Today, Somaliland took a significant step in its democratic journey, holding simultaneous presidential and political party…

The post Somaliland Elections Officially Begin Amid High Turnout and Minor Delays appeared first on Horseed Media.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates — Iran has made plans to sustain its oil production and exports and is ready for possible oil restrictions from a Trump administration in the U.S., Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said on Wednesday, according to the oil ministry's news website Shana.  In 2018, then-U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from a 2015 nuclear pact with Iran and re-imposed sanctions that hurt Iran's oil sector, with production dropping to 2.1 million barrels per day, or bpd, during his presidency.  "Required measures have been taken. I will not go into detail but our colleagues within the oil sector have taken measures to deal with the restrictions that will occur and there is no reason to be concerned," Paknejad said.  In recent years, Iranian oil production has rebounded to around 3.2 million barrels per day according to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, of which Iran is a member.  Iranian oil exports have climbed this year to near multi-year highs of 1.7 million bpd despite U.S. sanctions.   Chinese refiners buy most of its supply. Beijing says it doesn't recognize unilateral U.S. sanctions.  

mexico city — Legislators from Mexico's ruling party reelected the head of the National Human Rights Commission on Wednesday despite widespread opposition and her failure to call out the government for abuses.  The reelection of Rosario Piedra Ibarra in a party-line Senate vote appeared to be another example of the ruling Morena party's attempts to weaken independent oversight bodies. Morena has proposed eliminating a host of other oversight, transparency and freedom-of-information agencies, claiming they cost too much to run.  Mexico's civic and nonprofit rights groups have been almost unanimous in their criticism of Piedra's reelection.  "This is an undeserved prize for a career marked by inaction, the loss of independence and the weakening of the institution," the Miguel Agustin Pro Juarez human rights center wrote on social media.  Piedra is a committed supporter of former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who left office on September 30. She once affirmed that none of the deaths caused by the armed forces under his administration were illegal or unjustified, and she shared the former president's delight in attacking and criticizing other independent human rights groups.  Commission issues few recommendations Since her first election in 2019, Piedra has done little to investigate allegations of massacres or extrajudicial killings by soldiers and members of the militarized National Guard, to whom Lopez Obrador gave sweeping powers.  Despite receiving over 1,800 citizen complaints against the armed forces between 2020 and 2023, her commission issued only 39 recommendations, and most of the few military cases her commission did follow up on involved abuses committed under previous administrations.  The rights commission has the power to make non-binding recommendations to government agencies. If they do not agree to follow the recommendations, they are at least required by law to explain why.  Piedra has almost exclusively focused the commission's work on issuing recommendations in cases where people have not received proper health care at government-run hospitals. Those recommendations accomplish little, because they don't address the underlying problem of underfunded, poorly equipped hospitals forced to handle too many patients.  At times Piedra acted as if human rights violations no longer existed under Lopez Obrador. In 2019, she expressed disbelief when asked about the killing of journalists, despite the fact that almost a dozen were killed in Lopez Obrador's first year in office.  "Are they killing journalists?" she said with an expression of disbelief.  'Her actions appear to support impunity ' Piedra comes from a well-known activist family: Her mother founded one of Mexico's first groups to demand answers for families whose relatives had been abducted and disappeared by the government in the 1960s and '70s. But even her mother's group, the Eureka Committee, did not support Piedra's reelection.  "Her actions appear to support impunity for the perpetrators of governmental terrorism, and the government's line of obedience and forgetting" rights abuses, the committee wrote in a statement.  Piedra broke with two important traditions: she was a member of the ruling party up until she was elected to her first term in 2019. The job has usually gone to nonpartisan human rights experts.  And she has openly endorsed and supported government policies and actions. Previous heads of the commission had a more critical relationship with the government.  Piedra also failed to make the final cut for candidates for the post this year in a congressional examination of their qualifications, but was put on the ballot anyway.  That's important because similar evaluation committees will decide who gets on the ballot in judicial reforms that make federal judges stand for election next year. Activists worry that the same kind of favoritism will come into play in the election of judges.  "This decision comes after a selection process in which she (Piedra) wasn't found to be the most qualified," a coalition of rights groups said in a statement. "That reveals the political, partisan considerations that put her onto the ballot."  She also apparently falsified a letter of recommendation; a bishop and human rights activist said a letter she presented to support her reelection had not been signed by him.  Piedra will serve under new President Claudia Sheinbaum, another devoted follower of Lopez Obrador, who took office October 1. On Sheinbaum's first day in office, the army killed six migrants near the Guatemalan border; 10 days later, soldiers and National Guard killed three bystanders in the northern border city of Nuevo Laredo while chasing suspects.  Sheinbaum's third week in office was capped by the killing of a crusading Catholic priest who had been threatened by gangs, and a lopsided encounter in northern Sinaloa state in which soldiers killed 19 drug cartel suspects, but suffered not a scratch themselves. That awakened memories of past human rights abuses, like a 2014 incident in which soldiers killed about a dozen cartel suspects after they had surrendered.  The purportedly leftist government has been quick to criticize human rights groups and activists who expose abuses.  In June, an outspoken volunteer advocate for missing people found an apparent body dumping ground with human remains in Mexico City, embarrassing ruling party officials who had done little to look for such clandestine grave sites. City prosecutors lashed out at her, claiming "the chain of custody" of the evidence had been manipulated, which could lead to charges. 

washington — A hack of U.S. telecommunications systems linked to China that initially appeared to focus on the American presidential campaigns goes much deeper, according to investigators, and is likely part of a vast effort by Beijing to spy on the United States. The FBI and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency warned on Wednesday that the breach first detected late last month has now “revealed a broad and significant cyber espionage campaign.” The two agencies said in a statement that their investigation has confirmed Chinese-linked hackers compromised the networks of multiple U.S. telecommunication companies, gaining access to a potential treasure trove of information. Specifically, they said the hackers would have been able to access customer call records and infiltrate the private communications of a select number of government officials and politicians. Additionally, the hackers appear to have been able to copy information requested by U.S. law enforcement as a result of court orders. “We expect our understanding of these compromises to grow as the investigation continues,” the FBI and CISA said. “We encourage any organization that believes it might be a victim to engage its local FBI field office or CISA,” they added. The two agencies first announced they were investigating a breach of U.S. telecommunications systems in late October, less than two weeks before U.S. voters cast their ballots in nationwide elections. Word of the breach followed a report by The New York Times that Chinese hackers were thought to have broken into telecommunications networks to target the campaign of President-elect Donald Trump — including phones used by Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance. The Trump campaign confirmed the breach in a statement to VOA. Separately, a person familiar with the investigation told VOA that people affiliated with the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris were also targeted. The Chinese Embassy in Washington at the time dismissed the U.S. hacking allegations as disinformation, calling the U.S. "the origin and the biggest perpetrator of cyberattacks." The embassy has yet to respond to the latest FBI and CISA allegations. U.S. intelligence agencies warned for months that foreign adversaries were using a combination of cyberattacks and influence operations to meddle with the November 5 U.S. presidential election. In addition, reports issued by private cybersecurity firms indicated a significant uptick in activity by actors linked to Russia, China and Iran. All three nations have repeatedly denied accusations of election meddling. U.S. agencies, led by CISA and the FBI, have long warned that China-linked hackers have burrowed into U.S. computer systems and networks, in some cases hiding for years. The China-linked group, known as Volt Typhoon, has been "positioning itself to launch destructive cyberattacks that would jeopardize the physical safety of Americans," according to an advisory issued in February. "What we've found to date is likely the tip of the iceberg," CISA Director Jen Easterly said in a statement at the time.

NEW YORK — Federal law enforcement agents raided the downtown New York home of Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan on Wednesday, seizing his phone and electronics, the company confirmed. The early morning raid of Coplan's SoHo apartment followed last week's presidential election, in which bettors on Polymarket, an offshore, crypto-fueled election gambling website, had for weeks put Donald Trump's odds drastically higher than those of Vice President Kamala Harris, in sharp divergence from opinion polls. Coplan, Polymarket's 26-year-old founder, was roused from his bed at 6 a.m. by FBI agents demanding he give them his electronic devices. The DOJ is investigating Polymarket for allegedly allowing U.S.-based users to bet on the site, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday evening. Polymarket declined to comment on those allegations, but a spokesperson said the FBI raid was "obvious political retribution by the outgoing administration against Polymarket for providing a market that correctly called the 2024 presidential election." The company told Reuters that Coplan had not been arrested or taken into custody. The FBI declined to comment. The Department of Justice and the White House did not respond to requests for comment on the raid. In the run-up to the presidential election, the site gained widespread attention for the way it placed Trump's odds high above those of Harris, when opinion polls had for months shown the race in a dead heat. Polymarket, which does not allow trading in the U.S., also gained scrutiny after a mystery French trader, known as the Polymarket whale, made large bets on Trump winning the election. The trader's huge wagers came in tandem with a dramatic rise in Trump's chances on the exchanges. He walked away with more than $46 million in profit. Last week, France's gambling regulator said it was examining whether Polymarket complies with French laws.

Juba, South Sudan — The United Nations Mission in South Sudan has called for tangible evidence of progress toward democratic elections the country. Briefing the United Nations Security Council this week, special representative of the secretary-general and head of UNMISS, Nicholas Haysom, told government leaders “the clock on the extension is already ticking.” Since winning its independence in 2011, South Sudan is just beginning its fourth extension of the transitional period government, with elections now rescheduled for 2026. Speaking for Haysom, U.N. South Sudan acting spokesperson Rabindra Giri said, “The international community needs tangible evidence that this country’s leaders and political elite are genuinely committed to a democratic future.” As the country struggles with increasing internal conflict, the delay in democratic reform affects the hopes for peace, stability and development, even beyond South Sudan's borders, impacting the entire East African region. UNMISS officials stressed that time is running out for political leaders to fulfill their obligations under the peace agreement. “We must collectively seize the opportunity to make this extension the last and deliver the peace and democracy that the people of South Sudan deserve,” Giri said. On the streets of Juba, South Sudanese citizens were eager to talk about how the delays in implementing the peace agreement raise doubts about whether their leaders genuinely care about the nation’s well-being and are impacting their hopes for peace, stability and development.    Nunu Diana, a women’s rights advocate in South Sudan, is one of them. “I think because of the extension, personally, as a young person, I have lost morale in the governance system of the country,” Diana said. Data Gordon, an advocate for peace and gender equality, is another. “The time for political statements without tangible and time-bound action is over," Gorton said. "For elections to take place as scheduled, the government needs to walk the talk.” UNMISS said it is moving ahead with support to the National Elections Commission, while Haysom highlighted civic education, preparing for voter registration, a code of conduct between political parties, civil society, media and election security among the areas that the parties could immediately address. Haysom said time is a nonrenewable resource. He said this is South Sudan’s last chance to deliver on its promise of democracy, and there is a need for sustained international support while holding South Sudan's leaders accountable to their own commitments. “This cannot be business as usual for the parties to the peace agreement, the political elite, the guarantors of the peace agreement or the international community," Giri said. "We must collectively seize the opportunity to make this extension the last and deliver the peace and democracy that the people of South Sudan deserve.”

washington — Polls have closed across Somaliland after presidential elections, and it appears Wednesday's voting across the breakaway region has gone smoothly.  The Somaliland National Electoral Commission (NEC) said polls closed across the region at 6 p.m. local time.  More than 1 million people were registered to vote across some 2,000 polling stations in Somalia's breakaway region.  In the evening, vote counting was underway, according to the electoral agency.  "It will start from polling centers level, then passes to district, and the regional before we announce the result," said NEC Chairman Muse Hassan Yusuf.  "We have successfully solved minor technical issues reported in some polling stations," he said. He said the NEC would announce the result of the election by November 21.  General Mohamed Adan Saqadhi, head of Somaliland Police Force, said throughout Somaliland the election was peaceful.  "Thanks to Allah, the election took place democratically and peacefully. No incident was reported," said Saqadhi.  Candidates promise to grow economy Three candidates, including incumbent President Muse Bihi Abdi, were on the ballot in Wednesday's poll. In interviews with VOA Somali, each of the three candidates promised to strengthen democracy, boost economic growth, and gain the international recognition Somaliland has sought for 33 years.  Abdi, of the ruling Peace, Unity and Development Party, also known simply as Kulmiye, was seeking a second term.  He ran against Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as "Irro," of the Waddani party and Faisal Ali Warabe of the Justice and Development Party, or UCID.  This is the fourth presidential election since the region on the northwestern tip of Somalia broke away from the rest of the country, following the collapse of the Siad Barre regime in 1991.  The territory declared independence that year but has never achieved international recognition.  Despite that, Somaliland has a functioning government and institutions, a political system that has allowed democratic transfers of power between rival parties, its own currency, passport and armed forces.  Voters cast ballots amid tension Wednesday's vote comes at a time when tensions remain high between Somalia and Ethiopia over a controversial memorandum of understanding that Ethiopia signed with Somaliland.  The deal would grant Ethiopia a 50-year lease of access to 20 kilometers of the Gulf of Aden coastline in exchange for the potential recognition of Somaliland's independence, which Somalia views as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.  The deal, signed on January 1 in Addis Ababa by Abdi and Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, sparked anger in Mogadishu, which considers Somaliland part of its national territory.   In April, Somalia expelled Ethiopian Ambassador Muktar Mohamed Ware, alleging "internal interference" by Ethiopia. Somalia also ordered the closure of Ethiopia's consulates in Somaliland and Puntland, although both consulates remained open.  Last month, Somalia expelled Mogadishu-based Ethiopian diplomat Ali Mohamed Adan, who was a counselor at Ethiopia's embassy in Mogadishu.  In July and August, two rounds of talks between Ethiopia and Somalia, mediated by Turkey, failed to solve the dispute, with Somalia demanding Ethiopia withdraw from the deal and Ethiopia insisting that it does not infringe on Somalia's sovereignty.  On Saturday, Somali Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur repeated the Somali government position against Ethiopian troop involvement in a new African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia due to start in January.  "I can say that Ethiopia is the only government we know of so far that will not participate in the new AU mission because it has violated our sovereignty and national unity," Nur said Saturday in a government-run television interview. 

Meanwhile, the losing Democrats have turned the rifles on each other, seeking blame, but ignoring the larger reasons and implications of their decisive defeat.

[Addis Standard] Addis Abeba -- As Somaliland reached a pivotal moment in its democratic journey, citizens are casting their votes today in an election anticipated not only for its outcome but for what it symbolizes. For a self-declared republic, albeit unrecognized internationally, Somaliland has managed to forge a unique and commendable path, consistently holding peaceful elections in a region often defined by turmoil. In today's election, Somalilanders showed their readiness to signal their desire for change, with Wadani, the

[VOA] Juba, South Sudan -- The United Nations Mission in South Sudan has called for tangible evidence of progress toward democratic elections the country.

[VOA] Yaounde, Cameroon -- An estimated 8 million voters in Chad go to the polls Dec. 29 in legislative, local and district elections. Female leaders and activists, however, say women candidates are being underrepresented.

[VOA] Washington -- Polls have closed across Somaliland after presidential elections, and it appears Wednesday's voting across the breakaway region has gone smoothly.

Lili Reinhart reflects on 'shameful' journey of being a starLili Reinhart, who rose to immense fame after her iconic character as Betty Cooper in mystery drama, has spilled the beans on her personal struggles of her career. The 28-year-old star recently revealed that she has been facing...

QUETTA: The Balochistan government, in light of the prevailing security situation, has requested the federal government to deploy the army and Frontier Corps (FC) for the upcoming by-election in Sibi, as well as to suspend mobile services in Sibi and Kachhi on Nov 17.

In a letter to the federal Ministry of Interior, the Balochistan Home Department said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has called for foolproof security measures for the by-election in the Sibi-Lehri constituency.

As a result, the provincial government has formally requested the deployment of military and FC personnel to ensure the safety and security of the electoral process.

The Balochistan government aims to ensure a peaceful and transparent election in Sibi, as well as in areas where the election tribunal has ordered re-polling at disputed polling stations in Quetta and Mangochar.

Seeks suspension of mobile services on Nov 17

Additionally, the Home Department has requested the suspension of mobile phone and internet services in Sibi and Kachhi on Nov 17, the polling day for PB-8 Sibi, to prevent any security threats or disruptions during the election.

Re-polling in Kalat

Meanwhile, the ECP has announced that re-polling will be held in seven polling stations of the PB-36 Kalat constituency on December 1 this year.

The polling was postponed due to security concerns. The re-polling was ordered by the Balochistan High Court’s election tribunal on a petition filed by JUI-F candidate Sardarzada Mir Saeed Lango, who challenged the victory of BAP’s Mir Ziaullah Lango in the constituency.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

For $5,000, the Lightfoot scooter promises to charge up to a max of 20 additional miles a day, if you dare park it outside.

Black and Hispanic voters defect from Democrats, who have long relied on identity-politics appeals.

Voters want it, and with good reason.

House Republicans are holding elections to choose their round of leaders for the 119th Congress.

Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz's selection by President-elect Trump for attorney general led to immediate pushback from some Republicans, who forecast a bleak outlook for a confirmation.

Republican Rep. Ken Calvert won re-election to the U.S. House in California's 41st Congressional District.

Smith: Media and telecoms to benefit from a weaker dollar

'Hopeful that we will kind of hold our nose and get through it'

Legendary NBA head coach George Karl wrote his opinion about the state of the league on social media on Monday and used the general election as an example.

Retired banker, M Purushothaman has an extensive collection of vinyls and amplifiers, all in perfect working condition

The experience provides a three-hour adventure where guests can explore the Colosseum after hours, beginning with a ceremonial welcome before delving into the ancient structure’s underground chambers

1. 'Singham Again' box office collection day 13: The Ajay Devgn starrer makes Rs 3.15 crore on second wednes  TOI Etimes
2. 'Singham Again' becomes Ajay Devgn’s biggest hit in North America as it crosses Rs 35 crore mark  TOI Etimes
3. Singham Again box office collection: Ajay Devgn film zooms past 200 crore in India, set to cross 300 crore worldwide  Hindustan Times
4. This Bollywood Filmmaker Has 10 Films In Rs 100 Cr Club, And No He's NOT Karan Johar Or Sanjay Leela Bhansali - Guess Who?  Zee News
5. Singham Again Leaves Behind This Movie To Become 2nd Highest-Grossing Bollywood Film In 2024  News18

1. Sri Lanka parliamentary elections 2024: What’s at stake?  Al Jazeera English
2. Sri Lanka to hold key parliamentary vote on November 14  The Hindu
3. Snap Sri Lankan election poses test for new leader  BBC.com
4. Sri Lanka Heads For Snap Elections Today, Results Likely On Friday  NDTV
5. Sri Lanka's newly-elected parliament to convene next week  Deccan Herald

1. Wayanad, where Priyanka Gandhi made election debut, sees lowest-ever voter turnout  Hindustan Times
2. Wayanad Bypoll, Where Priyanka Gandhi Made Poll Debut, Records Its Lowest-Ever Voter Turnout  Times Now
3. Assembly bypolls: Voting held in 31 seats across 10 states in big INDIA vs BJP contest  India Today
4. Rahul Gandhi Takes Kerala's Longest Zipline In Landslide-Hit Wayanad  NDTV
5. 64.98% cast votes in Malappuram in Wayanad bypoll  The Hindu

The Swanson School of Engineering will develop an improved HVDC converter with the Department of Energy's funds.

The Arizona Commerce Authority has announced 15 finalists for its 2024 Arizona Innovation Challenge. Read on to learn more about the participating companies.

One way to think about Donald Trump’s victory.

Social media platform Bluesky, a major competitor to Elon Musk’s X, has gained more than 1.25 million users since last week's U.S. presidential election. Bluesky posted Wednesday morning it had reached more than 15 million users, up from nine million in September.

The Electoral Commission has called for action to tackle abuse of candidates during elections.

President Dissanayake is seeking a majority to push through reforms to help the debt-ridden nation.

Marine Le Pen would be banned from standing for president again at the next election if convicted.

Highlights: BHB-Phe, a newly discovered molecule, suppresses hunger by activating specific neurons in the brain

A third of the more than 300 million electrocardiograms (EKGs) conducted annually worldwide are performed in the United States. The technology behind

Learn how the innovative wireless EKG patch matches or exceeds traditional EKG accuracy, offering improved ease of use and reducing errors.

Can a new molecule help regulate hunger and body weight? Researchers have discovered BHB-Phe, which targets neurons to suppress appetite and reduce weight!

US President-elect Donald Trump has selected South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as his next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

The Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has said that its vigilance squads have made seizure of more than Rs 500 crores from across the poll-bound state in the past few days.

1. MCD to elect SC mayor today after much delay  Hindustan Times
2. Delhi Mayor Election Live: MCD set to elect SC mayor today after months-long delay  Hindustan Times
3. BJP councillor nominated presiding officer for mayoral polls, AAP raises objections  The Hindu
4. Mayoral Polls To Take Place Today After Delay of 7 Mths  The Times of India
5. Few meetings, adjournments within minutes — A look at Delhi Mayor’s 21-month tenure  The Indian Express

and background of the case:

The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 21.09.2023 seeking information on following points:-

"What kind of punishment is sanctioned by the law for any Pilot who gets the RTR permit or licence on the basis of false documents?"

The CPIO, Sr. DWA (COP & regulations) vide letter dated 05.10.2023 replied as under:-

"- Information sought does not fall under purview of RTI Act 2005, hence this RTI is closed"

Dissatisfied with the response received from the CPIO, the Appellant filed a First Appeal dated 08.10.2023. The FAA vide order dated 08.11.2023 stated as under:-

"Reply :- I have gone through the case and found that information sought was denied by the CPIO stating that the information did not fall under the purview of the RTI Act, 2005. The undersigned is convinced with the above reply in view of Section 8-1(j) of the RTI Act. 2005."

and background of the case:

The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 21.09.2023 seeking information on following points:-

"To, Shri Umang Srivastva Sr.DWA (COP) I had complained on 05/05/2023 against Rahul Sinha regarding his COP permit. What action or inquiry has been conducted in this regard?"

The CPIO, Sr DWA (COP & Regulation) vide letter dated 05.10.2023 replied as under:-

"Information sought does not fall under purview of RTI Act 2005, hence this RTI is closed"

Dissatisfied with the response received from the CPIO, the Appellant filed a First Appeal dated 08.10.2023. The FAA, JWA vide order dated 08.11.2023 stated as under:-

"Reply :- I have gone through the case and found that information sought was denied by the CPIO stating that the information did not fall under the purview of the RTI Act, 2005. The undersigned is convir.ced with the above reply in view of Section 8-1(j) of the RTI Act. 2005."

Vânzările globale de automobile complet electrice şi vehicule hibride de tip plug-in au crescut cu 35% în luna octombrie a acestui an comparativ cu aceeaşi lună a anului trecut, graţie în primul rând unui salt de 54% al vânzărilor de pe piaţa chineză, arată cifrele publicate de firma de cercetare de piaţă Rho Motion. Potrivit ...

The post Vânzările globale de automobile electrice și hibride, în creștere cu 35% în octombrie appeared first on Forbes Romania.

തെരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പ് കമ്മീഷന്‍റെ അന്തിമ കണക്ക് പ്രകാരം വയനാട്ടിൽ 64.53 ആണ് പോളിങ് ശതമാനം.