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WORLD NEWS Saturday 14 May 2022
Unionists block new N. Ireland govt over Brexit trade rules

LONDON (AP) — Northern end of 2020.
Ireland’s second-biggest A deal was agreed to
political party on Friday keep the Irish border free
blocked the formation of of customs posts and other
a working legislature in Bel- checks, because an open
fast, and said it would keep border is a key pillar of the
up the boycott until the U.K. peace process that ended
government tears up post- decades of violence in
Brexit trade rules it accuses Northern Ireland. Instead,
of destabilizing the region. there are checks on some
The Democratic Union- goods, such as meat and
ist Party’s move deepens eggs, entering Northern
Northern Ireland’s political Ireland from the rest of the
deadlock, which is fueling U.K.
a U.K.-EU feud that could The arrangement is op-
balloon into a trade war posed by the DUP and
between Britain and the other unionists in Northern
27-nation European Union. Ireland, who say the new
The DUP came second in a checks have created a
Northern Ireland Assembly barrier with the rest of the
election last week that saw U.K. that is hurting business-
Irish nationalist party Sinn es and undermines union-
Fein win the most seats the Democratic Unionist Party leader Jeffrey Donaldson pauses as he speaks to the media at ists’ British identity.
first time a party that seeks Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Belfast, Monday, May 9, 2022. Sinn Fein and the other na-
union with the Republic of Associated Press tionalist and nonaligned
Ireland has won an elec- parties, which collectively
tion in the bastion of Protes- when they met for the first ern Ireland Protocol, “are Brexit mess.” got a majority of votes in
tant power. time on Friday, leaving the not merely some political Naomi Long, leader of the the election, want to keep
Under Northern Ireland’s assembly unable to func- squabble.” centrist Alliance Party, the the Protocol.
mandatory power-sharing tion. “The protocol is a direct third largest in the assem- Many people and business-
rules, that gives Sinn Fein “The DUP received a man- challenge to the principles bly, said it was “a shameful es in Northern Ireland just
the post of first minister, with date to remove the Irish that have underpinned ev- day for the DUP.” want a functioning govern-
the DUP taking the deputy Sea border and our man- ery agreement reached in “We want to serve the pub- ment.
first minister job. A govern- date will be given respect,” Northern Ireland over the lic but are prevented from “The uncomfortable truth
ment can’t be formed un- assembly member Paul last 25 years” of Northern doing so,” she said. is, while this continues,
less both roles are filled, and Givan told legislators. “Our Ireland’s peace process, Arrangements for Northern the reputational damage
the DUP says it won’t take message is now clear: It is he said. “It erodes the very Ireland the only part of the to Northern Ireland as a
part unless border checks time for action, words will foundations that devolu- U.K. that shares a land bor- place to invest and work
on goods moving to North- no longer suffice.” tion has been built upon.” der with an EU nation have grows daily,” said Paul Mur-
ern Ireland from the rest of DUP leader Jeffrey Donald- Sinn Fein leader Michelle been the thorniest subject naghan, president of the
the U.K. are scrapped. son said the party’s con- O’Neill accused the DUP of of contention in the U.K.’s Northern Ireland Cham-
It stymied attempts to elect cerns over the new trade “disgracefully holding the divorce from the bloc, ber of Commerce and
a speaker for the assembly rules, known as the North- public to ransom for their which became final at the Industry.q

Australia says Chinese spy ship has been hugging west coast

Associated Press He said it was without prec- relevant situation objec-
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) edent for a Chinese war- tively and calmly, and not
— Australia’s defense min- ship to venture so far south make sensational remarks,”
ister said Friday that a Chi- and that authorities were Zhao told reporters at a
nese warship with spying monitoring the ship closely daily briefing.
capabilities had been hug- with planes and surveil- Tensions between China
ging the nation’s western lance techniques. He said and Australia have been
coastline in what amount- he wanted to be open heightened recently after
ed to an “aggressive act.” and honest with Australians China signed a security
Minister Peter Dutton said about the situation. pact with the Solomon Is-
the ship was sighted Friday “I think it is an aggressive lands.
morning heading north act, and I think particularly Australians will go to the
about 250 nautical miles because it has come so far polls in eight days to vote
from Broome in Western south,” Dutton said. in a general election. Dut-
Australia, and had been Asked about the ship sight- ton said the timing of his
tracked along the coast- ing, Chinese Foreign Min- announcement had noth- In this image supplied by the Australian Department of Defence,
Chinese People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) Intelligence
line for the past week. istry spokesperson Zhao ing to do with the election Collection Vessel Haiwangxing operating off the north-west
“Its intention, of course, is Lijian said he had no infor- campaign. shelf of Australia, Wednesday, May 11, 2022.
to collect intelligence right mation about the specific Australia’s Defence Force Associated Press
along the coastline,” Dut- situation, but that “China identified the ship as a
ton said. “It has been in always abides by interna- Dongdiao Class Auxiliary In- freedom of navigation and the Defence Force said in
close proximity to military tional law and international telligence ship named Hai- overflight in international a statement. “Defence will
and intelligence installa- practice.” wangxing. waters and airspace, just as continue to monitor the
tions on the west coast of “The relevant Australian “Australia respects the right we expect others to respect ship’s operation in our mari-
Australia.” politician should see the of all states to exercise our right to do the same,” time approaches.”q