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WORLD NEWS Dialuna 14 Februari 2022

Macron not a candidate yet but campaigning for reelection

(AP) — He has a full cam- decline. time,” he said.
paign team that’s fanning
out around France, meet- “Is Emmanuel Macron using Yet his recent trips across
ing with voters. He makes the health crisis to start cam- French regions tend to in-
speeches about his future paigning? The answer is yes,” creasingly look like campaign
plans for the country. The Marine Le Pen, the other far- events.
problem? French Presi- right candidate, charged. Like
dent Emmanuel Macron the U.S. and most European A visit this month to north-
hasn’t officially declared countries, France recently ern France, during which he
that he’s a candidate for started easing most virus re- announced an additional 100
April’s presidential elec- strictions as the infection rate million euros ($113 million)
tion yet. slows down. to boost the economy in a
former mining area, was fol-
Critics say he’s unfairly using Macron also explained he lowed by dozens of journal-
his taxpayer-funded presi- wanted to focus on the ists from national and inter-
dential pulpit to campaign for cron’s intention is no mys- didacy is March 4. Ukraine-Russia crisis first. national media. A meeting
a second term while dragging tery. He said last month that On the flight between Mos- with local officials included
out his widely expected an- he has “the desire” to run for Far-right presidential con- cow and Kyiv last week, he a key political rival from The
nouncement as long as pos- a second term, but he wanted tender Eric Zemmour ac- told reporters that he will Republicans party, Xavier
sible. to wait for the COVID-19 cused Macron of trying to “think about” declaring his Bertrand, who is actively
situation to improve before use the pandemic to make candidacy later. campaigning with conserva-
Less than two months before making a decision. The dead- French voters forget about tive candidate Valérie Pécres-
April 10′s first round, Ma- line to formally declare can- what he considers France’s “Everything comes in due se.

Police arrest protesters who remained at US-Canada bridge

(AP) — Police moved in day persuaded demonstrators ed her former federal col-
to clear and arrest the re- to move their pickup trucks leagues as well as the prov-
maining protesters near and others cars that they used ince and city for not putting
the busiest U.S.-Canadian to block a crossing that sees an end to the protests.
border crossing on Sun- 25% of all trade between the
day, ending a demonstra- two countries. Trudeau has so far rejected
tion against COVID-19 calls to use the military, but
restrictions that has hurt U.S. President Joe Biden’s had said that “all options are
the economy of both na- administration on Sunday on the table” to end the pro-
tions even as they held acknowledged the seem- tests. Trudeau has called the
back from a crackdown ingly peaceful resolution to protesters a “fringe” of Cana-
on a larger protest in the the demonstration, which it dian society. Both federal and
capital, Ottawa. said had “widespread dam- provincial politicians have Ontario Premier Doug Ford tions.
aging impacts” on the “lives said they can’t order police declared a state of emergency On the other side of the
Local and national police and livelihoods of people” on what to do. allowing for fines of 100,000 country, a major truck bor-
formed a joint command both sides of the border. Canadian dollars and up to der crossing between Sur-
center in Ottawa, where pro- Ottawa police said in a state- one year in jail for anyone il- rey, British Columbia, and
tests have paralyzed down- In Ottawa, the ranks of pro- ment late Saturday that a joint legally blocking roads, bridg- Blaine, Washington, was
town, infuriated residents testers swelled to what po- command center had been es, walkways and other criti- closed on Sunday, a day af-
who are fed up with police lice said were 4,000 demon- established with the Ontario cal infrastructure. ter Canadian authorities said
inaction and turned up pres- strators by Saturday, and a Provincial Police and the a few vehicles had breached
sure on Prime Minister Jus- counter-protest of frustrated Royal Canadian Mounted Partial closures at the bridge police barricades and a crowd
tin Trudeau. Ottawa residents attempting Police. They said that would started on Feb. 7 and by mid- entered the area by foot.
to block the convoy of trucks beef up enforcement capa- week the disruption was so
The protests have reverber- from entering the downtown bilities that had been limited severe that automakers be- The RCMP issued a state-
ated across the country and emerged Sunday. by “safety concerns — arising gan shutting down or reduc- ment saying that while no
beyond, with similar convoys from aggressive, illegal be- ing production. The standoff one had been injured, the ac-
in France, New Zealand and The city has seen similar ex- havior by many demonstra- came at a time when the in- tions were dangerous and be-
the Netherlands. The U.S. pansions of the protest on tors.” dustry is already struggling to ing investigated.
Department of Homeland past weekends, and loud mu- maintain production in the
Security warned that truck sic played as people milled Police earlier issued a state- face of pandemic-induced A border crossing in Alberta
convoys may be in the works about downtown where anti- ment calling the protest an shortages of computer chips remained shut down as well.
in the United States. vaccine demonstrators have unlawful occupation and and other supply-chain dis-
been encamped since late saying they were waiting for ruptions. While the protesters are de-
Windsor police said about January. reinforcements before im- crying vaccine mandates for
12 people were peacefully plementing a plan to end the The 67-year-old has been out truckers and other COV-
arrested and seven vehicles “The whole city is furious demonstrations. supporting the protest for the ID-19 restrictions, many of
were towed just after dawn at being abandoned by the past four days. She said she Canada’s public health mea-
near the Ambassador Bridge people who are supposed to Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson appreciated that police have sures, such as mask rules and
that links their city — and protect us. They have com- declared a state of emergen- been patient. vaccine passports for getting
numerous Canadian auto- pletely abandoned the rule cy last week for the capital, into restaurants and theaters,
motive plants — with De- of law. ′′@OttawaPolice′′ where hundreds of trucks re- In Ottawa, 31-year-old are already falling away as the
troit. have lost credibility. #Ot- mained in front of the Parlia- Stephanie Ravensbergen omicron surge levels off.
tawaPoliceFailed,” tweeted ment Buildings and demon- said she turned out to sup-
It was not immediately clear Artur Wilczynski, a senior strators have set up portable port her aunt and uncle who Pandemic restrictions have
when the bridge might open government national security toilets outside the prime min- have parked their semi in the been far stricter there than in
but Windsor’s Mayor Drew official at Canada’s Commu- ister’s office where Trudeau’s streets since the beginning of the U.S., but Canadians have
Kiklens said he hoped it nications Security Establish- motorcade usually parks. the protest. She opposes vac- largely supported them. The
would be Sunday. ment. cine and mask requirements, vast majority of Canadians
On Friday, a judge ordered and said it’s important for are vaccinated, and the COV-
Only a few protesters had re- A former minister in an end to the blockade at schoolchildren to be able see ID-19 death rate is one-third
mained after police on Satur- Trudeau’s Cabinet also blast- the crossing in Windsor and their friends’ faces and emo- that of the United States.