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CZWI Stock Soars to 52-Week High, Hits $16.62 Amid GrowthBy JILL COLVIN and STEPHEN GROVES WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working mostly behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role: Helping Donald Trump try to get his most contentious Cabinet picks to confirmation in the Senate, where Vance has served for the last two years. Vance arrived at the Capitol on Wednesday with former Rep. Matt Gaetz and spent the morning sitting in on meetings between Trump’s choice for attorney general and key Republicans, including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The effort was for naught: Gaetz announced a day later that he was withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations and the reality that he was unlikely to be confirmed. Thursday morning Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth, the “Fox & Friends Weekend” host whom Trump has tapped to be the next secretary of defense. Hegseth also has faced allegations of sexual assault that he denies. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings in coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., center, and Vice President-elect JD Vance, left, walk out of a meeting with Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, departs the chamber at the Capitol in Washington, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, center speaks during a Senate Banking Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, right, speaks with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, before testifying at a hearing, March 9, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a classified briefing on China, at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a vote on Capitol Hill, Sept. 12, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance R-Ohio speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) The role of introducing nominees around Capitol Hill is an unusual one for a vice president-elect. Usually the job goes to a former senator who has close relationships on the Hill, or a more junior aide. But this time the role fits Vance, said Marc Short, who served as Trump’s first director of legislative affairs as well as chief of staff to Trump’s first vice president, Mike Pence, who spent more than a decade in Congress and led the former president’s transition ahead of his first term. ”JD probably has a lot of current allies in the Senate and so it makes sense to have him utilized in that capacity,” Short said. Unlike the first Trump transition, which played out before cameras at Trump Tower in New York and at the president-elect’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this one has largely happened behind closed doors in Palm Beach, Florida. There, a small group of officials and aides meet daily at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to run through possible contenders and interview job candidates. The group includes Elon Musk, the billionaire who has spent so much time at the club that Trump has joked he can’t get rid of him. Vance has been a constant presence, even as he’s kept a lower profile. The Ohio senator has spent much of the last two weeks in Palm Beach, according to people familiar with his plans, playing an active role in the transition, on which he serves as honorary chair. Vance has been staying at a cottage on the property of the gilded club, where rooms are adorned with cherubs, oriental rugs and intricate golden inlays. It’s a world away from the famously hardscrabble upbringing that Vance documented in the memoir that made him famous, “Hillbilly Elegy.” His young children have also joined him at Mar-a-Lago, at times. Vance was photographed in shorts and a polo shirt playing with his kids on the seawall of the property with a large palm frond, a U.S. Secret Service robotic security dog in the distance. Related Articles On the rare days when he is not in Palm Beach, Vance has been joining the sessions remotely via Zoom. Though he has taken a break from TV interviews after months of constant appearances, Vance has been active in the meetings, which began immediately after the election and include interviews and as well as presentations on candidates’ pluses and minuses. Among those interviewed: Contenders to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray , as Vance wrote in a since-deleted social media post. Defending himself from criticism that he’d missed a Senate vote in which one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees was confirmed, Vance wrote that he was meeting at the time “with President Trump to interview multiple positions for our government, including for FBI Director.” “I tend to think it’s more important to get an FBI director who will dismantle the deep state than it is for Republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45,” Vance added on X. “But that’s just me.” While Vance did not come in to the transition with a list of people he wanted to see in specific roles, he and his friend, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who is also a member of the transition team, were eager to see former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. find roles in the administration. Trump ended up selecting Gabbard as the next director of national intelligence , a powerful position that sits atop the nation’s spy agencies and acts as the president’s top intelligence adviser. And he chose Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , a massive agency that oversees everything from drug and food safety to Medicare and Medicaid. Vance was also a big booster of Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who will serve as Trump’s “border czar.” In another sign of Vance’s influence, James Braid, a top aide to the senator, is expected to serve as Trump’s legislative affairs director. Allies say it’s too early to discuss what portfolio Vance might take on in the White House. While he gravitates to issues like trade, immigration and tech policy, Vance sees his role as doing whatever Trump needs. Vance was spotted days after the election giving his son’s Boy Scout troop a tour of the Capitol and was there the day of leadership elections. He returned in earnest this week, first with Gaetz — arguably Trump’s most divisive pick — and then Hegseth, who has was been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, according to an investigative report made public this week. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. Vance hosted Hegseth in his Senate office as GOP senators, including those who sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, filtered in to meet with the nominee for defense secretary. While a president’s nominees usually visit individual senators’ offices, meeting them on their own turf, the freshman senator — who is accompanied everywhere by a large Secret Service detail that makes moving around more unwieldy — instead brought Gaetz to a room in the Capitol on Wednesday and Hegseth to his office on Thursday. Senators came to them. Vance made it to votes Wednesday and Thursday, but missed others on Thursday afternoon. Vance is expected to continue to leverage his relationships in the Senate after Trump takes office. But many Republicans there have longer relationships with Trump himself. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, said that Trump was often the first person to call him back when he was trying to reach high-level White House officials during Trump’s first term. “He has the most active Rolodex of just about anybody I’ve ever known,” Cramer said, adding that Vance would make a good addition. “They’ll divide names up by who has the most persuasion here,” Cramer said, but added, “Whoever his liaison is will not work as hard at it as he will.” Cramer was complimentary of the Ohio senator, saying he was “pleasant” and ” interesting” to be around. ′′He doesn’t have the long relationships,” he said. “But we all like people that have done what we’ve done. I mean, that’s sort of a natural kinship, just probably not as personally tied.” Under the Constitution, Vance will also have a role presiding over the Senate and breaking tie votes. But he’s not likely to be needed for that as often as was Kamala Harris, who broke a record number of ties for Democrats as vice president, since Republicans will have a bigger cushion in the chamber next year. Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eco Bright Future, Inc. EBFI ($EBFI) ("Company") announces its wholly-owned El Salvador subsidiary, United Heritage Sociedad Anonima De Capital Variable ("United Heritage"), has been granted the prestigious license of Digital Service Provider in El Salvador. This significant milestone marks the first of two eagerly awaited licenses in the region, with the token issuer license pending and anticipated in the near future. Alexander Borodich, Founder of Universa Blockchain , expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "We are on the cusp of receiving our second pivotal license in El Salvador, which will position our Company to attract a substantial customer base through our local subsidiaries. We eagerly anticipate launching operations through the innovative New World Digital Gateway as El Salvador emerges as a leading hub in the digital realm." El Salvador's proactive stance in fostering a welcoming ecosystem for cryptocurrency businesses has drawn the attention of global digital assets firms like Eco Bright Future. With the newly obtained Bitcoin exchange license, United Heritage offers a secure and compliant platform to purchase, sell, and exchange Bitcoin. El Salvador recognizes Bitcoin as legal tender , a historic milestone for the country that opens up exciting possibilities within the digital currency landscape, as evidenced by today's high price of BTC , reflecting widespread adoption by mainstream users. The Company is strategically bolstering its presence in the global Digital Asset Market; El Salvador is just one of its strategic focal points. The expansion aligns with the Company's overarching strategy to ensure international compliance and broaden its customer base. It seeks to become a global frontrunner in real asset tokenization and cross-border "Smart Contract" technologies. Distinguished by its proficiency in tokenizing tangible assets, genuine real estate, and commodities, Eco Bright Future, Inc. leads the way in: - Tokenizing tangible assets such as real estate and commodities - Developing cutting-edge blockchain tools - Seamlessly integrating with established financial infrastructures Adopting a holistic approach, the Company believes it can seize market opportunities in El Salvador and diverse global markets. Leveraging its successful track record in digital commodity tokenization in the UAE and digital notary in Tunisia, the Company has positioned itself for its progressive international expansion. United Heritage will use Universa Blockchain's platform for decentralized storage and "Smart Contract" execution. This strategic technology selection minimizes disruptions to existing infrastructure while maximizing the digitization of business processes. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT: Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Except for historical matters contained herein, this press release's statements are forward-looking. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, words such as "may", "will", "to", "plan", "expect", "believe", "anticipate", "intend", "could", "would", "estimate," or "continue", or the negative other variations thereof or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risk, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Also, forward-looking statements represent our management's beliefs and assumptions only as of the date hereof. Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements is available in the Company's filings with OTC Markets. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Contact Information: George Athanasiadis Phone: +1 801 895 4672 Email: info@ecobrightfuture.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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The large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the Hawk air defence system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, officials said. The officials, who said they expect the announcement to be made on Monday, spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The new aid comes as Russia launched a barrage of attacks against Ukraine’s power facilities in recent days, although Ukraine has said it intercepted a significant number of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are also still in a bitter battle around the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow has sent thousands of North Korean troops to help reclaim territory taken by Ukraine. Earlier this month, senior defence officials acknowledged that the US Defence Department may not be able to send all of the remaining 5.6 billion dollars (£4.5 billion) in Pentagon weapons and equipment stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in. Mr Trump has talked about getting some type of negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia, and spoken about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Many US and European leaders are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine and they worry that he will not provide Ukraine with all the weapons funding approved by Congress. The aid in the new package is in presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons off the shelves and send them quickly to Ukraine. This latest assistance would reduce the remaining amount to about 4.35 billion dollars (£3.46 billion). Officials have said they hope that an influx of aid will help strengthen Ukraine’s hand, should Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky decide it is time to negotiate. One senior defence official said that while the US will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine until January 20, there may well be funds remaining that will be available for the incoming Trump administration to spend. According to the Pentagon, there is also about 1.2 billion dollars (£0.9 billion) remaining in longer-term funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to pay for weapons contracts that would not be delivered for a year or more. Officials have said the administration anticipates releasing all of that money before the end of the calendar year. If the new package is included, the US will have provided more than 64 billion dollars (£50.8 billion) in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.Analyst Scoreboard: 6 Ratings For TeraWulf
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President Biden’s decision to renege on his pledge not to pardon his prodigal son’s crimes has consequences for the American justice system. Ironically, it also may diminish resistance to President-elect Trump pardoning members of the mob that stormed the Capitol nearly four years ago in an effort to overturn Biden’s 2020 election victory. The two situations are not equivalent, of course. Still, they both tear at the heart of America’s scruples. More than 1,100 Trump supporters got convicted of participating in the siege that sent a joint session of Congress into hiding, injured scores of police officers and left the Capitol in a shambles. Several defendants received probation for misdemeanor charges of entering the Capitol with the mob. But more than 600 were imprisoned from one month to up to 22 years on felony charges of destroying property, assault and battery or encouraging the attack. Trump described them as “political prisoners” and “patriots,” promising to pardon them if elected president again. He said recently he will decide their pardons on a case-by-case basis. A song titled “Justice for All” described their fate. Created and posted often on social media by a group of Jan. 6 defendants (“J6 Choir”) locked in a Washington, D.C. jail block, the song’s popularity drew sympathizers across the country. It briefly made music’s top hits list. Democrats and legal experts denounce Tump’s plan to pardon Jan. 6 defendants as victims of misguided justice. The objection is somewhat hypocritical in the aftermath of Biden pardoning son Hunter. He was convicted of lying on a gun license application and income tax evasion. What devastates the rule of law is Biden’s broken pledge to let his son face the consequences of his felony crimes, including possible prison time. His stunning turnaround occurred, he said, because his son was a victim of a Justice Department political prosecution. That’s the exact reason Trump advances for his intent to pardon some, if not all, the Jan. 6 defendants. He also claims that’s why he was prosecuted and convicted of 34 felonies in his hush money trial as well as charges pending in his other legal cases. Oddly, it seems Biden and Trump agree the Justice Department has been weaponized for political means. Trump says when he returns to office he will rid the department, including its FBI office, of what he calls partisan hacks bent on destroying the country. They will, of course, be replaced by diehard loyalists committed to his America First agenda. Democrats can hardly object. Their president of the last four years has damned the Justice Department and demoralized its employees for his own sake. And just two months before departing the White House. Listen to his attempt to rationalize the decision to pardon his son when he said repeatedly he would not. “For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They will be fair-minded,” Biden said in a statement. “Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected the process and it led to a miscarriage of justice (of his son).” Biden asked Americans to understand “why a father and a president would come to this decision.” Many will not. Sure, other presidents, including Trump in his first term, granted pardons to family and friends for alleged criminal behavior. In most of these cases, the persons pardoned felt the outcome of their sentences, including prison time. Biden’s rollback of his no pardon pledge – just two weeks before his son’s sentencing -- disregarded the legal standard that no person is above the law; that everyone is treated equally no matter their station in life. Sadly, Biden’s decision of defiance comes at a time when the justice system’s moral fiber is fraying. Bill Ketter is CNHI’s senior vice president for news. Reach him at wketter@cnhi.com .Share Tweet Share Share Email Elon Musk’s Neuralink and Canadian neurosurgeons have received regulatory authority to enlist six paralysed people who are open to having a thousand electrical connections placed throughout their brains. TakeAway Points: Canadian neurosurgeons, in partnership with Elon Musk’s Neuralink, have regulatory approval to recruit six patients with paralysis willing to have a thousand electrode contacts in their brains. Neuralink announced regulator Health Canada’s approval this week. Neuralink has implanted two such devices in patients in the United States. The trial will use a two-ton robot to implant 64 electrodes, each with 16 contacts, into the hand-motor areas of patients’ brains. Canadian neurosurgeons seek six patients for Musk’s Neuralink brain study The trial, called CAN-PRIME, has started recruiting patients for a study that will test the safety and efficacy of a device that allows people to move cursors with their minds, a surgeon leading the trial said. Neuralink announced regulator Health Canada’s approval this week. Neuralink has implanted two such devices in patients in the United States. Directors at Neuralink reached out to Toronto-based University Health Network neurosurgeon Andres Lozano a year ago, he told Reuters. He figures his experience with other forms of brain implants played a role. “Myself and our entire team jumped at the possibility of participating in this trial,” Lozano said. The trial will use a two-ton robot to implant 64 electrodes, each with 16 contacts, into the hand-motor areas of patients’ brains. The idea is that the electrodes will transmit activity in those areas so that by thinking about movement, the patient can make connected devices move. To be eligible, individuals must have severe quadriplegia due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or a spinal cord injury. They would have the surgery in Toronto and use the technology at home, said Lozano, who added he hopes to start in the new year. As the sponsor, Neuralink designed the electrodes and implantation system and will be decoding signals from the electrodes, while the doctors will be responsible for patient selection, surgery safety, and health monitoring. “The surgery obviously is a necessary, crucial step, but we will not be analyzing the data or doing anything with the data. That’ll be up to the company to do that,” Lozano said. Rising concerns Any procedure has risks and there is the possibility of complications, Lozano said. These include brain bleeds , infections, broken wires, or wires that stop transmitting. In May, Neuralink disclosed that wires had pulled out of position in its first patient—a problem sources said the company had known about for years. Health Canada confirmed it had issued an authorization on Nov. 15 but did not provide the study protocols. This intervention is likely years away from being available to the general public, said Brad Wouters, executive vice president of science and research at University Health Network. But Musk “has demonstrated the ability to move quickly,” he said. This technology focuses on reading brain activity. But there is a possibility of “writing,” too, Lozano said—of transmitting information so that, for example, visually impaired people can “see.” But safeguards need to be in place so the technology is not abused, he added. “There’s this issue, also, of whether the systems could be hacked and someone could insert thoughts into you or read your thoughts,” Lozano said, adding this is theoretical but “we have to put in the proper safeguards to ensure that this is done safely and properly.” Related Items: Brain Study , CAN-PRIME , Neuralink Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Elon Musk Neuralink is Accepting Applications for the Second Trial The Evolution of Wearable Technology: 10 Milestones That Shaped the Industry Is Elon Musk Making a Phone? Comments
Blue Yonder moves closer to full recovery after November ransomware attackThailand-South Korea relations are paradoxical. The countries share a dynamic that boasts both heroic achievements and glaring challenges. While their cultural and economic ties have progressed over the decades, they are black-eyed by labour and immigration issues. Solving these irritating issues can elevate friendship and unleash the potential of bilateral cooperation. On the one hand, Thailand has one of the world's most famous faces, Lisa Manoban, the superstar from the K-pop group Blackpink, whose Isan (northeastern region) heritage is celebrated widely in South Korea and beyond. On the other hand, there is the darker reality of over 120,000 undocumented Thai workers also from the Isan region living in South Korea. They often make constant news headlines. These visa overstayers, often young and in their prime, contribute to South Korea's labour force but face legal and social challenges. Tragically, of late, well over 600 Thai nationals are incarcerated in South Korean prisons for drug-related offences. The outlook is not good. This dichotomy of fame and infamy exemplifies the dual narratives in Thai-South Korean relations -- one of cultural admiration and the other of unresolved labour and immigration issues. At a recent meeting in Seoul between Thai Ambassador Tanee Sangrat and Parinya Wongcherdkwan, Deputy Chair of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, they discussed approaches for managing labour migration and reducing the number of Thai workers who overstay their visas. Indeed, this year, Thai lawmakers from these workers' constituencies have been visiting South Korea for fact-finding trips. By all means, Thailand is still enjoying a visa waiver despite the immigration issue. In the past several months, Thai netizens have been unhappy with South Korea's immigration measures, particularly the high rejection rates for Thai travellers at airports, despite their compliance with the Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) system. Anti-Korea websites and hashtags have inundated social media to show their frustration. Even though the 2023-2024 period has been designated as the Thailand-South Korea Mutual Visit Year, the number of Thai tourists to South Korea, once one of the most popular destinationห, has dropped dramatically. This year, around 200,000 Thais visited the country, down nearly 21% from the previous year. When it comes to South Korea and the efforts to mitigate these outstanding tasks, Thailand must be clear-headed and adopt proactive measures. Rhetoric on soft power -- such as Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's promotion of Thai culture and cuisine -- must be backed by substantive policies that address underlying problems. True soft power, as political scientist Joseph Nye says, is about building a nation's attractiveness through sustainable frameworks, not just leveraging existing cultural assets. In short, soft power is more than labelling existing popular Thai products or food as such. Truth be told, for too long, the two countries have used the Korean War as the symbol of their relationship. The Thai troops took part in the UN-backed international forces during the Korean War. It is a memory that dates back over 70 years, and Seoul has never forgotten the heroic Thai actions and has continued to offer friendship and assistance to families of Thai veterans. But it is a time for both countries to move into the future together in a creative way. Indeed, Thailand can take inspiration from South Korea's deepened ties with Vietnam over the past three decades, which serve as a model of successful bilateral cooperation. A fresh approach to Thailand-South Korea relations could unlock untapped potential in areas like labour, investment, and education. One of the most pressing issues is the overall plight of Thai workers in South Korea. To improve their conditions and reduce the number of overstayers, Thailand must take decisive action in several areas. First of all, language proficiency is critical for Thai workers to thrive in South Korea. However, language requirements are often ignored by Thai authorities, who prioritise physical labour over communication skills. The Thai Labour Department must enforce mandatory language tests in English or Korean to enhance the workers' employability and integration. Thailand's Ministry of Education should revamp vocational school curricula to align with the demands of the modern labour market. Vocational education in Thailand suffers from a poor reputation and is often associated with school violence and juvenile delinquency. Addressing these issues would make vocational training a more attractive and effective pathway for Thai workers. Japan has been quite successful in technological training for Thai students through its so-called "kosen" schools. Secondly, the government must also crack down on local illegal recruiters who exploit workers, particularly in rural areas. Most brokers have strong ties with local officials or are local influential figures themselves. Thai authorities must implement stricter measures to combat these networks as it would reduce the number of undocumented workers in South Korea. Transparent but stringent background checks on the Thai side can effectively deter any possible dodgers. Furthermore, the Thai authorities' voluntary return programme should be extended, allowing overstayers to return home without penalties. Seoul has responded positively and extended the current deadline, which ended last month, by two more months until January. These programmes would reduce the number of overstayers and pave the way for more legal migration pathways. To increase the quota of Thai workers, Thailand should negotiate with South Korea's Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Employment and Labour for both skilled and unskilled workers. South Korea still needs foreign workers to help with the local economy, especially in the shipping industry. For the Thai workers whose visas will expire, they need help to keep their jobs and stay on with better language and upskilling training. Beyond labour issues, Thailand and South Korea have much to gain from closer economic and strategic cooperation. South Korea's investments in Thailand remain disappointingly low. Sad but true, only around 400 Korean companies invested in Thailand in comparison to 9,000 companies in Vietnam. Expanding Seoul's investments in high-tech industries and renewable energy would significantly promote Thai economic growth and align with the current sustainable economic pathway. Lest we forget, the two countries are members of the US-led alliance in the Indo-Pacific region. South Korea has been participating in the annual Cobra Gold annual exercise since its inception. Enhanced collaboration in areas such as technology, defence and trade would reinforce their strategic importance in the region. Thailand is interested in furbishing hundreds of its armoured personnel carriers. In addition, South Korea's advanced technology sector and the growing local digital economy could form joint ventures and innovation partnerships. Bangkok and Seoul must move beyond the impasse of unresolved labour issues and nostalgia to bolster ties. Both sides must be constructive in their approach to lay a stronger groundwork for deeper economic cooperation integration. As such, Thailand should learn from Vietnam on specific strategies that have won major corporations' investment. For Thailand, this means taking responsibility for its workforce by equipping workers with the skills and support they need to succeed in South Korea. For South Korea, it involves treating Thai workers with dignity and fairness and recognising their economic contributions. By tackling these issues head-on and urgently, they can transform their stoic bilateral ties into a model of cooperation that balances cultural ties with pragmatic policies and shared economic interests. It should be the immediate pathway. Kavi Chongkittavorn is a veteran journalist on regional affairs.
NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing that continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that anything short of immediate dismissal would undermine the transition of power, as well as the “overwhelming national mandate" granted to Trump by voters last month. They also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’" Trump’s legal team wrote. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, they claimed, had engaged in the type of political theater "that President Biden condemned.” Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated a willingness to delay the sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. In their filing Monday, Trump's attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a “ridiculous suggestion.” Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies any wrongdoing. The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and have since been selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. Taking a swipe at Bragg and New York City, as Trump often did throughout the trial, the filing argues that dismissal would also benefit the public by giving him and “the numerous prosecutors assigned to this case a renewed opportunity to put an end to deteriorating conditions in the City and to protect its residents from violent crime.” Clearing Trump, the lawyers added, would also allow him to “to devote all of his energy to protecting the Nation.” Merchan hasn’t yet set a timetable for a decision. He could decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option. An outright dismissal of the New York case would further lift a legal cloud that at one point carried the prospect of derailing Trump’s political future. Last week, special counsel Jack Smith told courts that he was withdrawing both federal cases against Trump — one charging him with hoarding classified documents at his Florida estate, the other with scheming to overturn the 2020 presidential election he lost — citing longstanding Justice Department policy that shields a president from indictment while in office. The hush money case was the only one of Trump’s four criminal indictments to go to trial, resulting in a historic verdict that made him the first former president to be convicted of a crime. Prosecutors had cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump has said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work. A month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct. Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term. Prosecutors disagreed and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case. If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine to probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies. Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Vinnies NSW reveals brand identity refresh via Houston Group
Bank of America signs again with FIFA for US-hosted Club World Cup that still has no TV dealsPresident Biden, while speaking in Angola on Tuesday, announced the U.S. would provide over $1 billion in humanitarian aid to Africans displaced by droughts and food insecurity. President Biden pledged $1 billion in humanitarian support to Africans displaced by historic droughts and food insecurity on Tuesday, as North Carolina residents continue to rebuild after the devastation left by Hurricane Helene. "The United States continues to be the world's largest provider of humanitarian aid and development assistance. That's going to increase, you know, that's the right thing for the wealthiest nation in the world to do," Biden said while speaking in Angola. "Today I'm announcing over $1 billion in new humanitarian support for Africans displaced from homes by historic droughts and food insecurity. We know African leaders and citizens are seeking more than just aid. You seek investment. "So, the United States is expanding our relationship all across Africa from assistance to aid, investment to trade, moving from patrons to partners to help bridge the infrastructure gap," he added. Biden’s visit to Angola this week marks the first time the president has stepped foot on African soil during his presidency, and it comes as people in North Carolina continue to face challenges after Hurricane Helene caused destruction and devastation in late September. BIDEN TRAVELS TO AFRICA WHERE POLICIES WERE ‘OVER-PROMISED AND UNDER-DELIVERED,' AMID MASSIVE CHINA EXPANSION President Biden leaves the stage after speaking while visiting the National Slavery Museum in Morro da Cruz, near Luanda, on Dec. 3, 2024. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images) Last month, the White House requested $98 billion in additional disaster relief funding to help efforts in Helene-ravished areas. Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle have pledged to act swiftly once they get a formal request from the Biden administration. On top of that, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told reporters last month that her agency "will need additional funding of approximately $40 billion beyond its 2025 budget request to support the ongoing recovery efforts to these storms and meet our overall mission requirements through the end of the fiscal year." HOUSE REPUBLICANS EYE FEMA FUND OVERHAUL AHEAD OF HIGH-STAKES HEARING ON HELENE RECOVERY Married couple Victoria and Jeff, stay on a street with their dog after Hurricane Helene destroyed their motor home about a month ago, in Asheville, North Carolina, on Oct. 29, 2024. (Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images) Still, until these funds are in place, some continue to slam Biden’s legacy of putting foreign countries before his own, which was seen Tuesday as a video of Biden making the $1 billion announcement in Africa made the rounds on social media. "BREAKING: Joe Biden just announced a $1B aid package for AFRICAN nations that are rebuilding from natural disasters. What about North Carolina? This is DISGUSTING," one user on X wrote. "This is by far the WORST President of all time," another said on X. JOHNSON BLASTS DEM ACCUSATIONS HE VOWED TO END OBAMACARE AS 'DISHONEST' Destroyed cars remain in a river after the flooding caused by Hurricane Helene in Asheville, North Carolina. (Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images) Still, one more user asked, "Can anyone please explain why Joe Biden hates America so much?" The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter. Helene ravaged part of the U.S. Southeast in late September, killing more than 100 people in North Carolina alone. It’s estimated to have caused billions of dollars worth of damage as well. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., previously told Fox News Digital that he believed it could be one of the most expensive storms in U.S. history. Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report. Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.