Page 25 - AHATA

A8 WORLD NEWS
Friday 13 March 2020
EU condemns Trump travel ban from Europe as virus spreads

By LORNE COOK and SAM- deal limiting Iran's nuclear
UEL PETREQUIN development.
Associated Press The exact impact of the
BRUSSELS (AP) — European U.S. travel restrictions is un-
Union leaders on Thursday clear, The United States has
lashed out at President not had an ambassador in
Donald Trump's decision to Brussels since Trump fired
restrict travel from Europe the previous envoy, Gor-
to the United States be- don Sondland, last month.
cause of the new corona- Asked what immediate ac-
virus, calling the the pan- tion the European Union
demic a global crisis that might take in response,
"requires cooperation rath- European Commission
er than unilateral action." spokesman Eric Mamer
Trump, who had called CO- said that the EU "isn't in the
VID-19 a "foreign virus" and habit of shooting from the
claimed that European hip."
travelers "seeded" infection "Good policy-making re-
clusters in the United States, quires reflection," Mamer
said late Wednesday that said.
all European travel would As Brussels absorbed the
be cut off. news from Washington,
U.S. officials later said the European Council President Charles Michel participates in a videoconference call with EU leaders borders went up in Europe
entry ban only would apply at the European Council building in Brussels, Tuesday, March 10, 2020. in reaction to the coronavi-
to most foreign citizens who Associated Press rus pandemic.
have been inside Europe's The government of the
passport-free travel zone said. Trump is an ally of Prime probably one in the same." Czech eEpublic, which has
during the 14 days prior to Europe's passport and vi- Minister Boris Johnson and The ban on travelers from 112 confirmed virus cases,
their arrival in the United sa-free Schengen travel supported Britain's depar- Europe was the latest ac- declared a state of emer-
States. area comprises 26 coun- ture from the EU. The U.S. tion taken by Trump since gency Thursday. Prime
"The European Union disap- tries including EU members leader also owns three golf he came to office that ap- Minister Andrej Babis said
proves of the fact that the France, Italy, Germany, resorts in the U.K. and Ire- pears to target the EU, a travelers from 15 countries
U.S. decision to impose a Greece, Austria and Bel- land. major trading partner with would be denied entry to
travel ban was taken uni- gium, where the bloc has Around 400 flights cross the several member countries the country starting at mid-
laterally and without con- its headquarters, but also Atlantic from Europe to the that are also U.S. allies in night Friday if they aren't
sultation," European Coun- others like Switzerland, Nor- United States each day, NATO. citizens.
cil President Charles Michel way and Iceland. according to flight tracker Trump has slapped tar- The countries include not
and European Commission The measures announced FlightAware. iffs on steel and aluminum only China, South Korea
President Ursula von der by Trump don't apply to Trump defended his deci- imports from Europe and and Iran, but Italy, Spain,
Leyen said in a joint state- the United Kingdom, where sion to not notify all Europe- threatened broader trade France, Denmark, Austria,
ment. the number of confirmed an Union leaders before he action, notably against Eu- Germany, Switzerland,
"The coronavirus is a glob- cases has reached almost announced the temporary ropean automakers. Trump Sweden, Norway, the Neth-
al crisis, not limited to any 460, with eight deaths, or travel restrictions. has also abandoned an in- erlands, Belgium and the
continent, and it requires Ireland, which isn't part of "When they raise taxes on ternational climate agree- U.K. Czech citizens also
cooperation rather than Schengen, and has 43 cas- us, they don't consult us," ment backed by France, were barred from traveling
unilateral action," the two es. Trump said. "I think that's as well as the EU sponsored to those countries. q

Thunderstorms bring widespread flooding to Egypt, killing 5

By NOHA ELHENNAWY footage circulated on so- Hurghada. Nile River cruises
Associated Press cial media showed flooded between the southern cities
CAIRO (AP) — Thunder- roads, damaged bus shel- of Luxor and Aswan, which
storms packing heavy rains ters and broken windows harbor most of ancient
and lightning caused wide- around the country. Egypt's monuments, were
spread flooding across In western New Valley suspended and several key
Egypt on Thursday, killing at province, a technician was highways were closed.
least five people and injur- electrocuted while trying The country's railway au-
ing five others, officials said to fix a lighting column that thorities suspended train
as authorities shuttered went off due to the rain, lo- service nationwide, citing
schools, government offic- cal officials said. the bad weather. The an-
es and an airport. In southern Sohag prov- nouncement came shortly
A child died and five peo- ince, a 35-year-old by- after two Cairo-bound
ple were injured when stander died under the trains collided near their
floods demolished their rubble of a wall that was final destination, injuring
houses in a rural area in the knocked down by wind. A man wears makeshift rain gear as he navigates a flooded 13 people, according to
southern province of Qena, A 60-year-old man was road after heavy rains in the Zamalek district of Cairo, Egypt, health officials. Railroad of-
where lightning ignited sev- electrocuted as he walked Thursday, March 12, 2020. ficials later said in a state-
eral fires. Also in Qena, a down the street in his vil- Associated Press ment the collision was due
motorist was killed when lage in the Delta province International Airport, a key ranean port of Alexandria to a signal system error
winds blew his car into a of Menoufeya. hub for tourists, and three and the Red Sea ports caused by the bad weath-
canal. Photos and video Authorities shut down Luxor seaports — the Mediter- of Sharm el-Sheikh and er. q