Saudi Arabia suspends Toronto flights in row with Canada
Riyadh, Aug 7 : Saudi Arabia's state airliner has suspended its direct flights to Toronto after Canada called for the release of detained activists for civil society and women's rights.
The Middle Eastern country has also frozen all trade and expelled Canada's ambassador over the "interference", BBC reported on Monday.
Canada has responded by saying it "will continue to advocate for human rights". Those held include the Saudi-American human rights campaigner Samar Badawi, sister of jailed blogger Raif Badawi.
Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said she was "deeply concerned" by the diplomat's expulsion, but added: "Canada will always stand up for the protection of human rights, including women's rights and freedom of expression around the world.
"We will never hesitate to promote these values and we believe that this dialogue is critical to international diplomacy."
Her Saudi counterpart, Adel al-Jubeir, had earlier tweeted that Canada's position was based on "misleading information", adding that anyone arrested was "subject to Saudi laws that guarantee their rights".
The leading Saudi women's rights campaigner Manal al-Sharif thanked Canada for "speaking up" and asked when other Western powers would do the same.
In what appeared to be a further sign of deteriorating relations between the two countries, a verified Twitter account, which is reportedly linked to Saudi authorities, shared an image of a plane flying towards Toronto's famed CN Tower.
The image was overlaid with text, including a quote which read "he who with what doesn't concern him finds what doesn't please him". People on social media have been quick to point out the similarities between the image and images of 9/11.
The account has since been deleted, but cached versions of the tweet are circulating online.
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Maharashtra government considers tweaks to Ladki Bahin scheme amid fiscal strain: Reports
Mumbai: A day after the Mahayuti coalition secured a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, attention has turned to the Ladki Bahin Yojana, a flagship welfare scheme that played a pivotal role in attracting women voters.
The scheme, launched in July 2024, offers ₹1,500 per month to economically disadvantaged women aged 18 to 65. The Mahayuti, in its election manifesto, pledged to increase the amount to ₹2,100 per month, a promise now under scrutiny due to fiscal concerns. With the scheme projected to cost the exchequer ₹33,300 crore from July 2024 to March 2025, bureaucrats are exploring ways to revise its provisions to prevent a financial imbalance.
Finance Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar hinted at the challenges, stressing the need for "financial discipline." A senior bureaucrat confirmed that plans are underway to prune the list of beneficiaries, citing the inclusion of ineligible individuals due to incomplete Aadhaar seeding and lack of required ration cards. According to the finance department, nearly one crore women out of the 2.43 crore registered beneficiaries may not qualify for the scheme.
The state’s debt burden is already projected to reach ₹7.82 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2024-25. Officials warn that continuing the scheme in its current form could impact the government’s ability to pay salaries by January. Despite these concerns, the ruling coalition is hesitant to reduce the beneficiary list, likely due to the upcoming civic elections.
Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik is expected to present renegotiation proposals to the new chief minister soon. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde credited the scheme for increasing the number of women voters and boosting the coalition’s vote share. NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar also acknowledged the scheme’s role in mobilising women voters.
Other welfare measures introduced by the government include an electricity bill waiver for farmers and three free LPG cylinders annually for six million households. However, the financial viability of such initiatives remains a pressing concern.
