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world news Diahuebs 12 augustus 2021

Germany to provide $35 billion in aid for flood-hit regions

(AP) — The German gov- Germany and hundreds more shared more or less evenly by
ernment agreed Tuesday were injured in the July 14- the federal government and
to provide 30 billion euros 15 floods, which also claimed states, with the latter’s pay-
($35 billion) to help re- lives in neighboring Bel- ments spread over 30 years.
build regions hit by dev- gium. Heavy rainfall turned
astating floods last month. small streams into raging tor- The two sides also agreed to
rents, sweeping away houses, establish a nationwide siren
Chancellor Angela Merkel bridges and cars. network and introduce a sys-
and the heads of Germany’s tem that will allow authori-
16 states approved the state A United Nations science ties to send push messages to
flood aid package, which still panel released a report this people’s cellphones to warn
needs parliament’s endorse- week predicting that such them of possible disasters.
ment. extreme weather events will Prosecutors are investigat-
become more frequent as the ing whether officials failed to
“This is significantly more planet heats up further. adequately alert residents on
than we had for previous the night of the floods.
floods,” Merkel told report- The cost of the German aid
ers in Berlin. package — agreed just weeks The government will also
before the country’s national examine the possibility of surance for floods and other
More than 180 people died in election on Sept. 26 — will be introducing a compulsory in- weather-related damages.

China sentences Canadian to 11 years in case tied to Huawei

(AP) — A Canadian entre- Dec. 1, 2018, at the Vancou- Justin Trudeau later said the onstration by solidarity from tinue.”
preneur was sentenced to ver airport. trial “did not satisfy even the our international partners.”
11 years in prison Wednes- minimum standards required Diplomats from the United
day in a spying case linked Spavor was sentenced by a by international law.” Meng, the chief financial of- States and Germany went to
to Beijing’s effort to push court in Dandong, about 210 ficer of Huawei Technolo- the detention center in Dan-
his country to release an miles (340 kilometers) east of Spavor has two weeks to de- gies Ltd. and daughter of the dong but weren’t allowed in,
executive of tech giant Beijing on the North Korean cide whether to appeal, ac- company’s founder, was ar- according to Barton.
Huawei, prompting an border. The government has cording to Barton. rested on U.S. charges of ly-
unusual joint show of sup- released few details other ing to the Hong Kong arm of “Our collective presence and
port for Canada by the than to accuse Spavor of “While we disagree with the the British bank HSBC about voice send a strong message
United States and 24 other passing along sensitive infor- charges, we realize that this possible dealings with Iran in to China and the Chinese
governments. mation to the former diplo- is the next step in the process violation of trade sanctions. government that the eyes of
mat, Michael Kovrig, begin- to bring Michael home, and the world are watching,” the
China is stepping up pressure ning in 2017. Both have been we will continue to support Meng’s lawyers argue the ambassador said.
as a Canadian judge hears fi- held in isolation and have him through this challenging case is politically motivated
nal arguments about whether little contact with Canadian time,” Spavor’s family said in and what she is accused of Barton said Chinese authori-
to send the Huawei executive diplomats. a statement. isn’t a crime in Canada. ties cited photos taken by
to the United States to face Spavor at airports that in-
charges related to possible The Canadian government “Michael’s life passion has China’s government has cluded military aircraft.
violations of trade sanctions condemned Spavor’s sen- been to bring different cul- criticized the arrest as part
on Iran. On Tuesday, a court tence. It said he and Kovrig tures together through tour- of U.S. efforts to hamper its “A lot of it was around the
rejected another Canadian’s are “detained arbitrarily” and ism and events shared be- technology development. photo evidence,” the ambas-
appeal of his sentence in a called for their immediate re- tween the Korean peninsula Huawei, a maker of network sador said. “He obviously had
drug case that was abruptly lease. and other countries including equipment and smartphones, a different view on that.”
increased to death after the China and Canada,” his fam- is China’s first global tech
executive’s arrest. The legal process in Spavor’s ily said. “This situation has brand and is at the center of Spavor worked in China
case “lacked both fairness and not dampened, but strength- U.S.-Chinese tension over but had extensive links with
Entrepreneur Michael Spa- transparency,” said Ambassa- ened his passion.” technology and the security North Korea in tourism and
vor and a former Canadian dor Dominic Barton outside of information systems. other commercial ventures
diplomat were detained in a detention center where the Diplomats from the United that brought him into contact
what critics labeled “hos- sentence was announced. States, Japan, Britain, Aus- Beijing denies there is a con- with the isolated communist
tage politics” after Huawei’s tralia, Germany and other nection between Meng’s case state’s leadership. The Cana-
Meng Wanzhou was arrested Canadian Prime Minister European countries plus the and the arrests of Spavor and dian Embassy noted Spavor
European Union gathered Kovrig, but Chinese officials had been held for 975 days as
at the Canadian Embassy in and state media frequently of Wednesday.
Beijing in a show of support. mention the two men in rela-
They also have issued sepa- tion to whether or not Meng Barton met with Spavor after
rate appeals for Spavor and is allowed to return to China. the sentencing and said he
Kovrig to receive fair trials or sent three messages: “Thank
to be released. Earlier, Barton said he didn’t you for all your support, it
think it was a coincidence the means a lot to me. Two, I am
“The practice of arbitrarily cases in China were happen- in good spirits. And three, I
detaining individuals to ex- ing while Meng’s case was want to get home.”
ercise leverage over foreign advancing in Vancouver.
governments is completely “He’s strong, resilient, fo-
unacceptable,” U.S. Secre- Asked whether Canada was cused on what’s happening,”
tary of State Antony Blinken negotiating over possibly Barton said. “We had a very
said in a statement. “People sending Meng home in ex- good conversation.”
should never be used as bar- change for the release of de-
gaining chips.” tained Canadians, Barton Kovrig, who also was de-
said, “there are intensive ef- tained in December 2018,
Canadian Foreign Minister forts and discussions. I don’t stood trial in March. There
Marc Garneau said his coun- want to talk in any detail has been no word on when a
try was “moved by the dem- about that. But that will con- verdict might be announced.