The EU is looking at how it can leverage billions of euros, drawn from member states, financial institutions and the private sector to counter China’s influence….reports Asian Lite News
The EU is to reveal details of a global investment plan that’s widely seen as a rival to China’s Belt and Road initiative, BBC reported.
It’s regarded as part of the West’s efforts to counter Chinese influence in Africa and elsewhere.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will present the “Global Gateway” initiative on Wednesday.
The EU is looking at how it can leverage billions of euros, drawn from member states, financial institutions and the private sector, the report said.
Von der Leyen said in her State of the Union speech in September: “We want investments in quality infrastructure, connecting goods, people and services around the world.”
Wednesday’s 14-page document isn’t likely to explicitly pitch itself as a rival to China’s strategy. The Commission also studiously avoided mentioning China when pressed about the plans on Tuesday, the report said.
But Andrew Small, a Senior Transatlantic Fellow at the German Marshall Fund, says the backdrop is inescapable: “Global Gateway wouldn’t exist if you didn’t have Belt and Road.”
Chinese-President Xi Jinping (Source twitter@ChinaAmbUN)
For him it marks “the first serious effort from the European side to put packages together and figure out financing mechanisms, so countries considering taking loans from China have an alternative option”, the report said.
Belt and Road has been a centre-piece of Chinese foreign policy; developing trade links by ploughing money into new roads, ports, railways and bridges.
The strategy has reached into Asia, the Indo-Pacific, Africa and even into the EU’s nearer neighbours in the Western Balkans.
Troon Golf & Emaar Hospitality Group Celebrate 20th Anniversary
To celebrate the occasion, selected guests were invited to a unique golf experience with professional golfer and #TeamTroon superstar Matt Fitzpatrick…reports Asian Lite News
The 20th anniversary between Troon Golf and Emaar Hospitality Group was recently celebrated with an intimate event with Team Troon golf superstar Matt Fitzpatrick, to commemorate this landmark partnership. Team Troon is a collection of top international golf talent representing the Troon brand throughout professional golf.
Troon & Emaar 20th with Team Troon Matt Fitzpatrick
Emaar Hospitality Group, the premier global provider of enriching, personal and memorable lifestyle experiences, has developed three of Dubai’s most premier golf communities; Montgomerie Golf Club Dubai, Arabian Ranches Golf Club, and Dubai Hills Golf Club. For the past 20 years, Emaar Hospitality Group has entrusted Troon Golf, the world’s largest professional club management company, to deliver the finest playing services, incredible guest service and unmatched amenities across their golf portfolio.
The impressive additions to Dubai include two golf clubs at the heart of now established communities, a luxurious golf destination designed by World Golf Hall of Fame (and Team Troon member Colin Montgomerie – Montgomerie Golf Club Dubai, and Arabian Ranches Golf Club – the heart of the Arabian Ranches community, a family friendly club with the course designed by Ian Baker-Finch.
Montgomerie Golf Club Dubai
Building on the success of ‘The Monty’ and ‘Ranches’, which have both become firm favourites with members and visitors since opening in 2002 and 2004 respectively, Dubai Hills Golf Club – which is located within the sophisticated community of Dubai Hills Estate, opened its fairways to golfers in 2018 to world acclaim as ‘The World’s Best New Golf Course’ at the World Golf Awards and most recently won the ‘UAE’s Best Golf Course’ at the 2021 World Golf Awards.
To celebrate the occasion, selected guests were invited to a unique golf experience with professional golfer and #TeamTroon superstar Matt Fitzpatrick. The Emaar Hospitality leadership team and junior golfers were treated to a showcase of golf talent and an intimate Q&A with Matt Fitzpatrick, to go alongside tailored gastronomy and a celebratory plaque to mark the landmark occasion.
Troon Golf first partnered with Emaar Hospitality Group at the Montgomerie Golf Club Dubai in 2001. Mark Chapleski, Troon International’s Executive Vice President, added “The Monty is an outstanding club set within the magnificent Emirates Hills. This was the first true golf estate built in the Middle East region, with fabulous homes surrounding the golf property. When we first opened in early 2002, there were no buildings to be seen in the Marina area and now you have this stunning skyline of skyscrapers that shows how far Dubai has come in 20 years. This was all driven by the visionary Chairman of Emaar, Mohammad Alabbar.”
“The continued success of The Monty is a testament to the work our associates do, day in and day out. They are supported unconditionally by our Corporate team and our collective commitment to excellence attests to this. We are excited for the future of our partnership with Emaar Hospitality Group and thank them for their trust in us to deliver a superior golfing product across their portfolio while delivering financial performance for the stakeholders.”
With clubs located across the globe, Troon Golf facilities are synonymous with quality and consistency, with an uncompromising attention to details, and a pursuit for perfection in overall customer satisfaction. Troon Golf is one of Troon’s brands, headquartered outside the Americas from the Troon International Dubai office.
Troon & Emaar 20th with Team Troon Matt FitzpatrickMontgomerie Golf Club DubaiTroon Golf & Emaar Hospitality Group Celebrate 20th AnniversaryArabian Ranches Golf Club
In his first public speech since becoming head of the Secret Intelligence Service, also known as MI6, in October 2020, Moore said China is the intelligence agency’s “single greatest priority” as the country’s leadership increasingly backs “bold and decisive action” to further its interests, reports Asian Lite News
China, which is increasingly flexing its muscles around the world, is one of the biggest threats to Britain and its allies, and a “miscalculation” by Beijing could lead to war, the head of the UK’s foreign intelligence agency said Tuesday.
MI6 chief Richard Moore said that China, Russia, Iran and international terrorism make up the “big four” security issues facing Britain’s spies in an unstable world where both countries and illicit organizations are racing to exploit fast-changing information technology.
In his first public speech since becoming head of the Secret Intelligence Service, also known as MI6, in October 2020, Moore said China is the intelligence agency’s “single greatest priority” as the country’s leadership increasingly backs “bold and decisive action” to further its interests.
Calling China “an authoritarian state with different values than ours,” he said Beijing conducts “large-scale espionage operations” against the UK and its allies, tries to “distort public discourse and political decision-making” and exports technology that enables a “web of authoritarian control” around the world.
“Beijing’s growing military strength and the party’s desire to resolve the Taiwan issue, by force if necessary, also pose a serious challenge to global stability and peace,” Moore said.
“The Chinese Communist Party increasingly favor decisive action justified on national security grounds. Beijing believes its own propaganda about Western frailties and under-estimates Washington’s resolve. The risk of Chinese miscalculation through overconfidence is real.”
Moore said the UK also continues “to face an acute threat from Russia.” He said Moscow has sponsored killing attempts, such as the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal in England in 2018, mounts cyberattacks and attempts to interfere in other countries’ democratic processes.
“We and our allies and partners must stand up to and deter Russian activity which contravenes the international rules-based system,” the MI6 chief said.
“No country in Europe or beyond should be seduced into thinking that unbalanced concessions to Russia bring better behaviour,” he said, noting Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and its recent buildup of troops near the border with Ukraine.
His comments are the latest warnings from senior British officials aimed at deterring Moscow from further incursions in Ukraine.
Moore said Iran also poses a major threat and uses the political and militant group Hezbollah — “a state within a state” — to fuel political turmoil in neighbouring countries.
Turning to non-state threats, he said the fall of Afghanistan’s internationally-backed government and the return to power of the Taliban were a “morale boost” to militants.
“I won’t soft-soap it: The threat we face will likely grow now we have left Afghanistan,” Moore said — though he also said it would be “overblown” to call the surprise speed of the Taliban’s takeover a Western intelligence failure.
He argued that Britain’s spies must give up some of their deep-rooted secrecy and seek help from technology firms to win a cybersecurity arms race that is giving hostile countries and groups ever more capacity.
Moore, speaking at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, said the disruptive potential of artificial intelligence and other rapidly developing technologies means the spy agency has to “become more open to stay secret” in a world of destabilizing technological change.
“Our adversaries are pouring money and ambition into mastering artificial intelligence, quantum computing and synthetic biology, because they know that mastering these technologies will give them leverage,” Moore said. He used China as an example of a country that harvests data on a vast scale to gain information and power.
To keep up, he said British spies “are now pursuing partnerships with the tech community to help develop world-class technologies to solve our biggest mission problems.”
“Unlike Q in the Bond movies, we cannot do it all in-house,” Moore added, referring to the fictional MI6 gadget-maker in the 007 thrillers.
Moore said working with the private sector is a “sea change” for an organization enmeshed in secrecy. Until 1992, Britain’s government refused to confirm the existence of MI6. The organization has gradually become more open in recent years, even allowing publication of an authorized history — though it only goes up to 1949.
MI6 began publicly naming its chief, who uses the code name C, in the 1990s, and Moore is the first head of the service with a Twitter account.
Andersson also said that Sweden will strengthen its defence cooperation with Finland and other Nordic neighbours within the EU, alongside deepening its partnership with NATO and the United States…reports Asian Lite News.
Sweden has no plans to join NATO, the country’s prime minister, Magdalena Andersson, said on Tuesday while presenting the new government’s policy.
“Our non-participation in military alliances serves our country well and contributes to stability and security in northern Europe. Sweden will not apply for membership in NATO. Sweden will not take a passive stance if another Nordic country or EU member state suffers a disaster or an attack, and we expect these countries to act in the same way if Sweden is affected,” Andersson said in a statement posted on the government’s website.
"#Sweden will not join #NATO" Swedish Prime Minister Andersson
– In her first government policy statement said that Sweden will not apply for NATO membership, and will not take a passive stance if another Nordic country or EU Member State suffers a disaster or an attack". pic.twitter.com/ggJtf5dhkS
Andersson also said that Sweden will strengthen its defence cooperation with Finland and other Nordic neighbours within the EU, alongside deepening its partnership with NATO and the United States.
The Swedish parliament on Monday voted for Social Democratic Party leader Andersson to become the nation’s first female prime minister after the first vote ended in a flop over a draft budget proposed by the previous Swedish government that failed to gain a majority.
A panel discussion on violence against women was held at Expo 2020
The General Women’s Union, in collaboration with the UN Women, has organised a panel discussion titled “Violence against women, its causes and ways to prevent it”, at the UN Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai…reports Asian Lite News
The panel discussion is held in conjunction with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which is marked on 25 November and the ensuing 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence which follow (ending on December, 10 Human Rights Day). The 16-Day campaign is marked around the world to call attention to the urgent need to end violence against women and girls.
A panel discussion on violence against women was held at Expo 2020
The opening remarks were delivered by Noura Al Suwaidi Secretary-General of the General Women’s Union, Dr. Dena Assaf, the United Nations Resident Coordinator for the United Arab Emirates and the Deputy Commissioner-General of the United Nations at Expo 2020 Dubai, Andrea Matteo Fontana, Ambassador of the European Union to the United Arab Emirates & Commissioner-General for Expo 2020 and Dr. Mouza Al-Shehhi, Director of the UN Women- Liaison Office for the GCC.
The panel discussion focused on three key topics; policies and legislation and their role in protecting women, the role of national mechanisms and programs to protect women from violence and finally, violence as a rising global phenomenon and how societies can uproot it. Participants in the panel were Captain Dr. Hawa Al-Raisi, Director of the Awareness, Human Rights Department at the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Amal Mahmoud Abdel-Aal, Legal Adviser to Abu Dhabi Shelter and Humanitarian Care Centre (Ewa’a), and Mahra Rashid Al Qubaisi, Director of Ewa’a.
NOURA AL SUWAIDI, SECRETARY-GENERAL, GENERAL WOMEN’S UNION: “The UAE has a clear vision on the importance of effective mechanisms to protect women, based on our firm belief that women have human rights that cannot be violated. It is the firm stance of the Government, and H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), that Women are effective partners in establishing stable and secure societies, and guaranteeing their protection and rights is an investment in development and growth.”
Andrea Matteo Fontana, Ambassador of the European Union to the United Arab Emirates & Commissioner-General for Expo 2020 said “The European Union has made it one of its key priorities to prevent and combat all forms of gender-based violence through all its instruments. Within our borders, we want to propose new concrete measures to prevent violence against women and girls, including online, to protect and support victims, improve their access to justice, and to ensure better coordination between competent authorities. We also hope to be able to extend the list of ‘EU crimes’ to cover hate speech and hate crime.”
“Internationally, we have adopted the Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment. The Action Plan celebrated its first anniversary on 25 November. It provides an ambitious policy framework to achieve a gender equal world and empower women and girls globally.”
Dr. Dena Assaf, the United Nations Resident Coordinator for the United Arab Emirates and the Deputy Commissioner-General of the United Nations at Expo 2020 Dubai, said ” We are delighted to host this panel discussion at the UN Pavilion at Expo 2020 to celebrate the 16-Day campaign, and to highlight the importance of policies, protection mechanisms and national programs that ensure the safety of all women and girls. The United Nations continues to support the UAE’s efforts to eliminate violence against women. In particular, the UAE’s commitment to promoting women’s rights in all sectors and creating a safe environment for them. It is therefore important that the GWU, the government and civil society partners, who are with us at the UN pavilion today, to send a strong message about the need for collaboration and concerted efforts to end violence against women.”
DR. MOUZA AL-SHEHHI, DIRECTOR, UM WOMEN-LIAISON OFFICE, GCC: ” UN Women Liaison Office for the GCC is delighted to collaborate with GWU and other national stakeholders to bring to the forefront the issue of escalating violence against women and to look together for meaningful and strategic solutions. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has expressed, on more than one occasion, that violence against women and girls is a global challenge that violates human rights, and that the Covid-19 crisis has created a shadow pandemic of high levels of violence against women due to the exceptional circumstances that the world has experienced. UN Women urges all countries to take all possible legislative and societal measures to end this dangerous trend now.”
The UAE rejects violence against women based on its vision of rejecting all forms of violence, extremism, and hatred speech, and upholding the values of tolerance, peace, and co-existence. The principle of gender equality in education, employment, access to assistance, social and health benefits, among others, is a constitutional right. Moreover, in November 2021 and as part of its Golden Jubilee celebrations, the UAE announced unprecedented law reforms, granting women residing in the country more rights and protection. (WAM)
The IOC last week said in a statement that its president, Thomas Bach,had a 30-minute video call with three-time Olympian Peng Shuai, joined by a Chinese sports official and an IOC official…reports Asian Lite News.
The European Union has urged the Chinese authorities to launch a transparent investigation into the case of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai and present verifiable evidence of her safety, since her public reappearance has done little to ease concerns, Russian media reported on Tuesday citing an official.
Citing a statement by the External Action Service spokesperson statement, Sputnik News Agency reported: “The EU joins growing international demands, including by sport professionals, for assurances that she is free and not under threat. In this spirit, the EU requests the Chinese government provide verifiable proof of Peng Shuai’s safety, well-being and whereabouts. The EU urges the Chinese authorities to conduct a full, fair and transparent investigation into her allegations of sexual assault.”
Peng, 35, went missing on November 2 after she said on Chinese social media that she had been sexually assaulted and forced into a sexual relationship with Zhang Gaoli, 75, who was China’s vice premier from 2013 to 2018.
The IOC last week said in a statement that its president, Thomas Bach, had a 30-minute video call with three-time Olympian Peng Shuai, joined by a Chinese sports official and an IOC official.
The statement said that, during the call, Peng appeared to be “doing fine” and “relaxed,” and said she “would like to have her privacy respected.” The IOC did not explain how the video call with Peng had been organized, given the difficulties other concerned parties have had reaching her.
On November 18, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) received a statement purporting to be from Peng, recanting her abuse claim. In response, the IOC said that it was “encouraged by assurance that she is safe.”
On November 19 and 20, photos and videos of Peng appearing in her home, in a restaurant, and at a youth tennis event in Beijing emerged on Twitter accounts affiliated with government-run media.
In response, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that London out-shadows Moscow in terms of strategic failures…reports Asian Lite News.
The United Kingdom will use all economic and diplomatic means at its disposal to prevent the Russian incursion into Ukraine, and such move by Moscow would be strategically wrong, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on Tuesday.
“We will support Ukraine and stability in the Western Balkans, to safeguard their security and build their economic resilience … Any action by Russia to undermine the freedom and democracy that our partners enjoy would be a strategic mistake,” Truss said in a statement issued by her office ahead of NATO foreign ministers meeting in Latvia scheduled from Tuesday through Wednesday.
In response, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that London out-shadows Moscow in terms of strategic failures.
The event meeting should further unite NATO allies in the face of “continued destabilizing actions by Russia and Belarus,” the statement added. “We do not encroach on strategic mistakes – this is the historical prerogative of Britain,” she wrote on her Telegram channel. The alliance is set to gather top diplomats of its countries in Riga to discuss the alleged amassing of Russian troops near the border with Ukraine, Belarus-Poland border migration crisis, Afghanistan, as well as “the situation in the region with NATO’s close partners Georgia and Ukraine.”
Ahead of the meeting, Truss visited the UK troops stationed in Estonia within the framework of NATO enhanced presence in the Baltic region, including Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.
Israel archaeologists discover 1,900-year-old industry building, large cemetery
Israeli archaeologists have discovered the remains of an industrial building and a nearby wide cemetery, both dating back to about 1,900 years ago, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said…reports Asian Lite News
This is the first building discovered in the ancient central city of Yavne from the time of the Sanhedrin, which was the supreme legislative Jewish assembly.
Israel archaeologists discover 1,900-year-old industry building, large cemetery
It went into exile in Yavne after the conquest of Jerusalem by the Romans some 2,000 years ago, Xinhua news agency reported.
The building contained fragments of chalk stone cups, clear evidence that its occupants were observing Jewish laws of ritual purity, the researchers said.
The cemetery was located about 70 meters from the building, with dozens of tombs carefully spaced out at set distances.
Some of them are coffins or sarcophagi, which are made mostly of stone except for one made of lead.
The researchers assessed that these are the tombs of the city’s Jewish community, and the most elaborate ones may belong to the Jewish sages of Yavne.
The team also discovered 150 glass phials that were placed on top of the tombs, probably used to keep precious liquids such as fragrant oils.
“The findings are evidence of the life and death of Yavne’s inhabitants at the time of the Sanhedrin, where the foundations of Judaism as we know it were laid,” the researchers concluded.
“By requiring Facebook to sell Giphy, we are protecting millions of social media users and promoting competition and innovation in digital advertising,” he said in a statement…reports Asian Lite News.
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on Tuesday ordered Facebook’s parent company Meta to sell online database and search engine Giphy, as the $315 million acquisition could harm social media users and UK advertisers.
Facebook had moved to buy the online GIF platform in May 2020.
The UK anti-competition watchdog ruled that Facebook’s acquisition of Giphy would reduce competition between social media platforms and that the deal has already removed Giphy as a potential challenger in the display advertising market.
“The tie-up between Facebook and Giphy has already removed a potential challenger in the display advertising market. Without action, it will also allow Facebook to increase its significant market power in social media even further, through controlling competitors’ access to Giphy GIFs,” said Stuart McIntosh, Chair of the independent inquiry group.
“By requiring Facebook to sell Giphy, we are protecting millions of social media users and promoting competition and innovation in digital advertising,” he said in a statement.
The independent panel reviewing the merger concluded that Facebook would be able to increase its already significant market power in relation to other social media platforms by denying or limiting other platforms’ access to Giphy GIFs, driving more traffic to Facebook-owned sites – Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram – which already account for 73per cent of user time spent on social media in the UK.
The social network will also change the terms of access by, for example, requiring TikTok, Twitter and Snapchat to provide more user data in order to access Giphy GIFs.
Before the merger, Giphy had launched innovative advertising services which it was considering expanding to countries outside the US, including the UK.
Not sure how this is going to end, but I'm pretty certain that Facebook (sorry, "Meta"), won't be selling Giphy because the CMA said so. https://t.co/jSogPMXtc4
Giphy’s services allowed companies – such as Dunkin’ Donuts and Pepsi – to promote their brands through visual images and GIFs.
The CMA found that Giphy’s advertising services had the potential to compete with Facebook’s own display advertising services.
In October, the UK watchdog fined Meta around $69.6 million for failing to provide full updates showing its compliance with an order to continue to compete with the GIF company and avoid further integration while the acquisition was under investigation.
In contrast, the government accepted five recommendations made by the OTS in its second report on CGT — which covered much more narrow, technical issues…reports Asian Lite News.
The government has shelved proposals to raise capital gains tax rates to align them with income tax and slash the levy’s annual allowance, moves that would have hit the wealthy.
In the past year, the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS), a statutory body, has published two reports into CGT at the behest of chancellor Rishi Sunak and concluded that the government should consider reforming it.
But on Tuesday, in a letter to the OTS, the Treasury passed over the suggestions made by the group in its first report on CGT, which included the proposal to consider raising the rates and lowering the allowance — signalling that the recommendations are unlikely to be implemented any time soon.
“These reforms would involve a number of wider policy trade-offs and so careful thought must be given to the impact that they would have on taxpayers, as well as any additional administrative burden on HMRC,” wrote Lucy Frazer, financial secretary to the Treasury, referring to the tax authority. “The government will continue to keep the tax system under constant review to ensure it is simple and efficient.”
The UC Taper withdraws support as people work more hours.
The first £12,300 of capital gains each year is exempt from tax. CGT is charged at 10 per cent for basic rate taxpayers and 20 per cent for higher and additional rate taxpayers, or 18 per cent and 28 per cent respectively on residential property. In contrast, income tax is charged at a basic rate of 20 per cent, rising to 40 per cent and 45 per cent for higher and additional taxpayers, Financial Times reported.
In contrast, the government accepted five recommendations made by the OTS in its second report on CGT — which covered much more narrow, technical issues. These included an agreement to extend the time divorcing and separating couples have to transfer assets between them without paying the levy. Married couples and civil partners can transfer assets without any CGT being liable, but people getting divorced can only do so up until the end of the tax year in which they separated.
