conservativehome--2019-08-14--James Arnell The conventional wisdom about a trade deal with America is wrong Trump will want a fa

James Arnell: The conventional wisdom about a trade deal with America is wrong. Trump will want a fair one. Here’s why.

James Arnell is a partner at Charterhouse. He writes in a personal capacity.  I disagree with most commentators who believe that the UK will get a raw deal in any US-UK trade negotiations after Brexit.  I do not underestimate the fickleness of Trump, nor the Irish-American lobby in Congress. I recognise the overwhelming weight of the US relative to the UK.  I know that the US looks after its interests and does no one any favours.  But I don’t think any of that will stop us agreeing a decent trade deal. I believe that the US has major strategic interests in a trade deal with the UK, and that it will decide not to use all the undeniable leverage it has to strike the toughest possible terms.  It will want to strike a fair deal.  The US is in “America First” mode.  Contrary to what most people seem to believe, I believe that means Trump, and the American people, wish to see a global trading system which it sees as fair from its perspective.  There are many senior American business people who believe that the renegotiation of NAFTA was long overdue, and who are throughly fed up with the uneven playing field between the US and China.  Yes, they worry about the effects of the US-China trade war on the US economy, but many of them believe that some fights just have to be had.  There is more patriotism in American business and much more business support for Trump’s China line than the media presents.  The opportunity to strike a trade deal with a long-term ally like the UK is timely.  Agreeing an even-handed trade deal sends a strong message: this is about fairness, not American economic bullying.  I am optimistic that the US, across the political spectrum, will support a fair deal with the UK, because I think that it has a very strong interest in sending that message.  And that is not all.  A thriving UK, in a comprehensive free trade relationship with the US, right on the periphery of the EU, will put massive pressure on it.  Other EU countries, fed up with the federal agenda of the EU, will look at the UK and wonder whether they too might be better free and able to strike their own trade relationships.  This threat to the EU will be eyed by the US as great leverage to force the EU into what the US would see as a fair trade deal.  They will want the UK to succeed in its deal with the US.  They won’t want to screw us – because that would make it far too easy for the EU to keep its trade barriers up.  The US’ leverage is greater if any UK-US trade deal is designed to be as close as possible to something the EU could, should and, ultimately, would accept.  There is no leverage in agreeing a deal which does not work for the UK and which certainly would not work for the EU, and the smart money in the US will know it.  Aside from its desire to show an openness to trade with partners who do not play the US for fools, and its desire to pressurise the EU, the US will also welcome a committed ally in the global struggle for a new trade order, binding the three big blocs (US, China, Europe) into a more open, more level world trade regime or, at least, binding the rest of the world into a trading system around an unreformed China.  That is the best chance of America remaining “First”.  At present, we are in the phase of pulling down the old system, which the US sees as rotten and against its own interests.  We should not confuse that with isolationism.  My firm belief is that the US will relish the opportunity to show the world what its new order should look like, by agreeing a sensible deal with the UK.


dailymail--2019-05-28--Japan calls Trumps promise of a trade deal by August hopeful thinking

Japan calls Trump's promise of a trade deal by August 'hopeful thinking'

Donald Trump's promise of a trade deal with Japan by August has been shot down by Japanese officials just a day after the US President made the comments.  On Monday, Trump indicated the two countries would straighten out their differences ‘rapidly’ and said a trade announcement would come within months.  Trump's optimism came following a meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the president's four-day state visit.  But Japan’s economy minister played down expectations today, describing Trump’s words as wishful thinking.  Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters at a cabinet meeting: ‘When you look at the exact wording of his comments, you can see that the president was voicing his hopes of swift progress in talks toward something that is mutually beneficial.’  Trump was in Japan to meet Japan's new emperor Naruhito and hash out a trade deal with the prime minister.  Washington and Tokyo have been spatting over tariffs on cars and agricultural products for months.  Trump has repeatedly complained about the trade imbalance between the two sides, especially in automobiles, and has threatened Japan and European carmakers with tariffs.  The US had a £67.6 billion trade deficit in goods with Japan last year, according to the office of the US Trade Representative.  In April Japan's exports to the U.S. jumped nearly 10 per cent, while imports of American goods rose 2.3 per cent.  Japan's trade surplus surged almost 18 per cent to 723 billion yen ($6.6bn).  Its imports from the U.S. are dominated by food, chemicals, machinery and devices.  The Trump administration has designated auto imports as a threat to U.S. national security, though the government has delayed a decision on raising tariffs on imported cars for six months.  Apart from cars, Washington is also worried American farm products won't get a fair deal, as Japan forges trade pacts with Australia and Europe.


dailymail--2019-06-18--Trump claims theres a chance of a trade deal with Chinas Xi when the two meet next week

Trump claims there's a 'chance' of a trade deal with China's Xi when the two meet next week

President Donald Trump said Tuesday his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping is 'a very good one' and noted there is a 'chance' of a trade deal being made at next week's G-20 meeting in Japan.  'I have a very good relationship with President XI. We'll see what happens. I think we have a chance. China wants a deal. They don't like the tariffs. A lot of companies are leaving China in order to avoid the tariffs,' he told reporters at the White House before he left for Florida.  'I think that is working out pretty much as I anticipated it would,' he said.  'China very much wants to discuss the future and so do we. So the relationship with President XI a very good one. We had a long talk this morning,' he added.  'We'll see what happens,' he noted.  President Trump said ahead of next week's meeting between the two leaders, their teams would start trade talks - which broke down last month - on Wednesday.  'I think the meeting might go well. Frankly our people are starting to deal as of tomorrow, the team is starting to deal. We'll see. China would like to make the deal. We would like to make the deal but it has to be a good deal for everybody,' he said.  The news of Trump's morning phone call with Xi sent stocks soaring on Tuesday as did his announcement he'll meet his Chinese counterpart at next week's G-20 meeting in Japan.  The two leaders spoke on the phone Tuesday morning to discuss ongoing trade negotiations between Washington D.C. and Beijing - a topic they will pick up on in Osaka at the end of the month.  'Had a very good telephone conversation with President Xi of China,' the president wrote on Twitter.  'We will be having an extended meeting next week at the G-20 in Japan. Our respective teams will begin talks prior to our meeting.'  On their call, the two men discussed 'the importance of leveling the playing field for U.S. farmers, workers, and businesses through a fair and reciprocal economic relationship,' according to a White House readout of the conversation.  'It's a good call. i guess you look at the rally, the stock market, I think the market says talk is better than no talk,' White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters at the White House. 'No guarantees.'  But he declined to specify what would exactly be on the agenda.  'It's really hard to say and I don't want to speculate. The two leaders will talk.'  He added: 'The fact that they're meeting means they're meeting. That's all I can say. Kudlow rule: better to talk than not to talk, most of the time.'  Meanwhile, stock prices rose on Wall Street after Trump tweeted about his conversation.  Investors are watching for any kind of positive movement between the nations in their trade war. And Wall Street is praying Trump doesn't go through on his threat expand his tariffs to $300 billion on goods from China.  China's state-run TV said Xi was looking forward to the meeting.  'As the two largest economies in the world, China and the United States should play a leading role in promoting positive outcomes of the Osaka Summit of the Group of Twenty and injecting confidence and vitality into the global market,' it quoted Xi as saying.  'I would like to meet with Mr. President during the Osaka Summit of the leaders of the Group of Twenty to exchange views on fundamental issues related to the development of Sino-US relations.'  Washington has already imposed 25 per cent tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese goods.  In response, China raised tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. goods.  Talks between the two countries broke down last month but hopes were high Trump and Xi would talk when both are in Japan.


dailymail--2019-07-30--US politicians warn USUK trade deal is all but impossible if Brexit threatens Irish peace

US politicians warn US/UK trade deal is 'all but impossible' if Brexit threatens Irish peace

A Transatlantic trade deal will be 'all but impossible' if the Good Friday Agreement is undermined, a group of prominent Irish-Americans have warned.  A committee set up in the US to protect the peace treaty said it was 'deeply concerned' at Boris Johnson's call for the backstop to be ditched from the Brexit deal.  The bipartisan group, which includes former US ambassadors, state governors and foreign policy experts, echoed the views of Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi last week. She suggested a trade deal would fall if it did not honour the peace deal.  The intervention is a fresh headache for the new PM as he seeks to find a way of securing Brexit.  Mr Johnson has been hoping to secure a quick deal with America that could underline the benefits of leaving the EU - with Donald Trump saying he wants to boost trade between the countries by a multiple of five.  But in a letter to Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith, the US group made clear the process will not be straightforward.  'We remain deeply concerned given the new prime minister's recent statement in the Commons that there can be no Irish backstop in the withdrawal agreement, even one with a time limit,' they said.  'We view the belief that alternative arrangements can easily solve the problem of the Irish Border with a healthy scepticism as do many experts.'  Pointing to Ms Pelosi's comments to The Irish Times last week that Congress will not sign off on a trade pact if the peace agreement is undermined, they added: 'As former members of Congress we can assure you that getting any trade deal through the Congress is challenging at any time,'  Signatories to the letter include former members of congress Bruce Morrison and Jim Walsh.  Ms Pelosi said last week: 'We made it clear in our conversations with senior members of the Conservative Party earlier this year that there should be no return to a hard border on the island. That position has not changed.  What is the Irish backstop and why is it so divisive? The so-called Irish border backstop is one of the most controversial parts of the existing Brexit deal. This is what it means:  The backstop was invented to meet promises to keep open the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland even if there is no comprehensive UK-EU trade deal. The divorce deal says it will kick in automatically at the end of the Brexit transition period if that deal is not in place. It effectively keeps the UK in a customs union with the EU and Northern Ireland in both the customs union and single market. This means many EU laws will keep being imposed on the UK, restricting its ability to do its own trade deals. It also means regulatory checks on some goods crossing the Irish Sea.  Why have Ireland and the EU demanded it?  Because the UK is leaving the customs union and single market, the EU said it needed guarantees that people and goods circulating inside its border - in this case in Ireland - met its rules. This is covered by the Brexit transition, which effectively maintains the status quo, and can in theory be done in the comprehensive EU-UK trade deal. But the EU said there had to be a backstop to cover what happens in any gap between the transition and final deal.   Because Britain cannot decide when to leave the backstop.  Getting out - even if there is a trade deal - can only happen if both sides agree and Brexiteers fear the EU will unreasonably demand the backstop continues so EU law continues to apply in Northern Ireland.   Northern Ireland MPs also hate the regulatory border in the Irish Sea, insisting it unreasonably carves up the United Kingdom.  'Any trade deal between the US and Great Britain would have to be cognisant of that.'  The US Ambassador said last week the White House would not need to know the future terms on which the UK would trade with the EU in order to start work on a cross-Atlantic agreement.  'I think that you have to take what you have got,' Mr Johnson said.  'No, I don't think that's imperative. I think if you have a No Deal Brexit you can still negotiate trade deals with other countries.'  Asked if a No Deal split would actually help the chances of the US and Britain striking a free trade agreement, Mr Johnson told the BBC: 'That I would leave to the expert trade negotiators.  'But I would think when you are allowed to start negotiating you start negotiating and you are going to have a lot of bilateral trade agreements here and even maybe multilateral.  'You are going to have to deal with the situation as it exists.'  Brexiteers believe a US trade deal would bring tremendous economic benefits to the UK and have hailed it as one of the great prizes of leaving the EU.  But critics believe a deal would not come close to replicating the existing benefits of the UK's current EU membership and there are also major concerns about what the price of such an agreement could be.  Some believe Washington could demand the UK lower its animal welfare standards to allow the import of chlorine-washed chicken or let US healthcare providers bid to run parts of the NHS.  The backstop was included in the original Brexit deal as a last resort measure to be used in the event no overall trade deal has been struck by the two sides by the end of the transition period.  It would effectively see existing EU rules on customs kept in place to ensure frictionless trade on the island of Ireland could continue and prevent the return of a hard border.  But Brexiteers hate it because if implemented it would last indefinitely, restrict the UK's ability to strike its own trade deal and getting out of it would require the agreement of both sides.


dailymail--2019-07-31--Congress will veto trade deal if Brexit means hard Irish border US politicians warn

Congress will veto trade deal if Brexit means hard Irish border, US politicians warn

Congress will veto a Transatlantic trade deal if Brexit results in a hard Irish border, US politicians warned today.  Boris Johnson has hailed the prospect of a deep pact with the US as a major benefit of cutting ties with the EU - and Donald Trump has also voiced enthusiasm.  However, any agreement would need to be approved by the US congress, and a slew of senior figures have suggested that will not happen if the Good Friday Agreement has been put at risk.  Richard Neal, who is co-chair of the 54-strong Friends of Ireland caucus in Congress, and also chairs the powerful House ways and means committee, said there would be 'little enthusiasm' for a trade deal in those circumstances.  The intervention is a fresh headache for the new PM as he seeks to find a way of securing Brexit.  Earlier this week a committee set up in the US to protect the peace treaty said it was 'deeply concerned' at Boris Johnson's call for the backstop to be ditched from the Brexit deal.  The bipartisan group, which includes former US ambassadors, former state governors and foreign policy experts, echoed the views of Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. who suggested a trade deal would fall if it did not honour the peace deal.  Mr Neal, whose committee oversees trade deals, told the Guardian: 'The American dimension to the Good Friday agreement is indispensable.  'I would have little enthusiasm for entertaining a bilateral trade agreement with the UK, if they were to jeopardise the agreement.'  Pete King, the Republican co-chair of the Friends of Ireland group, said the demand to ditch the backstop was a 'needless provocation'.  'I would think anyone who has a strong belief in Northern Ireland and the Good Friday agreement the open border would certainly be willing to go against the President,' he said.  In a letter to Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith this week, the US committee made clear the process will not be straightforward.  'We remain deeply concerned given the new prime minister's recent statement in the Commons that there can be no Irish backstop in the withdrawal agreement, even one with a time limit,' they said.  'We view the belief that alternative arrangements can easily solve the problem of the Irish Border with a healthy scepticism as do many experts.'  Pointing to Ms Pelosi's comments to The Irish Times last week that Congress will not sign off on a trade pact if the peace agreement is undermined, they added: 'As former members of Congress we can assure you that getting any trade deal through the Congress is challenging at any time,'  Signatories to the letter include former members of congress Bruce Morrison and Jim Walsh.  Ms Pelosi said last week: 'We made it clear in our conversations with senior members of the Conservative Party earlier this year that there should be no return to a hard border on the island. That position has not changed.  What is the Irish backstop and why is it so divisive? The so-called Irish border backstop is one of the most controversial parts of the existing Brexit deal. This is what it means:  The backstop was invented to meet promises to keep open the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland even if there is no comprehensive UK-EU trade deal. The divorce deal says it will kick in automatically at the end of the Brexit transition period if that deal is not in place. It effectively keeps the UK in a customs union with the EU and Northern Ireland in both the customs union and single market. This means many EU laws will keep being imposed on the UK, restricting its ability to do its own trade deals. It also means regulatory checks on some goods crossing the Irish Sea.  Why have Ireland and the EU demanded it?  Because the UK is leaving the customs union and single market, the EU said it needed guarantees that people and goods circulating inside its border - in this case in Ireland - met its rules. This is covered by the Brexit transition, which effectively maintains the status quo, and can in theory be done in the comprehensive EU-UK trade deal. But the EU said there had to be a backstop to cover what happens in any gap between the transition and final deal.   Because Britain cannot decide when to leave the backstop.  Getting out - even if there is a trade deal - can only happen if both sides agree and Brexiteers fear the EU will unreasonably demand the backstop continues so EU law continues to apply in Northern Ireland.   Northern Ireland MPs also hate the regulatory border in the Irish Sea, insisting it unreasonably carves up the United Kingdom.  'Any trade deal between the US and Great Britain would have to be cognisant of that.'  The US Ambassador said last week the White House would not need to know the future terms on which the UK would trade with the EU in order to start work on a cross-Atlantic agreement.  'I think that you have to take what you have got,' Mr Johnson said.  'No, I don't think that's imperative. I think if you have a No Deal Brexit you can still negotiate trade deals with other countries.'  Asked if a No Deal split would actually help the chances of the US and Britain striking a free trade agreement, Mr Johnson told the BBC: 'That I would leave to the expert trade negotiators.  'But I would think when you are allowed to start negotiating you start negotiating and you are going to have a lot of bilateral trade agreements here and even maybe multilateral.  'You are going to have to deal with the situation as it exists.'  Brexiteers say a US trade deal would bring tremendous economic benefits to the UK and have hailed it as one of the great prizes of leaving the EU.  But critics insist a deal would not come close to replicating the existing benefits of the UK's current EU membership and there are also major concerns about what the price of such an agreement could be.  Some believe Washington could demand the UK lower its animal welfare standards to allow the import of chlorine-washed chicken or let US healthcare providers bid to run parts of the NHS.  The backstop was included in the original Brexit deal as a last resort measure to be used in the event no overall trade deal has been struck by the two sides by the end of the transition period.  It would effectively see existing EU rules on customs kept in place to ensure frictionless trade on the island of Ireland could continue and prevent the return of a hard border.  But Brexiteers hate it because if implemented it would last indefinitely, restrict the UK's ability to strike its own trade deal and getting out of it would require the agreement of both sides.


dailymail--2019-08-07--Dominic Raab talks up post-Brexit trade deal with the US after surprise Donald Trump meeting

Dominic Raab hailed Donald Trump's 'huge appetite' for a post-Brexit trade deal with the UK today after a surprise meeting at the White House.  The Foreign Secretary chatted with Mr Trump in the Oval Office last night on a whistle-stop tour of North America as he seek to build support for Transatlantic trade deals after Brexit.  He also held talks with the vice president Mike Pence in meetings that were not announced beforehand.  Mr Raab described the president as 'effusive in his warmth' for the UK, adding: 'It was amazing to hear an American president talk about our country in such warm terms.'  Speaking to Sky in Washington today about the meeting the Foreign Secretary said: 'He expressed his high regard for Boris Johnson as a Prime Minister and we talked about all the things that we want to do together in the post-Brexit vision for the UK.  'Whether it is getting a free trade deal done - and there is obviously going to be a lot of work to make that happen - but there is huge appetite on both sides to achieve that.'  It is a major relations boost for the new UK top team as they seek to boost UK trade after Brexit.  Mr Raab later met his US counterpart Mike Pompeo, in Washington.  Speaking to reporters about Brexit alongside the Secretary of State Mr Raab said: 'We will manage the risks come what may. We will leave at the end of October and are determined to make a success of it.'  Mr Raab had  earlier hailed the 'warmth and enthusiasm' of Donald Trump for the special relationship between Britain and America today after a surprise meeting in Washington last night.  He said: 'We appreciate the President's warmth and enthusiasm for the UK-US relationship.  'The UK looks forward to working with our American friends to reach a free trade deal that is good for both countries, and cooperating on the common security challenges we face.'  MailOnline understands that the meeting with Trump came during the Foreign Secretary's sit down with Mr Pence at the White House.  Mr Raab is also due to sit down with US National security Adviser John Bolton in Washington, the Foreign Office said.  He flew into the US capital following talks on Tuesday in Toronto with Canadian foreign minister Chrystia Freeland and is due to travel on to Mexico following his meetings in the US capital.  The Foreign Secretary is not the only Cabinet minister attempting to woo the Americans this week  Trade Secretary Liz Truss is in Washington to meet figures including secretary of commerce Wilbur Ross.  Tomorrow she is due to give a speech at the Heritage Foundation in Washington.  Ms Truss said: 'Negotiating and signing an exciting new free trade agreement with the US is one of my top priorities.  'Having already laid the groundwork, we are fast-tracking this deal so that businesses are able to take advantage of the golden opportunity to increase trade with the US as soon as possible.'  Boris Johnson insists a Transatlantic trade agreement will be one of the big benefits of leaving the EU, which he has said must happen by the end of October.  Mr Trump has also voiced enthusiasm for a pact, saying it could boost trade between the countries by a multiple of five.  However, US politicians have warned that Congress is unlikely to sign off on any deal if Brexit has put the peace process in Ireland at risk.  Visiting the UK in June Mr Trump ramped up the rhetoric by demanding the UK 'gets rid of the shackles' of the EU so a transatlantic trade deal can be done.  Stressing his desire for a trade deal, he said: 'We're going to get it done.'


dailymail--2019-08-08--Dominic Raab hails a new win-win relationship with Mexico on his post-Brexit trade deal tour

Dominic Raab hails a new 'win-win' relationship with Mexico on his post-Brexit trade deal tour

Dominic Raab hailed a new 'win-win' agreement with Mexico today ahead of the last stage of his whistle-stop of North America to drum up post Brexit trade deals with Britain.  The Foreign Secretary will sign a 'partnership agreement' with Mexico City that involves the UK paying £60million to help the country tackle poverty and open it up to UK firms.  Billed as 'the most wide-ranging agreement ever concluded' between the two countries it will also see the two countries work closely on trade and investment and climate change.  The visit to Mexico comes after Mr Raab visited Canada and the US, with the latter seeing him hold a surprise meeting with president Donald Trump and his counterpart Mike Pompeo.  Speaking ahead of his arrival in Mexico Mr Raab said: 'The UK is excited to be working with our Mexican friends to develop a win-win relationship.  'There are huge opportunities to boost two-way trade, create jobs, tackle poverty and inequality, and address key Mexican priorities such as strengthening transparency and reducing corruption.'  The multi million-pound investment will come from the Government's Prosperity Fund and will be spread over four years.  It will be used to tackle 'poverty and inequality, strengthen its business environment and open up markets' to firms in a move it hopes will generate £450million by 2026.  Shadow trade secretary Barry Gardiner said: 'The new Foreign Secretary is spinning a negotiating defeat as a victory.  'This deal fails every test set by the government: it doesn't replicate the terms of Mexico's agreement with the EU, reduce tariffs to zero on the majority of goods, or reduce other kinds of barriers to trade between us and Mexico.  'Thanks to the new PM's administration, we will have a poorer trade relationship with Mexico than the EU.  'Boris Johnson's government cannot be trusted to deliver for the people of the UK – and this is just more proof of that.'  Last night the Foreign Secretary hailed Mr Trump's 'huge appetite' for a post-Brexit trade deal after their face-to-face meeting in the Oval Office.  He also held talks with the vice president Mike Pence in meetings that were not announced beforehand.  Mr Raab described the president as 'effusive in his warmth' for the UK, adding: 'It was amazing to hear an American president talk about our country in such warm terms.'  Speaking to Sky in Washington today about the meeting the Foreign Secretary said: 'He expressed his high regard for Boris Johnson as a Prime Minister and we talked about all the things that we want to do together in the post-Brexit vision for the UK.  'Whether it is getting a free trade deal done - and there is obviously going to be a lot of work to make that happen - but there is huge appetite on both sides to achieve that.'  It is a major relations boost for the new UK top team as they seek to boost UK trade after Brexit.


dailymail--2019-08-25--Trump and Abe agree on new trade deal that will see Japan slash tariffs on US agricultural imports

Donald Trump says he and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reached a trade deal 'in principle' on Sunday at the annual Group of Seven summit.  The president claimed the agreement was favorable to U.S. farmers, because it Japan would be buying up excess corn that's rotting on the stalk now that a China trade accord is no longer imminent.  'This is a tremendous deal for the United States,' he told press while speaking alongside Abe in Biarritz, France, where this year's gathering is being held. 'It's really tremendous deal for our farmers.'  The potential deal would slash tariffs on U.S. beef, pork and other agricultural imports, U.S. Trade Representatives Robert Lighhizer claimed. He said during the announcement that Japan would be also buying a lot of wheat, wine, ethanol and dairy products from the United States.  Japan and the United States are two of the seven largest economies in the world, and the Asian nation is America's third largest trading partner after Canada and China.  Trump and Abe made a surprise announcement that they were close to reaching a trade deal on the second day of the G7. They seemed to have differing opinion on what close meant, with Trump claiming it was all but completed and Abe saying they'd reached a potential agreement.  'We're very far down the line. We've agreed to every point, and now we're papering it, and we'll be signing it at a formal ceremony,' the U.S president stated.  His timeline for completion was the United Nations General Assembly, which will be held at the end of September in at the multinational organization's headquarters in New York City.  'And one of the things that Prime Minister Abe has also agreed to is we have excess corn in various parts of our country, with our farmers, because China did not do what they said they were going to do,' he claimed. 'And Prime Minister Abe, on behalf of Japan, they're going to be buying all of that corn.  Trump claimed that Japan would be making a 'massive purchase of wheat also' and 'the very, very large order of corn will go quickly.'  'But importantly, it's something that wasn't in the agreement that we may not even -- we may do that as a supplementary agreement. But we appreciate that very much. We just agreed to that on the other idea of the door,' he stated.  Trump claimed on Twitter a little later, 'Big Trade Deal just agreed to with Prime Minister Abe of Japan. Will be great for our Farmers, Ranchers and more. Really big Corn purchase!'  Abe said the agricultural product purchases by private sector businesses were a 'possibility' but did not comment on any other alleged points of the framework.  At Trump's invitation to speak, he said, 'So with regard to the potential purchase of American corn, in Japan we are now experiencing inspect pest on some of the agricultural products. And there is a need for us to buy certain amount of agricultural products.  'And this will be done by the Japanese private sector. That means that Japanese corporations will need to buy additional agricultural products. And we believe that there is a need for us to implement emergency support measures for the Japanese private sector to have the early purchase of the American corn,' he explained.  Abe reaffirmed that it would be up to Japanese businesses to decide who they purchase corn from, regardless of the step his government takes to lower barriers to buying from America.  'Of course, there is something that is already a shared understanding between -- by the Japanese public, Japanese private sector, as well. So that's why, against such backdrop, I do think that there is a possibility for us to cooperate to address this issue,' he said. 'And with regard to further details, I would like to continue discussing with you, Mr. President.'  Trump was not deterred. He claimed that the Japanese private sector follows the lead of the public sector, and he had no concerns at all.  One remaining sticking point was a tariff on Japanese cars that Trump's said he won't take off.  'They stay the same. They're staying the same,' he told a group of reporters.  The same day he reached the trade deal with the Asian nation, Trump admitted that he was having 'second thoughts' about escalating tariffs on Chinese products.  Press secretary Stephanie Grisham claimed in a statement that U.S. president meant that he wished he had hit China with stiffer penalties.  'President Trump responded in the affirmative - because he regrets not raising the tariffs higher,' Grisham said, playing clean-up.  During Trump and Abe's bilateral meeting earlier in the day Sunday, the two discussed a wide variety of issues, including North Korean missile testing.  The Washington ally challenged Trump on whether the authoritarian nation's actions violated the agreement.  'I'm not happy about it. But, again, he's not in violation of an agreement,' Trump said of North Korea testing short-range missiles.  Abe diagreed, claiming that Tokyo's 'position is very clear,' that the actions violated the agreement.  '[T]he launch of short-range ballistic missiles by North Korea clearly violates the relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions,' he said. 'So, in that sense, it was extremely regrettable for us to experience another round of the launch of the short-range ballistic missiles by North Korea in recent days.'


dailymail--2019-08-25--Donald and Melania Trump dine with Macrons and world leaders at G7 opener in Biarritz

Donald Trump is not a classic American diplomat  — but he makes a classic U.S. entrance.  He and first lady Melania Trump arrived at a Saturday evening dinner in Biarritz in a two-car motorcade, with teams of security guards in tow, after every other visiting leader and their partners had entered the first official event of this year's G7 summit.  They were greeted on the spot by the French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte, who sought to make them comfortable with affectionate back pats and intimate hand holding.  Their quiet conversation wasn't picked up by microphones, but President Trump appeared to be speaking to his French counterpart quite intently, while Brigitte and Melania, both of whom wore cream-colored gowns, conversed casually with one another.  Melania showed off toned arms in a sleeveless, pleated and belted Gucci dress valued at $3,800.00 she finished of with silver Louboutins. Mrs. Macron covered up for the breezy seaside dinner. She wore a long-sleeve, apricot midi dress.  Donald Trump put his palm on Macron's back as they entered a lighthouse they were dining at with fellow leaders, reciprocating his counterpart's earlier back touching. Their entry to the private dinner was the leaders' last planned appearance a frenzy of individual and group meetings on Sunday.  Emmanuel Macron had made nice with Donald Trump in the afternoon, breaking bread with him before the official opening of the G7, after a days-long spat that escalated when the U.S. president threatened to tax French wine.  Trump dined at the posh Hotel du Palais in Biarritz on Saturday with Macron, who was waiting for him when he arrived at his lodging. The impromptu lunch had White House aides scrambling. Reporters who'd been dismissed for the afternoon were hastily rerouted.  The White House said in readout of meal that they 'discussed the importance of promoting free and fair trade, reducing trade barriers, taxation, and regulation, and ensuring freedom of navigation and commerce as pillars of global economic growth,' in addition to developing crises in Libya, the Sahel region in Africa and the Persian Gulf.  Trump had disparaged fellow leaders outside the White House, suggesting that some of them weren't his friends, and grabbed Macron's attention with a new promise to tariff one of France's most lucrative exports.  He accepted Macron's detente at the unscheduled talk. The former businessman said the pair had been 'friends for a long time' and 'have a lot in common' with one another when it comes to their personal lives.  'And every once in a while, we go at it just a little bit, not very much,' he acknowledged. 'But we get along very well. We have a very good relationship.'  Their dinner in Paris at the Eiffel Tour with their wives two summers ago was a positive beginning, Trump observed.  'Sort of, I think I could say a special relationship,' he said of their chemistry, invoking a phrase that's typically reserved for the UK.  'And we couldn’t have asked for better weather or a more beautiful location.'  He had been in Biarritz for less an hour, but he assessed, 'So far, so good. The weather is perfect.  'Everybody is getting along. And I think we'll accomplish a lot this weekend, and I look forward to it. And thank you for having us.'  Macron spoke first, providing an outline for the agenda and acknowledging Trump's desire to discuss tariffs, in an attempt to keep talks from imploding.  'You are a very special guest for us,' he told the U.S. president, who sat facing him, with his arms crossed.  He said they'd be talking about 'how to fix the situation in terms of trade' and the 'divergences we can have on climate,' in addition to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and measures to counter nuclear development in Iran.  'When I look at Europe, especially, we need some new tools to relaunch our economy. We decided, and we'll probably decide to have new tax cuts, which is one of the ways to relaunch,' he said.  Flattering Trump as he concluded, he again said, 'But thanks again, Mr. President, for taking the time being here and being a partner. So this discussion will be very important between the allies, friends.'  The conversation seemed to have had the intended effect. Trump tweeted after the meal concluded: 'Just had lunch with French President @EmanuelMacrone. Many good things are happening for both of our countries. Big weekend with other world leaders!  He accidentally tagged a parody account, instead of the French leader's handle, in the conciliatory tweet that he later deleted and resent.  The U.S. president had thrown shade at America's closest partners on Friday evening, mere hours before he'd see them in Biarritz at the annual Group of Seven summit for the world's leading heads of government.  He threatened to tax French wine 'like they've never seen before' and characterized counterparts attending the event as 'friends, for the most part' in front of Marine One on the South Lawn.  'We're going to France. We'll have a good few days. I think it will be very productive, seeing a lot of leaders who are friends of mine, for the most part,' he said of his trip, smirking as he added, 'Wouldn't say in 100 percent of the cases, but for the most part.'  He did not say which leaders were getting under his skin, but Trump offered several hints in the comments he delivered outside the White House before he left for Europe with first lady Melania.  She departed Washington wearing a Chanel jacket, white pants, white heels and a black top. When she arrived in Biarritz, she was wearing a yellow, Calvin Klein tie-dyed denim midi dress priced at $530.16 paired with pink stiletto heels and sunglasses. Her airy evening gown was her third outfit change of the elongated day.  At the White House, while his wife was waiting indoors, Trump had harped on France's digital tax, which he said U.S. tech companies don't deserve.  He noted that he's 'not the biggest fan of the tech companies' he's accused of interfering in his election. Yet, he said their regulation should be up to the United States, and not foreign countries like France.  'I don't like what France did. They put a digital tax on our tech companies,' he said. 'Those are great American companies, and frankly, I don't want France going out and taxing our companies, very unfair.'  He cautioned Macron against moving ahead with the action that could spark a protracted trade war with the United States.  'If they do that, we'll be taxing their wine, or doing something else. We'll be taxing their wine, like they've never seen before,' Trump promised.  Whether he meant for the earlier jab about his 'friends' in the global community to land on Macron or another leader he'll be seeing like German Chancellor Angela Merkel was unclear. He seemed to suggest in his remarks at their unscheduled lunch that he did not mean to insult Macron, even though he threatened to penalize him.  Trump has forged a bond with Macron, in spite of their ideological differences. He's traveled to France on three other occasions in the two years since the 41-year-old populist took office and named him the guest of honor at his first and only White House state dinner.  Their relationship was under strain this week, however, after the White House claimed that Macron introduced the idea of Russia rejoining the G7, in spite of the ongoing occupation of Crimea, in a phone call with Trump in advance of the summit that France is hosting this year for the sixth time since the group's launch in 1975.  Macron subsequently told reporters that it would be a 'strategic error' and 'signing off the weakness of the G7' for Russia to be invited without preconditions.  The White House says that Trump also had to force a discussion on the global economy and his desire for trade agreements that are more favorable to the U.S. after Macron deliberately disincluded a session on the dispute from the Biarritz agenda.  They've been fighting over a proposed digital services tax, too, with Trump qualifying it as 'Macron's foolishness' in a tweet in which he first threatened to tax French wine at the end of July.  'I’ve always said American wine is better than French wine!' the tee-totaling president who owns a winery in Virginia charged.  To placate Trump, the president's advisers say Macron added a Sunday morning conversation to the G7 schedule that encompasses the president's trade grievances.  'Right now, outside the U.S. as you know, there's very little economic growth: Europe is on the edge, Japan, China's faltering. And we think it's high time that we had a good group discussion of the allies regarding how to promote economic growth and prosperity and to lower trade barriers and to stabilize currency,' National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow told reporters on Thursday.  He concluded, 'So that will formally be on the formal agenda. And that’s really all we care about.'  Macron will in turn try to move the needle on environmental issues such as greenhouse gas emissions.  'At the Biarritz Summit, France will build on its past and current efforts to support carbon neutrality by 2050 at the European level, by encouraging more countries to adopt this vital goal,' an outline of of the G7 agenda provided to press says.  After his wine tax threat he'd added, 'Other than that, I have a very good relationship with, Macron, as you say, and we're going to have a very good couple of days. I look forward to being in France.'  'I'm going to see Prime Minister Abe, he's a great gentleman, a great friend of mine,' he told another reporter asking about his relationship with Japan's head of government.  Trump has a kinship with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson but their relationship will also be put to test.  The U.S. president is coming in hot on the economy and trade and plans to lobby fellow leaders to readmit Russia to the exclusive group that Trump will have his turn at running next year.  Macron is pushing a climate change agenda that Trump has vociferously opposed and rejected a U.S.-circulated claim this week that he wants to include Vladimir Putin in future summits.  One of Trump's only natural ally among G7 nations - a group comprised of Germany, France, Italy, Canada, the US, the UK and Japan - Johnson will be caught in the crossfire.  The conservative leaders have been strategizing in weekly calls for the past month. The White House said in a Saturday statement that talked again before Trump left Washington.  'He and I are very much aligned. We feel very good about each other,' Trump said of Johnson last week.  A self-defined nationalist who has broken with fellow leaders on climate change, Russian aggression and the Iranian nuclear pact, Trump's rejection of globalism and his distaste for multinational organizations is likely to leave him feeling unexpectedly isolated, even with Johnson at this year's negotiating table.  The UK has remained steadfast in its partnership with regional allies on core issues, although Johnson's interest in European priorities like global warming is softer than his immediate predecessors.  That support is unlikely to change even after Brexit, and Trump may be surprised by Johnson's positions.  'We’re obviously going to continue to see some really serious divergences,' Leslie Vinjamuri, head of the US and the Americas Programme at Chatham House, told DailyMail.com. 'You can’t just wait it out for your friend to run the country and then think that you're going to move things along. Britain is a democracy. It's got its own set of interests.'  On economic basics, Trump and Johnson have the same general worldview, which will benefit the U.S. president as he fights his own trade battle with the EU.  'That’s really all we care about,' White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Thursday of the U.S. mission at the secluded conference.  Trump will be heralding a pro-jobs, pro-growth agenda centered on free, fair and reciprocal trade, another senior administration official said, outlining a U.S. push to return to the mandate of the group that's comprised of the world's most advanced economies.  'These are critical agenda items that the President has done domestically. We’ve seen the results. We’ve seen hundreds of thousands of jobs coming back to the U.S. economy. And we’ve seen growth rates that we didn’t think were possible just a few years ago,' the official said.  'And you can contrast this to what’s happening in Europe, where growth is effectively flat.'  Trump at the summit will be 'really engaging in honest conversations' about these issues, said the adviser of the president's desire to 'ensure that U.S. workers and businesses have markets in which they can sell their goods and services' within the world's most lucrative economies.  The Wilson Center's Matthew Rojansky told DailyMail.com that European nations will be equally interested to see behind the curtain of Trump's trade practices.  'With troubling economic signs on the horizon in U.S. markets and the ongoing U.S.-China trade dispute, this is likely to be the major focus of concern from U.S. allies at the summit,' he said. 'They will want to know what Washington plans to do to manage these threats to growth and prosperity.'  Ned Price, a spokesman for the National Security Council in the Obama administration, observed that the resulting fallout is likely to be a 'good deal of disunity on trade' in both the transnational context and in terms of Trump's brawl with China.  'The trend that we’ve noticed, and it's been unmistakable over the past couple years, has been that often the G7 has evolved into disarray rather than ascended to unified themes and objectives,' he told DailyMail.com ahead of the summit.  When Canada hosted the meeting last year, the U.S. pulled out of a joint communique at the last minute after Trump took offense to comments that Justin Trudeau made at a news conference.  Macron decided to scrap a 2019 statement of mutual agreement altogether, he said on Wednesday, because it would be 'pointless' without U.S. participation in a communique.  In a tweet after his lunch with Trump, he lowered his standards for a successful summit even further. 'We may not accomplish everything we’ve set out to, but we’ll do our best to be effective to ensure your security, create more jobs and fight the inequality you are suffering. I’ll keep you posted on our progress,' he asserted.  Price had assessed before the summit began that Macron's main objective appeared to be avoiding an international incident.  'I think it's quite likely that he is seeking to avoid a debacle rather than to achieve what the summit used to set out to achieve, and that is a good degree of consensus between and among the world's most powerful economies and the world's most powerful countries,' he said.  The G7 began as a response to the 1970s oil crisis but it has evolved to include, and has in many ways been overtaken, by foreign policy crises.  This Biarritz agenda skews in the direction of liberal initiatives that Macron has championed such income and gender equality and the health and protection of the planet.  It began Saturday evening with a greeting and informal dinner for visiting heads of state and their top aides and concludes Monday with unilateral press conferences.  African leaders from five nations, the Australian prime minister, India's prime minister and the Chilean president have also been invited to join talks in the seaside resort town that's a haven for celebrities and well-to-do tourists.  In addition to the private working sessions, Trump will hold one-offs with most of his counterparts, including Germany's Merkel, France's Macron, Canada's Trudeau, India's Narendra Modi, Japan's Abe and the UK's Johnson.  Each of those bilateral talks has a separate agenda that's catered to participating nations.  Merkel can expect another lecture from Trump on LNG and Germany's reliance on Russia for liquefied natural gas. The U.S. leader will again demand additional military spending from Germany, which continues to fall below the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's recommended contribution level.  Protests in Hong Kong will dominate a scheduled bilateral with Trudeau, a U.S. official said.  Canada has more than 300,000 expats living in the autonomous region of China, and it's government is helping to lead a pressure campaign on Beijing to maintain Hong Kong's constitutional rights and keep the peace.  Trump will dedicate a meeting with Modi to the conflict Kashimir, which he called 'explosive' this week as he offered to mediate peace talks.  'Kashmir is a very complicated place. You have the Hindus and you have the Muslims, and I wouldn’t say they get along so great. And that’s what you have right now,' the U.S. president said.  In his first in-person conversation with Johnson since the conservative replaced Theresa May as prime minister, the White House said that Trump will seek to improve 'ongoing very close partnership that that the US and UK enjoy' and work toward a free trade agreement with Britain.  'We’re very enthusiastic about that prospect,' a senior U.S. official said in a G7 preview for U.S. press. 'And we would like to be able to make some progress.'  Trump's support for a deal or no deal exit from the EU has created an opening for a return to the 'special relationship' between the countries that soured when May was in office, Vinjamuri said.  A diplomatic row at the end of her tenure brought about the resignation of the British ambassador after The Daily Mail revealed his unflattering portrayal of Trump in private cables.  Trump lashed out at May in tweets for fumbling Brexit, as he demanded the diplomat's recall to London.  His anger has calmed with the election of Johnson, whom he'd said he'd prefer to work with. The leaders have spoken on the phone four times in as many weeks about a trade agreement and Brexit.  'They’re probably — I don’t want to say our “closest,” because I don’t want to insult other people, but certainly — or countries — but certainly they’re one of our closest allies anywhere in the world,' the U.S. president told DailyMail.com and other reporters last Thursday of the alliance with Britain.  He added, 'And we’re going to have a fantastic relationship with UK. And we’re going to have a great trade deal with UK. And that’s moving along rapidly.'  Vinjamuri said the statement may not be a reflection of some developing rift with Johnson but warned, 'This is as good it's going to get for this American president, in terms of a leader that he can work with in Europe.'  A conversation on Russia and it's future participation is not on the agenda at the G7, however the White House said that Trump is likely to bring the issue up in closed-door talks.  'We expect the issue of Russia’s participation or nonparticipation to be discussed among the leaders,' a senior official said Thursday.  Trump said this week that it would be 'appropriate' for G7 nations to allow Russia to rejoin the informal organization's ranks and 'somebody' should raise the issue.  'President Obama thought it wasn't a good thing to have Russia in, and so, he wanted Russia out. But I think it's much more appropriate to have Russia in, particularly the G8, because a lot of things we talk about have to do with Russia,' he argued.  Macron and Johnson have openly rebuffed him, and  Canadian foreign minister Chrystia Freeland said Thursday at a joint news conference with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that Russia's participation is out of the question until it vacates Crimea.  'I think all of us would be delighted to welcome a Russia which sought again to be a member in good standing of our like-minded group of countries, a group of countries committed to the rule of law, a group of countries committed to democracy,' she said. 'And the way for Russia to show that it wants to do that is to leave Crimea and to end the war in the Donbas. It’s very simple.'


dailymail--2019-08-26--Awkward moment Scott Morrison is left to check his phone at the G7 summit while other leaders chat

Scott Morrison looked awkward and slightly out of place while engaging with other world leaders at the G7 Summit in France.  The Australian Prime Minister cut a lonely figure among world leaders during official photo opportunities at the high-powered international forum in Biarritz on France's south-west coast.  Invited by French President Emmanuel Macron, Mr Morrison was left to stare at his phone as US president Donald Trump mingled with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.  Footage showed the leaders socialising while a glum-looking Mr Morrison stood alone in the background, despite his wife Jenny being present.  The Prime Minister's awkward interactions didn't go unnoticed by the public.  'Wonder what the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is thinking in the background there,' one eagled-eyed viewer tweeted.  Another added: 'Scott Morrison as usual the 'Have a Go-between'.'  One official photo captured the US First Lady Melania Trump warmly greeting Mr Trudeau with a kiss on the cheek as Mr Morrison sheepishly looked on from behind.  'She isn't looking at Scott Morrison this way,' one person tweeted.  Another added: 'Is Australian PM Scott Morrison in line behind her for a kiss also. Is kissing a custom at meetings of world leaders?'  Other photos showed Trump chatting with and kissing Mr Macron's wife Brigette as Mr Morrison looked on in the background.  Mr Morrison finally got some love when he shared a warm hug with Mr Macron.  Earlier, Mr Morrison met with Mr Trump and demanded the US resolve its hostile trade war with China.  He is expected to discuss the issue on Sunday with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who hosted the G20 and strongly backed Mr Morrison's efforts, and Angel Gurria, the head of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.  He will also raise it during one of the formal G7 sessions he'll take part in on Monday, on the topic of the digital transformation.  Mr Morrison will also hold bilateral meetings with Chile's President Sebastian Pinera and Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Monday.  Mr Morrison is expected to also meet new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and India's leader Narendra Modi during the summit.  The 2019 talks are likely to encompass a wide agenda, including the global economy, the escalating US-China trade dispute, climate change and the Amazon wildfires, taxes on tech giants, the planned US-UK-Australia operation in the Straits of Hormuz, and the ongoing unrest in Hong Kong.  Mr Morrison expects to be given a hard time by Mr Johnson over the cricket after England's thrilling one wicket victory against Australia at Headlingley to level the Ashes series 1-1.  'I'm sure he'll give me a hard time about the fact they clipped us in the latest Ashes,' Mr Morrison told reporters.  Mr Macron is seeking to shake up the summit's format and apart from inviting several new participants, he has declared there will be no joint statement issued at the end and derided 'these communiques that no one reads'.  At last year's summit in Canada, US President Donald Trump left early and spent his plane ride home sending disparaging tweets about the communique he had just signed.


dailymail--2019-08-26--Trump skipped G7 climate session and thought meeting hadnt happened yet

Trump skipped G7 climate session and thought meeting hadn't happened yet

President Donald Trump proclaimed himself an 'environmentalist' Monday after missing a climate change discussion on Monday with other world leaders at the G7 summit in Biarritz, France.  At a press conference, the president said he knows 'more about the environment than most people' in part due to his time as a builder, when environmental concerns often pose last-minute roadblocks to a project.  At a summit where relentless fires in the Amazon provided a backdrop, Trump did not respond directly when asked if he still harbored doubts about global warming, vouching for his environmental credentials by pointing to numerous environmental impact statements he has been involved with.  'I went the cleanest water on earth. I want to cleanest air on earth. And that's what we're doing. I'm an environmentalist,' Trump told reporters at the end of the summit.  'A lot of people don't understand that I have done more environmental impact statements probably than anybody, that's I guess I can say definitely because I've done many, many, many of them. More than anybody that's ever been president or vice president or anything even close to president. And I think I know more about the environment than most people,' he said. Trump was referencing his time as a builder, when an environmental review is part of the construction process.  Although he steered clear of the global warming debate, after long expressing doubts, Trump touted the value of U.S. oil and liquified national gas reserves, and called for new infrastructure to harness it.  He said the domestic industry is creating 'tremendous wealth, and LNG is being sought over all over Europe and all over the world.'  'I’m not going to lose that wealth. I’m not going to lose it on dreams — on windmills, which, frankly, aren’t working too well,' Trump said, once again taking a shot at a growing renewable energy source.  'I want clean air. I want clean water I want a wealthy country. I want a spectacular country with jobs, with pensions, with so many things and that's what we're getting so I want to be very careful at the same time at the same time … it's very important to me, very important to me, we have to maintain this incredible – this incredible place that we've all built. We've become much richer country and that's a good thing, not a bad thing because that great wealth allows us to take care of people,' Trump said.  He concluded his remarks with some environmental boosterism.  'We can take care of people that we couldn't afford taking care of the past because of the great wealth we can't let that wealth is taken away clean air clean water – thank you very much everybody I appreciate it, thank you,' he concluded.  Trump was scheduled to attend the session on climate, biodiversity and oceans, but his chair remained empty while other leaders pledged a modest $20 million to help put out fires that are raging across wide swaths of the Amazon jungles in Brazil.  'He wasn’t in the room but his team was there,' French President Emmanuel Macron said.  The White House attributed his absence to scheduled one-on-one meetings that he attended with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel – both of whom managed to attend.  'The President had scheduled meetings and bilaterals with Germany and India, so a senior member of the Administration attended in his stead,' White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham told DailyMail.com and other news outlets.  A White House official said the stand-in was an aide from the National Security Council.  Trump started the morning behind schedule. His meeting with Merkel was delayed about two hours.  Asked about the global warming meeting during a photo-op with Merkel, the president said: 'We’re having it in a little while.'  He had no reply to a journalist who informed him that it was already underway.  During his meeting with Modi, Trump said that he wants 'clean air and clean water,' but made no comment about his decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord.  He did offer, however, that the climate change discussion would be his next stop. That never materialized.  Trump is a climate change skeptic who once claimed it was a hoax invented by the Chinese.  United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday that the world faces 'a dramatic climate emergency.' He will ask leaders at a Sept. 23 summit in New York to agree to cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than they promised in the 2015 Paris agreement.  Guterres said Monday that 'we are much worse than we were during Paris ... and so it's absolutely essential that countries commit themselves to increase what was promised.'  Guterres claimed that Greenland's ice cap was melting 'dramatically' and that 2015 through 2019 were 'the five hottest years on record.'


abcnews--2019-01-08--Pence calls border bona fide emergency dodges questions about Trump falsehoods

Pence calls border ‘bona fide emergency,’ dodges questions about Trump falsehoods

Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday said that President Trump will use his first prime-time Oval Office address to detail what he described as "a real humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border."  But when pressed by ABC News on the multiple falsehoods recently spread by the president about the immigration debate in recent days, the vice president argued that it shouldn't undermine the administration's credibility in the eyes of the American public.  "Look, the American people aren't as concerned about the political debate as they are about what's really happening at the border," Pence told ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl in an interview for "Good Morning America."  Eighteen days into the partial government shutdown, Trump and other administration officials have made several false claims as they have sought to pressure Democrats to agree for billions in funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.  On Friday, Trump falsely claimed that he has been contacted by "some" of the four living former presidents who told him they wished they'd built a border wall. Spokespersons for all four have since denied such communication ever occurred.  The White House has also claimed that in 2018 "nearly 4,000" suspected terrorists tried to cross into the U.S. through the southern border. But that claim has since been debunked citing figures straight from the administration. The Department of Homeland Security has since sought to clarify that DHS has instead "encountered more than 3,000 Special Interest Aliens" trying to enter via the southern border, which it described as "individuals with suspicious travel patterns who may pose a national security threat."  "The passion you hear from President Trump is determination to take this case to the American people as he will tonight in his national broadcast from the Oval Office -- comes from the president's deep desire to protect the American people," Pence said when pressed on the falsehoods.  Pence did not say whether the president would declare a "national emergency" over border security, which he has said he has the authority to do if no agreement is reached with Democrats.  Trump has told congressional leaders that the government shutdown could go on for months -- even a year or longer -- if Congress doesn't approve funding for a border wall.  "The American people deserve to know that the situation on our southern border has become as 'The Washington Post' said a 'bona fide emergency,'" Pence said.  The Washington Post article Pence is referring to called the influx of migrant families -- and the difficulty Customs and Border Protection had dealing with the situation - "a bona fide emergency."  "Sixty-thousand people a month and for the first time on record, the vast majority of those are families, unaccompanied children and it simply is overwhelming the ability of our border patrol and customs agents to be able to address it," Pence said. "We need new resources. We need to build a wall. We need the Congress to come to the table and work with this president to address this crisis once and for all."  Pence argued Democrats' refusal to compromise shows they are ignoring the border situation, but in an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America," Sen. Kamala Harris disputed that claim.  "It's just simply not true," Sen. Harris, D-Calif., said. "There was a bipartisan effort out of the United States Senate and the United States Congress to pass funding of the government and the president is holding it up because of his vanity project, which is this wall at taxpayers' expense and at the expense of hundreds of thousands of workers who are working every day without being paid. So it's just simply not true. It's an emergency of his own creation."  Harris said if Trump declares a national emergency, Democrats would likely mount an immediate legal challenge.  "I think that there's no question that we will litigate and there will be litigation," Harris said. "Those other branches of government and the courts and the press will put checks on this outrageous conduct of this administration. If he declares an emergency, I think that we will see again the checks and balances kick in particular through the courts."


bbcuk--2019-11-12--England flooding: Communities to get practical and financial help

The prime minister has announced more support for communities in parts of northern England affected by flooding.  Boris Johnson made the commitment following a meeting of the government's emergency Cobra committee earlier.  He had faced criticism from Labour and the Liberal Democrats who said he should declare a "national emergency".  Mr Johnson said it had been "an absolute tragedy for those who have seen such damage to their homes and livestock".  He said authorities were working "flat out" and a request had been made for "a little bit more help" from the military in getting sandbags and other defences to some of the areas affected.  Among the measures announced by Mr Johnson were: • An extra 100 Army personnel deployed from Wednesday to support the recovery effort in South Yorkshire • Funding for local councils where households and businesses have been affected - equivalent to £500 per eligible household • Up to £2,500 for small and medium-sized businesses which have suffered severe impacts not covered by insurance  Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had earlier said the government's response was "woeful" while Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson called for "long-term policy changes".  Mr Corbyn said if the flooding had happened in Surrey it "would have been a very different story".  Both leaders urged the prime minister to declare a "national emergency".  Referring to the response for people affected by the flooding, Mr Johnson added: "I know there will be people who feel that that isn't good enough.  "I know there will be people who are worrying about the damage to their homes, who will be worried about the insurance situation, worried about the losses they face.  "All I want to say to those people is that there are schemes to cover those losses." • Have flood and fire services been cut? • What are the factors making floods worse? • Why insurance does not always cover flood damage  Jon Trickett, shadow minister for the Cabinet Office and Labour MP for Hemsworth in West Yorkshire, said Mr Johnson's proposals were "too little too late".  He said: "You can't trust Boris Johnson to look out for the North or the Midlands or protect our communities from flooding."  The five severe flood warnings along the River Don in South Yorkshire have now been removed, but 20 flood warnings - meaning "flooding is expected" - remain in place.  About 500 homes have been flooded in Doncaster with more than 1,000 properties evacuated in areas hit by the floods.  The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for rain covering large parts of the country on Wednesday and Thursday.  Last week extensive downpours meant several areas were struck by a month's worth of rain in a single day.  A couple who became new parents on Friday - to be told hours later that their home in Fishlake was underwater - have praised the support they have had from people as "invaluable".  "Thank God for the people of Stainforth, and other people around for the support that they've shown," said Dan Greenslade.  Meanwhile a Doncaster salon offered free "pamper" sessions for local children affected by flooding, and dozens of swans were rescued from oil from an upturned barge in Rotherham and cars which had been trapped in flood water.  Churches and community centres have collected toiletries, clothes, cleaning products and food for the hundreds of people displaced from their homes.


bbcuk--2019-11-12--England flooding: PM to chair Cobra meeting over floods

The prime minister is to chair a meeting of the government's emergency committee later in response to floods in northern England.  The Environment Agency has 30 flood warnings in place as well as five severe warnings on the River Don in South Yorkshire.  About 400 homes have been flooded and 1,200 properties evacuated.  A yellow warning for rain remains in place over parts of Yorkshire and the East Midlands for Tuesday and Thursday.  The Met Office has also issued further yellow weather warnings for rain covering larger parts of the country on Thursday.  An emergency appeal to support "displaced" families has raised almost £50,000.  It comes after downpours last week meant several areas were struck by a month's worth of rain in a single day.  Hundreds of people in Fishlake, near Doncaster, have fled their homes after the village was submerged.  Empty coffins were seen floating inside the workshop of a flooded funeral parlour and some villagers had to spend the night at a nearby pub.  The council has called for people to evacuate the village, saying it "can only offer dedicated support to people who are not in an area where there is a threat to life". • How do you stop flooding?  Speaking at a rally in Blackpool, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the Conservative government's response to the floods had "been woeful" and had only been triggered after he had written to Boris Johnson.  Mr Corbyn said: "If this had happened in Surrey instead of Yorkshire and the East Midlands, I think it would have been a very different story."  The decision to hold a meeting about the response to flooding had been taken prior to the letter from Mr Corbyn, according to Number 10.  The flooding situation at the weekend had not reached the level where a national emergency could be officially declared.  Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats have set out plans for a £5bn fund to improve flood defences across the UK, to be paid for through government borrowing.  National Farmers Union president Minette Batters said "seismic change" was needed to tackle flooding and described the situation as a "national emergency".  Four Environment Agency pumps are in Fishlake to remove floodwater from the village.  Joe Howslam, 23, told the BBC: "I live with my parents, brother and sister, but we've all had to move out.  "In the history of Fishlake it's never been this bad, according to some of the older members of our village.  "I'm an HGV mechanic and we've run a family farm, so I borrowed a tractor on Saturday and helped rescue a few people. I even rescued my dad from the top window of the house."  It might be a new day In Fishlake but the horrendous problems caused by flooding continue to hang over the people who call this place home.  Roads remain closed and there's a big police presence on the outskirts of the village, partly to deter looters from trying their luck here.  Fire crews with large inflatable boats remain on the streets, regularly checking on people who've ignored advice from the authorities to leave their homes. Some residents say they feel as though Doncaster Council has turned its back on them, but it is clear it wants everyone out of here for their own safety.  Water levels seem to have dropped a bit but some roads remain covered in deep floodwater almost a foot deep.  Community spirit is strong and the Hare and Hounds pub and St Cuthbert's church remain a focal point, taking in donations of household items and clothes, and serving up food to those in need.  Pam Webb, who owns a spa in Fishlake, described how she lost everything she has worked for after her insurance did not cover flooding.  "I feel really selfish in saying this and I hope that other people aren't in this boat but I've lost my home and my business and my livelihood that I've worked so hard for.  "And the girls who worked for me, or worked with me, it's their livelihoods as well. And a lot of them are only young. Some of them have got young families and I've tried to look after them the best I can."  Tractors and boats have been used to get around the village, with many roads in the area under floodwater.  According to the Salvation Army, some people have been rescued from their homes by boat since the early hours of Saturday, but others remain in their properties, while military helicopters have been used to help boost flood defences in the area.  In Worksop, hundreds of homes have been evacuated and dozens of businesses have also been badly hit.  Susan Hale said the floodwater had "completely devastated" her tapas bar.  "The years of hard work and love [have] just gone in a day," she said.  Twelve flood warnings remain in Lincolnshire where more than 1,000 acres have been flooded by Barlings Eau river and some farms are cut off, with some train lines still blocked by high water.  Northern said its services into Rotherham Central were not running until further notice, with reduced services between Doncaster and Sheffield. CrossCountry's trains are being diverted away from Doncaster.  You may also be interested in:  The RSPCA has been involved in a rescue operation to save 60 swans following an oil spillage caused by flooding in Rotherham.  Further south, parts of Derbyshire are also still affected by flooding.  Areas around Matlock - where former High Sherriff of Derbyshire Annie Hall was swept to her death by the flooded River Derwent - are continuing their clean-up efforts, with further rain over the weekend leaving standing water along a number of roads.  Have you been affected by the floods? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.  Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: • Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100 • Please read our terms of use and privacy policy


bbcuk--2019-11-13--England flooding: Fishlake residents 'could be homeless for weeks'

Some residents in a flood-stricken village could be out of their homes for up to three weeks as efforts continue to make the area safe.  Fishlake near Doncaster has been one of the worst hit with hundreds of people being forced to leave their properties.  About 100 Army personnel are in South Yorkshire supporting the flood effort.  The prime minister visited flood-hit Stainforth to see the emergency response. But some onlookers shouted at him to say "you took your time".  One resident told Boris Johnson: "I'm not very happy about talking to you so, if you don't mind, I'll just mope on with what I'm doing."  Mr Johnson said he understood the strength of feeling as "you cannot underestimate the anguish that a flood causes".  Shelly Beniston, who is organising supply runs in Fishlake, told Mr Johnson there not been enough help from authorities.  When the prime minister asked if there was anything he could do to help, she replied: "I think it's more a less all coming in now, a little bit too late though."  The PM said the government was "plainly going to have to do more" to equip places with flood defences.  Doncaster Council said every effort was being made to increase pumping so people could return home sooner.  More widespread rain is forecast, with warnings in place for large parts of the country on Wednesday and Thursday.  On Tuesday, Mr Johnson announced more support for communities affected by flooding following a meeting of the government's emergency Cobra committee.  It came amid criticism from Labour and the Liberal Democrats who said he should declare a "national emergency".  Mr Johnson said authorities were working "flat out" and a request had been made for "a little bit more help" from the military in getting sandbags and other defences to some of the areas affected.  Jon Trickett, shadow minister for the Cabinet Office, said Mr Johnson's proposals were "too little too late".  He said: "You can't trust Boris Johnson to look out for the North or the Midlands or protect our communities from flooding."  Personnel from the Light Dragoons laid down sandbags in Stainforth near Doncaster, attempting to shore up the village's bridge.  About 500 homes have been flooded in Doncaster with more than 1,000 properties evacuated in areas hit by the floods.  Hundreds of people in Fishlake have fled their homes after the village was submerged and the fire service has been working to rescue people.  The council said the village was not safe and that "a return to properties is discouraged in the strongest possible terms".  Roads into Fishlake remain closed and the Environment Agency said people should not attempt to enter the area.  The council said the Environment Agency, along with emergency services, were working hard to recover the area for a safe return but "the latest estimates suggest a safe return could be up to three weeks away for some residents".  Scott Godfrey, landlord of the Hare and Hounds, has been using the pub as a refuge giving affected residents accommodation and hot food as well as delivering meals to people stranded in their homes.  He said they had been let down by Doncaster Council "big style" because it had rowed back on its promise of helping with provisions to send out to villagers.  He said: "We had 45 residents that were stranded who wanted meals. Luckily everyone pulled together and we managed to get some hot meals out."  The authority said it would now be offering humanitarian aid to those who have remained in Fishlake but this should not be attempted by residents. • Have flood and fire services been cut? • What are the factors making floods worse? • Why insurance does not always cover flood damage  Meanwhile, the next door village of Stainforth has been coming to the aid of those evacuated from their homes.  Other measures announced by Mr Johnson were: • Funding for local councils where households and businesses have been affected - equivalent to £500 per eligible household • Up to £2,500 for small and medium-sized businesses which have suffered severe impacts not covered by insurance  Referring to the response for people affected by the flooding, Mr Johnson added: "I know there will be people who feel that that isn't good enough.  "I know there will be people who are worrying about the damage to their homes, who will be worried about the insurance situation, worried about the losses they face.  "All I want to say to those people is that there are schemes to cover those losses."  Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had earlier said the government's response was "woeful" while Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson called for "long-term policy changes".  Mr Corbyn said if the flooding had happened in Surrey it "would have been a very different story".  Both leaders urged the prime minister to declare a "national emergency".  The five severe flood warnings along the River Don in South Yorkshire have now been removed, but 20 flood warnings - meaning "flooding is expected" - remain in place.  Last week extensive downpours meant several areas were struck by a month's worth of rain in a single day.  A couple who became new parents on Friday - to be told hours later that their home in Fishlake was underwater - have praised the support they have had from people as "invaluable".  "Thank God for the people of Stainforth, and other people around for the support that they've shown," said Dan Greenslade.  Meanwhile a Doncaster salon offered free "pamper" sessions for local children affected by flooding, and dozens of swans were rescued from oil from an upturned barge in Rotherham and cars which had been trapped in flood water.  Churches and community centres have collected toiletries, clothes, cleaning products and food for the hundreds of people displaced from their homes.


theweekuk--2019-11-12--Boris Johnson under fire for response to flooding

Boris Johnson has been accused of an “utterly outrageous” lack of concern about the severe floods that have caused devastation and misery in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire.  After the floods hit parts of Nottinghamshire, Simon Greaves, the Labour leader of Bassetlaw district council, said the prime minister was “preoccupied with electioneering” when he should have been coordinating a national response to the flooding.  Speaking to The Guardian, Greaves said the government had a “fantastic opportunity to step up to the plate and take emergency action” but were “concentrating more on the general election campaign than they were on people’s lives”.  He added: “They had an opportunity to take action [and] they consciously chose not to. I think it’s utterly outrageous.”  The criticism comes after Jeremy Corbyn called on the prime minister to “take personal charge” of the situation yesterday. Blaming government cuts for the severity of the damage, the Labour leader promised to inject more funding into flood defences.  He denounced Johnson for not declaring a national emergency, saying: “If this had happened in Surrey, not Yorkshire or the east Midlands, it seems far more likely that a national emergency would have been declared.”  The Liberal Democrats have pledged £5bn for flood prevention measures and their leader, Jo Swinson, has echoed Corbyn’s call for the government to declare the floods a “national emergency”.  There was further criticism from local politicians. David Hughes, the mayor of Matlock, said: “Obviously if people are flooded for days and days on end then it is an emergency for them and it seems to be over a large area.”  Tony Nicholson, a Green councillor in the Doncaster suburb of Bentley, which remained under a severe flood warning yesterday, echoed Corbyn’s sentiment, saying: “If this was in another area this would be deemed a national emergency. This is devastating for people’s lives.”  However, Jane Cox, the leader of the Conservative group on Doncaster council, said of the flooding: “I firmly believe it should not be politicised.”  The prime minister chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency committee Cobra yesterday.  More than 1,200 properties have been evacuated in northern England. A woman died after being swept away by floodwater in Darley Dale near Matlock.  –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––  For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Get your first six issues for £6  –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


thetelegraph--2019-11-12--UK weather: Boris Johnson to prepare Cobra meeting as 38 flood warnings remain in place

More villages could be cut off as floods will continue to devastate parts of northern England, the Met Office has warned.  The Prime Minister is set to chair a meeting of the Government's emergency committee on Tuesday after severe flooding in parts of the country.  Severe flooding hit several areas in Yorkshire and the East Midlands last week with areas around the River Don near Doncaster worst affected after the river burst its banks.  Downpours last week meant several areas in Yorkshire and the East Midlands were struck by a month's worth of rain in a single day.  But in a new warning issued on Tuesday, the Met Office warned that buildings could collapse and towns and villages could be cut off "for several days".  The warning, which covers areas in South Yorkshire and the East Midlands, states: • There is a small chance that communities could be completely cut off, perhaps for several days • There is a small chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater, causing a danger to life • There is a small chance of extensive flooding to homes and businesses which may lead to collapse or damage to buildings or structures • Where flooding occurs, road closures are likely, along with bus and train service delays and cancellations • Dangerous driving conditions will occur because of spray and flooded roads • There is a slight chance that power and other essential services, such as gas, water, mobile phone service will be lost  Around half the 700 residents of Fishlake, near Doncaster, left the village and those who stayed behind have faced waist-high floods.  Annie Hall, the former high sheriff of Derbyshire, died after she was swept away by water on Friday in Darley Dale, near Matlock.


thesun--2019-11-13--Boris Johnson to send 100 troops to flood-hit areas and give cash bail-outs to affected businesses

BORIS Johnson is sending 100 troops to help flood-hit areas and giving a cash bail-out to affected councils and businesses.  The announcement came as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Lib Dem chief Jo Swinson were accused of “weaponising” the crisis.  Soldiers from UK Standby Battalion, based in Catterick, will be deployed today.  Following a meeting of the Government’s Cobra committee, the PM added: “It is essential our communities have the support they need to recover.”  Councils will get emergency grants and business £2,500 handouts.  Meanwhile, Mr Corbyn blamed flooding on years of spending cuts and pledged £5.6billion to shore up defences.  He said: “The Government’s response to the floods has been woeful.  “If this had happened in Surrey instead of Yorkshire and the East Midlands, I think it would have been a very different story.”  Ms Swinson followed in his footsteps by taking her election campaign to sodden South Yorkshire.  Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said: “This is nothing but cheap political posturing. Using a natural disaster in this way is as low as it gets.”  One of the worst-hit villages is Fishlake, near Doncaster, where residents said they received a “severe warning” from the council on social media five hours after homes were flooded.  Meanwhile, a farm was cut off by floodwater in Barlings, Lincs, when a river burst its banks.  Last night families battling to clear up were warned that two weeks’ worth of rain will fall tomorrow. • GOT a story? Ring The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or email exclusive@the-sun.co.uk.


theindependent--2019-07-21--Iran crisis May to chair emergency Cobra meeting after Hammond insists UK aposdidnapost take ey

Iran crisis: May to chair emergency Cobra meeting after Hammond insists UK 'didn't take eye off ball'

Theresa May will begin her final week as prime minister by chairing a meeting of the government’s emergency committee Cobra on Monday to discuss Iran‘s seizure of a British-flagged oil tanker in the Persian Gulf.  The prime minister was absent from ministerial Cobra meetings over the weekend, which she spent in her Maidenhead constituency, but was kept informed of developments.  She is expected to receive updates from ministers and officials on the situation and will discuss the maintenance of the security of shipping in the region.  Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, will update the Commons on the situation on Monday afternoon, amid reports that ministers are considering freezing Iranian regime assets. He is expected to tell MPs what further measures the government will take.  It came after Philip Hammond, the chancellor, denied reports that the UK had taken its “eye off the ball” because of domestic politics after the vessel was commandeered in Omani waters in the economically significant Strait of Hormuz.  Mr insisted the government had been “very much engaged with both the Americans and our European partners in the response to Iran’s increasing defiance of the JCPOA over the last few months”.  And Tobias Ellwood, the defence minister, said the UK had vessels going through 100 nautical miles of waterway every day in the region, adding: “It is impossible simply to escort each individual vessel.”  He also called for more money to be invested in the Royal Navy if Britain wants to continue to play a role on the international stage.  Meanwhile, audio footage emerged between Iranian authorities and HMS Montrose moments before the Stena Impero was seized.  In the radio recording, the Iranian vessel can be heard saying: “If you obey, you will be safe. Alter your course immediately. I want to inspect the ship for security reasons.”  HMS Montrose replied: “You must not impair, impede, obstruct or hamper the passage of the Stena Impero. Please confirm that you are not intending to violate international law by attempting to board.”  Reports from Tehran state those on board the Stena Impero are safe and well.  Iran has directly linked the seizure of the vessel with Britain’s role in detaining a tanker carrying Iranian oil earlier this month.  A spokesman for Iran’s Guardian Council was quoted as saying “the rule of reciprocal action is well known in international law” and that Tehran made the right decision in the face of an “illegitimate economic war and seizure of oil tankers”.  The explanation, which contrasts with a suggestion on Friday night that the Stena Impero was “violating international maritime rules” and had collided with a fishing boat, came as the UK government warned British ships to stay away from the Strait of Hormuz.  HMS Montrose, which is patrolling the Persian Gulf to protect shipping, and earlier this month intercepted Iranian patrol boats surrounding another UK-flagged tanker, reportedly arrived minutes too late to prevent the latest incident.  A second oil tanker, the Liberian-flagged Mesdar, which is managed by Norbulk Shipping UK, veered off course towards the Iranian coast after it was boarded by armed guards at about 5.30pm on Friday.  Communication with the ship was later re-established and the crew were unharmed. The tanker was reportedly allowed to resume navigation.  France and Germany joined condemnation of Iran’s actions, which have triggered concerns that it will lead to further oil price hikes amid heightened tensions in the Gulf involving Iran, the US and UK.


theguardianuk--2019-11-13--Resident tells Boris Johnson on floods visit: 'You've not helped us'

Boris Johnson has been accused of doing nothing to help flood victims as he visited one of the worst hit areas and told residents: “We’ve been on it round the clock”.  The prime minister appeared in Stainforth, in South Yorkshire as 100 soldiers were deployed to help shore up the region’s battered flood defences.  One resident told Johnson: “I’m not very happy about talking to you so, if you don’t mind, I’ll just mope on with what I’m doing.” The woman, clutching a wheelbarrow alongside the troops sent to the area to help, added: “You’ve not helped us … I don’t know what you’re here today for.”  Another told him: “You’ve took your time Boris, haven’t you?”, to which Johnson replied: “We’ve been on it round the clock.”  The prime minister chaired a meeting of the government emergency committee Cobra on Tuesday night following pressure from opposition leaders to get a grip on the crisis, which affected communities in South Yorkshire, the East Midlands and Lincolnshire.  About 400 homes have been flooded and more than 1,200 properties evacuated across parts of northern England in the past week, according to the Environment Agency.  Speaking to reporters in Stainforth on Wednesday, Johnson said: “I perfectly understand how people feel and you can understand the anguish a flood causes.  “The shock of seeing your property engulfed by water is huge and also the anxiety of what may still be to come and I do thank the emergency services for everything they are doing.”  Johnson arrived in the area as nearly 100 soldiers began assisting communities cut off by the flooding. Personnel from the Light Dragoons laid down sandbags in Stainforth near Doncaster, attempting to shore up the village’s bridge.  Weather warnings are in place for much of England and part of Wales on Thursday amid fears that those worst affected will be hit for a second time, hampering the recovery effort.  Five of the most serious “danger to life” alerts were stood down along the River Don in South Yorkshire on Tuesday, but 20 flood warnings remain in place and further downpours are forecast for Thursday.  A Met Office yellow weather warning for rain stretches across much of the country over the next 48 hours, with flood-hit parts of South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire likely to bear the brunt.  The agency said there was a small chance that communities in the region could be cut off completely, perhaps for several days, with a small chance of fast-flowing or deep flood water causing a danger to life.  The Met Office said there was a small chance of extensive flooding to homes and businesses and a slight chance of power outages.  The recovery effort was already well under way on Tuesday when, under pressure from opposition leaders, Boris Johnson announced a package of measures to help.  Following the Cobra meeting on Tuesday, the prime minister announced funding “to support the recovery efforts of local councils where households and businesses have been affected”.  As well as the deployment of 100 armed forces personnel, the government said a community recovery grant would be available to local councils, equivalent to £500 per eligible household, and businesses would each be eligible for up to £2,500.  Johnson said it had been “an absolute tragedy for those who have seen such damage to their homes and livestock” and that the country had to prepare for more floods this winter because the ground was so waterlogged.  The prime minister faced criticism for refusing to acknowledge the seriousness of the situation on Friday night, when he said the floods were not a national emergency.  The recovery in the village of Fishlake, near Doncaster, is expected to take weeks. Residents have been advised to leave their homes and evacuate the village, though many have stayed put.  The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, and the Liberal Democrat leader, Jo Swinson, visited Fishlake on Tuesday, outlining pledges to spend £5.6bn and £5bn respectively on flood defences.  Sue Marshall, who has been unable to return to her house since she was evacuated on Saturday, said she hoped the political visits would lead to real help for those affected. She feared being flooded on Thursday, when more rain is forecast.  “I’ve just said to Jo Swinson that it’s all very well her doing this but in a month’s time we’re going to be old news,” she said. “What we need to know is that in two months’ time, the MPs will revisit this and look at what has been done to stop it happening again. And my immediate concern is what are they doing now to stop it happening on Thursday.”

Josh Halliday North of England correspondent