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By Nitya Chakraborty US President Donald Trump’s favourite grouping Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) is in deep crisis due to the strain in India-US relations in 2025 covering both trade and political issues and also a dip in personal ties between Trump and the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the role of the US President […]

The article Future Of Trump’s Favourite Grouping QUAD Is At Stake Due To India-US Schism appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

Abu Dhabi-headquartered AD Ports Group has reached a joint venture agreement with France’s CMA CGM Group to acquire a 20 per cent stake in the Latakia International Container Terminal in Syria for USD 22 million. The deal followed the ratification of a shareholders’ agreement signed in Abu Dhabi by Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director & Group CEO of the AD Ports Group, and Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of CMA CGM. The terminal handles over 95 per cent of Syria’s container traffic and is vital for the country’s agricultural export flows and industrial imports.

The new partnership builds on an existing franchise: CMA CGM has operated LICT since 2009 and in May this year signed a 30-year concession with Syrian authorities to expand and modernise the facility with a €230 million investment. Under this expansion plan the terminal’s capacity will scale from around 250,000 twenty-foot equivalent units to approximately 625,000 TEUs by the end of 2026. The AD Ports stake brings fresh funding, regional logistics know-how and establishes a feeder-service linkage via GFS expected to call Latakia in its emerging network.

Analysts note combining AD Ports’ digital-and-logistics platforms with CMA CGM’s terminal-operations experience offers a synergetic boost. Captain Al Shamisi described the deal as reinforcing AD Ports’ role as a “global enabler of trade, logistics and industry” and strengthening its international footprint; Saadé said it underscores CMA CGM’s commitment to the Eastern Mediterranean corridor. Yet risks remain: Syria’s infrastructure base was severely weakened by years of conflict, sanctions regimes remain in flux, and the geopolitical security climate in the Eastern Mediterranean remains volatile. In particular the coastal region around Latakia must contend with residual logistical bottlenecks and war-damaged hinterland links.

From a strategic viewpoint, the deal gives AD Ports exposure to an under-served Mediterranean gateway that has long been overshadowed by Cyprus, Turkey and Egypt. For CMA CGM it provides a partner that can bring capital, Gulf-region networks and feeder-service integration. It also aligns with Syria’s aim to attract foreign investment into its trade infrastructure under recent reforms, aiming to rehabilitate its war-impacted logistics chains and boost maritime connectivity. Governance observers point out that this investment marks one of the first substantial Gulf-region port-logistics ventures in Syria since the cessation of major international sanctions, signalling a potentially broader shift in regional trade flows.

Operationally, the agreement will focus on upgrading terminal infrastructure, digitising cargo-handling and container-tracking systems, enabling larger vessels by deepening docks and extending quays, and integrating feeder-shipping links. LICT’s current capacity constraints mean that the joint venture must invest quickly to meet anticipated growth in Syrian cargo volumes, especially agricultural exports and industrial imports. The container terminal’s status as the main node for land-locked regions within Syria gives it strategic significance beyond the coast: improved throughput at Latakia could ease pressure on border crossings and reduce logistics delays for inland cargo flows.

A fresh platform launched by the startup SolarLedger is aiming to reshape how clean-energy data is processed and verified by introducing what it describes as a “green energy operating system” that embeds robust security features and market interfaces. At the heart of the offering are distributed-ledger and Internet-of-Things tools designed to automate the generation, trading and auditing of solar and other renewable-energy flows. According to the company’s statements, the system incorporates cryptographic tools such as zero-knowledge proofs and multi-signature verification to bolster data authenticity and traceability.

SolarLedger’s solution addresses growing concerns in green-finance and energy markets about the reliability of datasets underpinning asset-backed claims, such as renewable-energy certificates or carbon credits. By running real-time tracking of generation, storage, trading and settlement, the platform aims to reduce friction in peer-to-peer energy transactions and enhance transparency for smaller producers who have lacked access to institutional channels. This comes at a moment when distributed energy generation is expanding rapidly but remains under-represented in traditional electricity markets.

From a market-participant perspective, SolarLedger’s architecture is being pitched as transformative. It enables solar modules and storage systems not only to supply power but also to act as tradeable units with embedded provenance metadata. Smart-contract modules match producers and consumers, while traceable certificates of origin claim to be issued as each kilowatt-hour is generated. The firm states that its system eliminates much of the manual reconciliation and trust-layer overhead that currently slows clean-energy transactions, thereby unlocking new income streams for distributed generators.

On the technical side, the platform’s use of zero-knowledge proofs is particularly noteworthy. ZKPs allow one party to prove a fact is true without revealing the underlying data. This is increasingly recognised in academic literature as a potent tool for privacy-preserving validation in decentralized systems. In SolarLedger’s case, the firm says it uses ZKPs to validate meter-data reports and audit logs without exposing granular user or asset-level details. Complementing this, the system applies multi-signature verification — requiring multiple authorised parties to validate transactions — to further enhance trust in each asset’s lifecycle.

Emerging trends in the broader energy-tech space amplify SolarLedger’s relevance. Analysts observe that decentralised energy systems—particularly rooftop solar, microgrids and battery storage—are growing faster than transmission-interconnection frameworks in many regions. Traditional centralised electricity markets were built at a time when generation was large-scale and top-down. By contrast, distributed-generation assets today face barriers to participation in wholesale or retail markets, often due to information asymmetry, latency in settlement, and limited trust among counterparties. SolarLedger aims to bridge that gap by enabling smaller producers to join trading ecosystems on more flexible and transparent terms.

However, important challenges remain across regulation, interoperability and scalability. While SolarLedger cites pilot testing and proof-of-concept deployments, wide-scale adoption will require alignment with local grid-code legislation, energy-market rules, and national certification schemes. Integration with existing utilities and regulatory frameworks may prove complex, particularly in jurisdictions where grid operations and energy trading are tightly regulated. Furthermore, the academic literature on ZKP implementation cautions that although ZKP offers strong privacy and integrity gains, the complexity and computational overhead can be non-trivial — especially when applied to high-frequency data environments.

Another key player to watch in this space is Powerledger, an Australian blockchain-energy-software company which has built peer-to-peer energy-trading platforms and environmental-commodity tracking solutions. Its experiences highlight the twin challenges of scaling and commercialising such platforms in multiple jurisdictions. SolarLedger will need to demonstrate not just technical readiness but also market-acceptance, cost-competitiveness and regulatory compliance if it is to capture a meaningful share of the decentralised-energy-market value chain.

Canada is set to introduce a comprehensive federal framework aimed at regulating fiat-backed stablecoins under its 2025 budget. The plan mandates issuers to maintain full asset reserves, enforce redemption policies, and deploy robust risk-management and data-security protocols.

The regulatory scheme will be overseen by the Bank of Canada under the existing Retail Payment Activities Act, with the BoC allocating CAD 10 million over two years beginning in the 2026-27 fiscal year for implementation. Administration thereafter is expected to cost around CAD 5 million annually, to be offset through regulated-issuer fees.

This approach aligns Canada with the global trend in digital-asset regulation. The United States passed its own stablecoin legislation in July, placing pressure on Canada to move with similar urgency. The international stablecoin market currently stands above USD 300 billion and is projected to reach USD 2 trillion by 2028.

Regulated issuers will face specific requirements: they must hold reserves sufficient to cover outstanding stablecoins, enable immediate redemption at par value, and adopt risk protocols covering operational, credit, and market exposures. Issuers also must protect consumers’ personal and financial data and support national-security safeguards. Entities already operating as payment-service providers may need to transition under the Retail Payment Activities Act if they issue “prescribed stablecoins”.

Industry reaction has been broadly positive. The Canada arm of Coinbase called the framework “a watershed moment” that will “change how Canadians interact with money and the internet”. Fintech firms such as Tetra Digital and Wealthsimple, which are developing Canadian-dollar stablecoin offerings, have welcomed clarity of regulation as unlocking innovation. Nonetheless, some market commentators caution that tighter regulation must avoid stifling fintech entrants or pushing innovation offshore.

Canada’s decision follows a growing regulatory impetus. The BoC had earlier urged federal and provincial authorities to coordinate efforts on stable-coin regulation and payment-system modernisation, highlighting that Canada’s payment infrastructure lagged that of other advanced economies.

The timing of the regulatory initiative is notable. While the budget itself does not specify the exact date when the legislation will be tabled, it signals a shift toward payment-ecosystem reform. The budget also signals expansion of the BoC’s oversight of payment-service firms and accelerated deployment of the Real-Time Rail payments system expected to launch in 2026.

Analysts see multiple drivers behind the move: protecting consumers from stable-coin issuer failure; preserving monetary sovereignty by keeping domestic transactions off unregulated foreign stablecoins; encouraging competition and innovation in the payments sector; and aligning with international regulatory frameworks as digital assets blur traditional banking boundaries.

Some key challenges lie ahead. Defining which tokens qualify as “stablecoins” under the framework, and carving the issuer view between payment-instrument regulation and securities regimes at the provincial level, remain open. Enforcement mechanisms, cross-border coordination, and transitional arrangements for existing issuers will also test regulators’ capacity.

Under the announced funding plan, the BoC will allocate CAD 10 million over the first two years to establish regulation of stablecoin issuance and oversight, beginning in the 2026-27 fiscal period. Ongoing annual oversight costs of CAD 5 million will be recouped via licensed-issuer fees. Regulators assert that the initiative will support faster, cheaper and safer payment flows for Canadians while reducing reliance on unregulated digital tokens.

Abu Dhabi’s state energy company signed a 15-year sales and purchase agreement with a unit of British energy major for the delivery of up to 1 million tonnes per annum of liquefied natural gas. The contract represents the first long-term LNG sales deal between the company and Shell and marks the eighth offtake agreement secured for its new export facility.

The LNG will be supplied from the Ruwais LNG project in Al Ruwais Industrial City, Abu Dhabi, which is under development and is set to become the first LNG export plant in the Middle East and Africa region to operate on clean power. Shell holds a 10 per cent equity stake in the project. The agreement converts a previous heads of agreement into a definitive contract and accelerates the project’s commercial timeline.

By securing this deal, more than 8 mtpa of the facility’s planned 9.6 mtpa capacity has already been contracted across Asia and Europe, just 16 months after the project’s final investment decision in July 2024. The project comprises two liquefaction trains of 4.8 mtpa each and is designed to more than double the company’s existing LNG production capacity to around 15 mtpa.

The deal is timed to global gas-market conditions where demand is picking up and energy security is a key concern for buyers. By locking in long-term supply, the exporting company seeks to position itself as a “reliable global supplier of lower-carbon LNG”, while the buyer views the contract as a strategic commitment to expanding its LNG portfolio and securing long-term supplies.

For the seller, the rapid pace at which contract commitments have been won is significant. The chief executive of the gas-division described the achievement of contracting more than 80 per cent of the plant’s capacity within roughly a year of FID as “a new benchmark” for large-scale LNG projects globally, and noted that construction, contractor mobilisation and site works remain on track for commissioning by the end of 2028. The buyer emphasised its long-standing partnership of more than fifty years with the Abu Dhabi exporter and said the agreement supports its global LNG-expansion strategy.

Analysts note that the project’s clean-power design, advanced technology deployment, and rapid contracting distinguish it in the LNG market. That said, while the exporting company releases its ambition to expand its LNG portfolio, competitors in the region are also pursuing aggressive growth, raising competitive risk. Moreover, delivering commercial operations at a low-carbon intensity adds complexity and cost — achieving the projected timeline and performance will require careful execution.

On the demand side, the contract underscores how buyers are increasingly seeking longer-term and lower-emissions supply arrangements in the transition-era gas market. For the buyer, the deal adds to its diversified portfolio of LNG suppliers as it faces intensified competition for cargoes from traditionally dominant exporters. The seller’s ability to secure multiple offtake agreements rapidly helps de-risk the project and supports financing and construction momentum.

One key theme emerging is the alignment of LNG expansion with sustainability credentials. The Ruwais facility’s design to run on clean grid-powered operations, along with claims of being among the lowest-carbon intensity LNG plants globally, reflects a shift in gas-project metrics: projects are now evaluated not solely on cost and capacity but also on carbon footprint and technology sophistication. This trends suggests that access to lower-carbon LNG could become a differentiator among suppliers and a value driver for buyers.

However, achieving this low-carbon ambition may face challenges such as securing clean-power infrastructure, managing capital-cost escalation, and meeting stringent environmental and regulatory expectations across export markets. The broader LNG market is also subject to volatility in feed-gas supply, shipping capacity constraints, and fluctuating demand growth in key markets such as Asia and Europe.

By Dr. Arun Mitra On October 29, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that ‘Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War [the Pentagon] to start testing our nuclear weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately. This statement is not only disturbing but also extremely dangerous’. The last […]

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