Bollywood stars, top businessmen and legendary athletes including Sachin Tendulkar joined millions of voters at polling booths in India’s financial capital Mumbai on Wednesday.
More than 97 million people are eligible to vote for the assembly elections in the western state of Maharashtra, with about 10 million of those in Mumbai, home to the Bollywood film industry, and the headquarters of the country’s top companies.
Maharashtra is one of the most developed regions in the country and a critical political battleground, as it is one of the richest states. It sends 48 legislators, the second highest number, to India's national parliament which has 543 seats.
At least 400 candidates are standing in Mumbai alone. Election authorities set up more than 10,000 polling booths that were manned by 25,000 police personnel.
The region's legislative assembly has 288 seats and it is being governed jointly by the Hindu ultranationalist Shiv Sena party, led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.
Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar among other famous personalities turned out to vote on Wednesday.
More than 4,000 candidates are standing in the elections in Maharashtra, in what is widely seen as a battle between Mr Modi’s Hindu nationalist party and its allies and opposition Indian National Congress and its partners. India's Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen, a vocal Muslim party, is also in the fray.
The counting of votes will take place on November 23 and results will be announced on the same day.
Mumbai, which receives tens of thousands of migrants every year in search of jobs and a stable income, is one of the most populated cities.
But it is suffering from a growing population and crumbling infrastructure, air pollution, unaffordable medical care and inadequate public transport system and dwindling public services.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
LIVERPOOL%20TOP%20SCORERS
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About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
Aayan%E2%80%99s%20records
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Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars
SWEET%20TOOTH
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Day 3 stumps
New Zealand 153 & 249
Pakistan 227 & 37-0 (target 176)
Pakistan require another 139 runs with 10 wickets remaining
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
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