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WORLD NEWS Saturday 16 May 2020

UK-EU deadlocked in Brexit talks as clock ticks down

By RAF CASERT and year. The two sides have While the two men say they
JILL LAWLESS until then to work out a have a good personal rela-
BRUSSELS (AP) — Talks be- new relationship covering tionship, the two sides ac-
tween the European Union trade, security and a host cuse the other of seeking
and the United Kingdom on of other issues — or face a the impossible.
their post-Brexit relationship chaotic split that would be Britain wants a a "Canada-
ground to a near-standstill economically disruptive for style" free-trade deal that
Friday, with each side ac- both sides, but especially would involve the elimina-
cusing the other of block- for the U.K. tion of tariffs and quotas
ing progress on a trade The U.K.-EU divorce agree- on most, if not all, goods,
deal just weeks before a ment allows for the dead- along with agreements on
crucial summit. line to be extended by services and a range of
The EU's chief negotiator, two years, but Johnson's other issues. The EU says Brit-
Michel Barnier, told a news government insists it won't ain can't have that without
conference in Brussels that lengthen the transition pe- signing up to a swath of the
a week-long round of talks riod beyond Dec. 31. bloc's regulations on envi-
had been "disappointing, European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier speaks Most trade deals take years ronmental standards, work-
very disappointing." during a media conference, following the third round of Brexit to negotiate, so finishing ers' rights and state aid.
Barnier said there was no talks between the EU and Britain, at EU headquarters in Brussels, something as fundamental Otherwise, they say, there
progress on all the most Friday, May 15, 2020. as this in 11 months would wouldn't be a level playing
difficult issues and insisted Associated Press be a Herculean task at the field.
Britain would have to show agreement on the most sig- settling future disputes. best of times. Many politi- "We will not trade off our
more realism. nificant outstanding issues." EU leaders and U.K. Prime cians, experts and diplo- European values for the
"I am not optimistic in the In a statement, Frost ac- Minister Boris Johnson are mats believe it is impossible benefit of the British econ-
face of British incompre- cused the EU of insisting on scheduled to have a sum- during a coronavirus pan- omy. Our economic and
hension," he said. "an ideological approach mit at the end of June, like- demic that has focused commercial fair play is not
The British side echoed which makes it more dif- ly by video, to take stock of governments' resources on for sale," Barnier said.
the glum assessment, call- ficult to reach a mutually the talks' progress. preserving public health But the U.K. government
ing the mood of the talks beneficial agreement." Britain officially left the and averting economic says that signing up to
"tetchy." The two sides remain at 27-nation bloc on Jan. 31, collapse. EU rules and standards
U.K. negotiator David Frost odds over a range of key but remains within the EU's Both Barnier and Frost fell amounts to an unaccept-
said the talks had "made issues including fishing and economic and regulatory sick with COVID-19, though able undermining of the
very little progress towards the role of high courts in orbit until the end of the both have recovered. country's independence.q

Africa’s endangered wildlife at risk as tourism dries up

By JOE MWIHIA have medicinal value. fective law enforcement.
Associated Press Now there are concerns Ol Pejeta is home to more
NANYUKI, Kenya (AP) — that the COVID-19 pan- than 130 black rhinos, the
The armed rangers set demic may increase single largest population
off at dusk in pursuit of such poaching, said John in East and Central Africa,
poachers. The COVID-19 Tekeles, a patrol guide said Richard Vigne, the
pandemic has brought a and head of the dog unit conservancy’s managing
new alertness, and a new at Ol Pejeta Conservancy director.
fear. With tourists gone in Kenya. Protecting them is expen-
and their money, too, “We are more alert be- sive. Ol Pejeta spends
protecting endangered cause maybe more about $10,000 per year
wildlife like black rhinos poachers will use this time per rhino on that protec-
has become that much to come in to poach,” tion, Vigne said.
more challenging. And Tekeles said. “In our case that comes
the poachers, like many The number of black rhinos to close to $2 million a
desperate to make a liv- in Africa has been slowly year,” he said. “In the time In this photo taken Friday, May 1, 2020, a ranger observes the
last remaining two northern white rhinos Fatu, left, and Najin,
ing, might become more increasing though the of COVID, when tourism right, at the Ol Pejeta conservancy in Kenya.
daring. Rhinos have long species remains “critically has completely stopped, Associated Press
been under threat from endangered,” according where most of our reve-
poachers who kill them for to a report in March by nue comes from tourism, complete disaster.” this year. Therefore, Vi-
their horns to supply illegal the International Union for the revenue we need to The conservancy ex- gne said, “our ability to
trade fueled by the mis- Conservation of Nature, or earn to protect the rhino pects to see $3 million to look after the rhinos is
taken belief that the horns IUCN. It credits, in part, ef- comes from tourism, it’s a $4 million in lost revenue compromised.”q