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Putin sets date for vote seen as test
By Times Wires
Published September 3, 2007
Russia President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Sunday setting Dec. 2 as the date for Russia's next parliamentary vote - an election seen as key to addressing growing doubts about the fairness of Russian democracy. In recent years, the Duma has passed a raft of bills, many Kremlin-initiated or -supported, that have radically changed how officials are elected. The measures have included scrapping the direct election of regional leaders, banning voters from casting ballots against all candidates, eliminating nonparty-affiliated candidates, and increasing the minimum amount of votes required for a party to gain a parliamentary seat from 5 percent to 7 percent. Nepal Near-simultaneous explosions kill 2 Three bombs exploded almost simultaneously in and around Katmandu on Sunday, killing at least two people and injuring 13 in the first attack on the capital since a communist insurgency ended last year, authorities said. A little-known group called the Terai Army, one of a half dozen armed movements in southern Nepal, claimed responsibility for the attack in a call to Katmandu's Avenue TV station. Afghanistan 25 suspected Taliban killed in coalition raids U.S.-led coalition and Afghan security forces aided by airstrikes killed about 25 suspected militants during raids on a Taliban command center in southern Afghanistan, the coalition said Sunday. The joint force targeted two compounds southwest of Kandahar city late Saturday after weeks of observing the area, it said. No coalition or Afghan soldiers were injured, the coalition said. Greece 469,000 acres later, last big fire contained The last major fire in southern Greece has been brought under control after flaring up again over the weekend, fire officials said Sunday. Officials also said two other big fires were completely extinguished, leaving only minor fires smoldering in the area. Fires have destroyed an estimated 469,000 acres of mostly forest and farmland over the past 10 days, killing 65 people. Denmark 63 youths are arrestedin clashes with police A protest by hundreds of youth activists in Copenhagen turned violent Sunday, police said. One officer was injured and 63 people were arrested, they said. The unrest started after a demonstration late Saturday commemorating a cultural center for the city's anarchists and disaffected youth, which was demolished in March.
[Last modified September 3, 2007, 01:36:03]
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