Sierra Leone kicks off general elections

STORY: Sierra Leone kicks off general elections DATELINE: June 25, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:02 LOCATION: Freetown CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. Various shots of Sierra Leone general elections STORYLINE: Sierra Leone kicks off its presidential, parliamentary, and local council elections Saturday, with more than 3.3 million registered voters casting their ballots across the country. Voters queued in over 11,000 polling stations that were opened from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. A total of 13 registered political parties including the ruling Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) and the main opposition All People's Congress (APC) participated in the elections, which are observed by both local and international observers in all polling stations. President Julius Maada Bio is seeking a second and final term as he is contesting against the main opposition presidential candidate Samura Kamara whom he defeated in the 2018 elections. To be declared the winner of the presidential race, the leading presidential candidate must secur

Afghan forces kill 7 IS militants, arrest 7 others in Kabul

STORY: Afghan forces kill 7 IS militants, arrest 7 others in Kabul DATELINE: Jan. 6, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:08 LOCATION: Kabul CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the street views and site of an operation against the hideout of Daesh (IS) militants, Afghanistan STORYLINE: Afghan security forces stormed a hideout of militants affiliated with the rival Islamic State (IS) outfit in the Afghan capital city of Kabul on Wednesday, killing seven people with several arrests, a government official said. "The security forces of Islamic Emirate launched operations against the hideout of Daesh (IS) militants in Qalacha and Shuhadai Salehen localities of Kabul Wednesday evening, and as a result seven Daesh rebels were killed and seven others arrested," the Taliban-run administration chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted Thursday. Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, Kabul residents reported that a series of blasts rocked the Karta-e-Naw locality and its vicinity in Police District 8. Mujahid also said Afghan secur

China's National People's Congress opens Monday amid tight secur

China's National People's Congress opens Monday amid tight secur

BEIJING, China - Police officers patrol the Tiananmen Square in Beijing on March 4, a day before the National People's Congress, China's parliament, opens its annual session amid tight security in the nearby Great Hall of the People. (Kyodo)

China's National People's Congress opens Monday amid tight secur

China's National People's Congress opens Monday amid tight secur

BEIJING, China - Police officers patrol outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 4, a day before the National People's Congress, China's parliament, opens its annual session amid tight security. (Kyodo)