http://www.electionguide.org Election Guide - News en-us http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/06/africa/06kuwait.php Overshadowed by the economic achievements of its neighbors, all absolute monarchies, Kuwaitis are wondering whether democracy is living up to its promises. http://allafrica.com/stories/200805080001.html Loopholes that give returning officers unlimited powers to determine the results announced in tallying centres during presidential elections were exposed on Wednesday. http://www.electionguide.org/news.php#3196 Military rulers announced Tuesday that the constitutional referendum in Myanmar will proceed as planned on Saturday, despite the deadly cyclone that ravaged the southern region of the country last weekend. The referendum will be the first election held in over two decades in Myanmar. The government announced the referendum will still take place in all but the 47 townships hardest hit by the cyclone, and these will vote two weeks later. Pro-democracy opposition groups have stated it is unacceptable to hold a referendum under these circumstances. The draft constitution is the result of a 14-year National Convention and was released one month before the scheduled referendum. The 194-page document is written in Burmese and English; however, many citizens are ethnic minorities who do not speak either language. The referendum comes just 8 months after nationwide pro-democracy protests in September were stopped with military force, and days after the cyclone left widespread destruction and, according to some reports, up to 100,000 people dead. Aid from the military rulers has been slow to reach the victims and international aid groups are having trouble receiving permission and access to the country. http://www.electionguide.org/news.php#3197 Former President Vladimir PUTIN was confirmed as prime minister of Russia on Thursday. The State Duma, where PUTIN’s United Russia Party holds 315 of 450 seats, approved PUTIN with a 392-56 vote. In one of his first acts as president, MEDVEDEV formally nominated PUTIN Wednesday. PUTIN’s confirmation was anticipated due to the long-time alliance and friendship between PUTIN and President Dmitry MEDVEDEV. Barred by constitutional term limits from running for president in the March 2008 vote, PUTIN announced Dmitry MEDVEDEV as his favored successor in December 2007 and he won the presidency with 71% of the vote in March 2008. PUTIN addressed MPs this morning and laid out the new government’s priorities, highlighting a commitment to solving economic problems such as Russia’s rising inflation rate. It is expected that PUTIN will remain a dominant force in Russian politics and could run again for president in 2012. http://allafrica.com/stories/200805071043.html Voicing concern over reports of politically-motivated violence and intimidation against the backdrop of Zimbabwe's ongoing stalemate, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for the next phases of the Southern African nation's elections to be free and fair. http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/05/europe/serbia.php In the week leading up to parliamentary elections Sunday, Boris Tadic received a letter accusing him of "treason" and warning that he would "receive what he deserves - a bullet in the forehead." http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/02/africa/zimbabwe.php After more than a month, Zimbabwe on Friday announced results of the elections, saying that the opposition candidate had won the most votes, but not enough to avoid a runoff election against Mugabe. http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/04/27/mideast/iran.php While the conservatives' victory was expected, critics of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also made a strong showing, suggesting he could face opposition in the presidential campaign next year. http://allafrica.com/stories/200804300130.html The Zimbabwe government today said soldiers had killed an opposition supporter and wounded two others following skirmishes near a military training camp. http://allafrica.com/stories/200804300013.html The Security Council today welcomed the news that Cote d'Ivoire will be holding previously delayed presidential elections on 30 November, and urged the West African nation to redouble its efforts to meet that vital goal on the path to peace. http://allafrica.com/stories/200804300012.html Kenyans could vote at another referendum if a new roadmap unveiled on Tuesday gives the country a new constitution within the year. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/worldNews/~3/279899731/idUSL2871085720080429 HARARE (Reuters) - Verification of Zimbabwe's disputed presidential election results is to start on Thursday, more than a month after the vote to decide whether President Robert Mugabe remains in power. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/Z/ZIMBABWE_ELECTIONS?SITE=MITRA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) -- Police on Tuesday released nearly 200 people who were arrested last week in a raid on the opposition Movement for Democratic Change headquarters, a lawyer said.... http://www.electionguide.org/news.php#3188 On April 29, pro-Western President Boris TADIC signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU in Luxembourg. The SAA is an agreement that moves states closer to EU membership, but in Serbia its implementation is contingent on Serbia’s compliance with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Prior to ratification, EU members must first unanimously agree that Serbia has sufficiently complied with the ICTY. The party of Serbia’s Prime Minister Vojslav KOSTUNICA has voiced opposition to this agreement and vowed the parliament would not ratify this document. Tensions have been high in the Serbian government after many EU nations recognized Kosovo’s independence, which Serbia refuses to do. This signature is seen as a concession by the EU ahead of the May 11 parliamentary elections in Serbia where pro-Western TADIC’s party will face tough competition with nationalist parties. On March 13, President Boris TADIC dissolved the National Assembly and called early elections for May 11, 2008. Despite UN objections, the Serbian government plans to hold parliamentary and municipal elections in the Serbian regions in Kosovo. http://www.electionguide.org/news.php#3189 Results of the April 26 election in Nauru show President Marcus STEPHEN’s party secured a 12-6 majority in parliament. President STEPHEN declared a state of emergency and called snap elections in early April after a five-month voting deadlock between the government party and the opposition party in parliament. The voting split between the two parties was stuck at 9-9 for five months and as a result budget bills and investment projects were at a standstill. President STEPHEN says he is optimistic that with the deadlock broken, parliament can resume passing crucial bills. Nauru, a small Pacific island, has just 12,500 inhabitants and is an exporter of phosphates. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/29/world/asia/29briefs-NEWPARLIAMEN_BRF.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss Malaysia's newly elected lawmakers took the oath of office to join a revamped Parliament that for the first time in 40 years has a huge opposition presence challenging the government's power. http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/04/24/asia/nepal.php The former insurgents, known as the Maoists, are now expected to form the backbone of Nepal's new government and usher in sweeping changes. http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/worldNews/~3/276727544/idUSL2179111120080424 HARARE (Reuters) - A shipment of Chinese arms bound for Zimbabwe will be recalled after South African port workers refused to unload the vessel and neighboring countries barred it from their ports, China said on Thursday. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NEPAL_ELECTIONS?SITE=MAFAL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) -- Former communist rebels won the most seats in Nepal's new governing assembly, taking more than double the number of their nearest rival, an election official said Thursday.... http://allafrica.com/stories/200804240004.html AS A protracted stalemate continues over delayed election results, Zimbabwean Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa yesterday said that a runoff in the presidential poll was the "only possible solution" to ending the impasse.