Siberia mine dam breaks; 15 people die
MOSCOW — At least 15 people are dead after a dam at a small Siberian gold mine collapsed and water flooded two workers’ dormitories on Saturday.
The Emergencies Ministry also said seven people were unaccounted for, Russian news reports said. The regional health ministry said 16 people were injured.
The dam had not been registered or approved for use by Rostechnadzor, Russia’s agency for technological and ecological oversight, the Interfax news agency cited the agency as saying.
The collapse during heavy rain occurred early Saturday morning near the village of Shchetinkino in the Krasnoyarsk region about 2,100 miles east of Moscow.
“The hydrotechnical structure was built in a makeshift way, as I surmise, in violation of all conceivable and inconceivable standards,” said Yuri Lapshin, chairman of the Krasnoyarsk regional government, according to state news agency RIA-Novosti.
Egypt frees 101 protesters held 1 month
CAIRO — Egyptian authorities released more than 100 people who were among hundreds arrested in a sweeping crackdown after small but rare anti-government protests last month, rights lawyers and officials said Saturday.
Lawyers Mustafa el-Demiry and Khaled Ali said 101 detainees, including 30 women, were released late Friday, pending an investigation into allegations they took part in the activities of a banned group and disseminated false news on social media platforms.
A local rights group tracking the arrests says security forces have rounded up about 3,700 people, including rights lawyers, activists, journalists and several foreign nationals, since the protests on Sept. 20. The country’s top prosecutor said late in September that his office questioned as many as 1,000 suspects who took part in the protests.
The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights said more than 800 people, including foreigners, have been released, but many others have been further detained.
Security officials put the toll of the released at over 1,200, mostly without charges. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Fraud alleged in Mozambique election
MAPUTO, Mozambique — Mozambique’s main opposition party on Saturday rejected the ruling party’s overwhelming victory indicated by early election results and urged that the vote be rerun because of what it called widespread fraud and intimidation.
Renamo Secretary-General Andre Magibire said the partisan actions of police and election officials loyal to the ruling Frelimo party were a violation of the peace accord signed in August between the parties.
Frelimo “is clearly demonstrating that it doesn’t want peace,” Magibire said. He alleged the party was responsible for rigging and fraud. “Therefore, Renamo cannot accept this kind of election. We are asking for a repeat of the election” overseen by competent observers.
With a third of the national vote counted, results on the National Election Commission’s website showed President Filipe Nyusi in the lead with 69% and Renamo leader Ossufo Momade with 25%.
Observers have raised concerns over the credibility of the elections. Numerous irregularities have been noted including the registration of 300,000 more voters in Gaza province than its voting-age adults, according to the 2017 census.
Observers noted several incidents across the country where people were found trying to enter polling stations with extra ballots marked for Frelimo.
Violence surrounding the election included a Renamo official shot dead with her husband in Tete province a day before the vote.
Cuba’s Maduro support draws sanctions
The United States on Friday imposed new sanctions on Cuba over its support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and its human-rights record at home.
The Department of Commerce said in a statement it is revoking existing licenses for aircraft leases to Cuban state-owned airlines and will deny future applications for aircraft leases. It will also expand the sanctions on Cuba to include more foreign goods containing U.S. contents.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the measures seek to hold the Cuban regime accountable for repressing its own people and for providing support to the Venezuela’s government, which it accuses of human-rights abuses and collapsing the country’s economy.
“This action by the Commerce Department sends another clear message to the Cuban regime — that they must immediately cease their destructive behavior at home and abroad,” Ross said.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel rejected the decision and on Twitter called it “inhumane, cruel, unfair and genocidal.”