Dubai’s Ruler Reveals Plans For A Second Island In The Shape Of A Palm
June 1, 2023 / By Zunair Tahir / World News
The Palm Jebel Ali, a man-made palm-shaped island that has been abandoned since 2009 due to a real estate slump and is twice the size of the active Palm Jumeirah, received a fresh development plan on Wednesday from Dubai’s ruler.
The UAE’s vice president and prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, posted on Instagram, “Its visitors and tourists will enjoy more than 80 hotels and resorts that provide beautiful tourist experiences.”
The current Palm Jumeirah is one of Dubai’s most popular neighborhoods and a favorite among Russians who have come to the emirate as a result of the turmoil in Ukraine, which has fueled a burgeoning real estate market.
The islands were developed by state-owned corporation Nakheel, which was taken over by the government in 2011 as part of a $16 billion (10 billion pounds) rescue package following Dubai’s real estate meltdown in 2009-2010.
As it expedites plans for additional waterfront projects, including Dubai Islands, another man-made island project formerly known as Deira Islands, Nakheel in November received 17 billion dirhams ($4.63 billion) in finance.
As the government tried to swiftly reopen the country’s economy and airports, the real estate market in Dubai, the financial and tourism center of the Middle East, started to rebound in early 2021.
Security Has Been Tightened In Srinagar Ahead Of The Historic G20 Meeting
May 22, 2023 / By Zunair Tahir / World News
About 60 representatives from G20 member nations are in attendance for the summit in Srinagar. According to officials, Singapore is sending the most delegates to the event in Srinagar.
The third G20 tourism working group meeting will be held in Jammu and Kashmir’s capital city of Srinagar starting today under heavy security. This is the first major international event to take place in the area since the Centre removed Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and withdrew its special status in August 2019.
Parts of the city of Srinagar and the roads leading to the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre, or SKICC, the location of the G20 conference, have received a sparkling renovation.
At the midway point of its G20 presidency, India has hosted 118 meetings, according to Harshavardhan Shingha, Chief Coordinator G20.
Compared to two prior tourist gatherings, he claimed that the Srinagar gathering had attracted the most attendees.
There are about 60 representatives in attendance from G20 member nations. According to officials, Singapore is sending the most delegates to the event in Srinagar.
The summit also includes representatives from nations who were invited as special guests.
China has voiced opposition to the G20 conference taking place in Kashmir, and Saudi Arabia has not registered for the gathering. Turkey seems to have made the decision not to attend the summit in Srinagar.
Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, stated on Friday that China “firmly opposes holding G20 meetings in any form in disputed areas and will not attend such meetings.”
India responded to the criticism by asserting that it is allowed to conduct gatherings on its own soil. It asserted that regular relations with China depend on there being peace and tranquilly on its border.
This was China’s first comment on the G20 summit in Srinagar to use such severe language.
Srinagar is protected by an unprecedented level of security in advance of the conference. The ground-to-air security cover includes the deployment of marine commandos and national security guards.
At key locations and sites, anti-drone units have been activated, and national security guards have been stationed.
In light of allegations that terrorists may attempt to disrupt the G20 event in Kashmir, thousands of soldiers from the Army, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and Jammu and Kashmir Police are a part of the security grid.
vehicles advisories have been issued by the police, and the boulevard road in Srinagar will not be open to vehicles. The G20 delegates’ route is subject to traffic restrictions as well.
Shop owners in the Lal Chowk area have been given special credentials so they may maintain their businesses without encountering any issues.
Parts of Srinagar city and the road leading from the airport to the SKICC received a significant renovation before to the gathering.
Footpaths and roadways in Srinagar receive a makeover as part of the smart city initiative. In addition to the installation of concrete pathways along the Jhelum Riverfront, Poloview Market, one of Srinagar’s greatest shopping destinations, received a sparkling makeover. The market’s four-lane road connection has been shut down. The market is now tiled and solely open to pedestrians.
G20 delegates will also likely visit Poloview Market as part of the tourist itinerary, which has evolved into a picture-postcard representation of Srinagar’s smart city initiative.
According to officials, the G20 summit would increase tourism in Kashmir, which already attracts a lot of local and international visitors.
Jammu and Kashmir would see a boost in tourists and investments if the next G-20 tourism working group conference is a success, according to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday.
A number of G20 nations have either declined to attend a tourist conference due to start in Srinagar on Monday or have not yet confirmed their attendance, dealing a significant blow to India’s efforts to normalize its disputed annexation of occupied Kashmir.
As a result of its foreign ministry spokesperson declaring that his nation “is firmly opposed to holding meetings in disputed territory,” China has taken the initiative in boycotting the event in the occupied zone.
Additionally, according to Indian media, neither Turkey nor Saudi Arabia, two other G20 members who were invited as guests but have not yet confirmed their attendance, nor has Egypt, a non-member of the group but who has not yet submitted a registration form.
It is encouraging to see that these countries have bravely acted in support of the oppressed people of Kashmir.
While Srinagar may be a beautiful location for a tourism conference, all conscientious nations should avoid what is still recognized internationally as a disputed territory due to the suffocating footprint of India’s occupation and the blood of countless Kashmiris shed by Indian forces.
According to reports coming from the seized zone, India is making every effort to “sanities” the environment. Mehbooba Mufti, a former chief minister of IHK, claims that India has carried out “unprecedented… raids, arrests, surveillance, and persecution” in advance of the G20 summit.
According to a recent report by the UN’s special rapporteur on minority rights, India sought to normalize the “brutal and repressive denial” of Kashmiri Muslims’ rights by holding the meeting in Srinagar, and the G20 was “unwittingly providing a veneer of support” for India’s abuses of human rights in the disputed territory.
After annexing the territory in 2019, India’s leaders arrogantly believe that Kashmir is not a topic on the world agenda. However, many people in New Delhi will get a harsh awakening when influential G20 members react to this normalization of profession.
While it is true that realpolitik and a lack of moral principles mostly control the international system, certain major actors are nevertheless prepared to speak up for oppressed peoples all around the world.
What is especially regrettable is that the G20’s Western members, who have been sobbing uncontrollably over Russia’s conquest of Ukraine, have happily endorsed India’s colonization of Kashmir.
In an effort to shield citizens from Chinese espionage, the Montana governor passes legislation banning TikTok in the state.
Montana became the first US state to outlaw the well-known short video app when Governor Greg Gianforte signed legislation on Wednesday banning Chinese-owned TikTok from functioning there in order to safeguard people from suspected Chinese intelligence collection.
Montana will ban Google and Apple’s app stores from offering TikTok within the state, but it won’t punish users who still use the program. The prohibition, which is set to go into force on January 1st, 2024, will almost certainly run afoul of the law.
ByteDance, a Chinese software company that owns TikTok, declined to comment when asked by Reuters whether it intended to take legal action.
In a previous statement, TikTok claimed that the new legislation “infringes on the First Amendment rights of the people of Montana by unlawfully banning TikTok,” and that it would “continue working to defend the rights of our users inside and outside of Montana.”
Over 150 million Americans use TikTok, but there have been increasing calls from US politicians and state authorities to outright outlaw the app due to alleged Chinese government influence over the service.
Teenagers have adopted the app in record numbers. 67% of US youths between the ages of 13 and 17 use TikTok, and 16% of all teens say they use the app fairly daily, according to the Pew Research Centre. According to TikTok, the “vast majority” of its users are older than 18.
Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok, was questioned by a congressional committee in March about whether the Chinese government could access user data or affect what Americans saw on the app. However, efforts to outlaw TikTok worldwide or provide the Biden administration greater authority to impose restrictions or outlaw TikTok have not gained traction in Congress.
Republican Gianforte said the legislation will advance “our shared priority to protect Montanans from Chinese Communist Party surveillance.”
TikTok has always denied sharing data with the Chinese government and stated that it would not do so if requested.
TikTok may be subject to fines of up to $10,000 per day if it continues to breach the restriction, according to Montana, which has a population of little over 1 million. Fines might also be assessed for each infraction.
On Apple Inc. and Google device app stores, the quick video app is available for download. If they break the law, Apple and Google, a division of Alphabet Inc., may also be hit with fines of $10,000 per infraction, per day.
Requests for comment from Apple and Google did not immediately receive a response.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) denounced the bill as “unconstitutional” and pointed out that, if the courts do not intervene, it will take effect on January 1.
Carl Szabo, general counsel for the business association NetChoice, also berated the new regulation. He said in a statement: “The government may not block our ability to access constitutionally protected speech – whether it is in a newspaper, on a website, or via an app.” He added that Montana “ignores the US Constitution, due process, and free speech.”
Gianforte also outlawed the use of any social media applications that gather and provide personal information or data to foreign adversaries on state government-issued devices. He had hoped to persuade the state legislature to extend the ban to other social media applications that provide specific data to foreign adversaries.
Project Texas, a project being worked on by TikTok, establishes a stand-alone corporation to keep user data from American users on US servers run by US tech giant Oracle.
Louis Vuitton’s (LVMH) Company’s Market Value Hits Over $500 Billion
April 26, 2023 / By Zunair Tahir / World News
You are a significant contributor to this $500 billion company if you are carrying a Louis Vuitton bag.
The French luxury goods behemoth LVMH Mot Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, also known as LVMH, has surpassed its US$500 billion market valuation to become the first firm in Europe. Despite rising inflation, the company’s fortune is said to have increased as a result of a boom in demand for high-end luxury goods.
LVMH headquarters in Paris, France
Sales are strong in countries like China, but the recent success of LVMH has also been aided by the stronger euro.
Some of the most well-known luxury fashion and lifestyle brands in the world, including Bulgari, TAG Heuer, Christian Dior, Stella McCartney, Louis Vuitton bags, and Moet & Chandon Champagne, are created by the Paris-listed firm.
According to sources, on April 24, LVMH’s shares finished up 90 cents to EUR 902 (about USD 997), bringing the company’s market capitalization above $500 billion.
On the strength of its first-quarter revenues, LVMH earlier in April rose to become one of the top 10 largest corporations in the world. Sales growth recorded for the first quarter of 17% exceeded analyst estimates by a significant margin.
The USD 500 billion market valuation also indicates that LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault’s net wealth has increased.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, his ownership interest in the business he established and still leads is now valued at over USD 212 billion.
Increasing Bernard Arnault’s Net Wealth
Bernard Arnault’s
Thus, Arnault not only maintains his position as the richest man in the world but also pulls ahead of Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, by USD 47 billion.
The market worth of other luxury brands has increased in addition to LVMH. Hermès International, its main rival, also reported a boost in first-quarter sales of 23% at the beginning of April.
Burberry and Kering, the company that owns Balenciaga and Gucci, have both seen an increase in share prices.
Stephanie McMahon has made known that she is leaving WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment).
Since July, the 46-year-old has served as co-CEO and chairperson, after her father Vince who quit as a result of many allegations of misbehavior.
The corporation reported that he has now been unanimously chosen to serve as chairman once more.
Stephanie expressed her desire to support WWE “from the other side of the industry” in her letter of resignation.
Stephanie has always been the best possible brand advocate for our business, and her decades of accomplishments have had a huge positive influence on our reputation, according to Vince McMahon.
Vince McMahon stated he will retire in July 2022, but he has since come back.
The 77-year-old, who oversaw the business for four decades, declared last week that his return to the board was necessary for WWE to properly capitalize on the expanding demand for content and live entertainment.
He resigned from his positions in WWE last year when it emerged that he had spent millions to bury claims of sexual misbehavior and adultery, but he continued to maintain the overwhelming stake.
The business claims to be looking at “strategic alternatives,” and there are rumor’s of a possible sale.
Since the 1990s, Stephanie has worked with the organization, both as an in-ring performer and in numerous leadership positions behind the scenes.
She resigned from her primary position as chief brand officer in order to “concentrate on my family” when her husband and former WWE champion Triple H had a heart condition.
But when “the opportunity of a lifetime” presented itself, Stephanie went back to take her father’s place.
As a result of how well-positioned WWE is, she chose to go back on leave and formally resign from the company.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Vince McMahon agreed to pay $3 million (£2.5 million) to a former paralegal who claimed he harassed her sexually at work.
According to reports, he agreed to a $1 million down payment, with the remaining sum to be paid over the course of five years by Mr. McMahon himself.
The WWE board initiated a probe when it was revealed that he had paid more than $12 million to four more women to cover up many charges of adultery, contrary to original rumor’s that he would continue in his role as the company’s CEO and chairman.
In exchange for the money, the ladies, who were all once WWE employees, agreed not to talk about their connections with him.
As China Prepares For A Reopening, Travel Restrictions Are Increasing
January 6, 2023 / By Zunair Tahir / World News
Few days before China removes border restrictions and ushers in an eagerly anticipated resumption to travel for a populace that has been mainly confined to its home for three years, more nations around the world are requiring travellers from China to do Covid tests.
As of this coming Sunday, China will no longer compel incoming travelers to undergo quarantine. This is the most recent renunciation of its “zero-Covid” rule, which was put in place last month in response to protracted demonstrations over oppressive mass lockdowns.
However, the sudden shifts have made many of China’s 1.4 billion people vulnerable to the virus for the first time, sparking an infection wave that is overrunning certain hospitals, depleting the shelves of pharmacies of medication, and raising anxiety throughout the globe.
More than a dozen nations, including Greece, Germany, and Sweden, demanded Covid testing on Chinese travellers on Thursday after the World Health Organization said that China’s official viral statistics was understating the full scope of the outbreak.
Chinese officials and state media have adopted a confrontational stance, defending the outbreak’s management, downplaying the seriousness of the spike, and criticizing restrictions on people’ travel outside.
The Global Times, a publication of the official People’s Daily of the ruling Communist Party, said in an editorial late on Thursday that “certain Western media and some Western politicians will never be happy, no matter how China decides to deal with the Covid-19 crisis.”
The move to require testing of visitors from China has drawn criticism from the international aviation sector, which has been harmed by years of pandemic restrictions. After January 8, China will continue to demand pre-departure testing for visitors.
Some Chinese people believe the reopening was rushed.
“They need to have done a number of things before opening up… a 70-year-old man who identified himself only as Zhao told Reuters in Shanghai that they should “at the very least make sure that the pharmacies were adequately stocked.”
Five further Covid fatalities were recorded on China’s mainland on Thursday, raising the country’s official viral death toll, which is among the lowest in the world at 5,264.
But it runs counter to the reality on the ground, where hospitals are overflowing with elderly people on respirators and funeral homes are understaffed.
According to the Shanghai Morning Post, more than 200 cab drivers in Shanghai are also operating ambulances to accommodate the demand for emergency services.
These optimism, together with government initiatives to support the country’s struggling real estate market, helped the Chinese yuan rise on Friday.
The Shanghai Composite Index and China’s blue-chip CSI300 Index have both increased by more than 2% in the first trading week of the year.
Herald van der Linde, director of equities strategy for HSBC in Asia Pacific, wrote in a note that while the re-opening is “expected to be a rough affair with growing COVID-19 cases and more taxed health systems,” “we economists anticipate growth momentum across Asia to gather pace, driven by China.”
The mainland is also scheduled to open the border with its special administrative territory of Hong Kong on Sunday, for the first time in three years, in anticipation of the significant Lunar New Year celebrations later this month.
On the same day, ferry service between the city and Macau, the epicentre of gambling, will restart.
Cathay Pacific Airways of Hong Kong said on Thursday that it will more than treble its number of flights to mainland China. Flights to and from China are still just a small portion of what they were before Covid.
Over the vacation, authorities anticipate 2.1 billion passenger travels by land, sea, and air, more than twice the 1.05 billion trips made during the same time last year.
In order to reduce the danger of infection for young children, pregnant women, and elderly relatives, the transport ministry has asked individuals to exercise caution.
Southeast Asia is one region that stands to gain significantly from China’s openness since no country there has required Chinese travellers to complete Covid testing.
Many Chinese users have announced their trip intentions on social media, but other individuals are still hesitant.
One WeChat user from Tianjin city warned: “You want to see the world, but the world might not want to see you.
