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Botswana Counts Votes as Ruling Party Seeks to Extend Decades-Long Rule

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The arid and sparsely populated African nation of Botswana counted votes Thursday from elections expected to return President Mokgweetsi Masisi to office after a first term marked by growing unemployment and concerns over the diamond-dependent economy.

Voting on Wednesday was orderly in a country proud of its democratic system installed on independence from Britain in 1966, making it the oldest democracy in the region although it has always been governed by the same party. The ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) is confident the results, which are expected late Thursday, will extend its 58 years in power.

However, commentators said weakened support may see the country’s first hung parliament, as the opposition has been divided. Most of Botswana’s financial assets are held by a wealthy 10% of its people, and the gap between rich and poor is one of the largest in the world, according to the World Bank.

Unemployment rose to 27% as the economy suffered from a slump in the market for diamonds, Botswana’s main source of income. Political analyst Olopeng Rabasimane said the next government’s priorities should be stabilizing the economy, creating jobs, and diversifying the economy away from diamonds.

Masisi, one of four presidential candidates, acknowledged concerns about a decline in Botswana’s foreign reserves and weakened international diamond sales, saying the government would increase local investments. But the opposition has claimed several irregularities around voting day, with the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) warning of “another rigged election.”

With 61 parliamentary seats up for grabs, the first party to 31 seats will be declared the winner and install its candidate as president. While the BDP is expected to prevail, the weakened state of the opposition has raised concerns about the future of Botswana’s long-standing democracy.

VOA

Los Angeles Dodgers Defeat New York Yankees in Five Games to Win 2024 World Series

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The Los Angeles Dodgers roared back from a 5-0 deficit late Wednesday to beat the New York Yankees 7-6 and win baseball’s 2024 World Series in five games.

The championship is the eighth in the Dodgers’ 140-year history and was clinched in front of nearly 50,000 fans at Yankee Stadium in New York, most of whom had hoped the Yankees could pull out a victory and take the series back to Los Angeles.

The Yankees jumped out to an early lead on the strength of home runs from sluggers Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm and Giancarlo Stanton. But the Dodgers tied the game with five runs in the fifth inning, aided by an error in center field by Judge.

After the Yankees scored in the next inning, Los Angeles went ahead for good with two runs in the top of the eighth, with the go-ahead run coming via a sacrifice fly from star outfielder Mookie Betts. Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler then shut down the Yankees in the bottom of the ninth to clinch the title.

This was the Dodgers’ first championship since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. For the Yankees, it marked the end of a 15-year title drought, as they made their first World Series appearance since winning the championship in 2009.

Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was named the World Series’ Most Valuable Player after hitting four home runs and driving in 12 runs during the five-game series. The series also drew high TV ratings in the U.S. and Japan due to the presence of Dodgers star Shohei Otani, who is expected to be named the National League MVP.

The Dodgers’ comeback victory capped an exciting World Series that saw the National League powerhouse defeat the storied Yankees franchise to claim their eighth championship in franchise history.

North Korea Fires Long-Range Ballistic Missile, South Korea Reports

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North Korea fired a suspected long-range ballistic missile towards the sea off its east coast on Thursday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, a day after Seoul reported the North was making preparations to test-launch an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The launch, at a sharply raised angle, was from an area near the North’s capital, Pyongyang, at 7:10 a.m. (2210 GMT), the Joint Chiefs said in a statement. It did not confirm whether the missile had dropped.

“It is believed the North Korea ballistic missile is a long-range ballistic missile fired at a high angle,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Japan’s Coast Guard also reported that North Korea had fired what could be a ballistic missile.

The latest missile launch comes as North Korea has come under international condemnation for reportedly dispatching 11,000 troops to Russia for deployment in the war in Ukraine, with 3,000 of them already moved close to the frontlines.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his South Korean counterpart Kim Yong-hyun condemned the deployment at a meeting in Washington on Wednesday, warning that it has the potential to lengthen the already 2-1/2 year Ukraine conflict and draw in others.

North Korea has conducted a series of ICBM test launches at a sharply steep trajectory in recent years, partly for safety and to avoid the political fallout of sending a missile far into the Pacific. Thursday’s launch is believed to be another such high-angle test.

The latest provocation by North Korea has drawn swift condemnation from the international community. The United States, South Korea, and their allies continue to monitor the situation and coordinate their response to Pyongyang’s destabilizing actions.

New Hezbollah Leader Signals Openness to Ceasefire with Israel on ‘Suitable’ Terms

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Hezbollah’s new leader Naim Qassem on Wednesday said the group would agree to a ceasefire with Israel under acceptable terms, but added that a viable deal has yet to be presented.

“If the Israelis decide that they want to stop the aggression, we say we accept, but under the conditions that we see as appropriate and suitable,” Qassem said in a pre-recorded speech, his first since he was named Hezbollah’s secretary general on Tuesday. However, he noted that Hezbollah “will not beg for a ceasefire,” as political efforts to secure a deal have yet to yield results.

Qassem replaces Hasan Nasrallah, who was assassinated by Israel on September 27 after more than 30 years at the helm of the Iran-backed group. He takes over as Hezbollah is locked in all-out war with Israel, which has ramped up strikes on the group’s strongholds and sent in ground forces across the border last month.

Qassem acknowledged that Israel’s assassination of Nasrallah and other senior Hezbollah figures dealt the group a “painful” blow. But he said Hezbollah “has started to recover by filling the gaps, appointing alternative leaders and commencing work to organize everything.”

Pledging to uphold the war strategy laid out by his predecessor, Qassem said, “My work program is a continuation of the work programme of our leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.” He vowed to press on with “the war plan that he developed,” while warning Israel: “Get out of our land to reduce your losses. If you stay, you will pay more than you have ever paid in your life.”

The new Hezbollah leader’s remarks suggest a willingness to accept a ceasefire, but only on terms that the group deems suitable. This highlights the continued tensions between Hezbollah and Israel, even as political efforts continue to broker a potential truce to end the latest round of hostilities.

Israeli Strikes Kill 19 in Historic Lebanese City of Baalbek After Evacuation Order

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Israeli strikes have killed 19 people, including eight women, around Lebanon’s eastern city of Baalbek, the country’s health ministry has said. It came hours after tens of thousands of residents fled in response to evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military that covered the entire city and two neighboring towns.

Mayor Mustafa al-Shell told the BBC that more than 20 strikes were reported on Wednesday afternoon in the Baalbek area, with five inside the city itself, where there is a UNESCO-listed ancient Roman temple complex. The Israeli military said it had struck Hezbollah command-and-control centers and infrastructure in Baalbek and Nabatiyeh, in southern Lebanon.

The attacks came as Hezbollah’s new secretary-general, Naim Qassem, said the group would continue its war plan against Israel under his leadership and that it would not “cry out” for a ceasefire. Baalbek is a key population center in the Bekaa Valley, near the border with Syria, where Hezbollah has established part of its infrastructure and recruited fighters.

Roula Zeaiter of the Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering said the evacuation orders sparked panic among residents, including displaced families from other parts of the country. “We’re scrambling like scared mice, moving from place to place. Lebanon is becoming like Gaza, with Israeli forces using the same tactics.”

UNESCO warned that World Heritage sites across the Middle East, particularly those in Lebanon, were under threat. “UNESCO recalls to all parties their obligation to respect and protect the integrity of these sites. They are the heritage of all humanity and should never be targeted,” it said.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najob Mikati expressed optimism that a ceasefire might be possible in “the coming hours or days”, as US mediators worked on a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. This would be used to finalize the full implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the last war they fought in 2006.

The latest strikes on the historic city of Baalbek have drawn strong condemnation, with calls to protect the ancient Roman ruins that are a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Mother Intentionally Jumps Over Niagara Falls with Two Children, Authorities Unable to Rescue

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A 33-year-old mother climbed over a safety rail and intentionally went over Niagara Falls with her two children, a 9-year-old and 5-month-old, according to New York state police, who said Wednesday that search and rescue efforts were unsuccessful.

Authorities responded to the park around 9 p.m. Monday and determined the family went over the rail on Luna Island, a small island between the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls that, along with the Horseshoe Falls, make up the popular tourist attraction.

“The investigation has determined that this incident was intentional in nature, though the circumstances remain under investigation,” state police said in a news release. Authorities are using unmanned aircraft and underwater units in the ongoing investigation.

Niagara Falls is a popular destination, but it has also been the site of numerous tragedies over the years, with some individuals intentionally going over the falls. This latest incident, involving a mother and her two young children, is an unimaginable tragedy that has left the community and authorities deeply saddened.

Search and rescue efforts were unable to locate the family, and it is presumed they did not survive the fall. Authorities have not released any further details about the circumstances surrounding this intentional act. The investigation is still in its early stages as officials work to determine what led to this devastating outcome.

8 Miners Dead, 1 Missing After Mine Collapse in Zambia

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Eight miners died after being buried under mounds of earth that collapsed on them in an open-pit copper mine in Zambia on Wednesday, police said.

Provincial police commissioner Peacewell Mweemba reported that one miner was missing and another two survived the incident at the mine in Chingola, a city in the Copperbelt Province. State media said six of the deceased miners were from the same family.

The victims were not employees of the mining company but part of a group who had been searching for copper at the mine without permission, a common phenomenon in Zambia. It’s the latest in a series of tragedies involving informal miners in the copper-rich nation.

Earlier this month, 10 informal miners died in a collapse in Mumbwa in central Zambia. In August, nine men were killed at a quarry near the capital, Lusaka, when a huge pile of earth collapsed on them.

Last December, more than 30 informal miners were killed at another open-pit mine in Chingola when heavy rain caused landslides that buried them in the tunnels they were working in.

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema recently said the number of miners who had died in accidents was “unacceptable.” The latest incident highlights the dangerous conditions faced by informal miners searching for valuable resources like copper in the country.

Rwandan Ex-Doctor Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Role in 1994 Genocide, in France

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A Paris court on Wednesday sentenced a Rwandan former doctor to 27 years in prison for his role in the 1994 genocide in his home country.

Eugène Rwamucyo, 65, was found guilty of “complicity in genocide,” “complicity in crimes against humanity” and “conspiracy” to prepare the ground for those crimes. He was acquitted of the charges of “genocide” and “crimes against humanity.”

Eugène Rwamucyo, 65, was found guilty of “complicity in genocide

Several witnesses, including Angélique Uwamahoro who was 13 at the time, traveled to Paris to testify during the four-week trial. They gave graphic descriptions of the killings in the Butare region where Rwamucyo was present.

Uwamahoro said she saw Rwamucyo, who was her mother’s doctor, at the scene of a massacre in a convent where she and her family had found refuge. She also testified that she saw Rwamucyo at a road block in Butare, where he was encouraging militiamen to kill Tutsi people.

Other witnesses described mass graves and people being buried alive. Rwamucyo was accused of spreading anti-Tutsi propaganda and supervising operations to bury victims in mass graves, though he denied survivors were buried alive and said his role was motivated by “hygiene-related” considerations.

Eugène Rwamucyo, 65, was found guilty of “complicity in genocide

This is the seventh trial related to the Rwandan genocide that has come to court in Paris in the past decade. The massacres saw more than 800,000 of Rwanda’s minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus who tried to protect them killed by Hutu extremists, backed by the army and police.

Rwamucyo was arrested in a suburb north of Paris in 2010 while attending the funeral of Jean Bosco Baravagwiza, considered one of the masterminds of the genocide. The 27-year sentence handed down by the Paris court underscores the continued pursuit of justice for the crimes committed during the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Albanian Opposition Blocks Roads in Protest Demanding Caretaker Government

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Albanian opposition activists blocked major roads for several hours Tuesday in a nationwide rally demanding that the government be replaced by a technocratic caretaker Cabinet before the 2025 parliamentary election.

Lawmakers led hundreds of opposition supporters in rallies that blocked traffic at a main highway into the capital, Tirana, and at five other major roads around the country. The conservative Democrats led by former Prime Minister Sali Berisha have long accused Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialists of corruption and manipulating elections.

Thousands of police were deployed to protect government buildings and the rule of law, and there were sporadic clashes between officers and activists before the rallies ended in the late evening. The opposition activists lifted their blockades when their leaders pledged to take unspecified anti-government action later.

The Democrats and their supporters in an opposition coalition have been holding protests over the arrests of Berisha and former President Ilir Meta in separate corruption cases, saying the charges are politically motivated. The opposition has staged violent protests against the government since 2013, when they left power.

Albania holds parliamentary elections next spring, which Rama’s Socialists are poised to win, partly because the opposition is divided. The United States and the European Union have urged the opposition to resume dialogue with the government, saying violence won’t help the country integrate into the 27-nation EU bloc.

In 2020, the EU decided to launch full membership negotiations with Albania. Earlier this month, Tirana started discussions with the bloc on how the country aligns with EU standards on the rule of law, democratic institutions and the fight against corruption. The latest protests highlight the ongoing political tensions in Albania as it works towards EU integration.

North Korean Troops in Russian Uniforms Heading Toward Ukraine, U.S. Says

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Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday that North Korean troops wearing Russian uniforms and carrying Russian equipment are moving toward Ukraine, in what he called a dangerous and destabilizing development.

Austin was speaking at a press conference in Washington with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, as concerns grow about Pyongyang’s deployment of as many as 12,000 troops to Russia’s Kursk region on the border with Ukraine, where the Kremlin’s forces have struggled to push back a Ukrainian incursion.

The U.S. and South Korea say some of the North Korean advance units have already arrived in the Kursk region, and Austin said “the likelihood is pretty high” that Russia will use the troops in combat. North Korea’s move to tighten its relationship with Russia has triggered alarms across the globe, as leaders worry about how it may expand the war in Ukraine and what Russian military aid will be delivered to Pyongyang in exchange.

Ukraine’s U.N. Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya said they expect as many as 4,500 North Korean troops to be at the border this week and to begin directly participating in combat operations against Ukrainian forces in November. Austin said officials are discussing what to do about the deployment, which he said has the potential to broaden or lengthen the conflict in Ukraine.

Kim said he doesn’t necessarily believe the deployment will trigger war on the Korean Peninsula but could increase security threats. Both Kim and Austin called on North Korea to withdraw its troops, with the U.S. defense chief noting that Moscow has turned to others for help due to significant losses of its own forces during the war.

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