Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 14 March 2018

Russia calls poisoning accusations by Britain ‘nonsense’

By GREGORY KATZ believed to have been pital. military-grade nerve agent that the U.S. was “with the
NATALIYA VASILYEVA used. British Prime Minister The- Novichok. U.K. all the way” in agree-
Associated Press Police, meanwhile, said the resa May said Russia’s in- U.S. and European officials ing that Russia “must pro-
LONDON (AP) — Russia on investigation of who poi- volvement is “highly likely,” were quick to offer words vide unambiguous answers
Tuesday dismissed accusa- soned Sergei Skripal and and she gave the country a of support for Britain, which as to how this nerve agent
tions of any involvement in his daughter, Yulia, will last deadline of midnight Tues- will need the backing of its came to be used.”
the poisoning of an ex-spy many weeks and that they day to explain its actions in allies if any new sanctions They also agreed on the
and his daughter as “non- are not ready to identify the case. She is reviewing are to have any impact. need for “consequences”
sense,” saying it will only any persons of interest in a range of economic and Her Downing Street office for those who use “heinous
cooperate with a British the inquiry. The father and diplomatic measures in re- said she discussed the Salis- weapons in flagrant viola-
investigation if it receives daughter remain in critical taliation for the assault with bury incident with U.S. Presi- tion of international norms,”
samples of the nerve agent condition in a Salisbury hos- what she identified as the dent Donald Trump, and the White House said.q

Britain set to pay into EU coffers until 2064

By PAN PYLAS on the previous 1.4 percent
Associated Press forecast but markedly be-
LONDON (AP) — Britain low the long-run average.
could be paying into the Growth is set to a remain
European Union’s coffers paltry 1.5 percent or lower
for nearly another half cen- in every year through to
tury even though Brexit day 2022.
is little more than a year “Forecasts are there to be
away, according to inde- beaten,” Hammond said.
pendent forecasts com- “As a nation, we did it in
piled for the government. 2017 and we should make
In documents released it our business to do so
Tuesday, the Office for Bud- again.”
get Responsibility estimat- In spite of the modest up-
ed that Britain’s Brexit di- grade, the economy is set
vorce bill would amount to to be one of the slowest-
a cool 37.1 billion pounds growing in the Group of
($52 billion), bang in the Seven industrialized na-
middle of most projections. tions, as it was last year.
Most of that sum is due in The British economy has
the next couple of years slowed sharply since the
as Britain honors short-term country voted to leave the
budget commitments it EU in June 2016 as business-
had already made to the European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, right, speaks with European Council es reined in investment and
EU. But payments will con- President Donald Tusk prior to a meeting at the Europa building in Brussels on Monday, March 12, consumer spending eased
tinue until 2064 to meet lia- 2018. after inflation spiked follow-
bilities such as pensions that (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, Pool) ing the pound’s fall.
Britain has incurred through on Brexit issues, including the economy but said he toms union even though it Brexit is the biggest cloud
its 45-year membership of citizens’ rights, the border hoped for a “step forward” will be outside the EU and hanging over the outlook.
the bloc. between EU member Ire- at next week’s meeting of have little, or no, say over Britain is due to leave the
“These liabilities will fall due land and Britain’s Northern EU leaders in Brussels. policy changes. EU, its biggest export mar-
over a very long period, so Ireland and the divorce bill. Britain wants the remain- The main point of the bud- ket, in a little more than a
there is clearly uncertainty The talks have now been ing 27 EU nations to grant get update was to provide year’s time but there’s un-
over how and when this or broadened to include a transition period after the OBR’s new forecasts, certainty as to what the fu-
future governments would future relations, notably Brexit, which the EU says it which Hammond sought ture trading relationship will
decide to meet the esti- trade. should last until the end of to paint in as rosy a light as be.
mated cost,” the OBR said. In a budget update Tues- 2020. possible. In making its forecasts, the
Last December, the Brit- day, Treasury chief Philip During the transition, Britain He said the British economy OBR sought more clarity on
ish government and the Hammond said very little would remain in the tariff- is set to grow by 1.5 per- what the government an-
EU made some progress about the Brexit impact on free single market and cus- cent this year, up modestly ticipates from Brexit. q

5-Star head firm on being Italian premier, vague on details

By FRANCES D’EMILIO tracted political impasse. He was evasive, however, 5-Stars if he managed to He rejected oft-tried meth-
Associated Press Di Maio’s anti-establish- about what he’d be willing create a government. ods in the past to form gov-
ROME (AP) — The leader of ment movement was the to concede during such That will be tough since ernments from an array
Italy’s populist 5-Star Move- single-biggest party to negotiations and held firm the party is far short of an of Italian political parties,
ment is sticking to his insis- emerge from the March that it should be he who absolute majority in Parlia- including cutting deals on
tence on becoming the 4 parliamentary election, leads the next govern- ment and officially refuse divvying out ministries for
country’s next premier, say- winning 32 percent of the ment. alliances with other parties. coalition allies.While the
ing Tuesday that he “won’t vote. “We’re unwilling to betray “We are projected to- 5-Star Movement received
betray the popular will.” He said at a news confer- the popular will,” said Di ward government, but the most votes of any sin-
But Luigi Di Maio offered no ence that his lawmakers Maio, who at 31 would be open to dealing” on policy gle party in the election,
specific formula on how to were willing to deal with Italy’s youngest-ever pre- “themes” with other politi- a center-right bloc got 37
end what could be a pro- parties on policy issues. mier and the first from the cal forces, Di Maio said. percent of the vote.q