Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 2 april 2019
Algeria’s leader, ceding to protests, will quit by April 28

By AOMAR OUALI Algerians, many of whom
THOMAS ADAMSON struggle to find jobs. Des-
Associated Press peration has driven some
ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Al- to attempt to migrate to
gerian President Abdelaziz Europe on rickety boats.
Bouteflika will step down Demonstrators said Boutef-
before his fourth term ends lika and the rest of the po-
on April 28, his office said litical establishment were
Monday, as the ailing lead- out of touch with their ev-
er capitulated to growing eryday problems. They
calls for his resignation after have called for a rewrit-
two decades in power. ten constitution that gives
It’s unclear if the stunning fewer powers to the presi-
move will appease the dent in a bid to strengthen
masses of protesters whose democracy in the gas-rich
vociferous calls for Boutef- North African country.
lika and his cadre of loyal- Ending his presidency amid
ists to quit have expanded the protests was a bold de-
to demand an overhaul of cision for Bouteflika, who
the entire political system. in February declared he
Their weekly since Feb. 22 would seek a fifth term in
have challenged the politi- the presidential election
cal status quo in the coun- In this April 28, 2014 file photo, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika sits in a wheelchair after originally scheduled for
try long ruled by Bouteflika, taking oath as President, in Algiers. April 18.
82, a onetime wily politi- Associated Press He postponed the election
cal survivor who has rarely sion reported Sunday night launching a procedure to were banned from leaving and said he would not be
been seen in public since that Bouteflika and the re- have Bouteflika declared the country “for the needs a candidate when it was
he suffered a stroke in 2013. placement prime minister unfit for office, prompting of the investigation,” pro- held, but did not set a new
A short statement from he appointed last month, tensions between the army viding no details. date, angering critics who
Bouteflika’s office said he Noureddine Bedoui, had and the president’s inner Police detained a powerful saw the delay as designed
would take “important formed a new government circle. industrialist who is thought to hold onto power.
steps to ensure the conti- after struggling for weeks to The president’s concession to be close to Bouteflika, Ali Bouteflika had been known
nuity of the functioning of find potential Cabinet min- came after a court in Alge- Haddad, near the Algeri- as a political survivor ever
state institutions” after he isters amid the uncertainty ria said it was investigating an-Tunisian border over the since he fought during the
leaves the office he as- surrounding the president. corruption and the illegal weekend. 1950s and 1960s for Alge-
sumed in 1999. The new government must transfer of funds abroad Algeria is Africa’s biggest ria’s independence from
The Algerian Constitution stay in place during the amid concerns about a country by land mass and France.
calls for the head of the transition period before the flight of capital from the a major natural gas pro- He became foreign min-
upper house of parliament, next election. country amid political in- ducer, but its energy riches ister at the age of 25, and
Abdelkader Bensalah, to In recent weeks, the presi- stability. have not trickled down to stood up to the likes of Hen-
act as interim leader for a dent saw key figures with- The official APS news agen- reach the pockets of its ry Kissinger at the height of
maximum of 90 days while draw their support from cy quoted the Algerian people. the Cold War, when Algeria
an election is organized. him. Algeria’s power- prosecutor’s office Monday The protests have been was tethered to the former
Algerian national televi- ful army chief proposed as saying “certain people” driven mostly by young Soviet Union.q

Rescuers struggle to reach storm-hit area in Nepal; 28 dead

By UPENDRA MAN SINGH Police officers and soldiers Beds were filled to capac-
Associated Press were helping people in- ity and patients were lying
BHARWALIA, Nepal (AP) jured by the rainstorm. Vil- on the floors of corridors
— Villagers who survived lagers from neighboring at the hospital. Villagers
a powerful rainstorm that districts were also distribut- salvaged what they could
killed at least 28 people ing food to the victims. from what was left of their
and injured hundreds in Prime Minister Khadga homes in Bharwalia village,
southern Nepal searched Prasad Oli canceled a where most people live
for food and shelter Mon- visit to western Nepal and in huts made of mud and
day as rescuers struggled was flying to the area to bricks with straw and stone
to reach remote areas. observe rescue efforts, his roofs. Most of the huts were
High winds during the storm office said. The National blown down by the strong
Sunday night flipped cars Emergency Operation winds, leaving people with-
and blew a bus carrying at Center in Kathmandu said out shelter or food.
least 40 people off a high- 612 people were injured “The storm took everything
way, killing some. A man collects water from a hand pump next to the debris of and teams with tents and we had, including all the
Police said most of the houses damaged in a rainstorm in Bara district, 125 kilometers other materials were sent goods we had. We have no
deaths were caused by (75 miles) south of Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, April 1, 2019. to the area. food to eat or any roof over
collapsing walls and falling Associated Press Injured people were still be- our heads,” said Jebeda
bricks in homes and top- Bara and Parsa districts. The Parsa, administrator Naray- ing brought to Narayani Khatung, who was digging
pled trees and electrical government administrator an Bhattarai said. hospital, the largest in the through the debris in hopes
poles. in Bara, Rajesh Poudel, said The area is about 120 kilo- region, Dr. Sushil Pokhrel of finding some of her be-
The storm swept through vil- 27 were killed there. One meters (75 miles) south of said. He said 395 patients longings. All four members
lages in a farming region in person died in neighboring the capital, Kathmandu. had been treated. of her family survived. q