UAE rolls out plan to invest in economy, liberalise laws
Dubai, Sep 5: The United Arab Emirates announced Sunday a major plan to stimulate its economy and liberalise stringent residency laws for expatriates, as the country seeks to overhaul its finances and attract foreign residents and capital.
The country's plan to lure foreign talent reflects a growing contrast with the other oil-rich economies of the Persian Gulf that are becoming increasingly protectionist.
Although many of the Emirati ministers' promised overhauls remained vague at a press conference, their intentions to boost spending after the devastation of the pandemic and loosen laws to draw more residents was clear.
Abdulla bin Touq, the minister of the economy, pledged that the Emirati government would pour some USD 13.6 billion into the economy over the next year. He laid out a raft of investment opportunities for countries to boost development by 10 per cent in the coming years.
We are confident that these projects in the support of investment will make (the UAE) one of the most competent economies in the world, he proclaimed at the government's first large in-person press conference since the pandemic.
The UAE for years since its independence has tied employment to residency status, giving employers outsized power and forcing people to immediately leave the country once they lost their jobs.
The new plans give residents more time to seek other jobs after termination, allow youth over age 15 to gain employment as they live with their parents, and enable widows and divorced couples to live longer without visa restrictions in the country.
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AIMIM wins Malegaon Central seat by 162 votes
Malegaon (Maharashtra), Nov 23: In a closely contested election, Mohammad Ismail Abdul Khalique of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has retained the Malegaon Central assembly seat, winning by a razor-thin margin of 162 votes.
This victory in the north Maharashtra constituency marks a significant turnaround for Khalique, who previously enjoyed a commanding lead in the 2019 elections, winning by over one lakh votes.
Khalique, an Islamic scholar, received a total of 1,09,653 votes this time, narrowly defeating his nearest rival, Asif Shaikh Rasheed of the Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra party, who got 1,09,491 votes.
There were a total of 13 candidates contesting in this Muslim dominated constituency. Barring Khalique and Rasheed, two other candidates -- Shaan-e-Hind Nihal Ahmed of Samajwadi Party and Ejaz Baig Aziz Baig managed below 10,000 votes. Other remaining candidates were below 1,000 votes.
This election marks Khalique's third term as an MLA. He initially represented the Malegaon Central seat in 2009 as a member of the Jan Surajya Shakti party.
However, Khalique faced a setback in the 2014 elections when he contested under the banner of the Nationalist Congress Party and lost.
His return to the assembly in 2019 under the AIMIM banner solidified his political presence, and despite the significantly reduced margin this year, he has once again emerged victorious.
The results highlight the competitive nature of the Malegaon Central constituency and underscore Khalique's resilience in maintaining his position amidst changing political dynamics.
