Bush Announces Halt
to Troop Withdrawals from Iraq

Bush said "serious and complex challenges" remain in Iraq that will prevent further withdrawals of U.S. troops

Bush set the course of the war in a speech following two days of testimony this week before a skeptical Congress by General Petraeus and the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker. details.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates also testifies to Congress this week that he sees no chance that the number of U.S. troops in Iraq will drop to 100,000 by the end of the year, guaranteeing a heavy American military presence to the end of the Bush presidency.

Democratic Senate Majority leader Harry Reid said, "President Bush has an exit strategy for just one man - himself, on the day he leaves office, January 2009."

Bush Public approval at new low . 81 percent of public also believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. Dramatic union dockworker's stop work protest is planned for May 1, stopping work in all U.S. West Coast ports for eight hours.

More >>

International and U.S. Financial Woes
More Federal Reserve 'Bear Traps.'

Bank Write-Downs: No End Yet Mortgage-related securities continue to wreak havoc on banks' balance sheets. The International Monetary Fund has warned that potential losses from sup-prime mortages may costs '$1 trillion' European Central Bank President, at G7, complained of falling dollar and "excessive volatility'' of exchange rates. At G7, Brit finance minister described the current credit squeeze as the biggest "economic shock" the world has seen since the 1930s Great Depression. Inflation adds to worries at G7 meeting of finance chiefs from the world's richest nations. GE loses shock Wall Street. Consumer sentiment drops to 26-year low. Retail gas and oil prices rise to another record Fed Reserve didn't back better Bear Stearns deal. - Fed bended rules to seal deal on JPMorgan/BearStearns deal. Bernanke says if Bear Sterns went under, then he feared the financial markets would unravel.

Southern African Leaders Support
Fair Vote Count in Zimbabwe Elections

Southern African Development Community, a regional bloc of 14 nations, also implicitly acknowledged reports that the governing party had sponsored violent attacks on opposition supporters.

Opposition also claims Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's backers are mobilizing militants and reviving resentments over white-owned farms, an issue that propelled Mugabe to power in 1980, in order to drum up support before a probable presidential runoff election. More

Zimbabweans suffer from chronic shortages of food, water, electricity, fuel and medicine. Unemployment close to 80 percent and inflation rate is the highest in the world at more than 100,000 percent, details.

More >>