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“People are afraid to buy because they don’t know what might happen next. The gain is too fast in just three days,” said a Bureau de Change (BDC) operator who prefers to remain anonymous. The last three days have been remarkable for the exchange rate between the naira and the dollar, which, as of Friday, December 6, 2024, had gained 8.9% in one week. Starting the week at N1,672, the exchange rate closed at N1,535 on Friday, December 6, 2024. Related Stories Greece faces urgent need for over 300,000 foreign workers to support economic growth Tinubu rejigs nominees for South East Development Commission board, names Emeka Nworgu as new chairman While the official market experienced rapid gains in the exchange rate, the parallel market, where forex is sold unofficially, presented an even more unsettling scenario for speculators. The naira was gaining faster than they could sell. By the end of the week, operators informed Nairametrics that the exchange rate was trading at N1,570/$1, a sharp decline from N1,700/$1 earlier in the week, as the naira continued its strong recovery against the dollar. Unbeknownst to many Nigerians, the Central Bank of Nigeria recently launched a new trading system called the Enhanced Foreign Exchange Market System (EFEMS). EFEMS essentially consolidates all previous official foreign exchange windows into one unified system. This consolidation replaces the fragmented structure of multiple windows, such as the Investors & Exporters (I&E) FX Window, the SME Window, and the Invisible Window. But how does this explain why the naira is gaining against the dollar? EFEMS Introduces transparency: According to the CBN, EFEMS is expected to simplify operations and improve price discovery, thereby ensuring that trades are more transparent and easier to monitor. This has largely contributed to the positive outcomes currently being recorded in the official exchange rate. For example, one person familiar with the operation of the market suggests that the market is experiencing more supply than demand. With supply outstripping demand, the naira has gained against the dollar. However, it is unclear where the supply in the market is coming from, as there is no official data to explain this. For instance, the dynamics of pricing might change if the supply is primarily driven by the central bank. The new system also mandates a minimum trade value of $100,000 for all interbank FX transactions, which seems to have curtailed speculative activities in the market. Quoting System: Another plausible reason is the format for placing orders and pricing the exchange rate. Unlike the previous opaque system, forex dealers informed Nairametrics that the current system is order-based, similar to the way stocks are traded on the NGX. For example, bids (buying requests) are displayed on the system along with their bid prices, while offers (selling requests) are also shown with their corresponding prices. This makes it easier to determine how much forex is available in the market and the prevailing prices. Another stakeholder suggests that EFEMS also implements a two-way quote system, meaning dealers are expected to display both bid and offer prices. T his ensures that when trading forex, participants must indicate how much they are willing to buy and sell, regardless of their position in the trade. EFEMS/Guidelines Still New: Analysts also opine that the nascent nature of EFEMS creates some uncertainty among traders. According to one trader, “As a new system, people are obviously wary and do not want to be on the receiving end,” suggesting that the need to comply with market rules is ensuring transparency for now. The CBN’s new guidelines for forex trading also introduce rigorous reporting requirements. For example, Authorized Dealers must report FX transactions to the CBN within 10 minutes via an API-based system. BDCs are required to submit daily activity reports through automated portals, while Commercial and Merchant Banks must adopt real-time reporting to enhance monitoring and oversight. BDC role – The role of Bureau De Change (BDC) operators is critical under the new regulations, fostering further transparency in the functioning of the market. For instance, under the new guidelines, licensed BDC operators are allowed to buy foreign exchange (FX) from Authorized Dealers to meet customer needs. This measure aims to balance market accessibility with effective monitoring and control. The BDC segment, which had previously been excluded from certain FX market activities, is now positioned to play a more active role in meeting retail FX demand. This inclusion is expected to provide a buffer against the FX pressures faced by individuals and small businesses reliant on BDC services. If BDCs are sourcing FX from the same market, their pricing is unlikely to diverge significantly from official rates, reducing the wide disparities previously observed. This marks a significant departure from earlier years when the black market often influenced official rates. However, this expanded operational scope comes with a caveat: the total monthly transactions for BDCs are subject to an aggregate cap as determined by the CBN. It is also worth noting that the Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) informed Nairametrics that the permission for BDCs to purchase foreign exchange directly from Authorized Dealers is not automatic. Only BDC operators that meet the current capital requirements are permitted to participate in this market. “We received the news with mixed reactions,” said Gwadabe, a representative of ABCON. “While it is intended to increase liquidity at the retail end of the forex market, it is contingent on meeting the new recapitalization requirements of either ₦500 million or ₦2 billion as stated in the May guidelines. However, it does not specifically permit all currently licensed BDCs to purchase foreign exchange from the interbank market.” He added, “It is tied and subject to meeting the new capitalization guidelines introduced by the CBN in May 2024. This also addresses questions about the sources of funds under the new BDC guidelines raised by many applicants. It is not automatic but conditional on meeting these new requirements.” Panic Selling – Panic selling is widely regarded as a significant factor behind the sharp appreciation in the exchange rate between the naira and the dollar. Traders who spoke to Nairametrics anonymously suggested that many of their suppliers were in a hurry to sell, as no one wanted to hold on to a currency rapidly losing value against the naira. One trader disclosed that they even sold at rates as low as N1,500/$1 on the parallel market, despite it being much lower than the rates obtainable on the official market. These actions have been attributed to panic selling, particularly by speculators who had hoarded dollars for months in anticipation of the naira’s continuous depreciation. Several economic reports have suggested that the exchange rate of N1,600/$1 is not reflective of the naira’s true value, a sentiment echoed by CBN Governor Yemi Cardoso at the Bankers’ Committee annual dinner. If this is indeed what is happening, more losses could await speculators who are uncertain about when the market will bottom out. Some speculators also point to the December period, which, according to historical data, is often associated with the naira strengthening against the dollar. This trend is partly attributed to increased dollar inflows from diaspora Nigerians returning for the Christmas holidays. Finally, it is worth noting that similar boosts in Nigeria’s forex market have been observed before, where the naira suddenly gains strength before depreciating again. For example, in April this year, the naira appreciated to as high as N1,072/$1 before it started to weaken again. At the time, the central bank had just lifted the suspension of forex sales to BDC operators, injecting liquidity into the system.NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s recent dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in policy and diplomacy. They were also prime trolling opportunities for Trump. Throughout his first term in the White House and during his campaign to return, Trump has spun out countless provocative, antagonizing and mocking statements. There were his belittling nicknames for political opponents, his impressions of other political figures and the plentiful memes he shared on social media. Now that's he's preparing to return to the Oval Office, Trump is back at it, and his trolling is attracting more attention — and eyerolls. On Sunday, Trump turned a photo of himself seated near a smiling first lady Jill Biden at the Notre Dame ceremony into a social media promo for his new perfume and cologne line, with the tag line, “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist!” The first lady’s office declined to comment. When Trudeau hastily flew to Florida to meet with Trump last month over the president-elect's threat to impose a 25% tax on all Canadian products entering the U.S., the Republican tossed out the idea that Canada become the 51st U.S. state. The Canadians passed off the comment as a joke, but Trump has continued to play up the dig, including in a post Tuesday morning on his social media network referring to the prime minister as “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.” After decades as an entertainer and tabloid fixture, Trump has a flair for the provocative that is aimed at attracting attention and, in his most recent incarnation as a politician, mobilizing fans. He has long relished poking at his opponents, both to demean and minimize them and to delight supporters who share his irreverent comments and posts widely online and cheer for them in person. Trump, to the joy of his fans, first publicly needled Canada on his social media network a week ago when he posted an AI-generated image that showed him standing on a mountain with a Canadian flag next to him and the caption “Oh Canada!” After his latest post, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday: “It sounds like we’re living in a episode of South Park." Trudeau said earlier this week that when it comes to Trump, “his approach will often be to challenge people, to destabilize a negotiating partner, to offer uncertainty and even sometimes a bit of chaos into the well established hallways of democracies and institutions and one of the most important things for us to do is not to freak out, not to panic.” Even Thanksgiving dinner isn't a trolling-free zone for Trump's adversaries. On Thanksgiving Day, Trump posted a movie clip from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” with President Joe Biden and other Democrats’ faces superimposed on the characters in a spoof of the turkey-carving scene. The video shows Trump appearing to explode out of the turkey in a swirl of purple sparks, with the former president stiffly dancing to one of his favorite songs, Village People’s “Y.M.C.A." In his most recent presidential campaign, Trump mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, refusing to call his GOP primary opponent by his real name and instead dubbing him “Ron DeSanctimonious.” He added, for good measure, in a post on his Truth Social network: “I will never call Ron DeSanctimonious ‘Meatball’ Ron, as the Fake News is insisting I will.” As he campaigned against Biden, Trump taunted him in online posts and with comments and impressions at his rallies, deriding the president over his intellect, his walk, his golf game and even his beach body. After Vice President Kamala Harris took over Biden's spot as the Democratic nominee, Trump repeatedly suggested she never worked at McDonalds while in college. Trump, true to form, turned his mocking into a spectacle by appearing at a Pennsylvania McDonalds in October, when he manned the fries station and held an impromptu news conference from the restaurant drive-thru. Trump’s team thinks people should get a sense of humor. “President Trump is a master at messaging and he’s always relatable to the average person, whereas many media members take themselves too seriously and have no concept of anything else other than suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome,” said Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director. “President Trump will Make America Great Again and we are getting back to a sense of optimism after a tumultuous four years.” Though both the Biden and Harris campaigns created and shared memes and launched other stunts to respond to Trump's taunts, so far America’s neighbors to the north are not taking the bait. “I don’t think we should necessarily look on Truth Social for public policy,” Miller said. Gerald Butts, a former top adviser to Trudeau and a close friend, said Trump brought up the 51st state line to Trudeau repeatedly during Trump’s first term in office. “Oh God,” Butts said Tuesday, “At least a half dozen times.” “This is who he is and what he does. He’s trying to destabilize everybody and make people anxious,” Butts said. “He’s trying to get people on the defensive and anxious and therefore willing to do things they wouldn’t otherwise entertain if they had their wits about them. I don’t know why anybody is surprised by it.” Gillies reported from Toronto. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.g lucky 。

A deep-storage battery being trialled in Kununurra in the Kimberley region of Western Australia could solve the clean energy challenge for some of the nation's most remote communities. Login or signup to continue reading As well as being a challenging environment to live or work in, hot and humid Kununurra is not connected to the state or national electricity grid. "A lot of our communities are remote and do struggle with the cost of living and we don't want them to miss out on the energy transition," Horizon Power's executive general manager for business development and strategy Vi Garrood told AAP. "And we don't want to compromise on safety - that's why small-scale trials are really important," she said. the vanadium flow battery won't power cars, laptops or fit into a mobile phone, but it can store energy for 10-12 hours and help homes and worksites to displace diesel and gas with clean, safe and reliable power. As the state's regional power provider, Horizon is using the trial to learn how to provide safe, affordable, reliable off-grid power during extreme temperatures and major weather events. "It's one of the technologies we need to get us to net zero and running on 100 per cent renewables for periods of time," Ms Garrood said. After stress-testing the technology in Kununurra, it could be rolled out across Horizon's microgrids and other systems. "Each battery design is examined on the basis of what application we need it for - so what is the problem it's solving," she said. With a 78-kilowatt capacity and 220 kilowatt hours of storage, WA Energy Minister Reece Whitby says the vanadium battery is well suited to Kimberley conditions, where energy storage must cope with extreme temperatures and deliver energy over a long period of time. "Here in Kununurra, where it was 44 degrees the other day, you need a battery that's tough ... and these, we hope, will do the job very well," Mr Whitby said. "We know that the sun doesn't always shine and the wind doesn't always blow so batteries are the answer in terms of capturing that energy when it's available and dispatching it when it's really needed. "The eyes of the energy world are looking at Kununurra to see how this goes." Horizon is also trialling Redflow's zinc bromine flow battery (100 kW/400 kWh) on Nullagine's microgrid and BASF's sodium sulphur battery (250 kW/1450 kWh) at Carnarvon. The various technologies can shift rooftop solar electricity produced in the middle of the day to evening hours and operate alongside existing lithium-ion batteries in Horizon's network, to provide longer-duration storage. Most of Horizon's systems are microgrids, for remote communities and mining operations, and involve generation, network and retail components all within the particular community they are supporting. Ms Garrood said deep-storage batteries can cover periods of "renewable drought" when there is minimal generation, including for night-time loads. "Long-duration energy storage is important for us because it's predicted to be cost-effective when compared to lithium-ion batteries," she said. "It could open the door to taking our small, microgrid communities to 100 per cent renewable energy - that's the plan." "Our best chance of success at decarbonisation is to throw everything at it, and deep storage is one of many solutions in our toolkit," she said. As the technology is based around a tank of liquid electrolytes, they are less likely to catch fire. They can be scaled up and save space by adding more tanks rather than shipping in container-sized lithium batteries. It's also very important to have local support and gain experience when trialling new technology, especially for systems that are in remote locations and typically automated, Ms Garrood said. The technology supplied by VSUN Energy, an offshoot of mining company Australian Vanadium Ltd (AVL), can charge and discharge energy at the same time and the units have a life span of more than 25 years. With most of the world's vanadium supply coming from Russia, China, and South Africa, AVL intends to provide an ethical supply of vanadium to battery, steel and metals markets. Their electrolyte manufacturing facility in WA is part of a "pit to battery" strategy that could support the rollout of vanadium flow batteries in Australia, according to chief executive Graham Arvidson. While it's a first for Horizon, the 40-year-old technology was invented in Australia at the University of NSW and has been grid-connected for 20 years in other countries. "It's really coming into its own with the energy transition because we're looking at long-duration batteries to enable renewable energy like solar to be shifted from day to evening," Mr Arvidson. "Now that this battery is commissioned, we're looking forward to a true test of what it can do for communities like Kununurra," he said. Australian Associated Press DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Get the latest property and development news here. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. WEEKLY Follow the Newcastle Knights in the NRL? 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No. 22 Illinois 38, Northwestern 28

Donald Trump is returning to the world stage. So is his trolling

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Legendary CBS sportscaster and play-by-play analyst Greg Gumbel has died after a battle with cancer, according to a statement from the family released by CBS Sports on Friday. Gumbel was 78 years old. Gumbel’s instantly recognizable voice was synonymous with meaningful NFL football, as he frequently called games with postseason implications. However, Gumbel was by no means only associated with the NFL. The longtime panelist and play-by-play man was also the voice of Selection Sunday and would announce the teams as they were selected for March Madness, In 2024, Gumbel missed March Madness due to a family health issue, and Ernie Johnson filled in. The crew paid tribute to Gumbel at the beginning of the broadcast. Tributes to Gumbel poured in from across the sports world. “Beyond his March Madness coverage, Gumbel also did play-by-play for NFL games on CBS for over two decades across two stints with the network,” Larry Brown Sports reports . “He also spent two years as the host of the network’s “The NFL Today” studio show. Prior to that, he also did extensive play-by-play work for Major League Baseball games on both CBS and NBC and anchored coverage of various major events, including college football, the College World Series, and the Olympics.”

GEORGETOWN 100, ALBANY 68President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by Jan. 19 while the government emphasized its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk. “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Act’s deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case,” said Trump’s amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case and was written by D. John Sauer, Trump’s choice for solicitor general. The argument submitted to the court is the latest example of Trump inserting himself in national issues before he takes office. The Republican president-elect has already begun negotiating with other countries over his plans to impose tariffs, and he intervened earlier this month in a plan to fund the federal government, calling for a bipartisan plan to be rejected and sending Republicans back to the negotiating table. He has been holding meetings with foreign leaders and business officials at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida while he assembles his administration, including a meeting last week with TikTok CEO Shou Chew. Trump has reversed his position on the popular app, having tried to ban it during his first term in office over national security concerns. He joined the TikTok during his 2024 presidential campaign and his team used it to connect with younger voters, especially male voters, by pushing content that was often macho and aimed at going viral. He said earlier this year that he still believed there were national security risks with TikTok, but that he opposed banning it. The filings Friday come ahead of oral arguments scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. The law was was signed by President Joe Biden in April after it passed Congress with broad bipartisan support. TikTok and ByteDance filed a legal challenge afterwards. Earlier this month, a panel of three federal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute , leading TikTok to appeal the case to the Supreme Court. The brief from Trump said he opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.” In their brief to the Supreme Court on Friday, attorneys for TikTok and its parent company ByteDance argued the federal appeals court erred in its ruling and based its decision on “alleged ‘risks’ that China could exercise control” over TikTok’s U.S. platform by pressuring its foreign affiliates. The Biden administration has argued in court that TikTok poses a national security risk due to its connections to China. Officials say Chinese authorities can compel ByteDance to hand over information on TikTok’s U.S. patrons or use the platform to spread or suppress information. But the government “concedes that it has no evidence China has ever attempted to do so,” TikTok’s legal filing said, adding that the U.S. fears are predicated on future risks. In its filing Friday, the Biden administration said because TikTok “is integrated with ByteDance and relies on its propriety engine developed and maintained in China,” its corporate structure carries with it risk.

Kane Crichlow Scores Twice For ChelmsfordThe dollar and gold gained Friday amid escalating tensions in the Russia-Ukraine war, while stocks got a boost from data. Bitcoin pushed on further with its march towards the $100,000 mark, as the cryptocurrency benefits from US president-elect Donald Trump's pledge to ease regulation around digital tokens. The dollar, considered a safe haven asset, was bolstered by geopolitical uncertainty after Russia said the conflict in Ukraine had the characteristics of a "global" war and did not rule out strikes on Western countries. Meanwhile, the Russian ruble slumped to its lowest level since March 2022 against the US dollar, a day after Moscow fired a hypersonic missile on Ukraine and Washington sanctioned a key Russian bank. Yields on government bonds, another safe haven asset, fell as investors snapped them up, while the gold price rose. "Escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which triggered safe haven gold inflows, pushed the precious metal price to new all-time highs in euros and the pound sterling," said IG analyst Axel Rudolph. Gold also posted strong gains in US dollars. The euro sank to a two-year-low against the dollar and the pound retreated after closely watched surveys showed contractions in business activity in November in the eurozone and Britain. Paris and Frankfurt stocks initially fell after a survey showed that Germany and France, the eurozone's two biggest economies, were once again driving the weakness, with the latter posting the fastest fall in activity since January. But as the euro fell both Paris and Frankfurt stocks managed to recover their losses and advance. "The eurozone data has increased the chance of more rate cuts from the ECB next year," said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB, as well a cut of 50 basis points next month. "Investors have been jolted into recalibrating interest rate expectations on the back of this bleak economic news," she added. London managed to gain 1.4 percent despite data showing that retail sales figures for October undershot forecasts, as the pound fell against the dollar. Wall Street stocks mostly advanced, comforted by positive economic data. "US indices were propped up by the strongest US private sector growth since 2022," said IG's Rudolph. In Asia, Tokyo climbed as the government prepared to announce a $140 billion stimulus package to kickstart the country's stuttering economy. However, Hong Kong and Shanghai sank on a sell-off in tech firms caused by weak earnings from firms including Temu-owner PDD Holdings and internet giant Baidu. Bitcoin set a new record high of $99,505.45 Friday morning before easing back slightly. It is broadly expected to soon burst through $100,000 as investors grow increasingly hopeful that Trump will pass measures to deregulate the crypto sector. Bitcoin has soared more than 40 percent since his election victory this month and has more than doubled since the turn of the year. The recent surge has also been "driven by news that Trump could set up an official crypto department that would sit in the heart of US government", said XTB's Brooks. In a further boost, the top US securities regulator Gary Gensler, who oversaw measures to rein in cryptocurrencies, announced Thursday that he intends to step down when Trump takes office in January. The move clears the way for the president-elect to pick Gensler's successor. New York - Dow: UP 0.6 percent at 44,113.57 points New York - S&P 500: UP 0.1 percent at 5,956.74 New York - Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.2 percent at 18,944.74 London - FTSE 100: UP 1.4 percent at 8,262.08 (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.6 percent at 7,255.01 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.9 percent at 19,322.59 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.7 percent at 38,283.85 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.9 percent at 19,229.97 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 3.1 percent at 3,267.19 (close) Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0396 from $1.0476 on Thursday Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2513 from $1.2587 Dollar/yen: UP at 154.88 yen from 154.54 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 83.10 pence from 83.20 pence West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.9 percent at $70.75 per barrel Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.8 percent at $74.81 per barrel burs-rl/sbk

Marta's magic helped get the Pride to Saturday's NWSL title game against the Washington SpiritNFL moves Broncos-Chargers in Week 16 for first ‘Thursday Night Football’ flex - The Athletic - The New York TimesNagpur: Influential persons from across various sectors sharing success stories and presentation of awards to those who worked for social development were the highlights of the inaugural day of the 11th edition of the prestigious Global Nagpur Summit, organised by Nagpur First, at the Indian Institute of Management ( IIM ) at Mihan-SEZ. Prasanna Mohile , the national head for corporate affairs and executive board member at Pernod Ricard India, delivered the inaugural address. Bhimraya Metri, director of IIM Nagpur, welcomed the guests and delegates. Shashank Rao, co-founder and International Chair of Nagpur First Foundation, provided an overview of the organisation's journey, highlighting its achievements and future vision. Karuna Gopal, president of Foundation for Futuristic Cities, centred her discussion on innovation, leadership, and the path forward for India in the global economy. Tanveer Mirza, India Chair for Nagpur First Foundation and Social Track Chair, in his humorous tone, elaborated on the combination of "sarkar, samaj, and bazar (Govt, society and business)" for embracing environmental responsibilities and introduced the Change Makers – individuals and organisations working to revolutionise the social landscape of the region. A range of Change Maker Awards were presented to organisations such as Aroha Multipurpose, Aura Park, Jui Pandharipande, Lifeskill Foundation, TCS CSR Initiative, Asra Foundation, Sistema Bio Carbon Credit, Welspun Foundation for Health, ICICI Foundation, Bajaj Foundation, Smart U Krishi Khata, Pipo LE Pipe, Abhy Gomchi, Jamshed Singh Kapoor, Swapnil Masram, and Orient Foundation. Following the Impact Talk, the Social Track segment began, with remarkable success stories shared by influential figures from across various sectors. Speakers included Manohar Bhojwani, national head of Daal Mill Cluster, Saurabh Lohani, regional head of Spunwell Syntext Ltd, Sunil Kumar, divisional head of Bajaj Foundation, Bombay, and Raju Petkar, along with Richa Singh from the ICICI Foundation. The stories offered a glimpse into the groundbreaking work being done to foster social development in Central India. The Social Track also featured over 50 exhibitors showcasing their work and social initiatives, offering attendees a chance to explore new ideas and innovations aimed at social upliftment. The inauguration ceremony was hosted by Richa Sugandhh, and the summit was attended by key figures from Nagpur First, including founder and chairman Emeritus Dinesh Jain, along with Shashank Rao, Tanveer Mirza, Vivek Nanoti (Environment Track Chair), Rizwan Ahmed (Technology Track Chair), Jayprakash Parekh (Treasurer), Amitabh Khanna, Austria Ambassador Hakimuddin Ali, and NF Ambassador Faiz Waheed. The summit promises to be an enriching platform for discussion, networking, and the sharing of innovative ideas that will shape the future of Nagpur and the wider region. Nagpur: Influential persons from across various sectors sharing success stories and presentation of awards to those who worked for social development were the highlights of the inaugural day of the 11th edition of the prestigious Global Nagpur Summit, organised by Nagpur First, at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) at Mihan-SEZ. Prasanna Mohile, the national head for corporate affairs and executive board member at Pernod Ricard India, delivered the inaugural address. Bhimraya Metri, director of IIM Nagpur, welcomed the guests and delegates. Shashank Rao, co-founder and International Chair of Nagpur First Foundation, provided an overview of the organisation's journey, highlighting its achievements and future vision. Karuna Gopal, president of Foundation for Futuristic Cities, centred her discussion on innovation, leadership, and the path forward for India in the global economy. Tanveer Mirza, India Chair for Nagpur First Foundation and Social Track Chair, in his humorous tone, elaborated on the combination of "sarkar, samaj, and bazar (Govt, society and business)" for embracing environmental responsibilities and introduced the Change Makers – individuals and organisations working to revolutionise the social landscape of the region. A range of Change Maker Awards were presented to organisations such as Aroha Multipurpose, Aura Park, Jui Pandharipande, Lifeskill Foundation, TCS CSR Initiative, Asra Foundation, Sistema Bio Carbon Credit, Welspun Foundation for Health, ICICI Foundation, Bajaj Foundation, Smart U Krishi Khata, Pipo LE Pipe, Abhy Gomchi, Jamshed Singh Kapoor, Swapnil Masram, and Orient Foundation. Following the Impact Talk, the Social Track segment began, with remarkable success stories shared by influential figures from across various sectors. Speakers included Manohar Bhojwani, national head of Daal Mill Cluster, Saurabh Lohani, regional head of Spunwell Syntext Ltd, Sunil Kumar, divisional head of Bajaj Foundation, Bombay, and Raju Petkar, along with Richa Singh from the ICICI Foundation. The stories offered a glimpse into the groundbreaking work being done to foster social development in Central India. The Social Track also featured over 50 exhibitors showcasing their work and social initiatives, offering attendees a chance to explore new ideas and innovations aimed at social upliftment. The inauguration ceremony was hosted by Richa Sugandhh, and the summit was attended by key figures from Nagpur First, including founder and chairman Emeritus Dinesh Jain, along with Shashank Rao, Tanveer Mirza, Vivek Nanoti (Environment Track Chair), Rizwan Ahmed (Technology Track Chair), Jayprakash Parekh (Treasurer), Amitabh Khanna, Austria Ambassador Hakimuddin Ali, and NF Ambassador Faiz Waheed. The summit promises to be an enriching platform for discussion, networking, and the sharing of innovative ideas that will shape the future of Nagpur and the wider region. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .