Thimphu, July 13
Bhutan's main opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) tonight stormed to power, getting two-thirds majority in the second parliamentary elections that was dogged by the controversy over India's withdrawal of subsidy on kerosene and cooking gas.

In a stunning defeat of the ruling Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT), the PDP bagged 32 seats in the 47-member National Assembly as against just two in the outgoing house. To form a government, a party needs to win a minimum of 24 seats.

The DPT could manage only 15 seats, a steep fall from 45 it bagged in the 2008 national elections in the land-locked Himalayan nation nestled between India and China.

PDP president Tshering Tobgay is expected to be the new Prime Minister succeeding DPT's Jigmi Y Thinley, whose meeting with then Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of an Environment Summit in Brazil last year had raised eyebrows in India.

The peaceful elections was marked by a heavy voter turnout of 80 per cent. This is the second national polls in Bhutan after the country became a democracy in 2008, before which it was a monarchy.

Soon after the election results were announced, PDP general secretary Sonam Jatsho thanked the people of Bhutan, saying his party would try its best to fulfil their expectations.

"We are grateful to the people of Bhutan and will try our best to fulfil their expectations," Jatsho told PTI.

During the campaigning, the rival parties tried to impress upon people that concerns like India's withdrawal of subsidy on kerosene and cooking gas would be resolved once they form the government.

India had cut off the gas subsidy to Bhutan since a pact with the country had expired on June 30. However, India had assured Bhutan that it will not make it "suffer" and will proceed on the issue of gas and kerosene subsidy in "full consultation" with the new government there. — PTI 

Moscow/Montevideo, July 13
Russian immigration officials say they have not received an application from Edward Snowden, the US National Security Agency leaker who wants to get asylum in Russia.

Snowden came to Moscow's Sheremetyevo international airport on June 23 from Hong Kong. He is believed to have spent the last three weeks marooned in the airport's transit zone.

Yesterday, he met there with human rights activists and said he would seek Russian asylum, at least as a temporary measure before going to Venezuela, Bolivia or Nicaragua, all of which have offered him asylum.

But the Interfax news agency quoted Russian migration service head Konstantin Romodanovsky as saying no asylum request had been received as of today.

Meanwhile, South American leaders defended their right to offer asylum, venting anger at claims of US spying in the region while Snowden's fate hangs in the balance. Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua, all run by leftist governments, have offered Snowden asylum.

Four European countries also came under attack in Montevideo at a summit of Mercosur, the regional bloc, for shutting off their airspace and holding up a plane carrying Bolivian President Evo Morales, apparently on suspicion that Snowden was aboard. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called for stronger regional cyber-security after documents leaked by Snowden allegedly show that Washington has engaged in electronic spying in several Latin American countries. — Agencies 

William and Catherine

London, July 13
Prince William left his Royal Air Force (RAF) base to head for London and be by wife Kate's side as the due date for the royal baby arrived today. William is on leave from his duties as an air-sea rescue helicopter captain based at Anglesey, an island off the Welsh coast, as he prepares for the birth of his first child - who will be the future king or queen of England as the third in line to the throne.

The Duchess of Cambridge will give birth in the Lindo wing of St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, central London, and has opted for a natural birth. It is the same place Princess Diana gave birth to William and brother Harry.

Media from around the world is camping out with cameras outside the hospital in anticipation of the news, which will be first broken to Queen Elizabeth II by her grandson William on the phone.

Meanwhile, plans for a new commemorative coin were reviewed at the Privy Council on Wednesday and the Royal Mint confirmed it was part of its plans to mark the royal birth. It will bring out a new £5 silver coin to mark the birth, bearing an iconic "St George and Dragon" design. — PTI