Author: Badri el-Shaban

Tajikistan officially banned the hijab, imposing hefty fines in its latest move to curb Islamic influence. The Central Asian nation of Tajikistan officially prohibited the wearing of hijabs and other “alien garments” this week, as the country’s parliament passed a new bill regulating Islamic clothing and Eid celebrations. The bill, approved by the upper house of parliament, Majlisi Milli, on June 19, comes after years of an unofficial clampdown on the hijab in the Muslim-majority country. Under the new law, individuals wearing hijabs or other banned religious clothing could face hefty fines of up to 7,920 somonis (approximately $700). Companies…

DUBAI, 8th February, 2024 (WAM) — Dubai is preparing to host the 2024 World Governments Summit (WGS), a prominent international platform for envisioning the development of tools and policies that will shape the governments of the future. This year’s summit will witness the wide participation of Asian countries, which are vital to the international discussions to create a better future for humanity. The summit will host high-level delegations from Asian governments and witness the attendance of leaders and heads of Asian organisations and institutions. Previous editions of the WGS have had a significant Asian presence. Japan was chosen as the…

China is quietly ramping up its pressure tactics against a critical U.S. ally in Asia by sailing armed government vessels to a disputed island group on a near-daily basis. The Chinese coast guard on Sunday said it had driven away Japanese boats from waters around the Senkaku Islands, which is administered by Tokyo but claimed by Beijing and, to a lesser extent recently, Taipei. The Senkakus are five uninhabited islets and three barren rocks, situated approximately 120 miles northeast of Taiwan and 200 miles southwest of Japan’s Okinawa prefecture. Beijing has become increasingly assertive in the area in the decade since Tokyo…

The US will continue to work with allies to counter Beijing’s growing maritime capabilities, Washington’s new chief of naval operations said. The Indo-Pacific region “remains America’s foremost priority,” Admiral Lisa Franchetti said at an online briefing Friday from South Korea as she wrapped up a weeklong visit to the region. “By operating together, continuing to build our interoperability through exercise, training and planning, the United States and all of its allies and partners will continue to deter China and other potential adversaries around the world,” she said. The US and China have recently tried to stabilize ties, with Presidents Joe…

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — World leaders, climate activists, scientists, business executives and a slew of lobbyists are in Dubai for the annual United Nations climate negotiations. The talks, known as COP28, are taking place in the United Arab Emirates, one of the world’s biggest oil and gas producers, and the fossil fuels industry’s presence can be seen everywhere at the sprawling conference complex. The UAE chose Sultan al-Jaber to preside over the talks. He’s the chairman of the state-backed renewable energy company, Masdar, but he’s also the chief executive of Abu Dhabi’s state-owned oil company, ADNOC. That has left many at COP28 concerned that the interests of oil…

Attacks on journalists have become a frequent occurrence in Tajikistan in recent years. Why are those responsible for attacks on journalists remain unpunished? Berlin (23/11 – 67) November 2 is the “International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists”. The date was chosen in commemoration of the assassination in Mali of Claude Verlon and Ghislaine Dupont, two French journalists, on November 2, 2013. The 2023 observance seeks to raise awareness of the main challenges faced by journalists and communicators in the exercise of their profession, and to warn of the escalation of violence and repression against them. Attacks on…

Canada has repeatedly hyped up “dangerous” interceptions by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) recently, but experts said on Sunday that the PLA’s lawful actions took place on China’s doorstep, and that Canada’s blind confidence could lead to troubles of its own. In a recent event, two sorties by a vessel-borne helicopter from the Canadian Navy’s frigate HMCS Ottawa with unknown intentions approached China’s territorial airspace above the Xisha Islands, and despite the PLA naval and aviation forces’ lawful identification, verification and repeated verbal warnings, the Canadian helicopter not only refused to respond, but also took provocative maneuvers including flying at a…

SINGAPORE, Nov 24 (Reuters) – The United Arab Emirates will ramp up exports of Abu Dhabi’s flagship Murban crude early in 2024 as a new OPEC+ mandate kicks in and barrels are diverted to the international market owing to refinery maintenance, according to traders and Reuters data. That will add to increased output of other light sweet crude grades, including from fellow OPEC members Nigeria and Angola and non-OPEC countries such as the U.S. and Brazil. The factors are weighing on global price benchmarks Brent and West Texas Intermediate , and putting pressure on the Murban spot price. “The market…

DUBAI, Nov 1 (Reuters) – The United Arab Emirates’ gross domestic product grew 3.7% in the first half of the year, the economy minister said on Wednesday, as non-oil sector growth vastly outperformed overall growth. Non-oil growth surged 5.9% in the first six months of the year, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri said, speaking at a business conference in Dubai. “The UAE’s economic growth is a testament to our resilience, diversification and commitment to openness, and international cooperation,” he said, adding the country was becoming less reliant on oil and more dependent on knowledge-based industries. The non-oil sector accounts for…

China conducted a multiple-day naval exercise in the South China Sea as the Philippines held major drills with the United States and other allied nations. A number of warships and helicopters from the Southern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy conducted “coordinated offensive and defensive combat drills” in different sea areas, said a press release posted on the Navy’s WeChat account. The South China Sea is PLA Southern Theater Command’s primary area of responsibility. The press release did not specify when the drills took place. But the state-aligned mouthpiece Global Times, normally well-informed about the PLA’s activities, said the drill…