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Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Grammy winner Ricky Kej receives Padma Shri, calls it "Validation For My Entire Career"
Grammy-winning music composer and environmentalist Ricky Kej was honored with a Padma Shri award in 2025 by the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, for his significant contributions to the arts. Kej, a three-time Grammy Award winner and four-time nominee, expressed profound gratitude for the prestigious recognition from his home country. Padma Shri: A career long validation On receiving the Padma Shri, Ricky Kej articulated the unique significance of this award compared to his previous accolades. "I have won three Grammy Awards in the past and all the awards that I have won besides the Grammy have always been for a specific project. But to win the Padma Shri is like a validation for my entire career and whatever I have done so far. It feels really special to be awarded by my own country. There are no words to describe how special it feels…," he stated. Kej further highlighted that his music is not mainstream, emphasizing that he creates "music from the heart, and only when I feel like making." He appreciated that the Padma Awards are becoming "the people's Padma," focusing on grassroots impact and heartfelt artistry rather than just popularity or viral views. Global Recognition and Environmental Advocacy. Beyond his musical achievements, Ricky Kej has a strong international presence, having performed in over 35 countries, including at the United Nations headquarters in New York and Geneva. In October 2023, he was appointed as a UN "Goodwill Ambassador" (UNCCD) at the United Nations General Assembly by then-President, Csaba Körösi, underscoring his commitment to environmental advocacy. Overview of the 2025 Padma Awards The Padma Awards are among India's highest civilian honors, recognizing individuals for their outstanding work in various fields. In 2025, a total of 139 individuals were selected for the awards, including one pair who shared an award. The recipients included 7 Padma Vibhushan awardees, 19 Padma Bhushan recipients, and 113 individuals honored with the Padma Shri. Notably, thirteen of these awards were conferred posthumously. Among the posthumous Padma Vibhushan recipients were, M.T. Vasudevan Nair, the renowned Malayalam writer, who passed away at 91 on December 25, 2024, was recognized for his immense contributions to literature and education. His novel Naalukettu is considered a classic in Malayalam literature. Sharda Sinha, legendary folk singer from Bihar, celebrated for her Chhath festival songs, was also honored with the Padma Vibhushan. She passed away at 72 on November 5, 2024. Pankaj Udhas, the esteemed ghazal and playback singer, who died on February 26, 2024, at the age of 72, received the Padma Vibhushan for his indelible contributions to music. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Egypt Today
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Today
Egypt's Minister of Environment appointed as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
CAIRO – 23 May 2025: The UN Secretary-General announces the appointment of Egyptian Minister of Environment Dr. Yasmine Fouad as the new Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). She succeeds Ibrahim Thiaw of Mauritania in this prominent international role. The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs welcomed the announcement, made on 22 May 2025, praising Dr. Fouad's appointment as a testament to Egypt's growing leadership in environmental diplomacy and sustainable development. 'This appointment to a high-level international position reflects Egypt's pivotal role—under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi—in promoting global environmental governance and sustainable development,' the Ministry said in an official statement. The statement emphasized Egypt's prominent role during its presidency of the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27), which served as a model of responsible leadership that prioritizes balancing economic growth with environmental protection to ensure a sustainable future. It also underscored the strengthening of Africa's voice on the global stage, particularly in areas such as climate change adaptation, water security, and energy—issues that were central to Egypt's environmental agenda. Dr. Fouad's appointment is seen as a strong reflection of both her qualifications and Egypt's steadfast commitment to the objectives of the UNCCD. Her extensive experience in addressing environmental challenges and advancing international sustainability efforts positions her well to lead the Convention at a time when global environmental crises are intensifying. The Ministry extended its heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Fouad, expressing confidence in her ability to succeed in her new responsibilities and to further the global fight against desertification and land degradation.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Loro Piana's Mongolian Initiative; Thermore's New Drop; Challenge the Fabric's 2025 Winner: Short Takes
Loro Piana to the Rescue: Loro Piana is committed to safeguard its sourcing hubs globally. In the latest development, the Italian luxury house is launching 'Resilient Threads,' a five-year program aimed at supporting the ecosystem of Mongolia with a range of activities geared at protecting the local environment, people and animal welfare. The program is developed in partnership with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, or UNCCD, the Sustainable Fibre Alliance, or SFA, and the Odyssey Conservation Trust, or OCT. More from WWD Art Basel 2025: Formafantasma, Grace Wales Bonner Medalists of Brand New Award Adidas Is No Longer Sourcing Kangaroo Skins for Its Athletic Shoes EXCLUSIVE: Sedef Uncu Aki Named CEO at Next Gen Materials Company Gozen 'Over the last decades, Loro Piana has established itself as a key advocate for cashmere quality in Mongolia, building strong, honest and trustful relationships. Our longstanding presence has taught us that the exceptional quality of Loro Piana cashmere originates from the dedication of herders and the region's rich cashmere-sourcing traditions,' said Pier Luigi Loro Piana, vice chairman of Loro Piana. 'Together we understand and uphold the welfare of the animals and the environment. It is a commitment to continuous learning, responsible stewardship and collaborative creation,' he added. The luxury brand operates its only out-of-Italy manufacturing facility in the country, in the Ulaanbaatar region. Through the program — aligned with parent company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton's 'Life 360' environmental strategy — it pledges to support five districts in Mongolia's highly vulnerable Sukhbaatar province, impacted by heavy climate disruption posing risks to the livelihoods of herders, biodiversity of the area, one of the world's last intact grassland ecosystems, and supply chain resilience. This year Loro Piana will establish the first mobile 'One Health Hub' in the region to reach remote location with vehicles delivering services such as preventive health care and vaccination campaigns, training sessions and health care awareness initiatives. It will also be home to a seeds bank to protect and grow biodiversity-fueling, at-risk flora. 'At Loro Piana, our commitment to preserve the ecosystems that sustain our craft is unwavering. This multiyear program will support the Mongolian communities who are vital partners to the maison while protecting the environment,' said Loro Piana's chief executive officer Damien Bertrand. Eco-padding: As fashion customers have become increasingly spoiled by outerwear that's both lightweight and ultra warm, Thermore, the Milan-based premium thermal insulation company for apparel and outerwear, is introducing Ecodown Fibers Sync, billed as a featherlight, exceptionally resilient padding. Intended for both slim and puffy outerwear, the new material prevents the conglomeration of fibers and pushes the sustainability envelope further as it is entirely crafted from recycled fibers derived from post-consumer PET bottles. It boasts GRS, Bluesign and Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification. Fabric Challenge: Swedish but London-based young talent Petra Fagerström scooped up the top prize of the fifth Challenge the Fabric Award, held in Milan this week. Organized yearly since 2018 by the Swedish Fashion Council with support from Ekman Group, a trading house firm covering forest-based products ranging from packing and paper to recovered materials, Challenge the Fabric is a two-day initiative highlighting material innovation and promoting cross-industry collaboration with a focus on man-made cellulosic fibers. Fagerström was rewarded with $10,000 for her look, a cool jersey midi skirt with grommeted perforations and twill blouson combo crafted from Sappi Verve's trademarked Ecocell fibers. The jury panel recognized Fagerström's 'strength across all criteria: innovation, creativity, commercial potential, brand purpose and future impact,' stating her work conveyed her message with clarity and conviction. Jurors included 10 Corso Como brand curator Aldo Camillo Gotti; Hodakova founder and creative director Ellen Hodakova Larsson; Andrea Rosso, OTB's sustainability ambassador, and Riccardo Turrisi, sustainable innovation manager at Kering, among others. The Central Saint Martins and Parsons Paris graduate Fagerström is known for pushing the sustainability agenda, having scooped up several eco-minded awards in the past, including two at 38th edition of the International Festival of Fashion, Photography and Accessories — Hyères in 2023, such as the Mercedes-Benz Sustainability Award and the Chanel-powered L'Atelier des Matières Prize, for her lenticular pleated fabrics. Fagerström was shortlisted among a roster of seven applicants, each collaborating with a different, partner textile and material firm. Other finalists included Olympia Schiele with her brand Louther; Nuba by Cameron Williams; Oscar Quyang; Shan Huq; Mattie Barringer's and Amanda McGowan's Women's History Museu, and Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen. Best of WWD Walmart Calls California Waste Dumping Lawsuit 'Unjustified' Year in Review: Sustainability's Biggest Controversies of 2021 Year in Review: Sustainability's New Strides
IOL News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Deputy minister urges urgent action to combat desertification and land degradation
The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Bernice Swarts has welcomed the need for members of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to do more in addressing desertification, land degradation, and drought while continuing to build strong partnerships for integrated solutions. Image: Supplied The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Bernice Swarts, has welcomed the need for members of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to do more in addressing Desertification, Land Degradation, and Drought (DLDD) while continuing to build strong partnerships for integrated solutions. On Tuesday, on the first day of the four-day conference, the deputy minister delivered her keynote address to various member states and dignitaries gathered at the Radisson Blue Hotel in Sandton. "In the next four days, we will deliberate on issues relating to desertification, land degradation, and drought. I am pleased to confirm that many faces here are not new to me, as I had an opportunity to meet many of you during the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification 16th Session of the Conference of the Parties in Saudi Arabia. "As you may recall, the UNCCD COP16 underscored the need to mobilise additional and innovative resources to support Parties in accelerating actions and interventions on the ground to address desertification, land degradation, and drought, and synergies with other environmental issues." Swarts said desertification, land degradation, and drought form part of the priority focus areas for South Africa's Presidency of the G20 Environment, Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG). Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ "For the first time in the history of the G20 Presidency, South Africa has made a bold commitment by including DLDD issues among its G20 priorities. This commitment fosters global solidarity in addressing the drivers of DLDD while promoting the mainstreaming of Sustainable Land Management practices and approaches across key sectors. "The main focus under the G20 ECSWG priority on DLDD is on the implementation of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets and their deliverables," she said. Speaking on the importance of Integrated Land Use Planning (IDN – ILUP) and target setting programme of the UNCCD, Baron Jospeh from the UNCCD Secretariat stressed the need for vertical and horizontal integration strategies. "I embrace the need for vertical and horizontal integration strategies, and the key thing is that once you fully embrace this approach, you are going to be linking various data sets. You are going to be able to better position cross collaborations," he said.
The National
11-04-2025
- General
- The National
Hundreds of millions will flee homes if soil degradation continues, new report warns
Time is running out to reduce the degradation of Earth's soil and, without urgent action, the forced migration of people as a result is estimated to soar, a new report said. Warning that 'soil degradation is a critical and often overlooked threat multiplier,' the Save Soil non-profit organisation highlighted that when agricultural productivity was hit, millions were forced to leave their homes, unable to bear the brunt of relentless droughts and floods. Titled 'The nexus of soil degradation, climate change and food insecurity: A looming global migration crisis," the report, released on Thursday, analyses data from organisations including the World Bank and the UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification). The World Bank has warned that more than 216 million people could be displaced from their homes by 2050 due to climate change with the poorest regions the worst affected. "When soil loses its vitality, communities lose their resilience to drought, crop yields plummet, and people are left with no choice but to move,' said Praveena Sridhar, chief technology officer of Save Soil, urging action to prevent the doubling of forced global migration by 2100 due to increased aridity and drought. 'Maintaining healthy soil with adequate organic matter is not just an environmental issue, it's fundamental to preventing forced migration.' Ms Sridhar said investing in soil health was necessary to reduce the pressures driving global migration and also opened a path to tackle the impact of climate change and ensure food security. She said countries should frame policies to restore soil health, remove chemical fertilisers and pesticides and allow the soil to retain water and nutrients with regenerative agricultural practices. Calling on governments and civil society to prioritise soil protection and restoration, she said, 'This report underscores the urgent need to see healthy and living soil as the solution for the nexus of problems that humanity faces through mass migration, climate change, land degradation and food security.' The Save Soil organisation has often launched global campaigns to raise awareness that protecting soil is essential to save the planet and tackle the climate crisis. The group supports more than 250,000 Indian farmers to implement soil revitalisation projects and hopes to place soil nutrition on the agenda of all governments. The United Nations has warned of a dangerous decline in food production over the next 25 years, with the Earth's topsoil at risk by 2050. "Our report reveals that the foundation of stable communities is literally eroding beneath our feet," the study said. It pointed out that the severe consequences of soil degradation were already evident, with crop production expected to decline by 22 per cent by 2040 in sub-Saharan Africa, with maize yields in some regions likely to drop by 50 per cent by 2050. Countries in the Middle East and North Africa region are among the most vulnerable. They have called on the international community to give priority to regions facing drought, water scarcity and rising temperatures that contribute to forced migration. The impact will also be felt in Europe, with more land turning arid and dry, which will subsequently affect food production. The report emphasised that the impact of soil degradation and climate change on mass migration cannot be overlooked. Sustainable land management practices that teach farmers not to over-till the land, and to use organic compost and plant trees to reduce erosion are vital for food security and to help communities to remain in their homes, the study said.
