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Indian-origin mathematician gets prestigious Fields Medal

A renowned Indian-origin mathematician has won the prestigious Fields medal, which is known as the Nobel prize for maths.

Akshay Venkatesh has been awarded the honour for his contributions to a broad range of subjects in mathematics.


The 36-year-old is born in New Delhi and currently teaches at Stanford University. Venkatesh moved to Perth, Australia, when he was just two and he finished high school when he was 13.

At the age of 16, he graduated with first class honours in mathematics from the University of Western Australia. Four years later, Venkatesh earned his PhD.

The Fields Medal was given to Venkatesh at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Rio de Janeiro.

The Fields medals are awarded every four years to promising mathematicians under 40. The prize was inaugurated in 1932 at the request of Canadian mathematician John Charles Fields, and each winner receives a 15,000 Canadian-dollar cash prize.

Venkatesh has won numerous awards, including the Ostrowski Prize, the Infosys Prize, the Salem Prize and Sastra Ramanujan Prize.

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London tourist levy

The capital recorded 89 m overnight stays in 2024

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London to introduce tourist levy that could raise £240 million a year

Kumail Jaffer

Highlights

  • Government expected to give London powers to bring in a tourist levy on overnight stays.
  • GLA study says a £1 fee could raise £91m, a 5 per cent charge could generate £240m annually.
  • Research suggests London would not see a major fall in visitor numbers if levy introduced.
The mayor of London has welcomed reports that he will soon be allowed to introduce a tourist levy on overnight visitors, with new analysis outlining how a charge could work in the capital.
Early estimates suggest a London levy could raise as much as £240 m every year. The capital recorded 89 m overnight stays in 2024.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to give Sadiq Khan and other English city leaders the power to impose such a levy through the upcoming English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. London currently cannot set its own tourist tax, making England the only G7 nation where national government blocks local authorities from doing so.

A spokesperson for the mayor said City Hall supported the idea in principle, adding “The Mayor has been clear that a modest tourist levy, similar to other international cities, would boost our economy, deliver growth and help cement London’s reputation as a global tourism and business destination.”

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