Sabtu, 16 November 2019

Sri Lanka election: Voting under way after divisive campaign - Al Jazeera English

Colombo, Sri Lanka - Sri Lankans began voting on Saturday to elect a new president in an election that has seen rising religious tensions and a slowing economy take centre stage in the South Asian island nation.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a former defence minister and brother of two-time former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, and Sajith Premadasa, the ruling United National Party's (UNP) candidate, are the top two contenders in a poll that has a record 35 candidates vying to lead Sri Lanka's government.

Polls opened at 7:00am local time (01:30 GMT), with 15.9 million Sri Lankans eligible to vote at 12,845 polling stations in the country's 22 electoral districts, according to the Election Commission.

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Early on Saturday, unidentified gunmen opened fire on a convoy of more than a 100 buses carrying voters - mainly Muslims - at Thanthirimale, about 240km (150 miles) north of Colombo, election observers said.

"Unidentified groups shot at and pelted stones at the buses," said Manjula Gajanayake, the national coordinator for the Colombo-based Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV).

Gajanayake said there had been no casualties reported, and the buses continued to their destination.

Divisive campaign

Historically, voter turnout for presidential elections has been high, with more than 81.5 percent of voters casting their ballots in the last election in 2015.

Outgoing President Maithripala Sirisena, who won that vote, will not be seeking re-election, but his Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) is backing Rajapaksa.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who Sirisena unsuccessfully attempted to remove in October last year, is backing his own party's candidate, Premadasa.

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The six-week campaign divided the country, with Rajapaksa promising to bring in strong, centralised leadership to tackle security, boasting of his credentials of being the defence minister who presided over the end of Sri Lanka's 26-year war with Tamil rebels.

Rights group have long called for accountability for allegations of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and other violations allegedly committed during that tenure.

According to a United Nations report, as many as 40,000 Tamils may have been killed in the final months of the war.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, who Gotabaya says he will name prime minister if he is elected, has also been accusedof widespread rights abuses aimed at silencing dissent during his previous two terms in power.

Sri Lanka votes - Leslie Rajakaruna

Leslie Rajakaruna, 78, a retired railways officer, said he was voting for Gotabaya Rajapaksa because he was 'a strong leader' [Asad Hashim/Al Jazeera]

Voices at polling stations

Voters formed orderly lines outside polling stations across Colombo as voting opened on Saturday.

Leslie Rajakaruna, 78, a retired railways officer, said he was voting for Gotabaya Rajapaksa because he was "a strong leader".

"There is too much foreign involvement, Sri Lanka should control itself," he said, alleging interference in the country's domestic policies by "the United States, European countries and the United Nations".

Sri Lanka votes - Sandya Kumari

Sandya Kumari, 59, a cleaner in Colombo's Wellawatte area, said she was voting for the UNP's Sajith Premadasa because 'he thinks about poor people' [Asad Hashim/Al Jazeera]

Rajakaruna dismissed allegations of war crimes against the Rajapaksa's as being politically motivated.

"They will not be able to prove a single abduction, it's all fake," he said.

Poulasingham Sridarasingh, 67, a Tamil bookstore owner, said he was voting but did not hold any expectations for things to get better for his ethnic community.

"We have a right to vote, but we [Tamil people] are not getting anything out of it," he said.

Sandya Kumari, 59, a cleaner in Colombo's Wellawatte area, said she was voting for the UNP's Sajith Premadasa because "he thinks about poor people".

Premadasa's campaign has focused on lower income groups, promising government-subsidised housing, more jobs and other benefits.

Pathinagodage Rajith, a mason, said he was voting for Gotabaya Rajapaksa because he believed in his economic programme.

"Economic issues are our biggest concern. Whatever we earn we have to spend," said the 57-year-old, who earns roughly 30,000 Sri Lankan rupees ($166) a month.

Imran Muhammad Ali, 38, works in the IT sector, and said he was voting against Gotabaya Rajapaksa because of the allegations of rights violations during his brother's term in office.

INTERACTIVE: SRI LANKA PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2019 - Voting at a glance

For voters, the election comes as economic growth is slated to slow to 2.7 percent this year, according to the IMF, and security has become a major issue following the Easter Sunday suicide attacks that killed more than 269 people.

"The cost of living and the state of the economy, these are our biggest issues," said Shriyani Gamage, 56, a homemaker in capital Colombo. "We don't have enough money … this country has gone to the dogs."

Analysts say there is little to choose between the candidates' economic policies.

"It's a form of crude mercantilism where the rich in Colombo can prosper but the middle class will also feel squeezed out," said Kumaradivel Guruparan, an academic in the northern city of Jaffna. "It is crude capitalism that is then sprinkled with here-and-there policies inspired by welfare economics or socialism."

Mounting tensions

The six-week campaign in a neck-and-neck race has seen tensions mount across Sri Lanka, with the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) documenting at least 743 electoral violations, including at least 45 cases of assaults or threats.

The alleged violations are split relatively equally between the two leading parties, Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka People's Front (SLPP) and Premadasa's UNP, the CMEV data shows.

Election observers say there has been widespread misuse of government resources in the run-up to the poll, with state governors, local government officials and others all using state resources to illegally back both candidates.

"I am not willing to say this election is free and fair," said Gajanayake, CMEV's national coordinator. "Due to these [violations], elections can be manipulated."

Gajayanake pointed in particular to the backing of Gotabaya Rajapaksa by prominent Buddhist religious leaders, who have allowed his party to campaign on temple premises.

Sinhalese - who are mainly Buddhists - form about 70 percent of Sri Lanka's 21.8 million citizens, according to the Sri Lankan government data.

Tamils form roughly 15 percent of the population, with Muslims - many of whom consider themselves a distinct ethnic group - forming roughly 10 percent.

 Analysts say the minority vote will be crucial in determining who wins the election.

"Both Tamils and Muslims are likely to vote overwhelmingly for Sajith Premadasa, although not necessarily because of his policies," said Ahilan Kadirgamar, a Jaffna-based political economist, citing fears among minority communities of repression under a Rajapaksa government.

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On Wednesday, the International Crisis Group said the prospect of a Gotabaya Rajapaksa win had created "fear of a return to [a] violent past".

"The prospect of a new Rajapaksa presidency has heightened ethnic tensions and raised fears among minorities and democratic activists," wrote ICG Sri Lanka director Alan Keenan.

"They worry electing Gotabaya, a strong Sinhala nationalist, would deepen already serious divides among the country's ethnic communities and threaten its recent modest democratic gains."

Constitutional crisis: Round two?

Analysts say Saturday's vote can also be seen as a continuation of last year's constitutional crisis, when President Sirisena attempted to replace Wickremesinghe with Mahinda Rajapaksa, but was ultimately forced to reverse his decision after the Supreme Court said he did not have the power to dismiss the prime minister.

With both top candidates having stated their intention to replace PM Wickremesinghe if elected, the possibility of a standoff immediately following the vote is strong, said Kadirgamar.

"Once the presidential elections are over and the president is elected, there will very quickly be a reconfiguration of forces in parliament," he said.

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If Rajapaksa wins, analysts told Al Jazeera he is likely to attempt a vote of no-confidence against PM Wickremesinghe in parliament. If Premadasa wins, he may ask Wickremesinghe - his party's leader - to step down, they said.

"You'll have an awkward cohabitation, either a temporary one if Gotabaya Rajapaksa wins, and a possibly more long-lasting one under Sajith Premadasa," the ICG's Keenan told Al Jazeera.

The potential political ramifications are complicated by recent changes to Sri Lanka's constitution that weaken the power of the presidency and will become effective for the first time following this vote.

"Previously everyone knew and assumed that the new president would set up his own administration, his own cabinet and appoint his own PM," says Asanga Welikala, a Sri Lankan constitutional expert. "That is no longer a power that the president has."

INTERACTIVE: SRI LANKA PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2019 - Structure of govt

Under the 19th amendment to the constitution, the presidency has been stripped of key powers, including eligibility to hold ministerial portfolios, from this election onwards.

Sri Lanka operates a semi-presidential system of government, where the executive comprises of the president, who is directly elected, and a prime minister and cabinet which are drawn from and answerable to parliament. It is "a system built on tension", according to Welikala.

"It is essentially a hybrid system between the US presidentialism and the UK parliament system," he said.

"The president is head of state, head of cabinet and head of government. He is the only person who is directly elected. The president does have power, but it is not untrammelled power [anymore]."

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https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/11/sri-lanka-set-presidential-vote-divisive-campaign-191115165216846.html

2019-11-16 07:13:00Z
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Jumat, 15 November 2019

White House releases memo of Trump's April call with Ukraine's Zelenskiy - CNBC

President Donald Trump speaks on the phone in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC.

Alex Wong | Getty Images News | Getty Images

The White House on Friday released a memorandum of an April 21 phone call between President Donald Trump and then-Ukrainian President-elect Volodimyr Zelenskiy.

Trump in the call extended an invitation to bring Zelenskiy to the White House, according to the four-page memo, which notes in a footnote that it is "not a verbatim transcript of a discussion."

"I'd like to invite you to the White House. We'll have a lot of things to talk about, but we're with you all the way," Trump said.

The U.S. president also told Zelenskiy "When I owned Miss Universe, they always had great people. Ukraine was always very well represented." Trump owned the beauty pageant from 1996 to 2015.

The conversation lasted 16 minutes, according to the memo.

Trump himself opted to release the memo of his first call with Zelenskiy. He described it as "more important" than their second conversation three months later, in which Trump asked Zelenskiy to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, as well as a conspiracy theory about Ukrainian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

That July 25 call, which was flagged in a whistleblower complaint, spurred dozens of Democrats to support an impeachment inquiry into Trump.

The House Democrats conducting the probe are currently holding public hearings with witnesses, who have testified about the Trump administration's efforts toward Ukraine, including the shadow foreign policy efforts pursued by Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani.

The White House shared the memo just as former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch began her opening statement before the House Intelligence Committee.

The congratulatory phone call adds yet another layer to the record of communications between the White House and the government of Ukraine.

According to U.S. diplomats who have testified to House investigators about the call, it was arranged so that Trump could congratulate the newly elected Zelenskiy on his victory, a fairly standard practice among leaders of allied countries.

Yovanovitch testified behind closed doors last month that she heard the call was largely uneventful. "It was a good call," it was brief, and Trump and Zelenskiy "hit it off," Yovanovitch said she was told.

Read the memorandum of the first call between Trump and Zelenskiy.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.

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https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/15/trump-releases-transcript-of-april-call-with-ukraine-president.html

2019-11-15 14:07:00Z
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CNN LIVE: Trump impeachment inquiry hearings - Day 2 - CNN

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuzK3LdJtvc

2019-11-15 13:52:25Z
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Hong Kong protests: China condemns 'appalling' attack on official in UK - BBC News

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China has condemned what it called an "appalling attack" by protesters on Hong Kong's justice secretary in London on Thursday evening.

Teresa Cheng fell and was treated for an arm injury in hospital after being jostled by about 30 supporters of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement.

Chinese official Geng Shuang said some in the UK "supported violent acts... to create chaos" in its former colony.

Hong Kong has been racked by five months of anti-government protests.

The campaign started in opposition to a now-withdrawn plan to allow extradition to mainland China, but it has since morphed into wider demonstrations backing democracy and opposing the actions of the police.

The protests have continued unabated - Friday was the fifth consecutive day - and have often turned violent. On Thursday, a 70-year-old man died after being hit by a brick thrown during clashes. A murder inquiry has been opened.

Hong Kong meanwhile confirmed it had entered its first recession for a decade, with the economy shrinking 3.2% in July to September, compared with the previous quarter.

What happened to Teresa Cheng?

The justice secretary had been in Camden, north London, to promote Hong Kong as a dispute resolution and deal-making hub.

Video showed her walking towards a lecture at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators when she was surrounded by a group of protesters.

Some held signs and shouted "murderer" and in the melee, Ms Cheng fell to the ground.

London's Metropolitan Police said they were investigating an allegation of assault and no arrests had yet been made.

"A woman was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service suffering an injury to her arm," a statement said.

How did China react?

Mr Geng, China's foreign ministry spokesman, said the attack was "directly related to certain British politicians confusing right from wrong on the Hong Kong issue and their support for violent acts, giving a platform to those who are anti-China and want to create chaos in Hong Kong".

He said if the UK did not alter its approach "and continues to add fuel to the fire, sow discord and instigate others" it would "bring calamity on itself".

He urged the UK to "bring the culprits to justice and... also protect the safety and integrity of all Chinese people in the nation".

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam also condemned the protesters in the UK, saying "the savage act breached the bottom line of any civilised society".

Ms Cheng's office said she "castigates the violent mob in London causing her serious bodily harm on her way to an event venue".

Protesters say Ms Cheng played a key role in pushing for the extradition bill.

What's the latest on the protests?

Protesters, including thousands of office workers, were on the streets again on Friday, many of them chanting "stand with Hong Kong".

A number of roads were blocked and there was more disruption on the underground rail system. Black-clad protesters also continued to occupy university campuses.

It comes a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping warned the protests were threatening the "one country, two systems" policy under which Hong Kong retains a high level of autonomy and personal freedom unseen in mainland China.

Police in Hong Kong are treating as murder the death of the 70-year-old hit by a brick during unrest in the border town of Sheung Shui on Wednesday.

The government said the cleaner was on a lunch break when he was struck by "hard objects hurled by masked rioters".

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Video purported to be of the incident shows two groups throwing bricks at each other before the man falls to the ground.

On Monday, a police officer shot an activist in the torso with a live bullet, and a man was set on fire while arguing with anti-government protesters.

A week ago, Alex Chow, a 22-year-old student, died after falling from a building during a police operation.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-50433799

2019-11-15 12:20:13Z
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High tide in Venice could hit twice normal level - CBS This Morning

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgKxEW7JTZM

2019-11-15 12:39:00Z
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Flooded Venice battles new tidal surge - BBC News

Flooded Venice has been hit by a new high tide of 160cm (5.3ft), giving residents no respite from a crisis costing millions of euros.

World-famous St Mark's Square, a magnet for tourists, has been closed, and schools are shut for a third day.

The Italian city's famous waterbuses - the vaporetti - have stopped running.

The 187cm peak on Tuesday was the highest level for more than 50 years, damaging cultural monuments, businesses and homes. More than 80% of the canal city was flooded.

The government declared a state of emergency in the Unesco world heritage site.

Residents with flood-damaged homes will get up to €5,000 (£4,300; $5,500), and businesses up to €20,000 in compensation.

Desperate measures as water seeps everywhere

The BBC's Jenny Hill in Venice writes:

The first flood sirens went off at dawn, an eerie sound rising over the ancient bridges and waterways of the city.

Within a couple of hours, the murky green water of the Grand Canal had risen level with its bank, slapping over the paving stones as boats went past.

Nearby streets quickly flooded. Tourists, shoes covered in plastic bags, carried their luggage along raised narrow trestle walkways, which the authorities have put up to keep the pedestrian traffic moving.

On either side, dirty water continued to rise. At ground level, in their rubber wellies, business owners were already starting to operate small pumps. Many had raised the flood barriers across their doorways - apparently to little effect. Water was already seeping up to ankle height in the souvenir shops and cafes.

"It hurts to see the city so damaged, its artistic heritage compromised, its commercial activities on its knees," Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who visited Venice on Wednesday, wrote in a Facebook post (in Italian).

Fondamenta Zattere - a long, much-loved waterfront area where tourists enjoy strolling - is also under water.

The city is made up of more than 100 islands inside a lagoon off the north-east coast of Italy. It suffers flooding on a yearly basis.

The government has pledged to release €20m in aid for Venice.

Only once since official records began in 1923 has the tide been higher than it reached this week - hitting 194cm in 1966.

The mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, blamed climate change for the flood, saying the impact was "huge" and would leave "a permanent mark". Strong winds lashing the area are contributing to the crisis.

Mr Conte said the government would accelerate the building of structural defences for the city, referring specifically to the so-called Mose project - a hydraulic barrier system to shut off the lagoon in the event of rising sea levels and winter storms.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50430855

2019-11-15 11:43:06Z
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Flooded Venice battles new tidal surge - BBC News

Flooded Venice has been hit by a new high tide of 160cm (5.3ft), giving residents no respite from a crisis costing millions of euros.

World-famous St Mark's Square, a magnet for tourists, has been closed, and schools are shut for a third day.

The Italian city's famous waterbuses - the vaporetti - have stopped running.

The 187cm peak on Tuesday was the highest level for more than 50 years, damaging cultural monuments, businesses and homes. More than 80% of the canal city was flooded.

The government declared a state of emergency in the Unesco world heritage site.

Residents with flood-damaged homes will get up to €5,000 (£4,300; $5,500), and businesses up to €20,000 in compensation.

Desperate measures as water seeps everywhere

The BBC's Jenny Hill in Venice writes:

The first flood sirens went off at dawn, an eerie sound rising over the ancient bridges and waterways of the city.

Within a couple of hours, the murky green water of the Grand Canal had risen level with its bank, slapping over the paving stones as boats went past.

Nearby streets quickly flooded. Tourists, shoes covered in plastic bags, carried their luggage along raised narrow trestle walkways, which the authorities have put up to keep the pedestrian traffic moving.

On either side, dirty water continued to rise. At ground level, in their rubber wellies, business owners were already starting to operate small pumps. Many had raised the flood barriers across their doorways - apparently to little effect. Water was already seeping up to ankle height in the souvenir shops and cafes.

"It hurts to see the city so damaged, its artistic heritage compromised, its commercial activities on its knees," Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who visited Venice on Wednesday, wrote in a Facebook post (in Italian).

Fondamenta Zattere - a long, much-loved waterfront area where tourists enjoy strolling - is also under water.

The city is made up of more than 100 islands inside a lagoon off the north-east coast of Italy. It suffers flooding on a yearly basis.

The government has pledged to release €20m in aid for Venice.

Only once since official records began in 1923 has the tide been higher than it reached this week - hitting 194cm in 1966.

The mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, blamed climate change for the flood, saying the impact was "huge" and would leave "a permanent mark". Strong winds lashing the area are contributing to the crisis.

Mr Conte said the government would accelerate the building of structural defences for the city, referring specifically to the so-called Mose project - a hydraulic barrier system to shut off the lagoon in the event of rising sea levels and winter storms.

All images are subject to copyright.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50430855

2019-11-15 11:34:44Z
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