Commonwealth Boots Pakistan

Ten days after demanding democracy in Pakistan, the 53-nation Commonwealth yanked the country's membership today until Musharraf lifts military rule, the Times reports. The vote will nix hundreds of millions of pounds of investment and have "severe consequences for investment" for Pakistan's economy, a Commonwealth member said. 

"One year back or even six months back, Pakistan's economy was seen to be a very fast growing" one, he said. But "because of the emergency of the last few weeks, the position has been worsened considerably." The Commonwealth last suspended Pakistan in 1999 when Musharraf seized power, and reinstated it in 2004 when he vowed to step down as military leader—a promise he never kept but repeated today. (More Pervez Musharraf stories.)