India votes in gigantic election as Modi seeks historic third term
India votes on April 19 in the world’s largest election as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a historic third term in office on the back of growth, welfare, his personal popularity and Hindu nationalism.
The vote pits Mr Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against an alliance of two dozen opposition parties which is challenging him with promises of increased affirmative action, more handouts and what they say is the need to save democratic institutions from Mr Modi’s dictatorial rule.
The gigantic exercise involving almost one billion voters will be spread over seven days across the world’s most populous country in the peak of the summer heat. It ends on June 1 and votes will be counted on June 4.
US to oppose Palestinian bid for full UN membership
The United States will on April 18 vote against a Palestinian request for full United Nations membership, a US official told Reuters, blocking the world body from effectively recognising a Palestinian state.
“It remains the US view that the most expeditious path toward statehood for the Palestinian people is through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority with the support of the United States and other partners,” the US official said.
The 15-member council is scheduled to vote on a draft resolution that recommends to the 193-member UN General Assembly that “the State of Palestine be admitted to membership of the United Nations.”
Poland arrests man over suspected plan to kill Zelensky
A man suspected of aiding a plot by Russian intelligence services to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been arrested in Poland, Polish and Ukrainian prosecutors said April 18.
The Polish national, named only as Pawel K., is suspected of supplying information to Russian military intelligence and “helping the Russian special forces to plan a possible assassination attempt” against Mr Zelensky, said a statement from Polish prosecutors.
It said the suspect had stated he was “ready to act on behalf of the military intelligence services of the Russian Federation and established contact with Russian citizens directly involved in the war in Ukraine”.
Myanmar’s Suu Kyi being used as ‘human shield’, son fears
Myanmar’s detained former leader and Aung San Suu Kyi was moved from prison to house arrest possibly to be used by the Southeast Asian nation’s ruling junta as a human shield in its conflict with resistance fighters, her son said on April 18.
Suu Kyi has been detained by the Myanmar military since it overthrew her government in a 2021 coup. The 78-year-old Nobel laureate was held under house arrest for a total of 15 years under a previous junta.
A spokesperson for the junta said this week that Suu Kyi had been moved to house arrest as a step to protect her and other elderly prisoners from the hot weather. It was not clear where exactly she had been moved to.
Liverpool eliminated as Atalanta book Europa League semi-final place
Atalanta progressed to the Europa League semi-finals despite losing 1-0 to Liverpool on April 18 as they triumphed 3-1 on aggregate to move one step closer to a first ever European final for the Serie A side.
Atalanta had stunned the Premier League club 3-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final last week at Anfield, levelling another huge blow to Liverpool’s dreams of a fairytale ending in manager Juergen Klopp’s final season.
Liverpool got off to a quick start in Italy as talisman Mohammed Salah scored from the penalty spot in the seventh minute, fuelling hope that a remarkable comeback was in the making.
