UK leaves EU. Brexit happens!

BBC: Brexit: UK leaves the European Union.

The UK has officially left the European Union after 47 years of membership - and more than three years after it voted to do so in a referendum.

The historic moment, which happened at 23:00 GMT, was marked by both celebrations and anti-Brexit protests.

Candlelit vigils were held in Scotland, which voted to stay in the EU, while Brexiteers partied in London's Parliament Square.

Boris Johnson has vowed to bring the country together and "take us forward".
[.]
Britain joined what was then European Economic Community on 1 January, 1973, at the third attempt. Two years later the country voted by an overwhelming majority to remain in the bloc in the first nationwide referendum.

Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron held another referendum in June 2016, amid growing pressure from his own MPs and Nigel Farage's UK Independence Party.

Mr Cameron led the campaign to stay in the EU but lost by the narrow margin of 52% to 48% to the Leave campaign, fronted by fellow Conservative Boris Johnson.

Mr Cameron's successor as prime minister, Theresa May, repeatedly failed to get her version of an EU withdrawal agreement passed by Parliament and was replaced by Mr Johnson, who also failed to get his plans through.

Mr Johnson managed to secure an early general election in December last year, which he won with an 80 seat majority, on a promise to "get Brexit done".

[.] Most EU laws will continue to be in force - including the free movement of people - until 31 December, when the transition period comes to an end.

Four mudered in 24 hours in London, including yet another stabbing.

Daily Mail: Four murdered in 24 hours on yet another bloody weekend in London: another stabbing victim [and] two dead from beatings.

* The 54-year-old man found in Coldharbour Lane Brixton, after reports of fight
* He was taken to hospital but died at 10.10pm and two men, aged 62 and 64 arrested on suspicion of murder
* Death came hours after murder of eight-months pregnant Kellymary Fauvrelle
* Another man, in his 20s, was killed in Newham at 11.07pm yesterday
* And his death came hours before an 18-year-old man died in Walworth

The name of the killer of Kellymary Fauvrelle has not yet been released. Yet...

al-Reuters via Yahoo: Londonistan Mayor Sadiq Khan says working 'round the clock to get answers. 

Pregnant mom is London's 64th stabbing fatality this year.

The Guardian: Baby delivered after pregnant woman stabbed to death in London.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman who was about eight months pregnant was stabbed to death on Saturday.

Paramedics delivered the 26-year-old woman’s baby as she was dying, after they found her at a residential address in Croydon, south London.

The child was taken to hospital and the Metropolitan police said it remained in a “critical condition”.

A 37-year-old man was arrested and is being held in custody while officers from of the Met’s Homicide and Serious Crime Command launched an investigation.
[.]
The Met said officers were “keeping an open mind”* as to what might have motivated the attack. The woman’s next of kin have been informed although she has yet to be formally identified.

* WTF does that mean?

2019 London Stabbings, via Daily Mail

Daily Mail: Stabbing victim identified as Kellymary Fauvrelle, age 26.

Theresa May steps down.

And on time!

India Today: Theresa May steps down as party chief, igniting leadership race.

British Prime Minister Theresa May stepped down as leader of the governing Conservatives on Friday, officially triggering a contest to replace her that could see her party embrace a tougher stance on Brexit.

Theresa May announced she would step down last month after failing to deliver Britain's departure from the European Union on time, deepening a political crisis in a divided country struggling to move on from a 2016 referendum on Brexit.

She will continue to work as prime minister until her party elects a new leader, a crowded race that will be defined by Brexit and competing approaches on how to deliver Britain's biggest foreign policy shift in more than 40 years.

"For the remainder of her time in office, she will be building on the domestic agenda that she has put at the heart of her premiership," her spokeswoman told reporters.

Those pesky "domestic agendas". They're such an endless to-do list.

I wonder if she ever found that charming Brexit chap?

Theresa May's resignation births epic memes.

Daily Mail: Theresa May's resignation on Friday sparked a series of Memes and Tweets.

Homes Under the Hammer (a British renovation and auction television series)

Hit the Daily Mail link for more Tweets.

Now, an avalanche of May-related Memes spawned by the below Eylon Levy Tweet.

Indy100: The 'haunting' image of Theresa May crying during resignation speech becomes a meme.

[May's] crying face was splashed across the front pages of newspapers as she tearfully told the British public that she bears "no ill-will" at vacating her position, and, as she broke down in tears, said she has "enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love".

It all began with a well-meaning tweet.

News anchor Eylon Levy, upon learning of May's resignation, tweeted a picture of her crying and wrote:

    "This is such a haunting photo. Whatever you think about Theresa May's record as prime minister, it's impossible not to feel sorry for her has a person."

And the Memes began:

Hit the Indy100 link for more Memes.

And she's gone...Theresa May resigns.

BBC: Theresa May resigns over Brexit: What happened?

In an emotional statement outside her office in Downing St, Mrs May finally announced she was stepping down as prime minister.

She will quit as Conservative party leader on 7 June but will stay in office until a successor is found.

 So...June 7th plus one second?

 

Theresa May greeted by nobody. Brexit metaphor...

Mirror: Theresa May arrives in Berlin; no one to greet her.

Theresa May arrived in Berlin for crunch talks this morning - but in yet another awkward Brexit metaphor, nobody was there to greet her.

The Prime Minister's car pulled up at the Chancellery ahead of her meeting with Angela Merkel.
[.]
It's an excruciating re-run of scenes in December when she pulled up at the very same spot, only to find herself locked in her car.

Re-enactment of Theresa May locked in her car.

Brexit Breakfast Sausage. May wants fourth chance at bat. Brexiting is Hard To Do.

Brexit Breakfast Sausage keeps on grinding...

Legislation Sausage-making

CNN: Brexit protests bring London gridlock.

News Times: Theresa May's third Brexit attempt voted down.

Daily Mail: Theresa May seeks fourth time at bat. I guess, the third time is no longer a charm? 

Express: Canada warns tourists of Brexit protest violence.

The Mirror: Sky News reporter caught on tape saying "Bollucks" on-air.

Glamour Magazine: Londonistan Mayor Sadiq Khan pens Op/Ed in defense of womens' rights and Brexit deal-no deal.

Yeah...whole lotta UK'ers feeling like this.

Six people who can reach a better consensus and plan

than 99.9% of any group of politicians on the planet.

Brexiting is hard to do.

'Global Britain', UK putting on Big Boy Pants (again?)

The London School of Economics and Political Science: 'Global Britain': Have we lost our marbles?

In an extract from their new United Nations Association report, Jess Gifkins (University of Manchester), Samuel Jarvis (University of Southampton) and Jason Ralph (University of Leeds) warn that Brexit – alongside other factors – is likely to shrink Britain’s global influence.

Whilst the phrase Global Britain has a range of historical connotations, it has been taken on by the UK government as the defining phrase to encapsulate the UK’s foreign policy post-Brexit. Yet despite significant rhetorical references to the phrase, there is still no clarity on what Global Britain might mean, even from a UK perspective.
[.]
Perceptions from the British elite on the impact of Brexit on the UK’s reputation in the UN are bleak. An anonymous interviewee described perceptions of the UK currently as “we’ve lost our marbles” and Former UK Ambassador to the UN Sir Jeremy Greenstock reported that “most other people – almost without exception – think we’ve shot ourselves in the foot”.

Don't miss the (only 16 pages) pdf: Global Britain in the United Nations.

Theresa May: Nine-month Brexit Delay?

Daily Mail: Article 50 extension means 9 month delay.

Downing Street has refused to say whether the Government would be duty bound to accept a cross-party bid led by Yvette Cooper to delay Brexit for up to nine months – while International Development Secretary Liam Fox said the backbenchers’ plot was ‘impossible’.

The Guardian: More on Article 50.

Rarely have 250 words been so important – five short, obscure paragraphs in a European treaty that have suddenly become valuable political currency in the aftermath of Britain’s decision to leave the EU.

The Irish Examiner: Brexit's Smoke and Mirrors.

It is worthy of the principal British Brexiteers who foresee a glorious future for the UK once it leaves the union. They ignore the fact that many British businesses are extremely concerned about the implications of Brexit, exemplified by the exodus of a number of multinationals from the UK.

Evening Standard: Dyson moves head office from UK to Singapore (but, of course, not due to Brexit):

Billionaire businessman Sir James Dyson is relocating his company's head office from the UK to Singapore in a blow to Brexit Britain.

The move, announced on Tuesday, means Dyson is no longer a British registered company, with Singapore now becoming its main tax base.

But the 71-year-old vacuum cleaner tycoon has been heavily criticised for the move after he publicly backed Brexit during the 2016 referendum.

Brexit Tuesday? It's Tuesday across the Pond.

The Telegraph (via Yahoo): What time is Brexit?

Bloomberg: Theresa May faces worst gov defeat in 95 years.

BBC: Welsh MPs to vote down EU deal.

BBC: Scottish MPs ready.

Market Watch: Why investors outside the UK should care.

The Independent: This mess belongs to May.

The Independent: Corbyn plots May's downfall.

World News

BBC: Polish mayor dies after being stabbed.

The mayor of the Polish city of Gdansk has died in hospital, a day after being stabbed at a charity event.

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BBC: Ground Zero artwork with Saudi flag removed.

Following the complaints, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey confirmed that it is moving all 20 sculptures from its current site in the World Trade Center complex.

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SMH: Australian woman texts "Help me"; detained by Thai government.

A week after she was due back in Sydney, Claire Johnson messaged a friend saying she was "so scared" and asked her to contact the consulate.

- - -
Daily Star: A no-deal Brexit would force over 1 million Brits to retake driving test.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has warned overseas motorists they need to exchange their UK licences for a European one before March 29.

On Tuesday British Prime Minister Theresa May is facing a crunch vote to get her Brexit deal through Commons.

BBC: Theresa May says Brexit opponents not acting in the interests of the people.

She said her "absolute conviction" was that the UK and EU would be able to finalise their future relationship by the end of 2020, meaning the backstop would never be needed.

- - -
People's Daily: Detained Canadians in China and diplomatic immunity.

China on Monday said Canada's criticism on China's detention of two Canadian citizens is groundless, noting one of them has no "diplomatic immunity."

Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed earlier that coercive measures have been taken against two Canadians suspected of jeopardizing China's national security.

- - -
BBC: China sentences Canadian man to death for drug smuggling.

Robert Lloyd Schellenberg was originally given a 15-year jail term in 2018 but after an appeal the court said the sentence was too lenient.

Monday's ruling comes weeks after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, a top official at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, on a request from the US.

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NPR: Gays purged in Chechnya.

Around 40 people have been detained and another two killed in the latest crackdown on Chechnya's LGBT community, Russian activists say.

The "new wave of persecution" started at the end of December, the Russian LGBT Network say in a statement on Monday.

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Tech entry - Ars Technia: Get paid to Hack this Tesla.

Now in its 13th year, [Pwn2Own has been the foremost hacking competition] ... is adding a new category—a Tesla Model 3, with more than $900,000 worth of prizes available for attacks that subvert a variety of its onboard systems.
[.]
The biggest prize will be $250,000 for hacks that execute code on the car’s gateway, autopilot, or VCSEC. A gateway is the central hub that interconnects the car’s powertrain, chassis, and other components and processes the data they send.

World News

EU (still) Making Sausages Reforms in Copyright Laws

This is a Must Read by, and at, Julia Reda.com. 

Article 13 is almost finished – and it will change the internet as we know it.

... EU copyright reform law have resumed: After missing the original Christmas deadline, negotiators for the European Parliament and Council are now aiming to finalise the text on January 21, 2019.

The negotiators have reached agreement on the core of Article 13, which will change the internet as we know it: They want to make internet platforms directly liable for any copyright infringements their users commit.

What remains to be decided: Exactly what lengths will platforms need to go to to avoid or limit their liability? Just how much they will need to restrict our ability to post and share our creations online?

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NYT: New caravan forming in Honduras.

More than 300,000 Central Americans entered Mexico last year, most of them illegally, and an estimated 80 percent of them were bound for the United States border, Ms. Sánchez Cordero said.

- - -
Reuters: PG&E multi-billion dollar bankruptcy?

PG&E, which carries a hefty debt load of more than $18 billion, is expected to soon disclose a large financial charge related to liabilities resulting from catastrophic November blazes.

- - -
France 24: Macron looks to calm the Yellow Vests.

Macron's initiative comes after nine weeks of protests by the "yellow vests" -- named after the high-visibility jackets they wear. The disparate anti-government uprising has wreaked havoc in Paris and French cities, shaken the economy and challenged his authority.

BBC: Yellow Vests disable 60% of speed cameras.

Good for them!
- - -
Sky News: Polish mayor stabbed on stage.

Pawel Adamowicz, who is the mayor of Gdansk, was attacked in front of hundreds of onlookers in the city during an event in aid of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity.

Doctors said he underwent five hours of surgery for wounds to his heart and abdomen but that "the next hours will decide everything".
[.]
According to Polish broadcaster TVN, the suspect shouted from the stage and claimed that he had been wrongly imprisoned by the previous government.

Sky News: Stage of stabbing attack.

- - -
The Diplomat: China's interest in Antarctica, space, the moon AND Antarctica.

China views exploration of outer space as part of its overall national development. Its space-based BeiDou 2 system aims for global coverage by 2020. Furthermore, China aims to have a human-crewed space station by 2020-22 and a space-based solar power station by 2050, all to protect China’s national interests. Comparable to its actions in Antarctica, Chinese nationalistic goals and somewhat imperialistic advance will likely determine the shape of future conflict.

- - -
ING: Why a Brexit delay is likely.

 ...it’s worth noting that there are at least two ways the law-making process alone could force a Brexit delay.

BBC: "Brexit Box" survival kits flying off shelves.

"People from all over the UK are buying it and those that can afford more are purchasing more than just the Brexit box, perhaps the three-month or six month packs."

BBC: Theresa May says no Brexit more likely than no deal.

Labour has vowed to table a vote of no confidence if Mrs May loses.

Its leader Jeremy Corbyn said Labour would vote against the deal and would start moves to trigger a general election if it is voted down.

Daily Mail: Boris stirs up the anti-Mays.

9 News: May says no deal means catastrophe.
- - -
GLB News: The already overcrowded 2020 declared Dem presidential candidates.

Easier to raise hands if you're a Dem and not running for president.
- - -
SMH: Australia, where some workers choose lifestyle over pay.
- - -
Singapore Straits: Stowaway bird appears 12 hours into flight.

Business-class passengers [were] greeted by [ a mynah bird ]  about 12 hours into the flight. A typical Singapore-London flight takes about 14 hours.

My mind is completely blank. Can't think of a one-or-two-liner on the stowaway bird. Anyone?

World News

Op/Ed - NY Post: Trump withdraw from Syria too soon.

...such an abrupt withdrawal is precisely the kind of mistake President Barack Obama made in Iraq — leaving an enormous vacuum for Russia, Iran and extremist groups to fill and abdicating any US influence in the area.

- - -
Arizona's U.S. Senator Jeff Flake, (Pretend Republican/Apologist) co-sponsors a bill fighting climate change. KTAR:

The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act would place a $15 fee on each metric ton of carbon dioxide emitted.

The fee would rise by $10 each year, and all of its net revenues would be given back to taxpayers as a monthly dividend.

The E-I-C-D-A (You know Flake is itching to use that) is the "We Didn't Listen" argument.
- - -
SMH: Global financial heart attack is months away.

Surging borrowing costs for companies in the US and Europe threaten a recession within months and resemble events leading up to the global credit "heart attack" in August 2007.

- - -
The Democrats will try this next: Both presidential candidates claim win. France24:

Andry Rajoelina and Marc Ravalomanana -- who have each held the top job in the impoverished country before -- declared themselves winners in the run-off which analysts warned was likely to draw claims of fraud.

Only the Dems would assure us of no election fraud. As long as they win.

- - -

"Look, in that car! It's Jeff Goldblum!"  "Who?"

NBC LA: In Five years, 10 million more vehicles through LAX. 

There has been a 10 million vehicle increase from 2012 to 2017 at Los Angeles International Airport, much of that starting in 2015 when the city gave services like Uber and Lyft the green light[.]

- - -
The Inquirer: Was Facebook giving user data to other Big Tech?

A devastating report from the New York Times suggests that Facebook has been playing fast and loose with its users' privacy, giving special access to more than 150 high-profile companies, including Microsoft, Apple and Amazon.

The BBC: Facebook's data sharing secrets exposed.

"Time and again Facebook has been unable to clearly and in plain language explain to people how the company is collecting, storing, sharing, and retaining people's data," a spokeswoman for Privacy International told the BBC.

- - -
Corbyn denies calling May "stupid woman." The Irish News:

Jeremy Corbyn was forced to deny calling Theresa May a "stupid woman" as the final prime minister's questions of the year sparked a heated row over misogyny.

Lincolnshire Live - Lipreader says maybe Corbyn did call her that, or didn't.

However, a lip reader from Lincoln Joanne Hunter has given her verdict on what she thinks he said.

She said: "I have looked at his lipreading and there are two words. I think he said...(Argh! The Suspense. You'll have to read the story).

The Irish Examiner: 99 Days Til Brexit.
- - -

The Korea Herald - China detains THIRD Canadian.

China has arrested a third Canadian national, Ottawa said Wednesday -- a move that comes amid an already tense diplomatic spat with Beijing over the arrest of a Chinese telecom executive.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau however emphasized that the arrest did not seem to be linked to a former diplomat and an entrepreneur held for allegedly endangering China's national security.

"We are looking into the details (but) this most recent one doesn't seem to fit the pattern set by the previous two," Trudeau told a press conference.

- - -
The Age - Award-winning journalist quits after discovery he committed fraud on a grand scale:

Claas Relotius, 33, a staff writer known for vivid investigative stories. The magazine said Relotius resigned on Monday after admitting some of his articles included made-up material from interviews that never happened.

Claas...Coming Soon on CNN!
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9News: Man facing jail term for... doing things you don't do.

WTFIWWP ?
- - -
Flights suspended due to drones over runways. The Telegraph:

A police helicopter was called in after two unmanned drones were reportedly sighted near a runway, forcing the airport to halt all flights and warn of possible knock-on disruption on Thursday.

Fox News - Mom and daughter arrested; attempted to send contraband to prison using drone:

A mother and daughter who police said were "hoping to spread some holiday cheer" were arrested and accused of flying a drone packed with...tobacco and cellphones to [wait for it]...[the husband/father of the wife/daughter].

Give 'em a break. It's Christmas.

World News

Former Apprentice staffer claims Trump "abused Adderall." NZ Herald:

Noel Casler allegedly worked in talent logistics [and claims], [President Trump], "... gets nervous and he crushes up these pills. That's why he's sniffing when you see him in debates, and when you see him reading."

- - -
The Guardian - U.S. Gov Shutdown Looms:

Monday brought few signs of progress in solving a dispute between Republicans and Democrats over keeping the government open. A partial shutdown that could occur at midnight Friday[.]

- - -

SMH - Twitter hacked by 'state sponsored actors'?:

Twitter observed a large amount of traffic to the customer support site coming from individual internet IP addresses in China and Saudi Arabia.

"While we cannot confirm intent or attribution for certain, it is possible that some of these IP addresses may have ties to state-sponsored actors," the blog said.

- - -
TRT World - Russia meddled in social media in U.S. politics:

Russia’s sweeping political disinformation campaign on US social media was more far-reaching than originally thought, with troll farms working to discourage black voters and “blur the lines between reality and fiction”[.]

This story will never make sense to me. How is the above any different from me (or any other blogger or writer, or group of,) writing a factual, fictional, or embellished blog entry on Hillary Clinton, or Theresa May or any other public figure seeking office? Unless people have more faith in social media than I ever thought possible and they really believe that "it must be true, I read it on the internets."
- - -
Daily Mail - Goldman Sachs hit by Malaysia fraud scandal:

Goldman Sachs has been hit with fraud charges in Malaysia after allegedly helping to pillage £2.1 billion from a sovereign wealth fund.
[.]
It is the latest twist in a saga which has been catastrophic for Goldman's reputation, with shares down over a third this year. The stock was hit again yesterday, dropping nearly 3 per cent in New York.

- - -

CSM: No-deal Brexit brings risk of traffic gridlock:

In the event of a major backlog at the Port of Dover, 50 miles away, this stretch of highway would become a temporary truck park.

What kind of calamity might cause such a monstrous snarl-up?

In a word, Brexit.

The Herald-Scotland - Corbyn increases pressure on Theresa May with no-confidence vote:

Jeremy Corbyn has sought to pile the pressure on Theresa May by tabling a no-confidence vote in her[.]

The Scotsman - May dares Labour to topple government:

Theresa May has dared Labour to try and topple her government after she announced the Commons would not vote on her proposed Brexit deal until the middle of January[.]

- - -
Protesters converge on Hungary public broadcaster. AFP:

Anti-government protests in Hungary hit the country's public broadcaster on Monday, with the opposition galvanised by the furious reaction to a controversial new labour law.
[.]
MPs had demanded access to the studios to read out a petition against the government and what they call its "slave" labour law.

MTVA security guards forcibly ejected independent MPs Akos Hadhazy and Bernadett Szel, sparking criticism online.

World News

Japan Today - Theresa May survives; Brexit still teeters:

...200 Conservative lawmakers voted in support of May as leader, 117 dissented, indicating opposition not only from several dozen supporters of a hard Brexit but also from many more pragmatic lawmakers - and signalling that she was no nearer to passing her EU divorce agreement.

- - -
Singapore Straits Times -  China to reduce auto tariffs; buy more soy:

...the moves by Beijing will "prove that President Trump was right when he announced his summary of the talks" held recently with China's President Xi Jinping, [said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross].

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The Local (FR) - Photo of suspect Cherif Chekatt, Strasbourg gunman:

French police tweeted out a public appeal for help in hunting down the gunman. Members of the public are warned not to approach "the dangerous individual" but to alert authorities[.]

Cherif Chekatt. Photo: Police Nationale

France24 live coverage.

TASS - Russia calls Strasbourg "act of terror."

"Recent events once again prove that it is necessary to promptly join efforts of the entire international community facing a threat of terrorism," the foreign ministry said.

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Italy News Net - Pope removes two scandalous cardinals.

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Italian Narco King captured in Argentina after eight year manhunt. Daily Mail:

Giancarlo Massidda was nabbed during a raid in the Buenos Aires city of Berazategui on Tuesday. [.]

... Massidda had been living in the area under a false identity after he escaped from Italy in 2010 while under house arrest.

It is unknown how long he was living in the South American country.

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DW - Germany inks big lithium deal with Bolivia: 

Lithium deposits hidden below Bolivia's Uyuni salt flat are believed to be the largest in the world. On Wednesday, Germany's privately owned ACI Systems agreed to a partnership with Bolivian state company YLB to exploit the element.

Lithium. The new petrol. I couldn't find any sites advocated for keeping lithium in the ground.
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RT: Migrants at border want $50K from U.S. to go home.

Two groups of Central American migrants, a fraction of the 7,000-strong human tide that massed at the border during US elections, are demanding speedy approval of their asylum claims – or $50,000 to go home.

Good luck with that. Drop a note and let us know how it turns out.
- - -
Asia News - Japan approves tech that will allow jamming hostile satellites:

The new national defense guidelines are characterized as reinforcement of counter-capabilities in new domains including space, cyberspace and electromagnetic waves. 

World News

ITV - Four dead in Strasbourg shooting; search for 'extremist' gunman:

A suspected extremist is on the run after a shooting which left four people dead near a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg.

French authorities have launched a terror investigation into the shooting, which left several others injured, some seriously.

The 29-year-old alleged gunman has a criminal record and, according to the prefect of the Strasbourg region, was known by the security services as a suspected extremist.

France 24 - Live coverage

MEPs stranded. France 24:

The European Parliament in Strasbourg was under lockdown late Tuesday after a deadly shooting near a Christmas market rocked the eastern French city, shocking and stranding hundreds of MEPs, staff and officials.

ISIS celebrates Strasbourg shooting. The Express:

No terrorist group has officially claimed responsibility yet, but ISIS supporters have boasted the attack happened just “days after our threats.”

- - -
Detained Huawei exec granted bail - The International News: 

A Canadian judge granted bail Tuesday [Meng Wanzhou,] a top Huawei executive after her arrest on a US warrant, in a case that has frayed relations between the North American allies and China.

[She] is is wanted by US authorities for violating Iran sanctions but Beijing has expressed outrage over her detention and is holding a former Canadian diplomat in China, intensifying the row.

Hong Kong Free Press: China detains Canadian, believed to be former diplomat:

“We are aware of the situation of a Canadian detained in China. We have been in direct contact with the Chinese,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters, adding that Ottawa was taking his arrest “very seriously.”

- - -
These are the...

Sky News: Theresa May on brink of leadership challenge.

Web Financial Group - May tours "like a child":

May toured European capitals like a child presenting a parent with a new toy broken on Christmas morning. She gained plenty of sympathy but also stern reminder that there would be no renegotiation or quick fixes.

ITV: May fights, critics circle.

Aspen Daily News: May heads to Ireland.

The Irish Times: Ireland "collateral damage" in Brexit.

New Statesman: May in Tory Trouble.

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China.org: Church shooting in Brazil leaves five dead.
- - -
Stuff (NZ/AU)- Bodies scattered, truck veers into pedestrians.

Police were told the truck, carrying bricks, was travelling south on Botany Road when it veered into northbound lanes before hitting a power pole, a bus stop, a building and pedestrians.

- - -
The Independent (IE) - A street paved with milk chocolate:

...a tonne of chocolate flowed out of a factory and solidified.
[.]
After hitting the chilly pavement, the milk chocolate quickly hardened.

World News

Brexit on, off, or?

The Express: Second Referendum planned to save Brexit.

Daily Mail: Lib Dem says Brexit won't happen. Or,  'hell of a backlash'.

ING: It's A Mess.

DW: May warns of risk if no Brexit.

Business Standard: Brexit defeat could topple UK.

The Irish Times: Psychologists try to make sense of Brexit.

- - -

UNIAN: Russian inference in "yellow jacket" protests probe opens.

The Mirror: Macron apologizes, "I'm sorry," to nation.

President Emmanuel Macron will deliver an 'I'm sorry' TV address and announce further tax cuts after nationwide riots have rocked France.

On Sunday a Parisien newspaper reported that ‘after eight days of silence, the head of state’ has told supporters ‘he will speak on Monday night on television to respond to the angry French’.

Sky News: Over 1,700 yellow vests arrested.

The Algemeiner: Paris cleans up.

Workers in Paris swept up broken glass and towed away burnt-out cars on Sunday after the latest violent “yellow vest” protest[.]

The Irish Independent: Yellow vest protests an economic disaster for France, says finance minister.
 

- - -
BBC: Saudis refuse Turkish extradition request for Khashoggi killer suspects.

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, "We do not extradite our citizens."

- - -
SCMP: Why was Huawei's CFO Meng Wanzhou arrested now?

Western spy agencies have long been aware of Huawei’s intelligence-gathering function, and have exploited their knowledge to feed the Chinese with misleading information in a classic “Concordski” ploy.

- - -

Times of India: Putin's daughter appears on television.

...an interview on state TV with a woman who has been described as [Putin's]  daughter.

Putin's daughter?

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The HR Director: Are you getting enough sleep? 

- - -

WTOP: Slide-show of the snowfall out east. 

- - -

SMH: HORROR STORIES from the fast food industry. 

A customer threatened to kill a shop assistant and their entire family if they refused to remake a cheeseburger that was too cold.
[.]
"It's not just fast food, it happens everywhere."
[.]
Zackary Stereff from central Queensland said he was physically abused at a fast food drive through.

"I asked for the correct money and the customer threw a black sock full of 50 cent pieces into my stomach," he said. "It left me with a bruise."

Theresa May's Brexit in Uncharted Waters

From WA Today:

Britain's Brexit minister on Sunday insists a crucial vote on Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal would go ahead after a newspaper reported she planned to delay it to make way for a last-minute dash to Brussels to seek a better offer.

Because you haven't heard enough about Brexit

UK News front page Brexit "humiliation on a historic scale." The The Guardian:

Front pages paint a grim picture of Theresa May’s horror day in parliament

Grim. Nice of them in describing it so kindly.

UK front page composite: The Guardian