Lilongwe, May 21 (AFP/PTI) Malawi goes to the polls on Tuesday after a closely-fought election campaign, with President Peter Mutharika battling to hold off two serious rivals in a race that focused on corruption allegations and economic development.

Mutharika, who has been in power since 2014, will face opposition from his own deputy Saulos Chilima and former baptist preacher Lazarus Chakwera.

New Delhi, May 21; PTI/GANASHAKTI: Top opposition leaders met here on Tuesday, ahead of the Lok Sabha poll results on May 23, to discuss the possibility of a non-NDA alliance staking claim to government formation.

They will also move the Election Commission (EC) to press for their demand of tallying the paper trail of votes (VVPATs) with the electronic voting machine (EVM) figures.

New Delhi, May 21 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday took to Twitter to pay tribute to former PM Rajiv Gandhi on his 28th death anniversary.

"Tributes to former PM Shri Rajiv Gandhi on his death anniversary," Modi tweeted

This comes after Modi dubbed Rajiv Gandhi "bhrashtachari no 1" (corrupt no 1) at an election rally earlier this month

Nagpur, May 20 (PTI) Commandos and naxals exchanged fire Monday in jungle in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, more than 140 kms from here, police said.

A team of C-60 commandos of Gadchiroli police came under fire at around 7-7:30 pm while conducting an anti-naxal operation in Koparshi jungle in Bhamragad area, a press release stated.

Police said naxals fled after commandos returned the fire.

New Delhi, May 20 (PTI) NaMo TV, a BJP-sponsored channel that publicised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rallies and other poll messages, has gone off air, party sources said.

They said it went off air on May 17 when all campaigns for the Lok Sabha election came to an end.

A BJP leader, requesting anonymity, said, "NaMo TV was meant as a tool of BJP campaign for the Lok Sabha election. With the polls over, it is no longer needed, so effectively from May 17, when all campaign has to be paused, it has also gone off air."

CHICAGO (AP) — Lori Lightfoot told aldermen and other city powerbrokers assembled at her inauguration Monday as Chicago’s first black woman mayor that she meant what she said on the campaign trail about top-to-bottom reforms in the nation’s third largest city.

“For years, they’ve said Chicago ain’t ready for reform,” said Lightfoot, speaking minutes after her swearing-in at the Wintrust Arena. “Well, get ready, because reform is here.”

MUNSTER, Germany, May 20 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday assured Germany's help for Ukraine to solve the conflicts in its Donbas region.

Merkel made the statement during her visit to a rapid reaction force of NATO in Germany's Munster.

The army unit, consists of soldiers of Germany, the Netherlands and Norway, was founded in 2014 after an escalation of clashes in Ukraine's east.

New Delhi, May 21 (PTI) Top opposition leaders will meet in the national capital Tuesday to discuss the possibility of a non-NDA alliance staking claim to government formation and also move the Election Commission to press for their demand of tallying paper trail of votes (VVPATs) with electronic voting machine (EVM) figures.

According to sources, leaders of opposition parties such as the Congress, TDP, Left parties, BSP, NCP and TMC will informally meet to discuss the way forward in case the NDA fails to get to the majority mark.

New Delhi, May 20 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday hit back at BJP leader Vijay Goel, who had said the CM should have the personal security officer of his choice if he doubts him, saying it is "Modi Ji who wants to get me killed, not my PSO .

Kejriwal on Saturday claimed he will be assassinated by his personal security officer, like former prime minister Indira Gandhi.

He said the Bharatiya Janata Party is after his life and will kill him one day.

United Nations, May 21 (PTI) An Indian peacekeeper is among the 119 military, police and civilian personnel who will be honoured on Friday with a prestigious UN medal for courage and sacrifice in the line of duty.

Police Officer Jitender Kumar made the supreme sacrifice while serving in the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).

He will be honoured with the Dag Hammarskjold Medal on Friday as the world organisation observes the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers

MONTOURSVILLE, Pa. (AP) — President Donald Trump voiced confidence Monday in his ability to win a repeat victory in Pennsylvania in 2020 and took a fresh swipe at one of his leading Democratic rivals, telling rallygoers that native son Joe Biden had abandoned them by representing Delaware in the Senate.

In fact, Biden moved to neighboring Delaware with his family when he was a boy, and later represented the state in the Senate for more than three decades. He maintained ties to Pennsylvania over the years.

MOSCOW, May 20. /TASS/: A pontoon bridge across the Euphrates river has been restored by the Syrian army’s engineering units with the assistance of the Russian Center for reconciliation of the confllicting sides in Syria, the center’s chief Viktor Kupchishin said on Monday.