Protesters demand new vote on Brexit
LONDON, Oct 20, (Agencies): Tens of thousands of protesters marched through central London on Saturday to demand a new referendum on Britain’s departure from the European Union.
Organizers want the public to have a final say on the government’s Brexit deal with the EU, arguing that new facts have come to light about the costs and complexity of Britain’s exit from the bloc since Britons voted to leave in 2016.
Some 150 buses ferried thousands of activists from across the country to the British capital, and organizers estimated that over 500,000 took part.
“What’s clear is that the only options on the table now from the prime minister are a bad Brexit deal, or no deal whatsoever,” London Mayor
Sadiq Khan, who joined the “People’s Vote March,” told the BBC. “That’s a million miles away from what was promised 2 1/2 years ago.”
Prime Minister Theresa May, the leader of Britain’s Conservatives, has ruled out another public vote on the subject. Britain is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29, but negotiations over the divorce have been plagued by disagreements, particularly over the future border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It will be the UK’s only land border with the EU after Brexit, for Ireland is part of the EU and Northern Ireland is part of the UK.
There are also growing fears of a “no-deal” British exit, which could create chaos at the borders and in the EU and the British economies.
May, speaking at an inconclusive EU summit in Brussels this week, said she would consider having a longer post-Brexit transition period - one that could keep Britain aligned to EU rules and obligations for more than two years after its March departure. Pro-Brexit politicians in Britain, however, saw it as an attempt to bind the country to the bloc indefinitely.
Radical cleric Choudary freed:
Radical cleric Anjem Choudary, a long-time thorn in the side of British authorities, was released from prison on Friday having served half his sentence for encouraging support for the Islamic State group.
The 51-year-old was jailed for fiveand-a-half years in 2016, and will serve the rest of his sentence under strict supervision orders having been released from Belmarsh top-security prison in southeast London.
He made no comment to reporters and photographers when leaving a probation hostel in the British capital.
20 jailed for abuse:
British prosecutors revealed Friday that 20 men had been jailed for raping and sexually abusing more than a dozen girls aged as young as 11 in one town between 2004 and 2011.
England’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the convictions came in a series of trials held since January that could not be reported at the time due to a blanket ban imposed the court.
“These horrific crimes are sickening and, first and foremost, I commend the bravery of those who’ve suffered abuse in coming forward,” said Home Secretary Sajid Javid, the interior minister.
Macedonia OKs name change:
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Saturday welcomed the approval by Macedonia’s parliament of a proposed change to the country’s name as a decisive step towards ending decades of discord between the two neighbours.
Macedonia’s parliament approved the proposed new name of Republic of North Macedonia on Friday after a referendum last month failed to reach the minimum participation threshold.
Widow of Olof Palme dies:
Swedish media say Lisbeth Palme, the widow of the slain former Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme and a key witness to his unsolved murder over 32 years ago, has died.
Swedish news agency TT cited her relatives Thursday to report that she had died after a brief illness on an undisclosed date. She was 87.
Her family couldn’t be immediately reached for comment.
Lisbeth Palme was married to Olof Palme, a key figure in Swedish postwar politics, from 1956 until 1986.
Cyprus takes in 29 Syrians:
Cypriot police say most of the 29 Syrian migrants who have arrived to the Mediterranean island after setting sail from Lebanon told authorities they have relatives living on Cyprus.
Police said Saturday that the migrants, including five women, nine children and one unescorted minor, have so far made no requests for asylum after being taken to a reception center on the outskirts of the capital, Nicosia.