to protect their regime.
Iranians were shaken by Iraq’s invasion in 1980 and then again by the US-led removal of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003. This war with Israel and the US will shake them even more.
Last week, I felt that if the Israeli bombing ceased, a new diplomatic effort to bring Iran into compliance with the IAEA and persuade it to abandon its program might have a chance.
However, the US strikes may have buried that possibility for decades. And by then, the damage to the nonproliferation regime could be irreversible.
Anthony Burke received funding from the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council for a project on global nuclear governance (2014–17).
– ref. The war won’t end Iran’s nuclear program – it will drive it underground, following North Korea’s model – https://theconversation.com/the-war-wont-end-irans-nuclear-program-it-will-drive-it-underground-following-north-koreas-model-259281
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Ismail Albayrak, Professor of Islam and Catholic Muslim Relations, Australian Catholic University
In our guides to the classics, experts explain key literary works.
Ibn Battuta, was born in Tangier, Morocco, on February 24, 1304. From a statement in his celebrated travel book the Rihla (“legal affairs are my ancestral profession,”) he evidently came from an intellectually distinguished family.
According to the Rihla (travelogue), Ibn Battuta embarked on his travels from Tangier at the age of 22 with the intention of performing the Hajj (the sacred pilgrimage to Mecca) in 1325. Although he returned to Fez (his adopted home-town) around the end of 1349, he continued to visit various regions, including Granada and Sudan, in subsequent years.
Over the course of his almost 30 years of travel, Ibn Battuta covered an astonishing distance of approximately 73,000 miles (117,000 kilometres), visiting a region that today encompasses more than 50 countries. His journeys covered much of the medieval Islamic world and beyond, excluding Northern Europe.
In 1355, he returned to Morocco for the last time and remained there for the rest of his life. Upon his return he dictated his experiences, observations and anecdotes to the Andalusian scholar Ibn Juzayy, with a compilation of his travels completed in 1355 or 1356.
The work, formally titled A Gift to Researchers on the Curiosities of Cities and the Marvels of Journeys, is more commonly referred to as Rihlat Ibn Battuta or simply Rihla.
More than a travelogue or geographical record, this book provides rich insights into 14th-century social and political life, capturing cultural diversity across nations. Ibn Battuta details local lifestyles, linguistic traits, beliefs, clothing, cuisines, holidays, artistic traditions and gender relations, as well as commercial activities and currencies.
His observations also include geographical features such as mountains, rivers and agricultural products. Notably, the work highlights his encounters with over 60 sultans and more than 2,000 prominent figures, making it a valuable historical resource.
His travels began after a dream. According to Ibn Battuta, one night, while in Fuwwa, a town near Alexandria in Egypt, he dreamed of flying on a massive bird across various lands, landing in a dark, greenish country.
To test the local sheikh’s mystical knowledge, he decided if the sheikh knew of his dream, he was truly extraordinary. The next morning, after leading the dawn prayer, he saw the sheikh bid farewell to visitors. Later, the sheikh astonishingly revealed knowledge of Ibn Battuta’s dream and prophesied his pilgrimage through Yemen, Iraq, Turkey and India.
At the time, the Middle East was under the rule of the Mamluk sultanate, Anatolia was divided among principalities and the Mongol Ilkhanate state controlled Iran, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent.
Ibn Battuta initially travelled through North Africa, Egypt, Palestine and Syria, completing his first Hajj in 1326.
He then visited Iraq and Iran, returning to Mecca. In 1328, he explored East Africa, reaching Mogadishu, Mombasa, Sudan and Kilwa (modern Tanzania), as well as Yemen, Oman and Anatolia, where he documented cities like Alanya, Konya, Erzurum, Nicaea and Bursa.
His descriptions are vivid. Describing the city of Dimyat, on the bank of the Nile, he says:
Many of the houses have steps leading down to the Nile. Banana trees are especially abundant there, and their fruit is carried to Cairo in boats. Its sheep and goats are allowed to pasture at liberty day and night, and for this reason the saying goes of Dimyat, ‘Its wall is a sweetmeat and its dogs are sheep’. No one who enters the city may afterwards leave it except by the governor’s seal […]
When it comes to Anatolia (in modern-day Turkey), he declares:
This country, known as the Land of Rum, is the most beautiful in the world. While Allah Almighty has distributed beauty to other lands separately, He has gathered them all here. The most beautiful and well-dressed people live in this land, and the most delicious food is prepared here […] From the moment we arrived, our neighbors — both men and women — showed great concern for our wellbeing. Here, women do not shy away from men; when we departed, they bid us farewell as if we were family, expressing their sadness through tears.
Since Ibn Battuta dictated his work, it’s difficult to assess the extent of the scribe’s influence in recording his narratives. Despite being an educated man, he occasionally narrates like a commoner and sometimes exceeds the bounds of polite language. At times, he provides excessive detail, giving the impression he may be quoting from sources beyond his own observations.
Nevertheless, the Rihla stands out for its engaging style and captivating anecdotes, drawing readers in.
Ibn Battuta later journeyed through Crimea, Central Asia, Khwarezm (a large oasis region in the territories of present-day Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan), Bukhara (a city in Uzbekistan), and the Hindu Kush Mountains. In 1332, he met Byzantine Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos and travelled to Istanbul with the caravan of Uzbek Khan’s third wife. He mentions a caravan that even has a market:
Whenever the caravan halted, food was cooked in great brass cauldrons, called dasts, and supplied from them to the poorer pilgrims and those who had no provisions. […] This caravan contained also animated bazaars and great supplies of luxuries and all kinds of food and fruit. They used to march during the night and light torches in front of the file of camels and litters, so that you saw the countryside gleaming with light and the darkness turned into radiant day.
Ibn Battuta arrived in Delhi in 1333, where he served as a judge under Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq for seven years. He married or was married to local women in many of the places he stayed. Among his wives were ordinary people as well as the daughters of the administrative class.
The Sultan’s generosity, intelligence and unconventional ruling style both impressed and surprised Ibn Battuta. However, Muhammad bin Tughluq was known for making excessively harsh and abrupt decisions at times, which led Ibn Battuta to approach him with caution. Nevertheless, with the Sultan’s support, he remained in India for a long time and was eventually chosen as an ambassador to China in 1341.
In 1345 his mission was disrupted when his ship capsized off the coast of Calcutta (then known as Sadqawan) in the Indian Ocean. Though he survived, he lost most of his possessions.
After the incident, he remained in India for a while before continuing his journey by other means. During this period, he travelled through India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. He served as a judge in the latter for one and a half years. In 1345, he journeyed to China via Bengal, Burma and Sumatra, reaching the city of Guangzhou but limiting his exploration to the southern coast.
He was among the first Arab travellers to record Islam’s spread in the Malay Archipelago, noting interactions between Muslims and Hindu-Buddhist communities. Visiting Java and Sumatra, he praised Sultan Malik al-Zahir of Sumatra as a generous, pious and scholarly ruler and highlighted his rare practice of walking to Friday prayers.
On his return, Ibn Battuta explored regions such as Iran, Iraq, North Africa, Spain and the Kingdom of Mali, documenting the vast Islamic world.
Back in his homeland, Ibn Battuta served as a judge in several locations. He died around 1368-9 while serving as a judge in Morocco and was buried in his birthplace, Tangier.
Ibn Battuta’s travels revealed intriguing insights into the status of women across regions. In inner West Africa, he observed matriarchal practices where lineage and inheritance were determined by the mother’s family.
Among Turks, women rode horses like raiders, traded actively and did not veil their faces.
In the Maldives, husbands leaving the region had to abandon their wives. He noted that Muslim women there, including the ruling woman, did not cover their heads. Despite attempting to enforce the hijab as a judge, he failed.
He offers fascinating insights into food cultures. In Siberia, sled dogs were fed before humans. He described 15-day wedding feasts in India.
He tried local produce such as mango in the Indian subcontinent, which he compared to an apple, and sun-dried, sliced fish in Oman.
Ibn Battuta’s accounts of the Hajj (pilgrimage) rituals he performed six times provide a unique perspective. He references a fatwa by Ibn Taymiyyah, prominent Islamic scholar and theologian known for his opposition to theological innovations and critiques of Sufism and philosophy, advising against shortening prayers for those travelling to Medina.
Ibn Battuta’s accounts, particularly regarding the Iranian region, offer important perspectives into religious sects during a period when Iran started shifting from Sunnism to Shiism. He describes societies with diverse demographics, including Persians, Azeris, Kurds, Arabs and Baluchis. His observations on religious practices are especially significant.
Inclined toward Sufism, Ibn Battuta often dressed like a dervish during his travels. He offers a compelling view of Islamic mysticism. He considered regions like Damascus as places of abundance and Anatolia as a land of compassion, interpreting them with a spiritual perspective.
His accounts of Sufi education, dervish lodges, zawiyas (similar to monasteries), and tombs, along with the special invocations of Sufi masters, are important historical records. He also observed and documented unique practices, such as the followers of the Persian Sufi saint Sheikh Qutb al-Din Haydar wearing iron rings on their hands, necks, ears, and even private parts to avoid sexual intercourse.
While Ibn Battuta primarily visited Muslim lands, he also travelled to non-Muslim territories, offering key understandings into different religious cultures, for instance interactions between Crimean Muslims and Christian Armenians in the Golden Horde region.
He also documented churches, icons and monasteries, such as the tomb of the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem. His observation of Muslims openly reciting the call to prayer (adhan) in China is significant.
Other anecdotes include the division of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus into a mosque and Christian church. Most importantly, his encounters with Hindus and Buddhists in the Indian subcontinent and Malay Islands provide rich historical context.
His accounts of death rituals reveal diverse practices. In Sinop (a city in Turkey), 40 days of mourning were declared for a ruler’s mother, while in Iran, a funeral resembled a wedding celebration. He observed similarities in cremation practices between India and China and described a chilling custom in some regions where slaves and concubines were buried alive with the deceased.
Ibn Battuta’s Rihla, widely translated into Eastern and Western languages, has drawn some criticism for containing depictions that sometimes diverge from historical continuity or borrow from other works. Ibn Battuta himself admitted to using earlier travel books as references.
Despite limited recognition in older sources, the Rihla gained prominence in the West in the 19th century. His legacy remains vibrant today. Morocco declared 1996–1997 the “Year of Ibn Battuta,” and established a museum in Tangier to honour him. In Dubai, a mall is named after him.
Notably, Ibn Battuta travelled to more destinations than Marco Polo and shared a broader range of humane anecdotes, showcasing the depth and diversity of his experiences.
Ismail Albayrak does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Ibn Battuta, a 14th-century judge and ambassador, travelled further than Marco Polo. The Rihla records his adventures – https://theconversation.com/ibn-battuta-a-14th-century-judge-and-ambassador-travelled-further-than-marco-polo-the-rihla-records-his-adventures-246148
