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The technology industry is growing, changing and innovating at breakneck speed, but it's not just limited to this space. Technological advancements are spurring on innovation and change across the economy, sector agnostic. Couple that pace of transformation with a chronic shortage of IT skills, and it's a recipe for disaster. or signup to continue reading In fact, to fully realise the potential of the federal government's $600 billion a year investment into artificial intelligence, it is understood the economy needs an injection of by the end of the decade. With almost five years to go, relying on new graduates and skilled migration won't be enough - particularly coinciding with to rein in the number of international students as Australia attempts to curb net migration and combat cost-of-living pressures. Prioritising continuous learning and education within the workforce we have is the only way to keep pace. The digital landscape is dynamic, so it stands to reason the skills of those who navigate it must be equally, if not more, dynamic. The benefits of creating an environment within an organisation where ongoing learning is celebrated is a benefit not just to the company itself, but to the individual employees able to build and develop new skillsets and qualifications, and contribute to their industry as a whole as we work to tackle the skills crisis. I've experienced continuous technological change firsthand throughout my career, and innovation shows no signs of slowing down. Continuous learning is not something we should find time for; it's something we must time for. To be clear - though technology is the catalyst in this instance for innovation and change, this issue is not limited to the technology sector. The drive for continuing learning should be embraced and celebrated across all sectors and industries, in organisations large and small. As business leaders, it's about shining a light on learning, which means working to create opportunities for continuous growth - not only through structured courses and training, but also through open and honest conversations about our challenges and failures. Learning happens when we're brave enough to talk about what didn't go as planned, and building a culture where that's embraced must come from the top down - the talk must be walked. Consider in-person or virtual coffee sessions once or twice per week where anyone within the company can drop in; whether they're seeking advice, sharing ideas, or simply looking to chat. In my experience, these informal meetups often turn into conversations about the skills we need to build, the areas we can improve, and how we can better support each other through training and development. It's important to create a space where we don't shy away from failures - instead, using them as fuel to drive collective success. Our business model involves providing our clients with an entire support team of experts and coaches for on-demand learning, instructor-led courses, peer groups, and business coaching. As such, it's essential we prioritise continuing education and lifelong learning within our own ranks. For example, all 225 of my employees are encouraged to undergo continuous cybersecurity training with a new course available each week. All set out to complete the training with a view to be "Sharper than Sharpie" - yes, that's me. With a possible highest score of 800, the whole team are vying to beat my highest score of 792. I'm thrilled to say that I'm regularly bested! DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement Advertisement
Croatia’s incumbent president wins most votes at polls but still faces runoffEdwards Lifesciences Corp. stock rises Wednesday, still underperforms market
Khanchit Khirisutchalual Introduction: BlackRock Enhanced Capital and Income Fund Inc ( CII ) will be renamed as “BlackRock Enhanced Large Cap Core Fund, Inc.” with the same symbol, starting the new year. However, not much will change regarding its investment style or goals. More on this High Income DIY Portfolios: The primary goal of "High Income DIY Portfolios" Marketplace service is high income with low risk and preservation of capital. It provides DIY investors with vital information and portfolio/asset allocation strategies to help create stable, long-term passive income with sustainable yields. The portfolios are designed for Income-Investors (including retirees or near-retirees). We provide seven portfolios: 3 buy-and-hold, 3 Rotational portfolios, and 3-Bucket NPP Model Portfolio. This includes two High-Income portfolios, two DGI portfolios, and a conservative NPP strategy portfolio with low drawdowns and high growth. For more details or a two-week free trial, please click here . Financially Free Investor is a financial writer with 25 years investment experience. He focuses on investing in dividend-growing stocks with a long-term horizon. He applies a unique 3-basket investment approach that aims for 30% lower drawdowns, 6% current income, and market-beating growth on a long-term basis and he focuses on dividend-growing stocks with a long-term horizon. High Income DIY Portfolios Learn more Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of ABT, ABBV, CI, JNJ, PFE, NVS, NVO, AZN, UNH, CL, CLX, UL, NSRGY, PG, TSN, ADM, BTI, MO, PM, KO, PEP, EXC, D, DEA, DEO, ENB, MCD, BAC, PRU, UPS, WMT, WBA, CVS, LOW, AAPL, IBM, CSCO, MSFT, INTC, T, VZ, CVX, XOM, VLO, ABB, ITW, MMM, LMT, LYB, RIO, O, NNN, WPC, ARCC, ARDC, AWF, CII, CHI, DNP, PEO, USA, UTF, UTG, RFI, RNP, RQI, EVT, EOS, FFC, GOF, HQH, TLT either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is for informational purposes only and in no way should be construed as financial advice or recommendation to buy or sell any stock. The author is not a financial advisor. Please always do further research and do your own due diligence before making any investments. Every effort has been made to present the data/information accurately; however, the author does not claim 100% accuracy. The stock portfolios presented here are model portfolios for demonstration purposes. For the complete list of our LONG positions, please see our profile on Seeking Alpha. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Chiefs end year on a high after victory in Durban
Manchester City plunged deeper into trouble in the Champions League by losing 2-0 at Juventus on Wednesday, the latest setback in a scarcely believable run of poor results for the ailing English champions. City dropped to 22nd place in the 36-team standings, with only the top 24 advancing. Progressing to the next round of the new-look format looked a certainty before the season for a team that was European champion in 2023 and has won the last four Premier League titles. But not anymore as City manager Pep Guardiola battles injuries and an apparent loss of belief among his players. City has won just one of its last 10 matches in all competitions, with goals by Dušan Vlahović and Weston McKennie inflicting the latest defeat and igniting Juventus' qualification hopes. City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan described the team's problem as a “mental issue.” Opponents “are able to break our rhythm with the smallest of things,” Gundogan said. "They don’t even need to do much and it has such a big effect on us right now.” Barcelona jumped into second place in the league standings, behind Liverpool, and is guaranteed to advance after a 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund. Raphinha and Ferran Torres, with two goals, scored for Barca. Arsenal beat Monaco 3-0 mainly thanks to two goals by Bukayo Saka to move into third place and be the highest of six teams on 13 points. The top eight qualify directly for the last 16 and the teams placed No. 9-24 go into a two-legged playoff. City has two games to save its faltering Champions League campaign and the first is against Paris Saint-Germain, another giant in trouble in 25th place — one spot out of the qualifying positions. Vlahović put Juventus ahead in the 53rd when he powered a header goalward straight at City goalkeeper Ederson, who could only parry the ball over his own line. Two American substitutes sealed the win for Juve, with McKennie volleying home from Timothy Weah's cross. Juventus moved into 14th place. Ferran Torres came off the bench to inspire Barcelona to a fifth win in six games and push Dortmund, last season's runner-up, out of the top eight. Torres came on in the 71st to replace Robert Lewandowski, who had a quiet game against his former club. Just four minutes later, Torres scored a goal on the rebound from Dani Olmo’s shot. Serhou Guirassy’s second goal of the game leveled the score at 2-2 but Torres scored again in the 85th off Lamine Yamal’s pass on the counter. Raphinha gave Barcelona the lead before Guirassy equalized from the penalty spot. Raphinha and Guirassy are tied for second place in the scoring chart on six goals, behind Lewandowski's competition-high seven. Arsenal secured a third straight home win without conceding in the league stage, with Saka scoring in the 34th and 78th minutes and sending in a shot that was turned into the net by substitute Kai Havertz in the 88th. Arsenal is ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, Aston Villa, Inter Milan, Brest and Lille on goal difference. Lille won 3-2 at home to Sturm Graz on Wednesday. Man City could sure do with Julian Alvarez at the moment. With a brilliant curling finish to open the scoring, the Argentina striker helped Atletico Madrid beat Slovan Bratislava 3-1 and provide a timely reminder of what City is missing after selling him for more than $100 million in August. Alvarez has 12 goals for the season, with four coming in the Champions League. Antoine Griezmann scored Atletico’s other two goals at Metropolitano stadium as the Spanish team climbed to 11th place after a 10th straight win in all competitions. When Lukasz Lakomy gave Young Boys the lead against Stuttgart, he ran toward the sideline and held up teammate Meschack Elia’s jersey as others gathered around him. The gesture was a tribute after Elia’s son died unexpectedly this week after a short illness. Elia wasn’t playing as he was on his way to his native Congo, where his son died, to be with his family. Both teams wore black armbands and there was a moment of silence before the game, which was won 5-1 by Stuttgart. Tammy Abraham scored an 87th-minute winner as AC Milan beat Red Star Belgrade 2-1 to move one point off the top eight. Milan lost Alvaro Morata and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to muscle injuries in the first half. Benfica’s five-match winning streak ended with a 0-0 home draw against Bologna, and Feyenoord had a 4-2 win over Sparta Prague. Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80 AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Capital raising anemic in 2024, but sustainability focus strongFor the past 14 years, Alex Vynokur, the co-founder of Betashares, has quietly built his company into one of the largest local providers of exchange-traded funds and one of the country’s fastest growing asset managers. In 2024, Betashares attracted inflows of $16 billion, lifting its total funds under management to $46 billion. “The focus for the past decade has very much been about building out the core ETF capability,” explains Vynokur. “We are now a steward of significant capital on behalf of more than 1 million Australian investors and over two-thirds of financial advisors.” Betashares now accounts for one-third of every dollar that goes into the Australian ETF industry, according to Vynokur, and is eyeing growth in Asia. Alex Vynokur, the chief executive of Betashares. Credit: Louie Douvis An ETF is a basket of securities that are pooled into one fund, which is traded on a stock exchange. An investor in an ETF doesn’t own the securities, instead owning units in the ETF, while the ETF provider owns the shares or assets. ETFs have grown in popularity with investors because they are cost-effective and offer exposure to thousands of diversified assets, such as a group of defence stocks, or the ASX200 index, or a variety of bonds. Globally, ETFs have had a banner year with more than $1 trillion invested into the sector, which is now worth an estimated $14 trillion. Vynokur and his family arrived in Australia from Ukraine more than three decades ago, at the time when ETFs launched. He was a teenager, and his family came with just a few hundred dollars in their pockets. Vynokur became a lawyer, then moved into venture capital, before co-founding Betashares with David Nathanson, also a former lawyer and investment banker, who had worked at Goldman Sachs and Macquarie. We’re definitely, very cautiously, studying opportunities outside of Australia. Alex Vynokur, Betashares co-founder As with any start-up, Vynokur and Nathanson put in enormous hours to build the company to where it is today, as Australia’s second-largest ETF provider behind market leader Vanguard. Both are now multi-millionaires, though there has been a physical cost, says 46-year-old Vynokur: “I didn’t have any grey hair 14 years ago.” The pay-off for both as come in the past few years. In 2021, private equity group TA Associates became Betashares’ majority shareholder, with at least 53.5 per cent ownership. In the middle of this year, Singapore’s Temasek, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, bought a minority stake. Temasek paid $300 million for that shareholding, the size of which was undisclosed. The deal ascribed a multi-billion-dollar valuation to Betashares. It was Temasek’s first investment in a financial services business in Australia. In a global portfolio valued at $S389 billion ($459 billion), Temasek has just over half invested in private assets. “They have invested with the objective of maybe having more ownership,” says Vynokur. “We’re building this business for the long term, and they are genuinely interested in long-term value creation. We’ve never been about building something up quickly and flogging it. It doesn’t mean I’m opposed to being listed one day, but we’re definitely not in a hurry to go down that path.” The proceeds are expected to help fund Betashares’ growth into new products. In the past year, the company launched retail investment platform Betashares Direct and bought a superannuation business from Bendigo and Adelaide Bank. Vynokur also believes that Betashares has more room to expand its main ETF business. Loading “According to the ASX data, there are 8 million Australians who invest outside their superannuation,” he says. “Also, if you think about younger Australians, who are locked out of the property ownership game, you know being smart with money outside of property is absolutely crucial. We have a real role to play in that.” There is also the opportunity for Betashares to expand its ETF business into Asia but, as for a priority, Vynokur won’t nominate a country. “We’re definitely, very cautiously, studying opportunities outside of Australia ... and that’s going to form part of our longer-term growth.” The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Investing ETFs Anne Hyland is an award-winning writer and a senior correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. She was previously deputy editor of Good Weekend and has worked for The AFR and as a foreign correspondent. Connect via Twitter or email . Most Viewed in Business LoadingCroatia’s incumbent president wins most votes at polls but still faces runoff
BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — Adam Jones ran for 197 yards and two touchdowns and Montana State ran over Montana 34-11 on Saturday to reclaim the Brawl of the Wild trophy. The Bobcats (12-0, 8-0 Big Sky Conference) wrapped up the 123rd meeting in this rivalry with 420 yards, 326 on the ground. Montana State capped its first unbeaten season and can match the school record for consecutive wins with a playoff win in two weeks. The Bobcats, ranked second in the FCS coaches poll, should be the top seed in the playoffs after top-ranked North Dakota State lost its finale to fifth-ranked South Dakota. Montana (8-4, 5-3), ranked 10th, is expected to add to its record 27 FCS playoff appearances but will not have a first-round bye in the 24-team bracket. Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott was 6-of-12 passing for 94 yards with a touchdown in poor conditions and added 50 yards and a touchdown on the ground. He has helped the Bobcats score at least 30 points in every game this season Mellott had a 5-yard touchdown run on MSU's first possession and Mellott found Jones for a 35-yard touchdown early in the second quarter for a 14-3 lead. Myles Sansted had two field goals in the final two minutes, including a 49-yarder as time expired for a 20-3 halftime lead. Jones dominated the second half and scored two short touchdowns. Eli Gillman scored on a 1-yard run for Montana's touchdown between the Jones' touchdowns. The Grizzlies had just 234 yards and went 2 of 12 on third down. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25
Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100 ATLANTA (AP) — Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died. He was 100 years old and had spent more than a year in hospice care. The Georgia peanut farmer served one turbulent term in the White House before building a reputation as a global humanitarian and champion of democracy. He defeated President Gerald Ford in 1976 promising to restore trust in government but lost to Ronald Reagan four years later amid soaring inflation, gas station lines and the Iran hostage crisis. He and his wife Rosalynn then formed The Carter Center, and he earned a Nobel Peace Prize while making himself the most internationally engaged of former presidents. The center said he died peacefully Sunday afternoon in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family. Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’ PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — The 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, James Earl Carter Jr., died Sunday at the age of 100. His life ended where it began, in Plains, Georgia. He left and returned to the tiny town many times as he climbed to the nation’s highest office and lost it after four tumultuous years. Carter spent the next 40 years setting new standards for what a former president can do. Carter wrote nearly a decade ago that he found all the phases of his life challenging but also successful and enjoyable. The Democrat's principled but pragmatic approach defied American political labels, especially the idea that one-term presidents are failures. The Latest: Former President Jimmy Carter is Dead at age 100 Former President Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. The 39th president of the United States was a Georgia peanut farmer who sought to restore trust in government when he assumed the presidency in 1977 and then built a reputation for tireless work as a humanitarian. He earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. He died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in Plains, Georgia. Carter was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 1977, after defeating President Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 general election. He left office on Jan. 20, 1981, following his 1980 general election loss to Ronald Reagan. Jimmy Carter: A brief bio Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died at his home in Plains, Georgia. His death comes more than a year after the former president entered hospice care. He was 100 years old. Jetliner skids off runway and bursts into flames while landing in South Korea, killing 179 SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A jetliner skidded off a runway, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames in South Korea after its landing gear apparently failed to deploy. Officials said all but two of the 181 people on board were killed Sunday in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters. The 737-800 operated by Jeju Air plane arrived from Bangkok and crashed while attempting to land in the town of Muan, about 290 kilometers (180 miles) south of Seoul. Footage of the crash aired by South Korean television channels showed the plane skidding across the airstrip at high speed, evidently with its landing gear still closed. Tornadoes in Texas and Mississippi kill 2 and injure 6 as severe weather system moves east HOUSTON (AP) — A strong storm system is threatening to whip up tornadoes in parts of the U.S. Southeast, a day after severe weather claimed at least two lives as twisters touched down in Texas and Mississippi. Strong storms moving eastward Sunday are expected to continue producing gusty, damaging winds, hail and tornadoes through Sunday. That is according to National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Pereira. So far, the line of severe weather has led to about 40 tornado reports from southeastern Texas to Alabama, Pereira said, but those reports remain unconfirmed until surveys of damage are completed. Israeli hospital says Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli hospital says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery. Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center said his prostate was removed late Sunday and that he was recovering. Netanyahu’s office had said Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close ally, would serve as acting prime minister during the procedure. Doctors ordered the operation after detecting an infection last week. Netanyahu is expected to remain hospitalized for several days. With so much at stake, Netanyahu’s health in wartime is a concern for both Israelis and the wider world. Syria's de facto leader says it could take up to 4 years to hold elections BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s de facto leader has said it could take up to four years to hold elections in Syria, and that he plans on dissolving his Islamist group that led the country’s insurgency at an anticipated national dialogue summit for the country. Ahmad al-Sharaa, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group leading the new authority in Syria, made the remarks in an interview Sunday. That's according to the Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya. It comes almost a month after a lightning insurgency led by HTS overthrew President Bashar Assad’s decades-long rule, ending the country’s uprising-turned civil war that started back in 2011. A fourth infant dies of the winter cold in Gaza as families share blankets in seaside tents DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — A fourth infant has died of hypothermia in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by nearly 15 months of war are huddled in tents along the rainy, windswept coast as winter arrives. The baby's father says the 20-day-old child was found with his head as “cold as ice” Sunday morning in their tent. The baby’s twin brother was moved to the intensive care unit of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Their father says the twins were born one month premature and spent just a day in hospital, which like other Gaza health centers has been overwhelmed and only partially functions. Musk causes uproar for backing Germany's far-right party ahead of key elections BERLIN (AP) — Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest. Germany is to vote in an early election on Feb. 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalize the country’s stagnant economy. Musk’s guest opinion piece for Welt am Sonntag, published in German over the weekend, was the second time this month he supported the Alternative for Germany, or AfD.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean legislative push to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law fell through on Saturday after most lawmakers from his conservative governing party boycotted the vote. The defeat of the motion is expected to intensify public protests calling for Yoon’s ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative party, but it is also determined to oppose Yoon’s impeachment apparently because it fears losing the presidency to liberals. Impeaching Yoon required support from two-thirds of the National Assembly, or 200 of its 300 members. The opposition parties who brought the impeachment motion had 192 seats, but only three lawmakers from PPP participated in the vote. The motion was scrapped without ballot counting because the number of votes didn’t reach 200. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik called the result “very regrettable” and an embarrassing moment for the country’s democracy that has been closely watched by the world. “The failure to hold a qualified vote on this matter means we were not even able to exercise the democratic procedure of deciding on a critical national issue,” he said. Opposition parties could submit a new impeachment motion after a new parliamentary session opens next Wednesday. There are worries that Yoon won’t be able to serve out his remaining 2 1/2 years in office because his leadership took a huge hit. Many experts say some ruling party lawmakers could eventually join opposition parties’ efforts to impeach Yoon if public demands for it grow further. If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. If he is removed, an election to replace him must take place within 60 days. Woo repeatedly urged ruling party members to return to the chamber to participate in the vote, waiting several hours for them to come. At one point, Democratic Party leaders visited a hall on the floor below the main chamber where PPP lawmakers were gathered, attempting to persuade them to vote. After being blocked from entering, they angrily accused the conservatives’ leadership of preventing its lawmakers from voting freely. Earlier Saturday, Yoon issued a public apology over the martial law decree, saying he won’t shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promising not to make another attempt to impose martial law. He said would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country’s political turmoil, “including matters related to my term in office.” “The declaration of this martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologize to the people who must have been shocked a lot,” Yoon said. Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament and grappled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving himself and his wife. In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon called parliament a “den of criminals” bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces.” The turmoil resulting from Yoon’s bizarre and poorly-thought-out stunt has paralyzed South Korean politics and sparked alarm among key diplomatic partners like the U.S. and Japan. Tuesday night saw special forces troops encircling the parliament building and army helicopters hovering over it, but the military withdrew after the National Assembly unanimously voted to overturn the decree, forcing Yoon to lift it before daybreak Wednesday. The declaration of martial law was the first of its kind in more than 40 years in South Korea. Eighteen lawmakers from the ruling party voted to reject Yoon’s martial law decree along with opposition lawmakers. Yoon’s speech fueled speculation that he and his party may push for a constitutional amendment to shorten his term, instead of accepting impeachment, as a way to ease public anger over the marital law and facilitate Yoon’s early exit from office. Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, told reporters that Yoon’s speech was “greatly disappointing” and that the only way forward is his immediate resignation or impeachment. His party called Yoon’s martial law “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup.” The passage of Yoon’s impeachment motion appeared more likely Friday when the chair of Yoon’s party called for his removal on Friday, but the party remained formally opposed to impeachment. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people densely packed several blocks of roads leading up to the National Assembly, waving banners, shouting slogans and dancing and singing along to K-pop songs with lyrics changed to call for Yoon’s ouster. Protesters also gathered in front of PPP’s headquarters near the Assembly, angrily shouting for its lawmakers to vote to impeach Yoon. A smaller crowd of Yoon’s supporters, which still seemed to be in the thousands, rallied in separate streets in Seoul, decrying the impeachment attempt they saw as unconstitutional. Lawmakers on Saturday first voted on a bill appointing a special prosecutor to investigate stock price manipulation allegations surrounding Yoon’s wife. Some lawmakers from Yoon’s party were seen leaving the hall after that vote, triggering angry shouts from opposition lawmakers. On Friday, PPP chair Han Dong-hun, who criticized Yoon’s martial law declaration, said he had received intelligence that during the brief period of martial law Yoon ordered the country’s defense counterintelligence commander to arrest and detain unspecified key politicians based on accusations of “anti-state activities.” Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing Friday that Yoon had ordered him to help the defense counterintelligence unit to detain key politicians. The targeted politicians included Han, Lee and Woo, according to Kim Byung-kee, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting. The Defense Ministry said Friday it suspended three military commanders including the head of the defense counterintelligence unit over their involvement in enforcing martial law. Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon Ho has told parliament that Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun ordered the deployment of troops to the National Assembly after Yoon imposed martial law. Opposition parties accused Kim of recommending to Yoon to enforce martial law. Kim resigned Thursday, and prosecutors imposed an overseas travel ban on him. Kim Tong-hyung And Hyung-jin Kim, The Associated PressSeahawks place RB Kenneth Walker III (ankle) on injured reserve
South Africa is preparing to “put the megaphone away” when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, anticipating that President-elect Donald Trump might not look kindly on that country’s anti-Western foreign policy stances. The new South African ambassador to the U.S., Ebrahim Rasool, told South Africa’s Daily Maverick that the country had to consider its trade interests and therefore had to scale back some of its rhetoric on issues like the war in Gaza. The Daily Maverick reported earlier this month: In an interview with Daily Maverick, Rasool said he was very aware that being SA ambassador to the US would be much more difficult this time round with a president who is “probably populism perfected. So I’m not going there thinking of business as usual... I understand the need to completely recalibrate.” That required the government to rebalance its values with its interests in foreign policy. While South Africa would continue its case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of “genocide,” Rasool said, there was a need to bear the possible consequences in mind: “[W]e have taken it to the point in which others are accusing us of overreaching. And therefore we will stick by the case, but let us now trust our legal team, trust the evidence that we have placed in front of the judges of the ICJ, trust the judges of the ICJ to come to a sustainable, just solution – but that we need to put away the megaphone now.” As Breitbart News has noted, South Africa is seeking a renewal of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), under which it is among a group of African countries that enjoy privileged access to U.S. markets. But its foreign policy stances — including support for Russia’s war against Ukraine, and backing for various African tyrants — have often clashed with American interests and values. Both Democrats and Republicans have suggested that AGOA could be in trouble the next time it comes up for renewal before the end of the 2025 fiscal year in September next year. Rasool said that he would seek to convince Trump, and Americans, that AGOA is in their interests. He said that South Africa preferred the U.S. to China as a trade partner, and that there was potential common ground with Trump in that South Africa, too, opposed war in general — whether in Eastern Europe or in the Middle East. “[Y]ou must speak into not against ... the American self-imagination and the imagination of a Donald Trump,” Rasool explained. He added that he hoped that entrepreneur Elon Musk, who grew up in South Africa, would convince Trump of the need for trade with South Africa, which is a source for many rare and precious minerals that are necessary for a variety of applications in space and technology in general. Rasool was the ambassador for several years during the presidency of Barack Obama, in a very different political environment. He is also the former premier of the Western Cape province, where Cape Town is located. While he is seen as one of the moderate voices within the African National Congress, which has governed South Africa for 30 years, he has often sided with extremists in his party on the Middle East, pushing an anti-Israel agenda. The fact that he is at least publicly open to softening his country’s stance is a sign of Trump’s influence on foreign policy, which is already being felt several weeks before he takes office on January 20. Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days , available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency , now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak . Photo: file
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