Politics

Kyrgyzstan's parliamentary conflict intensified Sunday as Felix Kulov, appointed acting minister of securities by the reconvening former parliament, endorsed the newly elected parliament and threatened to "take measures to arrest" MPs of the former parliament that would not step down peacefully. "The new parliament is legitimate and the old parliament's term has expired," Kulov, who was freed from prison by protesters following the overrunning of the presidential palace, said. "According to the law, the new parliament has to start work... The

India announced on March 23 that it will build an indigenous aircraft carrier by 2012. The announcement represents a historic military development for India and the Asian region. Although India is already one of the nine countries capable of projecting their military power via aircraft carrier, they have not had the capability to build an aircraft carrier themselves. The project will begin on April 11 with a "steel-cutting ceremony" attended by Indian Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee. The vessel will be constructed at a state-owned shipyard

In a land of four million people where roughly one fourth of the population faces danger of hunger, opposition party supporters are receiving a harsh message from government run emergency food stations in the run up to Thursday's election: Vote for Mugabe, or starve. As two British newspapers reported four days before general elections, Zimbabwe's leader Robert Mugabe is using food as a political weapon in a country dominated by scarcity. The government food distribution agency is the only source for something to eat for vast numbers of Zimb

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators filled the streets of Taipei Saturday evening, as several political parties and the Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian voiced their opposition to the new anti-secession law passed by mainland China last week. Protestors chanted "Oppose war, Love Taiwan" in what has been termed a "democratic carnival" in downtown Taipei. The "carnival" consisted of activities of different themes relating to Taiwanese national sovereignty and cross-straits relations. Reuters news agency reports that organisers had hoped to

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators filled the streets of Taipei, Taiwan on Saturday, as several political parties, 500 civic groups, and President Chen Shui-bian voiced their opposition to the "anti-secession" law passed by the People's Republic of China last week. The Associated Press and the Sydney Morning Herald estimated turnout at close to one million. Police spokesman Tan Szu-huai initially provided an estimate of about 300,000, but AP is reporting a revised police estimate of one million. Reuters news agency reports that organisers

Although the Supreme Court reportedly annulled recent election results on March 24, two rival parliaments have been meeting in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek. The Central Election Commission of Kyrgyzstan voted to endorse the legitimacy of the newly elected and protested parliament on Saturday. Both a pre-election chamber, comprising of an upper and lower house, and a post-election chamber, comprising of single house, met in separate rooms of the parliament building on Saturday. MPs from both parliaments are set to meet and debate how to proce

London – The former British prime minister Leonard James Callaghan, the Baron of Cardiff has died at the age of 92, just a day before his ninety-third birthday. He died at his home in East Sussex, leaving two daughters and a son. His wife, Audrey, died just eleven days ago. James Callaghan was prime minister from 1976-79 before Margaret Thatcher became prime minster in 1979 after the surprise resignation of Harold Wilson. His premiership could be considered to include some of the bleakest times for Britain, since he was Prime Minister during

The United Nations Security Council approved the deployment of 10,000 peacekeeping troops and 715 civilian police to southern Sudan. They will monitor a peace plan that ended the country's 21 year long civil war. The peacekeeping force will enforce a ceasefire agreement between Sudan's Khartoum government and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA). Jean-Marie Guehenno, head of UN peacekeeping operations, welcomed the Security Council's unanimous support of the resolution, but warned of "serious political hurdles" and "unprecedented logisti

Hundreds of protesters arrived at the Baxter detention centre in the South Australian desert to demonstrate against the incarceration of refugees held there. An additional 300 protesters converged on the home of Immigration Minister Senator Amanda Vanstone, in the state capital of Adelaide, on their way to Baxter. People from all over Australia are protesting against the Australian Government's policy of mandatory detention. The first protesters arrived by buses in Port Augusta early Friday morning. Detainees seem split over the protest. The

RTR television reported 5 people died and about 200 were injured as looting continued Thursday night in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek. The newly appointed head of security ministries, Felix Kulov, said at least 31 police officers were wounded. Windows were smashed, shops were looted, and shopping centers were set ablaze during the unrest. Gunshots were also heard. "Former President [Askar] Akayev is personally responsible for this. He had a chance to resign, instead of which he ran away," Kulov said. "The looters kept shouting 'this shop belo

Over 500 groups, including the Democratic Progressive Party, are planning a massive march and rally for Saturday in Taipei City. March promoters are vowing to bring one million people onto the streets to protest the People's Republic of China's "anti-secession" law aimed at thwarting Taiwan independence. The march, titled "326 March for Democracy and Peace", will begin in ten different locations, converging on the square near the Presidential Office in downtown Taipei City. "Democracy and peace are the ultimate goal of the march," said Joseph

Television star Jerry Springer has signed a contract to join the year-old political network Air America Radio Network starting April 1. He says the new deal will not affect his popular television program, which will continue to be produced. After initially being carried by only 45 stations nationwide, the host of the long-running syndicated program, The Jerry Springer Show will eventually have his radio show heard on all 51 Air America affiliates. The show also is planned to be broadcast by the Sirius and XM satellite radio services. Sprin