Full Coverage: Politics

30.11.2005 Despite being responsible for almost a one-fourth of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions, the U.S. refuses to ratify the Kyoto Protocol or take strong action to stop global warming, says Global Exchange, asking citizens to join them in urging President Bush to take a meaningful stand against climate change before it's too late!!!

30.11.2005 Alcohol is the leading risk factor for death and illness in the Americas, it takes a disproportionate toll on the poor, and not only alcoholics are at risk; the larger problem is overconsumption by people who just drink "socially." Experts on alcohol abuse and public policy from 20 countries are gathered in Brazil this week to discuss ways of reducing its harmful effects.

30.11.2005 Robin Lovitt will not be the 1,000th inmate put to death after all, as Virginia Governor Mark Warner decided Tuesday to commute his sentence to life-without-parole. But as the milestone lingers, Christian Science Monitor takes a hard look at rehabilitation and its role in the U.S. penal system.

30.11.2005 In 2003 President Bush announced a 5-year, $15 billion initiative to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS, yet restrictions attached to how those funds may be used are limiting their effectiveness, says Population Action International.

30.11.2005 An alliance between Nepal’s mainstream political parties and Maoist rebels brings hope of resolution to a crisis, brought on by King Gyanendra’s Feb. 1 assumption of direct rule, citing the failure of democratically-elected governments to deal with a bloody, decade-old communist uprising.

27.11.2005 The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives both voted overwhelmingly to make increasing access to safe water and sanitation--in an affordable and equitable way--a major purpose of United States foreign assistance efforts in coming years.

24.11.2005 In a stealth move intended to draw little public notice, the Bush Administration has formally expanded the Global Gag Rule to U.S. global AIDS funding under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

24.11.2005 Harvard-educated Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf stamped her name in the history books on Wednesday, when she was confirmed Liberia’s, as well as Africa’s, first female president.

23.11.2005 SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 23 (OneWorld) - A budget-cutting bill that passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week has left countless groups--especially those advocating on behalf of the poor and the environment--devastated by what they say is irresponsible favoritism of rich individuals and corporations.

23.11.2005 The strength of the chain lies in its weakest link. The face of the poorest is an indicator of the health of the economy of a nation. In a democracy, conducive conditions of people’s participation in all economic activities, as stake-holders and recipients of fruits of their participation, should be created.

23.11.2005 The strength of the chain lies in its weakest link. The face of the poorest is an indicator of the health of the economy of a nation. In a democracy, conducive conditions of people’s participation in all economic activities, as stake-holders and recipients of fruits of their participation, should be created.

23.11.2005 Nepal's Maoist rebels have reached an agreement with seven political parties to work together to abolish the monarchy and restore democracy. They hope to form an alliance against King Gyanendra, who sacked the government and seized power in February. However the rebels must lay down their arms for the agreement to take place.

23.11.2005 Afghanistan was recently approved as the eighth member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), a largely toothless body set up in 1985 which includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The decision, taken last week at the organization's 13th summit meeting in Dhaka, implies several things. Dr. Abdulla Al-Madani is taking a close look for implications on SAARC

22.11.2005 A multi-lingual poll designed to gauge public opinion on national issues in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina has shown that poverty at home is a more important issue to U.S. residents than fighting terrorism and establishing democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan.

22.11.2005 Provoked by the recent public statements by several political party youth organizations on the establishment of a so-called “student government”, the Initiative Committee for Implementation of Student Rights – IOOPS, and the Macedonian Student Union (MSU) came out in public and announced that it will no allow for politically coloured student government to be established.

21.11.2005 U.S. Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, whose nomination will be voted on by senators in January, would be a "threat to civil rights" if confirmed, said a 55-year-old coalition of nearly 200 prominent U.S. civil rights organizations Thursday.

21.11.2005 Hybrid car owners are being offered everything from tax breaks to free parking from corporations, cities, states, and even the federal government, which will award a tax credit of up to $3,150 per car beginning in January. While some worry about a "hybrid backlash," others praise any effort to push hybrid culture into the mainstream.

18.11.2005 A law guaranteeing construction workers on federal contracts the prevailing wage of the area in which they are working was suspended for post-Katrina reconstruction projects. The law was recently reinstated after citizens from all over the U.S. sent messages urging Congress to overturn the suspension.

18.11.2005 With restless populations searching for better government and fairer societies, the political elites and the status quo in Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador could be challenged during the 2005-2006 election season.

17.11.2005 “Money for ID cards would be far better spent on direct operational intelligence and policing,” says leading civil rights group, as Lords prepares for the report stage of the Government’s controversial ID Card Bill.