Emmerson Mnangagwa wins Zimbabwe presidential election
Harare, Aug 3: Zimbabwe's incumbent leader Emmerson Mnangagwa narrowly won the nation's presidential election on Friday as the ruling party garnered a two-thirds majority in parliament in the first vote since the fall of long-time ruler Robert Mugabe.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) announced that Mnangagwa, 75, received 2,460,463 votes, representing 50.8 per cent of the total votes, reports Xinhua news agency.
His biggest rival, Nelson Chamisa from opposition MDC Alliance, received 44.3 per cent of the vote.
The other 21 presidential candidates shared the remaining votes.
Mnangagwa said he was "humbled" by his win.
"Though we may have been divided at the polls, we are united in our dreams," he tweeted.
"This is a new beginning. Let us join hands, in peace, unity and love, and together build a new Zimbabwe for all."
Mnangagwa is Zimbabwe's second executive president after Mugabe, 94, who assumed the position in 1987.
The election took place on Monday but opposition supporters protested in Harare over alleged vote-rigging, which led to six deaths on Wednesday, the BBC reported.
The elections were the first since Mugabe was ousted last November. They were intended to set Zimbabwe on a new path following Mugabe's repressive rule.
It is also the first time in 16 years that the Zimbabwe government allowed European Union, Commonwealth and US election monitors into the country.
More than five million people were registered to vote in Monday's poll, and there was a turnout of 70 per cent.
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MP Brijesh Chowta urges centre to grant point of call status to Mangaluru airport
New Delhi: Dakshina Kannada MP Brijesh Chowta has demanded that Mangaluru International Airport be given Point of Call (TOC) status urgently.
Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha under Rule 377, MP Chowta said that Mangaluru International Airport is a major aviation gateway for coastal Karnataka and neighbouring Kerala. The airport handled around 23.4 lakh passengers, including 7.15 lakh international passengers, during 2024-25. More than 16,800 flights were operated for it. This has registered a growth of more than 15% annually. He said that these figures highlight the importance of the airport in terms of growth and commercial promotion.
A significant number of people from Tulunadu regions work in Gulf and Middle Eastern countries. This working community relies heavily on Mangaluru airport for international travel. However, due to lack of point of call status, foreign airlines are unable to operate direct international services from here. Hence, passengers have to travel via Bengaluru or Cochin airports. This is causing various inconveniences to the NRI community, including high cost, long travel time, Brijesh Chowta has drawn the attention of the House.
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Granting the status to Mangaluru International Airport will enable direct international connectivity for the people of this region. It will also facilitate further expansion of airline operations. It will enable smooth travel for the working class abroad and their families.
Such air connectivity will naturally boost trade and investment activities here. It will also support and encourage regional industries like areca nut, cashew nut processing and petrochemicals. It will also complement the growth of the Mangalore Special Economic Zone, MP Chowta assured the House.
Providing direct international connectivity can not only boost the growth of tourism in the coastal region but also the progress in the education sector. It will also facilitate easy travel for students, researchers and visitors of prestigious institutions like NITK Suratkal and Manipal Institute of Technology to international forums, he said.
