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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 20 March 2019

Italy seizes rescue ship, permits migrants to land in Italy

Associated Press As the boat approached
MILAN (AP) — A humanitar- the pier, the migrants on
ian rescue ship carrying 48 board, all males and mostly
migrants entered the port from sub-Saharan Africa,
of Lampedusa, where they yelled “Freedom, free-
were being allowed to dis- dom.”
embark Tuesday evening The migrants, including a
despite an earlier refusal by dozen minors, had been
Italy’s hard-line interior min- rescued Monday off the
ister. coast of Libya by the Italian
The boat was allowed to aid group Mediterranea
enter the port after Sicil- Saving Humans.
ian prosecutors ordered it The Mare Jonio had sailed
seized, ending the latest earlier to Italy’s southern-
standoff with Italy’s popu- most island Lampedusa,
list government, which has where it was flanked by
closed its ports to rescue Italian coast guard and fi-
ships. Interior Minister Mat- nance police boats.
teo Salvini welcomed the The mayor of Lampedusa
seizure of the Mare Jonio, challenged Salvini’s asser-
saying “now in Italy there tion that Italian ports are
is a government that de- closed. Toto Martello said
fends the borders and en- that more than 3,000 mi-
sures respect for the law, grants arrived in Lampedu-
most of all for human traf- The Mare Jonio ship with 49 migrants on board docks at the port of Lampedusa island, Italy, sa last year on smuggler’s
Tuesday, March 19, 2019.
fickers. Whoever errs pays.” Associated Press boats.q

Italy to join China initiative despite US objections

By COLLEEN BARRY declaration on the “Belt redefine commercial traffic
Associated Press and Road” at a forum last routes. We will have new
MILAN (AP) — Premier Gi- year in Beijing. They argued airports, new trade cor-
useppe Conte pledged it lacked standards on fi- ridors, and it will certainly
Tuesday to make Italy the nancing and transparency. influence our economic
first Group of Seven nation In his first remarks to law- growth. We don’t want to
to join China’s ambitious makers on the deal on the lose any opportunity.”
Belt and Road initiative, eve of Chinese President In parliament, the opposi-
despite objections from the Xi Jinping’s visit, Conte tion attacked the planned
United States and concerns said the details have been memorandum and the
within his governing coali- worked out over months of lack of detail provided to
tion. consultations at every level lawmakers, warning that
Speaking to parliament, of government. He empha- the deal could be a Trojan
Conte said that Italy’s sign- sized that the memoran- horse for China to under-
ing of a memorandum dum is not legally binding mine Italian industries. Con-
of understanding for the and that it would give Italy cerns also center around
infrastructure-building ven- Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte addresses the Lower Chamber access to an enormous whether the accords in-
ture, which is due to hap- of the Italian parliament in Rome, Tuesday, March 19, 2019. market. clude 5G access.
pen during the Chinese Associated Press “We want to first and fore- Even lawmakers from the
premier’s visit this week, Italy’s signature would be White House official has most rebalance our trade, right-wing League, part of
would not “in the least” put considered a major legiti- warned Italy against join- which is not favorable to us Conte’s coalition, say their
into question Italy’s position mation of the project that ing, calling it a Chinese now. Our exports to China support for the memoran-
within the strategic trans- envisions overland and “vanity project.” are far lower than other Eu- dum is conditional on it not
Atlantic alliance or with Eu- maritime routes connect- European governments ropean countries,” Conte harming Italy’s relations
ropean partners. ing China with Europe. A declined to sign a joint said. “The infrastructure will with its partners. q