A settlement ends a sexual assault case chasing Prince Andrew What price did he pay?

Blocking roads, demonstrations and declaring a state of emergency What is happening in Canada?

After a widespread sit-in, closing the roads and paralyzing traffic in the country for more than two weeks, observers point out that the current crisis in Canada appears to be out of control, and some warn of the consequences of the sit-ins on the disruption of trade, which harms Canada's reputation.

The protest crisis against health measures and vaccination campaigns to combat the Corona virus has reached an advanced stage, with the Canadian government announcing on Monday the activation of a state of emergency law to confront protesters who used their cars and trucks to block major roads and paralyze movement in the country.

The wave of "Freedom Parade" protests began on January 29 in the capital, Ottawa, when truck drivers gathered and decided to start a massive protest against mandatory vaccination and the restrictions of the Corona pandemic. Against health restrictions and the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Observers believe that the crisis now appears to be out of the control of the Canadian authorities, especially since this is only the second time that this law has been activated in peacetime, after Pierre Elliott Trudeau, the father of the current prime minister, did it during the October 1970 crisis when he was president. For ministers, the Front for the Liberation of Quebec kidnapped the British trade attache James Richard Cross and a Quebec minister named Pierre Laporte.

Cut off major roads

Demonstrators in Canada are using the country's roadblocks as a vital means of protest, aiming to force the government to act quickly and accede to their demands.

For example, protesters closed the Ambassador Bridge, a major border hub between Canada and the United States through which more than 25% of exported goods pass between the two countries, before the Canadian authorities managed on Sunday evening to reopen it after a seven-day paralysis.

It was the disruption of this vital border artery that prompted Washington, worried about its economic repercussions, to intervene with Trudeau to resolve the situation.

Damage to Canada's reputation

In a related context, Edward Alden, a visiting professor at Western Washington University who specializes in economic relations between the United States and Canada, said that the blocking of major border roads by protesters puts about $44 million in daily trade that passes through the Canadian-American “Cotes” border crossing alone. And stop, which in turn damages Canada's reputation for not being able to contain this crisis.

In a newspaper article , Alden noted that most of the trade passing through the aforementioned crossing is of perishable animal products, while Flavio Volpi, a member of the active lobby for Canadian auto parts companies, was quoted as saying that the border unrest "caused irreparable damage to Canada's reputation as a partner." reliable commercial (for the United States)."

The visiting professor at Western Washington University said that although the Canadian authorities moved recently to try to stop the demonstrations and contain the crisis, "the long-term damage will be difficult to repair," adding that the Canadian government must maintain Washington as "an important strategic partner more than ever."

Ways to contain the crisis

The decision to activate the state of emergency, announced by Trudeau on Monday, is one of the ways his government is taking to contain the current crisis and stop the paralysis of road movement in the country.

By forcibly dispersing sit-ins and removing protesters' tents installed in various vital roads in the country, the Canadian government partially responded to the demands of the protests, for example, Ontario Prime Minister Dag Ford announced on Monday, the abandonment of vaccination certificates in the province, which is the center of the protests.

Despite that, it is still unknown how the Canadian authorities will contain the crisis completely, with the sit-ins continuing in the main and central streets of the capital, Ottawa, especially Wellington Street, where the Canadian Parliament is located, and where about 400 trucks are currently congregated, with tight organization, heating tents and food stalls.

A settlement ends a sexual assault case chasing Prince Andrew What price did he pay?

US federal court documents revealed on Tuesday that Britain's Prince Andrew, Duke of York, has settled a lawsuit brought against him by Virginia Joffrey, who accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was a minor.

Federal court documents showed on Tuesday that Britain's Prince Andrew, Duke of York, has settled a lawsuit brought against him by Virginia Geoffrey, who accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was a minor, as well as the sexual assault of the late American businessman Jeffrey Epstein as well.

The settlement, which involved the payment of an undisclosed amount, was disclosed in a joint filing in the Manhattan Federal Court before which Joffrey filed the case.

The settlement protects Andrew from an embarrassing series of disclosures and accusations during the months leading up to his trial and during the trial, which is set to begin later this year.

Andrew, 61, denied allegations by Geoffrey, 38, that he forced her to have sex more than two decades ago in a London home.

Joffrey and Andrew's lawyers said the prince intends to make a large donation to Joffrey's charity to support the rights of victims.

The court file stated that the prince "never intended to offend the person of Mrs. Joffrey, and that he accepts that she suffered as a victim who was proven to have been assaulted."

"Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein and commends the courage of Ms. Joffrey and other survivors to stand up for themselves and others and pledges to express his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of the sex trade and its victims," ​​the statement added.

The royal family last month stripped Prince Andrew of his military duties and royal privileges, saying he was "no longer known as His Royal Highness".

Buckingham Palace declined to comment, and a spokeswoman for the prince said it had "no more comment than what was in the case papers".

Epstein committed suicide at the age of 66 in a Manhattan prison cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges.

US report: sea level rise sharply by 2050

New York: A report issued by US agencies including NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration revealed that over the next 30 years the sea level could rise as much as it did over the past century.

The report, released on Tuesday, predicted that the sea level along the US coast will rise by an average of 25-30 centimeters above today's levels by 2050.

"This report supports previous studies and confirms what we have long known is that sea levels continue to rise at an alarming rate, putting communities around the world at risk," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

"The science is indisputable, and urgent action must be taken to mitigate the current climate crisis," he added.

The report stated that sea level rise "will lead to a profound shift in coastal flooding with higher tides and storms reaching more inland areas."

"By 2050, 'moderate' (usually devastating) floods are expected to occur, on average, more than 10 times more than they do today, and could be intensified by local factors," the report said.