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Economy Political Jitters and Falling Numbers Shake Thailand’s Tourism Recovery
Why should you be entitled to a bank account...very few countries around the world would issue you one if you are only a tourist visiting for a month or two...it's called money laundering..and what's the big deal, just bring cash or pay 220 baht withdrawl fee -
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Five members of biggest British Jewish body suspended after Israel criticisms
Except in your case -
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Report Anutin Rejects Misdirection Claims on Cannabis and Casino Policies
more corrupt than Thaksin and that is a hard act to follow -
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EU Trump and Rutte Speak at NATO Summit in The Hague
President Donald Trump expressed support for NATO, praising its moves to bolster defense spending as the pact's leaders look to secure a US commitment to the alliance. He speaks at a press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Transcript of Mark Rutte only before joint session with Trump: NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte - Good morning. I am very excited about today. I believe this will be a transformational summit, obviously very much concentrating on spending, making sure that NATO collectively has the money and the capabilities to indeed - given our long-term threat of Russia, but also the massive build-up of the military in China, and the fact that North Korea, China, Iran, are supporting the war effort in Ukraine - it's really important that we spend more so that will be number one on the agenda today. A new plan when it comes to spending over the coming years. Of course, defence industrial production. We know that we are lacking a defence industrial base which is producing sufficiently. So we have fantastic companies, but we have to put in the extra production lines, they have to put in the extra shifts in making sure that we produce the ammunition and all the other, all the items we need. And Ukraine will be big at the Summit today. Will be discussed making sure that Ukraine, over the coming years, will continue to count on the support of NATO countries to keep them in the fight, but also make sure that we can bring Ukraine to a durable and lasting peace. So a transformational Summit, looking forward to it, and of course, hope to see you later today. I can now take a few questions, and then at the end, we will see each other at a press conference, and I see that CNBC wants to start – sir. CNBC – Thank you very much, CNBC as you note sir. Look, there’s a lot of questions about Spain, there's a lot of questions about nations that do not feel they have the money in their budget to get to two percent let alone three and a half percent, let alone 5 percent in total as well. Do you fear that Spain could scupper this meeting? And actually, sir, despite all your huge diplomatic efforts, incur the ire, the wrath of the United States? NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte - No, I don't. I'm not worried about that. Of course, these are difficult decisions, let's be honest, I mean, politicians have to make choices in scarcity. And this is not easy, because seven, eight countries at the start of this year, not at 2% they will now reach the 2% this year. Many of those countries said, we will do it somewhere in the 2030s, they have now committed to do it this year. And already we added in an aggregate of a trillion since 2016, since Trump 45 started his first presidency. But today, this is the third stage. We will add trillions extra with this new plan. But of course, you're right, the countries have to find the money, it's not easy. These are political decisions; I totally recognise that. But at the same time, there is absolute conviction with my colleagues at the table that given the threat from the Russians, given the international security situation, there is no alternative. We've got to do this - really. Reporter – Mr Rutte, why won’t Mr Trump back Article Five? NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte - For me, there is absolute clarity that United States is totally committed to NATO, totally committed to Article Five. And yes, there is also an expectation which will be fulfilled today, that the Canadians and the Europeans will speed up their spending making sure that we, not only are able to defend ourselves against the Russians and others, but also to equalise - and this is fair - that we spend the same as the US is spending. Sir, yes. [Question inaudible] NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte - The big thing about Article Five, and the good thing about Article Five, is that it is clear that we defend each other when we are attacked, but you will always get all these questions you ask, but if this cyber-attack or this hybrid attack? We never go into those details. Reporter – Secretary General, you had dinner with Donald Trump yesterday, in what mood was him? Was he? And do you think… NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte – Excellent mood. And the King and Queen were hosting a fantastic dinner in this, and I was so proud to sit in that Orange Hall [Oranjezaal], which is basically example - I'm a historian – so this is about the history of the Dutch Republic. 1648, the Munster Peace Deal and the King made a fantastic speech, you have seen it, I hope? I was also able to say a few words so I think it was a great dinner. [Questions and answers in Dutch] NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte - Listen, it's totally true. Would you really think that the seven or eight countries not at 2% at the beginning of this year would have reached the 2% if Trump would not have been elected President of the United States? Do we really think that, of course, there is a threat from the Russians, China, et cetera, et cetera, but that it would be doable to reach this commitment of 5% today? And I'm hopeful, and cautiously optimistic we will get there. If Trump would not have been elected president - so I think what I said in the text message to him - totally fine that he published it, please, but totally fine that he published it, I think it's a statement of fact. Reporter - Are you okay with him sharing this message? Are you ok with him sharing those SMS? Isn't that a little embarrassing? NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte - Absolutely not, absolutely not. What is in that text message is a statement of fact, and I'm totally fine that he shared. Reporter – The attacks on Iran appeared to be less positive, less successful than before. Do you reconsider your congratulations? NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte - No, not at all. And the 14 huge bombs dropped on the nuclear facility of Iran, I think this was crucial to really do everything possible to take out the nuclear capability of the Iranians, which NATO has always said Iran should not get its hands on. And therefore, this decisive action by the United States was so important. Reporter - Yesterday, you told Allies to stop worrying about the United States but how can the Allies stop worrying when Trump keeps relativising Article Five again and again? NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte - I would think, look what the United States is doing, what Donald Trump is doing. They are spending almost a trillion on defence. They are by far the biggest contributor to NATO. They are delivering all the key enablers for NATO, also here in Europe. I mean, they are a important Ally. They are by far the biggest Ally in NATO. They are over 50% of the total NATO economy. But what we now will do over the coming years is to bring down, step by step, shift the burden away from the United States, more towards the Europeans and the Canadians, which I think is fair, and in the meantime, we will also equalise the spending. Adapted by ASEAN Now from NATO | Bloomberg 2025-06-26 -
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Middle East “Pickaxe mountain” Iran’s Secret Nuclear Stronghold That Defies U.S. Bombs
Beneath the Mountain: Iran’s Secret Nuclear Stronghold That Defies U.S. Bombs Deep under the arid terrain of central Iran, inside a mountain known as Kūh-e Kolang Gaz Lā — or “Pickaxe mountain” — lies what may be the Islamic Republic’s most heavily fortified and secretive nuclear installation yet. While recent U.S. airstrikes led by former President Donald Trump reportedly “obliterated” key enrichment sites at Fordow and Natanz, experts believe Iran has already moved the heart of its nuclear ambitions far out of reach. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has raised alarm bells over this ultra-secure complex, located just 90 miles south of the bombed-out Fordow facility and close to Natanz. But when Rafael Grossi, the agency’s director general, asked Tehran for clarity on the nature of the construction underway at Pickaxe mountain, he was bluntly rebuffed. “It’s none of your business,” Iranian officials told him. The curt response has taken on fresh significance following U.S. B-2 stealth bomber raids deploying 30,000-pound bunker-busting munitions, designed to shatter Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. But reports suggest the regime had already anticipated the attack. Just prior to the strikes, convoys of trucks were spotted at Fordow, sparking speculation that Iran had shifted much of its highly enriched uranium to undisclosed locations. According to Sima Shine, a long-serving figure within Israel’s military and intelligence apparatus, Iran likely transferred hundreds if not thousands of advanced centrifuges — vital for producing weapons-grade uranium — to hidden sites. “Pickaxe mountain may be the perfect hiding place,” she said. Satellite imagery and analysis from the Institute for Science and International Security show the Pickaxe site has undergone massive and deliberate expansion over the past four years. Its layout includes at least four known tunnel entrances — double that of Fordow — and burrows possibly more than 100 meters deep into the rock, compared to Fordow’s 60 to 90 meters. This depth could render even America’s most powerful conventional bombs ineffective. “The Kolang Gaz Lā or ‘Pickaxe’ mountain underground complex is intended to give the clerical regime a nuclear weapons site that even the U.S. Air Force would have difficulty destroying with its largest conventional bombs,” said Reuel Marc Gerecht, resident scholar at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “Adding tunnels and a security perimeter would further complicate any commando raid trying to sabotage the complex.” Grossi has warned that Iran’s refusal to grant access fuels suspicions. “Since it is obvious it is in a place where numerous and important activities related to the programme are taking place, we’re asking them, ‘What is this for?’ And they are telling us, ‘It’s none of your business,’” he said in April. By Monday, Grossi was urging Iran to allow inspectors into its nuclear facilities to “account for” the whereabouts of its enriched uranium. International concern is escalating. On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron warned that the risk of Iran secretly enriching uranium has “indeed increased with what has happened recently.” Speaking to reporters, Macron insisted, “We must absolutely prevent Iran going down this path.” Ben Taleblu, another analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, echoed these fears. “A key question is whether Iran will, or maybe already has, secreted fissile material into Pickaxe or some other unknown facility,” he told the Financial Times. If the site is indeed operational or nearing completion, it could offer Iran a viable “Plan B” — an impenetrable alternative to Fordow and Natanz. Experts believe this site could not only house thousands of centrifuges but also enable enrichment activities beyond the reach of international monitoring or conventional military strikes. For a regime determined to maintain nuclear leverage in the face of military and diplomatic pressure, Pickaxe mountain may well be its ultimate insurance policy. Adapted by ASEAN Now from CNN 2025-06-26 -
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UK Britain is poised to lose a record 16,500 millionaires in 2025
Britain Faces Historic Wealth Exodus as Tax Reforms Drive Millionaires Abroad Britain is poised to lose a record 16,500 millionaires in 2025 as sweeping changes to tax and visa regulations push affluent residents to seek more favourable financial climates abroad. According to the latest Henley Private Wealth Migration Report, the UK is now a leading example of how policy shifts can accelerate a flight of capital in an increasingly competitive global race for talent and investment. The report, which tracks the movement of individuals with liquid assets exceeding $1 million (approximately £740,000), places the UK at the top of the global millionaire outflow list—outpacing China twofold and Russia tenfold. The projected departure of these individuals is expected to result in the loss of around £66 billion in investable assets. Dr Juerg Steffen, chief executive of Henley & Partners, the advisory firm behind the report, said the UK had become “a cautionary tale in this new era of wealth migration.” He added, “This unprecedented outflow follows an already record-breaking year in 2024, when 10,800 affluent residents departed in search of greener pastures — compounding the mounting capital drain that began with Brexit. Prior to 2016, the UK had always attracted more millionaires than it lost to migration.” The exodus coincides with the abolition of the controversial non-domiciled tax regime, a system that had long allowed wealthy foreigners to shield offshore income from UK tax. The government’s new stance has made Britain less appealing to international investors, even as it attempts to retain global competitiveness. Reform UK, for instance, has proposed a so-called “Robin Hood” policy allowing non-doms to pay a flat £250,000 annual fee to avoid UK taxation on global earnings, with the funds redirected to low-income workers. Despite these efforts, Henley & Partners warns that Britain’s appeal to high net worth individuals is waning. While the country remains attractive to some, particularly disillusioned American citizens under the Trump administration, the number of wealthy newcomers has not been enough to balance those leaving. Data from Henley & Partners show a dramatic rise in British nationals applying for second residencies or citizenships through international migration programmes—an increase of 183 percent in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year. These trends are echoed in Companies House records analysed by Bloomberg, which show a sharp uptick in UK company directors relocating abroad. The preferred destinations for those exiting the UK include the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Switzerland, and Italy. The UAE stands out in particular, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi drawing 9,800 millionaires this year alone—a net gain attributed to their zero income tax policy, stable governance, investor-friendly regulations, and high-quality infrastructure. “The UAE’s appeal rests on multiple factors beyond its welcoming immigration policy,” said Steffen. “Zero income tax, world-class infrastructure, political stability and a regulatory framework that treats capital as partner rather than prey has created a compelling proposition.” Among the high-profile names reportedly leaving the UK are Anne Beaufour, the billionaire French heiress; German investor Max Gottschalk; JC Flowers co-president Tim Hanford; and boxing promoter Eddie Hearn. Lakshmi Mittal, the steel magnate and one of Britain’s wealthiest residents, is also believed to be considering an overseas move. While Britain may still hold allure for some, the growing perception of the UK as a less hospitable environment for capital is reshaping its global reputation—and its economic landscape. Related Topics Rachel Reeves to Revise Non-Dom Tax Rules Amid Wealthy Exodus Non-Dom Tax Gamble threatens to cost Reeves billions Reeves Reconsiders non-dom Tax Overhaul Amid Fears of Wealth Flight Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Times 2025-06-26
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