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At an impromptu news conference from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, President Donald Trump threatened trade war with the European Union, fumed about teen activist Greta Thunberg, and offered a questionable analysis of impeachment proceedings. Trump also said he knew about injuries suffered by U.S. troops in Iran's January 8 airstrike, but announced that no Americans were harmed because he didn't think their injuries were serious.

The 11 injured service members showed signs of concussions and were, as of last week, being treated for potential traumatic brain injuries.

Trump told reporters this morning that at the time of his initial statements, he "heard they had headaches and a couple of other things." Asked whether he considered potential brain trauma serious, Trump said he did not hear about this part until several days ago but still did not consider these to be "serious injuries relative to other injuries I've seen."

On Davos itself, Trump touted all the world leaders he was meeting and all the deals he was supposedly making. Which translates roughly to "expect more tariffs."

The European Union is "frankly, more difficult to do business with than China," said Trump.

"I wanted to wait till I finished China. I didn't want to go with China and Europe at the same time," Trump told CNBC's Joe Kernen. "Now China's done, and I met with the new head of the European CommissionAnd had a great talk. But I said, look, if we don't get something, I'm going to have to take action, and the action will be a very high tariffs on their cars and other things that come into our country."

Much of the focus at this morning's press conference was on impeachment proceedings, which began against Trump in the Senate yesterday. (The president admitted he's been sneaking a peek at them when he can from Davos.) Congressional Democrats have no case because "we have all the material, they don't have the material," Trump said.

He repeated his assertion that his conversation with Ukraine's president was "perfect" and that the impeachment proceedings are "a hoax." Asked whether he still thinks climate change is a hoax, however, Trump said, "No, not at all."

(Perhaps he's just trying to boost his chances with Time magazineAsked about a Davos speech by ThunbergTime's 2019 person of the yearTrump first asked how old she was and then commented "she beat me out for Time.")

Trump also suggested that he still feels sorry for former President Bill Clinton over impeachment:

Watch the whole press conference here.

Impeachment to take longer. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (RKy.) announced revised rules for President Donald Trump's impeachment trial in the Senate, after everyone complained about his initial plan, which would have seen much of the proceedings going on in the middle of the night.

"Both parties will now have 24 hours each over the course of three days to present evidence, as opposed to the two days that were originally allotted," notes Reason's Billy Binion. And:

McConnell also altered a rule that would have blocked House evidence unless the Senate voted to admit it. Now all relevant documents will be automatically entered into the record and barred only if the Senate votes to exclude them.

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The European Union Is a Worse Business Ally Than China, Says Trump - Reason

A NEW fiftypence coin has been unveiled ahead of the UK's departure from the European Union.

The Prime Minister said he will "look ahead with confidence" to the future on Friday when the UK formally leaves the bloc - nearly four years since the referendum.

Boris Johnson will deliver a special address to the nation to mark the day and Downing Street will be illuminated with a light display designed to symbolise the strength and unity of the UK's four nations.

Union flags will line Parliament Square and the Mall, Government buildings on Whitehall will be lit up in red, white and blue throughout the evening and a countdown clock will be projected onto Number 10's black bricks from 10pm on January 31.

The PM will also chair a meeting of his Cabinet in the north of England on Friday, while he and his ministers will use this week to meet people and businesses across the UK.

Johnson will host another edition of his "People's PMQs" on Facebook on Wednesday, and children will be invited to Downing Street on Thursday where they will be given the chance to ask the PM about the future he intends to build for the next generation.

And the new commemorative 50p coin to mark Britain's departure will enter circulation on Friday.

Johnson said: "Next Friday marks an important moment in the history of our United Kingdom.

"No matter how you voted in 2016, it is the time to look ahead with confidence to the global, trail-blazing country we will become over the next decade and heal past divisions.

"That is what I will be doing on January 31 and I urge everyone across the UK to do the same."

The day after Britain's departure, the Government's new "GREAT 'Ready to Trade'" campaign will launch in 17 cities across 13 countries outside the EU as the UK seeks to build future trading relationships.

Adverts will be placed in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the UAE and the USA.

On Monday, a campaign with the message "This Friday the UK leaves the EU" will launch, urging businesses and citizens to check for any changes they need to make ahead of January 2021 - when the transition period will have come to an end.

Read more from the original source:
New Brexit 50p coin revealed ahead of exit from the European Union - The National

George Galloway dismissed suggestions from Nicola Sturgeon over Scotland applying to join the European Union once independent from the United Kingdom. The Scottish First Minister was refused a new independence referendum earlier this year after a campaign in which she claimed Brexit would have a devastating impact on the national economy, calling on Scots to back her plans to become an EU member state in the future. But Mr Galloway pointed out one single EU state could block any Scottish attempt to accede the union because of concerns of a domestic break.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Mr Galloway said: "It only takes one vote to veto it. That vote would most likely come from Spain, but it could come from Italy, too.

"The Spanish would have to think very carefully about voting to allow a breakaway part of Britain to enter the EU because there are plenty of breakaway parts in Spain that would like to do the same thing.

"Moreover, very foolishly the Scottish Government, the SNP, have gotten themselves way too deeply involved in the Catalonia question giving asylum to fugitives from Spanish justice, waving the Catalan flag at every opportunity, both literally and metaphorically.

"They have done everything they could to enrage the Spanish state. You certainly cant rule out Spain would cast a nay vote on that."

JUST IN: Historic moment EU chiefs sign off Brexit deal as UK one week from freedom

Scotland refused Spanish requests to extradite Clara Ponsat, the former Education Councillor of the Generalitat of Catalonia, over the role she played in the disputed independence referendum of October 1, 2017.

The Catalan economist, the former director of the School of Economics and Finance at the University of St Andrews, initially went into exile in Belgium after the Spanish Government threatened her with arrest after the Constitutional Court of Spain declared the referendum to break away from Madrid unconstitutional.

Despite warning Spain would likely veto Scotland's request to become a member state, Mr Galloway suggested Brussels could be willing to accept Ms Sturgeon's request should she secure the independence from the UK.

He continued: "A kind of schadenfreude would guide the European Union to accept Scottish entry into the union, but only on the fiscal rules.

READ MORE: Angela Merkel demands Brussels develop 'stronger' voice as Brexit crisis about to explode

"The EU cannot afford to allow Scotland a deficit of 12 percent because if Scotland can have a deficit of 12 percent, then so could they all. In this case, the European Central Bank and the euro are bankrupt.

"But they might for reasons of discomforting the remaining British state."

Appetite for a second referendum on Scottish independence grew following the Brexit decision, where 62 percent of Scottish voters chose to remain, with 38 percent voting to leave.

Petitioning Boris Johnson, Ms Sturgeon requested that the question of independence once again be put to the Scottish people for a final decision.

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However, in a decisive move, the Prime Minister formally rejected the bid, putting his foot down on the issue.

In a copy of the correspondence to the First Minister posted on Twitter, Mr Johnson told Ms Sturgeon you and your predecessor made a personal promise that the 2014 Independence Referendum was a once in a generation vote.

As a result, the Prime Minister said he could not agree to any request for a transfer of power that would lead to further independence referendums.

Mr Johnson went on to state that another referendum could continue the political stagnation Scotland has seen for the past decade.

He said: It is time that we all worked to bring the whole of the United Kingdom together and unleash the potential of this great country.

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Galloway names the ONE 'enraged' EU state that would destroy Sturgeon's hopes to join EU - Express

George Galloway said the UK now has the advantage in its trade talks with the EU, which he described as scrambling to keep up with us. In a scathing assessment of the European Union and its chief Ursula von der Leyen, Mr Galloway said that they need us more than we need them. He pointed out the European economies were on the edge of recession and could not withstand a disruption in trade with the UK.

This comes after Boris Johnson has signed the Brexit withdrawal agreement in Downing Street.

That paves the way for ratification by the European Parliament next week to ensure a smooth UK departure from the EU under the terms of the withdrawal agreement.

The Prime Minister hailed a "fantastic moment" for the country after he put his name to the historic agreement.

Earlier on Friday, the presidents of European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and the European Council Charles Michel,signed the document in Brussels, before it was transported to London by train.

JUST IN:Royal fury: Boris Johnson's unusual complaints about Queen exposed

Speaking to RT, Mr Galloway said Brexit was the culmination of a fight he had been involved in since 1975.

He explained: Now we are about to achieve it. We leave the faded and failing economies of the EU behind us and we go into the world.

He attacked European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and the European Council Charles Michel as those two nameless individuals" before boasting that "they will only be ruling us until the end of the month.

Mr Galloway continued: They were amongst the people telling us there would never be a Brexit deal. Now they are a scrambling to get a deal done!

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George Galloway PERFECTLY tears apart von der Leyen and reveals EU 'scrambling' on Brexit - Express

European Commission set out its ideas for shaping the Conference on the Future of Europe, which should be launched on Europe Day, 9 May 2020 and run for two years. The Communication adopted is the Commissions contribution to the already lively debate around the Conference on the Future of Europe a project announced by President Ursula von der Leyen in her Political Guidelines, to give Europeans a greater say on what the European Union does and how it works for them. The Conference will build on past experiences, such as citizens dialogues, while introducing a wide range of new elements to increase outreach and strengthen ways for people to shape future EU action. The Conference will allow for an open, inclusive, transparent and structured debate with citizens of diverse backgrounds and from all walks of life. The Commission is committed to follow up on the outcome.

The Commission proposes two parallel work strands for the debates. The first should focus on EU priorities and what the Union should seek to achieve: including on the fight against climate change and environmental challenges, an economy that works for people, social fairness and equality, Europes digital transformation, promoting our European values, strengthening the EUs voice in the world, as well as shoring up the Unions democratic foundations. The second strand should focus on addressing topics specifically related to democratic processes and institutional matters: notably the lead candidate system and transnational lists for elections to the European Parliament.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, commented: People need to be at the very centre of all our policies. My wish is therefore that all Europeans will actively contribute to the Conference on the Future of Europe and play a leading role in setting the European Unions priorities. It is only together that we can build our Union of tomorrow.

Dubravka uica, Vice-President for Democracy and Demography, stated: We must seize the momentum of the high turnout at the last European elections and the call for action which that brings. The Conference on the Future of Europe is a unique opportunity to reflect with citizens, listen to them, engage, answer and explain. We will strengthen trust and confidence between the EU institutions and the people we serve. This is our chance to show people that their voice counts in Europe.

A new public forum for an open, inclusive andtransparent debate

The Commission sees the Conference as a bottom-upforum accessible to people well beyond Europes capitals, from all corners ofthe Union. Other EU institutions, national Parliaments, social partners,regional and local authorities and civil society are invited to join. Amultilingual online platform will ensure transparency of debate and supportwider participation. The Commission is committed to taking the most effectiveactions, with the other EU institutions, to integrate citizens ideas andfeedback into EU policy-making.

Background

All Members of the College will play their part in helping to make the Conference a success, with Vice-President uica leading the Commissions work on the Conference, supported by Vice-President Jourov on the institutional strand, as well as Vice-President efovi on the foresight and inter-institutional side.

The European Parliament and the Council are alsoworking on their contributions to the Conference on the Future of Europe. The European Parliament resolution of 15 January 2020 called for an open and transparentprocess which takes an inclusive, participatory and well-balanced approachtowards citizens and stakeholders. Meanwhile, the European Council conclusions of 12December 2019 called on the CroatianPresidency to begin work on the Councils position. The Croatian Presidency hasitself listed the Conference among its Presidency Priorities.

After this, it is of crucial importance that the three institutions work together towards a Joint Declaration to define the concept, structure, scope and timing of the Conference on the Future of Europe, as well as setting down its jointly agreed principles and objectives. This Declaration will later be open to other signatories including institutions, organisations and stakeholders. National and regional Parliaments and actors have an important role to play in the Conference and should be encouraged to hold Conference-related events The Commission underlines in its contribution today that it is commited to follow up on the outcomes and recommendations of the different debates.

The Commission proposes to officially launch theConference on Europe Day, 9 May 2020 70 years after the signing of theSchuman Declaration and 75 years after the end of the Second World War.

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