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Pak to Face Tougher FATF Scrutiny

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. (File Photo: IANS)

Until now, Pakistan enjoyed an additional cushion as China, an ally, was holding the presidency of Financial Action Task Force (FATF). With the baton passing on to Germany, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is a worried man…reports MAHUA VENKATESH

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. (File Photo: IANS)

With Germanys Marcus Pleyer as president of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the going for Pakistan, which is already placed in the grey list, may just get tougher.

Islamabad will now face a tougher scrutiny, sources said, even as reports suggested that the country will remain in the grey list for some time as an on-site visit by the FATF team will not be possible before next year.

Pleyer took over the presidency on July 1 this year from Xiangmin Liu, director general, legal department, at the People’s Bank of China. With the baton passing on to Germany, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is a worried man.

Pakistan, which missed as many as 13 targets out of 27, got a four-month breather in February to complete its goals. In case Pakistan fails to achieve those targets, it may get blacklisted. Iran and North Korea are the only two countries which are currently blacklisted by the FATF.

Until now, Pakistan enjoyed an additional cushion as China, an ally, was holding the presidency.

Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Plenary meeting in Paris (Photo: Twitter/@FATFNews)

Khan has repeatedly highlighted the grave consequences the country would face in case it is blacklisted.

The country’s economy is already in battered with slowing economic growth.

Pakistan is already finding it difficult to get financial aid from the multilateral agencies including the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and Asian Development Bank, due to its grey list status.

But once a country is placed on the blacklist, the challenges multiply significantly. In an interview in August, Khan said that Pakistan would suffer huge challenges, much like Iran, in case it was blacklisted.

“People talk about inflation now. If we are placed on the blacklist, we will experience inflation that would ruin our economy,” he said.

According to the World Bank, the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth was about 5.83 per cent in 2018. It was down to less than 1 per cent in 2019�a decline of over 4.8 per cent from 2018, leading to rise in unemployment and unrest within the country.

Pakistan until now has been enjoying support from China, and was given two extensions since October 2019 to achieve the targets.

The US has been pushing to blacklist Pakistan. India has also underlined the need to do the same.

“Pakistan has often blamed India on this front but the FATF is a serious platform with many members. It is not possible for one country to charge another if there was no substantial reason,” an analyst who did not wish to be identified told IndiaNarrative.com.

The Paris-headquartered FATF is a global intergovernmental watchman for anti-money laundering and anti-terror financing. It crafts out policies to address money laundering and other illegal activities.

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-Top News Asia News China

The Deafening Silence of Taliban on Uyghurs

QUETTA (PAKISTAN), May 5, 2018 (Xinhua) -- Workers sit outside a collapsed coal mine in Pir Ismail, Marwar area near Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, southwestern Pakistan, on May 5, 2018. At least 18 people were killed, 13 others injured and about a dozen went missing as two coal mines collapsed in different areas of Pakistan's southwest province of Balochistan on Saturday, local media reported. (Xinhua/Stringer/IANS)

For China, reaching out to the Taliban has many strategic advantages. For one it will be able to extend its sphere of influence in South Asia and the Middle East. Secondly, and equally important, it will ensure that the teeming Islamic terror organizations in the region do not make efforts to reach out to Xinjiang and breed terror or an independence movement there…writes RAHUL KUMAR

Ughurs in Chinese detention camps. (Image Courtesy: @ETAwakening/Twitter)

The magic of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is such that even the Taliban, which carries on with jihad to protect Islam, has turned its face away from the Uyghur genocide and the ethnic cleansing of Muslims by China.

The Chinese influence, which is now extending into Afghanistan through iron-brother Pakistan, has ensured that even die-hard terror groups like the Taliban keep quiet on the Chinese campaign to culturally, ethnically and ideologically change the Uyghurs-the people of East Turkistan province, renamed Xinjiang by China.

With the Americans under President Donald Trump clear about withdrawing from Afghanistan, possibly by year-end itself, China has sensed opportunity to fill up the vacuum. The Doha agreement between the Americans and the Taliban, minus the Afghan government, was a catalyst for China to jump into the Af-Pak region.

Workers sit outside a collapsed coal mine in Pir Ismail, Marwar area near Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan. (Xinhua/Stringer/IANS)

For China, reaching out to the Taliban has many strategic advantages. For one it will be able to extend its sphere of influence in South Asia and the Middle East. Secondly, and equally important, it will ensure that the teeming Islamic terror organizations in the region do not make efforts to reach out to Xinjiang and breed terror or an independence movement there.

To ensure that the Taliban takes the Chinese offer seriously, it made an offer to the group through Pakistan to extend the super-sized China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)-the marquee project of the BRI-to Afghanistan. The Chinese offer to the Taliban is to make highways and connect all Afghan cities to each other. Other offers include energy projects to develop Afghanistan while the Taliban has to promise peace in return.

China is also eyeing Afghanistan’s considerable mineral riches. Chinese companies had won contracts to mine copper and explore oil but could not do so due to the internal strife in the country. China would be keenly looking at re-working on the contracts.

Afghanistan’s geographical location as a connecting point between South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East too is tempting for China to step in.

With so much to gain, thanks to the Pakistani influence, China has not overlooked its relations with the Afghan government. Besides talking to the Taliban, it has been engaging with the Afghan government as well. China has been able to persuade the government over a border agreement to allow Chinese troops to patrol the border in the Wakhan region with a view to ensuring that no cross-border movement takes place between the independence-seeking Uyghurs and the militants that flourish on Afghan soil.

Sporadic news reports have come out over China trying to set up a military base in the northern parts of Afghanistan, again with a view to keeping a check on Xinjiang.

The US presence in Afghanistan was a military one-to keep terrorism at bay, and also nurture democratic forces in the country and society. With China, democracy is not going to be a bother. Its interest will be confined to keeping militancy out of Xinjiang and getting away with the ethnic cleaning of Muslims while demolishing their religion and culture. The other interests will be to extend CPEC into Afghanistan, open up trade routes to Central Asia and the Middle East and lastly, get space for its boots on Afghan ground.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan with Chinese Preisident Xi Jinping

All of this is possible once the Americans bid adieu. To ensure this, Pakistan is pulling out all stops to bring the Taliban and China to the negotiating table. A few months back, China had invited Afghanistan to join the BRI, and partake in its benefits just as Pakistan and Nepal had done.

West to Afghanistan lies Iran, which is developing closer relations with China due to the unending American pressure over its support for terrorism and nuclear issues. With a depleting economy and much financial strife, Iran signed a massive deal with China for oil, after which it also invited the Chinese to invest in rail networks linking the Chabahar port-which ironically India had built.

For China, netting Afghanistan will mean a large swathe of contiguous area in the form of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran with access to many ports in Pakistan and Iran, allowing it to bypass South East Asia for its oil supplies.

For India, Chinese presence in Afghanistan will be an added headache considering that the duo of Pakistan and China have not left any table unturned-terrorism, cross-border infiltration, shelling, supporting terror networks in various regions, salami-slicing and even creating a war-like situation-to marginalize India. For most part, it has been effective as well.

The implications for India are enormous. Looking at this complex matrix, it slowly opened up to talks with the Taliban. The group’s spokesperson, Suhail Shaheen, invited Indian participation in the intra-Afghan peace talks during a web-session with an Indian think tank. Significantly, Shaheen added that the group will not interfere in India’s internal issues including Kashmir. Experts interpret this as realization among the Taliban that India’s presence in Afghanistan has been benign and based entirely on development and reconstruction; therefore, India cannot be kept out of the talks. In fact, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar even addressed the first face-to-face intra-Afghan talks that eventually took place in Doha last month, stressing upon all parties to find an all-Afghan solution.

Afghanistan has remained an unpredictable place. It is a quagmire. Once the Americans move out, things will change rapidly-something which the common Afghan fears. Despite the intra-Afghan peace talks, violence and bloodshed have continued unabated violating the spirit of the talks.

At another level, all Afghan governments in the last two decades have maintained positive relations with India. Despite the overtures by China in Afghanistan, it would not be easy to dislodge India from the landlocked country. With the current low in the relations between the two Asian giants, India has to look at China in the eye and take it on. Or, be read to accept irrelevance in the South Asian region, and consequently the world.

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-Top News China UK News

MI5 Suspects China, Russia Threat On UK Security

MI5 Director General Ken McCallum. (Photo Credit: mi5.gov.uk)

The new chief of the MI5 Ken McCallum directly specified “the differing national security challenges presented by Russian, Chinese, Iranian and other actors” were “growing in severity and in complexity – while terrorist threats persist at scale”…reports Hitesh Tikoo

MI5 Director General Ken McCallum. (Photo Credit: mi5.gov.uk)

The new chief of the MI5, the UK’s domestic counter-intelligence and security agency, has said that spy threats posed by Russia and China against the country were “growing in severity and complexity”, while the terror threats from the Islamic State (IS) and the far right “persists at scale”.

In his first speech since he was announced as the new MI5 Director General at the end of March, Ken McCallum focused on risks from hostile states, including undermining “the integrity of UK research” on a Covid-19 vaccine.

McCallum said the UK faced threats “up to and including assassinations, as the (Russian opposition figure) Alexei Navalny poisoning reminds us; threats to our economy, our academic research, our infrastructure and, much discussed, threats to our democracy”.

He directly specified “the differing national security challenges presented by Russian, Chinese, Iranian and other actors” were “growing in severity and in complexity – while terrorist threats persist at scale”.

The intelligence agency, whose work has been dominated by counter-terrorism in the past two decades, said in its last update that it had thwarted 27 terrorist plots in the past four years, including eight from the far right.

McCallum said the threat posed by the far right was “sadly rising” and that the agency was concerned about young people being attracted to far-right thinking “which does tend to suggest this threat will be with us for some years to come”.

But the MI5 boss said that, unlike with Islamist terrorism, the far right remained fragmented.

“We’re not yet seeing a coherent global movement, we don’t see the same kind of thing we’ve previously seen with Al Qaeda or IS,” he added, although the agency remained alive to the possibility the far right could become “more structured and coherent”.

However, some in Westminster have argued that the agency needs to refocus on countering Russia and China.

Over the summer, parliament’s watchdog intelligence and security committee accused the spy agencies of “taking their eye off the ball” when it came to Russian activities in the UK.

In July, Security Minister James Brokenshire had said that the UK was “more than 95 per cent” sure that Russian state-sponsored hackers targeted the UK, US and Canadian organisations involved in developing a Covid-19 vaccine.

Referring to that, McCallum said MI5 was watching out for “attempts to steal unique intellectual property” or in some way “interfere with what is happening”.

The changing threat includes claims that China tried to spy on the European Union (EU) by targeting a former MI6 officer, Fraser Cameron, who allegedly sold classified information to Chinese undercover operatives.

Cameron had denied the allegations.

China, McCallum added, was beginning to engage in an “interference in politics”.

However, McCallum said the UK needed to proceed carefully on China because of the economic impact of total disengagement.

He said the UK needed “a broad conversation across government and, crucially, beyond, to reach wise judgments around how the UK interacts with China on both opportunities and risks”.

McCallum said the Black Lives Matter protests, which swept across the UK after the death of the African-American man George Floyd in the US, had had an effect within MI5 and vowed to modernise the agency.

He pledged the domestic intelligence service would increase the number of minority ethnic people employed as analysts, agent runners and in other sensitive posts.

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Amish Tripathi addresses VOICE 10 yr celebs

Enlightening and Engaging Interview with Amish Tripathi, Director of Nehru Centre and the award-winning author of 8 books including the Shiva Trilogy, conducted by Ani Kaprekar

On 19th September, Manchester based VOICE (Vedic Organisation for Indian Culture and Education) organised an online interview with Amish Tripathi, the newly appointed director of Nehru Centre and a well-known author of several books including the Shiva Trilogy. This interview was watched live by people across many countries – UK, Europe, USA, Canada and of course India. The subject of the interview was ‘Mythology or Ancient History’ and was meant to mark the start of 10th anniversary of VOICE promoting Indian culture in the UK.

The honorary secretary, Dr Poonam Kakkar welcomed Amish Tripathi and thanked him for bringing the long-forgotten stories back to the forefront of Indian culture. The whole event was anchored by Ani Kaprekar who introduced Amish Tripathi as India’s literally pop star and India’s Tolkein, and opened the conversation with a direct question, “What is Amish Tripathi’s mission as an author? Demystifying myths, unravelling Legends or re-visiting Indian History?” Amish Tripathi explained that there was no tradition of history in ancient India as the focus was always on discovery of the Truth not on writing of history.

He reminded the audience that the Hindu civilization is the longest surviving civilization because our ancestors did not surrender. He opined that we lost more of our history in the last 70 years where we seem to have forgotten our own philosophy. When questioned about his own journey he revealed that writing of the ‘Immortals of Melluah’ brought him back to faith. He gave credit to Lord Shiva who pulled him back to faith.

In response to the question “When did Sita change from Janaki to a Warrior Princess?” raised by Dr Archna Gund, who is a medical doctor but an ardent promoter of Indian culture, the author revealed that his own research showed that ancient India was very liberal and equal society where women were not treated as weaker sex. He explained that there was no ‘lakshman rekha’ in the original Ramayan written by Valmiki it was included in later versions. In fact, there was no distinction made between male Gods and female Goddesses – they were equal.

A question was taken from the audience where it was asked why we use the term Lord to address Hindu Gods like Lord Shiva or Lord Ganesha. Amish Tripathi replied that it is the limitation of English language. Lord is often taken to mean Prabhu or Bhagwan. Professor Prinja raised a question about the gap between science and spirituality which is being created by the Indian education system where there is a distance created between science and Sanskrit, the language of our scriptures. As a result, many people do not realise that whatever has been discovered by the modern science does not contradict the teachings of the Upanishads. Amish Tripathi agreed that there remains a gap.

In the West, science emerged as a rebellion against church and religion but in the Vedic tradition science and spirituality merge. This is because the Vedic thought assumes presence of consciousness and explains relationship between matter and consciousness. There are still several questions about creation which remain unanswered by the modern science as there is no theory for everything, but it is possible in the Vedic tradition to seek that answer. We must use our own roots to discover the truth.

Abhilasha Kakkar, a trained psychologist, asked about being an Indian whilst living in the UK. Amish Tripathi’s view was that Indians are comfortable with multiple identities because they are liberal and flexible. They do not impose a straitjacket of culture. He encouraged young Indians not to be anti-UK but be a full-fledged responsible citizen of the UK. He was asked by a young viewer, Soham Bhansali if there is going to be a book on Mahabharata. Amish Tripathi said that he left many hints that there could be a series of books on Mahabharata.

On closer questioning, he revealed that writing these books have had major positive impact on his character. He has become much calmer person. His aim remains to write about ‘itihasa’ which literally translated means ‘as it happened’. We look forward to many more books from him. The event ended by the chairman of VOICE, Dr Hardik Bhansali thanking him and agreeing that voice will work with the Nehru centre to conduct activities in order to promote Indian culture to the wider audience in the UK. The event included a lucky dip for 3 listeners who won a copy of Amish Tripathis’s latest book ‘Suhaldev’.

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-Top News London News

Sadiq Urges Businesses to Tackle Racism

Businesses of all sizes are invited to join Mayor’s Workforce Integration Network (WIN) to strengthen its network, utilise its resources and help create pathways into living wage employment for young Black men…reports Asian Lite Newsdesk

A man wearing a face mask walks past a shop in London, Britain

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has declared City Hall a committedly anti-racist organisation as he unveiled a toolkit to help businesses cultivate genuinely inclusive working environments.

Sadiq said he is determined to tackle structural and institutionalised racism across London and is urging businesses to follow the new guidance.

The toolkit, which was published recently, offers practical guidance to businesses to help diversify their workforce and foster a truly inclusive workplace culture.

One in five men in the capital is Black, but Black men are significantly more likely to experience unemployment than their White counterparts, with 33 per cent of Black men out of work compared to 15 per cent of White men. Disparities persist even across educational levels with Black graduate unemployment at 13 per cent compared to a rate of just 4 per cent for White graduates, the Mayor’s office said.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan

According to a press release issued by the Mayor’s office, “Sadiq is committed to leading by example in making City Hall an actively anti-racist organisation and has, along with the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, (MOPAC) pledged to take the following action, in addition to committing to the actions in the toolkit: launching an organisational-wide cultural change programme underpinned by an independent review into the structural barriers that prevent Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) and specifically Black progression; setting targets by gender and ethnicity for the proportion of Black male and Black female staff across the GLA and MOPAC, and specifically the senior leadership teams to, reflect the wider London working age population.”

City Hall has been working to ensure that equality is a key part of its work, and is already reporting on its ethnicity pay gap and developing a pioneering action plan to close it, offering Covid-19 risk assessments across the GLA family including for colleagues from BAME backgrounds and working to increase the trust and confidence of London’s Black communities in the Metropolitan Police Service through the Mayor’s forthcoming Action Plan.

The new inclusive employers toolkit builds on the work of the Mayor’s Workforce Integration Network (WIN) – a City Hall scheme launched in 2018 to tackle disproportionate levels of unemployment among young Black men while seeking to improve access to sectors such as construction and technology where they are typically underrepresented.

Businesses of all sizes are invited to join WIN to strengthen its network, utilise its resources and help create pathways into living wage employment for young Black men.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “Our capital’s diversity is its greatest strength, but the makeup of too many organisations, especially at their highest levels, fails to present a true picture of modern London.

“Your background, gender and ethnicity should have no bearing on what you can achieve which is why part of becoming actively anti-racist involves acknowledging the fact systemic racism remains pervasive across society. Employers and businesses must do more to embed anti-racist practices in their operations and their company culture.

“That is why, in declaring City Hall an actively anti-racist body, I am proud to share this toolkit with London’s business community. Helping them strengthen their workforce through the enrichment diversity brings and building a more resilient capital with genuine inclusivity at its core.”

 Sioned Churchill, Director of Grants at Trust for London, said:

“It’s not right that young Black men in London experience more unemployment than young White men. Employers across London can help address these disparities. The WIN ‘inclusive employers toolkit’ supports companies to improve the recruitment, retention and progression of young Black men within the workplace.”

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-Top News COVID-19 UK News

Wales Bans Travellers From UK Corona Hotspots

A man wearing a face mask walks past a shop in London, Britain

First minister Mark Drakeford has announced that Wales is going to ban people from parts of the UK with high rates of Covid-19, the media reported.

According to BBC report, the Mr Drakeford has said that he would go ahead if the Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not impose travel restrictions in England.

The ban is expected to cover all of Northern Ireland, England’s tier two and three areas and the Scottish central belt, it reported.

It is also learnt that Scotland’s Nicola Sturgeon fully supported Mr Drakeford’s move.

Meanwhile, the new three-tier system of Covid-19 restrictions has come into force in England.

Most of the country is in the lowest tier – medium – but millions of people in the North and the Midlands face extra curbs on households mixing, the BBC reported.

Boris Johnson said that a new three-tier system of regional Covid-19 restrictions “is the right way forward”, according to the report.

The PM told the House of Commons the policy “can bring down the virus” but that he did not rule out going further.

The Liverpool region is the only area to be under the toughest rules, with pubs and bars not serving meals closed.

Government health officials are due to meet later to discuss the possibility of Greater Manchester, Lancashire and some other areas joining the top tier.

The Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said it was “disappointing” the government was “piling the pressure” on the region “without negotiating”.

“It risks confusing people coming so soon after the tier two announcement,” he said, adding that “unfunded restrictions are unfair and will cause real damage to lives, jobs and businesses”.

It comes after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for a two to three week “circuit-breaker” lockdown in England to bring the rising infection rate under control.

The new system sees every area of England classed as being on medium, high or very high alert.

Areas on medium alert are subject to the national restrictions currently in force, including the rule of six on indoor and outdoor gatherings and the 22:00 closing time for pubs, bars and restaurants.

In addition to these restrictions, in areas on high alert – including north-east England, much of the North West and parts of the Midlands, along with West and South Yorkshire – different households are not allowed to mix indoors.

Areas on very high alert face extra curbs, with different households banned from mixing indoors or outdoors in hospitality venues or private gardens.

Pubs and bars will be closed unless they are serving substantial meals and there is also guidance against travelling in and out of the area.

Further restrictions may be agreed for particular regions in the top tier and in the Liverpool City Region gyms, leisure centres, betting shops and casinos will also close.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the system was a “moderate” and “balanced” approach to saving lives while trying to protect the economy.

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-Top News Science UK News

8 Nations Join NASA’s Lunar Exploration Programme

Neil Armstrong.

While NASA is leading the Artemis programme, which includes sending the first woman and next man to the surface of the Moon in 2024, international partnerships will play a key role in achieving a sustainable and robust presence on the Moon later this decade while preparing to conduct a historic human mission to Mars…reports Asian Lite News

Neil Armstrong.

Eight nations, including the US, have signed the Artemis Accords, an international agreement that establishes a practical set of principles to guide space exploration cooperation among nations participating in NASA’s lunar exploration plans.

Besides the US, other founding member nations that have signed the Artemis Accords are Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, NASA said on Tuesday.

“Artemis will be the broadest and most diverse international human space exploration programme in history, and the Artemis Accords are the vehicle that will establish this singular global coalition,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement.

“With today’s signing, we are uniting with our partners to explore the Moon and are establishing vital principles that will create a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space for all of humanity to enjoy.”

While NASA is leading the Artemis programme, which includes sending the first woman and next man to the surface of the Moon in 2024, international partnerships will play a key role in achieving a sustainable and robust presence on the Moon later this decade while preparing to conduct a historic human mission to Mars.

NASA announced it was establishing the Artemis Accords in May this year to guide future cooperative activities, to be implemented through bilateral agreements that will describe responsibilities and other legal provisions.

The partners will ensure their activities comply with the accords in carrying out future cooperation.

International cooperation on Artemis is intended not only to bolster space exploration but to enhance peaceful relationships among nations, NASA said.

“Fundamentally, the Artemis Accords will help to avoid conflict in space and on Earth by strengthening mutual understanding and reducing misperceptions. Transparency, public registration, deconflicting operations — these are the principles that will preserve peace,” said Mike Gold, NASA Acting Associate Administrator for International and Interagency Relations.

“The Artemis journey is to the Moon, but the destination of the Accords is a peaceful and prosperous future.”

NASA said that the Artemis Accords reinforce and implement the 1967 Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, otherwise known as the Outer Space Treaty.

They also reinforce the commitment by the US and partner nations to the Registration Convention, the Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, and other norms of behaviour that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data.

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-Top News Asia News China

China loses support in UN Human Rights Council

Chinese President Xi Jinping

Although by a smaller margin, China won despite its human rights record, especially its treatment of the Uighur Muslim minority, and the opposition of several countries and human rights groups…reports Arul Louis

The United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. (File Photo: UN/IANS)

 Pakistan and Nepal have been re-elected to the UN Human Rights Council, while China won a seat by the smallest margin showing a drastic drop in standing.

In Tuesday’s voting at the General Assembly China received only 139 votes compared to the 180 it received in 2016, the last time it was elected to the Council and its tally of votes was the lowest of the 15 countries elected.

Human Rights Watch’s UN Director Louis Charbonneau tweeted that it “shows more states are disturbed by China’s abysmal rights record.”

Saudi Arabia was defeated in the elections for the four seats up for vote to represent Asian and Pacific countries getting only 90 votes, seven shy of the 97 required for election.

Its popularity also showed a drastic fall because it had won 152 votes in 2016 when it was last elected to the Council.

Russia, which was defeated in 2016 by two votes having received only 112, made a comeback getting 158 votes, although technically it ran unopposed this time for one of the two East Europe seats. Ukraine, its regional adversary, ran unopposed for the other seat.

Pakistan got 169 votes in the election held by secret paper ballot with COVID-19 precautions, and Nepal 150.

The two South Asian countries are members of the council with their current terms ending on December 31 and will now serve for three more years.

Uzbekistan was the fourth country elected from the Asia Pacific region with 169 votes.

India and Bangladesh are also a member of the council last elected in 2018 to the term starting in 2019 and running out at the end of next year.

France, Britain, Cuba and Mexico were among the 15 countries elected on Tuesday to represent other regions at the 47-member council based in Geneva.

Saudi Arabia’s defeat was a surprise and although its human rights record has been criticised, it is considered to have broad support having received 152 votes in 2016 when it was last elected.

Chinese President Xi Jinping

Although by a smaller margin, China won despite its human rights record, especially its treatment of the Uighur Muslim minority, and the opposition of several countries and human rights groups.

The critics cite the resolution set up in 2006, which said, “Human Rights Council members shall uphold the highest standards in the promotion of human rights.”

A group of 39 countries led by Germany issued a strong criticism of China last week at the UN.

The statement said they were “gravely concerned about the human rights situation in Xinjiang and the recent developments in Hong Kong.”

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-Top News COVID-19 UK News

Jobless Rate Soars

In its latest update, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that an estimated 1.5 million people were unemployed between June and August, while redundancies stood at 227,000…reports Asian Lite Newsdesk

The UK’s unemployment rate has hit the highest level in three years in the wake of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Tuesday.

The unemployment rate grew to 4.5% in the three months to August, compared with 4.1% in the previous quarter.

In its latest update, the ONS said that an estimated 1.5 million people were unemployed between June and August, while redundancies stood at 227,000.

Jonathan Athow, the ONS’s deputy national statistician for economic statistics, told the BBC there had been a “sharp increase” in those out of work and job hunting since March.

“Overall employment is down about half a million since the pandemic began and there are particular groups who seem to be most affected, young people in particular.

“(Of those out of work) about 300,000 are aged 16-24, so about 60 per cent of the fall in employment… that’s really disproportionate,” he added.

Meanwhile, the number claiming work related benefits hit 2.7 million in September, an increase of 1.5 million since the beginning of the pandemic in March.

Also, a Citibank analysis has suggested that the unemployment rate could hit 8.5 per cent in the first half of 2021, a level not seen since the early 1990s.

Government slammed

Meanwhile, Responding to the statistics released showing that unemployment has reached 4.5%, the highest level in over three years, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine said:

“Today’s figures throw into stark and depressing relief the scale of the issues facing families and businesses and act as a reminder that the Chancellor must extend more help.

“Liberal Democrats have warned that by prematurely ending the Furlough scheme, this Government is potentially leaving thousands to face ruin.

“Responsibility sits squarely on the Chancellor’s shoulders. Instead of dismissing lost jobs as not viable, he should be working day and night to protect people’s livelihoods. 

“Generations will judge whether this Government has taken every conceivable step to protect people’s’ livelihoods and futures, or tossed them on the unemployment pile marked non-viable.”

Earlier, The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has reiterated the urgent need for further employment support, as new analysis from the GLA shows that London’s economy may take more than three years to recover from the pandemic.

The Mayor has warned of a ‘looming unemployment crisis’ when the Government’s furlough scheme ends at the end of October. The latest GLA macroeconomic analysis shows that employment levels in London may not recover to pre-crisis levels until as late as 2023, with employment levels in London contracting by 5.5% next year.

Meanwhile according to an extended job support plan announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, the UK government will pay two thirds of salaries for employees who worked for firms that were forced to close due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Under the scheme, businesses across the UK whose premises are legally required to shut for some period over winter as part of local or national restrictions will receive grants to pay the wages of staff who cannot work, reports Xinhua news agency.

The government will support eligible businesses by paying two thirds of each employee’s salary, up to a maximum of 2,100 pounds a month, from November 1 and it will be available for six months.

“Throughout the crisis the driving force of our economic policy has not changed,” Sunak said, adding: “I have always said that we will do whatever is necessary to protect jobs and livelihoods as the situation evolves.”

In addition, the UK government is increasing the cash grants to businesses in England shut in local lockdowns to support with fixed costs.

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India News Sport

Odisha To Sponsor Rugby India

Government of Odisha and Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU) signed an agreement, today, to sponsor the Indian national rugby teams for the next three years …. Reports Asian Lite News

Indian rugby gets a booster dose as the Government of Odisha has agreed to sponsor the Indian national rugby teams for the next three years.

The state government has signed an agreement with the Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU) to facilitate high performance training and conditioning of the players till 2023.

Mr R Vineel Krishna, Director- cum-Additional Secretary, Odisha, and Mr. Maneck Unwala, President, IRFU,  signed the agreement on behalf of the two parties, in the presence of State Minister of Sports and Youth Services, Odisha, Mr Tusharkanti Behera, Secretary Sports, Mr Vishal K Dev, , CEO, IRFU, Mr. Naseer Hussain, actor, director and former Rugby International player, Shri Rahul Bose, Mr U K Mohanty, IRFU Board Member and Head, Odisha Rugby and senior officials of Sports and Youth Services Department, at the Kalinga Stadium.

Mr R Vineel Krishna, Director- cum-Additional Secretary, Odisha, and Mr. Maneck Unwala, President, IRFU, signing the agreement in the presence of State Minister of Sports and Youth Services, Odisha, Mr Tusharkanti Behera

The Sponsorship will be extended towards training, conditioning and incentivising the Indian national rugby teams (men & women) participating in international rugby events.

“This is a significant partnership for us,” said Mr Behera, the state sports minister. “In recent years, we have seen a steady rise of Rugby in terms of popularity and participation, particularly the participation of young players due to the commendable efforts of Rugby India.  And this partnership between Govt. of Odisha and Rugby India will not only help develop the sport of rugby further in Odisha and India, but also support and strengthen the high performance training of Indian National Rugby Teams. “

Odisha, which has produced some famous names in Indian Rugby, has been promoting Rugby amongst other sports disciplines.

“This association is a natural fit since our core objective aligns perfectly with promotion of the sport, which is already gaining grounds in several States. We hope this initiative will help nurture young talent, create a pathway from grassroots to elite and produce more players who can bring laurels to the country” he said.

This association with Rugby India is expected to further build the brand image of Odisha which has emerged as an important cog in the National Sporting ecosystem in recent years.

The partnership is based on Odisha Government’s mission to develop, promote and expand the Sports ecosystem beyond Hockey and Football. After sponsoring the National Hockey teams in 2018 for a period of five years, and later supporting the ISL team -Odisha FC, State of Odisha has set another benchmark today by sponsoring the National Rugby Teams.

“We thank the Government of Odisha with special mention to the Department of Sports & Youth Services (DSYS) for their continued support,” said Rugby India President, Mr Maneck Unwala. “On behalf of Rugby India, I am pleased to welcome them as Associate Sponsors of the Indian National Rugby teams. I am confident that the shared core values and vision of Odisha and Rugby India will ensure that this partnership thrives and is beneficial for our rugby athletes.”

“The Odisha Government is dedicatedly working towards their vision of ‘Sports, a priority for Odisha’, by developing the state as a hub for major sporting events and creating international standard high-performance training centres in multiple sports for the country,” he added.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr Rahul Bose said: “This is a historic day for Indian Rugby. Thanks to this sponsorship from the Govt of Odisha, national rugby players (women and men) will, for the first time ever, be paid for their services to the Indian rugby teams. This marks a first, solid step towards making rugby a professional sport in the country. I am eternally grateful to the Sport and Youth Services department, Government of Odisha, for what they have done for not only rugby but sport as a whole in our country. They have been one of the most proactive, diligent and excellence-focused state sports departments in India. Their vision of holistically developing sport is unparalleled and I salute their efforts in putting India on the global sporting map. Today we celebrate the long-standing partnership we have with Odisha as we pave the way for a bright future for our athletes.”