Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage told Sky News on Sunday that he'd prefer to extend the Brexit deadline past Oct. 31 in order to hold a general election than see Parliament pass the divorce deal struck by the EU and Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week.
"This is a rotten deal. ... I do understand because of Brexit fatigue and anger in the country the temptation to vote for it. But it is nothing more than Brexit in name only, it will not solve anything. This will not end things."
African swine fever, a deadly pig disease, is killing hundreds of millions of hogs in eastern Asian countries, causing a global surge in pork and bacon prices, according to Bloomberg.
Why it matters: African swine fever is not known to infect or harm humans, but it can kill most pigs in a week and has the potential to disrupt pork markets and threaten food-insecure countries.
Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters marched in Hong Kong on Sunday in defiance of a police ban against assembly, rallying in support of a pro-democracy group leader who was attacked by five men wielding hammers three days earlier, according to the BBC.
The state of play: Though the march was largely peaceful, some protestors threw firebombs at police and vandalized Chinese banks and shops. Police responded by shooting tear gas canisters and deploying water cannons loaded with a blue irritant used to mark protestors for later arrest.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper told reporters Saturday night that all of the nearly 1,000 U.S. troops leaving Syria will continue the fight against the Islamic State, or ISIS, from western Iraq, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Why it matters: President Trump has faced scathing criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike for his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria, which paved the way for Turkey to lead a military offensive against Kurdish forces who allied with the U.S. in the fight against ISIS.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sent Saturday evening an unsigned photocopy of a letter requesting the European Union delay Brexit, ITV News reports. He also sent the EU an "explanatory letter" from the United Kingdom's ambassador to the EU and a letter signed by Johnson making it clear he doesn't want a delay to Brexit, per the Guardian.
Why it matters: Johnson had said he would rather be "dead in a ditch" than seek an extension. But he was legally required to send the Brexit delay request after the U.K. Parliament passed a law in September requiring him to seek a Brexit extension rather than crash out of the EU without a deal on Oct. 31.
A federal investigation closely supervised by Attorney General William Barr — which aims to inspect origins of the Trump-Russia probe — has interviewed "about two dozen and current F.B.I. officials," the New York Times reports.
Why it matters: The investigation, which is essentially looking into claims that the FBI's probe into President Trump's 2016 campaign was influenced by anti-Trump sentiments, is further along than previously reported.
U.S. officials developed and presented a long-term plan to help North Korea establish a sought-after tourism hub in exchange for denuclearization during recent talks in Stolkholm, Bloomberg reports, citing Hankook Ilbo newspaper.
Why it matters: North Korea has tested weapons repeatedly in recent months, after talks with the U.S. came to a standstill in February. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has tried to build a resort in the Wonsan-Kalma coastal area, per Bloomberg.
An official Israeli delegation will attend a U.S.-led maritime security meeting to be held Sunday in Bahrain, intended to focus on countering Iranian threats against shipping routes in the Gulf, Western diplomats tell me.
Why it matters: Israel and Bahrain do not have full and official diplomatic relations. The Israeli participation in the conference, which will be attended by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman, is another example of the Iranian threat that is bringing Israel and the Gulf states closer together and allowing their government officials to be seen publicly around the same table.
The U.K. Parliament on Saturday approved an amendment intended as a safety valve against a damaging "no deal" Brexit, taking the wind out of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's sails and making yet another Brexit delay likely.
Why it matters: Johnson reached a deal with the European Union last week and brought it up for a vote on a highly unusual Saturday session. The whip count looked close, but after the so-called Letwin Amendment passed, Johnson said there was little point in proceeding with the vote on his deal. He also vowed not to negotiate an extension beyond the Oct. 31 deadline with the EU — though he is bound by law to seek one.
