Hill.TV INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVE: Trump eviscerates Sessions: ‘I don’t have an attorney general’
https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/407358-hilltv-interview-exclusive-trump-eviscerates-sessions-i-have-no-attorney
President Trump in an Oval Office interview with Hill.TV launched one of his most ferocious broadsides to date against Jeff Sessions, suggesting the attorney general was essentially AWOL and performing badly on a variety of issues.
“I don’t have an attorney general. It’s very sad,” Trump told Hill.TV in an extensive and freewheeling interview Tuesday from the Oval Office.
The president has long excoriated Sessions for his March 2017 decision to recuse himself from the Russia collusion investigation. But on Tuesday he suggested he is frustrated by Sessions's performance on far more than that.
“I’m not happy at the border, I’m not happy with numerous things, not just this,” he said.
Trump suggested he had a personal blind spot when it came to nominating Sessions as the nation’s top law enforcement officer.
“I’m so sad over Jeff Sessions because he came to me. He was the first senator that endorsed me. And he wanted to be attorney general, and I didn’t see it,” he said.
“And then he went through the nominating process and he did very poorly. I mean, he was mixed up and confused, and people that worked with him for, you know, a long time in the Senate were not nice to him, but he was giving very confusing answers. Answers that should have been easily answered. And that was a rough time for him.”
國際時事政治選舉新聞張貼及討論區（五）
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Japan's PM Abe wins party vote, on track for extended term
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-politics/japans-pm-abe-wins-party-vote-on-track-for-extended-term-idUSKCN1LZ2ZN?il=0
TOKYO (Reuters) - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won a ruling party leadership vote on Thursday, setting him on track to become Japan’s longest-serving premier and try to cement his legacy, including by revising the pacifist constitution.
Abe, who surged back to power in 2012 promising to reboot the economy and strengthen defense, defeated former defense minister Shigeru Ishiba in the election for Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) chief, winning 553 votes to Ishiba’s 254. Of the 810 votes up for grabs, 807 were valid.
If Abe stays in office through November 2019, he will have exceeded the 2,886 days marked by Taro Katsura in the early 20th century.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-politics/japans-pm-abe-wins-party-vote-on-track-for-extended-term-idUSKCN1LZ2ZN?il=0
TOKYO (Reuters) - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won a ruling party leadership vote on Thursday, setting him on track to become Japan’s longest-serving premier and try to cement his legacy, including by revising the pacifist constitution.
Abe, who surged back to power in 2012 promising to reboot the economy and strengthen defense, defeated former defense minister Shigeru Ishiba in the election for Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) chief, winning 553 votes to Ishiba’s 254. Of the 810 votes up for grabs, 807 were valid.
If Abe stays in office through November 2019, he will have exceeded the 2,886 days marked by Taro Katsura in the early 20th century.
North Korea's Kim wants fast denuclearisation, South's leader says
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-45583586
North Korea's leader wants to complete denuclearisation quickly and hold a second summit with Donald Trump soon, South Korea's president says.
President Moon Jae-in, who has ended a landmark trip to the North, said Kim Jong-un also wanted US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to visit again.
Mr Pompeo said earlier he was ready to restart negotiations, stalled since the first Trump-Kim summit in June.
Mr Pompeo said the aim was denuclearising North Korea "by 2021".
Mr Moon said: "Kim Jong-un expressed his wish that he wanted to complete denuclearisation quickly and focus on economic development.
"He said he hoped Mike Pompeo would visit North Korea soon, and also a second summit with Trump would take place in the near future, in order to move the denuclearisation process along quickly."
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-45583586
North Korea's leader wants to complete denuclearisation quickly and hold a second summit with Donald Trump soon, South Korea's president says.
President Moon Jae-in, who has ended a landmark trip to the North, said Kim Jong-un also wanted US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to visit again.
Mr Pompeo said earlier he was ready to restart negotiations, stalled since the first Trump-Kim summit in June.
Mr Pompeo said the aim was denuclearising North Korea "by 2021".
Mr Moon said: "Kim Jong-un expressed his wish that he wanted to complete denuclearisation quickly and focus on economic development.
"He said he hoped Mike Pompeo would visit North Korea soon, and also a second summit with Trump would take place in the near future, in order to move the denuclearisation process along quickly."
Macron urges EU leaders to stand firm against Theresa May
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/20/macron-urges-eu-leaders-to-stand-firm-against-theresa-may-brexit
Emmanuel Macron has appealed to his fellow European leaders to maintain their tough approach to Brexit in response to Theresa May’s demand for compromise and accusations that the French president wants to make Britain suffer.
Macron, who is fighting a rearguard action against the rise of populism in Europe, said blocking any attempt by the UK to pick and choose elements of EU membership had to be the priority in the dying days of the Brexit negotiations.
“May spoke last night,” Macron said of the UK prime minister’s presentation to the leaders in Salzburg. “My first wish is to stay united and to have a common approach, the 27. It is essential. The second thing is that we remain coherent. The solution must be found. The third thing is that we need to have a real retirement agreement by November.”
A number of fellow EU leaders have conceded that compromise from both sides is needed to reach a deal both on avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland and on the future framework of a trade deal.
However, there is a consensus among the 27 member states that the central planks of May’s Chequers plan on trade are not workable, but with the encouragement of Donald Tusk, the president of the European council, some have suggested the EU should seek to bridge the gap with fresh proposals.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/20/macron-urges-eu-leaders-to-stand-firm-against-theresa-may-brexit
Emmanuel Macron has appealed to his fellow European leaders to maintain their tough approach to Brexit in response to Theresa May’s demand for compromise and accusations that the French president wants to make Britain suffer.
Macron, who is fighting a rearguard action against the rise of populism in Europe, said blocking any attempt by the UK to pick and choose elements of EU membership had to be the priority in the dying days of the Brexit negotiations.
“May spoke last night,” Macron said of the UK prime minister’s presentation to the leaders in Salzburg. “My first wish is to stay united and to have a common approach, the 27. It is essential. The second thing is that we remain coherent. The solution must be found. The third thing is that we need to have a real retirement agreement by November.”
A number of fellow EU leaders have conceded that compromise from both sides is needed to reach a deal both on avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland and on the future framework of a trade deal.
However, there is a consensus among the 27 member states that the central planks of May’s Chequers plan on trade are not workable, but with the encouragement of Donald Tusk, the president of the European council, some have suggested the EU should seek to bridge the gap with fresh proposals.
Police meet Museveni critic on his return to Uganda, deny arresting him
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uganda-politics/police-meet-museveni-critic-on-return-to-uganda-deny-arrest-idUSKCN1M00UR
KAMPALA (Reuters) - Police took away Ugandan opposition politician Robert Kyagulanyi as he got off a plane at the country’s main airport on Thursday on his return from abroad, but an official denied that he was under arrest.
Kyagulanyi, a prominent challenger to long-ruling President Yoweri Museveni, had been in the United States to receive treatment for injuries he said were sustained during torture by security forces.
His return has rattled the government headed by the 74-year-old president, who leads a nation where nearly 80 percent of the population is under the age of 30.
Security forces had deployed around Entebbe International Airport and the highway linking it to the capital Kampala ahead of his arrival to prevent supporters from greeting him. Armored personnel carriers and police vehicles lined the highway.
The Daily Monitor newspaper reported that police arrested him on the tarmac after he disembarked.
But a police official said he was being escorted to his home and was not under arrest.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uganda-politics/police-meet-museveni-critic-on-return-to-uganda-deny-arrest-idUSKCN1M00UR
KAMPALA (Reuters) - Police took away Ugandan opposition politician Robert Kyagulanyi as he got off a plane at the country’s main airport on Thursday on his return from abroad, but an official denied that he was under arrest.
Kyagulanyi, a prominent challenger to long-ruling President Yoweri Museveni, had been in the United States to receive treatment for injuries he said were sustained during torture by security forces.
His return has rattled the government headed by the 74-year-old president, who leads a nation where nearly 80 percent of the population is under the age of 30.
Security forces had deployed around Entebbe International Airport and the highway linking it to the capital Kampala ahead of his arrival to prevent supporters from greeting him. Armored personnel carriers and police vehicles lined the highway.
The Daily Monitor newspaper reported that police arrested him on the tarmac after he disembarked.
But a police official said he was being escorted to his home and was not under arrest.
Former Malaysian PM charged with money laundering, abuse of power
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-politics-najib/former-malaysian-pm-charged-with-money-laundering-abuse-of-power-idUSKCN1M008H
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian prosecutors charged former Prime Minister Najib Razak with 21 counts of money laundering and four counts of abuse of power on Thursday over hundreds of millions of dollars received in his personal bank account.
The charges bring the total number against Najib to 32 as investigators ramp up a probe into how billions went missing from scandal-plagued 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) - a state fund that he founded and chaired.
Najib has denied all charges, which have piled up since he unexpectedly lost a general election in May to Mahathir Mohamad, who reopened the 1MDB investigation.
Prosecutors, describing the abuse of power charges, said Najib used his position as prime minister, finance minister and chairman of 1MDB to obtain funds totaling about 2.3 billion ringgit ($556.23 million) between 2011 and 2014.
The money-laundering charges describe how Najib received 2.1 billion ringgit from Tanore Finance Corp, which U.S. authorities have said was used to siphon money from 1MDB.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-politics-najib/former-malaysian-pm-charged-with-money-laundering-abuse-of-power-idUSKCN1M008H
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian prosecutors charged former Prime Minister Najib Razak with 21 counts of money laundering and four counts of abuse of power on Thursday over hundreds of millions of dollars received in his personal bank account.
The charges bring the total number against Najib to 32 as investigators ramp up a probe into how billions went missing from scandal-plagued 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) - a state fund that he founded and chaired.
Najib has denied all charges, which have piled up since he unexpectedly lost a general election in May to Mahathir Mohamad, who reopened the 1MDB investigation.
Prosecutors, describing the abuse of power charges, said Najib used his position as prime minister, finance minister and chairman of 1MDB to obtain funds totaling about 2.3 billion ringgit ($556.23 million) between 2011 and 2014.
The money-laundering charges describe how Najib received 2.1 billion ringgit from Tanore Finance Corp, which U.S. authorities have said was used to siphon money from 1MDB.
Who will come out on top in Maldives election - and are the polls fair?
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-maldives-election-explainer/who-will-come-out-on-top-in-maldives-election-and-are-the-polls-fair-idUSKCN1M01LQ
(Reuters) - More than a quarter of a million people will vote on Sunday for the next leader of the small Indian Ocean nation of the Maldives in an election criticized internationally for a lack of transparency and suppression of government critics.
Restrictions on the media and alleged changes to voting practices have also raised questions over the fairness of the poll and created uncertainty over the post-election situation in the islands, best known as a luxury holiday destination and a key state in the battle for influence between India and China.
With no opinion polls, calling a winner is difficult.
Non-government organizations and diplomats who have traveled to the country say opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (Ibu), pledging greater democracy and a corruption crackdown, would be likely to win if there were free and fair elections.
President Abdulla Yameen, who is seeking a second five-year tenure, is campaigning on a promise to boost the economy in a Chinese-backed infrastructure drive - a vote-winning strategy, say his supporters.
But his government has locked up scores of popular leaders who backed him in the 2013 polls including his half-brother, former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled the country for 30 years.
Along with the jailing of opposition leaders for various reasons after speedy trials, Yameen has made several appointments activists say make a free and fair election difficult.
He annulled a Supreme Court ruling that quashed the convictions of nine opposition leaders, including former president Mohamed Nasheed, the country’s first democratically elected leader, sparking a political crisis in February.
He then appointed a new chief justice after removing his predecessor for ordering the releases, sacked two police chiefs and enacted laws in parliament without a required quorum.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-maldives-election-explainer/who-will-come-out-on-top-in-maldives-election-and-are-the-polls-fair-idUSKCN1M01LQ
(Reuters) - More than a quarter of a million people will vote on Sunday for the next leader of the small Indian Ocean nation of the Maldives in an election criticized internationally for a lack of transparency and suppression of government critics.
Restrictions on the media and alleged changes to voting practices have also raised questions over the fairness of the poll and created uncertainty over the post-election situation in the islands, best known as a luxury holiday destination and a key state in the battle for influence between India and China.
With no opinion polls, calling a winner is difficult.
Non-government organizations and diplomats who have traveled to the country say opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (Ibu), pledging greater democracy and a corruption crackdown, would be likely to win if there were free and fair elections.
President Abdulla Yameen, who is seeking a second five-year tenure, is campaigning on a promise to boost the economy in a Chinese-backed infrastructure drive - a vote-winning strategy, say his supporters.
But his government has locked up scores of popular leaders who backed him in the 2013 polls including his half-brother, former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled the country for 30 years.
Along with the jailing of opposition leaders for various reasons after speedy trials, Yameen has made several appointments activists say make a free and fair election difficult.
He annulled a Supreme Court ruling that quashed the convictions of nine opposition leaders, including former president Mohamed Nasheed, the country’s first democratically elected leader, sparking a political crisis in February.
He then appointed a new chief justice after removing his predecessor for ordering the releases, sacked two police chiefs and enacted laws in parliament without a required quorum.
Election in Russia's Far East to be re-run after fraud scandal
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-politics/election-in-russias-far-east-to-be-re-run-after-fraud-scandal-idUSKCN1M00LK
VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (Reuters) - A regional election in Russia’s Far East will be re-run, the local election commission said on Thursday, dealing a rare blow to the Kremlin after allegations the vote had been rigged in its candidate’s favor.
The ruling, in Russia’s Primorsky Region which includes the Pacific port of Vladivostok, 6,400 km (4,000 miles) east of Moscow, came a day after Russia’s top election official recommended that the election be re-run.
Ella Pamfilova, head of the Central Election Commission, had not accused the Kremlin-backed candidate, Andrei Tarasenko, of orchestrating the vote-rigging, but had said that a raft of irregularities had been identified, including ballot stuffing and vote buying.
“We believe that in the circumstances it is not possible to reliably understand the result of the will of the people, which means we can’t declare either of the candidates elected,” Tatyana Gladkikh, the chairwoman of the local election commission, said on Thursday.
The new election must be held within three months of the annulled Sept. 16 vote.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-politics/election-in-russias-far-east-to-be-re-run-after-fraud-scandal-idUSKCN1M00LK
VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (Reuters) - A regional election in Russia’s Far East will be re-run, the local election commission said on Thursday, dealing a rare blow to the Kremlin after allegations the vote had been rigged in its candidate’s favor.
The ruling, in Russia’s Primorsky Region which includes the Pacific port of Vladivostok, 6,400 km (4,000 miles) east of Moscow, came a day after Russia’s top election official recommended that the election be re-run.
Ella Pamfilova, head of the Central Election Commission, had not accused the Kremlin-backed candidate, Andrei Tarasenko, of orchestrating the vote-rigging, but had said that a raft of irregularities had been identified, including ballot stuffing and vote buying.
“We believe that in the circumstances it is not possible to reliably understand the result of the will of the people, which means we can’t declare either of the candidates elected,” Tatyana Gladkikh, the chairwoman of the local election commission, said on Thursday.
The new election must be held within three months of the annulled Sept. 16 vote.
U.S. sanctions China for buying Russia war planes, missiles
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-sanctions/u-s-sanctions-china-for-buying-russia-war-planes-missiles-idUSKCN1M02TP
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration imposed sanctions on the Chinese military on Thursday for buying fighter jets and missile systems from Russia, in breach of a sweeping U.S. sanctions law punishing Moscow for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.
The U.S. State Department said it would immediately impose sanctions on China’s Equipment Development Department (EDD), the branch of the Chinese military responsible for weapons and equipment, and its director, Li Shangfu, for engaging in “significant transactions” with Rosoboronexport, Russia’s main arms exporter.
The sanctions are related to China’s purchase of 10 SU-35 combat aircraft in 2017 and S-400 surface-to-air missile system-related equipment in 2018, the State Department said.
They block the Chinese agency, and Li, from applying for export licenses and participating the U.S. financial system. It also adds them to the Treasury Department’s list of specially designated individuals with whom Americans are barred from doing business.
The administration also blacklisted an additional 33 people and entities associated with Russian military and intelligence, adding them to a list under the 2017 law, known Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, or CAATSA.
CAATSA also seeks to punish Russia for its aggression in Ukraine and involvement in Syria’s civil war.
One U.S. administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said the sanctions imposed on the Chinese agency were aimed at Moscow, not Beijing or its military, despite an escalating trade war between the United States and China.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-sanctions/u-s-sanctions-china-for-buying-russia-war-planes-missiles-idUSKCN1M02TP
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration imposed sanctions on the Chinese military on Thursday for buying fighter jets and missile systems from Russia, in breach of a sweeping U.S. sanctions law punishing Moscow for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.
The U.S. State Department said it would immediately impose sanctions on China’s Equipment Development Department (EDD), the branch of the Chinese military responsible for weapons and equipment, and its director, Li Shangfu, for engaging in “significant transactions” with Rosoboronexport, Russia’s main arms exporter.
The sanctions are related to China’s purchase of 10 SU-35 combat aircraft in 2017 and S-400 surface-to-air missile system-related equipment in 2018, the State Department said.
They block the Chinese agency, and Li, from applying for export licenses and participating the U.S. financial system. It also adds them to the Treasury Department’s list of specially designated individuals with whom Americans are barred from doing business.
The administration also blacklisted an additional 33 people and entities associated with Russian military and intelligence, adding them to a list under the 2017 law, known Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, or CAATSA.
CAATSA also seeks to punish Russia for its aggression in Ukraine and involvement in Syria’s civil war.
One U.S. administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said the sanctions imposed on the Chinese agency were aimed at Moscow, not Beijing or its military, despite an escalating trade war between the United States and China.
Iran dismisses U.S. offer of talks, says Washington broke last deal
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-zarif-usa/iran-dismisses-u-s-offer-of-talks-says-washington-broke-last-deal-idUSKCN1M01XN
LONDON (Reuters) - Iran hit back at a U.S. offer of negotiations on Thursday, saying Washington had violated the terms of the last big deal they agreed, the 2015 nuclear accord.
U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of that nuclear accord - which curbed Iran’s atomic activities in return for sanctions relief - in May, saying it did not go far enough.
The U.S. special envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, said on Wednesday that Washington now wanted to negotiate a treaty that included Tehran’s ballistic missile program and its regional behavior.
Hook said the new deal that Washington hoped to sign with Iran, would not be a “personal agreement between two governments like the last one, we seek a treaty.”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-zarif-usa/iran-dismisses-u-s-offer-of-talks-says-washington-broke-last-deal-idUSKCN1M01XN
LONDON (Reuters) - Iran hit back at a U.S. offer of negotiations on Thursday, saying Washington had violated the terms of the last big deal they agreed, the 2015 nuclear accord.
U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of that nuclear accord - which curbed Iran’s atomic activities in return for sanctions relief - in May, saying it did not go far enough.
The U.S. special envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, said on Wednesday that Washington now wanted to negotiate a treaty that included Tehran’s ballistic missile program and its regional behavior.
Hook said the new deal that Washington hoped to sign with Iran, would not be a “personal agreement between two governments like the last one, we seek a treaty.”
Accuser of Trump's court nominee sets conditions for testifying
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-kavanaugh/accuser-of-trumps-court-nominee-sets-conditions-for-testifying-idUSKCN1M02DM
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A lawyer for the woman accusing Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s U.S. Supreme Court nominee, of sexual assault told a Senate panel on Thursday the professor will not testify on Monday as Republicans want but would be willing to appear sometime next week if certain terms are met.
Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California, has been given a Friday deadline by the Republican-led Judiciary Committee to decide whether to testify at a high-stakes hearing it has scheduled for Monday.
Her lawyer, Debra Katz, said in an email to committee staff Ford would be willing to testify under “terms that are fair and which ensure her safety” and asked to schedule a call later on Thursday to discuss the conditions.
If Ford agrees to appear, it would set the stage for a potentially explosive hearing just weeks before congressional elections that will decide the balance of power in Congress, against a backdrop of the #MeToo movement fighting sexual harassment and assault.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-kavanaugh/accuser-of-trumps-court-nominee-sets-conditions-for-testifying-idUSKCN1M02DM
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A lawyer for the woman accusing Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s U.S. Supreme Court nominee, of sexual assault told a Senate panel on Thursday the professor will not testify on Monday as Republicans want but would be willing to appear sometime next week if certain terms are met.
Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California, has been given a Friday deadline by the Republican-led Judiciary Committee to decide whether to testify at a high-stakes hearing it has scheduled for Monday.
Her lawyer, Debra Katz, said in an email to committee staff Ford would be willing to testify under “terms that are fair and which ensure her safety” and asked to schedule a call later on Thursday to discuss the conditions.
If Ford agrees to appear, it would set the stage for a potentially explosive hearing just weeks before congressional elections that will decide the balance of power in Congress, against a backdrop of the #MeToo movement fighting sexual harassment and assault.
Donald Tusk: Theresa May's Brexit trade plan won't work
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-45586010
Theresa May's proposed new economic partnership with the EU "will not work", the head of the European Council has said.
Donald Tusk said the plans risked undermining the EU's single market.
He was speaking at the end of an EU summit in Salzburg where leaders of the 27 remaining member states discussed Brexit.
Mrs May said her proposals were the "only serious credible" way to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland.
She said she had held "frank" talks with Mr Tusk, adding: "Yes, concerns have been raised and I want to know what those concerns are."
There was "a lot of hard work to be done", she said, but added that the UK was also making preparations in case no deal could be reached.
Mrs May reiterated that she would not accept the EU's "backstop" plan to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland, and said the UK would shortly be bringing forward its own proposals.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-45586010
Theresa May's proposed new economic partnership with the EU "will not work", the head of the European Council has said.
Donald Tusk said the plans risked undermining the EU's single market.
He was speaking at the end of an EU summit in Salzburg where leaders of the 27 remaining member states discussed Brexit.
Mrs May said her proposals were the "only serious credible" way to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland.
She said she had held "frank" talks with Mr Tusk, adding: "Yes, concerns have been raised and I want to know what those concerns are."
There was "a lot of hard work to be done", she said, but added that the UK was also making preparations in case no deal could be reached.
Mrs May reiterated that she would not accept the EU's "backstop" plan to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland, and said the UK would shortly be bringing forward its own proposals.
Theresa May to make Brexit statement outside No 10 - live
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2018/sep/21/theresa-may-makes-statement-outside-no-10?
May to give Brexit statement in Downing Street
Theresa May will give an unplanned update on the state of the ongoing Brexit negotiations in the wake of the unexpectedly sharp rejection of her Chequers plans by EU leaders in Salzburg.
We’re expecting it to be a statement to cameras at 10 Downing Street. Inevitably, the Westminster rumour mill is swirling but at the moment all indications are that she will say the government intends to press ahead with its current offer and continue negotiations.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2018/sep/21/theresa-may-makes-statement-outside-no-10?
May to give Brexit statement in Downing Street
Theresa May will give an unplanned update on the state of the ongoing Brexit negotiations in the wake of the unexpectedly sharp rejection of her Chequers plans by EU leaders in Salzburg.
We’re expecting it to be a statement to cameras at 10 Downing Street. Inevitably, the Westminster rumour mill is swirling but at the moment all indications are that she will say the government intends to press ahead with its current offer and continue negotiations.
Theresa May demands respect from EU in Brexit negotiations
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/21/theresa-may-demands-respect-from-eu-in-brexit-negotiations
Theresa May has accused the European Union of not treating the UK with respect, in a hastily arranged Downing Street statement a day after she was humiliated at the Salzburg summit when EU leaders declared her Chequers plan would not work.
A combative prime minister said she stood by Chequers and added that throughout the Brexit negotiations she had treated her counterparts with “nothing but respect” and added: “The UK expects the same.”
May said the two sides remained “a long way apart” but insisted the UK was prepared to negotiate, and called on the EU to explain what it believed was wrong with her trade proposals, although significantly she did not mention Chequers by name.
“It is not acceptable to simply reject the other side’s proposals without a detailed explanation and counter proposals,” May said. “So we now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are and what their alternative is so that we can discuss them.”
The prime minister also signalled that the UK would unilaterally safeguard the rights of the EU citizens living in the country in an attempt to reassure them that the impasse in negotiations would not affect their status.
“There are over 3 million EU citizens living in the UK who will be understandably worried about what the outcome of yesterday’s summit means for their future. I want to be clear with you that even in the event of no deal your rights will be protected. You are our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues. We want you to stay,” May said.
Ministers are expected to confirm details in a couple of weeks, after the party conference season.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, the chair of the European Reform Group of hard Brexit Tories, said that Salzburg was a “failure” and repeated that it was time to abandon Chequers and propose a Canada-style free trade deal. But he also accused the EU of not acting in good faith, and praised May for showing “steely resolve.”
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/21/theresa-may-demands-respect-from-eu-in-brexit-negotiations
Theresa May has accused the European Union of not treating the UK with respect, in a hastily arranged Downing Street statement a day after she was humiliated at the Salzburg summit when EU leaders declared her Chequers plan would not work.
A combative prime minister said she stood by Chequers and added that throughout the Brexit negotiations she had treated her counterparts with “nothing but respect” and added: “The UK expects the same.”
May said the two sides remained “a long way apart” but insisted the UK was prepared to negotiate, and called on the EU to explain what it believed was wrong with her trade proposals, although significantly she did not mention Chequers by name.
“It is not acceptable to simply reject the other side’s proposals without a detailed explanation and counter proposals,” May said. “So we now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are and what their alternative is so that we can discuss them.”
The prime minister also signalled that the UK would unilaterally safeguard the rights of the EU citizens living in the country in an attempt to reassure them that the impasse in negotiations would not affect their status.
“There are over 3 million EU citizens living in the UK who will be understandably worried about what the outcome of yesterday’s summit means for their future. I want to be clear with you that even in the event of no deal your rights will be protected. You are our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues. We want you to stay,” May said.
Ministers are expected to confirm details in a couple of weeks, after the party conference season.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, the chair of the European Reform Group of hard Brexit Tories, said that Salzburg was a “failure” and repeated that it was time to abandon Chequers and propose a Canada-style free trade deal. But he also accused the EU of not acting in good faith, and praised May for showing “steely resolve.”
https://youtu.be/wUnAGAakzt4?t=1175
PM Brexit negotiations statement: 21 September 2018
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-brexit-negotiations-statement-21-september-2018
// While both sides want a deal, we have to face up to the fact that - despite the progress we have made - there are two big issues where we remain a long way apart.
The first is our economic relationship after we have left.
Here, the EU is still only offering us two options.
The first option would involve the UK staying in the European Economic Area and a customs union with the EU.
In plain English, this would mean we’d still have to abide by all the EU rules, uncontrolled immigration from the EU would continue and we couldn’t do the trade deals we want with other countries.
That would make a mockery of the referendum we had two years ago.
The second option would be a basic free trade agreement for Great Britain that would introduce checks at the Great Britain/EU border. But even worse, Northern Ireland would effectively remain in the Customs Union and parts of the Single Market, permanently separated economically from the rest of the UK by a border down the Irish Sea.
Parliament has already - unanimously - rejected this idea.
Creating any form of customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK would not respect that Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom, in line with the principle of consent, as set out clearly in the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.
It is something I will never agree to - indeed, in my judgement it is something no British Prime Minister would ever agree to. If the EU believe I will, they are making a fundamental mistake. Anything which fails to respect the referendum or which effectively divides our country in two would be a bad deal and I have always said no deal is better than a bad deal. //
// The second issue is connected to the first. We both agree that the Withdrawal Agreement needs to include a backstop to ensure that if there’s a delay in implementing our new relationship, there still won’t be a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
But the EU is proposing to achieve this by effectively keeping Northern Ireland in the Customs Union.
As I have already said, that is unacceptable. We will never agree to it. It would mean breaking up our country. //
PM Brexit negotiations statement: 21 September 2018
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-brexit-negotiations-statement-21-september-2018
// While both sides want a deal, we have to face up to the fact that - despite the progress we have made - there are two big issues where we remain a long way apart.
The first is our economic relationship after we have left.
Here, the EU is still only offering us two options.
The first option would involve the UK staying in the European Economic Area and a customs union with the EU.
In plain English, this would mean we’d still have to abide by all the EU rules, uncontrolled immigration from the EU would continue and we couldn’t do the trade deals we want with other countries.
That would make a mockery of the referendum we had two years ago.
The second option would be a basic free trade agreement for Great Britain that would introduce checks at the Great Britain/EU border. But even worse, Northern Ireland would effectively remain in the Customs Union and parts of the Single Market, permanently separated economically from the rest of the UK by a border down the Irish Sea.
Parliament has already - unanimously - rejected this idea.
Creating any form of customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK would not respect that Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom, in line with the principle of consent, as set out clearly in the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.
It is something I will never agree to - indeed, in my judgement it is something no British Prime Minister would ever agree to. If the EU believe I will, they are making a fundamental mistake. Anything which fails to respect the referendum or which effectively divides our country in two would be a bad deal and I have always said no deal is better than a bad deal. //
// The second issue is connected to the first. We both agree that the Withdrawal Agreement needs to include a backstop to ensure that if there’s a delay in implementing our new relationship, there still won’t be a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
But the EU is proposing to achieve this by effectively keeping Northern Ireland in the Customs Union.
As I have already said, that is unacceptable. We will never agree to it. It would mean breaking up our country. //
Death toll in Iran military parade attack rises to 24 - IRNA
http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-iran-military-attack-casualties/death-toll-in-iran-military-parade-attack-rises-to-24-irna-idUKKCN1M209U
The number of people killed in a shooting attack on a military parade in southwestern Iran on Saturday has risen to 24, the official state news agency IRNA said.
"There are a number of non-military victims, including women and children who had come to watch the parade," the agency quoted an unnamed official source as saying.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-iran-military-attack-casualties/death-toll-in-iran-military-parade-attack-rises-to-24-irna-idUKKCN1M209U
The number of people killed in a shooting attack on a military parade in southwestern Iran on Saturday has risen to 24, the official state news agency IRNA said.
"There are a number of non-military victims, including women and children who had come to watch the parade," the agency quoted an unnamed official source as saying.
Statement by President Donald Tusk on the Brexit negotiations
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/09/21/statement-by-president-donald-tusk-on-the-brexit-negotiations/
The European Union and its leaders fully respect the UK’s decision expressed in the referendum on leaving the EU.
From the very beginning of the negotiations we have been focused on finding a deal that will minimise the damage resulting from Brexit. Also important to us is to create the best possible relations between the EU and the UK in the future.
We studied the Chequers proposals in all seriousness. The results of our analysis have been known to the British side in every detail for many weeks. After intensive consultations with Member States, we decided that for the good of the negotiations, and out of respect for the efforts of PM May, we will treat the Chequers plan as a step in the right direction.
In Salzburg, right before our meeting I said in a public statement: “I would like to stress that some of Prime Minister May's proposals from Chequers indicate a positive evolution in the UK's approach as well as a will to minimise the negative effects of Brexit.
By this I mean, among other things, the readiness to cooperate closely in the area of security and foreign policy. On other issues, such as the Irish question, or the rules of economic cooperation, the UK's proposals will need to be reworked and further negotiated.”
The UK stance presented just before and during the Salzburg meeting was surprisingly tough and in fact uncompromising. The response of the EU27 leaders was to reiterate our trust in chief negotiator Michel Barnier and to reiterate our position on the integrity of the Single Market and the Irish backstop.
While understanding the logic of the negotiations, I remain convinced that a compromise, good for all, is still possible. I say these words as a close friend of the UK and a true admirer of PM May.
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/09/21/statement-by-president-donald-tusk-on-the-brexit-negotiations/
The European Union and its leaders fully respect the UK’s decision expressed in the referendum on leaving the EU.
From the very beginning of the negotiations we have been focused on finding a deal that will minimise the damage resulting from Brexit. Also important to us is to create the best possible relations between the EU and the UK in the future.
We studied the Chequers proposals in all seriousness. The results of our analysis have been known to the British side in every detail for many weeks. After intensive consultations with Member States, we decided that for the good of the negotiations, and out of respect for the efforts of PM May, we will treat the Chequers plan as a step in the right direction.
In Salzburg, right before our meeting I said in a public statement: “I would like to stress that some of Prime Minister May's proposals from Chequers indicate a positive evolution in the UK's approach as well as a will to minimise the negative effects of Brexit.
By this I mean, among other things, the readiness to cooperate closely in the area of security and foreign policy. On other issues, such as the Irish question, or the rules of economic cooperation, the UK's proposals will need to be reworked and further negotiated.”
The UK stance presented just before and during the Salzburg meeting was surprisingly tough and in fact uncompromising. The response of the EU27 leaders was to reiterate our trust in chief negotiator Michel Barnier and to reiterate our position on the integrity of the Single Market and the Irish backstop.
While understanding the logic of the negotiations, I remain convinced that a compromise, good for all, is still possible. I say these words as a close friend of the UK and a true admirer of PM May.
Vatican and China sign agreement on bishop appointments
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/22/vatican-and-china-sign-agreement-on-bishop-appointments
The Vatican and China have signed a historic provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops.
The agreement was signed in Beijing and announced while Pope Francis was visiting Lithuania at the start of a four-day trip to the Baltic countries.
The Vatican said the accord was “not political, but pastoral”. China cut off diplomatic ties with the Vatican in 1951. A Holy See statement did not mention Taiwan, which the Vatican recognises diplomatically.
In China, the foreign ministry said in a statement that the two sides had signed an agreement to maintain communications and work to improve relations.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/22/vatican-and-china-sign-agreement-on-bishop-appointments
The Vatican and China have signed a historic provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops.
The agreement was signed in Beijing and announced while Pope Francis was visiting Lithuania at the start of a four-day trip to the Baltic countries.
The Vatican said the accord was “not political, but pastoral”. China cut off diplomatic ties with the Vatican in 1951. A Holy See statement did not mention Taiwan, which the Vatican recognises diplomatically.
In China, the foreign ministry said in a statement that the two sides had signed an agreement to maintain communications and work to improve relations.
Rod Rosenstein disputes report he discussed removing Trump under 25th amendment
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/21/rod-rosenstein-trump-25th-amendment-report
Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein deemed “inaccurate” a report that he spoke with colleagues last year about the possibility of removing Donald Trump from office under the 25th amendment and about making secret recordings of the president.
The New York Times first reported the conversations on Friday, citing anonymous justice department sources and internal memos made after the alleged conversations.
Rosenstein oversees special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian election interference and links between Trump aides and Moscow. He was motivated, the Times said, by “frustration”, “surprise” and “anger” that Trump had used a memo he wrote criticizing James Comey to justify firing the FBI director.
At least one colleague to whom Rosenstein mentioned wearing a “wire” to record Trump thought Rosenstein was speaking sarcastically, the Times reported. Potential replacements for Comey were being interviewed at the time and top justice department figures were in frequent contact with the White House.
In a statement, Rosenstein called the story “inaccurate and factually incorrect” and said the anonymous sources behind it were “advancing their own personal agenda”.
“But let me be clear about this,” Rosenstein said. “Based on my personal dealings with the president, there is no basis to invoke the 25th amendment.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/21/rod-rosenstein-trump-25th-amendment-report
Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein deemed “inaccurate” a report that he spoke with colleagues last year about the possibility of removing Donald Trump from office under the 25th amendment and about making secret recordings of the president.
The New York Times first reported the conversations on Friday, citing anonymous justice department sources and internal memos made after the alleged conversations.
Rosenstein oversees special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian election interference and links between Trump aides and Moscow. He was motivated, the Times said, by “frustration”, “surprise” and “anger” that Trump had used a memo he wrote criticizing James Comey to justify firing the FBI director.
At least one colleague to whom Rosenstein mentioned wearing a “wire” to record Trump thought Rosenstein was speaking sarcastically, the Times reported. Potential replacements for Comey were being interviewed at the time and top justice department figures were in frequent contact with the White House.
In a statement, Rosenstein called the story “inaccurate and factually incorrect” and said the anonymous sources behind it were “advancing their own personal agenda”.
“But let me be clear about this,” Rosenstein said. “Based on my personal dealings with the president, there is no basis to invoke the 25th amendment.”
Kavanaugh accuser given more time to decide if she will testify
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/22/kavanaugh-accuser-given-more-time-to-decide-if-she-will-testify
The US Senate judiciary committee chair, Chuck Grassley, has granted a deadline extension to the woman accusing supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault to decide if and how she will testify.
The committee had delayed a vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation after California professor Christine Blasey Ford’s allegations emerged last week, and her lawyers and committee staff were negotiating the conditions of her testimony.
“Judge Kavanaugh I just granted another extension to Dr Ford to decide if she wants to proceed [with] the statement she made last week to testify to the Senate,” Grassley wrote on Twitter. “She should decide so we can move on. I want to hear her. I hope you understand. It’s not my normal approach to be indecisive.”
Grassley did not say if a new deadline has been set.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/22/kavanaugh-accuser-given-more-time-to-decide-if-she-will-testify
The US Senate judiciary committee chair, Chuck Grassley, has granted a deadline extension to the woman accusing supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault to decide if and how she will testify.
The committee had delayed a vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation after California professor Christine Blasey Ford’s allegations emerged last week, and her lawyers and committee staff were negotiating the conditions of her testimony.
“Judge Kavanaugh I just granted another extension to Dr Ford to decide if she wants to proceed [with] the statement she made last week to testify to the Senate,” Grassley wrote on Twitter. “She should decide so we can move on. I want to hear her. I hope you understand. It’s not my normal approach to be indecisive.”
Grassley did not say if a new deadline has been set.
Exclusive: Ecuador attempted to give Assange diplomat post in Russia: document
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ecuador-assange-exclusive/exclusive-ecuador-attempted-to-give-assange-diplomat-post-in-russia-document-idUSKCN1M12R5
QUITO (Reuters) - Ecuador in 2017 gave Wikileaks founder Julian Assange a diplomatic post in Russia but rescinded it after Britain refused to give him diplomatic immunity, according to an Ecuadorean government document seen by Reuters.
The aborted effort suggests Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno had engaged Moscow to resolve the situation of Assange, who has been holed up in the Ecuadorean embassy for six years to avoid arrest by British authorities on charges of skipping bail.
The incident was revealed in a letter by Ecuador’s foreign ministry to a legislator who had asked for information about Ecuador’s decision last year to grant Assange citizenship.
Ecuador last Dec. 19 approved a “special designation in favor of Mr. Julian Assange so that he can carry out functions at the Ecuadorean Embassy in Russia,” according to the letter written to opposition legislator Paola Vintimilla.
“Special designation” refers to the Ecuadorean president’s right to name political allies to a fixed number of diplomatic posts even if they are not career diplomats.
But Britain’s Foreign Office in a Dec. 21 note said it did not accept Assange as a diplomat and that it did not “consider that Mr. Assange enjoys any type of privileges and immunities under the Vienna Convention,” reads the letter, citing a British diplomatic note.
Ecuador abandoned its decision shortly after, according to the letter.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ecuador-assange-exclusive/exclusive-ecuador-attempted-to-give-assange-diplomat-post-in-russia-document-idUSKCN1M12R5
QUITO (Reuters) - Ecuador in 2017 gave Wikileaks founder Julian Assange a diplomatic post in Russia but rescinded it after Britain refused to give him diplomatic immunity, according to an Ecuadorean government document seen by Reuters.
The aborted effort suggests Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno had engaged Moscow to resolve the situation of Assange, who has been holed up in the Ecuadorean embassy for six years to avoid arrest by British authorities on charges of skipping bail.
The incident was revealed in a letter by Ecuador’s foreign ministry to a legislator who had asked for information about Ecuador’s decision last year to grant Assange citizenship.
Ecuador last Dec. 19 approved a “special designation in favor of Mr. Julian Assange so that he can carry out functions at the Ecuadorean Embassy in Russia,” according to the letter written to opposition legislator Paola Vintimilla.
“Special designation” refers to the Ecuadorean president’s right to name political allies to a fixed number of diplomatic posts even if they are not career diplomats.
But Britain’s Foreign Office in a Dec. 21 note said it did not accept Assange as a diplomat and that it did not “consider that Mr. Assange enjoys any type of privileges and immunities under the Vienna Convention,” reads the letter, citing a British diplomatic note.
Ecuador abandoned its decision shortly after, according to the letter.
Irish foreign minister says Brexit backstop deal is doable
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-ireland/irish-foreign-minister-says-brexit-backstop-deal-is-doable-idUSKCN1M20HF?il=0
DUBLIN (Reuters) - An agreement on the post-Brexit border between Ireland and Northern Ireland that satisfies both Britain and the European Union is “doable,” Ireland’s foreign minister said on Saturday, saying he is hopeful for significant progress by October.
“The really sticky issue is can we find a solution on the [Northern Ireland border] backstop. I believe we can,” Simon Coveney told RTE radio. “Hopefully we will make significant progress on it by the leaders’ summit in October, to be concluded in November.”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-ireland/irish-foreign-minister-says-brexit-backstop-deal-is-doable-idUSKCN1M20HF?il=0
DUBLIN (Reuters) - An agreement on the post-Brexit border between Ireland and Northern Ireland that satisfies both Britain and the European Union is “doable,” Ireland’s foreign minister said on Saturday, saying he is hopeful for significant progress by October.
“The really sticky issue is can we find a solution on the [Northern Ireland border] backstop. I believe we can,” Simon Coveney told RTE radio. “Hopefully we will make significant progress on it by the leaders’ summit in October, to be concluded in November.”
Iran's Khamenei blames Gulf Arab states for military parade attack
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-military-attack/irans-khamenei-blames-gulf-arab-states-for-military-parade-attack-idUSKCN1M2080
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused U.S.-backed Gulf Arab states of carrying out a shooting attack on a military parade that killed 25 people, almost half of them members of the country’s elite Revolutionary Guards.
Khamenei ordered security forces to bring to justice those responsible for one of the worst assaults ever against the Revolutionary Guards, the most powerful military force in the country, which answers to him.
The allegation will likely ratchet up tensions with Iran’s rival Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies, which along with the United States have been working to isolate the Islamic Republic.
“This crime is a continuation of the plots of the regional states that are puppets of the United States, and their goal is to create insecurity in our dear country,” Khamenei said in a statement published on his website.
He did not name the regional states he believed were to blame. Israel is also a key U.S. ally opposed to Tehran.
An Iranian ethnic Arab opposition movement called the Ahvaz National Resistance, which seeks a separate state in oil-rich Khuzestan province, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Islamic State militants also claimed responsibility. Neither claim provided evidence. All four attackers were killed.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-military-attack/irans-khamenei-blames-gulf-arab-states-for-military-parade-attack-idUSKCN1M2080
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused U.S.-backed Gulf Arab states of carrying out a shooting attack on a military parade that killed 25 people, almost half of them members of the country’s elite Revolutionary Guards.
Khamenei ordered security forces to bring to justice those responsible for one of the worst assaults ever against the Revolutionary Guards, the most powerful military force in the country, which answers to him.
The allegation will likely ratchet up tensions with Iran’s rival Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies, which along with the United States have been working to isolate the Islamic Republic.
“This crime is a continuation of the plots of the regional states that are puppets of the United States, and their goal is to create insecurity in our dear country,” Khamenei said in a statement published on his website.
He did not name the regional states he believed were to blame. Israel is also a key U.S. ally opposed to Tehran.
An Iranian ethnic Arab opposition movement called the Ahvaz National Resistance, which seeks a separate state in oil-rich Khuzestan province, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Islamic State militants also claimed responsibility. Neither claim provided evidence. All four attackers were killed.
Accuser of Supreme Court nominee Kavanaugh agrees to testify to Senate committee
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-kavanaugh/accuser-of-supreme-court-nominee-kavanaugh-agrees-to-testify-to-senate-committee-idUSKCN1M11LX
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A woman who has accused U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault has agreed to testify before a Senate panel next week but details of her appearance have not been finalized, her lawyers said on Saturday.
U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley had set a Saturday afternoon deadline for Christine Blasey Ford, a California professor who has accused Kavanaugh of sexual assaulting her at a high school party 36 years ago, to decide whether and how she will testify.
“Dr. Ford accepts the committee’s request to provide her first-hand knowledge of Brett Kavanaugh’s sexual misconduct next week,” Debra Katz and Lisa Banks, Ford’s attorneys, said in a statement. “We are hopeful that we can reach agreement on details.”
The news site Politico cited a source as saying representatives of Ford and the committee would talk on Sunday to work out the specifics of her testimony.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-kavanaugh/accuser-of-supreme-court-nominee-kavanaugh-agrees-to-testify-to-senate-committee-idUSKCN1M11LX
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A woman who has accused U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault has agreed to testify before a Senate panel next week but details of her appearance have not been finalized, her lawyers said on Saturday.
U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley had set a Saturday afternoon deadline for Christine Blasey Ford, a California professor who has accused Kavanaugh of sexual assaulting her at a high school party 36 years ago, to decide whether and how she will testify.
“Dr. Ford accepts the committee’s request to provide her first-hand knowledge of Brett Kavanaugh’s sexual misconduct next week,” Debra Katz and Lisa Banks, Ford’s attorneys, said in a statement. “We are hopeful that we can reach agreement on details.”
The news site Politico cited a source as saying representatives of Ford and the committee would talk on Sunday to work out the specifics of her testimony.
Syrian FSA rebels to cooperate with Turkey in Idlib, wary of Russia
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-idlib/syrian-fsa-rebels-to-cooperate-with-turkey-in-idlib-wary-of-russia-idUSKCN1M20YL
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Turkey-allied Syrian rebels said on Saturday they would cooperate with Turkish diplomatic efforts that have halted a Russian-backed government offensive in Idlib, but they will not surrender their weapons or territory.
Turkey and Russia struck a deal on Monday that will create a demilitarized zone between government and rebel fighters in northwestern Syria, sparing the area a major offensive for which pro-government forces had been mobilizing.
Under the agreement, “radical” insurgents must withdraw from the zone by Oct. 15. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the zone will be 15 to 20 km (10 to 12 miles) deep and run along the contact line between rebel and government fighters.
It will be patrolled by Turkish and Russian forces.
The National Front for Liberation, which groups a number of Free Syrian Army factions deemed moderate by Turkey, announced “our complete cooperation with the Turkish ally in making their effort succeed in sparing civilians the calamities of war”.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-idlib/syrian-fsa-rebels-to-cooperate-with-turkey-in-idlib-wary-of-russia-idUSKCN1M20YL
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Turkey-allied Syrian rebels said on Saturday they would cooperate with Turkish diplomatic efforts that have halted a Russian-backed government offensive in Idlib, but they will not surrender their weapons or territory.
Turkey and Russia struck a deal on Monday that will create a demilitarized zone between government and rebel fighters in northwestern Syria, sparing the area a major offensive for which pro-government forces had been mobilizing.
Under the agreement, “radical” insurgents must withdraw from the zone by Oct. 15. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the zone will be 15 to 20 km (10 to 12 miles) deep and run along the contact line between rebel and government fighters.
It will be patrolled by Turkish and Russian forces.
The National Front for Liberation, which groups a number of Free Syrian Army factions deemed moderate by Turkey, announced “our complete cooperation with the Turkish ally in making their effort succeed in sparing civilians the calamities of war”.