president

None of 13 short-listed candidates managed to get the required 38 of the 58 members of the Electoral College in two votes on Thursday and one on Friday morning.

After two rounds, Vanuatu's ambassador to Fiji, Nikenike Vurobaravu was in the lead with 29 votes. He extended that to 34 on Friday morning.

The former speaker George Wells is in second place with just eight votes. The other candidates have so far received less than five votes each.

Obed Moses Tallis has recently completed his term as president.

As a result the Chief Justice Vincent Lunabek, who is also the Returning Officer for the election, has ruled that voting will take place again at 2pm (local time) today.

In the first round of voting this morning, former Vanuatu High Commissioner to Fiji, Nikenike Vurobaravu received the highest number of votes of 26 which did not meet the requirement in the Constitution.

Fifty-two Members of the Parliament and six provincial presidents make up the Electoral College and the successful candidate must meet two-thirds of the votes.

The Electoral Commission released the list of the final candidates last night.

The women candidates are Louis Kwevira Fatu and Andrina Thomas.

The other candidates are former Prime Minister Serge Vohor, former Speaker, George Andre Wells, former MP’s, Sela Molisa, Edwin Amblus and Willie Jimmy.

Outgoing President Moses Obed Tallis is seeking re-election.  

Also contesting the election are Nikenike Vurobaravu, John Korwar Path, Jacob Bani, Malao John Vimoli and Jude Naru  

Ms Metsola, 43, has a record of being anti-abortion, but has billed herself as pro-LGBT rights.

The Maltese national takes over the role from David Sassoli, 65, who died last week after a serious illness.

She is one of three women in the top EU jobs, along with the heads of the European Commission and Central Bank.

But taking questions from journalists on Tuesday, she was asked more than once about her views on women's reproductive rights.

Obed Moses Tallis made the call to amend the Police Act at the opening of parliament.

The Vanuatu Daily Post reports the president said it's important a proper security force was formed to strengthen the security of the country.

The police commissioner's background as either a police officer or Vanuatu Mobile Force officer had contributed to tension between the two forces in the past.

Mr Tallis wants the law changed to allow the Vanuatu Mobile Force to become full-time military soldiers.

He made the announcement in a speech to workers at a car factory in the Volga city of Nizhny Novgorod.

"I will put forward my candidacy for the post of president of the Russian federation," he said.

Mr Putin has been in power since 2000, either as president or prime minister. If he wins the March election, he will be eligible to serve until 2024.

Russian TV journalist Ksenia Sobchak has already said she will stand in the election but opinion polls suggest Mr Putin will win easily.

Moses tallied 39 votes in the fourth round of voting by electoral college members in Parliament Chambers today.

Former prime minister Maxime Carlot Korman received 17 votes.

Fifty-seven of the 58-member electoral college was present for the process.

Deputy Prime Minister Joe Natuman was absent and had officially notified the Chief Justice and Returning Officer, Vincent Lunabek.

There was one invalid vote, which had 2 sheets of paper in the envelope.

The new President will be sworn in shortly.

The electoral college which comprises 52 Members of Parliament and 6 provincial chairs was unable to elect a candidate in the second round of voting this morning.

Chief Justice Vincent Lunabek ordered that voting resume at 4pm (local time) today.

Of the 16 candidates, Tallis Obed Moses, a long-serving pastor of the Presbyterian Church, dominated the second vote, garnering 27 of the 52 votes.

Former prime minister, Maxime Carlot Korman, who had led after Monday's first vote, was second this morning with 14.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Germany and the Netherlands of "Nazism" after officials blocked rallies there.

Dutch PM Mark Rutte called his comments "unacceptable", while Germany's foreign minister said he hoped Turkey would "return to its senses".

Denmark's leader has also postponed a planned meeting with Mr Erdogan.

Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he was concerned that "democratic principles are under great pressure" in Turkey.

She secured 24 votes in the 33-member legislature.

Her election comes a day after a no confidence motion removed Casten Nemra, who had been sworn in last week.

Ms Heine has been the education minister and is the founder of Women United Together Marshall Islands.