Latest news with #KML
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Business Standard
18 hours ago
- General
- Business Standard
Centre issues draft rules to ease tree felling on farms, boost agroforestry
The Centre has issued model rules for the felling of trees on agricultural land in a bid to promote agroforestry with the aim of doubling farmers' incomes, increasing tree cover outside forests and mitigating climate change. In a letter sent to all state governments on June 19, the environment ministry said the objective of 'Model Rules for Felling of Trees in Agricultural Lands' is to enhance the ease of doing business in agroforestry and incentivise farmers to integrate trees into their farming systems without facing undue procedural hurdles. The government has been promoting agroforestry to double farmers' income, enhance tree cover outside forests, mitigate climate change, reduce timber imports and ensure sustainable land use. It also supports India's climate goals under the Paris Agreement. A key barrier is the lack of clear, harmonised rules for felling trees on agricultural land which affects cultivation and marketing of agroforestry produce, according to the ministry. According to the model rules, the State Level Committee (SLC) already formed under the Wood-Based Industries (Establishment and Regulation) Guidelines, 2016 will also serve as the committee for these rules. It will now also include officials from revenue and agriculture departments. The committee will advise the state government on how to promote agroforestry and increase timber production from agricultural lands by simplifying rules for felling and transit of trees, especially species with commercial value. It will empanel agencies for verification of applications and transit of timber from agricultural lands. Applicants must register their plantation land on the National Timber Management System (NTMS) portal. They have to enter land ownership details and the location of their agricultural land. They must give basic plantation details, including the number of saplings by species, planting date (month and year) and the average height of seedlings. Applicants will also have to update this information as required by the SLC. Each tree must be photographed with geotagged images in KML file format. These details will be monitored by field functionaries from the forest, agriculture and panchayati raj departments. For lands with more than 10 trees, the applicant must apply online through the NTMS, giving detailed information about the trees to be felled. The verifying agency will do a field visit and prepare a report with details about the land, trees and the estimated quantity of timber. Based on this, a felling permit will be generated. For application for felling of up to 10 trees, applicants need to upload trees' photos to the NTMS. The system will estimate the tree size (girth, height), yield and species. Applicants also need to inform the planned felling date. After felling, they must upload stump photos. The department concerned may also send an officer to verify. In this case, the no objection certificate for felling will be issued automatically through the portal. Divisional forest officers will monitor how verifying agencies are functioning. They will submit a report every quarter to the SLC on the performance of these agencies.
The Hindu
20 hours ago
- General
- The Hindu
Centre issues draft rules to ease tree felling on agricultural land, boost agroforestry
The Centre has issued model rules for the felling of trees on agricultural land in a bid to promote agroforestry with the aim of doubling farmers' incomes, increasing tree cover outside forests and mitigating climate change. In a letter sent to all state governments on June 19, the environment ministry said the objective of 'Model Rules for Felling of Trees in Agricultural Lands' is to enhance the ease of doing business in agroforestry and incentivise farmers to integrate trees into their farming systems without facing undue procedural hurdles. The government has been promoting agroforestry to double farmers' income, enhance tree cover outside forests, mitigate climate change, reduce timber imports and ensure sustainable land use. It also supports India's climate goals under the Paris Agreement. A key barrier is the lack of clear, harmonised rules for felling trees on agricultural land which affects cultivation and marketing of agroforestry produce, according to the ministry. According to the model rules, the State Level Committee (SLC) already formed under the Wood-Based Industries (Establishment and Regulation) Guidelines, 2016 will also serve as the committee for these rules. It will now also include officials from revenue and agriculture departments. The committee will advise the State government on how to promote agroforestry and increase timber production from agricultural lands by simplifying rules for felling and transit of trees, especially species with commercial value. It will empanel agencies for verification of applications and transit of timber from agricultural lands. Register plantation land Applicants must register their plantation land on the National Timber Management System (NTMS) portal. They have to enter land ownership details and the location of their agricultural land. They must give basic plantation details, including the number of saplings by species, planting date (month and year) and the average height of seedlings. Applicants will also have to update this information as required by the SLC. Each tree must be photographed with geotagged images in KML file format. These details will be monitored by field functionaries from the forest, agriculture and panchayati raj departments. For lands with more than 10 trees, the applicant must apply online through the NTMS, giving detailed information about the trees to be felled. The verifying agency will do a field visit and prepare a report with details about the land, trees and the estimated quantity of timber. Based on this, a felling permit will be generated. For application for felling of up to 10 trees, applicants need to upload trees' photos to the NTMS. The system will estimate the tree size (girth, height), yield and species. Applicants also need to inform the planned felling date. After felling, they must upload stump photos. The department concerned may also send an officer to verify. In this case, the no objection certificate for felling will be issued automatically through the portal. Divisional forest officers will monitor how verifying agencies are functioning. They will submit a report every quarter to the SLC on the performance of these agencies.
Vogue Arabia
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue Arabia
Saudi Label KML Blends Tradition and Modernity in Bold New Fashion Vision
Minimalism is often loud in fashion–white walls, clean lines and an air of controlled cool. So when I joined a Zoom call with KML's co-founders, Saudi sibling duo Ahmad and Razan Hassan, fresh off their LVMH Prize semi-final showing, I expected more of the same. What I got instead was something far more intimate and far more telling. Rather than a stylised, stark studio, the backdrop looked suspiciously like a childhood bedroom – a pristine, peachy beige one at that – immaculately organised with crisp white sheets that matched their optic tops. The unfiltered scene upended any assumptions about what a 'fashion founder' space should look like: earnest, personal, as far removed from pretentious as you can get. It was, as I quickly discovered, entirely aligned with KML's quietly contrarian approach to style. Photography by Lesha Lich, Styling by Ahmed Zaher Hassan KML, pronounced kamal, is an Arabic word meaning 'complete', an idea that sits at the core of the brand's ethos. 'It's this cultural and existential idea of people becoming more perfect, more complete when they put clothing on - the duality of being perfect on one's own, and more so when something is added,' explains Ahmad thoughtfully. It's a compelling notion, clothing not just as cover, but as an extension of self. Photography by Lesha Lich, Styling by Ahmed Zaher Hassan Raised in Medina, a city where cultures intertwine and inform one another, Ahmad and Razan's aesthetic is a direct product of the world they come from. A place where East meets West, old meets new and everything feels fluid. 'Medina is a city of mixing,' Ahmad explains, describing the fusion of Asian, African and Arab influences in their everyday lives. 'When we first started, we were focused on how different we are from other cultures. But the truth revealed the opposite; we're more similar than we are different. That was a humbling slap in the face,' he laughs. Photography by Lesha Lich, Styling by Ahmed Zaher Hassan The spirit of evolution runs through KML's latest collection, where traditional tunic tops are constructed as hybrids – part Arabian thobe, part Japanese kimono – boldly disrupted by sharp back cut-outs. Elsewhere, dramatic asymmetrical shoulder tops cut a clean silhouette, draping fluidly on both men and women, worn to great effect by model Nour Arida and celebrity stylist Law Roach at Riyadh Fashion Week. The result is a cross-cultural, gender-neutral thread that weaves together seemingly disparate influences into a coherent whole. 'There's respect for the traditional, but we're not interested in rehashing the past,' Razan says in her measured tone. 'Our goal is to evolve it. To develop it.' 'Culture that doesn't evolve risks becoming an artefact,' adds Ahmed. Its statements like these, delivered with world-weary clarity, that give the duo the essence of old souls, more like elder statesmen than the millennials they presumably are. Photography by Lesha Lich, Styling by Ahmed Zaher Hassan Where KML takes a bold step forward is in its vision of masculinity. In a world where men's fashion often recycles familiar formulas – tailored suits, sharp lines, the ubiquitous statement tee and athleisure ('casualisation as the end of humanity,' they joke) – KML offers something subtler, more introspective and altogether surprising. Nipped-in waists attenuated with thick obi-style leather belts, cropped midriff-baring jackets and voluminous skirts coaxed into place with generous draping – made practical with pockets, a utilitarian feature already appreciated by the women eager to raid this collection. Yes, we're talking menswear. It's an androgynous vision rendered in a restrained palette of black, white and muted beige, a colour-scheme and silhouette that trades bravado for nuance. Photography by Lesha Lich, Styling by Ahmed Zaher Hassan If it comes across as prolific, or groundbreaking, it shouldn't. 'Clothes – libās in Arabic – are inherently without gender,' Ahmad explains. The word's etymology opens the door to a freer interpretation of dress, unburdened by modern constructs. 'What fascinates me most is the origin of their ideas,' writes Massimiliano Di Battista, CEO of M+A Talent Group, who first encountered KML at the Saudi 100 Brands collective show in Paris. 'They reinterpret traditional Saudi ceremonial clothing for contemporary times. Their line is deeply modern yet rooted in history and craftsmanship in such an unconventional way.' That tension between heritage and reinvention has drawn international attention. This summer, Selfridges will stock a select edit of KML, a milestone that speaks to a shifting global curiosity about fashion that defies borders and binaries. Photography by Lesha Lich, Styling by Ahmed Zaher Hassan Yet, Ahmad and Razan challenge the assumption that expressive or fluid fashion for men is a Western novelty. In fact, across Saudi Arabia, men have long worn eyeliner, floral crowns, silver jewellery, colourful skirts unapologetically and without questioning their manhood. The Qahtanis, one of the oldest tribes in the Kingdom and known as the Flower Men, famously adorn their head-dresses with blooms, not as acts of rebellion, but as expressions of identity and unity with nature. 'These flowers are there, these colours are there. Why not wear them?' Ahmad asks, rhetorically. What's curious is how different generations receive KML's work. For older Saudis, the garments feel familiar, an echo of fading traditions. For younger audiences, they read as edgy, even avant-garde. This tension reveals how much Western influence has reshaped regional norms around gender and style. But for the Hassans, the intention isn't to provoke shock value. 'We're not rebelling,' Ahmad says. 'We're rejecting the rebellion that tried to erase our own traditions, re-writing them through a reflective lens.' Photography by Lesha Lich, Styling by Ahmed Zaher Hassan With the LVMH Prize experience behind them, what's next for the tireless duo who thrive on a meticulous process rooted in research, documentation and unflinching editing? 'Colour – there's a whole universe behind it,' Razan muses. It's a new realm they're eager to explore, particularly through cultural depth and representation, sure to be tinged with symbiotic meaning. They're also expanding beyond garments, 'a continued expansion of adorning the body in different 'covers' – jewellery, accessories, bags…things that we feel are still missing to complete the full story.' For both, the LVMH Prize offered more than visibility. 'It was a reminder that relevance isn't exclusive to one culture. When something is made with intent and beauty, it carries its own universality,' Ahmad reflects. 'If you'd asked me four years ago, I would have said I designed to set us apart. Today, I see it differently. It's what makes us similar, what makes us unified – that's more powerful. It's where the conversation begins.' Photography: Lesha Lich Styling: Ahmed Zaher Hassan Senior Fashion Editor: Mohammad Hazem Rezq Visuals Editor: Jody Fathalla Models: Jamal Sultan Alsaleh and Tala Alakeel
Vogue Arabia
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue Arabia
Inside Vogue Arabia's June Saudi 2025 Issue
Photo: Nora Alharthi by Fahad Al Shanbari near Jabal Cafe, Taif A new wave of Saudi creatives and entrepreneurs take centre stage in this month's issue. Photographed in the predominantly-male rose fields of Taif, Nora Alharthi personifies the kingdom's progressive path, having created a luxury e-commerce business stemming from the roses native to her hometown. In fashion, we speak to Ahmad and Razan Hassan, the founders of fashion label KML, which was a semi-finalist for the 2025 LVMH Prize. Ahmad Hassan, Photographed by Lesha Lich, Styled by Ahmed Zaher Hassan Photography by Lesha Lich, Styling by Ahmed Zaher Hassan In music, we catch up with Ramadan Alharatani, the CEO of MDLBEAST, which has organised massive, multi-genre music festivals in the Kingdom, and DJ Nooriyah, who is carving out a space for SWANA sounds in London, and will be performing at Glastonbury Festival 2025. Photographed by Stef Galea, Styled by Natalie Westernoff Photographed by Stef Galea, Styled by Natalie Westernoff Just in time to inspire your summer holiday itineraries, entrepreneurs with Saudi roots share their favourite spots in cities such as Milan and Los Angeles. Also worth incorporating into your travel plans are two events that just kicked off in Europe, and will be running throughout the summer: in Paris, we get a first look at The Mystery of Cleopatra exhibition opening this month at the Arab World Institute, and in Venice, we meet the visionaries behind the Arab pavilions at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025.
Arab News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Fashion trailblazers honored at Riyadh awards
RIYADH: Women's Wear Daily, in collaboration with the Saudi Fashion Commission, honored several creatives at an awards ceremony in Riyadh on Thursday. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ Alessandro Sartori, artistic director of Zegna, was named International Designer of the Year, while Matteo Tamburini, creative director of Tod's, received the International Brand of the Year award. Patrick Ta, founder of Patrick Ta Beauty, was named International Beauty Innovator of the Year, and Glow Recipe was awarded International Beauty Brand of the Year. Additional awards presented by the Saudi Fashion Commission celebrated the achievements of several Saudi Arabia brands and individuals. Rawan Kattoa was named Fashion Stylist of the Year, Rayyan Nawawi received the Fashion Photographer of the Year award, and KML was recognized as Menswear Brand of the Year. In addition, Abadia was named Womenswear Brand of the Year, Charmaleena as Jewelry Brand of the Year, and the Elite Model Honorary Award for Model of the Year went to Talida Tamer. The judging panel included industry leaders Law Roach, Amanda Smith, Burak Cakmak, Xavier Romatet, Mohammed Aldabbageh, and Mai Badr. In her acceptance speech, Kattoa said: 'This award means so much to me. It represents a journey that started as a freelancer ... I want to thank my husband for his support, my parents for their inspiration, and all the creatives who made this possible.' Ahmad Hassan, co-founder of KML, said: 'This is such an award for the first time ... It means the world to us. Being recognized in our home country makes this achievement even more special.' 'We were born and raised here, and to have our work celebrated in Riyadh is a dream come true. This award inspires us to push boundaries and innovate in our designs,' he added. Reflecting on the evolving fashion scene, Hassan said: 'Events like this showcase the incredible talent we have in Saudi Arabia. It encourages us to keep creating and to elevate our craft.' 'We are committed to telling our story through fashion and contributing to this vibrant industry,' he added.
