Full Coverage: Politics

31.05.2005 The assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri set off a chain of events in Lebanon leading to Syria's military withdrawl from the country and new elections. Now it appears that Hariri's son is sweeping to victory in the polls, but is anything really changing in Lebanon?

31.05.2005 Iran's former revolutionary turned reformer Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani--the early front-runner in the country's June 17 presidential election--seems to mold his political rhetoric to suit his various audiences at home and abroad, says Iranian specialist Ardeshir Moaveni. Will the real Rafsanjani please stand up?

31.05.2005 Le peuple français vient de dire non au traité constitutionnel. Un non très majoritairement démocratique et européen. Ce faisant, les citoyennes et les citoyens ont d’abord dit non au néolibéralisme, dont le texte soumis à référendum constituait une éloquente défense et illustration.

30.05.2005 In the latest example of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s disregard for international human rights law, former Zimbabwean lawmaker Roy Bennett--being held in the notorious Chikurubi Prison for pushing a Mugabe colleague in Parliament--has lost nearly 60 pounds in six months and is in dangerous health, writes Zimbabwean journalist Wilf Mbanga.

27.05.2005 The House of Representatives rejected a measure Wednesday calling on President Bush to devise a plan for an Iraq withdrawal. With talks of a pullout taboo a few months ago--by even progressive lawmakers--some argue that the proposal--and the 128 "yay" votes it received--indicates a change of attitude in Congress toward Iraq.

27.05.2005 As temperatures soared, U.S. Border Patrol Agents recorded their busiest weekend in history last week, with 12 deaths and 40 emergency rescues. Widespread policy failures on border immigration and smuggling have caused advocacy groups to join forces in calls for reform, as the debate no longer breaks along right-left lines.

26.05.2005 ARBIL, Iraq, May 26 (IPS) - The two main Kurdish parties have still not reached agreement on setting up a regional government and parliament after elections held Jan. 30.

26.05.2005 La capitale bolivienne a passé la journée d'hier isolée du reste du pays en raison des manifestations et des barrages de routes, auxquelles s'ajoutera aujourd'hui la fermeture de son aéroport international. Le président Carlos Mesa a répété qui continuera son mandat jusqu'en 2007 tandis que se multiplient les doutes sur cette possibilité.

26.05.2005 Although the last-minute deal reached by senators Monday night takes the “nuclear” option off the table, the move allowed some of President Bush's most controversial nominees to move forward and the real fight--over future Supreme Court nominations—is still to come.

26.05.2005 President Mahmoud Abbas' White House visit this week--the first between a Palestinian leader and President Bush--will likely be feted as an example of the Middle East's democratic potential. But it will also serve as an example of democracy's uncertainties, says journalist Howard LaFranchi, as Bush refuses to lessen support for Israel and Congress is unwilling to finance Palestinian aid.

24.05.2005 For the first time in Fidel Castro's Cuba, the government allowed a meeting of dissidents to speak their government criticisms freely and openly. The historic meeting, named the "Congress for Democracy in Cuba," was held last weekend and drew 168 participants from all sectors of society, calling for the release of political prisoners, a halt to capital punishment, and a return to multiparty politics.

24.05.2005 At Halliburton's annual shareholder meeting in Texas last Wednesday, the international human rights organization Global Exchange put questions directly to company heads regarding the welfare of Halliburton employees in Iraq, and Halliburton's continued dealings with Iran despite U.S. sanctions. Most of the 250+ protestors who showed up to the meeting were barred entrance.

24.05.2005 Last week's talks between Togolese President Gnassingbe and opposition leaders ended without agreement. Although after April's disputed election, party leaders pledged to form a power-sharing government, an alliance of Togo's six main opposition parties have demanded that before discussions are held, an independent probe into allegations of election fraud be conducted.

24.05.2005 With their hopes fading, 12,000 rural Brazilians marched over 200km to the capital last week to encourage President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to push for land-reform. When Lula came to power in 2002, his working-class background legitimized promises for land reform--but the policy has since stalled with inter-administration bickering.

23.05.2005 A new report shows incidents of hate crimes against Muslims in the United States increased by 52 percent in the past year. Arsalan Iftikhar, of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, says this trend can partially be attributed to Islamophobic rhetoric from certain right-wing circles.

23.05.2005 A People's History of the United States made Howard Zinn one of America's most renowned intellectuals, examining events from the perspective of those affected, not just those in charge. He discusses his recently published companion volume, which is comprised of the primary source material from well-known figures like Sojourner Truth and Kurt Vonnegut that informed his earlier work.

21.05.2005 One of the problems of globalisation is that individual countries plead impotence in taking painful measures unless others do the same. This is often an excuse for doing nothing, especially on environmental issues. Simultaneous Policy is an innovative concept which commits politicians to overcome this defensive mindset. See what you think.

20.05.2005 Democrats have resorted to the filibuster to block the lifetime confirmation of several extremist judges appointed by President Bush. Taking the extreme step of eliminating the filibuster--through what's being called the "nuclear option"--would roll back decades of progress for the aged, the disabled, and other vulnerable minorities, says civil rights leader Wade Henderson.

17.05.2005 U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has said he will launch the "nuclear option" to change the rules of the Senate Wednesday to push through President Bush's choices for lifetime judgeships. Find out more about this crucial issue, which will have dramatic implications for U.S. civil rights and democracy protections, and find out how you can take action.

17.05.2005 A federal judge in Nebraska last week struck down a broad amendment to the state constitution that had banned same-sex marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships, saying it "was motivated, to some extent, by either irrational fear of or animus toward gays and lesbians."