If a coalition of such countries were to condemn the crackdown, call for a release of political prisoners and demand full respect for human rights — and back up these positions with a downgrading of diplomatic and trade ties — this would send a powerful message to both sides in Iran.
A decision is due on proposals for the hospital to be managed by University Hospital of North Staffordshire, along with a downgrading of its maternity, paediatric and critical care services.
Fitch, the credit-rating agency, gave a clear signal that it believes Greece is heading closer to default after it followed the report with a downgrade of the country further into junk territory.
Its $57 billion of unfunded retiree health-care liabilities led to two out of three debt-rating agencies punishing it last week with a downgrade of its bonds to just above junk status.
The three-state swing, which included impromptu stops at a school and a coffee shop where Mr. Obama loaded up on apple and pumpkin pie, is an effort to reclaim the initiative after a dismal summer in which the president was stymied on the debt talks and then rebuked with a downgrade of the country's credit rating.
The move marked a hardening of America's policy of non-cooperation with the ICC, and a downgrading of the role of multilateralism.
The sanctions, which consist of a downgrading of relations with Austria that crimps the activities of Austrian ambassadors, have prompted heated debate in Europe because they represent an unparalleled intrusion in the internal affairs of a member.
Based on clinical reporting, negative IPFU conferred patients a 84.6% probability of being downgraded to Gleason sum ≤7 at RP, which contrasts with a downgrading probability of 30.8% when IPFU was reported (Table 5).
On Thursday France will mount its first debt auction of the year - with the prospect of a downgrade of its triple AAA rating from Standard and Poor's still looming in the background.
Relegation to tier 3 would put Thailand, which is grappling with the aftermath of a coup, on a par with North Korea and Iran, and could result in a downgrade of Thailand's trading status with the US.
Asian stocks were mixed Wednesday, with Japanese shares moving lower following a downgrade of Toyota Motor and South Korean stocks on the rise, boosted by a rally in steelmakers, which benefited from BHP Billiton dropping its bid for Rio Tinto, and financials, which gained after the government decided against capital injections.
