The Price of 'Dignity'

Bolivian President Evo-Morales has met regional governors to try to resolve deep differences over his plans for constitutional reform. President Morales struck a conciliatory note as he opened the meeting with the nine regional governors.

"When there are no sectarian-ambitions, it's possible to understand each other for the good of the country," he said.

"We all want peace and unity but in a dialogue there are some things that you cannot negotiate, which are principles and laws," Reuters quoted Ruben Costas, the governor of Santa-Cruz province as saying.

Revenues
Mr Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, made rewriting the constitution a key part of his reform agenda to give the indigenous majority greater political power. One of the biggest disputes is over the distribution of revenue from natural gas exports between the regions and the central government.

The lowland regions of Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando and Tarija include the country's vital natural gas reserves and are home to important agribusinesses.

Among the proposals are, two consecutive 5-year terms for presidents, greater state control of the economy and more autonomy for indigenous communities.

Via Money-Soft

Baghdad's First Snow

It snowed in Baghdad. The flakes melted-quickly, but the smiles, went on.

After weathering nearly five years of war, Baghdad residents thought they'd pretty much seen it all. But as muezzins were calling the faithful to prayer, the people here awoke to something certifiably-new.

"For the first time in my life I saw a snow-rain like this falling in Baghdad," said Mohammed Abdul-Hussein, a 63-year-old retiree from the New Baghdad area.

"When I was young, I heard from my father that such rain had fallen in the early '40s on the outskirts of northern Baghdad," Mr. Abdul-Hussein said.