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India’s fractured opposition parties have joined forces in a rare show of unity and formed an alliance to unseat the popular but polarizing prime minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party NEW DELHI -- India’s popular but polarizing prime minister, Narendra Modi, has a fondness for abbreviations that create buzz around his government schemes and dress down his rivals. Last week, Modi’s political opponents did exactly that. They announced a new alliance — called INDIA — to unseat Modi and defeat his ruling party’s electoral juggernaut. The acronym, which stands for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, comprises India’s previously fractured opposition parties that are aiming to keep the Modi government's increasingly powerful sway at bay. At stake, the alliance says, is the future of India’s multiparty democracy and secular foundations that critics say have seen assaults from Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party. The opposition all...

A prominent journalist in Belarus has been sentenced to six years in prison, the latest step in a years-long crackdown on opposition figures, independent journalists and human rights activists TALLINN, Estonia -- A prominent journalist in Belarus was sentenced Wednesday to six years in prison , the latest step in a years -long crackdown on opposition figures, independent journalist s and human rights activists. On trial in the city of Grodno in western Belarus, Pavel Mazheika, 45, was found guilty of “complicity in extremist activity” for covering the activities of the political opposition. He was accused of working for news outlets including Belsat TV, which broadcasts in Belarusian from its base in neighboring Poland. The Belarusian authorities have labeled Belsat as “extremist.” Lawyer Yuliya Yurhilevich also was sentenced to six years in prison after she was accused of giving Mazheika information on Belarus’ political prisoners, notably on dissident artist Ales Pushkin who died...

India’s splintered opposition parties have decided to contest the 2024 national elections in their bid to unseat Prime Minister Narendra Modi and prevent his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party from achieving a third straight win NEW DELHI -- India’s fractured opposition parties decided Friday to jointly contest the 2024 national elections in their bid to unseat Prime Minister Narendra Modi and prevent his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party from achieving a third straight win. The 26 opposition parties decided to work out seat-sharing arrangements in different states in "a collaborative spirit of give-and-take″ to avoid splitting votes in favor of Modi’s party. India’s national elections are scheduled to be held around May next year. Congress party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi joined other key opposition leaders, including Sharad Pawar, Arvind Kejriwal, Sitaram Yechury and Laloo Yadav, at a two-day meeting in Mumbai, India’s financial and entertainment capital....

Two decades ago, the U.S. government created what's described as the largest commitment by any nation in history to combat a single disease, AIDS NAIROBI, Kenya -- The graves at the edge of the orphanage tell a story of despair. The rough planks in the cracked earth are painted with the names of children, most of them dead in the 1990s. That was before the HIV drugs arrived. Today, the orphanage in Kenya’s capital is a happier, more hopeful place for children with HIV. But a political fight taking place in the United States is threatening the program that helps to keep them and millions of others around the world alive. The reason for the threat? Abortion. The AIDS epidemic has killed more than 40 million people since the first recorded cases in 1981, tripling child mortality and carving decades off life expectancy in the hardest-hit areas of Africa, where the cost of treatment put it out of reach. Horrified, then-President George W. Bush and the U.S. Congress two decades ago creat...

Zimbabwe’s main opposition party has boycotted President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s first State of the Nation Address since disputed elections in August HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Zimbabwe’s main opposition party on Tuesday boycott ed President Emmerson Mnangagwa's State of the Nation address following his disputed reelection in August, revealing the widening political cracks in the southern African nation amid allegations of a post-vote clampdown on government critics. Citizens Coalition for Change spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi said the party's lawmakers stayed away from the speech because it views Mnangagwa as “illegitimate.” The CCC accuses Mnangagwa, 81, of fraudulently winning a second term and using violence and intimidation against critics, including by having some elected opposition officials arrested. The ruling ZANU-PF party, which has been in power in Zimbabwe since the country's independence from white minority rule in 1980, also retained a majority of Parliament seats ...

Nigeria’s main opposition says it will present new evidence to support its court challenge seeking to overturn this year’s presidential election, saying it can show the declared winner provided faked academic credentials to authorities ABUJA, Nigeria -- Nigeria’s main opposition said Thursday it will present new evidence to support its court challenge seeking to overturn this year's president ial election , saying it can show the declared winner provided faked academic credentials to authorities. President Bola Tinubu forged a diploma from an American university that he presented to Nigeria’s election commission before the February vote and should be removed from office, first runner-up Atiku Abubakar and his lawyer alleged in a briefing with reporters. They cited records obtained from the university in a U.S. court hearing and shared with The Associated Press. Abubakar previously has argued Tinubu should not be president because the election commission did not follow due process...

Authorities in Bangladesh have arrested a key opposition figure from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and sent him to prison after hours of detention DHAKA, Bangladesh -- Authorities in Bangladesh arrested a key opposition figure from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Sunday and sent him to prison after hours of detention. The party had called for a nationwide strike after violent clashes with security forces a day earlier. Media reports said at least three civilians died in the violence, which included an arson attack in the nation's capital, Dhaka, on Sunday. Dozens of others were injured during the strike. At least one police officer was killed and scores were injured Saturday when a massive rally by tens of thousands of opposition activists turned violent, police said. The opposition is demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the transfer of power to a non-partisan caretaker government to oversee general elections next year. Almost nine hours after ...

Opposition leader Donald Tusk is leading a march in Poland's capital to mobilize supporters and boost his coalition's chances of unseating the conservative government in an upcoming parliamentary election WARSAW, Poland -- Opposition leader Donald Tusk told supporters that political "change for the better is inevitable” in Poland as he opened a massive march Sunday to try to boost his political coalition's chances of unseating the country's conservative government in an upcoming parliamentary election. “No one can stop this force; this giant has awoken,” Tusk told huge crowds gathered in the center of Warsaw two weeks before the Oct. 15 election . “Let no one among the ruling team have any illusions: This change for the better is inevitable .” His Civic Coalition is vowing to mend ties with the European Union, which has had strained relations with Poland during the eight years the Law and Justice party has governed the country. Tusk spent five years as preside...

Local media in the Maldives say opposition candidate Mohamed Muiz has won the presidential runoff MALE, Maldives -- Opposition candidate Mohamed Muiz won the Maldives presidential runoff on Saturday, securing more than 53% of the vote, local media reported. The election has turned into a virtual referendum on which regional power — India or China — will have the biggest influence in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation. Mihaaru News reported that incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had received 46% of the vote and that Muiz had won by more than 18,000 votes. Official results were expected Sunday. “With today’s result we have got the opportunity to build the country's future. The strength to ensure the freedom of Maldives,” Muiz said in a statement after his victory. “It’s time we put our differences aside and come together. We need to be a peaceful society.” Muiz also requested that Solih transfer former president Abdulla Yameen to house arrest from prison. It was a surpr...

Senegal’s government has dissolved a major opposition party and restricted internet service hours after the party’s popular president and opposition leader said a judge ordered his arrest DAKAR, Senegal -- Senegal's government Monday dissolved a major opposition party hours after the party's popular president and opposition leader said a judge ordered his arrest. Ousmane Sonko, a towering opposition figure widely supported by Senegal's youth, was in prison Monday as he awaited trial for new criminal charges, said his party 's communications director, El Malick Ndiaye. It is unclear when the trial will take place. He is accused of calling for insurrection, conspiring against the state, threatening national security and other charges. “I’ve just been unjustly placed under a committal order,” Sonko wrote on his Facebook page Monday, which communications director Ndiaye confirmed. Earlier on Monday, Senegal's interior minister issued a statement claiming Sonko...

Longtime Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has cast his ballot in an election in which his party is all but assured a landslide victory thanks to the effective suppression and intimidation of any real opposition PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Longtime Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen cast his ballot 10 minutes after polls opened at 7 a.m. Sunday, in an election in which his party is all but assured a landslide victory thanks to the effective suppression and intimidation of any real opposition that critics say has made a farce of democracy in the Southeast Asian nation. The European Union, United States and other Western countries refused to send observers, saying the election lacked the conditions to be considered free and fair. That left international officials from Russia, China and Guinea-Bissau to watch as Hun Sun voted at a polling station in his home district outside of the capital, Phnom Penh. He held his ballot high for all to see, before depositing it into the silver metal box and le...

Poland's lawmakers have approved a contentious law targeting the opposition WARSAW, Poland -- Polish lawmakers on Friday approved a contentious draft law on Russia’s alleged influence in Poland that is targeting the opposition and may affect the outcome of fall parliamentary elections. The new law would establish a state commission for investigating Russian i NFL uences in Poland. It is generally seen as targeting former Prime Minister Donald Tusk, now the main opposition Civic Coalition leader, at a time when early campaigning for the fall elections is underway. The lower house, or Sejm, voted 234-219 with one abstention to approve the law proposed by the right-wing ruling party. It still needs approval from President Andrzej Duda to take effect. It was not clear whether Duda will approve it. Tusk, who is not a parliament member, was present in the chamber during the vote. He later said those who voted for the law were “cowards” who have “broken good parliamentary manners and th...