World Tour: China hosts the third Belt and Road Forum

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Coming up next on The World and Everything in It: WORLD Tour with our Africa reporter, Onize Ohikere.

AUDIO: [Dancers and singers]

ONIZE OHIKERE, REPORTER: Belt & Road Initiative — We start today’s roundup in China, where dancers and marching troops have welcomed foreign leaders to the third meeting of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

Diplomats from more than 140 countries are attending the two-day forum that ends today.

This year’s meeting also marks the 10th anniversary of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. China began the project in 2013 to build power plants, roads, and other infrastructure linking Asia with Europe, Africa, and other continents along the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

AUDIO: [Ongoing meeting]

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Taliban representatives from Afghanistan are also attending the meetings. Foreign ministers from Russia and China met Monday ahead of the forum to discuss bilateral relations and other global issues—including the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Kenyan President William Ruto is also seeking additional loans from China’s initiative and a review of a Chinese loan repayment plan for a railway project.

China hosted the first two forums in 2017 and 2019.

Australia referendum — Next to Australia, where voters have rejected a government plan to amplify indigenous voices.

All six states voted “No” in a weekend referendum on whether to amend the Constitution to create a committee of indigenous people to advise parliament.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was disappointed, but he respects the decision of all Australians.

ALBANESE: This moment of disagreement does not define us, and it will not divide us. We are not 'yes' voters or 'no' voters, we are all Australians.

Supporters have said the changes would pave the way for reconciliation. But opponents argued the proposal lacked clarity and could cause more division.

The weekend vote marks the second time Australians have voted against a referendum to recognize indigenous people in the constitution. Indigenous Australians make up nearly four percent of the country’s population.

AUDIO: [Protesters chanting]

Guatemala protests — We head next to the streets of Guatemala, where protests have crippled the capital and other cities.

Thousands of farmers and indigenous community members began setting up roadblocks about two weeks ago.

They are demanding the resignation of Guatemalan Attorney General Consuelo Porras over several investigations her office has opened into a presidential runoff vote that took place in August.

The protesters call the investigations an attempt to keep progressive President-elect Bernardo Arévalo and his Seed Movement party from assuming office in January.

PROTESTER: [Speaking Spanish]

This protester at one roadblock in Guatemala City said he had no plans to leave until Porras resigned.

The Organization of American States has also criticized judicial actions.

Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Friday told protesters he can’t remove Porras from office and called for the roadblocks to be lifted.

A day later, hackers supporting the protesters crashed multiple government web pages.

CHOIR: [National anthem]

France unrest — In France, authorities are grappling with rising terror threats.

Authorities on Monday evacuated a high school in northern France over a bomb alert—the same school where a former student fatally stabbed a teacher last week.

French intelligence officials were already surveilling the former student over suspected radicalization.

Monday also marked three years since the murder of Samuel Paty, another school instructor killed near his school in Paris. Students and teachers across the country observed a minute of silence on Monday for both instructors.

ATTAL: [Speaking French]

French Education Minister Gabriel Attal pledged a response as he said the threats are attempts to frighten and intimidate people. He said French schools have faced nearly 170 bomb threat reports since early September.

France stepped up its national threat level and mobilized up to 7,000 soldiers nationwide. Authorities also evacuated the Louvre Museum in Paris and Versailles Palace after weekend bomb threats.

French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin on Monday said security forces have also detained more than 100 people linked to antisemitic attacks across France since the Hamas attack on Israel began. The suspects include 27 foreigners.

DARMANIN: [Speaking French]

He says here that authorities have already detained 11 of the foreign suspects and called for the withdrawal of their residence permits.

AUDIO: [Victory celebrations]

South Africa rugby victory — We close today with a victory celebration with the South African rugby team. The team defeated France in a narrow 29-28 victory in the World Cup quarter-final.

FAN: The boys brought it home, and now we're coming for the semis, we're coming for England. We're coming for you, boys.

The South African team will play against England in the next round of semi-finals on Saturday.

That’s it for today’s WORLD Tour. Reporting for WORLD, I’m Onize Ohikere.

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