Free Republic

The chairman of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Vladimir Litvin is sure that the parliament should influence the situation, appeared on the oil product market. According to him petrol deficit is a common problem of the power: "All of us are responsible…People do not differentiate between the government and Verkhovna Rada – it is the problem of the power." The chairman of VR reminded that today, during the Conciliatory council of leaders of factions and parliamentary groups, it was proposed to listen to information of the government concerning the petrol deficit tomorrow, on May 17. He expressed a hope that the...

Tony Blair's Close Call LONDON--Americans see British Prime Minister Tony Blair as a true-blue friend. He has worked closely with President Bush on the war on terrorism, and Britain was the only major U.S. ally to fight in the Iraq war. But American gratitude isn't exactly a vote getter for the beleaguered Blair. The war and Blair's Bush connection--both hugely unpopular here--are putting his Labor Party at risk in this week's election. Blair is expected to win. But polls are jumping around so much that two other scenarios are conceivable. The first is a "hung Parliament," which would force Labor...

The House of Lords has once again defied government calls for it to back down and pass the Prevention of Terrorism Bill. After the fourth debate on the issue in the upper house within 24 hours, peers rejected Tony Blair's warning that they were putting national security at risk. The Commons and the Lords remain divided over two key issues - the burden of proof needed to issue a control order and whether or not the Bill should automatically expire after 12 months. After a session of parliamentary ping pong which continued through last night, peers voted by 176 to...

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Many consider Abdel Aziz al-Hakim, the prominent cleric who leads the United Iraqi Alliance, to have emerged as the country's top Shiite power broker after the Jan. 30 elections. A leader of a key Shiite political organization, the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (news - web sites), al-Hakim opposed Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) from exile in Iran (news - web sites) before returning after the U.S.-led invasion. The alliance he leads with the backing of Iranian-born Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the country's most powerful Shiite cleric, took 140 of the 275 seats...

“Man and Woman”, “Wife”, “Husband”, “Widow”, “Widower” Banished From all Ontario Law Terms, when referring to spouses, are banned from all government programs, services, documentsToronto, February 25, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – With the obscenely rapid, three-day introduction and passage of its same-sex “marriage” Bill 171, the Ontario government has advanced a revolutionary change in the way all laws and government programs and institutions refer to marriage and married persons. Everything referring to spouses must now be gender neutral. No longer can a married couple be referred to as “husband and wife” or “man and woman”. The terms “Widow” and “widower” are...

TEHRAN, Oct. 9 - Iran's hard-line politicians who came to power in February are spearheading a drive to stop economic liberalization, just as they are cracking down on social and political freedoms. In August, Parliament passed a bill that gave it the right to order the government to cancel government contracts with two Turkish companies, forcing the moderate president, Mohammad Khatami, to cancel an official trip to Turkey. The newspaper Iran reported that three foreign companies canceled other investment agreements with Iran after Parliament passed the bill. "From now on the government will not be able to negotiate with any...

Two men have been arrested after an amazing security breach in the House of Commons saw Tony Blair hit in the back by a missile containing a purple substance. MPs were showered by purple powder - later found to be coloured cornflour - which was hurled from a reserved area of the public gallery. No one was injured in the incident although Chancellor Gordon Brown also appeared to be struck by a similar missile. Health Secretary Dr John Reid reportedly breathed in a "lungfull" of the powder. Campaigning group Fathers 4 Justice - who demand equal rights for fathers -...

Top Turkish general fears Kurds will be new U.S. ally vs. Iraq SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COMTuesday, March 4, 2003 ANKARA — Turkey's military has quietly warned the government that the Kurds south of Turkey in northern Iraq will emerge as the primary U.S. ally unless Ankara and Washington cooperate in the expected war against the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein. Turkish Chief of Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok briefed Prime Minister Abdullah Gul on the military's assessment of the expected war against Iraq. The briefing came in wake of parliament's rejection of the government request for U.S. troops in Turkey...