JMM-BJP – from friend to foe and friend again?

RANCHI – In the shifting sands of political equations in Jharkhand, nothing is quite as it seems. The ruling JMM and the BJP may have just parted ways but most leaders of both parties are not averse to joining hands again, say sources, even as the Congress explores possibilities of forming an alternative government.

According to …. Read the original article  : here.

Congress headed toward landmark votes on whether to lift military gay ban

Congress to vote on military gay ban
WASHINGTON – Congress is headed toward landmark votes on whether to allow gays to serve openly in the military.

The House was expected to vote as early as Thursday on a proposal by Rep. Patrick Murphy, a Pennsylvania Democrat who served in the Iraq war, that would repeal the 1993 …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Nepal PM will not accept any conditional extension of Constituent Assembly

KATHMANDU – Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on Thursday said that he would not accept any conditions put forth to extend the tenure of the Constituent Assembly (CA).

During the meeting with visiting UK Minister of State for International Development Alan Duncan, Madhav … Read more : Nepal PM will not accept any conditional extension of Constituent Assembly.

Nepal political leaders meet but fail to reach agreement; constitutional crisis looms Friday

Nepal leaders still at odds as crisis looms

KATMANDU, Nepal – Nepalese government and opposition leaders failed Wednesday to resolve disagreements that could leave the Himalayan nation without a functioning legislature by the weekend and heading for political chaos, a ruling coalition official said.
The two-year term of the Constituent Assembly, which was elected in 2008, expires …. Read the original article  : Nepal political leaders meet but fail to reach agreement; constitutional crisis looms Friday.

Nation pays tribute to Nehru on his 46th death anniversary

NEW DELHI – Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh led the nation in paying floral tributes to India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, on his 46th death anniversary on Thursday.
UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and other senior leaders also paid …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Thai political battle moves from streets to courts

BANGKOK – The battle between the Thai government and supporters of coup-ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has moved off the streets and into the courts, officials said Thursday.

A week after Thai troops and armoured vehicles broke up a two-month demonstration by Thaksin supporters in the heart of Bangkok, the government has initiated a multi-pronged …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Thai political battle moves from streets to courts.

Shadow of emergency dulls Buddha birth anniversary in Nepal

KATHMANDU – The shadow of emergency and President’s rule only a day away dulled Buddha Purnima festivities in Nepal, the birthplace of the Buddha, even as the world celebrated the 2,554th birth anniversary of the apostle of peace and non-violence Thursday.

Lumbini, the town in southern Nepal along the Indian border where the founder of Buddhism [..] Read the original article: here.

Peerage for Indian tycoon who gave Tories 200,000 pounds

LONDON – A Ugandan-born Indian business tycoon, who gave the Conservatives over 200,000 pounds in donations, will be nominated for a British peerage by Prime Minister David Cameron.

Dolar Popat, who is a self-made multimillionaire, will get a seat in the House of Lords. He has an estimated fortune of 42 million pounds, Daily Mail reported …. Source article  : Peerage for Indian tycoon who gave Tories 200,000 pounds.

Tea party favorite wins in Idaho in another embarrassment for GOP establishment

Tea party win embarrasses GOP establishment

WASHINGTON – Chalk up another win for the tea party. And another embarrassment for the Republican establishment.
Tea party favorite and two-term state lawmaker Raul Labrador defeated Vaughn Ward, a Marine reservist heavily recruited by national Republicans, in Idaho’s primary on Tuesday. Ward’s loss comes on the heels of several other …. Source article  : Tea party favorite wins in Idaho in another embarrassment for GOP establishment.

Obama elevated dialogue with ‘emerging global power’ India

WASHINGTON – The US says the Obama administration felt it important to elevate its dialogue with New Delhi as India is a “a great and emerging global power” with which the US has a significant range of interests.
“I think the strategic dialogue speaks for itself,” State Department spokesman P. J. Crowley told … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Obama elevated dialogue with ‘emerging global power’ India.

Republican Dino Rossi to challenge incumbent Wash. Democrat Patty Murray in US Senate race

Repub. Rossi announces challenge to Sen. Murray

OLYMPIA, Wash. – After months of pressure from national Republicans, two-time gubernatorial runner-up Dino Rossi announced Wednesday he would take on Washington state’s powerful senior senator, Democrat Patty Murray.
Republicans need 10 seats to seize control of the U.S. Senate and Rossi represents a chance to put an 11th Democrat-held … Read : Republican Dino Rossi to challenge incumbent Wash. Democrat Patty Murray in US Senate race.

Idaho voters picks a GOP nominee for Congress amid split in tea party support

Amid tea party divide, Idaho GOP picks a nominee

BOISE, Idaho – Voters in Idaho were choosing a GOP nominee for Congress on Tuesday in an unusually tangled battle that divided local and national tea party activists, and raised questions of plagiarism on the campaign trail.
Marine reservist Vaughn Ward and Idaho state lawmaker Raul Labrador were … Read : Idaho voters picks a GOP nominee for Congress amid split in tea party support.

Auburn’s Barbee trying to reignite spark in hoops program

AU’s Barbee trying to stoke fans’ flames
AUBURN, Ala. – Tony Barbee’s office has just the basics: A tidy desk, a station for his laptop and a TV.

No pictures or plaques hang from the wall, because these are only temporary digs for Auburn’s new basketball coach. The basketball offices will move across the street to the …. Original source  : Auburn’s Barbee trying to reignite spark in hoops program.

Select Medical Holdings Corp. names former Senator Frist independent director

Select Medical Holdings names Frist director

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – Hospital operator Select Medical Holdings Corp. said Wednesday it appointed former Senate Majority Leader Dr. William H. Frist as an independent director to the company’s board.
Frist is currently serving as a business and medicine professor at Vanderbilt University. He represented Tennessee in the U.S. Senate from 1995 … Original article on : Select Medical Holdings Corp. names former Senator Frist independent director.

Trinidad and Tobago elects 1st female prime minister, ousting incumbent

Trinidad elects 1st female prime minister
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad – Trinidad and Tobago has elected its first female prime minister in an early election, ousting an incumbent hurt by soaring crime and allegations of public corruption.

Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her five-party People’s Partnership coalition won 29 of 41 seats in the Caribbean nation’s parliament, according to preliminary election … Read more »»».

Dominican beauty queen gives up crown for candidacy, will represent region where she grew up

Dominican beauty queen trades pageant for politics

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – A beauty queen known as the Dominican Cinderella for her rise from humble roots is trading pageants for politics and will serve as deputy mayor of the region where she was born.
Ada Aimee de la Cruz, who was the 2009 Miss Universe runner up, …. Source  : Dominican beauty queen gives up crown for candidacy, will represent region where she grew up.

Russia, China and other G20 countries frustrating global human rights progress, Amnesty says

Amnesty: G20 frustrating human rights progress

LONDON – Amnesty International accused the United States, Russia and China on Thursday of ignoring human rights violations by allies and failing to open their own records to scrutiny in an annual survey meant to pressure governments to act more compassionately.
The human rights organization took the U.S. to task for … Original article on : Russia, China and other G20 countries frustrating global human rights progress, Amnesty says.

Huge crowd celebrates Ethiopia’s ruling party victory, but rights group calls vote corrupted

Ethiopia ruling party celebrates election victory

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Tens of thousands of ruling party supporters rallied Tuesday in Ethiopia’s capital to celebrate victory in the national election, which a U.S. rights group claims was marred by irregularities.
A top opposition leader denounced the provisional results released by the Ethiopian elections board, but did not indicate … Read more »».

Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate, 5/26/10

Matthew J. Bryza, of Illinois, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Mark Charles Storella, of Maryland, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of …. Source article  : Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate, 5/26/10.

Press Gaggle by Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton, 5/26/10

3:40 P.M. EDT
MR. BURTON:  The President has been receiving regular briefings about what’s happening on the Gulf from Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina, who’s been receiving information on the ground from Carol Browner.  As you know, all eyes are on what’s happening in the Gulf today.  Secretary Chu is in Houston at the command …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Press Gaggle by Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton, 5/26/10.