Brexit: Marathon makes EU eager to reach finish line

(FASTNEWS | COLOMBO) – The twists and turns of Brexit – after more than three years of negotiations – dominate an EU summit on Thursday, amid signs of an emerging deal.

Intensive negotiations went on all day on Wednesday to nail down complex special arrangements for Northern Ireland, the main sticking point in the UK’s exit from the EU.

The threat of a no-deal Brexit at the end of this month energized both sides.

But getting any deal through the UK’s divided parliament is a huge challenge.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson lacks a majority in parliament, so he is striving to appease his hardline Eurosceptic Conservatives and the Northern Ireland DUP, whose 10 MPs insist on maintaining a strong union with Britain. (BBC)