White House press secretary Jen Psaki has attributed a series of tough poll results for President Biden on the nation's inability to overcome the deadly coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

As per a report by The Hill, Psaki said that this is a really tough time in the US. "We’re still battling COVID, and a lot of people thought we’d be through it, including us," said Psaki.&nbsp;

She further added, "And because of the rise of the delta variant, because of the fact that even though it was a vaccine approved under a Republican administration, even though we now have full FDA approval, and even though it’s widely available across the country, we still have 20 per cent of the country who have decided not to get vaccinated."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-iowa-rally-trump-slams-bidens-socialist-spending-package-419661">Also read |&nbsp;At Iowa rally, Trump slams Biden's 'socialist' spending package</a>

"No question that’s having an impact. And of course as the president has said, the buck stops with him," Psaki said. "That’s far and away the biggest issue in the minds of the American people, and it's impacting a lot of issues."

A RealClearPolitics average showed Biden's approval rating at 43 per cent, which was down from 51 per cent in early August. 
While speaking about the pandemic, Psaki said that the White House is focused on the big picture of getting life back to something similar to pre-pandemic normal.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki has attributed a series of tough poll results for President Biden on the nation's inability to overcome the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki has attributed a series of tough poll results for President Biden on the nation's inability to overcome the deadly coronavirus pandemic. As per a report by The Hill, Psaki said that this is a really tough time in the US. "We’re still battling COVID, and a lot of people thought we’d be through it, including us," said Psaki. She further added, "And because of the rise of the delta variant, because of the fact that even though it was a vaccine approved under a Republican administration, even though we now have full FDA approval, and even though it’s widely available across the country, we still have 20 per cent of the country who have decided not to get vaccinated." Also read | At Iowa rally, Trump slams Biden's 'socialist' spending package "No question that’s having an impact. And of course as the president has said, the buck stops with him," Psaki said. "That’s far and away the biggest issue in the minds of the American people, and it's impacting a lot of issues." A RealClearPolitics average showed Biden's approval rating at 43 per cent, which was down from 51 per cent in early August. While speaking about the pandemic, Psaki said that the White House is focused on the big picture of getting life back to something similar to pre-pandemic normal.

White House links Biden's bad polling on the nation's inability to overcome COVID-19

Within 10 months into his presidency, Joe Biden already seems to be taking a massive hit in the approval ratings. According to an opinion poll, the public opinion of Biden has further declined compared to August. Susan Tehrani brings you more information.

United States: Poll shows declining approval for Joe Biden

He was seen as symbol of USA's resurgence globally when he said "America is back!" but a latest opinion poll shows US President Joe Biden's approval rating has dropped below former US President Donald Trump. In a poll carried out by Harvard CAPS/ Harris Poll, it has been seen that approval of Biden has dropped since the time he got elected as President of USA.

Trump was favoured by 48 per cent of the respondents while Biden found backing from 46 per cent, as per The Hill which has reported the survey.

Trump also scores more on the question asking people who was the better president. 51 per cent backed Trump while 40 per cent had the opposite view.

However, Trump has more negative rating of 49 per cent than Biden's 47 per cent. These respondents have unfavourable opinion of the respective men.

The news report said that the full results are due to be released later this week.

The survey was carried out on September 15 and 16. There were 1,578 respondents, all of whom were registered US voters.

Biden enjoyed positive image globally as Trump's policies had seen him take USA out of number of international treaties and anger US allies. However, Biden faced a lot of flak over hasty US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

He was seen as symbol of USA's resurgence globally when he said "America is back!" but a latest opinion poll shows US President Joe Biden's approval rating has dropped below former US President Donald Trump.

He was seen as symbol of USA's resurgence globally when he said "America is back!" but a latest opinion poll shows US President Joe Biden's approval rating has dropped below former US President Donald Trump. In a poll carried out by Harvard CAPS/ Harris Poll, it has been seen that approval of Biden has dropped since the time he got elected as President of USA. Trump was favoured by 48 per cent of the respondents while Biden found backing from 46 per cent, as per The Hill which has reported the survey. Trump also scores more on the question asking people who was the better president. 51 per cent backed Trump while 40 per cent had the opposite view. However, Trump has more negative rating of 49 per cent than Biden's 47 per cent. These respondents have unfavourable opinion of the respective men. The news report said that the full results are due to be released later this week. The survey was carried out on September 15 and 16. There were 1,578 respondents, all of whom were registered US voters. Biden enjoyed positive image globally as Trump's policies had seen him take USA out of number of international treaties and anger US allies. However, Biden faced a lot of flak over hasty US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Harvard poll reveals Donald Trump has higher positive rating than Biden

Two-thirds of people in Japan do not believe the country can host a safe and secure Olympics amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a survey published by the Asahi newspaper just four days before the opening ceremony in Tokyo. 
 
In the poll, 68% of respondents expressed doubt about the ability of Olympic organisers to control coronavirus infections, with 55% saying they were opposed to the Games going ahead. 
 
Three-quarters of the 1,444 people in the telephone survey said they agreed with a decision to ban spectators from events. 
 
As COVID-19 infections rise in Tokyo, forcing the government into a fourth state of emergency, public concern has grown about hosting an event that is bringing tens of thousands of overseas athletes, officials and journalists into Japan's capital. 
 
Games officials on Sunday reported the first COVID-19 case among competitors in the athletes' village in Tokyo, bringing the total number of cases connected to the Olympics to at least 10. 
 
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has said he hopes the Japanese public will warm to the Games once competition begins and as Japanese athletes begin winning medals.

Two-thirds of people in Japan do not believe the country can host a safe and secure Olympics amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a survey published by the Asahi newspaper just four days before the opening ceremony in Tokyo.

Two-thirds of people in Japan do not believe the country can host a safe and secure Olympics amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a survey published by the Asahi newspaper just four days before the opening ceremony in Tokyo. In the poll, 68% of respondents expressed doubt about the ability of Olympic organisers to control coronavirus infections, with 55% saying they were opposed to the Games going ahead. Three-quarters of the 1,444 people in the telephone survey said they agreed with a decision to ban spectators from events. As COVID-19 infections rise in Tokyo, forcing the government into a fourth state of emergency, public concern has grown about hosting an event that is bringing tens of thousands of overseas athletes, officials and journalists into Japan's capital. Games officials on Sunday reported the first COVID-19 case among competitors in the athletes' village in Tokyo, bringing the total number of cases connected to the Olympics to at least 10. International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has said he hopes the Japanese public will warm to the Games once competition begins and as Japanese athletes begin winning medals.

Tokyo 2020: Two-thirds of Japanese doubt pandemic Olympics can be safe, says poll

A poll released on Saturday showed for the first time that a majority of Brazilians support impeaching President Jair Bolsonaro. Serious graft allegations in connection with vaccine procurement have hit Bolsonaro's already maligned image.&nbsp;

The survey was carried out by Datafloha. As per the survey, 54 per cent Brazilians support a proposed move by the country's lower house to open impeachment proceedings against Bolsonaro, while 42% oppose it. In the last Datafolha survey on the issue, released in May, supporters and opponents of impeachment were essentially tied.

In a separate Datafolha poll, released on Thursday, 51% of Brazilians said they disapproved of Bolsonaro, the highest figure since he took office in January 2019.

In recent weeks, Brasilia has been rocked by allegations that federal officials solicited bribes to fast-track and overpay for the Covaxin vaccine developed by India's Bharat Biotech. In late June, Brazil's Health Ministry suspended ($304 million) procurement deal.

A Health Ministry official and a congressman have said they shared their concerns about the Covaxin deal with Bolsonaro, but that no action appeared to have been taken. Last week, a Supreme Court judge authorized an investigation into the president for dereliction of duty.

In a radio interview on Saturday, Bolsonaro said he had taken measures after the officials shared their concerns about the Covaxin deal, but he did not elaborate further.

(With inputs from agencies)

A poll released on Saturday showed for the first time that a majority of Brazilians support impeaching President Jair Bolsonaro. Serious graft allegations in connection with vaccine procurement have hit Bolsonaro's already maligned image.

A poll released on Saturday showed for the first time that a majority of Brazilians support impeaching President Jair Bolsonaro. Serious graft allegations in connection with vaccine procurement have hit Bolsonaro's already maligned image. The survey was carried out by Datafloha. As per the survey, 54 per cent Brazilians support a proposed move by the country's lower house to open impeachment proceedings against Bolsonaro, while 42% oppose it. In the last Datafolha survey on the issue, released in May, supporters and opponents of impeachment were essentially tied. In a separate Datafolha poll, released on Thursday, 51% of Brazilians said they disapproved of Bolsonaro, the highest figure since he took office in January 2019. In recent weeks, Brasilia has been rocked by allegations that federal officials solicited bribes to fast-track and overpay for the Covaxin vaccine developed by India's Bharat Biotech. In late June, Brazil's Health Ministry suspended ($304 million) procurement deal. A Health Ministry official and a congressman have said they shared their concerns about the Covaxin deal with Bolsonaro, but that no action appeared to have been taken. Last week, a Supreme Court judge authorized an investigation into the president for dereliction of duty. In a radio interview on Saturday, Bolsonaro said he had taken measures after the officials shared their concerns about the Covaxin deal, but he did not elaborate further. (With inputs from agencies)

Poll shows majority of Brazilians support impeaching Bolsonaro

A majority of Republicans still believe Donald Trump won the 2020 US presidential election and blame his loss to Joe Biden on illegal voting, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll.&nbsp;

The May 17-19 national poll found that 53% of Republicans believe Trump, their party's nominee, is the “true president” now, compared to 3% of Democrats and 25% of all Americans.&nbsp;

About one-quarter of adults believe the Nov. 3 election was tainted by illegal voting, including 56% of Republicans, according to the poll. The figures were roughly the same in a poll that ran from November 13-17, which found that 28% of all Americans and 59% of Republicans felt that way.&nbsp;

A Democrat, Biden won by more than seven million votes. Dozens of courts rejected Trump’s challenges to the results, but Trump and his supporters have persisted in pushing baseless conspiracy theories on conservative news outlets.&nbsp;

The Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that 61% of Republicans believe the election was "stolen" from Trump. Only about 29% of Republicans believe he should share some of the blame for his supporters' January 6 deadly riot at the US Capitol.&nbsp;

Still, 67% of overall respondents say they trust election officials in their town to do their job honestly, including 58% of Republicans, according to the poll.&nbsp;

The November and May polls were both conducted online, in English, throughout the United States. The May poll gathered responses from 2,007 adults, including 909 Democrats and 754 Republicans. The poll has a credibility interval, a measure of precision, of about 4 percentage points. &nbsp;

A majority of Republicans still believe Donald Trump won the 2020 US presidential election and blame his loss to Joe Biden on illegal voting, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll.

A majority of Republicans still believe Donald Trump won the 2020 US presidential election and blame his loss to Joe Biden on illegal voting, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll. The May 17-19 national poll found that 53% of Republicans believe Trump, their party's nominee, is the “true president” now, compared to 3% of Democrats and 25% of all Americans. About one-quarter of adults believe the Nov. 3 election was tainted by illegal voting, including 56% of Republicans, according to the poll. The figures were roughly the same in a poll that ran from November 13-17, which found that 28% of all Americans and 59% of Republicans felt that way. A Democrat, Biden won by more than seven million votes. Dozens of courts rejected Trump’s challenges to the results, but Trump and his supporters have persisted in pushing baseless conspiracy theories on conservative news outlets. The Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that 61% of Republicans believe the election was "stolen" from Trump. Only about 29% of Republicans believe he should share some of the blame for his supporters' January 6 deadly riot at the US Capitol. Still, 67% of overall respondents say they trust election officials in their town to do their job honestly, including 58% of Republicans, according to the poll. The November and May polls were both conducted online, in English, throughout the United States. The May poll gathered responses from 2,007 adults, including 909 Democrats and 754 Republicans. The poll has a credibility interval, a measure of precision, of about 4 percentage points.

53% of Republicans still view Trump as true US president, months after his defeat: Poll 

More than 80 per cent of Japanese oppose hosting the virus-postponed Olympics this year, a new poll published on Monday showed, less than 10 weeks before the Tokyo Games.&nbsp;

The latest survey comes after Japan expanded a coronavirus state of emergency on Friday as the nation battles a fourth wave of virus infections.&nbsp;

The surge has put pressure on the country's healthcare system, with medical professionals repeatedly warning about shortages and burnout.&nbsp;

The weekend survey by the Asahi Shimbun daily found 43 per cent of respondents want the 2020 Games cancelled, and 40 per cent want a further postponement.&nbsp;

Those figures are up from 35 per cent, who backed cancellation in a survey by the paper a month ago, and 34 per cent, who wanted a further delay.&nbsp;

Only 14 per cent support holding the Games this summer as scheduled, down from 28 per cent, according to the poll of 1,527 replies from 3,191 telephone calls.&nbsp;

If the Games do go ahead, 59 per cent of respondents said they want no spectators, with 33 per cent backing lower fan numbers and three per cent a regular capacity Games.&nbsp;

For months, polling has found a majority in Japan oppose holding the Games this summer.&nbsp;

A separate poll by Kyodo News published on Sunday showed 59.7 per cent back cancellation, though further postponement was not listed as an option.&nbsp;

Olympic organisers say tough anti-virus measures, including regular testing of athletes and a ban on overseas fans, will keep the Games safe.&nbsp;

But the Kyodo poll found 87.7 per cent of respondents worry that an influx of athletes and staff members from abroad may spread the virus.&nbsp;

Asked about the polls, government spokesman Katsunobu Kato said the government would "make efforts so that the Japanese people understand the Tokyo Games will be held in a safe and secure manner".&nbsp;

"We need to give explanations on details of the concrete (coronavirus) measures," he said, insisting that the Games would not put further pressure on medical services.&nbsp;

Japan has seen a smaller virus outbreak than many countries, with fewer than 11,500 deaths so far. But the government has come under pressure for a comparatively slow vaccine rollout.&nbsp;

The Kyodo poll found 85 per cent of respondents considered the rollout slow, with 71.5 per cent unhappy with the government's handling of the pandemic.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

More than 80 per cent of Japanese oppose hosting the virus-postponed Olympics this year, a new poll published on Monday showed, less than 10 weeks before the Tokyo Games.

More than 80 per cent of Japanese oppose hosting the virus-postponed Olympics this year, a new poll published on Monday showed, less than 10 weeks before the Tokyo Games. The latest survey comes after Japan expanded a coronavirus state of emergency on Friday as the nation battles a fourth wave of virus infections. The surge has put pressure on the country's healthcare system, with medical professionals repeatedly warning about shortages and burnout. The weekend survey by the Asahi Shimbun daily found 43 per cent of respondents want the 2020 Games cancelled, and 40 per cent want a further postponement. Those figures are up from 35 per cent, who backed cancellation in a survey by the paper a month ago, and 34 per cent, who wanted a further delay. Only 14 per cent support holding the Games this summer as scheduled, down from 28 per cent, according to the poll of 1,527 replies from 3,191 telephone calls. If the Games do go ahead, 59 per cent of respondents said they want no spectators, with 33 per cent backing lower fan numbers and three per cent a regular capacity Games. For months, polling has found a majority in Japan oppose holding the Games this summer. A separate poll by Kyodo News published on Sunday showed 59.7 per cent back cancellation, though further postponement was not listed as an option. Olympic organisers say tough anti-virus measures, including regular testing of athletes and a ban on overseas fans, will keep the Games safe. But the Kyodo poll found 87.7 per cent of respondents worry that an influx of athletes and staff members from abroad may spread the virus. Asked about the polls, government spokesman Katsunobu Kato said the government would "make efforts so that the Japanese people understand the Tokyo Games will be held in a safe and secure manner". "We need to give explanations on details of the concrete (coronavirus) measures," he said, insisting that the Games would not put further pressure on medical services. Japan has seen a smaller virus outbreak than many countries, with fewer than 11,500 deaths so far. But the government has come under pressure for a comparatively slow vaccine rollout. The Kyodo poll found 85 per cent of respondents considered the rollout slow, with 71.5 per cent unhappy with the government's handling of the pandemic. (With inputs from agencies)

Over 80 per cent Japanese oppose Olympics this summer: Poll 

The United States of America has marketted itself as the guardian of democracy. But as it has turned out, much of the world sees them as threat to democracy, even a bigger one than China and Russia.

This assessment is based on a worldwide poll on democracy. It is done every year by the Alliance of Democracies Foundation. This time they polled around 50,000 people from 53 countries.

They were asked a range of questions like how they rank freedom of speech or the influence of big tech and social media.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-survey-pegs-the-us-as-a-bigger-threat-than-china-russia-383330/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

But the most striking question was about threats to democracy. 44 per cent of the respondents said USA was the biggest threat to democracy. 38 per cent name China, and 28 per cent named Russia.

This doesn't make sense at first glance. But things fall into place when it becomes clear that the poll was not about internal democracy but global democracy.

Let's consider America's chequered past with Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Vietnam. These are the countries the US invaded and destabilised.

US is the larger power in comparison to China and Russia. They have limited spheres of influence as compared to the US.

So in a global survey it is natural for more people to fear the US. But that doesn't mean the US is off the hook.

This survey is a reality check for Washington. They want to be the chief guardian of democracy. But with a negative rating of 44 per cent that's a difficult claim.

So is there any silver lining for America? There is.

A large chunk of the negative ratings came from Russia and China. Two of America's biggest rivals. And compared to last year,&nbsp;USA's ratings have improved.&nbsp;

So this survey should serve as a lesson. Democracy is not anyone's monopoly. The US is a democracy. But so are Germany, India, Japan and dozens of other countries. Each of them follows their own system.

This is what America finds hard to accept. It believes that democracy is what happens in Washington.

What does the survey have to say about this?

81 per cent of respondents endorsed democracy. They say it's the best form of government, despite everything. But 44 per cent of them also trashed the US.&nbsp;

So the bottom line is this. The world wants democracy. But not the democracy dictated by the US

What's more interesting about the findings is that some businesses have also featured in them: the big tech.

48 per cent people view tech companies as a threat to democracy. In the US that figure is almost 62 per cent.

People fear tech giants, more than curbs on free speech.

This is ironic as tech firms always use the argument of free speech to block regulation. Turns out, they are the bigger villain. And everyone knows that.

So the US, tech giants and China appear to be the big threat to democracy. But one indicator ranked higher than these three. And it's not something anyone would guess easily. It's economic inequality.

64 per cent of people called it the biggest threat to democracy. This is linked to the ongoing Wuhan virus pandemic.

It has put millions of people out of jobs. In 2020 70 per cent of people were happy with their government's pandemic response.

This was in both&nbsp;democracies and non-democracies. But one year later,&nbsp;democracies have fallen to 51 per cent. Looking at China would make this clearer.

China ignored human rights, consulted no one on lockdowns. And punished people who dissented. Decision-making appears easier in autocracies.

So what are the big takeaways from this survey?

Number one, America is not judge and jury. The star-spangled banner is not the chorus for democracy.

Number two, this is not an endorsement of either China or Russia. Their human rights records speak for themselves.

Number three, don't trust everything you see in a poll.

In this one, 71 per cent Chinese said they had the right amount of democracy.

If the right amount is none, then yes, they are right.

But the biggest takeaway is thisL:&nbsp;Democracy works. And we don't need superpowers or big corporations to defend it.

The United States of America has marketted itself as the guardian of democracy. But as it has turned out, much of the world sees them as threat to democracy, even a bigger one than China and Russia.

The United States of America has marketted itself as the guardian of democracy. But as it has turned out, much of the world sees them as threat to democracy, even a bigger one than China and Russia. This assessment is based on a worldwide poll on democracy. It is done every year by the Alliance of Democracies Foundation. This time they polled around 50,000 people from 53 countries. They were asked a range of questions like how they rank freedom of speech or the influence of big tech and social media. × But the most striking question was about threats to democracy. 44 per cent of the respondents said USA was the biggest threat to democracy. 38 per cent name China, and 28 per cent named Russia. This doesn't make sense at first glance. But things fall into place when it becomes clear that the poll was not about internal democracy but global democracy. Let's consider America's chequered past with Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Vietnam. These are the countries the US invaded and destabilised. US is the larger power in comparison to China and Russia. They have limited spheres of influence as compared to the US. So in a global survey it is natural for more people to fear the US. But that doesn't mean the US is off the hook. This survey is a reality check for Washington. They want to be the chief guardian of democracy. But with a negative rating of 44 per cent that's a difficult claim. So is there any silver lining for America? There is. A large chunk of the negative ratings came from Russia and China. Two of America's biggest rivals. And compared to last year, USA's ratings have improved. So this survey should serve as a lesson. Democracy is not anyone's monopoly. The US is a democracy. But so are Germany, India, Japan and dozens of other countries. Each of them follows their own system. This is what America finds hard to accept. It believes that democracy is what happens in Washington. What does the survey have to say about this? 81 per cent of respondents endorsed democracy. They say it's the best form of government, despite everything. But 44 per cent of them also trashed the US. So the bottom line is this. The world wants democracy. But not the democracy dictated by the US What's more interesting about the findings is that some businesses have also featured in them: the big tech. 48 per cent people view tech companies as a threat to democracy. In the US that figure is almost 62 per cent. People fear tech giants, more than curbs on free speech. This is ironic as tech firms always use the argument of free speech to block regulation. Turns out, they are the bigger villain. And everyone knows that. So the US, tech giants and China appear to be the big threat to democracy. But one indicator ranked higher than these three. And it's not something anyone would guess easily. It's economic inequality. 64 per cent of people called it the biggest threat to democracy. This is linked to the ongoing Wuhan virus pandemic. It has put millions of people out of jobs. In 2020 70 per cent of people were happy with their government's pandemic response. This was in both democracies and non-democracies. But one year later, democracies have fallen to 51 per cent. Looking at China would make this clearer. China ignored human rights, consulted no one on lockdowns. And punished people who dissented. Decision-making appears easier in autocracies. So what are the big takeaways from this survey? Number one, America is not judge and jury. The star-spangled banner is not the chorus for democracy. Number two, this is not an endorsement of either China or Russia. Their human rights records speak for themselves. Number three, don't trust everything you see in a poll. In this one, 71 per cent Chinese said they had the right amount of democracy. If the right amount is none, then yes, they are right. But the biggest takeaway is thisL: Democracy works. And we don't need superpowers or big corporations to defend it.

Worldwide poll shows most respondents think US is threat to democracy

A poll conducted by the Yomiuri Shimbun daily found that over 75 per cent of Japanese don't want foreign fans attending the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, the Games' organisers are set to make a decision on overseas spectators.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/polls-open-for-presidential-election-at-troubled-barcelona-368643" hreflang="en">Polls open for presidential election at troubled Barcelona</a>

According to the poll, only 18 per cent of people who responded were in favour of foreign spectators being allowed into Japan for the coronavirus-delayed Games, with 77 per cent against.

Last week, the organisers said that they will decide on the matter, most likely, before the nationwide torch relay begins on March 25.

However, several Japanese media reports&nbsp;suggested that Games chiefs have already decided to bar foreign fans.

Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto said Friday that organisers "really want to hold the event in full stadiums with fans from around the world", but would find it difficult "if we're not in a position where we can accept them and the situation with medical facilities isn't perfect".

The Yomiuri poll also revealed that 45 per cent of respondents were in favour of spectators, in general, attending the Games, with 48 per cent opposed.

The poll was conducted between March 5-7 through random phone calls, with 1,066 of the 1,977 people contacted responding.

(With Agency inputs)

A poll conducted by the Yomiuri Shimbun daily found that over 75 per cent of Japanese don't want foreign fans attending the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, the Games' organisers are set to make a decision on overseas spectators.

A poll conducted by the Yomiuri Shimbun daily found that over 75 per cent of Japanese don't want foreign fans attending the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, the Games' organisers are set to make a decision on overseas spectators. ALSO READ: Polls open for presidential election at troubled Barcelona According to the poll, only 18 per cent of people who responded were in favour of foreign spectators being allowed into Japan for the coronavirus-delayed Games, with 77 per cent against. Last week, the organisers said that they will decide on the matter, most likely, before the nationwide torch relay begins on March 25. However, several Japanese media reports suggested that Games chiefs have already decided to bar foreign fans. Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto said Friday that organisers "really want to hold the event in full stadiums with fans from around the world", but would find it difficult "if we're not in a position where we can accept them and the situation with medical facilities isn't perfect". The Yomiuri poll also revealed that 45 per cent of respondents were in favour of spectators, in general, attending the Games, with 48 per cent opposed. The poll was conducted between March 5-7 through random phone calls, with 1,066 of the 1,977 people contacted responding. (With Agency inputs)

Over 75 per cent Japanese don't want foreign fans at Tokyo Games: Poll

Beijing's proposal for Hong Kong electoral reforms could prevent&nbsp;'dictatorship of the majority', a pro-Beijing Hong Kong lawmaker said, calling people,&nbsp;who want one man one vote&nbsp;'politically immature'.&nbsp;

China's rubber-stamp parliament is deliberating plans to overhaul Hong Kong's electoral system to ensure Beijing loyalists are in charge.&nbsp;

Hong Kong representatives to China's parliament, in Beijing this week for an annual session, say the changes are necessary and desirable.&nbsp;

"Many people in Hong Kong are politically immature," Martin Liao, who sits on both Hong Kong's and China's legislature,&nbsp;said&nbsp;on Saturday.&nbsp;

"They think&nbsp;'one man one vote'&nbsp;is the best thing, and they take advice from countries that don't even have&nbsp;'one man one vote'," he said, referring to how neither the US President nor the British Prime Minister is elected by a popular vote.&nbsp;

The proposed changes, which include expanding the city's Election Committee from 1,200 to 1,500 people, and expanding the city's Legislative Council from 70 to 90 seats, will make Hong Kong's electoral system more&nbsp;'representative', and less prone to&nbsp;'dictatorship of the majority', Liao argued.&nbsp;

Critics,&nbsp;however,&nbsp;worry that the expansion means that Beijing would be able to stack the two bodies with even more pro-establishment members, to gain the numerical superiority needed to influence important decisions,&nbsp;such as the election of the city's chief executive, leaving Hong Kong voters with less direct say in who they want to lead them.&nbsp;

"If you are not a patriot, it's going to be hard for you to get in," Tam Yiu-chung, the only Hong Kong representative in China's top lawmaking body, the National People's Congress Standing Committee,&nbsp;said&nbsp;on Saturday.&nbsp;

Beijing's proposal for Hong Kong electoral reforms could prevent 'dictatorship of the majority', a pro-Beijing Hong Kong lawmaker said, calling people, who want one man one vote 'politically immature'.

Beijing's proposal for Hong Kong electoral reforms could prevent 'dictatorship of the majority', a pro-Beijing Hong Kong lawmaker said, calling people, who want one man one vote 'politically immature'. China's rubber-stamp parliament is deliberating plans to overhaul Hong Kong's electoral system to ensure Beijing loyalists are in charge. Hong Kong representatives to China's parliament, in Beijing this week for an annual session, say the changes are necessary and desirable. "Many people in Hong Kong are politically immature," Martin Liao, who sits on both Hong Kong's and China's legislature, said on Saturday. "They think 'one man one vote' is the best thing, and they take advice from countries that don't even have 'one man one vote'," he said, referring to how neither the US President nor the British Prime Minister is elected by a popular vote. The proposed changes, which include expanding the city's Election Committee from 1,200 to 1,500 people, and expanding the city's Legislative Council from 70 to 90 seats, will make Hong Kong's electoral system more 'representative', and less prone to 'dictatorship of the majority', Liao argued. Critics, however, worry that the expansion means that Beijing would be able to stack the two bodies with even more pro-establishment members, to gain the numerical superiority needed to influence important decisions, such as the election of the city's chief executive, leaving Hong Kong voters with less direct say in who they want to lead them. "If you are not a patriot, it's going to be hard for you to get in," Tam Yiu-chung, the only Hong Kong representative in China's top lawmaking body, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, said on Saturday.

Hong Kong poll reforms prevent 'dictatorship of majority': Pro-Beijing leader

Kosovo heads to the polls Sunday in a vote pitting a left-wing reformist party against traditional elites who have run the former Serbian province for the past decade.

Here are the main players vying to win Kosovo's fifth election since its 2008 independence.&nbsp;

Reformers

Pollsters are betting on a victory for the left-wing nationalist party Vetevendosje (VV) of Albin Kurti, a reformist promising to root out corruption.

Particularly popular among young people and known for highly organised protests, VV won the last elections in 2019 by a single seat.

The party was forced to unite with the centre-right LDK, an alliance that crumbled after about 50 days, ejecting Kurti from power.

During his brief term at the helm, he started work on overhauling the structure of public companies, which NGOs say are hotbeds of graft and embezzlement.

The 45-year-old first made his name as a student activist in the 1990s, organising protests against the Serbian regime's repression of Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority.

The activism landed Kurti in a Serbian jail for two years when he was in his 20s.&nbsp;

After Kosovo broke away from Serbia in the 1998-99 war, Kurti became a leading critic of both local leaders and the international community's outsized influence.

His VV movement -- whose name means "self-determination" -- became known for sometimes violent protests while MPs resorted to radical antics such as unleashing tear gas in parliament.

Kurti himself is banned from putting his name on the ballot because of an 18-month suspended prison sentence in 2018 for the tear gas incident.&nbsp;

It does not, however, prevent him from being chosen as PM if his party wins.

Leaderless rebels

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) founded by former war heroes from the 1990 conflict with Serbian forces has been the dominant political player in Kosovo since it declared independence in 2008.

But the party will now run without its top two leaders, both held in The Hague where they face trials on war crimes charges linked to the 1998-99 conflict.&nbsp;

Former president Hashim Thaci, Kosovo's most powerful politician and the ex-political chief of the rebel forces, and his right-hand-man Kadri Veseli have been jailed in the Netherlands since November.

The party is now led by former foreign minister Enver Hoxhaj, 52, who until now worked in the shadows of the former commanders.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Outgoing centrists

The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) of outgoing Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti heads into the elections without its most popular member.

Vjosa Osmani, a 38-year-old law professor and the acting president, has decided to join Kurti's camp.

The party was founded by the late Ibrahim Rugova, known as the "father of the nation" for leading the peaceful resistance of Kosovo's ethnic Albanians against Belgrade's repression.

The party won every vote after the 1998-99 war until Rugova's death in 2006.

Since then, while the LDK has not won any electoral victories, it has been a key coalition partner, making and breaking ruling alliances.&nbsp;

In March last year it brought down the government it formed with Vetevendosje by passing a motion of no confidence.

The party faced criticism for that move after they struck a new alliance with parties its supporters had voted against.

Hoti, a 45-year-old professor of economics, is running again for PM — but the party's leader Isa Mustafa is believed to pull the strings.

Serbs

Kosovo's Serb minority, estimated to number around 120,000, is guaranteed 10 seats in the 120-member assembly.

The scene is dominated by the Srpska Lista, a party closely aligned with Belgrade, which still considers Kosovo a renegade territory.&nbsp;

The Serbs have sometimes played the role of kingmaker, as in 2017 with the coalition government formed by Ramush Haradinaj, another former commander, elected by their votes.&nbsp;

Another 10 seats are reserved in parliament for other minorities such as the Roma.&nbsp;

Kosovo heads to the polls Sunday in a vote pitting a left-wing reformist party against traditional elites who have run the former Serbian province for the past decade.

Kosovo heads to the polls Sunday in a vote pitting a left-wing reformist party against traditional elites who have run the former Serbian province for the past decade. Here are the main players vying to win Kosovo's fifth election since its 2008 independence. Reformers Pollsters are betting on a victory for the left-wing nationalist party Vetevendosje (VV) of Albin Kurti, a reformist promising to root out corruption. Particularly popular among young people and known for highly organised protests, VV won the last elections in 2019 by a single seat. The party was forced to unite with the centre-right LDK, an alliance that crumbled after about 50 days, ejecting Kurti from power. During his brief term at the helm, he started work on overhauling the structure of public companies, which NGOs say are hotbeds of graft and embezzlement. The 45-year-old first made his name as a student activist in the 1990s, organising protests against the Serbian regime's repression of Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority. The activism landed Kurti in a Serbian jail for two years when he was in his 20s. After Kosovo broke away from Serbia in the 1998-99 war, Kurti became a leading critic of both local leaders and the international community's outsized influence. His VV movement -- whose name means "self-determination" -- became known for sometimes violent protests while MPs resorted to radical antics such as unleashing tear gas in parliament. Kurti himself is banned from putting his name on the ballot because of an 18-month suspended prison sentence in 2018 for the tear gas incident. It does not, however, prevent him from being chosen as PM if his party wins. Leaderless rebels The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) founded by former war heroes from the 1990 conflict with Serbian forces has been the dominant political player in Kosovo since it declared independence in 2008. But the party will now run without its top two leaders, both held in The Hague where they face trials on war crimes charges linked to the 1998-99 conflict. Former president Hashim Thaci, Kosovo's most powerful politician and the ex-political chief of the rebel forces, and his right-hand-man Kadri Veseli have been jailed in the Netherlands since November. The party is now led by former foreign minister Enver Hoxhaj, 52, who until now worked in the shadows of the former commanders. Outgoing centrists The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) of outgoing Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti heads into the elections without its most popular member. Vjosa Osmani, a 38-year-old law professor and the acting president, has decided to join Kurti's camp. The party was founded by the late Ibrahim Rugova, known as the "father of the nation" for leading the peaceful resistance of Kosovo's ethnic Albanians against Belgrade's repression. The party won every vote after the 1998-99 war until Rugova's death in 2006. Since then, while the LDK has not won any electoral victories, it has been a key coalition partner, making and breaking ruling alliances. In March last year it brought down the government it formed with Vetevendosje by passing a motion of no confidence. The party faced criticism for that move after they struck a new alliance with parties its supporters had voted against. Hoti, a 45-year-old professor of economics, is running again for PM — but the party's leader Isa Mustafa is believed to pull the strings. Serbs Kosovo's Serb minority, estimated to number around 120,000, is guaranteed 10 seats in the 120-member assembly. The scene is dominated by the Srpska Lista, a party closely aligned with Belgrade, which still considers Kosovo a renegade territory. The Serbs have sometimes played the role of kingmaker, as in 2017 with the coalition government formed by Ramush Haradinaj, another former commander, elected by their votes. Another 10 seats are reserved in parliament for other minorities such as the Roma.

Kosovo poll contenders: Reformers vs leaderless rebels

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Party could rule the country after the upcoming election, based on the findings of a poll by Newshub-Reid Research.

A Newshub-Reid Research Poll released on Sunday showed support for Ardern's Labour Party at to 50.1%, though this is down from the record 60.9% recorded earlier this year when New Zealand was widely lauded as a world leader in battling COVID-19.

The survey showed Labour’s coalition partner, New Zealand First, with just 1.9%, below the minimum required to return to parliament. The research was conducted September 16 to 23 and had a margin of error of 3.1%, according to Newshub Reid.

Ardern remains the preferred Prime Minister for 53.2 per cent of those surveyed (down 8.8 percentage points). Collins' popularity has risen by 3.1 percentage points to 17.7 per cent in the preferred PM stakes.

Ardern, 40, also holds huge global appeal due to her response to last year’s attack by a white supremacist on two mosques, a fatal volcanic eruption and her success with the COVID-19 outbreak.

(With inputs from agencies)

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Party could rule the country after the upcoming election, based on the findings of a poll by Newshub-Reid Research.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Party could rule the country after the upcoming election, based on the findings of a poll by Newshub-Reid Research. A Newshub-Reid Research Poll released on Sunday showed support for Ardern's Labour Party at to 50.1%, though this is down from the record 60.9% recorded earlier this year when New Zealand was widely lauded as a world leader in battling COVID-19. The survey showed Labour’s coalition partner, New Zealand First, with just 1.9%, below the minimum required to return to parliament. The research was conducted September 16 to 23 and had a margin of error of 3.1%, according to Newshub Reid. Ardern remains the preferred Prime Minister for 53.2 per cent of those surveyed (down 8.8 percentage points). Collins' popularity has risen by 3.1 percentage points to 17.7 per cent in the preferred PM stakes. Ardern, 40, also holds huge global appeal due to her response to last year’s attack by a white supremacist on two mosques, a fatal volcanic eruption and her success with the COVID-19 outbreak. (With inputs from agencies)

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on course for election victory: Poll

The Election Commission of India has postponed the Rajya Sabha elections due to the threat of coronavirus.&nbsp;

The 18 Rajya Sabha seats of seven states were to be polled on March 26. It is accepted that now the new date of polls will be discharged simply in the wake of getting alleviation from COVID-19.

A total of 55 Rajya Sabha seats of 17 states were being vacated in April. On March 26, the Commission issued notification for elections to these seats. Most of the seats in several states including Haryana, Himachal Pradesh have been elected unopposed. Only 18 Rajya Sabha seats were to be elected through voting.

Nearly 500 coronavirus cases have been reported in India so far, according to Health Ministry data on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, as many as 30 states/UTs have been placed under complete lockdown even as the number of coronavirus COVID-19 cases have reached 471 across India by Monday evening. The death toll from the highly contagious infection stood at nine.

The Centre has also decided to restrict all domestic transport services—railways, flights and interstate buses—across the country on a massive scale that has never been witnessed by the country.

All domestic flights from midnight on March 24 have been cancelled. However, these restrictions will not apply to cargo flights.

"Airlines have to plan operations so as to land at their destination before 2359 hours on 24/3/2020," the Ministry said in a statement.

The deadly coronavirus has claimed 16,524 lives and infected 379,080 people globally. &nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The Election Commission of India has postponed the Rajya Sabha elections due to the threat of coronavirus. The 18 Rajya Sabha seats of seven states were to be polled on March 26.

The Election Commission of India has postponed the Rajya Sabha elections due to the threat of coronavirus. The 18 Rajya Sabha seats of seven states were to be polled on March 26. It is accepted that now the new date of polls will be discharged simply in the wake of getting alleviation from COVID-19. A total of 55 Rajya Sabha seats of 17 states were being vacated in April. On March 26, the Commission issued notification for elections to these seats. Most of the seats in several states including Haryana, Himachal Pradesh have been elected unopposed. Only 18 Rajya Sabha seats were to be elected through voting. Nearly 500 coronavirus cases have been reported in India so far, according to Health Ministry data on Tuesday. Meanwhile, as many as 30 states/UTs have been placed under complete lockdown even as the number of coronavirus COVID-19 cases have reached 471 across India by Monday evening. The death toll from the highly contagious infection stood at nine. The Centre has also decided to restrict all domestic transport services—railways, flights and interstate buses—across the country on a massive scale that has never been witnessed by the country. All domestic flights from midnight on March 24 have been cancelled. However, these restrictions will not apply to cargo flights. "Airlines have to plan operations so as to land at their destination before 2359 hours on 24/3/2020," the Ministry said in a statement. The deadly coronavirus has claimed 16,524 lives and infected 379,080 people globally. (With inputs from agencies)

Rajya Sabha election scheduled for March 26 postponed amid Covid-19 lockdown

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected to announce the dates for Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly elections today.&nbsp;

The electoral body will be holding a press conference at noon today.

Earlier, the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee had urged masses to pitch in ideas for its manifesto for the elections.&nbsp;

The BJP came to power in the state in the last Assembly elections.

On the other hand, in Maharashtra, the BJP and Shiv Sena contested 2014 state Assembly elections separately after they failed to arrive at a seat-sharing formula.&nbsp;

However, they formed the government in the alliance after the elections as none of the parties was able to secure a majority on its own.&nbsp;

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected to announce the dates for Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly elections today. The electoral body will be holding a press conference at noon today.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected to announce the dates for Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly elections today. The electoral body will be holding a press conference at noon today. Earlier, the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee had urged masses to pitch in ideas for its manifesto for the elections. The BJP came to power in the state in the last Assembly elections. On the other hand, in Maharashtra, the BJP and Shiv Sena contested 2014 state Assembly elections separately after they failed to arrive at a seat-sharing formula. However, they formed the government in the alliance after the elections as none of the parties was able to secure a majority on its own.

Election Commission to announce Maharashtra, Haryana poll dates today

Rushing to register candidates and train poll workers, Tunisia's electoral commission has raced to organise presidential elections after the death of leader Beji Caid Essebsi, hoping to protect the country's nascent democracy.

The Independent Higher Authority for Elections (ISIE) snapped into action when Essebsi died on July 25, facing immediate pressure from a constitutional deadline and parties seeking favourable dates.

The body, whose nine members are elected by parliament, brought the date of scheduled polls forward by two months, fixing the first round for September 15.

The constitution stipulates that elections must be held 90 days after a head of state's death. The first round of voting will take place just seven weeks after the funeral.

In a mid-summer dash, ISIE stocked up on indelible ink and sorted through nearly 100 candidate applications, selecting a final list of 26 hopefuls.

"We're in a sprint to respect the rules," ISIE spokeswoman Hasna Ben Slimane told AFP.&nbsp;

"We have to train 55,000 people for&nbsp;inspectors and polling station staff," she said.&nbsp;

"ISIE has experience. It has already organised six elections, but it's still complicated."

The body has overseen a series of historic polls following the 2011 overthrow of dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in an uprising which sparked revolts across the Arab world.

They include Tunisia's first free election in October 2011 and the first free presidential election in 2014 which brought Essebsi to power.

"ISIE's reaction after the death of Caid Essebsi is a sign of its maturity," said history professor Abdeltif Hannachi.

ISIE has registered some 1.5 million, mostly young, new voters this year, success has given that 65 per cent of voters abstained in the first democratic municipal polls in 2018.

The body has pushed to tighten checks on social networks and campaign finances, Ben Slimane said.&nbsp;

It struggled with both in 2014.

Before campaigning kicked off on Monday, the commission sent "warnings" to political parties asking them to delete problematic sponsored Facebook pages, said ISIE chief Nabil Baffoun.

Tunisian electoral monitor Mourakiboun hailed ISIE for its "independence" but its head Mohamed Marzouk regrets that the body has "not detailed the methods of checking expenses and campaign finances".

Accusations of corruption have swirled in the lead up to the polls, culminating in the arrest of media magnate and presidential hopeful Nabil Karoui for alleged money laundering.&nbsp;

His detention fuelled suspicions of flawed justice, pushing ISIE to quickly assure that nothing, even prison, prevented Karoui from being a candidate.

The decision, Hannachi said, "proves the independence of ISIE, which did not yield to the pressure of those who asked it to remove Nabil Karoui from the race".

Observers have said the previous ISIE-run elections, despite their flaws, were transparent and independent.

Hannachi, who praised the commission's work, said ISIE's model could be "exported to other countries in transition, like Sudan and Algeria".

Rushing to register candidates and train poll workers, Tunisia's electoral commission has raced to organise presidential elections after the death of leader Beji Caid Essebsi, hoping to protect the country's nascent democracy.

Rushing to register candidates and train poll workers, Tunisia's electoral commission has raced to organise presidential elections after the death of leader Beji Caid Essebsi, hoping to protect the country's nascent democracy. The Independent Higher Authority for Elections (ISIE) snapped into action when Essebsi died on July 25, facing immediate pressure from a constitutional deadline and parties seeking favourable dates. The body, whose nine members are elected by parliament, brought the date of scheduled polls forward by two months, fixing the first round for September 15. The constitution stipulates that elections must be held 90 days after a head of state's death. The first round of voting will take place just seven weeks after the funeral. In a mid-summer dash, ISIE stocked up on indelible ink and sorted through nearly 100 candidate applications, selecting a final list of 26 hopefuls. "We're in a sprint to respect the rules," ISIE spokeswoman Hasna Ben Slimane told AFP. "We have to train 55,000 people for inspectors and polling station staff," she said. "ISIE has experience. It has already organised six elections, but it's still complicated." The body has overseen a series of historic polls following the 2011 overthrow of dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in an uprising which sparked revolts across the Arab world. They include Tunisia's first free election in October 2011 and the first free presidential election in 2014 which brought Essebsi to power. "ISIE's reaction after the death of Caid Essebsi is a sign of its maturity," said history professor Abdeltif Hannachi. ISIE has registered some 1.5 million, mostly young, new voters this year, success has given that 65 per cent of voters abstained in the first democratic municipal polls in 2018. The body has pushed to tighten checks on social networks and campaign finances, Ben Slimane said. It struggled with both in 2014. Before campaigning kicked off on Monday, the commission sent "warnings" to political parties asking them to delete problematic sponsored Facebook pages, said ISIE chief Nabil Baffoun. Tunisian electoral monitor Mourakiboun hailed ISIE for its "independence" but its head Mohamed Marzouk regrets that the body has "not detailed the methods of checking expenses and campaign finances". Accusations of corruption have swirled in the lead up to the polls, culminating in the arrest of media magnate and presidential hopeful Nabil Karoui for alleged money laundering. His detention fuelled suspicions of flawed justice, pushing ISIE to quickly assure that nothing, even prison, prevented Karoui from being a candidate. The decision, Hannachi said, "proves the independence of ISIE, which did not yield to the pressure of those who asked it to remove Nabil Karoui from the race". Observers have said the previous ISIE-run elections, despite their flaws, were transparent and independent. Hannachi, who praised the commission's work, said ISIE's model could be "exported to other countries in transition, like Sudan and Algeria".

Tunisia in 'sprint' to arrange poll after president dies

The popularity of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/macron-to-answer-yellow-vest-protests-next-week-through-press-conference-211916">French President Emmanuel Macron</a> remains stuck at under 30 per cent as he battles a series of political troubles, with no major change reported after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-president-macron-hopes-to-rebuild-notre-dame-in-five-years-211025">Notre-Dame fire</a>, a poll said Sunday.

According to the Ifop poll for the Journal du Dimanche just 29 per cent of people polled said they are satisfied with the job Macron is doing, with 69 per cent dissatisfied.

This April reading was unchanged from the last poll in March, the newspaper said.

The poll, carried out up until April 20, was published at the end of a dramatic week for Macron which saw him address the nation over the damage to the Notre-Dame cathedral in Monday's devastating fire.

The president vowed to rebuild the Paris landmark in just five years, a target some observers see as over-ambitious.

The fire also prompted him to shelve a speech planned for Monday outlining his response to the "yellow vest" protests against social inequality that have shaken his young presidency.

With tax cuts and other major reforms expected to be announced, Macron is to hold the first ever formal press conference of his presidency on Thursday.

"Public opinion is in a major waiting position ahead of the presidential announcements," said Frederic Dabi, deputy director general of Ifop.

Other weekend polls made even less welcome reading for Macron, with an Opionway poll published Saturday saying that just 27 per cent of French were satisfied with his work, the weakest reading of his presidency.

But a BVA poll published Friday showed his popularity had ticked up three points to 32 per cent.

Macron enjoyed sky-high approval ratings of over 60 per cent after coming to power in 2017 on the back of hopes of implementing major reform in France.

But his popularity collapsed with the yellow vest movement taking more of the momentum out of the presidency. Thursday's big press conference is seen as Macron's chance to regain the initiative.

He is nonetheless still better liked than his predecessor Francois Hollande, who left office with a popularity rating of just 18 per cent according to Ifop.

The popularity of French President Emmanuel Macron remains stuck at under 30 per cent as he battles a series of political troubles, with no major change reported after the Notre-Dame fire, a poll said Sunday.

The popularity of French President Emmanuel Macron remains stuck at under 30 per cent as he battles a series of political troubles, with no major change reported after the Notre-Dame fire, a poll said Sunday. According to the Ifop poll for the Journal du Dimanche just 29 per cent of people polled said they are satisfied with the job Macron is doing, with 69 per cent dissatisfied. This April reading was unchanged from the last poll in March, the newspaper said. The poll, carried out up until April 20, was published at the end of a dramatic week for Macron which saw him address the nation over the damage to the Notre-Dame cathedral in Monday's devastating fire. The president vowed to rebuild the Paris landmark in just five years, a target some observers see as over-ambitious. The fire also prompted him to shelve a speech planned for Monday outlining his response to the "yellow vest" protests against social inequality that have shaken his young presidency. With tax cuts and other major reforms expected to be announced, Macron is to hold the first ever formal press conference of his presidency on Thursday. "Public opinion is in a major waiting position ahead of the presidential announcements," said Frederic Dabi, deputy director general of Ifop. Other weekend polls made even less welcome reading for Macron, with an Opionway poll published Saturday saying that just 27 per cent of French were satisfied with his work, the weakest reading of his presidency. But a BVA poll published Friday showed his popularity had ticked up three points to 32 per cent. Macron enjoyed sky-high approval ratings of over 60 per cent after coming to power in 2017 on the back of hopes of implementing major reform in France. But his popularity collapsed with the yellow vest movement taking more of the momentum out of the presidency. Thursday's big press conference is seen as Macron's chance to regain the initiative. He is nonetheless still better liked than his predecessor Francois Hollande, who left office with a popularity rating of just 18 per cent according to Ifop.

Macron popularity still weak after Notre-Dame fire: Poll

Thailand's pro-military party takes lead; Final results to be released soon

A two-day conference of the Chief Electoral Officers of all the States and Union Territories was organised by the Election commission on January 11 and 12 which focused on the integrity of the electoral roll, meticulous planning for elections, EVM and VVPAT assessment and training and extensive voter outreach.

A comprehensive review of poll preparedness of the states prior to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/2019-lok-sabha-elections-the-challenge-of-job-creation-188922">the General elections 2019</a> was conducted through these two days.

 
Addressing the CEOs, the Chief Election Commissioner of India Sunil Arora emphasised on the fact that the electoral roll that is currently under the process of revision and finalisation will be used in the forthcoming General elections. He also said that every effort must be made so that all voters are registered well in time. He reaffirmed the significance of the 1950 Helpline for the voters and its role as the First point of Care for the voter in finding her name in the Role, EPIC status and in connecting to the Election machinery and exercising her democratic right. He directed all the state CEOs to set in place support systems for the 1950 Helpline as early as possible.

Arora reiterated the commitment of the Election commission of India to provide assured minimum facilities in all polling stations. He also directed the CEOs to have their Booth level, District level, and State level Plans ready and conduct a meticulous assessment of all resources required for the conduct of elections. The States and the UTs must assess their EVM/ VVPAT requirements and also ensure adherence to the timelines specified for completion of their First Level checking. He laid stress upon extensive Hands on experience of the EVM and VVPAT among the voters as well as during the training of polling officials as it helps to minimize the glitches and also boosts confidence among the stakeholders.

Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa, in his address to the CEOs, reiterated the immense significance of the integrity of the electoral roll at this crucial juncture. He said that the entire election machinery must now be geared up in order to deliver yet another flawless election to the country. In order to accomplish this herculean task, a detailed planning process and a leadership role have to be assumed by the CEO at the state and the DEOs in the districts. He suggested to each state to reach out to each and every voter and develop innovative mechanisms to facilitate voting for People with a disability. He also emphasised upon coordination with bordering states as well as with other agencies in order to give more teeth to the expenditure Monitoring mechanisms operative in the states.

Through the two-day conference, each and every aspect of the conduct of election including the availability of sufficient budget, manpower, resources, SVEEP, planning, polling station arrangements and IT applications including Suvidha, Sugam, and C-Vigil were discussed in detail and the preparedness of States/UTs on each of these parameters was assessed.

The five states which had recently undergone Assembly elections - Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Telangana, and Rajasthan gave a presentation on the takeaways and the learnings from their experiences. Chhattisgarh had developed an app to track their polling personnel which streamlined the process. Madhya Pradesh developed an app to ensure queue less voting experience for people with disabilities, pregnant women and women with infants. These five states demonstrated how technology can be leveraged to enhance voter experience and also provide crucial data in an instant to the election officers.

Mizoram highlighted its successful conduct of elections despite initial problems. The Mizoram experience was on building bridges with the civil society organizations, opening dialogue and also the setting up of polling stations for the Bru community in coordination with the state of Tripura was a notable achievement.

Both Rajasthan and Telangana cited several instances of innovative campaigns incorporating local cultural practices which led to a good turn out in these states.

All the other CEOs of States and UTs made comprehensive presentations to the Commission on the key areas of their preparations for the forthcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2019.

A comprehensive review of poll preparedness of the states prior to the General elections 2019 was conducted in the last two days.

A two-day conference of the Chief Electoral Officers of all the States and Union Territories was organised by the Election commission on January 11 and 12 which focused on the integrity of the electoral roll, meticulous planning for elections, EVM and VVPAT assessment and training and extensive voter outreach. A comprehensive review of poll preparedness of the states prior to the General elections 2019 was conducted through these two days. Addressing the CEOs, the Chief Election Commissioner of India Sunil Arora emphasised on the fact that the electoral roll that is currently under the process of revision and finalisation will be used in the forthcoming General elections. He also said that every effort must be made so that all voters are registered well in time. He reaffirmed the significance of the 1950 Helpline for the voters and its role as the First point of Care for the voter in finding her name in the Role, EPIC status and in connecting to the Election machinery and exercising her democratic right. He directed all the state CEOs to set in place support systems for the 1950 Helpline as early as possible. Arora reiterated the commitment of the Election commission of India to provide assured minimum facilities in all polling stations. He also directed the CEOs to have their Booth level, District level, and State level Plans ready and conduct a meticulous assessment of all resources required for the conduct of elections. The States and the UTs must assess their EVM/ VVPAT requirements and also ensure adherence to the timelines specified for completion of their First Level checking. He laid stress upon extensive Hands on experience of the EVM and VVPAT among the voters as well as during the training of polling officials as it helps to minimize the glitches and also boosts confidence among the stakeholders. Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa, in his address to the CEOs, reiterated the immense significance of the integrity of the electoral roll at this crucial juncture. He said that the entire election machinery must now be geared up in order to deliver yet another flawless election to the country. In order to accomplish this herculean task, a detailed planning process and a leadership role have to be assumed by the CEO at the state and the DEOs in the districts. He suggested to each state to reach out to each and every voter and develop innovative mechanisms to facilitate voting for People with a disability. He also emphasised upon coordination with bordering states as well as with other agencies in order to give more teeth to the expenditure Monitoring mechanisms operative in the states. Through the two-day conference, each and every aspect of the conduct of election including the availability of sufficient budget, manpower, resources, SVEEP, planning, polling station arrangements and IT applications including Suvidha, Sugam, and C-Vigil were discussed in detail and the preparedness of States/UTs on each of these parameters was assessed. The five states which had recently undergone Assembly elections - Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Telangana, and Rajasthan gave a presentation on the takeaways and the learnings from their experiences. Chhattisgarh had developed an app to track their polling personnel which streamlined the process. Madhya Pradesh developed an app to ensure queue less voting experience for people with disabilities, pregnant women and women with infants. These five states demonstrated how technology can be leveraged to enhance voter experience and also provide crucial data in an instant to the election officers. Mizoram highlighted its successful conduct of elections despite initial problems. The Mizoram experience was on building bridges with the civil society organizations, opening dialogue and also the setting up of polling stations for the Bru community in coordination with the state of Tripura was a notable achievement. Both Rajasthan and Telangana cited several instances of innovative campaigns incorporating local cultural practices which led to a good turn out in these states. All the other CEOs of States and UTs made comprehensive presentations to the Commission on the key areas of their preparations for the forthcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2019.

Election Commission India reviews Poll Preparedness with all State CEOs

At least 10 journalists were injured as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/10500-arrests-ahead-of-bangladesh-poll-opposition-186427">ruling party activists</a> allegedly attacked a motel in a central Bangladesh town when they were covering this week's national election, a senior journalist said Tuesday.

A group of baton-wielding men attacked the motel in Nawabganj town late Monday, where journalists from several local media were staying overnight, Masud Karim, a special correspondent of the Bengali national daily Jugantor said.

"The miscreants vandalised 16 cars. At least 10 journalists from Jugantor and Jamuna TV were injured during the attack," he told AFP, alleging the police delayed responding to their distress call.

The newspaper also said one of its reporters has been missing since Monday evening.

It blamed the student and youth wings of the ruling Awami League party for the attack, although police said they did not know the identity of the attackers.

"We rescued them (the journalists) from the situation," district police chief S.M Shafiur Rahman told AFP, rejecting the allegations police did not respond to the attack in time.&nbsp;

The chiefs of both outlets demanded immediate arrests of the attackers but the police chief said no formal complaints had been filed.

Violent clashes have marred the run-up to the December 30 election, with the opposition saying hundreds of its activists and dozens of candidates have been injured in attacks by followers of the ruling party.&nbsp;

Six people have been killed, including two from the ruling party. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Two news cameramen were also attacked by alleged pro-government activists in the central Munshiganj district on Tuesday, the online edition of the private NTV station said.

Top journalist lobby group Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) demanded the attackers be punished.

"The state and the government will have to shoulder the responsibility and take steps to curb such attacks," BFUJ President Molla Zalal said.

Press freedom has been under the spotlight in the South Asian nation as opposition and rights group have accused Prime Minister's Sheikh Hasina's government of muzzling dissent through controversial anti-press laws.

At least 10 journalists were injured as ruling party activists allegedly attacked a motel in a central Bangladesh town when they were covering this week's national election, a senior journalist said Tuesday.

At least 10 journalists were injured as ruling party activists allegedly attacked a motel in a central Bangladesh town when they were covering this week's national election, a senior journalist said Tuesday. A group of baton-wielding men attacked the motel in Nawabganj town late Monday, where journalists from several local media were staying overnight, Masud Karim, a special correspondent of the Bengali national daily Jugantor said. "The miscreants vandalised 16 cars. At least 10 journalists from Jugantor and Jamuna TV were injured during the attack," he told AFP, alleging the police delayed responding to their distress call. The newspaper also said one of its reporters has been missing since Monday evening. It blamed the student and youth wings of the ruling Awami League party for the attack, although police said they did not know the identity of the attackers. "We rescued them (the journalists) from the situation," district police chief S.M Shafiur Rahman told AFP, rejecting the allegations police did not respond to the attack in time. The chiefs of both outlets demanded immediate arrests of the attackers but the police chief said no formal complaints had been filed. Violent clashes have marred the run-up to the December 30 election, with the opposition saying hundreds of its activists and dozens of candidates have been injured in attacks by followers of the ruling party. Six people have been killed, including two from the ruling party. Two news cameramen were also attacked by alleged pro-government activists in the central Munshiganj district on Tuesday, the online edition of the private NTV station said. Top journalist lobby group Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) demanded the attackers be punished. "The state and the government will have to shoulder the responsibility and take steps to curb such attacks," BFUJ President Molla Zalal said. Press freedom has been under the spotlight in the South Asian nation as opposition and rights group have accused Prime Minister's Sheikh Hasina's government of muzzling dissent through controversial anti-press laws.

Bangladesh: At least 10 journalists attacked ahead of polls

The Mizoram government has allocated Rs 52.75 crore towards expenses of the November 28 state legislative assembly polls, finance department officials said Friday.

The officials said the finance department has released Rs 32.5 crore to the state election department.

Of the Rs 52.75 crore election budget, Rs 37.75 crore will be disbursed to eight district election offices, while Rs 4 crore will go to the state election directorate.

The officials said Rs 11 crore was the total estimate for expenses to be incurred on deployment of 40 companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), which was regarded as on the higher side.

The expenditure for the state assembly election is to be borne entirely by the state government, they said, adding Rs 24.30 crore was spent in the 2013 state assembly polls.&nbsp;

The Mizoram government has allocated Rs 52.75 crore towards expenses of the November 28 state legislative assembly polls, finance department officials said Friday.

The Mizoram government has allocated Rs 52.75 crore towards expenses of the November 28 state legislative assembly polls, finance department officials said Friday. The officials said the finance department has released Rs 32.5 crore to the state election department. Of the Rs 52.75 crore election budget, Rs 37.75 crore will be disbursed to eight district election offices, while Rs 4 crore will go to the state election directorate. The officials said Rs 11 crore was the total estimate for expenses to be incurred on deployment of 40 companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), which was regarded as on the higher side. The expenditure for the state assembly election is to be borne entirely by the state government, they said, adding Rs 24.30 crore was spent in the 2013 state assembly polls.

Mizoram government allocates Rs 52.75 cr for poll expenses

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court will deliver its verdict on the legality of the January 5, 2019 snap polls announced by President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday, after 13 fundamental rights petitions were filed against the dissolution of the Parliament.

The decision came after the court adjourned hearing on the 13 fundamental rights petitions filed by several political parties including the United National Party (UNP), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Tamil National Alliance (TNA), All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), civil organization Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), former MP Mano Ganesan and Attorney Aruna Laksiri on November 12. A three-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice Nalin Perera, Justice Priyantha Jayawardena and Justice Prasanna Jayawardene heard the petitions filed during November 12th's hearing.

The petitioners said that the President does not have the power to dissolve the Parliament under the 19th amendment of the constitution and have requested the Supreme Court to issue an order to nullify the gazette notification issued by Sirisena, wherein the dissolved the Sri Lankan Parliament, reports Colombo Page.

They further requested the apex court to suspend the January 5 snap polls until the passing of the verdict. A submission made on behalf of TNA leader R. Sampanthan on Monday noted that the gazette notification issued by Sirisena on November 9 was in violation of the Constitution while outlining that conditions under which a President can dissolve the Parliament.&nbsp;

According to the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, the first situation in which a President can order for dissolution is when a motion is passed by the Parliament with a two-thirds majority, while the other situation is when a Parliament`s term is beyond four and a half years.

These arguments made by President`s Counsel K. Kanaga Eeshawaran on behalf of the TNA leader were echoed across most submissions made.&nbsp;

Earlier on Monday, UNP`s Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa told Colombo Page, "We firmly believe that we will receive justice and the fair play from the Supreme Court rightly since it is the most honourable place. We have a constitution. We do everything according to that. But the President dissolving the Parliament is a violation of the constitution. If the constitution is continually being violated, the country would become anarchy."Furthermore, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, the General Secretary of UNP remarked, "The court will determine the constitutionality of the matter we have presented. That is why we came to the court," while reaffirming their faith in the judiciary.&nbsp;

On November 11, Sirisena had addressed the nation while mentioning the reasons behind his decision to dissolve the Sri Lankan Parliament and hold snap elections. He noted that the horse-trading of ministers to prove a majority was his first reason to dissolve the Parliament while mentioning former Speaker, Karu Jayasuriya`s behaviour as his second reason.&nbsp;

Lastly, Sirisena claimed to have dissolved the Parliament to avert a physical fight between members once the Parliament reconvened on November 14. He stated, "It appeared to me that, if I allowed the Parliament to be convened on the 14th, without dissolving it, it could have brought about commotion and fights, in every city and every village would lead to very unpleasant and difficult situation for the average citizens of my beloved country."The Asian island-nation is currently facing a political turmoil, that was set into motion when the incumbent President sacked UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe from the post of Prime Minister.&nbsp;

Wartime strongman and ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa was brought in place of Wickremesinghe, leading to political upheaval in the neighbouring nation. Sirisena`s party, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), later admitted to not having the votes to confirm Rajapaksa as the new Prime Minister, leading to latter`s exit from SLFP. Rajapaksa, his son and several prominent political figures joined the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), vowing to come out victorious under the leadership of both Sirisena and Rajapaksa in the 2019 elections. Earlier on Monday, Wickremesinghe said the UNF and other political parties will forge a new alliance to "pull the nation out of the present curse". He also urged all political parties to join this new political force, Daily Mirror reported.

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court will deliver its verdict on the legality of the January 5, 2019 snap polls announced by President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday, after 13 fundamental rights petitions were filed against the dissolution of the Parliament.

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court will deliver its verdict on the legality of the January 5, 2019 snap polls announced by President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday, after 13 fundamental rights petitions were filed against the dissolution of the Parliament. The decision came after the court adjourned hearing on the 13 fundamental rights petitions filed by several political parties including the United National Party (UNP), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Tamil National Alliance (TNA), All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), civil organization Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), former MP Mano Ganesan and Attorney Aruna Laksiri on November 12. A three-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice Nalin Perera, Justice Priyantha Jayawardena and Justice Prasanna Jayawardene heard the petitions filed during November 12th's hearing. The petitioners said that the President does not have the power to dissolve the Parliament under the 19th amendment of the constitution and have requested the Supreme Court to issue an order to nullify the gazette notification issued by Sirisena, wherein the dissolved the Sri Lankan Parliament, reports Colombo Page. They further requested the apex court to suspend the January 5 snap polls until the passing of the verdict. A submission made on behalf of TNA leader R. Sampanthan on Monday noted that the gazette notification issued by Sirisena on November 9 was in violation of the Constitution while outlining that conditions under which a President can dissolve the Parliament. According to the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, the first situation in which a President can order for dissolution is when a motion is passed by the Parliament with a two-thirds majority, while the other situation is when a Parliament`s term is beyond four and a half years. These arguments made by President`s Counsel K. Kanaga Eeshawaran on behalf of the TNA leader were echoed across most submissions made. Earlier on Monday, UNP`s Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa told Colombo Page, "We firmly believe that we will receive justice and the fair play from the Supreme Court rightly since it is the most honourable place. We have a constitution. We do everything according to that. But the President dissolving the Parliament is a violation of the constitution. If the constitution is continually being violated, the country would become anarchy."Furthermore, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, the General Secretary of UNP remarked, "The court will determine the constitutionality of the matter we have presented. That is why we came to the court," while reaffirming their faith in the judiciary. On November 11, Sirisena had addressed the nation while mentioning the reasons behind his decision to dissolve the Sri Lankan Parliament and hold snap elections. He noted that the horse-trading of ministers to prove a majority was his first reason to dissolve the Parliament while mentioning former Speaker, Karu Jayasuriya`s behaviour as his second reason. Lastly, Sirisena claimed to have dissolved the Parliament to avert a physical fight between members once the Parliament reconvened on November 14. He stated, "It appeared to me that, if I allowed the Parliament to be convened on the 14th, without dissolving it, it could have brought about commotion and fights, in every city and every village would lead to very unpleasant and difficult situation for the average citizens of my beloved country."The Asian island-nation is currently facing a political turmoil, that was set into motion when the incumbent President sacked UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe from the post of Prime Minister. Wartime strongman and ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa was brought in place of Wickremesinghe, leading to political upheaval in the neighbouring nation. Sirisena`s party, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), later admitted to not having the votes to confirm Rajapaksa as the new Prime Minister, leading to latter`s exit from SLFP. Rajapaksa, his son and several prominent political figures joined the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), vowing to come out victorious under the leadership of both Sirisena and Rajapaksa in the 2019 elections. Earlier on Monday, Wickremesinghe said the UNF and other political parties will forge a new alliance to "pull the nation out of the present curse". He also urged all political parties to join this new political force, Daily Mirror reported.

Sri Lanka crisis: Supreme Court to decide snap poll legality today

Bangladesh's main opposition party announced Sunday it would not boycott next month's general election and would challenge Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the polls, despite its leader being in jail.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party said it would contest the December 23 election but has expressed fears it will not be democratic and has threatened protests.

The BNP boycotted the 2014 election over fears it would be rigged, allowing Hasina to walk into a second term unchallenged.

The prime minister's tenure has been marred by a crackdown on dissent in the South Asian democracy of 160 million.

The opposition says thousands of its activists have been detained in recent months, depriving it of a grassroots presence necessary to fight any polls.

BNP veteran leader Khaleda Zia remains behind bars, her prison sentence doubled last month to ten years for corruption charges her supporters say were politically motivated.

The two-term prime minister has virtually no time to appeal her sentence, and will almost certainly be banned from contesting the election against her arch-rival Hasina.

The opposition has said the charges against Zia, and other party activists, were deliberately planned by Hasina's increasingly authoritarian government.

Zia's exiled son and heir apparent, Tarique Rahman, will not be able to contest the polls after being sentenced to life in prison last month over a 2004 grenade attack at Hasina's rally. He lives in exile. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The arrest of activists and prominent dissidents including student leaders and a top photographer have also cast a shadow over the buildup to the vote.

Bangladesh's main opposition party announced Sunday it would not boycott next month's general election and would challenge Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the polls, despite its leader being in jail.

Bangladesh's main opposition party announced Sunday it would not boycott next month's general election and would challenge Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the polls, despite its leader being in jail. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party said it would contest the December 23 election but has expressed fears it will not be democratic and has threatened protests. The BNP boycotted the 2014 election over fears it would be rigged, allowing Hasina to walk into a second term unchallenged. The prime minister's tenure has been marred by a crackdown on dissent in the South Asian democracy of 160 million. The opposition says thousands of its activists have been detained in recent months, depriving it of a grassroots presence necessary to fight any polls. BNP veteran leader Khaleda Zia remains behind bars, her prison sentence doubled last month to ten years for corruption charges her supporters say were politically motivated. The two-term prime minister has virtually no time to appeal her sentence, and will almost certainly be banned from contesting the election against her arch-rival Hasina. The opposition has said the charges against Zia, and other party activists, were deliberately planned by Hasina's increasingly authoritarian government. Zia's exiled son and heir apparent, Tarique Rahman, will not be able to contest the polls after being sentenced to life in prison last month over a 2004 grenade attack at Hasina's rally. He lives in exile. The arrest of activists and prominent dissidents including student leaders and a top photographer have also cast a shadow over the buildup to the vote.

Bangladesh opposition to challenge PM Hasina in election

Brazilians fear more attacks will continue over presidential campaign after the likely election on Sunday.

Brazil's tense political situation has been compared by some to divisions in the United States, where several high-profile opponents of President Donald Trump received pipe bombs in the mail this week.

But the situation in Brazil is far more perilous, analysts say, because it already suffers from extreme violence, often without consequence for perpetrators.

In recent weeks, Bolsonaro's supporters have threatened to harm supreme Court justices, and also they physically attacked journalists and opposition voters.

Bolosonaro says that he did not condone violence carried out by his supporters, but analysts say his daily rants on social media platforms are taking a toll.

"Bolsonaro, because of his rhetoric supporting violence and the aggressive manner he has campaigned, has opened the Pandora's box on political violence in an already extremely violent country," said Rafael Alcadipani, a public security expert at the Getulio Vargas Foundation university in Sao Paulo.

"If people thought Brazil had extremely high levels of street violence in normal times, imagine what it will be like under a president who aggressively pushes violence among police and against political opponents?"

There has also been violence attributed to backers of Bolsonaro's opponent, Fernando Haddad of the Workers Party (PT).

Bolsonaro, leading candidate in polls also suffered a near-fatal stabbing last month during a campaign. And, he is still recovering.

Brazilians fear more attacks will continue over presidential campaign after the likely election on Sunday. Brazil's tense political situation has been compared by some to divisions in the United States, where several high-profile opponents of President Donald Trump received pipe bombs in the mail this week.

Brazilians fear more attacks will continue over presidential campaign after the likely election on Sunday. Brazil's tense political situation has been compared by some to divisions in the United States, where several high-profile opponents of President Donald Trump received pipe bombs in the mail this week. But the situation in Brazil is far more perilous, analysts say, because it already suffers from extreme violence, often without consequence for perpetrators. In recent weeks, Bolsonaro's supporters have threatened to harm supreme Court justices, and also they physically attacked journalists and opposition voters. Bolosonaro says that he did not condone violence carried out by his supporters, but analysts say his daily rants on social media platforms are taking a toll. "Bolsonaro, because of his rhetoric supporting violence and the aggressive manner he has campaigned, has opened the Pandora's box on political violence in an already extremely violent country," said Rafael Alcadipani, a public security expert at the Getulio Vargas Foundation university in Sao Paulo. "If people thought Brazil had extremely high levels of street violence in normal times, imagine what it will be like under a president who aggressively pushes violence among police and against political opponents?" There has also been violence attributed to backers of Bolsonaro's opponent, Fernando Haddad of the Workers Party (PT). Bolsonaro, leading candidate in polls also suffered a near-fatal stabbing last month during a campaign. And, he is still recovering.

Brazil fears more violence as they brace for far-right presidency

An Assembly constituency in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh has become a bone of contention between the Congress and Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS), a fledgling tribal political outfit, which are currently engaged in alliance talks for the next month's state polls.

The seat-sharing talks between them have apparently hit a roadblock, as both are keen on contesting election from Kukshi seat in western MP, currently held by the Congress.

The JAYS wants to field its candidate from Kukshi, although the Congress says it does not want to part with this seat as it has been its traditional stronghold. The opposition party has been winning this seat since 1972, except losing it only twice- in 1990 assembly elections and 2012 bypoll.

Talking to PTI on Friday, JAYS convener Dr Hiralal Alawa said, "Our seat-sharing talks with the Congress are underway. We want to contest the upcoming election from 40 assembly constituencies. Fighting from Kukshi due to our strong presence there is top on our agenda."

Another JAYS leader said, "We have categorically told the Congress that we want to contest from Kukshi. The fate of alliance depends on this seat. If the Congress is adamant for this seat, then the alliance talks might even fail."

"We have already demonstrated our strength in Kukshi by organising Kisan Panchayat programme held on October 2. Over one lakh tribal youths had taken part in the event," he added.

Kukshi seat is currently held by Congress' Surendra Singh Baghel, a supporter of senior party leader Digvijay Singh.

Baghel said he was all set to contest the upcoming polls from this seat, and also expressed confidence that he would win it with a huge margin.

Another Congress leader said, "Kukshi is our traditional seat and we can't let it go so easily."

The JAYS has made its presence felt in 22 tribal seats spread across Alirajpur, Ratlam, Jhabua, Dhar, Khargone, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Dewas and Barwani districts in Malwa-Nimar region of western MP, which has a sizable tribal population.

Of these 22 constituencies reserved for tribals, the Congress currently holds five seats.

The state leadership of the Congress is keen on joining hands with the JAYS in Malwa-Nimar region that comprises 66 assembly seats. The Congress does not have a strong presence in this region.&nbsp;

Currently, the Congress only has nine MLAs as against the ruling BJP's 56 legislators in the region.

Besides, this time the Congress is treading cautiously as it seems to have learnt a lesson from its disastrous defeat in the 2003 state elections when a tribal political outfit Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) in eastern MP had eaten into its vote bank.

Although the GGP managed to win only three seats in eastern MP in 2003, it had nibbled into a major share of the Congress' traditional tribal vote bank.&nbsp;

The GGP had won 5,17,270 votes, especially in the tribal-dominated areas.

The Congress had managed to win only 38 assembly seats out of all the 230 constituencies in the state, whereas the BJP had won 173 seats in the 2003 polls.

The opposition party, which has been out of power in MP since the last 15 years, had earlier tried to stitch an alliance with the BSP for the upcoming elections, although it failed to work out.

The state is going to polls on November 28.

An Assembly constituency in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh has become a bone of contention between the Congress and Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS), a fledgling tribal political outfit, which are currently engaged in alliance talks for the next month's state polls.

An Assembly constituency in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh has become a bone of contention between the Congress and Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS), a fledgling tribal political outfit, which are currently engaged in alliance talks for the next month's state polls. The seat-sharing talks between them have apparently hit a roadblock, as both are keen on contesting election from Kukshi seat in western MP, currently held by the Congress. The JAYS wants to field its candidate from Kukshi, although the Congress says it does not want to part with this seat as it has been its traditional stronghold. The opposition party has been winning this seat since 1972, except losing it only twice- in 1990 assembly elections and 2012 bypoll. Talking to PTI on Friday, JAYS convener Dr Hiralal Alawa said, "Our seat-sharing talks with the Congress are underway. We want to contest the upcoming election from 40 assembly constituencies. Fighting from Kukshi due to our strong presence there is top on our agenda." Another JAYS leader said, "We have categorically told the Congress that we want to contest from Kukshi. The fate of alliance depends on this seat. If the Congress is adamant for this seat, then the alliance talks might even fail." "We have already demonstrated our strength in Kukshi by organising Kisan Panchayat programme held on October 2. Over one lakh tribal youths had taken part in the event," he added. Kukshi seat is currently held by Congress' Surendra Singh Baghel, a supporter of senior party leader Digvijay Singh. Baghel said he was all set to contest the upcoming polls from this seat, and also expressed confidence that he would win it with a huge margin. Another Congress leader said, "Kukshi is our traditional seat and we can't let it go so easily." The JAYS has made its presence felt in 22 tribal seats spread across Alirajpur, Ratlam, Jhabua, Dhar, Khargone, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Dewas and Barwani districts in Malwa-Nimar region of western MP, which has a sizable tribal population. Of these 22 constituencies reserved for tribals, the Congress currently holds five seats. The state leadership of the Congress is keen on joining hands with the JAYS in Malwa-Nimar region that comprises 66 assembly seats. The Congress does not have a strong presence in this region. Currently, the Congress only has nine MLAs as against the ruling BJP's 56 legislators in the region. Besides, this time the Congress is treading cautiously as it seems to have learnt a lesson from its disastrous defeat in the 2003 state elections when a tribal political outfit Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) in eastern MP had eaten into its vote bank. Although the GGP managed to win only three seats in eastern MP in 2003, it had nibbled into a major share of the Congress' traditional tribal vote bank. The GGP had won 5,17,270 votes, especially in the tribal-dominated areas. The Congress had managed to win only 38 assembly seats out of all the 230 constituencies in the state, whereas the BJP had won 173 seats in the 2003 polls. The opposition party, which has been out of power in MP since the last 15 years, had earlier tried to stitch an alliance with the BSP for the upcoming elections, although it failed to work out. The state is going to polls on November 28.

Madhya Pradesh poll: Kukshi seat becomes bone of contention for Congress, JAYS

A global audience will be watching when Prince Harry weds his U.S. fiancee Meghan Markle on Saturday, but most Britons don`t care much, a YouGov poll said on Monday. 
 
The poll, commissioned by anti-monarchist pressure group Republic, found that 66 percent of Britons are not interested in the event, with 60 percent of Britons planning to have a normal weekend.

Harry and Markle are set to marry at St George`s Chapel in Windsor Castle with more than 5,000 media staff and around 100,000 well-wishers expected to descend on the market town. 
The poll by polling firm YouGov showed that 57 percent of respondents believed the royal family should pay not only for the wedding but also for the costs of police. 
 
An opinion poll published last week showed that most Britons are in favor of the monarchy continuing in Britain. 
 
And another poll by polling firm ComRes found 58 percent of respondents thought the royal wedding and the recent birth of Prince Louis to Prince William and his wife Kate were events of which Britain could be proud, although support was more pronounced among older people.

The YouGov survey suggested that the popularity of the royal family is contingent on the personalities of its members. While 60 percent of respondents say they like Queen Elizabeth, her son Charles is far less popular. 
Nearly half of respondents would prefer "someone else" to succeed the Queen, while only 37 percent want Charles, who is the father of Harry and his older brother William. 
 
"This YouGov poll shows a very clear picture of a nation disinterested and apathetic about the royal family," Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, said. 
 
"We`re not a nation of republicans yet - but we`ve stopped being a nation of royalists."&nbsp;

The poll by polling firm YouGov showed that 57 percent of respondents believed the royal family should pay not only for the wedding but also for the costs of police.

A global audience will be watching when Prince Harry weds his U.S. fiancee Meghan Markle on Saturday, but most Britons don`t care much, a YouGov poll said on Monday. The poll, commissioned by anti-monarchist pressure group Republic, found that 66 percent of Britons are not interested in the event, with 60 percent of Britons planning to have a normal weekend. Harry and Markle are set to marry at St George`s Chapel in Windsor Castle with more than 5,000 media staff and around 100,000 well-wishers expected to descend on the market town. The poll by polling firm YouGov showed that 57 percent of respondents believed the royal family should pay not only for the wedding but also for the costs of police. An opinion poll published last week showed that most Britons are in favor of the monarchy continuing in Britain. And another poll by polling firm ComRes found 58 percent of respondents thought the royal wedding and the recent birth of Prince Louis to Prince William and his wife Kate were events of which Britain could be proud, although support was more pronounced among older people. The YouGov survey suggested that the popularity of the royal family is contingent on the personalities of its members. While 60 percent of respondents say they like Queen Elizabeth, her son Charles is far less popular. Nearly half of respondents would prefer "someone else" to succeed the Queen, while only 37 percent want Charles, who is the father of Harry and his older brother William. "This YouGov poll shows a very clear picture of a nation disinterested and apathetic about the royal family," Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, said. "We`re not a nation of republicans yet - but we`ve stopped being a nation of royalists."

Two-thirds of Brits not interested in the royal wedding: poll

Voting for Rajya Sabha seats has begun across six states.

For the 58 Rajya Sabha seats to be filled, 33 candidates from 10 states have been unanimously elected. Voting for the remaining 25 seats is being held in six states: Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Telangana.

The Rajya Sabha vacancies next month include 17 from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and 12 from the Congress.

Three nominated members - actress Rekha, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, and social worker Anu Aga - will retire in April.

The BJP has filed 18 candidates for the biennial polls. They include Anil Baluni, the national head of the BJP&#39;s media wing, from Uttarakhand and Saroj Pandey, BJP general secretary, from Chhattisgarh.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda has filed nomination papers as the BJP candidate from Himachal Pradesh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will contest from Uttar Pradesh and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad from Bihar.

The BJP has also fielded Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot from Madhya Pradesh for another Rajya Sabha term.

Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Mansukh L. Mandaviya and Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Parshottam Rupala will contest from Gujarat.

In Congress, Naranbhai Rathwa and Amee Yajnik will contest from Gujarat and Dhiraj Prasad will contest from Jharkhand.

Akhilesh Prasad Singh and Lekhram Sahu will contest from Bihar and Chhattisgarh respectively, while Rajmani Patel, Kumar Ketkar, Porika Bairam Naik and Abhishek Manu Singhvi are contesting from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana and West Bengal, respectively.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier said the Trinamool Congress would back Singhvi.

Mahendra Prasad Singh and Bashistha Narain Singh are the Janata Dal (United) candidates for the polls.

Counting of votes will begin from 5 pm onwards on Friday. Results are expected to will be announced the same evening.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>&nbsp;</h5>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Lucknow: Visuals from Uttar Pradesh Assembly; CM Yogi Adityanath meets party MLAs, Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma also present. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajyaSabhaElections</a> <a href="https://t.co/DwSfe53Aqj">pic.twitter.com/DwSfe53Aqj</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977033352443322368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=&lt;blockquote class=twitter-tweet data-lang=en&gt;&lt;p lang=en dir=ltr&gt;Lucknow: Visuals from Uttar Pradesh Assembly; CM Yogi Adityanath meets party MLAs, Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma also present. &lt;a data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;#RajyaSabhaElections&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a data-cke-saved-href=https://t.co/DwSfe53Aqj href=https://t.co/DwSfe53Aqj&gt;pic.twitter.com/DwSfe53Aqj&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) &lt;a data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977033352443322368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977033352443322368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;March 23, 2018&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
<script async src=https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js charset=utf-8></script>
" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>&nbsp;</h5>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
All the 9 candidates of BJP will win. SP insulted their worker &amp; people will answer them for choosing a candidate that entertains the society rather than one who serves the society: Nitin Agrawal, BJP (son of Naresh Agrawal) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajyaSabhaElections</a> <a href="https://t.co/UGCRm6hciZ">pic.twitter.com/UGCRm6hciZ</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977058659887976448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=&lt;blockquote class=twitter-tweet data-lang=en&gt;&lt;p lang=en dir=ltr&gt;All the 9 candidates of BJP will win. SP insulted their worker &amp; people will answer them for choosing a candidate that entertains the society rather than one who serves the society: Nitin Agrawal, BJP (son of Naresh Agrawal) &lt;a data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;#RajyaSabhaElections&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a data-cke-saved-href=https://t.co/UGCRm6hciZ href=https://t.co/UGCRm6hciZ&gt;pic.twitter.com/UGCRm6hciZ&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) &lt;a data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977058659887976448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977058659887976448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;March 23, 2018&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
<script async src=https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js charset=utf-8></script>" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>&nbsp;</h5>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I have voted for BJP, I don&#39;t know about the rest: Anil Singh, BSP MLA <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajyaSabhaElections</a> <a href="https://t.co/28R7njmfnP">pic.twitter.com/28R7njmfnP</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977047651286908928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=&lt;blockquote class=twitter-tweet data-lang=en&gt;&lt;p lang=en dir=ltr&gt;I have voted for BJP, I don't know about the rest: Anil Singh, BSP MLA &lt;a data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;#RajyaSabhaElections&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a data-cke-saved-href=https://t.co/28R7njmfnP href=https://t.co/28R7njmfnP&gt;pic.twitter.com/28R7njmfnP&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) &lt;a data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977047651286908928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977047651286908928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;March 23, 2018&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
<script async src=https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js charset=utf-8></script>" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>&nbsp;</h5>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
BJP will win all the nine Rajya Sabha seats where we have fielded our candidates. Nine more BJP candidates will make entry to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabha?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajyaSabha</a> from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UttarPradesh?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UttarPradesh</a> this time: Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya <a href="https://t.co/7w4IWoWFRW">pic.twitter.com/7w4IWoWFRW</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977038525731426304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=&lt;blockquote class=twitter-tweet data-lang=en&gt;&lt;p lang=en dir=ltr&gt;BJP will win all the nine Rajya Sabha seats where we have fielded our candidates. Nine more BJP candidates will make entry to &lt;a data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabha?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabha?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;#RajyaSabha&lt;/a&gt; from &lt;a data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/UttarPradesh?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/UttarPradesh?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;#UttarPradesh&lt;/a&gt; this time: Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya &lt;a data-cke-saved-href=https://t.co/7w4IWoWFRW href=https://t.co/7w4IWoWFRW&gt;pic.twitter.com/7w4IWoWFRW&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) &lt;a data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977038525731426304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977038525731426304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;March 23, 2018&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
<script async src=https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js charset=utf-8></script>" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

&nbsp;

The Rajya Sabha vacancies next month include 17 from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and 12 from the Congress

Voting for Rajya Sabha seats has begun across six states. For the 58 Rajya Sabha seats to be filled, 33 candidates from 10 states have been unanimously elected. Voting for the remaining 25 seats is being held in six states: Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. The Rajya Sabha vacancies next month include 17 from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and 12 from the Congress. Three nominated members - actress Rekha, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, and social worker Anu Aga - will retire in April. The BJP has filed 18 candidates for the biennial polls. They include Anil Baluni, the national head of the BJP's media wing, from Uttarakhand and Saroj Pandey, BJP general secretary, from Chhattisgarh. Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda has filed nomination papers as the BJP candidate from Himachal Pradesh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will contest from Uttar Pradesh and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad from Bihar. The BJP has also fielded Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot from Madhya Pradesh for another Rajya Sabha term. Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Mansukh L. Mandaviya and Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Parshottam Rupala will contest from Gujarat. In Congress, Naranbhai Rathwa and Amee Yajnik will contest from Gujarat and Dhiraj Prasad will contest from Jharkhand. Akhilesh Prasad Singh and Lekhram Sahu will contest from Bihar and Chhattisgarh respectively, while Rajmani Patel, Kumar Ketkar, Porika Bairam Naik and Abhishek Manu Singhvi are contesting from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana and West Bengal, respectively. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier said the Trinamool Congress would back Singhvi. Mahendra Prasad Singh and Bashistha Narain Singh are the Janata Dal (United) candidates for the polls. Counting of votes will begin from 5 pm onwards on Friday. Results are expected to will be announced the same evening. Lucknow: Visuals from Uttar Pradesh Assembly; CM Yogi Adityanath meets party MLAs, Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma also present. #RajyaSabhaElections pic.twitter.com/DwSfe53Aqj — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 23, 2018 × All the 9 candidates of BJP will win. SP insulted their worker & people will answer them for choosing a candidate that entertains the society rather than one who serves the society: Nitin Agrawal, BJP (son of Naresh Agrawal) #RajyaSabhaElections pic.twitter.com/UGCRm6hciZ — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 23, 2018 × I have voted for BJP, I don't know about the rest: Anil Singh, BSP MLA #RajyaSabhaElections pic.twitter.com/28R7njmfnP — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 23, 2018 × BJP will win all the nine Rajya Sabha seats where we have fielded our candidates. Nine more BJP candidates will make entry to #RajyaSabha from #UttarPradesh this time: Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya pic.twitter.com/7w4IWoWFRW — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 23, 2018 ×

Voting for Rajya Sabha polls begins across six states

With the vote turnout of 75%&nbsp;till Thursday, Himachal Pradesh could potentially break its highest polling record.&nbsp;

The Election Commission officials have&nbsp;said that it is highly likely that the final count could cross the 75%&nbsp;mark.&nbsp;

The voting&nbsp;began on Thursday at almost 500 polling stations which were open till late evening, encouraging every individual to cast their vote.

In the previous polls held in 2012, the total count came to 73.5%, Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena said. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, it was 64.45%.

Polling for all 68 constituencies in Himachal Pradesh commenced at 8 am on Thursday.

Over&nbsp;37,000 poll officials, 17,770 policemen, home-guards and 65 companies of the paramilitary have been deployed in the state for election duty, the Election Commission said on Wednesday.

The highest polling percentage was reported around 82% in Sirmour, while lowest 69.5% in&nbsp;Hamirpur.&nbsp;

The poll results will be announced on December 18.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The poll results will be announced on December 18.?

With the vote turnout of 75% till Thursday, Himachal Pradesh could potentially break its highest polling record. The Election Commission officials have said that it is highly likely that the final count could cross the 75% mark. The voting began on Thursday at almost 500 polling stations which were open till late evening, encouraging every individual to cast their vote. In the previous polls held in 2012, the total count came to 73.5%, Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena said. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, it was 64.45%. Polling for all 68 constituencies in Himachal Pradesh commenced at 8 am on Thursday. Over 37,000 poll officials, 17,770 policemen, home-guards and 65 companies of the paramilitary have been deployed in the state for election duty, the Election Commission said on Wednesday. The highest polling percentage was reported around 82% in Sirmour, while lowest 69.5% in Hamirpur. The poll results will be announced on December 18.

Himachal Pradesh to cross 75% polling record

Polls opened in Nepal Monday for the final phase of local polls, the first in nearly two decades and a key step in the country&#39;s post-war transition to a federal democracy.

Most of the country has already voted in the landmark polls but the vote was repeatedly delayed in one province of Nepal&#39;s southern plains, which was the epicentre of deadly ethnic protests two years ago.

Protests kicked off after a new constitution was passed in 2015 -- nearly a decade after the end of the brutal Maoist insurgency -- with ethnic minority groups saying the charter left them politically marginalised.

Simmering tensions have remained and a political party representing the Madhesi ethnic minority, who live in the lowlands that border India, had refused to take part in polls unless an amendment to the constitution was passed.

They later softened their stance and Monday&#39;s vote is being held with their participation and without any changes to the charter.

&quot;The big parties have always pushed our agendas away and now the Madhesi party has also betrayed us by going to elections without amending the constitution,&quot; said resident of the southern city of Janakpur, Saroj Mishra.

Mishra took part in the 2015 anti-charter protests and said he would not vote Monday.

The government has deployed troops and sealed the border with India, fearing violence in Monday&#39;s third phase of voting, which covers around 5.5 million people.

The local polls are part of the final step in the peace deal that ended a 10-year civil war in 2006, and pave the way for provincial and general elections later this year.

Since the end of the decade-long war, the country has suffered persistent instability, cycling through nine governments in a decade.

The last local representatives were elected in 1997 and their mandates lapsed when their five-year terms expired at the height of the brutal Maoist insurgency.

Observers are split on whether the large national parties or local ethnically-affiliated parties will perform strongest in the final round of the local polls.

The nationalistic Communist Party Nepal-Union Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) -- currently the second largest bloc in parliament -- largely swept the first two rounds of voting.

But anger over the marginalisation of ethnic minorities continues to rally some voters in Nepal&#39;s south.

The province voting Monday was hardest hit by deadly monsoon flooding last month -- the worst in 15 years, according to the United Nations -- which killed over 150 in Nepal and more than 1,200 across South Asia.

The polls are the first in nearly two decades and a key step in the country's post-war transition to a federal democracy

Polls opened in Nepal Monday for the final phase of local polls, the first in nearly two decades and a key step in the country's post-war transition to a federal democracy. Most of the country has already voted in the landmark polls but the vote was repeatedly delayed in one province of Nepal's southern plains, which was the epicentre of deadly ethnic protests two years ago. Protests kicked off after a new constitution was passed in 2015 -- nearly a decade after the end of the brutal Maoist insurgency -- with ethnic minority groups saying the charter left them politically marginalised. Simmering tensions have remained and a political party representing the Madhesi ethnic minority, who live in the lowlands that border India, had refused to take part in polls unless an amendment to the constitution was passed. They later softened their stance and Monday's vote is being held with their participation and without any changes to the charter. "The big parties have always pushed our agendas away and now the Madhesi party has also betrayed us by going to elections without amending the constitution," said resident of the southern city of Janakpur, Saroj Mishra. Mishra took part in the 2015 anti-charter protests and said he would not vote Monday. The government has deployed troops and sealed the border with India, fearing violence in Monday's third phase of voting, which covers around 5.5 million people. The local polls are part of the final step in the peace deal that ended a 10-year civil war in 2006, and pave the way for provincial and general elections later this year. Since the end of the decade-long war, the country has suffered persistent instability, cycling through nine governments in a decade. The last local representatives were elected in 1997 and their mandates lapsed when their five-year terms expired at the height of the brutal Maoist insurgency. Observers are split on whether the large national parties or local ethnically-affiliated parties will perform strongest in the final round of the local polls. The nationalistic Communist Party Nepal-Union Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) -- currently the second largest bloc in parliament -- largely swept the first two rounds of voting. But anger over the marginalisation of ethnic minorities continues to rally some voters in Nepal's south. The province voting Monday was hardest hit by deadly monsoon flooding last month -- the worst in 15 years, according to the United Nations -- which killed over 150 in Nepal and more than 1,200 across South Asia.

Nepal holds final phase of landmark local polls

A high-profile Hong Kong pro-independence leader said today he had been barred from standing in upcoming parliamentary elections -- the latest candidate backing separation from mainland China to be disqualified. 
 
The apparent ban for Edward Leung, of the Hong Kong Indigenous party, from the September vote came despite him signing a controversial new form declaring Hong Kong is an &quot;inalienable&quot; part of China. 
 
Activists call for &#39;complete breakaway&#39; from mainland&nbsp; 
 
Critics have slammed the new stipulation by electoral authorities as political censorship and an attempt to deter prospective candidates from advocating self-determination or independence from Beijing. 
 
Some activists are calling for more distance or even a complete breakaway from the mainland as fears grow that freedoms in the semi-autonomous city are disappearing due to Beijing interference. 
 
Campaigners, including Leung, have challenged the declaration form in court and at least 13 prospective candidates have refused to sign it. 
 
Leung, 25, eventually signed last week, despite his open advocacy for an independent Hong Kong, in the hope the authorities would validate his candidacy. But his party said today he had been rejected. It accused the electoral commission of &quot;trampling the will of the people, abusing administrative power and giving up political neutrality&quot;. 
 
&quot;There is no way the crime of selecting candidates according to political goals can be easily forgiven,&quot; it said in a statement. 
 
The founder of the pro-independence Hong Kong National Party, Andy Chan, was one of three other hopefuls barred in recent days from standing in the September vote. Chan had refused to sign the declaration form. 
 
The other two prospective candidates who disqualified were also part of the &quot;localist&quot; movement, which is pushing for more autonomy for Hong Kong after mass pro-democracy rallies in 2014 failed to win political reform. 
 
Beijing and Hong Kong officials have repeatedly said that advocating independence goes against the city&#39;s mini-constitution, known as the Basic Law, and that independence activists could face legal consequences. Various government departments including the electoral office made no comment today. 
 
The government on Monday condemned what it called &quot;malicious personal attacks&quot; online aimed at returning officers over their decisions during the registration period and said police may take action. Hong Kong was returned from Britain to China in 1997 under an arrangement that guarantees civil liberties unseen on the mainland. But concerns have grown that such freedoms are now fading as Beijing increases its influence across a range of areas, from politics to the media. 
 
(AFP)

Critics have slammed the attempt to deter prospective candidates from advocating self-determination or independence from Beijing

A high-profile Hong Kong pro-independence leader said today he had been barred from standing in upcoming parliamentary elections -- the latest candidate backing separation from mainland China to be disqualified. The apparent ban for Edward Leung, of the Hong Kong Indigenous party, from the September vote came despite him signing a controversial new form declaring Hong Kong is an "inalienable" part of China. Activists call for 'complete breakaway' from mainland Critics have slammed the new stipulation by electoral authorities as political censorship and an attempt to deter prospective candidates from advocating self-determination or independence from Beijing. Some activists are calling for more distance or even a complete breakaway from the mainland as fears grow that freedoms in the semi-autonomous city are disappearing due to Beijing interference. Campaigners, including Leung, have challenged the declaration form in court and at least 13 prospective candidates have refused to sign it. Leung, 25, eventually signed last week, despite his open advocacy for an independent Hong Kong, in the hope the authorities would validate his candidacy. But his party said today he had been rejected. It accused the electoral commission of "trampling the will of the people, abusing administrative power and giving up political neutrality". "There is no way the crime of selecting candidates according to political goals can be easily forgiven," it said in a statement. The founder of the pro-independence Hong Kong National Party, Andy Chan, was one of three other hopefuls barred in recent days from standing in the September vote. Chan had refused to sign the declaration form. The other two prospective candidates who disqualified were also part of the "localist" movement, which is pushing for more autonomy for Hong Kong after mass pro-democracy rallies in 2014 failed to win political reform. Beijing and Hong Kong officials have repeatedly said that advocating independence goes against the city's mini-constitution, known as the Basic Law, and that independence activists could face legal consequences. Various government departments including the electoral office made no comment today. The government on Monday condemned what it called "malicious personal attacks" online aimed at returning officers over their decisions during the registration period and said police may take action. Hong Kong was returned from Britain to China in 1997 under an arrangement that guarantees civil liberties unseen on the mainland. But concerns have grown that such freedoms are now fading as Beijing increases its influence across a range of areas, from politics to the media. (AFP)

Hong Kong pro-independence leader gets barred from parliamentary elections, anger brews

Nearly 60 per cent of Scots now support Scottish independence after Britain voted to leave the European Union this week, according to an opinion poll reported by a newspaper on Saturday. 
 
The Sunday Post said 59 per cent of respondents in the poll backed independence from the United Kingdom. That was sharply higher than the 45 per cent of votes cast in favour of independence at a referendum in 2014 which resulted in the country staying in the UK. 
 
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said earlier on Saturday that a fresh independence referendum was possible. Many Scots voted in favour of remaining in the UK in 2014 because of concerns that breaking away might leave them outside the bloc. 
 
Scots voted by 62-38 per cent to remain in the EU in Thursday&#39;s EU membership referendum but British voters as a whole voted by 52-48 per cent to leave. 
 
The Sunday Post reported the poll finding on its front page which was pictured and posted on Twitter by editorial staff. The newspaper declined to provide further details of the poll. 
 
(Reuters)

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said a fresh independence referendum is possible

Nearly 60 per cent of Scots now support Scottish independence after Britain voted to leave the European Union this week, according to an opinion poll reported by a newspaper on Saturday. The Sunday Post said 59 per cent of respondents in the poll backed independence from the United Kingdom. That was sharply higher than the 45 per cent of votes cast in favour of independence at a referendum in 2014 which resulted in the country staying in the UK. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said earlier on Saturday that a fresh independence referendum was possible. Many Scots voted in favour of remaining in the UK in 2014 because of concerns that breaking away might leave them outside the bloc. Scots voted by 62-38 per cent to remain in the EU in Thursday's EU membership referendum but British voters as a whole voted by 52-48 per cent to leave. The Sunday Post reported the poll finding on its front page which was pictured and posted on Twitter by editorial staff. The newspaper declined to provide further details of the poll. (Reuters)

60% Scots want independence: Poll

poll

Poll, News on Poll, stories on Poll, articles on Poll, Poll stories at Wion, Poll news, Poll latest news