Trump Wins New Hampshire Primary As Rematch With Biden Appears Increasingly Likely

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24 January 2024, 09:46

Election 2024 Trump — Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump waves to supporters as he arrives at a campaign stop in Londonderry, N.H., Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump easily won New Hampshire’s primary on Tuesday, seizing command of the race for the Republican nomination and making a November rematch against President Joe Biden feel all the more inevitable.

The result was a setback for former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who finished second despite investing significant time and financial resources in a state famous for its independent streak. She’s the last major challenger after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ended his presidential bid over the weekend, allowing her to campaign as the sole alternative to Trump.

Trump’s allies ramped up pressure on Haley to leave the race before the polls had closed, but Haley vowed after the results were announced to continue her campaign. Speaking to supporters, she intensified her criticism of the former president, questioning his mental acuity and pitching herself as a unifying candidate who would usher in generational change.

AP24023710763865 — Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump addresses members of the press during a campaign stop in Londonderry, N.H., Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

“This race is far from over. There are dozens of states left to go,” Haley said, while some in the crowd cried, “It’s not over!”

Trump, meanwhile, can now boast of being the first Republican presidential candidate to win open races in Iowa and New Hampshire since both states began leading the election calendar in 1976, a striking sign of how rapidly Republicans have rallied around him to make him their nominee for the third consecutive time.

He posted especially strong results in the state’s most conservative areas, while Haley won more liberal parts. The only areas in which Haley was leading Trump in early returns were in Democratic-leaning cities and towns such as Concord, Keene and Portsmouth.

With easy wins in both early states, Trump is demonstrating an ability to unite the GOP’s factions firmly behind him. But about half of GOP primary voters in New Hampshire said they are very or somewhat concerned that Trump is too extreme to win the general election, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of the state’s electorate. Only about one-third say the same about Haley.

Pat Sheridan, a 63-year-old engineer from Hampton, voted for Trump “because he did a really good job the first time.”

“We need a businessman, not bureaucrats,” Sheridan said.

AP24023573132735 — Levi Canon, 5, of Chesterfield, N.H., watches his mother, Bethany, fill out her ballot in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (Kristopher Radder /The Brattleboro Reformer via AP)

Haley’s path to becoming the GOP standard-bearer is narrowing quickly. She won’t compete in a contest that awards delegates until South Carolina’s Feb. 24 primary, bypassing the Feb. 8 Nevada caucuses that are widely seen as favoring Trump.

As South Carolina’s former governor, Haley is hoping a strong showing there could propel her into the March 5 Super Tuesday contests. But in a deeply conservative state where Trump is exceedingly popular, those ambitions may be tough to realize and a home-state loss could prove politically devastating.

“This is just the beginning; we’ve got the rest of the nation,” said Sandy Adams, 66, an independent from Bow who supported Haley. “I think we’ve got a strong candidate, and the first time we have just two candidates, and that’s a great thing.”

On the Democratic side, President Joe Biden won his party’s primary but had to do so via a write-in effort. The Democratic National Committee voted to start its primary next month in South Carolina, but New Hampshire pushed ahead with its own contest. Biden didn’t campaign or appear on the ballot but topped a series of little-known challengers.

Trump’s early sweep through the Republican primary is remarkable considering he faces 91 criminal charges related to everything from seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election to mishandling classified documents and arranging payoffs to a porn actress. He left the White House in 2021 in the grim aftermath of an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol led by his supporters who sought to stop the certification of Biden’s win. And Trump was the first president to be impeached twice.

AP24023190258122 — Les Otten, far right, has his vote inserted into the ballot box by town moderator Tom Tillotson shortly after midnight in the presidential primary election, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in Dixville Notch, N.H. All six voters selected Nikki Haley. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Beyond the political vulnerabilities associated with the criminal cases, Trump faces a logistical challenge in balancing trials and campaigning. He has frequently appeared voluntarily at a New York courtroom where a jury is considering whether he should pay additional damages to a columnist who last year won a $5 million jury award against Trump for sex abuse and defamation. He has turned these appearances into campaign events, holding televised news conferences that give him an opportunity to spread his message to a large audience.

But Trump has turned those vulnerabilities into an advantage among GOP voters. He has argued that the criminal prosecutions reflect a politicized Justice Department, though there’s no evidence that officials there were pressured by Biden or anyone else in the White House to file charges.

Trump has also repeatedly told his supporters that he’s being prosecuted on their behalf, an argument that appears to have further strengthened his bond with the GOP base.

As Trump begins to pivot his attention to Biden and a general election campaign, the question is whether the former president’s framing of the legal cases will persuade voters beyond the GOP base. Trump lost the popular vote in the 2016 and 2020 elections and has faced particular struggles in suburban communities from Georgia to Pennsylvania to Arizona that could prove decisive in the fall campaign.

AP24023700587841 — Sarah Sigel, right, embraces fellow supporter of President Joe Biden, Carol Czaja, as they campaign for his write-in ballot in the New Hampshire presidential primary outside a polling site in Manchester, N.H., Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Trump traveled frequently to New Hampshire in the months leading up to the primary but didn’t spend as much time in the state as many of his rivals. Rather than the traditional approach of greeting voters personally or in small groups, Trump has staged large rallies. He has spent much of his time complaining about the past — including the lie that the 2020 election was stolen due to widespread voter fraud.

If he returns to the White House, the former president has promised to enact a hardline immigration agenda that includes stopping migrants from crossing the U.S.-Mexico border and reimposing his first-term travel ban that originally targeted seven Muslim-majority countries. He’s also said the rising number of immigrants entering the United States are “poisoning the blood of our country,” echoing Adolf Hitler’s language.

Biden faces his own challenges. There are widespread concerns about his age at 81 years old. Dissent is also building within his party over Biden’s alliance with Israel in its war against Hamas, putting the president’s standing at risk in swing states like Michigan. A rally he held in northern Virginia on Tuesday to promote abortion rights — an issue his party sees as critical to success in November — was disrupted repeatedly by protests over U.S. military support for Israel. One person shouted “shame on you!”

But he avoided potential embarrassment in New Hampshire even as rivals like Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips compared him in advertising to Bigfoot — since both were hard to find.

Durwood Sargent, 79, of Bow, cast a write-in vote for Biden and said he wasn’t offended that the president kept his name off the ballot.

“It’s not a big deal. They’ve made a big deal out of it. The president’s got a country to run,” he said.

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Pattaya Police Inspect A House With A lion Cub Displayed On Limousine

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Khaosod English

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24 January 2024, 03:28

PATTAYA – Authorities in Pattaya uncovered the house of a foreign open-top Bentley driver and his lion cub on Tuesday.

This inspection followed netizens have shared widely a video clip of a foreigner driving an open top Bentley limousine with a young pet lioness next to him a he drives through a traffic-choke road in Pattaya.

Locals say the man would drive pass Soi Phra Tamnak 5 with his ‘pet’ daily. Some expressed concerns about potential danger and whether the wild animal is protected from being kept as a pet.

On January 23, around 5:30 p.m., Tourist Police officers, Immigration Police, Forestry Police, and National Park Department officials conducted an inspection of a residence in Soi Khao Pratumnak 5, Village No. 10, Nong Prue Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province.

This is a two-story detached house with a fence around its perimeter. The house was kept quiet, and no one came out to open the door. According to examination, the Bentley limousine is a rental vehicle from Phuket province.

lion cub14 — Netizens have shared widely a video clip of a foreigner driving an open top Bentley limousine with a young pet lioness next to him in Pattaya.

Later, at 7:00 p.m., the lion’s owner’s lawyer arrived to meet with the officials, informing them that he had been authorised by the lion’s owner to come and negotiate with them. He then opened the door so the cops could enter and check in.

There were two animal cages: the first kept a lion, while the second held three dogs. The lion is a female lion cub, about nine months old. She is registered in Ratchaburi province, central Thailand, and owned by a Thai woman. Police officers then contacted this woman to come give more information about the lion.

A foreigner seen in the video is believed to be Sri Lankan. He asked for a meeting with officials to show lion possession documents on January 24 at Conservation Area Administration Office 2 (Sriracha).

Ms. Rita, 50, who lives in a condo next to this house, claimed she observed a foreigner keep this lion for over a month. Every evening, he would take the lion and the dogs in the Bentley limousine for a drive down the Dongtan-Jomtien beach.

All-out Efforts In Search of Landslide Survivors As Death Toll Rises in Yunnan

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Xinhua News Agency

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24 January 2024, 02:04

KUNMING — The death toll from a landslide that struck a mountainous village in southwest China’s Yunnan Province on Monday had climbed to 31 as of 5:40 p.m. Tuesday, local authorities said.

Among the 47 people previously reported missing, rescuers managed to get in touch with three, who were not in the immediate vicinity when the landslide occurred but were somehow unreachable, according to the local disaster relief headquarters.

More than 1,000 rescuers have joined in the search and rescue operations, along with 150 machines and vehicles and 81 dogs.

A total of 918 residents from 223 households have been evacuated to safe locations. Some are staying with relatives, and others are taking shelter at a temporary settlement site at a nearby school. Two residents are receiving treatment in hospital.

A SUDDEN TRAGEDY

The landslide struck at about 6 a.m. on Monday in Liangshui Village, Zhenxiong County, in the city of Zhaotong.

Villager Hong Xianjie was awakened by a rumbling sound that accompanied the landslide.

“I felt the ground shaking. I thought it was an earthquake,” recalled Hong, who was lucky enough to emerge unscathed from the disaster.

Lei Huachang, 53, and his family narrowly escaped death, thanks to an earlier decision to visit relatives in neighboring Guizhou Province. They returned home Monday afternoon, only to find their house buried beneath debris. Four members of his brother’s family are still missing.

“I can’t hold back my tears. It was such a tragedy, but we’re taken good care of now,” said Lei.

Hong and some other young villagers are working as volunteers to help carry relief supplies such as clothes, quilts, drinking water and milk, at the shelter site.

More than 200 tents, 1,200 cotton coats, 700 quilts, 200 folding beds and other supplies have been sent to the site.

RACING AGAINST TIME

Preliminary investigations found that the landslide was caused by a collapse in a steep cliff area at the top of a slope. Previous rainfalls had also contributed to the landslide.

Rescuers are racing against the clock in search of the missing, but freezing and snowy weather is hampering their efforts.

They have used snow-melting agents and machines to ensure smooth transportation to the affected area, and power-generating vehicles to ensure power supply, said Yang Xuchun, head of the county.

“We use excavators to clear our way before we manually clear rocks to find buried people,” said Chen Pinrun, a firefighter. “Time is life. We will try our best to save lives.”

XINJIANG QUAKE

In Urumqi, there was a report that three people were killed and five others injured when a 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County and its surrounding areas in Aksu Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday, local authorities said.

AP24023238100835 — Rescuers search through a quake-affected area in Yamansu Township, Wushi County of Aksu prefecture, China’s Xinjiang, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (Wang Xudong/Xinhua via AP)

Organized rescue efforts are carried out in an orderly manner, with 12,426 people having been relocated to safe places.

The central authorities have allocated 22,000 disaster relief materials, including cotton tents and coats, to aid Xinjiang in relief efforts and relocation and resettlement of affected residents. By noon on Tuesday, the first batch of about 10,000 relief supplies had reached the disaster zone.

As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, the China Earthquake Networks Center had reported 70 aftershocks at magnitudes of 3.0 or higher in the region. A 5.3-magnitude aftershock was the most powerful that has been reported so far.

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JKN Shares Miss Universe Owner Half-Half with Mexican Tycoon

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Khaosod English

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24 January 2024, 00:09

jkn mexico2 — FILE - Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip and Raul Rocha Cantu became equal partners in the Miss Universe Organization in January 2024, when JKN Global sold a 50% stake to Mexico's Legacy Holding Group in a 50:50 co-ownership deal.

BANGKOK – Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip, along with Mexican entrepreneur Raul Rocha Cantu, has published a press release to clarify that their company will be a strategic partnership or co-owner 50:50 of the Miss Universe Organization.

A Thai leading transgender businesswoman has struggled to deal with the financial crisis of JKN Global since September last year, when it faced a crisis for failing to repay a 609 million baht stock loan. She and her sister were forced to sell their shares many times.

In November, JKN filed a petition for business rehabilitation, proceeding to the Thai Bankruptcy Court.

jkn — The co-owner 50:50 of the Miss Universe Organization

After rumours of bankruptcy and selling Miss Universe Organization, JKN Global Group Public Company Limited issued a statement on January 23, 2024, to inform the Stock Exchange of Thailand that it has sold ordinary shares in JKN Legacy Inc, an entity operating the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) and owning the copyright of the Miss Universe Brand, to Legacy Holding Group USA Inc (LHG).

It sold in the amount of 500 shares, representing 50 percent of total issued shares in JKN Legacy, at the total transaction value of USD 16,000,000 (approximately THB 581,920,000)

The objective is to enhance and strengthen the capabilities of MUO, including financial readiness from capital sources received from LHG. LHG is also considered a significant global strategic partner which can leverage its collective experience and expertise to drive the Miss Universe business towards premium products and services with excellence.

Their focus will be on Brand Management and Talent Development for artists and beauty contestants. Regarding the responsibilities and duties of managing the Miss Universe Organization (MUO), the Company and LHG have divided the responsibilities based on geographical areas, outlined as follows:

1. LHG’s main office in Mexico will be responsible for the North America and South America regions.

2. The JKN’s main office in Thailand will be responsible for the Asia region and all other remaining countries.

In addition, JKN and LHG have agreed to appoint and allocate executive-level employees with knowledge, skills, and experience to manage the operations at the main office of JKN Legacy in New York.

It is also noted that following the disposal of investment in subsidiaries, JKN Global Content will still hold 500 shares in JKN Legacy, representing 50 percent of the total shares in JKN Legacy.

JKN Global Group Public Company Limited’s shares increased by 23% on Monday and 20.6% on Tuesday, following rumours of a sale of Miss Universe shares to Raul Rocha. Rocha has over 35 years of experience in industries including real estate, industrial, energy, wellness, marketing, aviation, automotive, and entertainment across five regions.

“I will work together with Miss Ann-Jakkraphong to lead a new era of success for the MUO business. We will mutually establish the direction of business operations and leverage a network of business partners and capital. We will assist in the development of Miss Universe-branded products and services in order to achieve the specified aims,” Mr. Raul said.

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Srettha Meets Land Bridge Protesters; One Asks, “Is the Sea Beautiful?”

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Khaosod English

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23 January 2024, 18:18

RANONG – After conducting several roadshows abroad to attract foreign investors for the Land Bridge project worth one trillion baht, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin encountered local residents opposing the project during his visit to the Cabinet meeting in Ranong on January 22-23, 2024.

Even though it is still unclear how much these differing opinions will affect the decision on the project, it clearly shows the contrast between the elected government and the military government that had been in power for nine years.

Not only did the prime minister not avoid the issue, he also held hands with a protester named Tom Sinsuwan, who represents the local Thai diaspora in Ratchakrud district where the project is planned. She told Srettha on Monday, “I want to hold your hand because you are a good person,” before asking, “Is the sea beautiful? Can we postpone the project?”

That simple question referred to residents’ concerns about the environment and their way of life in the community.

On January 23, Srettha also traveled to Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University’s education center for a meeting with groups opposed to the Land Bridge. These people came from Lang Suan and Phato districts, Chumphon province, and Mueang district, Ranong.

The representatives of the opposing faction acknowledged the Prime Minister’s commitment to the administration of the country and the importance of the fact that this government had emerged from an election. They said they were in favor of various policies of the government, but expressed concern about the significant impact of the Land Bridge project on the way of life of local residents. They urged the government to thoroughly study and standardize the impact of the project.

The group proposed the formation of a project evaluation committee comprising local community representatives, scientists, politicians and relevant government officials to address conflicts and find solutions.

landbridge2 — The map of the Land Bridge is installed at the beach in Ranong Province. (Photo by Yokin Charoenying)

The Prime Minister reiterated that the assessment of the project would be comprehensive, independent and involve the public, especially local residents. He emphasized the need to clarify the objectives of the project through explanatory documents.

He said: “This government wants to boost the economy in the southern region, not only with the Land Bridge project, but also with continuous efforts, starting with the construction of the airport in the Andaman Sea, the release of the Fisheries Act to support small-scale fishermen and the promotion of soft power in areas such as food, culture and sports.”

The Land Bridge project aims to build an economic bridge connecting the Gulf of Thailand with the Andaman Sea. This makes it the country’s first mega-project in 20 years, since the construction of Suvarnabhumi Airport, to which there were long standing objections before it was launched.

landbridge3 — Is the sea beautiful? A simple question revealed how people felt about environmental issues. (Photo by Yokin Charoenying)

“It is normal that megaprojects have to listen to the opinion of the public, whether they agree or disagree. But what we have achieved over the last 20 years with Suvarnabhumi Airport has been invaluable and has made us a major tourism hub and arguably the best tourist destination in the world. Without such projects, we would not have reached this point,” said the Prime Minister.

Chai Wacharonke, the government spokesman, explained that the Land Bridge project is in the showcase phase and has already been presented three times at events such as APEC in San Francisco, California, USA, Tokyo, Japan, and the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. One interested company is Dubai Port World, which will send representatives to inspect the area in February.

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A Man Fleeing Indonesia To Stay at Thai Luxury Home Is Arrested

By

Khaosod English

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23 January 2024, 16:37

NONTHABURI – On January 23, Immigration Police officers stated the arrest of Mr. Paul, a 39-year-old Indonesian nationality, who was wanted by the Republic of Indonesia.

He had committed a fraud crime by duping the victim into investing in Forex, causing a loss of around 320 million baht (or 9 million USD), and then fleeing to Thailand.

According to Pol. Maj. Gen. Panthana Nuchanart, deputy commander of the Immigration Bureau, Mr Paul is married to a Thai woman. He purchased a luxurious house costing about 8 million baht in a village in Bang Yai District, Nonthaburi Province, under his wife’s identity as the buyer and owner. The officials then asked the Nonthaburi District Court for permission to obtain a search warrant for this house.

Mr. Paul subsequently discovered cash in Singapore dollars and other assets worth around 2 million baht in a safe in the bedroom. As a result, they confiscated evidence for inspection.

In addition, data in the information technology system revealed that Mr. Paul had overstayed in Thailand for more than two years and was on Interpol Red Notice list, to which Mr. Paul confessed that he had committed a crime in the currency case.

The immigration officers then work with the Police Consulate of the Republic of Indonesia in Thailand. They will proceed with deportation to Indonesia for prosecution.

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The Future of Distressed Debt in Thai Capital Markets

By

Contributor

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23 January 2024, 15:32

Deloitte’s latest report “The future of distressed debt in Thai capital markets”, spotlights Thailand’s distressed debt market – an evolving landscape that faces many challenges but comes with potential opportunities for growth.

The report delves into the intricacies of distressed loans and bonds – revealing insights into the market’s history; unfolding challenges from a market, regulatory, and infrastructure perspective; and key transformative initiatives based on lessons and case studies from other countries.

The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis acted as a catalyst for the distressed loan market in Thailand, pushing around 60% of the country’s financial institutions to the brink of insolvency. In response, the Thai government implemented targeted measures, including the establishment of corporate rehabilitation procedures and the introduction of Asset Management Companies (AMCs).

Fast forward to the present day, the Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) market is currently valued at approximately USD 14 billion, primarily comprised of SME NPLs, accounting for about 50% of the outstanding NPLs in the market.

Additionally, there has been an increase in Special Mention Loans – SML (referring to 30 to 90 days overdue loans) in recent years, growing from USD 12.3 billion in 2019 to USD 32 billion in 2023. Market experts have shared that approximately half of the SMLs within the financial institutions’ system will transition into NPLs within next 2 years, indicating potential growth in the NPLs market in the coming years.

It is important to take a note that despite the market developments since the 90s, Thailand continues to rely heavily on AMCs to resolve NPLs, while not yet embracing additional market solutions.

In contrast, the distressed bond market in Thailand only came into the spotlight during the COVID-19 pandemic where the market witnessed 683% growth from 2019 to 2023. However, the distressed bond market today is valued at approximately USD 3 billion, still relatively small compared to outstanding NPLs.

Key challenges for developing the distressed debt market in Thailand, as detailed in the report, include difficulties in attracting and scaling demand from new investor pools, regulatory barriers limiting new participation and investment opportunities, and a lack of supporting infrastructure and intermediaries.

The market today relies heavily on AMCs to resolve the country’s outstanding NPLs; as NPLs are expected to continue rising in the future, there is a risk that AMCs will not have sufficient capacity to handle the debt. There is opportunity for the market to attract new entrants of diverse investor pool to scale up demand and balance this risk.

Regulatory plays an important role in allowing certain distressed debt activities to increase market liquidity. Current restrictions in regulations such as type of funds allowed to invest in distressed debt, limitations on institutional investors, and barriers in rehabilitation frameworks and eligibility processes for foreclosure are some examples of challenges discussed in the report.

The Thai market also lags international counterparts in terms of attracting participation from institutional intermediaries, and fostering inter-agency collaborations to build a solid infrastructure for addressing distressed debt issues and enabling a robust market.

Based on leading practices from abroad, the report explores several initiatives from the United States, Europe, and South Korea, presenting potential options for managing distressed debt market in Thailand. These include:

Scale demand by attracting wider range of investors to promote healthy competition and innovation in the capital markets. Implement incentive schemes such as tax schemes to attract fresh capital and increase supply of debt instruments by diversifying to new asset classes.
Review regulations related to rehabilitation frameworks and eligibility processes for foreclosure to align more closely with market dynamics, encompassing diverse debtor archetypes and ensuring fairness to creditors. Consider easing restrictions on investment participation for institutional investors (e.g., mutual funds, insurance companies). Promote collaborative efforts through inter agency taskforce initiatives between public and private sectors to ensure clear jurisdictional alignment and drive strategic decisions holistically.
Facilitate a resilient secondary market for debt by modernising asset transfer mechanisms such as implementation of efficient clearing and settlement systems, trading platforms, and standardisation of data and processes.
Cultivate skilled professionals by implementing investor education initiatives in collaboration with academic institutions. Attract experienced international players to the Thai market to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices to local talents.

To read the full report, visit: this link

10-Year-Fugitive Belgian-Moroccan DJ Is Arrested by Phuket Police

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Khaosod English

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23 January 2024, 15:11

PHUKET – A 36-year-old Belgian-Moroccan man, identified as Achmal Oussama, was arrested by immigration authorities in Phuket after an arrest warrant from a case dating back 10 years was issued by the Attorney General’s Office and forwarded to the Royal Thai Police.

Achmal was charged with attempted murder with premeditation, carrying a firearm without a license, and possessing ammunition, firearm parts, or accessories that are mounted on a firearm without a license.

He was then taken to the Office of the Attorney General’s International Affairs Division for further proceedings under the Extradition Act.

Deputy Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, Pol. Maj. Gen. Panthana Nuch-cha-nart, said on January 23 that Achmal went on a rampage in the middle of a street in Belgium on January 19, 2014, during a conflict with his ex-girlfriend. The Brussels Court of Appeal later sentenced him to 10 years in prison, but he has been on the run ever since.

Thai authorities discovered that the Belgian-Moroccan suspect was working illegally in Thailand, and the Attorney General requested an arrest warrant from the Criminal Court, dated December 15, 2023, for Phuket immigration to execute.

The Phuket Immigration Investigation Division found that Achmal had used a Belgian passport to enter and leave Thailand several times before the arrest warrant was issued. In recent years, he had switched to using a Moroccan passport and had listed his residence alternately in Bangkok, Sisaket and Phuket.

He was last found to have registered his residence in Phuket province. Investigators found that the suspect had been staying at an apartment in the Patong area and had visited it several times. The suspect also worked as a DJ at a nightclub in the Patong area.

Bangkok Produce Merchandising and Louis Dreyfus Partner on Soy Traceability Satellite Mapping

By

Contributor

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23 January 2024, 14:00

Bangkok Produce Merchandising and Louis Dreyfus Company ink collaboration to utilize satellite mapping solutions for soy traceability. The agreement is a step toward driving a deforestation-free supply chain for soy products.

Bangkok Produce Merchandising Public Company Limited (BKP), a subsidiary company of a world leading ago-food Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CPF), and Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC), a leading global merchant and processor of agricultural goods, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the utilization of satellite mapping solutions and traceability data points for sustainable and deforestation-free supply chains.

As the demand for deforestation-free products is growing globally, Bangkok Produce Merchandising and LDC are committed to a common goal of deforestation free supply chain by 2025. The two companies will work together for commercial, sustainable and technical efforts including shared traceability data points, systems and satellite mapping verification along its supply chains.

The agreement covers soy products sourced by LDC in Brazil destined for several countries in Asia, where Bangkok Produce Merchandising and CPF produce and sell feed and food.

Paisarn Kruawongvanich, Chief Executive Officer of Bangkok Produce Merchandising said consumers today are increasingly prioritizing responsibly sourced products and Bangkok Produce Merchandising is meeting that demand. We are working with global leading companies to leverage our capabilities in accelerating traceable sourcing, processing, operation and commitment toward CPF’s Net-Zero goal by 2050.

“This agreement with LDC demonstrates how we are working with partners to bring the full supply chain together in transforming agriculture, being driven by innovation. However, this cannot be done alone as the whole food and agriculture system needs to work together to drive quicker innovation that carries a lower impact to our environment”, Kruawongvanich concluded.

“We are pleased to join forces with CPF in establishing the Traceability Pilot Project, toward more traceable, low-carbon and sustainable supply chains,” said James Zhou, LDC’s Group Chief Commercial Officer, Head of Food & Feed Solutions and Head of Asia. “This project fully aligns with LDC’s commitment to fostering sustainable practices across our business activities, delivering impactful solutions that meet customer and consumer demands, and ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and resilient future of food and agricultural production.”

Through the memorandum, both companies reaffirm their commitment and efforts to advance decarbonization and use our integrated value chain to deliver more sustainable and low carbon products and services.

They also intend to explore opportunities for further systems integration with a focus on enabling real-time data transfer and improving the digital traceability solution to be compatible with EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR, Regulation (EU) 2023/1115) and sustainability certification standards, such as the Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS), the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) and ProTerra standard.

7.1-magnitude Quake Hits Xinjiang; Death Toll Rises in Yunnan Landslide

By

Xinhua News Agency

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23 January 2024, 03:28

KUNMING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) — The death toll from a landslide that struck a mountainous village in southwest China’s Yunnan Province on Monday has climbed to 11, local authorities said on early Tuesday morning.

The landslide occurred in Liangshui Village in the city of Zhaotong at about 6 a.m. on Monday, with 47 people reported missing. As of 10 p.m. Monday, 11 people were found dead, according to the local disaster relief headquarters.

More than 1,000 rescue workers are carrying out search and rescue work at the site.

yunnan2 — Rescuers work at the site of a landslide in Liangshui Village, Tangfang Town in the city of Zhaotong, southwest China’s Yunnan Province, Jan. 22, 2024. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)

Preliminary investigation by an expert group determined that the disaster resulted from a collapse in the steep cliff area atop the slope, said Wu Junyao, director of the natural resources and planning bureau of Zhaotong.

The collapsed mass measured approximately 100 meters in width, 60 meters in height, with an average thickness of around 6 meters, he said.

At the same time Xinhua News Agency reported that a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck a remote part of China’s western Xinjiang region early Tuesday.

Xinhua cited the China Earthquake Networks Center as saying the quake rocked Wushu county in Aksu prefecture shortly after 2 a.m. local time.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake occurred in the Tian Shan mountain range, “a seismically active region, though earthquakes of this size occur somewhat infrequently.” It said the largest quake in the area in the past century was a 7.1-magnitude one in 1978 about 200 kilometers to the north of one early Tuesday.

Tremors were felt as far away as the neighboring countries Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. In the Kazakh capital of Almaty, people left their homes, the Russian news agency Tass reported.

A local police station received a phone call at about 3:10 a.m. and was told that a child was buried. They rushed to save the child, who is now receiving medical treatment in a local hospital in stable condition. The mother of the child had scratches on her face.

As of 4 a.m. Tuesday, the region had recorded 14 aftershocks with a magnitude of three or higher, with the strongest registering at 5.3 magnitude.

The railway authorities promptly initiated an emergency response following the earthquake, halting passenger trains and checking railway tracks, bridges, signal equipment and other facilities in the affected areas. Services for 27 trains had been affected.

Parts of the area had experienced temporary disruption of electricity supply shortly after the quake. But the supply had been gradually restored.

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