Parliament

BAGHDAD -- Iraq's parliamentarians, under pressure from Washington to prove political progress that might expedite an end to the war, demonstrated yesterday their determination to take up issues important to them: They voted to oust their speaker for rude behavior. Declaring the speaker's latest outburst the final straw, the Shiite-led body decided to request that Mahmoud Mashadani, a Sunni, be ousted. The move will not affect the balance of power in the lawmaking body, which requires that he be replaced by another Sunni.

MOSCOW -- Tough, dramatic warnings about the threat of violence came out of the Kremlin late yesterday as Russian President Boris N. Yeltsin seemed to be trying to force a quick resolution to his two-day standoff with the Parliament.Mr. Yeltsin's goal, by all appearances, was to sweep aside his opposition through political and psychological pressure; any other option appeared too dangerous.Both sides held fast to their positions, with Mr. Yeltsin insisting he had dissolved Parliament and Parliament insisting that the vice president, Alexander Rutskoi, was now president.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Rival Shiite leaders agreed yesterday to allow Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari's party to nominate the next prime minister on the condition that al-Jaafari step down, Iraqi politicians said. The move could bring the Shiite bloc closer to resolving a nearly two-month impasse over the candidate for prime minister and speed the formation of a new government. As of yesterday evening, al-Jaafari remained unwilling to resign, but officials in his party were discussing options, Shiite leaders said.

KATMANDU, Nepal -- Threatened with a popular revolt, King Gyanendra announced yesterday the reinstatement of parliament and offered condolences to the families of more than a dozen people killed by police during pro-democracy protests that have paralyzed this country for nearly three weeks. The embattled monarch said he was acceding to a key demand by the political coalition opposed to his absolute rule. He summoned parliament to convene Friday, which would be its first meeting in nearly four years.

LONDON -- For the biggest political show in town yesterday, they trotted out the crown jewels, the gilded coaches, ladies-in-waiting and Queen Elizabeth II.It was the state opening of Parliament, as new Labor bowed to old traditions.Prime Minister Tony Blair's aims -- and Labor's first legislative program in more than 18 years -- were presented amid the pomp and ceremony of the Queen's Speech, which is written for her by the ruling party.The day of high political theater began with a parade, as royals in coaches rode slowly from Buckingham Palace to the houses of Parliament.

MOSCOW -- As President Boris N. Yeltsin kept up the pressure yesterday, the leaders of the parliamentary camp ensconced in Russia's parliament building seemed to be living more and more in a world of their own imagination.With little electricity, feeble radio links, no phone or fax service, no hot water -- not even any tea or coffee -- they seemed to be having trouble concentrating on the reality of their isolation.Alexander Rutskoi, who was proclaimed president by Parliament after it refused to obey Mr. Yeltsin's order Tuesday night to disband, appeared on the plaza in front of Parliament's seat, the White House, to swear in his new guard.

KIEV, Ukraine - Ukraine's parliament fired Prime Minister Viktor F. Yanukovych and his Cabinet yesterday, bolstering opposition leader Viktor A. Yushchenko's hopes of emerging from Ukraine's political crisis as the country's president while drawing a defiant refusal from Yanukovych to step down. The ouster of Yanukovych's government confirmed Yushchenko's clout with Ukrainian lawmakers and gave his team new momentum as it tries to convince Ukraine's Supreme Court that the Nov. 21 presidential runoff election was rigged to ensure Yanukovych's victory.

KABUL, Afghanistan -- An elected Afghan parliament was sworn in for the first time in more than 35 years yesterday to face threats from drug lords, rampant corruption and a surge in suicide bombings. President Hamid Karzai, his voice breaking with emotion, said Afghans had won the world's respect with their struggle to build a democracy. But he cautioned that a lot of hard work still lay ahead. "We Afghans have the right to stand with honor and dignity with the international community," Karzai told the assembly.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa - Opening a new session of this nation's first democratic Parliament with a blend of old pomp and new priorities, President Nelson Mandela pledged his government yesterday to continuing change aimed primarily at benefiting the neediest."

MOSCOW -- Last week, the Russian Duma was mourning the murder of one of its own.The previous week, the Duma, the lower half of parliament, had to order the reupholstering of bloodied furniture after a brawl between deputies.And every week in the Duma, Vladimir V. Zhirinovsky's flying spittle or his flying fists -- both byproducts of his stagy nationalistic invective -- land on someone.The Duma: Intrepid pioneer of democracy? Or scandalous circus? It's a question that a largely cynical Russian electorate is asking itself as it heads to the polls Dec. 17 to choose among a dizzying 5,000 candidates for the 450-seat parliament.