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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 19 July 2023

A vessel to accommodate asylum-seekers docks in UK as

Parliament passes controversial migration bill

By BRIAN MELLEY in the Supreme Court.”
Associated Press The bill was approved af-
LONDON (AP) — A ves- ter an all-night tussle Mon-
sel that will house up to day between the House
500 asylum-seekers arrived of Commons, where the
Tuesday in England after governing Conservatives
Parliament passed its long- have a majority, and the
debated bill to curb migra- unelected House of Lords,
tion. which can amend but not
The barge Bibby Stock- block legislation.
holm was pulled by a tug Elected members of Par-
into Portland harbor, off liament defeated amend-
the southwest coast of ments that would have
England, after the govern- included protections for
ment’s controversial legis- modern slavery and child
lation overcame resistance detention limits.
in the House of Lords and The United Nations human
was passed. rights and refugee chiefs
The vessel and the bill are said the bill was at odds
both parts of Prime Minis- with Britain’s obligations un-
ter Rishi Sunak’s strategy to der international law and
stop migrants from making will have “profound conse-
risky English Channel cross- quences” for people seek-
ings in small boats. The leg- Tug boat Mercia pulls the Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge into Portland in Dorset where ing protection.
islation will become law af- it is due to house migrants after travelling from dry dock in Falmouth, Cornwall, Tuesday July 18, “For decades, the U.K. has
ter receiving the assent of 2023. provided refuge to those
King Charles III. Associated Press in need, in line with its inter-
The Conservative govern- those journeys and will pre- arrive without authorization “This is an important part of national obligations a tra-
ment has pledged to “stop vent migrants from claim- to Rwanda, but last month our work to stop the boats. dition of which it has been
the boats”overcrowded ing asylum in the U.K. if they the Court of Appeal ruled Obviously it needs to be rightly proud,” said U.N.
dinghies and other small arrive illegally. Under the it was illegal. The govern- paired with the Rwanda High Commissioner for Ref-
craft that cross from north- legislation, those caught ment is appealing the ruling partnership,” said Sunak’s ugees Filippo Grandi. “This
ern France carrying mi- will be sent back home or to the U.K. Supreme Court. spokesman, Max Blain. new legislation significantly
grants who hope to live in deported to another safe Sunak cheered the pas- “It’s right that we have this erodes the legal frame-
the U.K. More than 45,000 country and banned from sage of the bill but said the power in place so it can be work that has protected so
people crossed the Chan- ever re-entering the U.K. government must prevail at utilized swiftly and we re- many, exposing refugees
nel to Britain in 2022; several The government planned the higher court for the law main confident we will be to grave risks in breach of
died in the attempt. to send some of those who to function properly. successful in the challenge international law.”q
The bill is intended to deter

Divisions over the Ukraine war cause a rift at EU-LatAm summit

By RAF CASERT BRUSSELS (AP) — European leaders concluded a sum- Nicaragua refused to join traditionally issued at the
Associated Press Union and Latin American mit that was supposed to 59 other nations, including end of such summits, and
be a love-in after eight Cuba and Venezuela, in Tuesday’s lack of such a
years of separation, but in- a common criticism of the statement dampened a
stead ended Tuesday with war. meeting that otherwise
aggravation over the fail- “All the select members was a warm blanket of
ure to unanimously support are aligned except Nica- words and commitments
even a bland statement on ragua,” French President between trusted partners
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Emmanuel Macron said. “I from each side of the At-
Europe’s fervent support do respect the internal pro- lantic.
of Ukraine clashed with cess not to outvote just one Instead of a clear condem-
the more distant or neutral member.” nation of Russia that the
approach pervasive in the There also was criticism and EU wanted, the statement
33-nation Community of disappointment on the Lat- endorsed by all countries
Latin American and Carib- in American side. except Nicaragua would
bean States. “We’re very sorry for the sit- merely have expressed
What should have been a uation. And really, I mean, “deep concern on the on-
mere detail in a landmark we’re very surprised that going war against Ukraine.”
Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez, Saint Vincent and summit celebrating eco- there are members of our It was a standoff over an
Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, European Council
President Charles Michel and European Commission President nomic ties and fresh invest- group which oppose any issue that a vast majority
Ursula von der Leyen, from left, gather following a joint news ment became its encom- resolution concerning this of the 60 nations attend-
conference at the end of the third EU-CELAC summit that brings passing theme. war,” said Chilean Foreign ing had already expressed
together leaders of the EU and the Community of Latin American In the end, the shadow of Minister Alberto van Kla- common views in several
and Caribbean States, in Brussels, Belgium, Tuesday, July 18, Russian President Vladi- veren. “It’s a war of aggres- votes at the United Nations
2023. mir Putin hovered over the sion.” and other international
Associated Press
two-day meeting because Common conclusions are institutions.q