Top News Stories –

UK would have to ‘face the consequences’ of no-deal Brexit

The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier says British counterparts “never” told him during negotiations that the UK might opt to leave without a deal.

One senior EU figure describes the realisation of this in Brussels: “Oh my God, they haven’t got a plan… it’s like Lance Corporal Jones.”

Nato chief calls on Russia to save missile treaty

We have to be prepared for a world… with more Russian missiles.” So says Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who tells the BBC that time is running out to save the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty, signed by the US and USSR in 1987, which bans short and medium-range missiles. Both the US and Russia have suspended their obligations under the treaty, amid concern over Moscow’s plans for new weapons systems. Mr Stoltenberg says the Russian missiles are in “clear violation of the treaty”, being nuclear capable, mobile, very hard to detect, and able to reach European cities within a few minutes.

Twitter trends [from Trendinalia] – today from USA

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

• War in Afghanistan
  • Twelve people are killed and over 80 injured by two car bombs at a gate outside police headquarters in Kandahar, Afghanistan. (Reuters)
• Sinai insurgency
  • A suicide bombing kills two people in northern Sinai a day after four bodies were found decapitated. (Al Jazeera)
• President Donald Trump reports the United States Navy‘s USS Boxer “destroys” an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) drone in a “defensive action”, in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian drone reportedly came within 1,000 yards (3,000 ft) of the U.S. vessel and ignored multiple calls to stand down. (CNBC)

International relations

• Iran confirms its seizure of a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker traveling from the United Arab Emirates, and its 12 crewmembers, in the Persian Gulf last week. The tanker is being held at Qeshm Island, and is accused by Iran of smuggling oil. The United Arab Emirates denies owning or operating the tanker. (USA Today)
• Argentina–Iran relations
  • Argentine Justice and Human Rights Minister Germán Garavano says that all countries are responsible to extradite the Iranian accused of the AMIA bombing to Argentina in case they ever set foot on their soil. (Perspectiva Sur)

Law and crime

• Kyoto Animation arson attack
  • A 41-year old man sets fire to the main offices of Kyoto Animation, an animation studio based in Kyoto, Japan. At least 34 people are confirmed dead and 35 injured. Many of the victims are in their 20s and 30s, as well as being mostly female. (The Guardian)

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