⊂ EUROPE ⊃
Pro-Brexit campaign miscalculated: During the EU referendum the official Vote Leave campaign decked out a bus with the words „we send the EU 350 million pounds a week, let’s fund our NHS instead“. At the time, the government’s official statistician raised concerns over the figure. But research by the „Financial Times“ suggests the value of Britain’s output is now around 0.9 per cent lower than it would likely have been if the UK had stayed in the EU.
bild.de, ft.com
A divided campaign in Catalonia: The Catalan separatist challenge culminated in a unilateral declaration of independence at the Catalan Parliament last October. A move that led to the Spanish government to trigger article 155, taking control of Catalan regional institutions and calling for regional elections. The former president of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont is self-exiled in Brussels, while the former vice-President and leader of the left-wing party, ERC, remains in prison.
euronews.com
Yemen rebels fire missile at Saudi capital: Rebels in Yemen fired a ballistic missile on Tuesday at Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, for a second time in two months, though Saudi officials said that it had been intercepted and that there were no casualties. Videos on social media purport to show the missile, which Houthi rebels say they had aimed at a Saudi royal palace, exploding in a white cloud over the city’s skyline. The incident is the second time in recent months that Saudis said they intercepted a missile aimed at Riyadh.
npr.org, nytimes.com
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US tax bill moves to Senate: The Republican-controlled US Congress is expected to confirm the most sweeping overhaul of the US tax system in more than three decades. The House of Representatives approved the legislation comfortably on Tuesday, but the vote is likely to be closer in the Senate. Officials in Russia and China pushed back on Tuesday against the characterisation of their countries as threats to the United States in a new national security doctrine published by the White House a day earlier.
bbc.com, nytimes.com
⊂ QUOTES ⊃
„When we have this kind of alliance, there is a sort of tug of war, who will prevail upon the other. But the basic values upon which the Austrian democracy is built are very resilient.“
Dimitris Avramopoulos, the EU’s Commissioner for Migration, criticises the new coalition government in Austria.
euronews.com
⊂ COUNTRIES ⊃
Merkel attends Christmas market bombing memorial: A year after the German Christmas market bombing which killed 12 people and injured dozens more, Chancellor Angela Merkel attended a ceremony at the site. Merkel has come under fire for her government’s response. Families have said they were not given timely information and that they were sent bills for the costs of autopsies. Merkel said Germany should learn from security shortcomings and increase aid to survivors and families of victims. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier told the bereaved and emergency workers that it was true that some support came late and remained unsatisfactory.
euronews.com, theguardian.com, reuters.com
Protest in Romania over legal system changes: Dozens of judges and prosecutors have staged another protest against lawmakers who are currently passing laws that they say will stymie the legal system in Romania. Among other proposed changes are a move to ban public statements about investigations and trials. Meanwhile Tuesday, senators approved an amendment obliging the state to seek damages from prosecutors and judges in the case of a judicial error made „in bad faith“ or due to „grave negligence.“
foxnews.com
Germany could send more soldiers to Afghanistan: Germany’s defence minister said on Tuesday she wanted to boost the German presence in Afghanistan. Ursula von der Leyen added that the German parliament would have to approve any additional deployments. Germany currently has 980 soldiers stationed in the Hindu Kush mountains as part of a NATO mission to train Afghan security forces, the second biggest national contingent after the United States.
reuters.com
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shoepassion.com
Turkish court lifts travel ban against German academic: Sociologist Sharo Garip was released on Tuesday and granted permission to return to his home city of Cologne in western Germany. The 51-year-old had been barred from leaving Turkey since the beginning of 2016 over terror propaganda charges. Although he’s now free to leave, he will have to return in February, 2018, when his trial is set to continue. One Monday, German journalist Mesale Tolu was released from custody after more than seven months of pre-trial detention.
dw.com
Great Britain: Prime Minister May meets US President Trump politico.eu
⊂ JOB-BOARD ⊃
politjobs.eu: Bitkom sucht Referent europäische Digitalpolitik (w/m) *** Int. Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory seeks Innovation Project Manager *** Int. Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory seeks Project Assistant for EU Funded Projects *** PwC seeks Public Affairs Senior Manager Belgium *** Johnson & Johnson seeks Policy Assistant, Government Affairs & Policy EMEA *** Public Policy Manager, Connectivity *** Ryanair offers Public Affairs internship
politjobs.eu, politjobs.eu/submit (Inserat schalten)
⊂ MALFUNCTION ⊃
Poor vetting sinks Trump’s nominee for federal judge: One of US President Donald Trump’s federal judge nominees has withdrawn after he was unable to answer basic questions during his confirmation hearing about the courtroom process, showed little familiarity with federal trial rules and acknowledged that he had never prosecuted or defended a case. A clip of the exchange between the nominee, Matthew Petersen, and Senator John N. Kennedy, Republican of Louisiana, became a viral sensation and drew ridicule across the internet.
nytimes.com