Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe refuses to comment why power-sharing talks with the opposition leader "went in the wrong direction".
After emerging from the meeting after eight hours of strenuous talks on Friday with Morgan Tsvangirai, Mugabe, representing the ruling ZANU-PF party, refrained from commenting on why the negotiations had failed.
Talking to reporters he only said that they will make a full statement "tomorrow". "We shall tell you in detail tomorrow and will also tell you the way forward. We don't want to pre-empt what we are going to say", Reuters quoted him as saying.
Meanwhile, Tsvangirai leader of the opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), said he was still committed to a broader power-sharing despite a deadlock after four days of talks.
He said he is not walking away from it and hoped that with the spirit of cooperation, a final solution will be reached which will be in favor of both the parties.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/18/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
And what does Mugabe's mum have to say, hmmm?
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
10/18/2008 12:27 Comments ||
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Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says that oil prices, which have dropped by half in the last few months, will probably keep falling. Chavez is a price hawk in OPEC and has over the last few weeks been lowering what he considers the likely range for world oil prices, which have plunged due to fears that recessions around the world will slash demand.
Chavez said Venezuela will likely be hit by the global turmoil but would not collapse because of the drop in income. Oil accounts for about half of government revenue. "The price of oil is falling? Yes. The price will carry on falling? Probably. But Venezuela will not drown," he said at a forum about the benefits of socialism.
World oil prices are at a 13-month low below $73 a barrel, down from a record of about $150 a barrel in July.
Venezuela, one of the United States' biggest oil suppliers, has drafted a budget for next year based on a prediction of $55-60 a barrel for its basket of low-quality crudes, officials said earlier Wednesday. The South American nation's tarry crude usually trades at about $10 a barrel below US oil.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/18/2008 00:00 ||
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#4
I will worry about the value of the dollar the day that the cocaine cartels in South America start refusing to take it in exchange for their drugs. There is a good reason why every mafia, drug smuggler, and contraband smuggler in the world wants the dollar as payment : world-wide acceptance at face value.
WASHINGTON - U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva next month to discuss whether to extend a treaty limiting nuclear arsenals that expires late next year, the State Department said on Friday. Russia has been asking whether Washington is serious about replacing the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, signed in Moscow in 1991, which set ceilings on the size of the Russian and U.S. nuclear arsenals.
The two countries have already held extensive discussions about a post-START agreement "and we expect to continue those discussions," the State Department said in a statement. "The parties to a START will meet in Geneva in mid-November to initiate this process."
The parties were obligated to meet no later than a year before the START treaty expires next December to begin consideration of whether or not to extend the treaty.
State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said he thought the meeting would be held at the "working level" -- meaning senior officials, below cabinet level.
Posted by: Steve White ||
10/18/2008 00:00 ||
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Right... We'll control all your weapons. Agreed? Splendid!
From Geostrategy Direct, subscription.
China has deployed strategic nuclear missiles in Tibet, including medium-range systems in Tsonub Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Qinghai Province. The missiles are capable of hitting targets in Russia and Northern India with nuclear warheads, according to the Indian Defence Review.
According to the report, some 60 launch pads for medium-range nuclear ballistic missiles (MRBM) near the cities of Delingha and Da Qaidam were identified.
U.S. China military specialist Hans Kristensen, said of the sites: "The region has long been rumored to house nuclear missiles. But the new analysis reveals a significantly larger deployment area than previously known, different types of launch pads, command and control facilities and missile deployment equipment at a large facility in downtown Delingha."
The missiles in the region are thought to include DF-31s, DF-21s and DF-4s. According to the Indian journal, about 67, out of 121 deployed nuclear missiles, are said to be solid-fueled, 55 per cent versus 36 per cent a few years back.
The journal also stated that China likely has constructed extensive underground military facilities in western China, including missile facilities. Commercial satellite photo shows tent-like structures visible in downtown Delingha apparently used by the missile launch brigade when it deploys to remote launch pads.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
10/18/2008 00:00 ||
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From a 1985 interview with an ex-KGB operative about how the the communists 'marched backward' into a conquest. Relates extremely well with how the media and other 'useful idiots' are today pushing us in a direction they don't (or won't) understand. Saul Alinsky understood this very well and Barry was a good student (as are his puppet-masters).
But don't worry, ACORN's got it covered a hundred to one.
Thousands of voters across the country must reestablish their eligibility in the next three weeks in order for their votes to count on Nov. 4, a result of new state registration systems that are incorrectly rejecting them.
The challenges have led to a dozen lawsuits, testy arguments among state officials and escalating partisan battles. Because many voters may not know that their names have been flagged, eligibility questions could cause added confusion on Election Day, beyond the delays that may come with a huge turnout.
Since this is WaPo, they'll politely ignore the potentially hundreds of thousands of fraudulent registrations ...
The scramble to verify voter registrations is happening as states switch from locally managed lists of voters to statewide databases, a change required by federal law and hailed by many as a more efficient and accurate way to keep lists up to date.
But in the transition, the systems are questioning the registrations of many voters when discrepancies surface between their registration information and other official records, often because of errors outside voters' control. But sometimes because they do not exist.
The issue made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which yesterday blocked a challenge to 200,000 Ohio voters whose registration data conflicted with other state records. Conflicted? How?
It is impossible to know how many voters are affected nationwide. There are no reports of large-scale problems in Virginia, Maryland or the District, but the trouble is cropping up in many states.
In Alabama, scores of voters are being labeled as convicted felons on the basis of incorrect lists. Michigan must restore thousands of names it illegally removed from voter rolls over residency questions, a judge ruled this week. Judge sez everybody gets to vote!
Tens of thousands of voters could be affected in Wisconsin. Officials there admit that their database is wrong one out of five times when it flags voters, sometimes for data discrepancies as small as a middle initial or a typo in a birth date. When the six members of the state elections board - all retired judges - ran their registrations through the system, four were incorrectly rejected because of mismatches.
Posted by: Bobby ||
10/18/2008 11:17 ||
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all this would be moot if all states required secure photo ID to vote.
But we can't because the Donks might lose fraudulent votes, felon votes, illegals' votes,and the poor, who can get free ID cards. Makes sense. Not.
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/18/2008 13:10 Comments ||
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#2
Is there a website I can validate my eligibility?
General Colin Powell, the former Secretary of State, is preparing for a live TV interview tomorrow amid intense speculation that he is ready to endorse Barack Obamas campaign.
Aides from John McCains camp are bracing themselves for another damaging blow, with one being quoted yesterday as suggesting that such an announcement from General Powell would be personally embarrassing for the Republican nominee with whom the General has been friends for 25 years and would create momentum against us.
General Powell, who once considered an attempt to become Americas first black president, has strong credentials on national security policy one of Mr Obamas weaker policy areas. Since quitting as Secretary of State in 2005 he has distanced himself from President Bush.
Last month he said that electing a black president would send an electrifying message to the world, before adding that he would base his decision on which candidate blends a right measure of experience and judgment.
In London this week, where he attended the Africa Rising festival, General Powell took the stage at the Royal Albert Hall to declare: I stand before you tonight as an African-American... It took a lot of people struggling to bring me to this point in history.
Mr McCains campaign continues to be dominated by Joe Wurzelbacher, the Ohio plumber who confronted Mr Obama at the weekend to ask the Democrat why he planned to raise taxes for small businesses. The Obama campaign has countered by pointing out that the plumbers current income level would make him eligible for tax cuts, rather than a proposed increase that applies only to those earning more than $250,000 (£130,000) a year.
At a rally in Miami, Mr McCain said: Americans ought to be able to ask Senator Obama tough questions without being smeared and targeted with political attacks.
The Republican also earned laughs at a charity dinner in New York, which he attended with Mr Obama on Thursday night, by announcing that he was replacing his entire campaign team with a man named Joe the Plumber. He then suggested that Mr Wurzelbachers income would soon be eligible for a tax hike having signed a very lucrative contract with a wealthy couple to handle all the work on all seven of their houses a reference to the McCain familys bulging property portfolio.
#2
Where I come from this is referred to as double speak:
Rev. Wright is also somebody who has made enormous contributions in his community and has turned a lot of lives around, Powell said, And so, I have to put that in context with these very offensive comments that he made, which I reject out of hand.
#4
'Benedict Arnold made many contributions to the War of Independence and was critical in turning the decisive battle of Saratoga around. And so, I have to put that in context with this very offensive act that he made, which I reject out of hand.'
That would sell well in America circa 1792 wouldn't it Colin.
#5
Powell has been twitchy ever since the Bush Administration threw his precious little doctrine under the bus. Getting "fooled" by the French at the start of the war, keeping quiet during the Plame game, Powell has been in bitchy payback mode ever since.
Posted by: Minister of funny walks ||
10/18/2008 9:17 Comments ||
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#6
Yup. Been waiting for this for weeks.
Powell doesn't need a job BTW. He made his money after retiring from the Army in good part by being appointed to the board of tech companies like American Online (AOL), where he joined at the same time as another African American Clinton official, namely Frank Raines. That's Raines as in the guy who ran Fannie Mae into the ground and is a senior Obama financial advisor
Powell is now with the huge Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. Who among other firms, launched Google and Amazon.
There's a web of strong links between the wealthy left and Colin Powell, which has helped his son break into the big ranks easily as well.
#8
Last night Mike Reagan said Powell (who he deems as a friend) was a favorite of his dad & right to be pissed at the Bush admin and this is some sort of payback -- I don't get part of that as this hurts McCain vice Bush. I am often critical of W so I don't know the full details of Powell feeling he was used by the admin or what not. I also find it odd that Powell would endorse an empty suited shiftless dandy over one the few true war vets in the congress. I've always had kind of mixed opinions on Powell. I think the guy is always trying to do what he thinks is right - though I often disagree w/him - kind of like mccain. I'm often very cynical so heck, I'll say it: maybe there is a skin color component to this.
The disconnect as I have understood it originated with Cheney and Rumsfeld. Powell, the head diplomat of a failed diplomatic effort, became the wartime odd man out. He didn't enjoy his Rumsfeld association or his wicket maiden role. He's a shoe in for SECDEF or UN AMBO under an Obama administration.
#10
Noone's going to actually notice or remember that in 2003 we took away the authority for running the occupation from the DoD and gave it to the STate Department, run by Colin Powell, and they proceeded to do as much as possible to lose over the next three years.
Honestly, why does Colin Powell have to endose anyone? Even if he was going to support Mccain - Ultimately, (besides the parrot press corp and ignorant schleps) who gives a crap. Just like any of the other fringe organizations like NOW or every other idiotic celeb out there...it's like the height of arrogance or delusional self importance to think that your endorsement means anything to anyone w/half a brain.
A couple BTWs - If you're still undecided at this point your clearly too ignorant to vote.
If you've decided that obama is the right guy then you either too stupid or too delusional to vote.
The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) is planning to change its name. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who is also party Chairman, has said the party has been thinking of renaming for more than two years now. Finance Minister Baburam Bhattarai said there was no need to append "Maoists" to the party's name. "The different factions of Communist parties of the country had the same root -- the Communist Party of Nepal," he said on Friday. "And now that our party has been established as the major party of the country, we don't need to add any tail-name".
Posted by: Fred ||
10/18/2008 00:00 ||
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(APP): Sindh Minister for Information, Ms. Shazia Marri, has said that there was no truth in the rumors about national economy and those spreading misinformation were doing so only to fulfil their personal agenda. This she said while addressing at the inauguration of branch of Bank AI-Falah here Friday.
The Minister said that no doubt there were many challenges to the economy which are being tackled and given due attention at both national and provincial levels. She stated that such elements are confusing people by creating fear in their minds and thus damaging their confidence in the economy.
They want to harass masses by propagating misinformation about the state of economy and overall banking system, Ms. Shazia added. She further reiterated that there was not truth in the propaganda about the economy as country's banking system was performing well and opening of this new branch was an ample proof of this.
The Minister said that the financial crisis in the West was not related to us directly and as such we should not be afraid by this crisis but rather be prepared to deal with any possible financial situation. She said that according to the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, the provincial government was encouraging establishment of banks, financial institution other business and industries throughout the province and specially in Karachi.
Being the rapidly emerging business hub of South Asia, Karachi is also the most significant city of Pakistan financially, she said.
Ms. Shazia congratulated the management for opening another branch of the bank to facilitate its customers and hoped that the bank would continue providing quality services to its customer in future also. She was informed on the occasion that it is the 236th branch of the bank and 228th in Pakistan. The Bank now has 51 branches in the city.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/18/2008 00:00 ||
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Ukraine's feuding president and prime minister sought help from the International Monetary Fund in separate meetings Friday as a political dispute between them complicated talks for a multibillion-dollar loan to stabilize the country's struggling financial system.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/18/2008 00:00 ||
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Japan was elected Friday to a seat at the UN Security Council for 2009-2010, overcoming a challenge from Iran for a place at the head table of international diplomacy. In a vote in the UN General Assembly, which includes all member nations of the world body, Japan took 158 votes against 32 for Iran, the assembly's president Miguel d'Escoto of Nicaragua said.
Asia has two non-permanent seats on the 15-nation Security Council, on top of the permanent seat held by China. Indonesia's term is ending; Vietnam's stint continues through the end of 2009.
Among nations in the European group at the United Nations, Austria and Turkey won non-permanent places on the Security Council, leaving Iceland defeated. Mexico and Uganda took the seats available for Latin America and Africa respectively without contest.
It will be Japan's 10th turn on the Security Council since the founding of the United Nations more than 50 years ago. It is a major contributor to the UN budget and contends it should have a permanent place on a reformed council. Its bid to join the Security Council was a near certainty, given Japan's status as an economic powerhouse and the support it enjoyed from around the world, notably in Western countries.
Iran, meanwhile, is under UN sanctions for refusing to comply to Security Council demands to suspend nuclear enrichment, amid fears -- denied by Tehran -- that it is developing nuclear weapons.
"It's a comprehensive defeat, a thrashing and it's an important signal from the United Nations membership," said John Sawers, the British ambassador to the United Nations. "Had Iran, by some massive error or misjudgment... come on the Security Council, it would have obstructed the effective work of the council."
Deputy US ambassador Alejandro Wolff said: "It's important for Iran to understand that its refusal to comply with its obligations is reflected in its very poor showing."
Turkey and Austria won Security Council seats with 151 and 133 votes respectively, with Iceland -- badly shaken, by coincidence, by the global financial crisis that brought it near bankruptcy -- getting only 87 votes. "Turkey... has demonstrated through its own development that democracy thrives in the Islamic world," Sawers said, "and Turkey is also in a region where there are many issues before the Security Council."
"It's going to bring real weight to the Security Council's considerations."
Mexico and Uganda secured 185 and 181 votes each, but as they were the only candidates from their respective regions, the outcome represented a show of support from their neighbors. There are a total 192 countries in the United Nations.
The Security Council is the most important UN decision-making body, with its five permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- each having a power of veto over its decisions. The 10 non-permanent seats are filled by the General Assembly, with five countries elected each year to two-year non-renewable mandates. To secure a seat, a candidate nation has to win two-thirds of votes cast in a secret ballot.
The newly-elected countries will replace Belgium, Indonesia, Italy, Panama and South Africa when their terms expire at the end of this year. Remaining on the Security Council until the end of 2009 will be Burkina Faso, Costa Rica, Croatia, Libya and Vietnam.
Aswat al-Iraq: Demand for the dollar went up at the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) auctions this week, registering $820.906 million, compared to more than $645.262 million in the previous week. The demand hit $208.955 million in cash, covered by the bank at an exchange rate of 1,179 and 1,178 Iraqi dinars per dollar; and $611.951 million in foreign transfers outside the country at the mentioned exchange rates.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/18/2008 00:00 ||
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A body of Muslim scholars led by influential Sunni cleric Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi has urged Shiite Iran to prevent sectarian strife between Sunni and Shiite Muslims.
The International Union of Muslim Scholars issued a statement late Thursday saying it "invites the Islamic republic of Iran to assume its responsibilities to stifle sectarian sedition and extinguish the flames of this sedition."
The union issued the call following a meeting on Wednesday in the Gulf state of Qatar which was attended by the body's vice-president Iran's Ayatollah Mohamad Ali Tashkiri. The meeting, which was held behind closed doors, came after controversy triggered last month by the Egyptian-born Qaradawi who described Shiites as "heretics" and accused them of "invading" Sunni societies.
The dispute between Qaradawi and Shiite scholars emerged in the aftermath of statements the former made to the Egyptian independent al-Masry al-Youm in which he warned of a Shiite infiltration of Sunni nations. Qaradawi said at the time that he was responding to criticism by Tashkiri and another prominent Shiite cleric, Lebanon's Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, of earlier remarks he had made about a Shiite "invasion."
In its statement the union underscored "the need for mutual respect between" Sunnis and Shiites and said there should be a stop to any attempt to "spread one faith across regions dominated by the other faith."
Sunnis represent the majority of Muslims in the Middle East, but Shiites form the majority in Iran and Iraq and have a substantial presence in Lebanon.
Sunni leaders in the region have voiced concern about a Shiite resurgence following sectarian strife between the two communities in Iraq after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's Sunni-dominated regime in the U.S.-led invasion of 2003 and its replacement by a Shiite-led government.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/18/2008 00:00 ||
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Alternative Title: Don't Bogart That Joint My Friend
An investor quits after making his fortune:
From TFA:
At a time when rhetoric is flying about becoming more self-sufficient in terms of energy, why is it illegal to grow this plant in this country? Ah, the female. The evil female plant - marijuana. It gets you high, it makes you laugh, it does not produce a hangover. Unlike alcohol, it does not result in bar fights or wife beating. So, why is this innocuous plant illegal? Is it a gateway drug? No, that would be alcohol, which is so heavily advertised in this country. My only conclusion as to why it is illegal, is that Corporate America, which owns Congress, would rather sell you Paxil, Zoloft, Xanax and other addictive drugs, than allow you to grow a plant in your home without some of the profits going into their coffers. This policy is ludicrous. It has surely contributed to our dependency on foreign energy sources. Our policies have other countries literally laughing at our stupidity, most notably Canada, as well as several European nations (both Eastern and Western). You would not know this by paying attention to U.S. media sources though, as they tend not to elaborate on who is laughing at the United States this week. Please people, lets stop the rhetoric and start thinking about how we can truly become self-sufficient.
Warren Buffett generally makes money in both good times and in bad, and this article reinforces some of the bar chatter at the O-Club.
Oct. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Warren Buffett said he's buying U.S. stocks and, if prices stay attractive, his personal investments, as distinct from his stake in Berkshire Hathaway Inc., will soon be wholly in American equities.
Writing in The New York Times, he said he's following the principle: be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful.
Exaggerated concern about the long-term prosperity of financially secure U.S. companies is foolish, and most probably will be setting profit records in years to come, Buffett said. While short-term stock movements can't be foretold, the likelihood is that the market will recover before the economy or general investor sentiment rebound, and ``if you wait for the robins, spring will be over,'' he said.
Referring to the 1930s Depression, Buffett pointed out that the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached its nadir on July 8, 1932; economic conditions continued to deteriorate until Franklin D. Roosevelt became president in March 1933, and by that time the market had climbed 30 percent.
Bad news, Buffett wrote, is an investor's best friend, because it enables the purchase of ``a slice of America's future at a marked-down price.''
Buffett, ranked the richest American by Forbes magazine, has committed at least $28 billion of Berkshire's cash this year to acquire companies, finance buyouts and purchase securities as the contraction in global credit markets drove down stock prices and sent firms searching for funds.
Posted by: Steve White ||
10/18/2008 00:00 ||
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Mmmkay...between The Oracle and the fact that the Dow closed about where it did last Friday makes me think that at least we might be near the bottom...
Posted by: Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo) ||
10/18/2008 2:14 Comments ||
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#2
"Warren Buffett ...will soon be wholly in American equities."
Him and others who think like him. A lot of dollars may be coming home. Maybe this is why the dollar is increasing despite the monetary stimulus.
Posted by: Minister of funny walks ||
10/18/2008 9:11 Comments ||
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#3
Of course, all of this depends on how deeply he is already in equities. There's a good chance that he has had his clock cleaned by the recent downturn, and he is desperate to restore confidence, or bail out, if things are really bad.
I am so-so about Buffett ever since I found out he was heavily invested in wind power. Had he talked to some engineers first, he would not have had to tout wind energy on public commercials to save his butt.
Commodities are very expert driven. Only a sucker invests in oil without being advised by oil men. The same applies to metals and agriculture. Several of the markets are insider driven, dominated by an oligopoly that stick it to any ambitious types that want to use their product to get rich quick. Like the Hunt Brothers, who tried to corner silver.
Me, I'm going to wait until after the elections to do much of any portfolio change except sell if there is a spike upward.
#4
Take your cash now 'Mooose run that bank, convert it to Swiss Francs (backed by real milk chocolate) cause, the end is near. Remember it's all FIAT currency, backed by nothing except faith and the US Treasury.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says that oil prices, which have dropped by half in the last few months, will probably keep falling. Chavez is a price hawk in OPEC and has over the last few weeks been lowering what he considers the likely range for world oil prices, which have plunged due to fears that recessions around the world will slash demand. 
The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) is planning to change its name. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who is also party Chairman, has said the party has been thinking of renaming for more than two years now. Finance Minister Baburam Bhattarai said there was no need to append "Maoists" to the party's name. "The different factions of Communist parties of the country had the same root -- the Communist Party of Nepal," he said on Friday. "And now that our party has been established as the major party of the country, we don't need to add any tail-name".
