Page 32 - Bon dia 3 Sept 2020

A32 world news
Diahuebs 3 september 2020

Former Italian premier Berlusconi tests positive for COVID

ROME (AP) — Italy's for- sible win of the center-right
mer prime minister Silvio opposition.
Berlusconi has tested posi- "(Berlusconi) will continue
tive for COVID-19 after a to support Forza Italia and
precautionary check and will center-right candidates at the
quarantine at home, his press regional and administrative
office said on Wednesday. elections, with daily inter-
Berlusconi, who is 83, is cur- views on papers, TV and so-
rently isolated in his Arcore cial media," his office said in
residence near Milan, his of- a statement.
fice said, adding that he will As Italy continues to battle
continue to work from there against the coronavirus pan-
as he completes the necessary demic – which killed more
quarantine period. than 35,400 people nation-
His personal doctor, Alberto wide – the political leader
Zangrillo, said that the for- known around the world for
mer premier is "asymptom- his personal life was back at
atic," Italian media reported. the center of both political
Reports said Berlusconi con- action and summer gossip.
firmed the news in a private He made headlines last
Zoom conversation with the month after Italian tabloids
women's movement of Forza published pictures of him
Italia, his centrist party. walking hand-in-hand in Sar-
The three-time premier and dinia with his new girlfriend,
media tycoon had been re- Forza Italia lawmaker Marta
cently pictured in Sardinia Fascina, who is 53 years his
with an old friend, business- ing positive to COVID-19 in Berlusconi has recently of regional elections in late junior. Berlusconi split in
man Flavio Briatore, who mid August. Berlusconi had gained new attention on September, when Forza Italia March from his long-time
was hospitalized after test- tested negative at the time. Italy's political scene ahead could prove crucial for a pos- partner Francesca Pascale.q

Germany says Soviet-era nerve agent used on Russia’s Navalny

the international community mal requests from the Rus- they had ruled out poisoning.
to hold those in Russia ac- sian prosecutor general's of- "The problem is that even if
countable, wherever the evi- fice and doctors who treated Mr Navalny were to survive
dence leads," Ullyot said. Navalny. Peskov reiterated there may be lingering long-
The European Union's for- that Russian doctors didn't term neurological issues,"
eign affairs chief, Josep Bor- find any poisonous sub- Sella said. Navalny's allies in
rell, said any use of chemical stances in Navalny's system. Russia have insisted he was
weapons was "a breach of in- Russian Foreign Ministry deliberately poisoned by the
ternational law." spokeswoman Maria Zakha- country's authorities, accu-
Navalny, a politician and rova charged on state TV that sations that the Kremlin has
corruption investigator, fell Germany preferred "public rejected as "empty noise."
ill on a flight to Moscow on statements without provid- "To poison Navalny with
Aug. 20 and was taken to a ing any facts whatsoever" to Novichok in 2020 would
hospital in the Siberian city "a thorough investigation." be exactly the same as leav-
of Omsk after the plane made The German government ing an autograph at a crime
an emergency landing. said it would inform its part- scene, like this one," Naval-
He was moved two days later ners in the European Union ny's longtime ally and strate-
BERLIN (AP) — Rus- term effects on his health to Berlin's Charite hospital, and NATO about the test re- gist Leonid Volkov said in a
sian opposition leader Alexei from the poisoning. where doctors last week said sults and would consult them tweet that featured a photo of
Navalny was poisoned with The German government initial tests indicated Navalny on a response. Germany also Putin's name and a signature
the same type of Soviet-era said that testing by a German had been poisoned. will contact the Organization next to it.
nerve agent used in a 2018 military laboratory showed German Foreign Minister for the Prohibition of Chem- It would not be the first time
attack on a former Russian "proof without doubt of a Heiko Maas said the Russian ical Weapons. a prominent, outspoken Rus-
spy, the German government chemical nerve agent from ambassador was summoned Shortly after the test results sian was targeted in such a
said Wednesday, provoking the Novichok group." British to his ministry Wednesday were announced, the Charite way — or the first time the
outrage from Western lead- authorities identified Novi- after the latest findings. hospital said that Navalny Kremlin was accused of be-
ers who demanded Moscow chok as the poison used on Russia's deputy U.N. ambas- is still in intensive care but ing behind it.
provide an explanation. former spy Sergei Skripal and sador, Dmitry Polyansky, dis- "continues to improve." Navalny's allies have also ac-
The findings — which ex- his daughter in England. missed the finger pointing as "Recovery is likely to be cused Russian authorities of
perts say point strongly to "There are very serious ques- a knee-jerk reaction. "Today lengthy," it said in a state- delaying his transfer out of
Russian state involvement tions now that only the Rus- accusing #Russia is a must- ment. "It is still too early to the country after the poison-
— added to tensions between sian government can answer, do for any Western country," gauge the long-term effects, ing. It took much wrangling
Russia and the West. German and must answer," Merkel he said in a tweet. which may arise in relation to and 48 hours to move Naval-
Chancellor Angela Merkel said. The United Kingdom In Moscow, Russian authori- this severe poisoning." ny to Berlin. Local doctors at
called Navalny's poisoning and Italy also called on Rus- ties were quick to blame Ger- Andrea Sella, a professor of the time said he was too un-
attempted murder, meant to sia to explain what happened, many for not sharing its find- inorganic chemistry at Uni- stable to be transported, and
silence one of Russian Presi- with British Prime Minister ings. versity College London, said the Kremlin said it would de-
dent Vladimir Putin's fiercest Boris Johnson calling the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Navalny's prognosis is hard fer to the physicians.
critics. use of a chemical weapon Peskov said Russian authori- to predict. He said that "very The Siberian medical team
The Berlin hospital treat- "outrageous." In Washington, ties are "ready and interested swift action" is needed to sta- relented only after a charity
ing the dissident said he re- National Security Coun- in full cooperation and ex- bilize patients in poisoning that had organized a medevac
mains on a ventilator though cil spokesman John Ullyot change of information" with cases and noted the "signifi- plane revealed that German
his condition is improving. It tweeted that it was "com- Germany but added that cant delay," given that Na- doctors who examined the
said it expects a long recovery pletely reprehensible." Berlin still hasn't provided valny was initially cared for politician said he was stable
and still can't rule out long- "We will work with allies and any official response to for- by Russian doctors who said enough to be moved. q