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world news Diaranson 23 December 2020

Britain finds itself isolated and uncertain ahead of Brexit

(AP) — Over 2,800 strand- zens with EU residency, back in Britain, the second-high-
ed truck drivers hoped to into the country if they had a est death toll in Europe, be-
get the green light Tues- negative virus test in the pre- hind Italy’s 69,000.
day to leave Britain and ceding 72 hours. Over the weekend, Prime
get back home for Christ- Castex said no decision had Minister Boris Johnson im-
mas as the country found been made yet on cargo traf- posed strict lockdown mea-
itself increasingly isolated fic but that he expected a so- sures in London and neigh-
and its trade bottled up, lution “in the coming hours.” boring areas amid mounting
cut off by neighbors afraid Britain’s transport secretary, concerns over the new vari-
of a new version of the Grant Shapps, said “good ant. He scrapped a planned
coronavirus circulating in progress” had been made in relaxation of rules over
England. discussions with French au- Christmastime for millions
thorities. of people and banned indoor
More than 630 trucks snaked British retailers have become mixing of households. Only
along a major highway in increasingly concerned about essential travel will be per-
southeast England near the the blockage at the ports, mitted.
English Channel ports, while given that 10,000 trucks pass In Switzerland, meanwhile,
almost 2,200 others crowded witnessing an alarming rise three months, too, probably.” through Dover every day, ac- authorities are trying to track
into an unused airport on in infections, with a record For the drivers, it has been counting for about 20% of an estimated 10,000 people
Day 2 of an ordeal that be- 36,800 reported on Tues- a grim couple of days, with the country’s trade in goods. who have arrived by plane
gan when dozens of nations day, and is facing deep un- some complaining about the Andrew Opie, director of from Britain since Dec. 14,
banned flights from the U.K. certainty over its final exit lack of toilet facilities and food and sustainability at the and has ordered them to
and France barred entry to its from the European Union in food. British Retail Consortium, quarantine for 10 days. Swit-
trucks. less than two weeks. Despite “My family is waiting for me, warned of potential shortages zerland was one of the 40-
France’s prime minister said the looming deadline, the my children, my daughter, of fresh vegetables and fruit odd countries to ban flights
Tuesday evening that he country has yet to work out my son, my wife,” said Greg after Christmas if the borders from Britain over the new
expected a solution to the its post-Brexit trade arrange- Mazurek of Poland. “It was are not “running pretty much variant.
standoff in a matter of hours. ments with the EU. supposed to be a very quick freely” by Wednesday. The quarantine order is likely
The precautions that France “What is so bad to me, is not trip, three to four days max. The problem, he explained, to affect thousands of Britons
and others imposed were just this new mutation, but I spent in the U.K. 10 min- is that the empty trucks sit- who may have already head-
prompted by a new variant the fact that we have been utes in the gas station and 20 ting in England can’t reach ed to Swiss ski resorts. Un-
of the virus that is believed to so bad at dealing with the minutes unloading, and now the continent to pick up de- like many of its neighbors,
be more contagious, though pandemic, and it now looks I need to wait two days here liveries for Britain. Switzerland has left most
experts say it does not appear like we’re heading for what’s in the port in Dover.” “They need to get back to of its slopes open, attracting
to be more deadly or vaccine- called a perfect storm with Drivers held out hope their places like Spain to pick up enthusiasts from around Eu-
resistant. A similar one has the mutation 70% more in- ordeal might end within the next consignment of rope.
emerged in South Africa. fectious and Brexit all at the hours. The prospects seemed raspberries and strawberries, “Do not leave your room or
On an island nation that re- same time,” said 73-year-old to improve Tuesday when and they need to get back residence and avoid all con-
lies heavily on its commercial Jim Gibson of London. the EU’s executive arm rec- within the next day or so, tacts,” Switzerland’s public
links to the continent, the “People are really struggling ommended a lifting of the otherwise we will see disrup- health agency urged vaca-
travel bans stoked fears of to get their heads round one bans and French Prime Min- tion,” he said. tioning Britons and South
Christmastime food short- of these, let alone both — and ister Jean Castex announced The virus is blamed for 1.7 Africans. It warned they face
ages. now we’re being told we may France would allow EU trav- million deaths worldwide, potential fines of 10,000
At the same time, Britain is have eaten our last lettuce for elers, along with British citi- including more than 68,000 Swiss francs ($11,250).

Thousands protest in Armenia, demand PM’s resignation

(AP) — Opposition sup- opposition supporters erect- day to push for Pashinyan’s
porters in Armenia on ed tents on Yerevan’s main resignation.
Tuesday ramped up pres- square. The opposition also called on
sure on the prime minister Ishkhan Saghatelyan, a lead- Pashinyan’s My Step coali-
to resign over his handling ing member of the opposi- tion, which currently has the
of the Nagorno-Karabakh tion Dashnaktsutyun party, majority of seats in the par-
conflict with Azerbai- said protesters will stay on liament, to sit down for talks
jan, setting up a protest the square until Pashinyan on Tuesday — a demand it
tent camp on the capital’s resigns. “Tomorrow we will ignored.
main square. take even more resolute ac- Opposition parties initiated a
tion,” he said. parliament session Wednes-
Opposition politicians and In several other parts of Ar- day to push for the lifting
their supporters have been menia, local officials have of martial law, charging that
demanding that Nikol Pa- joined the call for Pashinyan the government has used the
shinyan step down over the to resign and protesters were measure to keep a lid on pro-
Nov. 10 peace deal that saw reported to have blocked sev- tests.
Azerbaijan reclaim control eral major roads.
over large parts of Nagorno- On Monday, Pashinyan was Nagorno-Karabakh lies with-
Karabakh and surrounding forced to cut short his trip to in Azerbaijan but was under rounding areas in six weeks than a quarter-century.
areas. The Russia-brokered the southern Syunik prov- the control of ethnic Arme- of fighting involving heavy The peace deal was hailed
agreement ended 44 days of ince after a local mayor urged nian forces backed by Arme- artillery and drones that left in Azerbaijan as a major tri-
fierce fighting in which the residents to deny entrance nia since a separatist war there more than 5,600 people dead umph, but sparked outrage
Azerbaijani army routed Ar- to his motorcade. Police ar- ended in 1994. That war left on both sides. and mass protests in Armenia
menian forces. rested the mayor of Goris, Nagorno-Karabakh itself and The Russian-brokered peace where thousands repeatedly
but a court in Yerevan ruled substantial surrounding ter- agreement obliged Arme- took to the streets. Pashin-
Tens of thousands of dem- Tuesday to release him from ritory in Armenian hands. nian forces to surrender large yan has defended the deal as
onstrators swarmed govern- custody. Hostilities flared up in late parts of Nagorno-Karabakh a painful but necessary move
ment buildings in Yerevan, As protests spread, hundreds September and the Azerbai- and hand over the territories that prevented Azerbaijan
chanting “Nikol, go away!” of lawyers joined the demon- jani military pushed deep into around the separatist region from overrunning the entire
Several hours into the rally, strations in Yerevan on Tues- Nagorno-Karabakh and sur- they had controlled for more Nagorno-Karabakh region.