House defies Bush on trade deal - BBC News

The United States House of Representatives have defied the White Person House and voted to indefinitely detain action on a free trade trade with Colombia.

President Saint George Tungsten Shrub sent the free trade understanding to United States Congress early this week, using a "fast-track" process which necessitates a ballot within 90 days.

The House instead voted to get rid of that regulation and suspend action. The White Person House fearfulnesses the move may kill the deal.

The pact, signed by the two states in 2006, is opposed by United States labor groups.

The Democrats reason it should not be approved until they are satisfied Republic Of Colombia have done enough to halt force against labor union organisers.

Ahead of the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also said it could not be considered "unless we turn to the economical insecurity of America's workings families".

Free trade have go a cardinal issue in presidential candidacy and the conflict for control of Congress, against a background of deepening economical sufferings and rising occupation losings in the US.

'Strong friend'

The House's 224-195 ballot to take Mister Bush's 90-day timetable for the ballot on the Republic Of Colombia trade - and so suspend the procedure indefinitely - sets it in line for a confrontation with the White Person House.

NAFTA FACTS

Started on 1 January 1994, full execution 1 January 2008

Allows free trade between US, Canada and Mexico

Side understandings modulate environment, labour

Critics state 1m United States manufacturing occupations have got been lost

Ahead of the vote, White Person Person House spokeswoman Danu Perino said: "We believe that if the Democrats make up one's mind to throw this ballot today they are effectively killing the Republic Of Republic Of Colombia free trade understanding and there are tons of effects that spell along with that."

The White House have pushed for United States Congress to O.K. the trade because it sees Colombia as an of import United States ally in Latin America.

Ms Perino said on Wednesday that renegotiating the regulations of United States Congress part-way through a trade would sabotage other countries' assurance in the United States when it came to future deals.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice criticised the Democratic-led United States Congress for failing to back up the attempts made by "this strong friend of America" to better stability.

"What will it state if the United States turns its dorsum now on Colombia?" she asked.

The Democrats reason that that Mister Shrub sent the measure to United States Congress despite their warnings that it lacked sufficient support to O.K. it.

American interests

The issue of free trade have also been outstanding on the primary political campaign trail, with attending focused chiefly on the North American Free Trade Agreement, or Nafta.

Sparring on trade by Democratic challengers Edmund Hillary Bill Clinton and Barack Obama have intensified as the 22 April ballot in Pennsylvania, a state threatened by the economical downturn, approaches.

At the weekend, Mrs Clinton's head political campaign strategist, Mark Penn, had to step down after he held a meeting on behalf of his lobbying house with representatives of the Colombian authorities - which is pressing the United States United States Congress to go through the free trade deal.

Mrs Bill Clinton opposes the Colombian understanding as it stands.

Franz to star at Connect festival - BBC News

Franz Ferdinand, Kasabian and the Manic Street Preachers are to play this year's Hydro Connect festival.

The festival, which is targeted at more than mature music fans, will be held in the evidence of Inveraray Palace in Argyll.

Connect is the inspiration of the organizers of Deoxythymidine Monophosphate in the Park, who felt that many fans had outgrown the original festival.

Fans will be offered porridge, salmon and malted whiskey instead of the usual suds and burgers.

There will also be a watering place and a bubbly tent.

Tickets for the festival, which takes topographic point from 29 to 31 August, will travel on sale on Friday.

Festival organizer Geoff Ellis said: "Hydro Connect is about offering music fans a totally different festival experience.

"Last year's festival was the realization of something I wanted to make since I first proverb the evidence at Inveraray Castle.

"It is by far the most dramatic festival land site I have got ever seen in the United Kingdom and beyond and the line-up, combined with the local green goods and some really exciting option entertainment, do it the perfect manner for music fans to stop the summer."