On December 11, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (Fifa) announced Saudi Arabia as the host of the 2034 Fifa Men's World Cup. In its bid evaluation document, Fifa highlights that the country's financial capability to host could potentially surpass Qatar's $200 billion spectacle in 2022. However, trade unions and migrant workers' rights advocates argue that Fifa's decision exposes the body's hollow commitment to human rights.
Saudi Arabia's 2022 census reports that 13.4 million migrants make up 41.6% of its population. The Indian government estimates that 2.6 million of these are Indian.
Like other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Saudi Arabia follows the kafala (visa sponsorship) system, which grants employers excessive control over migrant workers' mobility and legal status, leaving workers highly vulnerable to abuse, including passport confiscation, delayed wages, and other exploitative practices that can amount to forced labour. The government also frequently conducts mass arrests and deportations of undocumented migrant workers.
Many workers become undocumented through no fault of their own, often after employers falsely accuse them of "absconding" to avoid accountability for abusive practices. Migrants caught in these situations are denied the opportunity to challenge their detention or deportation.
The 2034 World Cup would require 11 new stadiums, four refurbished ones, over 185,000 new hotel rooms, and extensive upgrades to airports, roads, railways, and bus networks. It is just one piece of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030, involving spending on so-called "megaprojects" and "giga-projects".
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Denne historien er fra December 19, 2024-utgaven av Hindustan Times West UP.
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Ashwin: Player who never believed in playing it safe
The off-spinner decided to retire from international cricket at the end of the third Test against Australia
Rain plays spoilsport as Test ends in draw
India escaped with a crucial draw in the weather-hit third Test against Australia after intermittent rain wiped out the majority of play on Day 5, leaving the five-match series tantalisingly locked at 1-1.
INDIA TO FACE PAK IN INAUGURAL KHO KHO WORLD CUP OPENER ON JAN 13
Hosts India will face arch rivals Pakistan in the opening match of the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup on January 13, the organisers announced on Wednesday.
With T20I series on line, India look to make amends vs WI
India will look to make amends in all areas and counter the West Indies' power game when the two teams face off in the decider of the women's T20I series on Thursday, with regular skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's participation still shrouded in uncertainty.
Will go to MCG with confidence: Rohit lauds late order fightback
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma hailed the resilience of the lower-order batters after his team managed to salvage a crucial draw in the rain-hit third Test against Australia here on Wednesday, saying it has given the side renewed confidence for the remaining series.
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Net direct tax collection grew 16.45% year-on-year (y-o-y) to over ₹15.82 lakh crore till December 17 this fiscal, buoyed by higher advance tax mop-up, government data showed.
Trump threatens to impose reciprocal tax on India
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Institutional investments in Indian RE hit peak at $8.87 bn
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Markets extend losses into third session on foreign fund outflows
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Nissan and Honda consider merger
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