Biden urges Americans to ‘keep the faith’ as he spends final full day as president in South Carolina

Biden urges Americans to ‘keep the faith’ as he spends final full day as president in South Carolina
US President Joe Biden delivers remarks at the International African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina, US, January 19, 2025. (Reuters)
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Updated 20 January 2025
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Biden urges Americans to ‘keep the faith’ as he spends final full day as president in South Carolina

Biden urges Americans to ‘keep the faith’ as he spends final full day as president in South Carolina
  • “We know the struggle to redeeming the soul of this nation is difficult and ongoing,” Biden said. “We must hold on to hope. We must stay engaged. We must always keep the faith in the better day to come”

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C.: Joe Biden spent his final full day as president Sunday in South Carolina, urging Americans to “keep the faith in a better day to come” and reflecting on the impact of the civil rights movement in pushing him into politics.
On the eve of Monday’s inauguration of Republican President-elect Donald Trump, Biden delivered a final farewell from a state that holds special meaning after his commanding win in its 2020 Democratic primary set him up to achieve his life’s goal of being elected president of the United States.
Biden spoke to the congregation of Royal Missionary Baptist Church about why he entered public service — Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. were political heroes, he said — and he thanked South Carolina for its support: “I owe you big.” Monday is the federal holiday honoring King, the slain civil rights leader.
“We know the struggle to redeeming the soul of this nation is difficult and ongoing,” Biden said. “We must hold on to hope. We must stay engaged. We must always keep the faith in the better day to come.”
He added: “I’m not going anywhere” — and the congregation applauded.
Before the service, as hostages started to be released under a Middle East ceasefire that the US helped broker, Biden said “the guns in Gaza have gone silent.” The agreement to halt the fighting between Israel and Hamas was one he had outlined in May.
“Now it falls on the next administration to help implement this deal. I was pleased to have our team speak as one voice in the final days,” Biden said.
He noted that the three hostages released Sunday “appear to be in good health” and he offered some advice to Trump on maintaining the hard-won deal.
“Success is going to require persistence, and continuing support for our friends in the region and the belief in diplomacy backed by deterrence,” Biden said.
After Biden spoke on the ceasefire, he and first lady Jill Biden took their seats in the front pew at the church. At least several hundred congregants sang gospel songs, rising to their feet and swaying and clapping. A choir led the musical selections from behind the pulpit before the program later shifted to focus on King.
Biden was introduced by Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., a key ally who referred to the president as his “longtime friend.” Clyburn cited a number of presidents who were underappreciated during their time in office but are now looked on more fondly with the passage of time. He added Biden to that list.
“So I want to say to you, good friend, very little appreciation has been shown recently but faint not. History will be very proud of you,” Clyburn said.
The Bidens also will tour the International African American Museum in South Carolina. It was built on a waterfront site where tens of thousands of enslaved Africans were brought to the US from the late 1760s through 1808, according to the museum’s website.
Back in 2020, Biden saw his campaign flounder after he lost the opening contests in New Hampshire, Iowa and Nevada. But at the fourth stop, South Carolina — where Black voters make up a majority of the Democratic electorate — he was lifted to victory after Clyburn’s endorsement.
“I know Joe. We know Joe. But most importantly, Joe knows us,” Clyburn said at the time.
After winning election and taking office, Biden pushed for South Carolina to move to the head of the line and be the state that opened the Democratic Party’s nominating process for 2024, instead of New Hampshire. He easily won the state’s primary that year.
“In 2020, it was the voters of South Carolina who proved the pundits wrong, breathed new life into our campaign, and set us on the path to winning the presidency,” Biden said in a statement after winning the primary for the second time. “Now in 2024, the people of South Carolina have spoken again and I have no doubt that you have set us on the path to winning the Presidency again — and making Donald Trump a loser — again.”
It didn’t turn out that way. After faltering in a debate against Trump, Biden dropped out of the race under pressure from many Democrats, though Clyburn notably was not among them.
Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who replaced him as the Democrats’ nominee. She lost to Trump.
Clyburn said Biden told him he wanted to visit the African American history museum, which Clyburn helped start. They were planning to spend some time together there.
“This is his way of saying ‘thank you,’” Clyburn said.


Trump says he discussed ending Ukraine war with Russia’s Putin

Trump says he discussed ending Ukraine war with Russia’s Putin
Updated 14 sec ago
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Trump says he discussed ending Ukraine war with Russia’s Putin

Trump says he discussed ending Ukraine war with Russia’s Putin
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday about starting negotiations immediately to end the war in Ukraine.
“We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelensky, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now,” Trump said in a post on his social media platform.

Indonesia, Turkiye agree to set up drone factory during Erdogan’s visit

Indonesia, Turkiye agree to set up drone factory during Erdogan’s visit
Updated 12 February 2025
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Indonesia, Turkiye agree to set up drone factory during Erdogan’s visit

Indonesia, Turkiye agree to set up drone factory during Erdogan’s visit
  • Indonesian, Turkish leaders agree to speed up CEPA talks, increase trade to $10 billion
  • Drone factory joint venture deal signed by Turkiye’s Baykar and Indonesia’s Republikorp

JAKARTA: Indonesian and Turkish defense companies agreed on Wednesday to set up a jointly operated drone factory, as the two countries signed a series of deals during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to the Southeast Asian nation.

Erdogan arrived in Indonesia on Tuesday to co-chair with his Indonesian counterpart, Prabowo Subianto, the first meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council — a bilateral mechanism for state-level negotiations.

After the council meeting, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a joint venture deal between Turkish drone maker Baykar and Indonesian defense firm Republikorp at the Bogor Palace, West Java.

“Indonesia and Turkiye will also strengthen our defense and security cooperation, including education and training for our armed forces, intelligence partnership and counter-terrorism efforts. We also agreed to increase our cooperation and joint production in the defense industry,” Prabowo said during a joint press conference.

“Our meeting was active and productive, we have the same commitment to strengthen our partnership.”

The agreement to set up a drone factory in Indonesia was signed by Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar and Republikorp Chairman Norman Joesoef. Details of the deal were not immediately available.

Baykar drones, particularly unmanned aerial combat vehicle Bayraktar TB2, gained global prominence after they were used by Ukraine’s military against Russian forces following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Indonesia and Turkiye — both members of the Group of 20 biggest economies — also agreed to speed up negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or CEPA, to boost bilateral trade, worth about $2.4 billion in 2024.

They signed nine agreements, which besides defense, covered trade, higher education, health care and agriculture.

“We considered it important to enhance our cooperation across various fields,” Erdogan said.

“We will work toward increasing our annual bilateral trade to $10 billion with balanced values. We are committed to do all things necessary to realize this commitment.”


UK Muslim, Jewish leaders present reconciliation accord to King Charles after summit

UK Muslim, Jewish leaders present reconciliation accord to King Charles after summit
Updated 12 February 2025
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UK Muslim, Jewish leaders present reconciliation accord to King Charles after summit

UK Muslim, Jewish leaders present reconciliation accord to King Charles after summit
  • Chief rabbi: Agreement represents ‘bold first step towards rebuilding meaningful trust’

LONDON: Senior Muslim and Jewish leaders from Britain held a secret summit that resulted in the signing of a historic reconciliation accord that was presented to King Charles III, The Times reported.

The summit was hosted last month at the 17th-century Drumlanrig Castle in Scotland and involved 11 religious leaders.

The resulting agreement, dubbed the Drumlanrig Accord, was presented to the king on Tuesday.

He hailed the “marvellous exercise” and said the “least he could do” was host the religious leaders.

The summit, held at the invitation of the duke of Buccleuch, aimed to repair ties between the UK’s Muslim and Jewish communities in the wake of the Gaza war.

“The leaders were honoured to be able to present a copy of the accord to his majesty the king at Buckingham Palace, underscoring its profound national and societal significance,” the group of faith leaders said.

“A new framework for engagement … built on mutual respect, dialogue and practical collaboration” between British Muslims and Jews was laid out in the accord. It highlights the shared spiritual heritage of the two faiths.

Both communities committed to working together on “practical initiatives that support the most vulnerable.”

Observers hope that the accord will lead to the establishment of a joint body that could monitor Islamophobic and antisemitic incidents in Britain.

The idea for the summit was put forward by the chief imam of the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society, Sayed Razawi, who had been working for a year to bring Muslim and Jewish figures together for dinners and meetings.

Ephraim Mirvis, chief rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, also played a key role.

Sunni and Shiite sects of Islam were represented. Civil servants and community groups also attended.

Razawi said: “Initially people were slightly nervous as they were coming in and saw this huge castle that takes your breath away, but within an hour and a half people were best of friends, joking, talking about each other’s families, discussing issues and problems.”

After eight hours of discussion, the faith leaders agreed upon the accord. They met again on Tuesday at Spencer House in London to sign the document, before walking together to Buckingham Palace to present it to the king.

Mirvis said the accord represents “a bold first step towards rebuilding a meaningful trust between Muslim and Jewish communities over the long term.

“They do not gloss over our differences; they acknowledge them. But they also send out a powerful message that in times of division, when it is far easier to retreat into fear and suspicion, we are prepared to take the more challenging path to reconciliation.”


Gaza family gets UK residency through Ukraine visa program

Gaza family gets UK residency through Ukraine visa program
Updated 12 February 2025
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Gaza family gets UK residency through Ukraine visa program

Gaza family gets UK residency through Ukraine visa program
  • Home Office rejection of family’s claim breached their human rights: Judge
  • They faced ‘dire situation’ amid ‘daily threats to their lives from Israeli military attacks’

London: A Palestinian family fleeing Gaza have been granted the right to live in Britain through a scheme for Ukrainian refugees.

The family of six refugees were granted anonymity and permitted to join their brother in the UK following the ruling.

It is believed to be the first time refugees from outside Ukraine have used the Ukraine Family Scheme to receive residency rights.

An original rejection of the family’s claim by the Home Office breached their human rights, an immigration judge, Hugo Norton-Taylor, ruled.

More than 70,000 visas were granted to Ukrainians and their family members through the scheme, which launched in March 2022 and closed in February last year.

The Palestinian family applied through the scheme in January 2024, a month before it closed, arguing that their situation was “compelling” enough to justify an exception to the rules.

The mother, father and four children aged 7, 8, 17 and 19 were living in a Gaza refugee camp.

They faced “daily threats to their lives from Israeli military attacks” after an airstrike destroyed their home, the judge said. The family’s sponsor arrived in Britain in 2007 and is now a citizen.

Documents show that Norton-Taylor found that they were living in a “dire situation.” The family were exposed to a humanitarian crisis resulting from “the Israeli government’s indiscriminate attempts to eliminate Hamas.”

An initial rejection of their claim by a Home Office tribunal argued that instituting a resettlement scheme for Palestinians was not the body’s responsibility.

But Norton-Taylor found that the rejection interfered with their right to a family life. He highlighted the “incredibly dangerous” situation for Palestinians in Gaza and warned of the family’s “high risk of death.”

A Home Office spokesperson said the department had contested the claim “rigorously,” adding: “The latter court ruled against us on the narrow facts of this specific case.

“Nevertheless, we are clear that there is no resettlement route from Gaza, and we will continue to contest any future claims that do not meet our rules.”


Bangladesh cuts airfare for Saudi-bound migrant workers

Bangladesh cuts airfare for Saudi-bound migrant workers
Updated 12 February 2025
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Bangladesh cuts airfare for Saudi-bound migrant workers

Bangladesh cuts airfare for Saudi-bound migrant workers
  • Under the new scheme, base fares for flights to the Kingdom are set at $360
  • Workers must be registered with Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training

DHAKA: The Bangladeshi government has introduced a special discounted airfare to reduce migration costs for expat workers traveling to Saudi Arabia and other foreign employment destinations, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism said on Wednesday.

The decision was issued by the ministry in a circular on Tuesday, directing all airlines and travel agencies operating in the country to provide special fares for Bangladeshis traveling on work visas.

“It’s an inter-ministerial coordinated decision aimed at reducing the burden on our remittance earners. We have instructed all airlines operating in Bangladesh to adhere to these base fare guidelines,” said Abu Naser Khan, additional secretary at the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.

“Our migrants have been burdened by the high cost of airfare. Our chief adviser, Prof. Muhammad Yunus, is deeply sympathetic to the plight of migrant workers, and this base fare reduction has been implemented following his guidance and approval.”

The national flag carrier, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, has already approved the reduced fare scheme, while other carriers need to take measures by the end of next week to decrease ticket prices.

“A task force has been formed to monitor the situation on the ground. Led by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, this task force will include representatives from all relevant stakeholders,” Khan said.

“Bangladeshi migrants who are traveling as new recruits to any country with a smart card issued by the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training are eligible for this opportunity.”

The decision is to prevent travel agencies from manipulating ticket prices.

“There was a trend here in Bangladesh to book the air tickets much earlier without the details of the passengers. This practice creates a crisis in the availability of the tickets, forcing the migrants to pay a high fare,” said Afsia Jannat Saleh, secretary general of the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh.

“This system was called group booking. The agents booked tickets at the rate of $300-400, but the migrants needed to pay up to $900 for a one-way ticket.”

Most Bangladeshi expat workers look for opportunities in Saudi Arabia, where about 3 million of them live and work. They are the largest expat group in the Kingdom and the largest Bangladeshi community outside Bangladesh.

“At the moment, most of our migrants are traveling to Saudi Arabia ... Since September last, the number of migrants travel has just doubled. Earlier, it was around 44,000 per month, and now it stands around 84,000,” Saleh told Arab News.

“In the case of traveling to Saudi Arabia, now migrants will be able to save around $100.”

Under the new airfare structure, base fares — excluding taxes — are set at $360 for flights on the Dhaka-Jeddah, Dhaka-Madinah and Dhaka-Riyadh routes. Earlier, the cheapest price ranged between $430 and $480.