Michael Kelly : "Russian Duma Speaker Gryzlov's determination this week that the Russian constitution would not be changed to allow Putin to run for a third term as president is a triumph for democracy, but will not likely be the end of the story. Speculation is mounting that fresh off his recent "re-election" (stolen as [...]

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A panel from the US House Committee on International Relations sharply criticized China's human rights record on Wednesday, ahead of Chinese President Hu Jintao's Thursday visit to the White House . At a Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations hearing , subcommittee chairman Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) said: This week's visit of [...]

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The Supreme Court of the Philippines Thursday ruled unconstitutional a 2005 executive order from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo which prevented government officials from being questioned in investigations against her regarding vote-rigging and election fraud in 2004. Arroyo escaped attempts to impeach her last September and implemented the order when two military officers answered questions in an [...]

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Leading Thursday's international brief, at least three protestors were killed in Kathmandu as hundreds violated a day-long curfew in the capital city ordered by the Nepalese government aimed at breaking the continued pro-democracy protests staged against the rule of King Gyanendra . The three individuals were pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital and doctors [...]

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