Comment on Observers in the spotlight ahead of Kenya's election re-run

On Friday afternoon, with only a few days left in the presidential race, the federal agencies that help safeguard American elections issued a warning to voters about a video that had been circulating online. It appeared to show immigrants voting illegally in Georgia, and U. S. intelligence officials had concluded that it was the latest in a series of fakes produced by “Russian influence actors.” [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] “This Russian activity is part of Moscow’s broader effort to raise unfounded questions about the integrity of the US election and stoke divisions among Americans,” read the statement from the FBI and two other federal agencies, who warned that Russia would continue to creating and spreading these fakes even in the weeks and months after the elections.

Few voters are as easily overlooked as Americans living outside the United States. This population–of émigres, military personnel, dual citizens, and people born outside the U. S. to American parents–is both disparate and elusive. It is thought to number at least 4.4 million people, some 2.8 million of whom are eligible to vote in U.

JOHANNESBURG — The government of Mauritius on Friday banned access to social media websites ahead of parliamentary elections on Nov. 10 in which Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth is seeking a second term in power. The directive was announced by the national communications regulator, which said social media sites will be banned until Nov.

The end may not be near, but the end is clear—according to those who have kept a close eye on Myanmar’s ongoing civil war, since a military coup toppled its civilian government in 2021. While the fighting between the junta and armed resistance groups was locked in a stalemate for the first two years of the conflict, observers note that the third year has seen the military on the back foot. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] The protracted conflict has been estimated to have killed over 50,000 people and displaced around three million.

Diwali is the most important festival of the year in India — and for Hindus in particular. It is celebrated across faiths by more than a billion people in the world’s most populous nation and the diaspora. Over five days, people take part in festive gatherings, fireworks displays, feasts and prayer. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Diwali is derived from the word “Deepavali,” which means “a row of lights.” Celebrants light rows of traditional clay oil lamps outside their homes to symbolize the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. When is Diwali? The dates of the festival are based on the Hindu lunar calendar, typically falling in late October or early November. This year, the holiday is being celebrated on Oct.

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A powerful typhoon made landfall in Taiwan on Thursday, killing one person and bringing high winds and floods to much of the island’s east coast and northern areas, after barreling past the northern Philippines. Flights and train service were suspended in Taiwan and 8,600 people moved to shelters. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Typhoon Kong-rey was blowing at 184 kilometers (114 miles) per hour with gusts of up to 227 kph (141 mph) as it moved over the eastern county of Taitung.