UN and neighbours put pressure on Honduras; Bomb blasts mar Iraqi takeover; Ahmadinejad fails to appear for Africa summit; North Korean arms ship to Burma turns around; and more

Top of the Agenda: Int'l Pressure on Honduras

Following the coup on Sunday that ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, the UN General Assembly and the Organization of American States (OAS) condemned the coup (CSMonitor) and called for dialogue between Zelaya and the Honduran military to reinstate Zelaya. The OAS threatened to suspend Honduras (VOA) if action is not taken within seventy-two hours. Though Zelaya has portrayed himself as a victim, Hondurans are divided over whether the president should return to office, reports the New York Times. The divide is expected to grow more heated on Thursday, when Zelaya is set to return to the country. Experts say he will likely be returned to office, but as a figurehead.

Analysis:

- A Wall Street Journal editorial argues that the coup needs to be understood in the context of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who sought similar constitutional changes to those Zelaya was ousted for.

- Reuters outlines how the United States could cut off aid to Honduras.

Background:

- The BBC profiles Zelaya.

 

PACIFIC RIM: N. Korean Ship Turns Around

A North Korean ship being tracked by the United States has turned around (BBC). The ship was suspected of carrying arms to Myanmar. Meanwhile, the United States is cracking down on two firms with ties to North Korea's missile program, Iran-based Hong Kong Electronics and the North Korean company Namchongang Trading Corporation. The move freezes any assets (WSJ) the firms may have in the United States and bars U.S. companies from dealing with them.

China: Slate reports from Yunxiao, China, the heart of the country's counterfeit cigarette production. It says China now produces roughly 400 billion counterfeit cigarettes a year, enough to supply every U.S. smoker with 460 packs a year.

 

ELSEWHERE:

Iraqis take over control of their cities from U.S. troops.

African Union summit opens, without Ahmadinejad.

This is an excerpt of the CFR.org Daily News Brief. The full version is available on CFR.org.