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Help needed with buying an annuity with my personal pension funds
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Do I need to notify Immigration
From my recent experience,yes there is a very busy dedicated desk in the new building desk number 10, you have to qet a queue number first fill in the form and have proof of where you stay for example the housebook and Id of the landlord,there is no fee. -
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Do I need to notify Immigration
It's the TM30 you are talking about. I believe Jomtien does not require you to re-notify if you return from domestic travel. But you might not be able to file a TM-47 (90 day report) online if your most recent TM30 does not match your address that you file your report for, so it might be better to get a new TM30 if your landlord is registered online, since it will only take them a moment to update it. -
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How do you fit in a plane seat ?
Yep. Couldn’t be bothered to read the rest of it and am neither fat nor old, but this dude is begging to be flattened. -
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Rubio Declares South African Ambassador Unwelcome in the U.S. Amid Diplomatic Tensions
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Friday that South Africa’s ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, is “no longer welcome” in the country. The decision marks another instance of the Trump administration’s increasing scrutiny of South Africa’s government. In a post on X, Rubio labeled Rasool a “race-baiting politician” who harbors disdain for President Donald Trump. He further declared the ambassador “persona non grata,” effectively barring him from U.S. diplomatic engagement. Rubio’s statement linked to a Breitbart article reporting on Rasool’s comments during a South African think tank’s webinar. In the virtual discussion, Rasool referenced Trump ally Elon Musk’s engagement with far-right figures in Europe, describing it as a “dog whistle” to a global movement of individuals who view themselves as part of an “embattled white community.” The State Department provided no additional details about Rasool’s ban, and it remained unclear whether the ambassador was in the U.S. at the time of the announcement. Rubio posted his statement while en route to Washington from a Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers meeting in Canada. It is uncommon for the U.S. to expel a foreign ambassador, as persona non grata designations are typically reserved for lower-ranking diplomats. Even during periods of heightened tensions between the U.S. and Russia—such as the Cold War, Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, allegations of election interference in 2016, and the poisoning of a former Russian intelligence officer in Britain—Washington and Moscow refrained from expelling each other’s ambassadors. Efforts to obtain comment from the South African Embassy in Washington were unsuccessful, as phone calls made toward the end of the workday went unanswered. Rasool, who previously served as South Africa’s ambassador to the U.S. from 2010 to 2015, had only recently returned to the post in January. His background includes a long history of anti-apartheid activism; as a child, he and his family were forcibly evicted from a Cape Town neighborhood designated exclusively for white residents. He later became a political figure in Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress, even serving time in prison for his activism. His expulsion coincides with Trump’s recent executive order cutting aid and assistance to South Africa’s Black-led government. In the order, Trump argued that South Africa’s Afrikaner population—descendants of mainly Dutch colonial settlers—were being unfairly targeted by a newly passed law permitting the government to expropriate private land. South African officials have denied that the law is racially motivated, instead framing it as a means to rectify the injustices of apartheid-era land dispossession. Trump, however, has characterized the law as discriminatory, referring to Afrikaners as “racially disfavored landowners.” His administration also announced plans to offer Afrikaners refugee status in the U.S., despite the fact that no land has yet been expropriated under the law. The Expropriation Act, signed by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this year, grants the government authority to seize land in cases where it is underutilized or where redistribution serves the public interest. It is intended to address historical inequities stemming from apartheid, when Black South Africans were forcibly removed from their lands and relegated to racially designated areas. Musk, who was born and raised in South Africa and now heads Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, has frequently criticized the law on social media, portraying it as a direct threat to the country’s white minority. His stance has fueled further controversy over the issue, as the Trump administration continues to shape its foreign policy toward South Africa. Based on a report by NYP 2025-03-17 -
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Chinese ‘Invasion Barges’ Raise Fears of Taiwan Assault
China’s military has been spotted conducting drills with massive amphibious landing barges in the South China Sea, raising concerns that these specialized vessels could play a crucial role in a potential invasion of Taiwan. The footage, which surfaced on Chinese social media before being removed, shows the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) testing the Shuiqiao barges—large vessels equipped with retractable bridges designed to unload heavy military equipment onto enemy shores. BREAKING: China unveiled its new huge ”invasion barges” during an amphibious landing exercise near Zhanjiang. The barges will make it possible for China to move large amounts of military equipment to a shore without docking facilities. Ships would dock with barges, unload tanks, trucks and other armored vehicles which could then drive to shore across 120 meter long arm acting as a bridge. Such barges could be used for military operations against Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, the Philippines and other areas near the South China Sea. Reports indicate that between three and five of these barges were constructed in Guangzhou shipyard in southern China, each completed in just a few months despite development beginning in 2022. Their appearance in drills near Zhanjiang, Guangdong—600 miles from Taiwan—suggests China is refining its amphibious warfare capabilities. Naval analyst HI Sutton, who first reported on the barges in January, described them as “tailor-made for an amphibious assault.” He noted that while China might argue these ships have civilian applications, their size and purpose-built design make such claims unlikely. Dr. Emma Salisbury, a research fellow at the Council on Geostrategy, believes these barges could solve a long-standing logistical challenge for China in mounting a full-scale invasion. “A core problem for the PRC in invading Taiwan is getting the necessary heavy equipment over the Strait – and the solution to that problem is what we are seeing with these barges,” she told The Telegraph. “While landing forces on contested shores is always going to be difficult, these barges look to be ideal for moving tanks, armored vehicles, and the like quickly and safely on to shore.” Allowing information about these barges to reach the public, she added, underscores China’s growing threat in the region. The vessels perform a function similar to the U.S. military’s Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore system (JLOTS), which was used in an attempt to deliver aid to Gaza last year but was operational for only 20 days due to weather, technical, and security issues. However, not all analysts believe these barges will play a decisive role in an invasion scenario. Timothy R. Heath, a senior international defense researcher at RAND, pointed out that the slow-moving barges would be easy targets in a battle. “The slow-moving barges are easily targeted so they are unlikely to survive in the middle of a battle on the beaches,” he told The Telegraph. He noted that China already has military-grade amphibious assault ships that are better suited for deploying armored vehicles. Instead, Heath suggested that the barges might be intended for humanitarian missions in regions with poor port infrastructure. Despite this, defense analyst and former submariner Tom Shugart warned that Taiwan and the U.S. should remain on high alert. While the footage does not indicate an imminent attack, he wrote on X that concerns should grow “for when they’ve fully tested these and perhaps built many more.” China’s rapidly expanding naval capabilities are adding to these anxieties. A recent report from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies highlights that China has built the equivalent of the entire Royal Navy in just a few years, surpassing the U.S. Navy in sheer hull count and nearing its fleet tonnage. Between 2019 and 2023, Chinese shipyards in Dalian, Guangzhou, Jiangnan, and Hudong-Zhonghua collectively produced at least 39 warships—exceeding the Royal Navy’s total battle force fleet. With Beijing’s military ambitions continuing to grow, these developments signal an increasingly tense geopolitical landscape, particularly as China strengthens its ability to project power across the Taiwan Strait. Based on a report by The Telegraph 2025-03-17 -
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Trio Jailed for Kidnapping Israeli Music Producer in Wales "highly sophisticated planning"
A terrifying ordeal in West Wales when a Jewish-Israeli music producer, Itay Kashti, was lured from London under false pretenses and violently kidnapped. The three men responsible—Faiz Shah, 23, Mohammad Comrie, 23, and Elijah Ogunnubi-Sime, 20—have now been sentenced to over eight years in prison each after their meticulously planned attack was thwarted. Kashti was invited to what he believed was a legitimate music workshop at a secluded property in the Brynteg area of Llanybydder. The perpetrators posed as representatives of a reputable music production company and used stolen identities to rent the property and arrange a taxi for their unsuspecting victim. When Kashti arrived on August 26 last year, the men, masked and prepared for violence, launched their assault. The attackers also targeted the taxi driver but were forced to abandon their plan when he managed to escape, knowing he would alert the authorities. Police later discovered the three men hiding in nearby fields, leading to their arrest and subsequent guilty pleas to charges of kidnap. Judge Catherine Richards, sentencing the trio at Swansea Crown Court, described the crime as "motivated by events taking place elsewhere in the world" and highlighted the extensive planning involved. "None of you knew the victim," she told them. "He was an entirely innocent, hard-working music producer that you had identified as a victim based on your understanding of his wealth and his Jewish heritage." She imposed a 15-year restraining order alongside their prison terms. The judge detailed the sophisticated nature of the crime, revealing that the perpetrators had created false financial documents, used multiple mobile phones, and even developed escape routes. Messages between the attackers showed they had planned to drug Kashti with ketamine and had acquired an imitation firearm. When they attacked him, they handcuffed him to a radiator and threatened his life. The impact on the victim was profound. Recalling the terrifying experience, Kashti compared it to a national tragedy, saying, "As an Israeli, this incident felt like my own personal October the 7th." He described being kicked in the head, restrained, and told he would be killed if he tried to escape. "The awful attack of 7th of October was flashing through my mind as I lay restrained on the floor in handcuffs." Eventually, after his captors fled, he managed to free himself and call his wife, who alerted the police. Authorities later released images showing blood on the cottage floor and the cable ties used to bind him. Prosecutor Craig Jones revealed that messages between the kidnappers referred to Kashti’s perceived political stance and their lack of remorse. Their plot also included plans to launder extorted money through cryptocurrency. Items found in their possession included face masks, gloves, rental cars, a gag, blindfold, handcuffs, and cable ties—evidence of the chilling extent of their intentions. Mark Gardner, chief executive of the Community Security Trust (CST), expressed gratitude to prosecutors and law enforcement, emphasizing the gravity of the crime. "The combination of criminality and anti-Jewish hatred could easily have resulted in a far worse, perhaps even fatal outcome. We will continue to work with the police and all other partners to ensure the safety of our Jewish community and to bring perpetrators of antisemitism to justice." Inspector Gareth Jones of Dyfed-Powys Police acknowledged the traumatic impact on Kashti and his family. "This sentence today reflects the severity of this offence and the ordeal the victim suffered. We hope it gives the victim a sense of justice. We thank him for his strength, bravery, and patience whilst we carried out a thorough investigation into what was an extraordinary crime." Based on a report by BBC | Telegraphandargus 2025-03-17
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