The Betsy Ross flag - the first flag of an independent United States of America.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident..." began the United States declaration of independence. 232 years after the American patriots set about creating the government English and Scottish philosophers from Locke to Reid had only imagined for two hundred years prior, those same truths are still self-evident.

IcelandReview reports that President Ólafur Grímsson of Iceland has been re-elected, as no other valid presidential candidates submitted the required signatures of recommendation before the cut off date last Friday. Article 5 of the Icelandic Constitution specifies a minimum of 1,500 signatures is required.

This means that President Grímsson will serve his fourth term. Iceland typically has long-serving Presidents, the last President served for 16 years, Grímsson will have served 18 years when his next term ends in 2012 (unless he resigns before then).

Nominations have closed in the tiny north Atlantic republic of Iceland for the upcoming Presidential elections in June. According to Angus Reid, the incumbent President, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, is seeking re-election for a fourth term, with other minor candidates also standing. Since independence from Denmark in 1944, Iceland has had a total of five presidents. Not all elections are contested - since 1944, there have only been six ballots.

...for the United States. The New Zealand Herald reports' a poll of New Zealanders support for the candidates for the US election.

Scoop reports that the President of Singapore is visiting New Zealand from Monday. The New Zealand Defence Forces will give the President, S.R. Nathan, the proper mihi (Maori welcome).

Singapore is a parliamentary republic with a directly elected ceremonial head of state, the President. Unlike New Zealand, Singapore does not have a strong multi-party democracy, with one party - the People's Action Party - dominating parliament and the presidency. While the Presidency is now meant to be directly elected (prior to 1993 the President was elected by parliament - which mean the PAP's nominee always won), there has only been one election that has gone to the ballot - the first in 1993. The other two, in 1999 and 2005, were essentially decided by a nominations committee.