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Why is Joe Biden travelling to Northern Ireland?

Published

1 year ago

April 12, 2023

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As protests engulf parts of Northern Ireland, why is Joe Biden travelling there?

U.S. President Joe Biden‘s visit to Northern Ireland coincides with a particularly delicate time in politics there.

Dissidents in the city of Londonderry have been attacking police just a day before Biden‘s arrival. Most of this occurred during a rally opposing the 25th anniversary of the peace accord that capped the decades of sectarian violence known as the Troubles.

So what’s behind Biden‘s visit, and why does it matter?

Biden, along with the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, are marking the anniversary of that peace accord. Known as the 1998 Good Friday Agreement is was supported at the time by former President Bill Clinton. The fellow Democrat played a hand in its negotiations.

Biden has Irish ancestry, often quotes Irish poets, and is the first American president to visit Northern Ireland in 10 years.

But the trip comes at a sensitive political time. For example, pro-British unionists loyal to London continue to boycott the power sharing government. This was a major part of the Good Friday Agreement.

And because of Brexit, one of Belfast’s political parties, the Democratic Unionist Party, or DUP, is also protesting trade rules. These rules treat Northern Ireland different from the rest of the UK.

On Biden‘s agenda are meetings with representatives of five political parties, and he’s expected to float American investment opportunities to help break the impasse, but the White house said he was not planning to pressure them.

The DUP has previously criticised Biden when he waded into that Brexit debate before.

Violence also still crops up sporadically here.

The British intelligence agency MI5 recently raised the threat level for domestic terrorism in Northern Ireland to “severe,” the highest since the rating system was introduced 13 years ago.

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The EV transformation expands to legacy vehicles

Published

14 hours ago

April 29, 2024

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This week witnessed another milestone in the automotive industry as the legendary Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen embarked on its electric journey, aligning with global sustainability efforts.

Simultaneously, Toyota and Mazda debuted EV offerings tailored for the booming Chinese market, signalling a strategic shift towards collaboration with advanced Chinese partners.

While the electric G-Wagen promises both eco-friendliness and off-road prowess with its innovative design, questions arise about Japanese automakers’ perceived lag in EV development, countered by the strategic imperative to tap into the rapidly growing Chinese EV market. As automotive icons embrace electrification and traditional players adapt through partnerships, it’s clear that collaboration and innovation will drive the future of mobility.

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The degree dilemma, income shifts, debt, and dream homes

Published

14 hours ago

April 29, 2024

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As individuals face the daunting choice between paying off student debt, saving for a first home deposit, or exploring alternative options like rentvesting, careful consideration of various factors becomes imperative.

In the midst of these challenges, a couple in the inner north ingeniously employed a strategy to realise their dream of a larger home while managing HECS debt and affordability hurdles.

Rentvesting emerges as a viable solution for individuals grappling with the burdens of high HECS debt and property affordability issues.

Moreover, the decreasing income premium tied to a university degree is closely intertwined with changing economic dynamics and shifts in the job market, underscoring the need for innovative approaches to education and financial planning in today’s society.

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President Biden signs TikTok bill – what’s next?

Published

4 days ago

April 26, 2024

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TikTok users could soon find that the popular social media service is either under new ownership or could be outright banned in the United States.

President Joe Biden signed a bill into law that requires TikTok to find a new owner—or face a ban in the United States.

Over the past several months, Washington D.C. has been under pressure to ban the popular Chinese-owned social media app.

Lawmakers and security experts have long raised concerns that the Chinese government could tap TikTok’s trove of personal data about millions of U.S. users.

TikTok’s CEO said the bill is disappointing and reiterated that the company has committed to challenge it.

David Zhang from China Insider. joins Veronica Dudo to discuss