Politics

Republican Tom DeLay, representative from the 22nd Congressional District of Texas, announced on Saturday that he will not attempt to reclaim his majority leader position in the United States House of Representatives. Fellow Republicans, spear-headed by Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Melissa Hart (R-PA), began circulating a petition last week urging to elect a new majority speaker, thus setting the stage for House leadership elections. In a letter written and addressed to fellow House Republicans on Saturday, DeLay said, "During my time in Congress, I

Virginia’s outgoing governor and possible 2008 presidential contender Mark Warner ordered on Thursday that DNA testing should be performed on Roger Keith Coleman, a Grundy, Virginia man executed in May 1992 for the rape and murder in 1981 of Wanda Fay McCoy. The death penalty was re-instated in the United States after a Supreme Court ruling in 1976, reversing its brief suspension from 1973. A total of 1,004 prisoners have been executed since then, but none yet have been posthumously exonerated. That could change if the more precise DNA testin

Christian televangelist Pat Robertson has come under fire for recent comments he made, suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's recent stroke was "divine retribution" for pulling Israelis out of the Gaza Strip. Robertson made the comments on his show, The 700 Club, which is produced by Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network. "God considers this land [Israel] to be His. When you read the Bible, He said 'This is my land.' For any Prime Minister of Israel who decides he will carve it up and give it away, God said, 'No, this is M

The Labor Party of Australia has today launched "Our Drowning Neighbours", a Pacific Climate Change strategy. The strategy was announced at 11am today, at Parliament House, Canberra, by Bob Sercombe MP (Shadow Minister for Pacific Island Affairs and Overseas Aid) and Anthony Albanese MP (Shadow Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Water). Senator Bob Brown of the Australian Greens party welcomed aspects of the statement but suggested that the policy as stated was weak and pointed out that Labor had voted against Greens Senator Christine

United States Vice President Dick Cheney, in a speech to the Heritage Foundation on Wednesday, admitted to a key role in the domestic spying program. In a ringing defense of the warrantless eavesdropping authorized by President Bush, Cheney said he had "personally presided" over most briefings of selected Capitol Hill lawmakers about the program, which was begun in response to the 9/11 attacks and after Congress passed a September 2001 resolution authorizing the use of force to combat terrorism. The National Security Agency (NSA) has been moni

The Australia First Party is writing to its supporters requesting that they become members in order to re-register as a political party in Australia. Australia First is seen as a far-right wing party with nationalist ideals. The party was founded in 1996 by Graeme Campbell a Member of the House of Representatives and the Australian Labor Party. In 2001, Graeme Campbell, One Nation offered to endorse him as a senate candidate in Western Australia. He failed to be elected in the October 2001 election and has remained within the One Nation Party.

"His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai has passed away. He was 62 years old." The above statement from the Ministry of Presidential Affairs confirmed that the ruler of Dubai died earlier this morning in Australia. The statement added that "the UAE had lost a historical leader from its leaders who dedicated his life to building the country, and strove to do his best for its people." The official mourning period will last for 40 days, during which all UAE flags will f

The Russian concern Gazprom stopped supplying gas to Moldova on January 1, as the latter did not sign a gas supply contract, which stipulates a price of 160 dollars per 1,000 cubic metres for the next three months, according to officials of Chisinau and Russian concern Gazprom. In connection with this situation, Vladimir Voronin, current president of Moldova, cancelled his winter vacation and created on Monday, 2 January, an anti-crisis group, composed of the representatives of the cabinet and SA Moldova-Gaz. At the moment, Moldova is ensured

Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon (born Ariel Sheinerman), 77, has been admitted to Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem, after suffering what doctors said was a "massive" stroke. According to reports from Hadassah Ein Karem hospital in Jerusalem, the Prime Minister was put under an anesthetic prior to surgery to address a massive cerebral hemorrhage. He has increased intracranial pressure due to the bleeding. White House press secretary Scott McClellan said in Thursday's press briefing that its "thoughts and prayers" are with the Prime Minister

Former senator and former police chief Dany Toussaint was arrested by United Nations troops on alleged possession of illegal weapons. According to police sources Toussaint was arrested by Chilean troops when they found the weapons on him in Cap-Haitien. Toussaint was driving through a police checkpoint when the troops spotted the weapons and arrested him. One police official said, "Dany Toussaint was carrying several weapons for which he has no valid authorization." Among the alleged weapons are those obtained from parliament when Toussaint

So more staff can be hired for Bolivia's education, health and social programs, President Elect Evo Morales announced that he and his cabinet will take a 50% pay cut. The 46-year-old leader slashed his future salary of about $3600 a month to $1800. Raising Bolivia from its situation as one of the poorest countries in the world is a primary intention of the president elect. "It's a question of sharing the country's situation among us all." said Morales. "This is a democratic revolution and we will answer the Bolivian people's call." Cabinet m

Jürgen Chrobog, former state secretary in the German Foreign Office, his wife and their three sons have been freed, German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier confirmed at a press conference. Steinmeier said the family was doing well. They were abducted on Wednesday in the east of the country while being on a tourism trip on the invitation of the Yemeni government. The captors were demanding the release of five tribesmen held by the government. The Yemeni defense minister was apparently the one who was able to negotiate the release.