Latest news with #Mainstream
Associated Press
29-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Theta Capital announces Legends4Legends 2025, the premier blockchain conference for institutional allocators
AMSTERDAM, July 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Theta Capital Management, the blockchain venture capital fund-of-funds, is delighted to announce that the premier blockchain conference for institutional allocators, the annual Legends4Legends charity conference, will be held this year on October 16th in Amsterdam. Catering exclusively to institutional investors, family offices, and wealth advisors, Legends4Legends offers a full-day program featuring the world's leading experts to help allocators navigate the rapidly evolving blockchain landscape. Attendance is free of charge for qualifying institutions, with the conference raising funds through donations in support of the Alternatives4Children charity. This year's conference theme is: 'Blockchain Goes Mainstream: Stablecoins & Beyond'. A decade of experimentation is giving way to real-world integration. Regulatory clarity has arrived. Institutional infrastructure is in place. And stablecoins—the breakthrough use case—are already moving trillions, serving as programmable dollars for the internet economy. This isn't a promise. It's already happening—and it's just the tip of the iceberg. In a single day packed with keynotes, fireside chats and panels, we will explore the key developments already shaping the decade ahead. Together, these trends represent the beginning of a revolution in human and machine coordination: Legends4Legends is where signal meets perspective, giving allocators a clearer picture of the road ahead. What are the investable opportunities at the edge of these macro shifts? What risks and behaviors are emerging in a world where liquidity, intelligence, and coordination flow through open-source infrastructure? And how can long-term allocators and builders distinguish durable value from noise? Ruud Smets, CIO of Theta Capital, said: 'Blockchain has entered the mainstream, and this is just the beginning. Legends4Legends is the one day that allocators need to separate the signal from the noise when it comes to developments in blockchain technology.' The event features the world's leading crypto-native VCs, protocol founders and regulators, with a program that is fully-curated to bring traditional allocators up to speed with the latest developments. Early confirmed speakers include Haseeb Qureshi (Managing Partner, DragonFly), Vance Spencer (Co-Founder, Framework Ventures), Joe Marenda (Head Digital Assets, Cambridge Associates), Ben Forman (Founder, ParaFi), Jake Brukhman (Founder, CoinFund), Lasse Clausen (Founding Partner, 1kx), Michael Jordan (Co-Founder, dba), Matt Walsh (Founding Partner, Castle Island Ventures), Tarun Chitra (Co-Founder & CEO, Gauntlet), Robert Leshner (Founder, Compound Labs and Superstate), Stani Kulechov (Founder, Aave), Guy Young (Founder, Ethena Labs), with several high-profile names to follow. No other event brings together so many global thought leaders in blockchain, giving traditional investors intel and insight into the generational investment opportunity it provides. The event will take place in the EYE Film Museum in Amsterdam, and will conclude with a networking reception. The event is open to professional allocators only. Applications to attend are available via the website. Legends4Legends is a charitable event, raising money for Alternatives4Children, a leading charity in the alternative investments industry. Every year Theta Capital publishes its 'Satellite View', a comprehensive report summing up the conference and the future of investment in blockchain technology. The report features insights and outlooks from crypto's leading experts including many of the crypto-native venture funds in which Theta invests. The most recent report can be downloaded using this link: The Satellite View. About Theta Capital Founded in 2001, Theta Capital Management has been among the earliest and largest institutional investors globally to invest in blockchain technology, having deployed capital in the space since January 2018. Theta Capital works with over 50 deeply specialized VC partners leading to more than 1,000 venture style investments in the technology. Deep domain expertise has led to a leading position in the universe of crypto-native venture capital. For further information, please visit: Contact: [email protected] About Alternatives4Children Alternatives4Children (A4C) is an independent charitable foundation established in 2011 in the Netherlands with the aim to involve professionals from the (Alternative) Financial industry and the conviction that, together, we can make a difference for children in need. In 2020 we registered our UK chapter and are now open to expanding in other countries. For Further Information please visit:
Indian Express
29-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Sumit Chakravartty was a gentle crusader who practised journalism fearlessly
Sumit Chakravartty, eminent journalist and editor of Mainstream Weekly, passed away in Kolkata on July 26. He was 79. Chakravartty is survived by his wife, Gargi, historian and CPI leader, and his son, Sagnik, editor with Prasar Bharati's DD India. Chakravartty had been ailing for some time. He had moved to Kolkata in September 2023 to be with family and close associates. As a young man, Sumit had the unenviable task of living up to his parents' legacy. His mother, Renu Chakravartty, was elected thrice to the Lok Sabha and emerged as a 'striking' parliamentarian and trade union leader. She was the niece of B C Roy, first Chief Minister of West Bengal, who inspired her to take up political work. Both parents shared the Oxbridge connection and had joined the British Communist Party as students. His father, Nikhil Chakravartty, founded Mainstream in 1962. Over the years, it became a platform for critical discourse in the country. He was the 'father figure' for the press freedom movement; whether it was the Emergency (1975-77) or the Defamation Bill (1989), he always led from the front. He declined the Padma Bhushan in 1990, saying 'journalists should not be identified with the establishment'. Sumit's legacy brought high expectations, and public scrutiny. He was Patriot's Moscow correspondent and worked with The Daily before joining Mainstream. He came out with flying colours by combining journalism and activism. His journalism fostered informed debate and gave space to diverse viewpoints, while his activism was driven by values of democracy, secularism, scientific temper and Gandhian antyodaya. From Singur to Bhima Koregaon — statements, appeals, reports and documents were featured in Mainstream. Sumit was a one-man army. We had launched the Working Group on Alternative Strategies (WGRAS) — a voluntary civil society initiative — in March 1992 to work on policy alternatives for an equitable development paradigm. Sumit was a founder member of its core group, and I was its convener. But we were soon overtaken by events. With the destruction of the Babri Masjid, our full attention turned to communal harmony. Senior journalist Dileep Padgaonkar had appealed for the Prime Minister to lead a citizens' march on Rajpath on January 26, 1993, for communal harmony, similar to the one held on January 26, 1963, after the Chinese aggression. We waited, but nothing was happening. So, on the night of January 25, 1993, WGRAS issued an appeal, calling for a citizens' march. It was successfully completed from Vijay Chowk to Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate, and we sent out a very positive signal across the country. In 2004, I experienced Sumit's incredible integrity as an editor. He published an article I had written about a top-notch politico's about-turn from his professed views. Notwithstanding the bitterness it caused in his relationship with the politico, Sumit remained resolute in my defence even when he came under vehement personal attack. In 2008, a documentary film project of mine was facing rough weather. One day we met at the India International Centre and he said he wanted to talk to me. We walked to Lodhi Garden and sat on a bench. Sumit took out his chequebook and wrote out a cheque of Rs 2 lakh for me. I protested, but he would not listen. 'I know the problem you are facing; give it back when you can,' he said. That was the man, helpful to a fault, and one who would internalise the problems of his close associates as his own. Sumit donated the print issues of Mainstream from 1962 to 2020 to the Archives of Contemporary India at Ashoka University. His spirited journalism-activism, in which he invested his gentle, simple, sensitive, grounded and noble lifeblood, has now moved into the digital space and is published every week. The writer is editor, Citizens First Television, and convener, Working Group on Alternative Strategies, New Delhi
AsiaOne
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
High energy, strong vocals: J-pop boy band Be:First makes explosive debut in Singapore, Entertainment News
No fancy effects, no outfit changes, not even a backing track. But these didn't matter. The two-hour Who is Be:First? sold-out performance on July 5 was not just the Japanese boy band's debut concert in Singapore. It was also my first J-pop concert and just like the lyrics of their opening song Mainstream, they certainly showed me a new standard. The seven members of Be:First - Leo, Manato, Shunto, Junon, Ryuhei, Sota and Ryoki - are a balance of skilled vocalists and dancers, with a strong stage presence that amplified their performances. The high energy from the start didn't dim one bit, even though almost every song had a dance break to keep the beat up. Halfway through, they slowed things down a little with SOS, the track I looked forward to hearing the most. As expected, they didn't disappoint, and I would argue it sounded better in person with their clear vocals that weren't drowned out by instrumentals or backing tracks. What impressed me was how everyone sounded stable when singing and rapping despite the often-intense choreographies their songs had. Sota, for one, stood out with his confident, clean and sharp moves, but that's not to say the other members were lacking. They each knew how to keep the audience engaged with their stage charisma. "Singapore too hot," remarked the youngest Ryuhei, 19, at one point, after a loving Sota wiped his perspiration with a towel. The latter then asked the crowd if they were doing okay, and Shunto, 21, looked up at the second level of Capitol Theatre to ask in English: "Are you okay?" Sota, 24, joined him, making fanning gestures: "Are you okay? Not hot?" I was admittedly disappointed that there was no interpreter for their talking segments, but it was little moments like this one where I appreciated the sweet attempts to break the language barrier. We agree Ryuhei, Singapore is really hot 🥲#BF_WORLDTOUR2025 — AsiaOne (@asiaonecom) July 5, 2025 The members, who made their debut in 2022, talked about having local dishes like chilli crab and paper-wrapped chicken and visiting the Merlion Park before asking fans for recommendations on other places to go to. Their fandom Besty matched the group's energy by tenfold, be it through singing when asked to or giving enthusiastic cheers and answers to the boys' questions. Many suggestions on where to go were heard from the audience, with the popular ones being Sentosa, Universal Studios Singapore and Night Safari. Light sticks unite the crowd in K-pop, but I noticed J-pop fans make up for that with their handheld banners and matching merchandise. I also personally loved that official fanchants aren't a thing for the latter, as fans often drown out the artistes' live singing at K-pop concerts. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed myself - the setlist had something for everyone: From catchy, dance-heavy tracks like Scream and Grit to spirited and lighthearted tunes like Sailing and Blissful. Who is Be:First? They might just be the new standard indeed. Watch for our E-Junkies video interview with Be:First coming out soon! [[nid:719897]] syarifahsn@ No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.
Indian Express
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Emergency, 50 years on: The Sanjay gang, and what Shah Commission said about them
To investigate the widespread abuse of power during the Emergency from 1975 to 1977, the then newly elected Janata Party government headed by Prime Minister Morarji Desai appointed a commission of inquiry under former Supreme Court Chief Justice J C Shah in May 1977. The Shah Commission submitted its findings in 1978 in a report that detailed the alleged misuse of power by politicians and bureaucrats, particularly those considered close to former PM Indira Gandhi's son Sanjay, during the Emergency. Since the panel had been solely tasked with fact-finding as per the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952, it meant it was not authorised to take any action of its own accord. Only the government could decide how to proceed with its findings, and after the Indira Gandhi government came to power, the report was quietly buried. Days after the Narendra Modi government returned for a third term in power last year, a demand was made in the Rajya Sabha to table the Shah Commission report. A look at the key figures who came under the Commission's scanner. Sanjay Gandhi was one of the six people against whom the Shah Commission ordered the filing of complaints, for refusing to take oath or give evidence under oath in different cases. The Commission ordered cases against Sanjay in five matters – alleged harassment of a firm; demolitions in Kapashera, Andheria Morh, and Karol Bagh in New Delhi; and for reportedly pressuring magistrates to sign a backdated order in case of the police firing at Turkman Gate in April 1976. As per the Commission, Sanjay initiated the demolitions in Kapashera and other villages located along the Delhi-Gurgaon road, as he reportedly saw these structures as 'eyesores' that he encountered en route to the Maruti factory he had helped establish in Haryana. The firm that the Commission said had faced Sanjay's ire was 'Pandit Brothers', with its manager and the two partners arrested. The Shah Commission report quoted Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Krishan Chand as saying that sales tax and price tag raids were initiated on the firm under Sanjay's orders. Nikhil Chakravarty, the then editor of the weekly Mainstream, told the Commission that the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister during the Emergency, V C Shukla, told him that articles critical of Sanjay were not permitted. When Chakravarty refused to give assurances that his outlet would comply, 'pre-censorship' orders were imposed on Mainstream. Shukla, however, told the Commission that he 'merely advised' Chakravarty and any action taken against the editor or the publication 'had nothing to do with the acceptance or otherwise of my advice'. S C Bhatt, the then Director of All India Radio's (AIR) News Services Division, told the Commission that throughout the Emergency, the government 'policy' was to play up the speeches of Mrs Gandhi and Sanjay. Bhatt said 'written and unwritten instructions' were frequently received by AIR from Shukla himself, who justified the publicity to Sanjay on the grounds that even private media was paying close attention to the Congress leader at the time. The Commission also summoned Shukla in a case linked to 22 employees of the AIR and Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) being engaged in February 1977, after the elections had been called, to translate the Congress manifesto into 10 languages, allegedly on Shukla's instructions. He denied he was behind the orders. The Commission concluded that Shukla had 'violated the basic norms of administration'. Shukla was also named in the Commission's inquiry into the 'harassment' of famed playback singer Kishore Kumar, for refusing to cooperate with the government. The Commission said Shukla was 'responsible for the various disabilities inflicted on Kishore Kumar'. The Commission ordered filing of complaints against then Haryana Chief Minister Bansi Lal for refusing to take oath or give evidence under oath in the detention cases of Murlidhar Dalmia, M L Kak, Pritam Dutta, Ishwar Lal Chowdhary and Pitambar Lal Goyal. Dalmia was the chief adviser at the Technological Institute of Textiles in Bhiwani, Haryana. On November 30, 1975, the district magistrate of Bhiwani issued detention orders under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) against Dalmia on the grounds that he was a staunch follower of the RSS, and that after the organisation was banned, he often criticised Mrs Gandhi and her government. The Commission said the evidence before it showed Dalmia was detained because of Bansi Lal's 'spite against him'. Charges on 'non-existent grounds were fabricated' to detain Dalmia, the report said, adding that Bansi Lal 'abused his authority' and continued to abuse his position after he became the Union defence minister during the Emergency. M L Kak, a correspondent of The Tribune, was detained the same day as the Emergency was invoked under MISA, also on the grounds that he was an active member of the RSS, that he had spread violent and false propaganda against the government, and that he incited the public to overthrow Central and state governments by force. Kak told the Commission that he incurred the 'dislike' of Bansi Lal because of his critical reporting on the Haryana government. Pritam Dutta, a retired Navy Commander from Rohtak, had obtained wholesale distributorship rights in Haryana for products of Khodays, a Bengaluru-based liquor company. In 1974, he declined to allot a sub-agency of Khodays's products to one Ram Chander, 'who was close to CM Bansi Lal'. The Commission found that Bansi Lal 'grossly misused' his authority in the case of Dutta. In the case of Ishwar Lal Choudhary, a district employment officer in Bhiwani, the report said he had 'incurred the displeasure' of Bansi Lal's son Surinder Singh and political secretary Mahabir Parshad for refusing to comply with their 'irregular requests' to include their nominees in lists of candidates forwarded by the Employment Exchange to employers. The Commission said the illegal detention of Choudhary illustrated Bansi Lal's 'capricious and highly arbitrary style of administration'. Pitamber Lal Goyal, an advocate in Bhiwani district, told the Commission that his father, grandfather and uncle were victims of Bansi Lal's 'relentless vendetta' during the Emergency owing to a political rivalry between their families. The Commission found Bansi Lal's conduct in this case 'reprehensible'. Swami Dhirendra Brahamchari, a yoga guru who in 1973 founded the Aparna Ashram in J&K and was known as Mrs Gandhi's yoga teacher, held considerable influence in the Congress government. In 1973, Brahamchari floated Aparna Agro Private Limited with the intention of dealing in aircraft. In March 1976, he wrote to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) requesting permission to keep at his J&K ashram an 'agricultural spraying aircraft' that, he said, had been 'donated' by an American company to him. The DGCA was sent two requests by him in this regard, until then Union Defence Minister Bansi Lal allegedly intervened. 'The evidence before the Commission leads to the conclusion that the initial decision to reject the proposal twice… on valid grounds of security and sensitivity of the area was subsequently changed in favour of granting the permission, though with some conditions attached, at the instance of Bansi Lal,' the Commission said. The logbook of the aircraft showed that Sanjay and Rajiv Gandhi had used it, for personal trips as well as 'practice flights' by Sanjay. In July 1976, Brahamchari requested the Central Board of Excise and Customs for an exemption on paying Customs duty on aircraft on the grounds that Aparna Ashram was a 'charitable' institution. Though Brahmachari appeared before the Commission, he refused to take oath and provide evidence in his case. 'From the evidence it is quite clear Brahamchari obtained the Customs clearance permit by misrepresenting that the aircraft was a donation, when it was in fact purchased by him… Brahamchari fully exploited his association with the then Prime Minister's house in getting the aircraft imported by misrepresenting it as a gift. He has actively abetted the subversion of established administrative procedures,' the Commission said. The Commission also made adverse remarks on the functioning of various officers, including prominent figures like Delhi Development Authority (DDA) vice-chairman Jagmohan, CID Superintendent of Police K S Bajwa, Deputy Inspector General of Police-Range in Delhi P S Bhinder, and Navin Chawla, the Secretary to Delhi the L-G. As DDA vice-chairman, Jagmohan was at the heart of demolitions in Delhi as part of Sanjay's five-point programme, including slum clearance and tree planting. The Commission noted that while 1,800 structures had been demolished in a two-and-a-half year period before the Emergency, between 1975 and 1977, 1.5 lakh structures were demolished, more than 90% by the DDA. K Raghuramiah, the then minister for works and housing, suggested to the Commission that Jagmohan was taking orders from the Prime Minister's house. 'Jagmohan grossly misused his position and abused his authority. He, during the Emergency, became a law unto himself and went about doing the biddings of Sanjay Gandhi without care or concern for the miseries of people,' the Commission said. The Commission also spoke about the 'misuse' of preventive sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure for detentions in Delhi, and noted that some MISA warrants were deliberately kept unexecuted, allegedly on the directions of Bajwa and Bhinder to SPs. Though Chawla, the L-G's secretary, had no position in the jail hierarchy, the Commission said he exercised 'extra-statutory control' in jail matters and sent instructions, including on the treatment of particular detainees. '(L-G) Krishan Chand by his various actions and inactions… appears to have abdicated his legitimate functions in favour of an overambitious group of officers like Bhinder, Bajwa and Chawla… He betrayed his trust and committed a serious breach of faith with the citizens of Delhi,' the Commission said.
Gulf Today
14-06-2025
- General
- Gulf Today
Farm raising fish raises questions about water use
Storks scatter, white against blue water, as Dan Mohring's pickup truck rumbles down the dirt road. He's towing a trailer full of ground-up beef, chicken, fish and nutrient bits behind him, ready to be shot out of a cannon into the ponds below. It's time to feed the fish. Mohring fires up the machine and the food flies out in a rainbow arc. Then the water comes alive. Hundreds of thrashing, gobbling barramundi wiggle their way to the surface, all fighting for a piece. Until, in a few months, they will become food themselves. In the desert of landlocked Arizona, where the Colorado River crisis has put water use under a microscope, Mainstream Aquaculture has a fish farm where it's growing the tropical species barramundi, also known as Asian sea bass, for American restaurants. Mainstream sees it as a sustainable alternative to ocean-caught seafood. They say chefs and conscious consumers like that the food has a shorter distance to travel, eliminating some of the pollution that comes from massive ships that move products around the world. And they and some aquaculture experts argue it's efficient to use the water twice, since the nutrient-rich leftovers can irrigate crops like Bermuda grass sold for livestock feed. 'We're in the business of water,' said Matt Mangan, head of Australia-based Mainstream's American business. 'We want to be here in 20 years', 30 years' time.' But some experts question whether growing fish on a large scale in an arid region can work without high environmental costs. That question comes down to what people collectively decide is a good use of water. In Arizona, some places manage water more aggressively than others. But the whole state is dealing with the impacts of climate change, which is making the region drier and water only more precious. The farm uses groundwater, not Colorado River water. It's a nonrenewable resource, and like mining, different people and industries have different philosophies about whether it should be extracted. 'As long as groundwater is treated as an open resource in these rural parts of Arizona, they're susceptible to new industries coming in and using the groundwater for that industry,' said Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University's Morrison Institute. Some scientists believe aquaculture can play a role in protecting wild ocean ecosystems from overfishing. And it might play at least a small role in smoothing any supply problems that result from the Trump administration's tariffs on imports from dozens of countries, including those that send the US about 80% of its seafood, per the United States Department of Agriculture. In the greenhouses at University of Arizona professor Kevin Fitzsimmons' lab in Tucson, tilapia circle idly in tanks that filter down into tubs full of mussels and floating patches of collard greens and lettuce. Fitzsimmons mentored the student who started the tilapia farm eventually bought by Mainstream about three years ago where they now raise barramundi. 'I don't think desert agriculture is going away,' he said. 'Obviously, we want to do it as water-efficient as possible.' But not everyone agrees it's possible. 'Artificial ponds in the desert are stupid,' said Jay Famiglietti, a professor at ASU and director of science for the Arizona Water Innovation Initiative. He worried about heavy water losses to evaporation. Mangan says that evaporation hasn't been an issue so much as the loss of heat in the wintertime. That has required pumping more water since its warmth when it arrives at the surface helps keep the barramundi cozy. But Mangan says they've been improving pond design to retain heat better and have found, after the last year of research and development, that they can cut their water requirement by about half as a result. Plus, he argues, the water coming out of the fish ponds is 'essentially liquid fertilizer,' and though it's slightly salty, they use it for crops that can tolerate it, like Bermuda grass dairy cows can eat. But that's supporting the cattle industry, which contributes more than its share of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, Famiglietti said. 'Doing two suboptimal things doesn't make it better,' he said. Purple flowers sprout alongside paddle wheels. Fish bones crunch underfoot. The faint odor of brackish water and ammonia catches in the breeze. Without groundwater, none of it would be possible. Some farmers in Arizona rely on water from the Colorado River, but many others use well water to irrigate crops like alfalfa for the dairy industry or the lettuce, cucumbers and melons shipped nationwide year-round. Arizona has seven areas around the state where groundwater is rigorously managed. Dateland doesn't fall into one of those, so the only rule that really governs it is a law saying if you land own there, you can pump a 'reasonable' amount of groundwater, said Rhett Larson, who teaches water law at ASU. What might be considered 'reasonable' depends from crop to crop, and there's really no precedent for aquaculture, an industry that hasn't yet spread commercially statewide. Using numbers provided by Mainstream, Porter calculated that the fish farm would demand a 'very large amount' of water, on par with a big ranch or potentially even more than some suburbs of Phoenix. And she noted that although the water use is being maximized by using it twice, it's still depleting the aquifer. When the company scoped out Arizona to expand, Mangan said they didn't see nearly the same kinds of regulations as back in Australia. As part of its growth strategy, Mainstream is also hoping to work with other farmers in the area so more can use nutrient-rich fish pond wastewater to produce hay. They say a few have expressed interest. The seafood industry needs to reduce its reliance on catching small wild fish to feed bigger farmed ones that humans eat, said Pallab Sarker, an assistant professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who studies sustainability in the aquaculture industry. He said seabirds and mammals rely on small species like anchovies and mackerel commonly used in fish meal. 'We should not rely on ocean fish to grow fish for aquaculture to meet the demand for humans,' Sarker said. Mainstream gets its fish feed from two suppliers, Skretting and Star Milling, but Mangan and Mohring said they didn't know for certain where those suppliers got their base ingredients from. Fitzsimmons, of the University of Arizona, also pointed out that between pollution, overfishing and oceanfront development for recreation, the commercial fishing industry had already been facing problems. He doesn't think that Trump's moves this spring to open up marine protected areas for commercial fishing will improve that situation the way aquaculture could. 'We can't keep hunting and gathering from the ocean,' Fitzsimmons said.
