BERLIN: German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel Saturday criticised Ivanka Trump's role as an adviser to her father in the White House, describing it as a form of "nepotism."
"For me there are things that remain strange, like for example the visit of his daughter to Germany which was treated almost like a world event, while the mix of politics with family and business reminds us instead of nepotism and would be unimaginable here," he said.
Gabriel was referring to the visit to Berlin of Ivanka Trump this week to take part in a women's empowerment summit at the invitation of conservative German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
"It always bothers me when members of a family, who have never been elected, show up suddenly as official state representatives and are treated almost as if they were members of a royal family," the Social Democrat said in an interview published Saturday with the German regional media group Funke.
Ivanka Trump, a former model who started her own fashion line, has worked for her billionaire-father Donald Trump's company and now has an office in the White House. She has been accused in the United States of benefiting from nepotism.
Commenting on the US president's first 100 days in office, Gabriel said the situation has "improved" but was "still not good."
Merkel, in an interview with the Madsack media group published Saturday, said she had "developed a good working relationship" with Trump, "which clearly does not exclude different points of view."
The two leaders have notably clashed over military spending for NATO and on trade.
German minister refers to 'nepotism' regarding Ivanka Trump's role
German minister refers to 'nepotism' regarding Ivanka Trump's role
COP29: Pakistani PM to pitch new fund in address at Climate Action Summit today
- Nearly 200 nations have gathered in Baku, Azerbaijan, for COP29 climate talks this week
- Main focus of talks is wealthier nations compensating poor countries for climate change damages
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will address the World Leaders’ Climate Action Summit at the COP29 conference in Baku today, Wednesday, where he is expected to discuss the risks posed to Pakistan by climate change and pitch a new fund to help developing countries pay for damages.
Nearly 200 nations have gathered in Baku, Azerbaijan, for UN climate talks this week. The main focus of the talks is climate finance, which involves wealthier nations compensating poor countries for damages from climate change’s weather extremes, helping them pay to transition their economies away from fossil fuels and helping them with adaptation.
Speaking on the sidelines of the World Leaders’ Climate Action Summit on Tuesday, Sharif said developing countries would need an estimated $6.8 trillion by 2030 to implement less than half of their current nationally determined contributions (NDCs), or national action plans for reducing emissions and adapting to climate impacts defined by the Paris Agreement.
“In his speech [Wednesday], the Prime Minister will shed light on the threats posed to Pakistan by climate change and highlight the country’s efforts to tackle environmental risks.,” Radio Pakistan reported.
“He will also speak about the responsibilities of developed countries and the establishment of a new fund in this regard.”
Sharif will also hold a meeting with the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, today and discuss bilateral cooperation, particularly in energy and regional connectivity.
Pakistan announces $50 million assistance for climate startups
- Project seeks to attract private investment in climate-tech ventures
- Initiative is backed by $25 million commitment from Green Climate Fund
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government has launched Climaventures, an initiative led by the National Rural Support Programme (NRSP) under which it will provide $50 million in assistance to climate-tech startups, Radio Pakistan reported on Wednesday.
Pakistan is ranked the 5th most vulnerable country to climate change, according to the Global Climate Risk Index. In 2022, devastating floods killed over 1,700 people and affected over 33 million, with economic losses exceeding $30 billion.
“Under this project, an investment of fifty million dollars will be made … aimed at providing technical guidance, grants and equity to climate startups," said Radio Pakistan, reporting on the Climaventures initiative.
“This project will increase private sector investment to deal with climate related challenges in Pakistan.”
In a video posted on X last week by NRSP, Georges Sander, a climate investment specialist, said Climaventures was exciting as it supported “local entrepreneurs […] develop local solutions for local climate problems”.
The $50 million project is designed to attract private investment in climate ventures, NRSP said.
With a core $25m funding commitment from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Climaventures says it aims to address Pakistan’s funding gaps for sustainable solutions by offering technical guidance, grants and equity for climate-focused startups.
It is the first initiative of its kind in Pakistan and brings together key stakeholders, including government officials, international organizations like the World Bank and ADB, and climate entrepreneurs.
At UN climate talks, nations like Pakistan get chance to bear witness to climate change
- World’s biggest polluters and strongest economies, China and US, didn’t send their No. 1s, nor did India and Indonesia
- Main focus of this year’s talks is climate finance or wealthier nations compensating poor countries for damages from climate change effects
BAKU, Azerbaijan: When more than two dozen world leaders deliver remarks at the United Nations’ annual climate conference on Wednesday, many are likely to detail their nations’ firsthand experience with the catastrophic weather that has come with climate change.
That could include Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose nation has seen deadly flooding this year from monsoon rains that scientists say have become heavier with climate change. Just two years ago, more than 1,700 people died in widespread flooding. Pakistan has also suffered from dangerous heat, with thousands of people hospitalized with heatstroke this spring as temperatures soared to 47 degrees Celsius (117 Fahrenheit).
Also on the list of speakers Wednesday is Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Edward Davis. Like many other countries in the Global South, the Bahamas has piled up debt from warming-connected weather disasters it did little to cause, including Hurricanes Dorian in 2019 and Matthew in 2016. Leaders have been seeking help and money from the Global North and oil companies.
Greece’s prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is also on the list. Along with the rest of southern Europe, his nation this summer was hammered by successive heat waves after three years of below-average rainfall. In Greece, the misery included water shortages, dried-up lakes and the death of wild horses.
Leaders from Italy, Tuvalu, Russia, Morocco, Congo, and the secretary of state of the Holy See — the government of the Catholic Church — are among others scheduled to speak.
Plenty of big names and powerful countries are noticeably absent from COP29 this year. That includes the 13 largest carbon dioxide-polluting countries — a group responsible for more than than 70 percent of the heat-trapping gases emitted last year — were missing. The world’s biggest polluters and strongest economies — China and the United States — didn’t send their No. 1s. Neither did India and Indonesia.
But UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was there, and he announced an 81 percent emissions reduction target on 1990 levels by 2035, in line with the Paris Agreement goal to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times. That’s up from the 78 percent the UK had already pledged.
The main focus of this year’s talks is climate finance — wealthier nations compensating poor countries for damages from climate change’s weather extremes, helping them pay to transition their economies away from fossil fuels and helping them with adaptation.
Wednesday’s agenda also includes an update on the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, an idea modeled on predecessor treaty movements that sought to build international support for controls on nuclear weapons, plastic pollution and chemical weapons. Supporters say the treaty could help stop the expansion of climate-causing fossil fuel production, create a plan to fairly phase out oil, gas and coal and accelerate the transition to renewable energy.
The idea has been endorsed by countries and groups including Fiji, Colombia, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands, Indigenous nations in Peru, the World Health Organization and the European Parliament.
REVIEW: ‘Super Mario Party Jamboree’ promises heated game nights and solo goodness
DUBAI: Nintendo’s iconic “Mario Party” returns in its latest edition: “Super Mario Party Jamboree.” With new boards, minigames and characters, the game promises a fun time and heated competition between friends.
As a self-proclaimed Mario expert who spent countless hours playing every edition of “Mario Party” from the age of 6, the game stood out for me.
Shy Guy has always been my Mario Party character of choice, and seeing the different colored Shy Guys in this version of the game has been so fun.
Other new characters on the roster include Pauline and Ninji. Toadette is also now a playable character unlike in “Super Mario Party.”
The game features four default boards, and three unlockable boards, two of which are returning classics from previous “Mario Party” games, “Mario’s Rainbow Castle” and “Western Land.”
One of the biggest differences in comparison to previous editions of “Mario Party” is the element of surprise. With many twists and unexpected changes throughout the game, there is really no telling who is going to win until the results are announced.
The risk-to-reward ratio is the highest it has ever been, with items that can cause you to lose your stars, coins and be bumped to last place in the final minutes of the game.
Another major change to the game is the new pro rules feature. This feature allows you to customize the rules of the game to reduce as many luck-based events as possible and raise the stakes. Item shops can now have limited stock, bonus star categories are revealed before the match starts and players can vote for which minigames are played.
The fan favorite rhythm minigames return and are all cooking themed, but the difficulty of these games has significantly increased. Once you get the hang of it, they get easier, but the Short-Stack chef minigame really grinded the gears. I personally found it to be one of the hardest minigames in the series.
The main drawback of the game, however, is the length of some of the minigames. Some seemed to drag on and I started to lose my interest or would get tired from holding down the buttons, or twisting my controller.
The Showdown minigames were not particularly enjoyable either, especially Luigi Rescue Operation. The length and difficulty were not appropriate for this type of gameplay, with most players likely to prefer faster-paced minigames.
For all our single players out there, the Koopathlon is the perfect mode for you. Although the difficulty and speed increases each round, it still proved to be a fun game mode for those looking for a quick and easy way to practice their minigame skills.
Overall, if you are looking for a fun game night, “Super Mario Party Jamboree” is sure to turn the heat up, whether you are playing alone or with your friends and family.
NEOM McLaren drivers in top form at Formula E testing in Madrid
- After 6 successful seasons of racing in Diriyah, the contest will debut at Jeddah Corniche Circuit Feb. 14-15
MADRID: NEOM McLaren driver Taylor Barnard finished in the top five at the official pre-season test of the 2024-2025 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at Madrid’s Jarama Circuit last week, which is fitting preparation for next month’s Brazil E-Prix.
All 22 drivers and 11 teams — including NEOM McLaren — headed out onto the track for the first and only time before the season-opening Sao Paulo E-Prix on Dec. 7.
After six successful seasons in Diriyah, Jeddah was announced as the new host city for the race at the iconic Corniche Circuit for the first time on Feb. 14 and 15.
The shift to Jeddah reflects Formula E’s commitment to innovation and sustainability and aligns with Saudi Arabia’s vision for the future of sports in the Kingdom.
The championship’s fastest race car yet — the GEN3 Evo — is capable of 0-100 kph, which is 30 percent faster than the current F1 car.
Barnard — the 20-year-old Brit who secured his first full-time Formula E race seat with NEOM McLaren for this 2024-2025 season — finished the test in 1 minute, 27.780 seconds, just 0.319 seconds off the fastest lap set by Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans.
“We have had a great three full days testing, and I feel it was a very positive test for the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team,” he said. “I’ve set some strong lap times today and Sam’s (Bird) pace has been very strong throughout the test.
“We have completed all the items we needed to test with no reliability issues, which is very positive. I’m very happy we were able to go testing this week in Madrid, following the terrible tragedy in Valencia.
“Our deepest sympathies go out to those affected by this awful disaster. Now, I’m ready to go racing. I’m happy with the settings on the car and the team environment — bring on Sao Paulo.”
His Neom McLaren teammate, Bird, finished further down the grid in P18, with a time of 1:28.529.
“I am very pleased with the work we have done in Madrid. We have finished our program with no major issues, which is a great confidence boost for the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team,” said the British driver.
“My thoughts and prayers go out the people affected by the tragedy in Valencia, and I am very grateful for the work the whole Formula E paddock has put in to enable us to go testing at Jarama this week.
“Going into the first race in Sao Paulo, I feel excited and optimistic about the season ahead, and I’m looking forward to getting out there in a month’s time.”
Evans drove the quickest over the 4,731 total laps and 18,512 km completed in the six three-hour test sessions across four days — with the New Zealander setting a lap time of 1:27.461.
The Jaguar driver set the pace during the final morning’s running on Friday, with the entire field split by a little over a second on the overall timesheet.
Reigning champion Pascal Wehrlein was third in the running in the latest factory Porsche 99X Electric. He split the impressive Porsche-powered Kiro Race Co pair of Dan Ticktum and David Beckmann who sat second and fourth, respectively, using the season-10-specification powertrain.
In a strong showing, Zane Maloney, new to Formula E this season and the grid’s only full debutant, found himself mid-pack on the timing screens. The Lola Yamaha ABT driver from Barbados enters the series from FIA Formula 2.
