The two mayoral candidates were reported killed on the same day. Their deaths bring the number of local politicians killed in the lead up to Mexico's June elections to 17. Two mayoral candidates were killed in two different parts of Mexico as the country heads to elections in June, authorities said. Center-right mayoral candidate Noe Ramos of Ciudad Mante was fatally stabbed in the northeasternstate of Tamaulipas, said state attorney general Irving Barrios. Authorities are searching for the suspect. Local media reported Ramos, who was seeking reelection, was meeting with residents in the street on Friday when the suspect stabbed him with a knife.  Meanwhile, in the southern state of Oaxaca, another mayoral candidate Alberto Antonio Garcia, was also found dead on Friday, according to the state prosecutor.  He and his wife Agar Cancino, who is the mayor of San Jose Independencia, were reported missing on Wednesday. Cancino was found alive. The electoral board said such crimes "should not occur during elections." Violence preceding elections Politicians have often fallen victim to organized crime in Mexico, especially those seeking or holding regional offices. "They make an agreement and say, 'this person is going to be mayor; we don't want anyone else to register to run,' and anybody who does, well, they know" what to expect, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said in April of drug cartels' efforts to contol local politics. The period leading up to the June 2 elections has been one of the most violent in the country's history. Since September 23, 17 such candidates have been murdered, said the consulting firm Integralia.  Earlier this month, mayoral candidate Bertha Gaytan was shot in the street in Celaya, one of Mexico's most dangerous cities.

The ban on the former president's candidacy for the newly formed MK party has been lifted despite a criminal conviction. The ruling ANC could lose its absolute majority for the first time since 1994 in May elections. A South African court on Tuesday overruled electoral authorities' decision to bar former President Jacob Zuma from running in the country's general elections next month. South Africans will on May 29 vote for a new parliament, which will in turn elect the president. What do we know about the decision? "The decision of the Electoral Commission... is set aside," the Electoral Court wrote in its ruling seen by AFP news agency.  The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) decided last month to bar Zuma from running for a seat in Parliament on behalf of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK). The IEC disqualified Zuma over his 2021 conviction and jailing for contempt of court. He was sentenced to 15 months after he refused to testify to a panel investigating corruption under his government. However, the Electoral Court overturned the decision.  South Africa does not allow people sentenced to more than 12 months in prison without the option of paying a fine to run in elections. Zuma's lawyers had argued that the sentence did not disqualify him as it followed civil rather than criminal proceedings and had been shortened by a remission. ANC struggling in polls MK is expected to cut into the vote share of the ruling African National Congress (ANC). Opinion polls show that the ANC, which has been rocked by several corruption scandals, could lose its absolute majority in parliament for the first time since the end of apartheid in 1994. If it does not achieve an outright majority of seats, the ANC will be forced to seek the support of smaller parties to form government. MK is projected to receive substantial support in the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal, which is Zuma's home region.  

The former president has been expelled from the ruling ANC and has been campaigning for the newly formed MK party. An MK spokesman said the party will appeal the decision made by the Independent Electoral Commission. Former South African President Jacob Zuma has been disqualified from running in the country's general elections in May. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said on Thursday he was one of eight candidates who faced official objections. "In the case of former president Zuma, yes, we did receive an objection, which has been upheld," IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya said at a media briefing. The IEC disqualified him over his 2021 conviction and jailing for contempt of court. Increasing tensions in the run-up to the polls Zuma, who led the country from 2009 to 2018 until his removal amid wide-ranging allegations of corruption, parted ways with the ruling African National Congress in December and is now leading the newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK). MK spokesman Nhlamulo Ndlhela told the AFP news agency the party " of course will appeal" the IEC's decision. Some of the party's leaders have previously threatened violence if Zuma was barred from contesting the elections. Seperately the ANC has launched a legal challenge against Zuma's party, disputing its use of the name and trademark of the dissolved organization. The MK party is named after the former military wing of the ANC, which was disbanded at the end of apartheid. MK party can still compete in the vote The IEC's decision does not prevent the MK party from taking part in the May 29 poll. It is widely expected to be the most competitive vote since the advent of democracy in South Africa in 1994. According to recent polls, the ANC may dip below 50% of the national vote for the first time since it came into power. Zuma's popularity has helped the MK Party gain traction ahead of the upcoming polls, particularly in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal.

Around 970 million voters, over 10% of the world's population, are eligible to cast their ballots. To ease the logistical burden, voting is staggered over six weeks. The election authority of India announced on Saturday that the country will start a phased voting process beginning on April 19 to select a new parliament. "Date of polling would be 19th of April" for the first phase of the vote, which is staged over several weeks, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said. The election will be held in seven phases over six weeks, with different states voting at different times.  Voting in the final phase will take place on June 1, and nationwide ballots will be counted on June 4. Results are normally announced on the same day.  It is considered the world's biggest election, with almost a billion people eligible to vote.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) has announced it would hold countrywide protests against the ‘theft’ of the public's mandate. The party had on Saturday urged the election commission to announce complete results by midnight or face protests. However, within hours of issuing the statement, party workers in Peshawar and Karachi embarked on protests complete with sloganeering and waving of party flags.    The polling was held on Thursday but the results were not yet declared and the country appeared headed to a hung Parliament or a coalition government. As per the updates, Independents backed by PTI won the highest 101 seats in the National Assembly, followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 73 seats and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) with 54 seats. Section 144 in Islamabad while water cannon and heavy police force have been deployed at Liberty Chowk in Lahore. In a tweet, the Islamabad Police said some people were inciting illegal gatherings around the election commission and other government institutions. "It should be noted that inciting to gather is also a crime."   Meanwhile, the Election Commission has ordered re-polling in some polling stations of NA-88 (Khushab II), PS-18 (Ghotki I), and PK-90 (Kohat I) following rigging charges, Dawn reported. The ECP spokesperson announced re-polling at 26 polling stations of NA-88 after a mob reportedly set fire to polling material at the returning officer’s office. The re-polling is scheduled for February 15.  Re-polling in PS-18, attributed to the reported confiscation of polling material by unidentified people, is also slated for February 15. Likewise, re-polling will be conducted at 25 polling stations of PK-90 due to damage caused to polling material by terrorists, the ECP said.   Parties are making efforts to cobble up an alliance to form the government since no party has secured a majority. Former premier Nawaz Sharif has also invited political parties, except for the PTI, to come together and form a coalition government, claiming that the PML-N has emerged as the "single-largest party" during the elections. Dawn reported that a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court to bind the elected independent candidates to join a political party within three days of the official notification of their victory.    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir has said the nation needs "stable hands and a healing touch to move on from the politics of anarchy and polarisation." He said political leadership and their workers should rise above self-interests and synergise efforts in governing and serving the people, "which is perhaps the only way to make democracy functional and purposeful".

Explosions at the offices of a political party and an independent candidate in southwest Pakistan raise fresh security concerns a day before parliamentary elections. Two blasts took place near electoral candidates' offices in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan, local officials said on Wednesday. In the first incident, at least 12 people were killed at the office of an independent candidate in Pishin district. A second explosion left 10 people dead in Qilla Saifullah, a town near the Afghan border. Khanzai Hospital, close to the first blast site in Pishin, treated numerous casualties, some with serious injuries. Jan Achakzai, provincial information minister of Balochistan, said the second explosion "took place close to the election office of the local JUI-F candidate" in Killa Saifullah. The religious party has previously been the target of militant attacks. In July last year, 44 people were killed by a suicide bomber at a political gathering of the party in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Balochistan has been the target of multiple groups of Islamist militants, including the Pakistani Taliban and the "Islamic State" militia. Separatist rebels have also been launching deadly attacks on the security forces and civilians. Pakistan going to the polls The explosions come a day ahead of the country's general election. Pakistan's 127 million voters get to elect a new parliament on Thursday that will choose a new prime minister after the vote.  Authorities have said they are boosting security at polling booths following Wednesday's blasts.  More than half a million security officers have already been deployed to ensure peace following a surge in militant attacks. The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, an Islamabad-based think tank, said there had been a "staggering" rise in militant attacks in the past year with an average of 54 per month -- the most since 2015, when the army launched a massive crackdown on militant groups. Political parties have completed their campaigns and are now observing a quiet period leading up to the election as required by electoral regulations.

Election to 233 local government bodies, including by-polls to Cumilla City Corporation (CCC) and general election to Mymensingh City Corporation (MCC), will be held on March 9. Election Commission (EC) secretariat secretary Jahangir Alam announced the polls schedule at a press conference held at Agargaon Nirbachan Bhaban today (Jan 24). According to the schedule, the last date for submission of nomination papers to the returning officers is on February 13 and nomination papers will be scrutinized on February 15. Appeals against cancellation of candidatures will be settled on February 19 and 20.   The last date for withdrawal of candidatures is February 22 and symbol will be distributed on February 23.   Voting will take place from 8am to 4pm on March 9.   EC secretary said voting of city corporations, pourashavas and district councils will take place in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). But ballot paper will be used in general elections of union parishads and different vacant posts, he added.   Jahangir Alam said Regional election officials will act as returning office for Mymensingh and Cumilla city corporation polls.   Source: BSS

China threatened new trade measures against Taiwan on Tuesday, piling on pressure ahead of weekend elections, as Taipei complained of more Chinese balloons and the ruling party’s presidential candidate warned against “fake peace” with Beijing. Saturday’s presidential and parliamentary elections are taking place against a backdrop of a ramped up war of words between Taiwan and China, which views the island as its own territory despite the strong objections of the Taiwanese government. Taiwan’s government has accused China of an unprecedented campaign of election interference, using everything from military activity to trade sanctions to sway the vote towards candidates Beijing may prefer. China has cast the election as a choice between war and peace, and says interference allegations are “dirty tricks” from Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to try and win support. The DPP’s presidential candidate Lai Ching-te said on Tuesday he would maintain the status quo and pursue peace through strength if elected, remaining open to engagement with Beijing under the preconditions of equality and dignity. Beijing has denounced him as a separatist and warned that any attempt to push for Taiwan’s formal independence means conflict. Despite this, Lai pledged to try to engage with China. “Peace is priceless and war has no winners,” Lai told reporters at a news conference. “Peace without sovereignty is just like Hong Kong. It is fake peace.” Beijing is unswayed by Lai’s outreach attempts. On Tuesday evening, China’s commerce ministry said it was looking into further measures to suspend tariff concessions on products including agriculture and fishery, machinery, auto parts and textiles from Taiwan, following up on such a move made against some petrochemical products last month. “Taiwan authorities have not taken effective measures to lift trade restrictions on China. Instead, they have engaged in political manoeuvring in an attempt to plant blame and evade responsibility,” it said in a statement. FALSE ALARMS AND CHINESE BALLOONS Adding to the tense atmosphere, a separate news conference on Tuesday in Taipei with Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu was interrupted by the shrill sound of a government mobile phone alert warning of a possible Chinese air raid. The defence ministry then had to apologise after the English version of the alert referred to a “missile” but in Chinese a “satellite”. The alert came around the same time Chinese state media confirmed the launch of a science satellite. Still, Wu described the launch as part of a pattern of harassment towards Taiwan, just like recent cases of Chinese balloons spotted over the island. “With these kinds of threats against Taiwan I think we should be clear eyed, we should not be provoked.” Taiwan’s opposition jumped on the snafu, blaming the government for misleading the public. Taiwan has continued to complain since last month of Chinese balloons flying over the sensitive Taiwan Strait, some of which have crossed the island, in what its defence ministry has called an effort at psychological warfare, though not directly saying they are for spying purposes. The ministry said at its own separate briefing on Tuesday that they had not recovered any remains of the balloons and were not at the moment considering shooting them down. “We won’t attack and destroy due to the harassment of the balloons,” said Wang Chia-chun from the ministry’s joint combat planning department. Top Chinese leaders have generally avoided public comments on the vote, though Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a New Year’s address that China’s “reunification” with Taiwan is inevitable. Lai told reporters the election will serve as a “testament to our commitment to democracy” while noting that China’s alleged interference in this election has been the “most serious” yet.

The High Court (HC) has issued a stay order of the gazette notification on results of the national elections for the Dhaka-4 constituency. The HC bench of Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman and Justice Md Bashir Ullah passed the order on Tuesday (Jan 9) after hearing a writ petition by Awami League nominee Sanjida Khanam, who lost to independent candidate Awlad Hossain. She sought re-elections in 18 of the polling centres for this seat. The court has directed the Election Commission (EC) to refrain from publishing a gazette declaring independent candidate Awlad Hossain as the winner until the investigation is completed. The Dhaka-4 constituency comprises Sutrapur and Demra upazilas. In this constituency, independent candidate Awlad Hossain with the Truck symbol defeated the Awami League's nominated candidate Sanjida Khanam with the Boat symbol.  Awlad Hossain received a total of 24,775 votes, while Sanjida Khanam secured 22,577 votes with the Boat symbol. The Jatiya Party candidate Syed Abu Hossain Babla, with the Plough symbol, received 7,798 votes.

Jim Bates, an election observer from the US, has described the 12th national election as “free and fair.” "I would like to say it is a free and fair election already," he told.   “So when they say ‘low turnout,’ that’s something to manoeuvre the press,” Bates said.   “The thing they keep talking about is low turnout, that is a misnomer. In some countries, voting goes on until 5/6pm or even months,” he added. Foreign observers visited several centres on Sunday (Jan 7).  “At this point, it looks peaceful. Hopefully that will remain the case throughout the day,” said another observer. Around 127 foreign observers are currently in Dhaka to observe the 12th national election.