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Mohammed Ben Sulayem was re-elected as president of motorsport’s governing body the International Automobile Federation (FIA) on Friday in an election in which he faced no challengers.The Dubai-born 64-year-old was the only candidate in the vote held in Tashkent in an election that has been contested in the courts.Two would-be candidates, Swiss national Laura Villars and American former FIA steward Tim Mayer, were denied the chance to run against Ben Sulayem due to FIA rules. Under the Paris-based FIA election regulations, candidates are required to appoint vice-presidents from each of the six global regions, chosen from a list approved by the Paris-based FIA.But there is only one vice-president listed from South America, Brazilian Fabiana Ecclestone – the wife of ex-Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone – and she gave her backing to Ben Sulayem. A Paris court last week decided not to suspend the election but ordered a trial to examine the electoral process after hearing an urgent application from Villars, a 28-year-old Swiss driver.”The judge hearing the summary proceedings ruled that this dispute was a matter for the trial court, and we will therefore continue this lawsuit against the FIA before the trial judges. A first hearing is scheduled for February 16, 2026,” Villars’ lawyer Robin Binsard said in a statement last week. The lawyer said that “given the challenges raised, (the election result) may be examined, questioned or annulled by the court”.As a result Ben Sulayem, who succeeded Jean Todt at the head of the FIA in 2021, was confirmed in the post — subject to the upcoming court verdict. “Thank you to all our FIA Members for voting in remarkable numbers and placing your trust in me once again. We have overcome many obstacles but here today, together, we are stronger than ever,” Ben Sulayem said in a statement. ‘Cleaning the house’The FIA said in a statement that Friday’s election was “conducted in line with the FIA’s statutes through a robust and transparent voting process, reflecting the democratic foundations of the federation and the collective voice of its global membership”. The FIA is responsible for organising the Formula One and rally world championships, as well as promoting road safety. It has more than 240 clubs across 146 countries, representing around 80 million members.A former rally driver, Ben Sulayem’s time at the helm of motorsport has been dogged by controversy. The Emirati was taken to task by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for using stereotypical language when discussing the use of foul outbursts by drivers on team radios.Drivers fell out with the FIA over its crackdown on swearing. The guidelines were strengthened in January, triggering an indignant response from drivers.Controversial fines were later reduced after a backlash from the grid. In April, the FIA’s deputy president Robert Reid resigned with a parting shot at Ben Sulayem, criticising his governance and a lack of transparency.Ben Sulayem, nonetheless, defended his record last weekend as he ahead of another four years at the helm of motorsport.”I would say I am looking forward for the next four years,” said Ben Sulayem, who has helped the FIA overturn a 24 million deficit in 2021 into a 4.7 million profit last year.”Cleaning the house was not easy, getting the right people in the FIA was a challenge. Now I can tell you, it was worth the four years of investment.”And if you tell me now ‘OK, if you have the power to rewind the four years, what would you do differently?’. Nothing.” Source link
Athwif Abdulla (Grade XI G) of MES Indian School represented the Central Board of Secondary Education in the 69th National School Games in athletics under-19 category, from November 26 to 30, in Haryana, under the aegis of the School Games Federation of India. Competing in 100m, he was awarded the ‘High Priority Certificate’, an honour officially endorsed by the Government of India, reserved for athletes demonstrating excellence and sportsmanship at the national level. He was coached by Steeson K Mathew. Related Story Source link
UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage programme focuses on keeping alive the practices, knowledge, and expressions that communities recognize as part of their cultural identity.The largest-ever round of inscriptions…
Lionel Messi will unveil a 21-metre (70-foot) statue of himself in India on Saturday as he embarks on a three-day tour of the country that has sparked a fan frenzy.The iron sculpture in Kolkata, which shows Messi holding aloft the World Cup, is part of a so-called GOAT Tour that will take in four Indian cities and a possible meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The 38-year-old Argentina and Inter Miami superstar will unveil the monument virtually rather than in person for security reasons.A ‘Hola Messi’ fan zone has also been set up in Kolkata where on display is a life-sized replica of Messi sat on a throne. The hall also recreates his Miami home, complete with mannequins of his family members.Football fan Samir Nandy said it would be ‘a dream come true’ to catch a glimpse of his idol.’Legends are not made by success alone. It is his resilience that made me believe in him,’ Nandy, 64, said in Kolkata. ‘The statue is a fitting tribute to him.’Monti Paul, the statue's main sculptor, told AFP the structure was built inside 40 days. ‘It's a matter of pride to build the sculpture of Messi. It's the tallest statue I have made,’ he said.The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner will also meet Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly during his whirlwind trip to Kolkata. Ahead of his arrival, Messi said it was an honour to visit India and interact with the fans.’India is a very special country and I have good memories from my time there 14 years ago — the fans were fantastic,’ Messi said in a statement.’India is a passionate football nation and I look forward to meeting a new generation of fans while sharing the love I have for this beautiful game.’ After Kolkata, where Messi will play a short friendly match, he will head to Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.In Hyderabad he will attend a concert in his honour and play another friendly. He is reportedly scheduled to meet Modi in the capital.Messi won his second consecutive Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player award this week after propelling Inter Miami to the MLS title and leading the league in goals. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain attacker will spearhead Argentina's defence of the World Cup in June-July in North America. Source link
The College of Pharmacy at Qatar University (QU) participated in the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research Conference (ISPOR 2025), in Tokyo, Japan, from September 28 to 30. The college was represented by students Abdelaziz al-Khalaf and Maram Abdelsadig.This academic accomplishment reflects the college’s commitment to supporting scientific research and enhancing international academic engagement for its students, a statement said. The students’ research abstract, titled 'Interventions Promoting the Acceptance and Uptake of Generic Medicines: A Systematic Review,' was accepted for presentation as a scientific poster under the supervision of Dr Zaheer Babar, providing them with the opportunity to present their work among leading international experts in health economics and outcomes research.During the conference, the students took part in a wide range of academic activities, including attending scientific workshops, visiting the accompanying exhibition, and presenting their research poster.Maram, a fourth-year pharmacy student, highlighted the importance of the experience, noting that her participation as an undergraduate student and a representative of Qatar provided a distinguished opportunity to interact with specialists from pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and various health-related fields.Al-Khalaf was of the view that the conference enabled him to understand how real-world data is used beyond academic study and its significant role in guiding healthcare decisions. ‘Meeting professionals from different countries and hearing about their experiences greatly motivated me to further develop my skills in this field.”This participation reflects the importance of engaging students in global research forums and strengthening the role of experiential learning in academic and professional growth, the statement added. Source link
The assembly is the world’s highest-level decision-making body for matters related to the environment. More than 6,000 people – representing 186 countries – took part in the week-long gathering which was held…
New Zealand's Hayden Wilde and Great Britain's Kate Waugh were crowned T100 Triathlon World Champions after winning the Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final in Lusail on Friday.Wilde capped a phenomenal season with his sixth victory of the year, completing a perfect campaign that saw him win every T100 race he entered. For Waugh, a dramatic victory – crossing the line on her knees through sheer exhaustion – sealed her first ever World Championship title. Both athletes had prepared for the finale with training camps in Abu Dhabi following the Dubai T100 in November, using the UAE capital's world-class facilities and similar climate to acclimatise for Qatar conditions.Wilde's win was never in doubt. The Olympic bronze medallist led into T2 after a blistering bike leg and controlled the 18km run to cross the line in 3:06:08. His sixth victory of the season – following wins in Singapore, London, the French Riviera, Spain and Wollongong – earned him a perfect score across the 2025 T100 season. The triumph is all the more remarkable given the horror bike crash Wilde suffered in Japan at the start of May, which punctured his lung, broke six ribs and left him needing surgery on his left scapula.’It's pretty special from starting in Singapore, then being in hospital for a bit, and then coming back and winning a few races, and then finishing here in Qatar,’ said Wilde. ‘It's been a long season but it's nice to finish up.’ Wilde takes $25,000 for the win in Qatar – added to the $125,000 already earned in race wins this year – plus $200,000 for winning the T100 Race to Qatar. Morgan Pearson of the USA produced a storming run to finish second in 3:07:23, moving up to 4th in the final standings. Belgium's Marten Van Riel, the 2024 world champion, came home third in 3:08:14.Waugh's win was anything but comfortable. The 26-year-old from Gateshead led from the front throughout but paid for her efforts in the closing stages, slowing to a walk in the final straight before stumbling to her knees as she crossed the line in 3:31:30. ‘Oh my gosh, that was the most dramatic way to win the world title,’ said Waugh. ‘I've always been a bit of a drama queen, so perhaps that was the best way to win it. I'm completely overwhelmed with emotion right now.’ Waugh had led the T100 Race to Qatar standings throughout the season, finishing on the podium in all six T100 races she entered. Her consistency earned her 183 points and a $200,000 bonus on top of the $25,000 race win. Georgia Taylor-Brown charged home to finish second, just 20 seconds behind, while Julie Derron – who had pushed Waugh all season – took third to secure second place in the overall standings. Source link
DPS-Modern Indian School alumnus, Talha Faiz (Batch of 2015), has been featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30–USA-2026 list for his pioneering work in artificial intelligence and the energy sector.After graduating from DPS-Modern Indian School, he pursued higher studies in the US, publishing research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and earning a fully funded Master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute. His professional journey began in mechanical engineering, with organisations such as Qapco, Chiyoda, and Intertek, before he transitioned into computer science and contributed to cutting-edge projects at Samsung Research and Meta.Today, Faiz is the co-founder and CEO of Candid Intelligence, an AI-driven company partnering with leading energy and engineering organisations across the globe. Talha has expressed his willingness to guide DPS-Modern Indian School students and parents interested in exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming the energy industry, a statement added. Related Story Source link
US President Donald Trump has said he will withhold federal broadband funding from states whose laws to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) are judged by his administration to be holding back American dominance in the technology.”We want to have one central source of approval,” Trump told reporters, flanked by top advisers, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, arguing that 50 different regulatory regimes hamper the growth of the nascent industry.”To win, United States AI companies must be free to innovate without cumbersome regulation,” the order said, adding that the current patchwork of different regulatory regimes made compliance more challenging, especially for start-ups.The Trump administration will work with Congress in coming weeks and months to craft a single national framework to regulate developments in the field of AI, White House adviser Sriram Krishnan told CNBC yesterday.He told CNBC’s *First on CNBC programme that the executive order signed by Trump was needed to ensure companies could move forward with technology developments and not have to contend with over 1,000 state regulations already on the books.However, eventually the issue would require legislation by Congress, Krishnan said.”So we’ll be working with Congress in the coming weeks and months to make sure that is a single national framework which makes sure we can win this race,” he said.Trump has embraced AI as a critical technology, working closely with US companies to boost investment in a sector where China has also made great strides.However, critics worry that unfettered development could leave Americans vulnerable.The order also reflects the Trump administration’s broader attack against anti-discrimination efforts, taking aim at states such as Colorado that have sought to prevent discriminatory language from being embedded in AI models.Such efforts could result in “ideological bias” and produce false results, it said.The order will give the Trump administration tools to push back on the most “onerous” state regulations, said White House AI adviser David Sacks.The administration will not oppose rules governing AI that relate to child safety, he added.It directs the secretary of commerce to evaluate state laws for conflicts with Trump’s AI priorities and to block those states in conflict from accessing the $42bn Broadband Equity Access and Deployment fund.Democratic Representative Don Beyer, who co-chairs a bipartisan caucus on AI, said the order would squelch safety reforms passed by states and create “a lawless Wild West environment for AI companies that puts Americans at risk”.He warned that the order would reduce the likelihood of congressional action and likely violated the 10th Amendment, which says that any powers not specifically given to the federal government belong to the states or the people.Trump’s order called for his administration to work with Congress to craft a national standard that forbids state laws which conflict with federal policy, protects children, prevents censorship, respects copyrights and protects communities.Until such a standard was in place, the order called for actions to “check the most onerous and excessive laws emerging from the states that threaten to stymie innovation”.Major AI players including ChatGPT maker OpenAI, Alphabet’s Google, Meta Platforms, and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz have said the federal government, not states, should regulate the industry.Yet state leaders from both major political parties have said they need the power to put guardrails around AI, particularly as Congress has consistently failed to pass laws governing the tech industry.New York state last month became the first to enact a law requiring online retailers that employ “surveillance pricing” to disclose their use of algorithms and customers’ personal data.California and lawmakers in Washington are considering bans on such methods, which are also known as “personalised pricing”.Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has proposed an AI bill of rights that includes data privacy, parental controls and consumer protections.California Governor Gavin Newsom, whose state is home to several major AI companies, signed off on a bill this year requiring major AI developers to explain plans to mitigate potential catastrophic risks.Other states have passed laws banning AI-generated non-consensual sexual imagery and unauthorised political deepfakes. Source link
An immersive pop-up experience open to all fans from December 14 to 17 at Hotel ParkParis Saint-Germain is inviting all its supporters to discover the Ici C’est Paris Park by Qatar Airways in Doha, Qatar, an immersive and temporary space open from December 14 to 17 at Hotel Park. Designed as a place of celebration and togetherness around the Club, Ici C’est Paris Park offers fans the opportunity to experience the Paris Saint-Germain universe from the inside — more than 6,000 km from Paris.An open space for everyone to experience PSG Ici C’est Paris Park by Qatar Airways will be open to the public on 14 December from 5 pm to 10 pm, and on 15, 16 and 17 December from 3 pm to 10 pm.Designed as an inclusive, family-friendly and intergenerational space, it invites residents, visitors, families and football lovers to explore the PSG’ universe in an interactive, welcoming and inspiring environment. Throughout the event, visitors will enjoy a wide range of immersive and creative experiences designed for all audiences. Ici C’est Paris Park will feature a 360° immersive room, cultural and musical activations, workshops for younger fans, a mini football pitch hosted by PSG Academy coaches, and a cafe area in collaboration with Chef Nour. The Club’s partners will also be present with exclusive installations, while a retail area will offer a selection of iconic products and collaborations. Fans will even have the opportunity to see some of Paris Saint-Germain’s major trophies. The ambition is simple: to offer everyone a lively and accessible space where sport, culture, music, creativity and Paris Saint-Germain passion come together.For the full schedule and complete programme, visit the dedicated page: psg.fr/icp-park-doha A concept born in Los Angeles, now brought to the heart of the Middle East In Doha, Paris Saint-Germain will introduce a vibrant, creative and welcoming space for all its fans: the Ici C’est Paris Park, designed to immerse visitors in the heart of the Club’s identity. This experience draws inspiration from the PSG House launched in Los Angeles last summer, where thousands of supporters enjoyed an environment blending sport, culture, style and entertainment. The initiative welcomed a wide audience – families, young fans, creators, local communities, influencers and media – through dynamic and multisensory installations that reflect the Club’s unique position as a modern, creative and culturally influential brand. Building on this momentum, the Club continues to expand the concept in the Middle East, reaffirming its commitment to staying close to its international fan base and offering world-class events wherever its supporters are.PSG: a global club that shines far beyond footballWith the Ici C’est Paris Park, Paris Saint-Germain reinforces its status as a global brand at the crossroads of sport, fashion, art and lifestyle.With supporters across all continents, the Club continues to develop emblematic and experiential projects for its worldwide community.This new space in Doha showcases PSG’s ability to design innovative, inclusive and unifying experiences, while delivering a strong and coherent brand universe – wherever fans are in the world. Source link