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Iraq audits EVMs, orders manual vote count

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Iraq audits EVMs, orders manual vote count

Objections raised on parliamentary election results

Amidst debate on the possibility of hacking Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in India another Asian country has taken a tough stand to check if it was hampering the democratic exercise at all.  Iraq’s parliament has ordered a full recount of the country’s recent parliamentary election that resulted in a surprise victory of Muqtada al-Sadr led Sairoun (Marchers) coalition.

Sard’s coalition managed to win the highest number of 54 seats in the 328 member parliament, while the Conquest Alliance, led by former minister and secretary general of Badr Organization-Hadi al-Ameri, came in second position with 47 seats while PM Haidar Al-abadi’s al-Nasr (Victory Alliance) coalition remained distant third with only 42 seats.

Read More: Iraq: Muqtada Sadr wins highest Parliament seats

The Conquest Alliance is a new alliance that entered the elections for the first time. It consists of 18 political parties many of which are former factions of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) also known by its Arabic name as Hashd al-Sha’abi. PMU played key role in defeating Daesh terrorists last year.

Everybody was shocked to know the result. Sadr bloc’s performance represented a rebuke to political elites that some voters blame for widespread corruption and dysfunctional governance.

The election results triggered protests among Turkman, Arabs and Kurds who have rejected the election results. Kirkuk governor had alleged rigging through electronic voting machines. Some 81 newly elected MPs have demanded an emergency session to address the grievances.

Iraq audits EVMs, orders manual vote count

In an unprecedented move on Wednesday, the outgoing 328-seat parliament voted in favor of a manual recount of all 11 million ballots from the May 12 poll in response to the charges of electoral fraud. They have also sacked a nine-member independent electoral commission that oversaw the process and replaced the body with nine judges.

Aljazeera correspondent in Baghdad said “Complaints had been raised by a number of parties from across the country in the day after the vote. We heard dissatisfaction from areas in the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), and the predominantly Sunni provinces of Anbar, Salah al-Din and Diyala.”

“But everything really seemed to kick in yesterday (Tuesday) when Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi endorsed the findings and the recommendation of a ministerial committee and alleged that there were ‘dangerous violations’ in the election.

Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi blamed electronic vote counting devices, which he said had been used without prior inspection for errors.

Intelligence agencies have also confirmed that tests of electronic voting machines – used for the first time in Iraqi elections – produced varied results, appearing to give credence to the fraud claims.

The Sairoon coalition promised to help the poor and build schools and hospitals, which were battered in the war against ISIL, and fiercely opposed any foreign interference in Iraq – whether Iranian or US.

Al-Sadr himself cannot become prime minister as he did not run in the election, but his bloc’s victory puts him in a position to have a strong say in negotiations over the future government.

The formation of a new government may take months as no alliance has won the 165 seats required for an outright majority. Until a new prime minister is chosen, al-Abadi will remain in office.

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Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day peace plan, says deal can come after US polls

US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to end hostilities and indicated that a deal could come after the US midterm elections in November.

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Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict, while indicating that a possible agreement could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Iran had proposed a seven-day framework under which hostilities could be brought to an end, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and negotiations over its nuclear programme could resume.

Iran’s seven-day proposal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had put forward the proposal through intermediaries. Under the plan, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened by the end of the seventh day if specified conditions were met, while broader nuclear discussions would restart.

The proposal was based largely on an earlier understanding reached between Washington and Tehran, but Iran sought to implement the latest framework much faster. The earlier arrangement had provided a longer period for negotiations.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway for global energy shipments, making its reopening a key element of any effort to ease the wider conflict.

Trump points to US midterm elections

Trump, speaking at the United Nations, showed no indication that he was ready to immediately resume negotiations on the terms proposed by Tehran.

He called for the economic isolation of Iran and said he believed a deal could be reached after the US midterm elections in November. Trump also said Iran was waiting to see how he performed in the midterm elections.

The remarks came as Iranian officials signalled that they remained open to diplomacy and described the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to revive negotiations.

Nuclear talks remain part of Iran proposal

Iran’s latest plan links the easing of hostilities with the resumption of negotiations over its nuclear programme.

The proposal follows the collapse of an earlier US-Iran arrangement. According to reporting on the latest proposal, the new framework is intended to compress the timeline for implementing commitments that had previously been discussed by the two sides.

For now, Trump’s remarks indicate that Washington is not accepting Tehran’s seven-day framework as presented, while Iran continues to put diplomacy and negotiations forward as part of its proposal.

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Iranian President Pezeshkian at UN says Iranians have been victims of US terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly that Iranians had been victims of US terrorism and insisted that Iran had acted in self-defence.

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of subjecting Iranians to what he described as terrorism while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian said Iran had defended itself against attacks and rejected the characterisation of the country as a terrorist actor. His remarks came during a rare wartime appearance at the UN as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high.

Pezeshkian accuses US and Israel of attacks

Speaking at the General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and described the actions against his country as aggression.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said, according to the report.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, while maintaining that Tehran’s response was an act of self-defence.

The Iranian president displayed photographs of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolchildren who, according to his account, were killed during the early days of the conflict.

Iran’s message at the UN

Pezeshkian’s address came against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and heightened tensions in the region.

Iranian officials had indicated ahead of the UN visit that they intended to highlight what Tehran considers attacks against its people and raise concerns over the international response to the conflict.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to New York also comes amid restrictions imposed by the United States on the delegation’s movement and other aspects of its stay, according to reporting ahead of the address.

Pezeshkian says Iran defended itself

Pezeshkian’s central message at the UN was that Iran’s military actions should be viewed as a response to attacks rather than terrorism.

His description of the conflict and the allegations against the United States and Israel represent the Iranian government’s position. They should therefore be attributed to Pezeshkian rather than presented as independently established facts.

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PM Modi’s Canada visit could help wrap trade talks, says Canada PM Mark Carney

Canadian PM Mark Carney said he is looking forward to hosting PM Narendra Modi, with both countries aiming to conclude their ongoing trade negotiations.

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he is looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India and Canada continue efforts to advance their bilateral relationship and conclude ongoing trade negotiations.

The two countries have been working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides previously setting a target to conclude the negotiations in 2026.

Carney and Modi have held discussions on strengthening economic ties between India and Canada, including trade and investment. Their engagement has gained momentum following Carney’s visit to India earlier this year.

India-Canada trade talks

India and Canada formally resumed efforts towards a broader trade agreement after a period of strained bilateral ties. The two sides have committed to advancing negotiations on a CEPA covering their economic relationship.

In June, Carney and Modi reviewed progress in bilateral economic cooperation during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France. They expressed satisfaction with the progress in CEPA negotiations and reaffirmed their shared objective of concluding the talks in 2026.

During Carney’s visit to India in March, the two leaders had also agreed to accelerate negotiations on the CEPA and work towards finalising the agreement during 2026.

Modi’s proposed Canada visit

Carney had invited PM Modi to visit Canada in 2026, and the two leaders agreed to remain engaged through diplomatic channels to work towards a mutually convenient date for the visit.

The proposed visit comes as New Delhi and Ottawa seek to build on renewed diplomatic and economic engagement, with trade negotiations remaining a key part of the relationship.

The focus on completing the trade talks comes as both countries look to expand commercial ties and establish a broader economic framework through the proposed CEPA.

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