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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 15 december 2020

Dutch leader announces tough new nationwide virus lockdown

By MIKE CORDER ahead of a Cabinet meet-
Associated Press ing to discuss action to rein
THE HAGUE, Netherlands in the spread of the virus.
(AP) — Dutch Prime Minis- “We see the infection num-
ter Mark Rutte imposed a bers rising sharply in recent
tough new five-week na- days, we see that hospital
tionwide lockdown Mon- admissions are increasing
day, saying schools, non- again, the pressure on the
essential shops, museums health care sector remains
and gyms will close down high.” Rutte’s speech Mon-
at midnight until Jan. 19. day evening came a day
“We have to bite through after neighboring Germany
this very sour apple before announced similar coro-
things get better,” a som- navirus restrictions in an
ber Rutte said in a televised attempt to reduce its stub-
address to the nation. bornly high infection rates.
As Rutte spoke from his of- Those measures also go
fice in The Hague, protest- well into January.
ers could be heard blowing And earlier Monday, British
whistles outside. Health Secretary Matt Han-
“The reality is that this is is cock announced that Lon-
not an innocent flu as some don and surrounding areas
people — like the demon- will be placed under the
strators outside — think,” Shoppers walk down Kalverstraat in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020. highest level of coronavirus
Rutte said. “But a virus that Associated Press restrictions from Wednes-
can hit everybody hard.” people can visit on those to beat the lockdown. since mid-October, al- day in a bid to slow sharply
From Tuesday, all non-es- normally festive days. “It’s ridiculous at the mo- though many restaurants, rising infection rates.
sential shops will close until “We realize as a Cabinet ment,” said Bart van der cafes and coffeeshops Under Tier 3 restrictions, the
Jan. 19 along with busi- how intense and drastic Wal at the Tweede Kamer have offered takeout sales. toughest level in England’s
nesses such as hair salons, the measures we are tak- coffeeshop in a narrow al- The partial lockdown ini- three-tier system, people
museums and theaters. All ing today are,” Rutte said. ley near Amsterdam’s fa- tially slowed high infection can’t socialize indoors and
schools and universities will “Especially so close to mous canals, where clients rates, but they have been bars, pubs and restaurants
have to switch to remote Christmas.” As news of the were lined up around the rising again in recent days. must close except for take-
learning from Wednesday. looming lockdown leaked corner. “Everybody thinks The 7-day rolling average out. Around 10,000 people
Child daycare centers will out before Rutte’s speech, the coffeeshops will be of daily new cases in Neth- in the Netherlands are con-
be closed to all except chil- many people keen to take closed tomorrow.” erlands has risen over the firmed to have died of CO-
dren of key workers. their last chance at Christ- Van der Wal said he hoped past two weeks from 29.22 VID-19 since the start of the
The government also urged mas shopping flocked into coffeeshops would be al- new cases per 100,000 peo- outbreak.
people to receive a maxi- city centers. lowed to stay open for ple on Nov. 29 to 47.47 per Rutte said that with vacci-
mum of two guests over Lines formed Monday af- takeout “because other- 100,000 people on Dec. 13. nations starting in the new
the age of 13 per day, but ternoon at shops, museums wise people will deal on “It’s serious. It’s very seri- year, 2021 would be a year
relaxed the rule slightly for and even pot-selling cof- the street.” Bars and res- ous,” Health Minister Hugo “of hope, of light at the end
Dec. 24-26, saying three fee shops as people tried taurants have been closed de Jonge said Monday of the tunnel.” q

ICC prosecutor slams ‘wholly unacceptable’ U.S. sanctions

next year. In September, es its aggressive policy of the court’s 123 member
Secretary of State Mike antagonism towards the states at the meeting that
Pompeo announced a court. No one wins from started Monday to “seize
freeze on assets held in the such attacks.” the opportunity of an in-
U.S. or subject to U.S. law by It is not yet clear how the coming U.S. administration
Bensouda and the court’s vexed relationship be- to signal expectations that
head of jurisdiction, Phakiso tween the U.S. and the the U.S. will engage with
Mochochoko. Earlier in the global court will change the court in a manner that
year, the U.S. slapped a when President-elect Joe respects the court’s Rome
travel ban on Bensouda Biden takes office next Statute, the global rule of
and other court officials year. law, and victims’ access to
investigating American Washington has long been justice.”
troops and intelligence of- wary of the court and the Part of the agenda for
ficials and those of allied reach of its power. Former this week’s meeting of the
nations, including Israel, for U.S. President Bill Clinton court’s member states is
possible war crimes in Af- signed the Rome Statute to choose a successor for
In this Wednesday, April 4, 2018 file photo, chief prosecutor ghanistan and elsewhere. treaty that established the Bensouda, who is close to
Fatou Bensouda waits at the International Criminal Court in The Bensouda said that the court on Dec. 31, 2000, but completing her nine-year
Hague, Netherlands. measures were an attack President George W. Bush term in office. It is not clear
Associated Press on the court and its mem- renounced the signature, if the selection process
By MIKE CORDER day at sanctions slapped ber states and represented citing fears that Americans will be completed at the
Associated Press on her by the Trump Admin- “a dangerous precedent would be unfairly prosecut- meeting or pushed into
THE HAGUE, Netherlands istration in her final speech for a rule-based interna- ed for political reasons. next year. Bensouda said
(AP) — The outgoing pros- to an annual gathering of tional system.” Human Rights Watch has she aimed to complete the
ecutor of the International the court’s member states She said: “It is my sincere called on Biden to scrap handover to her successor
Criminal Court hit out Mon- before she leaves office hope that the U.S. revers- the sanctions and urged by mid-2021.q