Saudi Arabia expels Canadian ambassador, recalls envoy
Riyadh, Aug 6 : Saudi Arabia announced that it was expelling the Ambassador of Canada and froze new trade deals with the country after Ottawas criticism of human-rights violations in the Islamic Kingdom.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Sunday that it it was recalling its ambassador in Canada for consultation and simultaneously declared the Canadian Ambassador Dennis Horak persona non-grata, giving him 24 hours to leave, reports the Saudi Gazette.
The move comes after Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland last week called on Saudi Arabia to release arrested civil-rights activists and signalled concern at a new crackdown in the Middle Eastern country
Saudi Arabia took this firm stance following Canada's statement about "civil society activists" that was negative and baseless, according to the Ministry.
It deemed Freeland's remarks as false allegations.
The ministry considers the Canadian statements as a "blatant interference in the Kingdom's internal affairs that violates simple international norms" that governs relations between countries.
A spokeswoman for Freeland said late Sunday night that the Canadian government was trying to make contact with Saudi Arabia, reports Canadian daily The Globe and Mail.
"We are seriously concerned by these media reports and are seeking greater clarity on the recent statement from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," the spokeswoman said.
"Canada will always stand up for the protection of human rights, including women's rights, and freedom of expression around the world. Our government will never hesitate to promote these values and believes that this dialogue is critical to international diplomacy."
The detained activists include Samar Badawi, sister of writer Raif Badawi who is already imprisoned in Saudi Arabia and sentenced to 1,000 lashes for insulting Islam.
Saudi Arabia is one of Canada's biggest export markets in the Gulf region and more than 15,000 Saudi students attend Canadian schools and universities.
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UK workers face some of Europe's greatest job stress: Report
London: British workers are facing some of the highest levels of job stress in Europe, with long working hours, tight deadlines, and limited autonomy, without being any more productive, according to a new report. The findings come as the UK's new Labour government prepares to introduce tougher regulations for employers.
The report, produced by the Commission for Healthier Working Lives — a body set up by the Britain's Health Foundation think tank and trade union representation — reveals that three-fifths of the UK workforce experience tight deadlines, and two-fifths had to work at high speed, as cited by Reuters on Monday. These figures are among the largest proportions in Europe. In contrast, only a third of workers have the autonomy to choose the pace of their work.
Jonny Gifford, principal research fellow at the Institute for Employment Studies and one of the report's authors, stressed that long hours, work intensity, and lack of control are problem areas that should be addressed.
The report noted that workers in certain sectors, particularly construction, transport, warehouses, retail, and hospitality, face the most demanding conditions, while professional roles like teaching and nursing also reported particular strain.
The report highlighted that the UK ranks poorly across nearly every measure of workplace demands, control, and job strain in comparison to other European nations. About half of the UK's workforce reported feeling exhausted from work, and stress levels have risen significantly over the past 25 years.
