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WORLD NEWS Friday 13 November 2020
Tunnel plan near Stonehenge gets UK government consent

By PAN PYLAS ing authority in full before
Associated Press responding further."
LONDON (AP) — The British Stonehenge, which is one
government went against of the world's most famous
the recommendations of prehistoric monuments,
planning officials Thursday was built on the flat lands
when it approved con- of Salisbury Plain in stages,
troversial plans for a road starting 5,000 years ago,
tunnel to be built near the with the unique stone circle
prehistoric monument of erected in the late Neolith-
Stonehenge in southern ic period about 2,500 B.C.
England. The site's meaning has
The project, which is aimed been a subject of vigorous
at trying to ease traffic debate through the centu-
along a stretch of road ries, some more seemingly
widely prone to gridlock, more outlandish than oth-
has been touted for de- ers.
cades but has faced vocif- In this Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2013 file photo, visitors take photographs of the world heritage site of English Heritage, a char-
erous opposition from local Stonehenge, England. ity that manages hundreds
residents as well as archae- Associated Press of historic sites, notes sev-
ologists. eral explanations over the
The A303 highway, which is Department for Transport, England, fieldwork is due tions "not to damage" the centuries from Stonehenge
a popular route for motor- Shapps was said to be "sat- to start in late spring next World Heritage Site. It said being a coronation place
ists traveling to and from isfied that on balance the year, with the main five- it will study the decision for Danish kings, a Druid
the southwest of England, need case for the devel- year construction phase "carefully" before meeting temple, a cult center for
is often severely congested opment together with the expected to start by 2023. with colleagues to discuss healing or even an astro-
around the single-lane sec- other benefits identified Opponents, who have a any next steps. nomical computer for pre-
tion of road near Stone- outweigh any harm." six-week window to appeal Hopes that the project dicting eclipses and solar
henge. As part of wide- Proponents of the scheme, to Britain's High Court, have wouldn't win approval events.
spread improvements, a which is widely expected for years voiced worries were raised in June when Nowadays, the charity said
two-mile tunnel will be built to cost in the region of 1.7 about the potential dam- it emerged that a team the interpretation "most
that will effectively remov- billion pounds ($2.2 billion), age to the environment, of archaeologists had dis- generally accepted is that
ing the sight and sound of say it will dramatically ease wildfires and potential ar- covered a ring of at least of a prehistoric temple
traffic passing the site and congestion. chaeological finds under- 20 large shafts within the aligned with the move-
cut journey times. "This transformational ground. World Heritage Site, a short ments of the sun."
The decision by Transport scheme will return the The Stonehenge Alliance, distance from the stones. Whatever it was designed
Secretary Grant Shapps Stonehenge landscape which has campaigned In a statement, the Na- to be, Stonehenge has long
goes against the recom- towards its original setting against the tunnel, said it tional Trust, which looks captured the imagination
mendation of the Plan- and will improve journey "deeply regrets" the de- after 2,100 acres around of the English public and re-
ning Inspectorate, which times for everyone who cision, which is says will Stonehenge, said it had a mains one of the country's
warned of "permanent" travels to and from the be greeted with "shock" "long-standing ambition" to biggest tourist draws. That's
and "irreversible" harm aris- southwest," Highways Eng- around the world. resolve issues relating to the particularly true at the time
ing from the project, un- land Chief Executive Jim The group added that the A303 and that it will "now of the summer and winter
seen in the site's history. O'Sullivan said. plan will breach the U.K.'s take some time to study the solstices, when the sunrise
However, according to the According to Highways international treaty obliga- conclusions of the examin- is greeted by thousands.q

Dutch police hold suspect after shots fired at Saudi embassy

By MIKE CORDER investigation including an curity measures and "took
Associated Press appeal for witnesses. criminal evidence," the
THE HAGUE, Netherlands Later Thursday, police statement added.
(AP) — The Saudi Arabian said they had arrested a The embassy condemned
embassy in The Hague was 40-year-old man from the the attack and praised
sprayed with gunfire early nearby town of Zoetermeer Dutch authorities for their
Thursday, leaving bullet on suspicion of involvement prompt response, saying
holes across the facade in the shooting. The identity it "looks forward to investi-
and in several windows. of the suspect, who was gating the circumstances,
Police said nobody was being held for question- knowing the results and
injured and a man was ar- ing, was not released in line bringing those behind the
rested on suspicion of in- with Dutch privacy rules. incident to justice." Saudi
volvement in the shooting. The official Saudi Press Arabia also urged its citi-
Spokesman Steven van Agency said that the em- zens in the Netherlands to
Santen said police were bassy had witnessed "a exercise caution. Bullet impacts are seen in the windows of Saudi Arabia's em-
alerted around 6 a.m. to cowardly shooting inci- The Dutch foreign ministry bassy in The Hague, Netherlands, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020, after
shots being fired at the dent." said in a statement that it several shot were fired at the building early in the morning.
building on a stately ave- As soon as authorities was taking the shooting Associated Press
nue opposite a canal in the learned of the incident "extremely seriously" and
Dutch city. from embassy officials, they was in close contact with di cemetery where Ameri- ed three people. There
Officers found several bul- cordoned off the area, Saudi authorities. can and European officials was no indication that the
let casings outside the closed the road leading to The shooting came a day were commemorating the shooting in The Hague was
building and launched an the embassy, bolstered se- after an explosion at a Sau- end of World War I wound- linked to the blast.q