1.   A hold allows a senator to secretly prevent a nomination from coming up for a Senate vote.

2.   A hold allows a single senator to block a floor vote, though the Senate majority leader can cancel a hold by another senator.

3.   The freeze takes hold to allow for the league-wide audit required to establish a new salary-cap ceiling.

4.   Meanwhile UN Secretary General Kofi Annan called for military intervention in the coutnry if a ceasefire fails to take hold to allow evacuation of the refugees.