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The Secretary General of the National Dialogue Conference (NDC), which started over two months ago, announced that in total 30 people have withdrawn from the conference so far because of organizational and personal reasons.

Yaser Al-Ro’ini, deputy secretary general of the NDC, said all participating parties and groups are free to replace their NDC members, but it must be done according to procedure. 

Some parties replaced their members due to political disputes. 

The graft-ridden Democratic Party remains optimistic in its bid to secure 15 percent of the total votes in the 2014 presidential election, 6 percent less than the total that the party bagged in 2009.

“We are sure that we will reach the 15 percent mark, and maybe even exceed it,” Syarief Hasan, the party’s managing chairman, said on Wednesday.

“Surveys may show lower numbers, but with enough hard work, we’re optimistic about reaching the target.”

Speaker Nabih Berri convened a general session of the legislature for May 31, during which lawmakers will discuss whether to extend the mandate of the assembly.

Parliament’s extension is the sole item on the agenda for the Friday session, which will begin at 3 p.m.

Political sources told The Daily Star Tuesday that the rival March 8 and March 14 camps are close to a deal on extending Parliament’s mandate after MPs failed following months of talks to agree on a new electoral law to govern the 2013 parliamentary elections.

In an emotional speech to his peers carried live on TV, GNC head Mohamed Magarief tendered his resignation this evening as head of Libya’s legislative body.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Members of Iran's parliament on Tuesday reelected Ali Larijani as the speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (parliament).

A total number of 213 lawmakers voted in favor of Larijani's presidency over the ninth parliament for a second year, while his rival Ahmad Bakhshayesh gained 13 votes out of the 252 ballots cast in the voting. Also, 26 legislators abstained voting.

Larijani has headed the parliament during the past five years.

The Democratic Party is planning to begin the process of selecting potential presidential and vice presidential candidates for the 2014 election in September, a party executive said on Tuesday.

Syarief Hassan, the executive chairman of the party, said that the Democrats were carefully formulating the regulations and mechanisms for their upcoming convention.

“In September, we will open registration, and may keep it open for a month or more,” Syarief said.

He said that the target is for all regulations and mechanisms to be decided on by July or August.

More than 4,000 Afghan citizens across the country got their voter card in two days of the registration process, officials said on Tuesday.

The officials reported that the registration process did not face any security challenge in the last two days.

The Independent Election Commission (IEC) opened registration centres on Sunday. The registration process will remain open for two months in these centres.

The IEC said that 4062 Afghan citizens including 588 women have received their voting cards in two days of the process across the country.

Libyan authorities should seize a historic opportunity to promote and protect women's rights as the country transitions from four decades of dictatorship, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today.

Election petitions by candidates in the 13th general election must be disposed within six months of filing.

Chief Justice of Malaysia Tun Ariffin Zakaria said this would ensure the petitioners received a fair hearing of their case.

"I hope the judges concerned would hear the cases with an open mind and not bow to pressure from any quarters," he said while opening the 47th Judges' Conference here Saturday.