UK-EU Talks Fail after DUP Intervention. Trump Travel Ban Active. Trump lies?

Prime Minister Theresa May is in an impossible situation. She thought that the UK and the EU were on the verge of being able to agree that sufficient progress. Jean Claude Juncker thought that they were on the verge of an agreement. There had been progress on payments by Britain to the EU. There were constructive proposals on treatment of EU citizens in the UK. May thought that there was a wording to show progress on keeping the Irish border open between North and South.

Then there was a leak from an EU representative and from the Irish Taoiseach that this might mean a special arrangement for relationships between the different parts of Ireland.

Hearing of this, the DUP leadership stepped up to the cameras and Leader Arlene Foster said her party would not accept a Brexit deal that "separates" Northern Ireland from the rest of the United Kingdom.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon acerbically commented that they, as Remainers, would also like to have a special deal allowing them to have free borders/trade with the EU.

Bang! Lunch halted as the government has to reiterate that the UK, including Northern Ireland will exit from the EU united. Negotiations now to continue later in the week in the hope of finding an acceptable phrasing in time for the EU meeting next week.

President Trump has another cause for celebration as the Supreme Court allows his travel ban against citizens of eight mainly Muslim countries to come into effect - at least for now. On top of this, his lawyer suggests that the President cannot 'obstruct justice' because he is the country's top law enforcement officer. (An assertion made by President Nixon before he was pressured to resign.)

President Trump came out strongly for Michael Flynn, claiming that the latter is being penalised for lying to the FBI whilst his former opponent Hillary Clinton lied to the FBI and was  not punished for this. Specifically he publicly said "Hillary Clinton lied many times to the FBI. Nothing happened to her. Flynn lied and they destroyed his life. I think it's a shame. Hillary Clinton, on the Fourth of July weekend, went to the FBI, not under oath. It was the most incredible thing anyone's ever seen. She lied many times; nothing happened to her. Flynn lied, and it's like, they ruined his life. It’s very unfair." See https://news.sky.com/video/trump-fbi-ruined-sacked-advisers-life-11156541.

I searched Reality Checks online to find then-FBI Director James Comey testifying under oath to the House of Representatives in July 2016, about Clinton's handling of classified information on a private email server. "We have no basis to conclude she lied to the FBI.""I have no basis for concluding that she was untruthful with us." (from NBC https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/fact-check-trump-accused-clinton-lying-fbi-said-she-did-n826361). "The FBI also did not find that Clinton lied to the FBI, contrary to Trump’s claim." according to FactCheck.org http://www.factcheck.org/2017/12/factchecking-trumps-criticism-fbi/.

I spent the morning visiting a local artist as we catalogued historical material for a book project. Sold the first Milton Calendar and left copies at the Post Office for sale. Late in the afternoon, it was off to drill some holes in a wall at S & L's to put up a curtain.