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WORLD NEWS Thursday 4 January 2024
Extreme cold grips Nordic countries, Russia as floods hit western

Europe

By JAN M. OLSEN the town of Kemble on
Associated Press Tuesday afternoon.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark The storm, which has been
(AP) — Europe experienced named Henk by the official
stark weather contrasts on weather services of Britain,
Wednesday, with extreme Ireland and the Nether-
cold and snowstorms dis- lands, has caused power
rupting transportation and cuts, transport troubles,
closing schools in Scandi- property damage and dis-
navia while strong winds ruption across the U.K.
and heavy rain in western More than 300 flood warn-
Europe caused flooding ings were in place across
and at least one death. England and Wales on
Temperatures fell below Wednesday, while 10,000
minus 40 degrees Celsius homes remained without
(minus 40 degrees Fahren- power. A severe flood alert,
heit) in the Nordic region meaning a danger to life,
for a second day in a row was announced for the
Wednesday. In Kvikkjokk- River Nene in Northampton
Årrenjarka in Swedish Lap- in central England. Several
land, the mercury dropped residents were evacuated
to minus 43.6 C (minus 46.5 from houseboats and cara-
F), the lowest January tem- vans at the nearby Billing
perature recorded in Swe- Aquadrome.
den in 25 years, Sweden’s A general view after heavy snowfall in Aarhus, Denmark, Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024. The U.K.’s rail network was
TT news agency reported. Associated Press hit by flooding and power
Extremely cold tempera- cuts, with many operators
tures, snow and gale-force avoid unnecessary trips as minus 30 degrees Celsius Mild but wet and windy reporting ongoing issues for
winds disrupted transporta- wind and snow battered (minus 22 F), well below the conditions prevailed fur- the Wednesday morning
tion throughout the Nordic the northern and western average temperature for ther south, where a storm commute into work.
region, with several bridges parts of the country. early January. wreaked havoc in parts of The strongest gales in the
closed and some train and The wave of cold air from Si- Officials in Moscow, St. Pe- western Europe. U.K. were recorded on
ferry services suspended. beria and the Arctic region tersburg and other areas In Britain, a driver died af- the Isle of Wight, just off
Several schools in Scandi- has also swept down over have issued orange weath- ter a tree fell on his car in the coast in southern Eng-
navia were closed. western Russia, with tem- er warnings, cautioning western England. Glouces- land, where wind speeds
Police across most of Den- peratures in Moscow and residents against possible tershire Police said the man reached 94 miles per hour
mark urged motorists to other areas plummeting to health risks. died in the incident near (151 kilometers per hour).q

Israel’s Supreme Court delays activation of law that makes it

harder to remove Netanyahu from office

By TIA GOLDENBERG been working to reshape torically has had the au- Shraga. The ruling comes the legal changes were
Associated Press the justice system while on thority to make that call, days after the court over- meant to restore power to
JERUSALEM (AP) — A law trial for alleged corruption. hasn’t publicly indicated turned the first major piece elected officials, but crit-
that would make it harder “The personal affairs of the she would. While the court of the overhaul in a blow to ics said they would upend
to remove Israeli Prime Min- sitting prime minister were did not outright strike down Netanyahu’s government. Israel’s delicate system of
ister Benjamin Netanyahu not just the motive for legis- the law, the ruling in a 6-5 The government has said checks and balances.q
from office must go into lating the amendment but vote deepens a divide that
effect only after the next also the dominant justifica- lingers between overhaul
parliamentary elections, tion for its legislation at the supporters and those who
the country’s Supreme time it was enacted,” wrote view the court as a bulwark
Court ruled Wednesday, outgoing Chief Justice Es- defending Israel’s demo-
saying the legislation was ther Hayut. “The amend- cratic fundamentals.
clearly crafted for personal ment’s promoters wanted The Movement for Quality
reasons. Israeli legislators the amendment to enter Government in Israel, an
passed the law last year as into force immediately and advocacy group that peti-
part of the government’s that it apply to the sitting tioned againt the law, wel-
contentious legal overhaul prime minister.” The next comed the ruling and said
plan, which sparked wide- parliamentary elections the prime minister “cannot
spread opposition and tore are expected in 2026 but create a golden cage for
open deep divisions in soci- could be held before then, himself” while he is on trial.
ety. Critics said the law was meaning Netanyahu is in “The court in its decision re-
designed to protect Netan- theory exposed until then stored the logic that disap- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly
yahu from being deemed to being deemed unfit to peared when this despica- cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister’s office in Jerusalem, Dec.
unfit to rule over claims of a serve. However, Israel’s at- ble law was enacted,” said 10, 2023.
conflict of interest. He had torney general, who his- the group’s chairman, Eliad Associated Press