WORLD NEWS November 14, 2019 5 Power Grab Puts Bolivia U.S. Pushes Provocative Bill Amid on Brink of Civil War Hong Kong Unrest WASHINGTON (AFP) -- Donald Trump faces the most perilous challenge of his three-year presidency Morales, Bolivia’s first indigenous leader, was as public hearings convened as part of the impeach- declared president for a fourth term in the elec- ment probe against him open under the glare of tion but the opposition rejected the outcome and television cameras on Wednesday.Democrats who claimed that there had been fraud in the election control the House of Representatives plan to prove process. over several weeks of hearings that the U.S. leader That sparked violent street protests, which left abused his office by seeking Ukraine’s help for his three people dead and hundreds more wounded, 2020 reelection campaign, and sought to extort his in what the Morales government already called a Kiev counterpart into finding dirt on Democratic ri- coup bid. val Joe Biden.Trump says the inquiry is “corrupt” Morales also denied any wrongdoing but agreed and “illegal,” and maintains he did nothing wrong. to call for a new election. He said the country’s In a late-night tweet on the eve of the hearings, he Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TES) would be over- retweeted a lengthy Fox News segment assailing the hauled before the poll, with the parliament choos- proceedings as a “phony showtrial” staged by “rag- ing its members. ing psychotic Democrats.”The investigation threat- The opposition rejected the request, prompting ens to make Trump only the third US president to be Morales to announce his resignation on Sunday as Protesters stand in front of a burning barricade at the Chinese University of impeached, after Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill violent protests pushed the country to the brink. Hong Kong (CUHK), in Hong Kong on Nov. 13, 2019. Clinton in 1998, although to be removed from office On Tuesday, thousands of people took to the he would need to be convicted by the Republican- Demonstrators from El Alto area shout slogans and hold Whipala flags as HONG KONG (Dispatches) -- Pro- yelling and sustained firing of tear gas led Senate. military troops and police officers patrol during a protest asking the return of streets, calling for Morales to return to the coun- testers paralyzed parts of the Asian and rubber bullets during which scores try. former President of Bolivia Evo Morales on Nov. 12, 2019 in La Paz, Bolivia. financial hub for a third day on were injured. *** Scores of people were wounded in clashes with Wednesday as police warned that the Police said they helped a group of SALT, Spain (Reuters) -- Spanish police on Wednes- SUCRE (Dispatches) -- Bolivia is teetering on His departure came after what is seen by many police. Video footage showed police battling dem- territory is on the “brink of total col- mainland students flee Chinese Univer- day cleared out scores of protesters supporting Cata- the brink of a civil war following violent pro- as a dramatic coup against the one-time llama onstrators in the city of Cochabamba. lapse.” sity’s campus by boat on Wednesday lan independence who had trapped around 500 ve- tests which forced President Evo Morales to shepherd from the Bolivian highlands and former Police said large crowds of people were also Wearing face masks, about 1,000 after they expressed concern about their hicles while blocking a major highway for more than step down in order to avoid bloodshed. coca growers’ union leader. heading toward the capital from the nearby city of protesters hurled bricks and blocked safety. 15 hours.Regional and national police said they had A senator proclaimed herself Bolivia’s interim As president, Morales helped lift millions out of El Alto to join the protests. roads in the heart of the city’s Central As violence rose, the chairman of the dislodged around 200 protesters who had shut traffic president Tuesday in an effort to fill the power poverty, increased social rights and presided over Around the capital’s central Murillo square and business district at lunchtime, Reuters U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Com- on both sides of the AP-7 highway near Girona, a city vacuum, but Morales condemned the move as a nearly 14 years of stability and high economic other parts of the city, protesters blocked roads. reported. mittee said he wanted the Senate to with a strong Catalan pro-independence movement. “sneaky coup”. growth in South America’s poorest country. The U.S. reacted to the departure as “a positive Most schools and several universities pass legislation to support protesters in Some protesters waved separatist flags while others sported sleeping mats. Protesters burned tires and The power grab came just as Morales, who Bolivia has been experiencing years of political step to begin calming the situation on the ground remained closed for a third day. Scores Hong Kong. transformed the Andean nation as its first indig- and economic stability and growth under his rule. in Bolivia,” according to a senior administration branches as police approached early on Wednesday. of riot police tried to disperse the Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mc- Some threw small objects at police, but most walked enous president, left the country for Mexico with The economy has grown by an annual average of official. crowds near the stock exchange, wres- Connell accused China of undermining the aim of helping Bolivia recover from weeks of about 4.5 percent, well above the regional aver- President Donald Trump also said Washington away peacefully.A secretive protest group called tling some people to the ground. Hong Kong’s autonomy and suppress- Democratic Tsunami claimed responsibility for the violent protests. age, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) “applauds … the Bolivian military for abiding by On Tuesday, they struck the city’s ing protests. But the events unfolding in the wake of deputy predicts it will grow at four percent this year. its oath to protect not just a single person, but Bo- disruption, while another separatist group known as transport network, built barricades on The legislation would subject Hong CDR said it had supported the protest.Both are eager Senate speaker Jeanine Anez proclaiming herself The opposition has claimed that a fight for “de- livia’s constitution.” roads, set fires and threw petrol bombs, Kong’s special U.S. trading status to an- as interim president portended more violence mocracy and peace” led Morales to resign and The statement, posted on the White House web- to press the case for secession, days after a national chairs and other objects at the police nual reviews and provide for sanctions election delivered a deeply fragmented parliament ahead as rival protesters fought on the streets of depart the country. site, raised concerns among observers, with one which fired tear gas and water cannon against officials deemed responsible for that offers separatist parties a chance to play a role in describing it “like a chilling warning of more the capital. Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said in response. undermining Hong Kong’s “fundamen- unblocking the political stalemate in Madrid. Shortly after Morales left for Mexico where on Monday the Bolivian military had broken with coups to come.” Police spokesman Kong Wing-cheung tal freedoms and autonomy.” he was granted asylum, he accused opposition the constitution by pressing Morales to stand Trump said the events in Bolivia send “a strong said on Tuesday afternoon that they had The Democratic-controlled House of *** leader Carlos Mesa and protest leader Luis Fer- down. signal to the illegitimate regimes in Venezuela and “countless examples of rioters using Representatives unanimously passed GLASGOW, Scotland (Reuters) -- A Labour gov- nando Camacho of staging a coup with the help Uruguay, Cuba and Venezuela have also said Nicaragua.” Those are the governments that have random and indiscriminate violence the bill in mid-October, drawing a ernment would not grant a referendum on Scottish of police. Morales was deposed illegally. long been resisting Washington’s coup attempts. against innocent” people. strong reaction from Beijing which independence in the first term if it is elected, leader “Hong Kong’s rule of law has been said the lawmakers had “sinister inten- Jeremy Corbyn said on Wednesday.Scottish nation- pushed to the brink of total collapse as tions.” alists led by Nicola Sturgeon have suggested they Ukrainians Feel Victimized by masked rioters recklessly escalate their The Foreign Relations Committee ap- could support a “progressive alliance” with Labour violence under the hope that they can proved a similar measure in September, in the event of a hung parliament at the Dec. 12 elec- tion, in return for a second independence vote.“No get away with it,” he said. but it has not been scheduled for a vote Tumultuous U.S. Politics referendum in the first term of a Labour government There were chaotic scenes through the by the full Senate, which must pass the because I think we need to concentrate completely night at the prestigious Chinese Univer- bill before it can be sent to President on investment across Scotland,” Corbyn told report- Trump’s unconventional presidency sity, with explosions, plumes of smoke, Donald Trump. ers.Scottish voters opposed independence in a 2014 and as Democrats and Trump’s Repub- plebiscite but then backed remaining in the Euro- licans are gearing up for a brutal elec- pean Union in 2016, which the Scottish National tion battle. Party has used to try and boost support for secession. Democrats are investigating whether China: Attack Claim Aims to there are grounds to impeach Trump *** over his July 25 request, in a phone call ROME (Dispatches) -- A new survey reveals that to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zel- Intimate Taiwanese more than half of Italians consider racist acts as ensky, that the latter investigate former “justifiable”, a finding that comes following a recent Vice President Joe Biden, a key politi- string of racist incidents across the country.Italian cal rival to Trump in 2020. polling firm SWG, which questioned a sample of That call prompted a whistleblower 1,500 people to conduct the survey, found that 45% complaint that led congressional Demo- of respondents said racist acts are acceptable de- crats to launch the probe into whether pending on the situation, while a further 10% said Trump abused his power by withhold- that such acts were always justifiable.The remain- ing nearly $400 million in security as- ing 45% said racist acts of any kind were completely sistance to Ukraine to pressure the vul- unacceptable.“What this means is that there has been nerable U.S. ally. a relaxation in attitudes towards racism – not neces- This image taken on September 25, 2019 shows U.S. President Donald Trump sarily that people have become racist, more that they “(It is) really disheartening if it does and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaking during a meeting in are becoming more accepting of racist acts and do not come to pass that President Trump has New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. consider them so scandalous,” Enzo Risso, scientific been using his individual influence director at SWG said on Tuesday.“We can say any- WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Regard- Wednesday when Congress holds its as president to further his political thing about anyone and are becoming more used to less of how the House of Represen- first public, televised hearings to ques- ambitions for the next election,” said it,” said Risso. “This is a bad sign from a civic point tatives’ impeachment hearings into tion witnesses. 59-year-old Jablonsky, who considers of view. It’s not only in Italy … what we’re seeing in himself an independent and agrees with other countries too is a sort of adaptation towards the President Donald Trump end, some Others among the roughly 1 million Taiwan’s Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Wu speaks during an interview in Ukrainian-Americans believe their people of Ukrainian descent living in Trump politically on issues including worst.” trade. Taipei, Taiwan on November 6, 2019. ancestral homeland has already be- the United States also expressed frus- *** come an unwitting victim of tumultu- tration at seeing Ukraine, which largely Ukraine’s Zelensky, a comedian and, TAIPEI (Dispatches) -- China on ognized “One China” policy. ous U.S. politics. depends on foreign aid and protection like Trump, a political novice, won a Wednesday accused Taiwan of scaremon- The policy refers to the diplomatic ac- ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -- Anti-government pro- testers in Pakistan blocked a key highway linking “I think Ukraine is kind of a victim from Russia, dragged into the impeach- landslide election victory in April prom- gering after the self-ruled island warned knowledgement that there is only one state in this case because I believe they were ment fight. ising voters an end to a conflict with the country to Afghanistan on Wednesday, as part of a possible Chinese attack, saying Bei- called China, despite the existence of two of what they called the “second phase” of action pushed to do something that is not in “Once again, Ukraine is in the spot- Russian-backed forces in the Donbass jing could resort to military conflict to governments; one in China and another on region that has killed 13,000 people. aimed at ousting Prime Minister Imran Khan.The the real Ukrainian interest,” said Igor light for its critical position in eastern divert domestic pressure if an economic the island of Taiwan. protests, led by Fazl-ur-Rehman, head of the con- Yarmak, 63, a tech professional in New Europe and I feel it’s being used by He has been walking a diplomatic slowdown bites. In January, Chinese President Xi Jinping tightrope to maintain good relations servative Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) party, began York City who has voted Republican in political powers for their own gain,” Last week, Taiwan Foreign Minister Jo- said in a speech that Beijing reserves the with the “Azadi” (freedom) March on Oct. 27 from the past but dislikes Trump. said Paul Jablonsky, a small business with both US political sides whose bi- seph Wu said China could attack the self- right to use force to bring Taiwan under its partisan support Ukraine counts on for the southern city of Karachi.Tens of thousands of The inquiry into whether Trump mis- owner and the president of the Ukrai- ruled island if any threat to the ruling Com- control but will strive for peaceful “reuni- protesters reached the capital Islamabad on Oct. 31, aid and diplomatic cover against Russia used U.S. foreign policy to ask Ukraine nian American Community Center in munist Party arose from any slowdown in fication.” where they have been holding a sit-in on its main to target a domestic political op- Minneapolis, Minnesota. following Moscow’s annexation of the the world’s second largest economy amid a Ties with Beijing have soured since Tai- highway demanding Khan’s resignation and a fresh ponent enters a critical phase on The inquiry comes three years into Crimea peninsula in 2014. trade war with the U.S. wan President Tsai Ing-wen came to power election, over allegations of electoral fraud and mis- Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Tai- in 2016. Her party refuses to recognize the management of the economy - accusations the gov- wan Affairs Office of China’s State Council, idea that Taiwan is part of “One China”. ernment denies.JUI-F workers holding party flags Firefighters Battle 140 Blazes Across East Australia told a regular news conference in Beijing China has pursued reunification with Tai- blocked the Quetta–Chaman highway in the west on Wednesday that Wu’s comments were wan ever since the island broke away from of the country with a sit-in on Wednesday, resulting SYDNEY (AFP) -- Australians on Wednesday began Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman told AFP. “complete nonsense and absolute rubbish.” the mainland during a civil war in 1949. It in a long queue of trucks laden with goods, footage sifting through the ashes of hundreds of bushfires that In the worst-hit areas of New South Wales, cooler south- “Recently, in order to seek benefit for the claims full sovereignty over the island and from private news channels showed. have ravaged the country, relieved that their worst fears erly winds eased conditions -- a stark contrast with the gale- elections, they have been weaving various almost all world countries, including the were unrealized -- but wary of a long and brutal summer force gusts and high temperatures that plagued firefighters *** lies to intimidate, threaten and mislead the U.S., recognize that sovereignty. ahead. for much of Tuesday. KARACHI (Reuters) -- The crude waxwork figure people of Taiwan,” he added. Under President Donald Trump, the U.S. Firefighters were still battling around 140 blazes across the In all, 50 homes were damaged or destroyed, and around 20 isn’t much to look at, although it does feature the Ma said “compatriots on both sides of the has however increasingly embraced Taiwan. country’s eastern seaboard, but a respite from “catastrophic” people were injured, but most populated areas were spared. famous moustache. But Pakistan’s new museum ex- Taiwan Strait must be highly vigilant and Since Trump took office in January 2017, weather conditions meant the danger from many fires was Residents of the small towns of Glenreagh and Nana Glen hibit on an Indian pilot captured when the two na- not easily misled.” Washington has opened a new de facto em- downgraded. returned to find houses intact, a nearby 150,000-hectare tions came close to war earlier this year is causing ire “Under the current complicated economic bassy in Taipei and passed a law to encour- The northern state of Queensland remained on high alert, (370,000-acre) inferno having stopped just short of their across the border.Pakistan’s Air Force on Wednesday situation, the mainland’s economic develop- age senior U.S. officials to travel to Taiwan with residents on the north shore of popular holiday town doors. opened a new gallery in its museum on Wing Com- ment landscape is still good, and this is not to meet their counterparts. Noosa told to “leave immediately” to avoid an “unpredict- But on nearby farmland, unlucky families faced homes de- mander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was shot down something the likes of Joseph Wu can talk China has warned Washington against able” fire burning nearby. stroyed and cars transformed into blackened husks. in a dog-fight as the two countries clashed over the down,” he said. meddling in Taiwan, saying it will “reso- Underscoring the risks to residents and emergency re- Queensland Fire and Emergency Services acting com- contested Kashmir region in February.Abhinandan Taiwan faces presidential elections in lutely take action” and “fight at all costs” became the face of the crisis after Islamabad released sponders, a firefighting helicopter crashed during water- missioner Michael Wassing said another wind change on January. China considers the island as a to defend its sovereignty over the self-ruled a video of him drinking tea with Pakistani officers bombing operations in the state. Wednesday afternoon could worsen several large fires in wayward province under the globally-rec- island as well as South China Sea waters. while in captivity. The pilot survived with “non-life-threatening injuries”, a difficult-to-access areas of the state.