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Baramulla, Indian-administered Kashmir — A voter turnout of 59% was reported Monday in Indian-administered Kashmir during the fifth phase of the Indian general elections. The May 20 polling marks significant progress for the area since the eruption of armed conflict in the region against Indian forces in 1989. More than 1.7 million adults were eligible to vote in the disputed Himalayan territory of Jammu and Kashmir, a region claimed by both India and Pakistan. Historically, the Kashmir valley has experienced low voter turnout in parliamentary elections. The highest turnout was recorded in 1984 at 61.09%. In 2019, some 37% of voters participated. The elections in India began in late April and will continue through June. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third term in office. His bitter rival, Rahul Gandhi, is aiming to replace him. “This year’s poll percentage is definitely the second highest in the democratic history of Baramulla Parliamentary Constituency,” reads a media statement issued from the office of Jammu and Kashmir’s chief electoral officer, Pandurang Kondbarao Pole. “The main reasons for the increased turnout include improved security and law-and-order conditions over the last 4-5 years, mobilization efforts by 22 candidates and political parties, election awareness initiatives by Deputy Commissioners and the CEO office through Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation activities, and, importantly, the voters’ strong belief that it is the ballot which can lead to sustainable development,” the statement added. Polling for Baramulla, a northern constituency, started slowly but gained momentum in the latter half of the day. Voters of all ages were seen lining up to cast their ballots. “Voting is a fundamental right that allows us to participate in the democratic process and honor those who fought for democracy and equal rights,” Ruqaya Akhter, a first-time voter, told VOA. “Many individuals and movements have faced significant challenges to secure this right for all citizens, often in the face of violence, discrimination and imprisonment. By voting, we acknowledge and respect the sacrifices made by those who risked their lives to ensure a fair and inclusive society for everyone.” In Baramulla, the expected battle was between Omar Abdullah, the former chief minister and vice president of the National Conference, or NC, party, and Sajad Ghani Lone, a separatist-turned-mainstream politician and founder of the People’s Conference, or PC, party. The dynamics shifted, however, when incarcerated politician and former member of the legislative assembly Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, decided to contest the election from New Delhi’s Tihar jail. Rashid is the founder of the Awami Ittehad Party. He is jailed under anti-terrorism laws. “NC and PC have had a stronghold in north Kashmir, but this year people may surprise everyone as a large number of youth have come out in support of Engineer Rashid,” Nazir Ahmad Reshi, a resident of the Sumbal area in Bandipora district, told VOA. “One cannot predict the victory of any particular candidate. The youth are with Engineer Rashid while the rest of the people are with NC and PC,” he said. Despite having few resources to cover his campaign expenses, Engineer Rashid has attracted large support. Thousands rallied around him voluntarily when his son, Abrar Rashid, filed nomination papers on his behalf. The elder Rashid was arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir government in 2019 and later booked by the National Investigation Agency in a terror-funding case. Simran Jan, a first-time voter, said she hoped Rashid would receive many votes. “Engineer Rashid has always taken a strong stance and consistently advocates for the rights of Kashmiris. He is currently imprisoned due to his ideology. During the 2014 floods, he personally rescued victims using his own vehicle,” Simran Jan said. “Local and national political parties have consistently failed to fulfill their promises. I wish to see him free. The day he is released from prison will feel like a festival,” she told VOA. Rashid’s detention came before the Modi government revoked the semiautonomous status of Muslim majority Kashmir in August 2019. Kashmir's loss of its special status led to the division of the region into two federal territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Both areas are ruled by the central government and have no legislatures of their own. Meanwhile, Ladakh also exercised its electoral franchise for the first time since it was separated from the previous state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Ladakh parliamentary constituency, the largest in the country in terms of area, recorded a voter turnout of approximately 67.15%, officials said. “People of Ladakh choose this election as a referendum in order to send a message to the center government. In 2019 elections, BJP government did not fulfill the promises made by them during the previous elections,” Padma Stanzin, a resident of the Leh district of Ladakh, told VOA. “The local population is upset. BJP is not coming into power in Ladakh. Independent candidates and Congress Party candidates may win because of anti-incumbency against BJP as we feel that our rights are at stake.” A candidate from Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Tashi Gyalson, and one from the main opposition party, Indian National Congress’s Tsering Namgyal, are among those contesting the elections in Ladakh. The BPJ is not contesting the elections in Indian Kashmir. News reports say the move signals ongoing discontent over the 2019 move, and there is speculation BJP candidates would have lost.

LONDON — Chinese President Xi Jinping is not known for public displays of affection. So Xi’s double embrace of his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, last week — broadcast by Chinese and Russian state television — was widely seen as a calculated signal to the world of a blossoming personal and geopolitical relationship. Putin’s visit to China underlined burgeoning economic ties between Moscow and Beijing as the two countries signed a series of agreements aimed at forging closer cooperation, even as the West tries to isolate Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine. Personal warmth The show of personal warmth was matched by a series of lavish state ceremonies, ostensibly marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations. “It is a shared strategic choice of both countries to deepen strategic cooperation, expand mutually beneficial cooperation and follow the general historical trend of multipolarity in the world and economic globalization,” Xi told Putin during the talks in Beijing on May 16. Putin praised increased bilateral trade between Russia and China, which had, he said, reached an annual $240 billion — and touted his ambitions to sell more oil and gas to Beijing. “Russia is ready and capable of uninterruptedly and reliably supplying the Chinese economy, enterprises, cities, towns with environmentally friendly, affordable energy, light and heat,” Putin said following a visit to the northern Chinese city of Harbin. Deepened cooperation The Russian leader’s visit to China achieved its aims, according to Liana Fix of the Washington-based Council on Foreign Relations. “(Coming) shortly after Putin’s inauguration, it had a legitimizing effect for his fifth term as president on the international stage, demonstrating that even if the West does not accept his elections as free and fair, China sees him as the legitimate leader. “Second, it served the purpose of deepening defense cooperation between these two countries, especially by circumventing U.S. sanctions on Chinese financial institutions for financing Russia‘s war effort, and by facilitating further Chinese deliveries to Russia‘s war machine,” Fix told VOA in an email. European snub Putin’s visit to China came days after Xi traveled to Europe, where EU leaders tried to persuade him to end support for Russia’s war on Ukraine. It’s clear they failed, said analyst Velina Tchakarova, founder of the FACE geopolitical consultancy. “China provides the main lifeline for Russia. But China also practically set the stage for Russia to not get internationally isolated. Russia officially has announced that it's going in the direction of a long war that it wants to win, and here we see clearly that China is taking the side of Russia,” Tchakarova told VOA. That alliance — what Tchakarova calls the “DragonBear” — has ramifications beyond Ukraine. “These kind of wars, as the one being waged right now in Europe [in Ukraine], and similarly the one in the Middle East [between Israel and Hamas], and obviously also the military tensions in the Indo-Pacific — these are hotspots, military conflicts and wars that are to be seen in this context of emerging ‘Cold War 2.0’ between the United States on the one hand, and China and Russia, or the ‘DragonBear’ on the other,” Tchakarova told VOA. Democratic threat Xi and Putin are united by geopolitical aims, and their autocratic ideals threaten democratic societies, according to author Anne Applebaum, a staff writer at The Atlantic magazine. “What they have in common is their dislike of the democratic world, their dislike of democratic language, and the ideals of freedom and justice and rule of law and transparency,” Applebaum said. “And they are willing to join together to fight against them. It's a full-on central challenge from the autocratic world to them, and it's attacking both their citizens and their allies around the world, and we need to face it.” Unbalanced relations The relationship is tilted heavily in China’s favor, Applebaum said. “They may have an interest in weakening Russia. A weaker Russia has to sell them oil and gas at lower prices. A weaker Russia is a more pliable ally, is a weaker player on the stage. And maybe they're hoping for that. It's pretty clear already that Russia is the junior partner in this alliance, which isn't something that we would have thought possible a couple of decades ago,” she told VOA. Putin is due to host Xi at the October BRICS summit in Russia, as both countries seek to galvanize global support for their vision of Beijing and Moscow as major players in a new, multipolar world. VOA’s Russian Service contributed to this report.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to China last week underlined the burgeoning economic and geopolitical ties between Moscow and Beijing, amid Russia’s war on Ukraine. But as Henry Ridgwell reports, analysts say China could seek to exploit its relationship with a weakened and isolated Russia.

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration said Tuesday that it is releasing 1 million barrels of gasoline from a Northeast reserve established after Superstorm Sandy in a bid to lower prices at the pump this summer.  The sale, from storage sites in New Jersey and Maine, will be allocated in increments of 100,000 barrels at a time. The approach will create a competitive bidding process that ensures gasoline can flow into local retailers ahead of the July 4 holiday and sold at competitive prices, the Energy Department said. The move is intended to help "lower costs for American families and consumers," the department said in a statement.  Gas prices average about $3.60 per gallon nationwide as of Tuesday, up 6 cents from a year ago, according to AAA (American Automobile Association). Tapping gasoline reserves is one of the few actions a president can take by himself to try to control inflation, an election year liability for the party in control of the White House.  "The Biden-Harris administration is laser-focused on lowering prices at the pump for American families, especially as drivers hit the road for summer driving season," Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in the statement. "By strategically releasing this reserve in between Memorial Day and July 4th, we are ensuring sufficient supply flows to the tri-state (area) and Northeast at a time hardworking Americans need it the most."  White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said release of gas from the Northeast reserve builds on actions by President Joe Biden, a Democrat, "to lower gas and energy costs — including historic releases from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and the largest-ever investment in clean energy."  Biden significantly drained the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, dropping the stockpile to its lowest level since the 1980s. The election-year move helped stabilize gasoline prices that had been rising in the wake of the war in Europe but drew complaints from Republicans that the Democratic president was playing politics with a reserve meant for national emergencies.

Gaborone, Botswana — As Botswana prepares for general elections in October, the number of women running for office remains low.  Political parties have finalized their list of candidates for the 2024 vote, and the majority of contestants are male. In the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), out of nearly 200 candidates for the National Assembly, only 20 are women.  In the last general election, only 5% of women were elected to the National Assembly. Gender activist Pamela Dube said the situation is concerning, especially given how few women were elected in 2019.  "The pertaining state of affairs in women’s political participation in Botswana is saddening. While statistically, women make [up] more than 50% of voters, women’s representation in elected positions remains very low,” Dube said. “I have serious doubt that we will see an improvement in the upcoming October elections.”  Botswana falls short of the framework established by the regional bloc the Southern Africa Development Community for achieving gender parity. The group’s policy advocates equal representation in political and decision-making positions.  Dube said the governing BDP should create gender quotas in order to push for legislated seat allocation.  “Botswana has no such laws, or even constitutional provisions. It is even sadder that the constitution review bill that is before parliament is silent in this regard,” Dube said.     Spokesperson for opposition coalition the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), Moeti Mohwasa, said the country’s electoral laws do not favor women.  Botswana uses the first-past-the-post system, where voters choose a single candidate, as opposed to a list.  “You cannot expect the very same set-up or situation that is patriarchal, conservative to allow women to rise and occupy positions of authority,” Mohwasa said. “Our position is that you need to have the mixed system, which will have the current first-past-the-post and also the list system. If you look at countries that have the list systems, you realize that women are much more empowered.”    Maputo-based Women in Political Participation (WPP) programs officer Sifisosami Dube said Botswana should have amended its electoral laws under a recent constitutional review process.  “There is a need to handhold women in political leadership from the time they are campaigning, or when they are thinking about campaigning, to the time they will be in elections and to the time they are in political leadership positions. Because once they are in political offices, it is quite cold out there; they need to be continuously motivated,” WPP’s Dube said.  While Botswana struggles to get more women into politics, countries like Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe have more than 30% women representation in upper and lower houses of parliament.

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Geneva — U.N. agencies report Russia’s escalating military offensive in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region over the past two weeks is causing an alarming spike in humanitarian needs as deaths and injuries grow and thousands flee in the wake of relentless aerial attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure.   “Over 14,000 people have been displaced in a matter of days, and nearly 189,000 more still reside within 25 kilometers of the border with the Russian Federation, facing significant risks due to the ongoing fighting,” Jarno Habicht, World Health Organization representative in Ukraine said. Speaking from the capital Kyiv, he told journalists in Geneva Tuesday that Russia’s escalating hostilities are having widespread harmful ramifications throughout the country.   “Homes and civilian infrastructure are being badly damaged, and people across Ukraine, including here in Kyiv are facing electricity shortages as a result of attacks on critical power facilities,” he said noting that a major missile strike Sunday on the outskirts of Kharkiv caused 11 deaths and many injuries, including a paramedic. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, reports that “children, first responders and health personnel,” are among the multiple casualties. Citing reports from authorities and humanitarian workers on the ground, OCHA said that “Attacks in eastern and southern Ukraine over the weekend caused scores of civilian casualties and damage to homes and civilian infrastructure.” The U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, also expresses alarm about accelerating attacks by Russian forces in the northeastern Kharkiv region, which is “prolonging and exacerbating an already dire situation.” UNHCR spokesperson, Shabia Mantoo noted that in the past week, Ukrainian authorities with the help of volunteers and humanitarian organizations have evacuated more than 10,300 people from their villages in Kharkiv region’s border areas. “The majority of the evacuees, who had to escape their homes with only a few belongings, are already highly vulnerable and include mainly older people and those with low mobility or disabilities who were not able to flee earlier. “Psychologists with whom UNHCR partners report that as a consequence, many are suffering from acute stress,” she said noting that a transit center has been set up by authorities and humanitarian organizations in Kharkiv city to provide basic relief, psychosocial, legal, and other aid to the internally displaced. Mantoo adds that more people continue to flee from front-line communities in Donetsk, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson towards central and western regions. “UNHCR is concerned that conditions in Kharkiv — Ukraine’s second largest city, which is already hosting some 200,000 internally displaced people — could become even more difficult if the ground offense and relentless aerial attacks continue,” she said. The World Health Organization shares these concerns.  Since Russia’s invasion more than two years ago, WHO has verified 1,682 attacks on health care in Ukraine, resulting in 128 deaths and 288 injuries of medical personnel and patients. It reports, on average, 200 ambulances per year are damaged or destroyed in shelling attacks.   “That is a tremendous loss, depriving the Ukrainian people of urgent care,” said Habicht.  “With the worsening security situation, humanitarian needs in the region are growing exponentially. “The conflict has significantly increased the number of trauma patients.  We are currently funding critical care teams and ambulances to support emergency medical services,” he said. Anticipating the possible escalation of hostilities, Habicht said the WHO has prepositioned more than 22 metric tons of medical supplies – enough for 50,000 people – for treatment of acute trauma, surgical interventions and chronic disease management. Additionally, he said the WHO has trained 120 medical professionals in Kharkiv region in mass casualty response, including the “management of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incidents.” While saying that he personally did not believe that these dangerous substances are likely to be used or inadvertently discharged in the current conflict, he cautioned that “In health, we have learned that we have to be ready for any risk.”   The bigger problem, he said, is that of funding.  He noted that the United Nations $3.1 billion appeal to provide lifesaving humanitarian assistance for 8.5 million people inside Ukraine this year is only 23% funded. The UNHCR is running into a similar problem in that the agency has received only 16 percent of its $1.1. billion appeal targeting 2.3 million refugees and the five communities hosting them. “The funding situation is very alarming.  We are concerned about the levels of funding for this humanitarian crisis…. The war is prolonging.  So, we also know that the needs will accrue. “We have got winter approaching. It seems far off, but we need to start planning now and make arrangements.  More and more people are fleeing their homes that do not have shelter,” she said. The UNHCR Official observed that the damage inflicted by Russian forces to Ukraine’s energy facilities will “significantly increase the need for humanitarian assistance during the cold season.”

Children across Africa are competing for a spot in the finals of the African Spelling Bee, which will be held in Abuja, Nigeria, in December. We caught up with one hopeful speller at the recent South African regional finals. VOA’s Zaheer Cassim reports.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Middle-aged women often feel like they are not seen or heard in their roles as wives and mothers. In Southern California, a Korean dance group is out to change those perceptions. Genia Dulot has the story.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.