acknowledgment air france angelina jolie appointment banks brad pitt british airways china confidence congo crossroads deaths decades dow dozens earthquake economic downturn economic partner economists exile fear financial markets foreign policy full force government official hillary clinton interest rates jobs klm latin america leadership leadership role lufthansa miners mourners new twins oil prices pirates post apartheid potions prelude reliability revenge russia scope secretary of state seizure senate leadership senator hillary rodham shiite cleric signs somali steep fall stocks supertanker uncertainty u s treasury volatility welfare World News