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MYANMAR: UN Chief Backs Democracy For Myanmar 2 Years After Takeover

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THE UNITED NATIONS – Two years after Myanmar’s military seized power, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed support for the country’s democratic aspirations while warning that the military’s planned elections coincide with a crackdown on civilians and political leaders “risk exacerbating instability.”

According to U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric, the secretary-general strongly condemns all forms of violence in Myanmar as the country’s crisis worsens “and fuels serious regional implications.”

On February 1, 2021, the army deposed Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government, arresting her and top members of her ruling National League for Democracy party, which had won a landslide victory for a second term in a November 2020 general election.

Security forces used lethal force to suppress widespread opposition to the military takeover, killing nearly 2,900 civilians and arresting thousands more who participated in nonviolent protests. The brutal crackdown sparked armed resistance across much of the country. The military government has designated major anti-army organizations as “terrorist” organizations.

The military enacted a new law on political party registration, published on Friday, making it difficult for opposition groups to mount a serious challenge to army-backed candidates in a general election later this year. It sets minimum requirements for parties, such as a number of members 100 times higher than in the 2020 elections and strict rules about how much money they can spend.

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The Secretary-General Continues To Stand In Solidarity

“The military’s stated intention to hold elections amid intensifying aerial bombardment and burning of civilian houses, as well as ongoing arrests, intimidation, and harassment of political leaders, civil society actors, and journalists,” said the United Nations spokesman. “The proposed polls risk exacerbating instability unless conditions allow the people of Myanmar to freely exercise their political rights.”

The secretary-general “continues to stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and to support their democratic aspirations for an inclusive, peaceful, and just society, as well as the protection of all communities, including the Rohingya,” according to Dujarric.

Long-standing discrimination against Rohingya Muslims in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, including denial of citizenship and a slew of other rights, erupted in August 2017 when Myanmar’s military launched a “clearance campaign” in northern Rakhine state in response to attacks on police and border guards by a Rohingya militant group. As troops allegedly committed mass rapes and killings and burned thousands of homes, over 700,000, Rohingya fled to Bangladesh, where they remain in camps.

The International Court of Justice, the United Nation’s highest court, ordered Myanmar to do everything possible to prevent genocide against the Rohingya in January 2020. A two-day-old report from an independent commission set up by Myanmar’s government found that there were reasons to think that security forces committed war crimes against the Rohingya but not genocide.

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Myanmar To Work Closely With South-Asian Countries

Guterres praised the United Nations Security Council’s first-ever resolution on Myanmar, which called for an immediate cessation of violence in the Southeast Asian country and urged its military rulers to release all “arbitrarily detained” prisoners, including Suu Kyi, and to restore democratic institutions.

The resolution asks all parties to “respect human rights, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law.” It also encourages opposing parties to talk to each other and make peace.

The resolution is “an important step that emphasizes the urgency for strengthened international unity,” according to Dujarric.

According to the spokesman, Noeleen Heyzer, the United Nations special envoy for Myanmar, will work closely with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to implement the Security Council’s call to “engage intensively with all relevant parties in Myanmar to achieve an end to the violence and to support a return to democracy.” On January 1, Indonesia took over as ASEAN chair from Cambodia.

“The U.N. is committed to remaining in Myanmar and addressing the multiple vulnerabilities that have arisen due to the military’s actions since February 2021,” Dujarric said, urging unrestricted access to all affected communities.

“The secretary-general reiterates his call for neighboring countries and other member states to urge Myanmar’s military leadership to respect the will and needs of the people and adhere to democratic norms,” a United Nations spokesman said.

SOURCE – (AP)

 

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Trudeau GST Tax Holiday to Cost Taxpayers $6.3 Billion

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a two-month GST break on some purchases and a one-time $250 rebate for all Canadians earning less than $150,000. The proposed GST break would last from December 14 to February 15.

The Liberals said it would cover various things, including children’s clothing and shoes, toys, diapers, restaurant meals, and beer and wine. It also refers to real and artificial Christmas trees, snack foods and beverages, and video game systems.

The move will cost taxpayers almost $4.7 billion, and the GST exemption will cost an additional $1.6 billion, totaling $6.3 Billion.

The federal government is now running a significant deficit. This raises the question of who will have to foot the $6.3 billion bill for today’s one-time payments. The government will have to borrow the money, and future taxpayers must either repay it or service the additional debt perpetually.

Critics argue that the GST credit is a collection of terrible ideas that will do little to lift Canada out of the long-term economic rut in which our economy is stuck.

Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre responded Thursday to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s pledge of a “GST Holiday” for Canadians, calling it a “tax trick.”

Poilievre stated that the temporary exemption from the Goods and Services Tax on various ordinary commodities “would not make up for the permanent quadrupling carbon tax on heat, housing, food, and fuel.”

Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet stated he is “against any idea of a prime minister who says, ‘I will give you money in order for you to consider voting for me.'”

According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, temporary sales tax holidays will only increase confusion and administrative burden for small business owners.

A temporary sales tax decrease would help boost demand in some industries, including restaurants, Canadians, and companies, which require sustainable tax relief during the slow post-holiday season.

The changes amid an inflation-driven affordability crisis have left many dissatisfied with the Trudeau government. A federal election is scheduled for before next October, although it might happen sooner if the minority government falls before then.

For months, the Conservatives have held a double-digit lead over the Liberals in public opinion polls, with Leader Pierre Poilievre promising to cut taxes and government spending to restore affordability.

High inflation has also pressured the Liberals to avoid proposing policies that would boost spending and raise fuel prices.

According to the Fraser Institute, The Trudeau government got one thing fundamentally right: Lowering the tax burden on Canadians has benefits. Unfortunately, the policy package it has proposed to deliver tax relief is completely wrong.

It lowers the incorrect taxes, moves taxes temporarily rather than lowering them, does little to improve economic incentives, and punishes future taxpayers. With the holiday season approaching, this attempt at a gift for Canadian taxpayers is the economic equivalent of a lump of coal in the stocking.

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Matt Gaetz Withdraws as Trump’s Pick for Attorney General

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Matt Gaetz talks to reporters

Congressman Matt Gaetz has withdrawn as President-elect Donald Trump’s candidate for Attorney General, citing concerns about a federal sex trafficking probe that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed.

Gaetz resigned after failing to persuade the Senate to endorse his contentious candidacy. Shortly after Gaetz’s unexpected departure, the president-elect issued a statement applauding his former AG nominee’s choice to seek Senate confirmation.

“I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all the great things he will do!” the president-elect wrote on Truth Social.

Gaetz had earlier stated that he was retiring from his current seat in Congress and would not take the oath of office for the upcoming session, which begins in January. Now that he has withdrawn from consideration for AG, his future in Washington is uncertain.

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Eric Hovde Concedes The United States Senate Race To Tammy Baldwin.

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(VOR News) – Eric Hovde, the Republican candidate for the United States Senate, has acknowledged that he was defeated by Tammy Baldwin, the Democratic candidate for the same seat on the ballot.

Baldwin acknowledged Hovde’s defeat and consented to it. Furthermore, he released a statement in which he contends that the election results are not only inaccurate, but also devoid of any factual foundation.

Eric Hovde experienced this two weeks after the election.

Baldwin emerged as the unofficial victor of the Senate campaign in Wisconsin, a race that was closely monitored by a significant number of individuals. Baldwin was awarded the title of victor on November 6th. Baldwin emerged victorious by a razor-thin margin.

According to the data provided by the Associated Press, Baldwin emerged victorious by a margin of 29,116 ballots, which is approximately equivalent to 0.9 percent of the total votes cast. Baldwin emerged victorious by a substantial margin, as indicated by the results.

Hovde issued his public apology subsequent to the conclusion of the canvassing of the results by the majority of county clerks throughout the state. This process will ultimately result in the results being recognized as official. Publication of Eric Hovde’s decision. Not only were the results announced at this time, but they were also proclaimed in an official capacity.

The exact phrase of the announcement, “Thank you for your support,” was included in a post by Eric Hovde on Monday and published on the social networking site X.

The public was notified of this announcement. The announcement was public on Monday. It has drawn a lot of attention. “It is time to begin moving on.”

In contrast, Eric Hovde’s film began with a somewhat less inclusive tone, which persisted throughout. He made this assumption without offering any evidence to back it up, and his claims that there were “many troubling issues” with absentee ballots tabulated late on election night were factually incorrect. His claims were not supported by empirical evidence.

His claims were unsupported by any proof. Not a single piece of evidence could possibly prove that his allegations were correct. He stated in the statement that “numerous supporters” had demanded that he challenge the election results. He acknowledged receiving the request.

Eric Hovde acknowledged receiving these demands.

In particular, Eric Hovde asserts, “However, a request for a recount would serve no purpose if it were not for a detailed review of all the ballots and their legitimacy, which will be difficult to obtain in the courts.”

Subsequently, you would recount the identical ballots, regardless of their authenticity. This is the reason, as elucidated in this article. This is the rationale for the current state of affairs.

Hovde and his campaign refrained from issuing any public statements subsequent to Baldwin’s disclosure that Eric Hovde had emerged victorious in the election, which transpired over a week after Baldwin’s initial announcement.

The previous week, he uploaded a video to social media platforms that expressed his “deeply concerned” sentiments regarding the election results in Milwaukee.

The election was conducted in Milwaukee. While the film was being screened, there was a discussion regarding the results of the election in Milwaukee. As the ballots were still being counted in the largest city in Wisconsin on the evening of the election, he expressed his “shock” at the sequence of events that had transpired.

Eric Hovde was emphasizing the occurrence of specific events.

In addition, he declared that ballots were still being tallied at the time of the election. Eric Hovde made this declaration during the voting period, while ballots were still being tabulated.

Baldwin’s team referenced her victory speech, which she delivered the week prior to the election, in response to a request for comment that was submitted on Monday.

In response to the campaign’s request, this action was implemented.

A representative of Baldwin’s team has verified that “Hovde has not called,” which is consistent with the information that was disclosed on Monday morning. The representative who provided these details has worked in a variety of capacities throughout their career.

SOURCE: WPR

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