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JERUSALEM – Israel’s attorney general has ordered police to open an investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife on suspicion of harassing political opponents and a witness in the Israeli leader’s corruption trial. The Israeli Justice Ministry made the announcement in a terse message late Thursday, saying the investigation would focus on the findings of a recent report by the “Uvda” investigative program into Sara Netanyahu. Recommended Videos The program uncovered a trove of WhatsApp messages in which Mrs. Netanyahu appears to instruct a former aide to organize protests against political opponents and to intimidate Hadas Klein, a key witness in the trial. The announcement did not mention Mrs. Netanyahu by name, and the Justice Ministry declined further comment. But in a video released earlier Thursday, Netanyahu listed what he said were the many kind and charitable acts by his wife and blasted the Uvda report as “lies.” “My opponents on the left and in the media found a new-old target. They mercilessly attack my wife, Sara,” he said. He called the program ”false propaganda, nasty propaganda that brings up lies from the darkness.” It was the latest in a long line of legal troubles for the Netanyahus — highlighted by the prime minister's ongoing corruption trial . The pair have also had a rocky relationship with the Israeli media. Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in a series of cases alleging he exchanged favors with powerful media moguls and wealthy associates. Netanyahu denies the charges and says he is the victim of a “witch hunt” by overzealous prosecutors, police and the media. The report obtained correspondence between Sara Netanyahu and Hanni Bleiweiss, a former aide to the prime minister who died of cancer last year. The messages indicated that Sara Netanyahu encouraged police to crack down violently on anti-government protesters and ordered Bleiweiss to organize protests against her husband's critics. She also told Bleiweiss to get activists in Netanyahu's Likud party to publish attacks on Klein. Klein is an aide to billionaire Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan and has testified in the corruption case about her role in delivering tens of thousands of dollars worth of champagne, cigars and gifts to Netanyahu for her boss. According to the report, Sara Netanyahu mistreated Bleiweiss, prompting her to share the messages with a reporter shortly before her death. Sara Netanyahu has been accused of abusive behavior toward her personal staff before. This, together with accusations of excessive spending and using public money for her own extravagant personal tastes, has earned her an image as being out of touch with everyday Israelis. In 2019, she was fined for misusing state funds. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees police and has repeatedly said Attorney General Gali Baharav Miara should be fired over a series of grievances against her, said the latest announcement was another reason for her to be dismissed. “Someone who politically persecutes government ministers and their families cannot continue to serve as the attorney general,” he said. And Justice Minister Yariv Levin, another Netanyahu ally and critic of Baharav Miara, accused her of focusing on “television gossip.” “Selective enforcement is a crime!” he said in a statement. ___ AP correspondents Eleanor H. Reich in New York and Isaac Scharf in Jerusalem contributed reporting.Mother, 57, killed in Staten Island collision remembered for helping others ‘out of the goodness of her heart’Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter , or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates. This story was first published on our tech-focused website www.techTRP.com Imagine walking into a café, waving your hand over a scanner, and walking out with your coffee paid for—all without touching your wallet or phone. This vision of seamless transactions is becoming a reality as palm payment technology gains traction globally. But where does Malaysia stand in this biometric revolution? What Is Palm Payment and How Does It Work Palm payment technology uses advanced biometric authentication, relying on the unique vein patterns and palm prints beneath the skin. Here’s how it works. 1. Palm Registration : Users scan their palm using a dedicated device. The system maps the vein patterns and converts the data into a secure template. 2. Linking to a Payment Method : The scanned palm is paired with a credit card, bank account, or digital wallet. 3. Authentication and Payment : When making a purchase, users hover their palm over a scanner. The system verifies the data and processes the payment. Companies like Visa and Tencent have been piloting such systems, with the former conducting trials at selected locations since October 2023. Global Adoption Pioneers in Palm Payment Palm payment isn’t new, and its journey began years ago. • Octobox (2019 ) A Singaporean company launched palm-based transactions at its unmanned smart stores. Customers could link their palms to the DBS PayLah wallet and pay effortlessly. • Amazon One (2020 ) Amazon introduced its palm payment system in the United States, integrating it with Amazon Go and Whole Foods stores. The biometric templates are securely stored in the cloud, ensuring fast and efficient transactions. Is Malaysia Ready for Palm Payment? While palm payment has yet to make its debut in Malaysia, our country is no stranger to biometric authentication. Efforts are already underway to integrate biometrics into a number of sectors. 1. Biometric Payment Cards Modularsoft has partnered with Zwipe to develop fingerprint-enabled payment cards in Malaysia. These cards allow users to authorise transactions with a fingerprint, eliminating the need for PINs. 2. Digital Banking Integration Malaysian banks like PNB have implemented biometric options such as fingerprint and facial recognition in digital apps to enhance security for online transactions. 3. National Border Control Systems Malaysia is upgrading its biometric border control systems to streamline security and efficiency at land, sea, and air checkpoints. The Challenges and Promise of Palm Payment Palm payment offers unmatched convenience. Your hand is always with you, making it a reliable method that can’t be lost like a card or phone. Yet, significant concerns persist. 1. Privacy and Data Security Biometric data theft is a critical risk. Unlike replacing a stolen credit card, compromised palm data cannot be reset. Companies must implement robust encryption and storage protocols to protect sensitive data. 2. Fraud Prevention Experts warn that fraudsters could exploit artificial intelligence and deepfake technology to mimic palm patterns. Systems must incorporate “liveness detection” to ensure that scanned palms are real and alive. 3. Adoption Costs Palm payment systems require specialised hardware, which could deter small businesses. Moreover, these machines take up valuable counter space and incur higher installation costs. What Palm Payment Could Mean for Malaysians If introduced in Malaysia, palm payment could transform sectors like retail, transportation, and healthcare. It aligns with the country’s push for a cashless society and complements existing digital payment methods like e-wallets and QR codes. However, strong regulations will be essential to ensure that biometric data is not misused or exploited. Policymakers must learn from global pioneers to implement privacy-first solutions. As countries explore palm payment, Malaysia has the opportunity to leapfrog into the next era of cashless transactions. While challenges remain, the promise of convenience and security may soon outweigh the costs and concerns. Exactly how close are we to a wallet-free world? Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , or Threads . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter. I read a lot, I write a little. I think.
The driver of the car failed to remain at the scene and has yet to come forward. Stock image A woman has died and a man has been hospitalised after a hit-and-run involving a car and four pedestrians in Blanchardstown, Co Dublin this evening. Gardaí and emergency services were alerted to the incident on Blanchardstown Road North, Dublin 15, at about 5.45pm on St Stephen’s Day. The driver of the car failed to remain at the scene and has yet to come forward. A female, aged in her 30s, was pronounced deceased at the scene. A man, aged in his 30s, was taken to Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown for treatment of serious injuries. No other injuries were reported at the time. The road has been closed for technical examination by Forensic Collision Investigators, with local diversions in place. Investigations are ongoing. Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to contact them. Any road users or pedestrians who were in the vicinity of Blanchardstown Road North, between 5pm and 6pm today, Thursday 26th December 2024, and have camera footage (including dash-cam) are asked to make this available to investigating Gardaí. Anyone with information is asked to contact Blanchardstown Garda Station at (01) 6667000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.Chandigarh, Dec 26 (PTI) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday recalled the close personal relationship and constructive political equation former prime minister Manmohan Singh shared with Akali stalwart Parkash Singh Badal. Singh, the architect of India's economic reforms and a consensus builder in the rough world of politics, died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, on Thursday night. He was 92. Sukhbir Badal, a former deputy chief minister of Punjab, said that Singh, a democrat to the core, transcended the political party to which he belonged and ensured that the office of the prime minister remained above and beyond partisan politics. "With the passing away of Dr Manmohan Singh, an era of statesmanship and civilised values in public life sadly comes to a close. Dr Sahib combined simplicity in personal life with decency, civility and uprightness in politics," Sukhbir Badal said. "I recall the close personal relationship and constructive political equation which Dr Singh shared with my father and Akali stalwart, Sardar Parkash Singh Badal," he posted on X. "It was a tribute to Dr Singh's approach to the problems facing our country that he remained committed as Prime Minister to India's religious, cultural, linguistic and regional diversity and regarded the federal structure as the core and defining feature of our constitution and our national polity," Badal wrote. He added that Singh regarded the safeguarding of the sentiments and interests of the minorities as crucial to strengthening the unity and integrity of the country. "He firmly opposed any governmental interference in their religious affairs," Badal said. "He respected the autonomy in the functioning of the religious institutions of the minorities and firmly opposed governmental interference in the SGPC as he considered such interference as dangerous for the future of the country's strong federal structure and democratic values," he said. Former Union minister and SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the passing away of Singh is an irreparable loss to the value-based politics in the country. "Till his very last breath, Dr Sahib remained completely untouched by the falling standards in India's public life. He remained quietly but firmly committed to the democratic values and the federal structure of our country, with an uncompromising stand against any govt interference in the religious affairs of the minorities," Harsimrat, who is also Sukhbir Badal's wife, posted on X. She said the ex-PM's life was an ode to unimpeachable personal honesty and uprightness. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)
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Jimmy Carter, Longest-Living Former US President, Dies Aged 100President Jimmy Carter surprised a Pennsylvania family of three in 1979 with a visit to their Carnegie home. The Fishers were not sure why they were picked to entertain the president. They said they weren’t very political and neither had voted for Carter in the previous election. The family was joined by five others at their house where Carter asked for a frank appraisal of his administration. WATCH the video to see what tough opinions the Fishers said Carter had to face. Former President Jimmy Carter died Sunday at the age of 100.
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Jimmy Carter, the earnest Georgia peanut farmer, who as US president struggled with a bad economy and the Iran hostage crisis but brokered peace between Israel and Egypt and later received the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work, died at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday, the Carter Center said. He was 100. “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love,” said Chip Carter, the former president’s son. “My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honouring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.” The Carter Center said there will be public observances in Atlanta and Washington. These events will be followed by a private interment in Plains, it said. Final arrangements for the former president's state funeral are still pending, according to the center. Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, served as president from January 1977 to January 1981 after defeating incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford in the 1976 US election. Carter was swept from office four years later in an electoral landslide as voters embraced Republican challenger Ronald Reagan, the former actor and California governor. Carter lived longer after his term in office than any other US president. Along the way, he earned a reputation as a better former president than he was a president – a status he readily acknowledged. His one-term presidency was marked by the highs of the 1978 Camp David accords between Israel and Egypt, bringing some stability to the Middle East. But it was dogged by an economy in recession, persistent unpopularity and the embarrassment of the Iran hostage crisis that consumed his final 444 days in office. In recent years, Carter had experienced several health issues including melanoma that spread to his liver and brain. Carter decided to receive hospice care in February 2023 instead of undergoing additional medical intervention. His wife, Rosalynn Carter, died on November 19, 2023, at the age of 96. He looked frail when he attended her memorial service and funeral in a wheelchair. Carter left office profoundly unpopular but worked energetically for decades on humanitarian causes. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 in recognition of his "untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development." Carter had been a centrist as governor of Georgia with populist tendencies when he moved into the White House as the 39th US president. He was a Washington outsider at a time when America was still reeling from the Watergate scandal that led Republican Richard Nixon to resign as president in 1974 and elevated Ford from vice president. "I'm Jimmy Carter and I'm running for president. I will never lie to you," Carter promised with an ear-to-ear smile. Asked to assess his presidency, Carter said in a 1991 documentary: "The biggest failure we had was a political failure. I never was able to convince the American people that I was a forceful and strong leader." Despite his difficulties in office, Carter had few rivals for accomplishments as a former president. He gained global acclaim as a tireless human rights advocate, a voice for the disenfranchised and a leader in the fight against hunger and poverty, winning the respect that eluded him in the White House. Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts to promote human rights and resolve conflicts around the world, from Ethiopia and Eritrea to Bosnia and Haiti. His Carter Center in Atlanta sent international election-monitoring delegations to polls around the world. A Southern Baptist Sunday school teacher since his teens, Carter brought a strong sense of morality to the presidency, speaking openly about his religious faith. He also sought to take some pomp out of an increasingly imperial presidency – walking, rather than riding in a limousine, in his 1977 inauguration parade. The Middle East was the focus of Carter's foreign policy. The 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty, based on the 1978 Camp David accords, ended a state of war between the two neighbors. Carter brought Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland for talks. Later, as the accords seemed to be unraveling, Carter saved the day by flying to Cairo and Jerusalem for personal shuttle diplomacy. The treaty provided for Israeli withdrawal from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and establishment of diplomatic relations. Begin and Sadat each won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1978. HOSTAGE CRISIS On November 4, 1979, revolutionaries devoted to Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had stormed the US Embassy in Tehran, seized the Americans present and demanded the return of the ousted shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was backed by the United States and was being treated in a US hospital. The American public initially rallied behind Carter. But his support faded in April 1980 when a commando raid failed to rescue the hostages, with eight US soldiers killed in an aircraft accident in the Iranian desert. Carter's final ignominy was that Iran held the 52 hostages until minutes after Reagan took his oath of office on January 20, 1981, to replace Carter, then released the planes carrying them to freedom. In another crisis, Carter protested the former Soviet Union's 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by boycotting the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. He also asked the US Senate to defer consideration of a major nuclear arms accord with Moscow. Unswayed, the Soviets remained in Afghanistan for a decade. Carter won narrow Senate approval in 1978 of a treaty to transfer the Panama Canal to the control of Panama despite critics who argued the waterway was vital to American security. He also completed negotiations on full U.S. ties with China. Carter created two new US Cabinet departments – education and energy. Amid high gas prices, he said America's "energy crisis" was "the moral equivalent of war" and urged the country to embrace conservation. "Ours is the most wasteful nation on earth," he told Americans in 1977. In 1979, Carter delivered what became known as his "malaise" speech to the nation, although he never used that word. "After listening to the American people I have been reminded again that all the legislation in the world can't fix what's wrong with America," he said in his televised address. "The threat is nearly invisible in ordinary ways. It is a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will. The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America." As president, the strait-laced Carter was embarrassed by the behavior of his hard-drinking younger brother, Billy Carter, who had boasted: "I got a red neck, white socks, and Blue Ribbon beer." 'THERE YOU GO AGAIN' Jimmy Carter withstood a challenge from Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy for the 1980 Democratic presidential nomination but was politically diminished heading into his general election battle against a vigorous Republican adversary. Reagan, the conservative who projected an image of strength, kept Carter off balance during their debates before the November 1980 election. Reagan dismissively told Carter, "There you go again," when the Republican challenger felt the president had misrepresented Reagan's views during one debate. Carter lost the 1980 election to Reagan, who won 44 of the 50 states and amassed an Electoral College landslide. James Earl Carter Jr. was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, one of four children of a farmer and shopkeeper. He graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1946, served in the nuclear submarine program and left to manage the family peanut farming business. He married his wife, Rosalynn, in 1946, a union he called "the most important thing in my life." They had three sons and a daughter. Carter became a millionaire, a Georgia state legislator and Georgia's governor from 1971 to 1975. He mounted an underdog bid for the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination, and out-hustled his rivals for the right to face Ford in the general election. With Walter Mondale as his vice presidential running mate, Carter was given a boost by a major Ford gaffe during one of their debates. Ford said that "there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration," despite decades of just such domination. Carter edged Ford in the election, even though Ford actually won more states – 27 to Carter's 23. Not all of Carter's post-presidential work was appreciated. Former President George W. Bush and his father, former President George H.W. Bush, both Republicans, were said to have been displeased by Carter's freelance diplomacy in Iraq and elsewhere. In 2004, Carter called the Iraq war launched in 2003 by the younger Bush one of the most "gross and damaging mistakes our nation ever made." He called George W. Bush's administration "the worst in history" and said Vice President Dick Cheney was "a disaster for our country." In 2019, Carter questioned Republican Donald Trump's legitimacy as president, saying "he was put into office because the Russians interfered on his behalf." Trump responded by calling Carter "a terrible president." Carter also made trips to communist North Korea. A 1994 visit defused a nuclear crisis, as President Kim Il Sung agreed to freeze his nuclear program in exchange for resumed dialogue with the United States. That led to a deal in which North Korea, in return for aid, promised not to restart its nuclear reactor or reprocess the plant's spent fuel. But Carter irked Democratic President Bill Clinton's administration by announcing the deal with North Korea's leader without first checking with Washington. In 2010, Carter won the release of an American sentenced to eight years hard labor for illegally entering North Korea. Carter wrote more than two dozen books, ranging from a presidential memoir to a children's book and poetry, as well as works about religious faith and diplomacy. His book "Faith: A Journey for All," was published in 2018.
* US Treasury yields, strong dollar weigh on emerging Asia FX * South Korean won, shares edge higher after Friday's sharp fall * Indonesian rupiah up 0.5%, Thai baht gains 0.3% By John Biju Dec 30 - Most Asian currencies were subdued on Monday, pressured by high U.S. Treasury yields and a firm dollar, while South Korean markets recovered slightly after last week's parliament vote to impeach acting president Han Duck-soo. Equities in the region edged higher, with stocks in Malaysia and Singapore each gaining 0.3%. The South Korean won rose 0.2% after falling to a more than 15-year low on Friday, following Han's impeachment. Equities climbed 0.4% after Friday's fall of about 1%. "The political uncertainties and faster rate cut pace should keep the won on the back foot in the coming months," said Ken Cheung, chief Asia FX strategist at Mizuho Bank. The won is the worst performing currency in emerging Asia so far this year, having lost some 12% amid political turmoil, weak exports, fears of U.S. tariffs and an unexpected rate cut from the Bank of Korea. The country's factory output fell more sharply than expected in November amid slowing exports and weakening business confidence, data showed on Monday. Most other Asian currencies were largely unchanged amid pressure from high U.S. Treasury yields and with the dollar at a multimonth peak. Yields on 10-year Treasuries are near eight-month highs at 4.631% and ending the year around 75 basis points above where they started it, despite the Fed making 100 basis points of cuts to cash rates. The Federal Reserve's hawkish tilt at its December policy meeting has weighed on Asian currencies, which were already under pressure from fears of U.S. tariffs in 2025. The Indonesian rupiah rose 0.5% on Monday. The Thai baht climbed 0.3% while equities gained 0.4%. Thailand will implement a global minimum corporate tax of 15% on multinational enterprises from the beginning of January, the finance ministry said on Friday. Mizuho's Cheung said the move should be supportive of the baht over the medium term, as it signals a step towards joining the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development . HIGHLIGHTS: ** Japan's factory activity shrinks at slower pace, PMI shows ** China's Nov industrial profits narrow decline but 2024 likely worst year in decades ** Thai advisory council says candidate for cbank chair ineligible due to recent political role Asian currenc ies and stocks as at 0345 GMT COUNTRY FX RIC FX FX INDE STOCK STOCK DAILY YTD X S S YTD % % DAILY % % Japan 0.02 -10. China 6 EC> India 0.03 -2.6 Indones 0.46 -4.7 Malaysi 0.07 2.8 Philipp - -4.5 S.Korea 28 11> Singapo 0.08 -2.8 Taiwan -0.01 -6.0 Thailan 0.32 0.6 This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Synergy CHC Corp. ( OTCMKTS:SNYR – Get Free Report ) shares shot up 0.2% on Friday . The stock traded as high as $4.69 and last traded at $4.50. 6,022 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 70% from the average session volume of 19,888 shares. The stock had previously closed at $4.49. Synergy CHC Trading Up 0.2 % The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $5.97 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $2.68. The company has a market cap of $39.17 million and a PE ratio of -17,374.52. About Synergy CHC ( Get Free Report ) Synergy CHC Corp. provides consumer health care, beauty, and lifestyle products in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. It offers brain health nutritional supplements under the FOCUSfactor brand name; lifestyle products and accessories, including tea, shakes, lollipops, supplements, apparel, and exercise accessories under the Flat Tummy brand name; anti-aging skincare products, such as serums and creams for exfoliating, skin repair, and rehydration, as well as hand soaps and hand sanitizers under the Hand MD brand name. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Synergy CHC Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Synergy CHC and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .“The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge — just a few metres from where we were — and the runway were damaged,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on the social media platform X. He added that he and UN colleagues were safe. “We will need to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave,” he said. UN spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay later said the injured person was with the UN Humanitarian Air Service. Israel’s army later told The Associated Press it was not aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. The Israeli strikes followed several days of Houthi launches setting off sirens in Israel. The Israeli military in a statement said it attacked infrastructure used by the Iran-backed Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa and ports in Hodeida, Al-Salif and Ras Qantib, along with power stations, asserting they were used to smuggle in Iranian weapons and for the entry of senior Iranian officials. Israel’s military added it had “capabilities to strike very far from Israel’s territory — precisely, powerfully, and repetitively”. The strikes, carried out over 1,000 miles from Jerusalem, came a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “the Houthis, too, will learn what Hamas and Hezbollah and Assad’s regime and others learned” as his military has battled those more powerful proxies of Iran. The Houthi-controlled satellite channel al-Masirah reported multiple deaths and showed broken windows, collapsed ceilings and a bloodstained floor and vehicle. Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the strikes. The US military has also targeted the Houthis in recent days. The UN has said the targeted ports are important entry points for humanitarian aid for Yemen, the poorest Arab nation that plunged into a civil war in 2014. Over the weekend, 16 people were wounded when a Houthi missile hit a playground in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, while other missiles and drones have been shot down. Last week, Israeli jets struck Sanaa and Hodeida, killing nine people, calling it a response to previous Houthi attacks. The Houthis also have been targeting shipping on the Red Sea corridor in what it says is an act of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The UN Security Council has an emergency meeting on Monday in response to an Israeli request that it condemn the Houthi attacks and Iran for supplying them with weapons.
