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WORLD NEWS Friday 20 March 2020

In this Sept.30 2019 file photo, Prince Albert of Monaco leaves
the Elysee Palace after a lunch with heads of states and officials,
in Paris.
Associated Press
Monaco's head of state

with the United Kingdom Michel Barnier speaks during a media conference at EU headquarters Prince Albert II contracts
In this Thursday, March 5, 2020 file photo, European Commission's Head of Task Force for Relations
in Brussels.
Associated Press new virus
EU Brexit negotiator Michel PARIS (AP) — The palace Mediterranean principal-

of Monaco says its ruler, ity to respect confinement
Barnier has coronavirus Prince Albert II, has tested measures.
Albert is the second child
positive for the new coro-
navirus but his health is not of Princess Grace — for-
worrying. merly Grace Kelly — and
By SAMUEL PETREQUIN but will "telework at home tiations, and I believe both Albert, 62, appeared to be Prince Rainier of Monaco.
Associated Press for another two days" as sides have shared their the first head of state who Albert became a five-time
BRUSSELS (AP) — Michel a matter of precaution af- texts" of potential agree- has publicly said he con- Olympic bobsledder and
Barnier, the European ter meeting with Barnier 12 ments, Slack said. tracted the virus. in recent years has been a
Union's chief negotiator for days ago. The coronavirus pandem- In a statement Thursday, global environmental cam-
the bloc's future relation- Even before Barnier's tweet, ic has infected 219,000 the palace said he is being paigner.
ship with Britain after Brexit, the second round of post- people around the world treated by doctors from Fluent in English and
has been infected with the Brexit trade negotiations and killed more than 8,900. the Princess Grace Hospi- French, Albert graduated
new coronavirus. that was due to take place About 84,000 have recov- tal, named after his U.S. ac- from Amherst College in
The 69-year-old Barnier said in London this week had ered. Aside from the elderly tress mother. It says Albert is Massachusetts with a de-
in a Twitter video message already been canceled and the sick, most people continuing to work from his gree in political science in
Thursday that he is doing because of the coronavi- only have mild or moder- home office in the palace 1981, and is a member of
well and is in good spirits, rus outbreak. London is the ate symptoms, like a fever and is in constant contact the International Olympic
while the EU's executive epicenter of Britain's virus or cough. with members of his gov- Committee.
arm said negotiations with infections. Negotiating teams from ernment. He and his wife, the former
British officials can contin- The pandemic has scuttled both sides have looked at In the statement, Albert Charlene Wittstock, have
ue. face-to-face negotiations alternative ways of continu- urged residents of his tiny twin children.q
"I am following all the nec- between the two sides and ing the negotiations during
essary instructions, as is my has increased speculation the outbreak, including
team," Barnier said from his that the U.K. government by video conferencing. Germany bans anti-
home, where he has been will have to extend its self- Mamer said on Thursday
confined. "For all those af- imposed Dec. 31 deadline talks can continue, insisting
fected already, and for all to strike a deal with the that the two sides remain in Semitic group, raids
those currently in isolation, bloc. British Prime Minister contact remotely.
Boris Johnson is refusing to Although Britain left the
we will get through this to- discuss that idea, at least political institutions of the homes
gether."
Barnier's announcement in public. On Wednesday EU on Jan. 31, it remains
prompted a series of good he said the Dec. 31 date part of the bloc's tariff-free BERLIN (AP) — Authorities citizens, have similarities
wishes messages, including was enshrined in British law, single market and customs conducted raids in 10 Ger- to the sovereign citizens
from European Commis- and "I have no intention of union until the end of this man states Thursday at movements in the United
sion President Ursula von changing it." year. premises linked to a group States and elsewhere. They
der Leyen and EU Council Johnson's spokesman, Johnson has said he wants accused of pursuing a mix reject the authority of the
President Charles Michel. James Slack, said "we a comprehensive trade of anti-government and modern German state and
European Commission send Michel Barnier our deal completed this year. racist ideology. promote the notion of "nat-
spokesman Eric Mamer best wishes." He would not The Conservative leader Germany's top security of- ural rights," often mixing
said von der Leyen will be comment on whether the said he won't seek an ex- ficial, Horst Seehofer, issued this ideology with far-right
tested following Barnier's transition period could be tension to the country's cur- a ban on United German politics and esoteric con-
positive result. Barnier and extended beyond the end rent transition period, insist- Peoples and Tribes, the first spiracy theories. Authorities
the EU chief last met two of 2020. ing that 11 months is more time a group associated say members of the newly
weeks ago. So far she has "We've been in close con- than enough time to se- with the so-called Reichs- banned group, whose
not shown any symptom versation with the EU about cure a wide-ranging deal buerger movement has activities were focused in
of illness. Michel's press looking at ways to contin- with the EU for goods and been proscribed. Berlin, had issued threats
service said he is well, too, ue progressing the nego- services. q Reichsbuerger, or Reich against German officials.q