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A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 8 January 2019

Britain testing ‘no-deal’ scenario as Brexit vote nears

By GREGORY KATZ scheduled in December
Associated Press was delayed as May ad-
LONDON (AP) — Britain is mitted it would face cer-
testing how its motorway tain defeat.
and ferry system would May said Monday she is
handle a “no-deal” Brexit still trying to get more from
by sending a stream of EU leaders, who insist they
trucks from a closed local are not willing to sweeten
airport to the port of Dover the deal. She told hospital
— even as some legislators workers in Liverpool there
try to pressure the govern- has been “some further
ment to rule out the sce- movement” from the EU
nario. but did not provide specif-
The tests began Monday ics.
morning and are intended “We are continuing to work
to gauge how severe the on further assurances on
disruption would be if Brit- further undertakings from
ain leaves the European the European Union in rela-
Union on March 29 without tion to the concern that has
an agreed-upon withdraw- been expressed by parlia-
al deal. mentarians,” she said.
It is widely expected that She was castigated in Par-
an abrupt departure would liament by Labour Party
lead to the introduction of Some 150 trucks leave Manston Airfield during a ‘no-deal’ Brexit test for where 6,000 trucks could leader Jeremy Corbyn,
tariff and customs barriers be parked at the airfield near Ramsgate in south east England, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. who said the prime minis-
that would slow fast-mov- Associated Press ter is wasting precious time
ing ferry and rail traffic that day, with a vote widely ex- can commence, foresees the EU, the plan also raises by pushing a deal that has
links Britain to continental pected a week later. relatively close economic the prospect that the U.K. no support. The prospect
Europe. There are concerns There are no indications ties with Europe, particu- could be “trapped” in a of the bill’s possible defeat
that major traffic jams lead- that lobbying over the larly in the immediate af- customs arrangement if no next week has renewed
ing in and out of ferry ports Christmas and New Year termath of Brexit, in order agreement on future trade concern about a “no-deal”
like Dover would greatly holiday period has gar- to avoid the imposition of ties is reached. There are scenario. Fears about eco-
hamper trade and leave nered Prime Minister The- a hard border between EU also a number of lawmak- nomic disruption Monday
Britain without adequate resa May more support for member Ireland and North- ers who have said they will prompted roughly 200 leg-
food and medicine. her plan. ern Ireland, which is part of vote against the deal be- islators including some from
Parliament is expected to The withdrawal agree- the U.K. cause they want another the prime minister’s Conser-
resume its debate over ment, which is required be- As well as frustrating a num- referendum on Britain’s vative Party to write to May
the government’s planned fore more wide-ranging dis- ber of lawmakers who want membership of the EU. asking her to rule out the
withdrawal deal Wednes- cussions on future relations a complete break from A vote that had been no-deal scenario.q

Italian mayors, governors challenge government asylum law

By FRANCES D’EMILIO facilities for asylum-seekers, meanwhile his region
Associated Press sparking concern they’ll would continue to provide
ROME (AP) — The ranks end up living on the street. full health care for asylum-
of prominent citizens op- Piedmont Gov. Sergio Chi- seekers and insisted by do-
posed to a new Italian law amparino told Sky TG24 TV ing so, he wasn’t disobey-
cracking down on asylum- Monday that he’ll ask Ita- ing the law.
seekers swelled on Mon- ly’s constitutional court to “We are simply obeying a
day, with more governors decide whether the law vi- fundamental principle that
announcing court chal- olates the Constitution. He someone with a health
lenges to the populist gov- said he’d join forces with problem gets treatment,”
ernment’s measure. Tuscany’s governor in the Chiamparino said.
The law, approved first in court challenge. Last week, the mayors of
the form of a government “A really wide movement Palermo, Naples and some
decree and later by Parlia- People protest Italian populist’s government crackdown on is being created” to chal- smaller cities vowed not to
ment late last year, tightens asylum-seekers, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. lenge the residency mea- implement the law. Others,
criteria for migrants receiv- Associated Press sure, Tuscany Gov. Enrico like Milan’s mayor, sharply
ing humanitarian protec- protection, with Italy allow- seekers from gaining resi- Rossi said in Florence. He criticized the law, but said
tion, granting that status ing them to stay for a fixed dency, which is needed to explained that Tuscany’s they would implement it
only to victims of labor term and receive social apply for public housing or challenge would take aim unless courts ruled other-
exploitation, human traf- benefits. Interior Minister a place for their children in on the tightened criteria for wise.
ficking, domestic violence, Matteo Salvini, who leads public nursery schools, as humanitarian protection as In Milan, on Monday eve-
natural calamities and a the anti-migrant League well as complete access well as the ban on achiev- ning, about 50 critics of the
few other limited situations. party, contends Italian au- to Italy’s national health ing residency. crackdown protested out-
Previously, many asylum- thorities had been too elas- care system. And those ac- Umbria, another central side city hall. Some banged
seekers who failed to tic in the past in granting corded humanitarian pro- region, also decided on a wooden spoons on pot lids
qualify for full asylum were such protection. tection won’t be eligible for court challenge of the law. to draw attention to their
accorded humanitarian The new law bans asylum- shelter in government-run Chiamparino said in the cause.q