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A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 31 OcTOber 2017

France: Marcon signs sweeping counterterrorism law UK lawmakers seek

By SYLVIE CORBET The law gives enforcement ship have been closed “for tween security and free- zero tolerance for
sexual harassment
Associated Press agencies greater author- incitement to commit ter- dom, and I believe this text
PARIS (AP) — French Presi- ity to conduct searches, to rorist acts” under the state meets this need,” Collomb By DANICA KIRKA
dent Emmanuel Macron close religious facilities and of emergency and 41 peo- said at a news conference Associated Press
has formally signed a to restrict the movements ple are under house arrest Monday. The new law also LONDON (AP) — The leader
sweeping counterterrorism of people suspected of ex- because they have links to allows police to extend of Britain’s House of Com-
law that replaces a two- tremist ties. Macron stressed organizations spreading ex- identity verification at bor- mons said Monday there
year-old state of emer- the law will allow authorities tremism and hatred. der crossings up to 10 ki- should be “zero tolerance”
gency and is meant to give to establish areas with extra The new law allows authori- lometers (6 miles) around for inappropriate behavior
police more tools to fight security measures, such as ties to maintain such mea- international airports and in Parliament as lawmak-
violent extremism. during Christmas markets. sures under certain condi- train stations —and not just ers debated a response
The bill was adopted by The state of emergency tions, including a judge’s inside. Human rights groups to reports that dozens of
a large majority at parlia- was first imposed in No- permission, after lawmakers have criticized the bill as members may be guilty of
ment earlier this month. vember 2015 after the Paris made amendments to re- establishing a permanent sexual harassment.
Macron said it will take ef- terror attacks that killed spond to criticism that the state of emergency that With Prime Minister The-
fect Tuesday, just in time 130 people. It has been ex- original bill would infringe could harm citizens’ rights resa May sitting beside
to replace the state of tended six times since then. on individual liberties. to liberty, security, freedom her, Andrea Leadsom told
emergency that expires Interior Minister Gerard Col- “Everyone noticed we of assembly and freedom the chamber there was
Wednesday. lomb said 11 places of wor- needed a fair balance be- of religion. q no place for harassment
or misconduct in politics
Spain seeks rebellion charges against Catalan leaders as she outlined steps to
repair a grievance sys-
tem that she described
By ARITZ PARRA as “inadequate.”“Our
RAF CASERT constituents will be rightly
Associated Press appalled at the thought
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) that some representatives
— Spain moved Monday in Parliament may have
to put Catalonia’s seces- acted in an entirely inap-
sionist leaders on trial for propriate way towards oth-
alleged crimes that carry ers,” Leadsom said. “These
maximum sentences of de- reports risk bringing all of
cades in prison, and some our offices into disrepute.”
of the ousted government “These plans will ensure
figures went to the Belgian that Parliament takes a
capital, where an official zero-tolerance approach,”
said they might be able to she added.
request asylum. Britain’s political establish-
As Catalonia spent its first ment has come under in-
working day under the di- creasing scrutiny as the
rect rule of Madrid, follow- scandal surrounding Holly-
ing its regional parliament’s wood mogul Harvey Wein-
unsuccessful efforts to cre- stein emboldens people in
ate a new country, Spain many industries to speak
was venturing into new up about sexual harass-
political terrain amid an un- In this file photo dated Thursday Oct. 26, 2017, Catalan President Carles Puigdemont makes a ment at the hands of pow-
precedented crisis. statement at the Palau Generalitat in Barcelona, Spain. According to the office of a Catalan erful individuals who con-
An early regional election member of the European Parliament, it is confirmed Monday Oct. 30, 2017, that ousted Catalan trol their future job pros-
on Dec. 21 is on the hori- President Carles Puigdemont has arrived in Brussels. pects.
zon, when both separatists (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Over the weekend, May
and unionists will present their arrest and detention continued the game of gian capital. Belgian law- asked the Cabinet Office
candidates, but before before trial. The rebellion, political cat-and-mouse yer Paul Bekaert told VRT to investigate whether In-
that the country is likely to sedition and embezzle- with which the Catalan network that Puigdemont ternational Trade Minister
endure weeks of political ment charges carry maxi- leader has tormented the had consulted him, add- Mark Garnier breached
uncertainty. mum sentences of 30, 15 national government since ing “he is not in Belgium to the ministerial code of
Cranking up the tension, and six years in prison, re- he announced almost two specifically ask for political conduct by asking his sec-
Spain’s state prosecutor spectively. It wasn’t imme- months ago that Catalonia asylum. retary to buy sex toys for
said he would seek rebel- diately clear when judges would hold an indepen- That is not decided yet.” him.
lion, sedition and embez- would rule on the prosecu- dence referendum on Oct. Belgium allows asylum re- Environment Secretary
zlement charges against tors’ request. 1 — a ballot the govern- quests by citizens of other Michael Gove also was
members of the region’s Those facing charges in- ment rejected as illegal. European Union nations, forced to apologize for at-
secessionist government. clude ousted regional It later emerged Puigde- and in the past, some tempting to make light of
Chief prosecutor Jose Man- leader Carles Puigdemont, mont had traveled to Brus- Basque separatists were the Weinstein scandal dur-
uel Maza said he would ask and his No. 2, Oriol Jun- sels, a trip that was con- not extradited to Spain ing a radio interview.
judges for preventive mea- queras, as well as Cata- firmed by Spanish officials while they sought asylum, The Guido Fawkes po-
sures against the politicians lan parliamentary speaker and a Catalan member of causing years of friction. litical website on Monday
and the governing body Carme Forcadell — high- the European Parliament, Still, it would be exception- claimed that Conservative
of the Catalan parliament profile figures in the region though Puigdemont was al for Belgium to grant asy- Party aides had compiled
that allowed a vote to de- of 7.5 million people and its not seen in public. lum to another EU citizen a spreadsheet identifying
clare independence on Fri- capital, Barcelona. Spanish media reported based on arguments that 36 party lawmakers, in-
day. Puigdemont’s where- that five other members of repression would endanger cluding two serving Cabi-
Maza didn’t specify if those abouts was a mystery early Puigdemont’s government the full exercise of one’s net members, accused of
measures would include Monday. The uncertainty went with him to the Bel- rights.q inappropriate behavior.q