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Donald Trump predicts ‘death and destruction’ if he’s indicted


Donald Trump warned there could be violence if he’s indicted in New York in an escalation of verbal attacks on prosecutors as a Manhattan grand jury is expected next week to resume its investigation of him for potential crimes.

In a post after midnight on Friday on his Truth Social platform, Trump asked how a former president could be charged with a crime given that “potential death & destruction in such a false charge could be catastrophic for our Country?”

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Trump has been making a torrent of posts on his social media platform criticizing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the other state and federal prosecutors who are investigating him in Washington, DC, and Georgia.

He predicted last weekend that he would be arrested Tuesday in the New York probe related to a payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels to buy her silence during the 2016 campaign about an alleged sexual encounter that he denies. He’s also being investigated in Washington for his role in the January 6 insurrection and his handling of classified documents.

The New York grand jury was in recess Friday, a day after Bragg rejected a demand by House Republicans that he testify about his investigation. The panel is expected to reconvene early next week.

The grand jury was abruptly called off Wednesday, and when the panel returned Thursday, it heard evidence on other matters, according to a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because it isn’t public. There was no explanation from Bragg’s office and the panel was expected to return to court as soon as Monday, the person said.

By law, grand juries operate in secret, and disclosing their work publicly is a crime. The panel does not meet on Fridays.

Trump has labeled Bragg, who’s Black, racist and “an animal” and linked him to Democratic political donor George Soros, a frequent target of the right.

“Why & who would do such a thing? Only a degenerate psychopath,” Trump said of Bragg.

Trump made his “potential death and destruction” warning a day before his first major rally of the 2024 Republican campaign in Texas, a friendly locale full of symbolism. The rally will be in Waco, 30 years after federal law enforcement raided a cult headquarters and stoked anti-government sentiment among far-right extremists.

In a statement in Politico’s New York Playbook newsletter on Friday, civil rights leaders including Al Sharpton called Trump’s comments an effort to “burn down the greatest values of our democracy” and destroy honest, ethical officials performing their constitutional duties to avoid accountability.

Bragg said in a statement to staff Friday afternoon that some staffers had been receiving “offensive or threatening phone calls this week.” Bragg assured his office that increased security measures were in place and “safety is our top priority.”

“I am very sorry that you have had to endure these distressing disruptions to your work,” Bragg said in an email first reported by the New York Daily News. The office is “well-prepared for any possibility,” he said. “We will continue to apply the law evenly and fairly, which is what each of you does every single day.”

Trump has also called for his supporters to “protest, take our nation back,” — a call similar to when he urged his supporters to assemble in Washington and march to the US Capitol in 2021 when Congress met to ratify Trump’s loss in the election and a violent mob stormed the complex.

New York City police officers put up security barricades outside Manhattan Criminal Court and Bragg’s office earlier this week, but so far, protests have been minimal with only a handful of demonstrators each day.

While the district attorney’s office hasn’t spoken publicly about the status of the investigation, the public will know when his investigation of the former president has been concluded, according to a letter by Bragg’s lawyer in response to a request by House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan for Bragg to explain his investigation.

“The District Attorney pledged that the DA’s office would ‘publicly state the conclusion of our investigation whether we conclude our work without bringing charges, or move forward with an indictment.’ He stands by that pledge,” Leslie Dubeck, Bragg’s general counsel, wrote in the letter to Jordan.

“If charges are brought at the conclusion, it will be because the rule of law and faithful execution of the District Attorney’s duty require it,” Dubeck wrote.

The letter capped off a chaotic week. Trump set off security concerns Saturday when he predicted on social media that he’d be arrested and urged a “PROTEST.”

While a protest by a Young Republicans group Monday evening outside Bragg’s offices saw only a handful of demonstrators, on Tuesday a bomb threat was called in for the courthouse where a suit brought against Trump by the New York attorney general was being heard. The hearing was temporarily put on hold.

Since then, the NYPD has stationed officers to guard the Manhattan courthouses, and added barricades and portable flood lights to illuminate the area at night.

On Friday, police investigated a suspicious envelope filled with unidentified white powder delivered to the building that houses the DA’s office, concluding it was harmless, according to a statement issued by Bragg’s office.

“The DA has informed the office that it was immediately contained and that the NYPD Emergency Service Unit and the NYC Department of Environmental Protection determined there was no dangerous substance,” according to the statement.

When the grand jury resumes its work, it could hear from at least one witness, according to the person familiar with the matter.

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New York City braces for Trump indictment after ex-president urges protests

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Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

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At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

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US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM

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