Ministers think PM’s Brexit plan is ‘dead’

Visa-free travel to EU $7.9

LONDON, Dec 15, (Agencies): Most of British Prime Minister Theresa May’s senior ministers think her Brexit plan is dead and are discussing different options including a second referendum, The Times newspaper reported.

May, who said on Friday that she hoped to get further assurances about her plan from European Union leaders despite a fruitless trip to Brussels, was likely to be faced with opposing demands from ministers next week, the newspaper said.

One group of ministers, including Amber Rudd, the work and pensions minister, and finance minister Philip Hammond, was leaning reluctantly towards backing a second referendum if all other options are exhausted, it said.

Another group, including environment minister Michael Gove and interior minister Sajid Javid, was opposed to the idea of a second referendum, with Gove favouring a closer, Norway-style relationship with the EU after Brexit.

Other ministers including foreign minister Jeremy Hunt were willing to risk leaving the EU without a deal, the report said.

May’s plan, agreed with EU leaders last month, is opposed by many lawmakers in her own Conservative Party who fear it will leave Britain trapped in the bloc’s orbit. May has said rejection of her plan would risk Britain leaving the EU with no deal to smooth the economic shock or not leaving at all.

May

$7.9 for visa-free travel to EU:

British travellers will have to pay 7 euros ($7.91) for a three year pretravel authorisation to visit the European Union after Brexit, provided London seals a divorce agreement with the bloc.

The EU is readying a new electronic visa waiver system by 2021 to beef up security. The bloc’s executive proposed to exempt Britain from visas provided that the sides agree on a Brexit deal before the UK leaves, as is now due on March 29, 2019.

The new EU system, or ETIAS, would be similar to the ESTA scheme used by the United States, and would apply to countries outside the bloc whose citizens can travel to Europe visa-free.

There are currently 61 such countries from Monaco to Australia. ETIAS would start applying to the UK after its status-quo transition after Brexit runs its course, which is now due at the end of 2020 though could be extended.

The fee would be waived for travellers under 18 and those over 70 years old.

It would also cover countries associated with the EU’s zone of control-free travel, meaning Britons would also have to pay to travel to Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein since they are part of this so-called Schengen zone even though outside of the EU.

Irish regulator probes Facebook:

An Irish regulator said on Friday it was investigating Facebook Inc following the company’s disclosure that a bug may have exposed private photos of up to 6.8 million users, the latest in a series of Facebook privacy glitches.

The Irish Data Protection Commissioner (DPC), the lead regulator of Facebook in the European Union, said it was investigating to determine whether the company had complied with strict new EU privacy rules in its response to a number of breaches, including the one that exposed photos.

Facebook said in a statement that it was in close contact with the Irish regulator and happy to answer any questions.

The investigation is the second opened by the DPC into Facebook since the new regulations took effect in May.

Facebook disclosed the photo glitch earlier on Friday, saying it allowed some 1,500 software apps to access private photos for 12 days ending Sept 25.

“We’re sorry this happened,” Facebook said in a blog.

The European data law requires companies to report data breaches to authorities within 72 hours, giving regulators authority to impose fines of up to 4 percent of annual global revenue for infractions.

Facebook said it would alert users whose photos may have been exposed.

British zoo fire breaks out:

A zoo in northern England said it had evacuated all visitors on Saturday after a fire broke out in its Monsoon Forest section, the largest indoor zoological building in Britain.

Pictures on social media showed flames and plumes of smoke emerging from Chester Zoo which said it was now closed.

“Visitors have been evacuated and asked to leave the zoo as teams work to bring the situation under control,” the zoo said on Twitter. “The zoo’s animal teams are working to move all animals away from the incident.”

Chester Zoo is home to 21,000 animals across 125 acres, attracting 1.9 million visitors a year, its website said. The 40 million pound ($50.3 million) sub-tropical Monsoon Forest section is home to animals including Sumatran orangutans, macaques, snakes and crocodiles.

Last December, a large blaze at London Zoo killed an aardvark and four meerkats, and damaged a shop and cafe. ($1 = 0.7946 pounds)

UK royals release Christmas cards:

Britain’s royals revealed their 2018 Christmas cards on Friday, with Prince William choosing a relaxed family photo while younger brother Harry used an image taken on the evening of his wedding to U.S. actress Meghan Markle.

The striking black and white picture of Harry and Meghan, who is expecting the couple’s first child in the spring, shows the couple watching fireworks at the reception which followed their wedding at Windsor castle in May.

William, second-in-line to the throne, selected a more conventional photo for his card. He was pictured with his wife Kate and their three children, George, 5, Charlotte, 3, and smiling baby Louis at their Amner Hall country residence.

Harry and William’s father, Prince Charles, who celebrated his 70th birthday this year, also released his card, which featured a picture of the British heir with his wife Camilla sitting on a bench in the garden of their London home, Clarence House.