Central News Hub

Month: September 2022

Iran demands ‘stronger’ US guarantees for n-deal revival

The Iranian top diplomat also demanded the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) refrain from “political behaviour,” noting Iran won’t accept any continued accusation made by IAEA…reports Asian Lite News

The Iranian Foreign Minister has demanded “a stronger text” from the US over its guarantees of lifting sanctions in order to reach an agreement to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, official IRNA news agency reported.

“Regarding lifting sanctions, we recently received the latest text from the American side, and my colleagues are carefully reviewing the text,” Amir-Abdollahian said on Wednesday during his joint press conference with his Russian counterpart in Moscow.

“We still need a stronger text on the issue of guarantees,” he added.

“If America acts realistically and strengthens the existing text, an agreement will be within reach,” the Minister said.

The Iranian top diplomat also demanded the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) refrain from “political behaviour,” noting Iran won’t accept any continued accusation made by IAEA when all the parties return to the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran and the US are indirectly exchanging views about a recent proposal by the European Union aimed at resolving the outstanding issues on revival of the JCPOA, Xinhua news agency reported.

Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear programme in return for the removal of sanctions on the country. However, former US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting the latter to drop some of its commitments under the pact.

The talks on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal began in April 2021 in Vienna but were suspended in March this year because of political differences between Tehran and Washington.

The latest round of the nuclear talks was held in the Austrian capital in early August after a five-month hiatus. On August 8, the EU put forward a “final text” of the draft decision on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal.

ALSO READ: Iran seeks India’s help in developing Chabahar Port

1 September 2022
More Canadians barred from entering Russia

A total of 818 Canadians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have been under Moscow’s sanctions…reports Asian Lite News

The Russian Foreign Ministry has announced that an additional 55 Canadian citizens have been indefinitely barred from entering the country in response to Ottawa’s anti-Russian sanctions.

In addition to the travel ban on these “high-ranking military, politicians and public figures,” the activities of three non-governmental organisations from Canada are now recognised as undesirable in Russia, the Ministry said on Wednesday.

A total of 818 Canadians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have been under Moscow’s sanctions, including an entry ban, official data showed as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

EU to suspend visa deal

Foreign Ministers of the European Union (EU) member states have agreed to suspend a visa agreement with Moscow, making it harder for Russian citizens to obtain entry to the bloc.

“We agree today with EU foreign ministers on full suspension of the EU-Russia visa facilitation agreement,” Xinhua news agency quoted Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, as saying at a press conference after the Ministers’ two-day informal meeting here on Wednesday.

He said that until now, the 2007 agreement that makes it easier for Russian citizens to obtain Schengen visas, was “partially suspended” for special collectives and groups of Russians, officials and entrepreneurs, but now it is “fully suspended”.

“It means that it will significantly reduce the number of new visas issued by the EU member states,” Borrell said, adding that the process to get a visa is going to be “longer and more difficult.”

As the situation in the EU countries bordering Russia is becoming “challenging”, the top diplomat said these member states can take national measures to restrict EU entry through their borders.

This comes as Ukraine and some member states had called for a blanket ban, but others like France and Germany were opposed to the step, the BBC reported.

More than a million Russian citizens have travelled to the EU since Moscow began its ongoing invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

The five EU countries bordering Russia — Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland — said in a joint statement that they could also introduce temporary bans or restrictions “in order to address imminent public security issues”.

Responding to the bloc’s decision, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Glushko said the EU was “shooting itself in the foot” and the move would not go unanswered.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also criticised the decision as a “half-measure”.

ALSO READ: UAE, Canada to collaborate on healthcare programmes

1 September 2022
WHO warns of health risks amid flood in Pakistan

As of August 25, more than 33 million people have been affected and over 6.4 million people are in dire need of humanitarian aid, including 421,000 refugees…reports Asian Lite News

The catastrophic flood situation in Pakistan will highly likely increase the spread of disease, says the World Health Organization (WHO), as the country continues its relentless battle against the deadly deluges.

In its latest situation report on flooding in Pakistan, the WHO pointed out that the heavy monsoon rain which started in mid-June are continuing in many parts of the country and have affected 116 districts (75 per cent) out of the total 160, Geo News reported.

The most affected province is Sindh, followed by Balochistan.

As of August 25, more than 33 million people have been affected and over 6.4 million people are in dire need of humanitarian aid, including 421,000 refugees, the WHO report highlighted.

More than 1,100 lives have been lost and almost 15,000 people injured.

The WHO report focused on what it called the “severe” impact on health facilities, stating that as of August 28, 888 health facilities have been damaged in the country of which 180 of them are completely damaged.

“Access to health facilities, health care workers, and essential medicines and medical supplies remain the main health challenges for now,” Geo News quoted the WHO report as saying.

Pakistan’s health system is already battling multiple concurrent health threats, including Covid-19, and outbreaks of cholera, typhoid, measles, leishmaniasis and HIV, the WHO said, adding that even before the current floods, there was a significant disparity in access to health services between rural and urban areas.

Meanwhile, health experts have sounded the alarm regarding the outbreak of disease in flood-affected areas, estimating around five million people to fall sick in the next four to 12 weeks.

ALSO READ: Pak flood loss rises to $5.5 billion

1 September 2022
Texas faces worst cotton harvest in years due to drought

Though much of Texas has seen rain during the past two weeks, experts say it is two months too late for this year’s crops….reports Asian Lite News

The cotton industry in Texas is facing its worst harvest in years due to drought and extreme heat, local media reported.

Cotton is Texas’ largest crop and agricultural export and in a good year, production can net $4 billion to $5 billion for the US state’s High Plains region alone, which covers 42 counties stretching from Lubbock to the tip of Panhandle in the northwest.

The International Center for Agricultural Competitiveness at Texas Tech University estimates that cotton production in the state’s High Plains will be down by at least $2 billion this year, expecting just half the normal annual yield.

“There’s just not much crop out there,” Brad Heffington, a cotton farmer whose farm is about 40 miles northwest of Lubbock, told the newspaper.

“A lot of cotton burned up and a lot of it never even made it up to begin with.”

Though much of Texas has seen rain during the past two weeks, experts say it is two months too late for this year’s crops.

Texas’ High Plains produces an abundance of cotton and cottonseed, accounting for 66 percent of the state’s total yield, more than a third of the total crop in the US, and 4 per cent globally, according to the report.

The poor harvest is expected to drive up costs for consumers.

Cotton is also responsible for thousands of jobs in the state in related industries such as ginning companies, warehouses and oil mill processing plants.

Texas is facing its worst drought since 2011.

As 95 per cent of the entire state experiences drought conditions, farms have been forced to cut their losses, and cotton is just one of many crops suffering under the drought, the report said.

ALSO READ: Washington concerned as Russia announces military drills

1 September 2022
Democrat Peltola beats Palin in Alaska special poll

She is the first Alaska Native to represent a state where almost 20 percent of the population is Indigenous, the highest proportion in the United States….reports Asian Lite News

Mary Peltola, a Democratic former state lawmaker, won a special election to fill Alaska’s sole US House of Representatives seat, becoming the first Alaska Native to represent the state in Congress, the Alaska Division of Elections announced on Wednesday.

She defeated Republican former Governor Sarah Palin by 51.47 percent to 48.53 percent. Palin is widely known for her unsuccessful vice presidential run with John McCain in 2008.

Peltola will finish the remainder of the term of Republican Representative Don Young, who died earlier this year, and will face re-election on Nov. 8.

She is the first Alaska Native to represent a state where almost 20 percent of the population is Indigenous, the highest proportion in the United States.

Palin’s campaign for the House seat was her first run for public office after the McCain loss. She is seen as having helped open the door to a more far-right wing of the Republican Party.

During her campaign, Peltola ran as “Alaska’s best shot at keeping an extremist from winning,” according to her campaign website. She highlighted her status as “the only candidate in this race who isn’t a multi-millionaire.”

The election is the first one run under the state’s new ranked choice system, with voters listing candidates in order of preference on the ballot. A candidate must clear 50 percent of the vote to be declared the winner.

The special election was called after the death of Young, 88, who was first elected in 1973.

The winner of the special election will serve out Young’s term, which expires at the end of this year. Palin, Peltola and Republican Nick Begich III will vie in a Nov. 8 election to fill the seat for the next two years.

Meanwhile, Democratic Representative Charlie Crist on Wednesday announced he was resigning, effective immediately, from his House seat so that he can focus on his gubernatorial campaign against Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis.

ALSO READ: Pakistan replaces Turkey in Qatar’s strategic calculus

1 September 2022
Trump slams govt for ‘unjustified’ pursuit

Trump’s attorneys insisted that his possession of sensitive information should have come as no surprise…reports Asian Lite News

Former president Donald Trump’s legal team on Wednesday dismissed the government’s “unjustified” pursuit of classified documents at his home and said the raid in which they were seized was legally dubious and unnecessary.

Responding to a bombshell filing in which the US Department of Justice said top secret documents were “likely concealed” at Trump’s estate to obstruct an FBI probe, his attorneys insisted that his possession of sensitive information should have come as no surprise.

“The purported justification for the initiation of this criminal probe was the alleged discovery of sensitive information contained within the 15 boxes of presidential records,” a court filing by Trump’s team said.

“But this ‘discovery’ was to be fully anticipated given the very nature of presidential records. Simply put, the notion that presidential records would contain sensitive information should have never been cause for alarm,” it said.

Trump’s lawyers repeated their call for an independent review of all material seized from his Mar-a-Lago estate and described the August 8 FBI raid on the property as “unprecedented, unnecessary, and legally unsupported.”

The Department of Justice painted a distinctly different picture in its late Tuesday filing opposing the appointment of a “special master” to review the documents, saying that highly sensitive materials were recovered from Trump’s home.

Strikingly, the department’s filing included a photograph of color-coded documents spread out over a carpet, marked “SECRET” and “TOP SECRET.”

The inclusion of the photograph also sparked condemnation by Trump’s team.

“The government’s response gratuitously included a photograph of allegedly classified materials, pulled from a container and spread across the floor for dramatic effect,” it said.

Truth Social app fails to get Google nod

Truth Social, the social media platform launched by Donald Trump to counter Twitter, is yet to get approval from Google Play Store and the former US President’s company was working “in good faith with Google”.

Google has notified Truth Social of “several violations of standard policies in their current app submission”, reiterating that “having effective systems for moderating user-generated content is a condition of our terms of service for any app to go live on Google Play”.

Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) said in a statement that it has “no desire to litigate its business matters in the public sphere, but for the record, has promptly responded to all inquiries from Google”.

It said that the Truth Social Android app complies with Google’s policies without compromising the promise to be “a haven for free speech”.

“As our users know, Truth Social is building a vibrant, family-friendly environment that works expeditiously to remove content that violates its Terms of Service, which independent observers have noted are among the most robust in the industry,” the company said.

It alleged that some of its competitors’ apps are allowed in the Google Play Store despite “rampantly violating Google’s prohibition on sexual content and other policies, whereas Truth Social has zero tolerance for sexually explicit content”.

Truth Social was launched in the Apple App Store on February 21.

According to reports, Truth Social is strapped for cash and facing tech and legal troubles.

“The most immediate problem is the platform’s stalled SPAC, initially planned as a way to publicly trade shares in the new company without the diligence of an IPO,” reports The Verge.

An SEC filings show that the company has lost over $6 million in the first half of this year and hasn’t generated any revenue.

ALSO READ: Pakistan replaces Turkey in Qatar’s strategic calculus

1 September 2022
Is Gulf aid to Pakistan different this time?

Geopolitical analyst, Mark Kinra says that the the Gulf countries have once again come to the aid of “brother nation” Pakistan but there is a catch this time-now they want something in return….writes RAHUL KUMAR

Pakistani Finance Minister Miftah Ismail has said that Qatar is keen to buy out two Pakistani LNG-fired power plants based in Punjab province. The two Punjab-based plants are the Haveli Bahadur Shah and the Balloki power plant, both of which get their gas from Balochistan.

With this statement, Ismail has clarified the initial confusion during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Qatar earlier this week that the Gulf country was providing $2 billion in assistance to Pakistan to bail it out from a default. Murtaza Syed, deputy governor at the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) had said in a briefing on August 23 that Pakistan will receive $2 billion from Qatar in bilateral support.

The news had been widely reported in many media organisations.

In a press conference on August 26, Finance Minister Ismail also said that Qatar is interested in leasing Pakistan’s airports.

However, now that Sharif’s visit has concluded, it is clear that Qatar has expressed its desire to make investments worth $3 billion in a crumbling Pakistan rather than provide it a $2 billion in assistance.

Geopolitical analyst, Mark Kinra says that the the Gulf countries have once again come to the aid of “brother nation” Pakistan but there is a catch this time-now they want something in return.

Kinra adds: “On July 24, the Pakistan cabinet approved the Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions Ordinance 2022 to sell assets and shares of government companies to foreign countries. Earlier in 2019, Saudi Arabia had promised to invest $20 billion which did materialise. This time the kingdom has pledged to invest $1 billion but this is under the umbrella of a deferred oil facility”.

Just like Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the UAE too has decided to change tack regarding investments in Pakistan.

Kinra says that the UAE is also planning to invest $1 billion in gas, energy infrastructure, renewable energy, health care, biotechnology, agricultural technology, logistics, digital communications, e-commerce and financial services. “These pledged investments only show that the Gulf nations want returns. With China unable to extract return on its vast investments due to deep-rooted corruption and structural problems, the friendly Gulf countries want to be doubly sure.”

With Pakistan’s economy in doldrums, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had asked Pakistan to raise forex reserves from friendly countries before August 29 so that it could consider providing a package to the cash-strapped country wrecked with historic floods, rising radicalism and the Baloch insurgency.

Pakistani newspaper, The Express Tribune has said that the Qataris have indicated to Pakistan that the oil-rich country, which is part of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), will invest $3 billion through its $425 billion sovereign wealth fund in Pakistani “airports, power plants, port terminals, solar energy and the stock market”. The investments will be done through the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA).

The Qataris have apparently shown interest in acquiring stakes in two power plants-Haveli Bahadur Shah which was made by Chinese company SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction under the massive China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC); and Balloki power plant which is a JV between China-based Harbin Electric International Company and Habib Rafiq. So far, Islamabad appears reluctant to part with some of its “crown jewels”.

But Pakistan currently has foreign exchange reserves at $7.8 billion that will last it just one month, giving it little leverage on the negotiating table.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

ALSO READ: Pakistan commends UAE’s support amid floods

1 September 2022
IPH hosts interactive health-education event

These pillars are considered essential elements for building and maintaining emotional resilience, a crucial component of overall health…reports Asian Lite News

The Institute for Population Health (IPH) at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) hosted an interactive health-education event to highlight the power of mega sports spectacles in boosting social connectedness, health, and wellbeing.

Titled ‘Megasports: Promoting Health and Wellbeing for All’, the event was attended by Sheikh Dr. Mohamed Bin Hamad Al Thani, Director of the Public Health Department at the Ministry of Public Health, and covered all six key pillars of the emerging ‘Lifestyle Medicine’ discipline, which includes physical activity, healthy diet, stress management, restorative sleep, tobacco/risky substance use cessation, and social connectedness. These pillars are considered essential elements for building and maintaining emotional resilience, a crucial component of overall health.

The event included a series of fun and informative all-day activities, such as planking, push-up, and jump-rope challenges, an obstacle course, a pottery class, board games, and raffle draws. In addition, several mindfulness and bilingual storytelling sessions were held across the day.

Dr. Ravinder Mamtani, vice dean for population health and lifestyle medicine at WCM-Q, said: “The event offered Education City students, staff, faculty, along with their families and friends the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the role that mega sporting events, such as the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, play in helping us connect socially, and thereby contribute to our overall health and wellbeing. It also further highlighted that self-awareness and self-care are critical elements in helping facilitate a healthy lifestyle.”

Dr. Sohaila Cheema, assistant dean of the institute for population health at WCM-Q, said: “We are constantly exploring new initiatives to help raise awareness on important community-related health measures, especially since the vast majority of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) can be prevented, treated, and often reversed through the adoption of sensible lifestyle measures. It was therefore wonderful to see so many enthusiastic participants attend this extremely engaging and informative event.”

IPH was created with the goal of advancing the tripartite mission of WCM-Q in the broad arena of education, research, community, and related matters. Through effective public health policies, healthy lifestyles, and informed healthcare decisions, life expectancy, health outcomes, and the overall quality of life can greatly improve.

ALSO READ-‘UAE is keen to address global energy challenges’

1 September 2022
Breather for Lanka as IMF agrees on $2.9bn deal

Facing the worst-ever economic crisis since Sri Lanka gained independence from Britain in 1948, the island nation is going through skyrocketing inflation…reports SUSITHA FERNANDO

After a week-long discussion with Sri Lankan authorities, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has agreed to provide a $2.9 billion extended facility for a four-year period, with conditions on debt restructuring and action on corruption.

The IMF mission led by Peter Breuer and Masahiro Nozaki who were in the island nation from August 24 to September 1. They extensively discussed IMF’s support for Sri Lanka and the authorities’ comprehensive economic reform programme.

“The new EFF arrangement will support Sri Lanka’s program to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, while safeguarding financial stability, reducing corruption vulnerabilities and unlocking Sri Lanka’s growth potential,” the IMF announced in a statement.

Facing the worst-ever economic crisis since Sri Lanka gained independence from Britain in 1948, the island nation is going through skyrocketing inflation, dollar crunch and devaluation of the local currency mainly due to wrong financial decision making and extensive loans obtained for many white elephant projects.

With a colossal $51 billion foreign debt, the country was expected to pay $7 billion in debt serving but defaulted in April this year.

“Sri Lanka has been facing an acute crisis. Vulnerabilities have grown owing to inadequate external buffers and an unsustainable public debt dynamic. The April debt moratorium led to Sri Lanka defaulting on its external obligations, and a critically low level of foreign reserves has hampered the import of essential goods, including fuel, further impeding economic activity,” the IMF officials said in a joint statement on Thursday.

The IMF said that the economy is expected to contract by 8.7 per cent in 2022 and inflation recently exceeded 60 per cent, of which the impact has been disproportionately borne by the poor and vulnerable.

“Against this backdrop, the authorities’ program, supported by the Fund, would aim to stabilize the economy, protect the livelihoods of the Sri Lankan people, and prepare the ground for economic recovery and promoting sustainable and inclusive growth,” the statement added.

Some of the main areas of the IMF-Sri Lanka agreement include raising taxes with an aim to reach a primary surplus of 2.3 per cent of GDP by 2024; introducing cost-recovery based pricing for fuel and electricity; rebuilding foreign reserves through restoring a market-determined and flexible exchange rate; reducing corruption vulnerabilities through improving fiscal transparency and public financial management; and introduce a stronger anti-corruption legal framework.

During its stay in the crisis-hit country, the IMF team met President and Finance Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Central Bank Governor P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Secretary to the Treasury K.M. Mahinda Siriwardana, opposition leader and opposition MPs, representatives from the private sector, civil society organizations and development partners.

Sri Lanka was awaiting an IMF bailout to recover from the financial crisis which has led to the acute shortages of basic essentials like food, fuel and medicine.

India, the closest neighbour, was the first to come in Sri Lanka’s aid with nearly $3.8 billion of financial support since January this year.

ALSO READ: Lanka steps up efforts to woo tourists

1 September 2022
Jaishankar cements India-UAE ties

Jaishankar arrived in Abu Dhabi for a three-day visit to co-chair the 14th India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) and the third India-UAE Strategic Dialogue, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence in the United Arab of Emirates and appreciated his strong support for the Indian community, yoga activities, cricket and cultural cooperation.

Jaishankar arrived in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday for a three-day visit to co-chair the 14th India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) and the third India-UAE Strategic Dialogue with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC).

“Delighted to meet HH Sheikh Nahyan bin Mabarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Co-existence. Appreciated his strong support for the Indian community, our yoga activities, cricket and cultural cooperation,” Jaishankar tweeted on Wednesday.

The External Affairs Minister was received by Abdullah Muhammad Al-Balooki, acting assistant undersecretary for MOFAIC yesterday.

“Hon. EAM @DrSJaishankar arrives in the UAE! Received by HE Abdulla Mohammed Al Balooki, Asst. Undersecretary @MoFAICUAE, at Dubai, along with Amb @sunjaysudhir & Dr. Aman Puri,” The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi tweeted.

Jaishankar also toured the under-construction BAPS Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi and laid a brick in its intricate architecture.

“On Ganesh Chaturthi, blessed to visit the @BAPS Hindu temple under construction in Abu Dhabi. Glad to see the rapid progress and deeply appreciate the devotion of all involved. Met the BAPS team, community supporters and devotees and workers at the site,” he said in the tweet.

Jaishankar will be co-chairing the 14th India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) and 3rd India-UAE Strategic Dialogue with his counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, these meetings of Jaishankar will provide an opportunity for both the Ministers to review the entire spectrum of comprehensive strategic partnership between India and UAE and regional and global developments.

There has been regular exchange of high level interaction between India and UAE in 2022. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to Abu Dhabi on June 28 and met UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Prior to that, both leaders had also held a virtual summit on February 18 during which India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was signed and a vision statement adopted. Both leaders also participated in the I2U2 Summit held virtually on July 14, as per MEA.

The United Arab Emirates will invest USD 2 billion in India to develop a series of integrated agriculture parks across the country.

In a joint statement, the heads of the four countries including — Israel Prime Minister Yair Lapid, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan stated that the US and Israeli private sectors will be invited to lend their expertise in India and offer innovative solutions that contribute to the overall sustainability of the project.

The virtual summit of India, Israel, UAE, and the USA dubbed “I2U2” is projected as the Quad for West Asia. I2U2 aimed to encourage joint investments in six mutually identified areas such as water, energy, transportation, space, health, and food security.

Both India and UAE are committed to moving forward in their partnership in diverse areas, including trade, investment, conventional and renewable energy, food security, health, skill development, education, culture, defence, space, consular issues and people-to-people ties.

These areas were also discussed at official levels during the meetings of the Sub-Committees of the JCM held on August 23-24, 2022.

ALSO READ: UAE launches global dialogue on sustainable industrial development

1 September 2022