Author: LoveWorld UK

Britain and the European Union are quickly approaching a make-or-break moment in talks on a trade deal and it is not clear if an agreement can be reached because of differences on three main issues, an EU diplomat said on Wednesday. The EU and Britain are negotiating a trade deal that would regulate their business relationship from next year, after the end of Britain’s transition period after its exit from the EU. But negotiators cannot overcome differences on fisheries, state aid for companies and future dispute resolution. “We are quickly approaching a make or break moment in the Brexit talks.…

Players will skip the Australian Open if they are not allowed to practise during their mandatory two-week quarantine due to the risk of injury, Daniel Vallverdu, who has coached some of the biggest names on the ATP Tour, told Reuters. Tennis Australia (TA) have been in talks with the Victoria state government over the COVID-19 protocols to be established for those arriving ahead of the Grand Slam at Melbourne Park, which is scheduled for Jan. 18-31. State officials have confirmed players will have to undergo quarantine and that the tournament will likely start one or two weeks later than scheduled.…

The City of London’s access to the European Union after Brexit should not be politicised by the bloc, given that Britain will maintain high regulatory standards in future, the UK’s financial services minister said on Monday. So far, Brussels has only granted time-limited market access, known as “equivalence”, for clearing derivatives and settlement of securities trades even though Britain is still applying EU rules in full. Financial services are being handled separately from this week’s talks between Britain and the bloc on a free trade agreement, though a deal could make Brussels more amenable to greater financial market access for…

The United States imposed sanctions on Monday on Chinese firm China National Electronics Import & Export Corporation (CEIEC), accusing it of supporting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s efforts to undermine democracy. The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement the Chinese company supported the leftist government of Maduro in its “efforts to restrict internet service and conduct digital surveillance and cyber operations against political opponents.” “The United States will not hesitate to target anyone helping to suppress the democratic will of the Venezuelan people and others around the world,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement. Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry called…

British house prices rose by the most in nearly six years in November, mortgage lender Nationwide said on Tuesday, as a boom in the housing market accelerates while the broader economy struggles with coronavirus. In annual terms, prices rose by 6.5%, Nationwide said. Prices rose by 0.9% from October, a slight acceleration in the monthly growth pace. A Reuters poll of economists had pointed to a slowdown in the pace of increases. Britain’s housing market has bounced back strongly from the COVID-19 shock in recent months, propelled by demand for bigger properties from people who were locked down at home…

Australia demanded an apology after a senior Chinese official posted a fake image of an Australian soldier holding a knife with blood on it to the throat of an Afghan child, calling it “truly repugnant” and demanding it be taken down. Prime Minister Scott Morrison called a media briefing to condemn the posting of the image, marking another downturn in deteriorating relations between the two countries. The Australian government has asked Twitter to remove the image, posted on Monday by China’s foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on his official Twitter account, Morrison said. “It is utterly outrageous and cannot be…

Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group confirmed on Monday it had offered 50 million pounds of emergency funding to Philip Green’s Arcadia fashion group, which is on the brink of falling into administration. Frasers said it was awaiting a substantive response. “Should the company and the Arcadia Group’s efforts to agree an emergency funding package fail and the Arcadia Group enter into administration, the company would be interested in participating in any sale process,” Frasers said. Arcadia owns the Topshop, Topman, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Miss Selfridge, Evans, Burton and Outfit brands, trading from over 500 stores and employing over 13,000. Its trading…

Tottenham Hotspur returned to the top of the Premier League as they ground out a 0-0 draw at Chelsea on Sunday but there was more woe for north London rivals Arsenal who suffered a fifth defeat in their opening 10 matches. Edinson Cavani came off the bench to score twice for Manchester United who overturned a 2-0 halftime deficit at Southampton to win 3-2 — a club-record eighth successive away league win moving them into the top half. When Spurs briefly led the table before the international break it was pointed out that their next run of fixtures would give…

Britain and the European Union are running out of time to clinch a Brexit trade deal but if good progress is made this week then the talks could be extended, Environment Secretary George Eustice said on Monday. With just over four weeks left until the United Kingdom finally exits the EU’s orbit on Dec. 31, both sides are demanding concessions from the other on fishing, state aid and how to resolve any future disputes. “We really are now running out of time, this is the crucial week, we need to get a breakthrough,” Eustice told Sky. “I really do think…

European Union chief negotiator Michel Barnier will travel to London late on Friday in a last-ditch attempt to reach a Brexit trade deal as the two sides try to resolve differences over fishing and competition policy. With just five weeks left until the United Kingdom finally exits the EU’s orbit on Dec. 31, both sides are calling on the other to compromise to avoid a tumultuous finale to the five-year Brexit crisis. Face-to-face negotiations will resume shortly after they had to be suspended last week when one of Barnier’s team tested positive for the coronavirus. “In line with Belgian rules,…