Global Outlook

Nine persons were arrested the day after 141 people died in a bridge collapse in Morbi, Gujarat. There were also ticket vendors, security personnel, and representatives of Oreva, the firm that refurbished the bridge. Four days after the bridge reopened to the public, an enormous catastrophe occurred. Gujarat-based Oreva has been charged with breaking numerous safety regulations that caused it. The watchmaker Oreva allegedly outsourced the "technical part of the bridge renovation" to a smaller business with an unproven track record, Devprakash Solutions, shortly after agreeing to a 15-year contract with the Morbi city government. The old colonial-era bridge was in need of repairs when Oreva was contracted in March. On October 26, the day of the Gujarati New Year, the bridge was reopened to the public after being closed for seven months. By virtue of its contractual obligation, the company was required to close the bridge for up to eight to twelve months of upkeep and repairs. ...

 In advance of the elections, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and the opposition BJP blame each other for the worsening air quality in Delhi. At 1 pm, some parts of the capital's air quality index ranged from 400 to 500, or the "severe" category. With pollution levels reaching their highest point since January in several areas of Delhi, the index is hovering around 500. The annual safe limit for PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less) concentration set by the World Health Organization is 40 to 60 times greater than this. The most recent air quality forecast predicts that it will deteriorate further and remain in the "very poor" category for at least a few days, possibly leading to health advisories. Members of the AAP protested in front of the Delhi Lieutenant Governor's office today, claiming that he disapproved of their "Red Light on, Gaadi Off" campaign to cut pollution on purpose. The LG, in response, asserts that AAP ...

 Anyone determined or patriotic enough to make a list of groundbreaking episodes in Britain's long history is likely to add Rishi Sunak 's appointment as prime minister to it. Seeing a person of South Asian descent calling the shots in 10, Downing Street is undoubtedly one of those "I remember where I was when I heard" moments. As the son of East African Indians, Sunak is a product of the British Empire. A descendant of the colonized, one could say, is now the premiere of the colonizers. That could be the typical view from the perspective of anti-colonial theory. That has not been overlooked, of course, with members of Britain's South Asian community hailing his appointment as hugely symbolic. Indians and Pakistanis alike, whether Hindu, Muslim, or Sikh, have expressed pleasure at the development; Pakistani British MPs back his premiership, which supports that perception. With all of the attendant fanfare and the subtle right-wing racism over his ethnicity, some a...

According to data from trade and shipping sources, India's imports of Middle Eastern oil hit a 19-month low in September, while imports from Russia increased despite processing disruptions that reduced overall crude imports. According to the data, Iraq continued to be the top provider, but Russia surpassed Saudi Arabia as the second-largest supplier after a month-long gap. The maintenance at refiners like Reliance Industries and Indian Oil Corp caused India's overall oil imports in September to drop to a 14-month low of 3.91 million barrels per day (bpd), down 5.6% from a year earlier, according to the statistics. According to the report, India's imports from the Middle East decreased by 16.2% from August to nearly 2.2 million bpd while imports from Russia grew by 4.6% to roughly 896,000 bpd. According to the data, the Middle East's share of India's oil imports fell to 56.4% from 59% while Russia's share increased to an all-time high of 23% from 19% the previo...

 The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the third in the world in international air traffic, according to the Secretary-General of the Arab Air Transport Association, Abdel Wahab Tuffaha.  During the meetings of the Arab Air Transport Association hosted by Etihad Airways, Tuffaha said that the UAE ranks the third largest country in the world in international air traffic and air transport activity after the United States and China, capturing 8% of the total traffic.  Tuffaha noted that the UAE has succeeded in making the air transport sector one of the main sectors that contributed to economic growth. Tuffaha also noted that Emirates plays a pivotal role in the sector worldwide. He said that the air transport sector in the UAE contributed over 12% to the country's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019, noting that the percentage was the highest in the world and was more than double its global average. He explained that the Covid-19 pandemic affected the air transport sector. He...

 More than 50 categories of specializations were granted golden residency in the United Arab Emirates for a period of ten years, under specific terms and conditions, in the annex to the regulations governing golden residency permits attached to Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022 issuing the executive regulations for Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 regarding the entry and residence of foreigners. This resolution took effect on October 3. The annex stipulates that the Federal Authority for Identity, Nationality, Customs, and Ports Security shall grant a golden residence permit to scholars and specialized professionals in the event that the conditions and controls specified in this decision are met, and falls within this category: Those scientists and researchers from the Emirates Scholars Council recommend having a strong record of accomplishment and influence in their profession. Senior academics and religious leaders with significant influence who are recommended by the Ministry o...

 The BBC stated today that Rishi Sunak is expected to succeed David Cameron as the next prime minister of the United Kingdom . The former minister and Conservative party member, who is likely to enter office in the coming days, will be the first British prime minister of Asian heritage. The incoming prime minister has made some noteworthy comments about the Middle East. Sunak is a fervent advocate of links between the UK and Israel, just like other Conservatives. According to The Jewish Chronicle in London, he stated to the Conservative Friends of Israel parliamentary group earlier this year that he sees Jerusalem as Israel's capital. In an interview with the site, he also criticized the notion that Israel is an apartheid state. Liz Truss, the current prime minister, stated last month that she was thinking about following the United States' lead and transferring the British embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Theresa Villiers, a fellow parliamentarian who represents London, pen...

Can you actually convert dry lands into green landscapes? The UAE has made it possible by turning natural clay liquid into as thin as water. A Norwegian startup has been encouraged by the UAE by using technology that will mean spraying sand with Liquid NanoClay (LNC) and turning it into the soil in a matter of hours.  Counted as ‘green hero’, these are also being looked at as someone who will be fighting desertification; something the UAE has been trying to achieve for decades. Invented in the early 2000s by Norwegian scientist Kristian Olesen, Liquid NanoClay is the secret behind Desert Control’s amazing achievements. When sprayed onto the sand, this amazing invention trickles down and percolates the sand, turning it into water-retaining soil where plants can germinate and thrive. As one of the countries that have always encouraged innovation, startup culture is also taking off. The intent is to create a huge impact on food security, carbon footprint, and water consump...

 The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) today announced the signing of two memorandums of understanding (MoU) between significant pharmaceutical and medical device businesses in the United Arab Emirates, totaling AED260 million ($70.8 million). The agreements, which were signed in the presence of Sarah bint Youssef Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, are in line with the ICV Program and the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology, both of which aim to draw manufacturers and investors to the UAE's pharmaceutical and medical equipment sectors, among others. In accordance with the agreements, Abu Dhabi Medical Devices Company (ADMD), a division of Abu Dhabi National Industrial Projects, Abu Dhabi Ports Group, and Abu Dhabi Polymers Company (Borouge), as well as PureHealth, one of the largest healthcare organizations in the UAE and a participant in the ministry's National ICV Program, will collaborate to establ...

 The political situation in the UK has clearly had a bit impact on the markets, and now the rating agency Moody's has lowered its outlook from "stable" to "negative". Rating agencies, in essence, rate a country on the strength of its economy. It affects how much it costs governments to borrow money in the international financial markets. In theory, a high credit rating means a lower interest rate (and vice versa). Moody's said there were two "drivers" behind its decision to change the UK's economic outlook. It said the first was "the increased risk to the UK 's credit profile from the heightened unpredictability in policymaking amid a volatile domestic political landscape". The rating agency said it viewed the government's mini-budget, the reversal of the majority of the policies in it, and the change in prime minister as a "continuing reflection of the weakening predictability of fiscal policymaking seen in previous yea...