Month: November 2021

Categories
-Top News Asia News Nepal

Oli re-elected as UML Chairman

Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli

As per the election results that are all set to be announced by Tuesday evening, Oli had secured 1,840 votes while his rival, Rawal has obtained just 223 votes…reports Asian Lite News

Former Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli was elected as Chairman of the Nepal Communist Party-UML for the second time on Tuesday, defeating senior party leader, Bhim Bahadur Rawal, by a huge margin.

The party is currently holding the 10th national Congress to elect the new party leadership where Oli had imposed his decision on the selection of a new leadership without voting.

As past party Chairman, he read out the list of the party office bearers and the central committee on Sunday.

But a section of the party leaders opposed Oli’s single decision to nominate the party’s office bearers and Central Committee members and demanded the elections though they knew that they were sure to lose.

After strong reservations from party leaders to his actions, Oli finally agreed to go for elections. As many as 2,175 representatives from across the country voted to elect 301 members for the new Central Committee.

As per the election results that are all set to be announced by Tuesday evening, Oli had secured 1,840 votes while his rival, Rawal has obtained just 223 votes, according to the CPN-UML leader, Rajan Bhattarai.

The final announcement will be made after completing the counting of votes for different posts but Oli’s camp is set to make a sweep.

Oli’s aides have won the rest of the office bearers’ posts including to the Central Committee.

Insiders say even though elections happened, it is certain that everyone proposed by Oli is going to win, which will establish Oli’s grip on the party.

Earlier, Oli who was elected as party Chairman in 2016, tried to pick all posts – one Senior Vice Chairman, six Vice Presidents, one Secretary General, three Deputy Secretaries General, seven Secretaries, and 301 Central Committee members through consensus or without voting.

He had proposed consensus candidates for the Central Committee as well, but since nominations have been filed by aspirants, there will be voting only in groups where the number of candidates/aspirants is more than the positions on offer.

Oli, who raised the nationalist plank in the 2017 elections against India in the wake of the blockade in the Nepal-India border, won the elections and merged his party with another communist party, Nepal Communist Party-Maoist Centre, and became the Chairman of Nepal Communist Party.

As soon as Oli became the Prime Minister in 2018, the relations between Oli and the Maoist Centre Chairman, Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda deteriorated.

And as relations between Oli and Prachanda eroded further, several other party leaders also supported Prachanda and joined the anti-Oli camp. Later a case was filed in Nepal’s Supreme Court against the merger between Oli’s UML and Prachanda’s Maoist Centre, and in in March 2021, it invalidated the merger.

Both parties revived as older, separate entities. But Oli did not welcome the UML leaders who supported Prachanda’s bid to unseat him, and these leaders in August formed the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Socialist, whose Chairman was Oli’s long-time aide, and former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.

ALSO READ: Omicron: Nepal bans African travellers

Categories
-Top News Afghanistan Asia News

Taliban take over Afghan Independent Bar Association

This comes as a great number of Afghan prosecutors and advocates–many of whom were women–left the country after the collapse of the former government in August…reports Asian Lite News

Taliban have taken over the Afghan Independent Bar Association (AIBA) and plans on using it as a government office under the Ministry of Justice, claimed AIBA members on Sunday.

This comes as a great number of Afghan prosecutors and advocates–many of whom were women–left the country after the collapse of the former government in August, reported TOLOnews.

TOLOnews quoted a spokesman for the Ministry of Justice, Mohammad Bashar as saying, “The AIBA is no longer independent, it is part of the Ministry of Justice and a caretaker introduced for the association.”

The forces of the Islamic Emirate entered the associations’ Kabul office, closed all the rooms and ordered all the members and staff to get out of the office,” said Najla Rahel, a former deputy at AIBA.

“Our request is the independence of the association; if it is not considered, we will continue and launch civil protests,” said Sayed Maarof Hashimi Jahed, head of AIBA’s media office.

The members further added that AIBA, which was functioning independently in accordance with the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) laws, was established by a private fund and the government was only to monitor the association’s operations.

TOLOnews quoted a member of the AIBA as saying, “The association is maintained by a private budget of defence attorneys, we want our rights, which is the independence of the association–our rights should not be ignored.”

Pertinently, the IBAHRI stated that Islamic Emirate will face challenges ahead, calling for the sustained independence of the AIBA, reported TOLOnews.

A member of Taliban stands guard at a security checkpoint in Kandahar city, Afghanistan.(Photo by Sanaullah SeiamXinhuaIANS)

Media freedom at risk

Following the new media guidelines under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, the freedom of expression is at risk in Islamic Emirate as the group announced that no media or news agencies are permitted to publish against the interest of the Taliban’s so-called administration.

Citing Afghanistan Journalists Safety Committee, Khaama Press reported that the local authorities in northern Badakhshan province have asked media outlets to publish their reports after a review and censorship.

In its latest report, AJSC said that the Taliban in Badakhshan province have announced that no media or news agencies are permitted to publish against the interest of the group.

The provincial Director of Information and Culture, Muezuddin Ahmadi has said that women are not allowed to appear in public for reporting purposes, while he has said female media workers can work in the office apart from the male staff, AJSC said, according to Khaama Press.

Dozens of journalists terrified of reprisals for their reporting fled the country, others went into hiding, and many women were forced out of their positions. The economic collapse has pummelled smaller outlets too. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Taliban engaging in revenge kills of Afghan security forces

Categories
-Top News India News

4 trapped in Jharkhand coal mine come out alive miraculously

Laxman Rajwar, Ravana Rajwar, Bharat Singh and Anadi Singh, all residents of Tilatand village of Chandankiyari, are those who came out alive after fighting a battle with death for 90 hours…reports Asian Lite News.

Four people who were trapped for nearly 90 hours in an illegal coal mine in Bokaro district of Jharkhand, came out alive miraculously on Monday morning.

Narrating the ordeal, they said they kept digging for hours to find a way out of the coal mine. They were carrying torches which came handy as there was complete darkness inside the coal mine, not even a shade of sunlight. They lit one torch at a time to keep the battery going for a longer period of time. After digging for several hours, they finally managed to find a way out.

All four of them said they drank dirty water in the mine to keep themselves alive.

They had entered the coal mine under Chandankiyari block of Bokaro district at around 9 a.m. on November 26 to extract coal illegally but got trapped inside after the mine shaft collapsed suddenly.

Laxman Rajwar, Ravana Rajwar, Bharat Singh and Anadi Singh, all residents of Tilatand village of Chandankiyari, are those who came out alive after fighting a battle with death for 90 hours.

Hundreds from several villages in the area illegally extract coal from the coal block in Parvatpur which has been closed for years. This coal block belongs to BCCL, but due to various reasons, the company has stopped mining here for the past several years.

After these four people got trapped, villagers raised an alarm, and the local police and BCCL officials reached the spot. The next day i.e. on November 27, Bokaro Deputy Commissioner Kuldeep Chaudhary and SP Chandan Jha ordered an inquiry into the matter.

The rescue team of BCCL was also called, but they refused to do anything in view of the dangerous condition of the mine. On the third day on Sunday, 28 November, a team from NDRF reached and started the rescue operation, but it failed.

On Monday, the NDRF decided to excavate and before they could do so, all the four came out of the mine on their own, sending a wave of happiness in the entire village. On receiving this news, Chandankiyari MLA and former minister Amar Kumar Bauri also reached the spot. A medical team was called for the health check-ups of all four, but the locals opposed and the team had to return.

Their families feared that police action may be taken against the four for illegal mining.

They said they gave up all hopes of coming out alive, but when they really came out, the news spread like a wildfire on Monday morning, and a wave of happiness swirled in the area.

ALSO READ-Morocco suspends regular int’l flights over Omicron variant

Categories
-Top News Afghanistan

Taliban free over 210 prisoners in Afghanistan

After taking control of Afghanistan, the Taliban has released hundreds of prisoners in the country causing concern among the people of Afghanistan….reports Asian Lite News

As Afghans are struggling with the ongoing law and order situation in the country, the Taliban on Monday released over 210 prisoners from a jail in Afghanistan.

The Taliban undertook this move despite the fact that affiliates of Islamic State-Khorasan, Syria and Iraq-based terrorist groups are emerging as a big problem to public safety in the country.

As reported by Sputnik, after taking control of Afghanistan, the Taliban has released hundreds of prisoners in the country causing concern among the people of Afghanistan.

Earlier this year, the group released over 600 terrorists from jails of Helmand and Farah province, Russian news agency Sputnik reported citing Afghan state media.

Meanwhile, the Taliban has failed to contain the terrorists, who have incited a number of attacks in the country since the collapse of the Ghani government in Afghanistan, The Washington Post reported.

These attacks also included two bombings of Shiite mosques that recently took place within a week in Kandahar and Kunduz that killed scores of worshipers.

Export resumes

Afghanistan’s capital Kabul has recently exported 500 tons of talc powder to a number of countries including China, Spain and the UK, said Afghanistan Industrial Association on Monday.

“Afghanistan has recently exported talc to Pakistan, Turkey, India, China, Spain, and the UK. Exports have resumed and we want to expand our exports,” Ariana News quoted Abdul Jabbar Safi, the head of the association as saying.

The association also called for the Taliban to focus on the mining sector and provide facilities for the extraction of minerals in order to boost investment.

They also called on the Taliban regime to establish new policies around mining, also to boost investment in the sector, Ariana News reported.

According to the Afghan media, Safi said that since the mid-August takeover by the IEA, “illegal extractions of mines, as well as smuggling, have been prevented.”

The Taliban entered Kabul on August 15, causing the US-backed government to step down. Later in September, the outfit announced the composition of the new interim government of Afghanistan.

The country is currently battered by the deepening economic, humanitarian, and security crisis following the Taliban takeover. The international community, from governments to non-governmental organizations, has been providing various assistance to the Afghan people. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Taliban engaging in revenge kills of Afghan security forces

Categories
-Top News Asia News

Taiwan to appoint military attache in Guam base

In response to Wang, Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said that procedures are in progress and stressed the importance of having such an office….reports Asian Lite News

Taiwan on Monday informed that a military attache will soon be appointed in Guam Island of the US, amid the military threats by China.

During a legislative meeting, Taiwanese Legislator Wang Ting-yu asked about the progress of setting up a military liaison group in Guam, given that the US territory is a strategically important island, reported Taiwan News.

In response to Wang, Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said that procedures are in progress and stressed the importance of having such an office.

The Defence Minister also said that he will seek out any hindrances preventing the office from being established and solve them one step at a time.

Guam is home to two US military bases, which sit approximately 1,800 miles from China — closer than any others on American soil, reported New York Post.

Guam is a strategically important region for Taiwan since other similar offices have already been set up in Washington DC, Los Angeles, and Hawaii, Taiwan News reported.

In other recent developments, the US has planned to modernize the military bases it operates in Australia and on the western Pacific island of Guam to counter the threats emanating from China.

The moves have been prompted by the Department of Defense’s global posture review.

As reported by CNN, the review is classified, but a senior US defence official provided some details about the review’s findings.

This came as tensions between the US and China have escalated, particularly over the issue of Taiwan with senior Pentagon officials expressing alarm about China’s efforts to upgrade and modernize its military, reported CNN. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Chinese assertion in Taiwan Strait presents US’s Suez Canal moment

Categories
Dubai EXPO 2020 India News

Indian team wins World School Chess Tournament at Expo 2020

Indian team wins World School Chess Tournament at Expo 2020

The Indian team Velammal Nexus School was proclaimed champion of the World School Chess Tournament after beating the Peruvian School Saco Oliveros during the finals of the competition at Dubai Exhibition Centre of Expo 2020 Dubai…reports Asian Lite News

The Indian player from Velammal School Gukesh Dommaraju, 15 years old and Grandmaster, said, “We were favorites to win the tournament, but the Peruvian team fought, and they were quite close, it was a very interesting game”.

The closing ceremony took place on Monday evening at the Spain Pavilion in the presence of Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director-General of Expo 2020 Dubai; and José Manuel Franco, Spanish Secretary of State for Sports.

Indian team wins World School Chess Tournament at Expo 2020

During her speech, Al Hashemy said, “I would like to first thank all our friends and our colleagues from Spain for your successful conception and delivery of such a splendid tournament and appropriate celebration of a game that was introduced to the Iberian Peninsula by Arab travelers”.

She added that “at Expo, we are honoured to welcome Chess events and activities over the coming weeks, the FIDE World Chess Championship is already taking place at Dubai Exhibition Centre and before the end of December we will also welcome the Dubai Sports Council Cup”.

Secretary Franco said, “we are grateful for being able to host the final rounds of this chess tournament on-site, I would like to congratulate and highlight the enormous effort of all the institutions and federations involved”.

Indian team wins World School Chess Tournament at Expo 2020

He added that “chess is a vehicle which allows us to connect the historical relationship between the Arab and the Spanish culture”.

During the Award Ceremony, representatives of the Emirati and Israeli teams played a friendly game.

ALSO READ: World School Chess Tournament finals to be held at Expo 2020 Dubai

The event concluded with the unconventional flamenco show ‘Con-vivencias’ on the giant chessboard of the Spain Pavilion and performed by the artists Manuel Liñán and David Carpio.

The finals of the World School Chess Tournament were held from 25th to 29th November in the Spain Pavilion at Expo Dubai 2020 with the participation of 118 young people from 10 different countries and 12 teams.

Categories
-Top News China

Pentagon calls for greater cooperation to counter China

The statement came from the US Department of Defence (DOD) while summing up the conclusions of ‘Global Posture Review’, initiated by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in March….reports Asian Lite News

In a bid to promote peace in the Indo-Pacific region, the US on Monday (local time) called for additional cooperation with its allies to deter potential military aggression by China.

The statement came from the US Department of Defence (DOD) while summing up the conclusions of ‘Global Posture Review’, initiated by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in March.

“In the Indo-Pacific, the review directs additional cooperation with allies and partners to advance initiatives that contribute to regional stability and deter potential Chinese military aggression and threats from North Korea,” the DOD said.

These initiatives include seeking greater regional access for military partnership activities; enhancing infrastructure in Australia and the Pacific Islands; and planning rotational aircraft deployments in Australia, as announced in September.

Chinese-President Xi Jinping (Source twitter@ChinaAmbUN)

The review also informed Secretary Austin’s approval of the permanent stationing of a previously-rotational attack helicopter squadron and artillery division headquarters in the Republic of Korea, announced earlier this year.

In addition, the US has also planned to modernize the military bases it operates in Australia and on the western Pacific island of Guam to counter the threats emanating from China.

Following several months of analysis and close coordination across the U.S. government, the Department of Defense released the results of the Global Posture Review (GPR) today, the statement from the DOD informed.

This came as the US is making efforts to counter threats emerging from China.

Tensions between the US and China have significantly escalated, particularly over the issue of Taiwan with senior Pentagon officials expressing alarm about China’s efforts to upgrade and modernize its military, reported CNN.

A week ago, the US administration had also expressed “deep concerns” upon the reports that Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai appears to be missing after accusing a former PRC official of sexual assaults, said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. (ANI)

ALSO READ: India, Pakistan still at loggerheads over Afghan aid

Categories
-Top News China

Chinese assertion in Taiwan Strait presents US’s Suez Canal moment

China has started to rapidly modernize the world’s largest armed forces amid decades of sustained economic growth. …reports Asian Lite News

China’s increased military assertion across Taiwan Strait will challenge US strategic interest in the Indo-Pacific, including presenting its Suez Canal moment.

According to the Asia Times, China has started to rapidly modernize the world’s largest armed forces amid decades of sustained economic growth. If anything, Beijing is enhancing both its asymmetric and conventional military capabilities at once.

Earlier, Historian Niall Ferguson and former US deputy national security adviser Mathew Pottinger have warned that the US may face a “Suez Moment” over Taiwan, referring to how the 1956 Suez crisis ended the British and French empire.

On a similar note, China is also expanding its military and commercial footprint by forming a string of strategic bases and port facilities in the Indo-Pacific as a part of its Island Chain Strategy. Taiwan strait and the control of it presents Beijing its first ambition to control the First Island Chain.

Meanwhile, China is also rapidly enhancing its anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities which it hopes to develop firmly across the Taiwan Strait which will be countered by the US’ Air-Sea Operational Concept in wake of a conflict.

CCP-at-100-Source-twitter@ChinaAmbUN-4

Further, its development of hypersonic missile capability has further enhanced the sharp edge of China’s asymmetric as well as nuclear capabilities, according to the Asia Times.

China’s rapid enhancement of its conventional and asymmetric capabilities is most relevant for a cross-strait invasion across Taiwan.

According to Asia Times, the military element is particularly important in the context of the cross-strait tensions since it was precisely America’s naval interventions that proved repeatedly decisive in the preservation of Taiwanese de facto independence since the end of World War II.

Earlier, China has developed fifth-generation Warfare capabilities by consolidating its overall Command Control Communication Computer and Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance, or C4ISR.

According to the Asia Times, the Asian powerhouse’s actual defence spending at above USD 500 billion annually, which is only second to, and not far behind, the US.

Further, China has also reportedly built fighter jets modelling the US fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, is to deter any potential joint US-Japanese intervention in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

China is also expanding its military and commercial footprint across a string of strategic bases and port facilities in the Indo-Pacific (ANI)

ALSO READ: India, Pakistan still at loggerheads over Afghan aid

Categories
Arab News Dubai UAE News

Dubai announces nominations for 5th Taqdeer Award for Labour Excellence

Dubai

All stages of registration and evaluation in the 2022 edition will be conducted virtually following the implementation of a new smart system…reports Asian Lite News

Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, the organisers of the Taqdeer Award announced the opening of nominations for the fifth edition of the Award for the year 2022.

All stages of registration and evaluation in the 2022 edition will be conducted virtually following the implementation of a new smart system.

Dubai announces nominations for 5th Taqdeer Award for Labour Excellence

At a press conference organised at the Expo 2020 Dubai Media Centre, Major-General Obaid Muhair bin Suroor, Deputy Director-General of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA-Dubai) and Chairman of the Taqdeer Award, announced the start of the preliminary electronic registration process for the 2022 edition of the award. Representatives of companies and distinguished workers who were recognised for excellence in previous editions were present at the event.

Guided and supported by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Patron of the Award, the Award is driven by the goal of embedding world-class labour welfare standards in the culture of companies in Dubai, he said.

The Award will start receiving applications from companies that employ at least 50 workers. Calling on eligible companies to register for the fifth edition, Bin Suroor said their participation will help Dubai raise the profile of its labour welfare standards internationally and support the leadership’s aim to make Dubai the world’s best city to live and work in. Furthermore, a performance evaluation report provided by Award evaluators will enable companies to understand their strengths and improve labour welfare practices. The Award, he noted, represents an opportunity for companies and factories to build a solid foundation for future success by implementing best practices and enhancing the commitment of employees.

Lt. Colonel Khaled Ismail, Secretary-General of the Taqdeer Award, said applications will continue to be received until April 2022 when evaluators will start the screening process. The Award will recognise distinguished workers, engineers and supervisors in addition to companies and factories that demonstrate outstanding labour welfare practices. “The registration process for the fifth edition will be further streamlined with the introduction of a new smart system designed to efficiently complete evaluation processes virtually,” he said.

ALSO READ: Dubai Press Club announces launch of Arab Media Award

Ahmed Al-Khatib, CEO of Real Estate Development and Delivery at Expo 2020 Dubai, underlined the role of the Taqdeer Award in enhancing Dubai’s reputation and achieving its vision of becoming the world’s best city to live and work in. “Expo 2020 Dubai expressed its gratitude and appreciation to the workers by creating a memorial that pays tribute to their contributions to building the infrastructure for the global event. We are proud of our support to the Taqdeer Award, and we wish the organisers success in achieving its lofty goals. We encourage all eligible companies to take the initiative to compete for the Award,” he said.

Categories
-Top News COVID-19 India News

Omicron patients show extreme tiredness, no major oxygen drop

The Omicron patients also reported mild muscle aches, a scratchy throat, and dry cough, according to the doctor…reports Asian Lite News.

As fear grows over a new Covid variant now known as Omicron, doctors in South Africa have observed first symptoms of this new and deadly strain that are different from the Delta one.

Although yet to be officially listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), patients infected with this strain show extreme tiredness, among other noticeable symptoms.

“This is not limited to any age group. Young patients also show extreme tiredness,” according to Angelique Coetzee, Chairperson of the South African Medical Association.

There is also no major drop in oxygen saturation levels, Coetzee said in media reports.

The Omicron patients also reported mild muscle aches, a scratchy throat, and dry cough, according to the doctor.

The patients that Coetzee treated were mostly men, aged under 40, and around half of them were even vaccinated.

Although in a ray of hope, the doctors in South Africa said most patients of Omicron strain have recovered without hospitalisation.

The overall global risk related to the new Covid variant, Omicron is assessed as very high, said the World Health Organisation on Monday. The WHO said on Monday that Omicron is a highly divergent variant with a high number of mutations, including 26-32 in the spike, some of which are of concern and may be associated with immune escape potential and higher transmissibility.

However, there are still considerable uncertainties, added the global health body. “Given mutations that may confer immune escape potential and possible transmissibility advantage, the likelihood of potential further spread of Omicron at the global level is high,” said the WHO.

Centre offers help

The Indian government on Monday offered ‘Made in India’ vaccine supply and other help to the countries dealing with new Covid variant ‘Omicron’ in Africa.

“The Government of India stands ready to support the countries affected in Africa in dealing with the Omicron variant, including by supplies of ‘Made in India’ vaccines. Supplies can be undertaken through Covax or bilaterally,” said the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The Central government in this regard has cleared all orders placed so far by Covax for supplies of Covishield vaccines, including to African countries like Malawi, Ethiopia, Zambia, Mozambique, Guinea and Lesotho, the MEA added.

“We have also cleared supplies of Covaxin to Botswana. Any new requirement projected either bilaterally or through Covax will be considered expeditiously,” said the Ministry in a statement, adding that India also stands ready to supply essential life-saving drugs, test kits, gloves, PPE kits and medical equipment such as ventilators, as may be required.

Indian institutions would favourably consider cooperation in genomic surveillance and virus characterisation-related research work with their African counterparts.

The Union government has so far supplied more than 25 million doses of Made in India vaccines to 41 countries in Africa, including nearly one million doses as grant to 16 countries and more than 16 million doses under the Covax facility to 33 countries.

The new Covid variant — Omicron — was first reported to World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 24, 2021.

ALSO READ-Canada confirms first cases of Omicron variant