Porfirio Lobo wins Honduran presidential elections

Porfirio Lobo, a wealthy rancher, has won the presidential election in Honduras, with about 56% of ballots cast, according to results.  Election officials say voter turnout was high, in spite of a call by ousted President Manuel Zelaya to boycott the poll. Lobo declared victory after election results showed a broad lead for the candidate from the opposition National Party.

Speaking at a rally late Sunday, Lobo told supporters he will work to improve security, create new jobs and restore international ties. Lobo noted that he wants to bring about profound changes that will enable Honduras to return to the place it was four years ago, before Zelaya took office.

"The people will never be defeated, they will always go forward. Today they demonstrated to the world another test of their abilities and determination," said Lobo at his acceptance speech.

Election officials said about 62% of voters took part in the vote, which eclipsed turnout figures from the 2005 election. The official numbers contradicted earlier claims from Zelaya, who said his supporters estimated that less than half of registered voters took part.

The ousted leader called on voters to boycott the election, saying the de facto government is illegitimate. Zelaya has been living inside the Brazilian embassy as Honduran officials seek to arrest him on charges of abuse of power and treason.

"We took a sample at the polls and the rate of abstentions was over 60 per cent in most cases," Zelaya commented to the Al Jazeera news agency. "This means the election had low turnout, which means it did not enjoy the support of the majority of the Honduran people."


Umstrittene Präsidentenwahl in Honduras

Tegucigalpa (Honduras), 01.12.2009 – Porfirio Lobo, ein reicher Gutsbesitzer, hat die umstrittene Präsidentenwahl in Honduras mit über 56% der abgegebenen Stimmen gewonnen. Die Wahlbeteiligung war nach amtlichen Angaben mit 61% hoch, obwohl der abgesetzte Präsident Manuel Zelaya zum Boykott aufgerufen hatte. Zelaya war vor fünf Monaten vom Militär gestürzt worden. Auslöser war eine von Zelaya angestrebte Verfassungsänderung, um sich selbst eine zweite Amtszeit als Präsident zu ermöglichen.

Lobo erklärte, der Sieg nach dem Wahlergebnis zeige eine breite Zustimmung für den Kandidaten der oppositionellen Nationalen Partei. Aufgrund der Vorgänge im Zusammenhang mit dem Militärputsch und den Wahlvorbereitungen wird die neue Regierung bisher nicht international anerkannt.

Auf einer Kundgebung am späten Sonntagnachmittag versprach Lobo seinen Anhängern, er werde die Sicherheit verbessern, neue Arbeitsplätze schaffen und die internationalen Beziehungen ausbauen. Lobo machte deutlich, dass er grundlegende Veränderungen vornehmen wolle, damit Honduras wieder den Platz wie vor vier Jahren einnehmen könne, den das Land vor Zelayas Amtsantritt gehabt habe.


Porter Goss resigns as director of the CIA

According to United States President George W. Bush, CIA director Porter Goss has resigned.

"He has led ably. [He] helped make this country a safer place. He has a five-year plan to increase the analysts and operatives. He honours the proud history of the CIA, an organization that is known for its secrecy and accountability. We've got to win the war on terror," said Bush in a press conference on Friday.

"I would like to report to you that the agency (CIA) is back on a very even keel and sailing well," said Goss.

The reasons for Goss's resignation are not yet known and as of the moment, the President has announced no replacement.

Goss was appointed as the CIA's director in 2004 and served as director for 19 months. He was previously an undercover agent for the organization and was also a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 16 years.


CIA-Direktor Porter Goss ist zurückgetreten

Washington D.C. (Vereinigte Staaten), 05.05.2006 – Der Direktor der CIA, Porter Johnston Goss, ist zurückgetreten. In einer kurzen TV-Ansprache gab das US-Präsident George W. Bush bekannt. Eine Begründung wurde bisher nicht bekannt, auch steht der Nachfolger noch nicht fest. Goss wurde erst im August 2004 ernannt. Er war der Nachfolger von George Tenet, der nach heftiger Kritik im Zusammenhang mit den Anschlägen vom 11. September 2001 in New York zurückgetreten war.

Goss hatte früher als Nachrichtenoffizier für die US-Armee gearbeitet und war zwischen 1962 und 1971 Führungsoffizier für die CIA. Im US-Abgeordnetenhaus war er danach Vorsitzender des Geheimdienstausschusses, der sich auch mit dem Versagen der Sicherheitsbehörden des 9/11 beschäftigte.

Wie CNN mitteilte (18:42 Uhr UTC), hat der ehemalige CIA-Direktor Stansfield Turner (CIA-Chef von 1977 bis 1981) darüber spekuliert, dass Goss sich im Rahmen des Personalkarussels übergangen gefühlt habe, als die Funktion des Direktors der nationalen Sicherheitsdienste neu besetzt wurde. Diese Funktion, die nach dem 9. September 2001 neu geschaffen wurde, fasst alle Geheimdienste der USA unter einem Dach zusammen. Sie wurde durch John Negroponte besetzt. Diese Spekulation werde von dem Republikaner Bob Barr unterstützt.


Portuguese Air Force Merlin helicopters enter service

On Friday the 3rd, the Portuguese Air Force started to operate eight EH101 Merlin helicopters, replacing the old French made Puma helicopters; which have had more than 30 years of service, first used during the Portuguese Colonial War.

After the war, the Puma were used in missions of search and rescue,transport of patients and evacuation missions, and also assisted the USAF in recovery of NASA's Space Shuttles.

Twelve Merlin have been purchased; in three different models: six SAR (for use with Search & Rescue), four in CSAR (for deployment of troops to zones out of the country) and two in SIFICAP (for Fisheries Control).

The Merlin is capable of carrying more than 3 tons, its maximum speed is 309 km/h and it has a range of 1390 km. The Merlin is the helicopter used for the transportation of the president of the United States George W. Bush and other VIP's.

Four Puma operating in the Azores and in Madeira will continue in service, for the next few months, until the last four Merlin CSAR helicopters are delivered. The air force is currently considering using these four onboard a future logistic support ship. (LPD)

A ceremony was held at the Air Base of Montijo, attending was Portuguese minister of National Defence, Luís Amado. He said during the ceremony that the old Puma might be converted for civilian protection missions, such as fire fighting.

"The Government will decide the future of the Puma helicopters on the board of appreciation that is being done with other sectors of the Government, namely the Ministry of Internal Administration, in the possibility of the Puma being adapted for other missions, for example on the scope of the civilian protection".

The Merlin, was purchased in 2001 by the Government of António Guterres. The two first helicopters arrived in February 11 of last year, being held in February 24 an official ceremony in the Montijo Air Base, attending both the president of the Portuguese Republic, Jorge Sampaio, and the then minister of National Defense, Paulo Portas.

They have cost the Portuguese Government €446 million, (approximately US$536 million). This deal has given €60 million in counterparts, relatively in orders of production in the workshops of OGMA. It's expected that this sum will grow to almost a total of €315 million.

At dawn on Thursday, a Puma took off from the Lajes Air Base to the Hekabe, a ship that was 250 km from the cost of the Terceira Island, in Azores, evacuate a Russian sailor with the symptoms of a appendicitis. After refuelling in Faial the helicopter reached the ship at 0825 UTC. Seventy minutes later the Puma landed on the Faial Island Airport and the patient went to the Horta Hospital.

During December 21 and 22 an SA330 Puma helicopter, from the Lajes Air Base, was called to aid in the transportation of dangerous substances from the Russian ship "CP Valour" to land. The ship wrecked on December 9, 2005, near the Faial Island, due to bad weather conditions, and had in its manifest some containers considered dangerous.


Helicópteros Merlin substituem velhos PUMA na Força Aérea Portuguesa

A Força Aérea Portuguesa começou hoje (3), a operar oito dos doze helicópteros EH-101 Merlin que vão substituir os dez helicópteros PUMA, que têm actualmente mais de 30 anos de serviço.

A entrada ao serviço efectivo dos oito novos helicópteros, foi assinalada hoje na Base Aérea nº 6, no Montijo, numa cerimónia presidida pelo ministro da Defesa português, Luís Amado. Esta mesma entrada ao serviço dos primeiros EH-101 Merlin marca a retirada gradual ao efectivo dos últimos aparelhos PUMA que já operavam há cerca de 30 anos, 13 dos quais de origem francesa, recebidos, entre 1969 e 1971, no decorrer da guerra do Ultramar, tendo sido Portugal, o primeiro país a utilizá-los em situações reais de combate. O PUMA veio dar à Força Aérea Portuguesa uma maior capacidade de transporte aéreo do que a oferecida até então, pelos mais de 200 Alouette III em serviço.

Após o fim da guerra, os PUMA atribuídos às esquadras 711 e 751 foram utilizados em missões de busca e salvamento, transporte de doentes e evacuações. Seis deles, foram durante o seu serviço na esquadra 751 «Pumas», homenageados pelo Governo como «Novos Heróis do Mar», tendo salvo mais 1800 vidas nas águas portuguesas a partir da base do Montijo; transportaram ainda João Paulo II, por  ocasião da sua visita a Portugal. Quatro dos restantes PUMA ao serviço da esquadra 711 «Albatrozes», a partir da Base das Lajes nos Açores, salvaram ainda mais de 339 vidas - tendo a missão de salvamento mais recente ocorrido ontem (2); também foram utilizados no transporte 2300 doentes entre as várias ilhas do arquipélago, estando ainda em cooperação com a Força Aérea dos Estados Unidos da América para o caso aterragens de emergência de vaivéns espaciais da NASA.

Quatro dos helicópteros PUMA ainda operacionais nos Açores e na Madeira continuarão em serviço, já que, os quatro novos helicópteros, de blindagem ligeira equipados para transporte táctico, salvamento e combate apenas serão entregues ao longo dos próximos meses.

Relativamente ao futuro a dar aos PUMA, Luís Amado admitiu a possibilidade destes serem convertidos para missões de protecção civil, em especial para serem usados no auxílio ao combate dos fogos florestais, e entregues ao Serviço Nacional de Bombeiros e Protecção Civil. Prometendo uma decisão sobre o assunto «a muito curto prazo».

«O Governo decidirá o futuro dos helicópteros PUMA no quadro da apreciação que está a ser feita em conjunto com outros sectores do Governo, nomeadamente o Ministério da Administração Interna, na possibilidade de os PUMA serem adaptados a outras missões, designadamente no âmbito da protecção civil», disse o ministro da Defesa.

«A muito curto prazo teremos uma opção definitiva em relação ao futuro dos PUMA», referiu.

O substituto dos PUMA, o EH-101 Merlin, foi adquirido por Portugal nas configurações: busca e salvamento (6 aeronaves); fiscalização de pescas e vigilância marítima (2 aeronaves); e transporte táctico, salvamento e combate (4 aeronaves); custaram 446 milhões de euros ao Estado Português, como resultado de um contrato assinado pelo anterior Governo socialista, de António Guterres, em 2001. O Merlin é reconhecido como o Rolls-Royce dos helicópteros modernos, havendo inclusive, uma versão deste helicóptero, desenvolvida em parceria com a norte-americana Lockheed Martin, escolhida para substituir a frota de aeronaves que transporta o presidente dos dos Estados Unidos. Possui flutuadores de emergência, dois barcos internos para 20 pessoas, um guincho primário e um secundário, tendo ainda um radar de busca que identifica e monitoriza 32 alvos em simultâneo, e sistemas que permitem operações nocturnas. Tem também como vantagem o aumento da capacidade de carga, sendo capaz de levantar mais de três toneladas e possui uma autonomia (oito horas e meia em voo) maior que a dos PUMA (cinco horas em voo), e uma velocidade máxima (309 km/h) também um pouco maior que a do seu antecedente (258 km/h), e um alcance máximo maior (1390 quilómetros, contra 560 quilómetros do PUMA).

Embora as doze unidades do EH-101 tenham custado 446 milhões de euros, estes deveram dar 60 milhões de euros em contrapartidas, relativamente a encomendas de fabrico de componentes nas oficinas da OGMA, mas este montante deverá crescer até à quase totalidade das contrapartidas previstas, 315 milhões de euros.

Ontem, ao nascer do sol, um PUMA levantou voo com a missão de evacuar do navio Hekabe, que se encontrava a cerca de 250 quilómetros a sudoeste da ilha Terceira, nos Açores, um tripulante de nacionalidade russa com sintomas de uma grave crise de apendicite. Após reabastecimento no Faial o helicóptero, apoiado por um C-212-300 Aviocar, alcançou o Hebake pelas 08h25. Por volta das 09h35 a aeronave aterrou no aeroporto da Ilha do Faial e o paciente, que durante o voo fora assistido por uma equipa médica da Força Aérea, seguiu para o Hospital da Horta.

A 9 de dezembro de 2005 o navio russo «CP Valour» encalhou junto à ilha do Faial nos Açores, e passado uma semana com o decorrer das operações de recolha dos contentores do navio, para a posterior desmontagem do navio, um PUMA da esquadra 711 foi chamado para ajudar na retirada dos contentores com produtos perigosos do navio.


Pratibha Patil becomes the first woman president of the Republic of India

Pratibha Patil has won the 12th Presidential Elections of the Republic of India, becoming the first woman president of the second most populous country in the world.

Patil, 72, previously governor of the state of Rajasthan, had support from the governing coalition. She won approximately two thirds of the vote, almost double the number of votes of her nearest rival Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who resigned as Vice-President after losing the poll.

Patil was a last-minute candidate who appeared when the coalition that leads the congress and the communist allies could not choose a common candidate. The supporters of Patil hope that her election could bring to the spotlight, problems that affect women in India, such as the high murder rate or domestic violence and abuse.

More than 4,500 members of the Parliament of India and state Legislative Assemblies were eligible to vote for the largely ceremonial office.

Patil was recently the centre of controversy after allegations that a bank gave out cheap loans to her relatives, and for her controversial statements about the Muslim veil.

The President-elect will succeed the 11th President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, an engineer and scientist. She is expected to be sworn in on July 25 in the Central Hall of Parliament.

The President of India, also called Rashtrapati, is the head of state and first citizen of India and the Supreme Commander of the Indian armed forces. The President's role is largely ceremonial. The powers of the President of India are comparable to those of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The real executive authority in India is vested in the Council of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister. In 1966, Indira Gandhi became the first and to date the only female prime minister of India.


India elige por primera vez en su historia a una mujer como presidenta

Pratibha Patil, una abogada de 72 años, se convirtió en la primera mujer de la historia en ser presidenta de la India. Patil se impuso frente a su rival, el hasta ahora vicepresidente Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, por 2.931 votos frente a 1.449 en una votación llevada a cabo por el Parlamento Nacional y políticos estatales.

Pratibha Patil era gobernadora del estado Rajastán, al noroeste del país. Pasó a la escena nacional cuando la coalición que lidera el congreso y sus aliados comunistas no consiguieron acordar ningún candidato común. Los partidarios de Patil esperan que con su elección se pueda sacar a la luz los problemas que afectan a las mujeres en la India, como la violencia de género y dónde una mujer cada tres minutos es asesinada, violada o sometida a abusos.

"Ésta es la victoria de los principios. Los principios del pueblo indio." fueron las primeras declaraciones de la nueva presidenta. Sonia Gandhi, líder del Parlamento y una de las políticas más poderosas de la India calificó la victoria de Patril como un momento histórico donde se demuestra que el país respeta a las mujeres.

El presidente de la India ocupa la función constitucional como Jefe de Estado y es el Supremo Comandante de las Fuerzas Armadas.


Inde : une femme élue pour la première fois à la présidence

C'est une première en Inde : une femme a été élue à la présidence du pays. Mme Pratibha Patil, une avocate de 72 ans, a remporté cette élection face au candidat de l'opposition, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, 84 ans. Elle succède ainsi, à Abdul Kalam, président depuis 2002, lequel ne s'était pas représenté.

Le collège électoral[1] a donné sa confiance à la candidate par 65,82 % des voix, selon des sources officielles. Bien que ce poste soit honorifique, la présidence dispose cependant, selon l'AFP, d'« une certaine influence dans la formation des gouvernements au niveau national et local, ce qui en fait toujours un poste âprement disputé ». Tel a été le cas au cours de cette campagne, au cours de laquelle Mme Patil fut accusée par ses adversaires « d'avoir protégé son frère soupçonné de meurtre, et son mari, mêlé à un scandale autour d'un suicide ».

En outre, la Constitution indienne fait du titulaire de la présidence le chef suprême des armées.

Toujours selon cette même agence, c'est Sonia Gandhi, présidente du Parti du Congrès, formation au pouvoir au niveau fédéral, qui a «  sorti Mme Patil d'un relatif anonymat pour cette élection, estimant que l'arrivée d'une femme à ce poste aiderait à lutter contre la discrimination dont sont victimes les femmes en Inde ».

Pratibha Patil est née le 19 décembre 1934 à Nadgaon, dans l'État de Maharashtra. Elle fait son entrée au Parlement provincial en 1962, puis a été plusieurs fois ministre dans le gouvernement de l'État du Maharashtra dans les 23 années qui ont suivies[2]. De 1985 à 1990, elle siège au Sénat de ce même État. En 1991, elle fait son entrée pour la première fois au Parlement fédéral. En 2004, elle fut la première femme à occuper les fonctions de gouverneur au  Rajastan.

Élue désormais à la présidence de la République indienne, elle prendra ses fonctions le 25 juillet prochain.


72-letnia Pratibha Patil wygrała wybory prezydenckie w Indiach. Tym samym została pierwszą kobietą w historii tego kraju, która stanie na czele państwa.

Wybory odbyły się 19 lipca. Wyborcy mogli oddać głos na dwóch kandydatów. Pierwszym z nich była Pratibha Patil, była gubernator Radżastanu, wspólna kandydatka Indyjskiego Kongresu Narodowego i jego sojuszników oraz Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, 83-letni weteran indyjskiej polityki, kandydat opozycyjnej Indyjskiej Partii Ludowej, obecny wiceprezydent tego kraju.

Prezydenta wybierało około 4,5 tys. deputowanych z obu izb parlamentu i zgromadzeń ustawodawczych wszystkich stanów Indii.

24 lipca upływa mandat obecnemu prezydentowi Indii A.P.L. Abdulowi Kalamie.


Premier of Tasmania, David Bartlett, resigns

In an unforeseen decision, the Premier of the Australian state Tasmania has resigned as premier (and leader) of the governing Tasmanian Labor party. Bartlett announced his resignation at 3pm and confirmed it on the social-networking site Facebook, citing family reasons.

The statement said his seven-day week had meant he had no time to be a father to his young children, Matilda and Hudson: "Working seven days a week and wanting to be a better father for Hudson and Matilda has become incompatible as the children are growing up."

Set to take the reins is Deputy Premier Lara Giddings. Giddings has also received the support of the out-going Premier. "Lara Giddings will be an outstanding premier and will have my full support."

Bartlett, who was in a relatively new government, won office after a hung parliament in the 2010 elections with Labor and the Greens forming a minority government after three weeks. He had succeeded the also resigned Paul Lennon two years ago. He first entered government in 2004 after winning the seat of Denison.

Bartlett leaves the Labor party with opinion polls showing discontent with the government. Despite this,  there was no chance of a leadership change so early after the election and Bartlett's position in the party was not under threat.


Premiér Tasmánie David Bartlett odstoupil z funkce

Premiér australského státu Tasmánie David Bartlett nečekaně odstoupil jak ze své premiérské funkce, tak z funkce vůdce tasmánské části Australské strany práce. Své rozhodnutí oznámil ve 3 hodiny odpoledne a posléze je potvrdil přes sociální síť Facebook, přičemž jako důvod své rezignace uvedl rodinu.

V prohlášení uvádí, že jeho sedmidenní pracovní týden měl za následek, že neměl čas být otcem pro své děti, Matildu a Hudsona: „Pracovat sedm dní v týdnu a zároveň chtít být dobrým otcem pro Hudsona a Matildu se v souvislosti s tím, jak děti stárnou, začalo navzájem vylučovat.“

Otěže po Bartlettovi převezme Lara Giddingsová, která byla doposud jeho zástupcem a kterou také podpořil: „Lara Giddingsová bude výjimečný premiér a má mou plnou podporu“.

Bartlettovi, který stál v čele poměrně mladé vlády, začalo jeho současné funkční období po volbách 2010, které skončily bez jednoznačného vítěze a až po třech týdnech se podařilo sestavit menšinovou vládu Australské straně práce a Australským Zeleným. Sám Bartlett se do popředí dostal po Paulu Lennonovi, který svou kariéru skončil rezignací v květnu 2008 — Bartlett tak byl premiérem dohromady více než dva roky.

Bartlett odchází v době, kdy průzkumy mínění ukazují nespokojenost s vládou, ovšem takto krátce po volbách nebyla změna vůdce pravděpodobná a Bartlettova pozice v rámci strany nebyla ohrožena.

Tato zpráva byla založena zčásti nebo zcela překladem zprávy Premier of Tasmania, David Bartlett, resigns na anglických Wikizprávách.


Tazmanya başbakanı David Barlett istifa etti

Avustralya'nın Tazmanya eyaletinin başbakanı İşçi Partili David Barlett, 23 Ocak günü beklenmedik bir karar alarak istifa etti. Barlett istifasını yerel saatle saat 15:00'de açıkladı, Facebook'ta da istifasını doğrulayarak ailevi nedenleri sebep gösterdi.

Barlett, haftada yedi gün çalıştığından çocukları Matilda ve Hudson için iyi bir baba olamadığını söyledi.

Eyaletin yeni başbakanı yardımcı başbakan Lara Giddings olacak. Barlett, "Giddings'in çok iyi bir başbakan olacağını düşünüyorum, benim de tam desteğim arkasında olacak" diyerek Giddings'e destek verdi.


President Bush delivers 2006 State of the Union Address

United States President George W. Bush delivered his annual State of the Union Address on Tuesday.

Bush opened the speech to Congress by honoring Coretta Scott King, wife of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., who died on Monday.

Bush emphatically claimed that terrorism was still a serious threat, citing the 2004 Beslan school hostage crisis.  Bush also urged what he felt was the need for American troops to continue their presence in Iraq, to ensure what he described as the successful transition of the Iraqi government.

In reference to the victory of Hamas in the recent Palestinian elections, Bush urged its leaders to disarm and recognize Israel as a sovereign state.

Talking about foreign policy, Bush said Iran is held hostage by a clerical elite and that it is not a democracy. He also alleged that Iran has nuclear ambitions, and said the world "must not permit the Iranian regime to gain nuclear weapons."

Bush outlined an economic plan that he claims would cut the budget deficit in half by 2009, if successful.  Bush said that by cutting over 140 programs that were "performing poorly or not fulfilling essential priorities", that the government would save over US$14 billion. Bush briefly touched on the upcoming problem of Social Security; with baby boomers reaching retirement age, Bush urged Congress to bypass partisan differences in order to save the program. In a rare break from the usual preplanned format of the speech, Bush received applause from Democrats when he announced that "Congress did not act last year on my proposal to save Social Security".

Bush talked about the need for affordable health care.  These plans include expanding the health savings account program, allowing health insurance to be more portable for workers changing jobs.  Bush also urged Congress to support medical liability reform, which he said would help doctors forced out of practice by the high price of insurance.

Bush also introduced an energy plan to reduce oil dependency.  The Advanced Energy Initiative would allocate federal funds for research in clean coal technology, solar and wind energy, and for research in the use of ethanol and hydrogen fuel in vehicles, Bush stated.  The President also described his support of funding "additional research in cutting-edge methods of producing ethanol, not just from corn, but from wood chips and stalks or switch grass."

On the topic of education and jobs, Bush introduced the American Competitiveness Initiative.  This plan would allocate more than $136 billion over the next ten years to increase research in the physical sciences sector, provide job skills training for workers in these areas, and improve the quality of math and science education. He urged Congress to make temporary tax relief permanent. He also mentioned that he would like Congress to pass the power of line-item veto, which was given briefly to President Bill Clinton in 1996, before being declared unconstitutional in 1998 by the Supreme Court, six to three.

Bush closed the address emphatically claiming what he called the historic courage of Americans, and saying that in Iraq, "like Americans before us, we will show that courage and we will finish well."

The Democratic rebuttal, delivered by Virginia governor Tim Kaine, criticized Bush's speech, saying that Bush had failed to uphold his previous promises, and that his administration had caused many of the problems that Bush promised in his address to fix.  Kaine also stated that the Democratic Party had previously introduced many policies similar to Bush's, but these policies had not been supported by Republicans.

In addition to Kaine's speech, a second rebuttal, delivered in Spanish, was given by Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Cindy Sheehan, who became an anti-war activist after her son was killed serving in Iraq and gained recognition in 2005 for her protests outside Bush's ranch in Texas, was arrested in the House gallery by Capitol Police Officer Mike Weight about fifteen minutes before the speech. Initial reports claimed that she had attempted to unfurl an anti-war banner; in fact, Sheehan wore a t-shirt with the words, "2,245 dead. How many more?" Sheehan had been invited to the speech by Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA). In contrast, Beverly Young, the wife of Rep. Bill Young (R-FL), was ordered to leave the gallery but not arrested during Bush's speech because she was wearing a shirt with the words, "Support the Troops Defending Our Freedom." Sheehan is charged with unlawful conduct in violation of D.C. Code §10-503.16(b)(7), a misdemeanor prohibiting demonstrations in the Capitol carrying a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $500 fine. Capitol Grounds Regulations defining the prohibited activities allow "wearing Tee shirts, buttons, or other similar articles of apparel that convey a message."

On Wednesday, Capitol Police dropped charges against Sheehan and apologized for ejecting her and Young. "The officers made a good faith, but mistaken effort to enforce an old unwritten interpretation of the prohibitions about demonstrating in the Capitol," Chief Terrance Gainer said in a statement.


Bush: Dążę do szerzenia demokracji i walki z terroryzmem

W wygłoszonym dorocznym orędziu o stanie państwa, prezydent USA George W. Bush zapowiedział dalsze szerzenie demokracji na świecie i walkę z globalnym terroryzmem islamskim.

Zdaniem Busha, miarą amerykańskiego przywództwa na świecie musi być dokończenie działań rozpoczętych w Iraku. Nasz naród jest oddany realizacji historycznego, długofalowego celu - zmierzamy do położenia kresu tyranii na świecie. Zależy od tego przyszłe bezpieczeństwo Ameryki. (....) W czasie próby nie możemy znaleźć bezpieczeństwa przez porzucenie naszych zobowiązań i wycofanie się w nasze granice. Ameryka nigdy tego nie zrobi - powiedział w orędziu prezydent USA.

Bush przedstawił terrorystów islamskich jako śmiertelne zagrożenie dla Ameryki i podkreślił, że nie można biernie czekać na atak z ich strony. Stwierdził także, że operacja wojskowa w Iraku to część wojny z globalnym terroryzmem i krucjaty na rzecz demokracji na Bliskim Wschodzie.

Intencje terrorystów trzeba brać poważnie. Ich celem jest zdobycie władzy w Iraku i atakowanie stamtąd. Dążą oni do pozyskania broni masowego rażenia. Przeliczą się jednak. My kochamy naszą wolność i będziemy walczyć, aby ją zachować - oświadczył Bush.

Prezydent USA powtórzył również, że przedwczesne wycofanie wojsk amerykańskich z Iraku - czego domagają się Demokraci - byłoby ogromnym błędem. Pokazałoby to, że obietnice Ameryki nic nie są warte - powiedział, dodając, że w Iraku nasz naród ma tylko jedną opcję: dotrzymać słowa, wspierać naszych sojuszników i pokonać wroga. Decyzje o stopniowym wycofywaniu wojsk z Iraku - powiedział - będą podejmowane przez dowódców wojskowych, a nie przez polityków w Waszyngtonie.

W swoim przemówieniu prezydent ostrzegł także Iran przed próbami produkcji broni atomowej. Narody świata nie mogą pozwolić, aby reżim irański wszedł w posiadanie broni nuklearnej - stwierdził Bush. Wezwał także radykalną islamską partię Hamas, która niedawno wygrała wybory na terytoriach palestyńskich, aby złagodziła swoją ekstremistyczną postawę.


President Bush nominates John Roberts as Chief Justice of the U.S.

In a statement made at approximately 12:00 UTC Monday, U.S. President George W. Bush nominated Judge John G. Roberts, Jr. as Chief Justice of the United States to succeed the late William H. Rehnquist.

Bush said that it is in the best interest of the nation that Roberts will be confirmed by the U.S. Senate within one month, before the Supreme Court reconvenes.  He said "It is fitting that a great chief justice be followed in office by a person who shared his deep reverence for the Constitution, his profound respect for the Supreme Court and his complete devotion to the cause of justice."

Roberts went on to reply, saying, "I am honored and humbled by the confidence that the president had shown in me, and I'm very much aware that, if I am confirmed, I would succeed a man that I deeply respect and admire, a man who has been very kind to me for 25 years."  Roberts had been a law clerk in the U.S. Supreme Court working directly for William Rehnquist during 1980 and 1981.

Before this nomination Roberts was due to fill the Associate Justice slot left vacant by Sandra Day O'Connor's retirement.  Bush now must consider other candidates for nomination as Associate Justice.

Roberts is considered to have largely conservative views and faced resistance during his nomination to succeed O'Connor from Civil rights groups like the ACLU, NAACP and pro-choice organizations like NARAL, which sponsored an ad against his nomination and had to retract it due to the liability for some of the claims they were making of him supporting terrorists.

Roberts' confirmation is set to begin next Monday.

It is suspected that with the Republican Senate, the Democrats will need an extensive filibuster if they want to prevent Roberts' confirmation.


Bush nominiert Nachfolger für Obersten Richter

Washington D.C. (USA), 06.09.2005 – Nach dem Tod des Obersten Richters des amerikanischen Supreme Court, William Rehnquist, hat US-Präsident George W. Bush den 50-jährigen John Roberts als Nachfolger vorgeschlagen.

Roberts war bereits als Nachfolger für die zurückgetretene Bundesrichterin Sandra O'Conner nominiert. Das für heute geplante Bestätigungsverfahren vor dem Senat wurde aber verschoben. Bush war mit der Nominierung der demokratischen Opposition entgegengekommen, die den Konservativen nach Medienberichten als das „geringere Übel“ eingestuft habe. Ihn jetzt zum Vorsitzenden zu nominieren, sieht die amerikanische Presse als Zeichen, einen Streit über die Nachfolge Rehnquists vermeiden zu wollen.

Bush kann nun noch einen Nachfolger für Richterin O'Conner suchen. Sollte er es schaffen, einen weiteren Konservativen an den Supreme Court zu bringen, könnte er das Kräfteverhältnis auf fünf zu vier zu seinen Gunsten ändern. Bisher war es ausgeglichen, wobei O'Conner oft den Ausschlag für die Entscheidung gab.


Bush nomeia John Roberts como Chefe de Justiça dos EUA

Em uma declaração feita  aproximadamente às 12:00 UTC desta segunda-feira (5), o Presidente dos Estados Unidos da América, George W. Bush, nomeou o Juiz John Roberts como Chefe de Justiça  ou Presidente da Suprema Corte  para ocupar a vaga deixada   pelo falecido Juiz William H. Rehnquist.

Bush espera que Roberts seja confirmado no cargo  pelo Senado dentro de um mês, antes que o  Supremo Tribunal se reúna novamente.

O cargo de Chefe de Justiça   é vitalício e o juiz que ocupa essa posição só pode sair se for destituído pelo Congresso em caso de impeachment,   morte ou aposentadoria.

O presidente americano tem ainda mais uma vaga na Suprema Corte para preencher, no lugar da Juíza Sandra Day O'Connor, que se aposentou em julho.


President Bush vetoes CIA waterboarding ban

United States President George W. Bush has vetoed a bill that would have banned the Central Intelligence Agency from using harsh interrogation techniques such as waterboarding, he said in his weekly radio address Saturday.

"Because the danger remains, we need to ensure our intelligence officials have all the tools they need to stop the terrorists," Bush said. "The bill Congress sent me would take away one of the most valuable tools in the war on terror - the CIA program to detain and question key terrorist leaders and operatives."

The bill, which passed the House of Representatives in November and the Senate in February despite warnings that it would be vetoed, established guidelines for intelligence activities. One of these guidelines would limit the CIA to only using interrogation methods allowed in the U.S. Army Field Manual.

The relevant text of the bill reads:

Among the methods prohibited in the manual are stripping prisoners naked, forcing them to perform sexual acts, beating, electrocuting, or burning them, staging mock executions, withholding food and medical attention, and the controversial technique known as waterboarding.

Waterboarding involves pouring water over a prisoner's cloth-covered face in a simulation of drowning. It is condemned as torture by many nations, human rights groups, and members of Congress.

Although Bush did not specifically mention waterboarding in his address, he did hint to it in some of his statements. "The bill Congress sent me would not simply ban one particular interrogation method, as some have implied," he said. "Instead, it would eliminate all the alternative procedures we've developed to question the world's most dangerous and violent terrorists."

Bush said that the methods used by the military are designed for interrogating "lawful combatants captured on the battlefield", not the "hardened terrorists" normally questioned by the CIA. "If we were to shut down this program and restrict the CIA to methods in the Field Manual, we could lose vital information from senior al Qaida terrorists, and that could cost American lives," Bush said.

Massachusetts senator Edward Kennedy described Bush's veto as "one of the most shameful acts of his presidency". In a statement released Friday, he said, "Unless Congress overrides the veto, it will go down in history as a flagrant insult to the rule of law and a serious stain on the good name of America in the eyes of the world."


George W. Bush pose son veto à l'interdition de l'usage du waterboarding par la CIA


President Lula opens U.N. forum to combat corruption

São Paulo, Brazil — The Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva opened on Tuesday the 4th Global Forum to Combat Corruption in Brasilia,  Brazil. The encounter is expected to last from June 7 to 10.

Lula inaugurated the event in company of the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Undersecretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Maria Costa, and the Brazilian Federal Comptroller-General, Waldir Pires.

According to the organizers,  the "Global Forum is the result of a worldwide policy to battle against corruption and money-laundering. In short, against those crimes that prevent the money collected by nations from being applied decently on behalf of the population".

The forum, is sponsored by the Brazilian government and the United Nations. Around one hundred delegations from around the world are expected to debate improvements in anti-corruption methods and international cooperation.


Presidente Lula abre Fórum de Combate à Corrupção no Brasil

O Presidente do Brasil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva abriu terça-feira o 4°Fórum Global de Combate à Corrupção, realizado em Brasília. O encontro está programado para ocorrer de 7 a 10 de junho.

Lula inaugurou o envento na companhia do o diretor-executivo do Escritório das Nações Unidas contra Drogas e Crimes (UNODC) e subsecretário-geral da ONU, Antônio Maria Costa, e de Waldir Pires, da Controladoria Geral da União.

Participaram ainda da solenidade os ministros Márcio Thomaz Bastos, da Justiça; Nilmário Miranda, da Secretaria Especial dos Direitos Humanos; Eduardo Campos, da Ciência e Tecnologia; Marina Silva, do Meio Ambiente, e Tarso Genro, da Educação; e o presidente do Senado brasilerio, Renan Calheiros.

O Fórum Global de Combate à Corrupção,  realizado a cada dois anos,  é um encontro multilateral  que reúne representantes de outros países, assim como especialistas e acadêmicos de várias partes do mundo a fim de  discutir e aprimorar medidas de luta contra a corrupção.

O Fórum é patrocinado pelo governo do Brasil e pelas Nações Unidas. Espera-se que perto de 100 delegações de várias partes do mundo participem de debates sobre metodologias para a melhoria e combate à corrupção e sobre cooperação internacional.


President of Algeria wins third term in office in landslide victory

According to official results, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the 72-year-old president of Algeria, has been reelected to a third term as the country's leader in a landslide.

Yazid Zerhouni, the Algerian Interior Minister, stated that Bouteflika obtained 90.24% of the vote in the election, which was held on Thursday. Voter turnout was 74%, with some of the opposition parties boycotting the election amidst allegations of election fraud.

Zerhouni said at a news conference that the voter turnout was "exceptional", but insisted that the figures had not been manipulated, saying that anyone with evidence of fraud should take it to election officials.

Bouteflika's critics assert that the victory was a foregone conclusion — his opponents were not well known, and his campaign was well-funded. They continued to express outrage over a constitutional amendment adopted last November, which allowed Bouteflika to run for a third five-year term.

The second-place finisher in Thursday's polls was Louisa Hanoune, representing the Trotskyist Workers' Party, who managed to take 4.22% of the vote. The Algerian National Front's Moussa Touati garnered 2.31% of the polls to take third place.

Bouteflika was first elected to be Algeria's leader in 1999. He was reelected in 2004 with 84.99% of the vote.


Algérie : le président Bouteflika réélu pour un troisième mandat

Le président algérien sortant Abdelaziz Bouteflika, 72 ans, a remporté une large victoire à la présidentielle de jeudi avec 90,24 % des voix, a annoncé vendredi le ministre de l'Intérieur Yazid Zerhouni.

13 millions d'électeurs ont voté pour lui à l'élection présidentielle dont le record de participation a explosé avec un taux de 74,54 %.

La leader du Parti des Travailleurs algériens Louisa Hanoune qui vient après n'a récolté que 4,22 % des suffrages exprimés.

Abdelaziz Bouteflika a été, après des années de violences, l'artisan d'une politique de « réconciliation » nationale qu'il se dit prêt à étendre lors du troisième quinquennat qu'il vient de décrocher.

Élu à la tête de l'État en 1999 et réélu en avril 2004, M. Bouteflika a remporté son pari d'asseoir son troisième mandat sur des résultats sans appel.


Presidential election held in Afghanistan

Registered voters in Afghanistan went to the polls on Thursday to cast their votes for President. Although the election was marred by violence, it was largely hailed as successful. The Taliban has refused to recognize the election and has previously vowed to disrupt them.

"We had what appears to be a successful election in Afghanistan, despite the Taliban's efforts to disrupt it," said United States President Barack Obama in a live radio broadcast from the White House.

At least 26 people were killed in election related violence, including eight in a town near Baghlan where Taliban fighters reportedly prevented the polls from opening. Elsewhere, regional capitals were hit with rocket fire.

A United Nations spokesperson in the national capital of Kabul said that the situation was "better than we feared" and that the level of security had "allowed people to take part in the elections".

There are conflicting report on the level of voter turnout. Zekria Barakzai, an election official, told Associated Press that he estimated 40 to 50% participation. Meanwhile, the director of Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission, Azizullah Loudin, claimed on television that turnout had been "high". The 2004 election had a reported 70% turnout.

In early returns, some districts, such as those in Nangarhar, reported no voters at all.

"The Afghan people dared rockets, bombs and intimidations," incumbent President Hamid Karzai said to the press. "We'll see what the turnout was. But they came out to vote. That's great."

Abdullah Abdullah, widely regarded as the leading challenger to Karzai, said "It is a day of change, a day of hope," but his campaign manager already alleged voter fraud within hours of the closing of the polls.

Another candidate, Ramazan Bashardost, urged a halt to the election. "This is not an election, this is a comedy," he said.


Presidentsverkiezingen in Afghanistan 2009

In Afghanistan zijn vandaag de presidentsverkiezingen geweest. Zo'n 17 miljoen Afghanen konden gaan stemmen, bijvoorbeeld op de favoriet, de zittende president Karzai, of zijn grootste concurrent Abdullah Abdullah. De stembureaus bleven een uur langer open om iedereen een kans te geven, en rond 15.00 uur Nederlandse tijd (17.30 in Kabul) zijn de stembureaus gesloten.

Over de opkomst is nog niks bekend. De voorlopige uitslagen van de verkiezingen worden waarschijnlijk komende zondag bekend gemaakt.

Hamid Karzai werd in 2001 na de Amerikaanse invasie benoemd tot leider van een overgangsregering. Bij de eerste vrije predidentsverkiezingen op 9 oktober 2004 behaalde hij 55% van de stemmen. Zijn ambtstermijn loopt in mei 2009 af, en hij heeft zich herkiesbaar gesteld voor deze presidentsverkiezingen. Om te winnen moet hij minstens 50% van de stemmen krijgen. Lukt dat niet, maar is er geen andere duidelijke winnaar, dan komt er een tweede stemronde.

De andere grote kanshebber op het presidentschap is Abdullah Abdullah (en). Hij was in 1995 de woordvoerder voor Afghanistan onder de Noordelijke Alliantie, die tegen de Taliban vocht. In september 1997 werd hij Minister van Buitenlandse Zaken.

Ramazan Bashardost (en), parlementslid en voormalig minister, is de derde grooste kandidaad. Verder zijn er nog 38 presidentskandidaten.

De Taliban, een islamistische guerrillabeweging in Afghanistan en Pakistan, hebben aangekondig de stembusgang met aanslagen te verstoren. Ook kondigden ze op de Deense televisie aan dat ze elke vinger waar inkt op zat (om fraude tegen te gaan) zouden afhakken. Hiermee proberen ze te bereiken dat mensen niet gaan stemmen en de verkiezingen op een fiasco uitlopen.

Meer dan 300.000 Afghaanse militairen zagen toe op een veilig verloop van de verkiezingen. De buitenlandse troepen zouden alleen ingrijpen wanneer de Afghanen de controle zouden verliezen. Het bleef dan ook relatief rustig, hoewel de Taliban wel van zich heeft laten horen met 73 aanslagen in 15 provincies waarbij zeker 26 mensen om het leven kwamen. Het meeste geweld was in het zuiden, waardoor daar de opkomst lager bleef.


ஆப்கானிஸ்தானில் சனாதிபதி தேர்தல் இடம்பெற்றது

ஆப்கானிஸ்தானில் அதிபர் தேர்தலுக்கான வாக்களிப்புகள் வியாழக்கிழமை இடம்பெற்றது. தலிபான்களின் ஆட்சி கலைக்கப்பட்ட பின்னர் நடைபெறும் இரண்டாவது தேர்தல் இதுவாகும்.

தலைநகர் காபூலில் வன்முறைச் சம்பவங்கள் அதிகரித்திருந்தன. புதன்கிழமை ஜனாதிபதி மாளிகைக்கு சமீபமாகவுள்ள வங்கியொன்றை தாக்க முயன்ற போராளிகளுக்கும் துருப்புகளுக்குமிடையேயான மோதலில் மூன்று போராளிகள் கொல்லப்பட்டதாக அதிகாரிகள் தெரிவித்தனர்.

வாக்களிப்பு நிலையங்கள் மீது தாக்குதல்களை நடத்தப்போவதாக அச்சுறுத்தியுள்ள தலிபான்கள் மக்களை வாக்களிப்பு நிலையங்களுக்குச் செல்ல வேண்டாமெனவும் இத் தேர்தலில் பங்குபற்ற வேண்டாமெனவும் எச்சரித்திருந்தனர்.

இத் தேர்தலில் ஜனாதிபதி அமீட் கார்சாய் மீண்டும் ஜனாதிபதியாக தெரிவுசெய்யப்படுவாரென எதிர்பார்க்கப்படுகின்ற போதும் இதில் போட்டியிடும் முன்னாள் வெளியுறவு அமைச்சர் அப்துல்லாவிடமிருந்து கார்சாய் கடுமையான சவாலை எதிர்கொள்ள நேரிடுமெனத் தெரிவிக்கப்படுகிறது. இத் தேர்தலில் சுமார் 40 வேட்பாளர்கள் போட்டியிட்டனர். இத் தேர்தலில் 34 மாகாணங்களுக்கான 420 மாகாண சபை உறுப்பினர்களும் தெரிவுசெய்யப்படவுள்ளனர். போராளிகளின் கட்டுப்பாட்டிலுள்ள 8 மாகாணங்களில் வாக்களிப்பு நிலையங்கள் அமைக்கப்படவில்லை.

இதேவேளை, இத் தேர்தலின் மூலம் தெரிவாகும் புதிய அரசாங்கம் ஆட்சியிலும் உதவி நடவடிக்கைகளிலும் பாரிய மாற்றங்களைச் செய்ய வேண்டிய அவசியம் உள்ளதென எச்சரித்துள்ள உதவி அமைப்பான ஒக்ஸ்பாம் பாரிய முதலீடுகளுக்கு மத்தியிலும் ஆப்கான் மக்களில் மூன்றிலொருவர் கடும் வலுமையையும் பட்டினியையும் எதிர்கொள்வதாகத் தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

ஆப்கானிஸ்தான் தேர்தலில் ஜனாதிபதி ஹமீட் கர்ஸாயே முன்னிலையில் உள்ளதாகவும் இரண்டாவது சுற்று வாக்கெடுப்பொன்றை எதிர்கொள்ள அவசியமற்ற வகையில் அவர் பெரும்பான்மை வாக்குகளைப் பெற்று உள்ளதாகவும் அவரின் பிரசார தலைவர் டீன் மொஹமட் தெரிவித்தார். அதேசமயம் ஹமீட் கர்ஸாயின் பிரதான போட்டியாளரான அப்துல்லா அப்துல்லாவும் தானே இத்தேர்தலில் வெற்றி பெற்றுள்ளதாக உரிமை கோரியுள்ளார்.

மேற்படி உத்தியோகபூர்வ தேர்தல் பெறுபேறுகள் வெளிவர இரு வாரங்கள் வரை செல்லலாம் என எதிர்பார்க்கப்பட்டது. எனினும் ஜனாதிபதித் தேர்தலுக்கான வாக்குகளை எண்ணும் பணிகள் நாட்டின் அனைத்துப் பகுதியிலும் நிறைவு பெற்று விட்டதாக ஆப்கான் தேர்தல் ஆணையகம் இன்று வெள்ளிக்கிழமை உறுதிப்படுத்தியுள்ளது.

உத்தியோகபூர்வத் தேர்தல் முடிவுகளை எதிர்வரும் வாரம் வெளியிட எதிர்பார்த்துள்ளதாக தேர்தல் ஆணையக அதிகாரியான ஸெக்ரியா பராக்ஸாய் கூறினார்.

வெள்ளி, ஆகத்து 21, 2009


Afganistan'da devlet başkanlığı seçimi

Afgan halkı 5 yıl görev yapacak devlet başkanını seçmek üzere sandık başına gitti. Seçimde 36 aday yarışıyor. Kamuoyu yoklamalarına göre Hamid Karzai diğer adaylara göre önde görünüyor. Abdullah Abdullah ise onun hemen arkasından geliyor.

Oy verme işlemi 02:30'da (UTC) başladı. Seçime katılımın Taliban'ın aktif olduğu bölgelerde az olduğu bildiriliyor. Öte yandan bugün Afganistan'da çıkan olaylarda 1 emniyet görevlisi ve 22 militan hayatını kaybetti. Ayrıca 2 roketli saldırıda 4 kişinin yaralandığı bildirildi. Yetkililer saldırıları Taliban'ın yapmış olabileceğini söyledi.


Prime Minister Ghedi of Somalia resigns

The Prime Minister of Somalia, Ali Mohammed Ghedi, has submitted his resignation to President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament, Adan Mohamed Nuur Madobe.

However, he was asked to give a formal resignation before Parliament. "Today, I want to state that I am going to resign, that I am leaving the government," he told the legislature. Members of Parliament, who had been close to voting on a motion of no confidence on Ghedi, applauded the resignation.

A feud between Ghedi and the President has long been blamed for the lack of progress and inability of the government to deal effectively with the armed conflict with the Islamic Courts Union. The rift often has been cited as frustrating for Western diplomats who support the government.

According to BBC's East Africa correspondent, Karen Allen, Ghedi agreed to step down under political pressure from within Somalia, as well as the United States and the international community.


El Primer Ministro Ghedi de Somalia renuncia

El Primer Ministro de Somalia, Ali Mohammed Ghedi, ha presentado su renuncia al Presidente Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed y al orador del Parlamento de Transición Federal, Adan Mohamed Nuur Madobe.

Sin embargo, se le pidió que diera una renuncia formal ante el Parlamento. "Hoy, quiero declarar que voy a renunciar, y estoy dejando el gobierno", le dijo a la legislatura. Los miembros del parlamento, quienes habían estado cerca de votar una moción de censura sobre Ghedi, acogieron la renuncia con aplausos.

Una disputa entre Ghedi y el Presidente había sido culpada por el poco progreso y la inhabilidad de que el gobierno se encargue efectivamente del conflicto armado con la Unión de Cortes Islámicas. La escisión ha sido citado como frustrante por varios diplomáticos occidentales que apoyan el gobierno.

De acuerdo a la corresponsal de la BBC para África, Karen Allen, Ghedi renunció tras ser sometido a presión política por parte del Gobierno de Somalia, y asimismo por Estados Unidos y la comunidad internacional.


Somalie : le Premier ministre démissionne

Le Premier ministre de Somalie, Ali Mohammed Ghedi, a présenté sa démission au Président Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed et au Président du Parlement fédéral de transition, Adan Mohamed Nuur Madobe.
Cependant, il lui a été demandé de présenter une démission formelle devant le Parlement. « Aujourd'hui, je veux signifier que je vais démissionner, que je quitte le gouvernement », a-t-il indiqué à la législature. Les Parlementaires, qui étaient sur le point de voter une motion de défiance envers Ghedi, ont applaudi cette démission.
Une querelle entre Ali Mohammed Ghedi et le Président a été pointée du doigt pour le manque de progrès et l'incapacité du gouvernement à traiter le conflit armé avec l'Union des tribunaux islamiques. Le rift a souvent été cité comme une frustration pour les diplomates occidentaux qui soutiennent le gouvernement.
Selon le correspondant de la BBC en Afrique de l'est, Karen Allen, Ali Mohammed Ghedi a accepté de démissionner en raison de pressions politiques somaliennes, des États-Unis et de la Communauté internationale.


Prince Harry ordered to return home

Prince Harry has today been ordered to return home, after details that the 23 year old's front line engagement was leaked by an American website.  The details of the Prince's engagement had previously been kept secret by many British and international news agencies, including the BBC and the Associated Press.

The leak of the information was said to be "regrettable" by the Ministry of Defence, however this meant that Prince Harry was ordered to return home due to fears for his, and the others in his unit's safety.  Prince Harry will be flown home "immediately", after 10 weeks of front line service.  During this he worked as a Joint terminal attack controller (JTAC) and was involved in major operations on the frontline against Taliban forces.

The media blackout was created to lower the risk to the royal, whilst in service in Afghanistan, and was the first large scale agreement of its kind.  The media groups who signed up to the agreement were rewarded with interviews with the Prince.


Prinz Harry zurück auf britischem Boden

London (Vereinigtes Königreich), 02.03.2008 – Prinz Harry ist wieder zurück in Großbritannien, nachdem er zehn Wochen einen vor der Öffentlichkeit geheim gehaltenen Dienst in Afghanistan absolviert hatte. Die Führung der britischen Armee hatte am 29. Februar beschlossen, ihn aus der afghanischen Provinz Helmand zurückzuholen, nachdem bekannt geworden war, dass er aktiv gegen die Taliban kämpfte. Das britische Verteidigungsministerium habe Angst gehabt, dass Prinz Harry zur Zielscheibe der Taliban werden könnte. Über eine US-amerikanische Internetseite sickerte am Donnerstag, den 28. Februar, die Nachricht über seinen Einsatz durch.


Prins Harry terug op Britse bodem

Prins Harry is weer terug in Groot-Brittannië nadat hij tien weken in het diepste geheim had gediend in Afghanistan. De leiding van het Britse leger besloot gisteren hem terug te halen uit de Afghaanse provincie Helmand nadat bekend was geworden dat hij daar meevocht met het Britse leger tegen de Taliban.

Het Britse ministerie van Defensie was bang dat Harry een doelwit van de Taliban zou worden. Zijn aanwezigheid lekte donderdag uit via een Amerikaanse website.


Princess Kiko gives birth to imperial baby boy

Princess Kiko has given birth to a 2,558 gram (5.639 lb) baby boy, on 6 September at 8 h 27 (Japan Standard Time). He is the first male baby born in the Japanese imperial family since his father in 1965. The baby was delivered with a Caesarean section, and will not be named until a ceremony seven days after his birth.

Emperor Akihito, currently on a tour of Hokkaido, welcomed the birth. A number of traditional rites will take place, including the baby boy being symbolically presented with a sabre.

The boy will be the third in line to succeed to the Japanese throne after the Crown Prince Naruhito and Prince Akishino, father of the child.

The fact that Crown Princess Masako wasn't able to have a boy to succeed the throne is thought to have provoked her depression and subsequent withdrawal from public activity.

Pressure from the Imperial Household Agency for another child was ineffective and therefore Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi appointed a panel to find an alternative succession system. The panel's recommendation to allow women to inherit the throne was met with fierce criticism from conservatives.

The birth of the baby boy eases the pressure for the reform which about 70% of Japanese favoured but which was postponed sine die when the news of the pregnancy came to the public.

Prince Akishino has previously criticized his elder brother for not trying to sire a boy. According to Crown Prince Naruhito this was in order to protect Crown Princess Masako. At the same time, Princess Kiko has become the darling of the media while the Crown Princess has been accused of being "selfish" by some newspapers.


La princesa Kiko de Japón da a luz a un varón

La princesa Kiko de Japón ha dado a luz a un varón la mañana de este miércoles (6), según informó la Agencia de la Casa Imperial. El alumbramiento del tercer vástago de la princesa Akishino ocurrió a las 08:27 hora local (23:27 UTC del martes 5), como se había anunciado, por cesárea. El niño pesó 2,56 kg y se encuentra "saludable", afirman los medios locales.

Con este nacimiento, se reducen notablemente las posibilidades de una reforma a la Ley de la Casa Imperial que impulsó el saliente primer ministro nipón, Jun'ichirō Koizumi, para remediar la falta de herederos varones al trono. Koizumi frenó el paso de la propuesta por la Dieta cuando en febrero pasado se anunció la noticia del embarazo de Kiko.

El recién nacido se convierte en el tercero en la línea de sucesión al trono japonés (el primero es su tío, el príncipe heredero Naruhito, y el segundo, su padre, el príncipe Fumihito), por encima de la princesa Aiko, de 4 años, hija de Naruhito y la princesa Masako. El nombre del niño será escogido en una ceremonia especial el próximo martes (12).

Koizumi afirmó estar feliz por el nacimiento y dijo a los periodistas que la reforma a la Ley de la Casa Imperial que él impulsó "no es algo que pongamos a consideración en la próxima legislatura. Es mejor ver la situación con calma durante un tiempo". La mayor parte de la población reaccionó favorablemente ante la noticia del nacimiento, si bien algunos insisten en que la ley debería reformarse: "no hay necesidad de aferrarse a un heredero varón. Sin importar su sexo, quienquiera que siga en la línea debe tomar el trono. Creo que está bien si la princesa Aiko se convierte en la próxima emperatriz", dijo Mai Yanagida, de 20 años, a la agencia AP.


文仁親王妃紀子さま、男児を出産

読売新聞等によると、6日午前8時27分に愛育病院（東京都港区）にて、文仁親王妃紀子さまが男児を出産した。帝王切開手術による出産で、体重2558g、身長48.8cm。母子共に健康という。

日本の皇室で男児が出産されるのは父の秋篠宮文仁親王以来41年振り。皇位継承順位は3位となる。午後には天皇が守り刀を贈る賜剣が行われた。名前と印が決まる命名の儀（御七夜に相当）は12日に行われる予定。


紀子妃產子 日本皇室後繼有人

在週三(9月6日)上午8點27分時，日本皇室傳出喜訊，二皇子秋篠宮的妻子紀子妃於此刻在東京愛育醫院剖腹生下一名體重2558公克、身高48.8公分的男嬰。此名男嬰是明仁天皇的第一位皇孫，他出生後馬上將天皇的弟弟常陸宮正仁(日:常陸宮正仁親王)的皇位繼承順位擠下去，成為日本皇室第三順位的繼承人，僅次於德仁太子和他的父親秋篠宮。

在這名男嬰出生前，日本皇室已經41年(1965年出生的文仁，即秋篠宮)沒有出生過男嗣了，由於日本《皇室典範》(日:皇室典範)規定皇位必須由男系的男子來繼承，因此，日本皇室面臨了皇位繼承人出缺的問題，對於此難題，日本首相小泉純一郎在輿論的支持下，主張以修改《皇室典範》來解決，並在去年11月24日的有識者會議中，擬定了承認女系和女性天皇的「皇室典範修正案」(如此修正案通過，德仁太子之女愛子公主將成為第三順位的皇室繼承人)，預定在今年3月時送交國會審查，可是在3月修正案送交審議前，2月7日就傳出了紀子妃懷孕的消息，修正案送審的動作也就此打住。

而今，紀子妃產下男嬰後，日本皇室的繼承問題得到解決，但有報導認為這只是暫時的，因為目前具有皇位繼承資格的男嗣仍舊不多，再加上日本社會所面臨的少子化問題也不是完全和皇室沒有關係，所以在日後修改《皇室規範》以解決皇位繼承問題的聲音仍有可能出現。

紀子妃產子的消息傳出後，日本舉國歡騰，明仁天皇、德仁太子及許多政治人物也給予祝福，而這名新日本皇室成員將在12日舉行「命名儀式」，有報導認為可能會以「仁」字來命名，因為過去日本的皇位繼承者，名字最後一個字都是「仁」字。

【2006年9月7日讯】


Prison inmate wins 41% against President Obama in West Virginia primary

2012 United States presidential election

Federal prison inmate Keith Russell Judd, of Texas, won 72,459 votes (40.6 percent) in Tuesday's West Virginia Democratic presidential primary, behind President Barack Obama, who finished with 105,833 (59.4 percent).

Judd qualified to appear on the West Virginia ballot after completing a notarized certification of announcement and paying the required $2,500 filing fee. Although surpassing 15 percent of the vote qualifies him for a Democratic National Convention delegate, according to Democratic Party Executive Director Derek Scarbro, Judd did not specify a delegate slate and will likely not be awarded a delegate.

Judd has run several unsuccessful write-in campaigns for mayor of Albuquerque and governor of New Mexico, and appeared on the 2008 Idaho Democratic primary ballot, winning 734 votes. He was sentenced to 210 months of prison in 1999 after being found guilty of "mailing a threatening communication with intent to extort money or something of value" at the University of New Mexico. He is currently serving his term at the Beaumont Federal Correctional Institution.

Though federal law prohibits felons from voting in elections, they are still eligible to run for office. Judd is not the first prisoner to run for president. In 1920, Eugene V. Debs of the Socialist Party of America ran a presidential campaign from prison after being prosecuted under the Espionage Act of 1917. He won nearly a million votes.

According to Democratic consultant Mike Plante, "most of the people who were casting a vote for Keith Judd, it was not a vote for him, it was a vote expressing dissatisfaction with the president." One West Virginia voter expressed this sentiment, telling the Associated Press that he "voted against Obama" because "I don't like him. He didn't carry the state before and I'm not going to let him carry it again." In 2008, Obama finished with only 25.77 percent of the West Virginia primary vote, losing to Hillary Clinton.

Though Obama has faced some challenges in the Democratic primaries, losing 18 percent to anti-abortion activist Randall Terry in Oklahoma, losing nearly 12 percent to attorney John Wolfe, Jr. in Louisiana, and having 18 and 21 percent of Democrats in Alabama and North Carolina vote "uncommitted", he has already won enough delegates to secure the Democratic nomination.


V primárkách demokratů v Západní Virginii získal 41 % vězeň

V primárkách Demokratické strany k volbě prezidenta Spojených států amerických v Západní Virginii zvítězil podle očekávání a s 59,4 % hlasů současný americký prezident Barack Obama, ale překvapivě mnoho hlasů – 40,6 % – získal druhý v pořadí Keith Russel Judd. Ten je od roku 1999, kdy byl odsouzen na 17,5 roku za posílání výhrůžek univerzitě Nového Mexika, ve vězení.

Federální zákony sice zakazují vězňům hlasovat, ale nezakazují jim kandidovat. Sám Judd podle svých slov kandidoval ve všech prezidentských volbách od roku 1996, ale letos dosáhl zřejmě největšího úspěchu. Zdá se ovšem, že hlasy pro Judda byly především protestními hlasy proti Obamovi. Při minulých primárních volbách v roce 2008 v západní Virginii prohrál Obama s Hillary Clintonovou a získal jen 25,77 % hlasů.

Přestože Obama nezvítězil zatím ve všech primárkách zcela drtivě, má již v tuto chvíli dostatek delegátů, aby si mohl být jist, že letos bude kandidátem demokratů on.

Tato zpráva byla založena zčásti nebo zcela překladem zprávy Prison inmate wins 41% against President Obama in West Virginia primary na anglických Wikizprávách.


Pro-government forces in Iraq launch operation to reclaim Ramadi from Islamic State

Iraq has started a new military operation to push back Islamic State by reclaiming the city of Ramadi, according to an Iraqi paramilitary spokesperson yesterday. Ramadi, which is the capital of the province of Anbar, fell to Islamic State earlier this month.

The new offensive includes both government troops and paramilitary forces — Hashed al-Shaabi, also known as the Popular Mobilisation Brigades, which largely consists of Shiite militias.

The operation in the Anbar province seeks to cut off Islamic State supply routes to prepare the way for the recapture of Ramadi. There has so far been fighting reported to the south and west of Ramadi as pro-government forces make their advance.

The U.S.-led coalition in Iraq stated it is carrying out airstrikes near Ramadi to support the Iraqi advance. The U.S. is also supplying the Iraqi forces with military equipment, including anti-tank weaponry.

A meeting is scheduled for June 2 in Paris between representatives of countries fighting Islamic State. John Kerry, the U.S. secretary of state, is amongst some 20 or more foreign ministers to attend; the meeting is to focus on strategy.


Forces progovernamentals iraquianes llancen operació per recuperar Ramadi a l'Estat Islàmic

Iraq ha començat una nova operació militar per fer retrocedir l'Estat Islàmic mitjançant la recuperació de la ciutat de Ramadi, segons un portaveu paramilitar iraquià. Ramadi, que és la capital de la província d'Anbar, va caure a l'Estat islàmic a principis d'aquest mes.

La nova ofensiva inclou tant tropes governamentals com forces paramilitars - hash al-Shaabi, també conegudes com les Brigades Populars de mobilització, que en gran part es componen de milícies xiïtes.

L'operació a la província d'Anbar busca tallar les rutes de subministrament de l'Estat Islàmic per preparar el camí per a la reconquesta de Ramadi. Fins ara els combats s'han reportat al sud i l'oest de Ramadi, on forces progovernamentals fan el seu avanç.

La coalició liderada pels Estats Units a l'Iraq va dir que està duent a terme atacs aeris a prop de Ramadi per donar suport a l'avanç de les forces iraquianes. Els EUA també estan ajudant amb subministrant a les forces iraquianes, amb equip militar, incloent armament anti-tanc.

Una reunió està prevista per al 2 de juny a París entre els representants dels països que lluiten contra l'Estat islàmic. John Kerry, secretari d'estat nord-americà, es troba entre uns 20 o més ministres de Relacions Exteriors d'assistir; la reunió se centrarà en l'estratègia.


Forças pró-governo no Iraque lançam operação para recuperar Ramadi do Estado Islâmico

Iraque iniciou uma nova operação militar para empurrar para trás o Estado Islâmico para recuperar da cidade de Ramadi, de acordo com um porta-voz paramilitar iraquiano ontem. Ramadi, que é a capital da província de Anbar, caiu ao Estado Islâmico no início deste mês.

A nova ofensiva inclui tanto as tropas governamentais e as forças paramilitares da Hashed al-Shaabi, também conhecida como a Brigadas Mobilizadas Populares, que consiste basicamente de milícias xiitas.

A operação na província de Anbar pretende cortar rotas de abastecimento do Estado Islâmico para preparar o caminho para a recaptura de Ramadi. Não tem sido até agora relatos de combates para o sul e oeste de Ramadi quando as forças pró-governo realize seu avanço.

A coalizão EUA no Iraque afirmou que está a realizar raídes (ataques aéreos) perto de Ramadi para apoiar o avanço iraquiano. Os EUA também está a fornecer às forças iraquianas com equipamento militar, incluindo armas anti-tanque.

A cimeira está marcada para 2 de Junho em Paris (capital da França) entre os representantes dos países combatem Estado islâmico. John Kerry, o secretário de Estado dos EUA, está entre cerca de 20 ou mais ministros das Relações Exteriores (ou Negócios Estrangeiros) para participar; a cimeira é o foco na estratégia.


Pro-secular Turks rally against Erdogan's possible presidential candidacy

Several hundred thousand protesters marched on Saturday in Turkey's capital Ankara to ensure that Turkey remains a secular Republic, and to deter prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan from candidacy for the presidency. Mr. Erdoğan leads a moderate islamist party, and the secular establishment, that organised the "Protect Your Republic"-protest, fears that he might be a threat to the separation between religion and state that modern Turkey has known since Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Bussed into to the capital Ankara from the most far flung regions of Turkey, tens of thousands of Turks waving the Turkish flag chanted "Turkey is secular and will remain secular" and "We don't want an imam as president!". The organisation spoke of more than one million protesters, news source estimates range from 200 000 to 370 000. A lot of banners depicting Atatürk could be seen in the crowd, which marched on the cordoned-off mausoleum of the founder of the Turkish state.

One of the protesters, Ece Kaplan, told the Los Angeles Times: "We believe in Islam; we are Muslims. But we don't want it to become our whole way of life." Her sister Muge Kaplan said: "We don't want to become Iran."

Mr. Erdoğan's ruling Justice and Development Party, founded by former Islamists, has a majority in the Turkish parliament, which is authorized by the constitution to elect the new president.

Erdoğan refutes allegations that he and his government are bent on steering Turkey, a key Western ally, toward an Islam-oriented path. Since coming to power more than four years ago, Erdoğan's government has overseen a swath of democratic reforms that helped Turkey win a date to open membership talks with the European Union two years ago.

Western diplomats agree that Mr. Erdoğan has done nothing substantive to alter Turkey's pro-secular course, though his efforts to outlaw adultery and to forge closer relations with Iran and Syria have provoked some concern.

As president, Mr. Erdoğan would be the commander-in-chief of Turkey's rigidly pro secular military. On Thursday, army chief of staff general Yaşar Büyükanıt released a message underlining this: "We hope that someone who is loyal to the principles of the republic - not just in words but in essence - is elected president." As president Erdoğan also would have the power to appoint members of the judiciary and university rectors.

With just days left for candidates to submit their names, only one person, a comedian named Metin Uca, has declared his intention to run for president. On Friday, President Sezer waded into the presidential debate saying that Turkey's secular regime faced its gravest danger since the founding of the Republic in 1923. Throughout his seven-year term, Mr. Sezer vetoed legislation and the appointment of scores of senior officials forwarded by Mr. Erdoğan, arguing that they posed a threat to secularism.

This article incorporates text from Pro-Secular Turks Stage Mass Anti-Islamist Rally, which has a license that is compatible with Wikinews.


Turquie : grande manifestation contre les ambitions d'Erdogan

Samedi 14 avril a eu lieu dans la capitale de la Turquie, Ankara, une gigantesque manifestation contre une éventuelle candidature du Premier ministre actuel, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, à la présidence de la République turque. Issu de la mouvance islamiste, et plus particulièrement du Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP) actuellement au pouvoir, et bien que se définissant aujourd'hui comme un démocrate conservateur, sa possible candidature a suscité la mobilisation de plusieurs dizaines de milliers de Turcs[1] pour la défense de la laïcité dans le pays au cours d'une « Marche pour la République ».
De nombreuses banderoles, ainsi que des drapeaux turcs, ont été brandis par la foule, sur lesquelles ont pouvait lire « la démocratie ne signifie pas qu'il faut tolérer la réaction (islamiste) » ou encore « Çankaya (le siège de la présidence) ne deviendra pas la maison des cheikhs et des confréries (religieuses) ». En effet, le Président de la République est élu par le Parlement pour un mandat unique de sept ans, et les islamistes détiennent la majorité au parlement. Si un candidat islamiste était élu à la tête du pays, de nombreux Turcs craignent que les islamistes n'aient ainsi les mains libres pour appliquer leur programme dans ce pays à 99% musulman mais attaché à la laïcité, dont le plus fort soutien reste l'armée[2]. Le dépôt des candidatures débute lundi pour s'achever le 25 avril à minuit.


Prodi claims victory in Italian election; Berlusconi refuses to concede

Italian opposition leader Romano Prodi, leader of the center-left coalition L'Unione (Lit. "The Union"), was declared the victor today in parliamentary elections held Sunday and Monday, but Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has yet to concede his office.

Official but not yet confirmed results indicate that L'Unione won control of the lower house or Chamber of Deputies with 49.8% of the vote to 49.7% for Berlusconi's center-right Casa delle Libertà (Lit. "The House of Freedoms") coalition.  The winning party automatically receives a minimum of 55% of the seats in the lower house, giving Prodi at least 340 seats in the 630-seat Chamber.

Berlusconi, however, claims that his party would control the 315-seat Senate by one vote, resulting in a split parliament. The current results, however, show Prodi with a 158-156 lead in the Senate, giving him enough seats of support in both houses. Berlusconi's spokesman also indicated that his party has requested a recount.

Italian law requires that the prime minister receive the support of both houses of Parliament.  Should the two houses be controlled by different coalitions, the stalemate would result in new elections.  A caretaker government would rule in the meantime.


Romano Prodi vence a Berlusconi en las elecciones italianas por un escaso margen

Romano Prodi se ha proclamado vencedor en las elecciones generales de Italia al frente de su coalición de centroizquierda por un estrecho margen de votos. Prodi se asegura la mayoría en la cámara de los diputados, que le suponen 340 escaños frente a los 277 del hasta ahora primer ministro, Silvio Berlusconi. Prodi ha obtenido también mayoría en el senado por cinco escaños de diferencia.

La mayoría de La Unión, coalición de centroizquierda, ha sido decidida por el voto de los italianos residentes en el extranjero, lo que ha mantenido en vilo a la ciudadanía desde que el lunes 11 de abril, pasadas más de 11 horas después del cierre de los colegios electorales, el resultado era incierto: Berlusconi mantenía una mínima ventaja de dos escaños en el senado mientras que Prodi le aventajaba en el congreso por 27.000 votos.

Romano Prodi, primer ministro in pectore, ha garantizado que su gobierno será "fuerte políticamente y técnicamente" y sobre todo "de todos los italianos". Con su apretada victoria, el país aparece dividido en dos políticamente, con la Forza Italia de Silvio Berlusconi como partido político más votado.

El presidente de la república, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, llamó por teléfono a Prodi para felicitarle por el resultado y declaró que el proceso electoral había sido del todo regular. Personalidades afines a Berlusconi habían declarado, en los momentos de incertidumbre y cuando La Unión disponía de una ligera mayoría en la cámara baja, que reclamarían un nuevo recuento de votos.

A las 14:00 UTC, Silvio Berlusconi no había hecho declaración alguna e incluso desconvocó una rueda de prensa que tenía previsto celebrar. Durante la tarde, líderes de la coalición de centroizquierda y otras personalidades le reclamaban que reconociese su derrota.


Élection parlementaires 2006 en Italie


Elezioni politiche italiane 2006

Le elezioni politiche italiane del 2006 si sono svolte il 9 e il 10 aprile del 2006. Questa tornata elettorale occorre per il rinnovo dei due rami del Parlamento italiano (la Camera dei deputati e il Senato della Repubblica). Per controllare se ci sono nuove notizie, clicca su aggiorna.

Nella pagina della categoria è disponibile l'archivio di tutte le notizie in ordine alfabetico.


イタリア総選挙、野党が小差で勝利―プローディ氏首相就任へ

毎日新聞によると、現地時間4月9・10両日（UTC+1、日本時間-8）投票、10・11両日に開票が行われたイタリアの総選挙（上院「共和国元老院」・下院「代議院」）は、高等裁判所による再集計が13日に終了し議席が確定、野党の中道左派連合「連合」（伊: L'Unione）の勝利が確定した。「連合」代表で元首相のロマーノ・プローディが首相に選出されることもほぼ確実となった。

11日、まだ議席が確定していない中、「連合」代表のプローディ氏は勝利宣言を行ったが、中道右派連合「自由の家」（伊: Casa delle Libertà）率いる首相のシルヴィオ・ベルルスコーニは敗北を認めていない。

高裁による再集計の前に発表された結果では、ベルルスコーニ首相率いる「自由の家」の49.7％に対し、「連合」は49.8％を獲得して下院で多数派を占めるとしている。

ベルルスコーニ氏は上院で未確定の1議席が「自由の家」になれば315議席ある上院の多数派を占めると主張している。しかし、現状では上院は158対156と「連合」が上回り両院でプローディ氏を首班指名できることを示している。ベルルスコーニ氏のスポークスマンは、「自由の家」が再集計を要請したことを明らかにした。しかし再集計の結果、議席数に変更はなく、「連合」が158議席、「自由の家」が156議席、南米イタリア人協会1議席となり、今回の総選挙での「連合」の勝利が確定した。イタリアの法律では、首相は両院の支持を必要とする。もし上下両院が異なる連立を選択した場合、行き詰まりから新たな選挙となり、その間選挙管理内閣が政権を担うことになる。

この記事は英語版ウィキニュースからの翻訳を含みます。


Wybory parlamentarne we Włoszech: Prodi przed Berlusconim

Centrolewicowa opozycja pod wodzą Romano Prodiego najprawdopodobniej wygrała wybory parlamentarne we Włoszech, zakończone dzisiaj o godz. 15.00. Według tzw. exit polls blok o nazwie Unione (Unia lub Związek) otrzymał od 50 do 54% głosów.

Według tych obliczeń centroprawicowy Dom Wolności premiera Silvio Berlusconiego uzyskał od 45 do 49% głosów.

Komitety wyborcze na razie z wielką ostrożnością przyjęły te wyniki sondażowe i czekają na pierwsze oficjalne, cząstkowe rezultaty.


Romano Prodi utropade sig till segrare i det italienska valet

Den italienska oppositionsledaren Romano Prodi, utropade sig till segrare i parlamentsvalet men premiärminister Silvio Berlusconi motsäger sig kravet.

I deputeradekammaren fick Romano Prodis center-vänsterallians 49,8 procent av rösterna mot 49,7 procent för Berlusconis allians. I senaten är valet fortfarande inte helt klart. Där vann Berlusconi 155 platser och Prodi 154, men det finns ytterligare sex platser som inte är räknade. De platserna tillsätts av  utlandsitalienares röster. Enligt italiensk lag måste premiärministern vinna båda valen så vinner inte Prodi även i senaten finns det en risk för att det blir nyval.

10 mars 2013: Prinsessan Lilian har avlidit
28 januari 2013: Beatrix av Nederländerna abdikerar
15 januari 2013: Seriekrock nordost om Helsingborg
14 december 2012: Skottdrama i amerikansk lågstadieskola
4 augusti 2012: Serena Williams till final i olympiska spelen 2012
6 maj 2012: Carl Johan Bernadotte är död
29 mars 2012: Tolgfors avgår
15 mars 2012: Norskt herkulesplan försvunnet: Befaras ha störtat
24 februari 2012: Namn och titel fastställd - Det blev en Estelle
23 februari 2012: En tronföljare är född


Prodi wins vote of confidence

Romano Prodi, prime minister of Italy, won a confidence vote in the Italian Senate, after attempting to resign last week.  His victory means that the l'Unione coalition of leftist parties will remain in power.  The vote was 162-157.

Justice minister Clemente Mastella reacted in an interview: "This government is like the Tower of Pisa. It leans, leans, but never falls."

The expected vote in the Chamber of Deputies on Friday is expected to be only a formality, since Prodi has a much more comfortable coalition there.

Prodi faced competition from the opposition centre-right Casa delle Libertà coalition, led by former prime minister and media magnate Silvio Berlusconi.  Despite the win, l'Unione's hold on the Senate is weak, due to the narrowness of its majority.

Prodi had tendered his resignation to Italian president Giorgio Napolitano on February 21, but Napolitano rejected the resignation on February 24, leading to a vote of confidence for Prodi in the Italian Senate.

Main contentions between the coalitions include the presence of Italian military units in Iraq and Afghanistan and Italy's relations with the United States.


Fin de la crise politique en Italie : Romano Prodi obtient la confiance du Sénat

La crise politique ouverte le 21 février en Italie par la démission de Romano Prodi, président du Conseil, semble provisoirement enterrée, depuis le vote de confiance obtenu par le gouvernement devant le Sénat, mercredi 28 février 2007. Ce vote devrait être suivi, dans la journée de vendredi, d'un autre scrutin à la la Chambre des députés, scrutin qui ne devrait être qu'une formalité, compte tenu de la majorité plus confortable dont y dispose la coalition gouvernementale.

Après la démission du chef du gouvernement, à la suite d'un vote au Sénat dans lequel le quorum n'avait pas été atteint pour l'approbation d'une motion de soutien à la politique étrangère menée par l'équipe en place, le président de la République, Giorgio Napolitano, avait refusé la démssion du gouvernement, samedi 24 février, et prescrit le passage devant les deux chambres du Parlement pour vérifier si la coalition mise en place au printemps dernier y disposait toujours de la confiance.

320 des 322 sénateurs étaient présents lors du vote de mercredi, mais seuls 319 d'entre eux ont pris part au vote. Le président de séance n'ayant pas pris part au vote, le quorum a été fixé à 160 voix. 162 sénateurs se sont prononcés « pour » et 157 « contre ».

Le résultat du vote a permis au ministre de la Justice, Clemente Mastella, de se risquer à un mot d'esprit : « Ce gouvernement est comme la tour de Pise. Il penche, il penche, mais ne tombe jamais. » [1]

Sans surprise, le gouvernement a obtenu la confiance de la quasi-totalité de ceux se rattachant jusqu'ici à sa majorité parlementaire, ainsi que quelques votes favorables parmi les sénateurs indépendants et parmi les sénateurs à vie et/ou de droit.

Parmi les votes « pour », on a noté, sans surprise, ceux de quatre des sénateurs à vie et/ou de droit, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (ancien président du Conseil et ancien président de la République), Emilio Colombo (ancien président du Conseil et ancien président du Parlement européen), Oscar Luigi Scalfaro (ancien président de la République) et Rita Levi-Montalcini (prix Nobel de physiologie ou médecine en 1986, revenue spécialement, en dépit de son âge avancé – 97 ans – de Dubai où elle séjournait).

Ont également voté « pour » le sénateur Marco Follini, transfuge de l'Union des démocrates chrétiens et fondateur l'an dernier du parti Italia di Mezzo, ainsi que le sénateur indépendant Luigi Pallaro, représentant les Italiens vivant en Amérique du Sud, dont les votes favorables étaient annoncés depuis samedi.

En revanche, l'ancien président du Conseil Giulio Andreotti a refusé de prendre part au vote et a quitté l'hémicycle, motivant sa décision par sa perplexité vis-à-vis du projet de loi organisant les unions de fait (l'équivalent italien du pacte civil de solidarité). Un autre sénateur de centre-droit a également brillé par son absence, pour des raisons non connues.

Pour autant, si Romano Prodi a remporté ce vote crucial mercredi soir, les semaines et mois qui s'annoncent ne seront pas dénués d'embûches pour l'attelage gouvernemental. Les réticences d'une partie de l'aile gauche de la majorité à l'encontre du maintien des 2 000 hommes de troupe italiens stationnés en Afghanistan demeurent vivaces. La perspective d'un recours à des élections anticipées, avec une forte probabibilité d'un retour au pouvoir de la Maison des libertés et de son chef Silvio Berlusconi, a également joué un grand rôle dans le « resserrage de boulons » de la majorité de gauche et de centre-gauche.

En effet, l'un des sénateurs communistes qui n'avait pas voté, la semaine dernière, en faveur de la résolution approuvant la politique étrangère du gouvernement, Franco Turigliatto, s'est rangé à la discipline majoritaire, tout comme celui de ses collègues qui avait agi de manière similaire, mais s'est réservé la possibilité, lors de votes ultérieurs, de faire dissidence sur le financement du contingent italien mis à la disposition de l'OTAN en Afghanistan. Le gouvernement pourrait donc être obligé, dans cette perspective, de tenter d'obtenir des renforts ponctuels en provenance de l'opposition de droite et du centre-droit. D'ores et déjà, Silvio Berlusconi, prédécesseur de M. Prodi au palais Chigi (le siège de la présidence du Conseil), fidèle allié de Washington lorsqu'il dirigeait le gouvernement, a indiqué jeudi 1er mars qu'il soutiendrait ponctuellement le gouvernement de centre-gauche pour le vote sur le financement de la mission en Afghanistan.


Italia: il Senato approva la fiducia al governo Prodi

Con 162 voti a favore e 157 contro, il Senato della Repubblica italiana dà la fiducia al governo di Romano Prodi. I senatori Giulio Andreotti e Sergio Pininfarina non hanno partecipato al voto, mentre il senatore indipendente Luigi Pallaro ha sciolto la riserva e ha votato sì. Favorevoli alla fiducia anche i senatori Marco Follini e Franco Turigliatto. Ha votato contro il senatore a vita Francesco Cossiga.

Hanno votato in totale 319 senatori su 320 senatori presenti (322 in totale, il presidente di consueto non partecipa alla votazione), ponendo il quorum a 160 voti favorevoli. Togliendo i voti favorevoli dei senatori a vita Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, Emilio Colombo, Rita Levi Montalcini e Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, il governo ha ricevuto il sì di 158 membri eletti, ovvero la maggioranza politica richiesta dal Presidente della Repubblica Giorgio Napolitano per ritenere chiusa la crisi che ha investito il governo nei giorni scorsi.


Protester killed in West Bank; world reacts to Gaza conflict

During a Palestinian rally in Qalqilyah in the West Bank against Israeli attacks on Gaza, Mufid Saleh Walweel, 22, was shot and killed Sunday by Israeli forces, according to Palestinian medical officials.  Meanwhile protests around the world took place in response to Israel's latest attacks and ground assault on Gaza.

On Friday in Chicago, 4,000 people marched from Tribune Plaza to the Israeli Consulate demanding an end to the occupation of Palestine, and to the raids on Gaza.  Another 40,000 people gathered in Morocco to protest what they saw as the complicity of the Arab regimes in the attack.

On Saturday, thousands of protesters in Indonesia asked the Indonesian government to send troops to Gaza to fight against the Israelis who they called a “terrorist” force.  On the same day in Toronto, Canada, 1,000 people gathered in the business district to protest Israeli actions. In addition  10,000 people marched past United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown's residence in London, hurling hundreds of shoes at his home.

International outcry was not limited to civilian action. Louis Michel, the European Union's humanitarian aid commissioner said in a statement on Sunday that “blocking access to people who are suffering and dying is also a breach of humanitarian law.” The statement promised 3 million euros of emergency EU aid to the people of Gaza.

Al Jazeera says that 507 Palestinians have been killed and 2,700 wounded since Israeli bombardments on the Gaza Strip began in late December. Four Israelis were killed in that same time by Hamas rockets fired out of Gaza.


Ein Palästinenser bei einer Demonstration im Westjordanland von israelischen Sicherheitskräften erschossen

Qalqiliya (Palästinensische Autonomiegebiete), 04.01.2009 – Bei einem Einsatz von israelischen Sicherheitskräften in der Grenzstadt Qalqiliya im Westjordanland gegen eine Gruppe protestierender Palästinenser wurde ein Demonstrant erschossen. Das meldet die Nachrichtenagentur Reuters. Nach Angaben der Agentur richteten sich die Proteste gegen die israelische Militäroffensive im Gazastreifen. Der tödliche Schuss sei gefallen, nachdem die Demonstranten begonnen hätten, die israelischen Sicherheitskräfte mit Steinen zu bewerfen. Zuvor hatten die Soldaten die Protestierer aufgefordert, die Versammlung zu beenden. Bei dem erschossenen Mann handelt es sich um den 22-jährigen Palästinenser Mufid Saleh Walwil, der nach Angaben von Sanitätern von einem Schuss in den Kopf getroffen worden war.


Protestors detained after violence near G8 summit

Eight police officers have been injured and more than 32 people detained after protestors made an attempt to block the M9 road and railway lines.

The violence occurred when residents of a camp site near Stirling in central Scotland began a mass movement towards the Gleneagles summit. A branch of Burger King in the Springkerse area of Stirling was also vandalised.

World leaders from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, and Russia are meeting in the 5 star Gleneagles hotel and golf course to discuss world issues. The presidents and prime ministers will debate, among other things, debt relief to Africa and climate change.

More than 100 activists dressed in black, many hiding their faces with clothing, "streamed" from the temporary campsite early Wednesday morning, where close to 5,000 protestors are said to be staying.

A camera man for the Associated Press Television said he saw a "group of around 100 smashing the windows of stationary cars and throwing stones at police."

Bob Geldof, organiser of the Live 8 concerts and original Live Aid in 1985, has described the violent protestors as "idiots". Many have criticised Geldof's overexposure in the news, especially as apparent spokesman of the anti-G8 protests.

Previous G8 summits that resulted in violent protests were situated in Genoa, Italy in 2001, and Evian, France in 2003. Police responsible for Wednesday's summit have taken no chances: roughly 10,000 police are on standby in Gleneagles, among watchtowers and surveillance cameras. A five-mile (8 kilometres) long fence of steel surrounds the hotel, complimented by no-fly zone above.

Earlier this week protesters clashed with riot police in Edinburgh, the capital. As many as 100 appeared in court on Tuesday, as a result of police officials' promise of "zero tolerance".

"Make no bones about it, if we encounter people who are prepared to use violence to achieve their aims ... we will take robust action," said Tayside Police Chief Constable John Vine in Auchterarder, the village closest to the Gleneagles hotel and country club.

Protestors and police officers numbering more than 20 were injured in over 6 hours of rioting in the Princes Street shopping area of Edinburgh, bringing the city centre to a standstill. Running clashes, baton charges, and mounted surges were some of the methods used by riot police at the scene.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair will, as the host, set the agenda of this years' summit. He is said to want "breakthroughs in global warming as well as Africa".

Blair's Commission for Africa has proposed to double aid to Africa by 2010, as well as a second US$25 billion increase in aid to Africa, and US$75 billion annual increase in worldwide aid.


Vor dem G8-Gipfel in Schottland - große Erwartungen und Proteste

Gleneagles (Großbritannien), 06.07.2005 - Große Ereignisse werfen ihre Schatten voraus. Friedliche Demonstranten, gewaltsame Auseinandersetzungen zwischen Demonstranten und Polizisten, neun Regierungschefs und zehntausend Polizisten inszenieren einen Medienereignis von globalem Zuschnitt. Heute beginnt das Gipfeltreffen der Repräsentanten der sieben mächtigsten Industrienationen der Erde und Russlands (G8).

Nach und nach trafen im Verlaufe des Tages die Staats- und Regierungschefs der G8-Staaten in dem schottischen Gebirgsort Gleneagles ein. Am Abend beginnt das Programm mit einem Abendessen, das die englische Königin Elisabeth II. aus Anlass des Gipfels gibt. Der Tagungsort, ein Luxushotel in den Bergen Schottlands, wurde weiträumig abgesperrt und wird durch 10.000 Polizisten gesichert. Das Treffen gilt als eines der teuersten Politikertreffen in der Geschichte. Allein die Polizisten, die zur Sicherung der Veranstaltung abgestellt wurden, kosten 80 Millionen Euro. Die Gesamtkosten werden auf ca. 140 Millionen Euro geschätzt.

Nach den „Live-8“-Konzerten der letzten Woche befinden sich tausende Demonstranten auf dem Weg nach Edinburgh, wo ein weiteres Konzert geplant ist, und in das schottische Hochland um den Gipfel zu stören und ihre politischen Forderungen vor einer weltweiten Öffentlichkeit zu präsentieren. Die Gruppe der Demonstranten ist sehr bunt gemischt. Unter ihnen befinden sich Globalisierungskritiker, Umweltschützer und Anarchisten. Nach zunächst friedlichen Protesten tausender Menschen für einen wirksamen Klimaschutz, höhere Hilfen für Afrika und eine Ausweitung des Schuldenerlasses für die ärmsten Länder kam es am Abend zu den bei G8-Gipfeln schon bekannten Szenen, als Polizisten das Sperrgebiet räumen wollten und dazu Schlagstöcke einsetzten. Hubschrauber wurden herbeigerufen und Reiterstaffeln griffen in das Getümmel ein. Schon am Vormittag waren in dem kleinen Örtchen Stirling Straßenbarrikaden errichtet worden und Autofenster zertrümmert worden. Es gab 60 Festnahmen und acht verletzte Beamte, die ins Krankenhaus eingeliefert werden mussten.

Bei ihrer Anreise gaben die eintreffenden Politiker aus den G8-Staaten erste Statements ab, die den Verlauf des Gipfeltreffens erahnen lassen. Der amerikanische Präsident Georg Bush erklärte, das Kyoto-Protokoll zum Klimaschutz sei überholt und es müssten beim Thema Klimapolitik neue Wege beschritten werden. Die Hoffnungen auf größere finanzielle Hilfe befürwortete der Präsident zwar prinzipiell, dämpfte jedoch zugleich die Erwartungen mit dem Hinweis, die Empfängerländer müssten nachweisen, dass sie die Korruption bekämpften. Undemokratische Regime könnten mit keiner Unterstützung rechnen.

Bundeskanzler Schröder äußerte sich optimistisch über die Möglichkeiten, den Schuldenerlass für die ärmsten Länder, wie beim letzten Gipfeltreffen vereinbart, abzusichern.

Der britische Premierminister Blair hatte den Kampf gegen die Armut zum Schwerpunkt seiner G8-Präsidentschaft gemacht und sich öffentlich für die Ausweitung der finanziellen Hilfe stark gemacht. Beobachter schätzen ein, dass Blair zum Ende seiner Amtsperiode als Premierminister auf diesem Gipfeltreffen noch einmal einen Erfolg für seine politische Arbeit verbuchen möchte.

An dem Gipfeltreffen nehmen die Staats- und Regierungschefs der USA, von Großbritannien, Frankreich, Deutschland, Japan, Italien, Kanada und Russland teil. Zu Gast ist dieses Mal auch der chinesische Partei- und Regierungschef Hu Jintao.


Początek szczytu G8 w Gleneagles

W Gleneagles, w Szkocji rozpoczyna się dziś trzydniowy szczyt przywódców siedmiu najbogatszych państw świata (Francja, Japonia, Kanada, Niemcy, Stany Zjednoczone, Wielka Brytania, Włochy) i Rosji - G8.

Obrady mają być poświęcone m.in. zredukowaniu zadłużenia najuboższym krajom Afryki, złagodzeniu barier w handlu światowym oraz sposobom powstrzymania globalnego ocieplenia na wskutek nadmiernej emisji gazów przemysłowych.

Podczas szczytu ma zostać oficjalnie podpisane porozumienie o anulowaniu 40 miliardów zadłużenia 18 najbiedniejszym państwom świata w ciągu nadchodzących 10 lat.

Corocznym szczytom G8 towarzyszą protesty antyglobalistów. Dzisiaj rano doszło do starcia między brytyjską policją a demonstrantami na autostradzie prowadzącej do Gleneagles. Demonstranci niszczyli samochody i usiłowali zablokować autostradę.

W wyniku dzisiejszych starć anty- i alterglobalistów z policją rannych zostało 8 policjantów, a 32 osoby zostały zatrzymane. Według relacji reporterów AP, w starciach z policją mogło uczestniczyć koło 100 ubranych na czarno ludzi, którzy wczesnym rankiem "wypłynęli" z tymczasowego obozu, zamieszkiwanego przez blisko 5 tysięcy demonstrantów.

Bob Geldof, organizator niedawnych koncertów Live 8, nazwał uczestników starć "idiotami".


Protests erupt in Pakistan over US air strike

Many Pakistanis took to the streets Saturday to demonstrate against the U.S. air strike of a village on the border of Afghanistan. The main demonstration took place in the city of Karachi, where protestors shouted "Death to American Aggression" and "Stop bombing innocent people", a BBC report claims.  Riot police were deployed to keep order.

A rally also took place in the town of Samarbagh, where over 600 people came out to protest, according to the Aljazeera news network. Speaking at the rally, Aizaz-ul Mulk Afkari, a leader from the Hezb-ul Mujahidin group, is reported to have claimed that Washington was targeting Pakistan because of its nuclear weapons.

The previous day, around 8000 tribesmen are reported to have staged a rally in the town of Inayat Qala.  The US has not yet commented on the attack.


Pakistan: Protesty przeciwko amerykańskim nalotom

Wielu Pakistańczyków wyszło w sobotę na ulice, by zaprotestować przeciwko amerykańskiemu nalotowi na wioskę w pobliżu granicy z Afganistanem. Główna demonstracja odbyła się w Karaczi, gdzie, według doniesień BBC, protestujący nieśli transparenty z hasłami „Śmierć amerykańskiej agresji” i „Stop bombardowaniu niewinnych ludzi”. Nad porządkiem w tym mieście czuwają oddziały policji.

Do protestów doszło także w mieście Samarbagh, gdzie, według telewizji Al-Dżazira, na ulicę wyszło ponad 60 osób. Przemawiający na wiecu przywódca grupy Hezb-ul Mujahidin, Aizaz-ul Mulk Afkari, stwierdził, że ma informację, iż Waszyngton zaatakował Pakistan, dlatego, że kraj ten jest w posiadaniu broni nuklearnej.


Protests mark Ahmadinejad's visit to Columbia University

The Columbia University campus in New York City erupted today in protest over President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's debate with Columbia President Lee Bollinger.  Ahmadinejad's presence on one of the United States' most prestigious universities brought out protesters from many causes to make their opinions known: whether Ahmadinejad should speak or not, the war in Iraq, Israel,George W. Bush, American imperialism', God and morality, all of which created a powder keg of opinions which made the air feel as if at any moment it would explode into fisticuffs.

Ahmadinejad has been widely criticized for his anti-semitic remarks and as a holocaust denier, as well as Iran's support for terrorism.  He also believes that 9/11 was an “inside job”, involving Israel's Mossad or American ‘intelligence and security services.’  9/11 family members have been loudly critical of Ahmadinejad, since last week when he requested a visit to Ground Zero to lay a wreath -- what has been widely viewed as a photo op.

The New York tabloid press splashed their covers with antagonizing headlines.  The Daily News ran the headline "The evil has landed" and The New York Post labeled Ahmadinejad the "Madman Iran Prez".  Since New York hosts the headquarters of the United Nations, whose charter requires that all member nations have access to the governing body, delegations of governments identified as enemies of the United States --North Korea, Cuba, Iran-- live and work in the city.  At times, their governments come to address the governing body, as the Iranian President did on Monday.

Ahmadinejad's presence tore apart the usually close-knit community of students and academics that inhabit Columbia's enclave in Morningside Heights.  "A high-quality academic discussion depends on intellectual honesty," wrote Columbia Law Dean David M. Schizer, "but, unfortunately, Mr. Ahmadinejad has proven himself, time and again, to be uninterested in whether his words are true.  Therefore, my personal opinion is that he should not be invited to speak."  The Columbia Conservative Alumni Association said "the university is extending not a courtesy, but continuing a policy of anti-Israeli and anti-American leftist nihilism under the guise of academic freedom."

Richard Bulliet, an Iranian expert at Columbia who was instrumental in arranging the visit, defended the notion that it is imperative to listen to one's enemies.  "If there is any likelihood of war between the U.S. and Iran, it is important for Americans to have some access to the direct words of the president of the other country.  At least they are getting Ahmadinejad's views directly from him and not a reporter who has an ax to grind."

Sunsara Taylor, a member of the Revolutionary Communist Party and a student, had a mixed view.  Although in theory Taylor did not have an issue with the Iranian President's presence on campus, she had a problem with "The event without any intervention or debate from the students...is reinforcing a bad dynamic where people feel they need to choose between Islamic Fundamentalism and U.S. Imperialism.  I think it's fine for him to speak, but I think it's a responsibility of people in this country not to be bamboozled into going along with a war against a country's people just because that country's leader is a reactionary."