best baccarat strategy

best baccarat strategy

LONDON (AP) — When voters around the globe had their say in 2024, their message was often: “You’re fired.” Some 70 countries that are home to half the world’s population held elections this year, and in many incumbents were punished . From India and the United States to Japan , France and Britain , voters tired of economic disruption and global instability rejected sitting governments — and sometimes turned to disruptive outsiders. The rocky democratic landscape just seemed to get bumpier as a dramatic year careened toward its end, with mass protests in Mozambique and Georgia , an election annulled in Romania and an attempt to impose martial law in South Korea. Cas Mudde, a professor of international affairs at the University of Georgia who studies extremism and democracy, summed up 2024 in Prospect magazine as “a great year for the far right, a terrible year for incumbents and a troublesome year for democracy around the world.” Incumbents battered One message sent by voters in 2024: They’re fed up. University of Manchester political scientist Rob Ford has attributed the anti-incumbent mood to “electoral long COVID” -– lingering pandemic-related health, education, social and economic disruptions that have made millions of people unhappier and worse off. High inflation, fueled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and mass displacement from that war and conflicts in the Middle East and Africa have added to the global unease. In South Africa, high unemployment and inequality helped drive a dramatic loss of support for the African National Congress, which had governed for three decades since the end of the apartheid system of white minority rule . The party once led by Nelson Mandela lost its political dominance in May’s election and was forced to go into coalition with opposition parties. Incumbents also were defeated in Senegal, Ghana and Botswana , where voters ousted the party that had been in power for 58 years since independence from Britain. Namibia’s ruling SWAPO party extended its 34 years in power in December -– but only by a whisker. Uruguay’s leftist opposition candidate, Yamandú Orsi , became the country’s new president in a November runoff that delivered another rebuke to incumbents. In India, the world’s largest democracy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party lost its parliamentary majority in a shock election result in June after a decade of dominance. It was forced to govern in coalition as the opposition doubled its strength in Parliament. Japanese politics entered a new era of uncertainty after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s governing Liberal Democratic Party, which has ruled almost without interruption since 1955, suffered a major loss in October amid voter anger at party financial scandals. It now leads a minority government. The U.K.’s July election saw the right-of-center Conservatives ousted after 14 years in office as the center-left Labour Party swept to power in a landslide. But the results also revealed growing fragmentation: Support for the two big parties that have dominated British politics for a century shrank as voters turned to smaller parties, including the hard-right party Reform U.K. led by Nigel Farage. Authoritarians advance Britain is not alone in seeing a rise for the right. Elections in June for the parliament of the 27-nation European Union saw conservative populists and the far right rock ruling parties in France and Germany, the EU’s biggest and most powerful members. The anti-immigration National Rally party won the first round of France’s parliamentary election in June, but alliances and tactical voting by the center and left knocked it down to third place in the second round, producing a divided legislature and a fragile government that collapsed in a Dec. 4 no-confidence vote. In Austria, the conservative governing People’s Party was beaten by the far-right, pro-Russia Freedom Party in September, though other parties allied to keep it out of a coalition government. Nepotism and political dynasties continued to exert influence -– and to be challenged. After messy elections in February, Pakistan elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, younger brother of three-time leader Nawaz Sharif. Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest democracy, elected President Prabowo Subianto , son-in-law of the late dictator Suharto . Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the world’s longest-serving female leader, won a fourth successive term in a January election that opposition parties boycotted . Months later, her 15-year rule came to a tumultuous end: After mass student-led protests in which hundreds were killed, Hasina was ousted in August and fled to India. In Sri Lanka, voters also rejected a discredited old guard. Voters elected the Marxist Anura Kumara Dissanayake as president in September, two years after an island-wide public movement by an engaged middle class removed the long-ruling Rajapaksa clan. Interference allegations Covert meddling and online disinformation were growing concerns in 2024. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, said that this year it took down 20 election-related “covert influence operations around the world, including in the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the U.S.” It said Russia was the top source of such meddling, followed by Iran and China. In Romania, far-right candidate Călin Georgescu came from nowhere to win the first round of the presidential election in November, aided in part by a flood of TikTok videos promoting his campaign. Amid allegations of Russian meddling, Romania’s Constitutional Court canceled the presidential election runoff two days before it was due to take place after a trove of declassified intelligence alleged Russia organized a sprawling campaign across social media to promote Georgescu. No date has yet been set for a rerun. Moldova’s pro-Western President Maia Sandu won a November runoff against her Moscow-friendly rival in an election seen as pivotal to the future of one of Europe’s poorest nations. Georgia has seen huge protests since an election in October was won by the pro-Moscow Georgian Dream party, which suspended negotiations on joining the European Union. The opposition and the pro-Western president, Salome Zourabichvili, have accused the governing party of rigging the vote with Russia’s help. Uncertainty reigns Possibly the year’s most seismic result, Donald Trump’s victory in November’s U.S. presidential election, has America’s allies and opponents bracing for what the unpredictable “America-first” leader will do with his second term. And instability already reigns on several continents as the year ends. Venezuela has been in political crisis since a July election marred by serious fraud allegations which both President Nicolás Maduro and the opposition claim to have won. Amid opposition protests and a harsh crackdown, opposition candidate Edmundo González went into exile in Spain. In Mozambique, the Frelimo party that has ruled for half a century was declared the winner of an October election that the opposition called rigged. Weeks of ongoing street protests across the country have left more than 100 dead. South Korea’s conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol — weakened after the liberal opposition retained control in an April election -– astonished the country by declaring martial law in a late-night announcement on Dec. 3. Parliament voted to overturn the decision six hours later, and within days voted to impeach Yoon. The crisis in the deeply divided country is far from over. Democracy’s bumpy ride looks likely to continue in 2025, with embattled incumbents facing challenge in countries including Germany, where Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a confidence vote on Dec. 16, triggering an early election likely in February. Canada will also vote in 2025, with the governing Liberals widely unpopular and increasingly divided after almost a decade in power. Seema Shah, head of democracy assessment at the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, said global surveys suggest support for the concept of democracy remains strong, but the numbers plummet “when you ask people how satisfied they are with their own democracy.” “People want democracy. They like the theory of it,” she said. “But when they see it actually play out, it’s not living up to their expectations.” ___ Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi, Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Gerald Imray in Cape Town, South Africa, contributed to this story.

Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’Saquon Barkley tops 2,000 yards rushing as Eagles beat Cowboys 41-7 to clinch NFC EastWe Asked ChatGPT 4.0 Which Top Crypto Is Set To Dominate 2025 Ripple (XRP), Polygon (POL), Pepe (PEPE) or Lightchain AITaiwan's military was on high alert Monday after detecting Chinese warships near the island, Taipei said, as it prepared for likely drills by Beijing in response to President Lai Ching-te's U.S. visits. The Taiwanese defense ministry said it also spotted Chinese coast guard vessels and that Beijing's People's Liberation Army (PLA) had restricted the airspace off the Chinese coast. There has been intense speculation about the possibility of China launching military exercises in response to Lai's trip to the Pacific last week which included stopovers in Hawaii and Guam. "In response to these actions by the PLA, the MND has initiated combat readiness drills, factoring in enemy threats, weather conditions, and tactical positioning," the Ministry of National Defense in Taipei said in a statement. It added that military units were on "high" alert and those on outlying islands had "heightened their vigilance". The ministry said its forces had "identified PLA Eastern, Northern, and Southern Theater Command naval formations, along with Coast Guard vessels, entering areas around the Taiwan Strait and the Western Pacific". There was no immediate public announcement by the PLA or Chinese state media about increased military activity around Taiwan. However, a Beijing foreign ministry spokeswoman said China would "firmly defend" its sovereignty, as Taiwan kicked off its drills. Taiwan regards itself as a sovereign nation with its own government, military, and currency. But Beijing insists the island is part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to bring it under its control. Lai spoke with Republican U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson in Guam on Thursday -- the highest-level U.S. contact the Taiwanese leader had during a week-long trip -- which drew a barrage of criticism from Beijing. China's foreign ministry warned Taiwan on Friday that "seeking independence with the help of the United States will inevitably hit a wall", and called on Washington to "cease meddling in Taiwan-related affairs". In response to a question about possible Chinese military drills around Taiwan following his trip, Lai told reporters on Friday that "raising your fists is not as good as opening your hands". "No matter how many military exercises, warships and aircraft China sends to coerce neighboring countries, it cannot win the respect of any country," Lai said. Taiwan's coast guard said on Monday it had detected "unusual movements" of seven Chinese coast guard ships since early Friday -- the day Lai returned to Taipei. The Beijing army's airspace restrictions east of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces were expected to be in place until Wednesday, Taiwan's defense ministry said. "Any unilateral, irrational acts of provocation could severely undermine peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and are unwelcome by the international community," the ministry said. It added that the PLA's "recent activities near Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Taiwan have introduced risks and uncertainties to regional security". Japan's defense ministry said Monday it had detected over the weekend a Chinese navy missile destroyer, frigate and "information-gathering ship" sailing southeast between Okinawa island and Miyako islands towards the Pacific Ocean. "From the limited information available, the seven restricted airspaces are likely being used for two main purposes: missile testing and simulating no-fly zones, which represent a blocked airspace state," Su Tzu-yun, a military expert at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research in Taipei, told AFP. Su said the drills "appear politically motivated" and would backfire on Beijing by reinforcing the "China threat theory". Taiwan faces the constant threat of a military attack by China and relies heavily on US arms sales to boost its defenses. On the eve of Lai's Pacific tour, the United States approved a proposed sale to Taiwan of spare parts for F-16s and radar systems, as well as communications equipment, in deals valued at $385 million in total. Lai said in the U.S. state of Hawaii during his trip there was a need to "fight together to prevent war", warning there were "no winners" from conflict. China has launched two large-scale military drills around Taiwan since Lai took office and regularly deploys fighter jets and navy ships to press its claims over the island. Lai has been more outspoken than his predecessor Tsai Ing-wen in defending Taiwan's sovereignty, angering Beijing which calls him a "separatist".

Powerful pomegranates, glorious geraniums and more to do in the gardenSamsung Electronics headquarters in Seocho District (Image courtesy of Yonhap) SEOUL, Dec. 30 (Korea Bizwire) — Samsung Group, South Korea’s largest conglomerate, has seen its market capitalization plummet by over 160 trillion won this year, marking a significant contraction in its dominance on the domestic stock market. As of December 26, the total market value of Samsung’s 22 listed companies, including Samsung Electronics, Samsung Biologics, and Samsung Life Insurance, stood at 548.4 trillion won, a sharp decline from 709.7 trillion won at the end of 2023. This represents a 22.7% drop, according to financial data provider Yonhap Infomax. Declining Share in the Stock Market Samsung Group’s share of the South Korean stock market has dropped to 27.57%, down from a peak of over 38% in early 2021. The figure is now at its lowest since 2016 when Samsung Biologics joined the KOSPI index. The primary driver of this decline is Samsung Electronics, the group’s flagship company, whose stock has fallen by 31.71% this year. Additional declines were seen in other key affiliates, including Samsung SDI (-47.66%), Samsung Engineering (-42.68%), and Hotel Shilla (-42.58%). Bright Spots in Finance and Shipbuilding While most of the group’s stocks underperformed, financial subsidiaries like Samsung Life Insurance (+45.44%), Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance (+40.68%), and Samsung Card (+26.58%) posted gains, buoyed by expectations of corporate value enhancement. Samsung Heavy Industries (+49.37%) also rose sharply, supported by renewed optimism in the shipbuilding industry. However, these gains were insufficient to offset the impact of Samsung Electronics’ underperformance, which accounts for a significant portion of the group’s market capitalization. ETF Performance Reflects Decline The slump has also weighed on Samsung-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The KODEX Samsung Group Value ETF has dropped 14.15% this year, while the TIGER Samsung Group Fundamental ETF and ACE Samsung Group Equal Weight ETF fell by 13.12% and 3.86%, respectively. Dim Outlook for 2025 Analysts suggest Samsung’s recovery in 2025 may face significant challenges. Many brokerage firms have lowered their target prices for Samsung Electronics in recent weeks, citing weakened demand for memory chips and concerns over global trade policies under a potential second Trump administration. “The increased supply from Chinese manufacturers is putting pressure on generic memory chip prices, and demand will likely remain subdued through the first half of next year,” said Noh Geun-chang, an analyst at Hyundai Motor Securities. Kim Dong-won, an analyst at KB Securities, echoed these concerns, predicting that Samsung Electronics’ stock will continue to fluctuate in a narrow range due to delays in profit recovery tied to the memory chip cycle. Samsung’s market trajectory underscores broader challenges in South Korea’s semiconductor sector and raises questions about its ability to regain its footing in a highly competitive global market. Ashley Song ( ashley@koreabizwire.com )