Bahrain's Prince Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, the world's longest-serving prime minister who had held the post since independence in 1971, died Wednesday at the age of 84, state media announced.

"The Royal Court mourns His Royal Highness... who passed away this morning at Mayo Clinic Hospital in the United States of America," the Bahrain News Agency said, adding that the country would enter a week of official mourning.

The burial ceremony will take place after the body has been transported home from the United States, and will be limited to a "specific number" of relatives in line with coronavirus restrictions.

During the mourning period, flags will be flown at half-mast and government ministries and departments closed for three days.

Prince Khalifa was a controversial figure during his long time in office, and deeply unpopular with the Sunni-ruled kingdom's Shiite majority.

When Shiite-led protesters occupied Manama's Pearl Square for a month in 2011, before being driven out by Saudi-backed security forces, their main demand was for Khalifa to step down.

Bahrain's Prince Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, the world's longest-serving prime minister who had held the post since independence in 1971, died Wednesday at the age of 84, state media announced.

Bahrain's Prince Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, the world's longest-serving prime minister who had held the post since independence in 1971, died Wednesday at the age of 84, state media announced. "The Royal Court mourns His Royal Highness... who passed away this morning at Mayo Clinic Hospital in the United States of America," the Bahrain News Agency said, adding that the country would enter a week of official mourning. The burial ceremony will take place after the body has been transported home from the United States, and will be limited to a "specific number" of relatives in line with coronavirus restrictions. During the mourning period, flags will be flown at half-mast and government ministries and departments closed for three days. Prince Khalifa was a controversial figure during his long time in office, and deeply unpopular with the Sunni-ruled kingdom's Shiite majority. When Shiite-led protesters occupied Manama's Pearl Square for a month in 2011, before being driven out by Saudi-backed security forces, their main demand was for Khalifa to step down.

Bahrain's Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al Khalifa, world's longest-serving, dies at 84

TikTok asked a Washington court Tuesday to stop an order from US President Donald Trump's administration from taking effect this week as the White House seeks to ban the Chinese-owned app in the United States.

Chinese company ByteDance is facing a Thursday deadline to restructure ownership of the app in the United States to meet US security concerns.

In its court petition, TikTok asked for more time, saying it has not received enough feedback on its proposed solution.

The company said in a statement that it had asked the government for a 30-day extension because it was "facing continual new requests and no clarity on whether our proposed solutions would be accepted" but it had not been granted.

It was turning to the court for that reason, it said.

US President Donald Trump signed a set of orders against the video platform this summer.

One required ByteDance to sell its US TikTok operations within 90 days, citing national security concerns.

The company also faced an order that would effectively ban the app from the country by the same date.

But on October 30, a Pennsylvania judge issued an injunction temporarily blocking the order aimed at banning it.

The order would have knocked the Chinese-owned video-sharing app offline by cutting it off from US businesses providing website hosting, data storage, and other fundamentals needed to operate.

Trump has accused the popular video-sharing app of handing over American user data to Beijing -- which the company flatly denies.

After negotiations with several US firms, ByteDance and TikTok proposed creating a new company with IT company Oracle as a technology partner and retail giant Walmart as a business partner.

The plan seemed to convince the administration, but the platform is still awaiting a green light.

TikTok said that with Thursday's "deadline imminent and without an extension in hand, we have no choice but to file a petition in court to defend our rights and those of our more than 1,500 employees in the US."

TikTok has 100 million users in the United States.

TikTok asked a Washington court Tuesday to stop an order from US President Donald Trump's administration from taking effect this week as the White House seeks to ban the Chinese-owned app in the United States.

TikTok asked a Washington court Tuesday to stop an order from US President Donald Trump's administration from taking effect this week as the White House seeks to ban the Chinese-owned app in the United States. Chinese company ByteDance is facing a Thursday deadline to restructure ownership of the app in the United States to meet US security concerns. In its court petition, TikTok asked for more time, saying it has not received enough feedback on its proposed solution. The company said in a statement that it had asked the government for a 30-day extension because it was "facing continual new requests and no clarity on whether our proposed solutions would be accepted" but it had not been granted. It was turning to the court for that reason, it said. US President Donald Trump signed a set of orders against the video platform this summer. One required ByteDance to sell its US TikTok operations within 90 days, citing national security concerns. The company also faced an order that would effectively ban the app from the country by the same date. But on October 30, a Pennsylvania judge issued an injunction temporarily blocking the order aimed at banning it. The order would have knocked the Chinese-owned video-sharing app offline by cutting it off from US businesses providing website hosting, data storage, and other fundamentals needed to operate. Trump has accused the popular video-sharing app of handing over American user data to Beijing -- which the company flatly denies. After negotiations with several US firms, ByteDance and TikTok proposed creating a new company with IT company Oracle as a technology partner and retail giant Walmart as a business partner. The plan seemed to convince the administration, but the platform is still awaiting a green light. TikTok said that with Thursday's "deadline imminent and without an extension in hand, we have no choice but to file a petition in court to defend our rights and those of our more than 1,500 employees in the US." TikTok has 100 million users in the United States.

TikTok files last-minute petition against Trump order

Hong Kong on Wednesday stripped four pro-democracy lawmakers of their seats, immediately after China gave the city the power to disqualify politicians deemed a threat to national security.

The ousting comes after 19 pro-democracy lawmakers in the semi-autonomous city's legislature threatened Monday to resign "en masse" if their colleagues were disqualified.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-pro-democracy-lawmakers-threaten-mass-resignation-against-beijing-341908">Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers threaten mass resignation against Beijing</a>

The expulsion of the four from Hong Kong's Legislative Council, the former British colony's mini-parliament, deals a further blow to pro-democracy politicians in the region.

The 19 democratic members of the 70-seat city legislature on Monday threatened to resign en masse if any of them was disqualified, saying that would reflect their unity and show how far Beijing was willing to go to crush opposition.

While the assembly is controlled by the pro-Beijing camp, the opposition's resignation would turn it into a rubber stamp.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-announces-sanctions-on-four-chinese-nationals-over-hong-kong-342055">US announces sanctions on four Chinese nationals over Hong Kong</a>

The opposition members have tried to make a stand against what many people in the former British colony see as Beijing's tightening grip over the financial hub, despite a promise of autonomy.

China denies encroaching on Hong Kong's freedoms but authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing have moved swiftly to stifle dissent after anti-government protests flared in June last year and plunged the city into crisis.

The city government said in a statement the four legislators - Alvin Yeung, Dennis Kwok, Kwok Ka-ki and Kenneth Leung - were expelled from the assembly for endangering national security. It did not elaborate.

They were among 12 legislators who were earlier disqualified from standing in a legislative election, now postponed, for various reasons including collusion with foreign forces and opposition to the new national security law.

The disqualifications are likely to add to concern in the West about Hong Kong's autonomy, promised under a "one country, two systems" formula when Britain handed it to China in 1997, as Joe Biden prepares to take over from Donald Trump as U.S. president, promising to promote democracy around the world.

The decision by the Chinese parliament's top decision-making body comes amid frustration in pro-Beijing circles in Hong Kong over what they see as opposition "delay tactics" to obstruct legislation.

Filibustering has long been common in Hong Kong where only half of the 70 seats in the legislature are elected and the other half stacked with pro-Beijing figures.

Hong Kong on Wednesday stripped four pro-democracy lawmakers of their seats, immediately after China gave the city the power to disqualify politicians deemed a threat to national security.

Hong Kong on Wednesday stripped four pro-democracy lawmakers of their seats, immediately after China gave the city the power to disqualify politicians deemed a threat to national security. The ousting comes after 19 pro-democracy lawmakers in the semi-autonomous city's legislature threatened Monday to resign "en masse" if their colleagues were disqualified. Also read: Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers threaten mass resignation against Beijing The expulsion of the four from Hong Kong's Legislative Council, the former British colony's mini-parliament, deals a further blow to pro-democracy politicians in the region. The 19 democratic members of the 70-seat city legislature on Monday threatened to resign en masse if any of them was disqualified, saying that would reflect their unity and show how far Beijing was willing to go to crush opposition. While the assembly is controlled by the pro-Beijing camp, the opposition's resignation would turn it into a rubber stamp. Also read: US announces sanctions on four Chinese nationals over Hong Kong The opposition members have tried to make a stand against what many people in the former British colony see as Beijing's tightening grip over the financial hub, despite a promise of autonomy. China denies encroaching on Hong Kong's freedoms but authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing have moved swiftly to stifle dissent after anti-government protests flared in June last year and plunged the city into crisis. The city government said in a statement the four legislators - Alvin Yeung, Dennis Kwok, Kwok Ka-ki and Kenneth Leung - were expelled from the assembly for endangering national security. It did not elaborate. They were among 12 legislators who were earlier disqualified from standing in a legislative election, now postponed, for various reasons including collusion with foreign forces and opposition to the new national security law. The disqualifications are likely to add to concern in the West about Hong Kong's autonomy, promised under a "one country, two systems" formula when Britain handed it to China in 1997, as Joe Biden prepares to take over from Donald Trump as U.S. president, promising to promote democracy around the world. The decision by the Chinese parliament's top decision-making body comes amid frustration in pro-Beijing circles in Hong Kong over what they see as opposition "delay tactics" to obstruct legislation. Filibustering has long been common in Hong Kong where only half of the 70 seats in the legislature are elected and the other half stacked with pro-Beijing figures.

Hong Kong ousts four pro-democracy lawmakers for 'endangering security'

An extremely cheap and easy coronavirus test worth just $1 and takes merely 10 minutes to deliver the result is all set to&nbsp;revolutionise testing.

The test, produced in the Republic of Senegal, a country located in West Africa by the&nbsp;Pasteur Institute,&nbsp;a biomedical exploration community.

"This is a very simple technology, like a pregnancy test that you can use everywhere at the community level, which is important for Africa," said&nbsp;Amadou Sall, director of the Pasteur Institute.

All things considered, it comprises of a basic test strip housed in a plastic unit and utilizations a little blood test gathered by pricking a finger, much like instruments used to test the insulin. The blood is tried for Covid related antibodies, and the outcome appears on the test strip.&nbsp;

A model of the unit was tried in June subsequent to raising assets from benefactors, for example, UK non-benefit Wellcome Trust and the UK government, Sall said. When administrative checks are finished, the arrangement is to begin producing and appropriating the units.&nbsp;

The Covid-19 quick test packs will initially be accessible on the landmass through governments and wellbeing associations like the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Sall said.&nbsp;

"In a perfect world, we're taking a shot at how we can make (the packs) accessible to the more overall population. In any case, at the present time, the attention is on general wellbeing and afterward, we will move into self-testing," he added.&nbsp;

Sall said the objective is to give 10 to 15 million units by February 2021.&nbsp;

Testing difficulties&nbsp;

There are more than 1.8 million affirmed instances of Covid-19 over the African landmass as of this composition, as per the Africa CDC, with almost 50 per cent&nbsp;of those cases revealed in South Africa.&nbsp;

The landmass' case numbers are generally low when contrasted with the remainder of the world, however, specialists state that low testing in numerous African nations imply that a few cases go unreported and untreated.&nbsp;

Dr. Anderson Latt, a disease transmission specialist with the World Health Organization, said that one of the difficulties of tending to the infection on the landmass is a lack of test packs.&nbsp;

PCR tests, considered the most precise demonstrative test for Covid-19, are costly to run and require both particular supplies and lab professionals. Toward the start of the episode, just two research facilities - in South Africa and Senegal - had the option to test for the infection.&nbsp;

As per the WHO, every one of the 47 nations in its WHO African Region would now be able to give analyse. In any case, in numerous spots, testing actually slacks.&nbsp;

Nigeria, Africa's most crowded nation, has been bringing in its PCR test packs from China however can't get the sum it needs.&nbsp;

The nation as of late reported an arrangement to build up a less expensive fast test unit that will give results in less than 40 minutes, and cost under $25.&nbsp;

"There is a requirement for nations to cooperate in a planned way and guarantee those test units are accessible," Latt said. "It's truly basic."&nbsp;

The test packs being created by the Pasteur Institute in Dakar, he added, are a welcome option.&nbsp;

Human resources&nbsp;

This isn't the first run through the Pasteur Institute has been at the bleeding edge of giving general wellbeing arrangements notwithstanding a pandemic.&nbsp;

It has been producing immunizations for around 80 years, said Sall, and offered indicative and epidemiological reconnaissance during the Ebola episode in West Africa from 2013 to 2016.&nbsp;

Sall, who is likewise the head of the WHO Collaborating Center for Arboviruses and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers in Senegal, accepts the presence of the quick Covid-19 test units that will help support the economy.&nbsp;

"In the event that you are confronting a circumstance where individuals can't work since they are wiped out ... it's exceptionally troublesome for the economy. What's more, in such manner, putting resources into those activities (testing units) to advance access is an approach to prop the economy up," he said.

An extremely cheap and easy coronavirus test worth just $1 and takes merely 10 minutes to deliver the result is all set to revolutionise testing. The test, produced in the Republic of Senegal, a country located in West Africa by the Pasteur Institute, a biomedical exploration community.

An extremely cheap and easy coronavirus test worth just $1 and takes merely 10 minutes to deliver the result is all set to revolutionise testing. The test, produced in the Republic of Senegal, a country located in West Africa by the Pasteur Institute, a biomedical exploration community. "This is a very simple technology, like a pregnancy test that you can use everywhere at the community level, which is important for Africa," said Amadou Sall, director of the Pasteur Institute. All things considered, it comprises of a basic test strip housed in a plastic unit and utilizations a little blood test gathered by pricking a finger, much like instruments used to test the insulin. The blood is tried for Covid related antibodies, and the outcome appears on the test strip. A model of the unit was tried in June subsequent to raising assets from benefactors, for example, UK non-benefit Wellcome Trust and the UK government, Sall said. When administrative checks are finished, the arrangement is to begin producing and appropriating the units. The Covid-19 quick test packs will initially be accessible on the landmass through governments and wellbeing associations like the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Sall said. "In a perfect world, we're taking a shot at how we can make (the packs) accessible to the more overall population. In any case, at the present time, the attention is on general wellbeing and afterward, we will move into self-testing," he added. Sall said the objective is to give 10 to 15 million units by February 2021. Testing difficulties There are more than 1.8 million affirmed instances of Covid-19 over the African landmass as of this composition, as per the Africa CDC, with almost 50 per cent of those cases revealed in South Africa. The landmass' case numbers are generally low when contrasted with the remainder of the world, however, specialists state that low testing in numerous African nations imply that a few cases go unreported and untreated. Dr. Anderson Latt, a disease transmission specialist with the World Health Organization, said that one of the difficulties of tending to the infection on the landmass is a lack of test packs. PCR tests, considered the most precise demonstrative test for Covid-19, are costly to run and require both particular supplies and lab professionals. Toward the start of the episode, just two research facilities - in South Africa and Senegal - had the option to test for the infection. As per the WHO, every one of the 47 nations in its WHO African Region would now be able to give analyse. In any case, in numerous spots, testing actually slacks. Nigeria, Africa's most crowded nation, has been bringing in its PCR test packs from China however can't get the sum it needs. The nation as of late reported an arrangement to build up a less expensive fast test unit that will give results in less than 40 minutes, and cost under $25. "There is a requirement for nations to cooperate in a planned way and guarantee those test units are accessible," Latt said. "It's truly basic." The test packs being created by the Pasteur Institute in Dakar, he added, are a welcome option. Human resources This isn't the first run through the Pasteur Institute has been at the bleeding edge of giving general wellbeing arrangements notwithstanding a pandemic. It has been producing immunizations for around 80 years, said Sall, and offered indicative and epidemiological reconnaissance during the Ebola episode in West Africa from 2013 to 2016. Sall, who is likewise the head of the WHO Collaborating Center for Arboviruses and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers in Senegal, accepts the presence of the quick Covid-19 test units that will help support the economy. "In the event that you are confronting a circumstance where individuals can't work since they are wiped out ... it's exceptionally troublesome for the economy. What's more, in such manner, putting resources into those activities (testing units) to advance access is an approach to prop the economy up," he said.

'Cheap and easy': This $1 coronavirus test can revolutionise testing

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) looks set to emerge as the single-largest party in Bihar polls as it is leading on 73 seats in the state, as per the Election Commission of India's initial trends.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has crossed halfway mark as per the Election Commission of India's (ECI) latest trends for all 243 seats at 12:15 pm--NDA is leading on 127 seats - BJP 73, JDU 47 and Vikassheel Insaan Party 7.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nda-forges-ahead-of-grand-alliance-in-bihar-patna-342093" hreflang="en">NDA forges ahead of Grand Alliance in Bihar Patna</a>

The BJP is marching ahead as per the early trends, having an upper hand over JDU.

While Mahagathbandhan is ahead on 100 seats - RJD 61, Congress 20, Left 19. BSP is leading on one, AIMIM on three, LJP on five and independents on seven.

Chirag Paswan's Lok Jan Shakti Party is leading on five seats so far (at around 11:55 am).

Counting of votes polled in Bihar Assembly elections began at 8 am on Tuesday at 55 counting centres across 38 districts of the state. 
On one side is the NDA, which includes JD-U (115 seats), BJP (110 seats), Vikassheel Insaan Party (11 seats) and Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (7 seats).

Mahagathbandhan constitutes RJD (144 seats) and the Congress with 70 seats. Other alliance partners include the CPI-ML (19 seats), CPI (6 seats), and the CPIM (4 seats).

Incumbent Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was the face of the NDA while Mahagathbandhan declared Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) looks set to emerge as the single-largest party in Bihar polls as it is leading on 73 seats in the state, as per the Election Commission of India's initial trends.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) looks set to emerge as the single-largest party in Bihar polls as it is leading on 73 seats in the state, as per the Election Commission of India's initial trends. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has crossed halfway mark as per the Election Commission of India's (ECI) latest trends for all 243 seats at 12:15 pm--NDA is leading on 127 seats - BJP 73, JDU 47 and Vikassheel Insaan Party 7. Also read: NDA forges ahead of Grand Alliance in Bihar Patna The BJP is marching ahead as per the early trends, having an upper hand over JDU. While Mahagathbandhan is ahead on 100 seats - RJD 61, Congress 20, Left 19. BSP is leading on one, AIMIM on three, LJP on five and independents on seven. Chirag Paswan's Lok Jan Shakti Party is leading on five seats so far (at around 11:55 am). Counting of votes polled in Bihar Assembly elections began at 8 am on Tuesday at 55 counting centres across 38 districts of the state. On one side is the NDA, which includes JD-U (115 seats), BJP (110 seats), Vikassheel Insaan Party (11 seats) and Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (7 seats). Mahagathbandhan constitutes RJD (144 seats) and the Congress with 70 seats. Other alliance partners include the CPI-ML (19 seats), CPI (6 seats), and the CPIM (4 seats). Incumbent Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was the face of the NDA while Mahagathbandhan declared Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate.

Bihar Polls: Trends indicate BJP set to emerge as single-largest party

Delhi woke up to a grey morning as an apocalyptic smog blotted out the sun from the sky and smudged landmarks from view with air quality inching closer to ''emergency''&nbsp;levels on Tuesday.

Air quality monitoring stations at Mandir Marg, Punjabi Bagh, Pusa, Rohini, Patparganj, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Najafgarh, Sri Aurobindo Marg, and Okhla Phase 2 maxed out&nbsp;as air quality indexes hit the 500 mark, Central Pollution Control Board data showed.

The smog reduced the visibility to merely 300 meters in the morning affecting traffic, an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/complete-ban-on-crackers-from-midnight-to-nov-30-in-delhi-ncr-341881" hreflang="en">Complete ban on crackers from midnight to Nov 30 in Delhi-NCR</a>

Delhi recorded an AQI of 487 at 9 am, which falls in the ''severe'' category. The neighbouring cities of Faridabad (474), Ghaziabad (476), Noida (490), Greater Noida (467), and Gurugram (469) also recorded ''severe'' air quality.

This is the sixth ''severe'' air day on the trot in Delhi. The city witnessed seven ''severe''&nbsp;air days in November last year.

The levels of PM2.5&nbsp;finer particles that can even enter the bloodstream&nbsp;in Delhi-NCR were 605 g/m3 at 8 am&nbsp;around ten times the safe limit of 60g/m3.

PM10 levels stood at 777 microgram&nbsp;per cubic meter (g/m3) at 8 am,?the highest since November June 14, 2018, when it surged to 847 g/m3, according to CPCB data.?PM10 levels below 100 g/m3 are considered safe in India.

If PM2.5 and PM10 levels are more than 300 g/m3 and 500 g/m3 for over 48 hours, emergency measures such ban on construction activities, entry of trucks, and car rationing scheme can be implemented under the Graded Response Action Plan for Delhi-NCR notified by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2017.

Government agencies and experts said calm wind speeds were exacerbating the effect of stubble burning and a ?quick recovery? is not possible unless the number of farm fires reduces drastically.

V K Soni, the head of the IMD's environment research centre, said a major improvement in Delhi-NCR's air quality was highly unlikely in the coming days.

''The air quality is likely to be recorded in the upper end of the ''very poor'' category on Diwali if we discount firecrackers emissions. If people burst crackers, pollution levels can increase to 'severe'' to 'severe plus' category (emergency),''&nbsp;he said.

The National Green Tribunal on Monday imposed a total ban on sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers in the National Capital Region (NCR) from November 9 midnight to November 30 midnight, saying "celebration by crackers is for happiness and not to celebrate deaths and diseases".

The Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality monitor, SAFAR, said, ''Low dispersion condition continues in Delhi along with high fire-related intrusion. This has led to the accumulation of pollutants near the surface.'' 
''No quick recovery is expected unless a drastic reduction in fire counts takes place,''&nbsp;it said.

SAFAR said the share of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 pollution was 38 percent on Monday.

According to the IMD, Delhi recorded calm winds and a minimum temperature of 10.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday morning. Calm winds and low temperatures trap pollutants close to the ground, while favourable wind speed helps in their dispersion.

There was moderate fog in the morning which led to smog. It reduced visibility to 300 meters at the Safdarjung and Palam weather stations, an IMD official said.

The newly-constituted Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas on Monday stressed the need to enforce existing laws, directions and SOPs to minimise air pollution on an emergency basis. It is expected to review the situation on Tuesday.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said action will be taken against those not complying with the ban on firecrackers under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act which included a jail term of up to six years.

Delhi woke up to a grey morning as an apocalyptic smog blotted out the sun from the sky and smudged landmarks from view with air quality inching closer to ''emergency'' levels on Tuesday.

Delhi woke up to a grey morning as an apocalyptic smog blotted out the sun from the sky and smudged landmarks from view with air quality inching closer to ''emergency'' levels on Tuesday. Air quality monitoring stations at Mandir Marg, Punjabi Bagh, Pusa, Rohini, Patparganj, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Najafgarh, Sri Aurobindo Marg, and Okhla Phase 2 maxed out as air quality indexes hit the 500 mark, Central Pollution Control Board data showed. The smog reduced the visibility to merely 300 meters in the morning affecting traffic, an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Also read: Complete ban on crackers from midnight to Nov 30 in Delhi-NCR Delhi recorded an AQI of 487 at 9 am, which falls in the ''severe'' category. The neighbouring cities of Faridabad (474), Ghaziabad (476), Noida (490), Greater Noida (467), and Gurugram (469) also recorded ''severe'' air quality. This is the sixth ''severe'' air day on the trot in Delhi. The city witnessed seven ''severe'' air days in November last year. The levels of PM2.5 finer particles that can even enter the bloodstream in Delhi-NCR were 605 g/m3 at 8 am around ten times the safe limit of 60g/m3. PM10 levels stood at 777 microgram per cubic meter (g/m3) at 8 am,?the highest since November June 14, 2018, when it surged to 847 g/m3, according to CPCB data.?PM10 levels below 100 g/m3 are considered safe in India. If PM2.5 and PM10 levels are more than 300 g/m3 and 500 g/m3 for over 48 hours, emergency measures such ban on construction activities, entry of trucks, and car rationing scheme can be implemented under the Graded Response Action Plan for Delhi-NCR notified by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2017. Government agencies and experts said calm wind speeds were exacerbating the effect of stubble burning and a ?quick recovery? is not possible unless the number of farm fires reduces drastically. V K Soni, the head of the IMD's environment research centre, said a major improvement in Delhi-NCR's air quality was highly unlikely in the coming days. ''The air quality is likely to be recorded in the upper end of the ''very poor'' category on Diwali if we discount firecrackers emissions. If people burst crackers, pollution levels can increase to 'severe'' to 'severe plus' category (emergency),'' he said. The National Green Tribunal on Monday imposed a total ban on sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers in the National Capital Region (NCR) from November 9 midnight to November 30 midnight, saying "celebration by crackers is for happiness and not to celebrate deaths and diseases". The Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality monitor, SAFAR, said, ''Low dispersion condition continues in Delhi along with high fire-related intrusion. This has led to the accumulation of pollutants near the surface.'' ''No quick recovery is expected unless a drastic reduction in fire counts takes place,'' it said. SAFAR said the share of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 pollution was 38 percent on Monday. According to the IMD, Delhi recorded calm winds and a minimum temperature of 10.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday morning. Calm winds and low temperatures trap pollutants close to the ground, while favourable wind speed helps in their dispersion. There was moderate fog in the morning which led to smog. It reduced visibility to 300 meters at the Safdarjung and Palam weather stations, an IMD official said. The newly-constituted Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas on Monday stressed the need to enforce existing laws, directions and SOPs to minimise air pollution on an emergency basis. It is expected to review the situation on Tuesday. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said action will be taken against those not complying with the ban on firecrackers under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act which included a jail term of up to six years.

Delhi-NCR's air quality on brink of 'emergency'

The ruling NDA forged ahead of its challenger Grand Alliance in Bihar on Tuesday, leading on 127&nbsp;seats from where trends were available till 12&nbsp;pm.

The Election Commission website said the NDA candidates were leading in 127&nbsp;seats while the opposition alliance was ahead in 100.

The Bharatiya Janata Party&nbsp;is leading the table with 73&nbsp;seats and its allies Janata Dal (United) in 49&nbsp;seats.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/bihar-elections-india-conducts-first-major-poll-since-beginning-of-coronavirus-pandemic-338527#285-crore-eligible-voters-338519">Bihar elections: India conducts first major poll since beginning of coronavirus pandemic</a>

Bihar minister and BJP leader Vinod Narayan Jha leads over Congress rival Bhawana Jha by 6,000 votes in Benipatti seat.

RJD nominees were ahead of their rivals in nine constituencies and alliance partners Congress (21), CPI-ML (14) and CPI-M (2). 
Ace shooter and BJP nominee Shreyasi Singh was leading her rivals in Jamui.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief and Grand Alliance Chief Minister candidate Tejashwi Yadav is leading from his Raghopur Assembly seat while his elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav is trailing from the Hasanpur Assembly seat. 
 
According to the early poll trends, Tejashwi was leading from the Raghopur Assembly seat with 2,445 votes, while his rival Satish Kumar was trailing by over 500 votes with 1,990 votes. 
 
Meanwhile, Tej Pratap, who shifted his Assembly seat from Mahua to Hasanpur, is trailing behind the ruling Janata Dal(United) candidate Raj Kumar Ray by over 1,500 votes.

Bihar voted for the 243-member Assembly in three phases -- October 28, November 3 and November 7. 
 
The RJD had won 80 seats in the 2015 Assembly polls, while the JD(U) won 71 seats. The BJP had won 53 seats and the LJP managed two seats. 
 
The Bihar election is being seen as a referendum on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose JD(U) is in alliance with the BJP-led NDA. Nitish Kumar has governed Bihar three times in a row since 2005.

The ruling NDA forged ahead of its challenger Grand Alliance in Bihar on Tuesday, leading on 127 seats from where trends were available till 12 pm. The Election Commission website said the NDA candidates were leading in 127 seats while the opposition alliance was ahead in 100.

The ruling NDA forged ahead of its challenger Grand Alliance in Bihar on Tuesday, leading on 127 seats from where trends were available till 12 pm. The Election Commission website said the NDA candidates were leading in 127 seats while the opposition alliance was ahead in 100. The Bharatiya Janata Party is leading the table with 73 seats and its allies Janata Dal (United) in 49 seats. Also see| Bihar elections: India conducts first major poll since beginning of coronavirus pandemic Bihar minister and BJP leader Vinod Narayan Jha leads over Congress rival Bhawana Jha by 6,000 votes in Benipatti seat. RJD nominees were ahead of their rivals in nine constituencies and alliance partners Congress (21), CPI-ML (14) and CPI-M (2). Ace shooter and BJP nominee Shreyasi Singh was leading her rivals in Jamui. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief and Grand Alliance Chief Minister candidate Tejashwi Yadav is leading from his Raghopur Assembly seat while his elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav is trailing from the Hasanpur Assembly seat. According to the early poll trends, Tejashwi was leading from the Raghopur Assembly seat with 2,445 votes, while his rival Satish Kumar was trailing by over 500 votes with 1,990 votes. Meanwhile, Tej Pratap, who shifted his Assembly seat from Mahua to Hasanpur, is trailing behind the ruling Janata Dal(United) candidate Raj Kumar Ray by over 1,500 votes. Bihar voted for the 243-member Assembly in three phases -- October 28, November 3 and November 7. The RJD had won 80 seats in the 2015 Assembly polls, while the JD(U) won 71 seats. The BJP had won 53 seats and the LJP managed two seats. The Bihar election is being seen as a referendum on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose JD(U) is in alliance with the BJP-led NDA. Nitish Kumar has governed Bihar three times in a row since 2005.

NDA forges ahead of Grand Alliance in Bihar Patna

A former deputy of the Ulster&nbsp;Union Party called&nbsp;Lord Kilclooney has&nbsp;apologised for his ''offensive'' tweet about US&nbsp;vice president-elect Kamala Harris.

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Whilst Biden is proud to be Irish and Harris is rightly proud of her Indian background I certainly withdraw my reference to her as an Indian as it seems to have upset some people. I did not know her name and identified her with the term Indian. Most people understood.Racist NO.
— Lord John Kilclooney (@KilclooneyJohn) <a href="https://twitter.com/KilclooneyJohn/status/1325833621530419200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Earlier,&nbsp;Lord Kilclooney had tweeted&nbsp;"What happens if Biden moves on and the Indian becomes President. Who then becomes Vice President?"

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/siri-refers-to-kamala-harris-as-the-us-president-setting-off-a-new-conspiracy-theory-341997" hreflang="en">Siri refers to Kamala Harris as the US President, setting off a new conspiracy theory</a>

The 82-year-old's post had sparked outrage and the&nbsp;peer was widely criticised for the ''offensive tweet''.

Labour shadow minister Wes Streeting pointed out that this was not the first time that&nbsp;Lord Kilclooney had&nbsp;said like this and added “action must be taken” over the tweet.

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He did it before to Leo Varadkar and now he's done it to Kamala Harris. This sort of racism would be unacceptable from anyone, but from a member of the House of Lords it beggars belief. Action must be taken. <a href="https://t.co/2JbWFbqr9r">https://t.co/2JbWFbqr9r</a>
— Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) <a href="https://twitter.com/wesstreeting/status/1325788482934091777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The Speaker of the Lords, Norman Fowler, was among those to demand John Kilclooney to retract and apologise for his remarks on Harris.

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Lord Kilclooney should retract and apologise. This is an offensive way to refer to anyone, let alone a woman who has just made history. The comment is entirely unacceptable and has no place in British politics. I could not be clearer.
— Lord Speaker (@LordSpeaker) <a href="https://twitter.com/LordSpeaker/status/1325824791404744706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Kamala Harris made history on Saturday with her election as Joe Biden's vice president, becoming the first woman, first Black American, and first Asian American to win the second-highest US office.

A US senator from California, Harris has a track record of shattering glass ceilings. She served as San Francisco’s first female district attorney and was California's first woman of colour to be elected attorney general.

Harris, whose mother and father emigrated from India and Jamaica, respectively, had her sights set on becoming the first woman US president when she competed against Biden and others for their party's 2020 nomination.

A former deputy of the Ulster Union Party called Lord Kilclooney has apologised for his ''offensive'' tweet about US vice president-elect Kamala Harris. Whilst Biden is proud to be Irish and Harris is rightly proud of her Indian background I certainly withdraw my reference to her as an Indian as it seems to have upset some people.

A former deputy of the Ulster Union Party called Lord Kilclooney has apologised for his ''offensive'' tweet about US vice president-elect Kamala Harris. Whilst Biden is proud to be Irish and Harris is rightly proud of her Indian background I certainly withdraw my reference to her as an Indian as it seems to have upset some people. I did not know her name and identified her with the term Indian. Most people understood.Racist NO. — Lord John Kilclooney (@KilclooneyJohn) November 9, 2020 × Earlier, Lord Kilclooney had tweeted "What happens if Biden moves on and the Indian becomes President. Who then becomes Vice President?" Also read: Siri refers to Kamala Harris as the US President, setting off a new conspiracy theory The 82-year-old's post had sparked outrage and the peer was widely criticised for the ''offensive tweet''. Labour shadow minister Wes Streeting pointed out that this was not the first time that Lord Kilclooney had said like this and added “action must be taken” over the tweet. He did it before to Leo Varadkar and now he's done it to Kamala Harris. This sort of racism would be unacceptable from anyone, but from a member of the House of Lords it beggars belief. Action must be taken. https://t.co/2JbWFbqr9r — Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) November 9, 2020 × The Speaker of the Lords, Norman Fowler, was among those to demand John Kilclooney to retract and apologise for his remarks on Harris. Lord Kilclooney should retract and apologise. This is an offensive way to refer to anyone, let alone a woman who has just made history. The comment is entirely unacceptable and has no place in British politics. I could not be clearer. — Lord Speaker (@LordSpeaker) November 9, 2020 × Kamala Harris made history on Saturday with her election as Joe Biden's vice president, becoming the first woman, first Black American, and first Asian American to win the second-highest US office. A US senator from California, Harris has a track record of shattering glass ceilings. She served as San Francisco’s first female district attorney and was California's first woman of colour to be elected attorney general. Harris, whose mother and father emigrated from India and Jamaica, respectively, had her sights set on becoming the first woman US president when she competed against Biden and others for their party's 2020 nomination.

UK peer Lord Kilclooney apologises for 'offensive' tweet on Kamala Harris

India has reported&nbsp;38,074 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours taking the total number of cases to 85,91,731.

While there are 5,05,265 total active cases after a decrease of 4,408, there are&nbsp;79,59,406 cured cases with&nbsp;42,033 new discharges.

The number of active cases remained below 6 lakh for the twelfth consecutive day.

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COVID-19 Testing Update. For more details visit: <a href="https://t.co/dI1pqvXAsZ">https://t.co/dI1pqvXAsZ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MoHFW_INDIA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MoHFW_INDIA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptHealthRes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeptHealthRes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ICMRFIGHTSCOVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ICMRFIGHTSCOVID19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaFightsCOVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaFightsCOVID19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronaUpdatesInIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronaUpdatesInIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> <a href="https://t.co/WNqfuCt5v9">pic.twitter.com/WNqfuCt5v9</a>
— ICMR (@ICMRDELHI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICMRDELHI/status/1326022837669306369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The coronavirus death toll climbed to 1,27,059 with 448 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The coronavirus case fatality rate stands at 1.48 per cent. 
 
India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh&nbsp;on August 23, and 40 lakh on September 5.

It went past 50 lakh on September 16, 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, and crossed 80 lakh on October 29.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a?cumulative total of?? 11,96,15,857 samples have been tested up to November 9 with 10,43,665 samples tested on Monday.

India has reported 38,074 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours taking the total number of cases to 85,91,731. While there are 5,05,265 total active cases after a decrease of 4,408, there are 79,59,406 cured cases with 42,033 new discharges.

India has reported 38,074 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours taking the total number of cases to 85,91,731. While there are 5,05,265 total active cases after a decrease of 4,408, there are 79,59,406 cured cases with 42,033 new discharges. The number of active cases remained below 6 lakh for the twelfth consecutive day. COVID-19 Testing Update. For more details visit: https://t.co/dI1pqvXAsZ @MoHFW_INDIA @DeptHealthRes #ICMRFIGHTSCOVID19 #IndiaFightsCOVID19 #CoronaUpdatesInIndia #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/WNqfuCt5v9 — ICMR (@ICMRDELHI) November 10, 2020 × The coronavirus death toll climbed to 1,27,059 with 448 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. The coronavirus case fatality rate stands at 1.48 per cent. India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, and 40 lakh on September 5. It went past 50 lakh on September 16, 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, and crossed 80 lakh on October 29. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a?cumulative total of?? 11,96,15,857 samples have been tested up to November 9 with 10,43,665 samples tested on Monday.

India reports 38,074 new COVID-19 cases; total tally nears 8.6 million

The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted),&nbsp;a non-ministerial department of the UK government,&nbsp;has warned that most children in the country have forgotten how to use knife and forks due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The watchdog, which is responsible for inspecting a range of educational institutions, including state schools and some independent schools, said in its report that the majority of kids in England slipping back with their learning and some have gone essentially back with their social skills. While, older&nbsp;children have lost their "endurance" for perusing, state examiners.&nbsp;

The Department for Education says it shows the need to keep schools open.&nbsp;

Partitioned encounters&nbsp;

Ofsted has analysed the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on youngsters, in view of visits to 900 schools and early years suppliers this pre-winter, and found that it has been an exceptionally partitioned insight.&nbsp;

The chief inspector, Amanda Spielman, says there are three "general gatherings" to portray what has occurred:&nbsp;

The "hardest-hit" group of little children&nbsp;have&nbsp;experienced a break of school, going in reverse on words and numbers and with "relapse once more into nappies among potty-prepared kids" or losing "essential abilities'', for example, utilising a blade and fork.&nbsp;

Most of the kids in the center "have slipped back in their figuring out how to differing degrees since schools were shut to most youngsters and development limited" and the report says: "Lost learning is unarguable, yet it is difficult to evaluate."&nbsp;

There are additionally kids who found the lockdown a positive encounter - these youngsters, from strong yet not really wealthy foundations, may have profited by a more noteworthy feeling of fellowship with guardians and "quality time" as a family&nbsp;

In any case,&nbsp;Spielman says this didn't partition along the lines of favorable position and hardship, however, rather factors, for example, regardless of whether guardians had the option to invest energy with kids and families having what she portrayed as "great help structures".&nbsp;

Among older children, Ofsted cautions of lost focus among those getting back to class and that "online quarrels" that began via web-based media during the lockdown are presently "being happened in the study hall".&nbsp;

Get up to speed educational cost subsidizing for schools&nbsp;

Youngsters have fallen three months behind, state instructors&nbsp;

Understudies sent home in half of the optional schools&nbsp;

There are likewise reports of lost actual wellness, while different understudies are indicating "indications of mental trouble", with worries over dietary problems and self-hurt.&nbsp;

There are worries about understudies who have so far not got back to class - and in 33% of schools there has been an "increment in kids being taken out from school to be taught at home".&nbsp;

Schools 'firefighting'&nbsp;

In any case, auditors state schools are as yet "firefighting" functional issues about propping up during the pandemic, with the test of working air pockets and reacting to Covid flare-ups.&nbsp;

Geoff Barton, head of the ASCL head instructors' association, said the report "distinctly shows the instructive and passionate effect of school terminations, and why we have to do all that conceivable to keep schools open".&nbsp;

Yet, he cautioned that it was getting monetarily unreasonable to keep schools running, with the expense of wellbeing measures and the need to pay for flexibly staff when instructors needed to self-disconnect.&nbsp;

A Department for Education representative stated: "The legislature has been certain that getting all understudies and understudies once again into full-time schooling is a public need."&nbsp;

She said the $1.18 million&nbsp;get up to speed reserve, including support for coaching, would assist with compensating for lost learning.

The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted), a non-ministerial department of the UK government, has warned that most children in the country have forgotten how to use knife and forks due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted), a non-ministerial department of the UK government, has warned that most children in the country have forgotten how to use knife and forks due to the coronavirus pandemic. The watchdog, which is responsible for inspecting a range of educational institutions, including state schools and some independent schools, said in its report that the majority of kids in England slipping back with their learning and some have gone essentially back with their social skills. While, older children have lost their "endurance" for perusing, state examiners. The Department for Education says it shows the need to keep schools open. Partitioned encounters Ofsted has analysed the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on youngsters, in view of visits to 900 schools and early years suppliers this pre-winter, and found that it has been an exceptionally partitioned insight. The chief inspector, Amanda Spielman, says there are three "general gatherings" to portray what has occurred: The "hardest-hit" group of little children have experienced a break of school, going in reverse on words and numbers and with "relapse once more into nappies among potty-prepared kids" or losing "essential abilities'', for example, utilising a blade and fork. Most of the kids in the center "have slipped back in their figuring out how to differing degrees since schools were shut to most youngsters and development limited" and the report says: "Lost learning is unarguable, yet it is difficult to evaluate." There are additionally kids who found the lockdown a positive encounter - these youngsters, from strong yet not really wealthy foundations, may have profited by a more noteworthy feeling of fellowship with guardians and "quality time" as a family In any case, Spielman says this didn't partition along the lines of favorable position and hardship, however, rather factors, for example, regardless of whether guardians had the option to invest energy with kids and families having what she portrayed as "great help structures". Among older children, Ofsted cautions of lost focus among those getting back to class and that "online quarrels" that began via web-based media during the lockdown are presently "being happened in the study hall". Get up to speed educational cost subsidizing for schools Youngsters have fallen three months behind, state instructors Understudies sent home in half of the optional schools There are likewise reports of lost actual wellness, while different understudies are indicating "indications of mental trouble", with worries over dietary problems and self-hurt. There are worries about understudies who have so far not got back to class - and in 33% of schools there has been an "increment in kids being taken out from school to be taught at home". Schools 'firefighting' In any case, auditors state schools are as yet "firefighting" functional issues about propping up during the pandemic, with the test of working air pockets and reacting to Covid flare-ups. Geoff Barton, head of the ASCL head instructors' association, said the report "distinctly shows the instructive and passionate effect of school terminations, and why we have to do all that conceivable to keep schools open". Yet, he cautioned that it was getting monetarily unreasonable to keep schools running, with the expense of wellbeing measures and the need to pay for flexibly staff when instructors needed to self-disconnect. A Department for Education representative stated: "The legislature has been certain that getting all understudies and understudies once again into full-time schooling is a public need." She said the $1.18 million get up to speed reserve, including support for coaching, would assist with compensating for lost learning.

Watchdog warns lockdown children have forgotten how to use knife and fork

Counting of votes got under way Tuesday morning for the three-phase Bihar assembly elections that may herald a new era in state politics, with exit polls predicting a victory for the RJD-led Grand Alliance.

The exercise will decide the electoral fate of over 3,700 candidates who are in the race to win the 243 seats of the state assembly.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/bihar-assembly-election-2020-counting-of-votes-begins-at-8am-ist-342047/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Counting started at 8 am at 55 centres spread across 38 districts amid tight security and precautions to avoid the spread of COVID-19 pandemic during the process.

Over 57 per cent of about 7.30 crore electors have exercised their franchise in what is the first major election in the country since the onset of the pandemic.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/bihar-elections-india-conducts-first-major-poll-since-beginning-of-coronavirus-pandemic-338527">Bihar elections: India conducts first major poll since beginning of coronavirus pandemic</a>

Votes are also being simultaneously counted for the Valmiki Nagar Lok Sabha by-poll, which was necessitated by the death of JD(U) MP Baidyanath Mahto.

Officials said the trends and results might be delayed a bit this time as the number of polling stations were raised from 72,723 earlier to 1,06,515, an increase of 46.5 per cent, to ensure adherence to social distancing measures in view of the pandemic.

A total of 3,733 candidates are in the fray, including 371 women and a transgender.

Most exit polls have predicted a rout for the ruling JD(U)-BJP combine and a resounding victory for the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) led by RJD's 31-year-old chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav.

According to Chief Electoral Officer H R Srinavasa, central armed police forces have been deployed at the strong rooms, where the EVMs have been stored since the completion of voting, and the halls where these are being unsealed now.

Of the state's 243 assembly constituencies, among the most keenly watched will obviously be Raghopur in Vaishali district from where Tejashwi Yadav is seeking re-election.

Raghopur has been in the past represented by his parents Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, both former chief ministers.

Nitish Kumar is a member of the state's legislative council and has not contested the assembly election.

Tejashwi's elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav is contesting from Hasanpur in Samastipur district.

Tuesday's counting will also decide the political fate of nearly a dozen of ministers.

Prominent among them are Nand Kishore Yadav (Patna Sahib), Pramod Kumar (Motihari), Rana Randhir (Madhuban), Suresh Sharma (Muzaffarpur), Shrawan Kumar (Nalanda), Jai Kumar Singh (Dinara) and Krishnanandan Prasad Verma (Jehanabad).

Prohibitory orders are in place outside the counting centres to prevent people from gathering in large numbers, officials said.&nbsp;

Counting of votes got under way Tuesday morning for the three-phase Bihar assembly elections that may herald a new era in state politics, with exit polls predicting a victory for the RJD-led Grand Alliance.

Counting of votes got under way Tuesday morning for the three-phase Bihar assembly elections that may herald a new era in state politics, with exit polls predicting a victory for the RJD-led Grand Alliance. The exercise will decide the electoral fate of over 3,700 candidates who are in the race to win the 243 seats of the state assembly. Counting started at 8 am at 55 centres spread across 38 districts amid tight security and precautions to avoid the spread of COVID-19 pandemic during the process. Over 57 per cent of about 7.30 crore electors have exercised their franchise in what is the first major election in the country since the onset of the pandemic. Also see| Bihar elections: India conducts first major poll since beginning of coronavirus pandemic Votes are also being simultaneously counted for the Valmiki Nagar Lok Sabha by-poll, which was necessitated by the death of JD(U) MP Baidyanath Mahto. Officials said the trends and results might be delayed a bit this time as the number of polling stations were raised from 72,723 earlier to 1,06,515, an increase of 46.5 per cent, to ensure adherence to social distancing measures in view of the pandemic. A total of 3,733 candidates are in the fray, including 371 women and a transgender. Most exit polls have predicted a rout for the ruling JD(U)-BJP combine and a resounding victory for the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) led by RJD's 31-year-old chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav. According to Chief Electoral Officer H R Srinavasa, central armed police forces have been deployed at the strong rooms, where the EVMs have been stored since the completion of voting, and the halls where these are being unsealed now. Of the state's 243 assembly constituencies, among the most keenly watched will obviously be Raghopur in Vaishali district from where Tejashwi Yadav is seeking re-election. Raghopur has been in the past represented by his parents Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, both former chief ministers. Nitish Kumar is a member of the state's legislative council and has not contested the assembly election. Tejashwi's elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav is contesting from Hasanpur in Samastipur district. Tuesday's counting will also decide the political fate of nearly a dozen of ministers. Prominent among them are Nand Kishore Yadav (Patna Sahib), Pramod Kumar (Motihari), Rana Randhir (Madhuban), Suresh Sharma (Muzaffarpur), Shrawan Kumar (Nalanda), Jai Kumar Singh (Dinara) and Krishnanandan Prasad Verma (Jehanabad). Prohibitory orders are in place outside the counting centres to prevent people from gathering in large numbers, officials said.

Counting begins for Bihar polls; results may be delayed due to additional poll stations

Turkey appointed former deputy prime minister Lutfi Elvan as its treasury and finance minister to replace President Tayyip Erdogan's son-in-law Berat Albayrak, the country's Official Gazette said on Tuesday.

The move comes after Finance Minister Berat Albayrak resigned late Sunday and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan officially accepted his resignation on Monday.

Albayrak said in a surprise statement on Sunday that he was resigning for health reasons, a day after Erdogan appointed former finance minister Naci Agbal as the central bank chief.

The lira surged 6% against the dollar on Monday after the weekend upheaval on analysts' expectations for an interest rate hike that could ease pressure on the currency.

The currency, which had tumbled 30% this year to a series of record lows, weakened 1.6% on Tuesday to 8.1800 from a close of 8.0520 on Monday.

Elvan, from Erdogan's ruling AK Party, was development minister between 2016 and 2018 and before that served as a deputy prime minister.

On Monday, newly-installed governor Naci Agbal said the central bank would "decisively" use all policy tools to achieve its main goal of price stability.

Turkish inflation has held near 12 per cent&nbsp;all year, well above a target of around 5 per cent.

Turkey appointed former deputy prime minister Lutfi Elvan as its treasury and finance minister to replace President Tayyip Erdogan's son-in-law Berat Albayrak, the country's Official Gazette said on Tuesday.

Turkey appointed former deputy prime minister Lutfi Elvan as its treasury and finance minister to replace President Tayyip Erdogan's son-in-law Berat Albayrak, the country's Official Gazette said on Tuesday. The move comes after Finance Minister Berat Albayrak resigned late Sunday and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan officially accepted his resignation on Monday. Albayrak said in a surprise statement on Sunday that he was resigning for health reasons, a day after Erdogan appointed former finance minister Naci Agbal as the central bank chief. The lira surged 6% against the dollar on Monday after the weekend upheaval on analysts' expectations for an interest rate hike that could ease pressure on the currency. The currency, which had tumbled 30% this year to a series of record lows, weakened 1.6% on Tuesday to 8.1800 from a close of 8.0520 on Monday. Elvan, from Erdogan's ruling AK Party, was development minister between 2016 and 2018 and before that served as a deputy prime minister. On Monday, newly-installed governor Naci Agbal said the central bank would "decisively" use all policy tools to achieve its main goal of price stability. Turkish inflation has held near 12 per cent all year, well above a target of around 5 per cent.

Turkey appoints former deputy Prime Minister Elvan as finance minister

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