NORTH AMERICA UK AUSTRALIA - Amazon Web Services · an impeachment investigation. Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s outspoken former campaign manager, was scheduled to appear to discuss

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September 17 (Gmt) – September 18 (AeSt), 2019

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Step towards impeachment

As they investigate President Donald Trump, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee will hold their first official hearing in what they are calling an impeachment investigation. Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s outspoken former campaign manager, was scheduled to appear to discuss former special counsel Robert Mueller’s report. But it was unlikely that Democrats would get much new information from Lewandowski.

No end in sight to GM strike

Talks were set to resume on Tuesday, but there was no end to the strike against General Motors. Brian Rothenberg, spokesman for the UAW, said: “They are talking, they’ve made progress, we’ll see how long it takes.” The walkout by upward of 49,000 United Auto Workers members has brought to a standstill more than 50 factories and parts warehouses in the union’s first strike against the No.1 US automaker in over a decade.

Trump to welcome Morrison

Donald Trump will pull out all the stops to give Scott Morrison the kind of brassy, pageant-filled welcome only the United States can give. The US president will host the prime minister in Washington DC this week for formal meetings and an official state dinner – just the second Trump has thrown in his nearly three years in office. There will be no less than three official welcomes within his first 24 hours in the American capital, complete with red carpet on the airport tarmac.

Court to decide prorogue lawful

The UK’s highest court has been urged to find that Boris Johnson’s advice to the Queen to suspend Parliament was “of no legal effect”. Eleven Supreme Court justices were asked at the start of a historic hearing on Tuesday to declare that the Prime Minister’s decision to prorogue Parliament for five weeks was unlawful. The judges are to hear argument over three days arising out of two separate challenges brought in England and Scotland.

Minister dismisses Brexit ‘stunt’

A member of Boris Johnson’s Cabinet has dismissed Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel’s attack over Brexit as a “stunt”. A podium set up for the UK’s Prime Minister was left empty as Bettel delivered an onslaught against Johnson’s handling of Brexit following their meeting in Luxembourg. Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said the situation had been an “unfortunate media stunt” and defended the Government’s handling of talks with the European Union.

Ardern to visit Japan, US

New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has teed up a first formal meeting with United States president Donald Trump as part of an 11-day overseas trip. Ardern will leave Wellington and her party’s political turmoil behind as she embarks on a visit to Japan and the USA. While in New York, she will be feted at the United Nations where she will give a keynote speech and will meet with UN secretary general Antonio Guterres.

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Isreal goes to the polls again

Israelis have begun voting in an unprecedented repeat election that will decide whether longtime Prime Minister Benjamin netanyahu stays in power. Netanyahu, the longest-serving leader in Israeli history, is seeking a fourth consecutive term in office, and fifth overall. But he faces a stiff challenge from retired military chief Benny Gantz, whose centrist Blue and White party is running even with Netanyahu’s Likud.

Tragedy as truck falls off cliff

Twenty villagers have been killed and 14 others injured when the truck they were riding in lost control and fell off a cliff in a remote mountain village in the southern Philippines. Provincial police chief Joel Limson said the truck was negotiating a downhill road in Tboli town in South Cotabato province when its brakes apparently failed and plummeted down a ravine, killing 15 people. five other victims later died in hospitals, Limson said.

MPs call off spill against premier

Rebel Liberal MPs angry at NSW Premier gladys Berejiklian have called off a leadership spill motion against her. Tanya Davies, Lou Amato and Matthew Mason-Cox announced they would call an “empty chair” spill motion against the premier. But in a statement this morning the MPs said they would withdraw the motion. The backdown came after senior Liberal ministers came out in support of Berejiklian ahead of a liberal party room meeting.

Migrants turfed from camp

french police are evacuating at least 900 migrants from a gym and a nearby tent camp near the English Channel, citing concerns about security and hygiene. A spokesman for the Nord region said the migrants being removed from the town of grande Synthe include an unspecified number of children with their families. Local media said the migrants include many Kurds from Iraq. A court ordered the migrants removed.

Renzi resigns from ruling party

former italian premier matteo renzi has left the ruling Democratic Party to set up a new centrist force, in a risky move that further weakens an already shaky government forged only two weeks ago by the centre-left Democrats and the populist 5-Star Movement. Renzi announced his departure with a social media post, saying “I have decided to leave the PD (Democrats) and to build together with others a new house to do politics differently.”

Classrooms gutted by blaze

An early morning blaze has gutted a block of four classrooms at Russley School in Christchurch. fire crews were called to the primary school in the morning to find one building well alight. They fought the flames from inside the classrooms to stop it from spreading to an attached administration block. One person was at the school when the fire started, and nobody was hurt. The cause of the fire was not known. The school was closed for the day.

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NORTH AMERICA

Striking UAW workers outside a gm facility in ohio. – AP

No end in sight to General Motors strikeTalks are set to resume after a pause overnight, but there was no end to the strike against General Motors.

Brian Rothenberg, spokesman for the UAW, said: “They are talking, they’ve made progress, we’ll see how long it takes.”

The walkout by upward of 49,000 United Auto Workers members has brought to a standstill more than 50 factories and parts warehouses in the union’s first strike against the no. 1 US automaker in over a decade.

Workers left factories and formed picket lines shortly after midnight Monday in the dispute over a new four-year contract. The union’s top negotiator said in a letter to the company that the strike could have been averted had the company made its latest offer sooner.

The letter dated Sunday suggests that the company and union are not as far apart as the rhetoric leading up to the strike had indicated. Negotiations continued Monday in Detroit after breaking off during the weekend.

But rothenberg said the sides have come to terms on only 2 per cent of the contract. “We’ve got 98 per cent to go,” he said.

Asked about the possibility of federal mediation, President Donald Trump said it was possible if the company and union wanted it.

“Hopefully they’ll be able to work out the GM strike quickly,” Trump said before leaving the White House for New Mexico. “Hopefully, they’re going to work it out quickly and solidly.”

On the picket line at GM’s transmission plant in Toledo, Ohio, workers who said they had been with the company for more than 30 years were concerned for younger colleagues who are making less money under GM’s two-tier wage scale and have fewer benefits.

Paul Kane, a 42-year gm employee, said much of what the union is fighting for will not affect him.

“It’s not right when you’re working next to someone, doing the same job and they’re making a lot more money,” he said. “They should be the making the same as me. They’ve got families to support.” ■

President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, right, and his

lawyer Peter Chavkin at the Capitol in Washington in march. – AP

NORTH AMERICA

Democrats take a step towards impeachmentAs they investigate President Donald Trump, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee will hold their first official hearing in what they are calling an impeachment investigation.

Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s outspoken former campaign manager, was scheduled to appear Tuesday to discuss former special counsel Robert Mueller’s report.

But it was unlikely that Democrats would get much new information. A devoted friend and supporter of the president, Lewandowski isn’t expected to elaborate much beyond what he told Mueller’s investigators last year. Mueller himself testified this summer, with no bombshells. Two other witnesses who were subpoenaed alongside lewandowski – former White House aides rick dearborn and rob Porter – won’t show up at all, on orders from the White House.

The hearing underscores what has been a central dilemma for House democrats all year – they have promised to investigate Trump, aggressively, and many of their base supporters want them to move quickly to try to remove him from office. But the White House has blocked their oversight requests at almost every turn, declining to provide new documents or allow former aides to testify. The Republican Senate is certain to rebuff any House efforts to bring charges against the president. And moderate Democrats in their own caucus have expressed nervousness that the impeachment push could crowd out their other accomplishments.

Still, the Judiciary panel is moving ahead, approving rules for impeachment hearings last week. Among those guidelines is allowing staff to question witnesses, as will happen for the first time with Lewandowski.

lewandowski was a central figure in mueller’s report, which said Trump could not be exonerated on obstruction of justice charges. ■

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UK

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Minister dismisses Bettel’s Brexit ‘stunt’A member of Boris Johnson’s Cabinet has dismissed Prime Minister Xavier Bettel’s attack over Brexit as a “stunt”.

A podium set up for the UK’s Prime Minister was left empty as Bettel delivered an onslaught against Johnson’s handling of Brexit following their meeting in Luxembourg.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said the situation had been an “unfortunate media stunt” and defended the government’s handling of talks with the European Union.

There has been frustration in the EU about the Government’s refusal to publish written proposals for how to end the impasse over the backstop – a contingency measure which keeps the UK closely tied to Brussels’ rules to avoid a hard border with Ireland.

But Buckland said the UK had to avoid putting forward proposals which become “unrealistic or a hostage to fortune”.

The Justice Secretary insisted that progress was being made in efforts to reach a deal following Johnson’s meeting with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in Luxembourg on Monday.

That meeting, at a restaurant, came before the chaotic scenes outside Luxembourg’s Ministry of State where Johnson decided a noisy anti-Brexit demonstration made it impossible to go ahead with the joint press conference with Bettel.

To cheers from the crowd, Bettel then delivered an emotional tirade, complaining the future of citizens across the EU was being held hostage for “party political gains”.

Buckland was not the only Tory to turn on Bettel over his behaviour.

Pro-Brexit Tory Daniel Kawczynski said the scenes only underlined the need for Britain to get out of the “artificial arrogant EU structure” as quickly as possible.

“Luxembourg PM representing a nation smaller than Birmingham admonishing and being disrespectful to a British Pm for trying to fulfil will of British people. We need to pull out of EU on october 31 without doubt!” he tweeted. ■

Caption here…

UK

Court considers if PM’s advice to Queen is lawfulThe UK’s highest court has been urged to find that Boris Johnson’s advice to the Queen to suspend Parliament was “of no legal effect”.

Eleven Supreme Court justices were asked at the start of a historic hearing on Tuesday to declare that the Prime Minister’s decision to prorogue Parliament for five weeks was unlawful.

The judges are to hear argument over three days arising out of two separate challenges brought in England and Scotland over the legality of the prorogation – the cases resulted in two different outcomes.

A crowd of about 40 protesters, holding signs saying “Defend democracy”, “Reopen Parliament” and “They misled the Queen”, gathered outside the court ahead of the hearing.

Johnson says the five-week suspension is to allow the Government to set out a new legislative agenda in a Queen’s Speech when MPs return to Parliament on October 14.

But those who brought legal challenges against the Prime Minister’s decision argue the prorogation is designed to prevent parliamentary scrutiny of the UK’s impending exit from the EU on october 31.

At the outset of the hearing, Supreme Court President Lady Hale emphasised that the case was only about whether the Prime Minister’s advice to the Queen was lawful.

The High Court in London dismissed the case brought by businesswoman and campaigner gina miller – who previously brought a successful legal challenge against the Government over the triggering of the Article 50 process to start the Brexit countdown – finding that the length of the prorogation was “purely political”.

Lord Pannick QC, for Miller, told the Supreme Court that the appeal raises “fundamental questions of constitutional law”.

He argued that the High Court “erred in law” in its conclusions in the case brought by Miller, which was supported by former prime minister Sir John major, shadow attorney general Baroness Chakrabarti and the Welsh and Scottish governments. ■

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NEW ZEALAND

Prime minister Jacinda Ardern. – AAP

Ardern announces visit to Japan, USNew Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has teed up a first formal meeting with United States president Donald Trump as part of an 11-day overseas trip.

Ardern will leave Wellington and her party’s political turmoil behind as she embarks on a visit to Japan and the USA.

While in New York, the next-gen leader will be feted at the United Nations.

She has accepted an offer to give the keynote speech at the UN, will meet with secretary general Antonio Guterres and will continue to spruik her flagship international effort, the Christchurch Call.

It remains to be seen whether she will be given a warm reception by Trump.

The pair sit on opposite sides of the political spectrum.Ardern is a left-of-centre internationalist best known for

her unifying response to the Christchurch terrorist attack in March whereas Trump is an American exceptionalist, social conservative and populist.

In leadership style, they’re also streets apart.Ardern likes to spare her rivals direct criticism, whereas

Trump thrives on the political contest.Nevertheless, Ardern said the meeting, to focus on economic

issues, would take place in the right spirit.“Our relationship is strong. I’ve met president Trump on a

number of occasions and had several phone calls with him … I think my relationship (with Trump) is absolutely fine,” she said.

Ardern’s trip overlaps with Australian prime minister Scott Morrison’s visit to the United States.Before reaching the global summit, she will take part in an official summit with Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in Tokyo and watch the country’s famed All Blacks begin their Rugby World Cup defence in Yokohama.

deputy prime minister and nZ first leader Winston Peters will be acting prime minister for the duration of the trip, which releases pressure on Ardern over a fraught domestic political challenge. ■

Australia’s Prime minister Scott morrison and US President donald Trump. – AAP

AUSTRALIA

PM to get red carpet treatment in USDonald Trump will pull out all the stops to give Scott Morrison the kind of brassy, pageant-filled welcome only the United States can give.

The US president will host the prime minister in Washington dC this week for formal meetings and an official state dinner – just the second Trump has thrown in his nearly three years in office.

There will be no less than three official welcomes within his first 24 hours in the American capital, complete with red carpet on the airport tarmac.

The full state dinner in the grounds of the White House is expected to be an “intimate” affair with about 100 guests.

Australians invited include billionaire businessman Anthony Pratt, astronaut Andy Thomas and champion driver Will Power.

Morrison will also lunch with Vice-President Mike Pence and Secretary of State mike Pompeo, and have a briefing with defense Secretary mark Esper and top intelligence officials.

Australia sees the all-out high-profile arrangements as a recognition of the solidity of the partnership between the two countries.

“The events that will be held there are a recognition of the relationship between Australia and the United States,” Morrison told his coalition colleagues in Canberra.

“We meet our side of the relationship in our contribution to the alliance and we are there as equals and as partners.”

Such formal invitations are a rarity for Australian leaders and foreign relations expert Emma Shortis said it’s telling that one has come now.

“Australian PMs tend to get invited to these swanky events when US presidents want to demonstrate to the world – and perhaps themselves – that they have a least one uncomplicated friend who will stand by them, no matter what,” the RMIT research fellow said.

“This weekend, Morrison is sure to play that role well.” ■

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REST Of THE WORLD

red Cross volunteers attend the scene of the accident in the southern Philippines. – AP

Tragedy as truck falls off cliffTwenty villagers have been killed and 14 others injured when the truck they were riding in lost control and fell off a cliff in a remote mountain village in the southern Philippines.

Provincial police chief Joel Limson said the truck was negotiating a downhill road in Tboli town in South Cotabato province when its brakes apparently failed and plummeted down a ravine, killing 15 people. five other victims later died in hospitals, Limson said.

Police, Red Cross volunteers and villagers retrieved the 15 bodies from the wreckage at the bottom of the ravine. Some of the dead included children returning from a family reunion at a beach resort, Limson said by phone.

red Cross leader Erwin rommel del Carmen said several passengers survived by jumping off the wayward bus.

“majority of the survivors jumped out of the bus as it ran out of control. They were scattered on the mountainside,” del Carmen said.

Video posted by witnesses online showed the upland road where the accident happened has no steel or concrete railing. Below, the mangled wreckage of the truck is seen lying on its side.

Deadly road accidents are common in the Philippines because of weak enforcement of traffic laws, rickety vehicles and inadequate road safety railings and signs, especially in the countryside. ■

israeli Prime minister Benjamin and his wife Sarah casts their votes

REST Of THE WORLD

Netanyahu’s fate in voters’ handsIsraelis have begun voting in an unprecedented repeat election that will decide whether longtime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stays in power.

Netanyahu, the longest-serving leader in Israeli history, is seeking a fourth consecutive term in office, and fifth overall. But he faces a stiff challenge from retired military chief Benny Gantz, whose centrist Blue and White party is running even with Netanyahu’s Likud.

Both parties could struggle to form a majority coalition with smaller allies, though, forcing them into a potential unity government.

Netanyahu has tried to portray himself as a statesman who is uniquely qualified to lead the country through challenging times. Gantz has tried to paint Netanyahu as divisive and scandal-plagued, offering himself as a calming influence and an honest alternative.

Tuesday’s vote marks their second showdown of the year after drawing even in the previous election in April.

netanyahu appeared poised to remain in office at the time, with his traditional allies of nationalist and ultra-religious Jewish parties controlling a parliamentary majority.

But Avigdor Lieberman, his mercurial ally-turned-rival, refused to join the new coalition, citing excessive influence it granted the ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties. Without a parliamentary majority, netanyahu dissolved parliament and called a new election.

Opinion polls have forecast similar results this time around, potentially putting Lieberman in the role of kingmaker.

The performance by the Soviet-born politician’s Yisrael Beitenu party is just one of the factors that could determine netanyahu’s future. Several small parties are fighting to squeak past the minimum 3.25 per cent threshold for entering parliament. The performances of these parties could make or break Netanyahu’s ability to form a coalition. Heavier turnout by Arab voters, many of whom stayed home in April, could hurt Netanyahu. ■

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EUROPE

matteo renzi. – AP

Renzi resigns from Italian ruling partyFormer Italian premier Matteo Renzi has left the ruling Democratic Party to set up a new centrist force, in a risky move that further weakens an already shaky government forged only two weeks ago by the centre-left Democrats and the populist 5-Star Movement.

Renzi announced his departure with a social media post, after explaining the abrupt move in an interview with Italian daily La Repubblica.

He wrote: “I have decided to leave the PD (Democrats) and to build together with others a new house to do politics differently.”

The former premier has recently regained a central role in italian politics, using his influence in parliament to push for the coalition deal between the Democrats and their former arch enemies, the 5-Stars, in a last-ditch attempt to avert an early election and the likely triumph of Matteo Salvini’s right-wing League party.

Political analysts say Renzi’s U-turn has caught his enemies off guard, but is unlikely to boost his low popularity ratings. ■

french police officers watch migrants packing their belongings. – AP

EUROPE

Migrants removed from French campFrench police are evacuating at least 900 migrants from a gym and a nearby tent camp near the English Channel, citing concerns about security and hygiene.

A spokesman for the Nord region said the migrants being removed from the town of Grande Synthe include an unspecified number of children with their families. local media say the migrants include many Kurds from Iraq.

A court this month ordered the migrants removed, to stem violence and human trafficking in the neighborhood. The spokesman said the migrants are being taken to temporary shelters and allowed to apply for asylum.

Activist groups have warned that evacuations don’t stop migrants from coming to the area. migrants fleeing poverty and conflict have long congregated in towns along the french coast in hopes of crossing the English Channel to Britain. ■

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School classrooms gutted by blazeAn early morning blaze has gutted a block of four classrooms at Russley School in Christchurch.

fire crews were called to the primary school in the morning to find one building well alight.

They fought the flames from inside the classrooms to stop it from spreading to an attached administration block.

one person was at the school when the fire started, and nobody was hurt.

four fire engines and a command unit were at the scene, fire and Emergency said.

Police were also at the school. The cause of the fire was not known.

The school was closed for the day and principal Greg Lewis now has the job of working out where to put the 120 children who no longer have classrooms.

He said the children, who were in their final two years before heading to high school, had lost all of their work.

“four classrooms have got four teachers and four lots of students and they’ve essentially lost everything,” Lewis said.

“So our heart goes out to them and we’re just really focused on making sure they are feeling ok, as well as they can today.”

RNZ reporter Conan Young was at the scene and said the blaze had come close to other buildings but crews had managed to stop it going any further than the block of classrooms, before extinguishing the blaze.

Teachers were at the school, some clearly upset and one was in tears. ■

NEW ZEALAND

The damage caused by the fire at the school. – rnZ

Liberal MPs call off spill against BerejiklianRebel Liberal MPs angry at NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian have called off a leadership spill motion against her.

Tanya Davies, Lou Amato and Matthew Mason-Cox announced they would call an “empty chair” spill motion against the premier.

But in a statement this morning the MPs said they would withdraw the motion.

The backdown comes after senior Liberal ministers came out in support of Berejiklian ahead of a liberal party room meeting.

“Gladys is the people’s choice as Premier and I support her as our leader,” Treasurer Dominic Perrottet tweeted soon after the rebels’ announcement.

Attorney-General Mark Speakman, Police minster David Elliot, Transport minister Andrew Constance and families and Communities minister gareth Ward joined mr Perrottet in backing Berejiklian.

Ward characterised the three MPs as an “arrogant” fringe.“The reality is that this is an attempt by people who want to

hold the rest of parliament over a barrel because they’re not getting their way on a particular issue,” he said.

“The party’s support is overwhelmingly for Gladys. She has delivered us a strong election victory.”

liberal mP Scott farlow – speaking after the spill was called off – said the premier had his full support.

“There is no chaos in the Liberal Party we are very well served by gladys Berejiklian,” he said.

The Berejiklian governments holds a slim two-seat majority following the March state election. ■

nSW Premier gladys Berejiklian. - AAP

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NORTH AMERICA UK AUSTRALIA - Amazon Web Services · an impeachment investigation. Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s outspoken former campaign manager, was scheduled to appear to discuss