No-deal Brexit danger, EU must prepare, says Merkel

Greek FM resigns

BRUSSELS, Oct 17, (Agencies): Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Wednesday that Europe must be prepared for a no-deal Brexit, as EU leaders sought to unblock stalled divorce talks with Britain.

Prime Minister Theresa May was due in Brussels to present her take on how to save the talks on Britain’s scheduled exit from the union on March 29.

Negotiations are at an impasse over the issue of a legal backstop to keep open the border between British Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, an EU member.

Before setting off to join her colleagues, Merkel said that while there is “still a chance” for an accord, Berlin had already “begun to prepare appropriately” for the possibility of a no-deal Brexit.

Her warning comes after European Council President Donald Tusk, the summit host, said he would ask May to offer new “concrete ideas on how to break the impasse” when she arrives in Brussels.

And he added that he had “no grounds for optimism” based on a report from EU negotiator Michel Barnier and on May’s appearance in the British parliament on Monday, where she stood her ground.

Neither side has shown much sign of flexibility, but Barnier is willing to add a year to the 21-month post Brexit transition period -- taking it to the end of 2021, two diplomats said on condition of anonymity.

“The aim is to gain more time to negotiate the agreement on the future relationship and thus further reduce the probability of having to resort to the backstop,” one of the diplomats said.

Merkel

London rail hub suffers disruption:

Rail travel at Paddington – one of London’s busiest stations - was disrupted Wednesday after a train damaged overhead electrical wires, touching off a wave of cancellations that affected thousands.

Great Western Rail said the damage was caused by a Hitachi test train operating between London and Bristol. The train was not in passenger use, but the knock-on affects of fixing the problem caused issues for commuters and tourists alike. Some 90,000 people travel through Paddington daily.

“Some of the lines have reopened and a reduced train service is starting to operate into and out of London Paddington following last night’s incident with a test train, however delays are expected to last for at least the rest of the day,” the company said. “Customers are advised to only travel if necessary and check before travelling.”

UK police arrest 8 in trafficking probe:

London police have arrested eight people suspected of being part of an international human trafficking gang with ties to Romania.

Police said Wednesday the five men and three women were arrested in east London Tuesday by the Modern Slavery and Kidnap Unit. They are being questioned.

Police say 33 victims of human trafficking were found at four addresses that were raided. These included five children. All have been transferred to what police say is a safe place.

Polish ex-consul sentenced to life:

A French court on Wednesday sentenced Poland’s former honorary consul in Monaco to life imprisonment for ordering the murder of his ex-partner’s mother, billionaire heiress Helene Pastor.

Pastor, 77, and her driver, were gunned down in her car in the French city of Nice on May 6, 2014. As well as the lead defendant Wojciech Janowski, the gunman and an accomplice who acted as lookout were also given life sentences.

Woman tackles Abe, Macron over sister:

A French woman on Wednesday slipped into the grounds of the French presidential palace to question Emmanuel Macron and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe about the fate of her sister missing in Japan.

“Mr President, I’m the sister of Tiphaine Veron, missing in Japan,” said Sibylle Veron, who popped up among a group of journalists gathered to hear Abe and Macron deliver a joint statement in the palace courtyard.

“We shall discuss it, but in the appropriate context because I go into details when looking into things,” Macron replied.

“I’m not used to dealing with such matters in front of the press,” he added.

Veron was then invited into the Elysee Palace by members of the diplomatic staff while Abe and Macron sat down for a working lunch.

Tiphaine Veron, 36, who lives in the central French city of Poitiers, disappeared on July 29 after going for a walk in Nikko, northeast Japan, where she was on holiday.

Greek FM resigns over Macedonia row:

The foreign minister of Greece resigned Wednesday following a disagreement with the defense minister over the handling of a deal for Greece to drop its objections to neighboring Macedonia joining NATO if the small country’s name is changed.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras accepted Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias’ resignation and intends to take the helm of the Foreign Ministry himself “to help with all his powers in the successful completion” of the name change deal, his office said.

Kotzias quit his post a day after a Cabinet meeting during which he reportedly had a heated argument with Defense Minister Panos Kammenos over the Macedonia deal and felt he didn’t receive sufficient support from colleagues or the prime minister.

“The PM and a series of ministers made their choices in yesterday’s (cabinet) meeting, and then I made mine,” Kotzias wrote on Twitter. His resignation letter was not immediately made public.

Finland govt survives vote:

Finland’s government survived a confidence vote in parliament on Wednesday called over its plan to boost employment by weakening workers’ protection against dismissal.

A total of 101 members of parliament voted in favour of the centre-right coalition, while 73 were against after the government called the vote to seek support across party lines for the proposals that have angered unions.

“We got clear support for the (government’s) employment policy,” Prime Minister Juha Sipila told reporters at parliament after the vote.

Labour unions said they would continue to protest against the plan however, and at least 10,000 employees in the welfare and public sector are expected to go on a two-day strike next Monday.