by Joe JACKSON Agence France Presse LONDON, United States (AFP) — Prime Minister Theresa May will on Wednesday face a vote by MPs over her newly revised Brexit strategy, which could allow them to approve an eventual delay to Britain’s EU departure. The embattled leader will ask lawmakers to approve a three-step plan set out Tuesday that would give her more time to attempt to rework a draft divorce deal struck with the European Union. […]
Tag: EU
British pound rallies as ‘hard’ Brexit risk seen receding
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — The British pound rallied Tuesday as the odds of a “hard” no-deal Brexit receded, while US stocks edged lower following dovish commentary from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. British Prime Minister Theresa May promised to allow parliament to delay Brexit by up to three months if her own divorce proposals fail to win the support of lawmakers by March 12. The dramatic reversal in May’s steadfast strategy came after […]
May hails Brexit talks ‘progress’ but no breakthrough
by Dave Clark and Damon Wake Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Prime Minister Theresa May said she had made “progress” in talks with the EU on Wednesday as she sought to extract concessions on the terms of Britain’s divorce, but as expected there was no major breakthrough. With less than six weeks until Brexit day, May met European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker hoping for movement on the “Irish backstop” issue — after […]
Pressure grows in Austria for paternity leave for all
by Philippe SCHWAB Austria’s leaders are coming under increasing pressure to grant statutory paternity leave to all fathers, despite fierce resistance in business circles. Austria has allowed fathers to take an unpaid month off following the birth of their children — the so-called “Papamonat” or “daddy’s month” — since 2017, but at the employer’s discretion. During the four weeks, the new dads receive 700 euros ($790) in social security payments — a right the country’s […]
Europe stands against May’s bid to rewrite Brexit
by Dave Clark / with Alice Ritchie in London Agence France Presse BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — European leaders moved Wednesday to head off British Prime Minister Theresa May’s bid to rewrite the Brexit divorce deal, warning they will not budge. Having thrown out the exit deal May negotiated with the EU, divided British lawmakers voted Tuesday to send her back to get an Irish border “backstop” clause removed. May seized on this as a chance […]
Britain’s ‘zombie PM’ May staggers into battle
by James PHEBY Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May heads into her latest Brexit battle on Tuesday weakened but still determined to get her legacy-defining deal through parliament, as MPs wrestle to take control of the process. To her supporters, May is a model of resilience, but to her critics she is an inflexible leader oblivious to the changing circumstances around her. She has suffered the ignominy of […]
US calls to ‘stand with freedom’ in Venezuela as EU gives ultimatum
by Laura BONILLA CAL / Philippe RATER Agence France Presse UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — The United States pressed all nations Saturday to “stand with the forces of freedom” in Venezuela, encouraged by a tougher European line as Russia stood in the minority in backing embattled leader Nicolas Maduro. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a forceful case at a special session of the United Nations Security Council, where he described Maduro as […]
EU hails peaceful conduct of Bangsamoro Organic Law plebiscite
The European Union Delegation issues the following statement in agreement with the EU Heads of Mission in the Philippines: The EU Delegation wishes to congratulate the Philippine Government, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Commission on Elections for the generally peaceful conduct of the Bangsamoro Organic Law plebiscite on 21 January 2019 before the second phase to be held on 6 February 2019. The creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao is […]
British PM turns to Brexit ‘Plan B’
by Robin MILLARD Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May unveils her Brexit “Plan B” to parliament on Monday after MPs shredded her EU divorce deal, deepening the political gridlock 10 weeks from departure day. Britain will leave the European Union on March 29 without a deal unless MPs can force a delay or get their act together in time and come up with an alternative plan that Brussels […]
UK PM’s office says MP Brexit moves ‘extremely concerning’
British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Downing Street office said Sunday that reported plots for parliament to seize control from the government over Brexit were “extremely concerning”. Downing Street blasted reported moves by lawmakers seeking to rewrite the rules of the House of Commons in an attempt to take control of the business of the lower chamber in order to frustrate May’s Brexit plans. Groups of MPs are planning to table such amendments this week, newspapers reported Sunday. “The British […]
UK PM May says ‘impossible’ to rule out no-deal Brexit
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday said it was “impossible” for her to rule out a no-deal Brexit without stopping the process altogether, as she tries to come up with a strategy before exit day on March 29. May was responding to a letter from opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn asking her to exclude crashing out of the EU as a precondition for talks about Brexit compromise proposals. May […]
UK PM May survives confidence vote after Brexit humiliation
by Dmitry ZAKS Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday narrowly survived a no-confidence vote sparked by the crushing defeat of her Brexit deal just weeks before the UK leaves the European Union. A stunning 24-hour span saw May on Tuesday dealt the heaviest drubbing by parliament in modern British political history — 432 votes to 202 — over the divorce terms she reached with Brussels. She […]





