Confused About Brexit? Don't Be: Here's What Comes Next For The UK

The EU doesn't need unanimity to approve the final Brexit treaty and accompanying 'political statement' (though the EU parliament will need to approve the deal after the UK, and any final trade deal reached at the end of the post-Brexit transition period would require unanimous approval by the member states), and while the EU has placed tremendous emphasis on presenting a united front, it's doubtful that the negotiators and sherpas who have put so much effort into hammering out the current 580+ page draft deal (and the accompanying 26 page framework for negotiations on a post-Brexit trade relationship) would let all of that work go to waste. According to the most recent batch of media reports surrounding the negotiations, the fisheries issue has been resolved (though the details haven't been released). And it's still unclear whether the deal struck by Europe will be accepted by Scottish Tories who have already sent one letter threatening to sabotage the whole thing if the UK doesn't commit to blocking European fishermen from Scottish fisheries.

But assuming the Brexit plan is finalized on Sunday at the planned weekend summit, on Monday, the focus will almost certainly shift back toward Theresa May and her increasingly fraught relationship with Brexiteers within her own party. May's internal opposition is already near the threshold needed to force a leadership challenge within the conservative party. Most of their objections are related to the wording of the 'Irish backstop', which has caused a lot of trouble for a piece of the agreement that's designed to, under ideal circumstances, never come into effect. According to the current terms, if no deal is reached, the UK would remain in a customs union with the EU until both sides sign off. That, according to the Brexiteers, would risk leaving the UK stuck as a "vassal state" under the thumb of a possibly vengeful EU.

And with the March 29 'Brexit Day' looming ever closer, May is quickly running out of options (even her attempt to win Tories over with the so-called "fantasy unicorn" option of possibly replacing the backstop with a commitment to leverage technology that hasn't even been invented yet to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland failed to placate her Brexiteer colleagues). The EU, for its part, has said it is done negotiating, and it's unclear what, if anything (aside from an imminent no-deal Brexit), could entice them to return to the table.

More details here:

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-11-23/confused-about-brexit-dont-be-heres-what-comes-next-uk

PS: As a USAnon, I'm still confused af.

Camp Fire is deadliest U.S. wildfire in 100 years; eerily similar to 1918 inferno that killed 453

With the death toll at 83 and counting, the Camp Fire in Butte County ranks as the deadliest wildfire anywhere in the United States in 100 years.

But the last time a wildfire killed this many people in America, many of the circumstances were eerily similar: Parched forests. Strong winds. Terrified townspeople killed while fleeing in their cars. Towns wiped off the map. A nation stunned.

It happened in 1918 in northern Minnesota, near Duluth.

“Our photos are black and white,” said Rachel Martin, executive director of the Carlton County Historical Society in Cloquet, a town of 12,000 people. “The images from California’s fire are in color. But they look similar. When I heard Jerry Brown on TV, I thought he could be talking about this area. All the conditions were the same.”

https://www.chicoer.com/2018/11/23/paradise-camp-fire-is-deadliest-u-s-wildfire-in-100-years-eerily-similar-to-1918-inferno-that-killed-453/

Camp Fire: Map shows where PG&E had planned to shut down power ahead of blaze (but didn't)

A PG&E map of the Camp Fire area, exclusively obtained by this news organization, raises new questions about the utility’s power-shutoff policies and its decision to keep electricity flowing in advance of the deadly and destructive blaze.

The map, received from a PG&E official by Butte County chief administrative officer Shari McCracken, includes red lines overlaying the towns of Paradise, Magalia and others like a swarm of aggressive tapeworms. The red indicates the distribution lines that PG&E had planned to de-energize in advance of high winds and other dangerous fire conditions forecast for the morning of Nov. 8 — a plan the utility ultimately decided was unnecessary.

Attorney Frank Pitre, who is co-counsel representing more than 600 victims who are suing PG&E over the deadly North Bay fires last year, said the safety distinction between transmission and distribution lines is moot.

“When transmission lines blow, there is a shower of sparks akin to fireworks on the Fourth of July,” he said. “All it takes is one spark to ignite a fire. If that occurs during high-wind conditions, with dry vegetation below, you have a calamity.”

Pitre said PG&E needs to open up the books on their inspection and maintenance records from the area, particularly in light of its checkered history in the Feather River Canyon, including millions of dollars in settlements.

“If you are going to operate equipment at the margins of failure,” Pitre said, “then you better have a plan to shut down lines during adverse weather conditions to prevent the risk of a catastrophic event like a wildfire.”

https://www.chicoer.com/2018/11/23/maps-show-where-pge-had-planned-to-shut-down-power-ahead-of-camp-fire/

>>4009130

>>4009131

Need high-quality, POTUS-approved, non-comped investigators shoving comped PGE, CalFire and CA state investigators out of the way to get to the bottom of this or it will happen again, and again, and again.

'We will not pay for migrants!' Tijuana mayor declares humanitarian crisis, seeks UN help

The mayor of Tijuana blasted the government for leaving the city helpless as it struggles to cover the needs of some 5,000 caravan migrants. The city's resources are stretched to the limit and it will not bear more, he said. According to the mayor, 4,976 migrants have arrived to the city, with the majority of them finding shelter at a sports complex, which authorities temporarily converted to house them.

The presence of hundreds of distraught migrants has taken its toll on the city, with clashes reported between locals and the unwanted guests. The upkeep of the migrants has cost Tijuana a hefty sum – nearly 550,000 pesos a day [$27,000], mayor Juan Manuel Gastelum said Friday, accusing the government of lackluster response to the crisis and unwillingness to share the burden.

"I will not spend Tijuanans' money, I will not bring Tijuana into debt now, in the same way, we haven't done so these past two years," the mayor said. Gastelum said that Tijuana had to appeal to international organizations, including the UN, for assistance.

"We are in a humanitarian crisis and the federal government must be held accountable!" Gastelum tweeted.

https://www.rt.com/usa/444758-tijuana-humanitarian-crisis-help/

>>4009347

That would be you and I via various circuitous organizations who somehow end up with our tax dollars.

Feel sick yet?

I do.

>>4009585

Not every American pays taxes.

Need to recalculate.

>>4009587

Agree anon

Baker in the house?

>>4009648

stealth baker!