Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 4 april 2018

German prosecutors seek to extradite ex-Catalan leader

By FRANK JORDANS to have an equivalent in
BERLIN (AP) — German German law — one of the
prosecutors said Tuesday requirements for extradition
they are seeking the ex- to take place.
tradition of former Cata- "The accusation of rebel-
lan separatist leader Car- lion contains at its core the
les Puigdemont to Spain, allegation of carrying out
where he could face trial an unconstitutional referen-
for his role in organizing an dum despite expectations
independence referen- of violent disturbances,"
dum. the prosecutors said. They
Puigdemont was detained noted that during a meet-
in Germany on March 25 as ing with police on Sept. 28,
he attempted to drive from Puigdemont was warned
Finland to Belgium, where that violence might esca-
he currently resides. late on the day of the Oct.
Prosecutors in the northern 1 referendum, but his gov-
town of Schleswig said they ernment went through with
have asked the regional it anyway.
court to formally put him in In addition to rebellion, Ma-
pre-extradition custody fol- drid accuses the 55-year-
lowing "intensive examina- old of misuse of public
tion" of the European arrest funds. In an interview from
warrant issued by Spain's jail, published Monday,
supreme court on March Puigdemont insisted the
23. If the court agrees to campaign for the Span- In this Jan. 12, 2018 file photo ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, center, stands with
elected Catalan lawmakers of his Together for Catalonia party at a park in Brussels.
the request, prosecutors ish region's independence Associated Press
would still need to issue an was nonviolent.
order signing off on Puigde- Puigdemont's lawyers said
mont's extradition. in a written statement that and their client "trust there to which further arguments urged the German govern-
Schleswig prosecutors said they have asked judges will be an independent and against extradition will be ment to intervene in the
in a statement they consid- to reject the prosecutors' objective examination by presented in detail." case, citing the "political
er the charge of rebellion request, adding that they the Schleswig state court, The lawyers have also dimension."q

Britain's Prince Philip, 96, enters hospital for hip surgery

By GREGORY KATZ May that he was retiring the number of charity
Associated Press from most public duties events he attends since an-
LONDON (AP) — Queen after decades of royal ser- nouncing his retirement,
Elizabeth II's 96-year-old vice. but still accompanies the
husband, Prince Philip, has The palace said at the time queen on occasion.
been admitted to a Lon- he had carried out roughly Philip has been in generally
don hospital for a previous- 22,000 solo royal engage- good health for his age,
ly scheduled hip surgery, ments since Elizabeth as- but he was briefly hospital-
Buckingham Palace said cended to the throne in ized over Christmas in 2011
Tuesday. 1952. for angioplasty treatment
The palace said the prince Philip has missed several of a blockage in his coro-
entered the King Edward public events in recent nary arteries. He has suf-
VII Hospital in the after- weeks, including an Easter fered from other ailments
noon and would have the Sunday church service in as well but has not spoken
surgery Wednesday. It said Windsor. He has been re- about them in public.
the hospital admission and ported to be hobbled by He and Elizabeth celebrat-
surgery were planned. hip pain, but the news of In this file photo dated Wednesday, July 12, 2017, Britain's Prince ed their 70th wedding anni-
Officials declined to pro- the planned surgery took Philip sits in a carriage in London. versary in November.
vide additional details many by surprise. Associated Press The queen has praised her
about the surgery and said The health scare comes at husband for his devotion
"further updates will be is- a busy time for the royal their third child this month, Meghan Markle on May 19 and long years of service,
sued when appropriate." family. Prince William and and Prince Harry plans to at Windsor Castle. calling him the rock she de-
The prince announced in his wife Kate are expecting marry American actress Philip has sharply reduced pends on.q