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Brexit Secretary, David Davis, has said that Britain won’t hold ANY Brexit talks unless the EU drops its demands for €100bn in payments it claims are due.

It’s now more than likely that Britain will leave the EU without any agreement in place, which of course will be disastrous. Unfortunately, David Davis has shown he knows little about the art of negotiating.

Quite a handicap when you’re the Brexit Secretary. Refusing to talk is the way to end talks, and walking away from talks will make it very difficult to return to those talks. The Sunday Times quoted a senior Brussels negotiator as saying of Davis’s latest announcement:

“Once you walk away, you need a major concession to come back to the table and we are simply not able to provide any.”

Just as unfortunately, David Davis has shown he knows little about the EU and how it functions. Quite a handicap when you’re the Brexit Secretary. In 2012 Mr Davis gave an anti-EU speech in which he claimed that the European Commission was responsible for the laws of the EU.

“That is fundamentally undemocratic,” he said. But as he should know, the European Commission has no power to pass laws.

Only the directly elected European Parliament, in concert with the EU Council, comprising the ministers of democratically elected governments, can pass laws in the EU. Mr Davis also claimed that the EU’s foundational principles and acquis could not be changed, and that was essentially undemocratic.

But that’s not correct either. The EU is a democracy, and can be anything that all its members unanimously agree it can be. If that was not the case, there would not have been so many EU treaty changes – all of which were debated and passed by our Parliament in Westminster.

During last year’s EU referendum campaign, Mr Davis claimed that Britain would be able to negotiate individual trade deals with each of the EU’s member states. He appeared to be completely unaware that one of the main basic features of the European Union is that EU countries cannot negotiate individual trade deals and instead do so as a bloc of all its members.

Then, after Mr Davis was appointed to be the new Brexit Secretary, he boasted that Britain would be able to secure free trade areas “10 times the size” of the European Union. Liberal Democrat MEP, Catherine Bearder, had to point out that this would be 1.5 times bigger than the planet’s entire economy.

There’s only one way to ensure that David Davis doesn’t mess up the Brexit talks with the European Union. Vote Theresa May’s Conservative Party out of office on 8 June. 

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The post David Davis doesn’t understand negotiating or the EU appeared first on Ideas on Europe.

Les amateurs de jazz de la capitale sénégalaise ont eu la chance de découvrir pour la première fois sur scène le saxophoniste Jowee Omicil. Pointure internationale, né à Montréal de parents haïtiens, fabuleux musicien et grand voyageur, il est venu pour trois concerts exceptionnels, dont le dernier se tient le samedi 20 mai à Dakar.

Még mindig beadhatók a kérelmek arra a 12 millió forintos támogatásra, mely fiatal mezőgazdasági termelők beruházásait támogatja. A felhívás csak azokat a mezőgazdasági termelőket támogatja, akik 41 év alattiak, mezőgazdasági végzettséggel rendelkeznek és a pályázat benyújtásától számított elmúlt 12 hónapban is átlagosan legalább 6000 STÉ üzemmérettel rendelkeztek! A támogatás 12 millió forintos, 100%-os intenzitású átalánytámogatás, tehát nem beruházáshoz kötött támogatás! Bővebb információ és előminősítésre való jelentkezés alább!

Au Burkina Faso, des membres des Koglweogo, structures d’autodéfense spécialisées dans la lutte contre le vol, les braquages et les attaques à main armée, ont affronté des villageois dans la région du Centre-Ouest, à une centaine de kilomètres de Ouagadougou. Ces affrontements ont provoqué la mort de cinq personnes dont trois membres des Koglweogo. Le ministre de la Sécurité s’est rendu sur place pour faire libérer des habitants du village de Tialgho, détenus par ces milices d’autodéfense. Accompagné par une délégation gouvernement, Simon Compaoré s'est également rendu dans les villages touchés pour assurer aux habitants que des mesures sont prises pour leur sécurité.

Au début de ce mois de mai, la France avait décidé la déclassification de 89 documents liés à l'affaire Ben Barka. Cet opposant marocain a été enlevé le 29 octobre 1965 en plein Paris. Son corps n'a jamais été retrouvé et les circonstances de sa mort, tout comme les responsabilités des différents acteurs - marocains et français - n’ont jamais été clairement établies. Cinquante-deux ans après les faits, son fils espérait que ces documents permettent de faire la lumière sur la mort de son père. Mais il est déçu.

Le remplacement des avions CF-18 Hornet de l’Aviation royale canadienne aurait dû être réglé en 2010, avec la commande de 65 F-35A Lightning II auprès du constructeur Lockheed-Martin. Cette issue paraissait alors logique étant donné l’implication d’entreprises canadiennes dans ce programme américain. Mais ce choix fut vite contesté pour des raisons techniques, opérationnelles et surtout […]

Cet article Le Canada pourrait renoncer au F/A-18 Super Hornet en répresailles à une plainte visant Bombardier est apparu en premier sur Zone Militaire.

A Madagascar, les entomologistes ont répertorié 235 espèces de moustiques. Parmi celles-ci, 64 d'entre elles sont vecteurs de maladies, chez l'homme ou bien chez l'animal et parfois chez les deux. A l'occasion d'une conférence donnée samedi 20 mai à l'Institut français de Madagascar, un chercheur spécialisé dans l'étude de cet insecte invasif a éclairé l'assemblée sur les comportements de ces tant redoutés moustiques.

Le commissaire européen aux affaires économiques et financières est l’invité de l’émission « Questions politiques » sur France Inter, en partenariat avec « Le Monde ».

Alors que l’administration Obama avait adopté une attitude plus souple à l’égard de l’Iran, au risque d’inquiéter l’Arabie Saoudite, celle de Donald Trump entend revenir aux fondamentaux de la politique étrangère américaine, lesquels remontent au Pacte de Quincy, conclu en février 1945 par le président Roosevelt et le roi Ibn Saoud, fondateur du royaume saoudien. […]

Cet article L’Arabie Saoudite et les États-Unis ont signé pour près de 110 milliards de dollars de contrats d’armement est apparu en premier sur Zone Militaire.

Longtemps réservées à

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Voici, selon nos informations, la composition du cabinet de Sylvie Goulard

Le nouveau chef de la diplomatie française a confirmé samedi à Lorient que ses nouvelles fonctions ne lui permettront plus d'assurer la présidence de la région.

Depuis trois ans, le Brésil vit au rythme du scandale Petrobas et des affaires de détournement de fonds publics et de corruption touchant sa classe politique. Une centaine d’élus font l’objet de soupçons, dont l’ancien président Lula, Dilma Rousseff, qui lui avait succédé en 2011. L’actuel chef de l’État, Michel Temer, n’est pas épargné non […]

Cet article Le Parquet national financier a ouvert une enquête sur un contrat d’armement au Brésil est apparu en premier sur Zone Militaire.

May 20, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The government militia Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claimed they killed the commander of the Sudan Liberation Movement Minni Minnaxwi (SLM-MM) during fierce clashes in North Darfur State on Saturday.

The RSF has managed to defeat the rebels and kill SLM-MM General Commander Juma Mundi, said RSF Commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, (aka Hametti) in statements to the official news agency SUNA on Saturday evening.

He added they also killed and captured a number of SLM-MM fighters without providing the details, seized six armoured vehicles and a number of armed vehicles with all their military equipment.

Hametti said they lost four militaries, including Colonel Hamdan al-Samih and a number of wounded.

The two parties traded accusations of breaching a unilateral cessation of hostilities they declared since last year.

The government says the rebels entered into the region from Libya where Khartoum claim they are based, while the SLM-MM says the government forces attacked their positions in North Darfur state.

The Sudanese government, Justice and Equality Movement and SLM-MM expressed willingness to resume peace talks in an informal consultations-meeting in Berlin on Friday 19 May.

The warring parties in the western Sudan diverge on the reference to the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur which is rejected by the two armed groups while the government says it is now part of the constitution.

(ST)

May 20, 2017 (JUBA) - Members of South Sudan's armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) have dismissed as untrue reports that their leader Riek Machar was replaced with his wife.

Angelina Teny addressing the international Women's Day in Juba, March 6, 2013 (ST)

Social media was awash with news that Angelina Teny had allegedly been appointed acting chairperson of the armed opposition movement.

But Machar's press secretary Lam Kuei Lam denied the veracity of the said document, describing it as “fake and forgery”.

He called on all supporters, members of the movement and South Sudanese not to believe the "fake" document claiming Angelina was acting chairperson of SPLM-IO.

“The document being circulated on social media about the appointment of Madam Angelina Jany Teny, as acting chairperson of the movement (SPLM-IO) under the leadership of Dr. Riek Machar Teny, is a fake document,” Kuei wrote on Facebook.

The document, rebel officials say, could have been circulated by government officials. Such a document is similar to the ones supporters of the government of President Salva Kiir have always circulated, purporting them to have been done by Machar.

Political analysts have always interpreted the motive for the circulation of faked documents in the name of Machar as part of the political campaign using propaganda to foment discontent within the leadership, with view aimed at encouraging split and disintegration into ethnic and family factions unable to challenge the government.

Such political machinations are designed to weaken the support base of Machar as the leader of the movement and to portray him as someone selfish and pursuing personal interest in the name of advocating for change and democracy while his actions in appointments shows the opposite.

(ST)

May 20, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudanese government forces killed 114 civilians in Yei, a town located about 100 miles from the capital, Juba between July 2016 and January 2017, the United Nations said.

Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) soldiers singing pro-war song (AFP file photo)

The U.N, in a new report, also documented various crimes of rape, looting and torture, allegedly committed by government forces in and around Yei town.

"Attacks were committed with an alarming degree of brutality and, like elsewhere in the country, appeared to have an ethnic dimension," partly reads a section of the U.N investigation report.

Yei, a relatively peaceful region until mid-last year, has lately been experiencing lots of clashes between government forces and the armed opposition troops loyal to ex-First Vice President, Riek Machar.

The U.N investigations report also highlights various cases of sexual violence, including rape, allegedly committed by pro-government forces on women and young girls in and around the town of Yei.

"In view of the restrictions of access faced by (the UN), the number of documented cases may only be a fraction of those actually committed. Some of the human rights violations and abuses committed in and around Yei may amount to war crimes and/or crimes against humanity and warrant further investigation,” it says.

ARMY DENIES ALLEGATIONS

South Sudan army spokesperson Colonel Santo Domic Chol has, however, dismissed the U.N report, describing it as “baseless”.

"This is not the first time the UN has accused the SPLA and tried to portray us as enemies of the people," Chol told Reuters.

“The SPLA is one of the biggest military institutions in the country and it accommodates people from different background and the whole SPLA cannot go out and rape citizens... so it has to be specific that we have seen two or three SPLA soldiers in such location committing such crimes,” he added.

The military official said President Salva Kiir ordered all army commanders in Yei to punish soldiers who committed gender-based violence.

Last week, two U.N agencies appealed to donors to step up support for people fleeing crisis-hit South Sudan as the $1.4 billion response plan remains 86 percent unfunded.

According to the U.N, the situation in war-torn South Sudan continues worsening, with a combination of conflict, drought and famine leading to further displacement and a rapid exodus of people fleeing one of the world's most severe crises.

South Sudan has reportedly now become the world's fastest growing refugee crisis with more than 1.8 million refugees, including one million children, having sought safety in Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Central African Republic (CAR).

South Sudan has witnessed renewed clashes between forces loyal to South Sudan President Kiir and the armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) backing the country's former First Vice-President, in spite of the August 2015 peace deal.

(ST)

Interrogé par le JDD, le premier ministre affirme sa volonté de mener la campagne aux législatives, tout en rappelant la priorité donnée à la réforme du code du travail.

Environ 300 personnes se sont rassemblées samedi 20 mai à Kanilai, ville natale et fief de Yahya Jammeh. L’occasion pour les supporters de l’Alliance pour la reconstruction et la construction patriotiques (APRC), parti de l’ancien dictateur gambien, de célébrer les cinq sièges remportés lors des élections législatives. Mais également de parler de l’avenir et d'essayer de se restructurer en l’absence du leader historique.

Cultural diversity &#8211 the driving force of change and development &#8211 is increasingly under threat, United Nations agencies today said, reaffirming support for the cultural diversity that stems from migration.