Britain

The Guardian reports: A straightforward change in EU law guaranteeing visa-free travel for Britons in Europe after Brexit has sparked a diplomatic row after Brussels described Gibraltar as “a colony of the British crown” in its no-deal legislation. The footnote containing the contentious description of the Rock was attached to the EU’s regulation on the insistence of Spain, with whom …

The New York Times reports: British Prime Minister Theresa May survived a critical vote in Parliament on Tuesday that could have delayed Brexit, undermining her strategy for leaving the European Union and undercutting the country’s constitutional protocol. Mrs. May’s latest political escape came when lawmakers failed, by a 321 to 298 vote, to approve an amendment giving Parliament the power …

From a statement by Britain’s Telegraph newspaper: Following last Saturday’s (Jan 19) Telegraph magazine cover story “The mystery of Melania”, we have been asked to make clear that the article contained a number of false statements which we accept should not have been published. Mrs Trump’s father was not a fearsome presence and did not control the family. Mrs Trump …

The Guardian reports: The EU has injected further pressure into the Brexit talks by confirming it will enforce a hard border on the island of Ireland in the event of a no-deal outcome, despite the risk this would pose to peace. In comments that proved highly uncomfortable for Dublin, Jean-Claude Juncker’s chief spokesman told reporters in Brussels it was “pretty …

Bloomberg reports: The U.K. Labour Party is calling for a vote in Parliament that could pave the way to a second referendum, raising the possibility that Brexit could be reversed. The main opposition party proposed an amendment to a government motion — due to be debated on Jan. 29 — calling for votes on various ways of avoiding a messy …

CBS News reports: U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May’s government survived a no-confidence vote Wednesday, a day after British lawmakers overwhelmingly rejected her Brexit deal by a historic margin. The House of Commons expressed confidence in the government by 325 votes to 306, meaning May can remain in office. Had the government lost, Britain would have faced an election within weeks …

The Guardian reports: Half a dozen Labour MPs came out in support of a second referendum for the first time at a Westminster photocall, arguing it was the “the only logical option” if the party could not secure a general election. The timing of the demand, a couple of hours before Jeremy Corbyn was due to open the no-confidence debate, …

The BBC reports: Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal has been rejected by 230 votes – the largest defeat for a sitting government in history. MPs voted by 432 votes to 202 to reject the deal, which sets out the terms of Britain’s exit from the EU on 29 March. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has now tabled a vote of …

Politico Europe reports: Not following through with Brexit would be “catastrophic” for U.K. democracy, said Prime Minister Theresa May in an eleventh hour appeal to members of parliament to back her deal in a key vote Tuesday. Writing in the Express, May said MPs had a duty to deliver on the referendum outcome. Addressing voters, she said that “when you …

The BBC reports: Rebel Tory MPs have joined forces with Labour to inflict a fresh blow on Theresa May’s government in a Commons Brexit vote. It means the government will have to come up with fresh plans within three days if Mrs May’s EU withdrawal deal is rejected by MPs next week. It could also open the door to alternatives, …

The BBC reports: Departures at Heathrow have been stopped after a drone was sighted, the airport says. A Heathrow spokeswoman said the airport was working with police to “prevent any threat to operational safety”. She said: “As a precautionary measure, we have stopped departures while we investigate. We apologise to passengers for any inconvenience this may cause.” It comes after …

The BBC reports: TV art historian and nun Sister Wendy Beckett has died at the age of 88, it has been announced. In the 1990s she became one of the most unlikely television stars. Emerging from her hermit-like existence in a caravan at a Carmelite convent in Norfolk, she hosted unscripted BBC shows from galleries across the world. Born in …

The Guardian reports: The government is to ban unethical puppy and kitten farms in England, pledging to end the trade of unscrupulous breeders who keep animals in filthy and cramped conditions and force some to be pregnant many times over. The regulation will mean anyone wanting to buy or home a puppy or kitten will have to deal directly with …

USA Today reports: A 47-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman have been arrested in connection with the “criminal use of drones” that forced the shutdown of London’s Gatwick international airport for several days, affecting 140,000 holiday travelers. Police said the pair were from the small town of Crawley, near Gatwick. No one had claimed responsibility for the bizarre incidents that …

The Guardian reports: Offering public support that the embattled British prime minister may rather do without, Putin said he “understood” May’s position in “fighting for this Brexit”. “The referendum was held,” the Russian president said from Moscow during a press conference shown on national television. “What can she do? She has to fulfill the will of the people expressed in …

The BBC reports: A drone attack at one of the UK’s busiest airports has left tens of thousands of passengers facing major disruption. Gatwick’s runway has been shut since Wednesday night, when two devices were seen flying over the perimeter fence. The airport said a drone had been spotted “in the last hour” and the runway would not open “until …

The Independent reports: Theresa May has launched an astonishing attack on Tony Blair, accusing the former prime minister of seeking to “undermine” her during Brexit talks in order to pursue his own “political interests”. In highly unusual move, Ms May hit out at one of her predecessors, claiming the former Labour leader’s support for a second Brexit referendum was “an …

Vulture reports: The swindlers of the world really took things to a new level in 2016, and HBO has a movie that digs into one of the great con jobs in modern political history. In Brexit, a balding Benedict Cumberbatch plays Dominic Cummings, a strategist for the Leave campaign who apparently played an instrumental role in turning the sentiment of …

The BBC reports: The UK’s advertising watchdog has said it will ban “gender stereotypes that are likely to cause harm, or serious or widespread offence”. The Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) said harmful stereotypes in adverts “contribute to how people see themselves and their role in society”, and can hold some people back. The ban will cover men struggling with …

Business Insider reports: An angry-looking Theresa May confronted European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Friday after EU leaders rejected her latest Brexit proposals and he publicly chastised her approach to negotiations. Arriving at a meeting of European leaders in Brussels this morning, May was filmed approaching Juncker and having what looked like a frosty exchange with the EU chief. She …