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WORLD NEWS Friday 4 december 2020

Brexit broken record: Trade deal close but big issues remain

By R. CASERT and P. PYLAS “We are close, very close,
Associated Press maybe even on the red
LONDON (AP) — Much lines we set in some in-
like a broken record, Brexit stances but we have not
trade talks are rumored to crossed it,” the high-level
be poised for success on diplomat said. He indi-
the cusp of a deadline, cated any compromise
only to face the same old would now need to come
fundamental differences from London. Ken Murphy,
on fishing rights, legal over- chief executive of Britain’s
sight and fair competition biggest supermarket chain
that have dogged the Eu- Tesco, told Sky News that
ropean Union and Britain the company s preparing
for months. for a no-deal outcome.
It was no different on Thurs- “We have been doing ev-
day when EU officials said erything in our power to
that the remaining differ- make sure that we are well
ences couldn’t be bridged placed to continue trad-
in “a matter of hours” de- ing, to continue to supply
spite swirling excitement our customers regardless
that a decisive break- of whether there is or isn’t a
through was imminent. no-deal Brexit,” he said.
Irish Foreign Minister Simon On Wednesday, British
Coveney urged EU nego- Prime Minister Boris John-
tiators holed up with their son said he is “absolutely
U.K. counterparts in London European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier walks to the Conference Centre in London, committed” to trying to
Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020.
on a diet of legal texts and Associated Press secure a deal “if we can.”
takeout pizza: Let’s “hold The discussions for months
our nerve,” he said. 11-month timeframe since on Jan. 31, it remains within Though both sides would have failed to make much
“If we do that, there’s a officially leaving the EU on the bloc’s tariff-free single suffer economically from headway on three key is-
good chance that we can Jan. 31, instead of the half market and customs union a failure to secure a trade sues. These relate to fishing
get a deal across the line dozen years such talks tra- until the end of this year. A deal, most economists think rights in British waters, busi-
in the next few days,” Co- ditionally take. trade deal by then would the British economy would ness regulations and state
veney said. “If it doesn’t work out for ensure there are no tar- take a greater hit, at least aid. The bloc has accused
In Brussels though, some EU Jan. 1, that doesn’t mean iffs and quotas on trade in in the near-term, as it is rela- Britain of wanting to retain
delegations are already that it won’t work for Jan. goods between the two tively more reliant on trade access to the EU’s lucra-
thinking about ignoring 15, or April 1 or July 1. sides, but there would still with the EU than vice versa. tive markets, much like any
the super-stringent Jan. 1 What it does mean is that it be technical costs, partly EU chief negotiator Michel EU country, without agree-
deadline that the UK im- would create a huge mess, associated with customs Barnier has been brief- ing to follow its rules. The
posed on the talks, and but that would be totally checks and non-tariff barri- ing the EU delegations on EU fears Britain will slash
simply negotiate through it blamed on London,” a dip- ers on services. Wednesday and Thursday social and environmental
for weeks to come if need. lomat from an EU nation If a trade deal came later on any progress in an at- standards and pump state
Any fallout of chaos on said on condition of ano- than Jan 1, it would make tempt to assuage itchy money into U.K. industries,
borders and in trade could nymity because the talks for two massive adapta- member states with most becoming a low-regula-
simply be blamed on the were in a critical stage. tions of customs and bor- at stake that he will remain tion economic rival on the
British, who insisted on a Though the U.K. left the EU der rules within a short time. within their mandate. bloc’s doorstep.q

Greek city to use Christmas money for more ICU beds

By COSTAS KANTOURIS General Hospital was ex- decorations will be allowed
Associated Press pected to total 110,000 eu- to open on Dec. 7. Theo-
THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) ros ($130,000.) They added filos Kallinikidis, a patholo-
— A city in northern Greece that a tree would be put up gist in charge of coronavi-
hard hit by the coronavirus in the center of the city of rus wards at Serres General
pandemic said Thursday nearly 60,000 people. Hospital, said he welcomed
it will scrap plans to set up Cities in northern Greece the donation, which came
Christmas decorations and have been the hardest at a critical time for the
a nativity scene this year to hit by the pandemic. The hospital.
donate the money to the daily number of cases “A few days ago we had a
local hospital’s intensive in the country’s second- terrible surge in cases,” he
care ward. largest city, Thessaloniki, told the AP. “Around 100
“We have decided to use remains higher than those patients have died of coro-
the funds to pay for two ad- reported in greater Athens navirus in the hospital, just
ditional ICU spaces, three — an area with a popula- one of them during the first
medical monitors, and tion more than three times wave of the pandemic.” A child look at Christmas decoration at the Stavros Niarchos
1,000 protective suits for larger. The hospital started with Foundation Cultural Center, in Athens, on Wednesday, Dec. 2,
medical staff,” the mayor Greece on Thursday ex- just six beds in its ICU, but is 2020.
of Serres, Alekos Chrysafis, tended a nationwide lock- now near capacity with 16 Associated Press
told The Associated Press. down by another week, out of 17 beds occupied, VID-19 deaths, with most confirmed a total of some
City officials said the dona- through Dec. 14, though he added. Greece has suf- occurring in the month of 111,000 cases since the
tion to the state-run Serres shops selling Christmas fered more than 2,700 CO- November. The country has start of the pandemic.q