Canadians drive through burning city seeking safety
‘The blaze will not be extinguished until there is significant rain’
Margot Honecker, the widow of former East German leader Erich Honecker and the most powerful woman in the Communist state until its collapse in 1989, died on Friday in Santiago, Chile, at the age of 89.
She had been living as a recluse in Chile for more than two decades.
Honecker had been suffering from cancer, TVN television station said.
The Communist Party of Chile (PCC) said in a statement: “After FORT MCMURRAY: Canadian police BRASILIA: A Brazilian Senate The impeachment battle, a learning of the death of Margot led convoys of cars through the burning committee voted to recommend crumbling economy, and corruption Honecker, this morning in our ghost town of Fort McMurray in a risky starting an impeachment trial probes against dozens of leading country, we send our most sincere operation to get thousands of people to against President Dilma Rousseff, politicians and business executives condolences to her daughter Sonja, safety on the other side. who now faces being suspended have left Latin America’s biggest her family and friends.” Monster forest fires were continuing from office in less than a week. country in turmoil ahead of the Rio
Known as the “Purple Witch” in to burn out of control in the parched The special committee’s decision Olympics this August. East Germany for her tinted hair and region, and could potentially double in was non-binding but marked the last The impeachment is based on hardline stance, Honecker served size by the end of Saturday, said Chad formal stage before the full Senate accusations that Rousseff made alongside her husband as minister for Morrison, senior manager of wildfire votes on Wednesday on whether to illegal accounting manoeuvres to education for almost three decades. prevention at the Alberta Agriculture put the leftist leader on trial. mask the depth of Brazil’s economic
She was hated and feared by many and Forestry Division. “The case now goes to the troubles during her tight 2014 East Germans but defended the The blaze in Alberta’s oil sands full federal Senate,” announced reelection victory. cruelties of the system to her death. region will not be extinguished for “a opposition Senator Raimundo Lira The country’s first female
In 2012, she called those killed very long time” until there is significant following the one-sided vote, which president says the charges are trying to escape over the Berlin rain, he said. There was a 30 per cent passed 15 to five. trumped up to turn the impeachment Wall “stupid” for wanting to defect, chance of rain on Sunday, the Canadian With the Senate considered process into a coup d’etat and that defended the Stasi secret police and government forecast said, followed by almost certain to open the trial next she will not give in. said her state pension of 1,500 euros a sunny conditions on Monday. or cut it off completely, as has happened helicopters and planes. week, Rousseff is preparing to step “I have the nature of someone month was too small. In the latest harrowing chapter, in recent days. Officials expect the road convoys for aside for up to six months while the who resists and I will resist to the
The PCC’s Secretary-General, convoys of 50 cars at a time made their Those being evacuated — for a the remaining 17,000 will take around 81 senators decide her fate, plunging last day,” she said at a ceremony Juan Andres Lagos, told TVN: “She way through Fort McMurray at about second time, after first abandoning their four days. Brazil into ever deeper political where she handed over housing to was a person that was coherent with 50-60 kilometres per hour, TV footage homes — had fled this week to an area Security camera footage from the infighting. the poor, one of the Workers’ Party’s her political ideals and then when showed. north of the city where oil companies inside of one family’s home underscored As soon as Rousseff is suspended signature policies — and one she real socialism fell, she also led many Police took up positions at have lodging camps for workers. the speed at which the blaze could Vice-President Michel Temer, a claimed would be threatened by her initiatives of solidarity with the people intersections along the way to keep But officials concluded they were overcome any stragglers. centre-right politician whose party departure. of Latin America and Asia, which evacuees from detouring to try to no longer safe there because of shifting Thick grey smoke filled the living recently broke off its shaky alliance The Senate vote and debate next fought for their liberation.” salvage belongings from charred homes winds that raised the risk of them room within 30 seconds, while flames with Rousseff ’s Workers’ Party, week is expected to take more than
But Honecker will probably be and make sure the route remains safe becoming trapped, and needed to move quickly ate away a wall. Among the first would become interim president. 20 hours, likely stretching into most remembered for her suspected from the fire, which has encircled the south to other evacuee staging grounds evacuees to reach Wandering River, a At the end of the trial, which Thursday, Brazilian media reports role in forcedsaid.adoptionsofchildrentownof100,000,nowevacuated.andeventuallytoEdmonton,400hamletabout200kilometressouthofcouldtakemonths,atwothirds whoseRparents had tried to flee to the Three army helicopters hovered kilometres (250 miles) to the south. Fort McMurray, Margarita Carnicero majority would be needed to remove ousseff ’s suspension could take West, though she always denied this above to sound the alert if the flames Some 8,000 people were airlifted out said she had feared for her life on the Rousseff from office. effect on Friday. happened. got too close to the road, Highway 63, of the northern enclave on Thursday on journey to safety.