Hezbollah MP criticizes the Cabinet’s “sluggish performance”

Hezbollah MP Hasan Fadlallah criticized the cabinet on Monday for failure to implement its decisions and described its performance as as “sluggish.”

“The problem lies in the government’s failure to implement its decisions,” Fadlallah said in a statement. (more…)

Hezbollah seeking to improve Aoun-Jumblatt ties

Hezbollah is reportedly seeking to improve ties between Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt and and its Christian ally Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun ahead of the 2013 parliamentary elections according to al-Hayat report on Sunday. (more…)

Assad’s call for parliamentary elections ridiculed by America

The United States on Tuesday labeled as “ridiculous” a plan announced by Syria’s embattled President Bashar al-Assad to hold parliamentary elections May 7 in the violence-wracked nation. (more…)

At Chechnya Polling Station, Votes for Putin Exceed the Rolls

GROZNY, Russia — While there were charges of fraud in Russia’s presidential election Sunday, officials throughout most of the country appeared to be on notice to avoid the appearance of cheating in obvious ways like ballot stuffing. But some here seem not to have gotten the memo. (more…)

Ahmadinejad Faction Losing in Parliamentary Vote

Partial results from Iran’s parliamentary elections show conservative rivals of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on course to take firm control of the 290-seat parliament, after winning in several constituencies.

Early returns from provincial towns show loyalist supporters of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in the lead, and also show the president’s supporters are losing ground. (more…)

Ahmadinejad seen as the big loser in Iran election

Loyalists of Iran’s supreme leader, who is implacably hostile to the West and its drive to curb Tehran’s nuclear work, look set to triumph in Iran’s parliamentary poll at the expense of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a contest among hardliners. (more…)

Surprise: Iran could have fuel for bomb before US election

Iran could have enough weapons-grade uranium to fuel one nuclear bomb with a 15-kiloton yield by the end of August, about the time the US presidential race will kick into high gear, according to a new report.

And if anything is likely to replace “jobs, jobs, jobs” at the top of the list of campaign issues, it’s the arrival of a nuclear-capable Iran. (more…)

Palestinians take step toward reconciliation

Palestinian political rivals Hamas and Fatah have taken the first practical step toward holding general elections by opening an office for voter registration in the Gaza Strip.

Presidential and parliament elections are envisioned for late spring, though a date has not been set.

Elections are at the center of reconciliation between the Islamic militant Hamas and Fatah, the movement of internationally backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (more…)

Russian parliament speaker quits after election protests

Longtime Russian parliament speaker Boris Gryzlov, the day-to-day head of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s ruling United Russia party, said on Wednesday he would not take his seat in the State Duma lower house elected last week.
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Syrians shut businesses in a show of civil disobedience

Syrians closed their businesses and kept children home from school Monday as part of a general strike, a powerful show of civil disobedience to pressure President Bashar Assad to end his 9-month-old crackdown on a popular uprising.

The open-ended strike takes direct aim at the country’s already ailing economy. It is designed to erode Mr. Assad’s main base of support (more…)