ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s independent human rights commission said Monday there is little chance of free and fair parliamentary elections in the country next month because of “pre-poll rigging.” It also expressed concern about authorities rejecting the candidacies of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and most other members of his party. At a news conference in … Read more
KINSHASA, Congo — Congo entered a second day of voting Thursday after a chaotic rollout and lengthy delays forced officials to extend the balloting in the country’s general election, drawing criticism from some opposition candidates as concerns mount that the logistical hurdles could affect the credibility of the results. At stake is the future of … Read more
LONDON — Church of England priests offered officially sanctioned blessings of same-sex partnerships for the first time on Sunday, though a ban on church weddings for gay couples remains in place amid deep divisions within global Anglicanism over marriage and sexuality. In one of the first ceremonies, the Rev. Catherine Bond and the Rev. Jane … Read more
HONG KONG — Voter turnout plunged below 30% in Hong Kong’s first district council elections since new rules introduced under Beijing’s guidance effectively shut out all pro-democracy candidates, setting a record low since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. According to official data on Monday, 27.5% of the city’s 4.3 million … Read more
HONG KONG — Residents went to the polls on Sunday in Hong Kong’s first district council elections since an electoral overhaul was implemented under Beijing’s guidance of “patriots” administering the city, effectively shutting out all pro-democracy candidates. Turnout is expected to be much lower than in the last elections, held at the height of the … Read more
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — There’s one thing that’s certain for Dutch voters casting ballots Wednesday in a general election: Mark Rutte, the Netherlands’ longest-serving prime minister, is on the way out. All the rest is up in the air in a knife-edge vote. Rutte’s replacement after 13 years in office could be the country’s first … Read more
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Batman and the Joker, a man decked out in a full-body lion costume, and another whose head and arms have been replaced by chainsaws. This isn’t Carnival or Comic-Con, but rather the outlandish campaign rally for Argentine presidential candidate Javier Milei. In just a few short years, the right-wing populist Milei … Read more
NEW DELHI — Two Indian states began voting in local elections on Tuesday in a test of strength for India’s opposition, which is pitted against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party ahead of a crucial national vote scheduled for next year. The elections in central Chhattisgarh and northeastern Mizoram states, along with polls in three … Read more
SANTIAGO, Chile — Chile’s President Gabriel Boric faces a deeply polarized country, rising crime and a divisive upcoming vote on a new constitution. But his life is like a dream while attending the Pan American Games in his country’s capital. Boric drew loud applause at the National Stadium on Oct. 20 when he opened the … Read more
LONDON — U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak marked a year in office on Wednesday with little to celebrate as wars on the international stage make a grim backdrop to his domestic challenges. On top of that, another year seems to be haunting his Conservative Party: 1996. Then — as now — the party had been … Read more