Iran’s Foreign Minister Hints at Prisoner Swap for 2 Hikers
Posted in Main Blog (All Posts) on September 18th, 2011 4:39 am by HL
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hints at Prisoner Swap for 2 Hikers
After speculation that Iran might allow two imprisoned American hikers to return home in exchange for a steep bail, Iran’s foreign minister hinted Saturday that the timetable for their release could depend on the willingness of the U.S. to release Iranian prisoners. Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said Iranian courts are willing to commute the eight-year prison sentences for Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal “in the near future” as a gesture of Islamic mercy, but he did not elaborate on exactly when. Salehi said he hoped Iranian families would “hear good news,” but he did not mention the names of any American-held Iranian prisoners. —BF CBS News: Salehi said at a news conference that Iran’s judiciary was ready to commute the sentences as a gesture of Islamic mercy. But he did not give any clearer indication of when they could be released. “The judiciary’s decision is to commute (the Americans’) punishment,” the foreign minister said. “We expect the judiciary to make its decision in the near future.” “We hope this issue will be finalized so that both families of Iranians who are waiting (for inmates in U.S. prisons) as well as the families of these U.S. nationals will, God willing, hear good news,” Salehi said. He did not specifically mention any Iranian detainee, although officials in Tehran have often complained about alleged mistreatment of Iranians in American custody. Read more
After speculation that Iran might allow two imprisoned American hikers to return home in exchange for a steep bail, Iran’s foreign minister hinted Saturday that the timetable for their release could depend on the willingness of the U.S. to release Iranian prisoners.
Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said Iranian courts are willing to commute the eight-year prison sentences for Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal “in the near future” as a gesture of Islamic mercy, but he did not elaborate on exactly when. Salehi said he hoped Iranian families would “hear good news,” but he did not mention the names of any American-held Iranian prisoners. —BF
CBS News:
Salehi said at a news conference that Iran’s judiciary was ready to commute the sentences as a gesture of Islamic mercy. But he did not give any clearer indication of when they could be released.
“The judiciary’s decision is to commute (the Americans’) punishment,” the foreign minister said. “We expect the judiciary to make its decision in the near future.”
“We hope this issue will be finalized so that both families of Iranians who are waiting (for inmates in U.S. prisons) as well as the families of these U.S. nationals will, God willing, hear good news,” Salehi said.
He did not specifically mention any Iranian detainee, although officials in Tehran have often complained about alleged mistreatment of Iranians in American custody.
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UAW Reaches Contract Agreement With GM
The United Auto Workers and GM announced late Friday that after more than seven weeks of negotiations the two had agreed on a four-year contract that included new jobs, improved profit-sharing and better health care benefits. Two anonymous sources told The Associated Press that, in this first contract since GM and Chrysler were given government bailouts in 2009, the UAW had won $5,000 signing bonuses and a pay raise of $2 to $3 per hour for entry-level workers. Local union leaders are expected to be briefed on the new contract Tuesday, and workers could vote the contract into effect in the next 10 days. —BF The Associated Press in Forbes: The deal also will include creative ways to cut GM’s hourly labor costs. GM pays around $56 per hour including wages and benefits, which is less than what Ford pays but far higher than other companies like Chrysler and Hyundai Motor Co. GM was the first of the Detroit Three to reach agreement with the UAW. Chrysler is likely to be next, followed by Ford, where little progress has been made in negotiations so far. The UAW announced the GM agreement just after 11 p.m. EDT Friday, after a little more than seven weeks of closed-door bargaining. Read more
The United Auto Workers and GM announced late Friday that after more than seven weeks of negotiations the two had agreed on a four-year contract that included new jobs, improved profit-sharing and better health care benefits.
Two anonymous sources told The Associated Press that, in this first contract since GM and Chrysler were given government bailouts in 2009, the UAW had won $5,000 signing bonuses and a pay raise of $2 to $3 per hour for entry-level workers.
Local union leaders are expected to be briefed on the new contract Tuesday, and workers could vote the contract into effect in the next 10 days. —BF
The Associated Press in Forbes:
The deal also will include creative ways to cut GM’s hourly labor costs. GM pays around $56 per hour including wages and benefits, which is less than what Ford pays but far higher than other companies like Chrysler and Hyundai Motor Co.
GM was the first of the Detroit Three to reach agreement with the UAW. Chrysler is likely to be next, followed by Ford, where little progress has been made in negotiations so far.
The UAW announced the GM agreement just after 11 p.m. EDT Friday, after a little more than seven weeks of closed-door bargaining.
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