| Navy dismisses SEAL team leaders, cites discipline failures Posted: 06 Sep 2019 03:48 PM PDT ![Navy dismisses SEAL team leaders, cites discipline failures]( "Navy dismisses SEAL team leaders, cites discipline failures") In a highly unusual move, three senior leaders of a SEAL team were dismissed Friday due to a loss of confidence in their leadership skills only weeks after a unit in Iraq was sent home accused of sexual assault and the platoon chief of another unit was convicted for posing with a casualty. Naval Special Warfare Command said Rear Adm. Collin Green relieved them because their leadership failures caused a breakdown of order and discipline within two units while deployed to combat zones. The Navy did not make clear which two units it was referring to, but it named the team leaders who were relieved.
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| Governor to take Tree of Life mezuzah to Holocaust memorials Posted: 06 Sep 2019 03:40 PM PDT  When Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf visits Holocaust memorials in Lithuania and Poland, he will carry the mezuzah that was on the office door of Rabbi Jeffrey Myers when a gunman burst into Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue last year and killed 11 people. Wolf said Friday that he called Myers ahead of his trip to the two countries, told him he planned to visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp memorial in Poland and asked him how he could honor the shooting victims. At Myers' suggestion, Wolf said he will carry the ornate mezuzah and sign the victims' names in commemoration books at the Paneriai Holocaust Memorial, in the forests outside Vilnius, where many of the Lithuanian capital's Jews were executed, and at the Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial.
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| Palestinians: 2 teens killed by Israeli fire in Gaza protest Posted: 06 Sep 2019 02:47 PM PDT ![Palestinians: 2 teens killed by Israeli fire in Gaza protest]( "Palestinians: 2 teens killed by Israeli fire in Gaza protest") Two Palestinians, ages 17 and 14, were killed by Israeli gunfire Friday during protests along the perimeter fence separating Gaza and Israel, Gaza health officials said. The Israeli military said the more than 6,000 Palestinian demonstrators engaged in "especially violent" protests.
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| Acting UN nuclear watchdog head to meet Iranian officials Posted: 06 Sep 2019 02:26 PM PDT  The acting head of the UN's nuclear watchdog will meet officials in Iran this weekend, the organisation said Friday, as Tehran prepares to detail its latest scale-back to commitments under a 2015 deal to curb its nuclear programme. The International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement that its Acting Director General Cornel Feruta "will travel to Tehran on Saturday for meetings with high-level Iranian officiInternational Atomic Energy Agency als on Sunday, 8 September". "The visit is part of ongoing interactions between the IAEA and Iran," the statement said.
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| US weighs releasing name sought in Saudi 9/11 suit Posted: 06 Sep 2019 02:16 PM PDT  The Justice Department is wrestling with whether to disclose a name sought by the plaintiffs in a long-running lawsuit that seeks to link the government of Saudi Arabia to the 9/11 attacks. Attorney General William Barr faced a Friday deadline for deciding whether to release the name or to invoke a rarely used state secrets privilege and refuse to divulge the information. "We make this request because the FBI's response to the motion is being coordinated at the highest levels of the Department of Justice, and additional time is needed to finalize the FBI's submission and the scope of the privilege assertions," U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman, the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, said in a letter.
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| Michigan funeral service held for deported Iraqi national Posted: 06 Sep 2019 01:58 PM PDT ![Michigan funeral service held for deported Iraqi national]( "Michigan funeral service held for deported Iraqi national") A private funeral service has been held in suburban Detroit for a 41-year-old Iraqi man who died in Baghdad after being deported from the U.S. for committing crimes. The Detroit News reports that Jimmy Aldaoud was buried Friday at the gravesite of his parents at Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery in Southfield. Aldaoud came to the U.S. as an infant and lived in the Detroit area.
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| Moscow Cops Raid Offices of Putin Opponent Alexei Navalny, Who Just Won’t Quit Posted: 06 Sep 2019 01:40 PM PDT  Oleg Nikishin/Epsilon/GettyMOSCOW—At about 8 o'clock Thursday night, days before municipal elections, police special forces—men in black uniforms with faces hidden under black balaclavas—broke the door to opposition leader Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, stormed in and confiscated pretty much everything: computers, cameras, film lights, cell phones, clothes, food, as well as thousands of documents important for independent election observers. Two hours later police detained nine of the foundation's members in different corners of the Russian capital.During the raid Navalny, famous for his cool resistance and extraordinary stamina, took a video of his team's lawyers playing soccer in the office, as if nothing unusual was happening. In the past decade Russian authorities have put Navalny behind bars dozens of times for hundreds of days.Alexei Navalny on Standing Up to Putin and His Murderous MinionsNavalny has risked his life in a political environment where many opponents and critics of President Vladimir Putin have been killed or died under suspicious circumstances. Last month somebody tried to shut him up in jail with a mysterious poison. Although Navalny and several other key opposition politicians spent weeks of their summer behind bars, thousands of protesters came out to the streets—showing the movement could live without leaders. Random Moscow residents demanded fair and free elections and an end to political repression. People marched on Moscow's streets chanting: "Russia will be free!"In an interview with The Daily Beast earlier this year Navalny said, "We are fearless and unstoppable, no matter how harsh the pressure is from Putin's thuggish government." If Navalny is calm and stable, Russian authorities have demonstrated hysterical behavior during the weeks of the election campaign: nearly every weekend police grabbed thousands of peaceful protesters at anti-government rallies, threatening children and parents, releasing some political prisoners and locking up others for long terms. "This is the most chaotic and messy strategy; obviously Russian authorities miscalculated the opposition's explosive potential force," Tanya Lokshina, associate director for Human Rights Watch's Europe and Central Asia division, told The Daily Beast. "Nearly every weekend police units block Moscow streets for pedestrians and injure dozens of peaceful people, who exercise their constitutional right; at least five opposition activists have been sentenced to shockingly long terms--two, three, four years in prison." An estimated 30 percent of Moscow's protesters are young people, age 20 to 35, many of them are students at Russia's best universities, and the opposition student movement is growing, participants sign letters demanding to free political prisoners, collect money for defense lawyers, organize peaceful rallies and discussions. "We are a positive movement, our main strength is solidarity, we are sincere, we unite against indifference, cynicism and the unfairness of government actions," 21-year-old student Nikita Ponarin told The Daily Beast on Friday.Send The Daily Beast a TipPonarin is in his fourth year at the Higher School of Economics, one of Russia's leading state universities. He studies political science and as with many well-educated young Russians is critical of the Kremlin's politics. Day after day before the elections municipal services wash Moscow's central streets with soap, paint façades of the buildings, fix roofs and install fancy street lighting while police grab the future Russian professional, the new generation of liberal politicians all over these streets. "We have no lack of access to information about the wars in Ukraine or Syria, we are not afraid of fines or dozens of days in jail as punishment for our participation in protests; but we are concerned about long prison terms," Ponarin admitted to The Daily Beast. While police raided Navalny's office on Thursday night, a Moscow court sentenced one more opposition activist, 34-year-old IT specialist Konstantin Kotov to four years in prison for participating in several unsanctioned protests this year. Hundreds of people chanted Freedom for Kotov! Freedom for political prisoners! Russia will be free!" outside of the court at a spontaneous protest. "The Russian Constitutional Court ruled that peaceful protesters should not be put in jail even for a minute, if they do not constitute a threat to society and yet they sentenced Kotov to a shockingly long term, four years in prison," Lokshina told The Daily Beast after examining the court's verdict. Earlier this week police detained our colleague Ilya Azar, a journalist for the independent Novaya Gazeta, right outside of the unlocked door to his apartment. Just like Kotov, Azar was accused of attending unsanctioned protests. The journalist explained to police that his 2-year-old daughter was alone in the apartment but the state officials did not want to hear anything about any private issues and took Azar away from his baby. When Azar's wife arrived half an hour later, the door to the flat was unlocked. Luckily, the baby girl was sleeping peacefully.By arresting peaceful activists, Russian authorities risk turning politically passive citizens into opponents who will be joining rallies to demand their constitutional right. University students refer to this strategy as "shortsighted," and Russian lawmakers appear oblivious to their domestic mistakes. Instead, a special commission has been created to look for foreign enemies to blame for the protests. A member of the State Duma, or parliament, Vadim Dengin, said he still suspected the West, especially the United States and Germany, of helping to develop the growing anti-Putin movement. "Somebody helped the opposition to create professionally made banners like 'Moscow, come out!' Just imagine something like 'Washington, come out!'" Dengin said. "Russian domestic politics is only Russia's affairs. Nobody has a right to call for the change of power, a revolution. Soon we'll publish the documents to show who was behind the revolt."Alexei Navalny 'Poisoning' Comes at a Critical Moment in Moscow Protests(Americans concerned about the well-documented Russian interference in U.S. politics will no doubt see the irony in these claims.)By now every small and big bureaucrat working at the Kremlin's administration and Moscow city hall must realize that no arrests, no threats can put an end to the anti-Putin rallies and to the newly emerging political class. For 15 days before the Moscow elections, Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation had been publishing reports about shadowy schemes plotted by President Vladimir Putin's federal and municipal government members.The latest investigative reports came out on Friday, just a few hours after police confiscations and detentions at Navalny's office. In one simple illustration Navalny showed photographs of Alexander Beglov, the acting governor of St.Petersburg, wearing watches worth more than an average Russian's annual salary, 10 million Rubles ($15,127). Navalny wondered where Beglov found money to buy the unaffordable-for-any-bureaucrat timepieces. Or, hm, did Beglov take the watches as bribes? Navalny's team also explained the anatomy of corruption at Moscow's mayoral office, including dubious real estate schemes for more than $100 million. The corruption fighters showed Moscow Deputy Mayor Natalya Sergunina' five huge residences, giving details of offshore real estate deals registered on Sergunina's sister, husband Lazar Safaniyev and Safaniyev's British and Austrian companies. "Honest, competent people should be managing Moscow but they will never appear if we are going to sit on the couch," the report concluded. "We have neither a right to voluntarily give up on Moscow city hall, nor on St. Petersburg municipality or any other institution with power." Read 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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| Sentences of 3 Blackwater guards reduced from 2007 massacre Posted: 06 Sep 2019 12:50 PM PDT ![Sentences of 3 Blackwater guards reduced from 2007 massacre]( "Sentences of 3 Blackwater guards reduced from 2007 massacre") A federal judge on Thursday greatly reduced the sentences of three former Blackwater security contractors, in the latest development from a complex case dating back to the 2007 shootings of unarmed civilians in Baghdad. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth sentenced Paul Slough to 15 years in prison, Evan Liberty to 14 years and Dustin Heard to 12 years and seven months. All three had received 30-year terms in a 2015 trial -- a mandatory sentence for the commission of a felony while using a military firearm.
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| US-Iran diplomatic deal seems dead as Tehran breaches new nuclear limit Posted: 06 Sep 2019 12:50 PM PDT  The Iranian government moved Friday to break another commitment it made under the nuclear deal as it struggles under U.S. economic sanctions reimposed after President Donald Trump withdrew from the historic accord. The move, which sparked condemnation from the U.S. and concern from Europe, comes as the Trump administration is stepping up its pressure on Iran's oil industry as a way to pin down the Iranian government, even taking the unusual move to offer a ship's captain a multi-million dollar payout if he turned over his vessel carrying Iranian oil to U.S. authorities. A diplomatic overture by France's President Emmanuel Macron also now seems dead, despite initial support from Trump, leaving heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran that analysts worry could lead to skirmishes or wider conflict.
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| AU lifts Sudan suspension saying it created civilian gov't Posted: 06 Sep 2019 12:46 PM PDT  The African Union said Friday it lifted Sudan's suspension because it established a civilian-led transitional government following the military's ouster of autocratic president Omar al-Bashir in April. The move came a day after Sudan's newly appointed prime minister formed a new Cabinet, part of a transitional power-sharing agreement between the military and pro-democracy demonstrators. Sudan's military council and the pro-democracy movement signed it last month following pressure from the United States and its regional allies amid growing concerns the political crisis could ignite a civil war.
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| The Latest: UN chief lauds Mugabe role in fighting apartheid Posted: 06 Sep 2019 12:36 PM PDT  According to U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric, the secretary-general will be sending a letter "offering condolences to the government and people of Zimbabwe" following Mugabe's death earlier Friday. Dujarric also noted Mugabe's "notable contributions" when chairing organizations such as the former Organization of African Unity and the Southern African Development Community.
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| Iran gives new knock to nuclear deal but it's not yet broken Posted: 06 Sep 2019 12:24 PM PDT  President Emmanuel Macron's efforts to stitch together a deal with Iran to stop the 2015 nuclear accord from collapsing was hanging by threads Friday — but not yet broken, despite Tehran's announced plans to step farther back from its international commitments. Iran was poised to begin work on advanced centrifuges that will enrich uranium faster with no solution from Europe to provide a way to revive the deal ahead of the Friday deadline — the third incremental breach of the accord. Europe called on Iran to pull back from the slippery slope that could undo the accord completely.
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| Pompeo presses Europeans after Iran curbs nuclear promises Posted: 06 Sep 2019 11:31 AM PDT  US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday pressed European nations to stop Iran's "extortion" after Tehran again reduced its commitments under a nuclear deal in response to US sanctions. "We are confident that the UK, France and Germany -- indeed, all civilized nations -- will take decisive actions to stop Iran's nuclear extortion," Pompeo, who visited the European Union headquarters in Brussels earlier in the week, wrote on Twitter.
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| Aid sent to displaced Syrians near Jordan border: UN Posted: 06 Sep 2019 11:14 AM PDT  The United Nations said Friday it had sent aid to thousands of displaced Syrians living in an isolated desert camp near the Jordanian border, the first such delivery since February. The joint UN and Syrian Arab Red Crescent convoy comes ahead of planned "assisted departures" from the Rukban camp later this month, UN spokesman Hedinn Halldorsson said. The five-day mission will "distribute food and nutrition supplies" to 15,000 people, he told AFP, adding that supplies are expected to last 30 days.
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| Brexit saga's key players: A guide to the central political figures Posted: 06 Sep 2019 10:34 AM PDT  British politics reached unprecedented levels of gridlock and constitutional confusion this week after Prime Minister Boris Johnson lost three key Brexit votes in the House of Commons. After serving as mayor of London, Johnson quickly became a leading advocate of leaving the EU, while his boss, then Prime Minister David Cameron, led the campaign to remain.
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| 'I know what death smells like': fears Bahamas death toll will soar amid search for hundreds still missing Posted: 06 Sep 2019 10:21 AM PDT  The smell of death hangs over parts of Great Abaco Island in the northern Bahamas, where relief workers on Friday sifted through the debris of shattered homes and buildings in a search expected to dramatically drive up the death toll from Hurricane Dorian. Dorian, the most powerful hurricane to ever hit the Bahamas, swept through the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama Island earlier this week, flattening entire neighbourhoods and knocking out key infrastructure, including airport landing strips and a hospital. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people are still missing, and officials say the death toll, which currently stands at 30, is likely to rise significantly as more bodies are discovered in the ruins and floodwaters left behind by the storm. "You smell the decomposing bodies as you walk through Marsh Harbour," said Sandra Sweeting, 37, in an interview amid the wreckage on Great Abaco. "It's everywhere. There are a lot of people who aren't going to make it off this island." Some locals called the government's initial official death toll a tragic underestimate. Hurricane Dorian barrels towards US after battering Bahamas, in pictures "I work part-time in a funeral home, I know what death smells like," said Anthony Thompson, 27. "There must be hundreds. Hundreds." Asked if any of his friends or family had perished, Mr Thompson looked at the ground. "I don't want to ask, because there are people I still haven't heard from," he said. Chaotic conditions around the islands were interfering with flights and boats, hampering relief efforts. Aliana Alexis, of Haiti, stands on the concrete slab of what is left of her home after destruction from Hurricane Dorian in an area called "The Mud" at Marsh Harbour in Great Abaco Island Credit: Al Diaz/Miami Herald / AP "Obviously, we have to take care of the sick and the injured first, but we're also making preparations for the dead," Dr. Caroline Burnett-Garraway, medical chief of staff at Princess Margaret Hospital in Nassau, told CNN by phone. Many of those injured by the storm were being airlifted to the hospital with fractures and head injuries and suffering from trauma and dehydration, said Dr Burnett-Garraway, who expects a "second wave" of patients in the coming days. There are fears contaminated drink water will lead to outbreaks of diarrhoea and waterborne diseases, with aid organisations describing the situation for some people on Abaco as "desperate." The United Nations estimated 70,000 people were in immediate need of food, water and shelter on the islands, where looting of shops and supermarkets has been reported. Humanitarian and Disaster Relief teams, from RFA Mounts Bay, delivering aid to the Island of Great Abaco Credit: Paul Halliwell / Royal Navy The British government has allocated £1.5 million for an immediate response in the Bahamas, which includes the delivery of critical aid supplies such as water and shelter kits through a Royal Navy ship in the area. The Department for International Development has also deployed humanitarian staff and Foreign Office staff to the islands. It is estimated that several hundred British nationals live in the worst affected areas of the Bahamas. The Government said it is opening a reception centre in Nassau, the capital of the island nation, for British people who are facing difficulties in the wake of the hurricane. Alok Sharma, the International Development Secretary, said: "My heart goes out to all of those who have been affected by this tragedy and lost their loved ones. Anyone worried about a loved one in the Bahamas who may need UK consular help should call 0207 008 1500." A man carries bags with his clothes at his home after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in Marsh Harbour Credit: Reuters The relief effort faces formidable logistical challenges because of the widespread destruction of Dorian, which hovered over the Bahamas for nearly two days with torrential rains and fierce winds that whipped up 12- to 18-foot storm surges. The storm made landfall on the Outer Banks of North Carolina on Friday with winds of 90 miles per hour. Roy Cooper, the state's governor, said hundreds of people are stranded following a storm surge on the Outer Banks' Ocracoke Island. Mr Cooper said some 800 people had chosen to stay behind, and urged them to get to high ground. "There is significant concern about hundreds of people trapped on Ocrocoke Island," he told reporters at a news conference on Friday morning. "There are rescue teams ready as soon as they can get in." A weakened Hurricane Dorian flooded homes on the Outer Banks with a ferocity that seemed to take storm-hardened residents by surprise Credit: Steve Earley/The Virginian-Pilot via AP At least four deaths in the US southeast have so far been blamed on the storm, which has caused substantial damage in the states of North and South Carolina. Twisters spun off by Dorian peeled away roofs and flipped trailers, and more than 250,000 homes and businesses were left without power. On Friday morning, residents and crews fanned out around downtown Charleston, scooping up the branches and leaves that littered the centuries-old streets.
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| China braces for 'uninvited rhetoric' at top UN rights body Posted: 06 Sep 2019 10:06 AM PDT ![China braces for 'uninvited rhetoric' at top UN rights body]( "China braces for 'uninvited rhetoric' at top UN rights body") A Chinese ambassador said Friday his country is ready for any "undesirable or uninvited rhetoric" on issues like Hong Kong unrest or government detention centers in the Xinjiang region as the U.N.'s top human rights body meets for three weeks starting Monday. Chen Xu, China's envoy to U.N. institutions in Geneva, also insisted that Beijing doesn't believe that the Human Rights Council is the "right venue" to discuss issues like the protests in Hong Kong.
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| Iran Sanctions And Ship Bunkering Posted: 06 Sep 2019 09:41 AM PDT ![Iran Sanctions And Ship Bunkering]( "Iran Sanctions And Ship Bunkering") Bunker fuel providers are the filling stations to the world's ship fleet, but depending on their nationality, they must ensure that they don't run afoul of U.S. sanctions, according to the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Numerous Iranian companies and individuals, including nearly 200 ships, currently are listed on OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List for violating U.S. sanctions imposed on Iran, as well as for U.S. national security and foreign policy concerns. OFAC has attempted to bring clarity to which ship bunkering activities might violate U.S. sanctions for Iran with an update of one "frequently asked questions" entry and the addition of two other ship bunker-specific entries on Sept. 5.
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| In UK, Pence Pushes For Trade Deal Posted: 06 Sep 2019 09:39 AM PDT ![In UK, Pence Pushes For Trade Deal]( "In UK, Pence Pushes For Trade Deal") Vice President Mike Pence on Sept. 5 in London made the case for a post-Brexit U.S.-United Kingdom trade agreement, asserting that such a deal could triple or quadruple bilateral trade. The U.K. was the seventh-largest U.S. trading partner in 2018, when the U.S. exported $66.3 billion worth of goods to the country and imported $60.8 billion worth of goods from the nation, according to Census Bureau statistics. "We believe a free trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom could increase trade between our two countries three or four times," Pence said in remarks during the Lord Mayor's International Trade Dinner.
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| Putin rebukes officials over space delays Posted: 06 Sep 2019 09:12 AM PDT  President Vladimir Putin on Thursday gave a dressing down to space officials on a visit to Russia's long-delayed and corruption-tainted cosmodrome in the Far East. The Vostochny cosmodrome was originally supposed to be running manned launches from last year but the grand project has been consistently behind schedule. At a meeting with the head of the country's space agency Dmitry Rogozin and others, Putin asked for details on how close the spaceport is to completion.
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| Fresh rallies in Hong Kong, despite concessions, tackled with tear gas Posted: 06 Sep 2019 08:34 AM PDT  Police fired tear gas and modified shotgun rounds in Hong Kong on Friday night as protests continued despite a pledge by the Chinese authorities to drop a controversial planned extradition bill. Protesters besieged a police station and a nearby underground station, demanding surveillance footage of a police raid last weekend amid rumours of a cover-up of the death of protester. Angry crowds surrounded the Prince Edward underground station in Kowloon, using wooden boards and umbrellas to form a line, and chanting "Black cops, return life" and "Tell us the truth". After police fired tear gas and "beanbag round" shotgun shells, protesters blocked the road by setting light to rubbish bins and stacks of cardboard. A man runs away from tear gas as riot police try to disperse anti-extradition bill protesters during a protest at Prince Edward in Hong Kong Credit: Tyrone Siu/Reuters The continuing stand-off came despite an announcement by Carrie Lam, the head of the Hong Kong regional government, that she would drop the planned extradition bill that first set off the protests. In a sign that events are now spinning out of Beijing's control, the protesters have adopted a new slogan of "Five key demands, not one less". They are calling for direct elections in the former British colony, an independent investigation into allegations of police brutality, the unconditional release of those detained, and an end to the authorities describing the protests as riots. Riot police hold their shields outside Monk Kok police station in Hong Kong Credit: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters Friday's protests centred on allegations of police brutality during a raid on Prince Edward station last weekend, amid rumours one or more protesters may have been killed. Police sealed the station off during last Saturday's raid. Video footage shot by local journalists and social media users shows passengers bleeding from head injuries. "We want to know whether police used excessive force," said Henry Ng, a 20-year-old university student who was arrested for unlawful assembly few weeks ago. "I think the public has the right to know what happened." The day started with a peaceful sit-in inside the station, and another, larger rally in the city's commercial district remained calm. Elderly and middle-aged onlookers in Kowloon called out in support of the protesters and shouted warnings when riot police neared. A statue of a protester titled "Lady Liberty Hong Kong" on display during a rally in Hong Kong on Friday Credit: Vincent Yu/AP Ms Lam's announcement that her government will withdraw the controversial bill to allow the extradition of fugitives to mainland China appeared to have done little to quell the anger. "At this current stage, it doesn't matter what the government or the police do, it can't reduce the tensions and Hong Kong people will never forget what happened these past few months," Jenny Liu, a 23-year-old recent university graduate said. Police have now arrested over 1,000 protesters since the unrest started in June, but appear no closer to ending it. Students form human chain outside the Maryknoll Convent School in Hong Kong Credit: Kin Cheung/AP As the violence continued in Hong Kong, Angela Merkel called for a peaceful solution to the crisis during a visit to China. "In the current situation, every effort must be made to avoid violence," Mrs Merkel told a joint press conference after talks with Li Keqiang, the Chinese premier, in Beijing. "The people of Hong Kong must be granted their rights and freedoms," Mrs Merkel said, adding that the terms of the handover agreement between Britain and China continued to apply. She called for dialogue and said: "I hope that materialises and that the demonstrators have a chance with participate and exercise their rights as citizens." Mr Li, the second highest ranking government leader in China, called for an end to "the violence and chaos", and pledged support for Ms Lam's Hong Kong government. "The Chinese government unswervingly safeguards 'One country, two systems', and 'Hong Kong people govern Hong Kong people'," he said, adding that the world "needs to believe that the Chinese people have the ability and wisdom to handle their own matters well".
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| Britain’s Steve Bannon Is Tearing Boris Johnson’s Tories Apart Posted: 06 Sep 2019 08:33 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Follow @Brexit, sign up to our Brexit Bulletin, and tell us your Brexit story. When a triumphant Boris Johnson walked through the black door of 10 Downing Street as Britain's new prime minister, one person seemed painfully out of place. Hunched in a corner of the entrance hall in scruffy jeans and a turquoise T-shirt, Dominic Cummings looked uncomfortable to be in the heart of Britain's political establishment on a day of pomp.Just six weeks later, Cummings is in the limelight as the new hate figure in British politics and the man many Conservatives blame for wrecking their party and pushing the country into chaos all in the name of delivering Brexit.The past week has been tumultuous. Johnson lost the very first vote he faced in parliament on his strategy for leaving the European Union, "do or die," on Oct. 31. Then he lost another, and another. Then, when he appealed to members of parliament to trigger a fresh election as the only way out of the crisis, he failed again.In revenge for the humiliation, Johnson's team exacted the kind of draconian punishment few had witnessed in Westminster. They summarily fired 21 Conservative MPs – including two former chancellors and the grandson of Winston Churchill – for refusing to follow orders.Instead of raging at Johnson, dismayed Tories have turned their fire on Cummings. On Thursday evening, former prime minister John Major even used a speech to demand Cummings be dismissed."These MPs are not wild, fringe figures: some are long-term loyalists," Major said in an extraordinary tirade on Thursday night. But their legitimate concerns "seem to be worth nothing," Major said, "unless they become cyphers, parroting the views of a prime minister influenced by a political anarchist, who cares not a fig for the future of the party."The powerful and mysterious aide, whispering poisonous thoughts into the leader's ear and pulling the strings behind the scenes has been a character-type familiar to all political dramas since Shakespeare's time. But with the exception of President Trump's former strategist Steve Bannon, it is rare for an adviser to become quite so infamous quite so quickly.The 47 year-old Oxford graduate was already controversial even before he entered Downing Street in July. He has enjoyed an almost mythical reputation in British politics since he masterminded the shock success of the Vote Leave campaign in the 2016 Brexit referendum, defeating the government and bringing down the then prime minister, David Cameron.That reputation as a maverick genius grew when he was portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch in a TV film about the campaign. His habit of writing lengthy stream-of-consciousness blog posts attacking Theresa May's government also gained Cummings a cult following among political obsessives. The Cumberbatch version of Cummings was a radical thinker with a mystical ear for the national heartbeat, picking up on a public mood of resentment that professional politicians missed, and devising tight messages that tapped those feelings.But that Cummings was also a backroom figure, unknown outside political circles. The Cummings of 2019 is arguably now the second most famous member of the government.The son of a teacher and an oil industry worker, Cummings was born in Durham, northern England, in 1971. He went to study history at Oxford, where he earned a reputation as a competitive, argumentative and witty student.A few years after graduating, Cummings found his place in political campaigns, working for a business lobby group opposed to Britain joining the Euro. A decade later, as an adviser to the then education secretary, Michael Gove, Cummings came to hate the way the British political establishment worked – and was especially frustrated by the thousands of permanent civil servants he regarded as a roadblock to reform.Now inside Downing Street, he has almost total power to re-shape the system from the top down.Read more: Johnson's acerbic Brexit guru wants a political revolutionEvery Friday night, Cummings briefs other political aides and his words are later feverishly reported with an intensity previously reserved for showdowns in Cabinet. He has been named in Parliament as the man driving Johnson's confrontational approach. And he is doing nothing to stay out of the limelight.Last week ended with Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid berating Johnson and Cummings after Cummings had sacked one of Javid's aides and ordered an armed policeman to escort her out of Downing Street.Then, according to the Daily Mail, on Tuesday Cummings took a call from one of the potential rebels, former Business Secretary Greg Clark, who was looking for a way to avert a clash. In reply, Cummings told Clark that he and his colleagues were going to be purged from the party. That night, they were.The most astonishing moment came on Tuesday evening, as Parliament was debating the first step of its move to stop Johnson from pursuing a no-deal Brexit. Cummings was seen wandering around parliament with a glass of wine in hand. After Johnson lost a crucial vote on Brexit, Cummings bumped into Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and loudly challenged him to agree to a snap general election.It's not clear whether Corbyn knew who he was. "I just thought there was some loud bloke who stunk of booze yelling at us," Labour MP Cat Smith wrote on Twitter afterwards.A Certain BuzzThat moment seemed to sum up the angry, chaotic atmosphere around Johnson's government, an administration that currently looks like it's trying to pick fights daily.Yet Cummings inspires great loyalty in those who work with him. "I don't think he goes and looks for fights," said Gabriel Milland, who worked with him at the Department for Education. "He was highly instrumental in bringing in people to help the department. He's adept at working with people and forming partnerships when he wants to."Current government aides are understandably reluctant to discuss Cummings on the record. Privately, several spoke of an atmosphere of terror, with colleagues worried about who will be fired next.But those who worked in the May administration say that Cummings has brought a new energy to government. Questions are dealt with quickly. It's possible to get a hearing on proposals, they say. Even domestic staff have noticed an improvement in the buzz around the building.People who worked with Cummings on the referendum campaign say that once his trust was won, they would be given freedom to pursue their ideas. He is calm in person; quiet and mild-mannered.What makes him effective, and also unsettles many in government, is his lack of interest in doing things the conventional way. Once he has decided what needs to be done, say those who have worked with him over the years, he is single-minded about pursuing it.The pro-Brexit campaign that Cummings led – and Johnson fronted – sowed the seeds of the Conservative Party's current strife. Aware that Brexiteers were split, Vote Leave was deliberately vague about what kind of Brexit it had in mind. Three years after the referendum, MPs are still arguing about what the vote was for.To clear up the mess, Cummings is adopting the same single-minded approach, and any Tory who cannot get on board is being swept aside. The strategy could yet be as successful as it was in 2016. Or it could be the end of the party.\--With assistance from Alex Morales and Jess Shankleman.To contact the authors of this story: Robert Hutton in London at rhutton1@bloomberg.netKitty Donaldson in London at kdonaldson1@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Tim Ross at tross54@bloomberg.net, Flavia Krause-JacksonFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Brexit bill passes UK upper house in blow for Johnson Posted: 06 Sep 2019 08:23 AM PDT  Britain's upper house on Friday gave final approval to a law that would force Boris Johnson to delay Brexit, in a fresh setback for the British Prime Minister who is struggling in his bid to call an early election. The draft, which now requires formal assent by Queen Elizabeth II to become law, would seek to postpone Brexit beyond the current deadline of October 31 if Johnson does not manage to strike a divorce agreement with the EU next month. Johnson, who has said he would rather be "dead in a ditch" than ask for a delay, wants an early general election that could give him a mandate to take Britain out of the European Union with or without a divorce deal.
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| Turkey: Politician convicted for tweets insulting president Posted: 06 Sep 2019 08:21 AM PDT  A Turkish court convicted an opposition party branch leader Friday of engaging in terrorist propaganda and insulting Turkish government officials with a series of social media posts, a verdict the opposition immediately alleged was politically motivated. Canan Kaftancioglu, who heads the Istanbul branch of the secular Republican People's Party, received a prison sentence of nine years and eight months for insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other accusations, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
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| Turkish-US ground patrols of Syria safe zone to start Sunday Posted: 06 Sep 2019 08:16 AM PDT  Turkey's defense minister says Turkish and U.S. troops will begin joint ground patrols of a planned so-called safe zone in northern Syria on Sunday. Hulusi Akar made the comments to reporters on Friday. Turkey has been pressing for the creation of a safe zone that would keep U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters, considered terrorists by Turkey, away from its border.
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| Operators Welcome Brexit Relief For Truck And Air Trade Posted: 06 Sep 2019 08:08 AM PDT ![Operators Welcome Brexit Relief For Truck And Air Trade]( "Operators Welcome Brexit Relief For Truck And Air Trade") Just weeks from a potential Oct. 31 no-deal Brexit, the U.K.'s political system is close to breakdown with almost every conceivable outcome in terms of European Union departure date and trade terms still on the table. As reported in FreightWaves, the shipping and logistics sectors are doing their best to prepare in this sea of uncertainty. Welcome news came this week when new measures were announced aimed at reducing the expected trucking and aviation chaos should the U.K. leave the EU Oct. 31.
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| U.K. Opposition Parties to Deny Boris Johnson His Early Election Posted: 06 Sep 2019 07:46 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Follow @Brexit, sign up to our Brexit Bulletin, and tell us your Brexit story. Opposition parties forged a united front to deny Prime Minister Boris Johnson the early general election he wants -- making a poll unlikely until November at the earliest -- to ensure the U.K. can't tumble out of the European Union without a deal.In a conference call Friday, the parties -- including Labour, the Scottish National Party, the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Independent Group for Change -- agreed to a unified position for the government's planned vote in Parliament on Monday, said two people familiar with the decision. They also decided against calling a vote of no confidence in the government on Monday.While the opposition parties do want a general election, their priority is to ensure Johnson can't take the U.K. out of the EU on Oct. 31 without a deal -- something he's threatened to do if he can't secure a new agreement with Brussels. He has said an election is the only way out of the political impasse, and on Friday accused the parties of denying voters their say."There are people in Parliament who plainly want to block" Brexit, including Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn and the SNP, Johnson told Sky News. "They don't want the election -- OK -- perhaps they don't think they will win. Fine. I'll go to Brussels, I'll get a deal, and we'll make sure we come out on Oct. 31."Rat in a TrapUnder legislation passed by the House of Lords on Friday, Johnson will be required to write to the EU to seek a fresh Brexit delay on Oct. 19 if he hasn't secured a new agreement by then. Plaid Cymru Leader Liz Saville Roberts told Sky News that she doesn't trust Johnson to obey that law, likening him to a "rat in a trap" and predicting he'll become more aggressive.Opposition parties must make sure the law "is put into effect and that we remain here as parliamentarians to make sure that the prime minister does his duty by the law," she said.That condition means opposition parties are unlikely to approve a general election until the letter has been written to the EU on Oct. 19, one of the people said. That means no election is likely until November, because at least 25 days must pass between an election being called and it being held.'Immediate Crisis'"Given the behavior of the prime minister and his advisers, we need to be absolutely sure we're not going to end up in a situation where the general election is going to be used as distraction while they bounce us out without a deal," Labour's Foreign Affairs spokeswoman, Emily Thornberry, told BBC radio. "We're not talking about very long but we need to get this immediate crisis dealt with first."On Thursday, Johnson stood in a police academy in the north of England, giving a speech that was supposed to mark the start of a month-long snap election campaign. Instead, the embattled leader was trying to fight back after a series of humiliating defeats for his Brexit strategy this week, culminating in the resignation of his own brother in protest at his plans.To make matters worse, the West Yorkshire Police complained on Friday about Johnson's use of student officers for a political speech, which had a section on boosting police numbers but also covered other topics including Brexit and Johnson's call for an election.Police Spat"We had no prior knowledge that the speech would be broadened to other issues until it was delivered," West Yorkshire Chief Constable John Robins said in the statement.On Friday, the opposition parties made clear they're determined to prevent Johnson dictate the timing of an election.The SNP's Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, told the BBC he's "desperate" for a poll, but that the priority is to ensure there's no "unintended consequence" of a no-deal Brexit as a result of Parliament not sitting during an election campaign."We will have that election when the time is right," he said. "But I'll make you this promise: you're not going to have a long wait."(Updates with no-deal legislation passed by House of Lords.)\--With assistance from Thomas Penny.To contact the reporters on this story: Alex Morales in London at amorales2@bloomberg.net;Jessica Shankleman in London at jshankleman@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Tim Ross at tross54@bloomberg.net, Stuart Biggs, James HertlingFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| UPDATE 1-Britain's parliament approves law seeking to block October no-deal Brexit Posted: 06 Sep 2019 07:46 AM PDT  The British parliament's upper chamber on Friday approved a bill which aims to block a no-deal Brexit at the end of October by forcing Prime Minister Boris Johnson to seek a delay to Britain's European Union departure. The legislation, which requires Johnson to ask for a three-month extension to Britain's EU membership if parliament has not approved either a deal or consented to leaving without agreement by Oct. 19, is expected to be signed into law by Queen Elizabeth on Monday. Johnson has dubbed it the "surrender bill" and said it has scuppered his Brexit negotiations with the EU by removing the threat of leaving without a deal.
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| Britain's parliament approves law seeking to block October no-deal Brexit Posted: 06 Sep 2019 07:37 AM PDT ![Britain's parliament approves law seeking to block October no-deal Brexit]( "Britain's parliament approves law seeking to block October no-deal Brexit") The British parliament's upper chamber on Friday approved a bill which aims to block a no-deal Brexit at the end of October by forcing Prime Minister Boris Johnson to seek a delay to Britain's European Union departure. The legislation, which requires Johnson to ask for a three-month extension to Britain's EU membership if parliament has not approved either a deal or consented to leaving without agreement by Oct. 19, is expected to be signed into law by Queen Elizabeth on Monday.
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| It's Going So Badly for Johnson Even Pound Traders Prefer Corbyn Posted: 06 Sep 2019 07:29 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- With U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government in tatters just a week after parliament's summer break, City traders are warming to an unlikely ally: Jeremy Corbyn.Investors have long been wary of the Labour leader given his desire to nationalize parts of the economy, boost borrowing and redistribute income. Yet analysts now see a Corbyn-led coalition as the best bet to avoid a disruptive exit from the European Union without a future relationship secured.State Street Bank, Societe Generale SA and MUFG all see a Labour-led coalition as a more bullish prospect for the pound than the Conservative party coming to power given Corbyn's promise to avoid a hard Brexit that may upend the nearly $3 trillion economy. A grouping led by his party would spur the currency more than 5% to $1.30, they say."It's conceivable that Jeremy Corbyn as PM could be good for the pound, at least in the very short term," said Timothy Graf, head of EMEA macro strategy for Europe at State Street. "Most importantly, a no-deal outcome would be less likely. Indeed, given calls for a second referendum are now part of the Labour platform, Brexit might not happen at all."The pound surged more than 1% this week after Johnson suffered humiliation in parliament, with the House of Commons voting repeatedly to reduce the chances of the U.K. leaving the EU without a divorce agreement. The rally meant that sterling almost erased all the losses it suffered since Johnson took the helm.Traditional ApproachU.K. investors usually prefer Conservatives to be in power, given the party's policies that promote a cautious approach to spending, lower taxes and business-friendly initiatives. And not everyone is willing to back the radical policies of opposition leader Corbyn. He has previously pledged policies such as nationalizing companies and his shadow chancellor has said a future Labour government would place severe constraints on bonuses in the financial services sector.But presented with Johnson's do-or-die Brexit strategy, some investors have started to see the big-state policies of Corbyn as the lesser of two evils.State Street's Graf sees the pound falling to $1.15 if the Conservatives gain a majority in an election, while a Labour-led coalition would push it up to $1.30.Others still see a Conservative win as the most positive outcome for the markets but worry that current polling suggests it won't happen. Instead, an election, they fear, will result in a Conservative-Brexit party alliance that pushes through a no-deal Brexit.This would be the most "significant downside scenario for the pound," according to Erik Nelson, a strategist at Wells Fargo. The group would likely be freer to push for a no-deal Brexit if it gained a majority, and although this could push the EU to offer concessions to get a Brexit deal through, "that is hardly guaranteed," he said.Estimates vary, but Morgan Stanley sees potential for a collapse of 19% in the pound to parity if Britain quits the EU without an agreement.For Christian Schulz at Citigroup, things have changed over the past year as the Labour party has moved much closer to supporting a second referendum while the Conservatives have become the party of no-deal. The fiscal stances of the two main parties have also moved much closer, with the Conservatives pledging extra spending and lower taxes."In the short term a Labour win wouldn't generate huge upside, but in the longer term, you have the potential for a second referendum and remain scenario," Schulz said. "A Labour party victory isn't a positive scenario -- it's just less bad than what the Johnson government is proposing."\--With assistance from Anchalee Worrachate.To contact the reporters on this story: Cecile Gutscher in London at cgutscher@bloomberg.net;Charlotte Ryan in London at cryan147@bloomberg.net;Greg Ritchie in London at gritchie10@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Samuel Potter at spotter33@bloomberg.net, Ven RamFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| U.S.-Japan trade deal may be finished, announced at U.N. General Assembly -Kudlow Posted: 06 Sep 2019 07:29 AM PDT ![U.S.-Japan trade deal may be finished, announced at U.N. General Assembly -Kudlow]( "U.S.-Japan trade deal may be finished, announced at U.N. General Assembly -Kudlow") A final trade deal between the United States and Japan may be finished and announced at the U.N. General Assembly meetings later this month, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said on Friday. "We announced at the G7 in France - I was over there - the outline of a deal with Japan, that deal may be finished and announced in its entirety at the U.N. meetings coming up in a couple of weeks," Kudlow said in an interview with Fox Business Network.
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| Putin upbraids officials over space delays Posted: 06 Sep 2019 07:26 AM PDT President Vladimir Putin on Thursday dressed down space officials on a visit to Russia's long-delayed and corruption-tainted cosmodrome in the Far East. The Vostochny cosmodrome was originally supposed to be running manned launches from last year but the grand project has been consistently behind schedule. At a meeting with the head of the country's space agency Dmitry Rogozin and others, Putin asked for details on how close the spaceport is to completion.
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| Cost of public transport in Germany could be slashed to €1 a day to fight climate change Posted: 06 Sep 2019 06:58 AM PDT  Local public transport prices across Germany could be slashed to just €1 (90p) a day under proposals put forward by Angela Merkel's coalition partner. The centre-Left Social Democrats (SPD) want to cut the price of annual season tickets to just €365 (£326) as part of a bid to tackle climate change by getting more people to use public transport. "We want everyone to be able to travel everywhere by bus and train at affordable prices, whether in the city or in the countryside," the party said in a presentation. The proposals are modelled on an existing scheme in the Austrian capital, Vienna, where annual season tickets cost just €365. Michael Müller, the mayor of Berlin, has wanted a similar scheme for his city for some time, and now the SPD wants to implement it across Germany. The tickets would also be valid on the S-Bahn trains that link suburbs to German city centres Credit: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images But the proposals are opposed by German public transport companies concerned at the loss of revenue. The proposed new season ticket would be valid on all buses, trains and U-Bahns within a town or city, but not on long-distance transport. An annual season ticket covering all public transport within the Berlin city limits currently costs €761 (£682) — just under half the price of an annual travelcard for Zone 1 in London, which is £1,404. But the SPD believes it is still too high. "Mobility is a fundamental individual right," Sören Bartol, one of the MPs behind the proposals said. "That should be crushed under the wheels of the climate protection debate." The Berlin mayor's efforts to introduce a €365 annual ticket in the city have run into heavy opposition from public transport companies. "We have made it clear that we consider this idea the wrong approach," Frank Wruck, a spokesman for the Berlin-Brandenburg Transport Network (VBB) said. It is not clear whether Mrs Merkel's government will consider backing the proposals.
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| US says Iran 'inching toward talks' as Tehran abandons further commitments to nuclear deal Posted: 06 Sep 2019 06:24 AM PDT  US Defence Secretary Mark Esper said on Friday that it appeared Iran was inching toward a place where talks could be held, days after US President Donald Trump left the door open to a possible meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York. "It seems in some ways that Iran is inching toward that place where we could have talks and hopefully it'll play out that way," Esper said at the Royal United Services Institute think-tank in London. Friction between the two countries has grown since Trump last year withdrew from a 2015 international accord under which Iran had agreed to rein in its atomic program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. Washington has since renewed and intensified its sanctions, slashing Iran's crude oil sales by more than 80 per cent. At the same time the United States has rebuffed, but not ruled out, a French plan to give Tehran a $15 billion credit line. Rouhani, for his part, on Wednesday gave European powers two more months to try to save the multilateral pact. The moves suggested Iran, the United States and European powers may be leaving the door open for diplomacy to resolve a dispute over Iran's nuclear work, which the West has suspected was aimed at developing a nuclear weapon, even as they largely stuck to entrenched positions. Iran denies ever having sought a nuclear bomb. Trump on Wednesday left open the possibility of a meeting with Rouhani at the upcoming U.N. General Assembly in New York. Asked about the prospect, Trump told White House reporters anything was possible. "Sure, anything's possible. They would like to be able to solve their problem," he said, referring to inflation in Iran. "We could solve it in 24 hours." US Defence Secretary Mark Esper, speaking in London about the Iran nuclear deal, said talks with Iran could be possible Credit: Facundo Arrizabalaga/Rex A senior US defence official said Esper and his French counterpart will discuss on Saturday how France's navy could coordinate with Washington to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran said on Friday it had taken a step to further downgrade its commitments to the 2015 deal with the world's most powerful nations, according to Iranian media, in retaliation for US sanctions reimposed on Tehran. "We continue to believe that we need to be enforcing our sanctions to the maximum extent possible," the US official said when asked about Iran's decision to start developing centrifuges to speed up its uranium enrichment. Germany, one of the signatories to the deal, reacted to Iran's decision on the centrifuges by saying it was not too late for Iran to change course. "We urge Iran not to aggravate the situation further," a German Foreign Ministry spokesman said. "It is not too late for Iran to leave the wrong path it has gone down."
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| Boris Johnson Wins Second Legal Challenge Over Parliament Suspension Posted: 06 Sep 2019 05:46 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson won a second legal challenge over his plan to suspend Parliament ahead of a deadline to leave the European Union, giving the country's top court the final say on prorogation.Three London judges dismissed a case Friday brought by businesswoman Gina Miller and former Prime Minister John Major, who argued that bypassing lawmakers through the process known as prorogation is an abuse of the government's power. The appeal of the ruling will go straight to the U.K. Supreme Court.The ruling comes after Johnson successfully fended off a challenge in Scotland earlier this week. The cases, alongside a third being heard in Northern Ireland, are likely to go to appeal. Before Friday's ruling, the Supreme Court said its judges would end their summer vacations early to allow a hearing on Sept. 17, days after the prorogation has come into effect."Today we stand for everyone, we stand for future generations, and we stand for representative democracy," Miller said outside London's High Court after the ruling. "To give up now would be a dereliction of our responsibilities."The legal skirmishes are part of a concerted series of action to limit Johnson's ability to leave the European Union. On Wednesday night, Labour Party and Tory rebels voted to take control of the legislative agenda and passed a bill to rule out a no-deal Brexit.Miller's attorney, David Pannick, had argued that the length of the proposed prorogation at such a critical time was unlawful and that Johnson has abused his powers as Prime Minister."As disappointed with the result as Mrs. Miller will be, we will go to the Supreme Court," Pannick said.Miller, who famously won an earlier case against Theresa May that gave Parliament more scrutiny of Brexit, will need to overcome a legal hurdle that stymied lawmakers who filed a similar challenge in Scotland. The judge in Edinburgh, Raymond Doherty, questioned the court's role in the issue because ministers' advice to the Queen is a matter "involving high polity and political judgment."Terence Etherton, one of three judges on the panel in London, also heard Miller's previous case. He and the other judges in that case were labeled 'Enemies of People' in a Daily Mail headline backing the decision.Good FridayThe Belfast High Court is also being asked to weigh in on a lawsuit focusing on the effect of a no-deal Brexit on the Good Friday Agreement. Raymond McCord, whose son was killed in Northern Ireland's so-called Troubles, is seeking a declaration from the court that a no-deal Brexit is a breach of the peace accord that largely ended the violence that gripped the region for almost three decades.Should McCord win, the result wouldn't be immediately binding on the U.K. Government, but if ignored, McCord could return to court to seek further action. A decision is expected by Sept. 10, and is expected to be appealed either way a week later at the Supreme Court in London."These are unprecedented times," Ciaran O'Hare, McCord's lawyer, said in an emailed statement. "My client is gravely concerned that time is running out and it seems that we are on the road to a no-deal Brexit, which would be utterly devastating for the good people of Northern Ireland."During the second day of arguments in Edinburgh, lawyers were seeking an interim halt of the prorogation. Government lawyers said that the court had no right to decide the length of the suspension and tried to make a distinction between a no-deal Brexit and prorogation.The Scottish judges will rule on Wednesday and didn't make any interim orders Friday.(Updates with details of Belfast and Edinburgh cases.)\--With assistance from Rodney Jefferson.To contact the reporters on this story: Jeremy Hodges in London at jhodges17@bloomberg.net;Jonathan Browning in London at jbrowning9@bloomberg.net;Dara Doyle in Dublin at ddoyle1@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Reed Landberg at landberg@bloomberg.net, Christopher ElserFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| UK Labour says had positive Brexit talks with other opposition parties Posted: 06 Sep 2019 05:06 AM PDT Britain's Labour Party said it held positive talks on Friday with fellow opposition parties as they seek to prevent the country leaving the European Union without a deal. Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson is pushing for an election on Oct. 15, two weeks before the United Kingdom is due to leave the EU, though opposition parties say they want a no-deal Brexit ruled out before they will agree to an election date. Earlier, a Labour Party source said it would not back Johnson's bid on Monday for an election under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act.
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| Russia Says Elections Chief Attacked by Intruder at Her Home Posted: 06 Sep 2019 04:44 AM PDT ![Russia Says Elections Chief Attacked by Intruder at Her Home]( "Russia Says Elections Chief Attacked by Intruder at Her Home") (Bloomberg) -- Russia's central elections commission chief, Ella Pamfilova, was attacked in her home by a masked intruder in the early hours of Friday, according to the country's Interior Ministry.Pamfilova attended a conference in Moscow later and told reporters she was fine, while refusing to comment on the incident, the Izvestia news website reported. The intruder "broke into the house through a window, repeatedly struck the homeowner with a stun gun, and then disappeared," the ministry said in a statement, adding that it's treating the case as an attempted robbery. The stun gun malfunctioned and did not deliver any electric shocks, the Interfax news service reported, citing a law-enforcement official it didn't identify.The incident took place as Russia prepares to hold regional elections on Sunday, including for Moscow city council. The commission's refusal to register opposition candidates for the Moscow elections sparked the largest anti-Kremlin protests since 2011-2012 demonstrations against Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency.To contact the reporter on this story: Ilya Arkhipov in Moscow at iarkhipov@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Gregory L. White at gwhite64@bloomberg.net, Tony Halpin, Jake RudnitskyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Korean Peninsula awaits typhoon; dozens of flights canceled Posted: 06 Sep 2019 04:24 AM PDT  Dozens of flights were canceled and parks were closed in South Korea on Friday as powerful Typhoon Lingling gained momentum on its path toward the Korean Peninsula. The Korea Meteorological Association said the typhoon is expected to pass off the west coast of South Korea on Saturday afternoon before making landfall in North Korea on Saturday evening. The agency warned of possible flooding, landslides and structure damage caused by strong rains combined with very strong winds expected nationwide until early Sunday.
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| Britain will support U.S. in Iran talks if deal can be made - UK defence minister Posted: 06 Sep 2019 04:18 AM PDT ![Britain will support U.S. in Iran talks if deal can be made - UK defence minister]( "Britain will support U.S. in Iran talks if deal can be made - UK defence minister") Britain will always help the United States along a path to talks with Iran if a deal can be made, British defence minister Ben Wallace said on Friday, although he cautioned that Iran should be judged by its actions rather than words. "Actions speak louder than words, so I think we'll take them (Iran) at their actions rather than their words," Wallace said at a news conference in London with his U.S. counterpart Mark Esper, who earlier said Iran was "inching" towards a place where talks could be held.
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| Scottish National Party: We won't be "played" by PM Johnson Posted: 06 Sep 2019 03:54 AM PDT ![Scottish National Party: We won't be "played" by PM Johnson]( "Scottish National Party: We won't be \"played\" by PM Johnson") The Scottish National Party wants an election but will ensure a no-deal Brexit is prevented, an SNP source said. "The SNP is ready for an election, but we will not be played by Boris Johnson," the source said. "We are considering all options and discussing with all parties the best way to prevent a disastrous no-deal Brexit and get rid of this shambolic (Conservative) government as soon as possible," the source added.
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| UPDATE 1-British PM Johnson says he will not contemplate resigning Posted: 06 Sep 2019 03:52 AM PDT ![UPDATE 1-British PM Johnson says he will not contemplate resigning]( "UPDATE 1-British PM Johnson says he will not contemplate resigning") British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday he was not willing to contemplate resigning. "I'll go to Brussels, I'll get a deal and we'll make sure we come out on October 31 - that's what we've got to do," Johnson told Sky News during a visit to Scotland. Johnson is pushing for an election on Oct. 15, two weeks before the United Kingdom is due to leave the EU, though opposition parties say they want a no-deal Brexit ruled out before they will agree to an election date.
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| "You're playing games!" PM Johnson harangued on UK street Posted: 06 Sep 2019 03:24 AM PDT !["You're playing games!" PM Johnson harangued on UK street]( "\"You're playing games!\" PM Johnson harangued on UK street") Boris Johnson got a taste of just how deeply his Brexit strategy has split public opinion in Britain when he was persistently harangued by man on a shopping street for "playing games" while others cheered the prime minister. Johnson, who is pushing for a snap election, was speaking to a BBC television crew in the northern city of Leeds on Thursday when a man pushing a child in a stroller interrupted the interview. Johnson was initially unable to respond before challenging the man - who spoke with an Irish accent - when he said the government's negotiations with the European Union about a new Brexit deal were going nowhere.
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| UK lawmakers should face up to election after voting for Brexit delay - PM's spokeswoman Posted: 06 Sep 2019 03:15 AM PDT ![UK lawmakers should face up to election after voting for Brexit delay - PM's spokeswoman]( "UK lawmakers should face up to election after voting for Brexit delay - PM's spokeswoman") British lawmakers should consider whether they will face up to a national election after they passed legislation to force Prime Minister Boris Johnson to seek a delay to Brexit and frustrate his plans for an Oct. 31 departure, his spokeswoman said. "Members of Parliament should consider over the weekend whether they are prepared to face up to the consequences of their actions from this week in passing a bill that wrecks our negotiations," the spokeswoman said on Friday.
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| N. Korea pursues nuclear weapons programme, evades sanctions: UN Posted: 06 Sep 2019 03:11 AM PDT  North Korea is pressing ahead with its nuclear weapons programme while evading sanctions, a United Nations report said, following a series of recent test-launches that have been downplayed by US President Donald Trump. The reclusive regime has declared a moratorium on nuclear blasts and long-range missile launches, and last year said its Punggye-ri atomic bomb test site would be dismantled as it was no longer needed. "The nuclear programme of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea continues to operate, notwithstanding the absence of nuclear testing and the closure of the test site at Punggye-ri," it said.
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| Week of Hell Spoils South African Bid to Shine Posted: 06 Sep 2019 03:00 AM PDT  (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.Two murders in South Africa lit a touchpaper of protests that spoiled President Cyril Ramaphosa's bid to showcase the continent's top investment destination.The shooting of a South African taxi driver allegedly by a Nigerian drug dealer ignited a wave of violence against African immigrants and looting as political and business leaders arrived in Cape Town for a World Economic Forum in Africa meeting, prompting condemnation from regional governments.That was followed by large demonstrations against femicide — a woman is murdered every three hours and 40,000 rapes are reported in South Africa each year — after the killing of 19-year-old student Uyinene Mrwetyana, who was violated and bludgeoned to death at a post office.For Ramaphosa, who's been on a drive to attract $100 billion of new investment, revive the economy and tackle a 29% unemployment rate, the timing of the protests couldn't have been worse, Mike Cohen and Paul Vecchiatto report.While he pledged yesterday to tackle the violence, the optimism that came after the fall of Jacob Zuma's scandal-ridden administration is turning into a grim realization that progress in South Africa is coming very slowly — if at all.Global HeadlinesEmbattled leader | It's been a miserable week for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, with a string of losses in Parliament compounded by the resignation of his own brother from the government. His crisis may deepen today, as opposition parties discuss blocking the premier's bid to hold a general election on Oct. 15. If they can delay it to the end of the month, they hope to force Johnson to seek a Brexit deferral during the campaign — something he said he'd "rather be dead in a ditch" than do.Hired guns | Hundreds of mercenaries hired by a wealthy ally of President Vladimir Putin are massing near the northwestern Syrian city of Idlib as part of a planned Russian offensive to help Syria's army retake the last major stronghold held by jihadist rebels. As Stepan Kravchenko and Henry Meyer report, the fighters answer to a businessman known as Putin's chef, with a full-scale assault expected within weeks.Limited action | While several mass shootings in the U.S. have stepped up pressure on Congress for tougher gun laws, prospects for significant action are limited. As Laura Litvan explains, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has made clear nothing will move without a clear signal from President Donald Trump, who's backpedaled on his previous statements suggesting support for tighter background checks. Pressuring the referee | Trump's trade war with China is threatening to draw one of the global economy's neutral referees into the fray: the International Monetary Fund. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has been quietly pushing the fund to endorse Washington's view that China is a currency manipulator, just weeks after it found the yuan to be fairly valued.Saudi influencers | Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been trying to rehabilitate Saudi Arabia's image after the global censure that followed last year's killing of newspaper columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Officials have courted or pressured Saudi artists to help and plowed millions of dollars into lobbying politicians and hosting pop concerts. And as Vivian Nereim writes, influencers are playing a key role in spreading the message.What to WatchHong Kong's airport urged protesters not to target the transport hub ahead of another weekend of anti-China demonstrations. Fitch today downgraded Hong Kong as an issuer of long-term, foreign currency debt for the first time since 1995, citing the recent turmoil. Chancellor Angela Merkel told Chinese Premier Li Keqiang that Germany remains open for business to Chinese investors even as her government raises barriers to investments in sensitive areas.And finally ... Robert Mugabe, the long-time Zimbabwean leader who died today at the age of 95, was the archetypal hero turned villain. A leading political driver of the 1970s independence war that ended white-minority rule, Mugabe became an international outcast for overseeing allegedly rigged elections and economic collapse. He resigned in November 2017 after the military seized control and his party threatened to impeach him. As political analyst Charles Rukuni summed up his career, "He ushered in independence and brought a lot of hope but destroyed everything he built." \--With assistance from Stuart Biggs.To contact the author of this story: Karl Maier in Rome at kmaier2@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Caroline Alexander at calexander1@bloomberg.net, Rosalind MathiesonFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| UPDATE 3-Iran "inching" toward place where talks could be held -Pentagon chief Posted: 06 Sep 2019 02:40 AM PDT ![UPDATE 3-Iran "inching" toward place where talks could be held -Pentagon chief]( "UPDATE 3-Iran \"inching\" toward place where talks could be held -Pentagon chief") U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Friday that it appeared Iran was inching toward a place where talks could be held, days after U.S. President Donald Trump left the door open to a possible meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Friction between the two countries has deepened since Trump last year withdrew from a 2015 international accord under which Iran had agreed to rein in its atomic program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. Washington has renewed and intensified its sanctions, slashing Iran's crude oil sales by more than 80%.
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| UPDATE 2-UK PM Johnson defeats court challenge over suspension of parliament order Posted: 06 Sep 2019 02:33 AM PDT ![UPDATE 2-UK PM Johnson defeats court challenge over suspension of parliament order]( "UPDATE 2-UK PM Johnson defeats court challenge over suspension of parliament order") British Prime Minister Boris Johnson acted lawfully when he ordered the suspension of parliament for five weeks before Brexit, London's High Court ruled on Friday, but it allowed the the legal challenge to be taken to the Supreme Court. Miller, who previously defeated the government in court over another Brexit issue two years ago, was backed by former Conservative Prime Minister John Major and some opposition politicians.
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