| Liberia: 13 Parties Support Legal Action | | Posted Saturday, December 09, 2006 1:13:49 PM by Blog57 Team | | The leadership of thirteen registered political parties has hailed the ECOWAS audit report and commended President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for her bold and national action in the fulfillment of her pledge to make Liberia corruption free. A statement issued yesterday said the thirteen political parties leaders met and resolved to issue an official statement regarding the recommendation from the ECOWAS Audit team, submitted to the Liberian people for onward implementation. The leadership of the thirteen political parties said it is of the opinion that the audit was encouraged, sanctioned and accepted by the former National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) and as such former officials should submit to the due process of law so as to exonerate themselves from charges levied against them.... | |
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| | | B'desh Govt ready to hold talks with pol parties | | Posted Tuesday, November 14, 2006 3:28:02 AM by Blog57 Team | | Dhaka, Nov 13: Bangladesh's interim Government today said it would hold talks with the country's main parties to end the deadlock over the contentious issue of electoral reforms after one person was killed and several injured on the second day of protests by the opposition."We've decided to hold talks with all political parties separately...To find a solution to the present situation," interim cabinet member Mahbubul Alam told reporters.The talks would feature the "entire gamut of issues including the reconstitution of the election commission," he said.The decision came as the main opposition party Awami League and its allies enforced the second day of their campaign to oust chief election commissioner M A Aziz, who they fear would rig the January polls in favour of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led government.One person was killed, two were in critical condition and several injured on the second day of the nationwide transport blockade after Bangladesh police used tear gas, rubber bullets and water canons to disperse stone-throwing protesters in the national capital.The man was killed when a police van chasing demonstrators ran him over, UNB news agency reported.Two people were in a critical condition, Dhaka Medical College hospital sources said.The AL-led 14-party alliance condemned the killing but appealed to its supporters to continue peaceful demonstrations.... | |
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| | | Political parties upbeat on Nepal arms talks | | Posted Wednesday, November 08, 2006 11:21:22 AM by Blog57 Team | | KATHMANDU: Nepal's governing parties and Maoist rebels yesterday edged closer to overcoming differences on the role of the monarchy and arms management in peace talks to end a decade of war, officials said. The two sides, who have observed a ceasefire for the past six months, met informally Monday for six hours, but postponed the formal launch of their negotiations until Tuesday. Talks were progressing positively yesterday, delegates contacted inside the prime minister's residence said. “The leaders, in principle, have reached consensus on almost all political issues including the Maoists' arms management," said Amik Serchan, deputy prime minister and head of People's Front Nepal, one of the seven parties in the alliance government. “This shows that the talks are close to reaching a deal for permanent settlement," he said.... | |
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| | | Ilion police trace reports of sexual assaults to parties | | Posted Friday, November 03, 2006 7:43:46 AM by Blog57 Team | | ILION - In an investigation some may find alarming, Ilion police have discovered a number of sexual assault cases originating from a handful of drug and alcohol laden parties, said Captain Laurie DeVaul.Police have arrested three men thus far in connection with a number of parties held throughout the month of October during which several young girls were reportedly sexually assaulted and raped.On Oct. 26, police arrested two men in connection with the parties: 19-year-old Dennis W. Ford III, of 405 1/2 W. Smith St., Herkimer, and Robert N. Dixon, 26, who gave no address and claimed to be homeless. .... | |
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| | | Three donors keep Texas political parties afloat | | Posted Saturday, October 28, 2006 11:26:04 AM by Blog57 Team | | Campaign reports show three major donors were financially carrying the state's political parties this year. They're Dallas trial lawyer Fred Baron, San Antonio physician-turned-businessman James Leininger and Houston homebuilder Bob Perry. The Dallas Morning News reported they've given most of the money raised by the Republicans and Democrats in their campaign treasuries. Campaign reports show Baron indirectly provided $317,000 of the 470,000 taken in by the Texas Democratic Party this year. For the Republicans, Leininger and Perry together gave $680,000 of the state GOP's $1.2 million in contributions. The donors say they merely want to help the parties. Baron wants to help rebuild the Democratic Party. Leininger is backing a party that agrees with him on private school vouchers.... | |
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| | | Doors Anniversary Parties | | Posted Monday, October 23, 2006 3:10:41 AM by Blog57 Team | | (blabbermouth.net) Steve Baltin of AOL Music reports that on Nov. 8, the three remaining members of THE DOORS will gather at three separate locations in Los Angeles - each with historical significance to the band - to kick off festivities surrounding the group's 40th anniversary. Guitarist Robby Krieger will be at the famed Whisky to preview the upcoming box set, "Perception", while keyboardist Ray Manzarek will be next door at the Cat Club, formerly the London Fog, where the band made their live debut. There, he'll preview a mini-version of the band's forthcoming Rock and Roll Hall of Fame exhibit, opening May 25 at the Rock Hall in Cleveland. Finally, drummer John Densmore will be at Book Soup, former home of the Cinematheque 16, to host a poetry reading of late vocalist Jim Morrison's work.... | |
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| | | 'State should fund parties'- To preserve integrity of electoral ... | | Posted Saturday, October 21, 2006 1:07:52 PM by Blog57 Team | | Government Senator Professor Trevor Munroe continues to make a case for state funding of political parties, arguing that failure to adopt this measure could create an opening for transnational criminals to seek favours from government. But while Prof. Munroe bats for state funding, Opposition Senator Dorothy Lightbourne wants Parliament to ensure that the soon-to-be established Electoral Commission has teeth to tackle incidents such as the Trafigura Beheer controversy that has dogged the Portia Simpson Miller-led administration for more than two weeks. The comments were made in the Senate yesterday, during the debate on the Electoral Commission (Interim) Act, which was passed with two amendments. Senator Munroe proposed that as a prerequisite for state funding, political parties should be registered and meet financial disclosure requirements.... | |
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| | | Paris Hilton banned from A-list parties | | Posted Wednesday, October 18, 2006 7:07:27 AM by Blog57 Team | | Looks like hotel heiress Paris Hilton may have to give up her party hopping ways, for her types are no longer welcome at A-list parties. The House Of Wax actress was left fuming after being told not to show up at the week-long Esquire Show House event in Los Angeles. The host, whose guests included actors Orlando Bloom and Winona Ryder, had reportedly instructed his security team not to let Paris in because "the likes of Paris Hilton and her ilk are not welcome here". "She's been told not to come to the opening next Thursday. Organizers don't want her 'type' there," the Sun quoted an insider as telling the New York Daily News. The snub comes just weeks after Paris was reportedly barred from a top New York celebrity hangout. She had been partying at the lavish Marquee club with friends before she tried to get into an event at Ian Schrager's Gramercy Park Hotel.... | |
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| | | Smaller parties reluctant to pay up | | Posted Friday, October 13, 2006 7:08:58 AM by Blog57 Team | | Wellington: Three small parties are resisting repaying money unlawfully spent last election, but Labour has buckled under public pressure and agreed to pay back its share. New Zealand First, United Future and the Green Party have made no commitment to repay money found to have been spent unlawfully last election on political advertising. New Zealand First has the largest liability of the small parties. Auditor-general Kevin Brady says it spent $158,000 (including GST) unlawfully. The party will consider a legal challenge in the coming weeks, according to leader Winston Peters. The Green Party, which previously promised to repay, alluded to a possible legal challenge by New Zealand First and will repay its $87,000 only when it is found it ultimately has to do so, according to MP Metiria Turei.... | |
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| | | Plenty to lose for parties in a state of independents | | Posted Saturday, October 07, 2006 11:12:10 PM by Blog57 Team | | WIN or lose, high-profile, well-organised community independents can play merry hell with mainstream political parties. They can knock over seemingly invincible party candidates without so much as a hint of ambush - as did Richard Torbay in Northern Tablelands in 1999 - and they can distract party strategists by forcing the diversion of resources and focus, when the main enemy is making hay elsewhere. Such has been the Coalition's fate for the past two state elections. When Liberals and Nationals should have been taking the fight more effectively to Labor turf, they were bogged down behind their own lines, battling with low effect to recover ground lost to independents, or to retain territory under independent threat. In the build-up to the March 24 poll, however, the tables may finally be turning.... | |
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