Ghazala Hashmi wins Democratic nomination for Virginia lieutenant governor

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The candidates for Virginia’s lieutenant governor are set to make history after Sen. Ghazala Hashmi won the Democratic nomination for the position on Wednesday.

Hashmi is the first Muslim and the first Indian-American to be nominated to appear on the ballot for a Virginia statewide office. She defeated five other candidates, including Democrat Levar Stoney by less than a percentage point, to secure the nomination in a razor-thin primary race. Stoney congratulated Hashmi on Wednesday in a concession statement.

Hashmi will now face Republican John Reid, the first openly gay man to receive a major party’s endorsement for statewide office in Virginia, who became the de-facto nominee after his primary opponent left the race.

Her victory rounded out the Democratic ticket ahead of the November general election. It comes after former Del. Jay Jones became the party nominee for attorney general late Tuesday.

“As the Democratic ticket running to serve as Virginia’s next Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General, we are united in our focus on the issues that matter to our fellow Virginians,” Hashmi, Jones and U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the nominee for governor, said in a joint statement Wednesday morning.

Virginia’s off-year elections typically draw national attention as a possible bellwether for politicians as they head into midterms in 2026. And this year, the election is also sure to make history.

Spanberger, who ran for the Democratic nomination unopposed, will battle Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in the governor’s race. The female nominees all but guarantee that Virginia will have a woman for governor, which is a first in the state’s some 250-year history dating back to Patrick Henry’s governorship.

Conservatives did not hold statewide primaries this year, with only one candidate in each statewide contest advancing to the general election ballot.

Earle-Sears became the Republican gubernatorial nominee after conservatives Dave LaRock and Amanda Chase failed to collect enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Both LaRock and Chase initially challenged Earle-Sears for not being fully aligned with the White House.

Reid, a conservative talk-radio host, secured the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor despite intraparty quarreling over whether he was tied to a social media account reposting pornography, a charge he vehemently denied.

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares sailed to his spot on the ballot after announcing his reelection bid.

Roughly 481,000 votes have been counted so far in the lieutenant governor’s Democratic primary, and about 479,000 in the contest for attorney general.

The races appear to be on track to match Democratic turnout for the statewide primary in 2021. But in that election, a wide field of candidates vying for governor was on the ballot. With Spanberger as the nominee, only Hashmi and Jones faced contested statewide primaries.

Hashmi’s political career has been marked by its fair share of firsts: she was the first Muslim woman and the first South Asian American in Virginia’s upper chamber.

She emigrated from India to Georgia when she was four years old, later moving to Richmond after getting a doctorate in American literature. She spent most of her career as a professor, first at the University of Richmond and then at Reynolds Community College.

The Democrat managed to distinguish herself by touting her legislative chops. Hashmi began her career in the Virginia Senate six years ago after ousting incumbent Republican Sen. Glen Sturtevant. She was reelected to her seat in 2023.

In the Senate, Hashmi put forth bills establishing Virginians’ right to contraception, which passed both chambers but were vetoed by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

FILE - Del. Jay Jones, D-Norfolk, gives remarks during the Virginia Democratic Attorney General debate, Saturday, May 15, 2021 in Richmond, Va. (Shaban Athuman/Richmond Times-Dispatch via AP, File)

FILE - Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger speaks during a press conference in front of a new housing development in Sandston, Va., Friday, June 6, 2025. (Mike KRopf/Richmond Times-Dispatch via AP,File)

FILE - Virginia State Sen-elect, Ghazala Hashmi speaks to supporters at a Democratic victory party in Richmond, Va., Nov. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece and Cyprus are starting 2026 by turning down the volume.

The countries' capital cities, Athens and Nicosia, have traded the familiar whizz, crackle and boom of window‑rattling fireworks for spectacle without the shock wave, opting for low‑noise pyrotechnics, light shows and drone displays.

The shift aims to make New Year celebrations more child‑ and pet‑friendly — especially for animals with more sensitive hearing — in a break from the loud, combustible traditions of the past.

Athens embraced “quiet” fireworks last year, a decision Mayor Haris Doukas says signals a change in priorities.

“This marks a new era in New Year celebrations,” he said. “A spectacular show of light, without deafening noise — respecting people, animals and the environment.”

Nicosia has gone further, abandoning conventional fireworks altogether after assessing their toll. Event planners and municipal officials say fireworks can cause distress to elderly residents, infants, people with autism and those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

“This decision forms part of the municipality’s broader effort to modernize public celebrations and align them with European trends and sustainability objectives,” the municipality said.

Low-noise fireworks still rely on black powder as a propellant to launch and disperse the “stars” or pellets that create colors and visual effects. But they use smaller charges and avoid the explosive bursts that generate the loud cracks typical of traditional displays.

These quieter pyrotechnics are not new and are often incorporated into larger shows, including effects mounted on landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower or the London Eye.

Cris Matthews, founder of Quietworks, a U.K.-based firm specializing in low-impact firework displays, said using quieter options often requires additional planning and creativity, and are ideal for more intimate celebrations.

“The argument for low noise or quiet fireworks becomes a lot more relevant as the shows get smaller,” he said. “For displays such as weddings and private parties, lower-noise firework options can offer many more benefits.”

The private — and often deafening — use of fireworks remains common in Greece and Cyprus for occasions such as Orthodox Easter. In some rural areas, gun-owning traditions still lead to celebratory gunfire. Both practices have resulted in injuries.

Most municipalities in greater Athens this year are sticking with fireworks that include loud bangs. But New Year celebrations in the city center, framed by the ancient Acropolis, are focused on visual splendor, incorporating lights and drones as high-tech options become more sophisticated and affordable.

In Nicosia, drones have now “effectively replaced” fireworks at municipal events, delivering “high levels of creativity,” the municipality said. Unlike fireworks, drone displays generate minimal noise, produce no chemical emissions or debris, and pose no fire risk.

The timing is deliberate. Cyprus assumes the European Union’s rotating presidency on Jan. 1, and the capital plans to use drone displays to showcase Cypriot and EU symbolism throughout the year.

“The Municipality’s overarching objective is to set an example by prioritizing safer, greener, and more sustainable alternatives,” it said, “and by definitively moving away from traditional fireworks in municipal events wherever possible.”

Hadjicostis reported from Nicosia.

Fireworks exploded over the capital Nicosia during the New Year's celebrations in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, early Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Fireworks burst over the capital Nicosia during the New Year's celebrations in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, early Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Fireworks burst over the capital Nicosia during the New Year's celebrations in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, early Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)