Unless the Catalan and Spanish governments immediately open a dialogue about the constitutional future of Catalonia, the violent scenes in the region may only be a precursor of things to come. But for this dialogue to take place, the EU must be involved.

With the instant, worldwide circulation of images of brutal police repression of defenceless, peaceful voters, the Catalan government won the battle for public sympathy. However, it is in fact isolated in its struggle.

Madrid has maintained its hard line, refusing to recognise the vote or its result. This strategy has been bolstered by King Felipe&rsquo;s intervention. Rather than appealing for national unity, he offered a one-sided condemnation of the conflict. The government is also supported by most other Spanish parties, as well as the editorial line of the main Spanish dailies such as El Pais and El Mundo. Catalonia&rsquo;s potential allies in other historic regions such as the Basque country have remained remarkably silent.

Beyond Spain, European leaders have either taken a neutral stance, relegating the conflict to an internal matter for Spain to resolve or have offered support to the Spanish government&rsquo;s defence of the rule of law.

Risky strategies

The Catalan government&rsquo;s current trajectory is fraught with risk. It hasn&rsquo;t, for one thing, acknowledged the real divisions that exist within Catalonia about the desirability of independence.

And its extreme position is only being met by more immovability from Madrid. The courts have already promised to suspend the parliamentary session in which the Catalan government could declare independence. The central government could go further. It could use its constitutional powers to impose direct rule. If police intervention were met with protest, it could lead to further clashes, replete with truncheons, rubber bullets, and bloodshed.

But this strategy is equally risky. It does nothing to address the growing sources of grievances in Catalonia. It only adds to the cycle of conflict. Nor is it clear that it could actually work. The 10,000 members of the Guardia Civil deployed across Catalonia could not prevent over 2m voters from casting their ballots. It is doubtful that the Spanish central government could credibly prevent Catalonia from declaring independence without taking brutally repressive measures. But this would have serious economic and political ramifications for the EU.

Already, two large Spanish banks &ndash; Sabadell and CaixaBank &ndash; are switching their main offices so as not to be based in Catalonia. With capital flying out of its largest economic region, the Spanish stock exchange took a tumble. This has the potential to seriously affect the value of the euro. The messy economics of a divorce could trigger a return to the volatility that the eurozone experienced in 2011-12.

The EU has remained shamefully powerless in the face of the illiberal measures deployed by right-wing governments in Poland and Hungary, towards their media and judiciary. Its reputation would be further tarnished if one of its more established members could curtail the rights of its national minorities.

For these reasons, the EU has the duty to facilitate a dialogue between the Catalan and Spanish governments and to bring them back from the brink.

The EU&rsquo;s reluctance to engage stems from the fact that these are uncharted waters. The violent territorial conflicts that have beset other countries such as Northern Ireland, Cyprus and Bosnia-Herzegovina were mediated, to varying degrees of success, by national governments, the United Nations and third parties like the United States. The EU has few procedures for bringing parties in a territorial conflict to the negotiation table. Creativity will be needed.

What the EU could do

The first action is for the European Parliament to pass a resolution, endorsed by the Council of Ministers, condemning the situation. This should assign responsibility to both parties and recall the cardinal values of the rule of law, democracy and minority rights in the European constitutional order. This resolution should receive a full endorsement from Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, and Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, as well as the heads of governments, such as Germany&rsquo;s Angela Merkel and France&rsquo;s Emmanuel Macron.

Then the EU must offer to act as an impartial mediator in the dialogue. Given the heightened tensions and mutual recriminations, this dialogue cannot be left unmediated. The Catalan government will not accept that the Spanish government takes on the role of both an interlocutor and an arbiter.

The EU needs to offer a way out of the conflict. The basic condition for dialogue is a formal renunciation of the unilateral declaration of independence by the Catalan government, in exchange for the right to hold a new legally-sanctioned referendum on independence. In case of a NO vote, the Catalan government should then open negotiation for a revision of the Catalan Statute of Autonomy, that offers symbolic recognition of Catalonia&rsquo;s nationhood and a better fiscal pact.

This deal needs to be accompanied by the promise that the EU will not recognise Catalan independence if is illegal and that the Spanish government will be suspended from the Council of Ministers if it violates civil rights in Catalonia.

Europe is not short of diplomatic talent that could be called upon to help foster dialogue: Ireland&rsquo;s former president Mary Robinson, Carld Bildt, who negotiated Sweden&rsquo;s EU accession, and Paddy Ashdown, who served as the high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s, are well-seasoned politicians who could play a constructive role in diffusing the crisis.

Failing to act

Inaction would have devastating repercussions for Catalonia, Spain and the EU.

To force a reluctant central government to the negotiation table, Catalan people could deploy their most successful strategy so far: mass protests, general strikes, and widespread civil disobedience that would bring the regional and national economy to a standstill and generate further political turmoil.

Or, realising that negotiation is not a forthcoming strategy, it could choose to declare independence unilaterally, with all the consequences that this could reap.

Both scenarios would result from the failure to act.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/crisis-in-catalonia-what-the-eu-must-do-now-85377" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

The European Union should intervene to resolve standoff on Catalonia issue

Unless the Catalan and Spanish governments immediately open a dialogue about the constitutional future of Catalonia, the violent scenes in the region may only be a precursor of things to come. But for this dialogue to take place, the EU must be involved. With the instant, worldwide circulation of images of brutal police repression of defenceless, peaceful voters, the Catalan government won the battle for public sympathy. However, it is in fact isolated in its struggle. Madrid has maintained its hard line, refusing to recognise the vote or its result. This strategy has been bolstered by King Felipe’s intervention. Rather than appealing for national unity, he offered a one-sided condemnation of the conflict. The government is also supported by most other Spanish parties, as well as the editorial line of the main Spanish dailies such as El Pais and El Mundo. Catalonia’s potential allies in other historic regions such as the Basque country have remained remarkably silent. Beyond Spain, European leaders have either taken a neutral stance, relegating the conflict to an internal matter for Spain to resolve or have offered support to the Spanish government’s defence of the rule of law. Risky strategies The Catalan government’s current trajectory is fraught with risk. It hasn’t, for one thing, acknowledged the real divisions that exist within Catalonia about the desirability of independence. And its extreme position is only being met by more immovability from Madrid. The courts have already promised to suspend the parliamentary session in which the Catalan government could declare independence. The central government could go further. It could use its constitutional powers to impose direct rule. If police intervention were met with protest, it could lead to further clashes, replete with truncheons, rubber bullets, and bloodshed. But this strategy is equally risky. It does nothing to address the growing sources of grievances in Catalonia. It only adds to the cycle of conflict. Nor is it clear that it could actually work. The 10,000 members of the Guardia Civil deployed across Catalonia could not prevent over 2m voters from casting their ballots. It is doubtful that the Spanish central government could credibly prevent Catalonia from declaring independence without taking brutally repressive measures. But this would have serious economic and political ramifications for the EU. Already, two large Spanish banks – Sabadell and CaixaBank – are switching their main offices so as not to be based in Catalonia. With capital flying out of its largest economic region, the Spanish stock exchange took a tumble. This has the potential to seriously affect the value of the euro. The messy economics of a divorce could trigger a return to the volatility that the eurozone experienced in 2011-12. The EU has remained shamefully powerless in the face of the illiberal measures deployed by right-wing governments in Poland and Hungary, towards their media and judiciary. Its reputation would be further tarnished if one of its more established members could curtail the rights of its national minorities. For these reasons, the EU has the duty to facilitate a dialogue between the Catalan and Spanish governments and to bring them back from the brink. The EU’s reluctance to engage stems from the fact that these are uncharted waters. The violent territorial conflicts that have beset other countries such as Northern Ireland, Cyprus and Bosnia-Herzegovina were mediated, to varying degrees of success, by national governments, the United Nations and third parties like the United States. The EU has few procedures for bringing parties in a territorial conflict to the negotiation table. Creativity will be needed. What the EU could do The first action is for the European Parliament to pass a resolution, endorsed by the Council of Ministers, condemning the situation. This should assign responsibility to both parties and recall the cardinal values of the rule of law, democracy and minority rights in the European constitutional order. This resolution should receive a full endorsement from Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, and Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, as well as the heads of governments, such as Germany’s Angela Merkel and France’s Emmanuel Macron. Then the EU must offer to act as an impartial mediator in the dialogue. Given the heightened tensions and mutual recriminations, this dialogue cannot be left unmediated. The Catalan government will not accept that the Spanish government takes on the role of both an interlocutor and an arbiter. The EU needs to offer a way out of the conflict. The basic condition for dialogue is a formal renunciation of the unilateral declaration of independence by the Catalan government, in exchange for the right to hold a new legally-sanctioned referendum on independence. In case of a NO vote, the Catalan government should then open negotiation for a revision of the Catalan Statute of Autonomy, that offers symbolic recognition of Catalonia’s nationhood and a better fiscal pact. This deal needs to be accompanied by the promise that the EU will not recognise Catalan independence if is illegal and that the Spanish government will be suspended from the Council of Ministers if it violates civil rights in Catalonia. Europe is not short of diplomatic talent that could be called upon to help foster dialogue: Ireland’s former president Mary Robinson, Carld Bildt, who negotiated Sweden’s EU accession, and Paddy Ashdown, who served as the high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s, are well-seasoned politicians who could play a constructive role in diffusing the crisis. Failing to act Inaction would have devastating repercussions for Catalonia, Spain and the EU. To force a reluctant central government to the negotiation table, Catalan people could deploy their most successful strategy so far: mass protests, general strikes, and widespread civil disobedience that would bring the regional and national economy to a standstill and generate further political turmoil. Or, realising that negotiation is not a forthcoming strategy, it could choose to declare independence unilaterally, with all the consequences that this could reap. Both scenarios would result from the failure to act. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Crisis in Catalonia: what the EU must do now

Britain feels it is in a good position in Brexit negotiations and wants to agree with the European Union to move on to discussions about its future relationship by October,&nbsp;Prime Minister Theresa May&#39;s spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

Britain and the European Commission are holding <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/brexit-britain-and-the-eu-to-meet-next-week-for-another-round-of-negotiations-19502">a third round of talks this week</a>, which the European Union has said must focus on the rights of EU and British citizens living abroad, a financial settlement and the Ireland/Northern Ireland border.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker stressed on Tuesday that negotiations about a future EU-UK trading relationship after Britain leave the European Union could only start once divorce issues were resolved.

&quot;We believe we&#39;re in a good position and we would like to move on to discuss our future relationship,&quot; May&#39;s spokeswoman told reporters.

&quot;As David Davis has said we believe that we need the EU to show some more imagination and flexibility when it comes to these discussions ... we are seeking to agree by October Council that we can move to talk about our future relationship.&quot;

Britain and the European Commission are holding the third round of talks this week

Britain feels it is in a good position in Brexit negotiations and wants to agree with the European Union to move on to discussions about its future relationship by October, Prime Minister Theresa May's spokeswoman said on Tuesday. Britain and the European Commission are holding a third round of talks this week, which the European Union has said must focus on the rights of EU and British citizens living abroad, a financial settlement and the Ireland/Northern Ireland border. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker stressed on Tuesday that negotiations about a future EU-UK trading relationship after Britain leave the European Union could only start once divorce issues were resolved. "We believe we're in a good position and we would like to move on to discuss our future relationship," May's spokeswoman told reporters. "As David Davis has said we believe that we need the EU to show some more imagination and flexibility when it comes to these discussions ... we are seeking to agree by October Council that we can move to talk about our future relationship."

Britain in 'good position' in Brexit talks: PM May

Britain and the EU kick off a third round of Brexit talks Monday still sharply divided over what comes first, London&#39;s future relationship with the bloc or the costly divorce settlement.

The European Union says there has to be &quot;sufficient progress&quot; in three key areas, EU citizen rights, Northern Ireland&#39;s border and the exit bill, before it will turn to post-Brexit arrangements, possibly beginning in October.

Britain says the two strands should be negotiated in parallel, arguing that progress on a free trade deal may even help resolve other sticky issues such as the future EU-UK border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

That is a complete no-go for Brussels, with officials saying they expected little progress in bridging a &quot;very big gap&quot; at this week&#39;s talks.

They also blamed Britain for a &quot;lack of substance&quot; despite a flurry of position papers they said were strong on aspiration but short on detail.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier meanwhile listed on Twitter the EU&#39;s own negotiating documents, noting: &quot;EU positions clear and transparent since day one.&quot;

Barnier meets his British counterpart David Davis late afternoon for a first exchange, followed by three days of talks and a joint press conference.&nbsp;

Both sides have repeatedly warned that the clock is ticking down to the March 2019 Brexit deadline and that they are the ones doing their best to make progress. Davis said Monday this week&#39;s talks were all about &quot;driving forward the technical discussions across all the issues.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;In order to do that, we&#39;ll require flexibility and imagination from both sides,&quot; he said.

&quot;We&#39;re ready to roll up our sleeves and get down to work once more.&quot;&nbsp;

Asked about the British approach, the European Commission refused to be drawn Monday.

&quot;Let&#39;s have the negotiators do their negotiation... as for flexibility, we are working within the mandate given us by the European Council (of member states),&quot; EU spokeswoman Lucia Caudet said.

The talks take place amid continued turmoil in Britain, with the opposition Labour Party over the weekend backing a &quot;soft&quot; Brexit whereby the country remains in the EU&#39;s customs union and the single market for a transition period.

Prime Minister Theresa May has said she wants Britain unequivocally out of both but her position has been crippled since a June election gamble backfired and she lost her parliamentary majority.

May remains in office thanks to a deal with Northern Ireland&#39;s ultra-conservative Democratic Unionist Party which views the EU-member Republic with deep suspicion.

EU officials warned last week that the hard-won Northern Ireland peace process could not be used as a bargaining chip.

London&#39;s hopeful suggestion that technology could help prevent the border becoming a physical barrier to trade and the peace process was just &quot;a lot of magical thinking,&quot; one EU official said.

Britain also said the European Court of Justice could continue to have an indirect influence, softening its position that the EU&#39;s top court would not have any say in the country at all.

But again this was not enough, EU officials said.&nbsp;

The rights of more than three million EU citizens in Britain and one million Britons in Europe arose from EU law remains the remit of the ECJ.

&quot;There is no other possibility,&quot; one official said.

As for Britain`s divorce settlement, estimated at up to 100 billion euros in Brussels but much less at 40 billion according to reports in London, EU officials said the talks were not about fixing a number but about agreeing how to work out the bill.

&quot;We have to have a methodology sufficiently detailed so that commitments made to various beneficiaries of the EU budget will be honored,&quot; one of the EU officials said.

Britain and the EU kick off a third round of Brexit talks still sharply divided over what comes first, London's future relationship with the bloc or the costly divorce settlement

Britain and the EU kick off a third round of Brexit talks Monday still sharply divided over what comes first, London's future relationship with the bloc or the costly divorce settlement. The European Union says there has to be "sufficient progress" in three key areas, EU citizen rights, Northern Ireland's border and the exit bill, before it will turn to post-Brexit arrangements, possibly beginning in October. Britain says the two strands should be negotiated in parallel, arguing that progress on a free trade deal may even help resolve other sticky issues such as the future EU-UK border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. That is a complete no-go for Brussels, with officials saying they expected little progress in bridging a "very big gap" at this week's talks. They also blamed Britain for a "lack of substance" despite a flurry of position papers they said were strong on aspiration but short on detail. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier meanwhile listed on Twitter the EU's own negotiating documents, noting: "EU positions clear and transparent since day one." Barnier meets his British counterpart David Davis late afternoon for a first exchange, followed by three days of talks and a joint press conference. Both sides have repeatedly warned that the clock is ticking down to the March 2019 Brexit deadline and that they are the ones doing their best to make progress. Davis said Monday this week's talks were all about "driving forward the technical discussions across all the issues." "In order to do that, we'll require flexibility and imagination from both sides," he said. "We're ready to roll up our sleeves and get down to work once more." Asked about the British approach, the European Commission refused to be drawn Monday. "Let's have the negotiators do their negotiation... as for flexibility, we are working within the mandate given us by the European Council (of member states)," EU spokeswoman Lucia Caudet said. The talks take place amid continued turmoil in Britain, with the opposition Labour Party over the weekend backing a "soft" Brexit whereby the country remains in the EU's customs union and the single market for a transition period. Prime Minister Theresa May has said she wants Britain unequivocally out of both but her position has been crippled since a June election gamble backfired and she lost her parliamentary majority. May remains in office thanks to a deal with Northern Ireland's ultra-conservative Democratic Unionist Party which views the EU-member Republic with deep suspicion. EU officials warned last week that the hard-won Northern Ireland peace process could not be used as a bargaining chip. London's hopeful suggestion that technology could help prevent the border becoming a physical barrier to trade and the peace process was just "a lot of magical thinking," one EU official said. Britain also said the European Court of Justice could continue to have an indirect influence, softening its position that the EU's top court would not have any say in the country at all. But again this was not enough, EU officials said. The rights of more than three million EU citizens in Britain and one million Britons in Europe arose from EU law remains the remit of the ECJ. "There is no other possibility," one official said. As for Britain`s divorce settlement, estimated at up to 100 billion euros in Brussels but much less at 40 billion according to reports in London, EU officials said the talks were not about fixing a number but about agreeing how to work out the bill. "We have to have a methodology sufficiently detailed so that commitments made to various beneficiaries of the EU budget will be honored," one of the EU officials said.

Brexit talks face 'very big gap' as new round begins

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

Nearly 250,000 insecticide-contaminated eggs have been sold in France since April, but the risk for consumers is &quot;very low,&quot; French Agriculture Minister Stephane Travert said Friday.

A first batch of 196,000 eggs, imported from Belgium, was distributed between April 16 and May 2, and was followed by a second batch of 48,000 Dutch eggs sold by the discount retailer Leader Price between July 19 and 28, Travert told RMC radio.

&quot;The risk for human health is very low, given the levels of fipronil detected in the contaminated eggs, but also given French habits of food consumption,&quot; Travert said.

Fipronil is a chemical used to get rid of fleas, lice and ticks from farm livestock but is banned by the European Union from use in the food industry.

At least 11 countries in Europe have found eggs contaminated with fipronil since the scare emerged on August 1.

Millions of eggs and egg-based products have been destroyed or pulled from supermarket shelves.

The episode has also unleashed finger-pointing among European countries over who is to blame and whether there was a cover up.

At least 11 countries in Europe have found eggs contaminated with fipronil since the scare emerged on August 1

Nearly 250,000 insecticide-contaminated eggs have been sold in France since April, but the risk for consumers is "very low," French Agriculture Minister Stephane Travert said Friday. A first batch of 196,000 eggs, imported from Belgium, was distributed between April 16 and May 2, and was followed by a second batch of 48,000 Dutch eggs sold by the discount retailer Leader Price between July 19 and 28, Travert told RMC radio. "The risk for human health is very low, given the levels of fipronil detected in the contaminated eggs, but also given French habits of food consumption," Travert said. Fipronil is a chemical used to get rid of fleas, lice and ticks from farm livestock but is banned by the European Union from use in the food industry. At least 11 countries in Europe have found eggs contaminated with fipronil since the scare emerged on August 1. Millions of eggs and egg-based products have been destroyed or pulled from supermarket shelves. The episode has also unleashed finger-pointing among European countries over who is to blame and whether there was a cover up.

250,000 contaminated eggs sold in France since April: Agriculture minister

All the parties to the Iran nuclear deal are abiding by its terms, the European Union said on Thursday, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-nuclear-deal-violated-by-new-us-sanctions-18531">despite Tehran&#39;s charges that new US sanctions breach the agreement</a>.

Tehran says the new measures violate its 2015 deal with world powers that eased sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme, an agreement which US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to tear up.

&quot;So far we consider that all parties have been implementing their commitments under the deal,&quot; Catherine Ray, a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, told a press briefing in Brussels.

&quot;We expect their continued adherence,&quot; Ray said when asked to comment on the Iranian charges.

Ray based her expectation on a July 21 meeting in Vienna of the Mogherini-chaired commission that brings together Iran and the other parties to discuss the deal&#39;s implementation.

Mogherini&#39;s office issued a statement at the time saying the meeting&#39;s participants confirmed their continued adherence and &quot;stressed the need to ensure its full and effective implementation in a constructive atmosphere.&quot;

Ray said the joint commission allowed for the Iranian view on new US sanctions to be widely discussed.

The United States enacted Wednesday new sanctions targeting Iran&#39;s ballistic missile programme, alleging human rights abuses and its support for the Lebanese Hezbollah, which Washington calls a terrorist group.

Following the nuclear deal, Washington and the EU lifted sanctions related to Iran&#39;s atomic programme that the West alleged was for military purposes but Tehran said was peaceful.&nbsp;

Mogherini is due in Tehran on Saturday for the inauguration of Hassan Rouhani, who was re-elected to a second term as president in May.

EU countries Britain, France and Germany, which signed the deal along with Russia, China and the United States, remain firm backers of the agreement and have criticised the Trump administration for threatening to scrap it.&nbsp;

EU comments came despite Tehran's charges that new US sanctions breach the agreement

All the parties to the Iran nuclear deal are abiding by its terms, the European Union said on Thursday, despite Tehran's charges that new US sanctions breach the agreement. Tehran says the new measures violate its 2015 deal with world powers that eased sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme, an agreement which US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to tear up. "So far we consider that all parties have been implementing their commitments under the deal," Catherine Ray, a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, told a press briefing in Brussels. "We expect their continued adherence," Ray said when asked to comment on the Iranian charges. Ray based her expectation on a July 21 meeting in Vienna of the Mogherini-chaired commission that brings together Iran and the other parties to discuss the deal's implementation. Mogherini's office issued a statement at the time saying the meeting's participants confirmed their continued adherence and "stressed the need to ensure its full and effective implementation in a constructive atmosphere." Ray said the joint commission allowed for the Iranian view on new US sanctions to be widely discussed. The United States enacted Wednesday new sanctions targeting Iran's ballistic missile programme, alleging human rights abuses and its support for the Lebanese Hezbollah, which Washington calls a terrorist group. Following the nuclear deal, Washington and the EU lifted sanctions related to Iran's atomic programme that the West alleged was for military purposes but Tehran said was peaceful. Mogherini is due in Tehran on Saturday for the inauguration of Hassan Rouhani, who was re-elected to a second term as president in May. EU countries Britain, France and Germany, which signed the deal along with Russia, China and the United States, remain firm backers of the agreement and have criticised the Trump administration for threatening to scrap it.

Despite Iran reservations, EU says all parties sticking to Iran nuclear deal

The European Parliament has criticised Pakistan&#39;s human rights record, and squarely reminded Islamabad that it has grossly erred in handing down capital punishment for those allegedly violating the nation&#39;s blasphemy law, in the excessive of military courts and in denying India consular access to former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav on multiple occasions.

European Union Parliament members unanimously endorsed a resolution that criticised the abuse of capital punishment by Pakistan for fulfilling its political aims in trials related to civilians.

 
Calling for the abolition of the death penalty, the European Parliament members reiterated their strong opposition to the use of the death penalty in all cases and under all circumstances and called on Pakistan to reintroduce a moratorium on executions and commute all death sentences to various terms of imprisonment.

&quot;Death penalty is a cruel and inhumane punishment and a miscarriage of justice,&quot; said one the members of the European Parliament.

Referring specifically to the Jadhav case, wherein he has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April on charges of espionage and sabotage, the EU Parliament deplored the use of military courts for holding hearings in camera and sought an assurance from the Government of Pakistan to reverse the decision to the extent military courts should apply their jurisdiction only on breaches of military discipline, and that too, only those committed by military personnel.

The European Parliament resolution also insisted that authorities in Pakistan should grant access to international observers and human rights organisations for purposes of monitoring the use of military courts and strengthen the civilian judiciary in line with international standards on judicial proceedings.

As India was denied consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav by Pakistan, the resolution underscored that &quot;third country nationals brought to trial, must be allowed access to consular services and protection.&quot;

The European Parliament reminded Islamabad of its obligation to ensure respect for the fundamental rights of freedom of thought and freedom of expression and other international and regional human rights instruments.

Expressing its grave concern about the recent mass trials leading to a vast number of death sentences, the resolution sought an immediate and definitive end to such practices, which violate international human rights standards.

Stressing about the prevailing situation regarding human rights violation in Pakistan, the resolution said ,&quot;Several minority people have been killed and persecuted because they are not being protected by the government and death penalty are the tools for setting personal vendetta or to suppress minorities.&quot;

The European Parliament said that the death penalty is incompatible with values such as respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, on which the Union is founded, and that any member state reintroducing the death penalty would, therefore, be in violation of the Treaties and of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The European Parliament then instructed its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Commission Vice-President, EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Government and Parliament of Pakistan and the Secretary-General of the United Nations for further deliberation and action.

European Union Parliament members unanimously endorsed a resolution that criticised the abuse of capital punishment by Pakistan for fulfilling its political aims in trials related to civilians

The European Parliament has criticised Pakistan's human rights record, and squarely reminded Islamabad that it has grossly erred in handing down capital punishment for those allegedly violating the nation's blasphemy law, in the excessive of military courts and in denying India consular access to former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav on multiple occasions. European Union Parliament members unanimously endorsed a resolution that criticised the abuse of capital punishment by Pakistan for fulfilling its political aims in trials related to civilians. Calling for the abolition of the death penalty, the European Parliament members reiterated their strong opposition to the use of the death penalty in all cases and under all circumstances and called on Pakistan to reintroduce a moratorium on executions and commute all death sentences to various terms of imprisonment. "Death penalty is a cruel and inhumane punishment and a miscarriage of justice," said one the members of the European Parliament. Referring specifically to the Jadhav case, wherein he has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April on charges of espionage and sabotage, the EU Parliament deplored the use of military courts for holding hearings in camera and sought an assurance from the Government of Pakistan to reverse the decision to the extent military courts should apply their jurisdiction only on breaches of military discipline, and that too, only those committed by military personnel. The European Parliament resolution also insisted that authorities in Pakistan should grant access to international observers and human rights organisations for purposes of monitoring the use of military courts and strengthen the civilian judiciary in line with international standards on judicial proceedings. As India was denied consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav by Pakistan, the resolution underscored that "third country nationals brought to trial, must be allowed access to consular services and protection." The European Parliament reminded Islamabad of its obligation to ensure respect for the fundamental rights of freedom of thought and freedom of expression and other international and regional human rights instruments. Expressing its grave concern about the recent mass trials leading to a vast number of death sentences, the resolution sought an immediate and definitive end to such practices, which violate international human rights standards. Stressing about the prevailing situation regarding human rights violation in Pakistan, the resolution said ,"Several minority people have been killed and persecuted because they are not being protected by the government and death penalty are the tools for setting personal vendetta or to suppress minorities." The European Parliament said that the death penalty is incompatible with values such as respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, on which the Union is founded, and that any member state reintroducing the death penalty would, therefore, be in violation of the Treaties and of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The European Parliament then instructed its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Commission Vice-President, EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Government and Parliament of Pakistan and the Secretary-General of the United Nations for further deliberation and action.

EU slams Pakistan's poor rights record, stand on Kulbhushan Jadhav

UK Elections 2017 has been a tight race between the Conservatives and Labour party candidates. While PM Theresa May was sure of making it to the finished line with a majority, Jeremy Corbyn has managed to pull a masterstroke.&nbsp;

Jeremy Bernard Corbyn, 68, the grand old man of British politics had a different game plan from the beginning. His policies and the Labour party&#39;s manifesto stood its ground on local and domestic issues that made a connect with the British citizens. Corbyn was able to shave off Theresa May&#39;s lead in the popularity polls in the last two weeks. His focus on education, security, income tax and importantly his stance on Brexit clearly touched a chord while May and her party did not have a solid post-Brexit roadmap for UK citizens.&nbsp;

Corbyn has served as Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition since 12 September 2015. He was born in Chippenham and is the youngest of the four sons in the family.&nbsp;

Always a crusader, while still in&nbsp;school, he became active in The Wrekin constituency Young Socialists, his local Labour Party, and the League Against Cruel Sports.&nbsp; 
He joined the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) in 1966 whilst at school and later became one of its three vice-chairs.

&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Whatever the final result, our positive campaign has changed politics for the better. <a href="https://t.co/EHLta2rnIW">pic.twitter.com/EHLta2rnIW</a>
&mdash; Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeremycorbyn/status/872975310249230336">June 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Brexit:

Corbyn has consistently spoken for Britain to remain as an EU member but after the referendum result, Corbyn over the last two weeks of campaigning has maintained that the &ldquo;result must be respected&rdquo; and a &quot;close new relationship with the EU&quot; should be targeted. He said that one of his first acts as Britain&#39;s prime minister would be to call German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron to chalk out a plan for Brexit. He also promised to guarantee the rights of EU citizens based in the UK while&nbsp;rejecting the idea of &#39;no deal&#39; in EU negotiations.

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

Education:

What also added&nbsp;to his popularity&nbsp;is his commitment to education and providing for the youth by announcing the scrapping of tuition fees for universities. He also announced&nbsp;the scrapping of upfront costs for colleges and further education courses while reintroducing maintenance grants for students. He also wooed&nbsp;new mothers by plugging the gap in childcare after maternity leave helping them to come back to work with the aid of National Education Service.

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

Terrorism:

In the wake of London Bridge terror attacks, both May and Corbyn differ on opinions. Corbyn chose to not support counter-terrorism legislation as a parliamentarian. He promised to reverse the cutting of around 20,000 police officers since 2010. He also vowed his support for Trident, that is&nbsp;UK&rsquo;s Vanguard fleet of submarines carrying nuclear missiles. Corbyn has however been a strong opponent of&nbsp;nuclear weapons.

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

Income Tax:

Motivated to ensure that the national debt is reduced, Corbyn in his party&rsquo;s manifesto looked&nbsp;to raise tax revenues from the top earners in the country. For those earning above &pound;80,000 ($103,544), income tax rate would increase 45 per cent for earnings above the amount and then to 50 pence in each pound for people with an income of more than &pound;123,000.

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

Trump:

Before Trump had withdrawn from the Paris climate accord and talks were still on, Corbyn spoke about calling US President Donald Trump and urging him to not withdraw from the accord. He continuously criticised May&rsquo;s approach in dealing with Trump calling it &quot;dereliction of duty&quot; when she failed to sign a joint statement with other EU leaders condemning the US administration.&nbsp;

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

Iraq War:

Corbyn identifies himself as an anti-war activist. In October 2001, Corbyn was elected to the steering committee of the Stop the War Coalition, which was formed to oppose the Afghanistan War. He also opposed the Iraq War in 2003 and spoke at anti-war rallies in Britain and overseas. He helped organise the February anti-Iraq War protest which was claimed to be the largest such protest in British political history. In 2006, Corbyn was one of 12 Labour MPs to support Plaid Cymru and the Scottish National Party&#39;s call for a parliamentary inquiry into the Iraq War.&nbsp; 
 
(WION) 
&nbsp;

Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn almost singlehandedly chipped PM Theresa May's political capital

UK Elections 2017 has been a tight race between the Conservatives and Labour party candidates. While PM Theresa May was sure of making it to the finished line with a majority, Jeremy Corbyn has managed to pull a masterstroke. Jeremy Bernard Corbyn, 68, the grand old man of British politics had a different game plan from the beginning. His policies and the Labour party's manifesto stood its ground on local and domestic issues that made a connect with the British citizens. Corbyn was able to shave off Theresa May's lead in the popularity polls in the last two weeks. His focus on education, security, income tax and importantly his stance on Brexit clearly touched a chord while May and her party did not have a solid post-Brexit roadmap for UK citizens. Corbyn has served as Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition since 12 September 2015. He was born in Chippenham and is the youngest of the four sons in the family. Always a crusader, while still in school, he became active in The Wrekin constituency Young Socialists, his local Labour Party, and the League Against Cruel Sports. He joined the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) in 1966 whilst at school and later became one of its three vice-chairs. Whatever the final result, our positive campaign has changed politics for the better. pic.twitter.com/EHLta2rnIW — Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) June 9, 2017 × Brexit: Corbyn has consistently spoken for Britain to remain as an EU member but after the referendum result, Corbyn over the last two weeks of campaigning has maintained that the “result must be respected” and a "close new relationship with the EU" should be targeted. He said that one of his first acts as Britain's prime minister would be to call German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron to chalk out a plan for Brexit. He also promised to guarantee the rights of EU citizens based in the UK while rejecting the idea of 'no deal' in EU negotiations. Education: What also added to his popularity is his commitment to education and providing for the youth by announcing the scrapping of tuition fees for universities. He also announced the scrapping of upfront costs for colleges and further education courses while reintroducing maintenance grants for students. He also wooed new mothers by plugging the gap in childcare after maternity leave helping them to come back to work with the aid of National Education Service. Terrorism: In the wake of London Bridge terror attacks, both May and Corbyn differ on opinions. Corbyn chose to not support counter-terrorism legislation as a parliamentarian. He promised to reverse the cutting of around 20,000 police officers since 2010. He also vowed his support for Trident, that is UK’s Vanguard fleet of submarines carrying nuclear missiles. Corbyn has however been a strong opponent of nuclear weapons. Income Tax: Motivated to ensure that the national debt is reduced, Corbyn in his party’s manifesto looked to raise tax revenues from the top earners in the country. For those earning above £80,000 ($103,544), income tax rate would increase 45 per cent for earnings above the amount and then to 50 pence in each pound for people with an income of more than £123,000. Trump: Before Trump had withdrawn from the Paris climate accord and talks were still on, Corbyn spoke about calling US President Donald Trump and urging him to not withdraw from the accord. He continuously criticised May’s approach in dealing with Trump calling it "dereliction of duty" when she failed to sign a joint statement with other EU leaders condemning the US administration. Iraq War: Corbyn identifies himself as an anti-war activist. In October 2001, Corbyn was elected to the steering committee of the Stop the War Coalition, which was formed to oppose the Afghanistan War. He also opposed the Iraq War in 2003 and spoke at anti-war rallies in Britain and overseas. He helped organise the February anti-Iraq War protest which was claimed to be the largest such protest in British political history. In 2006, Corbyn was one of 12 Labour MPs to support Plaid Cymru and the Scottish National Party's call for a parliamentary inquiry into the Iraq War. (WION)

How ?Corbyn strategy? stumped PM May

&nbsp;

By&nbsp;Rajendra K. Jain*

In calling for a snap UK elections on 8 June 2017 &ndash; the third one in two years &ndash;Prime Minister Theresa May hoped to &ldquo;guarantee certainty and security for years ahead&rdquo; by significantly increasing her majority in Parliament. What she sought was a &ldquo;strong and stable&rdquo; mandate to steer Britain through an uncertain period and ending 44 years of association with the European Union. With a significant 20-point lead, her logic seemed almost infallible at the time of the announcement.

&nbsp;

In the desultory six-week electoral campaign, there was no serious discussion on either Brexit or the key bread-and-butter issues confronting the country. Theresa May ran a dismal campaign. She increasingly came across as an uninspiring, insipid leader who was media-shy and clearly uncomfortable when confronted with difficult questions. She was assailed for making a major policy U-turn on care for the elderly. She also came under severe criticism for her poor handling of recent terror attacks in Manchester and London and for her role as Home Secretary when she oversaw cuts to the police force. On the eve of elections, her significant lead had declined to around 7 per cent.

&nbsp;

The results of recent general elections represent one of the biggest political upsets in British history and a hung parliament for the seventh time since the beginning of the 20th century. In what became a two-party contest, both the Green Party and the right-wing, Euroskeptic United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) were wiped out.

&nbsp;

With 649 of 650 seats declared so far, the Conservative Party won 318 seats and loss of a clear majority (down from 331 seats and a majority of 17 seats). The Jeremy Corbyn-led Labour Party got 261 seats for the Labour Party (a gain of 31 seats and a larger voice in Parliament). The smaller parties won Scottish National Party (35 seats), Liberal Democrats (12 seats), and Democratic Union Party (10 seats).

&nbsp;

Theresa May, therefore, grossly miscalculated and ended in a worse situation than in what she was before the elections. By hindsight, the snap general elections seem almost foolhardy: there was no need whatsoever as Theresa May and her party would have remained in office until 2020 if they had not been held.

&nbsp;

As the leader of the largest party with the greatest voting share, Theresa May is making efforts to cobble together a government with the support of the Northern Ireland-based Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

&nbsp;

While the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker expressed hope that the election result would have &ldquo;no major impact&rdquo; on Brexit negotiations, and that divorce talks could start as per schedule on 19th June. The EU&rsquo;s chief negotiator Michel Barnier also tweeted that the &ldquo;timetable and EU positions are clear&rdquo; and negotiations should start &ldquo;when the UK is ready&rdquo;. Negotiations will have to be concluded by April 2019, i.e. two years after Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty was triggered. This is fixed in treaty law.

&nbsp;

The EU-27 have mandated a two-stage process: first negotiating the terms of divorce and exit formalities prior to envisaging the architecture of future relations with the UK. London, however, would prefer simultaneous or parallel discussions on divorce terms and future or transitional arrangements in place. There may not be enough time to successfully complete both things.

&nbsp;

Brexit is irreversible. But still, there is no clarity whether it would be a &ldquo;hard&rdquo; or &ldquo;soft&rdquo; Brexit. The former would result in the UK giving up full access to the European single market and customs union, regaining control over borders (and thereby immigration) and freedom to negotiate new trade deals and apply laws within its own territory.

&nbsp;

A &ldquo;soft&rdquo; Brexit, on the other hand, would result in the UK retaining as much of the existing arrangements as possible with unfettered access to the single market. However, London would not get a voice in EU decision-making: no seat in the European Council, no MEPs in the European Parliament and no Commissioner. Such an arrangement would be somewhat like the one that Norway has.

&nbsp;

One of the biggest obstacles to a smooth Brexit is the hardening position of the EU about Britain&rsquo;s Brexit bill. Brussels&rsquo; opening demand has recently been significantly enhanced from the initial &euro;60 billion to &euro;100 billion to cover post-Brexit farm payments and EU administration fees in 2019 and 2010.

&nbsp;

Other difficult questions which need to be addressed include the role of the European Court of Justice during transitional arrangements and whether the UK should stay in all or none of the EU&rsquo;s regulatory regimes.

&nbsp;

Election results will make already complex negotiations more difficult. With a hung parliament and a weak prime minister, it would now become extremely difficult to make the kind of painful and controversial compromises necessary for a Brexit deal. It also leaves the new prime minister with very little wriggling room in dealing with right-wingers in her party. She will be compelled to constantly negotiate on most crucial issues both within the party and with the DUP, which prefers soft borders between the north and south of Ireland.

&nbsp;

Europe has clearly been shocked by the UK election results. We are heading towards a period of greater uncertainty. There is, as Commissioner G&uuml;nther Oettinger put it, a real danger that &ldquo;negotiations will turn out badly for both sides&rdquo;. Plagued as the EU has been with recurrent crises, the continent would like to concentrate on other pressing problems and revive hope in the future of the European project. Brexit is not merely about the future of the UK, but about the future of Europe as well.

&nbsp;

Jain is&nbsp;Professor of European Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

Election results will make already complex negotiations on Brexit more difficult

By Rajendra K. Jain* In calling for a snap UK elections on 8 June 2017 – the third one in two years –Prime Minister Theresa May hoped to “guarantee certainty and security for years ahead” by significantly increasing her majority in Parliament. What she sought was a “strong and stable” mandate to steer Britain through an uncertain period and ending 44 years of association with the European Union. With a significant 20-point lead, her logic seemed almost infallible at the time of the announcement. In the desultory six-week electoral campaign, there was no serious discussion on either Brexit or the key bread-and-butter issues confronting the country. Theresa May ran a dismal campaign. She increasingly came across as an uninspiring, insipid leader who was media-shy and clearly uncomfortable when confronted with difficult questions. She was assailed for making a major policy U-turn on care for the elderly. She also came under severe criticism for her poor handling of recent terror attacks in Manchester and London and for her role as Home Secretary when she oversaw cuts to the police force. On the eve of elections, her significant lead had declined to around 7 per cent. The results of recent general elections represent one of the biggest political upsets in British history and a hung parliament for the seventh time since the beginning of the 20th century. In what became a two-party contest, both the Green Party and the right-wing, Euroskeptic United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) were wiped out. With 649 of 650 seats declared so far, the Conservative Party won 318 seats and loss of a clear majority (down from 331 seats and a majority of 17 seats). The Jeremy Corbyn-led Labour Party got 261 seats for the Labour Party (a gain of 31 seats and a larger voice in Parliament). The smaller parties won Scottish National Party (35 seats), Liberal Democrats (12 seats), and Democratic Union Party (10 seats). Theresa May, therefore, grossly miscalculated and ended in a worse situation than in what she was before the elections. By hindsight, the snap general elections seem almost foolhardy: there was no need whatsoever as Theresa May and her party would have remained in office until 2020 if they had not been held. As the leader of the largest party with the greatest voting share, Theresa May is making efforts to cobble together a government with the support of the Northern Ireland-based Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). While the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker expressed hope that the election result would have “no major impact” on Brexit negotiations, and that divorce talks could start as per schedule on 19th June. The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier also tweeted that the “timetable and EU positions are clear” and negotiations should start “when the UK is ready”. Negotiations will have to be concluded by April 2019, i.e. two years after Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty was triggered. This is fixed in treaty law. The EU-27 have mandated a two-stage process: first negotiating the terms of divorce and exit formalities prior to envisaging the architecture of future relations with the UK. London, however, would prefer simultaneous or parallel discussions on divorce terms and future or transitional arrangements in place. There may not be enough time to successfully complete both things. Brexit is irreversible. But still, there is no clarity whether it would be a “hard” or “soft” Brexit. The former would result in the UK giving up full access to the European single market and customs union, regaining control over borders (and thereby immigration) and freedom to negotiate new trade deals and apply laws within its own territory. A “soft” Brexit, on the other hand, would result in the UK retaining as much of the existing arrangements as possible with unfettered access to the single market. However, London would not get a voice in EU decision-making: no seat in the European Council, no MEPs in the European Parliament and no Commissioner. Such an arrangement would be somewhat like the one that Norway has. One of the biggest obstacles to a smooth Brexit is the hardening position of the EU about Britain’s Brexit bill. Brussels’ opening demand has recently been significantly enhanced from the initial €60 billion to €100 billion to cover post-Brexit farm payments and EU administration fees in 2019 and 2010. Other difficult questions which need to be addressed include the role of the European Court of Justice during transitional arrangements and whether the UK should stay in all or none of the EU’s regulatory regimes. Election results will make already complex negotiations more difficult. With a hung parliament and a weak prime minister, it would now become extremely difficult to make the kind of painful and controversial compromises necessary for a Brexit deal. It also leaves the new prime minister with very little wriggling room in dealing with right-wingers in her party. She will be compelled to constantly negotiate on most crucial issues both within the party and with the DUP, which prefers soft borders between the north and south of Ireland. Europe has clearly been shocked by the UK election results. We are heading towards a period of greater uncertainty. There is, as Commissioner Günther Oettinger put it, a real danger that “negotiations will turn out badly for both sides”. Plagued as the EU has been with recurrent crises, the continent would like to concentrate on other pressing problems and revive hope in the future of the European project. Brexit is not merely about the future of the UK, but about the future of Europe as well. Jain is Professor of European Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

Electoral Mayhem: The UK, Brexit and Europe

The EU and China will attempt to deepen ties at a summit Thursday amid rising worry about the direction taken by US President Donald Trump on trade and climate change.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will meet EU president Donald Tusk and European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker with hopes of forging an answer to Trump&#39;s &quot;America First&quot; challenge.

But years of skirmishes over trade and human rights will make a deeper alliance difficult.

The incentive to strengthen links with Beijing is strong after German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the EU&#39;s most powerful leader, on Sunday warned that the EU can no longer depend on longtime ally US as a reliable partner.

Li, China&#39;s second most powerful leader after President Xi Jinping, will also visit Germany where he will meet Merkel and sign a cooperation deal on electric cars.

&quot;There&#39;s a lot we can offer each other,&quot; said vice foreign minister Wang Chao in the run-up to the European tour by Li.

The Brussels talks follow a tense international tour by Trump in which the unpredictable tycoon refused pleas by his European counterparts to adhere to the 2015 Paris climate accord.

The EU, US and China each roughly represent the same weight in the world economy and an exit by Washington from the climate deal would leave its only chance of survival in the hands of Brussels and Beijing.

Given the context, China&#39;s premier and the heads of the European Union&#39;s main institutions are expected to deliver a strong statement in support of the Paris agreement.

But besides climate, big obstacles to a deeper diplomatic breakthrough remain.

&nbsp;

&#39;Walk the talk&#39;

Also on the agenda is an EU-China investment accord that has been under negotiation since 2013 and that is largely seen as a dry run for a full trade deal.

But those talks are at a standstill over longstanding disagreements on the lack of access given to European companies in China and a fight over cheap Chinese exports that Europeans say are unfairly flooding their market.

China, the EU&#39;s second-largest trade partner, &quot;needs to walk the talk,&quot; said EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem at a business conference last week.

&quot;The welcome commitments from China about liberalisation have not been matched by concrete action,&quot; she added.

Many had hoped that President Xi Jinping&#39;s fervent defence of globalisation at the World Economic Forum in January would signal a new open trade era for China.&nbsp;

&quot;We have heard a lot of positive signals coming out of China when it comes to market opening and freer trade, but we hope this week we will lead to some concrete result,&quot; the European Chamber of Commerce&#39;s Mats Harborn told Bloomberg TV.

But Li Chenggang, assistant minister of commerce, told a news briefing in Beijing that &quot;the two sides don&#39;t see eye to eye on all issues&quot;.&nbsp;

China&#39;s militarisation of islands in the South China Sea and the increase in authoritarianism under Xi have also rung alarm bells for Europeans.

&quot;EU leaders need to make good on their pledges and make human rights and the freeing of peaceful activists a top strategic priority in the EU&#39;s relationship with China,&quot; said Human Rights Watch&#39;s EU director Lotte Leicht.

In a letter to Juncker and Tusk, several groups of rights activists, including Human Rights Watch, urged the EU to take up these concerns with China&#39;s leadership.

&quot;While EU officials are willing to engage in very public, critical battles with China over steel tariffs, solar panels, or the South China Sea, most EU officials are not willing to engage publicly in such debates over China&#39;s use of torture and arbitrary detention,&quot; the letter said.

(AFP)

This comes amid rising worry about the direction taken by US President Donald Trump on trade and climate change

The EU and China will attempt to deepen ties at a summit Thursday amid rising worry about the direction taken by US President Donald Trump on trade and climate change. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will meet EU president Donald Tusk and European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker with hopes of forging an answer to Trump's "America First" challenge. But years of skirmishes over trade and human rights will make a deeper alliance difficult. The incentive to strengthen links with Beijing is strong after German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the EU's most powerful leader, on Sunday warned that the EU can no longer depend on longtime ally US as a reliable partner. Li, China's second most powerful leader after President Xi Jinping, will also visit Germany where he will meet Merkel and sign a cooperation deal on electric cars. "There's a lot we can offer each other," said vice foreign minister Wang Chao in the run-up to the European tour by Li. The Brussels talks follow a tense international tour by Trump in which the unpredictable tycoon refused pleas by his European counterparts to adhere to the 2015 Paris climate accord. The EU, US and China each roughly represent the same weight in the world economy and an exit by Washington from the climate deal would leave its only chance of survival in the hands of Brussels and Beijing. Given the context, China's premier and the heads of the European Union's main institutions are expected to deliver a strong statement in support of the Paris agreement. But besides climate, big obstacles to a deeper diplomatic breakthrough remain. 'Walk the talk' Also on the agenda is an EU-China investment accord that has been under negotiation since 2013 and that is largely seen as a dry run for a full trade deal. But those talks are at a standstill over longstanding disagreements on the lack of access given to European companies in China and a fight over cheap Chinese exports that Europeans say are unfairly flooding their market. China, the EU's second-largest trade partner, "needs to walk the talk," said EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem at a business conference last week. "The welcome commitments from China about liberalisation have not been matched by concrete action," she added. Many had hoped that President Xi Jinping's fervent defence of globalisation at the World Economic Forum in January would signal a new open trade era for China. "We have heard a lot of positive signals coming out of China when it comes to market opening and freer trade, but we hope this week we will lead to some concrete result," the European Chamber of Commerce's Mats Harborn told Bloomberg TV. But Li Chenggang, assistant minister of commerce, told a news briefing in Beijing that "the two sides don't see eye to eye on all issues". China's militarisation of islands in the South China Sea and the increase in authoritarianism under Xi have also rung alarm bells for Europeans. "EU leaders need to make good on their pledges and make human rights and the freeing of peaceful activists a top strategic priority in the EU's relationship with China," said Human Rights Watch's EU director Lotte Leicht. In a letter to Juncker and Tusk, several groups of rights activists, including Human Rights Watch, urged the EU to take up these concerns with China's leadership. "While EU officials are willing to engage in very public, critical battles with China over steel tariffs, solar panels, or the South China Sea, most EU officials are not willing to engage publicly in such debates over China's use of torture and arbitrary detention," the letter said. (AFP)

EU, China seek tighter bond to face Trump

President Donald Trump launched a salvo against Germany and its car sales in the United States at a meeting Thursday with European Union leaders, German weekly Der Spiegel reported.

&quot;The Germans are bad, very bad,&quot; he said during a meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, EU Council head Donald Tusk and other senior officals in Brussels, the news magazine&#39;s online edition said.

&quot;See the millions of cars they are selling in the US. Terrible. We will stop this,&quot; he reportedly said according to &quot;participants at the meeting&quot;. Juncker then intervened, according to the same source, to defend Germany by saying that free trade benefits everyone.&nbsp;

Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are scheduled to meet Friday at the G7 summit in Taormina, Italy.

Neither the chancellery nor the White House commented immediately on the report.

Trump&#39;s reported comments came during a visit to Brussels where he berated NATO allies for &quot;not paying what they should be paying&quot; and did not declare his commitment to the alliance&#39;s collective defence guarantee.

Trump, even before his election, had attacked Germany and Merkel.

In keeping with his nationalist economic agenda, Trump had in particular hit out at Germany&#39;s substantial trade surplus with the US, threatening to introduce customs duties in retaliation.

After describing his meeting with Merkel in Washington in March as &quot;GREAT&quot;, Trump the following day launched a diatribe against Germany, accusing it of owing &quot;vast sums of money&quot; to NATO and the US.

For her part, Merkel had called on Trump after his election to uphold the values of Western democracy following a divisive presidential campaign.

(AFP)

Trump accused Germany of selling millions of cars in the US during a meeting with EU officials, reports Der Spiegel

President Donald Trump launched a salvo against Germany and its car sales in the United States at a meeting Thursday with European Union leaders, German weekly Der Spiegel reported. "The Germans are bad, very bad," he said during a meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, EU Council head Donald Tusk and other senior officals in Brussels, the news magazine's online edition said. "See the millions of cars they are selling in the US. Terrible. We will stop this," he reportedly said according to "participants at the meeting". Juncker then intervened, according to the same source, to defend Germany by saying that free trade benefits everyone. Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are scheduled to meet Friday at the G7 summit in Taormina, Italy. Neither the chancellery nor the White House commented immediately on the report. Trump's reported comments came during a visit to Brussels where he berated NATO allies for "not paying what they should be paying" and did not declare his commitment to the alliance's collective defence guarantee. Trump, even before his election, had attacked Germany and Merkel. In keeping with his nationalist economic agenda, Trump had in particular hit out at Germany's substantial trade surplus with the US, threatening to introduce customs duties in retaliation. After describing his meeting with Merkel in Washington in March as "GREAT", Trump the following day launched a diatribe against Germany, accusing it of owing "vast sums of money" to NATO and the US. For her part, Merkel had called on Trump after his election to uphold the values of Western democracy following a divisive presidential campaign. (AFP)

Donald Trump: 'The Germans are bad, very bad'

Emmanuel Macron will be inaugurated as France&#39;s youngest-ever president on Sunday, facing daunting challenges to rejuvenate the economy and breathe new life into the beleaguered EU.

Macron, a 39-year-old centrist, will take over from President Francois Hollande, the Socialist whose five years in power were plagued by stubborn unemployment and bloody terror attacks, in a ceremony at 0800 GMT.

After ascending the red carpet at the Elysee Palace in central Paris, Macron and Hollande will have a private meeting in the president&#39;s office where Macron will be given the codes to launch France&#39;s nuclear weapons.

Hollande is clearly delighted at the election of the former investment banker, who scored a clear victory over far-right candidate Marine Le Pen on May 7.

The current president launched Macron&#39;s political career, plucking him from the world of investment banking to be an advisor and then his economy minister.

&quot;I am not handing over power to a political opponent, it&#39;s far simpler,&quot; Hollande said on Thursday.

Security will be tight with around 1,500 police officers deployed near the presidential palace and the nearby Champs Elysees avenue and surrounding roads will be blocked off.

At the end of the ceremony, a 21-gun salute will ring out from the Invalides military hospital on the other side of the River Seine.

After a formal lunch, Macron will visit Paris&#39;s town hall, a traditional stop for any new French president in his &quot;host&quot; city.

He will be accompanied by his wife Brigitte, his 64-year-old former drama teacher whose romance with the new president, and their 25-year age gap, has already generated media interest around the world.

PM named, then Berlin 
On Monday, Macron is expected to reveal the closely-guarded name of his prime minister, before flying to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

It is virtually a rite of passage for French leaders to make their first European trip to meet the leader of the other half of the so-called &quot;motor&quot; of the EU.

Pro-EU Macron wants to push for closer cooperation to help the bloc overcome the imminent departure of Britain, another of its most powerful members.

He intends to press for the creation of a parliament and budget for the eurozone.

Merkel welcomed Macron&#39;s decisive 32-point victory over Le Pen, saying he carried &quot;the hopes of millions of French people and also many in Germany and across Europe&quot;.

In June, Macron faces what the French media are calling a &quot;third round of the presidential election&quot; when the country elects a new parliament in a two-round vote.

The new president needs an outright majority to be able to enact his ambitious reform agenda.

The year-old political movement &quot;Republique en Marche&quot; (Republic on the Move, REM) that he formed to launch his presidential bid intends to field candidates in virtually every constituency in the country.

It unveiled 428 of its 577 candidates this week, saying it wants to bring fresh faces into the National Assembly lower house of parliament.

Half of them have never held elected office, including a retired female bullfighter and a star mathematician, and half of them are women.

Host of new faces 
Macron met many of the candidates gathered at a Paris museum on Saturday and told them they had an &quot;immense responsibility&quot;.

&quot;You are the new faces of French politics,&quot; some of those present quoted him as saying.

Macron won one of the most unpredictable French elections in modern history marked by scandal, repeated surprises and a last-minute hacking attack on his campaign.

Just as campaigning ended, hundreds of thousands of emails and documents stolen from his campaign were dumped online, leading Macron to call it an attempt at &quot;democratic destabilisation&quot;.

US authorities have said they believe Russian hackers were behind the attack.

The election saw voters reject France&#39;s two traditional political forces of left and right. Their candidates were eliminated in the first round.

Unpopular Hollande was the first to bow to the rebellious mood in December as he became the first sitting president not to seek re-election in the French fifth republic, founded in 1958.&nbsp;

(AFP)

He will be France's youngest-ever President

Emmanuel Macron will be inaugurated as France's youngest-ever president on Sunday, facing daunting challenges to rejuvenate the economy and breathe new life into the beleaguered EU. Macron, a 39-year-old centrist, will take over from President Francois Hollande, the Socialist whose five years in power were plagued by stubborn unemployment and bloody terror attacks, in a ceremony at 0800 GMT. After ascending the red carpet at the Elysee Palace in central Paris, Macron and Hollande will have a private meeting in the president's office where Macron will be given the codes to launch France's nuclear weapons. Hollande is clearly delighted at the election of the former investment banker, who scored a clear victory over far-right candidate Marine Le Pen on May 7. The current president launched Macron's political career, plucking him from the world of investment banking to be an advisor and then his economy minister. "I am not handing over power to a political opponent, it's far simpler," Hollande said on Thursday. Security will be tight with around 1,500 police officers deployed near the presidential palace and the nearby Champs Elysees avenue and surrounding roads will be blocked off. At the end of the ceremony, a 21-gun salute will ring out from the Invalides military hospital on the other side of the River Seine. After a formal lunch, Macron will visit Paris's town hall, a traditional stop for any new French president in his "host" city. He will be accompanied by his wife Brigitte, his 64-year-old former drama teacher whose romance with the new president, and their 25-year age gap, has already generated media interest around the world. PM named, then Berlin On Monday, Macron is expected to reveal the closely-guarded name of his prime minister, before flying to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel. It is virtually a rite of passage for French leaders to make their first European trip to meet the leader of the other half of the so-called "motor" of the EU. Pro-EU Macron wants to push for closer cooperation to help the bloc overcome the imminent departure of Britain, another of its most powerful members. He intends to press for the creation of a parliament and budget for the eurozone. Merkel welcomed Macron's decisive 32-point victory over Le Pen, saying he carried "the hopes of millions of French people and also many in Germany and across Europe". In June, Macron faces what the French media are calling a "third round of the presidential election" when the country elects a new parliament in a two-round vote. The new president needs an outright majority to be able to enact his ambitious reform agenda. The year-old political movement "Republique en Marche" (Republic on the Move, REM) that he formed to launch his presidential bid intends to field candidates in virtually every constituency in the country. It unveiled 428 of its 577 candidates this week, saying it wants to bring fresh faces into the National Assembly lower house of parliament. Half of them have never held elected office, including a retired female bullfighter and a star mathematician, and half of them are women. Host of new faces Macron met many of the candidates gathered at a Paris museum on Saturday and told them they had an "immense responsibility". "You are the new faces of French politics," some of those present quoted him as saying. Macron won one of the most unpredictable French elections in modern history marked by scandal, repeated surprises and a last-minute hacking attack on his campaign. Just as campaigning ended, hundreds of thousands of emails and documents stolen from his campaign were dumped online, leading Macron to call it an attempt at "democratic destabilisation". US authorities have said they believe Russian hackers were behind the attack. The election saw voters reject France's two traditional political forces of left and right. Their candidates were eliminated in the first round. Unpopular Hollande was the first to bow to the rebellious mood in December as he became the first sitting president not to seek re-election in the French fifth republic, founded in 1958. (AFP)

Macron to take office as French President today

Theresa May faces her first nationwide electoral test as Britain&#39;s prime minister on Thursday, as she toughens her Brexit position just weeks before a crucial general election.

Britain will choose thousands of new local councillors in a vote that will be closely watched for proof of the strength of May&#39;s Conservatives, which opinion polls suggest are on course for a thumping victory in the June 8 parliamentary elections.

Nearly 5,000 local authority seats are being contested across England, Scotland and Wales on Thursday along with eight metropolitan mayoralties.

Experts warn against using the results to predict the outcome of next month&#39;s vote, noting that such elections are normally fought on local issues, and are often used to punish the sitting government.

But the proximity of the general election and the political upheaval caused by last year&#39;s shock Brexit referendum has created a unique context.

&#39;Threats against Britain&#39;

May invoked Britain&#39;s formal notice of its intention to leave the European Union on March 29.

Two weeks ago the prime minister called the surprise June general election to strengthen her mandate as she heads into EU negotiations, and she is well aware Brexit will be on many voters&#39; minds on Thursday.

Speaking outside her Downing Street office a day before the local elections, May took aim at Brussels for making &quot;threats against Britain&quot; over the divorce proceedings.

The two sides have clashed over the costs of the exit, prompting May to accuse the EU of toughening its stance in statements &quot;deliberately timed to affect the result of the general election&quot; in June.

Opposition leaders have claimed the prime minister is using the EU talks as a distraction from other issues, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accusing May of &quot;playing party games with Brexit&quot;.

Labour sits more than 20 points behind the Conservatives, with the local polls expected to indicate the challenge facing Corbyn&#39;s party ahead of the general election.

&quot;They will provide some vital information about the pattern of support and where parties are performing particularly strongly or weakly,&quot; said Anthony Wells of polling company YouGov.

Local elections spillover

&quot;The Conservatives are doing very well and that is almost certainly likely to have some spillover into the local elections,&quot; said Roger Scully, a politics professor at the University of Cardiff.

But drawing a national picture from Thursday&#39;s vote will be made harder by the absence of council elections in England&#39;s biggest cities, where Labour is traditionally strong.

&quot;Let&#39;s see what happens. That might be an interesting measure of how things are going more generally, and how accurate the polling is,&quot; a senior Labour source said.

The smaller, pro-EU Liberal Democrats, who were almost wiped out in the 2015 general election after entering a coalition government with the Conservatives, are hoping to pick up some momentum for the June vote with gains on Thursday.

By contrast, the anti-EU, anti-mass immigration UK Independence Party is predicted to lose most of its council seats as it struggles to define itself now that its principal goal -- Brexit -- is on its way to being achieved.

Meanwhile, in Scotland, the local elections will indicate the strength of the ruling Scottish National Party, which has used the Brexit vote to call for a new referendum on independence.

(AFP)

Britain will choose thousands of new local councillors in a vote that will be closely watched for proof of the strength of May's Conservatives

Theresa May faces her first nationwide electoral test as Britain's prime minister on Thursday, as she toughens her Brexit position just weeks before a crucial general election. Britain will choose thousands of new local councillors in a vote that will be closely watched for proof of the strength of May's Conservatives, which opinion polls suggest are on course for a thumping victory in the June 8 parliamentary elections. Nearly 5,000 local authority seats are being contested across England, Scotland and Wales on Thursday along with eight metropolitan mayoralties. Experts warn against using the results to predict the outcome of next month's vote, noting that such elections are normally fought on local issues, and are often used to punish the sitting government. But the proximity of the general election and the political upheaval caused by last year's shock Brexit referendum has created a unique context. 'Threats against Britain' May invoked Britain's formal notice of its intention to leave the European Union on March 29. Two weeks ago the prime minister called the surprise June general election to strengthen her mandate as she heads into EU negotiations, and she is well aware Brexit will be on many voters' minds on Thursday. Speaking outside her Downing Street office a day before the local elections, May took aim at Brussels for making "threats against Britain" over the divorce proceedings. The two sides have clashed over the costs of the exit, prompting May to accuse the EU of toughening its stance in statements "deliberately timed to affect the result of the general election" in June. Opposition leaders have claimed the prime minister is using the EU talks as a distraction from other issues, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accusing May of "playing party games with Brexit". Labour sits more than 20 points behind the Conservatives, with the local polls expected to indicate the challenge facing Corbyn's party ahead of the general election. "They will provide some vital information about the pattern of support and where parties are performing particularly strongly or weakly," said Anthony Wells of polling company YouGov. Local elections spillover "The Conservatives are doing very well and that is almost certainly likely to have some spillover into the local elections," said Roger Scully, a politics professor at the University of Cardiff. But drawing a national picture from Thursday's vote will be made harder by the absence of council elections in England's biggest cities, where Labour is traditionally strong. "Let's see what happens. That might be an interesting measure of how things are going more generally, and how accurate the polling is," a senior Labour source said. The smaller, pro-EU Liberal Democrats, who were almost wiped out in the 2015 general election after entering a coalition government with the Conservatives, are hoping to pick up some momentum for the June vote with gains on Thursday. By contrast, the anti-EU, anti-mass immigration UK Independence Party is predicted to lose most of its council seats as it struggles to define itself now that its principal goal -- Brexit -- is on its way to being achieved. Meanwhile, in Scotland, the local elections will indicate the strength of the ruling Scottish National Party, which has used the Brexit vote to call for a new referendum on independence. (AFP)

May takes tough Brexit stance as UK holds local elections

Two of the outside contenders in France&#39;s presidential election, Francois Fillon and Jean-Luc Melenchon, whipped up support with mass rallies on Sunday, seeking a last-gasp boost ahead of an increasingly tight first voting round.

For weeks, polls have shown centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen on track to top the first round of voting on April 23 and go through to a May 7 runoff.

But recent polls have shown the race tightening as the front-runners faltered and far-left maverick Melenchon surged after strong performances in two televised candidates&#39; debates.

A Kantar Sofres poll for media organisations Le Figaro, LCI and RTL showed Macron and Le Pen tied on 24 per cent in the first round, with Melenchon taking third place for the first time on 18 per cent, up six points since mid-March.

That put him a point ahead of conservative candidate Fillon, whose campaign has struggled as he seeks to defend himself from nepotism allegations.

Speaking at a big rally in the southern port city of Marseille, veteran Communist-backed candidate Melenchon sounded full of confidence.

&quot;We can hear it. We can feel it. Victory is within our reach,&quot; said Melenchon, who aims to take France out of NATO and also hold a referendum on EU membership.

Organisers said 70,000 people gathered in Marseille&#39;s Old Port district to hear Melenchon.

Fillon too is still hoping for an upset.

&quot;There is still everything to play for. The days ahead of us will be decisive,&quot; Fillon told cheering supporters waving the blue, white and red national flag at a show of strength in Paris, which according to organisers drew over 20,000 people.

There were no independent estimates of the crowd sizes.

Fillon, 63, was an early frontrunner to win the election but his bid faltered following allegations that he had paid his wife and two of his five children hundreds of thousands of euros of public money for minimal work. He denies any wrongdoing.

&quot;I&#39;m not asking you to like me. I&#39;m asking you to back me, because this is about what&#39;s best for France,&quot; Fillon said.

With one in three French voters still undecided, there is a chance of a first-round surprise.

Even some of Fillon&#39;s supporters admit the campaign has been nerve-racking, though many at the Paris meeting said they didn&#39;t trust the polls.

&quot;There were moments when we were really worried,&quot; said Raymond Spreder, 72, a retired builder from the Vosges region who has travelled to several rallies with his wife.

&quot;But he&#39;s done well considering everything that&#39;s been thrown at him. He&#39;s the most solid candidate, it&#39;s his policies that we like,&quot; he said.

Melenchon, a former Trotskyist, was a wildcard until his spirited performances in two televised debates strengthened his campaign and helped him leech support from the Socialist candidate, Benoit Hamon.

In the 2012 presidential election, Melenchon&#39;s insurgent campaign and firebrand style also drew crowds and favourable opinion in polls, but he fell short in the end with 11 per cent of the vote.

Macron, a pro-European former economy minister, aims to transcend the traditional left-right divide in French politics and reduce public spending and taxes.

If he reaches the second round, all polls predict he would easily beat Le Pen, whose plans to ditch the euro and hold a referendum on EU membership have spooked many investors.

(Reuters)

'We can hear it. We can feel it. Victory is within our reach,' said Melenchon, who aims to remove France from NATO and hold an EU referendum

Two of the outside contenders in France's presidential election, Francois Fillon and Jean-Luc Melenchon, whipped up support with mass rallies on Sunday, seeking a last-gasp boost ahead of an increasingly tight first voting round. For weeks, polls have shown centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen on track to top the first round of voting on April 23 and go through to a May 7 runoff. But recent polls have shown the race tightening as the front-runners faltered and far-left maverick Melenchon surged after strong performances in two televised candidates' debates. A Kantar Sofres poll for media organisations Le Figaro, LCI and RTL showed Macron and Le Pen tied on 24 per cent in the first round, with Melenchon taking third place for the first time on 18 per cent, up six points since mid-March. That put him a point ahead of conservative candidate Fillon, whose campaign has struggled as he seeks to defend himself from nepotism allegations. Speaking at a big rally in the southern port city of Marseille, veteran Communist-backed candidate Melenchon sounded full of confidence. "We can hear it. We can feel it. Victory is within our reach," said Melenchon, who aims to take France out of NATO and also hold a referendum on EU membership. Organisers said 70,000 people gathered in Marseille's Old Port district to hear Melenchon. Fillon too is still hoping for an upset. "There is still everything to play for. The days ahead of us will be decisive," Fillon told cheering supporters waving the blue, white and red national flag at a show of strength in Paris, which according to organisers drew over 20,000 people. There were no independent estimates of the crowd sizes. Fillon, 63, was an early frontrunner to win the election but his bid faltered following allegations that he had paid his wife and two of his five children hundreds of thousands of euros of public money for minimal work. He denies any wrongdoing. "I'm not asking you to like me. I'm asking you to back me, because this is about what's best for France," Fillon said. With one in three French voters still undecided, there is a chance of a first-round surprise. Even some of Fillon's supporters admit the campaign has been nerve-racking, though many at the Paris meeting said they didn't trust the polls. "There were moments when we were really worried," said Raymond Spreder, 72, a retired builder from the Vosges region who has travelled to several rallies with his wife. "But he's done well considering everything that's been thrown at him. He's the most solid candidate, it's his policies that we like," he said. Melenchon, a former Trotskyist, was a wildcard until his spirited performances in two televised debates strengthened his campaign and helped him leech support from the Socialist candidate, Benoit Hamon. In the 2012 presidential election, Melenchon's insurgent campaign and firebrand style also drew crowds and favourable opinion in polls, but he fell short in the end with 11 per cent of the vote. Macron, a pro-European former economy minister, aims to transcend the traditional left-right divide in French politics and reduce public spending and taxes. If he reaches the second round, all polls predict he would easily beat Le Pen, whose plans to ditch the euro and hold a referendum on EU membership have spooked many investors. (Reuters)

Fillon, Melenchon seek last-gasp boost in French presidential election

British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday signed the historic letter that will launch Brexit when it is delivered to Brussels on Wednesday, a photo released by her office showed.

Sitting in front of a lone Union Jack national flag and a portrait of Britain&#39;s first prime minister, Robert Walpole, a serene-looking May signed the letter to begin the country`s departure from the European Union.

The letter will be taken from 10 Downing Street to Brussels, where it will be delivered by Tim Barrow, Britain&#39;s EU ambassador, to EU President Donald Tusk around 1130 GMT on Wednesday.

Formally notifying Tusk of Britain&#39;s intention to leave the bloc, by triggering Article 50 of the EU&#39;s Lisbon Treaty, sets the clock ticking on a two-year negotiating period to end the UK`s 44 years of membership.

On the eve of launching Brexit, May on Tuesday evening made separate phone calls to Tusk, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

&quot;They agreed that a strong EU was in everyone&#39;s interests and that the UK would remain a close and committed ally,&quot;&nbsp;

Downing Street said.

&quot;They also agreed on the importance of entering into negotiations in a constructive and positive spirit, and of ensuring a smooth and orderly exit process.&quot;

As Britain begins its break with the bloc on Wednesday, May will address parliament and promise to represent everyone in the UK -- including EU citizens -- in the negotiations with Brussels.

She will express hope &quot;that we are no longer defined by the vote we cast, but by our determination to make a success of the result&quot;.

&quot;We are one great union of people and nations with a proud history and a bright future. And, now that the decision has been made to leave the EU, it is time to come together,&quot; the prime minister will say, according to her speech published in advance by Downing Street.

Britain voted by 52 per cent to leave the European Union in a referendum on June 23, 2016.

(AFP)

The letter will be taken ?to Brussels, where it will be delivered by Tim Barrow, Britain's EU ambassador, to EU President Donald Tusk?on Wednesday

British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday signed the historic letter that will launch Brexit when it is delivered to Brussels on Wednesday, a photo released by her office showed. Sitting in front of a lone Union Jack national flag and a portrait of Britain's first prime minister, Robert Walpole, a serene-looking May signed the letter to begin the country`s departure from the European Union. The letter will be taken from 10 Downing Street to Brussels, where it will be delivered by Tim Barrow, Britain's EU ambassador, to EU President Donald Tusk around 1130 GMT on Wednesday. Formally notifying Tusk of Britain's intention to leave the bloc, by triggering Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, sets the clock ticking on a two-year negotiating period to end the UK`s 44 years of membership. On the eve of launching Brexit, May on Tuesday evening made separate phone calls to Tusk, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "They agreed that a strong EU was in everyone's interests and that the UK would remain a close and committed ally," Downing Street said. "They also agreed on the importance of entering into negotiations in a constructive and positive spirit, and of ensuring a smooth and orderly exit process." As Britain begins its break with the bloc on Wednesday, May will address parliament and promise to represent everyone in the UK -- including EU citizens -- in the negotiations with Brussels. She will express hope "that we are no longer defined by the vote we cast, but by our determination to make a success of the result". "We are one great union of people and nations with a proud history and a bright future. And, now that the decision has been made to leave the EU, it is time to come together," the prime minister will say, according to her speech published in advance by Downing Street. Britain voted by 52 per cent to leave the European Union in a referendum on June 23, 2016. (AFP)

British PM Theresa May signs letter that will start Brexit

British Prime Minister Theresa May will press her case on Monday for a strong union in Scotland, using a visit to staff working on international aid to say &quot;there is no limit to what we can do&quot; when Britain works together.

May is battling to keep the United Kingdom together after Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union revealed deep divisions, with England and Wales voting for Brexit, while Scotland and Northern Ireland supported staying in the bloc.

Just days before the British leader launches the formal divorce procedure with the EU, May wants to try to stem demands in Scotland for a new independence referendum by promising to get a Brexit deal that will suit all parts of the country.

Due to visit staff from the Department for International Development in East Kilbride in southern Scotland before meeting First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, May will also say Britain will not turn its back on the world as it negotiates Brexit.

&quot;Indeed, we are going to take this opportunity to forge a more global Britain. The closest friend and ally with Europe, but also a country that looks beyond Europe to build relationships with old friends and new allies alike,&quot; she will say, according to excerpts of a speech released by her office.

Referencing British support for programmes in Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Syria and Afghanistan, May will say &quot;UK Aid is a badge of hope for so many around the world&quot;.

&quot;And it says this: That when this great union of nations &ndash; England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland &ndash; sets its mind on something and works together with determination, we are an unstoppable force,&quot; she said.

May is a fierce unionist and hopes to stall plans by Sturgeon to hold a new referendum on independence in late 2018 or early 2019 after the country voted against breaking away in 2014 by 55 to 45 per cent.

A debate in the Scottish parliament before voting on Sturgeon&#39;s proposal was suspended last week when an attacker, later identified as British-born Khalid Masood, ploughed his car into pedestrians and tried to force his way into parliament in London, killing four. He was shot dead.

That debate is due to resume on Tuesday.

On Monday May will appeal to a sense of history and shared values to make her case for a strong union in Scotland, saying Britain has a &quot;proud shared heritage&quot;.

&quot;And on that foundation we have built a country where we share the challenges that we face, and bring all the expertise, ingenuity and goodwill we share across this union to bear to tackle them,&quot; she will say.

&quot;So as Britain leaves the European Union, and we forge a new role for ourselves in the world, the strength and stability of our union will become even more important.&quot;

(Reuters)

May is battling to keep the United Kingdom together: England and Wales voted to leave the EU but Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay

British Prime Minister Theresa May will press her case on Monday for a strong union in Scotland, using a visit to staff working on international aid to say "there is no limit to what we can do" when Britain works together. May is battling to keep the United Kingdom together after Britain's vote to leave the European Union revealed deep divisions, with England and Wales voting for Brexit, while Scotland and Northern Ireland supported staying in the bloc. Just days before the British leader launches the formal divorce procedure with the EU, May wants to try to stem demands in Scotland for a new independence referendum by promising to get a Brexit deal that will suit all parts of the country. Due to visit staff from the Department for International Development in East Kilbride in southern Scotland before meeting First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, May will also say Britain will not turn its back on the world as it negotiates Brexit. "Indeed, we are going to take this opportunity to forge a more global Britain. The closest friend and ally with Europe, but also a country that looks beyond Europe to build relationships with old friends and new allies alike," she will say, according to excerpts of a speech released by her office. Referencing British support for programmes in Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Syria and Afghanistan, May will say "UK Aid is a badge of hope for so many around the world". "And it says this: That when this great union of nations – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – sets its mind on something and works together with determination, we are an unstoppable force," she said. May is a fierce unionist and hopes to stall plans by Sturgeon to hold a new referendum on independence in late 2018 or early 2019 after the country voted against breaking away in 2014 by 55 to 45 per cent. A debate in the Scottish parliament before voting on Sturgeon's proposal was suspended last week when an attacker, later identified as British-born Khalid Masood, ploughed his car into pedestrians and tried to force his way into parliament in London, killing four. He was shot dead. That debate is due to resume on Tuesday. On Monday May will appeal to a sense of history and shared values to make her case for a strong union in Scotland, saying Britain has a "proud shared heritage". "And on that foundation we have built a country where we share the challenges that we face, and bring all the expertise, ingenuity and goodwill we share across this union to bear to tackle them," she will say. "So as Britain leaves the European Union, and we forge a new role for ourselves in the world, the strength and stability of our union will become even more important." (Reuters)

British PM Theresa May to press for stronger union on Scotland visit

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

With the Baloch political and human rights activists demanding a special rapporteur in the UN to investigate Baloch human rights violation, scores of Baloch nationals staged a protest outside the United Nations headquarters in Geneva today against Pakistan.

Member of European Parliament Ryszard Czarnecki said that European Union (EU) might change its economic policies if Pakistan&#39;s attitude towards the Baloch issue remains unchanged.

&quot;For European Union, it is completely unacceptable that the government in Pakistan still uses violence against the people of Balochistan. We can observe the rise in violence in this region. The EU has a special economic relationship with Pakistan and probably we should change this policy to Pakistan because in my opinion our economic relations with Islamabad should depend on the attitude of the Pakistani Government in human rights in Balochistan,&quot; Czarnecki told ANI.

Leading the protest in Geneva, Baloch activist Mehran Marri accused Islamabad of using unfair tactics.

&quot;Our demand, from day one, to UN is to take Balochistan issue seriously and first and foremost send a fact finding team. Although teams have been sent in the past, but when they go to Pakistan their activities are absolutely obstructed,&quot; Marri told ANI.

Highlighting the deteriorating condition of Baloch nationals in Pakistan, Maari said, &quot;It has taken a nastier turn. This time from four to six months, the Pakistan military and intelligence agencies have embarked upon abducting women and children and taking them to undisclosed locations. I am sure they are being violated.&quot;

&quot;China entering the equation is a toxic mix. Punjabi and Chinese collation to exploit and loot Balochistan has worsened the situation, but China has to realise that Punjabis have been nobody&#39;s friend and Pakistan has not been America&#39;s friend,&quot; he added.

Baloch political activists and human rights defenders raised the situation of deteriorating human rights in Balochistan earlier on Friday and condemned the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at a side event during the 34th Session of UN Human Rights Council. 
 
(ANI)

Baloch nationals, who protested outside the UN headquarters in Geneva, asked for a UN special rapporteur to probe human rights violations

With the Baloch political and human rights activists demanding a special rapporteur in the UN to investigate Baloch human rights violation, scores of Baloch nationals staged a protest outside the United Nations headquarters in Geneva today against Pakistan. Member of European Parliament Ryszard Czarnecki said that European Union (EU) might change its economic policies if Pakistan's attitude towards the Baloch issue remains unchanged. "For European Union, it is completely unacceptable that the government in Pakistan still uses violence against the people of Balochistan. We can observe the rise in violence in this region. The EU has a special economic relationship with Pakistan and probably we should change this policy to Pakistan because in my opinion our economic relations with Islamabad should depend on the attitude of the Pakistani Government in human rights in Balochistan," Czarnecki told ANI. Leading the protest in Geneva, Baloch activist Mehran Marri accused Islamabad of using unfair tactics. "Our demand, from day one, to UN is to take Balochistan issue seriously and first and foremost send a fact finding team. Although teams have been sent in the past, but when they go to Pakistan their activities are absolutely obstructed," Marri told ANI. Highlighting the deteriorating condition of Baloch nationals in Pakistan, Maari said, "It has taken a nastier turn. This time from four to six months, the Pakistan military and intelligence agencies have embarked upon abducting women and children and taking them to undisclosed locations. I am sure they are being violated." "China entering the equation is a toxic mix. Punjabi and Chinese collation to exploit and loot Balochistan has worsened the situation, but China has to realise that Punjabis have been nobody's friend and Pakistan has not been America's friend," he added. Baloch political activists and human rights defenders raised the situation of deteriorating human rights in Balochistan earlier on Friday and condemned the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at a side event during the 34th Session of UN Human Rights Council. (ANI)

Pakistan's violence against people of Balochistan unacceptable: EU parliamentarian

The European Union and Canada secured clearance on Wednesday for their contentious free trade deal and the removal of import duties that supporters say will boost growth and jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.

The two parties can claim success for their open markets policy following months of protest and uncertainty as well as the actions of US&nbsp;President Donald Trump, who withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and wants to rework the North American Free Trade Agreement.

European Parliament lawmakers backed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) by 408-254, meaning large parts of the deal, notably tariff reduction, will finally enter into force some eight years after negotiations began.

European trade unions and protest groups complain the pact will lead to a race to the bottom in labour and environmental standards and allow multinational corporations to dictate public policy.

The chief point of contention is the deal&#39;s system to protect foreign investors, which critics say can lead to cases such as Philip Morris International&#39;s&nbsp;challenge, albeit unsuccessful, of plain tobacco packaging in Australia.

Supporters say the right to regulate is enshrined in the treaty and CETA has replaced closed arbitration panels with transparent and independent courts to settle disputes.

In Ottawa, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters that &quot;when you put forward a progressive trade deal that takes in account the responsibility of governments to create ... inclusive growth, we can move forward on globalisation&quot;.

Trudeau, who met Trump on Monday, is due to address the European Parliament on Thursday.

Canada&#39;s House of Commons on Tuesday passed legislation to adopt CETA. The upper Senate chamber will now study the proposed law and officials say they expect final approval next month.

Full implementation of CETA, including investment, will only ensue after clearance by more than three dozen national and regional parliaments, which is by no means a certainty.

Backers say CETA will increase Canadian-EU trade by 20 per cent and boost the EU economy by 12 billion euros ($12.7 billion) a year and Canada&#39;s by C$12 billion ($9.18 billion) annually.

For Canada, the deal is important to reduce its reliance on the United States as an export market.

For the EU, it is a first trade pact with a G7 country and a success at a time when the bloc&#39;s credibility has taken a beating from Britain&#39;s 2016 vote to leave the grouping.

The EU also recognises EU-US&nbsp;trade talks are frozen, but wants CETA to be one of a series of ambitious trade deals it plans with countries, including Japan, Vietnam and Mexico.

(Reuters)

European Parliament lawmakers backed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) by 408-254

The European Union and Canada secured clearance on Wednesday for their contentious free trade deal and the removal of import duties that supporters say will boost growth and jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. The two parties can claim success for their open markets policy following months of protest and uncertainty as well as the actions of US President Donald Trump, who withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and wants to rework the North American Free Trade Agreement. European Parliament lawmakers backed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) by 408-254, meaning large parts of the deal, notably tariff reduction, will finally enter into force some eight years after negotiations began. European trade unions and protest groups complain the pact will lead to a race to the bottom in labour and environmental standards and allow multinational corporations to dictate public policy. The chief point of contention is the deal's system to protect foreign investors, which critics say can lead to cases such as Philip Morris International's challenge, albeit unsuccessful, of plain tobacco packaging in Australia. Supporters say the right to regulate is enshrined in the treaty and CETA has replaced closed arbitration panels with transparent and independent courts to settle disputes. In Ottawa, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters that "when you put forward a progressive trade deal that takes in account the responsibility of governments to create ... inclusive growth, we can move forward on globalisation". Trudeau, who met Trump on Monday, is due to address the European Parliament on Thursday. Canada's House of Commons on Tuesday passed legislation to adopt CETA. The upper Senate chamber will now study the proposed law and officials say they expect final approval next month. Full implementation of CETA, including investment, will only ensue after clearance by more than three dozen national and regional parliaments, which is by no means a certainty. Backers say CETA will increase Canadian-EU trade by 20 per cent and boost the EU economy by 12 billion euros ($12.7 billion) a year and Canada's by C$12 billion ($9.18 billion) annually. For Canada, the deal is important to reduce its reliance on the United States as an export market. For the EU, it is a first trade pact with a G7 country and a success at a time when the bloc's credibility has taken a beating from Britain's 2016 vote to leave the grouping. The EU also recognises EU-US trade talks are frozen, but wants CETA to be one of a series of ambitious trade deals it plans with countries, including Japan, Vietnam and Mexico. (Reuters)

EU, Canada secure clearance to kickstart free trade deal

British MPs overwhelmingly backed a bill on Wednesday empowering Prime Minister Theresa May to start negotiations on leaving the European Union, bringing Brexit a significant step closer. Members of the House of Commons voted by 494 votes to 122 for a law enabling May to trigger Article 50 of the EU&#39;s Lisbon Treaty, which begins two years of talks on pulling out of the 28-nation bloc.

&quot;We&#39;ve seen a historic vote tonight -- a big majority for getting on with negotiating our exit from the EU and a strong, new partnership with its member states,&quot; said Brexit minister David Davis.

The unamended two-clause bill now moves to the House of Lords, where there may be more opposition from unelected peers -- and where May&#39;s Conservative party does not have a majority. But its passage through the Commons, where two-thirds of MPs had campaigned against Brexit ahead of the June referendum, puts May on course to begin the withdrawal process by the end of March, as she has vowed.

&nbsp;

Labour headaches

The referendum result sent shockwaves around Europe, spooking investors and raising fears for the future of the EU itself. In the early weeks, there was speculation that pro-European lawmakers might try to delay or even stop the Brexit process.

May initially sought to bypass parliament, prompting an appeal to the Supreme Court that last month ruled she must obtain their approval to trigger Article 50. But during five days of debate on the resulting government bill, it became clear that most MPs would not stop the process -- even if some warned that leaving Europe&#39;s single market could be disastrous.

The opposition Labour party and the smaller Scottish National Party (SNP) tabled amendments demanding guarantees on market access, workers&#39; rights and those of EU citizens in Britain. Each was defeated, although during the process the government was forced to promise lawmakers a vote on the final Brexit deal before it is concluded.

Labour imposed a &quot;three-line whip&quot;, a tough disciplinary measure ordering its MPs not to oppose the legislation, ensuring it would pass. But some 52 Labour MPs rebelled in Wednesday&#39;s vote, including business spokesman Clive Lewis who resigned shortly beforehand, bringing a fresh headache for embattled leftist leader Jeremy Corbyn.

After two-thirds of Labour voters backed Brexit, many of them driven by concerns over mass immigration from the rest of the EU, Corbyn decided his party could not block the process.

&quot;Real fight starts now. Over next two years Labour will use every opportunity to ensure Brexit protects jobs, living standards &amp; the economy,&quot; Corbyn wrote on Twitter following the vote. But he was swiftly reprimanded in a reply by SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon: &quot;How? You&#39;ve just handed the Tories a blank cheque. You didn&#39;t win a single concession but still voted for the bill. Pathetic.&quot;

&nbsp;

&#39;Ode to Joy&#39; 
SNP lawmakers voiced their frustration during Wednesday&#39;s vote by singing Beethoven&#39;s &quot;Ode to Joy&quot;, the EU&#39;s anthem, before being told off by Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle. But the outcome was celebrated by Brexiteers such as Nigel Farage, former leader of the UK Independence Party.

&quot;I never thought I&#39;d see the day where the House of Commons overwhelmingly voted for Britain to Leave the European Union,&quot; he wrote on Twitter. Liberal Democrat lawmaker Nick Clegg, the former deputy prime minister, said the vote would allow the government to pursue its aim of a hard Brexit, which will see Britain pull out of the single market.

&quot;There is no mandate for the hardest of hard Brexits the government favours, which risks leaving us poorer, weaker and more isolated,&quot; he said. May has promised to prioritise controlling migration in the Brexit negotiations, even if that comes at the expense of giving up membership of Europe&#39;s single market and its 500 million customers.

(AFP)

The overwhelming majority vote brings Britain a significant step closer to leaving Europe

British MPs overwhelmingly backed a bill on Wednesday empowering Prime Minister Theresa May to start negotiations on leaving the European Union, bringing Brexit a significant step closer. Members of the House of Commons voted by 494 votes to 122 for a law enabling May to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, which begins two years of talks on pulling out of the 28-nation bloc. "We've seen a historic vote tonight -- a big majority for getting on with negotiating our exit from the EU and a strong, new partnership with its member states," said Brexit minister David Davis. The unamended two-clause bill now moves to the House of Lords, where there may be more opposition from unelected peers -- and where May's Conservative party does not have a majority. But its passage through the Commons, where two-thirds of MPs had campaigned against Brexit ahead of the June referendum, puts May on course to begin the withdrawal process by the end of March, as she has vowed. Labour headaches The referendum result sent shockwaves around Europe, spooking investors and raising fears for the future of the EU itself. In the early weeks, there was speculation that pro-European lawmakers might try to delay or even stop the Brexit process. May initially sought to bypass parliament, prompting an appeal to the Supreme Court that last month ruled she must obtain their approval to trigger Article 50. But during five days of debate on the resulting government bill, it became clear that most MPs would not stop the process -- even if some warned that leaving Europe's single market could be disastrous. The opposition Labour party and the smaller Scottish National Party (SNP) tabled amendments demanding guarantees on market access, workers' rights and those of EU citizens in Britain. Each was defeated, although during the process the government was forced to promise lawmakers a vote on the final Brexit deal before it is concluded. Labour imposed a "three-line whip", a tough disciplinary measure ordering its MPs not to oppose the legislation, ensuring it would pass. But some 52 Labour MPs rebelled in Wednesday's vote, including business spokesman Clive Lewis who resigned shortly beforehand, bringing a fresh headache for embattled leftist leader Jeremy Corbyn. After two-thirds of Labour voters backed Brexit, many of them driven by concerns over mass immigration from the rest of the EU, Corbyn decided his party could not block the process. "Real fight starts now. Over next two years Labour will use every opportunity to ensure Brexit protects jobs, living standards & the economy," Corbyn wrote on Twitter following the vote. But he was swiftly reprimanded in a reply by SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon: "How? You've just handed the Tories a blank cheque. You didn't win a single concession but still voted for the bill. Pathetic." 'Ode to Joy' SNP lawmakers voiced their frustration during Wednesday's vote by singing Beethoven's "Ode to Joy", the EU's anthem, before being told off by Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle. But the outcome was celebrated by Brexiteers such as Nigel Farage, former leader of the UK Independence Party. "I never thought I'd see the day where the House of Commons overwhelmingly voted for Britain to Leave the European Union," he wrote on Twitter. Liberal Democrat lawmaker Nick Clegg, the former deputy prime minister, said the vote would allow the government to pursue its aim of a hard Brexit, which will see Britain pull out of the single market. "There is no mandate for the hardest of hard Brexits the government favours, which risks leaving us poorer, weaker and more isolated," he said. May has promised to prioritise controlling migration in the Brexit negotiations, even if that comes at the expense of giving up membership of Europe's single market and its 500 million customers. (AFP)

Brexit: British MPs vote to start EU exit negotiations

The European Parliament will shortly begin taking money from the salary of French far-right leader Marine Le Pen to recover funds paid to a party assistant, a parliamentary source said Wednesday.

Le Pen, one of the front-runners in upcoming French presidential polls, had until midnight Tuesday to repay nearly 300,000 euros ($325,000) but she bluntly rejected the demand just before the deadline.

The European Parliament says Le Pen, who is also an MEP as well as leader of France&#39;s National Front, incorrectly used the funds to pay an aide, Catherine Griset, who was based at the party&#39;s headquarters in Paris and not at the assembly, which meets in both Brussels and Strasbourg, eastern France.

The parliamentary source in Brussels, who asked not to be named, said the aim was not to punish Le Pen but to recover the funds involved.

Le Pen and her representatives had had &quot;many occasions&quot; to explain her position, the source said.

MEP salaries are paid on the 15th of each month, so the procedure could begin shortly, the source said, adding that it could amount to 8,000 euros per month when other parliamentary payments are included.

The source said parliament believes this is the normal procedure in such cases.

Griset was employed by the National Front as an &quot;accredited assistant&quot; between 2010 and 2016.

The European Parliament is also looking into more than 41,500 euros paid to Thierry Legier, who is Le Pen&#39;s bodyguard.&nbsp;

Le Pen told AFP Tuesday she had never received the money and compared the case with allegations that her conservative challenger in the presidential election, Francois Fillon, paid his wife and children around 900,000 euros for &quot;fake jobs&quot; as parliamentary assistants.

&quot;To repay the money, I would have had to receive it in the first place, but I am not Francois Fillon,&quot; she said.

&quot;Furthermore, I formally contest this unilateral and illegal decision,&quot; Le Pen added.

National Front treasurer Wallerand de Saint-Just confirmed Tuesday that Le Pen had refused to repay the funds. 
 
(AFP)

Le Pen had until midnight Tuesday to repay $325,000 taken from EU funds but she bluntly rejected the demand

The European Parliament will shortly begin taking money from the salary of French far-right leader Marine Le Pen to recover funds paid to a party assistant, a parliamentary source said Wednesday. Le Pen, one of the front-runners in upcoming French presidential polls, had until midnight Tuesday to repay nearly 300,000 euros ($325,000) but she bluntly rejected the demand just before the deadline. The European Parliament says Le Pen, who is also an MEP as well as leader of France's National Front, incorrectly used the funds to pay an aide, Catherine Griset, who was based at the party's headquarters in Paris and not at the assembly, which meets in both Brussels and Strasbourg, eastern France. The parliamentary source in Brussels, who asked not to be named, said the aim was not to punish Le Pen but to recover the funds involved. Le Pen and her representatives had had "many occasions" to explain her position, the source said. MEP salaries are paid on the 15th of each month, so the procedure could begin shortly, the source said, adding that it could amount to 8,000 euros per month when other parliamentary payments are included. The source said parliament believes this is the normal procedure in such cases. Griset was employed by the National Front as an "accredited assistant" between 2010 and 2016. The European Parliament is also looking into more than 41,500 euros paid to Thierry Legier, who is Le Pen's bodyguard. Le Pen told AFP Tuesday she had never received the money and compared the case with allegations that her conservative challenger in the presidential election, Francois Fillon, paid his wife and children around 900,000 euros for "fake jobs" as parliamentary assistants. "To repay the money, I would have had to receive it in the first place, but I am not Francois Fillon," she said. "Furthermore, I formally contest this unilateral and illegal decision," Le Pen added. National Front treasurer Wallerand de Saint-Just confirmed Tuesday that Le Pen had refused to repay the funds. (AFP)

EU parliament to take money from Le Pen's salary for 'funding' assistant

The European Union charged Facebook on Tuesday with providing &quot;misleading&quot; information when it sought approval for its blockbuster $22-billion buyout of the WhatsApp mobile messaging service.

The European Commission said the EU&#39;s green light of the buyout, announced in October 2014, was not in jeopardy but the social network could face almost two hundred million euros in fines.&nbsp;

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With the charge, Facebook joins Apple, Google, Amazon and Microsoft among the US-based tech giants caught in major EU competition probes.

&quot;The European Commission has sent a Statement of Objections to Facebook alleging the company provided incorrect or misleading information during the Commission&#39;s 2014 investigation&quot; of the buyout, the EU&#39;s executive arm said in a statement.

Facebook is accused of misleading the EU with a claim that it was technically impossible for it to merge users between the two services.&nbsp;

But WhatsApp in August said that it would begin sharing data with Facebook, in a bid to allow better-targeted advertising and to fight spam on the platform.

The update by WhatsApp raises &quot;concerns that Facebook intentionally, or negligently, submitted incorrect or misleading information to the commission,&quot; the EU said.

The company has until January 31 to respond to the charge sheet. It faces a fine of one per cent of annual sales, which stood at a whopping $18 billion in 2015.

&quot;We respect the Commission&#39;s process and are confident that a full review of the facts will confirm Facebook has acted in good faith,&quot; a Facebook spokesperson said in an email.

The rare accusation by Brussels comes after the EU&#39;s powerful competition chief Margarethe Vestager said she &quot;will keep a close eye on how companies use data&quot;.

The commission is worried that the value of user data is underestimated in tech mergers, though Brussels waved through the recent buyout of LinkedIn by Microsoft despite these concerns.

Tensions between Brussels and Washington have sharpened since EU regulators turned a focus on US tech companies. Vestager in August ordered Apple to pay back 13 billion euros in taxes and her teams are running several cases against Google.

(Reuters)

The European Commission said the social network could face almost two hundred million euros in fines

The European Union charged Facebook on Tuesday with providing "misleading" information when it sought approval for its blockbuster $22-billion buyout of the WhatsApp mobile messaging service. The European Commission said the EU's green light of the buyout, announced in October 2014, was not in jeopardy but the social network could face almost two hundred million euros in fines. But WhatsApp in August said that it would begin sharing data with Facebook, in a bid to allow better-targeted advertising and to fight spam on the platform × With the charge, Facebook joins Apple, Google, Amazon and Microsoft among the US-based tech giants caught in major EU competition probes. "The European Commission has sent a Statement of Objections to Facebook alleging the company provided incorrect or misleading information during the Commission's 2014 investigation" of the buyout, the EU's executive arm said in a statement. Facebook is accused of misleading the EU with a claim that it was technically impossible for it to merge users between the two services. But WhatsApp in August said that it would begin sharing data with Facebook, in a bid to allow better-targeted advertising and to fight spam on the platform. The update by WhatsApp raises "concerns that Facebook intentionally, or negligently, submitted incorrect or misleading information to the commission," the EU said. The company has until January 31 to respond to the charge sheet. It faces a fine of one per cent of annual sales, which stood at a whopping $18 billion in 2015. "We respect the Commission's process and are confident that a full review of the facts will confirm Facebook has acted in good faith," a Facebook spokesperson said in an email. The rare accusation by Brussels comes after the EU's powerful competition chief Margarethe Vestager said she "will keep a close eye on how companies use data". The commission is worried that the value of user data is underestimated in tech mergers, though Brussels waved through the recent buyout of LinkedIn by Microsoft despite these concerns. Tensions between Brussels and Washington have sharpened since EU regulators turned a focus on US tech companies. Vestager in August ordered Apple to pay back 13 billion euros in taxes and her teams are running several cases against Google. (Reuters)

EU charges Facebook over 'misleading' info during Whatsapp buyout

Security forces should shoot at the boats of migrants trying to reach the European Union illegally, a member of parliament for the Danish government&#39;s main political ally, the Danish People&#39;s Party, suggested on national television.

&quot;The only efficient way is to turn the boats and say: You cannot sail within this national border and if you do, you will either be shot at or be turned around and sailed back,&quot; Kenneth Berth, the EU spokesman for anti-immigrant party, said on broadcaster DK4 on Tuesday.

Berth later softened his statement on Facebook, saying he did not mean that people should be shot at, but that NATO-ships could shoot in the air as a warning.

Party spokesman Soren Sondergaard told Reuters that shooting at refugees is not the official party line.

The Danish People&#39;s Party got 21 per cent of the popular vote in last year&#39;s general election, making it the second-largest party in parliament.

Denmark has implemented tough immigration policies since a heavy influx of refugees last year, including border control and a controversial &quot;jewellery bill&quot;.

In August, the government proposed an emergency law, allowing it to reject asylum seekers at its borders.

(Reuters)

Kenneth Berth said on Tuesday migrant boats trying to reach the EU illegally should either be shot at or be turned around

Security forces should shoot at the boats of migrants trying to reach the European Union illegally, a member of parliament for the Danish government's main political ally, the Danish People's Party, suggested on national television. "The only efficient way is to turn the boats and say: You cannot sail within this national border and if you do, you will either be shot at or be turned around and sailed back," Kenneth Berth, the EU spokesman for anti-immigrant party, said on broadcaster DK4 on Tuesday. Berth later softened his statement on Facebook, saying he did not mean that people should be shot at, but that NATO-ships could shoot in the air as a warning. Party spokesman Soren Sondergaard told Reuters that shooting at refugees is not the official party line. The Danish People's Party got 21 per cent of the popular vote in last year's general election, making it the second-largest party in parliament. Denmark has implemented tough immigration policies since a heavy influx of refugees last year, including border control and a controversial "jewellery bill". In August, the government proposed an emergency law, allowing it to reject asylum seekers at its borders. (Reuters)

Danish MP suggests shooting at boats carrying migrants

In a symbolic victory, British Prime Minister Theresa May today won a vote in Parliament backing her timetable for negotiating Britain&#39;s exit from the European Union (EU).

MPs voted in the House of Commons 461 to 89 in favour of May triggering Article 50 by the end of March 2017, which will begin the formal process of exit negotiations from the 28-member economic bloc.

The win followed a compromise between Opposition Labour and the ruling Conservatives, which saw May committing to revealing the official plan for Brexit before the actual process begins, without committing to any detailed account.

The vote also supported a Labour motion calling for Parliament to &quot;properly scrutinise&quot; the government in its proposals for leaving the EU by 448 votes to 75 - a margin of 373.

Labour&#39;s Brexit spokesman, Sir Keir Starmer, has said his party would continue to challenge the government if its plan was &quot;not detailed enough&quot;.

He said: &quot;I think it&#39;s got to be pretty detailed, they&#39;ve got to set out what those objectives are. I don&#39;t think it needs to be in a particular form, but if it&#39;s not detailed enough they can expect further challenge.&quot;

Brexit Secretary David Davis responded: &quot;The simple fact is that the mandate (in June&#39;s referendum) was to leave the European Union - full stop. We need to keep that in mind when we are going through that process.

&quot;This is a negotiation; it&#39;s not a policy statement. And, therefore, where you are aiming for may not be the exact place you end up.&quot;

The debate today came after a procedural battle between the parties over the wording of the motion to be put to MPs. Mrs May had been refusing to provide a &quot;running commentary&quot; on Brexit after the UK voted to leave the EU in a referendum in June.

As the Supreme Court in London continues to hear a case to establish the extent of British PM?s power in launching into a Brexit without parliamentary approval, Downing Street put forward an amendment agreeing to publish a plan before triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.

Starmer described it as &quot;a welcome and hugely significant climbdown&quot;, while the government believes receiving this parliamentary backing for the timetable would avoid delays to the Brexit process.

The government&#39;s amendment was opposed by 23 Labour MPs and one Conservative - former chancellor Ken Clarke. Five Liberal Democrat MPs, three Welsh Plaid Cymru MPs and 51 SNP MPs also voted against it.

&nbsp;

(PTI)

Lawmakers voted 461 to 89 in favour of May triggering article 50 by end of March 2017, beginning the formal process of exit negotiations

In a symbolic victory, British Prime Minister Theresa May today won a vote in Parliament backing her timetable for negotiating Britain's exit from the European Union (EU). MPs voted in the House of Commons 461 to 89 in favour of May triggering Article 50 by the end of March 2017, which will begin the formal process of exit negotiations from the 28-member economic bloc. The win followed a compromise between Opposition Labour and the ruling Conservatives, which saw May committing to revealing the official plan for Brexit before the actual process begins, without committing to any detailed account. The vote also supported a Labour motion calling for Parliament to "properly scrutinise" the government in its proposals for leaving the EU by 448 votes to 75 - a margin of 373. Labour's Brexit spokesman, Sir Keir Starmer, has said his party would continue to challenge the government if its plan was "not detailed enough". He said: "I think it's got to be pretty detailed, they've got to set out what those objectives are. I don't think it needs to be in a particular form, but if it's not detailed enough they can expect further challenge." Brexit Secretary David Davis responded: "The simple fact is that the mandate (in June's referendum) was to leave the European Union - full stop. We need to keep that in mind when we are going through that process. "This is a negotiation; it's not a policy statement. And, therefore, where you are aiming for may not be the exact place you end up." The debate today came after a procedural battle between the parties over the wording of the motion to be put to MPs. Mrs May had been refusing to provide a "running commentary" on Brexit after the UK voted to leave the EU in a referendum in June. As the Supreme Court in London continues to hear a case to establish the extent of British PM?s power in launching into a Brexit without parliamentary approval, Downing Street put forward an amendment agreeing to publish a plan before triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. Starmer described it as "a welcome and hugely significant climbdown", while the government believes receiving this parliamentary backing for the timetable would avoid delays to the Brexit process. The government's amendment was opposed by 23 Labour MPs and one Conservative - former chancellor Ken Clarke. Five Liberal Democrat MPs, three Welsh Plaid Cymru MPs and 51 SNP MPs also voted against it. (PTI)

British PM Theresa May wins Brexit timetable vote in parliament

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday threatened to open Turkey&#39;s borders to allow migrants to reach the EU, in a move that would tear up a landmark deal that has reduced the flow.

Erdogan&#39;s comments, some of his toughest in recent times against the European Union, prompted an immediate warning from Germany which helped broker the deal that such &quot;threats&quot; were unhelpful.

The threat came a day after the European Parliament angered Ankara by backing a freeze in EU accession talks, already hit by alarm over its crackdown in the wake of the July 15 failed coup.

&quot;Listen to me. If you go any further, then the frontiers will be opened, bear that in mind,&quot; Erdogan told the EU during a speech in Istanbul.

He said Brussels had cried out for help in 2015 as tens of thousands of migrants massed at Turkey&#39;s border crossing with EU member Bulgaria.

&quot;You began to ask us &#39;what will we do if Turkey opens its borders&#39;?&quot; he asked.On March 18, Ankara and Brussels forged a deal for Turkey to halt the flow of migrants to Europe -- an accord that has largely been successful in reducing numbers crossing the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), just over 171,000 have crossed to Greece so far this year, much lower than the comparable figure for 2015 of almost 740,000.

Hundreds of migrants drowned while trying to cross the Aegean in 2015 on unseaworthy boats, including three-year-old Syrian Aylan Kurdi. The images of his lifeless body washed up on a Turkish beach spurred the international community into action.&nbsp;

Turkey agreed to step up maritime and land border controls in exchange for incentives on its long-stalled membership bid, including visa-free travel for its citizens and an acceleration of accession talks.

However with an October target passing, no apparent progress on the visa issue and the accession talks stalled, Ankara has accused Brussels of failing to keep its side of the bargain.

In response to Erdogan&#39;s remarks, Chancellor Angela Merkel`s spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer said the deal was in the interest &quot;of all parties&quot; and that &quot;threats on either side are not helpful&quot;.

EU Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said it would not get involved in &quot;statements about hypothetical scenarios&quot; and was still committed to implementing the agreement.

But the European Parliament&#39;s rapporteur on Turkey Kati Piri tweeted that &quot;linking (the) deal on migration with (the) EU accession talks was wrong from the beginning.&quot;

Erdogan said while Turkey itself was looking after three million refugees,mainly 2.7 million Syrians from the civil war, but also Iraqis,&nbsp;but &quot;you (the EU) did not fulfil your promises&quot;.

&quot;You never acted honourably,&quot; he told the bloc.

He has also accused Brussels of failing to fulfil a promise to deliver some six billion euros ($6.3 billion) in aid for refugees.&nbsp;

The EU says the money is to be transferred gradually for individual projects and not in a single payment. The European Parliament vote reflected spiralling tensions with Ankara after Brussels repeatedly expressed alarm over the magnitude of Turkey&#39;s crackdown after the coup. Turkey in turn accused Brussels of failing to show solidarity.

The parliamentary vote is non-binding and earlier this month, all EU foreign ministers,with the exception of Austria ,said they were in favour of continuing the accession talks.

But analysts say the entire membership process is in deep trouble, with little hope of progress and several risk factors that could lead to its collapse.

&quot;Realistically, moving forward is also nearly impossible... Both Brussels and Ankara remain stuck and are playing for time,&quot; Asli Aydintasbas of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) said in a research paper.

She suggested an alternative form of engagement between Turkey and the EU, other than full membership, could be agreed to save face and move forwards.

&quot;In reality, most officials privately concede that full membership is not a possibility at this point,&quot; she said.

Austria&#39;s Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, a hardliner on Turkey, said Europe should strengthen its own borders after Erdogan&#39;s comments and &quot;must not give into blackmail&quot;.

(AFP)

The threat came a day after the European Parliament angered Ankara by backing a freeze in EU accession talks

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday threatened to open Turkey's borders to allow migrants to reach the EU, in a move that would tear up a landmark deal that has reduced the flow. Erdogan's comments, some of his toughest in recent times against the European Union, prompted an immediate warning from Germany which helped broker the deal that such "threats" were unhelpful. The threat came a day after the European Parliament angered Ankara by backing a freeze in EU accession talks, already hit by alarm over its crackdown in the wake of the July 15 failed coup. "Listen to me. If you go any further, then the frontiers will be opened, bear that in mind," Erdogan told the EU during a speech in Istanbul. He said Brussels had cried out for help in 2015 as tens of thousands of migrants massed at Turkey's border crossing with EU member Bulgaria. "You began to ask us 'what will we do if Turkey opens its borders'?" he asked.On March 18, Ankara and Brussels forged a deal for Turkey to halt the flow of migrants to Europe -- an accord that has largely been successful in reducing numbers crossing the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), just over 171,000 have crossed to Greece so far this year, much lower than the comparable figure for 2015 of almost 740,000. Hundreds of migrants drowned while trying to cross the Aegean in 2015 on unseaworthy boats, including three-year-old Syrian Aylan Kurdi. The images of his lifeless body washed up on a Turkish beach spurred the international community into action. Turkey agreed to step up maritime and land border controls in exchange for incentives on its long-stalled membership bid, including visa-free travel for its citizens and an acceleration of accession talks. However with an October target passing, no apparent progress on the visa issue and the accession talks stalled, Ankara has accused Brussels of failing to keep its side of the bargain. In response to Erdogan's remarks, Chancellor Angela Merkel`s spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer said the deal was in the interest "of all parties" and that "threats on either side are not helpful". EU Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said it would not get involved in "statements about hypothetical scenarios" and was still committed to implementing the agreement. But the European Parliament's rapporteur on Turkey Kati Piri tweeted that "linking (the) deal on migration with (the) EU accession talks was wrong from the beginning." Erdogan said while Turkey itself was looking after three million refugees,mainly 2.7 million Syrians from the civil war, but also Iraqis, but "you (the EU) did not fulfil your promises". "You never acted honourably," he told the bloc. He has also accused Brussels of failing to fulfil a promise to deliver some six billion euros ($6.3 billion) in aid for refugees. The EU says the money is to be transferred gradually for individual projects and not in a single payment. The European Parliament vote reflected spiralling tensions with Ankara after Brussels repeatedly expressed alarm over the magnitude of Turkey's crackdown after the coup. Turkey in turn accused Brussels of failing to show solidarity. The parliamentary vote is non-binding and earlier this month, all EU foreign ministers,with the exception of Austria ,said they were in favour of continuing the accession talks. But analysts say the entire membership process is in deep trouble, with little hope of progress and several risk factors that could lead to its collapse. "Realistically, moving forward is also nearly impossible... Both Brussels and Ankara remain stuck and are playing for time," Asli Aydintasbas of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) said in a research paper. She suggested an alternative form of engagement between Turkey and the EU, other than full membership, could be agreed to save face and move forwards. "In reality, most officials privately concede that full membership is not a possibility at this point," she said. Austria's Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, a hardliner on Turkey, said Europe should strengthen its own borders after Erdogan's comments and "must not give into blackmail". (AFP)

Turkey: Erdogan threatens EU with new migrant influx

Having spent his football career at centre-forward, Gary Lineker&#39;s outspoken stance in the aftermath of Britain&#39;s Brexit referendum has seen him proclaimed as the country&#39;s most prominent left-winger.

Lineker, renowned as English football&#39;s Mr Nice during his playing days, said he was &quot;ashamed of my generation&quot; after Britain voted to leave the European Union on June 23.

He has called people questioning the age of child migrants &quot;hideously racist&quot;, ridiculed Nigel Farage, leader of the pro-Brexit UK Independence Party, and branded America&#39;s new president-elect Donald Trump &quot;a joke&quot;.

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centre-right tabloid The Sun, which has labelled him a &quot;leftie luvvie&quot; and called for him to lose his high-profile BBC presenting job for not being impartial.

But people have rallied to the former England striker&#39;s defence on social media, with some mischievously dubbing him &quot;the Leader of the Opposition&quot;.

&quot;I didn&#39;t do this to start some sort of campaign, although it&#39;s turned out that way,&quot; Lineker told AFP.

Lineker, who has 5.38 million Twitter followers, describes his politics as &quot;humanitarian&quot;, rather than left-wing, but it has not stopped him becoming an unlikely poster boy for Britain&#39;s centre-left.

The actual leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, is fighting to appease rival factions in the Labour Party and has been criticised for not being more vocal in his attacks on the Conservative government.

&quot;We tend to assume footballers are a bit on the conservative side, or they&#39;re completely stupid and apolitical, and here&#39;s Gary Lineker saying all this,&quot; says Steven Fielding, Professor of Political History at the University of Nottingham.

&quot;You would expect the Labour Party to be taking a lead on that, but no-one&#39;s really paying attention to what the Labour Party&#39;s saying about anything.&quot;

Lineker, 55, was renowned for his squeaky-clean image during a distinguished playing career in which he scored 48 goals for England and did not receive a single booking.

Figurehead

Since retiring in 1994, he has been best known for advertising a popular brand of crisps and fronting the BBC&#39;s long-running &#39;Match of the Day&#39; football highlights programme.

But in Britain&#39;s polarised post-Brexit political climate, his confrontational comments have attracted the ire of the right-wing media, which has begun to publish critical stories about his private life.

The former Leicester City, Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur player has described the support he has received on social media as &quot;overwhelming&quot;.

Lineker&#39;s pronouncements are unusual, as British footballers tend to be reluctant to discuss political matters.

Asked how he felt about Brexit on the day the historic result was announced, Tottenham and England striker Harry Kane confessed: &quot;I don&#39;t think any of us know too much about it to comment on it.&quot;

While Britain&#39;s footballers are overwhelmingly drawn from working-class communities, traditionally seen as bastions of Labour support, few openly align themselves with left-wing politics.

One of the rare exceptions, former Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton, described Premier League footballers as &quot;pretty uniformly right wing&quot; in his recent autobiography due to their vast wealth.

Lineker is yet to fully outline his own political views (and politely declined an opportunity to do so for this article), but he has emerged as an improbable figurehead.

&quot;He manages to articulate the nub of the issue in a way that the Labour Party is not doing,&quot; says Philip Cowley, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London.

&quot;What he has done is give heart to people who voted Remain, sit on the left, are socially liberal and didn&#39;t like the referendum result.

&quot;They&#39;re a decent-sized minority and they feel slightly disenfranchised because they don&#39;t quite know who to vote for. There is no obvious champion. He cheers them up and gives them a bit of hope.&quot;

(AFP)

The former England striker said he was 'ashamed of my generation' after Britain voted to leave the European Union on June 23

Having spent his football career at centre-forward, Gary Lineker's outspoken stance in the aftermath of Britain's Brexit referendum has seen him proclaimed as the country's most prominent left-winger. Lineker, renowned as English football's Mr Nice during his playing days, said he was "ashamed of my generation" after Britain voted to leave the European Union on June 23. He has called people questioning the age of child migrants "hideously racist", ridiculed Nigel Farage, leader of the pro-Brexit UK Independence Party, and branded America's new president-elect Donald Trump "a joke". Lineker's Twitter posts have been attacked by centre-right tabloid The Sun, which has labelled him a 'leftie luvvie' and called for him to lose his high-profile BBC presenting job for not being impartial × centre-right tabloid The Sun, which has labelled him a "leftie luvvie" and called for him to lose his high-profile BBC presenting job for not being impartial. But people have rallied to the former England striker's defence on social media, with some mischievously dubbing him "the Leader of the Opposition". "I didn't do this to start some sort of campaign, although it's turned out that way," Lineker told AFP. Lineker, who has 5.38 million Twitter followers, describes his politics as "humanitarian", rather than left-wing, but it has not stopped him becoming an unlikely poster boy for Britain's centre-left. The actual leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, is fighting to appease rival factions in the Labour Party and has been criticised for not being more vocal in his attacks on the Conservative government. "We tend to assume footballers are a bit on the conservative side, or they're completely stupid and apolitical, and here's Gary Lineker saying all this," says Steven Fielding, Professor of Political History at the University of Nottingham. "You would expect the Labour Party to be taking a lead on that, but no-one's really paying attention to what the Labour Party's saying about anything." Lineker, 55, was renowned for his squeaky-clean image during a distinguished playing career in which he scored 48 goals for England and did not receive a single booking. Figurehead Since retiring in 1994, he has been best known for advertising a popular brand of crisps and fronting the BBC's long-running 'Match of the Day' football highlights programme. But in Britain's polarised post-Brexit political climate, his confrontational comments have attracted the ire of the right-wing media, which has begun to publish critical stories about his private life. The former Leicester City, Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur player has described the support he has received on social media as "overwhelming". Lineker's pronouncements are unusual, as British footballers tend to be reluctant to discuss political matters. Asked how he felt about Brexit on the day the historic result was announced, Tottenham and England striker Harry Kane confessed: "I don't think any of us know too much about it to comment on it." While Britain's footballers are overwhelmingly drawn from working-class communities, traditionally seen as bastions of Labour support, few openly align themselves with left-wing politics. One of the rare exceptions, former Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton, described Premier League footballers as "pretty uniformly right wing" in his recent autobiography due to their vast wealth. Lineker is yet to fully outline his own political views (and politely declined an opportunity to do so for this article), but he has emerged as an improbable figurehead. "He manages to articulate the nub of the issue in a way that the Labour Party is not doing," says Philip Cowley, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London. "What he has done is give heart to people who voted Remain, sit on the left, are socially liberal and didn't like the referendum result. "They're a decent-sized minority and they feel slightly disenfranchised because they don't quite know who to vote for. There is no obvious champion. He cheers them up and gives them a bit of hope." (AFP)

Britain's voice of post-Brexit outrage? 'Leftie' Lineker

The European Union (EU) and Canada signed a free trade agreement on Sunday, the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA)&nbsp;though it must still clear some 40 national and regional parliaments in Europe in the coming years to enter fully into force.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed the treaty along with the heads of EU institutions, a step that should enable a provisional implementation of the pact early in 2017 with the removal of most import duties.

CETA&#39;s&nbsp;passage has not been smooth.

Many critics, like The Guardian&#39;s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/sep/06/transatlantic-trade-partnership-ttip-canada-eu">George Monbiot</a>,&nbsp;fear that the CETA uses too broad a definition of both investment and expropriation, and will give the largest corporations solid grounds to sucessfully sue governments when they believe their &quot;future anticipated profits&quot; might be threatened by any new law. In this sense, this removes power from a country&#39;s government to rule the country as it sees fit.

Monbiot cites the example of laws preventing banks from becoming too large to fail; if a bank believes a government restriction would limit their profit, they could sue the government.

Some 100 anti-globalisation protesters clashed with police outside the venue in Brussels, trying to break down barriers in front of the main entrance and hurling red paint. A Reuters photographer saw police detain some people.

French-speakers in southern Belgium, a minority within their own small country and accounting for less than one&nbsp;per cent of the 508 million EU consumers likely to be affected by CETA, raised objections that held up the deal until a breakthrough on Thursday, confirmed by regional parliamentary votes on Friday.

&quot;All&#39;s well that end&#39;s well,&quot; said European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. &quot;We have 20 ongoing negotiations and today we are fixing the global standards the European Union and the European Commission want others to accept.&quot;

&nbsp;

The Canada agreement is seen as a springboard to a larger EU deal with the United States, known as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership&nbsp;(TTIP), which has been the target of labour unions and environmental and other protest groups.

EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said TTIP talks were not dead, contrary to what some politicians in Germany and France have said. Belgian and Austrian politicians have said the same, but Malmstrom says it&#39;s necessary to wait for the&nbsp;next US&nbsp;president,&nbsp;taking office in January,&nbsp;to resume the process.

Supporters claim CETA will increase Canadian-EU trade by 20 per cent and boost the EU economy by 12 billion Euros ($13 billion) a year and Canada&#39;s by C$12 billion ($9 billion).

For Canada the deal is thought by some to be important for&nbsp;reducing&nbsp;its reliance on the neighbouring United States as an export market.

For the EU, it is a first trade pact with a G7 country and a success plucked from the jaws of defeat at a time when the bloc&#39;s credibility has taken a beating from Britain&#39;s vote in June to leave after 43 years of membership.

&quot;This has been a very long process. A huge majority of people in Europe are in favour of Europe, but there are concerns and we need to engage with them,&quot; Malmstrom said. &quot;The Commission cannot do that alone.&quot;

&nbsp;

Not the last act

Sunday&#39;s signing will not be the last act. Assuming the European Parliament gives its assent, the CETA could come into force partially early next year. However, full implementation, which would include a contentious investment protection system, will ensue only after clearance by more than three dozen national and regional parliaments.

The Belgian experience shows this outcome is no given. One of the&nbsp;main focuses of protests against the CETA and the TTIP remains the system to protect foreign company&#39;s investments.

Critics say its provision for arbitration panels to rule on disputes with states can be abused by multinational companies to dictate public policy, such as on environmental standards. The EU and Canada say their investment protection system guarantees the right of governments to regulate, make use of independent judges and be more transparent.

The Guardian reported that the consultation process the EU only grudgingly launched regarding the TTIP proposal to grant new legal rights to corporations received as many as 150,000 responses, 97 per cent of which were hostile. &quot;To say there is no mandate for such agreements is an understatement,&quot; said&nbsp;George Monbiot&#39;s in response to the above numbers.&nbsp;

The deal will eliminate tariffs on almost 99 per cent of goods. The beneficiaries would include, for example, carmakers or the EU textile sector, for which Canadian duties of up to 18 per cent can be imposed at present.

Service companies could also benefit and EU companies would be able to tender for public contracts at Canadian provincial and municipal level, the first time Canada has offered this.

Canada would be able to send larger quotas of pork, beef and wheat to the EU market, and EU dairy producers would be able to export more than double the current amount of &quot;high quality&quot; cheeses to Canada.

($1 = 0.9107 Euros)

($1 = 1.3396 Canadian dollars)

(With inputs from Reuters)

Some 100 anti-globalisation protesters clashed with police in Brussels, where a photographer saw some being detained by cops

The European Union (EU) and Canada signed a free trade agreement on Sunday, the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) though it must still clear some 40 national and regional parliaments in Europe in the coming years to enter fully into force. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed the treaty along with the heads of EU institutions, a step that should enable a provisional implementation of the pact early in 2017 with the removal of most import duties. CETA's passage has not been smooth. Many critics, like The Guardian's George Monbiot, fear that the CETA uses too broad a definition of both investment and expropriation, and will give the largest corporations solid grounds to sucessfully sue governments when they believe their "future anticipated profits" might be threatened by any new law. In this sense, this removes power from a country's government to rule the country as it sees fit. Monbiot cites the example of laws preventing banks from becoming too large to fail; if a bank believes a government restriction would limit their profit, they could sue the government. Some 100 anti-globalisation protesters clashed with police outside the venue in Brussels, trying to break down barriers in front of the main entrance and hurling red paint. A Reuters photographer saw police detain some people. French-speakers in southern Belgium, a minority within their own small country and accounting for less than one per cent of the 508 million EU consumers likely to be affected by CETA, raised objections that held up the deal until a breakthrough on Thursday, confirmed by regional parliamentary votes on Friday. "All's well that end's well," said European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. "We have 20 ongoing negotiations and today we are fixing the global standards the European Union and the European Commission want others to accept." The Canada agreement is seen as a springboard to a larger EU deal with the United States, known as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which has been the target of labour unions and environmental and other protest groups. EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said TTIP talks were not dead, contrary to what some politicians in Germany and France have said. Belgian and Austrian politicians have said the same, but Malmstrom says it's necessary to wait for the next US president, taking office in January, to resume the process. Supporters claim CETA will increase Canadian-EU trade by 20 per cent and boost the EU economy by 12 billion Euros ($13 billion) a year and Canada's by C$12 billion ($9 billion). For Canada the deal is thought by some to be important for reducing its reliance on the neighbouring United States as an export market. For the EU, it is a first trade pact with a G7 country and a success plucked from the jaws of defeat at a time when the bloc's credibility has taken a beating from Britain's vote in June to leave after 43 years of membership. "This has been a very long process. A huge majority of people in Europe are in favour of Europe, but there are concerns and we need to engage with them," Malmstrom said. "The Commission cannot do that alone." Not the last act Sunday's signing will not be the last act. Assuming the European Parliament gives its assent, the CETA could come into force partially early next year. However, full implementation, which would include a contentious investment protection system, will ensue only after clearance by more than three dozen national and regional parliaments. The Belgian experience shows this outcome is no given. One of the main focuses of protests against the CETA and the TTIP remains the system to protect foreign company's investments. Critics say its provision for arbitration panels to rule on disputes with states can be abused by multinational companies to dictate public policy, such as on environmental standards. The EU and Canada say their investment protection system guarantees the right of governments to regulate, make use of independent judges and be more transparent. The Guardian reported that the consultation process the EU only grudgingly launched regarding the TTIP proposal to grant new legal rights to corporations received as many as 150,000 responses, 97 per cent of which were hostile. "To say there is no mandate for such agreements is an understatement," said George Monbiot's in response to the above numbers. The deal will eliminate tariffs on almost 99 per cent of goods. The beneficiaries would include, for example, carmakers or the EU textile sector, for which Canadian duties of up to 18 per cent can be imposed at present. Service companies could also benefit and EU companies would be able to tender for public contracts at Canadian provincial and municipal level, the first time Canada has offered this. Canada would be able to send larger quotas of pork, beef and wheat to the EU market, and EU dairy producers would be able to export more than double the current amount of "high quality" cheeses to Canada. ($1 = 0.9107 Euros) ($1 = 1.3396 Canadian dollars) (With inputs from Reuters)

EU and Canada free trade deal, not binding just yet

Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte called US&nbsp;President Barack Obama, the European Union and United Nations &quot;fools&quot; on Thursday, and warned they would end up humiliated and outsmarted if they accepted an invitation to investigate his war on drugs.

Duterte said he was open to an outside probe by Obama, his secretary of state John Kerry, the EU and the UN&nbsp;Commission on Human Rights into alleged extrajudicial killings, but on the condition that after he was questioned, he had the right to be heard.

&quot;I&#39;ll play with you. I&#39;m very sure they cannot be brighter than me. I will ask five questions that will humiliate you,&quot; Duterte said. &quot;Watch out for that, it will be a spectacle.&quot;

Duterte&#39;s remarks came during a televised speech to hundreds of the country&#39;s business elite, during which he said it was necessary to cleanse the streets of drug pushers and rescue the next generation of Filipinos from the scourge of narcotics.

Duterte, 71, won the hearts of millions of Filipinos with his outrageous, at times comical speeches and man-of-the-people style in the run-up to a May election. He won by a huge margin after campaigning almost entirely on promises to wipe out drugs and crime.

Nearly 2,300 people have died in the war on drugs since the campaign started on June 30, according to police, of which 1,566 were drug suspects killed in police operations.

Police had previously said there had been more than 3,600 deaths, but have since concluded that many of that number were homicides and murders unrelated to illegal narcotics.

Opinion polls for Duterte&#39;s first 90 days in office suggest he remains popular, with a Pulse Asia survey on Wednesday showing he had the trust of 86 per cent of 1,200 Filipinos surveyed.

Duterte said on Wednesday he had officially invited a United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions to investigate the drug killings.

Thursday speech was the latest among Duterte&#39;s frequent and furious rebukes of international critics of his drugs war&nbsp;after they expressed concern about the unusually high death toll and circumstances of the drugs killings.

&quot;These fools think (they can do anything) because the Philippines is a small nation,&quot; he said. &quot;Maybe God gave you the money but we have the brains.&quot;

(Reuters)

He called Obama, the European Union, and the United Nations fools and said they would end up humiliated if they investigated his war on drug

Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte called US President Barack Obama, the European Union and United Nations "fools" on Thursday, and warned they would end up humiliated and outsmarted if they accepted an invitation to investigate his war on drugs. Duterte said he was open to an outside probe by Obama, his secretary of state John Kerry, the EU and the UN Commission on Human Rights into alleged extrajudicial killings, but on the condition that after he was questioned, he had the right to be heard. "I'll play with you. I'm very sure they cannot be brighter than me. I will ask five questions that will humiliate you," Duterte said. "Watch out for that, it will be a spectacle." Duterte's remarks came during a televised speech to hundreds of the country's business elite, during which he said it was necessary to cleanse the streets of drug pushers and rescue the next generation of Filipinos from the scourge of narcotics. Duterte, 71, won the hearts of millions of Filipinos with his outrageous, at times comical speeches and man-of-the-people style in the run-up to a May election. He won by a huge margin after campaigning almost entirely on promises to wipe out drugs and crime. Nearly 2,300 people have died in the war on drugs since the campaign started on June 30, according to police, of which 1,566 were drug suspects killed in police operations. Police had previously said there had been more than 3,600 deaths, but have since concluded that many of that number were homicides and murders unrelated to illegal narcotics. Opinion polls for Duterte's first 90 days in office suggest he remains popular, with a Pulse Asia survey on Wednesday showing he had the trust of 86 per cent of 1,200 Filipinos surveyed. Duterte said on Wednesday he had officially invited a United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions to investigate the drug killings. Thursday speech was the latest among Duterte's frequent and furious rebukes of international critics of his drugs war after they expressed concern about the unusually high death toll and circumstances of the drugs killings. "These fools think (they can do anything) because the Philippines is a small nation," he said. "Maybe God gave you the money but we have the brains." (Reuters)

Philippines: President Duterte challenges West to probe drugs war

Republican Party&#39;s presidential nominee Donald Trump has claimed that the European Union (EU) was created to beat the United States (US) in terms of making money. 
 
In an interview with NBC News, Trump while commenting on the EU said, &quot;The reason that it got together was like a consortium so that it could compete with the United States.&quot; 
 
&quot;The EU was founded in 1952 in an effort to promote strong cross-border ties in Europe and avoid future wars.Since then, it has evolved to a customs union and eventually to the transnational entity devoted to removing internal trade barriers, building a common market and a fiscal union&#39;&#39;, reports the Guardian. 
 
The New York billionaire&#39;s anti-European statements come after he repeatedly praised Brexit, the vote by the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. 
 
Trump defended his recent remarks on NATO, saying the countries in the organisation need to pay more to the US so that Washington meets its treaty obligations of mutual defence. 
 
He also called both the World Trade Organization and Nafta &quot;disasters&quot;. On his call to ban the people in the US from any nation that has been compromised by terrorism, he said that it was an expansion on his infamous Muslim ban of December 2015. 
 
&quot;I actually don&#39;t think it&#39;s a rollback. In fact, you could say it&#39;s an expansion. I&#39;m looking now at territory. People were so upset when I used the word Muslim. Oh, you can&#39;t use the word Muslim. Remember this. And I&#39;m okay with that, because I&#39;m talking territory instead of Muslim,&quot; he added. 
 
Trump also confirmed reports that he would seek revenge against former presidential nominee rivals John Kasich and Ted Cruz. 
 
He said that he would do it by funding a super Political Action Committee (PAC) in the 2018 cycle to help defeat their respective attempts to win the gubernatorial election in Ohio and US senate election in Texas. 
 
(ANI)&nbsp;

The New York billionaire's anti-European statements come after he repeatedly praised Brexit

Republican Party's presidential nominee Donald Trump has claimed that the European Union (EU) was created to beat the United States (US) in terms of making money. In an interview with NBC News, Trump while commenting on the EU said, "The reason that it got together was like a consortium so that it could compete with the United States." "The EU was founded in 1952 in an effort to promote strong cross-border ties in Europe and avoid future wars.Since then, it has evolved to a customs union and eventually to the transnational entity devoted to removing internal trade barriers, building a common market and a fiscal union'', reports the Guardian. The New York billionaire's anti-European statements come after he repeatedly praised Brexit, the vote by the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. Trump defended his recent remarks on NATO, saying the countries in the organisation need to pay more to the US so that Washington meets its treaty obligations of mutual defence. He also called both the World Trade Organization and Nafta "disasters". On his call to ban the people in the US from any nation that has been compromised by terrorism, he said that it was an expansion on his infamous Muslim ban of December 2015. "I actually don't think it's a rollback. In fact, you could say it's an expansion. I'm looking now at territory. People were so upset when I used the word Muslim. Oh, you can't use the word Muslim. Remember this. And I'm okay with that, because I'm talking territory instead of Muslim," he added. Trump also confirmed reports that he would seek revenge against former presidential nominee rivals John Kasich and Ted Cruz. He said that he would do it by funding a super Political Action Committee (PAC) in the 2018 cycle to help defeat their respective attempts to win the gubernatorial election in Ohio and US senate election in Texas. (ANI)

EU formed to beat US at making money, says Donald Trump

The World Trade Organization confirmed on appeal Thursday its ruling partially in favour of Argentina in its dispute with the European Union over duties the bloc imposes on imported biodiesel.

Argentina, the world&#39;s top producer of biodiesel, which it makes from soybean oil, in 2013 challenged before the world trade court tariffs that the EU imposed to guard against &quot;dumping&quot; of fuel at cut-rate prices.

In April, the WTO found fault with the EU&#39;s calculation of production costs in Argentina, but also rejected some claims of mistreatment levelled by Buenos Aires.

Both sides appealed the ruling, but the WTO&#39;s appellate body let it stand.

Once the ruling becomes official in 30 days, the EU will have to inform the WTO how it plans to bring its measures into line.

The EU had argued that domestic tax breaks allowed Argentinian producers to sell biodiesel at artificially low prices, which it said put European producers at an unfair disadvantage.&nbsp;

The EU responded by hitting Argentinian biodiesel with a 24.6 percent tax, which had been due to remain in place for five years.&nbsp;

(AFP)

In April, the WTO had found fault with the EU's calculation of production costs in Argentina

The World Trade Organization confirmed on appeal Thursday its ruling partially in favour of Argentina in its dispute with the European Union over duties the bloc imposes on imported biodiesel. Argentina, the world's top producer of biodiesel, which it makes from soybean oil, in 2013 challenged before the world trade court tariffs that the EU imposed to guard against "dumping" of fuel at cut-rate prices. In April, the WTO found fault with the EU's calculation of production costs in Argentina, but also rejected some claims of mistreatment levelled by Buenos Aires. Both sides appealed the ruling, but the WTO's appellate body let it stand. Once the ruling becomes official in 30 days, the EU will have to inform the WTO how it plans to bring its measures into line. The EU had argued that domestic tax breaks allowed Argentinian producers to sell biodiesel at artificially low prices, which it said put European producers at an unfair disadvantage. The EU responded by hitting Argentinian biodiesel with a 24.6 percent tax, which had been due to remain in place for five years. (AFP)

WTO confirms ruling in EU-Argentina biodiesel case

The landmark Paris climate pact is&nbsp;poised to enter into force globally this week after the European Parliament joined the world&#39;s top polluters in endorsing the deal to slow the planet&#39;s dangerous temperature rise.

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In a vote watched by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the parliament voted overwhelmingly by 610 for, 38 against and 31 abstentions in favour of the EU`s fast-track ratification of the deal sealed in Paris last December.

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That puts the European Union on track to hand over its ratification to the United Nations on Friday, which would then take the international community above the threshold needed for implementation.

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&quot;I`m extremely honoured to be able to witness this historic moment,&quot; Ban said after making a special trip to the imposing European Parliament building in Strasbourg, France to watch the vote.&nbsp;

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&quot;I look forward to the Paris agreement entering into force as soon as possible, even in just a few days time.&quot;

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The Paris accord requires all countries to devise plans to achieve the goal of keeping the rise in temperatures within two degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels and strive for 1.5 C (2.7 F) if possible.

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The European Parliament, the bloc`s only elected body, backed a decision by EU environment ministers last Friday to fast-track approval of the deal, despite only seven out of 28 EU countries having themselves ratified it.

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Fears that China and the United States, the world`s two biggest polluters, were leaving Europe behind on ratifying last year`s historic deal pushed them into rushing through the ratification.To come into force the accord needs ratification from 55 countries, which must together account for at least 55 percent of the planet`s greenhouse gas emissions, which are responsible for climate change.

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With a decision in the last few days by India, the third biggest emitter, a total of 62 countries have ratified the agreement to commit to take action to stem the planet`s rising temperatures.

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They all account for 52 percent of the planet`s greenhouse gas emissions, and EU ratification will bring it over 55 percent threshold by including the seven EU countries who have already approved it.The seven EU countries -- Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Malta, Portugal and Slovakia -- account for some five percent of global emissions.

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The seven EU countries -- Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Malta, Portugal and Slovakia -- account for some five percent of global emissions.

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The entire bloc accounts for 12 percent of global emissions.

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In normal times, for such major international agreements, the EU and its 28 member states must deposit simultaneously their ratification documents under sometimes time-consuming procedures.

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However, the member states overcame differences to reach a political agreement last week to bypass the usual process.

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Europe has prided itself on taking a global lead on climate change issues but has watched with alarm as the rest of the world has left it behind.

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&quot;Europe today is demonstrating it`s capable of great things when it puts its energy and forces together,&quot; European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said in Strasbourg at a time when the EU is buffeted by crises from migration to Brexit.

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Oxfam gave a cautious welcome, urging all member states they face a &quot;credibility test&quot; in sticking to the deal.

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US Secretary of State John Kerry, during a visit to Brussels, said &quot;the EU is making good on that pledge&quot; it made at the UN General Assembly last month to help the pact enter force by the end of the year.

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During a White House event on Monday to highlight his campaign to battle climate change, US President Barack Obama warned: &quot;We are really in a race against time.&quot;

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(AFP)&nbsp; 
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With the threshold for impelementation crossed, the pact will go into force globally this week

The landmark Paris climate pact is poised to enter into force globally this week after the European Parliament joined the world's top polluters in endorsing the deal to slow the planet's dangerous temperature rise. In a vote watched by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the parliament voted overwhelmingly by 610 for, 38 against and 31 abstentions in favour of the EU`s fast-track ratification of the deal sealed in Paris last December. That puts the European Union on track to hand over its ratification to the United Nations on Friday, which would then take the international community above the threshold needed for implementation. "I`m extremely honoured to be able to witness this historic moment," Ban said after making a special trip to the imposing European Parliament building in Strasbourg, France to watch the vote. "I look forward to the Paris agreement entering into force as soon as possible, even in just a few days time." The Paris accord requires all countries to devise plans to achieve the goal of keeping the rise in temperatures within two degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels and strive for 1.5 C (2.7 F) if possible. The European Parliament, the bloc`s only elected body, backed a decision by EU environment ministers last Friday to fast-track approval of the deal, despite only seven out of 28 EU countries having themselves ratified it. Fears that China and the United States, the world`s two biggest polluters, were leaving Europe behind on ratifying last year`s historic deal pushed them into rushing through the ratification.To come into force the accord needs ratification from 55 countries, which must together account for at least 55 percent of the planet`s greenhouse gas emissions, which are responsible for climate change. With a decision in the last few days by India, the third biggest emitter, a total of 62 countries have ratified the agreement to commit to take action to stem the planet`s rising temperatures. They all account for 52 percent of the planet`s greenhouse gas emissions, and EU ratification will bring it over 55 percent threshold by including the seven EU countries who have already approved it.The seven EU countries -- Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Malta, Portugal and Slovakia -- account for some five percent of global emissions. The seven EU countries -- Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Malta, Portugal and Slovakia -- account for some five percent of global emissions. The entire bloc accounts for 12 percent of global emissions. In normal times, for such major international agreements, the EU and its 28 member states must deposit simultaneously their ratification documents under sometimes time-consuming procedures. However, the member states overcame differences to reach a political agreement last week to bypass the usual process. Europe has prided itself on taking a global lead on climate change issues but has watched with alarm as the rest of the world has left it behind. "Europe today is demonstrating it`s capable of great things when it puts its energy and forces together," European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said in Strasbourg at a time when the EU is buffeted by crises from migration to Brexit. Oxfam gave a cautious welcome, urging all member states they face a "credibility test" in sticking to the deal. US Secretary of State John Kerry, during a visit to Brussels, said "the EU is making good on that pledge" it made at the UN General Assembly last month to help the pact enter force by the end of the year. During a White House event on Monday to highlight his campaign to battle climate change, US President Barack Obama warned: "We are really in a race against time." (AFP)

European Parliament endorses Paris climate pact

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