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6 Swing States Set to Decide the US election

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6 Swing States Set to Decide the US election

(CTN News) – Approximately 240 million people are eligible to vote in this year’s US election, yet only a small proportion of them are likely to decide who becomes the next president.

According to experts, neither Republican Donald Trump nor Democratic President Joe Biden are likely to win more than a few states.

Six of them—Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – appear to be on a knife edge and will most likely determine who wins the presidency.

So both parties are working hard to win over uncertain voters in these states.

Arizona

Mr. Biden won the presidency in 2020 with the backing of the Grand Canyon State, which narrowly voted for a Democratic candidate for the first time since the 1990s.

This state borders Mexico for hundreds of kilometres and has become a focal point in the country’s immigration debate. Arrivals at the US border have reached record levels while Mr Biden has been in office, posing a significant electoral challenge. Border crossings have decreased in recent months, but he has stiffened his position and announced measures to implement border closures when crossings increase.

Mr. Trump has criticised his opponent’s immigration record and promised to conduct “the largest deportation operation” in US history if re-elected.

In Arizona, Republicans pushed to revive a 160-year-old prohibition on abortion, resulting in a contentious debate. It has become a contentious subject across the country since 2022, when the US Supreme Court repealed a landmark decision that granted women the constitutional right to abortion.

Georgia

Our list of swing states closely resembles the list of states that Trump-allied Republican leaders attempted to impede Mr Biden’s victory in the 2020 election. Mr. Trump is facing one of four criminal cases in Georgia due to allegations of electoral tampering.

He and 18 others are accused of plotting to reverse his narrow loss to Mr Biden in the state. He denies any misconduct, and it appears doubtful that the issue would be tried in court before the election.

In any case, it remains to be seen if Mr Trump’s legal issues would hurt him at the polls. We might find out soon, given that his hush-money trial has concluded with a guilty conviction.

Georgia has one of the greatest concentrations of African-Americans in the country, at 33%, and it is believed that this demographic had a role in Mr Biden winning the state in 2020. However, disenchantment has been noted among America’s black voters, who believe not enough has been done to tackle racial injustice and deliver on the economy.

Michigan

The Great Lakes state has chosen the winning presidential candidate in the previous two elections. Despite supporting Biden in 2020, it has become indicative of a widespread backlash against the president’s support for Israel during their war in Gaza.

During Michigan’s Democratic primary in February, more than 100,000 voters chose the “uncommitted” option on their ballots, following a campaign by activists calling on the US government to support a ceasefire in Gaza and stop providing military aid to Israel.

Michigan has the highest proportion of Arab-Americans, whose support for Mr. Biden appears to be at risk.

Mr Trump has stressed the state’s importance in his probable victory path. Commenting on Middle Eastern events, he has urged Israel to “get it over with fast” and conclude its campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

Nevada

The Silver State has voted Democratic in recent elections, but there are indicators that Republicans may be on the verge of turning things around. According to recent averages produced by poll-tracking firm 538, Mr. Trump has maintained a healthy lead against Mr Biden. Both candidates aim to represent the state’s significant Latino population.

Nevada has experienced a slower post-Covid recovery than other states, despite the US economy’s significant growth and job creation since Biden’s administration.

According to the most recent US government statistics, the state has the country’s highest unemployment rate of 5.1%, trailing only California and the District of Columbia.

If Trump is re-elected, he has promised to reduce taxes and regulations.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvanians are not alone in experiencing rising costs of living due to inflation. However, grocery prices have risen quicker in their state than in any other, according to market intelligence service Datasembly.

The BBC recently reported on the struggles of citizens in Erie, a bellwether county for Pennsylvania, where up to one in every eight people is labelled “food insecure”.

The state played an important role in the 2020 election, supporting Mr. Biden’s victorious presidential campaign. He has a strong personal attachment to the working-class community of Scranton, where he was raised.

High inflation could harm Mr. Biden in the United States, since polling suggests it is giving voters a negative impression of the economy.

Mr. Trump has attempted to criticise his adversary for its continually high costs. However, he faces his own issues in Pennsylvania, where his Republican primary candidate, Nikki Haley, performed relatively well.

Wisconsin

The Badger State also selected the winning presidential candidate in 2016 and 2020 by a margin of just more than 20,000 votes each.

Third-party candidates campaigning against the policies of the major contenders may have a greater impact in marginal states, according to pundits.

According to polling, a strong showing of support for an independent like Robert F Kennedy Jr., who is battling to get on the ballot in Wisconsin and other states, may affect Mr. Biden’s or Mr. Trump’s vote totals.

Mr. Trump emphasised the importance of Wisconsin, stating that “if we win Wisconsin, we win the entire thing.” The July Republican National Convention will be held in Milwaukee.

Mr. Biden recently cited a new Microsoft data centre in Wisconsin as evidence of how he was creating new employment, claiming that his predecessor had failed to keep his promises.

Source: BBC

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Millennials in Canada Have Turned their Backs on Justin Trudeau

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Millennials are increasingly distancing themselves from Trudeau
Millennials are increasingly distancing themselves from Trudeau - CBC Image

Justine Trudeau and his Liberal Party are currently engaged in a fierce battle for second place against Jagmeet Singh’s socialist NDP, as both parties find themselves trailing by 20 points behind Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives.

A recent poll indicates that 38% of Canadians consider Trudeau to be the most ineffective leader the nation has encountered in over fifty years. An impressive 47% of Canadian Millennials indicated they would support Poilievre if an election were to take place today, while nearly half of all Canadians express a desire for an election to be called this year.

Pierre Poilievre’s strong appeal among young voters can be attributed primarily to economic factors: soaring inflation, a pressing cost-of-living crisis, and the challenge of housing affordability are pushing many away from the Liberals, who have held power for nearly nine years.

According to UnHeard, Millennials are increasingly distancing themselves from Trudeau due to his stringent measures aimed at controlling the internet to combat alleged disinformation, as well as his climate change initiatives, notably the carbon tax.

protest in downtown Toronto against mass immigration took place on Canada Day

Protest in downtown Toronto against mass immigration on Canada Day – TNC Image

An increasing number of Canadians are becoming aware of Trudeau’s ineffective policies and his approach to mass immigration. This past summer, there was significant outrage among parents of teenagers and young adults as they observed their children remaining at home without jobs.

The primary concern stemmed from the fact that most low-skilled and entry-level positions were being filled by unskilled, temporary foreign workers, predominantly from India.

There has been a notable rise in criminal activities linked to international students and unvetted temporary residents who are becoming involved with Punjabi gangs in Canada, contributing to a surge in auto thefts nationwide.

Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives are actively seeking to alter Trudeau’s approach to mass immigration and prioritize the construction of more housing should they come into power.

Significantly, Pierre Poilievre is perceived as more trustworthy than Trudeau, with over half of Canadians characterizing Poilievre as “open and honest about his actions, decisions, and intentions,” while only 39% share that sentiment regarding Trudeau.

The characteristics in question may shed light on Poilievre’s favorable polling, particularly among younger voters and women, who have historically leaned towards the Liberals or the NDP rather than the Conservatives.

The Liberal Party’s support has dwindled to an estimated 7% of Canadians, revealing a significant number of disillusioned voters eager for transformation. Poilievre is emerging as the type of leader that resonates with the desires of many Canadians.

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U.N. Special Rapporteur Calls on Thailand’s Banks to Cut-Off Myanmar Junta

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UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar Tom Andrews speaks during a press conference after a meeting with Thailand's Parliamentary Committee

The U.N special rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar has said the Bank of Thailand, commercial banks, and the anti-money laundering office are working on measures to stop the Myanmar Junta from acquiring weapons through Thailand’s banking system.

Tom Andrews the U.N. special rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar, said that some banks commercial in Thailand had aided Myanmar Junta’s by facilitating transactions that supplied military equipment to the Junta through the international banking system.

He called on the Bank of Thailand and financial institutions to do more to stop Myanmar’s junta acquiring weapons which they use on civilians to maintain power.

The special rapporteur was in Bangkok to address a parliamentary committee on security, he called on the Thai government to stop financial transactions that help supply weapons to Myanmar’s junta in line with a plan promoted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that sets out an end to violence as a first step toward peace.

In his 2023 report “The Billion Dollar Death Trade,” Andrews noted that Singapore had implemented a clear policy opposing the transfer of weapons to Myanmar.

Thailand's Banks

Thai Baht – File Image

Thailand’s Banks Lacked Clear Policy

As a result, exports of weapons and related materials from Singapore-registered entities using the formal banking system dropped from almost U.S. $120 million in fiscal year 2022 to just over $10 million over the next 12 months.

However, he said Thailand had no explicit policy position opposing weapons transfer to the Myanmar Junta, which saw exports from Thai-registered entities more than double in 2023, from just over $60 million to nearly $130 million.

He called on Thai Government to conduct a thorough investigation into transfers as Singapore had done into its companies’ dealings.

Andrews told the the committee that five Thai commercial banks and Thai-based companies were assisting Myanmar’s junta obtain weapons, dual-technology items and jet fuel, enabling Military Junta to conduct atrocities against the people.

But said he had found no evidence that the Thai government was involved or was aware of the transactions or that Thai commercial banks had knowledge.

Thailand's Banks

Photo courtesy of The Nation

Banks Condemn Myanmar Junta Violence

Meanwhile representatives from Thailand’s central bank, anti-money laundering office and the commercial banks named in the report were also present at the parliamentary meeting at government house in Bangkok.

A representative of the Bank of Thailand said officials were working with the commercial banks and the anti-money laundering office to make sure that enhanced oversight was properly practiced.

The Thai Bankers Association that was also at the parliamentary meeting said it did not have the means to investigate and monitor such irregularities beyond Thailand’s borders.

Mr. Pongsit Chaichatpornsuk, a Thai Bankers Association representative told the committee that If government security agencies tell us, we will stop transactions. We don’t support arms procurement by Myanmar Junta or any military government to violate human rights.

Thailand, which shares a long border with Myanmar and hosts many thousands of refugees fleeing conflict there, has tried to promote dialogue between Myanmar’s military rulers and opposition forces but no progress has been made.

This Article was first published in RFA

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People Rushing Sign Online Petition to Impeach South Korea’s President Crash Site

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South Korea's President

The Speaker of the National Assembly of South Korea said in a statement that an online petition calling for South Korea’s President Mr. Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment crashed due to the enormous number of individuals attempting to sign the petition. Saying the National Assembly would resolve the matter as quickly as possible.

Since the petition was launch on the National Assembly’s website on June 20, more than 811,000 people have signed it. The petition urges Parliament to introduce legislation to impeach President Yoon on the grounds that he is unfit for office.

Late on June 30, National Assembly Speaker Mr. Woo Won-shik issued an apology for the disturbance and stated that Parliament would take action to protect the public’s fundamental rights.

People attempting to access the petition on July 1 experienced delays of up to four hours. At one point, an error message indicated that more than 30,000 individuals were waiting to access the site.

South Korea’s Parliament Hesitant

The online petition accuses Yoon of corruption, escalating the risk of conflict with North Korea, and endangering South Koreans’ health by failing to prevent Japan from leaking treated radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant.

By law, Parliament must assign every petition signed by more than 50,000 people to a committee, which will then decide whether to put it to a vote in the assembly.

However, the opposition Democratic Party, which has a majority in Parliament, is hesitant to turn the petition into an impeachment bill, according to media reports, with a spokesperson stating that the party has yet to address the topic.

The Parliament can impeach a president with a two-thirds majority. The Constitutional Court then deliberates the motion and decides whether to remove or reinstall the president.

Meanwhile, on Monday Reuters reported North Korea criticized a joint military exercise performed this month by South Korea, Japan, and the United States, according to official media, saying such drills demonstrate the three nations’ alliance has evolved into “the Asian version of NATO”.

On Thursday, the three countries began large-scale combined military drills named “Freedom Edge” featuring navy destroyers, fighter fighters, and the nuclear-powered US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, with the goal of strengthening defenses against missiles, submarines, and air strikes.

The drill was designed at a three-way meeting at Camp David last year to boost military cooperation amid concerns on the Korean peninsula caused by North Korea’s weapons testing.

Pyongyang will not overlook the strengthening of a military bloc led by the United States and its allies, and it would respond aggressively and decisively to defend regional peace, according to North Korea’s foreign ministry, as reported by KCNA.

 

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