The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Abuja, Nigeria - Commonwealth leaders agreed Sunday to continue their year-old suspension of Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe after a debate that had threatened to split western and developing-world members of Britain's former colonial empire. The suspension was indefinite, pending demanded reforms by the Zimbabwe leader, Commonwealth heads of state said. The Commonwealth, whose members represent one-third of the world's six billion people, banned Zimbabwe from its decision-making councils last year after Mugabe was widely accused of rigging re-election to continue his 23-year rule. Jerusalem - Israel's vice-premier Sunday defended his proposal for a unilateral withdrawal from much of the West Bank, as Palestinians failed to agree on any ceasefire offer to Israel, foreshadowing another round of Mideast violence. Moscow - The main party supporting President Vladimir Putin led by a large margin in Russia's parliamentary elections Sunday, according to partial preliminary results, suggesting he would easily win the majority needed to put his stamp on the country after seven decades of Soviet rule. The Kremlin hoped the vote would increase its control over the state Duma, the lower house of parliament, as the popular Putin headed for what seemed certain to be a second term in a March presidential ballot.
