White House officials expressed a sense of vindication that Biden’s fellow Democrats did better than expected.

Biden, who turns 80 this month, has faced questions on whether he will seek a second term. A Biden adviser said preparatory discussions for a 2024 campaign were underway.

“Our intention is to run again, that’s been our intention,” Biden told reporters at the White House, his wife Jill sitting nearby. “This is ultimately a family decision.”

Biden said his family wanted him to run and he did not feel rushed to make a final decision. He said he would do so unrelated to any announcement from his 2020 rival, Republican former President Donald Trump, who is expected to run as well.

Biden has spent his first two years in office warning against threats to democracy after Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and did not accept Biden’s legitimate victory.

He underscored those arguments in the final days of the midterm elections.

He gently chided reporters for predicting, based on opinion polls, bigger losses for his Democrats.

Republicans made modest gains in Tuesday’s elections and are likely to take control of the House of Representatives, but control of the Senate hinges on three races that remained too close to call late on Wednesday. A so-called “red wave” or large Republican takeover did not occur.

“It was a good day, I think, for democracy,” Biden said.

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He acknowledged that the results showed Americans were frustrated, however. Inflation was a big topic for voters.

Biden focused his campaign pitch largely on preventing threats to U.S. democracy, securing abortion rights and extolling his economic policies.

Republicans are expected to try to undo some of those policies and prevent him from achieving further goals.

Biden said he was prepared to work with Republicans.

“The American people have made clear, I think, that they expect Republicans to be prepared to work with me as well,” he said.

Biden said he would veto efforts to pass a national ban on abortion and opposed tax cuts for the wealthy, two policy proposals Republicans may pursue.

Source – https://www.newsmax.com/

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US midterm – The Democrats are trying to hold on to control of the Senate, the upper chamber of Congress. Before Tuesday’s election the Senate was split 50-50 but the Democrats had control through the casting vote of the vice-president Kamala Harris.

With only a few seats left to call the Democrats have taken Pennsylvania, John Fetterman beating Trump-endorsed candidate Mehmet Oz. They have also held onto New Hampshire where the Republican candidate had been polling well.

In Georgia, one of three remaining states that could decide which party controls the Senate, along with Nevada and Arizona, 97% of votes have been counted. With neither party hitting 50%, Georgia will be decided by a run-off election on 6 December.

Here’s how the Democrats flipped Pennsylvania in the Senate.

The House is leaning Republican

The House of Representatives is leaning towards the Republicans, according to projections from CBS News, the BBC’s partner in the US.

The Republicans need to increase their number of seats by five to take control of it. If the Democrats lose the House, this will make it difficult for President Joe Biden to pass laws during the next two years of his term of office.

Florida has been a tight race in the past, but the Republicans held onto seats there without much problem and managed to flip three.

Ron De Santis won the governorship in Florida – he is tipped as a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2024. His party colleague Marco Rubio held onto his Senate seat.

While, in turn, the Democrats took control of the governor’s mansion from the Republicans in both Massachusetts and Maryland.

What drove the vote?

Rising prices and abortion were the two issues top of voters’ minds as they cast their ballots, according to the national exit poll.

Almost a third of people surveyed said inflation was the issue that mattered most in deciding how they voted. A large majority of voters also said it had caused them hardship in the past year.

But abortion was another top issue, with 27% of people saying it was their deciding factor, after the Supreme Court overturned a ruling which had given nationwide protection for abortion rights.

That said, voters were sharply divided along party lines – inflation was by far the biggest issue for Republicans, while for Democrats, abortion was top.

The exit poll is conducted as people leave polling places across the country. Voters are asked to fill in a confidential questionnaire with demographic information and their views on candidates, parties and a range of topics.

Those topics include the election process itself. More than two-thirds of voters said they thought that democracy in the US was somewhat or very threatened. Only 9% said it was very secure.

Abortion votes

Five states voted on changes to abortion rules.

Vermont, California and Michigan all voted in favour of including the right to reproductive freedom in the state constitution.

In Kentucky, however, the question is the opposite – whether or not to specifically exclude the right to abortion in the state constitution. The measure was rejected by a narrow margin.

In Montana, voters have not been asked about abortion directly. Instead they are being asked to decide on a so-called “born alive” measure that would guarantee any newborn infant, even those born as a result of abortion, the right to medical care that will preserve life.

Voter numbers are high

Midterm elections usually have a relatively low turnout, but over 116 million people went out to vote this year, according to early figures from the US Elections Project.

This is one of the highest turnout figures in decades.

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Crypto evangelists view 2023 as a critical year for regulation, with Congress expected to make progress on legislation on digital commodities and stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar. Crypto companies are eager to back industry-friendly political candidates.

Explainer: Crypto industry spends millions on U.S. midterm elections

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Nov 8 (Reuters) – The cryptocurrency industry has spent millions of dollars on U.S. midterm election races during a year of heavy losses and upheaval in the sector, which hopes to gain sway among legislators as Congress debates tighter regulation of digital assets.

Crypto evangelists view 2023 as a critical year for regulation, with Congress expected to make progress on legislation on digital commodities and stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar. Crypto companies are eager to back industry-friendly political candidates.

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The election comes at a time of turmoil for the crypto industry. Bitcoin’s price has swooned about 70% from its peak, investors are more worried about the risk of crypto assets and on Tuesday, crypto giant Binance tentatively agreed to buy FTX’s non-U.S. unit to help the rival exchange cover a “liquidity crunch.”

FTX’s CEO Sam Bankman-Fried has far outspent all others in the crypto industry. His contributions of nearly $40 million to campaigns this election cycle make him the sixth-largest individual donor in the United States, according to OpenSecrets’ biggest individual donor list.

The vast majority of his spending was in support of Democrats, according to OpenSecrets.

The deal with Binance announced by Bankman-Fried on Tuesday marked an abrupt change in fortune for the crypto entrepreneur.

Ryan Salame, CEO of an FTX subsidiary, was the 14th biggest individual donor on the list, giving more than $23.6 million, all to Republicans, including $11,600 backing the campaign of Rep. Alex Mooney, a Republican from West Virginia.

FTX did not respond to a Reuters request to confirm those figures.

Source – https://www.reuters.com/

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She died peacefully on Thursday afternoon at her Scottish estate, where she had spent much of the summer.

The Queen came to the throne in 1952 and witnessed enormous social change.

Her son King Charles III said the death of his beloved mother was a “moment of great sadness” for him and his family and that her loss would be “deeply felt” around the world.

He said: “We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother.

“I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”

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During the coming period of mourning, he said he and his family would be “comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held”.

The King and his wife, Camilla, now Queen Consort, will return to London on Friday, Buckingham Palace said. He is expected to address the nation on Friday.

Senior royals had gathered at Balmoral after the Queen’s doctors became concerned about her health earlier in the day.

All the Queen’s children travelled to Balmoral, near Aberdeen, after doctors placed the Queen under medical supervision.

Her grandson and now heir to the throne, Prince William, and his brother, Prince Harry, also gathered there.

Prime Minister Liz Truss, who was appointed by the Queen on Tuesday, said the monarch was the rock on which modern Britain was built, who had “provided us with the stability and strength that we needed”.

Speaking about the new King, she said: “We offer him our loyalty and devotion, just as his mother devoted so much, to so many, for so long.

“And with the passing of the second Elizabethan age, we usher in a new era in the magnificent history of our great country, exactly as Her Majesty would have wished, by saying the words ‘God save the King’.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby – spiritual leader to the Church of England of which the monarch is supreme governor – expressed his “profound sadness”.

He said his “prayers are with the King and the Royal Family”.

Queen Elizabeth II’s tenure as head of state spanned post-war austerity, the transition from empire to Commonwealth, the end of the Cold War and the UK’s entry into – and withdrawal from – the European Union.

Her reign spanned 15 prime ministers starting with Winston Churchill, born in 1874, and including Ms Truss, born 101 years later in 1975.

She held weekly audiences with her prime minister throughout her reign.

At Buckingham Palace in London, crowds awaiting updates on the Queen’s condition began crying as they heard of her death.

The union flag on top of the palace was lowered to half-mast at 18:30 BST and an official notice announcing the death was posted outside.

On the Queen’s death, Prince William and his wife, Catherine, became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Cornwall.

Source https://www.bbc.co.uk/

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In separate comments published Sunday, Stoltenberg and Johnson also reiterated that Western governments must continue to support Ukraine to deter future aggression by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Stoltenberg told the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag that nobody knew how long the conflict would last but “we need to prepare for the fact that it could take years.”

“We must not cease to support Ukraine. Even if the costs are high, not only for military support but also because of rising energy and food prices.”

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Boris Johnson, writing in the Sunday Times after his second visit to Kyiv on Friday, said Western allies must “steel ourselves for a long war, as Putin resorts to a campaign of attrition, trying to grind down Ukraine by sheer brutality.”

Johnson said that seizing all of Ukraine’s Donbas, which covers much of eastern Ukraine, had been Putin’s objective for the last eight years “when he ignited a separatist rebellion and launched his first invasion.”

While Russia was still short of this goal, “Putin may not realise it but his grand imperial design for the total reconquest of Ukraine has been derailed. In his isolation, he may still think total conquest is possible.”

Both men stressed the need to avert future Russian aggression.

Stoltenberg said: “If Putin learns the lesson from this war that he can just carry on as he did after the Georgia war in 2008 and the occupation of Crimea in 2014, then we will pay a much higher price.”

Johnson asked what would happen if President Putin was free to keep all the areas of Ukraine now controlled by Russian forces. “What if no one was willing to lift a finger as he annexed this conquered territory and its fearful people into a greater Russia? Would this bring peace?”

Source – cnn.com

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The officials identified the commander as Colonel Medvechek of the 37^th Motor Rifle Brigade, adding that the incident illustrated the “morale challenges Russian forces are facing.”

Nato officials reportedly estimate that as many as 15,000 Russian troops may have been killed since Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine a month ago. Nato is also reported to estimate that in total 40,000 Russian troops have been killed, injured, captured or gone missing.

The Western officials said they believed Col Medvechek was “killed by his own troops deliberately”…as a “consequence of the scale of losses that had been taken by his brigade”. They added: “Indeed we believe he was run over by his own troops.

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“When we think about the operations it’s important we don’t just count weapons systems and tanks but we think about the moral and conceptual elements of fighting power.”

They added it was their understanding that the commander had been run over by a tank.

However, there were reports on Friday night that the commander had survived and had been taken to hospital in Belarus for treatment.

Earlier on Friday further, details emerged of a seventh Russian General believed to be killed in action.

Lieutenant General Yakov Rezantsev, 48, was killed in a strike by the Ukrainian armed forces, they say. He was Commander of the 49th Combined Arms Army of the Southern Military District.

The Russian side has not so far confirmed the death but Western officials said on Friday they believed Lt Gen Rezantsev had been killed.

With Russia’s forces now throwing their “maximum” effort into the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, the Western officials estimated around 20 of the 120-150 Russian battalion groups which were available at the start of the assault, were no longer “combat effective”.

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I didn’t really see her face, but at her feet were several cooing pigeons. Every now and again, a shower of birdseed would tumble from her hand. She was wearing a heavy-looking grey coat, keeping out the late morning winter chill. I motioned to my colleague, cameraman David McIlveen, to try to take her picture – but she sensed he was approaching, emptied the brown paper bag of birdseed and briskly walked away.

It was the first time in 48 hours that I had left our lodgings – a basement car park in the heart of Kyiv which had become a makeshift bomb shelter. A weekend-long curfew had been imposed after Russian troops had invaded the country. There were a real fear foreign saboteurs were moving among the population and anyone caught outdoors would have been arrested.

You could see the nervousness on the faces of the Ukraine soldiers and partisans manning checkpoints, despite the black balaclavas shielding them from the cold. Their eyes told stories of apprehension, concern, worry and existential threat. Russian spies might be plotting routes for incoming troops, or smuggling weapons into the Ukrainian capital, or simply there to somehow sow seeds of discord among ordinary people to break local unity.

The city was awash with rumour and dread. Who might that be in the bomb shelter next to you, who is listening in to your conversation in the bread queue? Best stay indoors and observe the curfew.

Ukraine: Russia says it may cut gas supplies if oil ban goes ahead

The Ukraine woman feeding the pigeons would have spent the past two days in her own basement as well, and I thought it was interesting that one of the first things she did was to feed the pigeons – as if nothing was awry. An ordinary day out, a bit of fresh air, with no threat of death from above.

Prepared to die

A few other people were on the streets, queuing outside a supermarket that had little on its shelves. Most people were shuttered at home. Villages, towns and cities across the land saw a vanishing, as citizens descended underground to subterranean worlds of refuge.

Vladimir Putin professes to know what the 40 million-plus population of this land want. A few days among these people would have told him much more than he seems to understand.

Source – https://www.bbc.co.uk/

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Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said a “rejection of Russian oil would lead to catastrophic consequences for the global market”, causing prices to more than double to $300 a barrel.

The US has been exploring a potential ban with allies as a way of punishing Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

But Germany and the Netherlands rejected the plan on Monday.

The EU gets about 40% of its gas and 30% of its oil from Russia and has no easy substitutes if supplies are disrupted.

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While the UK would not be directly impacted by supply disruption, as it imports less than 5% of its gas from Russia, it would be affected by prices rising in the global markets as demand in Europe increases.

Iain Conn, the former boss of British Gas owner Centrica, said natural gas was “less freely” traded compared to oil, and it would be “much more difficult” to replace Russian gas if supplies are affected as it is transported through fixed pipelines from country to country.

The price of Brent crude – the global benchmark for oil prices – rose to around $130 a barrel on Tuesday following reports that the US and UK will announce their own ban on Russian oil imports.

In an address on Russian state television, Mr Novak said it would be “impossible to quickly find a replacement for Russian oil on the European market”.

“It will take years, and it will still be much more expensive for European consumers. Ultimately, they will be hurt the worst by this outcome,” he said.

Pointing to Germany’s decision last month to freeze certification of Nord Stream 2, a new gas pipeline connecting the two countries, he added that an oil embargo could prompt retaliation.

“We have every right to take a matching decision and impose an embargo on gas pumping through the [existing] Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline,” he said.

Source – https://www.bbc.co.uk/

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The special guest of honour at the Nigerian Trade & Investment Forum which took place at the Jumeirah Emirates Tower hotel was the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR. Speaking at the event, President Buhari commended captains of industry and entrepreneurs who had shown interest in further enhancing trade and investment relations with Nigeria. The Nigerian leader also stressed the need for world leaders to work together and reinforce partnerships to limit the catastrophic consequences of the global surge in cases of COVID-19.

Also in attendance were the Governors of Kaduna and Zamfara States, and a strong contingent of senior ministers representing various
ministries – including Industry, Trade & Investment, Power, Agriculture, Transport, Petroleum, water, Finance, Communication & Digital Economy, Mines & Steel, Humanitarian Affairs & Disaster Management all showcasing the huge opportunities in Nigeria to the high-level attendees.

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It was a hugely successful and breakthrough event as billions of investment dollars was committed by many foreign investors.
Mahmood Ahmadu, chairman of the influential Nigerian-Arabian Gulf Chamber of Commerce – (NAGCC) organisers of the Presidential Dinner, and the Trade and Investment Forum also urged investors to take turns in harnessing the virgin and untapped opportunities, especially in Nigeria.

The Dubai based entrepreneur with a global business interest rekindles his passion for showcasing Nigerian innovations and industry to the world through this forum. Mahmood also expressed joy and anticipation toward the positive outcome of such a breathtaking/creative event.

While appreciating everyone who attended, he stressed the need for unity and continual implementation of the peace policy to enhance infrastructural growth.

The post President Buhari, Governors, Senior Ministers and Business Leaders grace The Nigerian Trade & Investment Forum at the Dubai Expo 2020 appeared first on Daily Concord.

The verdict strengthens the call on the federal government to declare bandits ravaging the North-western and the North-central regions as terrorists.

Mohammed Abubakar, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) of the Federation, had filed an ex-parte application seeking to proscribe the grisly activities of ‘bandits’ who have been waging a relentless war against ordinary Nigerians in the North-west and the North-central States.

The bandits have been vicious in kidnapping and killing their captives across Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Benue and Sokoto states.

While moving the application on Thursday, Mr Abubakar informed the court that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the proscription of bandits as terrorists.

In his ruling, the judge, Taiwo Taiwo, specifically held that the activities of Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda bandit groups constitute acts of terrorism.

According to court documents, the federal government based its decision on security reports, which confirmed that the bandits were responsible for the “killings, abductions, rapes, kidnappings,” in northern Nigeria.

The government further blamed the group for the growing cases of “banditry, incessant kidnappings for ransom, kidnapping for marriage, mass abductions of school children and other citizens, cattle rustling, enslavement, imprisonment, severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, other forms of sexual violence, attacks and killings in communities and on commuters and wanton destruction of lives and properties in Nigeria, particularly in the North-west and North-central states in Nigeria being carried out by Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda groups and other groups associated with or engaged in the same or similar activities as Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda groups in Nigeria.”

“The activities of Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda groups and other similar groups constitute acts of terrorism that can lead to a breakdown of public order and safety and is a threat to national security and the corporate existence of Nigeria,” the government said.

Ruling

In the ruling, the judge declared the activities of Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda group” and other similar groups in any part of the country as “acts of terrorism and illegality.”

The court proscribed the activities of the group as well as other similar groups in any part of Nigeria, “either in groups or as individuals by whatever names they are called.”

In its ruling, the court restrained “any person or group of persons from participating in any manner whatsoever, in any form of activities involving or concerning the prosecution of the collective intention or otherwise of the Yan Bindiga group and the Yan Ta’adda group under any other name or platform however called or described.”

Background

PREMIUM TIMES reported on Thursday how bandits asked the family of an abducted police officer to pay N200 million ransom for his quick release because they have to leave the telecommunications service area.

The police personnel, Sambo Hosea, was kidnapped alongside many other travellers on Sunday on the Kaduna-Abuja highway.

He was the police orderly to Sagir Hamida, a former governorship aspirant in Zamfara State who was killed by the bandits in the incident.

Source – https://www.premiumtimesng.com/

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