USA

Police arrest Thai activist Anon Nampa over rally calling for reform of monarchy
30Aug By Desk TeamNo Comments
USA, World

Police arrest Thai activist Anon Nampa over rally calling for reform of monarchy

BANGKOK: Police in Thailand said they had arrested human rights lawyer Anon Nampa for a third time this month on Tuesday (Aug 25), to charge him for sedition over his role in a political rally where calls were made for reforms to the country's powerful monarchy. “The police brought Anon to the station to read him the charges for his protests on Aug 10, and will question him before bringing him to court to file for detention,” Police Lieutenant General Amphol Buarabporn told Reuters. The rights lawyer will be held along with another political activist, Panupong Jadnok, who was arrested on Monday during a protest against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who first seized power in a 2014 coup. Protesters vowed to move ahead with a planned demonstration on Sep 19, the anniversary of a p...
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India-Bangladesh building maritime ties to easily ship goods to NorthEast India
30Aug mmBy Michael SmithNo Comments
USA

India-Bangladesh building maritime ties to easily ship goods to NorthEast India

In order to ship goods from Kolkata to northeastern Indian states, the ‘chicken’s neck’ or the 22-km wide Siliguri corridor is the only land-based connection which can be used.  However, with the strengthening of India’s maritime ties with neighboring Bangladesh, the goods are easily being transported through the Chattogram (Chittagong) Port now.The first trial container ship from Kolkata to Agartala through Chattogram port was launched by the Shipping Minister Mansukh Madaviya on July 16.Termed as a historic move, this sea route will open a new chapter in the India-Bangladesh maritime relations by allowing use of Chattogram and Mongla ports for transit of goods from India.Vineet Kumar, Chairman of Syama Prasad Mukherjee Port in Kolkata calls it the extension of the Look-East policy of the...
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China denounces statement of ‘five eyes’ on Hong Kong as meddling
30Aug mmBy Mike TrudellNo Comments
China, USA, World

China denounces statement of ‘five eyes’ on Hong Kong as meddling

The Chinese embassy in Canada has denounced the five eyes alliance for their statement on Hong Kong government's disqualification of candidates and postponement of Legislative Council elections.On July 9, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States (the five eyes) had said that the disqualification of candidates and postponement of elections have undermined the democratic process that has been fundamental to Hong Kong's stability and prosperity.In a sharp response, the Chinese embassy in Canada, in a statement said, “…the foreign ministers of Canada and other countries made a statement which once again contained irresponsible comments on the Hong Kong affairs and amounted to gross interference in China's domestic affairs. China expresses its strong dissatisfac...
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Free lunch! Bosses lure bankers back where they can see them amid COVID-19
30Aug By Desk TeamNo Comments
Market, USA, World

Free lunch! Bosses lure bankers back where they can see them amid COVID-19

LONDON: Investment banks in London are trying to tempt more staff members into the office, laying on free food, Friday night drinks and other perks to lure bankers back where they can pass skills to others - and compliance departments can keep a closer eye on them. Mass remote-working has been largely successful for many financial firms, improving communications and sparing staff from long commutes during a near-global COVID-19 lockdown. But some firms are keen to reunite teams after the hiatus. In public, they tend to cite the importance of building teams, boosting morale and mentoring junior staff. "Relationship building and developing a knowledge base are important for new associates and others, and that's easier in the office," said Ram Nayak, Deutsche Bank's global head of fixe...
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Sericulture in J&K to get boost with new silk weaving factory
28Aug mmBy Mike TrudellNo Comments
Asia, Market, USA

Sericulture in J&K to get boost with new silk weaving factory

In order to give sericulture in Jammu and Kashmir a boost, the government of India has installed new silk weaving and silk filatures factories at Bari Brahmana area of Samba district.Equipped with modern machinery and equipment, the new facilities have been established with project cost of Rs 16.80 crore and Rs 6.64 crore respectively in a record time of two years.The Principal Secretary of Industries and Commerce, Jammu & Kashmir, Manoj Dwivedi said that with the establishment of these units, work ranging from the treatment of cocoons to the production of silk and designing of finished fabrics like sarees, everything can be done at one place from now onwards.The silk filatures and silk weaving factory has already produced 4,60,000 meters of silk fabric and it is estimated that in futu...
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Article 370 abrogation impact: Skill development schemes in Kashmir valley empower women
28Aug mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, USA

Article 370 abrogation impact: Skill development schemes in Kashmir valley empower women

Since the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, skill development schemes by the government of India have gained momentum in the valley, enabling thousands of youngsters to receive training under them and become independent.Women of Kashmir have especially been empowered and have become self-reliant with these government-backed initiatives.Ufia Jan, who is a programme manager at a skill development center for tailoring and stitching, said the central government schemes have proven to be instrumental in the overall growth of women in the Union Territory.“We have started this skill development center under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana scheme where youngsters from the economically backward sections are given skill training. This is an inclusive training programme and we p...
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Saudi Arabia defers to renew pact to supply oil to Pakistan on deferred payments
26Aug mmBy Michael SmithNo Comments
USA

Saudi Arabia defers to renew pact to supply oil to Pakistan on deferred payments

Saudi Arabia is yet to renew an agreement worth $3.2 billion with Pakistan that allows oil supplies on deferred payments after that pact expired two months back and decision about its renewal remains pending with Riyadh.According to media reports, the $3.2 billion Saudi oil facility was part of the $6.2-billion Saudi Arabian package announced in November 2018 to ease Pakistan’s external sector woes.“Pakistan has already prematurely returned $1 billion Saudi loan - four months ahead of its repayment period. Pakistan could also return $2 billion remaining Saudi cash loan, subject to availability of similar facility from China. The agreement over $3 billion cash support and $3.2 billion oil facility per annum had the provision of renewal for two more years…Saudi Arabia has not provided the oi...
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Timeline: Three years on, a look at the Rohingya crisis
26Aug By Desk TeamNo Comments
USA, World

Timeline: Three years on, a look at the Rohingya crisis

DHAKA: This month marks the third anniversary of the fleeing of more than 730,000 Rohingya from Myanmar's Rakhine State to Bangladesh after a military-led crackdown in response to an attack by Muslim militants on Myanmar security posts. Here is a timeline of events in the crisis: Aug 25, 2017 - Muslim insurgents of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) attack 30 police posts and an army base in the north of Rakhine State. Aug 26, 2017 - As fighting spreads between the army and ARSA, thousands of Rohingya flee to Bangladesh. Sep 2, 2017 - More than 2,600 houses are razed in Rohingya-majority areas in the week following the Aug 25 attack, the government says. Sep 11, 2017 - The UN human rights high commissioner calls the military operation “a textbook example of ethnic clean...
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Relief efforts should cushion economy in months ahead, White House report says
26Aug By Desk TeamNo Comments
Market, USA, World

Relief efforts should cushion economy in months ahead, White House report says

WASHINGTON: Increased transfer payments and expanded liquidity measures aimed at companies should help buffer U.S. households and businesses from the worst of the economic crisis unleashed by the coronavirus pandemic in coming months, the White House Council of Economic Advisers said in a report on Thursday. Nonetheless, the economy would recover faster and with less scarring if agreement were reached on additional support, Tyler Goodspeed, the CEA's acting chair, told reporters in a briefing on the report. Republicans and Democrats in Congress are at an impasse over the size of another coronavirus aid package, with talks having broken down in the past week. "Very substantial headwinds remain," Goodspeed said. "What is going to be absolutely essential for continued economic recovery...
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‘We must fight’: Thailand’s youth take on the establishment
25Aug By Desk TeamNo Comments
USA, World

‘We must fight’: Thailand’s youth take on the establishment

BANGKOK: Leaderless, social media-savvy and inspired by Hong Kong's young activists, Thailand's budding pro-democracy movement is intent on overhauling the government, rewriting the constitution and even taking on a law that shields the monarchy. The kingdom has seen a decades-long spin-cycle of coups and violent street protests led by well-funded veterans for or against the establishment. But the new generation of demonstrators says its fight is very different, as they stage near-daily protests with crowds of up to several thousand angry young Thais. "I just want my rights," said 20-year-old Rawee, real name Nawiboon Chompoo, who helps fire up rallies with chants for reform and by burning pictures of the country's prime minister. "The government is unreliable and bad for the peopl...
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