News Broadcasting
CNN unveils plans for Olympics coverage
MUMBAI: With the Beijing Olympics kicking off in less than a month’s time, news broadcaster CNN is to feature live coverage from the Chinese capital over more than three and a half weeks on air, online and on mobile. Led by the network’s bureau in Beijing since 1986, correspondents including John Vause, Anjali Rao, Jaime FlorCruz, Larry Smith and Mark McKay bring the world’s biggest sporting event from every angle to more than 220 million households around the world.
Countdown Beijing is CNN’s week of special programming airing in the run-up to the opening ceremony that takes the daily pulse of the city’s excitement and expectation. Every weekday from 4 August John Vause and Anjali Rao anchor parts of live shows from the iconic capital while extensive special reports also feature.
They focus on aspects including the 500,000 people working on security during the games, the huge enthusiasm amongst the Chinese population as the games approach, concerns over pollution for athletes and visitors alike, getting tough on doping athletes or how Beijingers are opening up their homes to tourists for ‘homestays’. Packages are viewable online at www.cnn.com/olympics and come from across China, including Hong Kong on equestrian facilities and anti-doping measures and from Sichuan Province on feelings among the quake survivors as the Olympic Torch passes through.
As part of Countdown Beijing, the Hong-Kong produced show Talk Asia also features in-depth interviews with Olympic giants. Literally, on the one hand with Houston Rockets and China basketball superstar Yao Ming. British athletics great Sebastian Coe and internationally-acclaimed artist (and director of the Olympic fireworks) Cai Guo-Qiang also figure amongst the stellar line-up. CNN hears too from some of the not so famous people involved, from taxi drivers to tourists, souvenir vendors to tourism greeters.
From 8 August onwards when the Games officially open, correspondents Mark Mckay and Larry Smith are to bring the latest developments in the quest for gold in more than 300 events, in dedicated live editions of the network’s signature sport program ‘World Sport’.
Online, www.cnn.com/Olympics boasts a wide range of exclusive videos and written reports featuring stories from across China and beyond. Olympics dispatches from around the world and journals from local citizens and overseas athletes alike bring to life the Olympic dream as thousands prepare for the biggest day of their sporting lives.
The new ‘Fanzone’ section, www.cnn.com/fanzone brings video, quizzes, interactive games, polls, in-depth reports and more, while no matter where you are in the world, through the iReport function sport fans can send in their photos and videos of experiences in and around the XXIX Olympiad. Additionally, www.cnnsi.com delivers more than 150 original new sports stories to users every week and boasts one of the most comprehensive archives of any sport website. Finally, CNNmobile will be launching soon a free new service to catch the latest Olympics action.
News Broadcasting
UDF poised to return to power in Kerala, says Manorama-CVoter survey
Massive opinion poll projects shift in Kerala politics ahead of 2026 Assembly elections.
MUMBAI: The winds of change appear to be blowing through Kerala’s political landscape and this time, they seem to favour the United Democratic Front. A comprehensive mega opinion survey conducted by Manorama News in partnership with CVoter projects a potential comeback for the UDF in the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections 2026. The survey, covering all 140 constituencies with a massive sample size of nearly 90,000 respondents, predicts the UDF could win between 69 and 81 seats.
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is expected to secure 57 to 69 seats, a significant drop from the 99 seats it won in the 2021 elections. This would mean the LDF losing 30 to 42 of its sitting seats. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which drew a blank in 2021, is projected to open its account with 1 to 5 seats.
Region-wise, the UDF is expected to make strong gains in Malabar, winning 25 to 34 out of 48 seats, and in Central Kerala, where it could bag 29 to 33 out of 53 seats. In South Kerala, the LDF is likely to retain an edge with 21 to 25 seats, while the UDF may improve to 12 to 16 seats. The NDA could pick up 1 to 3 seats in the southern region.
The survey was conducted between 14 and 26 March 2026, with additional tracker and snap polls carried out from December 2025 to March 2026. A total of 89,693 respondents participated, ensuring representation across all demographics and social segments.
Manorama News has a strong track record of accuracy, with its previous projections closely matching the actual results of the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well as the 2021 Kerala Assembly polls.
In Kerala’s famously fierce political battles, this survey suggests the pendulum may be swinging back. Whether the final verdict matches these numbers or throws up another surprise, one thing is clear, the 2026 Assembly elections are shaping up to be one of the most keenly watched contests in the state’s history.
