VoteshavebeencastacrosstheUnitedStatesinatightlyfoughtpresidentialelectionwithcampaigningcontinuingevenonpollingdayitself.TheRepublicancandidateMittRomneyistakingtherarestepofcampaigningintwobattlegroundstatesasvotingtakesplace.SpeakingtosupportersoutsideCleveland,Ohio,hesaiditwascriticalthatasmanypeoplegotothepollsaspossible.
Peoplearemakingcallstogetfolksouttovote,becausetheyknowwegetfolksouttovotewe'llhavetherealchange,wereallyneededinthiscountry.AndI'msoexcitedabouttheprospects.I'vegottotellyou,I'mbuoyedbythespiritofthepeopleacrossthenation,theenthusiasm,thesupport,theenergy.Itisjustamazing.Thankyou.
Bycontrast,theDemocratincumbent,BarackObamaheldhisfinalrallylateonMonday.OpinionpollshavesuggestedthatMrObamahasanarrowleadinmostofthekeystates,buttheresultwillbeveryclose.
Wefeelconfident,we'vegotthevotestowin,butit'sgoingtodependultimatelyonwhetherthosevotesturnout.AndsoIwouldencourageeverybodyonallsidesjusttomakesurethatyouexercisethispreciousrightthatwehaveandthatpeoplefoughtsohardforustohave.
SpecialmeasureshavebeenputinplacetofacilitatevotinginlargepartsoftheeasternUnitedStatesstillaffectedbylastweek'smassivestorm,whilethemajorityofpollingstationsinNewYorkaresaidtobeworkingnormally,somehavehadtoriggedupintents.Underemergencylegislationpeoplehavebeenallowedtovotewherevertheycangettowithspecialbusesprovidedtotransportthem.
ThemainIslamistgroupoccupyingnorthernMalisaysitrejectsallformsofextremismandterrorism.TheAnsarDinegroupurgedtheMaliangovernmentandotherarmedmovementstoengageinpoliticaldialoguefollowingtalkswiththeregionalmediator,PresidentBlaiseCompaoreofBurkinaFaso.RichardHamiltonhasmore.
AnsarDinewhichcontrolsthefeebletownofTimbuktu,alargetractsoftheArabnortherndesertisthoughttohavestonedpeopletodeathandamputatedthehandsofthievesunderastrictinterpretationofIslamiclaworSharia.Butnowitseemstobetalkingaboutpeace.Thisapparentturnaroundmaybebecauseoftheveryrealthreatofmilitaryinterventionbyinternationalforces.WestAfricanarmychiefshavebeenmeetinginthecapitalBamakotodiscusssuchanoperationinthenorth.AnddespitealongarduousprocessinvolvingconsultationwiththeUnitedNations,theyarenowveryclosetofinalizingdetailsofthataction.
SeveralpeoplehavebeenkilledinabombattackintheSyriancapitalDamascus.TheofficialSyriannewsagencySanasaidtheblasttookplaceinanorthwesternsuburb.TheLondonbasedSyrianobservatoryforhumanrightssaidthreebombsexplodedkillingatleasttenpeople.
Turkey'srulingAKpartyhassubmittedtoparliamentproposalsaimedattransformingthepowerstothepresident.Undertheexistingconstitution,thepresidenthasalargelyceremonialrole.ThecurrentPrimeMinister,RecepTayyipErdoganhassaidheintendstorunfortheroleofthepresidentwhentheelectionsareheldin2014.HereisTomEsslemont.
RecepTayyipErdoganhasdominatedTurkishpoliticsfortenyears.AsPrimeMinister,he'srestoredeconomicstabilitytoacountryoncesteepedincrisis.He'sbroughttoheelTurkey'spowerfulmilitarydiminishingitsabilitytointerveneinpolitics.Tohimitmustfeelasthoughthereislittlestandinginhiswaytobecomeapresidentanddoingsoobtainingmorepower.Ifsuccessfulhewouldcontinuetoappointministersandunderhisparty'splansmakedecisionswithoutbeinghamstrungbyparliamentarybureaucracy.
CanadaandIndiahavereachedadealthatwouldallowCanadiancompaniestoexporturaniumandnuclearreactorstoIndia.TheannouncementwasmadeinDelhibythevisitingCanadianPrimeMinisterStephenHarperandhisIndiancounterpartManmohanSingh.
PoliceinVenezuelahaveseizedastashofmorethantwoandahalftonofMarijuanainthestateofTachira.ThedrugwashiddeninacontainerwhichpolicesaidhadcomefromneighbouringColombia.OneVenezuelanmanwasarrested.PolicesaytheyareworkingwiththeircounterpartsinColombiatotrackdownthesmugglingringwhichsenttheconsignment.
Spain'sconstitutionalcourthasdismissedanappealbythegoverningPopularPartychallengingthelegalityofcountry'sgaymarriagelaw.TheconservativePopularPartyclaimedthatthelawwasagainsttheconstitutionwhich,itsaid,recognisedonlytheunionofamanandawomanasmarriage.Thecourtrejectedtheargumentandupheldthelawwhichwaspassedsevenyearsagobyasocialistgovernment.
Andthat'sthelatestBBCNews
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