| UN experts: Yemen's rebels getting weapons similar to Iran's Posted: 31 Jan 2020 05:06 PM PST ![UN experts: Yemen's rebels getting weapons similar to Iran's]( "UN experts: Yemen's rebels getting weapons similar to Iran's") Yemen's Houthi Shiite rebels are receiving parts for drones and weapons, some with technical characteristics similar to arms manufactured in Iran, in potential violation of a U.N. arms embargo, U.N. experts say. The experts said in a report to the Security Council obtained Friday by The Associated Press that the main smuggling route for both the commercially available drone parts and weapons "seems to run overland from Oman and the southern coast of Yemen, through territory controlled by the government of Yemen, towards Sanaa," the country's capital, which is controlled by the Houthis.
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| Brexit supporters say 'see EU' with a bang Posted: 31 Jan 2020 04:28 PM PST  Thousands of pro-Brexit supporters in central London erupted in cheers, sent balloons into the sky and sang "Rule Britannia", as Britain left the European Union on Friday. "Absolutely fantastic," said Karen Ollerton, 65, from Wigan, in northwest England. Some perched on the statue of Britain's World War II leader Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, shouting "freedom" and "Brexit", and letting off a flare that blazed red in the darkness.
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| UK's Johnson plans full customs and border checks on EU goods - Telegraph Posted: 31 Jan 2020 04:08 PM PST ![UK's Johnson plans full customs and border checks on EU goods - Telegraph]( "UK's Johnson plans full customs and border checks on EU goods - Telegraph") British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is preparing to impose full customs and border checks on all European goods entering the United Kingdom after Brexit, in an attempt to ramp up pressure on the bloc in trade talks, the Telegraph newspaper reported. "We are planning full checks on all EU imports - export declarations, security declarations, animal health checks and all supermarket goods to pass through Border Inspections Posts," The Telegraph quoted a senior government source as saying.
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| New era for divided Britain as it leaves EU Posted: 31 Jan 2020 04:04 PM PST  Britain on Friday ended almost half a century of European Union membership, making a historic exit after years of bitter arguments to chart its own uncertain path in the world. There were celebrations and tears across the country as the EU's often reluctant member became the first to leave an organisation set up to forge unity among nations after the horrors of World War II. Thousands of people waving Union Jack flags packed London's Parliament Square to mark the moment of Brexit at 11 pm (2300 GMT) -- midnight in Brussels.
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| Brexit has finally, officially happened Posted: 31 Jan 2020 03:36 PM PST  With 10 Downing Street lit up in red and blue, the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union became official at 11 p.m. GMT Friday. It took three years from a first narrow vote for Brexit, but after a second referendum and a few changes in leadership, it finally happened.Prime Minister Boris Johnson released a video statement lauding this "moment" many people "thought would never come," and promised to "turn this opportunity into a stunning success." Johnson guaranteed a vote in favor of Brexit after he ordered an election late last year, which his Conservative party won handily.> Tonight we are leaving the European Union. pic.twitter.com/zZBsrf4BLe> > — Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) January 31, 2020Still, Britain is sharply divided on Brexit, with larger cities, Northern Ireland, and especially Scotland still in favor of remaining in the EU. That was apparent in London, where Mayor Sadiq Khan ran projections emphasizing that the city was still an open, welcoming place.> Not going to lie: I'm heartbroken. We've left the EU, but London remains a beacon for progressive ideas, liberal values, decency & diversity. To our EU friends & neighbours that contribute so much: you are welcome & that will never change. LondonIsOpen pic.twitter.com/l8CxoRfu7G> > — Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) January 31, 2020Britain and the EU have agreed that the U.K. will retain all EU rules for 11 months while the two sides hammer out a new trade relationship and other guidelines for their new relationship.More stories from theweek.com Mitch McConnell's rare blunder John Bolton just vindicated Nancy Pelosi All the president's turncoats
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| U.S. Escalates Virus Response With Entry Limits, Cuts in Flights Posted: 31 Jan 2020 03:27 PM PST ![U.S. Escalates Virus Response With Entry Limits, Cuts in Flights]( "U.S. Escalates Virus Response With Entry Limits, Cuts in Flights") (Bloomberg) -- The Trump administration on Friday declared a public health emergency and announced series of steps to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has stricken China and spread to countries around the world.President Donald Trump signed an order temporarily barring entry to foreign nationals who have visited China and pose a risk of spreading the illness, unless they are immediate relatives of U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The administration also said flights from China would be funneled through just seven U.S. airports."The risk of infection for Americans remains low," Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, who is coordinating the federal response, told reporters at a White House news conference. "With these and our previous actions, we are working to keep the risk low."U.S. citizens returning from China's Hubei Province, the center of the outbreak, will face a mandatory quarantine. Americans traveling back to the U.S. from other areas of mainland China must undergo screening and monitored self-quarantine to ensure they are not at risk of spreading the virus.The measures, which take effect at 5 p.m. Washington time on Sunday, apply to visits in the past two weeks. The quarantines last 14 days.The White House's announcement comes as the coronavirus continues to spread, triggering increasing alarm from health officials. The World Health Organization this week declared a global health emergency, giving the United Nations agency the power to coordinate response efforts.Almost 9,700 cases have been confirmed in China with more than 200 deaths, said Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He added that six cases have been confirmed in the U.S. and that 191 people are being monitored.U.S. health officials have sought to reassure Americans the risk of contracting the virus remains low, but they have also said there is much they still do not know about the illness."This is a significant global situation that continues to evolve," Redfield said.Anthony Fauci, head of infectious diseases at the National Institutes of Health, said the U.S. decided to step up its efforts because of reports that a traveler from China spread the disease in Germany without showing any symptoms. He said that is different from the Ebola virus, which cannot be spread by people who are not very ill.Health officials added that tests to detect the virus haven't been used enough times to assure they are reliable. Only one in six U.S. cases of coronavirus has been detected through airport screening, they said.All U.S.-bound flights from China will be routed to airports in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Atlanta, Honolulu and Los Angeles. More drastic flight restrictions are not currently being considered, according to Joel Szabat, a Transportation Department official.Limiting the number of airports where flights to China can land will allow the U.S. government to streamline screening and set up quarantine centers, officials said.The CDC announced earlier Friday it had issued a quarantine order of 14 days to 195 U.S. citizens evacuated from Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province. It's the first time in nearly a half century such an order was given.On Thursday, the State Department issued its highest level do-not-travel advisory for China, warning American citizens there they could be subject to travel restrictions with little to advance notice and urging them to "consider departing using commercial means."The rapid outbreak of the virus has sent financial markets tumbling. The S&P 500 Index on Friday erased all of its 2020 gains and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 600 pointsas investors grow worried about how the illness could effect the world economy.Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said on Wednesday that the central bank is "very carefully monitoring the situation" and "there will clearly be implications at least in the near term for Chinese output."\--With assistance from Justin Sink.To contact the reporter on this story: Jordan Fabian in Washington at jfabian6@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Alex Wayne at awayne3@bloomberg.net, Justin Blum, John HarneyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Republicans march over the impeachment cliff – taking their self-respect with them Posted: 31 Jan 2020 03:07 PM PST  How can Republicans pretend to the world that their vision of America – where a president can happily use military aid to coerce a foreign government to smear his political rival in an election – is the model for democracy?Jared Kushner is a genius. It's all too easy to overlook the sheer brilliance of Donald Trump's son-in-law, not least when he rolls out a Middle East peace plan that destroys the concepts of both the Israeli and Palestinian states.But for his rapier-like ability to capture the zeitgeist, there's no one quite like the young slumlord to tell it like it really is. Speaking to CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Kushner talked dramatically about this week as a time for leaders to step up."What we've done is create an opportunity for their leadership to either seize or not," he explained. "If they screw up this opportunity – which again, they have a perfect track record of missing opportunities – if they screw this up, I think they will have a very hard time looking the international community in the face, saying they are the victims, saying they have rights."Kushner thought he was talking about the Palestinians, in a gloriously brazen blend of racism and gold-leafed ignorance.But he was in fact describing perfectly the entire caucus of Senate Republicans as they screwed up their last golden opportunity for personal redemption and liberal democracy in the impeachment trial of Donald J Trump.How will the nation's Republican senators look anyone in the face and say they have any rights to keep in check a corrupt and criminal president? How can they pretend to be Trump's victims when they marched themselves off a constitutional cliff?And how on earth can they pretend to the world that their vision of America – where a president can happily use military aid to coerce a foreign government to smear his political rival in an election – is the model for democracy?Let's be honest. There was little drama or suspense in Trump's impeachment trial, save for the bat-excrement quality of crazy that tumbled out of Alan Dershowitz's mouth. According to Harvard's emeritus law professor, presidents are unimpeachable as long as they think they are acting in the national interest when they use their power to corrupt their own election.This could have been valuable analysis for Richard Nixon, but it also serves to question the value of a Harvard law professor. Perhaps it's only the detritus who become emeritus.Dershowitz claimed he said no such thing, but our eyes and ears suggested otherwise. He also said he supported Nixon's almost-impeachment, naturally. Which is to say: the Harvard man is the perfect specimen of what Trump has propagated through the body politic: a contagious coronavirus of chronic lying, cowardly ambition and plain old corruption.For all the fake angst about calling witnesses – did Mitch McConnell wobble on the votes to stop them or is he actually manipulating the media every day? – the searing testimony of John Bolton would have done nothing, zippo, nada, to change the final vote.The facts of Trump's corruption were never in dispute. The notion that this doesn't rise to impeachable crimes has always been a joke.We could play the age-old parlor game of asking how our esteemed Republican senators would have responded to Barack Obama asking the French government to investigate Mitt Romney's missionary exploits ahead of the 2012 election. But what's the point?Today's Republican party elected to remove their spinal cords three years ago, along with much of their frontal lobe and their self-respect. They wring their hands in private and lament their lampoon-worthy leader whose shoes they must lick on a daily basis.But they should know they are following in a fine tradition of the world's puppet legislators, like the People's Council of Syria and the Russian Duma under the expert guidance of one Vladimir Putin.We should in some ways be grateful for the honesty of our pseudo-senators. "There is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven," said Lamar Alexander, the Tennessee senator who was supposedly considering Bolton as a witness.Having decided the facts against Trump, Alexander then decided to trivialize his criminal acts of withholding congressionally mandated foreign aid and demanding foreign interference in his own election. According to Alexander, such stuff was simply "inappropriate" – much like wearing brogues to the Grand Ole Opry or asking for the fish at Top's Bar-B-Q.> Faced with so many profiles in courage, our reality TV star of a commander-in-chief will carry on regardless, seeking out fellow grifters, foreign strongmen and domestic weaklings"The question then is not whether the president did it, but whether the United States Senate or the American people should decide what to do about what he did," said the senator, elected to make decisions for the American people in one of three co-equal branches of government.Faced with so many profiles in courage, our reality TV star of a commander-in-chief will carry on regardless, seeking out fellow grifters, foreign strongmen and domestic weaklings. Will he feel liberated by the failure of the Senate trial to seek out more foreign interference in this year's election? The answer may be similar to the one about bears dumping in forests.Short of removal from office or federal indictment, there are no constraints on Trump's conduct. He can hire another goon like Rudy Giuliani to work with sketchy foreigners running businesses called something like Fraud Guarantee. Then he can shovel any amount of sketchy cash on to Facebook's mountain of money to beguile the gullible about the guaranteed fraud. Because a president can't be impeached for inappropriate crimes. And because political free speech is untouchable in the fantasy world where Mark Zuckerberg thinks he's helping humanity.This has been a historic week for self-destructive politics. Like turkeys voting for Christmas, the British government celebrated its withdrawal from its biggest trading relationships just as Republican senators celebrated their own castration.Both sets of magnificent morons claimed they were acting for their imaginary friends in the future: a future where Britain will once again bestride the ocean, and presidents will once again lead the free world feeling free from the fear of partisan impeachment."The Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats keep chanting 'fairness', when they put on the most unfair Witch Hunt in the history of the U.S. Congress," tweeted the victim-in-chief sitting in the Oval Office, probably watching Fox News. "They had 17 Witnesses, we were allowed ZERO, and no lawyers. They didn't do their job, had no case. The Dems are scamming America!"Donald Trump doesn't know much about history, foreign policy or politics. He can't tell the difference between his own lawyers and no lawyers; between lots of witnesses and no witnesses at all. But he does know a lot about scams, and he can't wait to share them with you.
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| Brexit finally happens: The United Kingdom has left the European Union Posted: 31 Jan 2020 03:00 PM PST  Brexit has finally happened, and the United Kingdom has left the European Union after almost half a century of membership.
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| Flag-waving Britons stage noisy Brexit welcome outside parliament Posted: 31 Jan 2020 02:49 PM PST ![Flag-waving Britons stage noisy Brexit welcome outside parliament]( "Flag-waving Britons stage noisy Brexit welcome outside parliament") Singing patriotic songs and waving Union Jack flags, thousands of Britons flocked to a muddy patch of grass outside parliament on a damp Friday night to watch their moment of history: Britain's departure from the European Union. While Prime Minister Boris Johnson, synonymous with Brexit because of his role in the 2016 'Leave' campaign, kept a low profile at a private reception in his office, more than 5,000 people gathered just down the road to loudly celebrate the moment.
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| Trump to tout U.S. 'comeback' at State of the Union speech Posted: 31 Jan 2020 02:16 PM PST  President Donald Trump will use next week's State of the Union to promote what he calls the "Great American comeback," according to a senior administration official. The speech comes at a moment when Trump is hoping to put his Senate impeachment trial behind him. White House officials say Trump wants to use the nationally-televised address to highlight his administration's efforts to bolster the economy, tighten immigration rules and lower prescription drug costs just as his reelection effort accelerate.
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| Russia obtains ease on C.Africa arms embargo at UN Security Council Posted: 31 Jan 2020 02:10 PM PST  The UN Security Council on Friday approved a slight relaxation of the arms embargo on the Central African Republic, an issue that has been a source of friction between France and Russia. A resolution drafted by France that extends the embargo by only six months to July 31 was approved by 13 votes with Russia and China abstaining. It allows the CAR to acquire military vehicles mounted with up to 14.5mm weapons, provided the United Nations is notified ahead of time.
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| GOP senators seek to acquit Trump without condoning conduct Posted: 31 Jan 2020 02:10 PM PST  There is no question, Sen. Lamar Alexander said, that President Donald Trump actions were "inappropriate" when he asked Ukraine's leader to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden. It's also in line with arguments from Trump's legal team, which after initially asserting that the president did "absolutely nothing wrong" moved toward insisting that Trump had done nothing impeachable — and attacked the trial as a partisan exercise. The evolving arguments have allowed Republicans to cite political and historical grounds for acquitting Trump without feeling compelled to condone his behavior, a split-the-difference judgment that avoids a clean break with the president as he stands for reelection.
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| Boris Johnson Heralds Brexit as Opportunity for ‘Renewal and Change’ Posted: 31 Jan 2020 02:00 PM PST ![Boris Johnson Heralds Brexit as Opportunity for 'Renewal and Change']( "Boris Johnson Heralds Brexit as Opportunity for 'Renewal and Change'") (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Brexit offers the U.K. an opportunity for "renewal and change" as he called on the divided nation to pull together in an address ahead of its split with the European Union."If we can get this right, I believe that with every month that goes by, we will grow in confidence not just at home but abroad," Johnson said in a speech filmed by his office and released to media organizations. "I know that we can turn this opportunity into a stunning success."Johnson's speech, released on his Facebook page at 10 p.m. -- an hour before Britain formally leaves the EU -- also extended the hand of friendship to the bloc, saying the split should herald "a new era of friendly cooperation between the EU and an energetic Britain."The U.K.'s departure from the bloc is a personal triumph for Johnson, who won a commanding majority in December's election by promising to "get Brexit done" after three-and-a-half-years of wrangling since the 2016 referendum. He now faces 11 months of talks to agree a trade deal before a transition period -- during which the U.K. will follow EU laws -- ends on Dec. 31.There was a hint of the difficulties ahead on Friday, when German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned the U.K. against diverging too far from the standards and regulations set by the bloc.Tensions Loom"The more Great Britain diverts from single market rules, naturally the stronger the changes to our future relations will be," Merkel said in a statement.The prime minister's speech showed the two sides on collision course on the issue as he said Brexit would give the U.K. the chance to set its own rules and laws "for the benefit of the people of this country." The EU "has evolved over 50 years in a direction that no longer suits this country," he added.Johnson told a meeting of his cabinet in Sunderland, northeast England, on Friday that the U.K. will aim to reach a "Canada-style" free trade agreement with the bloc and will seek to agree deals covering 80% of its global commerce within three years.As crowds of chanting Brexit supporters gathered outside Parliament, the government sought to downplay events to mark the moment of Brexit itself, in order to avoid the appearance of triumphalism as the prime minister tries to heal the divisions in the country.Yorkshire PuddingsJohnson hosted a reception in his Downing Street office for ministers, civil servants and advisers who worked on Brexit. Guests were due to be served English sparkling wine and British canapes including shortbread with Shropshire blue cheese, fillet of lamb on toast, and Yorkshire puddings with beef and horseradish.A commemorative light display was also on the program, including a clock projected onto Johnson's office counting down the last hour of Britain's EU membership, ending at 11 p.m. local time, midnight in Brussels.Government offices along neighboring Whitehall were also lit up and union flags lined Parliament Square."We have taken back the tools of self-government," Johnson said. "Now is the time to use those tools to unleash the full potential of this brilliant country and to make better the lives of everyone in every corner of our United Kingdom."\--With assistance from Alan Crawford.To contact the reporters on this story: Thomas Penny in London at tpenny@bloomberg.net;Alex Morales in London at amorales2@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Tim Ross at tross54@bloomberg.net, Stuart Biggs, Robert HuttonFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Brazil to seek a Mercosur-UK trade deal similar of agreement with EU Posted: 31 Jan 2020 01:58 PM PST ![Brazil to seek a Mercosur-UK trade deal similar of agreement with EU]( "Brazil to seek a Mercosur-UK trade deal similar of agreement with EU") The Brazilian government will seek to strike a Mercosul-United Kingdom trade deal post Brexit that could be similar to the trade agreement signed between the South American bloc and the European Union, a Brazilian official said on Friday. Brazil's Foreign Trade Secretary Marcos Troyjo said Brazil is very interested in a trade deal with the UK, and plans to push for a broad agreement.
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| Guardian of Monarch butterfly grounds eulogized in Mexico Posted: 31 Jan 2020 01:19 PM PST  Hundreds of farmers and agricultural workers thronged the funeral of activist Homero Gómez González on Friday, and the homage to him was like a tribute to the monarch butterfly he so staunchly defended. The butterflies' annual migration, threatened by logging, avocado farming and climate and environmental change, has also represented a ray of hope and income for the impoverished, pine-clad mountains of Michoacan state. Nobody worked harder than Gómez González — whose body was found this week at the bottom of a holding pond with a head wound — to stop logging, reforest and bring tourists to the butterflies'' wintering grounds.
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| NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn't happen this week Posted: 31 Jan 2020 12:44 PM PST  None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. CLAIM: Chlorine dioxide will help get rid of the new virus from China. THE FACTS: As news spread about the new coronavirus outbreak, social media accounts began promoting the idea that drinking chlorine dioxide or using related products with names like Miracle Mineral Solution — or MMS — would help wipe out the virus.
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| U.S. envoy warns Palestinians against raising opposition to U.S. peace plan at U.N. Posted: 31 Jan 2020 12:34 PM PST ![U.S. envoy warns Palestinians against raising opposition to U.S. peace plan at U.N.]( "U.S. envoy warns Palestinians against raising opposition to U.S. peace plan at U.N.") Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will speak in the U.N. Security Council in the next two weeks about the plan, Palestinian U.N. envoy Riyad Mansour said on Wednesday, adding that he hoped the 15-member council would also vote on a draft resolution on the issue.
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| Trump curbs immigrants from 6 nations in election-year push Posted: 31 Jan 2020 12:02 PM PST  The Trump administration announced Friday that it was restricting immigrants from six additional countries that officials said failed to meet minimum security standards, as part of an election-year push to further clamp down immigration. Officials said immigrants from Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Eritrea, Nigeria, Sudan and Tanzania will face new restrictions in obtaining certain visas to come to the United States.
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| Fireworks and song as Brexit bastion parties Posted: 31 Jan 2020 12:00 PM PST  Leave voters in Brexit-backing Morley got ready to celebrate Britain's departure from the EU on Friday with fireworks and "God Save The Queen" belting out from a sound system. "Tonight is my big Brexit bash," Conservative MP Andrea Jenkyns told AFP at her constituency office in Morley, a suburb of Leeds in Yorkshire, northern England. Britain leaves the European Union at 11:00 pm (2300 GMT) after 47 years in the fold -- the last three of which were dominated by wrangling over when and how the kingdom would eventually leave.
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| Trump Told Bolton to Help His Ukraine Pressure Campaign, Book Says Posted: 31 Jan 2020 11:58 AM PST  WASHINGTON -- More than two months before he asked Ukraine's president to investigate his political opponents, President Donald Trump directed John Bolton, then his national security adviser, to help with his pressure campaign to extract damaging information on Democrats from Ukrainian officials, according to an unpublished manuscript by Bolton.Trump gave the instruction, Bolton wrote, during an Oval Office conversation in early May that included the acting White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney; the president's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani; and the White House counsel, Pat A. Cipollone, who is now leading the president's impeachment defense.Trump told Bolton to call Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who had recently won election as president of Ukraine, to ensure Zelenskiy would meet with Giuliani, who was planning a trip to Ukraine to discuss the investigations that the president sought, in Bolton's account. Bolton never made the call, he wrote.The previously undisclosed directive that Bolton describes would be the earliest known instance of Trump seeking to harness the power of the U.S. government to advance his pressure campaign against Ukraine, as he later did on the July call with Zelenskiy that triggered a whistleblower complaint and impeachment proceedings. House Democrats have accused him of abusing his authority and are arguing their case before senators in the impeachment trial of Trump, whose lawyers have said he did nothing wrong.The account in Bolton's manuscript portrays the most senior White House advisers as early witnesses in the effort that they have sought to distance the president from. And disclosure of the meeting underscores the kind of information Democrats were looking for in seeking testimony from his top advisers in their impeachment investigation, including Bolton and Mulvaney, only to be blocked by the White House.In a statement after this article was published, Trump denied the discussion that Bolton described."I never instructed John Bolton to set up a meeting for Rudy Giuliani, one of the greatest corruption fighters in America and by far the greatest mayor in the history of NYC, to meet with President Zelenskiy," Trump said. "That meeting never happened."In a brief interview, Giuliani denied that the conversation took place and said those discussions with the president were always kept separate. He was adamant that Cipollone and Mulvaney were never involved in meetings related to Ukraine."It is absolutely, categorically untrue," he said.Neither Bolton nor a representative for Mulvaney responded to requests for comment.Bolton described the roughly 10-minute conversation in drafts of his book, a memoir of his time as national security adviser that is to go on sale in March. Over several pages, Bolton laid out Trump's fixation on Ukraine and the president's belief, based on a mix of scattershot events, assertions and outright conspiracy theories, that Ukraine tried to undermine his chances of winning the presidency in 2016.As he began to realize the extent and aims of the pressure campaign, Bolton began to object, he wrote in the book, affirming the testimony of a former National Security Council aide, Fiona Hill, who had said that Bolton warned that Giuliani was "a hand grenade who's going to blow everybody up."Trump also repeatedly made national security decisions contrary to U.S. interests, Bolton wrote, describing a pervasive sense of alarm among top advisers about the president's choices. Bolton expressed concern to others in the administration that the president was effectively granting favors to autocratic leaders like Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Xi Jinping of China.The New York Times reported this week on another revelation from Bolton's book draft: that Trump told him in August that he wanted to continue freezing $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine until officials there helped with investigations into Democrats including former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. That account undercuts a key element of the White House impeachment defense -- that the aid holdup was separate from his requests for inquiries. Trump has denied the conversation took place.Since that Times article, people who have reviewed the draft have further described its contents, including details of the May meeting. Bolton's manuscript was sent to the White House for a standard review process in late December.Its revelations galvanized the debate over whether to call witnesses in the impeachment trial, but late Thursday, Republicans appeared to have secured enough votes to keep any new testimony out of Trump's trial and to move toward a quick acquittal in the third presidential impeachment trial in U.S. history.The White House has sought to block the release of the book, contending that it contains classified information. The government reviews books by former officials who had access to secrets so they can excise the manuscripts of any classified information. Officials including Trump have described Bolton, who was often at odds with Mike Pompeo, the secretary of state, and Mulvaney, as a disgruntled former official with an ax to grind.Bolton has angered Democrats -- and some Republicans -- for remaining quiet during the House investigation, then announcing that he would comply with any subpoena to testify in the Senate and signaling that he is eager to share his story. Administration officials should "feel they're able to speak their minds without retribution," he said at a closed-door lunch in Austin, Texas, on Thursday, NBC affiliate KXAN reported, citing unnamed sources."The idea that somehow testifying to what you think is true is destructive to the system of government we have -- I think, is very nearly the reverse, the exact reverse of the truth," Bolton added.The Oval Office conversation that Bolton described came as the president and Giuliani were increasingly focusing on pushing the Ukrainian government to commit to investigations that could help Trump politically. At various points, Trump, Giuliani and their associates pressed Ukrainian officials under Zelenskiy and his predecessor to provide potentially damaging information on the president's rivals, including Biden and Ukrainians who Trump's allies believed tried to help Hillary Clinton in 2016.Giuliani had just successfully campaigned to have the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie L. Yovanovitch, recalled, convinced that she was part of an effort to protect Trump's political rivals from scrutiny. Giuliani had argued she was impeding the investigations.At the time of the Oval Office conversation Bolton wrote about, Giuliani was planning a trip to Kyiv to push the incoming government to commit to the investigations. Giuliani asserted that the president had been wronged by the Justice Department's Russia investigation and told associates that the inquiry could be partly discredited by proving that parts of it originated with suspect documents produced and disseminated in Ukraine to undermine his onetime campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, whose work in Ukraine became a central focus of the Russia inquiry.Giuliani, a private consultant with a range of international clients, had said none were involved in the Ukraine effort, Bolton wrote, adding that he was skeptical and wanted to avoid involvement. At the time, Giuliani was working closely with two Soviet-born businessmen from Florida, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, to carry out the shadow Ukraine effort.After pushing out Yovanovitch, Giuliani turned his attention to other U.S. diplomats responsible for Ukraine policy. During the Oval Office conversation, he also mentioned a State Department official with the last name of Kent, whom Bolton wrote he did not know. Giuliani said he was hostile to Trump and sympathetic to George Soros, the billionaire philanthropist who has long been a target of the far right.George P. Kent, a top State Department official who oversees Ukraine policy, went on to be a key witness in House Democrats' impeachment investigation, testifying that claims by Giuliani's allies of Soros' wide influence in Ukraine were used to smear Yovanovitch.Bolton left the Oval Office after 10 minutes and returned to his office, he wrote. Shortly after, two aides came into his office, saying Trump had sent them out of a separate meeting on trade to ask about Kent, Bolton wrote.The conversation that Bolton describes was separate from another one that Bolton wrote about, in which he observed Mulvaney and Trump talking on the phone with Giuliani about Ukraine matters. Mulvaney has told associates he would leave the room when Trump and Giuliani were talking to preserve their attorney-client privilege, and his lawyer said earlier this week that Mulvaney was never in meetings with Giuliani and has "no recollection" of the first discussion.Around the time of the May discussion, The Times revealed Giuliani's efforts and his planned trip to Ukraine. Giuliani said at the time that Trump was aware of his efforts in Ukraine but said nothing else about any involvement of Trump or other members of the administration. The disclosure created consternation in the White House, and Giuliani canceled his trip.A day after the Times article was published, Giuliani wrote a letter to Zelenskiy, saying he was representing Trump as a "private citizen" and, with Trump's "knowledge and consent," hoped to arrange a meeting with Zelenskiy in the ensuing days. That letter was among the evidence admitted during the House impeachment inquiry.This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2020 The New York Times Company
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| What Brexit Will Mean for Travelers Posted: 31 Jan 2020 11:28 AM PST  More than three years after the U.K. voted to leave the European Union, Brexit is finally happening. While the country will no longer be part of Europe after Friday, much will remain the same — at least for the next year. The UK and EU are not able to legally begin negotiations for future agreements until February,
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| UN slightly eases arms embargo on Central African Republic Posted: 31 Jan 2020 10:47 AM PST ![UN slightly eases arms embargo on Central African Republic]( "UN slightly eases arms embargo on Central African Republic") The U.N. Security Council voted Friday to slightly ease the arms embargo against the Central African Republic, with Russia and China abstaining because they wanted a greater easing of the weapons ban to help the government's forces combat armed groups and protect the population. The vote on the French-drafted resolution — 13-0 with the two abstentions — followed contentious negotiations in the 15-member council over the extent the arms embargo should be eased. At one point Russia presented a rival draft resolution, diplomats said.
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| After crackdown, Mexico president sees caravans as waning Posted: 31 Jan 2020 10:35 AM PST  President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Friday that he expects more caravans of Central American migrants and asylum seekers to emerge, but he sees the phenomenon which became a political football in the United States in recent years as waning. A week after armored National Guard troops and immigration agents broke up what was left of the most recent caravan in southern Mexico, loading men, women and children onto buses for likely deportation, López Obrador suggested that fewer will come in future groups.
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| Navajo Code Talker dies at 96; less than a handful remain Posted: 31 Jan 2020 10:26 AM PST  One of the few remaining Navajo Code Talkers who used their native language to confound the Japanese in World War II has died. Joe Vandever Sr. died of health complications Friday in Haystack, New Mexico, according to his family. Tribal leaders called Vandever a "great warrior" and a "compassionate family man" and asked Navajos to keep his spirit and his family in their prayers.
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| The shunned: People from virus-hit city tracked, quarantined Posted: 31 Jan 2020 10:22 AM PST  Meron Mei, a sophomore at Wuhan University in the Chinese city at the heart of a viral outbreak, went back to his home village and started to cough. Then a week ago, he says, five officers showed up at his house in Xishui County, a two hour drive from Wuhan.
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| Bitter sweet symphony: EU anthem tops UK download chart Posted: 31 Jan 2020 10:21 AM PST  As Britain starts life outside the European Union, pro-EU diehards could at least claim a tiny consolation victory on Friday in the weekly pop charts. Having fought a titanic political contest for three years over Brexit, Britain's "Leavers" and "Remainers" did battle in the singles charts, trying to get rival songs to number one. While both sides fell well short, Remainers managed to get the EU's anthem "Ode to Joy" to number 30 -- and it was the most downloaded track of the week.
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| 'Brexit done': How it happened and what's next? Posted: 31 Jan 2020 10:14 AM PST  It took one referendum, two general elections, three prime ministers and nearly four years, but on Friday, the U.K. will finally be leaving the European Union. For anyone following the tumultuous path to Brexit since the U.K. voted to leave the EU in June 2016, the actual moment of departure may seem a rather drab affair. Instead, when the U.K. is out of the EU, it will be commemorated with a light show on Downing Street, a clock countdown from 10 p.m. local time (an hour ahead of the official departure) and a commemorative 'Brexit coin' that will be put into circulation.
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| Second CIA contractor testifies in 9/11 case at Guantanamo Posted: 31 Jan 2020 10:13 AM PST  A former CIA contractor who helped design a harsh interrogation program following the the Sept. 11 attacks sought Friday to minimize the severity of techniques used on the men facing war crimes charges for their alleged roles in the plot. John Bruce Jessen, testifying in public for the first time about an interrogation program long shrouded in secrecy, told a military court at the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, that the techniques used against detainees had been shown to have no lasting effects and were used only a small portion of the time they were in captivity. Jessen said the techniques, which included waterboarding and prolonged sleep deprivation, were employed only to gather intelligence aimed at preventing another terrorist attack.
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| Police open fire at 'impaired' driver in Mar-a-Lago breach Posted: 31 Jan 2020 10:05 AM PST  Law enforcement agents opened fire on an SUV driver who smashed through two security checkpoints at Mar-a-Lago on Friday in what authorities described as the actions of "an obviously impaired" driver but not an intentional attack on President Donald Trump's resort. The driver, Hannah Roemhild, 30, of Connecticut, who identifies herself on her Facebook page as an opera singer, was later arrested at a nearby motel. No one was injured, authorities said, and Trump was not at the Palm Beach club at the time, although he was scheduled to arrive there later in the day.
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| US Treasury Formalizes Channel For Continued Humanitarian Aid To Iran Posted: 31 Jan 2020 09:37 AM PST ![US Treasury Formalizes Channel For Continued Humanitarian Aid To Iran]( "US Treasury Formalizes Channel For Continued Humanitarian Aid To Iran") While the Trump administration continues to ratchet up economic sanctions against Iran, the U.S. continues to supply humanitarian aid to Iranian citizens. The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday said it has recently established a new "humanitarian channel" through the Swiss government, which will provide ongoing medical care to Iranian nationals without the Iranian government's involvement. "Iranian cancer and transplant patients are receiving treatments through this channel, which is subject to strict due diligence measures to avoid misuse by the Iranian regime," the Treasury Department said in a statement.
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| EU Bids Adieu to Britain With Removal of Flags and Brexit Day Stamps Posted: 31 Jan 2020 09:36 AM PST  (Bloomberg) -- When the sun goes down on Friday night, British government buildings around Europe will lower the blue and yellow-starred flag of the European Union for the final time. A few hours later, on the stroke of midnight in Paris, Berlin and Brussels, the U.K. will leave the bloc after 47 years.The farewell is intentionally muted. Neither the British government nor the EU wants to draw too much attention to the moment of rupture, particularly with negotiations over the two sides' future relationship in areas such as trade, security and financial services, set to be even trickier than the wrangling over the U.K.'s withdrawal over the past 3 years.German Chancellor Angela Merkel used a statement to describe Brexit as a significant blow "to us all," while French President Emmanuel Macron in a speech on Friday decried the "lies, exaggerations and simplifications" of the Brexit campaign and spoke of the need for "more" Europe. EU Parliament President David Sassoli described the U.K.'s departure as a "wound."Merkel repeated EU warnings that the more the U.K. diverges from EU single market rules, the looser the future partnership will be.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the U.K. will be treated like all non-EU countries after midnight and can't expect any special treatment. "Only those who recognize the rules of the internal market can fully benefit from the common market," she said. EU officials said they expect negotiations to get nasty.Brexit StampWith Britain to slip into a transition period until the end of 2020, which keeps the country in the EU in all but name, but without any decision-making powers, Brexit day is more about symbolism than anything else.Some of the logistics haven't been straightforward. A few days ago the U.K. government's representation in Brussels quietly swapped its two flag poles on its facade for a single one carrying both British and EU flags. Losing one flag will look less conspicuous. In Sofia, the British embassy will lower its EU stars but, because it shares a building with the European Investment Bank, the flag will go back up on Monday morning.In Brussels, the ancient Grand Place was lit up in the colors of the Union Jack, while Austria unveiled a Brexit-themed stamp (complete with the original planned date of Brexit, March 29, 2019, as well as the eventual one.) Gibraltar, the British territory on the southern tip of Spain that became a point of contention in the withdrawal negotiations, will hold a ceremony at midnight to lower the EU flag and replace it with the banner of the Commonwealth.France's Le Figaro bid "Adieu" to Britain on its front page while members of the Irish government got up before dawn to check out new inspection facilities at Dublin port which will control goods coming from the U.K. across the Irish Sea -- the EU's new external border.Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa paid tribute to a "new relationship with our old friend, ancestral ally and forever partner," but with the EU due to publish its mandate for negotiations on the future relationship on Monday, there's little time for anybody either to celebrate or wallow in regret."I know the public are fed up talking about Brexit, and so am I quite frankly," Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said on Friday. "But we don't have the luxury of not talking about Brexit."(Updates with Macron speech in the third paragraph)\--With assistance from Dara Doyle, Peter Flanagan, Geraldine Amiel, Slav Okov, Boris Groendahl, Joao Lima, Raymond Colitt, Charles Penty, Alan Crawford and Ania Nussbaum.To contact the reporter on this story: Ian Wishart in Brussels at iwishart@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Ben Sills at bsills@bloomberg.net, Richard Bravo, Nikos ChrysolorasFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Trump shifts to authorize wider US military use of landmines Posted: 31 Jan 2020 09:23 AM PST  President Donald Trump on Friday canceled an Obama-era prohibition on the use of anti-personnel landmines outside of the Korean peninsula. With potential future conflict with China and Russia in mind, the new policy specified no geographic limits on landmine use, declaring that the weapons offer an important war-fighting capability. Rep. Jim McGovern, a Massachusetts Democrat, wrote in a letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that the administration should reconsider lifting Obama-era landmine restrictions.
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| Diplomat: 2 Indian sailors killed, 2 missing in tanker fire Posted: 31 Jan 2020 09:06 AM PST ![Diplomat: 2 Indian sailors killed, 2 missing in tanker fire]( "Diplomat: 2 Indian sailors killed, 2 missing in tanker fire") Two Indian sailors were killed and two remain missing after an oil tanker caught fire earlier this week off the United Arab Emirates' sheikhdom of Sharjah, an Indian diplomat said Friday. Vipul, the Indian consul general in Dubai who goes by one name, made the announcement on Twitter after the incident aboard the oil tanker Zoya 1. Emirati officials did not immediately acknowledge the deaths and the missing sailors.
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| Cheers and tears in UK as Brexit day finally dawns Posted: 31 Jan 2020 09:05 AM PST  Brexit supporters gathered outside parliament on Friday to cheer Britain's departure from the European Union following three years of epic political drama -- but for others there were only tears. After 47 years in the European fold, the country leaves the EU at 11:00pm (2300 GMT) on Friday, with a handful of the most enthusiastic supporters gathering opposite the Houses of Parliament 12 hours before the final countdown. "It's a great relief that we're finally leaving the EU," said Wayne Green, 48.
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| Climate activists from African nations make urgent appeal Posted: 31 Jan 2020 08:29 AM PST  Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate and peers from other African nations on Friday made an urgent appeal for the world to pay more attention to the continent that stands to suffer the most from global warming despite contributing to it the least. The Fridays For Future movement and activist Greta Thunberg held a news conference with the activists to spotlight the marginalization of African voices a week after The Associated Press cropped Nakate out of a photo at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Nakate, Makenna Muigai of Kenya, Ayakha Melithafa of South Africa and climate scientist Ndoni Mcunu of South Africa pointed out the various challenges both in combating climate change on the booming continent of some 1.2 billion people and in inspiring the world's response.
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| Brexit Day - The Impact & Implications Posted: 31 Jan 2020 07:31 AM PST  Today the UK officially leaves the European Union after four years of debate and a recent General Election where the Conservative Party won a landslide victory. McDermott's London lawyers have provided their perspective on how the passing of Brexit Day may affect healthcare and taxes over the coming months.
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| It’s Brexit Day: Here’s What Happens Next For Britain Posted: 31 Jan 2020 07:24 AM PST  When the United Kingdom officially leaves the European Union, it will mark one of the biggest political and economic shifts to ever happen in modern Europe. For the last few years, many have been wondering if Brexit will even happen at all. The U.K. and the E.U. have certainly been taking their sweet time coming to terms of what their future relationship looks like — and at times, it's felt like no resolution would be reached. But, after much back and forth and waiting (and protesting, and waiting), Brexit Day is finally here. The U.K. has been contentiously divided over how exactly to exit the E.U., with the bitter split between those who want to leave and those who want to remain (aptly dubbed the "remainers") tearing apart political parties in the country. Last year, Trump-like Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised he would make Brexit official for the U.K. in a "do or die" promise by October deadline. After, the U.K. Parliament did kill the deal three times in opposition to former Prime Minister Theresa May's plans last year. "At last the day comes when we break free. A massive victory for the people against the establishment," said Nigel Farage, the leader of the Brexit Party. Finally, years of heated debate have led us to the day that Britain finally formally leaves the European Union — the end of a 47-year partnership. Ahead, we've laid out all the things you need to know about Brexit day. When is Brexit officially happening? As of 11 p.m. London time tonight, on January 31, 2020, Brexit is officially happening. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to speak ahead of the big moment, and members of the Brexit Party will throw a celebration in Parliament Square. While January 31 is technically Brexit Day, it isn't going to go into effect immediately. The European Union dictates when Britain departs from it, which means that Brexit will officially be in place as of 11 p.m. London time or at the stroke of midnight in Brussels. For those of you who aren't fond of time zone math, that's 6 o'clock on the East coast of the U.S. or 3 p.m. in California. When does Brexit go into effect?When the clock strikes 11 in Britain, there won't be any carriages turning into pumpkins or riches to rags. Everything will remain relatively the same, actually, until the end of 2020. Now will begin a transition period where the U.K. will continue to follow all E.U. rules without being a member of the E.U. Something called the "political declaration" will help to set some broader principles for the deals to come. The next 11 months will be a period of negotiation where the UK and EU will be tasked with figuring out the future terms of their relationship. However, if no solutions can be reached, negotiations could actually last until 2022 or 2023, as set forth in the withdrawal agreement. Honestly, sounds like a messy breakup. Who are the leavers & the remainers?Those who support Brexit and voted for it, and who are glad to be leaving the European Union, have been dubbed the "leavers." However, those who voted against Brexit and who are unhappy with the choice to leave the EU are known as the "remainers." In the aftermath of Brexit, remainers will be looking to keep Britain as close to the EU as possible.While the leavers will be celebrating across the country tonight, it's been reported that many remainers will be hosting events to mourn the exit of the E.U., with protests planned as well. > Auld Lang Syne to say goodbye to our British friends Brexit pic.twitter.com/dp9wELl2FF> > — Ilhan Kyuchyuk (@ilhankyuchyuk) January 29, 2020 Why is Brexit happening now? The U.K. has been trying to resolve Brexit since 2016 when there was a vote, in which 52% of the country gave notice that they wanted out of the European Union. After both sides agreed to and ratified the Brexit deal, it was only a matter of letting Article 50, which kept the UK as part of the EU, run out. Brexit is happening now after years of push-backs and negotiations, with senior leaders in the EU finally agreeing and signing the deal recently. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?Where Is Dominic Cummings Now? Fashion Hates Brexit & These Slogan Tees Prove It
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| Iran says new US sanctions will have 'no effect' Posted: 31 Jan 2020 07:07 AM PST  New American sanctions against Iran's nuclear programme will have "no effect", Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said Friday. Washington announced new sanctions on Thursday against the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran and its head Ali Akbar Salehi. Brian Hook, the US pointman on Iran, accused them of playing "a big role in Iran breaching its key nuclear commitments" and exceeding "the limits on its uranium stockpile and enrichment levels".
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| Iraqi cleric condemns use of force, 11 protesters wounded Posted: 31 Jan 2020 06:20 AM PST  Iraq's most powerful religious figure, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, reiterated Friday his condemnation of the use of force against anti-government protesters as the mass movement enters a critical juncture and political blocs tussle over naming a new premier. Separately, at least four rockets landed around an airbase hosting U.S. troops in northern Iraq without any casualties, Iraqi military officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they was not authorized to speak to media.
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| Why Is This Mystery Russian Spacecraft Suddenly Stalking a Secret U.S. Spy Satellite? Posted: 31 Jan 2020 06:20 AM PST  A mysterious Russian spacecraft has maneuvered into a new orbit around Earth right behind a secret U.S. spy satellite.The unusual move by Russian Cosmos 2542 on Jan. 20 allows it to closely watch the American KH-11, a $4 billion orbital telescope staring down at Earth. And there's not much that U.S. space operators can do about it.For the Americans, getting tailed by the Russians in peacetime is annoying. During wartime, it could be a prelude to an attack.Cosmos 2542 is what space operators call an "inspection satellite." Fitted with sensors and thrusters, the mini-fridge-size satellite can maneuver close to other spacecraft and scan them. Some inspection-sats could double as weapons, tampering with or even destroying enemy spacecraft.The inspection-sat launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome north of Moscow back in November. Riding atop a Soyuz rocket, Cosmos 2542 settled into orbit between 250 miles and 550 miles over Earth's surface."The purpose of the experiment is to continue work on assessing the technical condition of domestic satellites," the Russian defense ministry stated.But it was apparent early on that an American satellite that trackers call USA 245 was the real target. Cosmos 2542's original orbit allowed it to pass within a few hundred miles of the KH-11 every 11 or 12 days, noted Michael Thompson, an American graduate student who moonlights with a small space company and, in his spare time, tracks satellites.It's surprisingly easy to do. Amateur sat-trackers all over the world use telescopes and government data to keep track of many of the world's roughly 2,200 active satellites, more than half of which are in low orbit between 100 and 1,200 miles above Earth.Between November and January, Cosmos 2542 mostly stayed a respectful distance from the KH-11 as the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office satellite went about its business snapping high-resolution photographs of America's rivals.Then in mid-January, Cosmos 2542 passed close to the spy satellite—and made its move. Instead of drifting away like it usually did, Cosmos 2542 performed a series of maneuvers between Jan. 20 and Jan. 23 and essentially matched orbits with USA 245.Sat-tracker Nico Janssen noticed the maneuver and fed data to Thompson, who performed his own analysis, then started tweeting. "Cosmos 2542 is loitering around USA 245 in consistent view," Thompson tweeted Thursday. "As I'm typing this, that offset distance shifts between 150 and 300 kilometers [93 and 186 miles] depending on the location in the orbit."At that range, Cosmos 2542 can probably take pretty detailed photos of KH-11. "The relative orbit is actually pretty cleverly designed," Thompson tweeted. "Cosmos 2542 can observe one side of the KH-11 when both satellites first come into sunlight, and by the time they enter eclipse, it has migrated to the other side."It's not clear how much Russia can learn from photographing the KH-11. "Personally, I think the intelligence value of observations of optical spy satellites like this one are probably marginal," Thompson tweeted.The NRO reportedly operates four KH-11s. They traditionally maintain orbits that dip as low as 160 miles and climb as high as 620 miles, allowing the satellites to modulate between viewing huge swaths of Earth at low resolution and much smaller sections of the planet at high resolution. By coordinating the orbits of the KH-11s, the NRO can maintain simultaneous wide and narrow surveillance. This is obvious to the world's satellite-trackers. The NRO never comments on the KH-11s' operations, but the shipping-container-size sats aren't hard to see from the ground.And since it's public knowledge that the KH-11s use the same kind of lens that forms the basis of NASA's Hubble space telescope, anyone with expertise in optics can estimate the KH-11s' capabilities.Spying on the spy satellite might not be the point. Russia has deployed several mysterious inspection satellites since 2014. China, Japan, Sweden, and the United States have launched their own inspection craft. The U.S. Air Force's mysterious X-37B robotic mini-shuttle might be the most famous spacecraft with inspection capabilities.All of these craft have had potential as weapons."You can probably equip them with lasers, maybe put some explosives on them," Anatoly Zak, an independent expert on Russian spacecraft, told The Daily Beast in 2015. "If [one] comes very close to some military satellite, it probably can do some harm."In maneuvering Cosmos 2542 to closely tail an American spy satellite, Russia could be practicing for war.KH-11s aren't known to possess any defensive systems. Not that they would be useful during peacetime. Thompson said there's not much the NRO's satellite-operators can do about the Russian interloper "besides grumble at the U.N." 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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| EXPLAINER-Through the Brexit looking glass: What changes and what stays the same? Posted: 31 Jan 2020 06:18 AM PST  Brexit is the United Kingdom's biggest geopolitical move in decades. What will change and what will stay the same when Britain officially leaves the European Union on Friday at 2300 GMT? While the United Kingdom remains a member in all but name, it loses its vote in the meetings in Brussels that ultimately decide EU policy on matters ranging from financial services to the definition of a European-made car.
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| Britain after Brexit Posted: 31 Jan 2020 06:14 AM PST  Today, at midnight Brussels time — or 11 p.m. in London — there will be a party in Parliament square to mark the moment the U.K. leaves the European Union. There will be flag-waving and much mutual back-slapping. More than three tumultuous years have passed since the country voted to leave the EU, and finally, Brexit is here. Britain is "Taking Back Control."At first, nothing practical will change. For the rest of 2020, a "transition period" deal is in place that means the U.K. remains part of the single market and customs union. Trade and travel remain easy and free — what a luxury — but beyond December 31 this year, uncertainty looms. Nobody knows exactly what the U.K.'s relationship with the economic superpower next door will be when this date arrives, but the two deciding Brexit votes — first the referendum, and then the general election Tory landslide late last year — offer a glimpse into what kind of Britain will emerge from the safe confines of the single market. While the country remains bitterly divided, there is cause for hope.Trade negotiations now begin between the U.K. government — basking in its fresh and resounding electoral mandate — and Brussels. Both the EU and the U.K. want to maintain unfettered access to the other's market, but they must first agree the extent to which their industries share regulations. The U.K. government wants total divergence in regulations — to honor Brexit and "Take Back Control" — and the EU wants total alignment — to protect its industries from British companies that, without shared regulation, may face lower taxes or other advantages such as lenient environmental standards. Both sides say they will refuse to budge, but both are driven by a shared interest to arrive at a tariff-free arrangement in the end.The genius of the phrase "Take Back Control" — which was the driving philosophy of the Leave movement in the run-up to 2016's Brexit referendum — is that it can mean anything you want it to. Take back control to do what, exactly? For libertarians it meant they could turn Britain into a "Singapore on Thames" — free to lower taxes and unleash business. For the nostalgic it meant getting back to how things were — however they were for you. Some of the more poisonous types wanted to make the country more racially pure. For many Labour voters, however, it meant extricating the country from the global free market in order to take back control of their lives and livelihood. All of these formed the "Brexit coalition" that the Conservatives held together to win big in December's general election, and the most important of the group was the latter. These were the "red wall" voters who carried the party to a massive majority in parliament.Economically, these voters wanted protection from a system that sucked the winnings first to London and then to the wealthiest Londoners. They wanted to be richer, and, maybe more importantly, to feel the dignity of secure work, a dignity that had been missing since the Conservatives exposed their regional industries to the cold logic of global capitalism in the '80s.The Conservative party knows it is in a fight to retain these voters, most of whom would never have voted Tory if it weren't for Brexit, and the government is very deliberately moving to give them economic rewards for their support. Across the North, in the "red wall" regions that swung the election for the Conservative party, ministers are publicly pursuing a policy of "levelling up" with Keynesian investment in infrastructure and public services. Even if the economics of this effort turn out to prove faulty, it remains politically sharp. The voters left behind by global capitalism are being told they are respected. In their desperation to hold on to power in the Brexit maelstrom, the Tories have stumbled upon a kind of populism that eschews easy left-right categorization, and it works. Whisper it, but they may even have found the new political center.Conservative determination to repay and re-enlist northern voters means it is unlikely any of the industries that support those communities will be sacrificed in trade negotiations in the name of "taking back control." Car manufacturing, steel, textiles — the U.K. government will surely see securing these industries free access to the EU single market as a first priority for trade talks.The deep irony here is that these people voted to leave the EU, and now they may be tied back into it as thanks for doing so — but maybe the Conservatives are on to something. Maybe for the voters in left-behind areas, taking back control never meant any of the things it did for the libertarians, protectionists, socialists, or nationalists. It meant securing investment — not handouts, but a support structure to allow them to work to access the bounties of the global economy — and respect. The Tories won power, and Brexit, because they listened to these voters.Even if, as is almost certain, the U.K. economy outside the EU will be smaller and weaker than it would have been in the alternate universe where it stayed put, saying so in the future will be hopelessly counterfactual and unconstructive. The economic detriments of Brexit will come slowly, and there will be no rush of evidence to prove remainers right — no "I told you so" moment. What can be hoped for is a reborn, or at least refreshed, domestic politics. It won't be perfect, of course, but it may offer a new map that leaves the tired left-right paradigm behind, and maybe even starts to close England's North-South divide.Want more essential commentary and analysis like this delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for The Week's "Today's best articles" newsletter here.More stories from theweek.com Mitch McConnell's rare blunder John Bolton just vindicated Nancy Pelosi All the president's turncoats
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| Brexit Britain Fails at First Step: Its Farewell Party Posted: 31 Jan 2020 05:51 AM PST  LONDON—So, this is it. After 47 years of membership, Britain is finally leaving the European Union on Friday. It may have taken 1,316 days of screaming at each other since the referendum, and claimed the careers of two prime ministers, but at 11 p.m. the 17 million people who voted for Brexit three years ago will, for better or worse, get what they asked for.Now, given that all through the 2016 campaign, pro-Brexit campaigners spent their time casting the EU as a sinister, overreaching superstate that had shackled Britain's potential for decades, you might assume that tonight's historic strike of the clock would spark wild celebrations. Millions draped in Union Jacks, screaming Rule Britannia, and weeping warm, joyous tears into their even warmer pints of thick beige ale.But, despite the best efforts of some of the most wild-eyed foot-soldiers of the Brexit campaign, tonight's landmark will pass without any great fanfare. If you voted to remain, there's obviously nothing to celebrate. If you voted to leave, the vast majority had their moment of jubilation on the night of the referendum three-and-a-half years ago, but their enthusiasm has since suffered death by a thousand BBC News push alerts.There have been attempts to create a national moment—but they have, without fail, been totally crap. Take Nigel Farage's exit from the European Parliament earlier this week, which is a moment he's dreamed of throughout his entire political career. His grand gesture was to make a speech while his Brexit Party colleagues waved tiny plastic Union flags around him. The parliament's speaker simply cut off his mic, leaving him voiceless, in a perfect metaphor for Britain's future in Europe.A day later, in his continuing quest to give Brexit week some form of gravitas, the modest Farage attended the unveiling of a portrait of himself which was entitled "Mr. Brexit." The unveiling was hosted by former game-show host Jim Davidson, who hasn't been allowed to appear on mainstream television for decades due to his propensity for making extremely terrible jokes about women, ethnic minorities, and disabled people.The official government-backed attempts to mark Brexit have fallen similarly flat. Firstly, a commemorative 50 pence coin was minted with the slogan, written in the kind of font that might be used for a menu of homeopathic treatments: "Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations."Philip Pullman, the author of His Dark Materials, led calls for a boycott of the coin for failing to include an Oxford comma, while others said they would refuse to accept it in their change or deface it with pro-EU messages. If this was the government's big gesture to bring the bitterly divided country back together, it would have been just as effective to throw an existing 50p coin into a wishing well.There was also an extremely embarrassing campaign, announced and then disowned by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, to crowdfund for Big Ben—the bell in parliament's famous clock tower—to be temporarily restored to action during a refurbishment to bong loudly for the Brexit moment. More than £250,000 was raised to fund the effort, but that was only half of what was needed to get the bell working by Friday, so the idea was abandoned.(Incidentally, if you're wondering why Britain is leaving the EU at 11 p.m. local time rather than midnight, it's because that is midnight in Brussels, the de facto capital of the EU, and it gets to decide these kind of things now.)There will, however, be a light show in Westminster to mark Brexit, and Johnson is reportedly due to give what has been billed as a "special" address to the nation on Friday evening. The government has also announced that "in response to public calls, the Union Jack will be flown on all of the flag poles in Parliament Square," which is sure to be spectacular.Unofficial celebrations will, of course, take place in some parts of the country where the vote to leave was at its strongest in 2016. A photograph circulated on Twitter this week that purported to show a pub notice for a "Brexit Party" on Friday night, where only British food be served and British music played, which sounds good if you like the sound of "Wonderwall" being sung by men chewing gray meat.A nationwide chain of cheap-and-cheerful pubs, Wetherspoons, is marking the day by slashing the prices of drinks made in European countries, which the company's pro-Brexit CEO claims is his gesture to show that he wants Britain to remain friends with the EU after Friday night.On Saturday, Britain will wake up, for the first time in nearly five decades, outside a European group of nations. Once the hangovers clear, and the people responsible for Brexit stop congratulating themselves for vaulting the first and smallest hurdle, the actual work begins to prove that leaving the EU was something worth celebrating.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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| UN agency fears 'escalation in clashes' after Trump plan Posted: 31 Jan 2020 05:39 AM PST  Palestinians are in a "state of shock" over a US Middle East peace plan, the head of the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees said Friday, voicing fears of a surge in violence. "We certainly have serious concerns that it will result in an escalation in clashes and in violence," said Christian Saunders, acting head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The plan also backs a Palestinian state with a capital on the outskirts of Jerusalem but says the Palestinian leadership must recognise Israel as a Jewish homeland and agree to a demilitarised state.
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| Delaney, longest-running Democratic candidate, ends 2020 bid Posted: 31 Jan 2020 05:31 AM PST  John Delaney, the longest-running Democratic candidate in the 2020 presidential race, is ending his campaign after pouring millions of his own money into an effort that failed to resonate with voters. "At this moment in time, this is not the purpose God has for me," Delaney said, in an interview with CNN. The former Maryland congressman has been running for president since July 2017, though Delaney's early start did little to give him an advantage in the race or raise his name recognition with Democratic primary voters.
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| Iran calls US sanctions on nuke organization chief 'unwise' Posted: 31 Jan 2020 05:12 AM PST ![Iran calls US sanctions on nuke organization chief 'unwise']( "Iran calls US sanctions on nuke organization chief 'unwise'") Iran's nuclear energy organization called recent sanctions on the head of the agency by the U.S. an "unwise move" that won't interrupt Iran's peaceful nuclear policies. The U.S. announced new sanctions Thursday against the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and its director, Ali Akbar Salehi. The sanctions freeze any assets that Salehi has within U.S. jurisdiction.
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| In Egypt, 12-year-old girl dies after genital mutilation Posted: 31 Jan 2020 04:58 AM PST ![In Egypt, 12-year-old girl dies after genital mutilation]( "In Egypt, 12-year-old girl dies after genital mutilation") A 12-year-old girl died this week in southern Egypt after her parents brought her to a doctor who performed female genital mutilation, a criminal practice that remains widespread in the region, according to a judicial statement. The girl's death in the province of Assiut prompted Egypt's public prosecutor to order the arrests of her parents and the physician who preformed the procedure, also known as female circumcision, said the statement released late Thursday by the prosecutor's office. Since the mid-1990s, Egypt has been battling the centuries-old practice, which is misguidedly believed to control women's sexuality.
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| Developing a Robust Compliance Strategy Key to Market Access Post Brexit, Says TSG Consulting Posted: 31 Jan 2020 04:44 AM PST ![Developing a Robust Compliance Strategy Key to Market Access Post Brexit, Says TSG Consulting]( "Developing a Robust Compliance Strategy Key to Market Access Post Brexit, Says TSG Consulting") TSG Consulting, a leading regulatory and scientific consulting organization, says it is now more important than ever to develop a robust compliance strategy that considers all Brexit scenarios to ensure market access post transition.
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| Advocacy group: Syria violence hitting children the hardest Posted: 31 Jan 2020 04:36 AM PST  A children's advocacy group warned Friday that half of nearly 400,000 displaced people in the Syrian government's two-month-long offensive on the country's last rebel-held region are children, calling it a wave of displacement unlike anything seen before in the war in Syria. The offensive by Syrian government forces, backed by ally Russia, has focused mainly on Idlib province in the northwest, and also lately on neighboring Aleppo. According to advocacy group Save the Children, half of those displaced are children, adding that at least 37,000 children were forced to flee in the month of January.
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| The daily business briefing: January 31, 2020 Posted: 31 Jan 2020 04:25 AM PST ![The daily business briefing: January 31, 2020]( "The daily business briefing: January 31, 2020") 1.Britain officially leaves the European Union on Friday. The U.K. is scheduled to leave the 28-nation trading bloc at 11 p.m. local time, marking the first time a member nation has left. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to deliver a televised address in which his office said he would call Brexit "not an end but a beginning." Britain voted in 2016 to leave the EU by a 52 percent to 48 percent margin, with England and Wales voting to leave and Scotland and Northern Ireland wanting to remain. The U.K. and the EU will continue to trade under the bloc's rules through an 11-month "transition period" during which the two sides will negotiate new agreements on trade and security. The talks are scheduled to start in March. [The Associated Press] 2.Amazon on Thursday reported holiday quarter results that far exceeded Wall Street's expectations, sending its stock soaring 13 percent higher in after-hours trading. The gains returned Amazon to the small club of companies with a market capitalization above $1 trillion. If the online retailer can hold onto the gains on Friday, it will see its biggest one-day jump since October 2017. Amazon also reported more sign-ups for its Prime loyalty club thanks partly to the expansion of its one-day shipping program, capping a 50 percent increase in Prime membership in two years. Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos said Amazon now has more than 150 million paid Prime members. [Reuters] 3.The Trump administration on Thursday proposed a regulation that would erase punishments for companies that "incidentally" kill birds while they work. Under the proposal, oil and gas companies wouldn't be punished if a spill killed birds. Construction crews that kill birds during work would be spared, as would farmers who spray pesticides and companies owning wind turbines that strike and kill birds. The rule change comes from a 2017 Interior Department opinion regarding the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Previous administrations had interpreted the act "too broadly," the agency had argued, and it determined the act was only supposed to punish actions explicitly intended to kill birds. Conservation groups and some states previously sued the administration over the opinion. [The New York Times] 4.U.S. stock index futures dropped early Friday as markets continued to focus on concerns about economic fallout from China's rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq were down by 0.3 percent or more several hours before the opening bell. China's National Health Commission said Friday the number of confirmed cases of the flu-like virus in China had risen to 9,692, with 213 deaths. The World Health Organization on Thursday declared the outbreak to be a global health emergency due to the possibility it could spread to countries with health systems too weak to contain it. The virus was first discovered in the Chinese city of Wuhan but has spread to at least 18 other countries. [CNBC] 5.The American Airlines pilots' union filed a lawsuit on Thursday seeking to force the carrier to halt flights to and from China due to the quickly spreading coronavirus outbreak, which has killed 213 people. The Allied Pilots Association, which represents the carrier's 15,000 pilots, asked a court in Dallas, Texas, to immediately stop the flights after the World Health Organization declared the outbreak to be a global health emergency. "The safety and well-being of our crews and passengers must always be our highest priority — first, last, and always," union president Eric Ferguson said. An American Airlines spokesman said the airline was "in close contact" with public health officials "to make sure we are taking all necessary precautions for our customers and team members." [The Associated Press]More stories from theweek.com Mitch McConnell's rare blunder John Bolton just vindicated Nancy Pelosi All the president's turncoats
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