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A28 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 5 May 2020
Brussels going greener amid coronavirus crisis

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN are only temporary, but
Associated Press she hopes the plan will be
BRUSSELS (AP) — As Euro- made permanent once
pean cities gradually re- authorities get all the con-
lax lockdown measures, struction permits required.
Brussels authorities intend "Because it's really key for
to take advantage of the a healthy city that you can
coronavirus health crisis to walk, that you can cycle in
turn the Belgian capital into a safe way," she said.
a bicycle-friendly greener In the immediate future,
place. she said it's crucial more
Belgium started the first bike paths are available as
phase of exiting the lock- an alternative to cars and
down Monday as some public transports by Sep-
businesses were allowed to tember, when she expects
re-open and public trans- a further easing of the lock-
port resumed a regular ser- down, with more shops
vice. To avoid a new spike opening their doors and
in the number of infections, the majority of children go-
the use of masks in trams, ing back to school.
buses and metros has been In addition to the bike
made mandatory, while lanes project, speed is be-
commuters are being en- ing limited to 20 kph (about
couraged to walk and use 12 mph) in the pentagon-
their bikes if they have to A food delivery carrier rides a bicycle along a newly path designated only for bikes, during a shaped Brussels center and
gradual lifting of a lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, COVID-19, in Brussels,
go to work in a city where Monday, May 4, 2020. other areas covering 100 ki-
traffic jams are the norm. Associated Press lometers (around 60 miles)
Belgium has been hard-hit of roads where pedestrians
by the deadly virus, with ing turned into a slick as- Georgin, a regular bike to use the moment to get have priority and are al-
nearly 8,000 death record- phalt road suited for bikes. user. "And since it is likely more bike lanes, or widen lowed the entire width of
ed since the start of the The refurbishment work is to be a means of trans- existing ones, even if it's just streets to abide by social
pandemics. part of a project aimed at port of the future, a practi- a temporary measure to distancing measures.
"If you compare Brussels to transforming 40 kilometers cal green transport which make space for commut- "It's something that was re-
other cities, we see that (25 miles) of car lanes into does not make any noise ers on two wheels. ally met with a lot of enthu-
the bike is not really used cycle paths that will be and which, moreover, al- Van den Brandt, a member siasm in all kinds of areas,"
a lot," Brussels' regional mo- connected to the existing lows people to exert them- of the Greens party, said Van den Brandt said. "We
bility minister Elke Van den bike network. selves, frankly, I find this an the main reason people we saw that everywhere
Brandt told The Associated "I really find it interesting excellent initiative." don't cycle in Brussels is people are happy to have
Press on Monday near a because, especially lead- The plan isn't unique to Brus- the lack of safe infrastruc- more place. It's really im-
construction site where an ing to Brussels, it lacks a lot sels. Cycling activists from ture. She said some of the portant to give the city
old cobblestone lane is be- of cycle paths," said Ernest around the world are trying bike lanes currently set up back to the people."q

Puerto Rico files fiscal plan, rejects austerity measures

earthquakes, the COVID-19 have caused an estimated sought by the board. Last
crisis and the aftermath of $1 billion in damage. week, the board ordered
hurricanes Irma and Maria. The government cited that Puerto Rico's munici-
Officials said that they sub- those costs, as well as an palities pay a total of $66
mitted a revised fiscal plan upcoming hurricane sea- million owed to the central
requested by the board son that is expected to be government despite some
that oversees the island's more active than usual mayors warning that such
finances and said the U.S. and a COVID-19 crisis that a move would leave them
territory is bracing for bil- officials estimate will have bankrupt.
lions of dollars in losses as a $5.7 billion impact on the Omar Marrero, execu-
a result of shrinking tax rev- economy in its request for a tive director of the Puerto
enue and a drop in tourists, delay in austerity measures. Rico's Fiscal Agency and
among other factors. "Puerto Rico must be realis- Financial Advisory Author-
The filing came as the U.S. tic and prudent in conserv- ity, said in a statement that
Federal Emergency Man- ing its resources in prepa- he hopes to reach "reason-
agement Agency an- ration for unknown and able agreements" with the
City workers, wearing protective face masks as a precaution nounced it was extending unexpected events that board in upcoming weeks
against the spread of the new coronavirus, remove debris its suspension of field oper- are becoming increasingly regarding the revised fiscal
caused by a 5.4-magnitude earthquake, in Ponce, Puerto Rico, ations related to a series of inevitable," the plan states. plan.
Saturday, May 2, 2020. earthquakes due to a coro- The federal control board The plan was filed on Sun-
Associated Press
navirus lockdown. did not immediately re- day, exactly three years
By DANICA COTO board to delay austerity A magnitude 5.5 earth- spond to a request for after Puerto Rico filed for
Associated Press measures for at least two quake on Saturday caused comment. the biggest U.S. municipal
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) years and warned it doesn't damage in several south- It's unclear whether it would bankruptcy ever after an-
— Puerto Rico's govern- have enough money to ern towns, continuing a accept the proposed nouncing it could not pay
ment said Monday it has pay bondholders as it strug- string of quakes that be- changes, which include a its more than $70 billion
asked a federal control gles with the costs of recent gan in late December and rejection of pension cuts public debt load.q