DUBAI,Jan 2021: The United Arab Emirates has adopted amendments that would allow the Gulf state to grant citizenship to investors and other professionals including scientists, doctors and their families, the government said on Saturday.
“The UAE cabinet, local Emiri courts and executive councils will nominate those eligible for the citizenship under clear criteria set for each category,” Dubai’s ruler and UAE Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said in a twitter post.
“The law allows receivers of the UAE passport to keep their existing citizenship,” Sheikh Mohammed added.
It was unclear if new passport holders would benefit from the public welfare system. The UAE spends billions of dollars each year on free education, healthcare, housing loans and grants for its estimated 1.4 million citizens.
Foreigners in the UAE usually have renewable visas valid for only a few years tied to employment. The government in recent has made its visa policy more flexible, offering longer residencies for certain types of investors, students and professionals.
Last year, the government extended its “golden” visa system – which grants 10-year residency in the Gulf state – to certain professionals, specialised degree-holders and others.
An oil and gas producer, the UAE’s economy has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic and low oil prices, prompting tens of thousands of expatriates to leave.
Chennai, Jan 30,2021: Floral tributes were paid to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of his death anniversary in Tamil Nadu today.
Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, Ministers and other dignitaries garlanded the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the Marina Beach front and paid floral tributes to a decorated portrait of the late leader.
An all religious prayer was also held to mark the occasion.
Later, the Governor paid floral tributes to a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Bhavan and also administered the untouchability pledge to the officers and staff members of Raj Bhavan.
Elsewhere in the State leaders of various parties paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi to mark the occasion.
New York [US], January 30 ,2021: UN Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism Vladimir Voronkov said on Friday that some 27,000 children remain stranded in the Al-Hawl refugee camp in northeastern Syria, despite the efforts undertaken over the past years to repatriate them.
“The first efforts to repatriate children from Al-Hawl date back to 2017. Four years later, 27,000 remain stranded, abandoned to their fate, left to the probation of ISIL,” Voronkov said during an informal meeting of the UN Security Council on Friday.
The diplomat described the conditions in the Al-Hawl as “horrific,” adding that, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the repatriation of children is among the “most pressing” issues in the world.
Voronkov explained that along with other camps in northeastern Syria, Al-Hawl is in particular in harm’s way – deprived of basic support, vulnerable to the probations of the Islamic State enforcers, and at risk of radicalization.
He further noted that refugee camps across northeastern Syrian and Iraq shelter children from 60 states, and it is the responsibility of their countries of origin to repatriate them.
“I urge all member states to fulfill their responsibilities and to ensure the protection and voluntary repatriation of their children,” Voronkov stated.
New York , January 30,2021: India recognizes the need to develop conflict-sensitive approaches to ensure prosecution, repatriation, and rehabilitation of children of foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs), said Nagaraj Naidu, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of India’s Mission to UN.
Ambassador Naidu made these remarks at the United Nations Security Council Open Arria Formula meeting on the issue of “Children and Armed Conflict: Repatriation of Children from Conflict Zones: From Camps to Homes. Call for Action.”
Raising concern about a recent trend in global terrorism, Naidu said, “For terror groups, children are most susceptible to manipulation. Used as guards, spies, cooks, suicide bombers or human shields, these terror groups understand that children cannot fully grasp the inherent danger of combat, have an underdeveloped sense of right and wrong.
India’s Deputy Permanent Representative said that the treatment of children affected by the FTF phenomenon should be based on the fulfillment of their rights as defined by the international human rights law, in particular the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the international humanitarian law.
“The Convention on the Rights of the Child establishes States parties’ obligations to promote the rehabilitation and social integration of children affected by armed conflict in an environment which fosters the “health, self-respect, and dignity of the child”. Council Resolution 2396 (2017) also encourages States to develop appropriate legal safeguards to ensure that PRR strategies concerning children comply with gender and age sensitivities,” he added.
Ambassador Naidu further said although some member states have begun repatriating children of FTFs, the pace has been slow. “It is thus evident that circumstances of the situation will determine whether the children of FTFs can be taken back or not, given national legislation and/or absence of clear evidence for their claim,” he said.
“In view of the complexity of the situation, we are supportive of any UN-led effort aimed at identifying solutions informed by an understanding of the rights and interests of the children of FTFs and implemented in a manner that is consistent with human rights, humanitarian law, and respective national laws,” he added.
Washington DC [US], January 30 ,2021: The Biden administration is prioritizing dealing with Iran’s progress towards achieving a nuclear weapon, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Friday.
“From our perspective, a critical early priority has to be to deal with what is an escalating nuclear crisis as they move closer and closer to having enough fissile material for a weapon,” Sullivan said during a virtual panel discussion hosted by the US Institute of Peace.
The Biden administration would like to reestablish some of the constraints on Iran’s nuclear program that have fallen apart over the past two years, Sullivan said.
President Joe Biden has vowed to renter the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) after his predecessor Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the accord and pursued a “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran.
The agreement constrained Iranian nuclear activities in return for easing of sanctions.
New Delhi, Jan.30: Asserting that this decade is very important for the bright future of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday indicated that the coming Union Budget will be seen as part of last year’s mini budgets which were announced in the form of packages.
Speaking to media at Parliament House, Mr Modi said that in 2020, for the first time in the country’s history, the Finance Minister had to present 4-5 mini budgets as packages. “This year’s budget will also be seen as part of the series of mini budgets,’ he indicated. The Finance Minister Ms Nirmala Sitharaman will present Union Budget in the Lok Sabha on February 1.
`This decade should be fully utilised. Keeping this in mind, there should be discussions in this session focussing on the decade and this is expected by the nation. I believe that we will not lage behind in making our contribution for the fulfulment of people’s aspirations,’ Mr Modi said.
The Prime Minister said the budget session is the first session of the new decade. “A golden opportunity has come before the nation to fulfil the dreams of freedom fighters,’ he said.
New Delhi, Jan 30: The Indian economy will rebound by 11 per cent in fiscal 2021-22 following a V-shaped recovery after a 7.7 per cent contraction in the current fiscal, said the Economic Survey 2020-21 tabled in Parliament on Friday.
The bounce back has been aided by continued normalisation of economic activities, COVID-19 vaccination and a host of policy measures taken by the government, the Survey presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said.
The survey said the rebound will be led by the low base and continued normalisation in economic activities as the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines gathers traction.
It said the fundamentals of the economy remain strong as gradual scaling back of lockdowns along with the astute support of Atmanirbhar Bharat Mission have placed the economy firmly on the path of revival.
This path would entail a growth in real GDP by 2.4 per cent over the absolute level of 2019-20 implying that the economy would take two years to reach and go past the pre-pandemic level.
These projections are in line with IMF estimate of real GDP growth of 11.5 per cent in 2021-22 for India and 6.8 per cent in 2022-23.
India is expected to emerge as the fastest growing economy in the next two years as per the IMF.
India’s real GDP to record a growth of 11 per cent in 2021-22 and nominal GDP by 15.4 per cent-the highest since independence.
The V-shaped economic recovery is supported by the initiation of a mega vaccination drive with hopes of a robust recovery in the services sector and prospects for robust growth in consumption and investment.
The Survey says, India’s GDP is estimated to contract by 7.7 per cent in FY2020-21, composed of a sharp 15.7 per cent decline in first half and a modest 0.1 per cent fall in the second half.
Sector-wise, agriculture has remained the silver lining while contact-based services, manufacturing, construction were hit hardest, and have been recovering steadily.
Government consumption and net exports have cushioned the growth from diving further down.
Last month. the RBI had said it expected the country’s GDP to contract 7.5 per cent in the year ending 31 March, 2021.
The Survey predicted a “V-shaped” recovery for the economy, spurred by the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
“Given the level of development India is in, India must continue to focus on growth so that it expands the pie which enables redistributive policies to lift people out of poverty,” Chief Economic Advisee Krishnamurthy Subramanian said later at a news conference.
The survey also cautioned that it would take at least two years to revert to pre-pandemic gross domestic levels.
Indian economy contracted by a massive 23.9 per cent year-on-year in the April-June quarter. This was the first GDP contraction in more than 40 years. For the July-September quarter, India’s GDP contracted 7.5 per cent year-on-year, as per estimates released by the National Statistical Office.
With the economy returning to normalcy, hopes of a robust recovery in services sector, consumption, and investment have been rekindled, said the survey.
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) , January 29,2021: The Kerala State Planning Board (KSPB) is organizing an extensive international conference on the virtual mode with the theme ‘Kerala Looks Ahead’ from February 1 to 3 to propose programs to be implemented in nine key areas.
“World-renowned experts will speak at the event. Due to the COVID pandemic, the conference is to be organized entirely online,” KSPB said in a release.
In addition to key economic sectors such as higher education, modern industrial potential, skills development, agriculture, fisheries, animal husbandry, tourism, information technology, and e-governance, which will ensure international participation, specific issues such as local government, federalism, and development financing will be discussed, it added.
The state government said that it hopes that this conference will help in understanding the latest developments and interventions at the international level and within India and thereby formulate development strategies tailored to the specifics of Kerala.
“If jobs lost due to COVID are to be regained, jobs in the field of modern science and technology, the promotion of innovative employment opportunities and the development of infrastructure must go hand in hand,” KSPB said.
Renowned economist and Nobel laureate, Professor Amartya Sen; Nobel laureate in Economics, Joseph Stiglitz; industry leaders Ratan Tata, Anand Mahindra, MA Yusuf Ali, Kiran Mazumdar Shah, Dr Ravi Pillai, Chris Gopalakrishnan, Dr Azad Mooppen, Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO) Soumya Swaminathan and others will address the conference.
No special registration is required to participate. All sessions can be viewed live on the conference website www.keralalooksahead.com.
Jaipur (Rajasthan) , January 29,2021: The Rajasthan government has reduced the value-added tax (VAT) by 2 per cent both on petrol and diesel, announced Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday.
Gehlot also urged the Central government for a reduction in VAT.
“The State govt has reduced VAT by 2% both on petrol & diesel to provide relief to people in #Rajasthan. We expect the central govt would announce a reduction too so that financial burden on common people is reduced,” Gehlot tweeted.
For the last three days, petrol is being sold at Rs 93.94 Per Litre and diesel at Rs 86.02 Per Litre in Jaipur.
A value-added tax (VAT) is a type of indirect tax levied on a product whenever value is added at each stage of the supply chain, from production to the point of sale
Rates differ from state to state depending on the incidence of value-added tax (VAT).
New Delhi, Jan 28,2021: Indicating stern actions against the rioters and accused farmer’s leaders, the Delhi police on Thursday issued a ‘Look Out Notice’ against them, an official in the security set up said.
On Wednesday, the Delhi Police issued notices to 20 farmer leaders asking them to respond in 48 hours as to why a legal proceeding not be initiated against them.
According to the official, these accused have been stopped from going abroad and their passports will also be impounded too.
Delhi Police has so far lodged 25 FIRs in connection with the Republic Day violence case against 37 of the farmers’ leaders including Yogendra Yadav, Darshan Pal, Gurnam Chudhni, Medha Patkar, Kavita Kumguti, VM Singh,Rakesh Tikait and others with the grievous charges of attempt to murder, use of lethal weapons, incitement of violence, rioting and vandalism.
The City Police Chief SN Shrivastava on Wednesday said that no one will be spared for the crime they have committed. All those, who have already been named in the FIRs will called as accused to join the investigation in the due course,” he added.
Meanwhile, a sources in the Police said so far over 300 people have been detained in connection with various cases of rioting and attacking police personnel after verification from the CCTV footage and other means.
An official in the police said the case against the violence at Red Fort will be going to be investigated by the Crime Branch and the FIRs have been registered under dacoity (section 395), 397 (robbery, or dacoity, with an attempt to cause death or grievous hurt), 120 b (punishment of criminal conspiracy), and other sections of the IPC.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also taken a strong view on the Republic Day violence and has asked the Police officials to identify all those who were behind the violence.
New Delhi, Jan. 28 ,2021: India has gifted over 55 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccines to its neighbouring countries and in its extended neighbourhood.
While Bhutan was gifted 1.5 lakh doses, Maldives received one lakh doses, Nepal was given ten lakh doses and Bangladesh 20 lakh. Similarly, Myanmar got 15 lakh doses, Mauritius one lakh, Sri Lanka five lakhs, Bahrain one lakh and Syechelles was given 50,000 doses of vaccines.
Addressing the weekly virtual media briefing on Thursday, External Affairs Ministry’s official spokesperson Anurag Srivastav said these supplies were based on requests from these countries.
“Over the next few days, we plan to gift further quantities to Oman (1 lakh), CARICOM countries (5 lakh), Nicaragua (2 lakh) and Pacific Island states (2 lakh) doses,’ he added.
The spokesperson said that external supplies of vaccines, whether as gifts or on a commercial basis, are based on domestic availability, licensing issues and regulatory approvals in the countries concerned.
Commercial exports of Covid-19 vaccines have taken place to Brazil, Morocco and Bangladesh. Further supplies on a commercial basis are likely to take place to Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Canada, Mongolia.
“Further, we are going to supply one crore doses to Africa and 10 lakh to UN health workers under GAVI’s COVAX facility,’ he added.
He said that India will continue to supply vaccines to partner countries over the coming weeks and months in a phased manner. Decisions on these supplies will be calibrated against the requirements of the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine at home, he added.
Jan 28,2021:Farmers on Wednesday called off a march to parliament on February 1, the day of the government’s budget announcement, following violent clashes with police a day earlier that left one person dead and hundreds injured.
Tens of thousands of farmers have been camped on the outskirts of New Delhi for two months to demand the withdrawal of three farm laws passed last year, which they say benefit big private buyers at the expense of growers.
On Tuesday, a protest parade of tractors around the fringes of the capital to coincide with Republic Day celebrations turned into chaos when some farmers diverged from agreed routes and broke through barricades.
Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the group of farm unions organising the protests, condemned the violence which saw protesters – some carrying ceremonial swords – storm into the historic Red Fort complex as police used tear gas and batons to constrain them.
It said on Wednesday the unions would hold rallies and a hunger strike on Saturday but there would be no planned events on Monday, when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is due to present the annual budget.
Rome [Italy], January 28,2021: Scores of pro-Khalistani supporters vandalised the Indian embassy in Rome on January 26, sources said.
The Indian government has been constantly raising its concerns with the Italian authorities and had done so recently as well in view of Republic Day, sources said.
“We have taken up this specific incident with them and conveyed our concerns. Safety and security of Indian diplomats and diplomatic premises are the responsibility of the host government,” sources added.
The Indian government further expressed hope that the Italian authorities will take action against the perpetrators and prevent such incidents from happening in the future, sources said.
On Tuesday, members of Khalistani separatist groups and others were seen in support of farmers outside the Indian embassy in Washington DC.
A protest hosted by Sikh DMV Youth and Sangat saw a few dozen people gathered in front of the Indian mission to criticise the new rules, which the Narendra Modi government passed in September as part of a broader effort to deregulate the nation’s massive agriculture sector.
Many in the crowd held saffron-coloured ‘Khalistan’ flags and chanted anti-India slogans.
London [UK], January 28 ,2021: On the International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Wednesday, prominent Jewish figures spoke out over China’s state-run campaign against its minority communities including Uyghurs in the Xinjiang province.
Notable people in the British Jews community have warned the world as they drew parallels in the events occurring in Xinjiang province with other historic tragedies, Al Jazeera reported.
Mia Hasenson-Gross, executive director of the Jewish human rights organisation Rene Cassin, said Bejing was effectively attempting to “eradicate” the culture of Uyghurs.
China has been rebuked globally for cracking down on Uyghur Muslims by sending them to mass detention camps, interfering in their religious activities and sending members of the community to undergo some form of forcible re-education or indoctrination.
Beijing, on the other hand, vehemently denied that it is engaged in human rights abuses against the Uyghurs while reports from journalists, NGOs and former detainees have surfaced, highlighting brutal crackdown on the ethnic community.
“Rather than allowing this to escalate to the point where the Uighur will become another people whose genocide we remember in [the] future, we have the opportunity now to prevent that from happening,” said Hasenson-Gross, as quoted by Al Jazeera.
“Holocaust Memorial Day is designed to remind us of the atrocities that can happen and the important lessons we need to learn from the early stages of indifference and complicity that enabled these final acts of physical destruction,” she added.
During the first commemoration in memory of the victims of the holocaust, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the “universal revulsion at this crime” was one event leading to the UN’s founding and drawing up of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“But it did not end,” he said. “Indeed, today antisemitism is resurgent in many places around the world”.