| Brazil's role questioned after UN global warming meeting Posted: 16 Dec 2019 04:56 PM PST  With the failure of the U.N. climate conference to produce an agreement, some Brazilians who participated in previous climate meetings say their country is now part of the problem in efforts to forge an international approach to global warming. Others, taking a cue from Brazil's Environment Minister Ricardo Salles, are blaming the world's wealthy nations. Salles demanded money from industrialized countries to help with protecting the Amazon, accused those countries of being hypocritical about addressing climate change.
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| Pound Slides as Johnson Moves to Block Any Further Brexit Delay Posted: 16 Dec 2019 04:36 PM PST  (Bloomberg) -- The pound slumped following reports U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to change the law to guarantee the Brexit phase isn't extended beyond the end of next year, increasing the threat of a no-deal divorce.Sterling slid as much 0.7% to $1.3236 and weakened against all of its Group-of-10 peers in early Asian trading Tuesday. Johnson's planned legislation will include legal text to prevent the government from delaying the day Britain stops being subject to EU laws, even if no new trade terms have been secured in time, an official said."The honeymoon of the election is now over and the risks of a potential hard Brexit have been brought forward," said Kyle Rodda, analyst at IG Markets Ltd. in Melbourne. "Johnson is taking an assertive stance on Brexit and although a hard divorce may still be in the margins for now, there are increasing risk premiums priced into the pound."Sterling surged as much as 2.7% on Friday after the Conservative Party won an emphatic victory in the U.K. general election, fueling optimism of a speedy resolution to the Brexit deadlock. The pound was 0.4% weaker at $1.3277 as of 8:34 a.m. in Singapore.A Citigroup Inc. index indicated currency funds have almost completely unwound their bearish bets on sterling. Asset managers have also switched to a net long position position from a net short before the vote, data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission showed.To contact the reporter on this story: Ruth Carson in Singapore at rliew6@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Tan Hwee Ann at hatan@bloomberg.net, Nicholas ReynoldsFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| U.K.’s Johnson Revives No-Deal Brexit Threat With Change to Law Posted: 16 Dec 2019 04:06 PM PST  (Bloomberg) -- Boris Johnson will change the law to guarantee the Brexit transition phase is not extended, setting up a new cliff-edge for a no-deal split with the European Union at the end of next year.The U.K. prime minister wants to deliver his election promise to ratify a new free-trade agreement with the bloc before the bridging period maintaining the status quo runs out on Dec. 31, 2020.EU leaders have warned it's highly unlikely that negotiators will be able to complete the kind of deal Johnson wants, which he's modeled on Canada's agreement with the EU, in the 11 months between Brexit day Jan. 31 and the December deadline. The EU-Canada deal took seven years to finalize.Johnson's gambit is the latest sign of intent as he seeks to force through Britain's divorce from the 28-nation bloc without further delay. After winning a big majority in last week's general election, the prime minister now has the power to do as he pleases on Brexit, without fear Parliament will thwart his plans.He'll start by putting the divorce part of the Brexit deal to a vote, potentially as soon as Friday. Once MPs have ratified that, the U.K. will leave the EU by Jan. 31.The planned legislation will include legal text to prevent the government extending the transition period and delaying the day Britain stops being subject to EU laws, even if no new trade terms have been secured in time, an official said.Deadlines, ContinuityThe law would potentially force the U.K. out of the EU without a new deal in place, threatening tariffs and disruption to trade.As well as ministers being blocked from extending the transition period, the House of Commons will not get a vote on the issue, another official said.When ministers were trying to get support for the Brexit deal before the election, they agreed to give Members of Parliament a vote on whether a longer transition period would be needed. But the government's new majority means such compromises aren't necessary, the official said.Other concessions granted to try to smooth Johnson's deal through Parliament in October, including protections for workers rights and a promise to give MPs a say over talks with the EU, will also be scrapped, the Times newspaper reported, without saying where it got the information.Johnson's plan to give priority to delivering Brexit was also reflected in appointments to his cabinet, announced Monday evening, which put the emphasis on continuity as he seeks to minimize disruption before the Jan. 31 deadline.Nicky Morgan, who had announced she was standing down as an MP before the election, has been handed a seat in the unelected House of Lords so she can stay on as culture secretary. In the only other senior appointment Monday evening, Simon Hart became Welsh Secretary in a move forced on Johnson after the resignation of Alun Cairns from the post in November.Other key positions in the cabinet, including the key posts of chancellor of the exchequer, home secretary and foreign secretary, are expected to remain unchanged.As well as providing stability in the run-up to Brexit, Johnson, who plans a wider reshuffle of his top team after the deadline at the end of next month, will have Morgan by his side to advise on the role of China's Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd in U.K. telecommunications, a thorny issue as Britain seeks trade deals with the rest of the world after leaving the EU.(Adds concessions scrapped in 10th paragraph)To contact the reporter on this story: Tim Ross in London at tross54@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Flavia Krause-Jackson at fjackson@bloomberg.net, Thomas Penny, Robert JamesonFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Hate sign or silly game? Military academies probe hand signs Posted: 16 Dec 2019 03:23 PM PST  Some West Point cadets and U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen flashed what looked like a sideways OK finger gesture during a live television broadcast over the weekend at the Army-Navy football game. Now military officials are probing their intentions. An innocent made-you-look "circle game?" Or a sinister white supremacy signal?
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| Trump watching NKorea 'closely' as talks deadline nears Posted: 16 Dec 2019 05:45 PM PST  US President Donald Trump said Monday he'd be "disappointed" if North Korea had something "in the works" as a year-end ultimatum from Pyongyang about the fate of their nuclear talks approaches. The nuclear-armed North has issued increasingly strident declarations in recent weeks, even promising an ominous "Christmas gift" if Washington does not come up with some concessions. The top US envoy to the negotiations with North Korea, Stephen Biegun, said in Seoul on Monday that Pyongyang's rumblings were "hostile and negative" -- and Trump said he was watching.
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| Responsible Child, review: should a child ever be tried as a murderer? Posted: 16 Dec 2019 02:30 PM PST  According to the United Nations, an adult court is an unsuitable arena in which to try a child, even if that child were to be charged with murder. The dock, after all, is a lonely place, exposing anyone who enters it to the fiercest glare. The 90-minute drama Responsible Child (BBC Two) gave that stance a necessary cross-examination – necessary because, for sufficiently serious offences, the English, Welsh and Northern Irish justice systems are still able to subject minors as young as 10 years old to a full trial by jury. Sean Buckley's harrowing script was based on a real but unnamed case of two brothers (one 12 years old, one 23) who killed their violent stepfather in his sleep. There was no stinting on the savagery of the crime, the full horror of which was held back for the climax. And yet young Ray (a remarkable Billy Barratt) had the aura and looks of a cherub. "You'd think the boy had fallen off a cloud," his solicitor marvelled. Ray behaved angelically too. With his enfeebled mother in a narcotised daze, he was the protector of and carer for his little half-siblings. He suffered torments of grief when he crushed a ladybird. Not all children in court are as saintly. Nor are their victims as villainous: the axe-wielding stepfather Scott (Shaun Dingwall) was Bill Sikes with a man-bun. By alighting on such a paragon, the drama could be accused of loading the dice. (In order to unload them a little, Ray was made to punch a bully at school.) Once upon a time, this campaigning project would have been in the hands of the screenwriter Jimmy McGovern (of Hearts and Minds, The Street and Accused) – and when the two bloodied killers wandered from the crime scene into a church, it briefly seemed as though it were. Buckley was wasting no time in sticking up his signposts. In being held in a Victorian police station, Ray (the script implied) was being subjected to Victorian laws. Tom Burke (for the prosecution) and Michelle Fairley (for the defence) were well-matched as the legal system's scary and caring faces, while a psychiatrist (Stephen Campbell Moore) explained why, since their prefrontal cortex isn't fully grown, children can be prone to irrational decision-making and a dangerous loss of control. Whether Ray had lost control or had killed in cold blood was left open. Either way, there was no one making the case for trying children in adult courts. Perhaps that's because there isn't a good one to make.
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| Feds: Connecticut man wanted to fight for Islamic State Posted: 16 Dec 2019 01:51 PM PST ![Feds: Connecticut man wanted to fight for Islamic State]( "Feds: Connecticut man wanted to fight for Islamic State") A Connecticut man who allegedly expressed interest in fighting for the Islamic State group in Syria was arrested as he prepared to leave the U.S. by boat, federal authorities said Monday. Ahmad Khalil Elshazly, 22, of West Haven, was arrested Sunday in the shoreline town of Stonington, where he expected to board a boat and begin a trip to Turkey, prosecutors said Sunday. Federal authorities including Connecticut U.S. Attorney John Durham allege Elshazly, a U.S. citizen, began telling other people last year that he wanted to travel to Syria and the surrounding area to fight for the Islamic State.
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| Documents sought in case of Saudi student facing gun charge Posted: 16 Dec 2019 01:49 PM PST ![Documents sought in case of Saudi student facing gun charge]( "Documents sought in case of Saudi student facing gun charge") A Saudi Arabian student arrested on a federal firearms charge the day before he was scheduled to graduate from the University of New Mexico remained in custody Monday while his attorneys sought more documents from prosecutors. The investigation started with a tip to the FBI's National Threat Operations Center that Hassan Alqahtani had what was described as a "kill list" that included a university professor, a former roommate and a person he had scuffled with. Special Agent Jonathan Labuhn acknowledged that the tipster never saw a written list of alleged targets.
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| China and Russia Draft UN Measure to Ease North Korea Sanctions Posted: 16 Dec 2019 01:43 PM PST ![China and Russia Draft UN Measure to Ease North Korea Sanctions]( "China and Russia Draft UN Measure to Ease North Korea Sanctions") (Bloomberg) -- China and Russia have circulated a draft resolution to the UN Security Council that would ease sanctions against North Korea for its nuclear program, even as Kim Jong Un's government threatens to take provocative action unless President Donald Trump relaxes the economic penalties by the end of this month.The draft resolution asks the Security Council to adjust sanctions against North Korea "in light" of the country's compliance with certain United Nations resolutions and for "humanitarian and livelihood" purposes, according to a draft provided by diplomats who asked not to be named.The resolution, which is expected to prompt negotiations among Security Council members starting on Tuesday, comes as Trump's envoy on North Korea countered Kim's threat of an unwelcome "Christmas gift" for Trump by urging renewed talks over denuclearization to usher in a "season of peace."Urging Kim to return to negotiations, Stephen Biegun said Monday that the coming holiday was "one of the most sacred days on our calendar." Biegun made the remarks during his first visit to Seoul since North Korea set a year-end deadline for U.S. concessions. The U.S. has said it won't lift sanctions unless North Korea commits to eliminating its nuclear weapons capabilities.Biegun's comments came after North Korea's claims of a second "crucial test" Saturday that it said had boosted its nuclear-deterrent capabilities. Such tests have put further pressure on the U.S. to try to break the deadlock in negotiations between the two countries after working-level talks collapsed in October in Stockholm.Last week, the U.S.'s UN ambassador, Kelly Craft warned of "deeply troubling indications" that North Korea is poised for a major provocation such as launching "space vehicles using long-range ballistic missile technology" or even test-launching an intercontinental ballistic missiles "which are designed to attack the continental United States."Without specifying that the U.S. might accept an easing of sanctions, Craft said, "We are prepared to be flexible in how we approach this matter. And we recognize the need for a balanced agreement that addresses the concerns of all parties."Asked Monday about the North Korean deadline, Trump told reporters he'd be "disappointed if something would be in the works" but "we're watching it very closely."To contact the reporters on this story: Glen Carey in Washington at gcarey8@bloomberg.net;David Wainer in New York at dwainer3@bloomberg.net;Jihye Lee in Seoul at jlee2352@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Bill Faries at wfaries@bloomberg.net, Larry Liebert, Justin BlumFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Where Are Portable Toilets on City Streets? Posted: 16 Dec 2019 12:30 PM PST  The latest in our series answering readers' questions about inequality in California: Patricia Dunn, a reader in Sonoma wrote: "I have witnessed open urination in San Francisco on the public streets and wonder why portable toilets at minimum are not on city streets."We've heard from residents about sidestepping human waste on their way to work, and some, including Dunn, have wondered why there aren't more portable toilets.A 2017 report by the city of Los Angeles on the state of toilets on Skid Row found that there were just nine public toilets available for its 1,964 homeless residents. By contrast, the United Nations' standard for refugee camps requires there to be one toilet for every 20 people.When there is a lack of public toilets, as there is in California, people are forced to relieve themselves elsewhere. Sidewalks become a breeding ground for infectious diseases."It really is a human rights issue," said the Rev. Andrew Bales, of Union Rescue Mission, about the current state of sanitation on Skid Row. In 2014, Bales had an open wound that came into contact with human waste while he was conducting homeless outreach. The wound became infected with flesh-eating bacteria and as a result, his leg was amputated in 2016.Bales estimates that the population of Skid Row has swelled to around 2,800 people and the number of toilets is still lacking. The shelter he heads recently added 11 toilets for 120 women to use."It really is a health hazard, especially for people living on the streets," Bales said.In addition, many homeless people are hesitant to use existing public toilets and portable toilets because they pose risks. The 2017 report illustrated how people are afraid of being robbed or attacked in restrooms at night. Some toilets lack locks or even doors. In San Diego, one 24-hour restroom was removed after it became a public nuisance.In efforts to mitigate the health hazard caused by human waste on the streets, the cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles started public toilet programs.Facilities are maintained by paid attendants who make sure restrooms are clean and safe for people to use.Bales thinks these attendants are key to the success of the programs. Though their jobs are to monitor the facilities, they are often the first people to respond to and prevent fatal drug overdoses and to intercept crime.Since implementing the program in 2014, San Francisco has seen a decrease in requests related to cleaning human waste from the street. There are now 24 facilities throughout the city. The city recently announced that it will keep three restrooms, called Pit Stops, open all day, every day because of the growing demand."This is not complicated -- when people have access to a clean, safe restroom, they will use it," Mayor London Breed said in a statement.Restrooms don't have to be mobilized to be effective. A report found that adding an attendant to an existing underutilized restroom in LA resulted in an increase of daily uses, to 80 from 30, in the first four months.In LA, a single Pit Stop site, which includes toilets, a hand-washing station and an attendant, costs $339,000 a year.It would cost about $450,000 a unit to build subsidized affordable housing in California.This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2019 The New York Times Company
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| U.K.’s Boris Johnson Prioritizes Continuity in Cabinet After Victory Posted: 16 Dec 2019 12:26 PM PST ![U.K.'s Boris Johnson Prioritizes Continuity in Cabinet After Victory]( "U.K.'s Boris Johnson Prioritizes Continuity in Cabinet After Victory") (Bloomberg) -- U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his first cabinet appointments since his emphatic election victory and signaled a desire for continuity as he focuses on leaving the European Union on Jan. 31.Nicky Morgan, who said before the election she was standing down as a member of Parliament and leaving politics, will stay on as culture secretary after she was hastily appointed to the unelected House of Lords, Johnson's office said Monday.Other key positions in the cabinet, including chancellor of the exchequer, home secretary and foreign secretary, are expected to remain unchanged.As well as providing stability in the run-up to Brexit, Johnson, who plans a wider reshuffle of his top team after the deadline at the end of next month, will have Morgan by his side to advise on the role of China's Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd in U.K. telecommunications, a thorny issue as Britain seeks trade deals with the rest of the world after leaving the EU.Johnson, who repeatedly pledged during the campaign to start work quickly on his policy priorities, told a private meeting of new Tory MPs in Westminster on Monday they are in Parliament to "get things done," Flick Drummond, one of the new intake, told PA news.The prime minister intends to introduce his Brexit bill to Parliament on Friday, his spokesman, James Slack, told reporters. With a sizeable Tory majority in the House of Commons, securing a mandate to ratify the divorce deal with Brussels is not expected to be a problem.Brexit BillThe question is how far the government can go with the bill's passage this week. Progressing to a second reading -- and a vote -- will require the backing of Speaker Lindsay Hoyle.The U.K. has been mulling whether to allow the Chinese company access to the roll-out of 5G networks and is under pressure from intelligence-sharing allies, including the U.S., to limit the part it will play on the grounds of security.Morgan is part of a committee that will make the decision, which will be taken after assessing the balance between maintaining access to the best available technologies and any threat to the U.K. and other countries."I don't want this country to be unnecessarily hostile to investment from overseas," Johnson told a news conference on Dec. 4. "On the other hand, we cannot prejudice our vital national security interest. Nor can we prejudice our ability to co-operate with our Five-Eyes security partners and that will be the key criteria that informs our decision."Johnson also appointed Simon Hart, who voted to Remain in the EU in the 2016 referendum but then set up a parliamentary group to deliver a Brexit deal, as his Welsh secretary.To contact the reporter on this story: Thomas Penny in London at tpenny@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Tim Ross at tross54@bloomberg.net, Robert JamesonFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Estonia Apologizes After Official Calls New Finnish PM ‘Cashier’ Posted: 16 Dec 2019 12:01 PM PST ![Estonia Apologizes After Official Calls New Finnish PM 'Cashier']( "Estonia Apologizes After Official Calls New Finnish PM 'Cashier'") (Bloomberg) -- Estonia apologized to its biggest trading partner after a nationalist official from the Baltic country's ruling coalition insulted Finland's new prime minister.President Kersti Kaljulaid called her counterpart in Helsinki following weekend comments by EKRE party head Mart Helme calling Sanna Marin, who recently became the world's youngest premier, a "cashier" -- a reference to a previous job she held.Helme said "other street activists and uneducated people have also become government members" in Finland, adding that Sanna's government wanted to "desperately liquidate Finland." He also blamed the media for misinterpreting him and said he'd apologize only through a message from the prime minister.The U-turn is the latest embarrassment for European Union, euro and NATO member Estonia since the populist EKRE joined government in April. Helme and his son, Martin, who serves as finance minister, have said they want to keep their country racially pure and has used white-supremacist gestures. The coalition has repeatedly flirted with breakup and again averted a collapse on Monday.Kaljulaid told the Postimees newspaper that she asked Prime Minister Juri Ratas to consider replacing Helme. Ratas's government is "undermining the constitutional order" and represents a "national security risk," she was cited as saying.Ratas has so far refused to do that.It's unclear whether Helme's remarks will do any lasting damage to ties with Finland, with which Estonia shares strong cultural and linguistic links and where about 100,000 of its citizens live and work. Marin brushed off Helme's insult, saying she was proud of Finland."Here a poor family's child can get an education and go places in life," she said on Twitter. "A store clerk can become a prime minister. Finland wouldn't manage without blue-collar workers. I highly appreciate the work every employee, tradesman and entrepreneur does!"There have been high-level spats before. The two nations' presidents fell out after the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia, with Finland's leader accusing his Estonian counterpart of suffering from post-Soviet trauma. There were similar disagreements after Vladimir Putin annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.In a show of support, Ratas congratulated Marin on her victory on Dec. 11 and gave her a bouquet of flowers at a meeting in Brussels the following day.To contact the reporters on this story: Ott Ummelas in Tallinn at oummelas@bloomberg.net;Kati Pohjanpalo in Helsinki at kpohjanpalo@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Andrea Dudik at adudik@bloomberg.net, Andrew LangleyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Germany agrees CO2 pricing deal after gruelling debate Posted: 16 Dec 2019 11:29 AM PST  Lawmakers in Germany reached a hard-fought compromise on carbon pricing early on Monday, breaking a parliamentary deadlock on the government's much-disputed climate policy reforms. The new rate -- fiercely opposed by business lobbies -- is set to increase to 55 euros per tonne by 2025, before eventually being incorporated into an EU-wide carbon trading system. The breakthrough renewed hope that Angela Merkel's government can pass its four-part climate reform package before Christmas.
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| Airstrikes on rebel-held northwest Syria kill 3 Posted: 16 Dec 2019 10:59 AM PST ![Airstrikes on rebel-held northwest Syria kill 3]( "Airstrikes on rebel-held northwest Syria kill 3") Airstrikes in rebel-held areas of northwestern Syria killed three people on Monday, including two children, opposition activists said. In recent weeks, shelling and airstrikes in Idlib province have intensified. The government of Syrian President Bashar Assad appears to be preparing for a ground offensive to fortify the main highway linking the capital, Damascus, with the northern city of Aleppo.
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| Johnson Appoints Morgan and Hart to His Cabinet: U.K. Politics Posted: 16 Dec 2019 10:50 AM PST  (Bloomberg) -- Boris Johnson now has the power to enforce his vision for leaving the European Union and reshaping the U.K. economy, following the biggest win for his Conservative Party since Margaret Thatcher 32 years ago.With its large majority, his government will no longer give Members of Parliament a vote on extending the Brexit transition period which expires on Dec. 31, 2020, according to a U.K. official.On Monday, the premier announced that Nicky Morgan would be joining the House of Lords, the U.K.'s unelected second chamber, and reappointed her as culture secretary. He also named Simon Hart as the new Welsh Secretary.Key Developments:Johnson welcomes 109 new Tory MPs to Parliament with a pledge to repay voters' trust by getting Brexit doneGovernment to introduce Brexit bill to House of Commons on FridayLabour's leadership race is hotting up. Read more: Life After Corbyn? The Politicians Vying to Become Labour LeaderMorgan Stays on As Culture Secretary (6.40 p.m.)Boris Johnson re-appointed Nicky Morgan as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, even though she quit politics just before the election. Morgan will take up the role from a new position in the House of Lords, Parliament's unelected upper chamber, according to a statement from the prime minister's office.Her resignation in October was seen a blow to Johnson's team, but she continued to play an active role in the election campaign, appearing in broadcast interviews to defend the Conservative manifesto.Her reappointment will provide the government with some continuity on key issues, particularly over the decision whether to restrict or ban Huawei Technologies Co Ltd telecom equipment in the U.K..Probability of No-Deal Has Decreased: Carney (6:15 p.m.)Boris Johnson's victory in last week's general election means the possibility of the U.K. crashing out of the European Union has subsided, according to Bank of England Governor Mark Carney."The worst-case scenario is effectively a no deal, disorderly Brexit. The probability of that scenario has gone down because of the election result and the intention of the new government," Carney said, speaking in a press conference after the publication of the central bank's Financial Stability Report. "The scenario itself and the risks that we protect the system against has not itself changed, it's just become less likely."Read more: Probability of No-Deal Brexit Has Decreased, Carney SaysHart Appointed Welsh Secretary (6.10 p.m)Johnson made the first of three expected cabinet appointments, naming Simon Hart as replacement for Alun Cairns as Secretary of State for Wales. Cairns quit as the election got underway following reports he knew about a former aide's role in the collapse of a rape trial.The move represents a promotion for Hart, who was previously a minister in the Cabinet Office. He has represented the Welsh district of Camarthen West and South Pembrokeshire since 2010. Hart, who voted to stay in the EU in the 2016 referendum, was also chairman of the Brexit delivery group -- a coalition of politicians seeking a pragmatic deal-based solution to leaving the bloc.Trump Congratulates Johnson, Discusses Trade (4 p.m.)U.S. President Donald Trump and Boris Johnson discussed cooperation on security and trade issues by phone on Monday, including the "negotiation of an ambitious free trade agreement," the prime minister's office said in a statement. Trump also congratulated Johnson on his election victory, according to the statement.Trump tweeted last week the U.K. and U.S. would be free to strike a "massive new trade deal" after Johnson's victory.MPs Won't Get Chance to Extend Brexit Transition (12.30 p.m.)The Withdrawal Agreement Bill that the government brings back to Parliament this week will no longer give politicians the power to ask the government to extend the U.K.'s transition period as it leaves the European Union, according to an official.When ministers were trying to get support for the Brexit deal before the election, they agreed to give Members of Parliament a vote on whether a longer transition period would be needed. But the government now has a large majority -- and with every Conservative MP committed to backing the deal -- that concession is going away, the official said. Boris Johnson has repeatedly promised the period wouldn't be extended beyond Dec. 31, 2020.Fiscal Rules Under Pressure (12:15 p.m.)New data show the challenge facing Prime Minister Boris Johnson to keep to his new fiscal rules. The Office for Budget Responsibility issued a restatement of its March forecasts to reflect changes incorporated into the public finances in September, primarily a new treatment of student loans. On this basis, total government borrowing is around 20 billion pounds ($27 billion) a year higher than previously stated.Read more: U.K. Fiscal Rules Under Pressure as Billions Added to DeficitHostilities Break Out in Labour (12 p.m.)Infighting has broken out in the Labour Party before a leadership contest is even properly underway, after defeated former MP Caroline Flint accused the party's foreign affairs spokeswoman, Emily Thornberry, of calling voters "stupid."Flint told Sky News that pro-Europeans such as Thornberry and Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer would have no "credibility" as leader, and went on to say Thornberry "said to one of my colleagues 'I'm glad my constituents aren't as stupid as yours."'Thornberry denies making the remark, and told the BBC on Monday she's taking legal action against Flint. "I would never even think that, let alone say it. It's a complete lie," she said. "I've said to Caroline, 'come on Caroline, this isn't true, you know, withdraw it and I'll give you until the end of the day,' and she refuses to. So I've had to go through all the hassle of instructing solicitors."Government to Introduce Brexit Bill on Friday (11:40 a.m.)The government intends to introduce its Brexit bill to Parliament on Dec. 20, the prime minister's spokesman, James Slack, told reporters in London. Boris Johnson built his election campaign around a pledge to "Get Brexit Done," and with his sizeable majority in the House of Commons, securing a mandate to ratify the divorce deal with Brussels is not expected to be a problem.The question is how far the government can go with the bill's passage this week. Progressing to a second reading -- and a vote -- will require the backing of Speaker Lindsay Hoyle.Separately, Slack said the government is pursuing a so-called Canada-style free-trade deal with the European Union, while planning in case no agreement can be reached is also continuing.Factory Woe Puts Economy on Brink of Contraction (Earlier)U.K. factories posted the weakest performance in more than seven years in December, increasing the chances that the economy will shrink in the fourth quarter, IHS Markit said. Manufacturing activity slipped to 47.4, a sharper downturn than the 49.2 reading predicted by economists and below the 50 mark that indicates stagnant output.Read more: Factory Woe Puts U.K. Economy on Brink of Contraction, PMI ShowsNorthern Irish Parties Strike Conciliatory Tone (Earlier)The two main parties in Northern Ireland indicated a willingness to move forward after Boris Johnson's office said restoring devolved government in the province is a priority, with talks set to resume before Christmas.Sinn Fein Leader Mary Lou McDonald told BBC Radio that last week's election had "changed things very dramatically," because the Democratic Unionist Party no longer holds the balance of power in Westminster and can turn its attention back to Belfast. None of the issues up for debate are "red lines," she said. "We are willing to deal and to close on these matters."DUP Leader Arlene Foster told the BBC she "always" enters the talks "in the spirit of looking to find accommodation, looking to find a way forward that recognizes that we are a divided society and one which just works for everybody."Earlier:Johnson Picks Cabinet to Deliver Brexit After U.K. Election WinU.K. Post-Election Euphoria Justified, But Hard Work Starts NowLife After Corbyn? The Politicians Vying to Become Labour Leader\--With assistance from Kitty Donaldson, Jill Ward, Jessica Shankleman and Greg Ritchie.To contact the reporters on this story: Alex Morales in London at amorales2@bloomberg.net;Robert Hutton in London at rhutton1@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Tim Ross at tross54@bloomberg.net, Stuart Biggs, Andrew AtkinsonFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Algeria confirms Tebboune as new president, despite protests Posted: 16 Dec 2019 10:40 AM PST ![Algeria confirms Tebboune as new president, despite protests]( "Algeria confirms Tebboune as new president, despite protests") Algeria's Constitutional Council has confirmed Abdelkader Tebboune as the new president of Africa's largest country for the next five years — despite mass protests challenging his election last week. Tebboune won the vote in the first round with 58% of the vote, the head of the Constitutional Council announced on state television Monday. The constitutional body said the vote was carried out in a "good climate" — and didn't mention the protests that have filled the streets of Algiers and other cities every Friday since February.
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| Libyan authorities say prominent journalist arrested Posted: 16 Dec 2019 10:29 AM PST ![Libyan authorities say prominent journalist arrested]( "Libyan authorities say prominent journalist arrested") A prominent Libyan journalist was detained by an intelligence body that's loosely allied with the U.N.-backed government, authorities said Monday. Intelligence agents arrested Reda Fhelboom at the airport outside the capital Tripoli after he arrived Saturday from neighboring Tunisia, according to the interior ministry of the Tripoli-based administration. Fhelboom is the founder of The Libyan Organization for Independent Media, which works to document rights violations against Libyan journalists, as well as to advocate for independent news media and to combat incitement of violence online.
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| Probability of No-Deal Brexit Has Decreased, Mark Carney Says Posted: 16 Dec 2019 10:20 AM PST ![Probability of No-Deal Brexit Has Decreased, Mark Carney Says]( "Probability of No-Deal Brexit Has Decreased, Mark Carney Says") (Bloomberg) -- Boris Johnson's victory in last week's general election means the possibility of the U.K. crashing out of the European Union has subsided, according to Bank of England Governor Mark Carney."The worst-case scenario is effectively a no deal, disorderly Brexit. The probability of that scenario has gone down because of the election result and the intention of the new government," Carney said, speaking in a press conference after the publication of the central bank's Financial Stability Report. "The scenario itself and the risks that we protect the system against has not itself changed, it's just become less likely."Carney emphasized that the financial system is prepared for such an outcome, with the U.K.'s seven largest lenders all passing the bank's latest stress test, showing they're strong enough to continue lending even in a global downturn or in the event of Britain leaving the EU without a trade agreement.Johnson has pledged to take the U.K. out of the bloc on Jan. 31, and there will then be just 11 months to conclude a new trade deal. That raises the prospect of a cliff-edge at the end of 2020, according to trade experts."What people would expect us to do is to continue to ensure that the system is ready, so that the financial system is not forming a constraint to whatever negotiations are under way or discussions are under way, but is part of the buffer for whatever happens," Carney said.Apart from Brexit, more medium-term risks to financial stability include corporate and household indebtedness, Carney said.Carney said officials will provide a "high-level update" on the economy on Thursday, when policy makers are due to announce their latest interest-rate decision and publish their meeting minutes.(Updates with comments from Carney in final two paragraphs.)To contact the reporter on this story: Jill Ward in London at jward98@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Fergal O'Brien at fobrien@bloomberg.net, Andrew AtkinsonFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| US urges Sahel countries to step up fight against jihadists Posted: 16 Dec 2019 09:59 AM PST  The United States criticized countries of West Africa's Sahel region at the United Nations on Monday, saying their leaders were not doing enough to ensure stability amid soaring jihadist violence. "To combat regional violence and enhance stability, we need greater commitment from regional governments," Washington's deputy ambassador Cherith Norman told the Security Council. "A military response alone often fails to address the root causes of violent conflict," she said, adding that the US has provided more than $5.5 billion in aid in 2017 and 2018 to support long-term stability and security in West Africa.
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| Get Brexit Done? Be Careful What You Wish For. Posted: 16 Dec 2019 08:56 AM PST  A revolution in British politics is coming—but it will only happen when Brexit is finally settled, and its consequences are fully understood.
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| Brexit Bulletin: Power Politics Posted: 16 Dec 2019 08:26 AM PST  Days to Brexit Deadline: 46(Bloomberg) -- Sign up here to get the Brexit Bulletin in your inbox every weekday.What's Happening? Boris Johnson is flexing his muscles on Brexit already.A majority of 80 changes everything. For the first time, a U.K. prime minister has control over Brexit. He's already wielding that power.Before the election, ministers trying to win votes on Johnson's Brexit deal agreed to give lawmakers a vote on whether to extend the transition period — the 11 months, starting on Feb. 1, that Britain will get to adjust to life outside the European Union and, crucially, reach a trade deal with the bloc. We now know that when the Withdrawal Agreement Bill goes back before MPs on Friday, that concession will be nowhere to be seen. The government now has — in the prime minister's words — a "stonking mandate." Sops to the anti-no-deal brigade are no longer necessary.Downing Street's modus operandi hasn't changed, even if the circumstances have. Preparations for a no-deal Brexit will continue as the country hurtles toward another apparently immutable deadline: If Britain doesn't have a trade deal by the end of 2020, it could still crash out of the EU's orbit in what would look very much like a no-deal Brexit. The threat is more realistic now because Parliament won't have a veto.Even so, Johnson has left himself room for maneuver. He will still be able to extend the transition if a trade deal with the EU is judged to be in sight. We know he can adapt his positions: After all, this is a man who said he would rather "die in a ditch" than delay Brexit.Whichever course he pursues, it shows how much political freedom a majority can buy at home. What currency it has in Brussels, though, is far less clear. For the EU officials anxious that a trade deal can't be inked in 11 months, the bigger question remains: What deal does Johnson actually want?Today's Must-ReadsWho will be the next Labour leader? With Jeremy Corbyn heading for the history books, Bloomberg reporters run the rule over some of the potential candidates to fill his shoes. Corbyn's failed Brexit strategy sealed Labour's fate, Caroline Flint, who lost her Don Valley seat on Thursday, writes in the Guardian. Meanwhile, there is "no deep bond" between the Conservatives and the northern voters who abandoned Labour last week, says Rachel Wolf, a co-author of the Tory election manifesto. "One must be forged."Brexit in BriefFlintstorm | Infighting has broken out in Labour before a leadership contest is even properly underway, after defeated former MP Caroline Flint accused the party's foreign affairs spokeswoman, Emily Thornberry, of calling voters "stupid." Thornberry denies making the remark, and said on Monday she's taking legal action against Flint. Unlucky Seven | U.K. manufacturing production suffered its worst month in more than seven years in December, increasing the chances that the economy as a whole will contract this quarter. Johnson's decisive victory does remove some near-term concerns, though if Brexit undermines growth it could impact his plans to both increase spending and keep control of the deficit.Dismantling | U.K. stocks have been on the rise since the election result became clear, but JPMorgan Chase & Co. thinks the post-landslide rally may be on its last legs. That contradicts the views of several other leading Wall Street banks, which have suggested there is more headroom for stocks. Onward and Upwards? | U.K. house prices should rise by 2% next year on the back of Boris Johnson's election win, according to property website operator Rightmove. Home values in London will probably increase by 1%, the first gain since 2016, Rightmove said.Want to keep up with Brexit?You can follow us @Brexit on Twitter, and listen to Bloomberg Westminster every weekday. It's live at midday on Bloomberg Radio and is available as a podcast too. Share the Brexit Bulletin: Colleagues, friends and family can sign up here. For full EU coverage, try the Brussels Edition.For even more: Subscribe to Bloomberg All Access for our unmatched global news coverage and two in-depth daily newsletters, The Bloomberg Open and The Bloomberg Close.To contact the author of this story: Edward Evans in London at eevans3@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Adam Blenford at ablenford@bloomberg.net, Caitlin MorrisonFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Iraq warns against 'escalation' after strikes on US interests Posted: 16 Dec 2019 08:13 AM PST  Baghdad cautioned Monday against "an escalation" after a flurry of attacks on US interests in Iraq prompted Washington to warn of a "decisive" response against Iran. Tehran wields growing influence in Iraq, particularly through armed factions. Since October 28, ten rocket attacks have targeted areas where US soldiers and diplomats are stationed.
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| Trump threatens to bypass Commission on Presidential Debates Posted: 16 Dec 2019 08:12 AM PST  President Donald Trump made clear Monday that he intends to participate in at least three general election debates, but he is threatening to sidestep the nonprofit group charged with running them. Trump said his record "is so good" that "perhaps I would consider more than 3 debates." But he also complained, without evidence, that the Commission on Presidential Debates is "stacked with Trump Haters & Never Trumpers" and threatened to bypass them. The commission acknowledged after the September 2016 debate at Hofstra University in New York that "there were issues regarding Donald Trump's audio that affected the sound level in the debate hall," but it did not apologize.
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| Costa Rica announces record of 16,718 new jobs through FDI in 2019 Posted: 16 Dec 2019 08:00 AM PST  The Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency (CINDE) announced its 2019 performance results. Its work is tangible and directly contributes to the country's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as set by the United Nations. CINDE particularly contributes to 4 SDGs - Decent Work and Economic Growth, Gender Equity, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and Quality Education - and as such reports its FDI impact on each of them.
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| Putin hails Russian arms sales abroad Posted: 16 Dec 2019 07:57 AM PST  Russian President Vladimir Putin says that arms sales abroad have continued to increase over the past year. Speaking Monday at a meeting with top officials, Putin said that arms exports are expected to top $13 billion this year, which he said exceeds last year's sales by more than $2 billion. The Russian leader added that Moscow's positions on the global arms market have continued to strengthen despite Western sanctions.
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| Russia’s State TV Calls Trump Their ‘Agent’ Posted: 16 Dec 2019 07:56 AM PST  Sometimes a picture doesn't have to be worth a thousand words. Just a few will do. As Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov returned home from his visit with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office last week, Russian state media was gloating over the spectacle. TV channel Rossiya 1 aired a segment entitled "Puppet Master and 'Agent'—How to Understand Lavrov's Meeting With Trump."Vesti Nedeli, a Sunday news show on the same network, pointed out that it was Trump, personally, who asked Lavrov to pose standing near as Trump sat at his desk. It's almost the literal image of a power behind the throne.Ukrainians: Trump Just Sent Us 'a Terrible Signal'And in the meantime, much to Russia's satisfaction, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is still waiting for that critical White House meeting with the American president: the famous "quid pro quo" for Zelensky announcing an investigation that would smear Democratic challenger Joe Biden. As yet, Zelensky hasn't done that, and as yet, no meeting has been set.Russian state television still views the impending impeachment as a bump in the road that won't lead to Trump's removal from office. But President Vladimir Putin's propaganda brigades enjoy watching the heightened divisions in the United States, and how it hurts relations between the U.S. and Ukraine.They've also added a cynical new a narrative filled with half-joking ironies as they look at the American president's bleak prospects when he does leave office. Appearing on Sunday Evening With Vladimir Soloviev, Mikhail Gusman, first deputy director general of ITAR-TASS, Russia's oldest and largest news agency, predicted: "Sooner or later, the Democrats will come back into power. The next term or the term after that, it doesn't matter... I have an even more unpleasant forecast for Trump. After the White House, he will face a very unhappy period." The host, Vladimir Soloviev, smugly asked: "Should we get another apartment in Rostov ready?" Soloviev's allusion was to the situation of Viktor Yanukovych, former president of Ukraine, who was forced to flee to Russia in 2014 and settled in the city of Rostov-on-Don.Such parallels between Yanukovych and Trump are being drawn not only because of their common association with Paul Manafort, adviser to the first, campaign chairman for the second, but also because Russian experts and politicians consider both of them to be openly pro-Kremlin. Tightly controlled Russian state-television programs constantly reiterate that Trump doesn't care about Ukraine and gave Putin no reasons to even contemplate concessions in the run-up to the recent Normandy Four summit in Paris. State-television news shows use every opportunity to demoralize the Ukrainians with a set of talking points based on the U.S. president's distaste for their beleaguered country. The host of Who's Against on Rossiya-1, Dmitry Kulikov, along with pro-Kremlin guests, took repeated jabs at the Ukrainian panelist, boasting about the meeting between Trump and Lavrov. "There are no disagreements or contradictions between Trump and Russia," argued Valery Korovin, director of the Center for Geopolitical Expertise, appearing on the state-television channel Rossiya-24. Korovin insisted that the Democrats in Congress are the main antagonists in the relationship between Russia and the United States.Dmitry Kiselyov, the host of the Sunday news show Vesti Nedeli, accused the Democrats of joining forces with Hollywood, carrying out various conspiracies in order to undermine Trump's popularity. Reporting for Vesti Nedeli from Washington, Mikhail Antonov used the term "the Cold War," a fraught rhetorical twist to describe the clash between Trump and the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives.Appearing on Sunday Evening With Vladimir Soloviev, Mikhail Gusman noted: "The scariest part of our relationship with America is that the level of trust between our countries, our governments, our political powers, is precisely at zero." "But not between the presidents," chimed in the host. Rudy Giuliani, acting as the president's personal attorney and determined to divert attention from Trump's impeachment to former Vice President Biden's alleged corruption, recently embarked on an "evidence-gathering" trip to Ukraine. Shortly after Giuliani's return to the United States, Russian state television started airing video clips of his OAN (One America News Network) "documentary." It purports to prove Kyiv's meddling in U.S. elections and accuses former Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch of "lying under oath in Congress to whitewash [Joe] Biden's corruption." Giuliani's efforts on behalf of President Trump are bound to pay propaganda dividends for the Kremlin. Putin has expressed undisguised delight with the crusade led by Trump and Giuliani to whitewash Moscow's interference in the U.S. elections and pin the blame on Kyiv. Last month, the Russian president smugly remarked "Thank God no one is accusing us of interfering in the U.S. elections anymore. Now they're accusing Ukraine."Rossiya-1 reporter Valentin Bogdanov surmised that by now the majority of American Republicans believe that Ukraine interfered in the U.S. elections, with the show airing various clips from Fox News. The absurdity of such claims spawned by the Russian security services puts the hypocrisy of the Republicans on full display. The Kremlin, having argued for years that democracy is a sham and the West is devoid of morals and principles, can now showcase the GOP as its "Exhibit A." Appearing on The Evening With Vladimir Soloviev in October, political scientist Dmitry Evstafiev argued that Trump has to destroy the Republican Party in order to secure his own long-term survival. The impeachment proceedings seemed to expedite the process, with the GOP's self-immolation for the sake of its "Dear Leader."Prompted by the head-spinning swerve of the Republicans, Tucker Carlson of Fox News even argued that, in the Ukrainian conflict, the U.S. should be taking the side of Russia. Kremlin-controlled Russian state media doesn't suffer from a similar lack of clarity. Appearing on Soloviev's show, Semyon Bagdasarov, director of the Moscow-based Center for Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, exclaimed: "The United States is the enemy. It is our enemy. It is a hostile state that aims to destroy our country... We are at war!"Every Member of Team Trump Is Now Enabling TreasonRead more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| India endures fifth day of violent protests as Modi doubles down on religious citizenship law Posted: 16 Dec 2019 07:56 AM PST  Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, appealed for calm today as violent nationwide student-led protests against "anti-Muslim" citizenship legislation continued for a fifth day. Students from Jamia Militant Islamia University in Delhi took to the streets again despite police firing tear gas and baton charging protesters yesterday, accusing the government of introducing the legislation to suppress Muslims. Approximately 100 people were hospitalised and a group of 50 students was arrested overnight, and have since been released. The chancellor of the university has said she will press charges against the police after videos circulated on social media of officers brutally attacking peaceful protesters. In one video circulated on social media, a group of female students stopped a male student from being beaten up by forming a human shield. How to rescue a victim during a lynching incident. Real life demo by women students of Jamia pic.twitter.com/cHavlAtxmH— Natasha Badhwar (@natashabadhwar) December 15, 2019 Large protests also erupted in other major cities across India, including Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore. Students at Nadwa University in Lucknow reported being locked in by police, and claim stones were thrown at them. The Citizenship Amendment Act sets out rules that allow followers of six religions – including Christians, Sikhs and Hindus – who come from neighbouring Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to become Indian citizens. Citizenship is offered on the condition applicants had to leave their country because of being persecuted for their religion, and they must have been living in India for six years. However, Mr Modi has not extended the offer of citizenship to Muslims. Critics, including the United Nations, say the act marginalises the minority of 193 million. It is the latest in a string of actions the government, led by the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, has taken against India's Muslim population. In August, Mr Modi revoked the autonomous status enjoyed by the Muslim-majority state of Jammu and Kashmir and announced 1.9 million people in Assam – largely Muslims – would be detained and deported as part of a new National Register of Citizens. Assam has been the site of the most violent protests, with six dead since Thursday, but the state has now been placed under curfew. Reminiscent of the ongoing crackdown in Kashmir, over 1,400 people have also been taken into preventive custody and internet services have been blocked. The north-eastern state of Assam witnessed the most violent protests with six people dying. It has now been placed under curfew Credit: Biju Boro/AP Protesters in Assam are concerned the bill could lead to unprecedented migration into the state, diluting its heavily inter-tribal culture and exacerbating ethnic tensions. Opposition leaders have said they will not recognise the law, including Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal. Sonia Gandhi, the leader of the opposition Congress party, accused Mr Modi of having "only a narrow agenda, to make people fight." Despite criticism Mr Modi doubled down on the passing of the act telling a rally on Sunday his decision was "1,000 per cent correct". "This is the time to maintain peace, unity and brotherhood," he implored. The largest demonstrations took place at Islamic academic institutions, including Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh and Maulana Azad Urdu University in Hyderabad. Several Indian human rights groups and a Muslim political party have filed petitions to challenge the citizenship law in the Supreme Court. They argue it violates Article 14 of the Indian Constitution which guarantees the right to equality regardless of religion. The British Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to the north-east of India while the curfew continues.
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| Syria in 'serious dialogue' with China about joining Belt and Road initiative, says Assad Posted: 16 Dec 2019 07:39 AM PST  Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, revealed he is in talks with China to join its Belt and Road Initiative, as he looks for funding to rebuild Syria and Beijing looks to extend its influence in the region. Assad said he has proposed a number of projects to Beijing in the hope of securing investment for reconstruction in the war-torn country. "There are mutual interests: it is beneficial to China, Syria and all the countries on this Road," told Chinese Phoenix TV station. China has for years been trying to revive historic trading links with the Middle East through its Belt and Road initiative, a $1 trillion overseas investment plan. Beijing, which has backed Assad's government against the opposition, has since become the largest source of foreign investment in the region, signing deals with Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, among others. Oil-rich Syria was invited for the first time to attend a summit on the Initiative in April. "We have proposed around six projects to the Chinese government in line with the Belt and Road methodology and we are waiting to hear which project, or projects, is in line with their thinking," Assad said in an interview published on Monday. "I think when this infrastructure is developed, with time, the Silk Road (Belt and Road Initiative) passing through Syria becomes a foregone conclusion, because it is not a road you only draw on a map." Routes of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative The eight-year conflict has laid waste to entire cities and destroyed the country's critical infrastructure, including the destruction of nearly a quarter of its housing stock. The United Nations has estimated the cost of damage at more than $388 (£290) billion, and the cost of lost productivity to GDP at around $268 billion. Most experts agree that it will take at least a decade to repair the war damage. The EU - the world's largest aid donor - has warned it will only provide support for Syria's reconstruction only once a credible "political transition away from Assad (is) firmly under way." The US also imposed sanctions on Damascus and issued a global advisory warning that individuals and entities in the shipping industry seeking to do business with the regime would be in violation of them. Assad has so far relied on his inner circle of businessmen and allies, but their contributions have fallen far short. Iran and Russia, Damascus' main allies, have offered financial aid in return for resources and permanent military presence in the country. Damascus has been trying to encourage some of the six million Syrians who fled the war to return home, but reconstruction would have to begin in order to accommodate them.
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| How long is the sermon? Study ranks Christian churches Posted: 16 Dec 2019 07:33 AM PST  The major branches of Christianity in the U.S. have sharply different traditions, with sermons at historically black Protestant churches lasting — on average - nearly four times as long as Roman Catholic sermons. Catholic sermons were the shortest, at a median of just 14 minutes, compared with 25 minutes for sermons in mainline Protestant congregations and 39 minutes in evangelical Protestant congregations. Historically black Protestant churches had by far the longest sermons, at a median of 54 minutes.
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| US envoy tells Pyongyang “it’s not yet too late” to proceed with nuclear negotiations Posted: 16 Dec 2019 07:20 AM PST  United States special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun says "it's not yet too late" to proceed with nuclear negotiations. Biegun also dismissed Pyongyang's self-imposed year-end deadline. North Korea has been threatening to take what they call a "new path" if Washington does not advance the stalemated nuclear talks and come up with an acceptable offer to ease sanctions before the end of the year.
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| US envoy tells Pyongyang “it’s not yet too late” to proceed with nuclear negotiations Posted: 16 Dec 2019 07:20 AM PST  United States special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun says "it's not yet too late" to proceed with nuclear negotiations. Biegun also dismissed Pyongyang's self-imposed year-end deadline. North Korea has been threatening to take what they call a "new path" if Washington does not advance the stalemated nuclear talks and come up with an acceptable offer to ease sanctions before the end of the year.
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| 9 die in wintry crashes in several Midwestern states Posted: 16 Dec 2019 06:58 AM PST  At least nine people have died in weather-related crashes in several Midwestern states amid a storm that dumped nearly a foot of snow in places, forced schools to close and snarled traffic, authorities said. The wintry weather was part of a storm system that hit parts of the Midwest and was expected to extend into the Northeast through Tuesday, the National Weather Service said. In Missouri, the storm dumped 3 to 9 inches (7.6 to 22.9 centimeters) of snow across of the state.
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| UK and EU B2C E-Commerce Analysis, 2017 to 2023 - Focus on the Implications of Brexit Posted: 16 Dec 2019 06:45 AM PST  The "The Implications of Brexit for UK and EU B2C E-Commerce 2019" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
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| Researcher freed from Iran urges release of other prisoners Posted: 16 Dec 2019 05:53 AM PST  Xiyue Wang and his wife, Hua Qu, said in a statement to The Associated Press that the family is doing well and overjoyed by the support they have received. Wang was released on Dec. 7 as part of a prisoner exchange that saw America release a detained Iranian scientist. "Xiyue's release is a victory of humanity and diplomacy across nations and political differences," the couple said in a statement.
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| Greta Thunberg Is Taking a Holiday Break. 'You Need to Take Rest.' Posted: 16 Dec 2019 05:12 AM PST  LONDON -- Greta Thunberg says she needs a break.The seemingly tireless 16-year-old climate activist -- who has sailed across the Atlantic twice as she has become the most prominent face in the movement to fight global warming, and lectured the world's leaders that they were not doing enough to address the problem -- recently told reporters in Spain:"I will be home for Christmas and then I will take a holiday break because you need to take rest. Otherwise you cannot do this all the time."The activist, who last week was named by Time magazine as its person of the year, has faced attacks from the far right, as well as from the president of the United States and other adults who find her intense and her message that the world is facing a crisis unsettling. Now others have weighed in, including a German railway company.President Donald Trump, who was Time magazine's person of the year in 2016, called this year's choice "ridiculous" on Twitter. He urged Thunberg to "work on her anger management problem" and to "chill."The Trump campaign also distributed a Photoshopped image of the Time cover with the president's head superimposed on the teenager's body.Earlier in the week, Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's far-right president, referred to her as a "brat," Reuters reported.Thunberg also came under criticism last week when she joined thousands of students in the north Italian city of Turin on Friday to pressure the government to take action on carbon emissions. She had just been in Madrid for a U.N. climate conference.While addressing the climate protest, Thunberg called on crowds to "put leaders against the wall," according to the BBC.Critics scolded that she was advocating violence, leading her to apologize and explain that the true meaning of her words had been lost in translation.On Saturday, she said that she was "against any form of violence" and that her remark had been nothing more than an unfortunate translation of an expression meaning "to hold someone accountable" in her native Swedish.Then on Sunday, she posted a photo on Twitter that showed her sitting next to her packed suitcases on the floor of a German train that she described as "overcrowded."The German railway company appeared to take umbrage, first thanking her on Twitter "for supporting us railroad workers in the fight against climate change!" but adding, "It would have been even nicer if you had also reported how friendly and competent you were looked after by our team at your seat in first class."In a follow-up tweet, she explained that the train she had taken from Basel, a city in northwestern Switzerland, had been "taken out of traffic.""So we sat on the floor on 2 different trains," she said, adding that she got a seat after Gottingen, a German town. "Overcrowded trains is a great sign because it means the demand for train travel is high!" she wrote.Thunberg emerged on the world stage last year when she started skipping school to protest climate change outside the Swedish Parliament in August 2018.Refusing to fly because of the outsize greenhouse gas emissions from aviation, she traveled across the Atlantic on an emissions-free yacht to make a fiery speech at the U.N. Climate Action Summit in New York in September this year.Then in November she set sail from Hampton, Virginia, to Spain for the 25th U.N. Climate Change conference.This month, Oscar-nominated director Darren Aronofsky called her "the icon the planet desperately needs" in an op-ed article for The New York Times.After Trump's mocking tweet this week, Thunberg changed her Twitter bio to identify herself as: "A teenager working on her anger management problem. Currently chilling and watching a good old fashioned movie with a friend."Prominent figures also came to her defense."What kind of president bullies a teenager?" Joe Biden, the former vice president and a Democratic presidential hopeful, wrote on Twitter on Thursday. He added that the president "could learn a few things from Greta on what it means to be a leader."Michelle Obama, the former first lady, also weighed in, telling Thunberg to not let "anyone dim her light.""Ignore the doubters and know that millions of people are cheering you on," she wrote.This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2019 The New York Times Company
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| Why South Korea's Marines Are Such an Excellent Fighting Force Posted: 16 Dec 2019 05:05 AM PST  North Korea should be wary.
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| South Africa Pushes U.A.E to Sign Delayed Gupta Extradition Deal Posted: 16 Dec 2019 05:02 AM PST ![South Africa Pushes U.A.E to Sign Delayed Gupta Extradition Deal]( "South Africa Pushes U.A.E to Sign Delayed Gupta Extradition Deal") (Bloomberg) -- Sign up to our Next Africa newsletter and follow Bloomberg Africa on TwitterSouth Africa will use a meeting in the United Arab Emirates this week to ramp up pressure on the country to sign an extradition agreement that could be used to extradite members of the Gupta family to face corruption-related allegations in Johannesburg."We have to establish through the meetings why the U.A.E has not signed the extradition treaty," South African Justice Minister Ronald Lamola told reporters in Pretoria on Monday. Authorities in South Africa signed their side of the agreement last year and now need their counterparts in the Middle East to do the same, he said.South African authorities have accused members of the Gupta family of using their links with former President Jacob Zuma to secure deals to loot state-owned companies. The Guptas, some of whom reside in the emirate of Dubai, deny any wrongdoing. The Guptas became a focus of controversy in 2013 after arranging for a chartered jet full of wedding guests to land at a South African military base. The U.S. imposed sanctions on Gupta family members in October.Lamola, Public Services Minister Senzo Mchunu and other senior government officials are travelling to the U.A.E this week to attend a United Nations conference on corruption, to be held in Abu Dhabi.To contact the reporter on this story: Loni Prinsloo in Johannesburg at lprinsloo3@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Karl Maier at kmaier2@bloomberg.net, Alastair ReedFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| UN AIDS agency fires whistleblower after misconduct probe Posted: 16 Dec 2019 04:21 AM PST  The United Nations' AIDS agency has fired two staffers for financial and sexual misconduct, including a whistleblower whose allegations of being sexually assaulted sparked months of turmoil at the organization. Last March, Martina Brostrom publicly accused a senior UNAIDS director of forcibly kissing her and trying to drag her out of a Bangkok elevator in 2015.
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| The daily business briefing: December 16, 2019 Posted: 16 Dec 2019 04:09 AM PST ![The daily business briefing: December 16, 2019]( "The daily business briefing: December 16, 2019") 1.British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday welcomed 109 newly elected Conservative members of Parliament following his party's landslide win in last week's election. Johnson promised to deliver on his pledge to speed up the U.K.'s exit from the European Union after months of delays. Johnson said he would run a "people's government" that would "repay the public's trust by getting Brexit done." He also vowed to use his solid new majority to approve increased spending for health care, education, and law enforcement. Johnson reportedly aims to present his Brexit bill to Parliament before Christmas so that Britain can leave the EU by Jan. 31, ending three years of debate over Brexit. [Reuters] 2.U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said Sunday that the first phase of the U.S.-China trade deal the two sides announced Friday is now "totally done." Under the agreement, he said, the U.S. will "double exports" to China over the next two years. The gains stemmed partly from China's agreement to buy billions of dollars' worth of American agricultural products. In exchange, President Trump promised to drop plans to impose a new round of tariffs on Chinese imports on Sunday. The world's two biggest economies plan to formally sign the agreement in January. [CNBC] 3.A top Mexican trade negotiator on Sunday rushed to Washington to discuss a potential snag in the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The trade deal, intended to replace NAFTA, was signed last week, but Jesús Seade, undersecretary for North America in the Foreign Ministry, accused Washington of unexpectedly deciding to send up to five U.S. representatives to monitor labor conditions under the treaty. Mexico had rejected a proposal for U.S. labor inspectors to boost enforcement of labor laws, calling such a measure a violation of Mexico's sovereignty. The measure was included in implementing legislation sent to the U.S. Congress on Friday. Seade sent U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer a letter saying the U.S. "never mentioned" that the foreign labor inspectors would be part of the deal, and expressing "Mexico's surprise and concern." [The Washington Post] 4.U.S. stock index futures rose slightly early Monday, boosted by Friday's announcement of a "phase one" trade deal between the U.S. and China. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average were up by about 0.2 percent several hours before the opening bell, while those of the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq gained more than 0.3 percent. Stocks closed slightly higher on Friday after the U.S. and China announced the deal, averting a new round of U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods that had been scheduled to hit on Sunday. Markets remained cautious pending the release of full details on China's planned purchases of U.S. agricultural goods and other key points. In corporate news, Boeing reportedly is considering reducing or halting production of its grounded 737 MAX jets. [CNBC, Reuters] 5.The Hallmark Channel announced Sunday it was reversing a decision to pull a same-sex marriage commercial that sparked outrage from a conservative group. The One Million Moms organization complained to the network about a commercial for Zola, a wedding planning site, that featured two brides kissing at the altar. Hallmark agreed to stop airing the ads, but on Sunday, Hallmark Cards CEO Mike Perry released a statement saying the "Crown Media team has been agonizing over this decision as we've seen the hurt it has unintentionally caused. Said simply, they believe this was the wrong decision. We are truly sorry for the hurt and disappointment this has caused." The decision to stop airing the commercials triggered a social media backlash and calls to boycott Hallmark. [The Associated Press]More stories from theweek.com Trump's pathological obsession with being laughed at The most important day of the impeachment inquiry Jerry Falwell Jr.'s false gospel of memes
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| Amnesty raises to 304 number of Iranians killed in protests Posted: 16 Dec 2019 04:08 AM PST  Amnesty International said Monday that at least 304 people were killed in last month's anti-government protests in Iran, a significantly higher number than what the rights group had reported previously. The protests, which lasted about four days in several cities and towns in Iran in November, were sparked by a sharp rise in gasoline prices. During the violence and in the days that followed, Iranian authorities blocked access to the internet.
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| The New Worry for Iran’s Intelligence Services: Drug-Laced Cakes Posted: 16 Dec 2019 03:52 AM PST ![The New Worry for Iran's Intelligence Services: Drug-Laced Cakes]( "The New Worry for Iran's Intelligence Services: Drug-Laced Cakes") (Bloomberg) -- Already battling U.S. sanctions, regional isolation and unrest on the streets, Iran's intelligence services are dealing with a strange new threat: medicine-laced sponge cakes.Earlier this week, Iranian state TV reported that several cake factories in some of the country's southern provinces had been forced to suspend production after pills, including the narcotic-like pain relief drug Tramadol, were discovered in packaged produce.Health Minister Saeed Namaki said Sunday that the security and intelligence services had been enlisted to track down what he called a "network" believed to have contaminated the cakes at some stage. The incidents are being handled as "a security matter," he said, without speculating on the reasons for the sabotage."Fortunately there have been no deaths from the incidents of poisoning resulting from these cases," Namaki told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Tehran, the semi-official Iranian Students' News Agency reported. "We're working day and night with various teams in order to identify the network." A total of 12 companies have received reports of their cakes or cookies being found to contain various medicines, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported. A university lab in southern Hormuzgan province discovered 30 different types of drugs in the cases it examined, IRNA said.To contact the editors responsible for this story: Lin Noueihed at lnoueihed@bloomberg.net, Michael Gunn, Mark WilliamsFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| N. Ireland parties revive power-sharing talks after UK vote Posted: 16 Dec 2019 03:34 AM PST  Northern Ireland's squabbling parties met Monday in the hope of reviving their power-sharing regional government after three years, with the UK election having cleared the path to Brexit. The power-sharing executive between the pro-British, conservative Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and left-wing Irish republicans Sinn Fein crumbled in a breakdown of trust following a misspending scandal.
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| Hong Kong’s Not the Only Asian Hot Spot Posted: 16 Dec 2019 02:53 AM PST ![Hong Kong's Not the Only Asian Hot Spot]( "Hong Kong's Not the Only Asian Hot Spot") (Bloomberg) -- Want to receive this post in your inbox every day? Sign up for the Balance of Power newsletter, and follow Bloomberg Politics on Twitter and Facebook for more.There are two new political hot spots in Asia, and they're a long way from the tear gas-shrouded streets of downtown Hong Kong.In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's embrace of hardline Hindu nationalism at the expense of the country's secular roots has brought thousands to the streets. The army has sent troops in to restore order.Sparked by a new law that prevents undocumented Muslim migrants from neighboring countries receiving citizenship, the demonstrations have reached the capital, New Delhi, as well as other major cities and threaten to spill over into worsening communal violence.It's a far cry from the investor-friendly, open-for-business image Modi projects during his frequent international visits.In Thailand, the government's efforts to break up the highest-profile opposition party prompted a rare display of defiance against Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha's military-backed administration.The protests in Bangkok Saturday follow a sustained effort by the courts and the Election Commission to break up the Future Forward Party and drive its charismatic leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit out of politics.With unemployment at a more than four-decade high in India and growth slowing, and Thailand still recovering from four years of military rule, neither government can afford to take its focus off the economy — especially not for crises of their own making.Global HeadlinesImpeachment vote | Donald Trump's likely impeachment this week adds a stain to a presidency plagued by turmoil and partisan rancor. The House is all but certain to deliver the formal rebuke in a vote on Wednesday, marking the political climax of three years of Democratic furor and the end of a frenetic three-month investigation into whether Trump abused the power of his office. The fight is already casting a cloud over the 2020 election.Brexit choices | British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to appoint new ministers to his cabinet today as he forges ahead with the divorce from the European Union after his election victory. But as Alan Crawford and Dara Doyle report, Brexit's likely to increase tensions with Scotland and Northern Ireland — both oppose it — and could even threaten the unity of the U.K.End of an era | After a dozen years as speaker of Iran's parliament, Ali Larijani is bowing out. Larijani is among those who backed President Hassan Rouhani when Iran negotiated the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and now stands weakened as the accord crumbles under Trump's sanctions and Tehran's tit-for-tat reprisals. Larijani decision is emblematic of how arch-conservatives are on the rise ahead of Feb. 21 national assembly elections.Enduring support | Embattled Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam got a fresh boost from her backers in China during a visit to Beijing, with President Xi Jinping saying his government would "firmly support" her. It comes after another weekend of protests suggested six months of unrest in the Asian financial hub would continue in the new year.Hong Kong's government has an ad in editions of the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times and the Australian with the message the city remains free and stable. "It's been tough, but we will soldier on," the ad reads.Perceived enemies | Eleven former senior executives of Turkish non-state banks say were fired over the past two years on orders from banking regulators who are now overseen by Berat Albayrak, the president's son-in-law who has been treasury and finance minister since July 2018. Two senior government officials say the stewards of the economy are looking to eliminate what they call economic "traitors" in both the public and private sector, especially after the lira collapsed in 2018. The banking regulator called the claims unfounded.What to Watch This WeekMexico's top trade negotiator is expected to meet with his counterpart Robert Lighthizer and U.S. lawmakers in Washington today after objecting to the congressional proposal to create multiple U.S. labor attaches to monitor implementation of a trade deal with the U.S. and Canada. China is threatening Berlin with retaliation if it excludes tech giant Huawei as a supplier of 5G wireless equipment, citing the millions of German vehicles sold in China. U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper meet Wednesday with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. Zambian President Edgar Lungu says he wants the U.S. ambassador to leave the country after the diplomat criticized the sentencing of a gay couple to 15 years jail for having a consensual relationship.Thanks to all who responded to our pop quiz Saturday and congratulations to reader Marc Koffman, who was the first to name India as the nation where the parliament approved legislation last week preventing undocumented Muslim migrants from neighboring countries from receiving citizenship? Tell us how we're doing or what we're missing at balancepower@bloomberg.net.And finally ... Chinese nationalism knows no bounds when it comes to sports franchises. London soccer club Arsenal was the latest to run afoul of Chinese fans, after Turkish-German midfielder Mesut Ozil took to social media to criticize Islamic nations for failing to challenge China's mass detentions of its Uighur Muslim minority. The remarks sparked a similar fury to Houston Rockets executive Daryl Morey's brief support for Hong Kong protesters in October, with Chinese state-run television suspending broadcasts of the team's matches. The bright side for Chinese Arsenal fans? They missed a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City. \--With assistance from Karl Maier, Karen Leigh and Brendan Scott.To contact the author of this story: Ruth Pollard in New Delhi at rpollard2@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Kathleen Hunter at khunter9@bloomberg.netFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Surging Netanyahu rival launches party leadership challenge Posted: 16 Dec 2019 02:47 AM PST  Veteran Israeli politician Gideon Saar officially launched his bid to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as head of the ruling Likud party amid rising support. Netanyahu is Israel's longest-serving leader, but he's been weakened by a corruption indictment that may force him out of office, as well as back-to-back failures to form a government this year. Saar's leadership bid marks the first serious internal challenge to Netanyahu in his decade-plus in power.
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| Across India, opposition building against citizenship law Posted: 16 Dec 2019 02:07 AM PST  Thousands of university students flooded the streets of India's capital, while a southern state government led a march and demonstrators held a silent protest in the northeast on Monday against a new law giving citizenship to non-Muslims who entered India illegally to flee religious persecution in neighboring countries. The protests in New Delhi followed a night of violent clashes between police and demonstrators at Jamia Millia Islamia University.
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| China's Xi gives Hong Kong leader 'unwavering support' Posted: 16 Dec 2019 02:06 AM PST  Chinese President Xi Jinping told beleaguered Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Monday that she had Beijing's "unwavering support" after another huge pro-democracy rally earlier this month and her government's thrashing at recent local elections. The city has been upended by six months of massive pro-democracy protests that have seen violent battles between police and hardcore demonstrators, as well as regular transport disruption. Protesters have called for the unpopular Lam to stand down as leader but she received the backing of China's leadership during an annual visit to Beijing on Monday.
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| WWII allies, Germany mark 75 yrs since Battle of the Bulge Posted: 16 Dec 2019 01:04 AM PST  Side by side, the Allies and former enemy Germany togethermarked the 75th anniversary of one of the most important battles in World War II — the Battle of the Bulge, which stopped Adolf Hitler's last-ditch offensive to turn the tide of the war. At dawn on Dec. 16, 1944, over 200,000 German soldiers started the most unexpected breakthrough through the dense woods of Belgium and Luxembourg's hilly Ardennes. Making the most of the surprise move, the cold, freezing weather and wearied U.S. troops, the Germans pierced the front line so deeply it came to be known as the Battle of the Bulge.
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| Dealmakers Will Test Johnson’s Open-Market Cred Posted: 16 Dec 2019 12:56 AM PST  (Bloomberg Opinion) -- The U.K.'s election of a right-wing, pro-market government with a thumping majority would certainly seem like a green light to foreign companies wanting to buy London-listed rivals. But the new political climate for takeovers may be hazier than it seems.Boris Johnson's administration is still only four months old, so it's hard to know precisely how it would approach a sizable, serious, fully funded foreign takeover bid. The old chestnuts that surface now and again include an attempt on the big drugmakers, AstraZeneca Plc or GlaxoSmithKline Plc, a tilt by Exxon Mobil Corp. for BP Plc, or even a U.S. bid for BAE Systems Plc, despite the government having a veto via a "golden share."A proposal to take over these particular British icons would be controversial, and each has its strategic and financial obstacles (AstraZeneca is expensive; oil companies are trying to get away from oil, not buy more). Yet getting the political calculation right may prove even trickier.Although Johnson hasn't made the same protectionist noises as his predecessor, Theresa May, the U.K. has been taking a more interventionist stance on M&A lately. It's now the norm for bidders in sensitive sectors to accept restrictions on how they'll manage the assets they acquire, as seen most recently with the private-equity-led deals for defense contractor Cobham Plc and satellite operator Inmarsat Plc. The Competition and Markets Authority, the U.K.'s trustbuster, is getting tougher too. Witness its examination of Amazon.com Inc.'s minority stake in food-delivery group Deliveroo, even though the e-commerce giant would not have control.The question is whether the current level of scrutiny is where it peaks.Johnson is in a bind. The extra seats that delivered his majority were secured by votes potentially "lent," to use the premier's own phrase, from supporters of the opposition Labour Party, including those in Britain's industrial heartlands. Johnson won't want to alienate these voters by hastily endorsing deals that could threaten U.K. jobs or deliver prized national assets to foreign owners. Despite the Conservative Party's longstanding laissez-faire approach to markets, the nationalist undercurrent remains strong in British politics.On the other hand, if the bearish analyses of Brexit's impact prove true, the U.K. economy is in for a difficult time in the years ahead. Johnson will want to attract foreign investment, and flat resistance to any overseas bid would surely be a deterrent to the international business audience. Potential U.S. bidders may judge that Johnson will also want to keep President Donald Trump happy if he is to secure the wide-ranging free-trade deal he campaigned on.Johnson, then, will be torn between his new Labour supporters and global business. Predicting where he'll side isn't easy. But when push comes to shove, and with the next election years away, it seems likely that he'd follow the money. Logic suggests that deal-hungry CEOs will now feel more confident testing Britain's open-market credentials.To contact the author of this story: Chris Hughes at chughes89@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Timothy Lavin at tlavin1@bloomberg.netThis column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Chris Hughes is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering deals. He previously worked for Reuters Breakingviews, as well as the Financial Times and the Independent newspaper.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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