Bahamas PM concedes defeat in polls overshadowed by COVID-19
The Hindu
119 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed on September 15, taking the active number to 1,679 in the nation of just 400,000 people, while the positivity rate has hovered around 25% for the past six weeks
Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis on September 16 conceded defeat in the general elections onthe Atlantic island chain reeling from a surge in COVID-19 cases and slump in the tourism-dependent economy due to the pandemic.
Mr. Minnis called his challenger Philip Davis to congratulate him and his Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) on winning the poll.
"I offered him my best wishes as his government now faces the continued fight against COVID-19, and the restoration of our economy," Mr. Minnis, the leader of the Free National Movement (FNM) party, said in a statement.
The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.