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UAE cabinet reshuffle: 3 women among 6 new ministers

News Network
October 20, 2017

Dubai, Oct 20: Six new ministers, including three women, have been named as members of the UAE cabinet by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

During a cabinet reshuffle on Thursday, some of the major appointments announced in addition to the six new members was the creation of three new posts.

27-year-old Omar bin Sultan Al Olama was named the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, 30-year-old Sara Al Amiri was named Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, while Mariam Al Muhairi was named Minister of State for Food Security.

One of the youngest members to be introduced to the cabinet, Al Olama previously held the role of Director of the World Government Summit Organisation.

As two of the three new women introduced to the cabinet, Al Amiri has served as Chairperson for the UAE Council of Scientists and is associated with the Mohammad bin Rashid Space Centre. And throughout her career, Al Muhairi - who began her professional journey with the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water - has helped lead some major projects in the field of sustainability in the UAE.

The three additional new members taking on previously instated roles includes Nasser bin Thani Al Hameli, who was appointed as Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, Zaki Nussaibah as Minister of State and Hessa bint Bu Humaid who will now take on the role of Minister of State for Community Development.

With the new additions, the 13th UAE Cabinet now has 31 members, an increase of two members from the 12th UAE Cabinet.

And with five of the six new members only in their twenties and thirties, it is yet another nod towards the UAE's shift in empowering the country's youth.

Following the Government's recent annual meetings and the launch of the UAE Centenial plan 2071, Sheikh Mohammed took to Twitter to announce details of the new structural shake-up on Thursday afternoon. With a change in portfolio for two existing ministers, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan has now been appointed as the Minister of State for Tolerance (he was previously the Minister of State for Culture and Knowledge Development). He will be taking the reigns from Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, who was the previous Minister of State for Tolerance in the UAE 12th Cabinet.

Noora Al Kaabi will take up the position of Minister of State for Culture and Knowledge Development. She previously held the position of Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs.

Two current ministers have also had additional portfolios added to their current post. Ahmad Abdullah Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education will now be Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills, while Abdul Rahman Mohammad Al Owais, Minister of State for Health and Prevention will now hold the title: Minister of State for Health and Prevention, Federal National Council (FNC) Affairs.

New cabinet announced on October 19, 2017

1. His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Defence

2. Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior

3. Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs

4. Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum 
Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance 

5. Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

6. Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan
Minister of Tolerance  

7. Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi 
Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future

8. Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri 
Minister of Economy

9. Abdul Rahman Mohammad Al Owais 
Minister of Health and Prevention
Minister of Federal National Council (FNC) Affairs 

10. Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash 
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs

11. Obaid Humaid Al Tayer 
Minister of State for Financial Affairs

12. Reem Ebrahim Al Hashemi 
Minister of State for International Cooperation

13. Suhail Mohammad Faraj Al Mazroui
Minister of Energy and Industry 

14. Hussain Ebrahim Al Hammadi 
Minister of Education

15. Dr Abdullah Mohammad Bel Haif Al Nuaimi
Minister of Infrastructure Development

16. Sultan Bin Saeed Al Badi 
Minister of Justice

17. Mohammad Ahmad Al Bawardi
Minister of State for Defence Affairs

18. Noora Mohammad Al Kaabi 
Cultural and Knowledge Development

19. Thani Ahmad Al Zeyoudi
Minister of Climate Change and Environment

20. Nasser Bin Thani Al Hameli
Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation

21. Hessa Bint Eisa Bu Humaid 
Minister of Community Development

22. Jameela Salem Al Muhairi
Minister of State for Public Education

23. Ahmad Abdullah Humaid Bel Houl Al Falasi
Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills

24. Sultan Ahmad Al Jaber
Minister of State

25. Maitha Salem Al Shamsi 
Minister of State

26. Ohoud Khalfan Al Roumi
Minister of State for Happiness

27. Shamma Suhail Faris Al Mazroui
Minister of State for Youth

28. Zaki Nussaibah
Minister of State

29. Mariam Al Muhairi
Minister of State for Food Security

30. Sara Al Amiri
Minister of State for Advanced Sciences

31. Omar Sultan Al Olama
Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence

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News Network
February 21,2020

Patna, Feb 21: The country is paying the price for failure to send Muslims to Pakistan and bring Hindus to India after the Islamic state came into being at the time of Independence, Union minister Giriraj Singh has said, triggering a fresh controversy.

The BJP leader made the remark in Purnea district in the Seemanchal region of Bihar which has a sizeable Muslim population and where the Begusarai MP was canvassing in favor of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Highlighting the need for such a legislation, he told reporters late Thursday "when our forefathers were fighting for Independence from British rule, Jinnah was pushing for the creation of an Islamic state".

"Our forefathers, however, committed a mistake. Had they ensured that all our Muslim brothers were sent to Pakistan and Hindus brought here, the need for such a move (CAA) would not have arisen. This did not happen and we have paid a heavy price for it," the outspoken BJP leader said.

The CAA, which seeks to fast-track granting citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who might have fled their home countries because of religious persecution, has become a major bone of contention since it is feared that a country-wide National Register for Citizens (NRC) may follow.

The Narendra Modi government, which had formerly hinted that a country-wide NRC was on the anvil, seems to have put it on the backburner though a section of citizens across the country, especially Muslims, have been organizing protests out of fear that, if implemented, the NRC may result in a large number of people becoming stateless.

Singh has often been in the crosshairs of the opposition for placing his foot in the mouth. This time, however, his words were frowned upon even by NDA ally Lok Janshakti Party, founded by his cabinet colleague Ram Vilas Paswan and now headed by his son Chirag Paswan.

The young LJP chief, who kicked off a state-wide "Bihar First-Bihari First" yatra here Friday morning, to project the NDAs progressive face ahead of the assembly polls due later this year, expressed strong disapproval of Singh's utterance and noted the coalition had to suffer in the Delhi polls because of "divisive" remarks by BJP leaders.

"We are an NDA constituent but many times our coalition partners say things which the LJP does not at all agree with. This one (Giriraj Singhs statement) is such an example. Had a person of my party spoken in this fashion, I would have taken responsibility and acted," Paswan said.

He said he had placed his view repeatedly on record that the coalition had to suffer on account of divisive remarks, Paswan said in apparent reference to inflammatory speeches by BJP leaders like Union minister Anurag Thakur and BJP MP Parvesh Verma, among others.

"The people of Delhi voted on the basis of performance. We wish they do so again in Bihar and real issues don't get drowned in political cacophony.

"The Nitish Kumar government has accomplished a lot, though much more needs to be achieved. We wish to reach out to people with our vision for the future, said Paswan, before he embarked on the yatra on a customized bus decorated like a chariot in front of which he offered prayers and smashed a coconut.

Meanwhile, Giriraj Singh who loves to wear his Hindu nationalism on the sleeves was busy joining issue with Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM which has been under attack for controversial remarks by its leader Waris Pathan.

Sharing video of an old speech by Owaisis brother Akbaruddin which had landed him in jail, besides Pathan's recent remark, Singh asked the opposition RJD-Congress combine in Bihar and the "tukde tukde gang" whether they wanted to "convert India into Pakistan".

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Agencies
May 17,2020

Jerusalem, May 17: The Chinese ambassador to Israel was found dead in his home north of Tel Aviv on Sunday, Israel's Foreign Ministry said.

No cause of death was given and Israeli police said it was investigating.

Du Wei, 58, was appointed envoy in February in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. He previously served as China's envoy to Ukraine.

He is survived by a wife and son, both of whom were not in Israel.

Israel enjoys good relations with China.

The ambassador's death comes just two days after he condemned comments by visiting U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who denounced Chinese investments in Israel and accused China of hiding information about the coronavirus outbreak.

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Agencies
July 30,2020

New Delhi, Jul 30: India's gold demand in 2020 is expected to fall to the lowest level in 26 years with domestic bullion prices hitting a record high and as falling disposable incomes could curtail retail purchases, the World Gold Council (WGC) said on Thursday.

Lower demand by the world's second-biggest bullion consumer could limit a rally in global prices, which hit a record high earlier this month, although it could also reduce India's trade deficit and support the ailing rupee.

"Fast rising gold prices could act as headwinds," said Somasundaram PR, the managing director of WGC's Indian operations.

Local gold futures have jumped 35% so far this year after rising a quarter in 2019.

India's gold consumption in the first half of 2020 plunged 56% on-year to 165.6 tonnes. Meanwhile, the coronavirus-triggered lockdown also slashed demand by 70% in the June quarter to 63.7 tonnes, the lowest in more than a decade, the WGC said in a report published on Thursday.

Millions of Indians have lost their jobs or taken a pay cut after the country imposed a lockdown on its 1.3 billion people to curb the spread of the virus that has infected more than 1.5 million Indians.

Consumption is generally high during the June quarter due to weddings and key festivals such as Akshaya Tritiya, but lockdown restrictions kept shoppers indoors this year.

The weak demand in the first half could drag down India's gold consumption in 2020 to the lowest since 1994, when demand stood at 415 tonnes, Somasundaram said, adding that it is still difficult to provide an estimate for full-year demand as the coronavirus crisis is still unfolding.

"Indian demand has previously jumped as much as 300 tonnes in a quarter. Latent demand could come out in the second half," Somasundaram said.

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