Reuters: Bhutto launches election campaign 01 December

Australia's conservative Prime Minister John Howard faces a possible election defeat by his centre-left rival Kevin Rudd in the first major challenge Howard has seen during his 11 years as leader. Rudd promised A$1 billion for clean energy and closer Asian ties on Wednesday if he wins the nation's Nov. 24 election, painting himself as a catalyst for generational change. Rudd, holding a strong lead over Howard in polls, accused the Prime Minister of having no ideas ahead of his promised retirement in two years and said Australia's respect in the world had plummeted during Howard's term over more than a decade.

The election is meant to complete a transition to civilian rule. Police also said they had foiled another attack planned for polling day. Campaigning for the elections to a new parliament and provincial assemblies has been overshadowed by security fears, especially since former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was killed in a gun and suicide bomb attack on Dec. 27. Opposition politicians have also complained of vote rigging.

Bhutto returned to Pakistan to lead her pakistan people's party ito national elections to return the country to civilian rule. But her return has provoked hard-liners, angry at her support for the United States war on terrorism and militants linked to Al Queda have threatened to assassinate her.

The attack on her motorcade in Karachi killed more than 130 people in one of the deadliest bombings in Pakistan's political history. The former PM ended her self-imposed eight-year-exile on Thursday (Oct. 18) to lead her Pakistan People's Party into parliamentary elections in January. In her first public comments since the failed assassination bid, which is being blamed on Islamist militants, Bhutto said the bombings were an attack on democracy.

The charismatic leader of the Pakistan People's Party died as she was leaving a political rally, surrounded by security. Police say Bhutto was killed by a suicide bomber firing at her as she left. He then blew himself up. At first, it appeared she had survived the attack. The former Pakistani prime minister was 54.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki vowed on Thursday to pursue a crackdown on Shiite gunmen despite mounting casualties, as Iraqi troops battled militias in the cities of Basra and Kut. In Baghdad, followers of the Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr staged noisy protests. Images and soundbites from AFPTV.

Bhutto returned to Pakistan to lead her Pakistan People's Party into national elections to return the country to civilian rule. But her return has provoked hard-liners, angry at her support for the United States war on terrorism and militants linked to Al Qaeda have threatened to assassinate her. The White House has condemned the attack.

Bhutto's release was welcomed in Washington. U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said other political detainees should also be freed. In a separate development, Musharraf swore in an ally as caretaker prime minister -- Senate Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro -- and a 24-member cabinet to oversee the parliamentary elections due by Jan. 9.

Political parties in Thailand face the challenge of forming a new coalition government. This follows an overwhelming show of support in national elections for The People Power Party - a party that openly supports the country's former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra - who was ousted in a bloodless military coup in 2006.