News

Constitutional Court rejects vote petition

Jul 23 2013
Kuwait
Source: 
Kuwait Times

The Constitutional Court yesterday rejected a petition demanding to halt the general election over suspicions that the Amiri decree calling for polls is unconstitutional. Accordingly, the election will be held as initially decided on July 27. The petition was filed by lawyer Adel Abdulhadi who has argued that the formation of the current Kuwait Cabinet violates conditions required under the constitution, an argument that was not accepted by the Administrative Court about two weeks ago.

Opinion: Constitutional Assembly electoral Law blow to inclusivity in post Revolution Libya – LWPP

Jul 23 2013
Libya
Source: 
Libya Herald

The GNC’s recent passing of electoral law for the Constitutional Assembly represents a serious setback and disappointment for those who have struggled hard to achieve inclusivity for constitution drafting in Libya, says leading women’s leading NGO Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace (LWPP).

Pro-Morsi protests lead to clashes in governorates

Jul 23 2013
Egypt
Source: 
Daily News Egypt

Protests by supporters of former president Mohamed Morsi in the governorates of Qaliubiya, Mansoura and Damietta on Monday escalated to clashes, leaving at least two dead.

Pro-Morsi protesters were reportedly harassed by residents of the areas where protests were held, incidents which soon led to clashes. Tarek Al-Morsi, Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) spokesman, denied that the harassers were local residents.

Foreign dignitaries to attend Rohani's swearing-in ceremony

Jul 23 2013
Iran
Source: 
Press TV

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Araqchi said on Tuesday that leaders and officials from across the world, except for the United States and Israel, have been invited to Rohani’s swearing-in ceremony scheduled for August 4, one day after his endorsement ceremony by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Lebanese President Michel Sleiman, Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon will travel to Iran to participate in the ceremony.

Jailed PKK leader requests discussions on 'normalization' phase, wants to hold press conference

Jul 22 2013
Turkey
Source: 
Hurriyet Daily News

The jailed leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Abdullah Öcalan, has urged the government to move more quickly to the next phase of the Kurdish peace process and speed up discussions on reforms, while expressing his wish to organize a press briefing from his prison on İmrali island.

Wolesi Jirga sacks interior minister

Jul 22 2013
Afghanistan
Source: 
Pajhwok Afghan News

KABUL (PAN): The Wolesi Jirga -- lower house of parliament -- sacked Interior Minister Lt. Gen. Mujtaba Patang on Monday when he failed to survive a no-confidence vote.

While bringing the motion, lawmakers accused the minister of committing massive corruption and showing incompetence in dealing with security threats.

The house began voting on whether or not to bring a no-confidence motion against Patang after declaring his explanations as unacceptable.

Young Voters Hold Key To BN By-election Victory - Khairy

Jul 22 2013
Malaysia
Source: 
Bernama

BESUT, July 22 (Bernama) -- The 55 per cent of young voters among the 17,683 electorate in Kuala Besut are expected to determine the victory of the Barisan Nasional (BN) in the state by-election on Wednesday, said Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

"We have done our best to convince the young voters. The approach is most suitable to our strategy of having fielded a young candidate. The young voters are dependent on him to be their voice," he told reporters after a walkabout at the Kuala Besut farmers' market.

Sleiman hopes EU reconsiders decision against Hezbollah

Jul 22 2013
Lebanon
Source: 
The Daily News Star

BEIRUT: President Michel Sleiman hoped Monday that the EU would reconsider its decision to blacklist Hezbollah's military wing for the sake of stability in Lebanon.

According to his office, Sleiman met with EU Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst at Baabda Palace where the former sought clarification on the reasoning behind such a move.

Albania's Democrats Vote For New Leader

Jul 22 2013
Albania
Source: 
Balkan Insight

Around 105,000 members of the party are heading to the ballot box on Monday to select a new party leader, with the main contenders being Tirana mayor Lulzim Basha and transport minister Sokol Olldashi.

This is the first time in the party’s history that rank-and-file members vote directly for their chairman.

Berisha resigned as party boss following the defeat in the June 23 parliamentary elections, won by a landslide by the Socialists headed by former Tirana mayor Edi Rama.

Golkar to Wait for Legislative Election to Select Aburizal’s Running Mate

Jul 19 2013
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

The Golkar Party has yet to decide on a running mate for its chairman and presidential candidate Aburizal Bakrie for next year’s election.

Golkar deputy chairman Agung Laksono said his party will wait for the results of the legislative election early next year, which he claimed would indicate Golkar’s strength and desired policy positions, before picking a running mate.

L’opposition appelle les autorités à cesser "l'instrumentalisation de l'IGE"

Jul 18 2013
Mauritania
Source: 
Alakhbar

En Mauritanie, le président en exercice de la Coordination de l'Opposition Démocratique (COD) Ahmed Ould Daddah, a appelé les autorités à cesser "l'instrumentalisation de l'Inspection Générale de l'Etat (IGE) et d’en faire un outil de règlement de comptes politiques". Il était en conférence de presse ce mercredi à Nouakchott.

La conférence était consacrée à la défense du président de la Communauté Urbaine de Nouakchott, Ahmed Ould Hamza, auquel une mise en demeure a été adressée pour "mauvaise gestion budgétaire" d’après un rapport de l’IGE, fuité dans la presse.

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