logo
Croatian PM receives GCC chief in Dubrovnik

Croatian PM receives GCC chief in Dubrovnik

Arab News2 days ago
DUBROVNIK: Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi was received by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic at the Dubrovnik Forum in Dubrovnik, Croatia, on Saturday.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed the 'latest developments in free trade agreement negotiations and a proposal to hold a joint Gulf-European conference on energy security,' the General Secretariat said in a report.
They also reviewed relations between the GCC and Croatia, and discussed ways to develop and strengthen ties to serve mutual interests.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

US Senate Report Faults Secret Service Discipline after Trump Shooting
US Senate Report Faults Secret Service Discipline after Trump Shooting

Asharq Al-Awsat

time2 hours ago

  • Asharq Al-Awsat

US Senate Report Faults Secret Service Discipline after Trump Shooting

A US Senate report released on Sunday said a "cascade" of failures allowed a gunman to shoot at Donald Trump during a campaign rally last year and faulted Secret Service discipline including the lack of firings in the wake of the attack. The report, released a year after a 20-year-old gunman opened fire on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing his ear, accused the Secret Service of a pattern of negligence and communications breakdowns in planning and execution of the rally, said Reuters. "This was not a single error. It was a cascade of preventable failures that nearly cost President Trump his life," the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee report said. The Secret Service is charged with protecting current and former presidents and their families, as well visiting foreign leaders and some other senior officials. One attendee of the July 13, 2024, rally was killed and two others were injured in the shooting. The gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was subsequently shot to death by Secret Service agents. "This was not a single lapse in judgment. It was a complete breakdown of security at every level — fueled by bureaucratic indifference, a lack of clear protocols, and a shocking refusal to act on direct threats," the committee's Republican chairman, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, said in a statement. Kimberly Cheatle resigned as the director of the Secret Service 10 days after the shooting, amid harsh scrutiny of the agency's role, and six Secret Service agents on duty during the attempt received suspensions ranging from 10 to 42 days, the agency said on Thursday. The committee said more than six officials should have been punished, and that two of those who were disciplined received lighter punishments than it had recommended. It highlighted the fact that no one was fired. Current Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in a statement that the agency has received the report and will continue to cooperate with the committee. "Following the events of July 13, the Secret Service took a serious look at our operations and implemented substantive reforms to address the failures that occurred that day," Curran said.

Islamabad plans digital remittance solutions for Pakistanis in Gulf, elsewhere via PayPak scheme
Islamabad plans digital remittance solutions for Pakistanis in Gulf, elsewhere via PayPak scheme

Arab News

time2 hours ago

  • Arab News

Islamabad plans digital remittance solutions for Pakistanis in Gulf, elsewhere via PayPak scheme

KARACHI: The Pakistani government is planning to facilitate overseas Pakistanis, particularly those in Gulf countries, by providing a technological solution that would enable them to send remittances through a domestic payment scheme, PayPak, the 1Link payment gateway system said on Monday, citing the Prime Minister Youth Programme (PMYP) chief said on Monday. PMYP Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan said this in a recent meeting with stakeholders, including 1Link CEO Najeeb Agrawalla and Pakistan Freelancers Association (PAFLA) Chairman Ibrahim Amin, in the country's commercial capital of Karachi. Pakistan received over $38.3 billion in remittances from different countries in the financial year ending in June, with Pakistanis residing in Gulf countries contributing a major share to this amount. Khan said the government was working extensively to serve Pakistanis in the country and overseas by addressing their core issues through innovative, technological and affordable means. 'The government is keen to explore strategic collaboration on empowering overseas Pakistani youth through digital remittance services and expanding PayPak's reach under the Prime Minister's Youth Programme,' he was quoted as saying by 1Link. Khan said Pakistanis living abroad were playing commendable role in contributing to the economy and the PM Digital Youth Hub was exploring various options to honor their services with dedicated facilities and offerings. Launched in 2016 by 1Link, PayPak is Pakistan's first and the only domestic payment scheme (DPS), making Pakistan the 28th country in the world to have its own domestic payment system. It aims to spur financial inclusion and digitization across the country. 'We aim to take initiatives to facilitate secure and structured remittance flows from non-resident Pakistani workers, especially those based in Saudi Arabia, UAE and other Gulf countries, while also promoting the use of PayPak for Hajj, Umrah, and other cross-border transactions including 1Bill service for non-resident Pakistanis,' 1Link CEO Agrawalla said. As a major payment service provider, he said, 1Link proposed extending its technological expertise and platform capabilities to support the development and implementation of both initiatives. PAFLA Chairman Amin said there were over 4 million Pakistanis residing in Gulf countries who had been contributing to the economy through their hard-earned income, adding that many of them lacked access to reliable, user-friendly technological payment solutions. 'PAFLA, in collaboration with Pakistani diplomatic missions, Pakistan's banks, and different agencies, will do its best efforts to approach freelancers, blue- and white-collar Pakistani workers through outreach and engagement efforts across Gulf countries,' he said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store