Page 30 - bon-dia-aruba-20201010

A30 world news
Diasabra 10 OctOber 2020

Switzerland says Swiss hostage in Mali has been killed

(AP) — Switzerland's For- recently released French hos-
eign Ministry said Friday tage," the ministry said.
that a Swiss woman who French aid worker, Sophie
was held hostage in Mali Petronin, was released with
has been killed by an Is- Italians Rev. Pierluigi Mac-
lamist group. calli and Nicola Chiacchio,
and prominent Malian poli-
The ministry said it was in- tician Soumaila Cisse this
formed by French authorities week, days after the Malian
that the hostage, whose name government released nearly
wasn't published, had been 200 Islamic militants in an
"killed by kidnappers of the apparent prisoner exchange.
Islamist terrorist organiza- The fate of at least four
tion Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam other foreign hostages held
Muslimeen about a month by JNIM and its associates
ago." wasn't immediately known.
The group, known as JNIM, The Swiss Foreign Minis-
is Mali's branch of al-Qaida. try said it was trying to find
Switzerland's foreign minis- out more about the circum-
ter condemned the killing of stances of the killing and the
the hostage, whose release his whereabouts of the hostage's
country had quietly been try- remains.
ing to negotiate since she was our fellow citizen," Ignazio to the relatives." still unclear. Swiss media reported that the
kidnapped four years ago. Cassis said in a statement. "I Cassis said the exact circum- "The information about the woman was a Christian mis-
"It was with great sadness condemn this cruel act and stances of the killing of the killing was obtained by the sionary from the northwest-
that I learned of the death of express my deepest sympathy Swiss hostage are currently French authorities from the ern city of Basel.

Spanish govt imposes state of emergency in virus-hit Madrid

(AP) — Spain's govern- response. Those differences, just isolated outbreaks, at a stores at 10 p.m.. Both must tional government's imposi-
ment declared a state of and the changing rules, have crucial juncture as winter limit occupancy to 50% of tion of restrictions violated
emergency in Madrid on often dismayed and confused approaches and respiratory their capacity. people's fundamental liber-
Friday, wresting control of local residents. problems increase. The national government ties.
efforts to fight the spread "Well, it is all very nauseat- "Action is needed, and to- had ordered police in Madrid The spat has taken place
of COVID-19 from lo- ing," Vicente de la Torre, day we couldn't just stand to fine people if they left their against a backdrop of political
cal authorities in a region a 22-year-old Madrid me- by and do nothing," Illa said. municipalities without justi- differences: Spain's national
that is experiencing one of chanic, told The Associated "It's very important that this fication. More than 7,000 po- government is led by the cen-
Europe's most significant Press. "We have no idea what doesn't spread to the rest of lice officers will now be de- ter-left Socialist party, while
coronavirus outbreaks. we should do or what we the country." ployed to ensure the restric- the Madrid region is run by
shouldn't do." The Madrid region's 14-day tions are observed, Interior the country's main opposi-
The step, which took im- The government announced infection rate of 563 coro- Minister Fernando Grande- tion party, the conservative
mediate effect and lasts for the state of emergency after navirus cases per 100,000 Marlaska said. Popular Party.
two weeks, forced Madrid a hastily arranged Cabinet residents is more than twice But Madrid's conservative re- "It seems to me like an ideo-
authorities to restore restric- meeting in the wake of the Spain's national average of gional government opposed logical war that is trying to
tions on travel that had been court ruling. Health Minister 256 and five times the Euro- those restrictions, saying they show who has more power,"
introduced by the national Salvador Illa said the previ- pean average rate of 113 for were draconian and hurt the said 18-year-old student
government but were struck ous measures would come the week ending Sept. 27. economy. Madrid's regional Marta Illo. "They (the Span-
down the previous day by a back into force and that only The central government's president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, ish government) don't really
Madrid court ruling. the legal framework for them measures prohibit all non- said her own, more moder- like the regional government
That successful legal chal- was changing. essential trips in and out of ate measures were enough to of Madrid. And we the peo-
lenge by Madrid officials was He told a press conference it the capital and nine of its fight COVID-19. ple of Madrid are paying the
part of a long quarrel between was "undeniable" that there suburbs, affecting some 4.8 A Madrid court on Thursday price for a fight that is really
the country's main political is community transmission million people. Restaurants upheld the regional govern- political and has nothing to
parties over their coronavirus in the Madrid region, not must close at 11 p.m. and ment's appeal, saying the na- do with us."

Greece: Sentencing hearings for Golden Dawn to resume Monday

(AP) — An Athens court has ex- Lawyers representing the former par- Founded as a Nazi-inspired group in cal attacks against Egyptian fishermen
tended to Monday a sentencing liament members, including party the 1980s, Golden Dawn remained in 2012 and on left-wing activists in
hearing for leading members and leader Nikos Michaloliakos, are pre- on the far fringes of politics until 2013, and whether Golden Dawn was
associates of Greece's far-right senting mitigating circumstances in- Greece's brutal, near-decade-long operating as a criminal organization.
Golden Dawn convicted earlier cluding ill-health and lack of prior financial crisis that began in 2009. Giorgos Roupakias, accused of be-
this week of multiple crimes. De- convictions for many of those con- It grew in support to eventually be- ing a party supporter who delivered
fense lawyers Friday for 18 for- victed. come the country's third-largest the fatal stab wounds to Fyssas, was
mer party lawmakers and dozens party. Considered a model for many found guilty of murder, possession
of other members and supporters Seven of the former lawmakers, in- extreme-right groups in Europe and and use of a weapon, and faces a po-
presented arguments for more le- cluding Michaloliakos and current beyond, it won parliamentary seats in tential life sentence. Fifteen others —
nient sentences for a second day. European Parliament member Ioan- four elections from 2012 until 2019, none of them former lawmakers —
nis Lagos, have been found guilty of when its popularity plummeted and were convicted as accomplices.
The lengthy sentencing procedure is leading a criminal organization, and it failed to elect any legislators. None of the former lawmakers,
the final chapter in a more than five- face five to 15 years in prison. The The trial against party lawmakers, who had all served the maximum 18
year politically charged trial that en- other 11 were found guilty of par- members and supporters was sparked months in pre-trial detention, ap-
compassed four cases and involved 68 ticipating in a criminal organization, by the 2013 fatal stabbing of left-wing peared in court for the verdict on
defendants, more than 200 witnesses which carries a potential sentence of Greek rapper Pavlos Fyssas, and en- Wednesday or during the sentencing
and over 60 lawyers. five to 10 years. compassed another three cases: physi- procedure.