RIYADH (Reuters) - Hammad Albalawi, head of Saudi Arabia's 2034 World Cup bid, stated that the country has made significant progress in human rights while aiming to attract "more fans than ever" to the 48-team showpiece event. Saudi Arabia is the sole bidder for the 2034 World Cup, with FIFA set to vote on it next week amid concerns about the country's human rights record. Albalawi said that the strides in human rights, especially in labour laws, are part of Saudi Arabia's commitment to transforming its social and economic landscape under Vision 2030. "We have come a long way and there's still a long way to go. Our principle is to develop something that is right for us. Our journey started in 2016, not because of the World Cup bid," Albalawi told Reuters. "We've launched initiatives granting employees the freedom to move between employers. Documents of these employees are now uploaded into government systems, ensuring they have rights within their contracts. "Only a month and a half ago, the government announced a new government insurance policy... These are substantive examples, not because we're bidding for the World Cup, but because this is part of Vision 2030. This is part of who we are and what we are committed to. "Our aim and aspiration is to bring more teams and more fans into one place than ever before." Amnesty International and the Sport & Rights Alliance (SRA) said last month that FIFA must halt the process to pick Saudi Arabia as hosts of the 2034 tournament unless major human rights reforms are announced before the vote. Albalawi said the World Cup will be held in a safe and family-friendly environment where visitors will enjoy both inside and outside the stadium regardless of the sale of alcohol, which was banned at the 2022 World Cup in neighbouring Qatar. "I think today what you see in Saudi Arabia is an environment that is family friendly, safe and secure – something that people can actually enjoy on and off the pitch," he said. "We've had over 100 global sporting events that already have taken place in Saudi Arabia. No alcohol was served in those tournaments. Yet, we had three million sports fans come in and enjoy those tournaments that have come and come again." Albalawi also pointed to the rapid development of Saudi women's football and its infrastructure as an example of the country's development and social changes. "Three years ago, there were zero girls playing football in school because the facilities weren't there," he said. "Today, the facilities are there and in two years after the facilities were built, we have over 80,000 girls playing football." (Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City)
The standard Lorem Ipsum passage, used since the 1500s "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.Income tax grievance redressal overhaul: Faster response, demarcated list of officers for tax refund, TDS, PAN, waiver, other issuesThe deputy first minister reiterated a promise to introduce legislation disqualifying lying politicians amid concerns about vexatious complaints and politicisation of the courts. Huw Irranca-Davies restated the pledge as he appeared before the Senedd’s standards committee to give evidence to an inquiry about accountability on December 2. Lee Waters questioned if the commitment, to a bill on disqualifying politicians found guilty of deception through an independent judicial process, will be kept by 2026. Mr Irranca-Davies warned of practical complexity in disqualifying candidates and Senedd members. Mr Irranca-Davies said any new legislation would need to be cognisant of freedom of expression, under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The standards committee is weighing up recommendations including creating a criminal offence of deception, a civil offence, or strengthening the existing self-regulation system. Mick Antoniw, a former minister who gave the initial commitment to legislation to avert defeat in a Senedd vote, argued the standards committee sits as a quasi-judicial body. Turning to parliamentary privilege, which affords MPs immunity from legal challenge, Mr Irranca-Davies said the precious principle allows politicians to speak freely. In the Senedd, privilege is limited to defamation and contempt rather than absolute but moves are afoot to provide parity across the four nations. Calling for the standards process as a whole to be strengthened, he backed the introduction of a system of recall, which would allow voters to boot out Senedd members between elections He described the triggers used in Westminster: a custodial sentence for 12 months or less, a suspension of at least ten days or an expenses offence conviction: as a useful starting point. From 2026, people will vote for parties rather than individuals as the Senedd ditches the first-past-the-post system in favour of a full form of proportional representation. The next candidate on the political party’s list would be elected, with the public having no further say on who would replace a recalled Senedd member. The deputy first minister advocated a simple yes-no public vote on whether a politician should stay in office following a recommendation of recall from the standards committee.Skyward Specialty director Hays sells $4.06m in stock
Following on with some more crime news, a 23-year-old man has been arrested after threatening a driver with a knife, stealing their car and then leading police on a high-speed chase through multiple suburbs. Armadale detectives have charged the man from Harrisdale, who is due to appear in court today, with armed robbery, failing to stop, reckless driving, no authority to drive, giving false details to police and possessing cannabis. The man was riding his bike when he allegedly approached a man driving a Nissan Pulsar sedan on Campbell Road in Armadale near the intersection of Masuli Way. He was allegedly armed with a knife and threatened the driver, who exited the vehicle before the accused drove away with the victim’s car. About 6pm, police sighted the stolen vehicle and immediately activated the emergency lights and siren on an unmarked Police vehicle and tried to block the path of the car. The accused allegedly drove the car over a verge and around some low fencing and onto Harbour Road, then failed to stop, and drove in a reckless manner through the suburbs of Armadale, Haynes, Camillo and Champion Lakes before losing control of the vehicle and hitting a tree on Railway Avenue in Kelmscott. He was taken into custody. A woman living near the Great Southern town of Albany has been arrested by police over an alleged fraudulent plan to claim close to $2.3 million from her insurance company. The 50-year-old owned and worked in a bakery in Spencer Park, which burned down in October. Police and firefighters were called to the scene and extinguished the flames, but it was too late to save the building. A staff member was taken to hospital and treated for smoke inhalation. There was significant structural and roofing damage to the premises, as well as extensive smoke damage. The damage cost was estimated at $955,000. The woman then lodged an insurance claim. Her policy stated she was entitled to $500,000 for contents insurance, and a further $2.2 million in business interruption compensation. Police have alleged she deliberately set the fire to claim this money. She has been charged with criminal damage by fire and attempting to gain benefits by fraud, and is due to appear before the Albany Magistrates Court on December 12. To some health news first and WA has recorded hundreds of cases of whopping cough in October, the largest number recorded since 2015. There were 220 reported cases that month, predominantly among school aged children. Those figures come after record low levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. The community has been urged to check they are up-to-date with vaccines. Credit: Louise Kennerley Director of communicable diseases Dr Paul Armstrong said vaccination was the best way for people of all ages to protect themselves and others against whooping cough. “If you are pregnant, it’s important to get vaccinated to help protect your baby as infants are at greatest risk of severe illness from whooping cough,” he said. “Antibodies produced from vaccination during pregnancy are transferred to your unborn baby and help protect infants against whooping cough until they can receive their own vaccinations starting at six to eight weeks old.” Armstrong said it was also important for parents and carers to get children and adolescents vaccinated on time. “Although we are seeing an increase in whooping cough across all age groups, cases are highest in school-aged children – older children and adults are often the source of infection for infants,” he said. Whooping cough causes a respiratory illness which normally starts with common cold-like symptoms such as a blocked or runny nose, tiredness, mild fever and an occasional cough. People with whooping cough can spread the infection in the first three weeks of showing symptoms. Here’s what’s making headlines today: Protesters against South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol call for his impeachment. Credit: Bloomberg A cool 24 degrees today, with a clearing shower. Good morning, readers and welcome to our live blog for Wednesday, December 4. Today, the state’s high-achieving schools in the 2024 NAPLAN testing can be revealed. The students at those schools showed above-average literacy and numeracy results when compared to others with a similar background. Read more from education reporter Holly Thompson here. Charlie Jaques (left), Chianna Taylor, Sharnicqua Mills, Lisa Ledger, and Eric Yang from Baynton West Primary School. Residents living on a quiet cul-de-sac in Ascot have raised concerns over a proposal by Perth Racing to build a three-storey complex for 400 horses just 10 metres from their homes. Bruce Hunt says he bought his home 24 years ago for the tranquillity. That peace could soon be shattered. In some good news for those looking to buy in Perth, the median time a home takes to sell has finally increased – up to 13 days from the nine-day low recorded for most of the year. REIWA chief executive Cath Hart said this was because there were (finally!) more new listings on the market. And, some humour for your mid-week slump, contributor Brendan Foster has written an opinion piece about the summer holidays. While public schools still have a week to go, Foster writes the school he sends his child to will finish for the year on Thursday. “I adore my son. But eight weeks of trying to keep my newly minted teenager cheerful and engaged while my partner and I hold down full-time jobs is going to take more planning than the Battle of Stalingrad,” he writes. How many of you agree? Stick with us as more news breaks. We’ll also let you know when we hear more about WA grandmother Donna Nelson, who is being sentenced in Japan today.Trans Golfer Says LPGA Gender-Eligibility Rule 'Part of the Reason' for High Trans Suicide RateWhat Does GPS Stand For And How Exactly Does It Work?
How many SEC teams are actually in playoff contention? Just three teams in the league have two or fewer losses after a . Does that mean the SEC is down to just three playoff possibilities? Or does a three-loss team have a shot? We wouldn’t write off the three-loss teams. Especially Texas A&M. The Aggies can get an automatic berth with a win over Texas and a win over Georgia in the SEC title game. And both Alabama and Ole Miss have wins over Georgia. However, we think there will be just three SEC teams in the bracket in Tuesday’s set of College Football Playoff rankings. Here’s how we think the bracket will look after getting . The Ducks were off in Week 13 and are the only undefeated team remaining at the top level of college football. Texas got a win over a Kentucky team that couldn’t make the most of any opportunities it had. Quinn Ewers suffered an ankle injury in the win and the Longhorns hope it’s minor heading into that big matchup with the Aggies. Miami did what it needed to against Wake Forest. A win in Week 14 puts the Hurricanes in the ACC title game against SMU. Ashton Jeanty eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark but also suffered what appeared to be a left ankle injury. Jeanty was able to return to the game, however, and Boise State survived Wyoming’s upset bid for a 17-13 win. The Sun Devils are in the best position of any team tied atop the Big 12. Arizona State has the tiebreaker advantage over everyone else and is in the Big 12 title game with a win over Arizona. The Sun Devils should also be the highest-ranked Big 12 team in the rankings on Tuesday night. Ohio State will stay at No. 2 in the rankings after , but it is stuck with the No. 5 seed at the moment. The Buckeyes will get a rematch with the Ducks for the Big Ten title with a win over Michigan. The Hoosiers are the main beneficiary of the chaos in the SEC. Had Alabama and Ole Miss gotten wins, it’d be easy to see the committee dropping Indiana from the field this week. Instead, the Hoosiers have to feel really good about their chances. A win over Purdue should be enough for a playoff berth. We think Notre Dame could jump ahead of Penn State in the rankings after . The Irish are a very complete team at the moment and have a nine-game win streak after their stunning Week 2 loss to Northern Illinois. SMU should find itself in the field for the first time after an easy win over Virginia that clinched a spot in the ACC title game. SMU is also on a nine-game win streak since its Week 2 loss to BYU. Here’s a situation to ponder: Does SMU get in as an at-large team at 11-2 if it loses to Miami in the ACC title game? The Nittany Lions got out of Minnesota with a 26-25 win. Like Indiana, Penn State will feel great about its playoff chances with a win over Maryland in the regular-season finale. Don’t start thinking about a rematch between the Vols and Bulldogs just yet. This is probably going to change. Georgia has clinched a spot in the SEC title game and will play either Texas or Texas A&M on Dec. 7. There are still a range of seeds for the Bulldogs. Tennessee was the biggest playoff beneficiary of the losses in the SEC. After falling outside the bracket a week ago, the Vols are back in and should make the playoff with a win over Vanderbilt.How many SEC teams are actually in playoff contention? Just three teams in the league have two or fewer losses after a . Does that mean the SEC is down to just three playoff possibilities? Or does a three-loss team have a shot? We wouldn’t write off the three-loss teams. Especially Texas A&M. The Aggies can get an automatic berth with a win over Texas and a win over Georgia in the SEC title game. And both Alabama and Ole Miss have wins over Georgia. However, we think there will be just three SEC teams in the bracket in Tuesday’s set of College Football Playoff rankings. Here’s how we think the bracket will look after getting . The Ducks were off in Week 13 and are the only undefeated team remaining at the top level of college football. Texas got a win over a Kentucky team that couldn’t make the most of any opportunities it had. Quinn Ewers suffered an ankle injury in the win and the Longhorns hope it’s minor heading into that big matchup with the Aggies. Miami did what it needed to against Wake Forest. A win in Week 14 puts the Hurricanes in the ACC title game against SMU. Ashton Jeanty eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark but also suffered what appeared to be a left ankle injury. Jeanty was able to return to the game, however, and Boise State survived Wyoming’s upset bid for a 17-13 win. The Sun Devils are in the best position of any team tied atop the Big 12. Arizona State has the tiebreaker advantage over everyone else and is in the Big 12 title game with a win over Arizona. The Sun Devils should also be the highest-ranked Big 12 team in the rankings on Tuesday night. Ohio State will stay at No. 2 in the rankings after , but it is stuck with the No. 5 seed at the moment. The Buckeyes will get a rematch with the Ducks for the Big Ten title with a win over Michigan. The Hoosiers are the main beneficiary of the chaos in the SEC. Had Alabama and Ole Miss gotten wins, it’d be easy to see the committee dropping Indiana from the field this week. Instead, the Hoosiers have to feel really good about their chances. A win over Purdue should be enough for a playoff berth. We think Notre Dame could jump ahead of Penn State in the rankings after . The Irish are a very complete team at the moment and have a nine-game win streak after their stunning Week 2 loss to Northern Illinois. SMU should find itself in the field for the first time after an easy win over Virginia that clinched a spot in the ACC title game. SMU is also on a nine-game win streak since its Week 2 loss to BYU. Here’s a situation to ponder: Does SMU get in as an at-large team at 11-2 if it loses to Miami in the ACC title game? The Nittany Lions got out of Minnesota with a 26-25 win. Like Indiana, Penn State will feel great about its playoff chances with a win over Maryland in the regular-season finale. Don’t start thinking about a rematch between the Vols and Bulldogs just yet. This is probably going to change. Georgia has clinched a spot in the SEC title game and will play either Texas or Texas A&M on Dec. 7. There are still a range of seeds for the Bulldogs. Tennessee was the biggest playoff beneficiary of the losses in the SEC. After falling outside the bracket a week ago, the Vols are back in and should make the playoff with a win over Vanderbilt.An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump’s political coalition