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Time of India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
IACC meet puts spotlight on eight years of progress in UP
Lucknow: The Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC), North India Council, hosted a seminar titled 'Rising UP: 8 Years of Progress' to highlight UP's transformation. Union minister of state Jitin Prasada, deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak and minister of state (independent charge) Dinesh Pratap Singh attended the event. Several individuals and departments were honoured for their contributions to governance, industry, healthcare, education, literature and law. The animal husbandry and horticulture & food processing departments were awarded for implementing welfare schemes, with Neelam and SK Chauhan receiving the honours. Lifetime achievement awards were presented to retired IAS officers Manoj Singh and Praveer Kumar, former DGP OP Singh and principal secretary K Ravindra Naik. Dr Neelam Vinay was recognised for excellence in robotic and laparoscopic surgery. Awards were also given to theatre veteran Anil Rastogi, journalist Dharmendra Singh and eco-friendly innovator SK Agnihotri. Other awardees included Sushil Mohan Takru (saddlery), Rajkumar Singh (Hindi literature), Mayank Somani (medical innovation), Manjula Goswami (education) and Pranshu Mishra (journalism). Sanjeev Saran, Annu Awasthi, Piyush Singh Chauhan and Sanjay Sinha were also recognised. Speakers praised UP's progress in infrastructure, agriculture and law and order. Seminar convener Mukesh Singh coordinated the event. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
CNBC
08-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Autographed Warren Buffett books fetch as much as $100,000 at Berkshire meeting auction
OMAHA, Neb. — Transpacific wire transfers. Checks arriving unexpectedly in the mail. People standing at the ready, poised to shell out tens of thousands of dollars. Such was the scene in the months leading up to and during Berkshire Hathaway's annual meeting last weekend. The chance to obtain memorabilia signed by legendary CEO Warren Buffett sent shareholders on a mad dash to participate in a silent auction during what turned out to be a monumental gathering. In true Buffett fashion, it was all for a local charity serving his native Omaha. Attendees of the annual meeting could buy an exclusive anniversary book titled "60 Years of Berkshire Hathaway" on site. However, 18 copies signed by Buffett and author Carrie Sova, were only available via an auction to benefit Stephen Center, a shelter serving the Nebraska city where Berkshire is headquartered. Buffett pledged to match every dollar raised for the organization, which offers housing and addiction recovery programs. With the 94-year-old's contribution, the event raised more than $1.3 million, according to Chris Knauf, CEO of the Stephen Center. "There are truly no words that can adequately express mine and our gratitude for this incredible generosity," Knauf told CNBC in an interview. "It's just phenomenal." In the first phase, eight books were auctioned online ahead of the meeting, with the highest bid $100,000. Then, on Friday and Saturday, 10 books were auctioned during the "Berkshire Bazaar of Bargains" event. More than 50 bids came in, with some as high as $60,000. The book took on an unexpected significance after Buffett shocked the investing world during the event with a surprise announcement that he planned to step down from the CEO role at year-end. Knauf said two additional signed books were set aside for donors who were friends with the late Charlie Munger. Buffett's longtime business partner was featured prominently in the publication. That brought the total number of signed copies supporting the Stephen Center to 20. One of the winning bidders was Matthew Rodriguez, a 43-year-old real estate professional. Rodriguez said he monitored the online auction's leaderboard, then pulled the trigger with a $50,000 bid about 15 minutes before it closed. "It's going to be a pretty priceless artifact in my library," Rodriguez said. As a self-proclaimed "fan boy" of Buffett, Rodriguez said he was excited to support an organization with the billionaire investor's stamp of approval and liked that every dollar he could contribute would be matched. Because Rodriguez lives in Omaha, he was also familiar with the Stephen Center's local impact. Rodriguez was one of several donors to quickly reached out to the center after Buffett first announced the initiative in the company's annual shareholder letter released in February. The "Oracle of Omaha" shared details about the book and the plan to fundraise for the local group in the letter, but did not explicitly lay out the steps for obtaining a signed edition. Before shareholders realized there was an auction, some sent checks directly to the charity in case it ended up being first-come, first-serve, Knauf said. When Stephen Center representatives called to let them know the process, some who weren't planning on coming to the meeting told them to keep the money as donations, citing their affection for Buffett, he said. "What Mr. Buffett has done for me, what Mr. Buffett has done for my family, is immeasurable," Knauf recalled hearing in these conversations with shareholders. "If the least we can do is write a check for this charity, then we want to do it." The Stephen Center ended up collecting more than $45,000 from donors tied to Buffett and the annual meeting outside of the auction. Beyond monetary support, Knauf said he expects Buffett's selection of the center to help spread awareness of the role of shelters play in local communities. "We are a homeless shelter and addiction recovery campus in Omaha, Nebraska," Knauf said. "Did I ever think that we would be doing wire transfers from Singapore? I did not." A portion of the funds will help support a renovation of the space housing an addiction recovery program, Knauf said. Other donations will go toward construction of a women and children's center, he said. These plans come as the organization tries to aid the growing community of unhoused people in Omaha, Knauf said. He pointed to data from an annual count showing the homeless population has grown nearly 10% from last year, with what he called a particularly substantial spike in families, children and senior citizens. For shareholder Jay Ji, this mission hit close to home after his family experienced economic troubles as a child. The investment manager placed a winning bid of around $20,150 and toured the Stephen Center to see first-hand where the money would go. "I want to just do my part," the 43-year-old said. "I'm more determined to try to find ways to to make sure that ... fewer families will experience those kind of hardships, and whenever possible, to deploy some resources to help." In addition to the signed books, Buffett said during his famous annual question-and-answer session that Berkshire sold around 8,000 copies of the anniversary book at the meeting. Also new to this year's gathering was a gigantic claw crane, which shareholders could pay $10 for a chance to win prizes tied to Berkshire's holding companies. Proceeds from the crane benefit Hope Center for Kids, an Omaha-based organization providing after-school and summer care for children. Both efforts underscore Buffett's decades-long emphasis on charitable giving. For more than two decades, Buffett had auctioned off a private lunch to benefit San Francisco-based nonprofit Glide. The final winner of this event in 2022 shelled out more than $19 million. Taken together, the Berkshire CEO's 21 lunches collectively raised more than $53 million. Buffett has long pledged to give 99% of his personal fortune to charity. He argued against creating family wealth dynasties by leaving colossal inheritances in a letter last year. "I've never wished to create a dynasty or pursue any plan that extended beyond the children," Buffett wrote in the letter. "I know the three well and trust them completely. Future generations are another matter. Who can foresee the priorities, intelligence and fidelity of successive generations to deal with the distribution of extraordinary wealth amid what may be a far different philanthropic landscape?"
Express Tribune
06-04-2025
- Express Tribune
Gaza heritage goes on display in Paris institute
A new exhibition opening in Paris on Friday showcases archaeological artifacts from Gaza, once a major commercial crossroads between Asia and Africa, whose heritage has been ravaged by Israel's ongoing onslaught, reported AFP. Around a hundred artifacts, including a 4,000-year-old bowl, a sixth-century mosaic from a Byzantine church and a Greek-inspired statue of Aphrodite, are on display at the Institut du Monde Arabe. The rich and mixed collection speaks to Gaza's past as a cultural melting pot, but the show's creators also wanted to highlight the contemporary destruction since October 2023. "The priority is obviously human lives, not heritage," said Elodie Bouffard, curator of the exhibition, which is titled Saved Treasures of Gaza: 5,000 Years of History. "But we also wanted to show that, for millennia, Gaza was the endpoint of caravan routes, a port that minted its own currency, and a city that thrived at the meeting point of water and sand," she told AFP. One section of the exhibition documents the extent of recent destruction. Using satellite images, the UN's cultural agency UNESCO has already identified damage to 94 heritage sites in Gaza, including the 13th-century Pasha's Palace. Bouffard said the damage to the known sites as well as treasures potentially hidden in unexplored Palestinian land "depends on the bomb tonnage and their impact on the surface and underground". The story behind Gaza's Treasures is inseparable from the ongoing wars in the Middle East. At the end of 2024, the Institut du Monde Arabe was finalising an exhibition on artifacts from the archaeological site of Byblos in Lebanon, but Israeli bombings in Beirut made the project impossible. "It came to a sudden halt, but we couldn't allow ourselves to be discouraged," said Bouffard. The idea of an exhibition on Gaza's heritage emerged. "We had just four and a half months to put it together. That had never been done before," she explained. Given the impossibility of transporting artifacts out of Gaza, the Institut turned to 529 pieces stored in crates in a specialised Geneva art warehouse since 2006. The works belong to the Palestinian Authority, which administers the West Bank. In 1995, Gaza's Department of Antiquities was established, which oversaw the first archaeological digs in collaboration with the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem (EBAF). "Between Egypt, Mesopotamian powers, and the Hasmoneans, Gaza has been a constant target of conquest and destruction throughout history," Bouffard noted. The exhibition runs until November 2, 2025.
Asharq Al-Awsat
03-04-2025
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Gaza Heritage and Destruction on Display in Paris
A new exhibition opening in Paris on Friday showcases archaeological artifacts from Gaza, once a major commercial crossroads between Asia and Africa, whose heritage has been ravaged by Israel's ongoing onslaught. Around a hundred artifacts, including a 4,000-year-old bowl, a sixth-century mosaic from a Byzantine church and a Greek-inspired statue of Aphrodite, are on display at the Institut du Monde Arabe. The rich and mixed collection speaks to Gaza's past as a cultural melting pot, but the show's creators also wanted to highlight the contemporary destruction caused by the war, sparked by Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023, AFP reported. "The priority is obviously human lives, not heritage," said Elodie Bouffard, curator of the exhibition, which is titled "Saved Treasures of Gaza: 5,000 Years of History". "But we also wanted to show that, for millennia, Gaza was the endpoint of caravan routes, a port that minted its own currency, and a city that thrived at the meeting point of water and sand," she told AFP. One section of the exhibition documents the extent of recent destruction. Using satellite image, the UN's cultural agency UNESCO has already identified damage to 94 heritage sites in Gaza, including the 13th-century Pasha's Palace. Bouffard said the damage to the known sites as well as treasures potentially hidden in unexplored Palestinian land "depends on the bomb tonnage and their impact on the surface and underground". "For now, it´s impossible to assess." The attacks by Hamas militants on Israel in 2023 left 1,218 dead. In retaliation, Israeli operations have killed more than 50,000 Palestinians and devastated the densely populated territory. The story behind "Gaza´s Treasures" is inseparable from the ongoing wars in the Middle East. At the end of 2024, the Institut du Monde Arabe was finalising an exhibition on artifacts from the archaeological site of Byblos in Lebanon, but Israeli bombings on Beirut made the project impossible. "It came to a sudden halt, but we couldn´t allow ourselves to be discouraged," said Bouffard. The idea of an exhibition on Gaza´s heritage emerged. "We had just four and a half months to put it together. That had never been done before," she explained. Given the impossibility of transporting artifacts out of Gaza, the Institut turned to 529 pieces stored in crates in a specialized Geneva art warehouse since 2006. The works belong to the Palestinian Authority, which administers the West Bank. The Oslo Accords of 1993, signed by the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel, helped secure some of Gaza's treasures. In 1995, Gaza´s Department of Antiquities was established, which oversaw the first archaeological digs in collaboration with the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem (EBAF). Over the years, excavations uncovered the remains of the Monastery of Saint Hilarion, the ancient Greek port of Anthedon, and a Roman necropolis - traces of civilizations spanning from the Bronze Age to Ottoman influences in the late 19th century. "Between Egypt, Mesopotamian powers, and the Hasmoneans, Gaza has been a constant target of conquest and destruction throughout history," Bouffard noted. In the 4th century BC, Greek leader Alexander the Great besieged the city for two months, leaving behind massacres and devastation. Excavations in Gaza came to a standstill when Hamas took power in 2007 and Israel imposed a blockade. Land pressure and rampant building in one of the world's most densely populated areas has also complicated archaeological work. And after a year and a half of war, resuming excavations seems like an ever-more distant prospect. The exhibition runs until November 2, 2025.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Gaza heritage and destruction on display in Paris
A new exhibition opening in Paris on Friday showcases archaeological artifacts from Gaza, once a major commercial crossroads between Asia and Africa, whose heritage has been ravaged by Israel's ongoing onslaught. Around a hundred artifacts, including a 4,000-year-old bowl, a sixth-century mosaic from a Byzantine church and a Greek-inspired statue of Aphrodite, are on display at the Institut du Monde Arabe. The rich and mixed collection speaks to Gaza's past as a cultural melting pot, but the show's creators also wanted to highlight the contemporary destruction caused by the war, sparked by Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023. "The priority is obviously human lives, not heritage," said Elodie Bouffard, curator of the exhibition, which is titled "Saved Treasures of Gaza: 5,000 Years of History". "But we also wanted to show that, for millennia, Gaza was the endpoint of caravan routes, a port that minted its own currency, and a city that thrived at the meeting point of water and sand," she told AFP. One section of the exhibition documents the extent of recent destruction. Using satellite image, the UN's cultural agency UNESCO has already identified damage to 94 heritage sites in Gaza, including the 13th-century Pasha's Palace. Bouffard said the damage to the known sites as well as treasures potentially hidden in unexplored Palestinian land "depends on the bomb tonnage and their impact on the surface and underground". "For now, it's impossible to assess." The attacks by Hamas militants on Israel in 2023 left 1,218 dead. In retaliation, Israeli operations have killed more than 50,000 Palestinians and devastated the densely populated territory. - Lebanon link - The story behind "Gaza's Treasures" is inseparable from the ongoing wars in the Middle East. At the end of 2024, the Institut du Monde Arabe was finalising an exhibition on artifacts from the archaeological site of Byblos in Lebanon, but Israeli bombings on Beirut made the project impossible. "It came to a sudden halt, but we couldn't allow ourselves to be discouraged," said Bouffard. The idea of an exhibition on Gaza's heritage emerged. "We had just four and a half months to put it together. That had never been done before," she explained. Given the impossibility of transporting artifacts out of Gaza, the Institut turned to 529 pieces stored in crates in a specialised Geneva art warehouse since 2006. The works belong to the Palestinian Authority, which administers the West Bank. - Conquest - The Oslo Accords of 1993, signed by the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel, helped secure some of Gaza's treasures. In 1995, Gaza's Department of Antiquities was established, which oversaw the first archaeological digs in collaboration with the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem (EBAF). Over the years, excavations uncovered the remains of the Monastery of Saint Hilarion, the ancient Greek port of Anthedon, and a Roman necropolis — traces of civilisations spanning from the Bronze Age to Ottoman influences in the late 19th century. "Between Egypt, Mesopotamian powers, and the Hasmoneans, Gaza has been a constant target of conquest and destruction throughout history," Bouffard noted. In the 4th century BC, Greek leader Alexander the Great besieged the city for two months, leaving behind massacres and devastation. Excavations in Gaza came to a standstill when Hamas took power in 2007 and Israel imposed a blockade. Land pressure and rampant building in one of the world's most densely populated areas has also complicated archaeological work. And after a year and a half of war, resuming excavations seems like an ever-more distant prospect. The exhibition runs until November 2, 2025. jt-adp/rmb
