Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 28 February 2018
Czechs release Syrian Kurdish politician, angering Turkey

By KAREL JANICEK capital on Saturday based case. Turkish Foreign Minister key and the Czech Repub-
SUZAN FRASER on a Turkish request for his No date for the extradition Mevlut Cavusoglu de- lic.
PRAGUE (AP) — A Czech arrest. hearing was set. scribed Tuesday's ruling as "This decision very clearly
court ordered the release Municipal Court spokes- Turkey considers the PYD a a "scandal." He told report- amounts to support for ter-
of a Syrian Kurdish politician woman Marketa Puci said terrorist group because of ers during a visit to Algeria rorist groups," Bozdag said.
on Tuesday, angering Tur- the court found no reason its links to outlawed Kurdish that his ministry had lodged The Czech Foreign Ministry
key, which had requested to keep Muslim in deten- insurgents fighting within its a formal protest and would issued a statement saying
his extradition. tion. She said he promised own borders. Muslim was follow the case closely. it "strictly rejects any accu-
Salih Muslim, former co- to remain within European put on Turkey's most want- Deputy Prime Minister Bekir sations of supporting terror-
chair of the Democratic Union territory and to be ed list earlier this month, Bozdag said the court rul- ism."
Union Party, or PYD, was available for any further with a $1 million reward for ing would have a negative The YPG is the armed wing
detained in the Czech hearings in the extradition his capture. effect on ties between Tur- of the PYD.q

UK trade chief: Staying in EU customs union would be sellout

By JILL LAWLESS want Britain to retain close
LONDON (AP) — Britain ties with the EU to soften the
must leave the EU customs economic shock of leav-
union to strike new trade ing. Opposition lawmakers
deals after Brexit, the coun- are trying to ally with pro-
try's trade minister said EU Conservatives to win a
Tuesday, widening a major vote in Parliament backing
fissure within British politics continued customs union
over future trade relations membership.
with the bloc. French President Emman-
In Brussels, the EU's chief uel Macron said Tuesday
Brexit negotiator warned that Britain could stay in a
that the bloc and Britain customs union with the EU,
have significant differenc- though he cautioned that
es, with only months until a this "doesn't allow full ac-
deadline to agree on a di- cess to the single market."
vorce deal. In addition to its implica-
U.K. International Trade tions for trade, leaving the
Secretary Liam Fox said 90 customs union would com-
percent of global growth plicate the issue of the Irish
in the next 10 to 15 years border. Britain and the EU
will be outside Europe, and have both promised there
remaining inside the tariff- will be no customs posts or
free EU trade zone "would Britain's International Trade Secretary Liam Fox delivers a speech on Brexit and Britain's future as other border infrastructure
limit our ability to reach a global trading nation, at the Bloomberg London Building, London, Tuesday Feb. 27, 2018. Britain along the currently invisible
new trade agreements with must leave the EU customs union to strike new trade deals after Brexit, the country's trade minister frontier between Northern
said Tuesday, widening a major fissure within British politics over future trade relations with the
the world's fastest-growing bloc. Ireland, which is part of the
economies." (Jonathan Brady/PA via AP) U.K., and EU member Ire-
In a speech in London, Fox land. But it is not clear how
branded customs union former top civil servant. with countries that have EU new, comprehensive U.K.- that could be achieved
membership "a complete Martin Donnelly, who left his trade deals. EU customs union to ensure if one side of the border
sellout of Britain's national job last year, said quitting "You just have to look at the there are no tariffs with Eu- is in the EU customs union
interests" because it would the customs union was like arithmetic — it doesn't add rope." The issue is a major and the other isn't. Foreign
mean accepting EU rules "giving up a three-course up, I'm afraid," Donnelly fault line in U.K. Brexit plans. Secretary Boris Johnson dis-
after Britain leaves the bloc meal ... for the promise of said. While pro-Brexit politicians missed concerns about the
in 2019 without having a say a packet of crisps in the fu- Fox spoke a day after op- such as Fox argue for leav- issue, comparing the Irish
over how they are made. ture." position leader Jeremy Cor- ing the customs union and border to the boundary
But Fox was contradicted He said 60 percent of Brit- byn said his Labour Party the EU's single market in between different London
by the trade department's ain's trade is with the EU or would "seek to negotiate a goods and services, others boroughs.q

Church of the Holy Sepulchre to reopen after tax spat

By NEBI QENA churches, said in a state- revered as the site where “As a result, the Jerusalem faiths may live and thrive
JERUSALEM (AP) — Christian ment that the church would Jesus was crucified and res- Municipality is suspending together.” Christian leaders
leaders said Tuesday that reopen early Wednesday urrected. the collection actions it has closed the famed church
they will reopen the Church after being closed for three Jerusalem’s mayor had taken in recent weeks,” it on Sunday to protest an or-
of the Holy Sepulchre in Je- days to protest the Israeli backed down on the tax said. der by Jerusalem Mayor Nir
rusalem after Israeli officials tax plan. plan earlier Tuesday. Prime The statement from major Barkat to begin taxing their
suspended a plan to im- The Israeli move had en- Minister Benjamin Netan- Christian denominations properties. Barkat stressed
pose taxes on church prop- raged religious leaders, yahu’s office said a profes- said “the churches look for- that his decision affected
erties in the holy city. who shuttered one of Chris- sional team was being es- ward to engage” with the only commercial proper-
Major denominations, in- tianity’s most important tablished to negotiate with team to ensure Jerusalem ties, such as hotels, restau-
cluding the Roman Cath- holy sites ahead of the busy church officials to “formu- “remains a place where rants and offices, and not
olic and Greek Orthodox Easter season. The church is late a solution.” the three monotheistic houses of worship. q