Musings From Abroad

US: Like predecessor Trump, Special Council probes President Biden’s handling of classified document

Published

2 years ago

January 12, 2023

The office of the United States President, Joe Biden has named a special counsel to probe the improper storage of classified documents at his home and a former office.

The Biden administration named the special team on Thursday. The team is believed to be an echo of a wider-ranging inquiry directed at his main political rival, Donald Trump.

The White House through its lawyer, Richard Sauber said in a statement that some material was found in a locked garage at Biden’s home and an adjacent room and pledged to cooperate.

“We are confident that a thorough review will show that these documents were inadvertently misplaced.” The statement said.

The president on Thursday while speaking about the wisdom of storing important material next to his Corvette, said both were in a locked garage. “People know I take classified documents and classified material seriously,” he added.

The head of National Security Counselors, a law firm, Kel McClanahan, “the facts cannot be more different. The only similarity is there were classified documents that were taken out of the White House to somewhere else.”

The US Attorney General Merrick Garland said Robert Hur, who served as the top federal prosecutor in Maryland under Trump, will act as a quasi-independent prosecutor to determine whether classified records from Biden’s time as vice president had been improperly stored at his residence in Delaware and a think tank in Washington. Garland said Hur will examine “whether any person or entity violated the law.”

Musings From Abroad

Brazilian meatpacker JBS invests $2.5 billion in Nigeria, builds six facilities

Published

1 day ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Brazilian meatpacker JBS says it has inked a memorandum of understanding with the Nigerian government for a $2.5 billion investment plan that will include the construction of six new plants in the African nation.

Three of the plants would deal in poultry, two in beef, and one in pork, according to a statement from JBS.

In accordance with the memorandum of understanding, JBS stated that it would develop a five-year investment plan in Nigeria, which would include budget estimates, feasibility studies, and an action plan for the development of the local supply chain.

The Nigerian government would then guarantee the sanitary, regulatory, and economic conditions required for the project’s viability, JBS continued.

Musings From Abroad

China’s Xi meets with Morocco’s Crown Prince

Published

1 day ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Morocco’s official media reports that Chinese President, Xi Jinping, visited Morocco briefly on Thursday.

According to Morocco’s MAP, Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan welcomed Xi in Casablanca. The visit demonstrated the close ties of camaraderie, collaboration, and solidarity between the Moroccan and Chinese peoples, it said.

China’s official broadcaster, CCTV, said that Xi and Hassan had a “cordial conversation” at the airport after being received by the Crown Prince and Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch.

After attending the G20 Summit in Brazil, Xi paid the visit.

In recent years, China has increased its investments in Morocco’s rail and infrastructure. Morocco is desirable for Chinese electric car battery manufacturers because of its proximity to Europe, free trade agreements with important EU and US markets, and an established automotive sector.

Morocco was chosen by Chinese EV battery company Gotion High Tech in June to establish Africa’s first gigafactory, which will cost $1.3 billion in total.