Istanbul, 26 Nov 2022 (APP)
Pakistan and Turkiye on Friday reaffirmed their commitment to take the bilateral trade to the volume of $5 billion within three years to exploit the immense untapped potential between the two countries.
The bilateral relations were discussed in one-on-one meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as well as the delegation level talksheld at at Vahdettin Mansion, after both the leaders jointly launched the third of the four MILGEM Corvette Ships for the Pakistan Navy, PNS Khaybar, at the Istanbul Shipyard here.
Both the leaders agreed to take robust follow up action for the implementation of Trade in Goods Agreement that was signed by the two countries in August this year, a PM Office press release said.
The prime minister stressed the need to explore avenues of furthering cooperation in the area of renewable energy, particularly wind and solar energy.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by Minister for Defence Production, Minister of Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister of Information Marriyum Aurangzeb, SAPM Syed Tariq Fatemi and SAPM Fahd Hussain.
During the talks, both sides reviewed bilateral relations, with particular emphasis on the ongoing cooperation in diverse fields including trade and investment, defense cooperation, education, connectivity and health.
Expressing satisfaction on the positive trajectory of ongoing cooperation, they also agreed to take all necessary steps to sustain and strengthen the multifaceted engagement.
The prime minister brought out that although the two countries were marking the 75th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations this year, which would be befittingly commemorated, the fraternal bond between the two peoples was centuries-old; rooted in common civilizational, cultural and religious heritage.
He also expressed his profound condolences on the terrorist attack in Istanbul on November 13, 2022 and reiterated support to Türkiye’s fight against terrorism.
Prime Minister Shehbaz expressed satisfaction on the growing defence cooperation between Pakistan and Türkiye – including through joint ventures and capacity building – and underpinned the need to jointly enhance self-reliance in the area of defence production.
He noted that the co-production of MILGEM Corvettes for Pakistan Navy was a major step in that direction.
While underscoring the importance of High-Level Strategic Cooperation (HLSCC) as an important institutional framework for advancing bilateral cooperation in multiple areas, the two leaders agreed to organize the 7th Session of the HLSCC at a mutually convenient date in Islamabad.
Prime Minister Shehbaz and President Erdoğan also addressed the media in a Joint Press Stakeout emphasizing their mutual desire to bring the ongoing bilateral cooperation in sync with the deep rooted fraternal ties between the two peoples.
The prime minister is visiting Türkiye on the invitation of President Erdoğan to participate in the launching ceremony of the third of the four MILGEM Corvettes for Pakistan Navy.
Pakistan-Türkiye bilateral relations are marked by deep mutual respect, frequent leadership level engagement, and common outlook on various global and regional issues.
Doha, 21 Nov 2022 (QE)
QatarEnergy entered into a 27-year Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) for the supply of 4 million tons per annum (MTPA) of LNG to the People's Republic of China.
Under the terms of the SPA, the contracted LNG volumes will be supplied from QatarEnergy’s North Filed East (NFE) LNG expansion project and will be delivered to Sinopec’s receiving terminals in China.
Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs, President and CEO of QatarEnergy, and Dr. MAYongsheng, the Chairman of Sinopec, signed the agreement today during a hybrid virtual/ physical ceremony. Al-Kaabi at QatarEnergy’s headquarters in Doha were senior executives from both companies, while Dr. MA and other high level Sinopec executives participated virtually from Beijing.
Al-Kaabi on the occasion said: “We are pleased to enter into this agreement, which will further solidify the excellent bilateral relations between the People’s Republic of China and the State of Qatar and help meet China's growing energy needs. In addition, it opens a new and exciting chapter in our relationship with Sinopec, one that is very special and spans a number of different areas, and which we are excited about further growing and expanding into the 2050s.”
Al-Kaabi added: “This is the first long-term SPA from the NFE project to be announced, and marks the longest gas supply agreement in the history of the LNG industry.”
Minister Al-Kaabi concluded his remarks by expressing his thanks and appreciation to the working teams from Sinopec, QatarEnergy and Qatargas, for their dedication and sincere efforts to conclude the SPA, and gratitude to the leadership of the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, for his unwavering support to Qatar’s energy sector.
On his part, Dr. MA Yongsheng, the Chairman of Sinopec, said: “The signing of the long-term LNG SPA with QatarEnergy is a milestone and an important part of the integrated cooperation between the two sides on the NFE project. Qatar is the world’s largest LNG supplier, and China is the world’s largest LNG importer. The two countries share inherent complementarities and a good foundation for energy cooperation. The friendly and close ties between the two countries have created a good environment for us to constantly deepen cooperation. Sinopec attaches great importance to the cooperation with QatarEnergy, who we regard as a strategic, long-term and all-round partner, and we are expecting more cooperation fruits to come. Sinopec has been always committed to the development of green and clean energy. Our integrated cooperation with QatarEnergy on the NFE project could not only meet the needs of the Chinese market, but also reflect Sinopec's commitment to a low-carbon, green, safe, responsible and sustainable development path.”
The agreement is the second LNG SPA between QatarEnergy and Sinopec, following the 10-year SPA signed in March 2021 for the supply of 2 MTPA to China.
The SPA is also the first long term LNG offtake agreement from the NFE Expansion project, and comes on the heels of QatarEnergy’s conclusion of the formation of eight international partnership agreements for the North Field East and North Field South (NFS) projects, which are expected to come online in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
QatarEnergy has also concluded construction contracts and long-term time charter agreements for 60 LNG carriers as part of its historic LNG shipbuilding program in support of both the NFE and NFS expansion projects, with the number expected to grow to almost 100 in the future.
Doha, 22 Nov. 2022 (MOFA)
In a joint press conference with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the fifth US-Qatar Strategic Dialogue, held in Doha, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman AlThani considered this round of the dialogue as an important platform in strengthening those relations that enjoy stable and solid foundations and multifaceted partnership.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of State of Qatar indicated that the US-Qatar Strategic Dialogue represented an opportunity to address several issues ranging from regional issues and today's global challenges, discuss the latest development concerning the nuclear deal, the developments in Iraq, Lebanon, and Libya, and the Palestinian cause that Qatar sees as its central cause; in addition to joint efforts in Afghanistan.
He pointed out that this round of dialogue discussed joint cooperation in responding to global challenges, especially the challenges of energy, food security, and other developmental challenges that the world faces today.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani added that the State of Qatar and the US share the same point of view regarding these issues, and they look forward to working together among the team works that will resume the talks between the concerned institutions in both countries.
He added that the State of Qatar always looks forward to strengthening its cooperation with the US, and always having an open dialogue and a relationship based on transparency and mutual trust between the two countries.
He valued the cooperation shown by the US with its various institutions in support of hosting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. He xtended his thanks for all the efforts, especially those of the US security and cybersecurity institutions, for the support they provided to Qatar in favor of hosting this tournament, pointing out that this is seen as a part of the cooperation that extends beyond the multiple partnerships between the two countries.
In his response to the media attack on the State of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani noted that the State of Qatar, when it was awarded the honor to host FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, was determined to have multi-faceted tasks to attain this organization that impressed the entire world.
He said that many people think that the world cup was the main reason behind the reforms that have been made in the recent years, however, Qatar sees the world cup as merely a catalyst for that process. He stressed that change is an ongoing process, unconnected to a specific event or stage, noting in this regard that the vision of the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani is a transformational vision for the State of Qatar in terms of keeping pace with developments taking place around the world.
He confirmed that the human rights issue in the State of Qatar is the state's responsibility toward the Qatari people and everyone who lives on the land of Qatar, stressing that the State of Qatar has been decisive on this matter, pointing out that the reforms adopted are intended to serve this objective.
Qatar's top diplomat said that some media institutions did not take the reforms that have been made by the State of Qatar into consideration, but they came out with a prejudgment even without visiting the State of Qatar or engaging in a conversation with the state's officials, even though the State of Qatar always opens its doors to everyone and has been engaging in dialogue since the start of these attacks.
He added that the State of Qatar cannot alter the opinions of those who want to compromise its reputation to attain their goals or other intentions, adding that such goals have nothing to do with the State of Qatar, however, the vast majority of people and football masses when they came to Doha were surprised by the success of the preparations. His Excellency also pointed out that the State of Qatar and the Qatari people are always generous and welcome all people.
He pointed to the joy in the eyes of people by hosting this event, including the happiness of the masses and the joy at their participation and their enjoyment of trying something new that has not been tried before.
He noted the existence of a work program through which the State of Qatar and the United States have teamed up to build the capacities among the various institutions and the law enforcement agencies, in addition to learning and utilizing the expertise available in the United States, pointing out that there are points of agreement and points of disagreement, because such matters are usually appropriate in the society in which they are applied.
Qatar's Foreign Minister conveyed a message to the media and public opinion that the State of Qatar welcomes all people and its doors remain open, calling for the importance of focusing on football and everything that happens on the pitch, adding that those who would like to launch prejudgments solely for achieving other goals, will only have a temporary impact, but ultimately the reality on the ground will prevail to talk about itself.
He looked forward to making the tournament in Qatar a station for the convergence of peoples, cultures and all civilizations to enjoy the atmospheres provided by Qatar in Doha, as well as the hospitality experience of the Qatari people and the residents on the land of Qatar.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the State of Qatar has outdone the United States in hosting this amazing and detailed dialogue, just like it did in terms of entertainment.
He added that bilateral relations are at the peak point of the 50-year diplomatic relations and that cooperation is now stronger than ever before, the result of which is that the US and Qatari peoples are now in a better situation. His Excellency also said that the security relationship with Qatar is the most powerful one, highlighted by the fact that Qatar hosts one of the largest US military bases in the region, noting that it serves as an anchor for regional security and stability.
He pointed out that the US president Joe Biden designated Qatar as a major non-NATO Ally last March. He also said that this was followed several months later by delivering F-15 aircraft to Qatar Amiri Air Force to augment its defensive capabilities and made the armies amenable to interoperability.
The US Secretary of State Blinken affirmed that the United Sates and the State of Qatar are engaging in the region and outside the region to bolster stability, defuse tensions and end the conflicts, noting that Qatar had provided vital economic aid to the Palestinian people, helped pay the salaries of the security forces in Lebanon and has been a mediator in the peace agreement between the Chadian transitional government and the opposition groups, adding that Qatar is constantly working to heal the regional rifts which is essential in addressing the common challenges facing the US and its partners.
Doha, 20 Nov 2022
First ever FIFA World Cup in Middle East and 2nd time in Asia took off with a style and spectacular opening ceremony by Hollywood super star, narator and director Morgan Freeman; world renowned South Korean BTS star singer Jungkook; Qatari Singer Fahad AlKubaisi delivered a message of unity and inclusivity.
Opening ceremony will be followed by Tournament's first match between the host country Qatar, former Asian Champion with Ecuador.
32 teams will compete across 64 matches in the 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup between 20th Nov to 18 December 2022
The Amir of State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad AlThani inaugurated the official ceremony of 22nd FIFA World Cup this evening at the AlBayt Stadium, AlKhor.
Present on the occasion were Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa AlThani; UN Secretary General Antonio Guterrres; FIFA President Givanni Vincenzo Infantino; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan; Algerian President Adelmadjid Tabboune; Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi; Jordan King Abdullah 11 bin Hussein; Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed bin Salman AlSaud; Indian Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar; Vice Predident, Prime Minister of UAE and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid AlMaktoum; large number of dignitaries along with 60,000 fans.
In his opening remarks, Amir of Qatar welcomed everyone to the World Cup 2022 from Qatar, an Arab country. HH said that 'we worked hard, along with many people, to make it one of the most successful tournaments. We have exerted all efforts and invested for the good of all humanity.
Finally, we have reached the opening day, the day that you have been eagerly waiting for.
Starting from this evening, and for a period of twenty-eight days, we will follow, and with us the whole world, God willing, the great football festival, in this spacious ambience for human and civilized communication'.
Pictures with courtesy of AP
Bali, Indonesia, 16 Nov 2022 (Anadolu News)
Leaders of the G-20 brought their summit in Indonesia to a close on Wednesday after detailed discussions on an array of issues, including the war in Ukraine, global energy crisis, and the growing challenge of global food security.
The summit’s closing statement offered a strong denunciation of the war raging in Ukraine since February, calling for Russia’s “complete and unconditional withdrawal.”
“Today’s era must not be of war,” read a joint declaration that emphasized the need “to uphold international law and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability.”
Leaders of the world’s largest economies kicked off the summit on Tuesday with sessions on the food and energy crises, followed by a discussion on ways to enhance global health systems.
The summit’s second and last day was dominated by the missile incident in Poland, where two people were killed in an explosion in a village near the Ukrainian border.
There were several high-profile bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the gathering on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, not least the first face-to-face meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also held bilateral talks with leaders of various countries, including the US, France, Germany, Italy, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia.
According to local sources, the summit was attended by more than 2,300 accredited personnel from at least 450 international media outlets.
The next three G-20 summits will take place in India, Brazil, and South Africa over the coming three years.
The African Union’s inclusion in the G-20 will be considered at next year’s gathering in India, according to Senegal’s President Macky Sall, who is also the African bloc’s current chairperson.
Doha, 15 Nov 2022 (MOFA Qatar)
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of State of Qatar, Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi received Tuesday a copy of the credentials of Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the State Dr. Muhammad Ejaz.
AlMuraikhi wished the Pakistani envoy success in performing his duties, assuring him of providing all support to advance bilateral relations to closer cooperation in various fields.
Ambassador Dr. Muhammad Ejaz was born on 12 July 1966 in Peshawar, Pakistan. He holds an MBBS degree.
He joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1992. He held various diplomatic assignments before coming to Qatar and at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He served as ambassador to Hungary from December 2019 befire coming to Qatar.
Dr. Muhammad Ejaz has served in Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad as Section Officer (1994-1997 & 200-2002), Director (2009-2011), Director General (2016-2018).
From 2018-2019, served as Additional Secretary (Afghanistan & West Asia). Worked closely with regional and international partners including US, China and Russia to take the ongoing Afghan peace initiative forward.
Held various diplomatic assignments in Pakistan Missions abroad; Kabul (1997-2000), Stockholm (2002-2005), Colombo (2006-2008), Paris (2011-2014) and Cairo (2014-2015).
He is married; has two sons and a daughter.
15 November 2022
(Daily Dawn/AFP)
A baby born somewhere on Tuesday will be the world’s eight billionth person, according to a projection by the United Nations.
“The milestone is an occasion to celebrate diversity and advancements while considering humanity’s shared responsibility for the planet,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a statement.
The UN attributes the growth to human development, with people living longer thanks to improvements in public health, nutrition, personal hygiene and medicine.
It is also the result of higher fertility rates, particularly in the world’s poorest countries — most of which are in sub-Saharan Africa — putting their development goals at risk.
How many is too many?
Population growth has also magnified the environmental impacts of economic development.
But while some worry that eight billion humans is too many for planet Earth, most experts say the bigger problem is the overconsumption of resources by the wealthiest people.
“Some express concerns that our world is overpopulated,” said United Nations Population Fund chief Natalia Kanem.
“I am here to say clearly that the sheer number of human lives is not a cause for fear.”
Joel Cohen of Rockefeller University’s Laboratory of Populations told AFP the question of how many people Earth can support has two sides: natural limits and human choices.
Our choices result in humans consuming far more biological resources, such as forests and land, than the planet can regenerate each year.
The overconsumption of fossil fuels, for example, leads to more carbon dioxide emissions, responsible for global warming.
“We are stupid. We lacked foresight. We are greedy. We don’t use the information we have. That’s where the choices and the problems lie,” said Cohen.
However, he rejects the idea that humans are a curse on the planet, saying people should be given better choices.
Slowing growth
The current population is more than three times higher than the 2.5 billion global headcount in 1950.
However, after a peak in the early 1960s, the world’s population growth rate has decelerated dramatically, Rachel Snow of the UN Population Fund told AFP.
Annual growth has fallen from a high of 2.1 per cent between 1962 and 1965 to below 1pc in 2020.
That could potentially fall further to around 0.5pc by 2050 due to a continued decline in fertility rates, the United Nations projects.
The UN projects the population to continue growing to about 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050, and peaking around 10.4 billion in the 2080s.
Other groups have, however, calculated different figures.
The US-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) estimated in a 2020 study that the global population would max out by 2064, without ever reaching 10 billion, and decline to 8.8 billion by 2100.
Black Death
Since the emergence of the first humans in Africa over two million years ago the world’s population has ballooned, with only fleeting pauses to the increasing number of people sharing Earth.
Our ancestors were hunter-gatherers, who had few children compared to later settled populations in order to maintain their nomadic lifestyle.
The introduction of agriculture in the Neolithic era, around 10,000 BC, brought the first known major population leap.
With agriculture came sedentarisation and the ability to store food, which caused birth rates to soar.
From around six million in 10,000 BC, the global population leapt to 100 million in 2,000 BC and then to 250 million in the first century AD, according to the French Institute for Demographic Studies.
As a result of the Black Death, the human population dropped between 1300 and 1400, from 429 to 374 million.
Other events, like the Plague of Justinian, which hit the Mediterranean over two centuries from 541-767, and the wars of the early Middle Ages in western Europe, also caused temporary dips in the number of humans on Earth.
From the 19th century on, the population began to explode, due largely to the development of modern medicine and the industrialisation of agriculture, which boosted global food supplies.
Since 1800, the world’s population has jumped eight-fold, from an estimated one billion to eight billion.
The development of vaccines was key, with the smallpox jab particularly helping zap one of history’s biggest killers.
Istanbul / Ankara (Anadolu) 14 Nov 2022
The footage came to light on Monday showing Turkish security forces as they caught a suspect thought to be behind a deadly blast on Istanbul's Istiklal Avenue.
Istanbul police teams identified the female suspect based on her physical appearance, determined via images caught on security cameras near the site of the explosion that killed six people and injured 81 on the busy pedestrian street.
The suspect, whose escape route was also determined, was later detained in an overnight raid by anti-terror forces at a hideout in the district of Kucukcekmece, located west of the attack site.
Authorities uncovered that the suspect, whose initials are A.A., is a 23-year-old Syrian national who entered Türkiye through the Afrin area in northwestern Syria.
The images of her capture, recorded during the raid on the suspect's hideout, were also shared by police forces.
Heads of state and officials from around the world extended their condolences to the Turkish nation and condemned Sunday's terror attack on Istanbul's Istiklal Avenue that left at least six people dead and 81 injured, including two critically.
The bombing in Beyoglu, which took place around 4.20 p.m. local time (1320GMT), was carried out by the YPG/PKK terrorist organization, the Turkish government has confirmed.
Ahlam Albashir, a Syrian woman who confessed to planting the explosives in the crowded commercial hub, has been arrested along with dozens of other suspects.
"I have learned with deep anguish about the explosion at Istiklal Avenue in the heart of Istanbul," Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Twitter.
"(The) government and the people of Pakistan express deepest condolences to the brotherly people of Türkiye at the loss of precious lives and send prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured," he added.
Among other world leaders sent condolence messages and condemned the terror blast include HH Amir of Qatar, Azerbaijan's President, Swedish Prime Minister, Russia’s President; Ukrainian; Hungarian President; Serbian President; French President; Kosovo President; NATO chief; EU foreign policy chief; European Commission President; European Council President; German President; and Italian Prime Minister.
The foreign ministries of Pakistan, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Germany, India, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Greece also expressed condolences.
Separately, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the president of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Republika Srpska entity, Milorad Dodik, condemned the attack.
Senegal’s President and African Union Chair Macky; Burundi's President; Somali President; Congolese President; Kazakh President; Kyrgyz President; Dominican Republic President; Armenian Foreign Minister;
Ararat Mirzoyan, on Twitter, expressed his "sincere condolences" to the families of victims of the deadly explosion, and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. Ilhan Kyuchyuk, a Renew Europe group member of the European Parliament, Poland’s Foreign Minister; Panama’s Foreign Minister; Portugal’s Foreign Minister; denounced the “horrific terrorist attack.
Condemnations and messages of sympathy also came from the foreign ministers of the Netherlands, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, France, Latvia, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Albania, Bosnia, North Macedonia, and the Maldives.
NepalMinute, 08 Nov 2022
Why this fee? What is special about blue ticks? Twitter’s Help Centre page says, “The blue verified badge on Twitter lets people know that an account of public interest is authentic. To receive the blue badge, your account must be authentic, notable, and active.”
In a statement on Saturday, Twitter said, “A blue checkmark, previously reserved for verified accounts primarily held by celebrities, politicians, companies, and news outlets, now comes with “half the ads” and “much better ones” and priority in replies, mentions and searches.”
The San Francisco-based company further said Twitter Blue subscribers would receive fewer ads, and they could post long videos and get priority ranking for quality content.
Twitter will adjust the pricing “proportionate to purchasing power parity” of the country. This implies that American users will pay more than, say, users in Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India.
Musk has paid a huge sum to buy the social media site, allowing users to tell other users what they eat and drink, give opinions on all topics, and abuse others with different views.
According to the SEC filing, Musk holds 9.2 per cent stake in the company, making him the top individual Twitter shareholder. Among the company insiders, Saudi Arabian investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and Twitter founder Jack Dorsey are major Twitter shareholders with 4.57 per cent and 2.67 per cent holdings, respectively.
Among institutional investors, Vanguard Group, Blackrock (BLK) and Morgan Stanley (MS) top Twitter's major shareholders with 10.78 per cent, 6.70 per cent and 4.95 per cent stakes, respectively.
Musk revamps Twitter
Musk revamped Twitter immediately after the takeover. He dismissed chief executive Parag Agrawal and more than 90 percent of Twitter India staff. Musk said he would permanently suspend fake Twitter accounts and those impersonating others. “Twitter will permanently suspend without warning parody accounts,” Musk said in a tweet.
Musk has a longer-term plan to promote his companies and political friends and shape public opinion. Most business people, political parties and celebrities have promoted their agenda since the invention of mass communications applications and sites.
Musk and his new Twitter team rejigging its revenue model is justifiable. A Wall Street Journal report says Twitter has suffered “a massive drop in revenue” because of advertisers cutting back on using the social media platform. Therefore, his critics and rivals cannot call him ‘greedy’ for aiming good returns on his high investment. Everybody does business for profit. Social media sites are no different.
Many blue badge users, mainly politicians, business people, actors, musicians, and sportspersons, will perforce pay the monthly fee of $7.99. They will gladly pay this fee to remain relevant in public space. Other users, more than three times the number of blue badge users, will not pay for this premium service. They would happily switch to an ordinary Twitter account. Most ordinary users are from developing countries.
Most Nepalis will not pay
NepalMinute reporters interviewed many Twitter users in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan and other provinces. Most will not pay $8 [NRs 1,049.21 @ 1$= NRs 131.52 as on Nov 8] a month for account verified status. Many users are ready to pay for the premium service. Not surprisingly, they come from the high-income group.
In a Twitter poll conducted by NepalMinute.com, the majority of Twitter users, or 75 percent, said they would not pay $8 a month for a verified account. However, the poll that ended on November 5 shows 25 percent of Twitter users in Nepal would be willing to pay $8 every month for a verified account.
Like India, Nepal (refer graph) is not a big market for Twitter. Yet the poll results show how users see the social media company’s move towards profitability in developing countries like Nepal.
According to www.datareportal.com, Nepal has around 418,000 Twitter users. This number is 1.39 per cent of the country’s population of around 30 million.
NepalMinute.com did a separate question and answer with prominent public figures here. Most said no, but a few Twitter users said they would pay $8 a month for the blue checkmark.
Senior journalist and activist Kanak Mani Dixit tweeted, “I will not pay $8 a month.” Law student Prabhakar Bagchand echoed, “I will not.”
Activist Suman Mandal offered a different view. “Social media users are not consumers. They are products. Social media platforms mint money out of your content. They should pay you instead.”
Economist Chandan Sapkota hoped Twitter would offer a discount to Nepali users, saying, “It might cost less than $8 for Nepali users. He quoted Musk saying, “Price adjusted by country is proportional to purchasing power parity.”
Civil servant and author Bishwa Kuinkel said Nepalis might not pay. “That can happen only once upon a time,” he tweeted.
Techie Utsav Shakya tweeted, “Many Nepalis might not subscribe, but its success will depend on what features that $8 unlocks. The idea itself is flawed. If Twitter is not going to be a platform for diverse, marginalised voices, its utility value is minimal.”
Journalist Bidhya Rai offered a different view likening Musk’s seemingly bold move to that of Harka Sampang, Mayor of Dharan city in eastern Nepal. He has urged all city-dwellers and visitors to offer free labour at construction sites.
Effect of Musk takeover
The first change Musk will make impacts Twitter users. While he negotiated the takeover, wrote Eloise Barry for Time magazine this April, Musk had “pledged to overhaul the platform’s content moderation tactics in a move that would promote what he considers free speech”.
One of Musk’s first decisions was to dismiss Vijaya Gadde, an American attorney. She served as general counsel and the head of legal, policy, and trust at Twitter. Her role included handling harassment, misinformation, and harmful speech.
Earlier this month, Twitter locked out several content-moderation staff. Now, just 15 employees have access to content moderation tools. Many people, mainly from civil society and politicians, oppose the unshackling of content moderation. They fear trenchant criticism and backlash from Twitter users ahead of mid-term elections in the US.
A Bloomberg report quoted Twitter’s Head of Safety and Integrity as saying, “The restrictions reduce opportunities for ‘insider risk’. However, Twitter staff told Bloomberg, “This could cause misinformation to surge ahead of the midterm elections.”
India has a similar misinformation risk. Two states will hold legislative assembly polls. Himachal Pradesh goes to polls on November 12 and Gujarat, in two phases, on December 1 and 5. This will not impact political parties because the number of Twitter users in India is small. Their opinions and content will not make any difference to poll results.
Although an Indian-American Sriram Krishnan is helping Musk run Twitter, many observers fear an anti-India story post Musk takeover. Musk has had a blow hot, blow cold ties with India. He closed Tesla electric car’s office in India, saying, “India’s import and duty structure makes electric cars unaffordable for the Indian user.”
In the US, Conservatives and anti-vaccine groups have lobbied with Musk to revoke bans on their activists since he took over Twitter. Earlier in May, Musk had said he would “reverse the permanent twitter ban on former President Donald Trump.”
In an open letter to Musk last Saturday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged him to “ensure human rights are central to the management of Twitter” under Musk’s leadership. The letter follows reports of the sacking of Twitter’s entire human rights team and all but two of the ethical AI team – not “an encouraging start,” said Türk.
Nepalminute’s conclusion: High net-worth business people like Musk have the right to buy shares in any company and takeover through majority shares. He can run his company as he wants, provided he complies with statutory laws. The people, institutions and political parties squealing and complaining after Musk’s Twitter takeover are the ones who enjoyed its benefits under previous teams headed by Dorsey and Agrawal. As Justin Timberlake’s hit song says, “What goes around, comes around!”
Sudeep Sonawane, an India-based journalist, has worked in five countries in the Middle East and Asia. He can be reached at sudeep.sonawane@gmail.com
Doha, 09 Nov 2022 (SC)
Qatar Central Bank (QCB) held a special event to unveil a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ commemorative QAR 22 banknote. The event was attended by Sheikh Bandar bin Mohammed bin Saoud Al Thani, QCB Governor, Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, and dignitaries.
Sheikh Bandar said the note celebrates Qatar’s hard work and dedication in hosting the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world.
The governor highlighted the strategic collaboration between QCB, the SC and FIFA to issue the distinguished and historical commemorative note, that bears the logo mark of this year’s FIFA World Cup and features Al Bayt Stadium and Lusail Stadium.
He presented the process for creating the note, which reflects Qatar’s cultural heritage and football history. It is the first commemorative note produced by QCB to be made from polymer. The presentation included a short film about Qatar and the contribution of QCB to the development of the country’s economy.
Sheikh Bandar also discussed the measures taken by QCB to develop banking and payment systems in Qatar in order to provide the best services for citizens, residents and visitors.
He thanked members of the SC and FIFA for the strategic partnership. He also thanked the QCB team behind this historic achievement.
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