election

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Ahmadinejad On Ropes as Iran Votes

Massive turnout expected in critical presidential ballot

(Newser) - The polls have opened in Iran's presidential election, and a near-record turnout is expected after an unusually intense campaign that saw nightly rallies and Western-style TV debates. Until just two weeks ago, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seemed a shoo-in for a second term, but the moderate Mir Hossein Mousavi has surged on...

Ex-President Leads Charge Against Ahmadinejad

Rafsanjani behind scenes in Iran election

(Newser) - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s chief adversary in his reelection bid isn’t the candidate he’s trying to beat, it’s the candidate he beat 4 years ago, the New York Times reports. Ex-president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has been leading a massive behind-the-scenes effort on behalf of Ahmadinejad’s opponents...

Gabon President Omar Bongo Dead at 73
Gabon President Omar Bongo Dead at 73
Obituary
Jun 8, 2009 12:35 PM CDT

Gabon President Omar Bongo Dead at 73

In office since 1967, he was world's longest-serving leader

(Newser) - Gabonese President Omar Bongo has died of cardiac arrest at age 73, the BBC reports. Bongo has led Gabon since 1967, which made him the longest serving president in the world. Bongo has been in a hospital in Barcelona since May, and prior rumors of his death had sparked panic...

Swedish Pirate Party Scores EU Seat

(Newser) - Sweden’s Pirate Party scored a major victory last night, capturing one of the country’s 18 seats in the European parliament, AFP reports. The party—which advocates for the legalization of peer-to-peer file sharing, stronger digital privacy protections, and reforms in copyright law—was formed in 2006 and saw...

EU Election Pounds Left
 EU Election Pounds Left 
Jun 8, 2009 4:09 AM CDT

EU Election Pounds Left

Low turnout across 27 nations leads to extremist gains

(Newser) - The center-right won a clear victory in this weekend's European parliament elections, while a record low turnout helped far-right and extremist groups make gains across the 27-nation bloc, the BBC reports. The ruling conservative parties in France, Germany and Italy performed well, while in Britain Labor came in a dismal...

Pro-West Bloc Claims Victory in Lebanon

(Newser) - Lebanon's pro-Western coalition claimed victory a parliamentary election today, striking a blow against Iran and Syria, Reuters reports. "Congratulations to democracy, congratulations to freedom," coalition leader Saad al-Hariri said in a speech in Beirut. Official results are due tomorrow, but the Hezbollah led-bloc is already admitting defeat. "...

27 Nations Vote in Massive EU Election

Across continent, angry voters set to punish ruling parties

(Newser) - Citizens of 27 nations begin voting today for elections to the European Parliament, and across the continent voters are expected to punish ruling parties and encourage the opposition, including the extreme right. From Ireland to France to Hungary, governments are braced for a protest vote spurred by the economic meltdown,...

Ahmadinejad: Holocaust a 'Big Deception'

(Newser) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today again denied the Holocaust and excoriated the concept of liberal democracy, AFP reports. “Liberal democracy has been exposed to the world by its protection of the most criminal regime in the history of humanity, the Zionist regime,” he said in a campaign speech,...

Sotomayor Lax in the Voting Department

Erratic record in state elections may arise in confirmation hearings

(Newser) - Sonia Sotomayor isn't much of a voter. She skipped multiple New York elections in the past decade, including three for state supreme court, reports NY1. The 2nd Circuit appeals judge failed to vote for governor in 2002 and 2006, and for court positions in 1995, 1999, and 2007. Sotomayor is...

Mongolia Votes for Change, Too
 Mongolia Votes 
 for Change, Too 
analysis
May 27, 2009 1:48 PM CDT

Mongolia Votes for Change, Too

(Newser) - In a lot of ways, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj looks a lot like another newly elected president. A young, Harvard-educated orator, Elbegdorj rode into power Sunday on a message of change, with most of his support coming from cities. His opponents cried that he was part Chinese. Sound familiar? Elbegdorj isn’t...

Iran Restores Facebook Access

(Newser) - Access to Facebook is back in Iran after being blocked late last week. Facebook was cut off Saturday, leading to accusations that authorities were trying to muzzle one of the main campaign tools of reformists opposing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June 12 elections. The main pro-reform candidate, Mir Hossein Mousavi,...

Top UK Poetry Prof Refuses to Step Down

Oxford academic in brouhaha over sex allegation against rival

(Newser) - The first woman to hold Britain's highest academic post in poetry refuses to resign despite an uproar over whether she ran a dirty election campaign, reviving decades-old sexual harassment claims against her main rival, Nobel laureate Derek Walcott, the Guardian reports. Oxford Professor of Poetry-elect Ruth Padel admits she pointed...

Town Known for Civil Rights Murders Elects Black Mayor

Mayor brings change to Mississippi Burning town

(Newser) - In a town best known for the 1964 killings of three civil rights workers, the election of its first black mayor is more than just noteworthy: It’s “an atomic bomb of change,” says James Young. Young, who remembers being harassed by the Ku Klux Klan, defeated the...

S. African Parliament Elects Zuma

(Newser) - The South African parliament elected Jacob Zuma president today, and the country’s new leader will be inaugurated on Saturday, Reuters reports. Zuma’s ANC routed the opposition in last month’s election, and today’s election was expected. The new president will name a cabinet on Sunday; international watchers...

Former NBA Star Bing Wins Detroit Mayor's Race

He replaces disgraced Kilpatrick

(Newser) - Businessman and professional basketball Hall-of-Famer Dave Bing has been elected Detroit's newest mayor and will serve through the end of the year. The 65-year-old Detroit Pistons great defeated incumbent and fellow Democrat Ken Cockrel Jr. today in a special runoff election, 52.3% to 47.7%.

Karzai Takes Ex-Warlords as Afghan Running Mates

Qasim Fahim held the post until 2004

(Newser) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai tapped a former mujahedeen warlord as one of his two vice-presidential candidates today, the New York Times reports. Muhammad Qasim Fahim was Karzai’s vice president from the beginning of his administration through 2004, and still holds sway with political parties made up of former guerrillas....

Berlusconi Demands Apology From Wife

Lario slammed PM for surrounding himself 'with children'

(Newser) - Silvio Berlusconi is demanding an apology from his wife for her public complaints over the PM’s appreciation of young women, the Times of London reports. Berlusconi alleged that Veronica Lario had been “put up” to discredit him before June elections by his political enemies. Berlusconi said this marriage...

Lebanon Frees Generals Held in Death of Ex-PM Hariri

It could boost Hezbollah-led opposition in elections

(Newser) - Lebanon today released four generals held nearly 4 years in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri after a UN-backed tribunal ordered them freed, setting off celebrations with fireworks and dancing. Their release leaves the international tribunal with no suspects in custody after a four-year UN investigation into...

Afghan Prez Confirms Re-Election Bid

Karzai promises to amend controversial 'marital rape' law

(Newser) - Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai has confirmed for the first time that he will run for re-election in the country's elections this summer, the Times of London reports. Karzai repeated his pledge to amend a controversial law critics say condones marital rape and child marriage, surprising observers who believed he would...

Ecuador's Lefty President Nabs Landslide Win

Correa is country's first incumbent to be reelected in 37 years

(Newser) - Voters reelected Rafael Correa as president of Ecuador yesterday, making the US-educated leftist the first incumbent to win reelection since 1972. "We have made history," said Correa at his victory rally. After his three predecessors were all thrown out of office amid anti-government protests, Correa has brought a...

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