Catholic Online Forum

Venezuela's Chavez wins presidential race

Election experts say the electronic voting system is reliable and all candidates have signed a pledge to accept the result.

...near-complete official results showed Mr Chavez winning 54.42 per cent of votes compared to 44.97 percent for opposition candidate Henrique Capriles.

At home, casting himself as an heir to independence hero Simon Bolivar, Mr Chavez has poured billions of oil revenues into anti-poverty programs, and skilfully used his humble roots and folksy oratory to build a close connection with the masses.

While that connection ensured his re-election, the opposition's big share of the vote reflected a real and growing anger at Mr Chavez's failure to fix basic problems such as violent crime, potholed roads, electricity blackouts and entrenched corruption at all levels.

While that connection ensured his re-election, the opposition's big share of the vote reflected a real and growing anger at Mr Chavez's failure to fix basic problems such as violent crime, potholed roads, electricity blackouts and entrenched corruption at all levels.

...about to become a Mum again?

Still no criminal charges against Thompson.

No idea what was in Slipper's text messages...

Controversial broadcaster Alan Jones has been ordered to undergo basic journalism training by Australia's media watchdog.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) says Jones will have to undertake training on "factual accuracy and significant viewpoints" as part of measures agreed with his station 2GB.

Slipper sexual harassment case thrown out

Labor has stepped up its attack on the Coalition amid the fallout from the failed sexual harassment case against Peter Slipper, describing it as a "conspiracy of enormous proportions".

The Federal Court yesterday dismissed the case brought against the former parliamentary speaker by one of his staff members, James Ashby, declaring it was an abuse of process designed to cause "significant public, reputational and political damage".

Justice Steven Rares believes the predominant purpose of the case was to further the political interests of the Liberal National Party (LNP) and former Howard government minister Mal Brough, who has been preselected as the Coalition's candidate in Mr Slipper's Sunshine Coast electorate of Fisher.

Government frontbenchers are demanding Opposition Leader Tony Abbott disendorse Mr Brough and make a detailed statement about what involvement the Coalition had in the court case.

"This is a conspiracy of enormous proportions, and Mr Abbott will hope that it simply blows away and then he can get on to his next smear campaign," Labor frontbencher Craig Emerson told AM.

"Mr Abbott will probably want to continue circling the earth and not land and answer these basic questions: What did he know about this? What does he mean by 'no specific knowledge'?"

In May, Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr came under fire for suggesting Mr Ashby was "more rehearsed than a kabuki actor". Today he has described that as a "modest understatement".

"This has been a conspiracy, it has been a set up, and as the judge found, it was all directed at changing the government of Australia," he told ABC Radio National.

The Venezuelan Catholic Church has said that delaying President Hugo Chavez's inauguration would be a "morally unacceptable" violation of the constitution.

The head of the Venezuelan Conference of Bishops, Diego Padron, said Mr Chavez must attend his inauguration when his term ends on 10 January.

Monsignor Diego Padron said the Venezuelan constitution is very clear.

"On 10 January the current presidential term ends and a new one begins. Otherwise the 7 October vote would make no sense," he said.

"It is not our job to intervene publically, but in this case the good of the country and the defence of ethics is at stake. To alter the constitution to attain a political objective is morally unacceptable," added Monsignor Padron.

He also criticised the lack of reliable information on the president's health.

"Despite the 25 official statements on his health, the head of state has not yet been seen by a Venezuelan doctor. The government has not told the people all the truth."

"Planned Parenthood's New Annual Report: We Did 333,964 Abortions; 1 Every 94 Seconds"

Venezuela's Supreme Court has ruled that the postponement of President Hugo Chavez's inauguration for a new term in office is legal.