in the center left and center right blocks evenly balanced. it's entirely possible that the speaker will hand the top job back to steph and la friendly. it is at least until the next general election in september next year. the pm may be down, but he's not yet out. pull brennan, al jazeera crypto fans, something shiny, a new to get all excited about father, he's auction house is putting a flawless 100 carat diamond up for sale, which can be bought using crypto currencies. the past a diamond is expected to fetch up to $15000000.00, which is about $477.00. bitcoin at the moment anyway. ah, 30 minutes past midnight gmc updating it top stories. counting is well underway and ethiopia twice delay general election. the prime minister is hoping to hold on to power and what is his 1st real electoral test?

several opposition parties of boycotted the bow to conflict into gray and ballot shortages left hundreds and thousands of people without a chance to vote. mohammed ho reports now from a pulling station in addis ababa. there was long keels of the in the capitol at the top, about several other cities across the country. people had started gathering some of these pulling sessions as early as 4 in the morning. these are very crucial elections to european. they see us the 1st step towards the monetizing country and they want the entire world to see it just not a walk in progress. manias can take the prime minister. nicole passion, young and his supporters are celebrating a big tree in sunday snap parliamentary election for a better and a divisive political campaign, passenger, and has called for national reconciliation. at least 20 palestinians have been injured for 10 expires reading settlers and the security forces and occupied east

jerusalem. settlers threw rocks and chairs of families living and shake gerra. a number of palestinians had been arrested. mexico and john tina have recalled their ambassadors from nicaragua, for consultations of a president, daniel or takers, increasing crackdown on opposition there. more than a dozen opposition figures, including 5 potential presidential candidates have been arrested this month. president ortega is expected to seek a 4th term in the 4th coming elections in november in columbia. there's been fighting between anti government protested, and the police and the capital demonstrates as confronted riot police and who may, that's close to all the time. they have been daily demonstrations against rise in poverty, inequality, and police brutality. you are right up to date with all the top stories so far. we will have more news for you on this channel in 30 minutes between now and then it's inside story will season. news

news, news, news. the 1st multi party election in ethiopia in more than 16 years, the prime minister is facing the electorate for the 1st time since taking office. but will democracy work even as some regions are left out of the vote? this is inside story. ah, ah ah hello and welcome to the program i'm hammered. jim jim prime minister, aba had rose to power in 2018, promising a break with if you will be. as authoritarian passed and the nation's 1st multi

party election in 16 years was held on monday after being delayed twice because of the pandemic. the vote is based 1st test at the ballot since his appointment is governing prosperity party has fielded the most candidates raising his chances of remaining on the job. but some opposition groups have boycotted, the vote in protest against the jailing of their leaders and some regions are not taking part for logistical or security reasons. those who missed monday's vote, we'll get another chance in september. i'll be, i met has been under pressure for the conflict in the northern region of too great weather you and has warned thousands are facing famine like conditions. so i'm a survive his 1st test at the ballot box. we'll put that to our guess. first, this report from having to go in, addis ababa. the long queue outside, almost every pulling session is that couple of people have this streaming falling. so some hours before 40 begun that costing 3 bullets, one full a member of the local assembly, another for the house of representatives,

which is if your main parliament on the sad one full members of the house or for the restaurant, which is the upper house of if you, if you like, come to parliament. now these elections have been a dog with the logistical issues in the past. it is the military that does help the electoral commission to a full falling materials to different parts of the can fit with the military. now fully engaged in the integral the electoral commission did not have that support available, which is one of the reasons why it was delayed, saying that they needed more time to prepare for the electric was the 2nd time the electrical performed last year was football because of the corporate $900.00 pandemic. now, they're also legitimacy issue surrounding this election. will you have the desired effect of a democratic, if there was a judy still out on boss because there are

a number of issues. one of them be position party is not filled in candidates and some parts of the country where they said not only what they're supposed to intimidate that and prism, but also some of them killed. they've also the issue of the region on the mcvey about discussing a very long shot of when he came for paula prime minister himself was a democrat and a leader who was going to show in a new era of democracy in ethiopia. now with the 1st lesson organized, having all these issues, including of the mission, like both from the european union company, the last minutes, many people feel that the legitimacy issue will linger even in the election period . 40 side to 40. this is mohammed. i do also is it a couple buddies up here? so let's have a look at what's at stake in this election. the northern region of tea guy remains

in a state of conflict. 8 months after prime minister had ordered a military offensive. they're the un and humanitarian agencies say at least 350000 people face famine in the region. thousands have been killed and displaced and the african union is investigating allegations of rights abuses. the u. s. has imposed some sanctions on if you will be and leaders in response to the t re crisis. ethnic divisions have been growing particularly between if your peers to largest ethnic groups, the horror and oracle. and if you'll be in a dispute with sudan and egypt for its hydro electric dam on the blue nile. ah, all right, let's bring our guests in addis ababa. samuel get you? is a journalist and writer in fort myers william davidson is senior. if you'll be analyst at the international crisis group in the hague of it is program officer at international institute for democracy and electoral assistance, a warm welcome to you all, samuel, let me start with you today. how have people in,

if you viewed this election, i mean, do they actually see this as the beginning of a real transition to democracy? you know, i woke up just to be got the polls and the line up i have seen, you know, it was supposed to take my pulling station where i reside. and i come because i don't need to ship, but the park because the line up was long. people are excited. it's not going to be the most part of the election, but he has never known an invention. that's perfect. but the people wanted to express that idea, they wanted to highlight the issues that they care about. but i saw some kind of excitement among the money and the people that i met today and thought the date. and let me get your viewpoint. you wrote a piece recently in which you said that many saw elections as harbingers of the success of the much touted transition. what about now? do you feel the same?

yes, i think a lot for a lot of people, there's still a lot of hope that the elections will show in a better dispensation political dispensation. at the same time, they are not, as they will hope to be primarily for 2 reasons. one is the unfolding conflict and tragedy in take rights and take away, richard will not be participating in the elections. and secondly, is the fact that in romeo, the key opposition parties are not participating. and what that means is that the electron outcomes romeo will not be a genuine reflection of the political device in the region. about the same time, i think, overall in the country, there is a sense somewhere described there just a sense of euphoria that these are important actions and that they will show in a new dispense and better political disposition in the country. william just how big of a test is this for a man? i mean, he's never really faced the electorate before. so just, you know,

how much pressure is on him right now because these elections and for the reason stated by, by adam, there is not that much pressure on the prime minister. hit region is most popular region is or mia. it has the most federal constituency is something like a $178.00 out of $547.00. i believe that was where the prime minister was expected to face is major electoral test and indeed it's his home region. now the major opposition part is, as adam said, have boy caught the election. therefore it seems almost that the prime ministers prosperity party will win by default in or mia. so the out standing questions, it will be interesting to see what share of the boats and the seats, the prosperity party winds in order to try and gauge its popularity. it will be very interesting to see the outcome of the election results in just about whether a number of opposition parties were still challenging the ruling party. but

overrule this election as an actual real test of the prime minister and his agenda and his new ruling party. that is not as it should be because of that lack of competition in those key areas where he faces the most opposition and the biggest and ethical challenge. sammy, i want to pick up on a point that adam was making. he mentioned the conflict that's going on in t great. how much of a shadow is that war that's going on in t grey casting on the election? she be honest, i'm not trying to discount what's happening. that's a great region. what's happening is really when you start, but the talk to just in the great region, it's all across the country. there are many parts of the country that i can't even access. we can't even access only because of security issues. what's the go or meant that they can not even provide basic security for fuel pins or citizens. so i

mean to graze overshadowing many, many people that are being impacted. what we have seen from our far we can't even cause them allegations anymore. busy they have been fox, they have been some that has been endorsed by even the government, the if you're the human rights commission, the u. n. so what's happening in the gray region is something that needs our attention, not just the government. i think it needs every once i finish it, what locks among your friends is a real conversation about citizenship. there is this idea of embracing ethnic log our ethnic backgrounds. i think the selection, if it does any legacy, it needs to move forward. i know the lecture, there are some questions about how the selection will be, but the reality is if you need to move forward, because we don't want to see it, you'll break up and become like we've seen in other countries including our

neighboring somalia and south sedan. adam elections are not being held in around one 5th of the countries. $547.00 constituencies that includes all $38.00 seats and t gray and $64.00 others across the country. what are the reasons that elections either won't be held there or will be delayed? it's a combination of one insecurity, especially integrated, but also in parts of west and romeo and small parts of a region. but in other places, it's principally logistics and allegations of electron mishaps, particularly and so mighty region, which is the 3rd which is the 4th largest region in europe. yeah. so it's a combination of insecurity of logistical challenge and off and off elect electron mishaps about. it's important to note that accept 4 to grade elections in other parts in the, in the remaining parts are planned for september. and if everything goes well,

that was to be before the next parliament is supposed to start, so that delays unfortunate into the areas, but it does not necessarily undermine the legitimacy of the elections. but what you said earlier in what some will try to cover is the fact that take her, i would be out of the elections and we don't know for how long and, and has to be a way to ensure that their interest of the client would be represented at the national level, so there has to be in the counties and for that to happen until the elections are, are able to be william. why was the decision made to go ahead with elections when there are so many areas of the country where you know poles have been delayed for various reasons is this, is this more about the fact that it would look like a failure after the elections having been delayed prior to to this, to this day, or is it more about the fact that it's an attempt for the prime minister in his party to consolidate power or is it a combination of both?

yes, combination of a number of things. i think that the ruling was that they would run elections nines, 12 months after the time, then it was considered to be under control. so there is a window to hold elections. the opposition and elements have been excluded from this election, including an, or the liberation army which has grown and popularity and tape abilities. it seems, since the formal opposition parties boycotts at the election. now they are essentially trying to disrupt this process, which they say is illegitimate. and conduct conducted by illegitimate authorities. so it's a cancel the election in the face of that sort of threat would be a submission to that sort of opposition activity. so it really does make sense to go ahead from the election from some of the federal authorities perspective. of course, the prime minister and his ruling party. they see a chance to win a mandate. formal, formal democratic mandate,

even if it lacks some popular legitimacy and push ahead with that agenda. so i think those are the core reasons for pushing heads of the vote. i just want to return to something that samuel said, he's talking about the need to sort of healing ethnic device. and when we talk about these excluded opposition entities. and when we talk about the opposition acted either the orbital liberation army or the armed resistance in 5th grade, they are promoting an s no nationalist agenda. and this election without apportioning blame that this election is excluding both elements. so rather than this election bringing any sort of healing any sort of answers to these divisions, any theory in society, instead, it could quite possibly exacerbate them because the parties that are participating in the election generally are the opponents of the, those more nationalist forces. and so that is the overarching concern that crisis group and many others have about the political situation. any is samuel let,

let me ask you about what william was just mentioning. i mean, are you concerned that there is a reason to worry that these elections will further destabilize, ethiopia? there might as well be, but the reality is the selection was delayed, so many times twice a lease. this is going to be a partial election. unless you've got moves beyond the selection, i mean, we have to move on and, and because there are so many needs across the country, again, many, many countries when we become. 2 a citizen forced to reside in among our ethnic groups. i highlight what williams said, i know there are issues with the selection. it's not the most perfect selection. though position has to be saying last year, they should, the prime minister should have conducted on election time position groups. now

they're asking it for it to be delayed. once again, there are money that have not participating for many, many reasons. but the reality is, i think if you really want security, they need their basic needs to be met. and if this election would somehow put results, i guess when people are saying this is b adam, you know, there are many analysts who said that if tensions and conflicts around the country, you know, if it's already, if that's already caused a roll back of a meds, reforms that those rollbacks would continue. what would you say to that follow that there's always that chance. my sense is that once the elections are over and as we expect the ruling party secure victory, they might feel more secure. more so, suppose the electron calculations may change. that means that they might be ready

to make concessions, integrate, and also with the auto position. and perhaps even with the international challenge, forces in the good and others that the countries facing the elections holder in your round. it's very difficult for the government to make concessions, particularly on some of the popular measures, including the conflict in integration and the idea of the conflict also in parts of the room is i think there is a chance that the electoral outcomes may provide the government with some security with some confidence and also relieve it of the intellectual calculations to engage in less popular but, but significant processes including the issues that, that william rest. as you say, you know, the parties are out of this process are unfortunately it's the national forces. and unfortunately, also the elections are not supposed and they're not meant to sold a, some of the conversations between, you know,

on these issues. so there is hope that after the elections and it's certainly my hope after the elections, the government will feel more secure to engage with these forces, which would require dialogue because elation and overall, mutual legitimacy between the parties and the opposition. william, you know, we've seen outside actors continue to try to push out into some type of conciliatory position to try to start a dialogue to try to deescalate tensions in the country. and we've seen continue to digging his heels and really sort of rebuff those overtures. let me ask you to expand on what adam was sammy, do you think that there is reason to be optimistic right now that if the election goes the way that many people think it will. and if i be, i'm, it continues to be prime minister if they locks his hold on power there. will there be a level of comfort to be able to be more conciliatory? i mean,

are there any chances that there could be efforts made after the selection to stop the conflict, anti grey, and also deal with other crises throughout the country? sadly, i don't think there's grounds to be optimistic, but i would not. that does not mean i am dismissing the views or the suggestion along the lines of either that it's, it's sensible it's, it's worthwhile to wait and see what the god reaction is. what the prime minister's reaction is in the event of secure and comfortable majority. here is the going to be some recognition that the war integrate is essentially on winnable. and it is just going to need to continue human suffering with no prospect of a sustainable political settlement. that is going to be recognition without some form of political amnesty, some effort to reach out to opponents. some efforts of let's go, we conciliation that he threw up, his political problems are going to get worse and that means more violent. i hope

so, but i'm not particularly optimistic about that. and those concerns are based around a number of things. recently we have seen the t p l f, the ruling party into great classified as a terrorist organization. but the armed resistance integrate is fighting for the return of the t p left government. that is a very hard political problem to resolve. and instead of reconciliation, it looks like we will see more complex that more generally, this is a process of the authorities and those that a loosely allied with them describing who are legitimate actors and who are eligible political actors. now when you have an election, it will enhance those division. those who participated in election will be considered legitimate. those who are engaging any, any form armed opposition activity of course will be classed as illegitimate. post election is the possibility for reconciliation and a change in direction. but unfortunately, i am not optimistic about that occurring. samuel, i'll be standing outside of

a few has been greatly diminished since the war in te great began. what about insight? ethiopia? i think, you know, he's been prime minister for 3 years. he has a record, you know, when you have a record of your honeymoon, but it's called honeymoon. you become a witch issue. there are those that do support them blindly sometimes do so for the ongoing conflicts as a punishment to the t p and the euro. and there are those that really despise what's happening up was the company conflict has taken over the country all across the country. there are issues of unemployment, you know, high there used to be a high interest for an investment. some of them are going back, they're just packing up and going back. so there are many, many issues and he has become the wage issue. but if i, if i may, and then we talk about, you know, today when i woke up by them went to the old looking at long lines of people that

remind me of the hope, hopefully from africa, 9394. you know, i just called the appeal will have a democracy where people can have confidence in the system. that's why people liking it returned. i'm a das problem outside. so we can see the kind of hope in ethiopia. i'm going to be hopeful. i like william and i hope this and that she will produce results for something for you'll get to forward. when we can have basic security in the country that really diminishes. our system issue hadn't beyond these elections, how much of a challenge to issues like the border dispute with to dan and the escalating tensions over the ground if you're up in renaissance dam pose for i'll be admitted and for the government? well, he's, i think the contestation over the dumb was it preceded him at the border district

was to don is quite new. i was always there lurking in the background, but it has escalated significantly, particular issues. the war started my sense it, that at the moment any negotiation was always connected with electro calculations of the party. so even if they believe that concessions may be important, they would be hesitant because they do not want to disappoint their support. so that the good in particular, it's an extremely emotional issue in europe. yeah. the same with, with the border dispute in the country. and other said also the dispute in romeo and also in into question, not extremely sensitive issues for any, any warning party. so my says and, and certainly my hope is that the fact that the electron calculations would be over elections would be over soon, could give them some breathing space to make, to make gestures important concessions and just gestures. so very, very sensitive,

very, very popular issues. and i hope that the, the relaxation of the taishan could, could be, could be, could, could harold a better future for the country. william, we only have about a minute 30 seconds left. and let me just ask you if prime minister robbie is increasingly alienated from the international community, how much is that going to impact what goes on domestically? and if you're, if you the big question is the international financing that the government is going to receive in the months and years to come, to carry out that agenda. whether that's economical or political reforms or just general government activity. the tide is turning so fast against government and because of the horrors of the war integrated the civilian suffering that there is considerable momentum building up in both the us and also in europe. europe for continued action unless the government changes cor centigrade. and as i've described unfortunately at the moment though, i am hopeful,

i cannot be sort of rationally optimistic about a change in approach that because at the moment there are just no signs of it. all right, we have run out of time. so we're going to have to leave the conversation there. thanks so much to all of our get samuel, get you william davidson and adam about it. and thank you to for watching. you can see the program again anytime by visiting our website at 0 dot com. and for further discussion, go to our facebook page at facebook dot com forward slash ha inside story. you can also do the conversation on twitter handle is at a inside story. for me, how much i'm drilling the whole team here. bye for now. the me. ah

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face. i i hello welcome pizza they'll be here in doha with your top stories on al jazeera counting has not begun in ethiopia as general election. it's been marred by shortages, the ballot papers allegations of voting irregularities and a conflict, but denied hundreds of thousands of people are right to vote. the prime minister smith is hoping to hold on to power. and what was his 1st real electoral test? major opposition parties boycotted to the election on monday or some who remained in the phrase the ballot boxes were tampered with and this.