European Union leaders agreed Friday to open crucial talks on a future relationship with Britain but warned they would be even tougher than the first tortuous phase of negotiations.

EU President Donald Tusk said the bloc would open &quot;exploratory contacts&quot; with London after European leaders endorsed an interim deal on the terms of Britain&#39;s divorce, and approved the next stage of discussions.

However, they agreed that while talks will begin in January on a post-Brexit transition period of around two years, actual negotiations on future trade ties would not start until March.

&quot;It is now time for internal EU 27 preparations and exploratory contacts with the UK to get more clarity on their vision,&quot; Tusk told reporters at the end of the summit.

He congratulated British Prime Minister Theresa May -- who had left the summit late Thursday -- on the deal, and in return, she offered her thanks to him and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

&quot;Today is an important step on the road to delivering a smooth and orderly Brexit and forging our deep and special future partnership,&quot; May tweeted.

As he arrived for the meeting on Friday, Juncker -- who sealed the deal with May on December 8 after tense all-night talks -- said the British premier had made &quot;big efforts&quot;. 
But he warned the next stage &quot;would be much harder than the first phase, and the first phase was very hard&quot;.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel echoed his comments, saying that while progress had been made, the negotiations ahead would be &quot;even tougher&quot;.

She had earlier warned that &quot;there remain many issues to be solved and we don&#39;t have much time&quot;.

Britain voted to leave the EU in a referendum in June 2016 and is due to end its four-decade membership on March 29, 2019.

After months of difficult talks, May and Juncker agreed on a deal on the key divorce issues of Britain&#39;s exit bill, the future of the Irish border and expatriate rights.

At a meeting without the British premier on Friday, the other EU leaders formally approved negotiating guidelines saying there had been &quot;sufficient progress&quot; and that the second phase could begin. 
May had on Thursday addressed her counterparts over dinner and was &quot;clear about wanting to move onto trade talks as quickly as possible&quot; with &quot;ambition and creativity&quot;, a British official said.

Leaders said there had been polite applause for May, who came to the summit hours after a humiliating parliamentary defeat over her Brexit plans.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said May, who has struggled to assert her authority since a disastrous snap election in June, was &quot;a tough leader in the interest of Britain&quot;.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said she was a &quot;formidable political operator&quot; but that it was &quot;crucial&quot; she sets out Britain&#39;s wish list for long-term ties.

The EU guidelines stress that it is not possible to sign a formal trade deal until after Britain had left the bloc, and officials warned it could take years to do so.

Options for a future relationship include following the model of a recent EU-Canada trade deal, or Norway&#39;s membership of the European Economic Area.

British officials are hoping for a deal by March on a two-year transition out of the bloc, during which their relationship would largely stay the same.

Questions still linger however over the divorce agreement, after Brexit minister David Davis appeared to suggest it was not legally enforceable and that Britain would only pay its exit bill if it got a trade deal.

There are particular concerns about the guarantee made by London -- at Dublin&#39;s request -- that there will be no frontier checks between Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland.

&quot;Even a primary school student will realise there is a problem to solve with the Irish border,&quot; said Austria&#39;s Chancellor Christian Kern.

The 27 counterparts endorsed an interim deal on the terms of Britain's divorce from the European Union.

European Union leaders agreed Friday to open crucial talks on a future relationship with Britain but warned they would be even tougher than the first tortuous phase of negotiations. EU President Donald Tusk said the bloc would open "exploratory contacts" with London after European leaders endorsed an interim deal on the terms of Britain's divorce, and approved the next stage of discussions. However, they agreed that while talks will begin in January on a post-Brexit transition period of around two years, actual negotiations on future trade ties would not start until March. "It is now time for internal EU 27 preparations and exploratory contacts with the UK to get more clarity on their vision," Tusk told reporters at the end of the summit. He congratulated British Prime Minister Theresa May -- who had left the summit late Thursday -- on the deal, and in return, she offered her thanks to him and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. "Today is an important step on the road to delivering a smooth and orderly Brexit and forging our deep and special future partnership," May tweeted. As he arrived for the meeting on Friday, Juncker -- who sealed the deal with May on December 8 after tense all-night talks -- said the British premier had made "big efforts". But he warned the next stage "would be much harder than the first phase, and the first phase was very hard". German Chancellor Angela Merkel echoed his comments, saying that while progress had been made, the negotiations ahead would be "even tougher". She had earlier warned that "there remain many issues to be solved and we don't have much time". Britain voted to leave the EU in a referendum in June 2016 and is due to end its four-decade membership on March 29, 2019. After months of difficult talks, May and Juncker agreed on a deal on the key divorce issues of Britain's exit bill, the future of the Irish border and expatriate rights. At a meeting without the British premier on Friday, the other EU leaders formally approved negotiating guidelines saying there had been "sufficient progress" and that the second phase could begin. May had on Thursday addressed her counterparts over dinner and was "clear about wanting to move onto trade talks as quickly as possible" with "ambition and creativity", a British official said. Leaders said there had been polite applause for May, who came to the summit hours after a humiliating parliamentary defeat over her Brexit plans. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said May, who has struggled to assert her authority since a disastrous snap election in June, was "a tough leader in the interest of Britain". Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said she was a "formidable political operator" but that it was "crucial" she sets out Britain's wish list for long-term ties. The EU guidelines stress that it is not possible to sign a formal trade deal until after Britain had left the bloc, and officials warned it could take years to do so. Options for a future relationship include following the model of a recent EU-Canada trade deal, or Norway's membership of the European Economic Area. British officials are hoping for a deal by March on a two-year transition out of the bloc, during which their relationship would largely stay the same. Questions still linger however over the divorce agreement, after Brexit minister David Davis appeared to suggest it was not legally enforceable and that Britain would only pay its exit bill if it got a trade deal. There are particular concerns about the guarantee made by London -- at Dublin's request -- that there will be no frontier checks between Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland. "Even a primary school student will realise there is a problem to solve with the Irish border," said Austria's Chancellor Christian Kern.

EU opens next Brexit phase with warning of troubles ahead

The EU took Hungary to the bloc&#39;s top court on Thursday over a crackdown on education and foreign-backed civil society groups that critics say targets US billionaire George Soros.

The move underscores the EU&#39;s toughening stance toward both the government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his right-wing allies in Poland over the bloc&#39;s democracy norms and migration.

Brussels warned Budapest in October that it would take the case to the European Court of Justice, the top court in the 28-nation EU, if it did not take the necessary measures to comply.

The European Commission -- the executive arm of the EU -- said Hungary had repeatedly failed to answer its concerns over both cases.

It said in a statement that it was suing Hungary as the education law &quot;disproportionally restricts EU and non-EU universities in their operations and needs to be brought back in line with EU law.&quot;

Hungary has introduced an education law that could shut the Soros-founded Central University in Budapest, which has long been seen as a hostile bastion of liberalism by Orban&#39;s right-wing government.

In June, Hungary approved a law aimed at forcing civil society groups receiving more than 24,000 euros ($26,000) annually in overseas funding to register as a &quot;foreign-supported organisation&quot;, or face closure.&nbsp;

In a separate statement, the commission said that the laws on foreign non-governmental organisations &quot;indirectly discriminate and disproportionately restrict donations from abroad to civil society organisations.&quot;

The European Commission announced on Thursday that it was also taking Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland to court over their refusal to accept refugees under a controversial EU scheme.

The EU took Hungary to the bloc's top court on Thursday over a crackdown on education and foreign-backed civil society groups that critics say targets US billionaire George Soros

The EU took Hungary to the bloc's top court on Thursday over a crackdown on education and foreign-backed civil society groups that critics say targets US billionaire George Soros. The move underscores the EU's toughening stance toward both the government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his right-wing allies in Poland over the bloc's democracy norms and migration. Brussels warned Budapest in October that it would take the case to the European Court of Justice, the top court in the 28-nation EU, if it did not take the necessary measures to comply. The European Commission -- the executive arm of the EU -- said Hungary had repeatedly failed to answer its concerns over both cases. It said in a statement that it was suing Hungary as the education law "disproportionally restricts EU and non-EU universities in their operations and needs to be brought back in line with EU law." Hungary has introduced an education law that could shut the Soros-founded Central University in Budapest, which has long been seen as a hostile bastion of liberalism by Orban's right-wing government. In June, Hungary approved a law aimed at forcing civil society groups receiving more than 24,000 euros ($26,000) annually in overseas funding to register as a "foreign-supported organisation", or face closure. In a separate statement, the commission said that the laws on foreign non-governmental organisations "indirectly discriminate and disproportionately restrict donations from abroad to civil society organisations." The European Commission announced on Thursday that it was also taking Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland to court over their refusal to accept refugees under a controversial EU scheme.

EU takes Hungary to court over 'anti-Soros' laws

British Prime Minister Theresa May will try to reach a deal on Brexit divorce terms with European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker on Monday as months of tense negotiations reach a decisive moment.

The European Union says their working lunch in Brussels is the &quot;absolute deadline&quot; for progress on separation issues, or else it will be unable to approve the opening of talks on a future trade relationship at a summit on December 15.

Reaching agreement on Monday will be &quot;difficult but doable&quot;, a senior EU diplomat told AFP, with divisions remaining on the fate of the Irish border and the rights of European citizens living in Britain.

London has however rejected the EU&#39;s deadline, and appears keen to push the issue to the wire.&nbsp;

&quot;With plenty of discussions still to go, Monday will be an important staging post on the road to the crucial December Council,&quot; a British government spokesman said in a statement.

Talks continued over the weekend, May&#39;s Downing Street office said.

May, Brexit minister David Davis and the prime minister&#39;s Brexit adviser Olly Robbins will have lunch in Brussels at 1215 GMT with Juncker, EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and Juncker&#39;s chief of staff Martin Selmayr.

The British prime minister will also meet European Council President Donald Tusk, who is in charge of summits, Downing Street said.

&#39;Unacceptable for EU&#39; 
A formal decision on any deal is not expected until Wednesday, when Barnier reports to European Commissioners and then holds a press conference.

The EU has demanded &quot;sufficient progress&quot; on the key divorce issues of Britain&#39;s Brexit bill, citizens rights, and Ireland in order to move on to talks on a post-Brexit transition period and future relations.

Failure to do so this month could make the EU &quot;rethink&quot; whether an overall Brexit withdrawal deal is possible at all, Tusk has warned, raising the prospect of a chaotic exit with far-reaching economic effects.

After months of deadlock, London and Brussels have effectively reached a deal on the contentious issue of the divorce bill, reported to be between 45 and 55 billion euros ($53-63 billion).

But Ireland, which is remaining in the European Union, has now emerged as the biggest problem with Tusk saying that the EU will not accept Britain&#39;s offer if Dublin is not satisfied with proposals for future border arrangements.

&quot;If the UK offer is unacceptable for Ireland, it will also be unacceptable for the EU,&quot; Tusk said after meeting Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in Dublin on Friday.

Worries that the return of checkpoints could reignite the sectarian divisions that led to decades of conflict in Northern Ireland have led to calls for London to come up with a way to avoid a hard border.

London however says it refuses to create a new border within British territory.

Citizens&#39; issues &#39;stalled&#39; 
Fears over the rights of more than three million Europeans living in Britain after 2019 have also been raised, with Brussels saying they must still be protected by EU law.

In a sign of the seriousness of the concerns, Juncker will hold talks with the European Parliament&#39;s Brexit task force led by former Belgian premier Guy Verhofstadt on Monday before he meets May.

&quot;In Brexit negotiations, money is one of the problems, but it is not the biggest one,&quot; Manfred Weber, the head of the European People&#39;s Party, the largest group in the European Parliament, said on the eve of the talks.

&quot;We are much more concerned about the fact that so far negotiations are stalled on the protection of EU citizens&#39; rights after Brexit and on the Irish case.&quot;&nbsp;

On the divorce bill, Britain and the EU appear to have reached a compromise, with London increasing its offer, but Brussels offering enough wiggle room for the British government to be able to present its own, lower figures to the public.

London has restated May&#39;s commitment made in a speech in September that will cover Britain&#39;s contributions to the EU budget in 2019 and 2020, even after leaving the bloc.&nbsp;

It has also promised to &quot;honour commitments&quot; made during Britain&#39;s four-decade membership, after going through the details line by line.

British Prime Minister Theresa May will meet with European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker as months of tense negotiations reach a decisive moment

British Prime Minister Theresa May will try to reach a deal on Brexit divorce terms with European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker on Monday as months of tense negotiations reach a decisive moment. The European Union says their working lunch in Brussels is the "absolute deadline" for progress on separation issues, or else it will be unable to approve the opening of talks on a future trade relationship at a summit on December 15. Reaching agreement on Monday will be "difficult but doable", a senior EU diplomat told AFP, with divisions remaining on the fate of the Irish border and the rights of European citizens living in Britain. London has however rejected the EU's deadline, and appears keen to push the issue to the wire. "With plenty of discussions still to go, Monday will be an important staging post on the road to the crucial December Council," a British government spokesman said in a statement. Talks continued over the weekend, May's Downing Street office said. May, Brexit minister David Davis and the prime minister's Brexit adviser Olly Robbins will have lunch in Brussels at 1215 GMT with Juncker, EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and Juncker's chief of staff Martin Selmayr. The British prime minister will also meet European Council President Donald Tusk, who is in charge of summits, Downing Street said. 'Unacceptable for EU' A formal decision on any deal is not expected until Wednesday, when Barnier reports to European Commissioners and then holds a press conference. The EU has demanded "sufficient progress" on the key divorce issues of Britain's Brexit bill, citizens rights, and Ireland in order to move on to talks on a post-Brexit transition period and future relations. Failure to do so this month could make the EU "rethink" whether an overall Brexit withdrawal deal is possible at all, Tusk has warned, raising the prospect of a chaotic exit with far-reaching economic effects. After months of deadlock, London and Brussels have effectively reached a deal on the contentious issue of the divorce bill, reported to be between 45 and 55 billion euros ($53-63 billion). But Ireland, which is remaining in the European Union, has now emerged as the biggest problem with Tusk saying that the EU will not accept Britain's offer if Dublin is not satisfied with proposals for future border arrangements. "If the UK offer is unacceptable for Ireland, it will also be unacceptable for the EU," Tusk said after meeting Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in Dublin on Friday. Worries that the return of checkpoints could reignite the sectarian divisions that led to decades of conflict in Northern Ireland have led to calls for London to come up with a way to avoid a hard border. London however says it refuses to create a new border within British territory. Citizens' issues 'stalled' Fears over the rights of more than three million Europeans living in Britain after 2019 have also been raised, with Brussels saying they must still be protected by EU law. In a sign of the seriousness of the concerns, Juncker will hold talks with the European Parliament's Brexit task force led by former Belgian premier Guy Verhofstadt on Monday before he meets May. "In Brexit negotiations, money is one of the problems, but it is not the biggest one," Manfred Weber, the head of the European People's Party, the largest group in the European Parliament, said on the eve of the talks. "We are much more concerned about the fact that so far negotiations are stalled on the protection of EU citizens' rights after Brexit and on the Irish case." On the divorce bill, Britain and the EU appear to have reached a compromise, with London increasing its offer, but Brussels offering enough wiggle room for the British government to be able to present its own, lower figures to the public. London has restated May's commitment made in a speech in September that will cover Britain's contributions to the EU budget in 2019 and 2020, even after leaving the bloc. It has also promised to "honour commitments" made during Britain's four-decade membership, after going through the details line by line.

Britain's May in Brussels to try and reach deal on Brexit divorce terms

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/audrey-azoulay-confirmed-to-head-unesco-23935">France</a> and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/climate-change-imperils-one-in-four-natural-heritage-sites-report-24124">Germany</a> edged towards achieving a 70-year-old ambition to integrate European defences on Monday, signing a pact with 21 other EU governments to fund, develop and deploy armed forces after Britain&rsquo;s decision to quit the bloc.

First proposed in the 1950s and long resisted by Britain, European defence planning, operations and weapons development now stands its best chance in years as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/baloch-sindhis-pledge-unity-for-common-struggle-against-pakistan-in-london-24031">London</a> steps aside and the United States pushes Europe to pay more for its security.

Foreign and defence ministers gathered at a signing ceremony in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/ousted-catalan-leader-carles-puigdemont-speaks-from-brussels-6462">Brussels</a> to represent 23 EU governments joining the pact, paving the way for EU leaders to sign it in December.

Those governments will for the first time legally bind themselves into joint projects as well as pledging to increase defence spending and contribute to rapid deployments.

&ldquo;Today we are taking a historic step,&rdquo; Germany&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel told reporters. &ldquo;We are agreeing on the future cooperation on security and defence issues ... it&rsquo;s really a milestone in European development,&rdquo; he said.

The pact includes all EU governments except Britain, which is leaving the bloc, Denmark, which has opted out of defence matters, Ireland, Portugal and Malta. Traditionally neutral Austria was a late addition to the pact.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/global-2-rise-in-co2-giant-leap-backwards-for-humankind-24118">Paris</a> originally wanted a vanguard of EU countries to bring money and assets to French-led military missions and projects, while Berlin has sought to be more inclusive, which could reduce effectiveness.

Its backers say that if successful, the formal club of 23 members will give the European Union a more coherent role in tackling international crises and end the kind of shortcomings seen in Libya in 2011, when European allies relied on the United States for air power and munitions.

Unlike past attempts, the U.S.-led NATO alliance backs the project, aiming to benefit from stronger militaries.

The club will be backed by a 5-billion-euro defence fund for buying weapons, a special fund to finance operations and money from the EU&rsquo;s common budget for defence research.

Members will also be required to submit national plans and be subject to a review system identifying weak spots in European armies with the goal of plugging those gaps together.

Many governments say Russia&rsquo;s seizure of Ukraine&rsquo;s Crimea in 2014 was a turning point, after years of defence spending cuts that left Europe without vital capabilities.

&ldquo;This is a commitment for countries to do better together,&rdquo; French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said. &ldquo;It comes at a time of significant tension,&rdquo; he said, referring indirectly to Russia&rsquo;s rising military reach and Islamic militants who have attacked European cities. 
&nbsp;

ROLE FOR BRITAIN?

Despite an Anglo-French-led EU defence integration effort in 1998, Britain blocked formal collaboration on military matters, wary of the creation of an EU army.

Defence integration was revived by France and Germany, with support from Italy and Spain, in a show of unity after Britons voted to leave the EU in June 2016.

The EU had struggled in military and humanitarian missions in the Balkans, Libya and in Africa over the past 20 years and were caught off guard by Russia&rsquo;s Crimea annexation.

As the EU initiative, known as Permanent Structured Cooperation, has gained momentum, British officials have been pressing for involvement. Britain&rsquo;s aerospace industry and its biggest defence firm BAE Systems fear losing out, diplomats said.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson likened London&rsquo;s support to Gothic architecture, saying: &ldquo;We are there, like a flying buttress to support the cathedral,&rdquo; he told reporters.

In a possible compromise, Britain may be able to join in, but only on an exceptional basis if it provides substantial funds and expertise.

France and Germany edged towards achieving a 70-year-old ambition to integrate European defences on Monday, signing a pact with 21 other EU governments to fund, develop and deploy armed forces after Britain?s decision to quit the bloc.

France and Germany edged towards achieving a 70-year-old ambition to integrate European defences on Monday, signing a pact with 21 other EU governments to fund, develop and deploy armed forces after Britain’s decision to quit the bloc. First proposed in the 1950s and long resisted by Britain, European defence planning, operations and weapons development now stands its best chance in years as London steps aside and the United States pushes Europe to pay more for its security. Foreign and defence ministers gathered at a signing ceremony in Brussels to represent 23 EU governments joining the pact, paving the way for EU leaders to sign it in December. Those governments will for the first time legally bind themselves into joint projects as well as pledging to increase defence spending and contribute to rapid deployments. “Today we are taking a historic step,” Germany’s Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel told reporters. “We are agreeing on the future cooperation on security and defence issues ... it’s really a milestone in European development,” he said. The pact includes all EU governments except Britain, which is leaving the bloc, Denmark, which has opted out of defence matters, Ireland, Portugal and Malta. Traditionally neutral Austria was a late addition to the pact. Paris originally wanted a vanguard of EU countries to bring money and assets to French-led military missions and projects, while Berlin has sought to be more inclusive, which could reduce effectiveness. Its backers say that if successful, the formal club of 23 members will give the European Union a more coherent role in tackling international crises and end the kind of shortcomings seen in Libya in 2011, when European allies relied on the United States for air power and munitions. Unlike past attempts, the U.S.-led NATO alliance backs the project, aiming to benefit from stronger militaries. The club will be backed by a 5-billion-euro defence fund for buying weapons, a special fund to finance operations and money from the EU’s common budget for defence research. Members will also be required to submit national plans and be subject to a review system identifying weak spots in European armies with the goal of plugging those gaps together. Many governments say Russia’s seizure of Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014 was a turning point, after years of defence spending cuts that left Europe without vital capabilities. “This is a commitment for countries to do better together,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said. “It comes at a time of significant tension,” he said, referring indirectly to Russia’s rising military reach and Islamic militants who have attacked European cities. ROLE FOR BRITAIN? Despite an Anglo-French-led EU defence integration effort in 1998, Britain blocked formal collaboration on military matters, wary of the creation of an EU army. Defence integration was revived by France and Germany, with support from Italy and Spain, in a show of unity after Britons voted to leave the EU in June 2016. The EU had struggled in military and humanitarian missions in the Balkans, Libya and in Africa over the past 20 years and were caught off guard by Russia’s Crimea annexation. As the EU initiative, known as Permanent Structured Cooperation, has gained momentum, British officials have been pressing for involvement. Britain’s aerospace industry and its biggest defence firm BAE Systems fear losing out, diplomats said. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson likened London’s support to Gothic architecture, saying: “We are there, like a flying buttress to support the cathedral,” he told reporters. In a possible compromise, Britain may be able to join in, but only on an exceptional basis if it provides substantial funds and expertise.

EU signs defence pact in decades-long quest

Divisions&nbsp;between Britain and the EU over mapping out their divorce will be laid bare in Brussels next week when the two sides meet for another round of negotiations whose timetable already looks tight.

London is keen to focus on what happens after Brexit but the bloc says more ground must first be covered on settling the terms of the departure, including the bill, leaving dozens of officials to pick their way through a diplomatic minefield from Monday to Thursday.

The 27 remaining EU states are also insisting on seeing progress on safeguarding expatriate rights and sorting out the future Irish border before they can declare the &quot;sufficient progress&quot; that would allow them to broach talks about Britain&#39;s future relationship with the EU.

Time is short in the negotiations, which started in June and should conclude before the expected Brexit date in late March 2019. Otherwise, Britain risks leaving the EU with little clarity over what happens next.

&quot;There are no major expectations as regards next week&#39;s round. The documents published by Britain (this week) refer more to the future relationship than the things to settle in the first place,&quot; an EU diplomat said.

&quot;Many matters, including the financial aspect most importantly, remain unclear from the British side. So the EU expects no big progress, which makes any &#39;significant progress&#39; less likely in October.&quot;

Talks have been slowed by an ill-judged snap election called by Prime Minister Theresa May that weakened her governing Conservative Party and exposed rifts among her ministers over what sort of Brexit they would seek.

Several position papers released this week have made clear London will often look to replicate as closely as possible its existing arrangements as an EU member after it leaves.

But the EU has dug in its heels, saying it wants to get much more on the three priority areas before anything else.

&quot;We won&#39;t be talking about the future during this round, nothing about customs arrangements or some such,&quot; an EU official said. &quot;We need detail, the withdrawal deal ...has to be a legal text.&quot;

One key point of contention is London&#39;s desire, reaffirmed this week, to break free from the jurisdiction of the EU&#39;s top court, the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

For the EU ensuring the ECJ can police the withdrawal agreement and continue to have the final say in disputes involving EU citizens residing in Britain - and vice versa - is essential.

The bloc largely brushed what May called an initial &quot;generous offer&quot; on citizens&#39; rights, saying much more detailed legal assurances were necessary.

While there is some common ground, sources on both sides say more technical work is needed.

TIME IS MONEY

But the issue of money is seen by both sides as the hardest nut to crack for now.

Concerning Britain&#39;s financial obligations towards the bloc, the EU has floated a divorce bill of around 60 billion euros ($71 billion), which London has said is far too high.

The bloc hopes to agree on a formula with Britain for calculating the figure and sees that as a precondition to moving to any talks about post-Brexit arrangements.

Without an agreement on methodology, the EU has said the talks risk stalling.

But British negotiators have said they will go &quot;line by line&quot; through the EU&#39;s financial expectations and reiterate next week they see the EU&#39;s sum as excessive.

Though the EU&#39;s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has already warned time is running out, sources on both sides of the table do not anticipate major breakthroughs next week.

Some pieces of the puzzle should, however, start falling into place in more talks next month, they said.

Any clear arrangements around the future border between Britain and EU state Ireland will only come in the second phase of talks anyway, as they would largely depend on the nature of the future bilateral relationship, including on customs.

While opening &quot;phase two&quot; talks had initially been expected in October, Barnier has already signaled this is now less likely to happen.

London has said it was still confident the EU would move towards discussing future relations by October.

London is keen to focus on what happens after Brexit but the bloc says more ground must first be covered on settling the terms of the departure

Divisions between Britain and the EU over mapping out their divorce will be laid bare in Brussels next week when the two sides meet for another round of negotiations whose timetable already looks tight. London is keen to focus on what happens after Brexit but the bloc says more ground must first be covered on settling the terms of the departure, including the bill, leaving dozens of officials to pick their way through a diplomatic minefield from Monday to Thursday. The 27 remaining EU states are also insisting on seeing progress on safeguarding expatriate rights and sorting out the future Irish border before they can declare the "sufficient progress" that would allow them to broach talks about Britain's future relationship with the EU. Time is short in the negotiations, which started in June and should conclude before the expected Brexit date in late March 2019. Otherwise, Britain risks leaving the EU with little clarity over what happens next. "There are no major expectations as regards next week's round. The documents published by Britain (this week) refer more to the future relationship than the things to settle in the first place," an EU diplomat said. "Many matters, including the financial aspect most importantly, remain unclear from the British side. So the EU expects no big progress, which makes any 'significant progress' less likely in October." Talks have been slowed by an ill-judged snap election called by Prime Minister Theresa May that weakened her governing Conservative Party and exposed rifts among her ministers over what sort of Brexit they would seek. Several position papers released this week have made clear London will often look to replicate as closely as possible its existing arrangements as an EU member after it leaves. But the EU has dug in its heels, saying it wants to get much more on the three priority areas before anything else. "We won't be talking about the future during this round, nothing about customs arrangements or some such," an EU official said. "We need detail, the withdrawal deal ...has to be a legal text." One key point of contention is London's desire, reaffirmed this week, to break free from the jurisdiction of the EU's top court, the European Court of Justice (ECJ). For the EU ensuring the ECJ can police the withdrawal agreement and continue to have the final say in disputes involving EU citizens residing in Britain - and vice versa - is essential. The bloc largely brushed what May called an initial "generous offer" on citizens' rights, saying much more detailed legal assurances were necessary. While there is some common ground, sources on both sides say more technical work is needed. TIME IS MONEY But the issue of money is seen by both sides as the hardest nut to crack for now. Concerning Britain's financial obligations towards the bloc, the EU has floated a divorce bill of around 60 billion euros ($71 billion), which London has said is far too high. The bloc hopes to agree on a formula with Britain for calculating the figure and sees that as a precondition to moving to any talks about post-Brexit arrangements. Without an agreement on methodology, the EU has said the talks risk stalling. But British negotiators have said they will go "line by line" through the EU's financial expectations and reiterate next week they see the EU's sum as excessive. Though the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has already warned time is running out, sources on both sides of the table do not anticipate major breakthroughs next week. Some pieces of the puzzle should, however, start falling into place in more talks next month, they said. Any clear arrangements around the future border between Britain and EU state Ireland will only come in the second phase of talks anyway, as they would largely depend on the nature of the future bilateral relationship, including on customs. While opening "phase two" talks had initially been expected in October, Barnier has already signaled this is now less likely to happen. London has said it was still confident the EU would move towards discussing future relations by October.

Brexit: Britain, EU to meet next week for another round of negotiations

Prime Minister Theresa May will write to the European Union on March 29 formally announcing Britain&#39;s withdrawal from the bloc, EU sources told Reuters on Monday, saying Brussels had been told of the plan by British officials.

That letter next Wednesday will start the clock ticking on a two-year countdown to Brexit and allow negotiations to start between London and Brussels in the coming weeks.

By the end of next week, after he has received May&#39;s letter, European Council President Donald Tusk should have distributed draft guidelines for the negotiations to the 27 other national governments. Tusk will also summon those 27 leaders for a summit to endorse the final guidelines, probably in early May.

Once those are in place, giving a negotiating mandate to the EU executive, the European Commission, chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier should be able to schedule talks with his British counterpart, Brexit Secretary David Davis.

(Reuters)

Prime Minister Theresa May will write to the European Union on March 29 formally announcing Britain's withdrawal from the bloc

Prime Minister Theresa May will write to the European Union on March 29 formally announcing Britain's withdrawal from the bloc, EU sources told Reuters on Monday, saying Brussels had been told of the plan by British officials. That letter next Wednesday will start the clock ticking on a two-year countdown to Brexit and allow negotiations to start between London and Brussels in the coming weeks. By the end of next week, after he has received May's letter, European Council President Donald Tusk should have distributed draft guidelines for the negotiations to the 27 other national governments. Tusk will also summon those 27 leaders for a summit to endorse the final guidelines, probably in early May. Once those are in place, giving a negotiating mandate to the EU executive, the European Commission, chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier should be able to schedule talks with his British counterpart, Brexit Secretary David Davis. (Reuters)

Britain to launch Brexit process on March 29: EU sources

One person was killed and about 27&nbsp;injured, two seriously, on Saturday when a carriage toppled onto its side in a train derailment in Belgium, rescue workers said.

Rail operator SNCB said the passenger train bound for Brussels jumped the tracks shortly after leaving the city of Leuven, 25 km (16 miles) east of the capital at about 1.20 p.m. (1220 GMT).

Pictures posted on the internet showed one carriage had come to rest on its side part way down a small slope.

Services between Leuven and Brussels were suspended, including some trains heading to the airport.

(Reuters)

&nbsp;

Services between Leuven and Brussels were suspended, including some trains heading to the airport

One person was killed and about 27 injured, two seriously, on Saturday when a carriage toppled onto its side in a train derailment in Belgium, rescue workers said. Rail operator SNCB said the passenger train bound for Brussels jumped the tracks shortly after leaving the city of Leuven, 25 km (16 miles) east of the capital at about 1.20 p.m. (1220 GMT). Pictures posted on the internet showed one carriage had come to rest on its side part way down a small slope. Services between Leuven and Brussels were suspended, including some trains heading to the airport. (Reuters)

One dead, 27 wounded as Belgian train derails

A machete-wielding man shouting &quot;Allahu akbar&quot; (God is the greatest) wounded two policewomen in southern Belgium today before being shot dead by police, with Europe on edge after a wave of jihadist attacks. 
 
The attack outside the main police station in the city of Charleroi, around 60 kilometres (40 miles) south of Brussels left one of the policewomen with &quot;deep wounds to the face&quot; while the other was slightly injured, Belga news agency said. 
 
Charleroi police said the attacker was shot and killed, while the two victims were out of danger. 
 
Belgium has been on high security alert for months since suicide bombers struck Brussels airport and a subway station near the European Union&#39;s institutions on March 22, killing 32 people. 
 
The attacks were claimed by the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group, which controls large areas of territory in Iraq and Syria and has claimed numerous terror attacks in Europe in the last year. 
 
Belgian Interior Minister Jean Jambon condemned a &quot;disgusting act in Charleroi&quot; on his Twitter account and said the country&#39;s terror threat level, currently at level three on a scale of four &nbsp;would be examined. 
 
Belgian police have carried out dozens of anti-terror raids since the November 2015 attacks in Paris, planned in Belgium and involving Belgian extremists, which left 130 people dead. 
 
Last month they arrested and charged a 33-year-old man, identified as Nourredine H., with attempting to commit &quot;terrorist murder&quot; and &quot;taking part in the activities of a terrorist organisation&quot;. 
 
Prosecutors said there was for now no link to the Brussels suicide bombings. 
 
Belgium is the main source per head of population of jihadist recruits going from European Union countries to fight with IS in Syria, causing deep concern that they will return home battle-hardened and even more radicalised. 
 
The interior ministry said 457 Belgian men and women had gone or tried to join jihadists in the Middle East, including 90 who are missing or dead. 
 
Belgium launched its first attacks against IS in Iraq in late 2014 as part of a US-led coalition. It joined a similar anti-IS operation in Syria this year. 
 
Several of those involved in the Brussels bloodshed in March were directly linked to the November 13 bomb and gun attacks in Paris. 
 
In June Belgian authorities charged two men with terrorist offences amid reports of a planned attack on a Euro 2016 fanzone in central Brussels. 
 
Belgium then beefed up security for its July 21 national day celebrations after a truck attack that killed 85 people in the French city of Nice on Bastille Day, July 14. 
 
(AFP)

Charleroi police said the attacker was shot dead, while the two victims were out of danger

A machete-wielding man shouting "Allahu akbar" (God is the greatest) wounded two policewomen in southern Belgium today before being shot dead by police, with Europe on edge after a wave of jihadist attacks. The attack outside the main police station in the city of Charleroi, around 60 kilometres (40 miles) south of Brussels left one of the policewomen with "deep wounds to the face" while the other was slightly injured, Belga news agency said. Charleroi police said the attacker was shot and killed, while the two victims were out of danger. Belgium has been on high security alert for months since suicide bombers struck Brussels airport and a subway station near the European Union's institutions on March 22, killing 32 people. The attacks were claimed by the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group, which controls large areas of territory in Iraq and Syria and has claimed numerous terror attacks in Europe in the last year. Belgian Interior Minister Jean Jambon condemned a "disgusting act in Charleroi" on his Twitter account and said the country's terror threat level, currently at level three on a scale of four would be examined. Belgian police have carried out dozens of anti-terror raids since the November 2015 attacks in Paris, planned in Belgium and involving Belgian extremists, which left 130 people dead. Last month they arrested and charged a 33-year-old man, identified as Nourredine H., with attempting to commit "terrorist murder" and "taking part in the activities of a terrorist organisation". Prosecutors said there was for now no link to the Brussels suicide bombings. Belgium is the main source per head of population of jihadist recruits going from European Union countries to fight with IS in Syria, causing deep concern that they will return home battle-hardened and even more radicalised. The interior ministry said 457 Belgian men and women had gone or tried to join jihadists in the Middle East, including 90 who are missing or dead. Belgium launched its first attacks against IS in Iraq in late 2014 as part of a US-led coalition. It joined a similar anti-IS operation in Syria this year. Several of those involved in the Brussels bloodshed in March were directly linked to the November 13 bomb and gun attacks in Paris. In June Belgian authorities charged two men with terrorist offences amid reports of a planned attack on a Euro 2016 fanzone in central Brussels. Belgium then beefed up security for its July 21 national day celebrations after a truck attack that killed 85 people in the French city of Nice on Bastille Day, July 14. (AFP)

Machete-wielding assailant shouting 'Allahu akbar' attacks, wounds two Belgian policewomen

Police backed by bomb disposal teams cordoned off part of central Brussels today, where they surrounded a &quot;suspect&quot; individual wearing a long coat with wires showing, the police and media said. 
 
&quot;Following police intervention, a cordon has been established&quot; around part of the Place de la Monnaie and adjoining streets, Brussels police said in a tweeted message. 
 
Brussels has remained on high alert since Islamic State-claimed suicide bomb attacks at the airport and in the metro on March that left 32 people dead. 
 
Belga news agency, quoting a police spokesman, said the suspect was &quot;under control&quot; as the bomb squad waited to check if he had any explosives concealed under his coat. 
 
Local media footage showed troops, police and firemen in and around the cordoned-off area, with the streets largely deserted in what is normally a very busy shopping district. 
 
(AFP)

Belga news agency reported the suspect was 'under control' quoting a police spokesman as bomb squad waited to check any hidden explosives

Police backed by bomb disposal teams cordoned off part of central Brussels today, where they surrounded a "suspect" individual wearing a long coat with wires showing, the police and media said. "Following police intervention, a cordon has been established" around part of the Place de la Monnaie and adjoining streets, Brussels police said in a tweeted message. Brussels has remained on high alert since Islamic State-claimed suicide bomb attacks at the airport and in the metro on March that left 32 people dead. Belga news agency, quoting a police spokesman, said the suspect was "under control" as the bomb squad waited to check if he had any explosives concealed under his coat. Local media footage showed troops, police and firemen in and around the cordoned-off area, with the streets largely deserted in what is normally a very busy shopping district. (AFP)

Brussels police surround bomb suspect; city centre cordoned off

Harry Potter fans can plunge into the magical world of wizards thanks to an exhibition dedicated to the film franchise opening in the Belgian capital. 
 
Visitors can experience first-hand what life at wizarding school Hogwarts is like by wandering through the Gryffindor&#39;s common room, strolling through the so-called Forbidden Forest or just by sitting in gamekeeper Hagrids&#39; huge chair in the rustic-style hut. 
 
The exhibition&#39;s press officer, Peter Monbailleu, said it was not necessary to be a fan of the books and films to enjoy the exhibition. 
 
&quot;It is made for the fans in the first place. If you are not a fan, you will definitely enjoy it. If you are a fan, you will love it. This is Harry Potter&#39;s fans dream come true,&quot; he said. 
 
Monballieu claimed the the exhibition turned out to be a big success with already one hundred thousand tickets sold online before the opening on 30 June. 
 
Monballieu explains the success of the franchise by the mix of adventure and universal values it carries. 
 
&quot;I think the whole Harry Potter saga is a story in which everybody has some characters that they can identify with. It is a universal story, it is about courage and it is about connection between people and it is about hanging in there. Keeping yourself together and adventure. It is one big adventure so everybody loves the story and an adventure,&quot; Monballieu said. 
 
Caroline Biassinne, who visited the venue with her sister Sophie, said she enjoyed the Brussels event. 
 
&quot;It was great, really cool. You could see many things, especially the props, lots of props. That was especially great. So now one can imagine how it was like shooting the films,&quot; she said. 
 
Xavier Pottillius visited the exhibition with a group of children. He said he enjoyed it despite not being a fan of the series. 
 
&quot;I find it a very nice exhibition, even though I&#39;m not a Harry Potter fan myself. I&#39;m here with a group of children and the children love this exhibition a lot,&quot; he said. 
 
The touring exhibition premiered in Chicago in 2009 and is in Brussels until mid-September. 
 
(Reuters)

The exhibition is dedicated to the film franchise. 'It's a dream come true for Harry Potter fans,' said the venue's press officer

Harry Potter fans can plunge into the magical world of wizards thanks to an exhibition dedicated to the film franchise opening in the Belgian capital. Visitors can experience first-hand what life at wizarding school Hogwarts is like by wandering through the Gryffindor's common room, strolling through the so-called Forbidden Forest or just by sitting in gamekeeper Hagrids' huge chair in the rustic-style hut. The exhibition's press officer, Peter Monbailleu, said it was not necessary to be a fan of the books and films to enjoy the exhibition. "It is made for the fans in the first place. If you are not a fan, you will definitely enjoy it. If you are a fan, you will love it. This is Harry Potter's fans dream come true," he said. Monballieu claimed the the exhibition turned out to be a big success with already one hundred thousand tickets sold online before the opening on 30 June. Monballieu explains the success of the franchise by the mix of adventure and universal values it carries. "I think the whole Harry Potter saga is a story in which everybody has some characters that they can identify with. It is a universal story, it is about courage and it is about connection between people and it is about hanging in there. Keeping yourself together and adventure. It is one big adventure so everybody loves the story and an adventure," Monballieu said. Caroline Biassinne, who visited the venue with her sister Sophie, said she enjoyed the Brussels event. "It was great, really cool. You could see many things, especially the props, lots of props. That was especially great. So now one can imagine how it was like shooting the films," she said. Xavier Pottillius visited the exhibition with a group of children. He said he enjoyed it despite not being a fan of the series. "I find it a very nice exhibition, even though I'm not a Harry Potter fan myself. I'm here with a group of children and the children love this exhibition a lot," he said. The touring exhibition premiered in Chicago in 2009 and is in Brussels until mid-September. (Reuters)

Harry Potter exhibition brings touch of magic to Brussels

Hungary will hold a referendum on October 2 on European Union (EU) &nbsp;plans to relocate migrants among member states, a scheme fiercely opposed by right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the President said today. 
 
&quot;As president of the republic I decree that the referendum will be held on October 2,&quot; President Janos Ader said in a statement.&nbsp; 
 
Orban`s government voted against the EU plan to relocate 160,000 migrants around the 28-nation bloc via mandatory quotas but the scheme was approved by a majority of member states in September. 
 
Joining Slovakia in filing a legal challenge against the plan, Orban said earlier this year that the government would put the issue to a referendum. 
 
Voters will be asked: &quot;Do you want the EU to prescribe the mandatory relocation of non-Hungarian citizens to Hungary without the approval of the Hungarian parliament?&quot; 
 
Budapest says that the plan which has been extremely slow to get going -violates its national sovereignty and that &quot;terrorists&quot; might enter the country disguised as migrants. 
 
Orban has said that Brussels has no right to &quot;redraw Europe&#39;s cultural and religious identity&quot;. 
 
Around 400,000 migrants and refugees passed through Hungary in 2015 before the government sealed off the southern borders with razor wire and fences in the autumn. 
 
The authorities also brought in tough new laws punishing illegal entry and vandalism of the fences.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

Around 400,000 migrants and refugees passed through Hungary in 2015 before the government sealed southern borders with razor wire and fences

Hungary will hold a referendum on October 2 on European Union (EU) plans to relocate migrants among member states, a scheme fiercely opposed by right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the President said today. "As president of the republic I decree that the referendum will be held on October 2," President Janos Ader said in a statement. Orban`s government voted against the EU plan to relocate 160,000 migrants around the 28-nation bloc via mandatory quotas but the scheme was approved by a majority of member states in September. Joining Slovakia in filing a legal challenge against the plan, Orban said earlier this year that the government would put the issue to a referendum. Voters will be asked: "Do you want the EU to prescribe the mandatory relocation of non-Hungarian citizens to Hungary without the approval of the Hungarian parliament?" Budapest says that the plan which has been extremely slow to get going -violates its national sovereignty and that "terrorists" might enter the country disguised as migrants. Orban has said that Brussels has no right to "redraw Europe's cultural and religious identity". Around 400,000 migrants and refugees passed through Hungary in 2015 before the government sealed off the southern borders with razor wire and fences in the autumn. The authorities also brought in tough new laws punishing illegal entry and vandalism of the fences. (AFP)

Hungary to hold October referendum on EU migrant scheme

Top US diplomat John Kerry will fly to Brussels and London on Monday for talks with Washington&#39;s key allies in the aftermath of Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union. 
 
US officials travelling to Rome with the secretary of state told reporters on the flight that two stops had been added to his European itinerary at the last moment. 
 
&quot;Tomorrow we&#39;ll go to Brussels and then on to London,&quot; one official said. 
 
Washington was dismayed last week when British voters chose to leave the European Union, a decision that triggered global economic uncertainty and fears other EU members will follow suit. 
 
President Barack Obama had made clear his concern about the Brexit referendum, and now US officials are scrambling to try to stop the political crisis harming Western unity. 
 
Kerry arrived in Rome today on a planned visit to have lunch with Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni and a working dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 
 
But officials on his flight said that on Monday he would fly on to the EU headquarters in Brussels for crisis talks with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. 
 
Mogherini had been expected to meet Kerry in Rome today, but she was busy dealing with the fallout of the dramatic vote, which stunned European and world leaders. 
 
From Brussels Kerry will continue to London to see Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and other officials from outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron`s government. 
 
The two senior diplomats are expected to hold a joint news conference before Kerry leaves to return to Washington. 
 
Obama and Kerry have been at pains to insist the vaunted &quot;special relationship&quot; between Washington and London will survive what US officials view as the Brexit debacle.But Washington foreign policy experts are all but unanimous in assessing that the White House will increasingly turn to core EU allies to defend its interests on the continent. 
 
Obama himself, on a visit to London last month, warned British voters that their nation would go &quot;to the back of the queue&quot; for a US trade deal if they voted &quot;out.&quot; 
 
US officials are also keen to help London`s divorce from Brussels go through smoothly without further inflicting further damage on skittish world financial markets. 
 
But they, like many EU capitals, are also concerned not to allow Brexit to serve as an inspiration for eurosceptic forces in other members such as Italy or The Netherlands. 
 
The London visit will be the first by a senior US official since Thursday`s dramatic referendum, when voters demanded Britain leave the world`s richest trading bloc.&nbsp; 
 
Kerry&#39;s trip had originally been planned as an opportunity to meet Netanyahu and discuss regional security and the stalled Israel-Palestinian peace process. 
 
But US officials played down the chance of any concrete progress, insisting that the pair meet regularly and that no new initiative would be on the table.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

London visit will be the first by John Kerry after the referendum when voters demanded Britain leave the world's richest trading bloc

Top US diplomat John Kerry will fly to Brussels and London on Monday for talks with Washington's key allies in the aftermath of Britain's vote to leave the European Union. US officials travelling to Rome with the secretary of state told reporters on the flight that two stops had been added to his European itinerary at the last moment. "Tomorrow we'll go to Brussels and then on to London," one official said. Washington was dismayed last week when British voters chose to leave the European Union, a decision that triggered global economic uncertainty and fears other EU members will follow suit. President Barack Obama had made clear his concern about the Brexit referendum, and now US officials are scrambling to try to stop the political crisis harming Western unity. Kerry arrived in Rome today on a planned visit to have lunch with Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni and a working dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But officials on his flight said that on Monday he would fly on to the EU headquarters in Brussels for crisis talks with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. Mogherini had been expected to meet Kerry in Rome today, but she was busy dealing with the fallout of the dramatic vote, which stunned European and world leaders. From Brussels Kerry will continue to London to see Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and other officials from outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron`s government. The two senior diplomats are expected to hold a joint news conference before Kerry leaves to return to Washington. Obama and Kerry have been at pains to insist the vaunted "special relationship" between Washington and London will survive what US officials view as the Brexit debacle.But Washington foreign policy experts are all but unanimous in assessing that the White House will increasingly turn to core EU allies to defend its interests on the continent. Obama himself, on a visit to London last month, warned British voters that their nation would go "to the back of the queue" for a US trade deal if they voted "out." US officials are also keen to help London`s divorce from Brussels go through smoothly without further inflicting further damage on skittish world financial markets. But they, like many EU capitals, are also concerned not to allow Brexit to serve as an inspiration for eurosceptic forces in other members such as Italy or The Netherlands. The London visit will be the first by a senior US official since Thursday`s dramatic referendum, when voters demanded Britain leave the world`s richest trading bloc. Kerry's trip had originally been planned as an opportunity to meet Netanyahu and discuss regional security and the stalled Israel-Palestinian peace process. But US officials played down the chance of any concrete progress, insisting that the pair meet regularly and that no new initiative would be on the table. (AFP)

Top US envoy Kerry heads to Britain amid Brexit crisis

Three men have been charged with &quot;attempted terrorist murder&quot; following sweeping nationwide anti-terror raids in&nbsp;Belgium, federal prosecutors said on Saturday.
Named as Samir C., Moustapha B. et Jawad B., the trio were among 12 people detained during the raids.

They have also been charged with &quot;participation in the activities of a terrorist group&quot;, while the nine others were released after questioning, prosecutors added.
Earlier, security for 30 VIPs had been reinforced over fears of an &quot;imminent&quot; attack. 
 
The alert came as thousands of people gathered across the country in fan zones for Belgium&#39;s Euro 2016 match against Ireland. 
 
&quot;Over the coming hours we are going to take additional and updated security measures,&quot; Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said after a national security council meeting called to discuss the threat. 
 
&quot;The different events planned for the next few days will go ahead,&quot; Michel added, urging people however to &quot;respect safety advice&quot;. 
 
Dozens of searches were carried out across Belgium overnight in a case that needed &quot;an immediate intervention&quot;, federal prosecutors said Saturday. 
 
Forty people were initially held and 152 garage boxes searched, they said. 
 
The raids took place in 16 communes in Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia and &quot;passed off without incident,&quot; they said in a statement, adding that &quot;until now no arms or explosives were found.&quot; 
 
Flemish commercial broadcaster VTM reported that it was connected to a threat linked to Belgium&#39;s fixture against Ireland, held Saturday afternoon in Bordeaux, France. No incidents were immediately reported after the match ended with a 3-0 defeat for the Irish. 
 
The channel said the threat was against targets in Belgium, possibly fans watching the game on television in crowded places. 
 
A judge will decide later whether to detain those who have been arrested, none of whom have been named. 
 
Belgium is still reeling from the Islamic State suicide bombings at Brussels airport and on the city&#39;s metro on March 22 which killed 32 people and wounded hundreds more. 
 
They came five months after jihadists, many of them from Brussels, carried out gun and bombing attacks in Paris on November 13, killing 130 people and wounding hundreds more. 
 
The latest raids targeted several areas tied to the attacks of November 13 and March 22. 
 
Officers in Flanders moved on the town of Zaventem close to Brussels National airport while there were raids in the Brussels suburbs of Molenbeek, Schaarbeek and Forest were closely associated with the perpetrators of both attacks. 
 
Molenbeek is notorious for being a hotbed of Islamic extremism where Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving member of the 10-man jihadist team that attacked Paris, hid out for months until his dramatic arrest on March 18. 
 
One of the searches in Wallonia was conducted in the area of Fleurus close to Charleroi airport -- the country&#39;s second international air hub -- and a region that also hosts part of the country&#39;s nuclear industry. 
 
- &#39;Their actions are imminent&#39; - 
France, which is hosting the Euro 2016 football championships, is on maximum alert after an assailant previously convicted for jihadism killed a police officer and his partner on Monday. 
 
The latest raids have raised tensions in Belgium which is already dogged by the threat of terrorism. 
 
Belgian media reported on Wednesday that police had warned that Islamic State group (IS) fighters had recently left Syria to carry out attacks. 
 
&quot;They would separate into two groups, one for Belgium, the other for France, to attack in pairs. According to the information received these people are in possession of the necessary armament and their actions are imminent,&quot; an official document revealed by the La Derniere Heure newspaper stated. 
 
On Saturday, a source close to the Belgian authorities told AFP that several leading Belgian political figures have recently had their security increased. 
 
According to state broadcaster RTBF and daily Flemish newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, Prime Minister Charles Michel, Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, Interior Minister Jan Jambon and Justice Minister Koen Geens, are among a group of 30 people who, along with their families, have had their personal security stepped up since Friday. 
 
RTBF added that there is no link to the most recent raids. 
 
Despite the disclosures, Belgium&#39;s terror level remains at level three meaning that an attack is considered &quot;possible and probable&quot;. The highest, level four, would mean that the threat is &quot;serious and imminent&quot;. 
(AFP)

Alert that attack is 'imminent' was sounded as thousands of people gathered in fan zones across the country for Euro game against Ireland

Three men have been charged with "attempted terrorist murder" following sweeping nationwide anti-terror raids in Belgium, federal prosecutors said on Saturday. Named as Samir C., Moustapha B. et Jawad B., the trio were among 12 people detained during the raids. They have also been charged with "participation in the activities of a terrorist group", while the nine others were released after questioning, prosecutors added. Earlier, security for 30 VIPs had been reinforced over fears of an "imminent" attack. The alert came as thousands of people gathered across the country in fan zones for Belgium's Euro 2016 match against Ireland. "Over the coming hours we are going to take additional and updated security measures," Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said after a national security council meeting called to discuss the threat. "The different events planned for the next few days will go ahead," Michel added, urging people however to "respect safety advice". Dozens of searches were carried out across Belgium overnight in a case that needed "an immediate intervention", federal prosecutors said Saturday. Forty people were initially held and 152 garage boxes searched, they said. The raids took place in 16 communes in Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia and "passed off without incident," they said in a statement, adding that "until now no arms or explosives were found." Flemish commercial broadcaster VTM reported that it was connected to a threat linked to Belgium's fixture against Ireland, held Saturday afternoon in Bordeaux, France. No incidents were immediately reported after the match ended with a 3-0 defeat for the Irish. The channel said the threat was against targets in Belgium, possibly fans watching the game on television in crowded places. A judge will decide later whether to detain those who have been arrested, none of whom have been named. Belgium is still reeling from the Islamic State suicide bombings at Brussels airport and on the city's metro on March 22 which killed 32 people and wounded hundreds more. They came five months after jihadists, many of them from Brussels, carried out gun and bombing attacks in Paris on November 13, killing 130 people and wounding hundreds more. The latest raids targeted several areas tied to the attacks of November 13 and March 22. Officers in Flanders moved on the town of Zaventem close to Brussels National airport while there were raids in the Brussels suburbs of Molenbeek, Schaarbeek and Forest were closely associated with the perpetrators of both attacks. Molenbeek is notorious for being a hotbed of Islamic extremism where Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving member of the 10-man jihadist team that attacked Paris, hid out for months until his dramatic arrest on March 18. One of the searches in Wallonia was conducted in the area of Fleurus close to Charleroi airport -- the country's second international air hub -- and a region that also hosts part of the country's nuclear industry. - 'Their actions are imminent' - France, which is hosting the Euro 2016 football championships, is on maximum alert after an assailant previously convicted for jihadism killed a police officer and his partner on Monday. The latest raids have raised tensions in Belgium which is already dogged by the threat of terrorism. Belgian media reported on Wednesday that police had warned that Islamic State group (IS) fighters had recently left Syria to carry out attacks. "They would separate into two groups, one for Belgium, the other for France, to attack in pairs. According to the information received these people are in possession of the necessary armament and their actions are imminent," an official document revealed by the La Derniere Heure newspaper stated. On Saturday, a source close to the Belgian authorities told AFP that several leading Belgian political figures have recently had their security increased. According to state broadcaster RTBF and daily Flemish newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, Prime Minister Charles Michel, Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, Interior Minister Jan Jambon and Justice Minister Koen Geens, are among a group of 30 people who, along with their families, have had their personal security stepped up since Friday. RTBF added that there is no link to the most recent raids. Despite the disclosures, Belgium's terror level remains at level three meaning that an attack is considered "possible and probable". The highest, level four, would mean that the threat is "serious and imminent". (AFP)

After nationwide raids, Belgium charges 3 men with 'attempted terrorist murder'

When Moroccan-born former boxer Mohamed Idrissi orders a young man out of his gym for smoking, the respect is tangible.

The youngster stubs out his cigarette and leaves, head bowed. Inside the gym, the muted thud of leather gloves striking punchbags resumes. &nbsp;

Idrissi&#39;s influence goes beyond his job as a coach at the Brussels Boxing Academy, near the Molenbeek district of the Belgian capital where Islamist militants, several of them of Moroccan origin, planned last year&#39;s deadly Paris attacks.

He also has an informal role mentoring youths facing what Reuters interviews with local officials, social workers and residents of Molenbeek suggest is a growing feeling of alienation and increasingly tense relations with police.

Building trust in communities such as Molenbeek is seen by police as vital for gathering intelligence and countering the threat of Islamic State, and respected local figures like Idrissi have a part to play.

&quot;Boxing is a philosophy which I tell them to apply in life,&quot; Idrissi said of his young boxers at the gym in a primary school in central Brussels, across an industrial-era canal from the halal shops, tea parlours and mosques of Molenbeek.

&quot;I tell them: &#39;You have to fight to be Belgian&#39;,&quot; said the 34-year-old, who deserted from the Moroccan military police a decade ago while taking part in a boxing competition.

Since the Nov. 13 bloodshed in Paris, security has been tightened in Molenbeek, a district described by its own mayor as a &quot;breeding ground&quot; for violence, and many Muslims say they feel stigmatised.

Idrissi is angered by frequent police checks of people with Moroccan roots which he sees as racial profiling although police deny this. But he bites his tongue in the presence of young men to avoid repeating &quot;the kind of comments we warn parents can feed into their radicalisation.&quot;

Some parents, he says, have turned to him to talk their sons out of plans to join Islamist militants in Syria. Police also visited the gym this year as part of a programme to improve their image with youngsters.

At least five men who trained there have travelled to Syria. One, Ayoub Bazarouj, was detained in December on suspicion of having links to the Paris attacks, in which 130 people were killed. He was released in January without charge.

Another, Ahmed Dahmani, was arrested in Turkey last year on suspicion of scouting out sites for the militant strikes. Police released a photograph of Dahmani at the gym, holding his fists up as if ready to throw a punch at the camera. Belgium asked for his extradition from Turkey earlier this year.

Idrissi declined comment when asked about his interaction with police over some of his young charges going to Syria.

&nbsp;

&quot;LATENT ISLAMOPHOBIA&quot;

A failure to stop the militant cell behind the Paris attacks from carrying out more bombings -- 32 people were killed in bombings on the Brussels metro and at the city&#39;s international airport on March 22 -- has highlighted the police lack of knowledge of Molenbeek and their few ties with its residents.

The police are also hard pressed to overcome the fear of IS that discourages possible informants. One resident, Hawa Keita, has received death threats since informing on the network that enticed her son to Syria and says: &quot;We live in fear.&quot;

Having eyes on the ground is vital for plugging the intelligence gaps, many officers say.

&quot;It&#39;s not enough to bug phones: you need to know what you are listening for,&quot; Andre Jacob, a former head of Belgium&#39;s State Security agency, the Surete de l&#39;Etat.

As in similar communities across Europe, Belgian police are struggling to build bridges with young Muslims at the same time as they hunt for militants. They have carried out dozens of raids and arrests in Belgium in recent months.

The Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunities (UNIA), an advocacy group which also works with police on rights issues, says the number of calls to its hot lines complaining about alleged abuse by police has jumped since the Paris attacks.

Its director, Patrick Charlier, witnessed what he called latent Islamophobia in workshops his organisation conducted with police before the Paris attacks. Such sentiment, he suggests, is now out in the open.

&quot;We all of a sudden had a number of cases (of complaints against police),&quot; Charlier said, but declined to give figures, saying it was too soon to assess.

Residents in Molenbeek are angered by some of the comments made about the Muslim population in Belgium, including the interior minister&#39;s suggestion that many Muslims danced in celebration after the Brussels bombings.

&quot;Being rejected, relegated to trash schools, it&#39;s not surprising it ends in bombs,&quot; said 48-year-old Milodi Rahma. &quot;We are doubly victimised: victims of IS and of Islamophobia.&quot;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;US AND THEM&quot;

Belgium has announced a 39-million-euro ($44 million) plan to improve police coordination in Brussels, including boosting staff in Molenbeek for the first time in two decades. The district now has an eight-person unit, whose task is to prevent radicalistion.

But tight budgets means police can end up wearing two hats.

&quot;One day they&#39;re taking part in a big violent raid and the next they&#39;re supposed to go out and chat,&quot; said Vincent Gilles, who heads the Belgian police union. &quot;A community policeman needs to be seen ... as a partner, not an enemy.&quot;

The suspicion cuts both ways in Molenbeek, where the IS cell spent months planning the Paris carnage and where one suspect, Salah Abdeslam, hid with what many officers believe was the blessing of the community.

&quot;You can&#39;t tell me no one knew where he was,&quot; said Kris Vanstraeten, a police inspector in the area.

When police did find him, some youths hurled glass bottles and insults at them.

Molenbeek mayor Fran?oise Schepmans, who made her comment about the district of 95,000 being a nest of violence two days after the Paris attacks, says the police have a difficult role and relations are as good as they can be.

&quot;It&#39;s there to handle security, not to babysit,&quot; she said.

But she says too few police know the areas where they operate. Of 50 federal officers sent to work in Molenbeek after the March bombings, none was even from the capital.

&quot;Sometimes we have young policemen who arrive and say &#39;Uh-oh, where am I?&#39;,&quot; said local police spokesman Johan Berckmans.

Acknowledging that breaking down barriers was difficult, he said: &quot;It&#39;s always a question of &#39;us and them&#39;.&quot;

The failure to stop the Paris attacks highlighted police's lack of knowledge of Molenbeek, a Belgian district where Islamist militants planned attacks, and their alienation from its residents.

When Moroccan-born former boxer Mohamed Idrissi orders a young man out of his gym for smoking, the respect is tangible. The youngster stubs out his cigarette and leaves, head bowed. Inside the gym, the muted thud of leather gloves striking punchbags resumes. Idrissi's influence goes beyond his job as a coach at the Brussels Boxing Academy, near the Molenbeek district of the Belgian capital where Islamist militants, several of them of Moroccan origin, planned last year's deadly Paris attacks. He also has an informal role mentoring youths facing what Reuters interviews with local officials, social workers and residents of Molenbeek suggest is a growing feeling of alienation and increasingly tense relations with police. Building trust in communities such as Molenbeek is seen by police as vital for gathering intelligence and countering the threat of Islamic State, and respected local figures like Idrissi have a part to play. "Boxing is a philosophy which I tell them to apply in life," Idrissi said of his young boxers at the gym in a primary school in central Brussels, across an industrial-era canal from the halal shops, tea parlours and mosques of Molenbeek. "I tell them: 'You have to fight to be Belgian'," said the 34-year-old, who deserted from the Moroccan military police a decade ago while taking part in a boxing competition. Since the Nov. 13 bloodshed in Paris, security has been tightened in Molenbeek, a district described by its own mayor as a "breeding ground" for violence, and many Muslims say they feel stigmatised. Idrissi is angered by frequent police checks of people with Moroccan roots which he sees as racial profiling although police deny this. But he bites his tongue in the presence of young men to avoid repeating "the kind of comments we warn parents can feed into their radicalisation." Some parents, he says, have turned to him to talk their sons out of plans to join Islamist militants in Syria. Police also visited the gym this year as part of a programme to improve their image with youngsters. At least five men who trained there have travelled to Syria. One, Ayoub Bazarouj, was detained in December on suspicion of having links to the Paris attacks, in which 130 people were killed. He was released in January without charge. Another, Ahmed Dahmani, was arrested in Turkey last year on suspicion of scouting out sites for the militant strikes. Police released a photograph of Dahmani at the gym, holding his fists up as if ready to throw a punch at the camera. Belgium asked for his extradition from Turkey earlier this year. Idrissi declined comment when asked about his interaction with police over some of his young charges going to Syria. "LATENT ISLAMOPHOBIA" A failure to stop the militant cell behind the Paris attacks from carrying out more bombings -- 32 people were killed in bombings on the Brussels metro and at the city's international airport on March 22 -- has highlighted the police lack of knowledge of Molenbeek and their few ties with its residents. The police are also hard pressed to overcome the fear of IS that discourages possible informants. One resident, Hawa Keita, has received death threats since informing on the network that enticed her son to Syria and says: "We live in fear." Having eyes on the ground is vital for plugging the intelligence gaps, many officers say. "It's not enough to bug phones: you need to know what you are listening for," Andre Jacob, a former head of Belgium's State Security agency, the Surete de l'Etat. As in similar communities across Europe, Belgian police are struggling to build bridges with young Muslims at the same time as they hunt for militants. They have carried out dozens of raids and arrests in Belgium in recent months. The Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunities (UNIA), an advocacy group which also works with police on rights issues, says the number of calls to its hot lines complaining about alleged abuse by police has jumped since the Paris attacks. Its director, Patrick Charlier, witnessed what he called latent Islamophobia in workshops his organisation conducted with police before the Paris attacks. Such sentiment, he suggests, is now out in the open. "We all of a sudden had a number of cases (of complaints against police)," Charlier said, but declined to give figures, saying it was too soon to assess. Residents in Molenbeek are angered by some of the comments made about the Muslim population in Belgium, including the interior minister's suggestion that many Muslims danced in celebration after the Brussels bombings. "Being rejected, relegated to trash schools, it's not surprising it ends in bombs," said 48-year-old Milodi Rahma. "We are doubly victimised: victims of IS and of Islamophobia." "US AND THEM" Belgium has announced a 39-million-euro ($44 million) plan to improve police coordination in Brussels, including boosting staff in Molenbeek for the first time in two decades. The district now has an eight-person unit, whose task is to prevent radicalistion. But tight budgets means police can end up wearing two hats. "One day they're taking part in a big violent raid and the next they're supposed to go out and chat," said Vincent Gilles, who heads the Belgian police union. "A community policeman needs to be seen ... as a partner, not an enemy." The suspicion cuts both ways in Molenbeek, where the IS cell spent months planning the Paris carnage and where one suspect, Salah Abdeslam, hid with what many officers believe was the blessing of the community. "You can't tell me no one knew where he was," said Kris Vanstraeten, a police inspector in the area. When police did find him, some youths hurled glass bottles and insults at them. Molenbeek mayor Fran?oise Schepmans, who made her comment about the district of 95,000 being a nest of violence two days after the Paris attacks, says the police have a difficult role and relations are as good as they can be. "It's there to handle security, not to babysit," she said. But she says too few police know the areas where they operate. Of 50 federal officers sent to work in Molenbeek after the March bombings, none was even from the capital. "Sometimes we have young policemen who arrive and say 'Uh-oh, where am I?'," said local police spokesman Johan Berckmans. Acknowledging that breaking down barriers was difficult, he said: "It's always a question of 'us and them'."

Alienation grows in Brussels district that bred Paris attackers

brussels

Brussels, News on Brussels, stories on Brussels, articles on Brussels, Brussels stories at Wion, Brussels news, Brussels latest news