British opposition calls for immediate general election

September 17th, 2009 Gabon's opposition challenges election resultsLIBREVILLE, Gabon — Opposition candidates defeated in last month's disputed presidential election say they are challenging the results in court. Over two dozen opposition candidates issued a statement Thursday saying their experts had reviewed the results and found "grave irregularities and fraud" in the vote tallies issued by two-thirds of the country's polling stations.

September 17th, 2009 Iranian regime's forces warn opposition over rallyTEHRAN, Iran — The Iranian regime's elite Revolutionary Guard is warning opposition protesters against holding a new anti-government demonstration. Opposition activists have called for protests to coincide with government-sponsored demonstrations marking Quds Day, dedicated to condemning Israel and expressing support for the Palestinians.

September 16th, 2009 Fall election in Canada increasingly unlikelyTORONTO — A fall election in Canada grew increasingly unlikely Wednesday after the opposition New Democratic party said it would prop up Prime Minister Stephen Harper's minority government long enough to pass legislation to help the unemployed. The decision comes one day after the Bloc Quebecois party also said it would support Harper, and all but rules out an election this fall.

September 14th, 2009 Opposition party may back governmentTORONTO — One of Canada's opposition parties is signaling it might be willing to prop up Prime Minister Stephen Harper's minority government and avert a fall election. New Democratic Party lawmaker Paul Dewar said Monday his party may be willing to support the Conservative government's proposed unemployment insurance legislation.

August 21st, 2009 LONDON - A former British special forces commander has been appointed to mastermind a program of reconciliation with members of the Taliban, General David Petraeus, the US military chief, said overnight. Lieutenant-General Sir Graeme Lamb, who retired recently from the British Army, was personally requested by General Stanley McChrystal, the US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, to take on the role, which is considered crucial to reduce the impact of the insurgency.

July 30th, 2009 Opposition to hold memorial for post-vote victimsTEHRAN, Iran — The Iranian opposition is to hold a "silent memorial" for victims of post-election violence in defiance of a government ban on the gathering. Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi's Web site says he plans to attend the ceremony on Thursday, along with another pro-reformist candidate, Mahdi Karrubi, who was also defeated in the June 12 presidential election.

June 17th, 2009 Canada avoids summer electionTORONTO — Canada's prime minister reached a deal Wednesday with one of three opposition parties allowing him to avoid early elections. The opposition Liberals had been threatening to join two other opposition parties in toppling Prime Minister Stephen Harper's minority government on Friday if Harper didn't unveil planned changes for unemployment insurance.

June 14th, 2009 TEHRAN - Iranian opposition leader Mir-Hossein Moussavi called on Iran's Guardian Council Sunday to nullify the results of the presidential election. Moussavi said in a statement on his website that he had forwarded an official request to the Guardian Council asking it to nullify the results.

June 5th, 2009 LONDON - A combative British Prime Minister Gordon Brown declared he "will not walk away" as he reshuffled his cabinet on a stormy Friday amid a string of ministerial resignations. The reshuffle came as the ruling Labour Party took a pounding in elections to local municipal authorities, but Brown rejected resignation calls by opposition parties and a growing number of Labour rebels.

May 16th, 2009 LONDON - Surprised British politicians Saturday praised India's democracy, saying the proven wisdom of the Indian electorate had made a mockery of political pundits - once again. 'This is just wonderful,' said Barry Gardiner, an MP belonging to the ruling Labour Party and a former minister.

May 11th, 2009 TOKYO - Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) leader Ichiro Ozawa resigned Monday in an attempt to deflect fallout from a political funding scandal from his party ahead of the next general elections. 'I'm not going to resign from my political career,' Ozawa said at a press conference.

May 11th, 2009 TOKYO - Japan's opposition leader Ichiro Ozawa expressed his intention to resign to avoid any negative effects in the next general elections from a political fund scandal, local media reports said Monday. The Democratic Party of Japan leader reportedly told party executives that he intended to step down as head of the nation's major opposition party, after his secretary was arrested for allegedly receiving illegal donations from the Nishimatsu Construction Company.

May 5th, 2009 KOLKATA - West Bengal's ruling Left Front Tuesday said it apprehended violence in Thursday's fourth phase of polling in the state. 'I've got specific information that some untoward incidents might take place on that day,' Left Front chairman Biman Bose said at a press conference here.

March 1st, 2009 KOLKATA - West Bengal's main opposition Trinamool Congress Sunday wrested the Bishnupur (West) assembly seat from the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) with a huge margin in a by-election, giving a fresh jolt to the ruling Left Front. Trinamool Congress candidate Madan Mitra trounced CPI-M's Iskandar Hossain by 30,395 votes in the by-poll held Feb 26.

January 4th, 2009 LONDON - The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has been criticised after interviewing the British prime minister in his home rather than at the television channel's studios. Instead of travelling to the studios, Brown allowed the BBC to hold a 'fireside chat' at his central London home for the flagship Sunday morning programme, the Andrew Marr Show.