Icelanders headed to the polls on Saturday to elect a new parliament, following political disagreements that led Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson to dissolve his coalition government and call for an early election. Disputes over immigration, energy policy, and the economy contributed to the collapse of the government, which had struggled to remain united. Despite severe weather conditions that blocked roads across the island, all polling stations opened as scheduled. The ballot-counting process began after polls closed at 10 p.m. local time (2200 GMT), with results expected on Sunday morning. This election marks Iceland’s sixth general election since the 2008 financial crisis, which left the country’s economy in tatters and initiated a period of political fragmentation. Opinion polls suggested that the three governing parties would face significant challenges, with support for the current coalition — which includes Benediktsson’s Independence Party, the centrist Progressive Party, and the Left-Green Movement — declining sharply. Read: Iceland holds election amid debates on immigration, energy, economy Voters in Iceland, a country of around 400,000 people, will choose 63 members of the Althingi, Iceland's parliament, through a combination of regional constituencies and proportional representation. A minimum of 5% of the vote is required for parties to secure seats. Historically, voter turnout in Iceland has been high, with 80% of registered voters casting ballots in the 2021 election. The political landscape in Iceland has been deeply affected by the financial crisis, leading to a splintering of political parties. Since 2008, distrust in traditional political powers has given rise to new parties, including the environmentalist Left-Green Alliance and the Pirate Party, which advocates direct democracy. Key issues in the election include rising inflation, which peaked at 10.2% in February 2023, as well as pressures from immigration. Iceland has seen an influx of asylum-seekers, with more than 4,000 arriving annually in recent years, compared to fewer than 1,000 previously. In addition, ongoing volcanic eruptions in southwestern Iceland have displaced thousands and strained the government’s resources. The eruptions, which have caused significant housing shortages and disrupted local communities, have added to existing concerns over Iceland's housing market, exacerbated by the growth of the tourism industry. Benediktsson expressed hope that his Independence Party would emerge victorious, despite the challenges his coalition faced. However, analysts suggest that political fragmentation in Iceland is unlikely to subside anytime soon, as the economic and political landscape continues to evolve in the wake of the 2008 crisis. Source: With inputs from agencies

Political instability ahead of the national election appeared as a big blow to Bangladesh’s tourism sector as most popular tourist destinations including Cox's Bazar, St. Martin, and Kuakata see sharp drop in the number of visitors. With up to 90 percent of advance bookings canceled, the once-bustling establishments face unprecedented vacancies as people are reluctant to travel amid the countrywide ongoing blockades and hartals enforced by the BNP and some other like-minded opposition parties. Tourism industry insiders claimed they had to count losses worth Tk 1.5 thousand crore  in the last several weeks due to cancellation of advance bookings in hotels, motels, and resorts across tourist hotspots until mid-January. Women's participation in the tourism industry should be increased: Speakers Hotel and motel owners said prior to October, over 50-60 percent of rooms in more than 500 hotels and motels in Cox's Bazar were booked daily. However, recent weeks have witnessed a drastic decline in tourists, reducing the number from half a lakh to a mere 5-10 thousand. Most of the visitors are predominantly locals. Similar circumstances prevail in Kuakata and St. Martin. Hotel and motel owners expressed concern about the ripple effect on their employees, as business downturns force layoffs and hinder salary payments. President of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), Shiblul Azam Qureshi, laments the impact on tourist spots like Cox's Bazar, St. Martin, Rangamati, and Kuakata. “Now is a critical period for the tourism sector. Bookings for November, December, January, and February—the prime tourist months—have been canceled,” he said.   He said Cox's Bazar, Kuakata, Sundarbans, Sylhet, Ratargul, Jaflong-Tamabil, Rangamati, and Patenga Beach, which should be bustling with tourists at this time, now lie empty. Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal should promote mutual tourism: PM Hasina He also said he has a hotel at St. Martin but its 90% rooms are lying vacant now. “With the tourism season typically starting in October and reaching its peak in November, the ongoing political unrest has resulted in nearly empty hotels and motels this month, with bookings canceled due to the blockade,” he said. Salim Newaz, General Secretary of  Cox's Bazar Hotel Motel Guest House Owners' Association, said over 500 hotels and motels are empty now due to the continuous blockade progrmame. 230 BGB platoons deployed on day 2 of blockade Mukhim Khan, general secretary of the Kalatali Marine Drive Road Hotel-Motel Owners' Association, estimated a staggering Tk 1000 to 1500 crore losses due to the prolonged blockade. He urged the concerned to keep tourist vehicles out of the purview of  hartals and blockades to salvage the tourism sector. Similarly, Motaleb Sharif, General Secretary of the Kuakata Hotel-Motel Owners’ Association, said, safety concern has led to widespread booking cancellations, as people are reluctant to embark on risky journeys with their families amidst political instability. 48-hour blockade: Miscreants set fire to 3 buses in Natore

The persistent anti-government political programmes enforced by BNP and like-minded political parties have cast a shadow over academic activities in Dhaka and parts of Bangladesh. Many schools and colleges in the capital have remained open despite the blockades but students’ attendance has dropped remarkably. Many guardians are reluctant to send their children to schools and colleges, especially those who live far from the educational institutions. Additionally, educational institutions have been forced to postpone scheduled exams, compounding the stress and uncertainty over students' studies. Read: BNP’s like-minded parties announce fresh 48-hour blockade from Wednesday The latest bout of the political turmoil saw a nationwide hartal on October 29. After the end of a three-day blockade on October 31, a two-day blockade is currently underway on November 5 and 6. This ongoing situation has left students and parents in a state of panic, with fears of a more challenging political situation throughout November and December. The implications of this political unrest are most profound in divisional cities and district headquarters, including the capital. Talking to the UNB reporter, many parents said they are particularly concerned about the safety of their children during their commute to and from school in these challenging times. Almost all educational institutions in the capital, including Motijheel Ideal School and College, Banasree Ideal School and College, Viqarunnisa Noon School and College Main Branch and Bashundhara Branch, Government Laboratory High School, Motijheel Government Girls High School, Rampura Ekramunnesa Girls' School, Rajuk Uttara Model School and College, and Banani Bidyaniketan, have reported a significant decrease in attendance. Read: Bus carrying passengers set on fire in Dhaka’s Gulistan Some English medium schools have been forced to close indefinitely, while others have resorted to holding classes online. Parents are increasingly concerned about the disparities between physical and online classes and are uncertain about the upcoming half-yearly exams. Sarwar Alam, a parent of a child studying at English medium school 'Play-Pen' located in Bashundhara, said, “We've shifted to online classes. However, there are noticeable disparities between physical classroom instruction and online learning. With the upcoming half-yearly exam scheduled for November 10, I am uncertain about how this examination will be carried out.” Ruhul Amin, a parent of a student at Ideal School and College, expressed the dilemma many parents are facing. “My two children study at Ideal School’s Banasree branch. I didn't allow my children to come to school during the previous phase of the hartal and blockade. They missed a week of school. Now it is happening again. Who knows how long this will last? That's why I brought my child to school again. But there is a sense of fear within us, wondering what will happen and when,” he said. The anxiety and concerns of parents are echoed by Abdul Majid Sujan,  general secretary of the guardians’ forum at Viqarunnisa Noon School and College. “The children's annual examination is scheduled to be held this month. Meanwhile, the continuous strike and blockade are creating panic among parents. We are afraid and worried about sending the children to school, especially when it comes to traveling on the road,” Read: DMP chief announces Tk 20,000 reward for help with catching arsonists Director of the  Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education Professor Mohammad Belal Hossain, said that the annual evaluation of schools will start on November 9, with the goal of completing the examination by November 30. However, if the situation deteriorates, decisions will be made in consultation with higher authorities, he said. According to the previous schedule, the annual evaluation for class VI and VII students under the new curriculum was scheduled to begin on November 5 but has now been rescheduled to start on November 9. The impact of these disruptions extends beyond the capital, with divisional and district towns also experiencing low student turnout. In response to the evolving situation, schools have received revised schedules for examinations. Parents are left with no choice but to take risks and send their children to schools despite the uncertain circumstances.