In fact, the legislative, executive and judicial powers are so well respected in Honduras that when President Manuel Zelaya wanted to illegally change the constitution to extend his term in office, these two branches conformed by sympathizers and opponents of Mr. Zelaya, acted independently and in accordance to the law declaring that this move was illegal.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Delahunt��s Banana 'Slip'

On December 23rd a forum of 900 people in the eastern city of Ust-Kamenogorsk put forward an initiative to extend, via a referendum, the president's term in office until 2020 and to cancel the next presidential election, due in 2012.

ECONOMIST: Nursultan Nazarbayev, very nearly eternal