French legislators vote on compromise bill that could cut off Internet for illegal downloadersPARIS — French legislators vote Tuesday on a pioneering bill allowing authorities to cut off Internet access to people who download illegally, a measure that entertainment companies hope will be a powerful weapon against piracy. Retired Supreme Court Justice O’Connor calls for end to judicial elections in Washington stateSEATTLE — The first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court says there’s a serious problem with the government in Washington and many other states: They elect their judges. Oil-rich Norway’s leftist government close to re-election in narrow voteOSLO — Norway’s left-leaning government appeared to have narrowly won re-election Monday after using oil money to shield the Nordic welfare state from the global recession, exit polls and near-complete results showed. Exit polls indicate Norway’s left-leaning government wins re-electionOSLO — Norway’s left-leaning government appeared to have narrowly won re-election Monday after using oil money to shield the Nordic welfare state from the global recession, exit polls and partial results showed. Exit polls: Norway’s left-leaning government wins re-electionOSLO — Two exit polls showed that Norway’s left-leaning government narrowly won re-election Monday in an election focused on how to manage the Nordic nation’s soaring oil wealth and seal cracks in its welfare system. Exit poll: Norway’s left-leaning government wins re-electionOSLO — An exit poll by national broadcaster NRK shows Norway’s left-leaning government winning re-election. Senator seeks Justice Department review of Diebold’s sale of voting-machine businessNORTH CANTON, Ohio — Sen. Charles Schumer on Monday asked the Justice Department to review Diebold Inc.’s sale of its U.S. voting-machine business to a bigger competitor, saying he is concerned it could have an adverse impact on American voting. Afghans question democracy’s benefits amid violence, political uncertainty after electionKABUL — Mubaruz Khan didn’t bother to vote when Afghans went to the polls in the country’s second-ever democratic election last month. He was too busy eking out a living selling cigarettes and soda for $3 a day, and didn’t think voting would make a difference in his life. Afghanistan struggling to find way forward amid uncertainty over election resultsKABUL — Afghanistan’s electoral officials searched for a way Monday to salvage an election marred by reports of ballot stuffing and phantom voters, mulling how much of the vote to throw out because of fraud. History, poor economy, declining Obama support could mean big losses for House Dems in 2010NEW YORK — Despite sweeping Democratic successes in the past two national elections, continuing job losses and President Barack Obama’s slipping support could lead to double-digit losses for the party in next year’s congressional races and may even threaten their House control. UN says ‘no winners’ yet in Afghan poll; Karzai still on course for victoryKABUL — Afghan President Hamid Karzai hung onto his 54 percent to 28 percent lead over his closest rival Sunday in the presidential contest as the vote count ground on in the face of fraud allegations. UN says ‘no winners’ yet in Afghan presidential vote as commission exams fraud complaintsKABUL — There’s still no preliminary winner in Afghanistan’s presidential vote. Wash. to seek urgent appeal of decision blocking release of gay rights referendum petitionsSEATTLE — The Washington state attorney general’s office says it is appealing a federal judge’s decision to keep secret the names of people who signed petitions calling for a public vote on expanded domestic partnership benefits. Chief challenger to President Karzai calls for complete investigation of Afghan voteKABUL — The chief challenger to President Hamid Karzai on Friday called for a full investigation of hundreds of reports of fraud in Afghanistan’s Aug. 20 presidential contest, while a top U.S. diplomat asked critics to withold judgment about the election’s credibility. Norway’s iron lady top challenge to leftist government in national electionsOSLO — Siv Jensen has an unusual ambition for a nation famous for its cradle-to-grave welfare system: she wants to go down in history as Norway’s Margaret Thatcher. Federal judge shields signatures on petition backing gay partnership referendum in Wash.OLYMPIA, Wash. — A federal judge on Thursday ordered the state of Washington to keep shielding the identities of people who signed petitions to force a vote on expanded benefits for gay couples. Back in Arizona, O’Connor helping lead talks on possible changes for state’s governmentPHOENIX — Since retiring as a Supreme Court justice in 2006, Sandra Day O’Connor has championed such causes as judicial independence, civics education and Alzheimer’s research. Now add improving Arizona’s nearly century-old state government. AP Interview: Abdullah says scale of fraud in Afghan election only now becoming clearKABUL — The top challenger to President Hamid Karzai told The Associated Press on Thursday that the scale of cheating in Afghanistan’s Aug. 20 election is only now becoming clear, and that he expects enough fraudulent Karzai votes to be thrown out to trigger a runoff. US envoy says that despite recent rise in violence in Iraq, withdrawal timetable is holdingWASHINGTON — The U.S. ambassador to Iraq told Congress on Thursday that despite a recent rash of insurgent attacks, the U.S. is on track to removing all its combat forces by next August. “We are holding to this timetable,” Christopher Hill told the House Foreign Affairs Committee in his first congressional testimony since taking over the top U.S. diplomatic post in Baghdad in April. Book claiming rigged party vote leaves French Socialists in disarray, rival Sarkozy in controlPARIS — A new book alleges that a vote last year to elect the leader of France’s Socialist Party was rigged, sparking further disarray among the once-mighty champions of the left. Afghan complaints body throws out ballots from 83 polling stations in Karzai strongholdsKABUL — A U.N.-backed fraud commission threw out votes Thursday from 83 polling stations and ordered recounts at hundreds of others in three provinces that form Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s political base, reducing his chances of avoiding a runoff. Commission probing fraud in Afghan vote issues first order to exclude ballots from final countKABUL — The U.N.-backed commission investigating fraud in Afghanistan’s election issued its first orders Thursday to exclude some ballots from the final tally. US monitors: ‘Large numbers’ of Afghan polling stations with more than 100 percent turnoutKABUL — A U.S. monitoring group said Thursday that “large numbers of polling stations” had more than 100 percent turnout in Afghanistan’s election, the latest black mark against a vote increasingly tainted by reports of fraud. Gay-rights group ends effort to block public vote in Washington on expanded gay benefitsOLYMPIA, Wash. — Supporters of Washington state’s most recent expansion of domestic partnership rights say they’re dropping efforts to block a public vote on the new law. Obama’s envoy in Sudan to bolster peace deal as activists say US too lenient on KhartoumCAIRO — President Barack Obama’s envoy to Sudan launched a new mission Wednesday to overcome obstacles in the country’s fragile north-south peace deal, as activists sharply criticized U.S. policies as too lenient on the Khartoum government. Dems cite health care in pressing Mass. legislators for temp Kennedy successor appointmentBOSTON — The governor should be allowed to name an interim replacement to the late Edward Kennedy’s vacant Senate seat because it would help ensure health care overhaul legislation gets passed, Democrats told a packed Statehouse public hearing Wednesday. Karzai backs election commission despite bias charges, highlighting gap with outside overseersKABUL — President Hamid Karzai stressed his support for Afghanistan’s election commission Wednesday as international trust in the group appeared to erode following allegations of widespread fraud in last month’s presidential poll. Colombia’s president signs law calling for constitutional referendum on allowing third termBOGOTA — President Alvaro Uribe signed legislation Tuesday calling for a national referendum on amending the constitution to allow him to seek re-election for a second time. Wash. judge rejects effort to stop public vote on expanded gay partnership benefitsOLYMPIA, Wash. — A judge on Tuesday refused to block a proposed ballot initiative on expanded domestic partnership benefits for gay couples in Washington state. UN-backed commission orders Afghan recount as Karzai wins majority of votesKABUL — A U.N.-backed commission found “convincing evidence” of fraud Tuesday in Afghanistan’s presidential election and ordered a recount of suspect ballots in at least three provinces, a process that could take months. |