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Rare unity among India’s opposition parties demanding Rahul Gandhi’s return as MP


India’s fractured opposition parties are coming together to de-mand that Rahul Gandhi be reinstated as a lawmaker after he was convicted of defaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Lawmaker Manish Tewari, who is also a member of Gandhi’s Congress party, said there’s an “unprecedented closure of ranks” among the opposition on the politician’s ouster and they see it as an attempt to silence criticism on Modi.

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In recent days, key regional parties have joined the main opposition Congress party for the first time to discuss strategy
following Gandhi’s removal while many more lawmakers have tweeted support. Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has said the law applies equally to everyone and Gandhi must face the consequences.

“All the opposition parties are today on the same page,” Tewari told Bloomberg TV’s Haslinda Amin and Yvonne Man.
“Number one they are demanding there should be a joint parliamentary committee to go into the l’affaire Adani in the wake of the allegations made in the short seller Hindenburg report and num-ber two they are demanding a rollback in the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi.”

Gandhi has said the decision to remove him was politically motivated, characterizing it as an attempt by government to
silence him from debating Modi’s alleged ties to Indian billionaire Gautam Adani. The tycoon and his conglomerate has denied allegations of fraud and market manipulation from a US short seller, calling it an attack on India.

It remains to be seen if the opposition, often beset by infighting, can turn Gandhi’s expulsion from parliament into a call to unite ahead of national elections that are about a year away. Modi and the BJP have defeated the opposition and Gandhi for two straight elections and are widely expected by analysts and observers to win another term.

Gandhi, a scion of India’s most famous political dynasty, was ousted from parliament as a lawmaker on Friday, after a local court convicted him of defaming Modi during an election speech in 2019.

The 52-year-old politician was sentenced to two years in jail but immediately granted bail. He is expected to file an appeal on Tuesday.

On Monday, 17 opposition parties — including firebrand leader Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party that has a following in the most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, Communist Party of India, and parties such as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam that rule southern states — attended a Congress-led strategy meeting.

The Trinamool had earlier said it would stay equidistant from the Congress and BJP. Bharat Rashtra Samithi, a rival of the
Congress in another state, also joined the meeting, local media reported.

Gandhi also faces the risk of being barred from contesting in the national polls if the higher court doesn’t stay his conviction or reduce his prison time. India’s laws state that those sentenced to jail for two years or more can’t take part in electoral contests for six years after the completion of their sentence.

Tewari said the broader issue was the emerging trend of India’s democratic freedoms coming under attack with the move to oust Gandhi.

“This has a chilling effect on free speech that you can file a defamation against anyone anywhere in the country, get the matter fast tracked, get the person convicted and throw him out of parliament,” he said.

Read more:

India’s Congress MPs wear black to protest Rahul Gandhi’s parliament disqualification

Rahul Gandhi, India’s opposition Congress party leader, disqualified from parliament

India’s Rahul Gandhi accuses PM Modi of favoring Adani Group

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Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

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At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

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US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM

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