World Tour: Mozambique elections

LINDSAY MAST, HOST: Coming up next on The World and Everything in It: WORLD Tour with our reporter in Africa, Onize Oduah.

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ONIZE ODUAH: We begin in Mozambique … where voters are at the polls today after political parties wrapped up their final rallies earlier this week.

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Supporters cheering for Daniel Chapo … the presidential candidate for the ruling Frelimo party.

Chapo is widely expected to emerge the winner. The Frelimo party has been in power … since Mozambique gained its independence from Portugal in 1975.

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In the capital city of Maputo, some opposition supporters held brooms and danced. Ossufo Momade is the candidate representing the major opposition Renamo party.

OSSUFO MOMADE: SPEAKING PORTUGUESE

He says here that the brooms are to symbolize cleaning out corruption and addressing the lack of water and poor roads. The southern African nation is also battling an Islamist insurgency in the northern Cabo Delgado province.

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In Kazakhstan, voters have backed a referendum on building the country’s first nuclear power plant.

Early results showed that 71 percent of voters backed the plant. Authorities said the construction will ease pressure on the coal-reliant power stations.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is the president of Kazakhstan.

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He says here that it would be ideal for international companies with the most advanced technology to work in Kazakhstan.

But critics denounce the project’s expense - as the power plant will cost the government up to $12 billion dollars. It also follows Kazakhstan’s painful history with nuclear materials. The Soviet Union used the country as a testing ground for its nuclear program between 1949 and 1989.

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And in Europe, the United Kingdom has agreed to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

Britain has resisted pressure for years … to give up control of the Indian Ocean islands. The point of contention is the Diego Garcia base that the UK leased to the United States.

As part of the deal, the UK will keep the joint military base … while Mauritius is now free to resettle the islands.

Maneesh Gobin is the Mauritian foreign minister.

MANEESH GOBIN: This dispute dates back to 1965, some more than 50 years. And I think today's historic because it brings to an end this dispute.

The UK also said it would provide a financial support package to Mauritius.

MANEESH GOBIN: Thank you so much for joining us.

We close today in the Philippines … with pet owners seeking blessings.

A flurry of fur filled the mall in Manila on Sunday as people carried their dogs, cats, and rabbits.

Ela Anghela came with her dog.

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She says here that the practice is a tradition for some … but she also came to pray for her dog’s protection.

The blessing comes after World Animal Day on Friday when some Christians remember Saint Francis of Assisi—the patron saint of animals.

That’s it for this week’s World Tour. Reporting for WORLD, I’m Onize Oduah in Abuja, Nigeria.

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