Less than two weeks before it was due to be reached, senators in the United States have voted to temporarily extend the country's debt ceiling. Chuck Schumer, who leads the Democrats in the Senate, announced the breakthrough deal after negotiations in Congress during the early hours of the morning.

Less than two weeks before it was due to be reached, senators in the United States have voted to temporarily extend the country's debt ceiling. Chuck Schumer, who leads the Democrats in the Senate, announced the breakthrough deal after negotiations in Congress during the early hours of the morning. "Republicans played a dangerous and risky partisan game, and I am glad that their brinksmanship did not work," he said on the Senate floor. Republican Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell offered the deal on Wednesday as his party was set to vote against House-passed democratic plans. The temporary measure raises the US debt ceiling to $480 billion. Schumer further said, "What is needed now is a long-term solution so we don't go through this risky drama every few months, and we hope Republicans will join in enacting a long term solution to the debt limit in December." "We are ready to work with them." Also read | Republicans continue withholding support to US debt ceiling increase The United States spends more money than it collects through taxation. Therefore, it borrows money through issuing government bonds. This is considered the world's most reliable investment. In 1939, Congress established an aggregate limit or what you call as 'ceiling' on how much debt the government can accumulate. However, it has been lifted dozens of times to allow the government to meet its spending commitments. This time, few Republicans voiced frustration around new spending proposals that Democrats were trying to push through. The Democrats highlighted that raising the debt ceiling is about paying off existing obligations rather than paying for new ones. Also, they mentioned that President Joe Biden's policies have only contributed to 3 per cent of existing debts. McConnell, since July, had been insisting that Democrats suspend the debt limit with no Republican help.

US Senate votes to temporarily extend debt ceiling

Polling station are open in Germany. Angela Merkel is leaving as the chancellor of Germany having served 16 years in German parliament.

Polling station open in Germany

Peru voted for a new president Sunday, in its deadliest week yet of the Covid-19 pandemic, as polling queues vied with lines of people seeking oxygen for infected loved ones fighting for breath.

Some 25 million people are meant to vote -- which is mandatory -- the day after Peru recorded its highest-ever daily toll in the Covid-19 pandemic.

Authorities on Saturday reported 384 fatalities in the preceding 24 hours -- the third daily record in a week -- bringing the overall toll to more than 54,600 in the country of 33 million people.

Over 11,200 new daily cases were reported, adding to another 1.6 million to date.

Yet as the death toll mounts and infections soar, Peru's government decided to press ahead with elections, unlike neighbor Chile which postponed a vote scheduled for Sunday as South America battles a surge in infections fueled by new virus variants believed to be more contagious.

Six of Peru's 18 presidential candidates have contracted the virus, including former football goalkeeper George Forsyth -- one of the leading contenders according to polls -- who was forced to cut short his final week of campaigning.

Thousands of polling stations opened their doors at 7.00 am &nbsp;(1200 GMT), and will stay open for 12 hours -- four more than usual in a bid to prevent voters amassing.

'Unfair'

As some Peruvians lined up to vote, others queued for oxygen refills for loved ones battling coronavirus infection.

"It is unfair, because instead of being there in the voting queue, we had to get up at daybreak to fetch oxygen," Micaela Lizama, 38, told AFP in Lima.

"We give more priority now to health than to votes," added Ruben Arias, 22, also queueing for oxygen. 
Mario Tinoco, 52, said he was willing to risk the fine for not voting because "I have to get oxygen, that is the main thing for me."

Despite the pandemic outlook, election campaigning had continued until Thursday, with candidates drawing hundreds of followers to often boisterous rallies.

'Most fragmented' ever

With aspirants across the political spectrum vying for the presidency, polls have shown there is no clear favorite.

The highest-polled candidate -- Yonhy Lescano of the center-right -- had 10 percent of voter intention a week ago.&nbsp;

An Ipsos poll showed only four percentage points between Lescano and the seventh place candidate, meaning Sunday's first election round will likely be inconclusive.

The two candidates with the most votes will then compete in a runoff on June 6.

Close behind Lescano were leftist anthropologist Veronika Mendoza, conservative economist Hernando de Soto, Forsyth and corruption-accused Keiko Fujimori -- daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori.

Also in the running were ultra-conservative celibate Catholic Rafael Lopez Aliaga and far-left unionist Pedro Castillo.

This will be the country's "most fragmented election" ever, according to Ipsos Peru chief Alfredo Torres. 
Almost a third of voters are undecided.

Recession and upheaval

The uncertain outcome has the markets worried, and the Peruvian sol plunged to a record low 3.8 to the US dollar last month, adding to the future president's full in-tray.

Peru has been in recession since the second quarter of last year after a national lockdown shuttered businesses and crippled the all-important tourism sector.

Its economy contracted more than 11 percent in 2020, four million people lost their jobs and another five million dropped into poverty.

The country has also been convulsed by political upheaval driven by claims of corruption at the highest echelons.

This will be Peru's fifth president in three years after three fell within days of each other in November 2020 amid protests that left two dead and hundreds injured.

The first election results should be known around 11:30 pm on Sunday (0430 GMT Monday).

Peruvians are also voting for 130 members of congress.

Peru voted for a new president Sunday, in its deadliest week yet of the Covid-19 pandemic, as polling queues vied with lines of people seeking oxygen for infected loved ones fighting for breath.

Peru voted for a new president Sunday, in its deadliest week yet of the Covid-19 pandemic, as polling queues vied with lines of people seeking oxygen for infected loved ones fighting for breath. Some 25 million people are meant to vote -- which is mandatory -- the day after Peru recorded its highest-ever daily toll in the Covid-19 pandemic. Authorities on Saturday reported 384 fatalities in the preceding 24 hours -- the third daily record in a week -- bringing the overall toll to more than 54,600 in the country of 33 million people. Over 11,200 new daily cases were reported, adding to another 1.6 million to date. Yet as the death toll mounts and infections soar, Peru's government decided to press ahead with elections, unlike neighbor Chile which postponed a vote scheduled for Sunday as South America battles a surge in infections fueled by new virus variants believed to be more contagious. Six of Peru's 18 presidential candidates have contracted the virus, including former football goalkeeper George Forsyth -- one of the leading contenders according to polls -- who was forced to cut short his final week of campaigning. Thousands of polling stations opened their doors at 7.00 am (1200 GMT), and will stay open for 12 hours -- four more than usual in a bid to prevent voters amassing. 'Unfair' As some Peruvians lined up to vote, others queued for oxygen refills for loved ones battling coronavirus infection. "It is unfair, because instead of being there in the voting queue, we had to get up at daybreak to fetch oxygen," Micaela Lizama, 38, told AFP in Lima. "We give more priority now to health than to votes," added Ruben Arias, 22, also queueing for oxygen. Mario Tinoco, 52, said he was willing to risk the fine for not voting because "I have to get oxygen, that is the main thing for me." Despite the pandemic outlook, election campaigning had continued until Thursday, with candidates drawing hundreds of followers to often boisterous rallies. 'Most fragmented' ever With aspirants across the political spectrum vying for the presidency, polls have shown there is no clear favorite. The highest-polled candidate -- Yonhy Lescano of the center-right -- had 10 percent of voter intention a week ago. An Ipsos poll showed only four percentage points between Lescano and the seventh place candidate, meaning Sunday's first election round will likely be inconclusive. The two candidates with the most votes will then compete in a runoff on June 6. Close behind Lescano were leftist anthropologist Veronika Mendoza, conservative economist Hernando de Soto, Forsyth and corruption-accused Keiko Fujimori -- daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori. Also in the running were ultra-conservative celibate Catholic Rafael Lopez Aliaga and far-left unionist Pedro Castillo. This will be the country's "most fragmented election" ever, according to Ipsos Peru chief Alfredo Torres. Almost a third of voters are undecided. Recession and upheaval The uncertain outcome has the markets worried, and the Peruvian sol plunged to a record low 3.8 to the US dollar last month, adding to the future president's full in-tray. Peru has been in recession since the second quarter of last year after a national lockdown shuttered businesses and crippled the all-important tourism sector. Its economy contracted more than 11 percent in 2020, four million people lost their jobs and another five million dropped into poverty. The country has also been convulsed by political upheaval driven by claims of corruption at the highest echelons. This will be Peru's fifth president in three years after three fell within days of each other in November 2020 amid protests that left two dead and hundreds injured. The first election results should be known around 11:30 pm on Sunday (0430 GMT Monday). Peruvians are also voting for 130 members of congress.

Peru votes amid deadly coronavirus surge

The vote follows months of anti-government protests, questionable political reforms, and rising COVID-19 cases.

Polls have opened in Bulgaria's parliamentary elections

Votes to be cast in Canada for 43rd General elections soon. Justin Trudeau calls Scheer campaign 'Nasty'. The PM platform is built around climate, gun control, jobs samewhere Andrew Scheer's platform is Jobs, Middle-class. Watch this video to know more in detail.

Votes to be cast in Canada for 43rd General elections soon

'Only Bibi' no more: Why does Israel's Netanyahu want to power-share?

Counting of votes for the 21 Lok Sabha seats and 146 Assembly segments in Odisha will be held at 63 different centres across the state amidst tight security on Thursday, a senior election official has said.

Polling was held in 21 Lok Sabha seats and 146 Assembly segments in four different phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29.

The counting of votes will start from 8 am on Thursday and will be conducted in around 2,500 tables, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S Kumar said on Tuesday.

Each counting hall will have at least seven tables each for Assembly and&nbsp; 
Lok Sabha seats and three officials including a supervisor, a counting assistant and a micro observer will be engaged for each table to ensure free and fair counting of votes, he said.

"Each hall will have 15 tables. Seven tables will be allocated for counting of votes of Lok Sabha seats and seven others for Assembly seats. One more table will be there for postal ballot counting by the returning officer," he said, adding that 6,700 officials have been engaged in vote counting across the state.

The CEO said an observer has been appointed for each counting centre and one observer can take charge of maximum three halls of a centre.

The ECI has granted additional 411 tables for Odisha since the state conducted simultaneous polls for both the Lok Sabha and state Assembly, Kumar said.

Replying a question, he said it has been estimated that each constituency will require an average of 30 rounds of counting. While Sambalpur will record the lowest with 19 rounds of counting per constituency, maximum 49 rounds of counting per constituency will be witnessed in Patnagarh.

The CEO also informed that there has been increase in postal ballots this time which is around 1 lakh against 2014 election's 31,326 postal ballots.

He said counting of postal ballots will be held in the first place and after 30 minutes, the counting of EVM votes will begin.

This will be followed by counting of VVPAT votes, he said, adding that as per the directive of the Supreme Court, the counting of VVPAT votes will be taken up in five booths of each constituency.

"Before actual polling, a mock poll is conducted in each booth. After the mock poll, the presiding officer deletes the mock poll data from the EVM control unit. In case the presiding officer has not deleted the mock poll data, there will be an error. In such cases, the ECI will take a call," he said replying a question.

The polling in Patkura assembly segment in Kendrapara district was postponed in view the death of a candidate and again due to cyclone Fani.&nbsp;

Counting of votes for the 21 Lok Sabha seats and 146 Assembly segments in Odisha will be held at 63 different centres across the state amidst tight security on Thursday, a senior election official has said.

Counting of votes for the 21 Lok Sabha seats and 146 Assembly segments in Odisha will be held at 63 different centres across the state amidst tight security on Thursday, a senior election official has said. Polling was held in 21 Lok Sabha seats and 146 Assembly segments in four different phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29. The counting of votes will start from 8 am on Thursday and will be conducted in around 2,500 tables, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S Kumar said on Tuesday. Each counting hall will have at least seven tables each for Assembly and Lok Sabha seats and three officials including a supervisor, a counting assistant and a micro observer will be engaged for each table to ensure free and fair counting of votes, he said. "Each hall will have 15 tables. Seven tables will be allocated for counting of votes of Lok Sabha seats and seven others for Assembly seats. One more table will be there for postal ballot counting by the returning officer," he said, adding that 6,700 officials have been engaged in vote counting across the state. The CEO said an observer has been appointed for each counting centre and one observer can take charge of maximum three halls of a centre. The ECI has granted additional 411 tables for Odisha since the state conducted simultaneous polls for both the Lok Sabha and state Assembly, Kumar said. Replying a question, he said it has been estimated that each constituency will require an average of 30 rounds of counting. While Sambalpur will record the lowest with 19 rounds of counting per constituency, maximum 49 rounds of counting per constituency will be witnessed in Patnagarh. The CEO also informed that there has been increase in postal ballots this time which is around 1 lakh against 2014 election's 31,326 postal ballots. He said counting of postal ballots will be held in the first place and after 30 minutes, the counting of EVM votes will begin. This will be followed by counting of VVPAT votes, he said, adding that as per the directive of the Supreme Court, the counting of VVPAT votes will be taken up in five booths of each constituency. "Before actual polling, a mock poll is conducted in each booth. After the mock poll, the presiding officer deletes the mock poll data from the EVM control unit. In case the presiding officer has not deleted the mock poll data, there will be an error. In such cases, the ECI will take a call," he said replying a question. The polling in Patkura assembly segment in Kendrapara district was postponed in view the death of a candidate and again due to cyclone Fani.

Counting of votes to be held in 63 centres in Odisha: Chief Electoral Officer

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the counting of votes for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland and by-election to Aonglenden Assembly constituency on Thursday, a top election official has said.

Polling for the Lok Sabha seat and Aonglenden bye-poll was held simultaneously on April 11.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Abhijit Sinha said on Tuesday that there would be three-tier security cordon on the day of counting.

The first and second tier security cordon would be manned by the district executive force, state police and Indian Reserve Battalion personnel and the third and last tier close to the counting hall would be manned by Central Armed Police Force personnel, he said.

The path that would be taken for transportation of EVMs from the strong rooms to the counting halls have been delineated and barricaded and it would be under CCTV coverage, the CEO said.

The counting will commence at 8 am on Thursday in 19 halls in 12 centres for the Lok Sabha polls while counting of votes for the bye-poll will be&nbsp; 
conducted in one hall in Mokokchung district, he said.

The CEO said after completion of last round of counting of votes recorded in the EVM control units of an Assembly segment, there would be mandatory verification of VVPAT paper slips of randomly selected five polling stations of that Assembly segment.

These five polling stations would be selected through a draw of lots by the concerned Assistant Returning Officer in the presence of candidates or their agents and the Observers and counting of VVPATs would be done in a sequential manner.

The lone parliamentary seat in the state witnessed a four-cornered contest between ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) nominee Tokheho Yepthomi, Congress candidate K L Chishi, Hayithung Tungoe of the National People's Party (NPP) and Independent candidate Dr M M Thromwa Konyak.

Tokheho is seeking re-election for the Lok Sabha seat.

The bye-poll to Aonglenden Assembly constituency under Mokokchung district was a straight contest between the Congress nominee Alemjongshi Longkumer and Sharingain Longkumer of ruling NDPP.

The by-poll was necessitated following the demise of sitting ruling MLA Imtikumzuk in September last year.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the counting of votes for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland and by-election to Aonglenden Assembly constituency on Thursday, a top election official has said.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the counting of votes for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland and by-election to Aonglenden Assembly constituency on Thursday, a top election official has said. Polling for the Lok Sabha seat and Aonglenden bye-poll was held simultaneously on April 11. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Abhijit Sinha said on Tuesday that there would be three-tier security cordon on the day of counting. The first and second tier security cordon would be manned by the district executive force, state police and Indian Reserve Battalion personnel and the third and last tier close to the counting hall would be manned by Central Armed Police Force personnel, he said. The path that would be taken for transportation of EVMs from the strong rooms to the counting halls have been delineated and barricaded and it would be under CCTV coverage, the CEO said. The counting will commence at 8 am on Thursday in 19 halls in 12 centres for the Lok Sabha polls while counting of votes for the bye-poll will be conducted in one hall in Mokokchung district, he said. The CEO said after completion of last round of counting of votes recorded in the EVM control units of an Assembly segment, there would be mandatory verification of VVPAT paper slips of randomly selected five polling stations of that Assembly segment. These five polling stations would be selected through a draw of lots by the concerned Assistant Returning Officer in the presence of candidates or their agents and the Observers and counting of VVPATs would be done in a sequential manner. The lone parliamentary seat in the state witnessed a four-cornered contest between ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) nominee Tokheho Yepthomi, Congress candidate K L Chishi, Hayithung Tungoe of the National People's Party (NPP) and Independent candidate Dr M M Thromwa Konyak. Tokheho is seeking re-election for the Lok Sabha seat. The bye-poll to Aonglenden Assembly constituency under Mokokchung district was a straight contest between the Congress nominee Alemjongshi Longkumer and Sharingain Longkumer of ruling NDPP. The by-poll was necessitated following the demise of sitting ruling MLA Imtikumzuk in September last year.

Lok sabha polls 2019: Tight security arrangements for counting of votes in Nagaland

What happens when you go to a polling station only to find that someone else cast your vote. Know what can be done in that situation?

IEW: What If someone else casts your Vote?

The JD(S) said Tuesday that it was doing "doing everything to keep BJP out of power" in Karnataka after the Congress offered it support to form a government in the state.&nbsp;

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"Congress has extended its support, we have accepted it. We will jointly go to meet governor after 5.30 pm today," ANI quoted JD(S) spokesman Danish Ali as saying.&nbsp;

The Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad had announced earlier on Tuesday that his party had offered&nbsp;support to the JD(S).&nbsp;

"We had a telephonic conversation with Deve Gowda ji&nbsp;and Kumaraswamy. They have accepted our offer. Hopefully, we will be together," Azad said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Karnataka has a total of 224 assembly seats, but only 222 seats went to the polls this election. (Voting was postponed in two seats.)

The halfway mark then is 112 seats.&nbsp;

Official EC trends at the moment say the BJP has won or is leading in 104 seats, the Congress in 78, the JD(S)+ in 37, and Others 3.&nbsp;

That would give the JD(S)-Congress a total of 115 seats.&nbsp;

News reports had said earlier that former Congress President Sonia Gandhi had spoken&nbsp;with Ghulam Nabi Azad, who then spoke with JD(S) leader HD Deve Gowda and his son HD Kumaraswamy.&nbsp;

Azad said he had told Gowda and Kumaraswamy that the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/in-case-of-hung-verdict-both-siddaramaiah--yeddyurappa-may-have-to-give-up-karnataka-cm-ambitions-136655">picking of a chief minister</a> would be left to them.&nbsp;

Should the JD(S) accept the Congress' offer, it is expected that Kumaraswamy will take the CM's post.&nbsp;

The Congress' KC Venugopal meanwhile said the JD(S) and Congress would together meet the governor in the evening today to stake their claim to forming a government in the state.&nbsp;

&nbsp;What happens next will depend&nbsp;on the governor, Vajubhai Vala. Vala was appointed by the Modi government four years ago.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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We had a telephonic conversation with Deve Gowda ji & Kumaraswamy. They have accepted our offer. Hopefully, we will be together: Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KarnatakaElections2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KarnatakaElections2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/OemBerpX7r">pic.twitter.com/OemBerpX7r</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/996320637332275200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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We (Congress & JDS) are jointly meeting the Governor in the evening today: KC Venugopal, Congress. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KarnatakaElections2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KarnatakaElections2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/jUd5cVaSNu">pic.twitter.com/jUd5cVaSNu</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/996321482300010496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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News reports Tuesday meanwhile said the BJP too had reached out to Deve Gowda.&nbsp;

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JP Nadda, Dharmendra Pradhan & Prakash Javadekar are going to Bengaluru today. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KarnatakaElections2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KarnatakaElections2018</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/996329945793155072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

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JD(S) had always maintained that HD Kumaraswamy will be CM. As per results, we're doing everything to keep BJP out of power. Congress has extended its support, we have accepted it. We will jointly go to meet Governor after 5.30 pm today: Danish Ali, JD(S) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KarnatakaElections2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KarnatakaElections2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/qCfgOhGM9t">pic.twitter.com/qCfgOhGM9t</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/996330925909725184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad said the picking of a chief minister would be left to the JD(S)

The JD(S) said Tuesday that it was doing "doing everything to keep BJP out of power" in Karnataka after the Congress offered it support to form a government in the state. × "Congress has extended its support, we have accepted it. We will jointly go to meet governor after 5.30 pm today," ANI quoted JD(S) spokesman Danish Ali as saying. The Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad had announced earlier on Tuesday that his party had offered support to the JD(S). "We had a telephonic conversation with Deve Gowda ji and Kumaraswamy. They have accepted our offer. Hopefully, we will be together," Azad said. Karnataka has a total of 224 assembly seats, but only 222 seats went to the polls this election. (Voting was postponed in two seats.) The halfway mark then is 112 seats. Official EC trends at the moment say the BJP has won or is leading in 104 seats, the Congress in 78, the JD(S)+ in 37, and Others 3. That would give the JD(S)-Congress a total of 115 seats. News reports had said earlier that former Congress President Sonia Gandhi had spoken with Ghulam Nabi Azad, who then spoke with JD(S) leader HD Deve Gowda and his son HD Kumaraswamy. Azad said he had told Gowda and Kumaraswamy that the picking of a chief minister would be left to them. Should the JD(S) accept the Congress' offer, it is expected that Kumaraswamy will take the CM's post. The Congress' KC Venugopal meanwhile said the JD(S) and Congress would together meet the governor in the evening today to stake their claim to forming a government in the state. What happens next will depend on the governor, Vajubhai Vala. Vala was appointed by the Modi government four years ago. We had a telephonic conversation with Deve Gowda ji & Kumaraswamy. They have accepted our offer. Hopefully, we will be together: Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress. #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/OemBerpX7r — ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018 × We (Congress & JDS) are jointly meeting the Governor in the evening today: KC Venugopal, Congress. #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/jUd5cVaSNu — ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018 × News reports Tuesday meanwhile said the BJP too had reached out to Deve Gowda. JP Nadda, Dharmendra Pradhan & Prakash Javadekar are going to Bengaluru today. #KarnatakaElections2018 — ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018 × JD(S) had always maintained that HD Kumaraswamy will be CM. As per results, we're doing everything to keep BJP out of power. Congress has extended its support, we have accepted it. We will jointly go to meet Governor after 5.30 pm today: Danish Ali, JD(S) #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/qCfgOhGM9t — ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018 ×

'Doing everything to keep BJP out of power,' says JD(S)

Vladimir Putin won Russia&#39;s presidential election on Sunday with 76.67 per cent of the vote, according to an official exit poll, with the opposition reporting ballot stuffing and other cases of alleged fraud.

Putin, who has ruled Russia for almost two decades, stood against seven other candidates, but his most vocal critic Alexei Navalny was barred from the ballot for legal reasons and the final outcome was never in doubt.

The Kremlin was hoping for high voter numbers to give greater legitimacy to Putin&#39;s historic fourth term as Russia faces increasing isolation on the world stage over a spy poisoning in Britain and a fresh round of US sanctions.

About 107 million Russians were eligible to cast ballots and the central election commission said turnout was 60 per cent, after the authorities used both the carrot and the stick to boost participation.

Selfie competitions, giveaways, food festivals and children&#39;s entertainers were laid on at polling booths in a bid to create a festive atmosphere around the election.

But employees of state and private companies reported coming under pressure to vote, while students were threatened with problems in their exams or even expulsion if they did not take part, according to the opposition-leaning Novaya Gazeta newspaper.

The exit poll by state-owned pollster VTsIOM at 1,200 voting stations around Russia projected that Putin had won 76.67&nbsp;per cent of the vote, up from 64 per cent six years ago.

Communist candidate Pavel Grudinin performed better than expected, with 11.2 per cent according to the exit poll, but the results of all other candidates including former reality TV host Ksenia Sobchak were forecast to be in single figures.

Putin&#39;s thumping victory will extend his total time in office to nearly a quarter of a century, until 2024, by which time he will be 71. Only Soviet dictator Josef Stalin ruled for longer.

Putin has promised to use his new term to beef up Russia&#39;s defences against the West and to raise living standards.

Navalny -- who called on his supporters to boycott the &quot;fake&quot; vote and sent over 33,000 observers across the country to see how official turnout figures differed from those of monitors -- said there had been &quot;unprecedented violations&quot;.

His lawyer Ivan Zhdanov said the actual national turnout at 1700 GMT, when polls closed in Moscow, was 55 per cent, according to data collected by monitors.

Navalny&#39;s opposition movement and the non-governmental election monitor Golos reported ballot stuffing, repeat voting and Putin supporters being bussed into polling stations en masse.&nbsp;

One election commission worker in the republic of Dagestan, which traditionally registers extremely high official turnout figures, told AFP around 50 men entered the station where he was working and physically assaulted an observer before stuffing a ballot box.

But the electoral commission dismissed most concerns, saying monitors sometimes misinterpret what they see.

Since first being elected president in 2000, Putin has stamped his total authority on the world&#39;s biggest country, muzzling opposition, putting television under state control and reasserting Moscow&#39;s standing abroad.&nbsp;

The 65-year-old former KGB officer used an otherwise lacklustre presidential campaign to emphasise Russia&#39;s role as a major world power, boasting of its &quot;invincible&quot; new nuclear weapons in a pre-election speech.

Casting his ballot in Moscow, Putin said he would be pleased with any result giving him the right to continue as president.

&quot;I am sure the programme I am offering is the right one,&quot; said the man who is already Russia&#39;s longest-serving leader since Stalin.

Most people who spoke to AFP said they voted for Putin, praising him for restoring stability and national pride after the humiliating collapse of the USSR.

&quot;Of course I&#39;m for Putin, he&#39;s a leader,&quot; said Olga Matyunina, a 65-year-old retired economist.

&quot;After he brought Crimea back, he became a hero to me.&quot;

Sunday marks four years since Putin signed a treaty declaring Crimea to be part of Russia in a move that triggered a pro-Kremlin insurgency in east Ukraine, a conflict that has claimed over 10,000 lives.

Ahead of the vote, a new crisis broke out with the West as Britain implicated Putin in the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal with a Soviet-designed nerve agent.

In response, London expelled 23 Russian diplomats, prompting a tit-for-tat move by Moscow. Also this week, Washington hit Russia with sanctions for trying to influence the 2016 US election.&nbsp;

Putin&#39;s previous Kremlin term was marked by a crackdown on the opposition after huge protests, the Ukraine conflict, military intervention in Syria and the introduction of Western sanctions that contributed to a fall in living standards.

The president has said he will use his fourth term to address a litany of domestic problems including widespread poverty and poor healthcare.

Ahead of the election, state-run pollsters had predicted Putin would take about 70 perc ent of the vote, with the independent Levada Centre -- branded a &quot;foreign agent&quot; -- barred from releasing any polls.

&quot;Another six years of slavery,&quot; said a piece of paper made up to look like a ballot which was spotted on a Moscow street -- in an apparent reference to Putin&#39;s next term.&nbsp;

Election officials flew to far-flung regions to collect votes from indigenous herders, while cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov -- the only Russian currently aboard the International Space Station -- cast his ballot by proxy.

&nbsp;

The exit poll from 1,200 polling stations around Russia gave second place to Communist candidate Pavel Grudinin with 11.2 per cent

Vladimir Putin won Russia's presidential election on Sunday with 76.67 per cent of the vote, according to an official exit poll, with the opposition reporting ballot stuffing and other cases of alleged fraud. Putin, who has ruled Russia for almost two decades, stood against seven other candidates, but his most vocal critic Alexei Navalny was barred from the ballot for legal reasons and the final outcome was never in doubt. The Kremlin was hoping for high voter numbers to give greater legitimacy to Putin's historic fourth term as Russia faces increasing isolation on the world stage over a spy poisoning in Britain and a fresh round of US sanctions. About 107 million Russians were eligible to cast ballots and the central election commission said turnout was 60 per cent, after the authorities used both the carrot and the stick to boost participation. Selfie competitions, giveaways, food festivals and children's entertainers were laid on at polling booths in a bid to create a festive atmosphere around the election. But employees of state and private companies reported coming under pressure to vote, while students were threatened with problems in their exams or even expulsion if they did not take part, according to the opposition-leaning Novaya Gazeta newspaper. The exit poll by state-owned pollster VTsIOM at 1,200 voting stations around Russia projected that Putin had won 76.67 per cent of the vote, up from 64 per cent six years ago. Communist candidate Pavel Grudinin performed better than expected, with 11.2 per cent according to the exit poll, but the results of all other candidates including former reality TV host Ksenia Sobchak were forecast to be in single figures. Putin's thumping victory will extend his total time in office to nearly a quarter of a century, until 2024, by which time he will be 71. Only Soviet dictator Josef Stalin ruled for longer. Putin has promised to use his new term to beef up Russia's defences against the West and to raise living standards. Navalny -- who called on his supporters to boycott the "fake" vote and sent over 33,000 observers across the country to see how official turnout figures differed from those of monitors -- said there had been "unprecedented violations". His lawyer Ivan Zhdanov said the actual national turnout at 1700 GMT, when polls closed in Moscow, was 55 per cent, according to data collected by monitors. Navalny's opposition movement and the non-governmental election monitor Golos reported ballot stuffing, repeat voting and Putin supporters being bussed into polling stations en masse. One election commission worker in the republic of Dagestan, which traditionally registers extremely high official turnout figures, told AFP around 50 men entered the station where he was working and physically assaulted an observer before stuffing a ballot box. But the electoral commission dismissed most concerns, saying monitors sometimes misinterpret what they see. Since first being elected president in 2000, Putin has stamped his total authority on the world's biggest country, muzzling opposition, putting television under state control and reasserting Moscow's standing abroad. The 65-year-old former KGB officer used an otherwise lacklustre presidential campaign to emphasise Russia's role as a major world power, boasting of its "invincible" new nuclear weapons in a pre-election speech. Casting his ballot in Moscow, Putin said he would be pleased with any result giving him the right to continue as president. "I am sure the programme I am offering is the right one," said the man who is already Russia's longest-serving leader since Stalin. Most people who spoke to AFP said they voted for Putin, praising him for restoring stability and national pride after the humiliating collapse of the USSR. "Of course I'm for Putin, he's a leader," said Olga Matyunina, a 65-year-old retired economist. "After he brought Crimea back, he became a hero to me." Sunday marks four years since Putin signed a treaty declaring Crimea to be part of Russia in a move that triggered a pro-Kremlin insurgency in east Ukraine, a conflict that has claimed over 10,000 lives. Ahead of the vote, a new crisis broke out with the West as Britain implicated Putin in the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal with a Soviet-designed nerve agent. In response, London expelled 23 Russian diplomats, prompting a tit-for-tat move by Moscow. Also this week, Washington hit Russia with sanctions for trying to influence the 2016 US election. Putin's previous Kremlin term was marked by a crackdown on the opposition after huge protests, the Ukraine conflict, military intervention in Syria and the introduction of Western sanctions that contributed to a fall in living standards. The president has said he will use his fourth term to address a litany of domestic problems including widespread poverty and poor healthcare. Ahead of the election, state-run pollsters had predicted Putin would take about 70 perc ent of the vote, with the independent Levada Centre -- branded a "foreign agent" -- barred from releasing any polls. "Another six years of slavery," said a piece of paper made up to look like a ballot which was spotted on a Moscow street -- in an apparent reference to Putin's next term. Election officials flew to far-flung regions to collect votes from indigenous herders, while cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov -- the only Russian currently aboard the International Space Station -- cast his ballot by proxy.

Russia elections: Putin wins fourth term with 76.67% of vote

Honduras announced a curfew and suspended some constitutional rights to allow security forces to contain protests and unrest over a disputed election in which both candidates have declared themselves winner and the ballot count is entering its sixth day.

Honduras&#39; electoral court had finished counting nearly 95 percent of the vote boxes from last Sunday&#39;s presidential election by late yesterday and said it would conduct a hand count of 1,031 other boxes that presented &quot;inconsistencies.&quot;

Incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernandez held a lead of more than 46,000 votes over challenger Salvador Nasralla before the last-stage count. It was not immediately clear how many votes could be at play in the uncounted boxes.

As the wait for election results has dragged on rock-wielding protesters have increasingly taken to the streets against riot police armed with tear gas, batons and water cannons. National Police spokesman Jair Meza said 12 people had been wounded in clashes between police and protesters.

Meza said numerous businesses were also damaged and looted in the capital and in San Pedro Sula. Local press reported that protesters set a bank branch on fire and looted several other businesses along a street in San Pedro Sula.

Groups of demonstrators also continued blocking highways with burning tires and other debris, in some cases forcing parents to carry their children through the smoking barriers.

In a decree read out on radio and television, the government&#39;s Cabinet chief Jorge Hernandez said late yesterday that some constitutional guarantees would be suspended for 10 days to allow the army and police to control the situation.

The government declared a curfew from 6 PM to 6 AM across the country.

&quot;The curfew is to safeguard the security of the country,&quot; President Hernandez said as he left a hotel in the capital after meeting with observers from the Organization of the American States and the European Union.

&quot;This is the time for the people to feel supported by their armed forces and their police because it cannot be that somebody decides to loot or rob.&quot;

Earlier, electoral court president David Matamoros said that representatives of the political parties would be present for the vote counts and that no announcements would be made until there is a final result.

After speaking with representatives of the opposition alliance and the National Party, Matamoros said yesterday that each party would be able to accredit 60 people to participate in the afternoon count alongside international observers. He estimated it could take six hours.

But the opposition published a list of demands that included a broader review of votes in three jurisdictions where it alleges voter turnout was unusually high and said the number of ballot boxes that presented issues was far larger. It was unclear if its demands would be met.

The count had still not begun last night because no representatives for Nasralla had arrived: &quot;The wait continues,&quot; said court spokeswoman Lourdes Rosales.

In a statement, the court also said any suggestion of wrongdoing in its operations is false and it lamented the increasing violence in the streets.

Heide Fulton, charge d&#39;affaires at the US Embassy in Honduras, said via Twitter yesterday that Honduras was beginning an &quot;unprecedented phase in the electoral process.&quot; She called for calm during the count.

Both Nasralla and Hernandez have declared themselves the winner of the election and their parties have urged their supporters to defend the vote in the street.

Nasralla and Hernandez have urged calm and warned their supporters to not be provoked into violence.

Retired Gen Romeo Vazquez, who led the coup that ousted President Manuel Zelaya in 2009, blamed the unrest on the electoral tribunal&#39;s delay in returning results.&nbsp;

Earlier, electoral court president David Matamoros said that representatives of the political parties would be present for the vote counts and that no announcements would be made until there is a final result

Honduras announced a curfew and suspended some constitutional rights to allow security forces to contain protests and unrest over a disputed election in which both candidates have declared themselves winner and the ballot count is entering its sixth day. Honduras' electoral court had finished counting nearly 95 percent of the vote boxes from last Sunday's presidential election by late yesterday and said it would conduct a hand count of 1,031 other boxes that presented "inconsistencies." Incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernandez held a lead of more than 46,000 votes over challenger Salvador Nasralla before the last-stage count. It was not immediately clear how many votes could be at play in the uncounted boxes. As the wait for election results has dragged on rock-wielding protesters have increasingly taken to the streets against riot police armed with tear gas, batons and water cannons. National Police spokesman Jair Meza said 12 people had been wounded in clashes between police and protesters. Meza said numerous businesses were also damaged and looted in the capital and in San Pedro Sula. Local press reported that protesters set a bank branch on fire and looted several other businesses along a street in San Pedro Sula. Groups of demonstrators also continued blocking highways with burning tires and other debris, in some cases forcing parents to carry their children through the smoking barriers. In a decree read out on radio and television, the government's Cabinet chief Jorge Hernandez said late yesterday that some constitutional guarantees would be suspended for 10 days to allow the army and police to control the situation. The government declared a curfew from 6 PM to 6 AM across the country. "The curfew is to safeguard the security of the country," President Hernandez said as he left a hotel in the capital after meeting with observers from the Organization of the American States and the European Union. "This is the time for the people to feel supported by their armed forces and their police because it cannot be that somebody decides to loot or rob." Earlier, electoral court president David Matamoros said that representatives of the political parties would be present for the vote counts and that no announcements would be made until there is a final result. After speaking with representatives of the opposition alliance and the National Party, Matamoros said yesterday that each party would be able to accredit 60 people to participate in the afternoon count alongside international observers. He estimated it could take six hours. But the opposition published a list of demands that included a broader review of votes in three jurisdictions where it alleges voter turnout was unusually high and said the number of ballot boxes that presented issues was far larger. It was unclear if its demands would be met. The count had still not begun last night because no representatives for Nasralla had arrived: "The wait continues," said court spokeswoman Lourdes Rosales. In a statement, the court also said any suggestion of wrongdoing in its operations is false and it lamented the increasing violence in the streets. Heide Fulton, charge d'affaires at the US Embassy in Honduras, said via Twitter yesterday that Honduras was beginning an "unprecedented phase in the electoral process." She called for calm during the count. Both Nasralla and Hernandez have declared themselves the winner of the election and their parties have urged their supporters to defend the vote in the street. Nasralla and Hernandez have urged calm and warned their supporters to not be provoked into violence. Retired Gen Romeo Vazquez, who led the coup that ousted President Manuel Zelaya in 2009, blamed the unrest on the electoral tribunal's delay in returning results.

Honduras announces curfew, restrictions amid vote protests

Nepalis across the country&#39;s mountainous north voted Sunday in elections that could herald change after 20 ruinous years marked by a bloody Maoist insurgency, a devastating earthquake, and crippling political instability.

The historic vote marks the final step of a drawn-out peace process, which began in 2006 with the end of the civil war between the Maoists and the state.

More than two million people - around 65 per cent of eligible voters - cast their ballot for representatives in new national and provincial parliaments.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-begins-historic-vote-army-says-rogue-maoists-behind-blasts-25144" target="_blank">Also read: Nepal begins historic vote, army says &#39;rogue&#39; Maoists behind blasts</a>

The two-phase elections will establish the country&#39;s first provincial assemblies as laid out in a post-war constitution that aims to devolve power from the top-heavy central governments to seven newly created provinces.

Nepal&#39;s tumultuous transition from monarchy to democracy has been marred by the crippling instability that has seen 10 leaders hold power in 11 years - some of them more than once - hampering development and recovery from the earthquake that struck in 2015.

The areas that were worst hit by the quake, which killed 9,000 and destroyed half a million homes, voted on Sunday, with many expressing hope that sluggish reconstruction would be kickstarted by the political change.

&quot;I hope to see more development and better services in our district,&quot; said first-time voter Shanta Bhujel, 18, who cast his ballot in Chautara, a town east of the capital Kathmandu.

Polling station officials in Balephi, a small town in northern Sindhupalchowk district, sealed the plastic ballot boxes as the polls closed at 5 pm (1115 GMT) and loaded them into a truck to be transported to the district capital for storage.&nbsp;

Counting will only begin after the second phase of elections is held in the populous south on December 7, with results expected a few days later.

Elections were suspended and will be held again at two polling stations in the western district of Rukum after acid was sprinkled on ballot boxes and damaged the papers inside, said local official Bansi Kumar Acharya.

Meanwhile, voting was temporarily halted in another polling centre in the northeast after an explosive device was found. No injuries were reported.&nbsp;

Sporadic violence injured dozens in the lead-up to the polls, mostly blamed on a splinter faction of the Maoist Party. The faction pledged to disrupt the election.Many in the impoverished Himalayan nation walked for hours to reach their nearest polling station, while in the remote west voters also braved sub-zero temperatures and snow.

But nothing stopped a 114-year-old woman from casting her ballot in the western district of Baitadi.

The new constitution finally approved in 2015, mandates a sweeping overhaul of the political system, which should limit the impact of the horse-trading in Kathmandu on much-needed development in the rest of the country.

Rules under the new charter allocate a proportion of seats in the federal and provincial assemblies to women and people from indigenous communities and the lowest Dalit caste.

The rules will also weed out some fringe parties from the parliaments and raise the bar for ousting a prime minister, leading to hopes that the next government could be the first to last a full five-year term.

&quot;Our vote this time is in the hope that next time vote the country is in a better condition,&quot; said hotel owner Bhakta Lal Shrestha after casting his ballot in Balephi just before polling closed. 
However, analysts warn that the impact of the changes could be limited, with the three parties that have dominated the political stage since the end of the conflict expected to take the lion&#39;s share of seats.

The Maoist Party of the former rebels has formed an electoral alliance with the communist CNP-UML, fielding candidates jointly in key races.

The powerful bloc has left the ruling party, the centrist Nepali Congress, on the back foot and forced to look to smaller parties in a bid to remain in power.

&quot;Since there is no real ideological difference between the two alliances anymore, what we need for stable politics is a majority government with a strong opposition to keep it in check,&quot; the English-language Nepali Times wrote in an editorial Sunday. &quot;At this moment, that is the best we can hope for.&quot;

The historic vote marks the final step of a drawn-out peace process, which began in 2006 with the end of the civil war between the Maoists and the state

Nepalis across the country's mountainous north voted Sunday in elections that could herald change after 20 ruinous years marked by a bloody Maoist insurgency, a devastating earthquake, and crippling political instability. The historic vote marks the final step of a drawn-out peace process, which began in 2006 with the end of the civil war between the Maoists and the state. More than two million people - around 65 per cent of eligible voters - cast their ballot for representatives in new national and provincial parliaments. Also read: Nepal begins historic vote, army says 'rogue' Maoists behind blasts The two-phase elections will establish the country's first provincial assemblies as laid out in a post-war constitution that aims to devolve power from the top-heavy central governments to seven newly created provinces. Nepal's tumultuous transition from monarchy to democracy has been marred by the crippling instability that has seen 10 leaders hold power in 11 years - some of them more than once - hampering development and recovery from the earthquake that struck in 2015. The areas that were worst hit by the quake, which killed 9,000 and destroyed half a million homes, voted on Sunday, with many expressing hope that sluggish reconstruction would be kickstarted by the political change. "I hope to see more development and better services in our district," said first-time voter Shanta Bhujel, 18, who cast his ballot in Chautara, a town east of the capital Kathmandu. Polling station officials in Balephi, a small town in northern Sindhupalchowk district, sealed the plastic ballot boxes as the polls closed at 5 pm (1115 GMT) and loaded them into a truck to be transported to the district capital for storage. Counting will only begin after the second phase of elections is held in the populous south on December 7, with results expected a few days later. Elections were suspended and will be held again at two polling stations in the western district of Rukum after acid was sprinkled on ballot boxes and damaged the papers inside, said local official Bansi Kumar Acharya. Meanwhile, voting was temporarily halted in another polling centre in the northeast after an explosive device was found. No injuries were reported. Sporadic violence injured dozens in the lead-up to the polls, mostly blamed on a splinter faction of the Maoist Party. The faction pledged to disrupt the election.Many in the impoverished Himalayan nation walked for hours to reach their nearest polling station, while in the remote west voters also braved sub-zero temperatures and snow. But nothing stopped a 114-year-old woman from casting her ballot in the western district of Baitadi. The new constitution finally approved in 2015, mandates a sweeping overhaul of the political system, which should limit the impact of the horse-trading in Kathmandu on much-needed development in the rest of the country. Rules under the new charter allocate a proportion of seats in the federal and provincial assemblies to women and people from indigenous communities and the lowest Dalit caste. The rules will also weed out some fringe parties from the parliaments and raise the bar for ousting a prime minister, leading to hopes that the next government could be the first to last a full five-year term. "Our vote this time is in the hope that next time vote the country is in a better condition," said hotel owner Bhakta Lal Shrestha after casting his ballot in Balephi just before polling closed. However, analysts warn that the impact of the changes could be limited, with the three parties that have dominated the political stage since the end of the conflict expected to take the lion's share of seats. The Maoist Party of the former rebels has formed an electoral alliance with the communist CNP-UML, fielding candidates jointly in key races. The powerful bloc has left the ruling party, the centrist Nepali Congress, on the back foot and forced to look to smaller parties in a bid to remain in power. "Since there is no real ideological difference between the two alliances anymore, what we need for stable politics is a majority government with a strong opposition to keep it in check," the English-language Nepali Times wrote in an editorial Sunday. "At this moment, that is the best we can hope for."

Nepalese vote for stability in historic polls

Australians have voted overwhelmingly for same-sex marriage, paving the way for legislation by the end of 2017 and sparking rainbow celebrations on Wednesday, with people wearing wedding dresses and sequined suits and declaring &ldquo;our love is real&rdquo;.

Australia will become the 26th nation to formalise the unions if the legislation is passed by parliament, which is expected despite some vocal opposition within the government&rsquo;s conservative right wing.

Thousands of people in a central Sydney park broke into a loud cheer, hugged and cried as Australia&rsquo;s chief statistician revealed live over a big screen that 61.6 percent of voters surveyed favoured marriage equality, with 38.4 percent against.

Australian Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe, who came out as gay three years ago, said the result was a huge relief.

&ldquo;It means that the way you feel for another person, whoever that may be, is equal,&rdquo; Thorpe told reporters at the Sydney celebrations.

The voluntary poll is non-binding but Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull immediately said he would fulfill a pledge to raise a bill in parliament with the aim of passing laws by Christmas.

Turnbull played down concerns of a split in his coalition government over the policy as the conservative faction presses for amendments to protect religious freedoms that discriminate against same-sex couples.

&ldquo;It is unequivocal, it is overwhelming. They have spoken in their millions and they have voted overwhelmingly yes for marriage equality,&rdquo; Turnbull told reporters in Canberra after the survey results were announced. &ldquo;They voted yes for fairness, yes for commitment, yes for love.&rdquo;

The result marks a watershed moment for gay rights in Australia, where it was illegal in some states to engage in homosexual activity until 1997.

&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
It&rsquo;s a g&rsquo;day. Way to go Australia. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarriageEquality?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarriageEquality</a> <a href="https://t.co/0tdnBHPAW1">pic.twitter.com/0tdnBHPAW1</a>
&mdash; Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheEllenShow/status/930573863955472391?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a g&lsquo;day. Way to go Australia &rdquo; tweeted U.S. TV host Ellen DeGeneres, who is married to Australian actress Portia de Rossi in the United States.

Almost 80 percent of the country&rsquo;s eligible voters took part in the survey - a higher voter turnout than Britain&rsquo;s Brexit vote and Ireland&rsquo;s same-sex marriage referendum.

Mark Barry, 59, wiped away tears as he took the result with his partner of 35 years, Gerrard Boller.

&ldquo;I know a celebrant who is going to be very happy about this,&rdquo; Barry told Reuters.

TURNBULL TROUBLES

Irish-born Qantas Airways Chief Executive Alan Joyce, one of the few openly gay business leaders in Australia, told the Sydney crowd, many of whom sheltered from the hot sun under rainbow umbrellas, that the result was &ldquo;an amazing outcome&rdquo; and urged Turnbull to move quickly on legislation.

Turnbull, under pressure amid a citizenship crisis that has cost him his deputy and the government&rsquo;s majority in parliament, finds his leadership tested again as the marriage equality bill enters parliament, possibly as early as later on Wednesday.

The conservatives&rsquo; planned amendments to the bill would allow private businesses to refuse services like wedding cakes for same-sex weddings by objecting on religious grounds.

The overwhelming votes have been paving the way for legislation by the end of 2017 and sparking rainbow celebrations on Wednesday, with people wearing wedding dresses and sequined suits and declaring ?our love is real?

Australians have voted overwhelmingly for same-sex marriage, paving the way for legislation by the end of 2017 and sparking rainbow celebrations on Wednesday, with people wearing wedding dresses and sequined suits and declaring “our love is real”. Australia will become the 26th nation to formalise the unions if the legislation is passed by parliament, which is expected despite some vocal opposition within the government’s conservative right wing. Thousands of people in a central Sydney park broke into a loud cheer, hugged and cried as Australia’s chief statistician revealed live over a big screen that 61.6 percent of voters surveyed favoured marriage equality, with 38.4 percent against. Australian Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe, who came out as gay three years ago, said the result was a huge relief. “It means that the way you feel for another person, whoever that may be, is equal,” Thorpe told reporters at the Sydney celebrations. The voluntary poll is non-binding but Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull immediately said he would fulfill a pledge to raise a bill in parliament with the aim of passing laws by Christmas. Turnbull played down concerns of a split in his coalition government over the policy as the conservative faction presses for amendments to protect religious freedoms that discriminate against same-sex couples. “It is unequivocal, it is overwhelming. They have spoken in their millions and they have voted overwhelmingly yes for marriage equality,” Turnbull told reporters in Canberra after the survey results were announced. “They voted yes for fairness, yes for commitment, yes for love.” The result marks a watershed moment for gay rights in Australia, where it was illegal in some states to engage in homosexual activity until 1997. It’s a g’day. Way to go Australia. #MarriageEquality pic.twitter.com/0tdnBHPAW1 — Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) November 14, 2017 × “It’s a g‘day. Way to go Australia ” tweeted U.S. TV host Ellen DeGeneres, who is married to Australian actress Portia de Rossi in the United States. Almost 80 percent of the country’s eligible voters took part in the survey - a higher voter turnout than Britain’s Brexit vote and Ireland’s same-sex marriage referendum. Mark Barry, 59, wiped away tears as he took the result with his partner of 35 years, Gerrard Boller. “I know a celebrant who is going to be very happy about this,” Barry told Reuters. TURNBULL TROUBLES Irish-born Qantas Airways Chief Executive Alan Joyce, one of the few openly gay business leaders in Australia, told the Sydney crowd, many of whom sheltered from the hot sun under rainbow umbrellas, that the result was “an amazing outcome” and urged Turnbull to move quickly on legislation. Turnbull, under pressure amid a citizenship crisis that has cost him his deputy and the government’s majority in parliament, finds his leadership tested again as the marriage equality bill enters parliament, possibly as early as later on Wednesday. The conservatives’ planned amendments to the bill would allow private businesses to refuse services like wedding cakes for same-sex weddings by objecting on religious grounds.

Rainbow celebrations galore as Australians vote for same-sex marriage

Germany&#39;s Angela&nbsp;Merkel&nbsp;began the tough task of trying to build a&nbsp;coalition government on Monday&nbsp;after<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/angela-merkel-wins-a-fourth-term-in-office-but-it-wont-be-an-easy-one-20593">&nbsp;securing a fourth term as chancellor</a> in an election which saw her support slide and the far right making significant gains.

Damaged by her decision two years ago to allow one million migrants into Germany,&nbsp;Merkel&#39;s conservative bloc secured 33 percent of the&nbsp;vote, losing 8.5 points, its lowest level since 1949. Her&nbsp;coalition&nbsp;partners, the centre-left Social Democrats, also slumped and said they would go into opposition.

Voters flocked to the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD), the first far-right party to enter the German parliament in more than half a century. However, the AfD hardly had time to savour its third-place showing before it fell into internal bickering.

Many Germans see the rise of the AfD as a similar rejection of the status quo as&nbsp;votes for Brexit and Donald Trump last year. But Germany&#39;s political centre held up better than in Britain and the United States as more&nbsp;voters have benefited from globalisation and most shun the country&#39;s extremist past.

Merkel&#39;s party remained the biggest parliamentary bloc and Europe&#39;s most powerful leader said her conservatives would set about building the next government. She said she was sure a coalition&nbsp;would be agreed by Christmas.

Martin Schulz, the leader of the Social Democrats that have governed with&nbsp;Merkel&nbsp;since 2013, said his party had no choice but to go into opposition&nbsp;after&nbsp;dropping to a post-war low of 20.5 percent.

&quot;We have understood our task -- to be a strong opposition in this country and to defend democracy against those who question it and attack it,&quot; Schulz told party members to applause.

Investors were unsettled by the prospect of a weaker&nbsp;Merkel&nbsp;at the head of a potentially unstable coalition&nbsp;with the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) and Greens, dubbed &quot;Jamaica&quot; as the parties&#39; black, yellow and green colours mirror its flag.

They are also worried that months of&nbsp;coalition&nbsp;talks could distract from negotiations with Britain over its divorce from the European Union and efforts to push further integration. The euro and European stocks slipped on Monday.

&quot;The weak result could make Angela&nbsp;Merkel&nbsp;a lame duck much faster than international observers and financial markets think,&quot; ING economist Carsten Brzeski said.

Klaus Wohlrabe, an economist at the Munich-based Ifo economic institute, said new elections could not be excluded and the result could stoke uncertainty as German business confidence deteriorated unexpectedly in the weeks before the election.

DIVISIONS

Many Germans were alarmed by the rise of a party likened by the foreign minister to Nazis. Protesters threw stones and bottles at police outside the AfD&#39;s campaign party in Berlin on Sunday evening.

But just a day&nbsp;after&nbsp;the election, the AfD showed signs of fracturing as co-leader Frauke Petry, one its most prominent faces, said she would not sit in parliament with AfD members. It was not immediately clear why she was making such a move.

The election also exposed divisions in&nbsp;Merkel&#39;s conservatives, with her allies the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) demanding a shift to the right to win back&nbsp;voters lost to the AfD.

The CSU, which lost heavily to the AfD in Bavaria, faces regional elections next year.

&quot;They will try their best to recover lost ground on the right side of the political spectrum. Going into a&nbsp;coalition&nbsp;in Berlin with the Greens and the FDP will make this more difficult,&quot; said Janis Emmanouilidis from the European Policy Centre.

CDU Saxony Anhalt premier Reiner Haseloff called for the party to do more to address&nbsp;voter fears over immigration policy, while other party members warned against shifting to the right.

Leading AfD candidate, Alexander Gauland, gave a foretaste of the hostile new tone expected in parliament, saying it would &quot;hound&quot;&nbsp;Merkel&nbsp;and &quot;get our country and our people back&quot;.

Industry leaders urged&nbsp;Merkel&nbsp;to move fast to build a government.

&quot;Our companies need clear signals. Now it&#39;s all about averting damage to Germany as a place of business,&quot; Dieter Kempf, president of the BDI industry association, said.

After&nbsp;the SPD ruled out another &quot;grand&nbsp;coalition&quot;,&nbsp;Merkel&#39;s only other choice is to pursue a three-way&nbsp;partnership between her conservatives, the FDP and the Greens.

Such an alliance could be fragile due to deep differences on issues from migrants to tax, the environment and Europe.

In particular, the prospect of&nbsp;Merkel&nbsp;sharing power with the FDP is likely to create problems for deeper integration of the eurozone as proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Damaged by her decision two years ago to allow one million migrants into Germany,?Merkel's conservative bloc secured 33 percent of the?vote, losing 8.5 points.

Germany's Angela Merkel began the tough task of trying to build a coalition government on Monday after securing a fourth term as chancellor in an election which saw her support slide and the far right making significant gains. Damaged by her decision two years ago to allow one million migrants into Germany, Merkel's conservative bloc secured 33 percent of the vote, losing 8.5 points, its lowest level since 1949. Her coalition partners, the centre-left Social Democrats, also slumped and said they would go into opposition. Voters flocked to the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD), the first far-right party to enter the German parliament in more than half a century. However, the AfD hardly had time to savour its third-place showing before it fell into internal bickering. Many Germans see the rise of the AfD as a similar rejection of the status quo as votes for Brexit and Donald Trump last year. But Germany's political centre held up better than in Britain and the United States as more voters have benefited from globalisation and most shun the country's extremist past. Merkel's party remained the biggest parliamentary bloc and Europe's most powerful leader said her conservatives would set about building the next government. She said she was sure a coalition would be agreed by Christmas. Martin Schulz, the leader of the Social Democrats that have governed with Merkel since 2013, said his party had no choice but to go into opposition after dropping to a post-war low of 20.5 percent. "We have understood our task -- to be a strong opposition in this country and to defend democracy against those who question it and attack it," Schulz told party members to applause. Investors were unsettled by the prospect of a weaker Merkel at the head of a potentially unstable coalition with the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) and Greens, dubbed "Jamaica" as the parties' black, yellow and green colours mirror its flag. They are also worried that months of coalition talks could distract from negotiations with Britain over its divorce from the European Union and efforts to push further integration. The euro and European stocks slipped on Monday. "The weak result could make Angela Merkel a lame duck much faster than international observers and financial markets think," ING economist Carsten Brzeski said. Klaus Wohlrabe, an economist at the Munich-based Ifo economic institute, said new elections could not be excluded and the result could stoke uncertainty as German business confidence deteriorated unexpectedly in the weeks before the election. DIVISIONS Many Germans were alarmed by the rise of a party likened by the foreign minister to Nazis. Protesters threw stones and bottles at police outside the AfD's campaign party in Berlin on Sunday evening. But just a day after the election, the AfD showed signs of fracturing as co-leader Frauke Petry, one its most prominent faces, said she would not sit in parliament with AfD members. It was not immediately clear why she was making such a move. The election also exposed divisions in Merkel's conservatives, with her allies the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) demanding a shift to the right to win back voters lost to the AfD. The CSU, which lost heavily to the AfD in Bavaria, faces regional elections next year. "They will try their best to recover lost ground on the right side of the political spectrum. Going into a coalition in Berlin with the Greens and the FDP will make this more difficult," said Janis Emmanouilidis from the European Policy Centre. CDU Saxony Anhalt premier Reiner Haseloff called for the party to do more to address voter fears over immigration policy, while other party members warned against shifting to the right. Leading AfD candidate, Alexander Gauland, gave a foretaste of the hostile new tone expected in parliament, saying it would "hound" Merkel and "get our country and our people back". Industry leaders urged Merkel to move fast to build a government. "Our companies need clear signals. Now it's all about averting damage to Germany as a place of business," Dieter Kempf, president of the BDI industry association, said. After the SPD ruled out another "grand coalition", Merkel's only other choice is to pursue a three-way partnership between her conservatives, the FDP and the Greens. Such an alliance could be fragile due to deep differences on issues from migrants to tax, the environment and Europe. In particular, the prospect of Merkel sharing power with the FDP is likely to create problems for deeper integration of the eurozone as proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Merkel looks for coalition partners after vote

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

Angolans headed to the polls on Wednesday in a parliamentary election expected to usher in the ruling party&#39;s defence minister as the first new leader of Africa&#39;s second-biggest oil producer for 38 years.

Joao Lourenco, who has pledged to boost growth and fight corruption, would inherit an economy mired in recession as gaping inequality, soaring inflation and high unemployment squeeze poor Angolans who have benefited little from a decades-long oil boom.

The People&#39;s Movement for the Liberation of&nbsp;Angola&nbsp;(MPLA) is expected to remain in power but with a reduced majority. Its support has waned due to widespread political cronyism, though many Angolans remain loyal to the party that emerged victorious from 27 years of civil war in 2002.

&quot;I&#39;ve been following the party (MPLA) all my life. I grew up with it,&quot; 33-year-old bakery owner Telma Francisco told Reuters outside a polling station in the capital.

&quot;The other parties don&#39;t have the capacity to govern.&quot;

Voters like Francisco waited in orderly queues on a cloudy morning in the capital Luanda when polling stations opened at 7 a.m. (0600 GMT) as police and military manned street corners.

Questions have been raised as to how much power Lourenco will have if he wins, given veteran leader Jose Eduardo dos Santos, 74, will continue as head of the MPLA and have potentially a sweeping say over decision-making.

His daughter, Isabel, heads national oil producer Sonangol and his son Jos&eacute; Filomeno is in charge of the state investment fund.

Lourenco on Tuesday dismissed suggestions he would be a puppet president, saying he would focus on leading an &quot;economic miracle&quot;, possibly with the help of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, and prosecute corrupt politicians.

Dos Santos, Africa&#39;s longest-ruling president behind Equatorial Guinea&#39;s Teodoro Obiang Nguema, will step down after guiding the OPEC-member from Marxism to capitalism while embracing Chinese oil-for-infrastructure investment.

The MPLA&#39;s main opponent will be its former civil war foe, the National Union for the Total Independence of&nbsp;Angola&nbsp;(UNITA), while young voters have been lured by CASA-CE, which was formed in 2012 on a promise to disrupt 50 years of two-party politics.

More than two-thirds of&nbsp;Angolans are below 25 so many people will be voting for the first time.

&quot;We&#39;re voting for change,&quot; said 19-year old Joao Costa, who like most people who oppose the authoritative MPLA declined to say who he voted for.

Others were sticking by the ruling party.

&quot;The opposition is a joke,&quot; said out-of-work decorator Francisco, 32, declining to give his surname. &quot;The MPLA is the only party that can change things and with a new candidate for president I think he can do a better job&quot;

An unofficial result is expected by Friday. But there may be no formal announcement for two weeks as ballot boxes wend their way along pot-holed roads and dirt tracks in a country of 28 million spread across an area twice the size of France.

There are concerns about how fair the vote will be after the government cracked down on recently planned public demonstrations. UNITA has said it will lead protests if it believes the MPLA has manipulated results.

The former Portuguese colony has been largely peaceful since the end of a Cold War-era conflict between the MPLA, backed by the Soviet Union, and UNITA, supported by the United States and South Africa.

The People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) is expected to remain in power but with a reduced majority

Angolans headed to the polls on Wednesday in a parliamentary election expected to usher in the ruling party's defence minister as the first new leader of Africa's second-biggest oil producer for 38 years. Joao Lourenco, who has pledged to boost growth and fight corruption, would inherit an economy mired in recession as gaping inequality, soaring inflation and high unemployment squeeze poor Angolans who have benefited little from a decades-long oil boom. The People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) is expected to remain in power but with a reduced majority. Its support has waned due to widespread political cronyism, though many Angolans remain loyal to the party that emerged victorious from 27 years of civil war in 2002. "I've been following the party (MPLA) all my life. I grew up with it," 33-year-old bakery owner Telma Francisco told Reuters outside a polling station in the capital. "The other parties don't have the capacity to govern." Voters like Francisco waited in orderly queues on a cloudy morning in the capital Luanda when polling stations opened at 7 a.m. (0600 GMT) as police and military manned street corners. Questions have been raised as to how much power Lourenco will have if he wins, given veteran leader Jose Eduardo dos Santos, 74, will continue as head of the MPLA and have potentially a sweeping say over decision-making. His daughter, Isabel, heads national oil producer Sonangol and his son José Filomeno is in charge of the state investment fund. Lourenco on Tuesday dismissed suggestions he would be a puppet president, saying he would focus on leading an "economic miracle", possibly with the help of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, and prosecute corrupt politicians. Dos Santos, Africa's longest-ruling president behind Equatorial Guinea's Teodoro Obiang Nguema, will step down after guiding the OPEC-member from Marxism to capitalism while embracing Chinese oil-for-infrastructure investment. The MPLA's main opponent will be its former civil war foe, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), while young voters have been lured by CASA-CE, which was formed in 2012 on a promise to disrupt 50 years of two-party politics. More than two-thirds of Angolans are below 25 so many people will be voting for the first time. "We're voting for change," said 19-year old Joao Costa, who like most people who oppose the authoritative MPLA declined to say who he voted for. Others were sticking by the ruling party. "The opposition is a joke," said out-of-work decorator Francisco, 32, declining to give his surname. "The MPLA is the only party that can change things and with a new candidate for president I think he can do a better job" An unofficial result is expected by Friday. But there may be no formal announcement for two weeks as ballot boxes wend their way along pot-holed roads and dirt tracks in a country of 28 million spread across an area twice the size of France. There are concerns about how fair the vote will be after the government cracked down on recently planned public demonstrations. UNITA has said it will lead protests if it believes the MPLA has manipulated results. The former Portuguese colony has been largely peaceful since the end of a Cold War-era conflict between the MPLA, backed by the Soviet Union, and UNITA, supported by the United States and South Africa.

Angola votes for first new leader

The Supreme Court said on Monday that no politician may seek votes in the name of caste, creed, or religion.

&quot;Any appeal for votes on ground of religion amounts to corrupt practices under electoral laws,&quot; it said.

The court was hearing an application filed by social activist Teesta Setalvad asking it to reconsider its 1995 judgement in which the court said Hindutva is &quot;a way of life and not a religion&quot;.&nbsp;

In her application, Setalvad had said religion and politics should not be mixed and asked that the court pass a directive saying so. &nbsp;

The seven-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur, said the court would not get into the larger debate of what Hindutva is or what its meaning is -- the dictionary defines it &quot;as an ideology seeking to establish the hegemony of Hindus and the Hindu way of life&quot; -- and nor would it reconsider the 1995 judgement.

The court instead took up a separate plea filed in 1990 asking whether the seeking of votes in the name of religion amounts to a corrupt practice, under the Representation of the People Act, and warrants disqualification.

The court also said elections were a secular exercise.&nbsp;

&quot;Election is a secular exercise and thereby its way and its process should be followed also. Function of an elected representative should be secular,&quot; it said.&nbsp;

The court added that &quot;relationship between man and God is an individual choice and state is forbidden to such an activity,&quot;

It may be recalled that the Bombay high court had set aside the election of Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi in the mid-1990s. The matter was then moved to the Supreme Court which overturned the high court order in 1995 saying Hindutva is a way of life.

Since then the issue has been raised numerous times in the top court including in 2002 when the court referred the matter to a seven-judge bench for clarity.

(With inputs from DNA and ANI)

'Any appeal for votes on ground of religion amounts to corrupt practices under electoral laws,' the court said

The Supreme Court said on Monday that no politician may seek votes in the name of caste, creed, or religion. "Any appeal for votes on ground of religion amounts to corrupt practices under electoral laws," it said. The court was hearing an application filed by social activist Teesta Setalvad asking it to reconsider its 1995 judgement in which the court said Hindutva is "a way of life and not a religion". In her application, Setalvad had said religion and politics should not be mixed and asked that the court pass a directive saying so. The seven-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur, said the court would not get into the larger debate of what Hindutva is or what its meaning is -- the dictionary defines it "as an ideology seeking to establish the hegemony of Hindus and the Hindu way of life" -- and nor would it reconsider the 1995 judgement. The court instead took up a separate plea filed in 1990 asking whether the seeking of votes in the name of religion amounts to a corrupt practice, under the Representation of the People Act, and warrants disqualification. The court also said elections were a secular exercise. "Election is a secular exercise and thereby its way and its process should be followed also. Function of an elected representative should be secular," it said. The court added that "relationship between man and God is an individual choice and state is forbidden to such an activity," It may be recalled that the Bombay high court had set aside the election of Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi in the mid-1990s. The matter was then moved to the Supreme Court which overturned the high court order in 1995 saying Hindutva is a way of life. Since then the issue has been raised numerous times in the top court including in 2002 when the court referred the matter to a seven-judge bench for clarity. (With inputs from DNA and ANI)

India: No politician can seek votes in the name of caste, creed or religion, says Supreme Court

Brazil&#39;s suspended president Dilma Rousseff could still wriggle out of a looming impeachment vote, her ally and predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said today. 
 
Lula, Brazil&#39;s most prominent leftist leader, told Radio Jornal that Rousseff&#39;s case is not hopeless, despite months of mounting pressure on her to be removed from office. 
 
Previous votes in the lower and upper houses easily passed the simple majorities needed to send her to trial for allegedly breaking budgetary laws - a case she claims is a coup d&#39;etat. 
 
However, when the Senate votes again in a final session on August 25-27, it must reach a two-thirds majority and the result is expected to be far closer. 
 
&quot;To defeat the impeachment is easier than before,&quot; said Lula, who was president from 2003-2010 and founded the Workers&#39; Party, which has been in power for 13 years. 
 
Lula said Rousseff, 68, needs to secure support from a handful of extra senators to swing the vote. &quot;Dilma depends on only six votes,&quot; he told the radio station from northeastern Pernambuco state. 
 
The Senate must vote by 54 votes out of 81 for the impeachment to pass. In that case, Rousseff foe Michel Temer, who is currently serving as interim president, would stay as president until the next scheduled elections in 2018. 
 
If the vote fails, Rousseff would return to office. However, she is seen as badly weakened, with rock bottom popularity in a country that blames her for a deep recession, massive corruption and months of political instability. 
 
Temer and Rousseff are both invited to the opening ceremony of the Olympics, which start in Rio on August 5. 
 
(AFP)

The Senate must pass 54 votes out of 81 for Dilma Rousseff's impeachment to pass. If the vote fails, she could return to office

Brazil's suspended president Dilma Rousseff could still wriggle out of a looming impeachment vote, her ally and predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said today. Lula, Brazil's most prominent leftist leader, told Radio Jornal that Rousseff's case is not hopeless, despite months of mounting pressure on her to be removed from office. Previous votes in the lower and upper houses easily passed the simple majorities needed to send her to trial for allegedly breaking budgetary laws - a case she claims is a coup d'etat. However, when the Senate votes again in a final session on August 25-27, it must reach a two-thirds majority and the result is expected to be far closer. "To defeat the impeachment is easier than before," said Lula, who was president from 2003-2010 and founded the Workers' Party, which has been in power for 13 years. Lula said Rousseff, 68, needs to secure support from a handful of extra senators to swing the vote. "Dilma depends on only six votes," he told the radio station from northeastern Pernambuco state. The Senate must vote by 54 votes out of 81 for the impeachment to pass. In that case, Rousseff foe Michel Temer, who is currently serving as interim president, would stay as president until the next scheduled elections in 2018. If the vote fails, Rousseff would return to office. However, she is seen as badly weakened, with rock bottom popularity in a country that blames her for a deep recession, massive corruption and months of political instability. Temer and Rousseff are both invited to the opening ceremony of the Olympics, which start in Rio on August 5. (AFP)

Brazil's suspended president tries to slip impeachment

Britain&#39;s European Commissioner Jonathan Hill announced Saturday that he will stand down following his country&#39;s decision to leave the EU, saying he was &quot;very disappointed&#39; but &quot;what is done cannot be undone.&quot;

&quot;As we move to a new phase, I don&#39;t believe it is right that I should carry on as the British Commissioner as though nothing had happened,&quot; said a statement by Hill, who is commissioner for financial services.

&quot;At the same time, there needs to be an orderly handover, so I have said that I will work with him to make sure that happens in the weeks ahead.&quot;

Hill, 55, a professional lobbyist and former Conservative party leader in Britain&#39;s upper house of parliament, follows his close ally Prime Minister David Cameron in stepping down in the wake of the referendum on Thursday.

He had already faced calls in the European Parliament to give up the sensitive financial services portfolio, which will be a focus of interest in exit negotiations between Brussels and London. He has had a key role in setting regulations that give Britain&#39;s huge banking sector access to euro zone markets.

As long as Britain remains an EU member it will continue to have a seat on the 28-strong Commission, giving Cameron, or more likely his successor, a right to nominate another commissioner, whose appointment would be subject to EU parliamentary approval.

The distribution of portfolios in the Commission is in the gift of its president, former Luxembourg premier Juncker, in negotiation with the leader of the member state nominating their commissioner.

Hill&#39;s appointment to the finance job in 2014 was seen as a peace offering from Juncker to Cameron, who had tried to block the Commission president&#39;s own appointment that year. It was viewed with some suspicion by euro zone bankers keen to challenge London&#39;s dominance as Europe&#39;s financial capital.

 
(With inputs from AFP and Reuters)

Move comes the day after UK votes to leave Europe

Britain's European Commissioner Jonathan Hill announced Saturday that he will stand down following his country's decision to leave the EU, saying he was "very disappointed' but "what is done cannot be undone." "As we move to a new phase, I don't believe it is right that I should carry on as the British Commissioner as though nothing had happened," said a statement by Hill, who is commissioner for financial services. "At the same time, there needs to be an orderly handover, so I have said that I will work with him to make sure that happens in the weeks ahead." Hill, 55, a professional lobbyist and former Conservative party leader in Britain's upper house of parliament, follows his close ally Prime Minister David Cameron in stepping down in the wake of the referendum on Thursday. He had already faced calls in the European Parliament to give up the sensitive financial services portfolio, which will be a focus of interest in exit negotiations between Brussels and London. He has had a key role in setting regulations that give Britain's huge banking sector access to euro zone markets. As long as Britain remains an EU member it will continue to have a seat on the 28-strong Commission, giving Cameron, or more likely his successor, a right to nominate another commissioner, whose appointment would be subject to EU parliamentary approval. The distribution of portfolios in the Commission is in the gift of its president, former Luxembourg premier Juncker, in negotiation with the leader of the member state nominating their commissioner. Hill's appointment to the finance job in 2014 was seen as a peace offering from Juncker to Cameron, who had tried to block the Commission president's own appointment that year. It was viewed with some suspicion by euro zone bankers keen to challenge London's dominance as Europe's financial capital. (With inputs from AFP and Reuters)

Britain's European Commissioner to step down

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