Portal:Politics/News/Archive

May 18

• secular constitutional monarchy. (CBC)
• 2006 general elections. (BBC)
• Ali Mohamed Gedi, criticized U.S. support for "criminals." (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• The
  CIA confirmation that between 30 and 50 individuals underwent such deportations to seven "black sites" in Asia, Europe and Africa. Those in Europe have reportedly been closed down following the public outcry, but there is still one such site operating in a North African country. (EU Observer) (UPI) (Reuters)
• New
  Iraq war a "grave mistake that has not solved but increased the problem of security". (Guardian) (Al Jazeera)

• 2006 general elections. (BBC)
• A gunman opens fire at the
  Council of State, the top court in Ankara, while the court was in session, injuring four judges, and killing one - Mustafa Yücel Özbilgin. The shooting represents a rise in tensions between the secular apparatus of state and supporters of Islamic fundamentalism. (BBC)

• UN peacekeeping force relieving the beleaguered African Union peacekeepers in the war-torn Darfur region of Sudan. The Government of Sudan opposes the move. (BBC), (VoA)
• Mahamat Nour's UFDC and the defected troops of Mahamat Nouri against the Déby administration. Neither group has confirmed or denied the merger. (CNN)
• Italian centre-left leader
  President Giorgio Napolitano. Prodi is supposed to present his list of ministers on May 17. (BBC)

• United States President George W. Bush gives a speech proposing major immigration reform in the United States. (Washington Post)
• The
  its list of states that sponsor terrorism. (CNN)
• election held in May 10. (BBC)
• U.S. Congress in June. (Asahi Shimbun)

• 2006 Chadian presidential election held on May 3 with 77.5 percent of the vote. The official turnout was 61 percent, though international observers estimated turnout at 4–10 percent. (Al Jazeera)
• Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair, signs a petition in support of vivisection and condemns the acts of animal-rights extremists. (BBC)

• The
  Geneva Convention. The US admits holding detainees secretly but claims they do not fall under that convention. (ABC Australia) (Xinhua)
• ARFWS and the Government of Sudan. (CNN)
• Victoria, Australia, is accused of running an elaborate branch stacking operation to manipulate results in state and federal elections and pre-selections. (The Age)

• Yoweri Museveni takes his oath of office for a third consecutive term as President of Uganda.
• The U.S.
  Randy "Duke" Cunningham scandal. (Bloomberg.com
  )

• The
  Qwest Communications refused to provide customer records, citing the need for a warrant. (USA Today)
• Ernie Fletcher, Republican governor of the U.S. state of Kentucky, is indicted on three misdemeanor counts of conspiracy, official misconduct and political discrimination for hiring, promoting, demoting and firing state employees based on political loyalties.(Lexington Herald-Leader)
• Results for the
  state election held in Tamil Nadu, India, on May 8 were announced and the DMK
  and its allies have captured the power. And the AIADMK becoming a stronger opposition in the history of Tamil Nadu.

• The
  Federal Funds Rate by 25 basis points to 5.00%.(Fed)

• The
  country to do so. (EU Observer)
• Lifetime Senator
  President of the Italian Republic after four ballots. (BBC)

• Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad writes to United States President George W. Bush. This marks the first time in 27 years that an Iranian President has written to a U.S. President. (CBC)
• The
  President of the Italian Republic. Gianni Letta leads after the first round of balloting.(BBC)
• A Historic Election is about to take place in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Where two major parties AIADMK and DMK are contesting to capture the power.

May 7

• Guantanamo Bay detention center. (Reuters)
• Iran's nuclear program. (CNN)

• Defense Minister, defects to Sudan and joins the United Front for Democratic Change rebels. (Reuters)
• The
  2006 general election. (CNA)

• The government of
  Darfur rebel group, the Alliance of Revolutionary Forces of West Sudan, reached through mediation in Abuja, Nigeria. (BBC)
• Porter Goss resigns as director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). (NY Times) (Washington Post)
• Following significant
  Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, and the stripping from Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott of his departmental portfolio. (BBC)(BBC)

• Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, following Snyder Rini's brief period in office. Sogavare was previously prime minister from 2000 to 2001. (ABC)
• In Israel, a new Cabinet under Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is sworn in. (BBC)
• Shahrir Abdul Samad resigns as chairman of the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club in the Parliament of Malaysia, after a motion to refer a Member of Parliament implicated in a corruption scandal to the Dewan Rakyat House Rights and Privileges Committee failed. (The Sun)
• 2006 UK local elections, and coming in third place in vote totals, behind both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. (Reuters), (BBC)

• cease-fire with Maoist rebels and announces that they will no longer consider them a terrorist group. The government urges the rebels to open peace talks. (BBC) (Reuters)
• In
  Idriss Deby is expected to win. (BBC)

• Nepal's new cabinet is unveiled. (New York Times)
• April 9-10 elections, but Ciampi has asked him to remain in office, "for the handling of current affairs". (BBC) (Corriere)
• Newly elected
  orders the nationalization of Bolivia's gas industry. This process is a result of his plan to nationalize major industries, he said in his election campaign. Further nationalizations are planned in forestry and mining. (BBC)

• King
  Prime Minister of Nepal. Baburam Bhattarai of the CPN(M) which controls two thirds of the country, states that his party will respect the results of an election to a constituent assembly, so long as these are "free and fair". (BBC)
• Chadian government is negotiating with the United Front for Democratic Change rebel group to avoid violence. (VOA)
• Spain, Portugal, Finland and Greece join the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and Sweden in allowing workers from the ten countries which joined the European Union two years ago free access to their labour markets. (BBC)
• public schools. More than 90,000 employees of the public sector are put in license without salary. Their salary will not be paid until further notice, but they will remain employed whether they present themselves to work or not. If they present themselves to work it will be on a voluntary basis without retroactive payment. (Reuters)
• Immigrant workers and their supporters across the
  Demonstrations are planned nationwide. In Latin America, a one-day boycott of American products called the "Nothing Gringo Boycott" is planned in conjunction with U.S. events. (Guardian) (CNN) (SFGate)