PAX GAEA WORLD POST HUMAN RIGHTS HEADLINES 12/3
Discussions Over King's Position on Constitutional Chessboard
Nouri Zyad
RABAT, Nov 24 (IPS) - Moroccans are currently engaged in a debate about the possibility of reducing the constitutional powers of their king -- this after a collective of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) issued an appeal titled 'For a New Constitution That Works'. "The demands of reforming action…call, on one hand, for a more autonomous government and for strengthened prerogatives in the determination and the conduct of general politics," states the appeal. It also speaks of the need for parliament to be able to investigate and control the executive -- and for an independent judiciary. Inter Press Service News Agency (Africa) (12/3)
Venezuela goes to the ballot boxes with Hugo Chavez as favorite
Writing World, DPA and AFP
TRANSLATED BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
Encouraged by opinion surveys, that give between 20 and 30 points of advantage over Manuel Rosales, his main rival, Hugo Chavez has the tailwind to obtain his re-election today. If he wins, as he anticipates, he will continue to reside in the Palace of Miraflores until at least the 2013, although already he has outlined his intentions to remain in power until the 2021. In order to arrive at the election of today the ample favorite, the President of Venezuela, who has ample control on the powers of the State, has used all the advantages that being the incumbent the fact of being grants. Thus, for example, in a decision described as `election buying' by the opponents, the Government paid in advance to the public servants `Christmas bonds' of around USD 3 000 million, last November. El Comercio (Ecuador) (12/3)
2 killed in Thai South
A policeman and a village defense volunteer were shot dead by insurgents just 200 meters away from a police station in Thai southern province of Yala on Sunday morning. The two were drinking tea at a shop near the Krong Penang district police station before they were attacked by six insurgents at 8:30 a.m. local time (0130 GMT), Thai news group The Nation reported. People's Daily Online/Xinhua (China) (12/3)
Lebanon again at the brink
Are Syria and Iran behind Hizbullah's latest gambit to bring down the Lebanese government?
By Nicholas Blanford Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor
BEIRUT, LEBANON – Fresh from fighting Israeli troops in south Lebanon this summer, militant Hizbullah is engaged in a new battle - this one political. Its supporters and its opposition allies are camping on the streets of Beirut determined to bring down the Western-backed Lebanese government. Hizbullah's new campaign, which entered its third day Sunday, brings into sharp relief the conflicting motivations underpinning the group, in which its ambitions as a national party are balanced against obligations as an Iranian and Syrian ally in the struggle to curb US regional influence. Christian Science Monitor (12/3)
Israel, Palestinians threaten to end weeklong Gaza truce
By IBRAHIM BARZAK
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Israelis and the Palestinians both threatened Sunday to scrap a truce that has largely ended five months of Gaza violence, with the Palestinians insisting it must also apply to the West Bank and Israeli leaders complaining that Gaza rocket squads are still active. CANOE/CNews (Canada) (12/3)
Millionaire president expected to win Madagascar poll
By Barry Moody
ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) - The Indian Ocean island of Madagascar voted peacefully on Sunday in an election expected to return dairy tycoon Marc Ravalomanana to a second term as president of one of the world's poorest countries.It was the first election since a political crisis in 2001-2002 that brought the country close to civil war. Foreign monitors said the poll had generally gone well except for an incident in the southern coastal town of Toliara where disgruntled voters set fire to a ballot box, forcing a polling station to close. Reuters/AlertNert (12/3)
Rescuers fear Bicol death toll could pass 1,000
LEGAZPI CITY - Rescuers in the Bicol region said the death toll from devastating mudslides triggered by typhoon rains could pass 1,000 as President Arroyo declared a state of national calamity.As emergency workers and residents continued to dig bodies out of the thick mud, local Red Cross officials said they had confirmed 406 deaths and another 398 missing. ABS-CBN (Philippines) (12/3)
Israeli Arabs: Let us return to pre-'48 villages
By Yoav Stern
According to a position paper written by Mossawa - the Advocacy Center for Arab Citizens in Israel and presented in a conference in Nazareth on Friday, Israeli Arabs want the right to return to villages abandoned in 1948, educational autonomy and changes to the Israeli flag and national anthem. The paper, written in close coordination with the Israel Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, was presented as part of the week-long Second Annual Days of Mossawa Festival and Nazareth Film Festival, which ended yesterday. Ha'aretz (Israel) (12/2)
Serbs march in support of Seselj
Thousands of people have marched in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, in support of nationalist leader Vojislav Seselj, currently on trial in The Hague. His trial for war crimes during the break-up of Yugoslavia has been suspended since Friday because of his poor health due to a hunger strike. Mr Seselj, 52, has been on hunger strike since 10 November. He is accused of plotting the ethnic cleansing of former Yugoslavia in the 1990s wars. He denies any wrongdoing. BBC (12/2)
China Plans Temporary Easing of Curbs on Foreign
JournalistsBy JIM YARDLEY
BEIJING, Dec. 1 — China announced temporary regulations on Friday loosening restrictions on foreign journalists, a step intended to fulfill the country’s promise to allow visiting reporters to work freely in advance of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The rules, announced by the Foreign Ministry, will supersede existing restrictions that require journalists to obtain government approval before traveling or conducting interviews. Under the new rules, a foreign journalist will only need to obtain the permission of the person being interviewed. New York Times (12/2)
STALIN'S LEGACY
Ukraine Parliament Votes to Call 1930s Famine Genocide
Ukraine's parliament has voted to recognize the 1932/1933 forced famine as genocide, in a move that could pave the way for compensation claims by the families of victims of the man-made disaster that claimed up to 10 million lives. Der Spiegel (Germany) (11/29)
posted by Dave Carroll @ 12/03/2006 03:01:00 PM
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