Following on from Tuesday night's invasion of Bangkok's new international airport, Suvarnabhumi, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has now taken over the Thai capital's old Don Mueang International Airport, forcing the Thai authorities to shut it down. The expansion of the protest at Don Mueang is reported to be a move to prevent cabinet ministers flying to Chiang Mai for a meeting with the Prime Minister, Somchai Wongsawat.
The closure of the Don Mueang airport saw 3,000 PAD supporters gathered outside Don Mueang airport, although the
With Thailand's People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) still blockading Bangkok's two international airports, the People's Power Party (PPP) Prime Minister, Somchai Wongsawat, has declared a state of emergency around Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi international airports. Police have been ordered to end the blockade and demonstrations, prompting the PAD to move demonstrators inside terminal buildings and post volunteer guards to fend off any action by authorities.
The staunchly royalist and anti-government protesters began upping the stakes in thei
Protests and disruption by Thailand's People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) entered their third day with an invasion and forced shutdown of Bangkok's main international airport. The yellow-shirted demonstrators are reportedly in full control of Suvarnabhumi Airport, leaving between 3,000 and 4,000 travellers stranded and incoming flights diverted. The PAD have vowed to remain in the airport disrupting flights until the Prime Minister, Somchai Wongsawat, stands down.
Originally blocking the six-lane motorway approach to the airport, the protest
The Rudd Labor government introduced its "fair work" bill into the House of Representatives today, effectively dismantling the former government's WorkChoices industrial relations platform. The Australian Labor party campaigned heavily on abolishing WorkChoices at the 2007 election.
The bill was presented to parliament by deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Industrial Relations, Julia Gillard. Introducing her government's bill, Ms Gillard said "Over a century ago at Federation, Australians decided that we would be different to other nations
The UK Government has announced that it is cutting the rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) by 2.5 percentage points, to 15%, in a move to get consumers spending again.
This move, along other tax cuts, is going to require the government to increase borrowing to record levels, according to experts cited by BBC News.
Gordon Brown, the UK Prime Minister, has stated, "I don't see this as a gamble, I see this as necessary, responsible action, that any sensible government would want to take."
"Those people who say do nothing now, would leave people, as i
Polls have closed across Venezuela Sunday. The polls will elect mayors, governors and legislators across the country, and are considered by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez's opponents and supporters as a potentially important political gain or loss since Chavez's failed constitutional referendums last year.
One of the year-old referenda would have allowed the President of Venezuela to be re-elected indefinitely, which was narrowly defeated in late 2007. So it comes as no surprise that Chávez's supporters and opponents alike regard the new pol
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez's party won a majority of states during this Sunday's election, although his opposition has made important headway. The election has been regarded as a test of Chávez's influence after his failed constitutional overhaul last year.
The president and many of his supporters declared this election a victory, although the opposition has laid equal claim to political progress. Pro-Chávez candidates held on to 17 gubernatorial posts, a majority of the 22 up for election, but the opposition has won five states, includi
Thailand's ongoing political crisis continues today with pro- and anti-government rallies being held. Meeting outside Bangkok, the pro-government United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) is holding one of their "Truth Today" talkshows at Suan Kaew Temple. In the anti-government camp, supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) are massing at the occupied Government House compound and calling their planned march on parliament their "final battle".
In contrast to a confrontation with authorities which could last days, the
Early this morning, a grenade attack on People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protesters at Thailand's Government House injured eight, two seriously.
This is the second attack this week, following an earlier grenade attack on Thursday which killed one and injured between 20 and 29. The earlier attack prompted planning for a rally and march on parliament tomorrow where the PAD aims to try and topple the current People's Power Party (PPP) government.
According to Thailand's English-language paper, The Nation, doctors have stated that one of tho
The New York Times has stated that Hillary Clinton has accepted the position of the United States Secretary of State. In order to accept the position, she has to step down as the current junior senator of New York.
The Times quotes two unnamed Clinton campaign "confidants" who say that she is "ready" to take the position. Clinton would be the third woman in U.S. history to get the position. The other two were Madeline Albright and Condoleezza Rice.
Earlier campaign officials for U.S. president-elect Barack Obama said that Clinton would not be
An appeal has been filed by the former wife of fugitive Thai ex-Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, against her conviction and three year sentence for tax evasion. Potjaman Shinawatra, step-brother Bannapot Damapong, and her secretary Karnchanapa Honghern were previously found guilty of conspiring to evade taxes in a share transfer deal.
Thailand's Criminal Court ruled in July that the transfer of 4.5 million shares in Shin Computer and Communications (Now Shin Corp) was illegally declared as a family gift, and that the three conspired in the
Vela International Marine, the Saudi Arabian company that owns the MV Sirius Star oil tanker which was captured by pirates on November 15, has begun negotiations with the Somali pirates.
The Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al Faisal said that talks had begun, but he did not say whether a ransom would be paid. Vela International Marine, which is owned by state-owned Saudi Aramco, would only say it is "working toward [the crew's] safe and speedy return."
"We do not like to negotiate with pirates, terrorists or hijackers," said Saud al Faisal in Rom
