Free Republic

Asean members hope to adopt the charter formally later this year Ministers from South-East Asian countries have reached agreement on a landmark draft charter. The document gives the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) a set of binding rules for the first time in the bloc's 40-year existence. The agreement comes after nearly two years of deliberations among members. It includes a contentious provision to set up a commission monitoring human rights in the region - despite strong misgivings from some Asean countries. Credibility boost With governments in the region running the gamut from fully-fledged democracies to a military...

The Progressive Liberal Party has secretly agreed since last December to join the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) in July, reported former Attorney General and Holy Cross MP Carl Bethel on Tuesday night. Addressing hundreds of Free National Movement supporters at its "report card" rally at the Prince Charles Shopping Centre, Mr Bethel alleged that this secret decision by the PLP Cabinet has never been announced to the public, but was done in the dark and in the "dead of night." "By secretly agreeing to join the CSME without telling you about it, or consulting you before they agreed...