Politics

King Mswati III, of Swaziland has said that political parties are no longer banned under the country's new constitution that came into force in February. King Mswati III is the absolute monarch of Swaziland, a small landlocked country in southern Africa. Mswati’s father, King Sobhuza II, banned political parties in 1973. A new constitution was brought into effect by royal decree in February by King Mswati, which proclaimed the right to freedom of association and freedom of speech but did not explicitly lift the ban on political parties. In

Wang Wenyi, who was seen on television heckling Chinese President Hu Jintao during his White House appearance this week, was formally charged in a United States federal court for the misdemeanor of willfully intimidating, coercing, threatening, and harassing a foreign official. According to the Secret Service, Wang Wenyi gained press credentials for working with the Falun Gong-run newspaper The Epoch. She then stood on a camera stand and shouted in Chinese: "Stop oppressing the Falun Gong," as well as "Your time is running out," and "Anything

In the first meeting of the Iraqi parliament since general elections were held four months ago, Jawad al-Maliki of the Islamic Al'Dawa Party, a member of the Shiite-led United Iraqi Alliance, has been named prime minister-designate of Iraq by President Jalal Talabani. He will replace interim Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, whose candidacy for the permanent position led to an impasse in negotiations to form a national unity government. According to Adnan Pachachi, acting parliament speaker, al-Maliki has one month to present his list of cab

Crude oil prices surged to a new record of over $75.00 a barrel on Tuesday closing at a price of $75.17. In Europe, Brent crude oil] rose to $74.59. In less than a month, prices have risen $10, back to the record highs set after Hurricane Katrina caused refineries to shut down in August 2005. Prices are also 42% higher than a year ago. Political instability in oil-producing countries is seen as a major cause of this rise. The standoff over Iran's nuclear program has led to strong words being exchanged and a possibility of sanctions being impos

U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) claimed in a letter to President George W. Bush on April 18, 2006 that the US seems to be supporting both the Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan (PEJAK), an armed group associated with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and based in Iraq, and the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) in insurgent activity in Iran during 2005 and in particular in killing twenty four Iranian soldiers in March 2006. Both the PKK and the MEK are listed by the U.S. State Department and by the Council of the European Union as terrorist org

In an address to the nation, the king of Nepal, Gyanendra said that he was turning the nation pro-democratic. "We are committed to multi-party democracy and a constitutional monarchy. Executive power of the kingdom of Nepal, which was in our safekeeping, shall from this day be returned to the people. We hope peace and order is restored to the country by protecting multi-party democracy. We ask the seven-party alliance to recommend the name for the post of prime minister at the earliest," said the king in his address to the nation today. Girij

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit Athens and Ankara during next week by the opportunity of her participation in the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria. The State Department announced that the head of US diplomacy will meet with Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis as well as with the Turkish prime minister, Rejep Tayip Erdogan. In the two Mediterranean countries, Rice will have the opportunity to discuss the mutual interests between the USA and its strategic allies, Greec

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan announced his resignation on Wednesday, and advisor Karl Rove has given up his policy-making duties, continuing a series of personnel changes in the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush. "I have given it my all sir and I have given you my all sir, and I will continue to do so as we transition to a new press secretary," said McClellan, who has served as press secretary since July 2003. He is expected to remain on the job until his replacement is named. Among people under consideration to r

The main political parties in the United Kingdom have been battling fiercely over environmental issues in the run up to the local council elections on May 4th. David Cameron, the new leader of the Conservative Party, has been talking up his party's green credentials under the slogan 'vote blue to go green', ahead of his 'fact-finding' trip to Norway to see a shrinking glacier. Meanwhile, Chancellor Gordon Brown, widely considered to be the next Labour leader, has been discussing green issues and policies ahead of his trip to the US, where he wi

George W. Bush, president of the United States of America was awarded the first place Jefferson Muzzle, anti-free speech award for 2006, by the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression. The NSA warrantless wiretapping that was authorized by a secret executive order by him was cited as the primary reason for this distinction. According to their website: "...the Jefferson Muzzles are awarded as a means to draw national attention to abridgments of free speech and press and, at the same time, foster an appreciation for those

The New Zealand and Australian governments plan to send reinforcements to the Solomon Islands following a written request for help from the Solomon Islands' government. Violence began yesterday in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, when protestors took to the streets opposing the election by parliament of Snyder Rini as the new Prime Minister. The streets of the capital witnessed arson and widespread looting. Australian Prime Minister John Howard said "We have a long term commitment to the security of the Solomon Islands and we are

George Galloway, an MP in the British Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow, has won a court battle allowing him to publish photos of the infamous News of the World "fake sheikh", undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood famed for setting up high-profile figures. George Galloway had a meeting with the reporter after being approached via a contact. Over dinner at the Dorchester hotel, Mazher is said by George Galloway to have asked leading questions over political party funding and to have solicited anti-semitic remarks. George Galloway became ever mor