| Dreams’ PSVR addition is being used to show carbon footprint Posted: 01 Jul 2020 05:09 PM PDT  The United Nations Environment Programme is behind the project
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| Hachalu Hundessa: 'Eighty-one killed' in protests over Ethiopian singer's death Posted: 01 Jul 2020 04:31 PM PDT  Popular Oromo musician Hachalu Hundessa was shot dead on Monday night, sparking widespread unrest.
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| GOP candidate is latest linked to QAnon conspiracy theory Posted: 01 Jul 2020 04:20 PM PDT  When Lauren Boebert was asked in May about QAnon, she didn't shy away from the far-right conspiracy theory, which advances unproven allegations about a so-called deep state plot against President Donald Trump that involves satanism and child sex trafficking. The GOP-leaning rural western Colorado district will likely support the party's nominee in the November general election. Boebert is part of a small but growing list of Republican candidates who have in some way expressed support for QAnon.
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| State-backed COVID-19 disinfo spreads faster and farther than local news outlets in 4 languages Posted: 01 Jul 2020 04:01 PM PDT  Questionable stories on COVID-19 from state-backed outlets in Russia, China, Turkey and Iran are being shared more widely than reporting by major news organizations around the world, according to Oxford analysts. French, German, Spanish and English news sites see far less social engagement than these foreign-originated ones in their languages. The study is part of ongoing monitoring of COVID-19 disinformation campaigns by the Computational Propaganda Project.
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| CIA official chose not to tell Trump of Russia bounty report, top adviser claims Posted: 01 Jul 2020 03:48 PM PDT  * Robert O'Brien condemned for deflecting blame on to briefer * Trump under pressure to explain why he did not act on reportThe US national security adviser said a CIA official tasked with briefing the president decided not to tell him about reports that Russia paid bounties to the Taliban for killing American soldiers because it was "unverified intelligence".The claim from Robert O'Brien came as top members of the administration gave differing accounts on the status of intelligence reports on Russian bounty payments, and why Trump had not taken action in response, but had repeatedly pressed to re-admit Russia to the G7 club of nations.Trump himself continued to suggest that the allegations of Russia paying Taliban fighters to kill Americans were a "hoax".It has been reported that the intelligence was included in the written presidential daily brief (PDB) given by the CIA. O'Brien appeared to suggest it had not been included in verbal briefings given to Trump."The president's career CIA briefer decided not to brief him because it was unverified intelligence," O'Brien told Fox News, adding: "She made that call and, you know what, I think she made the right call, so I'm not going to criticize her. And knowing the facts that I know now, I stand behind that call."O'Brien was severely criticised for putting the blame for a major policy issue on a relatively junior CIA official."This is the same scapegoating play that the White House ran in the coronavirus context – blaming Trump's intelligence briefer for something that is chiefly and fundamentally a failing of the White House staff," said Ned Price, a former CIA analyst and national security spokesman.He added: "We now know that the information was included in Trump's written PDB, which is how the intelligence community regularly flags items that the President needs to know. Nothing in the PDB is discretionary; everything in that short document is in there because – in the estimation of the intelligence community – the president needs to know it to fulfill his charge."Intelligence experts have also pointed out that intelligence routinely briefed to the president is rarely "verified", but presented with varying degrees of confidence.Trump continued to insist he had not been told, and questioned the veracity of the reports."From what I hear, and I hear pretty good, the intelligence people – many of them – didn't believe it happened at all," the president told Fox News. "I think it's a hoax. I think it's a hoax by the newspapers and the Democrats."Meanwhile, Mike Pompeo, the secretary of state, insisted that the Russian threat in Afghanistan was real and had been properly addressed, implying the president had been kept informed."We took this seriously; we handle it appropriately," Pompeo, a former CIA director, told reporters. "The president has been consistently aware of the challenges that Russia presents to us and he is aware of the risk in Afghanistan."It's why we have spent so much time over this past year at the president's direction to reduce risk to our forces in Afghanistan in a way no previous administration has done."Pompeo said it was up to the president whether to invite Russia to meetings of the G7 group of major industrialised democracies, but added: "I think it is wholly important and appropriate for the United States to continue to have dialogue with the Russians to convince them to change some of the activities that are inconsistent with what it is the United States needs to do to preserve security and freedom for its own people."A former senior US official confirmed to the Guardian that reports of Russian bounties were circulating inside the White House before the summer of 2019, and raised concern, but at that point had not been fully corroborated.The official said that more detailed information had surfaced since then, but added it was likely that president had ignored the news as it conflicted with his desire to cultivate good relations with Vladimir Putin."He doesn't like hearing bad news about all kinds of things, unless he's forced to," the former senior official said.CNN cited former officials on Wednesday as saying Trump's resistance to intelligence warnings about Russia led his national security team, including those who delivered the PDB to brief him verbally less often on Russia-related threats to the US.A former Taliban spokesman, Mullah Manan Niazi, told the Daily Beast: "The Taliban have been paid by Russian intelligence for attacks on US forces - and on Isis forces - in Afghanistan from 2014 up to the present."
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| Florida felons seeking voting rights back face court setback Posted: 01 Jul 2020 03:07 PM PDT  A federal appellate court has stayed a lower court ruling that gave impoverished Florida felons the right to vote. The order issued Wednesday disappointed voting rights activists and could have national implications in November's presidential election. In May, a federal judge in Tallahassee ruled that Florida law can't stop an estimated 774,000 disenfranchised felons from voting because they can't pay back any legal fees and restitution they owe.
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| Russian voters back reforms allowing Putin to stay until 2036 Posted: 01 Jul 2020 02:46 PM PDT  Russians overwhelmingly approved a package of constitutional changes in a nationwide vote, partial results showed Wednesday, allowing President Vladimir Putin to potentially extend his two-decade rule until 2036. With just over 85 percent of ballots counted after the end of seven days of voting, 77.8 percent of voters had supported the reforms, according to election commission figures cited by Russian state agencies. There had been little doubt of voters backing the changes, which Putin announced earlier this year and critics denounced as a manoeuvre to allow him to stay in the Kremlin for life.
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| Hundreds of elephants found dead in Botswana Posted: 01 Jul 2020 02:25 PM PDT  Some 350 elephant carcasses have been spotted in Botswana's Okavango Delta since May.
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| House approves $1.5T plan to fix crumbling infrastructure Posted: 01 Jul 2020 02:25 PM PDT  The Democratic-controlled House approved a $1.5 trillion plan Wednesday to rebuild the nation's crumbling infrastructure, pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into projects to fix roads and bridges, upgrade transit systems, expand interstate railways and dredge harbors, ports and channels. The bill also authorizes more than $100 billion to expand internet access for rural and low-income communities and $25 billion to modernize the U.S. Postal Service's infrastructure and operations, including a fleet of electric vehicles. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has not attempted to schedule a floor debate and none appears forthcoming.
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| UN chief tells Libya's Hifter there is no military solution Posted: 01 Jul 2020 02:16 PM PDT  U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the commander of Libya's eastern-based forces Wednesday that there can be no military solution to the conflict he launched in April 2019 against the U.N.-supported government in the capital, Tripoli. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the commander, Khalifa Hifter, called the secretary-general and they discussed current developments in the oil-rich country, which saw his forces retreat from Tripoli last month. Guterres told Hifter that "the solution can only be political, and Libyan-owned and Libyan-led," and he reaffirmed the U.N. commitment to talks between the two sides in the Libyan Joint Military Commission, Dujarric said.
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| Pompeo insists US firm on Russia but leaves open door to Putin Posted: 01 Jul 2020 02:05 PM PDT  President Donald Trump's administration insisted Wednesday it has been firm with Russia over Afghanistan but kept open the door to inviting President Vladimir Putin for a summit. Washington has been in uproar since newspapers reported that US intelligence believed a Russian unit paid bounties for Taliban-linked militants to kill US troops. Trump again denied reports that he had been briefed, saying the intelligence was not strong enough to warrant telling the president.
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| Russian referendum allows Putin to remain in power until 2036 Posted: 01 Jul 2020 01:45 PM PDT |
| AP PHOTOS: NYC's restaurants get creative for street eating Posted: 01 Jul 2020 01:31 PM PDT  Outdoor dining has bloomed around New York City in the last couple of weeks, as restaurants forced to close earlier this year because of the coronavirus try to find a way to get back onto their feet, even by a little bit. Outdoor dining started being allowed on June 22, as part of the second phase of reopening in New York City. Indoor dining is allowed in other parts of New York state.
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| Analysis: Trump fights to keep a job Dems say he isn't doing Posted: 01 Jul 2020 12:53 PM PDT  President Donald Trump is asking Americans to let him keep his job. The questions have gotten louder in recent days following revelations that Trump didn't read at least two written intelligence briefings about Russia paying bounties to the Taliban for the deaths of Americans in Afghanistan. "He is not doing his job," said Michael Hayden, the former director of both the CIA and National Security Agency.
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| Israeli lawmakers approve phone tracking of virus cases Posted: 01 Jul 2020 12:24 PM PDT  Israel's parliament approved a law Wednesday granting the country's internal security agency limited authority to use phone surveillance to track coronavirus cases as the country struggles to contain a second outbreak. The Israeli government had authorized the Shin Bet to use the technology in March during the peak of the country's coronavirus outbreak, despite public outcry over privacy concerns. The Knesset, Israel's parliament, voted 51-38 in favor of granting the Shin Bet power to use phone surveillance to retrace the steps of people infected with COVID-19 and identify others who came in contact with them in the previous two weeks.
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| Amid the COVID-19 crisis and the looming economic recession, the Force Sensors market worldwide will grow by a projected US$911.7 Million, during the analysis period Posted: 01 Jul 2020 12:20 PM PDT  Amid the COVID-19 crisis and the looming economic recession, the Force Sensors market worldwide will grow by a projected US$911.7 Million, during the analysis period, driven by a revised compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8%. Capacitive, one of the segments analyzed and sized in this study, is forecast to grow at over 5.7% and reach a market size of US$1.1 Billion by the end of the analysis period. An unusual period in history, the coronavirus pandemic has unleashed a series of unprecedented events affecting every industry. The Capacitive market will be reset to a new normal which going forwards in a post COVID-19 era will be continuously redefined and redesigned. Staying on top of trends and accurate analysis is paramount now more than ever to manage uncertainty, change and continuously adapt to new and evolving market conditions. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05899530/?utm_source=PRN As part of the new emerging geographic scenario, the United States is forecast to readjust to a 3.7% CAGR. Within Europe, the region worst hit by the pandemic, Germany will add over US$27.4 Million to the region's size over the next 7 to 8 years. In addition, over US$27 Million worth of projected demand in the region will come from Rest of European markets. In Japan, the Capacitive segment will reach a market size of US$43.7 Million by the close of the analysis period. Blamed for the pandemic, significant political and economic challenges confront China. Amid the growing push for decoupling and economic distancing, the changing relationship between China and the rest of the world will influence competition and opportunities in the Force Sensors market. Against this backdrop and the changing geopolitical, business and consumer sentiments, the world's second largest economy will grow at 8.2% over the next couple of years and add approximately US$254.2 Million in terms of addressable market opportunity. Continuous monitoring for emerging signs of a possible new world order post-COVID-19 crisis is a must for aspiring businesses and their astute leaders seeking to find success in the now changing Force Sensors market landscape. All research viewpoints presented are based on validated engagements from influencers in the market, whose opinions supersede all other research methodologies. Competitors identified in this market include, among others, ATI Industrial Automation, Inc.; Custom Sensors & Technology; FUTEK Advanced Sensor Technology, Inc.; GE Measurement & Control; Infineon Technologies AG; Measurement Specialties, Inc.; Omron Corporation; Sensata Technologies, Inc.; Siemens AG; TE Connectivity Ltd.; Tekscan, Inc.; Texas Instruments, Inc.Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05899530/?utm_source=PRN I. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & REPORT SCOPE II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. MARKET OVERVIEW Global Competitor Market Shares Force Sensors Competitor Market Share Scenario Worldwide (in %): 2019 & 2025 Impact of Covid-19 and a Looming Global Recession 2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS 3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS 4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE Table 1: Force Sensors Global Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 2: Force Sensors Global Retrospective Market Scenario in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 3: Force Sensors Market Share Shift across Key Geographies Worldwide: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 4: Capacitive (Product) World Market by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2020 to 2027 Table 5: Capacitive (Product) Historic Market Analysis by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 6: Capacitive (Product) Market Share Breakdown of Worldwide Sales by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 7: Piezoresistive (Product) Potential Growth Markets Worldwide in US$ Million: 2020 to 2027 Table 8: Piezoresistive (Product) Historic Market Perspective by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 9: Piezoresistive (Product) Market Sales Breakdown by Region/Country in Percentage: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 10: Piezoelectric (Product) Geographic Market Spread Worldwide in US$ Million: 2020 to 2027 Table 11: Piezoelectric (Product) Region Wise Breakdown of Global Historic Demand in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 12: Piezoelectric (Product) Market Share Distribution in Percentage by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 13: Strain Gauge (Product) World Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2020 to 2027 Table 14: Strain Gauge (Product) Market Historic Review by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 15: Strain Gauge (Product) Market Share Breakdown by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 16: Other Products (Product) World Market by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2020 to 2027 Table 17: Other Products (Product) Historic Market Analysis by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 18: Other Products (Product) Market Share Distribution in Percentage by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 19: Automotive (Application) Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country for the Years 2020 through 2027 Table 20: Automotive (Application) Analysis of Historic Sales in US$ Million by Region/Country for the Years 2012 to 2019 Table 21: Automotive (Application) Global Market Share Distribution by Region/Country for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 22: Medical (Application) Global Opportunity Assessment in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 23: Medical (Application) Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 24: Medical (Application) Percentage Share Breakdown of Global Sales by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 25: Industrial (Application) Worldwide Sales in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 26: Industrial (Application) Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 27: Industrial (Application) Market Share Shift across Key Geographies: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 28: Packaging (Application) Global Market Estimates & Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 29: Packaging (Application) Retrospective Demand Analysis in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 30: Packaging (Application) Market Share Breakdown by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 31: Aerospace & Defense (Application) Demand Potential Worldwide in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 32: Aerospace & Defense (Application) Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 33: Aerospace & Defense (Application) Share Breakdown Review by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 34: Other Applications (Application) Worldwide Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 35: Other Applications (Application) Global Historic Analysis in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 36: Other Applications (Application) Distribution of Global Sales by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 III. MARKET ANALYSIS GEOGRAPHIC MARKET ANALYSIS UNITED STATES Market Facts & Figures US Force Sensors Market Share (in %) by Company: 2019 & 2025 Market Analytics Table 37: United States Force Sensors Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Product: 2020 to 2027 Table 38: Force Sensors Market in the United States by Product: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 39: United States Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 40: United States Force Sensors Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 41: Force Sensors Historic Demand Patterns in the United States by Application in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 42: Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown in the United States by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 CANADA Table 43: Canadian Force Sensors Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Product: 2020 to 2027 Table 44: Canadian Force Sensors Historic Market Review by Product in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 45: Force Sensors Market in Canada: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Product for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 46: Canadian Force Sensors Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 47: Force Sensors Market in Canada: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by Application for 2012-2019 Table 48: Canadian Force Sensors Market Share Analysis by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 JAPAN Table 49: Japanese Market for Force Sensors: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2020-2027 Table 50: Force Sensors Market in Japan: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2012-2019 Table 51: Japanese Force Sensors Market Share Analysis by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 52: Japanese Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Force Sensors in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 53: Japanese Force Sensors Market in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 54: Force Sensors Market Share Shift in Japan by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 CHINA Table 55: Chinese Force Sensors Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2020-2027 Table 56: Force Sensors Historic Market Analysis in China in US$ Million by Product: 2012-2019 Table 57: Chinese Force Sensors Market by Product: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 58: Chinese Demand for Force Sensors in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 59: Force Sensors Market Review in China in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 60: Chinese Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 EUROPE Market Facts & Figures European Force Sensors Market: Competitor Market Share Scenario (in %) for 2019 & 2025 Market Analytics Table 61: European Force Sensors Market Demand Scenario in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 62: Force Sensors Market in Europe: A Historic Market Perspective in US$ Million by Region/Country for the Period 2012-2019 Table 63: European Force Sensors Market Share Shift by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 64: European Force Sensors Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Product: 2020-2027 Table 65: Force Sensors Market in Europe in US$ Million by Product: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 66: European Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 67: European Force Sensors Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Million by Application: 2020-2027 Table 68: Force Sensors Market in Europe: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2012-2019 Table 69: European Force Sensors Market Share Analysis by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 FRANCE Table 70: Force Sensors Market in France by Product: Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period 2020-2027 Table 71: French Force Sensors Historic Market Scenario in US$ Million by Product: 2012-2019 Table 72: French Force Sensors Market Share Analysis by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 73: Force Sensors Quantitative Demand Analysis in France in US$ Million by Application: 2020-2027 Table 74: French Force Sensors Historic Market Review in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 75: French Force Sensors Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by Application for 2012, 2020, and 2027 GERMANY Table 76: Force Sensors Market in Germany: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2020-2027 Table 77: German Force Sensors Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Product: 2012-2019 Table 78: German Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 79: Force Sensors Market in Germany: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2020-2027 Table 80: German Force Sensors Market in Retrospect in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 81: Force Sensors Market Share Distribution in Germany by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 ITALY Table 82: Italian Force Sensors Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2020-2027 Table 83: Force Sensors Historic Market Analysis in Italy in US$ Million by Product: 2012-2019 Table 84: Italian Force Sensors Market by Product: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 85: Italian Demand for Force Sensors in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 86: Force Sensors Market Review in Italy in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 87: Italian Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 UNITED KINGDOM Table 88: United Kingdom Market for Force Sensors: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2020-2027 Table 89: Force Sensors Market in the United Kingdom: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2012-2019 Table 90: United Kingdom Force Sensors Market Share Analysis by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 91: United Kingdom Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Force Sensors in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 92: United Kingdom Force Sensors Market in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 93: Force Sensors Market Share Shift in the United Kingdom by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 SPAIN Table 94: Spanish Force Sensors Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Product: 2020 to 2027 Table 95: Spanish Force Sensors Historic Market Review by Product in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 96: Force Sensors Market in Spain: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Product for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 97: Spanish Force Sensors Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 98: Force Sensors Market in Spain: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by Application for 2012-2019 Table 99: Spanish Force Sensors Market Share Analysis by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 RUSSIA Table 100: Russian Force Sensors Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Product: 2020 to 2027 Table 101: Force Sensors Market in Russia by Product: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 102: Russian Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 103: Russian Force Sensors Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 104: Force Sensors Historic Demand Patterns in Russia by Application in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 105: Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown in Russia by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 REST OF EUROPE Table 106: Rest of Europe Force Sensors Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Product: 2020-2027 Table 107: Force Sensors Market in Rest of Europe in US$ Million by Product: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 108: Rest of Europe Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 109: Rest of Europe Force Sensors Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Million by Application: 2020-2027 Table 110: Force Sensors Market in Rest of Europe: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2012-2019 Table 111: Rest of Europe Force Sensors Market Share Analysis by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 ASIA-PACIFIC Table 112: Asia-Pacific Force Sensors Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 113: Force Sensors Market in Asia-Pacific: Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Region/Country for the Period 2012-2019 Table 114: Asia-Pacific Force Sensors Market Share Analysis by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 115: Force Sensors Market in Asia-Pacific by Product: Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period 2020-2027 Table 116: Asia-Pacific Force Sensors Historic Market Scenario in US$ Million by Product: 2012-2019 Table 117: Asia-Pacific Force Sensors Market Share Analysis by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 118: Force Sensors Quantitative Demand Analysis in Asia-Pacific in US$ Million by Application: 2020-2027 Table 119: Asia-Pacific Force Sensors Historic Market Review in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 120: Asia-Pacific Force Sensors Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by Application for 2012, 2020, and 2027 AUSTRALIA Table 121: Force Sensors Market in Australia: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2020-2027 Table 122: Australian Force Sensors Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Product: 2012-2019 Table 123: Australian Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 124: Force Sensors Market in Australia: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2020-2027 Table 125: Australian Force Sensors Market in Retrospect in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 126: Force Sensors Market Share Distribution in Australia by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 INDIA Table 127: Indian Force Sensors Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Product: 2020 to 2027 Table 128: Indian Force Sensors Historic Market Review by Product in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 129: Force Sensors Market in India: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Product for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 130: Indian Force Sensors Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 131: Force Sensors Market in India: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by Application for 2012-2019 Table 132: Indian Force Sensors Market Share Analysis by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 SOUTH KOREA Table 133: Force Sensors Market in South Korea: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2020-2027 Table 134: South Korean Force Sensors Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Product: 2012-2019 Table 135: Force Sensors Market Share Distribution in South Korea by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 136: Force Sensors Market in South Korea: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2020-2027 Table 137: South Korean Force Sensors Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 138: Force Sensors Market Share Distribution in South Korea by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 REST OF ASIA-PACIFIC Table 139: Rest of Asia-Pacific Market for Force Sensors: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2020-2027 Table 140: Force Sensors Market in Rest of Asia-Pacific: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2012-2019 Table 141: Rest of Asia-Pacific Force Sensors Market Share Analysis by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 142: Rest of Asia-Pacific Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Force Sensors in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 143: Rest of Asia-Pacific Force Sensors Market in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 144: Force Sensors Market Share Shift in Rest of Asia-Pacific by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 LATIN AMERICA Table 145: Latin American Force Sensors Market Trends by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2020-2027 Table 146: Force Sensors Market in Latin America in US$ Million by Region/Country: A Historic Perspective for the Period 2012-2019 Table 147: Latin American Force Sensors Market Percentage Breakdown of Sales by Region/Country: 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 148: Latin American Force Sensors Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2020-2027 Table 149: Force Sensors Historic Market Analysis in Latin America in US$ Million by Product: 2012-2019 Table 150: Latin American Force Sensors Market by Product: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 151: Latin American Demand for Force Sensors in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 152: Force Sensors Market Review in Latin America in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 153: Latin American Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 ARGENTINA Table 154: Argentinean Force Sensors Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Product: 2020-2027 Table 155: Force Sensors Market in Argentina in US$ Million by Product: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 156: Argentinean Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 157: Argentinean Force Sensors Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Million by Application: 2020-2027 Table 158: Force Sensors Market in Argentina: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2012-2019 Table 159: Argentinean Force Sensors Market Share Analysis by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 BRAZIL Table 160: Force Sensors Market in Brazil by Product: Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period 2020-2027 Table 161: Brazilian Force Sensors Historic Market Scenario in US$ Million by Product: 2012-2019 Table 162: Brazilian Force Sensors Market Share Analysis by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 163: Force Sensors Quantitative Demand Analysis in Brazil in US$ Million by Application: 2020-2027 Table 164: Brazilian Force Sensors Historic Market Review in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 165: Brazilian Force Sensors Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by Application for 2012, 2020, and 2027 MEXICO Table 166: Force Sensors Market in Mexico: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2020-2027 Table 167: Mexican Force Sensors Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Product: 2012-2019 Table 168: Mexican Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 169: Force Sensors Market in Mexico: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2020-2027 Table 170: Mexican Force Sensors Market in Retrospect in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 171: Force Sensors Market Share Distribution in Mexico by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 REST OF LATIN AMERICA Table 172: Rest of Latin America Force Sensors Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Product: 2020 to 2027 Table 173: Force Sensors Market in Rest of Latin America by Product: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 174: Rest of Latin America Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 175: Rest of Latin America Force Sensors Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 176: Force Sensors Historic Demand Patterns in Rest of Latin America by Application in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 177: Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown in Rest of Latin America by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 MIDDLE EAST Table 178: The Middle East Force Sensors Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 179: Force Sensors Market in the Middle East by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 180: The Middle East Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown by Region/Country: 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 181: The Middle East Force Sensors Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Product: 2020 to 2027 Table 182: The Middle East Force Sensors Historic Market by Product in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 183: Force Sensors Market in the Middle East: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Product for 2012,2020, and 2027 Table 184: The Middle East Force Sensors Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 185: Force Sensors Market in the Middle East: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by Application for 2012-2019 Table 186: The Middle East Force Sensors Market Share Analysis by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 IRAN Table 187: Iranian Market for Force Sensors: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2020-2027 Table 188: Force Sensors Market in Iran: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2012-2019 Table 189: Iranian Force Sensors Market Share Analysis by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 190: Iranian Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Force Sensors in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 191: Iranian Force Sensors Market in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 192: Force Sensors Market Share Shift in Iran by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 ISRAEL Table 193: Israeli Force Sensors Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Product: 2020-2027 Table 194: Force Sensors Market in Israel in US$ Million by Product: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 195: Israeli Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 196: Israeli Force Sensors Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Million by Application: 2020-2027 Table 197: Force Sensors Market in Israel: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2012-2019 Table 198: Israeli Force Sensors Market Share Analysis by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 SAUDI ARABIA Table 199: Saudi Arabian Force Sensors Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2020-2027 Table 200: Force Sensors Historic Market Analysis in Saudi Arabia in US$ Million by Product: 2012-2019 Table 201: Saudi Arabian Force Sensors Market by Product: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 202: Saudi Arabian Demand for Force Sensors in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 203: Force Sensors Market Review in Saudi Arabia in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 204: Saudi Arabian Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Table 205: Force Sensors Market in the United Arab Emirates: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2020-2027 Table 206: United Arab Emirates Force Sensors Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Product: 2012-2019 Table 207: Force Sensors Market Share Distribution in United Arab Emirates by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 208: Force Sensors Market in the United Arab Emirates: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2020-2027 Table 209: United Arab Emirates Force Sensors Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 210: Force Sensors Market Share Distribution in United Arab Emirates by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 REST OF MIDDLE EAST Table 211: Force Sensors Market in Rest of Middle East: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Product for the Period 2020-2027 Table 212: Rest of Middle East Force Sensors Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Product: 2012-2019 Table 213: Rest of Middle East Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 214: Force Sensors Market in Rest of Middle East: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2020-2027 Table 215: Rest of Middle East Force Sensors Market in Retrospect in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 216: Force Sensors Market Share Distribution in Rest of Middle East by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 AFRICA Table 217: African Force Sensors Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Product: 2020 to 2027 Table 218: Force Sensors Market in Africa by Product: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 219: African Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 220: African Force Sensors Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 221: Force Sensors Historic Demand Patterns in Africa by Application in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 222: Force Sensors Market Share Breakdown in Africa by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 IV. COMPETITION Total Companies Profiled: 43Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05899530/?utm_source=PRN About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001
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| Ex-Bush officials launch super PAC backing Biden over Trump Posted: 01 Jul 2020 12:19 PM PDT  A group of former George W. Bush administration and campaign officials have launched a new super PAC supporting Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, the latest in a growing number of Republican groups to come out in support of Biden over President Donald Trump. The group, 43 Alumni for Biden, has recruited at least 200 former White House officials, campaign aides and Cabinet secretaries who worked under Bush to join the push against the Republican incumbent. Kristopher Purcell, who worked in the Office of Communications in the White House and in the State Department during the Bush administration, said many of the members of the group still consider themselves Republicans but see the need to defeat Trump as beyond their personal politics.
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| Trump at Rushmore: Jets and fireworks, but masks optional Posted: 01 Jul 2020 12:18 PM PDT  When President Donald Trump speaks at the Mount Rushmore national memorial before the first fireworks show there in years, he'll stand before a crowd of thousands of people who won't be required to socially distance or wear masks despite the coronavirus pandemic. Friday night's event, with 7,500 tickets issued, will feature a patriotic display at a monument known as "the Shrine of Democracy" in a swath of country largely loyal to Trump. Public health experts say the lack of social distancing and enforced mask wearing could lead to a surge in the disease, while the fireworks risk setting the surrounding forest ablaze.
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| Editorial Roundup: US Posted: 01 Jul 2020 12:09 PM PDT |
| Russian Bounties for Killing Americans Go Back Five Years, Ex-Taliban Claims Posted: 01 Jul 2020 12:04 PM PDT  Taliban veterans like to laugh about the first time, according to their lore, that the Russians dumped a lot of American dollars on them. During the Taliban campaign to take over all of Afghanistan in 1995, they actually had a few fighter planes, and they used one to force a Russian cargo plane—a huge Ilyushin Il-76TD flying for a company called Airstan—to land in Kandahar. The Taliban held the Russian crew members prisoner for a year until, one day, they supposedly "escaped" and managed to take the plane with them. How many millions of dollars that took to arrange, the Taliban have never said, but after the long, bloody decade of the 1980s throwing off Soviet occupation, squeezing the Russians for money like that remains a source of amusement. Mullah Manan Niazi, who was the spokesman for Taliban leader Mullah Omar in those days, brought up the incident when The Daily Beast asked him about reports that the Russians have offered—and perhaps paid—bounties to Taliban who kill American soldiers."The Russians paying U.S. dollars—it's not odd for the Taliban," he said, his voice fraught with irony over the encrypted phone call as he recalled the Airstan incident. As for the current situation, "The Taliban have been paid by Russian intelligence for attacks on U.S. forces—and on ISIS forces—in Afghanistan from 2014 up to the present."In the world of intelligence gathering, such a statement from such a figure would be worth noting, and just the kind of thing that could lead to what the Trump White House has called "inconclusive" reporting the Russian offer of bounties to kill Americans. Mullah Manan Niazi was a very senior figure in the Taliban when they were in power, and also when they were driven into exile and underground after 2001. But since the death of Mullah Omar was made public in 2015, he has been a dissident and liable to be killed by the current Taliban leadership if it catches up with him. They have accused him of collaborating with the CIA and the Afghan government's intelligence service, the National Directorate of Security (NDS), which he denies.So, Niazi speaks as someone who knows the organization and its top people very well, but who also has an agenda very different from theirs, with his own reasons for confirming the bounty story, and he does not offer further specifics on that. But he does offer details about what he says are the longstanding ties between the Taliban and the Russians as well as the Iranians, and U.S. officials have been tracking those developments.A U.S. intelligence report about Russian assistance to the Taliban has circulated on Capitol Hill and throughout the national security apparatus over the last several days. According to three individuals who have read or who are familiar with the report, the assessment is long and covers the span of several years, focusing generally on how Russia provides support, including financial assistance, to the Taliban. The report also touches on the Russian bounties first reported by The New York Times, though those who read the report say that data point is circumstantial and that the investigation is ongoing. Two individuals who spoke to The Daily Beast, though, said it is clear from the report that there's an increased risk for U.S. troops in Afghanistan because of Russia's behavior.In important ways, this classified report mirrors an unclassified document produced last month by the Congressional Research Service which offered a crisp summation: "In the past two years, multiple U.S. commanders have warned of increased levels of assistance, and perhaps even material support for the Taliban from Russia and Iran, both of which cite IS [Islamic State, ISIS] presence in Afghanistan to justify their activities. Both nations were opposed to the Taliban government of the late 1990s, but reportedly see the Taliban as a useful point of leverage vis-a-vis the United States.""We introduced two Taliban to the Russians under cover as businessmen," said Niazai looking back on operations when he was still part of the Taliban insurgent leadership. "They went to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. With Russian-supplied funds, we purchased oil, wheat and flour and imported it to Afghanistan and then sold it there. That's how we converted Russians funds to cash in Afghanistan."Both men, contacted by The Daily Beast, vehemently denied such activity. "I don't want to comment—I don't even want to talk about Niazi," said one of them who, as a matter of fact, pays frequent visits to Moscow. "Niazi is our enemy and playing into the hands of the NDS."Other monies come through the hawala system, which originated in India and is used throughout South Asia and, now, in many other parts of the world. The U.S. treasury notes hawala is distinguished by "trust and the extensive use of connections such as family relationships or regional affiliations. Unlike traditional banking ... hawala makes minimal (often no) use of any sort of negotiable instrument. Transfers of money take place based on communications between members of a network of hawaladars, or hawala dealers."A senior Afghan security officer told The Daily Beast that he is "not aware of any Russians smuggling money," but noted that the international Financial Action Task Force combating support for terrorism recently put pressure on the Afghan government to take "practical" action against suspect hawala dealers, "so the Afghan security forces raided some of the money changers."Many sources, including Mullah Manan Niazi, note the Russian and Iranian role supporting the Taliban in the fight against the so-called Islamic State in Khorasan (a.k.a. ISIS-K or ISIL-K). Early on in the Trump administration, Gen. John Nicholson—then the commander of NATO's Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan—warned Congress that Russia "has become more assertive over the past year" in Afghanistan and was "overtly lending legitimacy to the Taliban to undermine NATO efforts and bolster belligerents using the false narrative that only the Taliban are fighting ISIL-K."Russia reportedly complemented its public rhetorical support for the Taliban with a covert supply program. The Washington Post reported that year that U.S. intelligence believed Russia had sent machine guns to the Taliban. An anonymous military source told the Post that the U.S. had found Russian-provided weapons areas where the group was waging war on coalition forces and ISIS's Afghan affiliate had little presence. "We've had weapons brought to this headquarters and given to us by Afghan leaders [who] said, 'this was given by the Russians to the Taliban,'" Nicholson said in a 2018 BBC interview. "We know that the Russians are involved."Indeed. Various Taliban have told The Daily Beast they were quite proud of the guns they were given as gifts or rewards—whether for specific acts or simply to cement relationships—is unclear. In 2018, Russia denied reports that it sent any arms but Russian special envoy Zamir Kabulov admitted that Moscow had established contacts with the Taliban because it was "seriously worried about possible terror threats for the Russian mission and Russian citizens in Afghanistan." But in September 2019, Russia elevated its talks with the insurgents to a formal visit by a Taliban delegation in September.According to a well-placed Taliban source, after some of the group's representatives made a trip to Moscow they were given 30 state-of-the-art guns, apparently large caliber sniper rifles powerful enough to shoot through walls. "I personally saw three of them in Helmand," said the source. "They were still full of grease," which is to say brand new out of the box.As military scholar David Kilcullen points out in his recent book The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West, the U.S. obsession with its "global war on terror" after 9/11 created an opportunity for Russia and other hostile powers. They were "exploiting our exclusive focus on terrorism, seeking to fill the geopolitical, economic, and security vacuum we had left as we became bogged down in the wars of occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan."In the present day, it serves Russia's interests to keep the United States bogged down there, despite official Russian statements to the contrary. Trump Officials Didn't Want to Tell Him About the 'Russian Bounties'GOP Deny, Downplay Questions About Russian Bounty Scandal What others call "hybrid warfare" Kilcullen defines somewhat differently as exploitation of situations in flux, which certainly is the case in Afghanistan with a U.S. president determined to declare he's made a complete exit, even though there are only 8,600 U.S. troops left on the ground at the moment."Things that are in limbo, transitioning, or on the periphery, that have ambiguous political, legal, and psychological status—or whose very existence is debated—are liminal," write Kilcullen. "Liminal warfare exploits this character of ambiguity, operating in the blur, or as some Western military organizations put it, the 'gray zone.'"That, precisely, is where the Russians have learned to thrive.—with additional reporting by Sam BrodeyRead more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. 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| Man charged with conspiring to hide kids' bodies in his yard Posted: 01 Jul 2020 12:03 PM PDT  Prosecutors accused a man of conspiring with his new wife to keep the bodies of her children hidden on his rural Idaho property, adding to the charges he faces in the strange case that involves the couple's doomsday beliefs and the mysterious deaths of their former spouses. In new charges filed Tuesday evening, prosecutors say Chad Daybell conspired with wife Lori Vallow Daybell to keep hiding the bodies of 7-year-old Joshua "JJ" Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan because they knew the remains would likely be used as evidence in a court case. The children vanished in September and a search for them spanned months before their bodies were found last month in Chad Daybell's backyard.
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| Stonewall Jackson removed from Richmond's Monument Avenue Posted: 01 Jul 2020 11:45 AM PDT  Work crews wielding a giant crane, harnesses and power tools wrested an imposing statue of Gen. Stonewall Jackson from its concrete pedestal along Richmond, Virginia's famed Monument Avenue on Wednesday, just hours after the mayor ordered the removal of all Confederate statues from city land. Mayor Levar Stoney's decree came weeks after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam ordered the removal of the most prominent and imposing statue along the avenue: that of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, which sits on state land.
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| Downing Street to assume some Cabinet Secretary duties in Whitehall shake-up Posted: 01 Jul 2020 11:16 AM PDT  The role of Cabinet Secretary is expected to be diluted with Downing Street assuming some of its responsibilities, in the latest shake-up of Whitehall. Simon Case, permanent secretary in Number 10, would reportedly take on some of the responsibilities of Sir Mark Sedwill, the outgoing Cabinet Secretary, under plans understood to be favoured by Dominic Cummings, the Prime Minister's chief aide. While the Cabinet Secretary will continue to head the civil service, officials responsible for dealing with other government departments could report to Mr Case instead. Meanwhile a new "delivery unit" is expected to be set up in the Cabinet Office as part of Mr Cummings' drive to speed up policymaking. Sir Mark stepped down as Cabinet Secretary and National Security Advisor on Sunday, amid a continued government shake-up of Whitehall. David Frost, currently the UK's chief Brexit negotiator, will replace Sir Mark as National Security Adviser, while a new Cabinet Secretary is yet to be appointed. Mr Case, formerly Private Secretary to the Duke of Cambridge, was brought in to Number 10 as permanent secretary during the Covid crisis. Downing Street sources this week said Mr Case is expected to return to the Palace when he leaves Number 10. However a source told the Telegraph Mr Case may expand his role by taking on further control of the Cabinet Office from his current position in Number 10, under plans understood to be favoured by Mr Cummings. The source added that Michael Gove, the minister for the Cabinet Office, is also expected to play a key role in the restructuring of the department. Mr Gove sits on a new Domestic and Economic Strategy committee, alongside Rishi Sunak and the Prime Minister, who chairs it. The head of the Economic and Domestic Affairs Secretariat, who currently reports to the Cabinet Secretary, would report to Mr Case instead, according to plans reported in the Spectator magazine. The new delivery unit would also report to Mr Case under the plans. Alex Thomas, programme director at the Institute for Government think tank and former civil servant, this week told the Telegraph the Cabinet Office currently includes a "series of particular units, like on delivering projects and experts on the constitution. What doesn't exist is a powerful delivery unit that sits in the centre and holds departments to account to get things done." The departure of Sir Mark as the country's most senior civil servant followed rumours he had been sidelined by Boris Johnson and Mr Cummings. In a recent briefing with government aides, Mr Cummings reportedly detailed the shortcomings of the "incoherent" Cabinet Office. However he dismissed as "media inventions" reports that he wanted to centralise power in Number 10, instead saying the intention is to create a "smaller, more focused and more elite centre". Asked earlier this week about Number 10 taking on some Cabinet Office responsibilities for Mr Case to oversee, a Downing Street source said such suggestions were "not true".
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| Trump called May and Merkel 'losers' after their political setbacks, ex-officials say Posted: 01 Jul 2020 11:05 AM PDT  Witnesses to Trump's calls say he has a weakness for leaders with absolute power and contempt for allies seeking favors Donald Trump described Theresa May and Angela Merkel as "losers" after they suffered political setbacks, and was repeatedly rude to them, without any of the deference he showed to authoritarian rulers, according to former officials and diplomats.Those who have witnessed the president's phone calls and meetings with foreign leaders said he had a weakness for monarchs and leaders with absolute power, because that is how he would ideally like to govern. He could be contemptuous of democratic allies, on the other hand, if they had done poorly in elections or opinion polls, and generally viewed them as supplicants asking for personal favours. "Catch Trump at the wrong moment, when he has a fresh grievance (ie most days) and he can be pretty charmless," a former European official said.Trump's attitude towards May changed after the British prime minister miscalculated her support and called a snap election in June 2017, in which she lost her parliamentary majority. He repeatedly told aides that Merkel had been the strongest leader in Europe until she had allowed more than a million Syrian refugees to settle in Germany, which temporarily affected her popularity."I heard myself Trump saying they were 'losers'," a former European diplomat said.A former US official said: "With May, he was perfectly normal with her until she blew it with that election – and then he saw her as a dead woman walking."However, the former official denied a CNN report this week that Trump had told Merkel directly that she was "stupid" and told May she was "weak and lacked courage"."I've never heard him say that on the phone," the former official said, describing Trump's style with May, Merkel and also the French president, Emmanuel Macron, as "rude and brusque" but stopping short of being "abusive"."He can be rude when he thinks that he can get away with it, with no consequences to it," the ex-official said. "When he senses the person wants something in the phone call, there is a vulnerability. Macron was always calling asking for something."Trump was also irritated when May asked for a strong US response against Moscow for the poisoning of the former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, using the nerve agent novichok, in Salisbury, England, in March 2018. A British woman, Dawn Sturgess, died in July of that year after coming in contact with novichok."He was angry about Skripal," a former US official recalled. "It was like – why is everybody always asking me – me personally – to do things? Why isn't anyone else doing something?"The Trump administration did respond robustly to the Skripal attack, expelling 60 Russian diplomats deemed to be intelligence officers. But it was later reported that the president complained he had been misled by his own officials and had not intended such a severe response.Trump's aggressive phone manner with democratic allies is in marked contrast to his consistently deferential approach to authoritarian rulers. In the view of one former Trump aide, China's Xi Jinping, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, had something to offer Trump. He thought his stature was enhanced by being seen as getting along with them."It's not that it's like a fascination with Putin and Russia per se. It's the image of the person itself, and what they stand for," the former aide said. "He wants to be seen as somebody who can completely have his own way. And he wants to be seen in the company of people who he sees that reflected in. People with ultimate authority, swagger.""It was the same with MBS [Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman]," the former official added. "And he's super deferential to the Queen – unbelievably deferential and obsequious to the Queen."One significant exception to the general rule is Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu, Israel's democratically elected prime minister who frequently sought support from Trump, but succeeded in doing so without enraging him."It's because of Bibi's style," the former official said. "Bibi – and Erdoğan is the same way, have a way of asking for things. It makes him seem powerful because 'only you, the great master, can do this'."
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| UN's ex-Libya envoy slams 'hypocrisy' of Security Council members Posted: 01 Jul 2020 10:53 AM PDT  The United Nations' former Libya envoy Ghassan Salame attacked the world body's Security Council on Wednesday, saying he had been "stabbed in the back" and accusing member states of "hypocrisy". Salame announced his resignation in March, citing health reasons, nearly three years after taking up the post. Salame resigned almost a year after eastern-based military commander Khalifa Haftar launched an offensive in April to seize the capital Tripoli, seat of the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA).
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| Movement for Black Lives plans virtual national convention Posted: 01 Jul 2020 10:16 AM PDT  Spurred by broad public support for the Black Lives Matter movement, thousands of Black activists from across the U.S. will hold a virtual convention in August to produce a new political agenda that seeks to build on the success of the protests that followed George Floyd's death. The 2020 Black National Convention will take place Aug. 28 via a live broadcast. The convention is being organized by the Electoral Justice Project of the Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of more than 150 organizations.
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| Trump plans huge July 4 fireworks show despite DC's concerns Posted: 01 Jul 2020 09:35 AM PDT  President Donald Trump's July Fourth celebration on the National Mall will feature one of the largest fireworks displays ever and as many as 300,000 face masks will be given away to those who want them — but despite health concerns from D.C.'s mayor, no one apparently will be required to wear them. Trump made no mention of the masks or of the pandemic overall in a tweet Wednesday on his Independence Day pIans. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt outlined a second year of military-focused events in the nation's capital on July Fourth, including Defense Department flyovers for a "one-of-a-kind air show."
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| UN demands halt to key global conflicts to tackle COVID-19 Posted: 01 Jul 2020 09:27 AM PDT  The U.N. Security Council demanded an "immediate cessation of hostilities" in key conflicts including Syria, Yemen, Libya, South Sudan and Congo on Wednesday to tackle COVID-19 in its first resolution on the new coronavirus. The U.N.'s most powerful body voted unanimously to adopt the resolution after the United States and China resolved a lengthy dispute over mentioning the World Health Organization. "It is now the obligation of the council – and all parties to armed conflicts – to implement this resolution in our work this month and beyond," he said.
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| Merkel kicks off EU presidency with Brexit warning Posted: 01 Jul 2020 08:45 AM PDT  The European Union must prepare for the possibility that talks with Britain on their post-Brexit relationship could fail, Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Wednesday as Germany took the helm of the bloc's rotating presidency. After months of standstill because of the coronavirus, the two sides resumed negotiations this week on how to define Britain's future economic ties with the bloc, but the tone has hardened. "I will keep pushing for a good solution, but the EU and Germany too must and should prepare for the case that an agreement is not reached," Merkel told German lawmakers in Berlin.
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| Pompeo doesn't rule out inviting Putin to expanded G7 summit Posted: 01 Jul 2020 08:40 AM PDT  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday left the door open to President Vladimir Putin attending a US summit but insisted the administration has been firm over Moscow's activities in Afghanistan. Trump, who has repeatedly reached out to Putin to build relations, mused last month about inviting him to an expanded summit of the Group of Seven industrial democracies -- which kicked out Russia over its takeover of Crimea. Weeks later, Washington has been in uproar over reports, initially in The New York Times, that Russian intelligence offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants to target troops of the US-led coalition in Afghanistan.
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| Death Cafes help ease grief, loss in the time of coronavirus Posted: 01 Jul 2020 08:24 AM PDT  Panic attacks, trouble breathing, relapses that have sent her to bed for 14 hours at a time: At 35, Marissa Oliver has been forced to deal with the specter of death on COVID-19′s terms, yet conversations about her illness, fear and anxiety haven't been easy. "In the Death Cafe, no one winces," said Oliver, who was diagnosed with the virus in March. Others attending virtual Death Cafes are coping with fresh losses from COVID-19, cancer and other illness.
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| Little evidence that protests spread coronavirus in US Posted: 01 Jul 2020 08:12 AM PDT  There is little evidence that the protests that erupted after George Floyd's death caused a significant increase in U.S. coronavirus infections, according to public health experts. If the protests had driven an explosion in cases, experts say, the jumps would have started to become apparent within two weeks — and perhaps as early as five days. In what's considered the first systematic look at the question, a team of economists determined that only one of 13 cities involved in the earliest wave of protests after Memorial Day had an increase that would fit the pattern.
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| Lured by prize draws, Russians cast votes on Putin reforms Posted: 01 Jul 2020 08:04 AM PDT  Wearing a dark suit, a face mask and gloves, 82-year-old Gennady Shmal casts his ballot on the last day of Russia's vote on constitutional changes that could prolong President Vladimir Putin's rule. The most important amendment would allow Putin, in power since 2000, to start from a clean slate and serve two more consecutive presidential terms, to 2036. As for the most controversial amendment on presidential terms, a leader needs time to change such a huge country, he argues, citing Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.
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| Leaders of Russia, Turkey, Iran talk about stabilizing Syria Posted: 01 Jul 2020 08:01 AM PDT  The leaders of Russia, Turkey and Iran on Wednesday discussed efforts to stabilize Syria in a video call, emphasizing the need to promote a political settlement for the nine-year conflict. Russia and Iran have staunchly supported Syrian President Bashar Assad throughout the country's war, while Turkey has backed his foes. Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the trilateral cooperation to help reduce violence in the country, but he also emphasized the need to deal with a few pockets of militant resistance.
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| Families of US troops slain in Jordan seek action Posted: 01 Jul 2020 07:31 AM PDT |
| Egypt high court upholds death sentence for former monk Posted: 01 Jul 2020 07:29 AM PDT |
| Coronavirus: Uganda opens border for DR Congo refugees Posted: 01 Jul 2020 07:22 AM PDT  Some 3,000 people were stuck in no-man's land for more than a month after fleeing violence in DR Congo.
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| Pompeo says U.S. aims to extend UN arms embargo on Iran for more than short period of time Posted: 01 Jul 2020 07:17 AM PDT |
| Citing racial bias, San Francisco will end mug shots release Posted: 01 Jul 2020 07:14 AM PDT  San Francisco police will stop releasing the mug shots of people who have been arrested unless they pose a threat to the public, as part of an effort to stop perpetuating racial stereotypes, the city's police chief announced Wednesday. San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott and outside police experts said they believe the department would be the first in the nation to do so based on concerns about racial bias. The booking photos taken by police when a person is arrested for a crime are often made public whether or not the person is prosecuted for the alleged crime.
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| Trade will flourish without Brexit deal, says WTO candidate Posted: 01 Jul 2020 07:00 AM PDT  Trade between the UK and European Union would still flourish in the short term even without a Brexit deal, according to a candidate seeking to run the World Trade Organization. The historic alliance of Britain and the bloc and their regulatory ties should allow goods and services to continue flowing across borders according to Hamid Mamdouh, a former WTO director of trade in services and investment who is Egypt's candidate to run the organisation. The commerce regulator's 164 members have until July 8 to nominate a replacement for Roberto Azevedo, who announced his surprise resignation in May. Speaking to broadcaster Econ Films' CoronaNomics programme, Mr Mamdouh said: "The UK and the EU have been following the same regulatory framework across sectors of the economy and that provides an exceptionally strong basis for strong and close trade relations, even if they fall on WTO rules.
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| VIRUS DIARY: Moving closer to grandsons they can barely see Posted: 01 Jul 2020 06:42 AM PDT  A child's swing twists forlornly in the breeze beneath the behemoth maple tree that shades our home. A year and a half ago, we moved from what we thought was our forever home steps from Cape Cod Bay to Rhode Island, just so we could be close to our two young grandsons. Empty nesters now, we gladly and giddily bought a bigger house than we needed, complete with a fenced-in yard and the swing.
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| Russian referendum could extend Putin's rule to 2036 Posted: 01 Jul 2020 06:28 AM PDT  Russian President Vladimir Putin looked set to secure his political future on Wednesday as the country conducts a controversial national referendum that could see the former KGB agent stay in power until 2036. More than 200 other issues are being put to the public in these polls and the Kremlin is keen to downplay resetting Putin's length of office — in the government's get-out-the-vote campaign it amounts to little more than fine print.
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| Russian referendum could extend Putin's rule to 2036 Posted: 01 Jul 2020 06:28 AM PDT  Analysis: Putin is looking to secure his future as president for another 16 years with a national vote.
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| Lopez Obrador Is Making Mexico’s Tragedy Worse Posted: 01 Jul 2020 06:26 AM PDT  (Bloomberg Opinion) -- The Covid-19 pandemic confronts governments around the world with two overlapping emergencies: the virus itself and the economic collapse it's causing. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is failing on both.Coronavirus cases continue to rise in Mexico, with thousands newly diagnosed every day. The country's ratio of deaths to confirmed cases is the second-highest in the world, after the U.K.'s. The economy is projected to contract by at least 7.6 percent this year — and could slow even more due to the resurgence of the virus in the U.S., the country's biggest trading partner. A United Nations report estimates that the number of Mexicans living in extreme poverty this year could rise from 11 million to 17 million, or 13% of the population, the biggest increase in the region.Mexico's population density, underfunded health-care system and large informal economy make it especially vulnerable to the coronavirus. Misguided policy has only made matters worse. After ordering most businesses to shut on March 30, the government allowed for a partial reopening on June 15, despite the accelerating infection rate. Social-distancing and mask-wearing rules have been inconsistently enforced. Lopez Obrador has openly flouted the advice of his own health officials, continuing to hold campaign-style rallies replete with handshakes, hugs and selfies.The inadequacy of Mexico's pandemic response should be kept in some perspective, considering the failures of other countries to contain the virus. Less defensible is Lopez Obrador's handling of the economy. Unlike the leaders of most major economies, he has rebuffed calls for aggressive fiscal stimulus to support workers and businesses. The government's spending commitments amount to about 3% of GDP — one-third what G-20 countries as a whole are spending — and much of it is money repurposed from other programs. The funds are being doled out as microloans to small businesses, up to a maximum of just $25,000 pesos ($1,150), which most have already exhausted. Larger companies in the formal economy, which employs some 40% of Mexico's labor force, have received no government assistance.Lopez Obrador's refusal to support private industry after Mexico slipped into recession last year was a mistake. Continued penny-pinching in the face of a historic crisis that has already destroyed at least 1 million formal-sector jobs is inexcusable. Relative to its neighbors, Mexico has a manageable debt-to-GDP ratio, giving the government room to borrow. Even as Lopez Obrador cuts government salaries in the name of austerity, he's barreling ahead with pet infrastructure projects — including a $6.5 billion passenger train aimed at boosting tourism on the Yucatan peninsula — that will take years to complete.Rather than place risky bets on future development, the government needs to deal with the crisis at hand. It should boost cash transfers to workers in the informal sector, as other countries in Latin America have done, increase subsidies to help businesses in the formal economy stay afloat, and use infrastructure funds to upgrade existing roads and rail networks.U.S. officials should use Lopez Obrador's planned visit to Washington this month to urge such steps. They should also warn him to pull back from attempts to limit private energy production and undermine the independence of government regulators — all of which threaten to further discourage investment and business activity.A stable and prosperous Mexico is essential to the futures of people on both sides of the border. Lopez Obrador's refusal to spend more to help Mexicans withstand the current crisis will only make it harder to recover.(Corrects date of Lopez Obrador's visit in seventh paragraph.)Editorials are written by the Bloomberg Opinion editorial board.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinionSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| This July Fourth, deaths of three Marines haunt Donald Trump on Russian bounty to Taliban Posted: 01 Jul 2020 06:17 AM PDT  President Donald Trump has been briefed that Vladimir Putin might have paid for dead U.S. troops, and he owes the American people answers: Our view
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| Parley and adidas step up their commitment to eradicate ocean plastic Posted: 01 Jul 2020 06:16 AM PDT  The three stripes brand and the NGO Parley for the Oceans are celebrating the fifth anniversary of their partnership with several initiatives to limit marine pollution and put an end to the global plastic crisis. A reinforced collaboration which has notably resulted in the presentation of a new pair of sneakers made from recovered and recycled materials. Launched at the United Nations in 2015, the adidas and Parley for the Oceans partnership aims to eliminate plastic marine pollution with a three-fold strategy: a maximum effort to avoid the use of plastic, interception of plastic waste in the environment which can then be recycled to make Ocean Plastic, and innovation with the introduction of new materials.
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| Trump Is Testing Putin’s Campaign Strategy Posted: 01 Jul 2020 06:00 AM PDT  (Bloomberg Opinion) -- So here we are again, back where this presidency began: Trump and Russia. Russia and Trump.News that Russian President Vladimir Putin was paying bounties for killing U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, and that President Donald Trump was briefed about it and took no action, is the latest shocking/unsurprising twist in a long and sordid saga. Some day, perhaps, the American people will learn why Trump is so subservient to Putin. Meanwhile, another important question is how far Putin is willing to go to help Trump get re-elected.It's perplexing that, four years after Trump was privately pleading for Kremlin approval to build a tower in Moscow while publicly insisting that he had no business dealings in Russia, the exact nature of his Russian passion remains a mystery. American intelligence agents are said to know a great deal about Putin's hidden wealth. It beggars belief that they don't know quite a bit about Trump's, too. Even Trump's astonishing humiliation before Putin in Helsinki in 2018 did not shake the details of his subjugation loose from some knowledgeable quarter. "No prior president has ever abased himself more abjectly before a tyrant," said the late John McCain in a candid assessment.Whatever Trump so desperately needs from Putin, he needs far more of it now. Trump's re-election campaign is a travesty on par with his shambolic 2016 effort. (His campaign was both boorish and victorious.) This time, however, the political context is less cooperative. His peculiar incompetence is killing tens of thousands of Americans while keeping the economy in suspended animation.Trump's crude instincts are no different than in 2016. But he is proving incapable of adapting to new political realities, just as his lies are failing to fool a virus. Meanwhile, he faces a candidate less easily caricatured than his 2016 opponent.Polls are dismal. Without a dramatic turnaround, Trump will need serious help to win. Attorney General William Barr has made it clear that he won't sound an alarm if Putin pulls another electoral burglary. In a rare appearance before Congress last year, Barr refused to commit to defend the election even if North Korea intervened. In case Putin is hard of hearing, on Tuesday Senate Republicans blocked a provision to require campaigns to report offers of foreign assistance.So what does Putin do this time? The context is different for him as well. On the one hand, his preferred candidate is flailing. If Putin goes all in for Trump and Democrats win the White House, Russia, and Putin personally, may face a blistering blowback from the new administration. On the other, having Trump in the Oval Office is a strategic asset of incalculable value. How far is Putin willing to go to secure it?It's difficult to mitigate risks to an election when the greatest risk is the incumbent in the White House and a party that accepts foreign interference and views voting as a threat to its power. Likewise, the perils of foreign sabotage go far beyond Russian hacking and coordination with the bumblers in the Trump campaign.In his book "Election Meltdown," election law expert Richard Hasen raises the harrowing possibility of targeted electrical outages on Election Day. It's easy to imagine: Russia targets the power in Detroit, Milwaukee and Philadelphia (you can add Miami too, if you like). Chaos ensues. Large numbers of Democrats concentrated in those cities are unable to vote. Trump wins those states. Barr's Justice Department and the Supreme Court refuse to act. The tainted vote stands. Trump is re-elected.After Trump fired FBI Director James Comey in 2017, the FBI opened an inquiry into whether Trump was working on behalf of Russia. It was a glaringly obvious question then. In the years since, Trump's haphazard foreign policy — damaging NATO, acceding to Russia in Syria and Kurdistan, promoting oil and attacking green technology, undermining Ukraine, advocating Russian membership in the G-7 — has included an uncanny litany of Kremlin victories.Over the next four months, Americans will find out what Putin is prepared to do to sustain his winning streak. What we are unlikely to learn, in a systemic political failure unparalleled in American history, is why Trump is so very keen to enable it.This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Francis Wilkinson writes editorials on politics and U.S. domestic policy for Bloomberg Opinion. He was executive editor of the Week. He was previously a writer for Rolling Stone, a communications consultant and a political media strategist.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinionSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Global tourism stands to lose up to $3.3 trillion from COVID-19: U.N. study Posted: 01 Jul 2020 06:00 AM PDT  Global tourism revenues are expected to fall by up to $3.3 trillion due to COVID-19 restrictions, with the United States standing to lose the most, according to a U.N. study published on Wednesday. The 'COVID-19 and Tourism' report released by The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is based on three scenarios for the industry, with lockdown measures lasting 4 months, 8 months and 12 months. In those scenarios, revenues would fall $1.17 trillion, $2.22 trillion and $3.3 trillion respectively or between 1.5-4.2 percent of the world's gross domestic product (GDP).
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| Seattle police forcibly clear 'lawless' protest zone Posted: 01 Jul 2020 05:56 AM PDT  Wearing helmets and wielding batons and rifles, Seattle police turned out in force at dawn Wednesday in the city's "occupied" protest zone after the mayor ordered it cleared following two recent fatal shootings. Officers stood shoulder-to-shoulder on several streets while others created a makeshift fence with their bicycles, using it to push dozens of protesters back away from the center of the "Capitol Hill Occupied Protest" zone just east of downtown. As residents in the neighborhood watched from balconies, police cleared out the protesters' tents from the park and made sure no one was left in the park's bathrooms.
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| UK offers British citizenship to nearly 3m people living in Hong Kong after China's security crackdown Posted: 01 Jul 2020 05:46 AM PDT  Almost three million residents of Hong Kong have been given the right to move to the UK permanently after China committed a "clear and serious breach" of its agreement with Britain over the governance of the former colony. Dominic Raab said the UK would honour its "historic responsibility" to the people of Hong Kong after Beijing imposed a new security law to crack down on free speech that contravenes the Joint Declaration signed by the two countries at the time of the 1997 handover. In what amounts to the biggest diplomatic crisis between Britain and China in decades, Boris Johnson confirmed that 2.9 million people eligible for British National Overseas (BNO) passports can come to Britain from today, including 350,000 who already have the documents. Britain also granted asylum to Simon Cheng, the former employee of the British consulate in Hong Kong and supporter of the pro-democracy movement, whose alleged torture in China was first documented by The Daily Telegraph. Mr Raab told the House of Commons: "We will not look the other way on Hong Kong, and we will not duck our historic responsibilities to its people." Holders of BNO passports will automatically be granted leave to remain for five years, after which they can apply for settled status and then full British citizenship. There will be no quotas or salary thresholds. Downing Street was unable to say how many people it expected to take up the offer or how they would be homed when they got here. Aside from the EU freedom of movement scheme, it is the biggest opening of the UK borders since the 1948 British Nationality Act which gave citizens of former colonies including India the right to come to the UK. Senior Tory MPs said the Government must now reset its relationship with China, including banning Huawei from the UK's 5G network. Downing Street said that Britain wanted a good relationship with China, but it "does not come at any price". The Chinese ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Office today to explain why China went ahead with the security law, after President Xi Jinping appeared to snub Boris Johnson. Number 10 said the two leaders had not spoken in recent days. The aggressive move by China, imposed on the 23rd anniversary of the handover and designed to criminalise all protests against Beijing, sparked an international diplomatic crisis after 27 countries, including Germany, France, Canada and Australia, signed a UN Human Rights Council statement calling on President Xi to reconsider. More than 50 countries, however, supported the move in a counter-statement presented to the UN by Cuba. Mr Raab accused Beijing of a "grave and deeply disturbing" breach of the treaty which "threatens the strangulation" of Hong Kong's freedoms. He suggested China was trying to "recraft the rules of the international system" and that Britain "will continue to work with our international partners to consider what further action we should responsibly take next". US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described China's move as "draconian" while European Council President Charles Michel said: "We deplore this decision." The Telegraph understands that the Foreign Office has approached allies including the US with requests to help resettle Hong Kong citizens if large numbers of them take up the UK's offer. As thousands of protesters gathered for an annual pro-democracy rally marking the anniversary of the handover, Beijing put the new law into immediate effect as nine people were arrested for breaching it - including one person said to have held up a sign with a Union flag - together with more than 300 arrests for illegal assembly and other offences. Riot police used pepper spray and fired pellets as crowds gathered chanting "resist till the end" and "Hong Kong independence". The legally-binding Sino-British Joint Declaration, which established the "one country, two systems" rule, promised that Hong Kong's capitalist system and way of life would remain unchanged for 50 years - until 2047. President Xi effectively ripped up the agreement signed by Margaret Thatcher and former Chinese premier Zhao Ziyang by implementing the Hong Kong national security law which clamps down on human rights and free speech. Lord Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, said the "Orwellian" security law "drives a coach and horses through the international treaty that China has signed". He added: "What we have seen from China is a doubling down in their aggressive, loutish behaviour all around the world. "We have really got to work… with allies, not to start a cold war, but to form a group of countries that will say 'if you behave in this appalling fashion, China, we are going to call you out'." Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith told MPs: "It is time to hit them in the one place that China cares about, which is its economy. "We run to China to buy goods and to invest, it is time for us now to review every single programme here in the UK and around the free world. We learnt a lesson 80 years ago about the appeasement of dictators, maybe that should be applied today." Mr Raab said Britain's relationship with China was "double-edged, there are opportunities as well as risks – not just on trade but in climate change". But he said the role of Huawei in the UK's 5G network was "under further review" and told MPs the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong should "not be sacrificed on the altar of bankers' bonuses". BNO status was open to anyone living in Hong Kong before July 30, 1997 and also applies to their dependents. Boris Johnson said: "The enactment and imposition of this national security law constitutes a clear and serious breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration. "We made clear that if China continues down this path we would introduce a new route for those with British National Overseas status to enter the UK...and that is precisely what we will do."
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