Le Journal

Knause shines as Tenafly shuts out Paramus Catholic - Boys ice hockey recap

No. 9 Ridgewood skates past West Milford - Boys ice hockey recap

Luxury fashion brand Prada has announced a line of limited-edited footwear inspired by India-made Kolhapuri sandals. The brand will make 2,000 pairs of sandals in India’s Maharashtra and Karnataka states under a deal with two state-backed entities, according to Reuters. “We’ll mix the original manufacturer’s standard capabilities with our manufacturing techniques,” Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada’s head of Corporate Social Responsibility, said. The collection is set to go on sale in February 2026, online and in 40 Prada stores across the world. A pair of sandals will be priced $939. The agreement was signed on Thursday, during the Italy-India Business Forum 2025. READ: Hinge CEO leaves position to launch AI dating app (December 10, 2025) Previously, Prada faced widespread criticism for showcasing sandals that closely resembled the traditional Kolhapuri sandals made in Maharashtra and Karnataka. While the sandals were labelled “leather footwear,” their origins were not mentioned, prompting accusations of cultural appropriation. Several individuals had criticized Prada for the product. Lalit Gandhi, president of the Maharashtra chamber of commerce, said, “The collection includes footwear designs that bear a close resemblance to Kolhapuri sandals, a traditional handcrafted leather sandal that has been awarded ‘geographical indication’ status by the government of India in 2019.” The geographical indication tag verifies that a product originates in a specific place. The sandals’ origins go back to the 12th century to the city of Kolhapur in western Maharashtra state. “While Indian artisans and small-scale producers excel in craftsmanship, they rarely have access to capital or business acumen” to position their products globally as luxury goods, Dhanendra Kumar, an ex-World Bank executive director, said in India’s Economic Times. Meanwhile, actress Kareena Kapoor took a dig at the product via social media by posting a picture of her traditional Kolhapuri sandals on Instagram, with the caption “Sorry not Prada…(laughing and punching emoji) but my OG kolapuri (Heart emoji)️.” Artisans from Kolhapur had also stated they were saddened by the use of their design without due credit. On Friday, Maharashtra’s Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat told BBC Marathi that the new initiative will be called “Prada Made in India – Inspired by Kolhapuri Chappals [sandals].” “Keeping in mind Prada’s requirements and demand, some artisans will receive special training from Prada and LIDCOM [a state-backed entity supporting the leather industry in Maharashtra]. Additionally, around 200 Kolhapuri chappal artisans will be given three years of training in Italy,” he said. Shirsat said the agreement had been signed for five years but expressed confidence that it would be extended further. The post Prada to launch $930 ‘made in India’ Kolhapuri sandals following backlash appeared first on The American Bazaar.

As the steel industry around the world faces mounting pressure to decarbonize, Arabian Gulf Steel Industries (AGSI) is leading efforts in the UAE to align steel production with measurable sustainability outcomes. AGSI is the world’s first certified Carbon Neutral and Net Zero Steel Manufacturing Facility, based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Their steel is made from 100% locally sourced recycled scrap, supporting a fully circular economy. This process not only avoids emissions linked to traditional steelmaking but also recycles all operational waste, creating a closed-loop system that minimizes environmental impact. With the tagline “Net Zero steel for a sustainable future,” AGSI was founded with a vision to be at the forefront of environmentally responsible manufacturing — the firm has grown into one of the Gulf region’s key players in the steel sector. READ: Magure eyes unicorn status: In conversation with Akhil Koka at CARE and DATE 2025 (December 11, 2025) AGSI’s CEO Assam Hussain, has been instrumental in steering the company’s operational philosophy toward low-carbon steel production, digital innovation, and transparency across the value chain. In an exclusive interview with The American Bazaar, Hussain outlines AGSI’s circular production model, carbon certification efforts, and opportunities for innovation in the steel sector. The American Bazaar: What does sustainability look like in steel today from your perspective? Assam Hussain: Sustainability in steel today is about moving from broad commitments to outcomes that can be measured and independently confirmed. It involves clearer reporting and greater accountability across the value chain. This translates into the way we design and operate our plant. We focus on cleaner operations, full traceability of materials, and accurate monitoring of our environmental footprint. These elements are built into our systems and guide how we continue to develop and strengthen our production capabilities How is AGSI working to cut emissions or make production greener? AGSI reduces emissions through the way we operate and source our materials. We use an electric steelmaking route that avoids the direct emissions associated with traditional steelmaking, and our raw materials are entirely sourced from locally collected scrap, which supports a more circular use of resources. Our environmental footprint is independently verified, including PAS 2060 certification for carbon neutrality and third-party measurement of our carbon intensity. This allows us to maintain a consistent and transparent emissions profile that aligns with national industrial and climate priorities. What challenges do you face in making low-carbon steel more mainstream in the region? One of the main challenges is awareness. Many stakeholders still assume that lower-carbon steel is a specialized alternative rather than a practical option that can meet the same technical requirements as conventional products. There is also limited clarity in the market around how different production routes compare, which makes it harder for customers to distinguish between verified low-carbon steel and general sustainability claims. READ: Hinge CEO leaves position to launch AI dating app (December 10, 2025) Another challenge is the absence of consistent regional standards that define and classify carbon performance in steel. Clearer frameworks, similar to what we see emerging in Europe, would make it easier for developers and contractors to set requirements and for producers to demonstrate compliance. The direction of policy in the UAE is helping address this, and we are seeing growing interest from customers who want transparency and reliable data. Where do you see the biggest opportunities for innovation in the steel industry right now? The most significant opportunities lie in the integration of digital systems with clean production technologies. Advancements in scrap processing, real-time emissions tracking, energy-efficiency optimisation, and…

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren may be going after President Donald Trump by using Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Warren called on Thursday for Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Commerce Department Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify after President Donald Trump announced plans to greenlight sales of Nvidia’s second-most advanced AI chip to China. “Will Donald Trump muzzle his own Justice Department because he does not want Americans to know that he is selling out our national security?” she asked. READ: India hit by Trump’s 50% tariffs as Modi pushes back with economic, self-reliance measures (August 27, 2025) The request follows recent policy changes that allow high-performance AI hardware to be sold abroad under U.S. export regulations. Warren emphasized the importance of Congressional oversight to ensure that these advanced chips are not used in ways that could threaten U.S. technological leadership or compromise sensitive applications. White House spokesman Kush Desai said, “There’s an obvious difference between chips being illegally smuggled to unknown buyers without regulatory oversight and chips being exported following national security inspections to specifically designated end users.” The United States government approved the export of Nvidia’s H200 artificial intelligence (AI) chips to China, marking a significant shift in long-standing U.S. export controls on advanced semiconductor technology. The H200 is a high-performance AI accelerator used for complex machine learning and data center workloads. The export decision allows Nvidia to sell these chips to approved Chinese customers, subject to U.S. government licensing and oversight. The policy change was announced by President Trump and involves the U.S. government collecting a 25 % share of the revenue from these sales as part of the export framework. Nvidia has stated that China represents a relatively small portion of its advanced chip business and that all exports will comply with licensing requirements. The move partially reverses previous export restrictions that barred the shipment of H200-class GPUs to China over national security concerns, though the most advanced chips remain restricted. Nvidia emphasized in a statement that H200 sales to China would still require a U.S. government license, and described the overall share of chips going to China as a small percentage of the advanced AI chips already sold to U.S. customers. Companies like Nvidia operate at the forefront of innovation but their products can have implications far beyond commercial markets, influencing global competitiveness, supply chains, and defense capabilities. Policymakers must balance economic benefits with national security considerations and the need to maintain technological leadership. Congressional oversight, as demonstrated by Senator Elizabeth Warren’s call for testimony, highlights the role of lawmakers in ensuring that commercial interests do not compromise strategic priorities. READ: India, Russia, and the $16 billion oil arbitrage: What’s really going on? (August 20, 2025) It is also unclear how Congressional hearings, public scrutiny, or future policy changes might affect subsequent decisions on AI hardware exports. As AI hardware becomes more powerful and globally distributed, countries must consider not only domestic regulations but also how exports affect global security, economic stability, and technological ecosystems. Collaboration between industry, government, and international partners can help establish safeguards that prevent misuse, promote innovation, and ensure fair competition. The post Elizabeth Warren summons Nvidia CEO to testify against Trump appeared first on The American Bazaar.