Allegations of targeting journalists false: Ministry

ABU DHABI: In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) said: “The allegations made by recent press reports claiming that the UAE is amongst a number of countries accused of alleged surveillance targeting of journalists and individuals have no evidentiary basis and are categorically false.’’

An earlier report said the newly elected Board of Directors of the UAE Journalists Association held its first meeting in Dubai and elected Mohammed Al Hammadi as its President, while Hussain Al Manaei was elected Vice President, Fadheela Al Maeeni as Secretary, and Hassan Omran was elected Treasurer.

The meeting of the new board was attended by Dr. Ahmed Al Mansouri, Hessa Saif, Salama Al Katbi, Mohammed Saeed Al Tunaiji and Hassan Omran.

During the meeting, the board’s members, who were elected on Thursday for a three-year term, discussed the association’s action plans and strategies for the coming period, which require the cooperation of the entire media community. They also discussed several ideas, programmes and suggestions that were raised during the general assembly.

Al Hammadi and the other members of the newly elected board thanked the previous board members for their efforts and stressed that they will exert all possible efforts to serve journalists and journalism in the UAE.

EASING TRAVEL CURBS ON INDIA: India expressed hope that more countries would take steps to normalise the overseas movement of people from India.

“With the improvement in the COVID-19 situation in India, we have been taking up with foreign countries the issue of easing travel restrictions for Indians,” Arindam Bagchi, Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said at a media briefing on Thursday.

“We believe that this is an important element towards economic recovery. There have been some positive steps in this direction,” Bagchi added. Many countries, including some GCC states, imposed restrictions on the entry of Indians and suspended flights to and from India following a second wave of coronavirus spread in India a few months ago.