what is fortune 3 Much Sturm und Drang has surrounded some of Donald Trump’s picks for national security and foreign policy positions, but the president-elect has made clear that all matters of war and diplomacy will run through him. President Joe Biden, who huddled with other G7 leaders Friday morning, has had a message for Trump since he won a second term last month: Resist your instinct to turn away from America’s allies. John Kirby, White House national security communications adviser, described Friday’s G7 session as focused on the leaders’ ”shared support to Ukraine,” including the use of a World Bank fund to deliver billions in economic aid to the war-torn country. He also told reporters Thursday that Biden had “made clear, we’re going to continue to provide additional packages right up until the end of this administration.” But in a sweeping interview published Thursday, Trump signaled a much different foreign policy when he takes office. The soon-to-be-47th president has always been skeptical of — and sometimes combative with — international entities. And he hardly has committed to continuing U.S. economic and military aid to Ukraine, including during his “Person of the Year” interview with Time magazine. “I’m going to try and help Ukraine but Europe has to get there also and do their job. They’re not doing their job,” the incoming commander in chief said. “Europe is not paying their fair share. ... But they’ve taken advantage of us, both on NATO and on Ukraine. We’re in for billions of dollars more than they’re in Ukraine. It shouldn’t be that way.” On Capitol Hill in recent weeks, throngs of reporters and television cameras have followed Trump’s picks for Defense secretary, national intelligence director, secretary of State and other global affairs-focused posts. Senators have peppered them with policy questions during private meetings, eager for their views on foreign relations and national security matters. But one word stood out again and again during Trump’s interview with Time: “I.” His answers suggest his nominees likely would be in the business of implementing his policy desires, rather than making their own. “I hope it can be pointed out [that] during my term, there were stories that Iran didn’t have the money to give to any — there was very little terrorism. We had none. I had four years of — we had no terrorism,” he said. “We didn’t have a World Trade Center knocked down. You know, [George W.] Bush used to say, ‘Well, we’ve been a safe country.’ I said, ‘They knocked down the World Trade Center in the middle of your term.’ ” (Fact checkers have termed Trump’s claims of no terrorism under his presidency as false.) “And we got rid of ISIS, 100 percent,” Trump added, also falsely, before blaming Biden because “now they’re starting to come back.” ‘I built the embassy’ Trump, signaling he would soon usher in a more forceful tone as diplomat in chief toward friends and foes alike, suggested he would offer more constructive criticism to Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “I think that Israel has done one thing very badly: public relations. I don’t think that the Israel Defense [Forces] or any other group should be sending out pictures every night of buildings falling down and being bombed with possibly people in those buildings every single night, which is what they do,” he said. On the Iran nuclear accord negotiated under President Barack Obama: “I ended that deal.” On his administration moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem: “I did the embassy and in Jerusalem. Jerusalem became the capital.” On a new main American diplomatic facility there: “I built the embassy. I even built the embassy.” It seems in Trump’s view during his second transition, the “I’s” have it. That includes issuing a few warnings for Netanyahu, whom Biden has granted wide latitude in conducting the wars in Gaza and Lebanon. “Well, I had a bad experience with Bibi. And it had to do with Soleimani, because as you probably know by now, he dropped out just before the attack,” Trump told Time, referring to his claim that Netanyahu’s government had agreed to help U.S. forces in an operation that ultimately killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani, who led the elite Quds Force of the country’s Revolutionary Guard. “I was not happy about that. That was something I never forgot. And it showed me something.” He also said Israelis who blame Netanyahu for Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on their soil were correct, adding that he would be able to work with other top Israeli officials such as Benny Gantz, a former IDF general who was previously the country’s defense minister and deputy prime minister. “I think Benny Gantz is good, but I’m not prepared to say that,” he said when asked if he could “work better” with him than with Netanyahu in a second term. “But you have some very good people that I’ve gotten to know in Israel that could do a good job,” he said. “And I will say this ... Netanyahu rightfully has been criticized for what took place on October 7.” ‘People like it’ Eight years ago, during his first campaign for president, the transition period and his first inaugural address, Trump’s underlying message was that he was the only person who could repair the “carnage” that he said was caused by Democrats like Obama and Nancy Pelosi and even some Republicans, including former President George W. Bush. That list also included internationalists from both parties whom Trump blamed for sending American jobs overseas and bungling the U.S. response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This time, Trump has told interviewers and posted on social media that the current perceived mess was caused by one person: Biden. “[We] have an incompetent fool that’s allowing people to come into our country,” he said. “We have an incompetent fool that drove energy prices so high over such a short period of time. And by the way, you know, he’s gone to a lot of my policies now.” Asked if he understands why some recoiled at his pledge to be a dictator on “day one,” Trump, who received more than 77 million votes and swept all seven battleground states, replied: “I think a lot of people like it.”College Football Playoff & Bowl Game TV Schedule 2024Canada's new public-sector payment system is still years away from being implemented

Biden's Hunter pardon riles Democrats who defended US justice system

After Trump's win, Black women are rethinking their role as America's reliable political organizersTwelve people were charged with various impaired driving offences last weekend in the South Okanagan, as BC Highway Patrol checked more than 300 vehicles on Nov. 22 and 23. An additional two individuals were charged while driving prohibited, the provincial road safety unit said. "BC Highway Patrol recognizes that the holiday season is upon us and that there are increased social events where alcohol is being served," reads a media release. "We are reminding the public to plan ahead for these events and arrange for a designated driver or some other form of safe ride home." The unit added that it will be "out in full force" in the South Okanagan this holiday season, as it conducts enforcement activities and "works hard to make our roads safer."

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Republicans filed a lawsuit Monday to try to force a rerun of a state House race where the incumbent Democrat won by 14 votes — but in which investigators concluded that election workers probably destroyed 20 valid absentee ballots after failing to count them. It's a race that could determine the balance of power in the Minnesota House, where leaders from both parties are working out the details of a power-sharing agreement that currently presumes a 67-67 tie when the Legislature convenes next month. A Republican victory in a special election could shift that balance to a two-vote, 68-66 GOP majority. Democrats have a one-vote majority in the state Senate. So regardless of the outcome in the disputed race, Minnesota will be returning to some degree of divided government in 2025 after two years of full Democratic control. “The actions of Scott County elections officials constitute a serious breach of not only Minnesota Election Law, but the public trust in our electoral system,” the lawsuit said. Democratic Rep. Brad Tabke was declared the winner last week of the swing suburban Shakopee-area District 54A race by 14 votes after a recount and the official canvass. But Scott County election officials had said earlier, after a post-election audit, that they were unable to account for 21 absentee ballots in the district southwest of Minneapolis. County Attorney Ronald Hocevar reported last Wednesday that his preliminary investigation determined that election workers most likely threw at least 20 of those absentee ballots away, and that they may have been in a paper bale that a recycler had already sent away for shredding. He wrote that they “most likely will not be recovered,” and that even if they were found, it's unlikely that an unbroken chain of custody could be proven to assure that they weren't tampered with. In Minnesota, absentee voters complete their ballots, place them in a security envelope to protect their privacy, then place that envelope inside a signature envelope with identifying information on the outside so that election workers can check those ballots in. Once the counting begins, the ballots are supposed to be removed from the security envelopes and tabulated. The county attorney concluded that the 20 ballots, all from the same precinct, were properly accepted for counting on Oct. 17, but “most likely were never removed from their secrecy envelopes,” and were probably still in them when those envelopes were thrown away. The investigation didn’t determine what happened to the 21st ballot, which was cast in a different precinct. It’s not the first time in recent years that absentee ballots have gone missing. When a small number of military ballots in Pennsylvania ended up in a trash can in 2020, President Donald Trump repeatedly seized on the case to support his claims of fraud heading into that election. After investigating, authorities found a temporary county election worker had mistakenly discarded seven military ballots in the trash and mishandled two others. The ballots were later retrieved from a garbage dumpster and counted, and the worker was fired. Minnesota House Republicans filed Monday's lawsuit on behalf of GOP candidate Aaron Paul, asking a court to declare the results invalid and Tabke's seat vacant, saying the “undisputed facts” make it impossible to rely on the results. The current House minority leader, Rep. Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring, said a new election is the best way to protect the integrity of the process. "We appreciate the efforts by Scott County to investigate this matter and be transparent about their findings,” Demuth said in a statement. But House Democrats said they believe they will win the court challenge. “Rep. Brad Tabke won the election in District 54A by the count on Election Night and in the recount," current Speaker Melissa Hortman, of Brooklyn Park, said in a statement. "We expect Rep. Tabke will prevail again in the election contest.” Republicans also filed a lawsuit last month over a different House race, in the suburban Roseville area, where they allege the winner doesn't live in the district. Democrats deny that, and the district is heavily Democratic, so that case is unlikely to change the balance of power even if there's a special election. ___ Associated Press writer Christina Almeida Cassidy contributed to this story from Atlanta. ___ This story has been corrected to show the GOP House majority would be two votes, not one, if its candidate wins a special election, not . Steve Karnowski, The Associated Press

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Thomas Brown insists he's focused on the job at hand and not the one he might have down the line. His immediate task as the interim coach of the Chicago Bears is helping the team finish strong over the final five games, starting this weekend at San Francisco. The rest of his life can wait. “I think about just the moment. ... I obviously understand the role that I'm in, understand what might come with it," he said Wednesday. "But I also understand that we make most situations bigger than what it has to be because of the outside noise, what everybody else puts a value on it.” The Bears are in a moment unlike any other in the history of the founding NFL franchise. They fired a head coach for the first time during a season when they let Matt Eberflus go on Friday with a 4-8 record and the team in a six-game losing streak marked by head-scratching decisions. They promoted Brown, who in a span of three weeks went from passing game coordinator to offensive coordinator and now the person in charge. The tipping point was a 23-20 loss at Detroit on Thanksgiving, when the Bears let the clock run down rather than call a timeout following a sack. It led to Caleb Williams throwing an incomplete pass from the Lions 41 as time expired when Chicago should have been able to run more than one play. Star cornerback Jaylon Johnson interrupted Eberflus' postgame speech and made his feelings clear. Other players had gone public in recent weeks with their frustrations over the coaching decisions, and they didn't exactly hide their emotions following the Detroit game. On Wednesday, defensive end DeMarcus Walker said he sensed a change was coming after the loss to the Lions. “You guys just look at the whole turnaround, how everything had been going, we just knew some changes were going to be made,” he said. The 38-year-old Brown now has a huge opportunity. He spent last season as Carolina's offensive coordinator and the previous three on Sean McVay's staff with the Los Angeles Rams — the final two as assistant head coach. Prior to that, he spent nine years as a college assistant, including stops at Wisconsin, Georgia, Miami and South Carolina. It's his job to help right a team that came into the season thinking a playoff spot was in reach. Williams' development obviously will be front and center. To that end, the No. 1 overall draft pick has looked more comfortable in the three games since Brown took over for the fired Shane Waldron as offensive coordinator, completing 75 of 117 passes for 827 yards with five touchdowns, no interceptions and a rating of 99.2. Though Brown will continue to call plays, the Bears have another new offensive coordinator in wide receivers coach Chris Beatty. “I think it is a stepping stone actually with my development because I think down the line I’ll have different OCs or different head coaches or whatever the case may be,” Williams said. “And so being able to handle it my first year, handle a new playbook, handle all these different changes, handle all of this I think it definitely will help the development instead of hurting it or anything like that.” Beyond the development of the prized quarterback, Brown also will be judged during his audition for the regular job on his preparation, decisions during games and command of the locker room. He said he reached out to each player individually on Friday and Saturday and tried to set a tone when the team met on Monday. “I want them to be excellent,” Brown said. “I can nitpick at every single play and tell a guy how he wasn’t perfect. And, so, perfection’s not the goal. It’s to excel at your craft.” Notes: The Bears had a lengthy injury report on Wednesday. WRs Keenan Allen (ankle) and DJ Moore (quad), RBs D'Andre Swift (quad) and Roschon Johnson (concussion), DB Elijah Hicks (ankle) and OL Ryan Bates (concussion) all missed practice. S Kevin Byard (shoulder) and OLs Darnnell Wright (knee) and Coleman Shelton (knee) were limited. ___ AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Andrew Seligman, The Associated Press

Saturday Night Live has lined up its last trio of hosts for 2024. After a season full of nostalgic bits, political bites, and even some emotional moments, Season 50’s first stretch will conclude with three back-to-back-to-back episodes in December. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.The ongoing dispute among Donald Trump supporters over immigration and the tech industry has laid bare internal divisions within his political movement. This rift offers a glimpse into potential conflicts that could emerge as Trump heads to the White House. The controversy involves a split between tech elites, including billionaire Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who are calling for more skilled workers, and Trump's 'Make America Great Again' base, which supports stringent immigration measures. This week, right-wing commentator Laura Loomer ignited debate when she criticized Trump's choice of Sriram Krishnan as an AI policy adviser, citing his pro-skilled immigration stance. The debate quickly spread across the social media platform X, owned by Musk, with contributions from influential figures like former PayPal executive David Sacks. Musk, who advocates for skilled immigration, underscored the tech industry's reliance on foreign workers to fill critical positions, emphasizing a shortage of local engineering talent. Trump's conflicting statements on immigration reflect the broader tensions within his movement. (With inputs from agencies.)

RECAP: Asian equities fell yesterday as a lack of details from a Chinese economic conference disappointed some traders and risk appetite weakened ahead of next week's US Federal Reserve interest rate meeting. The SET index moved in a range of 1,429.68 and 1,456.92 points this week, before closing yesterday at 1,431.67, down 1.4% from the previous week, with daily turnover averaging 39.08 billion baht. Retail investors were net buyers of 3.1 billion baht, followed by institutional investors at 2.4 billion. Foreign investors were net sellers of 5.4 billion baht, followed by brokerage firms at 83.26 million. NEWSMAKERS: The European Central Bank on Thursday made its fourth interest rate cut of 2024, bringing its deposit facility rate to 3% while lowering its inflation forecast. The euro zone economy is "losing momentum" as manufacturing has contracted and growth in services slowed, ECB president Christine Lagarde cautioned. BlackRock, the world's largest fund manager by assets, has recommended that investors "with suitable governance and risk tolerance" consider allocating as much as 2% of their portfolio to bitcoin. Tesla CEO Elon Musk's net worth crossed $400 billion on Thursday, the Forbes real-time billionaires list showed, boosted by a nearly 71% surge in the automaker's shares this year and the soaring valuation of his rocket company SpaceX. The global airline industry stands to earn $36.6 billion in net profit in 2025, up 16% from this year, driven by a record 5.2 billion passengers taking to the skies, the International Air Transport Association said on Wednesday. It expects industry revenue to exceed $1 trillion for the first time in 2025. China's anti-monopoly regulator says it is investigating potential antitrust violations by Nvidia, the US company that makes a vast majority of the computer chips that power artificial intelligence systems, as the Washington-Beijing chip war intensifies. US consumer inflation rose in line with expectations to 2.7% year-on-year in November from 2.6% in October. The producer price index rose 0.4% from a month earlier. The US jobs report showed 227,000 non-farm positions added in November, with unemployment at 4.2%, supporting expectations of another Fed interest rate cut next week, with cuts continuing until the third quarter of 2025. The Bank of Canada slashed its key policy rate by 50 basis points to 3.25% on Wednesday but indicated further cuts would be more gradual as it seeks to support growth. The Biden administration is reportedly weighing harsher measures against the lucrative Russian oil trade that appears to have been largely immune to US sanctions. China's exports and imports in November both missed expectations, official data showed, as consumer demand remains sluggish and tariff threats loom. Imports declined 3.9%, the sharpest fall since September 2023, as exports rose 6.7% in dollar terms, down from 12.7% growth in October. The Indonesian rupiah dropped past the key psychological level of 16,000 per dollar yesterday, escalating pressure on the central bank after it already undertook what it called "bold" moves to support the currency. The German online fashion retailer Zalando plans to acquire local rival About You for 1.1 billion euros to create a European platform that can better compete with Chinese e-commerce giants. China's central bank resumed purchasing gold for its reserves in November after a six-month pause. The return to gold buying may help stimulate demand among Chinese investors. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced new populist measures on Thursday to boost the sluggish economy, including soft loans for community businesses, funds for villages, cheap housing for Bangkok low-income workers, energy price cuts and a flat rate for urban rail travel. The national wage committee has postponed until Dec 23 a decision on the minimum wage for 2025. But members have indicated that a flat rate of 400 baht a day nationwide, as promised by the government, is unrealistic. The cabinet on Wednesday approved more debt-relief measures covering 1.9 million debtors with 890 billion baht worth of loans. The loans, which were taken to purchase houses and automobiles and finance small businesses, will be eligible for interest suspension for three years. The cabinet has approved draft legislation to impose a global minimum corporate tax of 15% on multinational enterprises in line with OECD guidelines. The tax will apply to multinationals with annual global turnover of more than €750 million. Prime Minister Paetongtarn dismissed talk of the value-added tax rate rising to 15% from 7%. She said the idea was simply one of many topics for discussion as the finance ministry looks to rebalance the tax system. Consumer confidence rose for a second consecutive month to 56.9 in November, from 56.0 in the previous month, bolstered by government economic measures and tourism, the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce said. The SET has announced changes to the FTSE SET Index Series, effective this month, with Minor International (MINT) being included in the Large Cap Index. Cal-Comp Electronics (Thailand) (CCET) and Energy Absolute (EA) will be added to the Mid Cap Index. The Public Debt Management Office plans to issue 100 billion baht in sustainable bonds next year to fund the government deficit. In November it issued 30 billion baht in sustainability-linked bonds paying 2.7%. The Ministry of Finance is allocating 20 billion baht to purchase additional shares in Thai Airways International Plc on Dec 12, raising the ministry's stake in the national carrier to 40% from 30%. COMING UP: On Monday, China updates unemployment data. On Tuesday, the US reports retail sales and industrial production, while Japan releases November trade figures. The UK and the euro zone update inflation on Wednesday, while the Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan will announce interest rate decisions. On Thursday, the Bank of England holds a rate meeting, and the US releases revised quarterly GDP and existing home sales. Locally, the Exim Bank will hold a press conference on Monday, while the Federation of Thai Capital Market Organizations will host a ThaiESG Fund seminar. On Wednesday the Bank of Thailand has its last rate meeting of 2024. STOCKS TO WATCH: InnovestX Securities recommends stocks likely to benefit from economic stimulus and household debt relief measures. Recommended commerce plays are CPALL, CPAXT, CRC, HMPRO and TNP, while tourism stocks include AWC, AOT and MINT. Stocks expected to report growth in Q4 profit and outperform the market include GULF, OSP, AMATA, AU, TIDLOR and BCP. Asia Plus Securities says investors could consider speculative plays on candidates to enter and exit SET50 in the first half of 2025, such as CCET, SAWAD, COM7 and BANPU, as well as firms expecting to outperform the market for the rest of 2024. TECHNICAL VIEW: InnovestX Securities sees support at 1,430 points and resistance at 1,460. Trinity Securities sees support at 1,430 and resistance at 1,470.

South Carolina looks to steady ship against South Carolina UpstateSouth Korea says Russia supplied air defense missiles to North Korea in return for its troops

Musk's xAI plans massive expansion of AI supercomputer in MemphisATLANTA — On Jan. 18 and 19 the AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! will be held at State Farm Arena in advance of the College Football Playoff national championship on Jan. 20. The star-studded lineup was announced Thursday at a news conference at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Performances will include Lil Wayne and GloRilla on Saturday; and Camila Cabello, Myles Smith and Knox on Sunday. On game day, the Allstate Championship Tailgate, taking place just outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the Home Depot Backyard, will feature country acts on the Capital One Music Stage, including global superstar Kane Brown and iHeartCountry “On The Verge” artist Ashley Cooke. The concerts are just two of the festivities visiting fans can enjoy in the days leading up to the big game. The fan experience for both ticket holders and the general public has been a focus for event planners. All weekend long, an estimated 100,000 people from across the country are expected to attend fan events preceding kickoff. People are also reading... Recap: Here's how Joey Graziadei will win 'Dancing with the Stars' At the courthouse, Nov. 16, 2024 Zitel bound over to district court in death of child Kidnapping in Nebraska prompted police chase that ended with 3 dead on I-29 in Missouri Beatrice native's latest film gets special engagement in hometown BPS mini-marts offer help They fell in love with Beatrice. So they opened a store in downtown. Chamberlain among seven inducted into Nebraska Baseball HOF Inmate cited for damaging video system Just Askin': Dana Holgorsen noncommittal on future, ranking a big week for Nebraska Athletics Beatrice High School first-quarter honor roll Micheal J's to reopen Former Daily Sun publisher Thomas dies Historical society appoints board members, elects officers At the courthouse, Nov. 9, 2024 “It will be an opportunity for fans of all ages to come together to sample what college football is all about, and you don’t have to have a ticket to the game to be a part of it,” said Bill Hancock, executive director of the CFP in a press release. “We’ve worked closely with the Atlanta Football Host Committee to develop fan-friendly events that thousands will enjoy come January.” On Saturday, Jan. 18, Playoff Fan Central will open at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta. The free, family-friendly experience will include games, clinics, pep rallies, special guest appearances, autograph signings and exhibits celebrating college football and its history. That day, fans can also attend Media Day, presented by Great Clips, which will feature one-hour sessions with student-athletes and coaches from each of the College Football Playoff national championship participating teams. ESPN and social media giants X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will be taping live broadcasts from the event. On Sunday, Jan. 19, the Trophy Trot, both a 5K and 10K race, will wind its way through the streets of downtown Atlanta. Each Trophy Trot participant will receive a T-shirt and finisher’s medal. Participants can register at atlantatrackclub.org . On Sunday evening, the Georgia Aquarium will host the Taste of the Championship dining event, which offers attendees the opportunity to indulge in food and drink prepared by local Atlanta chefs. This premium experience serves as an elevated exploration of local cuisine on the eve of the national championship. Tickets to the Taste of the Championship event are available on etix.com . Atlanta is the first city ever to repeat as host for the CFP national championship. The playoff was previously held in Atlanta in 2018. “We are honored to be the first city to repeat as host for the CFP national championship and look forward to welcoming college football fans from around the country in January,” said Dan Corso, president of the Atlanta Sports Council and Atlanta Football Host Committee. “This event gives us another opportunity to showcase our incredible city.” The College Football Playoff is the event that crowns the national champion in college football. The quarterfinals and semifinals rotate annually among six bowl games — the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. This year’s quarterfinals will take place on Dec. 31, 2024 and Jan. 1, 2025, while the semifinals will be Jan. 9-10, 2025. The CFP national championship will be Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. For additional information on the College Football Playoff, visit CollegeFootballPlayoff.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!The Prime Minister insisted the UK will back Ukraine “for as long as it takes” as he made a speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London, but for the first time acknowledged the conflict could move towards a negotiated end. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has in recent weeks suggested he is open to a possible ceasefire with Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Kyiv and its European allies meanwhile fear the advent of Donald Trump’s return to the White House could result in American aid being halted. President-elect Trump has said he would prefer to move towards a peace deal, and has claimed he could end the conflict on “day one” of his time in power. As he attempts to strike up a good relationship with the incoming president, Sir Keir revealed he had told Mr Trump the UK “will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come”. In his speech at London’s Guildhall, the Prime Minister said there is “no question it is right we support Ukraine”, as the UK’s aid to Kyiv is “deeply in our self-interest”. Allowing Russia to win the war would mean “other autocrats would believe they can follow Putin’s example,” he warned. Sir Keir added: “So we must continue to back Ukraine and do what it takes to support their self-defence for as long as it takes. “To put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for negotiations so they can secure a just and lasting peace on their terms that guarantees their security, independence, and right to choose their own future.” Mr Zelensky told Sky News over the weekend he would be open to speaking with Mr Putin, but branded the Russian president a “terrorist”. He also suggested Ukrainian territory under his control should be taken under the “Nato umbrella” to try to stop the “hot stage” of the war with Russia. In a banquet speech focused on foreign affairs, the Prime Minister said it was “plain wrong” to suggest the UK must choose between its allies, adding: “I reject it utterly. “(Clement) Attlee did not choose between allies. (Winston) Churchill did not choose. “The national interest demands that we work with both.” Sir Keir said the UK and the US were “intertwined” when it came to commerce, technology and security. The Prime Minister added: “That’s why, when President Trump graciously hosted me for dinner in Trump Tower, I told him that we will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come.” He also repeated his commitment to “rebuild our ties with Europe” and insisted he was right to try to build closer links with China. “It is remarkable that until I met President Xi last month there had been no face-to-face meeting between British and Chinese leaders for six years,” the Prime Minister said. “We can’t simply look the other way. We need to engage. To co-operate, to compete and to challenge on growth, on security concerns, on climate as well as addressing our differences in a full and frank way on issues like Hong Kong, human rights, and sanctions on our parliamentarians,” he added. The Prime Minister said he wants Britain’s role in the world to be that of “a constant and responsible actor in turbulent times”. He added: “To be the soundest ally and to be determined, always, in everything we do. “Every exchange we have with other nations, every agreement we enter into to deliver for the British people and show, beyond doubt, that Britain is back.” Ahead of Sir Keir’s speech, Lord Mayor Alastair King urged the Prime Minister and his Government to loosen regulations on the City of London to help it maintain its competitive edge. In an echo of Sir Keir’s commitment to drive the UK’s economic growth, the Lord Mayor said: “The idealist will dream of growth, but the pragmatist understands that our most effective machinery to drive growth is here in the City, in the hands of some of the brightest and most committed people that you will find anywhere in the world.”OpenAI's legal battle with Elon Musk reveals internal turmoil over avoiding AI 'dictatorship'