TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Lawmakers will wait until Tuesday to consider a U.S.-brokered agreement that could return deposed President Manuel Zelaya to power, despite diplomats' pleas to not delay an end to the country's 4-month-old political crisis.
In fact, the accord does not establish a firm deadline person Inflatable Christmas by which Congress has to make a final decision on Zelaya's reinstatement, Organization of American States Political Affairs Secretary Victor Rico noted following Zelaya's comments.
Monday is a holiday in Honduras, and many legislators are busy campaigning for Nov. 29 elections that will also elect a successor to Zelaya.
Nonetheless, Zelaya said Saturday that he hopes he will be back in office by Thursday, the deadline for the two sides to establish a power-sharing government.
"By Thursday, the government of national unity should be installed," he said in a meeting broadcast by Radio Globo. "By that day, point No. 5 has to be resolved," he added, referring to the clause of the agreement that covers his return to office.
"There is no timeframe for Zelaya to return to office," he said. "Only Congress can make that determination."
Zelaya's Liberal adult Air Dancer Party controls 65 seats. However, the party is split between those who support him and those who don't.
Diplomats have urged lawmakers not to delay; if Congress approves the pact, a unity government including members of the major parties will be installed and the country will win international recognition for the elections. Many countries have warned they would not accept the elections' results if the June coup is not reversed.
Ramon Velasquez, the congressional secretary who is in charge of handling submitted measures said Saturday that consideration of the deal "will not be until Tuesday, because I'm in full swing campaigning for my re-election to Congress."
Legislators also suggested it would take time to debate. "It is important to give Congress space, without pressure, to be able to reach the best decision," said Congressman Juan Orlando Hernandez of the opposition National Party, which has 55 seats in the 128-seat body.
The legislature backed his removal, but congressional leaders have since said they won't stand in the way of an agreement that would end Honduras' diplomatic isolation and legitimize the presidential elections.
Diplomats urged the body not to delay.
2009年11月1日星期日
Somali Pirates Move Couple Onto Land
According to Red Teeth, the Chandlers were being driven to Baxdo, an inland town along an extremely dusty and bumpy road about halfway between the coast and the main highway running through central Somalia. The town lies in a zone of central Somalia loosely controlled by a clan-based local government.
The pirates had been keeping the Chandlers, who were attacked Oct. 23 as they were sailing in their yacht in the Indian Ocean, in the captain’s quarters of another vessel they had hijacked.
Mahamoud, who did not want his giant Inflatable Arch last name published for fear of angering the pirates, said that European naval patrols had arrested friends and relatives of the pirates, including seven captured last week who were part of the same gang that originally hijacked the Chandlers’ sailboat.
Red Teeth declined to say why the hostages were being moved inland. “They’re going to Baxdo,” he said. “That’s all I can say.”
Some coastal residents said that as soon as Red Teeth’s men left for Baxdo with the Chandlers, another squad of pirates in heavily armed pickup trucks chased after them, trying to recapture the hostages.
“There have been constant meetings between the pirates, and they finally disagreed over the management of the couple,” said Mahamoud, a resident of Xarardheere, a pirate stronghold along the shore.
Elders in the coastal area company Inflatable Advertising said the pirates might have been worried that they were vulnerable to attack if they continued to keep the Chandlers aboard the hijacked freighter bobbing off Xarardheere.
Other pirate suspects are awaiting trial in France, while dozens have been handed over to Kenya and Yemen for prosecution. Some pirates suggested trading the couple, both in their 50s, for jailed comrades, residents said.
On Friday, a man claiming to represent the captors demanded a $7 million ransom for the couple. The British government on Saturday reiterated its refusal to pay a ransom, saying in a statement that officials would not make any “substantive concessions to hostage-takers, and that includes the payment of ransom,” The Associated Press reported.
While dozens of foreign warships are cruising Somalia’s waters right now, trying to crack down on the stubborn piracy problem, there are very few, if any, foreign military personnel on shore.
The pirates had been keeping the Chandlers, who were attacked Oct. 23 as they were sailing in their yacht in the Indian Ocean, in the captain’s quarters of another vessel they had hijacked.
Mahamoud, who did not want his giant Inflatable Arch last name published for fear of angering the pirates, said that European naval patrols had arrested friends and relatives of the pirates, including seven captured last week who were part of the same gang that originally hijacked the Chandlers’ sailboat.
Red Teeth declined to say why the hostages were being moved inland. “They’re going to Baxdo,” he said. “That’s all I can say.”
Some coastal residents said that as soon as Red Teeth’s men left for Baxdo with the Chandlers, another squad of pirates in heavily armed pickup trucks chased after them, trying to recapture the hostages.
“There have been constant meetings between the pirates, and they finally disagreed over the management of the couple,” said Mahamoud, a resident of Xarardheere, a pirate stronghold along the shore.
Elders in the coastal area company Inflatable Advertising said the pirates might have been worried that they were vulnerable to attack if they continued to keep the Chandlers aboard the hijacked freighter bobbing off Xarardheere.
Other pirate suspects are awaiting trial in France, while dozens have been handed over to Kenya and Yemen for prosecution. Some pirates suggested trading the couple, both in their 50s, for jailed comrades, residents said.
On Friday, a man claiming to represent the captors demanded a $7 million ransom for the couple. The British government on Saturday reiterated its refusal to pay a ransom, saying in a statement that officials would not make any “substantive concessions to hostage-takers, and that includes the payment of ransom,” The Associated Press reported.
While dozens of foreign warships are cruising Somalia’s waters right now, trying to crack down on the stubborn piracy problem, there are very few, if any, foreign military personnel on shore.
FACTBOX-How Obama's Afghan strategy is shaping up
Nov 1 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama's advisers appear to be laying the ground for a hybrid war strategy combining both counterinsurgency with counterterrorism in Afghanistan that would entail a troop increase next year.
Officials say Obama has ruled out wholesale Inflatable Products a troop reduction and will, at a minimum, need to send large numbers of military trainers to Afghanistan if he hopes to accelerate the expansion of the Afghan army, a top priority for his Democratic allies in Congress.
The biggest question, officials say, are how many more troops and trainers Obama will decide to deploy.
STRATEGY
Support within the administration is growing for continuing a counterinsurgency strategy with a greater focus on protecting major Afghan population centers.
Counterinsurgency child inflatable advocates include Defense Secretary Robert Gates and military leaders, including General Stanley McChrystal, commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
Officials said this strategy could be combined with a stepped up counterterrorism campaign, advocated by Vice President Joe Biden, using unmanned aerial drones and special operations forces to combat Taliban and al Qaeda fighters in the Afghan countryside and near the border with Pakistan.
TROOPS
McChrystal has recommended deploying an additional 40,000 troops next year, a figure that includes trainers.
Another option, and one that may be more politically palatable for Obama and his allies, would add about 10,000 to 15,000 troops, a large portion of whom would be dedicated to training.
U.S. intelligence agencies believe the Taliban-led insurgency includes an estimated 25,000 full-time fighters, up from 7,000 in 2006.
That would suggest that international troops currently outnumber insurgents 4-to-1. The Afghan army has about 100,000 troops.
But officials said Obama may opt for a number in between 15,000 and 40,000.
Military commanders and lawmakers have said discussions were focused on sending two additional brigades, totaling between 10,000 to 15,000 troops, to southern Afghanistan, a key Taliban stronghold.
Another brigade also may be added in eastern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan.
Brigades range in size but generally include 3,500 to 4,000 troops. They can swell to over 5,000 troops if other units are attached to them. Marine brigades can be larger.
Currently, there are about 67,000 U.S. troops and 42,000 allied forces in Afghanistan.
TALIBAN
A U.S. troop increase could give Western forces a greater numerical advantage, provided Taliban growth slows. But U.S. officials and experts said such comparisons were suspect in guerrilla warfare since the Taliban mainly operate in small units using hit-and-run tactics. (Reporting by Adam Entous; Editing by Sue Pleming and Bill Trott)
Officials say Obama has ruled out wholesale Inflatable Products a troop reduction and will, at a minimum, need to send large numbers of military trainers to Afghanistan if he hopes to accelerate the expansion of the Afghan army, a top priority for his Democratic allies in Congress.
The biggest question, officials say, are how many more troops and trainers Obama will decide to deploy.
STRATEGY
Support within the administration is growing for continuing a counterinsurgency strategy with a greater focus on protecting major Afghan population centers.
Counterinsurgency child inflatable advocates include Defense Secretary Robert Gates and military leaders, including General Stanley McChrystal, commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
Officials said this strategy could be combined with a stepped up counterterrorism campaign, advocated by Vice President Joe Biden, using unmanned aerial drones and special operations forces to combat Taliban and al Qaeda fighters in the Afghan countryside and near the border with Pakistan.
TROOPS
McChrystal has recommended deploying an additional 40,000 troops next year, a figure that includes trainers.
Another option, and one that may be more politically palatable for Obama and his allies, would add about 10,000 to 15,000 troops, a large portion of whom would be dedicated to training.
U.S. intelligence agencies believe the Taliban-led insurgency includes an estimated 25,000 full-time fighters, up from 7,000 in 2006.
That would suggest that international troops currently outnumber insurgents 4-to-1. The Afghan army has about 100,000 troops.
But officials said Obama may opt for a number in between 15,000 and 40,000.
Military commanders and lawmakers have said discussions were focused on sending two additional brigades, totaling between 10,000 to 15,000 troops, to southern Afghanistan, a key Taliban stronghold.
Another brigade also may be added in eastern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan.
Brigades range in size but generally include 3,500 to 4,000 troops. They can swell to over 5,000 troops if other units are attached to them. Marine brigades can be larger.
Currently, there are about 67,000 U.S. troops and 42,000 allied forces in Afghanistan.
TALIBAN
A U.S. troop increase could give Western forces a greater numerical advantage, provided Taliban growth slows. But U.S. officials and experts said such comparisons were suspect in guerrilla warfare since the Taliban mainly operate in small units using hit-and-run tactics. (Reporting by Adam Entous; Editing by Sue Pleming and Bill Trott)
2009年10月30日星期五
UPDATE: US Stocks Close Sharply Lower; DJIA Ends Month Flat
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--U.S. stocks tumbled Friday, with Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Alcoa leading the Dow Jones Industrial Average's wholesale Inflatable Slide components lower as investors again grew concerned about the economy after the short-lived excitement over Thursday's good report on gross domestic product.
The Dow Friday posted its biggest one-day point drop since April 20, and ended October just 0.45 point above where it began. Other major measures, including the Standard & Poor's 500 and the Nasdaq Composite, ended the month in the red, marking their first monthly declines since February.
The Dow closed down 249.85 points, or 2.51%, at 9712.73, marking its 10th triple-digit movement this month. Five of them were down and five up, reflecting how volatile the market has gotten as investors try to get a handle on whether the 48% surge in the Dow since March can be justified by economic fundamentals. For the week, the Dow fell 259.45 points, or 2.6%, marking its second consecutive week in the red.
Among the Dow's big movers Friday, Bank of America tumbled 1.15, or 7.3%, to 14.58, while JPMorgan slid 2.58, or 5.8%, to 41.77, and Alcoa dropped 58 cents, or 4.5%, to 12.42.
Across other measures, the Nasdaq Composite fell 52.44, or 2.50%, to 2045.11. It was down 5.08% for the week, and 3.65% for the month.
The Standard & Poor's 500 dropped 29.93, or 2.81%, to 1036.18. For the week, it dropped 4.02%; it was down 1.98% for the month.
Friday's declines come as the latest measure of consumer spending came in weak, reflecting the biggest drop since December 2008, although it was in line with economists' expectations.
Still, investors are growing hungry for economic data to start showing improvement and strength, rather than simply being above or in line with expectations. In addition, they are starting to wonder how much of the economic growth that was reported Thursday would have been there if it weren't for all the government support through such programs as the "cash for clunkers" funding for automobile purchases.
Nonetheless, some market participants said Friday's decline was typical of a market in recovery, and therefore no major cause for concern.
"It's not unprecedented after having such a strong rally," said Mary Ann Bartels, head of U.S. technical and market analysis at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. "Markets need to consolidate in order to achieve new recovery highs, and a correction will broaden out the base-building process we've been in since last year," giving stocks more support for a move higher, she said.
Life insurers fell in an exaggeration of the giant Inflatable Castle declines across the market, as the sector is exposed to equities through its variable-annuity guarantees and other equity-linked retirement-income products. MetLife was among the decliners, slumping 2.81, or 7.6%, to 34.03, after it swung to a third-quarter loss on $1.4 billion in investment losses. The life insurer's stock had climbed 7.8% Wednesday ahead of the report.
McAfee declined 1.87, or 4.3%, to 41.88, after the security-software company said its third-quarter profit fell 25% as higher costs led to lower margins.
Stereo maker Harman International Industries was a bright spot, surging 4.61, or 14%, to 37.61, after the company reported fiscal first-quarter sales above Street expectations. The company said its markets are stabilizing and it is gaining market share.
Estee Lauder also rose, climbing 1.36, or 3.3%, to 42.50, after its fiscal first-quarter profit more than doubled as the beauty-products company posted higher earnings across all of its businesses. Goldman Sachs raised its investment rating on the stock to neutral from conviction sell.
ITT fell 3.66, or 6.7%, to 50.70, after the defense and industrial conglomerate reported a 73% drop in third-quarter profit, stemming from a $131 million charge for asbestos-liability claims.
Cummins was down 2.86, or 6.2%, to 43.06, after the engine maker reported its third-quarter earnings fell 59% from last year's record results as it struggles in the face of weak North American and European trucking and construction markets.
Beckman Coulter fell 2.73, or 4.1%, to 64.33. The maker of biomedical instrument systems and test equipment posted a 94% plunge in third-quarter earnings as restructuring and acquisition costs masked higher sales and margins.
Universal Health Services' latest quarterly earnings beat analysts' expectations, but its shares fell 5.07, or 8.4%, to 55.65, as investors focused on the hospital operator's growing bad debt, which climbed more than analysts had been expecting. The news weighed on Tenet Healthcare, which fell 37 cents, or 6.7%, to 5.12.
The Dow Friday posted its biggest one-day point drop since April 20, and ended October just 0.45 point above where it began. Other major measures, including the Standard & Poor's 500 and the Nasdaq Composite, ended the month in the red, marking their first monthly declines since February.
The Dow closed down 249.85 points, or 2.51%, at 9712.73, marking its 10th triple-digit movement this month. Five of them were down and five up, reflecting how volatile the market has gotten as investors try to get a handle on whether the 48% surge in the Dow since March can be justified by economic fundamentals. For the week, the Dow fell 259.45 points, or 2.6%, marking its second consecutive week in the red.
Among the Dow's big movers Friday, Bank of America tumbled 1.15, or 7.3%, to 14.58, while JPMorgan slid 2.58, or 5.8%, to 41.77, and Alcoa dropped 58 cents, or 4.5%, to 12.42.
Across other measures, the Nasdaq Composite fell 52.44, or 2.50%, to 2045.11. It was down 5.08% for the week, and 3.65% for the month.
The Standard & Poor's 500 dropped 29.93, or 2.81%, to 1036.18. For the week, it dropped 4.02%; it was down 1.98% for the month.
Friday's declines come as the latest measure of consumer spending came in weak, reflecting the biggest drop since December 2008, although it was in line with economists' expectations.
Still, investors are growing hungry for economic data to start showing improvement and strength, rather than simply being above or in line with expectations. In addition, they are starting to wonder how much of the economic growth that was reported Thursday would have been there if it weren't for all the government support through such programs as the "cash for clunkers" funding for automobile purchases.
Nonetheless, some market participants said Friday's decline was typical of a market in recovery, and therefore no major cause for concern.
"It's not unprecedented after having such a strong rally," said Mary Ann Bartels, head of U.S. technical and market analysis at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. "Markets need to consolidate in order to achieve new recovery highs, and a correction will broaden out the base-building process we've been in since last year," giving stocks more support for a move higher, she said.
Life insurers fell in an exaggeration of the giant Inflatable Castle declines across the market, as the sector is exposed to equities through its variable-annuity guarantees and other equity-linked retirement-income products. MetLife was among the decliners, slumping 2.81, or 7.6%, to 34.03, after it swung to a third-quarter loss on $1.4 billion in investment losses. The life insurer's stock had climbed 7.8% Wednesday ahead of the report.
McAfee declined 1.87, or 4.3%, to 41.88, after the security-software company said its third-quarter profit fell 25% as higher costs led to lower margins.
Stereo maker Harman International Industries was a bright spot, surging 4.61, or 14%, to 37.61, after the company reported fiscal first-quarter sales above Street expectations. The company said its markets are stabilizing and it is gaining market share.
Estee Lauder also rose, climbing 1.36, or 3.3%, to 42.50, after its fiscal first-quarter profit more than doubled as the beauty-products company posted higher earnings across all of its businesses. Goldman Sachs raised its investment rating on the stock to neutral from conviction sell.
ITT fell 3.66, or 6.7%, to 50.70, after the defense and industrial conglomerate reported a 73% drop in third-quarter profit, stemming from a $131 million charge for asbestos-liability claims.
Cummins was down 2.86, or 6.2%, to 43.06, after the engine maker reported its third-quarter earnings fell 59% from last year's record results as it struggles in the face of weak North American and European trucking and construction markets.
Beckman Coulter fell 2.73, or 4.1%, to 64.33. The maker of biomedical instrument systems and test equipment posted a 94% plunge in third-quarter earnings as restructuring and acquisition costs masked higher sales and margins.
Universal Health Services' latest quarterly earnings beat analysts' expectations, but its shares fell 5.07, or 8.4%, to 55.65, as investors focused on the hospital operator's growing bad debt, which climbed more than analysts had been expecting. The news weighed on Tenet Healthcare, which fell 37 cents, or 6.7%, to 5.12.
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